CHAPTER TEN
Sam stared at the letter in her hands. Her name was written on the envelope in Daniel's distinctive handwriting. She knew that she needed to read it, but, so far, she hadn't found the courage.
Daniel was gone, not dead, not ascended, just . . . gone, and Sam was afraid that she'd never see him again. She was also terrified that something would happen to him. He and Teal'c were out there on their own with no backup, no SGC to call in case of an emergency, no infirmary to be rushed to if one of them was injured. They could both die, and she'd never know what happened to them.
Feeling unwanted tears sting her eyes, Sam blinked them away and forced herself to open the letter.
Dearest Sam,
Where do I begin to say all the things I want to tell you? Right from the start, you have been such a good friend to me. It didn't take me long to realize that we were going to have a special friendship. You and I are so much alike, two workaholic scientists who were filled with passion for our chosen fields and who would rather spend our time hunched over some alien object or artifact than just about anything else. Even so, I sometimes marveled at how quickly and easily this bond between us developed. But I finally realized that what made our friendship work so well was more than just the ways that we were alike. It was something deeper. We were two people who found in each other someone we could trust with our feelings, our dreams, our beliefs and our passions, someone with whom we could share and revel in our sometimes childlike joy for our work. I only wish that I had been as open with my feelings as you were with yours. That wasn't your fault; it was mine.
Though I have almost no memory of when I was ascended, I know that, during that year, I missed you. I missed our times together, both on-duty and off. I missed having a sounding board for my thoughts and ideas, and I missed the times that you did the same with me. Jack never really understood my deep love for archeology, linguistics and anthropology. He could never comprehend how I would rather pore over some translation riddle than go to a hockey game. But you did. You understood because you felt the same way about your scientific fields. You understood me, Sam, who I was as a person, what drove me. In my whole life, you're one of the only people who ever really did. You have no idea how important that was to me, how much it means to me to have you as a friend.
Even as I'm writing this, I miss you already. I'll miss seeing you nearly every morning. I'll miss the way your face lights up when you've discovered some technological wonder. I'll miss your voice as you explain something technical during a briefing. I'll miss the touch of your hand on my back or my shoulder when you think that I need comforting or just when you feel like it. Most of all, I'll miss the feeling that I've found a kindred spirit in you.
You are one of the best friends I've ever been lucky enough to have, Sam, and I love you. I will think of you often as Teal'c and I wander through the galaxy. I hope so much that we will see each other again someday. I will look forward to that day and pray that it comes soon.
Goodbye, Sam. Please take care of yourself. Don't work too hard and don't let Jack's insistence on acting dumb drive you too crazy. Remember all the good times we had. I know that I will. You will be in my thoughts and in my heart always.
Daniel
Sam's battle to keep her tears at bay had crumbled after reading the first three sentences. She had known that this would hurt, but she'd had no idea how much. She almost felt like she did when Daniel 'died', like there was this big gaping hole in her chest in the vicinity of her heart.
All at once, an arm was laid over her shoulders. Startled, Sam looked up to see Janet. She was surprised to see that the doctor's eyes looked a little red-rimmed, as if she, too, had been crying.
"Janet?"
"He wrote me a letter, too, Sam. I just finished reading it a little while ago, and I knew that, if you read yours, you might need a friend to talk to."
Sam's face crumbled. "God, this is so hard. When he was dying and then ascended, it tore me apart. I wanted him back so badly. And then we did get him back, and it was so great. But, now, he's gone again, and, like before, I don't know where he is or if I'll ever see him again."
Janet sat beside Sam. "In his letter to me, Daniel told me how much he appreciated all the times I'd been there for him. He said that I'd given him way more than he ever gave back." She paused. "But that wasn't true. Daniel gave me his friendship, and that meant more to me than anything else could. I suspect that you feel the same way."
