Major Simi: I'm not sure how to reply to that.
I own nothing but the character May, the Ilvar, and the city of Lunara. This chapter starts in The Shroud, and then jumps off the canon tracks.
"She seemed to know everything about me. She had tremendous power of persuasion. It was almost as if I could hear her voice in my head, telling me what to believe. So I let her believe she was getting to me. Turning me." Daniel explained, strapped to a chair and looking like a Prior. He could still feel May's glare, as if she knew what his plan was. Her expression even set Merlin on edge.
"Why?" Cam asked.
"Because I needed her to trust me."
"And did she? Well, don't get me wrong, you're not a terrible liar, but you're nowhere near as good as me." Vala half snapped, half bragged.
"Who is?" Cameron asked.
Vala shrugged, "And Adria could see right through me so how did you manage to fool her?"
"I was able to protect Daniel, make Adria think he had succumbed to her will."
"Merlin?"
"It was necessary."
Flashback (I think)
He and Adria were meditating in a small room, surrounded by candles.
"In our time together I've really come to see in you what draws Mother's affection."
"Affects wha?"
"It's very important to me that we save her together." She continued, moving so she was in front of him.
"Of course."
"I can feel the difference in you."
"That's because you've done so much for me. Shown me the true path."
"I'm glad. There's so much more I can do for you. And you for me."
She kissed him, and then turned him into a Prior. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but for a second the candles burned brighter.
Flashback ends
Daniel had noticed the candles flare, and so had Adria. She left him to his own devices while she tried to find the source. Just outside the room a servant met her, bowed (as was customary) and said, "Lady Orici, the Ilva has asked for you. She's in her quarters."
May stared at a point on the opposite wall, thinking about the last few weeks. Adria was a good hostess, as evidenced by the room May was given upon arrival. Like most rooms on an Ori ship, the walls were mostly barren, and the bed was too . . . ornate for her liking. She slept on top of the covers, quilt included, because otherwise she'd be too hot.
Unlike most rooms on an Ori ship, Adria had made sure a bookshelf was provided, as well as a place to hang her old outdoor backpack. The shelf was empty, with plenty of room for what she'd brought with her. It would probably hold all her books back home too; they were all in boxes at the moment because Daniel was tired of grabbing The Hobbit instead of a dictionary.
So she'd emptied her backpack. She'd gone a little lighter this time, just a few books instead of mostly books. Uncle Jack thought it was funny when a lesser Goa'uld threatened to shoot anybody who interrupted May before she finished reading The Two Towers, but Aunt Sam reminded him that a book wasn't much use in a fight.
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Hobbit and The Lord of The Rings Trilogy sat next to each other on one shelf, along with a flashlight, her wooden flute, a notebook (for visions) and sketchbook (for boredom), a box of colored pencils, two mechanical pencils, a clear crystal, a water bottle, and half a chocolate bar. A few other things, like personal care products, stayed in the backpack, removed only when she washed up.
I knew I'd brought them for a reason.
There had been a vision since her arrival, of Daniel/Merlin being turned into a Prior, working on the sangraal, willingly getting captured by SG-1, and setting off Merlin's weapon in the Ori galaxy, killing the Ori and half the Ilvar. A few weeks later, SG-1 tries to capture Adria with Vala as bait. Ba'al shows up (no real surprise there) and tries to use Adria as a host. The Tok'ra remove him, but can't stop the poison. Dying, Adria Ascends, gaining the power of two galaxy's worth of believers. SG-1 finds the Ark of Truth about a year later and uses it on the Doci (and through him the Priors in the Ori galaxy), weakening Adria enough to be engaged in eternal battle with the Ancient Morgan. Each time Adria had seemed less human and more Ori, and as an Ascended was cruel, uncaring and thirsted for power. The super vision had taken an hour to unfold, leaving May drained and sick. Her in-vision behavior after the Ascended vs Ascended battle didn't escape her either. Broken-hearted, she shut down. Unable to help, Daniel sent her back to New York to live with the Evans family, hoping she would improve there. Aside from the vision, May ended up with a couple more near-ascended abilities: telekinesis, and air control (she called it bending).
