Prologue

Five Years Ago

"There you are," Chanis said as she made her way onto the balcony and to Kala's side. "I've been looking all over for you. I should have known I might find you here though," she grinned. "What are you doing out here?"

"Admiring the view," Kala answered her sister, her eyes never straying from her view of the expansive city that stretched out before her as she stood at the edge of the balcony, her arms braced on the railing. It was a truly incredible sight. For miles and miles the lights of the city stretched out before them in the night. It was a testament to the advancement of their civilization. But none of it was real.

It wasn't a real city, or even a real night's sky, not anymore. Now it was all just an impressive representation of what Kala remembered of her life when she was still of flesh and blood. She was beyond that now. In this plain where she existed now, she and all the others of her kind were able to project whatever images they wished. Of course, the Ascended had no need of a real city, but this was what Kala liked. It was her haven. Here was where she passed the years, looking out at the lives of the living. And here was her favorite viewing station because it reminded her of a home long lost and left behind by her people. But Kala had never forgotten.

She stared off past the city, off into the distance beyond the conjured towers of light and clouds, where she could see the very real, once lost, city of Atlantis. This sight was not a representation of her past but a real-time glimpse into the lives of the living, and she realized, with a knowing smile, a glimpse into a possible future.

Kala had been observing her old home and its new inhabitants for quite some time. And as she watched them now she was filled with a mixed sense of melancholy and hopefulness. She was miserable about what she had to do and yet hopeful for what her sacrifice would mean for the future. Finally, the future she had seen all those thousands of years ago was near.

But if Kala wanted to make that future a reality she knew she would have to play her part. She would have to go against the laws of her people and deceive the one person she loved above everyone and everything else. She would have to give up the life she had grown to appreciate. But she would do it, because the future she saw with her gift ten thousand years ago was a future that she wanted. And she had spent all those years waiting for it.

She'd watched the many civilizations of Earth's history rise and fall, always searching for a sign that her vision of the future was near. And for more years than she cared to watch, nothing ever came of it. And then there was the discovery of the buried Stargate in Gyza and what would be the building blocks of the Stargate program. But still it had taken several more decades for any real developments to pique Kala's interests.

And for the past decade or so the people of Earth and their adventures through the gate had begun to interest her. At first, their endeavors had been only a source of mild entertainment, a diversion from the monotony of Ascended life. But over the last few years it had become more than that for her, they had become more. She saw something in them that she could no longer stand to ignore. And once they'd found Atlantis and engaged the Wraith, a plan had started to form for her. It was a plan that would change the fate of the Pegasus galaxy and right the wrongs of the past. And now it was time to put her plan into action.

"It's time," Kala breathed aloud.

Chanis turned to her sister curiously. "What was that?" she asked.

"We were wrong about them," Kala said, not answering her sister's query and instead nodding her head in the direction of Atlantis.

"What do you mean?" Chanis asked, confusion growing on her face.

Kala turned away from the view and gave her sister an appreciative look before she spoke. "We considered Earth and its people a small blip in the great scheme of the universe. But they prove us wrong time and time again. Just look at all they've accomplished, even in such a short span of time. Even without our help, they've managed to do great things."

"They are persistent. I'll give them that," Chanis conceded.

Kala smiled. "Yes, they are," she agreed.

Chanis looked to her sister. "I know you've always been fascinated by them."

"It's more than that," Kala answered, her picture of the future flashing through her head.

"Really? What is it about them then? Why do you always sneak away to this place to observe them?" They had spent ten thousand years together, but there was still so much about Kala that was a mystery to Chanis. What especially had her baffled was why this place and these people were so important to Kala. Chanis had left all of that behind her ten thousand years ago when they'd Ascended. Kala had never been able to forget it and Chanis had never learned why.

Kala stared off into the distance, thinking carefully about her answer. "They have…" she paused, searching for the right word to describe these humans she'd come to admire. "Heart," she finally settled on, knowing it was the single, most fitting word for them as a people.

"Heart?" Chanis asked dubiously, the expression on her face that of one unconvinced.

Kala couldn't help but to smile. "Yes. Their curiosity led them through the stars. But their heart," she paused, turning once again to look at her sister, "their heart is what kept them going, what got them through. It's what makes them great. They not only explore to expand their own understanding of the universe, they try to help fix all the wrongs they find on their way. Just look at what they've done. They put an end to centuries of tyranny by the Goa'uld. They stopped the Replicators and even helped to finally put an end to the Ori."

"Okay, they show some promise, Kala. But they still have several million years more of evolution to go before they can reach the level of ascension."

Kala shook her head. Chanis still didn't understand. She never had. It was the greatest difference between the two of them. It was what had kept Chanis from reaching her full potential all of these years. Most of the Others didn't understand either, and the ones who did were too afraid of the rest to do anything about it. She had sat back for thousands of years and watched as the Others maintained order among the Ascended, all along knowing that she would one day be one of their problems to be dealt with. Today was that day. And thanks to her gift she'd had the benefit of knowing what was to come and ten thousand years to prepare for it.

