A/N: Beta'd by Angw and Trickster's Queen of War

Well, it could be worse. Cameron was only a step behind Jonas in the pitch black hallways of the Kelownan capitol. He was tired, hungry, and above all, it was cold down here. It was almost as if they hadn't been used for a long time and all the air hadn't been cycled. On top of that, dust tickled his nose with every step.

Jonas stopped after over an hour of wandering in the dark. "Okay, let's take a break."

"So, do you have any idea were I could find some ancient gizmo that I'm supposed to find here?" Cameron asked offhandedly, shining his light at the ceiling.

"I don't know about ancient, but we were excavating some ruins in the desert between the boarders between Kelowna and Andaria. We hit a snag when we discovered some kind of force field."

"Wow, someone wanted to keep their treasure hidden." Vala replied, her customary sarcastic tone filling her voice.

"More or less." Jonas replied, taking it in stride. "I know that whatever it was, it was something important. I also discovered what looked like a derivation of ancient written nearby. It said only those worth may enter."

"Sounds bad." Cameron replied. "We didn't have a good time the last time that happened."

"I believe it is our best option." Teyla said quietly.

"Well, we'd better get going." Cameron said, motioning for Jonas to take the lead.

Jonas led them straight down the hall until they reached a small railroad track. "This was once used to ferry troops and supplies. Now it's abandoned."

"Does it still work?"

Jonas walked to the wall and pulled the circuit breaker into the on position. Immediately the tunnel was bathed in warm artificial light. A single train sat resting on the tracks. It was an electric engine, with room for passengers.

Jonas climbed up into it and powered it up to. "Well, let's just hope this works." He said quietly to himself.

"What works?" Cameron asked.

Jonas pushed the throttle forward and the train began to move, heading back into the darkness of the tunnel, but on its way to a place where they could safely get out of trouble. Cameron climbed out of the cockpit and into the back, Teyla was laying on the hard metal bench, her jacket piled up near her head as a pillow.

Cameron shed his jacket and covered her up with it, not sure how long they'd be on the train. It wasn't moving very quickly. He sat down next to Vala on the opposite bench. The con-artist was quiet, almost annoyingly so. Cameron glanced at her and grinned.

"What's so funny?" Vala said sarcastically.

"I don't know, your not making some snide comment about this, that, or the other."

"I guess I'm not." She paused for a moment. "You know, I don't like doing that."

Cameron angled to face her fully. "Do what?"

"Fake infatuation, reveal myself for those purposes." Vala replied quietly.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked you to do that."

"The situation warranted it." Vala quickly corrected. "But I use it all the time."

"As a shield."

"Yes." Vala's voice was barely loud enough to hear above the noise of the train.

Cameron glanced away. "You don't have to."

"I've never known any other way. You remember Tamar, I used him too."
"That's not what it sounded like." Cameron said quickly.

"Not then, when I first met him." She grinned half-heartedly. "More like we used each other. I wanted safety, he wanted some semblance of compassion from a woman. I could give him that."

"But you seriously cared for him in the end... right?"

"Yes." Vala replied. "I did."

"Then that's all that matters."

"Naive view." Vala retorted.

"Naive yes, but not untrue. It's better to be naive than heartless."

"Why do you keep doing this?" Vala asked after a moment of silence. "Why do you keep trying to convince me I'm not trash."

"Because I don't think you are. Sure, you're annoying, but somewhere under there is the woman who existed before she got take by a Goa'uld. No matter how much you try and deny it."

"Could've just said I wasn't trash." Vala replied, turning away to hide her tears of happiness.

For his part, Cameron kept learning something new about the thief. Vala had way more to her than met the eyes. She wasn't trash, he knew that from the beginning. She was resourceful, that came with being a thief. Her loud demeanor was a cover for who she really was, a lonely woman.

XXX

There was no point in shooting at the Prior, save to keep him from doing anything but reflecting their bullets. Of course, Daniel knew he was just about to run out. His gun clicked empty. His brain kicked into gear and he ducked behind a piece of rubble.