At least Adria helped you. May thought to herself, placing the crystal within reach again.
Flashback:
The crystal levitated off the bed, wobbled for a second, then fell. May hissed in irritation, why was this harder than air control?
"You're trying too hard."
May jumped. Adria stood in the doorway, observing.
"What do you mean?"
"You shouldn't have to struggle with your powers. They should come naturally."
"But I'm half human." May protested, absently curling a strand of red hair around her finger.
"So am I, yet I didn't have to fight to use my abilities." She came closer, "I could help with your telekinesis if you want; you seem to have your aerokinesis under control."
"O-okay."
Flashback ends
Adria watched from the doorway as the Ilva stared at a crystal on her bed, too focused on it to notice her. The crystal rose off the bed, remaining level for a minute or so until May put it down. She felt proud of her student; it had taken a couple weeks of one-on-one meditation and practice, but it looked like she finally got the hang of it.
"May?"
"Adria?"
She smiled and rolled her eyes, reviewing how she interacted with this girl. At first, May of Lamont had been shy, nervous, and became flushed when their eyes met. Over time those behaviors had stopped, and she seemed more comfortable.
"Can we talk?"
She looked upset and nervous. Adria sat next to her and waited.
"I've seen something . . . something I don't like, and neither do the rest of the Ilvar."
She cocked her head, "Seen? A vision?"
May nodded. After a short hesitation, she explained what she had foreseen, watching for any reaction on Adria's part. She seethed at Daniel's betrayal, was surprised by her mother's idea of using herself as bait, hated Ba'al (as did May and lizard-creature named Delta), and viewed the vision's end through May's eyes.
She experienced the Ilva's emotions as though they were her own, feeling more human than she ever had. She felt May's heart break when the two Ascended beings disappeared.
"You would miss me?"
"Yes. I'd miss you."
"Why?"
"Because . . . because I like you."
That's why her face would turn pink! Adria frowned; May wasn't making eye contact, almost like she feared rejection.
"By having a vision, doesn't the future change?" she asked, changing the subject for now.
"I guess."
"If you know what will happen, you can change the outcome. By starting with the sangraal."
"If you start acting different, Daniel and Erl will notice."
"Who's Erl?"
"Merlin."
"Ah. I don't plan to change much yet. Let the two of them work on the weapon. When it's nearly complete I'll send them away. If even one piece is missing, it won't work."
"Or we could ask the Ilvar."
Adria blinked. Yes, they could do that, and take the choice away from Daniel/Erl and SG-1 entirely. The Ilvar in the Ori galaxy were already restless, while the Ilvar here were observing the Ori's forces very closely.
"How do we contact the Ilvar?"
"I shine a flashlight on my crystal." May explained, demonstrating. When the beam of light hit the crystal, the room exploded in color.
"Grandma!" May shouted, jumping off the bed and hugging an auburn haired Ilva. Adria could see the family resemblance, the red hair (May's was lighter), the turquoise eyes, and of course, the luminous skin and pointed ears.
The two were speaking rapidly in Ancient, if Adria had to guess it was about May's vision. She did catch the word sangraal once or twice.
When May was finished, her grandmother looked furious.
"The Ori have crossed us for the last time."
"What will you do with them?" Adria inquired nervously.
"Merely destroying them isn't enough punishment. It merely places them beyond reach of those who wish them harm. However if they were forced to once again take human form, as their children shake off their influence . . . yes, that will do nicely." The Ilvar said, the last part mostly to herself.
"And the sangraal?" May asked, cocking her head.
"There are two pieces that could disappear and prevent the device from working. The first is the most obvious: a red jewel also called the Bloodstone. The other is the countdown crystal. The Bloodstone is too obvious, because you, your family, the threvast and Adria have seen it."
"The countdown crystal then?"
