Chapter Summary: Suiting Up
Chapter Word Count: 4,956
"Are you having fun yet," Joy asked Janice, as they lay there in their room. "This is your Grande Adventure, that you've always wanted."
"It's just the beginning," Janice said. "It's been interesting and our team is not what I would have asked for but is so much better."
"How so?"
"Andy, for one," Janice said. "Not only is she a babe, well preserved for her age, but she has a mind that can think circles around anyone here. She doesn't act like it all the time but there's a huge brain there. I bet she could out think any of the Council if given the same training."
"She'll get it," Joy said. "The Council is smart. They won't let any good resource go to waste. And they actually care about all of us, unlike the AIs running the Confederation. We're not just tools."
"What about the others?" Joy asked, several minutes later.
"Sam is another smart one," Janice said. "Too bad we have to send her home once we get back to home. I can't wait to see what she comes up with over the next few years. And you know she'd share it with us. Not possessive at all. She'll soak up the knowledge like a sponge and make things better."
"Definitely," Joy said. "I know we don't have the right equipment to build standard Clan Hard suits for her, Jack, and Ixchel, but I bet she creates something amazing. Something she can take with her. Something that makes all of our suits better. What do you think of Miranda?"
"Not sure what to think," Janice said. "She's an interesting person but inscrutable. But her abilities are awesome. Becoming energy? Invisibility? And I suspect she's invulnerable. To say nothing of her dedication to Andy. She's Andy's number one fan and cheerleader. I bet they're soulmates."
Joy nodded. "That'll have to wait until Lady Shadow takes a look at them. She's the only Clan member who can detect things like that."
"Yes," Janice said, "but I'd bet on it."
"What about Jack?" Joy said, "How do you see him on your team roster."
"Very valuable," Janice said. "He's old, and male, but he's got all the right stuff when it comes to leading a team on an impossible journey like this. And he doesn't need to be in charge. Very much a team player. And he keeps Sam grounded."
"And the Wonder Twins?"
"Who else would you want to be stranded on a deserted island with, about to be attacked by pirates? Not only are they talented fighters but they have the Lady Q seal of approval," Janice said. "If we have to have troopers, why not the best?"
"And they're very delectable," Joy said, humming. "In and out of their suits."
"Of course," Janice said. "You have noticed that compared to non-Clan human women we all are hot stuff, right?"
"The Memory is always grumbling about that," Joy said. "She says it's hard for human women to relate to us because of that, and the men can't think around us."
"If you've got it, use it," Janice said, smirking. "That's what I heard Lady Air said to her about that. We can't help it that our genetic tree includes some outstanding women."
"What about Ixchel?" Joy asked. "How does she fit?"
"She doesn't, not really," Janice said, frowning. "She's a time bomb waiting to go off. Andy thinks we can fix her enough that she'll survive the trip and then she can get help from one of our shrinks. I'm not sure it's possible to fix her. She has old Serpent Clan thinking mixed up with that Goa'uld superiority nonsense. And she doesn't know whether she's coming or going."
"I think she just needs some loving," Joy said.
"Ewww! How's that going to happen, and won't it make things worse? Who'd want her?" Janice said.
"Not that kind of 'loving'," Joy said, poking her. "Hugs and conversation and just being around normal people doing normal things."
"Normal? Then she's doomed," Janice said, laughing. "None of us are normal."
"It's good that you recognize that," a firm voice said, causing them to jump out of bed in surprise, to find a glowing energy being sharing their room.
"Lady Miranda, we didn't know you were there," Joy said, shakily placing her hand on her chest.
"Which is something you need to work on. While Joy is working with Samantha on their protective armour, you should be working on a way to detect non-corporeal life forms such as myself. We don't need any spies listening in on our plans."
"I though you were the only Ascended being here," Janice said.
"There are other beings out there, who may not have our best interests at heart," Miranda said. "We need to know when they are there."
"Yes, ma'am," Janice said. "I'll start working on that tomorrow."
