Night Watch

Part I

By Lady Grey

Daniel pulled the pillow over his head as the alarm clock went off, his body curling up into a ball of pain.

It’s just an inspection, he told himself. I can call in sick and hide here in my quarters until it’s over. They don’t need me to tell some political types how important this program is. If the idiots don’t already get that, my opinion won’t push them over the edge.

He reached out and shut off the alarm, burrowed deeper into his covers and went back to an exhausted sleep.

“Get up, Daniel.”

Why am I dreaming about Jack? Daniel wondered. The voice sounded again, pushing him toward wakefulness. He fought it, clutching his pillow harder. At least he thought it was his pillow. His mind was so fogged, he couldn’t tell.

“Come on, Daniel. Up and at ‘em! Big doin’s today.”

Someone was shaking his shoulder. He groaned and swatted at the hand without opening his eyes, but the offending hand was insistent. “I’m awake,” he growled from under the pillow.

“No, you’re not. Get up.”

Instinctively Daniel sat up, swinging his legs off the side of the bed. He didn’t bother opening his eyes, just waited for whoever was annoying him to go away. That damned hand caught him by the wrist and pulled him to his feet.

Daniel forced his bleary eyes open, feeling as if someone had poured sand in them or set them on fire. Or both. “God, Jack, what are you doing here? It’s the middle of the night,” he groused, and turned around to crawl back into bed.

Jack caught him by the arm and started to haul him upright again.

Daniel twisted effortlessly out of his grip, bringing his right arm upward, then swinging both arms around to give his tormentor a good shove. He was on one knee on the bed when the impatient colonel caught him roughly by the wrist and held on so tightly it hurt.

Edging toward angry now, Daniel glared at the intruder, barely cracking his eyes open in the brightness of his room. “Leave me alone. I’m calling in sick today.”

“Not today, Daniel,” Jack returned, crossing his arms over his brown cable-knit sweater. “Inspection, remember? Everybody at their stations early in the day to answer questions as the tours come through. You gotta go, too. You can come back and lie down afterward.” He frowned, hands moving down to his sides. “Or would you rather go to the infirmary? You look like shit.”

“Oh, thanks. I needed to hear that right about now,” Daniel shot back sarcastically.

He turned around, dug into the nightstand drawer for his migraine medication, slipped his glasses on his face and started shuffling toward the door with the colonel in his wake. “I really don’t feel like doing this, Jack.”

“Suck it up and do it anyway.” Jack’s voice was gentle. His hand patted Daniel’s shoulder in sympathy, shepherding him toward the locker room.

“Come on, we’ll get you some meds for the hangover—“

“I don’t have a hangover.” He held up the blister pack of Imitrex nasal spray.

“Migraine?”

Daniel nodded, squinting gaze on the floor. Mindlessly, he opened the packet, tipped his head back, and shot the spray into his nostril. The terrible flavor upset his stomach instantly and the corridor lighting was still way too bright. He squinted down at the floor, the empty package in one hand and the plastic delivery device in the other.

“Bad one?” asked Jack softly, a note of sympathy in his voice.

Daniel closed his eyes and nodded, letting Jack lead him down the corridor. “Oh, yeah. Feels like my head is gonna explode.” His hands came up to his head, massaging his forehead and temples with the heels of his palms. He staggered a little as he rounded the corner into the locker room and tossed the packaging into the nearest waste bin.

“Maybe we should just go straight to the infirmary,” Jack amended, his voice filled with concern as he put hands on Daniel’s shoulders to steady him.

“I’ll make it, Jack,” he growled. “Just let me get a shower, and I’ll be fine.”

“Okay.” Jack patted him again, and he let him shuffle the rest of the way by himself. “I’ll be right out here if you need me. Gotta change for the big day.”

Daniel grunted an acknowledgment and listlessly padded into the shower room. He peeled off his clothes, surprised to find himself still wearing the clothes he’d worn the previous day, and turned on the tap, bracing himself against the wall while the water heated up. Once it was properly warm, he stepped under it. The spray helped him wake up. By the time he finished, wrapped up in his robe and returned to the locker room for his clothes, he saw Jack now dressed in his Class A’s, pacing the floor and waiting on him.

“I’m okay, Jack,” he told the other man, grateful for his concern. The medication for his migraine had kicked in while he’d been in the shower, and he did feel a little better. He felt as if he could sleep for a month, but he was now reasonably awake and ready for another day. “You go do your colonel stuff and get ready for the bigwigs.”

Jack gave him a little nod, looked him over, and headed for the door. “This is important stuff goin’ on today, Daniel. Everybody at their best, so wear your new suit,” he called over his shoulder as he left the room.

Daniel frowned. Fatigues were usually the order of the day, and the memo hadn’t specified dress clothing. The fact that Jack was in his dress blues and had suggested Daniel dress up, too, let him know that this inspection was different from most of the others he’d been through over the years. Which meant he’d need to go by and clean up his office ASAP.

After putting on his suit, he let his fingers drift over the beautiful material and smiled slightly. To be valued by people as fine as Janet, Jack, Sam and Teal’c was a wonderful thing. He was proud to be in their company, touched to have earned their love and respect, and this gift was perfect evidence of how they saw him.

His smile faded and tears blurred his vision. He lifted his head and wiped them away, starting out of the locker room and toward the elevator. If his teammates only knew the truth, they might not be so proud of hanging with someone who might fast be becoming unbalanced.

If he could just get through this damned inspection without seeing things or hearing voices, he’d check himself into the infirmary and let somebody else figure out what the hell was wrong with him, hoping there was a cure.

“Doctor Jackson.”

Daniel’s head came up off his desk instantly, a sheet of paper from the report he’d been reading stuck to his cheek. “Here!” he blurted before he recognized the voice that had addressed him. He looked up to see Jack, Sam and Teal’c standing on the far side of his desk. Nervously peeling the paper from his face, which was flaming with embarrassment, he glanced up to see Sam smiling wistfully at him, looking sharp and bright-eyed in her dress blues. Teal’c seemed inordinately proud, dressed in his charcoal grey Chulakian robes. Jack was every bit the cool colonel, not a flicker of emotion in his expression, save for the glint of concern in his eyes.

“Will you please come with us?”

“Oh, God, did a tour come through while I was asleep? Jack, I’m sorry—“

“You’re not in trouble, Daniel. Just wake up, put on your best face and come with us.” Jack’s voice was unusually gentle and warm.

Daniel stood up, straightened his tie, smoothed down his jacket and ran his fingers nervously through his hair, leaving some of it standing on end. He reached up to his face to check for glasses, found them there, and glanced down to check that his zipper was up and his shoes were on his feet. He stepped around his desk, and Sam separated herself from the others, catching him as he started to go by her. She combed his hair back down with her fingers.

