Title: Stargazers/Stargaters
Author: jane
E-mail: illta1985@aol.com
Category: AU, Futurefic, Crossover(Roswell/Stargate SG1)
Rating: PG13 (A few swearwords)
Disclaimer: The characters of Roswell belong to Melinda Metz, UPN, Jason Katims and all the wonderful people who we all love for starting this fabulous series (but who we are frustrated with, for messing up the beautiful, 1st season story line!). Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement or disrespect is intended. Not to be archived without permission of the authors.
Summary: After college, Alex and Liz (from Roswell) join the SGC. As the Stargate gives up its secrets, will their new colleagues in SG1 learn about the secrets the two friends still carry? Will they ever "dial up" one planet's address in particular? Read and find out!
Stargazers Stargaters Part 38
One week after the treaty signing, Alex was awoken from a deep sleep. He was spooned up behind Isabel; his right arm wrapped around her slim waist; holding her close, even in sleep...and his gorgeous fiancé was muttering to herself. At first, he could not understand her words, but after a few moments, his hearing grew sharper.
"Sk-Ska'ra." Isabel mumbled.
'Another man's name, not the think I want to hear on my love's luscious lips...did I just put those three words together in one sentence?' He asked himself silently. 'Oh yeah, she has me wrapped around her little finger, hook line and sinker...and now I'm even mixing my metaphors...'
"Ska'ra, are you sure?" Isabel's words broke into Alex's mental ramblings.
'Oh, but it's Ska'ra's name she's saying...she must be dream-walking him. Phew! My heart can start beating again...this is business.' Alex sighed to himself and then was startled as Isabel craned her neck around so that she could face him as he leaned over her from behind.
"Al'x deal wi' yo' low se'f est'm later...but shu' up, I need consentr..." Isabel mumbled and blindly kissed his ear before relaxing back into sleep.
Alex watched her sleep for a few moments while this realization struck him...they were so closely connected that Isabel had picked up on his anxious thoughts. He wondered briefly "how" she would deal with his low self-esteem...which only surfaced once in a great while, when his thoughts were unguarded...and focused on his impending marriage to her. Alex winced to himself; how would Isabel deal with him...would she be angry or...ardent?
A quick jab in the ribs from Isabel brought Alex out of his ramblings again and reminded him that he was supposed to be Isabel's anchor; her calm, steady rock to hold onto while she allowed her subconscious to wander far and wide, dream-walking others. Alex began taking deep, slow breaths and managed to calm his thoughts down and empty his mind except for the positive, loving emotions he allowed to radiate through his own body.
Several hours later, as the first rays of sun began to filter through their bedroom curtains, Alex awoke. He was still spooned up behind Isabel and she was beginning to stir as well. He remembered staying semi-awake last night, while Isabel dream-walked Ska'ra and perhaps others, until he had sensed a certain relaxation of her muscles and allowed himself to fall back into a deep sleep; knowing that she was doing the same thing.
Now, as he watched her, Isabel turned in his arms and stretched. As her vertebrae arched, her breasts and tummy pressed into his chest and abdomen and he groaned softly as a knee came up; silkily slipping between his legs and adding to the pressure which was building up inside him.
"Morning Alex." Isabel breathily whispered into his ear.
"Umph." Alex swallowed hard. "Morning Sweetheart."
No more words were said for several minutes as the young couple shared a good morning nuzzle. It might have developed into something more, but Isabel gently drew back.
"So...you're jealous of my dream-walking Ska'ra?" She asked outright, but gently, softly.
"Not of Ska're...and not of your dream-walking...so much...it was just that you were mumbling his name out loud just as I woke up out of a sound sleep last night. It just caught me unawares...your calling out another man's name." Alex explained, paused and then continued as Isabel only gazed deeply into his eyes and remained silent.
"I Know that I have no reason to be jealous of you or of anyone you spend time with. I love you and I know that you love me in return; I know that in my brain as well as in my heart..." Alex glanced over her shoulder.
"But..?" Isabel coaxed softly.
