DISCLAIMER: Stargate and Buffy the Vampire Slayer are not mine. They are the property of people far more creative than I am.
SUMMARY: A long(?) lost(?) relative(?) fic. An inexplicable fluctuation in the Stargate may lead to surprising revelations for the members of SG-1.
SPOILERS: BtVS, Seasons 1-5; Stargate SG-1, Seasons 1-3
SETTING: For BtVS, everything in seasons 1-4 is the same, but this fic goes AU at the beginning of Season 5. Exactly how will become obvious. For Stargate, this fic occurs somewhere in late Season 2 or the beginning of Season 3.
AUTHOR NOTES: Inspired by DragonKatGal's "Long Lost" series.
This is hopefully a somewhat original take on the long lost relative cliché.
Memory's Child
By: Dragonsey
Long, long ago, the Old Ones ruled the Earth
Who they were, what they were, we no longer know
But before they left the mortal plane forever,
They closed the portals between the worlds,
Sealing them for all time.
Yet every lock has a key,
and what was once closed can be reopened.
This is the secret our Order must preserve,
None must discover this, the Key of the Old Ones.
For if the portals between worlds are again opened,
That which lies beyond shall find an open path to our world.
And all humanity shall suffer.
The Revelations of Dagon
P3X-393
"Gee Danny, you sure know all the greatest vacation spots."
Captain Samantha Carter and Doctor Daniel Jackson traded exasperated expressions. P3X-393 was not really a bad world, but it tended to remain blanketed in a light fog that lent a gloomy atmosphere to the surroundings. Obviously their commanding officer found it as dreary as the initial recon team had claimed.
Not that Sam or Daniel noticed the weather. They were here to evaluate some interesting ruins that had been sighted. The initial reports indicated that they were substantially different than any the SGC had yet discovered. More thorough research would, of course, be done by a complete evaluation team later, but those teams already had a list of sites a mile long to study. SG-1 was here to do a quick check to judge just how high on that list these ruins needed to be placed. They were specifically interested in anything that could help in their fight against the Goa'uld.
For Sam, this was one of the most exciting parts of her job. Being the first to investigate a site, especially one that might possess interesting bits of alien technology, was what she loved to do. Daniel's excitement was possibly even greater than her own, for even if no new tech was discovered, the differences already observed in this site promised insight into a culture no one on Earth had dreamed existed. The fact that such discoveries were by now almost routine did nothing to diminish his enthusiasm.
But for their commander, Colonel Jack O'Neill, this trip promised nothing but boredom. He was a man of action, and this trip was shaping up to be action-free. The recon team had reported that not only were there no Jaffa or Goa'uld present, but that there weren't even any large predators to worry about. Colonel O'Neill had been grumbling about the trip almost since it began.
As for the fourth member of their team, Sam really wasn't sure what he thought of the trip. Even after all they had been through, Teal'c was still something of a mystery to Sam. The unflappable Jaffa warrior had greeted this mission with the same seriousness he treated any other. Even now he was impassively standing guard, trading shifts with Colonel O'Neill to maintain a careful watch on the surrounding landscape.
Sam returned to her inspection of the ruin before her. There really wasn't much to see, just a series of stone buildings carved into the sheer face of a small mountain. Thick vines covered the exterior, preventing a detailed examination of its architecture.
"Sam! Come see this!" Daniel called excitedly. He had pulled aside a cluster of vines, exposing part of a series of drawings on the right side of the main entranceway.
Sam hurried over, while Daniel tried to pull away more vines.
"These are much different than the usual hieroglyphics we encounter! I wonder if this was a completely different… Uh oh." The vine he had been pulling on had come loose, but with it had come a shower of rock and debris. Worse, the shower of falling rock was growing and an ominous rumble was rapidly gaining volume.
"RUN!"
The rockslide had turned into a full scale avalanche, and SG-1 had faced a hard scramble to get out of its way. They had managed to avoid most of it, but they were all bruised and battered. Daniel was limping after one good-sized rock had slammed into his shin, and Teal'c had a wicked gash on is arm, courtesy of more flying debris.
To make matters worse, from Sam's perspective at least, the ruins had been mostly buried. A lot of digging (and quite possibly some heavy earth moving equipment) would be needed before they could be reexamined.
"Don't look so down, Carter." Colonel O'Neill said as they were making their way back to the Stargate. "It was better that we were the ones to trigger that slide. If it had been a normal scientific team, who knows how many would have been buried."
