CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Jack and Daniel's teammates stared at the archeologist with various expressions of surprise.
"And how do you propose we do that, Daniel?" Jack questioned. "Did your whammy suddenly get strong enough to blow up motherships?"
"I'm afraid not, Jack. I was actually thinking about the puddle jumper, if we can get it working. If it's like the ones on Atlantis, it'll be armed with drones, like what I used to destroy Anubis' fleet."
"Daniel, after all these years, those drones may no longer work," Sam pointed out.
"Those drones in the Antarctic base sat for thousands of years, and they still worked. These haven't been here for more than a couple hundred years."
Sam had to admit that he had a point. "Okay, but you're just assuming that the ship is armed."
"I have a strong feeling that it is. If we go back to the ship, I can probably confirm it. If we can destroy that mothership, whatever Jaffa are on the planet can be taken care of without worrying that we're going to be attacked from orbit or by Al'Kesh and death gliders."
Jack gazed at the archeologist closely. "Daniel, are you sure about this? We're taking a big chance here, so if you're not sure, then I say we blow up the puddle jumper and get out of here."
"Sure about what, Jack? That, if we leave, a lot of the people here will die, and the ones that remain will be enslaved for the rest of their lives? Yes, I'm sure. If you're asking if I'm sure we'll win this fight, then, no. But since when have we only gone into the battles that we were certain we could win?"
The general walked away a few paces, knowing that the decision was in his hands. Daniel might defy him if he said no, but Sam wouldn't, and Daniel would need her to fix the ship.
Jack turned around. "All right, Daniel. We'll all go to the ship, and Carter can try one more time to get it running. If she can't, then we'll destroy it and hide out in the woods till we can make it through the gate. That's the best I can offer."
Daniel nodded in acquiescence, knowing that it was the best he could hope for. Without the puddle jumper, they'd have no hope of putting a stop to what was happening on this planet.
Jack shifted the position of his P-90. "Come on. Let's go find Maybourne."
SG-1 and the general went in search of the man. When they found him, it was to witness an astonishing sight. At that moment, Harry Maybourne, former ruthless member of the NID, was kneeing before two young children, a boy and a girl, and talking to them. The girl handed him a bouquet of wildflowers, then hurried away with her companion, "King Arkhan" watching them leave with a big smile on his face.
"Who'd'a thunk?" Jack said, walking up to the man, the others behind him.
Startled, Maybourne turned, rising to his feet.
"Oh. Hey, Jack. I, uh, spoke with Garan. I was sorry to hear about what happened at the ship. Believe me, I had nothing to do with it."
"I know, Harry. You're always the victim in these things," Jack responded sarcastically.
Maybourne walked toward a place that was less crowded, Jack and SG-1 going with him.
"Okay, look," the ex-colonel said in a low voice so as not to be overheard by any of the villagers. "I'll admit that when I first found the ruins, I did plan to use them to my personal advantage, but all that changed once I became King Arkhan the First."
Jack didn't believe a word he was saying. "Oh, please."
"It's true, Jack. I care about these people. I want to help them."
"Well, it's a shame that you didn't help them sooner, Harry. Now, it's too late. We're not going to be able to get these people to safety."
Maybourne frowned. He glanced at the others. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that we're out of time. Ares' Jaffa will be here at any moment, and Ares himself is coming in a mothership."
"How could you know that?"
"Well, ya see, unlike you, Daniel here really can see the future."
Maybourne stared at the archeologist and laughed. "You don't expect me to believe that."
"What O'Neill says is quite true," Teal'c stated. "Daniel Jackson is the seer that you have claimed to be."
Daniel made a face. "Well, I wouldn't exactly call myself a seer."
Maybourne's features filled with amazement. "You're serious."
"Dead serious," Jack confirmed.
Maybourne's eyes lit with intense interest as he gazed at Daniel. "Wow. Is it because of your ascension?"
