Chapter 3 A Message From Kelowna

Bear with me - I'm not 100% sure about all the technicalities relating to wormholes - just go with the flow and enjoy the story!

It was just over a week since Daniel had left for Atlantis. Vala had been very good and not cried once – not when anybody could see her anyway. The previous Friday a wormhole had been established between the two Stargates and after the usual official conversations General Landry had turned to where she was hovering by the doorway and beckoned her into the control room.

"You're turn," he'd said, with a nod, and much to her surprise he and Walter, and all of the other personnel there left the room. "Ten minutes," he'd told her over his shoulder. "and not a second longer. It's more than my job's worth, leaving you alone in here for too long."

Vala had nodded, feeling rather emotional already and sat down, almost immediately hearing Daniel's voice on the other end of the wormhole. There was so much to talk about – he'd wanted to tell her all about Atlantis, and she'd wanted him to hear about her new black satin nightdress, and about Cameron getting bitten on the backside on P4Y-121 by a creature that looked like a giant guinea pig. He'd laughed for a good minute after that – Vala had started shouting at him to stop, he was wasting all of their talking time. Then he'd said again how sorry he was, and how much he missed her, and how he was never ever going to go anywhere without her again. And she'd rubbed her eyes hard and told him that she loved him and she'd be here when he came home, and she was going to buy a new set of furry handcuffs from Victoria's Secret, so that he couldn't get away again even if he tried. That had made him laugh, and he told her he'd bring her back a present from Atlantis which perked her up a little, then Walter was at the door and their time was up. Vala had blown kisses at him through the wormhole, not caring in the end that the entire SGC was probably listening, and the last thing that Daniel had said again as the connection closed was that he loved her.

She'd tiptoed away then, face beginning to pucker, until she met Cameron and his sore backside in the corridor. He put his arms around her and squeezed her tight and told her she was coming to O'Malley's with him that night to keep him company standing very much upright at the bar. So she'd cheered up and skipped away and the week had continued to pass by slowly but surely.

It was now well into the following week and SG-1 were sitting around the briefing table – Cameron, Teal'c, Vala and their new young recruit Lieutenant Simon Redwell – a bright eyed twenty-something airman with twinkling brown eyes and a cheery grin. They'd all taken to him immediately.

"So," General Landry was casting his eyes over the report in front of him. "Jonas Quinn has contacted us with some interesting news form Kelowna – he's heard several rumours about a Lucian Alliance operative working out of there. Just vague information, but all of the informants'are naming the same area of the country. One of them is a scientist who Jonas once worked with in the city, on that damned naquadria project which caused so much trouble."

Teal'c frowned. Cameron pulled a face.

"It will be very good to see JonasQuinn again though," said the Jaffa. "He is a good and honourable man who served the SGC well during his time in exile on Earth."

"Well, it's lucky that you feel that way Teal'c," said Landry, lifting his eyebrows at the team. "Because you'll all be on your way there at this time tomorrow. No big fuss, no noise and explosions, no fighting…" he looked pointedly at Mitchell who looked affronted. "Just a bit of re-con and scouting around. Quietly. If these rumours are correct and the Lucian Alliance are involved then we don't want them to get wind that we're on to them."

"What do you think they're doing there sir?" asked Cam, shifting the weight on to his one good bum cheek. "Trying to muscle in on the government? Cause a coup or sumthin'? The peace treaty on Kelowna hasn't been in place for too long – maybe the Alliance is trying to get a foothold there."

Landry shook his head and Vala spoke up.

"Cameron, darling, think about it. Kelowna's a planet bursting to the brim with that lovely little mineral called naquadria. If I was a member of the Lucian Alliance, I'd want to get myself a supply of that, wouldn't you? If you had the right scientist for the job, then they'd make you a lovely, big, very radio-active bomb or weapon in no time at all."

"Exactly!" Landry looked serious. "The last thing that anybody needs is the Lucian Alliance getting their dirty hands on some naquadria."

They all fell quiet for few moments. It didn't bear thinking about.

"Soooooo…." Mitchell flicked through his notes again. " 09.00 hours tomorrow – sounds good to me sir."

"Glad that you approve." Landry raised his eyes at the colonel who smirked unrepentantly. "Good luck, SG-1. Behave yourselves."

They all stood as the General left, then made their own way out of the conference room.

"So Redwell," Cam clapped the young man on the shoulder. "First off-world mission huh?"

"Yessir!" the Lieutenant was practically bouncing. "I'm really looking forward to it!"

"Good!" Mitchell winked at Teal'c behind Redwell's head. "We'll try not to kill you off too soon."

The new recruit stopped in his tracks, paused, then laughed.

"Nice joke, sir!" he chuckled. The other members' of SG-1 joined in.

"Thanks," said Cam, before adding wickedly, "I'm not joking!"

The poor man's face was a picture. Vala had to make Teal'c stop so that she could giggle behind him unseen. Mitchell, grinning, carried on towards the cafeteria pulling the unfortunate Redwell with him. The other two fell behind.

"How are you feeling, ValaMalDoran?" the Jaffa asked his team mate.

"Absolutely fine," lied the ex-space pirate, doing her Cheshire cat smile. Her friend said nothing, merely carried on watching her. He stopped walking. Vala sighed, and stopped too.

"Well, not exactly fine." She stood, fiddling with the buttons on her shirt. "But not exactly terrible either. I mean, I'm alright I suppose. Yes, I'm alright."

She looked up at Teal'c, who was watching her intently. He bowed slightly.

"Indeed, ValaMalDoran, I believe that you are alright." A small smile played around his lips. "You are a great credit to yourself at this time, perhaps you do not realise it. DanielJackson will be immensely proud of you."

Vala rolled her eyes and slapped him playfully, trying to hide the fat tears which were teetering on the edge of her eyelids.

"Stop it now, Muscles," she whispered huskily. She cleared her throat. "Come on – race you to the cafeteria!" and she was off and legging it up the corridor towards the elevators.

Teal'c smiled, looked around to check that General Landry was back safely in his office, then raced after her.

Hope that you enjoyed this chapter. More very soon!