They should have seen it coming. When they woke up in cells their first objective should have been to get home, not traipse around the place pretending that things weren't going to go sour. To suss it out had been a mistake… like always.
It wasn't that Jack didn't trust Daniel's judgement, heck he turned to it more often that not, it was just that something about the whole thing didn't feel right. Daniel had been unusually eager to pin the whole thing on himself. Jack wasn't quite sure what was going on, but he had to find out. He wanted things cleared up before they left in less than 6 minutes.
Turning the shower off, Colonel O'Neill wrapped a towel around himself, and grabbed another to shimmy his hair. He stepped out into the cool of the locker room, only to be greeted by Teal'c.
"O'Neill."
"Teal'c." Jack cast the Jaffa a quick look before drying his face.
"I believe Daniel Jackson requires your presence."
"What do you mean?"
"It is best to see for yourself O'Neill."
Jack grumbled, "I only just saw him, what could have gone wrong in…" A glance at his watch, "…4 minutes?"
Teal'c just gave him his 'I-already-told-you-now-move-your-ass' look.
"Right, dumb question. Just uh, gimme a minute will ya T?."
Teal'c bowed his head and turned to go. He had been in his quarters performing Kel'No'Reem, and was considering a shower before they left. Now he wasn't sure if it was the shower, or Daniel that he needed to consult.
"O'Neill, I shall meet you in the debriefing room."
"T?" Jack pulled his shirt over his head.
"I believe Daniel Jackson would be more comfortable with your presence."
"Teal'c, are you telling me that you're passing the buck?"
"Indeed."
Jack was surprised that he even knew what that meant. Shrugging it off, he figured Teal'c was right. If anyone had to curb the archaeologist's wallowing a second time it might as well be him. Teal'c didn't leave the room, but rather walked back into it. Jack figured the Jaffa was eager for a change of clothes. Stuffing his feet in his shoes he couldn't be bothered lacing them up and opted to shuffle out the door.
"We don't have long Teal'c… be ready in 5."
Not waiting for a response, Jack tramped to Daniel's quarters. Stopping in front of the door he was about to knock, but realised that the door was ajar. Tentatively, he pushed it open further and stuck his head in.
"Danny?"
"In here."
Jack didn't like the tone of his friend's voice. It was almost too melancholy even for Daniel. Stepping into the room, Jack closed the door behind him and walked around to face the younger man, who was behind his desk. Daniel was seated; one hand holding a pencil and his weary head up, the other tinkering with that God awful paperweight that he had left in Jack's quarters. He was staring at a piece of paper with a rough copy of some weird symbols scrawled across the top of the page. Face steely, the archaeologist looked like he was trying to set the paper alight with pure thought.
Jack took the sight before him in before clearing his throat. Daniel jumped at the sound, snapping his pencil in half as he brought his hand down to his desk. It was almost as if he had forgotten Jack was there.
"Daniel. What are you doing?"
"Trying to prove myself wrong, actually."
"Why?"
A sigh, "See this?" Daniel picked up the paper and showed it to Jack. "This is an inscription of the ancient text on the artefact that we brought back. I've translated it…"
"Daniel, do you realise that you've given me the short version instead of your long winded, culturally enriched…"
"Jack."
"Okay!" He threw his hands up in defeat, "What does it say?" Jack wasn't sure where Daniel was going with it all.
"In its simplest form it reads, Beware the Elysian Fields." Daniel raised his eyebrows and looked at Jack, waiting for him to make the connection.
"Well, they weren't wrong that's fer sure…"
"Jack! Don't you see?!" Frustrated, Daniel stood up and grabbed the artefact. He rounded the table and handed the stone to Jack.
"See what? That not everyone on Elysium finds it to be an attractive holiday destination? Where are you going with this Daniel?"
Daniel just stared at him, blue eyes rimmed with tears. Jack sighed and passed the artefact back to him. He met Daniel's gaze with a sympathetic look.
"Fortunately I brought the right books with me to Elysium Jack…"
"But?"
"But I put my interest in Elysian culture before our safety."
Jack clenched his fists and bit back on the urge to beat the point out him, "Daniel! Enough of the waffle, what the hell are you saying?"
"I'm saying that I knew what it read before I mentioned going on our little hike Jack! I knew that it was a warning, put there by someone centuries ago who was trying to warn others to keep away from Elysium. I chose not to mention it on the basis that we had no proof of there even being any living civilisation but I was wrong!" Daniel's voice had raised several decibels, making Jack wince. "Jack, don't you see? Sam's in this mess because of me."
"What?!"
