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Chapter 20: In the afterlife

The next day, Daniel and Jack went to the Council as planned, while Sam and John went to the ship to continue repairing the extensive damage.

Daniel noticed that the assembly was proceeding as it had the day before: once again, all members were present in the amphitheater and the same ritual was in place. At the same time, Mitchell and Tealc, followed by Vala and Jack C, were looking for a familiar face in the city. They passed the fountain where they had been greeted the day before, which seemed a long way off. On leaving the hall, Mitchell asked a passer-by where they could find Adred. The man showed them the way, but he didn't speak their language, so the passer-by waved his hand to point them in the right direction. But to them, these gestures were vague and imprecise. They lost their way in a wide corridor lined with large glass windows and statues. Their footsteps echoed loudly as they crossed the corridor and finally came to a double door.

- Oh my god ! I was wondering where it was placed. I thought of it more as a museum piece, since they don't use it much if at all, said Vala as she enters a courtyard.

Indeed, before them, in the center of an immense courtyard, the Stargate stood proudly. At last, they could see something familiar in this strange place. They circled the gate to observe it from every angle, and to see if there were any differences with the one they knew. Then they looked around: they were in a completely deserted environment. The courtyard was circular, with nothing but the gate, circular walls and white sand. The DHD wasn't even there.

After a while,...

- It's worth a look," says someone behind them, "I was told you were looking for me, and as you took the wrong direction, the passer-by was afraid you'd stray into the city.

It was Adred.

- Yes, we'd love to see Angela," says Mitchell, getting straight to the point and looking away from the gate with regret.

- I think it's possible now if you promise not to go near it," mused Adred, "follow me.

Mitchell and Tealc followed, Mitchell noticing that Adred had left no trace in the perfectly smooth white sand ahead. Whereas they could see their boot tracks well embedded.

- Yes, promise me you won't go near it, because I warn you, I don't think it's possible to get very close to it yet, and it's not a pretty sight. Although Castiel has been working on it all night, even I can't go near it yet," says Adred, looking dejected as he resumes the conversation.

- Why would you want to go near him," says Tealc.

- I find her fascinating, especially with ...well, I'll be able to help her in my own way. And I'm curious. In fact, I'd like to ask you an indiscreet question while Shola's busy and my brother's away.

- A personal question," says Tealc.

- Yes, a little...I was wondering...well, I noticed that...Do many of your wives have blue hair?

- Excuse me?" said Mitchell, stopping abruptly, taken aback by the question.

- Oh I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt or shock you, I just think there might have been some meaning about that color like hierarchy or sexual connotation.

- No," said Mitchell, shocked by the sexual word, "no! I mean, you haven't hurt us, but it's just that...No, it's not common in our customs and it has no meaning except perhaps the rebellious side.

- Nothing sexual then, as some people color their women's hair to indicate that they've already been taken, or are virgins... But this exists in certain animals, especially birds, which change the color of their feathers if they're in a relationship or free.

- Nothing like that," assured Mitchell.

- Interesting, thought Adred, it's just to stand out then.

- Well, not quite," says Tealc.

- But you said...

- It's true, she could have chosen another color, I think, but basically she wanted to hide that white hair at the time," explained Mitchell.

-Oh, she's already got white hair, so young.

- Yes," says Tealc.

- It doesn't mean anything, of course, but it's true that at his age, it's unusual.

- It's not due to old age," added Tealc with a touch of sadness.

- Ah," said Adred, not insisting even though he couldn't quite grasp these thoughts.

They left the glass corridor they had passed just 10 minutes earlier. Vala and Jack C had slipped away as planned to search the City.

- It can be pretty to have white hair," said Adred, looking thoughtful.

- Um...," said Mitchell, not so sure.

- I see you've finally decided to visit the heart of the city," said Adred, who had noticed the absence of the other two.

- How do you think the Council is going?" asked Tealc, who was walking up to her.

- In much the same way as yesterday, which I'm afraid is boring for Jack. I think that new everyone, twice in one astra, it's a miracle, says Adred dreamily, finally I think they will have the same answers as yesterday for your request for help despite your evidence. But don't worry, they'll help you.

- When? How?" says Mitchell.

- That, I confess, I don't know... at least not yet. Time will tell, I suppose," sighed Adred, looking suddenly tired.

- Where exactly is Angéla?" asked Tealc.

- In a cave, in the very heart of the volcano, where it's cool. Her body is kept at the right temperature, as she has difficulty warming up and occasionally experiences fever spikes. What's more, she's protected from external infections. She's well cared for, so don't worry about her, she's a fighter. On the other hand, she's still in her old clothes - they didn't dare undress her. So there's a lot of blood on it. I advise you to ignore them. I don't think you'll see the most serious injuries, but you never know, so I'd prefer you to be prepared and in the know.

- We've seen worse," says Tealc.

- Yes, maybe, but not on someone so close to you, someone you care about very much," says Adred.

- It's true," agreed Mitchell.

They walked the rest of the way in silence. Mitchell imagined the worst. They passed a rocky arch about two meters high. Mitchell surmised that he had just entered the famous cave where Angela lived. The famous barren cave. The cave cavity looked natural and was a veritable labyrinth, as other conduits led to it. Lhomme was simply using these natural paths. The walls looked damp, shining in the light of the various torches hung on the walls by men.

- Isn't this humid environment, on the contrary, conducive to mold! asked a puzzled Mitchell.

- No, they're not completely damp channels, because before they were tunnels, they were secondary conduits or chimneys of the stratovolcano, and the large cavities where your friend is were secondary magma chambers, storage pockets of primary magma. In reality, the humidity comes from the condensation of humidified air spat out by our lungs as we breathe, because the walls are still warm. So fungi, or mushrooms as you call them, can't grow there. Mycorrhizae and microbes can't survive or grow on mosses. Don't worry, the conditions are ideal for obtaining a sterile environment and preserving it," explained Adred.

They arrived on a 3-metre-high platform, like an opera balcony. Below, they saw three people moving with precision around a flat block of rock, resembling a natural bedrock.

- Hey, everything's fine," said Adred to draw attention to their presence;

One of the men looked up distractedly in their direction: it was Uriel. He nodded in response. The cavity was silent, and all they could hear was the rubbing of the three men's clothes and their own breathing.

- Let's stay here," ordered Adred.

But he leaned over as far as he could to get a closer look at the young woman's body out of curiosity, but to no avail.

Uriel moved away from the rock with a tray full of dirty, blood-stained linen, clearing their view. Mitchell could finally see what was occupying them. Astyan was positioned at one end of the flat rock. When Uriel stepped aside, Mitchell saw Angela's body lying with her hands crossed over her stomach. Astyan was at head level, his hands resting on the young woman's temples and his head just a few centimetres from Angéla's, as if he were about to kiss her. Castiel's hands were resting on the unconscious body's chest, one at heart level, the other in crossed hands. Angéla looked peaceful in this calm tableau. Lying on the rock, she was still wearing, as Adred had said, her military clothes from the previous day, stained with blood - her blood. Her hands were carefully bandaged with a clean cloth. A bandage encircled her head, and occasionally a spot of blood appeared, as some of the wounds must have reopened. Apart from these marks, they couldn't see any other wounds. On the other hand, she had numerous bruises all over her body. Unlike her clothes, her skin looked clean, even the wounds were.

- But what are they doing?" asked Mitchell, a little puzzled, whispering so as not to distract the two men.

- Castiel monitors your friend's heartbeat and breathing while Astyan tries to wake her up from her coma.

- How?" asked Tealc out of curiosity.

- This is a very difficult exercise, especially when the person is unconscious. Already awake, it's very difficult. This technique is used in severe trauma, like hypnosis. Astyan has to be on the same ... wavelength, let's say. What's more, it's complicated here because Angela has a powerful mental barrier and entering a mind without the person's permission is not advisable. What's more, Uriel is worried. He has detected an anomaly in your friend's electroencephalogram. Instead of a single electrical signature being emitted, there are two very slightly different ones, which become increasingly distinct over time.

- And that's bad?" asked a worried Mitchell, knowing nothing about neurophysiology.

- I don't know, I'm not a specialist in this field, that's for Uriel, but you should know that an individual has his own brain activity, his own electrical activity, unique like a fingerprint on the hand. The fact that she has two that stand out...I don't know if that's a good sign. Initially, she had a rather high and strong signal. We couldn't make out any difference, but now we're starting to see a slight one. And that's what worries us.

- What the hell does that mean?" gasped Mitchell.

- Probably nothing, as the two signatures, as I've already said, are not totally distinct. It's all a bit hazy at the moment. This phenomenon only happens occasionally, or...," says Adred reassuringly.

- Or?" insisted Tealc.

- It could be a mental illness.

- Like schizophrenia?

- What is this disease?

- Some sort of split personality or altered perception of reality," said Mitchell.

- Oh...this may explain the anomaly, but from your faces, Angéla doesn't suffer from this disease.

- Not that I know of...but maybe it's because of what she was doing," says Mitchell.

- Being a pilot doesn't give you...," said Adred, not understanding.

- I'm not talking about that," cut in Mitchell, "she was also a spy, and spies have the ability to blend into any identity.

- Like a shapeshifter," says a surprised Adred.

- A what?" said Tealc.

- It's a person who can change shape like a chameleon," Adred clarified.

