A/N
This has actually been ready to post for a while now but I've had no internet connection and haven't been able to post it. The problem with going round other people's houses to use theirs is that you have to be sociable and then you wind forgetting half of what you wanted to do! Sorry for the delay and I hope to have the next chapter up in a matter of weeks. I'd also like to thank the reviewers I haven't managed to respond to yet. Sorry guys!
In the meantime, I hope that you enjoy!
How Kayliss Became Liss
The underground base came alive as the two groups talked, learning each other's history and reaching an agreement. Jonas and the Resistance were welcome to their ship, its naquada and anything else they didn't want that could be useful to the Resistance. In return, they would provide Faith and the others with everything they needed to get back to Earth. Kayliss would, reluctantly, start training with them. She still wasn't buying into the slayer gig.
Finally, starving, Jonas called a halt to the meeting. "What I wouldn't give for a cup of coffee," he said, stretching. He'd pulled plenty of all-nighters before, but he wasn't getting any younger.
"We have coffee," said Nya, the first time she had spoken all night. "With our belongings in the woods."
"All the more reason to go get them," Jonas said to her with a smile. "After breakfast."
Kay opened the door and they left his office, ignoring the curious glances they got from the people sat at their workstations in the other room. Jonas turned to Faith as Jem led the way to the dining room.
"How're my fish?" he asked her.
"What fish?" she asked, startled.
"I gave them to Doctor Jackson," Jonas elaborated, hoping to jog her memory.
"Daniel has fish?"
l
The knocking refused to go away. Sighing in frustration, Vala pushed the eye mask she wore up and threw the covers back. Getting out of bed, she stumbled to the door, stubbing her toe on her chest of drawers before she thought to turn on a light. Glancing at her clock, she frowned.
"This had better be an emergency," she said hotly as she pulled her door open, "You're disturbing my beauty- Oh. It's you." Vala scowled at the redhead standing contritely outside her door, "What do you want?"
"I've come to apologise," Jool told her.
"I'm listening..." said Vala, intrigued.
"I'm a horrible cow," said Jool and Vala had to admit that it was a good opening. "I shouldn't have jumped down your throat yesterday and I'm sorry. My only excuse is that I'm PMT-ing like a bitch. I grovel at your feet for forgiveness."
"I see no grovelling," Vala archly pointed out.
"You want me to actually get down there?" Jool asked dubiously.
"I suppose I can forgive you..." said Vala, trailing her fingertip up and down the doorframe. "On one condition."
"Name it," Jool foolishly said.
"Tell me what a slayer is," begged Vala.
Jool sighed, defeated, "Inside."
l
Faith watched Jem closely as he led the way through the sewers of Kelowna. The young teenager knew exactly where he was taking them. How had he become so familiar with sewers at such a young age? She knew how she'd done it, the same way she'd done everything in life. The hard way. He even knew which patches were driest and she found herself following his footsteps. After a while, Nya copied her, while the six men accompanying them forged their own paths. They'd learn.
The slayers had split up. Mallie and Kay were leading Liss and a bunch of eggheads to the ship while Nya and Faith took another bunch of people to help them pick up their stuff. Jonas had stayed behind. Apparently he was too well-known to go above ground. He even had a wanted poster on the wall of his office. Personally, Faith had never felt the urge to frame hers. But then, she'd been wanted for murder. Unlike her, Jonas was fighting for the freedom of his people. Bad thoughts! Faith shook them off.
"How old are you anyway, kid?" she asked Jem to distract herself.
"Sixteen," he said, surprising her. She'd thought he was younger but it was kinda hard to tell under all the dirt. Had he ever had a bath? "I think."
"You think?" asked Nya.
"I'm not really sure," he said.
"How can you not know when you were born?" pressed Nya. If she'd been walking next to Faith she'd've got an elbow in the ribs for that. It was obvious Jem didn't want to talk about it.
"I was a kid," he said defensively. "It was hard to keep track."
"But did your parents not tell you?" Nya's questions just kept coming.
"Drop it, Ny!" Faith told her sharply. Soon as they got back, she was stuffing her back in the burka!
She dropped it. After a while, her quiet, "Oh!" told Faith that she got it too.
"How much further?" the big man Kay had zatted last night grumbled.
"Almost there," Jem told them, and they were.
Rounding a corner, they came to an outlet pipe large enough for two people to walk side by side. A grate with a door in the centre stopped anyone from leaving. Jem pulled a bundle of cloth out of his pocket, unrolling it to pluck out two lockpicking tools. Faith's estimation of him went up again.
l
"Are we there yet?" one of the scientists Mallie and Kay were escorting to the te'tak whined.
"Nearly," Kay told her through gritted teeth. It was the third time he had asked. "See that clearing? We left it there."
"Where?" asked Kayliss, frowning as she looked for it.
"By that fallen tree, there," Kay pointed out the tree they had crashed into.
"I don't see it," said Kayliss, worried.
"That's because it's cloaked," Mallie explained as though it should be obvious.
"Then how do you know it's still there?" Kayliss asked.
"We don't," Kay told her. "We could be walking into a trap."
"Um..." said the annoying scientist. He didn't even have the decency to make up for his personality by being good looking. "Maybe we should wait here?"
"Good idea," said Kay, glad of the chance to be rid of him. "Liss, stay with them. Any trouble, get back to Faith."
"Don't call me Liss!" Kayliss protested as the two ran towards the tree they had pointed out.
No-one shot at them and they quickly reached it. Kayliss watched as Mallie held her hand out and an opening appeared in the air. Kay waved them over as Mallie disappeared inside the opening. Kayliss hurried the scientists over to her and into the tel'tak.
The walls inside were lined with gold and carved with figures. Staring at them, Kayliss barely registered the door closing behind her, Kay falling into step with her.
"So what are you going to do with her?" Kay asked, trailing a hand along the wall. "She kind of feels like home," she explained when Kayliss looked curiously at her.
"We're giving her to Terania, my country," Kayliss told her. "Teran, our capital, was destroyed by the Ori ship in the final days of the battle against them. The Ori believe them to be loyal followers, my people have worked hard to give them that impression, they can hide her easily until she is needed. They are already making plans to procure additional naquada."
"You need more?" Kay asked with some surprise.
"We're going to take as much as we can before we send her," Kayliss explained. "Ideally, leaving just enough for the trip."
"Let me give your pilot some flying lessons before you do," Kay told her as they entered the control room. "Who is your pilot, anyway?"
"Me," said the irritating scientist and Kay suppressed a groan.
l
Munching on an apple, all she'd managed to grab for breakfast in the end, Jool roamed the hallways of the SGC. She was looking for the other members of her team; she'd missed them at breakfast. They weren't in Oz's office, or Andrew's. She'd even checked the Captain's but they weren't there either. Getting a sudden brainwave, she headed towards her own office. Sure enough, they were there. Well, most of them were.
"Two out of three ain't bad," she quoted, dropping her apple core in the small bin by the door. "Where's the Captain?"
"He vanished!" Andrew said dramatically.
"What?" Jool asked, alarmed.
"He was fine until Doctor Jackson joined us," Andrew told her. "Then he stopped talking, even though Doctor Jackson was talking to him and everything. Then, in the hallway, one minute he was there, the next he was gone. Poof!"
"Great," sighed Jool. "I'll find him and make sure he's alright. I've got an excuse to see him anyway. Vala conned me into telling her I was a slayer."
"He'll love that," commented Oz.
"Tell me about it!" Jool lamented. She sniffed, "You smell minty."
"Chaos demon," he explained succinctly.
"Still?" asked Jool, surprised. "Ick. In the meantime, don't you two have offices of your own to go to?"
"Yeah, but I like yours better," Andrew told her.
l
It took them several trips to move all of their stuff and it was past lunchtime before they were done. The others still weren't back. Refusing to go through it all until Kay was there (the older slayer had a much better idea of what was valuable) Faith called a break for food. Jonas joined them and he and Faith chatted easily about the things they missed about Earth. Most of it went straight over Nya and Jem's heads, things like:
"Milkshake and fries."
"Rock 'n' roll."
"Cable."
"TVs!"
"The Simpsons."
"My bike."
"Kay!" Nya greeted the short-haired woman with enthusiastically. "Mallie, Liss. Join us."
"That's not my name," Liss replied flatly as she sat down at the table.
"Razors," said Faith.
"My fish," mourned Jonas.
"The tel'tak has left," Liss informed them.
