Daughter
A/N: I have a particularly long chapter for you this time. I remember having a hard time deciding where a chapter break would be. Guess that's a bonus for you today! It will be classic Sci-Fi by the end. Also, I want to acknowledge that FF Net is still acting stupid with its broken links and missing chapters. I am as frustrated by it as you probably are.
It seems like Chapters 53 and 54 are the least affected and the most viewed by accident because FF Net keeps jumping you to them. So I posted tips at the top of those chapters in case you need more ideas on how to access the most recent entries for anyone's story. As I was testing it, though, the workaround only sort of worked. It was annoying I could see Chapter 64 but not 63. Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!? Come on, FF Net!
Aside from that, THANK YOU for being here at all. I appreciate you trying to read this story. It's been fun for me.
Chapter 65 – Village
Smith and Elda cornered Crawford in a corridor the moment they were released from the briefing.
Smith pushed him. "What the hell, man!"
"What job are they making you do!?" Elda demanded.
Crawford sighed. He was expecting this reaction. He stayed calm. "Matthews has this cover as a smuggler out there. She's got something to follow up on. Pierce wants someone to watch her back."
Their eyes went widened again. "Matthews," Smith repeated dubiously.
"Crawfy, I know I said she did right by you on the last op, but…"
"This isn't about her," he interrupted. "This is about me taking on a new opportunity and seeing where it goes."
"It better circle back around to us, dude," Smith warned.
"Relax, Smitty. I'm not leavin' the team. This is just temporary."
Elda blinked at him repeatedly. "Are you sure? Did something happen?"
Smith tried not to react. He simply watched for Crawford's response.
Their mutual friend put on a soft smile. "Everything's fine, Baby Cakes," he said soothingly.
She just stared at him pensively.
"Dude," Smith complained.
Elda glanced between them. She wagged a finger at Crawford. "Keep the job short. Find the simplest angle. No unnecessary heroics. Then be done with it."
He raised his brow at her in amusement. He saluted. "Yes, Ma'am."
She scrunched her face at him and hit his arm.
Smith smacked the other arm for good measure.
"Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go find Colonel Pierce." Crawford ignored their looks as he walked away. He waited until he was far out of sight before letting out a breath.
Elda and Smith stayed rooted to their spots. "I don't like this, Smitty."
"Me neither," he agreed.
"You think that Matthews girl got in his head?" she asked suspiciously.
"I thought you two were friends. Now you don't trust her again?"
She gestured meaningfully in the direction Crawford had gone.
He held up two placating hands. "Alright, alright." His mouth twitched. "I don't know what Matthews did or did not do. But we can't do anything about it now. I tell you what, though: I'm sure as hell gonna find out what the fuck that mission is."
"Are we allowed to know?"
"Technically? Not really. But Crawford's one of our guys. We have a right to look out for him."
"Yeah!"
"Meanwhile, you and me need to start designing a village."
Elda took a deep breath, trying to reset and switch gears in her mind. "How would you like to go to Tek'ron to get some inspiration?" She waggled her brows.
He grinned. "Bring Rellie?"
She matched his look. "Someone who knows how to use that technology ought to come along, right?"
"Yeah, we have no idea how to input the parameters to make a holographic anything," he said conspiratorially.
"Absolutely none," she agreed.
"Our village needs a bar." Smith grabbed her elbow to make her turn and go back the way they came.
"We can do that. You know, if Chigu really checks the place out, we may actually need a few people on the ground to fool them into thinking the whole thing is real."
"Which means the alcohol better be real."
Elda laughed as they approached General Landry's office. Clearly, they were going to run their next steps by him. They needed approval to go offworld while they were still on the clock. "Remember the drinks the Jaffa served at their last party?"
"Yeah," Smith said eagerly.
"I'll be sure to ask Jasuf if we can stock our new bar with some of that."
The marine rubbed his hands together.
When Elda next stepped foot on Tek'ron, she had visitors alongside her. She grinned at the Jaffa guardsmen who were pointing weapons at them by the gate.
Rellie's eyes were wide, but she remained silent. This didn't happen the last time she was here. She glanced at Smith, who appeared unbothered.
The staff weapons clicked audibly as they deactivated. The Jaffa placed them at ease vertically by their sides. "Lady Elda," they all intoned together. The men bowed low to her.
She inclined her head to them respectfully. "Brothers. Where is Jasuf?"
"He sits in the governance hut," the lead reported. "Master Meil'nor is offworld."
She pouted briefly, realizing Jasuf was probably very busy, but still nodded. "Thank you. Send word that I approach with friends. We will report to him."
The head guardsman acknowledged her command and raised a communicator to his mouth.
"Continue your patrol, Jaffa."
"As you say, My Lady."
Elda began leading Smith and Rellie into the forest. When they were further away and out of earshot, Smith leaned in. "Look at you, flexin'," he teased.
She only smiled at him tiredly. Elda saw Rellie looking at her, impressed.
"I thought you didn't want to take your title seriously," Rellie marveled.
"I don't have much choice in the matter anymore, Rellie. I might as well just deal with it."
"That's the spirit," Smith said encouragingly. "You'll be a queen in no time."
Elda smacked his arm forcefully and pushed him. He laughed.
Upon arrival, Elda said, "Welcome to my village." She hooked arms with Rellie as they walked across the clearing. Smith continued to hold the large bag that contained the equipment they would use for their little self-appointed sub-mission.
When they reached the governance hut, the minders automatically opened the door. Elda inclined her head to them in thanks and went right in. She chose not to bow. The guardsmen would have warned her if anyone higher-ranking was inside.
Jasuf looked up from a tablet in his hand, sitting comfortably on the throne while his father was away. He instantly dropped the device and stood. "Elda," he said softly.
She went to his arms immediately. They shared a chaste kiss. "Jasuf, you remember Aurelia Thel," she announced, sweeping a hand in her friend's direction.
"Indeed. Welcome to our home."
Rellie smiled at him. "Thank you."
"CorporalSmith, welcome as well."
"Thanks. So, you in charge today?"
"Unfortunately. What brings you here?"
"We have a little project to do," Elda explained, pointing at the bag Smith was carrying. "We're going to create a pretend village on another world to fool some people."
Jasuf narrowed his eyes at her. "I sense mischief afoot."
