Complete

Part Three

By DennyJ

Three weeks later

"Unscheduled offworld activation," Sergeant Harriman's voice echoed through the corridors accompanied by the blaring of the klaxons. At the sound, Sam looked up from the equipment on her workbench. She could hear people moving quickly down the halls. She glanced briefly back at her work and then jumped up from her stool and headed for the doorway. She met Teal'c who was also making his way towards the gateroom.

"Who do you suppose it is?" she asked him.

"I do not know. There are several teams offworld, but none are due to return at this time."

That's what Sam had been thinking, which meant someone else was trying to dial in, or one of the teams was in trouble. They took the stairs up to the control room and came to a stop behind Sergeant Harriman. Looking through the observation window, they could see the SF teams already in position.

"It's SG-12's IDC, sir," the sergeant informed General Hammond who was standing next to Sam and Teal'c.

"Open the iris!" the general ordered.

"Isn't that the team Colonel O'Neill went with to search for Daniel?" Sam asked.

"Indeed it is," replied Teal'c.

General Hammond gave them a tight-lipped scowl, his concern confirming their fear. The iris opened and seconds later SG-12, along with Colonel O'Neill spilled onto the ramp. One man was limping and leaning on another man while O'Neill and Major Hadden were firing back through the gate.

"Close the iris!" O'Neill shouted.

Immediately, Sergeant Harriman obliged.

"Stand down," General Hammond ordered over the speakers, quickly turning to descend the stairs to the gateroom. As he entered, he saw the injured man sitting on the ramp, blood oozing from a wound in his leg.

He looked up at the observation window and said, "Sergeant, order a med team to the gateroom."

"Yes, sir," Walter replied, immediately putting in the call.

Hammond turned to O'Neill once again. "What happened, Colonel?"

Jack took off his cap and wiped the sweat from his face with his sleeve. "Well, sir, the natives weren't too keen on having company. Captain Hill tried to communicate with them, but the only thing they were interested in communicating was for us to get the hell out of there."

"Any sign of Doctor Jackson?"

"No, sir. The people were fairly primitive and we didn't see any sign of Goa'uld occupation."

"Very well. Report to the infirmary. We'll debrief in one hour."

"Yes, sir." Jack looked up and noticed Carter and Teal'c watching him. He shook his head "no" at them before turning away and heading for the infirmary.

Teal'c could see the distress on Major Carter's face. He placed a hand on her shoulder and she turned to look at him. The continued absence of Daniel Jackson was hard on all of them. It was especially hard on Major Carter because he knew she felt the burden of finding a solution rested on her shoulders. He also knew there was nothing he could do but give comfort and support. She reached up and squeezed the hand that rested on her shoulder, grateful for his presence.

An hour and a half later, after being poked, prodded, and showered, Jack was sitting at the conference table listening to Major Hadden wrap up the details of their excursion to PXP-312. Lieutenant Myers had been patched up in the infirmary and Doctor Frasier had confirmed he was going to be fine.

"Do you have anything else to add, Colonel O'Neill?"

"No, sir. I think that about covers it. Obviously, the intel on the planet was way off. I don't know who the Tok'ra got their information from, but it was worthless," Jack replied, trying to control his anger at the rising number of useless planets they had explored looking for Daniel. He knew Teal'c had returned from a similar mission that morning, again with nothing to show for it. At least they had come back without any injuries. He didn't know how long he could continue to do this and stay sane. There was an endless number of stargate addresses-what were their chances of finding the right one? He sighed. Who was he kidding-he would spend the rest of his life searching every gate address they had until they found Daniel. His sanity would be a small price to pay.

The briefing ended and the members of SG-12 rose and began making their way out of the briefing room. As Jack prepared to leave, Hammond stopped him.

"Colonel, could I see you in my office, please?"

"Yes, sir," Jack replied, not liking the look on the general's face or the serious tone of his voice. Hammond ushered him in, closing the door behind him. Not a good sign.

"Have a seat, Colonel."

"Thanks, but I think I'd rather stand, sir," Jack replied, bracing himself for what was to come.

Hammond's face softened as did the tone of his voice. "Jack, please, sit down."

The use of his first name increased Jack's feeling that he was not going to like what he was about to hear, but he pulled out a chair and sat down.

"Jack, I have been ordered by my superiors to end the search and rescue missions."

Even though Jack had known the time would come, it still hit him like a punch in the gut. He also knew there was no way he would let them abandon Daniel.

"Sir, we've got to keep searching. We can't just leave Daniel in the hands of some snakehead."

Hammond's demeanor softened even more as he looked sympathetically at his 2IC.

"It's been a month, Jack, and the missions we've been on have turned up nothing, and have even resulted in a few injuries. We have no new leads to go on. My superiors say we have spent too much money on missions that gain us nothing."

"You're putting a dollar value on Daniel's life?" he asked, his anger inching up a notch.

"You know I would never do that, Jack," Hammond sighed, "but it's out of my hands."

