I don't own Dragon Age, Dragonriders of Pern or Stargate: SG1 and I make no profit of the writing and posting of this fanfiction.
Categories: Dragon Age, Dragonriders of Pern and Stargate: SG1.
Mages of Pern Verse - Crossover Stargate SG1 Version 2 Part 1
The People of Pern had uncovered a strange stone circle... in the Beyond. They'd dragged it out of the Beyond at a reasonable distance from their Hold to study safely. What they had been rather surprised to have happen was some metal thing come out and then soon after four humans.
They had remained hidden, as they had been doing since the Circle spun and they waited for Anders to come. They listen with interest to the humans speak, realizing that they did not understand the language. They thought they might be military for they moved like soldiers and what they wore seemed to be a uniform; from the way they held the strange metal things they were sure they were weapons.
Anders arrived quietly with Nathaniel and Karl in his wake. He nodded to them and they cautiously left cover to approach the four. Three of the humans were pale skinned, the other was dark skinned and carried a staff with a strange mark on his forehead. They weren't sure they liked that. It reminded them too much of the Tranquil Brand.
#
SG1 stepped warily out of the gate. It was warm, bordering on hot and slightly humid with lush jungle trees nearby and the gate at the centre of a clearing on a large stone ledge. Jack shifted, uncomfortably getting the prickling feeling that they were being watched. Jokingly he teased, "Doesn't seem like there are any rocks around here for you to look at Daniel."
"They're not rocks." Daniel replied automatically.
A loud rustle of bushes and the loud sounds of movement had Jack and Teal'c focusing their gun and staff weapon in that direction respectively. An older man in a green robes using a staff to help him walk and a sunburst circle branded onto his forehead exited the bushes. Behind him was a man dressed in leathers with a bow and quiver on his back.
"Hey, Teal'c, do you recognize the tattoo on his head." Jack asked.
"No, I do not." Teal'c replied stoically.
"Danny-boy?"
"No, I don't either." Danny replied before stepping forward slightly and switching to Gou'ald, "Greetings, can you understand this language?"
The tattooed man turned to the other and said something. Jack looked at Daniel who shook his head. Jack shrugged, "Well at least they're not shooting at us, even if we don't understand them."
The leather clad man nodded to them and then turned and walked back over to where he had come out. He called something and another man said something back. SG1 watched curious, if wary, as another man followed the leather clad one out. He wore a snappy looking robe with a feathered mantle over neat pants and leather boots. There was a certain confidence in the way he walked and the staff he held looked as much like a weapon and subtle status symbol as it did a walking aid.
As he drew alongside the tattooed man Jack realized that his features were subtlety different from him and the leather clad man. He was more slender, his features more delicate and sharper, colours just slightly too vibrant. The first two looked human, he looked just slightly off.
He was in charge; Jack was sure as he looked at them, nodded and said something. The three of them had a quick discussion before they seemed to decide something. The first two looked at them before stepping part slightly. They then turned to each other and started talking. The leather clad one was using the same language as before but the tattooed one was using a different, more flowing musical one. They continued for a moment taking turns speaking the different languages and looking rather exaggeratedly confused. Then the feathered mantled person stepped in speaking the first language.
He held up his hand and an orb of green light filled it. Jack tightened his hold on his gun. The feathered man slowly approached the tattooed man. One he was standing next to him he placed one hand on his shoulder as the tattooed man placed both hands on his waist, and then he lifted his other hand and put the orb of light through the side of his head.
Next to Jack Daniel made an alarmed sound. The leather clad man flashed them a reassuring smile. The two men stood like that for a moment with their eyes closed and then the feathered man slowly withdrew his hand, the light orb going with. He steadied him for a moment and then raised the orb to the side of his own head. He stood like that for a couple of moments has the tattooed man held him steady then he pulled the orb back out. He blinked for a couple of moments then he turned to the tattooed man and started talking in that flowing language. The tattooed man looked surprised and then pleased, replying in the same language.
