Cracks in Stonewalls part 2
by Lash
Cracks in Stonewalls part 2
AUTHOR: Lash
EMAIL: Nyah513@hotmail.com
CATEGORY: Series, Action/Adventure, Angst
PAIRING: Sam/Jack
SPOILERS: General for show/movie
SEASON / SEQUEL: 4; Cracks in Stonewalls part 1
RATING: PG-13
CONTENT WARNINGS: angst, male/female relationship, violence
SUMMARY: Sg-1 learn hey may have a new ally in Elnore but what is her secret?
STATUS: Unfinished
ARCHIVE: Heliopolis
DISCLAIMER: Stargate belongs to MGM, Double Scecret, Gekko that's all I can think of. Inspiration from Mercedes Lackey (see prt. 1) If you want to sue well I have, a 10 dollar bill, some lint and a carton of ice cream. You can have my lint and my $10 but I'll defend my ice cream to the death.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Ohh I covet feedback. and the more feed back I get the more story there is!!
I meant to have this up yesterday but real life intervened. No song in this one because I had "Time of Your Life" in my head for a week after part one. Okay it seems my plot bunny ate all his carrots and turned into a plot elephant so instead of the end as a lot of people asked for this is just chapter to of what could be a long fic. Sorry.
Chapter 2: May Your Life be Interesting
Jack shouted but for some reason didn't shoot. Daniel could practically feel all the muscles in his friend's body tense. Time seemed as horrified as Sg-1 because it was moving both painfully slow and much too fast. At the last possible second she bent her arm in a way that bordered on the impossible. Now the hilt was hurtling just past Sam's nose the blade steered toward Elnore's chest. Daniel had witnessed several acts of self- imposed torture and self sacrifice, they made his gut wrench, he felt bile already beginning to rise in his throat. Again, another motion changed the inevitable, this time it was a subtle change in stance that drove the blade home in a quite elaborate flourish, to the sheath. Elnore looked at Sam and her shoulders shook as she chuckled silently.
Daniel recovered his heart from where it had leapt up in his throat and managed a weak smile. "I think she's telling us to relax." Sam managed a tiny smile of her own
.
"Oh I'm relaxed." Jack said, suspicion still in his voice.
Elnore pointed off ahead of the 'gate into the trees. " Kele." She jerked her head in that direction. Jack shrugged. "To the trees." They walked down the steps, Elnore coming with them. When they reached the bottom most of the archers crowed around them. Putting them securely in the center of a sizable group. Daniel couldn't decide if this made him feel safe or nervous. Other than bows the fighters each carried a sword and usually a knife at their belt. Sometimes the glint of steal caught his eye suggesting that they carried more knives he couldn't see. The others who had been in the trees fanned out and went into the forest at all sides of the party, presumably looking for anyone else who might have come through the Staragte. " Vyusher' bach." Elnore told him, waving her arm broadly to indicate the warriors.
"Vi-ooshear botch. I think she means that is what her people are called." Daniel said to Sam who was walking next to him. About an hour later the object of their journey from the 'gate came into view.
It was obvious to Teal'c that the structure ahead was where their host was leading them. It was a heavily fortified town, more like a garrison. " Kes ' vyusher." Elnore nodded toward the town.
"The name of the town?" DanielJackson guessed.
"I believe you are correct." Teal'c said. The town was surrounded by a very formidable stonewall. In fact, the town seemed to be built into a rock face. Instinctively Teal'c began to assess its defensive capabilities. The rock face guarded the town's "back" more effectively than the best army could. A swiftly flowing portion of a river took care of two sides. The one remaining side was accessible through huge wooden doors. They appeared to be very thick and would resist being burnt. A small entrance stood just beside the main. Teal'c had seen prints left behind by horseshoes on the path they had taken. He judged this door to be just large enough for one mounted warrior if he crouched low in the saddle. It was indeed an ideal location for a base. One of the vyusher ' bach at the head of the party spoke a word Teal'c couldn't catch to the sentry. One of the great doors slowly swung open.
" Zhai' helleva!" A woman hailed them from inside. She was apparently another sentry.
