• SUMMARY: SG-1 meet the followers of ancient Egyptian rebel King Akhenaten
• RATING: PG [Hc][D]

"They just don't go together, that's all," asserted Colonel Jack O'Neill as he strode into the embarkation room.

Daniel Jackson hurried after him, juggling his hat in one hand as he pulled on his jacket with the other.  "I-I-I don't see why not.  I like it that way."

"Yechh!"  Making a frightful face, Jack shuddered with disgust.  "Pineapple does not belong on pizza!"

"Neither do anchovies, but lots of people eat them that way.  That's why they have a choice of so many different toppings, so everyone can choose what they like.  It's just a matter of taste, not a crime against, uh, pizzahood.  Who made you the pizza police anyway?"  Daniel glanced at his other two teammates, who had followed them up to the ramp.  "Sam, Teal’c, back me up on this."

The Jaffa looked deep in thought.  "What is an anchovy?" he inquired.

"I like veggies on mine," the blonde astrophysicist offered.

"It's un-American or un-Italian or... or not kosher."  Jack waved a hand expressively.  "Or something."

Daniel's retort was interrupted by the entrance of General Hammond.

As the final chevron locked, the team turned their attention to their superior officer.  The familiar ka-whoosh of the wormhole activation sounded behind them.

"SG-1," Hammond addressed them, "the M.A.L.P. still shows no activity.  Since all we've seen is a deserted building interior, we haven't got much to go on.  However, it is a strong indication that Planet P4N-691 is inhabited.  Watch your step."

"We will."

Murmurs of "Yes, sir" echoed Jack's acknowledgment.

"General, what toppings do you like on your pizza?" Jack asked.

"I'm a sausage and pepperoni man myself," Hammond replied in a puzzled tone.  "Why?  The probe didn't detect a pizza parlor on the other side of the gate, Colonel, at least not to my knowledge."

"Just making a point, sir."  With a smug smile at Jackson, the colonel pivoted and walked up the ramp to the Stargate.

Sighing, Daniel fell in with the other members of SG-1, and the team proceeded through the wormhole.

***

They emerged on the other side to find themselves at one end of a large, empty room just as the probe had shown.   Extending to a ceiling high above their heads, hieroglyphs covered the walls on three sides, broken at regular intervals by a few doors presumably leading to other rooms within the building.  Ahead of them at the far end, they could see a pair of imposing double doors, which appeared to be the outside entrance.

"Knock, knock!  Anybody home?" O'Neill called and turned slowly, his HK MP-5 at the ready.  Carter and Teal’c joined him in covering the surrounding doors, but there was no answer to his call.

Daniel Jackson also turned around and around, his attention focused on the walls themselves.  Approaching one, he ran his hand lightly over the symbols.

"What'cha got, Daniel?" Jack asked the anthropologist.

"It's Egyptian, as you can probably tell," Daniel observed, absorbed in reading, "but there are variations unlike anything I've seen before.  Perhaps local changes due to the passage of time?  Or wait--...  This is interesting."

Jack waited, and when nothing further seemed to be forthcoming, he prompted patiently, "Care to share with the rest of us?"

"Oh, sorry," Daniel mumbled with an apologetic glance at the team leader.  "This is fascinating.  It relates the history of King Akhenaten.  If you don't recognize that name, I expect you may be more familiar with his wife Nefertiti, or his son-in-law and successor Tutankhamen, or as he is more popularly called, King Tut."

"Everybody's heard of him," Jack said.

"I have not," contradicted Teal’c.

"He was a minor pharaoh, well known on Earth, not because of any great historical importance, but simply because by chance his tomb escaped the grave robbers that plundered the majority of Egyptian royal tombs.  It was one of the archaeological finds of the century and its treasures have toured museums all over the world."  Daniel's voice trailed off as he once again became engrossed in reading the symbols on the wall.

"Any of this look familiar to you, Teal’c?"  O'Neill gestured at their surroundings.

The Jaffa gave a small shake of his head.  "I do not recall ever coming here before.  I do not believe Apophis visits this world."

"Hm, that doesn't necessarily mean it's a Goa'uld-free zone.  We could just be playing a different team."

"Sir," Carter addressed O'Neill.  "My guess would be that we're in a public building of some kind -- a temple or monument or town hall perhaps."

"Good guess, Captain.  I suggest we go find the public and confirm it."  Looking around for their fourth teammate, the colonel spotted him perusing the wall behind the Stargate.

