The Sentinels: Chapter Eleven
Jan. 18th, 2009 08:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
emeraldsnakesSummary: SG-1 has learned that not all the Ancients died out. Jack O'Neill is one of them. As enemies rise and fall the Sentinels are forced to come out of the shadows and take the stand as the Greatest Race impacting the course of history like never before. Slash
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Words: 3,641
Chapter Eleven
There were replicators pouring through the gate, an endless wave that kept pushing them back further, up and out of the mountain. The lights were out, they were relying on emergency power and all systems were down. Queens had set up in the Gate room, using the gate's power conduits to replicate more for their army, as if the ones coming through the gate weren't enough.
At the head of the advancing enemy was Sam's replicator clone and because she was human form, none of their weapons affected her. She killed soldier after soldier, unflinching as bullets hit her in attempt to at least slow her down. She was unstoppable, the ultimate weapon. Once they could have stopped her, but she’d deceived them and was now immune to the disrupter weapon O'Neill had built.
Daniel, along with Sam, Teal 'c and Jack's replacement General Landry were headed to the fail safe, because they knew it was the only way to stop the replicators from getting out of the mountain. They weren't completely sure it would affect replicator Carter, but they had to take the chance.
In the failsafe room they bolted the doors and while Sam and General Landry set the mountain to self destruct, Daniel and Teal 'c took up positions.
"I never thought it would end this way," Sam muttered as the timer began to count down.
"We always knew it would end some day," Daniel replied.
"I never took you for a pessimist Dr. Jackson," Landry said just as he fired his weapons at a hole in the roof.
"Yeah well, times change," Daniel replied yelling over the gunfire.
They didn't speak, unless to warn each other about a replicator getting too close, but after five of the ten minutes till self destruct, they were all getting too close.
''I don't know how much longer we can hold this up," Daniel yelled, changing cartridges.
"We have to,'' Sam yelled back, momentarily glaring at him. “We have no other choice."
Daniel knew this, but he also knew that they were horribly out numbered.
"Colonel Carter," their reinforcements outside the door spoke over the radio. "Your replicator double has arrived. AHHH-"
They all traded tools' of horror and Daniel muttered, ''shit." They turned back to shooting the replicators, and it didn't take long for Replicator Carter to make a hole in the door big enough for her to get through.
Her replicates minions suddenly stopped and retreated until she was the only one with them. Daniel looked around confused them at Repli-Carter.
“What do you want? ''Sam asked.
“Our purpose is to replicate and become the most dominated species in the galaxy. At least that is the extent of Mother's programming" Repli-Carter answered.
"Mother?'' Daniel asked confused.
"You call her Reece."
“Oh”
Repli-Carter smiled and it creeped Daniel out. "When the first Reece form Replicators were created we learned a lot from Mother, one of them being about a race more powerful than any other with the technology to destroy us. Her creator belonged to this race.”
"The replicators destroyed the people living in the planet Reece was created on. They're all gone.”
Repli-Carter shook her head, "The humans on that planet and Mother's creator belong to two different races. Mother's creator survived, and he and his race are the only ones who stand in our way of dominating this galaxy."
“Then why are you here?'' Teal 'c asked.
“Because I don't know what planet they currently live on. You have yet to come across them, or I would have already learned of their hiding place from your database. However, Daniel has the information I need."
"Uh, no I don't," Daniel said confused, but matter of fact.
"You do, it's just looked away." Repli-Carter insisted walking towards him. "Forgotten, but still there." She grabbed his arms, ''And I will have that knowledge!"
The last thing Daniel saw before he blacked out was white light, not unlike the light of Asgard Beaming.
X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.
He was floating, maybe. He thought he was floating but it was possible that suspended was a more accurate term. He had no idea where he was. He was surrounded by nothing but darkness, but it wasn't darkness because he could see himself quite clearly. He had to be somewhere though, his mind told him that, so he tried to move. All he did was make himself look like a fool.
"Hello?" he called, hoping anyone could hear him.
There was no answer, of any sort. There wasn't even a sound, and that concerned him.
"Your mind is very protected."
He jumped as a woman appeared beside him. She was his height, blond and blue eyed, and he knew her. But she was just a copy, not the real person. And she was evil, bent on not only destroying the human race, but all others as well. He hated this perversion of his friend.
“It shouldn't be though,” she continued. "You are not advanced in any way, not like Mother's creator and the sealing of your memories as an Ascended would not require such a protection. Who's protecting you Daniel Jackson?"
Daniel glared at Repli-Carter, "Where are we?"
''Inside your mind. It's the only place to acquire what I want, but your mind is so very heavily guarded."
