Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate SG1 or Stargate the movie, or anything else you lawyers can think of! But I do, however, own the heroine of this story, Aster! Yay!"…Speech…"
'…Thought…'
'…Quote…'
''…Foreign language…''
oOoOoOo
Aster groaned, sitting up slowly and rubbing her eyes. Why was it dark? She brought her hands right up to her face and still couldn't see them. It wasn't dark… she was blind. Aster gulped, stretching out a hand to try and feel where she was. He hand met with the leg of a serpent guard, a live one, and she yelped.
"What the…? What's going on? Where am I? Where's…" Aster didn't know which name to use on the Goa'uld and human combo of Skaara and Klorel.
"Aster?" Bra'tac's familiar voice pierced the silence.
"Bra'tac! What's going on?"
"You and your friends were hit by a shock grenade…"
"O'Neill shot Klorel," Aster babbled, "Klorel was killing Danny, and then O'Neill killed them. Skaara and Klorel… what happened to them?"
"Lord Klorel has been placed in the sarcophagus."
"Oh…" Aster was getting her sight back, looking around the room and taking everything in, "Where's everyone else?"
"Your friends are in a holding cell… Excuse me, young Aster, I must give Lord Apophis news of his son's fate."
Aster nodded, "Where do I go?"
Bra'tac looked back at her, troubled, "I… do not know."
"I understand. I'll just stay here for now," Aster murmured sadly. She watched the sarcophagus as she waited for it to bring Skaara and Klorel back from the world of the dead.
oOoOoOo
"Kel mak tak, Tau'ri! Let us burn their world to ashes!" Klorel fumed, sitting up in the sarcophagus. He climbed gracefully out of the golden box and immediately saw Aster, "What is she doing here?" he demanded of the serpent guards around them.
Aster looked up at him. She looked tired, lost and hopeless, "They didn't know where else to put me."
Klorel scoffed, "Not with your loving Tau'ri companions?"
"No," Aster shook her head.
Klorel turned his attention back to his guards, "Why did you not take her with the other Tau'ri?" he barked, walking past Aster and over to them.
"Don't yell at them, they probably don't even know," Aster told him, annoyance seeping into her voice.
"Be silent!" Klorel snapped back at her.
"We heard them arguing," one of the serpent guards finally admitted, "We did not think she was in allegiance with them."
"Arguing?" Klorel turned back to Aster, suddenly intrigued. He smirked, "So you have betrayed both sides and lost all allies, what a fitting punishment…" the Goa'uld purred. Aster only continued to stare downwards sadly, Klorel's smirk broadened and he turned away.
"You're right, it is fitting…" Aster murmured quietly, the hollowness of her voice spooking Klorel, who was used to hearing it so alive and full of passion.
"My Lord, the Tau'ri weapons approach," one of the serpent guards announced.
Klorel shook himself out of his revere and tried to activate the control panel. He did what he had always done, second nature to him, controlling the host. He went to outstretch their arm to activate the shields, but something stopped him.
"…Their weapons approach, my Lord, you much activate the shield," the guard looked worried.
Aster frowned in concern. She knew what Skaara was doing, to save her planet by ultimately getting them destroyed, but she was still afraid. She watched Klorel carefully.
He could sense his host straining his mental ability for control, and he was powerless to stop him. Klorel ground his teeth in concentration, attempting to reassert control over the arm.
'Do you want to kill us ALL?' Klorel demanded.
'If it stops you from destroying millions of lives on this planet, of course,' Skaara replied firmly, struggling to stop his hand from being controlled.
'Including your dear Aster and your friend, O'Neill?' Klorel hissed to his host. When he felt Skaara's grip falter, he seized control of the limb and activated the shields a moment before the weapons hit, eyes glowing in rage.
Aster slowly let go of the breath she was unconsciously holding, still eyeing Klorel wearily. The Goa'uld stumbled backwards from the control panel, looking dazed.
"Klorel…?"
"Do not talk to me," Klorel snarled, getting his act together and storming past her and out the doors.