"The artefact isn't even that old Jack… and I knew it all. I was just so caught up in the moment that I was too blind to see reason."
"You knew?" Colonel Jack O'Neill stood glued to the floor, a look of disbelief on his face. It wasn't like Daniel to keep these kinds of secrets. And it certainly wasn't like him to put learning the ways of a new culture over the safety of SG-1. Jack didn't know what to say. He imagined Daniel felt vulnerable under his cold stare, but he was having a hard time getting his face to do anything else.
'I should never have asked…'
"Sam even asked me if I had translated it while we were walking to that damned city… I lied to her." Daniel let a tear slip down his cheek.
Finally bringing himself to respond, Jack scrubbed his hands over his face and turned away, trying to figure out what to say. He wanted to choke him, but it wasn't going to help.
"Daniel… okay, you screwed up." Turning to face his friend again Jack couldn't help but roll his eyes in desperation. Daniel was trying to control his emotions, but was failing miserably. Jack placed his hands on his hips. "Look, we can fix this. But we only have one shot Danny… as usual. Carter needs our help. The longer we stand around here talking about how wrong you were the less time we've got."
Daniel took in a shaky breath and brushed the moisture from his cheeks. "If she's still alive... Jack, what if…"
Jack was stunned, "You know Carter! Of course she's alive." It came as a snarl, but Jack didn't regret it. In fact, he raised his voice a little more and continued, "Don't get me wrong Daniel… I'm pissed that you didn't mention it. Really pissed. And believe me if we didn't have a Goa'uld mother ship to storm so help me…" He trailed off, leaving Daniel to fill in the blanks. After an awkward silence Jack realised that there was nothing more he had to say. A glance at his watch told him they were out of time. "Get your things, we're leaving."
Jack left Daniel's quarters a little more hurriedly than he had intended, but he didn't want to hear any more of the conversation. This was so unlike Daniel… Jack cursed and headed for the debriefing room. The heated debate hadn't done his pounding head any good and he was more than ready to find out what General Hammond had come up with.
'Things just kept getting better and better on Planet O'Neill…'
Daniel swiped at the tears that refused to let up and silently stuffed seemingly random items into his pack. The more he thought about it the more he felt like crap, but Jack was right, this wasn't about him.
'Sam needs us.'
Pushing the last item into his pack, he snatched his glasses of his nose, wiped his eyes with his sleeve, returned the glasses and cleared his thoughts. He iwas/i going to suck it up, even if it killed him. Shouldering his pack, he picked up the artefact from where he had dropped it and began to walk out. The inscription was just taunting him now. He stopped in the doorway, glaring at the useless rock in his hands, "Nice move Jackson." Tearing his eyes away from it he turned and tossed the thing at the floor of his quarters. The result was a loud crack and five little artefacts were sent skidding across the floor. He had hoped that the whole rock would explode.
Somewhat satisfied that it was all out in the open, the guilt ridden archaeologist made his way to the debrief wondering if he would have to explain his actions again to Teal'c and the General. Something told him that Jack wasn't going to mention it, and if that turned out to be the case Daniel decided he wouldn't either.
Daniel was the last to enter the room. He quietly muttered an apology and stole a chair. Teal'c sat sombrely at the table, his hands clasped in front of him, attention directed at the General. Jack was pushed back from the table, doubled over as he laced his boots. Ajax was sitting opposite Jack, a confused expression hanging over him. General Hammond was already talking and acknowledged Daniel's presence with a nod of his head.
"The Tok'ra have agreed to lend a hand, but they're not happy about it."
Jack scoffed, "Raise your hand if you even care." Nobody moved. "Didn't think so."
"They've granted us the use of a Tel'tak and the help of Jacob and Selmak."
Jack's head snapped up, "Whoa… sure that's a good thing. All things considered Sir?"
"It was the only way to convince them to help Colonel. Without Jacob's input the Council was just going to turn us away. As it is they're postponing a crucial meeting, so you won't have their help for long before Selmak will be required to return."
"So…"
"So they're only offering you a one way trip."
"That's all we need."
"Colonel, you realise that I'm not giving any orders here, if you want to go I won't stop you. However, the Tok'ra were willing to offer full assistance once their meeting had come to a close."
"And when would that be?"
"They couldn't say."
"Well, in that case you'd better ring Carter Senior and let him know we're on the way."
General Hammond narrowed his eyes and gauged Jack's expression carefully. He had hoped to give the man more options. But at least they hadn't come to a dead end… yet. The look in his eyes told George more than he needed to know. Jack had made up his mind.
"Alright. You have a go Colonel." General Hammond stood slowly, the rest of the room followed suit.
"Thank you, Sir."