She laughed musically. Smith chuckled along with her. "Only a little bit. But this gives our refugees a chance to finally get their wish to help me."
Smith and Rellie looked at each other in confusion.
Jasuf tilted his head. "Please explain."
Elda placed her hands on his chest as she spoke. "The fake village we mean to make needs to be occupied by a few real-life actors. If the refugees would like, they could be the ones to do it."
"Would it not be safer to assign this task to some of our warriors? And perhaps a few of your sisters? Who do you mean to fool?" Jasuf asked curiously.
"Chigu Conglomerate. And no, we shouldn't recruit anyone on tretonin. Smith and I need to pose as brokers for a Jaffa tribe with an interest in acquiring the drug. Chigu will naturally send someone to verify that our clients are Jaffa with symbiotes. The refugees still have symbiotes."
His jaw moved side to side. Jasuf looked at Smith. "What have you brought with you?"
"Some cool tech to help us create a holographic village. Rellie's here to help us set it up so we can take a few scans. Show it what to make."
Jasuf breathed in as he squeezed Elda closer to him. "Yet another cunning design of yours," he commented.
She smiled at him primly. "Want to help?"
"How?"
"You could come with us to the other planet where we're going to."
Jasuf shook his head. "Elda, I am in command. I should not leave."
"Ever the responsible one," she grumbled. "Can we at least stock this village with food and drink?"
"If it is meant to be holographic, where would you keep such things?"
Elda glanced back at her friends. They scrunched their faces, unsure. Clearly, they were making all this up as they went along.
Jasuf sighed. "How fortunate you are that I love you. I will entertain your venture by assigning you some builders to bring with you. Let them create real structures for your 'actors' to interact with. You may utilize the refugees if they agree. But you must guarantee their safety."
Elda nodded emphatically. "Of course, I will. Can I have a few guardsmen? For security while we're figuring everything out?" She widened her eyes and looked up at him hopefully.
Jasuf smiled amusedly at her obvious attempt to convince him with such an innocent look. "You need not ask. You can choose among them as you please, Lady Elda. That is allowed by your station."
She grinned. Then she pecked him on the lips. "Thank you!" She turned back to her companions. "This is going to be fun!" She clapped her hands excitedly.
Smith laughed at her.
Rellie stared up at Lo'zim curiously. He stood stoically at the edge of the clearing they chose for Smith and Elda's new village. "You are much taller than the others," she commented. She was hardly intimidated, understanding that this was one of Elda's good friends.
"So they say," his deep voice boomed. He looked down at her. "Is this curious to you, human?"
"It is," she said thoughtfully. "Where I'm from, people of your height have Furling DNA. But you don't have that, do you?"
"I am unaware of what a Furling is," he admitted. "So no."
"Hmm. Thought I'd ask. You never know what interesting people you'll meet."
"Indeed."
"Rellie!" Smith called from further away. He was fiddling with the main projector. "Need some help here."
She gave the Jaffa a friendly smile and turned away. He inclined his head to her respectfully.
Elda stepped up next to him. "My dear Giant, tell me your thoughts on this location."
"It is vulnerable to attack. There are many places for invaders to take cover."
She swept a hand around in the air. "It's full of trees."
"Which should be felled."
"What precautions would you take if that could not be done? Which it can't be done. We don't have time to widen this clearing."
Lo'zim gazed about, taking in their surroundings for the tenth time. He pointed. "I would construct guard houses there and there. Those afford the best views. They should be taller in height. I would post guards in pairs around the perimeter of the settlement, rotating on the hour. If we possessed such a vessel, I would assign a small ship to monitor this location from the air. And to detect the approach of other ships who mean to bother us."
Elda gaped at him in awe. "You've really thought this through."
"It is my role, Lady Elda."
"Clearly. No wonder Jasuf holds you in such high regard," she said casually.
The corner of Lo'zim's mouth twitched in response to her praise. He bowed his head to her gratefully.
She grinned at him affectionately. She rubbed one of his muscled forearms. "Instruct the builders for me, Lo'zim. Have them create some simple guard houses as you say. We will stock them with a few actors from among our refugees. I trust at least some of them have chosen to train as warriors?"
"They have. There are six Jaffa who show great promise as guardsmen."
"Perfect. Krelnok," she instructed him to go. The Jaffa did as he was bid. She then rejoined Smith and Rellie in the center of the clearing. "How is it going?"
Smith blew out a breath. "It's… not going."
Rellie gently pushed him away. "Let me do it." She fiddled with the controls of the main projector, which stood on its own tripod. A rough approximation of a village appeared around them. A few of the Jaffa scattered about glanced at the display that now surrounded everyone.
Elda grimaced. This didn't really look like much of a village.
"This is just the start," Rellie said reassuringly. "We first need to determine placement, then we fine tune the images. We also need to know where the real things will go."
Elda pointed at the projector. "And we need to hide that. And all the others like it."
Smith patted the top of the device. "I say we build the bar around this thing."
"Really? In the center of the village?" Elda asked drily.
"Yeah! Why not? The bar could be where all the real decisions get made."
Rellie scoffed. "You mean the wrong decisions."
Smith just chuckled. "I didn't say they'd be good ones."
Elda laughed. "This will be the new governance hut," she declared. Smith frowned. "We can put the bar somewhere over there. We'll hide the projectors inside real structures around the village."
Her teammate stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked around. "Ya know, when I took this job, I never thought I'd be playing The Sims at work. This is so friggin' cool."
Elda and Rellie just shook their heads at each other, once again having no idea what Smith was talking about.
"Mommy, can I go with you?"
Sam smiled as Gracie put on her best puppy dog eyes, sitting across the counter from her on a high barstool.
Jack saw their daughter's face and laughed.
"No, honey, where I'm going it's very far away."
"Awww. Again?"
"You'll get bored, Gracie. It'll take a really long time to fly there. And then Mommy will be too busy to take care of you," Jack explained.
"I'll be good!" she argued.
Her parents chuckled at her in amusement. Sam reached over to pinch Gracie's cheeks. "This one shouldn't take as long. Just a few days. Then I'll come home again."
"What you gonna do?"
Her parents shared a look. As the girl got older and older, she was starting to comprehend more. They could tell she might actually understand if they explained it to her. Which would be a problem, because Gracie could easily go blabbing top secret mission objectives to her friends at preschool.
