Fate. What or who is it really? Is it a benevolent being that gets its excitement from causing pain and anguish? But that does not make sense, does it? Any being of benevolent would be a contradiction of the term. So it would not be a creature that would care about the welfare of the life forms in this universe, would they?
That would seem to be the case with people of SG-1. They just do not seem to get a break with fate. It seems to deal out pain and anguish in mega amounts with them. Not that the rest of the universe does not have their fair share, but it seems so curious as how their strengths and closeness have helped with each other over the years, and the way they have survived the perils. Like the time Daniel had with Sha're and then so cruelly taken away with only a short time together; or Jack's son taken from him with such a tragic end; also Sam's struggle with a love in her heart that threatens to overwhelm her because of the responsibilities and career that threatens to end the prospect of a happy ending. Even Teal'c has had his share of fate with his sacrifices to free his people. Fate has brought together the most unusual group of people and they are the best this galaxy has in defeating the Goa'uld. Is that what fate has in store for them?
-Ying & Yang – Good & Evil – Right & Wrong...the Balance of the Universe. What is considered a balance between the two? Why do we need to have Evil anyways? Why can we not just have a nice and peaceful little galaxy where everyone loves and cherish one another? Is there a written law that says there has to be a Cain for every Able?
I do not understand, are we just Fate's game pieces on the Chest board of life? How can there be control when everything is already planned out for us? Is there such a thing called control? Is that what the Goa'uld are actually fighting against, Fate? To prove to her they have the control. If that is the case then I think it is about time Fate stepped in and prove to the Goa'uld that they do not have the control and never will.
If it takes away the Goa'uld control will that mean we will never have control ourselves? Is it just an illusion? Or is Fate just an illusion? What is real, and what is the illusion, that is the real question.
So who is Parcae? What is her role in all of this; and, does she control it all? If so, why did she put me into this position? I love my brother and I love Daniel. How can I live with the guilt of what I did? Will Daniel hate me if he finds out? That is what scares me the most. When I tried to save him that one time. I had not known any of my feelings for him was love. Not until he tried to fight Anubis. Actually, when he tried to save his friend, I was starting to understand. Yes, he did not succeed in helping him ascend but he still managed to help his other friends to give O'Neill his chance to escape.
Fate, is that Parcae? Is she the one holding all of the cards? If so, why did she have to pit me against my brother?
My brother...
Should I explain to them about him or keep silent and not interfere? This is tearing me apart. I love Daniel and I would try to do anything to help him live. But my brother is involved here. He is out to destroy the man I love. That is why I really pulled Daniel away when he was about to confront Anubis at Abydos. Another mess I have to live with.
I guess that is why the Others picked me to represent the Ascendeds, because of my connection to the situation. I just do not believe I would be the best, not by a long shot, especially after Abydos.
Being an Ascended does not make me perfect or all seeing and all knowing. Ascended has it's responsibilities to the lives we touch. That is way we have rules to dictate our involvement, but why me? Is it because of my past mistake? I have tried to atone for my failures, particularly the one.
My brother...Marcius/Anubis.
Yes...I, Oma de Sala, helped my brother Marcius to ascend, not knowing he was a Goa'uld (Anubis). That is why ever since then I have tried to atone for my guilt by helping those deserving ascension achieve it. I know the Others allow it as long as I adhere to the strict rules set by them.
So, here I am standing on Thor's ship watching all of this and debating whether or not to help them out. I just saw Parcea do a little to help with Daniel and Teal'c and then vanished. Where? I do not know.
Thor moved the gentlemen and the medical pods to a quiet location on the ship; Lya, Thor, Jacob/Selmack and I were in the control room; and I was about to move over to talk with Lya when one of Thor's alarms went off. "What is it, Thor?" Jacob/Selmak asked.
Thor moved his controls around and I could feel tension radiating off of him. Next the pods where back, but not just two as before, now there were four. Sam, Tilly and Teal'c appeared to be unconscious, but well. However, Daniel seemed to be going through seizures. Lya and I both moved over to see if we could help stabilize Daniel.
