Chapter 30 – A Whole New World
THUD. Slap, slap, slap, slap. Little feet padding across the floor followed the sound of a door banging open. Scampering across the cool tile of the upstairs bedroom, Nicky took a flying leap and landed in the middle of the large bed, Maddie not far behind him.
"Oompf!" came a deep voice from under the covers, quickly followed by a grumbled, "What the hell was that?"
A red head poked out from under the covers and peered blearily at the two shining faces in front of her, matching grins covering their faces. Lying back down, Cassie groaned out loud. "Nicky, Maddie. What're you two doing up so early?"
The two children in question began to bounce on their knees, causing the bed's inhabitants to groan in unison. "Come on, Cassie. You gots to get up!" the little boy on her left urged plaintively. "Uncle Teal'c tolded us that you and Brian could take us to the waterfall today. We've been waiting forever to see the waterfall!"
"Yeah, forever!" Maddie echoed back.
"Uugh, but we don't need to go this early, do we?" Cassie complained from beneath the covers.
"It's not early," Maddie reasoned. "The sun is already up…and so is me and Nicky!" The little girl reached over and poked Brian somewhere in his middle. From the startled gasp that issued forth, Cassie could just imagine where her fiancé had been prodded.
Throwing back the covers on his side, Brian reached forward and grabbed both children. Tossing them gently onto their backs he began tickling them in earnest. Growling playfully, he said, "You've only been here for four days, you little monsters. How could you be waiting forever?"
Giggling loudly, Nicky answered back, "We just has!"
Tossing aside her own covers, Cassie gathered her little brother into her arms for a quick hug and shot Brian an apologetic grin. She half wondered if, after spending several weeks with these two, her soon-to-be-husband would be totally put off by the idea of having their own children one day. Brian, being the good-natured young man that he was, just grinned back, then resolutely picked Maddie up and deposited her on the floor.
"All right you two, out." He pointed toward the door, a mock-stern look on his face. When their faces fell, he smiled and added playfully, "If you want to go to the waterfall, you have to let us get dressed. Don't think your Uncle would appreciate me running around in my boxers." Though said in jest, there was some truth to Brian's words. He had noticed the large man giving him stern looks every now and again, as if warning the young man to mind his manners with the young woman he was soon to marry.
Nicky and Maddie jumped up and down excitedly and cheered, inadvertently waking the rest of the slumbering household. Chattering happily, they scrambled downstairs and left Cassie and Brian to get dressed.
Turning to face Brian, Cassie smiled slowly. "You're really good with them, you know that?"
Brian brushed aside her words with a wave of his hand. "They're easy to get along with. They're good kids; all five of them," he remarked as he got out of bed and bent to pull on his jeans and a clean shirt.
"All the same, I really appreciate everything you've done for them, Brian. And for me," she added quietly as she came around the end of the bed. Staring up into his green eyes, she let her love for the tall dark haired man shine through her own eyes.
Brian enfolded her in a hug and muttered in a voice reminiscent of John Wayne, "Aw shucks. It weren't nothing, little lady." Cassie giggled, then leaned forward and let herself get lost in his kiss.
Moments later, they heard a child's voice state from the doorway, "I don't think this is what mom had in mind when she sent you and Brian to watch us, Cassie."
Startled, Cassie turned and saw her younger sister standing in the doorway, a grin creasing her face. Grabbing a pillow off the end of the bed, she pivoted quickly and tossed it at the smiling nine year old. "Out!" the older girl admonished loudly.
Giggling, Katie ducked out of the way and made a fast retreat downstairs. Glad to hear her little sister laughing, Cassie turned to Brian with a smile. The smile faltered when she heard Teal'c state dryly from the doorway, "Katherine Rose is correct in her assumption, Cassandra. You must remember your duty is to the children. I do not believe your parents would wish you to spend your time in intimate embraces in front of an open doorway." He narrowed his eyes at Brian in warning, then turned to follow Katie down the stairs, chuckling under his breath as he did so.
