Chapter 26 - Unsure
Sam started each day of this mission feeling strange, having to give the illusion of belonging while staying more withdrawn than ever before. The more she knew about these Jaffa, the more she felt distant. Jolinar did nothing to dissuade this, or even indicate that it wasn't normal, but sometimes Sam thought of Teal'c and questioned why most of the day was spent in analyzing tactical situations.
It was their fourth day on this world, now, and it was about time for something to happen. Jolinar was becoming continually aware of how long their official mission was supposed to take, and how long they could stay on this one before checking back with the Tok'ra base. Thinking that if anyone knew about long missions it would be Jolinar, who had been gone for nine months and thought it routine, Sam worried a little more because Jolinar was worried. She had no true idea of how Tok'ra missions were meant to go, and it probably couldn't be explained, so she was learning organically.
Last night had hit hard for the population of this world, a holiday of some sorts celebrating, of course, their great god Quetesh. Jolinar commented as she and Sam stayed back from the proceedings that this was a little more carefree than most Jaffa rituals. The level of the proceeding hadn't been debauchery, quite, but the bonfires and feast-like meal portions had enlivened the Jaffa to a near-frightening level.
When the morning rose over the blackened logs still smoking, very few Jaffa rose for early morning march. At least, Sam thought, they weren't passed out drunk over logs and benches. *Only because their symbiotes take away most hangover symptoms,* countered Jolinar.
But even though most had started their day a couple hours later, when the gate activated and brought two more Jaffa, few were there to greet them. Sam, however, was one.
"What is the status of this world?" demanded the first Jaffa through the gate, without a first prime symbol on his head but holding himself as one nonetheless.
"Did you not attend Kouralis last night?" asked Sh'rak, representative Jaffa of this world. He, Sam, and the other few who were fully clothed and armored stood in a straight line at least, even if the view beyond them was not so neat.
"Not to excess," explained the visitor, glancing a scornful eye over their shoulders. "Our lord visited her royal temple last night, and found that the slaves are not putting forth their best. Many Jaffa were transfered to her breeding world to deal with the new unruly slaves, leaving few behind at the temple."
Sam and Jolinar perked up at this statement.
"What do you need from us?" asked Sh'rak.
"Six warriors, ready to depart in ten breaths," said the Jaffa firmly.
Sh'rak looked at the Sam and his other two Jaffa and swallowed briefly. Then he folded on arm across his chest in salute, bowed, and the commanding Jaffa nodded in return. There was no negotiation.
"Retrieve your weapons and spare no time for farewells," Sh'rak commanded, and marched off toward the village.
*Excellent,* was Jolinar's succinct comment. No need for further remark, they had both prepared for this step and knew what it meant.
It was a few more than ten breaths before Sh'rak came back with three more Jaffa in their armor, but nothing was said. The commanding Jaffa dialed the gate, and with one hand gesture he ordered Sam and her fellow Jaffa through.
They came through onto another very different world, verdant and humid, with a hot sun blazing down. A glittering lake shone in the distance, and an open pyramid that was bright in the light as well. Sam was caught up for a moment in the magnificence, and then her eyes adjusted to the new light and she saw the small figures moving back and forth in the distance. Slaves. Maybe even some Abydonians. As much as Daniel tried to share his love of the great and magnificent cities of the past, Sam couldn't think of them now without knowing full well how they came to be.
*Quetesh,* Jolinar half snorted as their new commanding officer ordered them towards the pyramid palace. *She thinks of pleasure as much as power, for her eyes as well as her flesh.*
Sam felt a tinge of discomfort every time Jolinar brought up Quetesh; she had mentioned several times that Goa'uld's preferences, and all Sam could do was remember Hathor and yet something that seemed much worse. Of all the Goa'ulds to take people she was responsible for...
They moved quickly towards the massive building. It had been constructed out of some kind of metal, surprising considering its ancient design, and it was not quite finished. The majority of the slaves Jolinar and Sam saw, however, seemed to be transporting supplies that could not have been for building. Sam saw many jars and caskets of ostentatious design, as well as trays full of fancily designed foods.
*For the priests, as you would call them, and for her less-favored lotars,* commented Jolinar. *Quetesh herself very likely only visits when she is bored with her closest slaves, or when she wishes to make an appearance or demonstration. I remember that she kept to her ship nearly always.*
Still many yards off, the lead Jaffa stopped and turned to them. "Keep close eyes on the traffic," he ordered. "Be ready to show force; these fools have been given some leave for our lord's sake, but they are not protected." His orders now given, he walked off to whatever other business he had on this world.
