Chapter 41
"Change of plans," O'Neill told what was left of his team as they hunkered down out of sight of the Goa'uld ship sitting just over the next rise.
"Sir?" Carter asked.
"We take the ship, figure out how to get Pierson aboard, then fly that sucker somewhere safe until he can recover."
"But, sir," Carter pointed out. "He'll be nearly as radioactive as whatever's in the Ark."
"Teal'c?" O'Neill asked simply.
"This ship should have equipment similar to the radiation suits we created," the Jaffa stated plainly. "They may even have a sarcophagus. At the minimum, we can utilize a tractor beam to retrieve his body then place him in one of the holds."
"It might work," Carter nodded. "If we flush the hold often enough it should clear out most of the radiation. What's left will be nominal. Once we get Pierson decontaminated we should be safe enough with him on board."
"My thought exactly," O'Neill muttered.
"So, what's the plan?" Daniel asked.
"Same as always," O'Neill responded. "Shoot anything that moves and make sure it doesn't get up."
"That's the last one," Daniel said as O'Neill and Teal'c heaved another body out the airlock.
"Did ya see their faces?!" Jack crowed to Teal'c.
"They were indeed quite startled, Colonel O'Neill."
"That's one word for it," Daniel muttered.
"Scared shitless is two," O'Neill responded cheerfully. "Wanna try for three?"
"Not really," Daniel commented, hiding a smile.
"Sir!" Carter called over the radio. "You'd better get up here!"
"We're on our way!" he called back, heading on the double for the command center.
"Sir," Carter said as they arrived. "I'm not sure what it is, but I'm getting some odd readings here."
Teal'c stepped up to the controls where she stood. Then glanced out the large viewing window. "Major Carter is correct. There are several gliders returning." He fired on the ships, taking them by surprise, until not one was left intact. "There may be others. It would perhaps be best if we moved."
"Go for it," O'Neill told them, hopping into the command chair. "We need to pick up Pierson anyway."
A minute or two later they were airborne and the fifteen or so miles to reach Methos' location took only a few moments longer.
"Uh, sir?" Carter said querulously. "Isn't that..."
"Adam," Daniel nodded, staring in wonder as Methos hung suspended in midair, surrounded by a semi-transparent ball of golden light.
"Well, I'll be damned!" Jack muttered, heading for the window. "That's Tok'ra. Gotta be."
"It's moving, sir," Carter told him. "Look's like he's leading us away from here."
"A wise precaution," Teal'c nodded. "The contamination in this area is extremely high. We will need to be well away from here before a transfer can safely be made."
They headed south, towards Aswan, landing the ship not far from where Tok'ra's modified carapace paused in the midst of the desert.
"We okay to open the front door?" O'Neill asked.
Carter gave a half shrug and nodded. "Tok'ra must somehow be containing the radiation. I'm not getting any readings. I'd say it's safe as long as Pierson's kept shielded."
"Do it," O'Neill ordered and headed for the hatchway, quickly followed by the others.
They reached the main corridor just as Methos' body was brought aboard, trailing after Tok'ra as the Ancient led the way to the Goa'uld sarcophagus. The Quickening settled over the device, the lid sliding back allowing Methos to be gently lowered inside. The coffin closed and the golden ball slowly metamorphosed into a more fluid cloud of glowing light which surrounded them all.
"It is safe now," a deep bass voice rumbled through their minds. "The sarcophagus will transmute the radiation into less dangerous forms of energy. It will take time, but Methos will revive."
"Uh, thanks," O'Neill said, somewhat taken aback as he reached out to touch the wall of light that was the Ancient's life force and felt a mild electrical shock.
"You are all most welcome," Tok'ra's voice sounded amused.
"Hey, uh, can I ask you something?" Jack wondered.
"Certainly, Colonel O'Neill," the Ancient allowed.
"Was he, you know, Methos, always this bullheaded?"
