Choices - by Pho
part - 01
"How long?" The colonel's voice betrayed his exhaustion. They had been traveling for hours, but it seemed more like days. The soft sandy grasslands surrounding the 'gate had given way within an hour's walk to a bizarre mix of rock, grass, and clay. Which in turn gradually became miles and miles of brick hard, red clay. Jack couldn't remember ever seeing so much ... clay. Sparsely spread vegetation broke up the harsh landscape, limiting the animal population to desert-like denizens. Fortunately for the travelers, the limited vegetation usually signaled the presence of water that had so far tested pure. Another positive was the relatively cool temperature. Heat stroke would not be an issue. Great. They should count their blessings.
"Nine hours, thirty-two minutes." If Teal'c was tired, it did not show in his demeanor.
"Carter should have been back by now. We were about six miles from the 'gate when she left. If she really pushed it, she should've gotten back to the SGC in an hour max. With the trail being so hard to follow, we haven't been making good time. So even allowing time to collect the reinforcements and following the markers we left, she should have caught up with us by now. I shouldn't have let her go. Dammit!"
"Perhaps there was no team available to accompany her back?"
Jack shook his head. "Not a chance, Teal'c. Even if there wasn't another SG team on base, Hammond would've sent at least some of the reserve team members." He stared into the distance toward the setting sun, then turned away, watching as the evening darkness slowly moved in on the remaining half of SG-1. "Set up camp."
"O'Neill, we are following the sun. There is still search time available to us."
"I know." Jack sighed heavily. "But Carter and the rescue party can't catch up to us at night. So we camp."
The Jaffa nodded his reluctant assent. "As you wish."
An enervating lethargy completed his slump into despair, and for once, Jack chose not to assist his team or rather what was left of it in setting up camp. Turning away from the sounds behind him, he focused his attention on the spectacular purple, red, orange, blue and green sunset brought on by the large ... what had Sam called it? Oh, yeah ... red giant. But the fabulous rainbow of colors soon faded from his vision as his thoughts clouded over. 'God, how could this day go so terribly wrong?'
******
Twenty-four hours earlier:
"SG-1, you've been drawing the more interesting assignments lately..." General Hammond ignored the colonel's derisive snort. Death-glider attacks, walking plants, and purple rivers with really large fish would count in some people's books as interesting. "...so I've decided to let you choose your next assignment. Just a minute, Colonel ... from two locations, P3R-747 or P4X-045."
"Gee, I was really hoping to return to P2S-9..."
"Oh, no, sir!" Carter's voice was emphatic. "I do *not* want to go back there. Ever."
"Oh, come on, Carter. They loved you there."
"Yeah, right, sir..." Her protest died as she saw Daniel's large grin and even a shadow of one on Teal'c's face. Turning red, she just shook her head in mock dismay.
Hammond cleared his throat. All eyes turned back to him. "Well, any thoughts on which you'd prefer?"
Daniel burst in with an enthusiastic. "P3R-747. The ruins there are definitely Babylonian in origin, *and* they haven't been abandoned but maybe a couple of hundred years."
"I agree, sir. The ruins also show indications of a high degree of mathematical knowledge. The preliminary reports indicated that they understood the concept of zero."
"And P4X-045?"
"The MALP photos show signs of life but no civilizations." Daniel replied. "At least no structures within sight of the 'gate."
"What about trees?" O'Neill asked suddenly.
Daniel turned a confused face to the Colonel. "Trees?"
"Yeah, trees. Call me overly pessimistic, but our last few missions went to hell in a hand basket in the woods. So, which site has the fewest trees?"
Carter barely suppressed a smile as she checked her notes. "P4X-045, sir. Not a tree as far as the MALP could see."
"What about weather?"
"The last images of P3R-747 showed snow on the ground and an air temperature of -5 degrees Celsius. P4X-045 was dry, no signs of rain or snow, and an air temperature of 20 degrees Celsius."
"Well, that definitely does it for me." O'Neill leaned back in his chair. "Warm with no trees, or cold and snowing with trees. There's really no choice. General, SG-1 would like P4X-045." He held up a hand to forestall Daniel's protest. "No, you don't have to thank me, kids. Let's saddle up."
******
The minute they exited the 'gate Jack *knew* he'd made a mistake. The carefully honed sixth sense of warning, that all black ops personnel developed in order to survive, kicked into high gear. Something just wasn't right. He could see Teal'c and Carter felt it too. Not Daniel, though. Never Daniel. The young archaeologist was staring into the distance, eyes focused on God only knew what.
"It's cooler today, sir." Carter announced warily.
Jack winced inwardly at her tone. He'd been so damn adamant the MALP readings could be trusted. Five straight days of 20 to 25 degree Celsius proved it was warm. They wouldn't need any heavy winter clothing ... not on this trip. Still, the light jackets they'd brought should be sufficient to keep the slight chill out. "Feels good to me. Teal'c? Daniel?"
"I am fine, O'Neill."
"I'm okay, Jack."
"Carter?"
"Oh, I'm not cold, sir. I was just pointing out the slight temperature change."
"Anything we should be concerned about?"
Her brow furrowed then she smiled. "No, sir. The cloud cover more than explains the drop in temperature."
"Ya think?" He returned her smile. "Daniel? What are you looking at?"
The younger man put down his binoculars and pointed. "I'm not sure, Jack. There are dust clouds in that direction, which appear to be close to the ground. Could be a herd of animals. Could be something else."
"Such as?"
Daniel shrugged. "No idea."
"But you want to go that way?"
"Not necessarily. I'm an archaeologist not a zoologist." He looked around in disgust. "And I'm sure not seeing any artifacts or other signs of civilization around here."
Jack clapped him hard on the shoulder. "Then, I shouldn't have to worry about you running off now should I Danny-boy?"
"Jack..."
The colonel just grinned at him. "Okay, folks, Daniel may not be a zoologist, but Henderson back at the SGC would probably love some new animal species to fawn over. Move out for the dust clouds."
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part - 02 ↑
Okay, so it wasn't a herd of animals. Exactly. At least not the four-legged kind. Well, the four-legged kind in the form of what appeared to be honest-to-God horses *were* serving as mounts for the group riding roughshod across an almost barren clay plain. The tall grass at their location provided excellent cover for the SG-1 team as they watched the riders.
"Jack, this is fascinating. The riders appear to be of European descent, but the horses are distinctly Arabian, even Barb." Daniel's voice was a mere whisper, but it didn't take a genius to hear the excitement in his tone.
"Thought you weren't a zoologist, Daniel." Jack couldn't resist the urge to tease the young man.
"I'm not, but I've spent enough time in the Mid-East to recognize a really good Arabian, uh," he paused as he stared at the animals, "stallion when I see one. And, before you ask, they're *all* stallions. I just wish I could get a look at their livery."
"Okay."
Daniel's eyes widened as he twisted to stare at Jack. "W..What?"
"You heard me. They don't appear to be armed, even with bows. Why don't we make our presence known?"
"Uh, sure, Jack. How do you suggest we..." The question died on Daniel's lips as the colonel climbed to his feet and dusted the dirt off his clothing. The rest of the team followed suit in short order with Daniel's eyes never leaving the riders. Who, as he'd expected, were now heading straight for them. The closer the riders got, the more concerned Daniel became. By the time the riders had encircled their little group, he'd developed serious doubts about their character. Leaning closer to the colonel, he whispered, "Uh, Jack, Sam?"
Jack, meanwhile, was also seeing something he didn't like. The riders were watching them closely. Too closely. Granted, some care in observation was to be expected, but this bordered on ... on voyeurism. At least some of the riders were undressing the major with their eyes. Jack's own never left the other men as he addressed his group. "Carter, sorry about this, but away from Daniel and closer to Teal'c. Teal'c, Major Carter is now *your* woman."
"Hey!" Carter's protest was silenced by a downward slash of the colonel's hand as Teal'c moved protectively toward the silently fuming major.
"Daniel? What do we have here?"
"Not sure, Jack. The livery is a mixture of Moorish and Germanic. But the clothing doesn't match either culture. I...I think we may be looking at a group of pirates."
"Sweet."
The leader of the group nudged his mount and moved closer to the SG-1 team, flanked by two of his men. "Ichen whei?"
Daniel immediately responded. "Geit." Without looking around at Sam, he quietly spoke to the team. "If I'm right, they just asked if Sam belongs to us. I said yes."
The leader frowned. "Ichen whei spartin numsi. Canno bar en tavlid."
It didn't take a linguist to recognize the demand in the words. Jack eyed the men in front of him. "Daniel, I don't know what they said, but the answer is 'no'"
"It's kinda iffy on my part, but I think they're demanding that Sam be turned over to them." Addressing the nomads, Daniel snarled an angry. "Tavlid en haut!"
Too late, Jack saw the small, thin blowpipes emerge from their cloaks. Within seconds, a small army of mosquito like darts had imbedded themselves in the SG-1 team. The leader's lecherous grin was the last thing he saw as he sank into oblivion.
******
Jack's first waking thoughts were 'What the hell?' ... "Carter! Where's Carter?" Sitting bolt upright was a mistake resulting in the landscape of P4X-045 whirling around him. The strong hands that steadied him also prevented his toppling face first into the dirt.
"I'm right here, Colonel."