"We can't let them pull the plug completely on this. Let Teal'c and I continue to look," Jack pleaded.

"I can't do that," Hammond replied, shaking his head. "I've been ordered to resume normal operations. We are to focus on missions that will bring us something of value."

Jack stood, resting his hands on the desk. He spoke, his voice carrying only a hint of his restrained fury. "Daniel is valuable, sir. A hell of a lot more valuable than any toys we're going to find out there."

"I agree, Jack, but it's not up to me," Hammond replied, trying to contain his own anger over the situation. "However, Major Carter will be allowed to finish her work on the crystals. She's almost ready to test her research on a working DHD. If she's successful, you'll have your address and you can go and retrieve Doctor Jackson."

"And if she's not?"

"She will resume her duties with SG-1 and it will be business as usual."

"No, it won't, General. Not until Daniel's home again."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Daniel rubbed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, wishing he still had his glasses. But he didn't-he had lost them on his second day on the planet when a Jaffa snatched them from his face, examined them, and then ground them into the sand. The small light on his desk illuminated the stacks of books piled on the desk, casting shadows around the room. It was late-very late. He had been unable to sleep and had come to his "classroom" in hopes of clearing his mind. No one stopped him-they were used to him working late here. Besides, he would be easy enough to locate with his implant.

But he had not found peace. His thoughts continued to center on events that would soon be unfolding. He and Val'nor had been carefully forming their plan for rebellion over the past three weeks, using his language sessions to pass information to the slaves. The slaves were making good progress and would soon take over the responsibility of translating for the other slaves. This was a blessing and a curse. Once the slaves learned Goa'uld well enough to translate the Jaffa orders, Daniel knew they would be going offworld looking for more slaves. Which is exactly what they needed to put their plan into action. Having a group of Jaffa go through the gate would leave Thoth's forces on the planet short-handed, which in turn would give the slaves the opportunity to make their move. But the curse, for Daniel, was that because of his actions other people might be ripped from their homes and families and brought here to be slaves. They were hoping that if the rebellion was successful, they would be able to handle the group of Jaffa when they returned with more slaves. It wasn't an ideal situation, but it was the best they could come up with for now.

He rubbed his eyes again and sighed. Who was he kidding? There was no way he would be able to take his mind off of things to come. He wished he felt more confident about their plans. He had most all of his pre-ascension memories now, and he was pretty sure military planning was not his forte. He wished Jack was here to offer his tactical expertise. And Sam. Sam would have a plan. She would know all the statistics concerning both sides' firepower. And Teal'c. Teal'c would inspire them all with his bravery and dedication to his cause.

He looked up from the desk to the doors opening onto the balcony. Moonlight poured into the room, beckoning him to move outside to look for solace. He rose from the desk and walked out onto the balcony. The moon reflected off the river in the distance and illuminated the landscape. A warm breeze blew gently, bringing the song of a night bird with it. It reminded him of nights spent camping offworld with his team. The feeling of melancholy was overwhelming. He missed them. Even with Dan'e in his life, things weren't quite complete. He needed to get her back to Earth-to unite her with the rest of their family.

Thoughts of Dan'e lifted his spirits and brought a smile to his lips. Even the fact that he was stranded on this planet as a slave to a Goa'uld couldn't dampen the happiness he felt at being with Dan'e for the past three weeks.

She was a beautiful child and so much like Sha're-soft-spoken and a little shy, but hidden underneath was a fiery spirit. And her curiosity knew no limits-"why" was her favorite word. Guess she got something from me, too. Dan'e especially enjoyed having Daniel teach her words in different languages. She was a quick study and would surprise him by repeating the words to him the next day. Guess she got a couple of things from me.

All of the children liked for him to tell stories. Ankhu, aspiring warrior that he was, found the tales of the Trojan War particularly enthralling. Daniel tried to impress on him the futility and waste of war, but the youth could only see the thrill and glory of battle. The younger ones liked his stories about the adventures of four friends as they traveled to strange new worlds. Daniel was careful when crafting his tales so as not to give anything away about Earth.

****

Just that day, Daniel had told them a story about two of the friends visiting a world where the people were slaves of a cruel and evil ruler who forced them to work in his mines.

Daniel had told them how the two friends had helped the people rise up and defeat the ruler, freeing themselves from a life of slavery. It was at this point that Dan'e had crawled into his lap, leaning her head back against his chest. It caught him by surprise, his words catching in his throat. This was the most contact he had had with her so far. The closeness made him want to wrap his arms around her and hug her. He wanted to tell her that he was her father, but he knew it would have to wait for a private time when he could explain it all to her.

He hadn't even realized he had stopped talking until Dan'e spoke. "Danyel, what happened next?"

He looked down at her, blinking. The memory of Kaytah asking him the same question came back to him, along with all of the feelings of longing for a family that he had experienced. Had it only been a few weeks ago? He had lost one family and gained another in that time. Was it too much to ask to be able to have them both?

A hand on his cheek brought him out of his musings. "Danyel, are you all right?" Dan'e asked with concern in her young voice.

