DISCLAIMER: See Part 1
Champions Gate
By Elizabeth Carter
Chapter Seven
Reunification
As the ship slowed from Hyperspace to sublight, Samantha woke, yawning and stretching. "Why is it that my arms and legs are never long enough when I want to stretch them?." Sam asked, stifling another yawn.
Janet opened her mouth in a grin, the outer edges of which were beginning to curve, "Your legs are long enough, babe. If they were any longer I'd have to stand on a ladder to kiss you." She said with a deep purr as she sat up.
Sam nuzzled her nose into the nook of Janet's neck and shoulder, kissing her softly. "Humm…you don't need a ladder to kiss me baby-girl. I've said it before, you are the perfect size." The blonde tightened her hold on her wife. "You match my body and my heart completely." Sam chuckled. "What is it the Malakim say? 'Our souls are perfectly melodious together in the harmonics of the Great Song'."
Janet turned in the arms that held her and with a mocking smile she uttered. "You've adapted well to your new role as Caretaker of the Malakim."
"Our role Baby-girl." Sam corrected. "Novalis named you as well."
"Then you believe her?"
"Baby-girl…..I have seen too much, been a part of too much not to. Jonas and Daniel both had an ability to see things beyond our tangible reality. Cassandra's telekinesis, O'Neill's connection to the Asgard, all of it is like some fantastic tale. I've been displaced by an Entity and a Tok'ra. when you look at all we have witnessed and been a part of, playing some sort of role in another's culture isn't too far fetched."
"It is almost Arthurian." Janet commented. "Something out of the Mists of Avalon or something of that ilk." Janet gazed deeply into the blueness of her wife's eyes. "Samantha?" She said softly the fullness of her lover's name. "Would you want to stay on Hy-Basil?"
Sam was quiet for a time and did not answer.
"What of you? Your family lives on Earth."
"So does yours. Most of it, only your father lives off world."
"You avoided answering." Sam said
"So did you." Janet countered.
"I won't lie to you, it's tempting." Sam answered softly. She looked deeply into her wife's eyes almost losing herself within the chocolate depths. But it isn't home. The truth is I'd miss the familiar too much. And it's disconcerting with what Novalis revealed about the Malakim. It was difficult enough dealing with nine of them paying some sort of distorted homage, to have an entire populace do it to the extent of the Malakim, isn't something I am prepared to do. And you Baby-girl?"
"It's safe, and exceptionally interesting and intriguing. I could learn so much about Malakim physiology; it fascinates me so. Elysium is a beautiful city of which to live in. Surrounded by majestic mountains and breathtaking forests you could almost think you are home. But that's just it…it would be like home but it isn't home. But it's one hell of a vacation spot."
Sam chucked deeply her arms tightened around her wife's trim waist. "So my love you'd wish to study Malakim medicine?"
"They have four lungs, two hearts, in fact they have two livers, stomachs and spleens, and three kidneys. Not to mention the make up of their osteo- and meningeal systems.. The exaggerated tympanum and unique trachea also fascinate me."
"Tympanum?" Sam frowned trying to jog her memory to the medical terminology.
"The name of the chamber where the eardrum is located." Janet smiled.
"Oh…right I knew that." The forever-young woman kissed her wife's neck. Janet had tutored Cassandra through her studies to become a nurse and Sam had involved herself with the studies, being keenly interested in the world that fascinated her wife and eldest daughter. And so Sam came away with the knowledge of an accomplished field medic or paramedic.
Janet herself had involved her own interests into the fields of astrophysics and theoretical quantum physics.
"So, am I right in thinking, their bones aren't exactly solid like ours?"
"Some are, some are not. Their wing bones are hollow like a bird's second breastbone. Their osteomyel…er…..bone marrow is less dense then our own, thus allowing them to fly as well as they do. The redundant organs are actually very efficient for a winged race. Their lungs take in far more oxygen then our own so that they are able to breathe whilst flying in the stratosphere. The twin hearts allow for more stamina and endurance, perfect for life on the wing. The fact they can sing with four different harmonics in their throats explains their trachea and, with much of their communications passed through song, it's understandable that their ears would have an exaggerated eardrum allowing them to hear sounds a human cannot. There is so much of their physiology I would so love to study further." Janet turned in her wife's arms with the curious smile she always sported when enthralled in some medical puzzle.
"Did you know that in all the history of the Malakim not a single angelic as ever been born deaf? And there has only ever been a few cases in their history were one has become deaf, but the Malakim physicians had in each case been able to reverse it! I want to know how, and bring this back to Earth. God we could help so many people."
Sam felt a rush of pride for her very brilliant wife. Janet Fraiser had an enormous heart and powerful spirit was it any wonder she became a healer? She was forever thinking of what medical advances could be brought back from alien worlds and how to aid those in need.
"Baby-girl I see no reason why we can't stay on Hy-Basil for a little while for you to study with their physicians. Its not like we would be leaving Earth forever and we can always go back through the Stargate. Besides I'd love to learn more from their physicists, and given our newly revered positions with the Empire I doubt they would deny us the opportunity."
"Already trading on our positions?"
"General Hammond always said collect contacts when you can because you may never know when you need to call in a marker. And we have one hell of a marker with the Malakim." Sam shrugged easily.
Janet turned in the arms that held her so that she might look upon her wife; she heard Sam catch her breath. The Doctor flared into motion, what she was going to say lost in the sudden reaction of her lover.
"Hon?"
"God you're gorgeous." Sam said from out of nowhere. "You have no idea how incredibly sexy you are."
Janet felt soft lips touching her eyes, nose and finally taking her on the mouth. "You find tousled bed-hair sexy?" Janet giggled, feeling relaxed that her wife was not in any physical discomfort.