Jack, Daniel thought instantly. Only Jack would do such a thing after the amount of times they'd been mind probed.
"So Jack O 'Neill is more than he appears to be," Repli-Carter said smiling. ''Thank you Daniel."
Daniel flushed in shame. His deeper thoughts and memories were protected but those on the surface could be easily picked up and he didn't want to give away anyone's secrets, Especially Jack's.
"Speaking of Jack,'' she said looking around. ''Where is he?"
''I don't know." Daniel answered truthfully. "He left."
"Really?" Repli-Carter was surprised and confused. ''Well that doesn't sound at all like him. He would never leave unless-" her eyes widened and then narrowed as a cruel smile spread across her face, ''Oh now that's interesting. I wonder what you did Daniel. I wonder how you betrayed him.”
Daniel flinched. She would use that against him now, he just knew it
"Oh I will Daniel, you can be sure of that."
Suddenly the scenery around them changed, a mix of swirling colours at first but then solidifying into an actual place. Daniel was surprised to see that they were in the Ancient Outpost in Antarctica, but also worried because he feared the unlocking of his Ascended memories.
"The Ancient Outpost," Repli-Carter said interested. "I remember this place, but why are we here? What is the significance?"
Daniel kept his mouth shut and did his best not to think of anything. It was hard though, because he had a fairly good idea of why they were here.
RepIi-Carter started walking to the room that held the weapons platform so Daniel followed. He figured that if she could walk here, so could he. In the chair room they found a teenaged boy, standing in front of the chair and glaring at Repli-Carter.
RepIi-Carter cocked her head to the side and started at the team with curious eyes.
"You want find out who I am by doing that," the teen said softly, but it echoed around the room.
Daniel looked between the two, confused for a moment before he realized that Rep Ii-Carter had been rooting through his brain for the information.
"Why can't I learn about you?'' Repli-Carter wondered, ''You are not in Daniel's mind."
"Oh, I am," the teen answered. "But I am not a part of his mind. I am a separate entity created to protect Daniel's mind from people and machines like you."
RepIi-Carter snarled and went rigid, staring at the teen with cold determination. Pain ripped through his mind as she tried to tear through it and he fell to his knees. Below him he barely registered a part of the ground slowly morphing into replicator blocks, go back to normal become replicator blocks and keep repeating the process.
"That won’t work!" The teen yelled.
But Daniel had a funny feeling that it was working because he could see flashes of things that he didn’t remember but had to belong to him because he was in some of them, as were a few of the other Ascended he'd already met.
He suddenly saw Jack and Jeremiah standing side by side with their oldest sons flanking them. Before them was a machine, obviously Ancient, that looked like a table but shaped oddly and on it, a human form Replicator. The image was gone in seconds but it snapped RepIi-Carter out of her attack and she turned to him.
"Jack created Mother?" she asked, shocked and angry. "Who the hell is he? What the hell is he?"
Daniel didn't answer, just leaned forward to press his forehead against the cool floor. He didn't know who had created the replicators or Reece. Jack may have, but he'd never let on that he had, even subtly. Jack had never let on that he knew more about Reece than what he showed at face value, but maybe he had and Daniel just hadn't seen it.
He screamed as RepIi-Carter began her attack again, but more painful than before. Images came more rapidly, stayed a little longer, were a little clearer and a little more in depth. RepIi-Carter searched out all the memories he had of Jack, trying to find anything she could that would tell her the truth.
"What do you regret the most?" Daniel asked curiously.
Jack let out a decrescendo whistle “There are many things I regret Daniel, in all aspects of my life. However there is one that has plagued not only me but this galaxy, Silvaralon and Ida. My brother created the Replicators. He was always the lead scientist on those projects. I wish I had stopped him when it became apparent the first time that we couldn't control them, but I held a false hope he would figure it out.
"He tried three times. The Silvaralon Replicators were all human form, always were, but they were too human. He created Reece here in Avalon, thinking that giving her the ability to create replicates blocks and control them would eliminate the flaw, but it only caused more. Jeremiah shut Reece down after her replications destroyed the planet they were living on and destroyed her creations. Apparently he missed one. His third attempt solved nothing and he made sure to terminate all the Replicators created. He hasn't really left Vaclus since.”
X. x. X. x. X. x. X. x. X.
Jonathan walked into the War Room in Vaclus and took his seat between Jeremiah and Caius. The Andromeda had arrived ten minutes earlier, a full hour before they had estimated the arrival of the Replicator ship and they needed to make the final preparations. Kalas, Jaden and Vladimir were with them. They were all dressed in their Military uniforms, and though it was traditionally white to symbolize their connection with the energy around them, some-like Jaden- had chosen darker colours such as black and crimson red.
