Chapter 19
Mother Returned
"Excuse me?" the general asked incredulously.
"Daniel is-is my father." She stammered.
"And what makes you so sure of this?"
"I was born seven years ago. My DNA was altered to age more rapidly until I hit a certain age, so I would be a better host. Seven years ago, Daniel was with Sha're. Also, N'kiri has told me that she was my mother. There's no other logical explanation! I have both of their DNA, plus that of N'kiri's original host, because I was supposed to be a clone! After Sha're gave birth to me, my very existence was erased from her mind when Apophis sent me to Caressia, where I ruled as N'kiri. Then Thoth found out that N'kiri was a scientist, and he and Niirti used me. During all this time, I retained my youth as a twelve year old for eleven years, until Thoth decided that N'kiri were a threat and suspected us of betrayal, and sent us here!"
"Well, have you told doctor Jackson this?"
Thera shook her head, curls she hadn't noticed were sprouting bouncing over her face.
"No. I couldn't bring myself to it. And before you ask, I think I don't look very much like them, because I had some kind of vanity technology put in me that's just begun to wear off. That's just an assumption, of course."
"And what would you like me to do about it?" General Hammond asked. "You don't have to ask my permission to tell him, and if you want to request to live with him, that's totally not up to me!"
"It's not that, sir." Thera replied, shifting uneasily in her chair. She winced as pain seared through her wound, which had yet to have fully healed. "It's. . . I've invented a. . . a device. It can bring Sha're back. But, only because she was a goa'uld and Daniel and I were ascended. It can only be used once, and I'm going to need Thor's help to revive her body, and we'll have to go to her burial place."
Hammond breathed a deep sigh, his brow furrowed.
"I suppose I'd be completely hard-core to not allow you to do this." he glanced up at Thera. "I'm sure this means a lot to you, doesn't it?"
Thera nodded vigorously. Hammond sighed again.
"All right. Go consult Carter if you want to contact the asgard, and actually build this thing. I'll arrange for you to leave first thing tomorrow."
"Thank you, sir." she said excitedly, getting up to leave.
"And Thera." he said, just before she reached the door. "Just make sure you really want to do this, before you actually do." Thera nodded and left.
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At roughly eight o'clock the next morning, Thera was back in her old Egyptian clothes, helping Sam tote a lightweight device into the Stargate to the planet of Abydos. She'd been shocked that it had been built in only one day, but then again, it would only work once. She stepped into the gelatinous surface of the wormhole, and felt herself being dragged through a huge roller coaster through space and time. Then, after just a few short seconds, she emerged onto the sands of a dead planet. Her birthplace, Abydos.
"No!" she whispered, seeing the ruins. "W-what happened? Why's this place in ruins?"
"Anubis destroyed it." Teal'c replied simply, yet there was a hint of sadness in his voice. "Some time ago."
Thera bit her lip, and nodded. All her hopes of returning to the people she had been born unto were shattered. Slowly, they made their way across the ruins of the great pyramid, and onto the flat sands. After a few minutes, they stopped suddenly as Daniel announced:
"Here. She's buried here!"
Sam and Thera set down the device, and Sam pulled a communicator out of one of the pockets in her vests.
"All right, Thor. We're ready" she said, and Thera gasped to see them all enveloped in a bright white light, and the sands of Abydos were replaced by a room on Thor's ship. She felt her eyes widen as a tiny Roswell alien walked toward them.
Thera! Don't stare! N'kiri hissed.
Easy for you to say! You've seen these guys before!
"Welcome, SG1." The alien, Thor, said. "Sha're's body has already been replenished. You may begin the procedure."
Thera took a sharp intake of breath, and approached the woman sat upon a large table-like. . . thing. She was positively beautiful! Just like Thera had always imagined her. Dark eyes and hair, identical to Thera's own. She was so glad Thor had the technology to replenish her body, or else this might not have been possible. Slowly, she took a knife she had brought with her and cut her hand with it, letting the blood drip into a tiny phial in the device. Then, she turned to Daniel.
