Myrddin's Shield
Chapter 5
As the darkness swallowed them up, the members of SG-1 turned on their torches one by one and headed towards the rear of the chamber where a dim tunnel led away into the mountain. The temperature fell steadily as they walked further in and the light spilling from their torches was minute in the inky blackness. There was barely enough illumination to see more than a foot ahead.
SG-1 concentrated their beams on the ground so that they could see where they were placing their feet: the tunnel floor was rough with small rocks littering the ground from where material had shaken loose from the roof and fallen, smashing into smaller pieces as it hit the freezing cold surface. Nobody wanted a turned ankle.
Cameron led the way: his senses were attuned to the tiniest sound or movement that might signal danger, but his step was light with the certainty that he and his team could handle most situations.
He was followed by Brin and Saurun who had pulled their cloaks closer around their bodies to keep out the chill that threatened to seep into their bones. They were very glad of their thick woven leggings and fur lined boots as they walked along: chatting to each other; eagerly anticipating the challenge that would mean their acceptance as adults among their people.
Daniel walked behind the young men, wishing he had fur lined boots. He hated the cold. Always have, always will, he thought. Give him a hot dig in Egypt and he was a happy man but he found the cold depressing and debilitating. He touched the tunnel wall with his hand and, when he pulled it away, he found his fingers were damp from icy water trickling down the pitted rock wall. He pulled his collar up tighter and hoped they wouldn't be in this cold passageway for long.
Vala had taken up station close behind Daniel: her subconscious wanting to keep him clearly in sight. Her nerves were on edge as she walked and every step she took made her heart grow heavier. She contemplated her dream and how accurate the scenes from it had been so far and wondered if SG-1 would be able to change anything she had seen. Had she been given the vision so that she could help keep Daniel safe or was his fate sealed?
Sam and Teal'c brought up the rear. Both walked with purposeful strides and listened for any sound that might indicate what lay ahead.
It was hard to tell in the dark how far they had walked, but Cameron reckoned they had travelled about a mile and a half, when the tunnel broadened out and eventually opened out into a huge hollowed out section of the mountain. He swung his torch up to survey the route ahead. The beam from it hit the surface of an ice formation in the distance and the light bounced back towards him.
As they emerged from the passageway, Cameron could see that the cavern was enormous. "Whoa! You could fit the Country Music Hall of Fame in here twice over and still have room to spare!"
The rough stone floor beneath their boots ended at the edge of a glacier flowing in a wide frozen river between them and the solid granite wall opposite. Coursing from around a corner to their left, it travelled for the length of a football field and then began to rise into the air in an arc that slipped away into the distance on their right.
Here and there were places where it appeared as if the glacier didn't quite meet the mountain's inner wall. It was hard to tell if the patches of black in places were dark rock ledges or chasms where the rock face fell away. Vala paled and drew in a sharp breath as she caught sight of the frozen obstacle ahead. Vivid snatches of her dream jumped into her mind and her heart started pounding. She turned to find Teal'c by her side.
"Is this like your dream, Vala Mal Doran?" Teal'c asked and when Vala nodded, he frowned thoughtfully.
"This is what our people call the Path to Adulthood," Saurun was saying to Cameron. "It's the challenge that Brin and I must complete to become men."
"We have to get to the end of the ice river," Brin chipped in, "using only what we have brought with us, and then we have to find the writing of Myrddin to prove we have been across it."
Cameron assessed both the ice flow and the young men standing beside him. This was their challenge so he would allow them to take the lead. "Okay. What's your strategy for getting up and over this?"
Saurun and Brin looked at each other, going through in their minds the ideas they had already discussed with each other, before Saurun suggested, "We think we can use the tips of our staffs to impale the ice and then use a rope to drag each other upwards. If we work in tandem, we should be able to help each other up and over the arch."
"Okay. That sounds like a good plan. I take it we can travel with you as long as we don't interfere with your rite?" Cameron received nods from the boys and carried on: "If we all use the same technique, we should all be able to work our way across together."
Cameron turned to the tall Jaffa warrior, standing next to Vala. "Teal'c? Think we could attach a piton to your staff weapon to use it in the same way?"