"Hummhum." Sam ran her fingers through the auburn tresses. "Gives you a wild look."
Janet found to her delight her lips curling into an even larger grin.
"You should talk. You're the one who has unruly hair."
"I could cut it very, very short again." Sam threatened.
"Oh no you don't! That cut never looked good on you." Janet made a face of distaste. "Hell it made you look older then you are. I hate that too short style. I like it when you have it collar length, with this bit of feathery fluff." Janet fingered the bangs that drooped over Sam's eyes. "It's like it was when you were still a captain and when you first became a major. You are so adorable with this style, especially when it sticks out of your ball cap. I love it." Janet pressed her body against Samantha's her hand trailing down the hard-packed abs and grinned when she came to the belly-button piercing. "Love this too." She said in a husky whisper thick with want.
Sam reached up cupping voluptuous breasts in her hands causing Janet to let slip a gasp of pleasure from her throat. "We have three hours before we rendezvous with the Tok'ra…..I want to……take advantage of the time Baby-girl."
"Making you hot and bothered?" Janet teased.
"Oh god yes!" Sam murmured. "I am climbing the walls in want of you."
"Lets see if I can't make you go for the rafters." Janet almost cruelly growled.
Before Sam could offer a retort Janet slipped down between creamy alabaster legs, trailing steaming kisses along her abs, dipping her tongue into the hollow of Sam's navel, teasing the bar. Sam hissed out a heady breath of want. The doctor's hand slid easily along her wife's long leg, reaching her core, searching for the wetness she knew to be there.
Sam arched into the touch, moaning her desire. Janet smiled at the beauty of her beloved in the rush of desire. "You want this." Janet whispered teasing the blonde's clit with the pad of her thumb. Two fingers teased the Colonel's nether lips, circling and pushing into the wetness, so slick, so hot, so tight. Slowly at first Janet thrust her fingers into the depth of Sam's womb, her thumb playing with the hardening nub. Her mouth clamping down upon one painfully erect nibble.
Sam moaned loudly, her hips beginning to buck into Janet's pumping hand. The blonde threw back her head arching further into the harder strokes of her lover. Felling the wetness flow, Janet entered a third finger into the deep warmth causing Sam to moan deeply. Pulling all three fingers out, she smiled as they glistened with the dew of Sam's cum on her fingers, Janet made sure her love was watching.
"Sweet…. it begs to be tasted."
"Oh god." Blue eyes glazed over from dire want of fulfillment.
"That's it my love." Janet smirked as she replaced her fingers where they belonged, priming her wife. "I want to make you sing," she growled, taking Sam's mouth with her own. The blonde whimpered, as she tasted herself upon her lover's tongue.
Harder and faster Janet drove her fingers deeper and deeper into Sam's womb, her thumb brushing hard against the budding clit. "Sing for me." Janet demanded, her teeth nibbling Sam's lower swollen lip. The doctor's tongue mimicked her hands thrusting into the depths of Sam's mouth.
Hips gyrated under Janet's command. Sam willingly let herself be taken over. She could feel the white lightning searing her core and pooling between her legs as she reached ever-higher pinnacles of lust. Her wife knew her body well, Sam screamed out when she felt Janet's mouth claim a hardened nipple. Teeth raked against the darker areola gingerly nipping and pulling at the sensitive bud until Sam moaned. Not wanting the other to feel left out Janet let loose of her plaything to take the other nipple into her mouth, flitting the tender tip with her tongue. Sam thrust her body into Janet's hand, riding the hand harder and harder.
"Jan…ohhhh God…" she locked down on to Janet's fingers, her womb constricting. Janet didn't stop her thrusts into her beloved as hard and as fast as she could, her face pressed into Sam's neck, nuzzling and scraping her teeth along the hollow until she reached the blonde's earlobe, where she started to suckle and bite.
Sam gasped desperately, her hands resting upon Janet's shoulders kneading forcefully into the muscles. She set her teeth into Janet's shoulder right in front of her and bit down hard. Janet didn't feel the pain only overwhelming joy that she could take as good as Sam gave. Then Sam released Janet's shoulder, her breath grunting gasps, her body bucking wildly. The blonde came hard and fast, a flood of wetness coating the doctor's hand.
"Oh God Janet!" Her body slick with sweat glistened against Janet's tanned skin. Sam fell silent despite her ragged breathing. Only then did the doctor withdraw her fingers from deep with in Sam. "I love you." A soft husky whisper mumbled out of the blonde's mouth "God I love you."
Janet continued kissing her wife along her slender neck taking in the scent of her lover, enjoying the musk of their lovemaking. Sam allowed her hand to be taken and guided to Janet's mound. "See how wet you've made me?"
Sam raised her golden eyebrows at the invitation. Her smile was impish, provocative. The blonde opened her mouth and ran the tip of her tongue slowly across her top lip, from one side to the other, and back. An involuntary spasm forked through Janet's pelvis. The tremor ran down her spine into her core and into Sam's hand. Janet's soft throaty moan betrayed her heightened arousal. Sam plunged her fingers into the slickness making Janet squirm under her hand.
Sam's fingers thrust inside Janet again causing the doctor's hips to roll against them as if they had a will of their own. Throwing her legs open wide, her feet searched for, then found purchase on the footboard to rock her hips against the welcoming pressure that filled her. Janet yielded herself willingly, surrendering a little to Sam's touch.
