CHAPTER ONE
Struggling against the bonds that were holding him, the Jaffa, Mel'roc, fought the mind probe that was boring into his brain and stealing information that would be used to betray his people and their allies. But his struggles were in vain, both physically and mentally. For the hundredth time, he wished that he had died with his fellow rebel Jaffa.
"So, the Tau'ri and the Tok'ra are developing a weapon against my soldiers," Anubis murmured, reading the information that was just ripped from the Jaffa's mind. "Where is this weapon and who are the ones creating it?"
Despite Mel'roc's attempts to hide the information in his mind, the Goa'uld soon found it.
"Ah. The secret site of the Tau'ri," he said in triumph. "I will send my soldiers to destroy it and the weapon, as well as those who have created it." He turned the darkness within the cowl of his robe toward the Jaffa. "And, now, you will tell me all you know about this one called Dan'yar."
A cry of denial and rage rose up in Mel'roc. No! He would not betray Dan'yar!
With strength far beyond that normally possessed by a Jaffa, Mel'roc snapped the restraints holding his hands and feet to the table and ripped off the one around his neck. Before the supersoldiers there could grab him, he fled from the room and ran desperately toward his destination, knowing that only one hope was left to him, one way that he could prevent the betrayal of the man who might be the greatest hope the Jaffa and their allies had to defeat the Goa'uld.
A lance of pain speared through Mel'roc's shoulder, and he knew that he'd been hit by one of the supersoldier's energy weapons. A moment later, another struck his thigh, and he stumbled, almost falling. But he somehow managed to stay on his feet and keep running.
There! Ahead of him! What he sought was within sight. The Jaffa put on an extra burst of speed, heading straight for it. A third energy bolt hit him, but he barely felt it as, with a feeling of satisfaction and triumph, Mel'roc gave a mighty leap and cast himself into the deep abyss over which Anubis' fortress sat poised.
"Shal'kek nem'ron, Dan'yar!" was his final cry as he fell to his death.
Anubis stared over the railing, enraged by his failure. In addition to anger, he also felt surprise. He had vastly underestimated the determination of the Jaffa not to betray Dan'yar. He suspected that this Jaffa must have had important information about the man, something that Anubis could have used to defeat him. Now, that information was lost. Even if they could retrieve the body, no sarcophagus would be able to repair the amount of damage such a fall would have caused.
"I die free," the Jaffa had said. Perhaps he had, but not before he gave Anubis the information the Goa'uld needed to destroy the only way the Tau'ri and Tok'ra had to defeat his soldiers.
Satisfaction replacing his anger, Anubis turned from the railing and gave the order to attack the Alpha Site of the Tau'ri.
Jacob watched as his daughter sat staring into the depths of her coffee cup. She had been in that position for the past minute or so, and Jacob was beginning to wonder if she fell asleep with her eyes open.
"So, Sam, did I tell you that I'm getting married?" he asked conversationally. No response. "Yes, I think you'll really like her. Her symbiote is only five hundred years old, so, technically, she is a younger woman. For that matter, so is the host. I think she's about your age, maybe a bit younger." Still no response. "So, you think you'll have any trouble calling her 'Mom'?"
Finally, Sam blinked and looked up. "What? What about Mom?"
Jacob chuckled and shook his head. "Sam, where were you just then? If you'd stared at that coffee any more intently, you'd have brought it to a boil."
Sam shoved the cup aside. "I'm sorry. I was thinking about something. What were you saying?"
"Oh, I was just talking about the woman I'm going to marry."
Sam's eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets. "You're getting married?!" she fairly screeched.
Jacob smiled. "No, but at least that got your mind off whatever it was you were thinking about."
"Dad!" Sam exclaimed in exasperation.
Jacob crossed his arms over his chest. "Okay, Sammie, what's going on? It's pretty easy to see that something is bothering you."
Sam's gaze dropped to the table. "I don't really want to talk about it, Dad."
Jacob leaned forward in his chair, looking at Sam with that caring, fatherly expression that told her he was worried about her. "Sam, I'm your father. If you have a problem, I want to help. I don't like seeing you like this."
A sigh escaped Sam's lips and she looked at her father. "It's Daniel."
"Daniel? Sam, I know that you're worried about him. So am I. But, right now—"
"No, that's not it. I mean, yes, I am very worried about him, but that's not what I was thinking about just then."
