Disclaimer: The characters used within this are mostly the property of others. I have a few originals, but the vast majority are not original. A few well known names may be used, but everything here is fiction. This is for entertainment only and not for profit.
-=oOo=-
Araiansu - Chapter 11
-=oOo=-
Ranma fidgeted in his seat. Jacob was taking advantage of the chance to get some sleep.
"You do not like this craft either?" asked Freya.
"It is the first time I've flown on a regular jet. This is nothing like Asgard tech."
Freya bowed her head. Her eyes flashed before Anise rose her head and said, "I should think not. This is to Asgard technology as your most advanced computers are to sticks."
"Hey," Rodney added, "This is a very nice jet."
Anise said, "I am more concerned with the craft that Daniel has found than this relic. We don't have many details, but technology that old that is still working is always something to be concerned about. I once lost a host to something of a similar age."
"Point taken," Rodney agreed.
"So," Ranma hesitated, "You two want to go to Sam and my wedding?"
"I thought you were already married," added Rodney.
"We are. The Thor in the universe we were in married us, but she has always wanted to do one here, in this universe, with her father and brother."
"Well sure, I'm game. I had gotten the impression though that she um didn't like me much."
"I'm sure it will be fine, though just to be safe you might want to apologize for how you acted when Teal'c was trapped."
"I will," he said softly. Ranma nodded.
Anise asked Ranma, "We are most curious about your unique abilities. You largely healed a woman that should have died given your primitive medical facilities. How did you do that?"
"I was trained to be a martial artist from not long after I could walk. To those who walk that path, at least in my world, a small handful learn how to use their bodies own energy to enhance their strength, speed, and reflexes. With more training, even their durability can be enhanced."
"That doesn't explain," started Anise.
"No, it doesn't. At that stage you are basically a child learning to walk. In my world a friend of sorts stumbled upon a technique to project ki externally. It channeled a persons depression into a ball of energy. It was, it turns out, a very foolish way to learn. Still, he was naturally depressed and that mental state protected him from the backlash of his own energy."
"Why was it foolish?" asked Anise.
"Ki is like a muscle. Ki that is tainted by an emotion, well the more you use it, the more that emotion dominates. A depressed person rapidly becomes nearly suicidal, or if there are other emotions involved such as anger or hate, and in this case there was, those grow too. Ryoga became such a mess in later years. One day I hope to learn if a friend of ours managed to help him."
"And what degree of foolishness did you do?" asked Anise.
"Good guess. I thought I was particularly clever. I used sheer confidence which soon became near out of control arrogance."
"Just a slower method to madness then," noted Anise.
Ranma nodded. "It was the friend I mentioned who basically discovered the truth, who taught me how to create and use ki without emotion." Ranma held up a ball of white light in his right hand and then created three more and gently started juggling.
"An amusing exercise," noted Anise.
"He is juggling balls of light," complained Rodney as he gaped.
"It is actually one of many control exercises. Some my friend Doctor Tofu taught. Others I have learned or created over time. This is one I created. Energy alone does not heal."
"I should think not," agreed Anise. "I would assume you also completed an extensive medical education at some point."
"Yes, though not right away. I learned enough to heal basic external injuries from Doctor Tofu with the caution to never try to heal internal injuries. I did not know remotely enough."
He paused to gather his thoughts then several seconds later added softly, "Sam almost died when I first met her because I did not know enough. I had a cure of sorts that I gave her. It regressed her to near my age. It was intended to do that, and in the process also healed her enough that I could finish the work, but it was a very close call. The poison could so easily have killed her."
"Tok'ra can helt their hosts overcome many, but not all poisons. This cure, can you get more of it?"
"Nope, at least I don't think so. It was the last age changing mushroom I knew of."
Anise said, "Do you know how absurd that statement is?"
"Yes, but it was true."
"Well strange unexplained healing aside, what precisely does your healing do?"
"I can cause cells to multiply or to die, erode or build areas in a body. I can tell by feel and direct precisely which groups of cells do what. I'm sure there is some level we are missing, but it is still quite a lot."
"What about telomere shortening?"
"I did not know that then, but cells bathed in ki, if done properly do not suffer from it or suffer less from it. It is part of why a ki adept naturally lives a longer life, well if they are not killed in some other manner."
"So no magic really, just control of your bio energy and precise control of it through training."
