This is it, folks… the final chapter. Thank you for sticking with me this far.

Time and Motion

Chapter 8

Rolling swiftly to his feet Jack ducked as the sound of automatic weapons fire filled the air. "That's my girl, give 'em hell!" he said, taking in Zahur's prone form sprawled over Daniel. Spotting Teal'c out of the corner of his eye, Jack grimaced as the Jaffa landed a solid kick to the stomach of the nearest priest. Crouched low, his arms still restrained, Jack spotted Daniel struggling to free himself from the weight of Zahur's body. "Damn it kid, just stay down, will you."

Jack spun around, fingers gripping into his shoulder, to find himself chest to face with Janet Fraiser. Rolling his eyes, he muttered, "Any closer and we'd be married, Doc."

"Think I can help you with that, sir." With a quick motion, Janet sliced through his restraints and handed him the gun. "This is more your thing, sir, I'll stick with the healing."

Not bothering to respond, Jack set off across the outcropping at a sprint, as Carter's P90 kept the remaining priests confused and cowering for cover.

"Daniel!" Jack said as he rolled Zahur's body off his friend, "Come on, buddy. Talk to me!" Ignoring pain from his throbbing wrists, Jack pulled Daniel onto his lap, cradling his head against his shoulder. "Shit, you're freezing. You with me, Danny?"

"Cold," Daniel mumbled, dragging his knees up to his chest.

"I know." Hugging him closer to his chest, Jack watched as Teal'c quickly subdued the remaining priests, herding them into a corner.

"Sir?" Janet knelt in front of him, her hand gripping Daniel's wrist, eyes wide with concern. "How about I take him now?"

"He's cold." Pointing to their packs, tossed to one side, Jack murmured, "Get me an emergency blanket."

Janet nodded and left to fetch the blanket as Sam stepped into the outcropping, her P90 firmly pointed at the priests, eyes alert for threats.

"Sir, you okay?" Concern etched on her face, Sam nodded at his shrug, all business again.

"Nicely done, Major," Jack praised, hugging Daniel closer, "I don't think he would have lasted much longer."

"Only sorry we couldn't get to you sooner." Crouching down, Sam brushed away the hair from Daniel's bruised face. "What could they possibly want to make them do this to a child?"

Shaking his head, Jack had no real answer. "Zahur didn't see him as a child, just a means to an end. That damned puzzle, Major, that's what they wanted. The answer to the puzzle."

~o0o~

"And you think this," Jack pointed his finger at Daniel, his friend wrapped in his sleeping bag and safe in Janet's care, "this is acceptable? Have you lost so much of yourselves that you think it's right to treat people this way?"

Fist clenching and unclenching, Jack paced, his nerves taut. The priests hovered miserably together, casting nervous glances at the unpredictable soldier stalking back and forth.

"Za-Zahur," Maltrof stammered his uneasiness evident in his voice, "he was desperate. The Ipotma was the last technological remnant from our past. We revered it; it was all we had left. Zahur was sure it was important to our people but we had no history to guide us. All we knew for sure was that the writing on the orb held the secret to its use." Raising his face to meet Jack's, Maltrof swallowed, struggling to say what he meant. "Zahur became excited when Doctor Jackson activated the device. Many have tried for so long. With centuries of failure, what was once an enigma became a yearly game to be played. Zahur couldn't believe someone had solved the writings, so he became enraged at your attempt to leave with the boy."

Dangerously quiet, Jack hissed, "What's that?" Stabbing a finger in the air, he snapped, "We offered to help you! Daniel wanted to help!"

Flinching, eyes fixed on Jack, Maltrof pleaded, "Zahur would never accept your help, and it was below him to do so. The proud history of our race-"

"Oh, spare me the history lesson; we've heard it all before!" Thrumming the top of his P90 with his fingers, Jack huffed, "The only difference between you and others we've come across in similar situations is that they welcome our help. They don't trap people in their little games in the hope they might be their salvation. That man, boy, you've just mistreated, would be the first to welcome you with open arms, heck, he would have chewed off his own leg if it meant you got the help you needed. You people are so caught up in your own lies you're leading what's left of your civilization into extinction!"

