Peace Offering
By Kaz and Scribe - karinstaines@freenet.co.uk and clark@btinternet.com


RATING: PG-13

CATEGORY: Angst

SPOILERS: Need, Fire and Water, Summit, Dead Man Switch, Hathor, The 
Curse, Stargate - the film.

TIME FRAME: A second version of what may transpire in the Season Five 
episode 'The Summit'

SUMMARY: Osiris makes a demand that changes Daniel's life.

DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the 
property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret Productions. This 
piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes 
and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously 
unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to 
the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is 
coincidental and not intended by the author.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This story was written when the first spoilers for 
Summit hit the Internet, and Kaz and I indulged in a flurry of 
speculative e-mails about exactly what might happen to result in Daniel 
becoming a slave (not to mention various comments about exactly how 
slave Daniel should dress<g>). New spoilers and new episodes have since 
surfaced which have taken the real SG-1 universe down a different tour. 
We hope you'll still enjoy our version of what might have been.


                         *******************

As Daniel walked into the 'gate room, the wormhole splashed into life. 
The escort party of four Jaffa marched up to the open portal. His 
escort...

His first thought as he looked over at the line of people waiting by the 
ramp was that Janet hadn't made it after all. The untimely arrival of 
SG-2, all suffering with nasty looking insect bites, had tied her to the 
infirmary. He was glad he'd managed to say his goodbyes down there, even 
if they had been said on the short walks between patients' beds.

He steeled his expression and began to move with purpose to the meshed 
metal slope. How many times had he done this? Never really knowing where 
they'd end up or what they would encounter, despite the MALP's and the 
UAV's best efforts to inform them. He tried to tell himself that this 
was no different.

Just another step into the unknown.

He crossed to the first in line.

General Hammond took the offered hand and began to shake it as befitted 
a senior officer to a member of staff. //To hell with that.// He pulled 
Daniel into a hug, crushing the young man against the plethora of medals 
on his dress uniform. Medals that supposedly he'd been awarded in 
recognition of a multitude of traits and deeds... courage, setting an 
example to his subordinates, jobs well done, doing what had to be done 
for the good of his country... for the good of the world. They meant 
nothing anymore... not in light of this day's events... What little he'd 
done in the name of saving humanity was nothing compared to what they 
were asking Daniel to do for them now.

Somewhat reluctantly, he let Daniel slip out of the embrace. A shy smile 
was thanks enough for his unusual display of affection.

How could he not have grown to like the archaeologist? Daniel put many a 
hardened military man to shame for his bravery, resourcefulness and 
tenacity. They owed him a great deal... even before today... The world 
would never know (at least not in any near future Hammond could see) 
just how much it was indebted to him.

Every tough moment had been a learning curve in the rudiments of the 
thought processes of Daniel Jackson. Again and again he had battled for 
answers, in order to avoid confrontations. This time, his only option 
was surrender. His life for thousands.

It seemed a small sacrifice logically. Humanely, personally, it was far 
from easy to give up one and for some reason, this particular one, no 
matter what the cost.

The choice was made for them. Daniel had at least taken a few seconds to 
comprehend the simple realization that there was no alternative. His 
expression had moved through a gamut of feelings; before settling on the 
only one he could with any hope of keeping his soul in tact. Acceptance 
of his fate.

"God go with you, son."

Teal'c bowed his head respectfully at his young friend. "I will honour 
your memory with every breath I have left, Daniel Jackson."

"Thanks Teal'c," Daniel replied quietly, returning the head bob and for 
his Jaffa friend's ears only added, "Tek usan'at me toh'canu."

Looking down at Daniel, the words ploughed a deep furrow in Teal'c's 
consciousness. He would endeavour to carry out his friend's wish. 
Smiling and bowing once more, he agreed to the request to keep everyone 
safe.

It was Daniel who broke with the formalities this time. He stepped 
forward and put his arms around the big man. Teal'c laid a hand on 
Daniel's head... almost in a gesture of absolution... he forgave the 
archaeologist for leaving them.

Sam didn't bother with pleasantries at all. As Daniel side-stepped to 
her position of next in line, she practically jumped on him.

Sobbing quietly into his neck, she apologised for making his collar wet. 
There was no point in saying 'Don't go'. With what he was doing now, she 
doubted if even Sha'uri could have stopped him.

"You'll always be in my heart." She sniffed and sought out his eyes with 
her tear-filled ones. The piercing blue irises were just as watery as 
her own.

"You too," Daniel whispered, burying his face in her hair as he rested 
his head on her shoulder. He inhaled deeply, he wanted to remember this, 
the fresh camomile fragrance was calming and comforting, just as it had 
been in other times of sorrow, too many of them, before.

"Don't forget to change my password," he reminded her as he pulled away.

Sam simply nodded, her mouth twitching into something resembling a grin 
as she tried desperately not to cry again.

And then there was one...

Jack and Daniel regarded each other. Neither able to say the words they 
wanted to say, not that any words needed to be said.

"Daniel..."

"Jack..."

Silence.

"Com'ere." Jack held his arms open wide and welcomed Daniel between 
them. As they broke apart, Jack ruffled the younger man's hair with all 
the affection he could muster.

What he really wanted to do was blow his stack... big time.

But this wasn't the time for anger, or hatred, or frustration at the 
unfairness of it all.

How could they be doing this? Sending Daniel off... no, worse than 
that... a hundred times worse than that and then some... selling Daniel 
off into what amounted to be slavery. The price? Tollana. A whole 
planet... thousands of people, allies.

That was Daniel's worth to Osiris. The Goa'uld would spare the world in 
return for handing Daniel over to him... her... it... to enter into its 
service, as it had so innocently put it.

Jack laughed at the memory of Aris Boch telling Daniel his value was no 
more than a day's rations. The bounty hunter had retracted that 
statement later, but, he wondered... would the price on his young 
friend's head have been as much as it apparently was now, back then? He 
doubted it...

Daniel hadn't exactly endeared himself to any of the Goa'ulds they'd 
previously encountered. Except, maybe, Hathor... and that kind of 
endearment, they could well do without.

They all suspected that the interest in Daniel had something to do with 
Osiris's host, Sarah. Although Daniel had never gone into great detail 
about his past with the woman, it was obvious that at some point they 
had been 'an item', for want of a better way of saying it.

The Goa'uld must know all that had passed between them... it had direct 
access into her brain, after all. Would it use Daniel's feelings for the 
host in some sort of mind games? Duh! Of course it would.

His thoughts drifted back to the briefing room... was it really only an 
hour ago? They'd sat and watched the holographic images from the 
communication orb, transmitting the Goa'uld side of the summit to them.

All the while, Daniel had slouched in his seat, looking fixedly at the 
papers on the table in front of him. His frown had deepened when the 
ultimatum was made and his bottom lip was quickly captured by his teeth.

When he finally raised his head, his eyes had been clear and focussed. 
It was they that showed he agreed to the demand, but Daniel never 
uttered a word.

Jack's mouth started to work, but he gave up on the idea of saying what 
he'd said to Daniel when he'd left him on Abydos, a little memory that 
only they shared, in the hope of seeming more upbeat than he actually 
felt... it wasn't the time for humor either. Besides, those words 
sounded so final and he really wanted to believe that this situation was 
going to be turned around, with any luck... soon.

Jack tried to smile in reassurance, but he knew it wasn't working very 
well. Unable to do anything else under the weight of raw emotion tearing 
him apart, he put his hands on Daniel's arms. "Dammit!" he said loudly, 
cursing his inability to counter his feelings.

"Jack, it's okay." Daniel appeased him, softly.

"No, it's not... God, of all the things this, this, this... crappy deal 
is, it's anything but okay!"

"Jack...please, not now."

Impressed as always by Daniel's unflappable nature, Jack sighed heavily 
and just gripped him tighter. He didn't want to let go.

Apparently tired of the goodbyes, one of the Jaffa came up behind Daniel 
and bent down. There was a jangling noise and then a couple of savage 
clanks as the Jaffa fettered him.

Daniel knew there was nothing he could do to avert this, the price was 
too high. He had already told Jack on the way down to his office after 
the summit. He'd thought he might as well try to tidy up a few loose 
ends while awaiting his escort to who knew where...

"We'll get you back..." Jack said, determined.

"No, you won't, Jack." Daniel protested. "You can't come after me. You 
know what's at stake here. I can't have that on my conscience... I 
won't."

Daniel winced as he was manhandled out of Jack's grasp and spun roughly 
round to face the Jaffa. Metal cuffs were snapped around his wrists. 
Another heavy chain, similar to that between his ankles ensured there 
was little separation of his hands.

The Jaffa gave him a shove, making him stumble up the ramp. "Hey!" he 
shouted back at the armored guard, swinging round in annoyance and ready 
to strike out. The other three Jaffa waiting by the open Stargate raised 
their staff weapons at the line of his friends. Daniel backed down from 
his show of defiance and walked up the ramp as well as he could, given 
the shackles hampering his stride.

Reaching his long fingers forward to touch the event horizon, he was 
once again amazed by the sight. The water-like effect rippled around his 
fingertips. After doing the same only a few years previous, about to 
step into the greatest adventure of his life, here he was now, standing 
on the edge of his own personal abyss.

He knew he shouldn't have... It would be painful for him and the others, 
but he couldn't resist a brief glance back at them. His gaze inevitably 
found Jack's, sorrow and apology all too apparent in those dark, 
smouldering depths.

Not your fault, Jack.

A sentiment of Aris Boch's suddenly sprang to mind. Choiceless.

Daniel closed his eyes and stepped through.

                         *******************

Fire and smoke. Blood and death. God! What had his life become?

Daniel peered warily from behind the shelter of a stone pillar, watching 
the battle rage around him. His gaze continually flicked towards the 
dark doorway of the Mayan-style temple. Somehow he had to get there.

A voice hissed in his ear - the feminine tones harsh. She... no, it was 
watching him. Even now, after all he'd been through, there were still 
times he had to remind himself that there was another being inside the 
body with which he had once been so intimate. *It* was not Sarah. He 
glanced upwards and caught sight of the brilliant light in the sky that 
indicated the position of the mother ship, hovering like a vulture above 
the planet - waiting to swoop down on the kill. His stomach churned at 
the thought. 

How long had it been? Days. Weeks. Months. What did it matter? This was 
his life now. Daniel Jackson. Slave. Try not to think about. Perhaps he 
could become an automaton - eating, breathing, observing - yet feeling 
nothing. A wave of despair crushed the air from his lungs. 

Stop it! He had to move. Had to get to the temple. 

His gaze swept over the writhing, battling bodies before him. The 
brightly patterned cloaks of the indigenous people disguised the blood 
that was being spilt. He could see it on the ground, though. Hot and red 
against the pale sand. 

He felt sick, but he forced his nausea away. He had a job to do.

There! A sudden lull in the fighting - a corridor in the bodies as the 
two sides momentarily pulled apart in the chaotic flow of the battle. 
Pulling in a deep breath, Daniel set off at a sprint, weaving between 
the fighters. Heart pounding, adrenaline rushing, he concentrated on 
nothing except reaching the sanctuary of the temple. An arrow whistled 
past his left ear and embedded itself into the leg of the Jaffa in front 
of him. The man spun round, staff weapon at the ready. For one stomach-
wrenching moment Daniel believed the Jaffa was going to fire at him. Not 
that he wouldn't welcome death if he thought it offered him true escape. 
Damn the sarcophagus.

Brown eyes met with blue, then recognition flared. The Jaffa nodded at 
him then turned away, his face a mask of pain as he folded his fingers 
around the arrow shaft and snapped it off.

Daniel closed out the sound of breaking wood. The scream of agony. Lungs 
almost exploding, he covered the final few yards and burst into the 
cool, dark interior of the temple.

The complete and utter emptiness of the building was like a slap across 
the face. For a moment Daniel felt as though he had stepped through the 
Stargate into a completely different world. Yet bare yards from the 
doorway, full battle still raged. He shook his head, trying to adjust to 
the cloying silence and the cool air. Sacred ground. The words buzzed in 
his head. Osiris had told him it would be like this, but Daniel hadn't 
believed the inhabitants of the world would respect their own taboos so 
closely in the heat of battle.

The voice hissed in his mind again - telling him to move. Irritably his 
fingers brushed the small metal disc imbedded in his temple. It hadn't 
taken Osiris long to get his hands on that particular piece of 
technology. Nor had the goa'uld hesitated to exploit its uses - both as 
a communication device and as an instrument of torture. 

Daniel's hand subconsciously drifted to his chest - rubbing at the 
flawless skin, a legacy of a quick spin cycle in Apophis' sarcophagus a 
couple of years back. Osiris had quickly discovered he had no need to 
inflict actual physical punishment on Daniel. He could simply tap into 
memories that hurt as much, if not more. And four years working with SG-
1 had ensured there were plenty of memories with which to torture Daniel 
- from the physical agony of a fatal staff weapon blast to the emotional 
pain of reliving the death of his wife at the hands of a friend.

Reluctantly Daniel began to weave his way through the torch-lit 
corridors, heading towards the inner sanctum and the prize Osiris had 
sent him to collect. A left, two turns to the right, another left. He 
stepped between two richly embroidered curtains, heavy with gold thread 
and encrusted with jewels. Despite himself he couldn't help but gasp in 
amazement at the sight before him. The inner chamber seemed to be on 
fire as the glowing torchlight danced across a million multi-faceted 
crystals. 

"So beautiful." The words escaped Daniel's lips, but almost instantly 
his hand flew to his temple, as a tiny shimmer of pain skittered through 
his skull.

//Oh God, he killed her!//

Damn it! Daniel's memories of Nem had recently become Osiris' favourite 
method of control. As his breathing settled back down from the sharp 
gasps induced by the recollection, he mumbled an appeasement to his 
alien voyeur, "Okay, okay. I get the message. Walking..."

Teeth gritted, he stepped forward. In front of him was an altar-like 
structure covered with a richly embroidered cloth. The cloth was silk, 
soft and smooth to his touch, but he barely paid it any attention as he 
pulled it away and revealed the hieroglyphs beneath, etched into the 
golden surface of the altar. He frowned slightly as he began to 
translate - the characters familiar yet tantalisingly different. This 
was why Osiris needed him so badly. The constant evolution of language 
over thousands of years meant that the written word of many cultures had 
changed beyond recognition since Osiris last stalked the universe. 

His frown deepened as his index finger traced the raised symbols, his 
lips moving in silent speech. Suddenly he straightened up. He'd got it. 
Confident now, he pressed a sequence of glyphs and was rewarded by the 
vibrating tone of an inner mechanism awakening. 

Daniel took a step backwards and watched as a panel in the front of the 
altar slowly opened, revealing a spherical object the size of a large 
orange. Cautiously Daniel retrieved it. It's weight screamed of 
naquadah, but it was the inscription on it that worried Daniel. He had 
to know if this innocent looking device really could be....

A voice sounded behind him, the tone achingly and yet unbelievably, 
familiar, "Danyel?"

He spun round and his jaw fell open. "Oh my God. Nick?" 

His grandfather looked dazed. A trickle of blood ran down his face from 
a split just above his eyebrow and his face was ashen. He was dressed in 
the same type of clothing as the local people - the bright colours 
making him look unnaturally pale. And he was breathing heavily as though 
he had just been running. For a moment the two men stared at each other 
in complete amazement.

Nick was the first to recover. "What are you doing here, Danyel? Have 
your army friends come to help us?" 

"I..." Daniel shook his head not knowing where to begin.

Nick's eyes narrowed as his gaze moved to the object in Daniel's hands, 
and then back to his face. "Danyel?"

"Oh, God." Daniel's nausea returned as he recognised the disapproving 
look on Nick's face. He suddenly felt like he was six years old again - 
caught stealing cookies from the kitchen. "It's not what you're 
thinking." 

"People are dying out there." Nick's voice was filled with distress. "My 
people..."

"I know. I know. It's Osiris." Daniel's own tone was desperate as he 
held up the object he had just retrieved. "He wants this and I can't do 
anything to stop him getting it. You have to believe me." 

He saw Nick's gaze sweep him from head to foot and he flushed with 
shame. The slave uniform he wore was an embarrassing affair of soft 
leather, designed to reveal the muscles down his thighs and across his 
chest. He hated it with a vengeance, and being seen wearing it by 
someone he cared for. Oh God. Why the hell was he worrying about his 
dignity when people outside were dying?

Nick's shook his head. "I don't understand, Danyel. You're here yet..."

Daniel cut him off, aware he had very little time. "Nick, listen. You 
have to get a message to Jack O'Neill for me."

"A message?" Nick was still staring at him as though he wasn't real.

"Yes. You have to tell him - the threat to the Tollan was a bluff."

"What?" Nick's expression was blank.

"Tell Jack... Arrggghhh!" Pain seared through Daniel's temple, driving 
him to his knees.

"Danyel!" Nick took a step towards, but Daniel waved him back.

"No don't!" He gritted his teeth, determined to force the words out. 
"Tell Jack. It...was... a... arrrggghhh!" He fought against the pain, 
knowing he had mere seconds. "A bluff!" He fell to his knees, bowing 
over with his weight on his forearms. The artefact dropped from his 
grasp as he pressed his palms to his forehead, trying to block out the 
pain.

Light exploded into the room. Daniel forced his head up, his eyes 
widening with panic.

"Nick! Run! Get out of here."

Ignoring Daniel, the old man merely turned to the source of the light. 
There was a sudden rushing sound as a set of goa'uld transportation 
rings materialised in the chamber.

"Nick, please!" Daniel pleaded.

At last Nick turned towards him. Too late. The rings vanished and Osiris 
stepped forward, the beautiful face of Sarah twisted with anger. Two 
Jaffa flanked him. Ignoring Nick, the goa'uld moved towards Daniel.

"I am disappointed with you, Daniel." 

A flick of the head set the two Jaffa in motion. With five brief steps 
they covered the distance between themselves and Daniel, each grasping 
an arm and pulling him to his feet. The Jaffa to his right snatched up 
the artefact. Osiris smiled coolly as Daniel was dragged closer and 
forced back to his knees. Thoughtfully Osiris ran one glove-clad finger 
along Daniel's cheekbone.

"You did at least retrieve the weapon. Perhaps I will not punish you too 
severely... this time." Another nod at the Jaffa. "We will return to the 
ship."

As Daniel was hauled to his feet again, Nick stepped forward, one hand 
raised in protest.

As though noticing him for the first time, Osiris turned and casually 
raised his gloved hand. The force of the blast lifted Nick from his 
feet, carried him across the chamber and slammed him into the crystal 
wall.

"No!" Daniel yelled, desperately trying to break free from his Jaffa 
escort. Leather-clad hands ground into his biceps, holding him fast.

As the rings descended around him, his view was of Nick's motionless 
body, sprawled on the floor of the temple.

                         *******************

Jack O'Neill was in no mood to celebrate.

He stood in the middle of the 'gate room somberly watching airmen 
draping flags, positioning chairs and overseeing all those other prissy 
details required in preparation for a VIP visit.

The President was going to receive a gift from their friends, the 
Tollans. Maybe this time they would lower themselves to grant Earth full 
'Ally' status. They were after all going to offer some technology in 
lieu of Daniel's sacrifice for them. How generous.

//Hey, you've lost one of the best men ever in the history of human 
kind, here's a doohickey in replacement.//

To add fuel to his blazing resentment toward the Tollan, he thought of 
how it had been Daniel who had petitioned so eloquently on Earth's 
behalf to attain access to their technology in the first place. Only to 
find that his hard work and heart-felt presentation was no more than 
part of a scam to prevent the NID from acquiring their stuff.

Damn them. Damn them all to Hell!

He kicked the podium at the base of the ramp. The very same one he had 
stood at to deliver his tribute to Daniel Jackson when he had been 
presumed dead, courtesy of Nem and his funky memory machine. He 
recognised the details of the wood, every knot, each joint, the ring of 
faded varnish where it had been damaged by someone's careless placement 
of a hot mug. The features had become ingrained in his mind as he'd 
eulogised over his apparently lost colleague, team-mate, friend.

They had all been certain as they commended Daniel's spirit to the 
Universe that he'd opened up for them, that he was gone. He'd died right 
before their eyes, hadn't he? Yet, there had been something telling them 
it wasn't right, their memories tainted and confused.

