Four: Unexpected Destinations - - Part Three

Friday (Or whatever Passes for Friday on Tollana)

Today was the big day. Elizabeth wished she could be there to hear the verdict. She really liked Skaara. She had really liked him before, but now, having spent so much more time with him she had the desire to be around him all the time. She knew it was very illogical, just having met him and all, but she couldn't help it. He was attractive, kind, and had a wonderful sense of humor. He thought all her lame jokes were funny for goodness sakes! Most of her friends didn't even put up with those!

Teal'c was on some secret mission. A mission of his own by the looks of it. After she had returned to their quarters after visiting Skaara the evening before she had learned what the big meeting had been about. They thought the Goa'uld were up to no good (big shocker) and were discussing what to do about it. Later they had been ordered not to continue on with their so-called harassment of the oh-so-evil ones, aka the moron squad. Apparently Teal'c did not agree with it (well, none of them had really agreed with it, but Teal'c was the only one who seemed to be taking the initiative to do anything.)

Sam was telling Elizabeth about what had happened. Liz was frowning at something Teal'c had said. She liked him, but didn't agree with his opinion. He had said that the life of one individual (Skaara) was not as important as the many lives of the Tollan. "To hell with them," Liz said with a huff, "if they're too stupid to see the danger then let them die. Take care of our own, I say." She nodded.

Sam was slightly disturbed by her cruelty, but she understood the girls disconcertion. She shoved it away to corner another issue. "So, you like Skaara a lot, don't you?"

Liz knew what she was getting at. She blushed. "Yeah, I guess so. He's really sweet. Too bad there aren't a lot of guys like him on earth. You don't think its too weird that I just met him and I already, well, have a crush on him?" She inquired worriedly.

Sam shook her head. "Nah. I don't think its very hard to like him. The first time I met him on Abydos I thought he was a sweetheart. I don't think it's odd at all that someone your age would like him."

Liz sighed. "It just feels strange to me, and I don't want to feel this way. After this trip I'll never see him again… I'll miss him. Its just not natural to become to attached to someone in such a small amount of time."

Sam patted her on the shoulder, "don't worry."

"Thanks, Sam, but its hard not to. Do you think the Triad has started yet?"

"I don't know, but I don't think you should worry about it. I have a feeling Skaara's going to be fine."

"Yeah." Liz smiled, reassured at Sam's confidence. "I just don't trust the Goa'uld."

Later

Liz soon realized why she didn't feel so good about having the Goa'uld around. She was looking around Tollana again, poking in shops and even talking to a few people. She was on her way up the steps to the main building where Triad was being held when Narim, Sam, and Teal'c hurried up behind her. They looked very anxious and Liz didn't like it when people like them looked anxious. She stopped them. "Hey, what's going on?"

"A Goa'uld mother-ship is here." Sam said. "We're going to tell Travell."

"Shite." Liz cursed. "Scheming bastards." She followed them up to the door.

"I don't think you should - -" Sam began.

"I'm coming with you." Liz interrupted, "I've been left behind too many times during this trip. I'm not staying back again." Sam nodded.

When they pushed the doors open and entered the trial room Liz saw that Daniel; Jack; the Goa'uld, Zipacna; the Nox, Lya; and Travell were present.

"Narim," Travell demanded, "What is the meaning of this? You know Triad is held as a closed session."

"Your Eminence," Narim implored, walking forward. "Please adjust your viewer to the orbital observatory."

Travell turned and pushed a few buttons. Promptly a visual of Goa'uld ships came up. "A Goa'uld mother ship." Travel said.

"Yes, it approaches Tollana."

"Explain." Travel turned to Lord Zipacna.

"My vessel comes in anticipation of our victory of Triad. It is merely coming to take us along." Zipacna said.

Yeah right, you liar. Liz thought. And your not gonna win.
"Why don't you just take the Stargate like the rest of us?" said Jack.

"Not that it is of your concern but there is no Chapp'ai where we are going." Zipacna replied, snippily.

"Well then gate to where there is one and get picked up." The Colonel argued.

"You Eminence, if our intentions were hostile, we would have attacked already."

"Even so, your ships arrival is premature and in violation of Tollan space. I must warn you, that if you ship moves any closer before the conclusion of Triad, our automated defense system will destroy it."

"The Goa'uld rest our case and we are prepared to vote. Therefore Triad is over." Lord Zipacna said hastily. He was such an arrogant son of a bitch.

