Chapter 4
Sam awoke during the night, but she wasn't sure of the exact time. The heaviness behind her eyelids told her that it was still long before morning, at least according to Earth time – but the rumbling in her stomach indicated dawn wasn't as far off as she'd originally assessed.
She sighed and rubbed her face, fighting off the grogginess so she could collect herself. As the room came into focus and her head cleared, she let out a small groan. She knew studying on the bed had been a bad idea.
The mattress was just too comfortable; she couldn't help it.
With another sigh, Sam stretched out her legs and carefully put aside the schematics she'd been studying just hours before. As she rose, she stopped and looked to her left. To her surprise, Colonel O'Neill was curled up beside her, fast asleep. She studied him briefly, hesitant whether to wake him or not. Off-world Colonel O'Neill was nothing but vigilant. He was an alert and able-bodied soldier. But she'd heard that off-duty he could stay dead to the world for hours.
Sam knew she was probably overreacting, but with last night's talk of a debilitating disease embedded in the male population of this planet, she couldn't help but be concerned. Colonel O'Neill was no exception.
As she reached over to touch his shoulder, she froze, getting the distinct impression she was being watched. When she looked over he shoulder, her impulse was correct. Teal'c watched her from beside the doorway.
"Teal'c?" she whispered. "Are you okay?"
"You are concerned," he stated evenly. His gaze flickered to O'Neill. "His shift ended not long ago."
Sam found herself fighting to hide an embarrassed smile. "I guess I'm the one who should feel foolish."
"How are you foolish?" he asked.
Sam chuckled softly and ran her fingers through her disheveled hair. "I was out like a light, Teal'c. I need to be more alert."
"You were in need of rest." She could see a hint of a smile on his face even through the darkness. "Now you are awake."
"Now I am awake," she said with a smile. She slid off the bed and stretched, grabbing some of the schematics, while careful not to awaken her sleeping CO. "Maybe you should get some rest, too."
"I do not require sleep."
"I said rest. I'm sure there's no harm in getting your fair share of kel'no'reem."
"There is not." He started toward the spare room, but paused, half of his body highlighted into the room's faint light. "Are you certain you will not require my assistance?"
She smiled. "If I do, you'll be the first to know."
This seemed to please Teal'c. He bowed to her in that respectful manner of his, before he slipped into the next room.
Sam rolled back her shoulders, relaxing. She felt good after a comfortable night's sleep, feeling some of last night's tension melt away. And with Teal'c ready in the next room, she really had no reason to be tense.
Satisfied with their situation, Sam started across the room, careful not to trip on any of the books or tablets that were strewn across the floor. What she found in the corner did not surprise her.
Daniel slept in the corner, his legs spread out, mouth open, while his head rested on a pile of tablets stacked on his lap. On either side of him towered a mountain of books, with his body nearly lost in the sea of scattered scrolls and pamphlets in between. The plush couch that rested against the wall remained unused.
Sam grabbed a couple of grapes from the fruit bowl on a nearby table and popped them in her mouth. Her new goal was Daniel. She squeezed by another tower of books before she crouched in front of him.
"Daniel," she whispered. She hated to wake him, but she couldn't let him stay in his awkward position any longer. "Daniel."
He didn't move. She didn't think he would. He was as gone as Colonel O'Neill.
"Daniel," she tried again, this time tapping his shoulder.
He opened one of his eyes, his line of vision skewed by his crooked glasses. He blinked at her sleepily before he finally raised his head and winced. Immediately, he brought his hand to his neck and started rubbing at his muscles.
Sam cringed. That could not have been comfortable.
"I must have fallen asleep," he mumbled.
"I don't blame you," she said, nudging her chin at the litany of text in front of them. "You can read all of these?"
He opened his mouth, but instead of answering her, he let out a long, stiff yawn. He shook his head. "The language and writing has evolved since last on Earth, and they have adapted cuneiform to be used on a variety of different media." He yawned again and slipped his fingers under his glasses, rubbing at his sandy eyes. "The cuneiform on Nem's planet was Akkadian and that was hard enough. And I could only make out half of the rules we read earlier." He yawned again. "In ancient times, cuneiform was so wide-spread that different towns and cities used their own code and…"
By then, Sam realized Daniel was mumbling incoherently, still half asleep. She nudged him.
"Sorry," he said.
