by Geonn Cannon
“We may end up surrendering no matter what,” Cam said.
Carter was focused on the guts of the engine. “I think I can reroute a few systems to get a boost from the engines. It’s going to be a messy job, and whoever owns this ship isn’t going to be very happy with us when this is all said and done. Where’d you get it, anyway?”
“We, uh, kind of hijacked it. From a group of missionaries.”
“I kind of hoped you were exaggerating.”
“We were breaking you out of prison,” Cam said. “Rules got bent. Besides, we delivered all the supplies to the planet before we left. And we’re going to let them out of the kitchen just as soon as we get where we’re going.”
Carter sighed.
“Yeah, I know, the apology tour starts tomorrow. Just goose those engines and we can worry about it from the comfort of the SGC.”
~#~
Another blast rocked the ship, this one powerful enough that it nearly knocked Vala off her feet as Mitchell returned from the engine room.
Teal’c said, “Our adversaries are closing the distance between us, Colonel Mitchell.”
“Yeah, noticed that,” Mitchell said. “Carter’s doing what she can.”
Vala had remained frozen near the wall, trying to stay out of everybody’s way, but she couldn’t stay silent any longer.
“I have an idea.”
Daniel said, “Ah… Vala, we’re kind of in the middle of undoing your last idea.”
Vala pushed her lips into a pout. He had a point, but that didn’t mean she had to like it. She considered arguing but Daniel was already looking at the screens again. She decided she would never convince him and left the cockpit in search of Sam. She found the engine room by following the heat. It was easily ten degrees warmer than the rest of the ship, and she found Sam elbow-deep in the large device that took up the middle of the room.
“This would go a lot faster if people would stop asking for progress reports,” Sam said without looking to see who had arrived.
Vala said, “I might know how to get enough speed for us to escape.”
Sam looked up. “How dangerous is it?”
“I’m not going to lie, it is on the high side of the dangerous scale,” Vala said quickly, “but I’ve done it before and I survived, so.”
Sam hesitated. Vala came into the room and crouched next to her.
“It’s a crazy idea, yes,” Vala said, “but how many times have you been in this position? How many times have you looked at a problem and just known you could solve it if someone just had a little faith in you. Please, Samantha, I can get us to a Stargate.”
Sam looked into Vala’s eyes. “What do you need?”
Vala grinned. “A zat.”
“What good is a…” Sam’s eyes widened. “No.”
“It works.”
“I know it technically works. I’ve seen it work before. But if it doesn’t, we’ll be stranded.
We can’t take the risk.”
Vala said, “If the engines burn out before we reach the Stargate, we’ll be stranded anyway. Look, the energy from a zat blast has to go somewhere, right. All we have to do is aim it at the right place. I’ve done it before. I was on a ship which didn’t have enough thrust to escape atmosphere. Now, I’ll admit, I was just shooting the engines out of frustration, but it worked. If we already have the engines at their maximum thrust, then a zat blast will give it enough of a shove to get us away from the other ships.”
As if to punctuate her argument, they were hit again by another blast. Sam wiped a hand over her face and nodded.
“Go get a zat.”
Vala slapped both of Sam’s shoulders with her hands, got up, and hurried out. She ran though the ship, returned to the cockpit, and grabbed Mitchell by the hips. She ignored his protests as she patted him down and jerked the zat’nik’tel from the holster at his waist. She tossed a quick “Thanks!” over her shoulder as she ran back out. Sam looked surprised to see her return so soon.
“That was quick.”
“I got it from Mitchell. I didn’t exactly explain what I needed it for. Or ask if I could take it.”
Sam said, “Okay. You’re the one who has done this before, and it’s your plan. Take it away.”
They stepped away from the engine. Vala brought the zat up, closed one eye, and thumbed the activation switch that caused the weapon to unfold like a snake about to strike.
“Samantha, I would like to thank you for trusting me and giving me the opportunity to prove myself to you. And in that spirit, and in the name of full disclosure, I do have to admit that I’ve actually attempted this twice. The second time resulted in a minor explosion which crippled the ship.”
