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
"There has also been a request for another of the Tau'ri to be present at the Triad. A young one by the name of 'Aster', I believe," Narim stated hopefully. The details given about the girl were scarce to say the least.
O'Neill grinned at Daniel, "Told ya."
"Wow, Aster will be glad to hear this. She's been wanting to speak with… them for ages," Daniel corrected himself.
"She has been asked to assist in the Triad also," Narim explained, "It is vital that she attend."
"Understood," General Hammond nodded, "We will make sure that she does."
"This is going to be a looong mission," O'Neill grumbled to himself. A huge and somewhat goofy grin had spread across Daniel's face. Everyone else looked about in puzzlement.
oOoOoOo
Aster moaned into the chequered pillow her face was buried in, 'Why can't I sleep in? Just once? I'm not working today…' the girl rolled out of bed, crashing ungracefully on the floor and not getting back up. Muttering curses, she propped herself up on her elbows. Combing her messed-up hair with her fingers and blinking the sleep out of her eyes, she looked out the window. Drizzling rain and a heavy fog ad settled about the town, chilling the apartment blocks. Aster groaned.
The girl made her way into her little kitchen, wincing at the cold touch of the kitchen floor on her bare feet.
"Hello?" Aster murmured into the receiver, rubbing her eyes with her free hand.
"Aster?" Daniel chuckled, "Sleeping in again, eh?"
"Not any more," the girl croaked, squinting at the kitchen clock, "Why're you ringing me?" she yawned. The cold seemed to creep into her pyjamas, taking all their warmth away.
"We just got a visitor, one of the Tollan, Narim. You've been invited to a Triad," Daniel beamed as he spoke to the phone.
"As in… off-world? Cool, …what's a Triad?" Aster asked, beginning to wake up a little more.
"It's like a trial…"
"Great, who's on Tri-ad?"
"It concerns Skaara," Daniel finally told her.
"Skaara?" Aster repeated in disbelief, "Really? Oh, well, when do you want me down there? On second thought, I'm coming right away." Aster hung up the phone.
"Make sure you get dressed first!" Daniel managed to yell before the connection cut.
oOoOoOo
"Hello!" Aster grinned breathlessly to Narim as she flung herself into the room; "I made it!" Her hair was still wet from the shower, having no time to dry it off on the way.
"…That was fast."
"The bandanna is a good idea," Sam smiled.
Aster reflexively pulled the green bandanna further down her forehead, concealing the golden insignia melted into her forehead, "Yeah, I can't really go out of the house without one any more," Aster blushed. And the looks the other Tok'ra had given her weren't that nice either.
"Yeah, I was wondering about that… why don't you get it removed?" Daniel suggested.
Aster blinked, "I…" 'Am at a loss for words.' "No."
"Why not?" O'Neill replied, long expecting that answer.
Aster drew in an uneasy breath; "It's fine where it is, okay? Now, moving right along…"
Daniel looked uneasily at his young friend, planning to have a talk to her as they made their way to the Gateroom. When they departed, Daniel waited behind for Aster, "You alright?"
"Tired," Aster mumbled, "And running out of excuses."
"Hmm… looking forward to the Triad?" Daniel smiled, hoping to improve the mood.
"Yeah, I was watching 'the Practice' last night. Law program, pretty funny. Heh, James Spader is such a funny actor…"
"…Who?"
oOoOoOo
"Wow, this place is so neat!" Aster grinned to Daniel, taking all of the alien architecture in, "I love the water features… it's so refreshing from the way the Goa'uld decorate."
Aster was at the back of the trail of people walking down the corridor towards where Skaara was. Aster was caught between excitement and fear. It was quite obvious who the opposer to Skaara was by the colourful tapestries hanging on the walls with the Tau'ri symbol and Apophis' official insignia.
"Skaara?"
Aster heard Carter calling to her friend; she poked her head around to see him. Dressed in the same outfit he had been when he and Apophis had set out to destroy Earth… Aster wondered what he had to have been doing here, and wearing such official garb.
"You… you will pay for what you have done to my father!" Klorel seethed.
'Oh yeah, that's him,' Aster smirked to herself. She watched intently at the change between the occupants of Skaara's body, the device on his chest turning from red to blue. This sparked a question in the teen's mind, 'What triggered the change? A timer? Remote? Or was it just silencing Klorel and letting Skaara speak whenever he wished?'
"I am very happy to see you," Skaara finally spoke. He managed to catch Aster's eye, "All of you."
Part of the fear Aster held was that Skaara also hated her, for the path she was choosing. He was her best friend; after all, it hurt to have to choose one or the other. She looked with a guilty sadness at the Abydanian, who was seemingly rebuffed by O'Neill.
"It is I, O'Neer. Are you not happy to see me?"
"Yeah, it's good to see you."
Aster moved past Teal'c and closer to Sam, still not comfortable with going right up to Skaara. He spoke of freeing himself of Klorel, 'So that's what the Triad is about… Why would Klorel be stupid enough to visit a planet that would strip him of his host? …I hope it wasn't my fault… Aw, Klorel…'
Something in the back of Sam's mind bugged her when Skaara chose his two 'archons', and how Aster was keeping a safe distance from him. Narim had said it was vital that she attended… was part of the Triad to call up witnesses?
Aster was also wondering her place in this alien hearing. She gave Skaara a nervous smile when he caught her eye again on the way back to the room the Triad was to be held in. She had no words to say, and could think of none.
'Now is not the time for important discussion anyway. Just hold it together for now.'
