Pretty much done with the fluff and I'm getting ready to start the action scenes. Might be a while, as I've never actually written anything action/adventure. If anyone has any advice, I'm all ears.
Chapter 7
Cassie Fraiser walked through the halls of the SGC, smiling as she took in the familiarity of it all. No matter how much changed in her life, some things remained the same. Take SG-1, for instance. Cam and Vala were relatively new to the team but the dynamic that made them so successful was still there. SG-1 was family. And, as an honorary member of said team, Cassie considered all the members, old and new, to be her family. Cass had met Vala at a team night shortly after the alien came to Earth to stay and they'd got on right off. It had been nice to meet someone who knew what it was to live under the oppression of the Goa'uld. Sam, Jack and Daniel tried, but they'd never truly understand. Vala just got it. She's become like a sister to Cassie. That was why, when Vala rang her up this morning, she'd dropped everything to come here. She'd been shocked to learn of Kierda and Zari. How could Vala's father not tell her she had sisters? But that was neither here not there, she thought as she stopped in the doorway of Daniel's office. He was currently buried in a book while a little girl with dark hair and a lively manner bombarded him with questions.. To his credit, he answered each one with the perfect amount of gravity. Yep, some things never changed.
"Knock, knock." she said as she entered the cluttered room.
Daniel looked up with a grin. "Hey, Cass. What brings you here?" He came around the desk and hugged her tightly.
"I came to see Vala and thought she might be in here." Cass smirked when Daniel blushed at her assumption. Everyone knew Vala and Daniel had a thing for each other but they were both in denial. That thought made her realise she should take some time while she was here to check on the pools she was involved in.
"Uh, no, she's helping Bill with some new piece of Goa'uld technology SG-5 brought back."
The image of Dr. Lee and Vala hunched over some obscure device made Cassie laugh. They were an odd pair but with Vala it never struck anyone as out of the ordinary that she'd befriend the quirky scientist.
"Are you going to introduce me to your new assistant, then?" she asked grinning at the child. The girl smiled right back and Cassie was struck by how much she resembled Vala. Her eyes were brown instead of grey and her hair a few shades lighter, but she had a smile that could light the darkest room. And there was a mischief in her eyes that said she could be a handful. This child was definitely related to Vala.
"Oh, uh, sorry. Yeah, this is Zari." He pulled the girl from his desk and set her on the floor.
"Hi, Zari. My name is Cassie." She held out her hand for the girl who shook it vigorously.
"You know my sister Vala?"
"Oh yes, we're great friends."
"Good." she said firmly then looked over at Daniel. "Can I take her to Dr. Bill's lab, Daniel? Please?"
Cassie chuckled as she watched Zari put on a pleading face that would make Vala proud. She saw Daniel sigh heavily and shake his head in mock exasperation.
"Okay, but go straight there. No little side-trips this time."
Zari pouted for a moment before nodding. "Okay." Before leaving, though, she motioned for Daniel to kneel to her height. Once on her level, Zari kissed his cheek noisily. "Thank you."
Daniel's smile gentled as he straightened and placed a hand to the girl's head. "You're welcome, you little scamp. Now go pester your sister for a while."
Zari giggled as she took hold of Cassie's hand and pulled her out of the office. Cass couldn't help laughing at the child's exuberance as she chattered non-stop about what she thought of Earth. She learnt that Zari like Jell-O but not carrots. She heard all about the shopping trip to the mall and laughed when told about the her pogo-stick. Zari pouted a little over the fact that she was forced to wear a helmet and pads and that she could only use it if there was an adult around, preferably Teal'c. But she soon bounced back and started chatting excitedly again. By the time they reached Bill's lab, Cassie felt mentally exhausted. She figured she knew more about Zari's personal tastes than she did her own.
Before they could announce their presence, Zari rushed into the room and straight for Vala. Thankfully Vala had fast reflexes as she was able to react before the child knocked them both to the ground. She grabbed Zari under the arms and planted her on one hip. Poor Bill wasn't so lucky. Zari's disturbance caused him to press a wrong button and shocks flew out. He yelped and jumped back, placing his injured finger in his mouth. Cass tried not to laugh and instead turned her focus back to Vala and Zari. She could see Vala's eyes light up when she looked at her sister and it made her reluctant to break in. But Vala had called her so she cleared her throat.
"Cassandra!" Vala shouted when she saw her then rushed across the room and grabbed her into a hug, Zari still attached to her hip. "It's so good to see you. I'm glad you could make it on so short notice."
"Any time." she said as he hugged her surrogate sister back."
"Bill, would you mind taking Zari to the commissary for a snack?" Vala asked the beleaguered scientist, putting on much the same pleading look Cassie had seen on Zari.
"But I want to stay with you." Zari pouted.
"I know, angel, but I have something to talk over with Cassandra. Be a dear and go with Dr. Lee. I hear they have green Jell-O today."
Zari's eyes lit up at that and she nodded vigorously. "Okay."
"That's my girl." Vala said and kissed Zari's nose before setting her down. "Remember, only one bowl." This was said with a pointed glare at Bill who blushed under the regard. It made Cass wonder just how many times Zari had been able to weasel her way around the man.
"I know, I know." Zari huffed impatiently and grabbed hold of Bill's hand. "C'mon, Dr. Bill. Hurry!" The poor man didn't stand a chance and the pint-sized whirlwind dragged him away.
"I need to ask a favour of you." Vala said as she turned back to Cassie.
"Sure." Cass said without pausing.