"Sun god... Ra?  But not Ra.  Aten... Aten.  Of course--" Jackson interrupted his mumbling to snap his fingers.  "This must be a, a temple or shrine dedicated to Aten, which would of course explain the references to Akhenaten."

Pushing back his glasses, which had slipped down his nose, the archaeologist smiled at the trio before him, but they returned only blank looks.

"Oh, of course," Jack remarked with an offhand shrug.  "What are you talking about?  What did you mean by ‘Ra but not Ra’?"

Daniel blinked.  "Oh, well, you see, Aten was also a sun god, as Ra was.  The story goes that King Akhenaten overthrew the traditional Egyptian gods and established a sect worshiping one god, Aten.  You can imagine how this went over with Ra's priests.  Determined to recover their lost power, they launched a counterrevolution to restore the old gods.  The king died, and his daughter's husband, Tut, was placed on the throne.  They even changed his name from Tutankhaten to Tutankhamen to wipe out the memory of the god Aten and to ensure royal honor was made to Amen-Ra.

“In fact, Akhenaten and his reign were erased from the records, so it's natural Teal’c never heard of him.  I suppose the priests didn't want any reference to a rebellion to threaten their power base again.  It was the archaeological research that brought the story to light again after all this time."

"Religious wars.  An old story," O'Neill commented dismissively.

"Yes, but what if this was more than just a religious difference?" Carter wondered excitedly.  "What if the king, Akhenaten, actually fought against Ra and the other Goa'ulds?"

Teal’c arched an expressive eyebrow.  "If he managed to stand against them for a time, even though ultimately defeated, he may have had a weapon that could serve our own fight."

"If that's true, this world could hold an important key to defeating Apophis," Jack surmised, his eyes narrowing as he considered the implications.  "Even if it's not, at least it looks like the people here are anti-Goa'uld, which puts them on our side since they supported that king's defiance of the Goa'ulds.  At least they did enough to put this story up on their walls."  Hefting his rifle, he scanned the eager faces of his team.  "Only one way to find out.  Let's move out, people -- carefully."

Walking up to the great double doors, Jack pulled one open just far enough to get a glimpse outside.  Reassured by the busy yet tranquil scene he beheld, he nodded and opened the door far enough for them to slip out.  They descended the broad steps and stood surveying the bustling activity.

Before them was a town square crowded with colorful market stalls and people shopping.  The current fashion seemed to consist of simple, light robes, appropriate for the warm temperature.  The location of the sun high in the sky signaled it was close to midday.  Men and women were engaged in buying and selling, shaking heads over bad bargains and shaking hands over good ones.  Some walked purposefully along as though on some urgent errand; others strolled casually chatting.

"See, Daniel, I told you people sometimes went to swap meets instead of religious ceremonies," O'Neill grinned.

The newcomers attracted immediate attention.  One individual, then another began to point and murmur.  Jack noticed a child peeping at him from behind her mother's skirts.  He smiled and waved.  The girl shyly ducked away, but soon peered out again and ventured a smile in return.

Several of the bolder adults headed their way.  At their urging, one young man stepped out from the group and advanced to the foot of the steps.  Like the majority of the people around him, he had thick, black hair, strong features, and a dark complexion.  He could have passed for Egyptian or any Mediterranean or Middle Eastern ethnic strain.  Nervously clearing his throat, he held out his hands and spoke to them.

Jack caught one word he understood:  chaapa-ai.

"The Stargate," the colonel said, turning to Daniel for confirmation.  "They're asking if we came through the Stargate?"

"Y-yes, he's speaking Egyptian, very similar to the Abydos dialect," Daniel explained.  He nodded and excitedly told the man in the same language, "Yes, we came through the Stargate.  I'm Daniel, Daniel Jackson."  He held out his hand in a friendly manner.

The man looked at it for a moment, then smiled as he reached out and shook the scientist's hand.  "I am Mekhpaaten, Second Councilor of the Followers of Aten.  I bid you welcome."

"Thank you."  Daniel translated and introduced the other members of the team.  "You said you were followers of Aten.  We read the story of the rebellion on the wall by the Stargate.  We also oppose Ra and his enslavement of humans.  We have come through the Stargate to see if our people can be friends and help each other to stand against the Goa'ulds."

