Author Note: Thank you for coming back or joining us. Things have been going well this week and I have a few more chapters edited and ready to go up to chapter 12/17. This means that I will be back next week with another chapter and should be continuously until done.


Chapter Six: Who Are You? Who Am I?

At dusk Cassie stood beside the ramshackle well. She was surrounded by the sounds of foreign insects; it was familiar, yet not. She tried to relax but she couldn't help feeling slightly edgy. Each noise caused her to jump and she found her hand moving toward her weapon holstered at her hip, but she was able to keep her cool and didn't draw.

A few minutes had passed when she heard the sound of footsteps and the woman stepped out of the shadows.

Cassie moved forward with her hand out. "My name is Cassandra Fraiser, but you can call me Cassie." She waited for the woman to introduce herself, but when it did happen she asked, "And you are?"

The woman glanced around before answering. "Ayia. We don't have much time and there is much to tell you. There are watchers, who will betray me for more food to the Master's men. If that happens my family will be punished again and my husband killed."

"What do you mean? Punished how?" Cassie grabbed her arm. "What have they done?"

"That is not important. You can not help us, just listen to what I have to say and then you and the others must leave this place." Ayia stopped and looked around she starred in the direction of the village for a few moment before continuing her story. "The Master and his men came through the gate not long after your people left last time. They rounded up all the men and older boys first. They were forced to set up multiple plantations around the planet. They then took the older children to help with the first harvest, they were returned to us but not the men and boys. All of us live in fear, especially since they executed one of the men, Quilim, who was caught trying to escape…. Well to return home to his pregnant wife, they made us all watch. It crushed any thought of rebellion that we'd tried to cultivate. We had a number of people willing to participate but after Quilim's death the numbers dwindled and the others were too spread out. The Master planned it that way."

Cassie took her hand. "Are their others of your family who are prisoners?"

Ayia nodded. "Yes, they have my two son's and my daughter's injury was punishment for an infraction by my oldest son. They haven't even told me if he's still alive. I tried to treat her but I never learned about those things. I'm a weaver by trade. We had three healers in the village but those were taken away to the plantations to treat the workers leaving us to struggle on our own."

Squeezing Ayia's hand Cassie tried to keep her talking, knowing she needed to collect as much information as she could for her report back to Brewer. "How do they get the Kassa off planet? Do they take it through the Stargate?"

"Some of it, but most of it has been taken off world by ships. We have sent some of the children with letters from the women to various plantations early on when we were trying to form a rebellion. They saw the ships leaving with the Kassa. It is harvestable every fourteen days."

Cassie was saddened by all this. Jack and the others had fought hard to bring down the Goa'uld but the void was just replaced with others who would exploit these people and she knew she wanted to help but how without putting them in further danger? What was the best way to handle these things? "The Master, have you seen him, do you know his real name?" Ayia shook her head. "Did your spies learn where we can find him. I think if we can take him out, we should be able to liberate the plantations."

Pulling away, Ayia shook her head. "No, I have told you all I know. I've been here too long, I must return to my daughter. Let me go please." Ayia's voice was panicked and Cassie let her go.

"Alright but if you want us to help we need to know where the Master is. We will find him but it will make things much easier if you tell me."

Wrapping her arms around herself Ayia spoke, "Follow the river and you'll find him where the river bends and meets up with the much larger one. You and your team must leave the village tonight, go back through the gate. They must not find you here when he come with his show of force, we will pay the price and it might be a very high one. Someone would have told him of your coming."

A branch snapped sounding like a gunshot in the silence of the night. Ayia didn't wait any longer before she took off running. Cassie was about to go after her but stopped. Ayia had given her enough information for now.

Cassie waited a few more minutes before heading back to the village. She didn't want anyone to connect Ayia's midnight wanderings with her own. It also gave Cassie time to think about what she'd heard.

Jon stepped out of the brush just as she entered the village clearing.