"But...well, it's only in the tiniest portion of my subconscious...that sometimes...I wonder..." Alex glanced away from Isabel's intense gaze again.
"You wonder..?"
"IwonderWhyaGorgeous,BrightWomanLikeYouWouldWantAnythingToDoWith...someonelikeme." He mumbled out quickly, embarrassed.
"You mean this handsome, brilliant, funny, sweet man in my arms? Is that the man you wonder about me spending time with...and plan to marry?" Isabel asked and Alex nodded shyly. He still was unsure whether Isabel was angry...or ardent...with him.
"I wonder that sometimes myself, Alex...How could such a handsome, strong, brilliant, funny, sweet man...be so dumb at the same time as to not know why...and how much I love him." Isabel shook her head sorrowfully.
"Maybe this guy isn't so brilliant after all. Maybe he's really quite stupid...and dense." Alex offered half teasing, half worried and asked. "If you really do love this numbskull so much...do you think you have enough patience to deal with his insecurities...and explain to him...one more time...why you still can love him?"
"Well...I suppose I could explain...just one more time...if he promises to really, truly listen and pay attention this time." Isabel considered.
"I know he'd really appreciate it if you would." Alex answered and she nodded thoughtfully.
"Well to start with...there are his ears..." Isabel blew into Alex's ears one after the other. "They listen so very well to everything I say...except, it seams, to how much I love him...Then there are his eyes;" Isabel kissed each eyelid. "The windows into his beautiful soul...they see more than just the outer me, this shell; Alex sees the real me inside...those things which make me who I really am."
"Then there's his brain;" Isabel ran her hands through his hair and massaged his scalp. "Which holds so much information; making this man, as I stated before, so brilliant...Can't forget his mouth." Isabel kissed Alex deeply. "Besides giving me great physical pleasure..." Isabel smiled sexily into Alex's wide eyes. "This mouth also speaks gently truths to me when I need to hear them and sings sweet songs as well. All of these attributes combine into such a handsome, yet sweet face, which is so dear to my heart...and these ears, eyes, lips and the brain all are perched atop one magnificent body...who's strong arms and legs hold me so close and yet so tenderly to Alex's strong and tender, loving heart."
"Isabel, I..." Alex started to say in shock, but she placed a finger over his lips to silence him.
"All of those things and many, many more are why I love Alex Charles Whitman, with all my heart, my mind, my body and my soul." Isabel finished and Alex found that he could say nothing after all. But by silent, mutual understanding, they moved closer into each other's embrace and held on tightly for several minutes, just listening to each other's breathing and giving thanks for this soul-mate, who loved them so much.
*
Several hours later, Kyle, Tess, Michael and Maria met in the upstairs hallway, on their way down to breakfast.
"Hey, Valenti, was that the two of you making all that noise earlier this morning?" Michael asked.
"Michael!" Maria exclaimed, blushing at her fiancé's uncouth question.
"I don't kiss and tell, Guerin." Kyle answered; quick with a sarcastic reply as always.
"I think...it was Alex and Isabel." Tess replied. "Their room is next to ours and I heard them just as we were drifting off to sleep after our...um...aerobics workout."
"Is that what you call it?" Maria giggled and Kyle was glancing down at his lover as if she had lost her mind.
"Well...my heart, lungs and...certain special muscles Do get quite a workout!" Tess giggles before she hid her flaming cheeks in her fiancé's warm chest.
"Oh man!" Michael groaned. "We gotta discuss separate housing for each of us with Max again. This is gettin' embarrassing."
"Our rooms do have those sound nulli-fier-things...we just keep forgetting to turn them on...in the...um...heat of the moment." Maria reminded him.
"We should just leave them on all the time then...for whenever the...um...mood hits." Tess suggested, peaking out from Kyle's embrace.
"Oh man, what a thing to talk about...and before breakfast! Let's go down to eat." Michael said.
"Hey, you're the one who began this discussion, Michael." Kyle reminded him as they all trooped down the stairs.
"No I didn't." Michael exclaimed; his low blood sugar interfering with his memory... (Or at least that was his excuse to himself).
"Yes you did." Kyle countered.
