CHAPTER EIGHT
"Now what's happened?" Jack asked, wondering if they'd ever get more than a week or two of peace.
"It is a matter concerning Daniel Jackson and the Jaffa," Bra'tac replied. "Teal'c will want to know of this."
Teal'c was called to the briefing room. After greeting his old teacher, he sat down with everyone else at the table.
"First, I must say, Daniel Jackson, that when you first revealed your power to the rebel Jaffa at my insistence, I did not realize what would become of it," Bra'tac said. "I merely intended for the demonstration of your power to lift the spirits of the Jaffa who were beginning to doubt our ability to defeat the Goa'uld. Instead, it has ignited the will of my people like nothing before ever has. Word of you is on the tongue of every Jaffa, both those in the rebellion and those who still serve the Goa'uld. By now, you must know what happened to the Goa'uld Aker. I believe that he was only the first to suffer such a fate. Many of the Jaffa in the service of the System Lords mutter angrily about their masters. Some have been executed for disobedience, which is causing the anger to grow even more. More uprisings are in the wind, and the Goa'uld begin to tremble in fear. They are losing control of the Jaffa, and, without us to fight for them, they will lose their power."
"Which is a good thing, right?" Jack asked, thinking how sweet it would be if Daniel ended up being the catalyst for the destruction of the Goa'uld.
"In some ways, yes. Uniting the Jaffa against the Goa'uld is what we have been fighting for all these years. But we believed that such a thing would come when all Jaffa realized that the Goa'uld are not gods and rose against them with the determination to be free and to be their own masters."
"Instead, they're doing it because of me," Daniel said.
Bra'tac nodded. "Many still rebel because of their wish for freedom, but many others do so because what they have heard about you drives them to hate their Goa'uld masters. They still long for freedom, but you are the power behind their determination to no longer be slaves to the Goa'uld."
"But if it ends up resulting in the same thing, namely, bringing down the Goa'uld, does it really matter that much?" Jack asked. "I know that, after it's all over, the Jaffa will have to get past this thing about Daniel, but I'm sure that will happen eventually. I mean, it's not like Daniel plans on setting himself up as their new god."
"The problem, Jack, is that it's a house of cards," Daniel replied. "When a culture builds the foundation of their ideology upon a single individual or object, if something happens to that person or thing, the foundation often crumbles."
Bra'tac gave another nod. "If Daniel Jackson were to die in battle, I believe that the Jaffa would continue to rebel in honor of him. But if something happened to make them question their belief in him, it could do great damage."
"And has something like that happened?" Jack asked, getting a sinking feeling in his gut.
"Not yet, but a threat has arisen. There is a Jaffa named Har'tec. Since turning against his master over a year ago, he has become very influential and greatly respected by the rebel Jaffa."
"I know of Har'tec," Teal'c said. "I have heard much about him."
Bra'tac looked at Daniel. "Har'tec is greatly displeased by the belief the Jaffa have in you. He believes that the reverence they feel for you is misplaced."
"Well, he's right," Daniel responded. "This whole thing is ridiculous. Maybe he can talk some sense into them. Nothing I've tried has worked."
"If Har'tec merely wished to 'talk some sense' into them, there would be no need for concern, but he is seeking more than that. He wishes to utterly destroy the image of you that they have in their minds. If such a thing happens, many of those who have joined the rebellion because of you may lose heart."
"So, what am I supposed to do about this?" Daniel asked. "I'm not going to stand before the Jaffa and tell them that, yes, I'm everything they believe me to be. I just can't do that."
"You must speak with Har'tec, show him that you are not seeking a place of power among the Jaffa. If he realizes this, he may cease his actions."
"Okay, so do you know where this guy is?" Jack asked.
"Yes. He recently arrived on Albaren. There is a large gathering of rebel Jaffa there, and he hopes to convert them from their belief in Dan'yar."
"Okay, so we'll just go there and have a little talk with him. Daniel will be his usual modest, self-effacing self and tell him that he doesn't want to be the ruler of the Jaffa. Then everything will be fine."
"That is what I intended," Bra'tac said. "But there is a problem."
"What's that?"
"Daniel Jackson's injuries may be a hindrance."
"Um . . . why?" Daniel asked. "Based on what the Jaffa I talked to said, they all know that I'm not immortal. Seeing my injuries shouldn't cause a problem. In fact, maybe it would be better if they did see that I really am just human."
It was Teal'c who answered the question. "It is possible that, if you cannot reason with Har'tec, he will use your injuries as proof of his claims. He will say that you are weak and not worthy of the respect of the Jaffa."
