I was the first of my people to meet the four strangers.
It was nearing the end of the Celebration of Contemplation and I was a two-days' walk from my village, having embarked on a journey of solitude -- the fourth time in my 32 turns around the sun. This sun-trip, I was lucky enough to make the journey to the StarCircle, which is said to be a monument of inspiration and good fortune.
The first thing that I noticed when I entered the clearing was a strange piece of technology, and I wondered why none of the others who have made this journey had ever mentioned it before. As I moved forward, however, cautiously poking at the metal machine, I realized that it was nearly new; the most probable explanation was that it had not *been* here before. I studied the device carefully, noting its advance construction; the various components looked familiar, particularly the camera lens, but its design was different and far more advanced than what I was used to. I'd just figured out how to access the inside components when, with a loud sound, the inner circle of the StarCircle began to spin.
Startled, I bolted for the surrounding trees and ducked behind the dense brush as the clearing was filled with a brilliant blue glow, the water-like substance of the StarCircle gently lighting the dawn sky. Everything was quiet for several seconds; then, with a "blurping" sound, four figures emerged.
The first person through was an older man; the first thing he did was raise what looked like a weapon and scan the clearing. The second man through was tall and dark-skinned; he, too, looked carefully at his surroundings as soon as he set foot on the StarCircle's platform. The third figure to appear, also a man, this one wearing glasses, was less vigilant; he also looked around, but he seemed more curious than suspicious of what lay around him. As I caught a glimpse of the fourth and final person, my breath caught and held in my throat.
This last stranger was unmistakably a woman, and one of the most beautiful women I'd ever seen. Her hair, a yellowy colour I'd never seen before, framed her face in soft waves, and even from this distance I could tell that her eyes were blue. I watched as she moved to the side of the first man who'd come through, then walked gracefully to the strange machine I'd just been investigating. She started to put a hand-held device on top of it, then stopped as she noticed the panel that I'd removed earlier.
"Sir," she called to that first man, her accent exotic and unfamiliar. "Someone's been here. The MALP's been tampered with."
The man she called "sir" joined her beside the machine; behind them, I could see the one wearing glasses start to wander around the clearing while the big one watched. "Could it have been an animal?" asked the older man, his words also lightly accented.
The woman shook her head. "I don't think so, sir. Not unless an animal is able to pry up an access panel without leaving any marks."
I decided to make myself known to these strangers; they had already figured out that I had been looking at their machine, and they'd only been here a few seconds. Besides, I have to admit that I was curious about the first people known to pass through the StarCircle in many generations.
"Hello?" I called tentatively as I stood. The four people in the clearing jerked around to face me, three of them raising weapons. "I'm sorry for startling you like that, but I think I'm the one you're looking for." I gestured at their machine. "I hope I didn't hurt anything; I was just curious."
The woman lowered her weapon a bit, but it remained pointing in my direction. "No, it's fine." She looked ready to say something else, but the man not holding a weapon interrupted.
"Hi, my name is Daniel Jackson. We're explorers from a planet called Earth. We won't hurt you."
Slightly reassured by this Daniel Jackson's words and how the first man and the woman had lowered their weapons, I stepped into the clearing.
"Tambryn," I said, putting a hand to my chest. The older man took a step closer.
"Jack O'Neill." He gestured to the two remaining members of his group. "This is Major Carter, and that's Teal'c."
I crossed my arms over my chest and lowered them straight in front of me, palms up and wrists crossed, in the traditional form of greeting. "Welcome to my home." I looked at them curiously. "You travel through the StarCircle regularly?"
Daniel nodded. "Couple of times a week."
I knit my brows together in confusion. "Week?" I repeated slowly, unfamiliar with the term.
"Yes, ah... a week consists of seven days, or seven revolutions of the planet on its axis."
I nodded in understanding. "A semnae," I supplied.
"Semnae," Daniel said thoughtfully. "Similar to the French word 'semaine,' possibly a derivation of an early--"
"Daniel," Jack said warningly, Major Carter's slight smile suggesting that the younger man's rambling was a frequent occurrence.
"Major Carter" -- Sam, I later learned -- "I was wondering, what does this machine of yours do?" I was asking her because she had moved directly to the device when she got here; I'd assumed she was in charge of it.
"Great, another scientist."
