STARGATE: EXPLORER

by Lady Grey
Alpha/Beta by Jude

December 29

Olympus

On this planet, it was late summer, and the day was bright and clear. A cool breeze from a nearby ocean kept the temperature mild and pleasant, and in the early evening there was still plenty of light to illuminate the coming spectacle.

Daniel brought up the rear as the party of Furlings entered the arena, guided by a youth in a splendid maroon Roman toga. They walked through a well-lit private corridor, up a flight of broad steps, through a short passageway, and out into the sunshine, onto a spacious balcony lavishly decorated with red velvet padded couches and gilded tables. The balcony ledge was draped with scarlet bunting trimmed in gold, and there was matching fabric on an awning above them, which provided some needed shade.

The high priest, Teum, was already seated on a throne, modeled after the one in the temple but simplified, carved of rich reddish wood accented in gold leaf. He did not rise to greet them, but used the wine goblet in his hand to gesture Scout towards a seat on a nearby reclining couch.  “Welcome, my lord," Teum said with a little laugh.  He appeared to be well on his way to inebriation. "You are just in time. The festivities are about to begin."

"Thank you for your generous invitation," Scout returned politely. He took his seat and extended a hand to Janet without looking at her. She quickly placed a bunch of grapes into his palm, careful not to actually touch him. 

Rose and Teal'c were stationed directly behind the Furling dignitary with his retainers standing at either end of the couch. Daniel guarded the entrance to the balcony, watching from the rear of the group.

The old priest lifted his hand and nodded his head, and a band of musicians on the far side of the stadium began to play a rousing tune. The seats were filled with Ting-sha and Jaffa, who cheered and clapped as the music swelled to a final crescendo, while a grand procession of the various fighters trooped around the circuit of the sandy field below them. After the participants returned to the entrance tunnel beneath the stadium seats, a man in a white toga and iron breastplate strode to the center of the arena and addressed the crowd, announcing the first match.

Daniel knew these would be the mock fights. Twelve men entered the ring with clubs and whips, many looking as if they had no clue why they were there. A few with grim expressions started the action by attacking the others, chasing them around the arena and doing what damage they could. The crowd responded with mockery and laughter, and Daniel saw his Furling companions stiffen as they watched the barbaric display.

Fortunately, little blood was spilled, and the master of ceremonies, or editor, as the Romans called him, returned to send them back underground.

The next event was a display of exotic wild animals. Some were trained beasts that performed tricks; others were merely released and allowed to attack and devour each other. The carnage was sickening, but the Ting-sha soldiers showed noisy appreciation for the gruesome spectacle. 

The few animals that survived were then summarily killed by specialized gladiators called bestiari. Slaves hauled the bleeding and half-eaten carcasses to a pit that opened up in the center of the amphitheater, and then raked the stained sand back over the closed door before the next match began.

Platters of meat and bread were brought during this intermission, but none of the Furlings would touch the food. As Daniel sensed a growing displeasure radiating from his friends, he switched to a private communication link and moved closer to the group, positioning himself just behind Teal'c and the Colonel. "Rose, Teal'c, stay alert. Our 'masters' don't look too happy."

He touched the sleeve of Teal'c's s'resh and looked up at his friend's helmeted head as it jerked to face him. Neither man could see each other's face behind their black visors, but Daniel could feel the tension emanating from the Jaffa. "Try to take it easy," he advised gently through the microphone.  Teal'c nodded, and Daniel eased a step to the right to get a better view. He could feel his friend relax a little through the light contact.

Knowing there was much worse to come, Daniel tried to prepare himself for what would happen next. He scanned the crowd instead of watching the main event, but the clang of steel on steel and the shouts, grunts of effort, and cries of pain pulled his unwilling gaze to the ring.

These were the professionals gladiators, who trained to fight to the death. There were eight men in the ring, and all but two wore helmets and armor. In three minutes, the first warrior fell, limping off with a wound to his side. Thirty seconds later, another lost consciousness after a sharp rap on the base of his neck. One more minute, and a Jaffa died.

Scout stood up slowly, his face ashen beneath his bronze skin, his hands curling into fists at his sides, but his expression remained composed, carefully neutral. His left arm came up parallel to his chest, right hand reaching for the bejeweled controls of his kingly s'resh.

Fortunately, the old priest was oblivious to his guests, well in his cups and swigging down more wine.

