Sight Unseen
by Bekah See 
Prologue Heart pounding, feet flying, cold coming, fear rising. Terror made flesh was escaping from the earth where it was hidden, surrounded by a circle of stones. The ground trembled in its wake and the screams of the dying filled the air as their blood flowed into the dirt beneath their feet. Tearing, ripping, devouring…“No!” cried an old woman, jerking awake in her blankets as a burst of sunlight flowed over her face. “No…” she breathed, horrified. Something was coming.
Chapter 1

Samantha Carter sat contentedly in a large field, leaning back on her hands and enjoying the lush scenery that spread for miles across the land. A light breeze floated over her, sifting through the tall grasses, making it look as if they drifted on an ocean rocking in its bed.The swishing sound of soft footsteps made her turn and squint into the late afternoon sunlight. A long shadow followed by a short silhouette resolved themselves into Janet Frasier, who flumped down  beside her friend, looking disgruntled. “Hi Janet,” Sam took in the doctor’s frown and hid a grin. “Tessa riding you hard again?”“You have no idea,” Janet grumped. “The way she talks to me you’d think I hadn’t had eight years of med school plus who know how much experience behind me.”“What’s she on about this time?”“Taso root.” Sam smirked. She knew Janet to be an exceptional doctor with an incredible capacity for memory and a tongue that could flay you alive in ninety seconds flat, but this village healer, whose tiny stature made Janet look like an Amazon, was giving the Earth woman a run for her money.  “What about them?” she asked.“Everything about them!” Janet fumed. “Of all the medicinal plants I’ve been studying and cataloguing over the past ten days, this one root is giving me a continual headache. It seems to do everything and nothing at the same time, and the list of things it can safely be used with is just as long as the list of things that make it toxic. I can’t find the common factor.” She sighed heavily and picked at the plush growth beneath her. “I just don’t get it. And I don’t like feeling stupid.”Sam looked sharply around at her friend and grabbed her arm. “You are not stupid, Janet,” she said, her voice fiercely protective. “You’re the most brilliant doctor I know, and you’ve picked up more information in the last few days than I thought was humanly possible. We still have a week and a half before we go home. You’ll get it.”“Not if either Tessa or I mysteriously dies before then,” the doctor growled.Sam smiled. “Well, you’re done for today, so try to relax a bit.”“Oh, no, I’m not. She’s sent me off to gather more barlo vines from the glade and then to get as much fan moss as I can find.” The doctor shook her head. “The woman is a slave driver, I tell you.”“How about if I go with you?” Sam said, getting up and reaching a hand down to haul Janet to her feet.“No way. You’re on leave. You’re supposed to be resting.”“Oh, come on, Janet. I’ve done more of nothing in ten days than I’ve done in the past six years. I’m starting to go stir crazy.  Besides, General Hammond ordered me to rest, not to stay immobile. It’ll be fun.”“Alright,” Janet said, cheering a little. “It would be nice to have you along.”Sam smiled and the two women linked arms and headed away from the village and into the rolling hills beyond.

Chapter 2 Janet walked with the warm sun on her back, feeling her anger beginning to recede. This world was truly a paradise. The hills were covered in a verdant carpet of green, which shimmered in pools of golden sunlight. The sapphire hues of the cloudless sky were so intense, it almost hurt to look up. There were no sounds of machinery, motors or anything else man made. Birdsong floated through the air, accompanied by the soft rustling of leaves on the wind, creating a natural symphony that slowly permeated the doctor’s agitation, stilling her restlessness and calming her spirit.She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with the heady perfume of something like gardenias, though here the flower, called a jalla blossom, was a rich vibrant red shot through with veins of shimmering gold. Sam had mentioned once that there were actually traces of the element in the flower, and had marveled at the blending.Janet walked toward some of the blossoms growing nearby, and, choosing two small but perfect specimens, plucked them, and put one in her hair. She handing the other to Sam, who smiled her thanks and held it to her nose, breathing deeply. Carter was glad to see Janet enjoying herself. The doctor had had a rough time under Tessa’s stern tutelage, but the plants and techniques she was studying had the potential to counter some of Earth’s most tragic diseases, and she knew her friend would not give up when she might be handling the answer to things like Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and even some forms of cancer.The major’s thoughts floated, cradled by the tranquility that surrounded them. She smiled as she recalled how General Hammond had gently but firmly ordered her on this “mission”. SG-1 had just come back from yet another skirmish with the Goa’uld, and Sam had been injured—again. It had taken longer for her body to heal itself than it should have, which Janet had attributed to exhaustion, after which she had ordered the entire team to be placed on standby for a month. Jack took off for Minnesota, Daniel went to his 251st Archeological conference, and Teal’c left to visit Rya'c. Which left Sam with the choices of visiting her brother in California, or staying in the Springs and doing something by herself. She had just begun entertaining ideas of taking a cruise or a long distance ride on her Indian through the Rocky Mountain National Park when she had been asked by Hammond if she would like to accompany Dr. Frasier on her three week trip to Rihalliu, where she was to learn all she could about the local homeopathic medicinal practices. Sam could see the pull. The natives were a beautiful people who chose to keep their lives simple. They were fully human, but enjoyed almost perfect health, thanks in part to the extensive study and dedication of their healers, and part to their natural hardiness. General Hammond had asked Sam to go with the doctor to “watch her back” he said, though they both knew there was nothing to fear from this planet or its people. But Sam took the gesture for the offer of rest that it was, and accompanied her closest friend through the gate and into the village.It had been a very peaceful ten days, and Sam felt better than she had in a long time. She was physically whole and relaxed, her spirit was calm, and the knots she’d thought had taken up permanent residence in her stomach were finally unraveling. She looked over at Janet and smiled. The doctor, too, looked rested despite the ongoing tension with Tessa. Her skin glowed in the sun, set off by the loose white top and pants that flowed around her as they walked. Her hair shone chocolate, flecked with ribbons of gold from hours in the gentle sun, and her gait was light and easy. Both women were barefoot, not needing any protection from the soft grass beneath their feet.They reached the glade and stopped beside a sparkling stream that ran through the sanctuary. Kneeling, the two women dipped their hands and greedily drank their fill of the sweet water. “So what are we looking for?” Sam asked, standing and shaking her hands dry.“Well,” Janet looked up into the boughs of shivering leaves. “Barlo vines grow within these trees, usually between the lower branches. They’re silvery in color, and fairly thin, but shouldn’t be too hard to find.” She reached up and pulled a series of spindly vines down from the branches directly above her. “These are them. And you’ll probably have an easier time of this than I will, with those ape arms of yours.”Sam stuck her tongue out at her friend, then turned her attention upwards and started searching for the plant. A gentle wind whistled through the glade, sending the branches singing, and tiny white petals began to drift lazily  through the air before settling silently to the ground. Sam watched them as they fell, transfixed by the hypnotic flow. Smiling, she shook herself and continued her search until she had an armful of vines before returning to Janet and depositing her load into the doctor’s bag. Soon the sack was full, and the two women moved deeper into the glade, following the shallow stream to a pool at the bottom of a small waterfall.Janet had been here many times, gathering herbs and plants for her tutor, but each time she was struck by the illusion of newness that seemed to permeate the place. Every curve, every angle, every rock and branch and flower sparkled and shone as if it had just been painted by a loving and benevolent hand. Canopies of white and pink blossoms spread through the trees overhead, filling the air with their fragrance. Dewdrops from the spray of the waterfall flirted with the sunlight, sending tiny rainbows dancing across her face.A soft touch on her arm brought Janet back to herself, and she turned to Sam, who wordlessly gestured to the edge of the clear blue pool. Janet looked and saw several small boulders covered by the soft olive skin of fan moss. She nodded, and both women set to work prizing the fragile water plant off the rocks on which they grew. They packed it carefully into the special containers Janet had brought with her; the moss died quickly if it was bruised, and Tessa needed it fresh and green. Very soon they had gathered enough to fulfill the healer’s requirements, and the two women regretfully turned their steps back toward the village. The sun was setting and they would be expected soon for the evening meal. Janet entered Tessa’s small home without knocking, as she had been ordered on the first day of her time here. She silently moved around the small outer room, placing the vines in their designated basket, and removing the moss from its casing to place it in a special urn that was insulated by another type of moss keeping the vessel cool and moist.Her tasks done, she returned to her own dwelling, which she shared with Sam, to wash her hands and face and put on fresh clothing. Sam was already there pulling on loose black pants and a long plum colored tunic. She smiled as Janet walked in. “I’m going to go help with dinner. Wanna come?”“Sure. I’ll be out in a minute.” Janet finished dressing and left the hut to join Sam at the cooking fires. Janet breathed deeply as she approached the large open space used by the Rihallians for their community meals. She smiled, watching as children shrieked and ran, chasing each other around the legs of their parents. Several families shared each of the large roasting pits, kneeling or sitting on the soft ground as they prepared the part of the meal they had been tasked to. They talked and laughed in their lightly accented speech, sharing stories of the day and plans for tomorrow. Once the food was finished, all would be carried to several large tables set to the side, and everyone would share equally. Very soon, those tables were groaning under the weight of several haunches of meat, which had been rubbed with savory herbs before being roasted over the open pits. Vegetables of astonishing colors soaked in nectars or spices were set alongside wheels of yellow cheese and loaves of crusty bread. Bowls of frothy butter and fresh, sweet jam rounded out the meal.The eldest always went first, and selected the choicest bits from the cuts of meat, the most tender of the vegetables, and the most perfect rolls before returning to their places among much good humored teasing about needing soft food for their aging palates. Once the elders were seated, family groups went through, followed by single adults. There was always plenty to go around, and the people ate well. Nights on Rihalliu were just as beautiful as the days. Millions of stars sparkled unchallenged in the midnight blue sky, and the air was cool and mild. Songs of laughter filled the air, mingling with the gleeful screeching of children and the good natured banter of friends. Sam had quickly been marked as a good source for new stories to add to the peoples’ already rich repertoire. At first she had been hesitant to share the details of her past missions; they were classified after all, but she quickly came to realize that the truthfulness of the details didn’t matter nearly as much as the entertainment factor.So she spoke of her travels, modestly at first, then with increasing embellishments and outright fabrications. She loved to hear her friends laugh, and used the idiosyncrasies of her teammates to great effect. Even Janet, who had either lived through or heard about every adventure, found herself laughing out loud as Sam expounded on Jack’s mutterings and indelicacies, Daniel’s constant ability to get into trouble, and Teal’c’s dry, subtle humor. The doctor leaned forward in her seat with everyone else, hanging on Sam’s every word as the major recounted the horror of seeing Jack pinned to a wall by a sphere that didn’t want to go home, her shock when Teal’c turned his weapon on his fellow Jaffa for the first time, and her deep concern for Daniel when Ma'chello stole his body and went on a little holiday. Janet noticed, however, that Sam did not recount any of her own misfortunes, but she decided to refrain from commenting. If the major didn’t want to relive any of the horrors she herself had gone through, Janet couldn’t blame her one bit.This night, however, Sam was not asked for a story, and Janet’s eyes widened as she saw a tiny figure rise from the group and move to the front. Tessa settled herself on the red silken pillow reserved for the storyteller, and began. Listen, if you will, to the tale of the Krallik, and hear, O People, the warning contained within. Some of the parents began shifting around Sam and Janet, looking uncomfortably at one another, and obviously ill at ease with this particular choice. Several of the young mothers grimaced and went so far as to scoop up their little ones and take them to their beds in order to spare them the tale. The two outsiders looked at each other briefly, then turned their attention back to the old woman sitting as still as a stone at the front of the crowd. Many years ago, when our people were very young, this land was a desolate place, consumed by the evil that lived here. Blackened trees stood like sentinels against a blood red sky, guarding the ghosts of a people who had been hunted since the beginning of time. For this was the age of the invisible Krallik. Men were wary, constantly on guard against a terror they could not see, for the Krallik could hide itself in the shadows of darkness. Desperate to protect their women and babes, they refused to rest, instead keeping watch over their squalid camps until sunrise when the evil that haunted them slept. But every night, after the sun had gone to its bed, the Krallik would come and touch living flesh. And whomever was touched would quickly grow hot with fever, insanity invading their minds. Within hours, the victim, be it man, woman or child, would break from the restraining hands of their loved ones and flee, screaming into the trees, as  if chased by the very hounds of hell. None of them was ever seen again.For many turns, the beast ate well, devouring those whose terrors forced them into the forest. And though the people learned of a method that would allow them to perceive the Krallik, the Sight came at a terrible cost, causing fear and sickness whenever anyone dared to take it, until the day came when no one would, and the people were once again left staring out into the forests, wondering if they were looking at the beast as it came for them. Then one night, as the stars burned brightly  in the sky, a silvery light grew out of the darkness. It passed into and through the dwellings of men, and disappeared into the trees  where the beast lived.A great battle ensued, light against darkness, good against evil. It raged for three days and three nights, and the devastation was terrible. And then, at sundown on the third day, a great thunderclap was heard and white lightning split the sky. The roar was heard over all the land, and its echo crumbled mountains into dust.  The light reappeared, moving toward the cowering men.“The beast has been sent back to the abyss from which it came. You are free. Do with your lives what you will.” The words were not heard in their ears, but in their minds, and the people bowed down to worship the light. Peace and safety came to the land. No longer did men have to force the earth to produce food. Now the ground gave it willingly. Trees and bushes, laden with fruit grew plentifully, and men began to cull the earth, planting the seeds of the foods that they ate so that they would always have enough. The people grew wise and beautiful, their lives rich with laughter and song. But there is a legend among those who have kept our history, that the evil will come again, searching for the blood of those whom it had once fed upon. And in that time, darkness will once again fall, unless warriors not of us can vanquish the beastHear, O People, the tale of the Krallik, and heed its warning well. Silence had descended on the crowd as Tessa’s last words faded into the darkness. For many long moments, no one moved. Then one man stood and left the group for his home, breaking the spell, and the crowd dispersed with much muttering and whispering.Janet stood and made her way toward Tessa, who was still sitting on the pillow, staring at the fire before her. She sat cross legged on the ground and waited for the elder to acknowledge her.“You wish to know why I chose to tell that story.” the old woman said, far more quietly than Janet had ever heard her speak.“Yes.” she answered simply.Sam sat down next to Janet and waited for Tessa to continue.“Some evil approaches, Janet.” The doctor’s eyes widened. It was the first time Tessa had called her by her given name. “I fear that the time will soon be upon us when the Krallik returns to hunt its chosen prey.”“Why do you believe this?”Tessa shook her head. “It is a feeling, no more. It may simply be that I am growing old, and my fears are getting the better of me, but I do not believe so. That is why I chose to tell this story. The people need to be on guard, to know that nothing lasts forever.”“Tessa,” Sam spoke up, her eyes narrowed in thought. “What can you tell us about this Krallik besides what we heard in the story?”“There is nothing else to tell.” the healer said. “It is a creature of the dark that cannot abide the light of the sun, though fire does not give it pause. It cannot be seen by human eyes, and yet a single scratch from its claw will drive grown men to insanity and send them running into its grasp.”“What about the light that saved the people?” Sam asked. “It was never seen again, though many believe that it is still here, protecting us from the evil that invaded our land so long ago. They think that, should the evil return, the Light will also return, and once again deliver us.”“But you don’t agree, do you?” Janet said softly.Tessa looked at the ground and visibly braced herself for her next words. “No. I believe the Light left us to ourselves, though it may have sealed the breach in the world where the creature came from.”The old woman fell silent for a time, then suddenly her head snapped up and her eyes flared. “Now, if you two are through wasting my time, I must return to my home.” In one fluid motion that belied her great age, Tessa rose from her pillow and swept away.Janet turned to Sam, and saw a look of wary comprehension there. “What?” she asked.“I’m not sure yet. I need more information before I can reach any kind of conclusions.”Janet did not push her. Sometimes it was best to let Sam’s mind muse over something for a while before bringing it fully formed into the light.

