Stargate SG-1: Broken

by mirwalker

Chapter 5

After dinner, Carter and O'Neill had done another reconnaissance run to the nearest tower with the new equipment, without any success at learning more about it construction, purpose or origin. Teal'c and Jackson had helped Britain and the other Broken sort through the supplies; and these lowliest of Menageries society had impressed both SGC members with their remarkably generous intent to share equitably with the other villagers.

Respecting the local cycle, and not having slept much themselves, the team bunked down at the hovel afterward, taking turns being on watch in case their presence drew additional, aggressive reaction from the leader, who could not be happy about O'Neill and Teal'c's complete failure to die during Ring travel.

After an early breakfast, Carter, O'Neill and Teal'c sought out Rors in a public space, to make a show of the Ring's non-lethal, outgoing capabilities and the generosity of "Earth."

Hoping to make it seem less Broken–vs-Rors, Britain led Daniel outside the village again, to see more local culture and industry. Along the way, they continued their evening's conversation, sharing experiences about being raised by a grandparent, poor vision in puberty and a gift with languages. Thrilled to finally have someone else with knowledge of his fabled home planet, Britain constantly asked Daniel to compare the sights, sounds and especially smells of Menagerie to those of Earth. But for the moments of lightness and laughter, the tour could not help return, again and again to the primitive, if melded, technologies, barely sustenance agriculture, and clear caste divides of their shared here and now. It was all variations on the same inequities and eeking by. Only today, it all bothered Jackson even more.

"Britain, that's the fifth worksite we've visited this hour, without your getting so much as a greeting or acknowledgement. If it weren't for me, they wouldn't have even looked up. So they just ignore you entirely, and you're OK with that?"

"They rarely strike what they do not look at, Daniel," he reminded, appreciating the concern on his behalf, but seeing no benefit from belaboring it. "I do not seek their attention; it is never pleasant."

Resuming their sharing from the night before, Britain shifted the topic slightly and significantly, "What about you? Beyond your teammates, do you have someone special who looks after you? A mate?"

"I had a wife; but she was killed by the Goa'uld—the enemies we told you of last night."

"I am sorry," Britain offered honestly and simply, adding none of the common Earth niceties or know-how-you-feels. In his world, such loss of loved ones, even limbs, was expected and inevitable, if still saddening. "I didn't know my parents at all; but, sometimes, I still hurt over my grandmum's death. Even the death of my vision." Despite the painful subjects, he sighed and smiled, "I suppose life on Earth is not as perfect as my grandmum described all those years ago."

"It's far from perfect, Britain; but can be much less harsh that the situation here… In fact, I have to wonder why you give so much to this community that treats you so poorly. You guard the gate at tremendous physical risk, especially because of your blindness. I mean, pardon my bluntness, but you're pretty much sacrificed to anything unfriendly that comes through… And despite that, if they engage you or the others at all, it's to berate and belittle you; and still you provide their first line of defense and so many small but important functions for the community."

Britain scoffed as they continued to walk, "The relationship is not entirely one-sided, Daniel; we need each other. Because of our challenges, the Broken need the community to provide some things for us—food, protection. But that support does not come free; every member must contribute something for the community to survive as a whole. I have little else to provide to a community that needs contribution from all its members; no matter how badly the others treat us, they allow us to stay, which better guarantees some survival. If we didn't have something the others valued, like our lives as watchers and other odd jobs, we'd be cast out for being a drain on the community. And my vigilance isn't wasted, because where else would I be? What else would I be doing?" He gestured back to the various fields and fellow inhabitants, all he had in the worlds.

Sensing Daniel's continued dissatisfaction with the state of things, Britain took him by the arm and suggested, "Please don't take my doing it, as liking or preferring this. I wish we were better treated; I wish we all could do more than scrape by and have to react each time the Ring opens." A sly, embarrassed look passed over his face as he confided, "And now, I even wonder whether I might visit my namesake, as you have, now that the wars are over, and your Command has found us. Do you think-?"

He was cut off by the pounding of feet, as one of the Broken, whose name Daniel hadn't yet learned, ran up to them and whispered something breathlessly to Britain. With an alarmed look, Britain tugged urgently on Daniel's arm and turned toward the Stargate. "Your friends are attempting to enter the Ring again; there will be trouble…"

Daniel's radio barked as they jogged, "O'Neill to Jackson. We need you at the Gate ASAP."

In the Gate ravine, Rors and some armed followers surrounded the DHD, facing off against the remainder of SG-1, who had returned to and now circled the locked, but laden MALP.

"Look, 'Reptor, I'm going to give to the count of five for you and your little friends to get out of the way," O'Neill repeated.

But Rors was defiant. "You break our rules of the Ring. You insult our people and ways. You mingle with Broken. You would take our tools and buy our trust with your shiny gifts."

"We've made fair trades," countered Carter, more offer than argument. "And can provide more real help—food, medicine…"

"We meant no disrespect; we are learning and make mistakes just as any newcomer," Teal'c added, while coolly adjusting the grip on his staff weapon.

"You should not have come, and so now you will go," Rors hissed back, with nods from his militia. He waved to the supplies. "All these things, and the female, will stay as price for your trouble."

