Title: 9-11
Author: lildreamer
Rating: K+
Spoilers: none
Summary: During a trip to New York, Vala learns why September 11 is a very important day.
Disclaimer: Stargate: SG-1 and all its characters belong to the SYFY. I own nothing!
A/N: If any of the facts are inaccurate, please don't sue me. I'm not a New Yorker. I got my info from the encyclopedia, newspapers and the internet. Oh, by the way, there are some surprise guests in the story!
This is my tribute to 9-11, now read on…
"Do people actually use these things?"
Vala's eyebrows furrowed, flipping through the Sky Mall catalogue she'd found in the pocket of the seat in front of her.
"It's amazing," Mitchell responded from across the aisle. He was glancing through a copy of the catalogue, too. "I've been sitting here looking at all this crap, and I'm actually starting to think I need one of these."
The flight from Denver to New York thankfully left on time and early that Saturday morning. They'd declined an invitation to ride in the general's private jet, and instead booked a flight to the "Big Apple" on a regular airline. It was Sam's suggestion. She'd thought it might be good to do something the normal way for a change, no special treatment—especially this weekend.
After making their way through tons of airport security, which Vala didn't make easy, the team promptly boarded the plane. They squeezed into their business-class seats and twenty minutes later they were in the air.
With a look of utter boredom, Vala tossed the strange catalogue onto the floor.
"Are we there yet?" she asked, shifting in her seat and accidentally kicking the chair in front of her. Though the flight wasn't that long, she was not accustomed to sitting in one place for any lengthy period of time.
"If you mean annoying," Daniel replied from the seat in front of her. "Yeah, we're there."
The dark-haired woman stuck her tongue out at him despite the fact that Daniel couldn't actually see her. Then she turned her attention to Sam, who was sitting beside her, glued to her laptop.
"Sam?"
"Yeah?" the colonel responded, her eyes never leaving the computer screen.
"Where are we going again?"
"New York."
"What's New York?"
"It's only one of the biggest cities in the world," Mitchell answered, before Sam could. "Broadway shows, movie stars, and they have the best pizza…you'll like it there, trust me."
"It's too noisy for my taste," Daniel commented, from behind the book he was reading.
"I like it already," Vala remarked, mostly to spite Daniel. "But that's not why we're going there, is it?"
Her friends' faces suddenly turned serious, almost sad.
"No, it's not," Mitchell said. "We're going there to attend a special memorial ceremony for the victims of 9-11."
Vala looked puzzled. She didn't know what those numbers meant. "9-11?"
"September 11th," Mitchell clarified.
"September 11, 2001," Sam said, finally looking up from her laptop. "The day everything changed…"
She closed her eyes, recalling that fateful day ten years ago. She could still hear General Hammond's voice as he announced over the PA system at the SGC that something terrible had happened.
I have to make an announcement that we all need to respond to as intelligently and as calmly as possible since it will impact our lives today and probably for many years to come. We just received word a little while ago from Washington that an orchestrated string of airline hijackings has occurred. Those planes were used in a surprise attack on the World Trade Center in New York…
It was something none of them ever saw coming. They had been trained and prepared to defend earth against its otherworldly enemies. But no amount of training could have prepared them for what happened that day. They never thought an attack of that magnitude would come from their own people. Then again, the humans of earth were no strangers to war, each faction fighting for their share of the world. Unfortunately, it was a historical fact that sharing the world has never been humanity's defining attribute.
Sam stared out the window of the airplane, absently watching the clouds go by, her mind lost in the past. She remembered sitting in the SGC conference room with the rest of the team as they watched the horrifying news footage of the attack for the very first time, General Hammond providing them with details they wished they'd never heard.
It appears the attacks are continuing. The nation has gone on full alert. We don't know who's responsible for this or why, but what we do know is that at approximately 8am eastern standard time, an airline that departed from Boston en route to Los Angeles was hijacked shortly after take-off and diverted to New York. Where it was deliberately crashed into the North tower of the World Trade Center. Almost simultaneously a second airliner was hijacked, diverted to New York, and also was crashed, this time into the South tower of the World Trade Center. As of now, both towers have been destroyed. The loss of life is expected to be in the thousands.
It was like a nightmare. What the goa'uld couldn't do, a small band of rebels from the Middle East accomplished in one day.
