Falling Forward 2

Secret Earth

by Jakobine

URL: http://www.area52hkh.net/asj/jakobine/falling02.php
Summary: Discoveries on an alien planet lead Sam on a journey inward

Janet walked towards the SGC control room; she had decided that General Hammond needed to review her latest medical findings on a recent mishap on P9X 326 with SG3. She also needed to see SG1 depart for their current mission...specifically Janet needed to latch onto the tropical blue eyes of Major Samantha Carter before the woman walked through the gate to her latest assignment. Sam and the rest of SG1 were geared up and ready for a covert mission to gather information on recent Goa'uld activity on a planet inhabited by a society of unsophisticated, if not primitive, people. The Tok'ra, with Jacob in the lead, had arrived at the SCG yesterday afternoon with the information and a request for the Tau'ri to aid in uncovering the mystery. They were to gate to a Tok'ra base and from there an operative with a ship would transport the team to the Ves'nary home world. They had no more than 24 hours to infiltrate the main village, find out as much information as possible and then rendezvous back at the ship. A plan of action, if necessary, would be laid out once they returned to the SGC with more information.

As Janet entered the control room, General Hammond nodded briefly and focused back on the gate protocol needed to begin the mission. She waited, hugging the medical file to her chest and watching Sam make some last minute adjustments to her equipment.

Janet smiled, her thoughts fading to the previous evening when Sam had revealed her attraction for Janet. She admitted to strong feelings, not unlike the ones Janet had been suppressing for a rather long time. They had spent a quiet evening exploring those feelings; talking, laughing, and mostly trying to control the nervous splendor between them. They had been friends for so long and now to have that friendship blossom into something romantic and intimate...it was exciting and terrifying and confusing but magnificent at the same time. The trust between the two women was apparent and Sam had made mention of that point. She had gently reasoned that they had been able to share in the well-being of Cassandra because of the confidence they had in each other and that maybe it was that trust that allowed her to feel and acknowledge this attraction. "It's funny how when I look back it's been there all along," Sam had said on the porch after they had kissed good night. "Funny, how I have stood here on this very porch wanting to reach out to touch you, but never daring to explore what that was," Sam had confided. Janet recalled the weight of Sam's fingers slowly brushing her hair and remembered the words that followed, "Now I just can't seem to stop myself."

It was that thought, that image that had lured Janet toward the gate room. She had been thinking of Sam all night and all morning and could not let her go today without looking into the eyes that revealed so much.

Janet was brought back to the present as she noticed Sam casually lift her gaze toward the control room.

Sam swung her head towards the white lab coat and the dark piercing eyes. Involuntarily, her dimples deepened and her heart began to race. Janet smiled back and quickly mouthed "good luck", then covered her school girl grin with the file folder in her arms.

"Chevron seven, locked and encoded"

Sam nodded her good-bye and dutifully turned towards the gate.

"Good luck SG1," General Hammond called over the intercom, "we'll see you in just over 24."

Within a blink of an eye they were gone. It's going to be a long 24 hours, Janet thought to herself.

"Doctor Fraiser?" General Hammond turned towards Janet.

"Yes, sir," Janet handed the papers to the General, "these are the latest results from P9X 326."

"Yes, I see," he opened and then immediately closed the folder. "I also see that you're keeping a close eye on Major Carter. Is there anything I should be concerned about, given her recent stressed behavior?"

"No, General, I think Sam is dealing with that. It's really nothing that a little R&R wouldn't cure."

"Maybe after this mission you can see to it that she gets some."

"Yes sir," Janet nodded then turned to leave, her grin threatened to bubble to a giggle, as her mind dodged the images evoked by his last two words.

"Okay, this is it," Jacob called out as the small spacecraft hovered over the ground and drifted off. "Dainar will meet us back here in 22 hours. The nearest village is 5 miles due south and their Stargate is 3 miles east of that." Jacob pointed out the locations on a crude map which the Tok'ra had drafted. "I suggest we split into two groups, one heading to the village and the other to the Stargate."

"I agree," Jack checked the lineup of weapons hidden beneath the layers of civilian clothing. "Major, you, Jonas and Jacob head to the village, talk to the locals; find out whatever you can. Teal'c and I will make our way to the Stargate. We meet here," Jack pointed to a spot on the map, "just outside the north east corner of the village in 12 hours."

