DISCLAIMER: The story, and characters and anything and everything else concerning SG: SG1 belong to MGM, Gekko, Secret Productions etc, they are so not mine and no money is being made from this and no copyright infringement is intended, absolutely none what so ever. This is just a fanfiction using the characters that were created by some wonderfully imaginative people, brought to life by some wonderfully talented actors purely for entertainment. Oh yeah another note this story depicts a relationship of a loving and sexual nature between two consenting adult women.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is the second book in the Exiles Gate series. It is ongoing, and starts with an established relationship of Sam and Janet with flashbacks to significant events of their past. Feedback? Yes please everyone knows writers thrive on feedback. It was a wild idea I had brewing for a long time and had written fragments of it and finally decided to put it all together. I also used Miss Teryl's take on how she saw Janet's family in The Stargate SG1: Illustrated Companion Seasons 1 & 2, too bad Miss Amanda had not done the same for Sam, make things a little easier had she done so. Also want to note that the Malakim are supposed to have been the angelic beings running around with swords of flame in biblical text, being all-virtuous, any info on them can be found in A Dictionary of Angels. It is a great archive to look up angelic (Asgard maybe even the Tok'ra) and demon (Goa'uld) names. And for Sam I used the textbooks Astrophysics as well as Quantum Physics, paraphrased of course and used WEB MD for Janet.
SPOILER: This is a fairly independent series, with several mentions of seasons past. (Note this is also going that Dr. Daniel Jackson has returned in the upcoming season seven). It also is set far into the future.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
RATING: 15
Champions Gate
By Elizabeth Carter
Chapter One
Storm
The sky was overcast, a solid gray sheet that seemed to land just barely above the treetops, with no sign of a break in the clouds, anywhere. The full moon was no more then a dimly glowing spot near the western horizon, framed by a lattice of green leafy branches. A thin mist lay at least half a foot thick everywhere in the forested grounds, distorting sound, distorting thought.
A tall blonde woman sat with her knees drawn up to her chest, her arms folded about themselves as she stared with blue eyes out the large bay window of the master bedroom. She bit the nail of her right hand, her mind drifting like the mist in a myriad of thought and half remembered dreams.
Colonel Samantha had left the command of SG1 behind her.
She had made the decision when she was on Hy-Basil the planet inhabited by the angelic beings known as the Malakim. The Malakim in ancient Judaic lore were the Virtues, the Thrones, the Warriors sent out to annihilate the demonic forces that stood against the good. Sam Carter was a Liege Commander of an elite team of the warriors, known as a Wing. The ex-Colonel's team was known as Blue Wing. At first, the Blue Wing had eight angels, then one seemingly betrayed her and the Virtues of her own world. And now, Blue Wing numbered nine warriors, due to the addition of two warriors that had been sent to guard Janet, when the doctor had searched for her beloved wife.
Arion daughter of Queen Novalis had been exiled, and was now reportedly living amongst the Tok'ra. The rest of the Wing were dedicated to Carter as Samurai warriors to a Shogun. Indeed the Malakim lived a near Bushido creed of life; everything was centered on honor and virtue. It was something that Sam Carter felt compelling as she had tried to live her life in the same context.
Then darkness fell and Sam had been broken. For more then fourteen years Sam Carter had dedicated her life to the Stargate program, now she was thinking of standing down completely. For two months Sam had replayed that fateful night she had shared with her lover, her wife Janet. The night she had decided to leave her command.
"Sammy?"
"Don't leave me alone Janet."
"Of course I won't." The redhead's response was to pull her wife into a tighter embrace. "Don't you know…Sam, what did I tell you all those years ago when you came into my office after suffering from the Broca Syndrome.
Sam having an eidetic memory took only a moment to recall such a pivotal moment in her life. "You told me: 'let the grief, the guilt pass from me. And let go of the fear that I scared you off, because I didn't. You told me that you love me. And that you were not going anywhere.'"
"That's right…I'm not going anywhere. Not then and now."
Sam found that she was smiling. "I remember thinking that beyond words, beyond the silence, I knew that this beautiful woman had changed my life forever."
"Samantha…" Janet reached up and touched the angelic face of her heart's joy.
