CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

By the time morning came, Daniel's stomach was very unhappy indeed and being quite vociferous about it.  He had a big breakfast, then went off to the debriefing.

Jack was not thrilled with how close the mission came to getting a lot of them killed, pointing out that Daniel's abilities had been the only thing that saved them.

Shortly after that, they reached the point in the narrative when Moloc arrived and everyone decided to go after him.

"I figured that we were going to need help," Daniel said, "so I told SG-3 and 5 to join us, leaving the Hak'tyl and one of Harper's men to watch the gate.  The woods were still full of enemy Jaffa, so I guided them in."

"How?" Jack asked.

"I used my ability to see things that are happening elsewhere and guided them through a route that would avoid the patrols."

"It was really quite something," Harper said.  "He kept telling us to turn this way or that.  We never saw a single Jaffa."

"It enabled us to cover the distance pretty quickly," Reynolds added.

Daniel resumed speaking.  "I guided them for as long as I could, then I had to stop so that we could get into position.  We climbed the slope and waited just below the edge.  Then Moloc arrived.  I knew that, if we delayed much longer, his Jaffa would probably find us.  SG-3 and 5 were close, but there was still the slope for them to climb, so I decided to . . . stall for time."

"Oh, I'm not gonna like this, am I," Jack said.  "This is going to be something like you standing in the flight path of an Al'Kesh's bombing run."

Daniel responded with a bland expression.  "No, Jack.  There weren't any Al'Kesh."

The general glared at him.  "Just tell me and get it over with."

"I confronted Moloc and introduced myself."

"You . . . introduced yourself."

"As Dan'yar, of course."

"Oh, of course.  So, you just stood there, in front of all those well-armed Jaffa, plus a Goa'uld that I'm betting was pretty pissed off, and . . . introduced yourself."

"Yep."

Jack held onto his temper.  "And how did Moloc respond to this introduction?"

"Oh, we chatted for a little while, then he tried to blast me with his ribbon device."

"Did he now?  How very rude of him."

"Yes, I thought so, too, which is why I returned the favor, or, rather sent the blast right back at him."

"Knocked the Goa'uld right on his ass," Harper said with a grin.

"His Jaffa objected, and I knocked them back."

"SG-3 and 5 were with us at that point, and we all opened fire on the Jaffa," Sam explained.

They recounted the rest of the confrontation and how Daniel put an end to it.

"Oh, I'd have loved to see that," Jack said.

"It was a most satisfying sight," Teal'c said with a smile.

After Jack was given the rest of the report, he sat in silence for a few seconds.  "Well, you managed to catch another one and without a single casualty, a permanent one, that is.  Good job.  I'll expect all of your reports by the end of the day.  Dismissed . . . all except for you, Daniel."

Figuring that he was about to get his ear chewed off, Daniel stayed where he was as the others filed out of the room.

"Daniel?"

"Yes, Jack?"

"Answer me this.  What the hell were you thinking?!"

Daniel sighed.  "Like I said, I was stalling for time."

"And what if all those Jaffa had decided to open up on you the second you stuck your head out?"

"I was a lone, unarmed man, and Moloc was there.  The Jaffa wouldn't have opened fire without his command.  I knew that he'd be curious about who I was and would want to interrogate me."

"And what if you'd been wrong?"

"I'd have sensed it in time to do something.  I know I was taking a risk, Jack, but Moloc had ordered his men to start searching, and, if any of them had discovered our location, we'd have been in trouble.  I knew that I only had to cause a delay for a minute or so, and I couldn't think of another way to do it."

Jack let out a sigh.  "Fine.  But mark my words, Daniel.  One of these days, you're gonna give me a heart attack.  Of course, then, you'll just heal me, so I guess it doesn't really matter much."  He waved his hand.  "Go on.  Get out of here."

Daniel got to his feet.

"Oh, about that Aron guy," Jack said.  "We've had him confined in one of the isolation rooms on 22.  I didn't think it would be polite to put him in a cell if it turned out he was innocent.  Besides, the brig is very, very crowed right now.  In fact, we had to convert some of the unused rooms on Level 17 to holding cells.  What we're going to do with all those Jaffa is a mystery to me."

"I don't know either.  Some may decide to join the rebellion, especially after they find out that we defeated Moloc.  As for the rest, if we let them go, they'll just end up being absorbed into the army of whatever Goa'uld takes over Moloc's territory."

"And there's no point in letting that happen."

