A/N: Okay, guys, this is the beginning of the last story arc! I can't believe that this is coming to a close. I can't thank you enough for the reviews and hope you all enjoy this.


Sam was looking around Sg-11 was all there. Jack was still waiting for Robert to come to the gate room, but they still had 10 minutes. She hoped nothing would go wrong because it was currently July 15, and she and Jack had planned to taste cakes on the 18th. Jack said it was the best part of wedding planning and had set up about 6 different tastings. Sam could already feel her stomach churn at the amount of sugar. The date wasn't set until the following Summer, but Jack said they needed plenty of time to find the right cake.

She thought back to the Barbecue when they invited their teams, Janet, Cassie, and General Hammond. It was way too cold to sit on the deck, but Jack insisted that he grill out, and the announcement wasn't a surprise, but a joyous occasion and she couldn't believe how happy she had felt. She still grinned every time she looked down at the ring. Sam looked down at the ring on her finger. She hadn't slipped it off before going through the gate, and she quickly put it on her dog tags and stuffed it back down her shirt. Jack hadn't had his eyes on her. He was staring at the door, waiting for Robert. He hadn't been in the best moods lately but she sort of expected it.

Lucas had been accepted to Colorado State, and Freshman Orientation was less than a month away. Cassie had spent a lot of time at Jack's, and Jack had even caught Elliott in her room one night. Elliott swore it was innocent, and Cassie had a bad dream, but Jack had his doubts. Cassie was spending all her time with him, and Jack had been complaining to Sam about the fact he felt invisible in his own home.

Despite the engagement, moving in hadn't been discussed, and Jack had found a bit of reprieve at Sam's house in the last few months. It was nice to have some of Jack's things at her house. She had only seen her dad once since she had been engaged, but Jack wasn't with her to share the news, and she wanted to wait. She was also slightly concerned about what her dad would say despite having already told her he was okay with them together.


Robert had finally walked through the doors with 3 minutes to spare, and Jack and Sam smiled at each other.

"All right, campers, lets head out," Jack stated. They waited for the gate to come alive and proceeded to step through the gate.

Sam had remembered the drone they had sent, and it was as if no one noticed it fly through the gate. The city outside the gate looked to be a trading bazaar of some type, which piqued everyone's interest. There seemed to be a gatekeeper as there was a single path towards the town and one small building not far from the gate's entrance. The city was quite a walk away.

When they make it through to the other side, the heat hits them, and Sam looked around, they stepped through off the gate, and a purple glow is around them for a fraction of a second. Sam looks around. No one is injured. She doesn't feel any different everyone is one piece, and all 6 of them are still there, but she didn't know what it was, and she frowned.

"Everyone okay?" Sam asked.

Everyone voiced they're okay, and they proceed to walk to the building they saw. When they arrive, a man walks up to the group curiously.

"Your kind has not been here before, tell me who has told you of this place?" The man asked.

"Hi, I'm Daniel. These are my friends. We work together and travel to other planets, we found your planets address and wanted to learn more about your people." Daniel claimed.

"So, Soreck didn't send you?" The man asked.

"No, should we know him?" Daniel asked.

"No, No very well, my name is Harati, and this is Pefinson," Harati claimed.

"You trade with other planets," Daniel claimed.

"Several, are those weapons in your hands?" Harati asked.

"Just for protection," Daniel claimed.

"They won't work here," Harati claimed. Jack quickly turned to fire his gun in the sand, but it wouldn't fire.

"What the hell?" Jack asked.

He then pulled out his zat and pointed it at the tree, and it did nothing. Teal'c tried to fire his staff weapon and had no charge.

"That purple light we saw was some type of blocker," Sam claimed.

"You noticed, very observant, yes that came from another planet we had regular dealings with. It had become violent and unsafe to trade with some planets with lucrative offers, so this was installed several generations ago. When you leave, they will be operational again," Harati explained.

Sam nodded.

"Smart woman you have, and there is another in your mist, both beautiful will make high trade value," Harati mentioned.

"Excuse me. We don't trade our woman." Jack almost growled.

The man's eyes lit up for a second.

"You did not come here to trade?" Harati asked.

"If you think we are leaving these women…" Jack started almost yelling before Daniel butted in.

"In our culture, men and women work together," Daniel claimed.

"So, you do not have any restrictions on what women or girls do?" Harati asked.

"No." Daniel claimed even though there was a lot more to it, the safe, most straightforward answer was "no."

Harati smiled.

"Hurry, you must come to my building before the men see you," Harati claimed.

Sam smiled and followed him in then Jack and the rest of the teams.

"Pefinson has been a trading planet for many generations, as long as our history has been written." People from all over this planet come here to buy and trade. Our planet seems to be centralized with a group of 8 planets that could access our ring. When people went through their ring looking for something, they would always send them here. You are the 134th planet to come here." Harati explained.