Brian gulped loudly. "Geez, for a big guy, he sure can sneak up on a person."
Cassie, who wasn't bothered in the least by Teal'c's words, patted his arm reassuringly. "Don't worry dear. Teal'c won't hurt you. He's just a big teddy bear under all that gruffness."
"Yeah," Brian grumbled under his breath. "One of the grizzly variety."
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Truth be told, Teal'c found Cassie's betrothed to be more than worthy of her attentions. He just felt that, as Cassandra's Uncle, it was his duty to keep the young man on his toes while he was here on Chulak. The past four days had been challenging, to say the least. The time had passed quickly though, with the children getting acclimated to living not only with their aunt and uncle, but also with each other. Though used to spending time together, the cousins were not used to being together 24/7 and as such, a few arguments broke out every now and again; mainly over incidental things. Knowing it was mostly because of their new situation, Teal'c was the model of patience and understanding. He and Ish'ta, along with Cassie and Brian, were thus far able to keep the children entertained enough to prevent any large altercations from happening. The arrival the previous day of Janet had put everyone into good spirits. Nicky and Katie were overjoyed to see their mother, and vice versa. They sat as close as possible to her during the few short hours she was able to spend with them. Though disappointed their own parents couldn't come for even a brief visit, the O'Neill children had never-the-less been eager to sit with their aunt and hear what news she had of their parents.
The official public release of the news would occur today on Earth, and Jack and Sam were up to their eyeballs in work preparing for the bombshell. Janet assured the children that their parents were fine, and didn't go into too much detail. She didn't want them worrying unnecessarily. Instead, she told them a few of the things that were going on at the mountain; the most amusing being the strange new animal SG-7 had found on their most recent mission; a cross between a squirrel and a turtle. The children laughed out loud at the image of that and Grace promised to try and draw them a picture of what it might look like.
Janet also mentioned that Poppy missed them all dearly, a thought that brought looks of sadness to all three of the O'Neill children. She went on to explain that the dog had actually chewed up one of Billy's best tennis shoes because she was so upset at being left behind. Grace grinned at that piece of news, glad it was Billy's shoe and not her friend Brittany's. Janet assured JJ that his friend wasn't angry over the incident and their father had already promised to buy Billy a new pair of shoes.
Privately, Janet had shared with Ish'ta how difficult it was for all four of them with the children gone. Neither she nor Daniel, Sam nor Jack, had been home in the last three days; the silence of the empty houses would be more than any of them could bear. There was more than enough to keep them busy at the SGC. In a way, it was a Godsend, that constant motion within the mountain. It helped all of them keep from wallowing in the misery of missing their children.
Before she left later that afternoon, Janet had taken Cassie aside and told her once again how grateful she was for her and Brian's presence here with the children. The two women had shared a heartfelt embrace, each shedding a few tears, before Janet had had to return to the Stargate. Though sad to see her go, the parting had not been as difficult as the initial one three days earlier. Still, Janet had held her two youngest tightly to her, squeezing them close much longer than either child normally would have allowed.
Sensing that the older children may need time away from the younger ones, and to distract them from today's happenings back on Earth, Teal'c had planned today's activities accordingly. He had suggested an excursion to the nearby waterfall for the youngest children while he brought JJ to watch the young Jaffa boys train in the courtyard. He had left the entertaining of Grace and Katie up to his wife, certain that she would be able to find suitable activities for the two girls.
Not one to be excluded from such an exciting outing as the one JJ was heading for, Grace had insisted that she also be allowed to come along. Not only was the eleven year old interested in trying her hand at the art of Kel'na'tor, the opportunity to watch young male bodies stripped to their waists was not one she wanted to miss. For the first time in a long while, Teal'c had been unsure how to respond. While the young females of Chulak also participated in traditional Jaffa training, they usually did so within their own complex. It was only very recently that training had begun to become more integrated, and only by a select few instructors. Teal'c knew that Mol'tor, the trainer for the males JJ and Grace's ages, was not one of them.