Aster looked at the floor instead, not making a sound. She wanted to at least thank him for saving their lives, or say something to make him feel better, 'Old habits die hard, eh?'
Klorel strode down the corridor towards the transport rings, his mind in turmoil.
'Where are we going?' Skaara's thoughts intruded on his mind.
'I cannot stand this any more. I cannot stand you,' Klorel reflected angrily, 'I am getting a new host, I do not care if you wish to mock me or tell me how weak I am. I do not care because soon, I will never have to care about you again. I will get a new, better host and everything will be fine. Just fine.'
'You've gone mad.'
'I am a Goa'uld. I was born mad.'
'What will happen to Aster?' Skaara couldn't help his thoughts from coming through.
'…I do not know…' Klorel replied sadly, 'She will probably continue to try saving you, host.'
Klorel ringed himself onto his father's ha'tak, his head bowed, "Father… the host you chose for me is too strong…" he could feel himself begin to falter, he couldn't change hosts in the middle of the attack, "I fear I may need more time in the sarcophagus to gain strength."
"You are strong enough!" Apophis replied impatiently, "You are my son!"
Klorel inwardly sighed, surprised to not hear his host taunting him from within, "Yes, father."
"Do not disappoint me."
oOoOoOo
Klorel reluctantly entered the Pel'tac, trying to fix his gaze on the control panel and not Aster. Even more surprising than his host being so unusually quiet was that Aster hadn't even looked at him when he had entered. He was over at the controls now, and she still hadn't said anything. It was so uncharacteristically disturbing; usually he couldn't shut her up.
Klorel watched the Tau'ri planet approach, running his hand over the controls, making sure everything was alright. He couldn't stop himself from glancing over at Aster every second minute and he didn't know why.
'She looks so sad…' Skaara's mind ached, he hated to see any of his friends in pain or despair.
'It is her own fault.'
'You know it is not!'
Aster watched the Earth, dazzled. She had never expected to be sitting on a spaceship looking at the Earth from outer space… then again while in company of someone like Klorel was even more far-fetched. The clouds moved over the face of the Earth and she could see, roughly, where her home was. It brought a smile to her face to think that, if she were any younger, she'd be jumping up and down yelling, 'I can see my house from here!'
After which Klorel would probably blow her house, her bills and her dead goldfish, all to ashes.
Klorel glanced at Aster just in time to catch her distant smile. He glowered, "And what do you find so amusing? Do you really enjoy the thought of your home planet being destroyed?"
Aster made a face, "What? No, I can just see my house from here…"
"Where?" Klorel looked back to the view of the planet.
"If I told you, you would destroy it," Aster replied quietly.
Klorel opened his mouth, about to deny the allegations, but remembered how angry he was supposed to be with her and shut it, turning and fuming at the window.
Aster rolled her eyes in a 'it figures' look and turned her attention to the door. She smiled good-naturedly at Bra'tac, who smiled back in turn.
Klorel, dead bent on showing off to Aster, called Bra'tac over to the window, "Come, witness the power of your God."
Aster, again, rolled her eyes. She couldn't believe he was still calling himself a 'God' like that, 'What an ego…' the teen thought in amusement.
"I cannot."
Aster gave a start, 'Oh, don't do this… not now!'
Klorel seemed equally surprised, "Why do you defy me?"
'This is turning out to be a very bad day,' Klorel, Skaara and Aster all thought simultaneously.
"Because you are not a god. You are a parasite within a child and I despise you," Bra'tac told the Goa'uld venomously.
Aster repressed a giggle at Klorel's expression. The last thing she needed was Klorel turning his anger loose on her again.
"Jaffa, kree tai! I am your GOD!" Klorel was loosing it by now. To have his closest friend and now his first prime turn on him in one day… He raised his hand device and activated it over the Jaffa's head, mad with fury, "And you will feel my wrath!"
