The Barque of Heaven

by Stargate

  In the distance, the last crest of the moon could be seen framed by the Stargate, only minutes away from setting. In the opposite direction, the new dawn brightened the sky.

  "Call me optimistic, but I think something's about to happen."

  The sun inched up over the horizon and the first rays streaked across the land, funneled through the canyon to light upon the Eye of Ra on the central pillar.

  "Look!" Teal'c pointed at the moon, almost set now. Its final gleam hit the Stargate and seemed to be magnified by the ring. A pale beam of light arced across the valley of flint and struck the other side of the Eye.

  From under their feet, a powerful hum of energy began to build.

  "Oh, jeez. No, no, no, no, no-rings! Jack, there are rings here," Daniel Jackson gasped out as the sunrise revealed what was on the floor, not two inches from his face.

  O'Neill looked down, and was moving and yelling in the same moment that realization hit.

  "Teal'c, Carter-get in the center-now. "

  He grabbed for Daniel who was vainly trying to rise, snatched his arm and belt and heaved, sliding him into the now glowing circle of the ring transporter. Teal'c was already there, an arm flung out to Major Carter as she hurled herself toward them.

  The hum built to that familiar chime of readiness. Major Carter dived and crashed into the circle, and Teal'c wrapped her in his arms as the rings rose around them.

  Brilliant white light eclipsed the rising sun and setting moon. SG-1 held their breath and were swept up and away.

  THE BARQUE OF HEAVEN

  he rings descended, vanishing into the ground. Released from his frozen crouch over Daniel, Jack teetered off-balance and landed on his butt. Wildly, he glanced around. Carter blinked at him, tangled in Teal'c's arms on the soft grass.

  "We're all here," Jack croaked. "Damn, we did it." He shook his head in disbelief, fingers still clutching at Daniel, who remained sprawled in the dirt.

  Teal'c raised his head and managed a ghost of a smile. "We have succeeded."

  "I'm not so sure." Carter rolled off Teal'c, rubbing her ankle with a groan. "This doesn't look like a space vessel."

  They looked in confusion at their surroundings. Swathes of bright grass, reeds, a greenish-blue sky, and a warm sun beating down on them-not any kind of Goa'uld ship they'd seen before.

  "Did we get it wrong?" Jack asked.

  "I think not, O'Neill. Everything in the temple was engineered to direct us toward the ring transporter. We are where it was intended for us to be."

  Jack considered Daniel's condition. His eyelids were fluttering shut, his breathing harsh and strained; he seemed unable to muster the strength to even raise his head.

  "Then let's get the hell out of here. There has to be a Stargate around somewhere." Jack clambered painfully to his feet.

  "Not necessarily, sir."

  "Carter, if I say there is a Stargate, then there is one." He ignored the incredulity on her face at that piece of logic and pulled her to her feet.

  "Ah, ow, damn it!" She hopped unsteadily on one foot.

  "How bad?" He steadied then caught her as the ankle gave way. "Bad enough. We'll get you and Daniel under cover of those reeds." Without waiting for a reply he hauled her toward the nearest stand of plants, while Teal'c attended to Daniel.

  They quickly found a patch of flowering grasses inside the tall reeds. Jack lowered Carter to the ground and as fast as he could, limped back to help Teal'c with Daniel. Tiredly he considered their options, thinking through different plans to get them home as soon as possible. And get home they would-all of them; after everything they'd been through, well, there was no other option. One look at Daniel's condition was enough to make that imperative. Teal'c had not been able to rouse him beyond a semi-delirious mumbling.

  "O'Neill," Teal'c conveyed a wealth of concern in one word.

  "I know." Jack dropped to one knee and between them, they gently hauled Daniel up, trying not to hear the moans of distress they caused.

  "Just over there, Daniel. We'll get you under cover and then we'll find a way out of here."

  The short distance to the reeds was the longest and slowest they had ever walked. Gently, they lowered Daniel to lie in Carter's embrace, half sitting to help him breathe, his head resting on her shoulder. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tight.

  Jack stepped back, body thrumming with the need to go, walk, run, and find the Stargate. "We'll be back as soon as we can, Carter."

  "Yes, sir. We'll be here."

