Kawawn
Apophis' domain
Milky Way Galaxy
Sam peeked out of the tent flap to see Bra'tac talking to some young Jaffa warriors. They were all watching him with a mixture of curiosity, admiration and fear as he told them about false gods. After his initial speech, she'd taken over and told them about how she'd been a host and killed her Goa'uld by going to Cimmeria. She left out the details about how she took over control and didn't mention the pregnancy like she and Bra'tac had discussed. They never said how long ago Sam had been a host or when she got rid of Herit and Herit hadn't been introduced throughout Apophis' domain yet, only to those on the two motherships. So, she went and did her thing, even showcased her use of the hand device. Then she went back to her daughter and Bra'tac continued to answer questions and engage the young men in a discussion about the enslavement of Jaffa and rebelling against the Goa'uld.
It had been two ȧbṭ - which she'd figured out translated roughly to two months – since she killed Hathor and the timing couldn't have been better. As far as they knew, Apophis had been tortured to death by Sokar, Hathor was gone and Klorel struggled to keep control of his father's domain. The last they'd heard, Heru'ur was determined to get rid of Klorel and take over the last remaining Serpent Guards and all the planets and slaves belonging to Apophis.
The Jaffa on Kawawn had their own community and this was the first time Sam had been pretty much welcomed with open arms. Bra'tac may have renounced the Goa'uld but his golden serpent tattoo and reputation as both a Jaffa Master and First Prime with a hundred years of service still counted for something. The Jaffa accepted him – and by extension Sam and Ife – and listened to what he had to say. It probably helped that he'd been one of the Jaffa Masters who'd trained one of the first generations of Jaffa on Kawawn, all of whom had been killed while in service of Apophis. Their sons had heard the tales about Master Bra'tac and were becoming disillusioned with their God who hadn't shown himself or called on them in years. Klorel had summoned them to help retrieve Apophis from Sokar's clutches but by the time they received the message and got their alkesh ready, Apophis had escaped already – and sought sanctuary on Earth.
They hadn't been aware of that tidbit and Bra'tac took great pleasure in telling everyone how the mighty Apophis had cowardly requested sanctuary from the Tau'ri – and that they'd sent him back to Sokar when the Goa'uld came knocking.
Kawawn was well chosen as their first real attempt to sow the seeds of rebellion among Jaffa.
Bra'tac had initially suggested starting in the kresh'taa camps but Sam had dismissed the idea, knowing they needed the actual warriors and not the outcasts. The banished were easier to reach but they didn't contribute much and there was still an ingrained hierarchy among Jaffa, which could lead to problems with the higher ranked warriors joining a rebellion full of outcasts.
Turning her back on the tent opening, Sam looked over to where her daughter was sitting on the floor and smiled. After lots of practice, Ife could finally sit up on her own and was playing with the ugliest doll Sam had ever seen – a gift from one of the Jaffa on their last planet. It was made from twigs, some kind of rope and a bit of cloth, and it reminded her of a voodoo doll. But Ife enjoyed playing with her and one of the other Kawawnan women had admired it as if it was the best thing she'd ever seen, so Sam let her daughter keep it.
"Sām."
She looked up when the woman in question – she forgot her name – called her. "Yes?"
"Uḥr," she said, handing her a small jar. "Ṭeb'ti ȧn."
It took Sam a moment to realize what it meant, but after glancing down at her callused feet, she was grateful for the ointment. She inclined in her head in appreciation and opened the jar. It smelled vaguely like apples. "Perhaps I can apply it before bed tonight."
The Jaffa – Han'na, Sam suddenly recalled – shook her head and gestured at the floor. "Ȧger. Now."
"Should I not help prepare the meal?" She couldn't quite believe the words coming out of her mouth; that was not a phrase she would have uttered before she stepped through the stargate and yet she meant it. Her dad would be stunned if he could hear her, after all her railing against traditional female roles.
"No, you, Tchaȧs Bra'tac, and your child are our guests. Sit."
Sam's gaze automatically went back to Ife, who was babbling happily while waving her doll around, and she took a seat on one of the pillows. "My daughter," she corrected, just in case the women had gotten the wrong idea. "She's just mine."
Han'na exchanged looks with another woman, before turning back to her. "One cannot be mistaken with those khesbet eyes."
"They can still turn into a darker color when she's a bit older," she argued weakly. Ife's eyes were still an intense blue but they could change into Jack's dark brown, or perhaps even green. Sam couldn't say if the little girl had her eyes or Jack's, but right now they certainly resembled hers more due to their color.
"Her hair is not golden like yours."
