Chapter 8- The Nox
The three hour flight to Nox on the Scout Ship was silent as a tomb. Which, in some ways, it was.
With the ship still cloaked, they landed to the side of the planets stargate. As soon as they touched down, the doors were opened and everyone rushed outside, away from the smell of blood and vomit inside the ship, and into the clean air of the Nox world.
Those who knew the Nox were not suprised to find Lya already in the clearing, waiting for them.
Daniel spoke first. "Hello Lya."
She smiled and nodded pleasantly at them, but her eyes were focused on Colonel O'Neill. Bloodstains don't wash out, and he was covered from head to toe from the shootout earlier on the scout ship. Lya's plae complexion grew even whiter.
Jack saw her reaction. "Guess I should change, huh?"
Daniel spoke again. "Lya, this is Sara Gardner, Cassandra Fraiser, and Sarah O'Neill."
Lya smiled at them. "I am pleased to meet you. Please, all of you, come with me." Jack did a quick change in the scout ship, replacing his bloody clothes with clean ones from the supplies Makepeace and his men had brought. They were all led to the woodland dwelling of Lya and her family. The young Nafrayu, the wise Opher, and Anteus were all waiting for them.
Nafrayu jumped up and down when he saw them coming. "Hello again! It is good to see you!"
Jack smiled. He loved kids. So did Sarah, and she was soon being led around the homestead by the young boy, being shown everything from herbs to his sleeproom to the fruits they were preparing for afternoon meal.
Daniel was doing his diplomatic job. "Lya, Anteaus, Opher, it is good to see you. We have come because..."
"You have been sent away from your homeworld. We know. You wish to find sanctuary here." Opher was very wise.
"Uh, yes. With your permission of course."
Anteus smiled and spoke for the first time. "Fear not. You may stay, on one condition. You must leave your warring ways behind."
Before Jack could say anything, Teal'c spoke up. "I do not feel the need to bring war here, O'Neill."
Jack was thinking. "Me neither, Teal'c." But there was more to it than that, wasn't there? Giving up weapons and battle would mean giving up on exploring the universe. There was no way he was going to step through the gate without a gun. "Will you give us time to think about it?"
"Of course. In the meantime, we were about to eat. Please, join us."
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Dinner was simple, but interesting. Sarah and Cassie were thrilled to meet another alien race.
Sara Gardener looked extremely content. This pleased Daniel. She was still recovering from her ordeal with Osiris, probably would be recovering for years. The peace and tranquility of the Nox world would be good for her. As far as Daniel was concerned, he too could stay on this planet happily forever. Cassie and Nafrayu left the dinner table to go see something. The two of them were getting along quite well.
This time, Sam had managed to sit next to the Colonel. She sat on his right, Sarah on his left. Lya sat across from them and observed them. After the meal was over, she took action.
"Colonel, please, come with me. I wish to show you something." She glanced over at Opher and Anteus. They communicated silently for a few moments. Anteus's eyes lit up for a moment, and he seemed to ask You sure?. Opher just nodded.
Lya took his hand and led him down a well worn path. Jack opened his mouth to ask a question, but Lya raised her hand. "Hush now, Colonel. All will be explained. First, savor the peace of these woods." She led him further along the path. He took the time to look around.
These trees must be thousands of years old! O'Neill had seen many old growth forests on Earth, but nothing compared to this. They walked a very long distance. Lya still hadn't spoken after an hour, and O'Neill wondered where they were going. He noticed that the trail they had been on had dissapeared.
They came to a clearing. Lya stopped. Closing her eyes and drawing a deep breath, she waved her hand. In front of him, Jack watched the largest tower he had ever seen appear. The tower led up, up, up to the floating city that SG-1 had been shown on their first visit to this world.
"Uh, wow." Jack was at a loss for words.