This time they all knew Daniel wasn't dead, or at least he hadn't been 
the last time they'd seen him. He'd walked through the 'gate knowing 
full well that Osiris was waiting for him on the other side. Why? Silly 
question. Jack knew why. Principles. The Tollans had never done anything 
for them, but they were threatened with extinction and Daniel agreed to 
hand himself over to a Goa'uld to save them. Why did he have to be so... 
so... nice? Damn him!

God.

Where was Daniel now? What was Osiris doing to him?

Jack's mind could fill in very imaginatively an answer to his second 
question, much to his consternation. Despite many nights trying to 
induce a deep sleep by means that neither Hammond nor Fraiser would 
approve, the nightmares continued to seek him out. Daniel's tortured 
voice called to him from across the galaxy, as it had before... "Jack!" 
Fire all around, no way to get to him.

A dreadful realization turned Jack's stomach. Thinking of Daniel as dead 
was better than knowing that he was alive and in the clutches of the 
Goa'uld.

"Jack!" Daniel's scream persisted. If only he'd put his foot down 
earlier, he might have been able to keep a tighter rein on the actions 
of their errant archaeologist.

In your dreams, O'Neill...

Dreams... "Colonel." Daniel called to him again. No, that wasn't him... 
Jack swayed as he pulled himself back from the depths of his memory.

"Colonel!"

Wha...? He turned to see General Hammond striding briskly toward him, 
dress uniform pristine, cap already in place.

"Is everything in order, Colonel?" 

"Yes, Sir, we're all set. Just waiting for our illustrious guests to 
arrive," Jack replied caustically.

"Colonel O'Neill, I understand your feelings in this matter, but please 
try to stay civil this afternoon."

"Can't guarantee it, Sir." Jack was nothing if not honest. "But I'll 
try." He paused. "They'd just better remember why they're here... 
anywhere, for that matter... if Daniel..." He could feel his fists 
clenching, blood draining from the knuckles as the tightness 
intensified.

"We're all well aware of what Doctor Jackson did for the Tollans, 
Colonel. As are they."

For a moment, Jack felt his temper flare at Hammond's formal tone, but 
as he saw the general's eyes flicker towards the lower ranks in the room 
he realised they were being scrutinised. Of course Hammond knew how he 
felt. Daniel's friendship had been special to the general too. The man 
no doubt felt as helpless as he did about this whole, God-awful 
situation.

Carter, Teal'c and Lieutenant Craig Morten entered, ready to help greet 
the Tollan representatives.

"General Hammond," the 'gate technician's voice echoed around the vast 
room. "The Tollans should be arriving shortly, Sir."

Both Hammond and Jack glanced at their watches, confirming the airman's 
words, just as the Stargate erupted into life.

The iris stayed open. There wasn't much point in closing it as the 
Tollans could walk through right through the barricade anyway, but a 
token presence of armed personnel formed an arc in front of the ramp, in 
case the visitors were not those expected.

Three women appeared through the silver-blue ripples. Jack stepped 
forward to the first of them, who he recognised as being High Councillor 
Travell, giving the other two, presumably her aides, cursory glances. He 
was surprised that they didn't appear to have brought anything with 
them. "What no box? I was expecting... oh, you know, a little gift 
wrap... a ribbon maybe... a fancy bow would've been nice..."

"Colonel." Hammond stopped Jack's sarcastic outburst in its tracks.

"It's alright, General Hammond." Travell faced Jack. "Colonel O'Neill, I 
think you will be satisfied with what we bring."

Suspiciously, Jack apologised, then moved to his team. "You remember 
Major Carter and Teal'c?"

"I do." Travell briefly took each offered hand.

"And this is Lieutenant Craig Morten, he's..." Suddenly Jack's mouth 
went dry and the words stuck fast in his throat.

"Lieutenant Morten has replaced Doctor Jackson on SG-1." Hammond spoke 
for him.

As Travell took the new member's hand, Jack couldn't help but notice how 
Carter had turned her head and appeared to be blinking furiously, 
causing her face to contort unflatteringly.

He knew what she was going through, apart from the stomach churning 
feeling of his own, she had revealed her pain yesterday. He'd caught her 
staring at the Stargate through the briefing room's window after the 
meeting outlining the details of the presentation.

Carter had told him how hard it was to face going into the 'gate room 
now... told him of the image that haunted each step toward the 
Stargate... Daniel... being manhandled by Jaffa, his ankles and wrists 
clapped in chains, shoved toward the waiting wormhole... and how ashamed 
she felt that she hadn't had the courage to catch his eyes as he'd taken 
a final look back at them.

This whole deal really sucked!

Hammond showed Travell and the other Tollans to their seats. "The 
President will be down in a few moments, High Councillor."

Jack winced as shifted his attention to the new member of his team, 
wondering if he had missed anything profound from the Tollans, while his 
mind had been elsewhere. When Hammond had introduced Morten to Travell, 
the words had cut through him like a dagger... 'replaced Doctor 
Jackson'... how could anyone do that?

Morten was smart enough and quick with it, even tempered, a good 
officer, and there it was, just what you'd want in a team - someone who 
obeyed orders, without question, not like Daniel. He wasn't Daniel.

The guy had majored in languages at college, but he had nowhere near 
Daniel's impressive tally, which grew with virtually every new sentient 
species they encountered. Daniel'd even deciphered that one that was all 
clicks and whistles... eventually. Jack remembered joking with Daniel 
how they sounded more like a herd of dolphins than anything of human 
origin

Two missions they'd been on together now. Two uneventful, routine, run 
of the mill, boring missions. Jack had ordered, Morten had complied... 
no 'whoa, guys, look at that!', no 'I really need more time to study 
this's, no 'but, Jaaaack'.

It had gotten easier over the last few weeks, back in the rotation and 
Hammond had involved him more in the day to day running of the facility, 
but he couldn't forget. He knew from previous losses that he should be 
able to, occasionally, he'd even told Daniel once that sometimes he 
could forget. This was different, not a loss per se, more of a 
misplacement. Could you have a deliberate misplacement? Or was there 
some other multi-syllable word that covered it? Daniel would know.

Jack missed his friend.

The ceremony went smoothly. As hoped the Tollans welcomed Earth as its 
new Ally, although not against any particular enemy. Even under Osiris's 
threat, they did not perceive the Goa'uld to be their enemies. There had 
been no actual attack, after all.

Travell passed one of their small wrist devices to the President and 
promised that Major Carter and a team of her choosing would be allowed 
to examine it and use the plans stored in it for the betterment of 
mankind. They still blatantly refused to offer any weapons technology, 
but there were plans for a defence system contained within the device.

Daniel's name hadn't been mentioned at all and Jack couldn't make up his 
mind whether he was annoyed about that, or glad that he'd been spared 
the hypocrisy of the sentiments that might have accompanied the 
reference.

It was all phrases like, 'for their aid in events which could have had 
disastrous consequences...' and 'in recognition of the great sacrifices 
that the people of Earth have made, yadda, yadda, yadda...' He'd seen 
Travell glance across at him and his team then. Was that regret in her 
eyes?

He followed her gaze.

His team... What the hell was Morten doing sitting there? He hadn't made 
any sacrifice. He didn't even know Daniel. Worse still, he had an open 
contempt of civilians and how they performed under military command. He 
was only sitting there with them because he was now a member of the 
prestigious SG-1. A reputation more due to Daniel's involvement than the 
rest of them, or did it just feel that way?

Why had they given in to the demand so easily? Why had Daniel? What had 
the Tollans ever done for them? The bitter accusation repeated again. 
This... presentation... whatever it was... a token of their gratitude, 
wasn't enough. Could never be enough. Hell, if they'd done this before, 
when they'd asked the Tollan for some way of defending against the 
Goa'uld, they could probably have avoided this situation altogether.

And then maybe not. For all their holier-than-thou 'you'd be better off 
without the kind of weaponry we could supply you with' attitude. It 
seemed as though their stuff wasn't so great after all... or else why 
would Osiris's threat be so dangerous? Crap!

They'd handed Daniel over to a Goa'uld for Christ's sake. Didn't they 
know what that meant? Easy for them to say 'the Goa'uld are not our 
enemy, Colonel', but they damn well were Earth's enemy and SG-1 had 
pissed them off royally in the past. Daniel even more so for reopening 
the 'gate.

After fighting so hard for the last couple of months to dampen his 
feelings, this farcical show of friendship and exchange had brought it 
all back to the surface. The anger, the resentment, the sorrow, the 
fear. The wound was too fresh, the scab had barely dried and now he was 
itching to rip it off and let it bleed some more.

After all the treaty signings and pleasantries, the parties began to 
mingle, while refreshments were handed out.

In one small group, Jack, Carter, Teal'c and Fraiser were trying to 
appear interested in the conversation that Morten was managing to hold 
mostly with himself. About how well the ceremony had gone, and that to 
finally have access to some worthwhile alien technology was an answer to 
all their prayers, and wasn't it great to meet the President, and how he 
bet Carter couldn't wait to get her hands on that bracelet.

From the look on her face, Jack surmized that at that precise moment, 
alien technology was about the furthest thing from Carter's mind. 
Tollana's technology had lost its appeal and not just because it now 
seemed that the Goa'uld had a way to beat their defences anyway.

Jack wanted to tell Morten to shut the hell up and that he was only on 
the team to make up the numbers until...

Suddenly, the alarms began to wail. "Unscheduled 'gate activation," came 
the call over the tannoy.

Guests scattered away from the ramp as a platoon of SFs stormed through 
the gathering. General Hammond and his secretary quickly ushered the 
President and the Tollans behind one of the screens that had been put up 
to hide some of the unsightly pipes and cables, ensuring that they were 
well out of the way of any possible action.

"Can't close the iris, Sir." The voice from the loudspeakers had risen 
in pitch, panic evident as the airman tried various commands to try to 
shut off access to the SGC via the now open wormhole. "Incoming 
traveller!"

A dishevelled figure stumbled through the 'gate, managing a few unsteady 
steps before falling on his face.

Jack raced up the ramp and turned the ragged bundle over. It took a 
moment for the face to find a name in his brain. "Nick?"

The old man's eyes popped open. He coughed wearily and Jack noticed the 
smudges of grime and dried blood across his face, the acrid smell of 
smoke ridden clothing.

"Danyel..." Nick began, but coughed again. "I-I saw him... He..." His 
eyelids slammed shut and his body went limp in Jack's arms.

"What?" Jack shook Nick's shoulders. "Where?"

                         *******************

"Nick!" Daniel cried out as the rings deposited him on the floor of the 
transportation room. His struggle against the two Jaffa still holding 
him tightly by the arms ceased as he succumbed to the futility of it and 
allowed his legs to fold beneath him. The Jaffa lurched with the sudden 
shift in Daniel's capability to support himself.

He'd been shocked to see Nick in the temple and an old adage sprang to 
mind... 'Be sure your sins will find you out'. The old man had been on 
P7X 377 when they had left him with the 'giant aliens', what was he 
doing down there? And now Daniel didn't know whether his grandfather had 
survived Osiris's stunning blow. Nick couldn't be dead, he just 
couldn't... If he told himself enough times, he might just believe it. 
//Please, Nick, we've not had chance to...//

"Daniel."

Now what? Daniel looked up and saw Sarah's face staring down at him, 
menacingly.

"Who was that old man?"

Daniel remained silent, as much brooding on what had happened to Nick as 
in sheer defiance.

"If you do not answer I will just take what I desire." Osiris raised the 
gloved hand toward him.

The left side of Daniel's face scrunched up as he felt the prick of the 
silver disc lodged in his temple. Knowing that Osiris could do whatever 
it wished with his memories, Daniel decided to conserve his energy for 
once and tell the Goa'uld what it wanted to know. It wasn't like it was 
a national secret. "My grandfather."

"Interesting." Osiris drawled, pacing to and fro before the submissive 
archaeologist. "Still, it is of no importance now. He is dead."

No, dear God, please... no. Daniel felt himself shiver slightly. Osiris 
couldn't know that for sure. It was just one more mind game to quash his 
hope. The Goa'uld enjoyed toying with his emotions and Daniel's life 
could provide more than enough fuel for Osiris' callous amusement. 

"You want to believe that isn't true?" Osiris stopped directly in front 
of him and lifted Daniel's head with a secure grip on his chin. Daniel 
recognised the vacancy of Osiris' eyes, the Goa'uld was probing its 
host's mind. "Why do you care for him, when he abandoned you?"

Daniel's whole being stiffened. How much had he told Sarah? He gave his 
answer, deliberately avoiding any personal information that Osiris could 
use against him later. "Family is important. It helps to make us strong, 
knowing that there is someone there for us."

"But he wasn't there for you, was he?"

Daniel's head dropped.

"Was he?" Osiris pressed.

"No," Daniel whispered.

Sarah's head tossed in satisfaction, long curls whipping around her 
face. "You see how family can be used against you, to make you 
treacherous, to taunt you, to dent your spirit." Osiris leaned in closer 
to Daniel to whisper meanly in his ear, "The old man is dead. I saw him 
quake in fear as he drew his last breath."

"He... he's not dead." Daniel said quietly, trying to reassure himself.

"What difference would it make to you if that were so?"

Stubbornly, Daniel didn't reply.

"Ah!" Osiris exclaimed triumphantly. "You're hoping he will send someone 
to rescue you."

Daniel nodded in spite of himself. Was he really that transparent? Damn.

"Do you really think the Tollans would let themselves be jeopardized for 
the sake of rescuing *you.*"

"Jack would find a way." Daniel couldn't resist a touch of defiance. 
Osiris had been getting the better of him for far too long.

"Ah, the infamous Colonel O'Neill..." the dual toned voice hissed 
sardonically. "Let him come. He would make a fitting addition to my 
collection of Tau'ri." Osiris gave Daniel's chin a sharp jerk as the 
hold was broken. "And when I tire of him, I could make a handsome profit 
from the proceeds of his sale. There are many who would like to have 
their revenge on him."

Daniel wanted to reply with some sarcastic comeback, but he couldn't 
think of anything just now, except how foolish he'd been to try to 
initiate a rescue. He suddenly hoped that the Tollans *would* quash any 
attempt to get him back. He didn't want Jack to fall into a trap of his 
making.

"He wouldn't let himself get caught just to free me." Daniel retracted 
his earlier wish and willed the words to be true.

Spurred on by the emotion invoked by the exchange, Osiris continued with 
the assault on Daniel's guilt. "It matters not. The weapon will soon be 
ready and I can make good my threat -whether you are here or not."

That was what Daniel had been dreading, proof that the Tollans would be 
wiped out, despite the sacrifice he had made. Although it had always 
been in his mind as a possibility, there was a chance that Osiris would 
keep the promise to spare Tollana. It was a chance he'd been willing to 
risk his own freedom for.

"The other System Lords will retaliate if you attack Tollana."

"When I have the weapon, no one will be able to defeat me."

"Care to bet on that?" Daniel provoked.

His outburst earned him a vicious backhand that sent him sprawling on 
the cold metal floor. Daniel swiped at the blood trickling down his 
cheek from the gash caused by one of the golden glove tips of the hand 
device. It wasn't the first such injury he'd acquired and he received 
some satisfaction from the fact that he had actually enraged Osiris 
sufficiently to lash out at him. Jack would be proud of him.

A Jaffa stepped forward to pull him back up.

"You will be silent." Osiris commanded.

Daniel obeyed, biding his time for another dig at the Goa'uld.

When he had first been delivered into Osiris's care he had wished for 
nothing more than to instigate his own death, until he found out that 
there was a sarcophagus on board the ship. There was no point in dying 
after that discovery. The more he annoyed Osiris, the more likely it was 
that he would be brought back to life merely to meet another torturous 
end.

Then Osiris had revealed the true purpose of Daniel's enslavement. 
Sarah's mind had revealed to the Goa'uld that Daniel's talent for 
languages was exactly what it needed in order to build the weapon of 
mass destruction it wanted.

The threat to annihilate the Tollans could not be carried out until that 
weapon was complete.

Daniel had become determined not to die after he discovered that. He 
hoped that somehow he could prevent the weapon's construction, or at 
least delay it long enough to get word out that the whole thing was a 
bluff and that Osiris could be attacked without fear of retribution. Had 
he achieved that? If Nick could get a message to SGC, would they be able 
to act on the information?

Osiris was peering at him, waiting. Daniel righted himself, 
unsuccessfully trying to shrug the Jaffa's grip from his biceps. He 
guessed he must've looked pretty dazed for a while.

"Here." Osiris placed the stolen object in Daniel's hands. "Tell me if 
it is the piece I seek."

Daniel turned the weighty sphere over in his grasp. The glyphs were 
small and he had to hold it right up to his eyes to make them clear in 
his vision. His glasses had been smashed long ago in another one of 
Osiris's fits of rage.

"These symbols aren't like the ones on the altar it was stored in."

"Is it the piece I need? Tell me!" Osiris demanded, advancing on the 
young man.

"I'll have to do some more work." Daniel braced himself, sensing what 
would follow his obtuse answer. Osiris had already had the gratification 
of inducing pain by actual physical contact for today. It was no use 
fighting, the Jaffa just gripped his arms tighter.

The Goa'uld placed the gem of the hand device against the disc embedded 
in Daniel's temple and retrieved what it wanted, a new memory to torture 
him with.

No, not that.

Nick was fresh on the surface of his mind after the events in the 
temple. He could feel fingers of energy seeping into his brain, seeking 
out the deeper memories connected to the old man.

With a bolt of light and heat that ripped through his consciousness and 
made him start, the image appeared before him, agonizingly real. He was 
eight years old again. Sitting in Mrs Hannay's office, the social worker 
about to deliver the news of what his grandfather had said to the 
request for Daniel to go and live with him.

This revelation of Daniel's anguished early years was obviously greatly 
amusing to Osiris, judging by the way he was now being taunted over his 
supposedly pitiful display of weakness.

Daniel hung his head, furiously gnawing on his bottom lip in an effort 
to keep the tears at bay. Nick didn't want him. Of course the letter Mrs 
Hannay read out didn't say it quite as bluntly as that, but for all the 
regret filled words, the meaning was the same.

His only living relative cared more about his work, his obsession, than 
he did about the lonely, frightened little boy he had just condemned to 
a life of transient homes, families paid to take him in and not always 
with kind-heartedness at the root of their apparent generosity.

It hurt. It hurt so deep, the bottom was unreachable.

Osiris laughed, a sound that penetrated the memory and brought Daniel 
back to reality with a cruel jolt.

"Well, slave?"

There was never any acknowledgement of his name after the device was 
activated. It added to the torture, instilled a greater understanding 
that he was truly alone. Daniel struggled to prevent his eight-year-old 
self from humiliating him with tears as he desperately tried to blot out 
the bitterness of past memory with current hope. 

"I believe it is the piece you require," Daniel conceded, shakily.

"Good." Osiris was satisfied. "Study it further. I need to be sure it 
will work."

Daniel nodded. He thought of all the occasions he'd had to badger Jack 
into allowing him more time to examine some artefact or other. What he 
wouldn't give to be back with the old frustrations again.

Osiris spun away, the dazzling gown sweeping the floor in a wide arc. 
Most of the Jaffa trooped after the Goa'uld, but three remained -
Daniel's personal guards.

Although he found it embarrassing and annoying to have every single 
minute of his day under their watchful eyes, he couldn't help but feel a 
little pleased that after his few early attempts to escape, Osiris 
deemed him worth such close scrutiny.

In the middle of the triangle of his guards, he was led back to his 
quarters.

Once inside the small, sparsely furnished room, he vaguely toyed with 
the idea of pretending to examine the sphere, but his mind was no longer 
his own.

The memory device jabbed at his psyche and he drew in a hasty breath, 
Osiris was treating him to another of his grandfather's great 
disappearing acts.

//You've only just come back into my life.// 

Nick's impressive stature was retreating. The old man ready to start his 
life anew with Quetzalcoatl and his kind.

Nick was leaving him again and the grief came as a crushing blow.

Grinding the heels of his hands into his eye sockets, Daniel tried to 
banish the image and the accompanying sorrow from his mind.

"Okay, only kidding, of course I'm going to look at it." There really 
wasn't any need to say it out loud, but it made Daniel feel more part of 
a conversation rather than knowing that Osiris was tapping into his 
thoughts.