There was laughter in all their minds at that. "A stubborn child," Tok'ra confided. "But always with good intent."
"Not always," Daniel pointed out.
"True," Tok'ra agreed, quietly. "At this moment in time he is not himself. And some of that is my fault. Had I not raised him so gently the trauma of his life might not have been so great. But these are things no parent can know. Still, I am pleased with the way he turned out. The choice to sacrifice his own comfort and safety for that of his friends was a thing I never again expected of him."
"Yeah, well, thanks for the insight," O'Neill grimaced. "I thought it was just me."
They could somehow feel that Tok'ra was smiling. "Now, may I ask you a favor?"
Jack squinted at the light, frowning. "I don't care if he's the Son of God. Ten thousand push ups and not one hump less," he declared firmly.
"I will leave the military discipline in your obviously capable hands," the Ancient chuckled. "But the favor is one of great import to me - much more so than the chance to see his face when you tell him that - O Great Satan!"
Now it was O'Neill's turn to laugh. "Sure," he said, relaxing. "Shoot!"
"Would you do me the honor of looking after my son when I cannot?"
Jack looked nonplused. "He's a little old for a baby sitter, don't y' think?"
"Only by your standards," Tok'ra pointed out and O'Neill nodded dubiously.
"Sure," he shrugged. "Why not. I can keep an eye on him for you. That it?"
"That is all I ask," Tok'ra acknowledged, "and to offer you my deepest thanks."
At that, the light that was Tok'ra suddenly focused on O'Neill, passing through him like the wind only to be gone an instant later as if he'd never been.
Jack shuddered and glanced around the now empty room, looking horrified as he grabbed his chest and felt down his torso. "Did I just get slimed?!"
Daniel shook his head as he walked away, while Teal'c merely raised an eyebrow and Carter smiled.
"Hey! It's not funny! That was weird!"
"Consider it an intergalactic hug," Daniel called over his shoulder.
"Nice! Kid's a brat, dad's a hugger," O'Neill sighed, finally giving up on getting any sympathy out of his companions. "Okay, campers, let's get a move on. I want the gear sorted and repacked. Daniel!" he called after the archaeologist. "You stay here. Keep an eye on Pierson," he ordered as the other man paused. "You're good at watching dead things."
The sound of sliding metal roused Daniel from his reading and he hurriedly stuffed Methos' journal back into the other man's pack. Fascinating stuff his reflections on the past through modern eyes. The sarcophagus opened and he heard a soft groan then moved to its side.
"How are you?" he asked softly. Methos looked around and tried to sit up just as Daniel noticed how emaciated he was.
"I thought this thing was supposed to heal you?" Methos asked tiredly when he was finally upright and could see where he was.
"It does," Daniel explained. "But I'm not sure it can do anything about weight loss," he nodded at the Immortal's physique. "Or hair loss."
"Mmmm," Methos grunted noncommittally, rubbing his smooth head as he accepted Daniel's assistance and climbed out. "I feel awful," he finally muttered, swaying on his feet.
"Sounds about right," Daniel agreed. "You look like dea- Uhm, crap," he finally decided.
"No doubt I have Tok'ra to thank for that as well," he sighed, allowing himself to be propped against the side of the sarcophagus as Daniel went to fetch something for him to wear.
"You don't sound too happy," Daniel commented as he dug into the pack.
"The old man and I had a little talk while I was hanging around waiting to get dumped. Bastard wouldn't share his power with me. Could have gotten me out and healed in an eye blink. But no," Methos grimaced. "I'm supposed to learn a lesson from all this. Something about self-centered arrogance, I believe," he snorted in disgust.
Daniel suppressed a smile. "Parents are like that," he commiserated, offering Methos the robe and slippers he'd hidden in his pack back on Crete.
With a sigh Methos put them on. Good choice, he thought approvingly. Comfortable comforting clothes. Always nice after a rotten day at work. He didn't even want to think about the argument he'd had with Tok'ra. Though, he admitted wryly, the Ancient had gotten him to safety - and healed - even if it hadn't been all he'd hoped for.
