Hello everyone, this is the alternate ending to Lost and Found. I want to
thank all the people who reviewed my work, whether is was encouraging or
criticizing. I hope that I can fix all the things that people have
complained about. Sorry it took so long.
This is the second part to Lost and Found Part one which should be read before reading this!
Author's Notes: Ok, in this story I've added the answers to the questions
people have asked me in their reviews. I just want to clarify something, I
didn't want to explain how Carter became MIA, in the first part, because I
wanted it to be a surprise. I wanted the readers to wonder what was wrong
with Carter, I wanted it to be a mystery. That's one of the reasons I'm
writing an alternative ending, so I can clear everything up.
Spoilers: I don't think there are any real spoilers, just stuff that's gone
on in Season four. "Children of the Gods"
Disclaimers: I don't own Stargate sg-1, bla bla bla; you know the deal.
Warnings: Big twist at the end that I didn't even see coming.
Enjoy.... Lost and Found, Part 2, Alternative ending....
Later that evening, Colonel O'Neill, Daniel Jackson and Teal'c were
once again ushered into the palace courtyard. There they could see the
beginnings of the festivities of the night. The smell of food wafted to
the noses of the three men. Jack felt himself tempted to follow the smell,
as he was looking forward to the feast. They had been led into the
courtyard by Carter and Manesta, who told them to wait there as they went
to prepare for the festivities. Both women had encouraged the men to
change out of their fatigues and into more suitable attire. They were
going to meet the Prince after all. Jack had declined, he said that they
wore traditional garments and they were honoring the Prince by not
changing. Carter knew better of course, but she just let him have his way
as always.
The three friends became comfortable and watched the arrangements
go on around them. It was some time before Manesta reappeared. She was
much more dressed up, but that doesn't mean she was more covered up. Her
hair was pulled back and piled high on top of her head, a number of beaded
berets and ornaments held her dark mane in place. The bindi between her
eyebrows was much more elaborate than the one the men had noticed earlier
that day. Her clothes were of a violet silk type of material, that also
was covered with beads and jewels. Her dark breasts were pushed up higher
to create cleavage, which made Jack wonder how Carter was going to be
dressed. Her flat belly still showed, as her pants were worn very low on
her hips. A number of bracelets jangled on her wrists as she moved towards
the men.
"Come, I will show you to your seats." she motioned them to follow her.
"So, where's Sam?" Daniel asked, adjusting his glasses.
"Sam? Oh Ayam! She will be joining you in a few moments. Her
dress is much more elaborate than that which I wear. She must also convene
with the Price's wives and courtiers to be sure they are proper as well."
Manesta answered.
"Why?" Jack asked as they moved into the palace.
"The Price is very fond of her-"
"We've established that already!" O'Neill cut in.
"So his wives, his head wife in particular, asked her to help them
please the Prince for events and such, as these." She said, gesturing
around the elaborately decorated room.
"His home decorator must cost a fortune." Jack quipped.
"In fact it does O'Neill" Teal' put in.
"Well thank you Teal'c," Jack replied sarcastically.
"I do not understand your attitude Colonel O'Neill. You have
become most irritable." Teal'c observed.
"Ya think so?" Jack asked snippily.
"Yes," Manesta agreed. "Here, this is where the feast is to take
place." She said pushing two heavy wooden doors open. The four stepped
into a room full of people. These were only half of those to be arriving
too. A group of musicians played off to one side. Daniel noticed there
were many women dancing to the music all over the room, there was a lot of
that going on all over the place. They walked into the room taking in all
the decorations, the murals, the statues, the carvings. Vases of wild
flowers were everywhere, and the sent of beautiful perfumes filled the air,
along with the mouth watering small of the feast that was waiting. Men
lounged around the table, many were being fed by beautiful women. Couples
flirted, women teased men, they laughed and kissed and were constantly
touching. There were bowls of fine wines on every table. Teal'c noticed
the distinct flavor of opium in the air.
"So when is Carter going to get here?" Jack asked looking at group
of women dancing for a group of men.