"You okay? And why are there two of you?" He frowned as he spoke.
"Yes, sir, I'm fine. Your vision should clear in a minute. Mine did. From the number of darts I pulled out of you, it looks like you got almost the same dose as Teal'c, but he has Junior to help him."
"Ya think?" Jack groaned and dropped his head into his heads. "Stupid, stupid, stupid. Let's meet the natives. *What* was I thinking? Teal'c, Daniel, you both okay?"
"I am well, O'Neill."
"Daniel?"
Carter and Teal'c exchanged meaningful glances that did not go unnoticed by the colonel as his vision finally cleared. "What?"
"Daniel Jackson is not here, O'Neill."
"What! Where the hell is he? He knows better tha..."
"Sir, wait. Daniel didn't wander off. The horsemen took him."
"Right. They ogle you up one side and down the other and then take Daniel."
"Daniel was standing in front of me, remember?"
"They really took him? He didn't just wander away ... again?"
"The symbiote prevented my losing consciousness totally, O'Neill. However, the substance they administered to us did render me unable to move. I was, therefore, unable to prevent Daniel Jackson's abduction. I am sorry."
Jack waved off the apology. "Not your fault, Teal'c. How long ago?"
"Two of your Earth hours."
"Sweet." He rose slowly to his feet and studied the ground for the trail. The hard earth yielded no clues to his eyes. That settled it. "Carter, you head back for the Stargate. Brief General Hammond, and bring back an armed team. We'll blaze a trail."
"Yes, sir!"
"And do *not* let yourself be seen by any other natives."
She was already securing her pack, somewhat astounded that the 'pirates', if that's what they were, had not taken them. "No, sir. I won't. And, sir, I'll be back as soon as I can."
Jack smiled grimly. "I know you will, Major."
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part - 03 ↑
'God! Where had he gone? Where was he now?' His brains were beating the inside of his skull, demanding to be let out, and his stomach was roiling in discomfort. He wanted to open his eyes, but someone, probably Jack, had used superglue on the lids. They simply would not cooperate. The constant bouncing was not helping the pain in his head, and the smell ... God, the smell was horrendous. Jack really needed to clean out his tru... It took only a moment longer for the lights to come on in Daniel's rattled brain. This was *not* Jack's truck. 'Okay, brilliant deduction, Dr. Jackson.' Then where?
Forcing his reluctant eyes open, he found himself staring at leather. Some sort of soft hide peaked out from underneath the leather strip, and to either side of that was ... hair. Horse hair. Brown horse hair, if that really mattered. And his hands were tied behind his back. 'Shit!' This was *not* good. They were prisoners. 'Gee, Dr. J, another brilliant thought.' Twisting his head slightly he squinted in an attempt to locate the others, but his glasses were gone and the world such as it was...was a complete blur. Well, he was conscious and apparently unharmed so the others... 'Oh God! Sam!' They'd been *looking* at Sam. He'd seen that look in the markets of the third world countries where life was cheap, and women were nothing. But *Sam* ... no, he wouldn't contemplate the possibilities yet. He could only hope the riders hadn't touched her before she'd been bound to a horse. For now, he'd bide his time. Daniel grinned slightly at that thought. Actually, he'd have no choice, but Jack would think of something. He always did.
******
It had taken longer than she'd anticipated getting back to the 'gate. Apparently, she thought grimly, they'd been extremely lucky in not meeting any natives on their trek cross-country. This was the second nomad band she'd run into in less than an hour, and the third since she'd started for the 'gate. This one was between her and the 'gate. She could see its circular form, the shadow it cast on the horses and their damn male...
"What?" Sam was so stunned she barely kept her query to a whisper. Unlike the other three bands of riders, these were women. Was that possible? Her conversations with Daniel had opened her eyes on the legendary Amazons, and she'd learned there'd been other, all female, bands of warriors. They were rare, but there was historical precedent. Holy Hannah, she was beginning to sound like Daniel. She grinned. Wouldn't the colonel just *love* that?
'Get a grip, Carter.' She scolded herself silently. Oh, damn. They couldn't be. They were. Her shoulders slumped in despair as she realized these women were going to camp at the 'gate. There was no way she was going to get to the 'gate unnoticed. Particularly since they were hanging their provisions from the top of the circle. Special. They were here for the long haul. *Now* what was she to do? Daniel was in trouble. The colonel and Teal'c would need help getting him back. And she was ... stuck. Shit! They sure didn't teach this scenario in OCS.
******
"O'Neill." Teal'c's voice was flat but not quite emotionless. There was a tone in his voice of mild rebuke.
The tone brought Jack up short. Startled, he realized the Jaffa had completed everything. Set up the tents, gathered the wood, started the fire, and if he was correct, there was even coffee brewing in the flames. He swallowed to hide his embarrassment. Another decision gone wrong. He hadn't meant to sit idly while his comrade ... no, his friend did all the work. "I'm sorry, Teal'c. I shouldn't have left everything to you."
The Jaffa's eyebrows raised slightly, an expression of extreme surprise. "This..." he swept his arm around to take in the campsite, "was not a difficulty."
Jack hid a grin. "That's 'no problem', Teal'c."
"Is that not what I said?"
"Well, it meant the same thing, but ... it's different. Get Daniel..." Jack froze as the younger man's name slipped from his lips.
"O'Neill, it was not your fault Daniel Jackson was taken. There was nothing you could have done."
Jack sighed. "I know, but that doesn't change the fact he's a prisoner of a very rough looking crowd for some reason I'd rather not think about. And..." His voice trailed off as he turned once again to look back along the path they'd come.
"I am certain Major Carter is well. She is a very capable warrior."
"Yeah, but against a band of warriors..."
"She will follow your instructions and not be seen."
"I wish I could be as certain."
******
'Stupid, stupid, stupid!' Sam berated herself silently even as she struggled with the ropes securing her wrists to the post at her back. She was *supposed* to be able to take care of herself. She was combat trained, for heaven's sake. But these women had discovered her position with relative ease. Now she was a prisoner, and no one knew. At least Daniel had that advantage. 'God, Samantha, what *are* you saying?'
"Arduk que?"
'Oh, way to go Samantha. Real alert.' "I'm sorry, I..." A finger in her chest caused her to pause. 'Ah huh. Not good. What? Oh, no, no, no!' The fingers exploring her hair only tightened as she tried to jerk away.
"Arduk que!" The woman's free hand pointed toward the 'gate.
'Oh boy.' Sam nodded then remembered a nod was not always an affirmative response. Everything hinged on the culture - another lesson courtesy of Daniel. Thinking quickly, Sam tilted her head toward the 'gate and smiled what she hoped was a reassuring, positive, 'yes, I'm very friendly so untie me' smile. To her surprise, it worked. The tall blond gripping her hair released her and quickly severed Sam's bonds with a very large knife. The young major rubbed her hands and smiled a thank you. The woman returned her smile and plainly indicated with hand motions she was to accompany her. Not seeing any other options, Sam warily followed the woman through the camp.
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part - 04 ↑
He was alone. Daniel finally became aware of that fact when the riders stopped to rest their mounts. He was carefully, almost reverently lifted from the horse he'd been thrown over and lowered to the ground. The dark men then left him securely tied but alone, while they tended their beasts. 'Don't worry, Daniel, Jack will find you. Teal'c can tra... If they're still alive. God. What if Jack, Teal'c and Sam were dead? What if the riders had rendered them unconscious and slit thei... Don't go there, Jackson. Assume they're alive. Maybe hurt. They need your help. Right.' The young archaeologist stared at his captors. The men were all dark - hair, complexion, eyes. And very ... sturdy. Many were actually smaller than he, but the muscles in their arms indicated even Jack would have difficulty in an arm-wrestling tournament. The thought of Jack, Sam and Teal'c lying injured, possibly dying, in the dirt, while he was absolutely unharmed tore at his heart. He had to get away. There was no option; the others were counting on him. Okay. He could not possibly get the upper hand on his captors physically, but maybe, just maybe he could outthink them.
*******
Knowing she was still a stranger not totally to be trusted rather than a prisoner, did little to assuage Sam's fears. But she was more afraid for Daniel than herself. She'd been caught sneaking around the women's encampment. Daniel had done nothing wrong, but he'd been taken anyway. She really wished she could speak to these women. Glancing around, Sam suddenly realized the women were all blondes and very fair. No redheads or brunettes in sight. Odd. The male nomads she'd seen had all been brunette and very dark. Genetically speaking, that just didn't compute.
The curious crowds parted before them, and Sam noticed that the other women seemed fascinated by her short hair. Looking ahead, she spotted a canopy made of some sort of animal hide. Three women sat on low stools. Sam's escort fell to her knees before the women and motioned Sam to do likewise. The major dropped to her knees but refused to lower her eyes. The woman in the center of the triad, laughed lightly and reached out to touch Sam's hair. This time, the young woman did not pull away. The smile broadened, and the older woman leaned forward and drew a circle in the dirt. She drew an anatomically correct female figure alone in the center and pointed to Sam.
Getting the picture, literally, Sam shook her head and drew another circle. One in which she carefully placed four anatomically correct figures. The look on her captors' faces made her wish for a camera. *This* was really strange. The leader ... at least that's what Sam assumed ... reached out a hand and touched the three male figures, crossed her wrists and looked expectantly at Sam.