It was Jack who replied. "We don't have time to discuss it, Harry. According to what Daniel saw, those Jaffa are gonna be arriving really soon. We're going to try to do something about the mothership, take it out of the picture, but if we can't, then you're going to be on your own."
"But the prophecy—"
"Forget the damn prophecy, Harry!" Jack shouted. "The second you read that thing and made the decisions you did based upon it, you changed the way things would play out."
"We've managed to change the course of a lot of events because Daniel foresaw it happening," Sam said.
Garan and two men came running up. They glared at Jack, and the general figured that they'd heard him yelling.
"Are you in need of help, King Arkhan?" the woman asked Maybourne.
"No. No, I'm fine, Garan."
"Why don't you tell them the truth, Harry," Jack said. "Right here, right now."
"Actually, I've arranged for an assembly with the village elders. I . . ." Maybourne looked at Garan and the two men with her, "I was gonna tell them we have to leave."
Shocked, the three villagers stared back at him.
"But what of the prophecy?" Garan asked, confused. "You told us that the enemy would be defeated." Her expression darkened, and she gave the people from Earth a heated glare. "Is it because of them? Are they forcing you to tell us to leave?" She raised her crossbow and aimed it at SG-1 and Jack, her two companions doing likewise.
What happened next stunned all three of them, not to mention Maybourne. The strings on the crossbows suddenly snapped, then the bows themselves shattered into pieces.
Daniel stepped forward, his expression firm. "I'm sorry I had to do that, but we don't have time for all this. Ares' Jaffa will be here really soon, and that ship will arrive soon afterwards."
Maybourne's mouth dropped open. "You did that?"
Jack was wearing a smug expression. "You'd better believe he did, and he can do a hell of a lot more. So, you just might want to consider paying close attention to a man who can psychically lift Stargates and blow up an Al'Kesh."
Maybourne stared at Daniel, now seeing something in the man's eyes that he hadn't before. There was a look of strength there. This was not the same man that he had known all those years ago.
"King Arkhan, what is this?" one of the men with Garan asked. "What is he talking about? What power destroyed our weapons?"
Maybourne was suddenly smiling broadly, his eyes still on Daniel. "It's you! You're how we're going to win!" He laughed. "I'd never have guessed this in a million years." He clasped Daniel's shoulder.
At the touch, the archeologist's mind was bombarded with images, making him jerk backwards with a gasp.
"What did you see?" Sam asked him, recognizing what just happened.
Daniel's eyes were on the man who'd just touched him. "I saw Maybourne die."
The ex-colonel instantly lost his smile.
Daniel continued. "I only saw flashes of the whole thing, but, from what I saw, Ares' Jaffa come into the village. One of the villagers, a woman, must do or say something that angers them. They're about to shoot her when she tells them about the prophecy that she believes came from Maybourne."
"Crap," Jack cursed. "I think I can guess what happens next."
"Yeah. As soon as she tells them it was Maybourne who made the prophecy, they kill him."
Jack rounded upon Harry. "Ya see?! This is what you get for deceiving these people. You should have told them the truth from the beginning."
"What is he saying?" Garan asked in confusion.
Maybourne turned to her, a sad look in his eyes. "It wasn't me, Garan. I didn't make those prophecies. They're all written on the walls of the old temple. Anyone who could read the writing would know the same things I do." He glanced at Daniel. "There's only one prophet here, and it isn't me."
Garan stared at the man whom she had faithfully served, that faith now deeply shaken.
"I am a pretender, Garan," Maybourne told her. "I took advantage of all of you, and . . . and for that I am deeply sorry."
"But what about the design for the new watermill? Was this written on the temple walls as well?"
"Uh, no, that was from me."
"And our new medicines? Our legal code? The irrigation system? Were these things also found in the ruins?"
"No."
Garan began to smile, her faith restored. "Those were not the acts of a pretender, but of a leader!" The other two villagers nodded and raised their voices in agreement.
