TITLE: Kayla�s Legacy
CATEGORY: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama etc
SPOILERS: In the Line of Duty, Tokra part 1 and 1, maybe Jolinars memories
SEASON: Any
RATING: PG-13
SUMMARY: Sam has been having dreams/visions of Jolinar's past host, Kayla. They go to a planet is search of answers and find much more than they expected. Kayla left a legacy.
AUTHORS NOTE: This is the hardest I have ever worked on a story and represents just under a year of hard work for me so PLEASE send me feedback! Even if it�s just a quick one line to let me know someone read it! Thanks!
Sam turned over restlessly in her bed, caught up in the blur of emotions of her dream. It was the same dream that she�d been having for the last few weeks.
Alone. Dark. Crying.
Carrying a small baby. A sense of urgency.
Hide! Must hide!!!!!!!!!!!!
Some Goa�uld symbols.
A tall pillar and�.
Peace. Calm, sad�peace.
Danger! Lothing.
A Goa�uld in a female host.
A deep hatred of the Goa�uld.
Swords, arrows, fire. Sorrow, anger, hate. Pain.
So much pain, emotional and physical.
�Kayla!� she gasped in the dream and into her pillow.
A wormhole, the Goa�uld symbols again and�
She was suddenly jerked awake by a knocking at the front door. She groaned, rolled out of bed and sleepily made her way to the front door. She opened it and squinted slightly through droopy eyelids to see Jack O�Neill cheerfully smiling at her.
�Sir?�
�Hi Carter! Looks like it�s gonna be a nice day.�
His cheerfulness, this early, baffled her. She simply shook her head and headed back down the hall, leaving the door open. Shrugging, he stepped in, shut the door behind him, and followed her to the living room.
�Did I interrupt anything?� he asked
�Sleeping,� she answered. �I was asleep.�
�Oh. Sorry. Having that dream again?�
�Well�yeah.�
�Sorry. One time you said you were always up by eight so I figured�.�
�You remembered that?� she asked, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.
�Yeah, I remember everything you say,� Jack said absently. Then, realising what he had said, added, �Except when you go into techno babble mode and start spouting all these words that are too big to fit in my head��
Somewhere in the middle of this Sam realised that she was standing in front of her Colonel wearing only her nightwear. True it was only a tank top, but it was a tank top her dad had brought her last time he was here. It had a little puppy with the words �hug me� above it. Curiously, that seemed to wake her up.
�Um...Colonel?� she interrupted.
�Yeah?�
�I�m sure there�s a point to this, but while you find it�� That received a glare. �Do you mind if I just err� go get dressed?�
�Oh yeah, sure!� he stammered, a red tinge creeping across his face.
Sam hoped his babbling wasn�t somehow connected to her current attire but the way his gaze suddenly slid away from her made her suspect he had very much noticed.
She nodded and walked away, but paused before going into her bedroom.
�Feel free to make yourself some coffee or something,� she said, closing the door behind her.
She threw on some clothes and went to wash her face. Glancing in the mirror, she frowned. She had bed hair.
A few minutes later she returned to the kitchen to find Jack carefully opening different cupboards, glancing in and moving on. The water had boiled and two mugs stood on the surface. It looked like he was having trouble finding the coffee.
�Sam!� he exclaimed when he saw her. �Where the hell is your coffee?�
She laughed and opened a cupboard and took out the coffee
�So. Did you remember the reason for coming round this early?� she teased.
�Yeah. Daniel finished the translation of that writing from your dream.�
�Really?� Sam asked, hoping that she might finally understand what it meant.
The team had been dismissed until their next mission came up but Daniel had been working on the translation of the Goa�uld symbols in her dream. Jack had been �helping�
�Yeah, but guess what. It isn�t words. It�s a date.�
�A date?� she echoed.
�Yeah, a date and a planet address. It was in some kind of code, that�s why it�s taken him a while.�
�A code?� she repeated with a frown.
�Yep. So you wanna go see Daniel and find out more?�
�Yeah!� she said, quickly draining her coffee.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
��And to top it all off, I had bed hair!� Sam complained as she leaned against Janet�s desk.