Sam frowned and tried to think. This was weird. Wrists crossed, like hers had been when she was... Oh, they wanted to know if the men were prisoners. Curiouser and curiouser. 'Hey, who needs a linguist.' Immediately, guilt slapped her from all sides. Daniel would've made short work of all explanations. All she could do was hope the women understood her pictures. Pulling herself back out of her thoughts, she shook her head then held her hands out in front of her and dropped them loosely to her sides. A low murmuring could be heard from the surrounding women. Even the triad seemed confused. 'Okay. Let's take this one step further.' Sam hoped her artistic talents were up to the task.
Clearing away all traces of the previous drawings, Sam quickly etched in the SG-1 team surrounded by a circle of male riders. The murmuring increased. So far, so good. Sam then drew three SG-1 members alone, with the riders having the fourth, Daniel, in their midst, and moving away from the SG-1 team. The leader leaned forward and redrew Daniel's image, replacing it with the Sam figure. Shaking her head, Sam corrected the drawing back to being Daniel. This was obviously confusing the women. Once more, the leader changed the drawing back to Sam and reached out to touch her hair. Sam shook her head, and redrew Daniel's image. She suddenly had an idea. Pulling a strand of hair from her head, she thought for a moment about placing it on the Daniel image's head. She sighed in frustration as she realized her new ... companions would probably think Daniel was as fair as she, but that couldn't be helped - too much was at stake. Rationalizing that Daniel's hair *was* sun-bleached and not nearly as dark as the men she'd seen on this world, she placed the strand on the Daniel image's head. This simple action caused the murmurs behind her to go from quiet whispers to cries of dismay. Even the triad looked shaken.
******
The night brought an unexpected surprise. Three moons ... one white and large, the second, red and small. The third, almost as dark as the heavens itself, was nearly invisible in the night sky. The shadows cast by the varying shades of reflected light only added to the colonel's malaise. Carter would love this. He could almost hear the scientific mumbo jumbo rolling off her lips. If she was able to enjoy the sight. If she was still on this damn planet. If she was even still alive. "Should've sent Teal'c."
"Colonel O'Neill. I mean no disrespect to your abilities or those of Major Carter, but I do not believe you and Major Carter would have been able to follow the trail left by these ... riders. Also, there is no guarantee I would not have been captured."
Jack screwed his eyes shut. He had not meant to say that out loud. Once again he found himself apologizing to the Jaffa. "I'm sorry, Teal'c. I didn't mean to imply I would prefer you to be a prisoner."
"No offense was taken, O'Neill. I, too, grow concerned for Major Carter's safety. Even allowing for poor tracking skills, she should have arrived here some time ago."
"Sweet." Jack stared for a moment in the direction Daniel had been taken then turned and looked back in the direction they'd come. Sighing, he came to a decision. "Teal'c, at first light follow Daniel. I'm going to backtrack, and look for Carter."
"As you wish, O'Neill."
'Yeah, right. As I wish. Shit!...' "I'll take first watch, Teal'c. Get some rest."
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part - 05 ↑
Daniel watched warily as the leader of the riders approached. The man knelt beside him and pulled out a long thin blade. Daniel braced himself for what was to come, but to his surprise, his bonds fell free. Warily pulling his hands in front of him, he watched every move his benefactor made. The man held out a gourd filled with water. At least, that's what Daniel hoped. The young man smiled his gratitude, took the gourd and sniffed cautiously. No smell. Lifting it to his lips, he took a small sip. Water. It appeared to be clean and fresh, but he really had no choice. His thirst was almost overwhelming. If Montezuma's revenge struck, he'd have to deal with it ... somehow. He greedily gulped it down and returned the gourd to the rider. The man nodded, then quickly pulled Daniel to his feet.
"Ig..." Daniel's protest was cut off by a brutal slap, which left his eyes watering and his ears ringing. 'Okay, that wasn't a good idea. Guess I'm not supposed to speak. *This* could prove damned inconvenient.'
The rider raised a hand, and another man led a delicately made gray stallion towards them. Pushing the young prisoner toward the animal, he motioned him to mount the horse. Daniel started to protest then thought better of it and grasped the pommel of the saddle. Thrusting his foot into the stirrup, he swung up and over the stallion. He hadn't really ridden in years, but he remembered the basics, and one basic was missing... the reins. They were still in the hands of the other rider, who showed no inclination towards handing them to the young man. He patted the animal's silky neck briefly before his wrist was seized by the man Daniel still presumed to be the leader. A thin, soft loop was wrapped around his wrist. His other arm was quickly pushed behind him to join the first, and he barely managed to suppress a moan of despair as the bonds were again drawn tight.
No talking. Hands all tied up. No idea where the others were. No idea where he was. And worse, no idea where he was going. Terrific. To quote one of Jack's favorite phrases ... bad day.
******
By the time the sun was breaking over the horizon, Sam had, by means of many very bad drawings in the dirt, convinced the women to let her use the DHD. She'd managed to get them away from the 'gate and now stood poised for action before the glyphs. Breathing a silent prayer that once the 'gate 'opened' these riders would let her pass through, she depressed the glyphs for home. Nothing. The symbols lit up correctly until she got to the emblem for earth. No matter how many times she hit it, the device failed to work. Vibrated, yes. Rumbled, yes. Opened, no. "What .. is .. wrong .. with .. this?" She muttered angrily through clenched teeth. "I .. have .. got .. to .. help .. Daniel! NO!" She pounded on the podium in frustration.
A sympathetic hand on her shoulder caused her to look up into the very blue eyes of the leader she'd 'spoken' to earlier. Kneeling, the woman drew a rough horse with a bound man astride it. Sam looked on puzzled as she stood. She pointed to the drawing then swept her arm around to indicate her riders. Sam's eyes widened as she realized these people were going to help her find Daniel. Glaring at the malfunctioning DHD, she fought a mental battle. How long would it take to fix the DHD? No way to know. She had minimal supplies, and much of what she might need was in Teal'c's pack. If these women could help ... but why should they? Her thoughts returned to the length of time it had taken to convince them Daniel was male with lighter hair than was normal here. The excited murmuring she'd heard told her this was something out of the ordinary. She still couldn't understand just what was behind their willingness to help a stranger, but ... she cast an evil look at the DHD ... They appeared to be the only game in town. Her agreement brought a delighted smile to the lips of her friend. Within minutes, Sam found herself astride a horse of unknown gender. As the animals were urged forward into the night, Sam noticed two things. One, this planet had three moons, and two, ... it had been a really long time since she'd been on a horse. And right now, the latter was much more important.
******
The night had no sound, and the Jaffa found that fact ... unsettling. Unless one counted the crackle of the fire and even that was dying. A low moan from the sleeping colonel drew his attention towards the small, one-person tent. The sound was not repeated, and Teal'c elected not to disturb O'Neill's much needed repose. His friend's despair and worry over the rest of the party was clouding his thoughts. Never had Teal'c seen O'Neill so shaken. It was a commander's job to inspire confidence and security in his troops, and the man who now slept, albeit uneasily in the tent was a master of both.
That O'Neill was even more disturbed by Daniel Jackson's abduction and Major Carter's lateness than he admitted to was obvious to anyone who knew him well. Teal'c knew him very well, possibly better from a military standpoint than anyone. He'd been anticipating the order to follow the riders alone for quite some time before it was actually issued. He disagreed with it, but he understood it. And he would follow it. He owed the man that much.
Teal'c settled into a meditative position and took a deep breath. He could not relax into the deep meditative trance he preferred. He was, after all, on watch. But he could indulge himself in a light trance. He would offer prayers of safekeeping for both Major Carter and Daniel Jackson. The candles necessary for the proper completion of the ceremony were in his quarters at the SGC so the low embers of the fire would have to do. Turning his head once more toward O'Neill's tent, Teal'c added him to the list of prayer recipients for *this* night.
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part - 06 ↑
Jack groaned and rolled over ... again. He'd been tossing and turning since Teal'c had taken over the watch. Sleep would just not come. Images of both Daniel and Carter, the last time he'd seen them, played through his head like a bad video every time he closed his eyes.
How could he have let this happen? The other planet, P3 something, had artifacts that both Daniel and Carter were interested in. But no, he had to pick the one without trees. *Trees* for heaven's sake.
Carter was a good soldier. She'd obey his orders to remain hidden. Of that he was certain. But shit happens, and he knew once a mission started going sour, Murphy's infamous laws kicked in on overtime. The fact she had not yet returned was more than enough proof to him she'd met up with trouble.
And Daniel! How the young man did it was beyond him. Daniel Jackson could get into trouble crossing the street. He didn't need anyone's help to find trouble. But help he'd had in the form of one Colonel Jack O'Neill. What on earth, or rather off earth had possessed him to pop up to address the natives. *That* was Jackson's role. Jackson was supposed to rush in where angels fear to tread. Jack's role was to yank him back into reality. To rein in that indomitable spirit, certainly not to encourage it.
Shit! This was not helping anything. He needed to get some sleep. He had a long walk alone in the morning. Was this another mistake? Was he sending Teal'c into danger too? Of course he was, but he could think of nothing else to do. So much for being a true leader. He forced his eyes shut and concentrated on the pizza his team would have at his place when they got back. As he finally drifted off to sleep, his thoughts were firmly on the anchovies he would order ... just to annoy Daniel.
