Genre: Drama, slash J/D First time.  196K

SG-1 find that some things are beyond price. March 03

Daniel pushed himself back from the loaded table, stretched and yawned. He needed a break, and more importantly, he needed to think. He stood, shrugging his shoulders and rubbing at his neck to relieve the dull ache, and walked toward the window of the library. Below him the city stretched out into the distance, the variation in heights and types of buildings not too dissimilar to many cities from back in America. He pressed his nose to the window and glanced down at the beautifully laundered grounds, before slowly making his way back to the pile of books. Their host was certainly giving little away by allowing him unlimited access. The majority of the books were not in any language that he recognised. He'd given it his best shot, but despite beginning to recognise a few words he needed weeks if not months to decipher and translate what was before him, and Lord Leetac had made it plain that he was not going to be permitted such a luxury. In fact he gathered he was exceedingly honoured to be allowed to even touch the books kept within this room.

Daniel stretched again, fighting back another yawn. He pushed his glasses up on his head, sat down on the far too comfortable cushions, and contemplated the circumstances that had brought him to this place. He had elected to stay with Sam while Jack and Teal'c were invited to meet and greet the military commanders. Despite a level of technology that was above their own, the Zedeans had very rigid views on women's place in society. Sam had been consistently ignored during negotiations, although their host's manner towards her at other times was gracious and polite. It had been explained to a very unhappy Sam that such discussions were not for her 'gentle' ears. Sam had given a far from lady like snort, but had managed to remain polite and gracious in return. Daniel was damn proud of her. He wondered how he, Jack and Teal'c would fare if the table were ever turned on them.

The pair of them had settled down in the cushions the Zedeans appeared to prefer to the other more rigid types of furniture, something that Daniel found a fascinating contrast to the formality of their daily life, and settled to discussing the possibility of a treaty. Lord Leetac had interrupted a few minutes later, offering polished apologies to Sam, and he at last had the opportunity he'd been asking for over the past few days. Excited beyond measure he'd glanced Sam's way and reassured at her cheerful dismissal had gone, full of hope, to the archive.

Hope at understanding the dilemmas the place, its people and its rulers raised in him had been dashed almost immediately. And now he was done. Three hours of intense scrutiny was not going to give him anything of any value. His hosts were very clever. They'd made it look as if they were cooperating fully, but had really offered him nothing but a sop to his curiosity. The only thing he'd been certain of was that his assumption of the wording on some of the servant's collars was likely to be accurate, and he had found the same words, with a longer ending, on the books in the room. He'd also found pictures of people he assumed were kings and queens of previous times and had been amazed at the similarity of the faces he saw through the ages, unless he was misunderstanding the focus of the book. He could not understand the significance of the third man who was nearly always pictured with them. As he studied it again the door opened and one of Lord Leetac's servants appeared appeared. He bowed low and waited patiently for Daniel to leave the building. Daniel tried to start up a conversation with the man, but he just smiled and nodded, apparently unwilling or unable to be drawn into giving either information or an opinion.

On his return Daniel found Sam once again settled on the cushions, a drink in her hands. She smiled at the young man conversing with her, who stood up, offered Daniel his thanks for allowing him to talk with his fair companion, and left.

Daniel smiled down at his scowling friend. "You seem to have made an impression on our host's son," he remarked.

Sam sighed. "I'm being overwhelmed with compliments on my apparent beauty," she said.

Daniel lowered himself onto the cushions and shook his head. "You are beautiful, Sam, there's no denying it. I guess though that you prefer to be admired for far more than just that."

Sam gave a half grin. "Can we talk about something else, Daniel?" She looked round the room curiously. "I can't help thinking that this is almost too good to be true."

Daniel blinked and nodded, settling himself more comfortably, while accepting the drink handed to him by a nearby servant with a grateful smile. "I thought that was my line," he said solemnly.

Sam shrugged her shoulders then grinned. "The colonel's in seventh heaven."

Daniel sighed. "Don't I know," he said moodily. "Guns, and big honking ones at that, all open to the right offer."

"It's what we hoped for," Sam said, sounding slightly defensive.

Daniel raised his hand. "I know, Sam," he assured her. "I don't begrudge him at all. We need something to go right, we need allies against the Goa'uld." He looked round the room and down at his drink. "I do know, " he repeated quietly, "I'm just uncertain about the people we're doing business with."

Sam raised her eyebrows questioningly.

Daniel sighed. "I can't get a handle on the evolution of this culture, Sam. I can't quite tell you what makes me cautious and hesitant to trust." He bit his lip and thought hard. "There are some strange discrepancies between these peoples highly evolved defensive and offensive capabilities and their social structures." He glanced at her to judge her interest. She nodded at him to carry on. "I do know, we all know, of societies that have highly evolved military machines, and yet much of the population lives at an almost primitive subsistence level. We only need to look at our planet to see that." He took a sip from his drink and stared down at the cup. "This isn't happening here, or to be precise within the city, as the population is well fed and mostly content. They appear to be at a similar level of technology to ourselves, and I have seen little to no sign of poverty." He sighed and leant back on the cushions. "Have you noticed anything about some of the servants, particularly the men doing the more menial work?"

"In what way?" she asked.

"I get the feeling that they are not doing their jobs by choice," Daniel said slowly.

Sam turned her head sharply. "Why do you say that?" she asked curiously.

Daniel twirled his cup in his hands before looking at Sam. "Their manner, Sam. Many of them don't give the appearance of being comfortable with their work. In fact some are downright clumsy. Also the way they are spoken to by Leetac and his family, or to be more precise, the way in which they are not spoken to."

Sam frowned in thought and slowly nodded.

Daniel continued. "Have you noticed their necks? The ones I'm talking about all wear a neckband with a jewel embedded in the centre, quite thin, nothing to get worked up about. But if you look carefully at it you will see each one has the exact same inscription, and I've seen that inscription printed on some of the objects here, and the book I've just studied."

Sam stared at him. "What do you think it says?" she asked curiously.

"Something akin to property of," he suggested. "Now I'm not saying I'm correct, but what would it say about America if we were as we are, but the people doing the more servile jobs were doing them by compulsion, not for payment?"

Sam shook her head. "If you're right then maybe it's some sort of punishment," she said hesitantly.

Daniel nodded. "That was my first assumption."

"And?"

Daniel shrugged. "Possible, I don't know. What do you really think, Sam?"

Before Sam could answer, their host swept into the room talking nineteen to the dozen to an impassive Teal'c and a pleased looking Jack. Jack grinned at Sam and Daniel and continued to listen. Daniel sighed. There was no way he was going to rain on Jack's parade, although he felt morally obliged to put his worries forward at the briefing and in his report, and he knew that wouldn't endear him either to Jack, or to the powers that be. He watched Jack closely for a second before staring moodily down at his drink.

"Daniel, Carter, come here."

Jack's voice broke through his musings, and he pushed himself up from the cushions, offering Sam a hand that she accepted with a mischievous grin. Daniel smiled at her, glad that her initial frustration at the Zedeans' attitude to women had receded over the days.

"You bellowed, Jack?" he asked.

Jack waved them over. "I need your expertise here, Daniel. We're being offered an audience with the King and Queen; apparently they have expressed an interest in meeting us. Carter, they're prepared to over look your gender and treat you as an honorary man."

"That's big of them," Sam muttered.

Jack ignored her. "Lord Leetac would like to discuss protocol with us, Daniel, so I thought he could run it past you first."

Daniel maintained a steady, impassive stare as Jack halted. Jack looked at him and waved his hands. "Come on, Daniel, give me a break. You'll ask the right questions and get all fascinated in the minutiae, then you can tell us what we need to know."

Daniel raised his eyebrows questioningly before nodding. "I'd be delighted," he said smoothly, turning to face Lord Leetac.

"We will discuss this in private, Dr Jackson." Leetac gestured to a servant, bowed to Jack, Teal'c and Sam, and escorted Daniel into a small beautifully furnished room. He gestured towards an embroidered stool and sat down on the nearest chair. Daniel glanced around the room at the other chairs and wondered why there was an absence of cushions, and why he had been relegated to a stool. He sat down looking at Leetac curiously.

Leetac smiled. "You are wondering at the room furnishings?" he asked.

Daniel nodded.

"My monarchs demand much of my time, Dr Jackson, and when I am before them I am seated much as you are. My family are also expected to fulfil their roles, and I like to prepare them." He smiled again. "Our court is very formal, Dr Jackson. For example, if the King or Queen decide that they wish to spend any time with you, you will be called over to stools such a these and expected to sit and wait to be spoken to."

Daniel nodded.

"They will speak together in the high language, but will talk to you in the common language, if you interest them sufficiently. Otherwise all conversation will be through the court translator."

Daniel nodded again.

"All speech to them must be prefixed by the words 'Honoured One' and both our King and Queen are treated equally and with the exact same respect." He broke off and smiled. "I think it would be best if you led the conversation, Dr Jackson. Your skills in diplomacy, and your willingness to conform with our ways have been noted by myself, and a few others on my staff."

Daniel blinked at the compliment. "Thank you, Lord Leetac. My companions would be happy for me to do so."

Leetac nodded. "Your colonel is a good man to do business with, straightforward, pragmatic and blunt. To succeed at court, however, requires other skills."

"I understand that," Daniel said smiling slightly, "but my team and I are purely the initial contact, Lord Leetac. We will not be able to sign or even negotiate the treaty without taking it back for our own leaders to scrutinise. We have other teams whose skills lie in negotiation and diplomacy."

Leetac nodded. "My King and Queen are well aware of that, Dr Jackson. It is just that you and your team have aroused their interest, and because of that we have permitted your colleague Major Carter far more leeway than she is perhaps aware. Our society is slow to change, and other than our honoured queen, our women are not really seen as equals in areas that are considered men's concerns."

"Will it change?" Daniel asked curiously.

Leetac shrugged his shoulders. "There is no demand at present, our people are content, and our rulers benevolent and just."

"How about other countries around you?"

Leetac looked at him strangely. "There is but one country, one world, one people, Dr Jackson."

"You don't associate with your neighbours?" Daniel asked surprised.

Leetac shook his head. "My King and Queen reign over all our world, Dr Jackson."

Daniel blinked. "All?" he asked incredulously.

Leetac nodded.

"But how do they keep in control?"

Leetac smiled. "My King and Queen are omniscient, Dr Jackson. To us they are viewed as far more than two elevated people. They are our inspiration and our guide, and to them we give thanks and worship."

Daniel swallowed. "You see them as gods?" he asked quietly, disturbed by the very thought.

Leetac shook his head slowly. "Perhaps when you meet with them you will see why we look upon them as the avatars of the gods." He smiled and raised his hands before reaching forward and patted Daniel's shoulder. "I can feel your desire to know and understand, Dr Jackson, and for that I thank you. My King and Queen appreciate people wishing to learn of them and how to please them. However, much as I would enjoy talking with you, I have my duty to the Honoured Ones to consider, and I must arrange for your audience."

Daniel nodded at him. "Thank you for arranging the visit to the library," he said a little insincerely. Leetac smiled. "May I ask you a question unconnected to the audience?"

Leetac nodded.

"What do you do with your law breakers?"

Leetac blinked, looking curiously at Daniel. "Why do you ask?"

Daniel shrugged. "I wondered if some of your servants were doing some kind of penance. The neckbands kind of suggested it."

Leetac looked suspicious. "I thought you just said that you could not read the sacred text?" he said slowly.

Daniel shook his head. "I can't. I recognised the same symbols on the covers of all the books you allowed me to look through, and just wondered."

Leetac nodded slowly. "You are a clever man, Dr Jackson," he said sounding less than pleased about it to Daniel's ears. "Some of my servants are indentured to me for certain lengths of time according to their sentence, and the neckband is a sign of their indenture and their position. We find it a useful way of integrating our criminals back into society and a way of ensuring that they make amends for their crimes."

"I see," Daniel said slowly. "Thank you for the information, Lord Leetac."

Leetac nodded once again, regarding Daniel silently for a moment. "I think you will find yourself blessed by your audience with the Honoured Ones, Dr Jackson," he said, relaxing slightly before patting Daniel's shoulder again. "Rest, eat and relax. You and your team will eat with my family again, and by the time you have finished I should be back to give you a time for your audience." He moved to the door and beckoned to the servant hovering outside. Giving his commands quietly he returned his attention to Daniel. "My son will be your escort and guide for now. Please join your friends, Dr Jackson."

Daniel stood and left the room, finding Sam, Jack and Teal'c in conversation with yet another of Leetac's sons. This one looked so remarkably like their host that his relationship hardly needed to be given. When he saw Daniel, he smiled, bowed and moved away to give orders to a number of servants.

Jack look over his way. "Anything difficult?" he asked.

Daniel shook his head. "Bow, speak when spoken to, sit if indicated and be courteous."

Jack nodded.

"I've found some rather unsettling things about them," he continued. "Were you aware that the King and Queen rule over the whole planet?"

Jack frowned before shrugging his shoulders. "They've got a very advanced communication system," he offered.

"I have only known of the Goa'uld claiming to govern a planet," Teal'c said. "I am not sure that I find this information reassuring, Daniel Jackson."

Daniel nodded. "I checked with Leetac twice to make sure that we were both on the same page, and he assured me that these people we are to have an audience with rule everywhere. How I don't know, but, as Jack says, they have very effective communication system. The worst thing to my mind was..." he stopped as Sam nudged his arm.

"Leetac's son is returning," she muttered, smiling as the young man stood before them.

The man bowed and smiled happily at Sam, offering his arm as he spoke. "The table has been laid for dinner. Please attend with me and my family."

Taking their yes for granted, he swept Sam off into an adjoining room, leaving Jack to wave the rest of his team through. "Carter's going to expect this level of consideration from all of us," Jack remarked dryly.

