The Gift
The Gift
by Lisa Mason
TITLE: The Gift
AUTHOR:Lisa Mason
EMAIL:lisa@thistlecottage21.freeserve.co.uk
STATUS:Completed
CATEGORY: Adventure/Romance
SPOILERS:For "The Nox" and "The Broca Divide"
SEQUEL/SEASON INFO:Season 1, after "The Nox"
RATINGS:PG
CONTENT WARNINGS:None
SUMMARY:After the SG-1 team arrive home from a planet devoid of human life, they find their backup signal transmitter is missing...
DISCLAIMER:This story is for entertainment purposes only and no profit has been made from it. No copyright infringement is intended. Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions and Gekko Productions. The original characters, situations and story are the property of the author. This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:This is the first story I have written in conjunction with an already created cast of characters and story lines. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it!
The wormhole before the SG-1 team exploded to life, and one by one the four figures disappeared through the watery event horizon.
Daniel staggered out of the wormhole as he arrived back in the hanger. It was a feeling of home he was still having problems adjusting to.
"Welcome back SG-1, your debriefing will be at 1500 hours," General Hammond announced over the tannoy from the control room.
"The planet was found to be devoid of any humanoid life forms, and probably the last Goa'uld visitation was more than a millennia ago. We saw only small animals, birds and tracks of larger animals, wolves, bears for example," Carter said as she began.
"And there was no evidence of any architectural interest either," O'Neill added, remembering on a recent mission briefing that the President himself had requested that all SG teams note down and learn about cultures they might encounter. He ignored the looks Sam and Daniel gave him.
"It would seem that the Goa'uld found the planet on their travels, like most others I would think it proved useless and the Goa'uld abandoned it," Daniel concluded.
The General nodded. "Very well, P36X94 can be pla…What is it soldier?" the General asked turning to the private standing near him.
"Sir, we have unpacked the equipment buggy from SG-1's previous mission. They're back up signal transmitter is missing."
"Excuse me?" Jack asked, what was the soldier accusing them of?
"It is possible that the transmitter was misplaced Colonel?" Hammond asked.
"Of course it isn't! We never touch that one, sure check its there but use it, no. The one Captain Carter carries on her wrist is the only one we've ever used."
"Jack, calm down," Daniel muttered trying to soothe the Colonel's temper. "Sir, we had noneedto use it. It's there only for a back up isn't it?"
Carter glanced at Daniel and nodded.
"Very well, I suggest a routine check of all lockers and dormitories," General Hammond announced.
O'Neill groaned muttering under his breath.
"That's an order Colonel."
"What do you suppose could have happened to the transmitter?" Daniel asked as he headed towards the locker room with Sam.
"Oh, I don't know. It's just a little odd that it's disappeared."
"Perhaps we weren't alone on the planet after all."
"It's possible, but we didn't pick up any forms of humanoid life."
"Well Teal'c, it's not in here," Jack announced, looking under a bunk bed.
"Do you suppose it was stolen?"
"By whom? There was no one on the planet to steal it."
"The Goa'uld have encountered many different races over the years, a few have not been human."
"And we've met a couple of them," Jack countered.
"No, I do not mean human shaped. I mean races that can be both human and animal."
"What are you talking about Teal'c?"
"Shape shifters. People who can change from human to animal. I have heard stories of such creatures."
"But you've never seen one?"
"No, I have not."
"Ah."
"Any luck guys?" Daniel asked appearing round the doorway.
"Not really," Jack answered.
Suddenly bells and alarms rang from every direction, along with the voice- 'this is not a drill!' blasting over the tannoy.
"The Stargate!" Jack and Daniel shouted together.
Carter and General Hammond were already in the control room as O'Neill, Daniel and Teal'c ran in. All stood watching, as the Stargate was spinning and encoding the seven different symbols.
"What's going on? Has a signal been sent?" Daniel asked Sam, in question to the lack of the iris.
She nodded. "Probably whoever took the transmitter."
"How do you think they knew what numbers to press?"