That was stating the obvious, she thought. Her daughter's hair was brown, like Jack's – the way it'd been in DC, she noticed it was grey on Hathor's base – and almost covered her ears already. It was still wispy baby hair, but she doubted it would turn blonde. Perhaps lighten up a bit if they spent more time on sunny planets, but it would remain brown. "Like her father," she said softly.
"Her father?"
"He's no longer with us." Sam had decided that was the best way to field these kinds of questions, as it wouldn't alert Bra'tac to the identity of Ife's father and it would usually make nosy people uncomfortable, because they assumed it meant Jack was dead.
A look of understanding washed over both Jaffa's faces and they nodded slowly, all too familiar with losing their men. "She is a happy child," Han'na said. "You reared her well."
Sam smiled, taking in her bubbly daughter. Soon, Ife would start walking – she had already been making attempts at standing – and would grow tired of being carried all the time. The girl was getting big and heavy too, so a change would do Sam good. But spending more time in communities such as the Kawawnan would give Ife some freedom to explore and perhaps socialize with children her age. Sam had no idea if Jaffa children had playdates or if they stayed with their mother the whole time, but that was something she could find out. So far, she hadn't seen many young children though.
Han'na and the other woman went back to washing fruits and vegetables, presumably for the evening meal, and Sam took off her sandals and started to rub the ointment on the cracked soles of her feet. She'd never been much for pampering but god, she could really use a pedicure right about now. Or just a good foot massage. Granted, it had felt worse when she'd still been pregnant and walked around with extra weight and swollen ankles. Nowadays, there was too much callus for her to feel much of anything, but it was unsightly and felt rough against her legs whenever she sat down to kel'no'reem.
She hummed softly as she massaged the ointment into the soles of her feet and kept one eye on her daughter. Ife suddenly looked up and a smile lit up her little face as she caught Sam's gaze. Drool dribbled down the girl's chin and she cooed, before starting to crawl her way. "That's very good, Ife," she said in encouragement. "Come on, you can do it."
Ife smiled and continued to half crawl and half scoot her way over, the tip of her tongue just visible and her little brows furrowed in concentration.
The look of complete focus and determination reminded Sam of an old photograph of hers in the Carter family album and it warmed her heart. Some days, she suspected Ife was all Jack, but then there were moments like these where she could see the resemblance with her younger self. "You're almost there!" She stretched her legs and wiggled her feet, making her daughter giggle. "Come here, sweetie."
It took a whole lot of effort but finally, Ife reached her feet and made a grab for her toes. Sam leaned forward and lifted her into her lap. "Oh, you're getting so big. You don't want to play with your doll anymore? That's okay, Mommy will keep it safe for you," she said, glancing at the abandoned toy lying a few feet away. She'd pick it up later and place it with their things in the tent they'd been offered. "You want to play?"
Ife babbled happily, while playing with the end of Sam's braid.
Sam started a game of peekaboo with her daughter, much to the amusement of the Jaffa women who observed them. Ife couldn't get enough of it, though. It was pretty much her favorite game these days and Sam happily obliged, enjoying the interaction but most of all the giggles it elicited.
However, after a while even Ife got tired of it and they stopped. The Jaffa women were already preparing meat for the evening meal and Sam could hear the low hum of conversation outside the tent, where Bra'tac was presumably still talking to the young warriors. She was just considering taking the baby back to their assigned tent to put her to bed when Ife made it clear she wanted to be fed. Sighing, Sam undid the collar of her robe and barely got the time to push her bra aside before her daughter latched on, gulping greedily.
"Ȧu nes tai'ten semsu, Sām?"
She looked up from her nursing daughter at Han'na's question, frowning. It was on the tip of her tongue to point out Ife was barely old enough for her to have given birth to another child, before realizing semsu could also mean firstborn. She took a moment to consider her answer. To the Jaffa, she was probably old to have her first baby and there'd been too many women with children out of wedlock in the kresh'taa camps for it to be a coincidence. "She's my only child. Long ago, I was betrothed," she grimaced at the thought of Jonas Hanson and how ill-fated their engagement had been, "but he was a warrior and not often home. He died before the, er, Rite of Everlasting Union."
"And then you met Ife's father?" Han'na's friend said, speaking for the first time. Her English was better than Han'na's, but she'd appeared shy or perhaps wary of the strangers and never introduced herself.
"Um, yes," she said, hesitantly. "It took some time before we met."
Han'na nodded slowly, a somber expression on her face. "Your child appears well. Strong. You are fortunate with your sefi."
"Tchaȧs Bra'tac spoke of your strength, Sām," the friend said, voice full of admiration. "Your hi must be a strong warrior to be worthy of you. Then Ife came forth. She is strong. Like you both."
