CHAPTER 41

Vala held her stomach tightly. The words just spoken by her child still ringing thru her mind.

We cannot both exist. In order for one to flourish, one must perish. . . And the time shall come when you will have to choose which one of us that will be.

"What do you mean the time will come when I will have to choose?" she asked trying to hold back the quiver in her voice.

You are our common bond. The one thing that links us both together. It can only be you.

"I would never be able to choose between you or Daniel. But knowing your father, he would want me to choose you."

Would you choose me?

Vala hesitated. The idea of having to choose whether Daniel or their daughter died a concept too unsettling to think about.

If it takes you this long to respond, then I guess we both know what your ansnwer would be.

"How dare you say that!" she cried trying to quell the tears forming in her eyes. "I couldn't choose either one of you."

But you will. The Book of Origin says so.

Vala whispered in a hushed, soothing tone. "What did I just finish telling you? Just because The Ori wrote about it years ago does not mean it will come to pass. If there is anything you need to know about your father it is he is a man that defies expectations and I am almost certain that it is something that he passed along to you."

Vala sat in silence. And for a moment she was granted silence. The child thought of nothing, and for that Vala was grateful. A soft rustle coming from the brush broke Vala's concentration. Quickly, she picked herself up and found herself staring Tomin in the face.

"Hello Vala."

Vala turned to run but found herself surrounded by several Priors.

"Did you honestly believe you could escape us?"

"Honestly? Yes." Vala replied smiley half heartedly.

Tomin said nothing as he nodded to one of the Priors, who bound Vala's hands together.

"Don't do this," Vala pleaded as she looked deep into Tomin's eyes.

"I am deaf to your pleads! I follow only the will of the Ori!"

"How did you find me?"

"The Orici told me where to find you."

Vala looked to her stomach, utter shock growing on her face.

"You told them where to find me?"

I cannot permit us to leave.

"But what about -- I don't understand -- you seemed --"

I know Mother, and I am sorry for the deception. However I needed to keep you distracted long enough for Tomin to find us.

"Why?" Vala asked as tears streamed down her face.

Self preservation. And it is written: "The Mother walked into the temple and there The Prophet and The Orici lay, each heartbeat bringing them closer to their last. Knowing that she could only save one, she chose with her heart and left the other to perish." The Book of Origin does not foretell which one of us you will choose and after our conversation, I realized that you will never choose me. So I have had to take the choice from you. When it is all said and done, you will realize Mother, that this is for the best.

Vala did not struggle as the Priors dragged her away. Her heart was too broken, her will too crushed. She had honestly thought she had gotten thru to her and there were no words to describe the pain of realizing that not only that she hadn't but she never going to.

She never stood a chance.

ooooo

Daniel's return to consciousness was instantaneous.

He lay there in a momentary fog, unaware of his surroundings, unaware that the mere act of waking had spiked his heart rate from a calming 77 to 90 beats per minute. As he became more and more in tune with himself he could feel the rapid strumming in his chest. He lay there breathing deeply, one hand over his chest, as he slowly calmed his heart to normal. Looking around he realized that he was no longer in the Ancient chair, but laying in a recliner in his den, the rockiin' sounds of Simon and Garfunkel's Sounds of Silence coming from his record player.

"Oh, I am so glad Jack isn't here to see this'" he breathed as he slowly sat up.

Rubbing his hands against the arms of the chair, he marveled at the sensory affect. It seemed so real. As if he really was sitting in his den. After a few seconds he stood. The words Kebechet spoke to him going on like a record in the back of his mind.

He had only thiry minutes. There was no time to waste on aesthetics. Taking a step forward, he swayed. The strumming in his chest increased. Breathing deeply he pushed past the discomfort and made his way to the hallway. When he reached the archway, he slumped up against it, feeling as if he had just ran a marathon. Glancing up, he saw a long cooridor of wooden doors. Each with a different ancient symbol carved upon them. Walking up to one, he recognized it right away. There was similar writings adorning the walls of Kheb. Concentrating on the door before him, he took a moment to translate it.

It stated simply: That from which all things came.

"I'm guessing this is as good a place to start as any," he whispered softly as he reached down and turned the knob.

As he entered the room, the door slammed shut behind him.