Part 16: Plan B

Hunsa was confused; the Earthlings had started to spark doubts inside his mind. Why were they so stubborn? He could give them everything they had ever wanted. They could have ended years of denial, repression, and restrain. All they had to do was accept his proposal.

No one had ever done that to him before, no one had denied him of his wishes, questioned his decisions, turned someone against him -- turning Ba'ek against him, he challenged his authority, requesting a Musya. Why did he do that? What made Major Carter and the Colonel worthy enough for Ba'ek to request such a thing? What did Ba'ek see in them?

The Colonel had tried to concentrate on something else when he searched within his head, repeating the same sentences over and over again -- his name followed by some numbers. Hunsa could not read him completely, that was why he did the Bliss. Hoping that offering him the one thing that he could not have could break his defences. It had worked for a moment, but then, like Major Carter, he refused.

Refused to accept, refused to believe and by doing so -- refused their own happiness.

They were fools.

***

"Welcome back," Ba'ek said with a smile on his face as Jack was thrown ungraciously back into the holding cell. He landed on his back and grimaced a bit.

"It's good to be back," Jack was humouring his friend. He then get up on his feet, "It was weird back there," he brushed off some dirt from his sleeves, courtesy of his landing place.

"Weird?"

"Yeah, the illusion stuff that you told me about. It felt so real."

"Hunsa gave you the bliss?"

"Bliss, illusion, what's the difference?" the Colonel shrugged it off.

The Grand was curious, "Did you accept it?"

"Of course not. It's not the real deal."

"I see." Ba'ek had predicted it, Major Carter refused it after all, and Jack was her leader; it was only natural for him to react just the same.

"So ... what are we going to do now?"

Ba'ek answered, "Come on, we are free to go." He walked towards the door and opened it, it was unlocked.

Jack raised his eyebrow, "We are? That's it?"

"Yes. Come." Ba'ek assured him.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, we have to prepare for the Musya."

"There's the word again. What is it exactly?"

***

Hiding.

It seems like all I have been doing for the last few days, since Jack came into my life. But I don't mind. It's not like I have a better option concerning this matter. I was informed about Ba'ek's plan, it will work, I have no doubt about it, but ...

Jack won't let him do that, for that I'm sure.

But Ba'ek won't let Jack stop him either.

Damn, my head hurts. When did everything get so complicated?

***

"Let me get this straight, a Musya is some kind of hearing?" Jack and Ba'ek were back at Ba'ek's house, making preparations for the Musya that was going to be held the day after.

"Yes, this is how we control our government and prevent absolute rule. If a Grand's leader made an error in judgment or abused his/her position to fulfil their own personal needs, they can be brought to trial by the request of another Grand. And acting as the Evaluator is one of our elders. He or she controls the proceeding of the Musya, but the decision lies in the hands of the Cayan population. At the end of the Musya, the Cayans will vote to decide whether he is guilty or not. The punishment will be decided by them too," the younger man explained.

"What are you going to accuse him of?"

Ba'ek paused for a moment, "I don't know ... yet."

Jack let out an exasperated groan, "B, seriously. How come you don't know? You requested the damn thing."

"I had to do it. I had to request the Musya before Hunsa stripped me of my status. I'll figure out something."

"Huh?"

"Hunsa was going to strip me of my Grand status, because I helped you escape. He has the power to do that, he is our leader after all."

Realisation started to dawn on Jack, and he grinned, "You beat him to it. Wow, that was something."

"Yes. I learn from you, Jack," the other man replied with his own smile, "Besides, we can take advantage of this situation."

Jack's eyebrows were raised, "How?"

Ba'ek poured him a drink and Jack gladly accepted the cup. He then continued, "From the moment I requested the Musya until the process is finished, Hunsa will be denied of all his Grand privileges. It is to ensure that he will not use his position to influence the outcome of the Musya."

Jack took a sip and nodded, "I see. How can we use that to our advantage then?"

"I'll be able to activate the Great Ring without any interference. You could go home."

Jack raised his cup, "Nice contingency plan you have here, B."

There was a glint of humor in the Grand's eyes, "I believe you called it Plan 'B', isn't it?"

Jack laughed out loud, at last, an alien with a sense of humor. He couldn't ask for more. After his laugh had died down, Jack looked up to the younger man once again, "Why didn't you suggest this in the first place?"

Ba'ek sighed, "There has not been a Musya for two generations, it is a sacred thing. I didn't want to do it unless I really had to. Informing your people about the weakness of your own leader is not exactly an honorable thing to do."