"And Janice, I cannot tell you if you are correct about the concept of soulmates. Some cultures believe in them and some do not. I, for one, can sense a connection between Andrea and myself at a metaphysical level that I was unaware of before Ascending. Is that what a soulmate is? I don't know but I look forward to discussing this with your Lady Shadow. But please refrain from any further discussion of this issue at this time."
"Yes, ma'am," Janice said.
"Wow!" Joy said, once Miranda had disappeared. "I'm glad she's on Andy's side."
"Not ours?" Janice asked.
"If Andy's side is ours then yes she is," Joy said. "But I certainly wouldn't want her as an enemy."
"How'd your day go?" Ginny asked Harry as they lay wrapped around each other and caught each other up, a habit the sisters had continued from an early age.
"Janice has an odd sense of humor," Harry said. "But I like working with her."
"Joy has her own quirks," Ginny said. "But her thinking face is hot!"
"Does she know you have non work related plans for her?" Harry said, giggling.
"Not yet," Ginny said, "but she's smart. She'll figure it out eventually. Does Janice know she's falling into your web?"
"Sometimes she seems to but then she acts completely clueless" Harry grumbled. "For Clan who are supposed to observe everything, they sure can miss the important personal stuff."
"They're just too busy," Ginny said. "If you want any real action with her, you're going to have to drop anvils on her head or wait until we get home and get Lady Shadow to do something."
"That would be embarrassing," Harry said. "It'd be like asking someone's mother if it was okay to go out on a date."
"Ick," Ginny said, scrunching her nose. "I'd rather make a mess of it myself."
Harry nodded vigorously in agreement.
Lying quietly in her bed, Ixchel listened to all of the conversations going on around her that were not taking place over the comm units the little spies had given them. She really wasn't sure what was going on. Too many changes were happening too fast.
Five days before, she was a prisoner, an honored one but still a prisoner. Her entire life had been spent in that horrible throne room forced to pronounce judgement on her people for petty crimes for the amusement of Xicotel, the local system lord. He delighted in making her the hated goddess who made them suffer.
Four days before, her Clan had rescued her and destroyed Xicotel. Her people were now free from her bondage. But she didn't understand why they'd done so. They were the fabled warriors of the Lady of the Hands, while she was a lowly priestess. A priestess who still heard voices and dreamed of the Goa'uld who'd conquered her people. She'd thrown herself on their mercy, asking for judgement by the Nine Lords of the underworld. And they'd agreed.
"Oh, Mother, that you could see into my heart and bring me release from this pain," she whispered. "And may the Weaver clothe me in the presence of our Memory, that I might share all that has happened to me."
"You know we did not take you with us as a punishment, little priestess," the glowing figure suddenly appearing in front of her said. "Your Clan has determined that you are still one of them and need their help. You did not fail, you were given an impossible task."
"I betrayed my people to the Goa'uld," Ixchel said. "The Goa'uld used me to lead them far from home, to my great shame. They were more powerful gods than our own."
"The Goa'uld are not gods," Miranda said. "Their power came from things. Things that any creature could use."
"The Goa'uld spoke in my head for a long time," Ixchel said. "I still hear it in my dreams. I still see the things it did in my name, in my dreams. I do not wish to dream of these horrors any longer."
"Little priestess, we shall help you," Miranda said. "Sleep."
Ixchel fell into a dreamless sleep.
"So, you've been poking around," Andy said to Miranda, when she joined her in their bed. "What did you find?"
"Your troopers and the little Shadows are big fans of yours," Miranda said. "Don't be surprised if they start a church in your name."
"No," Andy said, wincing. "Please tell me you're joking, some of the Council have that problem. Some of their people believe they are true goddesses and pray to them. It's really embarrassing for them."
"No, I am not serious," Miranda said. "But they do think very highly of you. I have always believed in you and now I see others feeling the same. It is amusing in a way."
"Okay," Andy said, breathing a big sigh of relief. "So, you went around and listened to gossip?"