- Er...yes," hesitated Mitchell.

- She's a shifter! They're very rare, I've only known one and he didn't end well," says an impressed Adred.

- A bad end," says Tealc.

- Yes, he couldn't get back into his original form, and died in the process. He changed identity every 10 seconds.

- Actually, she's not quite a... shapeshifter. It's just that she dresses up, wears make-up...," says Mitchell.

- So...you're saying she can play...a role," says Adred.

- Yes, any role like in a big Hollywood movie," says Tealc.

- Movie? Hollywood?" asked a puzzled Adred.

- Like an actress," Mitchell explained.

- It's like a play," says Adred.

- Yes

- I like theater," says Adred, looking at Angéla from another angle, fascinated.

Mitchell, too, looked at her, imagining her in one of her disguises. After a moment, another hypothesis emerged:

It could also simply be coma-related, couldn't it?" says Mitchell.

Adred looked at him in amazement at this new hypothesis.

- There's got to be more to it than that," thought Adred, "I know she's an extraordinary woman...tell me, you spoke at the Council of a very technologically advanced people, even more so than you...

- The elders," informed Tealc.

- Can you tell me more," says Adred with a thought in the back of his mind.

- I don't see what this has to do with Angela," says Mitchell at a loss, "but what do you want to know?

- Are they among you?

- No, alas," said Tealc, seeing that Mitchell wasn't answering.

- Are you quite sure? They could be hiding from you because they're so different, or maybe they're just scared," Adred surmised.

- Yes, we're sure of it.

- Yet you said you need a...what did you call it to control the ship, an essence?" says Adred.

- A gene," says Tealc, "is genetic information.

- Genetic information...yet it's not enough, your boss...Jack hasn't succeeded where Angela has.

- What are you getting at?" asked Mitchell.

- Maybe it doesn't have to be a gene.

- And what's that? Angéla owns a large part of it, so maybe that's enough," says Tealc.

- I don't know, I don't know, but it's logic, and if some of you have these genes, it's because at some point the Ancients mixed with your people.

- Yes, Daniel thinks we will in the distant future," says Mitchell.

- And Daniel... what does he think of the "Angela" case?" says Adred then after a moment, she has a good deal of genetic information, hesitating on that word, from the Ancients so the mixing was recent, wasn't it? Unless it doesn't work like that.

- Yes, but Daniel hasn't hypothesized yet, but I don't see what you're getting at. You mean there are Ancients among our people and we don't know it, and that Angela is one of them," said a bewildered Mitchell.

- Your reasoning seems right Adred but Angela hasn't been in this state since she was born, she wasn't born with this Ancient genetic information, but it has been rewritten.

- Rewritten? But how is that possible? You're so knowledgeable," says Adred.

- No, it's not us, well, not exactly. In general, we avoid playing sorcerer's apprentice," says Mitchell.

- So what's the reason for his condition?" asked Adred.

- But of the accident, it was the accident that caused his coma," said Mitchell, not seeing Adred's point. For a moment he thought he'd lost his mind. And Mitchell assumed he was talking about the coma.

- No, I wasn't talking about his coma, I was talking about his tumor.

- How...?

- We detected it too, well Castiel, and it dates from before the accident," cut in Adred, "and this phenomenon is rare.

- Rare," says an astonished Tealc.

- Not at home?

- No, tumors are common among us.

- And who's causing these tumors on your planet?" asked Adred.

- Sun, UV rays, pollution...

- And in his case?" asked Adred, pointing at the young woman.

- An old machine, we suppose...

- You suppose?" cut in Adred.

Mitchell bit his tongue. Without realizing it, he'd revealed more than he wanted to. During their conversation, he'd been unsuspecting and answered questions without thinking.

- Sam and Daniel," Mitchell clarified reluctantly.

- They seem to know their stuff, do they have a hypothesis?" continued Adred, not noticing Mitchell's hesitation.

- Not really, they're studying in a blur, groping around," sighed Mitchell, "but why these questions, do you think there's a connection with the anomaly well the one you recorded.

- Because there are others," says a surprised Adred.

Mitchell bit his tongue again for betraying Angela's secret.

- You haven't answered our question," says Tealc, creating a diversion.

But it was too late, Adred seemed to be probing Mitchell's eyes with his gaze, then shifted his gaze back to the young woman, searching for the truth about this sleeping woman but finding nothing, well nothing he didn't already know, then looked sideways at Mitchell.

- Neither do you," says Adred, wanting to know the answer.

- Is there a connection?" repeated Mitchell through gritted teeth.

- No," Adred said hastily.

He avoided looking at Mitchell again and turned his attention back to his brother, like a silent plea for help. But his brother couldn't help him; he was far too busy and focused on Angela. All the same, he sent him some comfort and a wave of appeasement.

- And your answer," Adred added tersely.

- And you'll be able to say it in front of your sister," asked Mitchell, sensing her hesitation and shifty gaze.

Adred turned abruptly to Mitchell and looked him intensely in the eye.

We'd better leave them alone in their work," finished Adred, turning back to the pipe half-heartedly and deep in thought.

The return journey was made in deep silence. Adred glanced briefly at Mitchell from time to time. Mitchell, for his part, seemed to be deep in thought, and a tough battle was raging, which he deduced did not please him at all. Unless Adred saw the near future as they had assumed, but not the past. Then Adred wasn't capable of discovering what he'd almost revealed. Mitchell could feel him seething with frustration. Mitchell voted for the latter. Adred led them back to their suite and took his leave without further ado. Vala and Jack C had already returned.

- So what's new?" asked Mitchell, settling down on one of the sofas.

- Nothing, except that we've discovered, well maybe the system that protects the door, but I'm not sure of anything," says Vala.

- You've returned to the sandy courtyard...?" said an astonished Tealc.

- Yes, because something intrigued me, and I was wrong about this city, because the technology that protects this door is very advanced, so advanced that I couldn't get near it and have a look," says Vala in disappointment.

- She couldn't even touch it," said Jack with a smile.

- Yeah, I got knocked back by an electric...shield," added Vala reluctantly.

- And?" asked Mitchell.

- And it hurts.

- I mean, what else did you see?" said Mitchell in despair.

- Ah, we've found some sort of library, or so they say, but nothing interesting," says Vala, taking a cookie left over from the morning.

- Tell Daniel," laughed Mitchell.

- No third sign in sight," concludes Jack.

- And at the same time, it can also be very small, unlike the others, so it would take us years to find it," says Vala, this time pouring herself an infusion.

- You've visited the whole city," says Tealc pensively.

- The heart," Jack corrected, "this city is huge, you could compare it to Paris, it must have been one hell of a big volcano before.

- Paris...I'd like to visit it, better than last time," says Tealc.

- In fact, from what I understand, the surface is just the tip of the iceberg," continued Jack, ignoring Tealc's remark, "the volcano also extends into the depths, with numerous magma conduits, plus there must be several magma pockets at the heart of the volcano.

- I can confirm that," says Mitchell, immediately thinking of the cave, "we were able to go into one of its shafts to see Angela. So there could be a lot of underground passages under the city itself.

- So for everything searched, it's even harder," says Vala, surprising Mitchell.

He always had trouble hearing the Terran expressions in Vala's mouth.

- What's more, certain areas must not be accessible, as they need to use them as thermal or metallurgical plants. Part of the city is traversed by an underground river of boiling lava, providing a considerable source of energy," describes Jack, "I think it's the same system as the hydrothermal springs in Iceland or Italy.

- So they draw energy from the volcano for their own needs," says Tealc.

- It's clever and ecological for such a primitive people, and they don't know about serious illnesses like tumors or cancer. Pollution must not exist," says Mitchell.

- Not so much because some of our ancient civilizations used it," said Jack, seeing their astonished looks, "but...what, I have hobbies outside my life as a spy, I'm very interested in history, when I've got nothing to do. I was even a history teacher once during one of my missions as a cover to integrate...anyway, their system isn't all that sophisticated, but you'll have to see it up close to be sure...and as Mitchell says, it's a very ecological system.

- Maybe our ancient civilizations used it too, but who's to say it wasn't the Ancients who brought it into our culture," says Mitchell.

- No, wait a moment, you've also joined an ecological association," says Vala.

- Not really," laughed Jack, "but Angéla did her thesis...

- A thesis? But I thought you needed at least 6 years of study to do one, and she must be 25 at the most, and she's already done a thesis in quantum physics. I thought she was only interested in math or even chemistry," says Vala in astonishment.

- No, she also wrote theses, as you say, in quantum physics, but also in other fields such as medicine, more precisely on nanotechnologies... well, she wrote quite a few and I didn't have time to read them all. The last one I read was on renewable energy, on a new form of energy derived from the Earth's own magnetic energy to support an entire self-sufficient village, it was a model. It was more within my capacity to understand and accessible to me, the others are far too complex," Jack clarified.

- Say, we've got a real little genius here, ahead of his time," says Val, a little mockingly. "What's his IQ?

- IQ?" asked Tealc.

- Intelligence quotient. And yes, I've learned a lot about your beloved planet too," says Vala, looking at Jack.

To tell you the truth, I don't know her IQ, but it would be interesting to find out - it would explain why she always beats me to the punch. I don't even know if she's measured one," says Jack.

- Why read these theses?" asked a curious Tealc.