Not quite certain how to respond to Grace's request, Teal'c had looked to his wife for assistance in this matter. She in turn smiled at him smugly and waited to see what he would do. Ish'ta had been trying for several years to convince the adult leaders in charge of training the youngsters to integrate the instruction of all Jaffa children. After all, if they were to fight together one day as adults, they might as well train together. This was as good a time as any to start with the youngest Jaffa, as far as she was concerned. So she had looked expectantly at her husband and waited.
Knowing he had no other recourse, Teal'c had acquiesced to Grace's wishes and extended the invitation to Katie as well. Not nearly as interested in the endeavor as her older cousin, Katie had declined and decided to go to the waterfall with the others. Secretly, Teal'c was relieved. While he knew Samantha Carter–O'Neill would have no qualms about her daughter learning the martial art of Kel'na'tor, the good doctor was quite another story altogether.
Cassie and Brian had packed a lunch and headed for the waterfall, a good hour hike away. Nicky and Maddie had been fairly dancing with excitement, wondering if they would get to see the fabled York'el – a half bird, half fish creature that their Uncle had told them several stories about. Katie had followed along happily, carrying along a tote bag containing her journal and colored pencils. She planned to sit by the edge of the pool, writing and sketching in the relative peace and quiet of the great outdoors.
This left Teal'c, the great Jaffa warrior, escorting the two oldest children to the central courtyard where the training would soon begin. Ish'ta and Grace led the way, their excited chatter carrying back to Teal'c and JJ. Looking up and seeing the look of concern flash across his uncle's face, JJ asked tentatively, "Is this going to be all right Uncle Teal'c? I mean…Grace being here and all? I don't want us to cause any problems." He considered his next words carefully. "Grace can be kind of…insistent sometimes. She likes to get her way," he added with a rueful grimace.
Teal'c looked down into the anxious face of his Godson and smiled. "Your sister is much like her father in that regard, young Jonathon. Do not fear. I believe Ish'ta is correct; the time has come to integrate the training of all male and female Jaffa."
His statement proved to be slightly easier said than done. When Teal'c showed up with JJ and Grace in tow, Mol'tor, the lead instructor for the young boys, tried to direct her and Ish'ta to the women's complex, which he felt would be more proper for the young Tauri. Before his wife could jump in and slay the man for his insinuations, Teal'c firmly informed Mol'tor, "My Goddaughter will observe the training of the male Jaffa along with her brother. She will participate when I deem her ready." He narrowed his eyes meaningfully at Mol'tor when the other man gave him a look of pure anger. "Perhaps you would like to hold a private discourse on the matter, Mol'tor. I am certain Ish'ta could instruct the young men in your stead." The two men exchanged glares for several moments, Mol'tor casting rather strong looks Ish'ta's way was well, before he grudgingly acquiesced to Teal'c's suggestion.
When he had returned to his pupils, Grace turned to her Uncle with a smile. "Thanks Uncle Teal'c. I promise. I won't get in the way."
Teal'c regarded her thoughtfully, then nodded slightly in her direction. "Perhaps it would prove most interesting if you did get in the way, Grace Aeryn."
Grace frowned in puzzlement at his words, then shrugged her shoulders and went to sit with JJ on the low stone wall that enclosed the training area. Her attention was quickly riveted on the bare-chested young men who wielded the long sticks so effortlessly. Though they were only between the ages of 10 and 13, the boys were already developing the strong arm muscles that the Jaffa were known for. Many of them proved quite adept at the skill of Kel'na'tor and JJ as well as Grace watched with rap attention. Though Teal'c had shown them several moves and they had wielded the long poles before, neither one was quite as skilled as the youth in front of them.
"Husband?" Ish'ta asked quietly, placing her hand on his arm.
Teal'c turned to look down at his wife. "I believe it would be most advantageous for you to bring some of the young female Jaffa to the central compound at this time, Ish'ta. Today's training could prove to be most interesting."