The blonde leaned down, bending her face to lick Janet's slit. Her tongue teased at the salty-sweet taste, savoring it, dragging growls and moans from Janet, her ragged breathing filling the bedroom with sound as she pushed up against Sam's demanding mouth. She felt herself open, welcoming Sam's fingers into the warm cave of her cunny, her hips riding Sam's tongue, heat rising to warm her legs, her belly, and flushing over her breasts. Taut legs locked, she succumbed to the mouth that drank until the cup of fire inside her broke open, spilling itself along her skin as she rolled against the bed, her sharp cry filling the chamber.
Sam's tongue stroked upward, trying to pull more from her body, but Janet reached down to pull her wife up for a kiss. Their lips met and Janet could taste herself on Sam's lips. Her tongue probed the blonde's mouth a moment as she wrapped her legs around Sam's hips.
The intensity and urgency of their lovemaking left them refreshed and sated. Sam always loved to cuddle her perfectly proportioned wife in her arms, relishing the fact she was granted the deep pleasure of making love to this remarkable woman.
Janet closed her large doe eyes, luxuriating in the tiny nips and kisses Sam rained along her neck and temple. God how she loved the attention and the passions given to her, Samantha was always extremely affectionate after making love, often murmuring softly of her love.
Janet would want to weep to be able to have the heart of this most breathtakingly beautiful woman. Her heart was astounding and beloved by the smaller woman.
"They will come around for us." Sam murmured into her wife's ear.
"I know, which means we should probably get up, shower and dress."
"Oooh we could shower together." Sam raised her golden brows suggestively.
"Oh no you don't brat!" Janet mockingly chided her lover as she rose up and turned so she straddled her loving wife's hips. "We do that and we'll never get out of here on time."
"What's wrong with that?" Sam cooed, placing her hands upon Janet's thighs, stroking them and coming to rest upon tight ass cheeks.
"Sammy----." Janet scolded. And yet when the blonde pouted the doctor melted, and nipped Sam's lower lip. Instantly Sam moaned and felt her body twitch in anticipation. Pre-cum stirred, her womb constricting. Janet knew instantly how aroused her wife had become. "You're incorrigible."
"Hey how can I help it? I have a gloriously sexy wife who is one hell of a lover." Devilishly Sam slipped a hand around Janet's thigh and in-between them, pushing into the dark red curls of her wife's mound. "I'm not the only one--." The blonde flashed a wide brilliant smile, as she brought those same fingers to her lips to lick of the collective juices.
"Shower!" Janet said with mock force before she became carried away once more.
Nearly fourteen years together and their passion was still as fresh and exciting as if newly wedded and yet warm as old love. Sam stole a kiss from her wife then scooted into the bathroom.
Janet felt herself smiling for a moment. It felt like old times before Chimera. Their easy teasing, little I love you caresses, passionate all consuming, all giving love making; it was as it was in the beginning. The Lilliputian physician felt such immense love for her Samantha. She thought of the brilliant astrophysicist and, yes, her past lovers. Janet had had lovers who gave unselfishly but none had enjoyed the giving as much as Sam. Samantha fully enjoyed herself when she caused Janet to climax. Sam was enthralled and completely loved to make Janet cum as often as she could often supping upon her juices as if she were partaking of a gourmet feast. Samantha derived as much pleasure from Janet's climaxes as she had her own. Janet smirked, when you were made love to by Samantha Carter, you knew it.
Of course Janet felt a rush of pride, as she knew she too could make her wife flood with desire with but a small word. She could make Sam climb the walls in a single touch. She was laying back upon the bed musing in lost memories when Sam came freshly washed out of the bathroom, smelling of roses and sandalwood.
A devilish smile saturated the blonde's face as Sam moved panther like onto her lover's prone form and straddled her hips. "Hummm look at you being all sexy—just begging to be made love to." Sam purred.
"Sammy we have to get ready." Janet's protest was cut short by the fact her wife's tongue was flicking her nibble causing it to stand at attention as Sam's right hand tweaked, pulled and pinched the other. "Oh I think I can make that happen rather quickly. You are ….ready for me." Samantha growled around the full breast in her mouth. Despite her protests Janet arched into Sam's administrations. "So wet."
"Sammmm…." Janet breathed…"thhhhaaa"
"I love it when you say my name like that." Sam cooed before she circled her tongue around the hardened nibble.
"God!" Janet murmured when Sam slid her hand down from the pert breast she was cupping into Janet's slit.
"Definitely ready." Sam whispered gently. "Do you want me to stop?"
"Yes." Janet moved her hips to increase the contact between herself and her wife.
Sam froze. She didn't know if Janet was commanding her to stop or if it was a sound of pleasure.
"No…I mean don't stop." Janet croaked out, realizing suddenly when Sam had not moved an inch. "No…..please Sammy don't stop. It feels so good."
"As you wish my beloved." The blonde knew time was not on their side. And she knew how to best make her wife cum. Dipping her fingers into the pool of nectar, Sam nudged Janet's legs further apart so that Sam could taste of her.
Sam kissed her lover's slit, taking in the heady musk. The very tip of her tongue teased Janet's clit, slowly luxuriously slipping into the heated cavern. "Oh so delicious." The blonde smiled as her wife moaned deeply, her body moving in time with Sam's probing tongue. Flicking the hood of Janet's clit Sam nipped and suckled upon the bud while her fingers dove into silky depths.
Janet tensed with each trust, bucking her hips. Coating her pinkie Sam tickled the tight puckered entry of Janet's arse. At a silent nodded signal from the brunette Sam gingerly slid her smallest finger into her woman. Janet gasped at the new penetration, arching with each harder thrust Janet cried out her lusts, feeling her pulse within her mouth.
Sam hungrily supped upon the juices flowing from her wife's womb, her teeth raking against the bud, harder faster her fingers pushed in and out causing Janet's thighs to quiver, and tremble. Her hips bucked hard wanting Sam to push harder in to her, her nails raking deep into the Blonde's back.