"Then we'll just have to wait until Daniel is all healed," Jack concluded.
"In the weeks it would take for Daniel Jackson's injuries to completely heal, Har'tec could do much damage," Bra'tac stated. "He is very determined."
A concern entered General Hammond's mind. "Master Bra'tac, if Doctor Jackson did go to speak with Har'tec, is there some chance that his life would be at risk?"
"In other words, are the Jaffa there suddenly going to turn nasty and decide to do to Daniel what they did to Aker?" Jack asked.
Bra'tac shook his head. "I do not think that such a thing would happen."
"Well, since Daniel can't instantly heal himself, we're going to have to decide which is worse, waiting till he's healed or going there as he is now."
"There is another option," Daniel said thoughtfully. "Sam could try to heal me with the Goa'uld hand device."
Jack's expression made it clear what he thought about that idea. "Daniel, correct me if I'm wrong, but the last time Carter used that thing on you, it made you even worse."
The archeologist knew that Jack was referring to the time that Sam attempted to heal him when he was dying from the radiation poisoning. Her attempt resulted in him going into convulsions.
"That was different, Jack. This is just a physical injury, like when Sam healed Cronus. And she also wouldn't be emotionally upset this time, which probably affected her ability to use the healing device properly."
"I still don't like it."
"Yet it may be the only solution to this dilemma," Teal'c stated.
Daniel stood up. "I'll go talk to Sam." When he saw Jack, Bra'tac and Teal'c begin to rise, he added, "Alone."
Daniel went to Sam's lab. Because of her leg injury, Janet had wanted her to go home and take it easy for the next week or so, but Sam talked the doctor into allowing her to work as long as she stayed off her feet as much as possible. Because of this, Sam spent much of her time sitting in her lab.
"Hey, Daniel," she greeted when he came in. "So, who dialed in?"
"Bra'tac. There's a bit of a problem."
Daniel sat down and explained the situation to Sam.
"The funny thing is that Dad and I had a discussion about this at the Alpha Site," the major said. "It was after one of the Tok'ra there said that this thing with you and the Jaffa was going to cause problems. So, what are you going to do?"
"The only thing I can do. I have to talk to Har'tec. But there's a problem. Bra'tac thinks that this," he pointed at the sling, "is going to give Har'tec ammunition against me, and he believes that waiting until I heal naturally is going to give the guy too much time to stir up trouble. So . . . I want you to heal me with the hand device."
Sam immediately shook her head. "No, Daniel. You know what happened the last time I used that thing. I'm just not proficient enough with it."
"That was different, Sam. I'm not suffering from massive organ and tissue damage caused by radiation poisoning. All you'd be doing is healing this shoulder wound. That's it. You did a lot more than that when you healed Cronus."
"I'd rather not take the chance."
Daniel leaned forward. "Sam, you know as well as anyone that I don't want any of this stuff that's between me and the Jaffa. But, now that it has happened, I can't let the rebellion be threatened because of a failure on my part. I need to talk to this man. I need to get everything straightened out."
Sam gazed into Daniel's earnest, pleading eyes and sighed. She always did have a hard time saying no to him.
"All right, but we're going to have to ask Janet's permission first."
Daniel gave her a smile. "Thanks, Sam."
Janet was no more thrilled about the idea than Sam was but finally agreed to allow it.
With Jack, Teal'c, Bra'tac and General Hammond all gathered in the infirmary to watch, the doctor had Daniel lie down on a bed. Sam had retrieved the healing device and was nervously standing at the side of the bed.
"If you feel anything wrong, I want you to say something immediately," Janet instructed the archeologist. "And, Sam? If you start to feel that you really can't do this, just stop. Okay?"
"Okay."
Taking a deep breath, Sam extended the healing device over Daniel and closed her eyes. She made the mental connection to the device and attempted to make it do the thing for which it was created. After a few seconds, she began to sense that it was working. She could almost feel the damaged muscles and tissue in Daniel's shoulder begin to heal, become whole.
That's when something totally unexpected happened.
This being only his second experience with the healing device, Daniel didn't realize that anything was out of the ordinary when he began to actually sense the power of the device, feel it working upon his shoulder. But then, all of a sudden, it became a whole lot more as Daniel's mind unexpectedly forged a connection with the device. In the next instant, the connection expanded further, traveling through the link the device had with Sam's mind and joining their minds together through it. In the blink of an eye, he and Sam were one.