When Kala first had her vision all those years ago her people, the Alterans, though on the verge, had not yet reached ascension. But many of them possessed unique abilities. Some could heal others, some could move objects with their minds, and others, like Kala, saw things that had yet to happen. As time moved on all of her glimpses into the future proved to come true, no matter how far into the future they were.

She had never imagined then that this one particular vision would take over ten thousand years to be fulfilled, or that she would have to go to such drastic measures to ensure that it all unfolded as it was meant to. But she had no choice. She was not afraid of the Others. She would stand up to them. She would use their own rules against them to accomplish her goal and help to put the future on the right track.

"Ascension isn't everything," Kala said, turning back to her view. "Soon, sister, you will understand that."

"You really like them, don't you?" Chanis asked surprised. Kala rolled her eyes and Chanis noticed something very off in her sister's body language. "It's more than that even, isn't it?" she asked. She read her answer in Kala's expression and it scared her beyond measure. "You want to help them and go against the Others? Kala, you know you can't."

Kala turned on her. "And why can't I?"

"There are rules. The Others would never allow you to interfere."

"What would I be interfering with Chanis?" Kala pointed out toward Atlantis. "They are only trying to fix the mess that we left behind. The Wraith have preyed on Pegasus for ten thousand years while we just sat back and watched. And they have only been able to do that in the first place because we messed up. We created them and then abandoned Pegasus when the Wraith outmatched us."

"Stop it Kala," Chanis warned, turning her back and stepping away from her sister. "We shouldn't even be speaking of this. If the Others found out there'd be hell to pay. You know this."

"Blast the Others!" she yelled, frustration with Chanis growing with every second.

Chanis gasped as she turned back to her sister, shocked by what she was hearing. Kala had always been a radical among their people, but what she was thinking of doing now was taking it too far. As an Ascended, there was one absolute rule. You do not interfere. All the other beings of the universe had to find their own way, carve their own path through history, without any help from them. And those among them that had not heeded that rule had been severely punished.

Hadn't Kala learned yet from the mistakes of those before her? Chanis knew her sister was stubborn, but was she really willing to be an outcast among her own, all to help lesser beings she had never met? She had to stop Kala before she did something she could not take back. It was her responsibility as her sister to keep Kala out of trouble. And going against the Others was the biggest trouble she could get into.

"You know what they will do to you when they find out. You remember Oma, and Orlo and Chaya Sar?"

"Yes," she answered simply.

"They will try and stop you."

Kala turned away from her sister and began to walk back inside. "I know," she said as she did. 'That's what I'm counting on,' she thought to herself.

She made it as far as the edge of the city before the Others appeared. There were many of them and they all blocked her path, moving to fan out around her, her sister among them. "Please, Kala, stop this," Chanis begged.

Kala shook her head sadly. "No Chanis. This is what's right. They are fighting a battle that is ours. And I cannot stay here and watch them sacrifice without extending a hand to help. Not anymore. We've stayed on the sidelines for far too long."

"But it is forbidden."

"And that is what is wrong," she argued. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath and steeling herself for what was next. When she opened them again her eyes found Chanis and held her gaze. "You only have two options, sister. Help me, or get out of my way."

Kala stood her ground, standing off against a dozen Others and her sister. The Others all exchanged glances amongst themselves, an entire conversation occurring in those gazes. It seemed they had come to a decision about her fate a moment later as one at the center of their group nodded to another on the end and then took a step toward Kala.

"No," Chanis said, seeing this and taking a step forward to intercept. She knew what they would do, and she couldn't let them do it to her sister, not if there was something she could do to stop it. She exchanged a meaningful look with the Others, communicating without words her intent. Reluctantly he nodded, and with their consent for her next actions, Chanis stepped towards her sister.

Chanis knew that Kala was wrong about the options left to her. She had a third choice, but it wasn't very pleasant. But if it was the only way she had of saving her sister from her own misguided actions, it was the option she would have no choice but to take.

"You went to them," Kala accused as she squared off against her sister. She had a part to play and she had to make it as convincing as possible. The Others remained circling them, observing. If she gave even an inch they would realize her deception, see through her charade.

"I did it to help you. To get you to see reason Kala, before it was too late. Why are you doing this?"

"Because it's the right thing. And I'm tired of watching them die when it's so easy for us to help."

"Don't you see that that's the problem? That it's so easy for us? It's not supposed to be easy, Kala. They think of us almost as Gods. But we are not Gods. Even though we have the power, we don't have the right to alter the course of their lives."