Ish'ta smiled her understanding and hurried off to do as her husband suggested.
They sat on the wall and watched the intricate movements of the young boys and listened to Mol'tor's instructions for a good 45 minutes before either JJ or Grace made a move to join the group. JJ was warmly welcomed; several of the boys had been present at the game of Run'ta the first day of their stay and had sought him out over the past few days. JJ was handed a sparring stick by a tall boy his own age, who showed the novice how to hold it and move his body in the manner all Jaffa were taught. JJ surprised him by following his movements immediately, then laughingly told the boy that his Uncle Teal'c had spent some time with him over the years showing both him and his sister how to wield the sparring stick.
Grace was looked upon with curiosity at first and maybe a bit of admiration for her innate beauty and gracefulness, but none of the boys expected her to join their group, nor did they expect her to be any good at Kel'na'tor. Their preconceived ideas were abruptly shattered when handful of young Jaffa girls entered the compound, sparring sticks on their shoulders.
Si'mon, the boy who had invited JJ to join him, turned and looked at his teacher with astonishment. "Are we to train with females, Master?"
Mol'tor snorted. "It appears so. Do not worry. I am certain they will find my instruction much too strenuous for their liking." He fairly sneered the words as he looked at Ish'ta, who entered the training area wielding a sparring stick of her own.
Head held high, Ish'ta approached Mol'tor in the center of the training compound. With a condescending tone that Teal'c could pick out from his spot by the low wall, Ish'ta said, "Perhaps you would care to join me in a demonstrating the proper method of engaging in Kel'na'tor. I am certain both sets of trainees would find a demonstration most informative."
Mol'tor sized her up. He knew well the reputation of Ish'ta as a fierce fighter. But he also knew that she had been married for several years now, and believed she no longer engaged in the strenuous training necessary to beat someone as skilled as himself. Feeling certain that he could easily dominate her in battle, and thus teach all present a lesson, Mol'tor readily agreed. From the sidelines, Teal'c shook his head slightly at the man's naivety. He was most certain that Ish'ta would teach Mol'tor a lesson he would not soon forget.
The two warriors took their stances in the middle of the compound, the boys and girls backing away and forming a circle around them. Mol'tor raised his stick high, cried out loudly, "Kel'nor!" and advanced on Ish'ta. The two adults circled each other in the compound; sticks striking loudly as each tried to disarm their opponent. The cracking of stick against stick and the grunting of the efforts of the warriors was the only sound heard, as the observers watched the display with quiet awe.
Round and round they circled, striking and dodging blows as sweat glistened down their faces, arms, and backs. As the demonstration progressed, Mol'tor's face took on a grimace of determination: he would not allow this female to unseat him in front of his pupils. With renewed effort, he attacked the much smaller woman, but she would not give an inch. Her stick met his, thrust for thrust, as she battled with fierce resolve.
From the circle of onlookers, Si'mon whispered loudly, "I can not believe Ish'ta has lasted this long against the great Mol'tor. She is indeed a warrior to be respected." Several children around him nodded their agreement. Teal'c smiled knowingly from his spot near them.
Mol'tor, too, heard the comments, which only incited his fury. Renewing his intent was to knock Ish'ta to the ground, he lost focus briefly and misjudged his swing, completely missing the woman in front of him. He ended with his back to her; a most unfortunate place to be. Ish'ta took full advantage of his precarious position and struck him soundly across the back, causing the man to drop his stick and fall to his knees with a grunt of pain. Ish'ta rested her stick across the back of his neck, signaling the end of the match. Mol'tor stayed on the ground for a full minute, hands on his knees while he tried to regain his breath. Around him, he could hear the children shout out with exclamations of congratulations on the well fought contest.
Mol'tor closed his eyes in shame, then opened them to look up directly into Ish'ta's dark eyes. She looked at him for a moment, then smiled softly and bowed to him respectfully. "You are truly a worthy opponent, Mol'tor. I do not often receive the opportunity to spar with such a talented warrior." She extended her hand in an offer of peace and assistance.