"Our people have long hoped this day would come."  Mekhpaaten beckoned to another man standing nearby.  "Run and inform the other councilors.  Tell them to prepare for the arrival of honored guests."  The man departed hurriedly and the Second Councilor turned back to the SG‑1 team.  "I regret no one was in the temple to greet you when you arrived.  As you can see, it is market day, and all are occupied in trade.  Now that you are here, this will be a day of rejoicing for our people.  Come!  We will go meet the others on the council and have a feast to celebrate this wondrous occasion."

As they fell in with the councilor and walked down the street and around the square, Jack muttered to his companions, "Another feast.  Why is there always a feast?  Any more of these missions and I'm gonna have to get the doc to put me on a diet."

“Just don't complain about their choice of food combinations, Jack," warned Daniel with a sidelong glance at the colonel.

"Maybe I'll just start a food fight."  O'Neill waggled his eyebrows to show his threat wasn't serious.

"Food fight?"  The Jaffa cocked his head attentively upon hearing the combative term.

"It's not a real fight, Teal’c," Samantha explained.  "People throw food at each other and everybody gets all messy.  It's for fun, like a... a game."

Teal’c frowned but made no comment.

"I guess you kinda have to be in one before you can understand," Sam shrugged.

The group paused as they reached another large building on the far side of the square.  The curious crowd that had trailed along after them hung back and watched as Mekhpaaten led them up the steps to what was apparently the seat of government.

A man and a woman waited for them at the top of the stairs.  Both were somewhat older than Mekhpaaten.   The woman had a sprinkling of silver in her dark hair, an elegant bearing, and a calm serenity in her eyes.  The man's smooth manner matched his head, which was bald but for a few faded wisps around the lower sides and back.  He displayed a polished smile as he held out his arms in an expansive gesture of welcome.

"I, First Councilor Sefret, bid welcome to the travelers from the Stargate.  I know that all our people join me on this historic day in the wish that this new beginning will lead to a long and prosperous association..."

"Politicians.  They're the same on every world.  They just can't resist giving speeches," Jack groused.

Although Daniel did not translate his words, the woman must have gathered their gist from O'Neill's tone, for when the First Councilor paused to draw breath, she jumped in with her own introduction.

"Thank you, Sefret, for those inspiring words."  She directed a warm smile at the waiting group.  "I am Third Councilor Lofrit.  Why don't we postpone the formalities while we go in and sit down.  We can continue our talk as we eat."

"Admirable woman," Jack breathed, relieved to have the oratory cut short.

The team followed their hosts inside.  They were led through a series of reception areas to a room set with a lavish banquet table.  Men and women moved about the room, carrying platters of delicious-looking, aromatic food and pitchers of cool drinks.  Given the short amount of time they'd had to prepare for visitors, O'Neill was impressed with how well they were coming through with the promised feast.  He reflected that the chefs at the White House were probably on twenty-four-hour call in case of the odd ambassador unexpectedly dropping by, and he supposed this was a similar type of circumstance.

Once everyone was comfortably seated and appreciatively sampling the exotic fare, the small talk gave way to more purposeful discussion.

In answer to Daniel's questions, the councilors revealed that their people were descendants of Akhenaten's followers.  The king had indeed rebelled against the gods with the help of the god Aten.  They had prevailed for a short time only.  When the priests had engineered the return of Ra and the other gods to Egypt, Aten had helped his faithful disciples flee to freedom through the Stargate to this secret new world.

"Aten himself was betrayed," the Second Councilor finished the tale, "and killed before he could make his own escape through the Stargate.  He must have taken his knowledge of our destination with him to the underworld because the gods never followed to take their revenge as our ancestors feared."

"Aten must have been a Goa'uld," Carter theorized, "who became involved in a power struggle with Ra and the others."

Teal’c nodded.  "That was the weapon used by the king to defeat the other Goa'ulds:  one of their own kind."

"Yes, Akhenaten would not have been able to stand against the gods alone but for the power of Aten by his side," Mekhpaaten confirmed.  "This is why we revere him to this day, and some of our people, like myself, bear his name to honor his memory."

"So much for finding a handy dandy, technological Goa'uld-killer," the colonel said in disappointment.  "If it took a Goa'uld to beat a Goa'uld, guess we're out of luck again, for the time being anyway."

"At least you were right about these people being on our side."  Daniel turned back to the councilors.  "You're sure that everyone who came here opposed the Goa'ulds?  Wh-what about the traitor or, or traitors?  What happened to them?"

"Alas, the traitor was never revealed," Sefret said with a sorrowful shake of his head.  "Surely whoever it was would have remained with the gods they served and not come here to live among their enemies.  In any case, that was many generations ago and today all here live in harmony, according to the ideals handed down to us by Akhenaten and Aten."