"Indeed." Teal'c paused, looked at Vala's pale face then turned back to Cameron. "However I am concerned for Vala Mal Doran's safety."
Cameron raised an eyebrow. "Why Vala in particular?" He turned his full attention on her as he asked, "Is there something in your dream you didn't mention, Vala?"
Vala looked uncomfortable as she answered, "Only that I dreamt I slid towards the edge…but I also dreamt that someone grabbed me…so hey, I'm sure there's nothing to worry about."
Listening in on the conversation, Daniel looked concerned as he scanned the ice flow and spotted the same dark areas that Cameron had already noted. He joined in the discussion. "We've got rope and we've got karabiners. We should tie ourselves together in a long line…Make sure no-one goes over one of those edges."
Cameron nodded. "Break out the ropes, Sam, and enough karabiners for each of us. Brin, Saurun, Teal'c, do you think between the three of you, you can help the four of us across?"
Teal'c inclined his head. Saurun and Brin looked at each other for silent confirmation and then nodded while Teal'c set to work adapting his weapon for the task ahead. Cameron arranged the group in order: Saurun would lead and Sam would follow him; next Brin would be followed by Vala; and he and Daniel would follow Teal'c. The Jaffa had the strength to hold the two of them in place should either of them slip.
Sam pulled out a length of rope from one of the backpacks and proceeded to help Saurun and Brin attach a karabiner each between their belts and the rope. The rest of SG-1 knotted a loop of static cord around their middles and then attached their own karabiners to the line between them.
"Okay, let's do this," Cameron said.
The seven companions made their way to the edge of the ice flow and took stock before they began the climb. Like all glaciers, what had looked like smooth ice from a distance, was in fact a living, moving river of spiky icebergs crisscrossed with deposits of sediment that it had collected on its journey through Quietus Mons. Colours ranged from dirty brown to pristine white to ultra-cold blue, where the thickness of the ice was the greatest.
Carefully Saurun placed his feet on the frozen river and led his six companions across the maze of peaks and troughs as he searched for the easiest route across the ice flow to the foot of the arch. The fissures in the glacier were narrow and deep and would be difficult to climb back out of if anyone fell into one.
The group found themselves alternately tripping over small obstacles jutting out of the glacier and slipping on the smoother patches as they picked their way forward. Like tiny snails climbing a frozen drainpipe, they pulled their way gradually up the incline towards the zenith of the archway. The darkness either side was now impenetrable and they could only imagine the depth of the drop that awaited them should they slip. Daniel wondered if they would hear the sound of even a large rock landing at the bottom of the chasm if they were to throw one over the edge.
At the top, they paused to rest their aching arm muscles and wipe sweat from their faces. When they were ready, Saurun began to lead he group down the other side. Now it was a case of trying to slow down the speed of their descent so that no-one slipped and pulled the others towards danger.
Suddenly Sam slipped, knocking into Brin but he jammed the metal spike on the end of his staff into the icy surface, pulled hard on the rope between them and they both managed to hold their ground. Everyone paused and Cameron re-assessed the situation. He suggested that they now stretched out in a horizontal line across the glacier so that those without staffs were more evenly distributed between those with them.
Teal'c unclipped his karabiner to move to the end of the line. He moved carefully, digging the piton attached to his staff weapon into the ground to ensure he did not slide past the knotted end of the rope. When he was in place and securely attached, Cameron and Daniel slid their karabiners along so that they stood between the Jaffa warrior and Brin.
This just left Vala, in the middle of the group, to unclip her karabiner and step to Brin's other side so that she and Sam would now be between Brin and Saurun. She was just reaching for the rope to re-attach the metal clip, when her right foot hit a raised lump of ice and she tripped sideways, losing her footing. She landed awkwardly on her side and lay there for a fraction of a second, winded and unable to move. When she was able to draw breath again, fear clutched at her heart as she realised that her body had started slipping inexorably down the glacier.
She tried to turn, to get into any position that would aid her in getting to her feet, but it was no good. Her boots kicked vainly at the ground, hitting ice and finding nowhere to land. With a rising sense of panic, she realised she was gaining momentum towards the edge of a particularly deep looking fissure in the ice flow. Her arms flailed as she tried to grip onto any bump in the slippery surface that would slow her momentum. Daniel's hands went out towards her even though he was nowhere near and he watched in horror as she struggled and failed to get a purchase on the slippery surface.