Jack carefully answered, "Mommy's going to give some new friends a present."
The child gasped. "Is it their birthday!? I wanna come, too!"
They laughed. Jack held up his hands. "No, no. Not like that."
Sam shut off the stove, having finished cooking the noodles for Gracie's mac 'n' cheese. As she drained the water into the sink, she clarified, "We're just sharing something useful with them."
"Like a circle?"
Sam's eyes widened and her head snapped to Jack.
He sighed and shook his head.
"Jack," Sam said worriedly. "She's too smart for our own good."
"You think I haven't realized that yet?" He pointed at his wife. "Your fault."
Gracie simply watched her parents now, eyes flitting back and forth between them.
"How is this my fault?"
"Because you're too smart for anyone's good!" Then he gestured at their child. "And guess who inherited that?"
Sam scoffed. "She wouldn't know about the 'circle' if someone hadn't decided to use his privileges to let her into a top secret facility she really, really doesn't belong in." She coughed meaningfully. "Multiple times, I might add."
Jack bared his hands outward. "Excuse me? I thought you liked it when she was always right there with us. And besides, all our babysitters work there!" He briefly thought of the familiar saying that it takes a whole village to raise a child.
"Since when did Hank make that list!?"
"Since everyone else was gone or busy!"
Gracie giggled. "Uncle Hank gave me ice cream." She raised a tiny index finger into the air, looking very O'Neill-like. "With sprinkles!"
Sam and Jack paused to gaze at her. She seemed so happy to report that. Then they looked at each other and just laughed. Gracie smiled, watching her parents hug each other in exasperation. She mistakenly interpreted it as approval for her uncle's daring willingness to feed her a sweet without requiring she eat something healthy first.
"Mommy?"
"Yes, Baby?"
"Can I go with you to give your new friends a circle?"
Sam dropped her head on Jack's shoulder and sighed.
"Maybe," Jack answered.
His wife's head popped up and regarded him with surprise. "Absolutely not!"
"Awww."
Jack looked sheepish. "Well…"
"Jack!"
"She'd only miss a little preschool." He shrugged. "And she misses you."
Sam's mouth dropped to the floor. "We cannot let a child onto one of our ships!" She smacked his shoulder. "Are you nuts?"
Gracie climbed down from the barstool.
"Sam, I'm running on fumes, you know. With you gone all the time and me working? I could use a little break, too!"
Sam sighed loudly. "You know this mission won't take nearly as long!"
"Yes, I do know! But there's always going to be something else that comes up. Over and over."
"There's no Take Your Daughter to Work Day with the SGC, Jack."
"Well, I can't keep this up much longer. I might have to retire sooner rather than later… again."
Sam pointed a finger at him. "Sure, do that. Then Daniel will recruit you into starting a three-star general babysitting service!" she warned.
Jack's eyes went wide as he was reminded of his best friend's expectation that he pay up on his debt. Big Gracie came to mind. She was ridiculously talented. All of Vala's hard work raising her was being put to good use out in the galaxy. He knew he owed her alternate self big time. The whole universe did.
Meanwhile, the little version tugged on her parents' pants, suddenly at their sides like a ninja. They looked down at her somewhat surprised. "Can I have my mac 'n' cheese now?"
Sam let out a breath. "Sorry, honey. I'll finish mixing it."
"I wanna help!"
"Okay, you can."
Jack busted out the stepstool for Gracie to occupy. He stayed nearby her protectively so she wouldn't fall. She and Sam focused on combining the noodles, butter, milk, and cheese powder from the box. Soon Gracie was back in the barstool, happily munching away on elbow macaroni smothered in gooey cheese sauce.
As Jack stole a few spoonfuls for himself, he resumed their conversation. "What harm is there really going to be if Gracie goes with you on that simple mission?"
"What harm?" Sam repeated with incredulity. "Do I even have to remind you of the dangers we all face the minute we leave the planet?"
"It's just as dangerous when we stay on the planet," Jack argued. He ticked off a list on his fingers. "You got car crashes, life-threatening illnesses, monsoons…"
"Monsoons?"
"Yeah. Natural disasters and stuff."
Sam just shook her head. "Meanwhile, out there…" she countered, gesturing up toward the ceiling, "…we have pirates…"
Jack interrupted her. "The Hammond can handle pirates. It's one of the safest, most capable cruisers we got."
"I think you're forgetting how much S-H-I-T can suddenly hit fans before we even blink," Sam retorted.
"And what better place for her to be than on our top ship? With her mother?"
"I cannot believe you are even considering letting her come along with me. It's an entire day's travel away!"
"Not for long."
"Jack, did you get conked on the head the last time you went offworld? You are not thinking straight."
"No, I did not. But I don't know how much we can keep from her when we both have the jobs that we do. Might as well let her learn."
"Are you kidding me!?"
"We're talking about declassifying the Stargate Program anyway," Jack reported nonchalantly.
Sam gasped. "What?"
He held up his hands. "Talking," he emphasized.
"How would you even go about doing that?" she asked in astonishment.
"No idea. Not my department. At least… I hope not." Then Jack shrugged. "Gracie's already seen too much. She's smart enough to put two and two together. If a four-year-old can do that… well?"
Sam leaned back on the counter and crossed her arms. "As you just pointed out, Gracie's not just any four-year-old."
Jack smiled proudly. "I know." He reached out to bring Sam into his arms. His hands wrapped around her waist. "She's our four-year-old."
"Teal'c!" Elda shouted worriedly. She squealed in the pilot's seat as the tel'tak rocked to one side.
"Remain calm." His hands hovered over a secondary orb in the co-pilot's seat, ready to take over if needed. He glanced over at Elda's side. "Reposition your hands properly over the regulator. You must be able to feel the hum of the ship or you will not have control."
Elda did as she was told, staring down at the orb to carefully move her hands to the correct places. She felt a buzz beneath them. It was strong enough to travel up her arms uncomfortably. "How can anyone stand this?" she groused.
"For some pilots, this is all they know."
"Yes, well, I prefer buttons. Things that don't cause me to tingle like this!"
"You will grow accustomed to it, EldaMalDoran. Have patience."
She blew out a breath to push hair out of her eyes. She whined a little bit. "Okay… now what?"
