Title: We're alone in this fight
Author: Rinne
Rating: Teen (some sexual references)
Spoilers: 10.03 The Pegasus Project and some for the Star Wars movies and books
Genre: Gen, angst/humour
Authors Note: A huge thank you to Starrylizard and Kate98 for betaing and reassuring me that I wasn't off base with this.
Summary: Tag for the Pegasus Project. Daniel and Vala talk.
Vala lifted her head up. "You know, so what if the Ancients aren't going to help us?"
Daniel turned to her, a weary expression on his face. "You just don't get it, do you? The Priors have, for all intents and purposes, special powers. They can come through the Stargate any time they like, and even one can kill thousands of people. Even if we can stop them bringing more ships through the Supergate, the ones they've brought through more than outmatch us. Without the Ancients, until we find the weapon, we've got no chance. More and more people will worship the Ori, and they'll become stronger and stronger until nothing can stop them." He turned back to look out at the night, listening to the waves below them. "We're alone in this fight."
"You know," Vala said, "with that attitude I'm amazed that you pitiful humans managed to kill one Goa'uld, let alone take down their entire empire." Daniel opened his mouth, but Vala held up a hand. "Of course, you're right, Daniel. We're never going to defeat the Ori without the Ancients, without the weapon, so what's the point in trying?"
"That's not what I meant," Daniel replied quietly.
"The hell it isn't," Vala insisted. "You're giving up just because Obi-Wan Kenobi won't teach you how to use the force, or at least wants you to figure some of it out yourself." Daniel looked at her with a bemused expression on his face. "Teal'c's introduced me to Star Wars. I think he thought it fitting, seeing as I'm effectively the mother of Darth Vader."
Daniel winced.
"Maybe the Ancients are right, anyway." Vala shrugged and Daniel looked intently at her. "Who's to say that they're not going to get a little taste of meddling with the 'lower planes'," she air quoted, "and want more? Maybe they'd become no better than the Ori. I mean, you interfere, and where do you stop? And they can't all be happy-go-lucky, 'I want the best for you all' beings; some of them have to be more mischievous or not quite right in the head or something, and what happens when they interfere?"
They stood silently.
"I just don't know whether we can do this," Daniel admitted. "It never stops. We get rid of the Goa'uld, and then it's the replicators, and then we haven't gotten rid of the Goa'uld, and the replicators are back, and now this. When does it end?"
Vala leant over the railing. "It doesn't. It never does. There's always going to be one more, and then another after that, and another after that. Han and Leia don't get to fly off and make babies and live happily ever after." She rubbed her hands together to warm them. "Well, they get to make babies – twins, actually," she amended.
Daniel looked at her oddly. "I don't remember that being in the movies."
"It wasn't," Vala said. "It was in the books. Anyway, my point is-"
"Teal'c doesn't have the books," Daniel interrupted. He cocked his head to the side. "Vala, how did you read them?"
She grinned. "Well, I haven't read all of them, just a couple. And that Amazon is a very useful website."
Daniel smiled like he was in pain and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You stole my credit card, didn't you?"
"I'll pay you back. I promise. Teal'c mentioned the books, and I just had to know what happened. And it's not like you'd let me do anything interesting, I was getting bored." She lengthened the last word, leaning on Daniel slightly while she said it.
"Fine, you can pay me back," he sighed.
She squealed. "Thank you, Daniel! I promise I'll pay you back as soon as I get one of my own credit cardy thingies."
Daniel snorted.
"Anyway," Vala continued, "my point is that if you can't figure out a way to deal with it all, you're going to go crazy or get more uptight and boring then you already are. I can't believe that you've been this much of a bore all your life; you must have had a personality at some point."
"What I do isn't boring," Daniel protested.
"No, it probably isn't," she looked down, "but you are, Daniel." She looked back up at him seriously. "You're all work work work, save the universe, and while that's admirable, a long life it doesn't make."
"What the hell would you know about it, huh?" Daniel asked, derision plain in his voice. "Gallivanting around the galaxy, stealing what you want to, taking advantage of people. What the hell would you know about my life?"
"Gallivanting?" Vala asked unsteadily. "What would I know about it? My father never believed that the Goa'uld were our gods. When I was chosen as a host, he was devastated. Because I knew that he didn't believe, Qetesh knew as well. My father tried to save some people that Qetesh was going to put to death, and Qetesh killed him. I killed him. You're not the only one who has lost people, Daniel."
She turned away from Daniel and started to walk away. He grabbed her arm gently, stopping her from moving. "Wait. I'm sorry," he said. "You just frustrate me so much sometimes that I forget that you haven't exactly had the best life. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that." Vala nodded, and turned back towards him. "Assuming I can believe a word you just said," Daniel said wryly.
Vala looked him in the eyes. "It was the truth, Daniel." She smiled widely. "At least I have a happy ending. I met a handsome stranger," she leaned against him, batting her eyelashes, "who believed that I could be more than what I was. He's also madly in love with me, despite the fact that he denies it. So, I might have given birth to the being that will help destroy us all and the Ancients won't help us. What does it matter when I have you and Amazon?"
Daniel squeezed her gently. "You are not keeping my credit card."
"But, Daniel, you never even use it! And I need to find out what happened with Jaina and Jacen."
He pushed her along, leaving the ocean behind. "Vala..."
"Fine. Just one more book."
"No."
"You're no fun."
Daniel sighed. "I've been told that before."
"Well, it's true. And to think that I was going to let you read my books; well, that won't be happening now."
"Technically, they're my books."
"Right, you're not getting your credit card back then!"
"I'll just cancel it."
"Daniel..."
Daniel stopped, hit by a sudden thought. He smiled tightly. "Vala, what else did you buy?"
"Oh, nothing much." She waved away the thought. "Is that Doctor Weir I hear calling?" she said nervously, before starting to bolt.
He grabbed her by the shoulder, preventing her escape. "Vala."
"I just bought a few essentials. Honestly, Daniel, you'd think I'd made off with the Jewel of Sirana, with the way you're acting."
"Exactly what essentials?"
"Just some make-up, some shoes, a corset and garters, some body chocolate, a fascinating little gadget called a vibrator...Daniel, are you all right? You look a little...pink, there. Daniel?"