"That's why I can't do this any more…" Sam pulled back from her wife. "I can't anymore. It's crushing me Janet. When I entered the Air Force I accepted military action…I mean I could handle it. I flew combat in Desert Storm. The Air Force was a way for me to reach the stars…NASA and all. Then Stargate happened." Sam swallowed. "Even with all the wonders of going through that big puddle…I can't…do it not any more."
"Sam you're scaring me." Janet stepped closer to her beloved.
"I've been shot at, hit by zat guns, staff weapons, and Ribbon Devices. I've been imprisoned, tortured and beaten down by Goa'uld and Jaffa. And even forced to become a Host twice. Nearly raped. Used for my mental abilities by our own people, to turn devices of peace into weapons of mass destruction and all for the wrong reasons. I've been displaced by a technological terror as I floated around in a matrix, and been replaced by a droid. I was brain washed into thinking I was some sort of engineer in a mines named Thaya. Even thought insane because some Ascended male thought he fell in love with me. And I was harassed by a fluffy invisible though harmless AI, and dumped into a virtual reality game. I've died more times than I can count. And the frigging Powers That Be have turned me into some black-widow cosmic joke that all single male aliens, and a few home based ones, must fall in love with Sam Carter, then die.
"Janet this last time…" Sam shuddered. "I can't do it anymore…Janet...I can take a lab job at SGC…but going through that gate…I can't. I lead SG1 for eight years…been a member of it for fourteen…I did my part for queen and country. I saved the world a dozen times over, the galaxy more then once and kicked Replicater-prepubescent-Borg-wannabe-asses. And I am a fucking champion on a planet full of Guardian Angels. I've done enough. I gave everything of myself and more. Baby-girl…I just can't anymore."
Janet took her wife into her arms and allowed the tall blonde champion to lower her defenses. A small long fingered hand stroked the blonde unruly tresses of her wife. Janet was worried. More then worried, for her wife. Sam had, over her time in the SGC program, suffered so much. Each time, by the skin of her teeth, she had pulled out of both physical and mental suffering. Being trapped in the Antarctic thinking she had failed, Jolinar, The Entity, her father nearly dieing from cancer and then subsequently being taken by the Tok'ra', the Zatarrc testing that lead to her killing of Martouf, and so much more. All of this Samantha had suffered and survived.
This last trauma the doctor didn't think Sam would pull through it. They had broken Samantha Carter.
Janet Fraiser would somehow, someway put her back together. And maybe, taking several months of Trauma Leave would be the time Sam needed to heal. After that, Janet could have her beloved reassess her desire to leave SG1 for a lab job at Stargate Command.
A lab job at SGC that was the plan. Yet Sam had yet to return to the base in an official capacity. Indeed it had been two months since their return from Hy-Basil and Chimera. For three months Sam had fought, not only for the lives of her team and her Wing, but for her own as well. Chimera was where she had been captured and brutally tortured. Where she had been given a hallucinogenic narcotic that made her lose all sense of reality. Chimera was where she had lost herself. Janet had found her and put her back together.
Sam still felt lost, but she was no longer alone and she was safe. But that fact did not erase the forever-fear that ensnared her. She now had dark nightmares at least twice, if not three times, a week. And so she feared to sleep, to the point she was only resting for five hours a night before she woke up, with her heart racing and that nagging fear in the back of her conscious mind. In that darkness she would cuddle close to her beloved wife and hold onto her, as if Janet was the embodiment of her salvation.
The tall blonde had slowly started to gain back weight; the weight she had lost during those three months. When she was discovered, Janet was more then concerned over the anemic anorexic state of her wife. Sam had lost more then thirty pounds, during her imprisonment, thirty pounds that she didn't have to lose. At least now she started to look physically healthy. It was a state that belied her tormented dreams and hidden fears. Because of what had happened Sam was in a constant state of expectation, of anxiety and therefore she magnified, exaggerated any sense of threat she felt. Sam knew this had a profound effect upon Janet as well. Her wife had become disproportioned and could not judge, as she was too close to it. Janet felt drawn to protect her wife.
When Janet felt her wife's fear, she could not think, could not choose. Sam's fear, Janet's own fear, filled the Doctor and left room for nothing else. Because of this Sam strove to protect her beloved from this disorientating flood. The tall blonde tried so hard to lock away the fear that haunted her, but there was no hiding it from her beloved.
