Title: Degrees of Separation
Author: Danielle
Rating: PG (occasional swearing and mild violence)
Disclaimer: All characters from the television series ‘Stargate SG-1’ belong to Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I’m only borrowing them for my personal entertainment, and I promise I’ll put them back all nice and proper. I didn’t profit from writing this piece, though if someone wants to pay me huge wads of cash for the copyright, I won't argue. All original characters and situations belong to me, but you can use them if you really want to - just mail me first. Also mail me first if you want to archive this somewhere else. Thank you kindly.
Summary: Would the real Jack and Rhya please step forward?
Author's notes: Well, this fic is now essentially null and void thanks to the rewrite of 'Rhyanidd', which is okay because I had doubts about it anyway. I will get around to rewriting it eventually.

"This place is beautiful," Rhyanidd of Preloru whispered as she looked up into the treetops.
"You're kidding, right?" Colonel Jack O'Neill asked in sincere disbelief. "It looks the same as the last planet we visited. And the one before that. And the one before that."
"That's just because you're biased. Every place has it's own individual charms. You just have to look for them."
"When I'm done looking for hostile natives, then I'll look for charm." O'Neill had to smile at the peevish look on his companion's face - she always took the bait he dangled in front of her.
"Philistine."
"Where?" Daniel Jackson called from somewhere behind them. As was usual when Rhya and O'Neill were talking, he came in at the very end of the conversation. Which frustrated and amused them both at the same time.
Rhya spun around to face him, but walked backwards in order to keep up with the colonel. "No, I was just calling Action Man here a Philistine," she replied.
"Well, you've got the Action Man bit right," Daniel commented, flashing her one of his infamous lop-sided grins. "You have to nail him down to keep him still. Unless he's drunk or unconscious, that is."
"They're the same thing aren't they?" Rhya said, shooting an impish look at O'Neill.
"Only some of the time."
"Hey, I think I've found something!" Captain Samantha Carter's voice called from somewhere in the shrubbery.
"Shall we?" Rhya said, holding out a crooked elbow.
O'Neill linked arms and nodded. "Let's."
Together, they walked over to where Carter's voice was emanating. They found her crouched over a small object that seemed to buried in the earth.
"What is it?" Rhya asked her and Daniel.
The anthropologist hunkered down beside the captain and peered at the artefact through his wire-rimmed glasses. "The glyphs are like nothing I've ever seen before. They seem to be a cross between Macedonian and Heaven only knows what."
"Whatever it is, it seems to be made of either a precious or semi-precious metal," Carter supplied.
"Do you recognise it Teal'c?" O'Neill asked the big Jaffa who stood slightly separated from the group.
"It is not familiar to me O'Neill," he rumbled in reply.
"Should we dig it up now, or wait until later?" Rhya asked.
"Will we remember it on the way out if a group of natives happens to be chasing us armed with pointed sticks?" O'Neill said dryly.
"Now is good."
Daniel went and grabbed two spades from the FRED. He and Carter began to dig around the object, being very careful not to strike it with their implements. It was revealed to the group inch by inch, the detail becoming more intricate.
"It seems to be getting bigger," Rhya commented after a few minutes, "like only the very top was out in the elements."
"It certainly looks that way." Daniel grunted as he heaved a spadeful of dirt out of the hole.
"Need a hand Jackson?" O'Neill asked.
"I'm fine, thank you Jack."
"Can't say I didn't offer." He moved away from the steadily widening pit, Rhya joining him. "Still can't get the hang of it, can you?"
"Daniel and his archaeology? Not really. I mean, his idea of a good time is to go around and dig in the dirt!" She shrugged. "I find that very strange, to be honest."
"You aren't the only one."
They moved further away from the excavation, entering the forest proper. Strange birds flitted through the branches as they fell into a companionable silence. But the silence was soon broken by a strange wailing noise.
"What the hell-?" O'Neill got out before an arrow collided with his shoulder. He fell facedown like a sack of potatoes to the leaf-covered floor.
"Jack?!" Rhya cried, kneeling beside him. Another arrow connected with her lower back and she fell spread-eagled on top of the colonel, sighing gently as she slid into unconsciousness.

Daniel suddenly looked up from his excavations. He'd felt an odd twinge in the back of his mind, like he had to remember something urgently. Glaring slightly into the trees, he shook his head and went back to digging.