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Didn't!"
"Did!"
"Morning everyone, did I hear Daniel and Colonel O'Neill just now?" Sam asked as she came in the front door and looked around for her friend and lover.
"Uh, no; that was just these two arguing." Maria replied. "I think Daniel and Sha're are still asleep and I haven't seen Jack at all."
"We're awake; I thought I heard Jack out here...where is he? Isn't he here?" Daniel asked sleepily as he and Sha're stepped out of their bedroom just then.
"No Daniel, he's not here yet, but we do have a meeting scheduled with Max for this morning." Sam replied.
"Oh well then come on into the dining room and have some breakfast with us." Tess invited as she and the rest of her friends turned towards that room.
"Sure, sounds good...I could use some more caffeine." Sam replied.
When Tess opened up the door, Michael threw up his hands in front of his face in an effort to block the sight before them.
"Max! Liz! Would you two knock it off?" He all but roared.
Before them sat Max and Liz at the dining table, but they were using just one chair...as Liz was straddling Max's lap and they were necking passionately. The young king and his future queen did not spring apart at the appearance of their friends, but only stopped kissing and rested their foreheads together while they each caught their breaths. Finally though, Max placed a chaste kiss on Liz's lips before helping her to reposition herself so that she was sitting sideways on his lap, but still inside the strong circle of his arms.
"Morning everyone; come on in and have some breakfast...the muffins smell...delicious." Max said with admirable calm.
"I think Max should take his 'muffin' and go back upstairs to their room if he's going to continue sniffing her." Michael mumbled.
Indeed, Max was nuzzling Liz's soft neck, right below her ear and Liz was having a difficult time paying attention to and greeting her friends.
"Oh Michael! Go fill up a plate for each of us and be quiet." Maria pushed him toward the buffet before taking her accustomed seat next to Max and Liz.
"You'd...better sit in your own chair, Max." Liz told him softly, reluctantly.
"Yeah." Max agreed.
He stood up with Liz still in his arms, turned and then placed her back in her chair before taking his seat at the head of the table and to Liz's left. Maria wiggled her eyebrows up and down at her best friend and the two young women grinned at each other. They were both so happy for the love the other had found in her chosen mate; especially when that love was demonstrated so openly.
Just then, the group heard the front door open and several voices out in the hall. Moments later, Jack, Jacob Carter, Teal'c, Alex and Isabel came into the dining room.
"Teal'c." Sam greeted her teammate who bowed to the room and then went to sit down at the table. "Dad!" She called out next and rose up to hug her father.
Hey, Sammie." Jacob hugged her back.
"Hi, Selmak." Sam greeted her father's symbiote.
You're looking well, Samantha." Selmak replied in her deep, echoing voice. "Are you?"
"I'm very well, thank you, Selmak." Sam replied with a quick glance to Jack who was standing just behind her father. "Hey Alex, Isabel." She tried to greet them casually.
"Morning everyone." Alex and Isabel spoke at the same time as Alex drew Isabel around to her place on Max's left and seated her tenderly.
"What do you want for breakfast, Issy?" Alex asked her.
"Lot's of everything...I seem to have quite an appetite this morning." Isabel told him.
A quiet snort came from Michael's direction and there was a great deal of eye contact back and forth around the table, but otherwise nothing else was said as Alex walked over to the buffet, followed after a moment by several others.
"It's a good thing you're here Jacob/Selmak, as well as the rest of you." Isabel said glancing over SG-1 after everyone had sat down and begun to eat. "I have some important news."
"Well, give us all a few minutes to eat and then we'll be able to give you our full attention." Max suggested. He knew his sister's voice well; her tone indicated that her news was big.
Twenty minutes later, everyone was done eating and just finishing their coffee. They cleared the table of all the plates and then turned to Isabel and waited for her to begin.
"I dream-walked Ska'ra last night." Isabel said.
"Ska're!" Sha're exclaimed. "Is my brother all right?"