"Possibly," Miranda said. "Ixchel, the little priestess, really needs help that I don't believe any of us can give her. She remembers being Goa'uld, and all the things the Goa'uld forced her to do to her people in her name. She would rather be punished than made whole again."
"There are shrinks of sorts in the Clan," Andy said. "Mostly AI's who are not fully aware. But they do good work. We just need to get her to one."
"I've put her to sleep, blocking off the Goa'uld memories," Miranda said. "But that will only work while she's sleeping, not when she's wide awake."
"What else did you learn about our team?" Andy asked.
"The little Shadows are gossips," Miranda said. "Everything they see goes into their story. But the conclusions they come to are amusing."
"And the twins? What do you think of them?"
"They are twins," Miranda said. "Troopers, certainly. From what I've seen so far, they are exceedingly well grounded but still twins. Their closest connection will always be with each other."
"Twins are very rare in the rebuilt Clan," Andy said. "Lady Shadow won't explain how they happened with the whole test-tube baby thing. But all ten sets of twins are training to be leaders in their areas. Some in actual leadership roles like Ginny and Harry, and others as the top of their fields. There is a set of twins who have taken Clan ship design to a whole new level. They can look at a design and immediately begin improving it. It's like having two Major Carters running around."
"Is it intentional?" Miranda asked, running her fingers through Andy's short hair, causing her to moan.
"Is what intentional?" Andy asked.
"Twins?"
"Lady Shadow believes that Artie, the AI who is their Confederation Council contact, is manipulating things to achieve the best outcome, even though the other AI's would not approve."
"So this Artie is on the side of the Serpent Clan?" Miranda said. "Interesting."
"The Confederation provided 'seed money' so to speak," Andy said, rolling over to face Miranda. "But they are limited in what they can do. They can't make any real decisions when it comes to the Clans except in rare cases. Unfortunately the Serpent Clan is one of those cases at the moment so there's a lot of interfering."
"You have a lot of emotion invested in this," Miranda said.
"Yes," Andy mumbled. "I believe the Clan itself, over time, will be good for Earth and its civilization. The Clan is pushing us towards becoming a member of the Confederation, and not just an outpost. It'll take centuries to get there, and it'll be a uniquely human civilization when it does, if the Council of Nine achieves their aims. They may be full clan now but Earth is still their home and they are loyal to it, in their own fashion."
"Good," said Miranda, "We shall support their efforts. All of us."
"About that," Andy said, "care to explain how Caroline and Cassidy are full Clan? Why do they register as Clan? And not just any Clan but the Lady Shadow's original clan?"
"Would a simple 'I can't explain it' suffice?" Miranda said.
"No," Andy said. "I would like to think I know you well enough to know that this isn't a co-incidence."
"No, it isn't," Miranda said, wrapping her arms around Andy. "Your Lady Shadow is likely not the first member of her clan to visit this area."
"The girls father?" Andy said.
"I believe so, based on what I've learned since. He never claimed to be an alien. But he did insist that I eat certain 'traditional' foods of his family while I was pregnant," Miranda said.
"What happened to him?" Andy asked. "I don't recall ever meeting him."
"He died in an accident before the girls were born," Miranda said. "I do not know how my diet affected the girls but I am not surprised."
"What do you think?" Joy said, watching Sam walk around in their first suit prototype. Her movements were slightly jerky.
"Needs to be calibrated," Sam said. "It doesn't move quite in sync with my movement. How was your hard suit the first time you wore it," she asked Ginny.
"Not like that," Ginny said. "But keep in mind we learned to wear them in the pods, so when we had really hard suits we were already able to control them. And our suits are controlled by a combination of muscle memory and thought. Something we can't do for you because the nanite constructors we have are not that sophisticated."
"But this is our first prototype," Joy reminded them. "It needs work. Right now it's just basic level armor."
"So, let's get it beyond basic," Sam said. "What's the next step?"
"We need a better interface between you and the suit," Joy said. "An under suit of sorts. We have several examples we can try out. One is the inner layer for a space jockey's flight suit. The other is one of the original Clan designs for a hard suit."
