Fading Memories
By Terri D. Thomas
Part 13
Jack O'Neill nodded to the airman who was standing guard outside of Hammond's office as he walked into the room. Hammond and Carter were leaning over a map that had been spread out over the General's desk.
At the sound of another entering the office, the two looked up to find the Colonel standing in the doorway, still favoring his injured right ankle. "Did you get some rest, Colonel?" the General asked, frowning at the man's slightly disheveled appearance.
"Yeah. . .," Jack answered, his tone disapproving. His eyes accidentally made contact with his team member's.
Sam averted her gaze back to the map, clearly suffering from embarrassment at having seen more of the Colonel than she had expected.
Hammond nodded in satisfaction, ignoring the exchange between his people. "Good. You looked like you could use the rest," he glanced at his watch, "even though it wasn't for long."
"It was long enough, Sir. What's the word on Daniel and Teal'c?" Jack asked as he changed subjects quickly.
"Nothing." Hammond's index finger extended to the map and then drew imaginary lines around certain areas. "I've had teams search the area around the bar. There's no sign. The car is definitely gone. I sent a unit to Dr. Jackson's apartment, and there's no indication that either man returned there. I've asked them to broaden their sweep around the area of the murder to see if they can find any hint of what might have happened."
"Should we contact the police, Sir?" Sam interjected.
Hammond shook his head. "I don’t want to get the local law enforcement involved in this matter."
"Understandable, Sir, but if something is really wrong with Teal'c and Daniel, wouldn't it be better to have more people looking for them."
Hammond sat down in his chair. "There's already an APB out on Teal'c. I don't think we should escalate this any higher. No need to draw unwanted attention to the program. While we are limited somewhat with not having jurisdiction in the city, I do think our people can do as effective of a job in searching for the Doctor and Teal'c as the police." He looked back to the map. "We just have to keep looking," he muttered as he scanned the lines of the city.
Daniel's foot slipped onto the brake and he slowed the vehicle down to make a right turn onto the Cheyenne Mountain access road. Gripping the steering wheel with his left hand, he made the turn. Now, he only had a couple of miles before the first check point would be reached. If he drove slow enough up the mountain road, he would have a few minutes to try to bring Teal'c's memory back before anyone else would be involved.
"We are near our destination?" Teal'c asked quietly.
Daniel glanced at the man sitting next to him. From the creases in friend's forehead it was apparent that Teal'c's pain had returned.
"You're hurting again, aren't you?" Daniel asked, unsure of what reaction he would get. "Shouldn't your symbiont be taking away the pain?"
Teal'c's eyes widened. "You know of the larva's ability to heal?"
"Yes, Teal'c." Daniel tried to keep his voice calm, but his frustration was building. "As I've already told you, we are friends. I know about your life as a Jaffa."
Teal'c leaned back against the seat and stared straight ahead. "I. . .I need to return to my home."
Daniel pulled the car to the side of the road, bringing it to a stop. "Teal'c, you can't return to Chulak. You'll be killed if you do."
The man's eyes widened, obviously shocked at the revelation. Daniel unrelentingly continued. He knew the words would hurt, but perhaps the shock would help bring Teal'c to his senses. "Teal'c, you're a traitor to Apophis. You are Shova."
The warrior's eyes squeezed shut again. "No!" he shouted. "You lie! I would remember such a thing."
"Why would I lie about that? How would I even know?" Daniel was becoming angrier with each word spoken. "I have no reason to betray you."
Suddenly, Teal'c's head dropped to his hands. He was pressing his fists against his temples as if trying to crush his skull within his powerful grip.
"Teal'c!" Daniel reached out, disregarding his own safety.
Teal'c pushed the man away, bringing another gasp of pain from the archeologist. Tears welled in the Jaffa's brown eyes. He turned his attention to the door and his hands scrambled along the side until they found the handle. Violently pulling the latch free, the door flew open and Teal'c stumbled out of the car.
Daniel, hampered by his injuries, pushed the driver's side door open and scrambled out of the car. "Teal'c, where are you going?" he yelled.
The Jaffa turned to face him and Daniel saw fear, confusion and pain in the brown eyes. The man staggered away from the car and into the bush. "Leave me!" he shouted and then he turned and disappeared into the foliage.
"Damn it!" Daniel exclaimed as he watched his friend disappear.
Worried about Teal'c's state of mind as well as his head injury, Daniel ignored his own pain and pushed his body forward, determined to find his friend.
Teal'c ran through the foliage, trying to escape the memories that were pummeling him. The words his captive had said echoed through him. 'Shova. . .You are Shova.' The pictures in his mind twisted and tumbled, making no sense.
He saw flashes of Apophis' prison. He was facing the dirty and disheveled captives. He had been ordered to kill them, but then something changed. Suddenly, he was firing upon his fellow Jaffa. Their bodies fell to the ground, death consuming them.
