Notes
I do not own any of the characters from the show, I have merely borrowed them. The kind folks at MGM or wherever can have them back afterwards.
I would really appreciate any and all feedback you would care to give, as this is my first fan-fic, it would be helpful if you could e-mail them, with the story as the subject line to this address: you for the time taken to read this.
New Friends – Part One
The sky was a clear blue, with a sun streaming down on Cheyenne Mountain, the guards parted as trucks rolled in and out – a normal day at Stargate Command. No unusual activities going on, no late teams, nothing out of the ordinary. The Tech guys passed files and reports amongst themselves, and went about whatever tasks they had to do.
The inner circle of the Stargate turned slowly and the fifth symbol was locked in place. It changed direction, turned almost completely around, and the sixth was locked. The seventh symbol, the last and point of origin was close to the sixth, so soon the bubble of plasma had collapsed back and the shimmering puddle of the event horizon was visible. "SG-1, you have a go." General Hammond was stood in the control room, looking at the MALP telemetry; it showed a beautiful day on an alien planet – what they called P8N-671. He looked at the gate room and saw Jack watching him, he gave a quick salute. "Don't worry Colonel; we'll leave the porch lights on when you get back."
O'Neill was last to come through the gate, and he was greeted by a large group possibly twenty to thirty people, all armed and pointing their weapons at his team, who were in turn pointing weapons at them. "Whoa, what's with the weapons?"
A woman entered the area, wearing the same dark green clothes as the ones pointing the weapons, and a single thought ran through his mind, uniform of some kind. "Stand down!"
The authority and confidence of her voice identified her as the leader here, so that was to whom Jack spoke "I am Colonel Jack O'Neill, commander of SG-1, who are you?"
She glanced at him. "I am Captain-Commander Sillae Valdarra, commander of the First Contingent." She turned back to the officers. "I said put down your weapons, they came through un-harmed so they are friendly!" The people reluctantly lowered their weapons and O'Neill signalled to his team to do the same.
Carter walked towards Valdarra. "What do you mean when you said 'they came through'?"
The commander looked at her, than to the rest of the team. "And you are...?"
Jack took that opportunity to introduce everyone. "This is Major Samantha Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson, and the tall silent one over there is Teal'c." He pointed to each of them as he said their names.
Of all the team members, Teal'c got the biggest reaction. "Jaffa!" All the weapons were raised again and SG-1 did the same, all except for Daniel, who walked forwards, in between the two groups, oh for crying out loud! That man does not change!
"Yes, he is a Jaffa, but he isn't a slave to the Goa'uld, he now works to help free the Jaffa from enslavement."
That seemed to settle them slightly, so Jack spoke up. "Look, I know all this standing around can be fun, but do you guys have a leader or something?"
The commander looked at him. "We will take you to meet our High Chancellor; he is in charge of Andronna."
Daniel looked interested. "And Andronna is...?"
The commander shifted her gaze shifted him "That is our First city; you are currently in the borders of Miranva, our Second city."
Jack smiled. "Off to see the Chancellor..." Daniel shot him a look and shook his head, and Carter smiled faintly at the common joke.
The city of Andronna was an architectural wonder, with designs from the medieval style on the outer walls and a later Renascence on the buildings within. Daniel looked around him as the team were led into the city, some parts were defiantly of one type, but others seemed so much of a combination that he couldn't define what was what He almost cricked his neck trying to look at one very tall building. He needed a million pairs of eyes, and even then he would miss things. The largest building was the most puzzling, it had what appeared to be a Latin look to it, but he couldn't be sure without consulting some experts – he was good at archaeology, not architecture; but that was what Aunt Kathy wanted. Kathy Jamieson was the sister of his foster father, but the woman had gone into architecture instead of what her brother had studied.
