CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
That afternoon, the negotiations began. The first thing Daniel did was tell the Triumvirate that the trade agreement could not include any weapons. Jack had been right about the president agreeing with him in that regard.
"We can probably help you with developing forms of defense against the rebels you talked about, but we can't give you any weapons," he explained.
"And this is the final word of your leaders?" Shewynd asked.
"Yes. I'm sorry, but it's nonnegotiable. They might agree to you being shown ways to improve the weapons you already have, but that's as far as we could go."
"I see. This is very disappointing to us."
"There are many other things we can offer you, medicines and medical techniques that would save thousands of lives, technology that will increase your crop yield, types of crops that will grow even in the poorest of soils. We can give you a variety of different domestic animals that you can use as beasts of burden and for transportation. And that's only to name a few things. There is a lot that we can offer, if you're willing to listen."
"Please leave us for a moment."
Daniel and SG-9 left the hall.
"So, you think they'll call it off?" a member of SG-9 asked Daniel.
"I don't know. They'd be stupid to do so this soon. I know they wanted weapons, but they have to see that there are other things we can give them instead that will vastly improve their way of life. On the other hand, if weapons are the only thing they're really interested in, then, yes, I'd say we're done."
They were called back in not quite ten minutes later.
"Though we greatly desired that weapons be part of the trade, we are willing to continue the talks," Shewynd told them.
Smiling, Daniel said, "I'm glad to hear it. So, shall we get started?"
Thus began the negotiations for getting a colony on the planet that Daniel and SG-9 came to learn was called Penthana. By the end of the three days that Jack gave Daniel, they were still talking. Explaining that a matter of urgency required his attention at home, the archeologist said goodbye to the Penthanan Triumvirate and, after leaving the room, was beamed aboard the Prometheus. It took him to Kelith's village. Daniel wanted to say goodbye to the man before leaving.
"Daniel. Again, it is good to see you," the overseer said. "Has the Triumvirate said that you may create your colony?"
"The negotiations are still in progress. I have to get home, though. I just wanted to say goodbye before I leave."
Kelith clasped his shoulder and forearm. "Goodbye, then, my friend. Regardless of what our rulers may decide, I know that nothing we did would be great enough to repay you for what you have done for us."
Five minutes later, Daniel was beamed to the gate. He dialed it and went through.
"Since I'm only seeing you standing there, I'm guessing that they're still at it," Jack said from his place at the foot of the ramp.
"Yep. I don't think they'll be at it for much longer, though, maybe another day or two. I mean, when you think about it, from their point of view, the Penthanans are getting more out of this deal than we are. They weren't able to do anything with those cities, so it's not like we're taking away a valuable commodity. We'll need some land to plant crops and raise livestock for feeding the colony, but since the Penthanans have tended to stay well clear of those cities, it's unlikely that the lands around there would have been used anyway. So, in exchange for land and other things that they weren't using, they're getting quite a bit."
"I agree. Okay, go get checked out by the doc and get cleaned up, then come to the briefing room."
Daniel was approaching the elevator when Sam exited it. She smiled upon seeing him. They embraced and shared a kiss.
"Mmm. I missed you," she said.
"I missed you, too."
"So, how did it go?"
"SG-9 is still there hashing out the details, but I'm pretty sure that we have a trade agreement that the Penthanans are satisfied with."
Sam accompanied Daniel to the infirmary, talking about the agreement on the way. She waited for him as he got his post-mission exam.
"So, do you know anything about this mission the bigwigs want to use the Al'Kesh for?" Daniel asked as they left the infirmary.
"No, the general hasn't discussed it with anyone. Teal'c and I are supposed to join you in the briefing room to talk about it."
They went to their quarters so that Daniel could wash up, then the two of them headed to the briefing room, Sam deciding to sit in on the debriefing about the agreement with the Penthanan government.
For obvious reasons, Daniel said nothing about the incident with Laleetha. He had no intention of giving Jack that kind of ammunition to use to torment him. He'd have to remember to tell SG-9 not to say anything about it either.
"Sounds good to me," Jack said as the debriefing wrapped up. "They do understand that, though we can help beef up their defenses a bit, we're not going to get rid of their rebel problem, right?"
"Yes, they know that."
"If the rebels become our problem, then we'll do something. Otherwise, it stays their problem."
Daniel nodded. "Although, if things went bad, and the present government was overthrown, I think it would be in our best interest to do something about it."
