Chapter 2 The Children of the Gods

With the course set towards what Jack knew was Chulak, General Hammond ordered a second mission. As they prepared for the mission on Chulak, Jack made sure to add a few missiles to confront the death gliders, although he had no intention of causing a disturbance in that place.

"Are you sure about this?" Jack asked Daniel.

"Share is worried about Skaara; I must do this for her," said Daniel as they prepared to cross to Chulak, and the general warned them to return or report within twenty-four hours before they deactivated the bracelet code and the iris installed on the Stargate remained closed.

"Okay, but avoid taking risky actions. Follow my lead, and don't venture without asking me first. We don't want you getting dragged by some creature and ending up in some strange place where you might get another wife," Jack warned. Daniel smiled.

…

Upon crossing the portal to Chulak, they found it to be part of a stone monument, and everything around them was empty. While Daniel suggested it might be some kind of altar, Jack pointed to the scout.

"Send him back to Earth. We don't want to leave any trace of our presence here, but make sure to set traps all over the place," Jack ordered.

"Shouldn't we establish a perimeter?" Carter asked.

"Carter, we're two teams against possibly an entire army on this planet. The best we can do is try to make them believe no one is here," Jack explained, and Carter nodded after thinking for a few seconds.

"Carter, Daniel, follow me. Kawalsky, make sure to prepare an escape route. And be ready in case they send those gliders. We don't want a repeat of last time," Jack said.

"Sir, this time they won't get close," Kawalsky said, holding a missile launcher. Jack nodded, and before they began sending the probe back to Earth, they were already on their way.

"Jack…" Daniel complained when Jack grabbed him by the neck and covered his mouth.

"This guy is a danger; just an hour ago, I told him to stay behind me, and now he was getting ready to lead me into a nest of vipers," Jack thought, looking at Daniel as if undecided whether to hit him or put him to sleep.

Jack waited for the group of priests to pass before speaking on the radio.

"Kawalsky, there's a group of priests approaching the portal. Let them pass and don't reveal our positions," Jack ordered.

"What makes you think they are priests?" Daniel asked grumpily, as his plan to get them into enemy hands had miserably failed.

"Believe me, they are priests. And yes, they are priests of the alien who took Skaara. If we contact them, they'll take us to their leader, and we'll fall into their hands surrounded by an enemy army. Does that sound familiar?" Jack asked, feeling the urge to hit this brainless hippie's head.

"I think Colonel O'Neill is right; they do look like priests," added Carter, and Daniel made a face.

"And how are we going to get to their village…?" Before Daniel could finish speaking, Jack pointed to the path the priests were coming from.

"I have a hunch that if we follow them, we'll reach a city," Jack said sarcastically.

"I didn't know you gave so much credit to your hunches," Daniel complained.

"Daniel, since I've known you, I pay close attention to my hunches. Now walk," Jack ordered.

"I don't know what you mean by that," Daniel complained.

"It's better that you don't know, just keep walking," Jack ordered.

…

A few minutes later, they had assaulted some passersby and stolen their clothes; fortunately, they were some kind of robes that allowed them to conceal their weapons.

The city they arrived at was dreadful, dark, dirty, and decadent. It wasn't dirty in the sense of having trash and waste scattered around but dirty in the sense that it needed several layers of paint, repairs to some walls, water fountains, and more.

"Let's follow the priests," Jack ordered, watching two priests walking down a street, leading them to a grand mansion.

"Sir, I don't think this city is the residence of that alien. Ra didn't mingle with his slaves; maybe he's just visiting," said Carter, who apparently had studied the mission report word for word.

"Carter, it's not the time for assumptions. We'll monitor this place until further notice," Jack ordered, and Carter frowned, as they had reached there based on pure assumptions. But Jack was in charge, and they could only frown.

…

"Jack, we're wasting time. It seems those priests only attended a party…" Daniel hadn't finished speaking when they saw a column of Jaffa entering the palace with several prisoners. Jack raised an eyebrow at Daniel.

"How do you plan to get in?" Daniel asked angrily. It seemed that if he didn't get them into trouble, he felt unhappy.

"The same way we entered the city," Jack said, smiling as other priests approached.

"If you hit those people, we'll be discovered," Daniel warned. Jack rolled his eyes and instructed them to wait for him in an alley.