"Then what is it?"
Sam looked into his eyes. "He's in love with me, Dad. I found out several days ago."
A faint smile lifted the corners of Jacob's mouth. "Ah, I see."
Sam stared at him, confused and taken aback by his response. "'I see'? That's the extent of your response to finding out that Daniel, my teammate and a man you've known for over five years, is in love with me?"
"Well, I'd also like to say that it's about time."
Sam's mouth promptly dropped open as she was instantly rendered speechless.
"Sam, I thought a long time ago that Daniel would be a good man for you," her father told her. "So did Selmak. The only reason I didn't wholeheartedly go for the idea was because he's your teammate. Selmak was of the opinion that didn't matter. He's a good man, Sammie, as good as they come, and he's the only man you've ever really had in your life who is smart enough and stubborn enough to be your equal. In fact, in the stubbornness department, he's got you beat by a mile, which is a good thing since it means that he'll put his foot down when he has to."
"But I'm not. . . . We're not in a relationship, Dad, and . . . and I'm not sure I want us to be."
Jacob searched her face closely. "You're not in love with him?"
"No. I can't be," Sam replied, a note of desperate denial in her voice.
"Why the hell not?" her father asked, exasperated.
"Because . . . because he's Daniel. He's my best friend and my teammate. That's all he's been to me all these years. How could I suddenly be in love with him?"
Jacob shook his head, a smile on his face that told her he thought she was being rather dense and silly. "Sam, since when are romance and friendship mutually exclusive? Friends fall in love with each other all the time, and you couldn't find a greater, more fulfilling romantic relationship than with someone who is also a close friend. The closer the friendship, the better the relationship has the potential to be. I'm not saying that all friendships can successfully become more than that, but, when they do, they are a wonderful thing. Your mother and I were friends long before things got romantic. Yes, it's true that we weren't 'just friends' for nearly as long as you and Daniel have been, but things like that do happen. It only takes one little thing, sometimes something seemingly insignificant, to change the way you feel and turn friendship love into romantic love, especially when you're as close to someone as you are to Daniel."
Sam gave her head a shake, then rested it in her hands. "I don't want to be in love with him," she admitted in barely more than a whisper.
Jacob rested his hand on her arm. "Why, Sam?"
She never got the chance to reply. Just then, the door opened, and Lieutenant Glenn came in.
"Sir, ma'am, we've got a bit of a problem out here," he said.
"What is it?" Jacob asked.
"Well, sir, there's trouble brewing between the Jaffa and the Tok'ra."
"More than usual?"
"Yes, I'd say so, sir."
Sam and Jacob followed Glenn outside and over to where six Jaffa and two Tok'ra were arguing heatedly.
"You Tok'ra are cowards," one of the Jaffa spat. "You hide among the Goa'uld, learn of their plans, then sit and do nothing as others die."
"The Tok'ra have been giving their lives in the fight against the Goa'uld for thousands of years," the Tok'ra named Delman shot back, "at a time when your kind were blindly doing their bidding and treating them like gods."
"Then stand up and fight! While you do nothing, thousands of Jaffa die as they are forced to serve the Goa'uld. Dan'yar would not do such a thing. He would fight to his last breath to destroy the Goa'uld and free the Jaffa."
Hearing the familiar name, Jacob stepped forward. "What's going on here?"
"These Jaffa call us cowards and say we are without honor," the Tok'ra, Remil, replied, clearly angry.
"What brought all of this on?"
"My fellow Jaffa and I were speaking of Dan'yar," explained the most vociferous of the Jaffa, "and this one," he pointed at Remil, "made a remark that insulted not only us but also Dan'yar."
Jacob cocked an eyebrow and turned to the Tok'ra in question. "What exactly did you say?"
"I would prefer not to repeat it."
Jacob's expression hardened. "I'm afraid that I have to insist."
The man's chin lifted. "I will not be interrogated in front of these Jaffa."
"Fine. Then come with me."
Jacob, Sam and the two Tok'ra strode over to a spot where there was no one within earshot.
"All right, now talk," Jacob ordered. When Remil looked at Sam, her father didn't give him a chance to say what was on his mind. "Sam's staying right where she is."
