The last time Daniel lost it, Sam remembers, she and Janet convinced General Hammond to call Nora. Colonel O'Neill had been off-world at the time, assisting SG-6 with their geological survey. SG-6's commander had broken his leg, and his replacement was held back due to recenty surgery. Sam still had her naquadah reactor to calibrate, Teal'c was supposed to contact Bra'tac...things had gotten a little hectic that week, and Jack was the only one at hand for the temporary assignment. Sam was asked to be present during the ceremony between Daniel and Nora, back on the planet of constant song and plant life. It was beautiful; the most impressive display of electromagnetism she'd ever witnessed. She asked every prodding question she could, and got no answers in return. She'd been very jealous; the Accasre, as they called themselves, specifically asked her not to bring any of her equipment, regardless how politely she asked them. She never really learned what was going on, geologically or biologically. It was a tender hurt to be pushed away from such a beautiful discovery. But once the ceremony began, she understood their want for secrecy. After it was over, a change had come over Daniel; Sam could see it in his eyes. They were still pearlescent blue and and uncommonly kind, but they didn't seem so lost anymore. There was a completeness about him that he never possessed in the time Sam had known him. Jack noticed it, too, but not quite in the same way. On occasion, they would discuss it with one another, but only briefly. Teal'c was convinced it was a spiritual change, but Sam knew it had something to do with the elder, Nora. She, after all, was the one who suggested it, and even performed it, as she was the only one in the whole village they visited who did majira...
That's what they called it; Majira.
Groundbreaking scientific phenomena aside, after Daniel's last episode shook the base, with Jack being gone, Sam knew exactly who to call. Nora seemed to have a way with Daniel's mind that Sam had never seen before. Things went back to normal rather quickly. With General Hammon's permission, the incident went unwritten. There was no report, no debriefing. When Jack came back, no one told him what had almost happened...
With this secret in mind, Sam reaches the top of the staircase, turning to the side to let the beautiful creature pass her. When her green eyes meet the blue orb on the table, Nora halts suddenly, silently. Her thin lips part in a gape. She turns her eyes to Sam and then the rest of her face follows, painted with uncertainty.
"Where did you find this?" the woman asks, in a timid voice.
"A moon," Sam replies.
Nora walks through the room, crossing the rug in quick, silent steps, hands guarded on either side. Her gown makes less noise than grass in the wind. She walks around the table to the other side, stepping gracefully over fallen chairs, eyes never leaving the orb.
"Apheterum Elough," she says, barely above a whisper.
Sam turns and exchanges a glance with Jack. He'd been watching the floor, but he heard what the woman said. That was the name the locals had given Daniel.
"What do you know about it?" Jack asks, eyes still drawn to the carpet.
Nora's eyes finally break away from the orb and scan the scene before her. "Someone has affected it," she states, walking around the rest of the table.
There is a slight pause. "Yeah," Jack says, before the General could get his word in. "That's why we called you."
"This is beyond my skill," She admits, approaching the group. "I have insufficient power to deal with this matter."
The room buzzes in silence, magnifying the high-pitch sound that has started in Sam's left ear. "So, you can't help him?"
"I cannot," Norestes said in her voice of silken acetaminophen.
"What if i told you it was Daniel?" Jack says, softly.
Nora's eyes shift to Jack and Sam can swear her face has fallen, if only slightly. Sam has never seen such a change in the dimensions of her face before.
"Take me to him, Jack," she commands, her voice devoid of any shred of the emotion she let gather in her eyes.