Bab 5: Chapter 5 Tollan
Jack coughed, and General Hammond looked at him from his seat at the head of the table. They were in the meeting room.
"Sorry, sir, just got up. My brain is still exhausted from dealing with the Nox," Jack explained.
"Colonel O'Neill, it's been a week since that mission," General Hammond said.
"Sir, dealing with tree-huggers wears me out as if years have passed," Jack said.
"You just lay down to sleep under a tree; I'm the one who talked to them," Daniel accused, still upset about that small incident.
"Daniel, for a 'hippie,' you don't seem to get along well with your kind," Jack frowned. "And mind you, I was working. The more you cling to the trees, the better to please a tree lover," Jack explained.
"Stop calling me a 'hippie'!" Daniel scolded. Jack sighed.
General Hammond cleared his throat to stop the argument. Carter and Teal'c refrained from participating.
"Colonel O'Neill, before the next mission, I'd like to inform you that our efforts to search for treasures in Abydos have paid off," the General said.
"Really?" Jack asked. Carter nodded quickly.
"Just last night, the exploration team returned. They found an artifact on a hidden wall. So far, the tests are inconclusive, but it seems to be some kind of amplifier or enhancer. I've connected several power sources to it, and I always get a considerable boost. I've tested it with a small diesel generator, and it still shows incredible results despite being a very small object. I haven't been able to determine its limits," Carter explained.
Jack knew it was the Eye of Ra and that it wasn't an amplifier but a subspace energy source that could power an entire ship. But now they didn't have a ship, and it would be useless to drop hints about it.
"It seems like very useful technology if we need an energy source in the future," Jack said, looking at General Hammond. "Is there any other useful technology?" Jack asked.
"We have at least five tons of gold and jewels, staff weapons, and some zat guns, recognized by Teal'c's description. There are also some archaeological items that we've sent to Dr. Jackson's office," the general reported.
"There are several interesting objects, but what stands out the most is a tablet engraved in a language that is not familiar in any of the languages recorded on the other objects. It's some kind of unknown runic language. It seems to be something important, but without references, there aren't many chances of translating what it says," Daniel said, not holding much hope that they would recognize the importance of his discovery. However, Jack knew that this object was the Alteran tablet and gave him a cold look due to the vagueness of his explanations.
"What?" Daniel reprimanded.
"Daniel, you didn't excavate just any tomb; that thing was in Ra's treasure room. It could be part of some other advanced species that Ra discovered but couldn't translate, so he kept it. The Goa'uld are idiots, we already know that. But I expected better from you," Jack accused.
"Do you think the tablet is important?" Daniel asked in astonishment.
"Yes, Daniel, I think that tablet is very important, so make sure to dedicate as much time as you can and call anyone you think can help you with the translation. It's an urgent matter," Jack explained, looking at General Hammond.
"Colonel O'Neill, if you deem it so important, Dr. Jackson can use whatever resources he deems necessary. Right now, we're not short on money," the general said.
"Yes, what we lack is technology. I hope the artifact in Carter's hands is something valuable that we can use," Jack said. "Well, what's our next mission?" Jack asked, trying to recall the mission briefing, but he didn't remember anything and assumed it would be another mission without much glory.
Upon crossing the portal, they found themselves in an enormous temple with a statue of a god that seemed to be Achilles riding a chariot and holding a lightning bolt in hand.
"This doesn't seem like a typical mission," Jack thought, frowning at the sound of a woman's cry, more like a muffled scream than a cry.
Jack ordered them to spread out and cover the sides. They advanced through the grand temple and found the source of the cries behind a column. Witnessing the scene, Jack finished recalling.
"Daniel, Carter, help them," Jack ordered cheerfully and left without looking back, focusing his attention on the statue.
Teal'c followed him while Daniel and Carter complained about his order, arguing that they were not doctors. However, the woman's screams and cries drowned out their nonsensical complaints.
It wasn't about them being doctors; it was about him being the leader, and witnessing a woman giving birth horrified him. Therefore, they, as his subordinates, had to sacrifice themselves in his place.
