No Signs, by Random (R)

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: Teamy Goodness

Pairing: None
Category:  team, gen, Samantha Carter, Daniel Jackson, Daniel/Jack friendship, action/adventure, drama, angst, friendship
Warnings: violence, temporary minor character deaths, intense sexual situations, drugged reactions
Author on LJ: RandomFreshInk.blogger.com
Author's Website:
Link to Story: currently offline

Why This Must Be Read: I'm a huge fan of Random's stories. It's gotten to the point where I'll automatically save a new fic of hers to hard drive without reading it first, because I know I'm going to want to reread it at my leisure. This long, engrossing story seems to be Random's first SG-1 fic that isn't directly episode related, and it's a real keeper. It's definitely Sam's and Daniel's story, but it's also got lots of Jack, and Teal'c. And a great plot. And drama, and angst, and friendship. I've never had to list so many categories before... Yep. A teamy goodness fic, without question!

SG-1 is sent on a S&R mission when SG-4 fails to return to the SGC. They find a thriving matriarchal society, automatically giving Sam a wonderful chance to shine in the spotlight. While SG-4's situation seems to be explained easily enough, and it seems as if they can come to a peaceful resolution in just a few days' time, little details combine to present a troubling picture. These people defeated the local Goa'uld, but when, and how? What secrets are they keeping from SG-1, and what are their true motivations? How can SG-1 discover the truth, without risking the freedom of SG-4 - and possibly their own lives?

Besides the intriguing plot, Random treats us to some wonderful characterization and interaction, especially the close friendship between Daniel and Sam. That friendship is tested when the two of them are exposed to a drugged smoke that nearly leads them somewhere they don't want to go, but the connection never fails. As with every Random fic, we also get wonderful Jack and Daniel friendship, with a fantastically wisely observant Teal'c as well.

The climactic scene of the story includes a deadly standoff between the established villain and Daniel, with Jack misunderstanding Daniel's intentions until the very last second, and nearly beyond it. The fic wraps up to a satisfying conclusion as the natives are ready to rebuild, the teams are ready to go home, and Daniel and Sam are most definitely back in business.

I love Random's wonderful episode-based fics to pieces (I've recced two before, here and here), and I don't want her to stop writing those, but here's hoping we get more original storylines of delicious teamy goodness in the future.

     "What if Astar's overthrow happened within recent memory?"

     Cold swept over Jack's skin and sank deep.  He couldn't help it, his glance slid to the wall, to the scenes of violence he'd thought centuries old.  What if these people making nice had been the ones to murder a Goa'uld and hack up a bunch of Jaffa?  What if they still had the left-over weapons from a bloody revolt and didn't mind using them again?  What if they didn't feel so very secure about their new found freedom?  Gave a whole new scary look to this world.  In his experience, countries fresh out of a revolution never made for safe places to hang around.

     He glanced at Daniel's tight frown, knew this was way more than just a theory to the man.  Oh, yeah.  Way more.  Then he looked at Carter.  Stare fixed on the wall, she looked like she was still taking it in.  Jack glanced at Teal'c, saw he was the only one here who didn't seem bothered by Daniel's idea.

     Turning back to Daniel, he asked, "How recent?"

     Frown tightening even more, Daniel lifted one shoulder.  "No more than one generation, maybe less."

     "And you think that because...?"

     "Arishat insisted they have no written language, yet such a language is used on the pillars around the Stargate.  What if that was Astar's temple?  That would explain its destruction, and why there's writing there but not elsewhere.  We know that Goa'ulds like to keep their slaves illiterate, to keep them from organizing, becoming a danger.  That means it's possible that these people are those illiterate slaves who defaced that temple."

     "And they haven't yet had time or the need to develop their own writing system," Carter said, skipping ahead to fill in the blanks.

     Daniel nodded.  "Instead, they document their history in frescos.  Paintings.  And the only records we've seen--"  He swept his arm around the room.  "Show their slavery and how they gained their freedom.  And some basic social development.  I haven't seen anything that shows successive rule, achievements over decades, evolution in fashion and culture.  And then there's the elements of Goa'uld architecture used in the city--it looks cobbled in, adapted."

     Eyes large, thoughts clicking behind the clear blue, Carter started nodding, keeping up with Daniel in that game they played of thought-tag.  "That fits with their having limited technology.  It's whatever they've figured out, scavenged.  They may even be using the Stargate to trade Goa'uld technology for food or other basics."

     "And it explains one other thing--Goa'ulds have a working knowledge of our language.  So do their Jaffa and personal slaves.  That's why Arishat and a few others might actually understand and use English to keep secrets from each other."

     Jack's stare jerked over to latch onto Daniel.  Daniel was already staring back, chin down, shoulders tight, and Jack knew he was braced for a well-deserved rake-down over that one.  He'd just had to slip that intel to Carter.

     But, fact was, the situation had just changed.  Just flipped on its ear.  Carter now had a need to know.  Everything.  Only Carter wasn't looking all that surprised, wasn't meeting his gaze, and he ought to have figured she'd piece it together.  Way to go, Carter.

     "You thinking Semiramis may have led this revolt?" Jack asked, skipping past Daniel's rake-down to get to what mattered.

     Daniel's eyebrows lifted up over his glasses with surprise at not getting any heat, but he recovered fast, went on smoothly.  "It's only a theory, Jack.  We don't have any proof."

     "But it does fit," Carter insisted.

     Daniel nodded.  "It's one possible explanation.  And, if true, it brings some unsettling implications."

     "As in?" Jack asked, knowing in his bones that he didn't want to hear this.  Not with that hollow look on Daniel's face, the one that came with the nightmare quality ideas.  Daniel often saw the worst coming at them, was usual right about it;  he seemed to have developed an instinct for bad that came from so much trouble hitting him deep and personal.

     Eyes clouded, Daniel glanced at the walls now, then back to Jack.  "There's significant research to show that abused children are more likely to repeat the pattern.  It's what they know.  The same holds for a culture.  A people enslaved, abused, are likely to commit the same atrocities enacted upon them.  It's what they believe will give them power.  Keep them safe.  They find others to persecute, torture, even enslave.  It's what they know."

     Jack let that sink in.  No wonder Daniel wasn't so hot to waltz out and ask if these folks had killed a Goa'uld and, oh, by the way, what had they done with all the cool stuff left behind.

     "It's only a theory, right?" he asked.

     Daniel nodded, but Jack could only keep thinking how these theories of Daniel's had a way of being reality.  Which meant they were sitting on a time-bomb here.