Suddenly Brin sprang into action. Twisting quickly, he unclipped the karabiner holding him to the rope then slid his way down the ice flow towards Vala and beyond. As he passed her, he simultaneously upended his staff, thrust his hand to the bottom of it as the weapon dug into the frozen ground, and lunged forward, stretching out as far as he could, ready to grab her hand as she slid past.
For Daniel those few seconds seemed to last a lifetime. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest. Would Vala be able to grab Brin's outstretched hand and would Brin have enough strength to hang onto her and keep her from sliding further?
Vala's hand made contact with Brin's and they hooked their fingers together. As her momentum slowed, Brin slid his hand down and Vala slid her hand up so that they were holding each other's wrists in a firm grip. Brin's arm locked in place as he strained to hold on to the woman who, even with her slim frame, was a heavy weight for the slightly-built youngster to handle. Somehow he managed to keep a tight grip on his staff and inch by inch dragged her backwards until they were both safely away from the gaping fissure in the middle of the ice.
Daniel found he could breathe again and started moving down the slope as fast as he dared. As he and the rest of the team made their way unsteadily down towards the pair, Brin and Vala heaved themselves up onto their feet and together leaned heavily on Brin's staff: they were both out of breath and feeling a little shaken by the close call.
"Thanks!" Vala exclaimed when she had enough breath to get the word out. "I think you just saved my life."
"You're welcome," Brin said: a somewhat embarrassed grin appearing on his face as he suddenly found himself to be the centre of everyone's attention.
"Well done, Brin!" Cameron patted the boy on his shoulder. "That was incredibly brave."
Teal'c nodded and bowed to the young man and Saurun gave him a clap on the back that nearly sent him flying.
Daniel had to stop himself from rushing to Vala's side. It wasn't safe for any of them to be off the rope yet so he contented himself with giving her a relieved smile when she looked his way.
Cameron helped Brin back into position and waited as Sam helped Vala back into line and made sure she was attached safely to the rope before he said, "Okay, nice and steady the rest of the way. It's not far now."
They covered the final exposed section of the glacier in only a few minutes and stepped, one by one, onto the cold, hard, granite surface of a narrow ledge. It looked as if it had been specially chiselled out of the mountain's deepest core to be their landing platform. There was a collective sigh of relief as their feet landed on solid ground and they all unhooked their karabiners. Teal'c began to wind up the length of rope as each team member detached themselves.
Vala struggled to undo her karabiner: she couldn't seem to get her fingers to obey even the simplest command. Wordlessly, Daniel moved to her side and took over unclipping the metal restraint and unhooked it first from the rope and then from the static cord tied around her middle. It was then that she realised her hands and her legs were shaking with adrenalin and she almost fell as she sought out the rock face behind her for support.
"Vala? Are you all right?" Daniel's eyes searched hers for reassurance. "I'm fine, Daniel. Don't look so worried…I'm just a bit shaky from all the excitement."
Daniel reached out and took one of her hands in his and whispered just loud enough for her to hear, "Please don't ever scare me like that again."
A look of understanding passed between them as Vala read his face and felt the slight tremor in his hand. She was important to him, after all. She squeezed his hand in response, trying to reassure him.
Cameron said, "Let's have a five minute stop. Then we'll get looking for those symbols you guys are supposed to find…and work out how on earth we get into the mountain!"
Saurun and Brin nodded and then said in unison, "We'll find them!"
They split up, working their way along the rock face either side of the wide ledge and towards the middle of the back wall. Brin stopped and pointed something out to Saurun who joined him as he began to scrape a thin layer of ice from some markings carved into the rock.
"We've got them," Brin called excitedly and he and Saurun pulled small rolls of paper from bags hidden inside their fur coverings and started to write them down.
"Okay, Jackson, you're up," Cameron said. "Do the symbols tell us how to get into the mountain and find Merlin's Shield?"