Teal'c nodded. "I am happy to give Major Carter my respect as a noble warrior, and as a highly intelligent and beautiful woman, O'Neill."

Jack sighed. "Keep the respect for the soldier and the intellect, just lose the woman bit, Teal'c."

Teal'c shook his head. "I can honour Daniel Jackson as a gentle, intelligent and handsome scholar," his mouth twitched slightly as Daniel stared at him incredulously, but he continued without interruption, "and yet respect his abilities and trust him with my life, O'Neill. Why can I not view Major Carter in the same way?"

"Um, thank you, Teal'c," Daniel said, a little bemused by the unexpected praise, and disconcerted by the amused yet somehow challenging look Jack gave him.

Teal'c bowed his head, the small smile still present. "You are welcome, Daniel Jackson."

Jack sighed again. "Come on, Teal'c, give it to me straight. What do you honour me for?"

Teal'c smile broadened very slightly. "As a venerable, astute, able leader and warrior, O'Neill."

"I'd like less of the venerable, thank you." Jack replied with some asperity. "I mean how many years do you have on me?"

Teal'c shook his head slightly as their host turned from escorting Sam to request that they seated themselves on the cushions that surrounded the low table. Daniel sat opposite Sam and his host, and contemplated the meal and the company. The meal was apparently informal, but like every other meal was set out with the most bewildering array of cutlery Daniel had ever seen, and the most amazing food. Their host led them through thanks to the Honoured Ones for their fare, and gestured to them to begin.

Daniel smiled at the eldest girl as she tried to catch his attention. Selene was possibly eighteen, tall, bright, pretty with wide intelligent eyes and obviously determined to find out as much information as she could from them. Daniel had spoken to her a few times, but never for long as her brother or her father would tell her off for monopolising their guest's attention, and she would fall silent, just watching him and the rest of his team as they ate and spoke. As usual her father noticed her efforts to talk and shushed her. Daniel wondered where her mother was, and smiled at her, pulled a face that appeared to cheer her up before returning his attention to the spread before him. He found great pleasure in tasting everything, secretly amused at Jack's reluctance to try anything that looked 'odd', although he'd not really worked out what Jack's parameters of 'oddness' were. Sam in contrast was almost as enthusiastic as him, and Teal'c ate everything with his customary stoicism. A good half an hour had gone, and he was contemplating whether he could manage another bite, when a servant appeared silently at his side, bowed and spoke softly in his ear. Daniel listened carefully, thanked him and looked up to find Jack watching him.

"What?" asked Jack, with his usual impatience.

Daniel watched as the servant took a note to the eldest son before turning his attention to his team. "Our audience is confirmed for later, and Lord Leetac asks that we prepare for it. His son will show us how, and he will meet us in the palace to give us a brief tour before we go to the audience chamber."

Jack nodded. "Let's hope it doesn't involve having to wear anything silly," he muttered.

Daniel thought Jack's hopes might be dashed as he contemplated the small dressing room they were brought to, but was as relieved as Jack to find that they were able to retain their uniforms, although Jack had grumbled almost non-stop when he realised that they would have to remove their socks and boots as a sign of respect, as well as endure a ritual washing and blessing.

Once washed and blessed, they headed for the palace. The trip through the place had been fascinating, but now he felt almost overwhelmed a by the grandeur of the ornate audience chamber. Leaving their boots at the doors, they walked into a crowed room. The King and Queen were two imposing figures on large thrones at the opposite end of the room, and Daniel felt a small sense of relief at the crowds and the distance. He occupied himself by admiring the beautiful sculptures and paintings in the room. Despite the fact that these people were definitely human, he found little he could recognise in their art.. It both intrigued and bewildered him. He stared fascinated at a small sculpture of a beast crafted, it appeared, from the colourful bodies of some kind of insect, so engrossed that he jumped when Leetac appeared before him.

"The Honoured Ones grant you an audience, Daniel."

Daniel looked up and smiled his thanks. He was turning to tell Jack when Leetac caught his arm. "The Honoured Ones asked just for you, Daniel. Your team will be seen, but first you alone."

Daniel blinked, surprised that the formal Leetac had called him by his first name twice in succession. "Why?" he asked, both curious and suspicious.

"Because I mentioned your thirst for knowledge," Leetac said easily. "I thought you might like the opportunity to ask questions first."

I would be honoured," Daniel said formally. "But why must I be separated from my team?"

Leetac raised his eyebrows. "I do not question the orders of the Honoured Ones," he told Daniel in the tone of voice that suggested that he'd better not start doing so either.

Daniel swallowed his desire to do just that and sighed. What harm could he come to? "I am honoured," he repeated. "I would like to inform my leader first."

"I will do so," Leetac said smoothly. He caught Daniel's hand and pulled him forward, talking quickly and quietly. "Bow twice, Daniel, and do not raise your head until given permission to do so. You will be shown to a stool, and as I told you, you must wait for the Honoured Ones to speak." He smiled quickly at Daniel before ushering him into the presence of the royal couple. Daniel bowed twice and waited head lowered for some sign that he could straighten. As he stood he realised that the noise of the people behind him had faded, almost as if it had been screened out.

"Be seated, Daniel Jackson."

Daniel shivered at the sound of the voice. It was low, clear and compelling. Before he had even thought about it he did as he was ordered, and sat on the low stool in front of him.

"You may look at us, Daniel."

Daniel looked up slowly, feeling strangely reluctant, and regretting that he was alone. He would have given anything for the comfort of his team, particularly Jack. The two faces looking down on him were remarkably similar, both beautiful and proud and possessed of almost golden eyes. As he looked at them he was reminded of the pictures in the books. These two looked identical to their predecessors. Daniel swallowed nervously, and waited for one of them to speak again.

"We have watched you with approval, Daniel," the one on the left said. Daniel guessed that this was the Queen, both wore formal robes, and both were so similar that they looked like twins, but he thought that maybe her face was slightly more feminine.

"We approve of what you have said and done, and we are happy to consider some kind of understanding with your people providing that both sides are satisfied with the bargain. Have yon anything you wish to ask of us?"

Daniel blinked slowly, he really wanted to ask them why all this couldn't have been done with the rest of his team present, but he swallowed the words and carefully asked. "Lord Leetac has not fully indicated what it is that you might want from us in return, Honoured One, and some things might not be within our remit to offer you."

"We understand that, Daniel," the queen smiled. "But my brother and I are agreed on one of the things we want." She smiled again and beckoned with her hand. "Stand and move closer, Daniel."

Daniel swallowed nervously; this had not been covered in the protocol. He stood and approached the thrones cautiously, keeping his eyes fixed on the queen. She took his hand and placed it in the king's hand, and then took his other hand. Daniel was embarrassingly aware of a bolt of desire shooting through his body at the contact. A finger traced around his face and another hand removed his glasses. Before he could utter a word of complaint, a finger brushed against his mouth effectively sealing it. Hands moved over him, and while he struggled to maintain some semblance of control, his body responded avidly to the caresses. Voices whispered words in a strange, musical language, and Daniel felt more alive, aware and sensual than he could remember feeling since Sha're. He groaned, moving into and with the contact, desperately wanting to touch in response. The whispering continued, and the caresses become firmer and more intimate as lips descended on his face and neck. As the touching and kissing intensified, Daniel felt suspended in space, afire with desire and so very near completion. As if that thought had touched something inside him, he came, screaming soundlessly.

Daniel blinked. He was sitting on the stool looking up at the queen as she smiled down at him. Shame made him blush as he remembered his vivid daydream. He could have sworn the touching and his subsequent orgasm were real, but while he could feel a tingle in his body, he knew logically that nothing could have actually happened. He half rose, desperate to get away before he recalled his position, and sat back blinking in the face of the apparently amused queen.

"We will make your negotiating team aware of our wants, Daniel. Perhaps we will see you again? You would be very welcome."

Daniel pulled himself together, and made a stumbling attempt at a reply. The queen smiled again and turned towards her brother who smiled also, and in a slightly deeper, but no less rich voice asked him to return. They smiled once more, then Daniel was escorted off the stool and out of the cocoon of calm and silence. He stood trembling for a few seconds, aware of Lord Leetac's hand on his arm.

"Are you well, Daniel?" Leetac asked, a knowing smile lurking at the corner of his lips.

Daniel took a deep breath, and nodded.

"Perhaps you can understand why we worship them," Leetac continued, apparently well aware of Daniel's reactions. "The Honoured Ones have only recently lost their Chosen One, and once they have finished their period of mourning they will chose another to make them complete. Once he is found the rest of us will be less..." he hesitated for a second before continuing, "less distracted in their presence."

"Distracted!" Daniel muttered, still trying not to blush. "You could put it that way." He took a deep breath. "Their Chosen One, what does he or she do?"

Leetac shook his head. "Only the one they choose to honour fully knows that," Leetac said smoothly. "But they are complete as a triad, and the feelings and sensations that you encountered are muted and we are left feeling a great sense of awe in their presence."

"I'd have settled for that," Daniel muttered again, before straightening up and searching for his teammates.

"Your friends will be honoured with an audience now," Leetac offered, and Daniel shivered wondering what Jack would make of the whole affair. "I doubt that they will be so affected as you, Daniel. And I know you will not talk about this with them, will you?"

Daniel blinked, turning angrily towards Leetac, but in his place he saw the king's visage. "You will not talk about us will you, Daniel?" the king said in his compelling voice, and Daniel nodded slowly. Leetac's hands touched his face, and they felt the same as the queen's hands had. "Come back to us," the king ordered.

Daniel felt a desperate urge to talk to Jack. He turned round and blinked in astonishment. He was standing facing the beast sculpture that had so intrigued. He turned his head to see Jack standing nonchalantly by his side, his alert and watchful eyes a total contrast to his relaxed posture. Slightly beyond him, Sam was engaged in a quiet conversation with Teal'c. A touch on his arm made him jump slightly.

"Dr Jackson, the Honoured Ones will be glad to grant an audience to you and your friends."

Daniel stared silently at Leetac for a few seconds as he tried to collect his thoughts. He had felt sure that he had met the king and queen, but even as he searched his memories he realised that he could not have been absent without comment from his friends. He sighed, wondering what had caused him such a vivid feeling of deja vu, before nodding at Leetac. He nudged Jack and called quietly to Sam and Teal'c. "Watch what I do," he reminded them quietly, and took off after Leetac at a faster pace than he felt should have been necessary in the crowded room. Leetac halted some feet before the thrones, and bowed his head. Daniel followed suit listening as Leetac introduced each of them.

"Please look up," a commanding voice requested.

Daniel raised his head and looked up into the proud and beautiful countenances of the king and queen. He shivered slightly as the pair of them sat motionless before them, their expressions blank and calm.

"We thank you for your interest in our people and our world, Colonel O'Neill. You are fortunate to have such a varied and able team of people, and we count ourselves fortunate to have met you."

Daniel edged a little closer to Jack and nudged him again. Jack shot him a look, and Daniel mouthed, "bow".

Jack turned his eyes back to the couple in front of him and bowed silently.

"We look forward to meeting others of your world, and hope to see some of you again."

Jack bowed again, and Daniel followed suit, glad to see that Sam and Teal'c had been keeping an eye on him.

Leetac moved towards them again and with a bow escorted them from his monarchs' presence. Daniel shivered, not sure if he was relieved or disappointed that their audience had been so short. Jack made his feeling pretty clear as soon as Leetac released them.

"Well that was a waste of time," Jack muttered.

"I think they were just being polite, and observing protocol," Daniel offered absentmindedly, his attention again distracted by the sculpture. "Do those insects look as if they're alive to you?" he asked puzzled.

Sam leaned forward. "Fascinating," she breathed. "I'm not sure, but the effect is stunning."

Jack shrugged his shoulders and looked down at his bare feet. "I don't know about you, but all I want is to get my boots on and head on out of here. We've started the ball rolling, seems like it's someone else's turn to deal with the diplomatic stuff."

"I'll ask Leetac if we can leave now." Daniel said, reluctantly pulling his gaze from the sculpture to seek out their host. Leetac was obliging and helpful, and had them back in their boots and delivered to the gate within the hour. He raised his hand in farewell to him, and concluded that he wouldn't be too worried if he never had to return again. Much had fascinated him, but equally some things had disturbed him. On arrival back at the SGC, he checked in with Janet, suffered his check over with equanimity, and headed off to write up as full a report as he was able.

The debriefing went better than he expected. He gave his report after Jack's, sounding a cautious note in contrast to Jack's optimistic appraisal. Sam was as fair and precise as she always was, but it was impossible not to pick up her dislike of the way she had been treated. General Hammond thanked them for their appraisal, asked for Teal'c's observations, checked a few salient points, and dismissed them. Daniel headed for his office already detailing his concerns over the society in his head, and fairly certain that whatever he said his worries were going to be dismissed in the light of the potential gain. He sighed. If they must go ahead he would emphasise the need for slow, cautious negotiations.

Jack could feel the buzz as they stepped through the event horizon. Waving their fourth forward impatiently, he quickened his pace keen to debrief and discover what was going on. As he approached the briefing room he saw General Hammond talking intently with a Stan Kovacek of SG-9. His face broke into a smile as he caught sight of Jack.

"Colonel O'Neill, thanks to the impression your team made at first contact, SG-9 have managed to negotiate one of the most impressive deals that we have ever brokered for the Stargate programme."

Jack glanced at Sam and Teal'c, and shook his head. "Can you give me a clue?" he asked, taking a seat in front of the General.

General Hammond nodded. "PX3 290, or Zeda. The Zedean government, although I am led to believe they are a monarchy."

"Ah." Jack nodded sagely. "Guns and a fondness for cushions. That was fast. We only left there about three weeks ago."

"They proved to be extremely keen to trade, sir," Major Kovacek, "and we have to thank you and your team for that."