And that was when Kala finally saw it, the greatness she had always known was inside of her sister. Kala looked to Chanis as if she were seeing her for the first time. All their lives Kala had been the one of them to lead. Chanis had always followed her older sister's example, always counted on her to lead them down the right path. And in ten thousand years Chanis had never once voiced an opinion which differed from that of her sister. She had been perfectly content to exist in the comfort of her sister's shadow. But today that was all changing, and to finally see it happen was truly great.

But Chanis had forgotten one thing. As flesh and blood they had played Gods. They had seeded life across galaxies. And in doing so they had unintentionally created the problem of the Wraith. Unlike the Goa'uld or the Replicators or the Ori, the threat of the Wraith was a consequence of their direct actions. If ever there was a situation for them to take responsibility for, it had to be this one.

"I don't want to help them as a God. I want to help them as a friend," she tried to explain.

After all these years she realized now that that was all she really wanted to do. Watching the people of Earth had made her grow tired of an existence of only watching. For ten thousand years they had watched others live. They had all existed as only energy for so long that they'd forgotten what it meant to live, what it meant to fight for what you believed in and to be willing to die for it. They had forgotten what it meant to risk everything. She would teach them again what it meant. And it would cost her the one thing she loved, her sister.

Kala knew that this was the way that it had to be. In order for her to help them, it would have to be as one of them and not an Ascended. Her plan hinged on that single necessity. The Others couldn't stop her plans if she was no longer bound by their rules.

Kala had known that her sister would not let her go. She had known all along that Chanis would betray her to the Others in an effort to stop her. She knew her sister better than she knew anyone or anything. Ten thousand years by her side had taught her very much. There was a great bond and trust between them. And the worst part of her plan was that it required her to break that trust. But Kala was going to help the people of Pegasus to defeat the Wraith. And she was going to use her sister to do it.

"I'm leaving now, Chanis," Kala said.

"You know I can't let you do that."

"No," Kala replied, knowing she needed to push Chanis further. "I know you won't do what needs to be done to keep me here. Which means you won't be able to stop me. You will have to let me go, Chanis. And let my fate be decided as Oma's and Orlo's. I'm willing to accept my fate. You must be too."

But Chanis couldn't bear the thought of losing her sister. For Kala to be cast away, in exile, away from her for eternity, that was more than she could take. She loved her too much. For ten thousand years they had existed together, and she wasn't ready to give that up, to give Kala up. She would fight to keep her sister. And that's exactly what she was going to do. She would save her sister from herself. She had been doing it all her life, and she would do it once again.

She charged at Kala and their two energies merged together into a great conflict. It would be a long and arduous task but it was the only way, and the chance to save her sister would be worth it. Chanis would fight to save her as Oma fought with Anubis and as Morgan La Fey fought with Adria. Even if it took eternity, it would be an eternity spent with Kala and therefore in Chanis' book worth it.

And so the years passed on that way, one sister having the advantage over the other for some time and then a complete role reversal would occur. Kala had seen it all coming and thought that the battle would be easier, that she would have an advantage over her sister. But Chanis proved to be a worthy adversary and the years continued to tick on as the sisters were locked in their battle of wills. Neither of them would give in. Kala was determined to carry out her plan and Chanis was determined to keep her from the judgment of the Others.

But around year five, Kala finally saw an opening in Chanis' defenses and took advantage. She made a move that her sister didn't even see coming. And suddenly it was all over and Chanis fell, down out of the heavens like a million-ton asteroid, hurtling into an uninhabited planet on the outer edges of the galaxy. The impact was immense and the shockwave it created was the biggest thing the Pegasus galaxy had ever experienced.

Kala took solid form on the planet and stood over her sister's unconscious body. She had won the battle, knocking Chanis out of the plain of the Ascended. The result was that Chanis was now made human once again. And when she woke up she would remember nothing of her past. She would forget all about the Ancients and her ten thousand years of Ascension. She would forget everything that had ever mattered to her. She would forget she even had a sister.

"I'm sorry sister. But this was the only way. You will get to live now, as one of them. And I know that you will be happy. I've seen it."

This was the most unselfish thing Kala had ever done, both as flesh and blood and as an Ascended. It was the greatest gift Kala could give to her sister, the life she saw for Chanis all those years ago, the life she had begun to wish for for herself. But the Others would never have let Kala be free. Chanis was innocent. She was and had always been the answer. She would be able to do what Kala could not.

Kala had never told Chanis exactly what she had seen in her vision. She had known that by doing so she might change things, things about the future that needed to be just as she saw. Because the future Kala had waited ten thousand years for was not her own, but Chanis'. All along it had been Chanis who was destined to help bring an end to the Wraith. And it was always and only Kala's destiny to help her to do that.

The Atlantis team would come soon to investigate the explosion of energy their fight had created. Others, like the Wraith, might come too. The chance to possess such a power would be too great to pass up. Kala would do her part to protect Chanis until the humans arrived. And when they did she would lead them to her sister. And once Chanis stepped foot on Atlantis, the future would be unstoppable.