All at once, it was as if the two friends were merged with each other's bodies, aware of every muscle, every bone, everything. They could feel the pain and see the damage of each other's wounds, sense the fading ache of the many bruises covering their bodies, the lingering pain of abused muscles.
As Sam sensed these things within Daniel, the healing device responded and began to heal them. It was nothing like what she had experienced when she healed Cronus. At that time, she had been simply an observer, seeing the injuries to the man's body. But she was not merely an observer this time. It was as if Daniel's body was her body.
Sensing that Sam was healing his body, Daniel instinctively reached up and laid his hand over hers, coming in joint physical contact with the healing device. With that physical connection established, he turned the power of the device upon Sam.
Jack, Teal'c, Janet and the others had been watching for several seconds when, without warning, the soft glow of the healing device brightened dramatically, bathing Daniel's body in its golden light.
"Doc?" Jack enquired. "Is it supposed to do—"
He never finished his sentence, for, at that moment, Daniel's hand laid over Sam's. The golden nimbus of light instantly expanded outward to cover both of them. Alarmed, Jack immediately jumped forward to rip the device out of Sam's hand, but he was stopped by a warning from Bra'tac.
"Do not touch them, O'Neill!" the Jaffa Master exclaimed.
Not sure what to do, Jack watched as the light spread over every inch of Daniel's and Sam's bodies. Their expressions were distant, as if they were both looking at something very far away. They did not appear to be in any pain or discomfort. Just the opposite, in fact.
For a timeless moment, everyone stood unmoving, transfixed by the sight before them. Then the light flickered and winked out. They all held their breath, watching as Sam and Daniel opened their eyes.
The two scientists looked at each other and said one word: "Wow."
"Wow? What wow? What happened?" Jack asked.
Two pairs of blue eyes turned to him.
"I'm not sure, sir," Sam replied. "Everything seemed to be working normally, then, all of a sudden. . . ."
Daniel continued Sam's sentence. "I somehow made a mental connection with the healing device, and. . . ."
"When he did, it created some kind of . . . of psychic connection between us. It was as if I was inside Daniel's body. . . ."
"And I was inside Sam's. I could feel all her injuries, where she was hurting. I tried to heal her. . . ."
"And I did the same."
Jack's gaze had been moving back and forth between the two of them like he was watching a tennis match.
"And?" he prompted when he saw that they were done finishing each other's sentences.
"And I think it worked, sir," Sam answered. "I feel great. There's no pain at all."
"Same with me," Daniel said.
Janet told Sam to lift the hem of her top. The doctor peeled off the bandage covering the wound in the major's side and found smooth, undamaged skin underneath. She did the same to Daniel's shoulder, finding that it was also completely healed. The bruises that were here and there on his upper body were gone, and Janet had no doubt that the same would be true for the rest of him. She was also sure that, if she examined Sam, she'd find not a mark on the major.
"Doctor Fraiser, can you explain this?" General Hammond asked.
"Not really, sir. I know that the healing device, like the ribbon device, is controlled by the mind of the user, so there is a mental connection going on. But how Daniel tapped into that and expanded the field of the device so that it fully healed both of them is a mystery to me."
Daniel sat up, enjoying the fact that he could do so with no pain at all. "Um, I think I might have one possible explanation."
"Which is?" Jack asked.
"Well, we know that the Goa'uld sarcophagus was engineered from Ancient technology."
"The Telchak device," Sam said, nodding.
"Yeah. So, what about these things?" He pointed at the healing device. "Maybe they were created from Ancient technology, too. Now, the fact that I was able to remember what happened to Bra'tac and Rya'c on Erebus means that at least some of what I saw and experienced while I was ascended is still in my mind somewhere. What if some of the knowledge I'd gained about the Ancients is also in there? Osiris apparently thought that I might still have some of it."
"So, you're saying that you subconsciously tapped into that knowledge, and it enabled you to link with the healing device?" Janet questioned.
"Well, either that or I've discovered yet another psychic ability. I think I'd prefer the other explanation."
Sam was looking down at the device, a little frown on her face. "It's dead," she said.
Jack looked at it. "Dead?"
Sam held it out and tried to activate it, but nothing happened. "I think it burned out. It wasn't designed to heal two people at the same time."
"Too bad. It would have come in handy the next time Daniel here plays Superman."
"Superman" subjected him to a glare.
"So, do you think this means that Daniel can operate any Goa'uld device that was engineered from Ancient technology?" Janet asked.