Daniel stood in front of the symbols and translated them in his head. "Well. We've got the elemental symbols here and then it says "Speak the true name of your protector and the way shall be opened."
Daniel stepped back and decided to try Merlin's Lantean name first, saying loudly, "Moros!"
There was a grinding noise of stone moving across stone and a panel appeared in what, only a moment before, had seemed to be solid rock. Then a circle on the floor appeared. Cameron came over to take a closer look. "Are those what I think they are?"
"Yep, rings," Daniel said.
"Okay." Cameron looked round for Brin and Saurun and asked, "Are you two sure you want to carry on with us? I'm sure we can manage if you want to head back. I know you'll be okay getting back across the glacier by yourselves!"
Brin and Saurun exchanged knowing glances, squared their shoulders and said together, "We're coming with you."
"You've completed your rite thing and got the proof. It's not necessary to go further."
Saurun said, "Madrianna said we had to go with you." He appealed to Daniel and Vala for confirmation.
"Madrianna did say we'd fail if we didn't take them with us," Daniel said, receiving a 'who's-side-are-you-on' look from Cameron for his trouble.
"Besides," Brin said in triumph, "you just said we'd passed our rite. That means we're adults. We can make up our own minds and we're coming with you!"
Cameron knew when he was beaten. "Alright…but stick close and if I say something, do it. No questions asked. Understood?" The boys nodded, trying unsuccessfully to hide their grins.
"Okay, Brin, Saurun, come and stand next to me and Sam. Keep really still 'cos we're going for a little ride. Daniel, you send us to wherever we're going and then follow with Vala and Teal'c. Everybody ready? Let's go."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
The rings deposited them into darkness. Momentarily blinded, the four of them could feel rather than see the cold cave around them and hear the steady dripping sound of water running down the walls. Cameron turned on his torch and dragged the youngsters to one side as Sam stepped backwards out of the way and the next travellers appeared.
One by one the rest of the group turned on their torches. At one end, the cave was just a few feet wider than the ring platform then it narrowed, leading to the gap where a small tunnel opened ahead. Suddenly a light appeared in the roof above them and the figure of Myrddin appeared in the centre of the cave. Saurun and Brin looked suitably impressed and a little less sure of themselves than they had been a moment before.
"Welcome brave souls! I am Myrddin. If you seek my Shield, you must conquer the elements to reveal its truth, light and power."
Surprising Brin and Saurun by his action, Cameron passed his gun through the image. "It's a hologram of our friend…pretty much expected that."
Myrddin's image spoke again: "If you believe you are worthy, follow the path into the mountain. If you are not yet ready, there is no shame in turning back. You may leave the way you came."
Cameron huffed and said, "No choice there then. We have to do this." He looked towards the tunnel. "Let's get going. Teal'c, you lead the way."
The rest of them fell into step behind the tall Jaffa who had to stoop his head to avoid hitting the low roof. Small cramped tunnels were the one thing he really hated and would avoid if he could but he kept his feelings to himself and pressed ahead.
Sam walked behind him, aware of her teammate's discomfort and glad for once that she wasn't as tall as he was. She was closely followed by Brin and Saurun, who talked in muted voices as they wondered what kind of challenges lay ahead.
This time, it was Daniel who waved Vala forward so that he could follow her, unconsciously mimicking her earlier desire to keep him in sight. He knew he was really going to have to talk to her about a whole host of things including whether she'd be happy to give up her life with SG-1 and do something else.
If he now felt he couldn't watch her put her life on the line any longer, he certainly wasn't going to be able to let her go off on dangerous missions without him. He couldn't bear the thought of her needing him and him not being there. Something was going to have to change.
Cameron walked at the rear of the group. As he often did, he walked along assessing his team and their moods. It was obvious Vala was anxious regarding the challenge she had dreamed about but it seemed that something was eating away at Jackson too. He had seen the man's face earlier when Vala had slid towards the fissure and he had been unable to do anything to stop it. He had looked as if his world was ending.
Cameron sighed: there had always been a question mark over Jackson's feelings for Vala but now it was becoming pretty obvious that they were stronger than the man himself would probably admit. Things were going to change and there was nothing he could do about it…except make the most of what time he had left with them both in SG-1 and give them his blessing when they finally decided to move on.