"Now, you must learn how to jump into hyperspace."
She grit her teeth. "Eeek."
Elda entered the hut and collapsed face-down onto the bed. Jasuf just stared at her from his spot near the tea table. "I would inquire about your day, but it would seem it did not end well," he surmised.
Her muffled voice sounded off through the pillows. "No."
He set down his mug and went to sit with her. "What transpired?"
She turned over with a groan and stared up at the ceiling. "Teal'c tried to teach me how to pilot a tel'tak. It was so hard."
"Those are not difficult to pilot."
"Maybe for you!" She laid a forearm over her eyes. "Ugh. I have just a week to learn. We can't use my ship for the next op. It has to be a cargo ship or bigger."
"What part was challenging to you?" he asked patiently.
She uncovered her eyes and gave him a look. "Everything," she said flatly.
He shuddered as he quietly laughed.
She hit his thigh. "It's not funny," she whined.
Jasuf leaned down to kiss her. "It is to me. I do not often see you frustrated in this manner. You have already overcome so many challenges."
Elda grumbled as she turned onto her side, facing away from him. "Hmpf."
He laid down behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist. "Give yourself time," he encouraged. "No one is expected to master such a skill on the first attempt." He stroked her hip. "What did Master Teal'c say?"
"That we better meet tomorrow first thing and try again." She squeaked. "But I don't want to."
Jasuf laughed more. "And so you have come to me seeking comfort from your disappointment."
Elda twisted her head to regard him with a side-eye. "You find me funny instead," she complained.
He kissed her. "I apologize, My Love," he said half-heartedly, still grinning at her in amusement. "In what way may I help?"
She sighed. "I don't know."
He began dropping kisses on her neck, trailing them next along her shoulder.
"The problem is I can't get past that horrible zapping feeling in my arms," Elda confessed as she let her eyes focus on nothing ahead of her.
His fingers began playing with the button of her pants. "We used boots to overcome that sensation when learning as young trainees," he said nonchalantly. Jasuf continued to kiss her side sweetly.
"Boots? Like mag boots?"
"Correct."
She turned onto her back so she could look at him. It only gave his hands more access. "How would mag boots help with that?"
"They offer an alternate pathway for the energy to dissipate." He maneuvered himself on top of her and began kissing the other side of her neck. "Less of it remains in the arms of the pilot, so he or she may concentrate on controlling the ship."
Elda's eyes stared at the ceiling, thinking about his words as his hair tickled her cheek. "I have mag boots on my ship," she said contemplatively.
"Many," he agreed.
"I'll try that. Thank you." She turned her head so they could make eye contact. Then she smirked, having noticed what he was up to.
He matched her expression.
Elda kissed him fully. "What other tips have you got?"
He hummed. "What other challenges have you encountered?"
"Stabilizing the ship is a thing." Her hands began to roam along his sides.
"Focus on feeling the ship's position in your mind as opposed to what your eyes tell you. It is too easy to become disoriented when staring out a forward port into space."
Elda knew that, but she had been so overwhelmed in the tel'tak that she couldn't apply that lesson. Their bodies began to mold together, grinding slightly. She sucked in a breath when his body bucked into hers. "Anything else?"
Jasuf kissed her chastely. "Approach this challenge little by little. As you discover more unfamiliar elements, simply tell me and I will advise you," he promised.
"All part of your scheme to attract me home again, huh?"
Instead of admitting to anything, he distracted her with more kisses and touches, effectively ending the conversation. Elda didn't complain.
"Dr. Lam," Sam called out as she entered the infirmary. Little Gracie's hand was held firmly in hers.
Carolyn turned away from Eruce at her voice. "Colonel Carter." She looked down at the child with a smile. "Hi Gracie."
The little girl waved enthusiastically.
Carolyn looked back up at Sam, now a little concerned that she'd suddenly ask her to watch the kid.
Sam greeted the station geneticist instead of addressing her worry. "Eruce, how are you getting along here on Earth?"
"I am doing well, Colonel," the sharp-jawed woman replied. She gazed down at the tiny human among them. "And who is this?" she said gently.
"This is my daughter, Gracie." Sam squeezed her hand. "Say hello, Gracie."
"Hello Gracie," her little voice complied.
Carolyn quietly laughed.
Eruce smiled. "You are a pretty little girl." Then she tilted her head as she addressed the grown women. "Pretty like Elda."
Sam and Carolyn shared a very minute and quick glance. The Colonel donned a slow smile. "Have you already seen Dr. Jackson about that galactic history you were interested in?" she asked, changing the subject.
"Ahh, yes. He showed me many fascinating objects among the many things in his office."
Carolyn snorted quietly.
Sam kept smiling. "I'm sure he was simply delighted to share his knowledge."
"I sensed that he was. He provided me copies of several interesting resources for me to browse at my leisure. I have ample material to study during the journey home."
"Dr. Lam, what is the status of those upgrades to your department?"
"All done. Aurelia and her people completed the work yesterday. She gave the medical staff some in-person tutorials this morning."
"That's great!" Sam pulled Gracie back when she felt her daughter trying to escape from her grasp. She didn't even look down. "Eruce, is there anything else we can show you? Anything you're interested in knowing?"
"I find your home fascinating thus far, Colonel. But my people and I do feel that it would be best to return to our own home soon. It was explained to me by your Ambassador that you will be installing one of those stargates on our station, correct?"
"That's right. I'll be making a trip over there within a couple of days."
"How wonderful. Perhaps the next time I step away from station duties, I will use that device to visit here again. If you so please."
Sam smiled. "Of course. You'll always be welcome! We cannot thank you enough for all the time and effort you put in to help our allies."
Eruce bowed her head humbly.
Carolyn coughed quietly. "So… Colonel? Is there anything you need while you're here?" Her eyes flitted down to Gracie, whose attention was everywhere but on them. She seemed ready to break out of jail.
"I came by to talk with you. But I can try to find Vala if you're busy. We'll be in my family quarters whenever you get a minute."
"Okay, sure. I'll finish up here with Eruce then come by."
Sam smiled. "Great. Eruce, once again, thank you. Please let us know if there's anything you need. Anything."
