--- --- Fate Strikes --- ---
The moment the dark-haired woman stepped onto the bridge, Sam felt every single nerve in her body tingle. There was just something about that woman Sam didn't like, though she wasn't sure what it was. Anyhow, she was glad that Thor had checked her for weapons or anything that might be harmful to them. The woman moved across the bridge in fast steps, her way leading directly to J... the Colonel.
She'd been so foolish to allow herself to get that comfortable in his presence. Truth be told, she had liked waking up next to him, his kisses pulling her out of sleep. And, for one moment, all she had wanted to do was turn around and kiss him back but then she'd opened her eyes and she'd seen the walls. Gray Asgard spacecraft walls. And she'd remembered. Remembered that he wasn't Jack. And she shouldn't have let herself believe he was in the first place.
Sam was shaken out of her thoughts as the woman, what was her name again? Tharyl. She grabbed the Colonel and planted a kiss on him. Sam could directly see him stiffen and back up the very second her lips touched his and the woman's golden eyes went wide in surprise.
"Barol? What..."
Her voice faded as she watched the look of confusion on the Colonel's face and Sam saw pain flash through the woman. Tharyl's eyes darted between Sam and the Colonel and then fell to the ground. Though Sam wasn't sure what she had just witnessed, she motioned towards a table that had been set up in one corner. There were a couple of questions she wanted to ask.
"Tharyl, would you sit down? We'd like to ask you some questions."
The woman inclined her head and, climbing shakily off the deck, started off towards the table, where the four of them were soon seated. Before Sam was able to ask a single question, the woman started speaking in her singsong voice.
"For eight years now, ever since she came down from the sky, I've been working as lady's maid for Indra. She claims to be a Goddess, though I know she's not. I've seen the things she does. Terrible things. Indra, my beloved Goddess, wouldn't do that. She made the people believe she was Indra, coming down from heaven to guide them. She has made her home on this planet close to the galaxy's center. The whole planet is now a fortress.
They brought Barol to Indra's fortress eight months ago. He was there for four months and was brought back to Sandrana afterwards to work as a farmer. The only thing Indra told me was that he had been given a new memory and she sent me to make sure he wouldn't regain the old memory."
Tharyl stopped for one moment and drew one shuddery breath. Her eyes quickly glanced over the Colonel and then returned to Sam. And, suddenly, Sam understood. She understood the pain she'd seen just moment ago. This woman loved Barol. Despite herself, she felt her heart went out for the hurting woman and, when she started speaking again, Sam smiled at her encouragingly.
"But he did. He had dreams. I told him to believe in those dreams but a few days ago, Karan showed up. He's one of Indra's head-hunters."
Sam watched as tears rose in the woman's golden eyes that were now settled firmly on the Colonel.
"I thought they had taken you. But, instead, I see, you've found what you were looking for. I'm glad you've found her."
In spite of her earlier dislike, Sam felt that Tharyl's worry was genuine and she was inclined to believe her. One look into those sorrowful eyes showed her enough to make her explain about Jack and the Colonel.
"Tharyl, this man is not Barol. I know he looks like him but he's not him. Now, where would they take Barol?"
Golden eyes widened in shock and confusion at the latest revelation, but Tharyl soon found her equilibrium. Her voice was still weak when she told them what she knew.
--- --- --- --- ---
"We are glad that you agree to the terms of the contract, Doctor Jackson."
"I am sure that Earth and Ordig'na will both profit from the trade between our worlds."
Ge're'na smiled at him and held her hand out to seal the treaty. Daniel was pleased with himself. The treaty would bring good to everyone.
"To celebrate the coalition of our planets, I would like to invite you to take the meal with us. I would be happy to show you more of our world."
"Sounds great. I'm very interested in how your culture has changed since the days that you lived on the ground."
She led him out of the room and into one of those amazing elevators. They were able to transport the car over thirty stories high without using any metal components. He could directly hear Sam screaming in delight at the sight. Sam... It had been four days since his arrival on Ordig'na and, so far, no news had reached him from either the Cepheus galaxy or Earth. To be honest, he hadn't had much time to think about his friends as the discussions had started early each day and lasted well into the night.
