Disclaimer: All the standard disclaimers apply; I don't own either the Sentinel or Stargate series (shucks) and receive absolutely no remuneration for these stories. As always, your comments are welcome.
"Man this is going to be so cool." Blair said happily as he packed. "It was really great for Simon to let you have the time off to go to Peru with me. It's only going to be for a couple of weeks but we get to check out the new site that was uncovered in the La Montana region." He looked up at his partner and smiled. "Maybe we'll run into some of the people from your Chopec tribe."
Jim stood in the doorway of the younger man's room, watching his hyper partner as he packed, waiting for him to take a breath.
"Take it easy, Chief. You keep going at this pace and you will be worn out before we get on the plane tomorrow."
Blair grinned; he was excited because he was combining the best of both worlds. He was going on an important expedition and his Sentinel would be at his side. The younger man was still amazed at how well everything had worked out.
"Are you finished packing?" Blair asked the big man blocking his doorway.
"Yep, all packed. Of course I didn't try to pack all of my belongings in one bag." He gestured at the overstuffed pack. Blair turned red with the realization that his enthusiasm had gotten the better of him. "You need some help whittling that pile of stuff down to a manageable level?"
Blair sat down on his bed and started to laugh. "No, I've got it," Blair said as he started unloading the pack, shaking his head at the eclectic collection of stuff it contained. "I'll get this weeded out while you go through the refrigerator and pack the food we're going to take to the shelter tonight. Jim nodded and headed for the kitchen. "Thank goodness the kitchen sink isn't portable or I probably would have tried to pack it too." Blair muttered under his breath as he emptied the rest of the pack. He heard a burst of laughter from the kitchen and grinned.
OoooO
The next morning they met up with the rest of the group going to Peru. Professor Witieer was the leader of the expedition. He was a small timid looking man, with a nervous habit that would soon get on Jim's nerves...he unconsciously made a tsk, tsk sound after every sentence he spoke, like a strange form of punctuation. The other members of the group were young grad students. Jessica and Jeffery were the Fallon twins. Both stood six feet tall and were extremely thin. The other member of the team was a big, slow talking young man from Mississippi everyone had nicknamed Bubba. Luckily Donald Elliott the Third had a good sense of humor about it and at times played into the stereotype.
Jim and Blair were grateful that they were seated far enough away from the good professor to prevent conversation, and the couples with small children were on the other end of the plane. Jim still kept his hearing dialed down as far as possible.
They arrived at their destination in good condition and decided to stay in a local hotel for the night and getting a good night's rest before tackling the day long trip to the site.
Long before dinner was over, Jim was ready to gag the professor with his own tie. Blair watched as his partner's jaw muscles clenched tighter and tighter trying to hold back the words.
"Come on, Jim, filter it out." Blair said softly. Jim just looked at him, the younger man smiled. "You can do it, just turn him down." The detective focused on the dials and turned the annoying professor down as far as he could. He slowly relaxed. Blair patted his arm with approval. "I knew you could do it." Jim looked pointedly at his watch and leaned toward his partner.
"How soon can we get out of here?" He whispered. Blair looked around noticing that Witieer seemed to have gained his second wind, while everyone else was starting to drag.
"I think now would be a good time." He turned to the professor and gained his attention. "Well, tomorrow is going to be a very busy day. I'm going to hit the rack. Goodnight everyone." Blair stated as he stood with Jim quickly following suit. Everyone acted like they had grasped a branch pulling them out of quicksand. The volume at the table rose as the others said their good nights. Jim and Blair made their escape.
"Are we going to be able to get through the next two weeks without hurting someone?"
"Nah, I won't hurt anyone but I might gag the Professor." Jim laughed, regaining his sense of humor.
"Man, I am so sorry. I've never been around him long enough to notice his speech habits."
"It's alright. Once we get into the jungle, it will be easier to avoid him." Jim said as they entered their room. They quickly settled in for a good night's sleep.