…

After ten minutes, they were changing into priest robes.

"How did you get them to follow you?" Daniel asked amazed.

"I approached them, pointed to the alley, and said, 'Jaffa kree,' indicating the alley with apprehension, gesturing for them to follow me," Jack explained.

"Those were the words the alien used on Abydos. Very clever of him, sir," praised Carter. Jack nodded. He knew that the word "kree" meant pay attention, and the Jaffa were the loyal warriors of the Goa'ulds. If you told a priest to come closer, he would be obliged to do so.

"Well, now we pretend to be men of faith, 'without tongue,'" Jack emphasized, addressing Daniel specifically, "and enter the palace to see if Skaara is there," Jack explained.

…

"It's a party," Daniel reported, ten minutes after exploring the surroundings with Carter.

"Yes, Daniel, I realize it's a party," Jack thought; this guy was starting to annoy him more than expected.

"I checked the rear area, and I think that's where they keep the prisoners because there's more security," Jack said. He had found a corridor guarded by Jaffa.

"We'll wait to see if we can take advantage of any distraction," Jack said, but as he spoke, everyone began to kneel, and he hurried to imitate them along with the others.

Jack discreetly observed Apophis entering with his new queen, a woman with cinnamon skin who fortunately wasn't Share, as Jack had managed to save her from that fate. Unfortunately, he hadn't succeeded with Skaara.

"Stay here, and don't even think about trying to talk to anyone. Remember, tongue less priests," Jack warned Daniel.

"What are you going to do?" Daniel asked.

"I think I saw someone I know," Jack said and turned away without saying more.

…

A couple of minutes later, Jack was behind a corner at the beginning of a hallway, next to Teal'c, whom he had managed to lure there by showing him his P90. Depending on Teal'c's reaction to seeing the weapon, Jack could talk about an alliance or start responding to gunfire.

"Who are you?" Teal'c reprimanded, slamming him against the wall while holding him by the neck and taking the weapon from his tunic.

Teal'c had approached discreetly, indicating he was willing to talk, but that didn't mean he was friendly.

Jack didn't mind trying this strategy because if it failed, he could still escape relying on his hidden men.

"Teal'c, do you believe in destiny?" Jack asked, holding his neck to avoid the stone statue from accidentally strangling him.

Teal'c was just like in the series: tall, muscular, bald, and dark-skinned. He wore the full Jaffa outfit, but his helmet was open, allowing Jack to recognize him.

Jack could feel the immense strength the Jaffa possessed as he was held with one hand, without any discomfort, while Teal'c inspected the P90 with the other.

"Speak," Teal'c threatened.

"Teal'c, my name is Jack O'Neill; I'm a Tau'ri, and we've met before. In another world and place, you joined me to fight against the tyranny of the Goa'uld. I know your hope, Teal'c. I know you desire a better future for your son and wife. But most importantly, I know that together, we can defeat the Goa'uld. They are just parasites, Teal'c, and you know it. Help me, and your hopes will come true," Jack concluded, freeing himself from Teal'c's hand as he spoke, and Teal'c gradually released him.

"How do you know my name and about my family?" Teal'c asked suspiciously.

"Teal'c, I know many things about you and many others I'm unaware of. I can't explain how I know what I know. Call it destiny, magic, future dreams. But I need your help, and you need mine. Apophis has taken a group of people as prisoners, including a soldier from our planet and an Abydonian, whom they captured in an assault involving my people. Do you know who I'm talking about?" Jack asked, and Teal'c nodded.

"The woman was not worthy to be a host for Apophis's queen and is dead," Jack already knew this but wanted to confirm— "The young one showed great bravery and strength by killing two Jaffa, and as a reward, he was taken as a host by Klorel, Apophis's son. At this moment, his body is being prepared," Teal'c explained, and Jack frowned. Trying to help Skaara had only made him more attractive to the Goa'uld. It was bad luck for Skaara, but there would be other opportunities to help him. For now, Teal'c was the priority.

"That wasn't supposed to happen yet," Jack said.

"Destiny?" Teal'c asked.

"Yes, but don't mention this to anyone else because in my world, they would lock me up in a place for the insane if they found out. Their spiritual beliefs don't accommodate these things," Jack explained seriously.

"Your knowledge about the destiny of others must be a great burden for you," Teal'c said, giving him space to move. Jack observed the party, where Apophis continued introducing his queen to his servants.