" Zhai' helleva!" Elnore called back. As soon as her shout rang out there were several squeals of delight. At least a dozen brightly clad shapes wove there way through the feet of the warriors. The laughing children converged on Ellie, they latched on tightly, seemingly afraid she would vanish. " Zhai' helleva Ellie!" A small voice intoned.
Ellie laughed and Teal'c delighted at the sound. He heard it so seldom, he had gotten used to laughs rooted in sarcasm and irony. This foreign sound made waves of warmth encompass him, for it was the sound of someone laughing because life itself made her happy. It came from someone who must take every drop life had to offer and cherish it like they would never see another. A shadow of sadness fell across the Jaffa's heart. It was all too obvious that Elnore was not only a fighter but also a leader. Pale scar tissue crisscrossed against the exposed flesh of her forearms. Her tightly braided hair exposed an even paler scar that ran from an earlobe, under her delicate jaw and licked the edge of her collarbone on the opposite side. Black leather covered most of her body and, Teal'c suspected, more scars. The signs all pointed to risk, the deadly kind. Elnore probably didn't know if she would see any more happy times beyond the present.
It was quite amazing actually- her disposition. And frankly it baffled the Jaffa. All his life he had lived around warriors. Not just any warriors either, they were the kind that learned early that their lives had little value beyond the price of a slave. If they didn't learn it, it was beaten into them. Through out their, and incidentally his own, training distrust toward fellow Jaffa was subtly cultivated. And sometimes not so subtly. They had been trained and tested since childhood many had grown up to be more than their teachers could have hoped. Young men, boys really, Teal'c had trained with were grown up now. They were successful, renowned, proud, bitter... empty. It was deeply ingrained in them that they had to be the best to survive. And being the best meant being alone, after all only one can be the best. But it wasn't just Jaffa, Teal'c had been across an entire universe and seen more than his share of fighters.
They were all the same. His comrade DanielJackson would say their "glasses were half empty". Teal'c had never understood this particular comment, half empty, half full it was the same measurement and pointlessly redundant as a proverb. But he could see it as he suspected one of the Taur' i would, as a lesson in perspective. Somehow this girl child, this fighter with the eyes that were much too old for her years, had taken her half empty glass, squeezed every positive drop out of life, and came away with a glass that really was full. It was astounding.
Teal'c looked at Elnore again with new eyes and an open mind. The girl who was much to young to fight, clad herself in dead animal flesh, and used weapons so primitive they seemed alien, knew more about living than he had learned in a life many times longer than her.
Elnore swung the small child who had spoken onto her back. " Zhai' helleva jel' te' sorthene!" There was a little one clutching her left hand and even one trailing behind hanging onto her belt. Teal'c smiled for the world to see this time. It was an odd feeling; the emotions of a trained soldier could get him killed.
Teal'c looked to his team as they passed through the entrance to the garrison. Major Carter also smiled at the children. DanielJackson and Colonel O'Neill bore the same, strange statement. Both were grinning in Elnore's direction, their faces speaking of respect, admiration and possibly... attraction?
That was very odd indeed. Elnore was young by Earth standards and far younger by Jaffa standards. But his confused thoughts fled as a greater distraction presented itself. Teal'c's infant goa'uld began stirring in its pouch. It thrashed about wildly as if it were fighting something. After a moment the wild movements slowed and ceased. Worry crept into his thoughts but it was quickly silenced as he caught another glimpse of Elnore.
She had turned around backward to speak to a little child. To Teal'c she was moving in slow motion. A sappy sentimental song Teal'c recognized from Chulak was playing faintly. It suddenly occurred to Teal'c that Elnore would make a terrific mother. She would be gentle, loving, and patient. He had no idea how he'd ever thought she was a threat to his team.
All around him figures moving in slow motion caught his eye. Instinctively, he knew they were female. Oblivious to his surroundings, Teal'c shamelessly admired their strength and grace. Warmth and desire washed over him in waves if he let his gaze linger on an individual.
A shrill, child like scream pierced the air, shaking Teal'c out of his reverie. A chubby, blonde child ran toward the group with an equally tow-headed boy trailing her. The little girl was clutching an injured arm. Crimson streams ran freely from a long shallow cut. She clutched her pudgy fist causing more blood to spill out and stain her plain woolen clothing. The older boy looked more horrified than the girl and sported a bloody smear on the hem of his shirt. " Sheka." Elnore hissed tightly. " Kele." She urged the young ones around her. " Kele. Sensa." The warriors dispersed, heading mostly to rows of three story buildings at one side of the town.