"We'll need some of your blood too, Daniel. Because you were ascended."
Daniel walked hesitantly forward, and cut hit palm, allowing some of his own blood to drip into another phial. Thera then activated the device.
"Hey, are you sure this is gonna work?" Jack asked disbelievingly.
"If it doesn't, then it doesn't. This is our best hope." Thera replied shortly. She took a needle, connected to the machine, and stuck just the tip into her Sha're arm. For a few seconds, she watched intently, as a mixture made up of the blood and a several other elements flowed slowly into her body. This would allow her physical self to function again. When that was completed, Thera placed the device at Sha're's feet, and pressed several more buttons. This would probably have been more effective had it been built with crystals. A soft blue light erupted from the device, covering Sha're's body. Now came the part that the device couldn't do.
Thera stepped up, and placed one hand on the woman's forehead, another on her stomach, and let go of the ship. A bright light could be seen erupting from her, and she ascencended again.
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Oma smiled to herself as she saw Thera return to the world of the non-living. And this time, she was not doing it to visit her beloved, but instead, to save someone. The spirit had failed to tell the rest of the ancients what exactly Thera was doing. She felt there was no need to. Thera had been through too much lately. She deserved to have her mother back.
The teenager searched, obviously through great strain, having left half of her spirit back in her body. Sha're was not in this place, but Thera didn't know, for she didn't know where to look. Oma reasoned for a minute, but the time she'd spent around Daniel had clouded her good judgment. After all, this was for him too!
`~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~
Thera cried out in frustration. WHere was Sha're? Why wasn't she here? a sudden white light almost blinded her, soaring off toward another place Thera had overlooked. she didn't have to ask who this was. It was Oma Desalla, come to assist her. For a while, she followed, journeying deeper into the place she had visited only one before, searching desperately. Finally, she found her, sitting alone on a cloud, gazing off, clearly happy.
"Sha're." she heard Oma whisper. "You are going back now! Someone is here to help you. You cannot see her, but she will return you to Daniel."
Sha're's eyes sparkled and she vigorously nodded. Thera stepped up, unnerved that her own Sha're could not see her. Feeling rather foolish, she took Sha're's hand, and began to lead her back to where she had come from. The closer they were, however, the harder it became for them to walk. Several times, Thera's heart had leapt when she had felt the woman's hands slip.
"Do not doubt yourself." she heard Oma whisper into her ear. "God is with you, and you will make it through."
Thera struggled to keep her grip on Sha're's hand, who kept falling back. What if she didn't make it? What if she failed? It was just a few more feet to where they needed to go! Two more. . . one more. . . .
Suddenly, Thera was back in her body, the device humming monotonly. Sha're still remained motionless. That was it. She had failed.
"Don't give up!"
She felt Oma's hands on her own, though she could not see her, pulling Sha're's spirit back. Together they struggled to bring Sha're back. Then, she was gone. The device shut off. Thera breathed deeply and took a few steps back, fighting tears. Though she wore no make-up to smear, she knew she would look awful if she cried. She doubted she had any tears left, in fact. She retreated a few more steps, so that she could not make out Sha're's dead features anymore. This had all been a failure. She wasn't coming back. It was all wishful thinking.
And then, she stirred. Her fingers first, then her eyes, then her chest heaved as her lungs filled with air. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, and she sat up, looking timidly around her.
"Sha're!" Daniel exclaimed, rushing to lift his wife off the table.
"Oh, Dan'iel!" she cried, embracing him, and touching her lips to his. For a few minutes, the two conversed in Egyptian, and only Teal'c and Thera understood, but they weren't telling anyone what went on between the two. After a moment, they calmed down enough for Sha're to ask:
"But Dan'iel! How-"
"I didn't do it. Thera did." he pointed Thera out, and she took a few steps forward, almost too paralyzed to comprehend that this was indeed real.
"Thera?" Sha're gasped, and Thera walked still closer. "Oh, my child! Thera!" she cried, swinging her arms around Thera, hot tears running from both their eyes.