"I'm fine, Dan'e. I was just thinking." Daniel finished his story, telling them how one of the friends had fallen in love with one of the beautiful young women of the planet, staying behind to marry her and live with her people. Nebet had thought it was the most romantic story she had ever heard. Ankhu had just turned away, shaking his head and muttering something about "foolishness."

Dan'e had twisted to look up at him. "Is it a true story?" she asked, searching his eyes as she did.

The desire to tell her the truth took hold of him again. But he couldn't-not completely. "It's just a story, Dan'e. However, I have been told it is based on true events," he replied, turning his gaze away from her, unable to look her in the eye without telling her the whole truth.

****

Standing now on the balcony with the fragrance of the desert filling his senses and stirring memories within him, Daniel wondered what life would have been like on Abydos with Sha're and Dan'e. He could picture himself teaching the people while Sha're took care of their home and growing family. But he would never have a home on Abydos-that chance was gone. And the ache over the loss of what could have been filled his soul. He wondered if he would ever have a home with Dan'e.

At that moment he heard a sound coming from the room behind him. He turned and peered into the semi-darkness.

"Hello? Is someone there?"

A couple of seconds passed and then Dan'e stepped out of the shadows and into the doorway of the balcony.

"Dan'e? What are you doing here?" he asked, wondering how she had gotten past the guards and why she had risked it.

"Don't be angry, Danyel."

"I'm not angry," he said, softening his voice, "I just don't want to see you get into trouble for leaving your room and coming here."

"I'm sorry. I just wanted to talk to you," she said with her head down.

"It's all right. Come here," he said, motioning her to him. "What's so important that it couldn't wait until tomorrow's class?"

She walked out onto the balcony with Daniel, and he lowered himself to one knee so that he was on her level.

"The story you told today-it's true, isn't it." It was a statement, not a question. "You were talking about Abydos." She lifted her eyes to his. "The woman was my mother," she hesitated, then added, "and the man was you."

Daniel was taken aback by her words-she had figured it out. This was not the time or place he wanted to tell her, but looking into her hopeful, pleading eyes, he knew there was no way he could deny it. In that moment he realized she needed him as much as he needed her.

"Yes, Dan'e, it true. I'm your father," he said, relief flooding through him at finally being able to say it. He only hoped he wasn't putting her in danger by doing so.

At his words, Dan'e launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck, squeezing tightly. Without hesitation, Daniel did the same, standing up with her held tightly in his arms. She sobbed softly and his own tears joined hers. They stood like that for a few moments in the moonlight, silent except for the sounds of the night bird and Dan'e's soft sobs.

Daniel whispered to her, "It's okay, Dan'e. Everything's going to be all right."

Her words were so soft he barely heard them. "I've wanted . . .," she trailed off and took a gulp of air, calming herself.

"What, Dan'e?"

With her head still resting on his shoulder, she answered, "I've wanted you to come for me for so long."

His heart ached for the losses she had suffered. He knew what it was like. He wished he could take away the pain of those losses and make her understand things would be different from now on.

"Dan'e, look at me."

She lifted her head and pulled it back to look at him.

"I'm here now and I'm never leaving you. No matter what happens, we'll be together."

She laid her head on his shoulder again, but the crying had stopped. He carried her to the edge of the balcony and looked out at the moonlit desert. He felt linked to it. All of the important things in his life were tied to it-all of his happiness and all of his sadness. What would it bring him this time? He had just promised Dan'e safety and security, knowing full well that sometime in the next few weeks all hell was going to break loose on this world. But he had meant what he said-he and Dan'e would be together no matter what.

The night stretched on in silence as the two souls clung to each other. Finally, Daniel spoke. "Dan'e, you know that you have to keep this a secret. You can't tell anyone, except Makare," he said, fear for her safety once again asserting itself.

"I know," was all she said, and he hoped she understood his fears.

"Things are going to be changing here soon and we can't raise any suspicions."

She looked at him again with curiosity. "Are you here to free this world, too?"

"We're going to try." He knew he didn't have time to explain everything to her. "When the time comes, I'll tell you what to do. For now, you need to go back to bed and so do I. We'll talk again later."

"Danyel?"

"Yes?"

"Could you hold me just a little longer?"

"Of course," he said, welcoming the chance to hold her close once again. Surely a few more minutes wouldn't hurt.

Neither noticed a shadow cross the room behind them, disappearing into the hallway beyond.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"It's Sg-1's IDC, sir," Sergeant Harriman informed General Hammond, who was standing beside him, looking towards the gate below them.

"Open the iris," came the anticipated order. The general headed down the stairs and entered the gateroom just as SG-1 and their accompanying scientists came down the ramp. It was obvious from the expressions on their faces what the answer to his question would be, but he asked it anyway.

"Welcome back, people. Was your testing of the DHD successful, Major Carter?"

Major Carter looked as though she barely had her emotions under control, but control them she did. "No, sir. It appears the only address that can be retrieved is the last one dialed. Any beyond that are lost. I'm sorry, sir."