�Bed hair?�
�Yeah, You know how your hair is messy when you first wake up�bed hair.�
�Ah, I see.�
�Anyway, I�ve got a briefing to go to.�
�Gonna try and get Hammond to let you go to the planet?�
�Yeah.�
�Okay, well good luck. And Sam��
�Yeah?�
�Try to come back in one piece!�
Sam grinned as she left the room.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�General, the planet has a Stargate, it�s active, and there doesn�t appear to be any danger.�
�There never *appears* to be danger,� Jack muttered. Sam cast a brief glance at him and continued.
�General, the date Daniel translated is in approximately one month�s time. I�d like to go.�
�Major, are you forgetting about the Goa�uld also present in your dream?�
�No Sir,� Sam sighed looking down at her papers.
�Indeed, the presence of the Goa�uld in your dream, Major Carter, indicates the possibility of an ambush.�
�I know Teal�c. I can�t explain it, but I feel I really need to go.�
�Colonel, what do you think?� the General asked. Jack shifted in his chair.
�I dunno, Sir. Teal�c is right, it could be a trap.� Sam�s face fell and she looked disappointed.
�However, last time we followed up one of Carter�s dreams, we met the Tok�ra.� Jack added
There was a pause as everyone in the room considered this.
�I�m not necessarily saying that�s a good thing�� he left the sentence hanging and received a few half-glares. He shrugged.
�Look, let�s say we go in the next few days, check the place out,� he suggested. �If all seems okay we go back in a month.�
�Fair enough. Very well Colonel, you have a go.�
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Stepping out of the wormhole, they found the room the MALP had shown, the DHD in the corner and the four walls covered with symbols. For that alone, Daniel had wanted to come. Now he was eagerly analysing them. Apparently, it was similar to the language in her dream. Teal�c and Jack were busy looking for a way out of the room.
Sam sighed feeling a breeze blow over her; she briefly closed her eyes. When she reopened them the room had changed. She frowned as she looked around. It was still the same room but it was decorated differently.
She watched as a woman walked past her and over to the corner of the room.
The woman ran her hand up the corner till her fingers found a small hole. She put her finger in and a small latch popped up on the other wall. She went across to it and slid it downwards. A door in the ceiling opened and a set of stairs moved out of the wall. The woman turned and looked directly at her, beckoning.
Just then Teal�c walked into her field of vision and the golden room dissolved into the green one.
Sam frowned and looked all around her. She closed her eyes and reopened them several times, but no breeze blew over her; the room didn�t change.
From the back of the room, Jack noticed her opening and closing her eyes.
�You know, if you do that really fast, it looks like an old movie,� he commented, walking towards her. She turned to face him but didn�t respond to his comment with a smile like he�d hoped.
�I had a vision,� she said instead.
�What did you see?� Daniel asked.
�It was this room, but gold�newer.�
Jack sighed, �That�s great. Did it show you a miracle way out of here?�
Sam looked at him and then went over to the corner of the room. She ran her hand up until she found the hole then pressed inside with her finger. There was a long creak then a metallic pop as the latch popped up on the other wall. She went over to it and slid it downwards. Slowly, and with a lot of creaking, the door in the ceiling opened, and the stairs moved out of the wall. Sam turned to the guys. Teal�c had an eyebrow raised and Daniel�s mouth was hanging open. Jack looked at her.
�Okay. That�s creepy.�
�You�re telling me!�
They began to climb the stairs cautiously. At the top, they found themselves outside, several meters away was a tall tower.
�Looks like the transportation device that took you and Teal�c to Thor�s hammer,� Daniel commented.
�Yeah, well stay away from it for the time being.�
Scouting around they didn�t find much else. Going a short way left or right they came to the edge of a cliff. Behind them were just the stairs, which only left forwards, towards the pillar.
After Jack gave the go ahead, Daniel began investigating it. Jack was surprised he waited that long.
Sam bit her lip and swivelled around where she stood. This was the place. She was sure. She felt a breeze beginning to build up; strangely, the others didn�t seem to notice. The gentle breeze suddenly developed into a strong gust of wind. She closed her eyes and it swept over her.
She was wearing tight trousers, the colour of tree bark with a black belt that had a simple silver buckle in the shape of a new moon. Her top was a deep green colour, the material light. It left her stomach partially exposed, starting just above her belly button but sweeping up to a high neck. Her long brown hair was loose and streamed straight down her back, scattered with tiny braids starting from root to tip. She wasn�t Sam. She was Kayla, host of Jolinar.