"What have you got?" Jack asked, his curiosity fully aroused as he remembered the tour of their armoury.

"A lot of hardware, sir, and some technology. They want SG-1 to attend the formal signing session tomorrow along with SG-9, and Major Davis from the Pentagon acting as the Government representative."

Jack sighed. "Don't tell me, dress blues and speeches."

Sam pulled a face. "Will Daniel be able to make it?"

General Hammond shook his head. "Dr Jackson and SG-11 are not due to return for another seventy two hours. While our hosts may be a little disappointed, I don't see the need to disturb him."

"Perish the thought," Jack said breezily.

General Hammond looked at him sharply, but didn't comment. He nodded his dismissal of Kovacek, and sat back in his chair. "How was the mission?" he asked.

Jack shrugged, glancing over towards Sam.

"A waste of time, sir," she admitted. "We found nothing of any use. The place seemed deserted, and Dr Polson was less than thrilled at the remains."

"Why is Dr Polson not here?" General Hammond asked.

"He got an allergic reaction to something there, General. Carter gave him antihistamine, but he went straight to the infirmary as we came through. I'll check on him after the debrief." He shrugged. "What is it with these geeks? Daniel used to sneeze when we first went through the gate, but we soon got him straightened out."

General Hammond gave a wry smile. "I doubt that Dr Jackson would like to hear you refer to any of his staff as geeks, Colonel." He looked round the table. "Anything further to add, Teal'c?"

Teal'c shook his head. "I observed nothing of note," he said. "It was as Major Carter described."

Hammond sighed. "Reports as usual, then get yourselves ready for the signing tomorrow. You go out at two hundred hours in full dress uniform accompanied by SG-9 and Major Davis. I am led to believe that you are expected to say overnight. Any questions?" He looked round at them before nodding his dismissal, and left the room.

"I still think we ought to wait for Daniel to return," Sam said. "Lord Leetac seemed to be very comfortable talking with him."

Jack shrugged. "Daniel likes dressing up in a suit as much as you enjoy being patronized, Carter. Let him play for another three days. He'll be happy to see us, and full of the joys of spring, you'll see. If we pull him for this we're not going to hear the end of it."

Sam smiled. "Maybe, sir."

"That's a 'certainly, sir,' Carter." He stood up from the table. "I'll go and check on Dr Polson then write up my report. See you in the morning." He left the room and headed for the infirmary. Assured by Janet that Dr Polson was fine, he headed for his office wrote a brief report, tidied up his in tray, and left for home.

"Dr Jackson."

Daniel lifted his head and stared without recognition at the airman standing below him. "Yes?" he said curiously.

"Sir, General Hammond needs you back at the SGC now." The man hurried into speech again as Daniel's face began to pale. "Nothing is wrong, sir. It's just that some rather important people are stirring up a fuss because you aren't there."

Daniel felt his heart beat slowly return to normal, and gingerly edged toward the ladder leaning against the wall. He flashed a brief smile as the airman held it firm, and jumped the last few bars. Facing the man he checked for his name. "So tell me, Captain Lane, what is so important that General Hammond sent you through the Stargate to fetch me less than two days before we return?"

The man gulped. "I'm afraid all I know is that people are requiring your presence, along with the rest of your team, before they'll sign a treaty," he offered hesitantly.

Daniel nodded slowly. "Okay." He waved the man forward frowning in concentration. "Does Colonel Tanners know that I'm leaving?"

Lane nodded. "He's been apprised of the situation, sir. I reported to him before he gave me directions to find you."

Daniel nodded again, his face relaxing into a brief smile as Colonel Tanners appeared.

"Sorry about this, Dr J," he said. "The rest of the team will be able to finish up for you, but I'm sorry to see you go."

"So am I, Jim," Daniel sighed. "I can't remember any treaty that we were involved in that required my presence, you would have thought that Jack, Sam and Teal'c were more than sufficient."

Tanner snorted, but said nothing further.

"Do I have time to collect my stuff?" Daniel asked.

Lane shook his head. "My orders were to find you and bring you straight back, sir."

Daniel sighed rather irritably. "Let's get this over with then," he muttered. "You'll sort out everything, Jim?" he asked, relaxing at Tanner's nod. "Thanks for letting me play with you," he said, holding out his hand to Tanners.

Tanners grasped it, and grinned. "Any time, Dr J. Come on, I'll escort you to the gate, and then go tell the others."

Daniel nodded, glad that they were less than half an hour from the gate. Tanners kept up a gentle chatter, involving Captain Lane, and Daniel made half hearted attempts to respond appropriately, while his brain was furiously rifling through his memories of the past missions. The only one he could imagine making such a fuss over his presence was the last but one before his mission with SG-11. Quite honestly he was pretty amazed that the negotiations had progressed so far. While his host might have appreciated Jack's honesty and bluntness, his overwhelming impression of the Zedeans and their leaders was of formality and protocol. While it was nice to be appreciated, he could have done without this.

They arrived at the gate, dialled up and arrived in the gateroom to a strained looking General Hammond. "Dr Jackson, I am sorry to drag you away, but we have the makings of a serious incident here. Apparently the Zedeans took your absence as an insult to their leaders. It was only after Major Davis' repeated assurance that you were off world elsewhere, and could and would attend the ceremony that they relented." He shook his head incredulously.

Daniel made an attempt at a smile. "I'll go home and change, sir."

General Hammond shook his head, gently nudging him forwards. "All been sorted, son," he said. "This treaty is a huge coup for SGC, and we have both the President and NID chomping at the bit for this to go through smoothly. This is not your fault at all, I don't think we fully appreciated the emphasis the Zedeans put on your team as individuals. We all, Colonel O'Neill included, thought it was what SG-1 represented that the Zedeans admired." He shook his head. "I won't be making that mistake again."

Daniel smiled at General Hammond's gently expressed frustration. "They're a very formal race, sir," he said quietly. "And despite their apparent similarities to us, they're remarkably different really."

Hammond nodded again, continuing to escort him to the infirmary. "I'm fast becoming aware of that fact, son," he said smiling.

Daniel entered the infirmary cautiously, only to be jumped on by Janet Fraiser. "A quick check over first, Daniel." She nodded at the General. "I'll make it as quick as possible, sir, and he can shower and dress down here." She transferred her attention to Daniel. "Lie on that bed please, Daniel. You know the drill."

Daniel shrugged and sat himself down resignedly.

Less than an hour later, tested, showered, dressed in his suit and desperately wishing he were elsewhere, Daniel blinked in the sunlight of the Zedean home world. He managed to drag up a smile when he saw Jack bowling towards him, dressed to the nines, sunglasses deployed as an offensive weapon. Jack halted before him and unexpectedly pulled him into a hug. After a brief stiffness, Daniel relaxed into it, quietly delighted at Jack's exuberant welcome. Jack transferred his hands to Daniel's shoulders and shook him gently.

"Don't do this to us again," he said fervently. "We've been going mad here, Daniel.
Davis and Carter are soothing Lord Leetac, but we're kind of missing your diplomatic presence." He transferred his hand to Daniel's back and gently propelled him forward. "Actually Carter was the one that felt you should have been called back, but I, knowing your love of formal signings and suit wearing, thought we'd leave you playing in the sand."

Daniel snorted, feeling thoroughly energised by the presence of his friend. He grinned. "Whereas you love nothing more than an opportunity to dress up and look good," he teased.

Jack smirked. "So I look pretty damn good in them?" he said.

"So I've been told," Daniel said coolly, clipping his shades over his glasses as he contemplated the man standing before him. Jack did look good in his dress blues, but he wasn't going to tell him so.

"Give?" Jack said, nudging him. "Who's been drooling over me?"

Daniel laughed. "God, Jack, leave that old ego alone and tell me what I can expect."

Jack shook his head. "Not until you give."

Daniel raised his eyebrows, happy to continue the familiar bantering. He'd thoroughly enjoyed himself with SG-11, they were a great team, but he missed SG-1 and particularly Jack. He missed their easy banter, their familiarity, and their differences. He gave Jack a sly glance. "Are you fishing to find out who has the hots for you?" he asked.

Jack adjusted his shades and let the smirk out to play again. "I could do with a besotted nurse to keep between me and Doc Fraiser's damn needles," he said.

Daniel laughed. "Couldn't we all." He shook his head. "No I'm not pandering to your ego, Jack. Come on, tell me exactly what I'm letting myself in for."

Jack pulled a face. "We have a three day ceremony to endure," he said, a note of gloom in his voice. "Not only have we been invited to the signing ceremony, but we have also been invited to witness the Choosing." He shook his head. "I have no idea what the hell that means, but apparently we are very honoured to be included."

Daniel paused for a second, and frowned in thought. "This could be absolutely fascinating, Jack," he said slowly, a note of excitement creeping into his voice. "These people are so like us in some ways, and yet so very different." He shook himself. "If nothing else it will clue us in on how to relate to them." He glanced at Jack, who had taken off his shades and was looking at him with affectionate amusement. "What?" he asked a little flustered.

Jack grinned. "Carter bet me that you'd be the only one of us to actually get excited about a three day ceremony."

Daniel looked at him blankly. "Three days," he said slowly. "Ah, no, I'm not excited at the three days, but, Jack, the consequences of being allowed..." he fell silent as Jack raised his hand and squeezed his shoulder affectionately.

"Yadda," Jack said, and grinned at him.

Daniel resisted a childish impulse to stick out his tongue, and allowed himself a brief sniff. "What else have you bet on?" he asked curiously.

Jack laughed. "How long it is before one of Leetac's son's proposes to Carter."

Daniel snorted. "They're rather young and callow, but they were definitely besotted," he agreed.

Jack looked at him sideways. "There's a side bet on when Selene will gather the courage to declare her interest in you," he said casually.

Daniel glared at him. "She's young enough to be my daughter," he said heatedly.

Jack raised his eyebrows, "If you'd started very young, yes, Daniel. But I doubt that you could convince her of that."

Daniel sighed. "And what about the betting on you or Teal'c?" he asked.

Jack shook his head. "Nothing specific there. Teal'c has a few admirers, as do I, but everything's been more or less on hold while we waited for you."

"How did I manage to avoid a welcoming committee?" Daniel asked curiously.

Jack grinned. "I persuaded them that I needed to explain what was going on before all hell broke loose." He pointed to a vehicle that looked like a jeep some distance away. "I was given an escort to collect you. Lord Leetac is impatient to see you."

Daniel nodded. "I can't say that I'm too thrilled to be back here in all honesty," he said quietly and seriously. "I can't quite put my finger on what disturbs me about this place, but some things don't seem to add up."

Jack held up his finger warningly. "We're not going there, Daniel," he said sternly. "We have just got ourselves the best ever bargain I can remember. If that means we have to make nice for a few days, then so be it, but you will keep those doubts and gloomy prophecies out of the equation and enjoy yourself. Understood?"

"Loud and clear," Daniel muttered with resignation.

Jack squeezed his arm and stopped him. "They won't want to hear, Danny," he said with unexpected gentleness. "I'm not stupid, I read your report, I heard what you weren't saying, but bottom line they have what we want, and they're prepared to deal. How they treat their citizens or conquered this world is not our problem."

He squeezed Daniel's arm again, and Daniel swallowed loudly. Jack gave a small grin, and rested his hand momentarily against Daniel's cheek before moving away and striding towards the jeep. Daniel felt his heart give a momentary lurch, before he collected himself and caught up with Jack. "Jack?" he found himself pleading, even though he knew it was neither the time nor place to push this, whatever 'this' was that was that had been going on between them recently.

Jack glanced at him. "They'll be looking out for us," he said mildly.

Daniel glanced towards the jeep and the awaiting escort, and sighed.

Jack glanced at his team; they were all enthralled by the performances in front of them, and he had to admit that the sheer skill of the artists was impressive. He watched the acrobatic troupe with muted appreciation, amused by the 'wows' he kept hearing from Sam, Daniel, Davis and the young Captain on Kovacek's team. He almost uttered one himself as four men dived through a rotating display of hoops in synchronisation, immediately flipped themselves backwards to repeat the move and then repeated the whole display again. He clapped loudly with his team as the men stood to take their bows, the sweat shining off their faces. As one they knelt before their king and queen, and then left the arena to the continued cries of appreciation.

"That was fantastic," Sam said, her eyes bright with pleasure.

Daniel nodded his agreement. "I've seen Chinese acrobats performing some of those type of feats with the same skill," he said happily. "I could watch them for days."

"Me too," Major Davis agreed, "I've not seen anything as good as this and certainly not on any of the diplomatic signings I've had to attend." He grinned. "I think this beats all the others by a long way."

"The Goa'uld enjoy spectacles such as these," Teal'c remarked, "but I have never seen such a level of agility and ability as these men and women are showing."

The whole three days has been one long celebration," Daniel said enthusiastically. "I normally hate these kind of protocol ridden things, but honestly except for the formality of the actual signing this has been one long party. Even the king and queen's presence hasn't spoiled it."

"You weren't too happy when that servant spilled wine all over your suit," Sam reminded him.

Daniel nodded, looking down at his silver and while outfit with a slight frown. "Well it was odd," he said slowly, then shrugged. "What's done is done, but I'd have been happier to wear any other colour than white, too reminiscent of my time in Dr McKenzie's establishment."

"Why odd?" Jack asked, suddenly curious. He's been all too aware that they all stood out because of their military dress, or in Teal'c's case the robes of Chulak, but somehow despite Daniel wearing native dress he hadn't seemed to blend, in fact if anything he stood out more, the white attire being easy to pick out. A few other men were wearing white, but Jack did wonder a little at the significance of handing a white outfit to a non-native.