Clearly not happy, Remil began speaking. "The Jaffa were talking about the powers of 'Dan'yar', and how great a warrior he is. I stated that the Jaffa seem to be trading one god for another and that their new 'god' is nothing more than an unblended human who has gained a few psychic abilities."
Sam's eyebrows shot up. "A few psychic abilities?" she repeated, dumbfounded by the ludicrousness of the understatement.
Jacob sighed and shook his head. "Remil, I've thought this for a while now – Selmak has, too – and, now, we're just going to say it. You're an idiot."
The Tok'ra glared at Jacob. "How dare you speak like that to me."
"You've always had a low opinion of any human who isn't a host. You think that they are weak, hopelessly flawed, and should not be allowed to have the kind of power that Earth has gained over the past few years. Tell me. Have you read all the reports on Daniel Jackson?"
"Not all of them. I was on a mission up until a few days ago, then I was sent directly here."
"Well, then let me give you all the facts. Using what you called 'a few psychic abilities', Daniel blew an Al'Kesh to bits, drove off a small army of Jaffa with a miniature firestorm, single-handedly defeated and captured Osiris, and stopped the fall of a thirty-two-ton Stargate! So, if I were you, I'd consider showing just a little more respect."
"He is not a god!"
"No, of course he isn't, and Daniel would be the first one to agree with that statement. But he is a very valuable ally who deserves our respect and gratitude for all the ways that he has helped us in the past and will, no doubt, continue to help us in the future." Jacob's expression hardened even further. "In addition, he is a very good friend of mine and my daughter's and an extremely important member of the SGC, who, among other things, helped save the life of Supreme High Councillor Per'sus."
"Your judgment is clouded by your relationship with him."
"Actually, it's just the opposite, Remil. Because I do know Daniel personally, I know exactly what kind of man he is, both his strengths and his weaknesses, and I will tell you this. He is as good a man as any Tok'ra Selmak or I have ever known, better than most."
Remil shook his head. "Believe what you want, Jacob, but I tell you this. The Jaffas' belief in their 'Dan'yar' can only lead to disaster." He then walked off.
Jacob turned to the other Tok'ra. "Do you have something you want to add?"
"I do not share Remil's opinion of unblended humans," Delman replied, "but he may be right about this belief that the rebel Jaffa have come to have about Doctor Jackson. It is growing out of control, and I fear what might happen if Doctor Jackson is proven to be the very mortal human being that we all know he is. What will happen to the spirit of the Jaffa rebellion if he dies needlessly on one of the missions he goes on with SG-1? Worse, what will happen if he is captured by the Goa'uld and made a host, turned into the very thing that the rebel Jaffa have come to despise? That is something we all need to think about."
As Delman left, Jacob looked at Sam. There was a deep frown on her face and a worried look in her eyes.
"He's right, Dad," she said. "From what you've told us and from what we've seen, the Jaffa have put Daniel up on this incredibly high pedestal. If something happened to shatter their belief in him, it could do some serious damage."
"I'm not sure we have to worry all that much, Sam. For thousands of years, the Jaffa believed in the absolute power of the Goa'uld, yet, within the space of less than seven years, many of them have completely lost all faith in them as gods. Despite that, those Jaffa are stronger than they have ever been."
"It's not the same thing, Dad. The Jaffa may have worshiped and served the Goa'uld, but they didn't look up to the Goa'uld in the same way that they do Daniel. He's become a symbol to them, an ideal. What happens when a person you idolize topples off the pedestal you placed him on?"
"You're left feeling very disillusioned," Jacob said, seeing her point.
"Yeah."
Pausing a moment, Sam's father turned and walked in the direction of the Stargate.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"I think that Daniel needs to come here. I don't know what he can say to the Jaffa, but maybe he'll think of something."
A couple of hours later, Daniel exited through the Alpha Site Stargate. He smiled upon seeing Sam.
"Hi, Sam," he said. "How are things going with the prototype?"
"Pretty good. I've identified what the problem was and am working on fixing it."
Daniel's smile widened. "I never had any doubt that you could."
Inordinately pleased by the comment, Sam smiled almost shyly.
Daniel turned to her father. "Hey, Jacob."
Jacob looked at the man who was causing his daughter so much emotional confusion and uncertainty. One of these days, the two of them would have to have a talk. But now was not the time for that.
"I'm glad you could come, Daniel," he said. "Hopefully, you can do something about this problem."
