Chapter 50

"How did she end up being half-human/half-Goa'uld?"

"Are you aware of Cassandra Fraiser?"

"Yeah, she's Janet's daughter."

"And the one called Jonas Quinn?"

"Yeah, he took Daniel's spot on SG1 while he was Ascended."

"What do they have in common?"

It was like a light went off in Mitchell's head.

"They were both experimented on by Nirrti. She wanted to create a Hok'tar. She targeted them because the planets they originated from were genetically superior. Is she responsible for this?"

"Nirrti was not alone. She, and another Goa'uld were once under the employ of Anubis. It was his goal to create a Hok'tar. He captured and tortured humans until he found twelve subjects that were able to wistand his experiments. However, none were genetically stable enough to be successful. So he divided these twelve amongst two planets where they were unable to breed with each other. Each generation becoming more strong and able to wistand the treatments. After Anubis' death, two of the planets were split amongst his two assistants. Nirrti, who took Hanka, and Langara, which went to Qetesh."

"Qetesh? As in the Goa'uld who possesed Vala."

"Yes. Qetesh was also Anubis' wife and mother of Kebechet. She was more determined than ever to make his experiment succeed. Unbenknownst to Nirrti, Langara was just a cover for her other experiment. Qetesh moved a few of the test subjects to an isolate planet. Prevent any contact from the outside world so that there would be no new genetic matierial introduced into the mix. Over several generations, there wasn't a person born on this planet that did not contain the genetic matierial necessary to create a Hok'tar. Eventually thru experimentation she was able to create a single family whose genetic matierial was far more superior than any other. And within it she found a subject more powerful than any others."

"Aja."

"Before she could turn Aja into a Hok'tar, Qetesh learned that Nirrti had discovered her experiments and sent her underling, Ba'al to destroy the planet and capture its people. Not wanting Aja to fall into the wrong hands, Qetesh took Aja's sister as her host and convinced her to accompany her off the planet."

"Aja is Vala's sister?"

"Yes?"

Dots began to connect for Mitchell in a way they never had before. Things started to make sense on a more cosmic scale. Nothing was random. The idea of fate no longer just an idea. He was starting to figure out where the story was going, but in his mind, refused to allow himself to think of such things. He knew, however, as much as he wanted to hide from all of this, he wouldn't be able. He looked at Shifu, now, with a bit more understanding and simply replied:

"Continue."

oooooo

Vala Mal Doran lay in bed heart sick. Literally.

It seemed her little stunt with Tomin earlier had come back to bite in the ass. Not too longer after being returned to the ship she had been struck with an aching feeling in her chest. Her heartbeat began to quicken. She wrote it off as nothing more than her despair over her situation. She tried to put it out of her mind, as she tried to hide her mind from the growing menace she carried inside of her.

But it did little good.

The pain would only increase. Her heartbeat pounding harder and faster.

Something was wrong.

She tried to tell Tomin. Tried to tell the Priors. But all her pleas had gone on deaf ears. She had then been reminded of that story Daniel had told her of the Boy who Cried Wolf. She could feel the Orici trying to invade her mind, gain control over her body in her moments of distress. She resisted. As much pain and suffering she was in, she was going to let that little bitch anywhere near her mind.

That all changed about an hour ago. She had awoken from a nap feeling out of sorts. She sat up only to be overwhelmed by a sudden dizziness. Leaning onto the side of the wall, she walked gingerly until her found herself up against the door to her room. She pounded hard against it in the hopes of gaining the guards attention. The effort proved fruitless and left her panting heavily. Her whole body felt like it was on fire, sweat fell from her brow as if she had been out in the sun for hours. She closed his eyes tightly, focusing on the deepest corners of her mind. She was in trouble. If anything was going to get her attention, it would be this. Breaking down the barriers she had put up so cautiously, she felt the coldm familliar mind sleep into her own.

"Guard!" the tonal voice of the Orici screamed. The door slid open immediately, causing her to fall into the arms of the bewildered guard.

"Send for the Healer. Now!"

The guard had barked orders to another set of guards as Vala lost consciousness. She barely remembered being lifted up and taken back to bed. She had been in an out of consciousness during the Healer's exam. Unable to remember everything that had been done to her. Unsure of what medicine or medical procedures were available to a culture in which every illness was fought with prayer and the hopes of survival. When she awoke the Doci and the Healer stood at her bedside, regaling her with news she had already long suspected.

It was her heart.

They weren't sure what exactly was wrong. The why's and the how's seemed to be above their ability to understand. All that they knew was that her heart seemed to be failing. Vala could see the look of pity in the eyes of both men as they told her what she already knew. She also knew what they weren't saying. That they were going to wait for her to naturally give birth to The Orici. And since she doubted they possessed the ability to surgically remove the child, it meant they would induce her labor. And she had known from her mother's experiences that often women with weak hearts who went into labor did not survive. They were essentially sealing her fate.

What Vala couldn't understand. What was nagging at her from the back of her mind was how she became so sick to begin with? Had she been poisoned? Did she contract an illness while she was out in the woods? Was she being punished for pretending to be ill to begin with?

It's because of Daniel.

The voice had been so faint at the back of her thoughts, she tried to write it off. Tried to ignore it, but ultimately, curiousity won out.

"What are you talking about?"

Your mind is still connected with Daniel's. Like it was with the bracelets. Whatever happens to one of you, happens to both.

"So you're telling me is that the reason I am having problems with my heart is because he is having problems with his?"

Yes. Something is wrong. Daniel heart is under a tremendous amount of stress. Its starting to fail. And because you are still connected in your minds, your heart is failing too.

"How do we stop it?"

We can't.

"Daniel is dying, we have to save him."

I'm sorry Mother, but I can't risk it. I have to survive.

"Now listen hear, you selfish, self-righeous little - "

Before Vala could finish she felt a sudden tug, followed by a warming sensation that stopped her mid-sentence. Her mind knew what had happened, but she peaked beneath the covers regardless. Her water had broke.

"Why?" she screamed as the first pains of labor crept up on her.

Like I had told you Mother, you will have to choose between us. I wanted to even the odds.

"You little bi-" Vala yelled, as her words got cut off by the pains of labor.

"Vala?" came a familliar yell from across the room.

Vala looked up at the door to the closet in disbelief. There. Standing amongst the many dresses, was the one thing she needed desperately to see.

"Daniel."