Aster's eyes bugged out a bit when she saw who else was coming into the room, "Zipacna?" she choked, 'Oh, not good.'
"As Skaara has chosen two archons, Klorel decided upon the same," Travell explained.
"…One of the serpent guards?" O'Neill puzzled.
"We would speak in private," Klorel announced. Aster gulped.
Travell nodded, "As you wish."
Klorel looked back at Aster, "Come," he briefly ordered, moving out with Zipacna and the guards to another room. Aster sighed deeply and followed.
"Wait just a minute!" O'Neill protested loudly, halting the progression entirely "What is going on?"
"…I think Aster was brought to be an archon for Klorel," Sam told him quietly.
"And what if she doesn't want to be one?" O'Neill asked through gritted teeth. Travell looked towards Aster for confirmation.
'No, no, no, I can't fight against Skaara! I can't! No, I won't!' Aster opened her mouth to say something, but saw Klorel looking at her out of the corner of her eye. Looking at her strictly, his features set. 'I can't…' Aster closed her mouth and nodded to Travell, her eyes downcast.
"Jack…" Daniel murmured in worry.
O'Neill growled in the back of his throat, but remained silent, glaring at Aster. The teen could feel herself start to physically shake. Klorel took her arm and led her out of the chamber with Zipacna and the serpent guards following. He didn't look at her; he didn't talk to her. Aster felt as if she was going to be sick.
They were shown into a room in similar style to the 'courtroom', Apophis' emblem shown proudly on a tapestry hanging on one of the walls. Klorel shot the insignia a dark look as he walked past it, having left Aster in the doorway. The Goa'uld prince walked over to the water feature at the end of the room and folded his arms.
"Be seated," he ordered Aster, shooting her a neutral look.
Aster sat in one of the chairs; Zipacna and the guards remained standing. Zipacna cleared his throat, about to start some long conversation with Klorel. Aster glowered, in no mood to wait for the other Goa'uld to go first.
"Why?" Aster asked loudly, a slight bite in her words. Zipacna shot her an angry glance, but Klorel was not concerned. He knew she would not sit still and listen before saying her piece.
"You know why," Klorel told her calmly, not a shred of emotion on his face.
"What, so I can argue your opposing side? This isn't some suicide mission you've dreamed up, is it?"
"Tau'ri!" Zipacna barked at the girl's insolence.
"Bite me."
Klorel smirked at that; 'her attitude has not changed.' "If you do not support our side, your friends will be destroyed."
Aster could tell when the Goa'uld was bluffing, and this wasn't it, "Well that's weak. How do you know I will not tell the Tollan that you plan to kill my friends during the Triad?"
"Have you told your friends about Erebus?" Klorel's smirk widened at the look on Aster's face. Klorel paced casually about the room, with the air of authority, "I know you will not tell them."
Zipacna's frown deepened, why was his Lord trusting the Tau'ri girl? She was a Tau'ri, and she had also betrayed him earlier. The girl did not even look emotionally stable enough to be able to betray her comrades. "My Lord, we have the battle plan under way. Be assured that should you loose this Triad, the Tollans and the Tau'ri will pay dearly." Zipacna did not say any details, just in case the host was to give away the information.
"Good. Shal'kek," Klorel ordered Zipacna to leave, nodding to the guards to leave also. Zipacna felt the bile rise in his throat at the thought of being thrown out in favour of a Tau'ri. The minor Goa'uld bowed respectfully.
"Yes my Lord," Zipacna murmured. He straightened and stormed out of the meeting room.
Aster did not look up at the Goa'uld. Confused, afraid and worried, she did not look up at him. She heard him walk over to her, the knots in her stomach felt even tighter.
"Asuta, please look at me," Klorel asked softly, kneeling down beside her. He reached behind her head and undid the knot of the bandanna, removing it. Aster recoiled from him, anger and mistrust still sparkling in her eyes.
"Hurt? At being used?" Klorel raised his eyebrows, his face void of any emotion.
"At least mine was selfless, and not just an act to get myself out of trouble," Aster hissed.
"Your's was not selfless," Klorel replied coldly, ignoring the look of protest he received from Aster, "You wanted my host, you cared for him deeply. I saw your hurt in his memories of telling you he was betrothed, you wanted to prove yourself to him."
"That is not true," Aster denied, tears stinging in her eyes.
"It is."
"Well it's not the whole truth!" she exploded, "That may have been a part of what I felt, but I went after him because he was my friend! My best friend. Nothing else mattered, just him," Aster replied defensively, "Klorel I didn't do it to hurt you!"
"You betrayed me, who was that supposed to hurt?" Klorel seethed, storming away from her side and resuming his pacing around the room.
Aster scoffed at the Goa'uld Prince's flaring temper. 'Spoilt brat, don't you know how much it hurt me to leave you?' The girl exhaled slowly. She calmed, "…Can you forgive me?"
Klorel was silent for a long while. Aster let him think, using the time she had to compose herself for having to defend Klorel in Triad.
She needed time with Zipacna to pull together a solid argument, with their different opinions and backgrounds they could well pull off a great argument… 'But it still leaves Skaara in torture…'
'I wish I could know if she were being truthful…' Klorel's mind pleaded in frustration.
'I believe she is.'
'It could be another act to save you.'
'And all those times you said you would give anything to have her back?'
'Gone, now. I can not trust her.'
"My Lord?" Zipacna interrupted the pin-drop silence, standing at attention in the doorway.
"Yes?"
