Chapter 10- Chulak and the Reception

A/N: It's been awhile, I know, but I have been working on other stories and working and the fact that I don't own any seasons of "Stargate" might take longer and then I seem to be thinking ahead to the point when Laura meets her father and mother.


The MALP rolled along slowly. Laura jammed her cold fingers into the pockets of her jacket. Laura had thought putting on gloves would keep her hands warm, but it appeared the cold was seeping through the material. Her ancestors may have been Goa'uld or Tok'Ra, but she had been born human and could fully appreciate thermal blankets and hot bubble baths or reading a book while sipping apple cinnamon tea, fresh out of the microwave.

"This looks like a good spot up here," Kawalsky called out, indicating a spot with his hand.

"All right. If we're not back in 20 hours-" Jack started to say, clasping the back of Laura's head.

"Yeah, we'll come rescue your sorry butts," Kawalsky interrupted with a tease.

"Negative. You'll go back through the gate with the combination Daniel just gave you before the iris is locked so you can't go back," Jack said in the tone Laura called "The Voice." Jack only used it of he was ordering people to do as he said.

"Yes, Sir," Kawalsky said, giving Jack a salute.

"Hold down the fort," Jack said, saluting back.

"Hey, kid, pick me up a t-shirt," Kawalsky called to Laura.

"That might be difficult. I doubt there's a "I Heart Chulak" t-shirt here," Laura said, from her place between Carter and Jack as they moved forward.

"So you really don't remember this place?" Carter asked.

"No. Other than this is the home of all Jaffa, no. I even forgot how cold this place gets. I feel like I've seen this place before, but I don't remember being here. It's like a memory from a dream," Laura said as they pushed aside branches.

"So, Doctor Jackson, tell me more about Sha're. How did you meet?" Carter asked.

"Sha're? Well, she's a-" Daniel started to say.

"She was a gift," Jack said, looking back briefly.

"She was, actually, from the elders of Abydos the first night we were there," Daniel said.

"And you accepted?" Sam asked in incredulous shock.

"Hold up. Come on," Jack said, signaling with his hand for them to follow them. Laura looked through the trees and saw a procession of men wearing robes and hoods. Jaffa Priests! The thought came quickly to Laura's mind. These Jaffa were the ones who were responsible for putting the Goa'uld in their own people. As Laura stooped on the ground she noticed the snake symbol on their heads. These were part of the Apophis sect.

"All right, Captain, take a position 50 yards-" Jack started to say.

"Uh, Dad," Laura said as Daniel got up.

"Oh, for cryin' out loud," Jack said as he looked to Daniel who stood in the path of the priests, holding his hand up in greeting.

"Hi. Uh-" Laura heard Daniel say.

"The man has not changed," Jack said as he, Laura, and Carter got up.

"Yeah, didn't you tell me that he did this on Abydos, Dad, with a "5th Avenue" candy bar and Sha're's dad?" Laura asked.

"Yeah. Laura, stay beside me," Jack ordered sharply as they got onto the path and Jack aimed his machine gun.

"W...we just came through the stargate. Uh, the, uh, Chappa-Ai," Daniel said

"Chappa-Ai!" The head priest said as he and the others prostrated themselves before Daniel.

"No. Please don't do that," Daniel said, looking extremely embarrassed.

"Friends of yours?" Jack asked.

"Unless we want to give ourselves a really bad reputation, I just think we should avoid shooting the first people we meet on a new planet. Oh, please, you don't have to do this," Daniel said with a groan to the prostrating priests. He walked over to the leader and helped him stand.

"Well, talk to them, Daniel. If I ever spoke Jaffa, it was a long time ago. You might as well," Laura said, watching each priest carefully. There didn't seem to be any malice in them, but with the Jaffa no one could be sure as they were the puppets to the Goa'uld.

"Chula a lazla?" The head priest asked.

"Lazla? Choose. They want to know if we're here to choose. Uh, sure. We can choose," Daniel said, looking briefly at Jack and then the priest.

"Choose? Choose what?" Laura asked.

"Choosing is good. It's a derivation of Arabic combined with-" Daniel started to say.

"Yeah, yeah, all right. Whatever. Just ask him to take us to the nearest village or town," Jack interrupted impatiently.

"Yeah, um, could you take us uh, uh, um, Arush? Arush?" Daniel asked, making a symbol of a house with his hands.

"Yah, Alla. Alla Chulak," the priest said and they followed them through the trees.


They made their way through the trees to a clearing that showed a city with a palace overlooking the area.. Laura felt her insides writhe and twist. This was where Apophis and his mate and younglings had to live. Most Goa'uld enjoyed the pretensions of having mansions and palaces. Big palaces had to make the parasites feel bigger than they actually were. Very few Goa'uld and the Tok'Ra had smaller dwellings.

"Chulak," the priest said, pointing to the town below them and they followed him.

"Chulak. S...sounds good," Daniel said.

"I hear it's nice this time of year," Jack said sarcastically.

"Dad, please," Laura said, rolling her eyes as the walked down a path and into the palace.

A huge feast was being spread and countless people were laughing. Laura wasn't sure if she could eat any of the food. Considering it was dinner for the Goa'uld, Laura had the unpleasant sensation to throw it up. The crowd hushed as they looked at the four of them. "Atuhahra a lazla," the priest said to what looked like a host who sat people at a restaurant.

Laura sat down, feeling as if the seat electrocuted anyone who sat there. Everyone stared at them, not saying a word. "Daniel, why are they treating us like this?" Laura asked as a man touched one of her brownish-blonde braids almost reverently.

"They think we're gods," Daniel said as Carter sniffed a drink in a gold goblet.

"No. No way. Not gonna happen. I may have the knowledge of a Goa'uld, but I am NOT a god now or ever. Can't you tell them that I'm only a kid?" Laura asked.

"I don't think they'd believe me if I told them," Daniel said.

"Now what?" Jack asked.

"I have no idea," Daniel said as a servitor put an urn in front of them and someone blew a horn. Everyone bowed with the exception of Laura. The writhing feeling in her stomach grew as Jaffa guards came in followed by Apophis and a woman. Laura's blood almost congealed as she recognized the woman. It was Sha're dressed as a Goa'uld queen!

"Behold. Your queen," Apophis said, confirming what Laura knew. Sha're was gone. In her place was Amounet, Apophis's mate.