"So am I," the general replied, noting that Colonel O'Neill had been uncharacteristically quiet. "Let's take this to the briefing room, people." He turned and left the gateroom, the returning teams following.

Soon everyone was seated at the briefing room table. General Hammond scanned their faces, all showing varying signs of disappointment, frustration, and sadness, and in Colonel O'Neill's case, resignation. He was sure the colonel had already skipped over the upcoming discussion and was contemplating the outcome-well aware this had been their final chance to get Doctor Jackson back, and well aware of the general's directive to resume "normal" operations.

"Major Carter, you stated that only the last address could be retrieved?"

"Yes, sir. We had hoped the crystals would be able to retain the signatures of previous addresses, but, unfortunately, that didn't work. Only the last address dialed can be retrieved."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Is there any hope that future research might be able to obtain this information?"
Major Carter lowered her eyes to her folded hands resting on the tabletop. "No, sir. "I'm afraid we're at a dead end."

"General?" Doctor Lee interjected.

"Yes, Doctor Lee?"

"There is one positive outcome." Seeing the general was waiting for his explanation, he continued. "We think we may be able to create a portable device that can be attached to a DHD that will allow the last address dialed to be read. This would mean that an SG team could attach the device to a DHD on arrival at a planet and be able to read the address if the stargate is used."

If we'd had this device sooner we would have been able to find Daniel, Sam thought. Too little, too late.

"That's good to know, Doctor Lee. Keep me informed of your progress."

"Thank you, sir."

Now comes the hardest part, the general thought as he once again scanned the faces around the table. He took a deep breath and delivered the final blow.

"As you may or may not know, I have received orders from my superiors to resume normal operations." He saw Major Carter's head shoot up, her eyes locked onto Colonel O'Neill, who continued to remain silent. It was obvious he hadn't shared that information with his team. "This means there will be no more search and rescue operations and all SG teams will resume regular missions through the gate."

"Sir, we can't just abandon Daniel," Major Carter pleaded. "No one gets left behind," she added, her words directed at Colonel O'Neill.

Before O'Neill could reply, Hammond continued. "If we receive indisputable evidence of his location, we will act on it. That's all we'll be allowed to do. I'm sorry. Now, report to Doctor Frasier. I expect your written reports on my desk tomorrow. SG-1, you have two days of downtime, after which you will resume missions. Dismissed."

With that he left the briefing room and entered his office, closing the door behind him. The other scientists also left, leaving SG-1 alone. The room remained silent for a few seconds before Carter spoke up.

"You knew about this, sir? Why didn't you tell us?"

"Hammond told me after the last S & R. I argued with him to let us continue looking for Daniel, but he has his orders. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to put any more pressure on you."

"So, that's it then?" she asked, frustration evident in her voice.

"Yeah. That's it," O'Neill said. He'd known for two weeks that this would be the possible outcome, but he'd held out hope that Carter would be able to pull off another technical miracle. Seems they had used up all their miracles.

"Is there no possibility General Hammond's superiors could be persuaded to let the search continue?" Teal'c asked.

"I don't think so, T," O'Neill replied, "It all comes down to dollars and cents. It costs big bucks to operate the gate and they want the missions to focus on getting us something for our money."

"Is not Daniel Jackson worth something?"

"Yeah, that's what I said, but I guess we don't see eye to eye on the subject with the powers that be. Surprise, surprise."

"It is no surprise, O'Neill. These people have previously shown a lack of intelligence."

"You got that right, T."

"There's got to be something else we can do," Carter said, refusing to concede that the subject was closed.

"There is, Major. Take your two days of downtime and then report back for our next mission."

Sam was shocked at the colonel's willingness to let go of the matter. It wasn't like him to back down, especially when it involved one of his team.

"Yes, sir," she said with more shortness than she intended. She quickly turned and left the briefing room, heading to the infirmary.

"I fear Major Carter blames herself for being unable to come up with a way to bring Daniel Jackson home," Teal'c said.

Jack sighed. "You're probably right. I'll go talk to her before she leaves."

"Do you wish me to accompany you?"

"No, that's okay. You go do your kel-no-reem."

"Very well," Teal'c replied, heading to the infirmary for his own check-up with Doctor Frasier.
Alone in the room, Jack left his seat and walked to stand in front of the observation window. He closed his eyes, letting the events of the last seven years flow through his mind. He was tired. Tired of fighting-the Goa'uld, the Replicators, the politicians. Tired of losing people-some more than once. He wondered once again how long he could continue to do this.

His thoughts were interrupted by Hammond's gentle voice. "Jack? Is everything all right?"

Jack gave a bitter chuckle. "No, sir, it's not."

Understanding, Hammond replied, "I wish there was something else I could do. I've called every contact I have at the Pentagon. I even tried the President, but he's been unavailable."

"I know. You've done everything possible. I just . . . I just don't know how long I can keep doing this," he said, waving his arm to encompass the gate.

"You're not thinking of retiring again, are you?"

"I don't know."