Jim was pulled from sleep by an uneasy feeling; it was not unlike the sensations he got before an earthquake. He laid still for a few moments trying to sense movement. When nothing happened, he tried to go back to sleep. Blair had heard his partner's restless movements.
"Jim, you okay?"
"Sorry, Chief. I didn't mean to wake you. Go back to sleep."
The younger man sat up in his bed and looked over at the dark shape sitting on the other bed. "Not until you tell me what's wrong."
"It's nothing. I thought I felt something. It's probably just a reaction to all the traveling we've done today." Jim replied.
"Are you sure it's not something else?" Blair persisted.
"I'm sure, now go back to sleep." Jim said as he lay back down. Blair wasn't satisfied with the answer, but was too sleepy to push further. He made a promise to himself to get the whole story in the morning.
OoooO
The next morning Blair kept a close watch on his partner. He noticed that whatever woke Jim in the middle of the night was keeping Jim on edge.
"What's going on, Jim? You look like you're about to jump out of your skin." Concern was evident in the younger man's voice.
"I don't know, Chief."
"What does it feel like?"
"I don't know. I haven't figured it out yet." Jim answered sounding confused.
Blair rested his hand on Jim's shoulder. "Is it like anything you've sensed before?" He asked trying to get a clearer picture of what was going on.
Jim shook his head. "At first it seemed like what I feel before an earthquake. Then it settled into a continuos hum." The big man shrugged. Whatever it is, I have a feeling we will find out soon enough. Come on, Chief, I'm starving and this will probably be the last real food we're likely to see for a while."
OoooO
It took most of the morning to drive to the drop off point. They unloaded the jeeps and started the rest of the trek on foot. Jim felt a strange sense of homecoming. He absorbed the familiar sights and sounds of a place that had once been home. The big detective wanted to take the lead to the site but decided not to antagonize the professor. He and Blair brought up the rear, taking the opportunity to talk with out being overheard.
"Is this area familiar to you?" Blair asked curiously, looking around at the jungle surrounding them.
"Yeah, chief. We're on the edge of Chopec territory." He pointed at a rock formation a short distance away. "You see those rocks?" Blair nodded. "They mark the northern boundary. From the map the professor has, we will be on the edges of their territory most of the time."
"Are they...?"
"Yeah, Chief, we are being watched. They know who we are."
Blair relaxed, he knew they had nothing to fear from the local inhabitants. Jim suddenly stopped. "Come on, Chief, someone needs to talk to us." The two men faded back, allowing the rest of the group to continue on. Once they were out of sight, two Chopec warriors seemed, to Blair's eyes, to appear out of thin air. He tried to follow the rapid conversation, but was lost after the first couple of words. It was difficult but he patiently waited knowing his partner would fill him in.
As easily as they appeared, they faded from sight. Blair could see the signs of worry on his partner's face. "What was that all about?"
"They were waiting for us. They knew we were coming."
"How did they find out we would be here?"
"The new Shaman..." Jim looked away. "...had a vision that we would arrive in their time of need."
"What do they mean time of need?" Blair was beginning to worry.
"They said the Snake men had returned and the tribe was in danger." Jim held up a hand to forestall another question. "There is a legend of Snake men who walk through a stone with lightening weapons. They kidnapped whole villages. All of the tribes banded together and overpowered the guardians of the stone and buried it deep in the ground to close it forever."
"Oh, man, the excavation. Why do I have a feeling that we have landed in the middle of a major mess again?"
"Maybe because we usually do." Jim said helpfully. He received a halfhearted glare from his guide. "Come on, Chief we need to catch up with the others."
They quickly caught up with the group. Jim pulled the professor aside and explained that there was possible trouble at the site.
"I didn't have any problems the last time I was here. Tsk, tsk." Witieer argued. "I don't see why we have to wait, while you check it out. You wouldn't even know how to find it."