Daniel saw the Furling elder pressing his lips together, head bending over his gauntlet, sensing Scout was about to give an order that would undo them all.

"Don't do it, Scout!" Daniel warned, knowing that no one but the Furlings and his human friends could hear him speak inside his helmet. "It's ugly and terrible, but we can't change their culture with a single act of mercy. We can't show our hand. Not yet."  The elder made a great show of adjusting his costume and sat back down, turning gleaming eyes to the violence below him. His body was perfectly erect, hands on knees, gripping with white-knuckled disapproval. All of the Furlings mirrored that sentiment, hating this senseless loss of life.

Had Daniel not known Scout so well, he wouldn't have been able to discern the faint glimmers of revulsion on his face and in his posture.

"Just so you know," Daniel added quietly, "it's going to get worse."

Nine minutes after the match began, one Jaffa was left standing, and the contest was over.

The audience exploded in thunderous applause as the field was cleared of the dead and wounded.

When the editor announced the next event, Daniel cursed inwardly.

Damnatio ad bestias.

Damnation by the beasts, a form of execution reserved for blasphemers.

An old man limped out into the ring, followed by a teenage boy. Behind them, two young men emerged, holding tightly to each other. The Jaffa prisoners walked with their heads up proudly, tears trickling silently down their faces, each forehead emblazoned with the lightning-bolt tattoo of Zeus. Each visage reflected the terrified and hopeless anticipation of impending death.

Last of all was a young, dark-haired woman, her lower arms wrapped around a belly swollen with pregnancy, obviously near term.

She looked vaguely like Sha'uri.

"No," whispered Daniel, shocked by the sight of her.

"Luz Hala, s'oile!" snapped Scout, giving an order in the dialect of the Forest Clan. He leaped to his feet as he spoke, and his right hand shot out, pointing into the ring. The elder had just commanded Sky Clan to protect the Jaffa in the ring. Daniel heard the order, and fuelled by his memories and instinctive need to render aid, he reacted without hesitation. He took a step before he realized what he was doing, eyes glued to the woman in the arena.

Someone called Daniel's name within the confines of his helmet, but he ignored it, barely recognized the voice as Teal'c's. Then he was over the edge of the balcony, holding onto the scarlet bunting, riding it to the sandy ground as the rigging on one side gave way beneath his weight, then fluttered to the ground, completely detached from the balcony.

His brain kicked into gear then, but it was too late. There was no way back to the terrace aside from the gate on the far side of the arena. He was committed now, and all hell was breaking loose, voices shouting at him inside his helmet, the crowd almost drowning them out as the audience erupted with surprised shouts and cheers.

"Make the priest a deal, Scout," Daniel called into the microphone with a glance up at his friends peering over the ledge at him. "Tell him you wanted to show off your people's fighting skills. Think of something!"

Daniel bolted and was halfway across the arena, just about to reach the tiny knot of people, when a barred gate opened in a side wall and two full-grown katen darted out. The big cat-like creatures were snarling at the Ting-sha who had chased them out of their cage. The animals were probably starving, and the smell of blood was everywhere. For a moment, their attention was directed into the tunnel at their captors, and then the latticed gate dropped closed, trapping the animals in the arena.

They blinked in the bright sunlight, getting their bearings, locating their intended prey. Then their heads dipped and they crouched down, bellies low to the ground as they slunk forward, circling, prowling, sniffing the air. They were hunting now, judging what kind of threat their prey might pose before they committed to attack.

"Crap!" Daniel stopped in the sand, facing the closed gate. There was no way he could deal with these animals. He wasn't fast enough and wasn't competent with Furling weaponry yet, but he touched the sleeve of his s'resh without looking at it, hoping he’d activated the right controls.

The s'resh initiated a scan of atmospheric readings instead.

He wasn't about to look away from the animals to find his weapons and fiddle with getting them set for use. As he paced toward the beasts, he turned the weather module off and tried another combination, finally activating the tissé -- and found it set to dispense paintballs.

The audience roared along with the confused, hungry katen. Scout's voice sounded through the communication link in his helmet, but Daniel couldn't understand for the background noise. Daniel's gaze shifted from one katen to the other, trying to decide which would attack first.

The crowd noise ebbed to an expectant hush with an under-girding of surprised exclamations as a growl of distant thunder sounded, but Daniel kept his eyes on the animals.

Something pelted against his visor, rapping three times in perfect rhythm.