"The Tollans grow impatient, we should start constructing our argument before the Triad starts," Zipacna informed the prince calmly.
"Understood. Go with him."
Aster nodded, taking Klorel's less-than-harsh tone to be an improvement. She followed Zipacna out of the spacious room to find a smaller one with greater privacy. Zipacna showed Aster in and shut the door behind them.
"Alrightie, so what do we have?" Aster sighed, ready to get down to business.
"Know before we begin that I have no intention of trusting a Tau'ri with a diplomatic argument of this magnitude and importance to the Empire," Zipacna snarled, "No matter what Klorel may think of you."
"Right, now that I know that, can we start?" Aster asked impatiently, "Don't worry, I watch these kind of court-things on TV all the time. Except for the fact that there were no aliens. How familiar are you with the Triad proceedings?"
"I have a vague outline of how it works and the rules," Zipacna replied stonily.
"Good, that's more than I do. Okay, three great reasons why Klorel should get to have control over Skaara's body, what do we have?" Aster asked, taking a seat at the small table centred in the middle of the room. Zipacna took the opposite chair.
"Because the human host was Goa'uld property and because Goa'uld are more important than Tau'ri," Zipacna stated, clearly believing that they needed no further reasons.
"Good theory, but the opposition are really going to hate that. Danny is smart, he'll argue how much better the Goa'uld are… I say we go with the sympathy vote. …That Klorel will die without a host. How much to the Tollans know about Goa'uld physiology, anyway?"
"Not much, but your friends the Tau'ri know much. Too much," Zipacna growled.
"…What is it like to be a Goa'uld, anyway? And don't give me the 'nothing of the host survives' speech, either," Aster added sharply.
Zipacna thought for a moment, sizing the girl up, "It is hard to describe, since I have little to compare it to. You are never alone in your mind; the host is always there. It is best to break the host early, that way it will be less distracting as the years progress. Our minds, our technology, our beings are so much greater than yours, and yet we cannot live without you… it is frustrating."
"Good, we could use some of this in the argument. Not the breaking bit though, you've got to make yourselves look likeable or they won't take our side," Aster reasoned, "Now, there is the argument that without a host, Klorel will die. Knowing Danny and O'Neill, they're going to argue that it could be, even should be, anyone but Skaara. We have to argue that with one life for another isn't right."
"There will always have to be one suffering in order for the Goa'uld to survive," Zipacna nodded.
Aster sighed, 'I'm just sorry it had to be you, Skaara.' "I hope they don't pull the volunteer argument, that another life that is willing to be a host should suffice, because we have nothing good to counteract that…"
"What of the other Tau'ri? You know them, their weaknesses," Zipacna leaned forward slightly, something sinister sparking in his eyes.
Aster groaned, "And what, betray my own people?"
"You've done it to Klorel."
"That was for the good of Skaara, which this completely counteracts."
"If Klorel does not win the Triad, hundreds of innocents will die. Think of that, then tell me any weaknesses we can use against them in this argument," Zipacna ordered coldly.
"Ooh… I'm going to be in so much trouble when I get back…" Aster moaned, head in her hands.
"When you get back?" the Goa'uld frowned in puzzled.
"Back home, to the Tau'ri planet. You know, after the Triad. …Oh, please don't give me that look. I know that look. I'm not going back, am I?"
"Klorel has no intention of allowing you to return to the Tau'ri planet, no matter the outcome of the Triad."
Aster felt a small thrill run up her spine, "Really? He said that?"
"Yes."
"Then… what will happen to me?" Aster asked meekly.
"We will return to Chulak. Klorel did not tell me of his plans for you," Zipacna frowned, "But you are not to let the other Tau'ri know of this, or we will go to our second plan. Annihilate everything and leave."
"Not that I'm asking you to, but why not do that anyway?" Aster questioned, hoping she wasn't triggering anything by saying this.
Zipacna smirked, "You do not need to know why not. Are you able to lie to your friends during the Triad?"
"All I worry about is Skaara right now. He will always be my best friend, no matter how much Klorel means to me," Aster vowed solemnly.
"There will always be one who has to be the host," Zipacna reminded her, getting up from the table.
"I know. But there are others out there that deserve that fate more than Skaara ever will. I could even name a few in my own apartment block that I would gladly have trade host with Klorel any day…"
Zipacna sniggered, "Just remember, Tau'ri, I have superior word over you. Do not speak until you are instructed to."
"Whatever." 'Like you of all people could shut me up.'
Aster then went back to where Klorel waited, Zipacna going to tell Travell that they were ready for the Triad to begin. 'I hope Skaara doesn't hate me for this,' Aster thought desperately.
"K—My Lord?" Aster corrected herself, walking into the Goa'uld prince's room.
"You do not need to call me that," Klorel told her, a little sadness in his voice.
Aster smirked, "Master?"
Klorel laughed, "Oh, yes, that's much better," he purred in jest, "No, please call me by my name, like you used to…" Klorel took her hands gently, searching the girl's wide blue eyes. For what, Aster couldn't say. She could feel a warm blush creeping over her cheeks.
"Um, alright," Aster grinned, "Zippy has just told the Tollans that we're ready for trial—Triad, sorry."
"Good," Klorel nodded. He led the way to the Triad room, flanked by the Tollan guards.
oOoOoOo
"This dispute involves two sentient being who inhabit the same body. Both have requested sole use of the body, therefore we must establish the right of priority over the body to whom does it belong."
"Ostensibly the one to whom it was born!"
'Oh Gawd, here we go…' Aster put her head in her hands.