Jim was growing tired of the annoying little man's argument and glared at him. "Professor Witieer." Jim said through clenched teeth. "I lived in this area for eighteen months and I know every inch of this terrain, your site is at..." Jim proceeded to describe in detail the exact route to the excavation site. "...When the Chopec say there is a danger they are not exaggerating." Witieer visibly deflated and backed down. "Now you need to set up camp here. You should be safe if you don't wander off." Jim turned to his partner. "Let's go, Chief, and check this out."
OoooO
They had almost reached the site when Jim came to a halt. "Hold up, Chief." He whispered. "I can hear people talking." They crept closer to the site. They both recognized the military uniforms on the people surrounding the site and the standing circle of stone. Blair's attention was caught when he saw a man with longish blond hair, slightly older than himself. He reached over and tugged on his partner's arm.
"Jim, I know that guy, the one with the blond hair."
Jim turned. "Where from?"
"He's an anthropologist I had a run in with a few years before I met you. His name is Daniel Jackson; he's an expert on ancient languages and cultures. I met him at a conference." Blair looked confused. "I wonder what he's doing with the military?"
OoooO
"I wonder how long this Stargate has been inactive?" Daniel asked running his hand along the face of the ring. He could see signs that someone had tried to destroy it sometime in the past.
"No telling." Col. Jack O'Neill answered as he prepared the explosive charges. "All we need to worry about is getting rid of it."
Teal'c suddenly stood. "O'Neill." The big man said quietly.
"What?"
"We are being watched."
"How can you tell?"
"I can feel it."
Jack quickly passed word to the rest of his team to warn them that they had company.
OoooO
"Come on, Chief, we need to go down there. They know they're being watched and are starting to stress about it." Jim said getting to his feet. He reached down to help his young partner up.
"You said it. The last thing we want is stressed people with automatic weapons." Blair muttered. They slowly walked toward the site with their hands visible at their sides. When they came into sight, weapons were quickly aimed at them.
"Man, I hope none of these guys are trigger happy." Blair said just loud enough for his Sentinel to hear.
"You and me both." Jim whispered.
Four of the people at the site watched the approaching pair with varying degrees of recognition. Jack recognized the taller of the two men as the army ranger who had crashed and survived in the jungle for eighteen months before being recovered. Captain Carter remembered the article in time magazine. Daniel recognized the younger man as an overly enthusiastic student of anthropology he had met at a conference years ago. Daniel also remembered with embarrassment that he had been incredibly rude to the young man at their last meeting. The person who's reaction concerned Jim the most was that of Teal'c. Jim could sense the tall black man was different; Jim couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling he had. The Sentinel could sense the physical signs of fear emanating from the big man.
Teal'c had gone past fear...he was terrified. He knew what the tall man was and his close proximity to the Stargate was the greatest threat the Jaffa had ever known.
As the two visitors were being introduced around, Teal'c pulled Jack aside. Jim listened in. "O'Neill, the man Ellison is in great danger. He must be moved away from the gate as quickly as possible." Teal'c warned.
Jack was confused. "Why is he in any more danger than the rest of us?"
Teal'c looked over at Ellison and was not surprised to see him watching. "He is a special one, a Guardian. The Goa'uld hunt for ones like him. My ancestors were bred to feel their presence."
"What's so special about him?" Jack asked looking over at Ellison. The big man was quietly talking to his young partner.
"He is enhanced. All of his senses are greater. The Goa'uld prize guardians as hosts. Thankfully they are extremely rare. A Goa'uld with an enhanced host would be a hundred times more powerful than Apophis."
Jack looked across the clearing and was surprised to see Ellison starring at him, then the big man slowly nodded.
"Great." Jack muttered to himself. "It's never simple...multiple gates, snake-headed aliens, enhanced people, what next?" O'Neill saw Ellison's body tense and the big man looking around, finally turning to face the Stargate. Blair put his hand on his partner's back.
"What is it?" Blair asked.
