P3B-157: CODE NAME- THE PLANET
by Sailor Shinigami and Puffenstuff
Standard disclaimer: We don't own Stargate, Stargate SG-1, or Final Fantasy VII(well, we own A FFVII, but not THE FFVII copyright). Wish we did, but don't. No infringement of their rights is intended, so don't sue us(we don't have any money anyway, so they probably just end up with this computer and our copy of FFVII). We do own a few of the characters in this fic and the concept. Please do not use them without our permission(or we will gut you with a wooden spork). Spoilers will be noted in authors' notes. Thank you and enjoy.
CHAPTER ONE- 'SOMETHING' CANYON
SG1 stepped onto the hot, arid landscape around the Stargate. Jack adjusted his sunglasses and said, 'Nice planet you picked here, Daniel,' sarcastically. Teal'c, Sam, and Jack spread out and scanned their surroundings for signs of life as Daniel searched the horizon for the structures the MALP had pictured. 'There!!' he exclaimed, pointing down the long canyon. 'There it is!' As Sam and Daniel excitedly studied the obviously ancient structures with their binoculars, Jack and Teal'c consulted about the definite problem of the DHD. 'Well,' Jack stated to the group, as Sam and Daniel rejoined he and Teal'c, 'looks like the MALP was right. The DHD is still functional, but it will take some time to dig it out enough to use.'
'I suggest we seek shelter in those ruins until such time as the temperature drops enough to permit us to begin excavating the DHD.' Teal'c stated while trying to gauge the time of day by the sun. 'I estimate that it is approximately noon, local time. From the appearance of the local terrain, most likely, the temperature will continue to increase for several more hours.'
'It's gonna get hotter!!??' Sam and Daniel exclaimed in unison.
'Then it's agreed. We make for those ruins and come back tonight to uncover the DHD.'
The small group fell into formation with the ease of long practice. Remaining alert, Jack recalled the briefing a few short hours ago back in the SGC.
'P3B-157. This planet is one of the codes we had previously checked with negative results. As you know, we periodically retry codes, and upon retrying this planet's code, we had positive results. According to procedure, we sent through a MALP. Here are the images we received from it.'
The images were snowy, as usual, however, they clearly showed the surroundings, despite the evident darkness.
'As you can see, it was apparently night when the MALP emerged. And you'll notice here'? Sam paused the video. A small yellowish-orange glow was clearly visible slightly above and to one side of a small section of a DHD. 'The DHD appears to be functional, but wasn't uncovered completely by whatever uncovered the gate.' She pushed the button to allow the video to proceed. 'But here is the interesting section'? This time she only slowed the video.
Jack remembered watching only a few seconds of the slow motion video as the MALP panned its camera. He had then turned to observe Daniel's reaction to the video. Daniel's reaction reminded Jack of a puppy being offered a particularly juicy looking bone. Jack had expected this reaction because in spite of the static, the MALP's panning camera had clearly captured a softly flickering glow illuminating what could only be carved stairs and buildings obviously built into the cliff face.
'Those structures are obviously ancient. And what could that be'? Daniel's startled inquiry had returned Jack's attention to the video as Sam helpfully paused the video again. Even Teal'c's eyebrows raised at the rather large structure now in the MALP's picture.
'At this distance, it's impossible to be sure. However it is large and those carved stairs seem to lead to it from the vicinity of the other structures.'
Jack returned to the present as he and Teal'c peered over the boulder in front of them with their binoculars. 'Still no sign of life.'
'Not really surprising. With this heat, most things would be seeking shelter of some type.' Sam's logical reply only irritated Jack by reminding him that they weren't in shelter.
'Well, there are stairs just over there,' he paused to point. 'They seem to lead in the direction of those ruins.' After two and a half hours of walking through this heat, Jack's temper was uncertain at best, and he hoped those stairs would be mercifully short and lead to shade soon.
Daniel groaned, 'I hate stairs.' as they mounted the incredibly steep stairs seemingly carved from the rock face of the cliff. Jack barely managed to contain a groan of his own as he looked up, up, and up, just now realizing there was at least a half a mile of stairs with no shade in sight.
After about a quarter of a mile or so, the group could make out a large stone gate that, hopefully, signified the end of these endless stairs. Further up, they were able to make out carvings in the large stone cross beam of the gate. 'They appear to be Chinese. Or maybe Japanese'? Daniel started muttering to himself. 'Definitely of Japanese origins. 'Canyon'? 'Something Canyon'?' Daniel adjusted his sunglasses again. 'Yes, definitely. 'Something Canyon'. Probably the name of the city.'
Now, within a few steps of their goal of shade, the were suddenly confronted by two men, each armed with a large, formidable-looking spear, loudly demanding something that Jack, Teal'c, and Sam couldn't understand. They quickly responded, due to their military training, by raising their weapons.
Daniel quickly stepped in front of his companions and made lowering motions with his hands. 'I think they are wanting to know who we are.'
'Daniel.'
'Please, Jack. Japanese isn't exactly my first language.'
'Daniel!'
'Konichiwa. Uh' uh'?
'Daniel!!'
'Jack! Please! Unless you speak Japanese'? Daniel pointedly stares at Jack, who lapsed into a sullen silence. Daniel then turned back to the two sullenly fierce men who then brandished their spears and repeated their demanding statements.
Holding his hands out to his side, palms open and forward, Daniel speaks haltingly in Japanese for a few minutes. As the level of tension in the two men lessened, Sam, Teal'c, and finally Jack lowered their weapons. When SG- 1's weapons were finally lowered, the two men motioned with their spears for them to step forward into the shade of the large stone gate.
After SG-1 entered the shade, the two men held a hurried conversation. Finally one of the men lowered his weapon and ran toward the building, shouting as he went. As three men with spears appeared to guard them, Daniel explained, 'I believe that one is going to get their leader.'
'You told them, 'Take me to your leader'!'? Jack demanded.
'Well, no, not exactly. I merely'.'