"I'm not sure how much I can do. Believe me when I say that I'd like nothing better than to get this stuff about me out of the heads of the Jaffa, but I already tried once and just succeeded in making things worse."
"Well, maybe a different tactic would work."
"Maybe. I guess all I can do is try."
Just then, Jacob realized something. "Where are your glasses?"
Daniel lifted his hand to his face where his glasses would normally be perched, an embarrassed look on his feature. "Um, yeah. I, uh, had a bit of an accident just before you contacted us. I was in a hurry to get somewhere, took a corner a little too fast, and ran right into poor Siler. I managed to stay on my feet, but he didn't, and my glasses went flying. Somebody, uh . . . stepped on them. They were my last pair."
Jacob chuckled, shaking his head. It was amazing how Daniel could be the possessor of such incredible power, yet still be so human and so outwardly unchanged by it – which was one of the reasons why Jacob was glad that it was Daniel who'd been given this power instead of someone else. No matter what, it would never go to his head.
"Well, good luck with the Jaffa," Jacob said. "While you're busy with that, the two of us need to get back to work on that power unit that my genius daughter here so brilliantly figured out was the problem."
Embarrassed by the effusive praise, Sam blushed lightly. "We'll see you later, Daniel."
An amused smile on his face, Daniel nodded. He watched them leave, then, smile fading, turned and headed for a group of Jaffa. He was about twenty feet away when some of them apparently recognized him.
"Dan'yar!" one of them cried.
As Daniel came to a halt before them, every one of the Jaffa crossed an arm over his chest, fist closed, and bowed his head. For a second, Daniel was struck dumb by the gesture and by the expression on their faces. There was no one word that could be used to describe it, fierce reverence being the closest thing that came to mind.
"We are pleased that you have come, Daniel Jackson," said a dark-haired Jaffa with piercing green eyes.
"Um, yeah. Look. We really have to talk."
"Of what do you wish to speak?" another Jaffa asked.
"Well . . . about me, actually." He looked around. "Is there someplace private we can go?"
The green-eyed Jaffa nodded sharply. "Come with us."
Daniel and the group of Jaffa headed across the base. As they did, the group gradually got larger as Jaffa they passed joined them, those who recognized Daniel telling the ones who didn't that he was Dan'yar. By the time they reached their destination, Daniel was in the midst of thirty or so Jaffa.
Trying very hard not to show how tense he was, the archeologist sat on a crate, indicating that the Jaffa should sit as well, which they did, most of them settling on the ground.
"I, uh, don't exactly know how to put this," Daniel said. "I've heard about some things that have been going on with the rebel Jaffa in regards to me. I found out about what happened to Aker, how he was killed by his Jaffa, and. . . . Okay, the truth is that I never wanted any of this."
"We have displeased you, Dan'yar?" asked a Jaffa who looked to be no more than twenty-five, though he was probably a lot older than that.
"No. I mean, it's not that you've displeased me, it's that you shouldn't care if you've displeased me. I'm just me, Daniel Jackson. I'm an archeologist, and a linguist, and a guy who's simply trying the best he can to fight an enemy of the human race. I-I'm not a god or some kind of superior being. I'm just a flawed, very mortal human."
"Did you not destroy an Al'Kesh with the power of your thoughts?" asked the green-eyed Jaffa, who Daniel had learned was named Ka'ter.
"Well, yes, but—"
"Did you not set fire to the very air and drive away an army of enemy Jaffa to save some of your fellow Tau'ri?"
"Well, I wouldn't have called it an army. . . ."
"Did you not, in the presence of some of our brothers, make fire rise from the earth, rip the staff weapons from the hands of several of them, and destroy another staff weapon with heat so great that it melted?"
"Um. . . ."
"What of the Goa'uld Osiris? Did you not defeat her alone in battle and capture the Al'Kesh you were upon?"
"Yes, but—"
"And did you not, with the power of your mind, stop the fall of a Stargate and lift it back up as if it were a feather?"
"Oh, believe me, it was no feather. It was really, really heavy."
"Are you not a friend to all rebel Jaffa? Have you not fought courageously with the Tau'ri against the Goa'uld and other powerful enemies? Have you not refused to bow to the wishes of others, defying even those who are your leaders to do what you know is right? Have you not given your life many times for the sake of others? Would you not give your life yet again for those you see here even though we are not of your race? Would you not stand by our side and fight till the end with us to free the Jaffa from the tyranny of the Goa'uld?"