Daniel smiled, soaking in the knowledge.

"Please tell me about your planet," Harati asked.

Sam, Daniel, and Michelle told them the essential scientific things and explained the technology they had.

Although Cars seemed to be a new idea, everything else Harati knew of something similar.

"It seems like our planet is very similar to yours, but three generations ago, a gender war occurred on this piece of land between the great waters. Women had revolted when the Overseer Malineus had kicked a woman out of trades for outselling his family's stall. Malineus had been known to pay off people and work his farmhands half to death. The woman Frerna had been kind to everyone, and her product was better and more valued. They both dealt with herbs and remedies.

The woman had been frightened that they would be targeted and formed together to make their own market place right outside of the city. Several people would go the extra space to see the woman's stalls and overall bought a lot more from them. This made Malineus angry, and he would often try to burn lands and buildings where the woman made their general wares. One day a group of people came from a Planet called Halatis and saw the woman's plight. They had told the woman they could pack up and their goods and wares and bring their skills to Halatis where they were wanted. Most of the women agreed to go and were free to come and go to Pefinson as they pleased. Several people stopped coming to Pefinson and went to Halatis instead, angering Malineus further. He had gone to Halatis to figure out how to put Perinson back on the map, and that's when he realized they didn't trade other humans and other intelligent life forms. They also didn't sell weapons except those for hunting. So he created a new market to mix in with the old. I come from a line of gatekeepers who align with the ways of old and have sworn to try our best to uphold the land of the past. I must warn you if the woman with you goes into town, and you do not give them to the highest payer, they will forcefully take them, and without weapons, they will easily outnumber you. Luckily my whole planet is not like this; only the lands here closest to the gate. It is a rough journey to the other lands on our planet, and we do not sell or trade anyone born here, but women are not allowed to buy or trade on this land." Harati claimed.

"I ask if you were with Sorek because he comes from a planet similar to yours. A few of the wealthier good man find that the sale of other humans and other creatures is unjust and will buy what they can to get them home safely, Sorek has always helped as long as I can remember he would be here every 3 moon cycles, but it has been 7 now with no sight of return. We have had several beings in hiding, and we're running low on supplies." Harati explained.

Jack frowned. He didn't like this at all.

"Okay, let's say we believe everything you just said. How can we trust you?" Jack asked.

"I can show you the beings we have taken in. My hope is you can take them through the ring safely," Harati claimed.

Jack nodded, and Harati headed back towards the stargate. They followed him, and he showed them a cave entrance.

"Just through here," Harati claimed.

They all looked at each other, wondering if it was a trap but followed the man anyways. Sam didn't feel the man was lying. They walked inside what looked to be a prison.

"I know this looks, bad but I can only communicate with the children here, and they are here for their own good. I have tried to explain some seem to understand others do not." Harati explained.

Jack glances through the cells. There are 3 Unas who instantly stand, and Daniel tries to communicate with them. There are (Jack hated the words that came to his brain) Fairylike creatures a swarm of them who had to be held by something other than the barred door because they could easily escape and then his heart dropped 2 little girls in cell sitting on a makeshift bed the smaller hides behind the older one.

"Sam," Jack called.

She looks over and sees the girls.

"Yes, they are an unfortunate case. I said we don't trade our own, but there are 2 exceptions, criminals and children who have no caregivers.

"No one was willing to take them in?" Jack asks.

"We have plenty of children on this planet, and it is looked down upon. My wife and I have 5 children of our own, and as a gatekeeper, my wife has to take care of our garden. I couldn't do that to her, and with Sorek, I know they would be safe." Harati stated.

"Alright, Danny, can you get through to the Unas?" Jack asked.

"Trying."

"What are these creatures?" Jack asked, and as he pointed, one flew through the bars and bit at him.

"Hey, watch it!" Jack claimed.

"Very intelligent but traded for their wings. They understand you perfectly well. You just can't understand them." Harati claimed.

"So that's why they are willingly here," Jack claimed.

"yes, but they eat a very particular diet, and I only have 1 day left of food for them."

Do we have anything of value you see for trade?" Jack asked.

Harati looks them over and goes through their pack, asking a few questions.

Oddly enough, their clothing is highly sought after, and Jack asks for all the extra clothing he can have. Sam is pulling her jacket off.

"Alright, I think Sg-11, you should stay here and Robert. Teal'c and I will head into town." Jack claimed.

"Don't take long and be eager to trade. With you being new, it will look good. You can see the gate open, but us gatekeepers are known to keep people out of the village, so it will not be unusual for your wait. I will talk to your friends and come up with things of value you have on your planet." Harati stated.

Jack nodded.

Sg-1 walked towards the town. Michelle was intrigued by the Fairylike creatures and began chatting with them. She had created her own way of communicating with them. Daniel was still working on the Unas, and Sam was eyeing the frightened children.