Maybourne wasn't the only one surprised by what was happening. Jack couldn't believe his ears.
"What does it matter where the prophecies came from?" Garan said. "All we need know is that each one of them has been fulfilled, as this latest will be fulfilled."
"Whoa, now hold on there," Jack quickly said. "Your good King Arkhan may not really be able to see the future, but Daniel can. Daniel, why don't you tell them what you saw in that vision you had earlier, what we're all going to be up against."
All eyes turned to Daniel.
"I saw a force of Jaffa come through the Stargate," he said. "I don't know how long it is after that that the mothership arrives, but I do know that Ares is on it."
"What is a mothership?" one of the village men asked.
"A really, really big spaceship with lots and lots of weapons that can blow this place to hell without even coming down here," Jack replied. "If it opens fire, everyone in this village will die."
Daniel was frowning in thought. "Jack, Garan may be right."
All eye went back to him.
"What do you mean?" Sam asked.
"Okay, even if Maybourne had never read that prophecy, that mothership would still have come here, and those Jaffa would still have come through the gate."
Teal'c realized what he was saying. "Therefore, in the future that the author of the prophecy witnessed, we were victorious in defeating those forces."
"Right. So, how did we do it that time?"
"Daniel, I don't care how we did it . . . or would have done it that time," Jack told him. "I care about how we're going to do it this time."
"It had to be the puddle jumper, Jack. That's the only way we could have taken care of that mothership."
Sam nodded. "Which means that it must be repairable."
Jack sighed. "Well, if we can ever get out of here, then we'll try to go do that."
Daniel's head shook. "I can't leave, Jack. I didn't tell you the rest of what I saw when Maybourne touched me. After he was killed, the villagers attacked the Jaffa out of anger, and a lot of them died before they finally overwhelmed the Jaffa with sheer numbers."
Garan stared at him narrowly. "This is the truth you speak? You can truly see the future?"
Daniel met her gaze. "It's the truth, Garan. I've predicted the future more times than I could tell you. There's no time for me to explain how it is that I can do it." He turned back to Jack and his teammates. "I have to stay here and protect these people, prevent what I saw from happening."
"But, Daniel, we need you to fly the ship," Sam objected.
"No, you don't." Daniel's eyes went to the man standing beside her. "Jack can fly it."
The general blinked. "Me? Daniel, I don't have that kind of experience with working Ancient technology. You're the one who's the expert."
"Jack, you have the gene, and you're a pilot with a whole lot more flying experience than me. All you have to do is focus your mind on what you want the ship to do. It's the only option. If you stay here and I fly the ship, how will you stop the Jaffa in the village if things turn ugly?"
Jack knew that Daniel was right. If anyone was going to stay, it would have to be Daniel. He was the only one who could prevent the bloodbath.
"Could we not stop the Jaffa from reaching the village?" Teal'c asked Daniel. "If you and I were to go to the Stargate, we could deal with Ares' forces as they arrive."
"The problem is that, if just one of the Jaffa escaped and had a way to contact the mothership, we'd all be in very big trouble. Like I said, I don't know how much time is going to pass between the arrival of the ground forces and the arrival of that ship. For all I know, it might be no more than a few minutes. And even if I did manage to take care of all the Jaffa that came through the gate before any of them sent a warning, what would happen if the mothership tried to contact them and failed? If I was Ares, I'd send down more troops and a few Al'Kesh and gliders as backup."
Maybourne spoke up. "Okay, I gotta know. Was Jack telling the truth when he said you could lift Stargates and blow up an Al'Kesh or was he just pulling my leg?"
"Daniel Jackson has accomplished both of those things," Teal'c confirmed, "as well as many other great feats."
"Really? Damn. I leave the picture, and things get so much more interesting and exciting."