"Jack, this isn't the same as the last time we lost him. We know he's out there and we know he's doing everything he can to get himself home. If you retire, who's going to go after him when we get the information we need to find him? He's counting on you, Jack, to fight as hard to find him as he is to get home."

Jack sighed. Wasn't it just a couple of weeks ago that he had vowed to spend the rest of his life searching for Daniel if he had to? Hammond had a way of saying the right thing to get him back on track. How could he have been considering giving up? Daniel would never give up. He wouldn't, either. He turned to face the general.

"You're right, sir. Daniel has a knack for getting himself into trouble, but he also has a knack for getting out of it, too. He's counting on me-on us. We'll find him."

"I'm sure we will, Jack. Now, why don't you go see if you can convince Major Carter of that fact."

"Yes, sir, and thank you," he said, his resolve strengthening again as he left the briefing room.

Several hours later

Jack paused in the doorway of Carter's lab. She was sitting with her elbows on the table, her head in her hands.

"Carter?"

She quickly raised her head, wiping the back of her hand across her eyes.

"Sir, I didn't hear you."

"I just came to see what you were going to do with your two days off."

"I thought I would get caught up on a couple of things here I've been needing to finish."

"Oh? Like what?"

"Well . . .," she said as she began searching her desk.

"Carter." She stopped and looked up at him. "Let it go. You did everything you could to get those crystals to work. You had a whole team of scientists helping you and they couldn't figure it out, either."

Biting her lip, she continued, "But sir, I might have missed something . . ."

Jack moved closer and put a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, we'll find another way."

"That's not what you were saying earlier," she countered, looking at him accusingly.

"I know, and I was wrong. How many times has Daniel done this to us now?"

Sam snickered. "I've lost count."

"Right, and I think it's time somebody straightened him out. I wanna find him so I can personally kick his butt."

Sam smiled. "With all due respect, sir, get in line." She quickly sobered. "How are we going to find him with the S & R missions halted?"

"We've got allies. That's what they're for-to. . .ally with. We just need to keep pushing. Sooner or later one of them will come up with something. The more people working on the problem the more chance we have of finding him. And we will, Carter," he finished, pulling her into a hug.

"I know, sir," she said, returning the embrace.

* * *

Jack opened the door, flipped on the light, and entered the cluttered office. After leaving Carter's lab he had felt the need to come to Daniel's office. Maybe it was silly, but he needed to surround himself with Daniel's "stuff." He wouldn't admit it if anyone saw him, but he felt closer to Daniel here. A half-empty coffee mug sat on the desk next to a stack of folders. There was a rock covered in squiggles sitting amidst papers in Daniel's handwriting. He picked it up, turning it, tracing the ancient text with his finger. He almost expected to hear Daniel's voice.

"Jack?'

"Daniel?"

"Put that down."

"What, this rock?"

"Artifact."

"If you say so."

"I do."

God, he was having an entire conversation in his head! He missed the real thing.

"The one you seek is ready to be found."

The voice caused him to jump, nearly dropping the rock. He carefully laid it back on the desk and looked up at the owner of the voice standing across the room. He found himself looking at the familiar face of Oma Desala. Jack realized this was the first time he had ever heard her speak.

"What?"

"The one you seek is ready to be found."

"Yeah, I got that. But, what do you mean, he's ready? Are you trying to tell me he wasn't ready before?"

"There is a time for every purpose and now is the time. You must go to him."

"Wait, wait, wait. Are you saying you know where he is? That you've known all along?" Jack said, his voice rising in anger with each syllable.

"Yes. There was something he needed to find first. He is now ready for your help."

"I don't believe this! We could have gotten him back weeks ago! What was so important for him to find that it was worth being taken by a Goa'uld?" He suddenly realized he was giving in to his anger instead of asking about Daniel's welfare. "I'm sorry. Is he okay?"

"He has survived, but he will need your help to continue to do so. You have five days."

Survived? Survived what? As much as Jack wanted to ask, he knew he'd better save it and concentrate on finding out where Daniel was.

"Where is he? How do we find him?"

"The one you seek has left the answer for you."

Oh, here we go with the cryptic answers. "What does that mean?"

"The wise man, even though he is wise, does not always recognize the elephant standing before him."

Gah! He hated this. Daniel had left him a clue about an elephant that was going to tell them where he was? It didn't make sense.

"Please, Oma, just tell me where he is."

"I cannot. But Daniel has told you himself."

Jack closed his eyes and rubbed his temples trying to stem the headache forming there.

"Do not miss the tree for the forest, O'Neill."

A flash behind his eyelids made him open his eyes and look up. Oma's form was changing into the glowing multi-tendriled shape he had become familiar with.

"Wait!" he yelled.

"Remember-five days." And with that the ancient being floated to the ceiling and disappeared, just as he had seen Daniel do.