"No.  I guess we'll have to figure something out.  What about the guys who already rebelled?"

"They're in another isolation room."

"And Moloc?"

"He's in a cell that's in a different room from the others.  We figured that if we put him in the same room as his loyal followers, he might incite them into causing trouble."

"Good idea."

Daniel went to his office and found a small crowd there, consisting of his teammates, Bra'tac, Ishta, Rya'c and Kar'yn.

"So, how bad was it?" Sam asked.

"Oh, not so bad," the archeologist replied.  "I was able to calm him down."

Bra'tac smiled.  "I must tell you, Daniel Jackson, that, in all my one hundred and forty years, never has anything filled me with greater pleasure than being with you in that battle.  It was a glorious thing to behold.  It will stay bright in my memory for the rest of my days."

"It is no wonder that your name is on the tongue of every Jaffa and that many have rebelled because of you," Ishta said.  "To see Moloc humiliated in such a way brought me great pleasure."

"I'd much prefer that they were all rebelling simply because they want to be free.  I can't help but worry about the ramifications of being used as a reason for some of them turning against the Goa'uld."

Bra'tac nodded.  "Yes, I have spoken with the Jaffa who rebelled against Moloc yesterday.  Despite my earlier words, they spoke repeatedly of you and your power with the same tones of reverence I have heard from the lips of Jaffa whose belief in the godhood of their master is absolute."

Daniel let out a sigh.  "Do you think I should talk to them?"

"I fear it may be of no use."

"Maybe if they knew who I really was. . . ."

"No, I do not think that is wise."

"Do you still think that some of them could be putting on an act?" Sam asked.

"I am still unsure of that, but, even if they are all being truthful, I feel that it would be best not to entrust them with the true identity of Dan'yar."

"Well, sooner or later, we're going to have to determine if they are being honest," Daniel said.  "And there is one person that do I need to visit: Aron."

"To learn if he is the traitor," Teal'c surmised.

"Yeah."

"How will you do that?" Rya'c asked.

"The same way I found out that Moloc's Jaffa arrived on the planet through the Stargate, not by ship.  I'll take a look into his past.  If he's the traitor, I should see something that will confirm it."

Teal'c's son walked up to Daniel.  "I had no chance to thank you for the life of my Kar'yn yesterday.  There is nothing I could ever do to repay the debt I owe you."

"You don't owe me a thing, Rya'c," Daniel told him.

Kar'yn gave Daniel a hug.  "Thank you from me as well."

Ishta grasped Daniel's arm in a Jaffa greeting.  "And from me."

Daniel nodded his head at them.  He left a few minutes later to go change his clothes and leave his glasses in his office, figuring that it would still be a good idea to keep his real identity hidden from Aron.  He met his teammates, Bra'tac and Ishta at the room where Aron was being held.  The man stood as they entered.

"Were you victorious?" he asked.

Ishta smiled.  "Yes, even more than you know.  Not only did we rescue our brothers who still lived, we also brought Moloc to his knees.  He has been captured."

Aron's eyes lit up.  "Moloc is ours?"

"Indeed he is," Teal'c replied, smiling in satisfaction.

"No more children will die at his command," Ishta declared.

Aron smiled.  "Then our battle had been won!"  The joy on his face dimmed.  "If only that victory had come in time to save my daughter."

"Your daughter was sacrificed?" Daniel asked, feeling for the man.

"Yes, two years ago."

"I'm sorry.  Um, Aron, we need to be sure that you're not the traitor."

The man nodded.  "I will do whatever you ask of me to prove my innocence."

"Actually, you don't have to do anything.  I'm going to take a look into your past.  That will show me if you're innocent."

"Very well."

Daniel had the man sit in a chair.  As the others kept a close eye on the Jaffa, Daniel laid a hand on his shoulder and began the process of looking into the last few days of the man's life.  It did not take long for him to find out all he needed to.

"He's not the traitor," Daniel stated.

"You are sure?" Ishta asked.

"Yes.  I took a look at what he's done over the past week or so.  He was not the one who revealed the location of the meeting."

Now that they knew that Aron was true to the rebellion, he was released and left with the men who had been guarding his room.  They were going to take him to the commissary for some breakfast.

"What of the seven men who rebelled against Moloc yesterday?" Ishta asked.  "They must be tested as well."

"Yes, but what I did with Aron won't work with them since it wouldn't do any good to look into their pasts."

