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.
Laro dropped to his knees beside Elden, both men too terrified to do more than stare. First at the beast, then at Daniel. Finally Laro found his voice. "What manner of weapon is that?"
"Weapon?" 'Oh SHIT!' Daniel gulped. "I, uh, it..."
"You are Goa'uld!" The absolute terror in Elden's voice was horrible to hear.
"No, I..."
Laro interrupted. "I..I don't think so, Elden. Why would he have killed the Redcap?"
"To save his own life!" Terror had now turned to fury.
Laro shook his head. "He could have fled while the beast had its way with us. Instead he killed the creature. I do not think he is Goa'uld."
"I'm not Goa'uld. Look, it's kinda hard to explain. I'm an explorer and I..." Daniel cringed as he saw the accusatory looks on the Euloeans' faces. "I'm sorry. I...I lied." Daniel stumbled over his words in his haste to make amends.
Laro frowned. "Why?"
Elden struggled to his feet, still watching Daniel warily. "You are one of those who came through the gate."
Relieved that the man had not referred to him as 'Goa'uld', Daniel responded. "Yes, my friends and I are peaceful explorers who travel through the gates, but we are enemies of the Goa'uld. We fight them wherever we find them."
"Go on." Elden's arms crossed in front of his chest as he glared at Daniel. Laro stood beside him, only slightly more relaxed.
"Initially there were four of us. My friend, Jack O'Neill, and I went south to explore. My friends Samantha Carter and Teal'c went north to the temple to get the flying machine ... we call it a UAV. I don't know what happened to cause your people to believe them to be Goa'uld, but trust me, they're not."
"Exactly why, Daniel, should we trust you? You've lied to us, claimed to have found dead Goa'uld to the south. Even claimed to have been attacked by a Redcap. Why should we believe you now?"
Daniel's eyes widened. What was the old saying ... rock and a hard place? Terrific. Taking a deep breath, he responded. "There is no reason to believe me. I did lie before. I am truly sorry, but I could think of nothing else to do."
Laro interrupted. "Elden, I believe him. And to be fair, if he had admitted to knowing the prisoners, we would have assumed his guilt as well. He had no choice but to lie."
The archaeologist shook his head. "No. I should have tried the truth. You might have been..."
"No. Laro's correct. We would have assumed your guilt." Elden sighed. "I believe I speak for Laro as well as myself when I say that we accept your apology, and we thank you for our lives."
Daniel blushed. "Y..You're welcome."
"Is your friend to the south truly dead of a Redcap attack?" Laro asked.
"No. He was badly injured in a fall in the old town. I have done what I could for him. We were attacked by the Redcaps, as you call them, as the injury on my back will attest, but were successful in holding them off. I was forced to leave my friend in search of help. He cannot travel without assistance."
"What of the other four men? Who are they?"
"After we failed to return, my people would have sent a search party, but I do not know who came through the gate."
Elden frowned. "Laro, we must take word to Marne."
"What of Vraxas? He is controlling the trial."
"I fear that our Lord Vraxas has finally revealed his true nature. Unless I am sorely mistaken, Lord Tiamon has long suspected that man of wishing to rule as an absolute power." Elden turned his attention back to Daniel. "We must reach our home before last light. It will be easier to stop the final proceedings before they begin."
"How will we convince the council that these people are not the Goa'uld?"
"I do not know. Daniel, are you by any chance a healer among your people?"
"No, I've had basic first aid training but that's about it."
"What is 'first aid'?"
"It's, uh, well, uh, kinda 'healer in training' stuff." 'Oh, real good explanation, Daniel.'
"Oh. Pity. The easiest way to convince the council of your friends' innocence would be for Tiamon to recover, but that does not appear to be likely. Come, we must make haste, we have tarried here too long."
Daniel looked sadly to the south. "What of my friend in the south?"
Laro looked grave. "We can do nothing for him, Daniel. Even our fastest runners could not reach him before last light. But we will offer up prayers for his safety in the temple this night."
Marne slipped silently from the tunnel, followed by Teal'c. The two men moved stealthily through the streets, but their caution was unnecessary. There was no one in sight, even Vraxas' guards were not present. Marne looked concerned. "Hogil and Murdo should be here. I do not like this."
"Perhaps they are inside."
Marne shook his head. "No, Vraxas would not allow ordinary guards to enter his home."
"Then perhaps he is secure in his control of the situation."
"Yeah. Right. Well, let's go. Now's as good a time as any." Marne sprinted across the open space between the tunnel exit and Vraxas' door. To his astonishment, the Jaffa was at his side, moving as quietly as the much smaller man. Marne knelt beside the lock, and took a small device from an inner pocket. Teal'c's eyebrows raised, but he said nothing, as the lock clicked, and the door opened. "Where should we start?"
Teal'c looked around the main room. "Do you know what they were doing when Tiamon collapsed?"
Marne nodded. "I have heard that they were sharing wine in this room. The healers who were summoned treated Tiamon near the sofa. And look, there is a wine decanter on the table."
Teal'c moved quickly toward the elaborately etched bottle. Removing the cork, he sniffed the liquid, then poured a small amount into a nearby glass. Dipping his finger into the liquid, he brought it to his tongue. "This is only wine. Where..." The Jaffa paused as he saw another glass, partially hidden by a lamp. It held a small amount of the liquid from the decanter, but the glass immediately above the wine contained a powdery residue. The Jaffa repeated the same procedure with the powder as he had with the wine. To Marne's amazement, Teal'c immediately spat the powder residue onto the floor.
"Uh, Teal'c, I..."
"We must return to Tiamon's home, Marne. I have found the poison, and your friend does not have much time left."
"But...but, the fever is down, and his breathing was much improved."
Teal'c replied glumly. "I am sorry, Marne, but that would have happened regardless of what we did. It is an effect of the poison used. The poison gives the false impression of recovery, followed by a sudden, painful death."
As the two men raced for the door, Marne asked. "Can you save him?"
"I do not know."