“Vala — ”
Vala closed her other eye and fired at the engine.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
SAM EMERGED from the event horizon and stopped on the ramp, eyes closed, and took a moment to appreciate the fact she was finally home. The familiar sounds of the SGC - distant klaxons sounding in response to the unscheduled off-world activation, the blast doors sliding open now that no threat was evident, the order for the gate room guards to stand down - calmed and reassured her that the ordeal was finally over.
Landry was waiting for them at the base of the ramp. His smile was wider, prouder, and more relieved than Sam had ever seen it, and she knew the woman standing beside her was the reason. According to Mitchell, she had been an excellent addition to the team. She had also been instrumental in making sure the Wayfarers didn’t riot when the team arrived at their destination. She explained that Sam had done nothing wrong, that Vala may have once deserved to be locked up but had turned over a new leaf and was doing good work out in the universe.
“Could you really live with yourselves if you knew there was someone trapped on that planet who didn’t deserve to be there?”
Kourash had grudgingly accepted that argument, but he still considered SG-1 to be blasphemous and guilty of deicide. He swore that if their paths ever crossed again, it would be as enemies. Mitchell accepted that and thanked them for the use of their ship, hurrying everyone out before Kourash and his people noticed that the engines were on the verge of failure.
Landry stepped forward as they reached the bottom of the ramp. “Welcome home, SG-1. Especially to you, Colonel Carter and Miss Mal Doran.”
“Thank you, sir,” Sam said. “It’s good to be home.”
Vala looked exhausted, but she managed a quick smile to the general before she started for the exit. Sam watched her go and knew she was probably going to catch hell for the part she’d played in getting them captured and sent to the prison. She decided what she had to say couldn’t wait for the briefing.
“Actually, General, we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Vala.”
Vala stopped and looked back at her.
“Is that so?” Landry said.
“Her advice to not attempt escape until we arrived at the prison probably kept us alive long enough to come up with a safe plan. During our time in the prison, her relationship with Tanis Reynard protected us and provided us with a lead on where we could find a storehouse of information on the Lucian Alliance. And when we were trying to get to the Stargate, it was her plan which gave our ship the boost of speed required to outrun our pursuers. She once again proved herself to be a vital and valuable member of SG-1.”
Landry said, “That’s good to hear. I can’t wait to hear the details. But I think you’ve all earned a shower and a little relaxation before I put you through all that. You’re dismissed.”
“Much appreciated, sir,” Mitchell said. “Some of us need that shower more than others.” Sam looked at him and he held his hands up. “Talking about myself.”
Landry fell into step with them as they walked to the elevators. “I can’t help but notice you didn’t bring a prisoner with you. Tanis Reynard?”
“She chose to remain in the prison, sir,” Sam said. “But as I mentioned, we’re confident the information she gave Vala
will prove useful.”
“And why is that?” Landry asked.
“Well, sir, Tanis didn’t stay free as long as she did by being sloppy. I might not be the woman’s biggest fan, but if she says the information is good, it’ll be good.”
“I suppose we’ll find out soon enough,” Landry said. “I get the feeling Homeworld Security is going to be satisfied with this outcome even if the information isn’t exactly what we hoped for. A database is a lot easier to deal with than holding a prisoner indefinitely.”
Sam said, “My thoughts exactly, sir.”
The elevator arrived and Landry set the briefing for two hours from then. Plenty of time for a shower, a nap, and a change of clothes, Sam thought, not necessarily in that order. Maybe a call to Washington… Vala squeezed Mitchell out of the way so she could stand beside Sam in the elevator. She bumped her elbow against Sam’s. Sam looked at her, and Vala mouthed “thank you.” Sam grinned and bumped Vala’s arm in response, facing forward as the doors closed.
~#~
Daniel lingered in the briefing room after the rest of the team had been dismissed. He was still wired from their last-minute escape through the Stargate. He’d asked Sam how she managed to give them that last, vital burst of speed, but Sam had simply given him a stricken look and told him he was probably better off not knowing. Given how smug Vala looked, that was probably accurate.