Sam and the other Jaffa spread out, the others because they were familiar with this role, Sam because she and Jolinar weren't about to get involved just yet.
~Do you think there are any people from Abydos here?~ Sam asked.
*Unlikely,* answered Jolinar. *Not among these, in any case. We may find them among the builders, however.*
~So our plan?~
*Keep on the lookout for any indication of another planet. The breeding world mentioned may be a lead, if we can get the correct gate address. But for now we need to keep our place here.*
Sam nodded, and let Jolinar do what was the easiest part about this role as Jaffa, stand as master over others. This should have reminded Sam of how disturbing her ease with domination was, but the complete detachment from Jolinar's regular personality that was evident even across the barrier between their minds calmed some of her worries. As for the others? Since Jolinar's revelation, Sam had, she had to admit, had reservations. Sometimes there would be a twinge of doubt about Jolinar's intentions, sometimes an instinctual moment of fear, even if soon diminished. One thing she had come to realize was that she had now spent more time interacting with the Tok'ra than she had ever done with the Goa'uld. She had thought more about the Tok'ra than the Goa'uld now too, even if crammed into a few short months. That amount of knowledge seemed to buffer her sense of trust against the still somewhat-unknown terror that the Goa'uld had always posed. She hoped that one day Jolinar would be nothing but a Tok'ra in her mind.
After a while, Sam turned her focus back onto their mission. Jolinar had her keen eyes fixed on the traffic coming to and from the temple, and she moved up and down the lanes as the minutes passed. Despite their relative surety that the Abydonians would not be among those trusted with temple property, neither wished to lose any opportunity. Any signs of newness, and Jolinar was ready to change her mind.
But it slowly proved disappointing. The slaves all seemed comfortable in their roles, barely needing the Jaffa's direction at all. Also, Sam noted and conveyed to Jolinar, while there were several cultures present among the slaves, so far none had the look of the Abydonians. Jolinar watched more closely, and after a while had to agree. Apparently Quetesh's rule was as small as they predicted.
Over the next couple hours, Jolinar inched her way towards the temple itself. The nearer they drew, the more Sam grew distracted by its structure. The Goa'uld were normally very advanced in their technology, but this temple seemed to have no practical purpose. It was plainly not a ship, neither could one land in or on it. Through the gaps in construction, Sam noted that there did not appear to be any technology, only adornment. And yet, Jolinar had said that Quetesh was shrewd. It made Sam even more itching to get a closer look.
Hours passed, and the colored robes of the slaves that had been so bright faded slowly as the sun dipped behind a thin cloud layer. Spirits, likewise, seemed to dim as the day went on, but what Sam noticed most of all was that there had never been many to begin with. The Jaffa were solely dedicated to their work; the slaves had no choice. Even fully believing they served their god, they had little energy to give to to her work.
Before the day was out, Jolinar was at the bottom of the great steps that led up into the temple. Things had not slowed all day. Every few seconds a slave would walk past, hands or arms full. Sam marked the variety of items: fresh bread, silk, gold bricks, wooden idols, tapestries, lamp oil, polished chains, carpet, jewelry and coin baskets, perfume, and so forth. Inside the temple, Jaffa stood round in fewer numbers.
*They only fear that some slaves may escape into the woods or to the gate,* commented Jolinar after a long silence. *Where could a slave go in here?*
~Why don't we go in?~ asked Sam. ~We have seen everything else.~
*Patience,* said Jolinar.
Sam chortled.
*Don't laugh, it is good advice,* protested Jolinar.
Sam did settle herself for a little more waiting, and wondered about their goals for tomorrow. Until they found an address for one of Quetesh's breeding worlds, or any other hint to where the Abydonians might be, they were at a dead end and yet could not leave. It would only be a couple days, however, before their absence would be far too suspicious to the Tok'ra. Jolinar had acknowledged this earlier, but Sam wondered what her limit would be.
The sun sunk behind the crisscrossed beams of the pyramid tall above them, and Jolinar eased her way into the temple courtyard. Despite the day not being over, many of the sounds and smells seemed to dull in the evening air, leaving mainly the loud sounds of construction far above. And once sunset came, even those stopped once and for all. The temple lights were brighter than most, but even they could not remove all shadows. Jolinar kept herself in the spy-friendly half-light and began to look closely for the builders coming down and to their quarters.