The low-voiced comment from Jack elicited a confused look from me and a smile from Sam before she turned back to me. "We call this a MALP. The video feed allows us to check for possible threats before we come through the Stargate, and it's equipped with sensors that send us information such as temperature, air composition, barometric pressure, that sort of thing. That way, we can be prepared when we come through."
I stared at her in amazement. "This machine can do all that?"
She looked a little amused at my delight. "I take it your technology isn't as advanced?"
I shook my head. "We have video recordings and we're able to measure temperature and pressure, but certainly nothing as sophisticated as this. We would never be able to construct a machine that does all that and make it this compact."
Daniel interrupted with what I was already beginning to recognize as typical exuberance. "Do you live around here?"
I gestured back the way I'd come. "My village is about two days that way. Would you like to accompany me back? There are many people who would love the chance to speak to those who have actually travelled through the StarCircle. We have been told that slavery or death awaits any who dare leave our planet."
"Who told you that? When was the last time anyone travelled through the... ah, the StarCircle?" Daniel asked curiously.
"It is a legend that goes back many, many generations, something that has been passed on from parent to child ever since the Goa'uld abandoned our planet long ago." Jack, Sam, and Teal'c all snapped to attention for some reason.
"You know the Goa'uld?" Jack asked tersely, readjusting his grip on the weapon he held and glancing around the clearing once more.
"Yes. They enslaved my people for several hundred sun-trips, using us as free labour to mine a substance they called naquada. Our resources ran low about the same time that the rulers left; according to some stories, there was an internal battle being waged between the various rulers for supreme control of the StarCircle system. Others claimed that the Goa'uld simply found a more profitable planet. In any case, all we know for sure is that one day the rulers laid waste to all of our cities, killing hundreds of thousands of my people, and left with several hundred more. It took many generations for us to rebuild, and the Goa'uld have never returned in the time since."
The armed trio seemed to relax, and I reiterated my invitation to come back with me to my village. Jack seemed uncertain; apparently, they were only supposed to spend three days visiting my planet, and a round-trip to my home would require at least four.
"There is a farmer who lives nearby who would lend me one of his caunna and a cart," I suggested. "We could make the journey in about eleven hours." I watched as Jack glanced at Sam; though she did nothing more than raise her eyebrow slightly, it seemed to me that they held an entire conversation in those few seconds. Jack nodded decisively and met my eyes once more.
"Sounds good," he agreed. "So, which way?"
We reached Jomma's farm a little over an hour later and, since it was not harvesting season, he was more than willing to lend us his caunna and cart for a few days. I promised to return it when I brought the strangers back to the StarCircle and began hitching up the animal to the straw-filled wagon. I heard Sam whisper something about a "quick roll in the hay," and while I didn't understand what she meant -- nor, from the expression on his face, did Teal'c -- Daniel gave a quick, surprised laugh. Jack's response intrigued me.
"Nothing quick about it, Major. I always take my time." He held her gaze purposefully and she flushed red before dropping her eyes from his. Maybe I didn't understand exactly what had just happened, but I knew what it meant when a man and woman looked at each other like that; some things, it seemed, were universal.
I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed. Though I'd met these people only two hours ago, Sam Carter had caught my attention from the moment she'd stepped through the StarCircle. Her light accent and unfamiliar hair colour, along with her natural beauty, easily made her one of the most captivating women I'd ever seen. Add to that her obvious intelligence and compassion, and I'd instantly been attracted to this woman from halfway across the galaxy. But she was obviously already involved, and so I pushed my half-formed fantasies out of my mind.
I was brought back to my surroundings when the caunna pushed its wet nose against my neck with a snort. I checked the cinches one last time, making sure they were secure, then called for my companions to get into the cart. I made myself comfortable on the platform seat; taking the reins, I clicked my tongue, and we were off.
***
I settled myself into a pile of hay, glad to be sitting on a cushioned surface after several hours of bouncing on a wooden seat. It had become more and more difficult for me to see as darkness descended, until I'd finally had to stop or risk running off the path. Teal'c had offered to take over; apparently, he could see better in low light than the average person, though I wasn't quite sure why. There was something different about him, something that went beyond the fact that he came from another planet. The gold tattoo on his forehead tugged at something in my memory, but the thought remained elusive. I let it go, figuring that if it were important, I'd remember eventually.
Across from me, Daniel looked as though he were half asleep. His lids half-closed, he watched the passing scenery -- such as it was in the dark -- but periodically his eyes would slip shut, only to jerk open again several seconds later.