"Oh god Sammie…. god make me cum." A growled command, grinding as hard as Janet could into Sam's mouth. Her whole body trembled. "Oh god Sammie… Sammie…" Janet's body shuddered with Sam pushing harder and faster into the soaking mound and tight arse . Sam drank in the milky cum not wishing to waste a single drop as it came gushing out. "Oh god Sammie….yeesss oh god yes!" Janet cried out in her orgasm.
Sam wanted to continue but an overly sensitive Janet pushed her wife's hand from her crotch. "Sammie…." Janet managed.
"I know." The blonde smiled as she crawled up into her wife's arms as Janet fell exhausted against her. "It's okay. It's okay …shhhh I love you Baby-girl." Sam kissed her wife over and over. "I love you."
Janet descended back down to earth, fully spellbound in the arms of the woman who held her heart. "Oh I enjoyed that!" Sam said as her mouth took Janet's. "You are beyond beautiful."
For her part Janet basked in the fact her very libidinous lover was cradling her in a very strong and tender embrace. The doctor was exhausted and she wanted to cry out her love but she managed only to Send it.
"I've got you Baby-girl." Sam soothed "I got you."
"Oh Sam." Janet finally managed, loving the feeling of Sam nuzzling her cheek against her breasts. Her arms encircled the still too thin waist. "I love you."
"I know."
When Janet's hands trailed along the long back and came away slightly wet she thought it to be damp from Sam's shower and sweat of lovemaking. But pulling back a little the doe shaped eyes widened. It wasn't water it was blood.
"Oh god Sammie!"
"What?"
"Up up up!" The doctor commanded and Sam bolted to a sitting position.
"What?" Blue eyes questioned
"I am so sorry baby." Janet almost wept as she forced her wife to turn around to examine the damage she had inflicted.
"Janet?"
The physician showed her the blood and Sam smirked. "I hardly noticed."
"I scratched the hell out of your back and you smirk?"
"I did good." The blonde chuckled taking the sting out of Janet's concern.
'I'm a God-damn doctor and I hurt my wife. 'Hey Sam how did you get those scratches?' 'My wife…' God…'
Sam could feel the inner pulse of her beloved's thoughts and she smiled reassuringly. "It isn't the first time this has happened, and I pray it isn't the last time I send you over the edge. And, like I said Baby-girl, I never even noticed." Taking her wife's fingers she kissed them free of the blood staining them. "I love you." Sam said before her kisses turned to Janet's soft satin lips. "Besides just kiss them and make it better."
"I will once I put antiseptic upon them." The doctor said.
Sam twisted, craning her neck trying to see the marks but couldn't. 'So how many did I earn?" The smirk was larger.
"I'd say maybe sixteen." Janet winced once more inwardly.
There was a soft chuckle. "Hey just like the first time we made love." Sam rose her golden eyebrows up and down playfully. The internal berating suddenly vanished and Janet found her smile once more.
It was at that moment the door chimed signaling that they had a guest.
"Ohh! I told you we wouldn't have time." Janet said in mock anger but the smile upon her face betrayed her mirth.
Sam thought her wife adorable. Kissing her nose Sam let her wife free of her arms and said, "Go shower Baby-girl, I'll distract who ever it is at the door." Sam moved to kiss her once more.
"Hon."
"I can't help it you make me…'libidinous'" With that the blonde giggled.
"I'll say." Janet was still smiling.
The door chimed once more.
"You think they'll be offended if we send who ever it is away?" The doctor asked.
Blonde eyebrows arched playfully into unruly bangs. "Go away." Sam mumbled into her wife's neck she was contently nibbling.
This time it seemed the chiming of the door was more urgent. "Guess I should answer it, and you need to hit the shower."
Janet nodded, regretfully moving out of her wife's arms once more, heading for the bathroom.
"Did you know you have a cute ass?" The blonde said groping a feel of the tight globes.
The chime came once more.
Both women looked at one another as teens caught making out upon their parents sofa.
"Don't get dressed Lover, I want to see to your back." Janet said. And your own ass is pretty cute."
Charmer." Sam teased.
"Always."
Sam acknowledged her beloved's orders and slipped on a short silk robe, tieing the sash around her still too thin waist she moved to the door.
Another chime chirped irritably.
"Coming!" Sam barked. Her slender hand commanded the small panel to the right of the pneumatic door to slide open. "Yeah."
Daniel Jackson stood on the other side of the door. He didn't expect to see Sam Carter in a sheer silk robe that barely contained her phenomenal body. The hem of the robe scarcely covered her more private area and it was drawn tight over the fullness of her breast, where the archeologist could see the dark areola of her nipples peeking. The robe was more provocative then it was concealing. Sam hadn't realized it was Janet's robe and not her own until it was too late and the door was open. Of course the robe was designed to entice one's lover.
"Whoa ...err sorry I didn't mean to interrupt." Daniel stammered.
From out of the bathroom Janet called out. "Sam, Honey, have you seen my robe?"
The tall blonde looked at the garb she was donning. "Sorry I am wearing it."
There was a pause. "Ooooohh, I guess it just means I get to wear yours Sexy. I'll bet you look hot as hell in mine."
Sam blushed, as did Daniel.
'Janet's right Sam does look sexy as hell in it. Lucky doc…' the man's own internal mind rambled.
"Daniel." Sam diligently redirected her teammate's concentration. "Why are you here?"
"I came to ask you and the doc to the galley and to tell you we are orbiting PX77345."
The blonde flashed a short smile. "And you didn't think to COMM me?"
"Er well….I was picking something up from my quarters next door and just stopped by."
"Ah, right got'cha." Sam now smiled brightly. "Yeah we'll be there, give us a couple of minutes. What of the others?"