Zipacna stood up suddenly, startling Aster, "Your Eminence, I must request that the human contingent follow decorum appropriate to such an auspicious body as this one."
'Objection, eh?' Aster mused to herself, preparing herself for the rebuttal she would be giving after O'Neill and Daniel had given their side of the story. Travell 'sustained' Zipacna's claim; Aster smiled to herself 'Nice suck-up.'
Then Zipacna gave his opening statement. Aster gave the Goa'uld a dangerous look, "What happened to our argument?" she hissed quietly.
"Be quiet, Tau'ri," Zipacna growled in warning. Aster scowled, sitting back into her chair in a huff.
"—I would first like to hear Skaara's perspective," Travell announced, cutting through Aster's thoughts. She was still wondering if she could stand up in front of everyone and question Skaara.
'There always has to be one who is the host…' Aster felt her mind drift into a revere, trying to argue the point of her case without getting herself sucked into it, 'Why should Skaara keep his body? Why shouldn't he?' Aster groaned, her brain at war with itself.
"Just so we can all be clear, who was Ra?"
'The only Goa'uld I've met so far that isn't completely mad.'
oOoOoOo
"Finally," Aster muttered, standing up when Travell called her side of the Triad to question Skaara. Zipacna stood up faster, placing a hand on her shoulder and pushing down, causing Aster to crash back into her seat, "HEY!"
Travell frowned, "Archons, is there a problem?"
"There is not," Zipacna answered, his tone clipped.
"Really? Good, I'm asking first—"
"You will be seated."
Skaara cleared his throat quietly, intercepting before Travell could get too angry with the pair, "I… Klorel wishes for Aster to speak first," he told them meekly.
Aster grinned, "Thanks!" she walked over to the area where Skaara stood, smoothening out the black military-issue t-shirt she was wearing, "No hard feelings, right?"
"None at all," Skaara smiled encouragingly.
"Thanks… Okay. Skaara, you are aware that there always has to be a host for every Goa'uld, as they cannot live without one, correct?"
"That is correct."
"Then why do you believe you are above every other possible host out there? That your life will matter more than the next person that will have to be Klorel's host, as there will always have to be one," Aster asked him crisply, fighting hard to keep her face and posture free of emotion.
"Because I believe that Klorel should have a host willing to be his host. A volunteer," Skaara replied soundly.
"A volunteer? Who?" Aster paused for a moment, letting Skaara's mind stumble over that one, "Since you are his current host, is it not your responsibility to find this volunteer for Klorel? You can't just leave Klorel to die on the streets and claim he is someone else's problem. He would die."
Skaara thought hard on this one, "If I win this Triad, the Tok'ra will remove Klorel from me. They could find a volunteer, because that is their philosophy on hosts."
'Damn, good answer,' Aster's mind commented. She saw O'Neill and Daniel grinning out of the corner of her eye.
"There is also the question of wether or not you are worthy of custody of your own body. It's quite a privilege, since there aren't enough to go around. The sarcophagus has healed them completely from sight, but I remember on Abydos seeing your collection of scars. There were a lot of them, weren't there?"
"Yes… some from the mines, fighting against Ra's forces and some accidents from my childhood," Skaara nodded.
"Accidents that left scars? That doesn't sound like you're taking very good care of your body. In fact, you could be quite dangerous," Aster smiled, "During the time I was with Klorel, I never saw him so much as prick a finger. He took very good care of your body. Did Klorel ever engage in such activity that got himself so horribly scarred?"
Skaara looked at the table, then back up, smiling softly, "Yes."
Aster looked shocked, "He did? When? Where?" she asked quickly, concern breaking through her emotionless mask.
Skaara placed a hand over his heart, "There."
"Aw, that's so cute! Can I hug you? Aw…" Aster smiled as the two of them exchanged a brief but friendly hug.
"He has forgiven you," Skaara whispered in her ear, making sure for it not to be heard or noticed by anyone else.
"Hey, your honour, that can't be allowed!" O'Neill called out, sounding like a five-year-old 'grossed-out' by the kissing scene at the end of the movie.
'Oh, why not…?' Klorel thought with dismay, 'With us sitting down and her standing up, it's quite a view…'
'KLOREL!' Skaara's mind cried out, appalled.
"Tau'ri, take your seat," Zipacna ordered Aster, rising abruptly from his own chair.
"I'll be back."
Aster then sighed dramatically, reluctantly returning to her seat. She took her seat at their table and watched Zipacna completely destroy the case, bulldozing through her carefully crafted argument. It was almost as if he wanted them to loose. Aster rolled her eyes, 'Too much naquadah in the brain, that one.'
oOoOoOo
"The Triad will have a brief intermission for the parties to rest and prepare themselves for the conclusion of the Triad," Travell announced, more to give herself a break from O'Neill and Zipacna's constant bickering.
Skaara got to his feet. He paused, unsure of where he stood; 'Do I go with lord Zipacna now, or O'Neer?'
'Zipacna. I have much to discuss with him.'
'And Aster happening to be on the same side is just a perk, hmm, Klorel?'
'Oh, but of course.'
'Nice perk, though.'
'Indeed, very perky.'
'…'
Before Skaara could follow Zipacna out of the room, O'Neill finally spoke out, "Nuh-uh, kid, you're coming with us this time."
"You are mistaken Tau'ri," Zipacna replied sharply, "I am Lord Klorel's appointed guardian, he is to remain under my watch the entire duration of this Triad."
"Oh yeah? Well I'm Skaara's guardian," O'Neill snarled, taking the challenge.