But, finally, it was done. The elevator descended quickly and, for the first time in four days, they left the building to step out onto one of the platforms.
"Follow me, Doctor Jackson. Lar'na serves the best dishes around here. I am sure you will be pleased by his skills."
Daniel answered the smile on the woman's face with one of his, and followed her through the busy streets. Life was pulsating in every corner of this breathtaking city and he found himself reminded of his years in Cairo with its labyrinth of streets that were bursting with people. The heat did it's best to add to that effect. He was led to a smaller building, erected around a tree a little bit apart from the lively streets. Outside the building were several tables, shaded by the leaves above.
They had just settled at one of those tables when a strange noise emerged from somewhere behind the city. It took Daniel some moments to place the sound. He hadn't heard it in ages, but, as he realized just what the sound meant, his blood ran cold in his veins.
Only seconds later, he saw the first of the Death Gliders appearing above the thick canopy that covered the city. He was on his feet in a matter of seconds, dragging Ge're'na next to him under the table.
"These are Goa'uld Death Gliders. Do you have any means of defending yourself?"
He nearly screamed above the noise of now three Gliders firing into the net of houses, trees, and bridges. Screams filled the air and, soon, the first trees and buildings caught fire. From one minute to the next, the place had changed from the picture of life and happiness to an image of destruction.
"No. We haven't had the need for defenses in many years. We thought the Goa'uld were gone."
It took him only a second to make a decision. Those people were helpless in the face of such a threat. There was only one way to help them. He dragged the small woman along towards the platform where he knew the Stargate had to be.
--- --- --- --- ---
The meal was delicious and Barol leaned back, thoroughly sated. Indra smiled at him over the bowls and plates arranged on the low table before she leaned back to relax into the mounted pillows as well. As far as he could figure it, he'd been here for a couple of days and, so far, she had showed him nothing but respect and kindness. He'd been able to fight the warning voice inside of him down to a murmur still he refused to relax completely.
"My Queen Indra, forgive my impatience, but I still want to know why I am here. Don't get me wrong, I'm honored..."
"But you want to know why I asked for your presence."
He nodded and he saw her blue eyes narrow on him. Over the days he had spent with her, he had come to the conclusion that 'Sam' didn't exist. He had always seen his Goddess in his dreams and it had been Tharyl that had fooled him believing he had seen anything else. Yet, the strange voice inside of him refused to keep quiet and continued gnawing at his insides. Sometimes, he felt like he was torn in two, one side of him living in this reality and one side wanting to stay in his dream world.
"How much has Karan told you about the treaty your President has signed?"
She smiled as she saw the surprise in his face.
"He said that, some months ago, there had been an alien force threatening to overtake Sandrana if he would not surrender. The President had no chance but to accept the terms of their contract."
"So far, Karan was right. What he did not know is that this power has now reached the inner regions of our galaxy. To be honest, one of their ships has taken position over this planet. And, now, your Goddess needs your help to protect our galaxy."
His heart leaped with joy at her words. His Goddess asked for his help. He pushed back the 'other one', the voice inside of him that asked constantly whether a 'Goddess' shouldn't be able to overthrow the enemy alone.
--- --- --- --- ---
The mines were burning brightly, red fire tongues licking into the dark night sky. In the dim light, he hardly saw the last Death Gliders disappearing into space but he would have known the sound of their engines anywhere. It was only a matter of time before the Stargate in the center of the encampment would spring into life and dozen of Jaffa would step through.
"Ishta, activate the Stargate."
He need not have worried; she was already on her way when he turned around. She had experienced her share of invasions and knew what was happening next. Somewhere above him, he saw the light of a descending mother ship and he sped up. The sound of metal clad boots could already be heard when he reached the mines and ushered the surviving personnel towards the Gate. Ishta had dialed Earth's coordinates and he waited impatiently until the last civilians had stepped through. The ground next to him suddenly exploded as a staff weapon blast, aimed at him, hit it.
