Speaking of Daniel, he stood at the base of a seaweed-covered set of three stairs, minus his glasses and soaked to the bone. He was looking about forlornly, his wet hair swept back from his forehead - long like it was when she had first met him - and his expression totally lost. It was amazing how much younger he looked.
“Daniel?” Sam asked hesitantly, unsure if he’d be able to hear her while in the midst of a memory where she didn’t belong.
His head snapped toward her voice, hope and joy brightening his expression. “Sam! You’re here! My God, for a while there I thought I was alone. Are you okay? How did we get here?” He paused for a moment and looked her over. “How did you manage to get dry so quickly? Have you been here that long?”
She quickly stepped over and laid a hand on his arm, halting the stream of questions. “Daniel, this is just a memory. We’re both fine, and so are the colonel and Teal’c. I promise.”
He drew back from her and narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean, a memory? This certainly feels real.”
“Of course it does. You lived this.” Sam took a deep breath before continuing. “Three years ago.”
“What?” Daniel jerked back even further, tripping over the steps behind him and landing on his rear end. “What are you talking about?”
The physicist knelt in front of the now-seated man. “Think for a second, Daniel. You know what really happened here. Was I here? Did you really have this discussion with me?”
The linguist’s eyes darted back and forth, coming back numerous times to search the woman’s face before him. Before he could speak one way or the other, a door on the other side of the room opened, and the alien Sam recognized as Nem walked out. Both Tau’ri jumped to their feet and faced him as he walked up and stared intently at Daniel.
Daniel returned the look for a few moments and gestured at himself. “I’m Daniel. Daniel Jackson.” He pointed at Nem. “You?”
Sam couldn’t help but watch, fascinated, as Nem said nothing, only gesturing toward a panel on the wall to his left that slid away to revel lines of script she didn’t quite recognize.
Daniel shot her a quick glance then squinted at the writing. “Sam, this is Akkadian,” he announced excitedly as he moved over to the exposed panel. “An ancient language on the planet we’re from,” he added as an afterthought to the intense-looking alien. “I wonder why it’s here...”
Any thoughts he might have shared were cut off by Nem’s insistent pointing. “Um, I think he wants you to read it, Daniel,” Sam suggested, fascinated by what had occurred while she, Teal’c, and the colonel had returned to the SGC - only slightly modified by her presence.
“Right.” Still-damp brown brows creased in concentration as he considered it. “What... fate...” Daniel’s hand passed over the symbols as he translated, pausing as he thought about the last two lines. “What fate... Omo... rocca? What fate Omorocca?” He turned to face the hovering blue mass next to him. “I don’t understand. What do you want me...” He didn’t even get to finish his question before he was blasted into the corner nearest him by Nem’s suddenly upraised hand, a strange, shrill screech echoing through the room.
“Daniel!” Sam cried as the younger man slumped to the floor still staring with innocent confusion at the perpetrator of the act that put him there. “Daniel, are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” he said dismissively, never shifting his gaze. “I just don’t understand what he wants me to do. I don’t understand!” He aimed his repetition at the glowering Nem, who merely glared a moment longer then spun around and left the room.
Once the large creature was gone, Sam hurried over and started checking over her friend for injuries. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
Daniel nodded, not moving from his seated position. “A bit of a headache, but I’ll be fine. I think that was just a demonstration of how serious he was.” He paused for a moment. “And frustrated,” he concluded as the blonde physicist sat down beside him.
“I could have sworn Nem spoke English,” Sam commented, looking off toward the panel the alien had made his exit through. “He did on the beach, I know that for sure.”
“Oh, he will when he comes in next time,” the linguist assured her. He stopped and blinked. “Next time... oh my God, Sam, you were right. This is a memory, isn’t it? I was stuck here all alone, and Nem sent the rest of you back after planting the memory of me dying in your minds.” He looked wide-eyed at his companion. “What’s going on, Sam? Why are we reliving one of my memories?” His blue eyes narrowed. “We’re not stuck in the Keeper’s virtual reality again, are we?”