The feathered man switched back to the first language and said something to the leather clad man. He nodded and said something back. The feathered man approached the leather clad man and bracing him for a moment put the light orb in his head. They stood there for a moment and then he pulled the orb back out. The leather clad man blinked for a bit before he turned to the tattooed man and said something in the flowing language. They then spoke the flowing language among each other for a couple of moments before switching back to the other one and turning to look at them expectantly.
"Daniel?" Jack asked.
"I think they were demonstrating some sort of language transfer that they want to try?" he hazed a guess, looking very intrigued.
"That doesn't make any sense." Sam said, "How do they intend to do that? What sort of technology are they using?"
"It is not one that I have seen the Gou'ald using." Teal'c contributed.
"I think we should let them." Daniel told them.
"Are you sure it's a good idea to let a bunch of unknown aliens with unknown technology mess around in our heads." Jack asked doubtfully.
Daniel shrugged, "I don't have the first clue what either of the languages they spoke were. They've been polite enough to show us what they want to do instead of just trying it. We can either spend a couple of weeks here trying to learn their language and probably offending them by very rudely refusing their help or we can let them do their thing with one of us. I want to try the second option."
The feathered man approached them slowly and they stopped talking to watch him. He glanced at them and offered his hand to Daniel. "Danny?" Jack frowned.
Daniel stepped forward then looked back. "I think he's asking me because I was the one that tried to talk to them." he shrugged, "I'm the one who wants to do this. And if something goes wrong you can always go back to shooting the natives."
The feathered man took Daniel's hand, placing it one his shoulder and directing Daniel's other hand to his hip. He then placed one hand on Daniel's shoulder before holding out the other hand to the side. The orb blinked back into being. Slowly he raised he hand until it was next to Daniel's hand giving him plenty of time to move before he placed it into his head.
They stood there eyes closed, forehead leaning against each other. Silently Jack counted the seconds, one two, three, four, five, six, he shifted uneasily, seven, eight, nine. The tattooed man took a step forward, saying something concerned sounding. The hand on Daniel's shoulder lifted and the feathered man waved vaguely at the two in what they seemed to interpret as an unconcerned gesture.
The waiting continued, fifteen seconds, twenty seconds, next to Jack Sam twitched anxiously. Twenty two seconds Jack took a determined step towards forwards. The tattooed man made a sound of alarm shaking his head and hurrying forward. He was saying something worried sounding as he moved to stand at an angle as to block Jack from touching the two. The leather clad man half yelled something that caused the tattooed man to shrug and the other to shake his with an exasperatedly disbelieving look.
Jack was considering the pros and cons of pushing the tattooed man out of his way when the feathered man pulled the orb back out of Daniel's head. The two blinked, with twin disorientated looks stepping back from each other. The tattooed man whirled around grabbing the feathered man's arm to keep him upright and Jack took that as permission to grab Daniel.
"Are you alright?" he asked worriedly, pulling Daniel away from the feathered man who was similarly being crowded by the tattooed man.
"Yeah." Daniel sounded slightly dazed. "I'm fine I think." He gave the feathered man a very bemused look. "It was very green. And swirly, kind of misty. No exactly what I was expecting from a translation device."
The feathered man seemed to have managed to reassure his companions for they backed off slightly as he sat down on a rock. Raising his hand with the swirly green orb he pressed it against his head. The tattooed man watched him while the leather clad one watched SG1 but neither seemed worried this time as the wait stretched to half a minute before the feathered man pulled the orb out of his head.
He made some sort of remark to the tattooed man which had him shaking his head before he turned to them. In clear English he said, "You sure do know a lot of languages. But you use this one," he switched to Gou'ald, "and this one the most often, yes?"
"Yeah." Daniel told him in English looking a bit surprised. "English and Goa'uld are the ones I use the most for talking to people."
The feathered man grinned and returned to English, "Good. Sorry, that the transfer took so long, you use a lot of languages and it took longer than normal to copy them because there were so many." He started fiddling and poking the orb in his hand, seemly pushing bits of it around. "My name's Anders by the way. I'm going to isolate the English and the Gou'ald languages before I give this to anyone else. It would take forever otherwise and they don't need all these extra languages running around their heads. My friends are Karl," he waved at the tattooed man, "and Nathaniel." He waved at the other, "And you are?" he gave them a questioning look.