"He says he's fine; still fighting his snake, Klorell." Isabel assured her before continuing on. "He told me that Klorell and Apophis have been planning something and that now they have all the information they need to carry it out. For as long as the Goa'uld have been around, the queens...the few female Goa'uld who's biological role is to give birth to all the new Goa'uld symbiotes..."
"Like Hathor." Daniel said with a bitter taste in his mouth.
"Think of queen bees." Sam added and Isabel nodded.
"These queens have always been considered to be goddesses in their own rights; laws unto themselves. They have their own Jaffa and slaves and only share their...young...with the other Goa'uld who...please them; give them tribute and have treaties with them. To keep enemy Goa'uld from steeling their young, they hide their whereabouts even more so than all the other Goa'uld. Despite this, Ska'ra told me that Apophis has recently learned where all of the queens have their hideouts and he plans to take them captive, one by one, until he has them all under his control."
"Apophis would need many more Jaffa to incubate all the immature symbiotes." Teal'c reminded everyone.
"Ska'ra said he had a plan to cover that too. Having Jaffa to incubate the little worms is preferred, but not absolutely necessary." Isabel told them.
"Incubation within a Human Jaffa ensures that a mature symbiote will have no trouble melding with and overtaking their new host." Teal'c said.
"Yes that's why Jaffa were genetically created millennia ago, but even before that time, most mature, but un-incubated snakes were able to successfully take Human...or Unas hosts." Isabel countered and then continued. "Ska'ra said that Apophis believes that all Jaffa will have to come to him, eventually...and pledge their loyalty to him...when their mature symbiotes are taken from them to be implanted into their new hosts...to gain a new immature snake to carry in their pouches or they'll die."
"Why wouldn't the mature Goa'uld just overtake their Jaffa, then neither of them would have to worry...for quite some time anyway." Kyle asked.
"Jaffa are considered to be merely slaves by the Goa'uld and would never...except under extreme emergency...be considered good enough to be implanted with a mature symbiote." Teal'c explained. "And besides, who would fight the battles for the Goa'uld if not their Jaffa?" Teal'c asked.
"Anyway, Ska'ra gave me the locations of all the queens and begs us to capture or kill them all before Apophis can do so himself." Isabel finished.
"No more new Goa'uld...at all?" Jack asked. "Sweet!"
"That would still leave the hundreds of Goa'uld out there already, not to mention the thousands, maybe millions of Jaffa, all carrying immature Goa'uld in their pouches. What do we do with all of them?" Daniel asked.
"Well, as we've planned from the beginning...slowly but surely we're drawing Jaffa away from their Goa'uld masters and our Antarian physicians are making it possible for them to live without their symbiotes." Tess reminded them all. "The numbers are still small but they are growing every day.
"Yeah, between their fighting amongst themselves and your mind-washing-whatevers, the snakes are really beginning to look more like clowns than gods in front of their Jaffa now." Jack smirked.
"If there are so many Jaffa, why aren't there more mature, hosted Goa'uld running around?" Kyle asked.
Just like ants or bees, their mortality rate is very high and the queens bare their young with that in mind. Plus, a father is just as likely to kill his own mature children if they displease him...or a son will kill his father and take over his throne." Max explained. "The term 'dysfunctional family' doesn't come close to covering all the intrigue and murder within the Goa'uld 'family'."
"Still looks like an almost impossible mission; to kill all of those Goa'uld and heal all of the Jaffa." Kyle muttered, dispirited.
"We'll finish the job." Jack said determinably, looking around the table as most everyone nodded their agreement.
"What about the Tok'ra? Without any queens..." Maria asked.
"All Tok'ra were born of one queen and she was killed many centuries ago and very few Goa'uld have chosen to follow our ways." Selmak explained. "Our only hope is to find willing hosts to sustain us and even then, we are a dieing race.
"Couldn't new queens be born sometime in the future?" Alex asked.
"Yes, but they are very, very rare." Selmak answered matter-of-factly.
"So, when can we see this Intel Ska'ra gave you so we can make plans?" Jack asked.
"As soon as you all can help me interpret what he said so I can write it down." Isabel replied.
"Great, let's get to work then." Jack said, rubbing his hands together.
TBC (positive feedback please!)