"It's too bad you can't read minds," Sam said.  "All you'd have to do is take a peek inside their heads."

"Yeah."  Daniel frowned in thought.  "There is one thing that might work, but Jack isn't going to like it."

Daniel was right.  Jack did not like his idea.  Neither did Sam.  But they both admitted that it would probably work.  Since no one could come up with a better idea, Jack reluctantly agreed to the plan.

A while later, Jack accompanied SG-1, Bra'tac and Ishta to the room where the seven Jaffa were being kept.  The moment Daniel stepped into the room, all seven men went down on one knee, their heads bowed, an arm crossed over their chests.

"Dan'yar.  You honor us with your presence," one of them said.

"Thank you, but will you please get up?" Daniel responded, not at all happy with their actions.

The men hesitated a moment, then rose to their feet.

Bra'tac stepped forward.  "You have claimed that you reject Moloc, that you now know that the Goa'uld are not gods."

"How could we believe anything else?" one man asked.  "We witnessed with our own eyes how Dan'yar defeated and humiliated Moloc.  If Moloc was truly a god, he would have struck Dan'yar down."

"Indeed he would."

"I would like to speak with each of you privately," Daniel said.  He selected one of the men and took him into another room.  On the table was a bowl of fruit and a tray of bread, meat and cheese.  In clear sight beside the tray was a cutting knife.

"Please help yourself to some food," he said as he sat down at the table.  The man sat across from him, picking up a piece of meat.

Daniel studied him.  "So, tell me a little about yourself."

Clearly surprised by the request, the Jaffa paused.

"What's your name?" Daniel asked encouragingly.

"Cal'nec."

Daniel asked him some other questions, slowly drawing the man out.  At one point in the conversation, Cal'nec picked up the knife to cut off a piece of fruit.  As he did, Daniel selected a piece of cheese and got to his feet.  He walked around the table.  He was right next to the Jaffa when he dropped the cheese.  He knelt to pick it up, his back to Cal'nec.  When he stood, and turned around, the man was busy eating some bread, the knife once again on the table.

Daniel talked to Cal'nec for a few more minutes, then took him to a third room, where he asked the Jaffa to wait.  He left the room and joined his teammates, Jack, Ishta and Bra'tac.

"Well?  How did it go?" Jack asked.

"He didn't take the bait, and I gave him the perfect opportunity to stab me in the back."

"Are you certain that he simply chose not to strike against you in favor of another plan?" Bra'tac asked.

"If you were a Jaffa who was loyal to your Goa'uld master, and you were presented with the opportunity to kill the single greatest enemy of the Goa'uld, the man who attacked and shamed your god, wouldn't you be pretty tempted to take it?"

"I would."

"Well, even though my back was turned to him, I was watching him very closely.  I also had my senses focused completely on him.  He didn't give the slightest hint that he was considering using that knife on me.  In fact, he set the knife down as I was turned away from him.  He wasn't even watching me.  He was busy eating."

"Daniel, just the thought of you standing there and presenting your back as a target for a guy with a knife who might hate your guts is enough to make me all twitchy," Jack said.

"Yes, Jack, I know, but like I told you, he'd never have been able to get that knife anywhere near me."

"So, this means that he's sincere?" Sam asked.

Daniel nodded.  "Of course, I can't be a hundred percent certain, but it definitely looks that way."

"Then it is time to test another," Teal'c said.

Daniel chose a second Jaffa and took him to the room.  This man did not pick up the knife.  After talking with him for a few minutes, Daniel decided to go ahead and perform the test.  He did the same thing as before, selecting a piece of food, then dropping it on the floor.  But, this time, the results were different.  With his mind's eye, Daniel saw the man's hand move for the knife, an expression of hatred on his face.  The hand stopped before reaching the knife.  It hesitated, then moved away.  But it didn't matter.  Daniel had seen enough.

He stood and turned around, staring at the man.  "Did you think I wouldn't find out that you're lying?"

The man looked startled.  "Lying?  I have spoken no lies, Dan'yar."

"Then why is it that you just thought about trying to kill me?  You even reached for the knife, but then changed your mind."

Shock and a touch of fear filled the man's eyes.

"Yes, I saw you, Rey'nis.  I have senses that see what the eyes don't.  I saw the hatred on your face, and I sensed what you were thinking of doing."

Realizing that he'd been found out, Rey'nis grabbed for the knife.  He was sent tumbling backwards.