At the entrance, two people stood, dressed in similar clothes to the military, except these were blue where the military was green. Daniel observed this with the same interest he had shown the buildings. Colour code meaning sectioning of the people more than likely, will have to ask someone about it. The guards saluted as Sillae, the five other officers and their team approached, and opened the door for them to enter. Once inside, Daniel felt his jaw drop as looked around, the place was just completely unbelievable. The walls were made of a deep green coloured marble that reflected the light produced by the dozen stand lamps that were placed along a carpeted walk-way that led to a stairway – more green marble with a red carpet like the walkway. Sillae led them up the stairs and through a set of doors off to the right once they reached the top.
The first thing that he noticed when they all entered the room was the long table in the centre, made of what appeared to be oak, it stood with one end closest to the door, and ran almost to the other end where another set of doors stood, at the centre of one of the long sides, with his back towards the long window that was as long as the table was a man in his mid-thirties, with light brown hair and a prominent nose that held dark rimmed glasses in place. His attention was held by a pile of papers that were in front of him.
"Sir, these are people who have come through the Circle. They have requested to meet you." Sillae had walked forwards and stood in front of the man, on the opposite side of the table.
The man looked up at her. "Ah! Captain-Commander!" He swivelled his gaze to the team, jumped up from his chair and ran up to meet them. "Greetings! I am High Chancellor Valdor Jarral, pleased to meet you." He put himself in front of Daniel. "Welcome to the First City! And you are...?"
Daniel shook the outstretched hand. "Dr. Daniel Jackson, SG-1" He indicated the rest of the team, "Major Samantha Carter, Colonel Jack O'Neill, and that tall guy over there is Teal'c."
He shook the hand of each in turn, but Teal'c refused to shake his hand, and he seemed rather taken aback by that. He recovered and indicated the table, and the seats that were placed on the other side to where he was sat. "Please, come and sit."
As the team sat, people came in wearing clothes of a yellow colour, carrying large bottles of a clear liquid and cups made of what appeared to be china. The drinks were poured for the four of them, and then the people went. Valdor watched them with interest. Jack observed his drink with a mixture of concern and suspicion, Daniel picked up his cup and sniffed it, then took a swallow. "It's water, with a nice chill to it actually."
Valdor waved his hand to indicate all of them. "Drink, it will sooth you after your trip here."
Daniel chuckled at the memory of their trip here; it was rather intense, with temperatures that he hadn't known any planet could reach, and layers of dust on the road that would make Abydos look like a sandpit in a child's school playground. He looked down the table; sitting next to him was Jack who only took a couple of small sips before putting down his glass. Never admit that he was thirsty that man, and next to the Colonel was Sam, who drained her cup quickly. Hmmm, hope she wasn't too tired from the trip... and next in the line was Teal'c who didn't even touch his cup except to look inside it.
The Chancellor looked from one to another with a smile on his face. "So what brings you here?" He noticed that Sam had finished her drink. "Would you like more?"
Before she could respond, the same people who had brought the first drinks had returned to refill her cup, and Daniel's, for he had finished his drink. "We are explorers, and want to get to know you."
Valdor glanced at him and sighed. "I'm afraid that I am unable to help you myself." He indicated the sheets of paper on the table. "I have all this to go through, and it must be looked at today, but my Senior Chief Ambassador will be more than willing to help you."
At his words, a woman entered the room, dressed in completely white clothes, but with a black stripe about an inch thick running from her left shoulder to her waist on the right side. "I am Esala Mealta, head of the Ambassadorial Department. If you would kindly follow me please." She stepped to the side and indicated the door.
Daniel was the first to rise, followed by Sam, and Jack. Teal'c was he last to stand up, and the last to follow her out of the door, but instead of going back down the stairs, they went up a smaller set of stairs opposite the door, which led to a long corridor. Daniel increased his pace to catch up with her. "Ambassador may I-"
She held up a hand to stop him speaking. "Please, call me Esala."
He nodded once. "Very well then, Esala, uh, the colour of your clothes, does that signify different parts of your society?"
She smiled as they reached the end of the hall. "Yes, it does, I will be happy to answer all of your questions once you are settled in."
That got Jack's attention; he walked a little faster and was standing just behind her left shoulder. "Uh, settled in where?"
