Odyssey
a Torchwood crossover story
by RoadrunnerGER
Disclaimer: I don't own anything of the related shows. I just love to play with their characters.
Summary: Abducted away from Earth and sold into slavery Team Torchwood has to fight for survival. Being left behind, Tosh works with the Stargate team, going on a frantic odyssey across the universe in order to save her friends. Crossover, set s2
A/N: Once more I need to apologize for a long wait. For NaNoWriMo I kind of forced myself to pick up where I left off and managed to win for the third time with this story. Writing on later chapters I figured out what I need to change in the earlier ones to make it work, so hopefully there'll be more updates soon. No promises, but I'll try my best. Big thanks to my faithful beta mandassina who helped a big deal. Enjoy!
Chapter 18
"Don't do that again," Daniel chuckled with a mock menacing stare, tossing the silvery stone up and catching it. "On second thought… I should take one with me, test it on Sheppard."
"Test what on Sheppard?" they were interrupted.
"Oh, Sam!" Daniel called out. "I didn't notice you coming in."
"You were busy," she smirked. "So you found out what it is?"
"He asked me if I knew it," Toshiko explained to Carter. "I thought a demonstration would be more effective."
"It was," Daniel confirmed, smiling as he put the cell in Sam's outstretched hand. "Next time… explain it to me."
"Sure."
"So, what is it?" Sam Carter asked as she turned the simple item over in her hands in search for its mechanism. "How did you activate it?"
"I'm not sure," Toshiko admitted. "It activates itself as soon as someone moves over it. You let it fall in the path of your target and it switches on."
"And how do you turn it off?"
"Figuring that out took some time," Toshiko chuckled. "Jack usually used his wrist device to deactivate it…"
"Wrist device?" Sam interrupted.
"Yes. I don't know what else to call it. You never see him without that thing."
"But what is it?" Sam prodded.
Toshiko shrugged. "I think it's some sort of computer, but I don't know for sure. Anyway, he shut the cells down. Then I realized that we should know how it works in case he's not with us and I started to experiment with it. Later rather than sooner I figured out how to deactivate it."
"How do you recharge it?"
"You need to heat it," Toshiko said. "Put it in the sun, on the radiator, in hot water… it recharges itself. The hotter the heat source, the faster you can use it again."
"You mean to say that it depends on warmth?" Daniel asked.
"Yes."
"So if you're in a cold environment…?"
"It'll discharge relatively quickly."
"And if you're in the desert?"
"Then it could happen that you have to wait for a very long time unless someone frees you," Sam chuckled and Toshiko nodded.
"Great," Daniel smirked. "This could prove to be useful."
"How many do you have?" Toshiko asked.
"Um… I think there are about fifty in the box," Daniel said.
"Why?" Carter asked. "Would you like to trade one?"
"Probably," Toshiko shrugged. "We only have one. And as Daniel said, they could be useful."
"That's true."
Toshiko watched Carter handle the cell and smiled at her obvious fascination. She knew that feeling so well and saw a kindred spirit in the Air Force Colonel. "Why did you join the Air Force in favour for a public or private research facility, Colonel Carter?"
"Oh, just call me Sam," the colonel offered.
"Toshiko," the Torchwood operative replied. She did not mind the informality. "So why?"
"My Dad," Sam told her. "I grew up with the Air Force. It was a logical decision to join when I finished school. I got my bachelor's degree on an Air Force ROTC scholarship, then completed my advanced degrees while on active duty through the tuition assistance program."
"I see. You're an astrophysicist, right?" She saw Sam nod. "I'm sure your father's very proud of you. Is he still serving?"
"No," Sam said, smiling to herself. "He… was very sick. One of our allies, the Tok'ra, saved him and he left us to live with them."
"He lives out there?" Toshiko asked, surprised. "You mean, he lives on another planet?"
"Yes. That's a long story."
"And an interesting one at that, I bet."
"Yes."
For a moment Toshiko watched Sam brood over the cell before she asked, "Sam? Do we have time to talk like that? What's going on? Could you reach your contacts?"