A few passed, then a few more, going on until a few hundred had passed. There were only a couple that might have been Abydonian, but the air that Jolinar read in their figure and manner of movement seemed to belie it. No, these unfortunate souls had been under the whip for more than the past two weeks. Frustrated, Jolinar eventually left the temple to its few late-night guardians and descended into the complexes around the rest of the planet. Tonight they would have to spend with the Jaffa, and hopefully tomorrow they could find something more.
The tents and buildings common to all Goa'uld settlements were crowded beyond the lake, with only few fires among them so as not to diminish the glowing glory of Quetesh's temple. Jolinar walked through, catching sight of only a few faces in the flickering torchlight.
They were about near their destination, when two Jaffa and a slave walked towards them. Jolinar saw nothing until the slave gave her a second glance. The light was bright at that spot, but even then it took a couple seconds for Sam and Jolinar to realize what they saw.
~Kasuf?~
If he had recognized them at all, Kasuf wisely chose to stay low, and continued walking past them without another look. Despite their sudden curiosity, Sam and Jolinar did the same.
~How?~ asked Sam, without a full question.
Jolinar said nothing. After she had gone far enough, she turned around and watched as Kasuf and his two Jaffa escorts disappeared into a building. *That was neither slave nor Jaffa housing,* she said. *Something strange is going on.*
But Sam was more intrigued than she had been all day. ~We have something, at least,~ she said.
Jolinar finished walking into the torchless Jaffa housing, finding an empty cot in the darkness and shedding her armor as quietly as possible. *We saw no other Abydonians,* she said.
~So why is he here?~ Sam continued the line of questioning. ~Interrogation?~
*He would have been in prison, then,* said Jolinar. Removing her skull cap as the final piece, she ran her hands once through her hair to loosen it from its sweat-flattened state. *No, there must be possibilities that we cannot judge. Tomorrow we must find our way to him.*
As Jolinar lay down on the cot, pulling up the blanket over the tunic she wore beneath the armor, Sam could already feel her symbiote's active thoughts fading as sleep came. Sam was surprised to find that she also was growing drowsy; their sleep patterns had rarely aligned so well. Even with developments furthering, she was asleep within minutes.
ooooooo
Daniel was about ready to leave the SGC early, having a few supplies to pick up in Colorado Springs before the mission in two days, when his email pinged. He barely tossed the program a glance, getting ready to logout—and then he saw who had sent it. One thing was sure; he wasn't going to ignore Janet.
Sighing, looking at his watch, he put down his stuff and opened up his top drawer. Digging around for a few seconds, he found the file he was looking for. Then, hopping in the elevator, he made his way to the infirmary.
"Dr. Jackson?" said Janet, eyes wide in her round face. "What is this, record time?"
"Here's the schedule," he said, handing her the papers. "I, uh, didn't fill in all the days. Kind of got a little busy."
"And you apparently didn't read to the end of the email," said Janet, smiling up at him as she took the file. "This wasn't due until tomorrow—it only takes a few hours to do the analysis, and then a few more to get it ready for your mission the day after. I just assumed you wouldn't notice that you had mail until tomorrow morning."
"Oh," said Daniel blinking. Then, with a quick smile, "Surprise."
Janet chuckled. "I know you kept track, but I'd like to hear from you personally: how do you think this mixture worked?"
Daniel paused, already half-forgetting what he had planned to do. "Well, it stopped most of my allergen symptoms around base," he said. "So maybe environmental and food allergies of Earth are covered."
"That would make sense," said Janet. "I was hoping this level of antihistamine would work for other worlds as well, though."
"Well, it wasn't too bad," said Daniel. He paused, then added, "When I remembered to take them."
Janet pursed her lips. "Well, I'll get you your next set of doses by next mission, but I'll need you to be more consistent. You do know what that means, Dr. Jackson?"
"Yes," said Daniel, nodding. "I do."
Janet smiled. "Don't bother trying that ploy, or I'll put Dr. Mckay in charge of reminding you."
"You wouldn't," protested Daniel.
"Can you deny that it would work?" asked Janet. Daniel opened his mouth, and closed it again. "So I thought," she said. "Thank you, Dr. Jackson, that is all."
Janet walked briskly across her infirmary, heels clicking loudly in the quiet. Daniel put his hands in his pocket, and walked back towards the elevator.
"Dr. Jackson?"
He stopped, catching the voice to his right. Turning, he saw Jacob Carter propped up in one of the beds. "General sir," he said, surprised. Apart from the briefing, he hadn't seen or heard of Sam's father at all.
"Do you have a moment?" Jacob asked.