"You were twelve when you came to Earth, right?" At Cassie's nod, Vala continued. "Samantha and I took the girls out of the mountain for the first time yesterday. They seemed to enjoy the experience, Zari especially. But Kierda, she's a contemplative sort. I'm worried she may have been a bit over-whelmed by all of it."
"You want me to talk to her about my experience of moving to Earth." It wasn't a question.
"Yes, could you?" Vala said in relief. "She won't talk to me about it. I'm thinking she might open up to you as you've been through a similar situation."
"I'll be happy to do what I can. Where is Kierda?"
"With Samantha, working in an experiment in her lab. Samantha claims it will help Kierda with her science skills. I think they simply want to blow things to bits."
Cassie laughed, as it probably wasn't far off the mark. "Okay, let's go find Gomez and Pugsley Addams before they put another hole in the SGC."
()()()()
"Look what I found!" Vala's voice carried into the lab as she made her way inside. Kierda looked up from the calculation she'd been doing with a smile on her face. It faded a bit as she eyed the young woman with her arm linked through Vala's.
"Cassie!" Samantha exclaimed and rounded the table to hug her.
Kierda studied the three women while they chatted and felt a strange pang in her chest as she noticed how cosy they looked together. They seemed to forget she was even there. The odd feeling grew until Vala turned with a bright smile which Kierda tried to return but it didn't reach her eyes.
"Kierda, love, I want you to meet Cassandra Fraiser. Cassandra, this is my little sister Kierda."
"Hello." Kierda said as she obediently went over to shake the woman's hand, still eyeing her suspiciously.
"Hello, Kierda. It's nice to meet you."
"Um, thank you." She said it almost as a question and pulled her hand away slowly. This woman seemed nice enough. Maybe she was judging too quickly but one could never be sure.
"Kierda, love, would you mind taking Cassandra to our quarters for a little while? Samantha and I have a meeting with General Landry."
"I guess so." she replied reluctantly. Now she turned her suspicious glance on her sister but couldn't read her. Was Vala trying to get rid of her? She didn't remember Vala mentioning a meeting this morning. Mentally shrugging, she left the lab with Cassandra. It could be she was reading too much into the situation but she made certain to send watchful glances in Cassandra's direction every now and then as they wove their way through the SGC corridors. The woman didn't say much, just wore an amused smile on her face. Once at the quarters, Kierda showed Cassandra in, still watching.
"Would you like a drink? I believe there is bottled water in the mini-refrigeration unit." Why any one had to bottle something that was so readily available, though, confused her.
"No, thank you." Cassandra said, taking a seat on Vala's bed. "Actually, I'd like to get to know you, if you don't mind."
"Me?" Kierda was more than a little surprised. Before arriving on Earth, no one had ever taken any real interest in her, not even her parents. Now everyone seemed to. It set her on edge.
"Yes, I want to know what you think if Earth and the Tau'ri." Cassandra must have seen the wariness in her eyes because she laughed a little. "It's all right. You can say whatever you want. I won't tell."
"Why are you so interested?"
"Because your sister happens to be one of my best friends and she's worried about you."
"She is?"
"Of course. She wanted me to talk to you, to see how you're handling things."
"Why you?"
"Because I know what it's like to come to a strange world not knowing the people, the culture, And I'd have to say, Earth is one of the...strangest out there."
"You're not from Earth?" Kierda asked curiously. For a world that didn't know aliens existed, there certainly were a lot roaming about.
"No, I came here when I was your age. I'm originally from a planet called Hanka."
"Oh, how did you..."
"End up on Earth? That's a long story and I'll tell you about it some day. Suffice it to say, SG-1 found me and took me in. It was a bit of an experience, to say the least."
"Were you scared?" Kierda asked, taking a seat next to Cassandra.
"Definitely. I wasn't sure what to make of it all. The people, the culture. It was all so foreign, so alien to me. There was no Goa'uld telling the people what to do, how to live. Everyone was free to do as they pleased. It was amazing."
"I grew up on a planet without Goa'uld rule but I'd visited some of the liberated ones with Jacek on his...travels. I'd always thought my homeworld to be so advanced in comparison. Until I came here, that is. Everything is so odd, so new. How did you get used to it all?"
"It took time and effort. And I had my family. SG-1." Cassandra said at Kierda's confused look. "I don't think I could have survived without them. I'm not sure I'll ever be completely used to it, though. There is still so much that seems alien to me. But this place, these people, they grow on you. If I had to choose a planet to end up on, this would be it."
"I'm afraid I won't fit in. That I'll do something to make Vala re-think keeping me."
"That's something I can promise you will never happen. Your sister is one of the most fiercely loyal people I've ever met. There's not a thing you could do that would make her turn her back on you."
"People walk away all the time. How can you be so sure about Vala?" Kierda asked uncertainly as she thought of the conversation she'd overheard between Vala and Daniel the night she'd sneaked out of the infirmary.
"Because I know Vala and I know a lot of what she's been through in her life. She knows what it's like to be forced into a difficult situation, to make questionable decisions. But she also knows what it's like to want to be accepted for who she is, not what she's done. She would never ask you to be anything but yourself."
Kierda sat back against the headboard and thought this through. Vala had allowed her to do what she wanted, never telling her it was wrong or foolish. When she'd first expressed an interest in science, Vala had been all for it, even going so far as to set up a time for her to study with Samantha. She hadn't told her or Zari they couldn't do something and she hadn't tried to change them. She'd allowed them to just be themselves. Maybe this would work out, after all. Maybe she'd finally found her home. Her family.
