Daniel reached his office, sat down at his desk. He searched around in the dark for the switch to his desk light and finally he found it. Pressing the button the room was thrown into light. He searched around for the message and studied it hard, determined to figure it all out and what it all meant. He then picked up a pen and began to write the translation of the message onto a piece of paper. He stopped as he got to a group of symbols. He had no idea what that group meant. Massaging his head he took off his glasses, placing them on the desk. He leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes as he did.
"Daniel!" a small voice sounded from the doorway. Daniel looked over and saw the young girl standing half way into the room, one hand placed on the doorframe.
Daniel smiled at the sight of her. "Hi Kali." He then motioned for her to come in. slowly she made her way over to the desk. Once she got there she looked at all the pieces of paper strewn all over the desk. She then looked at the translation Daniel had been working on. She picked up the paper, cocking her head to one side as she studied it. "Think you could do better than me?" Daniel questioned jokingly knowing that the girl wouldn't have a clue what he was saying and wouldn't be able to give a reply.
"Yes." The child replied. Her word shocked Daniel slightly. He starred at her for a second with nothing to say, watching her movements. She looked at Daniel and then searched around for a pen. She then began to write on his translation in perfect English, and her handwriting was incredibly neat for a child so young.
Daniel just watched open mouthed. He picked up his glasses, placing them back on the bridge of his nose and behind his ears so he could watch her. "You understand what I'm saying?"
She stopped writing and looked up at Daniel "Yes." She said again, nodding her head once then returning to her writing.
"That makes things a lot easier." He said semi-consciously.
Kali stopped writing for a second to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Then she continued.
"Are you playing games Daniel?" Jack's voice came from the doorway. Both Daniel and Kali turned their heads to look at him. He was standing with one hand on the doorframe and one hand on his waist watching the pair.
"Err… no… I'm translating… actually no, Kali is translating the message." Daniel said, still semi-consciously. He still hadn't quite taken in the fact that even though she couldn't speak English she could write it and understand it.
Jack moved into the room slightly confused. "Kali is?" Jack slightly raised his eyebrows.
"Yeah." Daniel replied. "She understands English." After a few seconds Kali passed the paper to Daniel and he began to read it.
"Well I hate to break up your little party, but you're late for the debriefing."
Realisation hit Daniel immediately. "Dammit!" he called and suddenly stood up. "Kali… err…" Daniel paused. He had no idea what to do with Kali, she couldn't exactly stay in his office.
"Come with us." Jack said. Together the three of them left and headed for the debriefing.
Once they arrived they found the rest of SG1 and General Hammond sitting in their chairs waiting for them.
"Sorry I'm late, I kinda made a breakthrough."
"You did? That's great news… what's that then?" Sam asked as Daniel took a seat next to Teal'c and Kali sat down next to him.
"Kali can understand English. She even translated the message for me.."
"So… what does the message say Doctor Jackson?" Hammond asked, his strong Texan accent slightly echoing around the room.
"Um… I didn't get a chance to read it all." Daniel replied, looking a little stupid that he forgot to bring the message with him.
"Jaffa Anteyra!" Kali said. Everyone looked at her.
"Is that all it said?" Hammond asked her.
"No." was her only answer. Everyone waited for her to say anything more. She then reached across the table and grabbed a piece of paper, looking at Daniel's clothing she saw the pen sticking out from one of his pockets and whipped it out. She immediately began writing.
"I don't think she can actually speak English, but she does understand it. Am I right?" Daniel looked at Kali.
Raising her head she looked at Daniel, nodded once saying "Yes" and then went back to her writing.
"Well this is certainly… odd." Jack commented. SG1 and Hammond watched as the young girl continued to write, the only sound that could be heard was that of the pen writing on the paper. When she was finished she passed the paper to Daniel. He looked at it and read it out to everyone, slightly shortening things so it wasn't word for word.
"Ok… according to Kali, it is a Goa'uld called Anteyra. Her Jaffa came to the city where the Vanichi live…"
"I take it Vanichi are Kali's people?" Jack interrupted.
"Yes." Kali responded. Jack looked at Daniel waiting for him to continue.
"The Jaffa killed most people but Kali, Braiyn and their mother managed to get away. They ran to the Stargate to get help, but once they'd sent the message they were captured by the Jaffa and dragged back to the city. On the way their mother was killed in the woods. The kids were taken to a prison camp but soon managed to escape and that's when they met up with us." Daniel placed the piece of paper onto the table when he reached up to where he knew. He looked at Hammond to say that what he needed to say was over.
Sam remembered what Jack had found in the forest, the body, burned beyond recognition, most of what was left of it was scorched bones and ashes. "The body we found then…. That was their mother?" Sam asked as she looked at Daniel and then at Kali.
At that moment Daniel remembered the pendant he had found on the body. He fumbled around in his pockets till he found it. He held it out for Kali to see. "Was this your mother's?"
Kali looked hard at the pendant. "Yes." Daniel held it out for the girl to take. She took it without hesitation and looked at it longer, tears beginning to form in her eyes.
Realisation that the Goa'uld now how a weapon capable of burning their victims like the one they had found sent a small shiver down Sam's back. Jack shifted uneasily in his chair, thinking of what the weapon looked like. He imagined it to be a large cannon type weapon on wheels.
"Well that settles it. No more journey's to that planet." Hammond said as he placed his hands on the table preparing to stand up.
"No!" Kali shouted, looking at the General.
"Why not?" the archaeologist looked at the girl sitting next to him.
"Vanichi still at prison camp!" She finally managed to say, her voice filled with fear, anger and sadness. She was finally beginning to understand how to speak English, all she needed was to hear how most words were pronounced.
Jack looked at Hammond. "We've got to go and save them if they're still alive!" Jack said, taking sides with the girl. "How many where there before you escaped?"
"200." She replied. As she spoke her words had very small pauses in between as she was still learning to speak their language. "Our population was 5000." Everyone sighed at the thought of so many people being wiped out by the Goa'uld.
"Very well then. Prepare to leave in two hours. And take Kali and Braiyn with you so you have guides. Dismissed."
Jack and Sam stood to attention as Hammond left and entered his office. They all them moved off and made their way to where Braiyn was. They soon found him still in the infirmary with Doctor Frasier.