"More or less, but do not believe any of this is easy."
"Of course not. Can you train me?"
Ranma sighed. "It is very important that the Goa'uld not get this knowledge. A ki adept certainly has the ability to destroy themselves beyond the ability of a Goa'uld to resurrect though that takes quite some time to reach that level. Tell me this. Do you intend to do everything in your power to make sure this knowledge is not lost to the Goa'uld or even other Tok'ra we haven't personally vetted."
"I will do my best."
"Let me speak to Freya."
"I too will do my best."
"And did Anise mean what she said?"
"She will try."
."
"Then the answer is no."
"Why?" Freya asked.
"Because Anise was not honest, and while I understand you covering for her, we just can't take the risk."
"And if I can convince her so that she can give an honest answer? I would actually like to learn."
"I'm sorry, and I do not blame you or even Anise really, but you come as a package deal, nor would I ask you to change, but for now I cannot teach you."
Freya bowed her head. Her eyes closed.
Anise asked "Are you sure? The ability of a Tok'ra to kill themselves would be very valuable. It is certainly better than being killed and ressurected till you betray everyone you know. I admit I didn't seriously consider your question before, but I am now. I am not a brave person. Freya balances me, but sometimes it doesn't seem enough. I really do want to learn."
"Why?" asked Ranma.
"There are few of us left. Despite our best efforts our host bodies age and die. Our own bodies suffer from aging too. Selmak probably will not survive another host. Our queen is dead. The Tok'ra are living on borrowed time. This might extend it a bit."
"Swear you will protect the training with your life and teach it to no one without either my or Sam's approval."
"I swear."
"Now Freya."
She bowed her head. Freya said, "I too swear."
Rodney said, "Hey, could I learn?"
Ranma deadpanned, "Not unless you first get in way better shape. I am not going to spend my time teaching basic physical fitness. While you don't need to be a martial arts master, some mastery of body is required."
"Hey, I'm not in that bad of shape."
Ranma ignored him. He took the bottle of water he was drinking and spilled some of it on him.
"That was amazing. Anise wishes to know how it works."
"Oh and one more thing, no bugging me about my cursed form or how it works."
"Anise is pouting."
"Good, and while it is unfair I intend to focus mostly on teaching you."
"Anise will learn as I learn. She does not mind in the least."
"Perhaps, but the only training I am familiar with is to a normal human, so I think it is best to teach from that viewpoint."
"Anise agrees, as do I."
Ranma got up from her seat and moved further back into the plane where there was space on the floor. She sat down Indian style and motioned Freya in front of her.
Freya sat down also and faced Ranma. "Why have you changed to this form?"
"A persons first touching of their own ki is tricky, particularly if they are not already near to doing so. A master can create a mirror of a persons ki so they can see their own, but the copy is never perfect. Changing gender allows my ki to be a closer match to yours."
"Oh, I thought it was perhaps you wishing to change to avoid the appearance of impropriety. You should know that both Anise and myself find this form equally appealing."
A bit away Rodney burst out laughing.
"Well, so does Sam, and she is the only one for me."
"You should be proud. Samantha is a very lovely woman in both body and mind. I was saddened to hear of what happened with Jolinar. I think under other circumstances they would have made a lovely team."
"Yah, she regrets Jolinar's loss too. She doesn't particularly want to be a Tok'ra, nor do I, but she regrets her loss."
Freya was thoughtful for several seconds. She then bowed her head.
Anise said, "Thank you for telling us this. Jolinar infuriated us. She was always so independent and daring, and she even won Martouf and Lantash's hearts, but most of all we respected her greatly. Her loss still hurts. We were glad to learn that even in death she lived as a Tok'ra. She wasn't born one, but she died as one. We can only hope our death is a fraction as honorable."
Ranma said, "Thanks. You should tell Sam this."
"I will." She bowed her head returning control to Freya.
"How do I begin this?" she asked.
"That is the part you must figure out. I will generate a ball of ki in my hands as close to what I sense from you as I can. I will hold it for as long as I can. You will place your hands near, but not touching the ball. Once you can feel the ball of ki in your mind, look backwards and find that which is similar."
Ranma held her palms up. A small ball of gently glowing ki nestled in them.
Freya held her hands together gently over Ranma's. Her focus was intense for several minutes before she closed her eyes and continued.