"Like you said, maybe we weren't alone after all."
The Stargate then blasted open settling back to create the stable wormhole. Lines of armoured soldiers took their places on the hanger floor surrounding the 'Gate. The room fell into a deafening silence with only the clicking of armed weapons. The wormhole rippled before spitting out the small body that rolled to a stop at the top of the walkway. Guns rattled to life as the body moved it froze upon seeing all the faces staring directly at it.
As the wormhole automatically shut its self down the figure sat kneeling with its head bowed. Daniel frowned through the plated glass.
"I don't think he means us any harm," he said.
"It could be a trap, I wouldn't..." Sam started, but Daniel was gone.
Daniel had entered the hanger and was picking his way through the mass of soldiers.
"Someone has got to put a leash on him," Jack muttered heading down to the hanger, followed by Carter and Teal'c.
Daniel ignored the mutterings from behind, focusing only on the visitor. The clothes looked worn and dirty, along with a crude hat wrapped round his head, upon closer inspection he could see no Goa'uld entry scar.
Daniel kneeled down in front of the other, not quite sure what language to use, though first he had to attract the boy's attention.
"Hi," he said leaning slightly. The head moved slightly. "Um, chaapa'ai," he tried, pointing to the 'Gate. Nothing. He then spotted the transmitter in the boy's hands. Rather delicate hands for a bloke, he thought. "Ours," he said, reaching out to transmitter.
The boy suddenly looked up at Daniel, catching himself short Daniel realised that the boy was actually female and had the biggest brown eyes…Sha're…Daniel shook himself, it wasn't Sha're but the young woman was so very similar. The girl broke the silence and his blatant stare by lifting up the transmitter and handing it to him. She smiled cautiously at him, he returned the gesture with his trademark shy grin.
"Thank you."
She smiled again, confident that the man meant her no harm. He held a hand out for her, she took it, grateful for the hand up.
The girl had been place in a room with a large glass mirror on one wall, behind it Daniel was wrestling with his emotions.
"Hey, look what's the problem here?" Jack asked as Daniel paced the room. "I mean, she's an attractive girl, now she's cleaned up anyhow."
"Man, she must have had at least a year's supply of muck in her hair and her skin," Sam commented from the corner of the room, she had been the one to help the girl clean up.
"If she had to live along side the animals dominant on the planet it probably was her only way of not being eaten," Daniel said, after he had stopped pacing the room. "Besides, I'm a married man. I can't be doing with this." Even before the words escaped his lips, he realised what he'd just said. Hope of ever finding Sha're again grew slimmer by the day, but he still had his morals, and guilt.
"Look, Daniel, I'll talk to her if it'll make things easier for you," Carter offered moving out of her chair.
"No, I'll do it. Besides I'm the linguist right?"
The girl sat quietly in the room simply looking around the grey room. Now that she was all scrubbed up she was nothing like Sha're, but still Daniel knew there was something about her he couldn't quite place.
Her pale face looked up as Daniel entered the room. Her hair had been cut short due to matting and dirt, but her brown eyes seemed to swallow him whole.
He sat down opposite her and smiled.
"Hi," he said slightly confused as the girl just sat frowning at him.
She tilted her head like a curious child would if confused by something. She then reached over and removed his glasses.
As she sat examining them Daniel looked at the mirror and shrugged. He looked as the girl tried them on, they came off quickly as soon as she looked through them. Still confused she glanced back at Daniel then the glasses then back at Daniel. As though something clicked in her mind the girl suddenly reached out to his head touching his forehead.
"Now what's she doing?" Jack muttered to Sam, both were watching the strange actions of the visitor.
Daniel felt nausea wash over him as he lost his balance slightly, but when he opened his eyes his heart leapt. He could see! Clearly anyway. Everything was perfectly clear, it was as if the girl had taken his short-sightedness so she could look through his glasses.
"Daniel? What is it?" Jack asked over the speaker into the room, his curiosity had become too much.
"I can see, perfectly clearly," Daniel replied looking up at the girl, whose interest had switched from Daniel to the mirror. She removed the glasses pressed her fingers again on his forehead and stepped cautiously over to the mirror.