"I don't know. I think that thing is activating." Jim could feel the build-up of energy surrounding the Stargate.
Captain Carter had been watching the two men. "What's wrong?" She asked when she noticed the visitor's intense in the gate.
Jim gestured at the stone ring. "This thing is about to turn on."
"How do you..." She stopped mid sentence as the ring began to audibly power-up. "Oh, shit, Colonel." She yelled.
"Okay people, you know the drill. Spread out. Ellison, Sandburg, you're with me." They all moved into a half circle in front of the gate just out of sight. O'Neill made sure the two civilians were behind him when the gate opened.
"What the hell is happening?" Blair asked.
"Remember the legend of the snakemen I was telling you about?" Blair nodded. "Well, I think we are about to see the real thing." They watched as the gate began to move. Blair was fascinated by the mechanics of a device over millennia old. The saw the inner ring turn, stopping at specific symbols. Jim felt a major build up of energy an instant before a visible displacement of air.
"Whoa," Blair said as they watched the interior of the circle calm, showing a surface that reminded the younger man of a pond with a light reflecting on it. "What happens now?"
"Company." Jack said tersely, taking the safety off of the weapon in his hands.
Jim and Blair watched in amazement as the first figure stepped through the gate. He was holding a staff similar to the one Teal'c carried. They watched as more people followed the first. The alien visitors took up a perimeter around the gate. The SG-1 team was surprised when the Jaffa that seemed to be in charge turned and stared in Jim's direction.
Teal'c made his way to the side of the Sentinel and Guide. From their position they could see the Jaffa speaking and gesturing.
"Ellison, can you hear what they are saying?" Teal'c asked abruptly.
Jim focused his hearing on the invaders. "I can hear the words but I don't understand the language."
"Just repeat the words, I will translate."
Jim repeated everything as closely as possible. Teal'c translated what was said out loud for the other members of their party. When Jim and Teal'c fell silent, they were all shaken. The Jaffa had sensed that there was a guardian near the Stargate, and their mission was to capture him as soon as the reinforcements arrived.
"Okay Colonel, what do we do now?" Blair asked.
"First thing is to get the two of you away from the gate."
"Works for me." Blair said. He knew his partner would not be happy being pulled so far back from the action. He was surprised when Jim readily agreed. It took a few minutes for him to realize that Jim expected the aliens to follow them.
"I want you to move a couple of miles away. Hopefully, this will draw some of them off so the rest of the team will have a chance to destroy the gate." The Colonel directed. "Teal'c will stay with you."
Jim nodded and the small group started moving away from the gate. Once out of earshot they began to run, wanting to get into position as quickly as possible. The trio stopped when they reached the designated area. While Jim scanned the area verifying that, for the moment, they were safe, Blair started watching Teal'c.
"You're like the ones that came through the gate, aren't you?" Blair asked.
"Yes, I am Jaffa."
"How did you hook up with O'Neill and his team?" Jim asked.
"They came to my world. I saw warriors who were willing to fight the Goa'uld. I knew I must fight at their side. It has been difficult, but we have learned to trust."
"You keep talking about the Goa'uld...who are they?" Blair asked.
"The Goa'uld are a race of parasites. They can infest anyone. When they do, they become powerful. Many peoples have mistaken them for gods."
"Can they be killed?" Jim asked, not liking the tenor of the conversation and remembering the one he had over heard.
A dark smile appeared on their new companion's face. "Oh, yes, they can be killed. It is extremely difficult but it can be done." Blair shivered as he listened.
"Wait a minute." Blair interrupted. "They can infest anyone?" Teal'c nodded. Blair looked at his partner with worry.
"Don't worry, Chief. We won't let that happen." The two men looked at each other with absolute understanding. They knew no matter what, they would not be separated. If the Sentinel were infested by the Goa'uld, his Guide's last act would be to destroy him.
Teal'c explained about the Jaffa tracking them. "Jaffa are the soldiers for the Goa'uld and are used to incubate the Goa'uld infants."