"O'Neill, you're smiling," Teal'c said beside him as he observed the Goa'uld statue with joy. He needed to work on his expressions, but it didn't matter now because only Teal'c, his accomplice in this salvation plan, was there.
Before him was the first step towards safety, as this statue contained some kind of Goa'uld computer, a control device for nanites, along with what he hoped were incredible medical and genetic knowledge that kept these people healthy and prevented them from dying grotesquely despite their accelerated development.
"Teal'c, this statue represents our first step toward salvation," Jack declared, pointing at the Goa'uld symbols. He had been studying Goa'uld with Teal'c, but after two months and a week, he could only understand the language, though he was good at writing it, he didn't recognize these symbols.
"It's Goa'uld, but it's very ancient," Teal'c said, approaching and circling the statue to repeatedly mark some symbols and extract a Goa'uld writing tablet, then began to read it.
Jack already knew what it said there, and the tablet was for writing notes and simple questions. It wasn't the computer he was looking for.
"What we're looking for is inside, but we can't break it. It must be precise work since it's a delicate artifact," Jack explained as Teal'c nodded, getting into position and showing a threatening look to warn anyone approaching the statue that they would have trouble even trying to touch it.
Teal'c took his mission to free the Jaffa very seriously. Jack nodded in approval and began planning the theft of the statue. He also needed to obtain a meaningful sample of the nanites; not many were required, one dose for one person would be enough.
…
While he and Teal'c planned the theft and advanced in their Earth-saving plan, Daniel and Carter concluded the chilling matter of the woman's childbirth, who emerged from behind the column as if nothing had happened. Carter was alarmed, but when the woman assured them she was fine, she decided not to inquire further. Jack gave her a stern look but left her alone.
The man and his wife told them a story about a benevolent god and invited them to their village. Daniel was about to accept, but Jack intervened and sent the two newborns, along with another baby just born, far away from there. The fate of these people was horrifying.
"Sir, has something happened?" Carter asked.
"Teal'c has discovered a Goa'uld tablet. He doesn't fully understand it, but these people are victims of some kind of evolutionary experiment where nanobots are used to accelerate their growth and reduce their life to a cycle of a hundred days."
"That's gruesome," Daniel said, trying to approach the statue to see the symbols, but Teal'c stepped in and looked at him threateningly.
"Teal'c?" Daniel asked uncertainly.
"You see, Daniel, I suspect that inside this statue is something akin to a Goa'uld computer. It's the artifact that controls the nanites affecting these people, and if my suspicions are correct, it also contains the most advanced knowledge in medicine, biology, and human genetics you'll find among the Goa'uld. This is the most important technology we've obtained so far, and you'll understand that we're a little protective of it from the curious," Jack said threateningly.
This guy was the biggest danger Jack had faced so far, and he always had to grab him by the neck to prevent him from doing something crazy.
"Daniel Jackson, this technology is of vital importance to your planet. Please keep your distance," Teal'c said mercilessly.
"Teal'c," Daniel complained.
"Daniel Jackson, you can study this. O'Neill says it's not very useful anymore," Teal'c said, handing him the Goa'uld tablet. Daniel clenched his teeth but reluctantly took the tablet.
"Sir, may I inspect the statue? I'll do it carefully," Carter said.
"Of course, Carter. Go ahead," Jack said, as Teal'c stepped aside, and Daniel looked on incredulously.
"Alright, people, I'll go to that village to get some nanobots. According to the tablet, they're not dangerous unless you ingest something special. To be safe, don't eat or drink anything they offer you.
Daniel, you'll come with me and help me get those things. But under no circumstances, and I mean under none, think about telling them what's going on here and incite a mob to destroy my Goa'uld computer. Do you understand?" Jack asked as if talking to a particularly slow child. Daniel gritted his teeth and stormed off.
"Just in case, Teal'c, you stay on guard. Use the zat gun to stun anyone who approaches that statue with bad intentions," Jack ordered. He didn't want anything to go wrong on this mission. He had some backups to get another computer, but they were in dangerous places, and this one was practically a gift. Teal'c nodded decisively. Carter continued to search for a way to access the computer without damaging it.