“There. That’s better.” Her smile faded a little, concern blossoming in her eyes. “Are you okay?”

“I’m f—“

Jack’s eyebrows scrunched downward, cutting off the rest of his reflex response.

“Um, I’ll be okay, Sam. Just a headache. A little tired, but that’s all.” He smiled at her, and she took his arm at the elbow, escorting him with the others down the corridor to the elevator. Jack punched the button for the 28^th floor, and Daniel wondered why they were going down there.

“Is the inspection over already?” He glanced at his watch and saw that it was approaching 2:00 PM, right when the VIPs were supposed to be doing all the handshaking before they left.

“Oh, no, the fun is just starting, Daniel,” Jack said softly.

Daniel glanced at the man beside him and saw a little smile toying at the corners of his mouth.

Jack had a secret. The rest of them looked pretty damn smug, too. “Okay, what’s up?”

“Nothing’s up,” Jack assured him.

Daniel noticed he didn’t drop the ‘g,’ so the older man was in full colonel mode.

The doors parted, and the team exited together, traveling a short distance toward the embarkation room. A small group of ranking officers, the C.O.s of every active team on the roster, General Hammond and two very special guests stood waiting for them in the hallway just outside the gate room. The audience stood in neat rows in the corridor, no place to sit, and Jack led the team to a spot already cleared for them on the front row, right beside the guests of honor. A small semicircle of space remained open before the big metal door and the straight wall on which it was hung.

Daniel smiled, recognizing Catherine Langford and Ernest Littlefield, looking dapper in a dark suit, standing at the front beside General Hammond, and they smiled back.  On some hidden signal that Daniel didn’t catch, all attention turned to the commander of the SGC. Catherine proudly glanced up at the wall beside the ‘gate room door.

Daniel’s gaze followed, and he saw rows of team photographs on the wall beside it, including one taken of SG-1 the previous day. Above those was a row of headshots of the first Abydos team, starting with Jack and ending with one of himself, in the order in which they had passed through the event horizon. Above that were two large portraits of Doctor Littlefield, one from Catherine’s collection from 1945, and one made recently. Beside those portraits was a brass plaque.

General Hammond stood directly in front of the embarkation room door in his dress blues. “Ladies and gentlemen, members of the SGC, honored guests,” he began. “In 1945, an artifact carefully kept out of public record was examined by a team of scientists working for the government in an attempt to discover weaponry useful in the military theater active in Europe and the Pacific during World War II. The first activation of the device we now call the stargate occurred in January of 1945. At that time, no MALPs were available to determine conditions or location on the other side of the event horizon. Our scientists weren’t even sure what it was, or where it went.” He smiled fondly. “One brave man volunteered to see what was on the other side, knowing it might cost him his life.”

Ernest swallowed hard and covered Catherine’s hand with both of his, tears filling his eyes. The haunted look returned. She leaned over and kissed his cheek, squeezing his fingers comfortingly. “I’m right here,” she whispered to him. “This is real, and we’re together.”

He nodded.

The general watched the elderly couple supporting each other. “For fifty years Doctor Ernest Littlefield lived on an unknown, isolated world with only his memories for company, studying the profoundly important clearinghouse of knowledge where he found himself. By sheer accident, we discovered records of that mission a few years back and undertook to send a rescue party in the hopes that Doctor Littlefield might still be alive.” Hammond beamed. “SG-1 brought him home, alive and well, from P3X-972, now reclassified under a new designation.”

Cheers and whistles went up, along with a storm of applause, quite loud in the narrow space in which they were gathered.

Ernest clutched tighter to Catherine’s hand, and Daniel patted the old man’s shoulder, offering what support he could. The elder scientist was weeping now, moved by the remembrance of his salvation. Daniel reached into his breast pocket and gave the man his handkerchief.

Sam eased in front of Daniel, hooking her arm in the old man’s. She led Ernest a few steps away to the front to stand by the general, Catherine on Ernest’s other side, still firmly holding his hand. He struggled to compose himself and lift his head but tears still sparkled in his eyes. He looked thoughtful and a little overwhelmed by emotion, staring at the floor.

“It is in his honor,” Hammond continued when the noise began to die down, “that we dedicate this space to the intrepid men and women who regularly journey to unknown worlds, ready and willing to sacrifice their lives for the sake of knowledge and the future safety of the human race. I present to you the Doctor Ernest Littlefield Wall of Honor, where the roster of all active teams at Stargate Command will be displayed. The plaque on the wall between Doctor Littlefield’s portraits reads, This man was first through the stargate, before an official Stargate Command was launched. In honor of his courage, we dedicate every discovery made as we travel to other worlds to the spirit of Dr. Littlefield.”

Ernest straightened up as he listened, and gradually a tiny smile quavered on his lips.

Catherine whispered to her husband, telling him that she loved him, that she was proud of him. Ernest’s chin lifted, and that trembling smile firmed up. He looked at his wife, and his eyes began to blaze.

“In the same way that Columbus, Magellan and Lewis and Clark opened up our world as they explored it in their day,” added the general, “so have the teams of Stargate Command explored and opened up the mysteries and marvels of the worlds in the stargate system.” He looked beside him at the elderly couple and smiled warmly. “They are the first vanguard of friendship and knowledge of the human race. They are ambassadors of Planet Earth, the best of the best. We can never repay them for their courage, but we can honor them in this small way, and tell them that we are fortunate to have such scholars and warriors leading the way into the galaxy.”

He turned to offer Ernest his hand. “Congratulations, Doctor Littlefield. Well done.”

Ernest shook his hand and turned to look up at the photos. “It’s a good thing SG-1 didn’t take any pictures right when they found me,” he said slowly. “We couldn’t have put that one up there.”

Catherine and the team all laughed, but nobody else got the joke.

“I was alone on that planet for fifty years, you know,” Ernest explained to the rest of them. “I knew that, if I kept wearing the diving suit in which I left Earth, the only clothing I had with me, that it would eventually wear away to nothing, so… I took it off.” He grinned a little. “There wasn’t anyone around to see anyway. When SG-1 found me, I had completely forgotten about the convention of clothing. Wasn’t sure those people were really there for a few minutes.” He chuckled a little, and everyone joined him. “Once I realized they weren’t hallucinations, I got dressed. I was going home.”

He blinked back tears. “I came to realize early on that those who were in on the first stargate experiment thought I was dead. I knew there would be no rescue mission and contented myself with researching the wealth of knowledge with which I found myself surrounded.” He shook his head, smiling. “A single human lifetime wasn’t long enough to understand all I found there. I wish we could go back.”