Sam watched the rain falling in complete silence. Its constant staccato drumming against the pane of glass was almost soothing. In the far distance the thunder rolled, and a flicker of lightning blinked, indicating the storm was becoming closer. By the time Janet had to get up for her duty shift, the storm would be pouring down hard.
"It's raining." Softly, prosaically, Janet said as she came around Sam's back. She nestled her body against the window seat so that she could cradle her beloved in her arms.
"I didn't mean to awaken you." Sam remarked as she found her home in the arms of her wife. The back of her head was pillowed against Janet's breast.
"You didn't awaken me. I turned to snuggle into you and you weren't there."
Sam pulled Janet's arms around her tighter. "Sorry, Babe."
"I just missed my Sammy-bear." Janet murmured into the blonde's ear. Sammy-bear had been an extremely private name that Janet rarely used, save when she was feeling lost or lonely. She had picked it up when Sam had given her a teddy bear without realizing that the bear's tag had the name Sammy embroidered upon it.
The polar bear Sammy had been won at a fair when Sam succumbed to the barker that jeered her into knocking over old-fashioned glass milk bottles with baseballs. Actually it was Janet who had remarked that the four-foot bear was cute and fuzzy and Sam had melted. Janet was still pregnant at the time and Sam loved to lavish as much attention on her wife as she could. And if it meant winning a fixed game to win a polar bear with blue eyes then that was exactly what Sam would do. The tall Blonde had known exactly how to hit the rigged bottles so that they would topple over much to the chagrin of the barker. The bear became Janet's.
Janet actually had a large collection of stuffies that slowly migrated into Rebecca's collection, all save the ones Sam had given her over the years. The stuffed polar bear had remained a private joke between them, and Sam had gained a new nickname thereafter.
"Your Sammy-bear has a lot on her mind."
"Another nightmare."
Sam only nodded, whispering, "Though they are becoming less frequent."
"But no less terrifying?" When Sam didn't answer right away, Janet leaned into her wife's body and kissed the blonde crown. "Will you tell me?"
"They haven't changed. I am still in the cell, the collar is around my neck…Kobal is there, the Goa'uld…Malphas…the rivers of blood…It doesn't change." Sam looked out the window. "It never changes. It's always the same pain, the same fear. It's turned me into a simpering coward."
"God Sam, it hasn't either. What your feeling it's natural. Sam, what you went through, was horrifying. I know Love because I felt it. I saw it. Arion had given me the vision Sam. Believe me I know, and yet I don't, you're not cowardly Samantha Carter. You are anything but. You need time to heal." Janet tightened her hold on her wife. "When you're ready you'll go back to work in your lab at the SGC making God knows what, impressing everyone form me to the President. And if you never take back your command, no one my Love, no one will ever look down on you for it."
Sam shifted so that she might look over her shoulder and see the beautiful doe eyes of her lover. She saw no recrimination in those dark orbs, no disparity, no pity. What she saw reflected was complete devotion, utter concern and warmth.
From the other room came a muffled cry.
Both women reacted immediately. With swiftness that would make any military CO proud they darted out of the room and stormed into the next. Rebecca had made a sound of distress. Granted it was a small noise but it was a galactic given that mother's have certain audio acuity and thus had heard the child's whimper.
Sam rushed into her daughter's bedroom with Janet immediately behind her. Inside they found their tiny daughter standing with her purple plush rabbit in her arms, her face a distortion of heartache. Both mothers were at her side in an instant.
"Honey…?" Sam pulled her child into her arms.
"What is it?" Janet finished for her wife.
"What's wrong?" Both said at the same time.
Eyes that were both heaven and earth looked to her mommies and the tears started fresh. "D…d…Duckie…he…he…got eaten…." The little girl pointed to her blanket that was on the floor.
Blue eyes met dark eyes. Then they looked to the blanket on the floor. Sam was still holding Rebecca as Janet moved for the blanket. She lifted the corner up just a little and made a face.
"Ohhh." The doctor winced.
"Eaten?" Sam questioned with sympathetic eyes.
"'Fraid so." Janet nodded. "Not exactly a pretty sight."
Rebecca was still crying softy as she buried her nose into her mother's neck. Janet looked up to the late hamster's cage and noted that the latch on the door was open. "He must have gotten out sometime during the night and Schrodinger got him." The redhead assessed the death of the little pet.