Sam gave him a sympathetic squeeze before she rose and managed to reach the couch. She hoped Daniel would take the hint and follow her.
He did.
Daniel settled down beside her, spilling the half a dozen books he'd been carrying onto their laps. He sent her an apologetic look, but quickly recovered the books, opening one in particular. Sam leaned over to catch a glimpse.
Gibberish. The schematics were hard enough to decipher, and they were mainly drawings and sketches. Whatever was written in these books went far beyond her understanding.
"What are you showing me?" she asked.
"I can't make out everything," he told her. "The sheer volume of material alone is enough to keep me busy for a lifetime. But," he said, holding up a finger. He licked it and then flipped the next page. "I did find some interesting historical documents."
Sam straightened in her seat, feeling her anticipation rise over the thought of a new discovery. "What do they say?" she asked.
"As far as I can tell, not a whole lot," he said grimly. "Just that Nammu put the Blight on the men before she left the planet."
"Why just the men?" Sam asked. She had a hard time imagining the Goa'uld would favor anyone.
Daniel shrugged. "The details are vague. Something about the women are stronger. Dedication temple…something, something. Other than that, much of their text is just a reiteration of the rules in place governing male and female behavior."
Sam frowned. "Censorship?"
"It's possible." He tossed the book aside and grabbed another. "Or more like propaganda."
Sam sighed. If Anu genuinely wanted them to help her and her people, providing propaganda and censored materials wouldn't get them anywhere. It didn't make sense.
"You said there was something interesting?" she asked, leaning into the cushions.
"A lot of these are medical records," he said pointing to the massive scrolls on the floor. "Most of their medical terminology is lost on me, but I can make out words and phrases."
"We probably should have Doctor Fraiser take a look at them," she said before waiting for him to continue.
Daniel nodded. "I can't be certain for sure, but I'm reading that the men are given supplements throughout their lives to help them fight the Blight, and oh…"
"Oh?" Sam leaned in a little closer, her curiosity piqued, and only then realizing Daniel was blushing. "What?" she asked, keeping her tone playful.
"Apparently then men suffer from…" His voice trailed off again and he started making vague gestures towards his body.
"Suffer from what?" O'Neill asked, calling from across the room.
Sam bobbed her head up to see him sitting on the bed, his hair poking out in every direction as he tried to maintain his dignity. He had managed to make himself look worse than Daniel.
When Daniel made more gestures, O'Neill sighed and slid to the edge of the bed. "What?" he asked again.
"Uh, aside from being treated for muscle weakness, fatigue, poor memory, and other symptoms…" Daniel inhaled while O'Neill motioned for him to get to the point. "They have…dysfunctional problems."
Sam blinked. Had she heard that right? "Diminished virility?" she asked.
Colonel O'Neill stared at him. "What?"
Daniel coughed. "The guys can't get it up, so to speak."
"I know what it means," O'Neill muttered. He looked uncomfortable. "We're sure this thing isn't catchy, right?"
Sam twisted her fingers. It was her turn to feel uncomfortable. "There's no way we can be certain that you haven't been exposed to anything on the planet." She offered an uneasy smile when her CO started to scowl. "However, based on the information Daniel has found and the statements from our hosts, there is little reason to fear an all out contagion."
"If you want to believe these people," O'Neill muttered.
"Are you okay?" she asked them. "Do you feel any different or--?"
"I'm fine," Daniel said quickly, burying his head in the pages of the book so she couldn't see him.
"I do not feel a difference," Teal'c said, appearing in the doorway. When Colonel O'Neill didn't say anything, Teal'c turned and arched his eyebrow. "Do you feel a lack in your virility, O'Neill?"
"Hey, my 'virility' is just fine, thanks," he answered with a deeper scowl. "Besides, I'm more concerned with all this propaganda."
Sam leaned back. So he hadn't been sleeping after all. "We're not sure that's what it is, sir."
"What did you find?" he asked Daniel directly.
"Well, the men are given gishtil to fight off the Blight. Now, gishtil roughly translates into 'vehicle of life,' which would make sense if they were given supplements." He paused, the lines in his brow deepening. "Unless that's gistukul, which means weapon, so…"
"Bottom line this for me," O'Neill said to the both of them in his no nonsense voice.
"We need access to the temple," Sam and Daniel said together.
Colonel O'Neill stared at them.