"If I betray Apophis, I will be hunted, and your world will earn his eternal enmity," Teal'c warned.

"I know, but this action is too important to ignore," Jack said, massaging his neck. Teal'c had a lot of information that Jack couldn't reveal to the SGC without raising suspicions.

"Teal'c, what has happened to the people who have been abducted?" Jack asked without expecting a good answer.

"Apophis has already obtained what he sought from them, and all have been executed by me and the other Jaffa," Teal'c explained. Jack grimaced— "Do you still think I am worthy to serve the great cause of defeating the Goa'uld?" Teal'c asked.

Jack understood that the Jaffa had just suffered a hard blow, and it was all his fault; by advancing the implantation of Skaara, he had also accelerated the death of those people.

"Teal'c, it wasn't the destiny of those people to die. This is my doing. I tried to save someone I care about from becoming a host, but I've only succeeded in hastening his fate and sealing the fate of all those people.

"Your hands executed them, but I have been the one to send them to death by trying to change something without having the means or strength to do so," Jack said, his stomach churning. He didn't want to think about the number of people Apophis had captured.

Wanting to help Skaara was a very stupid idea. There would be other opportunities, but he chose to intervene when he hadn't even taken the first steps to save himself. His impatience was his greatest flaw, and it was a damn flaw…

"O'Neill, one day we will make the Goa'uld pay for all their crimes," Teal'c assured, patting him on the shoulder and interrupting his thoughts. "Now we must stay strong," Teal'c advised. His depression must have been evident.

"You're right, there's nothing more we can do for them," Jack said unconvincingly, as his stomach continued to churn, and he felt the urge to vomit. "How long will Apophis stay?" Jack asked.

"Not much longer. As soon as Klorel is ready, he will depart to present his queen and son to the minor Goa'uld. I will stay to visit my family and train new Jaffa. After that, I may be called to initiate new conquests in Apophis's name. The selected planets will be those where Apophis has faced you," Teal'c explained. Jack nodded.

"So, there's no need to cause trouble. We'll wait for Apophis to return to his world to talk calmly. Where can we meet?" Jack asked.

"Go to my house and tell my wife that I have sent you…" Teal'c explained how to get to his house, and Jack returned to the others.

"Jack, has something happened?" Daniel asked. Jack thought he needed to work on his expressions; it was clear he wasn't fooling anyone.

"Bad news, let's get out of here first," Jack said, pointing to the exit of the room, where they sneaked out one by one, as it would be unthinkable for priests to leave their god's party.

…

Upon reaching the alley, they took off the priest robes and dressed like ordinary people.

…

"Teal'c sends me," Jack said when a dark-skinned woman opened the door. She let them in without asking questions, leading them to a kind of living room.

"Skaara has been taken as a host, like that boy who was Ra's host," Jack explained while Teal'c's wife went to prepare tea or whatever they offered to guests there. Daniel patted him on the shoulder.

"Sir, how did you find out about that?" Carter asked.

"A Jaffa, those armored warriors who serve Apophis, recognized us at the party. He told me. He didn't report our presence to Apophis because he believes Apophis is a false god and seeks help to defeat the Goa'uld, which is what the species of Ra calls themselves.

"This Jaffa was present in both of our confrontations against Apophis. He has seen our technology and weapons, and he believes we can help him break free from Apophis," Jack explained.

"Has he contacted you before?" Daniel asked. Jack shook his head.

"No, I tried to approach him, but he was already expecting me," Jack lied.

"Sir, it's good to gain allies, but do you think we can trust him?" Carter asked.

"Sam, I don't think Apophis would have let us go. Ra simply tried to kill us and humiliate us," explained Daniel. "First Ra, and now Apophis, this may not be a coincidence…"

Jack ignored Daniel's theories and leaned back in his chair, tilting his head back to close his eyes and try to calm himself.

"Kawalsky, we might have visitors soon. Skaara is likely to be with them. Let them in; he has been taken as a host, and we can't do anything for now. We'll stay here a few more hours. I think we've found an ally with valuable information that Earth needs," Jack reported.

"Understood," said Kawalsky. "Colonel… I'm sorry," added Kawalsky and closed the communication.