- To get to know her better, the chemistry theses, for example, can tell me that she's good at explosives, so I'd have to check her car...which wasn't the case for John, by the way, the maths shows that she's able to adapt to the unexpected quickly, because her brain analyzes the situation very quickly. So I read these theses to find out what she knows and where she's weak," explained Jack.

- To know his weaknesses," says Mitchell.

- Yes.

- And what did you find?" said an interested Vala.

- That you shouldn't rub it in too much," laughed Jack, "but I can't help teasing her, it's like a game between us. Anyway, she's bad at letters and darts criticism, in short, no important info to win against her:

- Yeah, I don't think knowing she doesn't know anything about the Baroque movement or Pointillism is going to help her beat it," laughs Mitchell.

- And all I got were headaches," added Jack.

- She has many other weaknesses," insisted Vala.

- Yes, like everyone else, but she hides it well. But then, there are a lot of little faults, like generosity and compassion," says Jack.

- I don't see how...," says Mitchell.

- to give his trust to anyone, will play tricks on him one day. For now, it's a strength because some people are indebted to him, but that won't always be the case," says Jack.

- What news do you have on your side?" asked Vala, changing the conversation.

- We saw where she was, but we spotted her from a distance," informed Tealc.

- And?" says Jack, wanting to know more.

- She's in a terrible state," sighed Mitchell, who didn't want to talk about it again, "we haven't seen all her injuries, but she looks fine physically. In any case, they're taking care of her, or so it seems. Is the radio working?

- I don't know why," says Vala, getting up to fetch hers.

- I'd like to contact the ship and ask them to bring back some clothes for us and Angela.

- Here, hand him the radio.

Mitchell took the radio gratefully. He fiddled with a few buttons before using it.

"Hello. This is Colonel Mitchell, is anyone receiving me?"

Sizzling. Mitchell changed the settings.

- They must not have changed their frequency," says Tealc.

- You're right," says Mitchell.

"Hello, this is Mitchell, do you copy?"

Still nothing.

- Is something blocking the signal? wondered Tealc.

- The door," says Mitchell.

- No, I don't think the system jams the airwaves, it only acts locally," says Vala.

- So there are other sophisticated machines that block these waves," Jack surmised.

- Surely," says Mitchell.

- Or the radio is simply dead or damaged. After all, I was put to sleep with their gun," says Vala.

- Weapons?

- Yes, that's what I said.

- All I saw were wooden sticks," says Jack.

- In my opinion, these weapons are more than just weapons," continued Vala.

- Yeah, you remember Astyan's stick," says Mitchell, getting up to fetch his radio.

- No, I was too busy being...knocked out maybe," Vala said sarcastically.

- Yes, it was a stick with a blue stone at the end, I'd say it was Oak. The stone was illuminated when he used it to stun Vala," said Jack, who had an excellent memory.

- Like the Oriis," Tealc clarified.

- But they're not..., says Vala, worried and on the alert.

- No, but we know that at one time, Oriis and Ancients were one and the same, so they could use the same weapons. It's fair to say that, apart from their appearance, they're equally sophisticated weapons," remarked Mitchell.

- The other guards had other colors for their stone and I think other materials for their wood, so maybe that has a meaning too," added Jack.

- Why didn't we think of this before," says Mitchell, trying out his radio.

It was still sizzling.

- Maybe because we had a serious accident and had other things to think about at the time to survive," says Vala wryly.

- The colors could signify different types of weapons or simply hierarchical ranks, Tealc surmised, ignoring Vala's remark.

- Maybe, but I'm not going to check. Once was enough for me," says Vala seriously this time.

- It doesn't matter what colors. What's important is to see their strike force with "manual" weapons, so imagine with mass-produced weapons," says Jack gravely.

- Do you think they could have attacked us, or at least that they could have, because where would they hide such a weapon?" says Mitchell.

- And they can probably help us with the Oriis too," says Vala.

- But they don't want to," remarked Tealc, "and if they are indeed Elders, they'll be true to their convictions. They can only be witnesses and cannot intervene. That's their rule.

- Damn M... rule," says Vala.

- But then why did they attack us," says Mitchell, not understanding, "they made a big mistake by attacking us.

- And could repair it by helping us," says Vala.

- Yeah, Adred looked like he was accusing his brother at one point," says Jack thoughtfully.

- ?

- I can't remember when it was, but I know I put the information in the box to watch out for," Jack explained.

- Vala asked, "How does it work?

- I retain everything to analyze the events afterwards, in the quiet. It's like slow motion, flashes.

- Flashes," says Vala.

- It's all spy stuff, few can remember little details like the oak stick," Mitchell explained.

- And what about Angéla?" says Vala, still returning to the young woman.

She's even more gifted than I am, she just doesn't have the same analytical criteria - for example, she would have looked for a weakness in a tear, not a description. Besides, she records sounds more than images," replied Jack.

- Conversations, in short," says Vala.

- Yes, there's no room for error when you're talking to her, and the slightest blunder is forever etched in her memory. She's capable of detecting the slightest hesitation, a change of intonation...

- It's like a flash memory, like a photograph," says Vala.

- Yes. For example, if you show me a series of numbers quickly, I'll be able to repeat them back to you. Angéla, she needs to hear them. I'm not saying she can't remember a series of written numbers, far from it, but it's easier when they're sounds for her.

After an hour's discussion of various theories, a redheaded woman came to give them their meal, interrupting their monotony and reflection. They had to wait another two hours before Sam and John returned, just before nightfall. Sam and John were followed by two men, each carrying two bags. Sam herself had thought to take everyone's clothes. As soon as they arrived, Mitchell explained the problem he'd had with the X-rays.

- It's strange because John and I communicated seamlessly when he went outside to stretch his legs and it worked perfectly," says Sam.

- The city must then block the signal, proposed Mitchell.

- Maybe," says Sam, pulling out his laptop.

She was already concentrating. She connected

- I took it to look for abnormally high energy signals on this planet," added Sam, "and in those bags, there's some clothes for us but also for Angela, she might need them," questioning Mitchell with his eyes.

- You're absolutely right, we've seen her, don't worry. They're looking after her. I'll give them to Astyan or maybe Shola," says Mitchell thoughtfully.

A few meters from their suite, on a lower level, Castiel and his companions were still working on the Angela case.

- I can't do it," says Astyan in despair.

His cry of distress echoed throughout the cave.

- Calm down," says Uriel, "Come over here, take a rest.

Uriel took him by the shoulder to encourage and comfort him.

- I think it's a bad idea that I'm here, I'm incapable of it and we all know that.

- That's an excellent idea," refuted Castiel behind him. "You've already helped her on the spot, so it's easier if you're the one to get back in touch with her. We've already tried without success, and it's a good reason and the best way to shut the others up.

- Yes, maybe, but I don't even know how I got there, it was instinctive," says Astyan.

- Because it's in your blood," added Castiel confidently.

- Then again, maybe we're just not using the right method," says Uriel thoughtfully, "this young lady is complex, and I think I've found a way to get through to her...look, you should focus on the faintest signature on the electroencephalogram. I think this may be her weak point. Concentrate on it, on that signal alone," indicated Uriel.

- Are you sure?" asked Astyan, reading the parameters.

- I can't be 100% sure, because I'm in the unknown with this patient. We're in the unknown. She's too different. Her spirit is strong. We've never imagined anything like this before. I didn't expect this. But we can always try.

- You're right, we've got to try and we've got to succeed..., sighed Astyan.

- I know what you mean...we're doing everything we can," says Castiel, "at least everything we can to help them.

- And we can't even get there," whispered Astyan.

- For now. Don't give up so quickly. You know that nothing can resist us for long. Patience, give us time," says Castiel.

- We're going back," encouraged Uriel.

- Yeah," sighed Astyan dejectedly, "but I wonder why I'm still here.

Uriel and Castiel exchanged amused glances full of innuendo. Astyan didn't even notice their attitude; he was already immersed in deep, intense concentration. He placed his hands delicately, one by one, on the temples of the young woman's head lying before him. Carefully brushing those blue locks away from her forehead, he leaned forward. Their lips could almost have touched. He whispered the young woman's name in an almost inaudible whisper: Angéla...he repeated it more precisely a second time, more clearly too, but still softly. After the third time, he fell silent, his breathing becoming very slow. He was finally there. His breathing had naturally caught up with her, their hearts now beating in unison like a war drum...Pompon...POm...pom-pompom...

