Chapter 14 The Un-interesting Exhibit.

Vala flatly refused to go back to her home world. She told them that nothing would induce her to set foot on the planet ever again, and nobody was going to change her mind.

Wisely, none of them tried to. Daniel took her aside, and held her closely for a long time. She didn't cry, but wrapped her arms tight around his waist, hiding her face against his shoulder.

"I don't want you to go either," she whispered. "Please can Mitchell go instead?"

Normally Daniel would have insisted on personally bringing back the artefact, but even his archaeologist's brain understood that there was real fear hiding behind the alien's refusal to go back home. Pick your battles, he had once heard General Hammond say.

"Okay," he kissed the top of her head gently. "Just for you. Just this time, okay?"

Vala nodded, with her head still burrowed into his chest. It was another few minutes before she felt brave enough to let go of him and pretend that she wasn't afraid and the memories of her own planet didn't bother her.

It all worked out well in the long run – the thought of riding on a horse for about six miles out to the crystal mine did not bring any joy to Mitchell and his still-tender backside. He was quite happy to go back to see Shay and ask to borrow the 'Tree of Light' with Colonel Carter.

And so early the next morning the team went their separate ways – two of them off through the Stargate and the other two to check out where the jewels came from.

Colonels Mitchell and Carter arrived on the planet peacefully and with no problems. The DHD had been mended since they were last there – it was just as well that the team had visited a few months earlier otherwise the Stargate might have remained broken for years before anyone realised. Sam and Cameron meandered their way slowly through the busy streets and passages of Vala's home world, heading towards the small museum.

Shay spotted them as they approached and came hurrying out, smiling broadly.

"SGC!" He shook Mitchell's hand heartily. "It is good to see you again. And how is Daniel Jackson?"

"Aww, he's fine," the Colonel told him. "Vala too. She's fine."

"She is well again?" Shay asked, eyes twinkling. "All healed?"

"Yup, all healed."

"That is most excellent news! I will tell Sonel – he will be happy indeed. Will you come in?" Shay indicated the interiror of the building.

"Sure," Mitchell indicated to the other man to lead on. "That's why we're here. Gotta proposition for you."

All three entered the little museum. The shadowed coolness of the interior was a pleasant change from the heat outside. Vala's elderly and unlikely knight in shining armour was sitting against the wall – when he was told of his friend's return to health Sonel's old face crinkled with a huge smile. He clapped his hands together, nodding his head.

"Good – is good! He is all well! Yes, yes he is. Yes?"

Sam patted the his hand.

"Yes, sheis."

"Well….I hate to interrupt the party," Mitchell broke in on them, "but we're here to ask if we can borrow something from you guys."

"I think this will be allowed," Shay nodded. "What is it you wish for?"

Sam was already wandering around, looking for the Lignum in Lucem.

"There's another place – way across the galaxy from here," Mitchell told him. "the Lingnem – um, the Looseum – aww, heck, I dunno what Jackson calls it…"

"Lignum in Lucem," his fellow Colonel interjected. "I think that this is it." She was stood in front of the large, square, wok-like table artefact.

"Ah – of course!" Shay came over immediately. "Dr Jackson was looking at this for some time when he was here before. He also spoke of the City of Light – this piece was of that world, we thought."

"You'd be right," Sam ran her hands along the edge of the interesting antique. "We found it too – the City of Light. It isa real place."

"We need to take it home," Mitchell told the young man, apologetically. "I know it's been here for years, but it belongs to those other guys, 'way over there…" he waved his hand vaguely in the direction of the sky. "And we really need to take it back to 'em. Even if it's only temporary."

Shay nodded slowly. "I see." He frowned. "We have always known that it was not of this world – I suppose it is only proper that it is returned to where it belongs."

"The people of Kallios Lucem may well be able to give you something in return," said Sam. "Another artefact to replace it."

Shay nodded again. "That would be kind. However, as I told Dr Jackson, we are able to also explore more for ourselves these days, now that the Gou'ald do not control us. No, it is right for this treasure to be returned to it's own people."