"Why not just take the weapon?" Adria spoke up, looking confused, "Wait until SG-1 is beamed aboard and get rid of it before their eyes."
May looked at her grandmother, who glanced at the ring she wore on her right hand, silver with an amethyst crystal.
"And what should happen to you, daughter of the Ori?" Grandma Orlithe asked, eyeing Adria and seeing a child in an adult's body. The Orici tried to appear small and vulnerable, very aware of the strength of the Ilvar.
"Grandma, the Ori twisted her since her conception. The things she did in the Ori's name, can we blame her for that?" May asked, looking at Adria with tear-filled eyes.
"No . . . I don't think we can." Orlithe replied, summoning the crystal. Once she touched it, an aurora formed within, flowing out the crystal's top, through the ceiling, and out of sight. Her attention returned to Adria and she said, "When SG-1 has departed, return to the Ori galaxy and go to Lunara."
"Your holy city," Adria breathed, "But why?"
"Our neutrality is not genetic. You can learn if you try. I need to go now Granddaughter."
Adria turned away, staring at the strange books May had brought with her.
"Adria? Are you alright?" May asked a few minutes later.
"I envy you."
"What?"
"There are people in your life who love you and a group of Ascended beings who watch over you. If I surrendered now, they would kill me. Not even my mother would stop them."
"And deep down you still hope she can change. She thinks the same thing about you."
"Does she worry about me?"
"I don't know." May answered truthfully, and Adria did something she hadn't done since she was an infant. She cried.
May hugged her, and that seemed to make it worse, as she hadn't been held since she was an infant either. May swore to herself she would find the one-eyed Prior and kick his ass. No child deserved to be treated this way.
"This is the last time we'll see each other for a while." Adria managed to say half an hour later, hugging May like she would disappear. "Things will have to change. . ."
"Will you come back?" The unspoken but implied for me hung between the two of them. Adria thought about it, May's infatuation had mellowed into close friendship, and among the Ilvar friendship was second only to family. In addition, it was their status as hybrids that drew them together in the first place.
"Of course."
May still looked unhappy, but accepted it. "What's Lunara?"
Adria stared at her with wide eyes.
"Born in this galaxy, duh!"
"Right . . . as you know, Celestis is the holy city of the Ori. Lunara predates it by several thousand years. The world on which the city is located has no sunlight. Some say the magic of the Ilvar keeps the world alive, others say it's the crystals scattered around it. Either way, there is no denying its beauty."
May's eyes gleamed; this was better than any story she'd read!
"It is also said that Lunara is where the Ilvar meet with humans. A few people traveled to the city when faith in the Ori waivered. When they returned home their pleas had been answered. A sickness or injury cured, crops and livestock providing enough to get them through hard times. This led to a few planets that wanted to worship the Ilvar instead. Several Priors were lost before the Ilvar made it clear they didn't want to be worshiped. Still, they are respected."
And she continued explaining into the night, amused by May's expression of wonder. When it was late, Adria bade her friend goodnight and went to get some sleep. Tomorrow, the real work began.
That was a couple days ago. Everything had sort of gone according to plan. Before Vala could piece together the sangraal, an aurora surrounded the ship and the weapon vanished. Merlin died and Daniel went back to being good old human Daniel. Adria had returned to the Ori galaxy and was either en route to Lunara or already there. And Uncle Jack came for a visit and stayed for a week or so.
May had been debriefed along with the rest of SG-1, where she explained her vision, the changes in Adria, and how the Ilvar didn't want their brethren to die so yes they destroyed the sangraal.
News came in from planets under Ori rule: an aurora came and pushed their forces back to the Supergate. The truth behind Origin had been revealed to everyone but the Priors, who had lost their powers and had to be dragged onto ships because they refused to leave otherwise.
A couple years went by and May started having visions centering on her Mom and Tyler. Deciding to drop in for a long-overdue visit, she was there for about a week, when they showed up.
Stargate fans don't worry. SG-1 (and Adria) will be back. Wow. I covered most of SG-1 in four chapters. Yay!