Nanaki was awakened from a sound sleep by one of the guards pounding on his door and yelling incoherently. 'Enter' he yawned as he stretched as only a feline being can. It never failed. Every time he spent all night in the observatory, something happened to awaken him very early the next day. Last time, some poor traveler wanting to stay at the inn and the time before that, Cloud and Tifa. It never failed.
'Elder Nanaki!' The guard entered timidly. He really hoped that Nanaki would agree with him. These people were definitely different. 'Sir, four people have appeared at the gate, speaking an unknown language and three of them have weapons of a type I have never seen before. The one without a weapon asked to see our leader and said something about 'coming in peace'. And, sir, I have never heard such an atrocious accent in my life!'
'Well, of course they are armed. Only a mental incompetent would wander the Canyon without a weapon. Even during the day!' He stretched once more, trying the guard's patience further. He then started for the door. 'Well, take me to them. And please tell me you at least moved them into the shade. We don't need another case of an innocent traveler suffering heat stroke'?
'Sir,' Sam said, interrupting Jack and Daniel. 'I think that's him returning.' But even Teal'c's attention was captured by what followed the returning guard.
What followed the guard appeared for all the world to be a large, red lion standing about four and a half feet tall at the shoulders. As it drew nearer, they could see what appeared to be battle scars and tattoos. One tattoo looked like the Roman numerals XIII, or thirteen. As it stopped a few feet from them and looked them over, they noticed his missing right eye.
'Well, Daniel'?
'I don't know' Maybe'?
'Konichiwa,' the red lion spoke.
Even Teal'c blinked and did a double take.
Nanaki stood by patiently as Daniel laboriously tried to explain their mission. Noting their odd apparel and speech, as well as Daniel's assertion that they came 'through' the large metal circle uncovered by a recent avalanche, Nanaki quickly decided the others must be brought in on this. When Daniel finally paused for a breath, Nanaki patiently and slowly explained that he must confer with the others and that it would take some time for them to arrive. Then he told the guards to 'escort their GUESTS' to the bar and make them comfortable. Then he stalked away, muttering to himself. Had Daniel not been so busy translating for Jack and the others, he might have heard some of the things Nanaki was muttering and been very surprised. Things like, ' 'We come in peace', my tail. No one comes in peace with that kind of firepower.' And 'Wait until Vincent and Barrett see those guns.'
As they followed the lone guard now with them, Jack rubbed his hands together with glee. 'Taking prisoners to the bar! Now that's hospitality! I think I'll have a Jack Daniels on the rocks.'
As Daniel smiled at the joke, Sam said, 'Sir'?
'I know, Sam. I know.'
'Well, sir. We wouldn't want you to start aging again.'
'I know. Being eighty once in any lifetime is enough.'
Inside the bar was a blessed relief from the heat outside. Selecting a table, they arranged themselves around it, then the other three stared at Daniel. 'OK, Daniel. Talk. Are we prisoners' Are 'the others' he talked about more of his race' Are we going to be their dinner' Or what'? Jack enjoyed Daniel's discomfort almost as much as he was enjoying the coolness of the bar.
Nanaki emerged from his room at that moment, sparing Daniel the task of answering Jack. Slowly and patiently he spoke to Daniel, 'I have spoken with the others. They will be here by noon tomorrow. Until then, enjoy the hospitality of this village. The inn upstairs,' he nods in the direction of the stairs, 'has two rooms. You may use them however you wish, according to your customs. You are a female, correct'? he nods in Sam's direction and Daniel confirms it. 'I thought so. I must take leave of you now. If you need anything, just ask' With that, he turned and went back to his room.
Daniel translated Nanaki's words. When he reached the part about the rooms, Sam blushed furiously and Jack cleared his throat.
'So we are not prisoners' And are they going to help us dig out the DHD'?
Several hours later, Daniel sits alone in the bar. After eating their definitely unappealing MRE's, most of SG-1 went up to the inn and its two bedrooms out of boredom. Daniel, however, had decided to stay in the bar and talk to the bartender, in an attempt to improve his grasp of the local variations of the language.
He had run into a small problem however.
The bartender, feeling snubbed because the small group had refused to eat or drink anything he had to offer, wouldn't talk to him. In fact, every time Daniel had moved into the bartender's line of sight in an effort to engage him in a conversation, the bar keep had pointedly turned his back on Daniel. At present, he was standing behind the bar, his back to the room, arranging and rearranging the bottles there. Just as he had been for over an hour.
Daniel was sitting at the bar and wondering if he should make another attempt with the bartender or just go upstairs and join Jack and Teal'c in their room when he suddenly heard a noise to his right. Nanaki was just leaving his room.
'Sir. I realize my accent is barely recognizable, but if I could trouble you to talk with me, I am sure I could improve my accent.' Daniel really didn't want to go upstairs and watch Teal'c meditate and listen to Jack complain.
'I have to finish the studies I started last night before the others arrive tomorrow. If you do not mind watching me, we could talk while I work.'
CHAPTER TWO
AVALANCHE ARRIVES
The change in the light filtering in from outside woke Jack. 'I've been spending too much time in the SGC if dawn wakes me up now,' Jack thought as he got up. 'It's a good thing that latrines work pretty much the same on most worlds.' After leaving the bathroom, he stood watching Teal'c meditate for a few minutes. Then he noticed Daniel's bed. He would lay long odds that bed had not been slept in. He doubted Daniel had ever made a bed that neatly in his life.
He started to ask Teal'c about Daniel but realized his mistake in time. He left the room and went to Sam's room. After pounding for several minutes, he decided that either she had died or she wasn't in the room. With one final bang on the door, he headed downstairs to demand explanations about his two missing team members.
The first thing Jack saw upon entering the bar was Sam, seated at a table, running tests on a variety of samples on the table in front of her. Sam looked up as Jack entered the bar and said, 'Good morning, sir. I'm just running some preliminary tests.'
'And'?
