Chapter Four

Tilly

I have a wonderful life and a great family. The only problem to this picture is that I do not know my father. I know of him, but I never meet him. Mother has always told me about him. She never tried to hide him from me. He is just not here. He is up there among the stars.

She tells me of the time she first meet him. It was during the Fire Rain over 6 years ago. That year the Fire Rain hit the ground and buried the Stone Ring. This caused my father and mother to become friends. "Really close friends", so my mother says. It did not last long. The Stone Ring was found and fixed. The people of our village, the ones that were stuck on the other side, were able to come home and father was able to go back to his place to do some very important work. Mother tried to tell me how much dad had missed it when he was stuck here.

We have something called a trade agreement with his world. My brother Garan manages the mine and the trade through the Stone Ring. I had always wondered if I could sneak through during one of the deliveries if I would be able to find him. Mother has tried to describe him to me. She said he is tall as my brother and has graying hair. He has brown eyes just like mine and has a smile that could light up a room. I'm not sure what that means, but it sounds very nice.

One day I had asked mother if she would ever tell my father about me. She gave me a very sad look before she said, "My beautiful angel, I plan to one day, but I do not think it will be anytime soon. I do not want to bother him and his work." It did make me sad to know he is just on the other side of the Stone Ring but unable to see him.

So, yesterday when an injured man was brought to the house, and he was asking to speak with my father. I got so excited. This will be the chance to meet my father for the first time. Mother noticed the excitement and told me not to tell him yet. That she wanted to tell him first. I just wanted to meet him, now. So I sulked to my room while mother stayed busy taking care of the man.

There is one other thing that I should mention. Mother says I'm special. I say I'm weird. I can hear what people are thinking. Not all of the time, just when I concentrate real hard. I tried to hear what the injured man might be thinking about my father. It was hard at first because I could hear two voices in my head. I just got a few things from the voices. One of the voices was saying how, "it won't be long before O'Neill will be here and to just hang on. He will make it. He was to. He is the only one who can activate the key." Then I had gotten a picture in my head of a round metal object with a blue stone in it and my father. He looked like the mental image of the one my mother has in her mind.

They had gotten word back that he was coming. I was told by Garan to stay here in the village while he went to greet them at the gate. He said it may take awhile so don't hold my breath. Like I would hold my breath, again. I did that once before and the results scared me. Especially when I woke up in the middle of the kitchen floor and nobody came over to see how I was doing. I had been mad and threatened to hold my breath. Mom just said "Go ahead, you still not going the get to go to Garan's tonight." True to her words I did not get to go and just got a very bad headache from that.

So I just waited by the old tree near the main road, and waited, and waited. Then finally I saw them coming from around the corner in the road. He was near the front talking with another man. There were six people in all. Including my brother. But I was just focused on my father. As he got closer I could see that he was better looking in person and I knew why my mother fell for him. But there was something else. Maybe the way his eyes were constantly moving around and observing the area, or the way he walked. He seemed so in control. I didn't dare try and read his mind. I was afraid he could tell.

Just as they were getting close enough to really get a good look, my niece and nephew along with our friends came running up to my brother like a loud herd of buffalos. (Yes, I know what buffalos are. My brother told me a story that my father told him long ago.) I watched as Garan introduced his kids to them. I wanted to run up there and shout "Hi Daddy! I'm your daughter." But I promised mother I would wait. It was just so hard. As I was about to walk away I noticed the big dark skinned one. Something about him caught my attention. It was the gold thingy on his forehead. It had mesmerized me until he turned away to go to my house. Then he stopped and turned around to look behind him. He saw me. All I could do was smile at him. He then smiled back and bowed his head to me. It was too much. I had to laugh. So I ran to find the other kids just to get away.

Before I caught up with them I stopped to think. Don't figure. I was always told that I tend to think too much and act older than I am. That I should play with the other kids more. I like to explore and to discover new things. I don't like to be cooped up in the house all the time. My mom tells me I get that naturally from my father. He would go fishing all the time when the chores where done she said. Well, anyway I thought that if they finished with the man at my house they would probably go to the ship. I tried to go a couple of times before but the elders stopped me. Maybe I can sneak up there before they do and watch them.

Before I could sneak off, the village became alive with activity. I stopped one of the elders to find out what was happening. She told me that all of the villagers are going through the Stone Ring as soon as possible. Then she shoved me towards my mother's house. I stopped and asked her to tell my mother that I was going with Garan. She said fine and I went in the opposite direction.

This was my chance to work out a plan so I could get to the ship. If mom thinks I'm with Garan and he thinks I'm with her, it might just work. So I ran to find Garan and hoped it would work. At least long enough to get to the ship before my father and his friends did.

I had made it to the ship and found a good location on top of the ridge overlooking the ship. The main path was a little bit over to the left and this would conceal me from their sight.

At least I thought so. When my dad and two of his friends showed up like I thought they would, I had second thoughts. Especially when my dad stopped and turned to look directly in my direction. Whew! That was close. I know he must have sensed my presents. But apparently he did not know what he was sensing. Because he turned and went on in to the ship followed by the other guys.