Kayla tightened her hold on the handheld trident daggers in each hand. In front of her stood Mesnah, a Goa�uld. They stood circling each other. Mesnah�s Jaffa were only a call away, she could end it with one shout. But that wasn�t how this was going to go down. This fight was between the two of them.
They had both lost a lot over the past few days. This was the final showdown.
And one of them wasn�t going to survive.
�Sam?� Daniel said, looking up at her as she prowled round in a circle, eyeing an invisible enemy. She didn�t notice him call.
�Jolinar, why do you attempt to defeat me. I will win.�
�Not this day, Mesnah.. Not any day.�
�So pathetic. So weak.�
�We�ll see,� Jolinar said. Mesnah laughed and Jolinar lunged, sword first.
The fight had begun.
�Sam!� Daniel yelled. She still didn�t notice him. Jack sighed and turned to see what Daniel was yelling about. To his alarm, he saw Sam fighting with air and he jumped up from where he sat.
�What the hell?� Jack said, his eyes widening. He started to jog over to her, glancing around for any danger they had failed to see.
Suddenly, Sam stopped moving. From standing position she jumped, somersaulted in the air, and landed facing her invisible enemy.
�Woah!� Daniel said amazed.
�Such anger for a mother,� Mesnah laughed, grabbing Kayla�s arm, �Where is your child?�
�You will not touch my daughter!� Kayla yelled, twisting her arm and bringing her foot up, kicking Mesnah in the jaw. Stunned, Mesnah released her grip and took a step back. Keeping her eyes on Mesnah, Jolinar took control and picked up her daggers.
�You will not touch my daughter!� Sam yelled, locked in deadly combat with the air.
�Daughter?� Daniel echoed puzzled.
Sam was prowling in a circle again. Her eyes fixed on the enemy they couldn�t see. Frowning Jack had begun walking over to her, scouting the area. Teal�c followed close behind. Daniel was closer to her anyway, but he was so shocked at what was happening he hadn�t moved.
�That sentimental side of you is your weakness, Jolinar. Kayla is your weakness.�
�We are one and the same.�
�Yes, you are. Her emotions drive you. You fight with your heart and that gives me the advantage. I no longer have one.�
�You are wrong, Mesnah. Emotions make us strong. They unite us. They are what feed the fire that burns strong in the Tok�ra. You are full of hate. That is your weakness.�
�And yet, you change hosts to hide from us.� Mesnah laughed
�I hide from no one!!� Jolinar launched herself at Mesnah, infuriated.
Sam suddenly launched herself into a wrestle with the air. �Sam!� Jack yelled. He broke into a run while Teal�c thoroughly searched the area for anything that could be causing it. Daniel broke out of his trance and frantically began skimming the alien texts for a solution.
�We are Goa�uld, Jolinar! We exist to rule! To dominate!�
�I am Tok�ra!�
�You are like me.�
�I am nothing like you!�
�Oh, but you are.�
�Go to Sokar!� Jolinar yelled, charging at her.
Jack tried to get close to her but she was constantly moving, like any good fighter. She was using moves he had never seen before. He kept calling her name as he ducked and dived to avoid her attacks. She was getting nearer and nearer the cliff edge.
Mesnah kicked her and she stumbled back towards the edge of the cliff.
�I will kill everyone you love. Your daughter will have no mother. I will win.�
Mesnah threw her sword and Kayla dodged it, taking a further step backwards onto unstable ground.
Jack ran towards Sam as she took another step backwards.
�Sam!� Jack cried, as she lost her balance. Reaching out he grabbed her and flung them onto the ground.
�You did not win Mesnah! You did not win!� Kayla yelled as the ground she had stumbled onto began to crumble. Mesnah paused and smiled.
�I will, I will.�
The ground finally gave way and as she fell she saw Mesnah laugh and run towards her ship.
Panting, Jack rolled off Sam and up into sitting position. Her eyes were glazed over, looking at some non-existent point. He took hold of her shoulders and shook her. She didn�t even notice.
�Kayla,� she whispered as she impacted the ground and the world went black.
The vision ended and Sam finally saw Jack kneeling in front of her, looking very concerned.
�What the hell is going on?� he demanded when he saw her eyes focus on him
�The visions�� she panted.