"Jack's in a meeting with Teal'c, Neith, and Master Bra'tac," Sam replied, finally putting the cell down. "And I'm still waiting for an answer from Selmak and Thor."
"Who are they?"
"Bra'tac was Teal'c's master when they still served Apophis. He was the one who planted doubts about the Goa'uld's divinity in Teal'c. They're fighting together with us and the Rebel Jaffa for the freedom of all Jaffa." She paused a moment to give Toshiko time to process the information. "Thor is an Asgard. We first met him on Cimmeria. The Asgard are the race that served for so many conspiracy theories, because one of their scout ships crashed in New Mexico and was taken…"
"To Area 51?"
"Yes," Sam smirked. "They are a wise and peace loving people."
"And good allies?"
"They helped us developing the Prometheus, the first Earth vessel with a hyperdrive…"
"You have a ship that flies with light speed?" Toshiko gasped.
"Yes."
"So why don't we follow the Tebr'ox?"
"First we should know where to fly to, don't you think?" Sam curbed her enthusiasm.
"Yes, of course." Toshiko sighed. "I know you're right. It's just…" Her words caught in her throat and she gasped for air.
"I know, you're anxious about finding them and freeing your friends. Believe me, I know how you feel." Calmingly Sam put a hand on Toshiko's shoulder. "I'm optimistic about finding them."
"Just how long will that take?" Toshiko asked worriedly. "Will they still be all right until then? If those Tebr'ox really are slave traders they will try and sell their human freight as soon as possible. They can end up anywhere."
Sam smiled at her compassionately. "Don't give up on them. We have a number of options."
Toshiko nodded and smiled wearily.
"I believe you, Sam. Thank you for your encouragement."
"No problem," she smiled.
"I have another question, though," Toshiko said. "When you introduced yourself you said that you're in command of the Atlantis expedition?"
"That's correct."
"You don't mean the Lost City of Atlantis? As in the Atlantis that was lost to the sea in ancient times?"
"Actually, yes. That's what I meant," Sam smirked. "Daniel found inscriptions leading us to the Lost City."
"You're kidding!" Toshiko panted, scooting forward in her seat with excitement.
"No. It's out there," Sam confirmed. "It's in the Pegasus galaxy."
"Pegasus galaxy?" Toshiko was thunderstruck. She found it hard to believe what Sam told her so nonchalantly as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
"Yes," Sam nodded. "Actually Atlantis is a city ship built by the Ancients. Their race was extinct ten thousand years ago. Even longer ago the Ancients built the Stargate network. The Goa'uld only use the 'Gates."
"Whoosh!" Toshiko exclaimed, making the according hand gesture above her head.
Sam laughed good-heartedly. "Too much info all at once?"
"Yeah, kind of."
"Anyway, I live in Atlantis. Colonel Sheppard is the commander of the military contingent, and Ronon is a valuable ally."
"Ronon is from the Pegasus galaxy?" Toshiko asked with wonder.
"Yes. He's from Sateda. His home world was destroyed by the Wraith. They turned him into a runner and he was on the run for five years before our doctor could remove the tracking device in his back. Since then he's been working with our team."
"And I thought Torchwood would show me all the wonders in the world and beyond," Toshiko smirked. "I hope that we'll have another opportunity to talk."
"I think we'll have more than one opportunity," Sam assured her.
"Then you can tell me everything about the Wraith, the Goa'uld and, last but not least, how the Stargate works."
"I will."
"Thank you." Toshiko reached for her bag and got her laptop out. "I'd like to check my emails. Is that okay?"
"Sure," Sam nodded. "There's a socket beside the desk."
"Thanks." Toshiko plugged adapter and laptop in and pulled the mail server up. There was one message in her inbox.
Dear Toshiko, it read. Your aides have proven useful, so I contacted their superiors and told them that Torchwood is recruiting them for a temporary assignment. I guess that's in your interest as well.
The Rift is merciful and rather inactive since you left.