Jack had relaxed slightly at the explanation for why it had taken so long, trust Danny to muck up an alien translation device by being too much of a nerd, and nodded to the newly introduced Anders. "I am Jack O'Neill. The big silent one is my friend Teal'c, the lovely lady is Captain Samantha Carter and the guy you did your mind thingy with is Doctor Daniel Jackson." Jack waved at each of his team mates as he introduced them. "We are a part of a group of explorers from Earth trying to peacefully learn about other people and trade and all that sort of thing."
Anders nodded and smiled, "That sounds interesting. Ah! It's ready." He stood and turned to Karl. Placing the orb in his head he stood there for about seven seconds before pulling it out. He then turned and repeated the process with Nathaniel although it only seemed to take five seconds with him.
Nathaniel turned to them and said so seriously that Jack wasn't sure if he was joking or not. "Welcome to Pern. Please ignore any stupid thing Anders may have said, he's like that to everyone. What are you intending to do while you are here?"
Jack glanced to Daniel with him being the most diplomatic of his team. "Um, well we didn't know that there was anyone here when we came through, so could we met whoever your leaders are? Stargate Command is always happy to consider new people to trade and ally with."
Nathaniel nodded curtly. Anders grinned, "I'm sure everyone would be happy to meet you. The village is only a 10-15 minute or so walk from here if you'd like?"
"Sure." Jack nodded, "That sounds good." The rest of his team nodded so they followed when Nathaniel lead off, walking around a rock and revealing a path that was hidden from view behind it.
Karl spoke up for the first time, looking at Teal'c with a blank kind of wariness. "I was wondering what that symbol on your forehead meant? If you don't mind me asking?"
"I was the first Prime of the Gou'ald Apophis before I realized that the Gou'ald were false gods and turned against him. It is his symbol and a symbol of the rank and slavery I once held." Teal'c told them solemnly while Jack watched warily for any sudden signs of hostility or recognition but there were none, only wary curiosity. "Might I ask what yours means?" Teal'c inquired.
Karl's eyes went hard and he smiled, cold and grim with an edge of something vicious. "It is a symbol of the Chantry and it was there to tell everyone one that I was a Tranquil. A safe mage; harmless, helpful, obedient, not a danger, a symbol of the Chantry's control, and a reminder that Mages belonged to them. I suppose I could have it removed but it serves as a reminder of what we have suffered, that should I face Templars again I would die before I would be forced to enter a Circle Tower and serve the Chantry as a slave." He looked at them with a blank coldness that chilled Jack down to his bones. "Tranquil and those who condone the Rite of Tranquillity are not welcome on Pern."
Anders cut in cheerfully, "But Teal'c isn't Tranquil so it doesn't matter. We just wanted to check but besides from Tranquil Brands, and I suppose Slave Brands, we don't really have any problems with what you choice to paint or mark onto your skin."
He seemed to consider what he'd said, "Well, the Dalish blood markings were originally something like slave markings but now they are clan markings and they like them so everyone's fine with them. And the Castless markings were criminal marks but they seem to see them as some sort of community thing seeing as any child of a Castless is Castless themselves so they are fine to keep them as they want. So yeah, mostly we have problems with the Tranquil Brand although of course all those who have broken the Rite are free to wear or not to wear the Brand as they like. If nothing else it can come in handy against particularly stupid Templars that you don't want to fight." A dark look crossed his face, "As long as they aren't a certain type of stupid. It's normally not worth avoiding the attention that killing Templars brings you if you have to pretend to be Tranquil to a Templar who likes to give Tranquil certain types of orders."
Jack and Daniel exchanged looks. Nathaniel sighed, "Thank you for explaining that Karl, Anders, but considering there are no Templars on Pern and we don't know how the Rite is performed for all we have a bunch freed but heavily traumatized Tranquil I don't think they need you to start your full spiel on the horrors of the Circle Towers and the need for Rebellion against the Chantry and the campaign for the cause of Mage rights."