"Child?" Jack asked, speaking everyone's minds.
Sha're drew back, rubbing the tears from her eyes and gazing fondly.
"She is ours, Dan'iel." she explained. "Our firstborn. She was born while I was in the grasp of Apophis. He knew that if he killed her, the system lords would attack him, so he sent her off to become a host, as she was meant to be. When I became a woman, the DNA of another was placed inside of me, so that I might birth a host. The demon inside of me did not let me know she was alive. It led me to believe our child was a stillborn. But she lives, Dan'iel!" Sha're knelt down to look Thera in the eyes. "Oh my daughter, you are so old!"
"I was genetically altered." Thera choked "But, I'll age normally now." Sha're smiled and wrapped her arms around her daughter one last time, before Thor sent them all back to the planet. Everybody just stared. Of course, they had a right to! About two hours ago, Sha're had been dead, Daniel had been a single widower, and Thera had been an orphaned goa'uld. Now, the three of them were a family! After a few still moments, Daniel took a few steps forward and placed his hand on Thera's shoulder.
"Thera, I-I. . ."
"I just figured it out yesterday. So, you needn't feel like you should've known." she smiled, tears brimming her eyes again. "You know, Sam said I-I reminded her of. . .of you. I never thought that might actually might mean something."
Daniel smiled, looking her over in awe. She was his daughter! Thera Jackson. Suddenly, she let go of Sha're's hands and threw her arms around Daniel, wetting the sleeve of his uniform in the process. Slowly, the stunned archaeologist wrapped his mown arms around her, feeling complete at last.
"Thera." Thor said suddenly, drawing the girl away from the father she'd never known. "Your technology is far more advanced than I could ever have expected. Can you duplicate this device?"
Thera shook her head, brushing the tears from her eyes.
"No. It could only work for her. Partially because she had Ammonet in her. But, she also needed blood from compatible donors, and the fact that Daniel and I had once been ascended, so that helped in bringing her back. And, because I have N'kiri, and can ascend for small amounts of time before I'm brought back were needed as well. I'm afraid this situation at least would have to be duplicated as well."
Thor nodded, and said. "Perhaps I should return you to Abydos now."
"Yes, and, thank you so much for the favor!" Jack insisted, and Thor nodded. The next thing they knew, a bright light had enveloped them, and they found themselves back on Abydos.
"Well!" Jack said after a few seconds "I, uh, think we should all head on home." he cleared his throat and headed back toward the remains of the pyramid.
"Dan'iel." Sha're whispered. "What happened? Where is our home?"
"The goa'ulds destroyed it." he said quietly, in what Thera realized was the ancient Egyptian language. Perhaps it was respectful to speak in the planet's natural tongue. "They're all dead."
Sha're nodded and took a sharp intake of breath, to prevent more tears from flowing. "Oh, Daniel! So much has changed!"
"I know." he whispered. "But there is a saying on Earth. The only thing that is constant is change." Thera gazed off into the distance of what had once been a great populated city. Suddenly, she saw it, and gasped. There were even children playing with balls, chasing each other, trying to grab it. Parents laughed, watching their progress, or argued over what to barter for a piece of pottery. And in front of it all, stood a young, smiling man, who looked a lot like. . .
"Sha're!" she cried. "Daniel!"
They turned around quickly, in time to see the city disappear into the heat. Daniel smiled, and whispered, "Skaara." before turning back to rejoin his team, who had apparently seen the spectacle themselves.
'Come, Thera." she said softly, placing a hand on the girl's bare shoulder. "It is time to go to our new home."
Thera nodded and followed her new mother back to the Stargate.
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ok, there's one more chapter to go! But! before that one's done, it's been decided that there will be a sequel! *yay!* It'll be called "The Young Goa'uld Woman." Get it? Little goa'uld girl, wise goa'uld woman? ah, forget it! the point is, there's one more chapter to this story, then that one comes out.-Talon
Mother Returned
"Excuse me?" the general asked incredulously.