Seeing no malice or arrogance in her actions, Mol'tor accepted the proffered hand and allowed her to help his gain his feet. He regarded her thoughtfully for a moment, then bowed his head toward her. "It appears I have underestimated you, Ish'ta. You are, as well, a very worthy opponent." He looked around at the young people surrounding him, allowing his gaze to linger on the young girls present. "Perhaps, with your assistance, we can teach these young Jaffa the noble art of Kel'na'tor."
Ish'ta smiled at him. "I would be most honored," she replied. As she walked toward the cluster of children, she cast a proud glance Teal'c's way. He smiled in return and bowed his head to her. There had never been any doubt in his mind that she would prevail. She was his wife, after all.
JJ and Grace spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon training with the Jaffa youth. Teal'c watched their progress, pleased to see that Grace was on par with the other females and seemed to have a natural talent for the sport. JJ too wielded the sparring stick with a natural born grace. The Jaffa children soon treated both of them as one of their own. If one didn't know otherwise, the two children could easily be mistaken for the son and daughter of a Jaffa warrior.
Teal'c caught Si'mon eying Grace from time to time with more than a little interest and smiled to himself. O'Neill would be most displeased to hear about this turn of events.
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While JJ and Grace were sweating in the hot sun and learning to move like true Jaffa warriors, Maddie and Nicky were happily splashing in the pool beneath the waterfall. They were in the shallow end of the pool, away from the strong force of the crashing water, and under the watchful eye of Cassie and Brian. Katie sat along the bank, her bare feet gently swaying back and forth in the cool water while she held her journal on her lap, recording her thoughts and drawing pictures of the beauty around them. When Maddie or Nicky came too close with their splashing, she would shoo them away by kicking water at them.
Cassie and Brian sat on the grassy bank and watched the youngest children frolic in the water. Brian turned to look at Cassie when he heard her sigh. "What's wrong?"
She looked up at him with sadness in her eyes. "I just wish mom and dad could be here with us. And Jack and Sam. They'd love it here; the peacefulness and the sight of those two splashing around in the water. Jack would probably join them as a matter of fact." She smiled gently at the thought of Jack O'Neill playing in the water with the children, then sighed again at what the four adults were missing, stuck back on Earth.
Brian put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. "Then let's take some pictures, so they can at least experience the moment later. I brought the digital camera for just such an occasion," he grinned down at her.
Cassie smiled back at him. "You are so wonderful…and thoughtful…and brilliant."
He raised his eyebrows. "Don't stop now, you're on a roll." Cassie snorted with laughter as she lightly punched him in the stomach.
"Just get the camera, will you?" she teased gently. Brian complied, raising his lanky body from the ground. He threw her a sharp salute and a "Yes, Ma'am." Then he went to his pack, pulled out the camera, and took several pictures of the children in the water, warning them once to be careful as they tried to climb onto some slippery rocks. He made sure to take a few pictures of Katie as well, and one of Cassie when she wasn't looking. He knew the last one was just for him, and he wasn't at all ashamed to admit it.
A few minutes later, when Cassie was sitting beside Katie and looking at her sketches and Brian was unpacking lunch for all of them, Nicky and Maddie wandered a bit further away. Nicky, certain that he had seen something flash in the water on the other side of the shallow pond, slowly made his way in that direction, the water lapping gently at his knees. Not wanting her cousin to find something before she did, Maddie followed along.
"What did you see, Nicky?" The little girl asked as she plodded through the water after him. "Was it a York'el?" she asked with excitement.
Nicky looked back at her and pushed his glasses up on his nose in a move very much like his father's. "I doesn't know. But maybe. Let's go see!" He waited for Maddie to come abreast of him. She was much braver than he was and the boy was more than willing to let her go first.