"You insulted my god!" the man snarled from the floor.  "You and all Jaffa who have betrayed the gods must die for your sins."

Daniel didn't bother responding.  He knew that someone as fanatical as this man would not listen to anything he could say.  Instead, he rendered the Jaffa unconscious and left the room.

The others could tell right off that something had happened.

"Uh oh," Sam said.

"Yeah.  He didn't actually try it, but he definitely considered it," Daniel said.

"His plan must have been to infiltrate the rebel Jaffa," Ishta said, frowning severely.

"Yeah.  I left him unconscious in the room.  He needs to be put with the other prisoners."

After that was done, Daniel took another one of the Jaffa into the room.  That man passed the test, as did all the others.  They and the first man were released, though a guard would remain with them just to be on the safe side.

SG-1 went with Jack, Bra'tac and Ishta to the briefing room.

"So, only one out of six, huh?" the general said.  "That's not bad."

Bra'tac nodded.  "It is good that you tested them, Daniel Jackson.  If that one who was deceiving us had succeeded in his plans, he could have caused the deaths of many rebel Jaffa."

"There is another matter to be discussed," Ishta said, "the fate of Moloc."

The others all looked at each other.

"It's too bad that we can't get hold of the Tok'ra," Sam said.  "They'd take care of him, remove the symbiote from the host."

"It is unlikely that the host would survive," Teal'c said.  "He has been Moloc's host for too long."

"Moloc must die," Ishta stated.  "He must pay for the crimes he committed against my sisters."

"Well, for the present, we'll just leave him where he is," Jack said.  "We all have a wedding to prepare for."  He looked at Ishta and Teal'c.  "I assume that there is still going to be one."

The two Jaffa exchanged a glance.  It was Teal'c who replied.

"Yes, O'Neill.  The wedding will take place."

Jack smiled slightly.  "Good.  Glad to hear it."

Besides the preparations for the wedding, it was also necessary to find another planet for the Hak'tyl.  The next one on the list that had already been made was the most likely candidate, but Daniel thought of a couple of others that might be better.  Ishta and some of her warriors went with him to one of them and liked what they saw.

"You say that this world is unknown by the Goa'uld?" Ka'lel inquired.

"Well, I don't know if it's completely unknown, but it's not a planet that was on the Abydos cartouche, so, as far as we know, it's not in the Goa'uld, um, database.  If they've been here at all, it would have been by ship. The remnants of the civilization that was here are very old, at least five thousand years, and there's no sign that anyone has been here since then.  We'll want to send a UAV through to check a wider area, of course."

Ishta looked around.  "It is a good place.  There is fresh water, many trees, and I see plentiful signs of game.  If this world truly is unknown to the Goa'uld, we will be safe here."

The wedding took place on the following day and went off without a hitch.  Afterwards, a small reception was held, complete with cake.

Jack walked up to Teal'c, who was watching his son and new daughter-in-law.

"So, how does it feel to know that your kid's a married man now?"

"I have been thinking a great deal of the years when he was a child.  It was not long ago."

"No, it wasn't, not really.  I can still clearly remember the first time I saw the little guy."  Jack looked at his friend.  "So, you're okay with it all now?"

"I am, O'Neill.  I came to realize that I did not have the right to deny my son the happiness that Kar'yn will give him.  She is a good match for him, someone worthy to stand at his side."

"Yeah, but are you ready to be a grandpa?"

The tiniest of smiles curved Teal'c's lips.  "That I will not know until I am one."

Jack patted his shoulder.  "Well, just between you and me, I think you'll do just fine."

The video and other data from UAV that was sent through to the planet indicated that the region was completely uninhabited.  Hak'tyl chose it to be their new home.

Aron and Ishta were sent through the gate to spread the news of Moloc's defeat and capture.  Many already knew.  Moloc's Jaffa who returned from the planet had been doing a whole lot of talking.  Moloc's forces were presently in an uproar.  It probably wouldn't be long before some other Goa'uld stepped in and took over the territories.  Knowing this, all members of the rebellion who had remained in Moloc's army to act as spies had fled to join their rebel brothers.

Without exception, all of Moloc's Jaffa in the rebellion demanded that their former master be put to death.

It was two days after the wedding when a meeting to discuss the Goa'uld's fate was held in the briefing room.  Besides SG-1 and Bra'tac, there were also several members of the Hak'tyl and other former servants of Moloc in attendance.

