Jack O'Neill was idly tossing a rubber ball back and forth when he heard a low groan. Turning he saw Daniel stir and open his eyes. "Easy Danny, you're safe in the infirmary." Jack said putting a light hand on his shoulder "Rest I'll get Dr. Fraiser."
Daniel nodded and Jack pushed past the curtain and told a nurse to get Dr. Fraiser. She came five minutes later accompanied by the nurse and a tray of syringes.
"Daniel how are you feeling?" asked shining a light in his eyes.
"Fine, what's going on?" Daniel asked shaking his head slightly.
"We removed the device in your head yesterday; you've been asleep for fifteen hours."
"Device?" Daniel asked in puzzled alarm.
"Yeah, Daniel the Heretics put a device in your head shortly after they captured you. We were only able to turn it off a few days ago." Fraiser said.
"So it made me obey the Priests, it controlled my actions?" Daniel asked clearly, desperately hoping he could put some of his actions on the machine.
"We'll discuss this later; right now I need to check your mental and physical health." Fraiser said signaling for Jack to leave.
Jack left the infirmary and went to Sam's lab where he found her, Jacob, and Teal'c going over material from the Herotie base. They all turned expectantly to Jack as he entered but silently returned to their work when he didn't offer any information: too emotionally drained to fight for information and trusting Jack to tell them if something was wrong. Jack picked up a notebook and started glancing through it. He actually started reading it then when done grab other papers and started compiling notes on a scratch pad he found on the counter. Jacob, Sam, and Teal'c slowed then work then finally stopped altogether and drew back to watch.
"God Dammit." Jack said throwing his pen down "Daniel was right, Damn it." He hung his head and slammed his hands down on the table.
"Sir?" Sam asked walking over and putting a hand on his arm."
"The priests' plans they thought of everything." Jack said sensing their puzzlement he pushed on "they have priests and fighters on other worlds. They sporadically check in with Veridous Xylo to give news and receive a new assignment before disappearing again. There is no way to know how many are still out there or even where they are."
"The Sinners we're sending back, Daniel Jackson, they are not safe then." Teal'c said.
"No they should be, they pose no threat to the priests and getting rid of them would draw attention. But they can easily set up operations on another planet." Jack said then sighed "I need to get back to Daniel; hopefully the Tokra can drag some useful information out of the priests."
Jacob intercepted him before he left the room "We'll do our best Jack, but you severely weakened them it will take a long time for them to rebuild."
At the infirmary he found two additional Airmen just inside the infirmary doors. Before Jack could go over to Daniel one of the guards asked him to wait Daniel had a visitor. Jack instead went to speak with a couple of soldiers wounded in the fighting with the Heretics. One had received a spear thrust to the lower abdomen, while the other had been cut in the thigh by a sword and received second degree burns while retreating to the gate.
"So how are you guys doing?" Jack asked
"Fine Sir, we should be out of here in a few days." Lieutenant Young said.
"I'm glad those villagers are gone, they're crazy." Major Griffith said
"Good fighters though." Young
"Yeah, lost more men to them then the fire." Griffith said sadly.
"Thanks for getting us out of there and watching our backs." Jack said
"Anytime Sir." Young said trying to straighten up but after flinching in pain settled down with a hand on his abdomen.
An airman came in and went over to Daniel's bed, a minute later both Daniel and Kalith came out. Kalith's guards came over and moved to handcuff Kalith's hands when Daniel stopped them by grabbing the cuffs.
"Sir it's General Hammond's orders."
"He won't hurt anyone I promise." Daniel said
"Daniel." Kalith said putting a hand on Daniel's arm "It's alright; I deserve whatever punishment Lord Hammond decrees."
"Kalith, General Hammond is a good man; he won't punish you for defending yourself." Young said from the bed.
"He is not going to be punished at all." Hammond's messenger said "However he is extremely dangerous." The guard took back the handcuffs as Daniel bowed his head in defeat and Kalith's hands were tied.
"Where is he to be taken?" Daniel asked
"The Tokra will take him through the gate and one of their allies will look after him and the last of the villagers from Veridous Xylo."
"Why can't we do that?" Daniel demanded.
"We're busy dealing with our own wounded and the four planets that agreed to take refugees can barely handle the ones we already sent through."