Anders grinned, "What about my spiel on acceptance of non-humans as full class citizens and that Pern is a Mage run settlement and if you try to start any anti-mage stuff we'll kick you out if we don't fireball you first?"
Nathaniel smiled, "If anyone is going to kick people out for anti-magic sentiment it will be the dwarfs. If anyone is going to kick people out for human superiority talk it will be us non-mage humans. If anyone is going to be kicked out for endorsing slavery it will be by the Elves. And if anyone is going to be kicked out for Anti-Spirit sentiment it will be by the Mages. That leaves the Spirits to kick people out for not accepting cultural practices."
Karl grinned, "We have a system for this stuff Anders. No need to traumatize people by letting you throw them out if they act like assholes."
Anders gave them a wounded look, "How am I traumatizing? It's Just and Venge that are frightening you know."
"Mortals," Daniel jumped at the sudden doubled toned echoing voice while Jack swore, his hand going to his gun as Karl's eyes burned blue, "May be frightened of Spirits. You however have a degree of creativity that beings of the Fade lack. Your command of Dragonets may have something to do with the fear. I believe that Mortals do not like to fly outside of the Fade."
The blue glow recessed from Karl's eyes and Jack snapped, "What the fuck was that?!"
Karl gave him a cold look, "That was the Spirit of Justice co-inhabiting my body." A slight sneer curled his lip, "Do you have a problem with that?"
Jack's eyes flicked over all of them and he realized that Nathaniel was watching them, one hand on the daggers at his waists and a slight red light to his grey eyes.
Anders looked at him and his amber eyes were serious not laughing or joking, "Pern is a Mage run colony and a Mage sanctuary. We don't permit discrimination against our Citizens. While the majority of Pern's citizens are Mages, they are not the only beings we house. Spirits are a respected and valued part of our community and while most of them remain in the Fade they are not obliged too. Entering our village and you may find yourself face to face with the occasional Spirit in their true form. None of them are Demons despite what they may focus on and you are not permitted to attack them. Aside from that, as you just witnessed, some of our Mages willingly channel a Spirit and permit them to share their body. They are not Abominations and you are not permitted to attack them either. There are no Abominations on Pern. These arrangements are not always permanent and people often won't mention it unless their Spirit has something they wish to share. As such while on Pern you may not have to talk to a Spirit but you should be prepared and open to the possibility."
Teal'c looked at them, "What exactly are these Spirits? I do not believe I am familiar with them."
Karl looked surprised but took over the talking, "Spirits are beings that come from and dwell in the Fade. They embody a concept, emotion or idea and draw their power from what they embody while it also gives them their base self. A Spirit may embody what we would call a positive concept or they may embody what we would call a negative concept but while some are more inclined to be benevolent or malevolent, all Spirits are dangerous but this does not mean they cannot be reasoned with. Depending on your religion and culture you may view all Spirits as different races of being depending on what they are a Spirit of or you may view them as Gods, or as 'Good Spirits' and 'Evil Demons'. Having been the subject of much discrimination ourselves we try to judge people as people and as such all native beings of the Fade are Spirits and individual Spirits can be friend, foe or neutral. We reserve the title of 'Demon' for those Spirits we cannot reason with, often because they have somehow become corrupted or insane."
Karl shrugged, "All that said, basically all the Spirits you will find on Pern are friendly, well," he looked like he was considering something, "they are friendly towards their fellow Citizens of Pern. When we moved here we didn't just bring ourselves. We also brought the demesne of any Spirits we maintained friendly relationships to the Fade here. It seriously does wonders for dreaming. The Fade here is quite safe as our Spirits will keep out any non-citizen Spirits that might try to possess any of the younger Mages."
Jack gave him a disturbed look, "So what you just let these Spirits possess you to keep any other Spirits from possessing you?"
"Not exactly." Nathaniel replied, "Although that does work, not everyone here is possessed. Actually a lot less people are possessed then not. We let these Spirits possess us because we trust them. Some people do it full time because they like the Spirit co-habiting with them, some do it occasionally because they need something from the Spirit or because they feel like it."
Anders snorted, "Hell, I knew a guy who let a Spirit of Valour possess him once a day because he really, really hated staff practice."