"Teal'c and Cassie are already in the galley with the adjunct." Daniel said.
"Alright, we'll be there straight-away."
"The Malakim are waiting for us. But I should warn you they are a bit condemnatory when it comes to our kind. They find only betrayal in the life we carry. To them we are dissidence."
Jacob gazed out of the large bay window in the Mess Hall. "Diabolical."
The word left Jacob's tongue before he could stop it. When Arion looked at him---into him—he wished he had it back.
"Yes. And they will shield your daughter with near religious zeal. Don't make any sudden moves to her or Janet Fraiser; the Malakim will view it as a threat. Trust me they will defend her with their lives and they won't think twice about cutting down anyone that bears even the faintest measure of menace to Samantha or her wife. Because of the affiliation Samantha has with the Throne she may very well be the most dangerous woman in all of the Empire."
"You expect me to treat my daughter as if she were a Hostile?" Jacob's anger flared brilliantly as the eyes of a Symbiote.
"No." Arion shook her head. "I expect you to treat her as though she is a dignitary, a woman of significant power. A queen. If you don't the Malakim will not forgive the slight, trust me."
"Samantha is my little girl." Jacob protested unable, or unwilling, to think of her as royalty.
"Not in the eyes of the Virtues, old friend." Xad said. "They see her as their Liege Lord and they are unshakable in that belief." Purple wings fluttered. "And it would be futile to even try to turn them. They bow to her because the World Symphony surrounds her. Samantha has become their greatest link to the Great Song."
"Are you telling me my little girl is some sort of Messiah!? That's ridiculous." Jacob continued to argue.
"Perhaps it is, but as I said she is their Champion. Just be careful. The only reason the Malakim even entertained an alliance with us is because you are Samantha's father. You share the same DNA. You share the name Carter but it is she not you they relate the name to. You carry it because she does. In Malakim society it is the male not the female that gives up their identity to assume the house name of their spouse. Such pairings are rare and a heterosexual relationship was once frowned upon, as if it was sexually deviant. We must keep this in mind as well as they may not look fondly upon our relationship."
"I doubt Sam will either." Jacob sighed heavily.
"Because….I am Blended or because I am Malakim?" Arion asked.
"Because you are not her mother. Sam and Rebecca…er…her mother, not her daughter, had a close relationship. Granted my little girl took after me in most respects but Becca and Sammy were tight. Sam is smart just like her mother was. Becca was a physicist as well. And …when I pushed Sam a little hard it was always Becca who soothed everything over. When she died…when she was killed, Sam pulled so deeply into herself that I don't think she actually ever recovered. Oh she forgave me, but she never truly recovered. Sam distanced herself from everything, especially her emotions, so much so I think she became stunted emotionally. Not that I ever understood it, stuff of life mushiness. I pushed Sam even harder to make something of herself and I might have pushed too hard because Becca wasn't there any more to make Sam feel…well… real. There was only work. I made sure Sam worked hard at being a physicist and to become a good little solider so she could become an astronaut. I wanted that so bad for her. Father's have dreams too. And Mark…well he never amounted to anything substantial. But Sam…she had promise and I wasn't about to see her waste her time with anything but what it took to become a part of the Space Program. Mark allowed life to interfere with what he could become I wasn't going to see that happen to Sam. I pushed her because I love her."
Jacob shook his head. "I knew that if I made everything okay between us, that I could help mould Sam, shape her way in life. And it worked. She's a colonel now and leads the flagship team of the SGC. She's become everything I knew she could be."
"You played on her loneness for her mother, that pain of loss and gave her work instead of family."
"Look where it got her!" Jacob was almost defensive. "I am not saying what I did was maybe the best choice but I was right. Sam is the best goddamn colonel in the Force." Jacob's voice took a note of demanding pride.
"So, you justify your past with your daughter by the woman she is now?" Xad said looking at the host of his mate.
"Essentially she would not be who she is if I hadn't. But, just because I didn't go into all that touchy-feely emotions, it never meant I didn't care how she feels about something. So yes I am a little concerned how she is going to take my being 'mated'." Jacob closed his eyes and opened them. "It is a cause of great concern." Selmac admitted. "So it must be something that must be handled with gentle care. Samantha's love for her mother is almost lionized in her heart."
"Do you think she will reject her father?" Xad asked. "You know this woman well."
"She will find it difficult and she will voice her opinion loudly but she won't cast her father out of her life, she is not her brother."
"Then perhaps she need not know." Arion commented. "There is no reason why she should be told of the relationship just yet."
"I think that is the best course of action." Jacob answered. "My little girl can be a bit stubborn at times."
"It is an enigma where she comes by this aspect of her demeanor." Xad chuckled.
"Cute." Jacob said.
The gray haired former general returned his visual at the large bay window. "Not exactly the most hospitable planet is it?"
"PX77345 is an M-Class ice-planet as it is the furthest from the sun of this system. However despite its frozen surface it is hospitable." Arion said.
"If you don't mind freezing your balls off."
Arion raised an eyebrow. "I don't possess that bit of anatomy."
"Sorry." Jacob looked a bit sheepish.
"Come your daughter waits." Xad dismissed the earlier comment. "By the Great Song try to remember to be very careful on how you approach her when the Malakim are at her side and back."
Scattered trees clawed at the sky with stark winged branches outside the Great Hall. This was a barren land of ice, snow and frozen breath. Cold filled the common room of the Great Hall despite the fire blazing on the long stone hearth. Sam rubbed her hands before the flames, but she could get no warmth in them. There was an odd comfort in the cold though, as if it were a shield. A shield against what, she could not think. More then that it was all too familiar. Fourteen years ago, lost in the Antarctic for two days, that bitter frozen memory was as alive as if she had been pulled from the glacier only yesterday.