"She will enter with Prince Launam shortly. Why are you so anxious
to see her?"
Jack had no time to reply because the music stopped and there was a
flourish. Another set of great doors on the other side of the room opened.
A large number on women entered. "Those are the Prince's courtiers."
Manesta informed them. All movement in the room had stopped at this point.
But then every one stood as the women came further into the room. Behind
them another smaller group of women entered, many carried small children.
There were a number of children walking with the women. "Those are the
Prince's wives and children." She bowed her head along with everyone else
in the room. "The first is Sellebil, she is Prince Launam's first wife and
head wife, her son shall be King."
There was another flourish and Carter walked though the door, she
held the hand of a young boy of about ten years old. The crowed bowed
again. Jack guessed this was their future King. Behind her and the boy,
four men walked into the room supporting a Cinderella's golden pumpkin
carriage type thing. The men set the carriage down and out-stepped a good
looking young man. Upon sizing the Prince up, Jack supposed he was in his
late twenties, maybe even his early thirties. He had a shoulder length
mass of dark waves, and black eyes that were kind. Jack, Daniel and Teal'c
stood looking around rather stupidly as the mass of people knelt down
before the Prince. Manesta and her people touched their noses to the
ground in a sign of respect for their leader.
Prince Launam's eyes fell on the three strangers in the midst of
his people. He smiled, his white teeth gleaming in the fire light of the
torched that hung on the walls.
"Come, you must be the travelers from the circle." He said
motioning them to approach. "Friends of Ayam, come please, sit with me."
He sat down at the head of the largest table. Sg-1 moved to the table,
they sat on the Prince left side. On his right, sat his higher wives and
Carter.
During the meal Prince Launam and sg-1 talked of their worlds and traded
information. Daniel learned a lot of their ways and laws. Jack was more
interested in their enemies, like the Gou'ald.
Once they'd all had their fill the Prince turned to Colonel O'Neill
and said: "Please, you may have any one you like, a gift from me to you,
our guests." He gestured with his hand to the group of woman sitting at a
table not far from theirs. All through out the meal, Jack had noticed that
men would go up to one of them and they would go away. Both would return
about half an hour later. Prince Launam was offering Sg-1 a courtier for
the evening.
"Uh..." Jack said, not know what to say. He turned to Carter, he
could feel her eyes watching him carefully. He returned her gaze, a
questioning look on his face.
"Colonel O'Neill, don't decline Prince Launam's offer on my
account. By all means, take him up on it." she said. "All of you." She
smiled.
"I do not believe in being with a woman just for her body. It is
not how my people go about their business." Teal'c said, nodding his thanks
anyway. "I do have a wife as well." Prince Launam nodded understandably.
He then turned to Colonel O'Neill and Jackson, giving them a questioning
glance.
"I'm with Teal'c on this one. Thanks but I don't think I can take
you up on your offer." Daniel apologized.
"Uh yeah, me too." O'Neill said, shifting uncomfortably.
"Well if you will not take that, then what else could I offer you?"
Launam asked. He spread his arms wide. "I am the richest man in all of
Lairet, I can get you anything you desire."
"Prince Launam, why don't you give Colonel O'Neill and his friends
some time to think about what they want? When they think of it, they will
let you know." Carter offered, hoping to relieve the pained looks she was
receiving from her friends.
The Prince nodded, then excused himself from the table. O'Neill,
and the rest of his team were the only ones left at the table.
Carter, O'Neill, Teal'c and Daniel sat at the table talking for
hours. The men informed Carter that she had been declared MIA two months
after disappearing. The General had been reluctant but he was way over the
limit for these kind of things. They had called the Tok'ra and the Tollan
and anyone who they thought might be helpful in retrieving their friend.
Of course they had been unsuccessful. The number of theories that
surrounded the cause of Carter's disappearance were numerous. Some thought
she had been taken prisoner by the Goa'uld, and was being held in some
camp. Others thought she had been attacked, and raped and left for dead
somewhere in the forest, even if the entire area had been searched. Her
brother and the rest of her family had been informed of her loss.