"Why didn't we start with that one?" Sam asked.
"Because it's for a more primitive hard suit," Joy said. She pulled up a diagram on her tablet. "This is what it looks like," she said. "Our suit designers have refined the design, by a lot. This was a brute force approach. Lady Q had them throw it out. It's not very mobile."
"We fought similar suits during the Back Hat wars," Ginny said. "They didn't stand a chance."
"But the tech in the control suit might be useful," Joy said. "Build one with our more modern tech and it might get the job done."
"Okay," Sam said, carefully removing the pieces of the suit with Ginny's help. "This is better than nothing but it's exhausting to wear. We need something lighter. Do we have other materials we can use? A poly carbonate instead of these thin layers of metal?"
"The metal provides a large part of the protection," Joy said. "Once it's tuned it should be easier to move around in."
"Let's try a different material," Ginny said, looking at her own tablet. "We can use a composite metal and carbon fiber. The nanites can easily build that from material here in the cavern.
"Why are we still doing this?" Jack asked, looking very uncomfortable in the prototype armor. They'd been running him through a number of different exercises for the last few days.
"Because you need to get used to it, and we need to make sure it fits correctly," Joy said.
"And you look cute in it, for an old guy," Ginny said, giggling. "Right Sam?"
"Those aren't quite the words I would use," Sam said, smirking. "But we can go with that."
"Good call, Carter," Jack said. "So when do we get the fancy weapons?" He waved his hands in the air.
"You don't," Sam said. "Only a Clan armorer can add armaments to a suit."
"It's a prototype," Jack said. "Can't you break the rules for this one?"
"It's not just a rule, Jack," Joy said. "The nanites we have with us don't have the programming to add weapons to anything. They can repair existing weapons if they are attached to a suit but they can't copy them. And we can't modify their programming."
"It's a safety feature," Ginny said. "Lady Q insisted on it. She didn't want any aliens, like the Goa'uld or NID getting their hands on our weapons tech. So, no weapons capable nanites."
"Okay, I see the point," Jack said. "I wouldn't want the NID getting their grubby hands on any of your space guns either. But would the Goa'uld even be able to use them? You said Clan can't be snaked, though that doesn't seem to include Ixchel."
"Ixchel didn't have any nanites," Joy reminded him. "They're new. That's what kills the Goa'uld symbiote. Not even our original Clan had them, they're a recent invention. We aren't even allowed to use them dirtside, the AI's are so paranoid about the tech getting loose."
"And they take Clan DNA to work at all," Ginny said. "With one exception."
"Well, dang-nabit," Jack said. "So, when will these be ready? Not sure it does anything for my figure." He posed, standing in a heroic pose. "Does it make me look fat?"
"No," Ginny said. "But you can't compare that suit to any of the others. They're intentionally feminine looking. Lady Q decided she wanted our foes to know they're getting stomped into the ground by a bunch of girls."
"She must have been something else when she was a cheerleader," Jack said. "She should have gone to the Air Force Academy. We could use more tough, quick thinkers like her."
"She was a pacifist," Andy said, sitting down next to Sam. "Hard to believe, but that's what her sister claims. Lady Air is still angry about what the AIs did to her 'Q' to make her into the leader she is now."
"So, the Clans aren't fans of the AIs," Sam said. "Or is it just your clan."
"Your clan also," Andy reminded her. "We don't know what the other Clans think about all this. We haven't had any contact with them. But the next Clan Council of Clans meeting is still decades away so who knows what will happen."
"The skutt has it that the AIs are hoping we'll defeat the Bugs and go out in a blaze of glory so they don't have to answer to the Clans for how they are using us," Joy said.
"Which is just a rumor," Andy said. "And very unlikely. The AI's have strict ethics they adhere to. Sacrificing an entire Clan wouldn't be allowed."
"And the road to hell is paved with good intentions," Jack said. "They may have the best of intentions but the results are not always as intended."