"No, I can't," Daniel muttered replacing his glasses.
"Sir, I don't like this," Carter muttered backing away from the mirror as the girl stepped closer.
"Me neither Carter, suggestion; go find Teal'c."
"Good idea Sir."
Jack stared at the girl through the glass wondering what she was going to do. She was looking around the wall, probably wondering where the voice had come from. Then without warning she placed a hand on the glass.
The only indication he was aware of her doing anything was the look on Daniel's shocked face.
"Hi Jack," Daniel said slightly stunned as he waved to the Colonel.
Jack couldn't believe it, Daniel could see him? But he could see why as the girl placed her other hand on the mirror, the tint on the glass had all but disappeared somehow she was making it transparent simply by touching it.
Sam then returned with Teal'c and as the Jaffa entered the room the girl suddenly ripped her hands away from the glass as though it was fire.
Daniel watched confused as the frightened girl backed into the chair falling over it, muttering in a very strange language, one not even he had heard of. The only thing he could make out was the word 'Jaffa', she continuously repeated. She'd seen Teal'c through the glass.
Through her panic and strange words, which sounded like a language being spoken backwards, he tried to calm her. Eventually she conceded, still muttering in her language. Daniel managed to coax her back to her seat before trying to communicate again. After a few smile and gentle looks she had calmed down.
"Daniel," he motioned tapping his chest.
The girl opened her mouth trying to mimic his words.
"Daniel," he repeated.
"Dan-yal," she said. He nodded smiling then pointed to her.
"Nat'yre."
"Na-tear-ra?" Daniel tried. He found it odd how the name did not seem to fit with the strange guttural language she spoke. Perhaps it was a way of separating the names of people from the actual language.
"Jaffa," Daniel said pointing at the mirror, fear gripped the girl's face. "You have seen," he tapped at his eye. "Jaffa before?"
She started gabbling, Daniel recognised the odd word but still nothing made any sense. But she did say eventually that she had seen the Jaffa before.
"Beyada noyaffa. Ich noccha, yaffa. Touck, touck meyagwa. Beyada noyaffa."
Daniel sat listening with his mouth wide open, what on earth had the girl just said? He blinked himself out of his stare and pushed his glasses up his nose, opening his mouth a few times trying to think of what to say. Someone then knocked at the door, it was Jack and Carter. Daniel sighed relief.
"Banaqua?" she muttered pointing at the two and looking back at the mirror. She recognised them from previous.
"Nat'yre, this is Jack and Carter," Daniel introduced as they sat down. She simply smiled at them, noting that the Jaffa was not with them.
"So, anything else to report?" Jack asked quietly as the girl sat staring at her hands. Daniel was still trying to figure out her odd behaviour. "Daniel!"
"What? Oh, um, well I can't understand a word she's saying. It's like some ancient, almost primitive language. The guttural sounds indicate a developed vocal system, that we once had or perhaps have never known."
"What do you think the thing was with the mirror? I mean how did she clear the tint on it?" Carter asked, glancing at the girl, her quiet composure almost looked as though she was listening to their every word.
"I really don't know. Perhaps she has a use of the brain that we don't even know about yet. I mean she exchanged her sight for mine so she could look through my glasses, that alone is amazing, but other than that she's a complete mystery."
"Yeah well we're gonna have to go back to the General with more than what we have, otherwise she'll be going back where she came from," Jack stated standing up
"What? You're joking! She can't go back! The General saw the state she was in when she arrived, its obvious the Goa'uld dumped her there years ago," Daniel exclaimed making the girl jump.
"What makes you say that?" Jack countered.
"Oh, come on Jack you saw how frightened she was when Teal'c entered the other room. She was petrified! They can't send her back!"
"Daniel, for God's sake calm down. The decision isn't up to me, I don't make the rules around here."
"No," the girl suddenly stated. "No, go back," she said shaking her head.
The three stood staring at her in surprise.