******
The dawn arrived, and with it went what little hope Jack held for Carter's return with reinforcements. They'd walked for hours the day before with no sign of gaining on the riders and no sign of Carter. He'd known, mentally, it would be impossible for a SGC team to trail them in the dark, but there was always hope. Daniel had taught... 'Oh God.' Daniel. Carter. Carter. Daniel. Both MIA because of his stupidity. Jack silently berated himself as he prepared to leave an equally silent Teal'c to cross the rough terrain alone.
"O'Neill! Someone approaches." The Jaffa's gaze was glued on a distant dust cloud as he spoke.
The colonel mentally kicked himself one last time before forcing himself into military mode ... finely honed senses alert and ready for action. "Carter?"
"Riders."
"Sweet." He glanced around, taking note of the very flat landscape. "Flatten! Maybe they'll miss us."
"It is too late, O'Neill. We have been detected."
As the riders began to surround them in ever decreasing circles, Jack replied. "Ya think?"
******
They'd stopped to rest the horses three more times, and each time Daniel found it more difficult to get back into what passed for a saddle on P4X-045. The last break had been long enough for him to doze off and for the riders to get fresh mounts. Things were definitely looking worse. The young archaeologist had been expecting the group to stop for the night, but they'd kept traveling, guided only by the light of the multiple moons. Terrific sight that, but right now he'd give a month's pay to be looking at just one from the top of Cheyenne Mountain.
To make matters worse, he'd actually made a break for it ... once. He'd been so pleased with himself, kicking the horse into a faster gait and heading for the proverbial if non-existent hills. Until a whistle from the tribal leader had turned the animal in its tracks, almost sending Daniel to the ground. As the gray trotted back to the waiting group, the disgruntled young man kept his head high, anticipating punishment. Instead, he was greeted with wide grins as if his futile attempt was a source of amusement rather than irritation.
Laughing loudly, the leader whistled the stallion over to him, and rewarded him with a healthy series of pats. The animal nuzzled him, obviously looking for more substantial rewards and was not disappointed as some foodstuff was located in an over large pocket. Saying something Daniel could not catch, the leader was passed a line that he attached to Daniel's mount's bridle. The other end was looped onto a small hook on his saddle. After tying the final knot, the leader remounted, then leaned over, patted Daniel's face, and ran long, dark fingers through his hair, tightening his hold as the startled prisoner jerked backwards. Releasing the sun-bleached hair, the rider signaled for his riders to move out.
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part - 07 ↑
O'Neill and Teal'c took a back-to-back defensive posture even though it was obvious they were outnumbered. Jack knew their weaponry was more than a match for the natives, but he really didn't want to have to use it. The horses ... his mind told him Arabians, just like before ... loped in ever decreasing circles as the riders zeroed in. Why was it he suddenly felt like prey? As one, the riders pulled their mounts to a halt and whirled to face the men.
"O'Neill, they are females."
"Ya think?" Jack's eyes narrowed as the leader and two subordinates approached them on horseback. It had a familiar ring, but he was prepared ... this time. A disturbance outside the circle of riders attracted everyone's attention. Jack's eyes widened, and a relieved frown settled on his features as Sam pushed her way ... on horseback, for heaven's sake ... through the ring.
Urging her mount forward, she grimaced as she saw the disapproving looks on the leader of the riders and her commanding officer. 'Terrific. He's gonna go into lecture mode when we get back. Blast!' "Sir, Teal'c, stay where you are please." She swung stiffly from the saddle, wincing as she found muscles she didn't know she had. Moving quickly to the men, she proceeded to put a friendly arm around both, much to their surprise. "Sorry, sir, Teal'c. Move in a little closer. Hug me back. Please."
"No problem, Carter. My pleasure."
"Indeed. It is no problem to embrace you, Major Carter."
"Terrific. Ouch. Not quite so tight, sir. Teal'c, could you... Oh, never mind. Smile, and look as if you're glad to see me."
Jack smiled a forced grin. "We *are* glad to see you, Carter. But I have a few questions ... when you can spare the time, that is."
"Uh, yes, sir."
The female Amazon, for lack of a better title, dismounted gracefully and approached the smiling, hugging group. Frowning, she reached out and touched Jack's salt and pepper hair then seized a lock of Sam's blond strands. Sam instantly understood the problem. Glancing down at the hard clay, she muttered. "Ground's too hard. Do we have anything to write on?"
Jack shot an exasperated look in her direction. "Oh, for crying out loud. Teal'c?"
"Daniel Jackson's journal pages are available." The Jaffa made short work of handing her the needed supplies.
"Perfect." Taking the journal and pencil, Sam quickly drew a crude Stargate and the four travelers. Pointing to one embarrassingly anatomically correct male figure, she pointed to Jack. A second she associated with Teal'c. Both Jaffa and colonel had raised eyebrows at the explicit drawings but wisely remained silent. With the third male figure, she again plucked a hair from her head, thinking much more of this, and she'd be bald. Placing the hair on the head of the third male figure, she quickly drew a horse underneath it.
The older woman stared, expressionless, for a moment, then nodded. As she relaxed so did the rest of the horsewomen.
Jack leaned closer to Carter and whispered. "Now what, Major?"
"Uh, I have no idea."
"Special."
******
Every muscle in his body ached, and his head hurt unmercifully. They'd ridden for miles, slowing only when they began to climb the foothills. Now that they'd reached the mountains, Daniel was ready to *stop*. Not as if his captors would care about that. The group he was in had been joined off and on by all manner of men. All had exhibited an extreme curiosity where he was concerned. He winced inwardly at the recollection of grimy fingers feeling his hair as if to see if it was real. Most had even tried to buy him or at least it had appeared that way to the young prisoner.
The sun was now high in the sky, and some riders were dozing lazily in the sun, while others had erected impromptu lean-tos where they, too were sleeping. This had been the longest rest stop yet. As with all the other ones, he'd been carefully removed from the horse and settled almost comfortably on the ground. This time, however, he'd been secured to a stake driven into the clay. After, of course, a 'business' trip to the edge of the compound. God, he hated being watched. And the damn stake was not going to budge. He tried. Oh, he tried.
Daniel was tired, angry, worried about his companions, and more than a little frightened. The brief snatches of dialog he'd been privy to had revealed his fate ... as a sacrifice to the gods. He frantically reviewed everything he'd seen so far. Nothing had indicated a Goa'uld presence, but the sacrif... 'Oh, God, Daniel, you are soooo stupid. Sacrifice as in dead, not sacrifice as in host.' Okay, no Goa'ulds. That was a plus. Right. Plus. Bad day. Definitely a bad day.
******
The woman in charge was named Latka the band of wanderers she controlled was called the Aninas, and the men who had taken Daniel were the Zerethi. Sam had finally elicited this information from her after many drawings, many mispronounced and misunderstood words, and to O'Neill's point of view much wasted time. "Oh for crying out loud, Carter, we need to find Daniel, not start diplomatic relations."
"Major Carter is most correct in attempting to communicate, O'Neill. These women obviously do not trust strangers."
"No, Teal'c." Jack corrected quietly. "They do not trust men, particularly males with coloring like mine or yours. Daniel, apparently is something of an oddity."
"You picked up on that too sir?" Sam approached her commander. "The only women I've seen are all light-haired with light eyes, and like you said, all the males of that Zerethi tribe were dark. Very dark. Even the other male horsemen I dodged were dark. Doesn't make a lot of sense, genetics wise, I mean."
O'Neill's reply was cut off by a sudden command to the riders. All but two of the women leaped gracefully to their mounts. The remaining women walked warily toward the men, leading their mounts, and hazarding an occasional glance at their grim-faced leader. Reluctantly, the women offered the reins from their mounts to the two men. O'Neill held up his hand in a gesture of refusal.
Carter intervened quickly and retrieved the reins from the women. "Sir, these ladies are going to help us find Daniel. We can't possibly catch up with the Zerethi on foot."
Teal'c interjected quickly. "Major Carter is correct, O'Neill. This mode of transportation should result in locating Daniel Jackson much more quickly than we had anticipated."
Jack glared at his comrades. "*This* is not my idea of transportation. Jeep, yes. F-16, yes. Horse, no... Absolutely not!"
"You've never ridden before, have you sir?"
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part - 08 ↑
The only redeeming feature to the last part of his forced ride was a snippet of conversation he'd overheard. Jack, Sam and Teal'c were *alive*. Daniel's initial delight at this news was squelched by the fact that his friends could not possibly reach him in time. Even allowing for a return through the 'gate for motorized transportation which he was sure, General Hammond would never sanction, the odds were definitely not on his side. He was running out of time, and he damn well knew it.
Daniel gave a low groan as muscles he never used protested their abuse. Hours on horseback had rendered his legs virtually useless, and he went to his knees soon after being removed from the horse once more. He was tired of riding, tired of being handled like a sack of potatoes, and dammit, he was tired of being watched. From the moment his captors had passed into the small village at the foot of the mountain, he'd seen the way the villagers stared. Both male and female. Odd, now that he thought of it. These were the first women he'd seen. Quite a contrast to the men, they were all fair with hair ranging from almost white blond to his own sun-bleached color.