"Hopefully Wentor'll get it there in one piece," said Kay. "Not a natural flier."
"He got sick," Mallie decided to share the information with them. "All over the controls." Fortunately, none of them were the type to be put off their food.
"How much naquada did we get?" Jonas asked Liss.
"A lot," she told him. "We left Wentor with some to spare."
"Not good at navigating, either," Kay said between mouthfuls of food.
"He is, however, our Goa'uld expert," Jonas told her.
"You're our Goa'uld expert," Liss said to him. "Wentor's just your apprentice."
"I want to start refining that naquada as soon as possible," said Jonas and Faith noticed that he didn't deny it. "I'll meet you in the lab," he told Liss.
"I'll come now," Liss offered, picking up her tray.
"No, you stay," said Jonas. "Finish your meal." He glanced at Faith, "Get to know each other."
Get to know each other? Kayliss didn't want to get to know Faith. She wanted to get rid of her. She transferred her gaze from Jonas' back as he walked out of the door, leaving her, to Faith. Faith grinned widely at her.
"What?" Liss asked suspiciously.
"Your face," said Faith. "You looked like a kid who'd just been told Christmas was cancelled."
"What's Christmas?" Mallie asked curiously.
"Religious holiday," Faith told her. "Basically an excuse to eat a lot, drink a lot, fight a lot and get some presents."
"Sounds fun," Kayliss commented sarcastically.
Faith's face softened as she looked into the middle distance. "It can be," she said wistfully. Faith missed Mallie and Kay's shared look, but Kayliss didn't. "Anyway!" said Faith, bringing herself back to the here and now. "I'm sure Liss' got questions, so... fire away."
"Please stop calling me that," Kayliss said frostily. "It's not my name. My name is Kayliss. I like it. Please use it."
"No," said Faith, crossing her arms and waiting to see what she would do.
Kayliss pushed her half-finished plate away from her. "I'm finished," she said, getting up.
"Training in two hours!" Faith called after her as she stalked from the room.
"Well," said Mallie, popping a piece of bread into her mouth. "That went well."
l
"Colonel Carter?"
Sam looked up from her computer and smiled at the woman standing in her doorway. "Jool, come in," she said, beckoning her. "I thought I told you to call me Sam?"
"I know," said Jool, shutting the door behind her. "It's just..." she shrugged awkwardly.
Sam understood. "What can I do for you?" she asked.
"I can't find the Captain," said Jool. "I've looked everywhere and I thought, maybe..."
"I'd know where to look?" Sam finished the sentence for her.
"Yes," Jool sighed, smiling in relief.
"Have you tried his office?" asked Sam.
"I have to admit it wasn't the first place I looked," Jool told her. "He's not there."
"Did you try looking under his desk?" Sam asked curiously.
"No..." Jool said slowly. "Thanks!"
"You might want to try the armoury as well," Sam suggested.
"Anywhere else?" asked Jool, one hand on the doorknob.
"A couple of places..." said Sam, thinking.
l
"Jon?"
Jon ignored the voice, concentrating on his Nintendo DS. He was finally about to confront Bowser in his lair. Footsteps approached his desk and he scowled.
"Jon? I know you're here."
His computer chair was moved away and two feet appeared. Daniel crouched down to Jon's eye level.
"Hi," he said.
"Go away," Jon told him, not bothering to look at him.
"I came to see if you wanted to talk," Daniel said softly.
Jon scoffed, "Now you want to talk!"
"Jon..." said Daniel.
"I said, go away Daniel!" Jon said fiercely, shoving him out of the way. He climbed out from under his desk as Daniel over-balanced and tumbled to the floor. "You didn't want to talk three years ago and I don't want to talk now. Leave me alone."
"Jon... It's not that I didn't want to talk..." Daniel told him, picking himself up off the floor.
Jon didn't stick around to hear the rest, slamming his office door behind him. Great. Now he needed to find a better hiding place!
l
He wasn't under his desk. He wasn't in any of the places Sam had told her to look. In desperation, Jool took the lifts up to the checkpoint and learned that he was definitely still in the mountain. Somewhere. God only knew where. She'd only been here a few months, he had once worked here for years. He could be anywhere. Jool gave up and returned to her office, grumbling under her breath the whole way there.
"Urgh!" she vented her feelings as soon as she got there, slamming the door behind her. "Drat the man! Let him stew in his own juices!"
Yanking her chair back, she sat down and scooted forwards. Her feet collided with something large and warm and she leapt back with a shriek.
"Ow!" complained Jon, rubbing his ribs as he sat folded up under her desk. "Easy there, Doc. Talking about me?"
"No!" Jool denied immediately. Too immediately. She wouldn't have believed her either. "What are you doing here?"
"Hiding," Jon brought his finger up to his firm lips. "Shh! I'm not here."
"Have you eaten?" asked Jool.
"Yes," Jon told her. His stomach growled loudly. "Breakfast."
"I'll get you something," she said, getting back up. "Stay here. We need to talk."
"About what?" Jon asked, alarmed.
"Vala," she told him. "She knows I'm the slayer."
"Aw, for crying out loud!" cried Jon. "Who told her?"
"Me," Jool admitted, hurriedly shutting the door behind her.
She could hear his explosion through it.
l
"I have to go," Kayliss said regretfully. "Training."
"Can I watch?" Jonas asked eagerly, to her surprise and delight.
"Of course!" she said with a wide grin.
"Great," said Jonas, tidying their worktop. "I can't wait to see a slayer in action!"
He'd seen her in action for the last two years, Kayliss thought mournfully. He'd never been this excited about it. Intrigued, maybe.... If this Faith was to be believed then she was a slayer too. Really not looking forward to what was coming, Kayliss walked silently beside Jonas to the dining room.
Faith and the others had pushed the tables and chairs to the edges of the room, leaving them a large space to work in. They were sitting on one of the tables on the other side of the room, talking amongst themselves. Faith hopped down as soon as she saw them.
"Jonas!" she said as she walked across the room to join them. "Come to watch?"
"If you'll have me," Jonas told her with a smile.
"No problem," Faith told him. "Just stay out of the way."
"Of course," Jonas promised earnestly.
"You're with Nya," Faith told Kayliss. She walked her over. "Don't worry 'bout holding back or any of that shit, just go all out. We're just as strong as you."
Kayliss' mouth twisted sceptically but she kept it shut. Faith left her with Nya and walked back to Jonas. Kayliss smiled awkwardly at Nya and stared at the floor.
"Mallie attacking, Kay, defence," Faith called out and the other two took the floor. "Now!"
Kayliss' mouth dropped and stayed open as Mallie and Kay executed one of the most flawless and impressive displays she had ever seen. Mallie seemed to be everywhere at once as she tried to land a blow on Kay. Conversely, Kay barely moved as she worked to block Mallie.
"Switch!" Faith called and instantly the change was noticeable.
Now it was Kay attacking Mallie and it was clear that neither of them was as good at their new style of fighting. A lot more blows were getting through, and Mallie was landing some of her own.
"You two," said Faith, looking at Kayliss and Nya. "Whenever you're ready."
"Why did you pair Kayliss with Nya?" Jonas asked curiously as two slayers skirted the duelling pair, heading to the opposite side of the room.
"Ny's our weakest fighter," Faith told him quietly. "I want to see what Liss can do." She wasn't expecting much since the Langaran slayer had backed off over lunch.
"She really doesn't like being called that," Jonas told her with a grin as he thought of the shock Faith was in for if she'd paired Kayliss with her weakest fighter.
"I know," Faith said with an answering grin.
The grin fell off her face, replaced by the predicted shock when Nya and Liss began fighting. Liss obliterated poor Nya.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Faith shouted, rushing over to break it up. "Ny, you okay?"
"I am fine," Nya told her, standing up with her hand pressed over her bleeding nose.
"You want to sit the rest of the session out?" Faith asked her.
"I said I am fine," Nya said stubbornly.
"Okay, change of plan," said Faith. "Mallie, pair up with Liss."
It was the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back. Enraged, Liss pulled her fist back, planting it squarely in the middle of Faith's face. Faith staggered back and quickly held her hand up to prevent the others from attacking Liss en masse.
"Okay," she said, shaking it off. "New plan. Prepare for an ass-kicking, bitch."
Liss sneered at her and Faith attacked. If it wasn't over quite as quickly as Liss' bout with Nya, it still didn't last long. In a short amount of time, Faith was holding Liss tightly, preventing her from moving.
"Give up?" she demanded.
"Never!" screamed Liss.