"Oh, yeah. A never-ending thrill ride," Jack responded caustically. He looked at his former teammates. "This isn't getting us to that ship. Carter, it looks like it's just gonna be the two of us. I really hope Daniel's right and you can get that thing fixed. And Daniel? Try to keep your head down as much as possible, okay? You know what will happen if they find out who you are before we take care of that mothership. And if you have no choice but to do something . . ." he met Daniel's eyes meaningfully, "we can't afford to take prisoners this time."
As much as Daniel hated it, he knew that the man was right. "I know, Jack."
The general laid a hand on the archeologist's arm for a brief moment. "Good luck."
"You too, Jack. Good luck, Sam."
"Be careful, Daniel," Sam said, wanting to hug him but figuring that it wouldn't be a good idea, what with Maybourne being there.
Once Jack and Sam were gone, Maybourne turned back to Daniel, studying him thoughtfully.
"So, what did Jack mean by that comment about what would happen if your identity was revealed?"
"Daniel Jackson has become a very powerful enemy of the Goa'uld," Teal'c replied. "They would do all they could to kill him if they discovered his identity."
"You see, they don't know it's me that can do all this stuff," Daniel explained. "I sort of ended up with an . . . alias."
Maybourne grinned. "Oh, don't tell me. You have a secret identity? Clark Kent and Superman. Well, you have to admit that it does fit, except that you're a mild-mannered archeologist instead of a mild-mannered reporter. You've even got the glasses to go with the part."
"I do not believe that many would call Daniel Jackson mild-mannered," Teal'c stated.
"Not anymore," Daniel muttered under his breath.
"King Arkhan, what do you wish us to do?" the villager standing beside Garan asked.
"We need to put sentries in place to watch out for the Jaffa. Garan, I want you to be in charge of that."
"And don't tell anyone the truth about the prophecy," Daniel said. "If the Jaffa find out about what's written in those ruins, they'll go to investigate, and that might lead to them finding the ship, which is the only thing that's going to get us all out of this alive. Oh, and don't tell them about me. That would be very bad."
"Do as he says," Maybourne told the three villagers. "Tell no one what you have learned here. After the danger is past, I will address the people and reveal the truth about the prophecy."
Garan and the two men went off to see about placing sentries. Daniel, Teal'c and Maybourne went back out into the midst of the villagers. The archeologist scanned the crowd, looking for one face in particular.
Teal'c noticed what he was doing. "Whom do you seek?"
At that moment, Daniel stopped. "Her."
The other two men followed his pointing finger.
"That's Cynea, one of my attendants," Maybourne said.
"Well, she's the one who told the Jaffa about the prophecy. I think it would be best if she's not anywhere around you when Ares' men show up."
Maybourne nodded. "You're right. I'll assign her some task that will take quite a while for her to do." He went over to the woman and talked with her for a few minutes. She then walked off. The ex-colonel returned to Daniel and Teal'c. "Okay, that should keep her well away from me for the next few hours."
The three resumed walking, Maybourne occasionally glancing at Daniel.
"So," he finally said. "What's it like to have that kind of power?"
"That all depends. Sometimes, it's good, sometimes, not so good. It's dramatically changed my life, and it comes with a very heavy weight of responsibility, one that's been almost too heavy on occasion."
"Really? If I had that kind of power, I'd be delighted. Just think of all the things I could do with it."
Daniel almost shuddered. "I'd really rather not."
Teal'c frowned at Maybourne. "The universe would not benefit from one such as you having the kind of power Daniel Jackson possesses. He is a man of honor and integrity, whereas you are not."
"Hey. No need to get nasty," Maybourne responded. "I guess I can't blame you for feeling that way, though. But I really am a changed man. Though I hate to admit it, the Tok'ra leaving me here was the best thing that ever happened to me . . . although there are times when I really miss watching football. I tried to teach the villagers how to play, but after the fifth broken bone, I gave up. Besides, you can't really throw a football that's stuffed with straw very far. I settled for teaching them baseball instead. Too bad you're not going to be here during the playoffs. We've got four pretty decent teams."