Before they had shown up I had plenty of time to think. Yeah, think. That's me. Well, anyway, I was wondering how much of the "gifts" were from my father. Mother had told me that Grandma Tillian was a seer. You know. See things before they happened so far I do not have that one. It might come later. But I can read minds. That you already know about. There is also my ability to heal. Well sort of, I think. A couple of times I found a wounded animal and I was able to fix it. I'm not sure how I did it. I just remembered thinking I wish I could take the pain away and then I felt a tingle all over and my hands had warmth in them as it was holding onto the animal. Then the animal stopped squirming in my hands and looked up at me. I could tell it was better so I let it go. It ran a little ways then stopped to look back at me. I felt like it was telling me thank you. I would like to think I healed them.

There is one other that I know of and it is the ability to remember everything. I mean everything. Like all the books I've read. Yeah, I read. Not bad for a six year old. I even learned to handle the computer at the mining site. One day I surprised my brother and myself when I was able to connect to the SGC. Well it helped that the Stone Ring was on. Apparently there is a wireless connection. I downloaded a few items to the computer, nothing much just some astronomy text references. It was very interesting to learn about black holes, galaxies, supernovas, and asteroids. Now, at night, I sit and look up and see the stars and in a different light. Their not just little bright flashing dots, but a universe of possibilities and my father is among them.

Well, now he was here. Inside the ship and all I could do was wait. I was afraid to move closer. I had thought of going inside and hide earlier, but I chickened out. Don't figure. All of the times that I would brave the unknown and defy my family I couldn't get up the nerve to get a closer look at my own father. Truth is, I'm was scared of rejection.

Just as I realized why I was scared I had seen a light flash inside the ship. It did not last more than a few seconds. As I was contemplating about going down I sensed the other two of my father's friends behind me. I decided to ignore them and watch to see if anything else was going to happen, and it did. I heard a loud noise from inside the ship. That was what brought my father's friends to my side. I turned to let them know to be quiet and pointed down to the ship.

Before I knew it a blast radiated out from the ship. It seemed like it was sound that was so intense that the dirt and brush around to ship was thrown out from it which made all three of us duct to avoid it.

"Wow! That was an EM pulse," stated a bewildered Sam. "Check your weapon and radio Teal'c,"

Sam was the name of the lady next to me and Teal'c was the other person. I found the names in their minds. That was all I looked for so I did not pry.

'What to do with Tilly?' well I tried not to pry, I caught that thought from Sam.

'I know someone is hurt in there and needs our help.' and also that one.

So I decided to move to a better position, for more reasons than to get a better view.

"Tilly where are you going?" stated Sam in a forced whisper while trying to reach me.

"I am going further to the left. There is a path that is easier to get down from."

"I do not believe that would be wise," Teal'c countered.

"I am going. Are you coming?" as I moved very quickly and agilely away. It is great being young.

I need to be able to see into the ship and the main path is angled perfectly for it. Sam and Teal'c followed. They did not have a choice. I kinda understand their worries but I had a feeling that something happened to my father, because I do not sense him any more.

"Tilly, please we need to get you through the gate to your family. Your mother would be worried," coached Sam.

"Colonel Carter! There is activity with in the ship."

He was right. There were more in that ship than I realized. Among the people that were coming out was my father's two friends, Daniel Jackson and Jacob Carter. I got the names from my companions. There also were four big men who were very heavily clothed and another one dressed all in black. From Sam I could tell that the last five people were not very nice, especially the one in black.

A name came to mind...Baal.

Before we could do anything or say anything a bright light engulfed us. Next we found ourselves standing in front of the man I was checking out, but then another light flashed reveling more men in the strange looking clothes.

"My Lord Baal, we spotted these three," as he pointed to us, "on the ridge above. When we could not contact you we brought them to you and came down." The man kept his head down while waiting for his lord's reply.

"You have done well," Baal imperially stated and waved him away. He proceeded to walk up to us with a superior than thou smirky grin. Then his eyes lowered to me. "Who do we have here?"

Sam pulled me behind her as Baal came closer.

Baal smirked even more, if that is possible, when he witnessed the futile attempt of protecting me.

"Come forward. Let me look at you," stated Baal in his imperial voice.

"No! Leave her alone," yelled Daniel as he and Teal'c came around Jacob to help Sam, causing the newer guys, Jaffas I believe they are called, to aim their sticks at them.

I placed my hand on Sam's arm to get her attention. "Please, it is alright." I was a bit scared but I was not going to show him. I tried to let Sam understand. I guess she understood, because she let me go. I walked forward. I sensed a little confusion from Baal as I showed him I was not afraid.

He frowned and looked into my eyes. Then I knew he recognized who I must be and his eyes started to glow. But before he could react on this, a man came walking out of the ship carrying the box with the jewel I seen in the injured man's mind. The box started humming and the crystals began to glow. The man was so startled that he threw down the box and backed away.

He was not the only one. Everyone decided to back up also, except me. I was fascinated with the beams of light that shot out and began to roam over everyone, including me. The beams started to vibrate and swung around to me. I remembered a glow around me and then I felt myself being pulled.

Then...nothing.

TBC

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