…
"Jack, I thought this was important; we won't get anything done sitting here," Daniel complained after five minutes sitting in the village square, watching people smile and dance. It was creepy to think that if he lived there, he would live and die in a hundred days. These people hit the jackpot of Goa'uld madness.
"Patience, young padawan, learn from your master, and don't do anything crazy," Jack advised.
"Seriously? Patience? You?" Daniel asked. Jack ignored him and continued to smile. His words wouldn't ruin his good mood because his plan was going splendidly.
…
Five minutes later, an average-looking woman approached him to offer some kind of fruitcake. Jack smiled, took out a bag, and poured the contents of the plate into it before sealing it.
The woman left crying, and everyone present looked at him angrily. Daniel was about to reprimand him, but Jack stood up.
"That's it, young padawan. Now let's go home and count our ill-gotten gains. Plus, the sooner we leave here, the fewer years of life these people will lose," Jack reminded him. He hadn't allowed Daniel to interact much with them; he had only confirmed their ages to expose the Goa'uld experiment.
"You mean they're in there?" Daniel asked, looking at the insulated bag. Jack nodded. "How do you know?" Daniel asked suspiciously.
"The Force guided me," Jack said and began to walk back to the temple.
Once in the temple, they found five Argonians stunned by zat shots, and Carter holding the Goa'uld artifact in her hands, with the disarmed statue at her feet.
"Sir, we found an opening mechanism," Carter explained, clinging to her technological treasure.
"Well done, Carter. We've got the nanobots," Jack said, showing the sealed bag.
"It looks like some kind of pie," Teal'c said. Jack looked at the bag.
"According to the tablet, the nanites are inside the special food. This is some kind of wedding gift; I'm sure that qualifies as special," said Jack. Daniel looked at him stunned.
"That's why she left crying; you're too cruel," accused Daniel.
"Daniel, we're dealing with pure babies here. I don't know what you're suggesting, but content yourself with your strange fetishes," Jack reprimanded with moral superiority and pointed to the door without giving him time to defend himself or argue anything.
"Let's call home. I'm sure they'll be pleased with this technological heist, but they'll want to take security measures," said Jack, approaching the DHD to start dialing.
…
"Colonel O'Neill, Dr. Fraiser has already subjected a sample of the food to a medical scanner and confirmed the presence of nanites. The rest of the samples have been sealed because, if what you say is true, that artifact is still active, and anyone could be infected. Following your recommendations, the nanites will remain sealed until the study of the manipulating artifact is completed," General Hammond said.
"Sir, if these nanites work as mentioned on that tablet and we manage to use the artifact to manipulate their orders, instead of accelerating growth, we could slow it down, stop it, and even reverse it. This would be like a fountain of youth," explained Carter.
"That may or may not be the case," replied Dr. Fraiser, who had joined the meeting when they explained what the nanites were and what the control artifact did. "What is a reality, based on what you explained about the Argonians, their accelerated development, and their ability to recover from traumatic processes like childbirth in a matter of minutes, these nanites could be used to close wounds quickly, as anesthesia, treat cancer, many autoimmune diseases, among others.
"The possibilities are limitless, as are the medical knowledge we could gain from this. It would represent a transcendental change in current medicine," explained Dr. Fraiser. "Not to mention the advancement in sciences like biology and genetics," she added before General Hammond could speak.
General Hammond quickly realized he had an interest conflict on his hands, observing Dr. Fraiser and Carter's determined expressions.
"Sir, I don't have to tell you the tremendous technological breakthrough the study of this artifact would represent. It would be a transcendental change in our computational technology. Controlling a single group of those nanites and programming them would already require the use of all our current most powerful computers, and perhaps it wouldn't be enough," explained Carter.
Teal'c looked at him and raised an eyebrow. Daniel was huddled like a mouse and didn't dare say anything.