He mentally opened his eyes. Everything was white, blinding him. He had to close them again to relieve the piercing pain caused by the bright light. This time, he reopened them more slowly, without rushing, to get used to the light and the scenery. Little by little, he could make out more and more precise and clear-cut elements. He entered Angela's inner world. The wind picked up, ruffling her already unkempt hair. It was a violent, aggressive wind. Astyan couldn't keep his eyes wide open, they stung too much and the wind made him cry. He tried to observe the landscape through the storm without much success. The world was chaotic, with areas of darkness tearing at the fabric, sucking in elements of the scenery, like plants. Then, to his right, he spotted an oasis that seemed untouched by the destruction. On the contrary, it seemed peaceful, set apart from the chaos. He approached it slowly and cautiously, avoiding the areas of darkness. Cries of anger and pain tore through the silence, echoing back to him. He redoubled his vigilance. Little by little, the oasis grew larger as he approached. The oasis was very flowery, almost wild, consisting mainly of thorny shrubs and brambles. The oasis was small compared to the surrounding desert, probably no more than 10 meters wide, creating a natural barrier to the desert. As he got closer, Astyan noticed that the vegetation formed a closed environment, like a small protective cocoon. He tried to find an entrance or a crack, but found none. The oasis was hermetically inaccessible. The wind whipped around him more and more, larger and larger chunks disappearing before his eyes without his being able to intervene. Menacing black shadows seemed to fly in his direction and swoop down on him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up to the threat: he was in grave danger. Astyan sensed that things were not quite right here. He forced his way through the natural barrier to escape the shadow. He pricked his hands with the thorns and tore his clothes because of the brambles that clung to them as if to prevent him from getting through. He ignored the pain and scratches on his skin, wanting to escape the growing threat at all costs. After all, he was in the unreal, yet the fear was present and pressing. Nothing could touch him, in theory. He managed to break through the recalcitrant barrier, and became wary of his surroundings. He hurried to get out of the way before taking one last look at the hole he'd created to get through the shrubs. The hole he had closed closed quickly.

- Who are you?

Astyan located the voice. And that's when he saw her, huddled over herself, staring off into the distance. There was a large tree in the middle of the oasis where Angela was leaning.

- Who are you?" repeated the young woman without looking at him.

His attention seemed to be elsewhere.

Astyan moved slowly towards her to get a better look.

- I'm Astyan, I'm...a healer.

The word sounded right now in his mouth and echoed strangely in his mind. And he knew it was true for the first time in a long time, since the last accident.

- I don't need you.

The young woman showed her intact body.

- I am Astyan, the healer," repeated Astyan, more to himself.

- That's enough! I've heard enough, I'm not deaf.

She finally turned her face towards him, so serene and splendid. He decided to start the therapy right away with some simple questions.

- Who are you?" said Astyan quietly, so as not to offend him.

- You know very well, you called me and here I am. Or rather, here you are.

- Say it," insisted Astyan, glad to hear her reaction.

- Angéla Calling, General Angéla Calling, soldier at your service," said the young woman in a sure, hard tone, "and you're not a healer.

- Yes," said an astonished Astyan.

- Not until today anyway, your clothes are too clean, no blood...

- Indeed," confessed Astyan, "I've strayed from that vocation. And I also belong to a noble family, hence my clothes. I'm what you might call a prince.

- Prince? Where I come from, kings are generally beheaded, guillotined, well...Couic, running a finger across his throat to mime the gesture.

- Oh well, I hope you don't cut my head off," says Astyan humorously.

- I've never done that before. What do you want from me? Why did you call me?

- To get you out of there, as if it were obvious.

- And if I don't feel like it.

Astyan had not anticipated this response. He had never imagined that anyone could voluntarily put themselves in this state.

- But you can't just stand there," says Astyan in astonishment.

- Why not? It's not bad here, is it? Besides, I took refuge here of my own free will. I'm safe here.

- For now, looking out, and you need help, showing the outside of the oasis.

- Oh, that! It's nothing," laughed Angéla, then more seriously, "the battle is hard, very hard," sighed Angéla.

- Fight back!" shouted Astyan, raising his voice unknowingly as he saw her shrug.

- That's what I'm doing," Angéla said angrily, standing up suddenly and looking menacing.

- By hiding here!

- Hiding!" says Angéla, scandalized, "Never! No, I protect what's most important, what I am, the memories, the sensations... my soul is safe here. I'm fighting, look.

She pointed to a window in her shelter in a specific direction. This was what she had been looking at with interest. Astyan looked in that direction. The chaos had left many small holes scattered everywhere. In front of him, a golden dragon was fighting alongside a bluish-maned lion and other animals. He couldn't help thinking of the color of Angéla's hair as he watched the lion, but his gaze was particularly drawn to the giant lizard.

- The Beast!

- They're parts of me, the lion, the dragon...

- Dragon?

- Yeah, the giant lizard with wings, today it's made of gold. Everything must be a figment of my imagination.

His imagination. Astyan turned to Angela. Did she really mean what she said? He could have taken her for a fool if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes. These animals pounced on shadows to swallow them up, while the dragon's fire closed the gaps in the web.

- But what's going on here?

- Revenge, I suppose.

- ?

- There's been a fight like this before. I won the first time, but I'm not so sure about this one," says Angéla fearlessly.

- why this...war?

- Probably because I'm weak, very weak. This thing is trying to regain control of everything. It must be sensing it, and so it's taking advantage of the situation to launch another assault. I'm in bad shape, I guess, you're in the wrong place anyway.

- However, you are physically fine, at least nothing serious.

- I see! Ah that's a problem then... do we know each other?" said Angéla, staring at him more closely.

- No, surprised by his question.

- You're sure... you're the one who treated me, right?

- Yes.

- So I'm fine. Why all this then..., says Angéla in her thoughts.

- What happened?

- I had to take refuge here because something horrible must have happened, but what...

- Remember...

- The crash!

- Talking about it will do you good," says Astyan, encouraging her to confide in him.

- I'd rather show it to you.

- How?

- You're in my home, and anything's possible because I want it to be. I can even make it rain French fries, even if it's pointless in itself.

- French fries?

- Never mind. Take my hand," says Angéla, forgetting her distrust.

Flashback

Angéla had just activated teleportation. She had used up all her last resources to achieve this. Her strength was waning dangerously, and she didn't have much time left to teleport herself, nor the willpower. In a final act of consciousness, she decided to transfer the remaining shield to the front to cushion the impact as much as possible. Gradually, she lost consciousness and her mind began to labray. She straightened up in her command chair to face the danger like a captain of a sinking ship. Like a captain sinking with his ship, she was about to crash with her plane. Her determined, intense gaze stared straight ahead, the land approaching dangerously close. A tear rolled down her cheek, unable to hold it back any longer. The impact was eminent. She promised herself not to move, not to be afraid, to stand tall and proud to the end, to face the inevitable. But she couldn't keep her silent promise. She instinctively raised her hands to shield her face. She felt her body thrown forward and dislocated. Then excruciating pain. Then nothing. Blackness.

...

Astyan cautiously approached the ship with his team, his senses on the alert. With a nod of his head and a wave of his staff, he ordered his team to disperse, while he himself stepped alone into the gaping, open-wound entrance of the smoldering, burning ship. He ignored the flames, the heat and the smoke that stung his eyes. None of it could reach him. Electrical cables dangled lazily from the ship's ceiling. Sparks flew everywhere. He ignored them; he had only one objective for the moment. And his objective was at the bottom of the ship, where the real danger lay. Instinctively, he made his way through the ship's corridors. He cleared the debris as he went, so as not to get in the way. His heart beat faster and faster against his chest, contrasting with the ship's morbid silence. So he moved the debris to the side, which was blocking the way with ease, and also the beams of the ship's frame across the path. His heart was about to explode as he feared he'd be too late to reach his goal. He soon came across debris that didn't come from the ship: earth, rock and vegetation torn up by the impact of the ship's passage. He had reached the control room. A fire broke out. With a careless wave of his hand, he smothered the fire. The fire tried to resist, but Astyan insisted with his eyes. The fire disappeared as if by magic, like a child caught at fault. He sighed. Then, with the tip of his stick, he made his way into the control room. He took a closer look at the room. The seal on the floor was still lit, still intact. He knelt down and stroked it with his fingertips. His gaze was suddenly drawn to a dark mass near the bay window, now cracked in places. He leaned on his stick to get up, and the stone at the end lit up. He noticed that the glass had withstood the impact quite well. Only a circular impact ran through it. He cautiously approached the mass lying on the floor. It was human. He turned the body over gently. In front of him was a young woman with a head wound. Astyan looked again at the bay window. She had hit her head hard against the glass, already weakened by the impact. A thin trickle of blood was escaping from her mouth. He pressed his ear against the young woman's mouth: she was breathing. Admittedly, her breathing was weak and irregular, but that was something: she was alive. Hope resurfaced.

...

Blackness. No sensation. I feel nothing. My thoughts were so scattered that I struggled to come to. With effort, I opened my eyes, but the light blinded me, and an excruciating pain shot through my already aching skull. I blinked to get used to it. The pain was everywhere, right down to the roots of my hair.

- Don't worry, I'll take care of you," said a voice that sounded far away.

So far away. I tried to speak to answer him but no sound came out. A liquid invaded his mouth and it wasn't saliva...Yuck...It was ferrous. With horror, I realized it was blood, my own blood. But where had it come from? The taste of blood disgusted me. I tried to move, but nothing obeyed me. Ouch. The pain became more and more excruciating, and I couldn't bear it much longer. So I took refuge in my inner self and welcomed him gratefully.

...

He ran a hand over his sister to feel her heartbeat. They were regular and weak. He began to inspect her other vitals and the state of her organs. She awoke with a gasp and he was startled. She was trying to open her eyes. For a brief second, he could see those magnificent eyes.

- Don't worry, I'll take care of you.