Landry came out of his office. “You okay, son? I’m expecting SG-10 in here for a briefing in about ten minutes. You’re welcome to sit in.”
“No, I’ll clear out.” Daniel stood and began gathering his things.
Landry stood behind his chair at the head of the table. “You did good work out there,” he said.
Daniel chuckled. “I crammed myself into a box for no reason. If we hadn’t happened to find a ship that could disable the landmines, Carolyn, Sam, and Vala wouldn’t have gotten anywhere close to us. We fumbled and lucked our way through every step of the way.”
“Seems like that was bound to happen no matter what your plan was. I got the impression Viaxeiro isn’t the sort of place you can travel to in a straight line.”
“True,” Daniel admitted. “And along the way, we did make a lot of contacts who may prove helpful down the line. Pemphero would jump at the chance. Kimo and Adamaris would probably be open to working with us again. And Odai… well, he could go either way. But if we have matching goals, I could see him agreeing to call a truce.”
Landry said, “Exactly! And if the information Vala got from Tanis Reynard pans out, we could be ready to place a mole inside the Lucian Alliance by the end of the year. And, as a bonus, Colonel Carter and Vala got to take down a Goa’uld. It wasn’t pretty, Dr. Jackson, but this mission is going down as a success.”
Daniel nodded. “I agree. Pemphero even said he was confident that the people chasing us would give up and go home after we got away.”
“And the women left behind on Viaxeiro? Surely there’s some repercussions from a prisoner finally escaping.”
“Maybe. Or maybe things will continue the way they always have, but with a better situation on the ground. There’s no reason for the Overseers to stop sending them shipments. It’s a well-oiled machine, and now it’s under the management of people who actually care about their fellow prisoners. I really believe Sam and Vala changed the prison for the better.”
Landry smiled. “See? All’s well that ends well.”
“Mmm,” Daniel said. “I’m not arguing that. I just hope our next mission is a little more… straightforward.”
“You and me both, son.” Landry raised his eyebrows and smiled, indicating he wasn’t particularly optimistic about that panning out. He patted the back of his chair and left the briefing room.
Daniel went to the window and gazed across at the Stargate. He’d pined for the Jaffa when they were up against Ori soldiers, but now they were gearing up for war against a mixed bag of thieves, con artists, brigands, and pirates who all had their own motives and allegiances. He sighed and slipped his free hand into his pocket, patting his thigh with the files he held in the other hand. He turned away and shook his head as he walked to the stairs.
“There was a time when the worst enemy I had to face was a papercut,” he muttered. “Those are the days I really miss…”
~#~
Though Carolyn would never admit it to the more extreme adrenaline junkies on the base, she was more than happy to return to the relative mundanity of paperwork. She was exhausted from her trip through the Stargate and, judging from SG-1’s reactions, it hadn’t even been one of their worst missions. If that was what counted as relaxing for them, they could keep it. She would be just fine in the infirmary.
She was on her way to the office when she spotted Teal’c lying on one of the examination beds. She changed direction to approach him.
“Teal’c? Did something happen?”
“No, Dr. Lam. But I know you would prefer to keep me under observation while I am on the base until I have fully healed from recent events.”
“That’s absolutely true. What changed your mind?”
“Colonel Mitchell gave me a…” He seemed to struggle over the next phrase. “Pep talk. He convinced me that my contribution to the team is more than physical strength.”
Carolyn smiled. “He’s right. They need you out there.” She rested a hand on his arm, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Get some sleep. I’ll come back and check on you in a little while.”
He inclined his head and closed his eyes. Carolyn pulled the curtain around his bed and continued to her office.
She smelled what had been left on her desk before she turned on the light. A fresh cup of coffee was sitting next to the keyboard, steam still rising from the surface. She put down her files and picked up the cup. She brought it to her face and inhaled deeply. Oh, that’s the good stuff.