He looked at Catherine and smiled broadly. “Ever the scientist, I know, my dear.” He turned back to his audience. “But what we are learning through this technological marvel called the stargate will hopefully make us better people, more cognizant of the greater scope of life. I am honored that you have all lauded me for my foolhardiness, but sometimes that’s what it takes to blaze trails where angels fear to tread. Thank you, General Hammond, ladies and gentlemen of Stargate Command… and thank you, my beloved wife, Catherine, for being there in my heart across a galaxy, during most of a lifetime spent apart.”

Hammond shook his hand and smiled politely. After a few minutes of congratulations and admiration of the wall, he called everyone to attention. “We also have another dedication to observe, so if you’ll all join me upstairs…” He gestured toward the elevator and everyone began to file away but Daniel remained where he was, close to the guests of honor.

“Catherine, Ernest! Nobody told me you were coming,” he told them apologetically. “I’d have met you upstairs if I’d known.”

“Yes, you would have, but they went to a lot of trouble to make this a surprise,” Catherine informed him after kissing his cheek.

“It’s good to see you again, Daniel,” said Ernest. He caught Catherine’s hand as soon as Daniel released her and brought it to his lips, lacing their fingers together as he lowered their hands. The old man’s eyes were sparkling with joy, the haunted look that had once filled them now completely gone.

“It’s good to see you again, too.  You two look great,” Daniel breathed, glancing at the others all heading down the corridor toward the elevators. “Shouldn’t we be going with everybody else?” He started to move away.

Jack snagged his sleeve and held him back. “Let’s talk to Ernest for a minute. Let him bask a little.”

“He might need a chair pretty soon, Jack,” Daniel suggested. “I think reminiscing about that particular adventure pretty much wore him out.”

“Yeah. Catherine knows what to do,” he assured his friend.

“So, what’s going on upstairs? And why didn’t I hear about all this?” He gestured toward the wall. “I could’ve helped.”

Jack just gave him a mysterious little smile. “We know,” he said quietly and ushered Daniel through the dissipating crowd to the wall. “You were needed elsewhere, Daniel. We wanted this to be a surprise.”

“Well, it was. It’s wonderful, you guys.” He still felt a little cheated. “I just wish I could’ve been in on it.”

“Don’t worry, Daniel. In a very big way, you were,” Sam assured him with a secretive smile.

The team chatted with Ernest and Catherine until the hallway cleared. Finally Ernest was ready to go and started toward the elevator.

Daniel started to go with them, but Teal’c stepped in his way and shook his head. “Not yet, DanielJackson,” he rumbled pleasantly.  “You will need to wait a moment and let us accompany you.”

Suspicion exploded in Daniel’s mind. “Okay, what did you guys do? You’re all being awfully mysterious.”

“Someone wishes to meet you, DanielJackson,” said Teal’c.

“One of the brass,” added Sam. They headed for the elevator, and she punched the call button, then stepped back to wait for the car to return after dropping off Ernest and Catherine upstairs.

“Oh, well, okay, but I need to get back to work as soon as I’m done glad-handing. I have no idea how long I was asleep, but it was too long and I’ve got tons of work to finish.” Daniel was embarrassed to have fallen asleep at his desk on that day in particular, especially during the middle of the day. He’d slept through lunch, too, and his stomach was reminding him of that fact.

Jack looked down at his noisy belly without comment, then back up into his eyes.

“Sorry,” Daniel mumbled. “I’ll try to keep it quiet.” They boarded the elevator, and Daniel saw Teal’c press the button for the 11^th floor. “Are we leaving the base?”

“Wait and see,” said Jack enigmatically.

The elevator doors parted, and for a moment, Daniel couldn’t move. The 11^th floor had been transformed. The corridor was no longer closed off by the partitions, and the area between the two elevators now encompassed a huge, formal semicircular room that took his breath away.

Rich paneling covered the walls. Beautiful carpeting lay underfoot on the floors. The wall in the back was almost covered in photographs, including a big one of him at the focal point, flanked by the American and SGC flags.

The Air Force seal dominated the center of the floor, emblazoned on the carpet and declaring this area a bastion of the United States Air Force. Toward the back of the room stood an imposing gray marble desk. Two Marine and one Air Force security officer in dress uniforms stood at attention behind the desk.

Jack, Sam and Teal’c began to file out of the elevator, hands pressed against Daniel’s elbows and shoulders to guide him out with them. Dazedly he stepped out, his gaze dropping from the photographs to the sea of people, most of them in Class A’s, everyone else in suits, standing in neat rows on either side of the room.  A wide path had been left down the center of the room, showing off the colorful Air Force seal at room center.

Daniel scanned the faces of those he passed as his team ushered him up the center aisle. Jacob Carter/Selmak, Master Brata’c and Jonas Quinn smiled at him from the group on his right. Every department head and ranking officer of the SGC was present with them. On the left were familiar faces Daniel had seen at the SGC including the Secretary of Defense, the Air Force and Marine Joint Chiefs, the Senate Chairman of Appropriations, and last but not least, President Charles Kearney, Commander in Chief of the United States of America.

Daniel’s mouth went dry. His brain fogged over. His eyes went so wide he couldn’t even blink.

“Just keep walking,” Jack murmured in his ear.

They guided him to stand at the front, to the right of the big gray marble desk. General Hammond stood directly in front of it, eyeing the flagship team of the SGC with pride. Daniel straightened his posture and lifted his chin, proud to be in their company among these auspicious guests.

He stood with his hands at his sides and waited, stealing a glance at that big portrait of himself on the back wall. After seeing the Littlefield presentation, it wasn’t hard to figure out who the guest of honor was for this dedication. Someone had gone to an awful lot of trouble to get this done. Maybe a lot of someones. Warmth filled him up and overflowed. He started choking up, his throat closing up with emotion.

Hammond took a step forward, commanding the attention of everyone in the room. He turned to his left, addressing the visiting dignitaries first. “Mr. President, Mr. Secretary, Senators, Generals, members of the SGC, honored guests.” He turned back to face the entire assembly. “Welcome to Stargate Command.”

He paused just the right length of time for dramatic effect, his steely eyes sweeping the faces before him.

“Eight years ago, we were fortunate enough to have a young man come through our doors without a clue of what to expect, other than a job doing translations for the US government,” he intoned, his eyes shifting to meet Daniel’s before moving back to the assembly. “Doctor Daniel Jackson did what no one before him had been able to do – solve the mystery of the Giza cover stones. His discovery gave us the key to what the stargate is, as well as the most basic information on how it worked, and all without even knowing such a device existed. After that staggering accomplishment, he volunteered to be among what we believed at the time to be the first exploratory mission through the stargate. He was the only person capable of finding and deciphering the information needed for the return trip. He sent our boys home after helping to neutralize an alien threat terrorizing hundreds of worlds in our galaxy. We thought, when that first mission was over, that it was over. As we know now, we couldn’t have been more wrong.”

