Four: Unexpected Destinations - - Part Two
Thursday Continued….
From what Elizabeth understood, the Triad was basically a trial consisting of the two sides and three "jurors" who would finally decide the fate of whatever they were err, deciding. When Klorel had crashed on Tollana Skaara was able to ask for help. Skaara had called for the help of Colonel O'Neill and the others from the SGC. Klorel had enlisted the assistance of a lower Goa'uld named Zipacna, a girly eyed menace Elizabeth royally wanted to kick where it hurt…
Smart ass punk. She thought, tossing a peace of grass into the stream.
She hadn't been allowed into the actual proceedings, although she had really wanted to see how things were going for Skaara. During the small time she had spent with him, or in his presence, she had come to like him. He was extremely nice, and despite the situation, very funny. It really annoyed her when they told her she'd have to find something else to do while they were in there.
For a while she had hung around Major Carter and Teal'c, but then Sam went off to catch up with Narim (Elizabeth didn't blame her - - he was kind of cute) and Teal'c excused himself to wander off to do whatever he was going to do. So Liz was left to her own devices. She had walked around a bit before settling down next to the stream- thing. She was bored, angry, and despaired.
It was one thing to read about the Goa'uld, but to actually meet a few of them, it really hit how cruel they were. She hadn't seen them do anything (yet), but she could see the evil in their eyes and sense it in the air. It was so strong that it was almost tangible. She was angry that anything so vile could be allowed to exist. It made her sad thinking about what Skaara had to endure. She couldn't fathom having one of those things inside her. However, she was sure that he was going to win. If any good in the universe existed then that had to be the only choice.
She sighed, pulling her ebony hair out of her face. She had always thought that dreams were made of stars and among the stars there was only truth and justice. It seemed that things were even messed up out there. It was very disconcerting.
She heard the sound of voices approaching and she raised her head to see someone familiar approaching, a few Tollan at his side. She hopped up from her seat and hurried up to greet him. "Hey! Skaara!" But when he turned around she could see it was the other one. "Oh, its you." She said flatly.
"You are?" He snapped.
"Someone who doesn't like you." Elizabeth crossed her arm across her chest, her blue-green eyes filled with challenge. "Now let me talk to Skaara."
"Who?"
Grrrr. "Your 'host,' you nitwit." Don't make me say it again. In a bad mood you asshole.
"Your 'host,' you nitwit.""Oh… him." He paused, as if thinking about it then said, "No."
She narrowed her eyes, and was about to say something very profane to the jerk when he suddenly started. There was a strange moment when he swayed slightly, and then the light thing (someone had explained it to her at one point, but she had forgotten) switched colors. Skaara. He staggered forward and Elizabeth reached out, steadying him.
"Are you all right?"
"Yes, yes, I just feel a little weak." He answered.
"Maybe you need to sit down for a while." Liz said worriedly, her hand still on his forearm.
"Perhaps." He nodded.
"So," Liz asked as they took a seat on a nearby bench, it was very similar to the ones by the stream. "What's with the guards?" She jerked her head to the two Tollan who had taken positions a ways down the path.
"They are for my protection as much as theirs." Skaara answered.
"Doesn't it bother you, ya know, to be watched constantly?"
"Not really." He looked down at the ground. "I am just glad to be here."
"Well, I guess that makes sense, it would just annoy me. I can't stand it when someone's watching me all the time. Frankly, it freaks me out."
"So, if I were to stare at you for any length of time you would become uncomfortable." He grinned.
"Don't you dare think of doing it." She poked him in the arm good-naturedly. "My brother used to do it all the time, and he'd get that very same look on his face."
"Oh, I promise. No staring." He swore honorably, then changed the topic, "I never got to ask you why you are here. O'Neill never got a chance to explain it to me. He just said you were from Earth like them, but were not a warrior, and would be joining them on this trip."
"That pretty much fits it. I don't know if you know it or not, but the Stargate is a secret on our planet. Only a few on our world know about it."
"Yes, I knew this." He nodded, biding her continue.
"Well, I kind of fell upon the information. I was one of those that wasn't supposed to know… hey, what are you smiling at?"