"The Tok'ra representatives will be here anon, Liege Commander."
Briel announced. "Their Hok'tar has been seen landing in the designated area."
"When they arrive, please show them in quickly."
"I heed and obey, Liege Commander." The adjunct bowed her head in politeness. She could not help but compress her wings hard against her body in submission. The very presence of this unique mortal commanded it. The adjunct could feel what the others had since she was first within the presence of Samantha. It was undeniable. The blonde warrior had indeed possessed the power of the Great Song. She was it's connection to the Virtues. As long as she lived this would forever be so. And so it was Fate that demanded Samantha live as long as that of a Malakim Queen.
What Malakim knew was that the Nox had seen to it that Samantha and her consort aged far differently than that of the typical mortal of the Tau'ri. It would be centuries before the Liege commander began to decline. The same could be said for the Liege Healer, for both they appeared to age one year for every ten.
Briel considered the Fate of the Empire. It was said that one cannot live another's fate. So why was it that Samantha and the tiny physician lived the fate of the Queen? Unless it was destined to be so. Even as this meeting of the Tok'ra and the subsequent alliance with the Symbolic beings were destined to be.
Even as Briel left the cool Great Hall of the Citadel of Peace the cry of warning heralded out. "How now! See to the Lieges! A Remnant comes hither!!" The voice belonged to the young Hebe. "It travels with the Tok'ra!!"
The reaction was immediate and impressive.
Even as Sam raised her Arise Predator seven angelic security guards surrounded both Samantha and Janet, their wings intertwined blocking the women from all conceivable dangers. Before them, seven knights ignited their sun swords preparing to defend unto death.
Though neither Sam nor Janet could be seen from their feathery barricade, outside fourteen warriors took their positions. These were cleric-warriors, the knights of the Malakim, brandishing their humming blades of energy, readied to call upon the World Symphony to call down the wrath of the Great Song if needs be. Ecomancers and elementalists started summoning the power to rain their powers upon the Remnant and Diabolical.
"Move out of the way." Sam commanded her guardians.
"We can not Liege. We have been deceived. It is a Remnant and Diabolical that comes not the…" Gorgan uttered as the young Helm officer was one of the one whose wings were spread wide to protect the ladies. His voice was cut off as Briel interrupted.
"The Remnant travels with Jacob Carter, father of our Liege, stand down but remain cautious."
"Look I appreciate what you're trying to do, but my father would never align himself with a Remnant."
"Then why does he travel with Arion the Betrayer?" Kidumiel almost snarled. The Secretary of Defense had always considered Arion's betrayal one of the greatest of crimes. She had been one of those to snare Arion during her severance of wings. Indeed, it was her blade that sliced through the flight feathers, forever grounding the once daughter of Novalis.
"I don't consider Arion a Remnant." Sam said in a crisp voice, her breath coming out in a plume of vaporous mist. "If my father chooses to make an alliance with her, then I trust there is a good reason for it. It doesn't matter how we feel about it."
Janet wanted to reach out and touch her beloved wife. She didn't need the Bond to tell her that Sam still had issues with the angelic angel who left her wife in the hands of her tormentors. Even though, after the botched attempt to escape, Sam wasn't tortured, the fact she was held captive and nearly sacrificed was something a body didn't get over quickly.
"As you say Liege Commander, but my knights will remain dutiful to their oath to protect you and your consort." Kidumiel consented. "We will be watchful."
Sam rolled her eyes but nodded. Turning to her wife she whispered. "I think I know how you felt with Turel and Zaire."
Janet smiled. "You forgot another overbearing protector."
When Sam cocked her head in question, Janet obliged with an answer. "Samantha Carter PhD. She can be extremely protective."
"Oh." The blonde chuckled dryly. "Well you can't blame the woman for wanting to keep the love of her life safe and sound."
Jacob Carter had thought there would be only a few guards posted, for security proposes, within the Great Hall. He was not however prepared for the fourteen hardened faces of winged knights. Seven of them kneeled upon a single knee before Samantha and Janet as if they were Samurai. The other seven divided into twin lines so that three of them flanked the mortal women. The last, Kidumiel herself, stood guard of the entrance of the Great Hall.
"Sam!" Jacob cheerfully greeted stepping up to his daughter to take her into an embrace. But even as he did the kneeling warriors ignited their sun swords. Their multi colored eyes shone in detestable disdain.
"STAND DOWN! STAND DOWN!" Sam ordered trying to maintain control of the situation before it got out of hand.
The knights obeyed instantly and the blades were disengaged, returned to their wide belts but the hands never left the hilt. In a moments notice the energy swords could be redrawn once more.
"Quite the display Sam." Jacob said to his daughter as he approached, keeping his eyes upon the more cynical of the warriors, Kidumiel.
<We were warned, Jacob.> Selmac chided. < The Malakim are both overly protective and paranoid.>
~Sounds just like home old girl doesn't it? ~Jacob thought back
"Sorry Dad." Sam quickly said. "My companions can be a little dedicated."
"I see that." He approached his young daughter and gave her a hug.
Behind him was Arion and Anise.
"Oh no! Every time you turn up something monumental and terrible happens. I don't think I have the stomach for it." Janet hissed, her dark brown eyes resting upon the blonde Tok'ra as soon as she saw her.
"No drama this time Doctor, this time I merely accompany Selmac and Xad." Anise said. "We are allies in this unique situation."
"Say but a word against our liege, and you will find your tongue lying beside your head, Remnant." Kidumiel growled to the winged Tok'ra even as Janet was speaking to Anise.
