Chapter 36
Shifu sat atop a large dune watching the three suns as they set over the horizon. Ever since figuring out Morgan's motivations, he found himself conflicted over his next actions. He knew that he should follow what Oma had wanted. Had planned for so long. On the other hand, Daniel meant a great deal to him. The closest thing to a father he had ever had. If he let the plan carry thru, it would bring him great harm.
"I had been told that I would find you here." a gentle voice said calling to him from behind.
Shifu smiled, "It is good to see you Grandfather."
Kasuf walked up beside Shifu and sat down, pating the young man on his shoulder.
"As it is good to see you, son of my daughter."
"How have you been?"
"It is strange Grandson. I understand that this is not really Abydos and that I am Ascended. But I do not feel it. I still feel . . . like myself."
"As was Oma's intention."
Kasuf smiled, "You need not continue pretending anymore Shifu. I know that it was Daniel, not Oma, who is responsible for this. That Oma only took credit to protect Daniel."
"That is exactly true."
"And I also know that Daniel is what brings you here."
"I come seeking your adivce."
"I am quite honored."
"I need an objective opinion. Someone whose advice is wise and someone who shares similar feelings about Daniel as I do."
"Then tell me Grandson, what is bothering you?"
"Morgan plans to turn Daniel Jackson into an Ancient. And I am conflicted as to whether or not I should stop her from doing so."
oooooo
As they turned the corner into the entrance of the ring room, the hairs on the back of Mitchell's head began to stand on end.
"I'll dial us to the ship," Daniel replied as Mitchell joined Rodney and the other members of the away team on the ring platform.
Watching Daniel as he dialed, Mitchell could not help but be overcome with a feeling of dread. Something was wrong, what, he wasn't sure. It only took a minute. A macrosecond more like it, for him to catch the look coming out of the corner of Daniel's eyes. A sudden realization coming upon him. He tried to stop him, but the rings fell down around them before he could. Mitchell could do nothing but watch as they dematierialized leaving Daniel behind.
oooooo
"An Ancient?" Kasuf asked looking at Shifu quizzically.
"Yes, Grandfather."
"But why Grandson?"
"Do you remember the story I told you about Orion and the Alterans and The Ori?"
"Yes."
"And how the Ori created a plague that after many generations almost wiped out the Alterans?"
"Yes, I remember."
"After the plague hit Earth and the Alterans fled to the Pegasus Galaxy, some began to follow the ways of Origin. Feeling that the plague was a way of being punished for not follwing the path Orion had set out for them. They did so in secret, for fear of persecution by The Others, a nickname they gave to anyone else who did not believe as they did. For generations they thrived in secret among the Lanteans, the citizens of Atlantis and the outposts that they created. Among them was Agartha, an underground outpost dedicated to to teaching the ways of Origin as Orion had originally intended. That all those who sought ways to the Great Path would arrive to it if they opened their hearts and minds to the knowledge that accompanies it. The Agarthians hid themselves on a planet rendered hospitable by terriforming, they're secret kept safe by its citizens taking up ranks within Lantean society as respected sceintists, leaders and philosophers. When they Wraith decimated the Lanteans and they made preparations to return to Earth, the thirteen remaining descendants of Orion's bloodline were spirited out of the Atlantis and taken to Agartha. There they were hidden in its capital city, Shambala, lying in cryogenic statis until the time came when they would be needed."
"Because the prophecy handed down by Orion that a descendant of his would one day unite everyone under the ways of Origin."
"The Prophet."
Kasuf looked at Shifu with instant realization, "Morgan believes Daniel is this Prophet."
"Yes."
"How is that possible?"
"Daniel is a descendant of the thirteenth member of the bloodline of Orion."
"So he is a descendant of Orion?"
"Yes."
"So he is this Prophet?"
"Maybe, maybe not. There were thirteen descendants of Orion and therefore many potential Prophets. They have come close many times but not one has ever worked out before. The closest they ever came to achieving the Prophet was Arthur, but that was only because an Ascended being named Merlin manipulated the situation so that it would turn out to be that way. Much like Morgan is trying to do with Daniel now."
"What happened with this Arthur?"