He had learnt quickly and very painfully that Osiris could access his 
mind via the disc, even from a distance. Sometimes he wished he could 
stop thinking altogether. The Goa'uld always seemed to know when he was 
trying to be obstructive to its cause, or derogatory in some way and he 
usually paid dearly for his perceived insolence.

The hand device was needed to grab the memories from the recesses of 
Daniel's consciousness, but once accessed, the images could be played 
back to him, complete with every emotion and every sensation that had 
gone with them. Added to that,Osiris could transmit commands and receive 
Daniel's immediate thoughts through the disc whenever it wanted.

The control worked well. Daniel dutifully went to work on the artefact.

In almost any situation other than this, Daniel would have been 
fascinated by the hieroglyphics inscribed on the sphere. Now he felt 
only sadness that this wonderful piece of technology was going to be 
used in a way that its' designers would find abhorrent.

Osiris had told him of this device and how it could be linked with the 
other items the Goa'uld had collected since its release from the stasis 
jar. Some of the pieces of the weapon had been sequestered before 
Osiris's imprisonment. Which was a direct result of the other system 
lords discovering how powerful Osiris was about to become.

The orb was the key to the weapon's success. Whoever owned the orb would 
have the power to rule the universe.

The 'giant aliens' had no such ambitions. The orb was revered and its 
power used to build their world and keep it regenerated. Without it 
their planet would die... and they with it.

Daniel mourned for them. And for all those who would be destroyed in the 
wake of Osiris.

                         *******************

Please God, no. Not the hospital.

The air was heavy with the smell of antiseptic. And he could hear the 
gentle murmur of voices. Their tone was hushed with the mis-placed 
reverence one gives to the sick. Or the crazy. Had it all been a dream? 
Had he never left...

"Dr Ballard?" The voice was female, medical authority leeching through 
her concern.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, shaking him gently. Not yet. He wasn't 
ready to wake and face the reality of insanity. Besides his head hurt. 
It felt like somebody was trying to drill through his skull just above 
his left eye. 

"I'm sure I saw him stir." A male voice, raw with impatience and 
strangely familiar.

"You can't rush these things, Colonel."

Colonel? Distant memory fluttered.

"I know that doc, but if he really does have information about 
Daniel..."

Oh, my God. Daniel!

Nick's eyes flew open. "I saw him." He'd intended the words to come out 
loud and urgent. Instead his voice sounded as though someone had been 
sandpapering his tonsils. He found himself being scrutinised by two 
pairs of brown eyes. His gaze flitted past the woman and rested on the 
man. Now he remembered. Colonel Jack O'Neill. Daniel's friend. He tried 
again. "I saw him. He needs your help."

"Take it easy, sir." The woman, a doctor from her white coat, was 
frowning at the monitor at his bedside. 

He ignored her, but he still couldn't seem to get his tongue to work 
properly. His gaze fell on the water jug on the bedside table and he 
gestured urgently.

Jack exchanged a questioning look with the doctor and as she gave a 
small nod, quickly filled a waiting glass. As the woman slid another 
pillow behind his shoulders, Jack held the glass for him to drink. He 
swallowed two large mouthfuls, then tried again. 

"There was a battle. I ran into the temple and there he was. My 
Daniel..." His tone sharpened with disapproval as memory returned. 
"Dressed like a gigolo and stealing from the altar like a two-bit grave 
robber. I barely recognised him." 

"Dressed like what?" Jack's eyebrows virtually left his forehead. "Okay, 
let's back up a little here, shall we? Now, where exactly did you see 
Daniel?"

"He was in the temple." Nick leaned forward, searching Jack's face.

Jack shook his head, his impatience clear. "I meant which planet?"

"Oh." Nick frowned and slumped back into his pillows. "I have no idea."

                         *******************

"So exactly what do we have, Colonel?" 

George Hammond studied his second-in-command's face. The arrival of Nick 
Ballard seemed to have blown life back into Jack O'Neill. Not before 
time. Since Daniel Jackson's departure barely a day had gone by without 
George fearing he'd find Jack's resignation sitting on his desk

"Well, we know Daniel's alive and well." Jack hesitated on the last 
word, a frown crossing his face. 

George didn't miss the concerned look that jumped between Jack and 
Carter. Jack was still speaking, though.

"And we know the threat to the Tollan was a bluff."

"A bluff?" George said in surprise.

"That was the message Daniel asked Nick to deliver to us." Jack's face 
was suddenly animated. "Which means, Sir, we can go and kick Osiris' ass 
and get Daniel back." He muttered something under his breath that George 
was sure sounded like 'And get him the hell out of that gigolo costume'.

Before he could pursue the issue, thought, Morten cleared his throat. 
"With all due respect, Colonel O'Neill, can we really take Ballard's 
word on that?"

Jack shot the man a dark look. "Yes, I think we can."

A muscle quivered to one side of Morten's jaw. "Even though he has a 
history of mental illness?" Morten turned his attention to George. "Sir, 
I read the file. Nicholas Ballard, by his own admission, frequently had 
hallucinations involving Doctor Jackson."

Jack's fingers folded into a fist on the table top. "I don't think is 
the time for a history lesson, Lieutenant."

Morten didn't so much as flinch. "All I'm saying, colonel, is that it's 
a little premature to be planning a rescue mission given the unreliable 
nature of our source."

Teal'c was now giving Morten a look that could've freeze dried coffee. 
George decided it was time to interrupt. "I'll be the judge of what is 
and isn't premature here, gentlemen. Colonel O'Neill, assuming Doctor 
Ballard's information is correct, do we know Doctor Jackson's current 
whereabouts?"

"Well, sir... " Jack grimaced. "Not exactly."

"Not exactly?"

Major Carter leaned forward in her seat. "After Nick left here, the 
giant aliens transported him to another planet with an indigenous 
population. From what I could gather from him, these people had roots in 
the Mayan civilisation of Earth and the aliens have been protecting them 
from the goa'uld."

Jack interrupted. "Unfortunately Nick's friends didn't seem to be around 
when Osiris' Jaffa turned up and started blasting the hell out of 
everyone."

"I see," George said quietly. "So you think Osiris may have taken up 
residence on this planet?"

"Actually, no sir," Carter replied. She shot Jack a quick look. "We 
think this may have been a case of hit and run."

Jack fidgeted in his chair. "Nick said Daniel took something from the 
altar."

Morten made an exasperated noise. "Took? As in stole?"

Another glare was exchanged across the cherry wood. Jack continued. 
"Nick doesn't think Osiris was interested in the planet, sir. He thinks 
it was the artefact that Daniel *took* which was the target. Which means 
our tombraiding goa'uld has probably slunk back to his lair, taking 
Daniel with him."

"So we're no better off then," George said. "We still don't know where 
Doctor Jackson is."

"No, sir," Jack admitted. "But the Tok'ra might. And now we know the 
threat to the Tollan is a bluff, there's no reason not to ask them."

George considered for a moment. He wanted Daniel Jackson back as much as 
any of the people sitting at the briefing table. A flicker of hope ran 
through his veins, but he determinedly ran through the facts, weighing 
each one. Finally satisfied he nodded at Jack "Well then. What are you 
waiting for colonel?"

Jack was on his feet in a second. "Yes Sir!"

                         *******************

Daniel was worried by the inscription on the orb. If what he had 
translated was correct, the people on that planet were soon going to be 
in serious trouble.

A sudden ironic laugh convulsed him. They weren't the only ones then...

He regarded the orb in awe. How could something so small be so powerful? 
It was the last piece Osiris needed for the super-weapon. Then there 
would be nothing to stop the Goa'uld decimating the universe for its own 
ends.

He had to do something. Anything!

As he rose from his work place, all three Jaffa twitched to attention.

"Easy guys..." Daniel placated, while a plan was formulating in his 
brain. "I need to see the other artefacts." He began walking toward the 
door.

"Osiris sleeps." One of the Jaffa stepped sideways to block Daniel's 
way.

"I know." He had never been allowed access to any of the pieces without 
Osiris's express permission, and never to more than one piece at a time. 
"I'd just like to be able to give Osiris the answer as to how this 
works."

"You must wait."

"Osiris wants this working as soon as possible and I can't guarantee 
that the pieces will work together unless I can do some cross 
referencing. You don't want me to tell Osiris that you've been 
obstructing my work, do you?"

The Jaffa was silent. Daniel could almost feel the tension rising in the 
big man as he wrestled with the right thing to do.

"Tell you what... if it will put you more at ease, I don't need to take 
this with me. I'll leave it here." He set the orb down carefully on the 
end of his bed, making sure that it wasn't about to roll off. "This is 
the only piece that's irreplaceable. So, can I go now?" 

"We will accompany you."

"Of course you will." Daniel had anticipated that. In fact it was 
entirely necessary to his plan.

                         *******************

It wasn't going well. Not well at all.

Jack leaned back in his chair, blew out an exasperated breath and cut 
across the inconsequential babble coming from Aldwin's mouth.

"He said it was a bluff. Exactly what is it you're finding so difficult 
to comprehend?"

The Tok'Ra stopped and turned his attention to Jack.

"Apart from the fact we have no idea whether Doctor Jackson has been 
compromised..."

"Daniel hasn't been compromised," Jack threw back angrily.

Jacob Carter shifted in his seat next to Aldwin. His voice was 
sympathetic. "Jack, I know how much Daniel means to you..."

"No," Jack interrupted again. "You don't." 

God, he was sick of this. His feet itched to be on the ramp and setting 
off to rescue Daniel, and here he was playing nice with the Tok'Ra.

Aldwin turned back to George Hammond. "I'm sorry, but the Tok'Ra are not 
prepared to risk the lives of an entire planet on the word of one man."

"Well see there's the rub," Jack said. "We're not asking you to risk 
anything. All we want is the location of Osiris new base. We'll do the 
rest."

"Colonel O'Neill, the situation is very delicately balanced at the 
moment. Osiris is growing in strength, but with the demise of Apophis 
many other system lords are also coming to the fore. The news that 
Osiris may not have the ability to destroy the Tollans merely supports 
our decision to wait and see."

Carter leaned forward to catch Alwin's eye. "Surely that's all the more 
reason to attempt to get Daniel back. He's been..." She hesitated, 
clearly still struggling with the concept. "'Living' with Osiris for 
months. Chances are he has a wealth of valuable information." She raised 
her eyebrows as Jack shot her a sour look. Her non-verbal response 
telegraphed loud and clear she didn't like arguing Daniel's worth in 
cold, hard currency any more than he did.

Jack gave a slight nod, hoping she realised he knew what she was doing 
and why. He was just about to back her line of attack when Morten waded 
in.

"With all due respect, how would we know if we could trust anything 
Doctor Jackson told us." Morten's eyes turned towards Teal'c. "After 
all, we know the goa'uld are skilled in mind control."

Teal'c inclined his head. "There are many things we do and do not know. 
I do not see the purpose of speculation. As you would say, 'Let us cross 
that bridge when we come to it.'"

"Teal'c's right," Jack said. "We're just wasting time trying to second 
guess everything. General, SG-1 are ready to go through the 'gate now. 
So there's a delicate balance out there. Well I say let's go and do 
something to swing it in our favour."

Aldwin shook his head. "I'm sorry, Colonel. If you do decide to go after 
Doctor Jackson, you must do so without the assistance of the Tok'Ra." 

Jack stared at him in disbelief. "You're not going to give us the 
address."

Aldwin rose to his feet. "General Hammond. I believe this meeting is 
concluded."

                         *******************

Her heart heavy, Sam accompanied her father to the gateroom.

She couldn't keep the bitterness out of her voice. "You know, Daniel 
deserves better than this."

Jacob gently squeezed her shoulder. "I know how much he means to you, 
Sam."

The sudden affection speared through her. Oh God. She wasn't going to 
cry now. Not in front of the general and Aldwin. And most definitely not 
in front of her father. She chewed her bottom lip and pulled herself 
together.

"Do you, Dad?" She looked him in the eye. "I think maybe the colonel was 
right. That actually you don't understand at all."

Jacob looked away, apparently embarrassed. "Yes well, maybe I'll 
surprise him one day." He looked back at her and abruptly changed the 
subject. "Talking of surprises, I have something for you." He pulled a 
small gift-wrapped package out his pocket. His gaze flickered towards 
Aldwin, who was in conversation with the general, as he added. "I didn't 
forget your birthday."

Sam frowned. Her birthday was months away. She opened her mouth to make 
some comment, but Jacob pressed the gift into her hand. "I brought you 
something special."

There was something about his tone that made her fall silent. Turning 
the package over, she began to slip one finger under the seal. Jacob's 
hand folded over hers.

"No, don't open until I'm gone."

"Oh." Totally mystified, Sam nodded obediently. "Sure." Reaching up she 
kissed him goodbye. "Take care, Dad."

"You too, Sam."

She watched as he walked up the ramp with Aldwin and disappeared into 
the shimmering blue event horizon.

"Birthday present, Major?" Hammond asked, as she turned the package over 
in her hands.

"I'm not sure, sir." She slipped her finger under the seal again and 
hurriedly undid the package. Inside the paper was a small wooden box. 
Sam lifted the lid. "Oh, it's a necklace." She lifted it out and held it 
up to the light. Six emerald-coloured beads were threaded onto a fine 
gold chain. "It's lovely, but I don't understand why Dad... I mean, it's 
not my birthday for months."

She dropped the necklace back into its box and closed the lid.

"If you'll excuse me Sir?"

"Yes Major." Hammond began to turn away, but then hesitated. His eyes 
sought and held hers. "Doctor Jackson had made more miraculous returns 
than any man I know. We will get him back."

Sam nodded. "I hope so Sir."

She made her way back to her laboratory, feeling the absence of Daniel 
as keenly now as when he'd walked through the 'gate knowing Osiris was 
waiting on the other side. She hadn't realised how much she'd come to 
rely on him being there to bounce ideas off. Even though he wasn't a 
scientist in the sense that she was, he had the essential knack of 
coming at problems from a different angle, an angle that often stretched 
her own thinking. God, she missed him.

Back in her lab, she put her father's gift on the desk and tried to drum 
up some enthusiasm for the project she was working on. Two hours later, 
her backside complaining at the hardness of the bench stool she was 
sitting on, she was relieved to see Janet strolled through the doorway.

Janet flopped into Sam's desk chair. "I need food. I need coffee. And I 
need intelligent conversation."

Sam smiled. "SG-3 back from a mission?"

"How did you guess." Janet rubbed at her temples. "So, can I tempt you 
to the mess hall?"

"Sure - just give me a couple of minutes."

"No problem." Janet's gaze fell on the box. "Whoa. Very nice," she said, 
lifting the necklace out. "Secret admirer?"

"Birthday present from my father." Sam frowned at the memory. "I still 
haven't figured out what got into him. My birthday is ages away."

"Well he doesn't get to see a lot of you," Janet replied, holding the 
necklace up to Sam's desk light to show the beads off. "That's odd."

"What?"

"I thought I saw something flicker inside one of the beads."

"Really?" Sam was off her seat and at Janet's side in a moment. 

Holding the beads back to the light, Janet twisted and turned the 
necklace. "There! Did you see it? Looks like some sort of hologram. You 
have to get the angle just right. Damn, gone again."

"Let me try." Sam took the necklace and mimicked Janet's action. For 
several seconds she saw nothing but the attractive green crystal, then 
suddenly... 

"Oh my God." She turned wide eyes to Janet. "I think it's a 'gate 
symbol." 

Her fingers shaking with sudden excitement she manipulated the necklace 
so the light caught the other beads. "There's another... and another. 
Janet, pass me the phone. I think Dad's given us the address for Osiris' 
base."

                         *******************

The route to the locked and guarded artefact room took Daniel and his 
Jaffa escort past Osiris' quarters. Daniel wasn't sure if he had really 
heard the faint hum emanating from the room, or whether it had been 
imagined. Some memories lived to close too the surface. Daniel shrugged 
away the warmth that had crept through his bones at the thought of the 
sarcophagus. He was dreading Osiris discovering that particular part of 
his life. If the goa'uld realised what a hold the sarcophagus could have 
over him, how it could change him... Oh God. He had to keep that memory 
buried as deep as possible.

They reached the artefact room. The Jaffa consulted with the guards and 
some heated words were exchanged along with more than a few irate glares 
in Daniel's direction. Finally though he was inside and the strong box 
containing the weapon pieces was opened.

Daniel knelt beside it and spent a few moments carefully examining the 
devices, considering which of the artefacts to choose, while the Jaffa 
settled back to observe him.

Reviewing his plan, Daniel knew it probably wouldn't delay Osiris for 
long, but it would be a moral victory, if nothing else. Assuming it 
worked...

He chose a small device, as far as he knew it was a rarity, if not 
unique. He was pretty certain an electric charge would stop it working. 
Holding it tightly, he prayed he was right about the orders Osiris 
would've have given the Jaffa concerning his welfare. A spin cycle in 
the sarcophagus following a staff weapon injury definitely wasn't what 
he needed. Right or not, he was about to find out. Daniel jumped to his 
feet and bolted for the door.

Four staff weapons swung round, ready to take him down. To his relief, 
his personal guard immediately yelled, "No! Osiris wants him alive!" 

He heard the chitter of a zat being primed, and gritted his teeth in 
expectation. He had only made it as far as the door when he felt the 
first wave of energy begin to surge outwards from a point in the middle 
of his back, rapidly heading for his extremities.

As the shock reached his left hand where he was holding the device, he 
vaguely heard a sharp popping noise. Yes! With luck whatever technology 
was contained within the metal tube was short circuiting.

And then he was falling. The sensation barely registered above the 
millions of prickling spasms that tortured his nerves and the cramps of 
his muscles being painfully contracted. Suddenly, he could feel heat in 
his hand. Oh, god. That possibility hadn't actually crossed his mind. 
Unable to release his grip on the device, he managed to close his eyes, 
so that he didn't have to endure the sight of the artefact exploding in 
his hand. Any second now...

Oh God! Oh yes! Thank you. Thank you. The disabling convulsions 
diminished enough for him to uncurl his fingers slightly. The device 
rolled free of his fingertips just as it exploded.

Fresh agony bit into Daniel's consciousness as his hand and arm were 
caught in a searing burst of flames. He writhed on the floor, the skin 
on his arm blistering as he watched in morbid fascination.

He dared to look at his hand and had to swallow back the bitter bile 
that rose at the hideous sight of his charred fingers, still smoking.

The door was flung open and Osiris stormed in, demanding, "What is the 
meaning of this?"

Fawning their excuses, the Jaffa stumbled over themselves trying to back 
away from the wrathful glare of Osiris.

"You fools!" Osiris lambasted them. "The device is destroyed!" The 
Goa'uld glanced unsympathetically at the suffering archaeologist. "You 
are more guileful than this host would give you credit for." Osiris 
laughed. "I am impressed. However, you have upset my plans. I would let 
this be your lesson, but I have need of your hands."

Daniel couldn't answer. Blackness teetered on the edge of his vision and 
he willed it to obliterate his pain. As it drew him in, he heard Osiris 
say to one of the Jaffa, "Bring me the healing crystal."

                         *******************

Jack held the beads up to the light on General Hammond's desk. "Jacob 
Carter's a good man sir."

"That he is." George took the beads from Jack and scrutinised them 
carefully. "We're damn lucky Doctor Fraiser noticed, though."

Jack nodded impatiently. He was all for giving credit where credit was 
due, but right now he was more interested in getting a rescue mission 
off the ground. "So can we gear up?"

"You're sure these coordinates are for Osiris' base, colonel?"

"What else could they be?"

"What if Jacob wasn't aware they were there? What if he genuinely 
thought he was buying a gift for his daughter? For all we know he could 
be an unwitting player in a setting a trap. And even if it's not a trap, 
we can't risk sending a MALP in case we tip off Osiris. You'll be going 
in blind, Jack."

"With all due respect, sir, we're prepared to take our chances."

"I appreciate that, Colonel. But it's my job to ask these questions."

"And I appreciate that, General. But Daniel is still out there in the 
hands of that son-of-a-bitch, and, without wanting to step out of line, 
we're wasting time." Jack took the beads back. "This is the best lead 
we've had in over three months. We can't let it pass."

He held his breath as Hammond leaned back in his chair, clearly 
contemplating the risks. "We may well be putting the Tok'Ra alliance on 
the line."

"Screw the Tok'Ra!" The words burst out of Jack's mouth before he could 
stop them. 

George merely shook his head. "On this occasion, Colonel, I think I 
agree with you. Screw the Tok'Ra. Go get the boy back."