Daniel shrugged again, his attention caught by the sight of Lord Leetac striding into the arena. He raised his hand and the audience went quiet. "The Honoured Ones invite you all to a feast to celebrate the Choosing," he called out, his voice carrying effortlessly. "All candidates have been viewed and the Honoured Ones wish you to know that they are themselves honoured by the quality and beauty of the selection. The choice was difficult despite the time and effort spent in meeting each and every one of the candidates. The Chosen will be notified, given time to put his affairs in order and say his goodbyes to his family and then the ceremony of Affirmation will take place." He took a deep breath and smiled. "In the mean time the Honoured Ones welcome you to the feast." He bowed to his monarchs and strode from the arena.

"More food," Sam groaned. "I'm going to return weighing double the amount I left my dress blues are getting tighter every minute."

Jack laughed. "The Zedeans seem to feel that a little more flesh on you wouldn't go amiss," he teased. "Mind you, Leetac's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw your legs."

Sam groaned. "Don't remind me," she muttered. "I'm certain he's lining up his sons in an attempt to get me to show some kind of partiality. Why he would want any of them married off to a woman who does a 'man's job' heaven only knows."

"Creating a further link with the worlds?" Daniel suggested seriously. "Cementing relationships the old way. I think Leetac's family are pretty high up in this society. He seems to have unlimited access to the king and queen. In his eyes you'd be marrying into the nobility."

"Lady Samantha," Jack crowed.

Sam sniffed, giving Jack a sharp look before stepping away from him and smiling politely as Leetac entered their box and bowed to them.

"The Honoured Ones request your presence at their table for the feast," he said politely. "They wish me to express their sincere appreciation for your attendance at the events and hope that you have enjoyed yourselves." He looked enquiringly at Daniel, who smiled at him.

"We have thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, Lord Leetac, " he said politely. "Please convey our grateful thanks to your Honoured Ones for the experience."

Leetac smiled. "You may do so yourself, Dr Jackson. The Honoured Ones have asked to see both teams to thank them personally."

Daniel glanced at Jack and Major Kovacek and receiving a nod from both of them turned his attention back to Leetac. "We would be delighted, Lord Leetac."

Leetac smiled at him, nodded at Jack, turned to Sam and took her hands to his lips in a courtly manner. "It has been a pleasure to have your radiant presence among us," he said softly.

Jack raised an eyebrow, watching Sam blush a rather becoming shade of pink. Leetac smiled, bowed to them all again, and left.

"We have got to get out of here," Sam said feelingly.

"All in good time, Carter," Jack said amused. He watched Leetac leave and turned back to Daniel. "Why does he always talk to you, Daniel?" he wondered out loud.

Daniel shook his head apparently puzzled. "He should really talk to you or Stan or Paul," he said slowly. "You'd think a man with such a grasp of formality and hierarchy in his own world would be more sensitive to that of others."

Kovacek shook his head. "I am happy for you to do the talking, Daniel. Despite the apparent speed of the negotiations the formal speech making was torturous in the extreme, and Lord Leetac has never spoke to myself or any of my team with anywhere near the friendliness that he speaks to you in particular."

"He practically ignores me," Major Davis added. "I've certainly not been invited to meet their monarchs, but since I had no involvement in the negotiations or agreement I can see their point."

Daniel frowned. "As I said he is a very formal man, I can only think that as we were the first people to be introduced to him, we are the ones he feels most comfortable with." He glanced at Davis. "I'd have assumed that as the government representative they'd want to meet with you, Paul," he said uncertainly.

Davis shrugged his shoulders and smiled. "No sweat, Daniel," he said pleasantly. "I'm enjoying myself on this one."

Jack sighed and stretched, surveying the arena with a practised eye. Daniel had waxed lyrical over the design comparing it to ancient Greek and Roman amphitheatres. It could certainly hold a huge crowd, and looked well used. He could see the security around the king and queen, and felt surprised that it appeared so minimal. Daniel had mentioned that he found the apparent universal love for the rulers one of the mysteries of the place that he wanted to investigate. Certainly the knowledge that every person on the planet was watching the entertainment, or performing in it, stunned him. He was highly impressed by the quality of the display on the large screens placed at the corners of the arena and throughout the city, although disconcerted to see himself watching the screen as the camera panned over the crowd and displayed individual faces, SG-1 and SG-9's included.

"I wish we could speak to the people down below," Daniel said, peering down into the stands. "We've only really talked to the 'nobility' or the military. I'd love to speak to one of the tenured servants and ask them what they thought about their treatment."

We'd do the same," Sam said fairly. "Anyone who negotiates with us only deals with the SGC or the military machine."

Daniel nodded absently.

"Are you still uncomfortable here?" Jack asked, mildly irritated.

Daniel shrugged, and Jack thought he'd been doing a little too much of that particular action lately. "A little," he admitted slowly. "For one I keep wondering who exactly are the candidates for this 'Chosen', and what he or she is or does."

"Daniel," a woman's voice called.

Jack looked towards the voice, grinning as he saw Selene and one of her brothers mounting the steps to their seating. She almost ran toward Daniel, and stood smiling earnestly at him. Daniel unfolded himself and stood before her. "Daniel, we're to escort you to the meal," she said, the pleasure at her task evident in her voice and posture.

Daniel smiled down at her, and held out his arm. "Lead on, Selene," he said gently.

Her brother offered his arm to Sam, and with a lot of good-natured ribbing, SG-9, Major Davis, Teal'c and Jack followed them down the steps and out of the arena. Jack watched Daniel and Selene talking, highly amused by the look of adoration on the young girl's face. He switched his gaze to Sam and Selene's brother and saw an almost similar expression on the young man's face.

"So this is why SG-1 do so well on first contact," Major Davis, said quietly. "You let Daniel and Major Carter slay hearts. I'm not sure that I can put it down as a recommended military approach, but it certainly worked here."

Jack laughed. "Daniel's charms are not universally appreciated by the Goa'uld ," he said lightly, "but otherwise we play to our strengths."

Davis grinned, and the walk to the banquet passed quickly in friendly banter. At the banquet the Earth contingent were seated on Leetac's table, very near to the Honoured Ones. Jack watched in amusement as Selene was permitted to sit near Daniel, but frowned at frequently by Leetac, or any of her brothers, if it was felt that she was taking up too much of Daniel's time. She seemed happily oblivious of the fact. Leetac men surrounded Sam, and she was working furiously to keep her blushes concealed. Teal'c had a pretty woman hanging on to his every word, Major Davis had been appropriated by another attractive woman, and SG-9 were spread around the table, talking happily. Jack shook his head in amusement, and turned to his host as the woman next to him took a breath. She too was easy on the eye and keen, Jack had to give Leetac points for trying to make his guests feel welcome, but she certainly hadn't been chosen for her scintillating conversation or intelligence, and Jack had not listened to most of her monologue.

"When do we meet your monarchs?" he enquired of Leetac, as he nibbled the end of a very peculiar fruit. He'd been well aware of Daniel's amusement at his lack of adventure when it came to eating, but, unlike Daniel's, his digestive system was not prepared to tolerate just anything.

"After the banquet," Leetac replied. He gave a mild burp, wiped his mouth with his beautifully decorated napkin, and sat back. "My King and Queen will offer you their blessing, and give you leave to depart." He fondled the wine glass near him. "Have you enjoyed your stay with us?"

Jack nodded. "It's certainly been the best diplomatic event I've ever attended," he said truthfully.

"Good," Leetac murmured. "We look forward to seeing you here again in the near future."

Jack shook his head. "That's fairly unlikely, Lord Leetac," he said, finishing the fruit with some relief. "SG-1 is a first contact field team. We've attended this at your request, but normally this kind of liaison is passed onto to more suitable people than ourselves."

"But you are the premier team?" Leetac said with a small frown.

Jack nodded, wishing for a toothpick, the fruit had a fibrous quality to it, rather like a mango or guava, and he was sure some of it had stuck in his teeth. "The first contact team." he repeated. "You asked for us specifically, and because of the importance of this contract to both our worlds, our leaders let us attend, but in the future they will send properly trained government officials and military personel."

"I see," Leetac nodded, lifting the glass to his lips and drinking the wine slowly. "I think I will ask Daniel to explain this to me before you leave. We are reluctant to lose contact with you all, it is seldom we take such a liking to a group of people such as yourselves."

Jack had been concentrating on using his tongue to remove a particularly recalcitrant piece of fruit, and had to think fast as Leetac looked at him obviously expecting some kind of answer. "Daniel will sort things out," he said automatically, hoping that he hadn't just offered Daniel up for something particularly onerous, but sure if he had that Daniel would make him pay for it later.

Leetac nodded, and finished his wine before changing places with a very miffed Selene. Jack considered her with gentle amusement as she sulked at her dismissal from Daniel's side, her eyes still firmly fixed on the man in question. "What is this fruit called?" he asked her, curious to see if she would respond.

She turned her head, and recognising him gave him a lovely smile. "They're emanth," she said, pointing to another nearby. "They're supposed to have a cleansing quality on the palate, or so my father informs me."

Jack nodded. "Intriguing taste," he offered.

Selene grinned. "It depends what you consider intriguing," she said.

Jack laughed. "I'd guess you find my teammate intriguing," he suggested, enjoying the rosy blush that covered her face.

"He treats me like an intelligent adult," she said a little icily, but grinned when Jack pulled a face at her. "He's gorgeous," she offered a little breathlessly. "In fact all of you are handsome and charming, and Samantha is so clever." She took a deep breath and looked quickly round the table. "You all listen to her as if what she says is important, and although she's a woman you treat her as an equal. I like that about you, I like you all, but I like to watch Daniel the best because I like watching him think."

Jack smiled. "You mean you can tell what he's thinking by watching his expression?"

"Exactly," she nodded enthusiastically. "He wears his thoughts on his face." She gave Jack another grin before returning to her contemplation of Daniel's face.

Jack shook his head in amusement. He understood what Selene meant, but in reality Daniel had learnt to guard his thoughts and feelings over time, and while he would never have a poker face, he could dissemble with the rest of them. He turned to watch Sam, noting from the fixed expression on her face that she had reached saturation point, while Teal'c looked content and amused. He quickly checked on SG-9 and Major Davis, who seemed less than enthused with his companion. Checking his watch he reckoned that they had been seated at the banquet for nearly two hours, and hoped that they could be presented to the King ad Queen and be away within the hour. He glanced up at the balcony where the Honoured Ones sat and wondered at the people's obvious love for them when they kept themselves so aloof and isolated.

His companion tugged at his arm, and he turned to her, plastering a pleasant smile on his face. Before she could begin again, Leetac interrupted her and Jack noticed that he had Daniel by his side.

"Colonel, the Honoured Ones feel your desire to depart, and wish to thank you for your company and courtesy now." Leetac said pleasantly.

Jack smiled at his dinner companion, and rose to his feet, noticing that Sam, Teal'c and SG-9 had done so as well. He gestured at Major Davis to join them, relieved when Daniel
tapped the Major's shoulder, dragging his attention away from his dinner companion. Following Leetac they mounted the steps to the balcony.

"They will see you individually, Colonel. Would you decide who should go first?"

Jack nodded, and gestured for Major Kovacek's team to go forward. He turned to view the area they had sat in, and a large screen apparently set to display the faces of the Honoured Ones caught his attention. He watched in amusement as Kovacek was ushered in, bowed and received some type of pin. Soon afterwards his second in command stepped forward and the ceremony was repeated. He nudged Daniel, who followed his gaze and grimaced.

"It's a bit too much like living in a goldfish bowl," he said quietly. "And another thing,
you figured out how the cameras work, because I can't see any?"

Jack nodded. "I wondered about that myself," he acknowledged, waving Major Davis forward. "Come on, let's face them. Carter, you follow after me, then you, Daniel, and Teal'c last." He took a deep breath, and walked towards the balcony entrance. Leetac nodded and gestured him forward, and he stood again before the two almost motionless figures, wondering why he felt so uncomfortable in their presence.

"We thank you, Colonel O'Neill," the first beautiful figure said in the beautiful, clear voice he remembered from previously. "You and your team's presence has been a great satisfaction to my brother and myself." Jack remembered to bow, but say nothing. A hand stroked down his shoulder and attached a small pin on his collar, and he worked hard not to tremble. A smile and another bow, and he was out of the box, automatically taking deep breaths as he did so.

"They are something else," Major Davis mumbled, looking pale and wide-eyed.

Jack nodded, pulled himself together, and caught the last moments of Sam's audience before she too stepped outside, looking faintly bemused but noticeably in far better shape than the rest of them. "Okay, Carter?" he enquired.

She nodded and he was about to say something more when he was distracted by Daniel's arrival in the box. Daniel was greeted by exactly the same words, and given a pin, but the brother reached forward and brushed his fingers over Daniel's forehead before leaning forward and gently kissing it. A silence seemed to descend over the banquet, then a sharp buzz of chatter before Jack's concentration was broken by the arrival of his wide-eyed teammate.

"I don't know what they're broadcasting, but it sure packs a punch," Daniel muttered, holding on unsteadily to the rails as he slowly stepped forward. "Whoa!" he added, as he nearly missed a step.

Jack grabbed his arm and steered him towards a chair. "What the hell did they do to you?" he asked angrily.

Daniel shook his head, and blinked. "Gave me a pin," he said, looking down at the shining object. "It's the voices, they're almost hypnotic."

"He kissed you," Jack said accusingly, feeling a blossom of possessive anger and jealously uncurl in his chest. He brushed it aside, not willing to deal with it, and focused on Daniel.

Daniel blinked. "I think I might have noticed that," he offered, looking faintly confused.

"I saw him," Jack said indignantly. "He kissed you on the forehead, Daniel."

Daniel smiled, and patted his arm. "I think they got to you as well," he said cheerfully. "Maybe you could ask Teal'c if they kissed him just to be sure."

Jack glared at him, almost beginning to doubt the evidence of his own eyes in the face of Daniel's cheerful disavowal. He looked back at the screen and blinked in astonishment, it wasn't there! How the hell could something so big just vanish?