"You don't even know what really disturbs me," Jack thought. Saving a small number of people had cost the lives of perhaps dozens of them… It could be more than a hundred… Jack clenched his teeth tightly. If he hadn't intervened, he wouldn't be responsible for the deaths of dozens of people.

This was exactly what he feared. These kinds of situations were why he didn't want to get involved in a war, but a few simple words had led to a tragedy and now had caused the death of…

"Damn," Jack cursed in his mind. Dozens of people had died just because he was impatient and wanted to appear clever.

…

"Jack?" called Daniel, touching his shoulder, a couple of hours later. Jack lifted his head and saw Teal'c beside him. He wasn't wearing his snake helmet.

Jack stood up with a clearer mind. He had staged a lamentable show, but failing at one of his main objectives before being able to do anything was shameful, repugnant, and desolating. He felt utterly useless.

This was messed up, and he wasn't sure he could fix it. Although it was possible, there was a long way to go and many dangers along the path. Before, he thought he was doing everything right and taking advantage of all the opportunities, but now he had made a stupid mistake at the beginning of his journey in this world. His lack of patience had caused an error that resulted in the death of many people…

Jack sighed in his mind. He couldn't fall back into that. He looked at his team.

"Daniel, Carter, this is Teal'c, the First Prime of Apophis," Jack introduced, pointing at Teal'c. "Teal'c, they are Dr. Daniel Jackson and Captain Samantha Carter of the Tau'ri," Jack introduced.

"Tau'ri?" Daniel asked.

"The first world where humans evolved and were then discovered by the Goa'uld, who took them as hosts, Jaffa warriors, or slaves, taking them to thousands of worlds across the stars to serve them," Teal'c explained. Daniel and Carter were astonished.

"That means there are millions of humans out there who need our help," Jack said.

"It will be an honor to serve your cause," Teal'c said, bringing his fist to his heart.

"Thank you, Teal'c. Your help will be welcome. Now let me make a call to sort out your diplomatic situation before doing anything else. Will you bring someone with you?" Jack asked.

"My wife and son," Teal'c said.

"Talk to them while I inform my superiors," Jack said. Teal'c nodded and headed toward his wife, who was waiting outside the room.

"Sir, what is a First Prime?" Carter asked.

"He is Apophis's chief Jaffa. He commands his armies in battle, has piloted his ships, knows how to use his weapons, and, in general, has a lot of knowledge that could be useful to us, especially regarding information about the Goa'uld," Jack explained.

"That would be of great value," Daniel said.

"I agree, but I must discuss this with General Hammond and explain Teal'c's situation. I don't want him to end up in prison upon arrival," Jack explained and called Kawalsky.

"Kawalsky, here O'Neill. I need a direct line to Stargate Command. I have urgent information. Don't worry about the Stargate; there won't be any activity there," he explained.

Kawalsky quickly connected him to the SGC Command, and Jack reported on the soldier's death and Skaara's possession by a Goa'uld. Then, Jack explained Teal'c's situation, mentioning that he was bringing his wife and son with him and would need a place to stay. General Hammond promised to make the necessary calls and contact him later.

…

A few hours later, they had crossed the portal and were back home.

"Welcome back, Colonel," said General Hammond. Jack approached him with Teal'c by his side and greeted him.

"Sir, let me introduce Teal'c, a Jaffa warrior and former First Prime of Apophis, who is willing to join our side to fight for his freedom and that of those like him," Jack explained.

"Earth welcomes you, Teal'c of the Jaffa," General Hammond greeted.

Teal'c performed the Jaffa oath to serve and protect, and then introduced his family.

"Sir, soon Apophis will find out that his First Prime no longer obeys him, and as I mentioned earlier, we've left some bodies behind. With that and what Skaara knows, Apophis might connect us to this, so we expect retaliation as soon as he learns everything," Jack explained.

"We'll take that into account, Colonel O'Neill," said General Hammond. "Anything else?" he asked, noticing that Jack wasn't leaving.

"The enemy is those creatures in the Jaffa pouches that can take control of people. I recommend that both I and the entire team that returned undergo medical examinations," Jack said. He didn't want future surprises with the Goa'uld. General Hammond nodded and promptly sent them all to the infirmary.

…

A few hours after concluding his mission report, General Hammond called Jack into his office. Jack entered and greeted.

"Colonel, go ahead. Have a seat," said General Hammond, pointing to the chair in front of his desk. Jack sat down.