Jack and Teal'c were already running for cover as the French commandos were storming the plaza, firing madly. In the center of all the carnage, the Prior stood his ground, spent bullets at his feet. Bullet casings by the feet of everyone else.

"The power of the Ori is all powerful." The Prior said, bringing his sword up in a classic guard position, diagonally across his chest. The staff began to glow brighter, then a massive shock wave shot outward. The commandos were knocked off their feet and sent flying into the nearest wall. All of them were dead on impact, or at least paralyzed by their bone shattering impacts.

Daniel had been lucky, he was comfortably safe behind his piece of debris. Throwing caution to the wind he reached to his belt and threw a grenade at the Prior. It exploded right at the Prior's feet, but did nothing. Daniel shook his head and opened fire again.

He darted out from his cover, running quickly to the next piece. There he found Teal'c. "Where's Jack?" Daniel yelled over the fire of his and Teal'c weapons.

Teal'c pointed across the square, where a hailstorm of bullets were being shot at the Prior from behind a rock. Daniel knew they were running out of time. "This isn't working."

"I am open to suggestions Daniel Jackson." Teal'c replied, tossing another grenade.

"Can you hit him with your knife?" Daniel asked.

Teal'c didn't waste time. He drew the knife from his belt and hurled it across the square at the Prior. The knife caught the Prior off guard, implanting itself in the Prior's hand. The Prior suddenly turned their way and with a single sweep of his hand sent Teal'c and Daniel flying against the wall, thankfully they were sparred a bone shattering impact by their own proximity to it. It didn't stop them both from losing consciousness.

Jack tapped his radio. "NOW CARTER!" He was almost completely out of ammo, shooting with his pistol and hoping the Prior could be stopped soon.

Sam came out from the building behind him. It had once been an occupied hotel but right now it was their only hope. "It's all taken care of sir. Now we've gotta get him into the building."

"Great." Jack had the nerve to stick his tongue out at the Prior before running into the building. He smiled with glee as the Prior chased them into it.

XXX

Jonas greeted an officer at the other end of the line. The officer was wearing Kelowna military uniforms. "Han... how are our forces?"

"Not good." Han replied.

Cameron lead his team off the train behind Jonas. "Do you have an infirmary, Teyla could use some help."

"Right this way." Han replied. He gestured at a pair of soldiers who led Teyla and Cameron to the infirmary.

Han turned to Jonas. "The rebels have that building locked down tight."

"Any ideas how to retake it?"

"We don't honestly know. It's going to be a blood bath. The Terranians and Andarians are both ready to help us, but I don't want this costing us a lot of lives."

"Ever heard of a night operation?" Vala replied, immensely proud of herself.

Hans turned to Vala. "We're not equipped for a night operation."

"But neither are they. You'll even the playing field by allowing you to get your troops into the building. From there, cut the power and work your way through it. It's not terribly complex."

"It's our best chance." Jonas said. "But first I've gotta ask a favor."

"What is it that you need Jonas?"

"We need to go on a field trip."

XXX

Cameron sat next to Teyla, across from Vala in the back of the truck. He was feeling a bit apprehensive, but other than that he was okay. For the first time that day they weren't in mortal danger. Of course, with his previous experience with proving himself to ancients, he was sure the roof would try to crush them again.

He thought back to the mourning, the memory of floating above his bed still in his mind. Something the old man had done had changed him. He was different and for the first time he could feel it. If he listened, he could hear things he never would've before. He could catch glimpses of the past. They were like memories, but they were too vivid, and he was seeing things his subconscious could see.

Then he saw something he knew wasn't a memory, he saw Jack, Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c fighting for their lives against a Prior in France. He gasped as he saw Daniel and Teal'c slammed against a wall.

"Gah!" He spat. "They're in trouble!"

"Who?" Teyla asked.