SG-1 remained standing behind their guide for lack of anywhere else to go. " Shella." Elnore said tenderly and the child ran to her, displaying the wound. The child's whimpers subsided and her eyes were surprisingly dry despite the way her face had twisted itself into a mask of pain. Elnore appeared to be checking the little girl for further injury while questioning the boy.
The sandy haired boy seemed to think the answers to her questions were written on his feet the way he was staring at them. In the middle on a relatively long response Elnore interrupted him sharply. " Her' y?"
" Hai." The boy replied softly and hung his head in shame.
Elnore just looked at him for a moment. " Kele." Her voice was so filled with disgust Teal'c thought the boy would cry as he walked away with heavy steps.
Her cold disposition melted as she gently cupped the injured girl's face with hands that weren't far from being child like. " Du' dera jel' tacha. Vera' lede, hai shala?"
" Hai, gestena." The little one said in a small voice. She visibly took control of herself and her eyelids fluttered closed. For some reason she seemed implacably rooted to the spot on which she stood. She hadn't changed her stance or posture but it was as if she was an extension of the earth beneath her feet. Teal'c thought she intended to remain there all day. Eventually though she showed some signs of life. Her lips parted and began silently mouthing words.
Something was nagging Teal'c; it was lurking at the back of his mind, just out of reach. Familiarity. Then it registered. He recognized those lip movements. But the child was nearly finished and the only words he caught were, " Silence my pain." He was about to share this revelation with his team, but his breath caught in his throat and his mouth worked silently in surprise.
Sam gasped at the spectacle before her. Quickly, her brain began compiling and analyzing the ways this could be used back home.
When the girl stopped mouthing words Sam began to feel a little strange. Her skin grew icy and the little hairs on the back of her neck stood up. Pressure built in her ears and her stomach did flips. Some great force was at work here. It wasn't Sam's nerves that were affecting her. No this... this was something else entirely.
It was all Sam could do to keep herself standing. She stood utterly amazed, staring at the arm of a small girl. For a moment her vision doubled. When her eyes cleared, there was a barely discernable glow surrounding the injured arm. At first nothing happened, but the child drew a sharp breath. Then Sam saw hundreds of tiny glowing filaments span across the gash. The threads latched onto the good skin on the other side and began bringing the side together. The bloodied skin drew closer and closer until it was one expanse of unbroken flesh. It was literally as good as new. Sam doubted there would even be a scar. There was still blood of course, but none of it new. However, the sight of the rusty- colored, half congealed mess was quite nauseating, especially on a child so young.
Sam knew she was doing a pretty good impression of a fish, probably a large- mouthed bass. But she was certainly entitled to it, and definitely not alone.
"Would you look at that... " Daniel had visited the infirmary enough that this would seem no less than miraculous to him.
"The regeneration was swifter even than a goa'uld symbiote can provide." Teal'c didn't seem as profoundly amazed as Daniel sounded or Sam felt but he was clearly impressed.
"Maybe they'll want to play nice and share... " The Colonel's remark faded and Sam could only catch the words, "snake heads."
Inside Sam there was an all too familiar feud being waged. The scientist part of her was furiously trying to attribute the phenomenon to technology or some kind of genetic anomaly that was unique to these people. And her other side... it was happily poking holes in the first side's theories.
First of all, the people were not nearly as advanced as the other races they had encountered that possessed technology capable of tissue regeneration- healing. Secondly, it was nothing like any healing she had witnessed with those other cultures. Those had been logical. The technology had manipulated the body's natural immune system. It encouraged the body to heal itself only exponentially faster.
This... this defied logic. Those- threads- had pulled the skin back together rather than the flesh knitting itself. Then they sealed it up flawlessly and disappeared. She had seen it but it wasn't possible.
The sheer irony of her thoughts nearly made Sam laugh.
Another explanation skittered across Sam's mind creating frightening ripples that made the scientist in her scream in protest.