There are reports of at least one other hijacking. This is an extremely grave situation for our country. But let me assure everyone here at Stargate Command—you're gonna be safe. And I also wanna say that I feel proud that every man and woman on this base is ready and trained to be part of any response our nation may decide to take against those who have perpetrated these attacks…
"So, what did you do?" Vala asked. She had listened with rapt attention as Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c told her what had happened that day. Mitchell hadn't been part of the Stargate Program back then, but he'd heard the same report and had seen the same heart-stopping news footage at the base where he'd been stationed.
"We did the only thing we could do," Sam said, shifting her gaze to Vala. "We went to help with the rescue efforts. We had to. It was the least we could do."
Teal'c gave a slight nod. "Indeed."
"So, there were survivors?"
"Yeah...just not as many as we had hoped for," Sam said, her eyes downcast.
"Oh." Vala suddenly felt bad for making her friends relive such horrible memories.
For the rest of the trip, Vala did not bring up the subject again. And before she knew it, they'd landed at JFK. Eager to see the big city, they all quickly found and retrieved what little belongings they'd brought with them then began making their way out of the terminal. General O'neill met them outside.
"Jack!" Daniel exclaimed, the first one to spot their former team leader. He was standing next to a gray SUV, a crooked smile on his face.
"Hey, guys!" O'neill greeted, as they walked up to him. "Long time no see."
Sam practically ran into his arms. Before they pulled apart, he placed a kiss on her cheek.
Mitchell gave the general a quick salute then shook his hand. Daniel shook his hand, too. Teal'c gave him a respectful bow of his head. And Vala…well, she greeted him as only she could. With sarcasm and innuendo.
Once all greetings were exchanged O'neill ushered them into the SUV, and they took off for the hotel. After checking in, they decided to have some fun and check out some of the sights and sounds of New York. They took in a Broadway show called Warhorse, which they all thoroughly enjoyed. Then they went for a bite to eat at Lombardi's, the best pizza place in town.
They returned to the hotel after their meal where they parted ways with General O'neill. He bid them adieu as the group of six stood in the hallway between the room the girls shared and the suite the boys were sharing.
"I have to get some work done back at the office, but I'll be back tomorrow," Jack said, smiling. "In the meantime: Carter, keep an eye on these clowns for me and make sure they don't get into any trouble."
Sam stood at attention and gave him a mock-salute, grinning. "Yes, sir."
The general shook his head in good humor. "Good luck, Carter. See you later, kids. Have fun." And with that, he strode down the hallway, disappearing into an elevator.
A couple of hours later, they all settled in for the night. But instead of going right to bed, Sam and Vala stayed up a bit, sharing stories and a late night snack of chips and soda. When Vala decided to turn on the television, the mood changed. The first channel she flipped to was airing a special about 9-11. She sat on her bed, cross-legged, her eyes fixed on the screen as the presentation began…
September 11, 2001—the day no American will ever forget. The day that everything changed. The day 19 terrorists, working in teams of 4 or 5, hijacked four commercial jetliners and turned them toward targets chosen for destruction. Two of those planes, loaded with fuel and passengers, were flown at full speed into the twin towers of the World Trade Center in the financial district of New York City. The buildings burst into flame and then collapsed, killing thousands.
As the host narrated, numerous photographs and video clips of the attack flashed onto the screen. Vala's eyes widened as she watched video footage of the north tower bursting into flame. She jumped as the second plane impacted the south tower. It was like a scene out of an action movie. It was surreal, and yet very real. She stared, open-mouthed, at the still shots of the chaos that ensued. Firemen surrounded the area, hoses spraying constant streams of water in a futile attempt to smother the flames. There were ambulances everywhere, the EMTs helping the injured. And she watched, transfixed, as they showed footage of the towers finally collapsing.
A third terrorist crew smashed their plane into the Pentagon, headquarters of the U.S. military in Arlington, Virginia. The hijackers of the fourth airliner apparently intended to hit another target in the Washington, D.C., area, but passengers on that plane realized what was happening and fought back. That airplane, United Airlines Flight 93, crashed in a field in rural Pennsylvania…
"My god…" Vala muttered, as they showed photographs of the horrible aftermath. There was nothing left of the towers but a pile of rubble. "They're just…gone."
"But not forgotten," Sam said, thoughtfully.
"What?" Vala tore her eyes away from the TV screen and found her roommate standing by the window, her gaze fixed on something in the distance.