"I hope everyone here lives long enough to have those playoffs," Daniel responded.
Knowing that they would have to conceal their identities once the Jaffa got there, Daniel and Teal'c found cloaks to wear when the time came. They then wandered around the village, wondering if some of the people they passed wouldn't survive to see another sunrise. Daniel's mind was partly focused on the Stargate, keeping watch for the arrival of the Jaffa.
They were nearing the great hall when Daniel stopped dead in his tracts, eyes focused on nothing. "They're here," he said a moment later. "The Jaffa just came through the gate. I think one of them is Ares' First Prime."
Teal'c's expression hardened. "Trelak. He will show these people no mercy."
Daniel got on the radio. "Jack, come in."
"O'Neill here. What's up, Daniel?"
"Ares' Jaffa just arrived, fourteen of them. How's Sam coming along?"
Sam's voice came over the radio. "I'm making progress, but I'm not there yet."
"I hope it's not going to take you much longer. Things are going to start heating up here."
"I'll hurry as fast as I can, Daniel."
Jack got back on the radio. "Keep us informed, Daniel. The moment that mothership arrives, let us know."
"Will do."
Daniel and Teal'c went in search of Maybourne, whom they found sitting on his throne.
"The Jaffa just arrived," Daniel told him.
"How many?"
"Fourteen in this batch."
"That's all? And here I was expecting several dozen."
"This is merely the advance guard," Teal'c responded. "They are here only to determine the situation. Once the mothership arrives, it is likely that many more will be sent down, especially if Trelak determines that the populous is not going to bow easily to Ares' rule."
"Okay, so what do we do?"
"We play it cool," Daniel replied. "Just go along with anything they tell you to do. Don't give any hint how you really feel. Defiance will get you or someone else killed."
"Ah. Kiss ass, you mean." Maybourne nodded. "I can do that."
Daniel and Teal'c put on their cloaks, covering their heads with the hoods. It was especially important that Teal'c's gold emblem remain hidden.
The minutes passed, Daniel keeping track of the approach of the Jaffa. Ten of the fourteen were on their way, the remaining four guarding the gate.
The Jaffa were pretty close to the village when Garan came running up to Maybourne.
"King Arkhan, the oppressors have been sighted. They will be here soon."
He nodded. "Yes, I know, Garan. Go hide someplace with a vantage point. We may need your skill with a crossbow before this day is out, but if the Jaffa find you with a weapon, they might harm you."
Garan bowed her head to him and ran off.
Maybourne straightened his cloak. "Well, I guess it's time to put on my happy face."
Maybourne's "happy face" got a real workout a few minutes later. He didn't do a bad job of pretending that he was welcoming Ares with open arms, although his act slipped a bit a couple of times. Unfortunately, the villagers weren't going along with the act, and the looks they shot the Jaffa were pretty mutinous.
Trelak was an attractive, black-skinned man, but his attractive countenance did nothing to hide the evil inside. He made it clear that any resistence would be severely punished. Maybourne did his best to assure the First Prime that there would be no trouble.
Daniel and Teal'c remained in the background, taking care not to draw attention to themselves while keeping a close eye on Trelak and Maybourne.
Maybourne had a big meal prepared for Trelak and the other Jaffa. The First Prime showed his appreciation by nearly crushing the man's hand. He had not failed to notice the way the villagers were glaring at the Jaffa and had no patience for such displays of defiance. Maybourne was quick to assure the man again that there wouldn't be any trouble, that, with his help, the villagers could be bent to Trelak's will.
Daniel's level of tension was quickly rising. His sixth sense was screaming at him that something was going to go wrong, but he didn't know in what way. He decided to check in on Sam.
'Sam? How's it going?' he asked telepathically, not wanting to take the chance of a Jaffa catching him using his radio.
'Still working on it,' she replied silently. 'How are things over there?'
