Author's Note: So, this story obviously took me a while to write – way longer than I ever anticipated, but it's also probably the hardest one I've written for many reasons, but I won't go into that. Took even longer to edit due to life's circumstances, so my apologies for that.

I really pushed myself on this one with the help of my awesome betas (yes, I finally got a beta – two actually), and really tried to grow as a writer. Hopefully it shows.

I would like to take a moment to thank those amazing Betas – Maldorana and xjustanotherwriter! Without you two, I don't know what I would've done! Thanks for the encouragement, for pushing me out of my comfort zone, and helping me become a better writer – I can still hear you two in my head as I write :p

Lastly, I would like to dedicate this to TitusVorenus. Titus, if you're out there, I want to thank you. Without you, this story would've never existed in the first place. Thank you for the idea, for inspiring me, and for allowing me to write it! I hope I don't disappoint. This is for you.

Without further ado…enjoy.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Stargate SG-1, it's characters, or anything associated with it. I'm just letting my imagination run wild with their creation.

o0o

Chapter One

General George Hammond always prided himself on being a good judge of character. It was needed in his line of work. While people often questioned this judgment when it came to certain people he trusted, he knew, in the end, he wouldn't regret it. Many people were skeptical of Jack O'Neill. The man was always on the brink of being completely out of line, always sticking it to the man, but O'Neill was one of the best men Hammond had ever met and look where he was now – a Brigadier General in the U.S Air Force and currently in charge of the most secret and important base in Earth history.

There were several examples Hammond could give as proof of his excellent judgment, but he no longer needed to. After spending seven years running Stargate Command, he had earned the respect and trust of most around him, including the President of the United States. So when Hammond reviewed the footage of the alien space pirate hijacking his ship, he got that gut instinct again, and he wanted her on their side. She probably would be the riskiest person he'd ever recommend, but the outcome would be spectacular – Hammond felt it in his gut.

He was also intrigued by the way she acted around Daniel Jackson and the way he reacted to her. It was amusing to say the least. Hammond had spent his entire acquaintance with the archeologist watching him pine for his wife, hold a torch for her, and use her as an excuse to never move on. This Vala woman seemed to evoke a reaction Hammond had never seen in the man and he wanted to see more. He would never call himself a matchmaker, in fact, he tried his hardest to stay out of people's personal lives, but he had watch Dr. Jackson be unhappy for their entire acquaintance and he had a feeling, another gut feeling if you will, that there was something there and not just on Daniel's side but on this Vala woman's side.

There was no faking that type of chemistry – not with the way they had kissed, and he was curious to see if it would lead to anything.

People were going to call him crazy, question his judgment and decision probably more than they had with anyone, even Teal'c, but Hammond knew she was worth it. With his mind made up, Hammond left the Bridge, giving over brief command to his second in command and headed for the Brig. Due to the damage they sustained and the extra ship they had, they were spread thin, meaning no guards had been posted outside the Brig, so he shouldn't have been surprised that she had found a way out – even more proof that she'd be invaluable when it came to security issues. Luckily, he got there just as she broke out.

"Going somewhere?" he asked in amusement, and his hand went to the zat that was at his side at Dr. Jackson's insistence.

He startled her. She jumped and spun around. "Just for a walk," she quickly said, smiling innocently at him as if she wasn't trying to escape. "I don't like small spaces or the feeling of being trapped – brings up too many memories of my time as a host."

"Yes, Dr. Jackson mentioned you were a former host," Hammond mused, thinking how this could work to their advantage as well in regard to technology brought back through the Stargate. When she stepped closer, he quickly grabbed the zat. "I wouldn't come any closer," he warned, knowing how quickly she was able to disarm and subdue Jackson.

Vala knew when she was beat, at least for now, and would bide her time. "What are you going to do with me?" she asked quietly. "Toss me in a cell once we get to your world and forget all about me?"

Hammond gave her a smile. "I was actually thinking of offering you a job."

Vala laughed but when she really looked at the man, she stopped. "You're serious."