"Good," said Faith. She let Liss go, shoving her away. "That's the second rule. Right after don't die. Now... are you ready to fight Mallie like a good little slayer?"
Liss roared in frustration, charging at Faith. Faith calmly stepped to one side and used her momentum to send her into a pile of chairs.
"Fight amongst yourselves," she told the others as Liss began to dig her way out of the chairs. "This might take a while."
l
"She wants to what?" Jon asked incredulously.
"She wants to go patrolling with us," Jool repeated herself.
"Over my dead body!" cried Jon. "Do you know how many forms I'd have to fill out so she could leave the base? And that's if General Landry lets us."
"Captain..." Jool wheedled. "She's my friend. She doesn't get to go outside much. Besides, she doesn't really believe me when I tell her vampires are real."
Jon thought about it. "Think she'll scream?"
"Probably," Jool shrugged.
"Care to put money on it?" Jon asked.
"Does that mean you'll ask him?"
l
Adria sat alone in a deserted room. She liked being alone. So much of her life was spent surrounded by others, yet none of them were the one she desperately wanted with her. None of them were her mother. Now, her eyes closed, she attempted to commune with her fathers. She desperately needed their guidance to find Faith.
Praemas' self-doubt and nervousness clouded her mind however and she sighed impatiently. She would have to deal with him first. Concentrating, she commanded him to attend her.
His self-doubt faded, replaced by fear and more nervousness. Adria smiled. Good. He arrived quickly, which was also good and enough to make Adria considering favouring him with a smile. One of her soldiers had described her smile as dazzlingly radiant. He was dead now, so she'd never get a chance to ask him if he'd meant it or not.
"Do you know why I have summoned you?" she asked Praemas imperiously.
"I do not," Praemas admitted.
"Do you know why I have brought you here?" Adria asked him.
"No," he said.
"And still you came..." mused Adria. Such was the power of the Orici. She rose from her seat, crossing to the large sloping window with the excellent view of the city. "Faith is here."
"Faith?" exclaimed Praemas, shocked.
"And your little bride-to-be," Adria told him. "They're all here. Every one she's found so far. This is our chance to take them. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, Orici," Praemas intoned, bowing low.
Much better. Adria smiled at her reflection. It really was quite dazzling.
l
Andrew snuck back into Jool's office while Jon was gone, curling up into one of the comfy chairs she kept for just that purpose. She let him, partly because he was at least quiet while he worked on translating the unknown word in Faith's prophecy, but mainly because he bought a whole chocolate cake for them to snack on while they worked. Plus it would help to dissolve the disturbing intimacy that had sprung up between the Captain and her.
When Jon did arrive back, he entered the room as though the hounds of hell were on his heels. Andrew jumped as the door slammed shut behind him.
"I think Daniel saw me!" Jon said urgently, diving for Jool's desk. "I'm not here!"
The scene that greeted Daniel when he opened the door was one of peaceful tranquillity. Andrew was still curled up on his chair, although books now littered the floor around him where they'd fallen and Jool was tying a report into her computer. She looked up at him, smiling pleasantly.
"Doctor Jackson. What can I do for you?" she asked.
"Have you seen Jon?" asked Daniel, looking around the room.
"Not recently," Jool told him. "I think he went to go talk to General Landry about Vala accompanying us patrolling tonight."
"Yes, I heard you'd told her about slayers," said Daniel, coming slightly further into the room. "Are you sure that was a wise idea?"
"Wise or not, it was my decision, Doctor Jackson," Jool rebuked him gently. "I think there've been entirely too many secrets around here lately."
"I see," said Daniel, pushing his glasses up his nose. "Well, if you see him, can you tell him I'm looking for him?"
"Will do," Jool promised, smiling widely. He left, shutting the door behind him and she pushed her chair away from her desk, looking at the man hiding under it.
"Oh, Captain, there you are," she said. "Doctor Jackson's looking for you."
"Duly noted," said Jon, pulling out his DS.
"You can't stay under there forever, you know," Jool told him.
"Watch me," Jon said, turning the small machine on.
"What about Vala?" asked Jool. "Can she come?"
"General Landry says she can't come out to play tonight," Jon told her. "Maybe tomorrow. Pass the cake."
l
Jonas regarded the woman opposite him sadly. Kayliss squirmed in her seat, avoiding his gaze. Her face was a puffy mess and, remembering the hits she had taken, Jonas had no doubt that the rest of her looked just as bad. He sighed as he stared at her. She looked nothing like the shy girl who had first impressed him with her brilliance from the back row of his university class three years ago. After the earlier events, he wasn't sure he knew her any more.
"I'm sorry," Kayliss said finally.
"Sorry for what?" Jonas asked wearily. He hadn't had a chance to sleep last night and he was bone tired.
"Sorry I didn't smash her face in," Kayliss admitted savagely.
"You attacked her seventeen times before she finally knocked you unconscious," Jonas pointed out.
"She kept calling me Liss!" Kayliss protested.
Jonas sagged back in his chair. He sighed. He wasn't getting anywhere. Maybe if he tackled it with a fresh head in the morning? No, if he left it, it would fester.
"It suits you, you know," he said finally. "Liss... It's light, airy... graceful. Kind of reminds me of candyfloss. Like you." Kayliss stared at him and he pressed home his advantage, "You've got to learn to get along with her. When you leave with them-"
"Leave?" Kayliss interrupted, horrified. "I'm not going with them!"
"You have to," Jonas told her. "Someone needs to be Langara's voice on Earth. To tell them what we're doing."
"Can't Faith do that?" Kayliss asked.
"Not as well as a Langaran," Jonas said. "Not as well as a Teranian."
Oh, that was a low blow! Bringing her ravaged country into it. Kayliss would willingly do whatever Jonas asked of her, whether he realised it or not. But could she do this? She wasn't sure.
"Liss..." he said softly, and she melted. It sounded so different on his lips.
"I'll try," she promised.
"And you'll go with them?" Jonas wanted more from her.
"I will," Liss reluctantly agreed.
l
Jon was just climbing out from under the Doc's desk to go home when there was a knock on the door. He dived back under cover. The Doc sighed exasperatedly. Her foot tapped, once, twice, and then her footsteps crossed the room. She opened the door.
"Can I help you?" she asked and Jon wondered who she was fobbing off for him this time. He didn't have long to wait to find out.
"Forgive the intrusion," Teal'c rumbled. "I wished to enquire as to Jonathon O'Neil's whereabouts."
"He's not here," the Doc lied without hesitation. "Sorry."
"I see," said Teal'c and Jon thought he probably did. "When you do see him, would you please enquire as to whether or not he will be joining me in the gym tomorrow night as usual?"
"As usual?" asked the Doc, and Jon could hear the frown in her voice.
Sighing, he gave up, sticking his head up above the desk, "Hey, Teal'c."
"Greetings Jonathon O'Neil," Teal'c inclined his head deeply to Jon, the only sign that he found the situation highly amusing his dancing eyes.
"I'll be there," he promised. "Eight?"
"Indeed," Teal'c agreed. "I shall look forward to it."
"Yah," said Jon, standing up. "Me too."
The Doc shut the door as Teal'c left, turning to Jon. She folded her arms obstinately, her eyebrows raising, "As usual?"
"Yeah, T and I have a regular spar date," Jon punned.
"How come I didn't know about it?" she asked. "Wait tomorrow night? That's Thursday. I always patrol on Thursdays." Jon stared at her and her red lips twisted. "Oh, I see! Cunning."
"Thank you," Jon said with some pride.
"So I assume, as you have a longstanding prior engagement, that you won't be patrolling with us tomorrow," she said, opening the door and flouncing out.
Jon stared after her. Damn!
l
Faith was carefully drawing nine diamonds when she became aware that someone was standing over her shoulder. The others had mostly gotten over their curiosity when she refused to tell them what she was doing so and Liss hated her, so she knew it couldn't be a slayer. Carefully setting the card to one side so it didn't get smudged, she looked up.
"Cards?" Jonas asked cheerfully. He looked like crap. Pale as a vampire with great shadows under his eyes. Faith wondered how long it had been since he had seen the sun. "I've got a pack in my room. I play patience when I'm bored. Haven't been bored in a while."
"Do you know how to play poker?" asked Faith, her eyes lighting up. "I want to teach the others."
"Can we do it tomorrow night?" Jonas asked, sounding exhausted.
"Sure," Faith agreed easily. "I need to find something we can use for chips anyway."