"We need to take them out as soon as they exit hyperspace,” Jaden was saying.
Jonathan was late, having been brought to his knees by a violent white hot pain in his head. He'd known immediately that Daniel was in trouble, that someone had broken through the defences he’d placed around Daniel's mind during his very, very brief return to Earth two months earlier.
''No," Jonathan argued. ''I won't allow it."
Everyone turned to him surprised and Jaden was glaring, "If we don't it will give them just enough time to start breaking apart and invading. It is the best option!”
''Daniel's on that ship!” Jonathan snarled. "Charlie has confirmed it. I will not let you kill him.”
"You would still save the one man who drove you away from the planet you've called home for the past six thousand years? After all he's put you through?"
"Just because you don't know the meaning of love doesn't mean you can knock down father's love and devotion to Daniel,'' Caius snarled.
"Enough, "Jonathan and Jeremiah said simultaneously.
Caius and Jaden backed down, but were still glaring.
“How do you suggest we rescue Daniel?'' Vladimir asked, clearly interested.
"All you have to do is delay your bombardment of the Replicator ship until I can beam him off of it. His DNA is in the Vaclus Database so I will synthesize it to the beam technology in order to accurately beam him here. It shouldn't take any longer than half a minute unless they have an anti-beam shield. I do not believe they do. However I could be wrong.
There were nods of acceptance from all but Jaden, but Jonathan didn’t expect him to agree. The pissy Veutair didn’t easily accept betrayers or cared anything about them after they'd hurt family. It's why he didn't get into long term, or even short term relationships that required a lot of emotion. He'd accepted early on that he would probably never find someone to love unconditionally or someone who could love him unconditionally and still accept his cultural ways.
Jonathan didn't really want to go and be Daniel's knight 'n shining armour, no matter how much he loved him. He just wished for once Daniel hadn't gotten captured by the enemy, though he guessed he knew why Daniel was captured. Daniel was the only person the replications could get their hands on who knew where Vaclus was.
''Right then," Caius said morphing into full general mode. "Andromeda and Narcissus will be spaced so that down on the planets surface Vaclus will be in the middle with an unobstructed path through which to fire drones. The Gateships will be spaced evenly between the two warships as will the Dragon class fighters."
The meeting ended minutes later and everyone got up to go to their respective posts but Jonathan stayed where he was. Jeremiah, the last to leave, paused at the door and turned to face him.
"If you want, I can have a holding cell set up for you to beam him to?”
Jonathan looked at him with wide, deer in headlights eyes which made his brother laugh. Jonathan glared at him. ''That's not what I was thinking about.”
Jeremiah shook his head, "You think about him all the time, you morn for what you're lost so much. That's why Jaden hates him so, it's why so many of my children-and yours by the way- want to knock some fucking sense into him. They hate him for reducing you to this."
"Don't talk about me as if I'm weak and all because of some pathetic human," Jonathan snarled with distain, pushing out of his seat and advancing on his brother.
Jeremiah backed off quickly “I'm not. I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions."
Jonathan stared at him for a moment before sighing. He looked passed him at the people performing the last minute preparations, ''I was thinking of the Replicators. It's obvious they captured Daniel to get to us, but what made them think we were still around? And why use Daniel, they should have that information from the Asgard Database.”
Jeremiah was silent for a moment before answering with a heavy heart. "Reece. She knew I was more than I appeared to be because after everyone on that planet was killed I used my powers to destroy her creations then shut her down. I lied in my report about that. And though the Replicators now may believe that I have died, they'll believe that my line has not because Reece did meet Vladimir."
"Through Daniel they'll know that you are still alive." Jonathan told him.
"And through Daniel they should know that they are no match for us.”
''Maybe for you, but as long as they have Daniel they have one up on me.”
X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.
Jonathan was ready when the Replicator ship dropped out of hyperspace well within the range of the beaming technology. The program automatically searched out all living creatures in space and compared their DNA structure to Daniel's and once it found a match, twenty seconds later, beamed him into the gate room. He gave everyone the all clear then left his post to go see Daniel.
Daniel was on his hands and knees, staring at everything around him in shock. He either didn't care about the blood ruining down the right side of his face or didn’t know and Jonathan guessed it was the latter. Daniel was pretty typical that way.
As Jonathan was walking down the main staircase, their eyes met. “Jack," Daniel breathed and Jonathan couldn't quite place the emotion in his voice.
"Welcome to Vaclus "Jonathan said emotionlessly. "Under better circumstances I would give you a tour, but right now you need to go down to the Infirmary."