Rodney commented less than twenty minutes later, "It doesn't seem to be working."
Freya twisted and growled at him.
Ranma said calmly, "Pay attention to your feelings now. Look inside you."
"What?"
"You channeled anger ki, when Rodney interrupted you."
"I did?"
"You did. We will have to change tactics. It is not ideal, but I think it will work."
"What?"
"I will bend my ki to pure confidence. It is not a great thing, but I know enough to correct the imbalance. I think you will respond to this."
"Not anger then?"
"No, I won't teach that. I've no idea if Ryoga and Mousse ever made the transition back from the darker emotions. Confidence is bad enough, particularly, I sense for you and I."
"It is safe then?"
"Not really, but it is manageable at least with our help. I assume Anise can help you if you are feeling strong emotions."
She nodded.
"Then let's do this."
"If your sure."
Ranma nodded. She resumed her pose with palms up, but this time her ki glowed a pale blue.
Freya focused again, but as soon as her hands got close she back away. "It hurts."
"Yes, it does. The attack I made using this could potentially kill, but this much could not, and I was watching you. You were in no danger. The important thing is you sensed it well before you touched it. Now do it again and find the reflection in yourself."
Ranma resumed generating a ball of cool blue energy. Freya held out her hands more cautiously this time, not getting as close. Several minutes later she said, "I feel it I think."
"Call it forth. The ki I'm generating is a threat. Call your ki forth in response! Do it. Do it now!"
She held her hands out again as Ranma reformed the ball of energy. This time it wasn't just confidence. She felt it as cold arrogance. Dangerous cold arrogance like… She called her little core of energy out to attack the cold. It burned and exploded from her hands throwing her and Ranma backward.
Ranma let the ki she was generating fade away as she got up. She held out her hand to Freya who hesitantly took it.
"That is enough for now. You will likely feel tired or possibly exhausted once the adrenaline runs out. We can try again on pure ki tomorrow. I do not want you to try to practice pulling out ki like that. We will do it, if we must, but we want to transfer you over to pure ki as soon as possible."
"Can pure ki be used as a weapon?"
"Yes, though that is a topic of another time."
"What else can you do with ki?" she asked.
"What?" Ranma asked. "Speed, reflexes, endurance, long life, healing, and projectile attacks not good enough for you?"
"Never, I want to know it all."
"Why is that?" asked Ranma curiously.
Freya was suddenly somber. She said, "I normally depend on Anise for figuring ways out of trouble. She always has such important work. Sometimes I sleep during the day and work out with the other fighters at night, though it is awkward. Anise is always busy and it is important work. This is important and it is something I can contribute as me."
Ranma smiled and even Rodney nodded in understanding.
"Well, we will just have to make sure to teach you a bit of the art as well. Since you are already in shape with apparently credible unarmed skills this should work well, and be a great aid to you if you get in trouble. Just don't be surprised if it takes a lot longer for you to manifest ki by yourself."
Freya nodded and smiled happily. She then bowed her head. Her eyes flashed.
Anise said, "I have, it seems, been a poor guest. I know I get obsessed at times with my work. If you see this in the future, please remind me of this conversation and please, while I do truly wish to learn about ki, please consider my wishes secondary here. I have suddenly realized how much I owe my precious host. This is the least I can do for her and I ask that you encourage her, as I will, to accept it."
"That I can do," Ranma agreed. "Now, when she felt her ki, what did you feel?"
"I was surprised you used confidence, since I would not have thought that was my host's dominant emotion, though it could be mine."
"It wasn't, I don't think. Your a little weird. It is hard to get an exact read on you. The parts I expect to be distinct are not. I can sense two, but it is muddied; sometimes more, sometimes less. Mostly I picked confidence because it is what I used and I'm fairly sure we can transition off of it. The goal was to get a reaction from your ki, so that you could eventually learn to call on it."
She nodded and bowed her head, returning control to her host.
Ranma said, "Now tell me about your current training. That way when we get off this aircraft we can start on improving it."
Freya smiled again.
Jacob, in his chair in the back, smiled a small smile before settling back into sleep. It turned out that Freya's training was actually quite extensive, even if it was not the art as Ranma knew it.