"How are the suits turning out?" Andy asked. "I see you've got Jack prancing around in his. What about Sam?"
"Hers is all done," Joy said. "That was easy, once we worked out some issues with the control interface. We already had several designs that just needed tweaking. Jack's has been more difficult because we've never done male armor and the only examples we could find in the data kit was from over a thousand years ago, when they were used primarily for heavy combat. But Jack needs the flexibility of our current armor even though he's old."
"I'm not old," Jack protested, "you're just too young to appreciate my manly aura."
Ginny started laughing, and couldn't stop.
"Jack, with the exceptions of Ixchel, whom I'm not sure of, and Sam, we're all lesbians. We'd rather appreciate other non-manly things," Andy said.
"We have no problem appreciating guy cuteness," Joy said. "Like puppies."
"As long as they don't piss on the carpet," Ginny said, winking at him. "Someone else can clean up that mess."
"What's the purpose of sparing?" Jack asked later. "You could get hurt if we go all out."
"We're not the ones who would get hurt, Jack," Ginny said. "You need to learn how to adapt your regular fighting styles to suit styles. Unfortunately, we don't have practice suits or time to make them, and we don't have any learning pods available."
"Yeah," Harry said. "We have thousands of hours in multiple types of suits, and have fought multiple types of real foes in them. You have minutes. And need more before we leave here."
"We'll start with basic forms," Ginny said. "And then mix those with your unsuited forms. And then work on more advanced forms."
Jack slumped on his bed. It had been an exhausting afternoon in the hard suit. And it wasn't even a full combat suit, but more of an environmental suit that he could fight in.
"This is where I admit I'm too old for these kinds of games," Jack said, waving at Sam who seemed to be just as fresh as when they started. "You seem to be enjoying this."
"The suits really are designed to enhance female abilities," Sam said. "Now that it's properly fitted, it doesn't feel like armor to me, but almost like a second skin."
"So, it's just me?" Jack said, groaning.
"Your suit needs additional modifications," Sam said. "It should be ready tomorrow."
"Why waste the time?" Jack said. "I just need something that is bulletproof. I don't need a full suit like yours."
"This is valuable research for all of us," Sam said. "The Clan will eventually include men, and they will need protective suits."
"Include men? What am I? Chopped liver?" Jack asked, sounding offended.
"You know what I mean," Sam said. "You might not have noticed but these young clanswomen have had almost no exposure to friendly men. How you treat them, and work with them, will be very important."
"Not to disparage my gender," Jack said, "but do you think it's a good thing to expose them to men in all our antagonistic, selfish, testosterone fueled glory?"
"They can handle men," Sam said. "They just need to know that there are some worth knowing."
"I'm worth knowing?" Jack said. "Glad to know that. I'll have to think of a suitable reward." Slowly getting up, he tottered over to her bed and looked down at her. "No, tickling is too good for you. And I'm too tired." He tottered back to his side of the room and collapsed on the bed again.
"Keep in mind that they've been wearing their suits for years," Sam said. "They aren't just playing dress-up. They're professionals, don't underestimate them."
"I don't," Jack said. "Do you think you'll be able to get some of the extras working, other than the weapons?"
"Extras?" Sam gave him a puzzled look.
"That high jump, fast moving thing they can do," Jack said. "They've got the whole enhancement package."
"Not if we want to leave here any time soon," Sam said. "Being able to move like that actually takes a lot of training. We've built the suits for the three of us with that capability but it's really turned down until we can find the time to learn how to use it."
"How is Ixchel dealing with her suit?" Jack asked. "It's not something she has any experience with either."
"She hasn't said anything," Sam said. "That memory merger has really screwed up her head. Sometimes she's very aware of things, and at others she's almost catatonic. She hasn't actually tried her suit yet since it was fitted."
"Have you talked with her?" Jack asked. "You know what it's like to have a snake in your head, making you do things."
"A little," Sam said, "but her experience was very different. Watching the Goa'uld as it tortured and killed her people must have been very traumatic. And then Xicotel, once he realized what the Memory chamber had done, forced her to continue to do that, keeping her a prisoner."