Chapter 3


The next morning dawned gray and overcast, a soft drizzle falling lightly to the ground. Most days began this way, with an early rain feeding the vegetation of the region, followed by sunshine the rest of the day.The villagers assured Sam and Janet that this was not always the case. Winter saw snow and blizzards, but there was still enough game to hunt, and many seasonal plants that bore fruit, so the people never lacked for food. Most of those long hours were spent indoors in the company of family and friends, where stories were told and games were played beside roaring fires and spicy drinks.Sam woke first, as usual, and dressed quietly so as to not wake her friend. She left the  sleeping chamber and moved into the front room where she started a small fire in the hearth, and began to heat water for her morning coffee—something she absolutely refused to give up. She had brought enough with her from Earth for herself and Janet, and every morning both of the women were grateful for the foresight. So much could go wrong without coffee.A few minutes passed, which Sam spent in silence, listening to the patter of rain on the roof, and staring into the dancing flames of the fire. Janet made her usual grumpy entrance, and Sam nodded to her, still not speaking. She handed Janet a full cup, and the doctor grunted her thanks before breathing deeply of the savory aroma and taking a sip. She turned toward the fire and sat down next to Sam.“Thank you.”“You’re welcome.”The two women were quiet for a time, drinking their coffee and thinking their own thoughts. Eventually, however, a question entered Janet’s mind that needed to be voiced.“What did you think about Tessa’s story last night?”Sam stayed quiet for a moment, ordering her thoughts before answering. “I’m not sure. Most legends, no matter how wild, have at least some grain of truth to them. This one is probably no different, though I don’t know how much store we need to put into Tessa’s warning.”Janet stared into the fire, looking troubled. “I’ve never heard her talk like that before. She seemed almost frightened.“Is it possible she’s delusional?” “I don’t think so. All the evidence I’ve seen tells me her mind is as sharp as yours or mine.”“And her tongue is even worse,” Sam said, trying to lighten the mood.“Tell me about it.” The doctor rose from her place and dusted off her pants. “Want to walk me to her house? It looks like the rain is letting up.”“Sure.” Sam got up too and followed her friend out of the dwelling and into the crisp morning air. The rain had indeed stopped, and the clouds were already giving way to the brilliant blue of the morning sky. The sun was just topping the trees, throwing long shadows across the hills like pillars of an ancient and beautiful temple. Sam and Janet turned toward Tessa’s hut, talking easily about nothing. When they reached the door, it opened before Janet could reach for it.Tessa stood there, her eyes red with fatigue. It was obvious she had not slept the night before, and Janet was immediately concerned.“Tessa, what’s wrong?”“Come in, come in,” the old woman said, ignoring the question.“I’ll see you later, Janet,” Sam said, turning to go.“No!” Tessa barked. “You must come as well.”“I must?” Sam asked, surprised.“Yes, yes. Come in, both of you.” The healer turned away from the door, leaving it open, and the two Earthers followed her in.“Sit,”  she commanded, pointing to a pair of low wooden stools set near the hearth. Sam and Janet sat, looking perplexedly at each other. They said nothing though, knowing Tessa would speak when she was ready and not a moment before.Sam looked around, curious. She’d never been in Tessa’s home before, but it was not entirely what she expected. A warm fire crackled in its bed, illuminating walls of shelves filled with a variety of vases, urns and vessels, each meticulously labeled and organized. Potted plants of cheerful blue and yellow flowers were set in corners and on tables,  intermingling with several different types of greenery. Sam could smell pungent spices mixing with the sweet fragrances of the flowers, and she breathed deeply, enjoying the different scents. Brightly woven blankets were laid artfully about the floor and tacked to the walls, making the entire space feel warm and inviting. Considering what Sam knew about Tessa, the contrast was startling.The old woman bustled around for a bit, gathering herbs from different pots and mixing them in an earthenware vessel, muttering as she worked. Finally she turned back to the hearth and sat next to Janet. “Eat this,” she said, holding a long red stringy plant out to the doctor. Janet took the plant and frowned at it. “Eat it? Just like this?”“Yes. Just like that.”“But I didn’t know it was digestible when eaten alone.”“It is. It will not harm you. Eat it.”“Just a second,” Sam interrupted, alarm bells going off in her head. “What is that thing?”Janet answered her, not taking her eyes from the plant. “It’s taso root. Remember how I was telling you that it has many different properties, some benign and some toxic?”  Sam nodded, and Janet continued. “Well, we’ve never discussed what kinds of effects it would have in its pure form. We’ve only spoken of what it should and should not be mixed with.”Tessa was becoming impatient. “Eat it!”“Why?” Janet asked.The old woman sighed. “Eat it…please.” The last word was spoken grudgingly, and made Janet’s already large eyes go huge in their sockets.She looked at Sam, who was similarly shocked, then shrugged and took a bite. It was crunchy and sweet, much like a carrot would be, but with a sugar cane kind of toughness to it.“Do not swallow the pulp,” Tessa instructed her. “Only the juice contains the elements needed.”“Needed for what?” Sam asked, watching Janet spit the pulp into the jar before her and take another bite.Tessa did not answer, but sat watching Janet as she chewed, swallowed the juice, and spit the pulp out.Janet looked back at her. “What is this supposed to do?” she asked. But then she gasped and fell off her stool, staring wildly around the small space. “What’s going on?” she cried, terror lacing her words like poison. “What did you do to me?!”“Janet!” Sam yelled, going after her friend and grabbing her arms. “What’s wrong? What is it?”“No! Stay away from me!” Janet shook Sam off and curled up, closing her eyes and putting her arms over her head.   Janet’s head was spinning, and fear coursed through her like a living thing, robbing her of thought and reason. Nothing was right, everything was backwards, what was happening to her? She risked a glance at the figure above her, then closed her eyes tight against the nightmare that hovered there. The shape was Sam’s, but the pasty blue-gray skin, black teeth and dead white eyes that stared back at her when she looked at her friend certainly were not. Lank charcoal hair framed the nightmare face, and a glow of shimmering red surrounded the entire figure.Janet was shaking hard, her body overloaded with adrenaline that needed to be released. But even as her body sought release from the chemical overload, her terror kept her from moving. She shrunk down even more, making herself as small as she could, primal fear overwhelming the fight or flight instinct. She could hear angry yelling coming from the monstrosity above her, feel its cold fingers wrapped around her arms, and she whimpered as the noise and touch magnified until it echoed through her mind.Then one of the hands released her and something hot touched her lips, scalding her mouth and making her gasp and jerk away.“No!” she pleaded, trying to writhe away from her tormentor. “Please, leave me alone!”The angry yelling continued, louder this time, along with a violent shake that set Janet’s teeth rattling. The burning touched her lips again, and again she tried to jerk away, but the freezing hand was back, this time on her jaw, forcing it open. Scalding liquid burned its way down her throat, and she screamed, coughing and spluttering a moment later as the liquid fire hit her belly. She doubled over, gasping and retching, terror flooding her body and she knew she was going to die.And then it was gone. The arms wrapped around her were warm and gentle, and the room stopped its whirling flight. Janet opened her eyes to find Sam staring at her, wide eyed and frightened. She put a hand up and touched Sam’s face and hair, reassured by the strength and concern she saw there. “Sam,” she croaked. “What happened?”“That’s a good question.” The major’s voice was hard as flint as she glared at Tessa, who sat across from her, her hands in her lap, and her gaze downcast.“I am sorry, Janet,” the healer said, looking up, but her eyes were hard.Janet sat up with Sam’s help. “Why did you do that?”“You had to see, to know.”“See what? What was that?”“What you saw was this world—in reverse.”“What?” Sam hissed, her patience snapping. “What are you talking about?”“Do you remember, in the tale I told last night, of a method the people of the time found to be able to see the Krallik?” she waited for their nods, then continued. “This was the way. When you take in the juice of the taso, without the interference of any other substance, it changes your body’s chemistry, allowing you to see the world in a completely different way. And it is only when your perceptions are thus altered that you are able to see the beast.”“Uh-huh.” Sam turned to Janet. “So what did you see? One minute you were fine, the next you acted as if I was Freddy Kruger coming to steal your soul or something.”Janet took a deep breath, her heart still racing as she recalled the images and feelings that had bombarded her, and found she didn’t want to speak of it yet. “Where is the cup you had me drink from?”Sam turned and retrieved a small ceramic vessel from where she had discarded it on the floor, and handed it to Janet, who took it gingerly and turned it over in her hands. “It’s cold,” she said thoughtfully. “Yeah. I think Tessa mixed the remedy before she had you eat the root. She pulled the cup from one of those insulated containers.” Sam’s glare at the old woman provoked no reaction, but it made Sam feel better, so she kept it up.“It was a negative,” Janet murmured, pulling Sam’s attention back to her.“Come again?”“It was like looking at a negative,” Janet repeated. “You know, like when you look at the negative of a photo? How everything is backward? That’s how it was.” She swallowed hard. The image of Sam inverted was going to be with her for a while. “Your skin was gray, and so was your hair, but darker. Your eyes were white, and your teeth were black.” She was pale and beginning to shiver again. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to stay in control.  “This cup was burning hot against my skin, and the liquid was like fire.”Sam blanched, horrified. “Oh, Janet, I’m so sorry. I had no idea it would hurt you to drink it!”“Your hands on my skin were like ice, but… Sam, were you yelling at Tessa while I was…uh…”“Yeah, I was. I was trying to make her reverse whatever she had done to you.”“Your voice was loud, louder than it should have been. I wonder why…”Tessa spoke up, “Increased sensitivity to sound is one of the side effects of the root, though we are not sure why.”Sam looked at the ground, thinking hard. “Tessa, did anyone ever see the Krallik without the aid of taso? Is it in any of the other stories?”The old healer leaned back and looked at the ceiling. “There is one obscure reference of someone claiming to have seen the monster in the forest. A hunter had gotten separated from his party, and it grew dark. He saw movement in the trees, and went to investigate, but ran for his life when he laid eyes upon the beast in its natural state. According to the story, he refused to describe it, and never spoke of it again.”“So it’s possible the beast isn’t invisible all the time,” Sam said, looking at Janet.  “Maybe it’s a chameleon.”“A what?” Tessa said sharply.“A chameleon. It’s a reptile on earth that can camouflage itself so thoroughly that it cannot be seen by the naked eye. Maybe the Krallik can too.”“So we’re now assuming this thing is real?” Janet asked, earning a sharp look from Tessa, which she ignored. “Okay, then what does it have to do with the root?” “I don’t know,” Sam said thoughtfully. “The drug must alter our body chemistry enough that our eyes are able to pick up more wavelengths than they normally can. Maybe one of those wavelengths is what makes it show up.”“Be that as it may, I will never go through that again.” Janet shuddered and wrapped her arms around herself.Sam stood up and pulled the doctor to her feet. “Come on, let’s get you home so you can lie down for a while.” The major glared at Tessa for a moment as if daring the older woman to argue, but she just nodded and went back to staring at the floor.