He bowed his head for a moment, and then straightened slightly. “Since that time, we have had cause to travel to hundreds of worlds, make scores of new friends on planets far flung from our own. We have also fought against the threat of aliens who have attacked us on many fronts, winning battles here, losing others there.

“We are here today to acknowledge, in our own way, the sacrifices made by the men and women of Stargate Command on behalf of the entire human race, and in the interests of our alien allies. Ladies and gentlemen, at this time I’d like to present the officer responsible for this memorial to the fallen of the SGC, Major Samantha Carter.”

He turned to his right, made eye contact with Sam, and stepped back to allow her space to come forward.

Daniel stood there, staring at the floor and blushing to his hairline. He had never expected this, wasn’t prepared for it. He had to admit to himself that this felt wonderful, like he actually mattered, and that he was being appreciated for once.  He lifted his head to look at her as Sam took the floor, standing straight and tall as she surveyed the small crowd who had come to this dedication.

“I worked on the stargate long before Doctor Catherine Langford went to seek out Doctor Daniel Jackson,” she began. “Some of the best minds in astrophysics, engineering, computer science and several other branches of intelligencia slaved over that enigmatic device downstairs, making a little progress here, a little progress there. What we couldn’t do, however, was figure out exactly what it was, what it did or how to make it work.” She looked fondly at the man a few steps to her right. “Daniel did in two weeks what our think tank couldn’t manage in two years, without ever having laid eyes on the device itself. In fact, without even knowing it existed.”

A murmur of approval went through the crowd, and Sam paused for it to wane.

“Daniel excels at thinking outside the box. He was literally light years ahead of everyone else in the archaeological community, and they shot his theories down and turned their backs on him. That was when he came to us and opened up the entire galaxy to humanity. Doctor Langford saw something in his work that every one of his peers missed. She believed in him when no one else did, and hoped he might be able to help us with this puzzle.”

She glanced sadly at the floor for a moment. “Little did any of us know at that time just how significant a contribution Daniel would make to human knowledge over the next eight years. Those of us who are close to him wish we could go out and tell his peers what a genius he is and help him earn his rightful place that he so richly deserves, but we can’t. Daniel accepts the fact that he is dismissed in that circle of academicians and concentrates on what matters, on the work we do here.

“He has gone for eight years without any kind of recognition for his contributions, while those around him receive promotions, commendations and medals for their service in what Daniel has called, ‘the greatest endeavor of humanity’.” She hesitated and dropped her head, obviously struggling with her emotions. When she spoke again her voice was huskier with remembered grief. “And then last year, we lost Daniel for what we believed was the last time. He acted, as he always does, with no regard for himself and saved millions of people on another world by his quick thinking and courage. Then he came home to die.”

Her chin tipped up proudly. “We said goodbye to him and let him go.” She paused, swallowing hard. Taking a deep breath, she went on, her voice growing increasingly stronger. “There was no memorial service, no period of mourning. He was simply gone, and we believed then that he would never be back. We went through his things, kept some as mementos, and gave the rest away. Only I couldn’t let go. Losing Daniel that last time drove home to me the loss of so many who have fallen under the banner of the SGC.”

She turned and looked behind her, eyes sweeping the many photographs on the wall, before turning back to the crowd. “And we will lose many more before we find the answer to the conflict with the aliens who still threaten us. Some of these men and women I never knew but in putting this memorial together, I have learned a great deal about them. We should all know their names and remember where and how they died, because they gave their lives for us.”

With a gentle smile, Sam looked at Daniel and made eye contact. “Some of them, more than once.”

He saw the affection and admiration gleaming in her eyes and smiled back, his forehead crinkling up with emotion.

“What we deal with here at the SGC are extraordinary circumstances,” she explained. “What we once believed impossible occurs often enough for some of us to shrug it off without a second thought, like resurrection from the dead and ascension to higher planes.” She smiled again, then grew somber. “But no one on a team can ever count on coming back, once we step through that ‘gate. We can’t count on having the luxury of tomorrow. Each of us keeps our personal affairs in order and commits ourselves to this cause with everything that we are. Then, if we are called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice, all we can ask is that we not be forgotten.”

She glanced down at a sheet of paper in her hands. “When Daniel died for the sixth time...”

Dr. Daniel Jackson Abydos February 1996	Dr. Daniel Jackson P3X-774 Nox Homeworld 12 September 1997	Dr. Daniel Jackson Aboard Goa'uld Hatak over Earth 26 June 1998
Dr. Daniel Jackson P3R-636 24 July 1998	Dr. Daniel Jackson SGC Base 26 January 2001	Dr. Daniel Jackson SGC Base 10 May 2002

A murmur of startled surprise rippled through the audience.

Daniel glanced up at the wall. Aside from the big picture of him at center, he counted six smaller ones, all different poses, including the one of him on the camel in Egypt. He couldn’t read the plaque beneath it because it was too far away, but intended to check it out a little closer when this ceremony was over.

“...an idea came to mind for a way in which we could acknowledge the fallen that would keep their memory alive within these walls, until such time as their sacrifices can be made public. From today onward, any visitor having the clearance to arrive on the 11^th floor of this installation will be greeted by these images of those we have lost, to whom we owe so much. Any who see these photographs will be reminded of the fact that these were real people, people of integrity and strength, who paid the ultimate price so that we might enjoy our freedom a little longer.

“This memorial didn’t happen overnight,” she added with a weary smile. “The concept was supported by our people from here all the way to Washington. It took a lot of man hours to design and complete, requiring nearly ten months to garner necessary support, acquire funding and then actually put it all together. Now, instead of a nondescript corridor joining two elevator shafts, separated by an airman at a tiny desk, we have this elegant new entry station that reflects a measure of the importance of Stargate Command.”

Applause went up all around them. Several people toward the back cheered. Daniel felt his face heat up and looked down again.

When the noise subsided, Sam beamed. “Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the Doctor Daniel Jackson Memorial. I’d like to read to you what the parchment beside his portrait, behind me, says.” She cleared her throat and her voice inched up in volume as she began.

“Daniel Alexander Melburn Nicholas Jackson, Ph.D

“He gave us the final key to the stargate, and through his efforts, contributed to the enrichment and continued success of Stargate Command. He acted as translator, cultural specialist, historian and diplomat on the flagship first contact team, SG-1, as we of the SGC explored the stars. But more than that, he was our friend, a constant source of inspiration, dedication, and support to all who entered this facility. His tenacity was unequalled in our ranks, never giving up when those around him had already done so. He willingly relinquished his life on numerous occasions, choosing to be the one making the ultimate sacrifice for the many, and it is in his honor that this memorial to the fallen of the SGC is dedicated.