"I…hate stupid Schrod'iner." Rebecca whimpered. "Dumb cat!"
Sam winced once more and rubbed the tiny back of her daughter. "Sweety, Schrodinger…he didn't know any better. He's used to catching mice outside. I think he got a little mixed up. He wouldn't intentionally hurt you or Duckie."
"But him...him...he...he tired to eat Duckie." The five year old pouted.
Janet moved away from the little corpse of Duckie and placed her own hand upon the child's back. "I am sure Schrodinger is sorry."
"He was mean." Rebecca insisted. "Duckie was only a little guy. He…he…" More little tears ensued; Sam always a softy when it came to children picked her daughter up and carried her away from the "crime scene" so that they sat on the edge of the bed
"Honey, I am sorry Duckie got hurt. We'll um…bury him in the flower garden sweety. He would like that."
"Okay." Came a very sodden answer.
Janet had followed her wife as she carried their little one to the bed. "You think we should put him in a shoe box?"
"I've got an idea." Sam said. "Here baby, go to Mommy." Sam rose and left the child's bedroom.
Rebecca watched her Mama leave and snuggled into her mommy's arms. "Mommy... you're a doctor, you can fix him. You can make him better, I know you can."
Janet felt her heart lurch right out of her chest. "Oh no Sweety I don't think I can."
"Yes you can!" Rebecca became insistant. "You always make everybody better! You can! Use the defib…defib…"
"Defibrillator?" Janet offered.
"Yeah."
Janet sighed heavily, cradling her daughter to her. "Honey…I think it's too late. I can't heal Duckie." It broke her heart that she couldn't do what her child wanted. "Sometimes Sweety those we love just ….die."
Sam had been standing at the threshold of the listening, her own heart went out to her wife. Her heart tightened when she saw dark brown eyes glisten with tears. Carrying an old cigar box, the tall blonde moved so that she was now kneeling in front of the loves of her life. "Mommy's right Sweetpea, sometimes all we can do is let those we love go." Her long fingers brushed aside the strawberry locks of hair and placed a kiss upon the cheek of her daughter.
"What's that?" Rebecca pointed to the box in Sam's hand. "Mama isn't that your special re'memory box?"
"Yes it is." Sam smiled. "It used to belong to my Grandpa Carter."
"He lived in England huh?"
"Yeah he did." Sam set the box on the floor. "And he gave me that box when I was about your age to hold precious things. And I think maybe right now the precious thing it should hold is Duckie so he has a proper…casket to bury him in."
Rebecca slowly nodded, as she looked to her taller mother then to her redheaded mommy and nuzzled into her embrace. "Okay." Feeling very insecure she clung to Janet knowing that both of her mothers would make it okay. There is no greater faith then a child's trust in their mother or in this case mothers.
Sam handed the box to Janet. "I'll hold her."
"What?" Janet's eyebrows shot up.
"Well…you're the doctor and used to…er…"
"Sam you're not squeamish?"
"Er… no." She looked away almost too ashamed to meet her wife's chocolate eyes. "Well okay yes I am. I mean you can handle gooey things…you're a doctor."
"So are you." Janet shot back.
"Not that kind of doctor." Sam felt heat rising to her cheeks. "Do you know how many times I nearly popped my cookies when you dissected a…um…'snake'?"
"You've delivered three babies." Janet pointed out.
"Well that's different. It was mostly blood. Blood I can handle, it's…internal organs that get me." She made a face. "I am sorry."
Janet chuckled quietly under her breath. It was amusing the heroic Samantha Carter becoming squeamish at the site of internal organs, something that Janet always found fascinating. "You owe me." She said as she traded positions with her wife.
"Big time, Babe you'll get no arguments out of me on this one." Sam acquiesced.
Janet knelt so her back would shield her daughter from seeing the mutilated little body of the gray furred hamster as she placed it into the cigar box.
Sam too did her job to redirect the girl's attention.
"Rebecca, honey can you tell me again how Duckie got his name? Sometimes your Mama forgets."