Lya smiled. "Come." She led him up the stairs in the tower. After a long climb, they reached the city streets above. Even here, it felt like you were in a forest. There were many Nox visible. Most glanced at Jack as they walked by. Lya led him down a side path. The path ended abruptly at a boulder. She waved him up. He climbed it, then bent down to help her up.
Once she was standing next to him, he turned around.
And gasped.
He had never seen anything like it before.
They had come to the cities edge. Stretched out before them, more than a mile below, was the forest. You could see everything. From this high up, Jack could even make out a slight curvature on the horizon.
"Cool. I can see my house from here." Jack grinned.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
"Yeah sure you betcha." He looked for another minute, then turned to Lya. "Lya, this is incredible, but I've got to ask you, why did you bring me here?"
"I wish to help you, Colonel. Please, sit." He did, and she knelt next to him. "You are close to Major Carter?"
"Uh, yes."
"And also to your previous wife, Sarah."
"Yes." Jack could see where this was going, but not why.
"And you need to decide between them. They both care greatly for you."
"Yeah."
"What do you intend to do?"
Jack thought about it. "I care about both of them Lya. But like I told Carters dad, I can't live in the past. I have to move on. I just hope I can do that without hurting anyone."
Lya nodded. "You must do what your heart desires. You will never be at peace unless you do."
"I know."
"Good. You are a very honorable man, Colonel, but sometimes you care too much. You cannot live to please everyone. You must do what you feel is right."
Jack smiled at the irony: A Nox telling him that he cared too much.
Lya tilted her head, as if she had heard something.
"What?"
"Come with me." Lya slid down the boulder and hurried down the path. Jack followed, wondering what was going on.
She led him to a metallic round slab in the middle of the floating city/forest. Lya stood before it and waved her hand. There was a flash of light.
Jack's eyes went wide. "Thor!?"
"Greetings O'Neill, Lya."
Lya smiled and nodded. "It is good to see you, Thor. What is the purpose of your visit?"
"I have come with a message for Colonel O'Neill." The little gray man turned to the human. "O'Neill, the Goa'uld Anubis is preparing to attack Earth. He will attack in three days."
The three hour flight to Nox on the Scout Ship was silent as a tomb. Which, in some ways, it was.
With the ship still cloaked, they landed to the side of the planets stargate. As soon as they touched down, the doors were opened and everyone rushed outside, away from the smell of blood and vomit inside the ship, and into the clean air of the Nox world.
Those who knew the Nox were not suprised to find Lya already in the clearing, waiting for them.
Daniel spoke first. "Hello Lya."
She smiled and nodded pleasantly at them, but her eyes were focused on Colonel O'Neill. Bloodstains don't wash out, and he was covered from head to toe from the shootout earlier on the scout ship. Lya's plae complexion grew even whiter.
Jack saw her reaction. "Guess I should change, huh?"
Daniel spoke again. "Lya, this is Sara Gardner, Cassandra Fraiser, and Sarah O'Neill."
Lya smiled at them. "I am pleased to meet you. Please, all of you, come with me." Jack did a quick change in the scout ship, replacing his bloody clothes with clean ones from the supplies Makepeace and his men had brought. They were all led to the woodland dwelling of Lya and her family. The young Nafrayu, the wise Opher, and Anteus were all waiting for them.
Nafrayu jumped up and down when he saw them coming. "Hello again! It is good to see you!"
Jack smiled. He loved kids. So did Sarah, and she was soon being led around the homestead by the young boy, being shown everything from herbs to his sleeproom to the fruits they were preparing for afternoon meal.
Daniel was doing his diplomatic job. "Lya, Anteaus, Opher, it is good to see you. We have come because..."
"You have been sent away from your homeworld. We know. You wish to find sanctuary here." Opher was very wise.
"Uh, yes. With your permission of course."
Anteus smiled and spoke for the first time. "Fear not. You may stay, on one condition. You must leave your warring ways behind."
Before Jack could say anything, Teal'c spoke up. "I do not feel the need to bring war here, O'Neill."