Jack plopped back into Daniel's chair, trying to make sense of the things Oma had told him. 'The wise man doesn't always recognize the elephant in front of him.' So, whatever clue Daniel left was something right in front of him. He looked around Daniel's office, cluttered with books and artifacts. It could be anything. 'Don't miss the tree for the forest.' Wait, isn't that backwards? And then it clicked. The forest was the office, the tree a single artifact. But which one? 'Recognize the elephant in front . . .' He looked down at the rock he had been playing with earlier. He picked it up, watching the light play across the squiggles carved into it. This had to be it! He needed someone to translate this as soon as possible, not forgetting Oma's foreboding warning of "five days." He quickly jumped up from the chair, clutching the rock-artifact-the key to finding Daniel-- to him as he headed for Carter's lab.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

5 Days Later

Daniel sat up in bed and pushed the covers back. It was still an hour before dawn, but he knew he would get no more sleep tonight. Their weeks of planning would come to fruition tomorrow-later today he reminded himself-and he had had a restless night, worry over the details of their plan keeping him from getting any rest. He slipped out of bed, dressed, and headed for his classroom. Once there, he headed straight for the balcony, hoping the fresh air would clear his head. The first hints of pink were beginning to tinge the horizon. He leaned on the railing and began reviewing their plan.

Today Thoth would send a troop of Jaffa through the gate in search of more slaves. Once there, one of their people would keep watch for half an hour to make sure the Jaffa didn't make an immediate return. If the half hour passed without their return, it would be assumed that they were retrieving their quarry. The sentry would then send a signal that would be passed to waiting messengers who would make sure it reached the two places that were going to serve as diversions-causing the Jaffa to shift their placements in response. One of the sites was the laundry in the servants' quarters where a small fire would be started. The other was the livestock pens where animals would be set loose.

Hopefully, many of the Jaffa would be split between these two sites in attempts to bring the problems under control. This would leave most of the slaves free to move about. Each of the rebel groups they had organized would be responsible for a particular task. The first group to act would be those working in the armory. They were to try to take and distribute as many zats and staff weapons as possible. Another group would try to keep the main city gates open. Another would be sent to watch the stargate. Other groups would station themselves around the palace to protect those leaving and to stop any Jaffa coming to aid those in the palace. Because the children trusted them, Daniel and Makare had been chosen to be in charge of getting the women and children to a safe place outside of the palace. A group of slaves with combat experience would join Val'nor and a contingent of his loyal Jaffa, entering the palace to confront Thoth and his Jaffa. They were fortunate that Kresh'nar was leading the offworld group-but that meant Val'nor would still have to face Mal'rac.

Daniel knew there was no way to avoid bloodshed. Thoth and his Jaffa might opt to flee the planet, but he doubted it. The slaves all knew they were putting their lives at risk by implementing this plan. But their desire for freedom for themselves and their families made them willing to take that risk. Once again he thought of the Abydonians and the sacrifices they made to free themselves from Ra's rule. He hoped their efforts today would be as successful. The alternative was unthinkable.

As the sun began to peek over the horizon, Daniel straightened, taking a deep breath and letting it out, calming and focusing himself. He had confidence in Val'nor-he was strong and capable-- almost as good as Teal'c. And Cimon was intelligent and a natural leader. But he thought how much more confidence he'd have in the success of their plans if Jack, Sam, and Teal'c were with him now.

He closed his eyes as a gentle breeze brushed his face. It lingered as though a hand were caressing his cheek. You are not alone. Help is on the way.

"Oma," he whispered, knowing immediately it was her. Before he could say another word, the breeze disappeared, the caress stopped, and the voice was gone. He opened his eyes and smiled, his confidence bolstered by the promise of help on the way.

An hour and a half later he was in his classroom beginning the day's lesson. It was hard to concentrate knowing the alarm would soon be sounding. The sound of someone entering the room interrupted his thoughts. He turned to see Lor'noc and another Jaffa approaching.

 
"Danyel, your god requests your presence," Lor'noc said.

"Now? I am in the middle of class." Please, not now!

"Immediately. He does not wish to be kept waiting. Ar'tan will stay with your students."

"Very well. Class, keep working. I'll be back soon," he said pointedly, looking at Dan'e. He had already prepared her for what was to happen today.

As he was led to the throne room, his mind raced with possible reasons why he was being sent for. Maybe Thoth just wanted an update on his progress? Whatever the reason, the timing sucked. He smiled inwardly at yet again hearing Jack's influence in his choice of words.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hammond watched the activity below in the gateroom from his position in the control room. SG-1 and SG-10 were doing their final equipment checks before heading through the gate in an attempt to rescue Doctor Jackson. The entire SGC had been buzzing with activity for the last five days, ever since Colonel O'Neill had spoken to a hastily assembled SG-1 and Gen. Hammond about his encounter with Oma Desala. They had learned from experience not to question the validity of these visits, and Jack's "rock" had immediately been taken to Daniel's department where a team of scientists worked relentlessly until they were able to decipher the writing. One name had emerged-Thoth. A call for assistance had gone out to their allies. They had received no answer from the Asgard and assumed they were occupied with the replicators. They hadn't heard from the Tok'ra, either, which Jack said was probably because of their motto: Don't call us, we'll call you. Teal'c, however, was successful, having found some among the free Jaffa who were familiar with Thoth, and, better yet, knew the address to his homeworld. They had learned that Thoth's main objective was to gain knowledge which he traded to the System Lords in return for their protection. He also educated their future hosts.