"Sam has mentioned, unofficially, that you might need to take some time off. Can you tell me why?" General Hammond asked.

"She hasn't told you?" Jack asked disheartened.

"She told me that your relationship with the young man captured by the Goa'uld was not common," General Hammond said. Jack grimaced but decided to tell part of the truth. Otherwise, he couldn't live with himself.

"Someday, I'll get that Goa'uld out of Skaara's head. Don't doubt it," Jack said determinedly, and the General looked at him perplexed.

"You don't seem very concerned about it," the General said, and Jack nodded.

"Before, during the mission in Abydos, I had… a strong feeling that something similar to what happened on Earth could happen, and that the extraterrestrial hadn't visited Earth by chance. So, I warned the Abydonians and my team to guard the gate seriously. I also handed my weapon to Skaara because the kid was too impulsive and refused to retreat," Jack explained.

"You handed over your weapon? That's not in your report. Not in the reports of the others," General Hammond said, showing an expression of helplessness. "It seems you quickly earn the loyalty of your men. Continue," General Hammond said. Jack figured seeing them hand over their weapon to Skaara had moved them; those guys were soft.

"After handing the weapon to Skaara, we continued with the mission and discovered the Abydos cartouche. Shortly after arriving there, we heard gunfire and returned to the gate room, where there was a Goa'uld attack. However, my team managed to repel it with one casualty, Ferretti, one dead Abydonian, and another abducted, Skaara.

"At that moment, I just clenched my teeth. It was bad luck. I would retrieve Skaara later. I was confident in that, and it didn't affect me. After making the arrangements I considered important and mentioned in my report, we returned through the gate and undertook the rescue mission on Chulak.

"Once on Chulak, I encountered Teal'c, and after the introductions, I asked him about the soldier and Skaara. The soldier was killed when rejected by the Goa'uld, and Skaara was turned into a host without any prior evaluation, simply because the goa'uld found him brave and audacious.

"That's what I mentioned in my report. What I didn't mention is that all those captured by Apophis were taken to a prison. There, Apophis continued choosing hosts who were rejected. There were dozens of people there, maybe more than a hundred.

"People who didn't even know the Goa'uld, people like the Abydonians, some just slaves, and others belonging to abandoned worlds. Skaara would have been taken there if I hadn't handed him that weapon and alerted the team about the attack.

"Apophis wouldn't have chosen Skaara on sight, and he would still be waiting in that prison until I arrived. All those people would have been there… alive," Jack concluded, gritting his teeth. General Hammond took a few seconds to comprehend, but he finally did.

"After getting the hosts he wanted, Apophis ordered the execution of the rest," General Hammond said, and Jack nodded, still clenching his teeth.

"So, you think that if you hadn't given the order to your team to defend the gate on Abydos, you could have saved all those people," General Hammond said.

Jack smiled bitterly; he knew what General Hammond would try to say, but that wouldn't work. Not for him, who knew what should have really happened and how his recklessness had caused the death of all those people.

"General Hammond, I know what you're trying to say, and you might be right from your perspective, but not from mine. Before leaving this base for Abydos, I suspected that this Goa'uld would show up there, so I equipped my team. I had a certain certainty that it would happen and wanted to teach him a lesson. The risks were calculated. Apophis' exploration plans were too naïve for anything to go wrong. So, I acted. I didn't really think about the consequences; it was my impatience that led me to act.

"And now I know that if I hadn't, things would have been a bit complicated on Chulak, but with Teal'c's help, I'm sure we would have returned safely. But I decided to act stupidly and caused the death of many people," Jack concluded. General Hammond remained silent for several minutes. Jack grimaced as he waited.

"Earlier, you told me that you had already imagined that there would be more gates, more ships, and more threats to Earth, but you didn't act or report it," General Hammond said.

Jack was surprised because that was a lie he made up to make General Hammond understand the danger Earth was facing and to gain access to the gate and set his survival plans in motion. Jack nodded somewhat embarrassed by the lie, but General Hammond seemed to misinterpret his reaction and nodded in agreement.

"Colonel, if you had included that information in your report and the higher-ups had listened to you, the gate might be buried by now so that politicians and a few people could sleep peacefully at night. It's also possible that someone would have listened to you, and the program to explore worlds in search of a way to protect Earth would have been reactivated by now. In the first case, it would have been a disaster for Earth. In the second case, we would already have a huge advantage over the current state of the project.