Daniel nodded, walking over to his bed. The older man looked tired, frailer than the last time Daniel had seen him. There were circles under his eyes, and even those were pale, only the still-strong light of his spirit keeping them from looking lifeless.
"Your doctors have had me bedridden almost from day one," Jacob started, not completely grumbling, "which has given me a lot of time to think—a lot more than before I came here."
Daniel wasn't sure where things were going, but thankfully Jacob didn't ramble.
"Your theory about Sam—in the briefing report, all of you seemed to imply that Jolinar was impersonating her, nothing more," Jacob said, looking closely at Daniel. "But now your opinions seem to have shifted towards thinking that Sam herself was part of it, and that Jolinar had only influenced her. Which is it, in your opinion?"
"You don't miss much," commented Daniel, gathering his thoughts.
"I would hope not, given my former occupation," said Jacob, looking out from under his brow at Daniel. "Well?"
"I actually hadn't noticed that discrepancy," admitted Daniel, taking a seat next to Jacob. "I guess I always believed Sam was there, even if she had changed. The others weren't so convinced then, but maybe deep down they think my account was plausible. Maybe they just think that it's Sam's influence that makes Jolinar's behavior different." He shrugged, withdrawing his hands from his pockets and letting them rest in his lap.
"I obviously can't have a strong opinion on the subject," said Jacob, inhaling deeply. "And even your people—neither side has more evidence in its favor, so it would be easy to switch. But Dr. Jackson, I want to know your opinion. You saw her; so did Teal'c, but I have to admit I'm a little frightened of him," finished Jacob with a dry half-smile.
Daniel gave an answering smile, even though his intimidation by Teal'c had ended quite some time ago, except for a little vestigial impression of just how powerful the Jaffa was. "I think my opinion hasn't changed," he said. "I thought that I saw Sam on Abydos, that she was different but not in the way that an impersonation is. What happened later was puzzling, but it also fits the theory." He exhaled after a pause. "I'd be happy to be proved wrong, though."
Jacob nodded. "It would make the rescue easier. What comes after, at least."
"Whatever's going on, we'll make it right eventually," said Daniel, nodding his head. "Even if it takes a lot of patience."
Jacob nodded his head once. Daniel sat still for a moment, thinking. Jacob cleared his throat and looked closely at Daniel. "Dr. Jackson, were you and my daughter romantically involved?" he asked pointedly.
Daniel coughed. "What? Sam? Uh, no," he foundered.
Jacob put up a hand, even if weakly. "Never mind, I've got my answer," he said. "Just a father's prerogative, you know."
Daniel looked grateful.
"I wouldn't have minded if you were," added Jacob, giving him a look. "You're a good man, from what I've seen."
"I'm also married," explained Daniel.
"Oh," said Jacob.
Daniel was partly glad that Jacob didn't ask for a further explanation of that story. No more conversation to be had, he then remembered his reason for coming here at all. There might be a chance to finish all his trips if he hurried. "Well, I have some other things to get done this afternoon," he said, standing up.
Jacob nodded. "I will see you again some other day, then," he said.
Daniel nodded back and left the infirmary. He had not been expecting that conversation at all, but he wasn't likely to forget it. One thing was sure: Sam's way of intriguing people was probably a genetic trait.
ooooooo
The morning shift on Quetesh's temple planet was getting into place by the time Sam and Jolinar had their own plan ready. They had woken early and, as inconspicuously as possible, tried to locate Kasuf and see if there was any possible way to come into contact. He was not continually escorted, they found out, but never left the vicinity of attentive Jaffa. At last, however, he and some of the Jaffa made their way towards the temple.
Since that was once again Jolinar's area of duty, they had no qualms in following at a distance. Like the other slaves, he was clad in brightly colored robes of various hues, in a style that would have been interesting had it not been the garb of slavery. From the occasional glimpse of his face that they caught, Sam and Jolinar both noticed that he looked wearier than ever before, but not entirely downtrodden.
Before the sun had climbed to the peak of the pyramid as they saw it from below, Kasuf was accompanied into the very temple itself. There were more Jaffa today, and more slaves, all busy at work in achieving perfection for their god. Farther back from the large open space in the center of the massive building, there was a smaller chamber where a gilded throne sat among glittering golden and bejeweled walls. Kasuf went to his knees automatically, but Sam guessed that it was only because the Jaffa would otherwise force the issue.
The Jaffa returned to the outer room, apparently until Kasuf's penance or prayers were concluded. He did not move from his kneeling position. Jolinar had given Sam control for the moment, and she glanced around the room. No one was within a hundred feet. Walking forward until she could stand behind one of the columns, she decided that this would be a safe place.