"I thank you as well, Colonel. I am fine for now." They smiled to each other in goodbye. The geneticist watched curiously as Sam turned and pulled the vivacious little child along with her to leave. "I am curious, Carolyn."
"About what?"
"Does Earth have challenges with genetic diversity?"
The doctor blinked. "Not that I'm aware of," she answered slowly. "May I ask what prompts your question?"
"I mean no disrespect. It is simply an opportunity for me to offer our services should you need it. We, too, were challenged with a lack of diversity on our station once. We overcame it with our continued studies in the field of genetics."
Carolyn kept her mouth from gaping. She swallowed instead, trying not to reveal her surprise.
"I simply noticed that your Jaffa ambassador bears a striking resemblance to that child. And the Colonel as well. Meanwhile, your own mate and Dr. Jackson…"
Carolyn laughed uncomfortably to stop her. She held up a polite hand. "Those are hilarious coincidences. We have more diversity here than most people know what to do with. Someday, I hope I can show you in person. There are countless unique races and cultures. But in the meantime, as you walk around the base, you might notice plenty of people with a variety of skin colors and facial features here. All human, too." She smiled brightly, hoping to reassure Eruce that she didn't have to dwell on what she just pointed out.
If a random alien could tell Elda and Gracie looked the same, that was trouble. It was hard enough downplaying the fact that Elda looked like Sam, who wasn't supposed to be her anything.
Eruce smiled. She sensed the doctor's discomfort and courteously backed off. "Of course, Carolyn."
Later, she escorted the station scientist to the gate room so she could return to the planet her ship was orbiting. Carolyn headed for the O'Neill Family Quarters immediately after.
Vala let her in when she knocked. Gracie was busy spinning herself in the rolling chair that usually went with the desk in every set of quarters. Carolyn didn't even bat an eye. She went straight to the table where Sam was seated and dropped her head into her hand. Children's cartoons played in the background on a TV.
"What?"
Carolyn looked up at Sam. "Eruce asked me if we need help with genetic diversity."
"Huh?"
"She said you, Elda, and Gracie look too alike."
"Oh God."
Vala sat down with them after helping Gracie change the channel to find a different cartoon. "You know, as Gracie gets older, it's only going to become more obvious that she is her sister's twin."
Sam sighed. "Yeah," she agreed. She rubbed at her forehead. "Meanwhile, my idiot husband thinks it's a good idea to bring Gracie with me to drop off a stargate at the space station."
Both women shouted, "What!?"
Gracie kept spinning happily in her chair. "Whoaaaaaa."
Sam flapped a hand in the air. "Something about him being a little overwhelmed at home without me."
"Oh no," Vala said pitifully. "Jack's tired."
"I'm sure he is, Vala. And I do feel guilty leaving them behind. But what am I supposed to do? I have to work. And he's been putting a rubber stamp of approval on all of it."
Carolyn frowned. "How long are you going to be gone for this next one?"
"Few days at minimum. Hopefully less than a week. Depends on the install."
"I can watch her on my days off. I have one or two coming up."
Vala raised her hand slightly. "Same here. I can pick up the other days, as long as I don't suddenly get sent offworld."
Sam reached out to grasp hands with both of them. She looked at them gratefully. "Thank you so much, girls. I really love you for offering."
They smiled back at her. "It takes a village to raise a child," Vala commented.
"I cannot believe he suggested she go with you," Carolyn marveled.
"I think he's lost his marbles," Sam commented glumly. "Maybe he needs a brain scan with your new toys."
The doctor laughed. "Oooh, that might be fun."
Vala grinned. "He should just retire already."
"We talked about that. If he does, that's one less person in a command position to look out for Gracie…" Sam glanced at her small child, who was now teetering in the chair from dizziness. She reached out a hand to steady her until she recovered. "…or should I say, Elda."
"That's true," Vala acknowledged thoughtfully. "But what about General Landry?"
"If Jack leaves, there's no telling what happens to him."
"I think my dad would retire," Carolyn pointed out. "They'd either force him up the chain or give him a superior he doesn't want to deal with. Either way, he won't like it. Pretty sure he wants this to be his last posting and then he's done."
Sam groaned.
Vala rubbed her friend's shoulder. "We'll just have to put people we trust in positions of power then," she said conspiratorially.
Carolyn scoffed and laughed at her. "You say that as if you could control that."
The former pirate grinned. "If I could, I would."
Sam rolled her eyes with a smile.
Twenty-three Jaffa dutifully followed Elda from the gate to the clearing. They all held various supplies to contribute to the ruse of a village on another world. Ahead of her, Lo'zim carefully scanned the forest, searching for signs of unexpected guests. His staff weapon followed the path of his eyes. Behind the refugees were the builders carrying additional lumber. Still more guardsmen flanked them all, tasked with protecting their nameless brothers and sisters.
Their lead paused near the edge of the clearing. He narrowed his eyes. Then he sniffed. "Jaffa! Kree!" Lo'zim yelled. Some of the guardsmen split off and circled the perimeter. They spread into the forest beyond for a brief time, checking that no one else was there and that nothing had changed. When they each reappeared within sight of the head guardsman, he nodded with satisfaction. Lo'zim turned around and bowed. "Our surroundings are secure, Lady Elda."
She smiled at him and laid a hand on his bicep. "Thank you, dear Giant," she said sweetly. Elda proceeded into the clearing. "Come, Jaffa." The refugees followed. She went to the central projector and turned it on. A set of huts suddenly appeared. "I invite your suggestions. Our ally taught me how to rearrange these images. We can make this look as real as possible."
The nameless Jaffa gazed around. They began to wander among the fake huts, noting how their fingers easily disrupted the holograms. "What say you, Sister?" one Jaffa asked of another. "Should this hut be placed further that way?"
"I think that would be prudent. There must be enough space for individuals to pass, especially if the village comes under attack."
More conversations like these began among the refugees. Elda smiled. She would allow them time to come up with appropriate changes. They likely knew much better than her how to design a proper Jaffa village.
"My Lady," one of the builders said, stepping forward. "We stand ready to begin."
Elda looked at the new guard houses that were constructed last time they were here. According to Lo'zim, they met his specifications. "Proceed," she said with a nod. She watched as a handful of Jaffa moved together to begin constructing a hut that would be used for food storage. That one actually had to be real; Smith needed a place for his liquor. After that, they would build more simple huts around each of the projectors. Elda told them to skimp on the design. They just needed to look convincing from the outside, not be very functional. Once the refugees settled on the placement of everything, the Jaffa could simply build accordingly.