"Are you sure you're okay, Jack?" Daniel's voice penetrated his confusion. "You've been staring at that space for ages now, and we're ready to go."

Jack shook himself, smiled at Daniel, straightened his cap, and gave the order to leave. He gave one last glance behind him at the now empty balcony and the noisy streets below him, and shrugged.

Daniel pushed his glasses up and squeezed the side of his forehead. A headache was niggling and his eyes were getting tired. He pushed back the tablet he'd been studying and yawned, smiling tiredly as Sam walked in carrying two mugs of coffee.

"My saviour," he said, taking the mug and give her a smile of appreciation. He took a sip, fumbled in his drawer for some cookies, and offered her the packet. She took a couple, looked around for somewhere to sit, and finding none, perched on the edge of his desk.
They drank in companionable silence for a while before Sam started talking.

"You know the Zedeans gave us some unusual gemstones?" she asked, nibbling at her cookie.

Daniel nodded, waiting for her to continue.

"I've not had much time to look into them, most went to the NID labs and R&R departments, but I've been given some to investigate."

Daniel finished his cookie, sat back and looked at her and nodded.

"I've just been informed that all of the gems are to be sent to Pentagon immediately," she frowned. "It's odd, they seemed desperate to have them."

"Did you find anything interesting?" Daniel asked.

Sam shrugged. "Not really, although my lab assistant got rather keen on investigating them, but I didn't want him wasting time on them when we had so much else to check out. We've been working flat out for the past month or so, and quite honestly I've been running just to keep up."

Daniel yawned and nodded. "God I know that feeling," he said tiredly. "Am I glad that we've got forty eight hours off straight. I'm going to sleep for a day when I get to my bed."

Sam laughed, drinking down the last of her coffee. "I'm thinking longingly of a bubble bath," she admitted. She stretched and grabbed both mugs. "You just have the best cookies ever, Daniel," she admitted as she headed for the door.

Daniel gave her a wry smile. "I know why you visit me, Major Carter."

She wrinkled her nose and grinned. "It's your charm really, Dr Jackson," she said guilelessly, winked and left the room.

Daniel grinned to himself. Gathering up his books, he headed for the lockers, exchanged plans for a night out with Jack and Teal'c, and drove home. Once in his apartment, he fed the fish, checked the post, made himself a snack and headed purposefully for a shower and then bed.

When the phone rang the next morning he surfaced from a pleasant and refreshing sleep, but the sound of General Hammond's voice on the end immediately destroyed his sense of well-being.

"Dr Jackson, I'm sorry but your presence is required back at the base," General Hammond informed him, sounding both regretful and irritated.

Daniel gave the appropriate reassurance, put the phone down with a little more force than necessary, and cursed a streak in four languages just for the hell of it. He dressed quickly and headed for car. Heading for the briefing room he met Jack, dressed in civvies and looking fed up.

"I had plans," Jack muttered.

Daniel nodded. "Do you know anything about this?" he asked.

Jack shrugged. "No more than you. General Hammond sounded more than a little irritated I thought," he added.

He opened the door, waved Daniel through and they both headed for a seat before Daniel realised that Paul Davis was also present.

"Hi, Paul," he offered rather lamely, but General Hammond spoke before he could ask what he was doing.

"I apologise for pulling you in on your downtime, SG-1, but this blew up after you left." He glanced at Paul and continued. "The treaty with the Zedeans has been followed up by Major Davis and his superior in the Pentagon. I have been ordered to pass any requests directly to him. The Pentagon has been keen to get more of the minerals the Zedeans supplied."

Daniel glanced at Sam who murmured. "So that's why they wanted my supplies."

General Hammond nodded. "The Zedeans are apparently willing, but insisted that you, SG-1, are sent to collect the merchandise." He ignored the collective sigh round the table. "It would be fair to say that some people do not like the Zedeans apparent fondness for you four." He looked at Paul who nodded and took up the narrative.

"My superiors wanted to keep you out of the equation, and have been negotiating to bargain directly, but the Zedeans are not having it. The R&R boys and NID are very keen and have been at the Pentagon demanding that you been sent immediately." He took a deep breath. "I'm here to ensure you go."

"For crying out loud," Jack muttered. "Why us?"

Paul shook his head. "I don't know, sir. They wanted all of you last time, they obviously attach very great importance to you all."

"They appear to attach great importance to ceremony and procedure," Teal'c said calmly. "Our presence is perhaps of some symbolic significance."

Daniel chewed his lip in thought. "Perhaps, Teal'c, but I explained what usually happened in detail to Lord Leetac at our last meeting," he said, somewhat irritated by the whole thing, and more than a little reluctant to return. "I told him it would be highly unlikely that we returned, and explained just what our job entailed. I don't want to go," he added unthinkingly.

"Nor do I," Sam said firmly.

"I'm afraid it isn't an option," Paul said carefully. "The Zedeans made your presence an essential part of the treaty conditions, and I'm afraid that somehow that little fact appears to have been missed by our legal team."

"I don't like this," Jack said sharply.

General Hammond nodded, a look of irritation crossing his face. "Neither do I, Colonel O'Neill," he said, exasperation in his tone. "I do not want you, or any of my teams expected to drop everything to play messenger boys between the Pentagon and another planet. I am afraid though that my hands are tied." He sighed. "Please change into your uniforms, SG-1, and be prepared to gate within the hour." He stood from the table and left abruptly.

Paul grimaced. "I'm sorry too," he added, standing and gathering his papers and stuffing them in his briefcase.

"Nothing you could do about it," Daniel said reassuringly as Jack glared at him.

"Perhaps you'd like to accompany, Davis," Jack said irritably. "Share the load."

He shook his head. "They want you and just you this time, sir." He smiled. "I'll be waiting with the coffee."

Daniel smiled, and left the room to change. Kitted up with the rest his team he watched as the Stargate lit up, viewing the event horizon with more curiosity than he could remember for some time. It was such an amazing device and yet he took it so much for granted. His musings continued until Jack gestured for them to move forward.

Exiting the wormhole he felt a subtle difference about the place, and a flicker of concern as he became aware of the welcoming committee. The soldiers surrounding the Stargate saluted them, but Daniel felt overwhelmed by the presence of ten men as escort. He followed Jack to the nearest transporter, climbed in and waited to be taken to Lord Leetac.

"Is it me," he murmured into Jack's ear, "or does everything feel a little sluggish and heavy to you?"

Jack glanced sharply at him, considered his words, and nodded.

Daniel sat back against the side of the truck, and pondered the difference between themselves and the Zedeans. One similarity both Earth and Zeda shared was obviously a utilitarian attitude to transporting their troops. They'd gone less than a mile and he was vibrating with the jolts from the poorly suspended vehicle. As the lights of the city came into focus he felt tense and anxious. He really hadn't wanted to come back here at all, but in reality he had nothing to explain his reluctance. Both times the Zedeans had treated them all with respect. If anyone had a justifiable reason for complaint it was Sam.

The transporter stopped outside the gates of Leetac's residence, and they were escorted into the now familiar reception rooms. Leetac stood waiting to greet them, his expression guarded but friendly.

"The Honoured Ones wish to talk with you," he said abruptly. "Please follow me."

"Hey," Jack said, annoyance in his voice. "We've been pulled back from leave and sent out here to collect stuff that anyone else could have collected, or you could have sent through the gate. Why do we need to see anyone?"

Leetac ignored him. "This way please, SG-1," he said firmly, and Daniel noticed that the soldiers were still present.

"Not until you explain what is going on here," Jack replied, and crossed his hands over his P-90.

Daniel was sure Leetac was going to demand that they move or else, but he looked at Jack and nodded. "I apologise, Colonel O'Neill," he said smoothly. "The Honoured Ones want to talk with you, and in my world what they want, I want. I am sorry to rush you, but they can explain far better than I why we requested your attendance."

Jack nodded. "See, a little explanation oils the works, Leetac, never forget that when you're working with us."

Leetac smiled at him, but Daniel got the very definite sense that he was furious at Jack for the delay. He looked over at Sam to see if she had picked up anything and noted the puzzled frown immediately.

"Please come with me Colonel O'Neill," Leetac asked for the second time.

Jack sighed, looked at the rest of the team, and waved them forward. They retraced their journey to the palace and the audience chamber. The Honoured Ones were seated at the far end of the crowded chamber, but Daniel felt their eyes on them as soon as they stepped through the door. The noise in the hall increased as their presence was noted, but no one said anything directly to them as they walked through. For the first time, Daniel realised that the crowed was composed almost entirely of men, in fact the only women he could see were serving wine and food.

"I don't like this," he muttered to himself, but followed his teammates, his reluctance increasing the closer they got to the two thrones. As they neared the stools and the noise began to cut out, Daniel knew they were walking into danger.

"We have to leave," he said quietly to Jack. "This isn't right, Jack. Something's going on and we're walking right into it." Jack remained silent, and Daniel looked at him puzzled, and then alarmed as he noticed Jack's strained expression. He glanced at Teal'c to see the same look of panic on the normally reserved and impassive face. Sam however, looked increasingly puzzled, glancing between the two men curiously. Daniel was about to demand what the hell was going on when he felt a touch on his face, and looked round into the eyes of the king. "Daniel," the king purred, and Daniel felt the memory of his previous contact flooding back into him.

"Leave me alone," he panted out, but another hand joined the hand on his face, his head was pressed back, lips descended on his and his mind and body were suddenly no longer under his own control.

Sam watched her teammates with increasing anxiety. Every since they'd stepped out of the stargate all three of them had look nervous, and while she might be used to that in the Colonel when he had bad vibes about a situation, neither Teal'c or Daniel usually reacted that way to anything. Teal'c remained calm in the face of almost any provocation, and Daniel tried to talk his way through it. If anything, she felt she had the most right to be damn twitchy!

The walk through the throne room seemed to have played on all of their nerves yet she was unprepared for the almost frozen looks on Teal'c and Jack's faces, and the anguish and horror on Daniel's. She slowly raised her gun, her instinct to fight conflicting with her duties to respect the treaty. As she did so she became aware of Leetac and one of his sons standing to either side of her. She lowered her arms and waited tensely, her eyes glued to Daniel.

"So curious, bright, intelligent, passionate and driven," the Honoured One holding Daniel said clearly. Sam shuddered at the words; deeply perturbed by the way the man was touching Daniel. "So beautiful to watch, so rewarding to touch, Daniel Jackson. You cannot hide your need and your desires from us, young one. You cannot dissemble and mask your want."

Sam gasped as the hand stroking Daniel's face continued down his torso and lingered around his groin. The face turned her way and gave her a thin-lipped smile.

"Is he not a beautiful man, Samantha Carter?"

Sam looked at the man angrily. "What Daniel looks like has nothing to do with this visit," she said clearly. "We were sent here at your request to collect minerals for our government, so take your hands off my teammate and let us complete our task."

The golden eyes look amused. "Your task is complete, Samantha. We wanted SG-1, we have SG-1. Your government will consider you a fair exchange as we send them even more minerals to test."

"My government will demand our return," Sam said firmly, knowing full well that General Hammond would, but a little less sure of her government.

"I think not," the King said, returning his attention to Daniel. He leant forward and licked along Daniel's chin, eliciting a deep groan from him. The King smiled possessively.

Sam grabbed her gun and started forward as two arms reached for her. She ducked one and jammed her elbow hard into the other. "Stop whatever you're doing to my friends," she ordered, keeping her eye on the so far silent Queen, and moving towards Jack mentaly urging him to fight whatever was holding him.

"What do you think you can do, Samantha?" the King said smiling brightly, his hands still gripping Daniel's face. "You are one among many, and you are a woman. Women are not permitted to bear arms here, Samantha. Women please their men and obey them or suffer the consequences, as you will soon find out."

"Fuck you," Sam said pleasantly, kicking out at Leetac's son as he moved towards her. She aimed her gun squarely on the silent Queen. "Let my teammates go or I'll shoot your Queen." She stepped aside as Leetac got up from the floor and glared at him. "Move and I shoot," she informed him grimly. She spared a quick glance at Teal'c as he suddenly moved and grabbed Leetac's son by the throat.

Jack gave a deep groan, shook himself and stared incredulously at the tableaux before him. "What's going on, Carter?" he asked, his eyes fixed on Daniel as he stood held by the king, head back, arms down by his side, eyes closed, a look of anguish on his face, panting and moaning and twisting as if reacting to invisible hands. "Daniel?" Jack said slowly. He looked into the smug face of the King. "What the hell are you doing to him?" he asked, bringing up his gun to join Carter's, but centred on the king.

"Taking our Chosen," the King said simply.

The Queen stepped forward and Sam watched her keenly. "We watched you the moment you came to our world, although grief at our beloved's death kept us aloof. We sensed something in Daniel that we desired. A passion that we could bend to our needs, an intelligence and drive that could be put to good use in serving us." She smiled. "We used his curiosity and desire to learn to our advantage, and once we had touched him he was ours." She looked round at the three of them, her smile becoming smug and dangerous. "We looked into his memories and found much to interest us. We also found a deep bond of loyalty that connected him with you three. Daniel Jackson loves you all, and we sensed we could use that love to bind him closer to us. So at first we looked on you as people to use, but we found in you strengths that we desired for our people and ourselves."

She turned and looked directly at Sam. "We wanted you, Samantha because our loyal Leetac desires you, and we liked the idea of using you to breed strong, intelligent and brave subjects. We also need to make an example of you, show our people that independent women are easily tamed and broken."

Sam took a deep breath and glared angrily at the queen. "In your dreams," she spat.

The queen ignored her and turned to Teal'c. "We wanted you, Teal'c because of your strength, loyalty and fearlessness. There qualities will be used for our protection, and the protection of our Chosen One."