"Okay, let's get this thing started," Jack said as he sat down.

"Moloc must be turned over to us for execution," one man immediately said.  "It is our right to serve justice for all the crimes he has committed against us."

There were sounds and nods of agreement from most of the Jaffa.

"And how do you intend to execute him?" Daniel asked.

"He must be made to suffer as our female children have suffered," one of the Hak'tyl said.  "Death by fire is the only death befitting what he has done."

That's what Daniel was afraid they were going to say.  "Okay, I know how deeply all of you hate Moloc, but you have to consider that there is an innocent man involved in this, one who doesn't deserve to die, certainly not like that."

"There is no innocence within Moloc," a man growled.  "He is evil and not worthy of mercy."  He glared at Daniel.  "You are of the Tau'ri.  You could not understand how we feel, and you should have no say in this."

"School your tongue, Del'ek," Bra'tac commanded.  "I believe you do not know who it is that you are speaking to.  I doubt you would show such disrespect if you knew that he is Dan'yar."

The Jaffa stiffened, his eyes widening.  Sounds of surprise issued from several throats.  The manner of everyone at the table who didn't already know who Daniel was changed radically.

Del'ek bowed his head at Daniel.  "My apologies, Dan'yar.  I was unaware of your identity."

"Who I am doesn't matter," Daniel responded.  "What I'm saying is true regardless of who's speaking it.  Moloc is a symbiote within the body of a human being, a man who has committed no sin against you, who, for all these generations, was even more a slave to Moloc than any of you.  He never had the option of rebelling.  He had no choice when Moloc used his body to commit all those horrible acts.  He was helpless to stop it, powerless to do anything at all."  Daniel's gaze hardened.  "Do you think he deserves to burn to death for the things the creature inside him did?"

The Jaffa gathered in the room all glanced at each other.  It was Ishta who spoke.

"No, he does not.  Dan'yar is right.  We think of Moloc, and we see the face he has worn for all these years, but we forget that what we see is not truly Moloc, but an innocent host forced to do the bidding of the Goa'uld within him."

"Then what do you propose, Dan'yar," one of the male Jaffa asked.  "Imprisonment?"

Daniel shook his head.  "No.  It's time for Moloc's host to be given peace.  He shouldn't have to suffer anymore.  If there was a way to save him, to remove the symbiote without the host dying or being left mentally damaged beyond repair, I would do all I could to make that happen, but there really is no hope for him."

"Then you are agreeing with execution," Aron said.

"Yes," Daniel replied reluctantly, "but a humane death, one that will not bring pain to the host."

Moloc's former servants spoke amongst themselves for several seconds.

"We agree," Ishta said.  "For the sake of the host, we will show mercy to Moloc.  We will go now and discuss the manner of his death.  Though it will be as painless as possible, it must also be public and leave no doubt in the minds of those who witness it that Moloc is truly dead."

With the exception of Teal'c and Bra'tac, all of the Jaffa left the room.

"Well, that went a lot more smoothly than I thought it would," Jack remarked.  "Having Dan'yar in a roomful of rebel Jaffa really comes in handy."

Sam studied Daniel's face.  "Daniel, are you all right?"

The archeologist sighed.  "No, not really.  I know that there really is no hope for the host, but I still hate the fact that he's going to have to die right along with Moloc.  I wish the Asgard could help.  We never asked them how well that technology works for humans who have been hosts for a long time."

"Even if it would work, the Asgard couldn't get involved in this," Sam said.  "If they did and the other Goa'uld found out, it could result in a war, and the Asgard couldn't afford that."

"I know."

"Daniel, I know how deeply you feel for the hosts," Jack said, "and it's understandable that you'd feel that way.  You've had four people you care about become hosts and lost two of them because of it.  But it's like you said before.  That man deserves to finally be given peace, just like Baal's host did."

Daniel gave a soft sigh.  "Yeah."

That afternoon, they were told what the Hak'tyl and other Jaffa had decided: beheading.  The thought turned Daniel's stomach, but he had to admit that it was the best way, painless, yet very final, and there would definitely be no question that Moloc was dead.  No sarcophagus could reattach a severed head.

"Dan'yar, we would ask that you and the Tau'ri who helped capture Moloc attend the execution," Aron said.

The members of SG-1 all looked at each other.  Neither Daniel nor Sam wanted to witness a man being beheaded, but they couldn't really refuse, especially not Daniel.

"We'll be there," the archeologist said.

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