*****

O'Neill moaned and moved his head experimentally. Apart from a dull throbbing near his left shoulder blade, everything seemed to be in working order. He slowly opened one eye, then the other, and stared upwards. A building, and a rather smelly one at that, had replaced the forest.
"Jack? Are you there?" a muffled voice said through the wall.
"Rhya?" he called out, unsure if the sound would carry. "Where are you?"
"Haven't the foggiest. It just looks like a room to me..." she replied. "If it helps you any, I know we're underground."
"How on Earth do you know that?"
"I can't feel Daniel any more. That could only occur if I was a fair hike under the Earth's surface or really far away from him."
"Oh," Jack muttered, levering himself into a sitting position. "So our only chance of letting the others know where we are just flew out the toilet window?"
"Something like that."
"What should we do now?"
"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm starving. I skipped breakfast again. How 'bout if I find out whether or not they've got room service?"
"Sounds good to me. Order me a coffee if they've got it."
"Righto then. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a door to beat the crap out of."
Off in the distance, he hear a rhythmic pounding noise and Rhya's muffled voice. Never could tell her stomach no he thought with a slight grin. He stood up slowly and moved to his own door, giving it a slight kick. It was pretty sturdy for wood, and it seemed as though the hinges - if that's what they were - were located on the other side. There wouldn't be much of a chance of him kicking the door down any time soon. He'd just have to sit and wait it out.

*****

"You lot finished yet?" Rhya called from among the trees where she'd been examining a clump of wildflowers. She and Jack had found nothing of interest in the heart of the woods, so they'd soon turned around and headed back to the others.
"Just about!" Sam yelled in reply, her blonde head barely visible over the top of the pit she, Daniel and Teal'c had been digging for the past hour and a bit. As per usual, the young anthropologist thought the whole grubbing around in the dirt thing was loads of fun. Rhya had long since given up trying to figure out why he enjoyed hanging around with 'dead' people. Give her a social life any day.
"Look out!" Daniel yelled.
Rhya was quickly on her feet, as too was the colonel. Almost side-by-side, they sprinted towards the hole where their friends were.
"Is everything okay?" Jack asked, concern tinging his voice.
"Yeah Sir, everything's fine now. The artefact just decided it wanted to lean on the other wall, and it didn't really mind that Teal'c was in the way," Sam replied.
Rhya circled the pit, and soon found Teal'c supporting the enormous artefact with one hand. "Boy, am I glad you're on our side big fella," she whispered to herself.
The Jaffa looked up at the sound of her voice. "I am sorry Rhya, I did not hear you correctly."
"Don't worry about it Teal'c. Just making an inane comment."
"I see."
"No, no you don't." Rhya grinned and moved away.

*****

"How the hell did you get them to put you in here?" Jack asked as soon as the guards had secured the door and moved out of earshot.
"I told them I was your..." Rhya mumbled the last few words and ducked her head.
"You're my what?" he prompted, crossing his arms.
"That I'm your shieldmate," she finished, looking up at him from beneath her lashes.
"You're my shieldmate... Oh, that's nice," he nodded slightly. "And what do you suppose they'll think when they find out you aren't?"
"They're not going to find out," she replied stubbornly.
"Okay, so they won't think it's the slightest bit strange that we have no intention of sleeping together." Jack lifted an eyebrow and looked at his companion impassively.
"How are they going to know whether we do or don't?"
"They've probably got a peephole in the wall, that's how."
Rhya shrugged. "Well, if it bothers you that much..." she said as she began to remove her jacket.
He coughed uncomfortably and held up a hand to stop her. "That's quite alright Rhya, I don't think they're really watching us."
Her eyes twinkled with mischief. "How can you be so sure?"
The colonel looked at her with surprised eyes and, of all things, blushed. Rhya just grinned broadly and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't panic Jack, I don't bite. Hard."