Unsure of how to respond, Sam simply smiled and inclined her head in gratitude. She didn't like to mislead people but Bra'tac had warned her that not everyone could be understanding of such a different culture. Besides, what were a few white lies if they kept her daughter safe?
"Ȧ sa na'nay uteb nekhen't," Han'na said softly, eyes downcast. "Ki sa k s'tcha m rer. Ȧ semsit nekhen't ȧger na'nay sāḥ prim'ta ḥerā s'tcha er prata."
"Oh god, I'm so sorry," Sam gasped. She'd been worried about Ife surviving off-world and with the way of life she and Bra'tac were forced to adopt, but to lose two sons in infancy and a daughter in puberty – because the priests did not deem her worthy of a prim'ta – was just unimaginable.
"Makka ukha ska ȧ hi ḥerā makka ȧu sem ȧnā sa."
Sam was happy to hear the woman and her husband eventually got a healthy son, after losing three children and suffering a miscarriage. "Is he one of the young Kawawn warriors?"
"N sa maāmaā khnem tini, Sām, ḥerā Tchaȧs Bra'tac."
"He wants to join the rebellion?" She was surprised and, while elated, couldn't help but be concerned about Han'na; what if her son died while fighting the Goa'uld? Then she would have no children and her husband had already been killed in a war with Heru'ur years ago, probably when their son was still a child. "It is not without danger…"
Han'na lifted her head defiantly and Sam could see the steel in her eyes. "Shel kek nem ron. All of us."
Her friend chimed in, "The false gods have taken too many of our men and children. We will join the rebellion and fight, or die free. Shel kek nem ron!"
"We would be honored to have you," Sam said, smiling.
"Good," Han'na's friend said, smiling. "The food is ready. I will tell the men."
Sam switched Ife to her other breast while Han'na prepared plates and bowls with food for everyone. Soon, everything was set on a counter of sorts and all the Jaffa formed a line to queue up for their share of the food. It was impressive to see how much food the women had prepared for all the Jaffa present. Han'na had told her earlier that day that they only ate meals together when there was some kind of gathering, like the one Bra'tac and Sam had started by showing up and speaking of false gods. Normally, most of the Jaffa would simply eat at their homes with their family and sometimes a widowed neighbor.
At first, Sam had felt a bit guilty for being responsible for all the extra work the women had been given due to their visit. But then Han'na shared that they hadn't feasted since the cycle's harvesting and actually enjoyed the gathering. It was a nice break from their everyday routine and they were pleased to welcome visitors in their community.
It shouldn't come as a surprise considering what Han'na had told her about her children. She probably wasn't the only Jaffa with such a heartbreaking life story and a close-knit community could help them cope. Fill in some of the voids they felt after losing children or brothers, husbands and fathers in one of the many wars between 'Gods'.
As a matter of fact, wasn't that exactly what Bra'tac had been trying to warn Sam about when he learned about her pregnancy? That even if killing Herit wouldn't affect the baby and it would be born healthy, then there were still many risks due to a high infant mortality. Sighing, she looked down at Ife and smiled, still surprised by the overwhelming love she felt for her daughter – and gratitude that she was alive and well, after everything they'd been through.
When Sam looked up again, she saw Bra'tac come towards her with two plates in his hands. She waited until he saw down next to her with a smile aimed at the baby. "You were out there with the men for quite a while after I left. How did it go?"
"It went well," he said, putting the extra plate in front of her. "They were most impressed by your tale and questioned me about how I first learned of your strength and when I decided to defect to follow you."
"You didn't-"
He held up a hand to interrupt her, "I did not reveal when it was you were first implanted, nor did I mention how long ago you killed the parasite within. Do not worry, no one suspects about the child."
She smiled gratefully and gestured at the women, who were still serving food. "I think you may have done better than expected today."
"Why do you believe this to be so?"
"Well, while you were outside talking to the men, I was in here, talking with the women. They were present during the gathering earlier today, when we both spoke. Apparently, we were very convincing. Han'na told me her son wants to join the rebellion… he's her only child and I warned her that it may be dangerous, but she fully supports him. As a matter of fact, I think she and her friend and many more will join as well. Shel kek nem ron, is what they said. All of them, she added."
Bra'tac narrowed his eyes and took in the women. Back when he'd been in the service of Apophis and Klorel he might have said there was no place for the women, but he knew better now. "We will need all the support we can get. They grow their own foods here, which is not something many of Apophis' Jaffa are familiar with or have any experience in. The human slaves are often responsible for husbandry and food is given to the warriors."