"Oh, nothing." Skaara said, waving her on. "Please…"
"No. What was that about? Tell me."
He finally said, "I was going to say, I bet you told them you were going to let everyone know if they did not let you go with them, but that was - -" He paused, "you did do that. I was only kidding." He laughed softly.
"No you weren't kidding!" Elizabeth cried, surprised. "How did you know that's what I did? Do I have a sign on my back 'I'm Liz; I blackmailed the SGC' or something?" He was still laughing at her. "No, let me guess. You would have done the same thing so it came to mind?"
He suddenly got serious, well as serious as he could. "No. No." He waved his hand at her again. "Never."
"Liar…" Elizabeth smirked.
"Am not."
"Are, too." She poked at him again. "You're ears are red! You're lying.'
"What?" He asked. "My ears are red, what does that - -"
"When some people get anxious or lie, the top of their ears, right here," she reached up, trailing her fingers along the top of his ear, "get red. It's no fail. I'm telling you, you're like my brother Benji. He does the same thing."
"Red, huh?" He replied, his hand catching hers, "I will keep that in mind."
She blushed, realizing she'd left her fingers touching him for a few seconds longer than she should have.
He leaned down and whispered playfully, "so tell me, what does it mean when not only your ears turn red, but your whole face?" She was shocked when she felt his knuckles brush her cheek. He was teasing her.
"I think you know what it means." She replied, "I've gone and embarrassed myself. Sorry."
"No, I - -"
He was interrupted by another voice.
It was Colonel O'Neill. "There you are! We've been looking all over the place for you, and here we find you flirting with the first girl you see." He grinned at Skaara, "you should be ashamed." He cracked, pretending to be disappointed.
Skaara knew he was kidding, but it was his turn to blush now. Elizabeth couldn't help but laugh a little bit herself. He was so damned cute!
)-()-()-()-()-()-()-(
"I never got to ask. How did the thinga-ma-jigger-whatsit go?" Elizabeth frowned. She and Skaara were walking a little ahead of Colonel O'Neill and Doctor Jackson, on their way back to the main compound where they were all staying.
"You mean the Triad?" Skaara corrected for her.
"Ya, that thing." Liz bobbed her head with an under-the-hand smirk.
"They did not reach a conclusion today."
"Oh. Apparently, considering my run-in with jerk-boy."
"Jerk-boy?" O'Neill snickered.
"Klorel." Skaara clarified, a tinge of hatred lacing his accented voice.
"Can he…hear me?" Liz asked.
"Yes." Skaara replied, and smiled in amusement. "And he does not like you."
Liz smiled strangely. "Good. Cos I don't like the lousy, son-of-bi--"
"Elizabeth!"
"Sorry, sorry." Liz said, "did not know cursing on another planet was illegal…damn." She turned away from the older men and said to Skaara. "See, I'm always in trouble and I never do anything! Rawr."
Jack and Daniel at same time: "Rawr?"
)-()-()-()-()-()-()-(
Liz had only been lounging a matter of minutes when Carter and Teal'c returned all worried-looking. Immediately Liz had been ordered to "re-locate." Again, she was being kicked out. "I tell you!" She groaned. "You say, sure, Liz, come on a mission with us, hang with us, but gods forbid tell her anything."
"Gods forbid?" - - Daniel.
"Elizabeth…" Jack started, but she but in.
"Oooh! Oooh! Can I go hang out with Skaara! Is that allowed, or is it against that tri-whasit?"
"Triad." Daniel said.
"Uh-huh. Can I?"
"I do not care. Shoo." Jack said good-naturedly, waving his hand at her.
"Yay!" And she was off.
"You know… she's getting really attached to him." Daniel said; he had that concerned look on his face.
"I think it's kind of cute." Carter said with a smile.
"Frankly, I don't think that attachment is completely one-sided, if you know what I mean." Jack said, propping his feet up on a chair.