-=oOo=-
Sam walked the long halls of the Liberator. The repairs were nearing completion and she could now easily reach the medical bay, though that was empty. She went to the nearby dining room. She saw Siler there along with the crew from the submarine. She shook her head and tried to clear her thoughts again.
"Something wrong?" Sylvester asked.
"Medically I'm fine."
"But something is wrong?"
"Let's just say Ranma and I have it seems been apart too long. It seems this is the price we pay for our link. Hopefull he is okay and we will be going before too long."
"If your sure."
"I am. I checked with Thor. It is painful yes, but will not be life threatening for some time yet."
Siler said, "You truly do have an amazing ship here Sam. It largely repairs itself."
"Yah, except for things like cutting off one of our three weapons pylons, though hopefully Avon and the Asgard's plan to block such weapons works in the future."
"No kidding," Cara replied. "We would all like to thank you for healing us. You saved Dave's life, but we all feel a lot better."
"I admit I campaigned hard with our Asgard to get those, but I think Ranma is the one that convinced them." She smiled. "He asked how could he risk training his children in the art if he didn't know they would be safe?"
"That was all it took?"
"You have to understand. Ranma doesn't lie well. You also can't really lie to him. He will know. He was genuinely terrified of making a mistake worthy of his dad with his kids and maiming one for life. It convinced them.
Dave said, "Well I for one am glad it did. I assume I can stop taking the meds?"
"Yes. I checked the report the pods made. Obviously it is not the fountain of youth, but you are all healthy, and if you take care of yourself should remain so for a long time."
"Thanks," they all said.
Siler asked, "Are there any problems?"
Sam blew out a breath. "The plasma canon on the separated pylon got some fairly severe damage when the safety systems shunted a full charge of power directly into the sinks to avoid exploding when it was severed at full charge. One of the two neutrino ion generators in that pylon is toast. Thankfully it failed without causing further damage. I'm really glad the Asgard perfected that technology. They are bringing a replacement, along with doing service on all the others. Apparently the slightly new design the Asgard from the Universe that made this ship had a couple of minor bugs that was causing premature wear. They are fixing it. It is going to be a few days even with Asgard help for all of it, then we need to test the new defense against the new weapons. So, problems, but all in the process of being solved. I just wish we could talk to Earth."
Cara asked, "Your sure you will be okay until then."
"Yah, oh it is going to be really annoying, but I'll manage."
Dave asked, "Is there anything we can do to help?"
"Sure, why not? Zen update these four's access to all the basic maintenance documentation and emergency procedures."
"Confirmed."
"How does that work?" Cara asked.
"Just find a console and ask Zen to show you what maintenance documentation is available. Maybe meet as a group and split it up. It might make a difference the next time, though I really hope we can stop such weapons from penetrating our shields again. I reviewed all of their combat. They all performed superbly. That shot was aimed perfectly to hit our core module given our course and speed. Jenna had about half a second warning. Her dodge was perfect, in that almost every other move she could have made would have resulted in our destruction."
"I didn't know it was so close," said Siler in surprise.
"The shot was launched from extremely close range. Had they known of the potential they would have stayed farther away, but they were fighting four motherships and assorted death gliders. Frankly we got lucky. The Tollan made a very fearsome weapon."
Dave said, "Yes, we all did."
Sarah, the youngest of the submarine crew stood a total of five foot four inches tall with sandy brown hair. She said, "What about other weapons? Aren't there ways we can fire smaller weapons against small ships or?"
"The ship was a copy of one from a television show. Oh we changed a lot and made it real, but it had never been intended to fight hundreds of small ships. The good thing is as long as they don't have exotic weapons our shields should stop most, if not all of their attacks. We could possibly come up with some modifications, such as smaller plasma cannons we could aim. They would be a fraction of the main guns power, but your right, they could be useful. Zen could direct you to one of the design programs. They won't tell you how the main guns work, but you could simulate some things using the last battle data."
"Really?" asked Sarah.
Sam nodded.
Siler asked, "What about the weapon that hit us? Are we going to get some?"
"That is a very good question. We would, if possible, prefer this technology not be spread throughout the universe."
"Do you think we can afford that kind of moral high ground?" Siler asked.
"I don't know. I have spoken with Thor. He has not forbidden it. I don't want to make this decision on my own, if I can avoid it. Frankly those bombs scare me. They are comparable in damage to a high end nuclear weapon for the same mass, but have no long term radioactivity or apparently toxic fallout."