Rebecca sighed as if she didn't believe for one micron of a minute that her Mama would ever forget anything, but nonetheless began the narrative:
"Duckie…Sassy gave 'em to me on my birthday. He...he…he got stuck to the ducktape on him's cage. Sassy got the old fishy-tank…from uncle Danny. It couldn't hold fishies because it had a crack in it so Sassy said fix it up with the ducktape. Only she didn't…'tover the other side and the sticky part showed. Duckie got stuck on the tape and he cried and you freed him. He bitted you and Mommy made the owie better, and she said it was a good thing you had your tennis' shot. And… and…and… Then I said….and...then I said… I said him's name is Duckie cause he got stuck."
"Yeah. That's a good story." Sam cooed into her daughter's ear. Her hand stroked Rebecca's little back as she cuddled her. "When we get sad, sweety sometimes it's good to remember good things, and the sadness will soon go away."
Janet who had a very strong stomach was still a little put off by the mutilated pet. Not so much because the talons of a cat had eviscerated it, but because the little rodent was a pet of her daughter. The poor little thing hadn't stood a chance against the large tom. Janet had used several tissues as a barrier and transported the corpse of the hamster into the cigar box. She moved to the master bathroom and used surgical green soap to clean her hands thoroughly before she returned back into Rebecca's bedroom.
"You get to clean the spot on the carpet." Janet said as she walked into the room.
"Will do." Sam nodded her consent. "And I'll even dig the grave in the flower garden."
Janet sat upon the bed and Rebecca easily went into her waiting arms. "Sweety this is very important, did you touch Duckie?"
"No." Rebecca said. "He was all icky so I just put my blanket on him."
"Are you sure you didn't touch him. Because if you did…we have to make sure we wash your hands with the "doctor soap" okay?"
"No I didn't touch him, Mommy."
"Good girl." Janet affirmed kissing the reddish-golden locks. "But we'll wash your little hands anyway." She pressed her cheek against the girl's forehead. Not a documented medical way to take a temperature, but it was the patented mother's way of doing it.
"Honey…how are you feeling?"
"Sad." Becky responded.
"No I mean is your tummy sad?"
Rebecca only nodded her head.
"Is she sick?" Sam asked concern filling her blue eyes.
"She's running a low grade fever." Janet said. "Will you get my med-bag from down stairs?"
"Yeah sure." Sam was quick to do as her lovely wife asked of her. She also paused and picked up the cigar box and carried it out of the room.
The two watched her go with little sound. Gently Janet turned to her daughter, "Becky, tell you what why don't we go into mommies' bedroom. You can snuggle into the blankets there okay?"
This seemed to cheer the child up at the thought of being permitted to snuggle into her mothers' bed. "Can I cuddle Sammy-bear?" Rebecca asked in the tone that she knew would melt mommy's heart. The same tone worked on Mama too, and her taller mother was almost easier to get her to do what Rebecca wanted.
"That bear is bigger than you are." Janet answered. It was true Rebecca was only two foot eight and the bear was four feet tall. "But, today only." What the petite doctor didn't voice was the fact the bear was almost as tall as she was.
Sam returned carrying the black leather medical bag. "I've got it Baby-girl."
"Thanks. Bring it into our room, I think Rebecca wants to camp out in her mommies' bed."
"Mama I get to cuddle Sammy-bear!"
Sam tilted her head looking at Janet with mild surprise. "Well you must be a special girl in order to snuggle up to that bear. Your Mommy doesn't even let your Mama cuddle it." She reached over and gently tapped her daughter's nose, noticing it was slightly runny from the crying. Janet had tissues still in her hand and used one to wipe away the mess.
The doctor carried the slight weight of her child and deposited her in the middle of the large bed she shared with her wife. Sam positioned herself behind Rebecca, her arms going around the slight frame, for once in many a day feeling useful. The Colonel felt as if she had managed to gather some of her lost strength as she gave it to her daughter. She kissed the crimson-gold locks of hair and watched as Janet took the little one's temperature.
The waited a moment for the automatic thermometer to beep and for the doctor to take it out of her child's mouth. She frowned when she saw the readings. "Well its up to a 100'"
Becky watched as her mom withdrew the thermometer, (a bit of the spittle landed on Janet's hand. Without even thinking Janet wiped her hand on her shirt top.
"Are you going to get a cold too? You just touched my spit." Rebecca said deadpan straight.
"Well doctor's don't get colds." Janet said winking.
"Are you sure?"
"Positive." Janet ruffled the thatch of crimson-blonde hair. "Sweety, hang on to Mama's hand okay? I need to do a little blood test."