Hell, it had been great having them on the team but he'd always known their time as a team would be limited. Times change and you have to grab happiness where you find it, Cameron thought.
After a few more minutes of walking, each of the group became aware of a wider opening ahead and the increasing sound of water trickling down rock. They emerged from the tunnel into a wide cavern with sheer rock faces rising behind them above the tunnel mouth and on the two sides to their left and right. Dim light shone from two rectangular indentations in the wall either side of the tunnel entrance, barely illuminating the chamber.
Water trickled down the rock face to their left and on into a dark black pool, whose length was easily a hundred feet. Ahead of them, the way out was clear: a narrow lip ran along the far side of the pool and they could see a tunnel mouth leading away into darkness.
Cameron leaned down and touched the water. "Man, that's cold!" He stood up. "Brin, can you use your staff to see how deep it is?"
Brin thrust his staff into the icy water and tried to find the bottom of the pool and was unsuccessful. "I can't touch the bottom. It's deep."
Sam shivered at the thought of getting into the freezing water. "So what do we think we're supposed to do here? Anyone got any bright ideas?"
Teal'c began scanning the rock face on the wall opposite with his torch. Cameron went and stood beside him and aligned his torch with the Jaffa's so that they could methodically search the dark stone for any clues as to what they were supposed to do.
Daniel and Vala turned their attention to the walls either side of the entrance to see if there were any instructions on what to do but soon gave up. "Nothing. Not a pictograph. Not a symbol. Nothing," Daniel said with frustration. "Maybe. It's as simple as it looks," Sam said. "Maybe we've just got to swim across."
Cameron groaned. "I don't fancy swimming across that with all our gear." He knew that all of SG-1 had undertaken and passed their emergency swimming training but what about the boys. "Brin, Saurun. How good are you two at swimming?"
Brin looked at the pool and gulped. "I've swum in the pool at Gwylim's village a few times but that was in high summer. I don't know if I'm a good enough swimmer to get across that."
Cameron turned to Saurun to hear his reply but the young man was staring at the water as if he had spotted something. "Saurun. What are you looking at?"
Saurun stared ahead: words whispered in his ears and he saw a light appear under the surface of the water towards the far side of the pool. It glowed eerily under the dark water: it seemed to be moving first towards them and then back towards a point just under the surface below the centre of the ledge. "What do you think that is?"
Cameron moved to his side and everyone turned to see what Saurun was pointing at. They strained their eyes against the darkness trying to make out what Saurun had seen. Was it anything that would help them get across the pool without them all having to get wet? No-one could see anything except deep black water.
"Uh what are we looking at then?" Brin finally asked.
Saurun frowned and pointed again in the direction of the glow under the water. "There's a light there, just under the surface."
Brin looked at him strangely. "What light, Saurun? I don't see anything."
"There. Under the ledge below the tunnel mouth." Saurun pointed again. "See how it's moving, inviting us to go to it."
Brin raised an eyebrow at his friend. "You're not going all Madrianna on me, are you?"
"But you must be able to see it, Brin! It's right there." Saurun looked around at his Bond brother and the rest of the group and realised he was the only one who could see the glimmer in the water. "You really can't see anything, can you?…Oh! Maybe this challenge is meant for me then." He started to take off his cloak and the fur tunic that was his outermost layer of clothing.
"Hey, Saurun?" Cameron asked. "What are you going to do?"
Saurun paused in undoing the belt around his tunic and said, "I think I'm supposed to swim over to that light. There's something under the surface there. I'm sure I'm supposed to look at it…or touch it maybe. I think it's guiding me to reveal something to help the rest of you across."
Cameron looked towards Daniel. "What do you think, Jackson?"
"Well, Madrianna did call him a child of Water," Daniel said. "I guess he could give it a try."
Cameron looked less than happy. He turned to the youngster. "Just be careful and shout if you get into difficulties."
Saurun nodded and handed his staff to Brin. He took off his fur-lined boots and stripped down to just his leggings. The icy air of the chamber hit his chest and arms and he stood shivering at the edge of the water. He went to take off the disc hung round his neck but thought better of it and replaced it before taking a deep breath and diving into the liquid blackness.