Author: jane
E-mail: illta1985@aol.com
Category: AU, Futurefic, Crossover(Roswell/Stargate SG1)
Rating: PG13 (A few swearwords)
Disclaimer: The characters of Roswell belong to Melinda Metz, UPN, Jason Katims and all the wonderful people who we all love for starting this fabulous series (but who we are frustrated with, for messing up the beautiful, 1st season story line!). Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement or disrespect is intended. Not to be archived without permission of the authors.
Summary: After college, Alex and Liz (from Roswell) join the SGC. As the Stargate gives up its secrets, will their new colleagues in SG1 learn about the secrets the two friends still carry? Will they ever "dial up" one planet's address in particular? Read and find out!
Stargazers Stargaters Part 38
One week after the treaty signing, Alex was awoken from a deep sleep. He was spooned up behind Isabel; his right arm wrapped around her slim waist; holding her close, even in sleep...and his gorgeous fiancé was muttering to herself. At first, he could not understand her words, but after a few moments, his hearing grew sharper.
"Sk-Ska'ra." Isabel mumbled.
'Another man's name, not the think I want to hear on my love's luscious lips...did I just put those three words together in one sentence?' He asked himself silently. 'Oh yeah, she has me wrapped around her little finger, hook line and sinker...and now I'm even mixing my metaphors...'
"Ska'ra, are you sure?" Isabel's words broke into Alex's mental ramblings.
'Oh, but it's Ska'ra's name she's saying...she must be dream-walking him. Phew! My heart can start beating again...this is business.' Alex sighed to himself and then was startled as Isabel craned her neck around so that she could face him as he leaned over her from behind.
"Al'x deal wi' yo' low se'f est'm later...but shu' up, I need consentr..." Isabel mumbled and blindly kissed his ear before relaxing back into sleep.
Alex watched her sleep for a few moments while this realization struck him...they were so closely connected that Isabel had picked up on his anxious thoughts. He wondered briefly "how" she would deal with his low self-esteem...which only surfaced once in a great while, when his thoughts were unguarded...and focused on his impending marriage to her. Alex winced to himself; how would Isabel deal with him...would she be angry or...ardent?
A quick jab in the ribs from Isabel brought Alex out of his ramblings again and reminded him that he was supposed to be Isabel's anchor; her calm, steady rock to hold onto while she allowed her subconscious to wander far and wide, dream-walking others. Alex began taking deep, slow breaths and managed to calm his thoughts down and empty his mind except for the positive, loving emotions he allowed to radiate through his own body.
Several hours later, as the first rays of sun began to filter through their bedroom curtains, Alex awoke. He was still spooned up behind Isabel and she was beginning to stir as well. He remembered staying semi-awake last night, while Isabel dream-walked Ska'ra and perhaps others, until he had sensed a certain relaxation of her muscles and allowed himself to fall back into a deep sleep; knowing that she was doing the same thing.
Now, as he watched her, Isabel turned in his arms and stretched. As her vertebrae arched, her breasts and tummy pressed into his chest and abdomen and he groaned softly as a knee came up; silkily slipping between his legs and adding to the pressure which was building up inside him.
"Morning Alex." Isabel breathily whispered into his ear.
"Umph." Alex swallowed hard. "Morning Sweetheart."
No more words were said for several minutes as the young couple shared a good morning nuzzle. It might have developed into something more, but Isabel gently drew back.
"So...you're jealous of my dream-walking Ska'ra?" She asked outright, but gently, softly.
"Not of Ska're...and not of your dream-walking...so much...it was just that you were mumbling his name out loud just as I woke up out of a sound sleep last night. It just caught me unawares...your calling out another man's name." Alex explained, paused and then continued as Isabel only gazed deeply into his eyes and remained silent.
"I Know that I have no reason to be jealous of you or of anyone you spend time with. I love you and I know that you love me in return; I know that in my brain as well as in my heart..." Alex glanced over her shoulder.
"But..?" Isabel coaxed softly.
"But...well, it's only in the tiniest portion of my subconscious...that sometimes...I wonder..." Alex glanced away from Isabel's intense gaze again.
