Jack's Origin
by Lesleyp
Season: SG-1 Early season nine
Summary: A twist to the Ancient gene. This is was my second attempt at creative writing.
Author Notes: Special thanks to Simon D. Yates for betaing my story
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"Hey flyboy," Sam answered her phone. "How was the trip back to Washington? You must've been exhausted."
"Na, piece of cake." He joked.
This was the first chance either of them had to talk since their hurried exit from her house just over a day ago. Her to go back to the base, and him back to Washington. One night of heaven, not even, was all they were allowed for their first time.
She knew though that General Landry was keeping him up to speed each step of the way. She couldn't believe how much she was missing him. Missing his voice, missing his scent, missing his touch.
"Me too ..." he said as though he had just read her thoughts. "The reason for my call ... I'm just about to call Landry, and tell them you have a go. The International committee has signed off on the mission. Against my recommendation. I don't have a good feeling about this Sam".
"I know," she said. "I'll be careful." She added before he could get it out.
"No...you don't... I really don't have a good feeling about this. And I can't explain it. Take zero, and I do mean zero, risk. At the first sign of trouble get your asses back home."
"Got it," she responded.
"And Sam...Ditto."
"Ditto Jack."
She heard his deep intake of breath, then his slow release.
"Come back to me," he whispered before the line went dead.
"Yasureyabetcha," she answered aloud as she turned the cell off and put it in her desk. A knawing feeling was beginning to take hold in the pit of her stomach. If Jack O'Neill was worried,...she didn't finish the thought, but couldn't help but wish for the old days when he led the missions. No matter what they faced back then, he made her feel safe. This time he wouldn't be watching her six. Although, after the other night, that now took on a whole other meaning. That returned a little smile to her face.
Jack began to dial the SGC from his desk in the Pentagon. His objections to this mission had fallen on deaf ears. Pretty much because he couldn't give anyone a clear answer as to why he didn't want it authorized.
They'd think I was completely...Nuts! he thought to himself. What was I supposed to tell them he wondered?
He let the imagined scenario play in his head.
Well I just happened to be at Colonel Carter's house when I got the call from Landry. Having made the best love ever to the Colonel ...blew my mind away really. Well we were just taking a break and catching something to eat before starting all over. That's when I got the call. What can I say folks...soon as I heard the description of the intruder I almost blew my breakfast all over the lovely Colonel's bedroom. Nice, dontcha think? Well I'm not normally a big wuss, but I don't mind telling ya that the thought of sending my little Sammie and her team scares the living crap out of me...If anyone goes, it should be me. No one else...So let's just scrap this one shall we...hands in the air? Anyone?'
Ya...nuts! And pretty much woulda had himself arrested or thrown into a nut hospital. Wouldn't have been too good for Sam either. Sweet!... Crap!
Jack hadn't eaten since leaving Sam's. His stomach wouldn't take anything more than coffee. Every time he allowed himself to think about her team possibly going on this mission, his stomach lurched. What bothered him most is that he didn't know why he was feeling this way.
Jack had only once before felt this kind of terror. It was in the second he'd heard his gun go off in the house when he'd been outside with Sarah. That had lasted until Charlie had been declared dead at the hospital. Terror quickly overtaken by intense grief and self loathing.
This feeling though had lasted over a day. And he could not shake it. Nor could he explain it. Now he was letting her go. How could he stop her from going? He couldn't.
Landry sat solemnly at his desk in the SGC. The phone began to ring.
"Landry," the general answered.
"It's Jack. You have a go."
"Are you ok with this?" Landry asked. He and Jack went back a long way and knew that if Jack didn't like this mission, none of them should.
"No. I'm not. Make sure they take extra precautions."
"Jack...what's going on ole buddy? I need to know".
Jack hesitated. Hank was his friend after all. He just wasn't ready though.
"I can't...just... tell them to be careful."
"She'll be fine Jack." Hank reassured him, and in just those few words Jack knew his friend knew.
"It's not what you think..." he tried to explain.
"You can tell me all about it when you're ready..." Hank offered quietly on a personal note.
Landry then continued, "You've been briefed on the results. The M.A.L.P and the U.A.V both show no signs of danger. It's a pretty barren place. Just some ruins amidst sand. No life signs either visible or detected by scans. We figure this guy, whoever he is, gated there, then must've gated somewhere else.