Elda realized that this holographic technology could serve as a useful planning tool for starting new villages from scratch. Her eyes lit up. Maybe that could be a good exchange between Master Meil'nor and Intrusha Thel. The village produced a multitude of beautiful items that the space station inhabitants would find charming and rare. She rubbed her hands together, imagining a successful trade negotiation in her future. She'd wait until her birth mother set up a stargate there, then she'd make the proposal.
Her radio clicked. "Baby Cakes, come in."
"Smitty?"
"We're at the gate. Got the whole gang with us. Tell your guys we're cool."
Elda raised a communicator of Goa'uld design to her mouth. She spoke in Goa'uld now. "Guardsmen of the gate, report."
"Four human men have appeared before us. They wear the clothing of the Tau'ri."
"Allow them passage, Brothers. Memorize their faces so that they may pass again unhindered."
"As you command, Lady Elda. They approach your position now."
"Thanks, Baby," Smith sounded off on the SGC-issued radio.
Within minutes, the rest of SG-3 appeared. "Mal Doran," Reynolds called out.
She stepped up to him. "Colonel, welcome to our new village," she said with a playful smile.
He raised a brow at the holographic displays that reached across the entire clearing. He noted all the commotion that his female subordinate had apparently instigated.
Baker whistled. "Comin' together, huh?"
Smith grinned. "It's a work in progress." He caught Elda's eye. "We should name this place."
She shrugged. "Okay. What do you wanna call it?"
Crawford squinted. "How 'bout… Overkill?"
"Hey!" Smith and Elda both yelled in unison.
Baker snorted.
Reynolds didn't seem to disagree. "Is this really necessary to fool Chigu? All this work and they'll spend what… a couple of minutes, checkin' out the place?"
"If that's all the time they spend, then we'll be lucky, Colonel," Elda retorted. "The more they linger, the easier it will be to see through this ruse. We need Chigu to take our trade deal seriously. Then we can get them to talk."
"Smith tells me you recruited the refugees to help you?"
Elda glanced around to make sure none of them were listening in. They all seemed to be distracted, deep in conversation regarding the design of the village. She drew closer to her CO and lowered her voice. "Yes, because they have symbiotes. To be honest, these people need something to do. They've already offered to help me… somehow. I figured this is better than having them hang around Tek'ron without a purpose. It would drive anyone mad, I think."
Reynolds just grunted, accepting her explanation.
"You said some of them wanted to be part of your personal guard, didn't you?" Baker asked in a near-whisper.
"Whoa… what?" Crawford said, surprised.
Smith commented, "Dayum, Cakes got influence."
Elda ignored them. "Yes, Lieutenant, they did. Some are even training with the warriors now. So they could pose as guardsmen here. My Giant over there says they have potential."
"That big guy over there, you mean?"
"Mmm hmm."
"Shoot, he looks like all you need," Baker marveled.
Elda chuckled.
"What's the plan then? Give me more detail," Reynolds demanded.
Smith answered, "Sir, we plan to have this finished up before we leave for Chigu."
"Meanwhile, I continue to train on the tel'tak with Teal'c."
"How's that going, by the way?" Baker asked. "Heard you had a rough start."
Elda frowned then tilted her head. "It's better."
Reynolds brought them back to his original query. "You going to give Chigu this location, then invite them for tea or something?"
"Not exactly. They'll hand us another calling card and we'll make sure it ends up here. They'll track it to this planet. I expect them to come by ship so no one really knows they're taking a peek at their next potential client."
"So no shooting a defenseless card to pieces this time, huh?" Crawford teased.
"Nope!"
"And when they do come here? What happens then?" Reynolds asked.
"We'll make sure these Jaffa are here, pretending to go about their days. I'll be assigning some of our guardsmen to protect them. I might put Lo'zim in charge. Let him do the talking if anyone really comes here to ask questions."
"Lo'zim's the big guy?"
"Yes."
Reynolds noticed how at ease Elda seemed with telling all these Jaffa what to do. He smiled internally, recognizing the leadership potential in her that she swore she didn't have. He sure had a monster on his hands. He took solace in knowing that this particular monster seemed to be finding a comfortable middle ground between being on his team and leading these Jaffa. He only saw advantage in this arrangement.
"And you're sure this planet doesn't already belong to someone else?" Reynolds verified.
"Oh yes, I'm quite sure. I swept the whole thing with the Firefly before we got started. This is a hidden gem." Elda held out her hands and gestured around proudly.
"How come you're the only one who knows about it?" Baker asked dubiously
She only smiled enigmatically.
Smith began to chuckle. "Don't tell us, Cakes. A little mystery never hurt anybody."
"Ishta," Teal'c greeted softly outside her hut.
"My Love." She invited him to enter. They embraced each other once the door shut.
"I have requested security from the SGC for our nuptials. They readily agreed. My human colleagues see it as an opportunity to watch us marry."
She raised her brow in amusement. "This occasion is growing larger than we first imagined it would."
Teal'c hummed in agreement. "Bra'tac is already showing signs of stress."
They laughed together, knowing the old Jaffa had been placed in charge of securing a large enough space for their party. He was the one who still lived on Chulak and commanded considerable influence there. The more people that expressed an interest in coming, the more work it was for Bra'tac to ensure they could be hosted.
"And what of Rya'c?"
"He and Kar'yn will attend. They have already declined other invitations."
Ishta bowed her head. "It will please me to see my young Hak'tyl and your son again."
"I, as well." They proceeded to sit together for tea as their conversation continued. "What news is there here?"
"I have convinced young Jasuf to propose marriage to EldaMalDoran."
Teal'c stopped short of sipping his tea. "Is he ready?"
"He did not hesitate to agree."
"Why now, My Love?"
She adopted a small smile. "Their pairing bears great potential for our prosperity," she said cryptically.
He sensed that she was scheming again and not telling him all the details. He grabbed her hand. "Ishta," he said meaningfully. They already had a discussion about how their marriage meant she needed to let him in… on all her many plans.
"Teal'c, have you considered what would happen if they were to produce offspring?"