Chapter 4 The walk back to their little dwelling seemed to take forever. Janet’s mind was a blur of nightmare images and feelings, and she shivered as she walked, grateful for Sam’s comforting arm around her shoulder. Once they were back inside, Janet went to lie down while Sam stirred up the fire, though the day was rapidly warming.Janet laid still, listening to her friend move around in the other room, and tried to rest.But she couldn’t. Flashes of gray skin and white eyes, memories of terror and burning pain filled her mind, keeping her eyes from closing for long. Finally Sam entered the room and sat beside her friend. She took her hand and just held it, studying the lines  of tension around Janet’s still closed eyes. A tear leaked out of one corner and Sam saw the doctor’s jaw clench around a sob. She knew Janet hated to cry almost as much as she did, and only then did Carter realize the extent of the shock the doctor had gone through.“Janet,” she said softly. “Do you want to go home?”“No,” Janet answered immediately, sitting up and wiping her eyes furiously. “I’m fine. I just didn’t expect that to happen this morning.”Sam smiled a little. “I know what you mean. Do you want to go for a walk? We could go check out the market.”“Yeah, that sounds great.” Janet stood and took a moment to smooth her clothes and pull herself together. The women walked out of their home and into the dazzling light of late morning. A group of young men sat in a circle fletching arrows with able fingers, and telling wild stories of their most daring battles and hunts.Several brilliant smiles flashed toward the two Earth women as they passed, and they smiled back, waving and greeting the ones whose names they knew.Passing the young men, they continued on through the village and entered the market square where they began to admire some of the many wares on display. Sam stopped in front of a booth that offered a brilliant array of intricately patterned scarves. Designs of embroidered flowers nestled among whorls of striking colors were the most prominent, but she dismissed these as being too gaudy for her taste. Then a flash of ruby red caught her eye, and she began to dig into the mound of silk.Her hand closed around her quarry, and she pulled it out, breathing in at the beauty of the piece as it caught the warm sunlight.  Deep, rich red whirled around intricacies of fiery orange and midnight blue throughout the length of silk. Sam ran it over and over in her hands, marveling as the material seemed to float just above her fingers. She smiled at the woman hovering in the booth.“This is beautiful! How much is it?”The vendor grinned toothily at her, took the scarf out of her hands, and arranged it so that it covered most of Sam’s head and knotted at the back of her neck. “If you will tell everyone where you got it from, you may have it,” The woman said, answering Sam’s question. The she turned to Janet. “Which one do you like?”Janet glared good-naturedly at Sam for a moment for grabbing the best one, then looked around the booth again. “That one,” she said finally, pointing to a gorgeous wrap of violet swirled with vivid green and sky blue spirals. The woman, named Trista, wrapped the gift around Janet’s head and sent them off with a wave.Both woman thanked the vendor profusely, feeling much buoyed by her generosity, and continued their perusal of the square. They examined jewelry patterned with the intricate knots reminiscent of the people’s Celtic ancestry, and Sam stopped at several stalls filled with weapons for hunting and fishing, examining the javelins, bows, unfletched arrows, knives and spears. She admired these people for sticking to their roots. There was just something about the idea of hunting with something less… destructive… than a rifle.Janet pulled Sam away from the weapons, rolling her eyes at her friend’s interest, and walked up to a baker who was selling fresh meat rolls and loaves of dark, yeasty bread. She purchased some of these with the coin in her pocket. She wrapped the foodstuffs in a cloth and put them in a bag supplied by the baker, intent on sharing them for breakfast the next morning. Finally they reached the end of the market square, and in the last booth at the corner of the last row, Janet stopped again, staring at the knick-knacks on display. Sam stopped beside her, curious at what had caught her friend’s eye.Janet reached out and picked up a small, palm sized half sphere that stood out among the rest of the junk on the table like a diamond in a coal yard. Its surface was an inky black, etched with strange symbols in a metallic silver script. A thin band of the same silver encircled the bottom of the dome.“Look at this.”“That text is Ancient,” Sam breathed, astonishment stealing her voice. She looked at the vendor, a small, oily man, and in fact the first person she had seen on this planet who was not astonishingly beautiful. “What’s your name?” she asked him, trying to ignore the greasy smile plastered on his face.“Donaldo is my name, fair lady, and I can see your taste is as wonderful and true as your beauty.”Janet rolled her eyes at the flattery and held up the object. “Where did you find this?”“Ah, you are one for a tale of adventure, are you not?” he blathered. “That is a rare and special artifact, unearthed by myself and my companions many months ago as we searched for the lost temple of…”“Just tell us where you got it,” Janet snapped, her patience wearing thin.“Oh. Uh, well, if you must know, I found it in the ground a few hours walk from here. That way.” He pointed a stubby finger at the road leading out of the village to the north. “One of a kind,” he boomed suddenly, intent on resuming his pitch. “You’ll never find another like it this side of…”“How much?” Sam said, calling him off his rant.“Well, for something that valuable and rare, I simply could not take less than ten sikes.”Janet snorted and dropped the dome on the table. “You can’t be serious. I’ll bet I’d find a bunch of these lying around off that road if I looked.  I’ll give you two.”“Two?” Donaldo spluttered. “Do you have any idea what I went through to get that?”“You mean by picking it up off the ground? I’ll give you three.”“Seven is the lowest I could possibly go.”“Four.”“Six.”Janet turned away. “Let’s go, Sam. I’m not really in the mood to be ripped off today.” She started to walk back toward the center of the market.“No, wait, alright, I’ll give it to you for four sikes,” Donaldo said, pouting dramatically. “ But you realize you’re taking food from the mouths of my wife and children, do you not?” Sam glared at him, and he dropped his act. “Alright, so I do not have a family. This is still thievery.”“We’ll be sure to alert the authorities,” Janet said dryly, handing the vendor his money and slipping the artifact into her pocket. Then she grabbed Sam’s arm and hurried her away into the crowd, Donaldo watching them leave with narrowed eyes.  “What do you think it is?” Janet asked, pulling the artifact from her pocket. Sam took it from her and examined the markings.“I’m afraid I don’t read Ancient very well. Where’s Daniel when you need him?”“Probably off breaking every female heart in the archeological community.”Sam grinned. She knew Janet and Daniel had glimmers of feelings for each other, but nothing had ever come of it. She wondered idly if anything ever would.“How about some lunch?” Sam asked, handing the artifact back to Janet, who pocketed it.“Love to.” The midday meal consisted of slices of warm dark bread slathered in butter and honey, coupled with rich yellow cheese and thin slices of some kind of meat, washed down by mugs of the lightly fermented meade favored by the locals.The women ate leisurely, looking out over the rolling hills that led to the stargate. The sun was directly overhead, warming them from the outside in, and chasing away the last of the shadows that still hung over Janet’s mind. She knew she would need to return to Tessa’s house when they were done, and was not looking forward to facing the crotchety old woman again. Sam had promised to help some of the village women with their archery work, so once they had finished, the girls cleared up and parted ways.Janet walked slowly toward Tessa’s home and entered without knocking. The healer turned at the sound of the door and grunted when she saw who had entered.“Oh. It’s you. Come over here and grind this into powder.” Janet raised an eyebrow as she moved to obey. Evidently Tessa had decided to pretend nothing out of the ordinary had happened that morning. Janet had no problem with this, and took the mortar and pestle from her tutor and set about mashing the dried plant within the bowl into powder.As she worked, she thought about the peculiar object stashed safely in her pocket. What was it doing here? What business had the Ancients had on this world? Did they have something to do with the Krallik Tessa was so afraid of?The doctor finished her grinding and poured the newly pressed yellow powder into the small vessel that had been put on the table for that purpose. Then she labeled the jar with Tessa’s special erasable ink and put it in its proper shelf on the wall before turning to see what else needed to be done. She spotted the old woman kneeling before the fire, ladling broth into a bowl.“What is that?” she asked curiously.“Medicine,” Tessa answered absently. “Gowen’s new boy has a cough, and he is too young to go without eating for long. This will clear his lungs for a time and allow him to eat and rest. His body will heal on its own.”“What’s in it?”“Some of the fan moss you gathered yesterday, as well as a salty broth, a bit of taso, and…“You’re giving that stuff to a newborn?!” Janet almost shouted. “Do you want to scare him to death?”“Calm yourself, Doctor. The moss negates the psychotropic effects of the root, which in turn enhances the calming properties of the satgo leaves I was about to mention.” She narrowed her eyes at Janet. “You should know that by now.”Janet’s mind ground into gear as her panic receded, and she remembered that fan moss and satgo were both on the A-list for mixing with taso. “Of course you are right, Tessa. Please forgive my outburst.”“Hmmph,” Tessa grunted. “Here. Take this to Gowen, and when you return, we will begin the last phase of your instruction.”“Last phase?” Janet said, surprised. “But there’s still so much I don’t know.”“The knowledge you already possess is the basis for all of our medicines. You now have everything you need to take that knowledge home and use it to help your people. This final lesson will clear up your confusion on this,” she held up the red taso, “and hopefully give you the last piece to the puzzle.”So Janet delivered the broth to Gowen, a young woman with her first child. She was well built, with raven hair and clear blue eyes. Janet made much over her son and gave her Tessa’s instructions on how much medicine to give the child, and when. Then she stood and, with a final wave, walked back the way she had come, ready to finally understand what had been eluding her for so long.