It had been sitting on a slip of paper and she tilted her head to read the message. “See? I can be nice. Good work out there. Mitchell.”
Carolyn laughed softly and took a seat, leaving the computer monitor off so she could fully enjoy the coffee.
~#~
A week after their return from Viaxeiro, Sam received a mission report she knew Vala would want to hear about. She checked the cafeteria, Daniel’s lab, and a dozen other places before she started to worry. She was fairly sure that no one had escorted Vala off the base but there were only so many places she could be hiding. Her quarters were empty, Teal’c hadn’t seen her, and Mitchell was too grateful for the peace and quiet to share Sam’s concern.
She finally got a lead from an airman. He reluctantly admitted that Vala had once gotten him talking about “the deep dark secrets of the SGC.” He hadn’t seen any harm in telling her about some of the lower, seldom-used areas of the base.
Sam followed his directions through poorly-lit corridors which led to a part of the base even she had never seen before. A door was standing open and Sam stepped through onto a metal platform overlooking a large man-made reservoir in a cavern carved out of the mountain. Vala stood with her arms resting on the railing looking out over the water.
“My God,” Sam muttered. “I always forget how amazing this place is.”
Vala said, “There are actually five of them. I hear one of them has a duck.”
“Really.” Sam leaned on the railing next to Vala. “Do you come down here a lot?”
“Sometimes when I want to get back to nature. Since General Landry won’t let me wander around outside by myself.”
Sam said, “Ah, right. Well, I’ll talk to him about that.”
Vala looked at her, flipping her hair out of her face. “What, really?”
“You’ve more than earned the right to some privacy. You don’t need us babysitting you every time you want some fresh air.”
Vala was stunned. “Thank you, Samantha.”
“Sure.” She pressed her palms together and linked her fingers. “So did you come down here to think about anything in particular?”<
br />
“Mm. The trap. My enemies got Tanis’ message and figured out where to send it so they could trap me as well. I’m just wondering how long it will be before someone else tracks me down. I haven’t talked about this much, but I have quite a few enemies out there in the universe.”
“No,” Sam said, exaggerating her shock. “You?”
Vala said, “I know, who could hate me? I’m very loveable.”
Sam laughed. “So… SG-4 just got back from the address Tanis gave you. The one where she kept her records.”
“Oh?” Vala straightened her posture. It was clear she was bracing for the worst. She ran her fingers over the railing, lips pursed. Her tone was fake casual, giving away how much she really cared. “Did they, um, find anything worth mentioning?”
Sam let the question hang for a moment before she took pity. “Yeah. They found a lot. Names, gate addresses, relationships between factions we’ve never even heard of. Major Escher was sitting in on the briefing and he looked more excited than I’ve seen him in years. He called it the ‘Rosetta stone of intel’. Tanis may have given us the key to taking down the Lucian Alliance from the inside.”
Vala grinned. “Way to go, Tanis.”
“You’re getting credit for it, too. We never would have gone to that prison if you hadn’t pushed us. I’m going to make sure General Landry and the IOA know that.”
“Wow.” Vala blinked and turned her head, trying to subtly wipe at her eyes. “It’s not my birthday, so I’m not sure I understand why you’re being so kind to me.”
Sam sighed and looked down at the water. “To be honest, I’m making up for how I’ve been acting since you joined SG-1. I haven’t been treating you like a member of this team. That was unfair of me. You deserve better than that. The time we spent on Viaxeiro proved that.”
“What?” Vala said, honestly shocked. “Literally every plan we had blew up in our faces. Getting out was just dumb luck.”
“Yeah,” Sam said, “and you rolled with every punch we took. When we were captured, when we found ourselves locked up with a Goa’uld, you changed course without batting an eyelash. I’m used to fighting soldiers. Jaffa, the Ori, they make sense to me because they have strategy and they act logically. But now we’re up against the Lucian Alliance. They don’t make sense. They’re erratic. It’s hard for me to fight an enemy I can’t predict. You don’t predict what they’re going to do. You just let them do it and form your plan later. I need to learn how to think like that.”