"How'd she do that?" Jack asked pointing at her.
"I don't know. Obviously she has advanced learning capabilities," Daniel replied.
"Please, no go back. Bad place, please, no go back," she had backed up against the wall fear etched into her face.
"I don't think they'll send her back now, will they Jack?" Daniel asked walking over to her.
"No, not now she speaks English."
"You're not going back. It's okay. We just need to learn more about you and where you're from."
"How old do you suppose she is?" Daniel asked as Sam removed her boots. They were sitting in the cloakroom, soon to be the women's in five minutes.
"Nineteen, twenty maybe," she answered glancing curiously at him. He looked deeply lost in his thoughts. "Daniel, I don't like to see you unhappy. And you know, I think Sha're wouldn't want you to spend the rest of your life alone, she'd want you to be happy. But saying that there's still a chance of finding Sha're," she said looking at her locker. She knew Daniel would never give up hope of finding Sha're. "Daniel, I'm sorry I didn't mean to presume..."
"No, it's okay. Maybe you're right, maybe I'm hanging on to something that will never be," he said standing near the doorway. "Look I'm gonna go before this place is full of women."
"Oh, that's okay Daniel, we don't mind if you stay," the Doctor commented walking into the room. Sam hid her grin as Daniel turned a bright shade of pink.
"I'll, um, see you later," he stuttered before quickly walking off.
Nat'yre sat quietly on a chair as the Doctor checked her health, seemingly childlike in every movement as her head twisted this way and that, unable to take in all that was around her. She brightened as Daniel entered the room.
"Well she seems perfectly healthy, wouldn't think she spent all that time out in the wilds," the Doctor said packing her instruments away.
"Nat'yre, we're were just about to have some dinner, would you like to join us?" Daniel asked, she nodded eagerly.
"How old are you, Nat'yre?" he asked as they walked along the corridor.
"Your year is measured how?" she asked, her accent still strongly present through her almost perfect English.
"There are 365 days in a year," he said making the explanation simple.
"Then to you, I would seem twenty-five," she said though seemingly distracted.
Daniel nodded, Sam had been roughly correct in her estimate.
"But, no that is wrong. Where I come from there are two of your years to our one, so to you I would be fifty," she said with a firm nod.
Fifty?Daniel thought in complete amazement.
The girl, although she had been informed of Teal'c's change of heart and mind for what he believed, still remained cautious around the Jaffa.
"So, tell us Nat'yre. How did you end up stranded on that planet, or is that where you come from?" Jack asked through a mouthful of food.
She placed down her fork before beginning.
"My tale is not a pleasant one, but I will appease you. I come from a planet called Tai'g'noug, we are a peaceful people but when the Goa'uld's came, our peace was broken."
"Was there already a 'Gate on your planet?" Carter asked.
"No, they brought one with them."
Stunned silence.
"Didn't you try and stop them?" Jack asked finishing his mouthful.
"We have no weapons our only defence was to hide. We abandoned our homes and cities, some tried to talk to the Goa'uld create treaties, but they did not want to know, and those who tried were taken as slaves."
"Teal'c do you remember any of this?" Jack questioned looking from the girl to the Jaffa.
"I do not. I have only heard stories of what Nat'yre is describing. I believe I was not born then," Teal'c explained looking at the girl.
Fighting her fear she looked back at the Jaffa and nodded.
"I was only a child back then."
"So how did you end up on that planet?" Daniel asked turning to her.
"My people have what we call, a Gift. It is the ability to change into whatever form we come in contact with."
"You're a shape-shifter?" Carter questioned, the girl looked confused.
"Yes, if that is what you call it in your language. Anyway, the Goa'uld wanted our Gift for themselves, but it is not a weapon it is a defence our protection. But my people would not surrender the Gift and one by one my people started to disappear. My father, Tu'zar Meloingar, refused to help the Goa'uld and for his punishment they took me, and when I refused them my Gift they marooned me on the planet."
"They obviously never got it either," Daniel noted, muttering half to himself.
"Please, I would like to go home, return to my father."