Sam nodded mutely, unable to speak. She handed Janet the letter Daniel had written to her. Even though they were not addressed to her, the words Daniel wrote broke Janet's heart. She could only imagine what they had done to Sam. His words had been so heartfelt and full of love.
A sudden thought hit Janet forcefully, and she had to school her features to keep her thoughts from showing. Could it be? Was this what Eliza was referring to when she made that comment about Daniel's possible reason for not dating? Did Daniel have feelings for Sam that were more than friendship? Janet looked at the letter again, reading between the lines.
'Oh, Daniel,' she said voicelessly. She had to wonder if the archeologist even realized the depth of his feelings for Sam. If he did, would he have left? Just as important a question was how did Sam feel about Daniel?
"He cares about you very much, Sam," she murmured.
"I know, and I care about him, too. I've never really told him how much he means to me. I tried to when he was dying, but I don't know if he understood. I don't even know if he heard me. I never told him again after he came back. I went back to taking everything for granted. And, now, he's gone again." Sam closed her eyes. "Why do we wait until it's too late to tell someone how we feel?"
Janet rubbed Sam's back soothingly. "Do you love him, Sam?"
"Of course I love him. He's my best fr. . . ." Sam stopped when she realized what Janet was asking. "Oh, uh, uh . . . no, not like that. I mean, yes, I've noticed how attractive he is. I'd have to be dead not to, but, though I love him as a friend, I'm not, well, you know."
"In love with him."
"Yes. Right. Exactly."
Janet almost smiled at how flustered Sam had gotten. She had to wonder if the astrophysicist was, indeed, experiencing feelings for Daniel that were beyond the scope of friendship.
The truth was that Janet had been wondering for quite some time about Sam's feelings for Jack O'Neill. There had been that incident with the Zatarc detector a few years ago, and the doctor remembered how Sam acted when the colonel was trapped on Edora for over three months. But, because of regulations, Janet was certain that nothing would ever come of any feelings that Jack and Sam might have for each other, not unless one of them left the service. Now, however, Janet was beginning to wonder if Sam might be developing feelings for another member of her team . . . one with whom regulations did not forbid her to have a relationship.
Which of the two men would bring Sam the most happiness? Though Janet liked and respected Jack, she knew that he and Sam were not compatible. They were too different in almost every way, and, while opposites might attract, they seldom succeeded in having a long, happy and successful relationship. There had to be some commonality on which to build a foundation. Daniel and Sam had that commonality. Janet could see a relationship between them lasting a lifetime. But, now that Daniel was gone, would such a relationship ever have a chance to grow? Janet hoped so. She hoped that Daniel would come back, not just for Sam's sake but for everyone's.
Jack hit the punching bag, pummeling it viciously. He was mad. No, make that utterly furious. He had just lost half his team, and he blamed it all on Morrison, Rice and the president. A military man being enraged at his Commander in Chief was generally not a good thing, but Jack couldn't help it. After all the good decisions the president had made over the past few years regarding the Stargate Program, he had now made a hell of a bad one, and because of it, the SGC had lost two of its most important personnel . . . and Jack had lost two of his best friends.
Giving the bag a final blow, Jack stormed off to the showers. Once he finished cleaning up, he went to his office. Sitting heavily in his chair, Jack's eyes fell upon the envelope that sat on his desk, the envelope that had remained unopened. Jack didn't want to read the contents. Reading Daniel's goodbye to him would drive home the fact that his friend was gone. But not reading it would be a betrayal of that friendship.
Reluctantly, Jack opened the envelope and took out the letter.
Jack,
This is not something that I'd ever have thought I would do, write my feelings down in a letter to you. But there are things that I need to say, and this is the only way that I can do it now.
When I was told that I could no longer be on SG-1, it hurt for a lot of reasons. I don't think you ever really understood how important SG-1 has been to me, how much it has meant to be a part of something, especially something so important. There was a period in time when I felt that I no longer belonged on SG-1, that my place on the team had become superfluous, serving no real purpose. That was a dark time in our relationship, one that still hurts when I think about it.