"Yes Sir," Sam nodded to Jonas and her father and they began to move out.

The trek through the wooded area was uneventful. Many pathways spidered towards the village, but there was not a soul to be seen. Still, Sam led her team carefully on the edges; the last thing they needed was to make their presence known. As they came to the fringe of the forest they could see a row of Jaffa surrounding the village, one every 50 yards or so, keeping the villagers imprisoned within.

"Any suggestions?" Jacob questioned.

"We need a minor distraction; nothing dramatic, a falling tree or something," Sam suggested, "just enough of a problem to have both guards leave their stations. I think we could make a run through this tall grass."

"Major, I could surrender, walk out between them and you two could make a run for it," Jonas volunteered.

"No! We don't want them to know we're here. I think we should..."

"Kree! Jaffa!" Suddenly there was a disturbance in the village and three of the Jaffa patrolling the west position rushed away from the perimeter.

"Quick! With me!" Sam hurdled over the foliage and quickly made her way to the area of opportunity. On hands and knees they slid into the village and entered the nearest hut.

Catching their breaths they looked around at the interior.

"This really is quite primitive," Jonas remarked. They had yet to see the indigenous inhabitants, but judging by the antiquated utensils and animal skin bedding Jonas figured they could not be much more advanced then early man.

"Yes," Jacob agreed, "these people are somewhat more evolved then Neanderthals, but not by much. They actually have a similar appearance with the high brow and more exaggerated features, but they are quite peaceful and trusting. They haven't given the Jaffa much resistance. Their language is not very sophisticated and they mostly communicate through their actions; facial expressions, hand gestures and such."

"Okay, so how are we going to get any information from these people?" Sam queried.

"Well, presuming we can find someone who won't immediately give us up, I suggest we try to befriend one of the locals and stress that we do not want to be exposed to the Jaffa. This may take some doing and some time." Jonas pushed back his hood and scratched his head. "I think maybe the best course of actions would be to..."

Jonas stopped in mid sentence and pulled Sam and Jacob back against the wall of the hut. The bear skin flap was pulled back and an old gnarled man stepped inside. He had long gray hair and long gray eyebrows accentuating his already pronounced brow. He had a slight hunch to his back and walked with a noticeable limp. He did not immediately see the visitors as his eyes needed time to adjust from light to dark. When he did regain his focus he stepped back to look at the three strangers. Sam pulled forward and softly spoke, "It's okay, we're not going to harm you."

The man stepped forward to look directly into Sam's eyes. He whispered, "Machwa!" He took Sam gently by the arm and guided her to a small window. Propping up the willow blind, he allowed enough light in to settle over Sam's face.

He fell to his knees. "Machwa!" He bowed, lowering his head to Sam's feet.

Sam knelt down and lifted his hands off the ground, bringing him up to face her. "My name is Sam." She pressed her palm to her chest and repeated her name, then smiled, "Sam."

The man turned his head and did not look upon her face. He mimicked her actions and spoke his name, "Telsa."

Sam pointed to Jonas and then to Jacob, speaking both men's names.

"Jo-nas, Ja-cob," Telsa bent his head and poured his hands towards Sam, "Machwa!"

Sam turned to Jonas questioningly.

"I ... I don't know, it's very close to a Kaltoo term for 'mother'."

Sam pulled her head back and let her eyes settle on Telsa. "Mother?"

The elderly man nodded.

"Sam if I'm not mistaken I think, by his actions, he holds you in high regard," Jacob interrupted. "Look at the way he wants to look you in the eye, but then veers and lowers his eyes and bows his head when he speaks to you. He does not do that when he looks over to Jonas or me."

"Maybe it's because I'm a woman?"

"I don't know Major," Jonas continued, "when he took you into the light, he focused curiously on your eyes. There is something about your eyes that has him awestruck, maybe the vibrant blue. These people have such dark features and dark eyes, maybe this feature is rare." Jonas stood in front of the man, "Maybe it's that you're a woman or a woman with blue eyes." Jonas pointed to Sam's eyes. "Machwa? Mother?"

"Machwa!" The old man pointed to Sam and then pointed to the sky, "Fravase." He turned and knelt to the ground touching the soil, "mach." He then began to dig and placed one hand in the small crevasse and buried it under the soil. "Machwa fas mach," he tried to explain.