'Well, the water checks out as perfect. I even tasted some after the tests and I would say it's better tasting than the stuff I pay two dollars a bottle for back home.' She hands him a glass, indicating he should taste it.
'A little warm for my taste, Sam, but very good. Let me know the results on the rest. But have you seen Daniel'?
'No sir. He hasn't come down yet.'
'Well, he hasn't come up yet, either.'
Just then the object of their discussion walked in, Nanaki close on his heels, both speaking animatedly about something. The surprising thing to Jack and Sam was that while Daniel was speaking in the local language, Nanaki seemed to be speaking in English.
'Sam! You've just got to see it!' Daniel almost shouted as soon as he saw her. 'It's unbelievable!' He plopped down in the chair across from Sam. 'Morning, Jack.'
'Good morning, Major Carter, Colonel O'Neil. I trust you both slept well'? Nanaki's English was almost perfect with just the slightest trace of an accent.
While Jack tried to scrape his chin off the floor, Sam managed a squeaky 'Quite well, thank you'. Jack merely nodded.
'Very good.' Nanaki replied. Then, to Daniel, said, 'I must check on the others. I will return shortly.' With a friendly swish of his tail, he went on to his room.
Jack, still a little stunned, said to no one in particular, 'I thought they didn't speak English.'
'Oh, they don't,' Daniel replied. 'Nanaki learned it last night. And by the way, Jack, one of 'the others' showed up last night and you will be relieved to know he is human' well, more or less.'
As Cloud and Tifa unsaddle Goldie, Cloud says, 'How long has it been since we've all gotten together, Tifa'?
'About twelve months.'
'Almost a year. That's too long.' He gave Goldie a final pat. 'We really ought to get together more often.' They started up the stairs to the village. 'How old is Marlene now anyway' Nine' Ten'?
'She's eight, Cloud.'
'You see! I don't even know how old my own godchild is! We have to get together more often!' Cloud looked up at the top of the stairs. 'And I just hope that Nanaki has finally gotten through to his guards. If they yell at me one more time'?
'Halt, who goes there'?
'It's just us, you idiot!' Cloud screamed loudly. He steps inside the sentry's guard with the ease of a true warrior and knocks the spear aside. Grabbing the now frightened man by the shirtfront, he yelled, 'Hasn't Nanaki been telling you people about this for two years now'!' Lifting him a few inches, so that the poor guard's feet dangled above the ground, Cloud demanded, 'Well' Hasn't he'?
'Cloud, he can't breathe!' Tifa pulled roughly at Cloud's arm, causing him to drop the sentry who stumbled, clutching his throat and breathing raggedly. Tifa turned to the guard and helped him steady himself. 'Are you all right'? At the guard's glassy-eyed nod, Tifa turned again to Cloud.
'Cloud, have you gone crazy!' The poor man was just doing his job!'
'But'?
'Really Cloud,' Nanaki joined Tifa's berating of Cloud. 'It takes time to break a habit generations long!'
'But'?
'Cloud, apologize to this poor man! Right now!' With that Tifa grabbed Cloud's shirtfront and lifted. 'RIGHT'? For a few seconds, she let him dangle, then set him down roughly. 'NOW!'
'OK. OK. I'm sorry! There. Happy now'? Cloud busied himself straightening his shirt to avoid Tifa's eyes.
Tifa threw her arms around Cloud's neck and when he looked up in surprise, she kissed him soundly. The kiss lasted for a long minute and when she finally broke it off, Cloud looked glassy eyed and dazed. 'See there Cloud. Don't you feel much better when you do the right thing'? Cloud mutely nodded.
Disengaging herself from Cloud, Tifa turned to Nanaki. First giving him a formal bow, she then leaned over slightly and kissed Nanaki on his nose.
Rubbing furiously at his nose with one paw, Nanaki almost whines , 'Oh, Tifa that is so undignified!'
'Don't mind her, old man.' Cloud stepped forward, almost back to normal. 'She's been in a weird mood for almost a month now.' Cloud held out his right hand, palm up. Nanaki gingerly, careful to avoid hurting his friend places his right paw on Cloud's hand. They hold that pose for a few seconds , then release. 'Now what's all the uproar and why the rush'?'
Daniel, Jack, and Sam, standing in the doorway to the bar, caught most of the interaction between the old friends outside. At Cloud's first roar of indignation outside, Nanaki had sped through the bar like a streak of red lightning. Jack, who was still standing at that point, reached the bar door first, followed closely by Sam, then Daniel. At which point they all abruptly quit moving.
For there, across the courtyard, they saw a medium-sized man, with longish blond hair done in weird spikes all over his head, and a sword strapped to his back that easily dwarfed him, holding one of the well remembered guards by the throat a few inches off the ground. When the very pretty young girl with him managed to get him to drop the guard, there was relief all around. None of the three felt much like challenging that sword, even on behalf of their host.
When the girl had seen to the guard, she suddenly turned on the blond. They watched, fascinated as she and Nanaki shouted at the man. When she suddenly reached out and with one hand, lifted the man, who was much larger than she, several inches off the ground and then drop him abruptly, the tension in the three in the door way skyrocketed.
Teal'c's softly muttered 'impressive' broke the tension. Jack, looking over his shoulder at his friend, couldn't tell if the word was meant for the sword or the feat performed by the young girl.
The four stood together and watched the kiss, then the greetings of the two strangers and Nanaki. Sam giggled and Jack smirked as they watched Tifa kiss Nanaki's nose and then Nanaki's reaction to the kiss. By the end of the blond man's greeting, the group in the doorway knew that these two strangers were, probably, part of that group of people Nanaki had only referred to as the others.
Nanaki kept their progress across the courtyard slow; using the time to explain what he had learned from Daniel during the night.
'What do you mean they're from another world' What other world'?
'Cloud please! Let him finish!'