His brow raised high. "You believe that is possible?"
"Yes," she said simply.
"It would be… noteworthy." He narrowed his eyes. "What is your plan?"
"Let their courtship progress as it should. Their union will continue to strengthen the alliance between our villages here on Tek'ron."
"And what of this child you wish them to conceive?"
She smiled, eyes sparkling with all the possibilities. "The child would be the miracle our people need."
"In what way?"
"Reflect on what those experts in genetics are capable of. A successful Jaffa-human hybrid might be the key to our freedom."
"We are already free."
"Not completely. I will remind you of my tribe's original mission to secure symbiotes for our refugee girls."
Teal'c breathed in. "You mean for EldaMalDoran to bear a child that will never require a symbiote for survival? Then you will have our allies study the child's genetic code to identify the final solution and apply it to us all?"
Ishta smiled. He was getting it. "Yes."
"There is a problem with your plan."
Her smile faded. What could he possibly be talking about?
"EldaMalDoran is her own master. Perhaps she will one day agree to marriage with Jasuf; that possibility is strong. But that does not guarantee she will want a child. Her human family has already professed that she is too young to become a mother."
Ishta remained quiet as she considered her mate's words. She overlooked the human part of this equation. Elda was so good at being Jaffa that it was easy to forget that she was not. She was young, even by human standards. She was still maturing even now. Perhaps it would be undesirable to weigh her down with the burdens of motherhood so soon. She still held great potential in other areas that had nothing to do with childbearing. There might be an advantage to waiting. "Your counsel is most appreciated, Teal'c."
He breathed out in relief.
"I will revise the timeline of my plans, to ensure that she is first willing to engage in this endeavor."
His eyes widened. He was really hoping she'd give up on this ambitious plan altogether. Teal'c sensed he'd have to continuously run interference on his niece's behalf. It was a good thing he proposed to Ishta at all. Otherwise he might never learn of these sorts of grand schemes before they went too far.
He sighed internally. This mate of his was what Jack O'Neill would call a 'handful'.
Sam and some techs from the Hammond were greeted at the space station docks when they arrived. A dock attendant was there, but this time a station official was with him.
The tall man wore gray robes with accents of light blue to signify his role as a technologist. His dark-hair was swept back into a ponytail behind him. The tanned representative bowed his head politely toward the SGC personnel. "Welcome to our station. I am Rinu'lor Thel of Station Technology and Advancement."
Sam smiled politely. "Hello, I'm Colonel Samantha Carter. This is a team from the U.S.S. George Hammond. Thank you for having us."
"You are referring to the ship you used to travel here?"
"Yes."
"I had the opportunity to observe its approach. It is a curious vessel. I am unfamiliar with its make and model."
She smiled proudly. "It's a custom Earth-build."
He nodded in acknowledgement, seemingly impressed. "Because you are here for official station matters, we will waive your docking fees," Rinu'lor announced. He let his data pad make contact with that of the dock attendant. The worker nodded and left without a word, motorized cart following dutifully behind him.
"Thank you."
"Please come with me. I will show you to where you might install the device you have brought us."
Sam and the techs followed as he led them away. She kept pace with Rinu'lor while they headed toward the center of the station, where its common area and lifts were located. "Where did you decide to house the new stargate?"
"Due to safety concerns, our Security Head requested that we trial the use of a stargate in a restricted area of the station. I trust that it is possible to move the device at a later time?"
"It should be. If you ever need help with that, Earth can provide assistance."
"That is reassuring to hear. I am eager to see this technology put to use. Perhaps this will become a fruitful alliance," he said with a hopeful tone.
"That's our goal as well."
The station official led them to a compound that was only accessible by body scan. Sam carefully watched as he let lasers scan him at various doors within. Daniel described this to her, marveling at how it looked exactly the way he'd seen it done in a future version of the SGC. She was getting the sense that her daughter's arrival to the past was reinvigorating Earth's taste for new tech. They thought they'd seen it all. But then Gracie arrived and jumpstarted a series of events that made them realize they hadn't even scratched the surface of what was currently out there.
Gracie didn't even have to try, either. All she did was show up and be herself. The rest just seemed to fall into place magically after her. Sam couldn't be prouder that she was her kid.
Rinu'lor said apologetically, "You will find that our Station Security Head is somewhat paranoid. He expressed concerns regarding unexpected visitors arriving through the stargate."
"We completely understand. Earth also takes precautions with its own gate. We don't let just anyone through, even though our base is also very secure."
"Yes, your Ambassador explained that when I met him."
Curious, Sam asked, "How did you find our young Ambassador to be?"
"Personable. And easy to understand. He was able to explain in plain language the risks and benefits of allowing a stargate to be placed here. It was enough to convince our Security Head to accept the risk."
Sam grinned. Looked like she and Elda had the right idea picking Smith after all. "I'm very pleased to hear that, Mister Thel."
"Ahh, you may address me as Rinu'lor. I predict we will have a friendly partnership by the time this is done." He smiled down at Sam, who was an entire head shorter than him due to his Furling DNA.
"Rinu'lor," she repeated, acknowledging his request. "Feel free to call me Sam, then."
"Sam."
They ventured through a maze of corridors until they reached a wide open hall. It was spacious and tall, with an obvious access port in the ceiling that led to the vacuum of space. Sam and the techs noted there was nothing separating them from hard vacuum except that blast door.
"Will this be sufficient space for a stargate to operate?" Rinu'lor asked.
"Oh, plenty. We would set it slightly off center to allow room for the kawoosh to form and dissipate."
Rinu'lor pulled out his data pad and entered commands. A holographic version of a stargate formed in front of them. He used his data pad to scoot the image back. "Like this?"
Sam shared glances with her techs. They approached the hologram, noting it was an accurate replica of a Milky Way gate. Someone pulled out a retractable measuring tape from his jumpsuit pocket. Another tech pulled on its end until the first person told him to stop. Then he nodded to the Colonel.
Rinu'lor watched them interestedly. "What a crude little device."
Sam chuckled. "It's a tape measure." She gazed down at the number on it. "Looks like placement of the gate here will be just fine." The tech let the tape end go and it shot back into its metal housing with a snap. Sam held out a hand for the tape, then gave it to Rinu'lor to examine. "Keep it if you like. We have more."
