Chapter 2 Now you see it...
Daniel Jackson sat in the rec. room on board the George Hammond, sipping slowly at a large cup of coffee and perusing a copy of one of the latest historical journals which Sam Carter had picked up for him, back on Earth.
The Hammond had been over to Atlantis for the best part of three weeks, loading and unloading supplies, artifacts and people. The day before the X-304 was due to return home Daniel had decided unexpectedly to accompany them.
The archaeologist was due some leave – to be honest, he was nearly always due leave. Daniel would get so stuck into projects and all sorts that he rarely took advantage of the weeks of holiday allocated to him. Just chatting with Sam, and reminiscing about life back on SG-1 had brought old memories to the fore – for the first time in a year or so Daniel really felt a pang of regret when he thought of the SGC. How many happy memories were associated with that place? How many friends had he made while working there? One friend in particular, who he tried not to think of too often, always brought a note of poignancy to his mood.
So when Sam had jokingly told him that he should play hooky from Atlantis and come with her, he had astounded his old team mate by telling her that he rather thought that he would. Daniel had immediately gone to Woolsey and told him that he would be gone for at least two weeks, then he'd grabbed as many of his possessions and clothes as he could fit into a his duffel bag before turning up on the bridge of the Hammond a couple of hours later.
Sam was secretly pleased. Daniel was like a younger brother to her and she worried about him sometimes. The bright eyed, tender hearted, gentle young archaeologist who she'd first met all of those years ago was fast heading towards being a grumpy, spiky, irascible forty-something man. She had never really been sure that Vala was good for him, even though Teal'c seemed to think so, but he definitely needed to find something, or someone, who was younger than about four thousand years old. Even a brief respite back at the SGC would surely put some light and sparkle back into him.
Daniel finished his coffee and, picking up the journal, wandered slowly over to the rec. room's long window where he stood watching the stars whiz past for a while. Everything moved so quickly while they were in hyperspace, however, that he found it difficult to focus on anything for long. He was just about to leave when without warning the engines slowed and the ship dropped back to just using it's sub light engines.
Sam's voice broke over the comm. "Attention please, this is Colonel Carter. Just to inform you that we've briefly dropped out of hyperspace to run a brief diagnostic on the comm. system. We've picked up a small amount of interference. Not a problem people, we'll be on the way again soon. Thank you for your patience."
Daniel smiled slightly and turned back to resume his contemplation of the stars. He thought that they must be somewhere near to Chulak and Teal'c's home planet – not too far from the SGC now – he wondered how the Jaffa was and hoped that he'd be able to meet up with him while back on Earth. The next few minutes passed comfortably as Daniel enjoyed his contemplation of the heavens, before he caught sight of movement just out of the corner of his eye. Turning his head, the archaeologist's jaw dropped slightly. There, off to the right and moving quickly into a subspace window, was an all-lights blazing, high powered Ha'tak.
Daniel blinked, but it was gone – just a trail of blue light left, disintegrating rapidly now in the blackness. He stood like a statue, unable to believe what he'd just seen. It couldn't have been. He'd dreamed it. Moving quickly to the wall he slammed his fist against the comm. button, forgetting what Sam had just told them. Daniel swore in Gou'ald before exiting the commissary at full speed and heading for the bridge.
"Sam!" he almost shouted when he arrived.
She ignored him, intent on whatever Major Kevin Marks was telling her.
"Sam!" Daniel repeated, moving closer.
She looked up, expression worried. "What is it Daniel? Make it quick because we've got company around here somewhere."
"No – no I don't think that you have anymore," Daniel told her, just as Marks said "No further sign of them, Colonel Carter."
Sam frowned at her old team mate. "What do you mean?"
"It's gone. The Ha'tak. I saw it leave." Daniel shrugged.
"The what?!" Sam looked incredulous.
"Ha'tak. That's the ship that just went past and entered sub space. I could see it from the commissary."
"Why did they leave so quickly?" Sam shook her head, eyes worried. "Surely if whoever it was were friendly, they would have checked in with us."
"Maybe some rogue Jaffa?" Marks queried, helpfully. "Or a new Gou'ald?"
"No, the Gou'ald are gone." Sam shook her head firmly. "They're no longer a threat to our galaxy. They're gone."
"Well," Daniel, hands in pockets, raised his eyebrows. "We think that they're all gone. But I know what I saw."
There was a long pause. Sam watched Daniel, expression intent. "Jaffa then. Maybe a sect that's broken away from Dakara. Teal'c is always telling us about the petty squabbles and disagreements that flare up between the different clans. Someone with issues against the Tau'ri, do you think?."
Daniel shrugged. "I - ah - I guess so. Kind of makes me feel like the old days, though. Y'know, who's going to pull up beside us next!"
"Are you absolutely sure that it was a Ha'tak?" Sam looked down at the screens in front of her, now annoyingly blank and normal. She was having a hard time believing it, there were so few of the motherships left.