“Wherever you are, Daniel, our hearts go with you.”

A sprinkling of applause sounded again.

Sam straightened up taller and grinned, eyeing familiar faces in the crowd. “When the idea for this wall was first conceived ten months ago, Daniel was no longer with us. We have the very great honor of having him back with us now. We have undoubtedly embarrassed him with this memorial today. He isn’t a man who dreams of glory, and I’m sure he doesn’t believe he deserves any of this.”

She gazed at him for a moment, then turned back to make eye contact with Senator Kinsey, standing to one side near the President. “Simply by counting the number of photos of Daniel on that wall, not including the honorary portrait between the flags, I believe you’ll agree he’s quite deserving of an honor such as this.”

Sam held out a hand toward Daniel, and he went forward to take it. She pulled him into a hug instead. “Welcome home, Daniel,” she said in his ear. He could hardly hear her for the applause.

He just held her for a moment, touched and mortified all at the same time. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do and just stood there when she let him go. She stepped aside and drew him with her, back near the desk between herself and the general, holding his hand a moment longer to indicate he should stay there.

General Hammond glanced to the side and gave a quick nod, then stepped forward. “Ladies and gentlemen, at this time, it is my very great honor to present to you the President of the United States, Mr. Charles Kearney.”

He stepped back, and a tall, gray haired man from the small group on the right came forward. He was broad shouldered and fit, with an air of elegance and self assurance, his face lined with care but still ruggedly handsome. He had the bearing of someone who had once been in the military and the clear-eyed expression of an intelligent man used to giving orders. The President smiled broadly at Daniel as he came forward to address the crowd.

Two men in black suits were posted beside the elevators that were the only entrances to the room. Two others stood a little behind the President and to the side, never looking directly at the man, his ever-present Secret Service bodyguard on their toes, scanning the crowd for any sign of threat. Every other military officer in the room stood equally vigilant in the presence of this man.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for inviting me here today,” he began, his Minnesota accent unmistakable. His brown eyes were somber but warm. “It is my privilege to offer the thanks of a grateful world to some of the heroes who daily grace your halls. Hidden away beneath this mountain, you guard a secret that the rest of the world is not yet ready to know, offering up your very lives in silence to protect our freedom. There is no word of thanks, no symbol of honor great enough to convey our gratitude for that.”

He looked down at a small teak box in his hand, then glanced to one side to meet Jack O’Neill’s eyes before looking back at his audience. “The men and women in our military go into the service of this country fully aware that they may be called into battle, to lay their lives on the line for others.” Kearney made eye contact with Daniel. “Everyday citizens live their lives performing their jobs, most of whom, aside from our police and firefighters, never think their work might keep them from coming home again. We are proud of the handful of scholars and civilian experts who aid our military in this incredible undertaking; who, without thought of reward or glory, perpetually covered in a shroud of secrecy, willingly stand beside our soldiers and offer their lives as well.”

Again, Daniel felt a lump rise in his throat. He glanced at the wall, at Robert Rothman’s picture. Grief rose and was quietly tucked away.

President Kearney paused until Daniel looked back at him. “Most academicians never dream that there will ever come a day when they’ll be standing in the middle of a battleground, taking fire from enemy soldiers. But those here at the SGC do it often, and it is time we said ‘thank you’ for their willingness to put their expertise, their knowledge, their very lives, where they are so desperately needed.” He turned back to the crowd and held up the little box for everyone to see.

Daniel studied the medal in Kearney’s hand. Thirteen tiny gold stars lay on a blue field inside a circle at the heart of a white star. Behind that was a red pentagon, spanning between the arms of the five-pointed star. At the tips of those arms, gold eagles with spread wings joined those five points, their feet firmly planted on the straight sides of the red pentagon. Another more ornate gold eagle was pinned onto the short blue ribbon on which the medallion hung.

“This is the Medal of Freedom,” Kearney explained. “It is the highest civilian honor that our country can offer, established in 1945 by President Truman to recognize notable service during World War II. President Kennedy revived the medal in 1963 for distinguished civilian service during peacetime. Each year, a panel chooses recipients of this award, but they are a distinguished few; educators and authors, diplomats and scientists, who work diligently toward making our world a better place for everyone.”

He looked down at the teak box in his hand, then over his shoulder at the biggest of the framed pictures. “If you’ll notice, ladies and gentlemen, the commemorative portrait of Doctor Jackson is in a shadow-box. Between the photograph and the parchment there is a medal hung over the matting between them.” He turned back to the crowd. “That is also a Medal of Freedom, awarded to Doctor Jackson posthumously about six months ago, for his part in the very first stargate mission.” He turned to face Daniel. “Doctor Jackson, if you please.” He held out one hand in invitation.

Daniel walked stiffly forward, stopping when he was a few feet away from the President. He watched the man slide open the glass cover on the teak presentation box and lift the medal out. Kearney handed the box to General Hammond, who replaced it on the desk just behind him, and President Kearney unfastened the clip at the back of the blue ribbon.

“Doctor Jackson, it is my great personal honor to award you this second Medal of Freedom, for your many acts of heroism, not the least of which was your courageous effort to prevent a catastrophic event in the country of Kelowna on P2S...” He frowned and glanced at Jack.

“...4C3,” Daniel murmured, leaning slightly closer. He glanced over his shoulder at Jonas Quinn, who grinned and gave him a thumbs-up.

Kearney smiled and nodded. “P2S-4C3. While I don’t pretend to understand exactly what happened to you, Daniel, I do know it was extraordinary and unprecedented and that a great many people owe you their lives.” He fastened the medal over Daniel’s tie, securing it at the nape of his neck, then extended his right hand in congratulations. “Doctor Jackson, to my knowledge, you are the only person in the history of this country to have ever received two of these awards. Congratulations.”

“Thank you, sir,” Daniel said with a smile, firmly shaking his President’s hand. He was embarrassed, elated and shamed all at once. He knew SG-1 had accomplished a great deal in the conflict against the System Lords, and he was proud of that achievement, but shadowing that was that undercurrent of failure that still ate at him during moments of introspection.

Recognition such as this was something he had always dreamed of achieving, but he had given that up when the academic world turned its back on him. Now, being lauded in front of these people was almost more than he could bear. The rest of the world be damned. The only people whose opinions mattered to Daniel Jackson were in that room, and they were telling him how proud they were of him.