Aster jumped up, "Hey!" she exclaimed in shock, and was about to add, 'You know what happened to you the last time you tried this!' when O'Neill, Carter and Teal'c stormed the room and all hell broke loose… again.
Aster, all most getting used to the constant ambush and firing of weapons, grabbed a zat gun and looked about the room. She saw Teal'c grab Klorel with a feeling of déjà vu, from either Teal'c's previous encounter with Klorel or right back to when Teal'c grabbed Skaara on Abydos, Aster couldn't tell.
"Jaffa, tal shak!" Klorel barked, struggling against Teal'c's grip, "Asuta!"
Aster fumbled for words, gazing apologetically at Klorel's pleading look, and then to Teal'c's stern glare. She knew she had little to no chance of overpowering Teal'c, but what was more important was whether or not to save Klorel. He'd even used Skaara's nickname for her…
O'Neill entered the room, causing everyone to shift their attention to him. Aster looked hopelessly lost.
"He's… staying behind."
"Danny?" Aster's quiet voice inquired. Taking her answer from the expression on O'Neill's face, Aster ran out of the room.
"Aster!" O'Neill shouted, catching her off-guard by using her first name, "This ship's about to blow and you're not staying here-" But Aster was already gone. O'Neill sighed gruffly and decided to leave her, with the essence of time at hand.
Klorel looked towards the doorway anxiously, his and his host's mind buzzing with conversation.
'But Asuta will be destroyed when this ship is blown up!' Skaara's thoughts cried.
'And what can we do about it? Nothing!' Klorel's mind read his host's, 'And do not jump to such fruitless conclusions, I too worry about Aster's wellbeing. I would rather torture her myself for her betrayal than have her die in an explosion.'
'As long as she is alive. I know that you would forgive her, in time.' Skaara watched as thoughts and images flashed through Klorel's consciousness, but the alien did not give him a direct response. All Skaara could do is watch in despair as the transport rings fell down around them and the group was ringed onto the other ship.
oOoOoOo
"Danny?"
Daniel turned his head towards the loud exclamation and saw Aster running towards him. The girl crashed down beside him on the floor, "Oh God, are you alright? …What are you doing?" Aster inquired, seeing the odd position Daniel was stretched out in.
"Crawling…" Daniel grunted in pain, "Sarcophagus…"
"Good idea… Here," Aster half-dragged Daniel to his feet and let him lean on her, the both of them struggling towards the sarcophagus.
oOoOoOo
With Daniel in the sarcophagus, Aster had nothing to do but wait. She had checked the timer on the C4 and calculated that they had just enough time to get Daniel healed and run to the Stargate. Aster sighed and sat down beside the sarcophagus, exhausted. More exhausted from the stress than anything. She leaned her head backwards against the side of the sarcophagus, 'At least Skaara and Klorel won't be blown up by the blast, they still have shield generators to protect the ship they're on…
The sound of transport rings being activated jolted Aster to reality and she quickly hid herself behind the sarcophagus. She heard the familiar sound of rings warping people into the room and then heard the rings retract into the ceiling.
"Come," Apophis ordered hastily.
Aster recognised the alien's voice and poked her head around to see Klorel and Apophis walking out of the room, heading for the Stargate. As soon as they were out of the room Aster rose to follow. She paused, touched the closed sarcophagus lid and whispered, "I'll be right back."
Aster darted out of the sarcophagus room, hoping desperately that she wouldn't make any noise as she followed the two self-acclaimed 'Gods'. She poked her head around the corner of the door to the loading bay where the Chaapa'ai was stationed. She could see Apophis dialling up the 'gate, Klorel staring distantly around the room. The timer on the C4 was reading only three minutes left.
Klorel watched his father disappear through the rippling event-horizon of the activated Stargate, then turned around and walked quickly out of the room. Aster anticipated this and hid in a small alcove before he could see her, waiting for him to walk past.
'Well where do you think she could be?' Klorel's mind raged.
'She would have gone to help Dan'el… the sarcophagus, perhaps?'