“No, no, of course not,” Sam quickly reassured him. Her breath caught, stopping any further explanation, as Daniel suddenly squeezed his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose, obviously in great pain. “What’s wrong? Are you all right?”
“My head hurts,” Daniel replied. “And my body feels heavy, like I can barely move it. I think something’s medically wrong with me, Sam, but I don’t know what it is.” He let his hand fall into his lap and gave the woman beside him a weary, frightened look. “What’s going on, Sam? Why do I feel this way?” His lids fell shut once again before she could answer and he started to sway.
Sam pulled his head onto her shoulder, gently running a hand through the longer hair of his past in a soothing motion. “I’m not exactly sure why you feel the way you do, Daniel, but I promise you I’m coming to find you and figure it out. The colonel and Teal’c are with me, and we’ll find you no matter where the people who kidnapped you have taken you. I promise.”
“Kidnapped?” Daniel asked blearily, his voice sluggish with impending sleep. “You’re coming?”
“I’m coming, Daniel. And I’ll be here for you in your thoughts whenever you need me. I promise. If you reach out for me, I’ll be there.”
“Thank you,” he whispered as he smiled, then grew lax as unconsciousness overcame him. Sam gazed fondly at the brown-haired head, laying a light kiss on the top of it before replacing her lips with her cheek. It wasn’t long before sleep claimed her as well.
* * * * * * * *
“You know, Carter, this is getting to be a bad habit.”
Colonel O’Neill’s voice, accompanied by a light shake and lighter slap on the cheek, finally roused Sam from her slumber. “Colonel? What’s going on?” she asked, her pale blue eyes fluttering open.
Jack let loose a explosive sigh of relief. “Finally! I was beginning to wonder if I’d ever be able to wake you up.”
“Sir?” Sam queried again, still thoroughly confused about the fact that she was lying on the ground and it had been required for her CO to wake her at all.
“You collapsed not long after we finished constructing the lean-to. O’Neill was unable to revive you until just now,” Teal’c explained as he helped her into a sitting position. “Were you able to communicate with Daniel Jackson?”
“Kind of.” The blonde rolled her head from side to side, stretching out her stiff neck muscles. “I was drawn into one of his memories.”
Jack blinked at that. “Which one?”
The hand Sam had brought up to massage her shoulder paused in its work. “He was remembering Nem, actually.”
Jack blinked again, the name bringing up bad memories of his own. “Why would he be remembering Nem?”
“I think it has something to do with the fact that he woke up alone,” Sam hypothesized as she let her arm fall back to her side. “When his mind became coherent again and no one was there, his subconscious made the connection and called up the appropriate imagery. I did manage to get him to see it was just a memory, though.”
“But did you get him to tell you where he’s being held?” O’Neill pressed.
The major shook her head. “I’m afraid not, sir. He passed out again soon after he realized everything he was experiencing had happened before. I’m not even sure he knows what’s really going on with him. He seemed surprised when I said he’d been kidnapped.”
Jack sighed. “Of course he doesn’t know. That would make our lives easier, and nothing is ever easy when it comes to Daniel.”
“Did you get any information at all from him?” Teal’c asked.
“I think I did. I’m pretty sure he became somewhat aware of his physical condition as he became aware of the reality of his situation.” Sam paused to take a deep breath, sharing a serious look with her two present teammates. “I don’t think he’s doing well. He said his head hurt and his body felt heavy, like he could barely move it. I have a feeling he didn’t react well to the drugs he was given to knock him out.”
“Considering the fact that the list of things that man is allergic to is a mile long that doesn’t surprise me . Of course, it just makes it all the more important that we get to him along the lines of yesterday."
"I agree, sir. But since I can't be sure exactly what's happening to him, I'll have to be ready at any time for Daniel to make contact.”