"Actually, you were never appointed as Skaara's guardian, and Abydanian law states that Skaara is of an age to take care of himself…" Aster pointed out promptly.
"Smith, shut up," O'Neill muttered under his breath, still glaring daggers at Zipacna.
"And since Klorel is Goa'uld royalty, it is required that he has an appointed guardian at all times, be it a first prime or another Goa'uld appointed by his father—"
"SMITH! Be quiet, that's an order!" O'Neill yelled.
Aster's mouth sealed abruptly from shock. O'Neill had never yelled at her so fiercely before.
"Yes, sir."
"No." Klorel's eyes glowed ominously as he glowered at O'Neill; "She will not take orders from you. Ever." The intensity of Klorel's glare was startling. "Asuta was brought here by my request, not yours. It is not your place to give orders to her here, O'Neer," Klorel hissed the last word with narrow eyes, knowing how greatly it would effect the Tau'ri calling him the name Skaara used to use.
Anger flared in O'Neill's eyes, "I am her commanding officer—"
"I quit."
It seemed the entire courtroom of the Triad, all whom had been watching the soap opera unfold, suddenly turned their eyes on Aster, including O'Neill and Klorel, "What?"
Aster could only feel the numbness running through her body. Her voice was resolute; "I quit." Aster looked to Klorel, meeting his concerned gaze.
"What?" O'Neill repeated incredulously.
"Why?" Klorel asked, the concern in his voice sounding so real that O'Neill could have almost mistook him for being human.
Aster's shimmering eyes met with Klorel's, "Kel a'nekh hanae nok," she whispered tearfully, ''I cannot live without you.''
"A'ne…" Klorel murmured consolingly, rushing over to her side and embracing her tightly. Aster clung desperately to the Goa'uld in turn while Klorel murmured comforting words to steady her.
Zipacna stared disbelievingly at the strong bond apparent between the two beings, a love surpassing time and even race… Zipacna heard a muffled sniff from the Jaffa beside him. 'Great, now the serpent guards are getting emotional…'
Lya bit her lip, 'A Goa'uld expressing empathy? It… it's unheard of…' Seeing how much Klorel and the human girl cared for each other complicated matters. 'How should I be able to choose a side now? To separate the Tau'ri girl and Klorel… Probably the only Goa'uld in existence to love so selflessly. If I destroyed that love, I could be destroying the only chance of hope for our universe. But that is only speculation, I cannot overlook the fact that the Goa'uld's host is still a prisoner…' Lya's head buzzed painfully with the stress.
''Come, let us get lunch,'' Klorel murmured gently into Aster's rust-coloured hair.
"Okay," Aster nodded, pulling out of the embrace to dry her eyes. She smiled weakly up at Klorel. The Goa'uld returned the smile and wrapped a protective arm around her shoulders, leading her out of the Triad chamber with him.
''I'm sorry for what happened on the Ha'tak, I really am.''
''As am I, but I shouldn't have treated you as I did before the Triad,'' Klorel sighed, ''I only beg for your forgiveness.''
"Of course," Aster smiled up at him. The two continued walking down the pristine hallways, "What happens now?" Aster asked, breaking the silence, "I mean… after the Triad…"
Klorel's embrace around her shoulders tightened reflexively, "No matter the outcome of the Triad, we will return to Chulak, or perhaps Erebus. We shall remain together, that I promise you."
"And Skaara?"
"Shall remain my host, unless you say otherwise—Asuta," Skaara's voice broke free of the Goa'uld, the light on the Tollan device switching to blue. Skaara let go of Aster's shoulders, instead taking her wrist gently.
Aster pulled back, "Skaara…"
"Asuta, listen to me," Skaara pleaded. Aster stood still, giving the Abydanian her full attention. Skaara sighed, wondering where to begin, "You love Klorel, yes?"
Aster nodded nervously, "Skaara, you know I don't want to condemn you to this."
"Asuta, I am in love with my betrothed as you are in love with Klorel. You know how this feels. I want to be back home, on Abydos, with Wia…"
"And what about Klorel?" Aster asked quietly.
"He will find another host…"
"It will always be 'another host', Skaara. Who are you thinking of when you say that, anyway? The Tok'ra? They would never actually try to save the life of a Goa'uld—" Aster snarled, staring at the marble floor.
"A volunteer! Somebody who actually wants this curse!" Skaara immediately regretted his outburst, mumbling some obscure apology in Abydanian.
"There, you've said it yourself. It's a curse, no one would willingly have Klorel put in their head, no offence to Klorel," Aster closed her eyes, "If you desert Klorel, there will be no one."
"There will be someone," Skaara reassured optimistically, "There has to be."
Aster shook her head sadly; "Life is never fair like that. Anyway, it's up to the Triad to decide," the teen shrugged.
"But even if I win the Triad, Zipacna's forces will attack… I will never be rid of Klorel." Skaara whispered in despair.
"If you win the Triad, I will make Klorel return you to Abydos," Aster promised solemnly, "And even if we win… I'll do my best to find another host as soon as possible, okay?"
Skaara turned to her in surprise, which melted into admiration and gratitude, "Asuta… Thank you, that is very generous of you."
"No, it's not. It's less than what you deserve, but I don't want to let Klorel go…" Aster held her aching head in her hands, "I don't know what to do…"
"Letting the Triad decide is a good idea. Lya will judge fairly, and O'Neer and Daniel will be both strong and wise…"
Aster sighed heavily, "Zipacna will lose our case," she snorted, "And Lya will take Earth's side. Everyone against the bad guys, that's always the story…"
"But we will still be together," Klorel reassured the girl.