"You have one of those things inside you?" the younger man asked. Teal'c nodded. "Why doesn't it control you?"
"It is an infant. It will be many years before it is ready to inhabit another being."
"Can't they remove it?" Jim asked finally understanding the odd feelings the Jaffa presence was creating.
"No, if it is removed, I will die. We have tried. When it becomes adult, it will separate from my body and join with another to become a full Goa'uld."
Jim thought back to the conversation he had overheard. "What did you mean when you said your ancestors had been bred to sense guardians?"
"There have always been legends among my people about the far-sensing ones. They are highly prized by the Goa'uld. There have only been two enhanced Goa'uld in all known history. The Jaffa have searched many worlds but this is the only one to have people with all senses enhanced."
Something Teal'c said struck the younger man. "Why only two in all history? I mean there have always been Sentinels; you'd think that just playing the odds there should have been many more over the years." Jim listened with interest.
"There were many, as you call them, Sentinels found. They died by their own hands or those of their companion. The two that became Goa'uld were unbonded and had no companion. The first had not yet found his Guide; he was easy for the Goa'uld to possess. The second came hundreds of years later. The Jaffa found him and his companion was killed immediately. Before he could recover from the severing of their bond, he was under the control of the Goa'uld. The Jaffa learned to make the companion their primary target." Teal'c stopped a moment to think. "Most believe the guardians are legend since no more were heard after the gates to this world ceased to function."
"You said gates?" Jim interrupted.
"Yes, there was one in the country you call Egypt, one in Antarctica, and we just found this one when it was uncovered by an expedition. This was the one most recently closed."
"How long has it been closed?" Blair asked reminded of the legend Jim had been told by the Chopec.
"Four hundred of your years." Teal'c answered.
"The legend was passed down through the years from Shaman to Shaman." Jim said out loud. He looked at his partner. "Incacha had already passed it on when he left here. The Chopec have been waiting for us to return when the gate reopened and the snakemen returned."
"Wow, they must have served as the guardians of the gate's burial site."
"Yes, their Sentinel was taken just before the gate was toppled and buried...four hundred years ago." Teal'c replied.
"Do your legends tell what happened to the last Sentinel taken by the Goa'uld." Jim asked.
"He died." Teal'c answered.
"How?" Jim asked looking for any scrap of information possible.
"They brought him to the Goa'uld home world. They thought he would be easy to possess. He had been unmoving since the closing of the Stargate. The Jaffa brought the Sentinel to Apophis, one of the most powerful of the Goa'uld. When he was in the presence of the Goa'uld, he regained his senses. He broke away from his guards, taking them by surprise. He ran to the window of Apophis' chamber. He thrust his head through the glass twisting his head and body, decapitating himself." Blair swallowed his face pale with a greenish tint.
"It's okay, Chief, trust me. It won't come to that." The younger man took a deep breath and leaned against his partner, trying to get the image out of his mind. He looked up and saw a frown on his partner's face.
"Is someone coming?"
Jim shook his head. "No, not yet. I'm just trying to remember where I heard this before." Blair waited patiently; he had a feeling he knew why the story seemed so familiar to his partner.
Blair lowered his tone to what Jim called his guide voice. "Okay, Big Guy, just focus on the story. Think back and try to see the storyteller from the first time you heard it." He gently rubbed his partners back. "Relax your jaw, it doesn't make you think any better." Jim gave him a reluctant grin, took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He pictured Incacha sitting in the middle of a clearing looking across the flames and smoke. The Shaman's expressive face and hands illustrated the tale of the stolen Sentinel and the Guide that was left behind.
Jim opened his eyes and looked at his Guide. Blair could see the memories in his face. "I can remember it all. Incacha told me the story from the perspective of the Guide."
Blair looked at him with impatience. "Well?"
Jim relented and keeping part of his attention alerted for company, he started relating the story he had been told.