"You wonder..?"
"IwonderWhyaGorgeous,BrightWomanLikeYouWouldWantAnythingToDoWith...someonelikeme." He mumbled out quickly, embarrassed.
"You mean this handsome, brilliant, funny, sweet man in my arms? Is that the man you wonder about me spending time with...and plan to marry?" Isabel asked and Alex nodded shyly. He still was unsure whether Isabel was angry...or ardent...with him.
"I wonder that sometimes myself, Alex...How could such a handsome, strong, brilliant, funny, sweet man...be so dumb at the same time as to not know why...and how much I love him." Isabel shook her head sorrowfully.
"Maybe this guy isn't so brilliant after all. Maybe he's really quite stupid...and dense." Alex offered half teasing, half worried and asked. "If you really do love this numbskull so much...do you think you have enough patience to deal with his insecurities...and explain to him...one more time...why you still can love him?"
"Well...I suppose I could explain...just one more time...if he promises to really, truly listen and pay attention this time." Isabel considered.
"I know he'd really appreciate it if you would." Alex answered and she nodded thoughtfully.
"Well to start with...there are his ears..." Isabel blew into Alex's ears one after the other. "They listen so very well to everything I say...except, it seams, to how much I love him...Then there are his eyes;" Isabel kissed each eyelid. "The windows into his beautiful soul...they see more than just the outer me, this shell; Alex sees the real me inside...those things which make me who I really am."
"Then there's his brain;" Isabel ran her hands through his hair and massaged his scalp. "Which holds so much information; making this man, as I stated before, so brilliant...Can't forget his mouth." Isabel kissed Alex deeply. "Besides giving me great physical pleasure..." Isabel smiled sexily into Alex's wide eyes. "This mouth also speaks gently truths to me when I need to hear them and sings sweet songs as well. All of these attributes combine into such a handsome, yet sweet face, which is so dear to my heart...and these ears, eyes, lips and the brain all are perched atop one magnificent body...who's strong arms and legs hold me so close and yet so tenderly to Alex's strong and tender, loving heart."
"Isabel, I..." Alex started to say in shock, but she placed a finger over his lips to silence him.
"All of those things and many, many more are why I love Alex Charles Whitman, with all my heart, my mind, my body and my soul." Isabel finished and Alex found that he could say nothing after all. But by silent, mutual understanding, they moved closer into each other's embrace and held on tightly for several minutes, just listening to each other's breathing and giving thanks for this soul-mate, who loved them so much.
*
Several hours later, Kyle, Tess, Michael and Maria met in the upstairs hallway, on their way down to breakfast.
"Hey, Valenti, was that the two of you making all that noise earlier this morning?" Michael asked.
"Michael!" Maria exclaimed, blushing at her fiancé's uncouth question.
"I don't kiss and tell, Guerin." Kyle answered; quick with a sarcastic reply as always.
"I think...it was Alex and Isabel." Tess replied. "Their room is next to ours and I heard them just as we were drifting off to sleep after our...um...aerobics workout."
"Is that what you call it?" Maria giggled and Kyle was glancing down at his lover as if she had lost her mind.
"Well...my heart, lungs and...certain special muscles Do get quite a workout!" Tess giggles before she hid her flaming cheeks in her fiancé's warm chest.
"Oh man!" Michael groaned. "We gotta discuss separate housing for each of us with Max again. This is gettin' embarrassing."
"Our rooms do have those sound nulli-fier-things...we just keep forgetting to turn them on...in the...um...heat of the moment." Maria reminded him.
"We should just leave them on all the time then...for whenever the...um...mood hits." Tess suggested, peaking out from Kyle's embrace.
"Oh man, what a thing to talk about...and before breakfast! Let's go down to eat." Michael said.
"Hey, you're the one who began this discussion, Michael." Kyle reminded him as they all trooped down the stairs.
"No I didn't." Michael exclaimed; his low blood sugar interfering with his memory... (Or at least that was his excuse to himself).
"Yes you did." Kyle countered.
"Did not."
"Did too."