"There's only one problem, you need co-ordinates to get back through the gate," Daniel stated, looking back at Nat'yre.
She looked confused.
"You know how you came here," Jack said. "By pressing the seven different buttons on that big round thing, well we need your seven to get you back home."
"I know the symbols to dial home," she said nodding her head.
"Did you not try it on the one back on the planet?" Carter asked sounding a little confused.
"I did but it never worked. I thought the Goa'uld had broken the 'Gate to prevent me from returning."
"It could be possible," Teal'c began. "That the 'drifting space' you spoke of before Captain Carter, was affecting the planet. The Goa'uld could have stranded her there in the knowledge that the alignment of the 'Gates was falling out of place."
"Of course! But we could get there due to the computer, if we program the computer to allow for how many years of stellar drift we should be able to get Nat'yre home again," Carter said half talking to herself.
Jack rolled his eyes in despair of the scientist jargon.
"So, if we tell the computer what we are looking for, will it be able to allow for the stellar drift, or whatever," Jack asked waving his hand about.
"Should do, though I don't know how long it will take," Daniel added pushing his glasses up his nose.
"Okay, but we are agreed that we should be able to get Nat'yre home in a matter of weeks a couple of month's maybe?" Jack questioned, the others nodded. "Good. Nat'yre, you're going home."
The girl grinned.
Two months passed quickly, and through four more missions Daniel found himself in Nat'yre's company all too often. Though it was down to him mainly. He liked her, she was innocent yet had the knowledge that went with her age, and she understood him.
Nat'yre entered the control room shortly after receiving the message from Captain Carter, that her presence was required.
"What is so important that I see?" Nat'yre asked looking at the wormhole now present in the Stargate.
"They've found Tai'g'noug, your home," Daniel answered quietly.
"It worked? I can go home?"
"Yes you can go home. Colonel, mission briefing in one hour. Nat'yre I suggest you pack your things," the General said with almost a smile.
Happy without explanation the girl disappeared out of the room.
"Daniel, you don't somehow seem quiet as ecstatic as Nat'yre," Jack commented after the Stargate had shut itself down and most of the others had left.
Daniel stood staring out of the glass biting his lip. He took a deep breath and released it slowly.
"I hate being human sometimes," he replied with a forced grin.
"Well, you know how the saying goes; 'to love is to live, all reasons against it all instincts for it,' well something like that," Jack said placing a hand on Daniel's shoulder. "Look Daniel, I don't presume to be an all great all saying… person. But she can't stay."
"I know, I know."
The last time Nat'yre stood before the liquid of the 'Gate, she had stood alone but now she stood with her friends, her saviours. She was going home.
Not being experienced in 'Gate travel Nat'yre fell out of the wormhole and down the steps and on to the temple floor. She remembered it only too well, as she had been dragged through the Stargate and on to that planet, she prayed the Goa'uld were gone. The others shortly followed her out, surprised to find the 'Gate inside.
"Wow," Daniel breathed amazed at the architecture adorning the temple. "This is incredible, Captain Carter will you just look at this?"
"The city is this way," Nat'yre said pointing towards the temple entrance.
"Come on you two, you can look at the pictures another time," Jack said waiting for them to finish examining the wall.
Nat'yre led them out into a field, masses of land surrounding the temple and within the valley below lay a city set out like a river.
"What if the Goa'uld are still here?" Daniel questioned speaking what was on all their minds.
"If they were still here, Daniel Jackson, they would be attacking us by now," Teal'c answered stating the obvious.
"Very true."
"Come! My home is this way!"
The city of Tey'nea'ka was shining and spectacular, but as the five visitors noticed was barren of any life.
Nat'yre was shouting at the top of her voice for any signs of life, she didn't seem to be having any luck.
"Do you suppose the Goa'uld took all her people into slavery?" Carter asked as they stood watching her from near a water fountain.
"From what Nat'yre told me, most of the people fled to the forests to hide. If the Goa'uld abandoned this place then its most likely that the residents believe us to be the Goa'uld returning," Daniel said stepping away from the others. He looked back at his comrades who simply nodded in agreement.