"Yes sir." Sam said, knowing that he spoke the truth. When they had gone back to survey the slide, they had discovered evidence that the entire hillside had been rigged as a deadfall ages ago. The timbers holding the rock back had rotted with age, and all it took was the slightest effort to trigger the slide. Whether the builders had constructed it as a booby trap or as some type of defensive measure was still a question. At least SG-1 had the hair-trigger reflexes to react instantaneously. Sam knew a number of scientists who never would have made it out in time.
"Besides, we've got other things to worry about." O'Neill said.
"Other things, sir?"
"You know they're going to have a field day with this back at the base, right?"
Sam just grinned and shook her head at her commander's grumbled complaint. After all, there wasn't much she could say. SG-1 had a reputation of getting into scrapes, and this trip would just add to that belief.
It was bad enough that their combat missions made them such frequent guests of the infirmary. The fact that a completely peaceful mission was going to result in yet another patching-up was bound to draw sharp comments from General Hammond and a healthy share of good-natured ribbing from the other teams.
As they arrived at the Stargate, Colonel O'Neill helped Daniel over to the DHD and started dialing in Earth's coordinates. Sam glanced back to where Teal'c was keeping a watch on their rear and frowned as she noticed a spreading red stain seeping through the bandage on his arm.
"Teal'c, why didn't you say something?" she asked, moving over to examine the wound.
Teal'c merely shrugged.
"It is a minor wound, Captain Carter. Since I believe Doctor Fraiser will insist on inspecting and re-bandaging it immediately, there was no need to delay our return."
Sam eyed the increasingly soaked bandage skeptically, but the familiar 'whoosh' signaling the Stargate's activation cut off her reply.
"Carter, Teal'c, get a move on! We don't have all day!" Colonel O'Neill called as he helped Daniel through the gate.
"Coming, sir!" Sam called. She still thought Teal'c should have said something earlier, but he was right about one thing. Janet Fraiser was the head of the SGC's medical unit, and she took her job seriously. She would definitely see to it that Teal'c's arm got all the medical attention that it needed. Given his stubbornness, arguing with Teal'c about it now would just be an unnecessary delay. Discussions of when not to be the stoic warrior could wait until they were back at base.
As Colonel O'Neill and Daniel vanished through the gate, Sam followed, keeping a close eye on Teal'c as he brought up the rear. Now that she knew to look for it, she could tell that while the wound was almost certainly more serious than he had let on, it wasn't critical. Indeed, it had yet to even slow him down. Satisfied that he wasn't in any immediate danger, she turned and stepped through the gate with Teal'c following close behind.
Somewhere in Eastern Europe
With a firm and steady hand, the elderly monk finished the circle. With equal care he set the sanctified candles in their required positions. Only eight candles. They would need more if enough of the Order could make it here, and a few of his brethren had gone off for additional supplies. Two candles each, twelve monks for a full circle. From the distant cries echoing throughout the monastery's ancient halls, he doubted that many would make it this far.
Maintaining his calm, he turned to the last, and most vital, of the preparations. A vial of blood, the acquisition of which had cost the Order dearly. Yet, it was worth all they had paid and more. With it there was one last hope. Possibly the world's last hope.
Kneeling down at the head of the circle, he slowly poured the blood into its center.
There, all was ready.
And just in time. He looked up to see two (only two!) young monks rushing in the chamber and immediately barring the doors. That act spoke more than words about the fate of the others.
Motioning them over to the circle, he prepared to begin the spell. The two younger monks put aside the now-unneeded extra candles they bore and quickly knelt in two of the places already set. Together they began the necessary chants.
The eldest monk maintained his calm demeanor, suppressing his inner anxiety. He had no doubt that the three of them could manage the triggering spell, but the full ritual required far more power than even the entire membership of the Order could summon. To obtain such power they would need to tap that which they had kept hidden so long. The controversy over such a proposal had delayed its implementation, delayed it perhaps too long. Maintaining control over such power would be no easy task, even with a full circle of twelve it would have been no sure thing. Now he was forced to make the attempt with just three.
They had barely begun when the first blows came crashing on the chamber doors. One of the younger monks glanced back fearfully. The massive log barring the doors was a full foot in diameter, but it wouldn't hold the Beast back for long.
"Concentrate!" the elderly monk admonished. "Concentrate!"
Turning his attention back to the ritual, he could now feel his brothers join him. Their dedication allowed him to gather the power he needed quickly. As their power reached a peak, he poured it into the circle and cast the triggering spell.
The candles flared and went out, consumed in the power of the ritual. For one timeless instant the three monks glimpsed a glowing network of incalculable power. Their minds seethed as they grasped the smallest tendril of that power, feeding it into the ritual. An instant later there was a flash of green, and it was gone, leaving the three monks blinking in the sudden darkness.