"Kasuf," she whispered, her voice carrying enough in the relative quiet of this place.
Kasuf's head rose an inch, but he said nothing.
"Kasuf, do not look at me, but nod if you hear?"
Kasuf slowly nodded. "Who is it?" he answered in a low tone.
"Sam Carter again," said Sam.
"How are you here?" asked Kasuf back.
"It's kind of complicated, but we were looking for you and your people," said Sam.
"I did not seek your help," said Kasuf.
Sam blinked. Was she supposed to take that as an insult? Kasuf's back was still to her, and he was holding very still.
"Where is your team, where is SG-1?" asked Kasuf, sounding confused.
"You contacted them?" asked Sam.
"Yes, and they saved most of us," said Kasuf, lowering his head as he still knelt. "You are not here at their request?"
Sam was confused, and the pieces still flew around her head as she tried to put them in order.
*Your team saved some of the Abydonians, but not all,* said Jolinar. *That is impressive by itself.*
~But how did they know?~ asked Sam.
"Carter?" asked Kasuf uncertainly.
"How did it happen?" asked Sam. "Does SG-1 know you're here?"
"I do not know, I was taken before they arrived," said Kasuf. "But there was commotion before Heru'ur came, and my people said that Teal'c tried to rescue them. There are only several hundreds of us enslaved now, so the others must have been saved."
"And they weren't killed on the planet or captured by Heru'ur."
"I would not have expected that," said Kasuf easily.
Sam found his firm belief in her people endearing, but she would not have made such an assumption.
"Are you here to rescue us?" asked Kasuf.
Sam breathed out, now caught up and ready to address the subject she had planned for. "That's our plan," she said. "We didn't see any of your people here, though."
"There are none at this time," said Kasuf. "Many were taken to where they could give their children to the false god, and some were taken to serve in her royal court. The others were sent here, but my people did not submit easily. I am to serve penance in prayer while they do so through hard labor, until they are ready to return and prepare this place for the false god's return."
Sam sighed.
*Complicated,* commented Jolinar. *What a shocking revelation.*
"Do you know the locations of these worlds?" asked Sam.
*Quetesh's court is on her flagship,* commented Jolinar.
"No, I do not," Kasuf answered.
Sam grimaced. ~So?~
*We can find the breeding worlds on our own, possibly,* said Jolinar. *But only time will bring the workers to this place; the places they send unruly workers are well guarded and kept shrouded in secrecy.*
~So we keep up our position here,~ agreed Sam. "Kasuf?" she said aloud. "We think we can find the others, but we won't be able to do anything until your people come back here."
"I understand," said Kasuf.
"We may not come to you again for a while," said Sam.
Kasuf gave a final nod, and then Jolinar and Sam left the inner chamber. Their role on this planet had suddenly become more simple, but it was as if they had stepped back from the picture and saw a web of complexities that they could not have guessed from the small portion they had been looking at.
~What about Quetesh's court?~ asked Sam.
*We will deal with that once we get there,* said Jolinar. *There will only be a few there; Quetesh is discriminate in her closest slaves. If we get that far and remain successful, we shall be fortunate.*
~So how will we back out of this and get back to the Tok'ra?~ asked Sam after a mental nod.
*Carefully,* said Jolinar. *If you had not noticed, the traffic to this world is even more so than on the previous world. Be glad we are not encamped on a world with a self-sufficient and settled civilization where the gate is only activated rarely.*
Sam nodded. She noticed that Jolinar's tension and concentration had relaxed a little, and her mood eased out. Despite the frustration of further complications, they had gotten good news today. Most of their job was already done, and they could only assume that SG-1 had taken the other Abydonians to safety; they knew when and mostly where the rest of the captives could be found; they had a plan that was based on certainties. Sam had to admit, she was feeling good as well—not elated, but good.
Her one remaining question, however, was how and why her team had ended up in a position to help the Abydonians. What were they planning to do? What did they think happened? It was only a week before she would face them again, but she wondered what answers she would get.
—
Author's Notes: This new planet with the temple does indeed have a purpose to Quetesh and to this story, but it won't come into play for a while. Also, Jacob's comments at the end of his conversation with Daniel was a reference to Carmen Argenziano's belief that Jacob would support the Sam/Daniel shippers.
Thanks for being patient with the holidays delay. They're affecting me more than I thought, given that these chapters are already written and mostly edited. I'm afraid the next chapter will also probably be a day late, two at most.