STARGATE SG-1 29 Hall of the Two Truths (35 page)

Jack could feel the disapproval radiating off Daniel, but he didn’t care. It was time to end this.

The woman on the dais — NebtHet — stepped forward. She was in a long robe which, considering the fashion tastes of most Goa’ulds, was a bit on the plain side. Her headdress, however, was another matter. It was an elaborate piece that seemed to balance high on her head, like an upside down stovepipe hat. She removed this, however, and set it beside the scales before descending the steps from the platform. Jack held back reaching for his gun. Behind him, he heard Teal’c shift his staff weapon.

“You are correct, Colonel O’Neill, that it is not necessary for you, for any of you,” NebtHet spoke around him to the others, “to confess your sins.” She smiled. It was not a smile he took much comfort in. “We already have witnesses who are prepared to come forward to speak on your behalf.”

She nodded and from the crowd on the dais, six stepped forward. Jack heard a collective intake of breath from Daniel and the other two at the back of the hall. He knew why, of course — while he didn’t have a clue who the others were, there was one among the six who was completely recognizable. He even took a quick look over his shoulder to make sure it really wasn’t Carter standing there.

But no, she was still with Teal’c. Jack wondered what she made of her doppelganger, but it was difficult to tell from here. No doubt they were all amazed at the likeness. Maybe now they’d understand why she’d been so convincing.

NebtHet motioned Carter and Teal’c forward to join them. When Carter was finally standing next to him, he whispered, “See what I mean?” But she only gave him an odd look in response. She had, he realized, been fixated on one of the other witnesses.

Teal’c too had a peculiar expression on his face, except he wasn’t looking at the fake Carter either but at the first two individuals who had lined up opposite them. Daniel’s face had momentarily lit up as the witnesses approached, but then settled into something that Jack could only read as a sort of regret.

“Teal’c,” announced NebtHet, when the six had gathered. “These are Aqti and Ahi, whom you have known as Bra’tac and Rya’c.” The two individuals reached out toward Teal’c’s head. Jack had his weapon up in a flash and they froze.

“Hold it, right there.”

“Jack.” Daniel put his hand on the P90. “I think it’s okay. Let them do it.”

Jack let the weapon be pushed down slightly. Maybe he was being too jumpy, but only because Daniel was being his usual, overly trusting self.

The two witnesses touched Teal’c’s head at the same time and Jack saw the Jaffa’s eyes grow wide with surprise as he caught his breath.

“Aqti and Ahi, speak to us of the one called ‘Teal’c,’” NebtHet invited them. The two men smiled.

“We have never before met anyone so brave,” the one named Aqti proclaimed.

“To stand against one whom you have always held in highest esteem,” continued Ahi, “takes valor of more than just the body. In your heart you know Truth, and you live by that Truth, no matter the personal cost.”

Teal’c, who seemed to understand what they were talking about, bowed his head in acknowledgement. Jack wondered how he managed to look both proud and humble at the same time.

“You also demonstrated great courage in choosing the red gate,” Aqti pointed out. “Few walk so bravely toward death when life remains an option.”

Again, Teal’c seemed to understand, even though he did not reply. Jack was more surprised by the admiration the two clearly had for the big guy. Whatever he’d expected to happen when NebtHet called her ‘witnesses’, this certainly wasn’t it.

“Thank you,” continued Ahi, reaching out and clasping Teal’c’s arm, Jaffa-style. Aqti did the same. “We have learned much from you,” he added, bowing. Teal’c returned the gesture one more time and stepped back.

“Okay, could someone please explain what just happened here?” Jack asked. First these guys were trying to kill them and now they were all smiles and gratitude. Somewhere he’d missed something.

“Just wait, Jack,” Daniel shushed him. “I think it’ll become clear in a minute.”

“Carter?” Jack asked, hoping she at least was as confused as he was. But she was still staring at one of the other witnesses who persisted in smiling back at her.

“I don’t know, sir,” she answered, distractedly. “But I think I’m starting to understand.”

Jack threw up his hand in frustration as Aqti and Ahi returned to the row of witnesses. NebtHet was still looking serene.