"What is this temple of which you speak?" Teal'c asked, stepping into the main room.
"Daniel mentioned a temple in his translations," Sam said. "There might be Goa'uld schematics locked inside that I could use to reference the ones that Anu provided for us."
"And help me place the cuneiform texts into context if I can find a point of reference," Daniel added. "If Nammu was experimenting on these people, she's bound to have some kind of log in Goa'uld that either Teal'c or myself can read."
"You do realize this is not going to go over well with the ladies," O'Neill told them.
All eyes turned to Sam. She sighed.
"I'll see what I can do."
------------------------------------------------------------------
"I will not let them in."
"If they are able, who is to say they cannot enter?" Anu asked Ningal.
The other woman snorted. "The temple is my domain just as the government is yours." She cast an uneasy look at Sam and the rest of SG-1. "They are impure."
Sam glanced over at Colonel O'Neill, Daniel, and Teal'c. The three of them were watching the debate about their purity with relative ease, though Sam had a feeling that they would become impatient if something didn't break soon.
"Ningal, I shall speak with you outside. Siduri, see to them." With that, Anu led Ningal into the hallway, shutting the door to the suite.
Sam refocused on her team.
"Is this really necessary?" O'Neill asked, scowling as Siduri grabbed his wrists and turned them to study his hands.
"She's checking to make sure you're pure, Jack." Daniel's eyes twinkled with mischief.
Jack glared at him. "Oh yeah? You sure she's not a palm reader?"
Siduri dipped her head, frowning, as she stared at O'Neill. Then, she went back to examining him.
Sam sighed and turned away as she started to hear the two of them bicker. She played referee enough on standard missions. She didn't need to do it here, too.
While Siduri checked out her team's "vitals," Sam moved over to the bed and glanced over the schematics she'd been studying all night. For the most part, she could make out some of the more basic functions. The sketches were straightforward enough, but the technical script that accompanied them meant nothing to her. Daniel had managed to translate some of the text for her, but since he claimed that the writing evolved over the years, he hadn't gotten very far. What they really needed was something solid for comparison.
She hoped that their hunch was right; the temple had to store old Goa'uld texts.
Sam rolled up the schematics and piled them neatly on the bed before she checked her vest, making sure she had everything she needed. When she turned back to the rest of her team, she frowned. Siduri had withdrawn a small cloth and was stretching her arm out towards Daniel.
"Hey!" Sam shouted, watching Daniel flinch as he drew back. Teal'c and O'Neill converged on the Sinnu woman, but Siduri just remained still, if not a little flustered.
"Irnini Sam, it is only the Cloth of Tabalu," Siduri said gently. She held up the simple yellow cloth.
Sam stared at the dripping towel before she brought her gaze to Daniel.
"I think it means 'take away,'" he said.
"Take away what?" Colonel O'Neill asked.
"Your impurities," Siduri said. "If you wish to enter the temple, you must be clean."
Sam looked to O'Neill for confirmation. He didn't look happy about the situation, but he gave her a nod of approval. Sam understood, but stepped over to Siduri to investigate the towel just in case.
She glanced down into the bucket, tilting the lip so she could get a better look inside. Sam stuck her finger inside, splashed at the liquid, and then drew her fingers near her nose. It smelled like perfumed water.
Sam fought to keep from smiling, but the thought of the rest of her team parading around the town smelling of berries and flowers was too much for her.
"Carter?" O'Neill asked. She could see he was eyeing her closely, no doubt seeing right through her veiled attempt to hide her amusement.
"It's perfume, sir," Sam said, her face breaking into a smile.
Teal'c leaned over Daniel's shoulder to gaze into the bucket. "I will not be scented."
Siduri looked to Sam for help.
"It's just water," Sam said. "And if it's our way of getting access to the temple…"
Daniel sighed and took off his glasses. "All right." He scratched at his head, his gaze flickering over the towel. "Do I--?"
"Hold still," Siduri told him. Gently, she took the cloth and wiped his forehead before moving down to his cheeks, his nose, his chin, and down over his neck. "That is all."
Daniel blinked and slipped on his glasses, moving so that O'Neill could take his place. Teal'c hung back behind them, still frowning with displeasure. Sam stood silent as she watched Siduri cleanse Colonel O'Neill and then a reluctant Teal'c. When she was finished, the room had the pleasant scent of fruit with just a hint of what Sam thought was lavender.