                         *******************

He watched them gearing up. Analysing. Studying them. Looking for their 
strengths and weaknesses. 

Teal'c. A turncoat Jaffa who had denounced the goa'uld as false gods and 
now served at O'Neill's side. Morten couldn't fault the man for his 
loyalty - he'd left home and family to join the SGC. He guessed having 
the Jaffa at his back in a fight would be a very comforting feeling. 
Sometimes, though, it would seem that loyalty cost his friends dearly. 
Wasn't he responsible for killing Daniel Jackson's goa'uld-invested 
wife. What was her name? Shy- something. Shyla? 

No, that was the alien princess Jackson had played house with while his 
team-mates were dying in some godforsaken naquadah mine. For a guy who 
claimed to be so devoted to his wife, Jackson didn't bypass too many 
opportunities to get his leg over. From what Morten had heard, the man's 
wife had barely had time to turn cold before he was making out in the 
VIP suite with some blonde. And then there was that Hathor. Morten had 
to admit Jackson was smart - who else could not only get laid on company 
time but earn everyone's sympathy at the same time? 

Damn. What was her name? Odd he could recall all those other women, but 
not Jackson's wife ... Wait... Sha're. That was it. Beautiful woman 
according to the gossip. Beautiful and dangerous once that snake got in 
her head. Apparently would've killed Jackson if it hadn't of been for 
Teal'c.

Morten's eyes narrowed. Guess the Jaffa carried a whole shovel-load of 
guilt over that one. Probably explained why he didn't raise so much as 
an eyebrow at this ridiculous scheme to take on Osiris.

Then there was the lovely Samantha Carter. Beautiful if you liked the 
blue-eyed, blonde look, and frighteningly smart. Not smart enough to 
have a life outside the SGC though. And she was too soft-centred to be a 
really good soldier. Morten had seen her tear up on more than one 
occasion over the past couple of weeks. For Christ's sake, Jackson had 
been gone for nearly three months. Time to move on, lady. Unless of 
course he was more than just a team-mate. Hey, wouldn't that be a laugh. 
Carter and Jackson bonking each other's super-smart brains out right 
under the nose of Jack dense-as-oatmeal O'Neill.

"You nearly done there, Morten?"

Talk of the devil. He looked away as O'Neill shot him a sharp look.

"Yes, sir." The reply was automatic. Neat, precise, military. None of 
the 'sure, Jack, just give me a minute' crap Jackson dished out. So why 
the hell did he get the feeling O'Neill struggled to give him the time 
of day, while being willing to drop everything - hell, willing to put 
the Tok'ra-Tau'ri alliance on the line - to go rescue the geek?

God. He'd tried so hard to be everything he thought O'Neill wanted. He 
followed orders to the letter. He went above and beyond the call of 
duty. He said yes sir, no sir in all the right places. He did his job in 
making first contact go smoothly. Not that anyone had shown him any 
gratitude for the fact they'd gone two whole missions without getting 
into any trouble thanks to his linguistic skills. He really didn't know 
what else he had to do to get accepted. Hell, he'd even tried to make 
nice by bringing along a handful of Fifth Avenue bars to liven up 
mealtimes. He was still smarting from the effect that'd had on O'Neill. 
As if he could've known that was Jackson's favourite form of desert.

O'Neill banged his locker door shut. "Let's move it out, kids."

Morten watched as Carter straightened her back and moved towards the 
door only to suddenly stop at Jackson's locker. There was a rumour 
O'Neill had been overhead threatening to kill the admin person who dared 
reassign it. That had been enough in itself to ensure nobody had yet to 
broach the subject with him.

Oh, she was going to get it now. Standing there like a rabbit in 
headlights, holding up the team. Couldn't she see O'Neill was itching to 
go? He waited for the sarcastic remark from O'Neill's direction as 
Carter reached out a hand and brushed her fingertips against the grey 
paint of the locker door.

"I'm glad you didn't let them reassign this, Sir." She turned towards 
O'Neill as Teal'c moved to join her.

"As am I," the Jaffa agreed, also reaching out to touch the locker.

Carter shot Teal'c a quick smile. "I know it's crazy, but seeing his 
name here makes me feel like he's still part of the team."

O'Neill opened his mouth. Morten waited with barely concealed 
anticipation for the put down, for O'Neill to act like the leader he was 
and tell the pair of them to cut it with the over-sentimental crap and 
get their butts out the door. 

"He is still part of the team, Carter."

What? Disappointment sliced him like a knife. 

He could barely believe his eyes as O'Neill joined the other two in this 
sick homage to a lump of metal. Somebody pass a bucket; he was going to 
puke on sugar overload.

"And we're going to get him back." O'Neill's voice was sharp with 
determination.

"Yes sir."

O'Neill smiled grimly. "Okay. There's a goa'uld out there just begging 
to have its ass kicked. Let's go!"

Morten hung back as his three team-mates headed out into the corridor. 
As the door closed behind them, he turned his attention to Daniel's 
locker. 

"He's still part of the team." He mimicked the words with distaste. God. 
It was like he hadn't even been in the room with them. His anger 
suddenly boiled over and he pulled back his right arm, smashing his fist 
into the locker door, relishing the sharp pain as the metal buckled 
beneath his knuckles. 

"I'm the linguist on SG-1 now, you hear me?" He flexed his bruised 
fingers and then reached up to trace the letters on the embossed name 
plate screwed to the door. "So do us all a favour Doctor Daniel 
Jackson." He felt his lips curl into a cold smile, as he added. "Go rest 
in peace."

                         *******************

His head was swimming. A cool draft wafted across him. He could feel it 
playing with the fine hairs on his body. There was a soft click and the 
flurry of air ceased. Someone had entered the room. Which room? Where 
was he? Reluctant to open his eyes just yet, Daniel listened intently. 
He could hear the soft footfalls of someone pacing.

Why was he laying here? Wherever *here* was. The last thing he 
remembered he... Oh, God!

Heart hammering rapidly inside a chest that suddenly felt so tight it 
thwarted his efforts to breathe; he shot upright, gasping and lifted his 
left hand to his face. Squinting in the half-light of the darkened room, 
he could see new pink flesh. He gently stroked along the surface of his 
arm, amazed at its softness.

Relief washed over him. Osiris must have been feeling 
uncharacteristically benevolent to have healed him so quickly. Flexing 
his fingers, he found they were still quite tender as the regenerated 
skin was stretched for the first time. It tingled, almost unpleasantly, 
but it was better than...

"Aaargh!" Daniel screamed. Looking back at his arm, all he could see was 
a blackened, smoldering stump. Agony... from the burns... and his 
head... Why? His uninjured hand flew to his temple to find the source of 
the pain. He plucked at the memory device, unsuccessfully trying to 
dislodge it.

"So, slave, you would dare to cross me," Osiris gloated evilly. "Your 
recklessness will cost you dear." 

In his distress, Daniel had neglected the fact that there was someone 
else in the room. The image of the roasted limb began to waver, 
gradually replaced by the reality of his newly repaired forearm and 
hand.

"You should be kneeling before me in gratitude," Osiris hissed. "I could 
easily have left you to suffer."

"I'm sure you had your reasons for healing me," Daniel ground out, 
breathlessly.

"Quite so. I will need you to steal me a replacement for the device you 
destroyed." Osiris came out of the shadows to sit on the bed beside 
Daniel, languorously running the back of one long well manicured finger 
up and down the overly sensitive skin of his left arm.

Daniel cringed. Gooseflesh crept across his bare chest and stomach at 
the unwanted attention. He wanted to back away, but the narrow bed was 
set against the wall and left him nowhere to go.

Concentrating hard, he tried to visualize the serpent-like creature 
controlling the lithe figure he knew so well, denying Sarah's face, her 
curves, her touch, her scent, to his consciousness. He couldn't afford 
to let his own body betray him.

Laughing deeply, Osiris lightly rested a hand on Daniel's flushed cheek. 
"Still unwilling, slave?"

"Slaves, by definition, are not willing."

"Slaves should endure what is required of them, " Osiris replied, 
moistening Sarah's lips with a seductive flick of the tongue and leaned 
in.

Daniel braced himself for the assault. It wasn't the first time Osiris 
had played this game and on each occasion, the inevitability of the 
situation was made abundantly clear. Was this the time Osiris would push 
it to the limit?

Osiris pulled away. "There would be no satisfaction in taking what I 
can. One day you will come to me. Then I shall savor the delights of my 
victory."

"Never, " Daniel was about to tell Osiris what to do with its 
satisfaction, when the ship shuddered. He glanced around nervously 
wondering what had just happened.

"We have arrived." Unconcerned by the ship's movement, Osiris got up and 
walked to the door, looking back at Daniel before leaving the room. 
"Dress. I have work for you."

                         *******************

Nick was waiting at the foot of the ramp as Colonel O'Neill led his team 
into the Gateroom. The colonel's face was set with determination, but 
there was a flicker of hope Nick hadn't seen before. He could almost 
feel the emotion sparking off O'Neill, reaching out to fan his own flame 
of desire. If anyone could bring Daniel back alive and well it was Jack 
O'Neill.

Behind O'Neill was Major Carter and the Jaffa Teal'c - Daniel's friends. 
Nick knew both of them would gladly die for his grandson, and he 
couldn't help but offer up a prayer that such a sacrifice would be 
needed.

And finally there was Morten, Daniel's replacement. Nick knew little 
about the soldier, but if Jack O'Neill trusted him, that was good enough 
for him.

He stepped forward as the team pulled to a halt at the base of the ramp.

"Colonel O'Neill."

"Nick." The colonel seemed surprised to see him. "Does Janet know you're 
out of the infirmary?"

"I am quite well, I assure."

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught movement from General Hammond.

"Doctor Ballard has requested to accompany you Jack. I've already told 
him that isn't possible."

Nick flinched as O'Neill turned a sympathetic gaze on him. The colonel's 
hand waved towards the Stargate. "We may be heading into a battle. It's 
no place for an old man."

Old man! Nick bristled. "Daniel is my grandson. And he is in trouble. 
You must let me help him."

His appeal fell on deaf ears. O'Neill shook his head. "I'm sorry. Not 
this time." 

The colonel reached out and squeezed his shoulder. Angrily Nick shrugged 
him off. "You think I'll be a hindrance, but I can take care of myself." 
He gestured towards Jack's revolver. "I can shoot one of those as well 
as anyone in this room."

O'Neill's eyes widened slightly at the claim, but almost as quickly he 
shuttered down any emotion. "That's not the issue, Nick. I'm sorry, but 
you can't come." He glanced over his soldier. "Open it up, technician."

Defeated Nick moved to O'Neill's side as the Stargate began to spin. It 
was magnificent. And to think his Daniel had solved the riddle that made 
it all possible. His heart lurched at memories of all the harsh words 
that had been spoken between them over the years. There was so much to 
regret...

Beside him he was vaguely aware of O'Neill and Hammond in conversation, 
words on encouragement offered, received and reciprocated. Nick chewed 
at his bottom lip. He had never crossed his mind that Daniel wouldn't be 
here, waiting at the SGC for his return. It was only in these past 
couple of days that he'd fully comprehended what a dangerous job Daniel 
had. And now he was out there, believing himself enslaved for the rest 
of his life...

He caught O'Neill's gaze, saw the look of apology in the man's eyes as 
he led his team up the ramp. 'It's no place for an old man'. O'Neill was 
right of course. 

The team was at the event horizon now. There was the briefest of 
hesitation as, almost as one entity, they pulled in a breath. Then they 
were gone.

Something snapped inside Nick. Suddenly he was running. Running up the 
ramp towards the shimmering blue light. Somebody yelled his name. 
Military boots pounded behind him, shaking the metal beneath his feet. 
With as much effort as he could muster, he simultaneously threw himself 
at the event horizon and sent an appeal to any deity who might be paying 
attention.

                         *******************

Daniel hated having to do this. His whole life had been dedicated to the 
preservation of history and diverse cultures and it tore at his soul to 
desecrate the monument in the middle of the town's square.

Osiris had dispatched a tel-tak to transport Daniel and a platoon of 
Jaffa to the remote community, one of several hundred on the planet that 
Osiris had chosen for a base.

The towering statue of Pluto held two devices similar to that which had 
been destroyed when Daniel was zatted. He had figured that he wouldn't 
be able to buy much time with his actions, but he hadn't realized where 
the artefact was from or just how plentiful the supply of it would be.

Upon landing, Osiris had revealed why this planet had been selected as 
the base for operations. The weapon would need a new one of those 
devices after only a few uses. Here, nearly every sizeable settlement 
had a similar symbol of the god they worshipped, all equipped with the 
devices.

Daniel had not been able to determine properly what the purpose of these 
artefacts were in their correct housings, but for Osiris' weapon they 
apparently provided some sort of power source. They had a finite life, 
hence the need to replace them so often and Daniel wondered gloomily 
just how many times Osiris intended to use the weapon.

He berated himself for having picked the one artefact that Osiris could 
readily find any number of replacements for- give or take a brief battle 
or two with the locals.

Scratching irritably at his newly healed skin, Daniel considered his 
move.

He wandered into the square, unchallenged, but for a few quizzical looks 
at his odd apparel. The people here were very well covered in long gowns 
and robes and Daniel couldn't help but envy them. Apart from the obvious 
embarrassment factor of his skimpy outfit, the place was cold and he 
shivered as a light drizzle began to fall.

After circling the statue's base once, reading the inscription 
carefully, he stood back and studied the sculpture, searching for a safe 
route up. He shook his head to loosen the damp hair sticking to his 
forehead in clumps. It was quite a while since he'd worn it this long 
and it was beginning to get on his nerves, especially now as it 
channelled the rainwater to drip in his eyes.

Shivering again, this time more in anticipation than from the cold, he 
leapt onto the base. Ignoring the angry shouts that started to reach his 
ears, he continued to climb.

Staff blasts began to zing past him as the Jaffa broke cover to fire at 
the townsfolk that were now running toward the crazy young man daringly 
ascending their shrine.

Daniel balanced himself precariously on the arm of the statue, mindful 
of the fact that it was becoming slippery. He took an instrument from 
the pouch slung round his shoulder and started to pry one of the eye-
pieces from the roughly carved face.

A stone hurled up from an irate man that had managed to dodge the 
advancing Jaffa hit Daniel's thigh and threatened to knock him from his 
perch. Another caught his shin and his foot slipped. Sucking in a huge 
gulp of air, he scrambled frantically to renew his tentative purchase on 
the treacherous surface.

Daniel managed to reach his trembling arms around the statue's head and 
he clung to it gratefully. He closed his eyes to the horizon see-sawing 
unnervingly in his vision and waited for the vertigo to pass.

He didn't want to fall. Although, it wasn't so much the idea of his body 
meeting unsympathetically with the ground from such a dizzy height that 
forced him to hang on tight, as the thought of what the gathering mob 
might do to him, if he suddenly found himself down there with them.

A voice in his head hissed at him reproachfully to complete his task.

Cracking his eyes open, he was thankful to find that there were now very 
few people below capable of launching anything in his direction. The 
main body of the crowd was being held in check behind their dwellings, 
as they sheltered from the Jaffa's weapons volleys.

'Do your work, slave.' Osiris screamed again in his mind.

Daniel pulled himself upright and was rather surprised to see the tool 
still clenched in his right hand.

'Do it!' Sarah's impatient tone, entwined with the deeper one, was 
sinister in the extreme.

"Okay!" Daniel yelled back. "Whatever happened to asking nicely?" A 
sharp twinge in his temple dulled his bravado. "Alright." He conceded. 
"I'm on it." 

With a snap, the eye came out of its fixings in the stone. Daniel 
quickly stowed it in the pouch and started to clamber down.

He jumped down from the base, the wet earth cool to the soles of his 
bare feet. Scampering back to the tree line, he was grateful for the 
escorting Jaffa covering his hasty evacuation from town's square. With 
the retreat of the raiding party, the townspeople dared to restart their 
campaign, but only a few of the various objects being utilized as 
missiles by the agitated crowd made the distance to thump near his feet.

His heinous crime complete, Daniel leaned back against a tree to catch 
his breath. He'd done it. Run the gauntlet. Whoa, what a rush!

The Jaffa began to march past him on their way back to the tel-tak. One 
of the last warriors to reach the cover of the forest gave Daniel a 
rough shove in the direction of the ship. The bruising blow grounded his 
thoughts. Oh God, what had he done?

Daniel gazed sadly over his shoulder at the bodies of those who had been 
brave enough to be within striking distance of him. How could he have 
been glad that they'd been cut down? Had he really come to that? All 
those innocents slain, just to allow him to steal from them. He wasn't 
merely taking their property, but their lives and their faith.

                         *******************

Osiris was waiting for them to return.

The small craft landed in the designated bay and the raiding party 
exited to file past. Two Jaffa were missing, a small price to pay.

"You have it?" Osiris held out a hand as Daniel approached.

"Yes." Daniel said quietly as he handed the bag to the Goa'uld. He came 
round to stand at Osiris' side.

"It pleases me that you have finally accepted your place."

Daniel stared back, resignation rather than acceptance in his eyes, but 
Osiris smiled. His patience would pay off. He had no doubt of that. Bit 
by bit, he was grinding the young man's spirit down. The subliminal 
messages he passed to Daniel suggesting that he had already given in to 
him would work, he just had to bide his time... one day. 

Soon he would have the weapon complete and then he would show them all 
the supreme power of Osiris - the Tollans, the Tok'Ra, the Asgard, the 
Tau'ri and all those back biting System Lords that would challenge his 
position.

Soon.

After all that there would be one final conquest to make. Daniel 
Jackson.

                         *******************

"What the hell?" Jack blew out an exasperated breath as a fifth, 
entirely unwelcome member of the team tumbled out of the Stargate and 
went head-over-heels down the stone steps. He took four strides and then 
bent down and hauled Nick to his feet by the back of his jacket.

"God damn it! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Behind him the 
Stargate deactivated.

Nick brushed the dirt from his clothes and turned steely blue eyes on 
Jack. "He's my grandson."

Jack shook his head, before turning away and muttering under his breath. 
"Well at least I know where Daniel gets that suicidal stubborn streak 
from now."

Dismissing Nick as an argument he didn't have time to hold, and would 
most like not win, his thoughts turned to more immediate problems. 

"Heads up, people. Just because Osiris hasn't seen fit to post guards on 
the 'gate doesn't mean we're not about to be knee deep in shit."

A glint of gold in the distance caught his attention and he clambered up 
the steep dusty slope of the earthwork that encircled the Stargate. 
Dropping onto his front at the top of the rise, he pulled out his 
binoculars and let out a long low whistle at what he could see.

The Jaffa encampment was vast. It completely surrounded the pyramid-
shaped ship, save for a strip a few metres wide that formed a path to 
the entrance of the huge vessel.

"Holy Hannah!" Carter exclaimed, as the rest of the group dropped in 
alongside Jack on the ridge.

"I thought Osiris had been out of the game for a while, how'd he 
accumulate an army that big so quickly?" Jack pondered aloud.

Teal'c offered him an explanation, "Osiris' name holds much reverence 
and fear. There are many Goa'uld, even of system lord status that would 
allege themselves with him for their own ends. I would expect that these 
Jaffa have either been given as a gift, or simply taken from defeated 
Goa'ulds.

As they surveyed the movements of the warriors below, a tel-tak exited 
the mother ship and flew past, heading toward a low mountain range not 
far behind them.

"I believe that Osiris is on board that tel-tak." Teal'c informed the 
rest of the team.

"How do you know?" Morten enquired scornfully.

"There is a crest on the front of the tel-tak usually reserved for use 
by the Goa'uld."

Morten seemed unimpressed with the explanation.

"Do you think Daniel would be with him?" Jack asked.

"It is possible." Teal'c replied.

Silently, they all watched as the tel-tak descended slowly, onto what 
looked like a flat topped peak. It was soon out of sight.

"They hold about twenty Jaffa, right, Teal'c?" Jackchecked with the big 
man.

"Correct, O'Neill. Though there may be fewer if it is transporting 
cargo."

"Well, one thing's for sure, we'd have a lot better chance against 
twenty, than that lot down there," Jack said, indicating the hoards of 
Jaffa around the mother ship, "and even if Daniel isn't with them, maybe 
we can get to Osiris and use him to free Daniel."

"You've gotta be kidding, right?" Morten gasped.