Daniel was finding it very difficult to d anything but stand. He felt as if his surroundings were surreal somehow. That was until the little girl boldly approached Teal'c and tugged on his arm. " Sha' pal." She said and proudly showed him her unscathed arm. In a conspiring whisper she rattled off a flurry of words and nodded toward Elnore. So the woman had done something special, it hadn't all been the little girl.
The child's comic behavior had struck up memories from a life that was lost to him. He quickly buried memories of Abydos, not being able to afford the distraction now. In a gesture that melted all communication barriers, Daniel dropped down to crouch beside the little one. She turned to him, her clear green eyes brimming with happiness. Daniel got a tiny sun- tanned arm thrust into his face. "Wow!" He complimented her. "That's a very strong arm you've got there." Daniel flexed his arm to show her. She flashed him a knowing smile and flexed for him.
"Would you look at that?" Jack gave a low whistle. "I think she's got you beat Danny boy." The child practically beamed now and scurried off in the direction of the boy. Daniel watched her run off still squatting on his haunches; he looked up to his teammates with a grin and realized they were not alone. A tall man now stood conversing with Elnore. His hair was a shock of snowy white with some strands of silver mixed in. He was broad shouldered and well muscled. His face had age lines and few of them seemed to be from smiling. His age didn't subtract from his commanding presence. However he seemed to defer to Elnore if not quite so much as the archers had.
They were by no means making their conversation secret but they had little reason to, as Daniel couldn't understand a word of it. He got the impression that SG-1 was the subject and this discussion would decide what happened next. "I think they may be deciding uh... what to do with us." Daniel informed his team.
"What about them, sir? What are our plans?" Sam seemed different than she had been this morning somehow. Like se had had some kind of revelation.
"What do you mean Major?" Jack always asked for Sam's opinions and gave them great weight.
"Well these people could be a huge ally for Earth. It would really be in our best interest to... " Sam seemed to be at a loss for words so Daniel cut in.
"Jack, I think what Sam means is what she- did- was nothing short of incredible. Somehow we have to communicate with them. If they'll show us how to do that... it would be like outfitting every member of the SGC with their own Healing Device. I mean even the chance for that- it's priceless."
O'Neill shifted his gun. "Yeah I noticed that too. See the problem is we need to talk to them now. We're scheduled to report to him in an hour and we're due back tomorrow. They showed hostility and there is no real way to know if they can be trusted. I hate to say it... they seem... that kid... we can't be sure. "Jack nearly growled the last phrase out. "It's going to take a hell of a lot of persuasion for Hammond to let us come back when we have nothing solid to show. We don't even know if we can use whatever this is. It could just be the people, something in the water." He joked.
Daniel was positive now; Jack wanted to come back too. Sam took her turn to wear him down. "I'd thought about that sir. I don't think we're looking at a biological factor here. Elnore did something sir. I felt it, maybe... maybe because of Jolinar, I don't know." Sam's eyes sought Jack's, searching. He looked past her to the horizon.
After a long silence he admitted defeat to a battle he hadn't wanted to win. "Alright Carter we'll find a way to convince Hammond. I we can't Doc Frasier will probably threaten him with a physical." Daniel sighed with relief he didn't want to give this mission up yet. He looked up at the two "aliens". They had stopped talking and seemed to be studying SG-1. "What about them? Do we trust them until we find a way to chat with them?" Daniel suddenly felt very uncomfortable talking about them like they weren't there, he felt they were taking advantage of these people some how, and said so. "Daniel I don't think-" Jack was interrupted by a voice that made Daniel's heart skip a beat because... he understood it.
"You shouldn't feel guilty Dr. Jackson." Elnore laughed musically. "After all we've been doing the same to you."
AN: I wasn't going to hold you nice reader's ransom again but surprise I changed my mind. I have my reasons:
1. This (ch 2) is my second fic so I want to know if I'm doing it right
2. Hmmm... I'd like to know what you think about Elnore. Like her? Hate her? Don't know yet?
3. The biggest reason of all... I couldn't find my toothbrush this morning and it put me in a nasty mood. :b
So like part one reviews= more story, unless of course my plot elephant dies. ; )
If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to Lash