Chapter X

"Alright, let's go," Colonel O'Neill yelled to the rest of his team. Daniel still seemed to be a bit preoccupied…translating something. He'd explained more thoroughly in the mission briefing, but Jack had stopped listening after the first two minutes of Daniel's rant of the archeological possibilities that this planet held. "Chevron seven is locked," came a voice over the intercom. "Daniel," O'Neill warned, "we're going…now." Daniel dashed out into the gate room, running up the ramp to catch up to the rest of his team. He was grinning, "All done," he said, "let's go." Jack rolled his eyes at his younger friend's enthusiasm as they passed through the Stargate.

This kind of mission was more Daniel's field than his anyways. Archeological. Usually Daniel would go to a planet like this with a scientific sg team, but because it was suspected that this world was formerly a Gould occupied stronghold, he needed the military back-up of the rest of his team. Or something like that. However, from the looks of things, the planet had been abandoned by the Gould for a very long time. In fact, he thought, surveying the environment around him after passing through the event horizon; it didn't look like any of its inhabitants were left, not even human ancestors of those originally brought here to labor. The only thing he could see in any given direction was mile after mile of sparse forest. And dirt. Lots of dirt. Very boring.

Oh well, he walked slowly, watching Daniel gleefully sprint towards some ruins half-buried by the base of a tree. Then…"Sir!" Carter called, "I think I heard something." Teal'c inclined his head and listened, "Something approaches." O'Neill looked up, "Okay people, take cover," he ducked behind a gnarled tree. They team watched the sunny dirt path that twisted through the trees and saw a figure running, just coming over a small hill that had previously hidden her. It was a girl, looking very distressed. She was small, dressed in filthy clothes that at one time must have been white, and was carrying a zat. She kept looking over her shoulder as she ran, as if expecting something to jump out at her.

She reached the DHD, exhilarated, and began to dial. Seven symbols later, nothing happened. The stargate was as inactive as ever. She froze. "Oh shit. Oh no, oh shit. Shitshitshitshitshit…" Daniel was about to come out from his hiding place to greet her when O'Neill discreetly shook his head at him. He had heard something else in the forest. "SHOVAH! CREE!" a deep, and very angery voice resonated through the forest.

Oh God, thought O'NeillIt was Skaara. O'Neill had not seen Skaara- no, Klorel, he reminded himself, he had not seen him since the failed attempt to destroy earth. He thought he had died then…but even if he hadn't died, what was he doing here? He hadn't noticed O'Neill, not to mention the rest of his team. He was intent on the first figure, the girl. At Klorel's words, she spun around and raised her zat. What was she thinking? thought O'Neill, Klorel was bound to have a hand device and personal shield. He looked closer. No, nothing. Klorel didn't appear to have any technology on him. Klorel glared at the girl. "YOU DARE BETRAY YOUR GOD!" he questioned. The girl ignored this, "I shot you once Klorel, you make me do it again and you die. Real death, no sarcophagus, and no coming back. Two shots kill, Klorel, even you."

Hmm, thought O'Neill, smart girl. Now she woulddial, still keeping an eye on Klorel, and back away towards the active wormhole. Any minute now. Any second. O'Neill waited for the girl to dial. Except she didn't. She didn't do anything at all. O'Neill sighed and stood up, "Howdy folks!" the girl looked startled, but kept her weapon aimed at Klorel. The rest of his team stood up as well. Klorel spoke, "YOU ALIGN YOURSELF WITH THESE! YOU WILL DIE A THOUSAND DEATHS FOR YOUR BETRAYAL!" The girl frowned. She seemed to be thinking of something else entirely. She muttered something to herself and looked around. The newcomers had huge weapons pointed at Klorel. Obviously they knew what he was. But what should she do?

She turned to Klorel, "Obviously you know these people, Klorel. I don't. I'll just…leave you in their capable hands, I gotta go," she began to back away towards the edge of the forest, zat still raised. "Wait," yelled O'Neill. She girl wasn't about to argue with him, being as he and his people were all still clutching very large, very nasty-looking guns. These people seemed more human than the other slaves she had met on the ship for some reason, they seemed very real, not familiar, but…normal. Doesn't mean you should trust them though, she told herself. She waited, "Yes?" No one moved. O'Neill began, "Uh…listen, kid, do you live here?" "No," the girl responded, and explained her situation. O'Neill tightened his grip on his gun, the poor kid didn't seem to have any place to go. "Well, if you don't mind, we're going to take Skaara back with us to our world…" The girl was puzzled, "Who?"

O'Neill explained, "Skaara, the host body."

"The what?"

"The host body,"

"I heard what you said…"

"Oh. Let me explain. Um. You see, kid, the Gould are parasites: they take over people's bodies, and a Gould called Klorel took over the body of my friend, the boy Skaara….Get it?...Klorel isn't a god. None of the Gould are."

"I know that!"

"Well, than can you understand—"

Daniel jumped in, "Eh-heh, excuse me, " he began, raising his hands peacefully and turning to the girl, "What my friend is trying to say is that we are going to take Klorel back home with us, and try to restore the body to Skaara somehow."

At this moment Klorel interrupted, "And you will fail!"

Daniel chose to ignore this remark and continued speaking to the girl. "Anyways, since that will undoubtedly leave you all alone on this planet, you, too, are welcome to come back to our world if you like. Or, if you know the coordinates to your own world, we can send you back there.

The girl just stared for a moment. So her theories about the Goulds were correct. And she couldn't just kill Klorel now, as she was considering, because that would also kill this Skaara person. She spoke to the younger man, "You have a ship?"

Daniel frowned, "No, we came via the Stargate."

"Then how are you getting back?"

"What?"

"How are you getting back? The Stargate dialer doesn't work."

"What?" said Daniel.

"What?" said Carter.

"Say what?" said O'Neill. Teal'c just looked mystified. O'Neill continued, "Carter, check it out."

The girl watched as the blond woman made her way to the DHD. "Sir," she started, "she's right, it won't work."

The older man glared, "Then make it work, Carter."

They woman shook her head, "No sir, I can't. The control crystals are gone."