Maltrof suddenly sat up, a pained expression crossing his face, "You misunderstand, Colonel. Zahur was a maniac!" Eyes darting between Jack and the other priests, Maltrof pleaded, "He was the oldest of our clan, and we had no choice but to follow his lead. Many of us do not condone his actions and would gladly accept your help."

"Well, you can't be too bad off, what about the dome?"

"The dome is old, and by the time we noticed it had failed, we had lost the technology to maintain it. Our people panicked and began to leave. Too few births, we were in danger of becoming extinct."

Feeling his headache return and selling his soul for a Tylenol, Jack whispered, "Yeah, well, they're a bit busy at the moment," silently hoping Maltrof hadn't heard his last comment.

~o0o~

Carter raised her head, the priest's story filling in the gaps. She didn't understand how a people could be technologically deficient when living in the dome. Nodding, she finally understood. "Sir, this makes sense. These people are as much victims as we are. I think we should help them." Seeing Jack's face flicker with irritation, she quickly pressed on. "Sir, think about it, Zahur just wanted to save his world, something we know a lot about."

"We wouldn't stoop to this level of abuse to get what we wanted, Carter."

"Begging your pardon, sir, but you don't know that." Tilting her head towards the Lhavanian priests, their faces solemn and drawn, she added, "Who knows what we would do in a similar situation. Zahur must have seen Daniel's activation of the device as blessing. I think he knew more about what was going on than he led the others to believe."

"Fine!" Shaking his head and wanting no more discussions, Jack crooked a finger towards the priests, calling them over. "Carter here may be able to help you after all." Scowling, he added, "Up to me, I'd nail your asses to the wall."

~o0o~

All the time Jack had been arguing with Sam and the priests, Daniel had been carefully edging away from Janet. "Please," he complained as she dabbed antiseptic on his lip, "you're making it sting!" Seeing Jack lope towards him, Daniel made his escape. "Jack! Save me!"

Grinning at Daniel's pout, Jack couldn't help laughing, "Hey! Don't be such a baby! Well, not for at least ten minutes." Peering at the twelve year old face carefully, Jack asked, "So, you okay? Don't feel sick?"

Shaking his head, not sure what Jack meant, Daniel looked up at the sky and blinked. "The orb," he whispered, "I need to activate the orb!" Turning and running to Sam, he felt his collar snagged.

"Whoa, no, you don't! You aren't touching that damn ball until our eggheads have checked it out." Wagging his finger, Jack growled, "I mean it, Daniel, those seizures almost killed you."

Wriggling from under Jack's restraining hold; Daniel waved his hands in the air, desperate for Jack to understand how important this was.

Grim-faced, Jack seemed to ignore the boy's complaints, "Nope, not gonna happen."

Memories of ancient texts and warnings ran though his mind. The orb was the key to the puzzle. Suddenly, the answer became clear to him. He needed to activate the orb, and when he did, the nightmare would be over.

"Please, I need to do this! It's the answer to everything."

"What answer is that?"

"To this," Holding his arms wide, Daniel turned in a circle, eyes heavenward, "All of this. Jack, the Ipotma was what these people used to use control the weather!"

"Riiight! And you know this how?"

There was no way Daniel could ignore the sarcasm in Jack's voice, and he knew his friend was right to doubt him. Still he pressed on.

"The writings," Closing his eyes, Daniel let the memory of the ancient text flow into his mind, so similar to Minoan but so much easier to understand. The words spoke to him, tickling his senses and filling him with an understanding he couldn't quite put into words.

A code! It was so simple! Individually the symbols meant nothing, but pressed in name group combinations they told a story. He remembered!

"I-I need to, to activate-," Daniel stumbled, reaching out to steady himself, aware of small tremors coursing through his body. "Now!" he pleaded, reaching out to Jack, seeing the other man wide-eyed with fear.