Teal'c drew himself up. His staff weapon still aimed squarely at Leetac. "I have been a slave, now I am free and I will not be slave to any other," he said proudly.

The queen smiled, turning towards Jack. "And you, Colonel O'Neill, we admire for your military training and leadership. You will be an excellent commander in our army. And finally we want all of you for your knowledge."

Jack growled, but before he could say anything the king took over. "Each of you will also be bondsmen for the lives of your teammates. Samantha's life can be full of luxury, and comfort if she presents her lord with a child and obeys him and his sons. Teal'c and your life will be well rewarded by women and riches if you work hard in our name, Colonel O'Neill. However, should any of you decide to disobey then your companions will bear the punishment."

"Not going to happen," Jack said, and Sam could see him weighing up the odds. She wondered momentarily why no one had come rushing into defend their king and queen before returning her full attention to the stand off in front of her. Neither the king nor queen looked in any way perturbed by the two guns and one staff weapon aimed at them.

"Throw your knife at me like you did at the Goa'uld Her'ur, Colonel," the king said.

Jack stared at him flipped his sheath open and threw the knife with deadly accuracy. The knife stopped in mid air and clattered to the floor.

Jack looked at it and narrowed his eyes. "How did you know?" he asked, his voice flat and menacing, "and how did you do that?"

The king smiled. "We had access to Daniel's memory the first time we kissed him," he said simply, his smile broadening at Jack's hiss of fury. "As to our powers, Colonel. Feel them." He pointed at Jack. "Kneel, Colonel and worship us."

Sam looked on in horror as Jack fought an internal battle and slowly lost. Jerkily he descended to his knees and lowered his head to the floor. He almost immediately forced his head up, but could move no further. She turned rapidly towards Daniel as he made a harsh sound.

"Jack!" Daniel moaned, and reached out a hand towards him.

The king exchanged a knowing look with his queen and turned to point at Teal'c. "Worship us, Jaffa," he said harshly.

Sam willed Teal'c to resist. He stood for a second, his hand grasping his staff weapon as his face twisted in agony. "Obey," the king repeated, and slowly Teal'c slumped to his knees, his head touching the floor, and struggled to rise like Jack.

"Teal'c?" Daniel cried out, "Jack, Teal'c no, stop."

Sam felt the queen's gaze on her. She tensed. "Kneel to your masters Samantha," the queen said, "and through your obedience worship us." Sam sensed someone behind her and reacted quickly, turning and ramming the butt of her gun into a soldier's groin, following it up with a punch and kick to the head.

"Sam!" she heard Daniel cry, and glanced up in time to catch another soldier in the stomach. High on adrenalin she staved off two more attackers before sheer numbers forced her to the floor where she lay panting harshly, her anger at the situation threatening to force rational thought out of the window. She was disarmed, hauled to her knees and pushed head down before Leetac, fighting every inch of the way. The strained sounds of Daniel calling her name did nothing to calm her temper. Nor did the laughter of the king and queen. Finally exhaustion set in and she stopped fighting and conserved her rage and her energy. Her head was pulled up sharply and with Jack and Teal'c she was forced to face the king and queen and Daniel.

Daniel knelt between the two rulers, a look of intense anger on his face. He looked at her and mouthed something. She looked again, concentrating on what he was saying, but was distracted by the king's gloating voice.

"SG-1, say goodbye to all you have ever been, and hello to your new lives. You will see each other in two days time when Daniel is joined with us for the rest of his days, and Samantha is married to Lord Leetac and his sons. In the mean time you, Teal'c will be trained to serve your new masters, and you, Colonel will learn to obey.

And his sons, Sam thought in horror, as the voice washed over her. "You won't get away with this," she said angrily.

"Our people will demand our return," Daniel added wearily, his voice wavering in exhaustion. "Are we worth risking the alliance for?"

The king laughed. "Your government will do anything to get their mineral supply, beloved," he answered, stroking Daniel's face and smiling as Daniel jerked his head away looking up at the man with loathing on his face. "You have two of your minutes to say your goodbyes, use them well." He kissed Daniel on the lips and raised him to his feet.

Sam was lifted by the men behind her, and reluctantly released from the restraining hands. She shook herself, glared at Leetac and caught sight of the king talking quietly with Jack, a smug smile on his face. Jack reacted badly to whatever he had been told, and Sam flinched at the expression of pure loathing he gave the king before advancing towards Daniel and Teal'c. They grouped in a huddle conscious of the people around them

"This is bad," Daniel said quietly. "Whatever those two are, they aren't human."

"My symbiote has been restless since we entered the throne room," offered Teal'c.

"I want to kill the fuckers," Jack spat, ignoring a startled look from Daniel. "I don't care what they are, no one messes with my team."

"Why are they doing this?" she questioned. "It doesn't make sense."

Daniel sighed. "They want our planet," he said quietly. "They're parasites in a way, they feed off their worshippers' adoration, and I guess they need more. The four of us are their way in along with their technology and the minerals."

Sam was startled by his comment. "How do you know this?" she asked accusingly.

Daniel lifted his eyes and stared at her. "They told me exactly what they were going to do to me, and why," he said steadily, only the twitching of his arms and the expression in his eyes indicating just how terrified he was by the knowledge. "Sam, I think you're our only hope because you're a woman."

"What the hell are you talking about, Daniel?" Jack asked. "Women are second class citizens here, how is Carter going to do anything?"

Daniel looked exasperated, "Think, Jack, Why are women second class citizens? Why are there so few women in the audience, and why didn't the king force Sam to obey him and kneel like he did the rest of us?"

Sam nodded thoughtfully "I see what you mean, Daniel." She looked over Daniel's shoulder at the advancing figure of the king and wrapped her arms round him. "Hang on in there," she muttered, and kissed him.

"Will do, Sam," Daniel said tightly, and kissed her back. She let go of him as Jack stood before him grasping his arms tightly.

"Not going to happen, Danny," she heard Jack whisper. Then he leant forward and whispered something in Daniel's ear. Whatever is was it left Daniel speechless. She saw Jack smile wryly before reaching forward and hugging Daniel closely.

Teal'c stepped forward and clasped Daniel's arms tightly, saying nothing, but conveying a great deal.

She turned towards Jack as he pulled her arm. "Look after yourself, Carter," he said carefully, his expression worried and tender. "Do what you can, and don't let those bastards touch you." He gave her a quick hug and released her, stepping back and turning to glare at the king as he stood next to them. The king's expression clearly showed just how much pleasure he was getting from watching them.

Sam felt Teal'c's hand cover her shoulder, and smiled up at him. He bowed, and squeezed her shoulder again, offering his support. Then as one, the four of them turned and faced the king.

The golden eyes glowed with appreciation, but the voice was mocking. "Come, beloved," he said to Daniel, and held out his hand.

Daniel looked at it as if it was a cesspit, and shook his head. "I do not want this," he said quietly. "My teammates do not want this. We will hate you for this, not worship you as you desire."

The king grabbed his hand, impatiently pulling him forward and imprisoning him in his arms. "We do not care what you want, beloved, only what we want," he said dismissively.

Jack folded his arms and glared at him. "We will destroy you," he promised.

The golden eyes looked over them, dismissed them, and pushing an unwilling Daniel left the audience chamber. Soldiers surrounded the rest of the team, and Sam watched helplessly as Jack and Teal'c were led off and she was left to face Leetac.

Stumbling a little, Sam dragged herself out of the bath and waved the serving girls away. Her back ached from the whipping Leetac had dealt out, his calmness as he counted the ten strokes causing her more fear than the ranting she had expected. She had then been forcibly dressed in 'more appropriate clothes', and endured a lecture on decorum and obedience that had tried her patience and tolerance to the limits, before being escorted through the household, forced to kneel before the five sons, and enduring yet another bout of mindless boredom as she was instructed in the duties of the household. The evening couldn't have come any quicker as she was led up the stairs and handed into the custody of a group of giggling women to be bathed. She shooed them out of the small room, dressed in the frilly nightdress laid out for her, and sat on the edge of the bed trying to gather her thoughts. If she was to do anything she need to do it now. She had tonight and another night before she was 'married off' but she gathered from the fear in Daniel's voice, and the threat in the king's, that whatever was to be done to enforce their obedience would start almost immediately. She checked the door, unsurprised to find it locked, and peered out of the barred window refusing to give in to the sense of powerlessness the whole day had given her.

She sat for some time replaying the events of the day in her mind before she became aware of the sounds of a lock being picked. Mindful that this could be anyone, she stood behind the door grasping a heavy looking pottery jug, and waited. The door was slowly opened and the slight figure of Selene walked cautiously into the room. Sam relaxed and stepped out from behind the door.

Selene held her finger to her lips and pointed at her nightdress and then at the bundle of clothes she carried in her hands. Sam nodded, slipped to the end of the room and quickly changed into the type of attire she had seen many of the servants wearing. Dressed, she returned to Selene who indicated that she should follow her. They closed the door and silently descended the far stairs hiding in the shadows every time they heard voices. Sam guessed that they were heading for the servant's quarters as the decoration of the walls were perfunctory and utilitarian compared to what she had seen in the rest of the house. As they neared the exit, Selene snagged a couple of cloaks from a rack, and covered herself. Sam did the same and followed Selene out half expecting to be challenged any minute. The bored looking guard on duty gave them both a perfunctory look over and waved them out. Selene grabbed Sam's hand and pulled her away heading in the direction of the palace.

"Can we talk now?" Sam asked quietly.

Selene nodded, heading for a small alcove and indicating the stone bench.

"The house is monitored," she whispered. "Outside we are relatively free. No one will challenge two servants on business, we need to free Daniel, then find the warrior Teal'c and the Colonel."

Sam nodded. "Why are you doing this, Selene?" she asked gently. "Aren't you putting yourself in danger?"

Selene looked at her with misery in her young eyes. "Yes," she said, "but I could not accept that my father and the Honoured Ones would abuse you all so." She took a deep breath. "I have fallen in love with Daniel, it is true, but I find much to like in all of you, particularly you, Samantha. You're bright, beautiful, powerful and honoured by your team despite your sex. I admire the way you look out for each other, and how your leader listens to you all." She bit her lip and Sam could see tears in her eyes. "The Honoured Ones have taken Daniel, and he will never be the same again if we do not get him away. I knew their previous Chosen, a man who looked much like Daniel. He lived only to please the Honoured Ones. He was happy only in their service or presence. He had nothing to say to anyone except what they allowed him. At first I accepted this as their right, they are our rulers and all powerful, but I heard rumours that many years before he had been a highly sort after artist, charming, witty, compassionate and desired by many before he was taken as their Chosen." She looked at Sam and grasped her hands. "I can't let them destroy Daniel's personality like that."

Sam shuddered at the thought. "How do we get in, and won't Daniel be well guarded?" she asked.

Selene nodded. "None of us really know about the ceremony of affirmation, the last Chosen One was taken many years before even my father's birth, but I guess that Daniel will be expected to fast, and have ritual baths. We are expected to bath and cleanse ourselves before admittance to the Honoured Ones. He will have servants to do this for him, I hope we can take the place of the servants."

Sam nodded. "Do any of the women ever express their discontent at the way they are treated?" she asked Selene as they started back to the road to the palace.

Selene shook her head. "The noblewomen like myself are pampered as long as they obey and they do not complain. A few of the more spirited ones have indulgent fathers or find indulgent husbands who permit them more freedom. As to the rest I am not so sure. The servants do their jobs, but quietly complain together about the men. Few men will permit you to say anything against the ways we live, those who do call out for change tend to end up as indentured servants."

Sam looked thoughtful. "You know a great deal about your world, Selene," she said curiously.

Selene gave a small smile. "My mother talked to me before she died and taught me everything she knew. My father does not know the extent of my ability to read or how much I listen in on him when he talks with his advisors and with my brothers, and I resent the way he ignores me, hushes me and treats me like a child not an adult." She sighed. "I love and honour my father, Samantha, but I cannot give the Honoured Ones the same unthinking devotion that he and my brothers give them."

Sam glanced at her. "Daniel suggested to me that it was purely because I was a woman that I would be the only one to be able to do anything," she said. "Thinking about it I understand him. I do not think your Honoured Ones can influence the minds of women, only men. Perhaps the repression of women is because your rulers fear us?"

Selene looked at her sharply her eyes wide and shocked. "I never thought of that," she said slowly. She shook her head, her gaze checking the paths around her. "The servant's entrance is this way. Pull up your cloak, Samantha, your short hair might give you away."

Sam complied, watching Selene as she walked and wishing fervently for her gun, or even a knife. She held her breath as they were checked and waved through the gates, and only let it out as they were half way down the path. She kept her head lowered as they walked past another guard into a large room bustling with hurrying figures. Selene appeared to be checking a list, and Sam stood back and waited impatiently wishing she wasn't so reliant on Selene for everything, but exceedingly grateful for her help. Selene waved her over and passed her a scarf that she tied over her hair. They hung their cloaks up, grabbed a jug of wine, and carried on through the room to another. As they looked occupied no one challenged them, and when they came to a steaming room and stood in queue to take large jugs of hot water, again no one challenged them.

Sam grasped the jug impatiently, glad of the insulation on the outside. She sidled towards Selene, and asked. "Why are we carrying hot water?"

Selene looked around before answering her. "For the ritual, the water must be special water, not run through the pipes. This is for Daniel."

Sam nodded, her hopes high, and followed Selene and the other women along a passageway, up stairs and towards a guarded doorway. The guard nodded them through into an enormous room with a large bath in the centre. Sam looked around and took a deep breath as she noticed the naked form of a man standing by the barred window. She would have recognised the stance anywhere, head down, arms crossed, Daniel radiated anger and tension. She breathed a sigh of relief, gave herself a second to admire the view and wonder where his clothes were before following Selene and tipping the water into the bath.