"Daniel is-is my father." She stammered.
"And what makes you so sure of this?"
"I was born seven years ago. My DNA was altered to age more rapidly until I hit a certain age, so I would be a better host. Seven years ago, Daniel was with Sha're. Also, N'kiri has told me that she was my mother. There's no other logical explanation! I have both of their DNA, plus that of N'kiri's original host, because I was supposed to be a clone! After Sha're gave birth to me, my very existence was erased from her mind when Apophis sent me to Caressia, where I ruled as N'kiri. Then Thoth found out that N'kiri was a scientist, and he and Niirti used me. During all this time, I retained my youth as a twelve year old for eleven years, until Thoth decided that N'kiri were a threat and suspected us of betrayal, and sent us here!"
"Well, have you told doctor Jackson this?"
Thera shook her head, curls she hadn't noticed were sprouting bouncing over her face.
"No. I couldn't bring myself to it. And before you ask, I think I don't look very much like them, because I had some kind of vanity technology put in me that's just begun to wear off. That's just an assumption, of course."
"And what would you like me to do about it?" General Hammond asked. "You don't have to ask my permission to tell him, and if you want to request to live with him, that's totally not up to me!"
"It's not that, sir." Thera replied, shifting uneasily in her chair. She winced as pain seared through her wound, which had yet to have fully healed. "It's. . . I've invented a. . . a device. It can bring Sha're back. But, only because she was a goa'uld and Daniel and I were ascended. It can only be used once, and I'm going to need Thor's help to revive her body, and we'll have to go to her burial place."
Hammond breathed a deep sigh, his brow furrowed.
"I suppose I'd be completely hard-core to not allow you to do this." he glanced up at Thera. "I'm sure this means a lot to you, doesn't it?"
Thera nodded vigorously. Hammond sighed again.
"All right. Go consult Carter if you want to contact the asgard, and actually build this thing. I'll arrange for you to leave first thing tomorrow."
"Thank you, sir." she said excitedly, getting up to leave.
"And Thera." he said, just before she reached the door. "Just make sure you really want to do this, before you actually do." Thera nodded and left.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
At roughly eight o'clock the next morning, Thera was back in her old Egyptian clothes, helping Sam tote a lightweight device into the Stargate to the planet of Abydos. She'd been shocked that it had been built in only one day, but then again, it would only work once. She stepped into the gelatinous surface of the wormhole, and felt herself being dragged through a huge roller coaster through space and time. Then, after just a few short seconds, she emerged onto the sands of a dead planet. Her birthplace, Abydos.
"No!" she whispered, seeing the ruins. "W-what happened? Why's this place in ruins?"
"Anubis destroyed it." Teal'c replied simply, yet there was a hint of sadness in his voice. "Some time ago."
Thera bit her lip, and nodded. All her hopes of returning to the people she had been born unto were shattered. Slowly, they made their way across the ruins of the great pyramid, and onto the flat sands. After a few minutes, they stopped suddenly as Daniel announced:
"Here. She's buried here!"
Sam and Thera set down the device, and Sam pulled a communicator out of one of the pockets in her vests.
"All right, Thor. We're ready" she said, and Thera gasped to see them all enveloped in a bright white light, and the sands of Abydos were replaced by a room on Thor's ship. She felt her eyes widen as a tiny Roswell alien walked toward them.
Thera! Don't stare! N'kiri hissed.
Easy for you to say! You've seen these guys before!
"Welcome, SG1." The alien, Thor, said. "Sha're's body has already been replenished. You may begin the procedure."
Thera took a sharp intake of breath, and approached the woman sat upon a large table-like. . . thing. She was positively beautiful! Just like Thera had always imagined her. Dark eyes and hair, identical to Thera's own. She was so glad Thor had the technology to replenish her body, or else this might not have been possible. Slowly, she took a knife she had brought with her and cut her hand with it, letting the blood drip into a tiny phial in the device. Then, she turned to Daniel.