"There was a great struggle between the Chopec and the Snakemen. The invaders had been driven back time and time again. The tribe's Sentinel was growing weary due to the continuing battles. His Shaman had used his powers to aid his Sentinel, to give him strength to fight and protect. This continued for many months. One night while the Sentinel was patrolling the boundaries, the enemy returned through the gate. Even with warning, they reached the village before the Sentinel. His Shaman had stayed in the village that night to care for a sick child. The enemy had reports of the Shaman and knew if they had him, the Sentinel would be at their mercy. He would do anything to protect his Shaman.
The Sentinel, Chol'an, ran back to the village. He could hear the frantic heartbeat of his Guide and the sounds of struggle. When he reached the village, he was greeted with the sight of his Guide being held with a knife at his throat. Chol'an came to an abrupt halt and waited to find out what they wanted. They offered a trade, the Sentinel for his companion. He could see his Guide telling him no, begging for him to let him die. They both knew the legends.
Chol'an was torn between protecting the tribe and the ingrained imperative to protect his Guide.
Dinacha watched the battle on his Sentinel's face and tried to convince him to kill him and search for another to take his place when the Snakemen left. Dinacha knew the instant Chol'an made his decision.
Chol'an's last sight of his guide was to see the young Shaman on the ground where he had been tossed by his captor. His heart began to break as he looked over his shoulder before entering the gate. Dinacha lifted his head as his Sentinel looked back. They could see the desperation in each other's eyes. The Shaman watched until the gate closed. He could feel the connection between Sentinel and Guide thin but continue to hold. He kept hope that his guardian would overcome his captors and return. He maintained his belief until he felt the painful severing of their connection when they were divided by Chol'an's violent death.
The Shaman was devastated; he wandered the jungle for months. When he finally came back to himself, he returned to the village. He found that the tribesmen had toppled and buried the gate in hopes that the Snakemen would never return. He trained the new Sentinel and Guide when their abilities appeared, passing along the warning about the gate and taking their oath to always guard the site. Once they took their places as the Guardians of the tribe, Dinacha shut himself away from the tribe refusing food and drink. He fell into a trance state. After a handful of days the village elders decided to check on the older Shaman. They found him dead in his hut holding the carvings on his and Chol'an's spirit guides. The story of Chol'an and Dinacha had been passed down through the years."
Blair sat in silence when Jim finished the story. He swore to himself that nothing would get to his Sentinel as long as he drew a breath.
Jim suddenly stilled, tilting his head toward the gate. "It won't be long now. It sounds like reinforcements have arrived." The three settled in to wait. Jim could hear the sounds of energy blasts and automatic weapons firing. Before long they heard a crashing sound. Jim and Teal'c stood aiming in the direction of the sounds.
"What is it?" Blair asked quietly.
"Company."
"Good guys or bad?" The younger man asked. Jim shrugged and then caught a flash of green moving in the distance.
"I think it's the good guys." He increased his focus. "Yeah, it's the good guys." Blair gave a sigh of relief. As they drew closer, they could see O'Neill, Carter and Jackson.
Teal'c watched the now out-of-breath team. "O'Neill, why did you leave the gate?"
Jack O'Neill leaned forward resting his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. He finally took a deep breath and began to speak.
"They forced us back and have set a perimeter around the gate. We will have to wait for reinforcements. I contacted General Hammond. He said he was sending help but it would take several hours to reach us. We just need to hold out until they arrive."
Blair looked at Jim. "I don't like to sound of this."
"Me either, Chief, but I have an idea." He quickly gained the SG-1 team's attention. "O'Neill, from what you've said, if we give them too much time, the Goa'uld will have complete control of the Stargate, right?""
Jack nodded. "You have a plan, Ellison?"
"Yes I do, we have a fighting force ready and willing to help. Hell, they have more at stake than anyone."