)-()-()-()-()-()-()-(
Skaara had been left alone in his designated quarters half an hour before. Seeing everyone had been a pleasant surprise. The girl they brought with them, Elizabeth, turned out to be very funny. He hadn't smiled so much in, well, over two years. However, things got drastically boring after he, Elizabeth, O'Neill, and Daniel had parted ways. After getting back to the room Klorel had taken control for a little while, and Skaara had let him. He felt weak, very weak.
Later he had gained control again and was sitting at one of the tables, staring at the swirly designs when he heard an odd sound outside the balcony window. He looked up, and to his surprise. "Elizabeth?"
"Hey! Lookit! Here I am, bored enough to climb a tree, and who do I find!" She smiled, leaning against the trunk.
"Watch o---ut." He sighed.
"Whoops." Liz had slipped, and was now hanging upside down on one of the branches. "Errr… help."
)-()-()-()-()-()-()-(
"I do believe you are the weirdest girl I have ever met." Skaara said, once Liz was safely inside and seated across from him. "What were you doing out there?"
"I told you. Got bored. Climbed a tree. I seriously did not know you were here. Small planet huh? I actually went looking for you, but the Tollan said it would be 'a good idea not to disturb you.' Heh."
"Well, I'm glad you are disturbing me… perhaps even disturbing me a little bit," He said, brows furrowing in concerned. "Why aren't you with the others?"
"Oh, you know… big military stuff. Me kid. No brain." She tapped her head with a sigh.
"I know how you feel. Sometimes they just ignore you. If they think you cannot handle it then…" He trailed off.
"Hey, Um, there's something I've wanted to say but never got the chance because there was someone always around."
"Yes?"
"Earlier, when we first got here. It's not that Ja-- O'Neill didn't care about seeing you again. He really is very happy. You should have seen him when Narim told them it was you requesting their presence. He really cares about you, Skaara. He's just trying so hard to get you back."
"I know." He smiled lightly, a soft bitter-sweet smile that made his soulful eyes seem even more brilliant.
"I just wanted to say it. Make sure you knew. You looked really sad. I didn't think anyone else noticed. And I know how that is, to be hurting, and have no one see." Her hand had found his, and their fingers had entwined gently. She realized this and blushed again, beginning to pull her hand away, but he caught it.
"Thank you."
She nodded, the pink rushing along her cheeks in a fury. If Lynn could see her she would tease the pants off of her. "There's no need to thank me." She replied. "I - - I - -" Dammit, Liz, speak. "Can I give you something? It's for luck."
"It won't hurt. I need all the luck I can get."
"Okay." She said, "close your eyes."
He sighed, "fine."
"All right," She reached in her shirt and pulled out a shiny silver medallion. It was small and appeared to be something Celtic. She took it off her neck and slipped it around his. "Open."
He looked down and took it in his hands. "What is it?"
"I don't know. I found it at a yard sale once, and I had it appraised. Turns out its an actual ancient artifact. Well, it's old. Don't know about ancient. But anytime I wear it I have nothing but good luck. Nothing bad happens. I was wearing it when I met Jack and Daniel, when they told me I could come with them, when I met my best friend."
"You do not wear it all the time?"
"No. That wouldn't be fair to fate." She said simply with a smile.
"You do not trust fate to be fair to you?"
"No… you see fate is life, and life is not fair. Justice is fair, but fate is not justice. Uh, that was confusing, sorry."
"No, I get it. Thank you." He settled the pendant back against his chest. "I promise to give it back to you when I win."
She smiled, "maybe, maybe not." She grinned. "Maybe I let you keep it." She tapped him on the nose. He had to smile, no one had ever done that to him before. It was weird. Just like her.
"Well, I guess I better go before I get caught. I don't want to get you in trouble. I'd feel awful."
"I will see you tomorrow then."
"Tomorrow." She leaned forward and placed a small kiss on his cheek. "That was for luck, too." She smiled, before disappearing out the window again.
Okay, so I was going to do the whole triad deal in this chapter, but I got off track. Didn't mean to make it all romancy. Their only supposed to be friends (at least for now.) But I can't help it if the characters got chemistry, right?
Whadaya think?
Love ya all.
Next Chapter: Part Three. Maybe I can see if I can keep it from extending into part four. Eh?
Buyezebyes.