"I take it he's gone again?" Methos asked as Daniel put an arm around his shoulders and helped him walk.
"Yeah," Daniel nodded, grabbing the Immortal's pack. "But he liked the way you turned out."
Taken aback by the compliment, Methos thought about it a moment then nodded. "Compared to what he has to work with now, I'm not surprised."
They made it to the corridor and from there down to the Stargate in slow, easy steps which still left Methos tired.
"Welcome back from the dead!" O'Neill called as he saw them enter. "Ready to go home, Captain?"
"More than ready," Methos acknowledged. "But can we?"
That, of course, had always been the question from the beginning. Just knowing the right sequence and having enough power might not do it. There had always been some doubt as to just how they'd ended up in the exact time and place they'd needed to be to set things right. Was it simply the extra energy caused by Ptahsennes' Quickening coupled with the DHD being struck by debris which inadvertently added two more addresses to the code? Or had there been something more involved?
Carter grinned. "I think we'll make it. Apparently, before he left, Tok'ra did something to the controls. There's more energy in the gate than I've ever seen and I can't tell where it's coming from."
Methos quirked one hairless brow at the Stargate. "Thanks, Dad!" he called as everyone simply stared.
"My pleasure, son," the voice of Tok'ra sounded as the glyphs glowed with each vibration. "After all, it was I who sent you here in the first place."
"You did this to us?!" O'Neill asked, startled at the revelation.
"My apologies, Colonel," the Ancient intoned. "Though I as yet have nothing to apologize for. But it seems to me, that knowing what was to be, I would have made it my business to assure your world's survival."
"But you evolved," Daniel said softly. "Became part of the cosmos. Free of all worldly concerns."
"Did I?" Tok'ra's voice held a smile. "Still, I am and always will be Tok'ra. He who is against Ra. Perhaps I set myself one final task," he admitted. "There is no other way you could have arrived here so precipitously. The ninth chevron can be activated by anyone, but it takes the will of an Ancient to bend the wormhole to its final destination. And neither Methos, nor Ptahsennes could have managed it. Of course," he added wryly. "There are a few bugs in the system, as you've discovered in your travels. But these are minor glitches I did not have time to correct. And no one but I, and now you, knows the true secret of the ninth chevron."
"You built the Stargates?" Samantha asked, astonished.
"No, Major," he responded gently. "I merely developed the later models for intergalactic travel. The final chevron was simply a foolish whim of mine."
"Some whim," O'Neill muttered disgustedly.
"It has served its purpose," Tok'ra merely commented.
"Look, everyone," Methos finally interjected. "This is all very interesting, but can we please just get back to the future?"
"Impatient as always," Tok'ra sighed.
"Oh, don't give me that!" Methos sneered. "The least you could have done was grow my hair back!"
"It is a most distinguished visage," Teal'c nodded approvingly as Methos rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, when I was hiding out as a Buddhist monk!"
"Hare, hare! Hare Krishna!" O'Neill sang under his breath, eliciting giggles and snickers from Carter and Daniel while Methos sullenly crossed his arms and frowned.
Tok'ra chuckled and the gate suddenly opened without warning. "Take the boy home, Colonel. And remember your promise."
"Will do." O'Neill started to wave at the gate, then stopped abruptly looking embarrassed.
"Uh, Jack," Daniel said as the others collected their things. "I think there's something you should know."
O'Neill frowned. "Not now, Daniel."
"But, Jack!"
"I said not now!" he snapped, heading for the gate.
"But-"
"It can wait!" O'Neill insisted. "Now let's move!"
Daniel glanced back at the ship and sighed, following the others as one by one they passed into the light until he stood alone before the gate.
"He's going to be pissed, you know."
In the back of his mind he could hear Tok'ra laughing.
The gate glowed brightly as the Ancient seemed to smile. "I was counting on it."
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