Chapter 5 Sam looked up from her dinner as a tired but very satisfied Janet sat down beside her, plate heaped with vegetables, salad, and a slice of bread with butter.“Since when are you a vegetarian?” the major quipped, studying Janet’s meatless plate.“Very funny. I just can’t eat anything heavy when my brain is so full. Gives me indigestion.”“Why is your brain full?”“Because I’ve finally got it, Sam! I’ve finally figured what was eluding me about that damned root!”“Oh?”“It’s a catalyst.”“A catalyst?” Sam asked, skeptical.“Yes! I couldn’t figure out what the common factors were between the plants that could and could not be safely paired with it. That’s what was driving me crazy!”“But now you know what the commonality is?”“It’s in the chlorophyll!” Janet said, quietly triumphant in her revelation. “Only plants and herbs that are green, yellow or blue in color can safely be mixed with the root. Plants of any other color make it toxic. And the pH of the non-toxic plants determine if the effects being affected by the root are enhanced or diminished. The greater the basic or alkaline elements, the greater the effects.”“Okay, give me an example.”“Well, today Tessa made a broth for a little boy to calm his cough and help him sleep. She needed to use taso root to enhance the effects of the satgo leaves, which are used as a low dose cough suppressant and as a light sedative. But in order to negate the psychotropic effects of the root, she mixed it with fan moss. See? The leaves are alkaline, so their effects were enhanced, and the moss is basic, which negated the taso’s harmful effects.“So why not just use fan moss every time you use taso root?”“Because fan moss doesn’t play well with everything. If I were to mix it with an herb called finorala, it would produce a toxic smoke and kill me in seconds.”“Ah. Yes, you dying would definitely be bad,” Sam said, inwardly shaking her head at her friend’s brilliance.Janet smiled and tackled her plate, obviously famished from her day of discovery. Finally she looked up and swallowed a mouthful of greens. “I’m sorry, Sam, I didn’t even ask you how your shooting lesson went.”“Great!” Sam said enthusiastically. “They’re really good. They already knew the basics, I just showed them how to sight the arrow properly to get the most accurate shot.”“Sam, had you ever shot an arrow before coming here?” Janet said, incredulous.The major ducked her head. “Yes, in high school. but I figured it couldn’t be a whole lot different than sighting a P90.”“And it worked?”“Yep. By the end of the lesson, all six of them were hitting the inner half of the target most of the time.”“Wow, that’s…”“HEALER!” the shout rang out and Janet’s head whipped around. A young man, barely more than a boy rushed up to her and dropped to his knees. “Please, healer, my son does not breathe. He is turning blue!”Janet dumped her plate to the ground and raced off after the man, back to the same house she had entered earlier to give the medicine to the newborn. “Get Tessa.” She snapped at someone beside her, plucking the child from his mother’s arms and checking for a pulse. It was there, but it was erratic and faint. Janet turned to Gowen, the child’s mother. “Has he ingested anything besides your milk?”The young woman was terrified, but spoke quickly. “I just gave him his first dose of the medicine you brought me earlier.”“I am here,” Tessa said quietly, moving in beside Janet. “What is his condition?”“Anaphylactic shock,.” Janet said, starting infant CPR. “And I don’t dare use an epi-pen on one so young.”“Here.” Tessa handed Janet a small vial filled with a light purple liquid.Janet took it and poured the substance into the child’s mouth, stroking his throat to induce swallowing.Almost immediately, the child’s airway opened and he started to cry weakly. Janet checked his pulse again. It was stronger, but not enough“The infusion is a temporary measure only,” Tessa said. “You must go and collect some fresh night berries so we may make an antihistamine strong enough to counter the allergy. Hurry!”Janet gave the child to his mother and ran from the room, Sam hot on her heels.“You and you, come with us,” Janet ordered a man and woman who stood gawking outside the door. They took off after the Earthers, loping along gracefully.Janet raced down toward the glade where she and Sam had spent such a lovely afternoon the day before and skidded to a halt beside some innocuous looking bushes. “Here, in here.” She started to poke around inside the branches. “Sam, see if you can find some leaves large enough to wrap the berries in.”“What berries?” Sam asked, though she started searching the nearby trees and plants for something to use as a container.“These berries.” Janet lifted a branch away, revealing a cluster of shining white orbs that seemed to float inside the bush.Sam found several large circular leaves and grabbed them. She handed two to each villager, who immediately went to work.The two had evidently done this before, and had their leaves full and securely tied before Sam and Janet’s were three-quarters done.“Go!” Janet ordered. “Take those back to Tessa. We’ll be along in a minute.”The pair nodded and raced off, moving faster alone than they had with the Earth women.Janet finished filling her leaves and tied the corners together. “You done, Sam? Sam?”When no answer was forthcoming, Janet looked up at her friend.Sam stared into the inky blackness of the glade beside them, and motioned for Janet to get behind her.The doctor looked into the trees but saw nothing. Then she heard a distinct rustling coming from the darkness and the sound of splashing water reached her ears. She froze.“Janet,” Sam whispered. “Walk toward me very slowly. Don’t make any sudden moves.”Janet obeyed, inching away from the tree line and toward her friend, who had pulled a knife from somewhere and was scanning the darkness.Another splash in the stream, much closer this time, set Janet’s heart to racing, and she had to force herself to move slowly, to not bolt from whatever was coming.Finally she was even with Sam, and together, they continued to slowly back away. For a time, it seemed they were safe. They were out of the trees and back into the open grasses, now lit to a molten silver by the full moon.Suddenly Sam flinched, and a ragged gash opened in her sleeve, blood quickly staining the light fabric red. She slashed her knife around in the direction the attack had come from, but it found no purchase.Janet continued to move back, toward the village, keeping a hand on Sam’s back so the major would know she was there. Her heart thudded in her chest, and fear ran like poison through her veins. Keeping in contact with Carter helped her keep a tight rein on her urge to run.A few steps later, and Sam spoke. “Come on, I think it’s safe to move faster now.” She turned and both women began to trot back to the village. But when they reached Gowen’s home, the windows were dark, so they turned aside and headed for Tessa’s. Lights burned brightly in the windows, so Sam and Janet walked in, calling the healer’s name.“It’s about time you returned! What took you so long? It’s a good thing Mariam and Nico had gathered enough night berry to make a medicine for the child.”“Tessa,” Janet said, turning to examine the wound in Sam’s arm. “There’s something out there.”The healer’s face stilled and she paled slightly. “Of what do you speak?”“Look.”Tessa rose from her seat and came around to look at the major’s arm. “What happened?” she asked, turning to her shelves and pulling various ingredients down onto her workbench.“I don’t know. We were gathering berries and heard something in the trees. We started to back away, and could see nothing following us, but something did this to Sam. A couple minutes later, we still couldn’t see anything, so we ran the rest of the way here.”Tessa grunted, and Janet guided Sam, who was starting to sway slightly, toward the fire, where she sat heavily and stared into nothing.“Sam?” Janet said softly, brushing hair out of her friend’s eyes. “Sam, honey, are you all right? How badly does your arm hurt?”“It doesn’t. I’m fine.” But her voice was beginning to slur, and she listed to the side, off balance.Tessa grunted and bustled up with two bowls in her hands, a foul smelling green paste in one, and water in the other. She handed Janet the water and a cloth, and the doctor set about washing the wound. It had stopped bleeding at some point, and she made short work of the dried blood sticking to Sam’s skin  Once the wound was clean, Tessa began to slather the poultice over it, taking care to cover every inch.“Can you tell me what this poultice is?” the healer asked Janet as she worked. The doctor ground her teeth; a lesson was not what she needed right now, but she forced herself to think.“Uh, probably essence of willow flower mixed with trail sap and water to form the paste. And you might have added some veil petals to help with the pain.”“Yes. But you left out one thing.”“Which would be…”“I needed something that would pull the poison from her blood.”“Poison? What poison?” Janet asked sharply, looking at Sam. Sure enough, the major looked drugged. Her skin was pasty white, her eyes drooping. Janet put a hand to her forehead, and felt the heat beginning to build. “She’s running a fever.”“Yes. The poison is in her system. The green you see in the poultice is dark fern, which is a very rare plant found only in the wet places many days walk from here. It is a potent antidote against many kinds of blood borne problems, and will pull most of them into itself. It works quickly, so we will soon see if it is what is needed here.”“We will see?” Janet said, helping Sam lie down before she fell over. “Don’t you know whether this is going to work?”“I have never treated a wound like this before.”The full implication of this finally sank into Janet’s shell shocked mind. “Tessa, come on, you can’t seriously think this was the…”“Yes, I can, and I do. I warned you that something was coming, I just didn’t know it would be so soon.” The old woman sighed wearily. “We are all in very great danger.”
Tessa finished wrapping Sam’s wound in clean bandages, then told Janet to take her home and immediately put her to bed. “Be sure to block your door tonight so that she cannot get out.”This dire warning ringing in her ears, Janet helped Sam to her feet and led her out of the healer’s home. They turned down the path toward their own place, Sam leaning on Janet for support, and still staring dazedly out into the darkness. They were about a hundred yards from their door when Sam shook her head once, twice, and her knees buckled, spilling her to the ground. Janet caught her as she fell. “Sam? Sam! What is it? What’s wrong?”“No,” Carter mumbled, her eyes wild as she looked through Janet to the empty space beyond her. “No you can’t take her. I won’t let you!” Her voice rapidly increased in volume as desperation took hold. “No! Janet! No!” Sam jumped to her feet and took off toward the glade, her long legs carrying her quickly away from Janet and toward whatever she was chasing. The doctor raced after her. She was small, but she’d always been fast, and she was able to keep Sam in sight—barely. What happened? she wondered frantically. And what am I going to do once I catch her?But deep down, Janet knew the answer to her first question, if not her second. Sam was running straight into the jaws of the Krallik.