"It's okay. We're not going to hurt you," Sam claimed.

The older girl started crying.

"Please, I don't want to be a breeder." The girl begged.

Sam furrowed her eyebrows.

"Honey, I don't know what you're talking about," Sam claimed.

Harati stepped in.

"Unfortunately, when children are traded, they fall into 2 categories, keepers and breeder. Keepers are younger children who are able to minor household chores or even given to a family looking for children who will pay big money for a child of there own. Breeders are children who are little older, who are traded for less savory reasons." The man stated.

"We had only let three getaway when people paid over the price we could afford to buy them back. Trust me, we do our best, but it isn't good enough," Harati claimed.

Sam looked at him and saw the anger in his eyes, but she knew he was helping and making a difference.

"They're lucky to have you," Sam claimed.

"Can I?" Sam asked, motioning for the doors to be unlocked.

The little girls stood back and cowered in fear. Sam bent down and sat on the floor as far as possible from the girls. The little one poked her head up for a second to see that nothing was happening.

The more she looked at them, she realized how dirty they were.

She tried her best to put a smile on her face.

"What are your names?" Sam asked.

No answer.

"I promise I'm not going to hurt you," Sam claimed.

The older one looked up. A Sam smiled again.

"My name is Myalah, and this Lupali," The older girl claimed.

Sam nodded.

"My name is Sam," Sam explained.

The girls looked interested at her but kept a safe distance.

"Are we going with you?" Myalah asked.

"Yes," Sam claimed.

"I don't want to be a breeder." The girl cried again.

"You don't have to be honey. You don't have to do anything." Sam claimed.

She looked up at her.

"I want to stay here," Myalah claimed.

"I know you do, and I wish you could, but these guys who have been taking care of you, they can't keep you here, and there is no one to take care of you here. If you come with us, we'll find someone to take care of you." Sam claimed.

"I don't need taken care of!" Myalah shouted.

Sam wasn't sure how to respond.

Daniel had heard the outburst and turned around.

"Let me?" Daniel asked.

Sam nodded.

"This is my friend Daniel," Sam claimed.

The girls looked hesitant but didn't say anything when he came over.

"You know when I was little. I didn't have anyone to care for me," Daniel commented.

"You didn't? Myalah asked.

"Nope, my parents died, and there was no one else who could look after me," Daniel explained.

"Our parents died too!" Myalah stated.

Daniel just nodded.

"I went to a lot of different people. I was just about your age Myalyah, and I felt the same way you did, but I did need help. I needed someone to take care of me, and I didn't realize it then, but I definitely needed adults to help me," Daniel claimed.

"I'm scared," Myalah said.

"It's okay to be afraid," Daniel claimed.

The girl looked at him like she had never been told those words before.

"It normal to be afraid of what you don't know, but you won't know until you try it. I promise my friends and me aren't going to hurt, and we do everything we can to keep you safe." Daniel claimed.

Sam looked at him and looked at the girls.

"Okay," Myalah said.

"Okay," Daniel responded.

Sam looked at the man in awe, he knew he would understand there ordeal, but he calmed them so easily. He was a natural, and he would make a wonderful father someday. Sam thought. She looked at the girls who were put at ease by Daniel's words.

"So, if we're going with you, what's it like where you live?" Myalah asked.

Harati came and sat near them to hear of Earth as well.

"Well, it's kind of like here. Right now, it's sweltering here, but where I live, it's colder. It gets this hot, and we call that time summer. We have big trees as you do. We have a bunch of different animals. We live in houses, and we eat all kinds of other foods. Sam pulled out a protein bar. This isn't the best example, but she broke it into 3 pieces giving one to Harati as well.

The girls eagerly chewed.

"Good!" Lupali stated.

Sam smiled.

"Gald you like it," Sam claimed.

"We have great waters like you do, but they are salt waters, and we call them oceans. Then we have fresh waters called lakes and rivers and ponds. There are mountains and valleys and flatlands." Sam continued.

"Will we stay with you and eat this?" Myalah asked.

Sam frowned.

"I don't think so, Myalah," Sam said.

"Why not?" Myalah asked.

"Well, for a while, when you come with us, you will have to stay in a place called the SGC," Sam claimed.

"It's a big building underground, but you can have your own room, and you can play and eat whatever we have there. We have a doctor named Janet who will want to make sure you're healthy." Sam claimed.

"Then, we can stay with you?" Malah asked.

Sam wanted to say yes to this little girl seeing the home in her eyes. Sam closed her eyes because she couldn't look away.

"Maybe," Sam said.

The girl looked at her for a second but didn't say anything else.

Harati had begun asking questions about Earth, and Sam answered the best she could. Daniel was back talking to the Unas, and Michelle was still talking to the small creatures.

Sam was wondering how the guys were doing, and wondering if they'd be back soon.