'Apparently, the world on which Humans originated and were brought here from two thousand years ago. Daniel, he's the one wearing glasses, says they have been too many worlds that humans from their world had been taken to. They are here supposedly to make contact and see if trade is feasible or desirable.'
'See if what is feasible or desirable'? Cid demanded as he and Shera entered the bar, followed by Barrett, Yuffie, Reeve, and finally Vincent.
'Something about trade.' Cloud complains, as he moves to the bar, indicating to the barkeep what he wants. Turning back to face the room full of his old friends, he singles out Barrett. 'Hey, Barrett. Where's my godchild' You didn't leave her at home, did you' I haven't gotten to see her in forever!'
Daniel, having understood what was said, sits at the table shared by his comrades, grinned, enjoying the easy bantering of the obvious friends, so much like the good-natured squabbling between the members of SG1.
'She's here. I sent her over to pester the materia shopkeeper. He's always glad of some company.' He paused to look at Yuffie. 'Unless it's Yuffie'?
Jack, Sam, and Teal'c, not understanding a word, were busy watching the strange group of obvious friends arrange themselves around the room. The man with the sword kept his spot at the end of the bar but facing the room. His female companion had gone behind the bar and was mixing drinks for everyone and then giving them to the bartender to serve. A tall, thin man, dressed all in black with a black and red cape and a rather impressive gun strapped to his right hip, sat in the closest thing to a dark corner the bar had: the chair nearest the back wall. Jack blinked when he noticed a glint from what could only have been a metal arm. Sam grinned as a young, dark-haired girl who looked about seventeen, bounced up to the bar beside the sword man and was obviously trying to get his companion to slip her some of the liquor Sam knew to be there. The woman behind the bar was definitely refusing, judging by reactions, which reassured Sam that at least some things about the human race were relatively constant.
SG-1 almost missed the small, dapper man who sat near the man in black. But his very long hair and his goatee would make him stand out on most worlds. However, none of them missed the huge black man who sat at the far end of the room, facing them. Despite his size, he carried himself with the ease and grace of a true warrior. And, in place of his right arm, he had a particularly nasty-looking machine gun. The remainder of the group was an obviously arguing couple, consisting of a man of medium height and build, wearing flight gear and carrying an impressive spear, and a much smaller woman wearing glasses with her brown hair in a ponytail. The cause of the argument became apparent when the woman reached up and removed the cigarette dangling from the man's mouth and then smashed it to uselessness in a nearby ashtray. The man shouted loudly at her for a minute, brandishing his spear at her while she remained stone faced and silent. He finally subsided to muttering under his breath, but SG-1 noticed he did not light another cigarette.
Nanaki, standing in front of the door to ensure privacy for the discussion to follow, waited until the bartender left at his signal, then began his explanations to the Avalanche group. SG-1 held a whispered conference during Nanaki's speech, mostly comprised of Daniel explaining about he and Nanaki spending the night talking.
'You mean they can't speak our language'? Yuffie pipes up, interrupting Nanaki.
'Only Daniel' the one with glasses.'
'Then maybe this will help.' She reached into her materia pouch and pulled out a small, purple stone. 'I got it from that new materia shop that opened up near Icicle Inn. He said it translates languages.' She put her new materia into her armlet. 'I was going to try it next time Dad sent me here for a language lesson, Nanaki, but this is an even better test. Get them to say something.'
'Daniel, we may have a solution to the language difficulties. Could one of you say something in English, please'? Nanaki asked in his language so the whole Avalanche group could understand.
'All right,' then he paused, thinking, and shrugged. 'My name is Dr. Daniel Jackson and I specialize in ancient languages,' he said in English.
'Yuck! I hate doctors and I hate ancient languages!' Then, suddenly, her eyes grew large. 'Hey! I understood him!' She bounced for a few moments, gleefully, then said, 'Hey, Nanaki. Get them to talk some more so I can get it mastered.' Her eyes took on a greedy glint.
'What's going on, Daniel'? Jack demanded. 'What did she say'?
'Apparently, she has some sort of device that allows her to understand any language.'
'Hey! It's not a device! It's materia!'
'That sounds very useful, Daniel.' Jack's eyes took on the same type of glint as Yuffie's. 'Ask her what she wants for it.'
Yuffie immediately crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head 'no', huffy and indignant.
Daniel, seeing this, tried to silence Jack. 'Jack, I told you! She can understand every word we say!'
A loud pop echoes through the suddenly silent room. Yuffie takes the new language materia and gives it to Cloud with a glare at Jack. Cloud put the new materia in his armlet.
Slightly wide-eyed at what just happened, Jack continued, 'But we came here to see if trade was possible'?
'Please, Jack! Let me'?
'Trade! Please!' Cloud moved over to sit next to Vincent, putting his booted feet up on the corner of the table. 'Well, we don't need anything. We are doing just fine. So, unless you have a replacement for mako'? Most of Avalanche joined Cloud's laughter at that statement.
Daniel, ignoring Jack's demands for translation, asked Nanaki in the planet's language, what mako is. Nanaki explained that mako is what they used to power their electric generators until they discovered that using mako for that was destroying The Planet.
'But we do have a replacement for that!' Daniel lapsed into English in his excitement.
Yuffie, who had been snickering at Daniel's ignorance, stared, slack jawed, at Daniel. Nanaki's jaw dropped as well, and Cloud dropped his feet to the floor with a loud bang trying to speak but no sound emerging.
At these reactions, demands for explanations rang all over the bar. Nanaki and Daniel were both kept busy for several minutes trying to answer all the questions. The pop of a new materia was drowned out by the uproar and Cloud gave the new materia to Vincent. Then Cloud's eyes got dreamy. His breathy sigh of 'air conditioners' silenced Avalanche's questions.
'Electric stoves!' Tifa exclaimed.
'Lights not candles!'
'Heaters!'
'Power tools!' Shera looked ecstatic.