To my left, seated behind Teal'c, were Jack and Sam. They sat close together, not quite touching and yet barely a finger-width between them as they talked quietly. Their weapons within easy reach at their sides, they were leaning back comfortably against a pile of hay; Sam's head was tilted to the side so that it nearly rested against Jack's shoulder. As I watched, he pointed at something in the night sky, and a soft smile graced her features as she responded to whatever he'd said.
Watching them now, I revised my earlier opinion that they were involved; there existed between them a tension, a restraint that usually disappeared after a couple admitted their feelings to each other. These two were still uncertain, still holding themselves back, though I couldn't understand why -- it had been obvious almost right away that the attraction was both strong and mutual.
Jack caught my curious stare and seemed to think it was because they came from another world; he began explaining to me where they'd come from and why they were there. With several interjections from Daniel, who had been wakened by our voices, I learned about their fight against the Goa'uld and how they travelled the universe using the StarCircle -- Stargate -- to search for allies. I remembered suddenly what had been tugging at my mind earlier.
"Teal'c, he is..." I struggled to remember the name from the old legends.
"He's Jaffa?"
"That's right," Daniel confirmed. "But he doesn't work for the Goa'uld anymore; he's become a valuable resource in our fight against them." That explained why Teal'c seemed to have heightened senses, more strength... it explained why he seemed just a bit different.
Daniel answered all of my curious questions, apparently as enthusiastic as I was about talking to someone from a planet light years away, despite the fact that he did it all the time. "How do you think we can help?" I wondered. "You already know that we're not as advanced as you; what could we possibly offer?"
Sam answered, the first she had said since our discussion began. "Those naquada deposits you mentioned earlier; do you have any left?"
"Some," I said. "The Goa'uld didn't leave much, and we find it too expensive to refine to meet our needs."
"It's a useful mineral for us, but our planet doesn't produce any," she explained. "We sometimes trade with other planets with things they need." She paused for a moment. "Can I ask, if you have the technology to create something like video recordings, why do you travel using an animal and a wagon?"
"We created a device a few generations ago to use for travel, but the pollution it created wasn't worth the convenience. We keep a few of those machines for long-distance or emergency travel, but the caunna and cart are usually enough to meet our needs."
"O'Neill. Tambryn." Teal'c's deep voice interrupted our conversation. "I believe we are approaching the village."
I'd been so captivated by the story being told to me that I'd missed the tell-tale signs that would have indicated how close we were. Scattered lights were already visible through the trees, if few and far between; as a mainly agricultural society, most of the residents rose and slept with the sun. A few people might still be found at the bar or the community centre, but by this relatively late hour most of the village would be sound asleep. I'm sure most of them would be wide awake and eagerly asking questions within the hour, however, when news of our visitors was made public.
I secured the caunna and led the group of four strangers to the government building, a one-storey affair consisting of a handful of offices and a large meeting room. I told them to have a seat before instructing the only other person there, a young aide, to summon the council, before I brought a pitcher of water and several glasses to put on the table; as I watched curiously, Teal'c took a drink and nodded before the rest of them helped themselves. What must their lives be like, that they encountered so many dangerous races that a glass of water came under suspicion? Though, if races such as the Goa'uld could flourish in the universe even after all these sun-trips, I supposed that others could too.
I sat with the four travellers as we waited for the council members to arrive; most of them lived nearby, but they *had* been awakened in the middle of the night. The time gave me the opportunity to observe the others.
Sam and Jack sat next to each other, their conversation not quite low enough to exclude the rest of us and yet not quite loud enough to include us, either. Daniel fidgeted in his chair for a little while before jumping up and walking the perimeter of the room, looking at the various pieces of artwork adorning the walls with interest, occasionally mumbling to himself. Teal'c sat easily in his chair, saying nothing, observing everything, somehow appearing relaxed and alert at the same time.
We all stood as the first members straggled in, some still looking half asleep. I began the introductions, only to repeat myself moments later when the last two arrived in the middle of the confusion. With six council members, the four visitors, and myself, the room was starting to get crowded and a little noisy, but eventually everyone had been introduced to everyone else. We all settled around the table and Jack again related their quest to find allies to fight the Goa'uld. The council listened with interest as Daniel answered their questions, telling us all about some of the missions they'd been on. The members asked specific questions about the Goa'uld, about the likelihood of them returning to our planet, how their SGC fought them, and about other allies they'd made. I couldn't claim to know any of the council members, but they seemed interested in the idea of forming an alliance -- especially when they learned that the people of Earth would be willing to trade medicines for certain minerals that our world might possess. I think the deal was more or less sealed when they offered to simply leave and never come back if that was what we wanted.
