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tamingthemuseTitle: To Appease the Gods
Fandom: Stargate: SG-1
Prompt: 318 - Appease
Warnings: none
Rating: PG-13
Summary: It's never that simple.
“So, tell me again why you’re doing this?” Jack’s voice sounded loud and angry as he watched Daniel set his boots next to his folded jacket and stand up.
Daniel spared him a quick smile before pulling his t-shirt over his head. Jack’s anger was coming from fear and distrust of the rather primitive culture that was currently calling the shots, and was possibly not entirely unjustified.
“Because Jack,” he replied patiently, seeing Jack’s eyes deliberately not follow his hands down to where they were beginning to unfasten his belt, “the gods must be appeased.”
Jack took a deep breath and looked like he was counting to 10. He flinched slightly as Daniel’s pants hit the floor on a soft whoosh of fabric and a slight, muted clink of the belt buckle.
“I got that part, Daniel. Some follow-up questions then. One, why do the gods need to be appeased? And two, more importantly, why the hell are you doing it? Their gods, their problem!”
Daniel stepped out of his pants and kicked them to the side. “We came through the gate, the floods started. Ergo, the gods were displeased with our arrival. Honestly, Jack, we should be happy that this is all they are asking. They could have, you know, tried to offer us as sacrifices.”
He waited as Jack thought for a minute, trying to keep his face as neutral as possible. Jack’s radar was obviously pinging; Daniel felt it too - nothing was as simple as this appeared to be. But they had a solution right in front of them, if Jack would just give the okay. They’d been talking about it too long already. If the weather worsened, Daniel figured all bets were pretty much off. These people were deeply religious and deeply frightened; they’d turned down all offers of aid that the team had extended from water pumps and engineering advice to temporary or permanent relocation.
Jack narrowed his eyes. “You’re certain Teal’c and Carter are all right?”
Despite the chill, Daniel forced himself to remain patient. “They’re fine. You’ll be taken to them once I’ve begun the ritual. As a courtesy to you as the team leader, they’ve allowed you to stay with me while I prepare.”
“And the...?” Jack waved a hand in the general direction of Daniel’s lack of attire.
“The nudity? Esoterically, it’s purity before the gods. Practically, it’s to demonstrate that I don’t have any tricks up my sleeve.” Daniel suppressed a sigh as he repeated his answer for the third time.
“Look, it’s getting a little cold here. I’d like to get a move on, so if you could just give the okay...”
“What happens if you can’t solve this puzzle thing?”
Daniel shrugged. “Pretty much the same thing that would happen if I don’t at least try. They think we’re responsible, Jack, and they will find a way to mollify their gods’ anger. Trust me.”
Jack reluctantly nodded and Daniel walked over to the door and tapped on it. The waiting guards opened it immediately. They ushered Daniel out and draped a blue silk robe around his shoulders, which he thankfully pulled closed against the chill air. Two of them then proceeded to escort Daniel down the hallway to the right. He looked back to see the others flanking Jack closely as they led him in the opposite direction.
Daniel took a deep breath as they opened the ornate double doors and he stepped through.
Fandom: Stargate: SG-1
Prompt: 318 - Appease
Warnings: none
Rating: PG-13
Summary: It's never that simple.
To Appease the Gods
“So, tell me again why you’re doing this?” Jack’s voice sounded loud and angry as he watched Daniel set his boots next to his folded jacket and stand up.
Daniel spared him a quick smile before pulling his t-shirt over his head. Jack’s anger was coming from fear and distrust of the rather primitive culture that was currently calling the shots, and was possibly not entirely unjustified.
“Because Jack,” he replied patiently, seeing Jack’s eyes deliberately not follow his hands down to where they were beginning to unfasten his belt, “the gods must be appeased.”
Jack took a deep breath and looked like he was counting to 10. He flinched slightly as Daniel’s pants hit the floor on a soft whoosh of fabric and a slight, muted clink of the belt buckle.
“I got that part, Daniel. Some follow-up questions then. One, why do the gods need to be appeased? And two, more importantly, why the hell are you doing it? Their gods, their problem!”
Daniel stepped out of his pants and kicked them to the side. “We came through the gate, the floods started. Ergo, the gods were displeased with our arrival. Honestly, Jack, we should be happy that this is all they are asking. They could have, you know, tried to offer us as sacrifices.”
He waited as Jack thought for a minute, trying to keep his face as neutral as possible. Jack’s radar was obviously pinging; Daniel felt it too - nothing was as simple as this appeared to be. But they had a solution right in front of them, if Jack would just give the okay. They’d been talking about it too long already. If the weather worsened, Daniel figured all bets were pretty much off. These people were deeply religious and deeply frightened; they’d turned down all offers of aid that the team had extended from water pumps and engineering advice to temporary or permanent relocation.
Jack narrowed his eyes. “You’re certain Teal’c and Carter are all right?”
Despite the chill, Daniel forced himself to remain patient. “They’re fine. You’ll be taken to them once I’ve begun the ritual. As a courtesy to you as the team leader, they’ve allowed you to stay with me while I prepare.”
“And the...?” Jack waved a hand in the general direction of Daniel’s lack of attire.
“The nudity? Esoterically, it’s purity before the gods. Practically, it’s to demonstrate that I don’t have any tricks up my sleeve.” Daniel suppressed a sigh as he repeated his answer for the third time.
“Look, it’s getting a little cold here. I’d like to get a move on, so if you could just give the okay...”
“What happens if you can’t solve this puzzle thing?”
Daniel shrugged. “Pretty much the same thing that would happen if I don’t at least try. They think we’re responsible, Jack, and they will find a way to mollify their gods’ anger. Trust me.”
Jack reluctantly nodded and Daniel walked over to the door and tapped on it. The waiting guards opened it immediately. They ushered Daniel out and draped a blue silk robe around his shoulders, which he thankfully pulled closed against the chill air. Two of them then proceeded to escort Daniel down the hallway to the right. He looked back to see the others flanking Jack closely as they led him in the opposite direction.
Daniel took a deep breath as they opened the ornate double doors and he stepped through.
