Chapter 11 – Individual progress and review
Daniel
Taken from the journal of Daniel Jackson.
"I once had a conversation about dreams with Teal'c. It was probably the most honest conversation he had ever had with me about how I cope with my life at the SGC. He'd stated his amazement at my ability to sleep well after all I had experienced. He didn't know that the reason I work so late some days is that I need to keep the nightmares away. When Vala came along I think I recognised something of myself in her. When she first knocked on my door because of her nightmares I couldn't help but realise that I was not the only one who was scared the scars that I carried. She saw in me a friend long before I saw that I cared about her."
It was all he could do to keep from drowning. Image after image assaulted him. His throat was sore and it was only after a while he realised it was sore because he had been screaming so much. He had locked so much of his worst fears and guilt away and grieved so little for his losses. How did he manage day to day? It felt like he was back to being a lifeboat to other souls only this time it was he that needed the help. Nothing was coming and he wanted to crawl in a hole and hide but cover was nowhere to be found! He just found the thought of his hope with Vala crushed and when her images appeared he thought he was going to breathe for a moment only to drown in the disappointment that even that wasn't going to happen. "Help me!" Daniel whispered.
Cameron
"Kill him" That was the last thing he had heard from Pallas. Vala had been so sure that he had a chance to survive. She had faith in his ability that he wanted to justify it but having 4 against one which included a sanctimonious Goa'uld was not a good idea for launching an escape. He felt sure that he could get away if he could move further out of the way of those who had so vengefully plotted all this but he couldn't saw anything to try and persuade them to move. He had to trust in good old fashioned Goa'uld nature – don't stick around to completely get your hands dirty – oh wait darn it, they liked to watch! Pallas turned to see Karis and Vagelis come around the corner. Cameron's lip curled into a snarl. He wanted both of them dead for what they were doing to his friends. However anger was not going to get him anywhere. "Karis, I want you to prepare the computer to receive the knowledge from Doctor Jackson. His subconscious mind should soon be pliable enough for you to interrogate him for the knowledge of the Ancients. Qetesh will soon be joining him in session with all her Goa'uld knowledge. We just need to make her as pliable. Once we have that information we shall add that to the genetic coding for retrieval. The system lords shall rise once more under our rule." Karis inclined her head towards Pallas.
Cameron stared. 'So that's what this is all geared towards? The revival of the Goa'uld empire? That is so not good! Here's me thinkin' I missed that party and ended up on clean up duty! No such luck there then. Now I really have to get back to the SGC!' Cameron's head spun. The fact that there was a power vacuum in the galaxy was one thing. The fact that the old tyrants were seeking to fill that vacuum with their system of autocratic rule was another. Pallas dismissed Cameron and the Jaffa with a flick of her hand. 'Obviously she's not in the mood for morbid entertainment. Suits me! Right! Time for mano et tres to have a smack down!" He bided his time as they moved down the corridor towards the exit. Cameron was practically boiling with anger. He couldn't wait to hit something and if that included some stupid Jaffa – well bring it on! The quad became a trio when the first prime amongst the guards was called to do the bidding of Pallas. 'Must not consider me a major threat! Suits me fine!' Cameron felt his muscles spring to life as he fainted back and struck the first Jaffa near his symbiote pouch. He turned his body round and kicked out at Jaffa number 2 grabbing for Jaffa number 1's zat gun. He managed to get the gun loose when Jaffa number 1 hit him in the face. He reeled onto the ground opening the gun as he went. He managed to get one but the other had his staff open and prepared to fire. He was prepared to die for his friends – of that he was certain but since joining SG-1 he had learned how to want to live for them as well. Just as he was about to fire another burst of energy hit the Jaffa. He looked up and grinned. Sam and Teal'c were standing there with SG3 and Colonel Reynolds. Suddenly the day was looking up!
"Mitchell, when a general says to call in 12 hours – it's kinda rude not to answer!" smiled Sam. She put her hand down to him and she helped him up off the floor.
"What? No witty comeback? No nonsensical anecdote about your granmaw said? Cam, what's up?"
Cameron sighed. This was going to talk a while. He got out his pad and pencil and began writing a long explanation. Heck it could double up as a mission report! 'At least something's can go right in a day!' he thought.
Vala
Pallas had re-entered the room that Vala had waited in followed by Karis and Vagelis. Karis had a memory recall device in her hands along with a knotted bracelet that Vala had not seen before. Vala knew that the bracelet must be important and she was determined to get it at all costs. All in a day's work for a thief! Karis placed the memory device on Vala's head and the whole room changed. They were looking to cause pain. Of that she was certain. Pallas looked at Vala with distain. "You claim to know your Doctor Jackson. I wonder how much he means to you?" Vagelis walked forward with a needle in his hand, a wicked grin on his face. He injected a substance into Vala and suddenly her world went hazy. Pallas smiled at him and began to speak again "when you arrived here we injected you with a substance to make you more susceptible to this room. This was when we had you in 'quarantine'. It was less potent than the dose you have received now. Doctor Jackson's system has been flooded by the substance in the drinks he took all day. You however are a special case because of the naqueda in your system. Let's just see what it does to you when you see how that would play out shall we hmm? Karis, begin."
Karis reached for the bracelet and the scene began to change. It was the night she first showed up at Daniels door. The nightmare played out before them in the room. It was one where she had killed a miner simply out of boredom. She had felt the pleasure in the kill and it had sent her running across the hall to Daniel. At first he'd rolled his eyes at her in annoyance for being woken up but he then looked at the tears threatening her and he'd taken her into his room. He'd insisted that she sit on the edge of the bed and had put a blanket around her as she had started to shiver with the cold. That night he had just given her a hug and held her till the shivering stopped. He had not said a word. When she stopped shivering, he had told her that everything was alright and that she was at home with them here. The next day, he had taken her off the base for a walk to an ice cream store and he had just sat with her chatting about anything until she smiled and laughed. It was one of her favourite memories. The scene swiftly changed to last night in Daniels apartment and the night she found herself wanting to fall apart again because she was silly enough to break Daniels trust.
The scene changed again and she had a baby bump on her. It was Daniels. She felt that and she wanted it to be true so badly. They weren't just content to show her the past but also tap into her dreams as well. The scene showed him with his arms around her and it was pure torture for her. This was never going to happen. There was joy in their eyes and Vala knew she would not be able to have this in reality – the hope for this had died and she started to cry. She started to try and place up her mental barriers as the images of need and want began to roll on and on. She knew that she had a limited chance to make her attempt at gaining control. She knew it would be soon.
After about 10 minutes, Pallas and her two lackeys made her way to the door. Vala knew that she had to do this now or else all would be lost. She lunged for Karis and started to punch face her hard! Karis put up her hands instinctively to her face allowing Vala an opportunity to slip the bracelet off her wrist and slip it very quickly into her jacket. They were not going to ruin this for her. She had already been broken once by Adria and Qetesh. No bratty trio were going to take this new life, this good life and wave it in front of her like she was worthless. Daniel had taught her how much value she had to herself and despite everything she was going to fight them every step of the way for both their sakes.