"Yes, you're probably right about that. We don't know how friendly anyone who took over would be to us, and once that colony is established, we're not going to just up and leave. You know, it would be a lot better if those cities had been on an uninhabited planet. We'll just have to hope that our neighbors remain friendly."
At that moment, Teal'c walked in.
"Hey, great timing, T," Jack said. "We just finished the debriefing."
"Were you successful, Daniel Jackson?" the Jaffa asked as he took a seat.
"I believe so. SG-9 is still there, but I'm pretty sure we'll get the colony." Daniel turned to Jack. "Okay, so what's this plan you mentioned?"
"Well, some people have dreamed up a little mission for you and the Al'Kesh. Since it's fast and has a cloaking device, they've decided that it would be perfect for a bit of covert ops. According to our allies, whoever it was that took over from Anubis' has been doing a damn fine job of whipping the asses of the other Goa'uld, but we still don't know who that person is, and inquiring minds want to know."
Sam shrugged. "Well, there is that old adage that the enemy you know isn't as dangerous as the one you don't know."
"Has anyone checked Anubis' base on Tartarus to see if the person is there?" Daniel asked.
Jack shook his head. "No. Those super-duper sensors make it impossible for anyone to get close enough to do a detailed scan of the planet. I guess even a cloaked ship would be detected." He smiled humorlessly. "And that's where you come in, Danny Boy. They figured that you could fly the Al'Kesh to a spot just outside the reach of the base's sensors and then do your little remote viewing trick, take a peek at what's going on in the base."
"Jack, there's a good chance that I wouldn't be able to see anything. Unlike Sam and Teal'c, I haven't been inside the base, and I'd be doing it from pretty far away. I wouldn't even have anyone in particular to . . . to lock onto, unlike when I was searching for Sam on the Prometheus."
"Well, if you'd like to explain that to them, be my guest."
"Sir, what if the person isn't even on Tartarus?" Sam asked.
"Then you're supposed to go wandering around the galaxy and try finding him. The bigwigs figure that you could get intel from the rebel Jaffa on where some big battle is going on between Anubis' forces and another Goa'uld. You pop in, Daniel scopes out Anubis' ships, then you pop out again, trying not to get blown up from a stray shot while you're there."
The members of SG-1 all looked at each other.
"Uh . . . sir," Sam began.
"You don't have to say it, Carter. I'm with you one hundred percent. The chances of the mission actually succeeding are remote, and there are so many ways it could go wrong that it would take me all day to name them."
"On the other hand, knowing exactly who we're dealing with would be good," Daniel said.
Jack stared at him. "Daniel, don't you dare say that you're for this plan."
"Well, no, at least not the second part. Going to Tartarus and seeing if I can take a look at what's going on inside the base is fine. If we keep the Al'Kesh cloaked, no ship in the area would detect us. It wouldn't hurt to try, and there wouldn't be that much risk involved. As for the second part, I'm not eager to go rushing into the middle of a battle zone. We have done things in the past that were equally as dangerous, but that was out of necessity or to deal the Goa'uld a powerful blow. This would just be a fact-finding mission. Knowing who they are wouldn't give us a greater chance of stopping the person who's taken over Anubis' forces and territories."
Jack nodded. "Which is exactly what I was thinking. It's a lot of risk just to gain some intel that may not help us all that much."
"Sir, does General Hammond approve the mission?" Sam questioned.
"No, not really. He recognizes the high risk and the low possible returns, but I guess some people have been talking to the president and convinced him that we really need to know who's taken over from Anubis."
"Well, I suppose that I could just flat out say no," Daniel said. "They couldn't send someone else on the mission. It wouldn't do any good. Then again, one generally doesn't refuse an order from the president."
"No, one doesn't."
"When is this mission to take place, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked.
"As soon as possible." Jack turned to Daniel. "I'd be more than happy to give Hayes a call tomorrow and have you talk to him. Maybe he'll listen to you."
"Sure, we can do that."
"Before you do that, I think we need to talk to the Tok'ra," Sam said. "They might have some new information."
"Do you think you could get hold of them? We've not heard a thing from them since way back when Jacob was here after we kicked Anubis' ass in Antarctica."
"All we can do is try, sir. Actually, I was already thinking that we needed to try contacting them and seeing if they had some new information on this issue regarding the Goa'uld conflict. This just gives us a bigger reason to do so."
The attempt to contact the Tok'ra didn't result in an immediate reply, which did not surprise anyone. It could be days before they heard anything.
That evening, Sam came to Daniel's house with an overnight bag. She had missed him quite a bit while he was gone and had every intention of getting started on making up for the time they'd been apart.
