Fic update
Jan. 17th, 2006 12:19 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stargaterPart 4 in my Hiding in the Light series is now up. I'm thinking this story will most likely end at part 5 or 6, just depends on how I decide to finish off part 5, though most likely it will be 6.
Part 4 – Veil of the Wolf
Daniel Jackson yawned and stretched his arms out behind him in an attempt to release some of the tension that had built up in his shoulders. He pressed his palms into his eyes, rubbing away the sleep and willing the pounding in his head to cease. He reached for his half-empty cup of coffee and downed the remaining lukewarm liquid in one gulp.
He and Teal’c had been working nearly non-stop for the last day and a half since their hasty return from P5C-338. They had begun deciphering the writings and drawings that he managed to snap pictures of before their hurried departure. It was somewhat slow-going as a lot of it seemed jumbled and mixed up to him and at times just didn’t seem to make sense. Not that he wasn’t learning a few interesting things about the native people of the planet, he just wasn’t coming across the information he needed in order for General Hammond to launch a rescue effort for Jack and Sam.
The debriefing with the General had left them with no other option than to find out what the creatures they were calling the ‘Timor’ were, what they wanted, and most importantly, a way to be able to see them. Hammond had been just as set on getting Jack and Sam back as the rest of SG-1 were, but he wasn’t about to send a team into a situation where they had no means of identifying possible attackers and defending themselves. They really had no idea what the Timor were or why only Sam and Jack could see and hear them. He and Teal’c had argued that if they weren’t able to see them, then perhaps they posed no threat to them. Hammond had carefully taken everything into consideration but eventually felt it wouldn’t be right to send in a team blind with no means of defending themselves.
Hammond had also dismissed the idea of just letting Daniel and Teal’c go back alone immediately. Deep down, Daniel understood his decision, but it didn’t change the fact that Jack and Sam were still stranded there and were being hunted by these strange entities. They had, however, agreed that if they could at least find a way of defending themselves, which meant being able to at least see or hear them, then another minute would not be wasted on organizing a rescue effort.
And so it began, Daniel and Teal’c spending the better part of the day and night going over all the photographs and notes. Since returning from the mission, neither of them had had much sleep and little to eat. Their goal was the same: come up with a way to see the Timor and get Jack and Sam off the planet no matter what it took. It still didn’t help negate the feeling that they weren’t doing enough. He knew that had their positions been switched, they would have done the very same thing for him and Teal’c. It was what they did. They were SG-1, and they would not rest until the rest of the team was home safe.
“Daniel Jackson, the commissary has once again brewed fresh coffee,” Teal’c said as he entered the room.
“Good, I’m about ready for another refill,” Daniel answered, frowning at his empty cup. “Any word from Bra’tac?”
“Several actually,” said Teal’c, sitting down across from Daniel. “Master Bra’tac told me a most interesting story he remembered from his days as First Prime to Apophis,” he began.
“Bra’tac told me of an encounter Apophis once had with a lesser Goa’uld by the name of Kelnim. Kelnim once ruled over the planet Bollas which had been known for its plentiful Xenta Gem mines. Xenta crystals were valued for their beauty and often sought after by the Goa’uld as ornamentation for their regal attire. He often left a small regiment of Jaffa to oversee the mining and would come back only to insure that they were producing his desired quantities of the Gem and would frequently take the lives of the native population in order to make them work harder, feeding their fear of being killed.
“During one of Kelnim’s visits, he learned that something had slain his Jaffa, and rumors heard in the city said an ‘invisible savior’ had liberated them from the Goa’uld. Kelnim and his small group of Jaffa that had accompanied him began an angry attack on the people of the city but soon were confronted with the invisible assailants. Most of Kelnim’s personal Jaffa Guard was slaughtered right in front of him, and Kelnim turned and ran like a coward, leaving a few of the Jaffa behind defending him as he made an escape. As he neared the Stargate, he looked back and saw several of his Jaffa quickly approaching him, some of whom were the same Jaffa he had witnessed being murdered by the invisible creature. He didn’t waste another moment getting himself through the Stargate.”
“Sounds just like a Goa’uld,” Daniel grumbled interrupting.
Teal’c nodded and continued, “Kelnim was later defeated by Apophis over a minor territory dispute, and Kelnim told Apophis of this story shortly before he was killed. Bra’tac was present at the time and said he had never seen another Goa’uld terrified of something of this sort before. It even unnerved Apophis a bit, but not enough to at least to make a fly-over in his Hat’ak of the planet. As they flew over the planet, they sensed no life whatsoever. He decided against landing on the planet and instructed his Jaffa never to return there again. There has been little mention of the planet since.”