"If you don't want the help, you can just say so," O'Neill tried to offer. "But we're not leaving anything or anyone behind. That's not how we do things here, or anywhere."

"Our world; our rules. I am leader; what I say," Rors repeated. To demonstrate his command, he nodded to Anjal, one of his human lieutenants, who darted forward, attempting to take something off the MALP.

Major Carter was closest to his approach, and stepped forward to stop him.

Expecting this, Anjal pivoted suddenly, grabbing her instead, and pulling her back to the line of locals.

Further making his point, and claim, Rors strode over to the major, took hold of her arm, and shouted over his shoulder as he began to drag her away, "Take the things; throw the newcomers in the Ring."

Carter struggled against him as the crowd moved toward the SGC team. Managing to elbow the reptile, she began to wriggle away, when he pulled a jagged blade and brandished it toward her.

A single pop echoed through the tight space, bouncing off rock, Ring and person. Everyone froze in place, only to see Rors stop, teeter on his feet and then drop to the ground on top of the outsized Carter.

In the still silence, she quickly pushed him over, revealing a trickle of bright green goo, bubbling from a hole in the center of Rors' forehead.

O'Neill lowered his gun, slightly, waving the stunned crowd away from the MALP and DHD, and out of the ravine. "All right, everybody back off! Your sticks are nice, but my stick is a lot faster. And louder. And it hurts more. A lot more."

Britain and Daniel jogged into the ravine as Carter disentangled herself from the body, and moved quickly back toward her teammates.

"You OK?" O'Neill asked.

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." She untangled her own weapon, and resumed her post at the MALP.

Seeing Rors, and the slowly stirring crowd, Jackson whispered to Britain, who gripped his arm in clear hopes to be let in on what had happened. "Oh, this is not good. Looks like Rors got himself killed by Jack."

Recovering enough from the quick change of events and tides, Anjal shouted to fill the sudden void in leadership, with more of the same leadership. "You will do as told. Leave us and do not return!"

"Oh, I'm going all right," O'Neill shouted back, giving the new guy the same business eye he'd shared with Rors. "Carter, Teal'c, Daniel, we're sooo outta here."

"I don't think so, Jack," the scientist protested softly, moving slowly down to address his colleagues. "Um, you just killed the leader of the village. This is bad. Very bad."

"'Zilla there made it clear that we're not welcome; and it's obviously not safe."

"Sir," interjected Carter, "this does complicate things here significantly, both for us and the village. I think it best to check in with General Hammond before cutting ties entirely."

Jackson nodded, "We also need to stay and show them, again, that we don't intend any harm. Leave the supplies and me for the moment, as another sign of good faith."

Trusting his other two sharpshooters to watch the villagers, O'Neill turned in disbelief, "Daniel, this isn't some museum field trip any more! These throwbacks have clearly stated an intention to kill us; and if you're worried about my defending ourselves against lizard man and the effects of his self-induced demise on the local 'political stability,' I think that's all the more reason to think deeply on this. From safely back at the SGC."

Daniel lowered his voice to point out that, "The only one who's actually hurt anybody so far, is you, Jack. Killing, even in self-defense, and then running doesn't look good; we can't eat, shoot and leave."

With aim still on the whispering locals, Carter again added, "Colonel, not everybody in the village wants us gone; and we still don't have answers about the Keepers. It would be good to try and salvage our welcome. For safety's sake, I'll stay with Daniel until you get back with Hammond's revised instructions."

O'Neill was clearly frustrated by their intent to stay, but could see that his trusted friends and colleagues had a point, and didn't intend to give it up. He exhaled loudly, and revised his orders. "Safety off, Major. And you bug out and bring the good doctor with you at the first sign of trouble. Capiche?"

She nodded to him, and he looked to Jackson for the understanding and appreciative one he received,

"I am so over this place!" he exclaimed, stomping loudly and cautiously down to the DHD with Teal'c. "It's been downhill since the kid appeared behind the Gate. Bad sign, that was…"

Before the event horizon filled the Gate, he made what he hoped was the universal "eyes-on-you" sign at Anjal, and pulled out the MALP remote to take back the remaining goods it carried.

Weapon still handy, Carter joined the disappointed Daniel and the quiet Britain as they waited for the others to pass. Instead of leaving immediately, and without discussion, the villagers removed all the clothing from Rors' body and tossed it into the backside of the event horizon. They had no more use for anything of him save his reusable belongings, which like them, would move on in service of the community.

"The village meets tonight at sundown to choose a new leader," shouted Anjal so that all present could hear and spread the word. "Let they who count be present to be counted."

Turning the crowd in the direction of the village, he backhanded the on-duty watcher, who'd wisely sat out the conflict so far, and threatened to do so to Britain as well—choosing not to follow through given looks from both Carter and Jackson.

In turn, they looked to Britain for what sense he'd make of the quarter hour and its aftermath. He simply stared down toward the ground, and began walking toward the settlement himself.

A/N: A shorter chapter, I know; but it's a pivotal one. Thanks for the follow alerts and faves; please keep the reviews coming too -let me know what you think!