Granted it's a little hotter than we like, having two suns, but the planet seems to be in the middle. Radiation, temperature, and gravity all check out to be within safe levels. Dr. Jackson is hoping that the ruins may lead us to something to help combat these Ori, Jack. I don't know what else I can tell you. It's worth a shot. Like I said, it seems safe enough."
"It's not. Sam can't even figure out where it is...how do we know for sure they can get back?" was Jack's tense reply. "Doesn't matter, it's a go. Just...keep me apprised"
"I will," and with that Landry hung up, a worried look creasing his features.
Jack sat in his office, hands entwined resting on his desk. Deep breath in. Slow breath out. Head bowed staring at his hands.
With a slight wince he said "Keep me apprised...updated... in the know," to his empty office.
Landry hung up the phone and stared out toward the briefing room. It bothered him too that Colonel Carter had failed to find an explanation as to how the gate dialled with no extra power source.
The coordinates matched no known star configurations, not even in the known Pegasus galaxy. So they weren't going there. Both Colonel Carter and Dr. Jackson had reassured him that getting home wouldn't pose a problem. They were given a go for a four hour mission only.
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SG1 exited the gate. The event horizon shut down.
"Hooowee, it's hot out here!" exclaimed Mitchell, taking off his cap and waving it in front of his face. His other hand tightly holding his P-90.
"Ok, let's get our barings. Which way to the ruins...Daniel?" Mitchell asked.
"This way...I think..." Daniel answered, indicating they should head in the direction straight ahead of the gate, veering slightly to the right.
"Ok..." said Sam, "Guess we're off to see the wizard."
Mitchell laughed at that as Daniel began to lead the way. Sam and Mitchell walked side by side through the sand as Teal'c followed a few paces behind.
They had only been walking approximately 10 minutes when Daniel stopped suddenly in the sand. They were half way between the gate and the ruins. From this distance it appeared there might still be some intact structures that may have once been houses, or sheds. The U.A.V data had indicated this as well.
The two Colonels stopped behind him. "What's up?" asked Mitchell.
"This is a bad idea. I was wrong. We can't be here." Daniel said quietly.
"I don't know why, but we have to go. NOW!" and with that Daniel took off at a full run back to the gate, his heart pounding, more out of fear than from exertion.
By the time the rest of the group caught up to him, Daniel was visibly shaken. His face had paled and he had broken into a cold sweat. He was frantically dialling the DHD
"Daniel?" Sam asked as she approached him. "Are you ok?"
And when he did not answer, she asked "What's wrong?"
He could see he was scaring her, but he could not explain the feeling that was coming over him. All he knew for sure was that this was not a place they should be, and that if they remained they would be in the greatest danger they had ever faced. There was no logical explanation. They had to leave.
"We have to go back. I can't explain it. I'm sorry. Maybe it's some left over memory from when I ascended. I don't know Sam. I just don't know! But we have to get out of here."
Teal'c looked around with great concern on his face, but he could see nor sense any danger. He returned his look to Daniel, holding a concerned expression. What could it be that Daniel Jackson was sensing and he was not?
"Ok, would anyone care to tell me what this is all about?" huffed Mitchell. "What...we came all this way just to turn around and go back?"
Sam looked over to Cameron and shrugged.
"Fine, our orders were to return at the first sign of trouble. This looks like a sign of trouble to me, but it woulda been nice to have at least seen the ruins first", Mitchell stated. "What am I going to tell the general...the sand scared us? Great, just great."
It was then Mitchell noticed the pale sheen and sweat on Daniel's skin and for the first time noticed he was trembling. Ok, he thought, that's different. He looked from Sam to Teal'c, then back to Daniel with a quizzical expression. He started to worry there may be another plague here and they'd probably have to be quarantined as soon as they got back.
"The gate. It won't engage. We can't dial home!" Daniel yelled and appeared to panic.
"Let me have a look at that," Sam said as she moved to stand by Daniel.
"It's no good. I've tried three times Sam. We can't dial Earth".
Sam tried anyways, but found that she had the same results. She carefully looked over the DHD. It appeared fine. It began the coding sequence, but would not lock on the 8th chevron. The one they needed in order to get back. What's going on, she wondered to herself. A feeling of dread began to spread.
"Guess no one thought about that before we headed off, now did they?" ventured Mitchell.
"Well, no, actually. We just assumed that if we could dial here with normal energy output, then we could..." Sam began.