"We'll need some of your blood too, Daniel. Because you were ascended."
Daniel walked hesitantly forward, and cut hit palm, allowing some of his own blood to drip into another phial. Thera then activated the device.
"Hey, are you sure this is gonna work?" Jack asked disbelievingly.
"If it doesn't, then it doesn't. This is our best hope." Thera replied shortly. She took a needle, connected to the machine, and stuck just the tip into her Sha're arm. For a few seconds, she watched intently, as a mixture made up of the blood and a several other elements flowed slowly into her body. This would allow her physical self to function again. When that was completed, Thera placed the device at Sha're's feet, and pressed several more buttons. This would probably have been more effective had it been built with crystals. A soft blue light erupted from the device, covering Sha're's body. Now came the part that the device couldn't do.
Thera stepped up, and placed one hand on the woman's forehead, another on her stomach, and let go of the ship. A bright light could be seen erupting from her, and she ascencended again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~
Oma smiled to herself as she saw Thera return to the world of the non-living. And this time, she was not doing it to visit her beloved, but instead, to save someone. The spirit had failed to tell the rest of the ancients what exactly Thera was doing. She felt there was no need to. Thera had been through too much lately. She deserved to have her mother back.
The teenager searched, obviously through great strain, having left half of her spirit back in her body. Sha're was not in this place, but Thera didn't know, for she didn't know where to look. Oma reasoned for a minute, but the time she'd spent around Daniel had clouded her good judgment. After all, this was for him too!
`~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~
Thera cried out in frustration. WHere was Sha're? Why wasn't she here? a sudden white light almost blinded her, soaring off toward another place Thera had overlooked. she didn't have to ask who this was. It was Oma Desalla, come to assist her. For a while, she followed, journeying deeper into the place she had visited only one before, searching desperately. Finally, she found her, sitting alone on a cloud, gazing off, clearly happy.
"Sha're." she heard Oma whisper. "You are going back now! Someone is here to help you. You cannot see her, but she will return you to Daniel."
Sha're's eyes sparkled and she vigorously nodded. Thera stepped up, unnerved that her own Sha're could not see her. Feeling rather foolish, she took Sha're's hand, and began to lead her back to where she had come from. The closer they were, however, the harder it became for them to walk. Several times, Thera's heart had leapt when she had felt the woman's hands slip.
"Do not doubt yourself." she heard Oma whisper into her ear. "God is with you, and you will make it through."
Thera struggled to keep her grip on Sha're's hand, who kept falling back. What if she didn't make it? What if she failed? It was just a few more feet to where they needed to go! Two more. . . one more. . . .
Suddenly, Thera was back in her body, the device humming monotonly. Sha're still remained motionless. That was it. She had failed.
"Don't give up!"
She felt Oma's hands on her own, though she could not see her, pulling Sha're's spirit back. Together they struggled to bring Sha're back. Then, she was gone. The device shut off. Thera breathed deeply and took a few steps back, fighting tears. Though she wore no make-up to smear, she knew she would look awful if she cried. She doubted she had any tears left, in fact. She retreated a few more steps, so that she could not make out Sha're's dead features anymore. This had all been a failure. She wasn't coming back. It was all wishful thinking.
And then, she stirred. Her fingers first, then her eyes, then her chest heaved as her lungs filled with air. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, and she sat up, looking timidly around her.
"Sha're!" Daniel exclaimed, rushing to lift his wife off the table.
"Oh, Dan'iel!" she cried, embracing him, and touching her lips to his. For a few minutes, the two conversed in Egyptian, and only Teal'c and Thera understood, but they weren't telling anyone what went on between the two. After a moment, they calmed down enough for Sha're to ask:
"But Dan'iel! How-"
"I didn't do it. Thera did." he pointed Thera out, and she took a few steps forward, almost too paralyzed to comprehend that this was indeed real.
"Thera?" Sha're gasped, and Thera walked still closer. "Oh, my child! Thera!" she cried, swinging her arms around Thera, hot tears running from both their eyes.