"Come here," Sam said, waving her over. "Take a look for yourself."
Vala gave her a puzzled look, but climbed off the bed and went to join her anyway.
"Look," Sam said, pointing to something south of their hotel. Because their room was on an upper floor they had a great view of the New York skyline. "Right there…"
At first, Vala wasn't sure what Sam was pointing at. Then she saw it. Two powerful beams of light pointed straight up, shining brightly in the night. Originating from the exact location where the towers had been.
The sight took Vala's breath away. "That's really quite impressive."
"It's a memorial," Sam explained. "They lit them every night for a month after it happened. Now, they just do it on the anniversary and for other special occasions."
"Is that where we're going tomorrow?"
Sam nodded.
Vala smiled warmly. "Well then, I look forward to it."
"Me, too."
"Sam! Sam, wake up!"
It took several nudges before Sam realized it was Vala who was nudging her. She began to wake up, but very slowly. She hadn't had a good night's sleep in days, mostly because of her job, and now she was paying for it. Her body felt like lead, and she could hardly open her eyes.
"C'mon, Sam, get up," Vala urged, plopping down on Sam's bed. "I wanna see more New York."
Sam opened her eyes. Sunshine seeped in through the cracks in the window shade. She winced, turning away from the sliver of light that traced a line over her face. She was beginning to regret choosing the bed closest to the window. She raised her head and looked around the hotel room which today seemed unnecessarily large and staggeringly bright at eight o'clock.
Vala was standing at the sink now, digging through her toiletries bag. She appeared to have already taken a shower and was getting ready to fix her hair.
"C'mon…up, up, up," she said, even as she sprayed a dollop of mousse into her hand. "So much to do, so little time."
Sam grunted as she pulled her feet out of bed and sat on its edge, stretching and yawning.
"You look like crap," Val remarked, looking up into the mirror at her roommate's reflection behind her. She smiled. "Just kidding. You look fine…for someone who's just woken up."
She received a groan in reply.
With some effort, Sam rose to her feet and went over to the closet. Once she found her toiletries bag, she disappeared into the bathroom.
An hour later, they met up with the boys and headed down together to the hotel restaurant for breakfast. Daniel grabbed a newspaper at the entrance while Mitchell claimed a vacant table near the windows. The table also had a perfect view of the widescreen TV mounted on the wall. It was tuned to Good Morning America. Once they were all seated, a passing waiter handed them some menus and took their drink orders.
A waitress wearing a yellow dress and white apron approached them soon after, carrying a tray of various drinks: three mugs of coffee, one glass of orange juice, and one glass of milk. The outfit was meant to convey a country motif, but looked a little more candy striper on her form. She was about Sam's height but much slimmer. Her brown skin was just a few shades lighter than Teal'c's. Her long, dark hair was pulled up into a ponytail, a couple of loose strands framing her face. A pretty, twenty-something Latina. Her nametag introduced her as Sofia.
"Good morning," she greeted cheerfully, handing them their drinks. They all noticed a slight New York accent. She reached into a pocket in her apron and pulled out a pad of paper and a pen. "What can I get you guys today?"
They took turns giving the woman their orders. Mitchell went last because he'd been distracted. He seemed interested only in the pretty waitress. He eyed the woman with a raised brow and crooked grin while the others spoke to her.
Once Sofia was finished with Sam, she finally turned her attention to the other colonel. "And for you?"
Mitchell quickly gave the waitress his order, then turned on the charm. "What's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?"
"Really?" Vala remarked. "That's the best line you've got?"
Daniel rolled his eyes. The man really needed to work on his pick-up lines.
"Who said I was nice?" Sofia shot back, a mischievous grin on her face.
Sam suppressed a laugh. Feisty girl.
Mitchell continued to smile, undeterred. "Well, I think you're nice." He looked her over, undressing her with his eyes. "Very nice."
Vala wondered how many women had slapped Mitchell over the years.
"I'll have your food right out," Sofia said, not the least bit ruffled. She strode away wearing an amused grin.
Their food arrived promptly as promised. And they took no time emptying their plates, all very hungry. Once they finished their meals, they paid the bill, splitting it five ways, and left for a day in the city before the big event that night.
"So, what is everyone planning to do today?" Vala asked, as they walked through the hotel lobby toward the front entrance.
"Teal'c and I were planning to check out the US Open," Mitchell answered.
Sam gave him a look. "Huh…didn't peg you as the tennis type."
