You can't save them all - can you? pt 7
You can't save them all - can you? pt 7
by whisper99
Summary: A slow day at the SGC has brought the team a mystery. Dreams and Nightmares. Dreams or Nightmares?
Category: Alternate Universe, Mystery
Season: Season 7
Pairing: none
Rating: 13+
Warnings: minor language
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author(s).
Archived on: 2004-11-11
Stargate & SG-1 belong to lots of other people and entities. Jess was my idea. Thank goodness for late night visits from the Muse.
****Later that night ****
Scene - Daniel is lying in the infirmary, unconscious with a large bandage on his left temple. Together with the stitches above his left eye, it looks like he had a rough day.
As Daniel dreams he finds himself standing at the entrance to a long bridge. It is very foggy and he cannot see the other end of it. Next to him stands a young man.
Daniel looks at the dark haired boy, grown tall if still a bit on the skinny side, "Shifu." It is not a question.
A smile as the boy nods, "Yes."
"You've grown."
"Time has passed for me as it has not for you."
"Uh...right. What are we doing here? What are you doing here? Where is here?" He asks as he looks around, trying to see across the bridge. It is very dark and the only thing clearly visible is Shifu and the entrance.
"Oma teaches that they cannot all be saved. She teaches that we are beyond interfering with events that take place around us. That to do so could cause irreparable harm on the whole."
`Ok...um..."
The young man turns to face Daniel, "The girl sought you out. You were young and answered her call. Oma allowed you to go, so you could learn. I followed...it was then that you broke the First rule. You woke the girl from her dreams - brought her back to herself."
Nodding emphatically, he says "Yeah...I think I remember some of that." He crosses his arms over his chest, holding himself tightly adding, "She was just a little kid...scared and alone. I know what that feels like." He frowns slightly at the memory.
"Oma said you could not save them all but you told her `It is only one I care about.' And I watched as you reached out to touch her face." The scene changes now to a park where we see children running and playing, although it is still dark.
"She showed you the effects of your actions. The girls fate would not be one of peace." The park changes to deserted streets, bombed out husks of buildings surrounding them. There is an image of a young woman, presumably Jess appearing battle hardened and wielding a gun, shooting at something. Horrified, Daniel watches helplessly as he sees the flash of an energy weapon go past him and strike her in the chest. She falls, just a few feet from where he stands but he finds he cannot move to help her.
Watching impassively, Shifu says, "It would have been better to leave her lost in her dreams. That was your first lesson."
Daniel shakes his head slowly, eyes widening as he stares at her lifeless body. He says softly, "I don't remember this."
Shifu offers Daniel a sad smile. The scene changes once again, a wooded area with autumn leaves carpeting the floor. He begins to walk as Daniel looks around slightly confused, but follows after. Shifu continues, "You returned with Oma to continue your lessons. But I wanted to know why you chose as you did. The way back closed as the child awoke - and I remained to observe, as I had been taught."
"I watched as she grew and I came to wonder at the life she had. Happiness tempered with remembered sorrow. I sometimes wondered if my life, had things been different, would have mirrored hers. At times, I thought to communicate with her - but the lessons Oma taught were still strong in me."
Daniel pauses to look at him, asking, "Shifu...you watched her as she grew up? Isn't that against the rules?"
He shakes his head slowly, moving now to stand at the bank of a river, "I merely observed...until...until it was clear that she would be no longer."
"No longer what?"
"The end of her life was near."
Perplexed, Daniel asks, "So you brought her here?"
Shifu nods, "She would not understand the dreams I sent her...she would not ascend to be with me. I made her remember...her need to be safe, to be happy. Through her need, she opened the conduit...and I...helped her to find you. I had hoped that the two of us could do what I could not alone. I did not know you were here like this. I did not know what had happened."
"Are you in love with her?" he asks softly.
Shifu looks up at Daniel, a smile reaching his eyes, but does not answer, except to say. "'It is only one I care about', I understand now what you meant."
The scene turns dark again; they are at the foot of the bridge once more.
Concerned now, Daniel asks, "Shifu, do the others know what you did?"
He nods, answering, "I believe it is time I taught those who will listen that we need not always be observers. There are times when one must act - I have learned merely existing isn't enough."
Daniel stares at him in disbelief, "Are they going to do to you what...they did to me?"
"They will have to find me first..." he smiles, offering a hand to Daniel, "Oma once said, you cannot save them all. But you saved the one...and now I've brought her to you. Perhaps she can help you save the rest."
Frowning, he asks, "Save the rest? What are you talking about?"
The fog rolls in as Shifu steps on the bridge. His voice echoes from the distance, "The answer is in the question you ask."
"Wait!"
Daniel awakens shouting, "No, wait!"
"Easy Dr. Jackson. You should lay back down now."
Looking around confused, he wonders at the fact he's in the infirmary, "Wha? What's happened? Why am I here?"
The night shift doctor places a hand on his shoulder, trying to get him to lie back down. She glances up a one of the nurses, saying "Let's prepare that sedative now." Turning back to Daniel, she says, "You had a bit of a fall Dr. Jackson and hit your head."
Daniel continues to try to sit up, saying, "I'm fine... I need to talk to Jess."
"Dr. Jackson, please try to relax. You've been unconscious for almost 12 hours."
Seeing the nurse approaching, he says, raising both arms in front of him, "No, no...I don't need that. See? I'm relaxing. See?" He lays back down as the nurse hands the doctor the syringe, "I ah...I really do need to see Jess though."
The doctor gives him a look, checking his pupils, before saying carefully, "She was moved from the base shortly after you collapsed."
He blinks, looking at the doctor in surprise, "I did not collapse...I...uh...please, I need to see Colonel O'Neill then."