~o0o~

"Daniel!" Jack reached out, pulling Daniel to his chest and guiding his small body slowly to the floor. "Come on buddy, I got you!" Turning him onto his side, Jack was grateful for the emergency blanket Janet thrust at him,

"Carter!" he bellowed over his shoulder, nerves frayed as the fear of another seizure crept into his mind. Looking up at his 2IC, a shocked expression on her face, he snapped his fingers, "Carter, get me that damn device!"

Blinking in confusion, Sam stuttered. "S-sir?"

"You heard me, Major. Get it now!" Reaching down to lay a hand on Daniel's cool cheek, Jack murmured, "God help me if you're wrong about this, Danny."

"Here, sir."

Taking the small silver orb from Sam's outstretched hand, Jack ran his fingers over the surface attempting to get the same feeling for the object that Daniel had. "Sure hope you know what you're doing."

Placing the orb in Daniel's palm, Jack shook his shoulders, grimacing as his friend blinked slowly, his body already shaking from the building seizure. "You gonna be able to do this?"

Licking his lips, Daniel smiled weakly and brought his other hand out from under the blanket to rest on the top of the orb. Jack straightened up and stepped back, frowning at the effort it took his friend just to move.

"S'no problem." Daniel smiled weakly at Jack, his voice rough and slurred. "Piece o' cake, Jack."

Watching Daniel tap the sequence on the orb, Jack lifted his hand to his ears as the air was filled with a high-pitched squeal. Staggering backwards against Teal'c, he caught Daniel's pained expression, fear and realization both etched on his young face.

Falling to the ground, hands clawing at his head, Jack was sure he could hear his own scream adding to the deafening sounds around him. Next to him, Sam was curled in a ball, her P90 lying discarded by her side, eyes scrunched tightly. The priests had fared no better, their crumpled and miserable forms huddled off to one side, many of them rocking back and forth, heads in their hands.

The sound intensified, and Jack turned back to Daniel, his friend's outstretched hand dropping the tiny orb as seizures wracked his already weakened body. Struggling to his knees, Jack lowered his hand and tried to crawl to Daniel, falling once again as the orb opened up, its dull outer shell peeling back to reveal the gem nestled at its center.

The outcropping was suddenly bathed in a brilliant orange hue as a beam shot from the center of the orb, enveloping Daniel, and shooting high up into the sky. Tendrils of orange mist wrapped themselves around the heavy storm clouds, creating a dusk-light effect in the morning sky.

Sweating profusely and arms stinging, Jack put a finger to his ear and groaned when it came away covered in blood. "Hope that's just blood and nothing I actually need." Wiping the blood on his BDU shirt, Jack pulled himself forward, the orange haze that filled the air slowly dissipating as he sought out Daniel.

Feeling his way across the rocky ground, Jack tensed as his hand made contact with a warm body, a soft moan making its way to his ears, "Danny?" he called, blinking furiously to clear his blurred vision. "Come on, give me a sign here."

Clawing his way up the body, he knew something was wrong. Either someone else was lying under the emergency blanket or Daniel had changed again. Pulling the blanket aside, Jack reeled back in shock. Gone was the lean body of a twelve year old boy and in its place was the Daniel they had started this godforsaken mission with. Still lividly bruised from his mistreatment but very much back to his six foot self.

Searching for a pulse, Jack was relieved to find it strong but fast, his friend's skin hot and sweaty. Cupping a hand to his friend's cheek, he whispered close to his ear, "You amaze me, Doctor Jackson."

~o0o~

Scowling, confusion making her frown, Sam arched an eyebrow, "So, this, what? Ipop-Ipotma?" Maltrof, the newly elected head priest of the Lhavanians nodded and Sam continued, "Had Daniel activated it outside of the dome, none of this would have happened."