He carefully probed her entire body, immersing his consciousness in her bloodstream. His mind went from the aorta to the arteries and arterioles to the smallest blood vessels. She was bleeding all over: internal hemorrhage. He ordered himself to calm down; he knew he could still save her. He directed the red blood cells he had taken control of towards the breaches. He ordered the blood platelets to form clots to stop the bleeding. To fill the gaps. Then he attended to her fractures. She had floating ribs that had punctured one of her lungs. He went from red blood cell to osteocyte to osteoblast. For he had to destroy bone mass before reforming it properly to repair the fractures. Los de reformed slowly.

He acted with ease and skill. His patient's body cooperated well with him and accepted his help.

...

I immediately sensed the intruder as a bacterial infection. But I didn't react to the attack, being too weak, and strangely enough, this presence felt good, easing the pain. Even if I couldn't feel it where I was. Besides, I had other things to worry about and didn't have the strength to push it out of my system. It would be a game of hide-and-seek too difficult for me.

For, tired and happy to return to my intimate garden, I was immediately attacked like a punch in the nose without being able to react. The same nose that was now bleeding. Ouch!

The wind suddenly picked up. The atmosphere changed abruptly. I found myself not in a lush forest but a chaotic desert. A young tree was uprooted. Oh, no! Don't do that!

For what I saw in the distance did not please me at all. In the distance, I saw a black cloud approaching dangerously close to me. Not yet! I didn't react immediately to this attack. It's always like that. And yes, it doesn't just happen in horror films, where the blonde woman stands there screaming as her assailant attacks to kill her, or when a car rushes towards her.

But I react and I don't shout. It may be delayed, but I react. Phew, I'm not blonde but...what is it...blue! Ouch! I start sprinting. I'm sure I could have won at the Olympics, without bragging about it. It's amazing how you can surpass yourself at times like that. But unfortunately, this also caused the evil cloud to accelerate. A laide! A red shape rushed towards me. I lay down just in time to avoid it. Down is a weak word, but more like plunged. Ouch! I looked back as I stood up. Bad idea, I stumbled again but still managed to get up. In my condition, doing two things at once is a miracle. Facing me was my friend the old dragon. He moved towards the cloud slowly as if he were judging his enemy carefully and unimportantly, while I resumed my run to go where...I can't remember but I ran all the same, putting more distance between the cloud and my buttocks. I still looked back from time to time, out of curiosity, to contemplate the situation. Curiosity is a bad habit. I've already said that to someone recently...ah yes to Vala, I remember. So, because of this damned curiosity, I stumbled roughly to the ground, wanting to cast that fateful look for myself. I stumbled because of...a turtle! What the hell is she doing here?

- Well, I'm helping too, silly," replied the turtle.

- Uh, you help.

I laughed, no, I burst out laughing as the famous turtle glared at me. Ouch, bad idea. I've got broken ribs.

- Help the dragon," added the turtle, before resuming his journey at cruising speed, which is to say, very slowly. Before releasing:

- Ah, it's human!

You'd have thought she'd even looked up.

Pathetic, I'm helped by a turtle.

- The dragon will be happy, I'm sure. I don't know why I shouted that, but it's done.

The latter, moreover, had stopped its run. It flapped its wings more slowly to maintain its height. I got up slowly and with difficulty. This time I started walking towards...where?...Ah yes! The heart of my unconscious, where I'd be safest.

The dragon's nostrils were smoking, he was very angry at this affront. Then he opened his mouth to howl his displeasure or perhaps a warning, who knows. And spat fire at the cloud, which shattered into millions of splinters, nibbling away at the landscape. Oh, no!

I turned and bumped into a tree. Glad to see you at last! I'm finally in the heart. I hope you don't mind if I lean against you, exhausted. It was a Spanish plane tree. It must have been quite old. It had undergone a lot of layering, resulting in many smaller clones. I estimated its age at 500 years.

- 3253 years, blew the wind, moving the lower leaves.

- It's good, you should be happy, I'm making you young again!

I closed my eyes and imagined a fortress around me to protect me. I open my eyes. Oooh! I'd have preferred stone or reinforced concrete, but I'll settle for that, I guess.

Indeed, a vegetal barrier had formed around her.

...

She dozed off. She felt the intruder still at work inside her. She shivered as the intruder went to the most intimate places where no one else had reached. He caressed every organ, every cell, every particle of her being, with his mind. The signature of this presence would be forever engraved in these cells. That's why this same man later tried to reach him, to break through those solid barriers, whispering his name like a caress. When he had tried to reconnect with her, the wind had picked up, surrounding her with her name etched in the air. His words had caressed her face and tangled in her hair. She accepted his presence. But her attention was soon drawn to the battlefront. A raging battle that had already taken place two years earlier. Unlike the first time, here she knew who was attacking her and what he wanted. Me! But why me! More precisely, he wants my body. Because I know what I'm going through isn't the light at the end of the tunnel, and if it is, it sucks. It sucks to die. But I feel it's not death coming for me. But rather a jailer looking to lock me in some dungeon. I peered through a small hole in the plant barrier to see where the dragon was. Now I'd mobilized not only the dragon but also the tortoise. What an idea! And not the best I've had, but also a lion, a wolf, a hawk, a frog...a frog? Finally, a real little army. Speaking of the turtle, it had returned to the labri after the other animals had appeared. A turtle that ate the leaves in my shed...eh! Don't eat everything...

End of Flash-Back

- There's been an accident," Angéla whispered, still in her dreams.

They were back to reality, their hands still touching.

- Yes.

Angéla abruptly removed her hand from Astyan's, breaking the contact.

- An accident you caused," Angéla said angrily, backing away from Astyan.

A violent wind picked up, echoing Angéla's anger. It surrounded Astyan, who nearly choked.

- You're no longer welcome," continued Angéla.

- No, we're trying to make up for our mistakes," suffocated Astyan.

- How? Why did you attack us?

The wind increased in violence and intensity.

- Helping you at first," Astyan said in a breath, resisting the wind that was knocking him back, "we took care of the others.

- How are they?

The wind diminished in intensity.

- Yes, you worry more about them than you do about yourself.

- Why did you attack us?" asks Angéla.

- Fear, we saw you as a threat, I'm really sorry.

The wind suddenly dropped.

- Please leave, I'm exhausted. I don't want to discuss this now.

- Can I come back later?

- Maybe, turning back to the heart of the battle, if I'm still here.

- I'll only leave if I have your promise of my return.

- You're in no position to make demands. Do what you have to do...but why are you interested in me?

- Because what I...

The wind blew him out of the shed. He realized she had dismissed him. He closed his eyes, ignoring the raging battle, and cleared his mind. His body gradually disappeared from the chaotic landscape.

He found himself back in his body in reality. His head still above her. He carefully observed her features, memorizing them forever.

- I'll come back to you," whispered Astyan.

- Did you succeed?" asked Adred from above him on the balcony, startling Astyan.

- Yes, in a breath.

- Could I?" said a beaming Adred, his eyes fixed on Angéla.

- No, a little hard.

- Oh, too bad, a little disappointed.

- She's fierce and she knows," explained Astyan.

- What exactly?

- That we're the ones to blame for their accident.

- Ah!... How did she know?

- She sensed us, she sensed me, I think. But that's another problem," Astyan said tautly.

- She fired you," laughed Adred, trying to change the conversation.

- Yes," admitted Astyan, less tense.

- She's got character, that's for sure. I don't understand you. All the women in the city want you to open your door for them, and the only one you want to open her door for you slams it in your face. You never cease to surprise me, my brother. You also know you can have any woman you want?

- I don't know what you're talking about.

- Don't lie to me, I'm not blind, but you always want what you can get," said Adred thoughtfully. "Anyway, I like her if she kicks you out like an old sock, I think that's one of our friends' expressions," explained Adred, seeing his brother's questioning look.

- Let me rest, will you? You're tiring me out," begged Astyan.

- Okay, whatever you say, but I'm not letting you or Shola go," finished Adred, before turning around in the exit tunnel, amused, almost skipping.

Astyan sighed; his brother had been teasing him far too much for his taste lately. He looked at the data Uriel had obtained for him earlier. Vitals were stable. Castiel had repositioned the young woman's ribs. All organs were back to normal blood flow. Castiel found the data on the liver and kidneys a little alarming, but Astyan thought they were normal given the conditions and the trauma the body had undergone and endured. He moved to a corner of the cave where he could observe Angéla at his leisure, to study the electrical signatures of her brain.

...

Two days passed in the same routine for the SG1 team. Sam went to the ship every day, always accompanied. The rest of the team spent their time searching for clues, while Daniel requisitioned the city's archives. Indeed, Shola had shown him the archives and introduced him to the people who looked after them. The archives were run by two people. One was an elderly woman, the other an apprentice barely 13. Despite their age gap, they got on wonderfully, even perfectly well for their shared passion. Daniel and ONeill had no longer been invited to the Council, much to Daniel's dismay and Jack's delight, who hated these high-society people, as he liked to say.

Shola walked dreamily but at a good pace through an underground passage. She had finally made up her mind to go for a walk in the cave, which served as a hospital for the seriously ill. She was followed by two of her Confessor sisters, who were also her bodyguards and assistants. Eventually, still deep in thought, she reached the end of the tunnel, where the pleasant bluish light greeted her. Indeed, some people had placed these particular blue flames which illuminated the environment very well without blinding the occupants. She snapped out of her trance at the entrance to the cave. Her gaze went straight to the sleeping young woman, looking soothed. A woman, a nurse's aide, was tending her carefully and delicately.