Jack reached out a hand and pulled his second to her feet. “You do that, Major. For now, let’s keep moving. I think we still have four hours or so of sunlight left.” He and Sam broke down the lean-to while Teal’c found the trail again and reestablished its direction, and the three of them once again headed out after Daniel.
* * * * * * * *
About midday the following day the footprints trailed off completely as the dirt became more and more compact and finally gave way to exposed stone. Fortunately it wasn’t necessary to follow the physical trail any further. A city rose up out of the grass of the plains, its size rivaling that of Gales over two days walk behind them. Its graceful spires pierced the sky, the noon sun glittering off the metal and glass.
“So that’s where the trail leads, huh?” Jack asked, using his hand to supplement his sunglasses in shading his eyes.
“Indeed,” Teal’c confirmed. “I have searched for quite some distance to either side of the trail for signs that the men who have taken Daniel Jackson may have gone in another direction, but found nothing. I believe we will find them there.”
“Not that it’ll be easy,” SG-1's team leader qualified with a sigh. “The old concept of looking for a needle in a haystack comes to mind.”
Sam gazed at her superior officer, his determined tone and expression belying his negative words. “We’ll need to be careful, sir,” she advised. “Considering that the last city had rules of conduct posted for the benefit of random travelers, it’s possible that this one has done the same and we just haven’t found the monolith. We won’t do Daniel any good if we’ve been arrested.”
Jack nodded. “I know, Carter. But we don’t exactly have much choice, do we?” He paused to consider the city he estimated they were still an hour’s walk away from. “We’ll wander around for a bit since there’s no wall, get a feel for the place. If everything checks out, we’ll see if the authorities will help out. If they won’t...” Here he gave his teammates a dark smile. “If they won’t we’ll have to see who else we can get to help. There’s always people who know about things like this, if you know who to ask.” Sam and Teal’c declined to respond as Jack led them on.
There was a different atmosphere in the new city, one more outwardly relaxed. The buildings were graceful and almost delicate, and small parks with stone benches and fountains were tucked away in quaint little corners inviting random passers-by to stop and smell the roses - or whatever their equivalent was. As in Gales, there were guards patrolling the streets, these with an even more casual air. Yet, there was an invisible undercurrent of tension that all three team members picked up on, one that suggested that the beauty that surrounded them masked a dark underside.
Jack led them to the city center, where signs written in the variant form of French they had encountered previously had said the main government buildings were standing. They stopped at the base of the stairs of the one they were searching for and looked up at the cathedral-like structure. “Is it just me, or does this place remind you of Notre Dame?” O’Neill asked.
“Almost, sir,” Sam replied. “It’s not quite as fancy though.”
Both officers waited for the inevitable question from Teal’c, but it never came. “Um, Teal’c, what are you thinking?” Jack asked tentatively. He couldn’t help but wonder if maybe the Jaffa was more worried about Daniel that he had originally thought if the big man’s curiosity had been blunted.
Brown met brown as Teal’c looked Jack straight in the eye. “I am thinking you are both correct. This building does indeed resemble that of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France. The gargoyles and stained glass windows are missing, however, amongst other small details.”
Oh, for crying out loud... “You know about Notre Dame?” Jack asked with a touch of incredulity.
Teal’c nodded, a sparkle of mischief in his eyes. “Indeed I do, O’Neill. Daniel Jackson explained its history and how it was built when I asked about such things after our experience on the planet with the medieval European culture where we first encountered Sokar’s influence. It was one of many cathedrals he discussed with me.”
“Only Daniel,” Sam muttered, a small smile lightening her expression.
“Only Teal’c,” Jack corrected her, fighting back a smirk of his own. “Well, come on, kiddies. Let’s go see what we can do to find Daniel here.” The three of them headed up the stairs and inside.
* * * * * * * *
“My secretary has explained to me that you wish to see me. How can the Governor of the Great City of Pendemente serve you?”