"Triad is over when all parties agree, Lord Zipacna. Do the human archons have any further arguments?" Travel turned to them.

Jack - - "Nope. I think the Goa'uld made our case for us quite nicely." He tapped the viewer screen to underscore his point.

"No further arguments you Eminence we are prepared to vote." Daniel took the less sarcastic approach.

"Nox archon?"

Lya nodded, "Yes."

"Then bring in the seekers."

It wasn't very long before Skaara and his Tollan guards arrived. He looked very surprised to see Elizabeth standing there. She smiled reassuringly at him. "Hi." She whispered, as he passed. "Good luck."

He nodded and went to take his place. He staggered a moment before catching himself. Liz watched worriedly. He was still very weak. She hoped he would be all right.

"Klorel and Skaara, you can both hear the Triad's ruling?" Travell asked.

"Yes, your Eminence." Skaara said respectfully. A few moments later the light switched to red; his eyes glowed.

"I can." Klorel growled.

"Human Archons, may we hear your vote?"

Daniel and Jack stood up. Daniel answered. "We find in favor of Skaara." They sat down.

"Goa'uld Archon?"

"We're in favor of Klorel."

Didn't see that coming. Liz thought sarcastically.

"Nox Archon?"

Liz felt her heart seize. She'd never felt so anxious in her life.

Lya stood and paused for a moment before saying, "After careful consideration, I believe that both Klorel and Skaara have the right to live. But, living as a host with no right of one's own, is not life. Therefore, only one can remain in the body. To that end, I award priority to the original owner of the body. Skaara."

Yes! "You lost! Ha!" Liz clamped her hand over her mouth and uttered a muffled, "sorry. Didn't mean to say that out loud."

Klorel didn't look to happy about it. Zipacna wasn't pleased either. However, Jack and company looked very cheerful.

"Yes, now get those mother ships outta here!" Jack said.

"We will summon the Tok'ra to come to Tollana to assist in the removal of the Goa'uld Klorel. He will be removed from that host and if he survives, will be sent to a Goa'uld world of his choice." Travell said, pressing a controller on her arm. The device on Skaara's chest turned blue and she added, "I have locked the detachment device. Skaara, you have priority control until the Goa'uld is removed. Prepare yourself. The Tok'ra will arrive as soon as possible. And congratulations."

"Thank you." He said. The look of joy on his face was immeasurable. Elizabeth stepped forward so she was standing right behind him when he turned around. "I'm free." He said, placing his hands on her shoulders.

She smiled, putting her hands on top of his. "I know." She stood on her tip-toes and hugged him around the neck. "Congrats. You're going home." He returned the embrace.

Travell dismissed Zipacna, then left.

Seconds later the Goa'uld pulled out some ball device and shouted into it. "Ritak. Reenok Ha'tak!"

Teal'c was on him instantly, but already all hell had broken loose. As Zipacna slumped to the floor Skaara mirrored his paleness. "He ordered an attack."

"Oh my god."

"Let's go." O'Neill said, heading for the door. No one disagreed.

"Fucking figures." Liz muttered as they ran down the hallway. "You guys kept warning them, but no one listened. Now look what's going on." The ground suddenly quaked under a blast.

"You two. Stay here." Jack ordered, pointing to a doorway. Liz let out an exasperated groan, but did not object. Things were getting way over her head.

"This is such a nice vacation." Liz cracked, "shoulda went to Hawaii."

Skaara gave her a funny look.

"Never mind." She said. Another blast hit the ground. "Holy shyster!" She cried, stumbling as she tried to avoid a column-thing from falling over on her.

Skaara pulled her out of the way. "Are you okay?"

"Uh-huh." She nodded, "thanks. Let's get out of here."

"O'Neill said - -"

"Yeah, well, the Colonel didn't know that we were going to be attacked by falling rocks. We have to get someplace stable." Liz said, Skaara agreed.

SG-1's Quarters

Liz hurried to the window as soon as they were inside, her eyes searching for any signs of a let-up. "Come on you guys," she urged, "do something." She wrung her hands nervously together. "I know they have to do something."

"It will be fine."

She turned to Skaara. He was leaning against the wall. She went to his side, placing a hand on his arm. "You should sit down. I think you are still unwell."

"I will be unwell until this demon is gone."