Siler said, "They would become too easy to use. At least with nuclear, you might hesitate to use them because of the long term damage."
Sam nodded.
Siler added, "I recommend you seriously consider storing one. Make it require at least a dual lockout to access. Add whatever security you want, but I bet we will need at least one at some point."
"You may be right. We could certainly design one room with its own anti beaming shield and shield it against the very technology in the device. We would probably need to protect it in other ways too, so it was destroyed before being tampered with or stolen, but on one we could do that with enough security. I'm thinking a triple lockout. Three from the set of you, myself, Jack, Daniel, Teal'c, Jacob, and Ranma of course. As much as I love my kids I'd rather not add them to these. That may change, but not yet."
Dave said, "It seems reasonable to me; both getting one and securing it well. I frankly wouldn't want that kind of responsibility."
"That doesn't mean you won't get it one day," Sam said quietly.
Dave's eyes widened.
Sam continued. "I'm not exactly thrilled with it either. Neither is Ranma. Jack and Ranma would probably love to just retire at least from this. One to fish and relax; the other to teach his art. I confess I wouldn't mind doing that either, or even just using my engineering skills to build something that is not a weapon of mass destruction. Unfortunately, duty must come first."
Dave said quietly, "We know."
"I am going to talk to Thor and Narim again. I do not believe they have a clear answer either, but I have to try to seek it."
Siler said, "You could skip it for now and come back to it later?"
"Narim is considering destroying the weapons that were made. I suspect they will, at least some of them. They want to recover some of the trinium for their own use anyway. Some, I suspect they will keep. Our improvements to their Ion cannons should work, though who knows when they will next find a way to stop them. They will want some of the weapons for their own use. We all agree on that, even if we would rather not."
Siler asked, "So your concerned they might destroy all the ones they don't plan to use for defense?"
Sam nodded. "It may also be that the Asgard should consider this as well. I don't know."
Sarah said quietly, "This may be another sinful decision."
"Pardon?" Sam asked.
"Oh, it was a quote from a cartoon from Japan."
"Tell me about it."
Sarah added, "One of the main characters was a young woman. She was on the side of sanity that was trying to stop all the wars, but she too had ships and soldiers and great machines of war. Their side didn't use nuclear weapons, but they did use a technology that negated another technology that prevented nuclear energy and weapons from being used. Let's see if I can remember the quote. 'Agitating for peace; at the same time holding weapons. This may be another sinful decision. But please, now. The strength to cut through the never ending chain. Give it to us.'"
Sam's eyes widened. "Interesting. Zen identify quote and cartoon series if you can."
"The quote is from a Japanese animation series known as Gundam Seed. Would you like to see the relevant scene?"
"Sure."
They watched in curiosity as the scene replayed.
"Well that was interesting," Sam said. "I wish I had time to watch it from the beginning. You may want to mention the series to my kids. They might like it, but, regardless, I think the quote applies. Unfortunately, now I need to go make that decision. Siler will you come with me to talk to Narim and Thor?"
"Of course."
"One more thing. If we do decide to store one of these weapons, it doesn't get known to exist by anyone else. Got it?"
They all nodded soberly.
-=oOo=-
Selmak sat at the bridge of the Ancient warship. He said, "It is rare to meet someone older than me, but it is truly an honor to meet you Rommie."
She said wryly, "I'm not sure I'd count a near mindless state for over a millennia as true experience."
"It does," he said soberly. "You are a very welcome sight. So much has been lost over the years. I just wish I had the knowledge needed to help repair all this. Anise, are you having any better luck?"
"No, and you don't know how much it annoys me. This is very old technology, yet in so many ways so much better than anything we have modern. So much has been lost. Oh I can fix parts, but that's about it. If we have lost all this, then what else has been lost?"
"You know more than most," Rommie pointed out.
"That's alright. I'm sure with my help we will get this going," added Rodney as he tapped at controls he couldn't read.
Anise glared at him. "You know far less than me."
Selmak rolled his eyes.
Rommie smiled a small smile, even as she glanced over to what Rodney was doing.
Rodney then added, "Is there any chance of getting all these controls in English?"
Daniel said, "I'm working on that. Unfortunately, my knowledge of science is not the best, and until we complete this work Rommie won't attempt to change the language."
"Well let's get started then," said Rodney.
"Sure," agreed Daniel.
Anise said, "I might as well help here. I'm sure this much I can do."
The Reverend said, "Rommie how long do you think it will take to get things updated for English?"
She said, "Probably a day or so with their help. I have puzzled most of it together, but I want to make sure it is accurate."
Ranma blinked several times before turning to Rommie. "Is there nothing we can do to give you some additional energy for now? I know Liberator could probably tow you into orbit, but that probably doesn't help much. We might be able to give you some kind of energy tether."
She asked, "You can pull an Aurora class battleship out of the atmosphere?"
Ranma shrugged. "Sam would know for sure, but given the other things we have hauled I assume so."
"It probably doesn't matter. I need my own power source. Even if you completed the structural repairs, I need that. The energy tether idea is interesting. If it works and you can feed me enough energy for matter replication, I could replicate most of what is required in about half a day, well provided we had the raw materials. That would allow work to proceed on the repairs while you are gone."
Ranma said, "If Sam also approves Liberator could likely replicate a good portion of what is required. You would have to send us specifications. I've no idea if the Asgard technology is better, though given the time that has passed..."
"It probably is. I suspect, but cannot prove, that the machines they fought were Lantean in origin. Most likely somebody had access to too much technology and too little caution. Because of that and well general caution I'm going to keep as much of my technology secret, though I may send requests for some less sensitive systems."
Ranma said, "I'm sure the Asgard will get that. They have forbidden true AI. They likely won't insist on your destruction, because you exist, but they would likely draw the line at making copies."
"We were controversial even when we were created. Whether or not the replicators are the product of my people, I would like to do what I can to help the Asgard end them. I feel a responsibility there, misplaced or not."
Ranma said, "The problem is, they would feast on your body and grow stronger. The only thing we have found they can't abide is living energy." Ranma formed a glowing white ball of ki in his right hand.
Rommie's smile suddenly grew just a bit brighter and perhaps just a bit eager. She said, "I had suspected you were a life adept, but that proves it. We had many. It is likely you have some Lantean in your ancestry somewhere. Perhaps what was divided has reformed. I don't know. Life energy is beyond the ability of an AI to create, though it is within my ability to use."
"How?" asked Ranma in surprise.
"Would you mind sitting in the pilot's seat? I can show you."
Ranma looked at her curiously for a few seconds before glancing over at the Reverend who gave him an uncertain expression and then at Daniel who's was similar. "Okay." He sat down in the chair carefully before asking, "What do I have to do?"
"Just lay your hands down on the rests and let trickle ki into the chair in any ki you are willing to trust me with."
Ranma said softly, "Sorry."
"Why?" she asked. "I would be wary now too."
Ranma gently trickled in a small amount of neutral ki from his right hand. He was shocked when suddenly he could see so much more. He could see all around the ship as if it was his own vision, and even feel the ship, including the parts that were damaged, which was a lot more than he thought. This was too like his bond to Sam. He released his flow of life energy and stood.
"You are well aren't you?" asked Rommie. "I felt nothing of concern. It was refreshing to have a true pilot once again, even for but a moment."
"I'm fine," Ranma said. "Sam and the Asgard taught me caution. I think we will stop there for now. I want our ship to reexamine me and Sam to monitor anything in future."
"I would never betray my captain. Never," she said with absolute certainty, as if the very idea was forbidden.
"I am not accusing. Merely being cautious. Sam taught me that bad things can appear to be good. I trust my senses, but you had no sense of life till I gave you the smallest one. I'm just wary."
"I understand. I hope I can prove myself to you or another life adept one day."
He nodded.
The reverend said, "I agree with your caution here, and will pray that we might divine the correct path forward."
"Thanks," Ranma said.
Daniel said, "Yah. Ditto. Lord knows how many times I got into trouble trying to be careful."
The reverend asked, "You said she felt alive now?"
"Barely, and it is fading." He turned to Rommie and asked, "Are you okay?"
"Fine no. I'm not fine. It is extremely unpleasant to actually feel alive briefly and have that taken away. I do not understand. Please do not do that again."
"You are in pain," Ranma said softly. "I had not intended this."
"I know, but I was designed and intended to partner with my pilot. I'll admit I had hoped to get you as a pilot. Part of the reason I hid away was I didn't really want to wake, not fully. Daniel's meddling changed that and I decided to make the best of it, particularly since you could possibly get what I needed."
Ranma asked, "Would a small amount of additional energy last a few days until Sam can be here?"
Rommie was caught between elation and sadness. After she thought about it for almost a minute she said, "I'd rather not risk it. As much as I wish it, it would be worse if I again ran out. I'll wait for a permanent pilot."
Daniel asked, "How tied to the ship is a permanent captain? Do they age more quickly?"
"They are my partner, not just my captain. I can probably separate from them, but not without harming us both. A life adept's life span should not be affected unless they completely run out of life energy."
"Then they are dead," Ranma added soberly.
"Yah, that is the price of a life adept," Rommie agreed. "Very few have the control to push themselves into the grave, though I'm guessing you do, if you really needed to accomplish something. I have no control over how much life energy is given me, beyond there being a limit for what I can handle at a time. In combat, well I don't think you would have a problem, but a lesser adept? Maybe. It would also depend on the duration."
"So far, I know of only me, my wife, my children, and two others. My wife is a brilliant engineer and a master level martial artist. Even so, I'm not sure anyone other than myself could do this safely, if it takes my level of strength to be safe."
Jacob asked, "Could more than one work?"
Rommie said, "Not without a very deep connection between them. Such a tie would undoubtably be lethal should one die before the other."
"Sam and I might be able to do it."
Rommie's expression softened. "You must love each other very much to allow that."
"We do," he said softly.
Daniel looked at Ranma curiously before giving him a nod of respect. He then turned back to Rommie and asked, "You said you can't control it. Could something be added, not to give you control, but to allow you to separate to keep the pilots alive?"
"Maybe, but it is not that simple. Giving me control is trusting me not to abuse that control. Sure you could maybe set it so I could only shut it off and not reconnect, but that could get everyone dead in a fight. Similarly, in a fight I could pull back making it almost feel like I needed none then open the connection wide, and someone fatigued might die."
Ranma said, "She is right. It wouldn't help. With the way that expands your senses just keeping track of your ki in a firefight is not going to be easy. If the resistance changes when you don't expect it, well that would be bad. It would certainly break your concentration. It could easily cause my energy to shift from neutral to scared or angry. If I was really unprepared it might be fatal. If you need that kind of protection, just have someone pull you from the chair. It would be less jarring."
"Oh," said Daniel lamely.
Anise said, "Freya is tempted, but we barely have any skill in this, and I don't want to be tied to a ship and she doesn't want to part from me either. I'm sorry."
Rommie said, "Do not be. I thank you for your consideration. It is not one to make lightly."
"All this is great," added Rodney. "But still, if we are to figure out these systems don't we need someone that can be, I don't know here, or can we skip that magic mumbo jumbo?"
Ranma said absently, "And this is why you fail."
"What does that mean?" asked McKay.
"The first step in controlling your life energy is believing you can do so. Just that is enough to not make progress."
"I'm not trying to learn that. Sure, if I had time, well maybe, but what we need is someone who can at least stand in."
Rommie said, "It is not a requirement, but yes it would help. As it is, it will take me a lot longer to make parts without a partner to help. That means weeks at miniumum to recover. Things don't work nearly as well with me alone."
Ranma asked, "How little energy could you use to do the basics and at least navigate?"
A little upset Rommie added, "It is not just energy. It never was. I am incomplete without a partner. Yes, I can fly, and move through hyperspace. Yes energy will help, and yes, I will try, but think about how you would feel if the bond with your wife wasn't there?"
"I understand," Ranma said softly. "It aches even now, and we haven't been apart that long. Perhaps..."
Jacob asked, "Are you well? Is Sam well?"
"No, I'm sure she isn't," Ranma said. "But from what I can tell she will be fine. She just needs to get back."
Jacob nodded sadly. A few seconds later he asked, "Did you have someone in mind?"
"Maybe," Ranma replied. He turned to the reverend. "I am debating taking a possible risk with someone's life. They would have to choose it of course."
The Reverend asked, "How can I help?"
"I require a promise. I think it will be easy to give. I want your word to keep someone with the sole task of protecting her within reason. If you are in combat and the only way for her to save everyone else is to do what must be done, then, well we have free will. Short of that though…"
"You have my oath. We already have those that I expect to go with the ship. I am sure they will do so, but if not, I will be certain of it, or I will go, if need be."
Rommie said, "You have mine as well. I may not be able to easily force a separation, but I can scream loudly in every room at once."
Ranma asked, "Pardon this question Rommie, but does anyone here have a reason we should not look into this? If I am understanding this correctly, I think perhaps you were trying to get me to flood enough energy to you so that a bond of sorts might begin to form. Perhaps it wouldn't be permanent, but with the ache I feel for Sam right now, I know my judgement isn't the best. I know I may have overreacted.."
Rommie said, "No, you are right. I wouldn't have done anything to make it permanent, but I hoped you would choose to do so once you were exposed long enough. I'd say you don't know how I feel now, but I think you do, at least a little bit. I didn't know about your bond, not till the end. That must have felt exceptionally rude of me."
Ranma nodded.
Reverend Alverez said, "Our records say we have been helped in small ways by this ship ever since we have found it, yet in all that time you remained hidden Rommie. Why did you do that?"
"Duty partly, but mostly there was no path before me that would return me to space. A few I saw over time had some potential as adepts. I sensed that, but to do what? Turn over science a thousand years ahead of where you are, or to condemn someone to be tied to me, but never be able to leave a cave? I didn't like any of my options, so yes, I could have spoken far sooner. I choose not to. Still, even while you did not know of me, have I truly been such an unfaithful friend?"
"No, you haven't. I know the records well, and it also explains why some of our less ethical uses of your remote probes never worked. You blocked it, I presume?"
"I did. Trying to get me to probe the inside of a Papal convocation was not nice."
"No, it was not. That was thankfully my predecessor." He walked a few paces back and forth then looked at her, his expression searching before adding casually, "And the miracles?"
"I have no idea what you are talking about," she said unconvincingly.
He nodded. "We have a half dozen reliable records of people near here being led away from danger by ghosts. The reports never mentioned someone nearly as visible as you are now, but I presume she is limited outside of this craft."
"Still, don't know what you are talking about," she repeated.
"I also have two reports of two very bad men, the first nearly a hundred fifty years ago, the second almost eighty. There are a couple others, but the reports are too fragmentary to trust. Both men were rapists who later confessed to raping young women near here. The one eighty years ago confessed to killing the woman as well. Both were driven insane. The chronicles from the priests of the time said they were driven mad by demons. Would you know anything about that?"
Rommie sighed. "I had no idea you had studied this area so well, or I had been so careless. I'm not going to apologize. Yes, I've violated oaths I have sworn. Not often, but I have done it. I'm not particularly strong away from the ship particularly without a partner. Even with a small boost from the ships energy that was about all I could do. It was only the surge of corrupted life energy from the rapists sick perversion that caught my attention, but unfortunately too late both times. What would you have me do? Yes, you had found the ship by the time of the second one, but no one was here and you wouldn't be back for days! What would you have me do?"
"You misunderstand," the Reverend said quietly. "I do not dredge up the past merely to cause you pain. Ranma asked if we could trust someone's soul to your keeping. He didn't use those words, but that was the question. I am attempting to find the answer to that question."
"I understand," she said soberly.
Daniel said, "I never used a gun before I joined the Stargate program. I didn't know if I could kill. It has, sadly, become quite easy; probably too easy. When people are shooting at you, you shoot back. I don't even question it anymore. If someone is in danger, you shoot. I certainly can't condemn Rommie for her actions here, not without first condemming myself and my entire team."
Anise said, "That is only logical. I find no fault in her actions."
Selmak said, "Agreed."
Ranma asked, "If I ask and she agrees, will you reveal all such incidents to her? I don't know if she will agree to be your partner. She may just leave."
"If there is a chance, I will tell all, but only to her."
Ranma asked, "Very well. I'll record a message. Can you have people in Tokyo go to the Tendo Dojo. Ask for Kasumi. Kasumi has more potential than most and expressed an interest in joining us in the EDF. I am willing to explain the situation and see what she says."
Reverend Carlos said, "I'll see to it immediately. I'll also make sure everything we know or suspect is summarized and translated to Japanese as rapidly as it can be done."
Rommie said, "You can record a message now if you want."
Ranma did.
-=oOo=-
Author's Note: I had to do a bit more editing for this chapter. Still, how about some feedback? The buttons are so convienently placed...