As late as it was, the council decided to break until the following morning. Our four visitors were given two rooms in a nearby resting home and told that they would be collected an hour after sunrise, when they would be taken to breakfast before meeting again. Because I had been the first to meet these people, the members gave me permission to return the following day; and so, after accompanying them to their rooms, I headed home to sleep.
***
By the time I made my way back to the resting home the following morning, it was obvious that word of our visitors had spread; I almost had to push my way through the crowd to get to the door. Inside, Jack looked vaguely worried. "What's with the mob?" he asked, jerking his thumb over his shoulder.
"You're the first visitors we've had through the StarCircle since the Goa'uld left. They're curious about travellers from another world." Jack looked less than thrilled at having all of these people watching his every move, but at least he didn't look worried any more.
Making our way out a back entrance, I led the others back to the government building, where the council members had already convened. An array of food was set up on a table along one wall but no one had started, apparently waiting for our guests. After the obligatory greetings, we all helped ourselves to the food and settled in to begin preliminary negotiations.
***
Three long hours later, we finally paused for a break. Having never attended a council meeting or any type of negotiation before, I was surprised by how tedious the whole process could be. Daniel seemed genuinely interested in the proceedings, and Sam and Teal'c had sat patiently and quietly, but Jack had been getting fidgety towards the end. It was, I think, his constant finger-tapping that finally convinced the council to adjourn for a break. Now, I was showing Jack and Daniel around my village, Sam and Teal'c having already wandered off to explore on their own. A shopkeeper kindly gave us each a cup of katoc -- something Daniel likened to an Earth drink he called "coffee" -- and we walked down the main street, a large crowd not too far behind.
"It's remarkable how similar many of the cultures we encounter are," Daniel was saying. "All separated from each other tens of thousands of years ago, encountering different problems, and still so much the same. It's too bad that we can't go public with the knowledge; I'm sure our philosophers would have a field day about what this says about the fundamental human spirit, not to mention--"
He was interrupted abruptly be a woman's scream somewhere in the distance, followed seconds later by two sharp cracks that reverberated along the street -- gunshots, I was later told.
"Sam." Jack's face paled faster than I would have thought possible, the name falling unbidden from his lips not so much a word as a mere breath of air. Even before the echo had died down Jack had taken off down the street in the direction from which the sounds had come. Daniel was right behind him and I followed, not knowing what those sounds meant but instinctively knowing that they were bad.
Sam, Teal'c, and a woman I didn't know were found at the edge of town, the first two anxiously scanning the tree line beyond. All three appeared unharmed.
"Carter!" Jack barked, his hand starting to reach of for her before he seemingly stopped himself, and I wondered again at the strange intimacy conveyed by what I understood to be her formal name. "You okay?"
"Yes sir." She instinctively took a step closer to Jack without removing her eyes from the trees. "There was a large animal; it was about to attack that woman's daughter. I fired a couple of warning shots and it took off that way." For the first time, I noticed the child, no more than two sun-trips of age, clutched tightly to the woman's chest as she rocked slightly.
"This animal, was it about this big," I indicated about waist-height, "with brown and black fur, pointy ears, and a forked tail?" Sam nodded, sparing a glance in Jack's direction. "It was an aeryu," I said. "They're typically very shy animals and don't come this close to our towns, but it's been a wet season and their habitat is flooded. They've been forced to looked elsewhere for food -- this is the third incident this sun-trip. But you don't need to worry; this one won't be back for several days at least, if at all." Sam and Teal'c looked uncertain, but both lowered their weapons at Jack's nod.
"You're sure you're both okay?" he asked again, his gaze never straying far from Sam's face. She smiled slightly, apparently used to the singular attention he was paying her.
"It didn't get anywhere near us, Colonel. I'm more concerned about the little girl -- it made a swipe at her before I could fire my weapon and I'm not sure if she was hit or not."
Jack talked to the woman and convinced her to hand her daughter over to Sam, who took the little girl off to the side; I guessed that if the child had been hurt, they didn't want the mother getting hysterical. Daniel distracted the woman while Sam looked over her daughter. She tickled the young girl's stomach and the child burst into giggles. I watched as a gentle smile crossed her features before she picked the little girl up to return her, safe and sound, to her mother; and I decided that the maternal instinct was another universal trait.