Aster jumped, "You guys gotta give more warning when you do that…"
Klorel chuckled, "Are you hungry?"
"Starving. I missed breakfast coming here, you know," the girl playfully jabbed Klorel in the arm.
"I'm sorry to hear that. How has your life been on the Tau'ri planet since you returned, anyway?"
"Utterly miserable, how was Chulak?"
" 'Utterly miserable' describes it exactly," Klorel chuckled.
oOoOoOo
"How did the Triad thing go?" Sam asked.
"Well… I think we're winning the argument…" Daniel started uneasily.
"Aster quit."
"What?" Sam looked from Daniel to O'Neill in surprise, "You mean, she quit the Triad?"
"No, she quit the SGC," Daniel grimaced, "Jack and her got into a dispute and…"
"She quit."
"Does this not concern you, O'Neill?" Teal'c questioned, noticing the colonel's disinterest in the conversation.
"It concerns me, yeah." O'Neill grumbled, "That makes Aster another one of the kids we've lost to the Goa'uld."
"Well at least she'll be happy with Klorel. You know how miserable she was when she came back," Daniel scowled.
"He's a snakehead. He's probably using her to get the GDO codes," the colonel growled.
"Aster would never betray Earth. I've known her long enough to figure that. She'd never put a planet into jeopardy."
"What dispute caused Aster Smith to quit the SGC Colonel O'Neill?"
"I ordered her to shut up. Klorel went nuts at me for telling Aster what to do and Aster said she quit."
"You ordered her to shut up?" Sam frowned.
oOoOoOo
"Do you have any preferences on what host I should choose next? Light-skinned? Dark-skinned?" Klorel handed Aster her cup of tea and took his own from the small kitchen alcove in the Tollan chamber.
"I more judge people on what they are on the inside than what they look like," Aster replied wryly.
Klorel smirked fondly, "I know you do. But all humans have predispositions, tell me yours," the Goa'uld purred in her ear, feigning desperation.
Aster stifled a giggle, feeling the goose bumps rising on her neck, "Klorel! You're going to make me spill this."
"Hmm," Klorel sat down beside her on the plush Tollan couch. He ran his fingers through Aster's red locks, "Someone with red hair, maybe?"
"Black hair. And it wouldn't hurt if they volunteered either," Aster murmured into her tea, her cheeks blushing to match the colour of her hair.
"I shall put out a request to the people of Erebus," Klorel decided, "It would not hurt if my host was one of them. I could relate better to them, then."
"Thank you, it means a lot to me…" Aster smiled, snuggling closer to the Goa'uld.
"My lo—" Zipacna walked in, paused, and made a face, "My Lord Klorel, the Tau'ri are suspicious of our plans concerning the Tollan defence system."
"Why are you telling me this?" Klorel asked dryly, "You know I have no idea what your plans are for stopping the Tollan."
"Stopping the Tollan if you loose the Triad," Aster pointed out.
"The attack is inevitable," Zipacna spat.
Aster's eyes lit up in anger, "No. You, both of you," she stole a glare at Klorel, "Said that you would only resort to that if Klorel lost the Triad to get him off the planet and to remove the Tollan device."
"The plans have changed," Zipacna informed her coldly.
"Leave." Klorel ordered. With Zipacna too stunned to respond Klorel stood, "Now."
"Y-Yes my Lord," Zipacna clasped his hands behind his back and bowed reverently. Klorel watched Zipacna leave before returning to Aster's side.
''I draw the line at bloodshed,'' Aster stated in a neutral tone.
''I know,'' Klorel sighed, ''And I wish it were avoidable.''
''But…?''
"If I left this place without attacking it I would fall further in my father's opinion. And once word gets out that the Tollan have technology that can silence a Goa'uld… the System Lords will have this planet destroyed. A small attack and a small lie could save this planet," Klorel stated calmly.
"Why would you be interested in saving planets?" Aster frowned.
"I'm not. Personally, I would love too see this entire planet burned to ashes and its people put into slavery, but I know how you feel about harming other races. I don't want to see you upset. If that means refraining from destroying helpless Tau'ri…" the Goa'uld explained.
"Aw, Klorel," Aster wrapped her arms around his middle, hugging him tenderly, "That's the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me!"
"If it gets your body this close to mine then it is more than worth it—" Klorel was silenced by Aster's lips on his own. The girl pulled back after a beat, blushing.
Klorel looked frozen in time. Aster giggled. Klorel smirked, regaining himself, "Well that was better than I ever expected," the Goa'uld pulled Aster closer to him, affectionately rubbing noses with her, "I liked that…"
"Oh good, just making sure with you first," Aster laughed sarcastically. She kissed him again, briefly, but Klorel wrapped his arms around the girl, holding her to him. Letting her own arms wind around Klorel's neck, Aster let the world dissolve away and got lost in their kiss. Klorel started to let his hands roam…
"Hey! Hey! No fornicating with the enemy!" Colonel O'Neill's sharp voice resonated through the small, square room. He, Sam and Daniel stood in the doorway. O'Neill was the only one not shocked.
Klorel reluctantly pulled Aster's shirt back down over her midriff, "Do you take pleasure in interrupting other peoples' intimate moments?" the Goa'uld growled dangerously.
"No. But—"
"Really, Jack, you're wrecking the mood," Aster told her former C.O coolly, her arms still encircled around Klorel's neck.