"We are here to help you," called Claire through the speaker in his helmet.

Daniel couldn't see Claire, but trusted that she was right in front of him. "Okay, what's the plan?"

"Approach the female," said his cloaked friend, "the smaller one."

Another rumble of thunder quieted the crowd to a nervous murmur. The sky darkened, but Daniel didn't shift his attention away from the katen. He took a step toward the nearest animal, hands low, palms out and open. He moved slowly to keep from startling it.

Twenty feet away, he eased into a low crouch.

Neither of the katen had attacked yet, but they were circling closer, looking for an opening. If the beasts heard the buzzing of Sky Clan's wings, they gave no notice, focused intently on the cluster of people in the center of the amphitheater. The scent of fresh blood was in the air, and nothing would be as important to the starved carnivores as their intended meal.

"Dive!" Claire called to her cloaked companions.

The larger male bolted suddenly away, surprised by a sudden swipe from its invisible attacker. The katen turned in a circle, seeking the source of the blow, then directed its attention back to the Jaffa when no enemy was located. It flinched and darted close to the wall as more strikes landed against its solid body.

The female gave a startled leap sideways, then ran for the gate. It yowled unhappily, ears laid back, one paw slapping uncertainly at the air. Backing its hindquarters against the wall, it snarled and cowered, all big eyes and sharp teeth.

Daniel could imagine how the scene in the amphitheater looked. As he drew nearer, the animals backed away. He edged closer, one hand reaching out. Daniel searched for the right button on his chest plate, activating the exterior voice controls, and finally armed the tissé, preparing his built-in weapons for use. He felt so sorry for these magnificent animals, hoping he wouldn't have to hurt them.

He knew the katen were just abused and hungry. Something was attacking them, but their senses and primitive instincts couldn't process what little information they were getting from the s'resh-clad Furlings. The animals were trying to look scary and tough, but underneath the bravado, he knew they were terrified.

"It's okay, girl," he cooed to the nearest one. "That's a good girl. Gooood girl."

The katen finally noticed him and gave a fierce growl, backing closer to the wall. It slapped one paw into the air, claws dangerously exposed, obviously threatening.

If he got too close, he knew it would rush him, and he'd have to shoot it. He paced in front of the beasts, keeping some distance, hands low, voice soothing, keeping up a steady stream of senseless patter, counting on the sound to hold their focus. Their eyes were on him now, probably more because he was moving and the Jaffa behind him were still, but at least he had the katens' attention.

"Drive them to the gate," he murmured softly in Sky Clan dialect. "Hold them there."

The male flinched and wheeled suddenly as something bounced off its flank. It lashed out, sharp claws raking the startled female animal across the nose. It fought back, a flurry of strikes exchanged before they broke apart, then darting toward the tunnel instinctively once they'd realized they were fighting each other and not their invisible attackers. Both animals loosed mournful wails and caterwauls, begging for shelter from their unseen enemy.

The Jaffa in the audience cheered. An unhappy howl went up from the Ting-sha contingent of the crowd. The sudden noise sent the skittish animals darting away, and Daniel danced backward, hoping the animals wouldn't attack.

In their confusion, the beasts started toward the Jaffa, but Daniel hurried to cut them off. He called out to the people, ordering them to sit down and be still and quiet. He was really pissed off now, desperate for some way to save both the condemned Jaffa and the katen.

The sky darkened and thunder rumbled loudly. Despite Daniel's warning, the humans routed, dashing off in different directions. The woman screamed in terror, and their motion attracted the hungry katen.

The animals were fast. Daniel threw himself at the female just before it attacked, hitting it broadside, knocking it down. The female rolled out from underneath him and got to its feet and he hurried to do the same, managing to get onto hands and knees just as the male bowled Daniel over. Its great dagger-like teeth gripped his shoulder, but couldn't pierce the tough fabric of the s'resh.

The big male suddenly abandoned its attack, squealed in pain and leapt away. It stood with head lowered, eyes glaring at him, braced on all four feet. 

"Run!" Claire called to Daniel through the comm link.

"I can't!" he argued. "They'll chase me. We've got to drive them back to the tunnel. Make it look good, Sky Clan."

He held up a hand, palm facing the male katen, and strode slowly toward it, hoping it looked to the audience as if he had some great power over the beast. It continued to jump and flinch, backing away from him as he directed Sky Clan's attacks. He glanced at the female and it ran, heading for the gate with a miserable yowl. 