"In Abydos, you decided to act, and things went wrong. But the young man could have stayed behind. He could have been injured or, in the worst case, killed.

"We also know that if you hadn't acted, there would have been more deaths and injuries on Abydos. Although they were fewer than those Apophis ordered to be executed, remember that if you ever let people die because 'it might' affect more people later, you would have become a despicable person, someone who only sees others as numbers.

"Colonel O'Neill, you seem to have an uncommon ability to anticipate problems. But I want you to understand that you really can't foresee the future and are as limited as the rest of us when it comes to making decisions," General Hammond concluded.

Jack reflected. He knew what might happen because he had seen the original timeline. However, he couldn't see the future. If he could, he would have taken Skaara with him to the mazes and solved the problem. Jack sighed in frustration.

"No, sir, I can't see the future," Jack said dejectedly. "And yes, I would feel like garbage if I decided on people's lives based on numbers," Jack admitted.

"Well, it's good that you understand your limitations because we need you. I've reviewed your recommendations regarding Abydos to secure the planet without burying the gate and ensure benefits for both the Abydonians and us.

"Firstly, keep the gate sealed to prevent unauthorized access. Options could be a false burial, drilling the rock beneath the gate to move it like an elevator, or building a large sphere to house it in the middle of the gate. These are brilliant ideas according to Sam's opinion, and she's already a prodigy.

"Secondly, send a complete mining team to extract Naquadah, a key material for future Earth projects, and compensate the Abydonians for the supply of this material through food, clothing, housing, and public services.

"Thirdly, investigate the mazes and recover any treasures Ra may have hidden there. It's essential to emphasize the recovery of these treasures but also to exercise caution, as there might be more treasures hidden in the walls. Should they be thoroughly examined?" General Hammond asked, raising an eyebrow as he read the report on his computer.

"Sir, Ra was cunning; I wouldn't want us to miss something important by getting distracted with trinkets. Everyone knows the real treasures are hidden behind the walls," Jack argued with a smile. General Hammond shook his head.

"I'll make sure to remind the exploration team when it's ready. Regarding your idea to trade with the Abydonians for Naquadah and advising Dr. Jackson not to bury the gate, the President has offered you a medal," Jack gritted his teeth; he wasn't in the mood for awards. "I'll have it sent discreetly," General Hammond said, understanding his situation. "Colonel O'Neill, you've done a good job. Take a day off," he ordered in the end.

Jack had to grit his teeth and nod; both knew he was still affected by his mistake… by how things turned out.

"Thank you, sir. I'll try to work on my character flaws, like my lack of patience. I think I'll talk to Teal'c about it; he's a very centered person," Jack said, standing up and saluting. General Hammond responded to the salute, and Jack left the office.

…

After wandering around for a while and having three cups of coffee to avoid falling asleep and having nightmares, Jack tried to play on a computer he found in an empty office, but the best he could find was Solitaire and Minesweeper. The computer didn't even have Windows XP. His life as a gamer was going to be bleak in this world.

Jack thought that maybe he could buy a PlayStation 1, as many great games had been released for that console, like the entire Resident Evil saga or Parasite Eve 2, which, despite fans hating it, he loved…

"Sir," Carter asked. Jack jumped, and as he turned around, he desperately tried to close the Solitaire and Minesweeper he had opened.

"Carter! What are you doing here?" Jack asked, realizing with a sidelong glance that he had pressed the wrong keys, and the windows were still open.

"Why the hell aren't the keys on this keyboard where they should be!" Jack exclaimed mentally.

"Sir, I moved the window close button to the other side, reassigning the F4 key," Carter said, seeing the mess he got into. It turned out she was responsible for this vile trap that didn't let him maintain his dignity…

"Carter, why have you been messing with this computer?" Jack asked accusingly.

"Well, sir, this is my work computer. This is my lab," she explained. "Crap," Jack thought. He should have suspected something when he saw a computer too new for the Stone Age machines they had in this place. Jack looked at her uncomfortably. In the end, he hadn't managed to close the damn Solitaire.

"And what are you doing here? If I'm not mistaken, it's time to sleep," Jack said. It was already past eleven at night.