"I'll see you in the morning," Jonas told her with a smile.
"Night Jonas," said Faith.
Watching him go, she found herself feeling guilty. Jonas was helping them, no questions asked. Okay, maybe he'd asked a couple of questions, but Faith hadn't told him everything. She hadn't told him about Whistler, and his warning not to let other people do her dialling. But she wasn't planning to let anyone else. She'd do the actual dialling, Jonas was just giving her the help she needed. She still felt guilty though. Why did he have to be such a nice guy?"
l
Kayliss was rudely woken at an ungodly time in the morning. She wouldn't have minded, but she'd been working through the night as usual and had only just fallen asleep. She almost punched the nagging Kay and went back to sleep but the thought of her promise to Jonas the night before dragged her out of her bed. She glared at Kay until the older woman went away and left her to dress in peace.
She knew she shouldn't be taking her frustration out on Kay. She shouldn't be taking it out on anyone. She shouldn't be feeling it at all! But she'd worked hard to earn her position by Jonas' side, proven herself over and over again in ways she hadn't believed possible, and in one day, Faith had usurped her place and shattered all her dreams. He looked at Faith in a way that he had never looked at her. Kayliss stared at her reflection in the mirror and sternly told herself to be honest with herself. She was jealous.
Newly arrived in Kelowna, one of a handful of overseas scholarship students at Langara's most prestigious university, she'd fallen in love with her professor barely two weeks into the school year. The intensity of the emotion had left her tongue-tied at the back of his class. She'd thought he hadn't noticed her until one day, near the end of term, he'd held her back after class.
Her heart pounding, she had wondered what mistake she had made to call down his wrath. To her great surprise, he began to compliment her on her work instead. She had stared mutely at him. He had asked her why she didn't participate in class discussions and she'd only been able to make vowel sounds. He'd taken her under his wing, assuming that she was cripplingly shy, when really she was hopelessly in love for the first time in her life, and she'd soaked up every scrap of affection he'd sent her way.
By the day she'd woken up inhumanly strong, he'd started calling her his protégé. She'd tried to conceal the change in her for as long as possible, not wanting to see the revulsion in his eyes when he realised that that she was a freak. That had only lasted until he'd caught her staring at a photograph of a Prior that he had carelessly left in the open. She'd told him about her nightmares, and then when he excitedly told her about hok'taurs, she'd demonstrated her strength.
He'd brought her into Langara's Stargate program. Oh, they weren't anything like the StarGate Command he had told her of. They were mostly concerned with research and development. But she had been off-world a few times, although never to Earth. Now, she would get that opportunity. But she had never stepped foot off Langara without Jonas by her side before. She didn't want to leave him behind. She had saved his life several times during the battle against the Ori. She didn't want him to die while she was gone persuading the Tau'ri to help them. She didn't want to lose him. On the verge of crying, she was almost relieved to hear the soft knock on her door.
"Kayliss?" Kay called softly through the door. "Are you ready yet?"
Sniffing, Kayliss straightened her shoulders and went to meet her fate. Training.
l
Cam found himself awake when it was still dark. Try as he might, he couldn't go back to sleep. He kept trying until the sky began to lighten and then gave up, deciding to go into work early. Maybe he could clear his desk if he got an early enough start. Wishful thinking, but that was how he found himself entering NORAD just as the first streaks of dawn threw fingers across the sky.
The sentries were half-asleep as they granted him access to the SGC, and he made a mental note to speak to General Landry about tightening night-time security. He didn't meet anyone in the elevators, but he wasn't really expecting to. Those on duty were at their post and those not on duty were either at home or still asleep.
So he was surprised when the elevator doors opened on level twenty-five to reveal Doctor Wilson. Her bright red hair pulled back into a tight plait and wearing black SGC-issued vest and pants, the English slayer exuded an air of danger that reminded him sharply of Faith. She looked just as surprised to see him.
"Good morning, Colonel," she said, slipping into the elevator.
"'Morning," Cam replied as he exited, heading towards his office. What was she doing up so early?
l
Jonas savoured his first sip of coffee in months. He'd had to leave his personal stash behind when the Ori had invaded and, oh, how he'd missed it. He felt a sudden empathy for Faith and her cigarettes. Sweet caffeine...
"Your girl's got some moves," said Faith, sitting down opposite him. "When she's calm enough to use 'em."
Jonas swallowed his mouthful of coffee. "She doesn't like being called Liss," he said mildly.
"That's what that was all about?" Faith asked rhetorically. "Damn. Here I thought it was 'cause she didn't like me."
They shared a look of mutual understanding as Jonas drank his coffee and Faith slayed a sausage. Jonas wondered where the other slayers who seemed to cling to Faith like a drowning man to a rope were.
"I want to set up an obstacle course," Faith suddenly told him. "Get the girls dodging weapons fire."
"Not live?" asked Jonas.
"I figure we'll use zats," Faith said. "Slayers can shrug those off. I wanted to borrow Jem to help me get it set up."
"Who's going to fire the zats?" Jonas asked curiously.
Faith shrugged, "You busy tonight?"
"I'll have to check my diary," Jonas joked with a grin.
"Cool," said Faith, grinning back as she lent back in her chair and picked up her own mug of coffee. "Have your people call my people."
"Are we your people?" Nya asked as she, Mallie and Kay appeared at their table. "Who are Jonas' people?"
l
Two hours later, Cam had got virtually no work done. He'd spent his time lost in daydreams of Faith. His stomach rumbling emptily, he pushed himself back from his desk. The hallways were more busy now, with the odd person travelling here and there. As he waited for the elevator to arrive, he found himself wondering what Doctor Wilson had been doing up so early. When the elevator arrived, she was in it, sweaty and dishevelled. Blinking at each other in shock, she was the first to recover.
"Hello again," she smiled at him.
"Hey," Cam smiled back as they passed each other.
"If you're going to the mess, I wouldn't," she recommended, and Cam held the doors open as they tried to close. "Andrew's not due in for another hour."
Great. Cam had had Andrew's food in the past and he knew just how superior it was to anything the base normally had to offer. Morale had actually taken a dip during the week SG-13 had been off-duty. He got back out of the elevator, resigned to the wait.
"I've got some cereal bars in my room if you want something to snack on while you wait," she offered unexpectedly.
"Uh..." Cam eyed her uncertainly. From Vala that would have been a come on, but the Doctor's tone was brisk. "Sure."
"Cool," she said. "I'll just go have a shower and then I'll drop them by your office, okay?"
Relief made Cam's smile slightly wider than it would normally have been, "Thanks."
"See you in twenty minutes," she told him, turning off the main hallway.
Cam returned to his office and started on the pile of requisition forms that were waiting for his approval. But he still couldn't work. His head wasn't in the game. It was off with Faith, wherever she was. Intel said that she was gathering slayers. Teal'c had said that Duran had mentioned three other women, Mallie, Kay and Nya. The prophecy said that she had to lead them back to Earth. So all he could do was trust that she would return. And wait.
Waiting wasn't one of his strong points. Cam knew himself well enough to know that. Inaction drove him crazy and not being able to do anything to rescue Faith was eating him up. She was fast becoming his obsession. To the point where it was beginning to affect his work, despite General Landry's bracing words in Minnesota.
He needed to get his head back in the game. The problem was that, with no off-world missions currently scheduled because both Sam and Jackson were buried deep in research, there was nothing to distract him except endless paperwork. And that was enough to drive anyone crazy. But he couldn't go crazy. He'd asked for SG-1 and he'd got it. Now, the fate of the galaxy rested on his shoulders too and he'd had no idea just how heavy a load that was to bear.
"Suck it up, Cam," he muttered to himself.
"Suck what up?" a crisp English accent asked.
Cam looked up to see Doctor Wilson standing in his doorway, her uniform crisp and her face freshly scrubbed. She looked like a soldier. A young one. He blinked at her, momentarily confused as to why she was there, and she raised her hand to draw his attention to the food she held.
"Cereal bar?" she asked.
Cam stomach grumbled as his memory returned and he leaned back in his chair with his easy grin. Doctor Wilson grinned back and threw a cereal bar to him. Cam neatly caught it, and tore it open.
"Thanks," he said, biting off a large chunk.
"No problem," she told him. "I've always got a stash of food if you ever need it."
"Why?" Cam asked as she turned to go.
"Slayer's have large appetites," she said, turning half back.
"No," Cam told her. That wasn't what he had meant. "Why are you sharing?"
