Forced myself to take 2 hours away from packing to write this chapter. Didn't take a lot of convincing, though. ;) Hope you like it and I'll try to get to work on the next chapter soon.

Chapter 13

"Why do you have to go?" Zari asked with tears in her eyes and a pout on her lips.

"We talked about this, angel." Vala told her as she hugged the child on her hip. "It's my job. I'll be back in no time, you'll see."

"Why can't someone else go? Why does it have to be you?"

The words stopped Vala for a moment as they seemed to echo Daniel's from just before their meeting with Caius. She searched for an answer but found it difficult to come up with. "Baby, I already told you, it's my job. I go through the Chappa'ai with the rest of SG-1 to protect the galaxy from the bad guys. It's what I do."

"But you could stay here and still protect the galaxy." Zari's chin came up stubbornly. "Dr. Bill says you know more about alien technology than anyone else in three galaxies, even Auntie Samantha. And Mr. Siler says no one can fix the Chappa'ai as fast as you. And Uncle Colonel Cam-"

"Okay, okay, I get it." Vala laughed. "My job here is very important but so is the one I'm going on now."

"But I want you to stay here with me."

"I know, angel, and I want to be here. I'll think about what you said and we'll see if we can't work something out when I get back, all right?"

Zari seemed to mull it over for a moment before nodding and kissing Vala's cheek. "Okay."

"Good, now run along and find Dr. Bill. He said something about a Jell-O experiment." Vala set the little girl down and smiled as she bolted from the room. She wasn't lying when she'd told Zari she'd rather stay on Earth and not just because she had no desire to see her ex-husband again. The idea of being away from her girls for a long period of time made her sad. Maybe she could cut back on her off-world travels. But for now, she had no choice. She was going to walk right into Potho's trap and end this.

"I don't want you to go, either." came a small voice behind her and Vala turned to see Kierda standing in the doorway of the VIP quarters.

"I know, love, but as I just told Zari, I have to go. I'll be back soon and we'll have ourselves a girls-night-in with Samantha, Cassandra and Carolyn. How does that sound?"

"Fine." Kierda said with a forced smile.

"Okay, I know that look. I invented that look. What's really bothering you?" Vala sat on the sofa and motioned Kierda to do the same.

"I don't know." Kierda sighed and lay her head on Vala's shoulder. "I just have a really bad feeling about this."

Vala pulled Kierda closer to her and took a deep breath before answering. She knew exactly how her sister felt, she had the same bad feeling. Something was going to go awry, she just knew it. "Listen, Kierda, I think you're old enough for the truth. This job I'm going on is very dangerous and, as much as I would like to send someone else, it has to be me. I promise to do everything within my power to get back to you and Zari, you have my word on that. Nothing, and I mean nothing in the universe is more important to me than your safety. Got it?"

"Yeah, I've got it. Thanks for not lying to me, Vala."

"Never." Vala told her resolutely and stood, pulling the girl with her. "Now, I have to get ready. You going to be okay?"

"Yes, I think so."

Vala nodded and started to walk away when Kierda's voice pulled her back. "Vala, I want to...I, uh..." Kierda rushed over to Vala and threw her arms around her waist, to which Vala did the same. "I love you, Vala."

"I love you, too, Kierda." Vala said and hugged her sister tighter, placing a kiss to the girl's hair. "I love you, too."

()()()()

"So, Princess, wanna tell me again why we're 'gating to this planet instead of taking the Odyssey?"

"Because it's what Potho requested." Vala told Mitchell absently as she fiddled with her P-90.

"Yeah, not exactly a good recommendation."

"Don't you trust me, Cameron?"

"You? Definitely. Your crazy ex? Not so much."

"I'd have to agree with Mitchell." Daniel put in.

"Really, boys, everything is going to be fine."

"While I agree that this plan is flawed, I have to go with Vala on this one." Sam said and Vala smiled at her best friend. "The Odyssey is already at the coordinates and has verified that the flagship is there. We have our tracking devices and, with the Odyssey's new cloaking ability-"

"Okay, yeah, I get it. We're prepared. I just don't like this set-up."

"I believe that Colonel Carter and Vala Mal Doran are correct." Teal'c said. "This may be our best chance to stop whomever is attacking Vala Mal Doran and her sisters."

"Okay, Big Guy." Cam said on a sigh then looked up to the control room. "Walter, hit it."

As Walter called out the Chevrons, Vala took a moment to glance behind him to where her sisters stood with Cassandra. Even from this distance, Vala could see the worry in Kierda's eyes. She tried to send a reassuring smile but knew she failed. How could she set her sister's mind at ease when she couldn't even quell her own fears? Her eyes lifted to Cassandra's, sending a silent message: Protect them. Cassandra nodded in acknowledgement and Vala turned away.

"Chevron seven is locked." Walter announced.

"Well, let's get this over with." she told her team as she started up the ramp.

"Godspeed, SG-1." Landry called out and Vala turned once more to send the general a grateful smile before entering the event horizon.

Upon exiting, her hands went directly to her P-90. A team of about a dozen Alliance underlings stood before them, all heavily armed and angry-looking. Vala groaned as one stepped forward, an evil grin on his face.

"Vala, it has certainly been a while." the dark-haired man said.

"Not long enough, believe me, Arton. I see you're still taking orders from Potho."

"Some of us believe in loyalty."

Vala snorted at that but made no response.

"Another friend of yours, Princess?" Cam asked, not taking his eyes, or gun, off the guards.

"Hardly. Arton is simply Potho's lackey. Never could think for himself."

"Let's see if we can't rectify that." Arton said. Before any of them could act, the sound of zat fire echoed in the clearing. Vala felt the familiar sting and fell to the ground, watching as the others did the same. Yep, really bad feeling, she thought as everything went dark.