The strong hands of the leader pulled him upright and propelled him toward ... stairs. Stairs that seemed to stretch forever upwards, the inner wall a sheer cliff while the outer rim was lined with absolutely nothing. Even higher than he could see, the outer edge had no safeguards, nothing to prevent a misstep from sending some unfortunate individual plummeting to their death. God, he couldn't climb those! He stopped at the bottom and stared in dismay at the sheer volume of steps before him. Another push, stronger this time, and he was forced onto the first tread. Strong hands on his back left Daniel with no doubts. He was supposed to go up these things.
Taking another step upwards, the archaeologist in him went on overdrive as he finally noticed the design on the wall. Hieroglyphics! Goa'uld hieroglyphics. Shit! Had he been wrong? Were there Goa'uld here?
******
Bad idea. This was a very bad idea, but none of his ideas had been any better since even before they'd arrived on this accursed planet. Jack clung desperately to what passed for a saddle, wishing with all his heart for a Jeep. Teal'c was obviously accustomed to riding such creatures, and even Sam looked at home in the saddle. For his part, he was a city kid, born and bred. Pavement, sidewalks, fire hydrants, ... wheels. These were his world, and even years in black ops, followed by the Stargate program, could not erase an instinctive distrust of riding on something that had brains of its own. However small those brains might be.
"Sir, are you all right?" Carter's concerned voice only served to annoy the colonel.
"Just peachy, Major." Before he could continue, Latka had called a halt, and all the riders except
SG-1 swung easily to the ground. Jack, however, was grateful the horse had even stopped. "Teal'c, you okay?"
"I am fine, O'Neill." The Jaffa however, stretched and shifted in a manner indicating some muscular distress.
"What are they doing?" Carter was watching as two of Latka's scouts studied the ground.
As the horses were led away toward a small watering hole, Jack commented dryly. "Looks like they're looking for the trail. Hope they haven't lost it."
"They have not." Teal'c interjected. Both O'Neill and Carter turned to the Jaffa with a look of disbelief on their faces. The Jaffa's eyebrows merged in the middle of his forehead. "While I could not have followed the trail at these speeds myself, I have been able to occasionally verify its existence."
"Sweet. ... Looks like they've found what they were looking for."
The two scouts rose quickly and returned to Latka who listened closely then nodded. Turning in her saddle, she issued urgent commands to the women who were caring for the horses. Within minutes, the three mounts the SG-1 team had been using were returned to them.
"Terrific. Thanks soooo much." Jack mumbled as he took the reins. His graceless flop into the saddle brought a moan to his lips and smile to Sam's. "Something funny here, Major?"
"Oh, no sir. Nothing at all," she replied quickly as the smile disappeared from everything but her eyes.
"Good, cause I really ... what the hell? Dammit to hell, they're going the wrong way!" The horsewomen were starting toward the mountains ... away from the trail Daniel's captors had left. "HEY! WAIT A MINUTE!"
Jack's loud protest caused Latka to turn and face him, blue eyes flashing with anger at his tone.
"Uh, sir..."
"Can it, Carter. These women are going the wrong damn way. We need to break with them and follow the trail."
"Sir, I don't think they'll let us keep the horses."
"Fine with me. I'd rather walk."
"Then we may never reach Daniel Jackson, O'Neill. The riders will always outdistance us."
"Sir, they seem to know where Daniel's being taken. What if they know a shortcut?"
"Shortcut?"
"Yes, sir. What have we got to lose by going with them?"
"Daniel, Carter. We could lose Daniel."
"Sir, I agree with Teal'c. On foot, we've lost him anyway."
Jack glared at his team then back at the leader. "Fine. We'll go with them." Silently he was praying that he hadn't just made the wrong choice ... again.
******
'Two hundred and one. Two hundred and two. Breathe, Daniel. Don't look down, Daniel. Oh, God. Jack, where are you?' He was long past being able to translate the writings on the walls. The ones he'd translated so far spoke of the 'gate to the Gods' that was reserved for a select few. While his status as respected prisoner was a contradiction in terms, it accurately described his position. His hands were bound in front of him, but it was obvious great care had been taken to ensure his safety and for the most part his comfort. Terrific. His thoughts turned to South American history where the Aztecs performed human sacrifices on a regular basis, but where the most honored of the sacrifices had their every whim catered to for a year before their death. Somehow, he did not think he had a year.
Strong hands pulled him to a halt, and to his horror, he was almost at the top, less than three flights of stairs to go. From where he now stood, Daniel was unable to see what lay above, but the level he was on opened into a large cavern. The natural opening had been artificially enlarged and shored up with enormous stone pillars. The interior of the cavern was nothing less than an architectural wonder. The style was not one he recognized, much too simplistic for a standard Goa'uld sanctuary. No elegant columns, no pyramids. Just crudely carved rock pillars supporting wide expanses of more ... rock. Lining the sides of the cavern were various rooms ... natural or not, Daniel could not tell, but all had round doorways. The doorframes surrounding the openings contained the only embellishment. He was pushed toward the largest doorway, and as he drew closer, his eyes widened with surprise. The engravings around the doorframes were the symbols from the Stargate. Under other circumstances, Daniel would have been fascinated, but the emblems only served to heighten his terror. At the entrance to the building the leader pulled him to a halt, and quickly cut loose his bonds. Right. No problem. Pretty safe thing to do. After all, where could he go?
A fair-haired woman suddenly appeared in the doorway and motioned Daniel inside. With a leering grin, the leader shoved the young prisoner forward. Two stumbled steps and Daniel was inside ... a bathhouse. While he was recovering from this shock, feminine hands began to remove his clothing. He struggled free and whirled, snarling. "Don't do that."
One of the women facing him frowned and nodded to someone he couldn't see. Before he knew it, two dark-haired men took hold of his arms and held him fast. As the women continued to remove his clothing, Daniel could only blush in embarrassment.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
part - 09 ↑
Riding through the mountains was *much* worse than riding on the plains ... and that had been bad enough. More than once, Jack thought he would simply slide off the tail end of the horse. When they finally came to a stop, he found he was holding his breath as he looked out over a rather large abyss, nearly as wide as the Grand Canyon. "Whoa!" His exclamation and those of Carter and Teal'c brought the first true grin they'd seen to Latka's face. She pointed at a distant object, implying in no uncertain terms that that was their goal. Jack pulled out his binoculars and brought them to focus on the distant point that turned out to be a stairway.
The stairway began in a small village in the valley below, weaving its way up the mountain and winding back and forth between small landings heavily anchored into the rock. It ended behind a tall wall whose gates were heavily guarded. A few landings below the top was a cavern, yawning wide over the valley below like a large beast waiting to pounce on its prey. Jack frowned as the riders dismounted, and the horses were led away into what appeared to be a holding pen fenced by heavy rocks. "Carter, why do you think these women are helping us?"
"Kindness to strangers, sir?"
"Ya think?"
Sam blushed. "Uh, no, sir. Actually, I've been wondering that myself. There's got to be some ulterior motive but what?"
"Major Carter, did you not say that they were somewhat excited by the pronouncement Daniel Jackson has blond hair?"
Jack objected strongly. "Daniel's not blond, his hair just bleaches out in the sun."
"Never-the-less, from what we have seen, Daniel Jackson is much fairer than any male we have yet seen.
Sam nodded. "True. Compared to some of the men, Daniel *is* blond."
"Then could not Daniel Jackson's coloring be the cause of his current situation?"
Jack's jaw dropped. "You're saying Daniel was kidnapped because of his hair color?"
"It makes sense, sir. Thinking back, it seems to me that even when he was talking to the men who took him, they were spending more time staring than listening. Of course, at the time, you thought they were looking at me."
SG-1's commander cast a thoughtful glance toward the group of blond women watering the horses. "Soooo, you're suggesting there are no light-haired males on this planet."
Sam looked surprised. "No, sir, uh, yes, sir. Actually, I was thinking that there were no dark women, but the converse holds true. No fair men."
"I wasn't a Rhodes scholar, but I don't believe that's genetically possible, is it?"
"Not naturally, and they'd have to have a very advanced knowledge of genetics to force these results."
Jack turned solemn, worried eyes back to Carter. "Not necessarily, Major. Not necessarily."
Teal'c stiffened perceptively at Jack's works. "You are implying a form of genocide, O'Neill."
Sam gasped in horror. "But, but, why?"
"That's what we have to find out."
******
Well, he was clean. Probably cleaner than he'd ever been on the second day or was it third day into a mission. The women had scrubbed him vigorously, only giggling as he protested loudly he could do it until his skin was red but dirt-free. The huge marble bath was more like a fountain than a tub with warm water flowing constantly into and out of the basin. 'Probably an underground hot spring', Daniel thought as he watched the dirty water whirl away to be replaced immediately by crystal clear liquid. The almost too warm water whirling through the huge marble bath had eased his muscular aches and pains, and had it not been for the watching attendants, he might have actually dozed off. 'Good job, Jackson. These people are going to sacrifice you to their gods, and you're ready for a nap'.
He was allowed to relax for a few moments as the clear water made circles around his body then the male attendants lifted him bodily from the bath to stand, naked and dripping, on the tile floor. Two of the women approached and toweled him dry. Daniel was long past protesting verbally. It would do no good, but his skin turned an even deeper red as the women completed their work. A soft robe dropped onto his shoulders, and he gratefully jerked it closed, drawing the tie taut.