"Who are you looking for?" the calm voice behind him made Klorel jump. The Goa'uld prince turned to face the voice, regaining his composure.
"Ah, Aster. How nice of you to join us," Klorel smirked with bitter sarcasm.
Aster folded her arms, "Are you going back to Chulak with your father? Don't you think he'll be getting suspicious of your absence?"
"Apophis can think what he likes to think," Klorel muttered bitterly.
"Why are you coming back for me?" Aster asked weakly.
"Like I told my host; leaving you to die in the explosions of these ships would be too less of a punishment for your betrayal…"
"Klorel, I'm not going with you."
"Not even for your host?" Klorel chuckled.
"With your current attitude it would only hurt Skaara for me to be near you. But don't worry, I'll be finding ways to rid you from his body, even if I'm not with you," Aster smirked, then turned serious again, "Go, before the ship blows up."
Skaara's will and convincing forced Klorel to accept the command and leave without her, "But, you will escape also, before the ship is destroyed?"
Aster nodded, smiling sadly, "Yeah, I'm just waiting on Danny."
Klorel scowled at the elation that brought his host, with the prospect of all his friends living, as he had seen the gliders depart on the screens before ringing onto this ship. The Goa'uld looked Aster in the eye, "I never saw you here… even if I looked."
Aster, despite herself, hugged the alien in gratitude and farewell, "It'll be weird not having to wait hand and foot on a spoilt brat…"
"It shall be weird having piece and quiet again," Klorel half-joked in response.
Aster pulled away from the embrace, "Tell Skaara I'll miss him."
"You know he can always hear you," Klorel murmured back.
"I know…"
With nothing more to say, Klorel nodded to himself and left for the Chaapa'ai and Aster left to retrieve Daniel from the Sarcophagus so they could escape before the C4 blew.
oOoOoOo
David Bedingfield
- If you're not the one
If you're not the one then why does my soul feel glad today?
If you're not the one then why does my hand fit yours this way?
If you are not mine then why does your heart return my call
If you are not mine would I have the strength to stand at all
I never know what the future brings
But I know you are here with me now
We'll make it through
And I hope you are the one I share my life with
I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand
If I'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am?
Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?
If I don't need you then why am I crying on my bed?
If I don't need you then why does your name resound in my head?
If you're not for me then why does this distance maim my life?
If you're not for me then why do I dream of you as my wife?
I don't know why you're so far away
But I know that this much is true
We'll make it through
And I hope you are the one I share my life with
And I wish that you could be the one I die with
And I pray in you're the one I build my home with
I hope I love you all my life
I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand
If I'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am
Is there any way that I can stay in your arms?
'Cause I miss you, body and soul so strong that it takes my breath away
And I breathe you into my heart and pray for the strength to stand today
'Cause I love you, whether it's wrong or right
And though I can't be with you tonight
And know my heart is by your side
I don't want to run away but I can't take it, I don't understand
If I'm not made for you then why does my heart tell me that I am
Is there any way that I could stay in your arms?
oOoOoOo
THIS IS NOT THE END! There is still a lot more of the story to go, so stay tuned for the next chapter! Hehe. And I know I suck at putting songs to chapters, the only good one was chapter 2's song...
Thank you my wonderful audience for your patience and loyalty! I know you're loyal because you're still here reading this!
Muse: :D Thank you for still reading this! It's incredibly honouring to have an author as great as yourself take such notice of my stories, bows Yes, the last chapter was one of the saddest, if not the most, in this story… sniffle
Kat: Yay! Thankee Kat for that review, it was great! Klorel berating Skaara was almost part of the outtakes, which is now 1362 words long, lol. But I needed that for plot development and to break up the story a bit to make it more palatable. And I know there's something wrong with the flow of my sentences because this is the second time they've been mentioned. They're too long and comma-filled, aren't they?
Blanc: :) And Klorel is such a great character to write about, check out Apocalyptic Muse's stories, they're really awesome at giving Klorel that third dimension! Thank you for the review, also, it's wonderful to hear from new people all the time!