They made their way to the opposite side of the pool, where thick plants grew along the water's edge, their colorful flowers bending in the breeze and kissing the water's surface. Beneath the shade from the plants, Maddie and Nicky could see a pod of small animals darting back and forth in the water. The two children looked at each other with wide eyes, then bent closer to peer into the water.
"What is they?" Nicky whispered to Maddie.
"I don't know, but they has lots of colors!" Maddie whispered just as reverently back. The creatures were a strange combination of frog and snake. They had long, shiny bodies that appeared multicolored in the reflected sunlight, four legs with webbed feet that propelled them through the water, a large head, and large, beady eyes. They seemed to be rather skittish, as they kept zipping away from Maddie's hands when she placed them in the water. "Let's try and catch one!" she stated eagerly as she focused her attention on the darting creatures in front of her. The four inch long creatures held the children's attention for several minutes as they tried valiantly to catch one of them. Maddie had finally gotten her hands cupped around one when Brian's voice called them back.
"Hey you two! What are you doing way over there? Come on back now – it's time for some lunch," he called from across the pool.
Maddie held the squirming animal cupped in her hands and looked back at Brian. "We're coming!" She turned back to Nicky. "Here, put him in your pocket. We'll bring him back to Uncle Teal'c's and get him a bucket and some water. Maybe we can keep him for a pet!" she added excitedly.
Nicky blanched at the thought of having the squirming critter in his pocket for another few hours. "But…won't it die? It needs water to live."
Maddie looked him over carefully. "Squat down in the water and get your pants wet. Then your pocket will stay wet until we get home. I can put some more water in my canteen and pour it in your pocket on the walk home," she stated decisively.
Nicky scrunched up his face. "But I don't want…"
He was interrupted by Brian calling again. "Come on you two! Don't make me come and get you!"
"Hurry!" Maddie hissed, then with one hand, she pushed Nicky down until he was sitting in the water. When he got back up, she held open his pocket and slipped the slimy little animal in and closed it gently over the creature. "Now be really careful! We don't wants to squish him! And don't tell 'cause Cassie might make us put him back!"
Nicky cast a baleful glance Maddie's way, then began to slog his way back to the other side of the pool where Brian, Cassie and Katie were waiting. While he normally didn't mind being wet, having his pants soaking to his skin and feeling the squirming in his pocket was not something Nicky was looking forward to dealing with for the next few hours. But for his cousin, he would do practically anything.
When the two youngsters climbed out of the pool, Cassie was there in an instant. "Oh Nicky! How did you manage to get so wet?" she exclaimed as she dropped to her knees in front of him and brushed the hair back out of his eyes.
Casting a quick glance at Maddie, who compressed her lips tightly together and shook her head at him, Nicky finally answered, "I falled in the water."
"Are you OK?" Cassie asked, the concern evident on her face as she checked him over for any apparent injuries.
"Just wet," he answered quietly. He didn't want to fib to his big sister, but he also didn't want to tell her the real reason he was wet from the waist down.
Cassie rose to her feet, brushing her hand gently across his hair once more. "All right. We'll have a quick lunch, then head back to Teal'c and Ish'ta's where you can change into dry clothes." She turned away. "I guess I should have thought to bring some extra clothes along, us going to the waterfall and all," she muttered to herself as she helped Brian finish setting out their lunch.
Maddie and Nicky exchanged a quick glance once the grown-ups had moved away, then Maddie smiled reassuringly at her cousin. She looked meaningfully down to his pants pocket. Nicky patted the pocket very gently, smiled back at her, then turned toward the blanket where the food was spread out. Their little adventure had made him very hungry.
As Maddie went to join him, she noticed her hands tingling. It kind of felt like her foot did sometimes when Poppy had been laying her head on it too long. Looking down at her hands, Maddie's eyes opened wide in surprise. Both hands, which had carefully cradled the little critter in their depths, were giving off a rather greenish cast. Fleetingly, Maddie wondered if Nicky's leg would be turning green anytime soon.
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