Selene waited for the women to disappear, then said loudly. "The bath awaits you, Chosen One."

Sam saw Daniel's shoulder's twitch, he turned his head slowly and looked at Selene, his eyes squinting and then widening as he took in Sam's presence.

"I am sufficiently clean," he said mildly. "But I would appreciate some clothing." He looked at Sam, pointed to the door and held up two fingers questioningly.

She nodded and approached the door.

"You must bathe, Chosen One," Selene said loudly, watching as Daniel approached her and took the jug with a smile. She smiled back at him and proceeded to continue her requests for the Chosen One to comply in an increasing louder voice. The door was finally flung open and an irate guard poked his head around the door only to be grabbed by Daniel and hit over the head with the jug. His cry of surprise roused the other guard who ran in only to be dealt with efficiently by Sam.

Daniel grabbed the taller of the two guards and stripped him of his uniform; dressing quickly before he came round. Sam pulled the other guard into a small alcove and returned for the first one once Daniel had finished, removing their guns as she did so. When she returned Daniel was dressed and ready to go.

"Do you know where Jack and Teal'c are?" he asked.

Sam shook her head, and looked at Selene. Selene swallowed rapidly. "My father mentioned conditioning. I am not certain what this means, but he implied that this would take place in the barracks rather than in the palace. I think we must head there."

"Is it nearby?" Daniel asked. "And would a soldier be accompanied by two servants outside of here?"

Selene shook her head. "Not usually," she said slowly then blushed. "Sometimes the guards look for women of the night to take back to their barracks. I think we could grab some wine and jugs and you could pretend to be drunk, Daniel," she suggested. "Hopefully people would assume we were accompanying you."

Daniel nodded and looked towards Sam questioningly. She nodded.

Daniel smiled. "It's good to see you both," he said. "We need to get out of here before anyone else arrives."

They scrambled for the door, and retraced their steps, standing back to let people past them, grateful for the lack of interest in them. As they headed for the exit, Sam was relieved to see that the guard was talking with a young woman. They slipped out without comment as the distracted man gave them a cursory glance, and Daniel walked part him as if he had every right to be there. The guard gave him a brief salute, then returned to his conversation. Sam took another breath. Everything was going well, almost too well, and she wondered when everything was going to go to hell. The guard at the gate stood to attention as they approached.

He gave Sam an appreciative look, freezing with disbelief when he looked at Daniel. "Chosen One?" he gasped, raising his gun.

"Not any longer," Daniel said quietly. "Put down your gun and let us through." He raised his gun.

"I cannot, Chosen One," the man stuttered. "The Honoured Ones would never forgive me."

"Then I hope you forgive me," Daniel said, as Sam brought the guard down with a well-aimed kick at his stomach. Winded the man clutched himself, and Daniel grabbed his arms while Sam tore off strips of her dress to make bindings, she gagged the man, and bound his hands and legs. Stepping back Daniel pressed his fingers to the man's face. "I'm sorry," he said, and moved out of the way.

Sam gestured impatiently. "We need to get going. What direction?"

Selene shook herself, looking down at the guard and keeping her face hidden in the fold of her cloak. "This way," she said, and the three of them hurried off into the night.

Jack's patience had grown thinner by the hour as he and Teal'c were put on display. First they were forced to defend themselves against a group of heavily armed soldiers, armed themselves only with a staff. Teal'c had dealt with each and every one with his usual ruthless efficiency, but Jack prided himself that while his movements were neither as controlled nor fluent as his companions, he had given far better than he'd got. He might be bruised and breathless, but a number of their opponents were out cold.

The organiser of the jolly little bout bowed low to both of them, arranged for his men to be collected and treated, and had Jack and Teal'c checked over then bathed by young women. Jack found the whole experience somewhat disconcerting. He didn't feel in the mood for flirtation, and neither did he feel like being friendly to anyone on this damn planet, so the bathing had been a silent and strained affair.

Washed and dressed in the Zedean's equivalent of uniform, he and Teal'c were then given water, but no food, and take out to the practice ranges where, surrounded by armed men, they competed against the Zedeans. Or rather he did. Teal'c folded his arms and refused to have anything to do with the guns, demanding his staff weapon. Savagely proud of him, Jack tore into the targets aiming at the heart while in his mind's eye he blew the king, queen and Lord Leetac into oblivion. When he had finished there was a respectful silence, and some clapping that Jack refused to acknowledge.

Still not satisfied, the commander had Jack stand in the centre of a parade ground, with Teal'c surrounded by weapons as encouragement, and had Jack twisting and turning sighting targets as they swung out from every conceivable direction. Again his performance was met with quiet applause, followed by excitement as a soldier came running with Teal'c's staff weapon. It was then Jack's turn to be surrounded as Teal'c smoothly demonstrated his agility at the targets, popping some off over his shoulder with casual mastery.

Bone tired, hungry and angry beyond words Jack hoped for rest and food, but they were given water then sent out to another practice area that included buildings and trees. Weapons again covered Teal'c and he was given his task, to take out an enemy sniper. He folded his arms and refused, sick of being expected to show off like a performing animal until he was reminded that Sam would take his punishment for him in the form of a whipping. He had to be hauled off the man, and swearing like a trooper he did the damn exercise taking great joy in hitting the sniper over the head at the end. The positions were reversed and Teal'c left to run a similar route.

The daylight was ending as they were marched to the next exercises, and Jack groaned as he saw the assault course lit by floodlights. Teal'c was ordered to go first, and silently stripped to his t-shirt and pants before attempting the course along with five other soldiers. Jack watched him in admiration as he beat the opposition and arrived back in front of him breathing heavily about ten minutes later. The positions were reversed and Jack went for it, amazed at the similarity in training as he swung himself over a suspended ladder, kicking his legs to give him the rhythm to go as fast as possible before pulling himself over an wall and under a tunnel. He arrived back at the start congratulating himself on beating some of the youngsters, and begging his knee joint not to let him down. His team might joke that his little knee problem was a convenient fall back, but on occasions it truly was his weakest link.

Finally the exercises finished, and he and Teal'c were led to yet another bath, dressed again and left to contemplate their navels in a small barred room with guards posted out side.

"They will repeat everything again in a few hours, O'Neill," Teal'c said.

Jack shrugged; he'd guessed that himself. They intended to wear them down with hunger and exhaustion. "What do you think of our chances?" he asked, unconcerned that his words were probably monitored.

"As Daniel Jackson implied, out of our hands," Teal'c said cryptically, but Jack understood him.

"Why do you continue to refer to Daniel by his first name and surname, big guy?" he asked, more to kill time than in any expectation of major revelations. "You seem happy enough to call me O'Neill."

Teal'c leant back against the bunk and raised his eyebrows. "It is a habit of respect that I cannot discontinue," he said slowly "Daniel Jackson is my friend, I know he would be more than happy for me to refer to him as Daniel, yet I do not feel comfortable so doing. I feel the same towards Major Carter, to refer to her as Carter or even Sam does not sit well with me." He looked across at Jack and Jack was convinced he saw an evil grin cross Teal'c face. "I cannot explain why that does not extend to you, O'Neill."

"I'm getting it T," Jack said sardonically. He fiddled with his uniform and stood up to pace the room. "When we get out of here I'm going to remember to listen a little more carefully when Daniel tells me he doesn't feel comfortable about a place," he said grimly. "Not that I suppose it will stop me going, I'll just be a little more prepared to read the signs."

"I always attend to Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said comfortably. "He is perhaps the one that is as you say most 'in tune with' his feelings, and reacts more on instinct that Major Carter or myself. I note however that you too react on instinct when you feel threatened. I have found it useful to observe you when Daniel Jackson acts 'twitchy'."

Jack laughed. "Twitchy, Teal'c?"

Teal'c' inclined his head. "Major Carter named it so, O'Neill. It is very subtle but noticeable if you know him."

Jack laughed. "Yeah, Danny's a walking radar for trouble." He fell silent, reminding himself just how much trouble both Daniel and Sam were in at the moment. "I'm worried about Carter as well, I know she can take care of herself, but she can't if they gang up on her."

Teal'c nodded. "My belief is that both Daniel Jackson and Major Carter are relatively safe until the ceremonies, O'Neill," he said calmly. "For all the dishonour they have shown us, they appear to be very attached to formality and procedure. My belief is that both will be expected to go through some kind of ritual, as we did with the first audience, to prepare them for the actual event."

Jack nodded trying to take reassurance from Teal'c's words. "So the gloves are off for us then?"

Teal'c nodded. "They will want us broken for the ceremony."

"Not going to happen, T," Jack said confidently. He closed his eyes, determined to rest. He had dropped into a light slumber when loud shouting outside woke him. He stood up and tried to hear what was going on.

Teal'c stood next to him, an expression of relief on his face. "Daniel Jackson has escaped," he said.

Jack grinned. "Carter's out there with him," he said quietly.

Teal'c nodded and they looked at each other trying to work out what was happening from the sounds alone. An apparently drunken soldier was singing, with the accompaniment of a sweet female voice that Jack somehow knew was not Sam's, a rowdy and somewhat bawdy tune. He could hear the soldiers by the door laughing and tried to imagine the scene as Daniel, Sam and the unknown female headed towards them. He heard the guard call for them to halt, he heard the continued giggles and the smack of a kiss, followed pretty quickly by the sounds of groaning and then the blessed rattle of a key in the lock. He could have hugged and kissed Daniel senseless when he saw him looking anxiously into the room, but instead clapped him on the arm and hurried out of the cell.

He nodded at Sam and did a double take when he saw Selene standing next to her, but gave her a smile.

"Help me get these two in the cell," he muttered, and patted the men down for arms before pulling them in. "These things are their communication devices, Carter?" he asked pointing at a small badge on the breast pocket.

Sam looked down and nodded, pulling the two devices off the uniforms and handing one to Jack. He placed it in the breast pocket and looked up. "Got a plan?" he asked.

"We need to get to the Stargate before they close it off," Daniel reminded him.

Jack nodded his head. "How?"

"Selene suggests the aircraft, sir," Sam said.

Jack nodded again. "They're parked near the assault course, Teal'c." He looked at Selene. "Will you be punished for this?"

She shook her head. "It would never cross my father's mind that I had the ability or guts to do something like this," she said slightly bitterly. "The guards did not see my face nor would they recognise me. Samantha and Daniel have asked me to come with you, and I wish to very much, but I know that my father and the Honoured Ones would use my loss to their advantage."

"You are a very brave young woman, Selene," Jack said in admiration.

Selene blushed. " I did it to save Daniel, but I care about you all," she said breathlessly. She looked up at Daniel and reached for his hand

Daniel pulled her towards him and dropped a kiss on her lips. "Please go, Selene," he said urgently. "I can't tell you how much this means to me, to all of us, but it will mean nothing if you are caught and punished."

"I am honoured by your help," Teal'c said bowing deeply.

Sam hugged and kissed her, and Jack pulled her into a rough hug and ruffled her hair.
"We have to go," he said releasing her.

She nodded, wiped her eyes, took one last look at them all, her eyes lingering on Daniel, pulled her cloak tight and disappeared down the corridor. Jack waved them in the opposite direction and hugging the shadows, their stolen weapons ready, they crept towards the craft. Spotlights highlighted the area, and Jack could see the guards on patrol. He waited for a few minutes checking their walking patterns, looked around the area and pointed at an aircraft furthest away from the hangers. "Aim for that one," he said pointing at it, and wondered quite how well Daniel could see without his glasses as he squinted to follow Jack's arm. "The sentry on the left is mine, Teal'c you take the one on the right. Carter, you and Daniel get to the craft and check it out. I want to be able to have it ready to go when we get on board."

Sam nodded. He watched her and Daniel move away, and then he and Teal'c set off, hitting the sentries with perfect timing and rolling them into the hanger. They were in the craft in minutes and to Jack's surprise in the air even quicker.

"Daniel thinks they won't shoot at us," Sam said above the engine noise as she manoeuvred them up above the barracks and into the night sky. "I agree, for a start Daniel's the Chosen One, and then there's the problem of explaining how come we died on an simple pick up and leave mission."

Jack nodded, his eyes alert for any response to their departure and any signs of pursuit. "Get us there, Carter," he waved forward. "We need to be ahead of them and ready to dial when we get there." He turned back to Daniel who was sitting slumped in one of the co-pilot seats. "Where do you suggest we go since we haven't got the GDO's?"

"Abydos," Daniel said quietly. "They keep the gate guarded so it won't take any time for Kasuf to greet us and we can get back home quickly. We need to talk to General Hammond urgently."

Jack looked at him closely, and realised that Daniel was hanging onto his self control by the skin of his teeth. "Abydos it is," he agreed and turned abruptly as the craft rocked violently.

"Missile" Sam said abruptly. "I think it was meant to miss, and was more a warning."

"Get us there, Carter," Jack repeated. He turned to Daniel. "You okay to dial us up?"

Daniel nodded. "Get me out of here, Jack, and I'll do anything you ask," he said faintly.

Jack nodded, his eye on the horizon.

"The Stargate is ahead of us," Teal'c informed them just as another missile streaked past making the craft rock like crazy.

"Put us down as near as you can get, Carter," Jack ordered. "Get ready to jump and run, Daniel, Teal'c and I will keep you covered."

Within seconds they were there, Jack pushed Daniel and scanned the horizon anxiously. He could see a couple of transporters wending they way up the hill towards them and the pursuing aircraft screamed low shaking the settled craft as it lay somewhat precariously on the incline to the Stargate. He watched as Sam jumped out of the cockpit and ran towards them. The Stargate burst into life and Jack could have kissed the metal as he waved Daniel from the DHD, checked his team, and entered the event horizon.

General Hammond replaced the receiver on the red phone and looked at Daniel. "The president accepts your explanation and suggestions for containment, Dr Jackson," he said gently, looking more than a little concerned.