“Daniel Jackson,” she said. Daniel looked up, expectantly. “This is Khemy, whom you have known as Sha’re. And perhaps you remember Aset, whom you have seen since as well.”

The two women walked forward and touched Daniel’s head in the same manner the others had touched Teal’c. Daniel’s eyes also grew wide, although Jack had the distinct impression that whatever it was he saw was not too much of a surprise.

“Nice to meet you — again,” Daniel said, smiling.

“And you, Daniel Jackson,” replied Khemy.

“Khemy and Aset, speak to us of the one called ‘Daniel Jackson,’” instructed NebtHet.

Khemy spoke first. “It is easy to offer kindness to those one cares for. It is more difficult to do so when someone for whom you care deeply disappoints. And it is most difficult to demonstrate kindness to one whom you abhor. Daniel Jackson has done all three.”

The one called Aset nodded. As all smiles as the first Goa’uld was, this one looked like what she had to say would leave a bad taste in her mouth. Jack could almost hear her gritting her teeth.

“I will admit that I was skeptical at first.” She spoke tersely, as if she couldn’t wait to be done with it. “Not only of you, Daniel Jackson, but of this entire endeavor. But in spite of how you feel about the Goa’uld in general, and who I was in particular, you nevertheless acted with a degree of feeling I had never thought possible.” She glanced at NebtHet briefly and Jack thought he saw some kind of unspoken exchange between them. Whatever it was, it seemed to prompt Aset to reluctantly add, “And you showed a level of compassion that exceeded anything we have ever before seen.”

“Thank you,” Daniel replied, looking slightly embarrassed. Maybe he hadn’t picked up on the fact that, in spite of everything he probably had done, this Aset still hated his guts.

“No, we thank you, Daniel Jackson,” replied Khemy, leaning forward and kissing Daniel on the cheek. He went beet-red from the neck up.

Jack knew Carter was next. Maybe it was the way Mr. Smiley was twitching in line.

“Major Carter,” intoned NebtHet, once the two women were back in line. “This is Anat, whom you have known as Martouf.”

Anat came forward and touched Carter’s head. Actually, it was more of a caress. Jack saw him smile as whatever had happened to the others happened to her as well.

“Wow,” she said, under her breath, shaking her head slightly. Anat’s smile broadened.

“Anat.” For once Jack was grateful for NebtHet’s interruption. “Speak to us of the one called ‘Samantha Carter.’”

“Hello again, Samantha.” Anat’s voice was smooth and very similar in tone to Martouf’s, Jack noticed. “In my many years of existence, no one has ever shown me the meaning of the word ‘duty’ until I met you. In spite of your personal feelings for your fellow teammates, and even for Martouf, for whom you once held affection, you nevertheless chose the greater good, no matter the personal cost.”

“But I didn’t.” Carter was shaking her head. “At the last minute, I chose the other gateway. I went to save my team, not find the Stargate.”

Anat, however, merely smiled. “I know. Ultimately, you listened to your heart as well as your head. You believed you could accomplish both and took the risk. By this, you have taught me that duty without feeling has no purpose. For this lesson, I thank you.”

For just a moment, Jack thought Anat was going to kiss her, but after a slight pause he merely bowed and backed into his place in line. Carter appeared slightly flushed. Jack scowled. Maybe this little show and tell was almost done and then they could get back to the SGC. He wanted her in the infirmary as soon as possible.

“Colonel O’Neill.”

Finally.

Carter’s double stepped forward. Why no one else was staring at her, he couldn’t figure out. Side by side they were indistinguishable.

“This is Tayet, whom you have known as Major Carter.”

“Yeah. Hi.” Jack plastered on a smile. Tayet reached out and with two fingers touched his temple.

It was like someone flipped a switch.

“Whoa!”

Stepping back instinctively, Jack saw Tayet smile. She was a complete stranger. How he’d ever mistaken her for Carter —

Wait. He’d had this experience before, with that stranded alien they’d encountered — the one who’d passed himself off as Lt. Tyler. But this was no Reol. The woman in front of him was of indistinguishable age, neither young nor old, sort of like the rest of the Goa’uld in the room. More importantly, she looked nothing like Carter.