You and I have been through so much together, more than most friends could even imagine, and I know that it took a toll on our friendship. The difference in our way of doing things, in our world view, made our relationship almost a love/hate one, and it hurts to admit that, in those last couple of years before I ascended, the 'hate' often outweighed the 'love'. Not that I ever really hated you. Even when you did things that hurt me, I never hated you, and I don't think that you ever hated me. We just couldn't see eye to eye much anymore.
When I became human again and came to remember most of my life before ascension, I began hoping that the rift between us would heal, and we could go back to being friends. For the most part, that has happened, though I still miss the closeness that we shared those first couple of years or so. But I realize that you and I have changed too much to ever go back to the way things were back then. We're no longer the same people, especially me. That Daniel was so much more innocent and unscarred.
I want you to know, Jack, that, despite everything, in spite of all the contention, angry words and insurmountable differences, you are still one of the best friends I have ever had and will ever have, and it hurts to know that I might never see you again.
I hope that you can understand why I had to leave. It was not a decision I made easily. But, above all, I must be true to myself, and staying at the SGC in the capacity of only a consultant was something I simply could not do. I am no longer that kind of person. I guess you finally succeeded in turning me into a soldier, Jack. You must be so proud.
It wasn't my idea that Teal'c go with me. He made that decision all on his own and wouldn't let me talk him out of it. You know Teal'c. I guess he wants to be there to watch my back. I will be glad for his presence, but I'm going to miss you and Sam a lot. I may not have always agreed with your decisions on missions, but I still can't think of another person I would rather have as my team leader.
Thank you for all the times you gave me support, or a listening ear, or a helping hand. Thanks for watching out for me when I needed it and for respecting me enough to sometimes listen to my point of view regardless of how much it clashed with yours. Above all, Jack, thank you for being my friend.
Daniel
Jack reread the letter several times, a tight lump in his throat. For the first time in six and a half years, he really thought about how much Daniel meant to him. Oh, there had been other times when he'd thought about his relationship with the archeologist, usually after Daniel had died or almost died, but he had never let himself dig too deeply into his feelings. That was dangerous territory for a man who had shut away his heart after the death of his son and had sworn to never love someone that deeply again for fear that he'd lose them, too. But he was thinking about it now and knew that, in spite of himself, he had come to care for Daniel way more than should have. Despite all the times that he'd felt like doing something violent to the younger man, he loved him like a brother, like a best friend, pretty much the best friend he'd ever had. And, now, Daniel was gone, gone without ever having heard Jack say that he cared.
Anger again arose in Jack, but, this time, it was aimed at himself. He'd been a lousy friend to Daniel, especially during the last year or two before the archeologist's ascension. Jack's anger changed to shame and then determination. One way or another, no matter what he had to do, he was going to get Daniel back in the SGC and back on SG-1. And if he couldn't? Then maybe the time had come to forget duty and put friendship first.
Daniel and Teal'c crouched behind the brush, their eyes on the Stargate. It had activated a moment ago, and they were tensely waiting to see if the person coming through it was the one they were expecting.
The blue, water-like surface rippled, and Master Bra'tac stepped through. Relaxing, Daniel and Teal'c rose to their feet and approached him. The old Jaffa smiled and strode toward them. He clasped his former student's arm.
"Tek matte, Teal'c," he greeted. "It is good to see you, old friend."
"It is good to see you again, my friend," Teal'c said.
Bra'tac turned to Daniel and inclined his head. "Daniel Jackson, it is good to see you as well." He looked between them. "But what is this about? Where are the others? The message I received said only to meet you here."
"Daniel Jackson and I no longer serve the Tau'ri," Teal'c told the older Jaffa.
Surprised, Bra'tac stared at them. "Why is this?"
"It's a very long story, Bra'tac," Daniel replied.
The old Jaffa relaxed his stance. "I have no other plans at the moment."