''What? ''Daniel asked confused, standing up slowly.
''You're bleeding Spacemonkey." It had been a slip of the tongue, so easy to fall back into the teasing, loving relationship they use to have.
Daniel touched his head in shock but they couldn't say anymore because another figure beamed in five feet to their left.
"Carter?'' Jonathan asked shocked. The last person he expected to see here was her.
"Uncle," one of Jeremiah's daughters yelled, ''She's a replicator!"
"I am," the replica of Carter said. “Fifth made me, and I am the most powerful of all previously created Reece form replicators. As one of my final acts in destroying this galaxy I will avenge Mother's destruction."
''You want to kill me?” Jonathan asked with a twisted smirk.
“You and your entire race Jack O'Neill."
Jonathan rolled his eyes "Foolish. You really think you can kill me?"
"I know I can," she said advancing forward. Her right arm transformed into a blade, and though she looked like she was going to attack Jonathan, at the last minute she turned on Daniel and drove the blade through his chest.
''No!" Jonathan screamed in horror as Daniel's eyes widened impossibly, his breathing became difficult and he coughed blood. RepIi-Carter pulled the blade out and Daniel fell. Jonathan was there in an instant catching him before he hit the ground. He sank to his knees, cradling Daniel running his left hand through Daniel's hair.
"No, no, no,'' he sobbed. “Daniel, no'"
Daniel stared up at him, blinking almost as if he didn't know what was going on. ''Jack!' he whispered. "I'm sorry."
He paused, closing his eyes, Jonathan stepped him lightly, "Keep your eyes open for me Spacemonkey. Please.”
Daniel opened them and smiled slightly, despite the coughs. “Love ….you…..so sorry ……I was ……such ….an ass.”
Jonathan shook his head, ''It's not your fault. Just, don't leave me, not again.”
Daniel tried to laugh, but it came out pathetic. ''Sorry…..don't think….l….will survive….this."
"Not true," Jonathan snarled, putting his hand over Daniel's wound. He focused all his energy into healing Daniel's extensive wound.
Above him he didn't notice RepIi-Carter raise her sword arm, nor Jeremiah's daughter Aziza charge Repli-Carter her own sword drawn to attack. They dashed above and around them, Repli-Carter trying to dodge around Aziza in order to kill Jonathan, Aziza blocking every one of her moves with equal speed and strength.
''It's not…..working." Daniel slurred, his head lolling against Jonathan's shoulder.
''I'm not letting you die,'' Jonathan said determined, but he knew Daniel was slipping away from him. The wound was too extensive, too damaging. There were so many areas of his wound screaming for attention, stealing a little bit of his power prematurely making it harder to heal property
''Jack '"Daniel pleaded. "Don't….make this….harder than…..it has….to be…Please."
Jonathan looked into Daniel's eyes, tears flowing out of his own. He saw the pain, intensifying his own pain, and the love. His eyes pleaded with him to stop, to let him go, that he wasn't worth it.
‘Though I may not be physically here, I'll always be with you.' Daniel's eyes seemed to say.
Jonathan kissed his forehead. ''I love you Daniel."
"You too," were Daniel's final words as Jonathan ceased the healing and he died.
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.
Charlie stumbled as the vision receded and he came back to awareness.
"Are you alright?'' Shau’ri asked concerned laying a hand on his shoulder
Charlie shook his head, "Things still won't turn out right, even with our intervention. Dad still leaves and Daniel will dies."
Shau'ri sighed. "What more can we do?"
Charlie frowned in concentration, "Both my visions, they focus on the outcome of the Replicator War in accordance to Dad's leaving Earth. The war happens the way it does because Dad leaves Earth. Everything is about his departure."
"Are you suggesting me stop him from leaving?" Shau’ri asked surprised.
Charlie shook his head, ''The Alterans would never allow that, but there is something we could do."
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.
Jack looked around the living room of his house, so devoid of life and saw a lone picture of Charlie sitting on the mantle. He walked over and picked it up, smiling. As he stared, the glass suddenly cracked. Jack spun around, extending his senses out, trying to locate the Ascended being that had no doubt been behind that. He frowned when he sensed no one and looked back at the picture.
''Charlie, what do you want?"
'Are you ready to go Jonathan?'
'Just wait,' Jack told his brother, who was in orbit with the Narcissus. 'Charlie is trying to tell me something.'
Jeremiah sent a mental shrug, 'Alright.'
Jack stared at the picture for a few more minutes, willing It to give him answers. "Come on Charlie, tell me.''
The doorbell rang. Jack quirked an eyebrow, "Ok," and went to answer it.