Then came a mighty crash, as the massive oaken doors shattered, sending a storm of splinters into the room.
Stargate Command
Colonel Jack O'Neill was caught by surprise by the frantic activity greeting him as he and Daniel arrived through the Stargate. Technicians were scrambling around the gate room and an armed security force was even now rushing in the door.
"Colonel! Dr. Jackson! Get away from the gate!"
Jack had been a soldier all his life and knew a crisis when he saw one. Wasting no time, he immediately grabbed Daniel and half-carried him off the ramp to the far side of the chamber. He looked back for the rest of his team and gaped at the sight before him.
The Stargate was glowing brightly, but not in any manner that he had ever seen before. The metallic rings that made up the gate itself were shining a blinding silver, the chevrons almost lost in the glare. Rather than the normal bluish event horizon, the center of the gate shone a deep emerald green. A green that grew more intense with every passing second. The green seemed to pulse briefly, and Sam stepped out of the gate.
"Carter!" Jack yelled. "Get over here!"
Sam's paused only an instant before hurrying over to where he and Daniel stood.
"Teal'c?" Jack asked, his tone sharp with worry.
"Just behind me sir. He should come through any second now." Sam replied, her attention riveted on the activity around the gate. "What's going on?"
"Don't know. It had already started when we arrived. Whatever it is, General Hammond isn't taking any chances." Now Jack's tone took on an edge of worry. He knew that the General's first instinct would have been to close the iris and seal the Stargate. The fact that SG-1 was inbound was probably the only reason it was still open. Jack could only pray that Teal'c made it though safely before any need to close the iris manifested. General Hammond would wait as long as he could, but faced with the choice between the life of one person or the safety of the SGC, Jack knew what the decision would be.
Seconds ticked by and still no Teal'c. The green glow of the gate was now so bright it was painful to look upon.
"What's taking so long?" Jack wondered, automatically pulling out and donning his sunglasses. This was the first time he had ever needed them inside of the SGC.
The words were barely out of his mouth when the Stargate pulsed blindingly. As most of those present were blinking the spots out of their eyes, Jack was already rushing forward. The Stargate was now suddenly quiescent, its wormhole vanishing even as the blinding glow faded to nothing, but Jack had seen what most of the other had missed. At the height of the pulse a familiar shape had appeared through the gate and slumped down onto the ramp.
Jack ran up to where Teal'c lay on the just feet from the Stargate's edge and quickly reached down to check on his friend. Much to Jack's relief, Teal'c breathing and heart rate were steady. On the other hand, the wound on his arm was bleeding again, leaving a trail of crimson stains that led back to the Stargate.
"Close the iris! Medical team to the gate room!" General Hammond's voice boomed over the speakers. Jack could hear the undercurrent of worry in the General's voice. Something strange had just occurred, and General Hammond wouldn't rest easy until he had answers on just what had occurred and how it would affect Stargate Command.
Jack doodled on his notepad and tried to pay attention. They had been at this for hours. The briefing room was filled as the staff of SGC tried to understand the day's events.
The gate technicians had gone first, reporting that all indications were back to normal. As best as they could tell, the Stargate systems had suffered only minor damage from the event. It had only taken them a couple of hours to repair, and none of the more critical equipment had been damaged.
Next, Jack had been called on to give a brief summary of SG-1's mission to P3X-393. He had recounted the trip, but could only note that the Stargate on P3X-393 had appeared normal when he stepped into it. The rest of his team had said the same.
Doctor Fraiser was called on to brief the results of her examination of Teal'c. She reported that he seemed to have no adverse effects from the event, although she was unable to account for his loss of consciousness. Her best guess was that it was due to the stress of being caught mid-transit by the event, combined with the loss of blood from his wound (which had faired even worse during the prolonged transit). Jack winced for his friend as Janet made a few pointed comments about certain people not stopping to properly treat reopened wounds. Jack flashed his friend a sympathetic grin. Teal'c would be hearing about this for a long time to come.
The interesting part started with the reports from off planet. SG-8 had been out at the time and had immediately sent back word that the Stargate on their world had spontaneously opened a glowing green wormhole without apparent dialing. They had gone on high alert, but the effect had soon vanished without anyone (or anything) coming through. Further investigation revealed that every friendly contact they could reach reported the same effect on their Stargates. There was a great deal of worry and speculation, but nobody knew what had caused the Stargates to act that way.
Jack tuned back in to the discussion as Carter started her report. She had been going over the Stargate's monitors almost nonstop since they had returned.
"Sir. The readings off the monitors are incredible!"