Oh, and I thought you said the pterodactyl was housebroken. Bloody Welshmen stuffing it with dark chocolate because it misses your team have given it the trots. I'm not cleaning it up. Good luck getting the smell out when you come back!
Archie
Toshiko laughed aloud, even though she felt bad for Myfanwy and was horrified at the thought of the stench that would be waiting for them when they got back.
"News from Cardiff?" Sam asked.
"Yep. I'm a bit afraid that they'll turn the Hub upside down."
"Who's there, replacing you since the team's gone?" Sam wanted to know.
"Archie from the branch in Glasgow's keeping an eye on everything," Toshiko replied. "Seems to be easier said than done."
"I can imagine that," Sam grinned.
Once more the red lights began to flash but the sirens did not wail. "Scheduled off world activation," echoed through the corridors.
"I hope that's Selmak," Sam said excitedly and hurried out of the office.
Shutting down her laptop Toshiko grabbed computer and bag and ran after Colonel Carter, intent on getting to see the activation of the Stargate this time. When she burst into the control room, she abruptly slowed her run. She did not want to alert the officers to her presence. Who knew if they would not tell her to leave? And she really, really wanted to see it.
Carefully she approached the glass wall and came right in time to see the iris swish shut. Toshiko could not hide her disappointment, as there was not much to see.
"We're receiving the IDC of the Tok'ra," Harriman announced and opened the iris.
Toshiko stared at the rippling white blue event horizon and felt her heart thump in her chest.
Then an elderly man stepped through who wore some kind of a uniform in sand tones that was partially made of leather. Toshiko saw Sam stride in and hurry to greet the man.
"Dad," Sam said. "How are you?"
"Same old," Jacob Carter replied. "What about you, Sam? How are things going on Atlantis?"
"We're doing great, Dad. Thanks," Sam told him. "We need to talk with you and Selmak about alien abductions here on Earth, though."
"Yes, Jack has told me about that… and that Bra'tac is here."
"Right. They are still in a meeting. We should go and join them."
Toshiko saw them leave the gate room just as the event horizon vanished. Grasping her bag and laptop tighter she hurried out in order to find Sam. She spotted her and her father down the corridor and followed them to the conference room. Knocking on the still open door, Toshiko asked, "Can I join in?"
"Yes, Dr. Sato," O'Neill said. "I just asked Carter if she knew where you were."
"I observed the arrival of our new guest," Toshiko replied, uncertain how to address the man in the unfamiliar uniform.
"Well, now that you're here," O'Neill said, gesturing at a chair that Toshiko claimed with a nod at the general, "Dr. Sato is with the Torchwood Institute in Cardiff, Wales. Dr. Sato, meet Jacob Carter and Selmak, member of the Tok'ra High Council."
Jacob Carter lowered his gaze and when he faced Toshiko to greet her his voice was deepened in register and slightly distorted. "It's a pleasure to meet you Dr. Sato."
"The pleasure's mine,… Selmak," Toshiko answered. "Or should I say Mr. Carter? I'm confused."
"I am Selmak. Jacob Carter is my host. We live in a symbiotic blending."
"Oh."
"And this is Master Bra'tac, leader of the Rebel Jaffa," O'Neill continued.
"Master Bra'tac," Toshiko nodded at him.
"Dr. Sato of Cardiff," Bra'tac replied earnestly.
"Erm… It's okay if you call me Toshiko," the Torchwood operative told them. "I'm rarely called doctor, so it sounds rather weird to my own ears."
"If you so wish, Toshiko of Cardiff," Bra'tac agreed.
"That's fine with me," Jacob Carter told her.
Toshiko eyed him with obvious irritation. She still needed time to get used to the idea that Sam Carter's father was living in symbiosis with what she had learned was asnakelike being.
"Good," O'Neill said dryly. "Now that we clarified that. Let's start to work."
The people around the conference table nodded in agreement and once more Toshiko was asked to summarize what had happened. Then the discussion began.
tbc…