*****

After lugging the heavy object back to the FRED and hiding the entire contraption, SG-1 went exploring. They quietly made their way through the forest, along what seemed to be a path. Pushing a low hanging branch out of the way, Jack led them toward what appeared to be a village of sorts. Dwellings and meeting houses made of either wood or stone surrounded a central square, where a market appeared to be taking place. Crowds thronged around tables, chattering and laughing with each other. Their clothes were bright, colourful and richly ornamented. Earrings hung from nearly every lobe and circlets wrapped around every throat, young or old.
"Wow," Daniel breathed.
"You can say that again," Sam added, her eyes fixed on the spectacle in front of them.
"Do you think they look safe enough?" Rhya asked Jack, who was also observing the natives.
"Hell yeah. Not a weapon in sight!" the colonel replied. "Just a lot of stuff that might hurt when they throw it at us."
"Oh hardee, har, har. Very funny," Rhya scoffed. "So, what are we going to do? Stand here until we become part of the forest in a very literal sense?"
"How 'bout we run away?" Jack asked, his eyes wide in mock seriousness.
The redhead punched him lightly on the arm and pouted. "Looks like you're gonna have to talk to 'em Danny-boy."
"Oh great, send in the whipping boy," Daniel replied, smiling to show he wasn't serious.
"Only the best for the natives!" Jack quipped, giving him a little shove. "If they attack you, just yell."
"Gee, thanks Jack." The archaeologist walked cautiously towards the settlement, careful to keep his hands where they could be seen. Just in case the locals did get a little trigger-happy with any of the goods they were carrying. A young girl was the first to notice his approach, and she promptly ran to the nearest adult, telling them of the stranger coming. The adult, an older man, turned to look at Daniel - who stood rooted to the forest floor. The rest of SG-1 held their collective breath as the man approached their friend warily. He looked Daniel up and down carefully before reaching out to grasp his shoulders and pull him into a very welcoming hug.
When he was finally released, Daniel turned to where the other were hiding. "I think it's safe."
"Ya don't say," Jack commented as they pushed through the thin brush-cover.
The old man, a village elder from the looks of things, seemed even more delighted by the prospect of more visitors. He gestured for them to follow him, and lead them all into the market - where they were subjected to a rather more jubilant welcome. Left, right and center they were hugged and kissed. Mothers held their babies up to be petted, as if SG-1 were Gods of some sort.
"Do you think they're happy to see us?" Jack commented wryly as yet another young woman threw her arm around him.
"You could say that, Sir," Sam answered as an elderly woman subjected her to a cheek-kissing marathon.
When all the fuss had died down, they were led to comfortable little huts and using crude sign language were told to rest and refresh. They all communed in one building to hold a briefing of sorts.
"They're very... friendly," Sam said. "Almost too friendly."
"I agree with Captain Carter. The welcome we received was so enthusiastic as to make it suspicious," Teal'c added.
"Just because they didn't try to kill us as soon as lay eyes on us?" Rhya said incredulously. "I personally think its a nice change from the whole 'you are strangers, therefore you must be Goa'uld, therefore you must die' routine."
"I'm with Rhya this time 'round guys. Who knows, maybe we found a spot with holiday potential," Jack remarked glibly. "It'll definitely be a change of pace from the old 'run for your lives, they've got sharp sticks' thing we seem to go through more often than not."
Their discussion was interrupted by a knock on the door. The child who had first noticed their existence entered shyly. Standing up, Rhya went and crouched down before her, tipping her face up so that the others could see.
"What is it, my child?" she asked in the girl's tongue.
"There is to be a celebration of you arrival after the orb settles below the mountains." Having completed her task, the girl scooted from the room as swiftly as a startled rabbit.
"What's up?" Daniel asked as Rhya pushed herself upright.
"They're having a party in out honour. At sunset," she replied.
"Guess we'd better start getting ready," Jack said with a grin. "Don't want to be late."

*****

"Daniel!!" Rhya jolted upright and stared at the cell wall. Beside her, she could hear Jack stirring in his drug-induced sleep. The food the guards had served them not too long ago must've contained some type of narcotic, because they were both asleep within minutes of finishing their meal. Obviously, they were meant to out until morning - that was, until Rhya had a nightmare about Daniel.
"Whassup?" he murmured groggily.
She looked down at him and patted his shoulder. "Nothing Jack, go back to sleep."
Carefully, she slid off the pallet and tucked the musty old blanket around Jack's already slumbering form. Reaching out a hand, she gently brushed his hair into place. If things continued the way they were, she wasn't going to be around for much longer. She tried her best to summon up some hope or courage - even a false sense of bravado would be a help. Instead she found an unending emptiness where Daniel's presence should have been. Without meaning to, she began to pace up and down the cell. She'd never bonded to anyone before, but she was well aware of what the consequences were if bond-mates were ever separated for too long. First insanity, then an all-consuming need to take your own life. But, thankfully that only happened to the thought-sensor. His or her mate would feel a very deep sense of loss, but they'd get over it eventually. But if the bond wasn't complete... Maybe she'd get lucky.
Settling down in a corner, she wondered how Daniel was faring at that moment.