The seated members of SG-1 snapped their attention away from their perusal of their surroundings and took in the man that had spoken to them. He was lean and tall, taller than Teal’c, with short black hair frosted with silver at his temples. Jack couldn’t help but think the man would make a great Abraham Lincoln as he rose to his feet. “We’ve come in search of a member of our team who was kidnapped soon after we arrived through the... Circle of Stars,” he explained, remembering at the last minute the term the people of this planet used to describe the Stargate. “We have reason to believe he’s been brought here.”
The governor’s expression grew distressed as Sam whispered a translation of the exchange to her Jaffa companion. “Then this is indeed a matter of great urgency. Please, join me in my office.” He gestured toward the open door he had come from. The three team members did as requested.
“I apologize for not introducing myself properly,” the native man said as he indicated his guests should sit in the chairs in front of his desk then sat himself. “My name is Armand LaRoux. And you are?”
“I’m Colonel Jack O’Neill, this is Major Samantha Carter, and this is Teal’c. You’ll have to excuse him, as he doesn’t speak the language.”
“You are from the Circle of Stars; I am happy any of you know of our mother tongue. What is this about your companion being kidnapped?”
Encouraged by the man’s genuine concern, Jack proceeded to describe what had happened to Daniel and their search for him, minimizing the events in the city of Gales proper and saying nothing about the link Carter shared with the missing archaeologist. “We came here first to inform you of our purpose in the city and to request whatever help you could give us,” the colonel concluded.
LaRoux nodded, a worried frown creasing his forehead. “I appreciate the gesture, Colonel, although it was unnecessary. Unlike our counterparts in Gales, we do not feel the need to regulate the comings and goings of citizens and visitors. But I will not bore you with my opinions of our closest neighbor. Your need is greater than that.
“I do feel the need to tell of you of the tensions between our cities, however, as it may be this which has inspired the actions against your team member. There has always been a rivalry between us, ever since the fertile valley Gales rests in became too populated to support both the city and the farm land needed to feed the people. They attempted to extend their territory, and so the border disputes began, not only with Pendemente, but the cities to the east and west as well. The rivalry with us was the most fierce, due to our closer proximity. But diplomacy saved us from the destruction and bloodshed of war, and we have sustained a fragile peace ever since.”
The thin man sighed and leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he rested his elbows on the arms of his ornate wooden seat. “I suppose I should not say we have avoided war, although we have avoided direct conflict which would have cost our two cities, and most likely the others of this world as well, many lives with no real gain. No, our war has been through trade and commerce, politics and diplomacy. Gales is the Great City nearest the Circle of Stars, and is able to control access to it. I am sure you have seen the obelisk they have embedded where all who come here can see it upon their arrival.”
“It’s kind of hard to miss,” Jack commented, giving Sam a chance to finish catching Teal’c up on what was being said. “So what’s with all the different languages? We were lucky to find one we understood. Well,” he quickly amended, “Major Carter and I at any rate. Doctor Jackson probably could have understood all of them, given some time.” As much as he didn’t always show it, it always filled Jack with a warm sense of pride that he could say things like that about his best friend.
“They are the languages of our most frequent visitors. The mother tongue is for those native citizens who may wish to visit Gales from other cities. No one is exempt from their laws in their lands.”
Jack gave Sam an impressed look. “You were pretty close, Carter. Not bad.” He looked back at the governor. “Now how exactly would kidnapping Daniel help anyone on either side of your little conflict? Understanding these people’s motives might make it easier to find them.”
LaRoux nodded his agreement, his pale grey eyes sparkling with appreciation of the colonel’s thought process. “You have a very valid point, Colonel. I believe the people who took your teammate are members of one of the factions in the city who desire the hostility between our two cities to escalate, believing that we would be triumphant in such a confrontation. And if, as you say, they were to believe that Doctor Jackson were a leader of your people, he could serve their purpose in one of two ways.”
“And what would those be?” Sam asked curiously, her mind beginning to have a few ideas of its own.