"That is our hope," Mekhpaaten qualified, "but you know the stories that have been handed down.  Some say the traitor did come through the Stargate and passed down his traitorous beliefs to his descendants, who await the day when they can reunite with the old gods to again enslave us under their control."

"Nonsense!  Stories to frighten children," Sefret scoffed.  "You must not have our honored guests think badly of us."

"Whether the stories are true or not, it makes little difference," Lofrit pacified them.  "There is nothing anyone could have done, regardless of their beliefs."

Puzzled, Daniel looked from one councilor to another.  "Wh-why would they have waited all this time to take any action?  Why wouldn't they have gone back through the Stargate years ago if that was what they wanted?"

"It was not possible for anyone to act on such a desire, if it indeed existed," Lofrit replied.

"Only Aten knew its secret," Mekhpaaten explained.  "When he was killed, our ancestors were trapped here with no knowledge of how to return through the Stargate to their old world.  Since they had no wish to return to the gods and to certain death, it did not matter."

"Are you saying no one ever tried to figure out how to operate it?" Carter asked.  "Wasn't anyone curious about how it worked?"

Mekhpaaten smiled.  "Many were curious.  There have been those through the years who have studied it, but none have learned the secret.  Many wanted nothing to do with something linked to the gods for fear of bringing their wrath down upon us.  Others like myself hoped that our brothers in the world we left behind would rise up and fight the gods again and carry the news to us through the Stargate.  Our hopes are rewarded, for you are here."

"Yes, and it is a joyous day.  Now you have come, you will show us the secret of how to open the Stargate and travel beyond our world."  Sefret raised his goblet as though to salute them, before taking a sip of the beverage.

"W-well, I guess we can show you..." Daniel began, with a questioning look at the team's leader.

"Whoa, time out, Danny," O'Neill cut him off and directed a placating smile at the councilors.  "We're just the advance men here.  A diplomatic team will follow us to establish relations between our planets.  And it's up to them to work out the details of any exchange of information.  You understand."

"Surely no harm can come from a sharing of knowledge," the First Councilor insisted.

"We haven't yet established whether you have a traitor in your society who's gonna run straight to the Goa'ulds as soon as he has the means."  Jack's voice was serious and emphatic.  He needed to get the message across that the Goa'ulds were not to be taken lightly.  "We've seen firsthand what they do to the worlds they visit and, believe me, if you've kept out of their way this long, you don't want them to come calling now.  You need to get that question of security settled before we hand over a ticket on the Stargate express.  I'm sure our governments will work something out."  His eyes met and held each of the councilors' in turn.  He wanted to be sure they understood the importance of this.

Lofrit nodded graciously.  "We have not forgotten that we are descended from rebels, Colonel, and that seed of rebellion may sprout again at any time.  This is a matter to be decided in negotiations and in council," she said, "and not to be a source of indigestion over dinner."

"Of course," the other councilors acceded.

The talk turned to more general discussion of their world.  It remained an agriculturally based society.  There was no industrialization, no advanced technology to aid the SG Command in the fight against the Goa'ulds.  Still, O'Neill did not discount the value to be placed on making friends, most of whom seemed willing to help them in whatever way their limited means allowed.

When the meal ended shortly thereafter, the First Councilor offered to conduct SG-1 on a tour of the council building.  The other councilors had business to attend to and took their leave.

O'Neill had little patience for the aspects of his duties involving protocol, which he preferred to leave to the brass to handle, but he figured he'd done enough for one day to offend the councilor.  As boring as he found it, he and his team were Earth's representatives on this planet.  This tour shouldn't take too long and then they could be on their way home and leave the rest of the political maneuvering to the diplomats.  So putting on a polite smile, he stifled his yawns.

Remembering his joke about the feasts and a diet, Jack wondered if he really ought to start cutting down.  All this rich food was making him drowsy.  He was in the military after all, he was supposed to maintain his training.  It was the sort of thing that could interfere with reaction time.  He presumed it was the food.  Why else was he having such a hard time keeping his eyes open?

From beneath heavy, drooping eyelids, he noticed his teammates also trying to keep from yawning.  That was it -- no more feasts while on missions for any of them.

It was the last conscious thought Jack had before he blacked out.

***

Jack woke gradually, trying to shake the fuzzy feeling out of his head.  Reaching up to rub his eyes, he noted his hands were tied together in front of him.  He pushed himself to a seated position and looked around to see his team with him in the small, unfurnished room.  They were all asleep or passed out on the floor around him, hands similarly bound.