Mitchell just grinned. "There's a lot of a stuff you don't know about me."
Vala arched an eyebrow. "Such as…"
"You know what—why don't we talk about that some other time. What are you girls doing today?"
"I don't know…maybe a little sightseeing, a little shopping," Vala replied. Sam looked like she wanted to shoot herself. "Oo, maybe we could check out that Statue of Liberty I keep hearing about."
"Did you know there are actually three of them?" Daniel said, suddenly speaking up. This was a subject he was familiar with.
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. Èdouard Laboulaye, the Frenchman who came up with the idea for the statue, had three of them made. One is here in New York, one is in the Luxembourg Garden, and the other is in Paris."
"That's…uh…really interesting," Vala commented, in a way that said it really wasn't.
"So what are you planning to do, Danny-boy?" Mitchell asked Daniel, as they walked outside. "Wait, let me guess…the Natural History Museum?"
"Oo, close," Daniel chuckled. "But no. I'm actually going to go visit an old friend at NYU."
Vala yawned. "Borriiing."
"Not to me."
"Whatever."
Once they were out on the curb, each group hailed a taxi, and soon they were all out on their individual New York adventures.
Late in the afternoon, they all returned to the hotel and got ready for the 9-11 Memorial event which was set to take place that night. Sam and Mitchell wore their dress uniforms, Daniel and Teal'c wore tuxes, and Vala…
"Where's Vala?" Mitchell asked as the four of them walked out of the elevator and into the hotel lobby.
"Don't worry," Sam answered, cryptically. "She'll be here."
It didn't take them long to spot General O'neill waiting for them near the front doors, a strange smile on his face.
"Hey, guys," he greeted. "I got a little surprise for you. Guess who decided to join us tonight?"
As he said that, he gestured for someone to come over from the lounge area. Four people stood from their seats and made their way over to them.
"Col. Sheppard!" Sam exclaimed, immediately recognizing the man in the lead. He was followed closely by his teammates: Rodney McKay, Teyla, and Ronon.
SG-1 quickly went over to greet the 'Lantean team, surprised but very glad that they were able to join them that night.
Sheppard looked handsome in his own dress uniform, his hair combed but still a little messy. Teyla was wearing a lilac-colored dress that hugged every curve of her body perfectly. The dress stopped at her knees showing of her well-toned legs. Her dark hair was tied up into a ponytail with a few loose strands framing her face. Both McKay and Ronon were wearing tuxes, though the big Satedan looked very uncomfortable in his.
"Where's Vala?" O'neill asked, noticing for the first time that the most talkative member of SG-1 was nowhere in sight.
"Oh, I'm sure she'll pop up sooner or later," Sam said, smiling.
Just as she said that, Sheppard happened to glance toward the elevators, and that's when he saw her. "Wow…
"Huh?" Mitchell followed his gaze and did a double take when he saw her. "Whoa…"
"What are you guys staring at?" Daniel asked, as he and everyone else turned around to see what had caught the two colonels' attention. He adjusted his glasses, not believing his eyes. "Oh..."
Everyone's eyes grew wide with amazement, their jaws dropping.
It was Vala, but she didn't look like herself at all. She looked stunning in a flowing, dark red gown that accentuated her slender figure perfectly. Her signature pigtails were gone and instead, her long, dark hair was tied up into an elegant knot.
She glancedaround nervously searching for her friends. A smile formed on her face when she spotted all her teammates staring at her. She quickly made her way over to them, turning more heads and receiving wolf whistles from the hotel lobby's other occupants as she did.
"Hey, sorry I'm late," Vala greeted. She smiled brightly when she realized the Atlantis team was there, too. "Did I miss anything?"
"Not really," Sam chuckled, giving her a welcoming hug.
"You look...wow…" Daniel complimented, at a loss for words.
"Thanks," Vala responded, smiling shyly.
"Yeah, you look pretty girl—er—good…" McKay's face turned a bright shade of red as he caught his own slip. "Pretty good—you look good."
Everyone laughed as Rodney did his best to melt his six-foot frame into the floor.
One hour later they arrived at the 9-11 Memorial in lower Manhattan. The moment they left their SUVs they encountered one security check after another. General O'neill told them that additional security had been added all around town that week because of a possible bomb threat to take place that very day. So far though, nothing had happened. And thankfully, the two teams got through all the security without a hitch.