Dinner hadn't been over for very long when the couple found themselves in bed, making passionate love. As they lay recovering afterwards, Daniel chuckled.
"Well, it didn't take us long to get to that part, did it."
Sam smiled. "Nope. But did you really expect it to?"
Daniel rolled over on top of her. "Nope." He brought his mouth down to hers in a very deep, possessive kiss, his hand roaming intimately over her body. He smiled as he felt her respond. Making love with Sam and feeling her reactions to his touch never failed to thrill him. It didn't matter that they'd already made love at least a hundred times in these months that they'd been together. Every time with her was still glorious.
Daniel lay on his side and pulled her close, nuzzling her hair. He'd been wondering if he should tell Sam about the incident with Laleetha. It had all been just a test, so it wasn't like the woman had honestly been coming onto him, but still. . . .
"I need to tell you about something that happened on Penthana," he said. He told Sam about Laleetha, her come-on and how it had turned out to be a test of his honor. Sam's reaction was not exactly what Daniel had expected. She laughed.
He stared at her in surprise. "That's not quite the reaction I was expecting."
"Sorry. I was just picturing you squirming uncomfortably while that woman hit on you. I'm betting that you were wishing you were anywhere else at that moment."
Daniel smiled. "Yes, I was, and even more so the next day when I had to face her again. I'm glad you're not mad at all."
"Why should I be mad? First of all, it was all just a test. Second, you turned her down flat." Sam levered herself up and looked down at him. "Now, if you'd considered even for one tiny moment to take her up on her invitation, then I'd be mad."
Daniel grinned. "Ah, that whole hell hath no fury thing, eh?"
She lightly jabbed him in the ribs. "You'd better believe it, buster."
"That, Sam, is something that would never happen," Daniel declared just before pulling her down into a heated kiss.
The reply from the Tok'ra came the following evening. None of them were available to come to Earth, so they agreed to allow SG-1 to come through to the present base. The team left early Sunday morning. Sam was delighted to see her father at the gate to greet them.
Jacob gave her a hug. "It's great to see you, Sammie. It's been far too long." He shook Daniel's hand. "Daniel. We heard about what happened with Moloc. Between you and this person that's controlling Anubis' forces, the Goa'uld are fast becoming an endangered species, which has its good points and its bad points. Every time a Goa'uld dies, it's a victory for us, but if it leaves us with a single Goa'uld in control of everything, that would be a very bad thing, as we've said before."
"Actually, that's why we're here, Dad," Sam said. "We wanted to find out what you know about this situation with the Goa'uld."
"Come on. Let's go inside."
They entered the base and went to a meeting room. They were joined by a Tok'ra named Mendis.
"So, how much do you already know?" Jacob asked SG-1.
"No details," Sam replied, "just that the other Goa'uld are being overwhelmed by whomever this person is that's in control of Anubis' armies."
"Well, from the intelligence we've gathered, a whole lot has happened. Bastet and Olokun are both dead, and Morrigan has given in."
"Lord Yu and Amaterasu have refused to surrender and are rallying their armies for what will very likely be their final stand," Mendis said. "The Jaffa armies cannot stand against the Kull warriors."
"Which isn't a surprise," Daniel responded.
Jacob nodded. "It's funny that you called when you did. We were actually going to contact you about something else we learned."
"Which is?"
"With defeat looming over their heads, some of the System Lords are looking for places they can find refuge. They're looking to planets that they abandoned a long time ago, scouting them out as possible sanctuaries, and guess what one of those planets is."
"Which one?" Sam asked.
"A planet that used to be in Ares' domain and where there presently resides a certain man who was a thorn in more than one backside: one Harry Maybourne."
"Crap," Daniel cursed.
Sam was thinking the same thing. When the Tok'ra left Maybourne on that planet two years ago, everyone had believed that they wouldn't have to deal with him ever again. So much for that belief.
"If Harry Maybourne was captured, it would not go well for him," Teal'c stated.
"No, it wouldn't," Jacob agreed, "which is why you really need to go get him before that happens."
"The Tok'ra have other matters to attend to that take precedence over this," Mendis said, "so we cannot spare the time to get him. We strongly suggest that you retrieve him as soon as possible."
Daniel sighed. "Oh, Jack isn't going to be happy about this."
Just then, Mendis was called away on another matter.
"So, how is Jack?" Jacob asked. " I was wondering why he didn't come with you today."
"That's right. You don't know, do you," Sam said.
"Know what?"