They were interrupted by a young female airman pelting onto the bridge, closely followed by another.
"Colonel Carter!" she said, breathlessly. "I'm so sorry – it's taken us this long to run from the 302 bay. The comm. is still down and we couldn't reach you."
"It's fine," Sam placed a reassuring hand on the young woman's shoulder. "What is it?"
"A Ha'tak, ma'am! We saw it clearly, just for a few moments! A Ha'tak, as I live and breathe!"
Silence fell briefly. Sam's face was like ice. Her eyes flicked across to Daniel.
He couldn't help the smug grin that spread across his face. "Told you so."
- o - o - o - o - o -
Lt Colonel Cameron Mitchell wandered through the halls of the SGC, heading towards the mess hall and a well deserved coffee and doughnut. SG-1had been out on missions three times in the last fortnight – all three had gone well but it had still been pretty exhausting. It was at times like these, when someone had to do a lot of sensible talking, that Mitchell really missed Daniel Jackson.
The Colonel grinned to himself. Last he'd heard from Sam Carter though, the good doctor was on his way home for a visit. Although the two men were very different in both outlook and personality, they'd always got on well. Mitchell rubbed his hands and looked forward to a few 'boys nights out' while the archaeologist was in town. Meanwhile though, was the question of which of the cakes he would pick while on his morning break – arriving at the mess hall he had a cup of coffee in one hand with the other hovering over the pasties basket when an 'unscheduled wormhole' alert went off.
"Would you believe it?" Poor Mitchell put down his cup, left the counter and headed off at a languid run towards the gate room. When he arrived it was to see the wormhole already established and General Landry looking serious as he spoke to whoever was on the other end of the radio transmission.
"Sir?" Mitchell joined him, just as the wormhole fizzled out of existence.
Landry turned to him, frowning even more than normal. "Did you get any of that, Colonel?"
Mitchell shook his head. "Nope. Sorry sir."
"Doesn't matter. That was SG-15, out on Chulak. Seems that their secret mission isn't so secret after all. They had a visitor this morning, in close orbit around the planet." Hank paused. "A Ha'tak."
"A – a what now?" Mitchell blinked – he could feel his brain struggling to catch up. "But – the Gou'ald – a Ha'tak? Are they sure?"
"Oh yeah. Took a couple of photos apparently. Ha'tak. Big. Right over them."
"Crap!" Mitchell blushed slightly. "Sorry sir."
"Oh be my guest," General Landry told him. "Trust me – that's the kind of sentiment going through my head at the moment! Just when I think my blood pressure is coming down, we get saddled with yet another Jaffa induced mess to help sort out!"
"You think it's Jaffa, sir?"
Landry's mighty eyebrows lowered suspiciously. "Who else could it be?"
He was interrupted by the chevrons on the Stargate beginning to slowly revolve again.
"Unscheduled wormhole!" called Walter from the control room.
"Seriously?" Mitchell looked incredulous. "Again, already?"
The two officers waited for a moment before Walter announced "Teal'c's IDC, sir!"
"Teal'c?" Mitchell had already thought that the day couldn't get any weirder, he was obviously wrong.
"Yes sir!" A moment or two later and the wormhole kawhooshed into existence. There was a pause before the warrior appeared at the top of the ramp and came slowly forward. There was somebody else with him.
"Vala?" The poor Colonel blinked before actually rubbing his eyes. "Princess, is that you?"
"Hello Cameron, darling," she grinned widely as she strode purposefully down the ramp. "Of course it's me."
"But, but, but…." Mitchell grasped her by the arms then held her away from himself with both hands. "But – how? When? With Teal'c – I mean – I don't…"
Vala shrugged his hands off before wrapping her own arms tightly around the Colonel's midriff and hugging him tightly.
"From Semjata. Via Dakara. And Muscles. Did you know we kept in touch? Teal'c and me? I bet that you didn't, did you? Well, we did. Luckily for you. I expect that you want my help too – I mean, when you hear what we've got to tell you. But I can't stay long – I have my children to look after now."
"Your-your…" Poor Mitchell.
"Oh yes!" Vala turned her face up towards her old CO. "I have loads of them. Sixteen at the last count."
"Mmpphh…uh.."Mitchell gave up and gave in. He cuddled the alien woman close and rocked gently from side to side. "I've missed you."
Vala beamed up at him. "I've missed you too. Really I have. But I've been very busy, and also very good. You wouldn't believe how good I am these days. I have to be because of the children."
"Vala…"
She laughed. "Orphans, Mitchell! They're orphans, or abandoned. I look after them – I'm properly in charge and I run things. I really am behaving well." Vala's eyes were beginning to prickle – the combination of seeing the SGC again, and her old CO, plus talking about her children was making her feel all emotional.
The Colonel wasn't doing a lot better – he cleared his throat roughly before kissing her on top of her head and releasing her from the hug. "I like the hair, by the way," he added.