Jack was astonished to find out that she really had no idea how she
came to Lairet, other than the fact that a few men from Lairet, who had
been meeting with the people on that planet, had found her and brought her
here. Manseta and other women from the kingdom had looked after her during
the worst days. Sam woke up a few days later, in serious pain. Luckily
the pain had not lasted long, in fact her recovery had been amazing. Again
she told her friends about how the planet had affected her health. Sam
couldn't explain it, she had no equipment with which to run tests to find
out why she had reacted to Lairet. She couldn't be sure, it might be the
water, or the air, or the atmosphere, or whatever.
Carter then went on to describe how she'd slowly become a member of
the court, how she'd befriended the people of this planet, and managed to
dodge all of Launam's 'come on's. She reflected on how the people here had
made her feel welcome and taught her their ways, and their language. The
people revered her here, they loved her and made her one of them. This
made Jack ask a question that was undoubtedly on everyone's mind:
"So what happens now?"
Before Sam could answer, the boy with whom she'd first entered came
and stood next to her.
"Hello Ayam," he said. He climbed up her lap. He looked at the
group from the first world and said: "I am Eddanem. I will be King." He
looked down on Sg-1 with knowledge that he was better than them, and was
not afraid to show it. He then turned his small frame abruptly to face
Sam. "Ayam, will you be returning to your own world?"
"I don't know Edda." she replied.
"If you do you cannot become my wife." he stated.
"Edda, you don't want me for a wife!" Carter exclaimed. "I would
make a terrible wife, I can't cook, or clean."
"You will be Queen, you will not have to do such nonsense!" Eddanem
said matter-of-factly.
"Edda, I'm much too old for you. I shall be an old woman, gray and
winkled before you are old enough to marry. Besides there are much
prettier, younger girls to become your wives. They will bear you beautiful
children."
"They? I am a one woman man." he said with a nod of his head. He
wrapped his arms around Carter's neck and buried his face in her shoulder.
"Yours, Ayam. I am your man."
"I am a one man woman too, Edda." She looked up from the boy's dark
face to meet Jack's warm eyes.
Carter, O'Neill, Daniel and Teal'c all stood outside the palace
looking at the stars. Jack cut his eyes across to Carter. Her figure
glowed in the firelight of nearby torches. He took the time to really take
her in. Again she wore blue, but not much of it. A blue scarf was pinned
to her hair which was pulled back in a bun, it having grown long since the
attack. Beads dangle from every possible place. It appeared to be all
that she was wearing. The small top she was wearing created wonderful
cleavage. Everyone knew who was enjoying that! More bears and peals
jangled from her breasts. Her skirt did not fit all the way around her.
It was bunched in the back and open in the front revealing her long legs.
Daniel figured her ensemble was similar to that which belly dancers wore in
the ancient time of the Romans and Greeks. Jack noticed how tanned her
skin was. She was beautiful.
Feeling eyes on her skin, she looked around. She smiled sweetly as
her eyes fell on Col. O'Neill.
"I think we ought to go back inside. The Prince may miss me." She
turned to lead the group. Jack caught her arm.
"What's going to happen? I don't want to be rude but you kinda
have to make a decision soon." He looked at her steadily. "I don't think
I can go back and know you're here. And I don't want to leave without
you."
"Colonel, I don't know what to say. These people saved my life. I
owe them so much. They have become my family, I can't abandon them." Sam
said.
"But you can give up on your real family; your father, and brother
and all your friends?" Jack argued. "What about your job?"
"That's hardly-"
"Ah... ah... I wasn't finished." Jack held up his hand to silence
her. Daniel and Teal'c exchanged glances behind Jack. "What about the
Tok'ra, Martouf, Jolinar? What about the Goa'uld who threaten the
universes? What about protecting your planet, your home?"
"Colonel, you can't understand. I know Daniel will and Teal'c
might, but not you. This has become my planet, my home. These people they
mean so much to me. I know I have to make a decision, but you have to
give me some time."