"You have much hate for them, and I don't blame you, but don't hurt yourself."

"You are concerned?" His eyes met hers.

"Very much so."

He sighed, "you are right. I am sorry."

"Hey, no apologizing. In a little while you'll be free of that thing, and be homebound." She paused, "then I guess that means I will be going home, too. Adventure over. Too bad. I was really starting to enjoy this being on another planet thing."

"You will not be able to join O'Neill and the others?"

"I'm afraid not. As much as I would like to, no." She looked out the window again just in time to see one of the ion canons fire a blue plasma-like streak into the sky. Not soon after a huge explosion rocked the heavens and pieces of debris fell through the atmosphere creating a shower of magnificent sparks. "WOO! They did it!" She cried, "they kicked their asses! Go SG-1!"

That Evening - Post "Fireworks"

"You disregarded my warnings." Travell said to Teal'c.

"Mine, too." Jack said, "well done."

"If you were my subject I would be forced to discipline you. However, you are not one of my subjects." Travell placed her hand on Teal'c's chest and bowed her head.

"It could not have been done without the assistance of Lya." Teal'c said.

Sam looked to Lya. "I thought the Nox were pacifists?"

"I only hid the weapon. I did not fire it." Lya replied simply.

"Ah... Pretty fine line you didn't cross." Sam smiled.

Lya nodded. "Yes it is."

"So... we basically saved your whole planet, right?" Jack said to Travell, that airy look of victory on his face.

"Yes." Travell admitted.

"Are you therefore indebted to us is any modest way?"

"I suppose that is the case."

"So, how about giving us the plans to build one of those ion canons?"

Elizabeth was smiling now. Jack had been whining the whole time about how the Tollan did not share technology.

"You have been told our policy. That has not changed." Travell said.

Jack sighed and Elizabeth shot him a sympathetic look. He grinned at her and shrugged. "Can't blame me for trying, right, Dominic?"

"No, sir."

At that moment Daniel returned with the Tok'ra behind him. Liz had been told the Tok'ra were like the Goa'uld in that they must have a host to survive, but other than that they held no other traits. They shared the body with their partner and fought the Goa'uld with everything they had, which wasn't much. "The Tok'ra have completed the procedure."

"Yeah...?"

"What will become of Klorel?" Lya asked.

Narim answered. "He will be sent to a Goa'uld world."

"The hell with him what about- -"

"O'Neill!"

They all turned to see Skaara come in. He was dressed in Tok'ra attire. Elizabeth smiled approvingly. Yes, very handsome, indeed.

"Much better." Jack said, grabbing the young man in a tight embrace.
After they stepped back Skaara went to Teal'c, they took each others hands respectfully for a moment. He then hugged Sam. Elizabeth was standing nearby with her arms crossed over her chest. She pretend sniffed.

"I see the way it is. I don't get a hug?"

"Of course!" He answered, proceeding to wrap her in his arms. "And I'll return the good luck charm you gave me, also." He leaned down and quickly kissed her cheek, immediately making the nineteen year old blush furiously.

"Just for that," Liz replied, "I think I'll make you keep my pendant." She tapped the medallion laying against his chest.

"Seems like a good punishment." Skaara joked, putting his arm around her shoulder. She didn't usually like close contact, but she enjoyed this feeling.

Jack was laughing from across the room. "Oh! One big happy family!"

"Yeah, minus the snot-nosed brats." Liz added.

"Oh," Daniel said, patting her on the arm. "I think we have our brat right here."

"Daniel!" Liz cried.

Everyone laughed, even Liz, who had become very comfortable with the team known as SG-1. It wasn't just Skaara she would miss when she returned home.

Ha! Done with this chapter. Most of the cast dialogue in this chapter, except Liz's and Sam's conversation at the beginning and the bit at the end, belongs to whoever wrote the episode. I found a very helpful script at http:dannyandnic.de/scripte/scripts.php. Very neat site. I was very proud of myself though for not having to use it a lot. Its kinda sad but I've seen Pretense about eight times now. (Favorite episode in season three.)

Hope you liked this as well as the last chapters. Next Chapter: Either will be ED Part 4 or Home. Liz gets a surprise in that she is able to travel to one more planet: Abydos. They drop Skaara off and Liz sees the planet where it all started. After the next chapter Liz will go home, but trust me, her adventures and the adventures of her friend Lynn are not over yet…

This is just beginning!

Toodles.