Sam was responsible for the memorial; that was easy enough to guess. One look at Jack’s face told him who had found a way for him to earn the medals. Jack was proud of him. So were Sam, Teal’c, Hammond, Janet Fraiser; everyone he most respected was looking back at him with honor in their eyes.

That was priceless, and Daniel felt a profound sense of joy filling him.

Daniel couldn’t think of anything to say, so he accepted the Medal of Freedom, posed for pictures with President Kearney and then stepped back beside Sam.

“As we have made our uncertain way across the galaxy, we have made both friends and foes,” Kearney continued. “It is the greatest triumph of all to make a friend of one who was once an enemy, to have one who once fought against us choose to stand and fight at our side.” He turned to his right. “Teal’c of Chulak, it is with the greatest respect that I ask you to come forward.”

Daniel smiled, not surprised to feel his throat close completely, clogged with emotion as his friend went forward to stand beside the President of his country.

“The United States of America is honored to have you as an ally, Teal’c, and for your unselfish service and your many acts of heroism, we present to you this Medal of Freedom in gratitude for your loyalty and bravery. My wish for you is that one day, you will see your people become free from tyranny. Congratulations.”

He shook Teal’c’s hand and reached way up to place the ribbon around the Jaffa’s neck, settling it in place and lifting the medal out over the cowl on Teal’c’s robe.

“Thank you, PresidentKearney. It has been my great honor to aid in the cause of the Tau’ri,” he intoned, nodding graciously. He retreated back to his spot after the handshake and photographs were taken.

“Major Samantha Carter,” Kearney called.

Daniel could see the medal in his hand, suspended from a short blue ribbon. Beneath a blue field bearing thirteen stars hung a small brass bar with the word ‘VALOR’ embossed on it. Below that was the winged double-headed trident backed by lightning bolts that was the same as the charge on the Air Force shield. Attached beneath that was an upside-down five-pointed star bearing the head of the Statue of Liberty. The star’s five points were laced with laurel leaves, a symbol of honor since the days of the Roman Empire.

Sam came forward, beaming.

“This is late in coming but well deserved,” said the President with a smile. “I present to you the Medal of Honor, awarded to you this day for helping to save this world from certain annihilation. Your quick thinking under tremendous pressure prevented the impact of a meteor set by our enemies on a collision course for our planet. Your many heroic actions as a member of SG-1 are a debt that your country – that your world – can never repay. It is with a profound sense of gratitude that we award you the Medal of Honor. Well done, major.”

He placed the medal around her neck, settling it just beneath her collar, and she stepped back to salute him. He returned the gesture with a smile.

“Thank you, Mr. President. It has been my privilege to serve, sir,” she said quietly as she shook his hand, then stepped back into place beside Daniel.

He took her hand and held onto it, almost overcome with pride, but not wanting to interrupt the festivities. There would be time for hugs and congratulations later. He couldn’t say anything at the moment, anyway, and turned back to watch the presentation of the next award.

General Hammond handed Kearney the next medal. “Colonel O’Neill,” the President called formally. Then he chuckled as the officer named stepped forward. “Jack.”

The colonel’s face was a mask of discipline. Class A’s without a wrinkle, back ramrod straight, he stood at attention, eyeing the Commander in Chief without a flicker of expression.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Colonel O’Neill and I go way back,” Kearney said quietly, a slow smile spreading across his face. “We served together on an Air Force Special Ops team and knew each other long before that as boys in Minnesota. A man couldn’t ask for a better friend. A country couldn’t ask for a better soldier. Jack may not always follow the rules, but he gets the job done in his own inimitable way – and God help anybody who threatens his family, his friends or his country.”

Kearney shook his head, glancing down at the medal in his hand. “This should have been awarded to you eight years ago, after the first Abydos mission, but the Medal of Honor is a public award. It has only been through the advent of keeping a second classified set of books for this program that we can make this presentation to you, Jack, but I can’t think of anyone who deserves it more.”

He reached up and clasped the ribbon around Jack’s neck, settling the medallion on its short ribbon in place over the knot on Jack’s tie and patting him fondly on the shoulder. “Congratulations, Colonel O’Neill, from a grateful nation. From a grateful world.”

They saluted each other, Jack’s hand snapping up with military precision, Kearney’s gesture equally crisp.

“Thank you, Mr. President,” Jack said as he shook his hand, then hugged him, breaking into a broad grin. “Charlie, you’re such a sap,” he murmured into the other man’s ear as he pulled away.

Daniel watched in awe, fighting back tears. He knew how important that particular medal was to Jack. It was the Big Cheese, the Brass Ring that every soldier dreams of earning and few ever did. “All right, Jack,” he breathed. He felt Sam’s arm go around his shoulders in a hug, and he squeezed her back.

Jack’s face composed once again. The President smiled fondly and the colonel stepped back into his group as the next medals were announced.

“These next ladies and gentlemen cannot accept their awards because they are no longer with us,” the President intoned, “nor can their families accept for them, since the awards are still classified, so we ask that Doctor Jackson accept them on their behalf. Those in the military who are receiving Purple Hearts and other awards that need not remain under classified status will have these commendations presented to their families at a later date.” He gestured to the wall behind him. “Classified medals will be hung beside the portraits of the valiant soldiers and civilians who earned them, until such time as they can be publicly awarded to their next of kin.”

Daniel stepped forward again.

”Doctor Robert Rothman, the Medal of Freedom…” Kearney began, enumerating the scientist’s worthwhile deeds while assigned to other teams.

Daniel’s heart was heavy as the names were called for some of the others being recognized, whose medals would be hung up on the wall after the ceremony. He carefully handed them to Sam, who took them to a small table at the back wall. He was proud to be enumerated among the honored in this group.

This endeavor, he reminded himself, is the accomplishment of my lifetime, my greatest contribution to humanity. If I do nothing else, my participation here has earned me a place in history.

There was something incredibly satisfying about that.

He concentrated on the list of names being read, reminding himself of their faces, remembering moments with them while they were alive, and also having to watch some of them die.

After the last medal was awarded, President Kearney gave way to General Hammond as the final speaker. “Ladies and gentlemen, honored guests, we are thankful that you could all join us here today for this auspicious occasion. We invite you to take one final look at this memorial and contemplate its meaning for a moment. Afterward, we hope you’ll stay and congratulate the honorees. Our staff will be available to answer any questions you may have. Please join us afterward in the briefing room on the 27^th floor for coffee and refreshments.”

A feeling of satisfaction filled Daniel. He turned with everyone else to view the memorial wall in silence, scanning every face and committing each one to memory. This was a good thing, a statement to any who saw it that this was a costly endeavor; that those who walked these halls were people who could be trusted at your back.