“Interesting,” Daniel said thoughtfully.
“Indeed,” Teal’c replied.
They lapsed into silence, deep in thought. Daniel couldn’t help but be a bit intrigued by the Timor, who they were, where they came from, and what it was they wanted. He was more puzzled, however, with why no one else could see or hear them. He realized he might never find out the answers to some of those questions, and he hated when he didn’t have all the facts laid out before him, especially the important ones.
“Have you made any more progress with the photographs, Daniel Jackson?” Teal’c asked, disrupting his thoughts.
“Um a little.” Daniel cleared his throat and picked up a few of the pictures that lay messily in front of him. “A lot of it is kind of confusing; it doesn’t make much sense and seems to be more like scattered thoughts.”
He pointed to some of the obscure writing on a crumbling wall. “I think these here talk about the Timor. From what I can tell, apparently none of the people were allowed to see them and evidently couldn’t if they wanted to. Only the select few on the High Council were able to see them, and then only once a year at the time of the sacrifice. They would drink from the otherwise forbidden Wellspring River and would present the sacrificial persons before some of the Timor.
“The Wellspring River was strictly off-limits to everyone, but apparently a couple rebellious villagers decided to drink from it and see what its affects were. They were shocked when they started seeing strange shapes and creatures hovering over and around them. The Timor became outraged, calling for the deaths of many people. The people revolted, deciding enough was enough and that enslavement of this kind was just as bad as the Goa’uld. Those who drank from the river lasted longer than the rest because they were able to escape and hide for awhile, but it wasn’t long before the entire population was wiped out.”
Teal’c characteristically raised an eyebrow and quietly contemplated what he had just heard. “Interesting,” he said, mimicking Daniel’s earlier reply.
“Yeah, but it isn’t going to assist us in getting any closer to helping Jack and Sam,” Daniel answered distractedly.
“The river! That’s it, Teal’c! That’s why Jack and Sam could sense them and we couldn’t. They fell into the Wellspring River!” Daniel exclaimed after a moment.
“It is unfortunate that we no longer possess the samples Major Carter collected from the river. Perhaps we could have obtained a means of seeing the Timor for ourselves,” Teal’c said.
“Yeah,” Daniel answered. He slumped back down in his chair, his forehead scrunched up in thought. It would have indeed been most helpful to have the samples with them, but he couldn’t fret on that thought right now. They were getting close to something - he could feel it. He remembered Jack and Sam saying that they could hear wings flapping, but he didn’t recall them mentioning they could see them. Perhaps whatever was in the water only aided them in the ability to see them.
Daniel thought there was surely more to this than he was seeing. He riffled through some of the photographs, his eyes coming to rest on the picture Sam had noticed in the city ruins. The people were running away from something, running from the light into the shadows. Childhood stories reminded him that it was always the dark places that people feared, for what they couldn’t see in the dark was most frightening.
“That’s it!” Daniel exclaimed, jumping up from his seat. Teal’c merely waited patiently for Daniel to enlighten him on his discovery. “It’s the light - the Timor can hide themselves in the light. That’s why the people in this drawing were running from it to the shadows; they could see them better in the dark and at least have a chance to defend themselves. And I bet they can alter their appearance. That’s why Kelnim thought he saw his dead Jaffa coming for him. “
Teal’c remained stoic, but Daniel knew he was thinking the same thing. If they couldn’t be seen in plain light and could change their appearance, they could present themselves to Jack and Sam as anything or anyone. He knew the resourcefulness of his friends and their ability to survive would keep the Timor at bay, but he was worried that the undetectable shape-shifting beings were out there hunting them at this very moment. They would have to come up with a plan and a way to see the Timor -- and fast.
Meanwhile back on P5C-338…
O’Neill and Carter moved as silently as they could through the thick underbrush. Thankfully, the rain had let up, but wind was just as bad, whipping at their backs and chilling them to the bone. They caught a few glances up at the sky as shadows soared over their heads moving in the general direction of the Stargate. They both knew that if the creatures had even an ounce of intelligence they would be waiting for them at the gate the next time they tried to escape.
They decided it would be best to lay low until nightfall in the hopes that they could at least see the creatures better. Carter spotted a low overhang under a large bush and moss-covered rock formation just up ahead. They were heading for the overhang when they heard the sound of stomping feet coming from behind them. They sat still and waited while the unknown person or persons approached. Peeking over a fallen log, they saw two pairs of standard issue SGC boots crunching through the undergrowth. They were shocked as they recognized that the booted feet belonged to Daniel and Teal’c.
Part 5 coming soon!