A lump the size of his heart caught in his throat to the sight of Daniel looking nervously back at him.
“Hi Jack."
Chapter Twelve
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Words: 3,641
Chapter Eleven
There were replicators pouring through the gate, an endless wave that kept pushing them back further, up and out of the mountain. The lights were out, they were relying on emergency power and all systems were down. Queens had set up in the Gate room, using the gate's power conduits to replicate more for their army, as if the ones coming through the gate weren't enough.
At the head of the advancing enemy was Sam's replicator clone and because she was human form, none of their weapons affected her. She killed soldier after soldier, unflinching as bullets hit her in attempt to at least slow her down. She was unstoppable, the ultimate weapon. Once they could have stopped her, but she’d deceived them and was now immune to the disrupter weapon O'Neill had built.
Daniel, along with Sam, Teal 'c and Jack's replacement General Landry were headed to the fail safe, because they knew it was the only way to stop the replicators from getting out of the mountain. They weren't completely sure it would affect replicator Carter, but they had to take the chance.
In the failsafe room they bolted the doors and while Sam and General Landry set the mountain to self destruct, Daniel and Teal 'c took up positions.
"I never thought it would end this way," Sam muttered as the timer began to count down.
"We always knew it would end some day," Daniel replied.
"I never took you for a pessimist Dr. Jackson," Landry said just as he fired his weapons at a hole in the roof.
"Yeah well, times change," Daniel replied yelling over the gunfire.
They didn't speak, unless to warn each other about a replicator getting too close, but after five of the ten minutes till self destruct, they were all getting too close.
''I don't know how much longer we can hold this up," Daniel yelled, changing cartridges.
"We have to,'' Sam yelled back, momentarily glaring at him. “We have no other choice."
Daniel knew this, but he also knew that they were horribly out numbered.
"Colonel Carter," their reinforcements outside the door spoke over the radio. "Your replicator double has arrived. AHHH-"
They all traded tools' of horror and Daniel muttered, ''shit." They turned back to shooting the replicators, and it didn't take long for Replicator Carter to make a hole in the door big enough for her to get through.
Her replicates minions suddenly stopped and retreated until she was the only one with them. Daniel looked around confused them at Repli-Carter.
“What do you want? ''Sam asked.
“Our purpose is to replicate and become the most dominated species in the galaxy. At least that is the extent of Mother's programming" Repli-Carter answered.
"Mother?'' Daniel asked confused.
"You call her Reece."
“Oh”
Repli-Carter smiled and it creeped Daniel out. "When the first Reece form Replicators were created we learned a lot from Mother, one of them being about a race more powerful than any other with the technology to destroy us. Her creator belonged to this race.”
"The replicators destroyed the people living in the planet Reece was created on. They're all gone.”
Repli-Carter shook her head, "The humans on that planet and Mother's creator belong to two different races. Mother's creator survived, and he and his race are the only ones who stand in our way of dominating this galaxy."
“Then why are you here?'' Teal 'c asked.
“Because I don't know what planet they currently live on. You have yet to come across them, or I would have already learned of their hiding place from your database. However, Daniel has the information I need."
"Uh, no I don't," Daniel said confused, but matter of fact.
"You do, it's just looked away." Repli-Carter insisted walking towards him. "Forgotten, but still there." She grabbed his arms, ''And I will have that knowledge!"
The last thing Daniel saw before he blacked out was white light, not unlike the light of Asgard Beaming.
X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.
He was floating, maybe. He thought he was floating but it was possible that suspended was a more accurate term. He had no idea where he was. He was surrounded by nothing but darkness, but it wasn't darkness because he could see himself quite clearly. He had to be somewhere though, his mind told him that, so he tried to move. All he did was make himself look like a fool.
"Hello?" he called, hoping anyone could hear him.
There was no answer, of any sort. There wasn't even a sound, and that concerned him.
"Your mind is very protected."
He jumped as a woman appeared beside him. She was his height, blond and blue eyed, and he knew her. But she was just a copy, not the real person. And she was evil, bent on not only destroying the human race, but all others as well. He hated this perversion of his friend.
“It shouldn't be though,” she continued. "You are not advanced in any way, not like Mother's creator and the sealing of your memories as an Ascended would not require such a protection. Who's protecting you Daniel Jackson?"
Daniel glared at Repli-Carter, "Where are we?"
''Inside your mind. It's the only place to acquire what I want, but your mind is so very heavily guarded."
Jack, Daniel thought instantly. Only Jack would do such a thing after the amount of times they'd been mind probed.