"After the Lanteans ascended they discovered what the Agarthians had done. They were met with much resitance from the Agarthians, who had come to Ascension thru means handed down to them by Orion. After thousands of years and being greatly outnumbered, the Lanteans set out to destroy The Thirteen. One such Agarthian leader, a once prominent Lantean leader known as Moros, was able to save one of the descendants before The Others had arrived. Knowing they would have a war on their hands if they did the dirty work themselves they led a Goa'uld named Anubis to the planet and let him do it for them. But I will tell you more about that part a little later. What you need to know is that Moros dropped Thirteen on densely populated world and explained to him his plans to create The Prophet. With Moros' hand and thru much careful breeding they were able to produce a child of immense intellect, physical and mental strength, a great sense of morality and conviction and a charismatic ability to lead others. His name was Arthur."
"This Arthur sounds much like our Daniel."
"And for good reason. When The Others realized what Moros had done they saw Arthur as a threat. Knowing this child had to be protected at all costs Moros gave up his ascended form and became Merlin. Merlin went to Arthurs parents and explained the situation as best as he could. Convincing them that there son was in danger and the only way to protect him was to put him into his care. They agreed. Merlin raised Arthur and prepared him for his destiny as a great leader among men. Morgan was sent to stop Merlin's plan. Knowing that she could not interefere directly with the lower beings, Morgan realized she would need a being just as strong as Arthur to rid herself of him. And what better way than to use his own child. Morgan tricked Arthur into sleeping with a young maiden named Guinevere. A maiden, unbenknownst to him, was intended to become his bride. Guinevere discovered her pregnancy before her betroval to Arthur had become official. Fearing the scandal it would cause, she sought the help of Arthur's aunt Morgause who spirited her away to a convent to have the child and then set out to have him secretly adopted. Guinevere returned after having the child and married Arthur. Now Morgause was an ambititous woman, knowning what kind of power it would be to raise the son of a king she adopted the child herself and named him Mordred. He was a match for Arthur in everyway and thanks to being raised by Morgause, held great resentment towards his father. When Mordred was grown, he destroyed his father and the kingdom he had created. Merlin led the dying Arthur to Ascension, and soon after was trapped in cryostasis by Morgan to prevent him from trying this again."
"And why now is Morgan trying to do what this Merlin started?"
"She realized too late that Merlin was trying to create The Prophet because he knew it was only a matter of time before the Ori would become a threat. Knowing she couldn't free Merlin, she set out to continue what he started. Now Arthur had no other children besides Mordred but Mordred did. Morgan took one of Mordred's descendants and brought them to Earth and continued the cycle Merlin had started resulting in Daniel."
"And turning Daniel into an Ancient is part of Morgan's plan to make him into the Prophet."
"Yes. However, the Ori have taken a page out of Morgan's book. They have manipulated Daniel and a woman named Vala Mal Doran, who thanks to Anubis' manipulation shares some distant genetic relation to Orion and have created a child. A child with all of his strengths and weaknesses and intention to be raised with the manipulative power of the Ori to turn her into a Mordred. An instrument of Daniel's destruction."
"Do not get me wrong, Grandson, I know that I have come to understand things in a way I never could before and that I am still learning, but if the Ori plan to create this great being to destroy Daniel, wouldn't his becoming the Prophet save him in some way?"
"In theory it could, but Morgan has yet to learn the lesson that Merlin paid dearly for."
"And what would that be?"
"Fate is a wild beast, Grandfather, it does not like to be tamed. With all of the manipulations that Morgan has done she has yet to realize that you cannot guide everything and that somethings are just out of our control. And if she tries to manipulate Daniel into becoming the Prophet and he is not meant to become the Prophet. I fear what fate will have in store for him."
oooooooo
By the time the light had faded and the rings has vanished, Daniel found himself surrounded by ornate colored glass he immediately recognized to be Ancient in nature. Barely having time to take it all in he noticed that there was a young woman standing before him. Her slight pallor and dark curly hair seemed oddly familiar in some way.
"Hello Daniel," she said with a soft smile. "My name is Aja."
"Hello, Aja."
"There are things we need to discuss."
"And that would be, what, exactly."
"Many things," Aja replied walking up to Daniel until she was only within a few inches of his face. "But lets start with the big one. The child Vala carries is yours and if you don't do exactly what I say, you will never know her."