"Didn't!"
"Did!"
"Morning everyone, did I hear Daniel and Colonel O'Neill just now?" Sam asked as she came in the front door and looked around for her friend and lover.
"Uh, no; that was just these two arguing." Maria replied. "I think Daniel and Sha're are still asleep and I haven't seen Jack at all."
"We're awake; I thought I heard Jack out here...where is he? Isn't he here?" Daniel asked sleepily as he and Sha're stepped out of their bedroom just then.
"No Daniel, he's not here yet, but we do have a meeting scheduled with Max for this morning." Sam replied.
"Oh well then come on into the dining room and have some breakfast with us." Tess invited as she and the rest of her friends turned towards that room.
"Sure, sounds good...I could use some more caffeine." Sam replied.
When Tess opened up the door, Michael threw up his hands in front of his face in an effort to block the sight before them.
"Max! Liz! Would you two knock it off?" He all but roared.
Before them sat Max and Liz at the dining table, but they were using just one chair...as Liz was straddling Max's lap and they were necking passionately. The young king and his future queen did not spring apart at the appearance of their friends, but only stopped kissing and rested their foreheads together while they each caught their breaths. Finally though, Max placed a chaste kiss on Liz's lips before helping her to reposition herself so that she was sitting sideways on his lap, but still inside the strong circle of his arms.
"Morning everyone; come on in and have some breakfast...the muffins smell...delicious." Max said with admirable calm.
"I think Max should take his 'muffin' and go back upstairs to their room if he's going to continue sniffing her." Michael mumbled.
Indeed, Max was nuzzling Liz's soft neck, right below her ear and Liz was having a difficult time paying attention to and greeting her friends.
"Oh Michael! Go fill up a plate for each of us and be quiet." Maria pushed him toward the buffet before taking her accustomed seat next to Max and Liz.
"You'd...better sit in your own chair, Max." Liz told him softly, reluctantly.
"Yeah." Max agreed.
He stood up with Liz still in his arms, turned and then placed her back in her chair before taking his seat at the head of the table and to Liz's left. Maria wiggled her eyebrows up and down at her best friend and the two young women grinned at each other. They were both so happy for the love the other had found in her chosen mate; especially when that love was demonstrated so openly.
Just then, the group heard the front door open and several voices out in the hall. Moments later, Jack, Jacob Carter, Teal'c, Alex and Isabel came into the dining room.
"Teal'c." Sam greeted her teammate who bowed to the room and then went to sit down at the table. "Dad!" She called out next and rose up to hug her father.
Hey, Sammie." Jacob hugged her back.
"Hi, Selmak." Sam greeted her father's symbiote.
You're looking well, Samantha." Selmak replied in her deep, echoing voice. "Are you?"
"I'm very well, thank you, Selmak." Sam replied with a quick glance to Jack who was standing just behind her father. "Hey Alex, Isabel." She tried to greet them casually.
"Morning everyone." Alex and Isabel spoke at the same time as Alex drew Isabel around to her place on Max's left and seated her tenderly.
"What do you want for breakfast, Issy?" Alex asked her.
"Lot's of everything...I seem to have quite an appetite this morning." Isabel told him.
A quiet snort came from Michael's direction and there was a great deal of eye contact back and forth around the table, but otherwise nothing else was said as Alex walked over to the buffet, followed after a moment by several others.
"It's a good thing you're here Jacob/Selmak, as well as the rest of you." Isabel said glancing over SG-1 after everyone had sat down and begun to eat. "I have some important news."
"Well, give us all a few minutes to eat and then we'll be able to give you our full attention." Max suggested. He knew his sister's voice well; her tone indicated that her news was big.
Twenty minutes later, everyone was done eating and just finishing their coffee. They cleared the table of all the plates and then turned to Isabel and waited for her to begin.
"I dream-walked Ska'ra last night." Isabel said.
"Ska're!" Sha're exclaimed. "Is my brother all right?"