"It's been a while, but you didn't call this meeting to brush up on lost time." Jacob said trying to ignore the heated words rising between the others.
He knew Anise had a gray reputation with the SGC, because in fact every time she did show up something terrible and monumental did happen. And of course Arion had her own reputation amongst her former people. Selmac didn't know what Garshaw was up to sending two individuals who had precarious relations with those they wanted an alliance with. Granted, the Tau'ri were already allies, but Anise was not looked upon with favor. And Arion, according to Malakim law, was a traitor and never to be trusted. However, both Selmac and Jacob could see a small measure of strategy, if possible allies were willing to make peace with those not to be trusted, then those they would trust would have a more solid relationship.
"No Dad, though it is good to see you. It's been almost a year since we saw each other." Sam, took her father's arm. "We need the Tok'ra's help to flush out a possible Zataarc. Dad, fourteen SGC personal were assassinated. Special Opps style."
"Oh my God. Tell me everything."
The tall blonde officer nodded as she led her father over to a highly polished octagonal table at which Janet, and the rest of SG1, were already seated. They were joined by the Adjunct Briel, Secretary of Defense Kidumiel and the Malakim CMO, Rakrir, and the Chief Engineer, Sabine.
"From what our operative's have discovered, Osiris is indeed deep into all of this mystery." Selmac said. "Make no mistake though Samantha, you, the Malakim and I are in great danger. We are irritants here. Malevolent forces have marshaled to eliminate us."
"You speak as if we are already allies." Briel said.
"Regardless of your sentiments, Briel, according to them we are." Xad retorted. "They certainly tried to eliminate you Samantha, there can be no doubt about that. From what we have learned the Ashrak have been relentlessly assaulted with demands for your death. What ever it is they are plotting they seemed to be scared to death of you."
"As for me, I supposed they made a grave error in not killing me." The blonde pushed a hand through her unruly blonde hair. The tone of her voice caught not only her wife's attention but that of her teammates and father.
"With your unique position with the Malakim I don't think they know how to destroy you." Arion stated evenly. "You are neither Taur'ri, nor Tor'ka, nor Malakim, nor mortal, but have qualities of all four."
Sam shook her head. "Don't underestimate them."
"I have never underestimated them. If there is some grand scheme going on the right hand doesn't seem to know what the left is doing. Even Osiris seems to be caught out at every turn."
"Osiris, is a part of it Samantha. You should realize this; we are only irritants in all of this. Osiris the great manipulator is their plaything. But those pulling the strings haven' shown their faces yet and it isn't Anubus." Selmac said.
"They don't like us unwriting their carefully choreographed epic do they?" Janet spoke up.
"You must understand, we haven't unwritten their plans we have merely rewritten it. The World Symphony flows open. Our petty actions, finding the path of least resistance, admitting only the slightest altercations. It is reminiscent of the Great Song and we are irritants in regards of this as well. They will not allow the irritant to exist. This is why your friends were slain, why they are made to suffer. If they cannot kill you, they will cripple you."
"They've made a good start." Cassandra said, looking to both her mothers, both seemed to be stunned into silence. "Look we need to find them, starting with the Zataarc or Ashrak."
"It was why we have come. We require the Zatarrc testing equipment." Teal'c said in his typical bluntness. "General O'Neill has requested that we acquire it from you and return it to base."
"Sam if you go back to earth, you will be targeted in a way you can not imagine." Jacob said. "I know something of the way Osiris thinks. Well Selmac does. And if you think hard, so too had Jolinar. Osiris won't go after you…" He lifted his dark brown eyes to Janet. "Osiris wants you to suffer in a way that is far, far worse then death. Trust me, I know something about that too. That is a pain you never want to know."
"Janet….." Sam uttered in a hushed whisper.
"Samantha, the one thing Osiris knows is that your greatest weakness is your ties to your wife." Anise commented dryly.
"My wife is not a weakness!" Sam stood up suddenly. Seven Malakim stepped forward, their sword hilts palmed ready to ignite at the slightest gesture. Sam did nothing to still their unease. "Janet…Rebecca and Cassie were the only reasons I was able to withstand what the Calabim did to me! God…..if it wasn't for Janet I would have died in that cell!"
Jacob looked absolutely puzzled but the guilt upon the faces of Anise and Arion was more then apparent. They knew the sufferance visited upon the tall blonde colonel.
<We can interrogate Arion and Anise at a latter time. Jacob we knew that Samantha was a prisoner, it would be naive to think that she wasn't untouched by the malefactors who captured her.> Selmac inwardly softened the parental rage within the older Carter.
Janet wanted to reach out and hold her beloved, but she stilled her desire and held the presence of her wife in the fullness of her heart.
The Malakim became unsettled by their Liege Commander's demeanor and only a small hand gesture from Janet stilled their collective anxiety. They took a single step back but still watched the blonde Tok'ra. Her presence had stirred the fires of dissidence and that was something the angelic warriors would not tolerate for long.
"I am sorry Colonel Carter, I did not mean to infer." Anise said her dark eyes taking note of the defensiveness of the Malakim. It would be wise to push her ego aside and apologize, for she knew the winged warriors would only tolerate so much before they decided their liege had been slighted beyond forgiveness. Now was not the time to hang onto the arrogant shell the symbiotic entries naturally possessed. Already they mistrusted her because of Janet Fraiser's reaction to Anise being present. Add that to the fact, it was Anise who convinced Arion to betray Samantha for the greater good, and she was doomed. Not even the Lieges could stop their swords if the Malakim decided to vindicate their heroic figureheads.
Sam swallowed and sat down taking charge of her emotions once more. As she sat the seven Malakim returned to their kneeling stance.