"Look, we came here to get Daniel back and I'll use whatever means I 
have to, to do it. You gotta problem with that?" Jack berated him.

"N-no." Morten stammered.

"So, Nick," Jack called. "We're going to have to move at quite a pace. 
Though I don't suppose there's a snowball's chance in hell of convincing 
you to wait here, if you'd rather *not* go, I'm sure Morten would 
volunteer to baby-sit." He threw the Lieutenant an intolerant glare.

"I'll be fine, Colonel," Nick answered firmly, giving Morten his own 
version of Jack's expression.

"Okay then," Jack swung round, giving the team his orders. "Teal'c take 
point; Carter watch our six; Nick," he clapped the old man on the 
shoulder, "You're with me. Let's move out."

He had deliberately left Morten out of the list. The younger soldier had 
been bugging him with his attitude ever since Nick had crashed through 
the 'gate back on Earth. Jack gave Morten a cursory once-over as the man 
fell into step behind him, curious at the evident preoccupation clouding 
his face. He hoped that the Lieutenant would be able to get a grip on 
himself before the action started.

                         *******************

Standing at the observation window of the tel-tak, Daniel's gaze wasn't 
on the teeming Jaffa encampment below, but on his own reflection. He 
closed his eyes, trying to blot out the leather-clad image of himself as 
Osiris' slave. He suddenly realised he'd become accustomed to the feel 
of the animal skin against his own. It had softened and moulded to him 
over time, but the sudden sight of himself had brought him back to 
reality.

God. He'd failed. A few more hours and the weapon would be complete. 
Then Osiris would carry out the threat to destroy the Tollan and, Daniel 
swallowed as emotional pain threatened to overwhelm him, turn the rivers 
of Earth to blood.

Ever since he'd returned with the final piece of the jigsaw, the piece 
he'd paid a painful yet futile prize to destroy, he'd been racking his 
brain, trying to come up with some new way to foil the goa'uld. The only 
thing in his head, though, was Osiris' voice softly taunting him with 
his defeat, and an even quieter voice murmuring words he couldn't quite 
catch.

He felt so tired. So much fighting, so much resistance and what had he 
achieved? Nothing. Perhaps he should just give up.

Perhaps he already had. 

                         *******************

Jack was glad their luck was holding. The tel-tak had not returned to 
the mother ship, so he guessed that Osiris was still on the mountain. It 
had taken them three hours of hard hiking to get to a decent vantage 
point.

"Nick?" he asked quietly, helping the old man to sit before he fell 
down.

"I am alright, Colonel." Nick assured him.

Unconvinced, Jack kept one eye on him while doing a quick recce of their 
position.

The mountain looked like it had once been a volcano. In his mind Jack 
crossed his fingers that it was indeed extinct.

The team crouched along the rim of the crater watching the activity 
about twenty metres below them on the flat, hardened surface, where 
presumably a well of molten larva had once steamed and bubbled.

"Looks like they're assembling something, Sir. Best guess would be a 
weapon of some sort." Carter whispered while peering through her 
binoculars at the objects the Jaffa were shuttling from the ship and 
piecing together in the center of the hollow.

She scanned the site. Excitedly, she began tugging on Jack's jacket. 
"It's Daniel, Sir."

Jack squinted in the direction the major was pointing and spotted a 
figure emerging from the tel-tak. He did a double take. Geez, now he 
understood why Nick had been so fixated about Daniel's attire. The 
thought of Daniel running around dressed like that was like a blow to 
his solar plexus. The minute the two of them got back to the SGC they 
were going to have a very serious conversation about Daniel's virtue, 
which had better, damn it all to hell, still be intact.

He looked over at the old man, who was sadly shaking his head. It was 
impossible to tell whether Nick's disapproval was at the shameful sight 
of his grandson's clothing or the fact he was walking alongside the 
being responsible for the dreadful decimation on the planet where Nick 
had been treated with such kindness.

Time to put a few things straight again. "Right, here's what we do. 
Carter, you and Morten... Morten?" He glanced around, making a head 
count - Carter. Teal'c. Nick. Mo....? "Where the hell is...?" he started 
and then his eyes fell on the rocky outcrop a few metres below them.

Oh, crap. He could just see Morten, peering over the edge of the 
overhang, scandalously close to the enemy. What was the man doing?

Laughingly, he pondered what he'd done to deserve it, he'd lost one 
impulsive linguist come archaeologist and had gained two, a headstrong 
Nick inviting himself along on the hazardous mission... and now Morten 
had apparently abandoned his good little 'Yes, Sir,' soldier routine in 
favor of the reckless hero act. Daniel's legacy obviously lived on.

"Morten." Jack hissed as loudly as he dared. He tried again, more 
urgently, "Morten." The Lieutenant either couldn't hear or was ignoring 
him.

Jack was about to try the radio, when he suddenly realized what Morten 
was about to do.

Christ, that wasn't heroism, that was stupidity.

Not caring if he alerted every Jaffa on the planet to his position, Jack 
screamed, "Noooo!" as he propelled himself down the slope in the 
direction of the younger soldier.

"Sir!" Carter's cry sounded no more than a whisper above the roar of the 
scree subsiding beneath his boots as he disappeared over the rim of the 
crater and scrabbled down the perilous scarp. Locking his eyes on the 
scene below, he could only watch in horror as Morten's index finger 
curled into the ring.

He could almost hear the screech of metal rasping against metal as the 
lieutenant wrenched the pin free of its clasp.

A rock slid from under Jack's feet, sending him plunging down the rough 
bank on his rear. Shit! He wasn't going to make it.

Why the hell was Morten doing this? They hadn't weighed any options yet. 
It was completely out of order. At least when Daniel bypassed protocol 
it was with everyone's welfare in mind. Jack wondered why he hadn't seen 
the possibility of this type of behaviour before, but then all of 
Morten's psyche evaluations had been perfect... and he'd never so much 
as questioned a command until today. Then there were those odd comments 
of resistance in response to their plans, so how come he was so keen to 
get in the thick of things now? And didn't he realize who was down 
there?

Fighting to bring his clumsy slide under control, he gauged the distance 
to his target. Morten was drawing his fist back, preparing the launch.

Nearly there...

Desperation and hope spurred Jack on. In a slick movement that many a 
gymnast would envy, he rolled onto his stomach to bring his knees up 
under himself and managed to regain his footing. He stretched his long 
legs in a frantic dash across the last few metres.

Just a couple more seconds...

Morten's arm was starting its forward motion, ready to throw. Jack leapt 
at the younger soldier, colliding with him just as the grenade left 
Morten's hand.

So close...

The two men grunted loudly as they tumbled into the scrubby bushes, both 
landing heavily. Twisting, to locate the object against the bright sky, 
Jack quickly picked it out as it flew gracefully, arcing up and out over 
the crater. From of the corner of his eye, he could see Morten watching 
it too... a sick grin plastered on his face, as the grenade seemed to 
sail through the air in perfect slow motion, towards Osiris... and 
Daniel!

                         *******************

The report of the concussion reverberated around the steep walls of the 
crater. Smoke and dust plumed in great clouds, enveloping the flying 
bodies and hail of spewed rock.

Jack hardly registered the explosion. He roughly hauled Morten to his 
feet and let rip with a punch that immediately put the Lieutenant back 
on the ground even less gracefully. "You son of a bitch!" he yelled.

He took in a satisfied eyeful of the felled man, struggling to breathe, 
while holding on to the wreckage of his nose and then turned his gaze to 
the scene of carnage below.

"Sir?" Carter was suddenly at his elbow, clearly waiting his orders.

The handful of Jaffa that had escaped the blast relatively unscathed 
were already turning their attention towards them. He waved her forward. 
"Go." Spinning round, he shouted to Teal'c. "Let's find Daniel."

As Teal'c and Carter set off, Jack did a quick scan for Nick. Crap! How 
had the old man got so far ahead of him?

"Nick! Wait up!" Jack gave chase, fearful for the archaeologist's 
safety. Nick though, appeared to have mountain goat blood coursing 
through his veins. He moved nimbly down the treacherous scree while Jack 
found himself slipping and sliding.

"Nick!" Suddenly Jack's feet went right out from him. He tumbled head 
over heels and came up hard against an outcrop of rock. As he struggled 
to his feet he realised he'd lost sight of the old man.

P-90 at the ready, Jack safely finished his descent and began to search 
the level ground. Smoke billowed, filling his lungs with an acrid stench 
and the nausea-inducing smell of the dead and dying. Grimacing he 
untangled two bodies that were covering a third, fearful of what he 
might find. 

The two upper most bodies were older Jaffa, the body underneath - much 
to Jack's relief - was also a Jaffa, younger than the others. In fact 
little more than a boy. It didn't take much imagination to figure the 
older men had been trying to protect the younger one. Jack cursed at the 
futile sacrifice, suddenly all too aware that the Jaffa were more than 
just the enemy, that they too were sons, husbands, fathers. 

Stop it! This wasn't helping Daniel.

Thick dark smoke swirled around him and then suddenly cleared. Jack 
blinked, his eyes watering in the polluted air. Wait. There. Was it? Oh 
God, yes. It was Nick. Kneeling on the ground. A limp, blood-spattered 
body in his arms.

Something colder than ice wrapped itself around Jack's heart, driving 
the breath from him, as he approached, suddenly terrified of what he 
might find.

Oh God, Daniel. He looked dead. 

His face, the skin so deathly pale, was streaked with blood and dirt. 
His short military-style haircut had grown out over the months, but now 
dark blonde strands were slick with a gory redness. The ridiculous 
costume he wore had done nothing to protect him from the blast. His 
chest and legs were a mess, from small abrasions to deeper wounds.

Jack fell to his knees. "Is he...?"

Nick's pain-filled blue eyes turned towards him. "Too late," he 
whispered, rocking Daniel gently. "Too late."

The words speared into Jack as denial rose. No. Not Daniel. This 
couldn't be... His hand shook treacherously as he reached towards 
Daniel's neck. He pulled in a sharp breath, swallowed and steeled 
himself. Fingers touched skin, still warm despite the chalky pallor. No 
pulse. 

Jack's fingers smeared blood as he moved them. Please God. Please let 
there be a ... Yes! There. Faint, but steady.

He rocked back on his heels, fighting back the tears of relief that 
threatened to overwhelm him. 

"Too late," Nick repeated.

"He's not dead, Nick."

"Too late..."

"Nick!" Jack reached forward and grabbed the man's biceps. "Daniel's not 
dead."

Comprehension finally flashed into Nick's eyes. His gaze dropped to 
Daniel's face. "Not dead?"

"No," Jack replied, shucking off his backpack. "But if we want to keep 
him that way we need to act fast. Do you know any first aid?"

"Of course." Nick's tone was indignant.

Oh yeah. Nick was back alright. "Good. You'll find bandages and 
antiseptic in my pack. Morphine too should you need it. You do know how 
to..."

"Yes, yes. I can give an injection." Nick was already reaching for the 
pack. "What are you going to do?"

Jack turned a steely gaze to where Carter and Teal'c were battling it 
out with the Jaffa guarding the tel-tak. "We're going to get ourselves a 
ship. And then we're going to get Daniel the hell out of here."

He looked back down at the unconscious archaeologist and then round at 
the broken and dead bodies strewn around the site. No sign of Osiris, 
but the goa'uld had to be here somewhere. His right hand went to his 
holster and he quickly extracted his revolver, handing it to Nick with a 
grimace. "Let's hope you don't need to use this."

                         *******************

Nick had bandaged plenty of men in his time. It was impossible to work 
in dangerous and remote areas without a practical knowledge of first 
aid. Bandaging Daniel was totally different, though. He felt as though 
every laceration, every bruise was his own.

Fighting with his own emotions, he worked methodically. Some of Daniel's 
wounds were little more than abrasions that needed a swab of antiseptic. 
Others would require more expert attention than he could offer in the 
field, but at least he could clean out the worst of the dirt and stop 
some of the bleeding.

"Daniel, Daniel," he chided gently. "See what happens when you ignore an 
old man's advice and spend your life chasing aliens. And to think I told 
you I was glad you were right. Foolish boy. Since when did studying 
archaeology lead to a life as a soldier..." 

"...I should never have left you. A boy needs his grandfather. I know 
that now." He wiped antiseptic over a particularly nasty gash on 
Daniel's rib cage wincing as he did so. That was going to need stitches. 
"Oh, Daniel... should never have let you out of my sight. So much 
trouble..."

"N... Nick?"

"Thought I'd never get over losing your mother. If I lose you too..."

"Nick." 

A hand plucked at his sleeve.

"Daniel?" Nick's heart surged with delight as he found Daniel looking at 
him.

A flicker of confusion marred Daniel's face. "W..ww.where...?"

"Shush, boy." Nick laid a finger against Daniel's lips. "Don't waste 
your strength talking. You are hurt badly. You got caught in a grenade 
blast."

Daniel moistened his lips, clearly finding it an effort to talk. 
"Grenade? You brought Jack?"

Nick ignored the question, more concerned about the lines of pain 
forming on Daniel's face. "I have morphine.... 

He turned away, but a blood-splattered hand reached out towards his 
face, catching his attention. Daniel's words were so soft that Nick had 
to lean closer to hear them. "I was...afraid you were dead."

Nick grasped Daniel's hand in his own, squeezing the fingers tightly. 
"It would take more than some parasite with a delusion of grandeur to 
get rid of me, Daniel. Especially when I knew you needed me. I made the 
mistake of leaving you to fend for yourself once..."

"Nick, don't." Daniel shook his head, wincing at the movement. "What's 
past is past."

"I was a terrible grandfather, Daniel. Even insisting on you calling me 
Nick. I didn't like thinking of myself as old." He looked down at 
Daniel, and gently pressed his hand to his grandson's pale cheek. "You 
know if you were ever to want to..." He hesitated feeling suddenly 
foolish. Daniel seemed to understand, though.

"I'd like that," he whispered. "Grandpa." 

"Daniel?" Nick's eyes widened in alarm as Daniel closed his eyes, once 
more going limp. He tapped Daniel's cheek gently. "Come on, Daniel. 
Don't give up now."

Eyelids flickered and then opened. Daniel grimaced. "Hurts..."

"I know. But I can help with that." Nick twisted round, fumbling for the 
morphine and desperately seeking O'Neill with his gaze. A shadow fell 
across the medical kit. Nick looked up, hoping to see one of SG-1, but 
instead found himself looking into the face of Osiris.

                         *******************

Jack's arrival at Teal'c's side, together with the news that Daniel was 
alive, swung the balance against the final pocket of resistance. Within 
minutes, SG-1 were inside the tel-tak, sweeping the interior for hidden 
Jaffa.

"All clear sir." Carter finished checking the storage area and joined 
her team-mates.

Jack nodded in response. "Teal'c get this thing ready to fly. Carter, 
does this thing have emergency medical supplies. I'd rather use a 
stretcher to get Daniel back here than have to carry him over my 
shoulder."

Carter's eyes swept the main area. "There's nothing in here, but there 
were some pallets in the storage area. Give me a few minutes and I'll 
get something together."

"I'll be with Daniel," Jack replied, heading towards the door.

Osiris! Jack's heart sank as he saw the distinctive figure of the 
goa'uld standing over Daniel and Nick. "Hold it right there!"

As he pulled to a halt a few steps away, Sarah's face turned towards 
him. Jack winced at the sight. Her beautiful complexion was marred with 
blood and burns, and as Osiris twisted her features into a mask of rage, 
the result was almost grotesque. 

"Jack O'Neill." The goa'uld voice hissed with malevolence and contempt. 
"I have learned much of you from Daniel."

"Nothing good, I'm sure," Jack retorted, his gaze briefly met Daniel's. 
"You okay?"

Before Daniel could reply, Osiris took a step closer to him. "Call your 
people from the tel-tak. Daniel and I are leaving now."

The tip of Jack's P-90 jerked up. "Over my dead body."

A cruel smile cut across Sarah's face. "No, O'Neill. If you do not allow 
me to leave it will be over Daniel's dead body."

"You stay away from him."

In response Osiris' smile merely hardened.

Jack swallowed as he caught a look of sheer desperation on Daniel's 
face. "Jack, you don't... Arrrggghhh!"

Daniel suddenly arched in pain, twisting up and away from Nick's frantic 
attempts to hold him. Folding his arms over his head, his body slammed 
face down into the dirt. 

The P-90 fired. The bullets ricocheting harmlessly off Osiris' 
shielding. Jack snarled in fury. "Whatever you're doing to him, stop it 
now."

Amusement rippled across Sarah's face. "What *I* am doing, colonel? No. 
You are responsible for the pain he is suffering, O'Neill. He is 
remembering a time when you left him behind."

Horrified Jack stared at Daniel's twisted body. "What the hell are you 
talking about? I never leave anyone behind."

"Really? That's not how Daniel remembers it."

Understanding suddenly filtered into Jack's brain as he registered the 
presence of the silver disc in Daniel's temple. "You're torturing him 
with his own memories?"

Osiris smiled. "It's been so entertaining. I have learned much from 
these sessions." The Goa'uld paced forward, limping slightly. "He has 
fought me well, but this time, he has little strength with which to 
resist me. The images and feelings are very real this time."

"Son of a bitch!"

"Don't you want to know which memory he's enjoying? Let me give you a 
clue" Sarah's eyes flashed brilliantly as Osiris intensified the hold on 
Daniel's mind. The archaeologist groaned. 

"Can't breathe, " he gasped. "Sorry, Jack, couldn't run... chains..."

"Now do you remember?" Osiris taunted. 

Jack shook his head, still barely able to comprehend what was happening. 

Osiris' glanced down at Daniel without compassion. "Tell me. How long 
did he suffer in the mine, before he died?"

Nick looked up at Jack, the unspoken question all too obvious in his 
eyes.

"The mine?" Jack suddenly realized the source of Daniel's torment, but 
he had no answer to the question. Had Daniel been dead when Shyla placed 
him in the sarcophagus? How long had it taken the guards to free him 
from the rock-fall? He had no idea. They had been dragged away back to 
work with the sight of Daniel's broken body buried amongst the stones 
burning their consciences.

Daniel groaned again and shuddered, heaving in ragged breaths. "Jack."

"It is an interesting memory, is it not? The memories that follow are 
even more intriguing. He has done well to hide them from me for so long. 
But now I know the hold the sarcophagus can have over him..."

Jack shook his head. "Daniel's not leaving with you," he said defiantly, 
even though he had no idea how to break the stalemate. As if to 
emphasise his powerlessness, Daniel emitted another shuddery groan.

The sound of footsteps behind him was startling. Jack risked a glance 
over his shoulder and was stunned to see Morten weaving towards them. 
Great. He'd been praying for a miracle but this definitely wasn't what 
he had in mind.

"Let Jackson go and I'll do his job for you." Morten said nasally, as he 
stepped forward.

"What?" Jack stared at him.

"Well, I take it my career's pretty much over at the SGC..."

"Ya think?"

"So, what have I got to lose?"

Osiris approached Morten skeptically. "And what do *you* have to offer?"

"I'm a linguist, like Jackson." Morten puffed his chest proudly.

"Don't kid yourself." Jack snorted with derision.

"Jackson has many... talents." Osiris narrowed Sarah's eyes, glancing 
teasingly at Jack. "I'm not sure that you could satisfy my needs."

Jack bristled. He was definitely going to have a long talk with Daniel 
when they got home. "Look, let's get one thing straight... No one is 
going with you."

Apparently pleased with the responses Jack was subconsciously giving, 
Osiris continued, "How will you stop me? My Jaffa will have the Stargate 
surrounded by now. There is no way out for you. First, you will watch 
your friend die. Then I will kill the rest of you, before taking Daniel 
back to my ship. The sarcophagus will heal his wounds, and then it will 
steal his soul, but not before I have enjoyed the pleasure of showing 
him that you all died in the futile attempt to rescue him... and you can 
be sure that I will show him exactly the torments you suffered before 
you begged for the mercy I did not proffer."

"You're not going anywhere." Jack repeated vainly. Where the hell were 
Carter and Teal'c? A few more minutes and this stand-off was going to 
result in one very dead archaeologist.

Morten, meanwhile stood his ground as Osiris circled him. "It's not 
O'Neill's decision to make... it's mine. I'm offering you a trade... my 
life, for his." He pointed at Daniel who's eyes were tightly shut as he 
wheezed through the imagined agony of crushed ribs and punctured lungs.