She grinned, enjoying every minute.
"I'm glad you're amused, Carter," O'Neill said, strapping on his gear. He checked his sidearm and then his P-90. "You have heard of payback, right?"
"Oh, yes, sir," Sam said.
Daniel chuckled. "I think that's what this is."
O'Neill just shook his head at the comment, but Sam could see that he was holding back a smile of his own. Teal'c and Daniel geared up along with her as they waited for Anu and Ningal to return. Siduri watched them in silence, though Sam could see that something was disturbing her.
"Is there something wrong?" Sam asked her.
"I mean no disrespect, Irnini Sam, but what are these that your men carry?" She stepped toward Colonel O'Neill, holding out her hand to feel his gun.
O'Neill took a step back. "It might be best for you not to touch."
"Why is this?" the small woman asked.
"You could be injured," Teal'c answered.
Siduri's face drained of color. "Weapons?"
"We're trained and skilled to use weaponry," Sam said. "But they are for protection only. We don't mean—"
"Does Beleti know of this?" Siduri asked.
"I would think so," Sam said. "We've been carrying them since we first arrived."
Siduri shook her head, clearly shaken. "I must tell Beleti."
"Whoa, hey!" O'Neill called.
Sam went to intercept the woman, but she had already stepped outside of the suite. Anu and Ningal quickly followed her inside, both wearing faces wrought with concern.
"The carrying of weapons by men is forbidden," Anu said. "It is for their own protection."
"Beleti," Sam said. "You know that my men are not like your own. We have been carrying our belongings for over a day without any problem."
"And I have been patient with your ways for just as long," she said. "I am afraid that I must ask them to lay down their weapons. It is for them and for us."
The flicker in Anu's eyes told Sam that the leader knew more than she was saying. Sam nodded, taking the hint.
"Sir…"
Ningal extended her hand.
"Oh, I don't think so," O'Neill said, holding his P-90 closer.
"Jack, we should follow their customs."
"Not gonna happen."
"Sir, please. If we want access to the temple, we need to cooperate."
"We will not harm you. You are all under my protection," Anu stated.
Colonel O'Neill shook his head, but handed over his weapon to Sam. He instructed Teal'c and Daniel to do the same. First, Sam took a zat from Daniel and then one from Teal'c. She said nothing as Teal'c continued to hold onto his staff weapon, and she didn't bother to mention the sidearm that Daniel and O'Neill held snug in their holsters.
Quietly, Sam gathered the weapons and covered them in a blanket, entering the spare room and tucking them underneath one of the cots. When she reemerged, she found Ningal and Siduri staring intently at Teal'c's staff weapon.
"We have seen these before," Ningal said. "In our histories."
Daniel and Sam exchanged an uneasy look.
"It's a walking stick," O'Neill said quickly.
Teal'c bowed his head. "Indeed."
"A walking stick?" Ningal sounded skeptical.
"Yeah," O'Neill said. "You know, a walking stick."
Daniel nodded. "Used for…"
"Walking," O'Neill said.
Daniel nodded again. "Walking."
Sam closed her eyes, part of her trying to will herself away. When she opened them, she found Teal'c demonstrating how he walked with the stick. God help her.
Anu smiled and patted Teal'c on the shoulder. "Indeed it is. I believe it will serve you well on your way to the temple."
Sam caught Ningal scowling, though there was little doubt who had won in their squabble. With a sigh, Ningal waved her hand, beckoning them to follow as she exited the suite and started down the hall. Sam followed, but she was held back by Anu as the rest of her teammates chartered forward.
"I would like to speak with you," Anu said quietly.
Sam paused, shifting her P-90 to the side, and stopped in the doorway. She edged over to allow Siduri room to slip by. "Is there a problem?" Sam asked, locking the door.
"No," Anu said with a kindly smile. "But I need to speak with you about your men."
Sam tried not to grimace from the tone in the Sinnu leader's voice. She knew a lecture when she heard one.
"I know that your men are strong, stronger than any I have ever seen. And I give you many liberties as an honored guest. However," she said, her voice becoming stern, "our ways are not your ways. And we do not take kindly to deception. I have allowed for your men to carry their concealed weapons and for your Jaffa to keep his staff, but I warn you to take care in your choices, Irnini. Where I may offer you safety and protection, I do not have eyes that see all. I fear that you may anger the wrong people."