"Child?" Jack asked, speaking everyone's minds.
Sha're drew back, rubbing the tears from her eyes and gazing fondly.
"She is ours, Dan'iel." she explained. "Our firstborn. She was born while I was in the grasp of Apophis. He knew that if he killed her, the system lords would attack him, so he sent her off to become a host, as she was meant to be. When I became a woman, the DNA of another was placed inside of me, so that I might birth a host. The demon inside of me did not let me know she was alive. It led me to believe our child was a stillborn. But she lives, Dan'iel!" Sha're knelt down to look Thera in the eyes. "Oh my daughter, you are so old!"
"I was genetically altered." Thera choked "But, I'll age normally now." Sha're smiled and wrapped her arms around her daughter one last time, before Thor sent them all back to the planet. Everybody just stared. Of course, they had a right to! About two hours ago, Sha're had been dead, Daniel had been a single widower, and Thera had been an orphaned goa'uld. Now, the three of them were a family! After a few still moments, Daniel took a few steps forward and placed his hand on Thera's shoulder.
"Thera, I-I. . ."
"I just figured it out yesterday. So, you needn't feel like you should've known." she smiled, tears brimming her eyes again. "You know, Sam said I-I reminded her of. . .of you. I never thought that might actually might mean something."
Daniel smiled, looking her over in awe. She was his daughter! Thera Jackson. Suddenly, she let go of Sha're's hands and threw her arms around Daniel, wetting the sleeve of his uniform in the process. Slowly, the stunned archaeologist wrapped his mown arms around her, feeling complete at last.
"Thera." Thor said suddenly, drawing the girl away from the father she'd never known. "Your technology is far more advanced than I could ever have expected. Can you duplicate this device?"
Thera shook her head, brushing the tears from her eyes.
"No. It could only work for her. Partially because she had Ammonet in her. But, she also needed blood from compatible donors, and the fact that Daniel and I had once been ascended, so that helped in bringing her back. And, because I have N'kiri, and can ascend for small amounts of time before I'm brought back were needed as well. I'm afraid this situation at least would have to be duplicated as well."
Thor nodded, and said. "Perhaps I should return you to Abydos now."
"Yes, and, thank you so much for the favor!" Jack insisted, and Thor nodded. The next thing they knew, a bright light had enveloped them, and they found themselves back on Abydos.
"Well!" Jack said after a few seconds "I, uh, think we should all head on home." he cleared his throat and headed back toward the remains of the pyramid.
"Dan'iel." Sha're whispered. "What happened? Where is our home?"
"The goa'ulds destroyed it." he said quietly, in what Thera realized was the ancient Egyptian language. Perhaps it was respectful to speak in the planet's natural tongue. "They're all dead."
Sha're nodded and took a sharp intake of breath, to prevent more tears from flowing. "Oh, Daniel! So much has changed!"
"I know." he whispered. "But there is a saying on Earth. The only thing that is constant is change." Thera gazed off into the distance of what had once been a great populated city. Suddenly, she saw it, and gasped. There were even children playing with balls, chasing each other, trying to grab it. Parents laughed, watching their progress, or argued over what to barter for a piece of pottery. And in front of it all, stood a young, smiling man, who looked a lot like. . .
"Sha're!" she cried. "Daniel!"
They turned around quickly, in time to see the city disappear into the heat. Daniel smiled, and whispered, "Skaara." before turning back to rejoin his team, who had apparently seen the spectacle themselves.
'Come, Thera." she said softly, placing a hand on the girl's bare shoulder. "It is time to go to our new home."
Thera nodded and followed her new mother back to the Stargate.
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ok, there's one more chapter to go! But! before that one's done, it's been decided that there will be a sequel! *yay!* It'll be called "The Young Goa'uld Woman." Get it? Little goa'uld girl, wise goa'uld woman? ah, forget it! the point is, there's one more chapter to this story, then that one comes out.-Talon