"Well," she said considering the question as she entered the room fully. "You've been here awhile and you were clearly hungry and we're a team, aren't we?" Cam frowned at her. Were they? "The whole of the SGC, I mean," she elaborated when she saw the look of confusion on his face. "We're all working together to defeat the Ori."
"I guess," said Cam, struck by her unique point of view.
It wasn't one that he'd really considered before now. He'd read other team's reports, he had to, it was part of his job, but he'd never really thought about how everyone here was trying to find a way to fight the Ori, some with more success than others. He'd been too focussed on his own team's efforts, and on Faith to give the concept much thought.
"That's a bit morbid, isn't it?" asked Doctor Wilson, interrupting his thoughts as she caught a glimpse of what he'd been working on.
Cam followed her gaze down to the page he'd been working on, surprised to see that the whole paper was covered in small sketches of Faith, dying in various ways. Surprised and horrified. He picked the page up, sliding it into a drawer of his desk, intending to burn it later. Maybe that would banish the images from his memory.
"I'm sure she's fine," the Doctor told him reassuringly. "Faith's stronger than you think."
"Yeah," said Cam, unconvinced. He knew just how strong Faith was, but he also knew her weaknesses, and what she was up against.
"I'm serious," Doctor Wilson insisted, sliding into the seat in front of his desk and looking at him earnestly. "Faith managed to pull herself back from the edge. She killed a human, two humans, and came back to fight beside Buffy at the Battle of Sunnydale. No slayer has ever managed that before."
"Do you know her?" Cam asked her with a small frown. The Doctor was well-informed. Did all slayers know Faith's history?
"I never met her," she admitted. "But I was the same age as her when she was called and I kind of took an interest. Much to my guardian's disapproval. He would have preferred me to study Buffy."
"Then you don't know her," Cam told her.
"Maybe not," she said patiently. "But I know what she's capable of and I think she'll surprise you. She'll come back, Colonel."
"I hope so," said Cam.
"I know so," she persisted. She grinned suddenly, "Have faith!"
He'd like to. He'd love to. But Faith was gone.
"I'm not usually this negative," he confided, surprising himself.
"I figured," she said. "You wouldn't be the head of SG-1 if you were."
"It's just..." Cam sighed. "There's nothing I can do."
"Yes there is," the Doctor told him. "We can find her. We might not be able to bring her back until the time is right, but there's nothing in the prophecy to say that we can't help her. Prophecies aren't set in stone, you know."
"They're not?" Cam asked. That wasn't the impression that Jackson had given him.
"There're usually loopholes you can exploit," she explained. "For example, there was a prophecy saying that Buffy would die when she was sixteen, but she's still alive."
"I thought she did die," Cam pointed out.
"Well, yeah," admitted the red-haired slayer, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "But there was nothing saying she couldn't be resuscitated, which is how she defeated the Master."
"Didn't she die twice?" asked Cam.
"Maybe..." the Doctor said awkwardly. She sighed, "Look the point is that even The Powers aren't infallible; and that slayers are strong. Faith'll make it back."
"I keep trying to tell myself that," Cam told her. "But it gets harder and harder to believe it."
"You two were linked by the Mind-Melder," said Doctor Wilson. "To the point where Caroline thinks that you're still experiencing after-effects. Can't you tell if she's alive or dead?"
"Yes," said Cam. "No. Maybe..." He still thought he could almost feel Faith's presence in his mind, but the more he tried to grab hold of the sensation the further it slipped from his grasp.
"Then hold on to that," she told him intently. "As long as Faith is alive, she'll find her way home."
"Thanks," Cam said, crumpling up the empty cereal bar wrapper and expertly chucking it in the bin. "Not just for the food."
"The advice is free," the slayer told him, getting up. "The food I expect you to replace. I don't get many opportunities to go shopping." She smiled at him.
"Sure," Cam smiled back. "Anything else I can get while I there?"
"Actually," she said with a grin. "I've been dying to try Oreos."
"Oreos it is," said Cam and she headed for the door.
"Oh," she remembered, turning back to him in the doorway. "We're taking Vala patrolling tonight, it's her first time."
"I heard," Cam said. Vala had been loudly sceptical about the existence of the supernatural.
"Do you want to come with us?" she invited. "Get some firsthand experience of what slayers face on a nightly basis?"
"Faith took me patrolling when she was here," Cam told her.
"Right," said the English slayer. "Okay. Just a thought."
"Sure," Cam accepted the offer on the spur of the moment. Perhaps it would help him sleep tonight. "Thanks."
"Cool," she said with a wide grin. "Meet us at Evergreen cemetery at eight. Oz says that there's a couple of vampire victims being buried today that might rise."
l
Kayliss worked alone at the bench she had shared with Jonas yesterday. Together with the other scientists, she was continuing his work refining the naquada they had retrieved from Faith's tel'tak. Soon, they would have enough to begin working on the bomb casings for the weapons-grade naquada they were making. It was a difficult process that required concentration. Concentration that was broken when there was a loud hiss from the door.
Kayliss turned to look, along with everyone else in the room. In the doorway, Faith beckoned her. Everyone turned to look at her. Calmly, she stopped the process she was supervising and packed her things away. Following Faith into the corridor, she closed the door behind them.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Jonas wants you," Faith told her, walking towards Jonas' office.
"I know the way," Kayliss told her.
"He wants me too," said Faith. Oh. Not just her then, Kayliss thought bitterly as Faith confided, "We're makin' battle plans."
Disappointment kept Kayliss silent and Faith glanced at her, "When you gonna tell him you're in love with him?"
Kayliss gasped. "I am not!" she denied.
"Are too," Faith grinned at her
"I certainly am not!" Kayliss said emphatically. "And if you think that Jonas would believe such-"
"Relax..." said Faith. "I figure if he ain't smart enough to see it for himself, it's not my business to tell him."
"I'm not in love with him," insisted Kayliss.
"Keep telling yourself that," Faith told her as they reached the busy intelligence room that led to Jonas' office. "One day you might believe it. Course... you'll be lying to yourself."
"I'm not," Kayliss repeated futilely as they approached Jonas' office.
"Kayliss," said Faith, her hand on the doorhandle. "Shut up."
Kayliss shut up and Faith opened the door. They entered the room to find Jonas deep in conversation with Mallie, Jem, Nya and Kay. Looking up, he waved them over with a grin. Faith shut the door behind them as Kayliss joined the group, sitting down on one of the chairs that had been brought in especially for this meeting.
"We were just discussing the best means of entering the Lithair Building," he told them. "Jem says there's a small waste tunnel leading up into the basement restrooms."
"Very small," said Jem as Faith sat down in the last available chair, right at the back of the group. "It's just about big enough for Jonas to fit."
"We won't be able to carry anything," Kay told Faith. "No staff weapons... we'll be lucky if we can take the zat'nik'tels."
"No problem," said Faith. "We can drag our stuff behind us. What do you mean, just big enough for Jonas to fit?"
"I'm coming with you," Jonas told her.
"What?" said Kayliss, hope springing in her breast.
"Thought you were needed here?" asked Faith.
"I'm not coming to Earth," said Jonas, dashing Kayliss' hopes. "I'll be leading your accompanying strike force."
"No," cried Kayliss. It was too dangerous! Jonas ignored her, his gaze locked with Faith's.
"You'll only slow us down," she told him.
"I promised to get you back to Earth and I intend to make sure you get through that 'Gate," Jonas said. "You go with me or you don't go at all. Besides, SGC protocol prevents me from giving you my GDO code. You need me."
"And what'll happen to your precious resistance if you get killed?" Faith asked, trying one last time to get him to change his mind. He had her and he knew it. Jonas shrugged as Liss turned white. How did he not see she was in love with him?
"In that case someone else will take my place," he said. "But I'll be taking twenty of my best men with us to try and make sure that doesn't happen."
"Better make it twenty that fit," Mallie told him with a grin.
"Good point," Jonas smiled at her.
"Jonas, you can't," Kayliss said desperately.
"I'm going, Liss," Jonas spoke firmly but kindly. Kayliss bit her lip, and then nodded, her face still pale and troubled.
"So, once we get in, where's the 'Gate?" Faith asked, changing the subject to take Jonas' attention away from the stricken slayer.
"They're keeping it in the foyer," Jonas told her, pointing it out on the blueprints spread across his desk.
"Great," said Faith in a voice that told everyone that it was anything but. They'd have to fight their way up past shitloads of Ori soldiers and god knew how many Priors.