The large expressive eyes widened in fear at the thought of getting stuck with a needle. The little lower lip started to tremble. Sam pulled her in tighter into her body. "It will be alright. You're very brave."
"Yeah." The child muttered.
"Honey I'm sorry, but I want to make sure of a few things. So far it looks like you just have a cold, but you may have the flu. "
"Do you have to tickle my throat too?"
Janet smiled with the caring warmth of both mommy and doctor. "Yes I'm going to take a swab of your throat."
"And listen to my heart?"
"Hummum."
"And...and...look in my ears?"
"Wow Rebecca you remember all of that? I am impressed." Sam said. Then her blue eyes looked to her wife. "So what do you think Hon, she'll grow up to be a doctor?"
"This week. Next week she'll want to be fireman."
The small tests Janet did had been quickly concluded. She would take both the blood and the swab back to the lab to run tests. She was positive it was only a summer cold. But neither mother was about to take it for granted. Though Rebecca wasn't sickly she was, in their minds, more vulnerable than other children. This thought came of course from the little one's rocky start out in life. It also stemmed from the fact Rebecca was far smaller then children her age in both height and weight class. She would always be little.
The day had just started and already it was trying. A beloved pet half-eaten by another pet, topped off by the start of a summer cold. This was not a good day. Not to mention that Sam had started it by waking out of a nightmare and been locked in the tempestuous turmoil of regret. Definitely not a recommended way to start out a morning.
Sam and Rebecca were not the only ones to have a bad start to the day. Adjutant Briel of the Malakim Empire had the most unpleasant news to deliver to the Queen of the angelic matriarchal race. Novalis was a woman of great presence and power, she alone ruled the Empire that consisted of nine solar systems. The Crown planet of the Empire was Hy-Basil; it was here that the seat of power resided.
The red feathers of the Malakim warrior shifted nervously as she pressed the chime on the outside of the Queen Novalis' private chambers and waited. She could have used the comm., but Novalis always preferred the personal touch. As the door opened, she stifled a yawn, arched her wings up in a tired stretch. She would gain no sleep that night either.
Her Majesty, Queen Novalis lay propped up on one elbow, regarding Briel balefully. The set of her purple wings showed her irritation at being disturbed in the middle of her night. "Yes Briel?"
"The crew of the science vessel Samantha Carter have been…misplaced, your majesty."
Novalis bolted from the bed. "What!?" Her wings ruffled. "What do you mean they are misplaced?"
"The skeletal crew were…attacked and bound and left in the cargo bay of the hanger. The Samantha Carter...was…hijacked." Briel frowned, her wings becoming tighter around her body in submission.
"Clarify." Novalis growled. "That ship is supposed to be secured. The Liege Commander Samantha's own Wing was supposed to be guarding it."
"That is who stole the ship." Briel winced.
"You're telling me the Blue Wing stole the ship?"
"I have already deployed scout ships and the Red Wing to bring them back. But they cloaked in the hanger and activated the Hyperdrive almost as soon as they were out of dry dock. Tracking them will not be easy." Briel said. "They were quite resourceful my queen. It is speculated by the Red Wing that the Samantha Carter entered the Eldacar nebula to further masque their presence."
Novalis was already out of bed and dressing. "Ever since The Liege Commander left the Blue Wing had become languid of heart, despondent and restless. They are not content with their duties."
"They certainly put up considerable resistance when they stole the Samantha Carter."
"This dereliction of duty could cause some problems with our summit with the Asgard." Grumbled the queen, fumbling with her belt.
Briel stepped forward to help her. "You believe they would sabotage the negotiations?"
"No. Not deliberately. But I can guess where they are headed."
"You think they are going to the Liege Commander's home world." Said Briel as she stepped back finishing with the queen's belt.
Novalis's wings unfurled and then settled. "Yes. They have formed a sort of vinculum with Samantha. It stands to reason they would seek her out." Her silver eyes looked to Briel and took the brush she was offering. She ran it cursorily through her purple mane and handed it back to her adjunct.
"Then why not simply use the Stargate?"