Suddenly Jack felt strange; his vision blurred and his consciousness started to drift away. Ba'ek's figure had doubled, and he tried to shake his head in order to focus his mind. The vision of the cup in his hand suddenly gave him the answer, and he stared at the Grand as he was slipping away, "You drugged me."

As Jack's body went limp, Ba'ek approached the man and gently laid him down on the floor. His eyes darkened as he whispered to his unconscious friend, "I'm sorry Jack, but I have to do this."

***

"Kisa," Ba'ek calls up as soon as he sees me.

"Ba'ek," I run to him and throw my arms around him, "Why did you do this?"

He holds me for a second longer and then he pushes me away, "Because it's the right thing to do."

I shake my head, "There is no need to go this far."

"Yes there is. I promised you, to get you home safely. Remember?" softly he reasons.

I'm fighting back a tear, "You know what will happen to you, don't you?"

"Kisa, it is still too good for me. After what I've done to you, I should suffer a lot more than that."

I can feel the moisture escape from my eyes, "You still can't forgive yourself," I accuse him.

He takes something out of his pocket and puts it in the palm of my hand, closing my fingers around it, "Give this to Jack, tell him that I'm so sorry, but I have to do this. For me, for you, for Jack and for Major Carter as well."

At the mention of Jack's name, I gaze to the figure lying next to the Great Ring. I believe Ba'ek has given him some kind of sedative, because I know for certain that if Jack had any idea on what Ba'ek is going to do he will not take it laying down.

Ba'ek turns around and instructs some orders to the guards responsible for keeping an eye on the Ring. I make a move towards Jack and kneel down, inspecting him. It's not that I don't trust Ba'ek, I just need to make sure for myself, that he is alright.

KAWOSH

The Ring is activated, and the shimmering blue water puddle is inviting, teasing, luring. I can't wait to step through it. Out of the corner of my eyes, I can see Ba'ek using Jack's communication device, we saw him using it several times to communicate with my 'Dad'. Jack had told us about the 'iris', the barrier that prevents unwelcome travellers from reaching Earth. I guess Ba'ek is trying to inform Jack's people about our arrival so that we wouldn't go - borrowing Jack's terminology - 'splat'.

"KISA," I know that voice, that screaming and angry voice. I turn around to see Hunsa practically running towards us, there are several men following him.

Silently I sigh. It's time to face my demon.

Realising who is coming, Ba'ek approaches me and stands right in front of me, in a protective manner. When Hunsa finally reaches us, I put a hand on Ba'ek's shoulder, "Let me talk to him. I *need* to talk to him." He is confused at first, but then he stands aside.

Hunsa takes a moment to catch his breath before he speaks, "You can not go."

An order. The one that I've become so familiar with. The one that sometimes I could not stand but I do it anyway. But not now.

Now I'm stronger.

"No," I say blatantly.

"You must," he is persistent.

"Give me one good reason why," my challenge is out.

"Because I say so," his eyes command me as well as his words.

"It's not good enough," I will not be defeated by him.

He closes his eyes for several second before he opens them again, I know that it is his way of trying to control his frustration, "Don't you love me?"

He is right, I still love him, despite all the things that he has done to me, I still have feelings for him. But ... "I know you don't love me back."

"I do," he says. But there is no passion in his voice, no emotion in his eyes. Just a blank statement, empty words.

"You don't. I thought I could make you love me. All the years we've been together, I thought that my love would be enough for the two of us. But I guess it wasn't."

"What are you saying?"

I look at the man that is standing in front of me, the man that took my heart and broke it in pieces, and he didn't even realise it. "What I'm saying is ... I love you but I don't wanna be with you. When I'm with you, my heart flourishes but at the same time it cries. It cries because you never really see me, you never really have feelings for me. When I'm with you, I'm pulled in several different directions. I can't take it anymore," my eyes are wet, "You are the love that I have but never feel. Even though we are joined, never once in our time together did I feel loved. Never once did I feel wanted. And you know what the worst part is? I keep hoping that one day you will see, that I love you. I really do," I can feel the tear leaving tracks on my cheek.

Hunsa makes a move to wipe away the tear but I brush off his hand hastily. He sounds confused, "What is it that you really want?"

Oh God, he still hasn't figured it out, "I want you to love me for who I am. Not because I'm the most suitable candidate for your partner."

He doesn't say a thing, appears to be lost in his thoughts.

"Kisa," Ba'ek's voice. Quickly, I use my fingers to clean off my tears, and then I turn around and face him, "Yes?" I answer.

"It's time to go, they are ready for you," he informs me.