"Hammond was promoted," Daniel replied. "He's now in charge of Homeworld Security, which was set up to oversee the Stargate Program, the 302 program and the Ancient base in Antarctica."
"So, who's running Stargate Command?"
Daniel smiled. "Jack."
Jacob's eyebrows lifted. "Jack is the base commander now?"
"Yep, and he's got stars on his uniform to prove it."
Jacob chuckled. "So, Jack's a general now. Somehow, I just can't see him sitting behind a desk."
"Yes, well, the desk is definitely not his favorite part of the job."
"Nor the paperwork," Sam added.
"Well, give him my regards. I wish we could talk longer, but, like Mendis said, we're pretty busy around here." Jacob turned to the two male members of SG-1. "If you guys will excuse us, I'd like to chat with Sam in private for a moment."
"Sure," Daniel said. "We'll meet you at the gate, Sam." He and Teal'c left.
"So, how's it going, kiddo?" Jacob asked his daughter as they also made their way to the exit, but at a much slower pace.
"Pretty good. We had a tough mission recently, but something really good came out of it. It looks like Earth is going to be able to set up a colony on another planet."
Jacob's gaze went to her in surprise. "Really? That's ambitious."
"Well, the situation on the planet will make it a lot easier to accomplish."
"Well, that's good. A colony could be a big plus. However, when I asked how things were going, I didn't mean with Earth or the SGC. I was asking about you personally."
"Oh. Things are going well."
"You and Daniel?"
Sam smiled. "We're still together, if that's what you're asking."
Jacob returned the smile. "Yes, it is. So, is there anything . . . new in that regard that I need to know about?"
Sam looked at her father, puzzled. Then she realized what he was hinting at. "Oh. Um . . . no, we haven't made any plans. A whole lot has happened since we last saw you."
"Yes, that incident with Anubis alone was quite something." Jacob touched Sam's arm. "I heard about what happened to you, Sam, how Anubis killed you and Daniel brought you back to life. My debt to that man keeps getting bigger and bigger."
"Well, that's only one of the exciting things that has been going on." Sam quickly filled her father in on many of the things that had happened since he last visited Earth.
"Wow, you have been busy, haven't you. So, you found the lost city of the Ancients, huh."
"Yes, and inherited another bad guy to add to our woes."
"It's good to hear that you and the Asgard have a weapon against the Replicators."
Sam paused a second, then continued walking. "Um . . . yeah."
Jacob looked at her. "Is there something you haven't told me?"
Reluctantly, Sam revealed to her father the vision Daniel had about the Replicator created in her image. Jacob was alarmed by the news.
"That's really not good," he said.
"Tell me about it. Just the thought of a Replicator walking around with my face and memories gives me the creeps."
"I can imagine so. I guess we can always hope that the Asgard are able to deal with her."
Not wanting to dwell on that subject, Sam changed the topic of conversation.
At the Stargate, Jacob gave his daughter another hug.
"I hope it won't be nearly as long before we see you again," he said.
"Me too. Oh, before we leave, there's something else you should know." Sam told him about the possible mission to learn the identity of the person who took over Anubis' territories.
Jacob frowned. "That sounds awfully dangerous. We've been trying to find out who the person is ever since we found out that someone had taken over all of Anubis' territories. It's not normal for a Goa'uld to be so secretive, which alone really makes us wonder who he is."
"Well, you're not the only ones who really want to know," Daniel said.
"You guys be careful, and if you find out anything, let us know. I'll make sure that we keep the lines of communication open." Jacob shook the archeologist's hand. "Daniel, I expect you to continue taking good care of my daughter."
Daniel smiled and nodded.
Jacob lowered his voice. "And remember what I told you before about letting me know about a certain event."
Daniel glanced at Sam, who was dialing the gate.
"I will," he said softly.
At the debriefing, Sam filled Jack in on what they'd learned. When she relayed to him what they were told regarding the Goa'uld seeking refuge on formerly abandoned planets, Jack's response was to say. "And this affects us . . . how?"
Daniel was the one who replied. "One of these planets, which used to fall under the domain of the System Lord Ares, also happens to be the place where the Tok'ra dropped off one Harry Maybourne two years ago."
Jack stared at the archeologist. "And this affects us . . . how?" he repeated.
Daniel sighed internally and looked to Sam for support.
"The Tok'ra have their hands full with more pressing matters," she explained. "They strongly suggest we get to Maybourne before the Goa'uld do."
Jack still appeared unmoved.
"If we do not retrieve him, Harry Maybourne faces certain capture," Teal'c stated.
Jack looked at him, expression unchanged.