"I don't sleep much, sir. Especially when there are new discoveries keeping me awake," explained Carter.

She used to work into the late hours of the night. That wasn't unusual. Being a prodigy, it seemed like her brain constantly haunted her, demanding knowledge. This woman's life is tough, Jack thought.

"Carter, you have to learn to rest. In this place, from now on, there will always be new things to do or investigate. If you're always thinking about them, you'll end up collapsing. I don't want to scare you, but they say prodigies are more likely to lose their minds if they stress too much," Jack explained, giving in to the stupid game he couldn't close without looking at the keyboard.

"I'll keep that in mind, sir," Carter accepted, but she didn't leave, and while Jack wondered if she was deliberately bothering him, she kept talking. "Sir, sometimes when I don't have ideas for my work, I also play Solitaire. Do you want to play a few rounds?" Carter asked.

Jack felt touched. He didn't believe she played any games; her mind was obsessed with new knowledge, and she didn't have time to entertain herself with games. But considering that she had warned General Hammond about his mood, she might also believe he needed company, so she offered to play Solitaire.

"Carter, are you asking me to play against you, a prodigy, in a number game?" Jack asked. "Carter, how foolish do you think I am?" Jack added with a smile.

"Sir, I think you're exaggerating my intelligence. You should read more reports about my work. Actually, I've only been here for most of my career and haven't had a great number of achievements. Your theories are more amazing…" Jack grimaced, and Carter stopped talking. His theories were a sham and had led him to kill a bunch of people.

"Carter, don't underestimate yourself. You're a prodigy, and you'll see it for yourself soon," Jack said, getting up to leave.

"Sir," Carter saluted. Jack responded with a salute as he left.

…

Jack thought he needed to buy a PlayStation 1. He would have to go shopping the next day. Teal'c had asked him to show him around Earth; it would be a good opportunity to do so and avoid questions about the console purchase. He could smuggle it in, claiming it was a gift for Teal'c's son. The boy would be the perfect age to serve as an excuse. He would say he was saving it for his birthday, including the games.

Teal'c and his family wouldn't live there, but for the moment, they were there until military intelligence finished approving Teal'c.

With nothing else to do that night, Jack decided to go to the gym. According to his memories, hitting the punching bag was a comforting experience when his stomach was upset by the results of his missions. Although he preferred playing, the only decent computer in that base, which wasn't an ultra-secret server that would be handcuffed and pointed at if he tried to mess with it, was in the hands of a prodigy with a severe case of hyperactivity.

…

Upon arriving at the gym, Jack saw Teal'c exercising. He was jumping rope. Jack imagined him more as the type to lift weights.

"O'Neill," Teal'c greeted with a nod as Jack approached.

"Teal'c, shouldn't you be with your wife and son?" Jack asked.

"O'Neill, my mood is not the best, and my mind is occupied with all the things that are coming," explained Teal'c. It seemed like he, too, was restless. No one seemed to be able to sleep that night.

"I thought Jaffa meditated when their minds weren't in the right state," said Jack. Teal'c raised an eyebrow, and Jack remembered they hadn't talked about it. "I know you need to meditate daily," Jack clarified.

"Destiny?" Teal'c asked, referring to his knowledge of the future. Jack nodded. "When meditating, we clear our minds and try to detach from the world, but that is not my goal right now. My goal is to reflect and think," explained Teal'c.

"Did the Goa'uld teach you this meditation process?" Jack asked. Teal'c nodded. "That's interesting. I wonder what would happen if you do everything backward."

"It might not yield the expected result," Teal'c said.

"Possible," Jack said and gestured for him to sit and give it a try. Teal'c nodded and sat on his knees. Jack assumed that was uncomfortable, but for the sake of solemnity, he sat in the same way facing Teal'c.

"Alright, young padawan, let's begin your training," Jack said with a smile.

"Destiny?" Teal'c asked.

"No, one of my favorite movie sagas. Tomorrow I'll buy you… darn it," Jack said. Teal'c raised an eyebrow. "My favorite movies haven't been released yet. They're far in the future. Well, we'll buy others; Star Wars still has three movies," Jack said. Teal'c nodded.

"Alright, let's start. Close your eyes and focus on the air around you. Try to feel it on your skin, like the water of a river or the waves of the sea. Try to listen to it, like the sound of rain or the song of birds…"