"She cannot leave Cayan," Hunsa's voice is demanding.

Ba'ek steps forward, "Yes, she can."

"We can not afford to risk the Tamen's secrets."

"She already knew it before she came here, or else she wouldn't of been able to fix it."

"I order you, she cannot be allowed to go though the Ring."

"You don't have the authority to do that, I requested a Musya, remember? All your privileges are not valid until the Musya is completed."

"I knew this is the reason why you requested it," Hunsa says to Ba'ek through gritted teeth, "you know the punishment for this, don't you?"

Ba'ek smiles sadly, "I do and I know that I will not regret this. Guards, take Grand Hunsa back to the city."

"You are a fool. Tell me Ba'ek, are they worth it?" the guards are reluctant to do as they are ordered to, but the Cayan are just a simple society after all. The people see things almost in black and white. Right now, Ba'ek is a Grand and Hunsa is just a civilian.

"More than you'll ever know." Ba'ek states as the guards whisk the Grand's leader away.

"KISA, I'll do anything that you want. But please, don't go through the Ring," Hunsa shouts and pleads as the guards take him away from the Ring. They stop moving once they realise that all he wanted to do was just talk to me.

I watch the man, and memories come back through my mind, reminding me of our time together. A perfect life that I dreamt about and wished for, that I had. So perfect that I missed the most important fault in that life. I was so blinded with the illusion that I couldn't see the reality. I still love him, there is no doubt about it, but it doesn't mean that I want to go back to that life. "I'm sorry," I am choked, this is the hardest thing that I've ever had to do, to turn around and deny the man I love, "but you can't give me what I really want."

Hunsa's shoulders are slumped, but he isn't finished yet, "Yes, I can. I can love you back, if that is what it takes to keep you here, I'll learn to love you. Just show me how."

This is one of his qualities that I admired, he never gives up. "Then tell me the reason why you want to keep me here. Is it because the Tamen's secret that is locked inside my head? Or is it because that is what you really want?"

He is startled, he stops resisting against the guards. "For the people of Cayan," another quality of his, he doesn't tell a lie.

I knew, but it still hurt to hear it straight from him. Like a knife is stabbed into my heart and then someone twisted it so that the pain is intensified. "Then I have to go."

"Tell me the reason why?"

Why?

Perfectly legitimate question.

"Because I don't want to be like you. I don't want to ruin someone else's life just because I can." That is right. Major Carter deserves her life back, mine was over the moment they performed the 'Havus' on me. I turn away from him, facing Ba'ek who is smiling proudly, "I'm ready to go."

Ba'ek gives a signal with his hand and two guards lift and half-drag Jack's body, and then they push it gently though the portal. His figure slowly disappears, broken into millions of particles to be transported back to the other side. Ba'ek and I walk side by side to the Ring. Now, I'm just a step away from it.

"Come with us, Ba'ek. I know that Jack's people will welcome you," I invite him.

He chuckles softly, "I can't abandon my people. You know that."

"Yes, I know," how I wish I didn't now, so that I could push him through and not feel guilty afterwards. But he made his choice and I respect that.

This is it.

Strangely, I feel nervous, what does the Earth has in store for me? But I quickly dismiss that thought, I won't be there long. Instinctively, I clench my fist.

"KISA," Hunsa's voice once more. But I ignore him. Everything that I want to say has been said, there's nothing left for me here. None. All my life here is just a pretty dream with an empty meaning.

A hand covers mine and squeezes it lightly, "Kisa," In contrast to Hunsa's urgent voice, Ba'ek's is caring. Momentarily, I face him.

A look in his eyes makes me puzzled, the man standing next to me seems to be different from the friend that I know. His other hand moves up and touches my cheek. "Before you go, there's something that I want to tell you," his face is getting closer to mine. Automatically, I hold my breath, "I love you."

His eyes flutter shut and gently his lips brush mine. The sensation is so soft and warm. I am lost in the sweet and tender assault.

He loves me? How is that possible?

Before I can say anything, a strong arm pushes me through the blue puddle. The sensation is incredible, it is cold, rough and dazzling. And as soon as the trip started, it ended. I find myself inside a big room, and there are people pointing their weapons at me. But I can't help myself to turn back and watch as the Ring is deactivated. The water puddle is disintegrating; disappearing into thin air as is my shock.

Ba'ek loves me?

Faintly, I can hear a voice from behind my back, "Major Carter, welcome home."

to be continued

AN: Yay, finally back to Earth. Like it? Hate it? Please do send reviews and feedbacks. g