He came to the surface, gasping for air. It was colder than he had anticipated and the shock of the freezing cold water made it hard to draw large enough gasps of air into his lungs. He could feel every nerve in his body screaming at him as the freezing temperature quickly attacked his body making his movements slow and painful.
He forced himself to take a deep breath and then struck out for the far side, struggling to keep his muscles moving towards the glimmering light. After what seemed like an eternity, he reached the edge of the pool and clung desperately to it, fighting the urge to get straight out of the water.
Cameron watched anxiously, aware that the young man was struggling. He had already taken off his pack and his jacket and was ready to leap in should it become necessary although he sure hoped it wouldn't be.
Brin shouted to him, "Saurun. Are you okay?"
Saurun nodded but couldn't speak: the cold made his teeth chatter and he knew he had only a few moments before the cramp in his legs took hold and he was no longer able to swim or climb out. He steeled himself and plunged his head under the water, struggling to see where the light was coming from. The glow now appeared to be emanating from a small round hole in the rock.
Saurun rose to the surface desperate for air. His hands trembled, all sensation stolen by the cold, as he tried to pull the disc over his head. Holding it as tightly as his numb fingers would allow, he plunged back under the water again and slipped the disc into the circle, settling it snuggly against the carved lip until he felt it click into place.
He struggled up through the inky water towards the ledge and scrabbled to get a purchase on the slippery surface. With one final effort, he pulled himself up out of the water and fell exhausted onto the freezing cold rock.
All around him he could hear the sound of grinding rocks, sliding against each other as a stone walkway slowly lifted up out of the water to lie just above its rippling surface. Before it had stopped moving, Brin was sliding his way across the dripping bridge towards his Bond brother, closely followed by the others.
Carter and Cameron rushed to get towelling material and energy blankets out of their packs: drying Saurun off and wrapping him up to restore his circulation was the first priority. His teeth were chattering but the colour started to return to his skin.
The cold of the damp cavern was beginning to affect them all so Teal'c took Brin with him to explore the tunnel ahead hoping it would lead to somewhere warmer. A few hundred meters along the passageway, a space opened up: big enough for them all to take a break and it was at least dry if not warm.
Teal'c and Brin returned to the others. The Jaffa spoke to Cameron. "There is a dry area a short distance from here where Saurun can continue to recover and we can get away from the cold and damp."
"Sounds good, Teal'c." Cameron said. "Lead the way."
Saurun tried to stand but Cameron stopped him. "Not so fast, sunshine. You've earned a break. Just take it easy." Then he and Daniel lifted the still shivering young man onto the makeshift stretcher and followed the rest of the group along the tunnel.
Cameron ordered everyone to take a break and suggested they all had a hot drink before moving on. Daniel helped Vala unpack a stove and quickly heated up some water and in a short time Saurun had his hands around a steaming energy drink.
After a few more minutes, Saurun's temperature returned to near normal and he got back into his own clothes, plus a spare pair of Air-force trousers that Daniel lent him and everyone packed up their gear again, ready to move on.
Cameron clapped him on the shoulder and said, "You did well young man. Cansalla will be very proud of you."
Teal'c inclined his head and said, "Indeed, you have shown you are a determined warrior."
Saurun blushed but accepted their praise with a shy smile. Brin batted his arm and said with a grin, "I'm just glad you were the child of Water and not me!"
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Teal'c led the way through the continuing passageway as it curved its way through the mountain. After nearly half an hour of moving along its cramped confines, they were all relieved when the tunnel opened out into the next cavern. It was warmer here and, when they stepped into the seemingly empty chamber, they could feel a light, warm breeze pushing at their clothes.
On either side of the tunnel mouth they had just emerged from, there were wall sconces filled with oil and Cameron set about lighting them. As the glow from the flickering flames filled the chamber, they saw that the rock faces surrounding the cavern were crisscrossed with circular holes from which strong currents of air flowed out and filled the chamber. As far as any of them could see, there appeared to be no way out in any direction.