"Hush, and pretty, Teal'c. Hush, and pretty," Jack whispered to Teal'c. As long as the artifact stayed at the base, Jack had no objections about who would benefit from it first.
General Hammond found himself in a difficult situation, and Jack hoped he would start sweating at any moment.
"Dr. Fraiser, can you use the Goa'uld artifact?" General Hammond asked, finding a logical way out of the compromised situation he was in.
…
In the end, the artifact ended up in the hands of Carter and her technical team, who would study it and look for a way to use it. Then, it would pass to Dr. Fraiser and an elite medical team, who would extract all possible knowledge about medicine, biology, and genetics. As for the nanites, there was no discussion, as they could multiply once control of the artifact was achieved.
…
After the mission on Argos, the base was in turmoil due to the nanite control artifact, and many scientists were buzzing around. Still, Carter had to abandon her research on a couple of occasions to explore planets. Jack didn't recognize any of them from the original story, so his life continued without setbacks or advancements.
Jack would wake up in the morning, exercise with Teal'c and Daniel, and have breakfast. Carter was too busy and didn't participate. Then he would write reports, play on his console, and meditate at night to sleep without problems. The only difference in his daily life was meditation.
Jack had thought that the improvement in his senses was something transient that Lya had provided him on the Nox planet, but so far, he still had unparalleled senses when meditating. It wasn't an advantage in his daily life, but he would tire faster while meditating and could go to sleep earlier, waking up with the energy of a teenager, or so he thought. Both O'Neill and he in his old life were too old to remember what it felt like to be a teenager.
One day, Daniel called them to the briefing room to talk about Thor and the Norse gods, indicating that the mission would be on a planet protected by the Asgard. Jack made sure to leave Teal'c behind since the symbiote extraction weapon would be useful, and he didn't want to risk losing it.
…
After the mission and talking to the locals, they gathered information about Thor's hammer. Jack recommended leaving a team there to figure out how to contact the Asgard. Finally, Jack took the liberty of adding Thor's hammer to the list of technologies acquired for Earth. After all, the Asgard had left the portal there for anyone to enter the planet, and there was no warning about not using that technology at will.
The Earth high command, which also saw no reason not to take advantage of it, classified Thor's Hammer as an Earth artifact, certified for extracting Goa'ulds. Jack knew there was an Unas in those caves, but if they had to do some extraction, they would get to it.
…
After that, there were other missions he remembered but were not important for his plans. Among them was the one with the scientist stranded on another planet since 1945 and Teal'c's son reaching the larval implantation age, and they had to visit Chulak.
This mission wasn't important for his plan, but it was essential for Earth's survival because it put them in contact with Bra'tac, who promised to inform them about Apophis' movements and get more Jaffa for Teal'c's cause.
Jack made sure to grab Daniel by the neck every time he came up with an idea to put them in danger, and the mission went smoothly, with no one finding out about their visit to Chulak.
…
The next mission he remembered happened when they arrived at a volcanic beach, and Jack saw a blue fish man emerge from the water, triggering all his alarms. Jack ordered the team to retreat to the gate and warned the fish man not to approach. The fish man saw that he couldn't take them by surprise and tried to attack them with his weapon, but they were scattered, and he only managed to stun Daniel before the others shot him and pushed him away for a few seconds, as he had a shield and activated it to chase them. However, they had already dialed and managed to escape.
Jack knew the extraterrestrial wasn't evil and mourned the loss of his wife, but he didn't care about his problems because his methods were comparable to the Nazis, and he wouldn't tolerate them.
…
After a couple of weeks without missions due to their encounter with the fish man and Daniel's shock from the weapon's effects, their missions were canceled, and they were given a week off. Teal'c and Daniel went with their wives, while Carter took the opportunity to work on the nanite control device, and Jack spent all his free time playing on the PlayStation 1 and studying the Goa'uld language.
…
Their peaceful days were interrupted when a sarcophagus arrived at the command, and General Hammond called his team to see it. It had been lowered through the roof directly into the gate room, and there they were, observing.
"Well, this should be secure from now on. I'd put a guard of ten men on it at all times," Jack declared.