She looked over her shoulder at him as she stopped outside a door. "Settled into your rooms, of course, new visitors are always welcome to stay for the duration of their trip here." The door was pushed open, and she led them in.
It looked like nothing she had seen, but as she looked around, Sam became even more certain that things were looking up. 'And why shouldn't they?' The trip here had nearly wiped her out completely, but seeing the long table with its chairs and window, and the five doors – one for each wall in the hexagon of this room.
Esala turned to face them. "There are five rooms here, but this is our guest area, please, choose which one you would like, you may have one each or share if you so desire, you may ask anything of the servants – the ones in yellow, and they will do what they can, or ask them for me, and they will find me." She smiled at each of them. "A banquet will be held in your honour at sunset, someone from my department will take you to it. A good day to you all." With that she left and closed the door behind her.
Daniel turned to face them all. "Isn't this incredible? I mean, this is perfect! They obviously seem to be civilised, and may have great technology!"
The Colonel sat down in one of the chairs and ex-hailed deeply. "You may be right Daniel, but I'm not radioing the SGC until we know one way or another." He looked at her. "Agreed?"
She nodded once. "Aye Sir, agreed." She walked over to one of the doors, opened it and stuck her head in. he room walls were green marble – the same as all the walls on the inside of this building, with a double bed to one side and a wardrobe on the opposite wall, a archway led into what she presumed was a bathroom of sorts.
She felt a presence behind her and heard Daniel's voice. "How is it? Any good?"
She stepped to the side and pushed the door fully open. As he stepped in, she went to the one to its left, looking in, she saw the same with one exception. "This one has a standing mirror by the bed, cool."
Daniel moved to the next one in the opposite direction. "Hey! There's a chest next to the wardrobe in here!"
She noticed Jack looking at them with an odd expression on his face. Well, what's a girl to do when she is shown something nice?
He stood up and she turned to face him, as did Daniel. "Right, Teal'c, you stay here while the rest of us have a look around."
Teal'c inclined his head and sat on the floor; legs crossed beneath him and closed his eyes. Sam was the last out the door and she looked back and saw his breathing slow, hmm, Kel-no-rheem without candles, that's new.
It was in a dark section of the West Corridor that Sillae Valdarra found herself in when she asked to speak to Lord Captain Dolman Kadarra, leader of the Civil Defence in the city. "We must leave the last until they have gone, but it mustn't be too long, or all will be for nothing."
At those words, she heard footsteps behind her and heard the voice that chilled her to the bone. "Leave what till who have left?"
Jack rounded the corner and saw the woman standing next to a man who was in the same blue uniform as the guards at the entrance to the building, but with more rank on his collar. He smiled at the two of them. "Sorry to interrupt, but uh, myself, Carter and Daniel had the idea of having a look around-" he checked over his shoulder "-only I seem to have lost both them and my way, could you tell me either where I am and how to get back to my rooms or help me find them?"
He saw another woman glide up the hall to them, wearing similar clothes to the Ambassador; she bowed to the older woman. "Excuse me, Senior Chief Ambassador? But the Colonel's team are in the Grand Library and wish him to join them; shall I take him to meet them?"
He looked from the obviously lower ranked Ambassador to Esala. "Very well then Junior Ambassador, you may take him to them." She exhaled slowly as he regarded her; she saw his look and quickly looked away as he was led in the opposite direction. Okay, something's up, and I intend to find out what.
A small cloud of dust rose and settled as Daniel turned another page in the book. But he wasn't paying any attention to what he was looking, at; his mind just wouldn't focus on anything except what he had already discovered. What a horrible thing they do! Ah well, we can't really force our own morale values on these people, but still...
Next to him, Sam was sat at the same table, her head buried in her arms; she gave a jerk and woke with a start. "Oh my...how long have I been asleep?"
He looked at his watch; it was almost 6:00 in the evening. "About half an hour, from when you started to snore like a stuck pig."
She blushed heavily and looked shocked "'Snore like a–'" She must have seen a grin on his face for she punched him lightly on the arm. "Why you...half an hour? Really?"