"So I guess this little mission isn't the milk run we were lead to believe."

A small smile crossed Cassie's face. "You should know by now, Jon, they never are."


When they arrived back at camp Jon watched Brewer step from the shadows. "Cadet Frasier, what did you discover?"

Cassie didn't hesitate as she gave her report. "A man calling himself the Master has taken control of this village and is forcing some of them to work as slaves while the others remain as their hostages. We need to help them, we can't allow this!" Cassie knew that they needed to intervene but she knew that this whole issue was a two edged sword. "Ayia, the woman I spoke to has asked that we leave before the Master finds us here. She fears that there will be reprisals and they might be deadly. She wants us gone in the morning, but I'm not sure we should leave. These people need us, we can't back down or the bullies win."

Brewer nodded. "I'll report back to the SGC and see what action they want us to take. Cadet Frasier you need to understand that we aren't a tactical team. We're doctors and nurses with very little experience in assaults. If- that's a big if, we are going to do this we will have to do it right. That is through the proper chain of command."

Cassie bit out the next words. "Yes Sir." She gave a smart salute and headed toward the tent she shared with two other nurses.

Jon followed her and grabbed her shoulder. "Cassie, you're not planning on doing something stupid are you, like going off alone after those people?"

She turned around her eyes bright. "What do you think? I've seen what's it like to live under someone's thumb. My family and the rest of our village had to give two thirds of what we grew to Nirrti. I saw what it does to people, what it does to the children and I can't just let it happen again."

"Cass…." Jon wasn't sure he wanted to open the door to Jack, since he'd walked through the gate. Jack had gotten much louder and suddenly he was wondering if he was going to lose himself.

Cassie lifted her hand hesitating to touch him, knowing that there were already rumors about the two of them, but in the moment she decided she didn't care. These people needed them and they would help, she would see to that. "No Jon, you know too. I know you don't like to talk about it, to be him, but those memories are in there. You have to feel the pain of these people. Jack wouldn't walk away and you shouldn't either. I know he would fight it but Daniel would reason with him, so I'm going to be the Daneil. We have to save them, they need us, we have better weapons and training. We can do this we just have to go about it the right way."

Jon closed his eyes at the rush of memories and emotions that he'd been trying to fight rose to the surface threatening to sweep him under. Then he found control and was able to harness those thoughts and emotions to use.

Taking Cassie's hands he said, "I don't know what the best course of action is just yet, but promise me you won't do anything without me."

Cassie pulled away but nodded. "Alright. If I get any idea's I'll come to you first. I promise."

The two of them walked on toward Cassie's tent, the matter settled for now but his mind was two steps ahead making plans. He was a tactician and this was what he was born for. He wasn't sure if Brewer would agree with him but these people had to be freed. He'd, well Jack, had seen enough worlds to know that if they didn't intervene things would only get worse. He only hoped that Cassie would wait and follow his lead.


Cassie sat up and looked around. The rest of the women who shared her tent were still sleeping, but some noise had woken her. She waited listening in the darkness. Then it happened again, there was a scraping on the outside of the tent and then a hushed voice.

"Cassie! I need your help." Cassie recognized the voice it was Ayia.

She crawled out of her bag and moved toward the voice. "Ayia, what is it?"

"My son the one who had caused trouble, the master's men brought him back to the village tonight and he's hurt really bad. The Master's people don't think he'll last the night. Can you come and see if there is anything you can do?"

Drawing breath Cassie thought about the ramifications of what she was going to do. She knew that she should get Jon but the panic in Ayia's voice told her that there wasn't much time. They had to hurry because if anyone woke up there was no way the others would let her go.

"Just give me a minute. I need to get my boots on. I'll meet you out by the well." Cassie told her before grabbing her boots and crawling out of the tent.

Ayia had already disappeared into the night and Cassie made her way after the older woman. The only point where Cassie paused was as she passed Jon's tent where she left a note under a rock outside the door incase she didn't make it back before morning. With one last look at camp she took care to avoid the dozing sentries and slipped into the night hoping this was going to be a big mistake.