Jack sat back linking his fingers behind his head, satisfied. He knew a lot of work lay ahead, but he really doubted that this simple little planet held any more surprises in store for him.
by Sailor Shinigami and Puffenstuff
Standard disclaimer: We don't own Stargate, Stargate SG-1, or Final Fantasy VII(well, we own A FFVII, but not THE FFVII copyright). Wish we did, but don't. No infringement of their rights is intended, so don't sue us(we don't have any money anyway, so they probably just end up with this computer and our copy of FFVII). We do own a few of the characters in this fic and the concept. Please do not use them without our permission(or we will gut you with a wooden spork). Spoilers will be noted in authors' notes. Thank you and enjoy.
CHAPTER ONE- 'SOMETHING' CANYON
SG1 stepped onto the hot, arid landscape around the Stargate. Jack adjusted his sunglasses and said, 'Nice planet you picked here, Daniel,' sarcastically. Teal'c, Sam, and Jack spread out and scanned their surroundings for signs of life as Daniel searched the horizon for the structures the MALP had pictured. 'There!!' he exclaimed, pointing down the long canyon. 'There it is!' As Sam and Daniel excitedly studied the obviously ancient structures with their binoculars, Jack and Teal'c consulted about the definite problem of the DHD. 'Well,' Jack stated to the group, as Sam and Daniel rejoined he and Teal'c, 'looks like the MALP was right. The DHD is still functional, but it will take some time to dig it out enough to use.'
'I suggest we seek shelter in those ruins until such time as the temperature drops enough to permit us to begin excavating the DHD.' Teal'c stated while trying to gauge the time of day by the sun. 'I estimate that it is approximately noon, local time. From the appearance of the local terrain, most likely, the temperature will continue to increase for several more hours.'
'It's gonna get hotter!!??' Sam and Daniel exclaimed in unison.
'Then it's agreed. We make for those ruins and come back tonight to uncover the DHD.'
The small group fell into formation with the ease of long practice. Remaining alert, Jack recalled the briefing a few short hours ago back in the SGC.
'P3B-157. This planet is one of the codes we had previously checked with negative results. As you know, we periodically retry codes, and upon retrying this planet's code, we had positive results. According to procedure, we sent through a MALP. Here are the images we received from it.'
The images were snowy, as usual, however, they clearly showed the surroundings, despite the evident darkness.
'As you can see, it was apparently night when the MALP emerged. And you'll notice here'? Sam paused the video. A small yellowish-orange glow was clearly visible slightly above and to one side of a small section of a DHD. 'The DHD appears to be functional, but wasn't uncovered completely by whatever uncovered the gate.' She pushed the button to allow the video to proceed. 'But here is the interesting section'? This time she only slowed the video.
Jack remembered watching only a few seconds of the slow motion video as the MALP panned its camera. He had then turned to observe Daniel's reaction to the video. Daniel's reaction reminded Jack of a puppy being offered a particularly juicy looking bone. Jack had expected this reaction because in spite of the static, the MALP's panning camera had clearly captured a softly flickering glow illuminating what could only be carved stairs and buildings obviously built into the cliff face.
'Those structures are obviously ancient. And what could that be'? Daniel's startled inquiry had returned Jack's attention to the video as Sam helpfully paused the video again. Even Teal'c's eyebrows raised at the rather large structure now in the MALP's picture.
'At this distance, it's impossible to be sure. However it is large and those carved stairs seem to lead to it from the vicinity of the other structures.'
Jack returned to the present as he and Teal'c peered over the boulder in front of them with their binoculars. 'Still no sign of life.'
'Not really surprising. With this heat, most things would be seeking shelter of some type.' Sam's logical reply only irritated Jack by reminding him that they weren't in shelter.
'Well, there are stairs just over there,' he paused to point. 'They seem to lead in the direction of those ruins.' After two and a half hours of walking through this heat, Jack's temper was uncertain at best, and he hoped those stairs would be mercifully short and lead to shade soon.
Daniel groaned, 'I hate stairs.' as they mounted the incredibly steep stairs seemingly carved from the rock face of the cliff. Jack barely managed to contain a groan of his own as he looked up, up, and up, just now realizing there was at least a half a mile of stairs with no shade in sight.
After about a quarter of a mile or so, the group could make out a large stone gate that, hopefully, signified the end of these endless stairs. Further up, they were able to make out carvings in the large stone cross beam of the gate. 'They appear to be Chinese. Or maybe Japanese'? Daniel started muttering to himself. 'Definitely of Japanese origins. 'Canyon'? 'Something Canyon'?' Daniel adjusted his sunglasses again. 'Yes, definitely. 'Something Canyon'. Probably the name of the city.'
Now, within a few steps of their goal of shade, the were suddenly confronted by two men, each armed with a large, formidable-looking spear, loudly demanding something that Jack, Teal'c, and Sam couldn't understand. They quickly responded, due to their military training, by raising their weapons.
Daniel quickly stepped in front of his companions and made lowering motions with his hands. 'I think they are wanting to know who we are.'
'Daniel.'
'Please, Jack. Japanese isn't exactly my first language.'
'Daniel!'
'Konichiwa. Uh' uh'?
'Daniel!!'
'Jack! Please! Unless you speak Japanese'? Daniel pointedly stares at Jack, who lapsed into a sullen silence. Daniel then turned back to the two sullenly fierce men who then brandished their spears and repeated their demanding statements.
Holding his hands out to his side, palms open and forward, Daniel speaks haltingly in Japanese for a few minutes. As the level of tension in the two men lessened, Sam, Teal'c, and finally Jack lowered their weapons. When SG- 1's weapons were finally lowered, the two men motioned with their spears for them to step forward into the shade of the large stone gate.
After SG-1 entered the shade, the two men held a hurried conversation. Finally one of the men lowered his weapon and ran toward the building, shouting as he went. As three men with spears appeared to guard them, Daniel explained, 'I believe that one is going to get their leader.'
'You told them, 'Take me to your leader'!'? Jack demanded.
'Well, no, not exactly. I merely'.'
