Show and Tell
Sara's diary
He was so young. I remembering gasping the first time I saw that little boy sitting in the infirmary. Airmen had come to get me. I don't remember exactly where Drey'auc and I went during the incoming wormhole alert. Just that as usual I armed her with a Zat and we were to stay out of the way until told differently.
Then one airman later and we were at the infirmary with just about everyone else it seemed. An exaggeration of course, but when you pile in Jack, SG-1, General Hammond, a few guards at the entrance of the infirmary it seemed crowded to me. Not that the doorway remained crowed as they were ushered out just about as soon as I arrived. On the other hand, I was asked to go in with Jack.
It tore my heart, he was so small and seemed so weak. All I could think at first was what happened to him that he ended up here with us. I pushed aside wishes that someone will bring me up speed and just concentrated on the poor little guy on the bed in front us.
From what I did catch, Jack was here because the little dear's mother said he could be trusted and was a good leader, me because I'm his wife. Again not accurate, not -legally- accurate anymore, but I suspect like Drey'auc, divorce is not concept comprehended out there in the universe. That says a lot about the human race, and I'm not sure if that's good or bad.
Jack and I exchanged a look and I hoped my eyes didn't look as wet as they felt when he asked to be called Charlie. The fact he knew we had a son surprised me, almost as much as feeling Jack's hand takes mine as we considered in that instant what this little boy was asking of us. I don't recall if I nodded or not, but I think Jack read my answer as yes. He certainly assured the little guy it was alright.
Charlie, this Charlie, was from the planet Reetalia, his world was nearly wiped out by the Goa'uld, a sadly familiar story so far. The twist is that rebels from among the survivors want to attack us.
I really hoped I didn't cry, because I knew if my eyes weren't wet from his asking to be called Charlie, then they had to be once I heard Charlie's story. Staying with him, he kept telling me it was going to be okay. I guess he did noticed my teary eyes. That brought a smile to my face I remember. This little guy trying to comfort me, telling me his mother said it was going to be all right, that Jack will take care of everything.
Everything did seem alright until Teal'c and Drey'auc walked through the door. Charlie nearly jumped off the bed, but I held him in my arms, feeling his body tremble with fear. It reminded me so much of holding Cassie when we were at Jack's cabin and the 'rogue' NID guys had attacked. Just like Cassie, Charlie must be reliving the horror of the Goa'uld attack. He wasn't thinking wait and see if these new Jaffa were friend or foe. Life had taught him that Jaffa killed and to not be killed he had to run and hide.
Jack was great calming him down, but Charlie didn't let go of me. In fact he seems to burrow into me as Teal'c and Drey'auc approached. He turned his head briefly and nodded, telling us his mother said it was going to be okay, that he could trust these two Jaffa.
This is where things turned strange again as both Drey'auc and Teal'c nearly doubled over in pain. Well it wasn't a grimace of pain as much as shock and surprised expressions and some kind of difficulty. Whatever it was both of them had to leave and while I couldn't see them, I did hear they seem to get better outside in the hallway. Jack wasn't leaving it at that and went out to check on them, leaving me with Charlie again.
Charlie didn't let go when they left and I'm not sure where the notion came from, but I felt he had never been held before in his life. He clearly had a mother if he's imagining her, or maybe he's doing so because all the other kids around him had mothers? I wonder what happened to the other children Charlie knew, likely killed by the Goa'uld as Charlie came through the gate alone.
Which begs the question, how did he do that? The iris shouldn't have let him, and yes I'm skipping over the whole issue of dialing the DHD to get here. Some adult must have scarified his or her life to give Charlie the chance to get away. It could even have been his mother of whom he continues to pretend made it with him.
Poor Charlie. One day he's going to have to face being the only survivor. I think Cassie could help him with that, or just maybe he could help her too.
When everyone returned it was question and answer time again. The answers were getting pretty horrific too. Charlie was made, sort of like Robby, except with biology instead of metallurgy. He's been made to warn us about terrorist and unlike Robby he's dying because they rushed him. I barely caught Sam's explanation of why Charlie's mother is invisible, just accepted it and that she's real, just not human.
She was armed and with a temper we found out soon afterwards.
Another recess left me with trying to talk to 'mother' as well as Charlie. Suggesting that since she could use a keyboard, that's how she kept the iris from closing, which she might be able to get more involved with the conversation by typing text. We didn't get too far with that, just up to 'yes' and 'no' when the others returned.
They returned with Jacob it appears, I guess whatever they have been talking about prompted an invite to the Tok'ra. Sam would have been talking about a planned visit by her dad, so his appearance had to be due to Charlie and the Re'tu. I think the little guy was about to fall asleep in my arms when he came in.
When he said 'For crying out loud' I had to laugh, and look at Jack who only expressed mild guilt for corrupting the young. That would be his excuse if I accused him out loud with the look I was giving him. The laugh died quickly as the symbiote problem arose with both Charlie and Jacob, presumably Charlie's mother too.
I felt like telling everyone to go to their corners. Who ended up scaring Charlie, and his mother with those weapon thingies. Which are called a Transphase Eradication Rod as Sam told me later on. Of course, seeing Charlie's mom wasn't the best thing for my defense of her, but she's a mom like I had been. We had an understanding of sorts. Plus by now her typing was getting better and I could feel as if we were having a conversation with her and not just talking at her through Charlie.