"So Jack O 'Neill is more than he appears to be," Repli-Carter said smiling. ''Thank you Daniel."
Daniel flushed in shame. His deeper thoughts and memories were protected but those on the surface could be easily picked up and he didn't want to give away anyone's secrets, Especially Jack's.
"Speaking of Jack,'' she said looking around. ''Where is he?"
''I don't know." Daniel answered truthfully. "He left."
"Really?" Repli-Carter was surprised and confused. ''Well that doesn't sound at all like him. He would never leave unless-" her eyes widened and then narrowed as a cruel smile spread across her face, ''Oh now that's interesting. I wonder what you did Daniel. I wonder how you betrayed him.”
Daniel flinched. She would use that against him now, he just knew it
"Oh I will Daniel, you can be sure of that."
Suddenly the scenery around them changed, a mix of swirling colours at first but then solidifying into an actual place. Daniel was surprised to see that they were in the Ancient Outpost in Antarctica, but also worried because he feared the unlocking of his Ascended memories.
"The Ancient Outpost," Repli-Carter said interested. "I remember this place, but why are we here? What is the significance?"
Daniel kept his mouth shut and did his best not to think of anything. It was hard though, because he had a fairly good idea of why they were here.
RepIi-Carter started walking to the room that held the weapons platform so Daniel followed. He figured that if she could walk here, so could he. In the chair room they found a teenaged boy, standing in front of the chair and glaring at Repli-Carter.
RepIi-Carter cocked her head to the side and started at the team with curious eyes.
"You want find out who I am by doing that," the teen said softly, but it echoed around the room.
Daniel looked between the two, confused for a moment before he realized that Rep Ii-Carter had been rooting through his brain for the information.
"Why can't I learn about you?'' Repli-Carter wondered, ''You are not in Daniel's mind."
"Oh, I am," the teen answered. "But I am not a part of his mind. I am a separate entity created to protect Daniel's mind from people and machines like you."
RepIi-Carter snarled and went rigid, staring at the teen with cold determination. Pain ripped through his mind as she tried to tear through it and he fell to his knees. Below him he barely registered a part of the ground slowly morphing into replicator blocks, go back to normal become replicator blocks and keep repeating the process.
"That won’t work!" The teen yelled.
But Daniel had a funny feeling that it was working because he could see flashes of things that he didn’t remember but had to belong to him because he was in some of them, as were a few of the other Ascended he'd already met.
He suddenly saw Jack and Jeremiah standing side by side with their oldest sons flanking them. Before them was a machine, obviously Ancient, that looked like a table but shaped oddly and on it, a human form Replicator. The image was gone in seconds but it snapped RepIi-Carter out of her attack and she turned to him.
"Jack created Mother?" she asked, shocked and angry. "Who the hell is he? What the hell is he?"
Daniel didn't answer, just leaned forward to press his forehead against the cool floor. He didn't know who had created the replicators or Reece. Jack may have, but he'd never let on that he had, even subtly. Jack had never let on that he knew more about Reece than what he showed at face value, but maybe he had and Daniel just hadn't seen it.
He screamed as RepIi-Carter began her attack again, but more painful than before. Images came more rapidly, stayed a little longer, were a little clearer and a little more in depth. RepIi-Carter searched out all the memories he had of Jack, trying to find anything she could that would tell her the truth.
"What do you regret the most?" Daniel asked curiously.
Jack let out a decrescendo whistle “There are many things I regret Daniel, in all aspects of my life. However there is one that has plagued not only me but this galaxy, Silvaralon and Ida. My brother created the Replicators. He was always the lead scientist on those projects. I wish I had stopped him when it became apparent the first time that we couldn't control them, but I held a false hope he would figure it out.
"He tried three times. The Silvaralon Replicators were all human form, always were, but they were too human. He created Reece here in Avalon, thinking that giving her the ability to create replicates blocks and control them would eliminate the flaw, but it only caused more. Jeremiah shut Reece down after her replications destroyed the planet they were living on and destroyed her creations. Apparently he missed one. His third attempt solved nothing and he made sure to terminate all the Replicators created. He hasn't really left Vaclus since.”
X. x. X. x. X. x. X. x. X.
Jonathan walked into the War Room in Vaclus and took his seat between Jeremiah and Caius. The Andromeda had arrived ten minutes earlier, a full hour before they had estimated the arrival of the Replicator ship and they needed to make the final preparations. Kalas, Jaden and Vladimir were with them. They were all dressed in their Military uniforms, and though it was traditionally white to symbolize their connection with the energy around them, some-like Jaden- had chosen darker colours such as black and crimson red.
"We need to take them out as soon as they exit hyperspace,” Jaden was saying.