The doors made a loud bang as they opened, both he and Sam looked at Jack as he entered, followed by one of Esala's Junior Ambassadors. "Hey Jack, what you been up to? We lost you about twenty minutes ago."
He stopped beside the table. "I have been looking for you two, actually. Carter, where you been?"
She yawned loudly. "I've been asleep, but Daniel has been here in the library since we lost you, and as I said I was sat here sleeping."
He nodded then looked at the receding back of the Ambassador then looked at Daniel. "Found anything good?"
He swallowed hard Great, now for the hard part, I know what he will want to do. "Well, uh, I have found something, but you may want Hammond to hear it too, so I was going to ask if I could borrow the book and explain it to all of you."
Jack nodded quickly. "They are up to something, grab the book we'll swing by, grab Teal'c and our equipment and head to the gate, ASAP."
He watched Jack turn and head out the door. No point arguing, he'll just threaten me or something. But he didn't expect Carter to make a protest. "Sir! We can't just steal the book!"
He looked at her with an expression on his face, an expression that said 'not now Carter.' "Yeah, we can and will. Daniel, let's move it!" He turned back to the door and walked towards it.
Daniel paused only a moment before running to catch up, the book hold under one arm. "Uh, what do we do if they see us?"
Jack gave him a look. "Heard of running?" With that he headed back towards their rooms.
Sam was just behind the colonel as they entered the room, Teal'c was sat on the floor right where they left him, and he opened his slowly as they entered. "O'Neill, what is the problem?"
Jack tilted his head to one side "uh, yeah, we must leave ASAP."
Teal'c inclined his head. "Very well, then."
Jack turned to her. "Carter, grab our gear."
She nodded quickly. "Yes sir. Daniel, give me a hand?" She moved into the first room, the one she had chosen for herself as he moved into the Colonel's. All of the gear was still in the back packs, so it was just a matter of grabbing them and moving out to the Gate.
It didn't take long, but soon they were all geared up, and heading through the building. As they neared the main stairway, they saw Esala. "Are you leaving us so soon?" Her smile seemed force to Sam, she knows we are leaving them, and she knows we have the book, but will she say something?
Jack spoke first. "Yeah, there's something we need to take care of on our planet. Sorry we can't stay longer, but we need to leave. We might be back soon, although no promises."
She inclined her head as one of her Ambassadors. "Ma'am, the High Chancellor has called a meeting of all the Leaders."
Esala looked rather disgruntled at something. "I wonder what's going on, there weren't any meetings set till next week. Ah well. I'm sure you four can find your way to the gate?"
The colonel smiled at her. "Yes, we can thank you very much."
She looked at each of them in turn. "You are all indeed welcome back here at any time." With that, she turned and walked off back the way they came.
He turned to face them. "Right, let's head back home."
Hammond walked into the Gate room as the team came down the metallic slope, when they reached the bottom, he faced the Colonel. "SG-1, you weren't due back for another 15 hours, why are you back so soon?" Jack looked at General Hammond as he walked to the bottom of the ramp.
"Well, Sir, I would like to know that myself."
The General gave him the patented 'Colonel, you are confusing me' look. "Meaning what Colonel?"
Jack tilted his head to look at Daniel. "Meaning, Sir, that Daniel wouldn't tell me, he insisted on waiting until we got back here, so he could tell you as well, Sir."
The General looked at Daniel then back at Jack. "Briefing room," he ordered.
Daniel was stood at one end of the Briefing Room table, with the rest of SG-1 and Hammond at the other. "General, what I have found seems to indicate that they are not an enlightened people as we thought."
Hammond blinked. "Enlightened?"
He pointed at the man with the pen he was holding. "Yeah, an enlightened race is one that doesn't approve of killing each other unless absolutely necessary. We, as in humans are not there yet. Now, the Mildronnans – that is the only name of their race that I could find from the Grand Library – have perfect health for their entire lifetime, now the reason for this-"
"Whoa, how do they die if they have perfect health?" Sam looked from Daniel to the rest of them in turn.