- Mother Confessor," greeted the latter.

- Steela, bless you," replied Shola, approaching the occupied bed and gracefully descending the stairs.

- I'll leave you to it..., bowing slightly.

But Shola neither heard nor saw her slip away. The other two Confessors also slipped away discreetly into the shadow of the cave tunnel, so as not to disturb her, leaving Shola alone, mother Confessor in her meditations. Shola noticed that the orderly had just cleaned the wounds and changed the dressings. Now, Angéla was no longer wearing her clothes, but was naked under a sheet that lay simply over her body. Shola reached out to touch and smell her clothes. To smell the young woman's sweet perfume. She wasn't surprised to see pants among the clothes. For a soldier, this was normal, as it was more practical. Shola caressed the clothes, the fabrics were soft all the same. Shola imagined the young woman wearing a long, fresh white dress. She turned her attention back to Angéla, lying peacefully. The white sheet contrasted with the young woman's dark hair. The sheet made her look even paler than before. As Shola moved closer, her fingers brushed away a stray lock of hair that had fallen to Angela's forehead. Then she caressed the young woman's cheek, where a bruise had appeared since Shola had last seen it. She'd never seen it so close, and was fascinated by Angéla's perfect face. Then those fingers continued their journey down her neck and over her right shoulder. Those curves were just as perfect. Angéla was muscular without appearing vulgar. She lingered over the clean bandage on her shoulder. She continued down her arm to her hand. She took his hand. It was frozen. She gently put it down again, then reached up to whisper in his ear:

- What's wrong with you? What's bothering you so much? But everything's going to be fine now that we're here, stroking her hair with one hand.

With the other, she stroked the arm again in the opposite direction.

- We'll do everything we can to make you better, as quickly as possible," continued Shola.

- What are you doing here?" said a brusque voice behind her.

- I'm here to check on your patient and your progress, Astyan.

- You won't be able to help him...

- I know, I know... Tell me more, isn't she cold in that outfit, her hand is freezing.

- No, why are you embarrassed by her outfit?

- You mean her lack of clothes. No, my dear, on the contrary, her body is so perfect..., looking again at the body with envy.

- If you could stop doing that?

- What?

- To look at her the way you do, that look of lust," says Astyan.

- Is it jealousy, Astyan?

- Jealousy? No! But I warn you, she likes men.

- Nothing is set in stone forever.

- If you say so. Leave me now. I've got a job to do.

- I see you're working hard for her, and it's good to see you've got a taste for it again. Are you going back?

- Yes.

- Very well," said Shola, brushing her fingers against Angela's body. She whispered good-bye.

- Stop it, Shola.

- Why does it make you envious or jealous that I dare to do it.

- Grrr..., grunted Astyan, at least respect his body, it's all he's got left.

- For the time being.

- Certainly.

- I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings, but I didn't want to offend him either," says Shola sincerely. "Do you think you'll succeed?

- She doesn't want to come back," says Astyan, looking distressed.

- But why?" said a surprised Shola.

- I don't really know why...but it's not the only problem. His mind is being destroyed. Something's attacking her.

- Very interesting, pensive.

- I don't think so.

- Maybe we should let it be, maybe that's what we detected in the first place...

- It's out of the question. She's fighting and I don't think any of them will survive, if she loses, in any case she'll do anything not to be erased.

- Any other problems?

- She knows," says Astyan worriedly.

- They know who we are, and it's only a matter of time before...

- No, I'm not talking about that, although that's a problem too, but what I mean is, she knows what we've done.

- They have their doubts too.

- Yes, but she's sure and she's pissed.

- Ah...Could this be a problem for his return, for his recovery?

- Maybe.

- Only you can convince her, and you must use every means at your disposal, even if she thinks we're a threat to her, or even to them," advised Shola.

- Even the lie.

- Avoid it if you can, because an angry woman is formidable," laughed Shola, "but you can try half-truths or even seduce her, which won't be difficult, given your feelings.

- So she'd be half mad, and maybe you'd like to try and seduce her instead of me," added Astyan.

- That's not what I want. What's important in the first place is what she wants and who she wants to help her. And apparently she wants you.

- Yes, because I was the first one to touch her on the ship and she accepted my touch, that's all," sighed Astyan.

- and she recognized you long before that, it seems, because if she knew we were the culprits, she'd have smelled you. What about us?" asked Shola.

- I don't know," admitted Astyan.

- Then maybe I can intervene if she doesn't recognize me, as one of the players in this disaster, Shola thought, but she doesn't want to right now, I know...Do what you have to do to get Sen out. Trust yourself, you'll find the right words to convince her, just listen to your instinct or your heart.

Then she turned, fluttering the cape protecting her shoulders. The two inquisitive sisters joined her before leaving in silence. Astyan watched his sister disappear with concern. He was troubled by his sister's behavior. He knew his sister's tastes. He could never have imagined her being attracted to Angela, it was almost maternal. You could see it in her eyes, but also in her gestures. Shola didn't even seem bothered by these new feelings, nor by the rivalry they represented for her. Indeed, two people were attracted to this beautiful stranger, an irresistible attraction. And this new feeling was completely new to them, unknown until then. They shared the same tastes, and that frightened him. But he still felt privileged to be the only one to make contact with the unknown woman's spirit. He gazed at her for a long time; he liked to contemplate her in her sleep, or rather in her coma. She looked so peaceful, yet behind that facade lay an explosive person, full of energy. He could watch her like this for an eternity, but she didn't have all eternity ahead of her. Then, gently, he placed his fingers on her temples and moved his head a few millimeters closer to hers. He could feel her warm breath. He murmured her name, again and again with longing until they were in perfect symbiosis.

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself back in the familiar desert. The sun was now hidden by dark clouds. They were not the result of a natural storm. The sky seemed to freeze, waiting for something to happen. He looked for the oasis that still seemed intact in the distance. He moved unsuspectingly towards it. As he walked, he noticed that the ground was beginning to crack in places, as if it had been subjected to an intense drought. The cracks looked deep and were getting wider and wider. He was worried because if the ground cracked like an ice floe in the summer season, it would be catastrophic, as the soil would no longer be stable and time was running out. He understood the urgency of the situation: he had to help her quickly, before it was too late and the damage caused was irreversible. He hadn't even noticed that he'd already arrived at the vegetation barrier, so busy was his mind with strategies for convincing Angela. He took a breath of air, then decided to make his way through. A hole formed more easily than the first time, either because the barrier was weakening from the hard fighting going on, or because Angéla had recognized him, making it easier for him to get through.

Once inside, Astyan immediately set his sights on Angéla. The interior had changed since his last visit. The tree and its clones were still there, erect and so powerful. Now there were huge rocks, packed sandstone. A turtle in one corner was eating fallen plane tree leaves. He hadn't noticed it the first time. It seemed to stare at him reproachfully, making him uncomfortable. Angéla was sitting on a block of sandstone, opposite a smaller one where something was shining. He couldn't quite make out the object in question, as a white aura surrounded it, blinding him. Not knowing what to say to show his presence, he coughed.

- I returned, seeing that she didn't react.

- Um, I know, I'm not blind either.

The bushes making up the barrier shook violently at times, as if they were facing an affront, and shook to the point of uprooting them, but always held firm.

- We've got to get out of here," Astyan said urgently, urging her on.

But she wasn't listening to him, her gaze lost in the distance, unafraid.

- What do you want from me," said Angéla. Why was this man picking on her?

- You help, you have to come with me, holding out your hand.

- I don't want to, ignoring her hand.

She climbed down from the rock with ease. Her clothes were torn in places. She didn't look hurt, not yet.

- What happened to you?

- I've been fighting, but I'm also just resting. I'm catching my breath.

- You can't go on like this!

She turned her head towards him. He drowned in her gaze. At last, he could see her face. It was wrinkled, the veins on her temples stood out under the effort of concentration.

- You won't last long in this situation," begged Astyan.

- What else would you suggest? Abandoned? with a distracted look.

- Let me help you," sighed Astyan, "even though I know you don't trust me completely. But believe me, I only want what's best for you. Why don't you come into my mind? We'll be safer there, and you can get some rest.

- I don't know if it's a good idea for me to move away...

- It's only temporary, just a quiet chat away from it all. You can't have a serious discussion under these conditions, just by holding out your hand.

After a brief hesitation, she took it. At the touch, she shivered. A white glow invaded Astyan's body, then hers, surrounding them, and they disappeared. They found themselves in a beautiful, luminous garden full of flowers. Everything had changed: the décor, the atmosphere, but also her clothes. A fountain depicting a swan in flight spat out pure, clear water. Angéla wore clothes that were foreign to her, from another era. She now wore a long, pastel-pink dress, wide open at the back to reveal her tattoos, but also open at the front and sides in two wide slits to reveal her muscular legs. Angéla looked at the new tattoos on her arms with surprise and curiosity. They were geometric shapes such as lozenges, semi-circles... Then she noticed with horror her outfit. The fabric was soft and fluid, as if liquid were running down her body. The dress showed a little too much nudity for her taste. Butterflies fluttered around her and caught in her loose, tangled hair. Astyan saw her embarrassment...

- Sorry if you don't like it, but you're in my home and I think you look better in this dress.

- You have no right to..., said Angéla, outraged and angry, trying to hide her nakedness as best she could.