Daniel glanced back toward the exit only to find it was closed. A gentle hand on his elbow belonged to a pretty young woman with almost white-blond hair and clear green eyes. She smiled and pointed toward a doorway he'd somehow overlooked when he'd arrived. Sighing in defeat, he accompanied her toward it, followed by the male guards and several of the women.
The table in the center of the next chamber of the cave was practically overflowing with food and drink. 'Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you die'. Daniel found himself led toward the table and pushed into a seat. A slender hand waved itself over the food, encouraging him to eat. He was hungry and thirsty, but the food could be poisoned or drugged. Daniel knew he needed to stay as alert as possible if he were to stand any chance of escaping. Holding out a hand, he shook his head, declining the food and drink. Expecting a fight, he was pleasantly surprised when no one seemed to care. He was even more surprised when the attendants simply shrugged and left the room, shutting the door behind them.
Taking the opportunity to stand and look around, the first thing Daniel noticed was there were no windows. Well, that was to be expected; he was in a cave. He moved quickly to the door and found it locked. Duh, no surprise there. And with the door closed, it was growing increasingly warm. Almost like a sauna. Wiping sweat from his forehead, he released the tie on his rope, letting it dangle loosely around him.
Looking wearily around him, he noticed that there wasn't any ornamentation on the walls; everything was flat and dull. Even the few furnishings were plain. Very boring, and very, very white. So white that a faint haze appeared to hang in the air. God, he was so hungry and thirsty and hot, so very hot. Maybe just ... no, not a good idea. Then he noticed that everything was spinning. The room, the table, the door. Everything. As his vision dimmed and the floor reached out to take him, he groaned. Gas. Great. *Now* what?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
part - 10 ↑
The dark was settling around the campsite as lights began to flicker on in the valley below. Jack sat alone on the precipice and looked out into the distance. Every instinct he had told him to *go now*, that Daniel was in the village below and in mortal danger even if he didn't fully understand why. But he'd been wrong in every decision he'd made for ... who knew how long. Well, he'd been right to accompany the women riders into the mountains, but ... that had been Carter's call, not his. He'd wanted to trail the kidnappers. The thought that they'd still be walking without getting closer to helping Daniel grated at his soul. Another bad decision. God. Had any decision he'd made lately been worth a hoot? And now. ... Shit. He needed to sleep. He'd had practically none since they'd arrived on P4X-045. Carter was sleeping soundly near the dying fire, and Teal'c was in a meditative slumber. Most of the riders were asleep, except for a pair of sentries guarding the trails around the campsite. No one was paying any attention to him at all ... just the way it should be. *His* decisions weren't worth shit. He rubbed his eyes and wished in vain that he could start this mission over again.
******
Sam awakened suddenly, but why? She knew instinctively that she shouldn't move but didn't understand that either. Lying perfectly still, she tried to focus on her surroundings in an effort to determine what was bothering her. Then it hit her ... it was past time for her watch. The colonel had elected to stick to SG-1's standard watch schedule as closely as possible, even though the riders had set their own watch. He'd taken the first watch and hadn't awakened her for hers. Damn the man! He was exhausted, both mentally and physically. She'd known it when they set up camp here, but like the good little soldier she was, she hadn't argued with his orders. Instead, she'd sunk gratefully onto her mat and had fallen asleep within moments. Twisting around, she spotted the colonel sitting quietly near the edge of the precipice. Rising quickly, she moved toward him, jaw set in anger. They *would* discuss this. Oh, yes indeed they would.
******
"Colonel?"
O'Neill started violently at the softly spoken words and found himself looking into the eyes of Sam Carter. With growing awareness, he realized he had fallen asleep on watch. God! He knew he was tired, but he'd never done *that* be... Suddenly realizing Carter's eyes were still glued to his face, he made an effort to respond to the anger and the concern he saw there. "Your watch already, Major?" Damn. That sounded weak even to him.
"Long past, sir. You didn't wake me." Her tone was accusatory and sympathetic at the same time.
The heat in his cheeks told him he was blushing, and he was silently grateful for the darkness. He also appreciated Carter's stoic support. She'd never openly broach the issue, but he had to. "Hard to do when you're sleeping."
"Sir..."
"My apologies, Major, I should have had you take the first watch."
"Yes, sir, but..."
"No, buts, Major, I..."
"Sir! Some of the women are gone, Latka included."
O'Neill was on his feet in an instant, silently cursing the gods of bad decisions, as he whirled to look at the camp. As usual, Carter was right. At least seven of the women were unaccounted for. "Get Teal'c. We're outta here." He strode toward the guards posted on the valley path as he spoke. From behind him, Sam nodded an unseen yes, and raced to the Jaffa's side.
******
''This journey has indeed been fraught with misadventure. Colonel O'Neill is not alone in making unfortunate decisions. The Teli'macsur ritual of meditation requires complete concentration, but it is the most restful of the Jaffa meditation practices. At the time it seemed the wisest course of action, allowing my body to replenish its energy in the shortest amount of time. Now... it appears to have been an error in judgment on my part. Had I been alert, the women of this tribe would not have been able to successfully steal away from camp. And I failed to recognize the exhaustion of O'Neill. He has assured me that the fault is his alone, but this is merely his way of attempting to assuage the guilt I deserve to carry.'
'The trail we follow is, most fortunately, still fresh as it would otherwise be virtually impossible to locate in the light of the moon. The women are at most two hours ahead of us. I can only pray to the deities of the Tau'ri I have not placed Daniel Jackson at even greater risk.'
******
"Dan'yel?"
Daniel whirled at the voice that was music to his ears. "Sha're?"
The beautiful young brunette rushed into his eager arms. "Oh, my Dan'yel, I have missed you so very much."
"Sha're? Th..this can't be real. You died."
"No, my husband. Only the demon died. I survived to return to you."
Tears in his eyes, Daniel moaned softly. "No. I..I performed the ceremony of the feather for you. I watched as my friends covered your body with sand."
"Why do you doubt me, my Dan'yel? I am here, and we will always be together if..."
"If what, Sha're?"
"You must take part in the ceremony tomorrow, my Dan'yel. Then all will be well."
Daniel released her from his tight embrace, pushing her soft, warm body to an arm's length. "Ceremony? Sha're, they plan to kill me."
She shook her head frantically. "Oh, no, my Dan'yel. They have only your best interests at heart."
"Yeah. Right."
"Oh my husband, you must promise me you will do exactly as the priests of this place demand. Then, we will never be separated again. No. It cannot be time." Sha're's form began to fade from Daniel's sight.
Desperately he tried to pull her back into his arms, only to find he now held ... air. She was gone. A silent scream of Noooooooooo echoed in his mind.
"You have experienced the holy vision?" A deep, quiet voice came from behind the distraught young man.
Daniel turned slowly, reluctant to pull his eyes away from where Sha're's image had been only moments before. "W..what?"
"The holy vision." The old man waved his arms around the room. "Only in this place are the chosen allowed to see a glimpse of what will be when they pass through the great circle."
"Sha're is dead. No one can give her back to me." Daniel's voice trembled with emotion.
"You are wrong. She awaits you if you take the next step in the journey."
"You mean when you force me to take the next step." Daniel wiped the sweat from his brow and reached unconsciously for the water on the table.
"Oh no, my son. The choice is yours. Force negates the blessings from a free sacrifice."
Daniel looked startled. "I can refuse." He quickly emptied the glass of the cool liquid and placed the glass back on the table. The old man unobtrusively refilled it from a nearby pitcher and slid the glass back into Daniel's shaking hand.
"Certainly."
"And if I do?"
"Then you are free to return from whence you came. But you will have forfeited everything promised in the holy dream ... forever."
"It..It's not possible." Daniel wrapped his fingers around the glass and lifted it quickly from the table.
"I assure you, young one, it is most possible."
Daniel wiped the sweat from his face once more. "It's very hot in here. Why aren't you hot?" He gulped greedily at the liquid in the glass.
The old man shook his head. "Ah. The vision returns."
Daniel's eyes widened as Sha're beckoned to him from the doorway. "Nooo. Not real."
A gentle hand touched his shoulder. "Follow your vision, my son. It will become real once your journey is complete."
Sha're turned and walked away from Daniel. Frantically he called her name. "Sha're! Don't go! Please!" She never faltered in her stride. Daniel stared for a moment longer then plunged after her, leaving the old priest smiling in satisfaction as he vanished through the door.
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part - 11 ↑
"Colonel! Sir! Please ... slow down. It's not safe."
"I've wasted too much time already, Carter. We have got to get down this mountain."
"O'Neill, it is still dark, even with the moon. If care is not taken, we will get to the bottom of the mountain much faster than those we are pursuing, but we will not be alive to enjoy that victory."
Jack froze at the Jaffa's words. God, what was he thinking! He could easily have hurried them right off the side of the mountain. 'Shit. Shit. Shit! Okay, get a grip, O'Neill.' "You're right, Teal'c. You're both right." Jack inhaled deeply, trying to catch his breath in the thin air. "I'm just afraid Daniel is running out of time. I do not believe for one minute those women snuck off to rescue him."
"I'm with you, Colonel. I think they want something only he can provide. But what?"