Osiris laughed and raised a gloved hand, the jewel in his palm already 
glowing. "Your life is worth nothing to me." 

A deadly beam of light from the Goa'uld's hand device ensnared Morten, 
driving him to his knees. Moving as if suspended in treacle, the 
lieutenant began to bring his gun up. Nick's attention snapped back to 
Daniel, but the vain hope that Osiris' switch of victim would mean 
relief for his grandson was shattered. Where moments before Daniel had 
still been struggling to suck air into his tortured lungs, his crumpled 
body was now motionless.

Taking advantage of Osiris' distraction, Nick shuffled over to Daniel 
and lifted him by the shoulders. Trembling with anguish, he turned the 
unresisting form over and shifted grip to embrace him once more. He 
studied Daniel's face, somewhere under the bloody flecks and smudges of 
dirt... buried beneath that mask of agony... was the handsome, youthful 
face with the eyes of his mother... the face that he'd seen frown with 
concentration - frequently, scowl with fury - once or twice, quiver with 
sadness - all too often, light up with joy - all too rarely.

Nick hoped that he'd get the chance to put some of his wrongs to right. 
He didn't want the last thing he could do for his grandson to be to hold 
him as he died. He raked an unsteady hand through Daniel's unkempt hair, 
whispering, "Hang on, boy."

Movement to his right made him jump. It was O'Neill. The Colonel glanced 
anxiously over at Morten and Osiris then quickly bent over and yanked 
the memory device from Daniel's temple. Dropping it to the dirt, he 
ground it beneath his boot before dropping to Daniel' side. A blue tinge 
coloured Daniel's lips.

"C'mon, Daniel," he hissed urgently, tapping the younger man's cheeks. 
"It's not real. Let it go." 

Nothing. Daniel wasn't breathing. Pulling Daniel from Nick's arms, he 
tilted the young man's head back and blew a life-giving breath into his 
body.

There was a burst of gunfire. Automatically, Nick and Jack jerked their 
heads round to see Morten's battle with Osiris. Blood flowed from a 
wound on the Goa'uld's shoulder. It looked as though one bullet had 
found its target but the remaining shots sparked on the curtain of 
energy as they were absorbed by the personal shield.

Nick could see that Jack was torn between the two situations, but with 
Morten still managing to fight back on his own, the colonel resumed his 
focus on Daniel, folding his hands over each other on the bloody chest.

Jack's eyes met Nick's. "Talk to him. Say something to... anything... to 
bring him back."

Nick stared at Daniel as Jack began chest compressions, his mind 
whirling. Talk to him? What could he say to jar Daniel back to reality? 
A memory of his own rose - seven year old Daniel sneaking out of his 
parent's tent early one morning unaware his grandfather was watching. 
Nick had virtually scared the lad out of his pants. He dug deep into his 
reserves and went for it, producing the most authoritative voice he 
could manage.

"Daniel Jackson. How many times has your mother told you not to go 
wandering off by yourself? You get back here right this instant!"

Nick could feel O'Neill's gaze on him, lingering, incredulous, even as 
he continued with the CPR.

For a long moment, there was no change. Then suddenly Daniel pulled in a 
wretched breath and his eyes opened. "Wha?" The words petered out as he 
myopically focused on the events around him.

                         *******************

Thank God! Jack allowed himself the briefest of moments to celebrate 
Daniel's return before turning his attention back to Morten. Despite 
everything the man was still part of SG-1, and his diversion had just 
been the catalyst for saving Daniel's life.

His hand found the handle of the knife on his hip. The action was 
instinctive. Slicing effectively through the Goa'uld's personal shield, 
the blade buried itself in Osiris' chest, just below the throat.

But Morten was already sagging, a bright burn marking his forehead. 
Damn, he had figured that he would have a few seconds leeway. Had 
loyalty to his friend allowed his priorities to get screwed? Could he 
have left Daniel's resuscitation to Nick? No. Looking at the old man, 
the usual assertiveness lost in a countenance of fear and shock, Jack 
knew that he'd been right to place his concentration where he had.

He had saved one life. 'The most important one,' a little voice in his 
head threw at him, accusingly. No, that wasn't the reason. He had done 
the right thing. It seemed quite probable to him now that he would have 
had at least two dead bodies in front of him now, even if he had tried 
to help Morten first.

Morten's slack body hit the ground with a soft thud.

A shriek of defiance ripped from Osiris', as Sarah's hands were 
manipulated to pull the knife from her chest.

For a chilling moment, Jack thought the weapon was coming straight back 
at him. Instead it dropped harmlessly onto the dirt, just a few feet 
from Osiris and the Goa'uld joined it face down. The ornate robes wafted 
briefly, until the momentum of the fall faded.

Jack wooshed out a breath. His eyes widened when he noticed the second 
knife jutting out of Osiris' back.

"What kept you?" Jack asked, looking up to see Teal'c and Carter running 
over. He checked Morten for any signs of life, shaking his head when he 
found none. Grief for a fallen comrade dug into his conscience. He'd 
hardly known Morten, probably hadn't given the guy chance to get 
close... In his mind it was a temporary placement, just until they got 
Daniel back. Perhaps Morten had deserved better. But now, his death was 
filed into that place where all the other battlefield casualties were 
stored, until he had the time to reconcile them... The living needed him 
more than those ghosts.

"Sorry, Sir," Carter apologised, shakily. "There were... a couple... of 
Jaffa... lurking behind the tel-tak..."

Jack didn't need to hear anymore. He doubted they'd had an easy time of 
dealing with the Jaffa judging by Carter's singed sleeve and the bruised 
lump forming on the side of Teal'c's forehead, though he hadn't heard a 
thing. "You okay?"

"Fine, Sir," replied Carter, her breathing finally losing the huffs and 
puffs of exertion.

"Indeed," Teal'c agreed simply.

"Daniel." Carter stooped over the injured man, who was back in his 
grandfather's arms. "Are you a sight for sore eyes!"

                         *******************

Daniel could do no more than look at his team-mate with an overwhelmed 
expression, tears teetering in the corners of his eyes.

"Hey, it's okay," she said to him, getting down closer and giving him a 
careful hug.

It felt good with Nick behind him and Sam almost smothering him. He 
couldn't remember much of what had happened in the last few minutes, but 
the relief on everyone's faces told him everything he needed to know.

Finally, he felt alive again. The past months of misery were quickly 
slipping away. The coldness of being alone was thawing... there was a 
steady and welcome warmth seeping back into his heart.

"You're cold."

Sam's voice was as clear as he had wished he could hear it all those 
times when he'd been studying the artefacts to create the weapon. He 
would theorise, muttering to himself as he knew he did, but it was with 
questions in mind that he would've put to Sam, things he thought she 
would know, or could speculate on. He had imagined her answers, arguing 
with him at times... but he didn't have to shut his eyes and recall the 
sound of her voice anymore.

Feeling himself being juggled between pairs of arms, Daniel felt the 
cloth of a jacket being drawn around his shoulders. It was the first 
time in months that he'd had anything other than leather clothes... and 
he used the term loosely... against his skin, but more than the texture 
of the material, he was drinking in the smell of it... Jack... 
sandalwood, spice and... well, Jack.

It was the same odour that had been there when he'd wept for Sha'uri. 
The same as when he'd been pulled into that big bear hug as his hair had 
been ruffled and that ridiculous nick-name had been uttered with more 
affection than he'd known in a very long time. The same as in that 
storeroom... where everything good about his life had so very nearly 
been ruined...

He hadn't really realized that he'd been shivering, but secure in Jack's 
jacket he was aware of the change in his physical state.

When he had first regained consciousness he had known there was 
something bad going down. Usually, his instinct was to talk... 
question... decipher... understand... and he had tried to, but he was so 
tired of it all. If more death was going to surround him, he didn't want 
to be witness to it. It had quashed his normal need to revive quickly 
and had chilled him more thoroughly than the blood loss or shock could 
ever conspire to do.

Daniel looked up, finding Nick's old, knowing eyes. Nick was alive! He'd 
been so worried. Another emotion pushed the grateful happiness of his 
grandfather's presence... anger. Jack shouldn't have let him come, what 
if he'd got hurt here? 

Come to think of it, how did they know Osiris would be here?

What the hell did it matter? They were here... and he could go home, 
just like Jack had promised. Daniel slowly twisted his head to find the 
jacket donor. He tried to smile, but he couldn't be sure that his face 
had reacted correctly to the command. Summoning the strength he had 
thought impossible only moments before, he said, "Thanks for coming."

                         *******************

Geez, Daniel, haven't you got it yet? No one... NO ONE... gets away with 
hurting one of my team. I promised you we'd get you back - you may not 
have known that, given that you told me I wasn't to try anything that 
would jeopardize Tollana - but I did. I keep my promises. "It took too 
long."

"You couldn't do anything while Tollana was under threat." Daniel's tone 
was forgiving.

The absolution meant nothing to Jack's sense of loyalty, or his 
commitment to keeping his team safe and well. Daniel's blood was on his 
hands... literally and figuratively. Unconsciously, he rubbed the ruddy 
stains on his pants and turned his mind back to practicalities. "Carter, 
stretcher?"

"All ready, Sir. I'll get it." Carter wheeled round to go back to the 
ship, but she stopped when Daniel protested.

"No, it's okay, I can walk." He put a hand to the ground to begin 
pushing himself away from Nick's hold. "Just help me up."

"Lay still, Daniel." Jack and Nick chorused. They looked at each other 
with curiosity.

Teal'c and Carter's regarded the pair with amusement. How many times did 
Daniel and Jack do the very same thing?

"I don't need to be carried," Daniel declared defiantly. "I'm fine."

"Daniel, you just died." The reality stuck in Jack's throat as he tried 
to point out to the younger man, that even if he felt *fine*, did he 
really expect them to treat him as if he was *fine*.

"Well, it's not like I haven't done it before." Daniel's smart mouthed 
comment stung more than he could have known and Jack could feel Nick's 
eyes boring into his person, but he was reluctant to meet the gaze. 
"Please, Jack. It looks worse than it is." Daniel had already peeled 
himself out of his grandfather's hold.

Reluctantly, Jack concluded that it was useless to try and talk Daniel 
out of his independence and he relented. "Come on then, big guy, time to 
go." He and Carter bent down and helped Daniel to his feet. "Okay?" Jack 
fixed Daniel with a hard glare that he hoped would show the kid that he 
really didn't have to prove anything to any of them.

Daniel nodded uncertainly; wincing as they both squeezed him a little 
tighter than was comfortable.

Nick stood up and moved to Daniel's side and wrapped an arm around his 
waist. Daniel tried to stifle the hiss that escaped as Nick's hand 
brushed against one of his many abrasions.

Before Jack could go back on his decision, Daniel spoke.

"She is still alive, isn't she?" Daniel was looking at Osiris' unmoving 
body, though Jack guessed the younger man was seeing only Sarah as the 
beautiful woman he had once been involved with. 

Teal'c, who had taken a position behind the Goa'uld, confirmed, "Osiris' 
lives, Daniel Jackson. The symbiote will be able to heal these 
injuries."

"Can we take her back, Jack?" He looked at Jack beseechingly. "The 
Tok'Ra could remove Osiris. I owe it to Sarah to try."

"We could use Osiris to get past the guards on the 'gate, Sir." Carter 
added weight to Daniel's argument and he smiled at her appreciatively.

"Okay." Jack grimaced as he gave in to the request. "Nick, can you 
manage?"

"Yes, Colonel."

Nick tightened his arm around Daniel's waist and Jack caught the 
suddenly clamped-shut eyes and bitten bottom lip that gave him more 
concern over Daniel's true physical condition.

Fending off the feeling of dread that threatened to break his resolve in 
letting Daniel have his own way, Jack set to with the rest of his 
orders. "Right. Teal'c, you take Osiris. Don't take any chances. You 
know how I hate surprises." Trusting the Jaffa to see to the securing of 
the Goa'uld, he watched Nick and Daniel get into step with each other.

Slowly, the two archaeologists made for the tel-tak following Teal'c 
with his burden. Daniel was limping badly and leaning heavily on his 
grandfather, but Jack was grateful just to see him moving.

Jack caught Carter's eye as he noticed that she was gazing at Daniel and 
Nick too. "We've got him back, Carter."

"Yes, Sir." Carter nodded. "He shouldn't be walking," she added, the 
concern in her voice obvious.

"Call that walking?" Jack quipped, trying to dispel her fears as well as 
his own.

Carter apparently took the hint, because she broke her study of Daniel's 
poor progress and looked over at Morten. "What now?"

"We get our butts back to the 'gate, but first, we've got some things to 
take care of here." He crossed to the Lieutenant's body. "I'll see to 
Morten. You collect all that stuff together." He pointed at the 
scattered weapon parts.

                         *******************

Jack stared at the array of items for a few moments. "What's your 
opinion, Major?"

"Well, Sir, most of these objects are damaged, I would guess 
irreparable. As for the pieces that are intact..." Carter hesitated, 
"shouldn't we take them back with us?"

Jack's slow nod was more one of thoughtfulness than agreement. "I 
presume you're referring to our standing orders to procure technology."

"Yes, Sir."

"Do you really want the likes of Maybourne and Simmons to get their 
hands on this stuff? You know the more I think about it, the more I 
agree with the Tollan philosophy... but don't quote me on that!" 

Carter laughed. "I see what you mean, Sir. I guess zatting the pieces 
would be as good as anything, but not all together. We don't know if any 
of them are volatile."

Jack shot her a perplexed expression. "Volatile?"

"Maybe Daniel..."

"We'll zat them." Jack said firmly. He wasn't going to drag Daniel back 
out just to see what a few weapon parts did.

Carter quickly made a line up of artefacts and hoped she'd put a safe 
distance between each of them. She ran back to Jack and they primed 
their zat guns.

Two lightning bolts crackled across the open space toward the distant 
metallic objects. Of the first targets, one merely sizzled, the other 
leapt into the air as it ignited and blew apart with a resounding bang. 
Carter and Jack ducked, their arms covering their heads as tiny shards 
of debris and dirt rained down around them.

"Oh yeah, what was that you were saying about 'volatile'?" Jack mumbled 
as he lifted his head.

There were only two pieces left. They chose one each and were just about 
to fire, when Daniel and Nick appeared at the doorway of the tel-tak and 
shouted together, "Not the orb!"

Jack spun round. His zat shot narrowly missing Carter as his finger 
reflexively twitched. He glared at the archaeologists. "Damn it, 
Daniel!"

"Sorry, Jack... Sam," Daniel apologized. "But, the orb..." he said, 
pointing to one of the distant objects, his whole arm shaking with the 
effort. He seemed to summon all his strength to offer an explanation. 
"It has to go back to the planet Nick was on, Jack, it sustains the life 
there."

Deciding he wasn't going to even ask how Daniel knew that, Jack opted 
for a more practical question. "And how do you propose we get it there? 
Nick doesn't know the co-ordinates."

"I do." Daniel said quietly.

"I thought you went there by ship." Jack remembered Nick's account of 
the attack on the planet, the looming presence of the huge pyramid ship 
in the sky and Osiris' arrival in the temple via transport rings.

"I... we did, but Osiris had a list of destinations for the items 
required to build the weapon. I saw it on there."

"You... memorized... the co-ordinates?"

"Yes," Daniel admitted sheepishly. "All of them."

"On the chance that you might have to return some of the stolen goods 
some day?"

"On the chance that I might be able to get a message out as to where 
Osiris was going." Sadly, Daniel dropped his head. "I couldn't."

Jack stood and stared at his friend. He had hoped that Daniel would 
never give up on himself... that he would use anything, everything to 
fight Osiris and whatever plans the Goa'uld had for the universe, but he 
knew it would come with a price. He had fully expected that cost to be 
Daniel's life.

Hell, he'd been infuriated with the archaeologist enough times to have 
threatened to kill him more than once - jokingly of course, well... most 
of the time, anyway. However, apparently Osiris had more need of Daniel 
than anyone had guessed and he thanked God for that... but had Daniel 
really spent the last few months thinking of himself as a failure for 
not being able to stop Osiris? Another topic for serious talk with the 
wrongfully guilt laden young man found itself listed in the 'To Do' 
section of Jack's brain... when they got home.

"Is it safe to transport?" he asked, pushing his concerns for Daniel's 
state of mind to the side for now.

"Yes."

"Okay, we'll take it." He'd only just got Daniel back and already he was 
having to listen to wild theories and give in to strange requests. 
Still, he would probably have done pretty much anything Daniel asked him 
to do right now, but he wasn't going to let Daniel know that. "Are you 
sure there isn't any thing else you'd like to load us up with?"

"No... Thanks, Jack."

"Just don't go putting it about that I'm going soft in my old age."

"It's not being soft, Jack." Daniel countered. "It's doing the right 
thing and I've never known you *not* to want to do that."

Jack was touched by the sentiment, but could find no words to answer.

Carter retrieved the orb and zatted the remaining artefact before 
heading back to the tel-tak.

When Daniel swayed a little despite Nick's persistent hold on him, Jack 
reached an arm around the young man's shoulders and helped guide him 
back inside the ship. "You need to rest... and let Nick take care of the 
rest of those wounds, okay?"

Daniel nodded slowly, a faint, "'kay, Jack," was lost in a sharp 
inhalation as he stumbled, jarring his injuries. He leant a little more 
against Jack's side and Nick glanced at Jack on feeling the slight shift 
away from him. Jack gave him a placating but tight smile in return. He 
knows he can rely on me, Nick. I've been there through some tough 
shit... where were you?

As Daniel was settled on the floor, he gave a low groan. Looking at his 
pale, drawn features, Jack asked, "Have you had anything for the pain?"

Nick answered him, "I was just about to give Danyel some morphine when 
Osiris..." he hesitated, patting his pockets, "The med-kit... it's still 
out there."

"Carter?" Jack could see the Major stowing the orb and what he 
recognised as being Osiris' ribbon device in her pack. He realized 
Teal'c must have removed it from the Goa'uld and given it to Carter for 
safety.

"Yes, Sir?"

"Give Daniel a shot."

"Yes, Sir." She came over quickly, pulling a med-kit from a pocket in 
her vest. She knelt beside Daniel and efficiently delivered the 
injection. "You should be feeling better soon." She smiled at him.

"I feel better *now*, Sam." He smiled, exhaustedly leaning back against 
the wall.

Jack gently pushed Nick down to sit alongside Daniel. He took the med-
kit from Carter and placed it in Nick's large hands. Covertly, Jack 
indicated to Carter that they should leave the two archaeologists alone 
for a while. 

"So," Jack said as he directed his gaze at the pilot's seat, "where's 
the snakehead?" He instantly regretted his words upon seeing the flash 
of raw regret in Daniel's eyes.

"I have secured Osiris in the cargo chamber, O'Neill." Teal'c assured 
him, continuing to prepare the tel-tak for take-off.

"Positive?"

"I am certain, O'Neill."

                         *******************

As the ship approached the Stargate, Jack sighed. "Osiris was right, the 
Stargate's surrounded. Teal'c, set this thing down as near to the 'gate 
as you can."

The tel-tak began to descend and the Jaffa turned to watch it land. Jack 
kept a watchful eye from the side of the window. None of the warriors 
seemed to be preparing themselves for a possible fight... they were 
armed with staff weapons, but he would hardly call their current body 
language as being particularly alert. He guessed they were waiting to 
see Osiris before making any moves.

Hoping that his hastily concocted plan would succeed, Jack dished out 
commands in a tone that was both confident and charged. He could almost 
feel the adrenaline of an expected battle flowing purposefully through 
his veins.

"We'll use Osiris as a shield and we'll all move together... first to 
the DHD and then to the Stargate."

"Carter, you'll be in charge of the escape route. Dial home and send the 
signal."

"Yes, Sir." Carter began checking her P90 out and getting several spare 
clips in easy to reach pockets.

"Nick, you get Daniel through the 'gate." As an afterthought, he added. 
"You still got my gun?"

"Yes, Colonel."

"Only use it if you have to, okay? Concentrate on getting Daniel out of 
here, let the rest of us worry about the Jaffa... I don't want any 
heroics." He made a point of fixing them all with his sternest 'this is 
your Commander speaking' glares.

"Er, Jack?"