After another few moments, the male joined its mate, tails carried low to the ground in defeat.

The gate finally lifted, and the pair of katen dashed inside the tunnel.

"Well done," Scout's voice called from the speaker near Daniel's ear. "You have earned the prisoners' price as my slaves." The elder's message would have been public, audible to the high priest, who was sitting at Scout's side, since the Artisan leader's head wasn't enclosed in the privacy of a helmet.

"Thank you, my friends," Daniel panted inside his s'resh, broadcasting to his invisible Sky Clan helpers. He bent over slightly to catch his breath, then turned and gestured to the prisoners to come with him. He straightened and escorted the five Jaffa to the gladiators' gate and waited for it to be opened.

The prisoners were awestruck, confused.  "What is happening?" asked the woman, holding a hand to her rounded belly.

Daniel set the speaker controls to broadcast his voice and adjusted the volume so only those close to him could hear. "Just keep quiet," he told the Jaffa in Latin, so they would understand him. "You will not be executed." He wanted them to calm down, but didn't want them to know too much.

A grumbling Ting-sha soldier let them out of the arena and led the way to the balcony. It gave him an evil, angry stare before taking its leave at the doorway.

"Stay here," Daniel told the prisoners. "All will be well. You are safe."

He started up to the balcony just as Colonel MacFarland was coming down, her gloved fists clenched and swinging angrily at her sides.

Her stern voice was clear in the confines of his helmet. "I swear to God, Dan'l, I thought Jack was talkin' out a his ass with all those wild stories he told me about you, but I'll bet every damn one of 'em was true! What the hell were you thinkin', boy? And turn y'damn speakers off! Yer broadcastin'."

She lightly cuffed his shoulder and continued down the tunnel to take charge of the Jaffa.

He'd probably just scared her, he decided, and she had reacted to that fear with a show of gruffness. Hell, he'd scared himself!  He adjusted his system for internal communication and gave a low chuckle. "I'm okay, Rose. Just a little sore." He rubbed his bruised shoulder where the katen had bitten him.

"Remind me to kick yer impulsive ass later," she grumbled in his ear.

Daniel smiled as he stepped onto the balcony, his grin hidden by the visor. Scout remained seated on the couch with his back to the entrance, but Teal'c's helmet was turned in his direction. The set of the Jaffa's shoulders indicated both pride and relief that his friend was safe. Daniel went to stand beside him at the end of the Forest Clan elder's couch.

Scout leaned closer to the high priest with a mischievous grin. "What is your opinion of Artisan warriors now, Teum?" he asked lightly, his Latin graced with an elegant, alien accent. "You see, on our world, fighting beasts such as those is a right of passage for our children." 

Daniel wondered if that boastful statement weren't far from the truth. He'd seen some of the wildlife on Furdani and knew there were many fearsome predators coming-of-age Furlings encountered during the Hunt that would earn them the rights of adulthood. The katen seemed relatively docile compared to the giant sadeesh that lived in the woodlands.

The priest's eyes were wide as he glanced at Daniel. "Impressive," the old man said with a drunken slur, "but I am not certain Zeus approves." He pointed to the heavens, indicating the storm clouds that had been gathering in the last few hours.

"Perhaps you should look again.” Scout chuckled and nodded toward the arena. “Or perhaps it is our goddess who smiles upon the Artisans this day."

Teum leaned forward unsteadily and looked beneath the overhanging awning at a rapidly clearing blue sky. His face grew slack with wonder and a little fear. The old man nodded. "Zeus is pleased. Your bargain will be honored, Artisan." The Jaffa priest gave a little bow and rose unsteadily from his god's throne.

As Daniel stepped aside for the priest to leave, he studied Scout's expression.  The elder was still smiling, a merry glint in his amber eyes. "Come. We shall take these Jaffa to the Artisans' quarters in the marketplace. Then, we shall talk."

"Yep. I'm in trouble," Daniel sighed to himself in the confines of his helmet. He rubbed his aching shoulder and turned to accompany the others back down the tunnel and out of the stadium, just as the sun had almost reached the horizon. As Scout had indicated, the sky was clearing, clouds scudding away on the wind, freshened with the scent of rain.

It would be a pleasant evening, he thought.  He found himself smiling at the pregnant Jaffa woman, even though she couldn't see his face and might never know the identity of the man who had saved her life and that of her unborn child.

End Chapter 24

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