Jack replied grimly. "We'll know that when we find him, them, whatever. Teal'c take point. Get us to the bottom fast and in one piece."
******
"SHA'RE!" Daniel was frantic. His beautiful wife was nowhere to be seen. He was certain she'd run down this corridor, but it ended in a solid wall of rock. Confused, he turned back the way he'd come. The elderly priest blocked his path, and Daniel glared at him. "Look, my wife is here somewhere. I saw her. I've got to find her." Even as he spoke the words, confusion played across his features. "Where is she? Have you seen her?"
"Is she your heart's desire?"
"Yes, oh yes!"
"And you would willing follow her anywhere?"
"Yes! Where is she? Have you seen her?" Daniel's voice was slurred, the effect of the sauna room apparent in his speech.
"She has passed through the great circle, my son. Do you wish to join her, willingly of your own accord?"
"Yes. Please. Take me to her!"
"It is not yet time, my child. When the sun rises over the great circle, you will be free to follow your heart's desire." He held an ancient hand over Daniel's lips. "Not until then, my son. But come. There is much to be done before that time."
Daniel followed the old one eagerly, ignoring the small voice of reason whispering something was very, very wrong.
******
The ground rumbled beneath their feet, and the SG-1 team scrambled for handholds on the narrow mountain trail. The rumbling stopped almost as soon as it began. Jack looked around bewildered. "That was awfully short for an earthquake."
Sam looked thoughtful. "Sir, that felt more like an undampened Stargate than an earthquake."
"I agree, Major Carter, but the Stargate we arrived through is many miles away. I do not believe we would have been able to feel it."
"No, Teal'c. I recognize the..."
"He's right, Carter. Had to be a quake."
Sam frowned, her dismay barely visible in the light of the moon. They'd traveled a few more yards when she spoke again. "Colonel, I've been thinking."
Inwardly Jack groaned. Whenever Carter or Jackson were thinking, things usually happened, and not necessarily for the best. "About?"
"What if there are two Stargates?"
Jack froze in his tracks. "What?"
"What if..."
"I *heard* the question, Major. *Why* are you asking it?"
"Well, I tried to use the DHD on the other 'gate, and it wouldn't work, so maybe..."
"What do you mean the DHD wouldn't work?"
Sam's blush was visible even in the poor light. "I tried dialing home, and it didn't work, and I didn't have my tools so I took the..." Her voice faded away under O'Neill's glare.
"I thought you'd been captured by the Aninas."
"I, uh, was, sir."
"But you tried the DHD?"
"Y..Yes, sir."
"And it didn't work?"
"No, sir."
"And you didn't feel the need to mention this before?"
"I'm sorry, Colonel, I...everything happened so fast that I... Sir, I forgot."
"Sweet. Well, now that you've remembered, would you care to fill us in on what the DHD did?"
"Yes, sir. Well, actually, it lit up as if it was going to dial, but the 'gate never opened. It rumbled, but never opened. Just like the 'gate in Antarctica." She paused before continuing in a disgusted voice. "Just like before, it never occurred to me there might be two 'gates."
"Two 'gates?"
"Yes, sir."
"But Carter you were dialing home not here. The fact that those NID people used the second 'gate when we used ours, proved that two 'gates on the same world can dial in different addresses simultaneously. Didn't it?"
"True," she admitted reluctantly, "but we also know that the DHD for the second 'gate won't work on the one at the SGC. The dial-up frequency is wrong, and can't be reset."
"So?"
"Well, suppose these DHD's are tuned so closely that if they're both being used at the same time, they cancel each other out. Kind of like hitting up and down on the channels on the remote at the same time. The infrared lights, but nothing happens."
"It is a reasonable explanation, O'Neill."
"Ya think?" Jack frowned and stared across the valley at the nearest mountain with its irritatingly high wall now barely visible in the moonlight. Turning back to face Carter, he asked earnestly. "When were you using the DHD?"
Sam looked puzzled. "A couple of days ago, sir."
"Sorry, Carter. What *time* of day were you using the 'gate?"
"Oh. Dawn. It was ... dawn."
*****
The view from the top of the mountain was spectacular, but Daniel had eyes only for the great circle. It stood alone in the center of the barren rock, its geometric emblems ablaze in the light of the fires surrounding its base. The absurd idea that he should *know* what this was flitted through his mind. It looked soooo familiar; if only he could concentrate, he just might ... what? Oh, yeah ... remember. Remember what? He was so confused, disoriented. Nothing was clear. Stumbling, he grabbed the stone table for support. The symbols on this smaller circle looked familiar too, but once again memory failed him. Daniel ran a gentle hand over the carvings. They were very ... interesting. Pushing himself upright, he once again faced the great circle. He would find Sha're within it. They'd promised. Gentle hands took his arms and led him toward the circle, toward Sha're.
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"O'Neill, the male by the fountain is wearing Daniel Jackson's jacket. He will show me where Daniel Jackson is being held." Teal'c started forward only to be stopped by a firm hand on his arm, drawing him back behind one of the numerous huts lining the base of the mountain.
"No, Teal'c. Not yet. The jacket only proves someone with access to Daniel's things has been here. That guy was definitely not with the riders who kidnapped him."
"The Colonel's right, Teal'c. I doubt that guy's ever ridden a horse."
Teal'c glared at the figure disappearing into a hut. "What is your plan, O'Neill?"
Jack gulped and hoped his indecision was not noticeable. Bad enough he was reluctant to decide anything, but if Teal'c and Carter picked up on it ... He mentally shuddered at the thought. His eyes suddenly narrowed as the leader of the Zerethi left a large structure in the center of the crowded complex, accompanied by Latka. "Well, kids, I vote we find out what those two are doing."
The two nomad leaders walked toward a small stage, their body language speaking true anger much louder than words. The three SG-1 team members moved stealthily behind them, freezing under whatever cover they could find as the curtain on the small stage began to open. Sam's gasp was barely audible as a small replica of a Stargate appeared on the stage, set behind what could only be a throne. The three were not close enough to hear the words, not that it mattered. Their missing member was the only one who understood the stilted language. They could, however, see the impassioned hand gestures from both parties toward the top of the mountain.
Sam slipped in next to Jack. "Sir, there appear to be a series of caves behind the stage. I'll bet Daniel is being held in one of those."
"I concur with Major Carter." The Jaffa's tones were as usual unreadable.
Jack frowned. Intellectually, he knew they were right. But every instinct he had told him Daniel was on the top of the mountain. "It's going to be light soon."
"Sir?"
"Light. We can't possibly hope to sneak up the mountain after the sun comes up."
"Up the mountain, sir? Daniel's..."
"Up the mountain, Carter, Daniel's up the mountain."
"Sir, if you're wrong..."
"I'm not. Let's move it." As Teal'c and Carter started toward the unguarded steps leading up the side of the mountain, Jack issued a brief prayer this choice was the right one.
******
"When? When will I see her again?" Daniel's voice contained all the desperation he felt. It had been *ages* since he'd spoken with his wife in the cavern below.
The old priest smiled and spoke soothingly. "The dawn comes soon. Only then may the great circle open to grant you your heart's desire."
"Dawn?" Something bothered the young archaeologist about the word, but for the life of him, he couldn't put his finger on the problem.
"Yes, my child. Dawn is the beginning of all things. Please, you must willingly take your place on the dais."
Daniel looked warily at the ornate marble platform standing about ten feet in front of the great circle. He allowed himself to be assisted onto it and stood, swaying slightly, eyes only on the massive circle before him. 'Too close to the Chap'pai, Daniel. You shouldn't stand here.' But the mental warning went unheeded as Sha're's face appeared in the center of the circle. "Sha're!" He took an unsteady step forward, only to find himself physically restrained.
"Be patient, my child. You risk losing your heart's desire if you leave the dais. Do you understand?"
The young man's eyes never left the circle as he nodded his understanding.
"Excellent. It is almost time."
******
The lower part of the stairs was unguarded. There was no need. No caverns or paths led off the one-way trail. Up or down the stairs was the only possibility ... if a visitor wished to survive. The darkness was beginning to ebb as the first light of dawn peeked over the hills. As he hurried his team up the mountain, every instinct Jack O'Neill laid claim to screamed a warning the coming dawn was not something he wanted to see without Daniel safely in their midst. Still, knowing every choice he'd made so far had been ill-fated, he was reluctant to voice so vague a worry.
Even Teal'c was breathing heavily as the SG-1 teammates climbed. A warning hand from the Jaffa told Carter and O'Neill they were no longer alone. The two Air Force officers plastered themselves to the rock wall as a single pair of footsteps approached. A soft grunt told them one threat had been efficiently dispelled. Teal'c quietly lowered the guard's form to the ground. "There is a large cavern entrance just above our location, O'Neill. It appears to be well-traveled but poorly guarded."
"Anything else?" Jack's voice was tightly quiet.
"The stairs continue until they reach a tall wall above us." The Jaffa's facial expression conveyed his confusion, and disdain. "There do not appear to be any guards on this side of the wall."
"Maybe they don't understand the need for security here." Carter offered. "Sir, I recommend we search the cav..." Her voice died away as the unmistakable sound of a chevron locking into position reached her ears.
"Up the stairs, kids." O'Neill's orders were barely issued before Teal'c and Carter scrambled for the upper level.