"Just dial home the same way with no problem." Mitchell finished. "Well this just blows now doesn't it!"
"Let me hook up the Naquadah generator. Maybe it needs the extra power." Sam suggested looking toward where the M.A.L.P. had been sitting. The generator, brought as an added precaution, had been secured to the M.A.L.P. prior to embarking on this mission.
"Anyone know where the M.A.L.P is?" Sam asked, her stomach tightening.
Daniel, Mitchell and Teal'c all looked at the now empty spot where the M.A.L.P. had been when they all had exited the gate. Mitchell took a quick scan around the gate area. The M.A.L.P. was no where to be found, nor were there any tracks to indicate which direction it had gone...or been taken.
"Perhaps we should continue to the ruins. There could be something there to help us," Offered Teal'c.
The transmission from the U.A.V. had shown some of the walls had text. Before heading out, Daniel had informed them at the briefing that although he couldn't read the text, it had looked like a hybrid of the oldest known form of the Ancient's written language with old Latin.
"That's a good ideal," agreed Mitchell, waving his cap in front of his face again. "If there are some intact buildings we can at least find shelter."
Daniel nodded his head in the direction of the ruins, fear still on his face. "Guess we have no choice at this point."
"Nope, not much. In case it escaped everyone's notice...this is a desert. We were only to be here a few hours then head back." Mitchell reminded.
When Sam and Daniel both gave him blank stares he shook his head and said, "Oh come on people, work with me here...water...I'm talkin about water...how long do you think we'll last on what we've brought?" he let out in exasperation.
"Water, human, is the least of your worries," came a low baritone voice from their left flank.
All four members of SG1 turned to face the newcomer, weapons held high and pointed straight at him.
"Your projectile and energy blast weapons are useless against me," the intruder informed them.
When no one lowered their weapon, the intruder goaded, "Go ahead, fire away. I might like it," he finished with a laughing sneer.
All members of the team were transfixed by the man that stood before them. Wearing a glaring white shirt, with pants that were equally bright white. He even wore what appeared to be white shoes. He took a proud and arrogant stance as he faced them, amused at the way they were looking him over.
He had long straight jet black hair, with eyes that appeared equally black. His features strong and bold. High cheekbones, a perfectly proportioned nose and chin with a full mouth. He stood at least 6'8, maybe taller.
He smiled. An evil smile. It seemed each member of the team was frozen in place. And this being was enjoying every moment. It'd been a long time since he was energized by the terror of a human. Monkeys! And a Jaffa. A species which was still human despite thinking of itself as otherwise. Fools.
"You'll have to forgive my rudeness, it's been along time since we have entertained apes," he laughed at them. "Come, my Arcenage will be...mildly amused."
In a blink of an eye, SG1 found themselves in a room. Bright white with no discernable entry...and ergo...no exit. It was completely featureless. But they were alone with no sign of their host.
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"How long has it been?" Jack asked over the airways, feeling nauseas.
"Contact is 20 hours overdue." Landry replied. "Looks like you were right Jack."
"Ya think?" Jack remarked with that I told you so tone in his voice.
Jack sat at his desk, phone pressed to his ear and free hand over his eyes. This headache was killing him. It'd started just after he'd advised Landry of the mission go ahead, and it was getting worse by the hour.
"I'm on my way." he finally said into the phone. He had a plan.
"There's nothing you can do here Jack, I'll keep you updated," Landry said quietly into the phone. He knew about the headache.
"Well I can either do nothing here...or I can do nothing there. Let's see...I pick there. The scenery is nicer. Friendlier people, better food." And with that he hung up the phone and headed out of his office. Jack wasn't ready to share his plan with Hank, not just yet. He didn't want anyone trying to stop him.
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Mitchell began walking until he bumped into a wall, although there was no way to distinguish from the floor or the ceiling. A creaseless white room.
"This is bizarre," he remarked, as he continued to feel his way around the wall. Finishing he said, "Ok, well, it's a round room. Looks pretty clean. I'm a little concerned it doesn't appear to have any facilities," he tried to lighten the mood.
Teal'c stood in the room beside Sam. His hands clenched behind his back. "Has anyone else noticed that we no longer possess our weapons?" he finally asked.
Surprised, Sam, Daniel, and Mitchell all looked down at themselves. No, they hadn't noticed, until now.