There were puzzled looks on their faces. Jim called out in Chopec and motioned at the jungle. Within seconds, over thirty warriors had stepped into view. The Sentinel greeted them by name, then turned to the SG-1 team. "They have been battling the Goa'uld for centuries." He gestured at the collected warriors. "They have been preparing for this battle against the Snakemen all their lives."
The groups gathered together and, with Jim translating, developed a battle plan taking full advantage of the knowledge and abilities of the native warriors. The Sentinel argued but could not avoid being positioned at the rear of the action. The Chopec and Teal'c joined forces to convince the stubborn man. It wasn't until he saw the pleading look in his Guide's eyes that he finally agreed.
They quickly moved back in the direction of the gate knowing this would be their best chance to stop the Goa'uld incursion. They met with light resistance; the Chopec took out the Jaffa scouts silently with blow darts. With Blair's hand on his back to keep him centered, Jim turned up his hearing. The younger man felt his partner's muscles tense.
"What do you hear?" Blair whispered just loud enough for Jim to hear. The Big man motioned for the team to draw closer.
"We've got trouble. It sounds like the Goa'uld have captured Professor Witieer and the students." He could hear one of the students crying out in pain and one of the captors yelling at them. Jim motioned for Teal'c to join him. He quickly told the Jaffa what he was hearing and Teal'c and Daniel translated for the rest.
"He is telling them to give him the guardian or they will die." Teal'c listened. "He is growing angry with their noncompliance. He has given them minutes to decide who dies first." Blair and Daniel both paled at those words.
"I guess we'd better get moving." Jim said. "The closer I get, the sooner they will be able to sense me and leave the others alone." The Sentinel turned and, with his Guide close behind, started running toward the Stargate. The others were surprised but quickly followed. The big man stopped when he heard the Jaffa at the gate react to his presence. Through a small space between the trees he was able to see the captured professor and students. Jim breathed easier when he realized they were all still alive.
The Chopec silently took up position around the perimeter. Once they were in place, Jim gave them the signal to attack. The enemy was quickly felled by the Chopec darts. They were not prepared for such primitive weapons. Jim stayed to one side, hoping to draw the attention of the survivors at the gate. In the confusion, O'Neill and his team rushed in and hauled the professor and his students out of immediate danger.
Blair watched as the Chopec swiftly dispatched the Jaffa at the gate. He turned to look at his partner and saw that he was in a battle of his own. Jim looked as if he were holding his own until he was hit from behind by one of the smaller hand-held energy weapons. The big man fell like a tree to the jungle floor.
"NO!" Blair screamed. He scooped up a rock from the ground by his feet and threw as hard as he could at the Jaffa reaching for his Sentinel. The rock struck the invader's temple and it was the Jaffa's turn to fall. Blair pulled out the blowgun he had been given as he ran to his unconscious partner. The young Guide stood over his fallen Sentinel in full protect mode, operating only on instinct. His eyes searching for any new threats. He tracked a slight movement off to his side. He stayed alert holding the blowgun to his lips.
"Sandburg," said a voice from the area with movement. Blair recognized the voice of the other anthropologist.
"Daniel," Blair said, quietly staying alert.
Daniel Jackson stepped out from behind the trees followed by Carter and O'Neill. "It's okay, Sandburg, you can put the blowgun down."
"Are they all gone?" Blair asked looking around before lowering the weapon and relaxing.
"Yeah."
Blair turned his attention to the downed Sentinel. Checking his pulse and breathing. "They shot him with that thing." Blair pointed out the weapon lying on the ground.
"He was only hit once right?" Daniel asked.
"Only once." Daniel watched as the younger man made his partner comfortable.
"I'm glad you finally found him." He gestured at Jim. "You always said you would find a living Sentinel."
Blair smiled down at his friend. "Yeah, I did. Looks like you found your proof, too. It makes up for not being taken seriously." He glanced up in time to see Daniel blush with embarrassment.
"I'm sorry I was one of those who didn't. You would have thought I would have known better considering what my theories were."
