DISCLAIMER: All characters and property of Stargate SG-1 belong to MGM/UA, World Gekko Corp. and Double Secret Productions. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Any other characters, the storyline and the actual story are the property of the author.
"What the hell was that supposed to mean?" Connor couldn't help asking.
Teal'c and Daniel answered in unison. "Ra."
Daniel shook his head, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "It goes back to the bargain Ra made with the Pal'noor. At that point in Earth's history, humans were slaves. Ra's property."
Connor felt a sudden shiver run down his spine. "So this guy thinks he can do whatever he wants to us?"
Daniel reached out to take Teal'c's offered hand, rising unsteadily. "I don't seriously don't think he does. It's just a means to justify ... all of this."
The colonel moved up to walk beside Daniel as they continued down the forest path. "So he wants to know what we're made of, hunh?"
Daniel smiled a little at that, nodding slightly. "Something like that."
Connor cast a worried glance at Daniel. "What did he mean by 'introducing' the illness?"
Daniel's voice was quiet. "He tried a lot of different, um, machines. They either didn't work ... or didn't work like he wanted them to. That's why he, uh..." Daniel gestured vaguely toward his back, his expression uncomfortable.
Major Carter jumped to Daniel's rescue. "He must've exposed the raw wounds to some sort of virus or bacteria. As a precursor to some sort of biological warfare?"
"I do not believe so," Teal'c offered gravely. " The Pal'noor have weapons effective enough to intimidate the Goa'uld. They would not need to rely on a biological one."
"Then why did he do it?" Connor asked.
The colonel cleared his throat before answering gruffly, " To prove a point."
Connor looked at the colonel curiously.
The colonel looked at Daniel, eyes reflecting something dark and distant, "That he could."
The answer made no sense to Connor, but from the colonel's set expression, Daniel's bowed head, and knowing looks from Major Carter and Teal'c, Connor knew it was all the answer he was likely to get.
Daniel had been working hard to forget everything that had happened with Tel'nat. He couldn't remember everything, flashes and pieces of pain, helplessness, anger. What had surfaced in his mind, he'd tried to sublimate, in the interest of surviving this place. Daniel was aware of the irony of his current situation. It seemed to be a recurrent theme in his life lately. He'd learned very well the lesson of putting away the bad stuff until time allowed him to take it out and deal with it. The real problem was that the time so often did not come. Daniel had lost track of how many things he had put away to be dealt with in a 'later' that never seemed to arrive. Daniel shook his head, trying to shake off the dark thoughts. As always, there wasn't time.
The forest had grown thicker, blocking out most of the strange yellow light of the ever-present twin moons. Daniel noticed the others growing more tense, closing the distance between them until they were less than a few paces from each other. The mood of the team had become wary since Tel'nat's message, and more overtly concerned for Daniel. The knowledge that Tel'nat had deliberately caused this had affected them all.
Daniel felt no better, but no worse, and was content to leave it at that for the time being. He didn't have the energy to devote to concerns he could do nothing about. They had to find Thor, and Daniel was more certain than ever that they were to be kept from that goal in every way that Tel'nat could devise. Jack had been right. Tel'nat wanted them to fail, wanted to break them, for no other reason than because he thought he had the means to do so. Privately, Daniel theorized that Tel'nat's attitude had as much to do with Thor as with them. Although Daniel was unsure of the reasons for Tel'nat's intense dislike of the little alien, everything he'd heard Tel'nat say or express about the Asgard had been tinged with a scathing hatred.
Daniel once again had to pull himself out of his thoughts, to concentrate on the trail that was becoming darker by the moment. Jack looked over, a question in his eyes. Daniel nodded, indicating that he was fine ... at least, as fine as he could be under the circumstances. Jack raised a doubting eyebrow and gave a slight smile. He wasn't buying it, but knew as well as Daniel did that they had no real choices right now. Daniel knew very well how Jack felt about 'choiceless' feelings. Daniel smiled in return at the thought.
A sudden chill blew through the trees, causing the team to look around warily and raise their assorted weapons.
Thor watched tensely as the Tau'ri group obviously sensed something in the dark forest. Thor was growing more concerned about the humans, especially since Tel'nat's proclamation to them. The Hunting Fields were no more than an excuse for the Pal'noor to exploit the humans in an effort to discover their worth as enemies or their value as slaves.
Thor felt a moment of extreme remorse. The Asgard had studied the humans for years, on Earth as well as other planets, in order to decide their worthiness to be protected. Was there really any difference? Were his people any better than the Pal'noor as they sat back and observed the Tau'ri without helping them against their enemies?
Thor felt a sudden chill and wrapped himself deeper in the cloak that still held Daniel Jackson's only real chance of surviving to return home. Thor wanted to help the Earth humans. Regardless of the High Council's decision, these incredibly brave and loyal people were risking their lives for him, as well as to save Daniel. To Thor that spoke of a maturity of spirit that was unique in the galaxies, not to mention the human species.
As Thor watched the hologram, he knew something was about to happen. The tension was palpable even over the imprecise image he was viewing. Thor saw a darkness dislodge itself from the shadows of the forest and advance on the group of humans. Thor had to stifle a shout of warning as the darkness enfolded Daniel Jackson.