Daniel sighed, and relaxed a little.

"I need you to explain this again, all of you, and I need to have Major Davis sitting in on this so that the facts get to the Pentagon immediately."

Daniel nodded and stood wearily, and made his way to the briefing room sinking into a chair gratefully. He nodded at Paul as he thrust a mug of coffee in his hands, and looked round the table at the rest of his team. Sam looked weary and a little punchy, Jack looked exhausted while Teal'c looked in need of kel'no'reem. He took a sip of coffee and composed himself. "Shall I start?" he asked.

General Hammond nodded. "You appear to be the best informed, Dr Jackson," he said.

Daniel nodded. "I think what I need to make clear is the exact nature of the threat against us. The Zedean rulers are not human despite their appearance. I have no idea of their age, but they appeared sometime in the planet's past, took control of the area we visited and slowly conquered the whole planet. They maintain power by mind control and I suspect by pheromones somewhat comparable to Hathor's, again only affecting men, but far more powerful. The 'worship' that the men offer them feeds back and sustains their power. Women in contrast cannot be affected so they have been kept out of the equation by denying them any rights or power." He looked up from his study of the table and met Sam's eyes. "You were a threat, Sam. A threat they wanted to contain. Giving you to their 'high priest' and ensuring that you were publicly bound to him and his family would render you powerless."

Sam nodded. "Leetac was very clear about my role," she said tensely. "I think barefoot and pregnant about sums it up."

Daniel nodded, his face troubled. "I was tricked into meeting them alone, and had no memory of what they did to me nor what they learnt from me until we went back for the third time. Apparently they were impressed with what they read from my mind about Jack and Teal'c," he said tightly grasping the mug to his chest for comfort. "They saw how useful both would be not only for their knowledge of our world, but in increasing the skills of their military. They also knew that given times and exposure, Teal'c and Jack would fall under their mind control."

Jack shifted restlessly in his seat, but said nothing to contradict Daniel, while Teal'c nodded his head slowly, his face troubled. "I would like to be able to deny Daniel Jackson's assertion, but they forced me to abase myself before them by the sheer power of their minds," he said levelly. "I doubt that their military would have broken either O'Neill or myself, but faced with the rulers we were in effect powerless."

General Hammond nodded. "A chilling assessment, Teal'c," he agreed.

Daniel nodded and composed himself for his next words. "As to my role, they intended to wipe me clean of everything they didn't want and rebuild me in their image." He tried to contain a shudder and failed. "From their first appearance they chose the then leader's son and 'melded' with him. I don't understand how, I only know that they need this connection with their subjects. Their Chosen One then lives and breathes purely to please them, and apparently has the same effect on men as they do." He took a deep breath and looked at General Hammond. "I was to be sent back through the gate as their 'Ambassador' and to assure you that all of us had Chosen our paths, but in reality I was the first part of their invasion."

General Hammond took a deep breath. "This is the part I don't understand, Dr Jackson. I would never have believed anything of that from SG-1. I would have known you were under some kind of control, and I would have informed the President and the Pentagon of my concerns."

Daniel smiled. "You are a honourable man, sir," he said sincerely. "I know, we all know, that you have our safety as your priority, but in the end you do not hold the ultimate power, and what the Zedeans were relying on was man's greed. They intended to flood the government and the military with the minerals that the NID were already desperate to get their hands on. Please don't ask me to explain, although I'm sure Sam will do her best to find out how, but these minerals are addictive. The more you have the more you need, and the more you are convinced that they hold the answer to your greatest dreams and desires. The NID would have given us to the Zedeans in seconds, and you know of many people in power who would be more than happy to be rid of SG-1. They would have agreed to my role as Ambassador, taken more minerals and in return the Zedeans would demand more access, more rights, more visits and subtly they would begin to influence the minds of our leaders and power brokers."

"I experienced the effect of close contact with the rulers," Paul said quietly. "SG-9 and I can vouch for the almost narcotic affect of the two of them, sir. As to the minerals, I have had no contact with them, but I can also vouch for the indecent speed with which supplies, of which there have been many, were whisked away by the NID and departments in the Pentagon."

Daniel glanced at Jack, who had been unnaturally silent throughout the briefing. Jack looked up, smiled briefly and turned to General Hammond. "Bottom line, sir, their technology came with a price; freedom." He glanced at Paul. "I think even the NID might consider that too high a price to pay." He turned back to General Hammond. "If you don't mind, sir, we're all exhausted and very much due for leave."

General Hammond nodded. "Dr Frasier says you all need rest. Unfortunately I need your reports immediately as I'm going to get a lot of flack for this, particularly as the President has authorised the round up and destruction of all minerals, but when they are complete go home, and I don't expect to see you for at least forty eight hours." He stood. "Major Davis, I think we need to discuss this further." He left the room accompanied by Paul.

Daniel stood, stretched and moved over to Sam. "Thanks," he said quietly. "I can't tell you how wonderful it was to see your face in that damn room." He looked her over. "Did Leetac hurt you?"

Sam shrugged her shoulders and winced. "He whipped me," she admitted. "It hurt like hell, but it was administered as a lesson, to cause pain, not to damage. I'll get over it, and Janet says it won't scar."

Daniel squeezed her hand. "Do you think Selene will be safe?" he asked hopefully, acknowledging how much he liked the young woman.

Sam sighed. "I think her assumption that her father wouldn't consider her capable of doing such a thing is a fair assessment."

Daniel nodded and was about to inquire further when Jack clapped him on the shoulder. "Well done team," he said seriously. "Carter, good work. I'm recommending a commendation for this."

"Thanks, sir," she said, and smiled tiredly at them all. "I'm off to do my report then I'm going home to bed and a long, undisturbed sleep."

"I will need to meditate for some time," Teal'c said.

"Food, beer, sport and bed." Jack said. "What about you, Daniel?"

Daniel grimaced. "Sleep, lots of it, and some food, but no baths in the immediate future," he said and yawned. "I better get on with this report before I fall asleep."

Jack nodded, and the four of them set off for their respective rooms for peace and quiet. Daniel wrote his report as dispassionately as possible, giving facts, but not embellishing them. Satisfied with his sparse, unemotional prose he emailed the report to Jack, and took a paper copy to the General's office, leaving it on the table and heading for the locker rooms with relief. Dressed, he headed out of the mountain and for home, stopping only to pick up a takeout on the way, and consuming it in the car because he was so hungry. Once home he checked for any messages and made his way to bed, too exhausted to do anything but clean his teeth.

Sleep took time to come, and then it was filled with images of the king and queen as they whispered exactly what they were going to do to and with him in salacious detail, their hands and mouths sliding along his unwilling body and touching him intimately, malicious amusement showing on their faces as he cried out his denial and outrage. Daniel whimpered in his sleep, tossing and turning, his memory reminding him of the pleasure they found in explaining how he would betray his world and his friends for them, laughing at him as they read his mind and ripped apart his belief that his friends would save him, that Jack would never leave him. "We told Jack you loved him," the king mocked him, licking along the tracks of his tears, "We assured him that the next time he saw you, you would not even know his name. You are ours, Chosen One, ours, ours, ours, ours, ours!"

Daniel screamed and bolted up right, his heart beating fast, his breathing loud and raucous in his ears. He stumbled out of the room and headed for the kitchen for water, drinking it down in gulps. He wasn't sure what woke him, but the memory of the king's spite shook him. Jack knew he loved him, unless he assumed that the king was playing with his mind. He wasn't too sure what to do. Jack had whispered that he loved him too, but had given no indication that anything had changed between them, not that they had much time to discuss anything but their concerns over the threat the Zedean's posed. He wondered wearily if it would change the strange and occasionally charged friendship that ebbed and flowed between them. Tired and miserable, he returned to bed, and slowly sank into a restless sleep.

The sound of knocking dragged him into consciousness. He glanced at the clock, surprised to see that it was a few minutes past midnight. Dressed in his shorts and t-shirt he stumbled to the front door, worried about the noise disturbing his neighbours. He could only think that it was Jack, although why Jack was still up was anyone's business, and why he'd decided to come across town to bother him was yet another of life's mysteries. Unsure what he would say, or whether he wanted to see Jack, he slowly opened the door. "Jack?" he asked, peering blearily at the man as he leant against his doorframe

"Going to let me in?" Jack asked.

Daniel stood aside, closed the door and turned to find himself engulfed by Jack's strong arms. He stood for a second revelling in the comfort before lifting his head up and facing the man. "Jack?" he asked again.

Jack kissed him, and the response stunned him into silence.

"We nearly lost you back there, Daniel," Jack said seriously. "I nearly lost you. I've decided I'm not prepared to wait until one day one of us is lost forever. I think we've spent enough time skirting around our attraction for each other. I'm in love with you, Daniel, and I know you're in love me aren't you?"

Daniel looked at him open mouthed with astonishment until with an amused smirk Jack closed the gap and kissed him again. The kiss wasn't gentle this time, this time it involved passion as well as comfort, and Daniel melted into the welcoming arms as he remembered the last time he had held another person against him like this. Memories of Sha're's beautiful face came to mind, but the usual anguish was strangely muted. Jack would never replace Sha're, but then Jack was nothing like her. Jack was unique, and for all the inherent difficulties that a relationship with Jack would have, Daniel knew now that he wanted to try.

The kissing got deeper and more urgent. Jack pushed him back against the door and began to nibble at him, pushing up the hem of his t-shirt and playing with his nipples as he investigated his throat. Daniel moaned, tightening his hands around Jack, desperate for contact with the man. He tried to kiss back, but Jack was a force of nature determined to drive him wild. By the time Jack had him effectively bare and totally horny, Daniel was happy to go along for the ride. He wanted Jack, he needed his warmth, his love, and his passion to counteract the cold, glittering desire that he had seen reflected in two pairs of inhuman golden eyes.

His shivering at the memory stopped Jack's advance, and his face was pulled up to meet Jack's eyes. "Daniel?" Jack said, passion and concern in his voice.

"Don't stop," Daniel panted. "Please don't stop, Jack."

Jack gave him a sweet kiss, then began the attack again. Daniel tried to reciprocate, but Jack appeared to be intent in frying his higher thought centres, and it was all he could do to hang on and cry his pleasure as Jack swept like a tornado over his body. He savoured each bite, lick and caress as he was brought to the brink of orgasm when suddenly Jack dropped to his knees, and licked his very erect penis.

"God, Jack," he whispered.

Jack looked up, grinned, and opened his mouth taking most of him in. Daniel looked down at him trembling. This was too much, this was more than he hoped for, this was Jack doing this to him, and with that thought his penis jerked, his head went back and giving a long keening cry of Jack's name, he came.

The release of tension and lust brought him to his knees where a very self-satisfied Jack cradled him in his arms, and kissed his head. "It's okay now, Danny," he said. "We're all safely back home. They can't hurt any of us now."

Daniel sighed and turned his head to look at Jack. "Thanks," he said, stroking his hand down the scarred eyebrow.

"My pleasure," Jack said grinning. "Now let's get you to bed."

Daniel frowned. "That's where I was before you disturbed me," he said.

"Ah, but were you sleeping well?" Jack asked with uncanny insight.

Daniel shook his head, took the arm offered him and stood up drawn again into Jack's arms. He wriggled a bit, feeling the hardness of Jack's erection pressed against him. "We can't leave that unattended to," he said breathlessly..

Jack smiled and shook his head. "I can wait until later, Daniel. You need a good sleep, and I'm just the person to ensure that you get one." He pulled at Daniel's t-shirt until Daniel raised his arms. "You won't need to wear anything, you'll have me to warm you. And you won't have any nightmares because I'm right by your side." He pushed Daniel forward, encouraging him to step out of his shorts.

"I'm not helpless, Jack," Daniel said, beginning to get a little embarrassed and mildly irritated by Jack's actions.

Jack stopped and turned him back into his arms. "I know that, Daniel. I know you're a strong, competent, and highly capable man, but over the last forty-eight hours you've been threatened with the total obliteration of self, a living death. That's made Carter. Teal'c and me pretty angsty on your behalf, and I'd guess we don't know the half of it."

Daniel closed his eyes, unwelcome tears leaking from his eyelids. "They said that they would give me sufficient self awareness to know what I was doing, but no way of ever changing it." He shuddered. "It would be almost the same as being taken by a Goa'uld."

Jack nodded. "And that's why I'm here, among other reasons, to offer you comfort. For the next forty eight hours we forget work and concentrate on pleasure."

Daniel sniffed. "You'd do this for every team member?" he asked, smiling at the man through his tears.

Jack pretended to consider. "I'd offer comfort," he agreed," but it wouldn't be quite so hands on, Dr Daniel Jackson."

Daniel laughed. "I'm very glad to hear it, Colonel O'Neill," he said. He followed Jack into his bedroom, and lay on the bed as Jack quickly undressed. "So we sleep and then what?" he asked, as Jack climbed into bed, pulled the covers up and snuggled next to him.

"Make like bunnies?" Jack yawned.

Daniel snorted. "Is that the best you can come up with?" he asked incredulously.

Jack nibbled his ear. "Make sweet, slow, sensuous, leisurely love to you on the hour every hour until we go back on duty," he whispered, the sensations making Daniel shiver.

He gulped, and willed his penis to stop making a fool of itself. "That's a plan," he agreed nervously.

Jack pulled him closer. "Good, now shut up and go to sleep," he muttered. "I've got things I want to try out with you that require a lot of energy."

Daniel swallowed and thought deep, dark thoughts as his friend and newly acquired lover sank into slumber leaving him wide-awake with an over ambitious and pushy erection to deal with. "Make like bunnies!" he muttered darkly, and slowly drifted off to sleep with the image of Jacks in bunny girl uniforms jumping over fences.

The end

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