Teal'c did not give up. "Torture, interrogation, perhaps even death."
As much Jack would have dearly loved to let Maybourne fend for himself, he knew that he couldn't let the guy get captured by a Goa'uld. "All right, fine. Go get him," he said reluctantly. He got up and headed back to his office.
"Yes, sir," Sam said. She and her teammates left to prepare for the mission.
"You know, I had a thought," Daniel said as they walked to the elevator. "How can we be sure that Maybourne is still on that planet? He could have left through the gate at any time."
"Well, yes, he could have, but where would he go?" Sam replied. "He's not all that familiar with what gate addresses lead to safe, secure planets. He would be taking a chance that he'd end up in the hands of a Goa'uld. The planet the Tok'ra took him to hasn't been visited by Ares in a very long time, and if this war hadn't happened, probably never would have been again since there's no Naquadah left to mine. Up till now, it was safe. Maybourne may be a jackass and a jerk, but he's not stupid enough to go wandering alone to other planets without any intel or backup, not if he didn't have to."
An hour later, SG-1 stepped through the gate to the world that had been Harry Maybourne's home for the past two years, or at least as far as they knew. The second they emerged from the wormhole, Daniel sensed that they were not alone. He couldn't see them, but there were several people hiding in the tall weeds.
He grabbed Sam's and Teal'c's arms. "We're not alone," he murmured. He studied the situation with his paranormal vision. "Two women and four men armed with crossbows. They're hiding in the grass."
Sam and Teal'c immediately aimed their weapons.
Daniel took a step forward and called out, "We are not your enemies. Please don't be alarmed. We're here as friends."
There was a short pause, then the people Daniel had sensed rose to their feet, weapons aimed at SG-1.
"We don't mean you any harm!" Sam said.
"We are allies of the Tok'ra," Teal'c told the group.
"We're just, uh, looking for a friend of ours, Harry Maybourne," Daniel said. "Maybe you've heard of him. Shifty fella, beady eyes." There was no reaction to the description. "No?"
"You will follow us to the village and meet with King Arkhan," the woman with short, dark hair declared firmly. "He will discern your true intentions."
Sam looked at Daniel.
"It's okay," he told her. "We're not in any present danger, not that I can sense. Let's just go with them."
SG-1 descended the Stargate dais and allowed themselves to be surrounded by the natives. They were not ordered to relinquish their weapons, which was a good sign. With the woman who'd spoken in the lead, they headed across the meadow.
"Um, what's your name?" Daniel asked the woman, guessing that she was in a position of authority.
"I fail to see what concern it is of yours," she replied.
"Just trying to be friendly, that's all. My name is Daniel. This is Sam and Teal'c."
The woman glared back over her shoulder at them. "I am Garan. Trouble me no further."
No one spoke for the rest of the trip. As they entered the village a while later, everyone they passed stared at them with suspicion.
"Not exactly the trusting type," Daniel remarked to his teammates.
"Which leads me to wonder whether Harry Maybourne is still alive," Teal'c responded.
"Presumably, the Tok'ra put in a good word for him," Sam said.
Daniel glanced behind him at the people whose weapons were ready to shoot at a moment's notice. "Maybe we should get them to do the same for us." He knew that he could handle the situation if it turned ugly, but he didn't want anyone to get hurt. These people were not the enemy.
Ever the archeologist, Daniel made note of the culture's medieval roots in the stone architecture and the heraldic banners draped on the walls of the buildings.
The team was taken to an open hall. There was a dais with a throne at the far end, a yellow and black shield mounted on the wall above it, along with swords, spears and other weapons. There were several women surrounding the person sitting on the throne, blocking SG-1's view.
At that moment, one of the women stepped back, and the face of the 'king' was revealed. His eyes closed in pleasure as he ate a bright red fruit was none other than Harry Maybourne. He was bedecked in a fur cloak, and around his head was a leather and metal band that was apparently supposed to be a crown.
"Maybourne," Sam said, hardly able to believe her eyes. Her shock was shared by her teammates.
The man's eyes opened, and he hastily swallowed the piece of fruit he was chewing.
"This is King Arkhan," Garan corrected coldly. She turned to Maybourne. "My Lord, our hunting party encountered these," she glanced at the teammates disapprovingly, "off-worlders by the gate."
Maybourne smiled at SG-1, apparently quite pleased. "Hey, guys. Long time no see." He started to laugh. "I shoulda known. I shoulda known you'd be the ones to come."
"You were expecting us?" Daniel asked in a snarky tone.