Nanaki was awakened from a sound sleep by one of the guards pounding on his door and yelling incoherently. 'Enter' he yawned as he stretched as only a feline being can. It never failed. Every time he spent all night in the observatory, something happened to awaken him very early the next day. Last time, some poor traveler wanting to stay at the inn and the time before that, Cloud and Tifa. It never failed.
'Elder Nanaki!' The guard entered timidly. He really hoped that Nanaki would agree with him. These people were definitely different. 'Sir, four people have appeared at the gate, speaking an unknown language and three of them have weapons of a type I have never seen before. The one without a weapon asked to see our leader and said something about 'coming in peace'. And, sir, I have never heard such an atrocious accent in my life!'
'Well, of course they are armed. Only a mental incompetent would wander the Canyon without a weapon. Even during the day!' He stretched once more, trying the guard's patience further. He then started for the door. 'Well, take me to them. And please tell me you at least moved them into the shade. We don't need another case of an innocent traveler suffering heat stroke'?
'Sir,' Sam said, interrupting Jack and Daniel. 'I think that's him returning.' But even Teal'c's attention was captured by what followed the returning guard.
What followed the guard appeared for all the world to be a large, red lion standing about four and a half feet tall at the shoulders. As it drew nearer, they could see what appeared to be battle scars and tattoos. One tattoo looked like the Roman numerals XIII, or thirteen. As it stopped a few feet from them and looked them over, they noticed his missing right eye.
'Well, Daniel'?
'I don't know' Maybe'?
'Konichiwa,' the red lion spoke.
Even Teal'c blinked and did a double take.
Nanaki stood by patiently as Daniel laboriously tried to explain their mission. Noting their odd apparel and speech, as well as Daniel's assertion that they came 'through' the large metal circle uncovered by a recent avalanche, Nanaki quickly decided the others must be brought in on this. When Daniel finally paused for a breath, Nanaki patiently and slowly explained that he must confer with the others and that it would take some time for them to arrive. Then he told the guards to 'escort their GUESTS' to the bar and make them comfortable. Then he stalked away, muttering to himself. Had Daniel not been so busy translating for Jack and the others, he might have heard some of the things Nanaki was muttering and been very surprised. Things like, ' 'We come in peace', my tail. No one comes in peace with that kind of firepower.' And 'Wait until Vincent and Barrett see those guns.'
As they followed the lone guard now with them, Jack rubbed his hands together with glee. 'Taking prisoners to the bar! Now that's hospitality! I think I'll have a Jack Daniels on the rocks.'
As Daniel smiled at the joke, Sam said, 'Sir'?
'I know, Sam. I know.'
'Well, sir. We wouldn't want you to start aging again.'
'I know. Being eighty once in any lifetime is enough.'
Inside the bar was a blessed relief from the heat outside. Selecting a table, they arranged themselves around it, then the other three stared at Daniel. 'OK, Daniel. Talk. Are we prisoners' Are 'the others' he talked about more of his race' Are we going to be their dinner' Or what'? Jack enjoyed Daniel's discomfort almost as much as he was enjoying the coolness of the bar.
Nanaki emerged from his room at that moment, sparing Daniel the task of answering Jack. Slowly and patiently he spoke to Daniel, 'I have spoken with the others. They will be here by noon tomorrow. Until then, enjoy the hospitality of this village. The inn upstairs,' he nods in the direction of the stairs, 'has two rooms. You may use them however you wish, according to your customs. You are a female, correct'? he nods in Sam's direction and Daniel confirms it. 'I thought so. I must take leave of you now. If you need anything, just ask' With that, he turned and went back to his room.
Daniel translated Nanaki's words. When he reached the part about the rooms, Sam blushed furiously and Jack cleared his throat.
'So we are not prisoners' And are they going to help us dig out the DHD'?
Several hours later, Daniel sits alone in the bar. After eating their definitely unappealing MRE's, most of SG-1 went up to the inn and its two bedrooms out of boredom. Daniel, however, had decided to stay in the bar and talk to the bartender, in an attempt to improve his grasp of the local variations of the language.
He had run into a small problem however.
The bartender, feeling snubbed because the small group had refused to eat or drink anything he had to offer, wouldn't talk to him. In fact, every time Daniel had moved into the bartender's line of sight in an effort to engage him in a conversation, the bar keep had pointedly turned his back on Daniel. At present, he was standing behind the bar, his back to the room, arranging and rearranging the bottles there. Just as he had been for over an hour.
Daniel was sitting at the bar and wondering if he should make another attempt with the bartender or just go upstairs and join Jack and Teal'c in their room when he suddenly heard a noise to his right. Nanaki was just leaving his room.
'Sir. I realize my accent is barely recognizable, but if I could trouble you to talk with me, I am sure I could improve my accent.' Daniel really didn't want to go upstairs and watch Teal'c meditate and listen to Jack complain.
'I have to finish the studies I started last night before the others arrive tomorrow. If you do not mind watching me, we could talk while I work.'
CHAPTER TWO
AVALANCHE ARRIVES
The change in the light filtering in from outside woke Jack. 'I've been spending too much time in the SGC if dawn wakes me up now,' Jack thought as he got up. 'It's a good thing that latrines work pretty much the same on most worlds.' After leaving the bathroom, he stood watching Teal'c meditate for a few minutes. Then he noticed Daniel's bed. He would lay long odds that bed had not been slept in. He doubted Daniel had ever made a bed that neatly in his life.
He started to ask Teal'c about Daniel but realized his mistake in time. He left the room and went to Sam's room. After pounding for several minutes, he decided that either she had died or she wasn't in the room. With one final bang on the door, he headed downstairs to demand explanations about his two missing team members.
The first thing Jack saw upon entering the bar was Sam, seated at a table, running tests on a variety of samples on the table in front of her. Sam looked up as Jack entered the bar and said, 'Good morning, sir. I'm just running some preliminary tests.'
'And'?
