Daughter of the Gods-Dark Illusions
by Lisa Beth Darling
Adult Daniel Jackson Fan Fiction

CHAPTER EIGHT

May 10th
Planet P3X624

Ground Control to Major Tom
Ground Control to Major Tom
Commending count down
Engines on
Check ignition
and may God's love
be with you
Space Oddity
David Bowie

P3X624 turned out to be a right fine vacation spot. It had clean crisp air, bright sunshine, forests that appeared to stretch for weeks, beautiful flowers and white sandy beaches that led to sparkling blue waters where the fish jump fat and high into the air just waiting for someone (Colonel O‘Neill perhaps) to come along with a pole and good bait. Anything short of the word Paradise just didn’t do it justice.

“I wouldn’t mind retiring here one day.” Colonel O’Neill remarked as they sat around the campfire. “We’ve been here, what three days, and haven’t seen a single soul. I think this place is totally uninhabited.”

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Major Carter agreed as she heated the MRE over the fire. You didn’t have to cook them, but they always tasted just a little bit more like actual food if they were warmed up just a bit. “The MALP sent back images of some kind of settlement. I don’t know why we haven’t found it.”

“Maybe the inhabitants moved on.” Teal’c suggested.

“It didn’t look like a seasonal type of community from the pictures I saw,” Dr. DePeter interjected as he tried to get comfortable on the ground. “I think we’re lost.”

All mouths were quite as all eyes turned to Colonel O’Neill. “We’re not lost.” He looked around at the sparkling night. “We’re just taking the Scenic Route, that’s all.” Why did DePeter always have to interject something into the conversation? Usually something negative about his leadership abilities. “I think it’s time we all turned in. Got lots more walkin’ to do tomorrow. Lots.” Colonel O’Neill remarked with a raising of his brow and lowering of his voice. DePeter was a nice enough guy. However, he was a little ‘high brow’ for the rest of them, not the kind of guy who enjoyed sleeping under the stars but would rather have all the comforts of home at his disposal. That didn’t make him an idiot or anything, he was very intelligent, O’Neill had to give him that much. He just didn’t fit in that well with the rest of them. Give it time, he reminded himself; Daniel was not exactly a perfect fit when he first came along either.

The night was warm and generally quiet except the fleeting sounds of birds overhead or the passing wild animal. It was perfect weather for sleeping outside, SG1 hadn’t bothered with pitching a tent tonight, and the campfire brought more than enough warmth and kept the bugs away. The stars overhead were bright and twinkling. None of them saw a cloud anywhere in the night sky. All the members of SG1 including Dr. DePeter fell asleep in the arms of Mother Nature.

Morning brought light clouds and light winds as the members of SG1 made their way across a long stretch flat land in an easterly direction. Major Carter quickened her pace to catch up with Colonel O’Neill who was well in the lead. Before she could say anything, his hand raised “No, we’re not lost.” He huffed in anticipation of her question.

Major Carter smiled wanly and let out a small sigh. “If you say so, sir.”

“I say so. That settlement is probably just over that hill there.” He pointed to the loping grade that stood about a half mile before them.

“I hope you’re right. It’s a long way back to the Gate.”

Colonel O’Neill let out a very audible grumble but no real words as he plodded forward. Major Carter dropped back to talk with Teal’c and DePeter.

“We’re lost, aren’t we?” DePeter asked in a hushed voice. “Doesn’t he even know how to get back?”

“He says the settlement is just over the hill. We’ll just have to see if he’s right.” Major Carter told them.

“I too believe we have been walking in the wrong direction.” Teal’c admitted in a low tone.

“What?” Major Carter asked.

“For the last day and a half I believe we should have been going west to reach the settlement we saw on the MALP. Instead we have been walking east.”

Teal’cs words confirmed her suspicions. Why would Colonel O’Neill intentionally lead them in the opposite direction? “Let’s just see what’s over the hill and then we’ll talk about it.”

They made the journey to the top of the grade in absolute silence. However, vindication or some form of it, belonged to Colonel O’Neill when a small village was revealed on the other side. “There it is.”

DePeter walked forward to the edge of the hill and compared the village to the pictures of the settlement the MALP had sent back. “No, that’s not it.”

“What are you talking about, of course that’s it. What else would it be?” O’Neill complained as he grabbed the pictures from DePeter’s hand. He looked from the paper in his hand to the village down in the dell. “What the fuck?”

“See. That’s not it.”

“Shit.” O’Neill muttered. “Oh, screw it. Let’s just go down anyway.” With long loping steps, he began to make his way down the gentle slope. “Come on, kids, at least somebody’s home down there.”

Teal’c, Sam and DePeter suffered through an awkward moment of silence before joining the Colonel in the trek down the hill.

The village was small, it consisted of eight or 10 one-room round straw huts fashioned in a circular pattern with the main path cutting straight down the center. In each, lived one family which was anywhere from your standard mom, dad and two kids, to two or three generations living under one roof in one room. Open fires cooked pots of food outside the huts where half-naked people circled them.

“Hello, how are ya?” O’Neill said as the locals began to hover around them. He wished Daniel were here. This was Daniel’s job. Daniel was not here, so instead he waited for DePeter to take over, when he didn’t Colonel O’Neill said, “Hey, DePeter you wanna jump in here. Anytime you’re ready.”

The growing swell of people with smiling faces was beginning to herd SG-1 toward the center of the village. An older man, wearing a bright white and purple feather headdress emerged from the central hut. His wise brown eyes grew wide at the sight of the newcomers. “Welcome,” he said in a cracking but still strong voice, “I am Medol, shaman of this tribe.”