Smiling faintly, Daniel started his explanation at the beginning. "Okay, I'm guessing that you pretty much know all about my ascension, how I ascended to a higher plane of existence and became like one of the beings that we met on Kheb."
Bra'tac nodded. "Yes. I also know that you were made human again because you defied the laws of those beings and tried to help your people."
"Well, as it turned out, when I was made human again, I might not have come back exactly the way I was before."
"Explain."
"I've discovered that I have certain abilities that I didn't before, or at least not that I was aware of."
"Such as?"
Daniel looked at the staff weapon Bra'tac was holding. A moment later, it was jerked from the Jaffa's grasp and flew into Daniel's hand. Bra'tac stared at the staff weapon, then at Daniel, the closest thing that the archeologist had ever seen to shock on the man's face.
"Is this a trick?" Bra'tac asked.
"It is no trick, my friend," Teal'c told him. "Daniel Jackson has gained great power. I myself witnessed him destroy six enemy Jaffa with a ball of fire that came from nothingness. He is now more powerful that the Goa'uld, for he does not need technology to give him his power."
Surprised by Teal'c's statement, Daniel stared at him, feeling more than a little embarrassed and uneasy that his friend thought that way.
"Then you have become a mighty weapon against them!" Bra'tac declared to Daniel, clapping him on the shoulder. "But why it is that you no longer serve Hammond of Texas?"
Daniel explained to the Jaffa what happened. Bra'tac shook his head once the tale was finished.
"I do not understand the thinking of the Tau'ri. If you were a Jaffa, we would revel in your power and use it to defeat our enemies. We would not lock you away where your power is of no use."
"Unfortunately, the Tau'ri sometimes have a different way of looking at things. There were people who wanted to use my abilities, but it would have been to do things that I am not willing to do, and it would not have been to fight the Goa'uld."
"So, now, you and Teal'c fight alone?"
"Well, we were kind of hoping that you and the other rebel Jaffa could help us once in a while. That's why we wanted to talk with you."
Bra'tac nodded sharply. "Of course. I will gladly fight at your side whenever you are in need of my aid, and I know that other rebel Jaffa will do likewise. Tomorrow, I am meeting a group within Ba'al's army. I would be pleased and honored if you accompanied me."
Daniel looked at Teal'c, who nodded. "Okay, we'd like that."
The sun was setting, so the three men made preparations for the night. Daniel and Teal'c had some dried meat and other preserved foodstuffs, enough to last for a couple of weeks, but they were intending to use them only when necessary. Both men had experience living off the land. This night, they would be dining on a rabbit-like creature that was caught in a snare Daniel had constructed while they waited for Bra'tac. The archeologist was grateful for all the digs he'd went on in remote areas that were not within easy driving distance from civilization. In those years, he'd learned how to hunt and fish, many of his skills having been learned from the local people of the area. Of course, back then, he couldn't have imagined that he'd someday be using those skills to catch wildlife that had never existed on Earth.
A pile of wood had been gathered, and Bra'tac expertly stacked it for a campfire as Teal'c prepared the animal for cooking. The Jaffa Master reached for the small device that he used to light fires, but, before he could use it, the wood burst into flames. Startled yet again, he looked at Daniel.
"Sorry. Force of habit," the human said contritely. "Since Teal'c and I left Earth, I've been the designated fire-starter. We have a lighter, but it's to be used only when necessary since the fuel is limited."
Bra'tac nodded and put away his fire-lighter, not revealing how impressed he was with the human's ability.
"How long has it been since you left Earth?" he asked.
"Today is the third day. The first day, we found someplace safe and started making plans. The second day, we got some supplies from a planet that's about three decades behind Earth technologically. There were things that we couldn't bring with us from Earth since we sort of had to sneak away."
"Tell me of your plans."
"Contacting you and other Jaffa is the first step. We have no way of gaining information on Goa'uld plans and movements on our own, so we need others for that. We'd seek out the Tok'ra, but I figure that, by now, the SGC has contacted them and told them about us going AWOL."