Now what? You're pushing your luck Danny-boy. How long had he wished to 
hear those very words, that same uncertain, hesitant... *annoying* 
voice, badgering him about a trivial part of a plan, or wanting to know 
if *this* was okay, or whether *that* was the right way to achieve 
something...? Too long. Funny, how quickly you could wish he'd just shut 
up again, at least until the crisis had passed... 

"Yes, Daniel?"

"Wouldn't it make more sense if I dialled? I mean, Sam can't shoot and 
dial at the same time..."

"And when did you become the military strategist, Daniel?"

"It's just common sense, isn't it?" Daniel blinked back at Jack.

"And when did you gain that?" 

Daniel stared at Jack with an exasperated expression. "Are we really 
gonna waste time arguing about this?" His face changed as his voice 
softened. "Actually, Jack, I'd rather like to be the one to dial *home*, 
if you get my drift."

Jack wondered how Daniel had come to know which button to press to 
ensure he'd get his own way. To let him down would be like kicking a day 
old pup. "Yes, Daniel. I do... Okay, new plan... Daniel dials, Carter 
you still have the GDO." He saw Daniel's gaze become quizzical. "We had 
to change the codes when you... left."

                         *******************

Teal'c opened the cargo bay door a fraction. Cautiously, he peered in. 
Osiris was still prostrate on the floor where Teal'c had left the body. 
Satisfied that the Goa'uld had not had enough time to heal the host, 
Teal'c moved inside and pulled it upright.

Jack waited for Teal'c to position himself at the front of the group 
with Osiris clutched against his broad chest. Taking some of the 
Goa'uld's weight while Teal'c readied his staff weapon, Jack propped his 
P90 against his left side. It wouldn't be the first time he'd had to 
shoot with the wrong hand, although it wasn't easy, at least if they 
shared the burden of Osiris, they could both still help with the 
covering fire.

Jack's hand hovered on the door release. "Okay, everyone ready?" He was 
greeted by a bobbing of heads. "Then, let's go home." His eyes engaged 
with Daniel's briefly in an 'I told you so' kind of way, met by 
something of an 'I never doubted you' in return.

With the door still opening, Carter quickly tossed grenades to left and 
right of the Stargate.

As soon as feet met earth, they were running. Bodily, Osiris wasn't much 
in the way of shelter, but the Jaffa were obviously not happy about 
shooting in the direction of a God and so the blasts coming the fleeing 
group's way were thankfully few and far between.

They made it to the DHD and sheltered the archaeologists as Nick 
supported Daniel while he dialled. The welcome surge of the opening 
wormhole heralded a new rush of activity. Carter sent the GDO signal 
between pulses of fire against an advancing and bolder band of Jaffa.

"Nick, Daniel, Carter, go!" The command was as necessarily short as the 
situation was rapidly deteriorating.

Daniel started as he heard Jack's command. Home was just a few steps 
away. Oh yes, dear God. 

He moved forward as fast as his unsteady legs and weakened state would 
allow. He wasn't going to get this close to freedom and not make it. His 
foot slipped off the first step up to the Stargate and he almost gagged 
as a spear of sheer agony tore through him from the jolt.

Nick was tugging him forward, but as he leant over to catch his breath, 
digging his fingers tightly into his hips, he glanced behind him. In the 
absurd upside down view of the world, something caught his attention.

Osiris... the Goa'uld's eyes flashed evilly. Osiris was conscious!

Daniel tried to shout a warning, but it was too late. Osiris' head 
snapped up, both hands struck out, dislodging the unsuspecting grips and 
sending both Jack and Teal'c sprawling at the base of the steps.

Osiris pulled something from the folds of his clothes... a small device 
of three gems in a triangular configuration... and slipped it over the 
fingers of his right hand. Daniel thought it looked like what Sam had 
described after she had been attacked by the Ashrak.

Teal'c started to rise, but was sent reeling by a rippling energy shock 
from the weapon.

Carter was fully engaged with the Jaffa and could only throw a concerned 
glance at what was happening below her position near the Stargate. 
"Nick!" she called. "The gun!"

Daniel looked worriedly around him, everything was going horribly wrong 
and all he could do was watch as his whole world crumbled around him. 
Beside him, Nick was fumbling in his pocket, Jack's M9 stuck in the 
seam.

"No!" Daniel screamed a protest as Osiris picked Jack up by the throat 
and held him at arms length, smiling cruelly as the man struggled in the 
strong grasp. His hand went subconsciously to his own neck, rubbing it 
as he remembered just what that had felt like. With legs that felt like 
they had turned to jelly and without Nick's aid, it was all Daniel could 
do to remain standing.

"Daniel." Sarah's siren lilt rang out among the sounds of gun fire and 
staff weapon blasts. "You are my property and no one else shall have 
you. I will use this one," Osiris shook Jack with utter contempt, "this 
human you call 'friend' to show you how futile it is to resist me." 
Osiris' eyes glowed with a fury even Daniel had not seen the like of 
before.

The Goa'uld raised the device in front of Jack's face. Transfixed, 
Daniel could see clearly the three narrow beams, one from each gem, 
combine into one intense ray that leapt out at Jack's forehead. 
Immediately the Colonel's defiant thrashing stopped and a more ominous 
quivering and twitching of his limbs began.

Eyes widening in horror at what has happening to Jack, Daniel shook his 
head in disbelief. Blood was beginning to trickle from Jack's nose. That 
had only happened to Daniel on only one of his many brushes with the 
ribbon device... after Ammonet had tried to kill him and that had 
happened when they'd got back to the infirmary, not during the attack. 
God, how close was Jack to...

"Jaaack!" Daniel yelled, helplessly.

"O'Neill does not know you anymore, Daniel... he doesn't even know 
himself... the man inside this shell exists no more." Osiris taunted 
Daniel further.

There was a triumphant, "Ha!" from Nick as he finally got the M9 out of 
his pocket and he brought the barrel up to sight it for a shot at the 
Goa'uld.

Daniel could see the gun wavering on the periphery of his vision. Come 
on, Nick, come on.

Two shots left the barrel, but both went wide of the mark... one going a 
good deal closer to Jack than Osiris. Daniel flinched and heard Nick 
cursing that maybe after more than half a century his aim wasn't as good 
as it had been. Jack doesn't have time for the tales of what you did in 
the war, Nick, do it now!

A resonant hum was building in the device and still Nick hadn't adjusted 
his aim enough, another shot missed the target, but at least it hadn't 
been deflected. Daniel surmized that although Osiris had a weapon, he 
didn't have any shield protection. Bullets would work... they just had 
to hit the right place.

Trembling, Daniel limped across the couple of feet to his grandfather 
and plucked the gun from his hand.

A quiet whisper of, "I'm sorry, Sarah," left Daniel's lips. Tears 
threatened to obscure what little focus he could achieve without his 
glasses, though he couldn't tell whether they were more for his former 
lover or for his friend. 

He squeezed the trigger. Again and again he fired at Osiris. Soon, 
nothing of the woman's face and neck could be seen, just blood and more 
blood, red and blue streaks mingling together.

Jack's body bonelessly hit the ground just seconds before that of Sarah.

Daniel fell to his knees, gun still raised, shivering uncontrollably.

The staff weapon blasts stopped as the Jaffa seemed to realize that 
something out of the ordinary had happened. A god was dead.

"Come on, Daniel," he felt Carter's hand on his elbow, lifting him. 
"Before those Jaffa decide to get revenge for the death of their god."

Nick pried the M9 from his frozen fingers and coaxed him up the steps. 
"Come."

"But... Jack..."

Teal'c called to him, staggering slightly as he got up. "Daniel Jackson, 
I will bring O'Neill, go through the Stargate."

Letting himself be led, Daniel paused at the Stargate and turned to make 
sure Teal'c was following. He saw the Jaffa bending over Jack with a 
hand on his neck. Teal'c's eyes were closed and the look of sorrow on 
his face spoke volumes.

Carter and Nick stepped forward taking Daniel with them.  "No !" he 
cried, as he felt the incessant pull of the wormhole.  The scene 
vanished as he was whipped into the roller-coaster ride through the 
stars.

                         *******************

Whoa.  Home.  At last.  Hadn't changed much, Daniel realised.  Same old 
gray walls, pipes and cables, SFs ready to open fire, just in case the 
signal wasn't sent by SG-1.  They stooddown quick as General Hammond 
bounds up the ramp.  Not a sight Daniel saw every day...

A flicker of incredulity passed over Hammond's face, something like the 
expression he had when he first set eyes on Daniel some five years ago.  

"Doctor Jackson ?"

"Er yes, General ?"

His hands clamped solidly on Daniel's shoulders as if to confirm he was 
real.  "Welcome home, son."  The smile he wore showed genuine happiness 
and concern.  "I'm sorry we couldn't have made it sooner."

"It's okay, General.  I understand."

There was movement behind the general that caught Daniel's attention, 
the medical team... standard procedure for a return such as he'd just 
made.  He took a quick look back toward the 'gate... where were they ?

"Daniel." Ooof. He received a physical greeting he wasn't prepared for, 
especially given the fact he was covered in blood, bruises, bandages and 
precious little else, but he simply presume the hug had a lot to do with 
the fact Janet didn't get to give him a proper goodbye.

"I'm okay, Janet."  Her face was one of disbelief and Daniel winced.  
Sha'uri used to have a similar expression when he told her he hadn't 
really fallen asleep over his translations in the pyramid and missed 
dinner... again.  Sarah was an expert in that particular look too.  
Funny thing... that was usually over missed meals as well.  Anyone would 
have thought he made a habit of it.  Sarah, god...

Daniel presumed his pallor has just turned a very unhealthy shade, 
judging by the sudden tightening of Sam and Nick's hands on him.

"Let's get you to the infirmary, Daniel.  Some of these look pretty 
nasty." Janet's hand was in the small of his back, an insistent pressure 
directing him down the ramp.  "What happened ?" she asked.

"Osiris attacked Jack with some kind of hand device." He side-stepped 
away from her as though going one-on-one with a basket-ball player, some 
of the time in Jack's yard finding a use after all.

"I meant you, Daniel," she said, starting to sound exasperated. 

He glanced back again. There's still no one coming through the 'gate.  
What was keeping them?  "Huh ?"

Sam took a step forward, her face concerned. "Daniel got caught in a 
grenade blast.  Nick patched some of his wounds and I gave him a shot of 
morphine about an hour ago."

Daniel shot her a grateful look for the explanation, his concentration 
still on the wormhole and he distractedly added.  "It's looks worse than 
it is, Janet, really."

"Let me be the judge of that.  You're the wrong type of Doctor, 
remember?" She summoned a couple of her largest corpsmen to encourage 
Daniel's progress.

"Danyel."

"Doctor Jackson."

"Daniel."

Uh-oh - attack from all sides. The pressure in the small of hisback 
returned, firmer this time, and Sam and Nick laid claim to a shoulder 
each - all of them determined to get him off the ramp.

"No!  I want to wait.  Jack... I have to see him."  Daniel met their 
attack with everything in his own personal armour - bringing the huddle 
of personnel to a dead stop as he dug his heels in and fixed Sam with 
his most intense doe-eyed frown, wrapping his arms around his middle.  
The gnawing pain deep in his gut intensified but he ignored it.  
Everything would be okay when Jack was back.  He just had to make them 
understand how badly he needed to stay here.  "I think... I think he 
might be dead."

His voice seemed to echo like a bell around the 'gate room.  Then all 
hell breaks loose.

A staff blast ionised the air above the team's heads and vaporized a 
chunk of concrete wall to the side of the control room window.  The 
Jaffa on the other side of the 'gate had apparently recovered from the 
stunning blow of losing their god.

Sam lurched away from Daniel, pulling her P90 up in readiness against 
any unwelcome visitors.

With no semblance of composure, Teal'c and O'Neill were pitched out onto 
the ramp.  Both rolled  in a jumble of limbs and collided harshly with 
the illuminated guard-rail.  One of the lights smashed in an impressive 
shower of sparks.

"Jack !"  Daniel wrenched him self from Nick's stabilizing grasp and 
wavered ungainly back up the ramp, swearing as he realised his legs were 
refusing to obey his brain's commands.  Janet's overtook him in a 
second, dropping to Jack's side. God! Daniel desperately hoped she 
learnt something from all the times he'd come back suffering from an 
attack by the ribbon device.  Then again, he wasn't even sure she'd even 
been listening when he'd tried to tell her about what had happened, as 
she'd given him the once over while waiting for Teal'c and Jack to come 
through ?  Would it make any difference if she had ?  Were the effects 
of this weapon anything like he'd endured too many times before ?

Daniel stumbled forward.  "Janet, is he... ?" His question was cut off 
as large hands clamped around his arms.

"Doctor Jackson, please... come with us to the infirmary, the medic 
insisted.

Twisting wildly in an effort to get free, Daniel yelled, "Let me go !"

"Daniel Jackson."  Teal'c's voice was loud and reproachful as he faced 
Daniel, ending the archaeologist's protest.  "You cannot help Colonel 
O'Neill."

"But..."

"He would want you to get treatment for your injuries. You will only be 
in the way.  You must let Doctor Fraiser work." 

Medics began loading O'Neill onto a gurney, but Daniel still resisted, 
trying to see between them, "Janet..."

"Infirmary, Daniel. Now."  Fraiser bustled past him, squeezing herself 
between the corpsmen to continue her ministrations.  Her calls for 
tests, medications and samples hung in the air even as the gurney was  
rushed from the embarkation room.

God, Jack.  Please.  Don't make all this be for nothing.  What was the 
point ? Osiris couldn't win... How unfair would that be ?  Ha, *fair*.  
Since when has life ever been *fair* to Daniel Jackson ?  He shook his 
head, wishing he had never given Nick that message. Okay, so he'd still 
be a slave and Tollana would likely be no more than an extra cloud of 
dust in the cosmic ether, but at least Jack would be alive...

"SG-1, report to the infirmary," General Hammond called.

Daniel couldn't move.  Even Teal'c's gentle push didn't help.  Hammond's 
deep Texan accent emphasized his statement.  "That includes you, Doctor 
Jackson."

Daniel's head jerked up. Okay, okay. He'd got the point. He sighed 
heavily. SG-1... includes you... the words filtered through the mounting 
wave of defeat.  Had they never given up hope ?  He was still part of 
the team... the family.  They had never let go.

One step... then another...  Slow at first, then with Nick's help the 
motion is more fluid.  Daniel was walking.

For a few moments he hadn't wanted to follow that gurney, afraid of what 
he might find.  Now, he really *had* to know.

                         *******************

Daniel tried to shrug off the hands that were gently yet firmly pressing 
him back against the infirmary pillow.

"Doctor Jackson, please."

He treated the nurse to a blistering glare and once again attempted to 
get off the bed. "Leave me alone! I want to see Jack."

He knew he was being unreasonable. Knew too that he should just lie back 
and give himself up to her ministrations. He hurt all over despite the 
medication Sam had given him on the journey back to the SGC - a dozen or 
more lacerations were vying for his attention like bee stings. The 
anguished gnawing in his stomach had gradually become a dull ache in his 
low abdomen that was now threatening to turn into a full blown cramp. 
The promise of more morphine or even those magical, albeit hard-to-
swallow, pills of Janet's was more than a bit tempting. 

The only problem was that he couldn't afford the luxury of being doped 
up on happy juice right now. Why the hell wouldn't they open the 
curtain? He needed to see Jack. Needed to know he was alright. That 
Osiris hadn't somehow managed to carry out that final threat to reduce 
Jack to an empty husk, stealing his very soul. Make that two souls. For 
if Jack was lost, Daniel wasn't sure he'd be able to continue on alone.

The nurse was the epitome of professional calm. "Colonel O'Neill is 
getting the best of care, Doctor Jackson."

"And what would you know of that?" Daniel snarled. "God!" He threw his 
head back on the pillow with more force than he intended. "He's been 
ribboned for Christ's sake. If anyone knows what that's like, it's me. I 
need to be with him." He still thought of what Jack had been through as 
being tortured with the ribbon device, even though it had been a 
different weapon that Osiris had used. The symptoms he'd witness Jack 
suffer seemed pretty similar to those he remembered his own body going 
through. He guessed the final outcome of either device was also the 
same.

"Doctor Jackson, I need to take your vital signs. If you continue to 
resist, I will have to ask Doctor Fraiser to sedate you."

Something snapped inside Daniel. Just who the hell did this nurse think 
she was to threaten him? He'd sold himself into slavery, spent three 
months living on his wits, trying to stay one step ahead of Osiris and 
frequently paying a painful price for his stubborn resistance, been on 
the receiving end of a grenade blast and been fooled into thinking he 
was dying in Shyla's mine again. And then, to cap it all, Osiris had 
tried to kill Jack right in front of him. Why couldn't this idiot 
understand he didn't give a damn about his physical pain - he needed to 
assuage his emotional hurt. And right now that meant he needed to be 
with Jack.

He looked the nurse in the eye as he swung his legs off the bed. "If you 
don't get the hell out of my way..."

She was calling for Fraiser before he even finished his sentence. 

The curtain swished open and shut as Janet appeared. She cut the nurse's 
explanation off with a raised hand. "It's alright, nurse, I'll take 
over." She fixed Daniel with a sharp eye as the nurse backed away. Her 
mouth was a taut line. "That's enough Daniel."

Daniel, however, refused to be intimidated. "I want to see Jack."

"You can see Colonel O'Neill after I've assessed your condition."

He pulled in a couple of quick, shallow breaths. "No. I will see him 
now. You can assess me after."

Janet arched an eyebrow as she produced a hypodermic, flicking off the 
top and tapping the barrel with one finger.

"You know you're not going to give me that," Daniel said, with ill-
tempered confidence. "Let me see Jack."

Janet held his gaze as she nodded to the nurse, who quickly stepped 
forward and swabbed Daniel's forearm. Daniel's jaw dropped. Oh boy. 
Janet was serious. She really was going to pump him full of sedative. 
With a sick feeling, Daniel came to the conclusion Jack's condition must 
be critical. Why else was Janet so determined to prevent him from seeing 
him?

"Janet." The bravado vanished from Daniel's voice. "Please. Don't give 
me that." He began to push himself off the bed only to stop and gasp as 
a sudden sharp pain knifed through his abdomen straight to his groin.

"Daniel?" Janet snatched up his wrist as he fell back against the 
pillows. He was unable to resist as a second nurse swiftly swung his 
legs back onto the bed and started slicing through the tattered remains 
of the foul slave clothing with a pair of scissors. A blood pressure 
cuff was secured around his other arm, the tightening uncomfortable as 
it did its work.

Daniel didn't miss the frown on Janet's as she dropped his wrist and 
turned her attention to his abdomen. 

"Is this bruising?" she asked, pressing her fingers against his dirt-
encrusted skin.

He let rip a string of Abydonian curses as pain speared through him at 
her touch.

"I'll take that as a yes," she said, glancing towards the nurse.

"Blood pressure's low," the nurse informed.

Janet didn't even blink as she started to bark orders. 

Daniel heard the mention of an IV, opened his mouth to protest that he 
still wanted to see Jack and discovered he couldn't speak. He saw 
Janet's eyes widen in dismay and knew he was in trouble even as she 
shouted.

"He's bleeding internally. Damn it - he's crashing!"

Darkness was rushing at him with the savagery of a wild animal. A voice 
was shouting for someone to get Doctor Warner. Somebody yelled 'prep for 
surgery'. Pain in the back of his hand - sharp and acute, despite the 
agony in his belly. And then the world began to move. 

Somehow Daniel managed to turn his head as his bed rumbled over the 
rough floor. Lethargy was spreading rapidly through his limbs now, 
stealing him of his resolve. If he could just hold on - yes, there. His 
gaze fell on Jack lying motionless on a bed, surrounded by medical staff 
and equipment. 

Daniel's fingers flexed - the movement a futile attempt to reach for 
Jack. The infirmary doors crashed open. The bed jarred. And Daniel 
stopped fighting.

                         *******************

"Go 'way." 

Daniel flapped irritably at the hand tapping his cheek. Please God, it 
couldn't be his watch already. He was tired, too tired to open his eyes. 

"Doctor Jackson."

"Sam's turn. Wake Sam."

"Doctor Jackson, it's time to wake up now."

He groaned softly and cracked one eye open, trying to remember where he 
was. Which planet? Which mission? A face floated into view - gentle 
brown eyes, dark hair tied back into a severe bun. Crisp white clothing. 
Whoever it was smiled and he found himself responding automatically, 
only to feel suddenly bereft as the gaze broke away and was directed 
over his head.