"This is impossible," Nat'yre breathed. "There must be someone here!"
Daniel repeated what he had just figured out, and as he did so a fox suddenly appeared out from a building. Nat'yre stood staring at the animal waiting, and before all their very eyes it changed into a man.
"That's impressive," Jack muttered.
The man started babbling in Nat'yre's bizarre language, she was nodding eagerly and flung herself into his arms. Daniel noticed how she touched his forehead, after that he was speaking English, she had given him the gift of their speech.
"I cannot thank you enough for returning my daughter to me! After the Goa'uld left I gave up hope of ever seeing her again."
"This is my father, Tu'zar Meloingar. Father these are my friends, Colonel Jack O'Neill, Captain Sam Carter, Teal'c and Daniel," she said with affection. The man's face changed upon seeing Teal'c.
"Jaffa! What is he..?"
"Father, no please. I know what they have done to us, but Teal'c is good he no longer serves the Goa'uld."
"I trust my daughter's judgement, you are welcome."
Suddenly hundreds of people started appearing from the buildings and gathering in the courtyard. The SG-1 team had somehow become heroes.
A big party had been planned in celebration of Nat'yre's return and in honour of the SG-1 team. Jack had at first declined the offer and said that they had to get back, but after Carter suggested that it might offend them by refusing they ended up staying.
Daniel after a long conversation with Nat'yre father realised that he was in fact King and Nat'yre was his only heir to the throne.
"Tu'zar Meloingar, might I ask where Nat'yre is? We should probably leave soon, it's getting late," Daniel said after looking outside at the dawning sun.
"Of course. You have honoured us greatly with your presence and the return of my daughter, we owe you much."
"Ah, no it's okay really, the honour was for us to reunite you with your daughter. We are greatly satisfied in the knowledge that she is happy and safe and where she belongs."
"You have a great heart Dan-yal, you will find you're inner peace," the Tu'zar said strangely with a gentle smile. "You will find Nat'yre in her chambers."
Daniel wasn't too keen going to Nat'yre's private rooms, but he couldn't leave without saying goodbye. The princess spotted him looking rather lost in a corridor.
"Dan-yal?"
"Nat'yre! You scared me," he said with a smile.
"You are leaving?" she asked reading his thoughts.
"Uh, yes. Besides, I think Captain Carter has had a little too much to drink," he commented remembering the woman downstairs who had challenged most of the men to a drinking contest. "Anyhow, I came to say goodbye."
"This is not goodbye Dan-yal, we will see each other again. You are allowed to visit, you know."
"I know," he said with a shy smile. "I'm just glad we could help you."
"Dan-yal, I have something for you," she said reaching in her pocket, and pulled out a silver udjet.
It reminded Daniel of the udjet Catherine had loaned him, the Eye of Ra, all that time ago.
"It is a gift, from me to you," she motioned handing him the necklace. It was similar in shape and weight to the Eye of Ra, but had her language engraved on it. "The symbol represents the Gift my people bear. It will bring you luck."
"Thank you," he said looking from Nat'yre to the necklace. He looked up again as she moved closer to him, touching him gently on the forehead. Expecting the nausea he had before he was surprised of the warmth that flooded through him, he closed his eyes leaning on the sensation it was giving him. Then it stopped.
He opened his eyes, finding Nat'yre slightly flushed. Her hand moved down to his chin and held it gently.
"Thank you Dan-yal, for all that you have done for me."
She kissed him gently on the mouth before turning and leaving.
Daniel shuddered wondering what it was she had just done, strange as it was he felt different, but was sure the sensation would soon go.
THE END
Please note that the language and names are completely made up, so have fun pronouncing them! (You have to imagine though that I'm sitting at my desk talking to myself in the strange backward sounding language, just to get the sound straight in my head!) Whether or not the SG teams carry a back up transmitter I do not know, it helped with the story though! But this is a made up story so do I apologise if some things don't make too much sense!
Lisa Mason
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