He looked up at her with a grateful smile. "Thank you. I will enjoy this." The measuring tape disappeared into his robes. "Now…" He entered more commands into his pad. A dome shape formed around the fake gate. "This is what we propose as our barrier between the gate and the rest of the station. I would like to hear your thoughts on this."
Sam gazed at it curiously. "What exactly is it?" Her fingers unconsciously reached up to touch the imaginary dome, causing the image to ripple briefly as it was interrupted.
"A basic force shield to prevent solid objects from passing through. Station Security realizes that anyone could use the stargate, good or bad. We can request that travelers forewarn us of their intention to arrive, but your Ambassador gave examples of when that is sometimes not feasible. Such as in emergencies."
"Right. So how would this work?"
"When the stargate activates, the dome would automatically form around it. Travelers could pass through the gate, but would not be allowed to enter the wider station unless they have authorization. Those that do not belong here would be sent back."
Sam noted that the dome was large enough to encompass the gate, its kawoosh, and some wiggle room for people to avoid disintegration. "How would you convince unwanted guests to go back through?"
"We plan to activate an outgoing wormhole then gradually reduce the dome's size, forcing a traveler back in."
Sam was starting to think Daniel's other self must have engaged in trade with this station in that future her daughter came from. He described this very dome concept to her before. She wondered what events would have led Earth to make contact with this place in Gracie's absence. "I take it, touching the force shield might hurt?"
"Immensely."
She grit her teeth. "Huh. That's a new one. But I like it." She made eye contact with her techs. "Better than getting splattered all over the inside of an iris."
They nodded to agree.
Rinu'lor looked perplexed. "This solution did seem more preferable than that." He was obviously aware of what Sam was talking about, having studied all the proposed security measures she sent over with Smith.
"Well, if you don't mind, we'll have our ship drop the gate directly in here through that port." She pointed up at the blast door. "I imagine you could open this compartment up to space as another security measure, too, right?"
"Correct. Should our dome fail in its purpose, we can remove unwanted guests via hard vacuum instead."
"Is the dome air-tight?"
"For a short time, yes. But without air pressure exerting force upon it from both sides, the field will fail."
"So if this compartment happened to be open to vacuum and someone unknowingly gated in…"
"They would have but ten minutes to survive."
"Yikes. We'll have to make a note of that on our end."
"Yes. We plan to have controls for this area routed straight to Station Command. Someone will always be available to monitor the stargate. They should notice if a traveler is at risk and act accordingly."
"Good to know." Sam leaned down to her radio. "Hammond, this is Carter. Come in."
"Go ahead, Colonel."
"Are you reading my location within the station?"
"Negative. SubQ tracker transmissions remain jammed."
"Standby." She turned to Rinu'lor. "Any chance we could do something about that? Or could we at least tell them where this port is?" she asked, gesturing at the blast door high above them.
The station official looked down at his pad. "I will have Station Command share my location with your ship. I would need to know which frequencies you are using in order to allow your tracker to function."
Sam waved a hand. "Having your Command talk to my ship will do. Thank you." She reactivated the radio. "Hammond, coordinate with their central control. They'll direct you. You're dropping the gate and DHD directly through a blast door here."
"Copy. We're already establishing contact."
Outside the station, all cargo loaders stopped. The individual pilots within them listened as Station Command gave orders to steer clear of the path the Hammond was about to take. A few of them gazed out their side ports to see a massive ship waiting outside of the station's activity zone. They all suspended their tasks and zipped back to their home docks until further notice. The other ships being loaded and unloaded would simply have to wait.
The Earth-made ship slowly maneuvered itself toward the side of the station. There was enough space between the rotating docks for it to angle itself just so. The belly of the Hammond oriented itself against the station's main cylinder. Its shadow blocked out lights from nearby vessels that would normally pierce through the ports.
By this point, Rinu'lor, Sam, and her team had retreated behind another blast door to watch the commotion. Alarms blared and lights flashed. Air was moved from the compartment to other parts of the station. Then the blast door in the ceiling opened. A gate gracefully dropped in, guided by small thrusters that controlled its descent. It already had special feet constructed around its base to help it remain erect wherever it was placed.
Via radio, Sam carefully directed the crew manning the thrusters to let the gate set down gently in the exact spot Rinu'lor had chosen. He kept the holographic image up until it was fully replaced by a real, live ring. The small thrusters deactivated and stayed attached to the gate.
The station official's eyes were wide as he gazed through the window of the blast door at their new possession. His attention then focused on another curious object being loaded into the new gate room. It was a traditional DHD.
Sam had no way of creating a dialing program compatible with station technology without actually being here. But she did have the full, original schematics and programming language available for one of these old things. The plan was to teach the station personnel how to use the traditional DHD, then let them create their own workaround to tie control of the gate into their existing systems. It wasn't something she expected them to accomplish while she was here. But at least they could get the gate operational for them. If they really needed her help with a custom dialing program, she could easily use the stargate to stop by.
"Colonel, our readings are showing packages are delivered."
"Standby, Hammond, while we verify." She turned to Rinu'lor. "Okay for us to go in now?"
"One moment." He tapped commands into his data pad then held it up to a control panel on the wall. The ceiling port shut with a heavy thud that reverberated through the walls. Lights continued to flash as they all heard air being returned to the compartment. The lights stopped and the door in front of them opened when it was safe. Rinu'lor gestured for them to proceed.
Sam's team went right in. Half of them attended to the DHD and the other half to the gate. Thrusters were detached and packed carefully into special hard cases they brought with them. The team planned to bring them back by hand on Puddle Jumper 1. "All good, Colonel," one of the techs announced.
She nodded at him then spoke into her radio. "Hammond, packages are secure. Good work. Retreat back to the safe zone so the station can resume its normal activity. We'll continue on in here."
"Acknowledged, Colonel. Hammond out."
Sam pointed at the DHD. "There's still a little juice leftover in this thing. But we should connect it to power now. The gate as well."
"Understood." Rinu'lor used his data pad to command a panel in the floor to recede. "You now have direct access to station power conduits in there. We have a variety of couplings available should you need them."
Sam squat down to stare into the hole in the floor. A few techs hovered over her to look. "Hmm. Fascinating." Several colored conduits ran in neat parallel lines. She grinned. "This should be fun."