"Because the Liege Commander has stated that she would not utilize the Gate for sometime. If they are to entice her back into active service, how better to do so then with a science vessel named for her. It is a new ship designed for scientific exploration not war. Because of the astrophysical needs of the ship it has a new design for the shields able to withstand the EM polarization of nebulas and other similar phenomena. In essence the ship has greater shield capacities than our war vessels. She is capable of planetary landing and swift piloting negotiations. And she can remain cloaked almost indefinitely, since the cloaking device has its own power source. She is our most advanced ship, equipped with the most advanced scientific technology."
"If we know where they are headed my Queen should we not send an envoy to alert out mortal allies. Perhaps the Liege Commander herself should be made known of her Wing's intentions."
"That's just it, right now all we have is speculation to go on." Novalis commented. "But yes I want Silver Wing to be deployed. Gold Wing has already been sent to try to contact the Asgard. The negotiations must go through and I have to oversee it. Briel take the Silver Wing contingent and go through the Stargate and inform the SGC of what has happened."
"You wish me to relinquish command of the armada patrolling the badlands between our Empire and the Goa'uld space?"
"Briel as I said it is pure speculation that the Blue Wing will seek out their Liege Commander. However they may have taken the ship to the Badlands in order to exact vengeance on Samantha's behalf and how much the better then with a ship named for her. And they may also be seeking out those that call themselves the Tok'ra. A meager alliance has been established with them due to Arion's induction into their ranks."
"My queen how do you know this? I mean of Arion?" Briel cocked her head in an almost bird-like gesture.
"She is forsaken, but she is still my daughter, Briel."
The adjunct didn't seem to know what to say to that so she changed the subject. "What if the Asgard deny our request to have Earth under our protectorate?" She placed the brush back on to the table.
"It would not go well when the populace hears of it. If the Asgard does deny us, then we will protect the SGC in particular SG1. We will also claim our right to take…the Liege Commander's realm…'Colorado'… under our protectorate. The Asgard cannot deny us that right. They may favor O'Neill, however they would be foolish to undermine the claims of the Malakim Empire that Samantha Carter is under our protection."
"Yes my Queen." Briel nodded her crimson maned head. "With your leave I'll collect the Silver Wing and embark to the home world of the Liege Commander."
"Excellent. I also want you to set up a summit where we can meet with the Liege Commander and the head of SGC offering our hand to assist them personally in protecting themselves against Goa'uld threats."
"I will see to it." Briel bowed her head. "And what of the Blue Wing?"
"Keep them under surveillance. They are without question absolutely loyal to Samantha. I wish to see how things will be played out. As long as they do not engage in hostilities, do not directly interfere, perhaps they can achieve Samantha's return to SG1 or at least to the Wing. I fear what will become of the Blue Wing… if Samantha is not restored. Already Healer Rakrir had to do major surgery upon Razeal as he had attempted to have his wings completely amputated so he could pass for a mortal."
"Why in the Darkness would he do such a horrid thing?" Briel was astonished.
"It was his hope that if he looked as a human, at least as much as the one called Teal'c, he may serve as a member of SG1 and reside on Earth as a mortal. In fact, I fear the entire Wing may take such desperate measures in order to be with their Liege Commander."
"Remarkable." Briel shook her head. "Willingly mutilating their bodies so that they may join Samantha Carter on her world as one of the mortals. They must love her a great deal."
"They are devoted to the Liege Commander beyond question." The Queen said. "Such fanaticism can be dangerous however as is proven by the theft of the Samantha Carter."
"Do you worry for their loyalty to the Throne?"
"Oh they are loyal to the Throne, Briel. Only it is not the one I sit upon. And no they will never betray the Empire, but I realize now they are no longer under my command. They belong solely to the Liege Commander." Novalis commented slowly. "My worry stems from a fear of what they would be willing to endure if only to rejoin Samantha, or in a blind attempt to honor her. And the strangest thing is, the Liege Commander is unaware of the dominion she has over the knights of the Blue Wing."
"It is warranted then is it not to contact her immediately." It was not a question. Briel knew she would be deployed as soon as her audience with the queen was over. The younger angelic was still astonished that Blue Wing had pledged everything to the young human. It made her wonder what they would do, or more to the point what wouldn't they do, to become closer to her, to be a part of the Liege Commander's team.
Pale and tense Arion the Forsaken sat before an ancient male. She could feel his life draining from him more and more each moment she was within his company. His name was Jerjerrod / Xad. The latter name indicated the symbiote.