Chapter 6

Run! Run! Have to get to her! Can’t let her die! Not Janet, please, not Janet!Trees flashed past in a blur as her feet pounded the dirt beneath. The wind was cold on her fevered skin, and her breath came hard and fast. The world spun and twisted with a thousand colors and images, but she plunged on. She had to get to her, had to find her before it was too late! Fear for her friend pumped through her veins, pushing her to move faster. A flash of movement to her left sent her veering in that direction, and abruptly, she saw it. A massive, hulking creature towering several feet over her head stood with its back to a tree trunk, blackness yawning beyond it. Thick scaly armor covered it from head to toe and huge saber like teeth glistened in the moonlight that filtered between the boughs of the trees. In one claw it held a small figure, dangling like a rag doll, frighteningly still. Janet!Howling with fury, Sam drew her knife and leapt at the creature, intending to tear it open from head to foot. “Uunngh!” she cried out as someone tackled her at full speed from her left, sending them both flying past the Krallik and down the side of a steep ravine. Janet held tight to Sam as they crashed down the hill, an enraged bellow following them as they fell, but the major was pulled from her grasp when Frasier’s arm snapped against a fallen log. Pain flared hot, but her cry was cut off when something hard and unyielding sank into her stomach, stealing her breath and nearly knocking her senseless.Finally, she rolled to a stop in a tangled heap of limbs—both hers and those from the many trees she had hit on the way down. She laid still, gasping in pain, her breath catching in her chest as her arm sent fire racing through her nerves. Another roar burst through the darkness from far above, but it didn’t seem to be coming any closer, so Janet tried to focus on her priorities. Sam. Where was she?  Trying to keep her cry of pain as quiet as possible, Janet got to her knees and then used her good arm to lever herself to her feet. “Sam?” she called quietly, starting to move around the area. Leaves crunched and crackled beneath her feet, and she winced at every sound in the stillness of the night, afraid it would alert the monster to where they were. “Sam, where are you?”A groan sounded from somewhere to her left, and Janet quickly fell to her knees again and shuffled toward it; she was so unsteady that she was afraid of tripping over her friend and falling on her injured arm. Finally her good hand found a warm body lying on its side, and she grasped it, gasping in relief. “Sam! It’s okay, it’s me.”Sam whimpered and tried to move away from Janet, obviously hurting, but too terrified to stay where she was. Janet reached out and stroked her hair, trying to soothe her, but Carter was obviously still caught up in the madness of the poison in her veins. Janet continued for a while, stroking and soothing, waiting to see if Sam would be able to come out of it on her own or if she was going to need some help. The doctor desperately hoped that the poultice Tessa had put on Sam’s arm had pulled at least some of the toxin from her bloodstream. She had no idea if the Krallik’s touch was deadly, or just a hallucinogen.Gradually, though, the major began to calm, her muscles loosening from their almost morbid rigidity, and her breathing coming in something other than ragged gasps of terror.“That’s it, Sam. It’s okay, it’s going to be okay.” Janet continued to murmur, though her own vision was beginning to swim with the pain being pumped from her broken arm. She had taken a few seconds to probe the break, and it didn’t seem to be bad, though it would need a splint if she was going to be able to function at all. And for that, she needed Sam.Carter finally rolled to her back and looked up at Janet, who was sitting beside her. “Janet.” she said shakily. “You’re not dead.”“No.” ‘Though right now I kind of wish I was,’ she thought, feeling the world start to slide around her. She used her good arm to lever herself down until she was lying on the ground, keeping her eyes on Carter so the woman wouldn’t panic.“What’s wrong?” Sam sat up quickly, too quickly, and her face turned white. She scrambled a few paces away and Janet could hear her heaving the last of the toxin onto the forest floor. When she returned, she was wiping her mouth on her sleeve. “What’s going on? Where are we?”Janet looked up at her friend, studying her eyes in the weak light of the moon. They were still somewhat clouded by confusion, but were clearing by the second. Janet relaxed slightly. “What do you remember?”“We were being followed by…something, you were behind me, then nothing.” She noticed the bandage on her arm. “What is this?”“I’ll fill you in as soon as I can, Sam, but if we don’t splint my arm, I’m going to pass out.”“Splint your arm?” Sam moved closer and gently took Janet’s arm from where she held it close to her body. “How bad is it?”“Not as bad as it could be, but it hurts like hell,” Janet said, gasping as Sam probed the break. “Okay, hang on.”Sam moved around, looking for thin stout branches she could use, but was hindered by dizziness and weakness in her legs. Why was her head so muddy? And how did they end up in the middle of the forest in the dead of night? Finally, she found materials she could use, and bound Janet’s arm with them and a strip of cloth from her pant leg. Flashes of memory flitted through her mind as she worked, murmuring apologies to the doctor whenever she hissed, which was often. Finally she was done. “Is that okay? Is it too tight?”“No, it’s fine.” Janet’s voice was choked with pain, but she sat up slowly and took several deep breaths, forcing the lightheadedness away. “Thanks.” She smiled at Sam, who reached out and helped her up.A blinding roar came from a distance away, fury and frustration clearly evident in the tones.“What the hell?” Sam said, instinctively beginning to move away from the sound.“It’s the Krallik. We need to go,” Janet said, panic in her voice.Sam didn’t question, but put an arm around Janet’s waist to give her some support and started off at a fast walk.The Krallik roared again, and the sound was closer this time. “Can you run?” Sam asked Janet, who had her arm held close to her body.“I can try,” the doctor answered, breaking into a trot. “Do you have any idea where we are?”“I don’t even remember how we got here. And I can’t see the stars through the trees. We need to find a clearing. You don’t know either?”“I was too busy trying to keep you from throwing yourself into that thing’s mouth to notice where we were going.”“Is that how you broke your arm?” Sam stayed right next to Janet, ready to catch the doctor if she should stumble.“No, I did that when we fell over the edge of the ravine.”“So we started out up there somewhere.” Sam said, looking up at the top of the steep hillside they were paralleling. “But you don’t know which direction we came from.”“No idea. We tumbled over so many times I didn’t even know which way was up.” Janet’s breath was coming in gasps. Her arm was jarred with every step, and though the splint helped, it wasn’t enough to keep the bones from jarring together and grating under her skin.Sam heard the agony in Janet’s voice. “We need to find shelter. That thing can’t function in daylight, right?”“According to the legend, yes.”“Then we just need to find a place to hide out until then. If it’s used to its prey coming to it instead of having to hunt for it, then there’s a chance its tracking skills are not all that great.”Janet didn’t answer, but followed Sam as she began to search the darkness for a place to hide. Two hours later they were still looking, occasionally hearing the roaring of the Krallik on their trail, sometimes closer sometimes further away, confirming Sam’s theory about the creature’s lack of tracking abilities. Janet told the story of how Sam had succumbed to the creature’s poison and had taken off. Carter listened intently to every detail, knowing that there could be something in the story that would help them later. Eventually, the trees began to thin, giving way to rising, rocky ground. Janet started to stumble, and then fell, yelling in pain as sharp stones bit into her knees. Sam knelt next to her and helped her into a sitting position, then sat at her side, staring at the sky.“Well, believe it or not, we’re going in roughly the right direction to get back to the village.”“Is that such a good idea? We’re just going to lead this thing into the middle of a bunch of people for it to eat?!”“I don’t think we can do this alone, Janet. Your arm is broken, and we don’t have a weapon between us. We need to get some help.”Janet winced. “Right, of course.”Crashing in the growth behind them had Sam jumping to her feet and grabbing Janet after her. They took off, running for all they were worth, primal terror at the thought of being eaten alive lending strength to their exhausted bodies. The Krallik tore along behind, not catching up, but not going away either. Finally, Janet’s legs gave out, and she collapsed to the ground, skidding several feet in the loose soil. Sam was on her in a second, trying to get her up, but the doctor was a dead weight. She had finally lost consciousness. Carter looked around wildly and spotted a large boulder looming out of the darkness. It wasn’t much, but it was the only cover in the area. Kneeling, Sam picked Janet up and ran with her toward the small space between the cliff wall and the boulder. It was barely wide enough. Thankful the doctor was unconscious, Sam stuffed herself into the gap and pulled Janet in after her. Rough stone scraped her back and belly, but she kept pushing until she could barely breath, then held as still as she could, peering out through the gap, trying to see the thing chasing them. Heavy footsteps came closer and closer, and Sam froze, listening hard. The thudding moved around their position, seeking, hunting. She could hear the creature sniffing the air and hoped the rock all around them would mask their scent enough to buy them some time.The crunching moved away, back the way it had come. Evidently the Krallik thought they had gotten around behind it. Sam exhaled quietly and looked at Janet, who was being propped up by the rock and the cliff face, but whose head was lolling. She was still unconscious.  Stuck for the moment, Sam thought back to what the Krallik looked like, trying to remember something, anything, that might be a weak point.Then she remembered that it was supposed to be invisible. But her memories were quickly returning and she distinctly recalled seeing it with Janet in its grip. She remembered the flash of her knife as she leapt at it, then the crash of bodies as Janet tackled her and sent them both over the side of the ravine. So was it some kind of deliberate camouflage or had she been hallucinating? No, she was pretty sure it was real. Maybe an ability it could turn on and off? Had Janet seen it too? She hadn’t said one way or another in her explanation of the evening. Frasier moaned, and Sam quickly put a hand over her friend’s mouth. “Shhh, Janet, it’s okay.”Janet nodded and Sam removed her hand. “I can’t breathe,” Janet whispered harshly. “Yes you can, it’s just a little tight in here. Take slow deep breaths.” she heard Janet comply. “Better?”“It would be, but my arm is crushed between me and the rock.” Janet sounded panicked and near tears.Sam quieted, listening hard, but there was only silence outside of their little shelter. Of course, the Krallik could have been sitting right outside the opening waiting for them, but they couldn’t stay there forever. Sam nudged Janet. “I think it’s gone. Let’s go.”Janet nodded and started to move, but stopped almost immediately. “Sam, I can’t. My arm…” her breathing was fast and hoarse.“Doc, we need to go. You can do this. I’m right here, feel my hand on your shoulder?” She waited for Janet’s nod. “Turn your body a little and see if you can free your arm. Your splint is probably caught on something.Scraping sounds met this suggestion, and Janet whimpered as she forced her splinted arm up and away from her chest and then down to her side. She stood for a moment, sweating and panting, knowing that if not for the rock holding her up, she’d be on the ground again.“Ready?” Sam asked, knowing her friend was hurting, but also knowing they needed to get moving again. The creature wouldn’t take long to figure out they hadn’t doubled back.“Yeah.” Janet squeezed her small frame out from between the rock and the cliff face, then leaned against it as Sam forced herself out.“Damn! It’s like being born all over again!” she joked, hoping to lighten Janet’s spirits a little.The doctor’s mouth quirked. “Cute. Can we go now?” They moved as quickly and quietly as they could over the loose ground, staying with the cliff face, which seemed to be getting less and less steep as they went. Finally, Sam stopped Janet with a touch, and motioned to it.Janet looked up and saw that it would now be possible to climb it, though it certainly wouldn’t be easy.“You want to go up there?”“If that thing is as bad a tracker as I think it is, this might throw it off our trail completely”“Then let’s do it.”“You go first. I’ll be right behind you.”“Uh, Sam I’m a lot more likely then you are to slide down, and I’ll probably take you with me.”“No you won’t.” Sam’s eyes were hard and unyielding. “You’re smaller than me. I can hold you.”Janet stared for a moment longer, but a low growl from somewhere behind them squelched any more protests. Turning, she groped up the hill, slipping and sliding in the shale and dirt that came away with each step. It got easier as they went, the soil becoming more stable, and roots and plants providing some purchase. A full blown roar shook the hillside, and Janet fell, sliding into Sam, who clung grimly to a couple of stout vines until Janet had found her feet. Finally they gained the top, and fell over the edge, gasping and sweating from the exertion.“So much for throwing it off the trail,” Janet said, looking down at the creature, which was not bothering to hide itself now.“There’s no way it can climb that hill. It’s too heavy,” Sam answered. The Krallik seemed to have the same idea, because it turned and continued up the trail beside the hillside, disappearing into the shadows as it ran.“So the camouflage is deliberate,” Sam murmured, watching it as it vanished. “Janet? You okay?”“I’ve been better. Are we safe for a bit?”“Yeah, I think so.”“Good. If we start a small fire, I can make a topical painkiller, and we’ll be able to move a lot more easily.”As soon as the word “painkiller” left Janet’s mouth, Sam realized just how much she ached from the multiple cuts and bruises that covered her body, both from her original fall, as well as from the crushing pressure of their rocky hiding place.“Okay, fire, check. What else do you need?”