“The Great City of Gales has purposely made things appear as though there is only one direction to travel from the Circle of Stars, the road to their gates. If one were to search outside of their area of influence to the east and west, one would find other paths that lead to the cities to either side of the valley, and other roads that would eventually lead to the other Great Cities on our planet. But since this is not readily apparent, travelers rarely make their way to anywhere but Gales.
“Whichever faction witnessed your arrival most likely took Doctor Jackson hoping you would return to your planet in righteous indignation and rally troops to come back and free your leader by force. Even if you would not be able to defeat the Gales army alone, there are enough people in my government that would not be able to turn away from such an opportunity to strike and take advantage of Gales’ distraction.”
“Gales would be caught between two hostile forces,” Jack concluded, frowning. “And since they wouldn’t be able to produce Daniel, not having grabbed him in the first place, they couldn’t hope to negotiate a peace with us. In fact, we’d be more likely to ally ourselves with you, the whole ‘enemy of my enemy is my friend’ thing. This faction could miraculously ‘find’ Daniel, making us ever so grateful, and after all the fighting was done we’d probably be more than willing to enter into some kind of trade agreement. Pendemente wins all around, with no one but the faction the wiser.”
“Quite right, Colonel,” the governor replied. “And if you did not react in the violent manner they hoped for, they could do what they could to obtain information from Doctor Jackson about your world and people. Perhaps they would try to steal weapons’ plans or intelligence about your enemies and allies. Perhaps they would be seeking a way to get your people to react in the way they desired. No matter what they were seeking, I cannot fathom that it would be pleasant for Doctor Jackson.”
Jack and Sam both flinched at the thought, the major recovering quickly and filling Teal’c in. The Jaffa’s jaw clenched as he considered the possibilities. “So what can we do about this before it goes too far?” Jack asked.
“We look. It appears you have an idea of the people you seek. I will put my people to work immediately to do what we can to find Doctor Jackson. Can you give me a description of him, and possibly his abductors?”
“Well, the only abductors we ever saw are dead,” Jack explained slowly. “As for Daniel...”
“One moment, sir,” Sam interrupted, digging through her vest pockets. After a moment there was an odd tearing sound and the woman brought out a small photograph. “This is a picture of the four of us,” she explained as she handed it to the surprised LaRoux. “The brown-haired man with the glasses is Daniel.”
Jack gave her a strange look. “You had a picture in your vest?” he asked incredulously in English.
“In a hidden pocket, yes.”
“Why?”
Sam sighed. “Morale purposes, sir. If I ever get captured, I have something tangible to hold onto while I wait for rescue. As long as I have some kind of warning I can make sure I keep it, on the chance that my captors take my vest. It’s an iffy thing at best, but it makes me feel better knowing I have it with me.”
Her commanding officer stared at her for a long moment. “Whatever helps you, Major. Just make sure that hidden pocket stays that way.”
“Yes, sir.”
LaRoux, not having understood the exchange but sensing it was over, cleared his throat, regaining the trio’s attention. “This image will be very helpful. I will put my best people to work on finding Doctor Jackson immediately. And of course the three of you are also welcome to continue your own search. If there is anything else you would require, please do not hesitate to ask. I will do what I can to accommodate you. It is the least I can do considering that it was some of my citizens that have most likely caused this situation in the first place.”
“That’s... great, Governor. Now, don’t take this the wrong way or anything, but why are you really doing this? I can’t see you going out of your way for everyone who loses someone in a city of this size, no matter what the reason.”
“You are very perceptive, Colonel,” the lean man behind the desk said with a smile, approval in his tone. “I appreciate that in the people I work with. I was telling the truth, of course. I do believe it is the least I can do considering the circumstances. But as I said before, travelers from the Circle of Stars very rarely come to any city but Gales. I wish to lay positive groundwork so that you may consider entering into a trade agreement with my city when this unfortunate situation has been resolved. I do not mean to minimize your teammate’s dilemma in the slightest, but I must also think of my people’s future. I hope I have not caused offense.”