"Oh, for cryin' out loud," Jack grumbled, moving from one to the other and shaking them awake.

"What happened?" Carter asked muzzily.  She made a face as though she had a bad taste in her mouth.

"They must have drugged us," Jack conjectured.  "Everybody okay?"

Receiving answers in the affirmative, he staggered to his feet and checked the door.  As he expected, it was locked.  Their weapons were nowhere in sight.

"Okay, kids, let's get to work on these ropes," O'Neill instructed.  He fumbled with the knots at Carter's wrists.

"Why would they do this?" Daniel asked in confusion.

"No doubt they want something they believe we are unwilling to give."  Teal’c was having no better luck loosening Jackson's bonds than the colonel was having with Sam's.

"I'd lay you odds that First Councilor's on the side of that ancestral traitor of theirs.  He's the one that was so buddy-buddy about giving us the grand tour.  What he wants is a way out through the Stargate so he can join up with his Goa'uld pals."

The words were hardly out of Jack's mouth when a mellifluous voice confirmed them.

"Very perceptive of you."  With two guards preceding him and two more at his back, Sefret entered their makeshift jail.  "The other councilors are not here now to support your refusal to cooperate.  I will not wait upon negotiations and council debates.  I have waited too long for this day already.  You will explain to me how I may use the Stargate to find the gods."

"Not gonna happen."  O'Neill refused the demand without hesitation.  His eyes were flint, his features carved in granite.  He would not back down on this.  His orders were clear.

Sefret's eyes narrowed as he met that rock-hard stare.  "We will see about that.  Bring them," he instructed his guards, then exited the room without another glance, as one used to having his commands obeyed without question.

They were escorted at spear point through the halls, each of the four guards taking charge of one prisoner.

Jack thought he recognized a few of the rooms they passed from the earlier tour, so he presumed they were still in the government council building, but they were soon traversing an area he was sure they hadn't been in before, perhaps an inner or back section closed to the public.  At last they were guided through a doorway that opened on a small courtyard.

The air was not as warm as it had been earlier, though still far from cool.  Jack squinted at the edge of sun he could see low in the sky beyond the walls.  Sunset -- so they'd been out half the afternoon.  That was supposing it was still the same day of course, but even though he wasn't sure of the number of hours in this planet's day, he didn't feel like he'd been asleep for that long.

O'Neill's gaze took careful stock of their new setting.  A gray obelisk rose from the center of the courtyard, part of a fountain which had been recently shut down.  He could see that the stone was moist, but the water was no longer running.  Sefret stood to one side with four additional guards.  SG-1's missing weapons and remotes were stacked in a neat pile against a wall.

"You see, we have kept your things safe for you," Sefret told them pleasantly.  "Give me the information I seek and all will be returned to you.  Then you will be allowed to go free."

"That is unlikely," Teal’c responded.  "You do not wish your secret known by the others of your world."

"The time for secrets is over," Sefret proclaimed, a zealous light in his eyes.  "I will lead the gods here to claim this world as their rightful territory.  They will reward me for serving them faithfully.  All here will know what I have done in their name."

"And you'll just let us walk away?" Jack asked skeptically.  "No harm, no foul?"

Daniel stuttered a little over the translation, his blue eyes nervously darting to the guard holding a spear at his back.

Sefret dismissed them with a casual gesture.  "You are unimportant.  Once you have served your purpose, I will have no further need of you.  You may leave to carry the word that we have rejoined the service of the gods.  One day they will crush you."

"Pretty sure of yourself."  Carter shifted as though trying to attain a more comfortable position, but her guard merely grasped her arm more firmly and moved the point of his spear closer to her throat.

O'Neill gave an imperceptible shake of his head.  There was no point in trying to escape while they were all being held so closely.  He preferred to wait and see what developed.

"It is destined," Sefret answered Sam's comment.  "The gods have ruled since time began.  It is our lot to serve them.  That was proven when Akhenaten's rebels were driven from his land.  It is the order of things and is immutable."

"Well, I think it's plenty mutable," Jack protested.  "We're not part of your destiny.  No deal."

The First Councilor eyed them arrogantly.  "I see you will have to be persuaded," he said.

Looking them over, he suddenly pointed to Jackson.  "That one!  The one who knows our words.  He is too valuable to them to be lightly lost."