General Hammond managed a look of polite interest that Jack could only envy. The old man sure knew how to deal with scientists.
"Please, Captain. If you could give us the basics?"
"Yes, sir. As you may know, the mineral that the Stargates are constructed from.-"
"Naquada." Put in Daniel.
"-naquada, is an extremely energy-rich substance. In fact, it has so much energy available that the Gates usually tap only a fraction of it to create the wormhole between worlds."
"Now, here is a chart showing the normal energy output of the Stargate. Next, the estimated energy output from today's event."
Sam paused a moment as the others just gaped at the charts. It was presented so simply that even Colonel O'Neill could immediately grasp its portent.
"As you can see, today's spike in energy was literally off the charts."
"How is that possible?" General Hammond inquired. "I may not have your expertise on Stargate technology, but from the reports I've read, the Stargate shouldn't be able to produce such a spike."
"You are correct, sir. Our Stargate alone couldn't produce such a spike in power."
"Our Stargate alone?" Colonel O'Neill repeated, having caught the significance of the phrase.
"Yes, sir. In fact, from the readings I've been able to evaluate so far, I estimate that whatever it was that occurred, it may have tapped into the potential energy of every gate in the entire system. The light show we had was just leftover sparks from a tremendous transmission of power."
"But who has the ability to tap into every gate?"
"Not the Goa'uld." O'Neill said flatly. "If they had that kind of technology, they would have used it long before now."
"Colonel O'Neill is correct." Teal'c stated. "Such a technology is far beyond any I have ever seen among the Goa'uld."
"I suppose it could be something experimental." Daniel mused.
"If so," General Hammond concluded "we need to be ready. Let's investigate this thoroughly people. I want to know what happened and how it will impact Earth's security. Report to me as soon as anything turns up. Dismissed."
Walking back towards Daniel's lab. Jack looked around at the grave expression on his teammates' faces. Carter and Daniel were frowning intently at some incomprehensible charts, quietly trading technobabble. Even Teal'c, whose expression was usually unreadable, was frowning with a slightly distracted look, as if trying to pin down something he had forgotten. Sheesh, it was like a mausoleum in here!
"Come'on guys, lighten up! After all, it's not like that little light show caused any lasting effects."
Sunnydale, California
"Buffy? Can I go out on patrol with you tonight?"
Buffy looked over at where her little sister was sitting on her bed, watching as Buffy got ready for her nightly patrol. Their mother was off on an overnight business trip to LA, leaving the two girls on their own. Much to Buffy's surprise, Dawn had been on her best behavior the entire evening, so sweet and reasonable that Buffy had started wondering if she were possessed or something. Now it made sense.
"No, Dawn. You know you're too young for that."
"Pleeeese? I'll be good!" Dawn pleaded, looking at her with an innocent, big-eyed expression that Buffy knew was calculated to break down her resistance and cause her to give in.
Buffy started to repeat her refusal, but a sudden thought caused her to hesitate. Her instinctive reaction was still to say 'No'. Something deep within her violently objected to exposing her little sister to danger. And yet… that might not be the wisest course. Buffy unconsciously kneaded the nearly-faded scars from her most recent close call. The fight against Dracula had been a close thing, and it was a chilling reminder that even being home indoors was not sure protection against the dangers of the night. And the latest incident with Harmony just drilled home the need to make Dawn more aware of the possible dangers out there, and how to avoid them. Buffy knew that, should she ever fall, a number of Sunnydale's more unpleasant residents would enjoy extracting a little 'payback' from the family of the Slayer. Dawn really did need more lessons in Sunnydale self-defense.
Maybe her friends were right. Yesterday at lunch, Willow and Tara had mentioned something about Dawn feeling left out, and suggested trying to include her more. Riley had recently mentioned something along those lines as well. At the time, Buffy hadn't quite bought into their ideas, but now she reconsidered. Taking Dawn out occasionally when vamp activity was low might be a good way of teaching her the survival skills a Slayer's sister needed to know.
Well… a Slayer's half-sister. Dawn's eyes were a mirror of Buffy's own, but her milk chocolate complexion was only a shade lighter than her long brown hair. An unintended result of one of the more estranged periods in Joyce and Hank Summers' turbulent marriage, Dawn's paternity was a subject both girls had learned to carefully avoid many years ago. Regardless, she was Buffy's little sister, and Buffy would move Heaven and Earth to ensure her safety. Even if it meant exposing her to a limited (a very, very carefully limited) amount of danger. If Dawn was willing to act reasonably, then tonight might not be a bad time to begin.
"Well, maybe just this once."
Author's Notes:
Please let me know what you think of it!
Thanks for reading.