  Teal'c regarded her solemnly then brushed his hand over Daniel's head, almost in benediction. "Be well, my friends." He pushed painfully to his feet and pulled his shirt back on. Jack led the way out onto open ground.

  Sam shivered as the reeds closed behind Teal'c. Isolation smothered her and she felt cold, despite the warm sun beating down. She hugged Daniel close, the weight of his body famil iar and welcome.

  "You'll be alright, Daniel. Please, be alright," she whispered. He sighed and relaxed a little in her arms.

  The rushes suddenly bent in a gust of wind. Unnerved, Sam glanced around, but the plants stood tall around them, limiting her field of view. They rustled again and in the same moment, the hair on her neck rose. She jerked her head around, a yelp escaping her lips as she found herself nose to nose with the grotesque face of Bes.

  "Whoa... where did you come from?" Reflexively she gripped Daniel tighter, turning her body as much as she could to protect him. "What do you want?"

  "Welcome, friend, to your reward. You have succeeded in your Trial!" Big soulful eyes blinked at her as Bes sat on his haunches. He flashed a huge, gap-toothed grin and clapped his hands in childlike glee.

  "Riiiight. Colonel. Teal'c!" Daniel flinched at her yell. "Can you tell us how we get home, Bes?" she managed in a gentler tone.

  "Many seasons I have waited for someone to complete the Trial. It has been so long since one came to me... although, the last one left only a little while ago...." He trailed off, visibly confused.

  "Oh, boy. C'mon, c'mon, c'mon," Sam muttered, willing the others to return. Daniel gave a start and tilted his head to look at Bes.

  "What's ... ?"

  "Shh, it's okay. Go back to sleep," she said, despite her relief that he was waking up.

  "Bes?"

  "Yeah."

  "You are very dirty," Bes chipped in, disapproval plain on his face.

  Sam glared at him, offended. "Well, so would you be."

  "You are both very pretty."

  "I-what?"

  "You smell unpleasant."

  Daniel made a weird grunt and mumbled something like, "Told you so," into her chest.

  "You know, we didn't come all this way to be insulted," she bridled. "Col... oh." She aborted the yell as Teal'c and the colonel burst through the reeds and skidded to a halt. "Found a friend, sir."

  "I can see that," he panted.

  "Do not attempt to harm our companions," Teal'c menaced Bes, looming over the stunted creature.

  Bes gaped delightedly up at the new arrivals. "Your odor is most displeasing," he informed them brightly.

  The colonel mugged at her, demanding an explanation and she shrugged. "Seems we missed the shower planet," she said, trying not to smile at the look of affront on Teal'c's face.

  Bes jumped up and clapped his hands. "I shall cleanse you of your journey's remains," he announced.

  Before she could flinch away, Bes reached out, a large white jewel attached to his palm by a spider-work of gold wires, and laid a gnarled hand on Sam's head. She froze as an intoxicating tingle swept over her, spreading from Bes's hand down to her feet. Stunned, she watched the grime on her skin vanish. The stains of dirt, sweat and pond slime on her shirt, pants and boots all faded and disappeared. In their place, flowers and twining leaves bloomed from nothing to adorn her clothing and hair. A rich, invigorating scent filled the air.

  "Oh, my God. How...?"

  Teal'c and the colonel stepped back, astonished, as the effect
swept on from her to work on Daniel. The dirt and stains on his clothing faded, the rips in his pants reformed and were made whole, and right up to his hair he was covered in delicate flowering plants. His eyes flickered open, brow creasing in confusion.

  Bes clapped happily and turned to Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c. Without any visible effort, he directed the effect at them and crowed with delight as they too were cleansed of the evi dence of their trials and left wreathed in sweet-smelling flowers.

  "Such a rectification! Now you are fit to be presented with your reward." Bes made to leave but Teal'c reached down and caught his arm.

  "You must not go," he said quietly, forcefully.

  Daniel suddenly stiffened and Sam tried to soothe him as he turned his face into her breast and gasped in pain.

  "If you have the ability to alter our appearance in this manner, can you not also heal our friend's injuries?" Teal'c implored softly.

  "You feel pain?" Bes blinked at him, surprise writ large on his face.