He tapped the book with the end of the pan he was holding. "Well, they die after 90 or 100 years, by these figures, there is no medical reason, they just die. Now, the reason for their long life and perfect health-" He flipped through the book looking for the right page. "Ah, here it is. Yes, they take each third child in a generation and put them in what's called the 'Medical Research Facility,' most people think that it is there for researching new medical techniques, but in fact it is for the purpose of 'harvesting' those people for both organs and fluids, so that the doctors can give it to the others to keep them alive and healthy."
Sam screwed her face up in disgust. "Oh God, that's horrible."
He nodded his head. "Yes it is, but according to this text here, it has been going on this way for hundreds if not thousands of years." He looked straight at Hammond. "General, please, we have to stop this, what they're doing is wrong."
He nodded. "By our standards, Dr. Jackson, but it sounds like these people have lived this way for a very long time, and who are we to just come along and say 'you can't do that'?"
Sam turned to look at him. "Sir, we can't just sit back and do nothing!"
Now it was Jack's turn to say something. "General, there 'is' a good reason for going back there."
Hammond gave one last look at Sam before giving Jack his full attention. "I'm listening, Colonel."
Jack looked at Teal'c. "Teal'c, did you find anything, I dunno, out of the ordinary when we went to that planet?"
Teal'c inclined his head. "Indeed I did, O'Neill, there did not seem to be a Goa'uld Master that they served."
Jack nodded very quickly. "Also they didn't seem to be wiped out, in the 'destroyed from space by ship way' either, did they?"
Teal'c in inclined his head again. "That is true, O'Neill, they did not."
Jack put his attention back to Hammond. "Sir, they have something that means the Goa'uld either left their world completely or they can defeat them, now either way we need to find out what it is."
Hammond nodded at that. "Agreed, Colonel, you leave in one hour, but under no circumstances are you to try to change what they are doing, is that understood?" By the time he finished he was looking from Daniel to Sam.
She looked down at the table and nodded. "Yes, Sir,"
He threw the book on the table and looked appalled. "General! We have to do 'something'!"
Hammond gave him a stern look. "Dr. Jackson, you are on very thin ice, now give me your word that you do nothing or you will not go back there with the rest of SG-1."
He was at a loss there, great, just great! If I try and do something I won't go, and if I go I can't do anything! "Fine, I won't do anything to interfere."
Hammond nodded. "Very well Dr. Jackson, remember: you leave in one hour. SG-1, dismissed"
Jack put his folder together and stood up, nodding to the General, he walked out. Sam was just behind the colonel, she slowed as she neared him. "Daniel, I know you want to do something, I do too, but sometimes you can't."
He sighed heavily. "Sam, I know, but I just have this instinct try and make people's worlds better."
She smiled. "I know you do, and that's what makes you great."
He smiled back. "I'm hungry, care for something to eat?"
She stepped to one side and indicated the door. "Sure, after you."
Sam was sat at one of the many tables in the refectory, in front of her was a warm cup of coffee that she hadn't touched, she was completely stunned, because opposite her, Daniel was just sitting down with his fifth helping of toast. And no wonder he's hungry, after what has happened. Although, if she was completely honest with herself, she couldn't remember the last time she had known the Doctor to have a full and decent meal, he had spent the past three weeks on base, and eating outside of normal times, and then it was only snacks to keep him going. "Uh, Daniel, when was the last time you had a proper meal?"
The linguist looked up from his food. "What, Sam?"
She sighed and shook her head. "I asked when the last time you had eaten a proper meal was."
His brow furrowed slightly, a sign of deep thought on him. "You know, I don't remember, it was about three weeks ago."
She tilted her head to one side. "Well, you should have a decent meal soon, trust me on that, or I could see what Janet has to say...?" She rose out of her chair slightly, with a friendly grin on her face.
He looked up sharply, shocked, and then saw the look on her face. "Oh Sam! You really are a joker!"