"He says he's fine; still fighting his snake, Klorell." Isabel assured her before continuing on. "He told me that Klorell and Apophis have been planning something and that now they have all the information they need to carry it out. For as long as the Goa'uld have been around, the queens...the few female Goa'uld who's biological role is to give birth to all the new Goa'uld symbiotes..."
"Like Hathor." Daniel said with a bitter taste in his mouth.
"Think of queen bees." Sam added and Isabel nodded.
"These queens have always been considered to be goddesses in their own rights; laws unto themselves. They have their own Jaffa and slaves and only share their...young...with the other Goa'uld who...please them; give them tribute and have treaties with them. To keep enemy Goa'uld from steeling their young, they hide their whereabouts even more so than all the other Goa'uld. Despite this, Ska'ra told me that Apophis has recently learned where all of the queens have their hideouts and he plans to take them captive, one by one, until he has them all under his control."
"Apophis would need many more Jaffa to incubate all the immature symbiotes." Teal'c reminded everyone.
"Ska'ra said he had a plan to cover that too. Having Jaffa to incubate the little worms is preferred, but not absolutely necessary." Isabel told them.
"Incubation within a Human Jaffa ensures that a mature symbiote will have no trouble melding with and overtaking their new host." Teal'c said.
"Yes that's why Jaffa were genetically created millennia ago, but even before that time, most mature, but un-incubated snakes were able to successfully take Human...or Unas hosts." Isabel countered and then continued. "Ska'ra said that Apophis believes that all Jaffa will have to come to him, eventually...and pledge their loyalty to him...when their mature symbiotes are taken from them to be implanted into their new hosts...to gain a new immature snake to carry in their pouches or they'll die."
"Why wouldn't the mature Goa'uld just overtake their Jaffa, then neither of them would have to worry...for quite some time anyway." Kyle asked.
"Jaffa are considered to be merely slaves by the Goa'uld and would never...except under extreme emergency...be considered good enough to be implanted with a mature symbiote." Teal'c explained. "And besides, who would fight the battles for the Goa'uld if not their Jaffa?" Teal'c asked.
"Anyway, Ska'ra gave me the locations of all the queens and begs us to capture or kill them all before Apophis can do so himself." Isabel finished.
"No more new Goa'uld...at all?" Jack asked. "Sweet!"
"That would still leave the hundreds of Goa'uld out there already, not to mention the thousands, maybe millions of Jaffa, all carrying immature Goa'uld in their pouches. What do we do with all of them?" Daniel asked.
"Well, as we've planned from the beginning...slowly but surely we're drawing Jaffa away from their Goa'uld masters and our Antarian physicians are making it possible for them to live without their symbiotes." Tess reminded them all. "The numbers are still small but they are growing every day.
"Yeah, between their fighting amongst themselves and your mind-washing-whatevers, the snakes are really beginning to look more like clowns than gods in front of their Jaffa now." Jack smirked.
"If there are so many Jaffa, why aren't there more mature, hosted Goa'uld running around?" Kyle asked.
Just like ants or bees, their mortality rate is very high and the queens bare their young with that in mind. Plus, a father is just as likely to kill his own mature children if they displease him...or a son will kill his father and take over his throne." Max explained. "The term 'dysfunctional family' doesn't come close to covering all the intrigue and murder within the Goa'uld 'family'."
"Still looks like an almost impossible mission; to kill all of those Goa'uld and heal all of the Jaffa." Kyle muttered, dispirited.
"We'll finish the job." Jack said determinably, looking around the table as most everyone nodded their agreement.
"What about the Tok'ra? Without any queens..." Maria asked.
"All Tok'ra were born of one queen and she was killed many centuries ago and very few Goa'uld have chosen to follow our ways." Selmak explained. "Our only hope is to find willing hosts to sustain us and even then, we are a dieing race.
"Couldn't new queens be born sometime in the future?" Alex asked.
"Yes, but they are very, very rare." Selmak answered matter-of-factly.
"So, when can we see this Intel Ska'ra gave you so we can make plans?" Jack asked.
"As soon as you all can help me interpret what he said so I can write it down." Isabel replied.
"Great, let's get to work then." Jack said, rubbing his hands together.
TBC (positive feedback please!)