Jonathan was late, having been brought to his knees by a violent white hot pain in his head. He'd known immediately that Daniel was in trouble, that someone had broken through the defences he’d placed around Daniel's mind during his very, very brief return to Earth two months earlier.
''No," Jonathan argued. ''I won't allow it."
Everyone turned to him surprised and Jaden was glaring, "If we don't it will give them just enough time to start breaking apart and invading. It is the best option!”
''Daniel's on that ship!” Jonathan snarled. "Charlie has confirmed it. I will not let you kill him.”
"You would still save the one man who drove you away from the planet you've called home for the past six thousand years? After all he's put you through?"
"Just because you don't know the meaning of love doesn't mean you can knock down father's love and devotion to Daniel,'' Caius snarled.
"Enough, "Jonathan and Jeremiah said simultaneously.
Caius and Jaden backed down, but were still glaring.
“How do you suggest we rescue Daniel?'' Vladimir asked, clearly interested.
"All you have to do is delay your bombardment of the Replicator ship until I can beam him off of it. His DNA is in the Vaclus Database so I will synthesize it to the beam technology in order to accurately beam him here. It shouldn't take any longer than half a minute unless they have an anti-beam shield. I do not believe they do. However I could be wrong.
There were nods of acceptance from all but Jaden, but Jonathan didn’t expect him to agree. The pissy Veutair didn’t easily accept betrayers or cared anything about them after they'd hurt family. It's why he didn't get into long term, or even short term relationships that required a lot of emotion. He'd accepted early on that he would probably never find someone to love unconditionally or someone who could love him unconditionally and still accept his cultural ways.
Jonathan didn't really want to go and be Daniel's knight 'n shining armour, no matter how much he loved him. He just wished for once Daniel hadn't gotten captured by the enemy, though he guessed he knew why Daniel was captured. Daniel was the only person the replications could get their hands on who knew where Vaclus was.
''Right then," Caius said morphing into full general mode. "Andromeda and Narcissus will be spaced so that down on the planets surface Vaclus will be in the middle with an unobstructed path through which to fire drones. The Gateships will be spaced evenly between the two warships as will the Dragon class fighters."
The meeting ended minutes later and everyone got up to go to their respective posts but Jonathan stayed where he was. Jeremiah, the last to leave, paused at the door and turned to face him.
"If you want, I can have a holding cell set up for you to beam him to?”
Jonathan looked at him with wide, deer in headlights eyes which made his brother laugh. Jonathan glared at him. ''That's not what I was thinking about.”
Jeremiah shook his head, "You think about him all the time, you morn for what you're lost so much. That's why Jaden hates him so, it's why so many of my children-and yours by the way- want to knock some fucking sense into him. They hate him for reducing you to this."
"Don't talk about me as if I'm weak and all because of some pathetic human," Jonathan snarled with distain, pushing out of his seat and advancing on his brother.
Jeremiah backed off quickly “I'm not. I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions."
Jonathan stared at him for a moment before sighing. He looked passed him at the people performing the last minute preparations, ''I was thinking of the Replicators. It's obvious they captured Daniel to get to us, but what made them think we were still around? And why use Daniel, they should have that information from the Asgard Database.”
Jeremiah was silent for a moment before answering with a heavy heart. "Reece. She knew I was more than I appeared to be because after everyone on that planet was killed I used my powers to destroy her creations then shut her down. I lied in my report about that. And though the Replicators now may believe that I have died, they'll believe that my line has not because Reece did meet Vladimir."
"Through Daniel they'll know that you are still alive." Jonathan told him.
"And through Daniel they should know that they are no match for us.”
''Maybe for you, but as long as they have Daniel they have one up on me.”
X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.x.X.
Jonathan was ready when the Replicator ship dropped out of hyperspace well within the range of the beaming technology. The program automatically searched out all living creatures in space and compared their DNA structure to Daniel's and once it found a match, twenty seconds later, beamed him into the gate room. He gave everyone the all clear then left his post to go see Daniel.
Daniel was on his hands and knees, staring at everything around him in shock. He either didn't care about the blood ruining down the right side of his face or didn’t know and Jonathan guessed it was the latter. Daniel was pretty typical that way.
As Jonathan was walking down the main staircase, their eyes met. “Jack," Daniel breathed and Jonathan couldn't quite place the emotion in his voice.
"Welcome to Vaclus "Jonathan said emotionlessly. "Under better circumstances I would give you a tour, but right now you need to go down to the Infirmary."
''What? ''Daniel asked confused, standing up slowly.