"Trust me, I know it seems a bit overwhelming at first." Jacob Carter said as he placed a hand upon the shoulder of the young woman. "But I've had ten years with Selmac and I don't regret it. It is a true symbiotic relationship. The payoffs aren't bad. Good health, long life, and a great deal of knowledge."
"Jacob." Arion said. "I am already immortal, a long life is not an issue. And health…that is a benefit as is the knowledge. But to share my body with another…it is disconcerting."
*Because you feel you would be taken over by a Diabolical.* The deeper twin voice of Selmac said.
"In part I guess. The Malakim knew of the Tok'ra but we have had so little interaction. And Anise…has not been a model spokes-person for your people." Arion shifted her stance.
It had been Anise who had convinced Arion that the greater good would be served if she rid the Remnant Malphas and his alliance of the Goa'uld. Consequently, it led to Arian's betrayal of duty to Liege Commander Samantha Carter, as the assassination attempt had taken precedence over her duty. Now Arion was exiled from her home for a hundred years and her wings had been cut so that she could not fly. Such was the punishment of a traitor. Arion had been given the leave to go anywhere in the Stargate system she desired, until her sentence was over. The Forsaken Malakim had chosen to join the Tok'ra, as she knew the Liege Commander's father was among them.
It had been several months since that time and Jacob/Selmac had seen to Arion's adjustment. The young woman felt comfortable in the company of Jacob/Selmac, almost feeling closer to Samantha because of it. In fact Jacob had let out a few little known things of the renowned Liege Commander's childhood.
Now the elder man stood with his charge trying to help her through the life altering decision to become blended to the Xad symbiote. A part of it was on a selfish request from Selmac as Xad and she had been mates several times over. Xad had been deep undercover as an operative in Apophis's fold until recently. The host Jerjerrod was dying of ancient age and if Xad didn't have a new host soon he too would die.
She had spent several hours in the company of Xad trying to understand the Tok'ra. She had learned he had rather a strict adherence to his own code of honor, which was something that Arion could appreciate. It was up to Arion to become the host, if she chose to do so, since there were no others for Xad to blend with. She had discovered that Xad had quite a sense of humor, not unlike Selmac. Xad was also the second oldest amongst the Tok'ra. He had a deep wisdom of his own with almost a quirky side to it. He was also the most daring with a strong hunger for adventure, which at times had irritated Selmac. But it was this daring that had given Xad the drive to go so deep undercover to root out several weaknesses of their enemies on countless occasions. This too appealed to Arion. If she was to be blended to another soul she wanted one with spirit.
Arion looked to her friend, a man she trusted because first he was Samantha's father, then because of his own merits. She found his stubbornness endearing. In fact she had started to have other feelings for the older man that were far above that of friendship. The angelic looked to him and back to Jerjerrod / Xad. If she complied to become one of the blended, she would have an understanding of the Tok'ra and consequently the Diabolicals. Perhaps, as Jacob had implied, she could become a liaison, an ambassador between her own people and the Tok'ra. In fact the more she thought of it, the more the appeal to be blended became. Knowledge was a formidable lure as was the fact the Liege Commander's own father was blended. Arion was still loyal to Samantha Carter, despite the betrayal. If she became as Jacob, perhaps she would gain back some of the confidence Samantha had once given her.
"I'll do it." Arion said. "What must I do?"
"Lay down beside me and give me a kiss." Jerjerrod said.
"It is not you I wish to engage in such an activity with." Arion said calmly.
*It is the Tok'ra way to face our host when we blend.* Xad said. *There will be some discomfort but it will last only a moment then it will be done.*
Arion felt her wings shift revealing her nervousness. "Very well."
The young Malakim leaned over the ailing Jerjerrod and placed her lips over his. Her eyes widened as she felt the penetration of the symbiote as it hit the back of her throat. Her wings spanned out in a knee-jerk reaction as her whole body shuddered.
Jacob was there to catch her as the young woman fell back. For a moment she was limp in his arms giving no sign of consciousness. "Arion…?"
*She is here.* The twin voices answered. Jacob wiped the blood from Arion's lips and set her down upon the bed. Arion/Xad smiled. *It is good to be with you again old friend.* Her hand traced the line of Jacob/Selmac's jaw. *I have missed you.*
*And I you old friend.* It was Selmac who spoke. *We have much to catch up on.*