"What is it?" General Hammond asked before Carter spoke.
"It's a Goa'uld sarcophagus, like the one Ra used. Jack is not exaggerating; it can bring people back to life, though I'm not sure what the time limit is for using it," Daniel explained, and general Hammond understood the importance of the sarcophagus.
"It's also wise to use it only in severe cases. This technology is too dangerous to play with," Jack advised to prevent someone from using it unnecessarily.
"Sir, I don't think we'll be allowed to keep this artifact," Carter intervened.
"Sir, I hope you remember that your lives depend on this command," Jack said to General Hammond.
"Colonel, I'll do my best," General Hammond responded without committing.
While they were talking, a man arrived to inform them that there was a woman asking about the Stargate, and she had been arrested. Jack knew it was Hathor and followed General Hammond and Daniel.
The woman was tied up, and the first thing she said upon seeing them was that they should kneel. Jack frowned and wondered if she had been so obvious in the original series. A few seconds later, he looked at Daniel incredulously when he asked the woman who she was and why she was tied up.
The woman introduced herself as Hathor, and when Daniel was about to untie her, Jack grabbed him by the neck and signaled General Hammond to leave. When they were a certain distance in the hallway, Jack spoke:
"Seriously, Daniel? Are you going to tell me that the words 'kneel before your god' mean nothing to you?" Jack asked.
Daniel was angry about being dragged, but he pondered for a few seconds and then seemed surprised.
"That's not possible…" Jack rolled his eyes to stop his nonsense and looked at General Hammond.
"Sir, we have a Goa'uld in the base. Please call the cleanup team to disarm her, strip her naked, put a hood over her head, a hazardous material seal, and send her to intelligence. They've been begging for a Goa'uld for a long time," Jack said. "No, wait," he said as If he had just come up with something at the last moment. "Package her up, but let's wait to hear Teal'c's opinion on the matter. After all, he knows more about the Goa'uld, and perhaps he knows something about this Hathor," Jack said.
"I'll follow your recommendations, Colonel O'Neill," General Hammond said.
Jack saluted and went to find Teal'c, using his presence as an excuse to warn him about Hathor's perfume and her role as a queen of larvae. The NID guys would surely be happy this time.
…
An hour later, Hathor had been packaged after a skirmish with the guards who subdued her and took off her Kara'kesh. There were twenty of them, and still, Hathor managed to hit one of the unfortunate ones, which served for Dr. Fraiser to test the Goa'uld sarcophagus.
…
"According to what Teal'c tells us, dealing with Hathor will be a tough task for the NID. Fortunately, we have a military liaison expert in Goa'uld who prevented Earth from becoming a nest for one of their queens," General Hammond said with a relieved tone but with an agonized expression as Dr. Fraiser stared at him. "I'll do everything possible to keep the sarcophagus at the base," General Hammond said with a committed tone, concluding the meeting.
The sarcophagus was a heaven-sent gift for Jack, and although it had no significance in his plans, it was like an extra life, and that never hurt in any case.
When Jack saw the sarcophagus, he wondered what it was doing there, as his memories of the original story were inaccurate. He even believed that Hathor arrived first and then her sarcophagus, but it turned out she had abandoned her sarcophagus alongside the corpses of the people they encountered with her. It seemed like she didn't give it much importance or believed she would retrieve it later.
…
After sending Hathor with the intelligence team, who would surely do indescribable things to her and unspeakable experiments, calm returned to the base. However, during a mission, they came across a planet where its inhabitants had been decimated by a plague, and they found a girl.
Jack recognized this story immediately but didn't raise the alarm about the girl or do anything to alter his relationship with Dr. Fraiser.
…
Time passed, and they encountered a planet where they attempted to hold a trial against Teal'c, but he didn't pay much attention. He only kept the zat gun active in case they had to run. In the end, the Goa'uld came to the rescue and left Teal'c as a hero for defending the people from them, so the problem was resolved again without his intervention.