Standing in the gateroom, Jack considered what they might face on the other side of the gate. No one had been able to supply them with numbers on the strength of Thoth's army. Plus, they had to locate Daniel. Jack knew that if Thoth had learned anything about Daniel, he would consider him valuable, in which case they might have trouble getting close enough to grab him and get him out of there. They needed to be prepared for anything. Business as usual, he thought.

"Seventh chevron locked," the sergeant announced.

The gate sprang to life, its rippling surface beckoning them forward. The waiting teams looked to General Hammond for their signal to go. He addressed them through the microphone, "Godspeed. Bring Doctor Jackson home."

Jack gave a salute to the general before giving the signal for a shock grenade to be tossed through. He then ascended the ramp, followed by his teammates and SG-10 . The general watched the teams disappear through the gate one by one, a prayer for success going with them.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Daniel and his escorts reached the throne room and entered. He immediately went to his knees at the throne's steps, bowing his head in the expected show of submission to Thoth. Thoth was sitting on his throne, several servants hovering around him. Daniel hadn't missed the fact that Mal'rac was standing next to the throne. Thoth rose and descended the steps, stopping on the last one.

"Servant Danyel, I am pleased with the progress you have made teaching the slaves."

"Thank you, my lord."

"It has allowed us to resume our procurement of new slaves through the chappa'ai. Soon you will have new slaves to instruct."

"Yes, my lord," Daniel replied, all too aware of what was taking place even as they spoke.

He hated the thought of what those people might be going through. And also aware the signal for their plan to commence could come at any time. He needed to get back to the children.

"I understand your young pupils are making much progress, also," Thoth continued.

"Yes, my lord."

"Mal'rac tells me they particularly enjoy your stories about travel to other planets and the civilizations there."

Daniel wondered where this was going and what Mal'rac's interest was.

"Yes, my lord."

"Mal'rac believes these are real planets and civilizations you speak of. He thinks you have knowledge of some that we are unfamiliar with."

Daniel was beginning to see the focus of the questions. "They are just stories, my lord, passed down from our ancestors or brought to us by visitors through the chappa'ai."

"These visitors may have been telling you of real places. We would like to know more about these civilizations. Do you know the symbols for these worlds so that we might visit them through the chappa'ai?"

"No, my lord. I do not remember the symbols for specific worlds." Please believe that.

An arm came into view, the ribbon device clearly visible on it. A metal-tipped finger reached under his chin and lifted his head so that he was looking directly into Thoth's steely gaze.
"You would not withhold this information from your god?"

"No, my lord," he replied, trying to remain calm.

"How is it you remember the details of all of their history, all of the stories, but do not know the symbols for their worlds? Surely this was recorded along with other information about their worlds?"

"I was not required to learn them, my lord. I do not remember seeing any of them."

Thoth let go of his chin and stepped back. "Perhaps your memory needs some assistance."

Daniel knew the method of Goa'uld "assistance." He waited for the ribbon device to activate, but instead Thoth opened his other palm, displaying another small device. He aimed it at Daniel, pressing some type of button. Pain exploded in his chest, centered on the brand, radiating outward through the rest of his body. He felt rooted to the spot, unable to move while the pain continued. Thoth released the button and Daniel fell forward onto the floor, tremors coursing through his body.

"Do you remember any of the symbols now?"

The tremors began to subside and Daniel took in a shaky breath.

"No, my lord. Please believe me, I'm telling the truth."

"We shall see." But before Thoth could activate the device again, a Jaffa came running into the room.

"My lord, a fire has been reported in the servants' quarters."

"Where?"

"It appears to be in the area of the laundry."

"Is it under control?"

"Not yet. We are short-handed as there has also been a report of livestock loose in the city."

Thoth seemed to consider the situation. "Mal'rac, Kresh'nar is gone, therefore I would like you to go and supervise the Jaffa. Make sure these two situations are taken care of. Take what Jaffa you need and get the fire out first. Gather some of the slaves to find the livestock when you are done. Lor'noc will join you after he has taken Daniel back to his quarters."

"Yes, my lord."

Daniel looked up and saw Mal'rac look back at him with what was almost a smile on his face before turning and leaving the room, followed by the other Jaffa.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Jack exited the gate, immediately crouching with his P-90 aimed and ready. A blast of hot air hit him in the face. Great, another desert. He was followed by Carter, Teal'c, and the members of SG-10 .

"Carter?"

"Sir?"

"Remind me never to complain about trees again."

"Yes, sir," she replied with a smirk.

He scanned the area around the gate, realizing the shock grenade had done its work. He signaled for the teams to rise and descend the steps, checking for any immediate threats. He saw several unconscious people lying near the base of the gate platform. That didn't surprise him, but the fact that they looked like local inhabitants and not Jaffa did.