"Did we kill the snake?" Jack asked.
"Ixchel claims he is dead but there's no proof," Sam said. "If he did survive, when we blew up the lab it should have taken out the entire temple complex. When we get home we'll have to look into it."
"Danny will love that," Jack said "A new Goa'uld to investigate. And a different language to learn."
"You look good in that hard suit," Ginny told Ixchel. "You wear it like you have worn something like it before."
"The Goa'uld have experience controlling their hosts," Ixchel said. "This is similar but not as complex."
"Ick," Ginny said. "Not sure I needed to know that."
"I cannot forget," Ixchel said. "There are too many other memories in my head, memories of my hands doing things I regret."
"You're not that person anymore," Ginny said. "Having another being's memories in you head does not make you them."
"Lady Miranda has given me the ability to hide the Goa'uld memories while I sleep," Ixchel said, "but they cannot be hidden while I am awake. She said that too much of my true self is mixed with them for it to work while I am awake."
"That doesn't sound good," Ginny said. "Did Lady M say she could completely separate the different memories for you?"
"No," Ixchel said. "She said she does not wish to interfere too strongly with my thoughts."
"Yeah, the mind is delicate but strong at the same time," Ginny said. "Let's familiarize yourself with your suit. You may not fight but you need to be able to defend yourself and to be aware of all of its capabilities."
"But it is not a full, what do you call it, combat suit," Ixchel said. "How can I defend myself while wearing it?"
"It's not a full combat suit, no, but you don't need one. You need to be able to defend yourself against attackers, and otherwise get away when you need to. So we've focused more on speed and survivability that attacking."
"The Samantha has a suit for combat," Ixchel said. "I've seen her wearing it."
"Sam is a soldier," Ginny said. "Although she is not trained to be a Clan trooper, she has fought in wars for her people, and is a member of her people's military."
"Ah," Ixchel said. "I was not aware of that. She wielded a weapon while in my temple but she did other things."
"She's very talented," Ginny said. "She has also experienced having a Goa'uld in her head, though that one died saving her."
"Some Goa'uld treated us as pets," Ixchel said. "Others treated us as tools to expand their empires."
"You are free of them," Ginny said. "There are no Goa'uld in our lands."
"That does not comfort me," Ixchel said. "They could be in hiding."
"You know we are in a different universe than the one you are from, correct?" Ginny asked.
"Yes," Ixchel said. "But how do you know for sure they don't exist here."
"The universe is huge," Ginny said. "It may be possible that they do exist, but there have been no reports of their existence. Do you need help getting your armor on?"
"I can put it on," Ixchel said. "I am not a child! But I do need help adjusting it."
"Okay, we can do that," Ginny said. "It's really simple, since we didn't have to invent a new controller for yours. You just put it on." Ginny started handing Ixchel pieces of her new armor. "Each major piece is already molded to your body. We did that during your first fitting."
"It feels odd here," Ixchel said, rubbing the part of the armor that covered her chest.
"Yeah, we all have issues there," Ginny said, grimacing. "The material for the front piece needs to be very firm but custom fitted. It can take several tries to get it right."
"I would rather not be covered there," Ixchel said.
"This is not optional," Ginny said.
"Not optional, what does that mean," Ixchel asked, giving Ginny a puzzled look,
"Optional means you don't have to do something, it's up to you. Not optional is the opposite. If something is non-optional it means you will do it even if you don't like it. We all wear full armor when on duty or during combat," Ginny said. "So, while traveling you will wear your armor."
"You are very intense," Ixchel said. "My sister in arms, Pele, was much like you before the Goa'uld killed her."
"I am sorry," Ginny said.
"She has gone ahead," Ixchel said, her eyes glazing over. "She was one of the lucky."
Recognizing Ixchel getting lost in a painful memory, Ginny simply nodded and continued working on adjusting her suit. They learned over the past few weeks that it was better to let her come out of that on her own.