…
Thus, four months had passed since he had been there. Carter hadn't made much progress with the nanite controller device, but she could now turn it on, turn it off, and check some commands. The Eye of Ra was more advanced in its research, and finally, Carter concluded that it was a subspace energy source capable of powering a city without any problems. Politicians were still happy about acquiring the sarcophagus and engaged in a fierce battle for its possession. Still, General Hammond clung to it as if his own life depended on it, and from the threatening glances Dr. Fraiser gave him, Jack supposed that maybe there was more to it.
…
Jack ignored all that and continued his daily routine exploring planets until one day he found himself on a world where ash snowed, and it was infernally hot, and he knew he had encountered the second tree-hugger race in the galaxy, the Tollan.
A few seconds later, as he imagined, they found a group of dying people and others dead. Jack ordered them all through the Stargate because they now had the sarcophagus, and these people had just died, so he assumed there would be no problem reviving them.
When they crossed the portal back, they had rescued ten half-alive and another fifteen corpses. Jack arrived somewhat choked and covered in ash, but it was nothing serious. General Hammond sent them to the infirmary, and a few hours later, they presented their report in the briefing room.
…
"The sarcophagus worked, and the number of rescued individuals is twenty-five," General Hammond said with a satisfied smile. This man valued the lives of his men and also those of people beyond this world, Jack thought as he saw his joy. For forming alliances, there was no better person; perhaps he could also use it to motivate Thor if his initial plan failed.
The rest of the meeting was about the Tollan technology report and how it surpassed theirs. Daniel theorized about the dark age and humanity's delay for eight hundred years, and moments later, an aide arrived to inform them that the Tollan had awakened, and their leader requested to see them.
…
Upon reaching the leader, the man told them he didn't need rescuing, and General Hammond replied that half of them were already dead when they arrived. He also introduced them all, and the man who looked closer to fifty than forty introduced himself as Omoc of the Tollan and called them primitives, prompting Teal'c to intervene.
Teal'c's intervention brought up the Goa'uld, with whom the man claimed not to have enmity. At this point, Jack approached General Hammond.
"Tree-huggers," Jack said quietly, although Omoc and the others heard him.
The general and his entire group looked at Omoc, frowning. "Tree-huggers" was an unpublished code for Jack to tell them they were similar to the Nox, and they couldn't obtain technology from these people, only friendship and culture. Perhaps a retreat route if they were in danger, but nothing more.
"Are you sure?" Daniel asked, looking at Omoc with doubts. Omoc, who had feigned indifference before, frowned, understanding that they had categorized him in some way.
"Did he say he's not an enemy of the Goa'uld?" Jack asked, and Daniel nodded.
"Tree-huggers," Jack declared, looking at General Hammond. "Sir, you know the protocol," Jack said.
"What protocol?" Omoc asked nervously, his façade of indifference falling apart.
"The protocol for dealing with the Tree-huggers," Jack said solemnly, making him even more nervous. General Hammond cleared his throat.
"Please excuse Colonel O'Neill; he likes to make jokes. There's no protocol for dealing with the Tree-huggers, not even the word itself, just something made up," General Hammond assured, but Omoc was already paranoid and continued to look at them with suspicion.
"I demand that all my equipment be returned, and we be allowed to go," Omoc said. Jack looked at General Hammond.
"Of course, nothing less," General Hammond said. Then everyone looked at Daniel and left to see if he had better luck than with the Nox.
Just a few seconds later, Daniel came out and caught up with them to tell them that Omoc refused to talk about anything, not even their customs. Jack shrugged.
…
After a few hours, Carter managed to obtain information from Narin, one of the Tollan who had been influenced by her, and they also investigated the situation on Tollan to see how things were. When explaining their situation to Omok, he informed them that they were a group tasked with sealing the portal, and their task would be completed thanks to the future destruction of the same by a volcano's lava. He also mentioned that their new planet didn't have a Stargate and was far away.
Daniel reported all this in a meeting, and General Hammond decided to grant them refugee status while they found a place for them to stay, if they wished, or go to an ally's planet. Jack knew they wouldn't get anything from them, and the NID would soon arrive, so he decided to expedite things and intervene.