"Sam, Daniel and the gang." Cameron took a deep breath.

"How do you know that?" Vala asked, the slightest bit of sarcasm creeping into her voice.

"Vision."

Vala smiled nervously. "You sure you aren't crazy?"

"Last time I checked." Cameron retorted. "That was before I saw an old guy and had to go after the order of time."

"Then we must hurry." Teyla said. "Colonel Sheppard experienced similar things while he was learning about the order of time."

The truck stopped and Jonas came to the back. "We're here." He lowered the ramp and they all climbed out. Just beyond the truck was a small pit that had been excavated to reveal an entrance. Jonas led the group down into the tunnel. He stopped once they reached the forcefield.

"It really hurts too." Jonas added.

Cameron walked up to it. He'd only seen a handful of ancient equipment, but the forcefield was a dead giveaway. He stepped closer, feeling the static energy of the forcefield just out of reach. That was when the unexpected happened.

A hologram simmered in place. Cameron shook his head, it looked just like the old man, but a bit less ragged. "Cameron Mitchell, you've found this place, congratulations. And you too Teyla Emmagen."

Cameron glanced back at Teyla. She was perplexed but not utterly shocked. Apparently she'd seen worse before. Cameron returned his attention to the hologram of the old man. "So, beat us here, right?"

"No." The hologram replied. "This message was recorded centuries ago. I knew you would come when the time was right. I also knew that Teyla would come." The forcefield disappeared. "I have my last testaments to give you."
"I'm not in the mood for traveling religious salesmen. And you do look like a Prior." Despite himself, Cameron stepped into the room.

The hologram walked over to a small altar. Imprinted on it was a sword through a circle. One could almost say it was in a blood red color, except for the way that it glowed as he got closer. Then it opened and revealed three carved handles that looked just like the sword John Sheppard had.

"My final creations." The hologram said, he faced them. "The first is my own sword Cameron Mitchell, this I give to you."

One of the swords was raised up from the others. Cameron carefully grabbed it. He found the activation button and extended the blade. It was tinted blue, and the edge remained sharp even to that day. On top of that, the blade did nothing to the sword's center of gravity.

"Cool." Cameron said. "These are your testaments."

"Yes." The hologram replied. It shifted it's gaze to Teyla, still standing back. "Come forth daughter of Tagan. These are for you."

The remaining two swords were raised up above the level of the altar. Teyla collected them both and extended the blades. They were shorter extended than Cameron's. In fact, they look much like the her sparring sticks, except that her swords had sharp edges. She effortlessly twirled them in midair.

"Why give these to me?" Teyla asked. "I am not of the order of time."

"Your fate is connected with the order of time, through your husband. One day, you will find your gift too."

Teyla nodded in acknowledgment, retracting the blades and clipping both handles to her belt. "Thank you."

"You alone know the fighting style of the ancients, passed down through your people. You will find much more to it."

"Is that truly where my people's ceremonial fighting style came from?" Teyla asked, breathless at the scope of it.

"I taught your ancestors." The hologram replied. "I knew that one day, you would carry it to our descendants."

The hologram faced Cameron. "If I am not here now, then I have finally passed away and you have been given the gift. Use it Cameron Mitchell to defeat the Ori's followers and my brothers and sisters shall defeat the Ori themselves."

Cameron nodded, finally understanding everything that had happened. He'd never believed in destiny before but he had to believe in it today. He gazed the hologram in the eyes, knowing that the old man had planned this out for millions of years. "Thank you."

"Fulfill the prophecy Cameron Mitchell." The hologram said fading. "It will guide you on your journey." Then the hologram faded completely.

Cameron walked out of the room, not bothering to shield his eyes from the glare. Today was a new day, and he was proud to be here to see it. Belief was kindled in him. He focused on the sand before him and tried to move it. He was shocked to see it slowly shift from his mind. One way or another, he was going down and history.

He turned to Jonas. "We need to get back to Earth." He had a home to save.