"I have no idea," the archeologist answered. "Since we don't know which pieces of their technology originally came from the Ancients, it would be difficult to find out. I'm certainly not going to start experimenting." He looked at Bra'tac. "Well, Bra'tac, it seems that my physical injuries are no longer a problem."
"Indeed it does. We shall leave for Albaren tomorrow."
SG-1 and Bra'tac exited the Stargate on Albaren to the sight of two dozen Jaffa aiming staff weapons at them.
"Whoa!" Jack exclaimed, pointing his P-90 at them.
Seeing that they were not enemies, the Jaffa lowered their weapons. One of them came forward and greeted Bra'tac.
"Master Bra'tac," he said in welcome. He then clasped Teal'c's arm. "And you are Teal'c, sworn enemy of the Goa'uld. I am Ere'nor."
"Ere'nor, these are the Tau'ri known as SG-1," Bra'tac said gesturing toward Jack and Sam. "And this," he pointed at Daniel, "is Dan'yar."
Ere'nor's eyes widened, and he subjected Daniel to an intense gaze. Knowing that it was important for him to display an air of strength and confidence, the archeologist met his eyes unflinchingly.
"You are Dan'yar?" Ere'nor asked, a trace of doubt in his voice.
"Oh, you bet he is," Jack answered. "I know he may not look like a superhero at the moment, but you should see him when he's doing his thing. He can look downright scary."
The Jaffa looked Daniel over again. Since they didn't want him to be identified as a member of SG-1 or the SGC, the archeologist was not in military issue clothing. Instead, he was wearing the blue robes that he'd had on when he was found on Vis Uban. He had intended to wear his Abydonian robes, but Jack insisted that the blue ones were better because they looked more . . . regal. As another way to hide his true identity, he was also not wearing his glasses. If word got out that 'Dan'yar' wore glasses, it wouldn't take long for the Goa'uld who knew Daniel to begin to suspect him.
"If you are, indeed, Dan'yar, then this is a great honor," Ere'nor said. A look of understanding changed his expression. "You are here because of Har'tec."
"This is so," Teal'c confirmed. "Dan'yar has come to defend his honor against the untruthful things that Har'tec is saying about him."
Ere'nor nodded once. "I have heard the things that Har'tec is claiming. I do not believe him since I have spoken to other Jaffa who have personally seen Dan'yar in battle and know of his deeds, but there are others who are now beginning to doubt. There have been several arguments over this." He looked at Daniel. "It is good that you are here. Please come with me."
The Jaffa led SG-1 and Bra'tac to what looked like the remains of a small amphitheater, sort of a miniature version of the coliseum in Rome, except that it had a roof. Hundreds of Jaffa were there, most of them in the arena, though some were up in the seating area.
As the group made their way through the assembled Jaffa, they could hear the sound of two men arguing.
"This Dan'yar of yours is playing you for a fool," said one of the men. "He seeks to take the place of the Goa'uld, but he is no more a god than they are."
The other voice struck a familiar chord in Daniel. "Dan'yar has never claimed to be a god. I have spoken to him personally, and he forcefully denies all such beliefs. He is a man of integrity and honor. There is no deceit within him."
"Yet he would make himself a ruler among us."
"No, I wouldn't," Daniel said, stepping out into the clear.
The man whose voice Daniel had recognized smiled and came forward, grasping Daniel's arm in the traditional Jaffa greeting.
"Dan'yar! It is good to see you well."
"You, too, Ka'ter. I was worried that you might have died at the Alpha Site."
"I most likely would have if not for you. Only a small number of Jaffa perished that day, and it is thanks to you that it is so."
Daniel looked at the other Jaffa. The man, who was a good three inches taller than Daniel, had the appearance of someone of Egyptian descent, except for his eyes, which were pale grey and stood out starkly in the swarthiness of his complexion. Those eyes were looking at him coldly.
"You are Dan'yar?" he asked, his voice as cold as his eyes.
"Yes," Daniel replied.
The archeologist could sense a change in the air around him as the nearby Jaffa reacted to his presence. Expanding out from his location, word of his arrival quickly spread throughout the amphitheater. Many crowded in closer to see him.
The Jaffa that Daniel assumed was Har'tec raked his eyes over the archeologist from head to toe. "You do not look like the mighty, godlike warrior many claim you to be," he said derisively. "You look like an ordinary man to me."
"What were you expecting? I'm human, not a ten-foot tall giant. I never claimed to be anything but human."