"Well, sort of." Maybourne's smile disappeared. "Where's Jack?" He peered beyond the three team members, looking for his old 'pal'.
"General O'Neill's back at the SGC," Sam replied.
Maybourne was clearly surprised. "No kidding." He made a face. "General O'Neill? That doesn't sound right. Still, good for Jack. Nice to hear he's doing so well for himself."
"As, evidently, are you," Teal'c said, his disapproval clear in his bearing and tone.
"Uh . . ." Maybourne looked down at himself, "this. Yes, well, uhhh, it's a long story." He stood quickly. "Food!" he called out to the populous, grandly tossing off the fur cloak. "Drinks for our guests!"
Garan strode out of the hall, summoning villagers to do Maybourne's bidding. The ex-NID man led SG-1 to the large table just outside the hall.
Sam was getting irritated. "We don't have time for this!"
Maybourne ignored her. He fetched a small fruit from a basket. "Uh, you should try one of these. It's called, um. . . ." He looked to Garan to supply the name.
"Ojun fruit," she said.
"Right. It's sort of a cross between a guava and a mango."
"Sort of a guango?" Daniel asked sarcastically.
Maybourne's face lit up. "I like that!" He stepped onto the bench beside the table. "People! Henceforth, ojun fruit shall be called . . . guango! So shall it be!"
The villagers all cheered and applauded as Daniel wondered what alternate reality they'd stumbled into. Maybourne jumped off the bench and turned to Sam, who also couldn't believe what was going on.
"I get to name all kinds of stuff," he said to her. "You should see the Grateful Dead Burial Ground."
Sam found her voice. "Maybourne, you have to get out of here. You're in danger."
"I know. The Goa'uld are coming." Ignoring Sam's expression, he returned his attention to the newly renamed fruit. "Now, you should peel, uh, it before you eat it. I find the skin kind of tart."
"You know about the Goa'uld?" Sam asked, surprised by Maybourne's knowledge and annoyed by his cavalier attitude.
"Oh, yeah." The man sat at the table and began peeling the guango.
SG-1 gathered around Maybourne, Daniel taking a seat on the edge of the table.
"You were warned by the Tok'ra," Teal'c guessed.
"I haven't heard from the Tok'ra since they dropped me off," Maybourne replied, clearly irritated by that fact.
"Then how?" Sam asked.
"I can read the future."
Sam and Teal'c immediately looked at Daniel, who rolled his eyes.
"Can you now," he said, not believing it for a minute.
"Really!" Maybourne insisted.
Sam stared at the man suspiciously, her annoyance going up another notch. "What are you trying to pull?"
"He speaks the truth," Garan declared. "King Arkhan is a prophet. He foresaw your arrival and the hand you will play in defeating our enemy."
"Garan's right. It's all part of the prophecy," Maybourne claimed.
Sam put her hands on the table and leaned in close to the man. "Maybourne, what the hell is going on here?" she asked in a low voice, her expression making it clear that she was going to get an answer one way or another.
He appeared to mull over the question and come to a decision. He got to his feet. "Let's go for a walk," he said.
As they left the table, Garan and several others made a move to join them. Maybourne lifted his hand. "I will go alone with these people."
Garan, clearly still not very trusting of SG-1, frowned.
Maybourne smiled at her. "Fear not. They won't harm me. The four of us have known each other for a long time."
Garan bowed her head. "As you wish, King Arkhan."
Once they'd left the village behind, Sam stared at the ex-colonel. "Okay, how did you get yourself crowned king, Maybourne?"
"Hey, that was their idea, not mine."
"And where did you come up with that name?"
"I'm a fan of Harrison Ford."
Daniel immediately saw the connection. "Raiders the Lost Ark and Han Solo."
Maybourne smiled at him. "You always were pretty quick on the uptake." He ran his eyes over Daniel's form. "So, aren't you supposed to be dead or something?"
"Or something. I decided that ascension wasn't all it was cracked up to be."
"Really? Isn't that just the way it is. The advertising always makes things sound better than they really are."
"All right, Maybourne. What is all this?"
"Patience, my dear Doctor Jackson. All will be revealed in the proper time."
"You know, we could just toss him over Teal'c's shoulder and take him to the gate," Sam said.
"I wouldn't advise that," Maybourne responded. "You'd never make it there without encountering some of my people."
"Actually, that wouldn't be as much of a problem as you believe," Daniel told him, "but we'll hold off on that for a little while if you tell us how you knew about us and the Goa'uld."
"That's what I'm taking you to see."