"No problem, we both found our life's dream. It makes up for the fact we can't publish anything about it." Daniel looked at him with understanding. Jim began to stir gaining Blair's full attention.
"You okay, Jim? How do you feel?" The big man pushed himself up onto a sitting position, holding his head.
"Like someone pounded my head with a two by four. What happened?" Jim asked looking around. He spotted the unconscious Jaffa tied up several feet away. "The last thing I remember is the feeling of an electrical shock and then nothing." Blair helped him to his feet while Daniel and Teal'c dragged the Jaffa to the gate.
Blair's curiosity got the better of him. "What are you planning to do with him? I mean it's not like he can stay here."
"We'll have Teal'c question him." Daniel answered. Jim had been monitoring the captive and had heard when he regained consciousness. When he heard Teal'c's name, his heart began to beat faster due to fear that triggered another collapse.
Oblivious, Daniel continued. "Once Teal'c has finished with him, we dial up the gate and send all of the survivors through to another world."
"But if that world has a gate, what stops them from coming back?" Jim asked.
"There are several planets that are currently uninhabited. The Goa'uld destroyed all human life on them for one reason or another. One is set up as a prison planet. You can dial in but you can't dial out." Daniel saw the unspoken question in the younger man's eyes. "They have food and shelter and the capacity to make a good life for themselves. Hopefully out of the influence of Apophis and his kind, they will develop a different kind of society."
"I thought the Jaffa all had those larvae things in them? What happens when they grow to adults?"
Teal'c joined their group as the last question was asked. "Not all Jaffa have Goa'uld within. The ones who do when the Goa'uld mature will not have an adult to initiate them in the ways of their kind. We have hope that this will create a new type of Goa'uld."
"We can only hope." Daniel muttered under his breath. Jim gave him a sharp glance as they neared the gate. Blair looked around for the professor and the others. When he didn't see them he walked over to Colonel O'Neill.
Colonel, what happened to Professor Witieer and the students?"
"I had them taken to their campsite. Don't worry." Jack grinned. "They may be bruised but they are fine. Luckily they didn't see the gate in operation or understand who they were being questioned by."
"What do they think happened?" Jim asked.
"They think they stumbled onto a cult that had combined Egyptian and Aztec rituals and were into human sacrifice."
"Man, they really believe that?" Blair asked incredulous.
"Yes, that is what they need to believe. Otherwise they are in for a very long debriefing session and will have to sign nondisclosure statements."
Blair felt a shiver of fear run down his spine as he suddenly remembered who they were dealing with. He had always been distrustful of the government, but after finding his Sentinel he had become almost paranoid. Jim responded to the younger man's reaction by standing behind him with a calming hand on his shoulder.
"What's wrong, Chief?" Jim asked glaring at the Colonel.
"We were just discussing how fortunate the professor and the others were to escape such a dangerous cult."
Jim had heard what the others believed and understood the need for secrecy. He was concerned by his Guides increased heartrate. "What about us, O'Neill? We know the whole story. How is the government going to deal with us?" Jim's hands tightened on Blair's shoulders as the younger man leaned back against his partner.
O'Neill understood their very real fear. He knew a number of agencies that would love to get their hands on Ellison. Some of the same agencies had wanted to 'study' Teal'c. Jack's face softened. "The two of you obviously know how to keep secrets. Well, so do we. I don't think anything would be accomplished by either of us telling what we know." He watched as both men relaxed, knowing he had made the right decision.
The two men watched as the SG-1 team sent the surviving Jaffa through the Stargate. After helping to place the explosive charges around the Stargate, they cheered when it was blown to rubble.
"So, what do you want to do now, Chief?" Jim asked as the SG-1 team packed up to leave.
"Well, we do have almost two weeks and we are in Chopec territory." Blair said with a smile. "Since the Professor and crew plan to take the first available transport home..."
They said their good-byes to the SG-1 team and joined the Chopec in their celebration of the defeat of the Snakemen.