*****

Looking up at his bonded, Daniel felt an inkling that something wasn't right. There she stood, laughing with a burly native as if he'd just told the funniest joke in the universe. And it didn't look the slightest bit forced. Since when has she gone in for the macho type? he thought idly.
"Hey Daniel," Sam said as she sat down beside him and handed him a mug of the beverage made up by the villagers.
"Is it safe?" he asked dubiously, looking at the blue contents of the vessel.
"Well, Teal'c's been drinking it all night, and it hasn't hurt him!" Sam started to nod with the beat of the music that was coming from the other side of the square. "These people certainly know how to throw a party, don't they?"
"That's for certain. I think this'll be the first and last time we'll ever see Jack dance," he replied gesturing to the colonel, who was hopping around like a mad thing.
"Huh, the Colonel probably won't remember dancing tomorrow. Good thing too, he's no good." Sam grinned as O'Neill executed a particularly clumsy spin with the native woman he was dancing with.
Daniel looked over at Rhya again. She was still chatting with the burly native, but their conversation no longer seemed so light-hearted. It was more like she was flirting for all she was worth. Him too.
"Oh great," he muttered under his breath.
"What's that?" Sam asked distractedly, throwing him a quick glance.
"Nothing, Sam, nothing at all."

"Oh Danny, he's so wonderful!" Rhya enthused a few hours later in Daniel's hut. "So big and strong and brave-"
"So's Teal'c, but I don't hear you gushing over him," Daniel shot back, unable to keep the edge of sarcasm out of his voice. That pulled her up short.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were jealous," Rhya said, tilting her head to one side and looking at him shrewdly.
"Well, you should know, you're the mind reader!" he retorted, turning away before he could see the look of surprise dart across his companion's face.
"That may be, but that's somewhat off the topic isn't it?" She laid a hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged it off roughly. "Okay, we've obviously got some things to discuss, like you not being my father, but that can wait until morning. Good night, Daniel."
He listened to her leave the room and latch the door behind her. "Good night, bonded."

*****

"I am so bored!" Rhya moaned, counting the cracks in the ceiling for what felt like the hundredth time.
"We're locked in a cell that's God only knows how far underground, and you expected it to be interesting?" Jack teased, ruffling her hair.
"Yeah, I know. It's just that..." Her voice trailed off as something in her peripheral vision moved. "Did you see that?"
"See what? There's nothing to see."
"But I swear I saw something move in that corner!" she cried, pointing toward the offending area.
"Nothing moved Rhya. You must've been imagining things-"
"Oh no!!" she wailed. "It's starting now?!? It's meant to take at least a week."
"What? What's starting?" Jack grabbed her upper arms and held her still.
"Th- the madness. I'd hoped the bond wasn't full! I mean, I've only know him for not even a year and it sometimes takes years, even decades, for some pairs to bond totally-"
"What the hell are you talking about?"
Rhya took a deep breath. "Okay, you know how Daniel and I are bonded, right? Well, if bondmates are separated, really separated, the telepath goes insane. And I'm not talking about the nice 'staring, giggling at the walls' type of madness. I'm talking about the whole suicidal maniac type of insane. If I can't get to Daniel, or anyone else I can bond to soon, I'm probably going to bash my own brains out on that wall over there." She bit her bottom lip and waited for Jack to laugh or tease her... or something!
Jack put his hand on her shoulder and turned her to face him. "Is there any way you can tell who's a potential, um, bondmate?"
"You know as soon as you read them. It just happens." She shrugged her thin shoulders and looked at the floor. "It's kinda hard to explain when you don't quite know how it happens yourself."
"Is there any way you can settle for second best?" Jack ducked his head so he could look into her eyes.
When she finally spoke, it was in a voice so soft that he almost imagined he was hearing things. "Yes."
"Well, I'm ready, willing and able-"
"No! I can't do that to you! Uh uh, not while I'm still breathing!" She backed away from him and pressed her spine against the wall. "Jack, this isn't just a thing you can ditch when it doesn't suit you any more! It's very, very permanent!"
"I know that! Look, why don't you want to bond with me? Do I smell bad or something? Habits that drive you up the walls? What is it?" Jack advanced and grabbed her shoulders before she could run away.
"The way, I never could- Only with 'Lyn…" She avoided his gaze by staring at a point just above his right shoulder.
"What are you talking about? What couldn't you do? What do we have to do?"
She looked him full in the eye and he saw the answer to his question.
"Oh."

*****

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