Bra'tac frowned, perplexed. "A wall?"
"A-W-O-L. Absent Without Leave, meaning that we left without permission. The Tok'ra may have been told to catch us and send us back to Earth if they come across us."
"So, you must keep away from them."
"Yeah. And we also have to hope that we don't bump into any SG teams. I know that they'll be under orders to bring us back."
"It is not good that your allies have now become your enemies."
"Not our enemies, Bra'tac. They'll never be that. We just have to steer clear of them."
"What of the Goa'uld? Do you intend to attack them directly now?"
"No, not unless we have no choice. Even with my new abilities it would be suicide unless we had a whole lot of help. For right now, we're going to continue doing what we were doing on SG-1, aid in spreading the rebellion among the Jaffa, try to find ways to destroy the Goa'uld, and help any people we run across who need it. The biggest problem we have is that we now have no way of checking out what's on the other side of a wormhole before stepping through. That could be dangerous, to say the least. Which is something else that we need your help with. We need gate addresses for worlds that you think would be good places for us to go, preferably ones where the Stargate isn't sitting in the middle of a Goa'uld stronghold."
Bra'tac nodded. "This I can do, and I am sure that other Jaffa will be able to provide more addresses. What are you looking for in particular?"
"Well, more than anything, places where there are ruins or other things that have writing in the language of the Ancients."
Bra'tac nodded. "I cannot read that language, but I am familiar with its appearance. I know of several places where ruins with that writing exist."
"Great! This is the most important thing. We're looking for a city of the Ancients, a place where there are weapons that can be used to defeat the Goa'uld."
Teal'c brought over the animal that was to be their dinner and placed it on the spit he had made. As it cooked, the three men discussed the plans Daniel and Teal'c had. After eating, they talked some more, then retired for the night.
The next morning at dawn, the men packed up and left the planet, traveling to where Bra'tac was to meet the other rebel Jaffa. It was high noon on that world and at least twenty degrees hotter than the place they'd left. A few moments after exiting the Stargate, they saw a small group of Jaffa come out of hiding nearby. They came forward, led by a tall man with black hair and dark eyes. The symbol on his forehead marked him as being in the service of Ba'al.
"Bra'tac. We were expecting you to come alone," he said. He looked at Teal'c. "You are Teal'c. We have heard much about you and your victories against the Goa'uld while fighting with the Tau'ri." The Jaffa then turned his attention to Daniel.
"This is Daniel Jackson," Teal'c told him. "He is my friend and has fought beside me for many years. He is of the Tau'ri."
The Jaffa inclined his head. "Welcome Daniel Jackson of the Tau'ri. I am No'am."
"It's good to meet you, No'am," Daniel said.
The Jaffa returned his gaze to Bra'tac. "Has there been some change?"
"Yes, there has, No'am, one that will help us greatly in our fight against the Goa'uld. Come. Let us join the others, and we will discuss things."
They traveled down a barely discernable path through a thick growth of trees. On the other side was a clearing with around fifty Jaffa.
As they entered the clearing, the assembled Jaffa stared at Teal'c and Daniel, some of them with curiosity, others with suspicion. No'am made introductions.
"Listen to me, brothers," Bra'tac said loudly. "All of us here have slaved for years for the Goa'uld, and all of us tire of it. We want freedom, for ourselves, for our children, and for all generations of Jaffa to come. But it is a battle that will not be won quickly or easily. We have mighty allies among the Tau'ri of Earth, who wish the destruction of the Goa'uld as greatly as we do. This man here," he gestured toward Daniel, "is one of them. He has fought the Goa'uld for years, using his skills and great knowledge to help defeat them. He and his companions have caused the deaths of many Goa'uld, including Ra, Apophis, Hathor, and Cronus, to name only four. But, now, Daniel Jackson has gained a power that will be an even greater weapon against the Goa'uld."