"The diversion will start half an hour before we attack," Jonas told her.
"What diversion?" asked Faith. This was the first she'd heard of any diversion.
"We've manage to create enough weapons-grade naquada to make several small bombs," Kayliss had managed to compose herself enough to rejoin the conversation. "We plan to target Ori factories within the city to draw them out. Then, our forces will attack while we infiltrate the building."
"Andari will also be attacking Ori buildings within their country at the same time," Jonas informed them all."
"Convenient," Faith said suspiciously. "Why?"
"Andari managed to retain a small stockpile of weapons-grade naquada when the Ori invaded," Jonas explained. "They were in the process of trying to get some to us when you arrived. We've been planning a joint attack for a while now."
"So we're just an excuse?" asked Faith.
"Yeah... but a good one," Jonas said to her with a smile. "If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have the naquada."
l
Sam was just packing up the Mind-Melder and its crystals for transportation to Daniel Osbourne's office when Daniel knocked on her door. Looking up she smiled at him and waved him in.
"Daniel," she said.
"Have you got a minute?" Daniel asked and Sam nodded.
"Sure," she said, putting the crystal spike she was holding down in the crate that held it. "What's up?"
"It's Jon," Daniel told her, and Sam sighed. This wasn't the first time Daniel had been to see her about him.
"What's he done now?" she asked, sitting down behind her desk. "Is he still ignoring you?"
"I haven't seen him to be ignored," Daniel told her sulkily. "No, this is about Vala."
"What about her?" Sam asked, confused.
"Did you know that she's been invited to join SG-13 on patrol in Colorado Springs tonight?" Daniel asked, folding his arms and pushing his glasses up his nose.
"No," said Sam. "I can't see General Landry allowing it."
"He's already given his permission," Daniel told her.
"He has?" asked Sam, surprised. "Huh."
"I've tried talking her out of going, but she's too excited by the thought of getting out of the mountain to listen to me," Daniel said. "She has no idea of the danger she'll be in; I don't think she really believes Doctor Wilson," Daniel muttered to himself. "General Landry's convinced that she'll be fine."
"I'm sure she will," Sam tried to reassure him.
"Sam, you've got to talk to him," Daniel said urgently, ignoring her.
"Me?" said Sam, frowning. "Why?"
"He might listen to you," Daniel reasoned. "If he won't stop her, at least get him to let us go with her."
Sam sighed. Daniel had that stubborn set to his jaw that said louder than words that he wouldn't drop this until she'd helped him. The sooner she gave in, the sooner she could get some work done. Besides, there was always the chance that General Landry would let them go too. And if Vala didn't really believe in vampires, Sam really wanted to see her face when she saw one.
"Okay," she agreed. "I'll go now."
"Thanks Sam," Daniel said gratefully.
"You owe me one," Sam warned him.
"I'll let you pick the next movie for movie night," Daniel offered, generously giving up his turn.
"Have you ever seen Amadeus?" Sam asked curiously.
l
Jonas could hear a muffled quarrel outside his door. Putting down his pen, he listened carefully, worried that it might be Kayliss and Faith again and that he would have to break up their fight. It was definitely two females arguing, but he didn't think he recognised Kayliss as one of them.
"You knock," said one voice.
"No, you," insisted the other.
"Why me?" the first voice wanted to know.
"Come in!" Jonas called, intrigued.
The voices fell silent, and then his door slowly opened just enough for Kay and Mallie to stick their heads through. Jonas smiled at them and Mallie beamed back.
"Hi," the blonde girl said, waving at him.
"Do you have a moment?" Kay asked him.
"Yeah, sure," said Jonas, waving them in. "What can I do for you?"
The two slayers exchanged a glance and then Kay spoke up, "You've been to Earth... Were you there for Christmas?"
"I was," Jonas told them. "Why?"
"Tell us about it?" Mallie pleaded.
l
Wrapt in his handheld Nintendo console, Jon jumped when the phone on the desk above him rang. Pausing his game, he listened shamelessly to the one-way conversation going on over his head, wondering if it had anything to do with him. Not that he could tell much, as it consisted mainly of one syllable replies.
"Sure," Oz said. He hung up the phone and his chair rolled back from the desk so that he could look at Jon. "Can't stay there all day, man."
"Why not?" Jon wanted to know.
"We've got a briefing with General Landry in ten minutes," Oz told Jon, standing.
"What about?" Jon asked.
Oz shrugged, "Walter didn't say."
"Bet he knows," Jon grumbled, climbing out from under the desk. He sighed, turning his DS off and stuffing it in his pocket. "Let's go."
l
Hank greeted them jovially as they entered the briefing room, Andrew already sitting by his side. Singlehandedly, he kept up a steady stream of polite conversation as they all waited for the Doc to make her usual late appearance. Jon was just about to suggest they start without her when she arrived, breathless and rushed.
"Sorry," she apologised, dropping into a seat. "I was looking for... you actually," she said to Jon. "Where've you been?"
"Hanging with Oz," Jon told her with a shrug.
"Yes, well, now that you're all here..." said Hank and they turned their attention to him. "There's been a change in your standing orders."
"What kind of change?" Andrew asked, looking worried.
"Two things," Hank told him. "One, the wording has changed from 'to locate and return Faith' to 'locate and provide all necessary assistance to' her."
"That's got to be because of the prophecy," said the Doc. "The Council must have realised that bringing Faith back before she's supposed to be here would be a bad thing."
"What's the other change?" Jon asked Hank, more focussed on what else could have changed than on what it meant. For the moment at least.
"SG-13 has been authorised to render assistance, as deemed necessary by me, to the SGC," Hank informed them.
"What?" asked the Doc.
"Why?" Jon wanted to know.
"I was hoping you might have a better understanding of that," Hank told them.
"I haven't spoken to anyone from the Council since we got here," said Jool with a shrug as she looked at the men on her team.
"Me either," said Andrew. "Xander's missed our last couple of online D&D games."
"Don't look at me," Jon told them as Oz shrugged. "I barely know them."
"So does this mean we get to go on real missions?" the Doc asked.
"As opposed to what?" Hank wanted to know.
"I mean against the Ori," she explained. "I'm looking forward to slaying my first Prior."
"No breaking the staff," decreed Jon.
"Agreed," said Jool, remembering Gelan's account of Faith's battle against the Prior on Duran with a shudder.
"I understood that slayers couldn't harm humans?" asked General Landry.
"What do you think Faith's doing out there?" Jon asked him. "Picking flowers? Sir," he added belatedly.
"We're not sure the Priors are human anymore, General," the Doc told him. "Faith's prophecy definitely refers to the Ori invasion, which is a clear indication that The Powers That Be want us to do something about it."
"Plus, Whistler said that it was open season on Ori soldiers," Andrew added helpfully.
"Who's Whistler?" Hank asked as Jon groaned, dropping his head down onto the table with a thunk. The Doc cuffed Andrew lightly around the back of the head.
"Ow!" Andrew protested. "What was that for?"
"We weren't going to tell anyone about Whistler," Oz said to him. "Remember?"
"I'll ask again," Hank said in a dangerously quiet voice. "Who is Whistler?"
"He's some sort of demon, sir," Jon told him, raising his head and lounging back in his chair. "I didn't get the exact details."
"He works for The Powers That Be," Andrew elaborated. "He's Their messenger. He puts people on their True Path." You could hear the capitalisations as he spoke.
"And he told you that you could fight the Ori?" Hank asked the Doc.
"Not me," she said, looking at Jon.
Hank turned to him and Jon sighed. "He came to me while we were on leave," he told Hank.
"Tell me exactly what he said," Hank ordered.
"He said that we weren't supposed to find Faith," Jon admitted grudgingly. "That we wouldn't like the consequences if we screwed up The Powers' plan."
"He threatened you?" Hank asked ominously.
"Not so much," Jon told him lightly. "He wanted me to pass on the message to the Doc about the Ori."
"Why didn't he deliver it himself?" Hank wanted to know.
"He said that the Stargate made him itch, sir," Jon elaborated. "Didn't want to get too close."
"Is that a common side effect?" asked Hank, looking at Oz.
The werewolf, his hair dyed a magnificent turquoise, shrugged and the Doc answered Hank, "I don't know, sir," she said. "We could ask around while we're patrolling tonight. Discretely of course."
"About that," said Hank, frowning. "Both Doctor Jackson and Colonel Carter have voiced their separate concerns. I trust that you'll take good care of her," he said to Jon.
"Actually sir, I'm not going," Jon admitted.