“You speak English, how nice.” O’Neill quipped in DePeter’s direction. “I’m Jack O’Neill, my friends, Major Carter, Teal’c and Dr. DePeter.” Each took their turn saying ‘hello’ or nodding in recognition at the shaman.

“What are you doing here? It is clear you don’t belong.” The Shaman looked them up and down, taking in the weapons and military attire.

“We came through the Stargate, the big round thing, out there.” He pointed over his shoulder in the direction from which they had come.

“We’re from Earth,” DePeter interjected, “we’re explorers. We’d like to be friends.”

“Friends? One can always use more of those.” Medol said with a wide half-toothed smile. “I thought perhaps you had come looking for the other one.”

“Other one?” Major Carter asked.

“Yes, he passed by here a day ago, he too said he came through the . . . what did you call it?” Medol asked.

“Stargate.” DePeter answered. “Who was he? Where did he go?”

“I don’t know,” Medol said with a sad tone in his voice, “he continued his journey in that direction.”

“Did he give you a name? Did he hang around here for a while?” Colonel asked, his curiosity piqued.

Medol thought about it for a few moments. “He came, he stayed two nights with us, he ate, and he talked. A lot. I think he once said his name was Jackson.” Medol looked toward the villagers for confirmation of his last statement. All around him were nodding in agreement. “Jackson.” He said again. “He wore clothing similar to yours but no weapons.”

“Daniel?” Major Carter asked from behind Colonel O’Neill.

“More like David. This might be why I couldn’t find him.” O’Neill whispered.

“How would David get here?”

“He pissed of Ares by not bringing Calla to him. Ares sent him here.” Was Jack’s proposal.

“Or, maybe it’s Daniel and that’s why we never found any evidence of his body being in the crater.” She returned.

“Medol, buddy,” O’Neill said in a cheerful voice as he turned his attention back to the shaman, “did Jackson happen to say where he was going or why?”

Again, the old man thought and looked around at the members of his village. It seemed no one had the answer to O’Neill’s questions. “He journeyed in that direction. We told him not too, but he went anyway. That is all I can tell you.”

“Why shouldn’t he have gone in that direction?” Major Carter asked.

“The Walkin’ Dude.” Medol said with a frown and looked around at the villagers, who were mumbling between themselves and nodding. Medol realized the newcomers had no idea what or whom he was speaking. “You know, The Man in Black? He‘s out there, wandering the dessert. You don‘t want to cross his path. We stay out of his territory.”

“This Jackson, he left from here, on foot, yesterday?” DePeter asked.

“Yes, just after the morning meal. He thanked us and went on his way.” Medol happily relayed the information to SG1. “But I thought you had not come looking for him.”

“We didn’t.” Jack said. “We didn’t know he’d be here. But, we should get going and try to catch up with him. Thank you for your help.”

“Do you need supplies? We have fresh water, meat, vegetables and are always willing to share.” The shaman invited.

The smiling faces surrounding them told the members of SG1 the old man spoke the truth. It had been a long walk and short break did sound like a good idea. “Thank you again, Medol. I think we’ll take you up on that.” Jack replied. “DePeter, go with them.” Major Carter began to walk past him. “Try and find out more information from the villagers, ok?”

“Got it, sir.”

“Teal’c, you’re with me.”

The villagers were kind and hospitable to SG1, sharing whatever food, beverage and information, they had which turned out not to be very much. They only knew what the Shaman had already told them, a white man with round things on his eyes had come through, stayed a while and then left on his way again.

“It is late. It will be dark soon. You should stay the night with us.” Medol invited as SG1 began to make their way out of the village.

“No, thanks, Medol, sure appreciate it but we better catch up with Jackson before he gets too far ahead of us.” Colonel O’Neill said with a tip of his hat. He always did like it when they came across plain, old friendly folk in their travels. This tribe, this village reminded him of a commune of Hawaiian surfers, all laid back and cool-like dude.

“Good journey,” Medol said as he reached out and took Colonel O’Neill’s forearm in his hand. “Should the Fates be kind and you pass this way again, please stop in and stay with us for a while.” The old man’s grip on Jack’s arm tightened and he leaned in close to whisper, “Remember what I said, Jack, stay away from the Walkin’ Dude.” Medol eased back to a standing position and looked deeply into Colonel O’Neill’s eyes.

“I will.” Jack returned. SG1 waved good-bye and began making their way toward the mountains in the distance.

“I guess we weren’t lost after all.” Major Carter hissed at DePeter.

“We’re still lost. We’ve just got a different goal now.” DePeter shot back and then stopped. “How did he know we might find Daniel here? And who is this Walkin‘ Dude?”

“I don’t think he knew,” Major Carter replied stunned at the idea that somehow the Colonel knew they might find Daniel

(or David.)

here. Just who was the Walkin’ Dude? The Man in Black? Whoever he was, he certainly didn’t sound like the friendly type.

“Sure he did, why else did he lead us this way instead of east? What the hell is going on here, Major Carter? They didn’t tell me that this was going to be a rescue mission.” The waning afternoon sun bounced off his balding pate as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Yeah, well, we're not exactly sure that's what it is . . . yet." She stuttered and hoisted the P-90 to a more comfortable position on her shoulder. It was damn strange that Colonel O'Neill had lead them in the wrong direction and that 'mistake' might cause them to stumble across Daniel. Very strange. Very . . . pat. Almost as though they were being set up for something.

End Daughter of the Gods: Dark Illusions
Chapter Eight
Continue to
Chapter Nine

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