Sam walked forward a few feet. The further she walked into the chamber, the stronger the cross-currents got until it was all she could do to keep upright. She thrust her hand into the space ahead of her and felt the full force of the wind currents as they eddied back and forth across the chamber. One gust pushed at her hand so strongly it nearly dragged her off her feet.
Cameron came to join her. He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and attempted to throw it into the void. The seven of them watched, mesmerised, as it was blown from one side of the chamber to the other: darting this way and that, leaping high into the air and then falling, only to be tossed upwards again.
Teal'c stepped forward and tried to use his considerable strength to force a way through the winds that were buffeting him from all directions. He made little headway and after a couple of minutes stepped back to re-join the others who all frowned as they peered around the walls, trying to spot something to indicate how they should tackle this challenge and where to find the exit. Yet again there were no instructions on how to proceed.
"Any ideas how we're supposed to get through this hurricane?" Cameron raised his voice to be heard over the roar of the wind.
"Fly like birds!" Sam offered.
"I think even birds would have trouble flying through that!" Cameron snorted.
Vala looked all around the chamber, her eyes scanning methodically higher and higher until she spotted several ledges large enough for someone to land on. She stepped past the rest of her companions and pushed her hand into the gale, assessing the strength and direction of the currents. A slow smile lit her face. Suddenly, she was transported back to childhood and a dare she had undertaken. Her nemesis at the time had been Dra'van, a boy two years older than her, who had tried to make her life and her friends' lives miserable every day for nearly a year. Vala had been the only one brave enough to stand up to him and had ended up with rather a lot of scrapes and bruises for her trouble.
On this occasion, he'd dared her and her friends to jump off the top of Tyber cliff, wearing a contraption that was a cross between a parasail and a parachute that he had stolen from his father's stash of items appropriated from Jaffa battlegrounds. The fact that Dra'van didn't have the courage to do it himself hadn't occurred to any of them until much later but Vala was never one to back down from a challenge and had volunteered.
She'd been terrified as she'd stood at the top, looking down, but once she'd jumped she felt free...free like the birds in the sky…as she floated on the warm currents of air. That part had been so easy. Her courage had impressed both Dra'van's friends and her own and she believed that that was why he had at last stopped bullying them…Or it might've been the whipping he got when his father realised that his son had bullied a nine year old girl into jumping off a cliff, which had resulted in her ending up with a broken arm.
It could have been much worse. Besides, the jump hadn't caused the injury, it had been the landing in a narrow gorge that had done it. Vala had bounced off quite a few rocks before arriving on the ground. She remembered her friends screaming with fear but she hadn't made a sound. She wasn't going to give Dra'van the satisfaction of seeing her cry.
Vala started taking off her backpack and thick parka, aiming to lighten her mass to give herself more manoeuvrability. "Well, I think flying like a bird is exactly what I've got to do!" she said.
Cameron stepped up close to her and asked, "Where the hell do you think you're going, Vala? There's no way out that I can see and what makes you think you can find one?"
"Child of Air, remember?" Vala said with a huge grin. She turned and pointed up towards the top of the chamber. "Can you see those ledges up there? They look to me as if they're large enough to land on and the wind currents seem strong enough to lift a person up. I just hope that I can manoeuvre once I'm flying. I'll aim for that ledge first and then see if I can get across to the other one on the top right of the chamber. I'm thinking that's where the answer is as to how we get out of here."
The rest of the group crowded around her, trying to make out in the dim light the ledges to which she was pointing. Daniel felt anxiety in the pit of his stomach as he contemplated what Vala was proposing. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?" he asked quietly.
Vala gave him her best cheeky grin and said, "I've been flying before, Daniel. Remind me to tell you about it sometime. It was easy." Of course, the landing had left a lot to be desired but she wouldn't think about that. She turned to Cameron. "Did I ever tell you what I was going to be if I hadn't taken up smuggling?"
Cameron rolled his eyes. "No you didn't and I am afraid to ask."
Vala stepped away from the group as she said, "I was going to become an aerial acrobat."
Suddenly, she put herself into a sprint position and then she was off. She ran forwards to the centre of the chamber as fast as she could, then flung herself up into the hurricane. She rose gracefully up into the air as if being pulled by some invisible puppeteer. Somehow she managed to turn a somersault as the force of the airflow changed, then soared higher still as she found an updraft, before diving down onto a new eddy of air. She floated in mid-air for a split second and then somersaulted again to land on the first ledge.