"Underground...mother lives in the earth?" Jonas stroked his chin as he studied Telsa's actions. "In many North American Aboriginal cultures the earth is thought of as a mother and the sky a father. Fravase might mean father...Father Sky, and Machwa might mean Mother Earth."

"But what could Mother Earth possibly have to do with Sam?" Jacob questioned.

"I don't quite know." Jonas smiled with frustration.

"Well, let's get back to our objective here," Sam interrupted, feeling a little unnerved. "First, can you stress to him that we do not want to be exposed to the Jaffa and that we are trying to help his people? Find out what he thinks the Jaffa are doing."

Telsa placed his hands together and bowed to Sam.

"Yes Major," Jonas nodded.

Jonas continued his attempts to communicate with Telsa; Jacob walked Sam to the other end of the small hut and cracked open the window to monitor the situation outside. The surrounding area was relatively quiet, there were only a few people walking about and they seemed rather undisturbed by the Jaffa invasion.

"Something isn't right here." She turned to Jacob.

"I know what you mean," he placed his hand on Sam's shoulder and peered past her to the calm village. "It's almost like these people are cooperating with their abductors. Either they are extreme pacifists or there is something more than meets the eye."

"Maybe we should take a walk, see what else or maybe whom else we can get information from." Sam squinted as she thought and then pulled back from the window.

"Major Carter," Jonas interrupted, "Telsa wants to take us to some caves a couple of miles from here. There are some drawings on the wall and he feels these pictographs would explain things much better and much faster." Jonas looked over at Telsa, "These people are not as primitive as we suspect, and...Telsa seems to be able to understand what I am saying without much explanation." He looked back at Sam, "It's my inability to understand their language that is more of an obstacle. Telsa feels the diagrams would help."

Sam looked over at Telsa with a quizzical gaze. He smiled back and nodded, still not looking her straight in the eye.

"Okay, let's go," she ordered.

Telsa took the group of strangers to the outskirts of the village and somehow was able to detect the exact moment when the Jaffa forces allowed a small lapse in security. He took the three of them down a small creek, which lead to a short tunnel. From there they made their way into the forest and were free and clear.

Sam looked over at Jacob; suspicion was evident on her face. "Was that just too easy? This almost feels like a trap. And Telsa doesn't seem to be affected by his crippled limbs; look at how fast he's walking"

"I don't know Sam, it does seem sort of strange." Jacob raised his shoulders, but nodded forward, indicating they should continue.

Telsa looked back and smiled, encouraging them to follow.