Chapter 7 Half an hour later, Janet had covered most of Sam’s scrapes with the clear gooey substance pulled from the top of a hot flat rock. The numbing properties of the mixture combined with the heat made her groan with pleasure as her pains were covered up.Janet had insisted on treating Carter first, though her own wounds were more extensive. Sam didn’t argue, knowing that the quickest way to get Janet to ‘take her medicine’ was to allow her to do her job first.Once Sam was sufficiently slathered, she returned the favor, starting with Janet’s broken arm.“Will this help an internal break?” she asked, using gentle fingers to rub the paste into the doctor’s swollen skin.“It will take the edge off, and help prevent infection,” Frasier answered through gritted teeth. Sam’s touch, careful as it was, still jarred her nerves, making them scream in protest. Finally, Carter moved on and treated the nasty scrapes on Janet’s legs and torso from her running fall into the rocks. “Mmmm, thank you,” the doctor said gratefully, sinking back onto the forest floor and staring up into the trees. “Much better.”Sam smiled at the sheer relief in her friend’s voice. “It’s a good thing you’ve been studying this stuff. We’ll rest for a few minutes, but we need to keep moving. I don’t know how far the Krallik had to go before it can get up that hill and come back for us.”Janet mumbled a reply, and Sam got up to look around a bit. The anesthetic had revitalized her somewhat and she was anxious to get moving again. But she knew Janet wouldn’t be able to run much more for a while. The doctor was exhausted. So was she, but she was much more used to this than her companion.Sam wandered in a wide circle around Janet, studying the plants and what little of the terrain she could see. She was pretty sure they weren’t too far from the village, maybe  three hours at a brisk walk, but with Frasier’s condition being what it was, the trip would take a lot longer. A flash of red, caught in the filtered glow of the moon caught Sam’s eye, and she stopped, staring at the ground. Carefully she knelt down and brushed away dirt and leaves covering the spot, then sat back on her heels, whistling softly.“What is it?” Janet asked sleepily.“Come and see.”“Do I have to?”Sam chuckled. “Just come here. We need to get moving anyway.”“Fine. But you’re evil, you know that right?”“Yup.”Janet hoisted herself off the ground and joined her friend. “What is it?”“You don’t recognize it?”“Should I?”“Maybe.” Sam stuck her hand into Janet’s pocket and, ignoring the doctor’s yelp of surprise, pulled out a small dome shaped object. “Look.” She held the object out next to the one glowing on the ground. The size and shape of the discs matched perfectly, although the inscriptions were different. “That’s interesting. This must be where the peddler found this one. I wonder if there’s more.”Sam crawled a few paces away from the glowing circle, brushing the soil around as she did so, watching for another red glow coming from the earth. “Here’s another one, and if I’m right…” she went a little further, “…yes, here’s a third.” She stood and brushed herself off before looking down the line of glowing objects. “I think they’re arranged in a circle.”“One of a kind, my foot,” Janet muttered as she followed Sam around the large ring of domes. Finally they approached the area where they had seen the first one, and Sam stopped. Janet, who had been watching the ground, ran into her back and cursed as she jarred her arm. “Sorry,” Sam said, steadying the doctor. “But look, here’s an empty space. This must be where our piece goes.” She knelt down and placed the dome into the ground. The thing glowed feebly, then sputtered out. Sam repositioned it and tried again. This time the inscription lit up fully and stayed that way. A hum began to reverberate through the area, vibrating the ground beneath them and rattling the trees above.A golden field began to emanate from each of the stones, fusing to the sides, and then rising into the air until a large dome began to take shape, shimmering and humming in the cool night air. Sam and Janet stared at it, transfixed. “What in the world?” Janet muttered, awestruck.“I have an idea,” Sam said, thinking hard. “Remember, in the story Tessa told, how the Light sealed the monster in a breach in the world?”“Of course.”“I think this is it.”Janet’s eyes got even wider. “Oh my.”“And I think the ‘Light’ that rescued them was an ascended Ancient.”“That would certainly explain a few things. Except…”“What?”“If it was an ascended being, why didn’t it just get rid of the monster completely? Why imprison it with a chance to get out?”“I have no idea. Why do they do anything they do? Daniel was always talking about non-interference, maybe this was the most it could do without getting into trouble.”“Okay, but why did it get involved in the first place?”“I don’t know. Maybe the person was originally from this planet or something.” Sam ran her hands through her thick blonde hair, pushing it back and enjoying the stretch on her scalp before she mussed it up again. “Look, it doesn’t really matter why the Ancient did what it did. What matters now is can we do it again?”Janet thought a moment, then turned and picked up a hefty stone with her good hand and tossed it into the field. The stone quivered for a moment, caught between the particles battering it from all sides, then vanished into thin air. “Maybe we can.”An earth-shattering roar filled the air and the two women jumped a mile high. “Looks like we’re about to find out.”“Sam, there’s no way that thing is just going to walk back into its prison, especially if it sees the field! We’ve already seen that it’s not stupid.”“I know.” The major knelt and turned the stone she had placed into the circle. It moved easily, and the field vanished. “We’re going to have to lure it in, then turn the field back on.”“But what if it’s camouflaged? How will we know when it’s inside?”Sam looked grimly at the doctor. “I need you to find me some taso.”Janet paled. “No. Sam, no. You can’t take that stuff. It’s insane, it will do awful things to you. And I don’t know how to make the antidote.”Another roar split the air, much closer. “Find it, Janet. That’s an order.”The doctor swallowed a thousand retorts and began to hunt for the distinctive root. It was a fairly prevalent plant throughout the planet, so it didn’t take her long to locate and dig it up. She brushed as much dirt off as she could, then broke off a tiny piece and handed it to Sam. “Maybe this will be enough.”Carter took the piece and popped it into her mouth, chewing quickly and swallowing the juice. She spit out the pulp and looked around. “Nope. More.”Janet gave her a slightly larger chunk, and watched anxiously as Sam ate that too, grimacing as the dirt that clung to the morsel crunched between her teeth. She swallowed and spit, and waited…And everything changed. Sam gasped and stumbled, feeling heat begin to crawl over her body in waves of tiny needles. Fear built up in her stomach and spread like fire though her veins. Her brain shut down, she couldn’t think, couldn’t feel anything. She caught sight of something moving beside and jerked her head around to see what it was. A phantom figure stood beside her, reaching out cold, clammy white hands toward her, trying to grab her, to hold her there. “No!” she shouted, pulling away from the dead eyes. “Leave me alone!”“Sam.” A voice said, loud, too loud! She dropped to the ground and covered her ears with her hands, burying her face into the white dirt beneath her. “Sam! Look at me!” the voice again, softer this time. “You have to fight it. You have to look for the Krallik!”With her eyes closed, some of the terror in the major’s mind began to recede. “Janet?” she croaked, trembling with fear.“Yes, honey, it’s me, but you need to look up.”“No, I can’t! I don’t want to see!”“I know it’s horrible, but you have to look for the monster, remember? We have to trap it in the circle!”“Trap it.” Sam mumbled, trying to remember something besides the horrible images surrounding her. “Right.” She took a shaky breath and forced her eyes open. And everything was wrong! A blindingly white sky, black moon, and black stars, stared malevolently down at her from above white tree trunks swaying with purple branches. Sam kept her eyes away from Janet—her hold on her terror was tenuous at best, and seeing her friend like that would shatter her control. Pulling her gaze down, she looked out over the edge of the circle of stones—their inscriptions glowing aqua blue in the background—and caught site of what could only be the Krallik. A hulking gray shape moved slowly toward them, its white eyes looking directly at her, and its and black claws opening and closing. “I see it,” she gasped to the apparition beside her.“How close?”“Close. Maybe two meters beyond the field.”“Why can’t I hear it?”“I-I don’t know.” Sam clamped down on a whimper and forced herself to think. “When it’s camouflaged, it can afford to be careful.” She was trembling with the effort of keeping still, of not giving into her terror.“Can it see us?” Janet whispered, afraid to touch her friend, but feeling very vulnerable. She tentatively put a hand on Sam’s shoulder, but jerked it back when she flinched violently. “Sorry.”“S’okay,” Sam stuttered. Her panic was rising, and even knowing it was mostly from the toxin still pumping through her system, it was becoming impossible to ignore. “But I’m going to crawl out of my skin in a minute. We need to get that thing caught.”“Okay.” Janet took a deep breath and stood up as tall as she could. “Hey Bigfoot! Over here! Yeah, that’s right, here I am, a nice little morsel for you to chew on!”“Janet! What are you doing? Get down!”“I’ll be all right. You just get ready with that field.”“It’s coming. Faster now. Just a little more, a little more.” Sam reached a shaking hand out to “their” stone in the circle, getting ready to put it in place. “Just a little closer… there!” she shouted, pushing the dome into the ground, then cried out and buried her head in her arms as a field of the brightest blue flared up and over the furiously roaring creature. A second later, both field and monster had vanished.  “Sam?” Janet dropped to her friend’s side. “It’s gone. Are you okay?”A grunt and a whimper were her only answers.Janet started to look anxiously around, trying to find something she could give the major to help dilute the effects of the root. She tripped on something and went sprawling, a gasp escaping her as her broken arm was trapped beneath her. She lay still for a moment, breathing hard and trying not to groan too loud, then reached back to see what had tripped her. A long, thick vine snaked across her ankle and disappeared into a tangle of thin trees a few meters away. Janet grabbed a nearby rock and began to hammer at the vine, trying to get to the juices she knew would be flowing inside. Finally the rock split the tough hide, and Janet used a handy leaf to collect the liquid now seeping from the wounded plant. Balancing the leaf on her arm, she moved back to Sam, who was now curled in the fetal position. Janet could hear her panting, and could see her rocking and shaking, using the kinetic energy being released by her body to keep herself in check. “Sam, are you still with me?”“B-barely,” came the whispered reply.“I’ve got something that should help, at least a little. Can you sit up?”Sam shook her head violently. “No way.”“Sam, it’s going to be okay. The Krallik is gone. You did it. Please,” Janet’s voice wavered—her exhaustion was beginning to take its toll. “Please, you need to sit up so I can give this to you. You can keep your eyes closed, but I need you to sit up.”Sam digested this for a moment. She knew she was safe, and that the horrifying figure hovering above her was just Janet—reversed, but her brain refused to accept that she wasn’t it mortal danger.  She also knew that the only way to get rid of the debilitation was to take her medicine. Janet always helped her feel better. She could be trusted. Slowly, keeping her eyes closed, Sam sat up, still shaking. “W-what is it?”“Remember how I was telling you that certain plants have properties that will negate the toxins in the taso root?” A nod. “Well, this is one of them. I need you to drink it.”Another nod. Janet knelt next to Sam. “Open your mouth and tilt your head back.” Sam forced herself to allow Janet to pour the undiluted vine sap into her mouth. Janet watched closely to make sure it was swallowed. Carter downed the bitter stuff in one and then sat and waited, rocking herself carefully as bit by bit, her pulse and breathing slowed to something resembling normal. The horrible landscape began to return to normal, but it would not change completely.  Sam could see Janet sitting beside her, and though she still looked a little—off—her appearance was no longer frightening. Most of all, she felt the fear recede, and her strength began to return as the sap entered her bloodstream. Finally, she stood, still a little off balance by the strange colors of the forest, but no longer ready to bolt at any sound. Janet stood too, and Sam reached down and hugged the smaller woman. “Thank you,” she whispered.Janet hugged her back one-armed, then pulled away and smiled up. “You’re welcome. But let’s try to not do that again, okay?”Sam smiled back, then looked over the doctor’s head and froze.“What is it?” Janet asked her.“I see something.”Janet turned and studied the direction Sam was staring. She even went so far as to stand on her tiptoes, trying to get the same perspective as her much taller friend. “Where? I don’t see anything.”“Oh crap. Janet, it’s the Krallik RUN!”Sam took off, pulling the doctor around in front of her, and they raced in the direction of the village. But both women were exhausted, and even with the extra adrenaline push, they quickly slowed, not able to keep up the furious pace. The Krallik crashed along behind them, roaring its rage out to anyone within a five mile radius. Sam stumbled and fell, tripping Janet on her way down, and both women landed in a tangle on the forest floor.She watched in horror as the monster’s huge form, now somewhat diluted, came closer and closer, filling her vision and stealing her breath. She scrabbled backwards, trying to get away and cover Janet’s body at the same time.The beast reached down one massive arm and grabbed at their tangled legs. It pulled hard, and Janet slid out from underneath Sam and was dangled in the air by her ankle. She screamed and started to kick, trying to free herself. The monster got hold of her arm with its other hand and raised her up to the level of its face. Sam couldn’t see any detail of the Krallik, but could imagine it opening its mouth to tear Janet in half. She looked around frantically for something to use as a weapon, and her hands felt something hard beside her and she grabbed it, jumping to her feet. It wasn’t much more than a stout stick, but she ran at the monster and started to hit it as hard as she could wherever she could. She ran around the back of it, beating at its head, but being careful to stay away from Janet’s wildly struggling form.The Krallik finally noticed Sam’s efforts, and, releasing Janet’s arm, turned to begin swinging at her. She ducked and dodged, trying to avoid the huge claws while still staying in range to do some damage.  A lucky blow caused it to bellow hugely and put both hands to its head to protect what might have been its ears or nose or some other sensitive part, and Janet hurtled to the ground, landing on her head and laying still. Sam stood over her friend, club raised, ready to strike again. She kept an eye on the beast as she knelt to check Janet’s pulse. Her hand encountered something wet and sticky, but she didn’t have time to investigate further. The Krallik swiped viciously at her, and she jumped aside, but she wasn’t fast enough. The tips of the claws grazed her as she rolled away, slashing through her middle and leaving deep gashes that sent fire directly to her brain. Sam dropped her club, gripping her side and belly, and tried very hard to stay conscious. She saw the creature coming for her, and swallowed hard. Then the creature seemed to hunch, and a blurred figure raced around the front of it, bringing Sam’s club down hard on its head. A resounding crack rang through the trees, and the creature stood swaying for a moment, then crashed to the ground, its head mere inches from Sam’s face. Carter rolled away from it and scrambled forward a few feet before lying still and gasping for breath.Janet stumbled to her and knelt down, swaying from her head injury. Her voice was slurred, and she put a hand on Sam for balance, looking hard when she felt the blood. “Oh my god,” she swore, getting a look at the major’s stomach. “Are you feeling the poison?”“No,” Sam said through gritted teeth. “Just the pain.”“Those wounds are long, but they’re not very deep. Sam, can you move? I don’t think that thing is going to be out for long.”“Help me,” she answered through gritted teeth. Janet squatted next to her and let the major put an arm around her shoulder. Together, they painfully stood and stayed still, holding one another for support. Sam was almost sobbing from the agony of her injuries, and had to fight just to stay on her feet. Janet was beginning to feel distinctly sleepy and nauseous, both signs of a major concussion.A lowing moan from behind spurred them to an attempt at speed, but Janet quickly lost her balance and fell, pulling Sam down with her. Carter looked up from the ground, seeing the Krallik once again descending upon them. A blinding light forced her eyes shut and she heard the monster’s resounding roar very near her, and then abruptly, all was quiet. Sam risked opening her eyes, blinking as sparks popped in her vision. She reached a hand out and felt Janet beside her, crumpled in a heap, and not moving at all. She moved closer and put her hand over the doctor’s mouth to check for breath.“Do not fear. She is alive,” a man’s voice sounded out of the darkness, and Sam leapt to her feet, then dropped again as four parallel sets of agony burned along her ribs and torso. She knelt on the ground, gasping for air.“Who are you?” she said breathlessly, trying to see the figure through the gloom.“A friend,” the voice said, soft and soothing. “Come. I will carry your companion. Can you walk?”Sam didn’t answer, but watched the man’s shadow as he gently lifted the doctor’s still form. He straightened and she could feel his eyes on her. “It is not far, but I can come back for you if you wish.”Sam shook her head. She’d be damned if she was going to separate from Janet. She lurched to her feet, and followed the stranger through the forest to a small but cozy looking hut hidden among the trees. A warm glow shown through the windows, and Sam could smell something wonderful cooking within. The man entered the structure, and she followed close behind, suddenly anxious to be out of the darkness and into the security of lights. The stranger deposited Janet carefully onto a mat on the floor, and arranged her so that she was lying comfortably. Sam could now see a nasty gash on her head running from the center of her forehead into her hairline.“Come, you must rest. You have been wounded.” Sam looked at their benefactor and saw him setting out another mat next to the doctor. Suddenly her legs wouldn’t support her anymore, and she fell forward as the room tilted. He caught her in strong arms and helped her to lie down before covering her with a blanket.“Who are you?” Sam mumbled, needing to put a name to this man she was trusting their lives to.“I am Nemik. Now sleep. We will speak again when you wake.She had no choice. Her body was shutting down. She slept.