"Do you?" Twirling a wavy strand around one finger, she smiled at him. "I wasn't too sure at first, but well – all the gray! It's easier to cover it up if it's like this."
"Ms Mal Doran," said General Landry, gruffly. His eyes twinkled briefly under his bushy brows. "Nice to see you."
"Thank you sir," Vala clasped her hands in front of herself and performed the odd little twisting motion that she did when nervous or excited. "Did Muscles tell you…"
"He did." Landry stopped smiling. "More than a coincidence, I think you'll find. We've just received word from SG-15, out on Chulak. They report seeing a Ha'tak there this morning."
"You guys saw one too?" Mitchell asked, looking from one alien friend to another.
"Indeed." Teal'c was very sombre. "Over Dakara, yesterday evening. It was not affiliated to any member of the Free Jaffa nation."
"You think it's the same ship? Or different?" the Colonel watched his friend closely.
"I would say the same one. If there were more rival ships I believe that we would have become aware of their presence before now. Plus the time lapse of when the ship was seen in the different areas coincide with their only being one."
"So, who is it?" Mitchell spoke the question, as everyone looked at Teal'c.
"I do not know. The Free Jaffa have not heard of any Gou'ald being active. And although the Lucian Alliance can prove themselves - disagreeable - at times, I do not believe that they would engage in this type of maneuver."
"Me neither." Vala shook her head. "I'm further away, but there's nothing going on down the hatch where I am either."
Mitchell smiled. She was muddling up her colloquisms again. He'd missed that.
"So – what do we do?" Landry's eyebrows were raised now nearly as high as his hair line. "Wait and see what happens?"
"Perhaps." Teal'c bowed slightly. "I must return to Dakara. I will see what knowledge I can gather and return as soon as possible."
"I need to get back to my orphans," Vala told them. "I need to make sure that plans are in place if I'm going to come and help you Tau'ri again!"
She grinned unrepentantly at the General, who looked as if he was about to say something but was interrupted by the chevrons on the Stargate beginning to move again.
"What the heck is going on here today?" Mitchell shook his head disbelievingly. "It's like being at a Comic Con!"
"Unscheduled wormhole!" Walter sang out, as if any of them needed him to tell them. There was a brief pause before he added, "Dr Jackson's IDC!"
"Jackson?" Mitchell exploded.
Vala fell silent and began to nervously twist her hands together in front of herself.
Teal'c watched her out of the corner of his eye.
The wormhole was established, the familiar silver-blue shimmer forming within the 'gate, then not just Daniel but Sam as well came walking through.
"Samantha!" squeaked Vala, and rushed up the ramp to throw her arms around her extremely surprised looking friend, passing Daniel as she did so.
"Er – hi!" A moment later and the blonde Colonel was hugging her back tightly.
Teal'c, Mitchell and Landry moved slowly towards the two new arrivals.
Sam, once free of Vala's hug, filled them in on what Daniel and the two young airmen had also seen, above Chulak earlier.
Teal'c repeated his belief that there was only one Ha'tak, which had now been seen in several places.
Sam agreed with him, spouting things like velocity and ratios.
Eventually General Landry suggested moving to the conference room to continue the discussion and plan their next move, if any.
Daniel caught Vala's hand as she went to follow the others. He had to – his heart was thumping in his chest and he needed to say something to the team mate who he hadn't seen for so long. The smaller hand which he held in his own appeared to be trembling slightly – bizarrely he was encouraged by this. She's as nervous as me, he thought.
"Hello Daniel," that gorgeous, husky voice broke in on his thoughts.
Vala bit her lip and gazed timidly at him. She swallowed.
"Hello Vala," and just like that, all the years of missing her exploded upon him, or so it seemed, and Daniel pulled her roughly into a tight, tight hug. "You – well, you look amazing."
He thought that he heard a little sniffle, but when Vala eventually pulled away from him a little and looked up her eyes were clear. "Thank you darling." Twisting her hair again with one hand she smiled adorably up at him, large gray eyes twinkling. "You're still looking pretty fit yourself, if I may say so."
Daniel watched her intently, with a strange, tender look in his eyes. He was feeling pretty peculiar too – six or seven years of un-uttered and forgotten feelings were pushing and shoving their way to the surface. He stammered and blushed. "Th – thanks."
Taking a deep breath, he focused on the most different physical thing about her. "Your hair looks – well, it looks – so –well, unusual."
Biting her lip, Vala frowned. "You don't like it?"
Daniel shook his head and laughed. "Honestly – I'm not sure! It's so – so drastically opposite to what it was before! You're hair was so black – long and black. And now it's…."
"Yes?" Vala prompted, a small grin tugging at her own lips. "It's what?"
Daniel swallowed. "It's blonde!"
TBC...
And for those of you who may be unaware - Claudia Black dyed her hair blonde during 2013! :-)