Astyan took his rage in stride, but didn't back down.

- You really don't like it," said Astyan, who thought she was rather pretty.

- No," cried Angéla.

- It suits you perfectly," said Astyan, not understanding his anger.

- And this is you too? Scribbles, showing off the tattoos on his wrist.

- No," murmured a worried Astyan.

He took her wrist to observe them in detail, looking concerned. But she abruptly withdrew it as if he'd burned it.

- I want my clothes back, angrily walking away from him and crossing her arms over her chest.

He could see her ample cleavage in the back of her dress and found it hard to take his eyes off her.

- You'd better get some rest," said Astyan in a gentle voice.

Indeed, Angéla felt her eyes gradually closing in spite of herself. She tried to resist, but to no avail. She let herself go and her body went limp. Astyan approached her gently and took her in his arms as she drifted peacefully off to sleep. Her head fell on his shoulders. He grabbed her legs and carefully carried her to a bed of yellow flower petals. He placed her carefully in this natural bed of a thousand scents. Then he waited patiently, stroking Angéla's hair in rhythm with her heartbeat as he gazed at her with bewildered eyes. An hour later, she finally woke up, interrupting this magical, suspended moment. When she opened her eyes, she saw Astyan lying at a reasonable distance from her, smiling at her, beaming with happiness.

- I've been dozing for a long time," she said as she reoriented herself.

- No. Barely an hour. You're so beautiful and radiant when you sleep, I didn't dare wake you.

- Uh...I'd better go...I've been away long enough, a little embarrassed by the compliment.

Astyan's gaze made her stand up uncomfortably.

- As you wish," said Astyan, holding out his hand.

He couldn't hold her back forever, and he didn't want to upset her. He helped her to her feet and drew her against him, further accentuating Angela's unease. Then an intense white glow surrounded them again, and they found themselves in Angela's labri. To her great relief, she had regained her clothes. Astyan noticed and smiled.

That's all for today," says Angéla, smoothing out her wrinkle-free clothes, "I've got to get back, I've been away too long for my liking.

At these words, Astyan felt himself thrown backwards and found himself in her body in the cave, unable to resist or say goodbye. Angéla didn't like it when Astyan visited her in her world. She felt naked in front of this handsome stranger. In a world that very few people had access to. What's more, she had the impression that he took pleasure in coming to her world. For when he left, she always heard those silent questions about his return. And he often implied that the sooner the better. She shivered as the wind blew through her loose hair. She tied it with a leather strap so it wouldn't get in the way. She shivered as she had when she'd taken his hand. Again when she'd found herself in that silky dress and also when he'd caressed her with his eyes, making no secret of his desire. This desire was frightening because they could drown in it. She shivered. Not because of Astyan, but because of what was about to happen. She held her hand out to the side out of habit, and a double blade appeared.

- Now it's just the two of us.

Then she strode towards the plant barrier, which parted itself to let her pass, and plunged headlong into the darkness.

...

Astyan's heart was still racing after leaving him. He'd felt her confused, a little lost and uncomfortable. He'd relished this moment so much, her lying there, dozing beside him in that dress, revealing those supple, plastic, muscular curves. He went to rest for a while as his thoughts raced, giving free rein to his imagination.

Shona returned to the cave, this time alone. She checked to see if she was alone. No one was there. The blue lights had dimmed. She approached the body towards the head. Then pressed her fingers against Angela's temples. She closed her eyes and tried to enter the young woman's world. She arrived directly in the labri. She was invisible to Angela. She was standing on a rock, her fists clenched. The wind was blowing her beautiful hair. Shola admired her for a few moments. She was as beautiful as a Greek statue, standing there motionless. Suddenly, Angéla turned her head in Shola's direction, her eyes blank and white. She had spotted the intruder. The intruder was startled by her milky eyes, searching for the stranger without seeing him. Shola stepped back. She was not welcome. She realized this and slipped away into the background. She smiled all the same, for she hadn't said her last word. She picked up one of Angela's memories, which she could use to make contact.

Angéla stood on her rock and watched the scene unfolding on the horizon. But she sensed a presence she couldn't see and didn't know. She ignored it, feeling in no immediate danger. She climbed down of her own accord and left her shelter. A fog lifted. A supernatural fog. She was on her guard and perceived muffled footsteps in the sand approaching her. She looked to her right for the source. She saw a shadow forming as she approached. Les scanned the surrounding area and saw no danger. The individual was no danger to her. She thought she recognized the silhouette of a man.

- Astyan," hesitated Angéla.

But the figure was slightly smaller and less imposing. She realized it wasn't Astyan. Gradually, the person's features became clearer.

- Who is it?" asked Angéla.

But the person didn't answer, but continued on his way towards her. Gradually, she recognized certain features she'd thought she'd never see again. And her heart skipped a beat, then another, as she found herself standing in front of the person she dreamed of seeing again every night in her sweetest dreams.

- Dean, it's really you!" choked Angéla, breathless with emotion.

She could make no mistake, she knew these traits by heart. He had been her fiancé, her better half, her soul mate. She rushed into his arms and nestled her head against his shoulder.

- Yes, that's me, with my head in that hair.

- I missed you so much.

- Me too, sweetie.

- I can't believe it's really you.

She touched her fingertips to his cheeks to make sure it was real. The contact with his skin was. He was as she remembered him, unchanged and unaged. She took his head in her hands and kissed him for a long time.

- Hey, easy, I need to breathe, I can't hold my breath as long as you can.

Angéla laughed.

- It's you," says Angéla, not believing her eyes.

- Yes. Who else do you want me to be?

- I don't know, a figment of my imagination. I'm starting to get delirious.

- ?

- I saw my mother a little while ago and now you.

- You look pale," says Dean worriedly.

- I'm fine.

She took his hand so he wouldn't fly away. Their hands intertwined and she placed them on his heart. Dean brought his palm to her mouth to place a kiss there.

- It's been such a long time," says Angéla.

- Yes, too long.

Then, still with their hands entwined, they walked side by side in silence. After a while, Dean stopped and pulled Angela against him to kiss her.

- I've got to go," Dean whispered.

- Don't leave me.

She gripped him tighter, desperate not to let him slip away.

- I can't stay and you know it. It's not my world anymore, and I'll always be there for you, inside you, putting my hand on Angela's heart.

- Don't leave me," Angéla whispered.

As he slowly pulled away, their hands slowly parted, slipping away. Angéla couldn't move to hold him back; she had no strength left. Dean disappeared into a fog. She dropped heavily to her knees on the floor. Her chest ached and she cried out in pain. Her heart pounded against her ribcage, awakening the pain. She struggled to her feet and moved like a zombie towards her shelter, curling up to ease the pain.

...

Shola returned to her body, smiling and happy. Her contact with Angéla had been magnificent, even if she hadn't presented herself in her true form. She'd just borrowed a vivid memory of the young woman. Angéla had recognized her at once, allaying her suspicion. Shola remembered the touch of her slender fingers on his near face, her mouth on his lips, but also her head against his chest, which was about to explode with emotion. She remembered his silky hair tickling her neck, her heart racing. She was still dreaming of this contact to prolong her happiness, but she was interrupted by the arrival of her brother.

- What are you doing here, Shola?

- I've come to the news," says Shola hastily, as if caught in the act.

- Um...well, there aren't any.

- Oh well, in that case, I'll leave you alone, Astyan.

Shola left. Astyan was surprised to see her leave so quickly, without insisting. He sensed that something was amiss or that she'd done something stupid. But he didn't care at the time, there were other problems, and his mind was busy and in a hurry to get back to Angéla. He got into position to join the desert. The exercise was becoming easier and easier for him. When he entered the labri, something had changed. It was raining heavily. Angéla was sitting against the Spanish Plane tree. She had tears in her eyes. Her sadness washed over him like a cold shower. He approached her and sat down beside her against the tree, in silence. He probed her heart. It was cracked. She was heartbroken because she had seen someone she cared for again, someone who had disappeared long ago. He searched for the source of her pain and recognized her sister's essence. No, it couldn't be! What had she done? Angéla looked at him and opened her mind. He saw Lhomme, that Dean. In appearance it was him, but his soul wasn't his own, it was his sister's. Anger overcame him, but he didn't know what to do. Anger invaded him, but he suppressed it so as not to worry Angéla. At first, he didn't dare speak to her, for fear of making the situation worse, but then he held out his hand.

- Do you want to talk about it?

- No

- Shall we take a walk?

She took his hand and landed in a field of spring flowers. He kept her hand to guide her, and they set off. He plucked a daisy, smelled it and handed it to Angéla, who smiled at the gesture. Then they came to a shining lake. Indeed, blue pebbles at the bottom gave the water its distinctive color. They sat down. The surface of the water was calm, which soothed Angéla.

- Let me help you," he let go of her hand, seeing how embarrassed she looked, "let me get you out of this, I promise I'll help you and your friends.

- Help us?

- You're here for a reason, aren't you? This trip...

- We're looking for a gun, or at least they are. I'm just...here.

- And if I promise to provide it, would you agree to come with me?

- and how, you don't want to, I know," says Angéla suspiciously.

- I'll find a way.

- Hum.

- You doubt me.

- You believe what you say, but it's not your choice after all.

- That's true, but I think I'll succeed in this mission for you.