"What is it you want?"
"I need to have a little talk with our buddy Skaara," O'Neill smiled tightly.
"First of all, you would need Zipacna here before you're allowed anywhere near Klorel. You can't be trusted," Aster pointed out.
"Oh, but we do have Zippy with us," O'Neill grinned.
Klorel frowned, "Where?"
"Right here, my Lord," came Zipacna's disgruntled voice from around the corner of the doorframe, "I do not wish to disturb you."
'Or be disturbed himself,' Skaara's little voice pointed out.
''If there were a stone pillar in this room I would gladly bang my head against it,'' Klorel muttered the ancient Goa'uld proverb.
"A'ne," Aster smiled kindly, ''You could always bang me,'' the teen giggled.
''Gladly, love, but we have company,'' Klorel chuckled, touching noses with her again.
"Hey, don't you two start that again. If you excuse us, we really need to talk with Skaara about something," O'Neill pressed loudly. He could see Zipacna leaning against the corridor wall and looking considerably disgusted.
"And the Triad will be starting shortly," Daniel squeaked before Klorel could explode at O'Neill again.
Aster sighed, letting go of Klorel's neck and feeling the blood rush back into her arms, "I'd better go talk to Zippy about what we're going to do for the Triad," Aster smiled lopsidedly. She gave the Goa'uld one last hug and felt some sort of daunting premonition that the embrace would be her last with Skaara.
Klorel seemed to sense it too; ''I love you.''
''I love you too. And Skaara, my best friend,'' Aster smiled sadly, "See you soon."
"I hope so."
oOoOoOo
"So, Zippy, what are we not going to argue this time?" Aster smirked pointedly, pacing around the small, private discussion room.
"You," Zipacna sneered, "Will not be attending."
The colour drained from Aster's face; "No. Klorel will kill you…"
"The Tau'ri made a futile attempt to interview the host on what he knew about the serpent guards defacing the energy cannons. Lord Klorel is very wary of these Tau'ri, he would not doubt a report that they forced you to return to the Tau'ri planet against your will. You will not be participating in the rest of this Triad," Zipacna explained with an icy clip in his voice.
"Why?" Aster whispered.
Zipacna wrinkled his nose, as if the Tau'ri before him gave off a foul stench, "You bring disgrace and shame to the Goa'uld. The two of you must not be allowed to exist together, it would destroy who we are!" the Goa'uld roared.
Aster was visibly shaking by now. Her hand latched onto the chair in front of her and she distantly wondered if anyone would hear her if she screamed. But the Goa'uld didn't usually give that opportunity to their victims, "W-what are you going to do?" her attempt at sounding brave faltered horribly.
Aster stared at the wrong end of the Zat'n'kitel gun pointed at her, feeling her skin prickle in anticipation. The blue arc of energy hit her square in the chest; Aster collapsed like a sculpture made of jelly, twisting about on the floor in debilitating pain. Zipacna muttered something, but Aster wasn't listening. She felt his feet thud across the floor as the Goa'uld left the room.
Aster forced herself to sit up, biting back the pain. Her vision cleared in time to see Zipacna exit the room, tossing something small and spherical into the room before closing the door behind him.
'A shock grenade,' Aster's mind registered distantly, 'This is gonna hurt…'
oOoOoOo
Klorel calmly followed the Tollan guards to the Triad, escorted alone as he was the centre of the Triad's dispute. He took his seat at the centre table and sat down. His twin brown eyes focused intently on the doorway that led to the Goa'uld quarters. He hoped that Zipacna had not been too commanding of her, he knew how hostile the minor Goa'uld could get.
However, when Klorel saw only Zipacna enter the room, he felt the pit of his stomach drop. Skaara was in control of the body, Klorel couldn't do anything.
'Where is she? Where is she?'
'Late, maybe?'
'You know Aster as well as I do, Skaara. She would not be late. Not for this.'
Skaara was surprised; Klorel never called him by his name. Skaara looked with concern to the minor Goa'uld taking his seat at the table not far behind him, but did not get the opportunity to ask where his Tau'ri lady was.
"Lord Zipacna, you are only half of your arguing party. Where is Klorel's other archon?" Travell asked curtly.
"I do not know. Perhaps you should ask the Tau'ri," Zipacna muttered, glaring daggers at O'Neill and Daniel. Skaara's head whipped around to face his friends so fast his neck clicked, causing Klorel to momentarily wriggle about in pain.
"What? We don't know where she is," Daniel answered blankly, "Skaara?"
"I thought she was with Zipacna," Skaara answered honestly.
"The girl said she had to talk with the Tau'ri about an issue, I have yet to see her since."
"Earth archons?" Travell scowled.
"We dunno," O'Neill shrugged, "I mean she was fine before…" the Colonel coughed, muttering something under his breath, "When she was sucking snake-head's face off."
'Klorel, I'm worried,' Skaara's mind stated. Skaara sensed a lingering thought in the depths of Klorel's mind that slowly began to surface, 'No, Klorel. This is not betrayal. There's no motive…'
'Saving you?' fear poured through Klorel's thoughts. Had he fallen for her trickery again? Had this all been an act, again? 'Why…?'
'Klorel, don't think like that. I know her, she loves you,' Skaara was more worried that something had happened to his friend. Klorel felt like he was going to be ill. Skaara's face mimicked the Goa'uld's internal feelings.
"What about our buddy Zippy? Where was he when Smith went missing?" O'Neill asked suspiciously.
"O'Neer, we do not know where she is," Skaara interrupted shakily, "We are worried… it is not like her."
