Chapter One

"Vala, did you hear me?"

She had and she suspected that Colonel Mitchell knew that already so she didn't bother answering right away. Looking out into the distance was her new favourite activity when she was on base and there was no point in stopping it now.

"Vala?" he prompted her again. Why couldn't he just leave her alone?

"I heard you," she stressed as she moved the food on her plate around. She hadn't taken a bite in a while and it wouldn't have surprised her if her food was stone cold by now. "Yes I will accompany SG-22 to the planet. And I can't say I'm shocked, either. It's a meat fest on their team, they need a little bit of feminine influence."

"Sausage fest," Cameron corrected, "and I wouldn't go around saying things like that. Not out loud, anyway."

She only shrugged and plastered a wisp of a smile on her face. They both knew that SG-22 had originally put in for Daniel's assistance months ago. She had tried to block out that horrible briefing from her mind and for weeks she told herself that Daniel was only detained shortly and any moment he would be descending, in his naked glory, preferably in the bed they shared at Daniel's apartment.

Well, according to the will he had updated without her knowledge, now it was her apartment. But seeing as he was most definitely somewhere up in the stupid sky looking down at her, she wasn't going to start cleaning out his junk any time soon.

"Alright, sausage fest it is," Cameron mumbled. "Look, Princess..."

"I'm fine, Cameron," Vala interrupted. She was getting sick of the grieving widow routine. People had mostly been avoiding her, which has worked out well, except for her team who were steadfastly refusing to leave her alone. General O'Neill had nearly permanently moved back from Washington and contact with the General Hammond was bordering on absurd.

Vala wasn't sure if she was annoyed or grateful or both. All that mattered to her right now, was that even though Daniel was temporarily gone, nobody had asked her to leave.

That in itself was a blessing and if her last visit to the infirmary was anything to go by, the SGC was probably going to be the best place for her- Daniel or no Daniel. Dr Lam had cleared her for the time being, but SG-22 was probably going to be her last mission for a while. And that was a conversation she really needed to have with Cameron and General Landry.

Having it with Daniel would've been her preference but the galaxy wasn't interested in giving an ex-space pirate, thief and Ori shipping container any breaks any time soon.

Daniel wasn't here but her friends were and she knew that soon enough, the truth was going to come out spectacularly. No time like the present.

"However, there is something..."

Just as her CO looked at her quizzically, the klaxons began to sound. Timing in the SGC, Vala knew, was everything.

"We'll continue this later," Vala promised and Cameron stood. "Let's go."

"If there's a party, why wasn't I invited?" Cameron asked, walking into the control room, Vala close behind. The klaxons had stopped but the control room was busier than usual. Teal'c had had the same idea and stood looking at Walter's computer, his face revealing nothing.

"If there's a party, I'd be throwing it," Vala pointed out and squinted, looking into the gate room. "And that would not be invited."

A thin, blue haze had permeated the room, pooling at the bottom.

"Colonel Mitchell, Vala- any ideas? We've sealed the doors and it doesn't look like it's moving anywhere. Dr Lee assures us it's not toxic but who knows what it could have done to our sensors."

"The gate?" Cameron asked.

"Unaffected," Landry replied. "We've radioed all off-site teams and directed them to the Alpha site. All gate travel has been suspended until whatever the hell is in that room is dealt with."

Vala looked out the window carefully. She had read a few past reports when she had been bored in the infirmary once and from previous experience, she knew that the scientists would have this figured out in no time, however, a part of her felt unsettled.

Like something had been put into motion, but she didn't know what. She was almost sure that she had never seen the blue haze before- maybe Qetesh had? Could it be a latent memory of some kind? She stared at it as a flurry of activity went on behind her.

She wasn't sure how long she had stared when she felt a strong hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright, Vala Mal Doran?"

She jumped slightly at the touch. "I'm fine, Muscles," she assured him. "I'm just getting a bad feeling about this."

He nodded. "Perhaps you are using the Force."

She couldn't help but smirk. Teal'c lowered his voice. "Or, perhaps you think this may have something to do with Daniel Jackson's disappearance?"

She frowned. "I'm not sure. Do you think he might turn up naked in the middle of the room?" she asked, tinges of hysteria and hope in her voice.

Teal'c didn't answer and looked out into the gate room. "I would certainly hope so."

Before Vala could respond, another alarm began going off from Walter's computer.

"Walter?" the General barked and Teal'c moved her away from the window.

"Sir, sensors are showing an increase in temperature in the gate room. And something is sending slight electrical currents through to the generators," he reported calmly. "Just as a precaution, Sir, I recommend we close the blast doors until the sensors are back to normal."

"Do it. And get me Dr Lee," he ordered.

It finally occurred to Vala that the control room was probably not the best place to be but she wasn't sure she wanted to leave.

"Sir," Col Mitchell began, "could it be... Jackson?"

"I'm not sure, son," he replied slowly.

Suddenly, a loud crack pierced through the air. "Get down!" she heard the General order. The lights flickered and the sound of the klaxons assaulted Vala's ears. Just as quickly as the noise appeared, which had sounded like lightning in retrospect, it subsided.

Teal'c helped her to her feet and she subconsciously rubbed her stomach.

"Walter?" the General barked. "Get Siler down there immediately and give me a sensor report."

"Sir, the sensors are back to normal and haven't recorded any damage. Temperature is back to normal and it looks like the blue haze has dissipated."

"Sir, permission to-" Mitchell asked.

And then Vala just had to know. "Is it Daniel?" she asked. "I have to know. General?"

"As soon as it's safe to know, we will," he replied evenly. "Open the blast doors."

A technician punched in the sequence and Vala could barely control herself as she moved closer to the console and the window. The sensor readings were correct- the blue haze had disappeared entirely.

She looked downward and a breath caught in her throat. She felt sick and then she felt Teal'c strong hand touch her arm.

A long figure lay at the base of the stairs, a blue piece of cloth covering their entire body and obscuring their face.

"Call a med team!" Vala shouted redundantly and before anyone could stop her, took off towards the gate room.

Siler had opened the door already and Vala barely noticed the lack of damage in the gate room.

"Vala, stop-" Col. Mitchell tried to grab her as she walked past but if that was Daniel on the floor, she needed to get to him immediately.

Without a thought to modesty, Vala finally reached the lone figure on the ground and yanked back the blanket.

Vala felt her stomach turn and she recoiled from the warm body in fear.

She barely registered her CO's command and didn't notice the raised guns and zats. "General, we need that anti-prior device NOW."

All she saw was the barely clothed body of a breathing, but unconscious, Adria.