"Doctor Fraiser. He's awake."

A second face appeared. This one more familiar. Ah, Janet.

Oh. That meant... He took a deep breath, wincing at the pull on his 
muscles. Oh yes. Disinfectant. He was in the infirmary. Oh crap. 
Suddenly memory flooded back. He tried to push the oxygen mask from his 
face, but a hand caught his and firmly placed his arm back on the bed.

"Jack?" The name sounded more like a croak, but fortunately Janet seemed 
to understand.

Daniel felt his fingers being squeezed as she leaned closer.

"Colonel O'Neill is going to be just fine. As are you, despite trying to 
scare us half to death."

He blinked, trying to remember. He had a vague memory of an agonising 
pain in his belly and everyone shouting around him. Everything seemed so 
long ago. Putting every effort into the action, he somehow managed to 
return the grip Janet had on his hand with pressure of his own.

"S'all okay?"

"Everything's going to be just fine, Daniel."

He smiled and closed his eyes. At last, he could sleep peacefully.

                         *******************

Jack groaned loudly as he came too. Janet's face floated in front of 
him, nauseatingly out of focus.

"Colonel O'Neill?"

"Bitch," he muttered.

Janet's eyes widened with amused admonishment. "That's hardly the way to 
greet a lady."

Jack grimaced. " Osiris. Not you." He shivered at the memory as his eyes 
began to focus. "Thought I'd finally met one goa'uld too many."

A sympathetic look washed Janet's face. "You're going to be just fine, 
colonel."

He raised his eyebrows to reflect just how sceptical he was about that, 
given the pain throbbing through his head. So this was what Daniel had 
suffered? Oh crap, Daniel. He started to struggle upright.

"Colonel, please." Janet pressed his shoulders back to the pillow.

"Daniel?"

"Is sleeping like a baby right here." Janet stepped aside so Jack could 
see the slumbering archaeologist. 

"He's okay?"

"Give him a couple of weeks to get over the surgery..."

"Surgery?" Jack's face went pale.

"He took a severe blow to the abdomen at some point. Probably when he 
got caught in that grenade blast. Could've been a large piece of blunt 
shrapnel or the impact of being thrown through the air. Whatever, he 
crashed on me just as I was diagnosing him." She flinched, as though 
realising Jack probably hadn't needed to know quite so much so soon. 
"He's going to be fine, colonel."

Jack looked past her uncertainly. Okay, so apart from the bruises and 
lacerations visible on his face and upper body, Daniel looked like he 
was sleeping peacefully. But what scars had three months as a slave to 
Osiris left on the younger man's soul? As though reading his mind, Janet 
gave his fingers a light squeeze.

"What Daniel needs most, colonel is to be with people who care for him. 
As soon as you're both fit enough to leave the infirmary, I'll be 
recommending some downtime for SG-1."

"Fresh air and fishing?"

Janet smiled. "Just what the doctor orders."

Jack smiled - "Sounds like heaven" - then closed his eyes and let sleep 
reclaim him.

                         *******************

The next time Daniel awoke he found yet another pair of brown eyes 
watching him. Only these ones were in the bed next door, and were framed 
by a face sporting an angry-looking forehead burn.

"Jack?"

"Sleeping beauty awakes," Jack grumbled good-naturedly. He was lying on 
his side, knees pulled up to chest beneath his blankets. "About time. 
I've been going crazy lying here with nothing to do expect listen to you 
snore."

"It's good to see you too," Daniel replied, feeling a smile tug at his 
lips. He moved cautiously, feeling the pull of a wound. Hissing quietly 
he eventually manoeuvred himself so he mirrored Jack's position. "So... 
you okay?"

Jack grimaced. "Feel like somebody drilled a hole in my head with a 
blunt spoon."

"You get used to it," Daniel replied casually.

It was Jack's turn to shake his head, although his expression said he 
immediately regretted the action. "Daniel," he said firmly. "I have no 
desire to get used this, okay."

Daniel shot him a brief smile. "Okay. I think I could live without 
seeing you being ribboned again, too."

A long moment of silence fell between them, each contemplating what 
might have been.

"So..." Jack began. "You okay?"

Daniel considered for a moment. "I've... had better days."

"You scared Doc Fraiser half to death. Not to mention Carter and 
Teal'c."

"Not you though, huh?"

"For once, Daniel, no. I was blissfully unaware of the crisis until I 
came to and found you doing a corpse impression in the bed next to me."

"I thought you said I was snoring."

"Today you've been snoring. Yesterday you were doing the Snow White 
poisoned apple routine."

A smile tugged at Daniel's lips. "Sorry."

"So you should be."

There was another silence as Daniel shifted his legs, trying to find a 
more comfortable position. The IV in the back of his hand was a sure 
indicator the worst of the pain was being numbed artificially, but he 
still felt he'd done twenty rounds with a boxer. As he pulled a face, 
unable to find a way to lie that didn't make some part of him ache, he 
caught Jack wincing in sympathy.

"Jack?"

"Yeah."

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"Coming to find me." Another shake of Jack's head. Another grimace. "You 
should stop doing that," Daniel offered.

Jack ignored the last remark. "Hell, Daniel. I promised you, didn't I? I 
never break a promise. Besides - the way I see it, I should be thanking 
you. I thought I was toast." He wrinkled his reddened forehead. "Quite 
literally. Anyway - if you want to thank anyone, it should be Nick. He 
was the one who told us where to find you and got the message about 
Osiris' bluff back to us."

"Talking of Nick," Daniel's expression brightened as he saw his 
grandfather hurrying across the infirmary.

"At last, you are awake, Danyel." Nick beamed down at him. "Are you 
well?"

Daniel considered a moment. "I will be. Thanks to you."

Nick made an impatient noise. "Good. Good. I was afraid you would wake 
too late."

"Too late?" Daniel frowned. "Too late for what."

A flicker of sadness drifted over the old man's face. "I have come to 
say goodbye."

                         *******************

"You're leaving?" Daniel's voice cracked with emotion. "Already?"

Jack found himself wincing as disappointment abruptly claimed Daniel's 
features.

It was exactly like when he'd gotten called back to duty early and 
hadn't been able to take Charlie to the game as he'd promised. That 
pitiful pout had lived with him a lo-o-o-ong time... He hoped Nick would 
be similarly haunted, but he doubted it. It seemed the old man had 
always managed to ride rough shod with Daniel's feelings. Even if it 
wasn't done on purpose, the thought of it left a bitter taste in Jack's 
mouth.

At least Nick had the good grace to appear as upset as Daniel was by the 
idea of him leaving as he nodded slowly, confirming his intention. "The 
orb must go back."

"Of course." Daniel mumbled.

"Do you remember the co-ordinates?" Nick held out a notepad and pencil.

"If I said 'no', I don't suppose you'd stay?" Daniel asked with the 
blatant hopefulness of a five year old. 

"No, Danyel, I would go to the original planet where you found the 
skull. Quetzalcoatl would take me back, but it would be quicker with 
your help. Further delay could be devastating."

Daniel succumbed to the reasoned explanation with a weary sigh and took 
the pencil. Resolutely, he began forming the glyphs on the paper.

Jack couldn't let Nick get away without saying something to instigate 
remorse. "So, it's more important to get that thing back to... wherever, 
than spending some quality time with your grandson?"

"Danyel understands." Nick straightened up and puffed his chest, 
assuredly.

Watching as Daniel's bowed head ducked lower over his writing, Jack 
surmised that the young man indeed acknowledged the logic of the 
argument but not necessarily the apparent lack of compassion. "I bet he 
always does. Not that you'd give him much choice." Jack was satisfied 
with the wrinkling of Nick's brow as he absorbed the biting comment.

Daniel finished the symbols and looked up. "He's right, Jack. When I 
stole the orb from those people, I condemned them and their planet to 
death. Nick has to replace it." The strong sentiment was tinged with 
more than a hint of resignation in Daniel's voice. He handed the notepad 
and pencil back to Nick. "I hope there hasn't been too much damage 
done."

"The sooner the orb is back in its rightful place, the sooner the planet 
can begin to regenerate." Nick leaned over Daniel's bed, carefully 
folding his arms around the young man, avoiding getting tangled in the 
IV and monitor wires. "Now, you must rest and recover too."

"We'll make sure he does," Jack told Nick firmly.

"I am relying on you to, Colonel."

Jack swallowed a further reprimand about Nick always depending on 
someone else to pick up the pieces of a broken heart after running out 
on his responsibilities, again, but he knew that to keep going on about 
it would likely hurt Daniel's feelings more.

"I will be back to see you soon, Danyel." Nick smiled.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see Daniel curling up on himself. 
A defensive posture no doubt spawned in those early days of isolation 
and used for surrogate comfort in all the subsequent times of despair.

"Goodbye, Gra... Nick."

Nick's face showed a trace of regret. Way to go, Danny! But Jack sensed 
no victory. Daniel's fingers fluttered a poor attempt at a 'goodbye' 
wave, but his smile was even less convincing as his lips made a tight 
line. Was that the movements pulling on his wounds or had some 
fundamental wall just been hastily erected against a deeper pain? Jack 
found his annoyingly persistent headache worsening with the stress of it 
all.

The old man retreated, uttering a low "Goodbye..."

Jack could see Daniel's eyes closing, wetness clinging to the long 
lashes. "You don't think he'll be back, do you?" he asked softly.

Daniel peered at him briefly through half open eyelids. "It wouldn't be 
the first time."

Regarding his young friend slipping into an uneasy slumber, Jack sighed. 
There was a lot of healing to be done - physically and emotionally. 
Nothing new there then...

He settled back to try to sleep away the after effects of the traumatic 
mission, when a sudden thought came to him. He pressed the call button 
by the side of the bed. "Get me Major Carter," he told the responding 
nurse. 

                         *******************

Jack waited anxiously in the control room. The iris was open, what was 
taking them so long?

He could feel the headache threatening to return, but couldn't tell 
whether it was due to Osiris' weapon or the anticipation.

While Daniel had slept he had asked Carter to accompany Nick to the 
planet. She was to use some excuse overloaded with scientific mumbo 
jumbo about wanting to monitor the effects of the orb as it regenerated 
the planet, or something like that. However, the real object of the 
exercise was to try and get the old man back to the SGC as quick as 
possible after he had delivered the device to its home.

It hadn't been easy to get the Nick to accept, until General Hammond had 
denied him permission to go unless Carter went with him for his 
protection. The MALP had been sent through and showed a world in chaos. 
The conditions on the planet were hostile in every sense of the word. 
The weather, the stability of the ground and Nick's former hosts all 
appeared to be in turmoil.

Reluctantly, Nick had accepted that Carter would be going with him.

That was yesterday morning, less than two hours after Daniel had awoken 
properly from his enforced sleep following surgery. Now it was a little 
after 7pm, Daniel was back asleep. Jack had been discharged from the 
infirmary and had been on his way to Hammond's office to request 
permission to go find Carter and Nick, when the klaxons had gone off 
heralding the arrival of Stargate activity. He had diverted to the 
control room, arriving just in time to hear that it was SG-1's GDO 
signal being received.

Finally, the event horizon fluctuated and someone appeared.

Carter descended the ramp, alone. Looking up at the control room, she 
found Jack's expectant eyes. Sadly, she shook her head and shrugged her 
shoulders.

"Dammit." Jack cursed loudly. "What's wrong with that man?"

Couldn't Nick see how much Daniel needed him? No, perhaps 'needed' 
wasn't quite the right word... Nick wasn't essential to him picking up 
the pieces and getting on with his life... Daniel had already been 
there, done that; it wasn't that kind of 'need'. It was just... well, 
did Nick know anything of what Daniel had been through the last few 
years? Geez, the guy had been married and widowed, let alone the rest, 
he'd even died... oh, waaay too many times. Would Nick be at all 
interested, or care? Maybe not, he'd let the poor kid deal with the loss 
of his parents on his own... abandoned Daniel when he really had 
*needed* Nick. What did one more time matter to him? Bastard.

For a few moments, Jack contemplated going after Nick himself. Tell him 
what it means to be 'family'. Would that do any good? Probably not... 
and if Daniel ever found out he'd be furious. Daniel didn't realize just 
how transparent he was.

Oh sure, he'd be all 'I got along fine without him before' but everyone 
could see the hurt, the betrayal he felt. He hadn't been up to 
disguising it at all in the infirmary yesterday, but today had been a 
different story. Yeah, like hell he's not bothered that Nick didn't come 
back when he'd promised, he wasn't reading that book that was held up in 
front of his face. He reads fast and those pages were turning too 
slowly... a cover up... but it didn't fool me. That's why he's so 
useless at cards... Daniel can't bluff, just too damn honest for his own 
good.

So, as Nick is pretty much a lost cause in my book, I'll remind *Daniel* 
what 'family' is instead. Doc said she'd insist on some down time for us 
and I know just the place to go...

                         *******************

There was a distinct chill to the evening, a sure indication that Summer 
was turning to Fall. The sound of loons drifted eerily across the lake, 
competing with the soft rustling from the high foliage of the pines 
moved by occasional flurries of crisp air down the mountain.

Jack wandered out of the cabin, roughly scrubbing a hand through his 
hair. Surprised to find that not only had he slept most of the afternoon 
away, but that he still required so much rest after more than two weeks 
since his little run in with Osiris. He scanned his surroundings for his 
missing companion.

At the end of the jetty, silhouetted against a striped backdrop of black 
and orange as the sunset shone in bright lines between the tall straight 
trunks of the firs, was a hunched figure.

As Jack approached he could hear the soft sloshing sounds of feet gently 
kicking in the water.

"You okay?" Jack got down beside Daniel and dangled his feet over the 
edge as well. The coldness momentarily stole his breath.

Keeping his voice deliberately light and belying his real concern, Jack 
jokingly scolded the younger man. "You know Fraiser will have both our 
hides if you get frostbite. We're supposed to be recuperating, not 
making ourselves worse."

He really wanted Daniel to get everything off his chest before they went 
back to the SGC and if this was the way he'd be relaxed enough to do it, 
then to hell with Fraiser. She could deal with any medical complications 
as a matter of course, but Daniel's state of mind was less easily 
repaired.

"I killed her, Jack." Daniel's tone was one of intolerable misery.

"Ah." So now he knew which particular sorrow he was going to be helping 
Daniel deal with today. It was the one he'd been dreading the most.

They'd already done the 'great disappearing grandfather', the 'what 
atrocities I saw and played a part in on my summer vacation', the 'God 
you were almost killed, Jack', the 'poor Lieutenant Morten - why did he 
have to die saving someone he didn't even know, but wouldn't have liked 
if he had'... and now here it was, after a week of trying to avoid the 
subject. Sarah.

"I wanted so much to free her from that nightmare." Daniel gazed out 
across the lake, the deep amber glow of the evening sun, glinting in the 
tears rolling steadily down his face. "But I failed her just like I 
failed Sha'uri."

"You didn't fail anyone, Daniel. No one could have done more to rescue 
them. Besides, you *saved* me." Jack leant forward to look earnestly 
into Daniel's dazzling eyes. "For which, by the way, I am eternally 
grateful."

"So you said, already."

"It's worth saying again."

"I couldn't let Osiris kill you."

"That's good to know."

"But it doesn't make me proud of what I had to do."

"I'm not expecting you to be. Killing someone is not an easy thing for 
anyone to do, you know, Daniel. Even those of us who've been trained to 
do it."

Daniel looked at him in disbelief.

"Don't you think I've felt guilty when I've had to take someone's life?" 
Jack continued.

"I... I never really thought about it, I guess." Daniel's head dipped 
momentarily and came back up with a face full of remorse. "God, that 
sounds so shallow... Sorry. It's just... well, she... Sarah... she was 
special, you know? We..."

"You can't afford to let it get to you, but that's not to say it doesn't 
touch your soul. Luckily, most of the situations I've been in have 
either been 'kill or be killed'. I've never had to shoot someone who was 
special to me. I think you're entitled to feel lousy."

"Really?" Blinking heavily, Daniel turned back to looking out over the 
water. It was gleaming redder in the low sun. It was an eerie sight and 
reminded Daniel of Osiris' parting speech about the rivers of Earth. 
Thankfully, that wasn't going to happen now... not by Osiris' hand at 
any rate.

"Yes, really, Daniel." Jack put an arm around Daniel's shoulder. "But 
don't dwell on it too long, okay? You did what you had to do. Try to 
remember that you killed *Osiris* and that unfortunately Sarah just got 
in the way."

"I'll try."

"You know, even if you're not proud of yourself, I am. You did real good 
out there and I don't just mean because you saved my life. You held it 
together long enough to not only get back to us, but to save the 
universe from the threat of that weapon and eliminate Osiris into the 
bargain." Jack felt satisfied that he had turned the conversation around 
from inadequacy to achievement and decided to change track. "So, when 
are you going to visit Nick?"

"I'm not sure, exactly, " Daniel replied with a distance to his voice 
that matched the vagueness of his answer.

"I thought you wanted him to stay."

"I did."

"But?"

"But?" Daniel raised his eyebrows.

"Come on, the Daniel Jackson I know wouldn't bear a grudge."

"I don't."

"Right, " Jack drawled and brushed Daniel's shoulder off with his hand.

"What are you doing?"

"Thought you might need some help getting rid of that chip there."

"Excuse me?"

"I will, as long as you quit with the little boy lost looks and get over 
it. I'm thinking you didn't let him beat you before."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Daniel huffed.

"Oh yes you do. You're angry 'cause Nick went back to that planet... 
that he chose his work over you... again." Jack watched as Daniel's 
frown deepened. "Don't get me wrong... I'm not saying you aren't 
entitled to be..."

"I'm not angry." Daniel said a little too firmly, then paused. "I was 
hurt," he conceded. "At first, but those people needed that device. I do 
wish he'd come back after he'd returned it, though." Even more sadly, he 
added, "Nick is just used to not having commitments other than his 
work."

"That sucks." Jack commented bluntly.

"Yes, it does, but for a while I was in danger of going the same way... 
until the Stargate project changed all that. Sha'uri knew a completely 
different 'me' to who Sarah had lived with for two years."

"I don't think it had so much with who you were as with who they were, 
Daniel. You'd only just met Sha'uri when you leapt in front of that 
staff weapon to save my life, I don't think she could have changed you 
all that much, the part of you who puts others first has always been 
there. It's a damned shame Nick isn't the same."

"He never was the world's best grandfather."

"But he *is* family."

"I know that, I just wish that *he* did. I will go and see him, one day, 
but for now, I've got all the family I need right here, Jack."

"Sure you do, Danny. I'm glad you realize that's what we are, it's taken 
long enough."

"It takes time to let people get close. There always seems to be 
something waiting around the corner to snatch them away. Like when you 
all went to help Thor against the replicators. Do you have any idea how 
it felt to be left behind?"

"We didn't do it on purpose. As I recall you couldn't even sit up 
without causing yourself agonizing pain."

"Thanks. I *so* needed reminding of that." Daniel subconsciously held 
his most recent abdominal scar.

"And just for the record, I do happen to know how you felt, maybe... You 
did agree to become a slave to Osiris and leave us wondering what the 
hell was going to happen to you."

"I'm sorry. I just couldn't let the Tollans get wiped out because of 
me."

"Of course not, and it had nothing to do with seeing an opportunity to 
get Sarah back...?" Jack probed.

"Er, kind of." Admitted Daniel, guiltily.

"See? You did everything you could... Now are you done with beating 
yourself up?"

"I suppose... for today."

"Good, 'cause it's time to eat." Jack climbed to his feet and extended a 
hand down for Daniel to pull himself up.

"I'm not very hungry."

"You will be when you see the cake Carter brought over."

"She baked?"

"Oh, yeah." Jack sighed covetously.

"Wow, what did we do to deserve that?"

"We made it back, Danny... all of us." He guided the younger man back to 
the cabin.

"Sounds like a good enough reason to me." Daniel agreed.

"Indeed." Teal'c's booming voice startled Daniel as he and Carter 
stepped out of the shadows of the log building.

The four friends shared a lingering embrace, before retiring inside to 
enjoy large slices of home-made chocolate cake, a few beers and each 
others company.

A loud toast could be heard all around the moonlit lake as bottles 
clanked together... "Welcome home, Daniel!"

<end>