- Is it a sincere agreement?

- Yes, I like you a lot and...

- Swear on these tattoos," cut in Angela.

- What?" said a surprised Astyan.

- I've seen the way you look at them. I don't know what they mean, but they mean something to you and that means a lot.

- Angéla, I don't think so..., Astyan hesitated.

And she saw him. She stood up abruptly.

- You say you're sincere but you're not, you want to convince me by any means necessary! But know this, Astyan, heir to Attalon. I can read people and I know when they're sincere. I can't stand lies, and there's no point in hiding the truth from me, because I always come to know it. Other men before you have tried and immediately regretted it. Take it from me. You're not welcome here anymore.

The wind had picked up suddenly. He had landed in the desert. She rejected him violently from her mind. It was painful for him. Breathless, Astyan was shocked. He didn't know how the discussion had escalated. He'd been shocked to have been rejected like that. She knew he'd tried to trap her with those half-truths. Even if he'd been sincere at the time. Besides, she knew his true identity. He didn't remember talking to her. He realized that lying wasn't going to work on her because she'd expose him so easily. Shocked, he didn't know what to do; she'd even surprised him about his tattoos.

The first time he'd seen them, he hadn't even been surprised - on the contrary. It was an answer to his prayers. He hadn't even told his sister and brother. And he wouldn't tell her until he'd had a little chat with her. Sparkling with rage at his sister, he reluctantly left Angela alone in the cave. He'd have liked to apologize, but she'd put him off for the time being. He decided to isolate himself instead of getting angry or creating a catastrophe he'd regret later.

...

- Where's Astyan? I can't find him anywhere.

- I don't know Shola, but he looked troubled," said Adred. "Do you think I could show these scrolls to Dr. Jackson? ;

- I don't know Adred and I don't care. Astyan isn't just confused, he's furious. You know he's...

- He knows how to control himself," cut in Adred, "yes, he's furious and against you, but as for confused, it's more what happened or what he saw when Angéla entered his mind.

- She's...No why did he do that? Get into her mind with her, he's crazy!

- I don't know, but I trust him.

- But what did he see?

- That's not the point. But what did you do to put him in such a state?" asked Adred.

- Nothing serious...I just got back in touch with Angéla.

- You did what! He said not to try anything.

- I know, but I didn't go in my original form. She knew the person and liked her, apparently.

- This wasn't a good idea, Shola. You don't know what consequences your intervention might have caused. They're only human. Their feelings are an important part of their lives. It's a big part of their personality. They don't forgive easily. They have a lot of hate, fear and love in their hearts. Some feelings are unknown to us. What's more, they don't have the same notion of love as we do.

- And you know this how?

- Daniel. For him, love is passion. For John, it's physical.

- Physical?

- Yes...with a lot of contact," says Adred, searching for the right words.

- With lips, for example.

- Yes...it's a kiss.

- She kissed me and her tongue..., Shola said dreamily.

- How was it?

- Fantastic. Love physics is great!

- But there's more to it than that...well, it's complex," explained Adred, "I haven't been able to unravel it all, feeling uncomfortable, for the moment, it's doubt that dominates their hearts.

- ?

- He wonders if they did the right thing by making this trip and contacting us.

- Um...have you studied their...tablet?" asked Shola.

-Yes, they are. They're authentic, which means they've had contact with the Ancients.

-Hmm...but the council still won't help them despite these tablets. But you can show them the way.

- Yes, but to keep them busy. Things will work themselves out.

- What do you mean by that, Adred?

- Astyan will promise Angela to help them, and he will.

- Oh no!

- by following your advice," says Adred.

- But I told him...

- to lie. Yes, but she'll trick him. I mean, she'll do anything to make him keep his promise.

- So?

- Time will tell," says Adred enigmatically, "maybe I should introduce Wellan to Daniel.

- And what does a historian in a bad mood have to do with it?" asked Shola.

Adred shrugged.

- You've got another idea to keep them busy and to study the tablets, Wellan is best placed to do that.

- Do as you please, but with age, he's become asocial.

- It'll keep him busy for a while, and I know Daniel will be an interested listener. He'll like it," says Adred.

- Go on then.

- And you, I advise you to solve your problem with Astyan.

- You know where it is, don't you?

- Can't you feel it," says an astonished Adred.

- No! He must have closed his mind to me and I can't detect a thing.

- I'd better go with you. I'll be a witness to your future murder, if he wants to strangle you.

Shocked, she turned her back on him, rattling her traveling cloak.

- You don't even know where it is!

- I can only guess.

- Shola, stop fighting.

- We don't fight...

- If since she's been here. Tell me you don't also have views...

- Pf don't talk nonsense.

- We'll get there faster if...

- Given my condition, I don't think it's a good idea. Astyan wouldn't even have to cut me up...

- Don't spoil the fun," joked Adred, "let me guide you.

He held out his hand. Reluctantly, Shola took it. She didn't like not being in control of the situation. A white light surrounded them and they slipped away, arriving in the cave that served as a treatment room.

- He's not here," said Adred as she searched for Astyan.

He continued on his way, followed by his sister. He came to an opening brightly lit by the sun. They entered a quarry. They noticed Astyan sitting on a tree trunk.

- He always comes here when he needs to think," says Adred.

- He's still attached to this place after all this time.

- That's where it all started," says Adred, "because of his best friend.

Astyan was indeed close to his best friend. It was a magnificent dapple-gray stallion, grazing at his side.

- Astyan, it's us, your beloved brother and sister," says Adred mockingly.

He was trying to lighten the mood. Shola stuck her tongue out at him and clapped him on the shoulder.

The quarry floor was made of the same material as the volcano's interior, but in powder form. There were also flashing blue crystals.

- This isn't a good sign," whispered Adred, "we'd better get back before...

- To what do I owe this visit?" said a harsh voice.

Adred went ahead to protect his sister and approached his brother, who looked worried.

- I sense you're preoccupied," began Adred.

- We wondered whose fault it was," retorted Astyan.

Adred glanced at Shola, who was facing Astyan's angry, accusing gaze with courage, without faltering.

- Look, Astyan, I'm sorry...

- What's going on?" cut in Adred, as the lights turned red. He put his hand on his brother's shoulders to send a wave of reassurance, which worked a little.

- I can't get in touch with her anymore," sighed Astyan.

- I'm sorry, I...

- But why," cut in Adred, still worried, "is she dead?

- No

Adred was relieved. Astyan looked at Shola. Tears welled up in her eyes as her brother looked on inquisitively.

- I think I've made a mistake," admitted Shola.

- The person whose appearance you took was... her fiancée... like a soulmate to her. A soul-mate who is no longer part of this world," Astyan explained.

- You mean dead," says Adred.

- Oh, what have I done," Shola realized.

- You didn't think, you acted without thinking as usual," accused Astyan.

- She must be so sad," sympathizes Adred.

- She's devastated, she's fading..., says Astyan.

- I'm so sorry...

- What's done is done," cut in Adred, "but you could have comforted her.

- I did, but she asked me to make a promise.

- What's that got to do with it? Oh, it's the promise to help them, Shola understands.

- Yes.

- And I think Shola's advice was right, Astyan, you don't have a choice," says Adred.

- Except I couldn't what he made her angry," says Astyan.

- I know it's hard for you to lie to her, but you'll keep your promise. We'll help them in the end," Shola explained.

- How?

Shola showed she didn't know any better.

- I don't know, but what matters is the end. The lie won't matter anymore.

- But I couldn't lie to him.

- Of course it is," says Shola.

- Let him talk, explain yourself," says Adred.

- I haven't told you everything. She asked to swear on the Mark of the First.

Silence settled in. Shola had dried her tears. Stupefaction was written all over their faces.

- How does she know they exist?" asked a surprised Shola.

- She doesn't know them, she doesn't know what they mean," explained Astyan, "the mark of the First is engraved on her skin.

- You're sure of it!...She appeared when she entered your mind, didn't she?" asked Adred.

- Yes," murmured Astyan, "and I know how to recognize them because Shola has them.

- This confirms our suspicions," concludes Adred.

- And he's right, he can't lie about that mark," admitted Shola, "but she's no Confessor though. Where's her mark? when hers was on the shoulder blade.

- It's not exactly the same," hesitated Astyan.

- What do you expect? She's not worried...

Adred glared at her for her interruption.

- The mark is spread across her arms and back, and seems to be spreading all over her body.

- Let's not jump to conclusions. With this young woman, there's never a dull moment," concludes Adred.

- Make the promise," Shola reflected.

- What! You want me dead," says Astyan.

- No, Adred said we'd help them, so she'll have to be content with whatever help we give them. Adred didn't see your death coming, and as he says, time will tell," explained Shola.

- Thanks for quoting me, sister, surprised, but she's right, you have no choice.

- And what do I do now? The doors to his mind are closed to me.

- You'll find it, Astyan," says Adred.

- Apologize and tell her that her proposal made you feel uncomfortable, which it did. That you needed to think carefully before making a promise you weren't sure you could keep at the time, or that the pact scared you," says Shola.

- And I hope for your sake that their custom doesn't require one of your fingers as proof of your trust," mocked Adred.

Astyan fell into intense reflection. Shola and Adred vanished into thin air. Astyan turned the problem over in his head, giving rise to a headache as he stroked his friend's neck.

End of chapter