"You're not?" Hank's frown deepened. "I'm not sure I can allow Vala off this base without a ranking officer."
Jon brightened. Perhaps this would convince the Doc to forgive him and let him and Teal'c go patrolling with the others. He opened his mouth to say that he'd be willing to go but the Doc beat him to it.
"Colonel Mitchell is coming," she told Hank, dashing Jon's hopes. "Is that acceptable?"
"Of course!" Hank said, his frown disappearing. "Well, I think that's all. Dismissed."
"So when do we get to go on a mission?" Andrew asked him as the other members of his team stood.
"I'll let you know," Hank told him, standing up.
"But-" said Andrew.
"At my discretion, Mister Wells," Hank reminded him pointedly. He sensed that the young watcher was inclined to argue and quickly disappeared down the stairs to the control room. Andrew's whining could drive even Ghandi to murder.
l
"I thought we were training?" Mallie grumbled curiously as Faith led the slayers out of the underground base and into the sewers that were its only access.
"We are," Faith told her.
"You too?" Nya asked.
"Me too," Faith confirmed.
"Training how?" Kayliss asked suspiciously, squelching her way through the sewer.
"Obstacle course," Faith said as they reached the start of the course she and Jem had set up earlier. "Everyone has to get to the other end as quickly as possible. No-one gets left behind, got it?"
"Got it," Mallie, Nya and Kay chorused obediently.
Kayliss stared at them in disbelief. Did they really follow Faith's lead so blindly? Couldn't they see the flaws in her character that Kayliss could? The flaws that left her unfit to lead. Who was she to tell them what to do?
Someone who knew what she was doing, Kayliss discovered about halfway through the insanely difficult obstacle course Faith had concocted. Not only did they have to worry about the obstacles, all uniquely impossible to surmount alone, but they were coming under live fire as well. So far, Kayliss had managed to avoid all of the blue bolts of energy aimed at them by unseen people, but Nya had taken a couple of hits and was lagging at the back of the group, Faith by her side. The Tau'ri was encouraging the younger woman and helping her over the obstacles. Kayliss was at the front of the group with Mallie and had just skidded to a halt in front of a large pile of crates blocking their path.
"Now what?" Kayliss yelled back, irritated that there wasn't a way forward.
"Through the crates and then a sprint to the finish line," Faith told her as she and Nya joined them, Kay just in front.
"How do we get through the crates?" Mallie wanted to know, scowling.
"The old-fashioned way," said Faith, looking at her as though it should be obvious.
When Mallie still looked blank, Faith sighed and grabbed hold of the nearest crate, moving it out of the way. The others soon caught on and the pile rapidly diminished in size. Kayliss was the first one to see the other side when she pulled a heavy crate out of the heap. What had Faith packed them with? Bricks?
"Careful, Li-Kayliss," Faith warned.
Wondering why, Kayliss turned back to the pile of crates, noticing as she did so that Kay, working next to her, had also turned around to look at Faith. She didn't have long to ponder the reason behind Faith's warning as a bolt of blue light flew through the hole she had created, striking Kay. The older woman grunted in pain, flinging herself back out of the way.
"Are you alright?" Kayliss urgently asked her, feeling guilty. It was her fault that Kay had been distracted by Faith. If she hadn't childishly insisted that they call her by her full name then it would never have happened.
"I'm fine," Kay wheezed. She raised her voice, "They're firing ahead!"
"Great," groaned Nya.
"How are we supposed to run through that?" Mallie asked plaintively. "It is impossible!"
"I suggest you think outside the box," Faith recommended as the hole became big enough for them to fit through one at a time, bolts of energy flying through it. She picked up a large crate, handing it to Nya, "You game?"
"I suppose," Nya said doubtfully as Faith picked up another crate.
"Then let's go!" she said, diving through the hole with the crate held in front of her in her outstretched hands.
Kayliss heard her land on the other side and watched as, without hesitating, Mallie grabbed a crate and followed her. Kay hung back, waiting until Nya was ready before she slipped through in front of the younger girl and staying in front of her until she was sure that Nya was safely though even though Kayliss saw her get hit again.
Alone now, Kayliss seriously considered staying where she was. She really didn't want to get hit by one of those zat'nik'tels. It looked painful. On the other hand, she'd never backed down from a challenge in her life. She picked a large crate and followed them.
The crate didn't really help when she got hit, it still really hurt, but she figured that the extra mass was probably diluting the effect. It did make it harder to hold onto it though, as her arms and legs went numb. She kept her head down and kept running. She got hit again and everything went grey, the edges of her vision fading out worryingly.
"Liss!" Faith barked, sounding like she'd been shouting for a while. "Drop the crate!"
Kayliss complied, and promptly dropped down behind it when she saw the bolt of energy heading straight towards her. It sailed harmlessly overhead. There was a scraping sound and her crate shifted slightly as another one slammed into it. Moments later, Mallie joined her.
"Almost there," the blonde girl said breathlessly, her eyes bright. "You go left, I will go right."
"No," Kayliss overruled her. "They'll be expecting that."
"We have to go," Mallie told her.
"I know," said Kayliss. "But if we go over the top, cross each other diagonally and then dive past them, at least one of us has a chance of getting past them."
"Okay," said Mallie. "Let's do that."
And they did, crossing the finish line together. To Kayliss' surprise, Jonas and Jem were the ones firing at them. She didn't let that deter her from snatching the zat'nik'tel from Jonas' hand. Turning to do the same to Jem, she was pleased to see that Mallie had had the same idea and already held his weapon.
"It's clear!" she called and three heads popped up from behind the crates strewn along the sewer.
Suddenly, Kayliss saw Faith's plan; to use the crates from the blockage to create enough shelter for them to reach the finish line. And she'd run blindly towards the weapons fire! Sheepishly, Kayliss met Faith's eyes. Faith grinned, rising and offering a hand to Nya, sheltering beside her. Pulling her up, she ignored the other woman's thanks, sauntering towards Kayliss.
"Not exactly what I imagined but good job," she said to both Kayliss and Mallie. "Disarming them was a good idea." She turned to Jonas eagerly, "How'd we do?"
"Eight minutes, fifty-two seconds," Jonas announced, checking his Tau'ri watch.
Faith's face fell. Kayliss, who'd been dreamily contemplating a long hot shower, felt her dreams disappear down the drain. She just knew that Faith was going to order them to do it again. She felt Faith glance at her and schooled her face into neutrality. If Faith wanted them to do it again to improve their time then she would!
"What time is it?" Faith asked Jonas.
"Almost ten," he told her.
"Okay," said Faith, raising her voice. "Everyone hit the showers and then report back to the mess. And you have no idea how wicked cool it is to be able to say that at last. Thank God for indoor plumbing."
"Why would we thank the Goa'uld?" asked Mallie.
"Different God," Faith told her. "And we are so not having that discussion. Religion is not my strong point."
"You don't want to do it again?" Kayliss asked Faith, confused as to why she hadn't ordered them back to the beginning.
"Nya, Kay an' you need to recover first," Faith told her quietly as the others headed back to the base, chattering loudly as Jem led the way. Jonas stayed with them, ostensibly tidying up, although the crates were far too heavy for him to lift. "Maybe we can squeeze in another go-round before bed."
"I feel fine!" Kayliss insisted even though every inch of her skin prickled uncomfortably and her vision was still only available in black-and-white.
"Sure," Faith said sceptically. "Look Li-Kayli-"
"Call me Liss," Kayliss interrupted her unexpectedly, the words tumbling from her lips.
"What?" Faith stared at her, dumbfounded.
"Call me Liss," Kayliss repeated with a blush, shifting her weight awkwardly.
"After all the bitching..." said Faith. "Why?"
"Earlier," Kayliss told her. "Kay got hit after you called my full name. You were right. It is a distraction."
Faith's mouth opened and then shut again. "Oh-kay," she said. "Liss."
Liss caught her eye and suddenly the two slayers were grinning at each other, finally in perfect understanding.
"I'm gonna head back," Faith told Liss. "You comin' with?"
Liss shook her head, "I'm going to put these crates back first. I won't be long."
Faith grinned at her, shooting a sidelong glance at Jonas as he struggled to shove a crate across the floor with his shoulder. Liss blushed faintly and glared at her.
"See you Jonas!" Faith called.
His foot slipped and he started to fall, catching himself on the crate with a hand and pushing himself upright. "You're off?" he puffed with a frown.
"Yeah," Faith told him. "Gonna hit the showers."