"Sir," Carter said, indicating the unconscious people.

"I see them, Carter. Why do you suppose they're here instead of Jaffa?"

"I don't know, but two of them were carrying zats."

"That's odd," he commented.

Taking out his small binoculars, he began searching the area for signs of life. He saw nothing but sand and scrubby brush. A road led from the gate to a city in the distance.
"Williams, Black, stay here and guard the gate. Radio in if there's any activity. Everyone else, let's head for the city. Spread out and keep your eyes open. Something fishy is going on here."

Teal'c merely raised his eyebrow and looked at O'Neill.

"Fishy-strange-out of place."

"Indeed."

The teams followed the road to the city, soon coming upon the rows of statues.

"These are symbols for Thoth," Teal'c commented.

"Well, at least we know we're on the right planet."

They continued, not encountering anyone, Jaffa or otherwise, and soon reached the gates to the city. The sounds of staff fire could be heard in the distance and smoke could be seen rising from somewhere in the city.

At O'Neill's signal, the teams spread out and made their way cautiously into the city. As Jack passed the open gate, two men sprang out from behind it, zats aimed at him. They were dressed like the natives at the gate and appeared very nervous. Jack quickly aimed his P-90 at them, the rest of the teams falling in around him with their weapons raised. The natives began speaking, voices agitated, but Jack didn't understand the language.

"Teal'c, can you understand them?"

"I can, it is very similar to Abydonian. They are asking who we are and why we are here. They also want to know if we are allies of Thoth."

Jack looked them over. They were obviously frightened but doing their best to appear brave. Something strange was definitely going on. Jack decided to take a chance.

"No, we're not allies of Thoth. We're here looking for a friend-Daniel Jackson."

Teal'c translated and Jack saw the spark of recognition light their faces.

"Danyel? You are friends of Danyel?" Teal'c translated.

Thank God, Jack thought on hearing them use Daniel's name.

"Yes, we're his friends. Is he here?"

"Yes. He is helping the women and children to a safe place out of the palace."

"Safe? What's happening here?" Daniel, what have you got yourself into this time?

"We are fighting against Thoth and his Jaffa so that we may be free."

Just then, some cattle came running through the plaza. More sounds of staff weapons firing could be heard.

"Maybe you'd better tell us your plan-we might be able to help."

Teal'c quickly translated the description of the rebels' plans. Jack contemplated how they should handle this and find Daniel. First, he radioed the gate and made them aware of the possibility of returning Jaffa and slaves. Next, he ordered two men to stay and help guard the gate with one of the natives. The other man would lead them to the area of the palace where they would try and intercept Daniel.

They made their way through the streets, once coming upon a group of slaves engaged in fighting a troop of Jaffa. The slaves had the weaker firepower and were losing the fight. SG-1 and SG-10 lent their help, turning the tide.

They continued on and soon came to the far side of the palace. They followed their guide along a wall until they reached what appeared to be a servants' entrance, guarded by several rebels. Jack noticed only one of them had a weapon-a staff weapon at that. Their guide spoke to them and they were allowed to enter. They made their way through the kitchen area and on to an area of private rooms. After a few more twists and turns, they came to a hall where their guide cautioned them to be quiet as they approached a room. Guns held ready, they entered the large room, noticing immediately that it held a group of women and children. One of the women was standing over an apparently unconscious Jaffa, a broken ceramic jar in her hands. She jumped as they entered and quickly moved to place herself between them and the children. She seemed to relax when she saw their guide. He stepped forward and began conversing with her. As he spoke, Jack saw her shift her gaze to him. They only word he recognized in the conversation was "Danyel."

"Teal'c, what are they saying?"

"Apparently, Daniel Jackson was supposed to be here to take them out of the palace. Makare," he indicated the woman looking at Jack "says a Jaffa came and took Daniel Jackson to see Thoth and has not returned."

"That's not a good sign."

Weapons fire could be heard coming from somewhere in the palace.

"Sir," Carter spoke up, "We should get these people out of the palace to somewhere safe."

"Yeah. Why don't you and Teal'c go with our friend here," he said, nodding at their guide, "and see if you can get them to wherever they had planned to meet. I'm going after Daniel."

"Sir, by yourself?"

"I can look after myself. These people are going to need your protection. You don't know how many Jaffa you might encounter on the way."

The woman, Makare, approached Jack and laid her hand on his arm. "Look for Danyel?" she asked haltingly.

"You speak English?" Jack asked.

"Little. Danyel teach. I help find Danyel."

"It's too dangerous. You need to go with the others," he said, gesturing to the group preparing to depart.

"Know where to look. I help."

Jack reluctantly realized he would have no idea where in the huge palace to look for Daniel. He sighed. "Go, Carter. Makare's staying with me. Contact every thirty-sooner if need be."

"Good luck, sir," she said, turning to take up position with the departing group.

"Okay, Makare, which way?"

* * *

Part Four