Jack sensing Daniel's distress quickly came over and put a hand on his shoulder "Easy now, Hammond knows what he's doing." Which was precisely the wrong thing to say
Daniel whirled away from him "He knows what he's doing, he got his men captured a few hours away the gate, instead of negotiating for their release he sends in a strike team and blows up the Herotie's base and incinerates a forest and a village full of men, women, and children. I told him not to involve the Tokra, but he did, Hammond kept insisting on their involvement and now" Daniel put a hand to his head as if expecting something but then pressed on getting more angry and passionate as he spoke finally unleashing his pain, anger, and guilt "Jacob Carter swore to protect the sinners, my men who I led into battle and instead he got them killed. George Hammond swore he would not involve the Tokra and he kept doing so which caused the deaths of God knows how many." Daniel grabbed Kalith and pulled him away from the Airmen "They won't get Kalith, I wasn't able to protect the others but I can protect him." Daniel said looking around trying to find a way out of the room.
"Daniel I need you to calm down, no one is going to hurt Kalith or you. Lord Hammond did what he had to do and the Tokra our allies of the Tauri. The second Calif ordered our capture Lord Hammond had no choice but to use every resource he had to get us back. As a soldier as a leader you know you will do everything you can to get your men home safe." Jack said trying to calm Daniel by leading him down the emotionless and rational paths he had followed as a member of the Herotie.
Daniel listened in silence keeping a tight grip on Kalith, and then suddenly cried out as his knees buckled and he fell to the floor. Kalith knelt next to him and tried to support him as best as he could. Jack called for Dr. Fraiser but she was already in the room with a nurse having been kept back by the Airmen. She pushed her way past them and kneeling by Daniel quickly injected him with a sedative. Jack and Johnson put Daniel back in bed and allowed Kalith to come over. Kalith gave Daniel a slight kiss on the lips then walked calmly out of the room escorted by the Airmen.
SG1, Dr. Fraiser, and General Hammond were all gathered around the table as if it was just another routine briefing. However Daniel's head was bowed and he wore a bandanna and carefully kept his wrists concealed in his sleeves. Sam was next to Jack and leaned toward him seeking comfort in his presence, while Teal'c and Fraiser looked pained and stressed.
"Dr. Jackson will make a complete recovery and should be fully recovered within two weeks as long as he takes care of himself. However mentally it will take longer he will need to retrain his mind to control his emotions and divert them into proper channels." Fraiser said.
"What does that mean?" Jack asked
"The device was suppressing his emotions and channeling them into avenues it considered acceptable. Dr. Jackson came to rely on it and the brainwashing for survival and coping with situations, it will take time for his own natural responses to come back." Fraiser said. "Until they do his emotions might actually take over completely make him extremely angry, sad, even giddy at times." Fraiser finished taking Daniel's hand.
"That's why Teal'c will be staying with you while Dr. Jackson recovers." Hammond said turning to Jack.
"The refugees are settling into their homes but some have been caught trying to access the star gate. The Sinners are showing signs of recovery and Dr. Ford is hopeful that some can start going home as early as next week." Sam said leading off with good news.
Daniel however slammed his hand down "A village like the Heroties is closely connected children are raised by the entire group, everyone is related by blood and by shared beliefs. It would be shocking if they didn't try and find their missing kin."
"Daniel Jackson calm yourself." Teal'c said putting a restraining hand on Daniel's shoulder.
"That's enough for today, the Tokra will contact us with anyone information on the rouge priests and soldiers, until then the matter is closed." Hammond said
Three months after Daniel Jackson had vanished in the night he returned through the Stargate with SG1 by his side. There was no obvious changes to mark his time away and yet he carried himself differently more warrior now then scholar a sword at his side and a note book and pen in his hand. SG1 was different too far more protective and caring of Daniel and each other. Sam would frequently catch Jack and Daniel watching her, while Teal'c always spent the nights off world patrolling after his Kel No Ream. Jack kept a careful eye on his kids and trusted no one but himself and Teal'c to look after them. The team had gone through fire and blood and found themselves a family no man could tear asunder.
A/N done, finally done sorry it took so long but your reviews, follows and favorites kept me going. Thank you for all your support and now a few notes:
Daniel is not gay but in those circumstances bonding with a fellow prisoner is not unusual
The Herotie are still a threat but severely weakened.
Hammond is not a bad man but his people have been kidnapped and killed and he lacks the resources to find the necessary information an look after an entire village and prisoners.
Please Please review and let me know your thoughts I wrote this story on a whim trying to evoke fantasy tropes and it snowballed from there. I would greatly appreciate people letting me know what they liked and didn't like about the story, characters etc. Again thank you for taking the time to read my story and pushing through the bad grammar and spelling. :)