Before he dove into the shimmering blue event horizon, he saw a troop Jaffa, marching in his direction.
"Close the iris!"
His voice echoed through the embarkation room as soon as he stepped out of the Gate. He saw the technician who controlled the Gate searching nervously until he found the switch that would close the iris. It had been several years since this particular security measure had last been used but, finally, the metal cover slid shut over the event horizon.
"What's going on?"
Chen Jao Tsung, the Chinese representative and co-director of the ESGC hurried down the corridor towards the embarkation room, her high-pitched voice already carrying through the halls. She stormed breathlessly into the room, her face flushed and her dark eyes wide as she scanned the crowd of people before her.
"We were attacked by Goa'uld Death Gliders."
"How... What..."
Her mouth opened but no words came out as realization dawned.
"I believe we should discuss this topic in the briefing room."
"Good idea, Teal'c."
Still rendered virtually speechless, she left the room and followed him while dozen of medics passed them to take care of the injured.
--- --- --- --- ---
He could hear the voices of Tharyl, Thor, and Carter in the next room. He could nearly imagine how she looked like right now, her pretty head bursting with all equations to determine the possibilities to get 'her Jack' out of there in one piece. Tharyl had shown them the position of Indra's palace but they hadn't been able to beam down. There seemed to be some kind of force shield protecting the place that even Thor wasn't able to break through.
There was nothing he could do right now but sit here, twiddling his thumbs. He hated to be condemned to dull nothingness. When he was at his cabin there wasn't anything he loved more then to do nothing, but this? He hated it. As the hours passed, he wondered whether he shouldn't have returned to his world the second this little gray guy had shown up at the SGC... ESGC. He missed Sammy and, ever since his awakening this morning, he felt the distance radiating from Carter, reminding him of just how much he missed his wife.
After Charlie, he had thought that life was senseless. Sara and he... they'd been great but they had not been strong enough to survive their loss. So he'd taken the Abydos mission. And, to his surprise, Daniel had showed him that there was still something to live for. But, when he'd returned from Abydos, Sara had already left him. He'd been thrown into darkness again.
And, then, Sammy had stepped into his life. She brightened his life and he'd found himself fighting for something once again. Eventually, his knee had been shot to tiny little pieces. Hammond had allowed him to stay at the SGC as a civilian consultant and Jack was thankful for that. This way, he was still able to be with his friends. That day, when his knee had been shot, had been his lucky day.
Sammy had always been the only one who could ease the dull pain in his heart, the place where Charlie had been ripped from him. Since his arrival in this world, he had felt the pain returning but he had managed to keep it at bay. He wondered how long he'd be able to suppress it. Jack had never been good dealing with his feelings but he knew that he loved Sammy more than life itself. To be here, to see Carter and to feel the anguished distance, he knew what life could be like without her. It was one prospect he didn't look forward to.
A sudden movement of the ship propelled him forward and he winced as he hit the ground with a loud thud. Cursing, he crawled up to his knees, only to find the ship shaking once again. He was barely able to keep his balance as he made his way over to the next room.
"I don't know what this is. My best guess is some kind of force field."
"That is impossible. The 'Samantha Carter' would have been able to absorb any energy output."
The smug expression on Carter's face was soon brushed away. A cute frown marked her forehead and Jack was nearly able to see her thinking. Thor hovered over the panels while Carter rushed from device to device, scanning each display with care.
"If the force shield doesn't weaken soon, the integrity of the Samantha Carter will soon be diminished."
Jack was at Thor's side in no time, adrenaline rushing through him. Even though he wasn't half as bright as Carter, he'd clearly understood what Thor had just said. If whatever it was continued, the ship would be destroyed, leaving them floating in space.
Somehow, that didn't sound too inviting to Jack. And, to add to the death and doom feeling, none of those marvelous Asgard weapons Carter had been telling him about was working properly. Obviously, the shockwave had rendered the weapons useless. It seemed as if luck was against them again.
--- --- TBC --- ---