Beside him, a lone voice rose in song. Daniel turned to look up at Teal’c, who stood with hands clasped against his robes, eyes closed. This was the traditional acknowledgement of a fallen warrior among the Jaffa of Chulak, sung in their language, and as Daniel listened, he realized Teal’c was pausing between the lines, leaving time for Daniel to translate for the rest of the audience.

Daniel fell into the rhythm immediately, echoing the haunting tune with English phrases so those around them could appreciate the sentiment as well.

“In the silence, hear the sound

Of this great warrior falling down.

In the darkness, see the light

Of his spirit, burning bright.

He will lead us, with our souls,

To victory, our shining goal.

He is gone, but he will be

Forever in our memory.

In the silence, hear the sound

Of one brave warrior falling down.”

Teal’c’s deep voice took on a surprising softness as he sang. When he finished he opened his eyes and stared at the wall for a moment, his grief for the lost evident in his expression, one muscle twitching in his jaw.

“Thank you, Teal’c,” whispered Daniel, touching his friend’s sleeve.

The big guy turned slightly toward him and offered a regal bow. “Now you know this song, DanielJackson,” he said huskily. “Perhaps you will sing it for me when it is my time.”

Daniel swallowed hard. “If I’m still around, yeah.” He smiled. Teal’c asked for so little and gave so much. “Jaffa live longer than humans, you know.”

“But we are at war. There are no guarantees of tomorrow, as MajorCarter said.”

“So we celebrate today.” He shook Teal’c’s hand, then turned to smile at Sam.

Daniel moved around the room shaking hands with those who had come to see him on that special day. He took the time to let them all know how much they meant to him. He hugged Catherine and Ernest and eventually made his way back to his team at the front, now milling around with everyone else. Jack shook his hand, then pulled him into a back-slapping hug.

“Way to go, Danny,” his friend whispered in his ear. “Congratulations.”

Daniel couldn’t seem to speak. He just smiled and nodded back at the man.

People broke into small groups for conversation, many of them moving toward the wall to look at the pictures and discuss the lost ones. It seemed everyone wanted to talk to Daniel, to ask him questions, look at his medal, have photos taken with him and shake his hand. Embarrassment soon faded into enthusiasm and finally weariness. He watched as Sam posted herself beside the table where the medals had been laid for the fallen, answering questions and recounting in detail how every person featured in one of the pictures had lived and died.

Daniel listened as she talked about each of them, recounting endearing or quirky things about their personalities, bringing them to life for those asking about them. That warmed Daniel deeply, especially when she spoke about those on the first team, people whom she had never met. It seemed as if she knew them all, as if they had been close friends. Daniel supposed, after all the research she had done on them, that perhaps they had been, after a fashion. He admired that about her, that she cared so much.

Looking up at his own pictures on that wall, however, his smile faded and he found himself angling toward the elevator, seeking escape.

Jack appeared at his elbow just as he pressed the call button. “Ready to go?” he asked quietly.

Daniel didn’t make eye contact, just stood facing the elevator doors. “Yeah. I’m tired. Feels like I can’t get enough sleep lately.”

They stepped into the car together and Jack pushed the button for the 18^th floor, where Daniel’s office was located.

“I was hoping to go back to my room,” Daniel murmured. “I just wanna go to bed.”

“You sure you don’t wanna go to the infirmary? You look pretty beat.”

Nodding, Daniel closed his aching eyes, gritty from fatigue and lack of sleep. He felt sapped, utterly exhausted. “Yeah. Just some rest. That’s all I need.”

“I’ll come by and check on you later.” Jack pushed the button for the 25^th floor and turned to study his younger teammate. Jack continued to stare at him, his brows pinched in a quizzical expression.

“What?” asked Daniel.

“I was just wonderin’. Did your parents do that to you on purpose?”

Daniel frowned, not getting the question. “Do what?”

“Your name.”

“I was named for my grandfathers, Alexander and Nicholas, and for my dad, Melburn. Daniel is the name they chose for me. History was big in my family, in case you hadn’t noticed. Everything had meaning.”

“No, I meant the initials. Do you think they realized what they spelled?”

Daniel snorted softly. “They probably never even noticed. You know, ancient societies put a lot of power into our names. I wonder if my initials have the same impact.”

“DAMN Jackson,” Jack repeated with a slight smile. “So every time I said ‘dammit, Daniel’...”

“You were calling me by name, after a fashion.” He grinned. “Who dug up that little nugget of Jackson trivia, by the way? I went to a lot of trouble to lose the long name.”

“Our Major Carter, of course. She went through all your records with a fine-toothed comb while you were... um... dead. Probably knows everything about you by now. The woman’s relentless, Daniel. She gets hold of something and never lets go.” Jack smiled fondly. “Carter did good, huh?”

A wide grin swept across Daniel’s face and his head bobbed up and down again. “Way more than I deserve, Jack.”

“Depends on who you’re askin’.”

The two best friends connected for a moment, blue eyes meeting brown, asking and answering, that uncanny understanding passing between them without a word or gesture, just a simple look that no one else would have been able to translate.

What do I deserve, Jack?

Way more than a couple medals and a memorial wall.

I have all I need, old friend.

Same here, buddy. Medals are just brass and that wall’s just concrete.

Jack’s fingers briefly touched the medal at his throat as he met Daniel’s steady gaze. Then he straightened up, hand moving down to his side, his mouth quirking into a half-suppressed grin. His eyes twinkled in jest as he said, “They named a wall after you, but I got a whole Asgard battleship!”

“Yeah, for about five minutes before they blew it up,” Daniel shot back with a chuckle. “I think my wall’s gonna be there for a while.” The elevator deposited him on the proper floor and he strode out of the car without a backward glance, his mood lighter, and his heart comfortably full. “See you later, Jack,” he called over his shoulder.

O’Neill left to return to the festivities upstairs.

Daniel went straight to his room, carefully laid the medal aside on his nightstand, then stripped down to his underwear and climbed into his bed for a nap.

It was evening before the last of the VIPs were gone and the base returned to normal operations. Everyone seemed to heave a collective sigh of relief, especially Jack O’Neill. The extra security measures were always tremendous stressors, and now that those were relaxed everyone could chill out a little. He changed out of the Class A’s and into base fatigues for the rest of the day because he couldn’t be anything but on his toes in his dress blues.

He headed down to the 25^th floor, intent on checking on Daniel, but just as he entered the elevator, the claxons went off and Sergeant Davis announced an unauthorized incoming wormhole over the PA system. Punching the button for 28, Jack raced to the control room, arriving seconds before the general. He stood by, watching the screen for an IDC to appear, aware that there were several teams off-world but not expecting any of them home so soon.

