DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1, it's characters, and all related entities are property of Stargate SG-1 Productions (II) Inc., MGM Worldwide Television Productions Inc., Double Secret Productions, Gekko Film Corp, and Showtime Networks Inc./ The SyFy Channel. No copyright infringement is intended. This story is for entertainment purposes only and not intended for commercial profit.
Authors Note: Although I don't usually write Alternate Universe something about this story couldn't be ignored. It branches off from canon somewhere during season 5, but does closely follow the adventures we all know and love. As always this story is finished and I will post one chapter a night until it is complete. Also any medical procedures are completely made up in order to work with the story.
I hope you enjoy.
Cameron Mitchell shielded his eyes as he exited the wormhole. The other members of his team fanned out, automatically securing the area. Vala Mal Doran, the newest member of his team, however, casually walked into the middle of the clearing the Stargate was located in.
"Wasn't there supposed to be someone to meet us?" she asked, expectantly. "I mean, I do have better things to do with my time than wait around for someone who may not even come."
"I'm sure these people have your schedule firmly in mind," Cam retorted. He glanced around the clearing, noticing his team's relaxed stance. Movement at the outskirts of the city alerted him to the arrival of our guide.
"Welcome friends," the native told them, bowing deeply. "My name is Healer Vash. Healer Koln, the leader of the Sanctuary, intended to meet you as well however an unexpected occurrence has delayed his arrival. If you will permit, I will take you to him to converse."
"Lead the way," Cam said, heading toward the path Healer Vash was starting to climb down. "Don't touch anything," he warned Vala as she came up behind him.
"I am appalled that you think I would steal from these people Cameron," she replied while following the group down the path, "especially without knowing what these people have to offer. I do have standards you know."
"You're standard is anything that isn't nailed down," Cam replied.
"Shows how much you know," Vala retorted as the group emerged from the forest and got their first look at the village. "Besides, I doubt there is anything down there worth stealing."
Before them lay a large courtyard, stretching as far as the eye could see. A tall stone wall marked the boundaries of the courtyard. Several buildings were scattered throughout the clearing. Beyond the walls the team got a glimpse of a swampy wasteland.
"Welcome to the Sanctuary," Healer Vash said with pride. "Come, come," Healer Vash instructed as he began walking down the steep path. The team quickly followed him, sparing a backward glance as they went. The Stargate was located on a rise overlooking a lush valley. It was a heavily wooded area, and the team noticed for the first time it too was enclosed by the large wall. Healer Vash led them through the courtyard and into one of the buildings nearby. "If you will just wait here," Vash told them, pointing to a spacious waiting room, "I shall announce your presence."
"Is something wrong," Cam asked, sensing Vash's apprehension.
"Wrong, No, but I fear Healer Koln is still occupied. Please wait for a moment." He exited through a door, only to return a few minutes later with two other people. One was an older man, the other a young woman. The woman gave them the barest of nods as she passed, pausing for a fraction of a second at the door before leaving.
"Everything okay?" Cam asked, gripping his weapon a little tighter. The woman looked spooked and it had him being cautious.
"I must apologize," the man said, moving toward them. "I had planned on meeting you at the Doorway myself, but she had an… unexpected episode. I trust Healer Vash was able to make you feel welcome."
"Yes he did," Cam replied. "And who would you be?"
"I must apologize again," the man laughed. "I am Healer Koln. Welcome to the Sanctuary."
"Lieutenant Colonel Cameron Mitchell," Cam introduced himself, "and this is my team, Major Curtis Bailey, Captain Nigel Roberts, Sergeant Adam Jorgensen, and Vala Mal Doran." Healer Koln acknowledged the members of his team.
"I am so pleased to meet you all. It is not often that we receive strangers to the Sanctuary."
"What is the purpose of the Sanctuary, Healer?" Bailey asked.
"We heal the mind." Koln leaned forward in his chair. "It is our legacy, a gift and sometimes a curse, passed down throughout time. Do you know of the Goa'uld?" Bailey nodded his head. "Our people were brought here at the beginning of time and spread across all the habitable worlds in our planetary system. A Goa'uld brought them here to experiment on them, to create the perfect host. Throughout the ages, he got closer and closer to his perfect host, only to disappear."
"What happened to him?" Cam asked.
"We are unsure. Some believe he is dead, others believe he is waiting until the right time to return."
"The right time?"
"When his experiment comes to fruition. When his perfect host is realized." He stood to his feet and began pacing. "You see, my people are the result of his experimentation. We have gifts, gifts that grow stronger each generation. Many fear when we grow strong enough he will return."
"What kind of gifts?" Roberts asked.
"We have various mental abilities, both telepathic and empathic. For years we debated what to do with our gifts, until we realized we must help those who were harmed in our name. The other worlds were ravaged by the Goa'uld, all so he could continue his experiment. We vowed to help the descendents of those worlds, to repay the debt that was taken."
"So their sick people come here and you help them?" Bailey asked, trying to understand.
"Not their physical ailments," Healer Koln corrected them, "for the body is much easier to understand than the mind. But we have a special insight many physicians do not possess. We can feel our visitors' pain. We know their thoughts and feelings, sometimes better than they themselves do. We offer aid to all those who seek it."
"And what happens if the Goa'uld returns?" Vala asked. "Will your skills be enough to save your people?"
"Unfortunately no," Koln said sadly, "which is why we also seek allies against them. Allies who would be willing to protect us in exchange for various services we alone can provide."
"What about the people of the other worlds?" Bailey asked.