"Sir, we won't get anything more than friendship from them if we do them the favor of guiding them on the right path to their planet. It turns out we have the right people to do it, as they are also 'tree-huggers.' I don't think they'll refuse to take the Tollan to their planet," Jack explained, and Daniel agreed immediately, so they went to tell the Tollan.
Jack followed them to hear their response.
…
They found the Tollan who had already recovered in a section of the base. Omok already had his valuable artifacts with him. He approached them upon seeing them and, for the first time, initiated a conversation.
"I thought you said half of my people had died," Omok said.
"And so they had," General Hammond said. "But their deaths hadn't passed the point of no return, and we were able to bring them all back," General Hammond explained. Omok seemed surprised.
"How?" Omok asked.
"We have a rule not to discuss advanced technology with primitive cultures," Jack intervened unable to contain himself.
"Colonel O'Neill," the general reprimanded, while Omok looked at him bewildered. "Excuse me, Mr. Omok, as I told you before, Colonel O'Neill has a peculiar sense of humor," General Hammond said, unable to hide a slight smile. "We don't possess the technology or knowledge to bring your people back from the dead; we simply used a Goa'uld artifact known as a sarcophagus, which we found abandoned on our planet," General Hammond explained.
"Our peace treaty with the Goa'uld prohibits us from using or studying their technology," Omok said with an alarmed tone.
"Then it's good that I haven't used it, and I don't have any intention to study it either," Jack said, raising an eyebrow, showing his doubts about the latter part. Omok understood.
"Yes, that's correct," Omok simply said. "Thank you for helping us," he added, seeming sincere. General Hammond nodded, satisfied with the change in attitude.
"Sir, it's time to implement the tree-hugger protocol," Jack whispered to General Hammond in a not-so-subtle manner for Omok to hear. Omok showed alarm again.
"General O'Neill, if you persist, I will have you removed," General Hammond threatened. "Mr. Omok, it's another joke; there's no such thing as the tree-hugger protocol," General Hammond assured with frustration, facing Omok's suspicious expression. "Mr. Omok, we believe we've found a solution to your problems. As you know, we don't have a ship that can take you to your planet, but we have good relations with a species that is equally or more technologically advanced than you. If you speak to them and ask for help, they might be able to assist you. They are kind people and won't refuse a sincere request for help," General Hammond explained.
Omok still regarded them with distrust but agreed to meet the Nox, who said they would come to meet the Tollan soon.
…
To Jack's surprise, thirty minutes later, Lya, Atreyu, and Anteaeus came through the Stargate. Jack remembered that in the original story, only Lya appeared, although her impression of humans at that time was not good.
General Hammond, aware of the Nox's aversion to weapons and considering their skills that made them useless, ordered all weapons to be removed from that area before their arrival, and he himself went to greet them in the Stargate room along with Daniel.
Carter and Jack stayed in General Hammond's meeting room, along with Omok, Narin, and three other Tollan.
Jack wanted to witness how the tree-hugger species interacted with each other, although he knew it wouldn't benefit him in any way. He stayed to observe the spectacle. Omok was already paranoid due to the constant mentions of the tree-hugger protocol, and Jack wanted to see if that would affect their meeting with the Nox.
The first to enter the room was the Nox child, Atreyu, who ran to greet Carter, with whom he had played all afternoon on their planet the last time they met the Nox. Carter kissed him and hugged him, and Jack watched as Narin melted like an ice cream exposed to a flame. Jack wondered if Narin already imagined himself married with children. The truth was that they made a good couple.
Then General Hammond entered, followed by the elderly Nox and Lya. Jack was grateful to her for improving his meditation technique and helping him overcome Teal'c so that the Jaffa understood who was the master and who was the apprentice. Jack stood up to welcome her.
"Greetings and welcome," Jack said kindly.