She laughed at that and then checked her watch. "Ooh, we'd better get ready if we don't want to be late." She stood up, turned to go, but looked back at Daniel, who was stuffing one more slice of toast into his mouth. "Come on you." She laughed softly to herself as she pulled him away.
Ten minutes later, they were all geared up and ready to go. A door to the gate room opened and in walked Carter and Daniel, Jack looked at them and then his watch. "You're late kids, that'll be a week's worth of detention."
Carter sniggered and shook her head, Daniel looked up from putting some Kleenex packets in pockets, and the look on his face was a mixture of shock and confusion. "What?"
Jack shook his head and turned to the Gate, just the last glyph was locked in place, and boiling plasma came rushing out then just as quickly collapsed back. Jack put on his cap, and looked at the rest of his team. "SG-1," he made a military hand gesture. "Move out."
He couldn't say that there was anything special about the trip, one moment he was in the Gate room, the next he was in an open area, with SG-1 beside him. But instead of looking around, he was focussed on the group of weapons that were trained on him and his team. "Don't move! Keep your hands away from your weapons." He recognised the voice, and sure enough, Sillae Valdarra stepped in front, pointing her own weapon. "Explain."
Jack put on his most innocent look. "Explain? What?"
On his left, he could faintly hear Daniel murmur "The book..."
He realised at that point what this was all about. "Look, we just wanted to learn about you and-"
She cut him off at that. "You removed a book from our Great Library, that alone is punishable by imprisonment, but to do so without asking is an even more heinous crime. Take them!" Before he could react, he was knocked to the floor from behind, and felt his hands being tied, and then hid feet.
"People will follow us! They will look for us! You will not get away with this!"
He was hauled to his feet to face her, she smiled thinly. "Do you think you are the first to come here and not leave? I guarantee that you will not leave here either." All he saw after that was blackness, and calm swept across him, with an underlying layer of fear. Was she right? Have others come and not gone back? No, Hammond will search for us, he will...
She had a sensation if lying on hard surface, but she didn't know where, why, or how. All she knew was that she was lying on what felt like rough stone or rock. Then she felt the pain, someone had hit her on the back of her head, hard. It felt like it had been a sledge hammer; her head was pounding, in time with her blood pumping through her. The darkness that filled her vision promised pain-free sleep, but she resisted, she brought herself out of whatever daze she was in. "Ugh, my head." She tried to rise, but felt a hand holding her down.
"Lye still, Major Carter."
The voice was familiar, but she couldn't think clearly enough to register who it was. Then she heard another voice. "Sam, are you okay?"
She shook her head, trying to clear her vision, and the room – if one could call it that – came into clearer focus. "Where are we?" She asked, her voice was still thick, but she waved the hand away. "Let me up, Teal'c."
He released the pressure and she stood, fully taking in her surroundings, rather bleak stone walls, on three sides of the "room." A large metal grate stood, forming the fourth wall, and as she looked at it, understanding washed over her. It's a prison, she thought as she stepped over to the grate and looked out. The walls in the hall were the same as in the cell, probably underground, she surmised. But the narrow hall, which went right ended in a small arch, the other side of which stood a flight of stone steps and on either side of the arch, two guards stood, heavily armed.
She turned to face the others, the colonel was walking along the wall, running his hand along it, Teal'c was stood where he was when she got up and Daniel was looking at her intently. "Yes, Daniel, what is it?"
He never got the opportunity to answer, for footsteps were heard from the steps. Daniel came eagerly up to the grate to see how it was, but the colonel stayed where he was, but looked ready for anything.
She was surprised to see High Chancellor Valdor Jarral coming down the steps to see them. "Welcome!" He spread his arms, and had a smile, one that was more suited to old friends.
Colonel O'Neill came up beside her. "Why are we here?"
That smile faltered just slightly. "You are here because you stole something very important to us, and now you will pay for what you have done."
Jack looked around and smiled. "Pay with what? US dollars? 'Cause we got plenty of them back home."
Valdor shook his head. "You will pay with your lives." He gave them a sickly smile and walked away, leaving his threat heavy in the air.
TPC…