Origin

Briar Elwood

A/N: Okay, I'm really starting to get depressed here. I'm averaging 2 reviews a chapter and only one of them is constant (yes, that's you Anjirika and you know I love you to death). I feel so lonely!!!!! I mean, I'm going to keep writing if only for Anjirika and myself and maybe the occasional person but...one of the big reasons I post here is because I want comments!!!! I want to know what people think about my writing and the content!!!!!! Yes, another big part is because it's fun but it's only fun if I know how to improve and such! So, please, people. Be a dear and review!!!!! XOXOXOXOXOXOXO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chapter XX

Daniel

"Huh," Q commented, pulling back form her papers.

"What?" Cam asked, looking over her. "You done?"

"I think so," Q said. "It's kinda strange."

"What does it say?" Teal'c inquired.

"'Here lies Orionus Desalo, Founder of Origin. Sacrifices must be made. Heartbreak is necessary.'"

"Orionus?" a voice echoed. Everyone turned to see Jack and the others walking up to them. "That's Daniel, isn't it?" Jack asked.

"Well, if it's the 'founder of Origin', yeah," Sam replied.

"You find anything?" Cam said.

"Not anything salvageable," Sam answered. "We weren't there long, though."

"Yeah, I can tell," Cam commented. "What came up?"

"Earthquakes," Ronon told them. "Knocked Sheppard out."

"Damaged my oxygen tank," John added. "Where's McKay?"

"Over here!" Rodney called from the actual monument. "The energy readings have dropped since when first found it."

"How much?" Sam asked, stepping over to see the data herself.

"A lot," Rodney said. "It's dropped from infinite Zed-PMs to, oh, a lifetime of Zed-PMs."

"Maybe it has something to do with the script getting shorter," Cam suggested. Rodney stared at the colonel, eyebrows raised.

"No…really?"

"McKay…" John interrupted, walking to the scientist's side. "We need to talk."

Rodney frowned at his friend, but seeing the seriousness in John's face, handed his equipment to Sam and followed John a little ways away from the group.

"I'm guessing you never found out if Katie made it or not," John said solemnly. Rodney frowned, confused.

"No…oh my—" He stopped abruptly, eyes wide.

"I ran into her," John told him. Rodney stared at his friend, mouth slightly ajar, and he blinked wildly for a moment.

"She's…dead?" he chocked. John winced.

"Yeah. I'm sorry."

Meanwhile…

As John led Rodney away, Q finally managed to ask a question that had been on the tip of her tongue since the Atlantis group had returned.

"How's Daniel Orionus?"

"He is an Ancient," Teal'c replied. Q's eyes flew wide.

"An Ancient?" she asked incredulously.

"Yeah," Cam answered. "Didn't follow the rules, so they erased his memory and flung him to the future."

"So he has two sets of parents?" Q wondered.

"It would appear so," Teyla said.

"Okay, that's weird," Q declared.

"Anyway," Jack interrupted. "So this is where he 'lies'," he said, walking up to the stone. "As in, dead man?"

"There's only one way to find out," Ronon said gruffly, following Jack.

"Whoa, whoa," Sam called quickly, rushing up. "We can't just barge in."

"Why not?" Jack demanded. Sam frowned at him.

"We have no idea if whatever is generating power in there is dangerous or not," she explained. "And the odds are—"

"Since when do the odds stop us?" Jack pointed out. Sam sighed.

"Fine. But let's try not to demolish the monument please."

"We'll try," Jack promised, turning back to the stone.

"No," Teal'c suddenly said. "Try not. Do or do not."

Q grinned. "There is no try," she finished. Teal'c nodded at her, a smile on his lips.

"Indeed."

"C'mon, T," Cam called. "How 'bout you help us accomplish in doing."

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It was times like these that Mryddyn was glad the Ori were forgetting Atlantis. If they recognized him for whom he was, they would've kicked him out a long time ago. But Mryddyn had a job. And it was proving very difficult to complete.

Finally Mryddyn found what he was looking for. In the corner of the plaza was a small huddle of people. Some of them Mryddyn remembered from Atlantis, some he supposed were newer 'converts' from this galaxy. The ancient man couldn't physically see who or what was at the center of the group but he didn't need to. Orionus's loud and authoritative voice resonated above shufflings of all in the plaza, preaching the basics of the Ori…well, it really was a religion, wasn't it?

Mryddyn settled in to wait for the group to disperse, casually observing passerby's to pass the time. Soon Orionus finished with his familiar farewell and the huddle walked away silently, letting his words soak in more fully. Mryddyn approached Orionus who had turned to the milky-white man standing next to him, talking in quieter tones. About ten feet away from the pair, Mryddyn stopped.

"Daniel Jackson," he called. Orionus continued his conversation.

"Dr. Daniel Jackson," Mryddyn tried again. The other man turned his frighteningly silver-white eyes to the old man, lips pursed into a frown.

"We know no 'Doctor Daniel Jackson' here, old man. Take your delusions some place else."

"I will speak with Orionus," Mryddyn told him, briefly glancing at the tattooed man. "Otherwise known as Daniel Jackson."

Orionus smiled at him gently. "I'm sorry but you must have me mixed up with someone else."

Mryddyn shook his head. "I do not. You have simply forgotten."

The smile on Orionus's lips disappeared into a frown. "What do you want?' he asked testily.

"I wish to speak with you," Mryddyn answered patiently. "Privately."

"Sir?" the pale man from before questioned, readying him to throw the ancient man out. Orionus stared into Mryddyn's eyes solidly before giving a quick shake of his head.

"It is all right, Oci," Orionus assured him. "I will call if I require assistance."

"I will be ready, sir," Oci replied, folding his arms into hi large sleeves. Orionus nodded and he and Mryddyn walked away.

A/N: Idiot. Idiot, idiot, idiot. Forgetting his own name??? Idiot. Anywho…

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