Chapter 8 When she woke, it was still dark, but her wounds had been cleaned and bandaged, and her pain had reduced to a dull roar. She sat up carefully and probed her stomach through the material. There was some additional discomfort, but not a lot, and she decided their rescuer must have administered some sort of pain killer. The Krallik’s scratch on her arm had also been cleaned and bound. Sam looked to her left and saw that Janet’s head had been bandaged, and that the doctor seemed to be sleeping peacefully.The little house was empty but for her and Janet, and Sam busied herself for a few minutes looking around, and noted with interest that the house was very similar to Tessa’s. It was essentially a rounded square, with a single smaller room set off the main one. A fire burned merrily in a large hearth in the wall, giving a warm glow to the cozy space. Shelves of jars and urns and vials ran along two of the curving walls, some of them almost blending in with the reddish brown material that the place seemed to be made of, and a brightly woven circular rug occupied the middle of the room. Small feathered concoctions that looked for all the world like fishing lures dotted one of the walls in evenly spaced rows, making her think of Jack, and she smiled slightly.  Animal traps and skinning knives occupied the opposite wall.A small table sat in a corner, and she could see a loaf of fresh bread sitting in the middle of it, along with what seemed to be a note. Taking a deep breath and bracing her ribs with her arm, Sam levered herself to her feet and walked carefully over to the table. Picking up the paper, she read, ‘Please, eat and refresh yourselves. I will be back soon. –Nemik’Sam sat down at the sturdy little table and tore off a small chunk of the bread. She smeared a bit of butter from a crockery onto the piece, and put it in her mouth, chewing carefully, not sure how her body would react to food after her ordeal. Thankfully, she felt no resistance from her stomach, and quickly finished her morsel and followed it with several more before slowing down. A pitcher of water sat on a nearby bench, along with cups, and she poured herself a measure, holding it to her nose more out of habit than suspicion. It was lightly flavored with something like mint, and she drank deeply, savoring the cooling affect it had on her throat. Everything just seemed to taste better on this planet. She was on her third cup when the door opened, and a man stepped inside, closing the door after himself. Sam stood, watching him closely.“Ah, you’re awake! Good. And I see you found my note. I trust you enjoyed the bread? It is an old family recipe, handed down to me from my father, who got it from his father, and so on…”“Uh, excuse me, but are you Nemik?” Sam asked warily. She only vaguely remembered what their rescuer had looked like, and wasn’t sure if this was the same man.“Yes, good, you remember. That is good. You have been asleep for a long time.”“I have? But it’s still dark out. Unless…”“I found you and your friend last night. You slept through the day, and now darkness has fallen again.”“Oh no,” Sam said. “We have to get back. People will be looking for us.”“You cannot go yet. Your friend has not yet awakened, and she needs to sleep for as long as she can. The wound in her head is not terrible, but it could be dangerous if she does not rest.”Sam knew this to be true, but as soon as Janet woke, they would have to be off.  And she was not about to leave the doctor here alone. “Thank you,” she said simply. “You saved our lives out there.”“Pshah. It was nothing. You were doing fine on your own, but I thought you could use a little break.”“You were watching?” Sam’s anger began to bubble, but she pushed it away. “Why didn’t you come sooner?”Nemik shrugged and poked the fire, sending red and orange sparks whirling and crackling into the flue. “As I said, you were doing fine on your own, and I don’t make it a habit to reveal myself to just anyone.”“Really? And why is that?”He shrugged again. “I suppose I am what you would call a ‘hermit’. I live alone in these woods and keep watch over what goes on here.”“Uh-huh.” Sam didn’t believe it for a minute. There was something too cultured and easy about this man for him to be what he claimed. He was hiding something, and while she didn’t think he was dangerous, she knew that unknowns such as this one could easily get her—and Janet—killed. So she sat at the table and continued to watch the man as he bustled about the little house, tending to various jars and working busily at his bench. He moved with a grace that belied his ragged and patched clothing, and his short brown hair and face were clean and smooth. She’d always assumed hermits to have long unkempt hair and beards down to their waists, not being concerned with appearances.“So who are you really?” she asked into the silence.He glanced back at her. “I told you the truth,” he said, not offended by her question. “I live alone out here.”“That doesn’t tell me anything about who you are.”He sighed and turned to face her. “Alright, I suppose you could call me a healer. I work with plants and animals to make medicines and poultices for the people in the village, though they have never seen my face.”“Do you work with Tessa?”“I taught Tessa. Though she would never admit it. Being associated with me is not exactly complimentary to most people, and though she herself would not care, others would stop allowing her to help if they knew where she had acquired her knowledge.”Sam quirked an eyebrow at him. “You make yourself sound like a witch doctor,”“To them, I suppose I am.”“Wait a second. You say you taught Tessa? You can’t be more than forty years old! And Tessa is, well, a lot older than that.”Groaning sounded from across the room, and Sam jumped to her feet, biting down on a cry as the movement pulled at her wounds. She crossed the small space and knelt next to Janet, whose eyes were fluttering open.“Sam?”“I’m here, Janet. Rest easy, everything’s all right.”“Where are we?” the doctor tried to raise her head, but let it fall back again with a groan. She put a hand to her forehead. “Ow. What trampled on my skull?”Nemik chuckled as he pulled a jar from a shelf. “A Krallik, or very nearly. You are lucky to be alive, young lady.”“Janet, this is Nemik. He rescued us from the Krallik and brought us here.”“And ‘here’ would be….”“Not far from where you were,” Nemik answered, approaching with a cup in his hand. “Here, drink this.”“What is it?” Janet asked, making no move to take the cup.“Essence of jalla blossom for the pain, with a pinch of rind leaves to help with the dizziness.”“Did you strain out the heavy metal from the blossom?”Nemik smiled patiently. “Of course. I’ve no wish to kill you, Doctor.”Sam’s head snapped up as Janet took the cup and drank.  “How did you know her title?”“The same way I know yours, Major Carter. As I said, I’ve been watching you, though for longer than you may think.”“Why?”“Because I believe you two are the key to defeating the Krallik once and for all.”“You do.” It was not a question.“Of course. Do you remember the story Tessa told the night before you were touched by the Krallik?”“Yes.”“The second to last line read thus:  ‘And in that time, darkness will once again fall, unless warriors not of us can vanquish the beast.’ I believe you are those warriors.”“But that’s just an old legend,” Janet protested, sitting up as the pounding in her head began to recede. “You can’t really believe we’re destined to destroy the thing.”“The Krallik was also ‘just an old legend’, if you recall,” Nemik reminded them. “I do not know how or when it will be done, but you two will be the ones who will free us from this menace once and for all.”“Nemik,” Sam said, “do you know who it was that imprisoned the creature in the first place or how it came to be here?”Their host looked down at the floor, suddenly uncomfortable. “I do not.”“I think you do,” Sam narrowed her eyes. “Or at least you know more than you’re telling.”“I assure you, I know nothing. Less than nothing.”The major glanced at Janet, wordlessly telling the doctor to follow her lead, then looked back at Nemik. “Well, then, thank you very much for your hospitality, but we really should be going.” She rose and reached a hand down to help Janet to her feet. She came up slowly and swayed where she stood, holding tight to Sam for balance. Nemik looked alarmed. “But you cannot go yet—it is too dangerous. You must wait for morning when the creature sleeps.”“We can’t wait that long. People will be looking for us and they may not know the danger. We have to get back to the village.”“But the stargate is closer, why not go there?”“We can’t go through without our equipment,” Janet spoke up.“Hey,” Sam said suddenly, “you scared the thing off last night with that bright flash, whatever it was. Why don’t you come with us? We could use that.”Nemik shook his head adamantly. “No. I cannot help you. I can only frighten the beast out of self-defense. You must do this on your own.”“Why?” She glared at him. “Why can’t you help us? What are you hiding?”“I cannot interfere.”Janet’s eyes widened at the same time Sam’s did as everything clicked into place. “You’re the Ancient, aren’t you?” she breathed. “You’re the Light from the story!”The man looked stricken for a moment, then slumped, defeated. “Yes. I am the one who imprisoned the Krallik all those millennia ago.”“Whoa,” Sam breathed, shocked by the revelation. “Why are you still here?”“If I agree to tell you, will you sit and rest some more?”Both women nodded and resettled themselves on the floor, leaning against the earthen wall. The fire crackled in the hearth, throwing dancing shadows over the room, and making Nemik look older than he had a moment before.“Ten thousand years ago, the Goa’uld brought a group of humans to this planet to breed them as slaves. They did not know about the Krallik that hunted here, since the beasts only came out at night, and could not be seen with conventional sight. Soon, however, the slaves began to disappear, running into the forests, never to be heard from again. The Goa’uld sent their Jaffa out in droves, hunting the runaways, and eventually they too encountered the Krallik. The Goa’uld managed to kill many of the creatures, but there were a few that continually evaded their patrols.“Finally, the Goa’uld left, leaving the people to their fates, and for many years, the Krallik preyed on them, killing them off one by one.”Nemik stopped, shifting where he sat. “I was one of those taken by the beast, but at the moment of death, just as the creature was about to tear me in half, I saw a woman standing in a bright white light. She was beautiful. Her hair cascaded down her face in  ringlets, and her eyes were like pools of molten coca.”Sam and Janet looked at each other. “Let me guess. Was her name Oma DeSala?” Sam asked dryly.Nemik looked surprised. “Yes! How did you know?”“We’ve met.”“You have? Then you know her purpose.”“You mean besides making trouble?” Janet asked, irked. “We know she helps people to ascend who might not have gotten there on their own.”“Yes, well that is what she did. She offered me a choice. Death or ascension. Of course I chose to live on, but I was unable to let go of my past life. I thought I had, or else I would never have gotten to go on, but then I saw the Krallik continuing to prey on my people, and now I had the power to do something about it! Oma warned me to leave it alone, that the Others would punish me for interfering. But I wouldn’t listen. I destroyed all but two of the creatures, a male and a female, reasoning that it wasn’t as bad if I didn’t remove the entire race from existence. I moved them to the other side of the planet, hoping they would learn to eat animals and breed their young to do the same.“But it didn’t work. The male killed his mate, and found his way back here to start the slaughter all over again.”He sighed heavily. “I had been warned about interfering. I knew I was not omniscient, even though I had all this power to work with. But my people were still dying. So in one final effort to do something without being completely destroyed by the Others, I built a prison for the creature, a stasis field that would keep it safely hidden until a way could be found by the people of this world to deal with it once and for all.“Needless to say, my plan worked, and for thousands of years, the Krallik has slept undisturbed. But I was punished for my actions, forced to retake human form again, and though I am still immortal and retain a small measure of my power, it is a bitter draught. I watched as, one by one, the people I cared for died, and everything changed. Until finally I fled to this place, where I could fulfill my assigned task of watching over the people, but could protect my heart by never getting too close.”“So what happened?” Sam asked. “How did the creature get out?”“After several millennia had passed, the stasis field began to degrade. You saw the stones surrounding the rings. I had buried them so they would not be seen in order to avoid questions and more interference. But over time, the soil began to erode, until one day the stones began to shift. The field finally collapsed when that wandering tinkerer picked one up. The creature was loose, and I no longer have the power to ensnare it. That is why your plan to catch the Krallik in the field did not work. There is not enough power to hold it.”“Could you kill it?” Janet asked.Nemik nodded. “I could, but I won’t. The Others wouldn’t allow it.”Sam blew out her breath, irritated. “Could someone please remind me why being ascended is such a wonderful thing? Because I’m just not seeing it.”Janet looked at her. “What are we going to do?”“We need to get our gear then go to the gate for some reinforcements.”