The team reached the wall on the upper level just as the fourth chevron locked into position. To Jack's relief, the security situation remained unchanged, and the team members were able to slip unobserved into the compound. A throng of people dressed completely in white obscured all but the top of what was obviously a Stargate from their line of sight. Relying on hand signals, Jack motioned Teal'c and Carter toward the right and hopefully the DHD. He took the left and began to work his way stealthily around the crowd. It wasn't long before he realized stealth did not matter. These people simply did not care if he was there. It was almost as if he was invisible or unimportant. Unimportant ... maybe that was the ticket. He watched as Sam and Teal'c arrived at the same conclusion and started to push their way through the crowd toward the DHD. Jack edged his way around another small group and froze in horror. The sixth chevron had locked, and the 'gate was turning toward the seventh. Daniel stood motionless on a dais, obviously designed to put him in the path of the flux flow from an opening Stargate. Teal'c and Carter saw the younger man's danger as well but were too far away. Jack caught their movement from the corner of his eye as Teal'c dove to stop the elderly man from depressing the final symbol, and Sam headed for the dais where Daniel stood. His teammates' movements had succeeded in attracting the attention of the crowd, and Sam was successfully restrained. Even Teal'c was unsuccessful. The seventh chevron now glowed on the DHD. But the momentary distraction was all Jack needed. As the energy flow built within the 'gate, the colonel raced for the dais, covering Daniel Jackson with his body even as he dragged him to the ground just out of the reach of the energy stream.
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Daniel smiled as the beautiful image of Sha're beckoned him to follow her through the circle. Somewhere in the back of his mind a small voice was frantically complaining that the lights on the circle were *not* a good thing. ... That something was wrong. But the larger voice, empowered by the drugged water and the gases of the cavern, forced its way past the warnings with promises of dreams fulfilled. The sudden noise behind him was a momentary distraction as the sixth symbol lighted. A frown replaced his smile as the seventh symbol glowed on the circle, and Sha're's image vanished as the 'gate began to rumble loudly. The young man opened his mouth to question the elderly priest when he was hit full force from the side ... falling off the dais and away from the circle. His question turned into a scream of protest as a man the small voice screamed he should know struggled to hold him on the ground. An over-sized fist suddenly filled his line of sight, and the world went dark.
******
"Dammit, Daniel! I'm trying to ... Shit!" Jack noticed the tiny pupils in the over-large mass of blue that were Daniel's eyes. Drugs. He should've known. "Sorry about this." Drawing back swiftly, he ended his young friend's struggles with one well-placed blow. Pulling the younger man's now silent form away from the 'gate, Jack searched the panicked crowd for Carter and Teal'c.
The Jaffa's head was visible over the crowd as he thrust aside the local inhabitants, but Carter's small form was nowhere to be seen. Oh. Over there. A priest's body fell away from a small mass of people, revealing a furious Samantha Carter in full combat mode. For a brief moment, Jack almost ... *almost* ... felt sorry for the locals. Teal'c roared with fury as he assisted the major in eliminating her opponents. She was breathing heavily as Jack called out. "Let Teal'c deal with the natives ... see if you can dial us home."
Nodding, she raced for the DHD as Teal'c fired a blast from his staff weapon into the air. Screams filled the early morning sky as the crowd scattered. The Jaffa backed protectively toward Sam as she drummed her fingers impatiently on the DHD, nervously counting the minutes until the 'gate would clear, and she could dial out. She'd made a mental note of the coordinates on the DHD, grateful the location was not in the dial-up vicinity of home. That would have meant at least a thirty-plus minute wait before a wormhole could be reestablished, and she didn't really think they had that much time. Already she could hear the shouts from below as the locals realized something was wrong on the mountain. If only the 'gate would ... There, the flux was gone, and the DHD was dark. Carter punched in the first symbol, and watched with relief as the 'gate twirled into position. No sooner had it locked than she was hitting the second, immediately followed by the third.
Teal'c turned a concerned eye towards the SG-1 commander. "O'Neill, do you require assistance?"
Jack hoisted Daniel into a fireman's carry and moved away from the dais. "Negative. Cover Carter."
The Jaffa nodded and moved into position between Carter and the locals, firing another staff burst into the air to encourage movement away from the 'gate. Chevron seven locked and the 'gate exploded into life once more. As the flux receded, O'Neill staggered forward, followed by Carter frantically punching the security codes into the remote, and Teal'c, moving as swiftly as possible while remaining alert for ambush from behind. The angry shouts of the local guards were the last thing the SG-1 team heard as they dove through the 'gate.
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"*Sha're*!" Daniel's frantic shout filled the infirmary as the distraught young man sat bolt upright on the hospital bed. Firm hands pushed him back onto the pillow as he tried to free himself from their hold.
"Easy Daniel. Take it easy." Jack tightened his hold to prevent the younger man from rising again.
Panicked blue eyes snapped to Jack's face then glanced, confused, around the room. "What ... where?"
"SGC infirmary. Surprised you don't recognize the reserved bed."
"H..How long?"
"Three days."
"Oh. What happened?"
"Long story. What do you remember?"
Daniel's brow wrinkled as he struggled to fit pieces of the past few days together. "Horses?"
"Okay. And what else?"
"Riders? Mountains?" His voice grew more confused. "Sha're? Sha're was there! Oh God!"
Jack shook his head quickly. "No, Daniel. That was the hallucinogen."
"Drugs? I was drugged? But I ... the gases in the cave. She ... she seemed so real. She kept calling me to come through the circle. Said she was waiting for me. That we'd be together forever if I did as I was told." His eyes widened as he looked at Jack. "The circle ... It was a Stargate, wasn't it? And I was standing too close?"
"Ya think?" Jack smiled. "Any closer and you'd have been toast."
"You saved me." It was not a question.
Jack nodded.
"Thanks."
"You're welcome."
"Why does my head feel like a jack-hammer wants out?"
"Side effects of the drugs. Doctor Fraiser says it'll be a couple of more days before they're out of your system. The lab's on twenty-four seven until they get a handle on the chemical composition. Really potent stuff. Other than that and a few bruises and scrapes, you're fine. No thanks to the residents of P4X-045."
"They didn't force me, you know."
It was Jack's turn to look confused. "What?"
"To stand on the dais in front of the cir...'gate. They didn't force me."
"Right."
"No, really."
"Daniel, they drugged you with a hallucinogenic compound which allowed you to see Sha're, then the imagined image told you to come through the 'gate. May not have been force but it would have killed you just the same."
"Still..."
"No, Daniel. The local anthro-whats-its have looked at our reports. They're waiting on yours by the way for the missing pieces. Anyhow, they've come to the conclusion these people practice human sacrifice. And that you were to be the latest lamb."
"I remember. Sort of. Any clue as to why me?"
"The anthro-dudes are having a field day with Teal'c's theory."
"*Teal'c's* theory?"
"Yep. He picked up on the difference in coloring between the sexes. Appears that you were unique, Daniel. Men on P4X-045 just don't come with light hair, or in your case, sun-bleached hair, and light eyes. At least not any that survive. I'm placing bets that the same holds true for women who are dark."
"Terrific. Just my luck." Daniel sighed heavily. "But it explains something I heard in the caverns."
"Oh?"
"Yeah, the priest, at least that's what I'm assuming he was, spoke of the chosen and their sacrifice."
"Sweet."
"It had to be voluntary." The words were almost an afterthought.
"What did?"
"The old priest said I had to choose to go through the circle or the blessing wouldn't be fulfilled. Said that he couldn't choose for me."
"Wonderful. Now I've heard it all. We aren't really killing anyone; they kill themselves because they want to. I'm sure the anthropologists will be delighted with *that* little tidbit." Jack paused then took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Daniel."
"For what?"
"For making all those lousy choices which almost got you killed."
"Jack..."
"I promise from now on, you want trees, we'll go see trees. Rocks and we'll go see rocks."
"Well, I'm sure that's very nice, Jack, but..."
"And from now on, if you want to meet the natives, *you* get to be the one jumping out of the bushes."
Daniel studied the older man's tired features, wondering silently just how long this resolution would last, but grateful for it none the less. For his own part, Jack couldn't get over the incredible chain of circumstances that allowed them to bring his young friend home, relatively unscathed. 'God, we almost lost him. A few minutes later and ...' Jack shuddered. Not for the first time his imagination conjured up the image of Daniel disintegrating in the Stargate flux. 'Didn't happen, O'Neill. He's home and he's safe.'
Blue eyes met brown and held them fast, telegraphing a message of gratitude and reassurance. Jack smiled and clapped a hand on the young man's shoulder. "Get some rest, Daniel."
"Been resting Jack."
"Ha. Unconscious is not resting." Daniel's response was cut off by a large yawn, causing the colonel to grin broadly. "Later Daniel. There's several days worth of paperwork calling my name." Squeezing Daniel's shoulder gently, Jack headed for the door.
The young archaeologist smiled tiredly as he watched his friend leave. Someday soon he'd have to tell Jack he trusted his choices. That the older man was rarely wrong in his evaluation of a situation. But not just yet. No, P3R-747 and all its wonderful artifacts was still out there, just waiting for SG-1 to make an appearance. And P9Z-339, hadn't SG-4 marked it for future survey, having noted the Celtic statuary amid massive ruins? Oh, yes, this could be a good thing.