Daniel sighed softly. "Yes," he admitted. What else could he say?
"Then you are the man that we believe you to be," Ka'ter said with conviction. "We know that you are human. We know that you are not immortal, that you can be killed. The Goa'uld, too, can be killed even though they call themselves gods. You have never called yourself a god, which shows us that you are not like them. You use your power to protect life, so we know that you are a good man. You do not hide behind others while in battle, letting them die for you, but, instead, die for the sake of others. This shows us that you are courageous and strong, unlike the Goa'uld, who flee like cowards instead of staying to fight and die with their Jaffa."
"I'm not perfect, Ka'ter. I have faults and weaknesses just like everyone else. There have been many times that I felt fear. Yes, I have done all those things you talked about. Yes, I do have power, but that power is not unlimited, and it can harm me if I use it too much. I am far, far from being all-powerful. In the end, I'm still just a man."
Ka'ter smiled very faintly. "We do not expect you to be perfect, Daniel Jackson. We do not want perfection. And even the bravest of men have known fear at some time in their lives. We also know that you are not all-powerful. Yes, you are a man, but you are a man of greatness, a man of godlike power, one unlike any the Jaffa have ever known, a man who is one of the mightiest weapons against the Goa'uld that has ever come to be. That is who you are. That is who Dan'yar is to us."
Daniel's eyes dropped to the ground, knowing that this was a losing battle. He wasn't getting anywhere like this. He decided that it was time to move on to the next issue.
"But there is a big problem now," he said, looking at the men before him. "The System Lords know about me, or, rather, about Dan'yar, and they are actively trying to find out more."
Ka'ter nodded. "This we know. But rest assured that your true name is never spoken by us, not even between those who know it. And I swear to you that each and every one of us would die before revealing what they know about you to the Goa'uld. No amount of torture would make us betray you."
There were murmurs of agreement among the other Jaffa.
"I know, Ka'ter," Daniel responded in a respectful tone, "and I am deeply honored by what you would do to protect me. But Anubis has a device that can see into a person's mind and extract information from them regardless of how much they fight. If one of the rebel Jaffa who knew all about me was captured by him, Anubis would then know who I am. And, once he knew that, he'd know where to find me: on Earth. He might decide to attack Earth just to get me. On top of that, the other System Lords might find out, and that would make things even worse. It would have been a whole lot better if word of me and what I can do had been kept secret. I told this to the Jaffa who witnessed my demonstration, but word about me got out anyway."
Ka'ter's eyes dropped from Daniel's for a moment. "We deeply regret that your life has been placed in jeopardy because of the Jaffa sharing their knowledge of you. This was not our intention. When you became known to us, the knowledge spread like fire among us, growing with each passing day. Once it was started, it could not have been stopped. But tell us. What may we do to help?"
Daniel thought about the question. "The Tok'ra have placed as many spies as they can among the System Lords in order to learn if any of them find out my true identity. But they can't watch every Goa'uld, and they can't do it all the time. They need help, your help. There are rebel Jaffa within the armies of just about every System Lord, as well as many other Goa'uld. If they could act as spies, listen and pay attention to what is going on with their masters, they might find out if some Goa'uld has learned who I am."
Ka'ter and several other Jaffa nodded.
"Yes. This is something we can do," the green-eyed Jaffa said. "Our brothers already listen to the plans of their Goa'uld masters and pass on the information to others, but we will spread the word that they are to pay extra attention to all talk of you and to watch closely for signs that a Goa'uld has discovered your identity."
"Thank you."
Ka'ter's expression hardened into one of determination. "And if a Goa'uld does learn of you, and it is within the power of the rebel Jaffa in his ranks to strike against him, that Goa'uld will cease to live before he can tell another."
The image of a Goa'uld being ripped to pieces like what happened to Aker leapt into Daniel's mind, bringing along with it a brief moment of nausea. "Ka'ter, that would mean death to the Jaffa who did it. I don't want any of your people giving their lives for me."
An expression of great respect and gratitude came to the Jaffa's face. He gently clasped a hand about Daniel's shoulder. "And it is because of that that we would all give our lives for you gladly."