�God damn it, Sam. That �vision� nearly killed you!�
�They aren�t visions. They�re memories�of Jolinar. And her hosts.�
Jack looked at her for a second, thinking. He remembered when Jolinar had taken control of her all too clearly. And he remembered where her memories had led them last time. He�s nearly lost her both times. How many more times would luck be on there side? He realised he was sitting very close to her, his hand hadn�t moved from her shoulder. He stood up. A second later pulling Sam to her feet then walking off.
�Okay, campers, we�re moving out.�
�What?� She asked walking after him.
�We can�t continue if you�ve been compromised,� he said, his back to her. She rounded to face him.
�With all due respect sir, I�m not. I�m me!� She protested.
�Yeah, a minute ago you were fighting with the air and nearly fell off a cliff. We�re leaving!� He said, turning and heading towards the stairs they had come up.
�Jack, please,� she pleaded, quietly.
He stopped.
She never used his first name. Ever. He turned and looked at her.
�I can�t risk losing you,� he said, then added, �I�ve lost too many people due to take risks.�
�We take risks every day, Jack,� Daniel interjected.
�Please,� Sam continued, �you can stay by my side the whole time, in case I do anything strange.�
He looked over at Teal�c and Daniel. Teal�c�s face had some indefinable expression and Daniel was just looking down at the ground. They all knew the source of his indecision, but he was in command. It was up to him.
He sighed and walked over to Daniel.
�So what do we know about this pillar thing?�
�Well like I said it looks very similar to transportation devices we seen used on Asgard protected worlds but the designs and symbols are completely different�� Daniel began, launching into an explanation about its probable purpose and construction. As he talked he glanced across the few meters between him and Sam to find her look at him. She smiled gratefully at him and he nodded before turning his attention back to Daniel.
�So you think you can turn it on without killing us?� he interrupted.
�Pretty sure.�
Jack gave him a look
�I�m sure.�
�Okay, turn it on,� Jack sighed, pulling down his cap.
�Really?�
�Yeah, and hurry up about it. I know you�ve been dying to do it since we got here. Go ahead.�
Daniel went over to the pillar and began fiddling around with it. He stopped and looked over at Jack.
�What?�
�I don�t know. I thought that was it.�
�Maybe it�s broken,� Jack shrugged, sitting down on a rock. Just then a glow seemed to come from the ground. Jack frowned and looked at it, then at Daniel.
�Daniel?� He probed. Daniel shrugged.
The glowing had now turned into a white light, and it was getting brighter. Jack shielded his eyes.
�Should�ve brought my sunglasses,� he muttered. With that the light flashed, blinding them. It took a moment for their eyesight to return. Jack looked round.
�Where�s Carter?�
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Opening her eyes Sam looked around the room she had apparently been transported to. It was similar in design to the one they had discovered when they first arrived. As she investigated the room further, she found a door on wall. Strangely it was locked from her side. She glanced once more around the room before sliding the lock back. She could hear talking and laughing in the distance but even so, kept a firm grip on her P-90 as she opened the door and stepped through.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�O�Neill!� Teal�c called.
�Yeah?�
�There appears to be a small passageway in the device Daniel Jackson was investigating.�
Jack looked over to where Teal�c was referring.
�You didn�t notice this, Daniel?� Jack snapped, as they started to make their way through the passageway.
�It wasn�t there before,� he protested.
As they emerged on the other side, they saw a small town or village in the distance. It was surrounded by a wall and patrolled by guards.
Coming closer, they could see a couple of wide roofs beyond the wall. The wall on the outside was made of tree trunks, bound together with vines at the top, middle and bottom. Two doors made of wide wood planks nailed together by crosspieces were the main gate. It stood open. Furthermore, the guards weren�t particularly good at their job, and stood chatting as SG-1 made their way towards the town, barely using the cover of various rocks and bushes.
�Why even bother with the frigging wall,� Jack muttered after they slipped past, unnoticed.
Daniel did a running commentary on the design and likely history of the place as they walked through, checking open doorways before they walked past. The town was defined by the wall going all around the perimeter but there were several circles within the town, most open with several entrances, but some with roofs and only one door. Teal�c seemed to be taking in everything Daniel was saying, but Jack had long ago stopped listening.
They came to one opening and hearing noise from within, peered round one corner.