"I would say that if this Osiris has targeted Liege Healer Janet and the featherling then she will remain in the protection of the Red Wing until the Ashrak or Zatarrc has been apprehended." Briel put forth.
"Featherling?" Jacob asked his daughter-in-law.
"Your granddaughter." Janet whispered back.
The dark brown eyes turned to Cassandra.
The young woman winked. "I think they mean Becky, Granddad."
"Ah right. Where is the little terror anyway?" Jacob put forth.
"With Queen Novalis." Janet said. "Apparently Rebecca has conquered the queen's heart. I think Novalis intends to spoil her."
"Hey that's my job." Jacob whispered into the ear of his daughter-in-law. His words taxed a smile from the young mother. "However I am glad she is safe." The old man shuddered at the thought of his baby granddaughter as a victim of the assassin. God, it was one thing to lose a wife, it was another to lose a child. No parent should ever out live their child. With that thought Jacob Carter looked to his youngest child and closed his eyes thinking of the torment she must have had suffered. He knew what he had suffered in the hands of Sokar, if Sam had suffered such pains….. The elder Carter felt sick just thinking about it. His little girl tortured so horribly, it was inconceivable. He wanted to rip the throats out of whoever was connected to the torture of his child, his little girl.
<You and I both Jacob. For I view her as my daughter too and have a parent's love for her. >
** I know you do Old-Girl. Sammy knows it too. **
"What you ask we will deliver." Selmac said answering the request of the young colonel. "I'll personally see to it the equipment is sent. In fact I'll do the testing myself."
Anise hadn't expected that from her counterpart. She had fully expected to be the one doing the testing not Selmac. Her surprise was ever evident upon her face.
"I too will assist in the testing. The ways of the Great Song have not been lost; I can call upon the World Symphony to aid in this matter of finding the assassin or assassins." Arion vowed. "I at the very least owe this to you Colonel Carter."
"Forgive me Remnant, if I doubt your words." This came from a most cynical Kidumiel.
"I am no longer Malakim, but Tok'ra." Xad responded. "Therefore I am not a Remnant. My loyalties belong not to the Empire but to the Tok'ra."
Kidumiel laughed loudly. Her golden eyes looked to Jacob and Anise and laughed all the harder.
Jacob knew getting any information out of his little girl would be futile as it had been when she was younger. As it had when she lost her mother. That which hurt Samantha Carter, she was not one to voice it unless significantly pushed. The elder Carter knew however there was one who would be his daughter's confidant. One he knew would behest to his desire to know what had befallen Samantha because of her love for his little girl.
"Cassy…." The old man took his granddaughter aside. "What happened to Sam….to your mama."
Cassie looked away and bit her lip. Even recalling what she had seen because of Arion's' summoning of memories still had the power to wretch her heart into knots.
"It….." She sniffed and tried to steady her voice. She didn't want her grandfather to think she was some kind of wuss, from what she knew of Sam's past Granddad hated emotional displays. "It was bad. Really bad."
"Tell me, girl."
Cassandra took in a deep steadying breath. "We were stationed on Chimera, the Goa'uld had destroyed the Stargate. The Colonel…Mama... thought that they must have a Stargate on their ships. So we investigated and after a hunch we didn't find it. We decided to blow it because Zipcana had deployed several Death Gliders after Daniel and uh….SG3. We moved out to take them down. Oh you'd be proud to see her fly Granddad. She's one hell of a pilot. I've never seen anyone fly like her, never heard of anyone flying like her not even Uncle Jack." Cassandra's voice was filled with deep pride. "I went down but ejected. Arion saved my ars…..er tail …..and then we saw Mama's glider go down. She was after Zipcana, she thought he had killed me. She was mad as hell." Cassie swallowed hard. "By the time Teal'c and I got to the crash site neither that friggin snake-head nor my mama were to be found…. er sorry Selmac I didn't mean…."
"Quite alright young one go on." Selmac answered.
"Well…it was Arion who let us see what happened. Oh God!" Cassie's eyes defied her command and she started to weep. "Oh God…. what they did to her…"
Jacob was not a heartless man; he was simply one of great reserve. He took his eldest granddaughter into his arms and held her to him; his hand stroked her back as he had done once with Samantha after his beloved's funeral. "Cass it's okay."
"No it isn't! It isn't all right. She still wakes up in nightmares! What they did to her will never be all right. God they tortured her so badly Granddad. They had a collar around her neck like the Hara'kash. And god…. it fed on her empathic abilities…. for weeks she was beaten and tormented by that fucking collar. And they starved her…. She was so thin when we found her, she was like a broken skeleton. Then she was handed over to those friggin doctors who drugged her...and made her hallucinate and doubt everything around her. She was with them for three weeks. And they started to make her insane. She didn't even think Mom was real when we managed to find her." Cassandra looked away for a moment then back to her grandfather with venom in her voice and hate in her eyes. "Go ask your new pal Granddad! Arion can show you what happened. And you want to know more? Well fuck, it was Anise who convinced Arion to make sure my mother stayed in those fucking leeches hands! They were going to serve her up as some buffet to their false god!"
"Arion…she can show me?" Jacob narrowed his dark brown eyes. "Then you have seen what happened to Sam." It was not a question.
"Yeah she showed all of us. Something to do with the World Symphony and Great Song, I don't even pretend to understand it. Arion said she was able to take the memory from Mama. She said it was out of reverence. Granddad don't trust that bitch as far as I can throw her. She's rotten goods, just like Anise. I don't give a damn if they are Tok'ra! They made sure my Mama was served up as the main course to what-the hell his name is! Go ask Arion, Granddad she was there, as was Anise! Ask them!"
"Indeed." The voice that answered the young woman belonged to Selmac.