"How on earth did she do that?" Cameron wondered out loud as the rest of the group around him held their collective breaths. Daniel's stomach twisted and his pulse quickened. She was the most amazing person he had ever met, she was also the craziest. She was in her element: living off her instincts and exalting in the challenge. Would she be content with a less exciting life: the sort that he was now looking for? He felt a sliver of depression run through him.
As they watched, Vala dove once more and seemed instinctively to find the flows in the air currents that would take her higher towards the ledge at the top of the chamber. She produced another somersault and then she landed, balancing precariously on the edge before grabbing an outcrop of rock and pulling herself into a more secure position. She eased her way along the ledge searching for something that would show she had been right about the way she had tackled this challenge.
A moment later, she was shouting down to the mesmerised group below: "There's a hole up here which must be for my disc!"
She extracted the disc from its secure hiding place in her clothes and pulled its chain up over her head. Before she could proceed, Daniel shouted up to her in panic: "Vala! Wait!"
She stopped in mid-movement and looked down at him, puzzled. "What?"
Daniel tried to present a calm exterior as he pointed out: "Putting the disc in its slot will probably stop the air blowing! If it does, how are you going to get down?"
"You'll have to catch me, darling!" she shouted back with an unconcerned grin.
Daniel groaned at her recklessness and shouted back, "Just wait a second, will you!" Under his breath he muttered, "Are you trying to kill yourself? Or just drive me nuts?" Hoping no-one had heard his outburst, he straightened his shoulders and turned to rest of the group and asked, "If she has to jump from there, do you think we could catch her in the stretcher blanket?"
"Genius!" Cameron said and quickly dragged the material from his backpack. Teal'c, Sam, Cameron and Daniel each took hold of a corner and leaned as close to the wind currents as they could, ready to dash forwards as soon as the hurricane subsided.
"Okay, Vala. Do it now!" Cameron shouted up to her.
Vala leaned towards the end of the ledge and inserted the disc into the small recess waiting for it. Vala heard a click as it locked into space and the sound of stone moving in the chamber below. The roar from the wind began to lessen. Before it could die away completely, Vala launched herself off the ledge: floating her way gently most of the way down as the rushing air slowly died down.
SG-1 pushed their way through the currents and were soon standing in place in time to catch her as she fell the last few feet. She looked up at them, beaming with pleasure. As they lowered the blanket slowly to the floor she asked, "So how'd I do?"
"Eight out of ten," Cameron said with a little salute.
"Definitely a nine," Sam smiled at her. "That was fantastic!"
"Seven," Daniel said, making an effort to throw off his depression and join in the teasing. "Good technique but you need to work on your presentation!" Vala stuck her tongue out at him and he made a face back at her.
Teal'c surprised them all by saying, "Ten out of ten, Vala Mal Doran. You can return next week."
As he offered her a hand and helped her up, the others started to laugh. Brin and Saurun looked at each other in confusion but Cameron and Daniel's laughs were infectious and they soon found themselves giggling as they patted Vala's back and said, "Well done."
When they had packed the blanket away and finally stopped laughing, Cameron said, "Well, let's get out of here then." He indicated the archway that had appeared in the wall while Vala had floated her way back to the ground. "So is it Earth Challenge or Fire Challenge next?" he said as much to himself as anyone else and was a little surprised when Sam said, "My money's on Earth."
Saurun went a little pale and Brin patted his arm saying, "Don't worry. Madrianna said I was the child of Fire so you won't have probably won't have to go anywhere near one."
Vala fell in beside Saurun as they followed the rest of the group into the tunnel mouth. "Do you have a special fear of fire, Saurun?"
He swallowed nervously and nodded but was saved from answering by Brin who said, "Saurun's parents were killed in a fire. He was the only one to survive. He's been afraid of fire ever since."
Vala patted Saurun's back. "Brin's right. You've done your challenge so whatever the fire one turns out to be, you probably won't have to go anywhere near it. Try not to worry about it."