"There is a… tentative peace among the other planets of the system; however they are not technologically advanced. They have promised to help, but it would result in little more than a gesture. We simply do not have the technology to defend ourselves when the Goa'uld finally returns. We had hoped to one day meet a more formidable race that could benefit from our gifts and create an alliance."
"Do you use any kind of medicine?" Roberts asked excitedly.
"Medicine is for the body, not the mind." Koln looked at him quizzically. "Do you use medicine for the mind?"
"Sometimes," Roberts explained. "We've found that some psychological conditions have physical causes. Most are caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. We have certain medication that helps restore the balance, allowing the person to live a normal, healthy life."
"That is interesting." Koln looked at him thoughtfully. "And this medicine, it heals them?"
"No, not quite heal. We really don't know enough about mental diseases to say when someone is cured. But it does help keep the symptoms away."
"That is wonderful. A medicine to help the mind was never thought of. As you will see, we are kept very busy." Koln was quite for a moment before turning to Colonel Mitchell. "Would you be willing to trade for this medicine?"
"It's not that simple," Roberts interjected. "Our two peoples look very much alike, but there could be genetic differences. Your mental abilities testify to that. Our medicine may be harmful to your people."
"I understand your concerns," Koln admitted, "but the medicine would not be for my people, rather for our visitors. They do not share our mental abilities. Would there be any way to tell if the medicine would be harmful to them?"
"We would need to run some tests," Roberts told them. "A DNA comparison would be a good place to start."
Koln frowned. "We do not have a 'DNA comparison'." Roberts chuckled.
"You don't need one, Healer Koln," he reassured him. "All we need is a genetic sample, like blood, of the individual. We have technology that can extract the DNA and compare it with our own."
"And if the samples are similar, the medicine might work on our people also." Koln looked at them hopefully.
"It's a start." Koln nodded, closing his eyes momentarily. When he opened them again he explained.
"I have told Healer Vash what you require. He is gathering blood samples as we speak and will meet us at the Doorway. Now, if there is enough time, would you care for a brief tour of the Sanctuary?" The team spent the next few hours being shown around. The courtyard was the central locale; all the buildings were connected to it. Living quarters, guest quarters, a hospital, an atrium, a school, even a very primitive science building branched off it. Eventually they were led back to the center of the courtyard. They continually bombarded Healer Koln with questions, which he was more than willing to answer.
"How many habitable planets are in this system?" Cam asked.
"Seven," Koln replied, "though habitable may be a bit of an exaggeration. The Goa'uld truly ravaged all the planets in the system, leaving only when all the resources had been depleted. Throughout the generations the inhabitants have tried to reclaim their worlds, some with greater success than others."
"And do all these worlds exist peacefully with each other?" Cam asked.
"I wouldn't go so far as to call it peaceful," Koln admitted. "Unfortunately our history is one of war. Regrettably the Monks of the past did little to aid their neighbors and fostered war between the planets. However in the interest of self preservation the planets did created a loose Coalition, and in the last few generations there have been more talk of peace than war. I am hopeful peace can be maintained, though I fear a single act can set the system back on the path of war it has known so well."
"You do realize before we can make any sort of alliance we will need to meet the governments of these other planets." Cameron mentioned.
"I had thought that might be the case," Koln admitted. "The Sanctuary has emerged as neutral ground. Any negotiations that need to be made can be done here. Also, I can arrange for shuttles to take you to the other planets so you can meet with their leaders beforehand."
"Shuttles?" Vala asked. "They don't have Stargates?"
"No," Koln told them, "The only Stargate in this system is at the Sanctuary."
"I thought you said the rest of the planets weren't technologically advanced," Cam asked.
"They're not," Koln reaffirmed. "The shuttles are left over remnants of the Goa'uld. They were his primary way of moving resources from the different planets to this place. When he disappeared, all his technology remained."
"Is there any Goa'uld technology still around?" Vala asked hopefully. Cam frowned at her.
"None, aside from the shuttles," Koln admitted, "and they are in desperate need of repair. We do not have the technological knowledge to completely fix and maintain the fleet of shuttles left us. Many times we scrounge parts from non working ships to repair what few remain. Keeping these few shuttles operational is one of the few things the planets agree upon.
"Maybe we can help with that," Cam offered.
"And any extra ships I will be happy to take off your hands," Vala added.
"We are not stealing their ships," Cam insisted, turning Vala around to talk quietly to her.
"Of course not Cameron," she assured him, "we are merely taking their junk and disposing of it for them."
"For profit," Cam accused.
"There's no guarantee," Vala reminded him.
"It is still stealing," he hissed.
"Fine," Vala rolled her eyes before turning back to the Healer. "I'll give you a share of the profit. Say five percent?"
"Vala," Cam shouted while Healer Koln merely chuckled.
"There is plenty of time to discuss this matter," Koln told them, "however I do believe it is time for you to return to your planet." He began to lead them back to the Stargate.
Nearing the Stargate, Healer Vash joined them. "Here are the samples you asked for," Vash said as he handed them a large container. "I hope that you have enjoyed your time at the Sanctuary. I look forward to seeing you again."
"As do I," Koln agreed.
"Dial home," Cam instructed before facing the two Healers. "Thank you for your hospitality and kindness. I hope our two peoples can become friends."
"As do we," Healer Koln said truthfully.
"Code sent, Sir," Bailey said, coming next to his CO. Cam nodded and turned to leave when Koln's voice stopped him.
"Remember, even if a treaty between our worlds and yours is does not work out, all are welcome in the Sanctuary who come in peace." Cam nodded before leading his team through the Stargate. Stepping out on the other side, he glanced up into the Control Room in time to see General Hammond step up to the mike.
"Welcome home, SG-1."