Kyla lowered her arm, not surprised at the amount it was shaking. Closing her eyes she accepted the wave of sadness washing over her. Her grandfather was dead, George Hammond was gone from her life and it had happened so quickly there hadn't been a chance to say goodbye. She had known this day was inevitable but that didn't make it any easier.

Grandpa George had been the only anchor for her during the chaos of her childhood. He was the only adult she'd been able to count on day in and out and especially when the times got bad after Ashley died.

His death had left a void and in the past she would have crumpled, but now she had a better support system to fall back on. And she would need her new friends, because her parents won't be there for her, not now, not ever. Their own lives were much too important to pay attention to their remaining daughter's emotions, hopes or dreams.

Dropping the phone on her bed, she walked over to the window, looking out at the leaves littering the ground. She closed her eyes and remembered all the good times she and her grandfather had. He was the one who taught her to ride a bike, took her dress shopping for her prom and most of all at her sister's funeral he was the one who held her while the world crumbled around her.

All those defining moments it was Grandpa George who was there standing strong and now he was gone and she wondered if she would ever truly belong anywhere again or if she'd be like those fallen leaves drifting in the wind.

Leaning forward, she pressed her face against the cold glass and let the tears fall, knowing this would be the only time she'd be able to mourn without it being tainted by her family's garbage. Her mother would make the whole event about her as though Kyla's grandfather had died just to hurt her and her father would just be drunk as a skunk and most likely create a scene of some kind. This meant Kyla would spend the whole funeral making sure no one else was disturbed by her parents.

A knock on her door startled her out of revery and she fought to get control of her emotions as she wiped away the tears. She drew a sharp breath before opening the door.

Charlie stood on the other side of the door looking visibly uncomfortable. "Cassie made me promise to check in on you while her and Jon were off on their… field trip or whatever they called it." She paused before pushing her way inside. "So how are you doing?" The older woman looked anywhere but at Kyla as she moved restlessly around the room before sitting down on Kyla's desk chair and waited.

Kyla looked at her wondering what to do. Charlie Kawalsky was a very hard person to get close to; she was all prickles and barbs, she seemed bred for war. If it had been Cassie at the door, Kyla wouldn't have hesitated to talk to her, but Charlie…. she was a whole different story.

Sitting down on the bed Kyla stuttered out. "Fine. I'm just fine. Had a bit of bad news but-"

For the first time Charlie looked directly at Kyla and demanded. "Spill. There is no such thing as a bit of bad news. What happened?" She crossed her arms over her chest and waited.

Kyla opened her mouth and closed it again trying to figure out what to say. Charlie was nothing if not persistent, Kyla knew the other woman wouldn't leave without a better explanation.

"My grandfather died today. It was a sudden heart attack. One moment I knew he'd always be there for me and now he's gone and I'm alone in the world. I mean my parents are still alive but…."

"They're useless?" Charlie finished.

Kyla could help but laugh, that was exactly what her parents were in a nutshell. "Yes, basically. My parents weren't the best parents after my sister died. It all fell apart, and only Grandpa George was there when I needed him."

A smile crossed Charlie's face. "Grandfathers I understand. They somehow can see the worst of us, yet help us to become the best we could ever be." She reached out and touched Kyla's hand and squeezed it gently before letting go. "Even though he's gone he will always be with you and know that he will be so very proud of whatever you do."

Then Charlie got up and left pausing at the door. "I'll make sure Cassie knows what happened and I know some people who will be at the funeral to help you with your parents. I just need to make some calls and trust me when I say these people loved him almost as much as you did."

The door closed behind Charlie but Kyla no longer felt alone.


Well this wraps up this chapter and as always there are two more chapters posted on my site which can be found by Googling my penname. More to come next week. Thank you for reading and I hope you will leave a review.