  "None of us feel too good," the colonel broke in. "But, please, at least can you do something for Daniel? He needs a healer, medicine, something."

  Bes turned back to stare at Daniel. "But he is presentable, now. Everyone is cleansed."

  "He's hurt-inside," Sam said, one hand hovering over Daniel's abdomen.

  Head cocked, Bes seemed to consider Daniel for a long time. "Can he not heal himself?" he finally asked.

  "No, none of us can."

  Again, a long nerve-wracking consideration, until finally he decided. "This is irregular. Supplicants heal themselves when gifted with their reward, but if you cannot, then I believe I am permitted to do this for you."

  Bes squatted next to Sam and Daniel and laid a hand over Daniel's heart. For agonizing moments nothing happened, then a gentle white light swept from the jewel in his hand out over Daniel's entire body. Daniel's eyes fluttered open and he turned to stare at Bes's face, only inches from his own.

  "So beautiful. "

  Sam barely heard Daniel's whisper, before the tingling, thrumming light penetrated her own body, leeching some of her multitude of aches and restoring her ankle to almost per feet condition. She gasped in relief and watched in awe as the light flowed on to both Teal'c and the colonel, visibly relieving their injuries. Within a minute they both stood straighter, pain obviously fading from their bodies. Teal'c lifted his shirt and examined his skin in wonder. The infection around the puncture wound had vanished, although the wound itself was still visible.

  The light dimmed and receded down their bodies, returning to Daniel where it brightened for several moments over his prone frame. Finally it withdrew to Bes's jewel and disappeared completely. Bes touched Daniel's cheek in a gentle, loving gesture then pulled back and stood.

  Astounded, the four members of SG-1 looked at themselves and each other, unable to believe the pain and exhaustion they had endured was so suddenly leaving them. Daniel sat up slowly, his hands touching his side in awe.

  "Daniel, how do you feel?" Sam asked, watching him closely.

  "Good, I think. There's just a bit of soreness, but I feel great." He smiled at her and she couldn't stop herself from grabbing him and hugging him for all she was worth.

  "Thank you, thank you...." She reached out and caught Bes's hand. "Thank you. "

  Bes blinked happily at them as Sam insisted on lifting Daniel's flower-decked shirt and examining him closely.

  "Sam, really, I feel a lot better. Most of the pain is gone."

  "The bruising has certainly receded, Daniel." She palpated his side and abdomen carefully, Teal'c and the colonel peering down to check for themselves. "The swelling has gone down too. Does this hurt?" She pressed firmly on the remaining bruise under the ribcage on his left side.

  Daniel dragged in a hiss of breath. "Yeah, still hurts. But nowhere near as bad as it was."

  "Well, we have to leave something for Janet to do," she beamed at him, sure now that he would live to return home. She looked up at the others and saw her relief reflected on their faces. "Teal'c, sir, how are you both doing?"

  "Almost back to normal, Carter. Teal'c?"

  "I regret there has been little improvement in my condition, O'Neill."

  Bes peered intently up at Teal'c. "The Bearer of Djehuti's Books must make his choice before being restored."

  "To what manner of choice do you refer?" Teal'c dropped to one knee next to Bes.

  "You must choose between knowing the God's secret speech and holding the records of His deeds. Decide, and then I shall release you from their burden."

  "I will be permitted to keep either the language of Ra or his historical records?"

  "Yes. Which do you choose?"

  Teal'c settled back on his heels and regarded his teammates. "Should I choose to know Ra's language it will no doubt be of great interest to our scholars." He inclined his head at Daniel. "However, we would then lose Ra's history, no doubt an invaluable account. Should I elect to keep the history, we will be unable to unlock its secrets if we cannot understand the language in which it is recorded." He stared thoughtfully at Daniel.

  "Chicken and egg," the colonel muttered helpfully. "A language is not much use without anything to translate."

  "Indeed. However, I have all faith that with time, Daniel Jackson will be able to translate the historical records."

  Sam grinned at the modest flush of pleasure on Daniel's face.

  "I choose the Histories of Ra," Teal'c announced.

  "A meritorious choice!" Bes extended the hand bearing his jeweled device and placed it over the wound in Teal'c's side. There was a brief hum and a flash of light. Teal'c gave a surprised grunt as two small capsules were withdrawn from the wound and fell into Bes's palm. He picked one up and presented it with a flourish.