"Human." Har'tec pulled a dagger from his waistband and stepped toward Daniel. "Then if I was to plunge this into your heart, you would die?"
Jack's, Sam's and Teal'c's weapons were immediately pointed at the man.
"Hey!" Jack barked. "I'd put that down, if I were you."
Daniel held up his hand. "It's okay, Jack. He has no intention of using it." He turned his full attention back on Har'tec. "To answer your question, yes, if you stabbed me in the heart, I would die. I'm just as mortal as you are."
"Yeah, if you don't count all the times you've died and not stayed dead," Jack muttered.
"Then where is your power if I could so easily kill you?" Har'tec asked scathingly.
A moment later, he cried out in surprise and pain and dropped the knife. He watched as it glowed red-hot, then white-hot, then melted into a puddle.
"I didn't say it would be easy," Daniel replied.
"Sweet," Jack murmured under his breath. He glanced at Teal'c and Bra'tac, who were both wearing slightly smug expressions. Sam looked amused.
"So, this, then, is your power," Har'tec said. "I have heard many speak of it, how they witnessed great feats performed by you, fire coming from nothing, ships destroyed, men and objects thrown through the air. Mighty powers indeed, if they are real."
"You doubt the word of those who witnessed these things?" Ka'ter asked angrily. "You doubt my word?"
"I only doubt the origin of what your eyes saw."
"Let me guess," Daniel said. "You think it's a trick."
"Prove that it is not."
Daniel sighed. "I already did, in front of about fifty Jaffa. Since they're the ones who must have spread the word about me in the first place, I should imagine that they included that information."
"Indeed they did," Ka'ter confirmed.
"Then I shouldn't have to do it again." Daniel stared at Har'tec. "Don't you trust the word of those Jaffa?"
"I wish to see proof for myself."
Daniel was starting to get a little pissed off at the guy's attitude. "Fine," he almost growled.
Grabbing the cloth of his robe, Daniel lifted it up over his head. Underneath, he was wearing a black muscle shirt and matching jeans.
Daniel tossed the robe to Teal'c. "If you or someone else here wants to search me to see if I'm concealing anything, go ahead, but I'm not taking off any more clothes than that."
'Too bad,' thought Sam. She immediately chastised herself. This was not the time to be thinking about stuff like that.
Har'tec came forward again and very thoroughly searched Daniel for hidden devices. He stepped back when he was done.
"Find anything?" Daniel asked, that irritated tone to his voice that all his teammates recognized.
"No," the Jaffa replied.
"Good. Now, I think you might want to stand back," Daniel glanced around, "all of you."
Immediately, everyone moved back, leaving an empty area around forty feet in diameter, Daniel at its center.
Thinking that he was going to have to make sure Janet never found out about this, Daniel tapped into his power. A ring of fire leapt up around him, rising to the height of his chest. The fire spread outward, becoming an impassable wall of flame. Everyone watching backed up a pace as they felt the heat, knowing that, with a single thought, the man who created it could send that fire roaring outward to consume them.
Daniel let the fire burn for several seconds, then snuffed it out. His gaze focused upon the broken remains of an immense statue at the far side of the amphitheater. With a brief thought he reduced it to a pile of blasted rubble.
Daniel's eyes went to Har'tec. Seeing that the Jaffa had a second knife in his belt, he yanked it out. It flew into his outstretched hand.
Daniel walked up to Har'tec and held out the knife. After a moment's hesitation, the Jaffa took it.
Daniel met his eyes. "That is the power your people talk about. My mind has the ability to do these things, to create fire, to move objects without physical means, to destroy. But there is nothing magical about it. It does not make me a god or even a demigod. I never said that I was anything like that. I am only a man who, through a unique set of circumstances, developed abilities that enable me to do things others can't. I do not seek to rule the Jaffa. I do not seek to rule anyone."
If it hadn't been for what happened next, Daniel might have actually managed to get through to Har'tec.
"But your powers are that of a god's!" said one young Jaffa, his eyes glowing with the light of awe. It was only the first such statement. By the time the fervor ended, dozens of Jaffa were shouting the name of Daniel's "alter ego" and thrusting their staff weapons high into the air.
'Crap,' the archeologist muttered silently.
Angered by the Jaffas' display, Har'tec stepped forward, his face hard. "Dan'yar, I challenge you! Joma secu!"
"Okay, this doesn't sound good," Jack said.
"It is not," Bra'tac confirmed. "Har'tec has challenged Daniel Jackson for the right of leadership. It is a fight to the death."