Glancing over at Jack, I caught him watching Sam -- which was decidedly unsurprising by that time -- with an expression that was considerably softer than it had been when we'd arrived a few minutes ago. I wasn't sure if Sam was aware of it, but after only a day with these people I could tell that he would do just about anything for her.
After just a moment he shook his head sharply and looked around at the rest of us somewhat guiltily. I shifted my eyes away before he reached me; I could see no reason to embarrass the man simply because he'd let his guard down for a few seconds.
***
We eventually made our way back to the meeting, but from what I could tell very little was actually resolved. As the day wore on and night began to fall, the negotiations finally had to be called off altogether when Jack announced that they were expected back on Earth the next morning, but he assured the council that a team specially formed for these kinds of dealings would return within a semnae -- a week -- if that was acceptable.
After a quick meal, we once again climbed into the wagon for the trip back to the StarCircle, Teal'c taking the position on the front bench; he remembered the way back and I was happy to leave the most uncomfortable seat to him.
About halfway back to our destination we stopped for a short break. I wandered off for a bit to stretch my legs, and when I returned only Jack and Sam remained in the small clearing. Sam's eyes were closed as she held her face up to the starlight, a faint smile just visible on her lips. Jack stood nearby, just watching her, looking torn. Then, apparently having won -- or perhaps lost -- his internal battle, he leaned down and touched his lips to hers. I watched just long enough to see her reach for him before turning away with a slight smile on my own face. I waited a few minutes before I returned to the caunna and wagon, making sure to "accidentally" snap a few twigs on my way through the woods.
In the clearing, I could see Daniel just returning from his own short walk. Sam and Jack were already back in the cart, and if I hadn't seen myself what had happened between them I wouldn't have had a clue. Looking at them now, it was hard to believe that they'd kissed just minutes before. Sam's cheeks were slightly flushed, and Jack wore an almost invisible grin; otherwise, they looked and acted just the same as they had the whole time. How could they just ignore that? I wondered.
But, as I watched them on the rest of our trip to the StarCircle, I saw how Jack reached out every few minutes to touch the woman at his side -- just incidental, almost-accidental brushes of his hand, but too often for them to be innocent. And each time, Sam would smile a tiny little smile.
Finally reaching the StarCircle, we all climbed out of the wagon. Jack promised that another team would return soon, and that they would explain how my people could safely contact Earth; until then, he said, we shouldn't come through because without the proper clearance codes we would die. I crossed my arms over my chest before lowering them, as I had done on our first meeting, and wished them luck in their war against the Goa'uld. Then they stepped through the water-like surface of the StarCircle and were gone.
***
And that is the story of how I met the four strangers. I have not seen them in the years that have since passed, but we occasionally hear stories from other SG teams that visit. Thanks to Teal'c, the SGC found an invaluable ally who agreed to join their fight. Daniel found someone named Shau'ri, someone special to him whom he'd thought dead. They scored a major victory against a Goa'uld named Apophis a few years after I saw them last. Lieutenant Colonel Carter went missing for a very long time several months after that mission, but I am happy to report that they found her after searching for nearly an entire sun-trip. Apparently Jack took her disappearance very hard and caused a lot of trouble while she was gone, but he was instrumental in helping her heal after they brought her home. Now, the four of them are back to travelling the universe together, meeting new people and fighting their enemy.
I wish them well, wherever they may be.
End.
Story Notes: EMAIL: the_fourth_dimension@hotmail.com
SPOILERS: Nada
SEASON/SEQUEL: Let's say early fourth season, simply 'cuz that's where I am right now
RATING: G
CONTENT WARNINGS: m/f, one sexually suggestive comment
ARCHIVE: Heliopolis, SJD absolutely; anyone else just let me know
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Thought I'd try something a little different; for better or worse, this is what happened. Special thanks to Angel for the title, and Sandy for her suggestions.
FEEDBACK: Not even an option :)
SPOILERS: Nada
SEASON/SEQUEL: Let's say early fourth season, simply 'cuz that's where I am right now
RATING: G
CONTENT WARNINGS: m/f, one sexually suggestive comment
ARCHIVE: Heliopolis, SJD absolutely; anyone else just let me know
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Thought I'd try something a little different; for better or worse, this is what happened. Special thanks to Angel for the title, and Sandy for her suggestions.
FEEDBACK: Not even an option :)
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]