"Bra'tac, what are you doing?" Daniel hissed.
"Silence, Human. I know what I am doing."
"What is this power of which you speak?" asked one of the Jaffa.
"One that the Goa'uld do not possess, a power that is not created by technology but by the mind."
Every Jaffa in the clearing looked at Daniel, who suddenly felt extremely self-conscious.
"Show us this power," another Jaffa demanded.
Bra'tac looked at Daniel expectantly.
"Bra'tac, this isn't what I was planning," the archeologist said in barely more than a whisper.
"Trust me, Daniel Jackson."
Daniel searched the man's eyes, then gave a sigh. Still feeling self-conscious, he walked a few feet away from the group of Jaffa. Turning to face them, he closed his eyes, and delved into his mind for that place from which the power came. Opening his eyes, he stared down at the ground before him. As he lifted his hands, a column of flame erupted from the earth, casting his features in firelight. Gasps and murmurs of surprise spread throughout those witnessing the display.
The fire rose higher, towering over Daniel's head by several feet, making the closest of the Jaffa back up uneasily. With a silent command, Daniel extinguished the blaze.
"This is a Goa'uld trick!" one Jaffa shouted after a long silence. "Who but the Goa'uld could do such a thing?"
There were more murmurs, this time with darker overtones.
"Hear me, Jaffa!" Teal'c shouted. "This is no trick, and the Goa'uld have no part in it. This man is my friend and a warrior of the Tau'ri. I have trusted him with my life on more than one occasion. This power that he just showed you is one that he gained when he was transformed into a creature of energy, a being that lives on a higher plane of existence for which all Jaffa strive. I witnessed one of those very beings cause lightning to fall out of the sky and destroy two Death Gliders and many Jaffa on the ground. Daniel Jackson is human again now, but some of the power he gained as one of those beings remains."
"How can we believe this?" asked the same Jaffa who had accused Daniel's display as being a Goa'uld trick.
"You know that I'm not a Goa'uld," Daniel replied. "I don't have a symbiote inside me, which I'm sure you can all sense. You also know that no human who is not a host for a Goa'uld would be given control of this kind of power by them."
"This is true," admitted another Jaffa.
"Also, if I was working for the Goa'uld, you would all be dead now. I would have no reason to delay killing you."
"You could be attempting to learn of other rebel Jaffa," a third Jaffa said.
Daniel sighed. He turned to Bra'tac. "Okay, this was your bright idea. How do you propose that we convince them I'm not working for the Goa'uld?"
The Jaffa Master turned to the others. "My brothers. Like Teal'c, I have known this human for several years. I know him well and have fought beside him many times. He has much reason to hate the Goa'uld, more than many of you here. His wife was taken by the Goa'uld and made a host to Amaunet, Apophis' queen. Later, she was killed when the symbiote within her attempted to take his life. His brother by marriage was also made a host, though he was later freed. Another woman who has great meaning to Daniel Jackson was taken as the host of Osiris and is still so to this day. This man has suffered much and lost a great deal because of the Goa'uld. Why would he now be their ally?"
The Jaffa talked amongst themselves in low voices for a few seconds. The Jaffa who started all the trouble then said, "The Goa'uld have ways of controlling the minds of humans."
"Now you think I've been brainwashed?!" Daniel exclaimed. "What do we have to do to convince you that I'm not with the Goa'uld?!"
"Prove to us that you do not have a device hidden in your clothing," one Jaffa responded.
"You want me to strip?" Everyone just stared at him.
With a sigh, Daniel set everything he was carrying on the ground, including all the things in his pockets. Thankful that it was a warm day, he then stripped down to his underwear, feeling excruciatingly embarrassed as all the Jaffa watched him carefully. He was glad that he'd chosen to wear boxer briefs today instead of boxers since the briefs clearly couldn't be hiding anything that was not a part of his anatomy, meaning that he could keep them on.