The guard holding Daniel dragged him to the center of the courtyard and shoved him into the arms of one of the other guards who had been standing with Sefret.  While his new captor held him securely, the first guard lifted his spear high and brought it slashing down towards the linguist's chest.

"Ja-ack!"  Daniel called desperately to his friend, his eyes involuntarily squeezing shut as the blade whipped past his face.

"No!"  Jack jerked forward, but his own guard held him fast.  O'Neill felt the metal tip of the spear prick his skin and a trickle of blood ran red at his neck.  Dimly he was aware of shouts from Teal’c and Carter as well, but neither was capable of action any more than he was.

Stunned, he waited for Daniel to fall lifeless to the ground.  Instead the spear plunged past the scientist's abdomen to his hands and sliced the ropes binding them.

Jackson shuddered, whether from fear or relief Jack couldn't tell, as the guards began peeling off his jacket and t-shirt.

"What are you doing to him?" O'Neill demanded.

"Will you give me the information I seek?" Sefret asked.

The colonel looked to his team member now standing stripped to the waist between the guards.  Though obviously shaken, Jackson managed to translate the question.

Jack's breath came in ragged gasps and he could feel his pounding heart slow to normal.  His dark brown eyes bored into Sefret's even darker ones.  He wanted so much to stop this, wanted with all his being to save Daniel from whatever this madman had planned for him, but he could not compromise his command, or let this maniac loose on an unsuspecting galaxy.  Drawing a shaky breath, he gave the only answer possible for him to give.  "No."

"Then behold."  The councilor nodded to his men to proceed.

Pushing Daniel up against the obelisk, they wrenched his arms behind the stone column, retying them behind it.  Then they walked back to join their leader and the remaining guards.

The First Councilor directed another look at O'Neill, as if giving him one final chance to change his mind.

Jack said nothing, but stared mutely at Daniel, trying to convey his ardent regret for his actions.  He hoped his friend understood.

At a signal from Sefret, the guards reached down and picked up some small objects from the ground at their feet.  Then they began to pelt Daniel with stones.

The tiny missiles sailed through the air, striking the exposed flesh of their target with great force.  Though the stones were small, the velocity and quantity were obviously sufficient to cause both pain and gradually increasing physical damage.

"Jack!"

Daniel's voice tore into Jack's heart as he called again through the deadly hail pounding him.

"Daniel!"  The name was ripped from Jack without conscious volition.  He lunged forward, only to be pulled roughly back by the guard at his side.  He could see that Teal’c and Carter were being similarly restrained.  He could do nothing but curse Sefret and his guards to the blackest pit of hell as he watched them hurt his friend.

The rough edged stones were slicing numerous cuts into Daniel's tender skin.  Red, bleeding gashes appeared, a few at first, then more and more, all over his chest and arms and face.  His glasses were knocked off and fell to the ground.  He tugged at his bonds, thrashing and twisting to avoid the small projectiles flying at him from all directions, but there was no respite.  He winced and moaned as they cut and bruised his body.

Jack listened to the volley's macabre song, the shrill whistling of the stones hurtling through the still air, underlined by the clacks of those hitting the fountain, mingled with the thumps of impact with the living target.  The military part of his mind attempted to remain detached and analyze the assault and its effect, even as his gut convulsed in helpless fury that that target was his friend.

The image before him burned itself into his brain with such clarity Jack could feel every thud, every bruise, every cut Daniel felt.  He stood watching them torment this gentle soul who never hurt anyone if he could help it, who extended his hand in friendship to all he met, who was kind and giving and full of life.  The agony and rage cut deep into Jack's soul.  He could bear it no more.

With a roar, he lunged to the side, pulling away from his guard, then barreling back into him, tackling him as his spear clattered to the ground.  They rolled over and Jack raised his joined fists like a club, bringing them down heavily with a chop to the back of the man's neck.  Racing through the barrage of stones, he threw himself in front of Daniel, covering his friend's bleeding body with his own.  He pushed down an impulse to gag as the iron stench assailed his nostrils.  It carried a wave of memories from past combat, but he shoved them away and concentrated on the present battle to shelter his friend from further harm.

Taking advantage of the uproar, Teal’c and Carter also acted.

The Jaffa heaved forward and up, lifting his guard bodily from the ground and flinging the man from him like a bull shaking off a snapping dog.  He raced for their arms.  Snatching up his staff weapon, he fumbled awkwardly at it with his bound hands, clicking the switch to power it up.  Dropping to a crouch, he balanced the weapon on one raised knee while he discharged an energy bolt to cover Carter as she kicked her guard's feet out from under him.