So again, it was just the three of us as yet another recess was called. I nearly felt bad news coming when Mrs. Re'tu did not type anything for awhile. I couldn't know what she said, but Charlie did and started to cry. Holding him again, it was Jack to the rescue with his humor and warmth, the way he was with our son. I want to marry him again.
Then the emotional rug is pulled out from under me as Charlie asks to be our son. I'm not sure what I feel. Yes, no, maybe, it would be great, I'm not ready for this, and quite a lot of things went through my mind as I looked at Jack expecting him to have the answer. In my mind I guess the answer is yes, though in Jack's eyes is a maybe. I don't know if we're ready for parenting again, we aren't even married at the moment. Not that Jaffa or Re'tu understands that last part, or do I think will Charlie.
Jack goes for an out, a 'when he gets back' and of he goes leaving me to answer on my own, the rat. Actually it's a good thing, we both had better talk about this. Learning to commit to each other again is a big step, learning for the both of us to commit to a child is a whole other universe of commitment. Yet holding him, the time we've spent today, I think we could do this. I could do this.
I suppose the gate has gradually eased me back to this point. Den mother to Vin, looking after Drey'auc, and of course getting back together with Jack, it's been a step-by-step, one-day-at-a-time journey to where I could be a mom again.
Charlie was able to get down a meal, and we were laughing when Janet blew in with medics and what looked like a Tok'ra with a hole through him. I guess it was motherly instinct that made try and shield Charlie from the sight. I don't actually know if he's seen worse or not, and it says a lot about my time at the SGC that I'm not loosing my lunch after what passed by.
Next came whizzing in was that tank that Judy came up with to keep Teal'c's symbiote alive after that bug bite. Janet was on the phone with Judy as apparently the Tok'ra host was toast (yes that was a bad attempt at rhyming) but the symbiote could be saved.
Then we were ducking down, 'Mom' was firing and I was over Charlie when he called out as his mother was shot by the rebel before someone I couldn't see nailed it. Couldn't been Jack, Daniel, I didn't see because Charlie went unconscious and Janet was over to us in a heartbeat.
Heartbeat was one of the keywords I was listening for. I found Jack, or he found me, I don't remember which. What I do recall is that we ended up in each other's arms as we waited to see Janet pull off another miracle. I can't say it was like when we lost our Charlie, but right then it was coming close to those same feelings of helplessness.
Jacob had a suggestion that meant Charlie could grow up, and even Jack was okay with that as he said, the key words are 'grow up'. I also think Charlie's a bit young for a symbiote, but if it will save his life, then I was in agreement, we should try.
That prompted Drey'auc to make a suggestion that was one of those 'why-didn't-we-think-of-that'. She also informed us of something else the rest of us didn't realize. Robby could see the Re'tu, though see is probably not the right term. Likely it's something like sense, with a...sensor. I wasn't going to ask the how or why's of it, as I would not understand the technobabble.
All too soon it was time for him to go, and I found saying goodbye to Charlie was a hard thing to do. Having held and looked after him, I didn't really want to let go. But it was better this way. Unlike my Charlie, he'd have a chance to grow up.
Drey'auc's Day
This child is cursed. When my husband and I approached him, we felt our symbiotes become highly agitated and only calmed once we were out in the hallway. Neither of us had felt anything like that before, except at a distance I admit to them. The last couple of weeks when with Sara I felt my symbiote stir at times, then calm. It was nothing as intense as this so I had no reason to report it. It was to be endured, which is what I did and it did not cause any stress on either me or my symbiote.
When Doctor Frasier reports that his body is failing, I only think back to my first assessment. The child is cursed. A survivor of a Goa'uld attack, thinking his mother is still with him, barely making it the world of the Tau'ri and now finding that he is dying. Though part of what Doctor Frasier shows us shows hints the may be a Hok'tar, a failed one perhaps.
Neither Teal'c nor I could remain with him as the others talk. This extended to the Tok'ra when they arrived to try and help us out. It was only after they had lost one that I found out that there is another way beyond the Transphase Eradication Rods and our symbiotes to sense them. When the first Re'tu was slain, I was near Robby who asked about the Transphase Eradication Rods and he was able to get a look at one. Since then he stated he could spot them. He even helped narrow down the search by guiding the various teams as they sweep the stronghold.
He was too late to warn those in the infirmary, but the fact he could sense more than the Transphase Eradication Rods could show would be a boon to the Tau'ri and it something the Goa'ulds could not do themselves. After he had guided the teams, ended up saving several Airman lives with warnings as they closed with the Re'tu. It was not soon enough to save Charlie's mother, or prevent General Carter from harm, if that was ever his purview. Noting the enemy's location is one thing, guiding the actions of all during a fight is another.
Listening for the plan to save Charlie's life I suggested that they might be able to do so for Ma'chello. Claire Jackson was able to keep him calm and he lived to return to his world with the support devices Judy Robinson had figured out how to reactivate. If the symbiote saved by Janet Frasier is not for Charlie, then they have a symbiote in need of a host and the Tok'ra would gain a valuable ally.