''You're bleeding Spacemonkey." It had been a slip of the tongue, so easy to fall back into the teasing, loving relationship they use to have.
Daniel touched his head in shock but they couldn't say anymore because another figure beamed in five feet to their left.
"Carter?'' Jonathan asked shocked. The last person he expected to see here was her.
"Uncle," one of Jeremiah's daughters yelled, ''She's a replicator!"
"I am," the replica of Carter said. “Fifth made me, and I am the most powerful of all previously created Reece form replicators. As one of my final acts in destroying this galaxy I will avenge Mother's destruction."
''You want to kill me?” Jonathan asked with a twisted smirk.
“You and your entire race Jack O'Neill."
Jonathan rolled his eyes "Foolish. You really think you can kill me?"
"I know I can," she said advancing forward. Her right arm transformed into a blade, and though she looked like she was going to attack Jonathan, at the last minute she turned on Daniel and drove the blade through his chest.
''No!" Jonathan screamed in horror as Daniel's eyes widened impossibly, his breathing became difficult and he coughed blood. RepIi-Carter pulled the blade out and Daniel fell. Jonathan was there in an instant catching him before he hit the ground. He sank to his knees, cradling Daniel running his left hand through Daniel's hair.
"No, no, no,'' he sobbed. “Daniel, no'"
Daniel stared up at him, blinking almost as if he didn't know what was going on. ''Jack!' he whispered. "I'm sorry."
He paused, closing his eyes, Jonathan stepped him lightly, "Keep your eyes open for me Spacemonkey. Please.”
Daniel opened them and smiled slightly, despite the coughs. “Love ….you…..so sorry ……I was ……such ….an ass.”
Jonathan shook his head, ''It's not your fault. Just, don't leave me, not again.”
Daniel tried to laugh, but it came out pathetic. ''Sorry…..don't think….l….will survive….this."
"Not true," Jonathan snarled, putting his hand over Daniel's wound. He focused all his energy into healing Daniel's extensive wound.
Above him he didn't notice RepIi-Carter raise her sword arm, nor Jeremiah's daughter Aziza charge Repli-Carter her own sword drawn to attack. They dashed above and around them, Repli-Carter trying to dodge around Aziza in order to kill Jonathan, Aziza blocking every one of her moves with equal speed and strength.
''It's not…..working." Daniel slurred, his head lolling against Jonathan's shoulder.
''I'm not letting you die,'' Jonathan said determined, but he knew Daniel was slipping away from him. The wound was too extensive, too damaging. There were so many areas of his wound screaming for attention, stealing a little bit of his power prematurely making it harder to heal property
''Jack '"Daniel pleaded. "Don't….make this….harder than…..it has….to be…Please."
Jonathan looked into Daniel's eyes, tears flowing out of his own. He saw the pain, intensifying his own pain, and the love. His eyes pleaded with him to stop, to let him go, that he wasn't worth it.
‘Though I may not be physically here, I'll always be with you.' Daniel's eyes seemed to say.
Jonathan kissed his forehead. ''I love you Daniel."
"You too," were Daniel's final words as Jonathan ceased the healing and he died.
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.
Charlie stumbled as the vision receded and he came back to awareness.
"Are you alright?'' Shau’ri asked concerned laying a hand on his shoulder
Charlie shook his head, "Things still won't turn out right, even with our intervention. Dad still leaves and Daniel will dies."
Shau'ri sighed. "What more can we do?"
Charlie frowned in concentration, "Both my visions, they focus on the outcome of the Replicator War in accordance to Dad's leaving Earth. The war happens the way it does because Dad leaves Earth. Everything is about his departure."
"Are you suggesting me stop him from leaving?" Shau’ri asked surprised.
Charlie shook his head, ''The Alterans would never allow that, but there is something we could do."
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.
Jack looked around the living room of his house, so devoid of life and saw a lone picture of Charlie sitting on the mantle. He walked over and picked it up, smiling. As he stared, the glass suddenly cracked. Jack spun around, extending his senses out, trying to locate the Ascended being that had no doubt been behind that. He frowned when he sensed no one and looked back at the picture.
''Charlie, what do you want?"
'Are you ready to go Jonathan?'
'Just wait,' Jack told his brother, who was in orbit with the Narcissus. 'Charlie is trying to tell me something.'
Jeremiah sent a mental shrug, 'Alright.'
Jack stared at the picture for a few more minutes, willing It to give him answers. "Come on Charlie, tell me.''
The doorbell rang. Jack quirked an eyebrow, "Ok," and went to answer it.
A lump the size of his heart caught in his throat to the sight of Daniel looking nervously back at him.
“Hi Jack."
Chapter Twelve