"Greetings, Jack," Lya responded with a smile. Then she frowned and unabashedly placed a hand on her chest. "The wound in your heart doesn't heal," she said with bewilderment. "You have decided it to be so, that's not good. Leave the past in the past, Jack," she warned sadly, and everyone looked at him.
Jack felt his heart skip several beats when General Hammond frowned. "He already knows what this traitorous tree-hugger is talking about; he'll send me to the psychiatrist if I don't do something," Jack thought.
"Sir, I have no injury anywhere. This woman must have eaten a poisonous mushroom and is hallucinating. Poor woman, she lives in a dark forest and finds it difficult to get food," Jack argued, breaking off his friendship with Lya. "You can't trust these guys," Jack thought. Lya smiled kindly and with some amusement.
"Anger is just a sign of your pain, Jack," Lya said as she passed by him as if nothing had happened. "But you continue with your meditation, and that's good," she added. Jack couldn't see her face, but he would swear there were many implications in those words. Jack's heart skipped several beats more, and he felt his entire body chilling.
"What's wrong with my meditation?" Jack asked sharply.
"Colonel O'Neill!" General Hammond reproved for his tone.
"General, I suspect I've fallen victim to some trickery by the tree-huggers," Jack said helplessly.
"Colonel O'Neill, behave!" General Hammond ordered.
Jack realized there was no way they would allow him to tie up Lya and subject her to rigorous questioning. To his horror, Lya offered him a playful smile. "That's it," Jack thought. She did something to my head.
"General Hammond, maybe I should listen to our guest. I feel some discomfort in my chest. Permission to go to the infirmary and undergo a complete medical examination," Jack said, letting out a somewhat desperate tone.
General Hammond seemed undecided, but he didn't overlook Lya's words or her amused smile at seeing him scared.
"Go ahead, Colonel O'Neill," General Hammond said.
"Sir, I'll accompany him," Teal'c offered, looking at him with concern since he saw him as his companion in the destruction of the Goa'uld and the one who could save the planet. It would be a tragedy if he fell victim to some dark plot by the Nox. General Hammond just nodded.
Jack was already opening the door, and if it weren't for maintaining his dignity, he would already be running.
…
"Sure?" Jack asked Dr. Fraiser for the fourth time, four hours later. The Tollan and the Nox had already left, but he was still scared, and he wasn't the only one. General Hammond was also there to confirm the results of his exams.
"Yes, I'm sure," Dr. Fraiser said with disappointment. "There is no alteration in your brain, even when you use the meditation technique she taught you. Your brain shows extraordinary activity, which means your mind works better than ever when you're meditating.
"I would even recommend you do it more often; it could improve your learning ability, alertness, and ability to notice details. If she taught you this, it's a great gift. You should share it with others," Dr. Fraiser advised. Jack frowned.
"Is it possible that I'll become a tree-hugger if I keep meditating?" Jack asked. "Doctor, be rigorous. If I turn into a tree-hugger, Earth would be doomed," he added so that the doctor understood the gravity of the situation. Dr. Fraiser rolled her eyes and looked at General Hammond.
"Please, get these two out of my infirmary. I have many things to do," Dr. Fraiser ordered.
"Colonel, return to duty," General Hammond ordered. Jack clenched his teeth. He wasn't willing to take the risk and looked at Teal'c.
"Teal'c, since you insisted before, I'm going to teach you my meditation technique," Jack said benevolently. Teal'c seemed surprised.
"O'Neill, I cannot become a tree-hugger. I must free the Jaffa from Goa'uld slavery and help your planet. Don't worry about your fate; if the worst happens, I promise you'll be remembered as a warrior," Teal'c consoled, considering him lost.
"Out!" Dr. Fraiser snapped, kicking them out of the infirmary along with General Hammond.
"Sir…"
"Colonel O'Neill, calm down. Remember that the Nox are pacifists. Lya may have done something, but this will surely only bring you benefits," General Hammond consoled. He, too, was convinced that Lya had done something to him. Jack nodded. It made sense. What scared him was that he didn't know what a Nox would consider a benefit for him. But there was nothing to be done; he deserved it for trusting that woman with straw in her head.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone