Friday, April 10, 2020

"Colonel Mitchell, we've got Sheppard and McKay manning the Ancient weapons platforms in Antarctica and Atlantis."

"Any update on the reinforcements from the Jaffa nation?"

General Landry shook his head. "Not yet. We'll keep you updated. Landry out."

Vala chewed the corner of her nail as she observed everything on the bridge. Mitchell in Sam's chair. Vala and Daniel sitting on either side of him. A short blond woman with a severe-looking face and her hair in a braid, the length of which she tucked close to her scalp, reporting in about which upgrades she and her team had managed to finish as they waited for the authorization from Landry and the President to take the fight to the Lucian Alliance. The way Sam would have been—should have been.

"What's with the long face?"

Vala looked up into Cam's face, not able to keep from seeing the concern on Daniel's face just a few feet farther. "Nothing."

Mitchell sighed. "Doesn't feel right being on the Hammond without Sam, does it?"

Vala shook her head. "No, it doesn't."

"Nothing we can do for her except make sure her ship doesn't get dinged, right?"

Vala forced a smile to her lips, pretending to be stronger than she really felt. "Absolutely."

Daniel tried to catch her eye. "Besides, she's been in tighter spots than this. She'll be fine. We all will."

Maybe it was just the last few weeks of constant bad news on the television, but she had a feeling that this wasn't going to go the way they all expected. She sincerely hoped they'd win whatever battle the Lucian Alliance was planning, but sending the traders who normally transported their kassa instead of their fighters didn't seem like their style.

The Generals hadn't listened to her. Only told her that their first duty was to protect Earth. Now, she worried not only about the people on her new homeworld but also about the people who might be ambushed when the Lucian Alliance pulled a fast one on the SGC.

No matter what Daniel said, life was simpler, easier, when she only cared about herself. Now that she had this empathy thing he claimed would make her a good person—whatever that was—she had never been more miserable.

Sam would have listened to her. Even if she hadn't agreed, she would have at least listened.

Vala turned to Cam with a huff. "No, Cam, I'm sorry. I can't do this."

"Vala. . ."

Daniel's voice held that note of warning that always came out when she did something impulsive like this.

Cam's vision narrowed. "Do what?"

She waved into the expanse of space. "If the Lucian Alliance was going to attack Earth, don't you think they would have sent soldiers instead of traders?"

"Vala, we've been over this. The Generals think that the leadership of the Lucian Alliance is going to come in a second wave. That's why we've got the Jaffa nation coming in as backup."

Vala shook her head. "It doesn't feel right. Something about this isn't right, and we need to figure it out before they get away with it."

Daniel raised an eyebrow. "It's a little late, don't you think?"

She threw her hands in the air. "It's only late because none of you would listen to me. My instincts were right when you trusted Nerus. Trust me now. I used to do this for a living. Traders aren't soldiers. They'll defend what they're selling, but they're not strategic thinkers. The only reason the Lucian Alliance would send traders is because they're expendable, which means, they're not going to come and rescue them."

"So, what's their endgame, Vala? If I'm gonna call Landry back and tell him we're not gonna follow orders, I gotta have another plan."

An idea flashed in Vala's mind, and she tapped several commands into the computer.

"Hello, Vala. Share with the rest of the class, please."

She cracked her knuckles before she pressed the final button in the sequence. The entire crew of the Hammond beamed back down to Earth.

"Sorry, boys. You weren't going to go along with this little plan of mine."


"Dammit, Vala!" Daniel clenched his fists, angry enough to punch something as he landed in the briefing room with the rest of the crew of the Hammond. He raced down the spiral staircase to the control room. "Get a fix on the Hammond's position."

Landry looked up at him. "Dr. Jackson, what's—"

Daniel took over the computer keyboard. Then, he pounded a fist against the desk. "She did it again."

"Did what again?"

Mitchell joined them in the control room. "Vala had some concerns about the mission, sir."

One of the gate techs looked up at Landry. "The Hammond has just entered hyperspace, General."

Daniel took off his glasses and wiped his brow. "She stole it."

Landry stared at the two men. "Are you telling me that Vala Mal Doran had concerns about the mission, so she stole the George Hammond?"

Daniel exchanged a look with Mitchell. "Yes, sir."

Another gate tech looked up at Landry. "We're receiving confirmation that the Jaffa ships have arrived and are prepared to engage on your order."

Landry groaned and reached for the red phone on the wall. "Get me the President."

Cameron turned to Daniel with a grim look on his face. "Sam's gonna kill me."