That memory left and was then replaced with another. The Jaffa struggled for his life, fighting an unknown man, in an unknown place. The only thing he recognized was the Chaapa-ai looming overhead. He looked into the eyes of his enemy. . .and they glowed. He was fighting a Goa'uld. . .to the death.
Then that memory faded and another took its place. It held a vision of his former captive, the one called Daniel. The man was engulfed in flames, crying out for help. The Jaffa struggled to help him, to rescue him, but the heat from the flames was too great. Then there was nothing to save. The Jaffa had failed. The young man was gone and for some unknown reason, Teal'c felt enormous guilt and sorrow for his failure.
The pain in Teal'c's head intensified. The images blurred together into a horrific nightmare. His legs pushed him harder and faster up the mountain side, his mind aware of nothing more than the need to leave the terror and confusion behind.
Daniel's left hand held his right arm close to his side. Each movement up the mountain jarred his shoulder. He wasn't sure he had the energy or perseverance to make the climb. He considered turning back and going for help, but something drove him upwards. He could hear the bushes rustling in the distance and knew that Teal'c was ahead of him, in pain and in trouble. He couldn't leave his friend alone. . .not now. . .not when he was in trouble. So the young doctor kept pushing himself, praying that this would all be over for both of them soon.
The images continued to assault the Jaffa as he blindly ran through the forest. Apophis' cruel voice told him to kill one of the prisoners or all would die. Teal'c looked at the helpless captives and knew, once again, he was responsible for determining who would live and who would die. He looked at each one of the prisoners, saw the tears in the eyes of the children, the fear in the faces of their parents. And then one crippled man stood before him as if singling himself out from the others. The man's calm gaze met Teal'c's. It was as if the man were begging for the Jaffa to choose him for death. Teal'c looked at the others and then back at the man before him. For a moment, there was understanding between the executioner and his victim. Teal'c closed his eyes, silently asking for forgiveness, and then fired his staff weapon upon the man, opening his eyes in time to see the man's lifeless body fall to the ground.
Then that image was replaced by another. He saw a group of similarly dressed people huddled in a group. Only this time Teal'c was not the one holding the weapon ready to fire upon them, instead he was watching as other Jaffa warriors were taking aim upon the innocent. Teal'c knew in a matter of seconds the captives would be dead. He could not let this atrocity happen again. Without concern for himself, he ran and threw himself in front of the prisoners, drawing the fire of the Jaffa guard.
Then the memory was gone. Teal'c was standing still at the edge of a clearing. He wasn't sure when he had stopped running. He did not recall coming to a stop. He took a deep breath and steadied himself. His legs were shaking and beads of perspiration had broken out on his forehead, mixing with the blood from his now healed wound. He looked down at his hands and found that they were trembling as well. He was losing control of his body, of his mind.
Taking another deep breath, he fell backwards against the trunk of a large tree. He leaned against it for support. Closing his eyes, he forced his mind to take control again, to reassert his identity. "I am Jaffa," he murmured. But the words did not feel right. They were not true. It was only then that he realized that he did not know who he was.
The pain returned and the man bit his tongue in an effort to suppress the agony. He did not win the battle. A mournful bellow left his throat and echoed through the forest around him.
Daniel heard Teal'c's cry. It was one filled with pain. Panicked, he pushed himself faster, knowing that from the sound Teal'c could not be far away.
He stumbled into a clearing. Looking around, he could find no sign of his friend. He moved forward only to discover that the land ended and a drop off began.
He edged himself towards the lip of the cliff. His stomach flip-flopped as he remembered Teal'c's cry. Could his friend have fallen?
He peered over the edge, but could see nothing below. It was not a long way to the bottom, but a fall would be enough to kill a human. . .or Jaffa. Suddenly assaulted by a wave of dizziness, Daniel backed away from the edge. He turned back to the forest behind him and shouted, "Teal'c!"
There was no answer at first, then Daniel heard a groan of pain coming from his left. The bushes moved slightly. He ran to the source and found Teal'c huddled against the trunk of a tree. "Thank God," Daniel whispered. Then he remembered what had happened the last time he had stumbled across Teal'c hiding in the woods. Stopping himself before he came within reach of the Jaffa, Daniel leaned forward. "Teal'c, are you okay?"
The man did not answer. He gave no indication of having heard the question. His hands were wrapped around his head as if trying to push back the pain it was causing him.
Daniel kept his distance, but continued to talk to his friend. "Teal'c, you have to get up and come with me. I can get the help you need."
The words were ignored. Daniel squatted down just out of reach of the Jaffa so that he could see the warrior's face. He was surprised to see the brown eyes open. Their gaze was undirected, however. Wherever Teal'c's mind was, Daniel was certain it wasn't with him on the mountain.
End Part 13
To Part 14