Jacob
I feel like I'm in a world wind of chaos. Sammy is in trouble, along with Tilly; the Tok'ra called to inform me that most of them are ill – why, I do not know. Now, Daniel and Teal'c are unconscious as well and Daniel is having seizures. To top it all off Jack is gone...out of touch...unable to get in contact with to let him know what is going on.
If and when this is all over, I am going to sit Jack down and have a nice long talk about a few things. For one, he has got to stop being such a hero and start taking care of a few personal things in his life – his daughter Tilly and my daughter Sam.
I was jarred out of my musing when Oma and Lya started flickering. Well, Lya flickered. Oma started to glow and change into her true form. Daniel began to calm a bit before Lya and the pod faded out. Oma intensified her powerful light and also disappeared.
Not even a minute past when Sammy, Tilly and Teal'c woke up disoriented and calling for Daniel. I rushed over to Sammy to help her sit up once the cover was removed.
"Easy Sammy. You have been out awhile," I soothed.
"Where's Daniel?" She croaked even as she looked around the room hoping to find him.
"I don't know sweetie. But Oma and Lya were helping him. He was in some kind of seizure before they vanished."
"Sam!" cried Tilly as she scrambled out of her pod to run to her. "Sam!" her voice going up in octaves along with the emotion she was experiencing. Sam got out of her pod with my assistance. She pulled Tilly into a hug to comfort her. "Ssshhh, it's all right. Ssshh." She rocked her back and forth.
"But...what about Daniel?" Tilly asked.
"He is getting help as we speak. Oma de Sala and Lya are both helping him right now," Sam explained while brushing away tears from her cheek and hugged her some more. "It will be all right."
"That...thing was scary," she said.
"Yes it was."
"I wish my Daddy was here."
"So do I. So do I," Sam said like invoking what seemed to be a magical spell in a soothing whisper, while still rocking Tilly to comfort her.
The Claviger began to glow and a beam shot out near us and a blue glowing orb appeared about four feet off of the floor. It swelled to the size of a human or two. The glow reached a zenith and then began to fade leaving behind two people, both wearing the same smile. "You rang," they spoke in unison.
"Daddy!" shouted Tilly as she practically threw herself at Jack.
Jack bent down to scoop her into his arms, "Whoa, be gentle with the old man," Jack quipped.
"Yeah, he isn't as young as he used to be," said the other. Which I finally figured out he must be Jack's clone. Especially with that last remark. How did he get here?
"Jon, how did you get here?" Sam asked before I did and she also gave me a name. I was wondering how they were going to work that part out.
Jon turned to look at Jack as if they were silently communicating with each other. Then Jack turned to look at Sam. "I snagged him. I didn't want him to feel left out." Jon laughed at Jack's antics.
Jack looked at Tilly and said, "Sweetie, this is..."
"I know, my brother, right?"
"Pretty much, yeah," a humorous Jack supplied while Jon knelt down in front of them to offer Tilly a hug.
"It's nice to meet you – ah...Sis."
I love a happy scene as much as the next person, but we needed to get something done about Daniel, the Tok'ra and the Goa'uld.
"Ah ahm!" I cleared my throat to get everyone's attention. "We need to see if we can maybe help Daniel."
Jack and Jon looked at Tilly when I mentioned Daniel's name. From the looks of it they were doing a silent communication thing with her as well.
Sam was standing there staring at them, frozen with apparent shock for she made no attempt to approach or say anything to them. That is when I noticed all three O'Neills stopped what ever they were doing and stared at Sam. Sam looked spooked with her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open. Thank goodness there were no flies on the ship. They would be coming in for a landing.
Sam soon started to nod her head as if agreeing to something. I could not stand it any more. "What is it? What's going on?"
Sammy blinked a few times and then focused on me, "I can hear them talking."
"Talking?" I looked over to Jack and he nodded his head in affirmative along with Jon and Tilly. "Holly Hannah!"
"As do I," rumbled Teal'c from behind me. I turned to look at Teal'c when, out of the blue, Lya and Daniel's pod came back without Daniel.
"Lya?" Jack inquired with the single word. Hoping she would give a positive answer.