“No, not really,” O’Neill said flippantly, his brown eyes reassessing the man seated before him. “I’d have to talk to my superiors, but as long as you help us find Daniel I don’t see why I can’t recommend that we send a diplomatic team in to talk things over with you.”
LaRoux nodded and interlaced his long, thin fingers as he sat forward in his chair. “Doctor Jackson is of the highest priority, of course. As I said, I will have my best people working on his recovery, and I will have rooms set aside for you at The Random Inn, just a street north of here. William Random is a good friend of mine and he runs an excellent establishment. If, in the future, you need to send word to me, William will make sure it is done quickly and discreetly.”
“Thank you for everything, Governor LaRoux,” Sam said. “We appreciate the assistance.”
“Definitely,” Jack agreed, rising to his feet. His two teammates followed his example. “Now we have to get back on the trail.” He paused for a moment. “You wouldn’t have any hints on where we should go next by any chance, would you?”
The governor grinned as he also stood. “I believe I would direct you to the West Quarter. You would be surprised at the kinds of rumors you can hear in that part of town. I would drop off anything valuable in your rooms at the Random Inn before you do so, however, and possibly change into clothing that is not quite so... distinctive. For now, I will wish you good day. If I discover anything that would be useful to you, I will send you word immediately.” He gave the off-world trio a respectful nod that was returned three times over before SG-1 left his office.
* * * * * * * *
“So, Carter,” Jack drawled as the three team members headed up to the three-bedroom suite that had been arranged at the Random Inn for them with an amazing swiftness. “What’s your note say? Collecting admirers already?”
Sam shot him an slightly annoyed look as she pulled the small slip of paper out of the previously sealed envelope that had been waiting for her on her arrival and read the few sentences printed there. Her pale blue eyes widened as they became riveted to whatever words she had scanned. “I suppose I should have thought of that,” she murmured as she blinked herself back under control.
Jack shared a confused look with Teal’c as they finally reached the top floor and headed toward the door to their rooms. “What should you have thought of?” In response the blonde major merely thrust the letter into O’Neill’s hands. “Oh,” he said after looking the message over. “We both should have thought of that. At least it looks like he’s not going to hold it against us.”
“Of what do you speak, O’Neill?” the Jaffa asked.
Jack tried to hand him the paper, but it wasn’t taken. The team leader’s brows furrowed in confusion for a moment, then realized the futility of the action. “Sorry about that, big guy. Totally forgot. Let’s go inside and I’ll explain.” He reached for the door they had just arrived at and opened it, let his friends file in, then shut the door behind them all after slipping inside himself.
“The letter’s from Governor LaRoux, Teal’c,” Sam explained before her commanding officer had a chance to begin. “He recognized the headset and what it’s for. This is suggesting I do what I can to hide it before going out to look for Daniel.”
“He guessed that it’s probably hooked up to Danny-boy, and that’s how the faction was planning to get information out of him. He didn’t really say much else, but I got a sense that there’s something dangerous about these things from what little he did say. He threw that note together the second we walked out the door so it could be here before we were. It’s obviously something big.” Jack scowled. “I hate dealing with alien technology when I don’t know what it’s supposed to do. One of us always gets burned.”
“That’s what we do on a regular basis, sir,” Sam refuted with a touch of an amused smile.
“And like I said, one of us always gets burned. It just happens on a regular basis.” The colonel sighed. “Although I suppose it’s going to be two of us this time. Fraiser’s going to kill us herself one of these days, you know that, don’t you?”
Teal’c raised an eyebrow. “I do not. However, I believe her main concern upon our return will be Daniel Jackson and Major Carter’s welfare.” His lips twitched slightly upward. “I also believe she will reserve any violence for after their recovery.”
“Don’t I know it.”
The smile that had lightened Sam’s expression at the exchange suddenly fell away as an odd sensation swept over her. “Colonel, Teal’c,” she said, beginning to panic as blackness swarmed in from the edges of her vision. She never heard either worried response as she crumpled under the onslaught of unconsciousness.
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