Oh and Lost won the Golden Globe for Best Television Series - Drama and Anthony Hopkins was awarded the Cecil B. DeMille award for lifetime achievement. Niftyo.
Part 4 – Veil of the Wolf
Daniel Jackson yawned and stretched his arms out behind him in an attempt to release some of the tension that had built up in his shoulders. He pressed his palms into his eyes, rubbing away the sleep and willing the pounding in his head to cease. He reached for his half-empty cup of coffee and downed the remaining lukewarm liquid in one gulp.
He and Teal’c had been working nearly non-stop for the last day and a half since their hasty return from P5C-338. They had begun deciphering the writings and drawings that he managed to snap pictures of before their hurried departure. It was somewhat slow-going as a lot of it seemed jumbled and mixed up to him and at times just didn’t seem to make sense. Not that he wasn’t learning a few interesting things about the native people of the planet, he just wasn’t coming across the information he needed in order for General Hammond to launch a rescue effort for Jack and Sam.
The debriefing with the General had left them with no other option than to find out what the creatures they were calling the ‘Timor’ were, what they wanted, and most importantly, a way to be able to see them. Hammond had been just as set on getting Jack and Sam back as the rest of SG-1 were, but he wasn’t about to send a team into a situation where they had no means of identifying possible attackers and defending themselves. They really had no idea what the Timor were or why only Sam and Jack could see and hear them. He and Teal’c had argued that if they weren’t able to see them, then perhaps they posed no threat to them. Hammond had carefully taken everything into consideration but eventually felt it wouldn’t be right to send in a team blind with no means of defending themselves.
Hammond had also dismissed the idea of just letting Daniel and Teal’c go back alone immediately. Deep down, Daniel understood his decision, but it didn’t change the fact that Jack and Sam were still stranded there and were being hunted by these strange entities. They had, however, agreed that if they could at least find a way of defending themselves, which meant being able to at least see or hear them, then another minute would not be wasted on organizing a rescue effort.
And so it began, Daniel and Teal’c spending the better part of the day and night going over all the photographs and notes. Since returning from the mission, neither of them had had much sleep and little to eat. Their goal was the same: come up with a way to see the Timor and get Jack and Sam off the planet no matter what it took. It still didn’t help negate the feeling that they weren’t doing enough. He knew that had their positions been switched, they would have done the very same thing for him and Teal’c. It was what they did. They were SG-1, and they would not rest until the rest of the team was home safe.
“Daniel Jackson, the commissary has once again brewed fresh coffee,” Teal’c said as he entered the room.
“Good, I’m about ready for another refill,” Daniel answered, frowning at his empty cup. “Any word from Bra’tac?”
“Several actually,” said Teal’c, sitting down across from Daniel. “Master Bra’tac told me a most interesting story he remembered from his days as First Prime to Apophis,” he began.
“Bra’tac told me of an encounter Apophis once had with a lesser Goa’uld by the name of Kelnim. Kelnim once ruled over the planet Bollas which had been known for its plentiful Xenta Gem mines. Xenta crystals were valued for their beauty and often sought after by the Goa’uld as ornamentation for their regal attire. He often left a small regiment of Jaffa to oversee the mining and would come back only to insure that they were producing his desired quantities of the Gem and would frequently take the lives of the native population in order to make them work harder, feeding their fear of being killed.
“During one of Kelnim’s visits, he learned that something had slain his Jaffa, and rumors heard in the city said an ‘invisible savior’ had liberated them from the Goa’uld. Kelnim and his small group of Jaffa that had accompanied him began an angry attack on the people of the city but soon were confronted with the invisible assailants. Most of Kelnim’s personal Jaffa Guard was slaughtered right in front of him, and Kelnim turned and ran like a coward, leaving a few of the Jaffa behind defending him as he made an escape. As he neared the Stargate, he looked back and saw several of his Jaffa quickly approaching him, some of whom were the same Jaffa he had witnessed being murdered by the invisible creature. He didn’t waste another moment getting himself through the Stargate.”
“Sounds just like a Goa’uld,” Daniel grumbled interrupting.
Teal’c nodded and continued, “Kelnim was later defeated by Apophis over a minor territory dispute, and Kelnim told Apophis of this story shortly before he was killed. Bra’tac was present at the time and said he had never seen another Goa’uld terrified of something of this sort before. It even unnerved Apophis a bit, but not enough to at least to make a fly-over in his Hat’ak of the planet. As they flew over the planet, they sensed no life whatsoever. He decided against landing on the planet and instructed his Jaffa never to return there again. There has been little mention of the planet since.”
“Interesting,” Daniel said thoughtfully.
“Indeed,” Teal’c replied.