"Well, this is getting worse by the minute," Mitchell observed, then, "Daniel, Teal'c, either of you guys recognize...whoever that was?"
"He is not Goa'uld. Of that I am certain," Teal'c answered.
"And, he's obviously not Ori, or a prior...," responded Daniel
"Could he be an Ancient?" asked Sam, looking at Daniel.
"Well...I don't know...could be...but somehow I doubt it. I don't remember much from my time as an ascended, but I think it's from my experience on that level that makes me think us being here is a really...really...bad idea. Sort of wish I'd felt it sooner."
"That's great! Let's see, what have we got so far? We have what that guy isn't. We have Daniel's belated bad feeling...anyone want to try filling in the holes...anyone?" Mitchell queried.
Sam looked down at her feet and a little tremor passed through her. Cameron noticed right away.
"Sam?" he asked her, looking concerned.
Sam looked up. "I'm fine. Really." And she tried to smile. "I'm just thinking."
"And ..." Mitchell prompted.
"General O'Neill had the Ancient library downloaded into his head right? And he didn't want us to come here right? Granted he didn't know why, but could there have been a residual memory about this place somewhere in his subconscious? Something that was warning him not to come here...or send us here. Sort of what Daniel experienced after we arrived?"
"Sure, it's possible," supplied Daniel.
Sam shrugged and made a facial expression indicating she didn't know.
"I'm just thinking," she said. "He seemed to feel that it would be ok for him to come, just not anyone else."
"Now how the hell do you know that? That wasn't covered in the briefing?" Mitchell asked throwing her a quizzical look.
Sam shrugged, not meeting his eyes.
"Fine. Well, I think we should concentrate on trying to get outta this room before someone comes back. Whatcha all think?"
There came a sound of a door opening, and they all looked around at once. They saw no door, but all at once two figures appeared. The first being the guy they'd already met. The second had very similar features. They could've been brothers. Not twins, but very closely related. The new guy wore a thin gold belt that was brought to an almost blinding lustre. Attached to the belt hung what appeared to be a solid gold sword.
"Hey...how ya doing?" asked Mitchell. I'm Colonel Mitchell, this is Colonel Carter, Daniel, Teal'c," he added pointing to each in turn.
"From Earth." The new guy stated. His voice too was a deep baritone, and very smooth, almost sensual. His black eyes even looked somewhat compassionate as he glanced over each member of the team.
"Ya...that's right," Mitchell responded very surprised. "Heard of our little planet have you?"
"I spent awhile there," said the guy with the gold belt.
"Oh...you have?" Mitchell asked, looking around at the other members of the team. "So...do you have a name? Something we could call you?"
The new man smiled. "I do, but I doubt you could pronounce it. Or even make the sound with your vocal cords."
"Ah..." interjected Daniel, bringing the new guys attention to him. "You say you spent time on earth? Are you Goa'uld?"
The new man laughed and turned to the other. Some deep hushed sound came from one then was responded by the other. It was beautiful. Somehow very soothing. They were obviously communicating and it reminded Sam of the sound the ocean made when it's waves crashed on the shore.
"Ok, if not Goa'uld," Daniel tried again,"then Ancient, are you an Ancient?"
Again deep laughter. More deep hushed sounds.
"We're right here!" yelled Mitchell.
"You're right. Let's speak in their language. It'll be fun to watch their reactions." Goldsword said to Swordless. "It's been a long time." Then turning to Mitchell. "Although forgive us if we lapse. Your language is so simple that our's doesn't often translate."
This brought loud booming laughter from Swordless.
"You obviously know who we are. Can we at least know who you are? Furlings?" asked Sam trying to be a diplomat. She couldn't help how she liked hearing these two speak.
Now both Goldsword and Swordless broke into deep rich laughter.
"Furlings..." Guffawed Swordless, "they think we're the Furlings."
"Wrong again," replied Goldsword when he could finally bring himself to speak. "Oh this is fun. Now let's see what we have here. A commanding male ape, little high on the testerone if you ask me." That was directed at Mitchell.
"And ooo, aren't you a fine specimen," Goldsword said, turning his attention to Daniel. "Daniel Jackson. A smart monkey. We could probably teach this one some tricks." He commented to his partner.
"Well that wasn't very nice," smiled Daniel at Goldsword, "and how exactly do you know my last name?"