She dove towards Teal’c as he held the recovering guards at bay.  Seizing a knife from the stack next to him, she ran towards the two men in the center.

"Sir!"

"I'm fine!" Jack yelled as the stones continued to pummel him.  His clothes offered some measure of protection, although he could feel stinging cuts opening up on his exposed head and fingers.  Ignoring them, he instructed Sam, "Cut Daniel loose!"

Running around to the back of the column, she severed the ropes binding him there.

Daniel sagged limply into Jack's arms.

Jack heard Teal’c fire again, and the rain of stones came to a halt.

Carter came back around and helped him support Daniel as she cut the ropes from Jack's wrists.  He returned the favor and handed the knife back to her.

Lifting an unconscious Daniel into his arms, Jack strode towards the group now throwing their weapons down at Teal’c's feet.  Careful not to block the threatening staff weapon, Carter cut the Jaffa's bonds.

O'Neill stopped before Sefret and confronted the traitor.

Head unbowed even in defeat, the First Councilor uttered some words in Egyptian which Jack couldn't understand.  Tugging a vial from a chain around his neck, he poured the powdered contents into his mouth.  Immediately choking, he dropped to his knees, then fell forward, the empty vial rolling from his outstretched hand.

With the toe of his boot, Jack nudged the body onto its back.  The man was clearly dead.

A look of disgust marring his features, the colonel issued his orders to Teal’c and Carter.  "Lock the rest of these goons up somewhere and then see if you can round up the other councilors.  I'll look after Daniel."

***

Jack knelt on the floor by the sofa as he washed the blood from Daniel's myriad wounds. He had managed to obtain some water and clean cloths from a couple of confused women, who had watched wide-eyed as he tried to make them understand what he needed.  Thankfully they had brought the desired supplies before pattering away like frightened mice.  He supposed they weren't used to strangers bleeding all over their furniture.

Jack was just as glad not to have them hovering about.  He wanted to do this himself.  He thought about that as he solicitously swabbed the sheen of sweat and blood from the younger man's chest and arms.  He supposed it was a sort of penance that he owed Daniel for allowing this to happen to a member of his team.  A better commander might have prevented it.

Frowning, Jack carefully moved Daniel onto his side so that he could reach his back, which had been scraped raw against the stone obelisk.  He froze as a shudder ran through the body in his arms.  Damn!  Couldn't he even manage this simple task without causing the kid yet more pain?

He remained immobile, waiting for his quickened breathing to slow and his hands to steady.  When he felt able to resume the cleansing without jarring Daniel, he proceeded with extreme caution, afterwards easing the still unconscious man onto his back again.

Jack's own head and fingers throbbed from the bruises and cuts he'd sustained in just those few short moments he'd shielded Daniel.  It was an aching reminder of the much greater suffering the scientist must have endured.  He was grateful for the mercy that had caused his friend to pass out.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, as he gently brushed the long hair back so he could sponge Daniel's bloodstained face.  "I should’ve stopped them before they did this to you."

As the damp cloth passed across the swollen lips,  Daniel let out a moan.  His head rolled to the side, and his eyes fluttered open.  He looked about him in confusion as his tongue searched for the drops of moisture he had tasted.

"Here," Jack said, quickly pouring water into a cup and holding it to Daniel's mouth, "try and drink some of this."  With his other hand he supported the injured man's head.

Choking a bit, Jackson managed to slurp down some of the liquid.

Slowly lowering him back to the sofa, Jack put down the cup.  "Hey," he said.  "How ya feeling?"

"Oh God, Jack, it hurts," Daniel gasped.  "What happened?"

"Those creeps used you for target practice.  I’m sorry I didn’t stop them sooner."  He laid a hand briefly on his teammate's shoulder.

"I remember now," Daniel said, closing pain-clouded blue eyes.  "The stones."  Opening them again, he focused on the brown ones gazing remorsefully into his.  "Not your fault, Jack.  You did what you had to do."

"Yeah," O'Neill agreed.  "I just gotta work on my timing if anything like this happens again."

"Oww, again?"  Daniel shifted, then groaned as the movement exacerbated the pain.  "I don't want to hear it could happen again.  Could we skip this part next time?  You might want to work on your bedside manner, too."

"Not my area of expertise.  We'll get you back to Doc Fraiser as soon as we can.  She'll have you fixed up in no time."  Jack smiled encouragingly.  "I'll see if I can sneak some pizza into the infirmary for you."