Jack was thinking. "Me neither, Teal'c." But there was more to it than that, wasn't there? Giving up weapons and battle would mean giving up on exploring the universe. There was no way he was going to step through the gate without a gun. "Will you give us time to think about it?"
"Of course. In the meantime, we were about to eat. Please, join us."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Dinner was simple, but interesting. Sarah and Cassie were thrilled to meet another alien race.
Sara Gardener looked extremely content. This pleased Daniel. She was still recovering from her ordeal with Osiris, probably would be recovering for years. The peace and tranquility of the Nox world would be good for her. As far as Daniel was concerned, he too could stay on this planet happily forever. Cassie and Nafrayu left the dinner table to go see something. The two of them were getting along quite well.
This time, Sam had managed to sit next to the Colonel. She sat on his right, Sarah on his left. Lya sat across from them and observed them. After the meal was over, she took action.
"Colonel, please, come with me. I wish to show you something." She glanced over at Opher and Anteus. They communicated silently for a few moments. Anteus's eyes lit up for a moment, and he seemed to ask You sure?. Opher just nodded.
Lya took his hand and led him down a well worn path. Jack opened his mouth to ask a question, but Lya raised her hand. "Hush now, Colonel. All will be explained. First, savor the peace of these woods." She led him further along the path. He took the time to look around.
These trees must be thousands of years old! O'Neill had seen many old growth forests on Earth, but nothing compared to this. They walked a very long distance. Lya still hadn't spoken after an hour, and O'Neill wondered where they were going. He noticed that the trail they had been on had dissapeared.
They came to a clearing. Lya stopped. Closing her eyes and drawing a deep breath, she waved her hand. In front of him, Jack watched the largest tower he had ever seen appear. The tower led up, up, up to the floating city that SG-1 had been shown on their first visit to this world.
"Uh, wow." Jack was at a loss for words.
Lya smiled. "Come." She led him up the stairs in the tower. After a long climb, they reached the city streets above. Even here, it felt like you were in a forest. There were many Nox visible. Most glanced at Jack as they walked by. Lya led him down a side path. The path ended abruptly at a boulder. She waved him up. He climbed it, then bent down to help her up.
Once she was standing next to him, he turned around.
And gasped.
He had never seen anything like it before.
They had come to the cities edge. Stretched out before them, more than a mile below, was the forest. You could see everything. From this high up, Jack could even make out a slight curvature on the horizon.
"Cool. I can see my house from here." Jack grinned.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
"Yeah sure you betcha." He looked for another minute, then turned to Lya. "Lya, this is incredible, but I've got to ask you, why did you bring me here?"
"I wish to help you, Colonel. Please, sit." He did, and she knelt next to him. "You are close to Major Carter?"
"Uh, yes."
"And also to your previous wife, Sarah."
"Yes." Jack could see where this was going, but not why.
"And you need to decide between them. They both care greatly for you."
"Yeah."
"What do you intend to do?"
Jack thought about it. "I care about both of them Lya. But like I told Carters dad, I can't live in the past. I have to move on. I just hope I can do that without hurting anyone."
Lya nodded. "You must do what your heart desires. You will never be at peace unless you do."
"I know."
"Good. You are a very honorable man, Colonel, but sometimes you care too much. You cannot live to please everyone. You must do what you feel is right."
Jack smiled at the irony: A Nox telling him that he cared too much.
Lya tilted her head, as if she had heard something.
"What?"
"Come with me." Lya slid down the boulder and hurried down the path. Jack followed, wondering what was going on.
She led him to a metallic round slab in the middle of the floating city/forest. Lya stood before it and waved her hand. There was a flash of light.
Jack's eyes went wide. "Thor!?"
"Greetings O'Neill, Lya."
Lya smiled and nodded. "It is good to see you, Thor. What is the purpose of your visit?"
"I have come with a message for Colonel O'Neill." The little gray man turned to the human. "O'Neill, the Goa'uld Anubis is preparing to attack Earth. He will attack in three days."