Goldsword leaned down to look Daniel in the eyes and was almost nose to nose with him. Daniel tried to hold the stare, but the dark bottomless pit he saw reflecting back at him brought a shiver to his spine and he had to break away and look at the floor.
"I know a great many things Daniel," Goldsword responded in a soothing tone, placing a finger under Daniel's chin to lift his countenance back up. "For instance, you were once ascended. You should've stayed put. At least on that plain you were a little higher than an ape." The words were cruel, but the tone in which they were said seemed kind.
"And look...a Jaffa," pointed out Swordless.
"Yes, a Jaffa. You are a human you know. Your people were taken from earth by the Goa'uld, but you are a human."
"Indeed. I am aware of that." Teal'c refused to look away from the stare Goldsword directed at him
"Oh, a smart Jaffa. Brave too. Could be another keeper, although I'm seriously thinking of throwing testerone boy back." snickered Goldsword.
"Now just wait a minute..." protested Mitchell.
Goldsword darted him a glance and Mitchell thought it was wiser to shut up. "Never mind," he mumbled.
Goldsword then brought his gaze to rest on Sam. "Now look at this one. A female. It's been a long time since I've seen a female," and he seductively and slowly ran his gaze down the front of her, then back up till he met her eyes. Sam trembled, but there was nothing pleasurable in this.
"Maybe you'd like to come and play with me awhile? I could show you wondrous things. Things you could never imagine." He spoke softly.
Sam made no response.
Goldsword shrugged. "No? Well maybe you'll change your mind later."
He then turned to Swordless. "Let the Agecher have some fun with them...not too much...I'll want to play again later."
With that, the two beings departed.
Moments after their exit, what appeared to be 4 very handsome teenaged boys entered the white room. Mitchell guessed their ages to be between 13 to 15 years old, and height to be around 5'8 to 5'9. They were all dressed in white shirts, pants, and shoes. Remarkably they all had the same colored hair and eyes. Black. Although the lengths of the hair varied for each boy. They could have been brothers they so closely resembled each other. Maybe they were, Mitchell wondered again.
"Hey fellas...what's up?" began Mitchell
The boy that had entered first pulled out a thin gold lariat and struck it toward Mitchell. Cameron never felt it connect. Looking down at himself, the cut across his vest told him it had. Suddenly he felt overwhelming pain on his chest. Tearing his vest off, he could see the dark stain of blood coming through his green fatigues. The whip had cut clean through his vest.
"Uh listen guys, we don't want any trouble..." Daniel directed, trying to placate them.
Another of the boys pulled out another gold lariat and struck towards Daniel. The blood began to spill from Daniel's face The boys all grinned.
Teal'c made a move to rush the boys, but one held out a hand and Teal'c was thrown into the white wall. The fourth boy struck out his lariat, cutting a swath across Teal'cs abdomen and right forearm.
Sam was frozen. If she spoke, she'd be whipped. If she moved, she'd be whipped. Frantically she tried to form a game plan. What would Jack do?
The first boy began to approach her, slowly reeling in his lariat. Stopping in front of her he stared into her eyes. Then without warning or provocation he slapped her across the face. Then the boys were upon all of them. Punching, hitting, kicking, and ripping at their clothes and hair. One single punch from a boy felt like a sledgehammer.
The boy assaulting Sam grabbed her by the hair, tilting her head back, then kissed her fiercely. He fell back and began to scream, an awful reverberating scream. The other three boys rushed to his side, picked him up and carried him out of the white room.
SG1 was battered. Crumpled on the floor. They had each sustained various injuries. Teal'c could not believe a boy had beaten him so badly. He tried to stand, but found that both his legs were broken.
Cameron finally was able to crawl to his hands and knees. Struggling for breath, he knew he had one or more ribs cracked.
Daniel stayed curled on the floor. He didn't think anything was broken, but he pretty much hurt everywhere.
Sam got herself into a sitting position and fought back the urge to cry. Who the hell were these beings? And why do they hate us so much, she asked herself. It made no sense. Even the children. They were unbelievably strong, and unbelievably malicious in their attack. And then the one...screaming...what was that all about?
To be continued...
DISCLAIMER: "Stargate SG-1," "Stargate Atlantis," and its characters are the property of MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, Gekko Film Corp., Showtime/Viacom and USA Networks, Inc. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations and story are the property of the author(s), and may not be republished or archived elsewhere without the author's permission. Original characters in this story are the property of Lesleyp