  "The wisdom of the God. Use it with virtue in your service to Ra."

  "That little thing?" The colonel squinted at the tiny oval shape.

  "It is a record chip. It can interface with a number of Goa'uld-designed viewing instruments." Teal'c accepted the plastic container Daniel pulled from his pants' pocket and dropped the crystal in to rest with the cards from the now lost camera. He contemplated the container for a moment, then returned it to Daniel's keeping.

  "How do you feel now, Teal'c?" asked Sam.

  Teal'c quirked an eyebrow in pleased surprise. "My symbiote is becoming active once again. Thank you." He nodded to Bes.

  "So." Colonel O'Neill stood back and rubbed his hands together. "We're all feeling a lot better now. Bes, do you think you can do something about these flowers?"

  Bes cast a critical eye over the four of them. "No, I believe you are adequately adorned. Any more flowers would be ostentatious."

  Bes led them, promising rewards most resplendent, along the banks of a wide river the team had been too preoccupied to really notice before. The odd little being's gait was slow and rambling, a pace which suited them now that the immediate need for assistance was allayed.

  O'Neill dragged his attention away from the bucolic setting and fell in step with Teal'c. Shaking his head as Daniel Jackson's laughter drifted back to them, he caught Teal'c's eye and peered intently at him.

  "Teal'c, you're sure you're okay?"

  "I am, O'Neill." Teal'c smiled gently at him. "I am once again in full control of my faculties and in good health. I am pleased to see we are all no longer threatened by our injuries."

  Once again, Teal'c found his gaze sliding toward Daniel Jackson, seeking reassurance that their youngest was indeed healthy. He smiled to himself as Major Carter surreptitiously touched Daniel, obviously seeking the same reassurance. For his part, Daniel Jackson strode along in Bes's wake, once again in full inquisitive explorer mode.

  "But, Bes really, we don't need a reward for completing the Trial. We didn't intend to undertake it in the first place. We just want to go home." Daniel waved his arms in eloquent exasperation as Bes once again changed course, this time wading into the water through floating papyrus plants and dist
urbing a great flock of stilt-legged birds.

  "It is my penance to provide the supplicants with their due reward," Bes said, his voice flat as if repeating a wellrehearsed line. He stretched out a hand and an enormous pelican dove from the air to land on his arm. It clacked its beak and received a mouthful of fish from Bes.

  Teal'c frowned. There had been no fish moments earlier. Certainly the little man had no pockets. He felt a surge of wonder as he stared at Bes. In all his many years he had never encountered a sentient being so fantastic in appearance. However, he no longer felt alarmed by the little person, and surprisingly he was beginning to quite like Bes and his odd ways.

  "Penance?" echoed Daniel Jackson. Bes did not respond to him and Daniel shared a frustrated glance with the others.

  "It was our understanding that we would be taken to the Barque of Heaven upon completion of the Trial of Moons," Teal'c took up the conversation. "Can you tell us about this vessel? Does it possess a Stargate? How are we to board it and what may we expect when we arrive?"

  "Yeah, how come there are no Jaffa waiting here to drag us off to Ra's headquarters?" O'Neill added.

  Bes turned to him and grinned, now with a pelican on each arm and one on his head. "This is the Barque of Heaven, dear one."

  Teal'c blinked in surprise and Bes's simple declaration was met with a storm of outcries.

  "What? We thought it was a ship, a Ha'tak or something like that." Daniel waded through the water to him.

  "Wait a minute. Those stella ben-ben things we found at the start of this said we'd earn a place at Ra's side on the Barque of Heaven." O'Neill splashed into the river, scaring the birds into flight. "So, what? We're stranded here in la-la land with you? "

  Bes turned and ambled back to shore, oblivious of O'Neill's hostility. "It is a little whimsy of Ra's. He promises his servants the pleasures of Heaven, but it does not last for them. It never lasts...."

  O'Neill churned back through the water, impatiently plucking a flower that seemed to be growing out of his ear. Teal'c watched, bemused, as it instantly re-grew.

  "Sir, I don't think he knows Ra is dead," Carter said quietly.