They lapsed into silence, deep in thought. Daniel couldn’t help but be a bit intrigued by the Timor, who they were, where they came from, and what it was they wanted. He was more puzzled, however, with why no one else could see or hear them. He realized he might never find out the answers to some of those questions, and he hated when he didn’t have all the facts laid out before him, especially the important ones.
“Have you made any more progress with the photographs, Daniel Jackson?” Teal’c asked, disrupting his thoughts.
“Um a little.” Daniel cleared his throat and picked up a few of the pictures that lay messily in front of him. “A lot of it is kind of confusing; it doesn’t make much sense and seems to be more like scattered thoughts.”
He pointed to some of the obscure writing on a crumbling wall. “I think these here talk about the Timor. From what I can tell, apparently none of the people were allowed to see them and evidently couldn’t if they wanted to. Only the select few on the High Council were able to see them, and then only once a year at the time of the sacrifice. They would drink from the otherwise forbidden Wellspring River and would present the sacrificial persons before some of the Timor.
“The Wellspring River was strictly off-limits to everyone, but apparently a couple rebellious villagers decided to drink from it and see what its affects were. They were shocked when they started seeing strange shapes and creatures hovering over and around them. The Timor became outraged, calling for the deaths of many people. The people revolted, deciding enough was enough and that enslavement of this kind was just as bad as the Goa’uld. Those who drank from the river lasted longer than the rest because they were able to escape and hide for awhile, but it wasn’t long before the entire population was wiped out.”
Teal’c characteristically raised an eyebrow and quietly contemplated what he had just heard. “Interesting,” he said, mimicking Daniel’s earlier reply.
“Yeah, but it isn’t going to assist us in getting any closer to helping Jack and Sam,” Daniel answered distractedly.
“The river! That’s it, Teal’c! That’s why Jack and Sam could sense them and we couldn’t. They fell into the Wellspring River!” Daniel exclaimed after a moment.
“It is unfortunate that we no longer possess the samples Major Carter collected from the river. Perhaps we could have obtained a means of seeing the Timor for ourselves,” Teal’c said.
“Yeah,” Daniel answered. He slumped back down in his chair, his forehead scrunched up in thought. It would have indeed been most helpful to have the samples with them, but he couldn’t fret on that thought right now. They were getting close to something - he could feel it. He remembered Jack and Sam saying that they could hear wings flapping, but he didn’t recall them mentioning they could see them. Perhaps whatever was in the water only aided them in the ability to see them.
Daniel thought there was surely more to this than he was seeing. He riffled through some of the photographs, his eyes coming to rest on the picture Sam had noticed in the city ruins. The people were running away from something, running from the light into the shadows. Childhood stories reminded him that it was always the dark places that people feared, for what they couldn’t see in the dark was most frightening.
“That’s it!” Daniel exclaimed, jumping up from his seat. Teal’c merely waited patiently for Daniel to enlighten him on his discovery. “It’s the light - the Timor can hide themselves in the light. That’s why the people in this drawing were running from it to the shadows; they could see them better in the dark and at least have a chance to defend themselves. And I bet they can alter their appearance. That’s why Kelnim thought he saw his dead Jaffa coming for him. “
Teal’c remained stoic, but Daniel knew he was thinking the same thing. If they couldn’t be seen in plain light and could change their appearance, they could present themselves to Jack and Sam as anything or anyone. He knew the resourcefulness of his friends and their ability to survive would keep the Timor at bay, but he was worried that the undetectable shape-shifting beings were out there hunting them at this very moment. They would have to come up with a plan and a way to see the Timor -- and fast.
Meanwhile back on P5C-338…
O’Neill and Carter moved as silently as they could through the thick underbrush. Thankfully, the rain had let up, but wind was just as bad, whipping at their backs and chilling them to the bone. They caught a few glances up at the sky as shadows soared over their heads moving in the general direction of the Stargate. They both knew that if the creatures had even an ounce of intelligence they would be waiting for them at the gate the next time they tried to escape.
They decided it would be best to lay low until nightfall in the hopes that they could at least see the creatures better. Carter spotted a low overhang under a large bush and moss-covered rock formation just up ahead. They were heading for the overhang when they heard the sound of stomping feet coming from behind them. They sat still and waited while the unknown person or persons approached. Peeking over a fallen log, they saw two pairs of standard issue SGC boots crunching through the undergrowth. They were shocked as they recognized that the booted feet belonged to Daniel and Teal’c.
Part 5 coming soon!
Oh and Lost won the Golden Globe for Best Television Series - Drama and Anthony Hopkins was awarded the Cecil B. DeMille award for lifetime achievement. Niftyo.