'A powder keg waiting for someone to light the fuse. Something is going to happen. I don't know what, but I'm sure of it.'
Daniel's words deeply concerned Sam. 'Daniel, if you have no choice but to use your abilities before I get this ship running, you need to make a run for the gate afterwards and get out of there before Ares arrives, finds out what happened, and attacks.'
'And what about you and Jack?'
'We'll make a run for it, too.'
'Just hurry, Sam. We don't have much more time.'
It was just a few minutes later that what Daniel's senses had been warning him about happened. A Jaffa brought a terrified young woman to Trelak, fairly throwing her at the First Prime's feet.
"This female spilled food on me," the Jaffa declared as he brushed bits of fruit from his armor.
"It was an accident!" the woman cried. "I tripped! Please. It was an accident."
Trelak pulled her up off the ground with a bruising grip on her arm. He smiled at her nastily.
"I do not believe you."
The woman was fairly dragged to the dais that contained the throne.
"Hear me, slaves!" Trelak called out, causing everyone within hearing distance to stop and look at him. "This woman has insulted one of your god's faithful Jaffa, and for that she will be put to death. She will serve as an example to all of you that you must bow down to Ares or die."
Daniel and Teal'c exchanged a look. They could not let that woman be killed.
Just then, a man pushed his way through the crowd. Daniel recognized him as one of the two men who were with Garan when Maybourne revealed the truth about the prophecy.
"Please," he begged. "She is my wife. She meant no harm. If you must kill someone, please kill me instead."
Trelak smiled. "Perhaps we will kill you as well for your failure to teach your woman proper respect for a man. But, first, you will witness the execution of this one." He nodded at one of the other Jaffa, who raised his staff weapon and aimed it at the woman.
"No!" cried her husband. "What if I could give you information that would be valuable to you? Would you then spare my wife?"
Daniel's body went tense. This man knew about the source of the prophecy. If he told the Jaffa, they'd go to the temple. Once they saw what was written on that pillar, they'd start searching the area and find the puddle jumper.
Trelak stared at the man through narrowed eyes. "What kind of information?"
"There is one here who is a great enemy of yours. I could tell you who he is."
Daniel cursed silently. This was even worse than telling them about the temple. That guy was just about to reveal Daniel's identity.
Trelak studied the man for several seconds. "Tell me who this one is, and your wife may live."
The man opened his mouth to speak, but before a word could come out, he suddenly toppled over and lay still.
"Fen!" his wife cried, scrambling to his side. One of the Jaffa joined her and examined the man.
"He lives, but he is unconscious," the Jaffa reported. "I see no wound on his body."
Maybourne was staring at Fen, wondering what the heck had just happened.
"Maybe he had a stroke or something," he said. "Stress can do that, you know."
Unlike Maybourne, Teal'c knew what had just happened. Daniel had acted to protect his identity by rendering the villager unconscious. The former First Prime of Apophis approved of his teammate's actions, but he also knew that this would not be the end of the matter. Only seconds later, he was proven right.
Trelak had been glaring at Fen's unconscious form. He now turned his gaze upon everyone else.
"Who is the enemy he was going to reveal?"
There was complete silence from the crowd.
"Tell me or my men will begin killing you one by one until someone speaks."
It was in that moment that Daniel sensed the arrival of Ares' mothership. With the arrival of that ship, the situation went from really bad to a whole lot worse.
"There is no enemy," Maybourne said, unaware of the change in the situation. "Fen was just trying to protect Alein. You can't blame him, can you?"
"Jaffa!" Trelak barked, gesturing to his men. They raised their weapons and aimed them at several villagers.
"Stop!" Daniel called out. He stepped forward and pulled back his hood. "Fen was talking about me."
Trelak studied him. "Who are you?"
"I'm Daniel Jackson of SG-1."
Teal'c stepped up beside Daniel, baring his head. "And I am Teal'c."