"See you back there," said Jonas, turning back to the crate he was struggling to move.
Liss exchanged a look with Faith as the Tau'ri woman disappeared in the direction of the base and Liss hurried to help Jonas. He was going to give himself a hernia!
"I'll do it," she said, reaching him.
"No," he grunted, red-faced. "I'm good. You grab one of the others."
Liss rolled her eyes. Men! "At least try a smaller box."
Jonas waved her away as the crate slowly slid forward. With a sigh, Liss started moving the rest of the crates back through the hole she and the others had created. By the time she had finished, Jonas had managed to move his crate right up to the blockade.
"You finished?" she asked him.
"Yeah," he gasped, sliding down to the floor, uncaring that it was covered in sewage.
Liss tossed the crate through the hole and helped him through. Settling him down on a crate with his back to the wall, she began the task of reconstructing the barrier. Jonas watched her as she worked quickly and efficiently, moving crates with superhuman strength. No, he reminded himself. Not superhuman... supernatural. Liss was a Slayer, something which had previously thought to be a myth. Looking back with hindsight though, he couldn't believe that he had missed the signs. He should have remembered the legend of the Slayer back when Liss had first confided in him. She had shown all of the symptoms. But he had been convinced that she was a hok'taur, and so was she in a way. So convinced that the normally rational Liss remained sceptical about the existence of slayers, even when confronted with the evidence of four other women with the exact same powers,
"What's it like being so strong?" he asked her on a whim.
Liss frowned. He'd never asked that before. They'd measured exactly how strong she was, not without some difficulty but he'd never asked what it was like before. She struggled to think of a way to explain it.
"You know how delicately you handle naquada when you're refining it?" she said finally. "I have to be like that with everything, and everyone." That wasn't true anymore, she suddenly realised, "Except Faith and the others."
"You did well," Jonas told her, gesturing around them and Liss grinned, feeling a warm glow fill her with his praise. "Jem and I didn't think you'd get through it in under ten minutes." He chuckled slightly, "Jem and I."
Liss frowned, "What's so funny about you and Jem?"
"Jem and I sounds like Gemini," Jonas explained. "It's a Tau'ri name for a constellation and anyone born at a certain time of the year."
"They're all called Gemini?" Liss asked, confused. She'd never heard him mention anyone called Gemini before.
Jonas laughed, "No. They're Gemini's. The Tau'ri use the movements of the planets in their solar system and a person's date of birth to predict their future."
"That sounds... inaccurate," said Liss. She stepped back from the wall of crates, dusting off her hands, "I think we're done here. Shall we shower?" Instantly realising what she had said, Liss blushed a fierce scarlet. "I-I didn't mean..." she managed to say.
"I know what you meant," Jonas told her with a grin, amused by her innocence. He jumped off the crate he had been sitting on, "Come on, Liss. Let's go."
l
Parking his car near the entrance to Evergreen Cemetery, Cam was surprised to see three people already waiting for him, despite the fact that he was early. Stopping the Mustang's engine and grabbing his jacket, he hopped out of the car.
"Jackson!" he called over the roof, shrugging into the leather coat. "I didn't know you were coming."
"Vala talked me into it," Daniel explained, pushing his glasses up with one hand and keeping the other firmly jammed in his pocket. He shrugged, returning his hand to his pocket.
"Well to be fair, darling, you didn't resist very hard," said Vala, slipping her arm through his and batting her eyelashes at him outrageously.
"Someone needed to give you a lift," Daniel countered, pulling his hand out of his pocket and untangling his arm from hers.
"We expecting Sam and T-Murray too?" Cam asked with a lopsided grin at their antics.
"Just Andrew and Oz," Doctor Wilson told him.
Jackson's head whipped round so that he could stare at the red-haired doctor, "Jon's not coming?"
"Not tonight," she said distantly, cocking her head to one side. "Here they come."
"You can hear them?" Vala asked in disbelief. She couldn't even see approaching headlights yet!
"I can hear Oz's truck," Jool corrected her as twin lights appeared in the distance.
Sure enough, it was a black truck that pulled up behind Cam's Mustang moments later. Before the engine died, the passenger door opened and Andrew jumped out, carrying an axe almost as big as himself. Jool tutted and grabbed it off him.
"Hey!" Andrew protested.
"You can barely carry it," Jool told him, unbuckling her sword belt. "Take my sword instead."
Andrew pouted and then took the sword she was offering. Pulling it out of its sheath, he waved it around, getting a feel for its perfect balance and forcing Jool to jump back, revealing Daniel and Vala.
"Oh my God!" Andrew squeaked, forgetting the shiny sword. "Doctor Jackson's coming too? This is so cool!"
"Hey," Oz joined the conversation, nodding to Cam and Daniel.
"Hey," Cam replied as Daniel nodded back.
"Is this the first time you've been Slaying?" Andrew asked Daniel enthusiastically.
Daniel blinked at him, unsure how to respond to such excitement. "Not exactly," he said, remembering London and LA.
"Me neither," Cam told Andrew as Doctor Wilson climbed into the back of the truck. "Vala's the only virgin here."
"Hardly," said Vala with an amused smirk as Daniel snorted in derision.
"It's your first time?" Andrew asked Vala excitedly. "It's so cool! I remember my first time Slaying..."
"Who wants the water gun filled with holy water?" Jool interrupted him, holding the bright moulded plastic high in the air.
"Ooh, me!" Vala quickly claimed it. "What does it do?"
"Burns Vampyres like acid," Andrew informed her earnestly as she took the weapon from Jool. Vala looked at the strange gun with more respect.
"Vampires," Oz corrected him. "Don't embarrass me dude."
"I've got crosses and stakes," Jool said, rummaging through the collection of weapons in the back of Oz's trunk. "Ooh! You brought a spare sword. Anyone want it?"
Cam quickly looked around the blank faces surrounding him. Only Andrew seemed about to claim the sword and as he already had one, Cam felt no regrets about putting in his own claim. Preferably before Wells beat him to it.
"I'll take it," he said, moving forward.
"I was just gonna say that!" Wells pouted.
"You've already got a sword," Doctor Wilson told him, handing Cam the sword.
She began to hand out the crosses and stakes to everyone. Cam noticed that Vala took one of each and then had difficulty deciding where to put everything. In contrast, Oz took nothing. Cam guessed that he already had his weapons of choice. Or maybe he was the weapon. Cam knew that the werewolf was supposed to be able to control his transformation. There were plenty of stakes to go around, and once everyone was armed, with the exception of Oz, the large group moved towards the cemetery entrance.
"How do you want to play this?" Cam overheard Osbourne ask Wilson.
"It's Vala's first time," she replied just as quietly. "So we'll stick together, investigate the two recent burials and sweep the cemetery before we head over to Fairview."
"So where's Jon tonight?" Jackson asked them casually as Osbourne nodded his agreement with her plan. Too casually. Cam narrowed his eyes suspiciously at him. Just why was Jackson here anyway? Any one of them could have given the girls a ride.
"Busy," Osbourne told him shortly.
Wilson spoke at the same time, "He had a prior engagement."
"He's training with Teal'c," Andrew elaborated for them, causing Doctor Wilson to scowl fiercely at him.
"I didn't know he still trained with Murray," Jackson said invitingly, using Teal'c's cover name while they were outside the SGC.
"Oh, yeah," Andrew told him blithely. "Every week."
"Andrew..." Wilson warned him.
"Shut up," added Osbourne.
"What did I say?" Andrew asked plaintively, his expression wounded. He looked like a puppy that had just been kicked, thought Cam. Wounded, guilty and pleading for forgiveness.
"Just shut up," Doctor Wilson told him, walking silently through the graveyard.
"But we were just talking," Jackson objected.
"Yeah," Wilson said sceptically. "Of course you were."
"They were!" Vala jumped into the brewing argument with both feet, intent on defending Jackson.
"About Jon," said Osbourne, coming to a halt near a recent grave, the ground flat and newly turfed.
"Where's the harm in that?" asked Vala.
"Look," said Jackson as Vala received twin glares from Osbourne and Wilson. They transferred those glares to him as he spoke. "Jon's my friend," he said and a very unladylike snort came from Julie Wilson. "Is it so wrong for me to be worried about him?" He sighed, "Don't stand on the graves, Vala," he admonished without turning around. "It's disrespectful. Jon might-"
A hand broke free of the ground beneath Vala's feet, grabbing hold of Vala's ankle. She screamed.