“Tayet,” said NebtHet. “Speak to us of the one called ‘Jack O’Neill.’”

“Colonel O’Neill.” Tayet studied him, as if unable to decide what to say. Daniel was fidgeting on one foot in the awkward silence. It was to the point of being just a tad uncomfortable when she finally continued. “Your reputation here had preceded you, and yet I was quite unprepared for what I discovered.”

“Well, that’s me. I’m full of surprises,” Jack quipped. Her stare was making him uneasy.

“Yes, you are,” agreed Tayet, narrowing her eyes as if contemplating exactly how to phrase what she would say next. He raised one eyebrow at her in anticipation. “It was not expected that you would distrust someone whose opinion you so highly value. So when you began to suspect that all was not right with your Major Carter, I was forced to improvise. Little did I know that this would prove to be the far greater lesson for us than the one we had set out to learn.”

“You had the whole techno-babble thing down pretty well, you know,” he felt compelled to point out. “But — and forgive me for saying this — as a soldier, you sucked. Carter never would have made rookie mistakes like that. I figured something was up.”

“Yes. And I used your assumption that Major Carter had been compromised by a symbiote and adapted.”

That she had. And damn well, too. Although he wouldn’t give her the satisfaction of telling her that.

“And what big revelation did you learn from me?” Jack asked casually, not certain he really wanted to hear the answer, or anyone else to, for that matter. If they’d known enough to choose Carter as his guide, who knew what else they might have figured out.

“Sacrifice,” Tayet replied, without hesitation. Jack relaxed a bit. “The willingness to surrender one’s life so that another might be saved. Even if,” she added, “by such an act, a mortal enemy is saved as well.”

“Yes. Well. No offense, but as far as I was concerned, the Goa’uld was just along for the ride.” He refused to be praised for something he hadn’t done. There was only one reason he’d sent Tayet through that gate, and they both knew it.

“While this is true,” she acknowledged, “there are those in this galaxy who would not have missed an opportunity to strike down an enemy, even at the cost of a treasured … comrade. It would be, by many standards, an acceptable loss.”

“Well not by mine.” Jack let his irritation get the best of him.

“So we have seen.” There was that appraising look again. “As I said, it was a most valuable lesson. For this, we thank you.” Tayet leaned forward and for a disturbing moment Jack thought she was going to kiss him as Khemy had Daniel. Instead she whispered, “I have seen the depths of your heart, Colonel, and I know what lies within. Deny it to others if you will, but do not deny it to yourself.” She stepped back, and with a pointed look at Carter added aloud, “You have my envy — and my pity.”

Bowing slightly, Tayet rejoined the others.

Jack struggled to keep his indifferent expression in place, although he felt like someone had just jolted him with a cattle prod. So, maybe she had managed to dig a little deeper into his head after all. He just hoped…

Risking a sideways glance at the rest of SG-1, Jack was relieved to see they merely looked bewildered. For once, that was a good thing.

NebtHet, mercifully, drew everyone’s attention back to her. “These witnesses have spoken on your behalf and provided testimony as to your character. We will conclude, now, with the rite.” She turned and, with the six witnesses, walked back up the steps and resumed her position on the dais. NebtHet placed the upside-down stovepipe thing back on her head and clapped her hands twice. Nearby, the Ammit stirred slightly and inched forward. It looked hungry.

“Now wait just a doggone minute —”

“Just… hold on, Jack.” Daniel put his hand on Jack’s arm. “Give it a minute.”

Jack glared at him. “We might not have a minute, Daniel.”

Daniel’s look was patient. “Look around,” he said. “Do you see a single weapon, anywhere?”

Jack’s annoyance level ratcheted up another notch. Maybe there wasn’t a zat or a staff weapon in sight, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything. Zats were entirely concealable. And Goa’ulds had other, less obvious weapons. The Ammit wasn’t exactly a lapdog either.

“What’s your point, Daniel?” One of the minions on the dais was hurrying toward NebtHet carrying a pillow. There was a white feather on top of it.