Holding out her diagnostic tool to Maltrof, Sam scrolled the small screen down, pointed out various pieces of information. "Here are the initial scans we took with our remote probe, and here," moving her finger down she tapped the screen, "this is the scan that I took when the orb was activated. You can see how very close the two results are. Almost identical!"

Maltrof nodded, but Sam knew the man didn't truly understand. It was enough for her to be presenting the evidence as a sign of their goodwill and trust.

"So, you feel the Ipotma was once used to maintain the weather on our planet?"

"Yes, I won't pretend that I understand the technology behind its purpose and design, but it does seem it was meant to be used once a year to regulate the planet's atmospheric conditions." Noting Maltrof's wide-eyed look of confusion, Sam added, "It was used to keep your weather stable."

"Ah" Maltrof said, looking down at the orb nestled comfortably in his hand, "and how will we when know when to use the Ipotma?"

"Well, I'm guessing that whoever designed the orb meant it to be used on an annual basis, hence the oral history that has been handed down over the centuries. At some point in your past, your ancestors must have known when it was to be used and how to activate it. That information might be lost now, but the game that you 'played' yearly shows that at least some of your history has survived. History isn't my area of specialty, that's Daniel's and I don't think he's in any shape to talk about that right now."

Reaching out and tapping the orb lightly, she frowned and chewed on her bottom lip. "I would suggest that the weather will build up again to intolerable levels and this will be your time to use the device again. Once Daniel is fit enough we can return and he'll show you how to use it."

"We have your word on this?" Maltrof looked sceptical.

"You have our word. We don't help people and then just abandon them. If Daniel was in any condition to show this now he would." Looking across at her sleeping team-mate, Sam shook her head and smiled thinly, "He'll be fine once we get him home,"

~o0o~

"The SGC will be sending through food and medical supplies, along with water and removable shelters in the next few days. You should be able to start planting new crops over the course of the next few weeks." Jack listened with half an ear as Sam briefed the Lhavanian priests on the SGC's relief effort. Keeping a discreet distance, Jack grabbed his sunglasses and huffed on them gently, sliding them back on his face. Adjusting them slowly, he looked at the sky. "Who would have thought?"

The sky was crystal clear, the threatening clouds rolled away. Twin moons twinkled in their low orbits, watching over the planet like guardians. The Lhavanians had stood in awe in the aftermath of the orb's activation, their fear-flooded faces morphing into a look of wonder as the orange hue wove its way through the atmosphere, taming the harsh winds and dissipating the clouds.

The priests' procrastinating had tested the colonel's resolve. Bored and biting back smart-ass retorts, his only concern was hauling their asses back home. Daniel was withdrawn after the orb had let loose its beam and shut down. Safely cocooned in his sleeping bag and under Janet Fraiser's ministrations, he'd seemed unconcerned at the events taking place in the overhead sky. Jack couldn't imagine what his team mate was thinking or feeling.

Glancing at the sky briefly, Jack dragged his attention back to Daniel, who was leaning against Teal'c for support. Daniel was pale and drawn, the circles under his eyes, bruised and dark. Blood crusted on his eyebrow and his lip was bloodied and swollen. Jack refused to think what other injuries his young friend had suffered.

Sam walked up to Jack, humor showing in her eyes "Well, sir, the Lhavanians have expressed their deep and undying regret of their treatment of Daniel." Grinning, she added, "They look forward to establishing diplomatic relations with us in the future."

"They have a government that we'd like to have relations with?" Jack taunted sarcastically.

"Sir?"

"Nothing, Major, how 'bout dialing up the gate so we can go home. I think we've all had just about enough of this planet."

Nodding her agreement, Sam approached the DHD and began the dial-up sequence, her GDO resting on the surface, waiting for her to input the iris code. Reaching into his pocket, Jack withdrew Daniel's glasses, having rescued them when the orb first activated.

Helping Teal'c guide Daniel up the dais to the gate, Jack stopped, and facing him, slid the glasses back on his face, "Here ya go, Doctor Jackson, so you can see what not to touch next time."

THE END