Sam agreed and knew she was probably getting ahead of herself, but it felt good to have a goal to work towards. Sitting around and waiting for Jack to contact them after catching whoever was behind Grieves' actions left her with nothing to do, so the prospect of building a rebellion sounded like a good way to keep herself occupied. "If we want to build a serious Rebel movement then we're going to need Jaffa from all walks of life. Some might remain in the service of the Goa'uld like Moac and others can infiltrate the ranks of the System Lords eventually, but we will also need a base of operations. A camp or a community. That requires men and women. Warriors, scribes, cooks, farmers, and so on."
"Indeed."
"We need to be able to feed the warriors, too. There's no rush to find a safe planet for a base of operation and honestly, I don't think we'll need one anytime soon because we'd need to be bigger first. But in the meantime, the Kawawnian warriors can join us and perhaps we can acquire a part of their harvest to feed our rebellion when the time comes."
"I believe you are correct, Sām," he said, after swallowing a mouthful of food. "Once sefi is done, you must eat."
She nodded and, as if she'd heard it, Ife chose that moment to unlatch and squirm. "Well, I guess that's it." With some effort, she lifted her daughter onto the floor to sit between them and then went about righting her clothes to cover up. Only after she was done, did she reach for the plate he'd brought her and was surprised to see something similar to a burrito on it. It brought back memories of the little Mexican place located between the Pentagon and her apartment, and made her mouth water with anticipation.
Bra'tac chuckled when she made a face after taking a bite. "You do not find it pleasing?"
"No, it's not that…" She paused and swallowed the bite she'd taken. The wrap was filled with sweet fruits and nuts, not the spicy chicken with some vegetables she'd expected. "I was expecting a different kind of flavor," she explained, before trying another bite. "It's not bad. Just… different."
"There is also soup."
Sam knew from the way he said it that the soup probably wasn't to her liking either – not that she was a fussy eater, but some of the combinations the Jaffa ate were just wrong – and if she did want it, she could probably go and get some herself. "No, thank you. This is fine."
Bra'tac smirked knowingly but didn't say anything else. Instead, he picked up Ife, who was trying to climb over his legs to get into his lap. "Perhaps you wish for a taste, sefi?" He said, tearing a piece off his second fake burrito and offering it to her. "It is good, yes?"
"I guess she likes it," Sam said, when her daughter simply rolled the food around in her mouth with a happy expression. "I don't think she needs anymore though. I don't want it to come back up or leave her too unsettled to sleep."
"Very well." Bra'tac waited until Ife had swallowed the food and let her lean back against his chest, petting her hair with his free hand. They remained seated like that while he took a bite of his burrito every now and then.
After Sam had finished her meal, she stood and took Ife from him. "I think it's bedtime for her and I might actually lie down, too."
"You had an arduous day."
She was about to protest – after all, she'd been sitting in the tent mostly – when she recalled her little demonstration with the hand device. Using the Goa'uld device always wore her out, even if the immediate effect was temporary. She often felt the need for a nap or an early night after using it or the healing device. "It was. I think I'll sleep soundly tonight."
"There is an ȧft for you in the tent."
"An actual bed?" She questioned, returning his smile. It had been a really long time since she'd slept in a proper bed with normal bedclothes. "Well then, I'm definitely going to bed. I will see you in the morning."
"Sleep well," he said.
Sam took off with Ife on her hip, stopping to pick up the girl's doll and saying goodnight to the Jaffa at the tent's entrance. It was not even ten meters to the tent she and Bra'tac had been assigned and she was grateful for it, as the temperature began to cool. She made a quick latrine stop and reminded Ife to do so as well, both using a verbal reminder and the whistling trick Shan'auc had taught her. Despite Bra'tac's words, Sam was still impressed when she finally entered the tent and saw the bed. It wasn't quite the same as beds on Earth but she could tell the Jaffa who'd arranged it had made work of it. The cover looked similar to linen and felt soft and cool to the touch.
"Ooh," she let out a contented sigh as she ran her fingers over it. "I think," she said, turning to Ife, "that this might actually be your first real bed, sweetie. I'm just going to put you down while I get ready for the night."
Ife babbled happily until she was seated on the bed. Suddenly, she fell silent and started gently rocking herself with a growing smile on her face, as if amazed by the unsteady yet firm and comfortable mattress.
Sam made quick work of washing up and exchanging clothes and picked Ife up from the bed, just as she started to crawl across it for further exploration. "That's not a good idea," she said. "Before you know it you'll fall off the bed and onto the floor."
Ife just blinked up at her until a yawn overtook her.
"Come here." Sam crawled under the covers and laid Ife down next to her, before rolling onto her side. As a child, she used to love being read to and her mother had faithfully read her and Mark bedtime stories from when they were babies until they were six or seven years old and wanted to read the books themselves. It was a tradition Sam liked to have with her own daughter too, but unfortunately she didn't have any books and she couldn't remember all the fairy tales. So, she made up stories. "Once upon a time…"