“If you go to the village, the beast will follow you,” Nemik warned. “It has been denied its first meal in thousands of years, and will not give up easily.”“It’s been several hours,” Sam reminded him. “The Krallik has tasted your blood. It will have slept nearby and is watching us even now. You must stay here.”“And do what?” Sam snapped. “We can’t just sit here forever.”“Just wait for morning. Then you can go and get your things in safety.”A roar and a crash outside the hut answered this, and they all jumped. The wall buckled under an enormous pressure, cracks spidering over its surface as something large began to hammer on it from the outside.“Looks like our decision has been made for us,” Sam shouted over the din. “Time to move!” She grabbed Janet’s good arm, and they rushed out the door and into the darkness. “Go!” Nemik shouted. “I’ll hold it off as long as I can!”Sam didn’t argue. She took a second to get her bearings, then both women lurched off in the direction of the village, moving as fast as their wounds would allow.For a few minutes, they ran in silence, their ragged breathing and crashing footsteps the only sounds penetrating the stillness of the night. Branches whipped around them, stinging their faces and arms. Vines seemed to reach out for their stumbling feet, making them trip in the darkness. Janet’s dizziness returned, and the ground sway and spun away from her, hindering them further.Sam could hear the Krallik crashing around a ways behind, but didn’t look back, knowing she would not be able to see what chased them. But despite her caution, a large tree root caught her ankle, throwing her to the ground. She felt the gashes in her torso tear open and torrents of agony raced through her. Cries of pain ripped from her lips as she writhed.Janet dropped beside her. “How bad is it?” she asked, seeing the anguish on Sam’s face.“Bad,” Sam whispered, her arm wrapped around her ribs.“How far is the village?” Janet asked as they started moving again.“Too far. The gate’s closer.”“What good is that going to do us? We don’t have our GDO’s or radios.” Sam gritted her teeth and hissed, “We’ll dial home, and when nothing comes through, they’ll send a MALP to check it out. They’ll see us and we can go home and get help.”Janet nodded and helped Sam to her feet. They started moving again, but Carter’s injuries severely hampered their speed.The monster began to close in on them, and now Sam could hear its harsh snarl coming closer.“Cover your eyes!” Nemik called from their right. Both women threw their arms over their faces, and a flash of light split the darkness. The Krallik reeled in blindness and pain, roaring its fury. Sam and Janet hurried on, grateful for Nemik’s distraction.Twenty agonizing minutes later, the gate came into view, sitting serene and beautiful in its clearing. Moonlight cascaded down over it, making it shine and shimmer like a mirage. “Finally,” Sam gasped; her vision was beginning to telescope, and she knew she wasn’t going to last much longer. Janet wasn’t any better. She was moving drunkenly, her feet tangling on themselves and everything else they came into contact with. The two women hurried as fast as they could to the gate and collapsed by the DHD. Sam pulled herself up onto it, crying out as her wounds scraped the cold mineral. She started to dial Earth, then stopped when something caught her attention. Turning her head, she heard the crashing of the Krallik as it lumbered into the clearing, still totally invisible.“Oh come on!” she said, angry and frustrated. “Does this thing never give up?”  Janet groaned as she laid curled ground. She had nothing left. Her head and arm sent pulsing waves of agony through her body, and she was close to losing consciousness. But Sam wasn’t done. Quickly she finished pushing the sequence of keys to home, but didn’t press the red activation circle. Instead she stooped and painfully helped Janet to her feet, propping her up against the DHD. “When I say go, press the circle,” she said harshly, her breaths coming in gasps. She turned and limped heavily toward the space between the approaching Krallik, who was no longer bothering to hide, and the Stargate. “Hey!” She called, waving the arm not clamped over her wounds. “Come and get me!”The Krallik roared and increased speed, coming at Sam fast enough to make her wince. “Oops, time to go!” she summoned the last of her strength and took off up the steps of the gate platform. “Now Janet!” she yelled.Janet watched, horrified, but pressed the circle as she’d been told. The event horizon formed and blew sideways—two milliseconds after Sam had hurled herself through the previously empty ring. The Krallik was right behind her and could not stop itself from rushing right into the unstable vortex. Then it was gone.Sam slammed into the ground on the other side of the platform and did not move. Janet watched and waited as the wormhole disengaged, then as it reformed and the MALP trundled down the steps, its camera moving back and forth on its stand.Moving slowly, she maneuvered herself around the DHD and then tried to walk the few yards between herself and the machine, but ended up on the ground, crawling as the world tilted. “General Hammond!” she gasped when she could reach the radio. “Major Carter and I require medical attention immediately. Please...” The last word passed through her lips as her vision began to go black. She lost her grip on the device and slipped to the ground, darkness taking her to where there was no pain. She thought she heard someone calling her name, then nothing.

Chapter 9 Janet woke covered and comfortable in her infirmary, listening to the steady beeping of the monitors. She opened her eyes, blinking to clear them, and licked dry lips. A cup appeared before her, held by one Daniel Jackson. ‘Well, there are certainly worse ways to wake up,’ she thought wryly, taking a sip of water from the straw. She looked up into Daniel’s ridiculously blue eyes and smiled, feeling the familiar slight flutter in her stomach. “Hi,” she breathed.“Hi yourself.”“Where’s Sam?”“Right beside you.” He shifted so she could turn her head and see the major lying in the bed next to hers. She was pale, but her breathing was easy, and from what Janet could see, her vitals were steady. “Is she okay?”Daniel nodded, still looking at Sam. “Well, she’s pretty beat up. Actually, you both are, but everything is healing nicely. Doctor Warner says she won’t have any scarring, and that you both should make a full recovery.”Janet turned her head back and grimaced a little as it protested this slight change of direction. Daniel saw the expression. “Are you hurting? Do you want something?” He motioned to a passing nurse without waiting for an answer, and she hurried over, looking at Janet. “Doctor Frasier, are you in pain? Can I get you anything?”“What have I got now?” Janet asked.Daniel’s eyes never left her face as Frasier and the nurse exchanged information. Once the nurse had received her orders and moved away, he spoke again. “You had me worried for a while there.”“Oh? How long have we been here?” “Two days.”Janet raised her eyebrows. “Did someone go back to the village to tell them we were alright?”“Yes, and they seemed very surprised that you weren’t both dead. They were absolutely sure that some monster had gotten you, but refused to talk about it until they saw you. What in the world happened to the two of you?”“That is a long story,” Janet said sleepily. Her eyes began to drift shut, and the feeling of Daniel’s warm hand on her own sent her to oblivion. When she woke again, she saw Sam sitting up in her bed, her laptop propped on her legs. “Hey. Aren’t you supposed to be resting?”Sam looked up and smiled, closing the lid of the computer. “Hey, you. How are you feeling?”“Don’t dodge the question. Why aren’t you resting?”Sam rolled her eyes. “I am resting.”“No you’re not, you’re working.” The major opened the laptop and turned it so Janet could see. Red and black playing cards glowed in vertical rows across the screen. “Oh,” Janet said, relaxing. “Okay then. I’m feeling much better, thank you.”Sam laughed, then stopped abruptly, her hand going to her stomach. “How about you?” Janet asked, concern coloring her croaky voice.“I’ve had worse. I’ll be fine. It’s actually the various scrapes and bruises that are bugging me more than the large claw marks across my gut.”“I know what you mean,” Janet grimaced. “The drugs just don’t seem to get it all unless you get enough to make you loopy.”“Which can be fun,” Sam joked.“Don’t tempt me,” Janet growled good naturedly. She lapsed into silence for a bit, then turned her head to find Sam still looking at her. “What?”“You did really well out there.”“I didn’t do anything you didn’t do.”“Yeah, but you’re not trained for it like I am. I’m impressed.”Janet colored. She’d never been good at taking compliments. “Well, uh, thank you.”“I just have one question.”“Shoot.”“Before Nemik found us, the Krallik was coming for me, and I thought I was a goner.”“Yeah?”“Then the thing seemed to hunch over, and you ran around and clubbed it in the head.”“And?”“So how did you get it to bend down so you could get to it?”An evil grin spread over Janet’s face. “It seems even Kralliks have sensitive private parts.” Two weeks later, Sam and Janet stepped back through the gate to Rihalliu, and immediately set out for the village. They had declined the offer of an escort, and since the danger was past, they had been allowed to come alone. Janet’s arm was safely in a cast, and most of Sam’s wounds had closed or soon would. The women walked easily, enjoying each other’s company and the beauty of the landscape. Once again the sun was high overhead, bathing them in a rich warm glow, and illuminating the rolling grasses in a golden pool of light. Soon, the village came into view, along with a strange sight. Dozens of colored pennants waved in the breeze, held aloft by the strong bronzed arms of the Rihallians. Seemingly spying them, the villagers began rushing toward the women, waving their flags madly and cheering at the top of their lungs. Very soon, Sam and Janet were overtaken by fifty or so people, all with grins plastered on their faces, their voices raised in shouts of joy and praise.Janet put a protective hand over her cast, but she needn’t have worried. The people were extremely careful as they escorted the women back to the village, never ceasing in their laughter and cries of acclaim. Once inside, the villagers dispersed, but not very far, each going to a different circle of drummers and beginning a ferociously energetic dance that just screamed victory and happiness. As the crowd parted, a tiny figure emerged from within the mass of bodies, walking steadily toward them, her arms outstretched, and tears on her face.Tessa approached Sam first, taking her hands and pulling her down so she could press her wet cheeks to Sam’s in thanksgiving. She looked into the major’s eyes and Sam could see her gratitude reflected there. She nodded in acknowledgement, putting as much friendship into her gaze as she could. Tessa released Sam and looked at Janet. “You have done the impossible, daughter. You believed me even when no one else would have. You sacrificed much,” Tessa gently touched Janet’s cast, “and you won.” The old healer took hold of Janet’s shoulders and pulling her down into a strong embrace, she held her hard for a long time. Finally releasing the doctor, Tessa looked at them both again. “Thank you. You are both always welcome here.” A couple of hours later, the celebration was still going on, and the market was doing a strong business. Sam and Janet had refused an almost constant stream of offerings from the various vendors, knowing that this was these people’s only source of income, as well as the fact that they simply could not hold it all, and did not want to appear to play favorites. As they approached the end of the last line of stall, Janet looked up at Sam. “Do you want to pay Donaldo a visit? Looks like he’s doing a fair business today.”“Sure, why not? Maybe he’ll have an interesting trinket for sale.” Sam smiled wickedly.As they approached the last booth, however, it was not Donaldo and his junk pile inside. Instead, Nemik stood there, proudly displaying his fishing lures to a crowd of eager men, and not a few women. The descended Ancient saw them coming and came out of his booth, his hands outstretched. “Ah, my beautiful wounded birds. You have healed, yes? You look ravishing, both of you.”Sam and Janet grinned at his antics. “Yes, we’re both recovering nicely,” Janet said. “Much of which is thanks to you.”“Pshah. It was nothing. Just a little trick I learned over the years,” he winked conspiratorially at them.“Nemik,” Sam said, looking at his booth, “why are you here? I thought you wanted to stay out of society. I thought it was too hard.”Nemik’s face grew more serious, though he did not lose the twinkle in his eye. “Yes, yes, I did say that, didn’t I? But then in our conversations, brief though they were, I realized that closing myself off from these people that I gave up so much for would only defeat the purpose of my sacrifice. I want to help them, and to do that, I must live among them.” His happy go lucky smile returned. “Do you not love my booth? My fishing flys are very popular, are they not?”The girls smiled and moved closer, examine the riotous colors of the various lures. Nemik continued happily. “Would you like to have one? To remember me by?”Janet grinned and chose a small red fish shaped lure with purple feathers sticking up from where a dorsal fin should have been.  “Thank you, Nemik.” she said, catching the man’s eye, and winking at him. He blushed to his toes and turned quickly to Sam. “And you, which would you like?”Sam thought a moment. “Actually, can I have two? I have a friend who might like one as well…” THE END