Skaara's explanation used the word 'we' a few too many times for O'Neill's liking.
oOoOoOo
The pounding inside Aster's head eventually woke the redhead from unconsciousness. There was a metallic taste in her mouth, blood, from her cut lip. She must've fallen pretty hard. Aster let out a long moan of discomfort. "When I get my hands on that Goa'uld—" she growled maliciously.
Slowly, the girl rolled over onto her knees. Her world was completely black. Aster's fingers delicately touched her eyes to make sure there was nothing obscuring her vision. There was nothing.
"…Shock grenade…" Aster spat.
Her hands groped around for the wall; She starting to see again… the after-effects of the shock grenade were wearing off. Aster ran headlong into the door, fidgeted around for the handle and tumbled out of the room.
oOoOoOo
Lya knew the final decision of Klorel's fate was before her. She dreaded making the final judgement. The Goa'uld archon Zipacna, Aster still no where to be found, had cast his vote. So had the Tau'ri. It was now up to her to decide… The Nox looked at the entity before her, the two beings trapped in the same body. Skaara and Klorel.
"Nox archon?"
Lya placed her pale hands on the table and stood. She cleared he throat softly, "A-After careful consideration—"
There was a heavy thud from outside of the room. One of the guards ran into the Triad hall, "We found her," the Tollan announced breathlessly.
"I found myself!" Aster's voice snapped. Klorel nearly jumped to his feet at the sight of his beloved. A cut lip and several developing bruises to her forehead decorated her pallid face. Klorel's mind stirred with worry.
The girl stumbled into the room, devoid of any balance. Her narrowed eyes found Zipacna and she flung the spent shock grenade at the Goa'uld.
The metal ball missed Zipacna's head by half an inch and crashed into the wall behind him, leaving a little black mark at the collision point, "NEVER," she yelled, "Do that to me again you shifty bastard!"
'I told you she wasn't avoiding you. Zipacna just knocked her out with a shock grenade. You see, it's not always about you Klorel.'
'Zipacna will die for this. Wait, better yet, I will put him on Triad so he can lose his host too,' Klorel's eyes burned with hatred at the Goa'uld underling, 'Shifty bastard indeed.'
"That explains her absence," Daniel muttered under his breath, "Mutiny? Why would he do that to Aster? He could have used her to gain sympathy for Klorel. It doesn't make sense."
"Oh it makes sense alright. Zippy hates the Tau'ri more than he's worried about losing the Triad. You know what that means?" O'Neill huffed.
"What?"
O'Neill growled; "They have a 'plan B'."
"Aster Smith, please take your seat. This Triad has seen enough tardiness and interruptions as it is. The Nox archon will now cast the final vote deciding who has supreme ownership of the body before me," Travell gestured at Skaara and Klorel, "And then the Triad will be over."
Aster obediently took her seat at the Goa'uld archons' table. She shuffled her seat as far away from Zipacna as possible.
"Nox archon?" Travell repeated stiffly. Lya nodded and began again.
Aster bit her lip, 'Oh, please let it be Klorel… Teal'c and Carter know about the invasion. If Zipacna's forces attack, they will lose. Klorel will be lost…' Aster sombrely recalled what she had over heard in her head. Teal'c's assumption on how the Goa'uld would attack the Tollan defence system… Lya disguising the ion cannon…
"After careful consideration…"
'Klorel, don't leave me…' Aster's mind pleaded.
"I believe that both Klorel and Skaara have the right to live," Lya swallowed, "Both Klorel and Skaara have people that care about them and they will be mourned should either be lost… Both are beings of great significance."
The atmosphere of the room was incredibly tense. Utter silence fell as Lya paused.
"But, living as a host with no right of ones own, is not life."
'No…' dread welled up inside Aster's stomach.
'Damn,' Klorel cursed flatly.
'Ooh, yes! Take that, snake heads,' O'Neill mentally whooped.
'Klorel is going to kill me for this…' Zipacna despaired.
"Therefore, only one can remain in the body. To that end, I award priority to the original owner of the body…" Lya stated shakily.
"Don't do it," Aster whispered fearfully.
"Skaara."
oOoOoOo
Term One is over! And now with a two-week break, I can get back into writing and doing the fun stuff:) I hope you will all forgive me for such a long wait, school is a nightmare. I've tried to make it up with an extra long chapter, the second last in this story. Yup, the next chapter will be the finale. I'll leave you to speculate on what the finale will be. A happy ending for Aster and Klorel or not?
Apocalyptic Muse: Please forgive the lateness of this chapter. And I stuck the Ra'bik's cube in to fill up space because of the chapter layouts that I had formulated. A short one there and a long one here. Man, this gave me so many writer's blocks… I had to start from scratch at one point, lol.
Blanc: Thanks! It was fun to draw Aster, but a lot of my friends on my site psycho-llama. thought that the hand holding the tray was shorter than the other, when it was supposed to be a perspective thing. Yay for Australia! Can you see me waving? lives in NZ :D
Kat: Thank you! I hoped that line would make some smile. O'Neill is so fun to play around with, but I could never use him as a main character in a fanfic, unfortunately. :D enjoy the new chapter!
Isha: Oops, sorry. I can be quite culturally insensitive… and I've only recently taken up history. My sincerest apologies… hugs Happy end? ;) Wouldn't you like to know.
Blanc: I'm typing as fast as I can!
Terra Evans: Aw, thank you so much! A new reviewer:D I shall update and here it is! Do enjoy!