A couple of the Jaffa examined his clothing, while another went through the things he'd been carrying. Once they were all satisfied that no Goa'uld devices were being hidden anywhere, they let Daniel put his clothes back on. The archeologist left his things where they lay on the ground for now.
"Okay, happy now?" he asked, starting to get a little ticked off. "Or do you need me to do something else now that you're sure I'm not wearing any kind of Goa'uld device?"
"Perhaps you should, Daniel Jackson," Bra'tac suggested.
Daniel subjected him to a glare. Deciding that he'd had enough of this, the archeologist chose to make it crystal clear to everyone that there was no Goa'uld technology involved in what he could do. Taking a deep breath and focusing his concentration, he stretched out his hand. A few seconds later, the staff weapons held by the troublemaker and several other Jaffa were wrenched from their hands and went sailing through the air to land at Daniel's feet.
"Now, I ask you. Have you ever seen a Goa'uld do anything like that?" he asked. "Have you ever seen them do something like this?" The staff weapon held by another Jaffa burst into flames. The man dropped it hastily and watched as it melted into an unrecognizable blob. "And how about this?" A small fireball blossomed in the air before Daniel and shot off to blast a nearby boulder.
Daniel closed his eyes tightly for a moment. An excruciating headache was pounding through his skull, making him feel a little sick, the sunlight feeling like it was spearing right into his brain. He knew that he'd just overdone it. He hadn't realized how much it would take to melt a staff weapon. The material they were made of must have a very high melting point.
As the headache eased a little, Daniel became more aware that every man in the clearing was staring at him in amazement, including Teal'c and Bra'tac.
"So, is that enough to convince you that this is not a Goa'uld trick or shall I just leave?" he asked, no longer in the mood to argue his case.
With a look of satisfaction on his face, Bra'tac turned to the other Jaffa. "What do you say, brothers? Have any of you ever seen the Goa'uld display such power?"
"It is true," No'am said. "I have been in the service of the Goa'uld for many years, and I have never seen such a thing as this." He gazed at Daniel. "You are truly as a god."
"No! I am not a god," the archeologist said forcefully. "Being able to do things like that does not make someone a god. That's the thing with the Goa'uld. They think that because they're superior to other lifeforms in some ways, that gives them the right to call themselves gods. But they're not gods. They are parasites that use their technology to rule over people who either don't have the strength to fight them or the understanding to realize the truth about them. If I wanted to, I could do the same thing, but, unlike the Goa'uld, I have no desire to rule, and I know that I'm no more a god than any of you are."
"Well said, Daniel Jackson," Bra'tac praised.
"What is it that you want of us?" No'am asked Daniel.
"I . . . we want to be your allies, to work with you against the Goa'uld."
"Have not the rebel Jaffa already allied with the Tau'ri of Earth? Even now, there are many of us at the place you call the Alpha Site."
Daniel nodded. "Yes, you're right, but, because of certain circumstances, Teal'c and I cannot return to Earth. Therefore, we seek a separate alliance with you since, with greater numbers, we are stronger."
"You seek to build an army?" another Jaffa asked.
"No. We only want to stay in contact with you and other rebel Jaffa and be able to call on you for help if we need it. We also need information about some things and to be kept informed of important developments. In return, Teal'c and I will help any of you if you ever need us and will pass on any useful information that we gain. There may be a day in the future when we will need an army, but today is not that day."
The Jaffa spoke amongst themselves again, then the one who had first put Daniel's motives into question stepped forward. "I pledge myself as an ally, Daniel Jackson, and I swear that I will give aid to you in whatever way is within my power." He crossed his arm over his chest and bowed his head.
One by one, the other Jaffa repeated the pledge until every one had spoken. Daniel looked over at Teal'c, who had a look of satisfaction on his face. Also there was an expression of great respect, pride and confidence. Daniel just hoped that his friend's confidence in him wouldn't end up getting Teal'c killed.