Sam nodded, any and all humor gone from her thoughts. Anu wasn't just giving her advice. She was giving her a warning.
"Are you in danger?" Sam asked quickly. "Do you have enemies we should know about? Are you in need--?"
Anu shook her head and stroked Sam's arm. "Your kindness warms me, Irnini. And I know that you are just. All I ask of you is to keep your men in their place."
Sam wanted to shout at her. She wanted to ask her how she could be so biased. Sam thought maybe four years ago she would have made a scene and would have cried out against the injustice. But now, she found she couldn't.
"Yes, Beleti," Sam finally said, even though she felt sick. Even years after the fact, her treatment at the hands of Turghan left her feeling cold and angry. While she enjoyed ribbing on Daniel, Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c since their stay with Sinnu, the idea that any of them could be treated or were expected to be treated in the ways she had been handled by Turghan made her skin crawl. It was embarrassing and humiliating.
Angry with herself and their situation, Sam stormed down the hallway to meet up with the rest of her team.
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"Sir, I need to have a word with you. It's important."
Colonel O'Neill slowed long enough to allow his pace to match with hers. "Problem, Major?"
"Sir, I feel it's imperative that we keep a low profile here," she said. The two of them walked behind Daniel and Teal'c, who in turn followed Ningal and Siduri, as they made their way through the streets of the city. "I feel it's in our best interest."
O'Neill gave her a stern look. "What did she say?"
Sam didn't answer. She turned her head to study their surroundings, finding her hand clamped down protectively on her P-90. All around her were small but well kept homes – neat little one to two room buildings that appeared to be made of mud and stone. Some of the bigger buildings, probably merchant shops, had gold inlays while others had the distinct taste of naquadah. She even caught a small crowd outside of what looked like a fruit stand. But all in all, the streets were sparsely populated.
"Carter?"
She turned to O'Neill. "Anu warned me about your behavior."
His eyes darkened. "You mean she threatened you."
"No, sir. I really believe she has our best interests in mind."
"What are we talking about here?" he asked.
"Just to keep it in line," Sam said. When his lips twitched with disapproval, she shook her head. "I know what you're thinking. I don't like it any more than you do. But we'll go to the temple, check in with General Hammond, and then we can decide where to go from there."
Colonel O'Neill regarded her thoughtfully, keeping silent as they walked. After several minutes had passed, he finally spoke.
"And you think this necessary?"
"Extremely necessary. And the least we can do is to try to help these people. Not to mention, it might benefit us in the long run."
O'Neill nodded. "All right. We'll—" He frowned, and to Sam's dismay, veered away from her. "For cryin' out loud. Daniel!"
She could see him. Daniel had broken from the group, heading toward a young man sweeping dirt off his front steps. The man froze when he saw them approaching and almost disappeared into his home. Daniel caught him first.
"Excuse me," Daniel said, reaching the steps. "I was wondering if I could talk to you."
The man stumbled back, clinging to his broom. Sam thought he looked scared to death.
"Daniel, maybe we shouldn't bother him," Sam said.
"Well, we're never going to get any answers if we don't ask questions."
"I understand that." She looked to Teal'c and O'Neill for help.
"Perhaps this is not a good time, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said.
"It's never a good time," Daniel mumbled.
"Daniel," Jack called. He waggled his fingers. "A word."
Sam stepped out of the way so that Daniel could move to join Colonel O'Neill. She started after Teal'c to meet with Daniel and O'Neill, but she found that she couldn't look away from the native man. He looked sickly, face drawn and pale. He was thin, tired and fragile.
He was everything Sam felt he shouldn't be.
"I'm sorry," Sam said to the man, feeling Ningal approach from behind.
The local man nodded, though the distress did not leave his eyes. As she and Ningal walked away, Sam was positive that she felt his longing gaze linger on her teammates after they disappeared.
She felt uneasy again.
"You must learn to control your men!" Ningal snapped. "They cannot handle this stress!"
"I've already spoken to them," Sam said coolly, watching Daniel and O'Neill converse. "It won't happen again."
"You'll be the death of us all," Ningal mumbled, charging ahead.
Sam let her go, but couldn't shake the uneasiness she'd felt. Maybe Ningal was right. Maybe she would be their undoing. As she took one last glance back to the local by his door, she could only hope that she was wrong.