"I am sorry, but I could not maintain a hold on Daniel," she said shaking her head dejectedly.
"What of Oma?" I had asked.
"I believed she followed Daniel. I, however, am not able to locate them for you at this time," explained Lya.
"Have you seen Parcae?" Jack asked Lya but it was Teal'c who answered. "She was able to help Daniel and I to obtain entrance to the realm where ColonelCarter and TillyO'Neill were held by Anubis. She left after the assistance.
"Anubis?" asked Jon. "He had you and Tilly," pointing at Sam.
"Yes, Teal'c and Daniel helped us escape but right at the moment before we could exit, Anubis showed up and started throwing some kind of lightening bolts at us. Daniel yelled for us to continue while he handled Anubis. But of course Teal'c and I protested and he reminded us about Tilly. Before we could say more Daniel was struck by one of the bolts. He...started to ...convulsing," she began to stammer "and that assssshole started...laughing. We wanted to stay to help Daniel – but something dragged us away." Sam had started to cry. She normally would hide it, something she always did. She would never have shown emotion like this in front of so many people. –That is when I realized that these people were not just anyone. They are her family, all of them. Well, most of them. Thor is still standing there watching us at his console. Lya is near by as well. Both are considered close friends to SG-1.
I moved closer to Sam and held her for support and to let her know that I was there for her. I was never good with that kind of affection but I am mellowing with age.
Then I remembered something. "Jack? What happened to Kanan?"
Jack never lowered his head or flashed his eyes like we normally do before he spoke, "I am here and I am well." His voice had the tonal quality of a Tok'ra though.
"No side affects from what that device did?" I asked.
"Well...I wouldn't say that," he hinted. He definitely had been with Jack way to long.
"Then what changed?" I prompted.
"I'll tell you later. For now, suffice it to say the Tok'ra will benefit from it."
"Very cryptic, but I will wait."
Jack's face broke into one of his rare grins and he spoke as Jack, "Jacob, we'll get together after all of this is over and discuss the Tok'ra future."
It looked like he was going to speak up again when Thor's ship gave a huge shudder. It felt like one of those California quakes I had experienced years ago. It settled for a second, and then started up once more. This one lasted longer and left everyone in stunned silence until Jack asked Thor what was happening.
Thor shook his bulbous head and continued working his consoles trying to get the answers.
A third quake, that is the only description I could give it, hit again and with it Parcae appeared in front of Jack. She bowed her head and then looked into Jack's eyes unblinkingly. He returned the stare. I assumed it was telepathy at work but looking around I could see that the others appeared to be in the dark as to what was being said. The quake stopped and Parcae did a vanishing act once more.
All of us just watched Jack to see if he would elaborate for us.
"Thor!" Jack directed our gaze to Thor, "Take the ship to the center of this galaxy as soon as you can." With out a conformation from Thor that he heard or understood, Jack turned and addressed Jon, "Stay here and make sure everything is in order for later."
"Daddy! Don't go?" Tilly nervously said. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her head into the side of his neck.
Tilly
I have no idea what that lady may have said to Dad, I could not read a thing from their minds, but I feel that it had to do with that friend of his, Daniel, and the mean guy. I found that it was scary not knowing if I will ever see my father again. "Please, stay," I had employed.
Dad had cradled me closer and rubbed my back. "Sweetheart, I have to. Jon will be here to help you and the others."
For a moment I thought of my life before meeting my Daddy, it was nice and pleasant and boring, however, now that I have meet him I know I don't want to lose him. Life has been fun, exciting and alive. "Be careful. I don't want to lose you, now that I've finally met you. I love you!" I said to his neck. Not daring to look into his eyes for fear of seeing a goodbye.
"Easy sweetie, I need you to go with Sam and stay with her. I'll be back, but right now I need to go help Daniel," Daddy explained. "You know I have to get him back."
Why does he have to do it? But he is right we need to help Daniel and get ready for the coming events.
Daddy set me down and guided me towards Sam. He stood back away from everyone and smiled that great heart-melting smile of his and mentally said, 'I'll see you soon.'
He started to glow with a faint blue light and started to fade away.
'Fair day and be well, Daddy.'