"I am," he confirmed. "I believe you could be a huge asset to my world and I'm normally right about these things."

"I just tried to steal your ship," she reminded him, a little baffled. Why was she reminding him of this? "I beat up one of your men, I lied and misled him, got your ship damaged, so damaged, it can't make the long trip to help rescue some of your people, and you want to offer me a job?"

"Yes," he replied simply.

Vala looked at him incredulously. "What's the catch?" There was always a catch.

"No catch," he told her, "other than your full cooperation and help during your time at Stargate Command. I do ask that you keep the lying and stealing to a minimum."

"Stargate Command?"

"It's a top-secret facility on Earth," he explained. "We send teams through the Stargate with the intention of finding and procuring technology or anything otherwise that can help protect and defend our planet from the Goa'uld and any other enemies out there."

"As noble as that is, why would you want me?" she asked. "I'm not exactly saving the galaxy material."

"But you could be," Hammond insisted. "The Goa'uld have affected your life just as much as anyone out there – maybe even more – and you can help play a big role in taking out the rest of them."

"Earth, the first world," she stated. "You really are the Tau'ri. You're responsible for the deaths of multiple System Lords," she had lied to Daniel earlier – she did know who the Tau'ri were but hadn't believed him – she almost believed they were merely made up.

"We are," Hammond stated proudly, "and you can help us take out the remaining ones. Ba'al is still out there and gaining even more power every day. Soon, the whole galaxy will be under his control and unless we stop it, everyone's lives will be affected, including yours. Do you think once he's done that you'll be able to live as you are now?"

As much as she hated to admit, the bald man had a point. She didn't necessarily love her life, but it was the only one accepting of her past after Qetesh was removed. Nobody in this business cared whether you were a host or not – didn't help that she was born and bred for it either. Besides, she really did hate Ba'al and knew once he had the control he coveted, she wouldn't be able to hide from him forever. Damn him and his weird obsession for Qetesh.

"What makes you think you can actually trust me?"

Hammond thought about that for a moment. "You remind me of someone I met over seven years ago – a Jaffa named Teal'c."

"Teal'c of Chulak?" she interrupted, and her eyebrows were raised in surprise. "The Shol'va? The Jaffa responsible for the free Jaffa movement?"

"Yes, the one and the same," Hammond verified.

"How do I remind you of him?"

"The Goa'uld did a number on him as well, and he has committed his life to defeating the Goa'uld and freeing his people. You could do the same."

"I'm not a Jaffa nor are my people enslaved to the Goa'uld," she pointed out. She really didn't have a home anymore. Her people long ago rejected her, unable to separate her, the host, from Qetesh.

"Teal'c could've just as easily chosen a path similar to you," Hammond told her. "I saw the footage from when you told Dr. Jackson about your time as a host, but I'm guessing the end to that story isn't a happy one and that's why you're in the occupation you're in now."

No one ever knew when she was lying and telling the truth, not when her lies were sprinkled with a bit of the truth, but he saw it and he knew. "Don't presume to know me," she told him defensively.

"What the Goa'uld did to you was wrong and I can't even imagine what that must have been like," Hammond continued sympathetically. "Despite all your bravado, you're still affected by that time in your life, so use that hurt, anger, and energy to help put a stop to them once and for all, if not for yourself, do it for the next host. Make the Goa'uld pay for what they did to you."

She crossed her arms. "And what makes you think I would want to do that?" she challenged. "Or that I would want to give up the life I have now? I answer to no one…for the most part. I like my independence. I like having full control over my life. Joining you and your little Stargating club would strip me of some of that, so why would I do that?"

Hammond gave her an all-knowing look. "How much control could you possibly have in this galaxy?" he questioned. "Where you're at the mercy of others in order to make a living?"

Vala arched a brow. "And I wouldn't be if I went with you?"

"Not as much," Hammond conceded slightly, "but you could stop running, you could stay, have a home, for as long as you'd like. You would be surrounded by people you could trust, who would accept you and always have your back. Earth offers security and stability…all we ask in return is loyalty."