'Well, the water checks out as perfect. I even tasted some after the tests and I would say it's better tasting than the stuff I pay two dollars a bottle for back home.' She hands him a glass, indicating he should taste it.
'A little warm for my taste, Sam, but very good. Let me know the results on the rest. But have you seen Daniel'?
'No sir. He hasn't come down yet.'
'Well, he hasn't come up yet, either.'
Just then the object of their discussion walked in, Nanaki close on his heels, both speaking animatedly about something. The surprising thing to Jack and Sam was that while Daniel was speaking in the local language, Nanaki seemed to be speaking in English.
'Sam! You've just got to see it!' Daniel almost shouted as soon as he saw her. 'It's unbelievable!' He plopped down in the chair across from Sam. 'Morning, Jack.'
'Good morning, Major Carter, Colonel O'Neil. I trust you both slept well'? Nanaki's English was almost perfect with just the slightest trace of an accent.
While Jack tried to scrape his chin off the floor, Sam managed a squeaky 'Quite well, thank you'. Jack merely nodded.
'Very good.' Nanaki replied. Then, to Daniel, said, 'I must check on the others. I will return shortly.' With a friendly swish of his tail, he went on to his room.
Jack, still a little stunned, said to no one in particular, 'I thought they didn't speak English.'
'Oh, they don't,' Daniel replied. 'Nanaki learned it last night. And by the way, Jack, one of 'the others' showed up last night and you will be relieved to know he is human' well, more or less.'
As Cloud and Tifa unsaddle Goldie, Cloud says, 'How long has it been since we've all gotten together, Tifa'?
'About twelve months.'
'Almost a year. That's too long.' He gave Goldie a final pat. 'We really ought to get together more often.' They started up the stairs to the village. 'How old is Marlene now anyway' Nine' Ten'?
'She's eight, Cloud.'
'You see! I don't even know how old my own godchild is! We have to get together more often!' Cloud looked up at the top of the stairs. 'And I just hope that Nanaki has finally gotten through to his guards. If they yell at me one more time'?
'Halt, who goes there'?
'It's just us, you idiot!' Cloud screamed loudly. He steps inside the sentry's guard with the ease of a true warrior and knocks the spear aside. Grabbing the now frightened man by the shirtfront, he yelled, 'Hasn't Nanaki been telling you people about this for two years now'!' Lifting him a few inches, so that the poor guard's feet dangled above the ground, Cloud demanded, 'Well' Hasn't he'?
'Cloud, he can't breathe!' Tifa pulled roughly at Cloud's arm, causing him to drop the sentry who stumbled, clutching his throat and breathing raggedly. Tifa turned to the guard and helped him steady himself. 'Are you all right'? At the guard's glassy-eyed nod, Tifa turned again to Cloud.
'Cloud, have you gone crazy!' The poor man was just doing his job!'
'But'?
'Really Cloud,' Nanaki joined Tifa's berating of Cloud. 'It takes time to break a habit generations long!'
'But'?
'Cloud, apologize to this poor man! Right now!' With that Tifa grabbed Cloud's shirtfront and lifted. 'RIGHT'? For a few seconds, she let him dangle, then set him down roughly. 'NOW!'
'OK. OK. I'm sorry! There. Happy now'? Cloud busied himself straightening his shirt to avoid Tifa's eyes.
Tifa threw her arms around Cloud's neck and when he looked up in surprise, she kissed him soundly. The kiss lasted for a long minute and when she finally broke it off, Cloud looked glassy eyed and dazed. 'See there Cloud. Don't you feel much better when you do the right thing'? Cloud mutely nodded.
Disengaging herself from Cloud, Tifa turned to Nanaki. First giving him a formal bow, she then leaned over slightly and kissed Nanaki on his nose.
Rubbing furiously at his nose with one paw, Nanaki almost whines , 'Oh, Tifa that is so undignified!'
'Don't mind her, old man.' Cloud stepped forward, almost back to normal. 'She's been in a weird mood for almost a month now.' Cloud held out his right hand, palm up. Nanaki gingerly, careful to avoid hurting his friend places his right paw on Cloud's hand. They hold that pose for a few seconds , then release. 'Now what's all the uproar and why the rush'?'
Daniel, Jack, and Sam, standing in the doorway to the bar, caught most of the interaction between the old friends outside. At Cloud's first roar of indignation outside, Nanaki had sped through the bar like a streak of red lightning. Jack, who was still standing at that point, reached the bar door first, followed closely by Sam, then Daniel. At which point they all abruptly quit moving.
For there, across the courtyard, they saw a medium-sized man, with longish blond hair done in weird spikes all over his head, and a sword strapped to his back that easily dwarfed him, holding one of the well remembered guards by the throat a few inches off the ground. When the very pretty young girl with him managed to get him to drop the guard, there was relief all around. None of the three felt much like challenging that sword, even on behalf of their host.
When the girl had seen to the guard, she suddenly turned on the blond. They watched, fascinated as she and Nanaki shouted at the man. When she suddenly reached out and with one hand, lifted the man, who was much larger than she, several inches off the ground and then drop him abruptly, the tension in the three in the door way skyrocketed.
Teal'c's softly muttered 'impressive' broke the tension. Jack, looking over his shoulder at his friend, couldn't tell if the word was meant for the sword or the feat performed by the young girl.
The four stood together and watched the kiss, then the greetings of the two strangers and Nanaki. Sam giggled and Jack smirked as they watched Tifa kiss Nanaki's nose and then Nanaki's reaction to the kiss. By the end of the blond man's greeting, the group in the doorway knew that these two strangers were, probably, part of that group of people Nanaki had only referred to as the others.
Nanaki kept their progress across the courtyard slow; using the time to explain what he had learned from Daniel during the night.
'What do you mean they're from another world' What other world'?
'Cloud please! Let him finish!'
'Apparently, the world on which Humans originated and were brought here from two thousand years ago. Daniel, he's the one wearing glasses, says they have been too many worlds that humans from their world had been taken to. They are here supposedly to make contact and see if trade is feasible or desirable.'