As Hammond stood beside him, both of them heard the audible clang of something being destroyed against the trinium shield. Moments later, the wormhole disengaged, and the control room filled with silence. They waited, watching to see if the gate would activate again, but nothing happened.

“I want an investigative team up here ASAP,” Hammond ordered Davis. “I want to know what just flattened against the iris.”

”Yes, sir,” Davis responded crisply, already reaching for the phone.

“Anybody we know?” asked Jack.

Hammond glanced down at the monitor on the control panel. “I sure hope not.  I’ve got Major Carter working on a back-tracing program. Hopefully, one day soon we’ll be able to determine the coordinates of the planet dialing in, but unfortunately, we aren’t quite there yet. We’ll need to test any trace elements left on the iris to hopefully determine what disintegrated against it, and then do our best to guess who knocked on our door.”

Jack knew the drill, but those bangs and dings against the iris always heightened the tension in the control room for a while afterward. “It’s a good thing that didn’t happen when the President was here,” Jack mused.

The general nodded. “I’ll be here for another hour or two awaiting the results of the tests. I expect you were getting ready to go home yourself?”

Jack nodded, glancing at the iris. “I was gonna go check on Daniel first. He wasn’t well today.”

Hammond nodded, his face drawn with concern. “I noticed he’s been looking tired lately. SG-1’s been on stand down for two weeks. He should be well rested by now. Is he ill?”

“Had a bad migraine this morning,” Jack informed him. “Really bad. Could hardly walk.”

“Has he been to see Doctor Fraiser?”

“Not yet.”

“See that he does. I hope he’s feeling better soon.” Hammond smiled a little. “We managed to surprise him after all, didn’t we, colonel?”

Jack grinned broadly. He stuck his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. “I think we blew him away. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so proud and embarrassed. He was blushing, for cryin’ out loud! Practically speechless for a minute there, which is so not Daniel.”

Hammond chuckled. “I noticed that myself. Well, we know he deserves that honor, and so much more. I was pleased we could do that for him. Have a good evening, Jack.”

“You, too, sir.” Jack returned to the elevator and stepped out on the 25^th floor, heading straight for Daniel’s room.

He opened the door and found the younger man passed out beneath the covers, sleeping so soundly he didn’t even hear the door open. Jack withdrew without waking him, choosing to let his friend have the rest he so obviously needed. If Daniel was still out of it in the morning, he’d take him to the infirmary personally.

Jack stopped by the locker room to change back into his civvies. He went to the spiffy new security desk on the 11^th floor to sign out for the night, and then headed topside to go home.

Daniel’s eyes snapped open. He glanced at the clock on the nightstand, squinting to clarify the numbers, and realized it must be almost sunset outside. For five hours he’d been dead to the world. He was still incredibly tired, but already felt much better, much less exhausted.

He was fully awake the instant he opened his eyes, and as he sat up in the bed, he could feel the familiar changes coming upon him. His heart was pounding in his chest, hands shaking, head tingling with that strange euphoria that accompanied the adrenaline surge that now always signaled sundown to him. The usual images coalesced in his mind, prompting him to get up, go out and do battle.

His hands curled into fists, and he screwed his eyes shut, trying to blot out the sights, knowing even as he did so that they would not go away just because he willed them to. The only way to get relief was to go out and answer the call, to do as he was bidden and save the lives that hung in the balance.

His heart filled with dread and fear and something akin to a primal excitement as the surfaces in his room began to glow with an inner light. Daniel came to his feet and prowled his small room like a caged tiger. Fists clenched at his sides, head bowed in intensely focused thought, he already knew he would be out on the streets again tonight.

Never had the internal prompting been as strong as it was now, controlling him, filling him with courage, a sense of purpose and a deep belief in his abilities. Whatever he had been before he first laid eyes on the stargate, he was now a warrior in every sense of the word. Those abilities, well laced with a deeply ingrained spirit of protectiveness, filled him up and pushed him toward the door. He was powerless to resist. He didn’t really want to hold himself back, because he knew what he was doing out there on the streets was important and needed. Lives depended on him, and no one could argue against that.

Part of him liked doing this. Daniel got off on the rush of one-on-one battles. He loved preventing those terrible things he had come to see in his mind. The reasoning part of his brain reminded him of the danger, not only to himself, but also to this entire endeavor hidden beneath the mountain.

“Collateral damage,” he growled softly.

He had to stop doing this vigilante thing, or he was in real danger of getting himself killed.

He also ran the risk of getting caught by the police and hauled in for questioning. His life couldn’t stand the sort of scrutiny they’d be giving him, and General Hammond would have no choice but to pull him out of an interrogation for reasons of national security. Then the shit would really hit the fan when Hammond got him back to the base.

Until then, until someone got lucky and caught him, Daniel was going to go out and help people. As long as no one figured it out, as long as he wasn’t killed or captured, he was free to offer his strength and skills to those who needed them.

He lifted his chin, filled with steel and fire, and stopped pacing. His mind was made up.

Face set, he padded into his tiny bathroom and put in his rarely used disposable contact lenses, needing sharp vision without the hindrance of glasses on his face.

Striding to his bureau, determination burning like a flame in his belly, he pulled open a drawer and tossed some clothes on the unmade bed. Dressing quickly in jeans, black T-shirt and his work boots, he threw on a jacket and headed up to the 11^th floor. It startled him a little to see the new entry station, part of his mind still expecting to see the short corridor and tiny security desk.

He walked purposefully up to the marble edifice. As he looked at the guard on duty smiling at him, a halo of light emanated from the man’s body. The glow was stronger than Daniel had seen the previous night, and he didn’t think that was due to a change in the young soldier. The difference was in Daniel’s vision, part of this strange gift that had been developing in his body over the past few weeks.

“Evening, Doctor Jackson,” he called.

“Evening, Lieutenant Norris,” Daniel returned. The strength in his voice surprised him a little, but his hand was shaking from the adrenaline overload as he signed out. “I won’t be back until late.”

The soldier gave him a sly smile, most likely thinking the archaeologist had a hot date. “Yes, sir. Have a good time.”

“Right,” growled Daniel. He wasn’t going out to have fun. He was leaving because he had a life to save. Maybe more than one.

As soon as the elevator opened, Daniel had his cell phone to his ear, calling for a taxi. By the time he had raced to the main gate, the car was waiting for him. He waved to the guards, climbed into the car and sat in the back as the city sprang up around the street, heading north into the heart of Colorado Springs. Daniel watched the driver, seeing the halo around his body brighten as they drove until the cabbie was little more than an outline in motion, a thin containment for the radiant soul within him.

It was beautiful and Daniel smiled, enjoying the light show. Any fear he had felt earlier was now long gone.

On to Night Watch, Part II

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