Sacrifice
Colonel O'Neill barely noticed the sudden arrival of Doctor McKay in the dark cavern. His only concession to McKay's presence was the quick flick of his eyes towards him before they settled on Daniel. A rat would have warranted more attention. Jack inclined his head slightly towards Daniel, in appreciation of his safe return, even if he did bring the good doctor with him.
Without a doubt Rodney felt the full lack of appreciation SG-1 had for his presence and to cover his discomfort he began to talk. "Well, where is the switch to this hologram? I hear that I was requested by name!" he continued, "Ha! At least the Ancients understand my true-." Rodney's voice trailed off as Jack pinned him with deadly stare.
Slowly O'Neill stood and walked across the inlaid circle, bring to life the hologram once more. "Alright, he's here." Jack knew that the hologram Janus was just that... a hologram. Nothing more than a pre-programmed set of responses to match the movement and responses of the people who activated it, but he was still ticked at the thing. In fact, he was even more irritated because of that fact. He couldn't intimidate it, and it certainly couldn't feel his displeasure.
The hologram looked at Jack and continued its earlier speech. "Defenders, you are tasked with protecting the Well of Understanding." Janus paused, looking to each person there as if looking deep into their souls and gauging their worth. "Each of you must first prove your identities through trial before confirming the oath."
"What oath?" Jack interrupted the alien hologram yet again. He stubbornly looked into the eyes of Janus, "We aren't going any further down the rabbit hole, Alice, until I get some answers!"
Sam, Daniel, T'ealc and Rodney looked on as the stare-down of the millennia commenced: Colonel Jack O'Neill vs. Ancient computer hologram. Sadly, the computer won. A crack appeared in the once solid wall behind the hologram. "Let us begin," Janus waved with one arm toward the ever widening opening in the wall.
The team looked to the Colonel for his assent and he sharply inclined his head to indicate they would move forward, "What choice do we have?" he said with a tone of deep resignation as he led the way to the doorway now present in the cavern. SG-1 and McKay found themselves unexpectedly in a room with what appeared to be chaise lounges set in a semi-circle around a Dias at the center of the room.
Though the Janus hologram had no corporeal form, the hologram reappeared in the new location. His voice made Rodney jump slightly when he said, "Be seated. Major Carter, you will be first to have your identity verified. Please step up on the dias for assessment."
Sam looked with some trepidation towards Colonel O'Neill, and he gave her a twisted smile for reassurance. This machine reminded her all to much of Nirti's DNA manipulation machine; she was nervous, but stepped onto the platform like a good soldier.
The machine hummed to life and a soft glow enveloped her body. In front of her, twin holographic images of a DNA strand formed one ladder step at a time. Each step began as yellow, then turned green until the entire sequence had been made. Sam had lost her fear and became fascinated by the experience. Unlike Nirti's little science experiment, Sam didn't feel a change, in fact she felt numb. The glow faded, and Sam swayed slightly as she returned to a semi-awareness of the world around her.
"Are you alright Samantha Carter?" T'ealc's brow raised slightly, the only outward sign of his concern over Major Carter. Jack and Daniel leapt forward to assist her when she swayed again. Rodney remained plastered to his chair, his face void of color.
"She is indeed Major Samantha Carter. This is good news, good news." A soft smile touched Janus's face as he looked almost endearingly at Sam. "I promise you, no harm has come to her. Place her on the couch and she will recover quickly." Jack scowled at him, but Janus had spoken the truth; within moments Sam was looking more like herself.
"Ya think." Jack muttered, as he searched Sam's face for any sign that she may have been hurt in the 'identification procedure'. He saw none, so his tension eased just a bit. He looked at the hologram, frowning to make his displeasure known. A futile effort wasted on a machine, yes, but it made him feel better. "What now?" he asked, slightly unsure that he wanted to hear the answer.
"You must all undergo the identification procedure. Just as with Samantha, it will not harm you," Janus let his gaze rest on Rodney and continued, "any of you." One-by-one SG-1 stepped onto the Dias to be tested, while Jack made cracks about "who's your daddy" and "paternity payments."
Finally it was Rodney's turn at bat, and he balked. "You cannot make me get on that thing!" He stammered,"What if it really makes you sterile! or a monster!" He stamped his foot as if that would be end of it, "I have read the mission reports coming out of Stargate Command, I know how bad this could get!"
Jack let him rage a little before clamping his hand like an iron vice on Rodney's shoulder, "I thought that you would chicken out the first opportunity that 'saving the universe' got a little dicey for you. Unlucky for you though, the TV over there say we need you." The Colonel paused and stared hard into Rodney's eyes. "You will do it." The steel in Jack's tone brooked no argument and Rodney McKay meekly took his place on the Dias.
Only moments later, Janus declared that they were indeed who they claimed to be, " Since your identities are conformed, your are authorized to confirm your oaths." On this pronouncement a small pedestal rose from the center of the Dias, "You will find that your oaths are present. You must verify this with your blood." The hologram disappeared and Daniel slowly approached the pedestal.
"Daniel..." The colonel began, "be cautious."
What Daniel noticed first about the pedestal was its simplicity. There were no carvings of any kind on the sides of the cylinder. When he was close enough to see the top he was shocked at what lay there; scrolls. Not a data pad, or stone tablet but faded, fragile, yellow scrolls. "Guys! You have got to see this!" Daniel waved them over excitedly.
There were five of them, each had a single letter sealed into the deep red wax that held the scrolls together. Each was labeled with, presumably, the first initial of each team member's last name. "It appears as though each of these scrolls belongs to one of us," Daniel said, "I would assume that the letters correspond with our last names-."
"Ya, well Space Monkey, you know what assuming does..." Jack interrupted with a wry smile.
Daniel rolled his eyes and continued, "I'll open the one with the J first to be sure." Using his USAF issued combat knife, Daniel carefully pulled the wax from the paper and unrolled the scroll. His eyes widened in surprise, "It's in my hand writing!" Daniel looked to the group and they crowded around to get a look ate the weathered paper in his hand.
"What does it say, Doctor Jackson?" T'ealc look inquisitively at Daniel. The document was written in Ancient.
"Well," Daniel paused, "The first line says 'This document is for you alone,' so I'm guessing I should keep the contents to myself." Daniel passed out the other four documents, "I suggest you open these with care."
Each member of the team opened their scroll carefully, ensuring no damage to the contents. Sam was the first to say anything, "Holy Hannah! It's in my hand writing, and also for my eyes only!" she looked slightly stricken, "I just have to ask... Could this be some sort of elaborate trap, a hoax maybe?"
"Mine too is in my hand, Major Carter." T'ealc frowned slightly, "While we have experienced elaborate set-ups before, I believe it would be difficult for someone to duplicate my handwriting in G'ould so perfectly."
"Mine's well... Mine." Colonel O'Neill put in, "What about yours, McKay?" Up until this moment, since the revelation of the scrolls, McKay had not had much to say. Even with the Colonel's prompt, he remained silent, his face a mask of confusion. "McKay!" O'Neill snapped.
"Ummm. Yes. It's mine." Rodney glanced down quickly. "Do your letters tell you to place your thumbs on the seal?" Rodney asked, significantly subdued from his earlier behavior. A chorus of yes's was his answer.
Daniel responded, "Yes, 'Verify your oath with blood, place your thumb on the seal." Daniel glanced at the seal, then up at the team. "if you agree with whatever is written in your hand writing, you should place your thumb on the seal." Daniel paused a momentand frowned, "I don't have any idea what will happen if we don't agree."
In unspoken agreement, all members of SG-1 and Rodney McKay placed their thubs on the seal of their documents and hoped for the best.