"Folks, welcome to Ground Zero," the general said, as they joined the crowd of people meandering through the memorial.
While the others scattered around to mingle with people, Vala just stood there for a moment, taking in her surroundings. Seeing the place on TV was one thing, but actually being there was something else. Standing on the same ground where those magnificent towers once stood, where all those people died, evoked feelings of sadness, anger, and even awe. She glanced up at the powerful twin beams of light that cut through the night sky, the "Tribute in Light" she'd learned it was called. It was like seeing the ghosts of the towers. Though they were physically gone, their spirits seemed to live on.
"Hey, Vala!" came Sam's voice from behind her, pulling her from her thoughts "Come here. There's something I'd like you to see."
"Okay." Vala turned and gave her friend a warm smile before following her down to where the rest of the group had gone. They all stood before a massive wall, seemingly studying it and what was written on it.
"What is this?" she asked. She took a closer look and realized what her friends were really looking at. Names. Thousands of them.
"They built this wall to honor all the victims of 9-11," Mitchell answered, tenderly running his fingers over one of the names.
Vala frowned, her eyes travelling the length of the wall. "All these innocent people…died that day?"
Sam nodded, sadly. "Over 3,000 of them."
"My god…"
"Guys, it's almost time for the President's speech," the general suddenly announced, glancing down at his watch. "We better get a move on."
They all took one last glance at the wall before following the general to the main event area.
As they passed through another security check point, Daniel suddenly realized something. "Wait a minute...did you say President?"
O'neill nodded. "Uh, yeah."
"Which President? The President? He's here?"
Jack grinned. "You betcha."
Sam gave him a look, even as she smoothed down her uniform. "Why didn't you tell us this before?"
"Oops."
She narrowed her eyes at him, but said nothing. This was neither the time nor the place.
When they finally reached the area cordoned off from the rest of the memorial, they found that there were already dozens of people there making their way inside the make-shift meeting place. And there were more arriving. A line had formed just outside it where guests passed through a metal detector and a bag check. Falling in line behind a very talkative old man, O'neill spotted General Landry just a few people ahead.
When they all finally got inside, they were impressed by the setup and all the patriotic decor. Folding chairs filled most of the area, arranged in neat rows with an aisle down the middle that led to a stage complete with a podium bearing the President's seal. There was a spattering of red, white, and blue everywhere. Candles flickered softly from all over the stage, giving the area a warm glow.
An usher of sorts stood by handing out candles for the guests to hold. As soon as Sam got hers, she "accidentally" spilled a few drops of wax on O'neill's uniform.
"Hey, what the—?"
Sam grinned, not the least bit apologetic. "Oops."
Jack shook his head in good humor. He knew what she was doing. She was getting him back for not telling them about the President.
As they each found a place to sit, they exchanged greetings with General Landry who had his own surprise guest: Richard Woolsey. They were chatting about this-and-that, exchanging stories, when a man suddenly appeared on the stage, drawing their attention. He walked up to the microphone and made the announcement everyone had been waiting for.
"We now give you the President of the United States!"
The audience erupted with cheers and applause as the man stepped off the stage and was immediately replaced by the President himself, who'd walked out from somewhere behind the stage. He stepped up to the podium and waved, smiling.
Once the audience quieted, he began to speak. "My fellow Americans, today is a very important day in our history. Today marks the tenth anniversary of the September 11 attacks, a day of infamy that changed the face of this nation. To many, the terrorist attacks here in New York City, Washington, D.C. and on United Flight 93 are still fresh in mind, and with them, the unforgettable images of horror and heartbreak. On that day we saw the worst of humanity, but we also saw the best…"
At the end of his speech, the President ended with a phrase that had been coined after 9-11: "We will always remember."
He was rewarded with thunderous applause. A standing ovation.
Vala remained in her seat though, thoughtful. She'd loved her time in New York, spending quality time with her friends. But nothing had been more poignant than this visit to the 9-11 Memorial. She saw earth and its people differently now. With a newfound understanding. Maybe even respect.
She gazed up at the twin spotlights again, smiling. "I will always remember. I'll never forget."
Sam looked at her, surprised and proud of the woman's show of reverence. She was alien to this world. She didn't have to care. But she did.
"All right," Sam remarked. "Who are you and what have you done with Vala?"
"Oh, shut up."
So, what did you think? Hope you liked it! Always remember…