`He's on his way now. We had standing orders to call him as soon as you woke up. He should be here soon."
The doctor puts the needle on the tray nearby and continues to check Daniel's vitals.
Jack appears at the doorway, smiling as he sees Daniel awake. "Hey...you gotta stop doing stuff like that."
Daniel sits up slowly, carefully eyeing the doctor as he says, "Jack...why isn't Jess still here?"
"Hammond had his orders, remember? The higher ups want a chance to question her."
"I need to see her. It's _very_ important that I see her right now."
"You aren't in any condition to see anybody right now, Daniel. Right doc?"
The doctor nods in agreement.
"Jack, will you please just listen to me! This...isn't a medical condition. Shifu did this."
"Come again?"
"You remember...Share's kid...the Harcesis child? Made me dream I was God's gift to despotism?"
"Uh...yeah...where does he fit into all of this?"
"He's the one that brought her here. He's the one on the video."
"Oh...ok...." He drawls out slowly, pulling up a chair to sit next to the bed.
Sitting up, Daniel says quickly, starting to sound agitated, "He's in love with her or, or something. He said that she was going to die and he was trying to save her. Actually, he was trying to get her to ascend, and somehow, he helped her find me. He thought between the two of us, we'd convince her to ascend." Clenching his jaw, he adds, " He had no idea what had happened to me."
Fiddling with one of the medical instruments laying on the table next to Daniel, Jack says, "This is starting to sound like a soap opera."
Daniel gives Jack a dark look, "The point is...right before I woke up, he told me that I saved her once and that maybe now she was could help me save `the rest'. "
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know. He left before telling me...no...actually, he said that the answer was in the question I asked and then he left."
"And what question would that be?"
"I have no idea!" Seeing the look he's gotten from the doctor, Daniel quiets down, saying, "But this can't be good. Whatever it is, she knows about it or something. Maybe it happened already in her world and she can help us avoid whatever it is."
"Well, if she does know something like that, no doubt the boys she's with now will find out about it and let us know. I'll keep you in the loop."
"No Jack, you don't understand. Shifu said he brought her to _me_. I don't think she's going to be talking to anyone else. I mean, for Gods sakes, you saw how she was when we first tried to talk to her."
Jack nods slightly, saying, "Well, I've got that covered. I sent Carter along with her, just in case, y'know...to supervise the questioning and keep her in check. Just in case."
Daniel rubs his eyes, looking around for his glasses, "So, what happened anyway?"
Smiling slightly, he says, "It looks like you fell asleep, fell out of your chair and hit your head. We don't think you were out for very long before the cleaning crew found you."
Wincing, Daniel reaches up and feels the bump on his head, "How'd Jess take the news of having to be transferred out of here?"
Jack quickly puts away the medical instrument he was playing with as it has fallen apart in his hands, "Oh, she was fine. Very up, really. She said she was looking forward to helping us in anyway she could."
Putting on his glasses, Daniel eyes Jack, "And you believed her?"
Jack licks his lips, thinking about this for a moment, "Well, it seemed like such a good thing at the time...but I see your point."
***Mid-Afternoon - Peterson Airforce Base***
Sam sits in a sectioned off area of an interrogation room and watches Jess through a one way mirror. Jess has her hands are folded on the table as she stares straight ahead. There are two men sitting directly in front of her wearing air force uniforms. One, a Lieutenant is taking notes as well as working a tape recorder, the other, a Major, is conducting the interview.
Major Tate swallows hard, frowning as he asks for the third time, "Ok young lady...we know that you can answer the questions I've been asking. This isn't rocket science. So, again, who is the president of the United States in 2017?
Jess offers Tate a glare, answering with, "You can kiss my..."
*ringtone*
Sam reaches down into her purse to answer her cell phone. "Hello? Yes sir. I'm here. Yes...well...they're not making much progress but it's only been about an hour. Everything seemed to be going fine, until a Major Tate took over the debriefing." She covers up a laugh, saying, "Well, by the looks of things, I'd say Jess agrees with your opinion of the Major." Looking up quickly as she hears a banging noise and watches as Major Tate thumps the table with his fist as if trying to make a point.
"What? He did? He's ok though, right? Sure...I'll let them know." She hangs up the phone, standing and calls the guard outside to get Major Tate for her.
After a moment, a red faced Tate approaches, "Major Carter? What can I help you with?"
"I've just received word that Colonel Jack O'Neill will be here within the hour with Dr. Daniel Jackson. They have some questions they need to ask Jess, so I was thinking now would be a good time to call a break."
He shakes his head, "I'm sorry, but the SGC doesn't have jurisdiction on this anymore."
Sam's eyes widen in disbelief, "What? You've got to be kidding. I'm under orders to supervise this interview process."
Tate says, "And I have my orders, Major. As of an hour ago, Ms. O'Neill has been classified as an unaccompanied refugee minor and all legal authority to act in place of parent or guardian has been granted to the NID." Clearing his throat, he continues, "We let you stay here as a courtesy, part of inter-organizational cooperation and to aid in Ms. O'Neill's transition. However, your assistance is no longer required. You may inform Colonel O'Neill that Ms. O'Neill has no authorized visitors as of yet."
Narrowing her eyes, Sam says, "You guys have been planning this all along, haven't you?"
Major Tate shrugs, gesturing to one of the guards down the hall, "Major Carter, I thank you for your assistance with Ms. O'Neill, but at the moment, I have an appointment to keep. If you would please let Sgt. Bellamy escort you to your car."
Sam eyes Tate, "This isn't over."
Major Tate offers her a tight smile, before turning on his heel and walking down the hallway.
*To be continued - Feedback will be appreciated!!*
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