Her thoughts wandered to a dirty place involving Daniel Jackson having her back, but she quickly pushed them away – she would save them for later.

He made a lot of good points, she had to give him that, and she could feel herself leaning toward his cause. Because of the Tau'ri, the galaxy had become a different place in the last few years – more and more worlds understood that the Goa'uld were not gods. There once was a time when she would've never been safe on any planet who believed they were, but times had changed. For the most part, she was free to travel wherever and not have that fear looming over her. She had once been stoned, spat on, shot at, yelled at, tortured, and so much more whenever such a place found out about her former host status, but it had been lessening overtime and it looked like she had these people to thank for that. Maybe…maybe she could do this.

"You never answered my question," she noted quietly, "how do you know if you can trust me?"

Hammond smiled softly at her. "I just do," he said, "it's hard to explain but call it a gut instinct."

"I have no idea what that is," she declared and paused briefly before continuing. "So I would be working on Earth? With whom and in what capacity?"

Whether she knew it or not, Hammond saw what she was hinting at. "Yes, on Earth, at the SGC, and where, well that's up to General O'Neill, but I have an idea about that and will suggest it to Jack," he replied and gave her a look. "I think you'd be an asset on SG-1, our frontline team. You'd be working alongside Dr. Jackson on a daily basis. Even if you didn't join the team, I'm sure he could use your help in many ways."

She tilted her head in confusion. "Dr. Jackson?" she repeated. "He told me he was a historian, not a doctor."

Hammond chuckled. "Wrong kind of doctor," he corrected. "He's a doctor of archeology, a historian of sorts."

"Oh," she said simply. "So, I would be working with Daniel?"

"Yes, for the most part."

"I don't think he'll enjoy that," she said with a teasing smile.

"He'll have no choice," Hammond retorted, "and he'll come around."

"I must admit, your offer is more tempting than I imagined," she confessed.

"I'll sweeten the pot," he declared, "the job includes free room and board, regular meals, pay, and for every year you're at the SGC, we'll set aside a portion of that weapons grade naquadah you were going to trade the ship for."

"You have the naquadah?" she asked in surprise.

"I sent the Al'kesh back for it," he shared. "We fixed the ship's cloaking device and were able to grab it without too much trouble. The ship isn't far behind us but if you're still planning on escaping, it won't do you any good right now."

Vala bit her lip, thinking. She was tired of all the lying and running around – stealing, well she did love that part, but it was getting exhausting. If she took him up on his offer, she could stop running and help shape the galaxy into a better place for herself and others. Maybe one day, she really could get out of this life.

"If I say no," she began cautiously, "what will you do with me when we reach your planet?"

"You'll be free to go," Hammond promised, "You have my word."

"Just like that?" she said skeptically.

"Just like that," he told her.

"But if I accept, I'll be working with Daniel?" she said before she could stop herself, "I mean, he's really the only person I know from your world, the only one I've interacted with the most."

"I can guarantee it if it'll make you accept."

Vala smiled slightly at that. She wanted to say yes and it surprised her. She wanted to see where this would lead, she wanted to do this more than she had wanted to do anything in a long time. It would either be the greatest thing she would do or the worst. It was nice having someone have faith in her for once, having someone see past the exterior she projected. She never trusted anyone, but she trusted him. He had a fatherly vibe about him and she liked that. She had a feeling that she would grow rather fond of him if she did this and maybe that wasn't a bad thing. She had been alone and on her own for ten years, it would be nice if that could change.

Besides, she could always leave if it didn't work out. "I accept," she said, surprising even herself.

Hammond's face lit up and he smiled. "Welcome to Stargate Command…" he trailed off, not knowing her last name.

"Vala," she stated, "Vala Mal Doran."

Hammond put his zat back in its place and held out his hand to shake – a sign of his trust. "I'm General George Hammond. Welcome to Stargate Command Vala Mal Doran."

Vala hesitantly shook his hand. "Thank you," she said sincerely, "I have a feeling I'm going to like it."