�Some kind of market,� Daniel muttered as they observed the hustle and bustle. The crowed market place had a constant buzz about it. Rich, spicy smells drifted their way as they stood, seemingly unnoticed observing the busy bartering, haggling and general trade. Several large tables stood in the centre but other many smaller stalls were scattered around and men stood bargaining the shade of their stalls. A few children stood in a corner playing some kind of game and women wove their way through the crowd with baskets on their backs.
Deciding there wasn�t much likelihood of finding Sam there they moved on, next stopping at another area, bordered by walls thatched straw. What made it different from the other areas they had seen were the several large openings for people to come in and out. Inside this one were only women and children. Some sat around talking, others sewing and some even dancing. They scanned the area but saw no sign of Sam so again moved on.
They paused when they found the next convenient place. The brow of the hill hid it from sight and yet gave them a vantage point so they could see the large open ring area below. At the top end of this ring was a raised platform, covered with rich coloured pillows and cushions, silk drapes from corner to corner. Women were sitting, talking or pouring drinks, and in the centre a man sat in a gold chair. The chair was simple in its design and yet clearly proclaiming importance.
�Reckon he�s the leader?� Jack asked.
Just then horns were blown and the people on the platform looked up as a woman was escorted towards him. She wasn�t in chains and they weren�t restraining her. They weren�t even pointing a weapon in her direction.
�Sam,� Daniel whispered as she was brought in front of the platform.
�Welcome!� the King�s voice boomed. He paused and frowned
�You are a woman?� he asked.
�Well yeah. Last time I checked anyway,� she said casually.
�Why do you wear male clothing?�
�I kinda like it.�
Jack smiled. That was his Major alright.
�You will join the others,� he commanded and the guards stood to attention.
�I will?� she asked.
�Yes. Now go,� he said, as if there were no other possibility anyway.
For a moment Sam didn�t move. Then she decided that they had treated her okay so far and she�d like to keep it that way. So limiting her losses, she followed the guards.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�So do we get her out?� Daniel asked as they turned in to face each other
�Lot of guards Daniel� Jack muttered taking nothing look over the edge at the guards on the wall.
�They�re not exactly great at their jobs Jack,�
�They would defeat us by sheer numbers.� Teal�c added, �We should return with reinforcements.�
�Well I don�t plan on leaving just yet. But three against an army��
�I could go and talk to the leader. See if I can get him to release her?�
�From what we�ve seen so far, is that likely to happen?�
�Well, I know a little about this type of culture and society.�
�A little?�
�Well it�s been awhile since I�ve studied it. But I think I may be able to remember enough to grasp the basics.�
�Daniel, you aren�t filling me with confidence here.�
�It�s just that��
�Can you, or can you not get her out Daniel?�
�I can�t say for definite. Maybe.�
�Maybe?�
�Look Jack I don�t want her in there anymore than you do but you�re asking me to stake Sam�s life on the information I learnt out of a textbook nearly 2 years ago.�
�It would be to Major Carter�s advantage if we were to return with reinforcements.�
�Or a negotiation team once I�ve gone over this type of society.� Daniel inputted, slightly annoyed they�d choose the military option yet again.
�So you�re saying leave her here?� Jack asked.
Daniel didn�t answer and looked at the ground. Teal�c meet his gaze with a pointed look.
�No,� Jack said determinedly. �No way.�
�O�Neill, you are allowing your judgement to be clouded.�
�We don�t leave our people behind,� Jack replied forcefully.
�What do you want to do Jack?� Daniel asked quietly. Jack looked at him and then to Teal�c.
�Major Carter is important to us all, however at present it is an unwinnable battle O�Neill.�
�Daniel?�
�Jack, if you ask me to, I will do it but�.god I can�t believe I�m going to say this�She doesn�t appear to be in any immediate danger.�
Jack sighed. He knew they were right, but the thought of leaving Sam�
Major Carter is indeed a fully capable individual,� Teal�c said softly, as if he knew Jack was changing his mind.
�I think�I think she�d want us to go back Jack.�
Jack nodded. As much as he didn�t like it, he knew they were right.
�We�ll come back Jack. We will come back.� Daniel said reassuringly. Yes. Yes they would come back. Jack thought as he sighed and stood up.
�Ok Campers,� he said taking a deep breath. �Let�s move out,� he said, throwing one last look in the direction Sam had just gone.
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