He paused. "However…." and frowned again.

"However…!" Sam prompted.

"There will be alot of forms to fill in to release this piece from the museum, I fear," he told them. "The small artefact which Dr Jackson originally borrowed was easy to loan out. But this – you understand – it is bigger, and more important. You may have to wait, to put a – a – an ask, you know?"

"An ask…you mean, request?" asked Mitchell.

Shay nodded. "Yes. And perhaps the council will say no. Even if I say it right for it to leave."

The two Colonels' looked at each other.

"The thing is," began Mitchell, "we kind of promised that we'd bring it back with us. Today."

Shay grinned suddenly, a mischievous gleam in his eye. "Sirs," he said, indicating both of them. "How do you feel about the sin of thievery?"

o - o - o - o -

Sam suppressed a crazy urge to giggle. Mitchell stood next to a small hand held cart full of vegetables, supposedly just pushing it down to the market for Sonel. Hidden underneath was the Tree of Light and the column which it stood on. Her fellow Colonel was looking embarrassed.

"Heck, Sam," he grumbled to her, "I know I grew up on a farm, doesn't mean I wanna be a farmer!"

The blonde Colonel's grin widened. It probably wasn't the kind of mission her friend had had in mind when he joined the Air Force.

"Aww, shut up!" Cam told her, catching her eye.

Sam snorted a laugh, but relented. "Don't worry, Cam, I'll push it." She made her way over and lifted the handles. It was no larger or heavier than a wheelbarrow.

Shay exited the museum as she manoeuvred the cart to make it comfortable. He shook hands with both of the colonels'.

"Thank you," Sam smiled. "Really, thank you. And we'll keep in touch with you from now on. Look out for you. Allies."

"That would be very good, Colonel Carter," Shay gave a slight bow. "It has been a pleasure."

"We'll see if Jackson can steal you something from our neck of the woods to make up for us taking this," Mitchell added, nudging Sam away from the cart and lifting it himself. He winked at her. "My Grandma would never forgive me if I let a lady heft that."

She grinned. "Ok, let's go."

Just as they began to move away, the old man, Sonel appeared from inside the museum, waving his hand and calling in his own language.

"Oh heck, is he gonna bust us?" whispered Mitchell, looking around guiltily.

Shay spoke to the elderly man, then lifted his hand to the two Colonels' to ask them to wait. He took something from his workmate, was grinning broadly.

"Our friend Sonel has had a think – a think – come to him, yes, a think?"

"A thought?" Sam frowned.

"Yes – a thought! Of many years ago when he was a young man, and things were brought here – but not at the same time as the Lignum in Lucem. So he is thinking they are not together, you see?"

Mitchell didn't see, but he nodded vaguely.

"Only look! He brings these – he looks for them and finds them downstairs in the museum store. They are not – not interest worthy? You know? So nobody is looking at them. But he thinks now – well, you see?"

He opened the medium-sized cloth bag which Sonel had handed to him and tipped out what was in there onto the top of the vegetable cart.

"Holy Hannah!" Sam exclaimed, loudly.

There, lying in front of them, in perfect if dusty condition, was a collection of – she counted them quickly – forty five perfectly cut, perfectly sized, Aureoque crystals. They must be the ones which actually fitted the Tree of Light.

"They were here all the time," she whispered in wonder.

Mitchell was casing the area around them. He gestured to Shay to replace them in the bag. "Well Sam, I suggest that we get them out of here and take 'em to where they're meant to be, don't you?"

He nodded to the local man, clapped his shoulder, and started steering the glorified wheelbarrow in the direction of the Stargate.

Sam hugged Shay and Sonel quickly. "Thank you," she said to the old man, "and not just for the jewels. For Vala too – she's very precious to us. More than all the crystals put together."

Then she followed her fellow colonel down the street, looking back once and giving the two men a brief wave.

Daniel was going to explode when he saw what they had!

TBC

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