"Can I have pineapple on it?"  The blue eyes crinkled into a teasing smile.

At the sight, Jack felt some of the heaviness lift from his soul.  "Hey, I'll throw you a whole luau if you want, with all the pineapple you can eat on everything in sight, as soon as you're better.  Give you something to work for."

"I'll go for that... if you put on a grass skirt and dance the hula."

Trying unsuccessfully to look stern, Jack couldn't hide his answering grin.  "Pushin' it, kid."

Daniel laughed softly, ignoring the coughing it brought on.  "Ya think?"

As Jack held up the cup for another drink, Sam burst into the room, followed more sedately by Teal’c, Mekhpaaten, and Lofrit.

"How is he?" Sam asked.

"I'll be okay," Daniel spoke for himself, eliciting a relieved smile from her.

"I'd like to get him to the doc straightaway."  O'Neill stood up to face the councilors.

Both of them looked appalled at the sight of the wounded visitors. 

"Colonel O'Neill, please let me assure you that we had no idea the First Councilor was ill-treating you in any way," Lofrit said, her usual serene manner flustered.  "We would never have allowed such a thing had we not been so deceived.  To think that Sefret was cultivating his traitorous beliefs right here in our council--"

"How may we atone for this treachery?"  Mekhpaaten sounded equally distressed.  "We are at your service.  You have only to ask."

"You can start by investigating Sefret's people to see who else is involved in his plan to reunite with the Goa'ulds.  It's for your own safety," Jack advised them.

"Now that Sefret has taken his life, his people will renounce his ways," Lofrit said.  "It is the custom.  His failure will be considered a disgrace.  However, we will take great care to see nothing like this is repeated in the future."

Mekhpaaten explained, "It is an old tradition among the gods' followers not to live with such disgrace.  He must have taken dried venom of the mokfah snake.  It is a deadly poison."

"Kind of like Cleo and her asp, huh?" Jack observed.  "Well, once you've cleaned up your politics, I'm sure our diplomatic team will want to talk to yours.  Right now we need to get Daniel medical attention."

"Of course.  I will personally escort you back to the temple."  Mekhpaaten was plainly determined to make amends.

"Colonel, you're hurt, too," Sam pointed out.

"Just a few scratches, Captain, thank you."  Jack brushed off her concern.  There'd be time enough to patch himself up once they'd taken care of his more seriously injured teammate.

Unwrapping a bundle she'd been holding, Sam handed Daniel his glasses.  "I picked up these and your clothes outside," she informed him.  "I'm afraid the frame's cracked.  You'll have to get a new pair when we get back."  She shook out his jacket and gingerly placed it around his shoulders as he slowly sat up with Jack's assistance.

Grimacing, Daniel fit the broken glasses back in place.  Pushing himself up from the sofa, he stood getting his bearings before taking one wobbly step.  "Ow, I think I have a problem here, guys.  I don't think I'm going to manage walking very far on my own just yet."

"I will assist Daniel Jackson," Teal’c announced, suiting his actions to his words.

With the Jaffa's support, Jackson tried a few more steps.  He looked at the others and nodded his okay that this would work.

They set off following Mekhpaaten, careful not to set too fast a pace for Daniel to keep up.  It was a short walk back around the square to the temple and inside to the Stargate, where the councilor apologized again and said his farewell, assuring them of the respectful treatment future teams would receive.

Once they were alone, Carter activated the DHD.

"Ah, the sweet ka-whoosh of home," Jack remarked as the wormhole engaged.

"Mm, I can almost taste that pineapple already," Daniel remarked dreamily.

"Are you hallucinating or just hungry?" Sam asked in surprise.

"Jack promised to throw me a luau when we get back."

"Luau?"

Jack waved away Teal’c's curiosity.  "Just a little recovery party when Daniel's well."

"We're going to eat pineapple, and Jack's going to dance the hula in a grass skirt," Daniel explained.

Teal’c's eyebrows rose almost high enough to disappear over the top of his head.

Sam opened her mouth, then shut it again without venturing to say a word.

"Yes, well, I've been thinking about that," Jack said.  "I have a better idea.  There must be some way we can coax our commanding officer into contributing to the entertainment.  How do you all think General Hammond would look in a grass skirt?"

Echoes of laughter lingered in the musty air of the empty temple as SG-1 vanished through the Stargate.

Originally published in the zine New Worlds & False Gods 1

© August 1998 The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.