Prologue
~We will fight, not out of spite,
For someone must stand up for what’s right
Cause where there’s a man who has no voice
There ours shall go singing~
Hands- Jewel
The tavern was unusually crowded for this time of night. People from villages close by, or simply people who inhabited in the very city and who needed time to escape from the roughness of the day. All looked tense, but most tried to hide it behind loud bursts or laughter caused by too much alcohol.
Idan, however, was sober. For he needed all his head to do business of the kind he was pursuing tonight. The hood of his cape was low over his face so only his chin was visible to those who cared to look in his direction. Remaining anonymous was of crucial importance to this mission and he cared for nothing more than hiding to assure the success of his enterprise. Oh it was not going to be easy, he knew it, but a man had once showed him the power of freedom and he knew now that it was what he wished most for his people. All of them.
Suddenly the dark figure of a young woman sat in the chair in front of him, but her sudden appearance did not startle him. In fact, he had been was waiting for her.
"Milady." Was all he said, but he did not want her to see who he was and therefore kept his voice a whisper without taking off the protection of his hood. He did not need to look to see who it was, and it was mutual, because both of them knew.
"Woodman." Was her returned acknowledgment.
"You have what I asked?" Idan demanded as he leaned his elbows on the table, at last allowing the woman in front of him to see his eyes, as green as his cape. She was young but tenacious, and he had the outmost confidence in her.
"I do." She stated as she glared back, her eyes never leaving his and holding his stare in competitive defiance. Her gaze unwavering, her gentle hand traveled to a pocket in her cape and she took out a small leather bag, full with the ingredients he had asked for.
He took it from her with a nod and she sat back more fully in her chair, her eyes still observing him. She knew what he needed the ingredients for, but he was not completely certain of the reason that had pushed her to help him. After all she was of noble blood, why would she want to change everything of her position for his noble but lost cause? She had her reasons and Idan trusted her because of that.
He wanted freedom for his people, and they both knew the people who would be able to give it to them.
****
"What's the rush?" Jack stepped into the control room, annoyed by the loud klaxons resounding in his ears. With Carter sitting at her computer and Hammond looking over her with Teal'c at his side, he knew something important was going on. She turned to him but her eyes avoided carefully Jack’s, turning him cold with her ability at faking a neutral expression. It was getting easier and easier for her. And it unnerved him. A hell of a lot.
"We're having an incoming transmission from P3T 869." She said at last, her eyes moving back at the screen of her computer, her lips a tight line.
"P3T 869?" There's no way he could remember all the so-called names of hundreds of planets, now was there? As Carter opened her mouth to reply, Daniel walked in, closely followed by Amalia.
"P3T 869?" Daniel repeated. "Isn't that Amalia’s planet?" For a long second Jack felt the blood leave his face and he actually shared Carter's anguish. Was it possible? After all this time? Hoping she would lighten his confusion, he threw her a look and she bowed her head, her affirmation implicit.
"Well shouldn't we open the iris?" Daniel asked as if it was of some sort of a moral importance.
"Why?" Jack asked innocently. "I really see no reason to open it." Daniel glared as if he’d lost his mind so Jack turned back to Carter and her computer. She stayed silent, but disappointment hit him when he realized she was probably agreeing with Daniel, if he could judge by the disapproving frown on her face. What? What had he done this time?
"Colonel," Hammond intervened then, "I will allow the Iris to open." He stated as if he'd been giving this a lot of thought. As the general ordered a couple more SFs in the gate room, Jack caught the quick glare the older man sent him. He knew Hammond was aware of the little "cold" between he and Carter since their return, but he hadn't said anything so far. Maybe he thought this would be a good opportunity to fix whatever was wrong. However, Jack knew the man was wrong and he'd never approached the subject with him. Time heals everything right?
Right.
Jack shook his head slightly, but before he could say anything, Carter had opened the iris.
So they waited.
And waited.
"Well that's weird." Daniel muttered as they all stood, glaring patiently at the even horizon.
Just as he finished his sentence, a tiny little leather bag was thrown through and landed on the ramp with a light thud. No one moved, waiting for something to happen. When nothing blew up, Jack relaxed and let his curiosity take over.
"What is it?" The general asked over the mike to the airmen standing in the gate room, their weapon still raised.
"Don't know sir." One of them replied. "Want us to check it out?" The general turned to Jack and he didn't need his little move of the head to head downstairs, closely followed by the rest of SG-1.
Teal'c walked up to the ramp and, with no carefulness at all in Jack’s opinion, picked up the object. Walking back towards the rest of the team, he threw it at Jack, who caught it with a start; after all it could be some kind of bomb! Shaking his head, he glanced down at the little bag in his hands and, deciding they’d never know what it was until someone opened it, he threw caution to the wind and opened it. Carter, Daniel and Amalia all bent over his shoulder to see what it was as he peaked inside. Not seeing anything, he dove a finger into it. Whatever was inside felt like sandy powder, which made him frown as he took out his finger. What the hell…?
Jack heard Carter let out a little gasp when she saw his finger covered with golden dust. There was no mistaking in hell where that was coming from, and at that moment Jack wasn’t sure if he was so happy about that.
"There's nothing else?" Daniel asked suddenly, sounding a bit disappointed. Feeling the inside of the bag again, Jack’s fingers found a little piece of paper. It was written with characters he didn’t understand so he handed it to Amalia with a raise of the eyebrow.
"What does it say?" Daniel asked as he tried to read above her shoulder.
"It's a plea for help." She replied with a frown. Her English was a lot better now and she didn't even have an accent anymore. "It's signed 'the Woodmen'."
Teal'c's head snapped up.
"Let's go talk with Hammond." Jack muttered, more confused than happy by the turn of events.
Story Notes: This is a sequel to my previous fic “Feminine Instinct†that I wrote in 2000 (better late than never right?) but I’ve been told that it could also work as a stand alone. Also it has absolutely nothing to do with any season beyond the 3rd.
I’d like to thank Flo for betareading this story for me and for answering all of my numerous questions with the patience of a saint ;) Thanks!
I’d like to thank Flo for betareading this story for me and for answering all of my numerous questions with the patience of a saint ;) Thanks!
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 ]