Part 10 (1/2)
”In the books,” replied Elspeth, but then pressed her lips together as if she'd revealed something she shouldn't. Too late, though. Daniel had heard the magic word.
”You have books? Where? Can you show me?”
”I don't like to show them. Most people mock me. They don't understand.”
”I promise I wouldn't mock you, Elspeth. I'd really like to see.”
But it was no use; the girl shook her head, braids fluttering about her shoulders and Daniel knew that pus.h.i.+ng the matter wouldn't help. He settled for the next best thing.
”Then tell me what you've found. Tell me about your past. Your people.”
”My people?” she said with a speculative look. ”Do we not share the same past, Daniel? Or do you truly come from the world beyond the Eye?”
Teal'c s.h.i.+fted, making his presence known, a reminder not to say too much.
Daniel cleared his throat. ”Ultimately, we all share the same past,” he said. ”But some of us know more about it than others, and you strike me as someone who has a lot to teach.”
Elspeth nodded, looking pleased, her braided hair swaying and the beads clattering together. ”That's true.”
Scholars were the same the world over, it appeared; academic vanity was always their weak point. ”And I would be honored,” he said, ”if you'd share with me what you've learned.”
”Very well, then,” Elspeth said, settling herself. ”The story of our people begins with the war.”
”The war that destroyed the Stargate?”
”The war,” she said, like she was telling a story, ”that destroyed everything.”
And this, he thought, with a sudden fierce joy, this is why I still do the job. After the trauma of losing Sha're, of losing his purpose, this was the reason he still got up in the morning.
”Tell me -”
”Daniel.”
Startled, he glanced up to see Jack prowling into the room. Brow furrowed he was scanning the area with his customary vigilance, checking for exits and hidden dangers. Daniel could practically see his fingers twitching for lack of a weapon. ”Jack,” he said. ”Feeling better?”
”I was about to ask you the same thing.”
He raised his cup in salute. ”Much better.”
”Daniel...” Jack's frown dug deeper. ”What have I told you about drinking the local brew?”
”I did endeavor to warn him,” Teal'c said. ”I was unsuccessful.”
Daniel met Jack's gaze and held it. They were both smart men and they both knew the likely outcome if he didn't get home soon. ”I figured, what's the worst that could happen?”
Jack just grunted in reply and moved further into the room, picking his way through the people gathered around the fire, eating and watching him with open curiosity. Eventually he reached Daniel and dropped down on the floor next to him. He stifled a groan as he did so, as if moving was an effort, and sat there for a moment flexing his fingers, shaking them like he had pins-and-needles.
”Where's Sam?” Daniel said, looking around. ”Aedan said she was with you.”
”She's coming.”
And a moment later Sam appeared at the end of pa.s.sageway, one hand braced against the wall for support, looking groggy and unstable on her feet.
Teal'c immediately stood up. ”Major Carter.” He flung a disapproving look at Jack. ”You require a.s.sistance.”
She tried to wave him away. ”I'm fine.”
But Teal'c ignored her, hurrying over to take her arm and lead her to a s.p.a.ce on the opposite side of the fire. ”Sit here,” he said. ”I will find you food and water.”
With a grateful smile she eased herself to the ground. ”Thanks, Teal'c.”
Jack said nothing, his angry glare apparently engrossed by the dancing flames.
Looking between them, Daniel couldn't figure out what the h.e.l.l was going on. ”Is she okay -?”
”She's fine,” he growled. He jerked his head toward Aedan, who was still talking to Megan on the other side of the room. ”You find out anything useful yet?”
Swallowing his irritation - and admittedly this wasn't really the time or the place to make a scene - Daniel resettled his gla.s.ses on his nose and said, ”As a matter of fact, Elspeth was about to tell me about the war.”
”When they nuked the gate?”
”I don't know. That's what she was about to tell me.”
Jack gave a shrug as if to say, Don't let me stop you.
So he didn't. Elspeth was watching the exchange curiously, her inquisitive gaze darting between Daniel and Jack, as she steadily worked through the last of his MRE as if it were the finest meal she'd ever eaten. Perhaps it was. But she smiled when he looked at her again, licking gravy from her fingers.
”So,” he said, ”the war?”
She nodded, pus.h.i.+ng the MRE container aside and settling down for the story. ”Well, it happened long ago, when our parents' parents were young.”
”Longer ago than that,” Aedan corrected. He'd climbed up onto a ledge of rock halfway up the wall and sat there fletching arrows.
”It was in the time of the old G.o.ds,” Elspeth said, ignoring the interruption. ”They were beautiful, and very powerful, and our people served them and wors.h.i.+ped them.”
”Some of our people...” Aedan, again.
Elspeth scowled but carried on regardless. ”Then the Amam came - Devourers, as we call them now.” She dropped her voice, adding a little extra drama. ”It's said that they came in a single night, pouring through the Eye from the underworld.”
”The underworld?”
Jack gave a disparaging grunt, but in fact the term made perfect mythological sense in the context of 'Amam'. Not that Jack knew that, of course. Or would care much, probably.
”And what - exactly - are the Amam?” Daniel said. ”Are they people, like us?”
Elspeth shook her head. ”They are the undead. They come from the underworld to devour the flesh of the living.”
”Zombies.” Jack raised an eyebrow. ”That's new.”
Daniel ignored him and smiled encouragingly at Elspeth. ”Go on - the Amam came and... ?”