'See if what is feasible or desirable'? Cid demanded as he and Shera entered the bar, followed by Barrett, Yuffie, Reeve, and finally Vincent.
'Something about trade.' Cloud complains, as he moves to the bar, indicating to the barkeep what he wants. Turning back to face the room full of his old friends, he singles out Barrett. 'Hey, Barrett. Where's my godchild' You didn't leave her at home, did you' I haven't gotten to see her in forever!'
Daniel, having understood what was said, sits at the table shared by his comrades, grinned, enjoying the easy bantering of the obvious friends, so much like the good-natured squabbling between the members of SG1.
'She's here. I sent her over to pester the materia shopkeeper. He's always glad of some company.' He paused to look at Yuffie. 'Unless it's Yuffie'?
Jack, Sam, and Teal'c, not understanding a word, were busy watching the strange group of obvious friends arrange themselves around the room. The man with the sword kept his spot at the end of the bar but facing the room. His female companion had gone behind the bar and was mixing drinks for everyone and then giving them to the bartender to serve. A tall, thin man, dressed all in black with a black and red cape and a rather impressive gun strapped to his right hip, sat in the closest thing to a dark corner the bar had: the chair nearest the back wall. Jack blinked when he noticed a glint from what could only have been a metal arm. Sam grinned as a young, dark-haired girl who looked about seventeen, bounced up to the bar beside the sword man and was obviously trying to get his companion to slip her some of the liquor Sam knew to be there. The woman behind the bar was definitely refusing, judging by reactions, which reassured Sam that at least some things about the human race were relatively constant.
SG-1 almost missed the small, dapper man who sat near the man in black. But his very long hair and his goatee would make him stand out on most worlds. However, none of them missed the huge black man who sat at the far end of the room, facing them. Despite his size, he carried himself with the ease and grace of a true warrior. And, in place of his right arm, he had a particularly nasty-looking machine gun. The remainder of the group was an obviously arguing couple, consisting of a man of medium height and build, wearing flight gear and carrying an impressive spear, and a much smaller woman wearing glasses with her brown hair in a ponytail. The cause of the argument became apparent when the woman reached up and removed the cigarette dangling from the man's mouth and then smashed it to uselessness in a nearby ashtray. The man shouted loudly at her for a minute, brandishing his spear at her while she remained stone faced and silent. He finally subsided to muttering under his breath, but SG-1 noticed he did not light another cigarette.
Nanaki, standing in front of the door to ensure privacy for the discussion to follow, waited until the bartender left at his signal, then began his explanations to the Avalanche group. SG-1 held a whispered conference during Nanaki's speech, mostly comprised of Daniel explaining about he and Nanaki spending the night talking.
'You mean they can't speak our language'? Yuffie pipes up, interrupting Nanaki.
'Only Daniel' the one with glasses.'
'Then maybe this will help.' She reached into her materia pouch and pulled out a small, purple stone. 'I got it from that new materia shop that opened up near Icicle Inn. He said it translates languages.' She put her new materia into her armlet. 'I was going to try it next time Dad sent me here for a language lesson, Nanaki, but this is an even better test. Get them to say something.'
'Daniel, we may have a solution to the language difficulties. Could one of you say something in English, please'? Nanaki asked in his language so the whole Avalanche group could understand.
'All right,' then he paused, thinking, and shrugged. 'My name is Dr. Daniel Jackson and I specialize in ancient languages,' he said in English.
'Yuck! I hate doctors and I hate ancient languages!' Then, suddenly, her eyes grew large. 'Hey! I understood him!' She bounced for a few moments, gleefully, then said, 'Hey, Nanaki. Get them to talk some more so I can get it mastered.' Her eyes took on a greedy glint.
'What's going on, Daniel'? Jack demanded. 'What did she say'?
'Apparently, she has some sort of device that allows her to understand any language.'
'Hey! It's not a device! It's materia!'
'That sounds very useful, Daniel.' Jack's eyes took on the same type of glint as Yuffie's. 'Ask her what she wants for it.'
Yuffie immediately crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head 'no', huffy and indignant.
Daniel, seeing this, tried to silence Jack. 'Jack, I told you! She can understand every word we say!'
A loud pop echoes through the suddenly silent room. Yuffie takes the new language materia and gives it to Cloud with a glare at Jack. Cloud put the new materia in his armlet.
Slightly wide-eyed at what just happened, Jack continued, 'But we came here to see if trade was possible'?
'Please, Jack! Let me'?
'Trade! Please!' Cloud moved over to sit next to Vincent, putting his booted feet up on the corner of the table. 'Well, we don't need anything. We are doing just fine. So, unless you have a replacement for mako'? Most of Avalanche joined Cloud's laughter at that statement.
Daniel, ignoring Jack's demands for translation, asked Nanaki in the planet's language, what mako is. Nanaki explained that mako is what they used to power their electric generators until they discovered that using mako for that was destroying The Planet.
'But we do have a replacement for that!' Daniel lapsed into English in his excitement.
Yuffie, who had been snickering at Daniel's ignorance, stared, slack jawed, at Daniel. Nanaki's jaw dropped as well, and Cloud dropped his feet to the floor with a loud bang trying to speak but no sound emerging.
At these reactions, demands for explanations rang all over the bar. Nanaki and Daniel were both kept busy for several minutes trying to answer all the questions. The pop of a new materia was drowned out by the uproar and Cloud gave the new materia to Vincent. Then Cloud's eyes got dreamy. His breathy sigh of 'air conditioners' silenced Avalanche's questions.
'Electric stoves!' Tifa exclaimed.
'Lights not candles!'
'Heaters!'
'Power tools!' Shera looked ecstatic.
Jack sat back linking his fingers behind his head, satisfied. He knew a lot of work lay ahead, but he really doubted that this simple little planet held any more surprises in store for him.