"We leave tomorrow morning, you had better decide by then." He
walked into the palace.
"Jack don't you think that's a little harsh? She has to make a
choice between her past and her future." Daniel hurried after him. "You
could be a little more caring. She's your friend, for godssakes!"
"I concur. You are not being very just concerning Major Carter's
continuation with the Stargate program." Teal'c added
"Shut up Teal'c. You made the same decision back in the beginning!"
"Not exactly, Colonel Jack O'Neill. I had very little to lose.
Major Carter has everything to lose." Teal'c said. Jack stopped. He
didn't know why he'd said those things to Carter. He was angry, but he
didn't know whom at.
"Colonel," they turned to see Sam standing behind them, "give me 72
hours. At exactly 0230 hours, I will gate back to earth if I am to return.
If I don't dial in then my answer-"
"You're staying here." Daniel offered.
"Exactly. Can you handle that sir?" She asked.
"I don't think so. You have to understand that we need you back
there." Jack pleaded. "I may come through and carry you back kicking and
screaming."
"I'm happy here, the people here need me, love me. I'm somebody here."
"Sam, we love you we need you." Daniel interjected. "You are somebody."
"No I'm not. I'm not anybody back on earth. 'Least that's the way
it feels." With that she turned and disappeared into the party
"So Colonel, what now?" General Hamond asked as the clock neared
0230hrs.
"Now, we wait."
"Sir, it's 0230 hours." Lieutenant Simmonds stated from the console.
"Come on Sam," Daniel pleaded her as her watched the idle Stargate.
Nothing happened.
"Sir?" Simmonds asked.
"Just hold your horses will you!" Jack grumbled. His heart beat
frantically. C'mon Carter, he urged her silently.
"It's 0232hrs." Simmons said.
"Wait... please." Daniel nearly shouted. Sg-1 and Hamond all
waited urgently for the sound of rings turning, but still nothing happened.
"God, she'd not coming."
"I don't believe it." Jack roared. "Everybody, suit up, I'm going
to find out what happened."
"Colonel, stop. I can't allow you to do this. You have to respect
Major Carter's wishes." Hamond argued.
"General, I'm going through that gate, no matter what." O'Neill
yelled from the embarkation room. Daniel and Teal'c were close behind.
"Now open that gate!"
"Do it." Hamond ordered. He didn't like it, but they were going to
pay a price if Carter didn't come back, so why not make the stakes a little
higher?
Sg-1 stepped through the gate to find nothing but scorched earth
and ruble. They ran as fast as they could to the palace, not seeing a soul
all the way. Upon reaching the palace gates, sg-1 saw the same. O'Neill
stepped into the palace first, the stench of rotting bodies overwhelmed him.
Carter... God Carter what happened? Of course he knew what had happened.
"Jack!" Daniel called from across the room. He ran over. Daniel
stood over Manesta's body. They were surprised they could still identify
her. Jack stood and looked around the room. It had happened suddenly, and
with out warning.
That's when he saw her. She lay by the throne where Prince Launam
had sat during some of the party. She had no scorch marks or burns on her
body. Jack touched her, she was cold. He picked her up and ran like heck.
When the sarcophagus opened and Jack looked in, he held his breath.
They she lay, not looking much different than when he'd laid her in there.
Jacob, and Martouf stood to the other side and peered in just as eagerly
as the rest of her teammates. Her chest rose as she sucked in a deep
breath. Her eyes slowly opened. Jack was so happy, he thought he was going
to throw up or faint or cry or all of the above. And there was a sound of
whooshing breath, as relief took over each face in the room.
Carter looked up into familiar eyes, and felt tears come to her
eyes. She should be dead, but wasn't; she never thought she'd be so sad to
be alive. She was helped out of the sarcophagus and was lead home. She
hadn't needed to make a decision the Goa'uld had made it for her, at the
expense of an entire world. This was a great weight that Carter carried
around with her forever.
The End
Sorry it was so long. Please review!