They did cautiously.

~~~

Jack lay on his belly on the edge of a hill overlooking the Stargate. "Jeez, look at those people, they're trailing the Jaffa like lost puppies...lost Bull Dog puppies." He looked over at Teal'c whose jaw jutted forward. "Heavy brow, under bite ... jowly," he cleared his throat and quickly looked away.

"It almost looks like they've been brainwashed or something." Jack had been baffled by the scarcity of local inhabitants and then to suddenly find these people herded and lined up in nice even row, it made him feel uneasy. There had been no one hiding out in the woods, no one trying to escape, no one remotely interested in defying the Jaffa.

"This is Anubis' work." Teal'c nodded towards the Jaffa guarding the gate, recognizing them. "He may have some form of mass mind control technology."

"You're not kidding," Jack watched the group peacefully waiting.

"Well I think we should cover up, make our way down, stand in line and talk to some of these ... folks."

"And what of the possibility of capture?"

"Well, if we stand in line, we're pretty much considered prisoners," Jack reasoned.

"True," Teal'c continued to look down to the scene below, "and what of the possibility of being taken through the Stargate?"

"We'll deal with that if or when it comes up, now I suggest that we hook up with the far left line, I think it's the easiest one to access and it looks like those Jaffa are starting from the right." Jack slid back down the hill, Teal'c on his heels.

"Sam this way," Jacob waved to her from the mouth of the cave.

Sam did not have a good feeling about this. She looked up to the sky, and noticed the darkening clouds gather and the trees swaying steadily. Sam looked back at Jacob and then pressed against the increasing wind until she entered the cavern.

"Wow! That wind has sure picked up." Sam brushed her hands together and then hugged her arms around her cloak tighter to warm herself.

"Looks like a wicked storm is brewing," Jonas took out his wrist light and strapped it on. "Telsa says the writings are this way."

Jacob and Sam followed as they too strapped on their lights.

Sam noticed that the cave was extremely dark, the walls and floor made from a black granite-like material. It was rock, but unlike any she had seen before. It had a metallic property which reflected their light to an almost charcoal glow, making it difficult to see clearly. Telsa, who was a considerable distance ahead, lead without the aid of their flashlights. This did nothing to ease Sam's suspicions.

As easy as the terrain was to travel on the outside, it was just the opposite inside the cave. Aside from the poor visibility, the trail began to slope severely and the metallic granite was like sheer ice, extremely difficult to maneuver on. Telsa, not seeming to have much trouble mastering the slick path, continued steadily as Jonas used every bit of his strength and balance to keep up.

Jacob, who had certainly experienced his share of obstacle training in the military, decided that he was no longer a young man. "Sam this is getting treacherous!"

"I see that," she was a fair distance behind him and glad that a couple of ungraceful recoveries from some near slips had gone unnoticed. "It's going to be impossible to return this way without the use of ropes and harnesses." Sam ran her hands over the slippery cavern wall and then strained her eyes to see the other two men far ahead. "Jonas, hold up," she called out, "we'll need to secure some anchors to the rock face."

Suddenly Jacob slipped and sailed out of sight. "Damn it!"

Sam could hear her father curse.

"Dad, you okay?"

"Yeah, but my ass is killing me," he cranked out in obvious pain.

Sam barked out a loud laugh. The tone of his voice and the image in her mind suddenly left Sam giddy. This mission had her on edge right from the start and she suddenly found their situation extremely funny. She began to laugh. She could hear her own laughter echo which only encouraged her to continue and with Jacob joining in, it did not take long for her to lose her footing and slide down the incline to tangle with her father. With tears rolling down her face she ran both hands up along her cheeks to wipe them dry.

"So much..." she continued to laugh "...for securing any ropes."

Jacob carefully stood up, brushing off his back side and offering Sam a hand. "Come on Slippery Sam, let's catch up to those two Neanderthals," her father joked.

Sam spit out another chuckle as she grabbed hold. "Oh God!" She held her onto side, feeling a stitch slowly ebb. "How's your ass?" she emphasized the latter word.

"Well, I've always thought it was pretty nice," Jacob wrapped his arm over Sam's shoulder and looked back at his derriere. "I've never had any complaints," he smiled.

"Dad, that is just way too much information and something no daughter EVER wants to think about."

He chuckled and nodded for them to continue.

"Yeah, let's get moving," Sam pushed ahead of her father, "I think it's your turn to bring up the rear."

"Ha, ha, ha," Jacob said dryly as he shook out his right foot which had developed a cramp.

"Actually dad, you go ahead, I'm going to secure these anchors to the walls; we can at least make our return easier." Sam hauled out the appropriate gear from her makeshift pack which was held in the lining of her cloak.

"Jonas and Telsa can't be too much further ahead," Jacob looked over at the equipment Sam dropped to the floor, "are you sure you don't need my help?"

"This won't take me long; I'll see you in a few minutes," she reassured him.

A short time later, Sam had secured a few sound anchors and made her trek downwards, stopping every so often to set another few in place. Soon she could see a faint light in the distance. They must have reached the drawings, she thought.

Sam slowed up as she finally saw the three men up ahead. Suddenly time seemed to slow up further, as she turned to watch the walls lose their shiny glaze. Sam faded into slow motion as Jonas turned and called for her to inspect the pictographs. But all Sam could hear was a low droning noise and then everything went black.

"Hello!" Sam called out.

"Jonas! Dad!" She suddenly felt a wave of panic wash over her.

~~~

"Well this is productive." Jack grumbled as he stared into the smile of one of the more exaggerated faces he had seen thus far.

"She may not be of any assistance, but she does seem to like you," Teal'c said helpfully.

"Well thank you for your matchmaking insights," Jack sneered.

The two men had spent the better part of the last two hours standing in line trying to find at least one person capable of responding without making a succession of grunting noises.

'Colonel O'Neill, if we are to avoid entering the Stargate, it is best that we take our leave now," Teal'c warned.

"Yeah, well, I'm beginning to think facing Anubis would be preferable to facing another hausfrau capable of braiding her own eyebrows...haven't these people invented tweezers yet?"

The young female in front of Jack turned to face him, batting her eyelashes and smiling brightly.

"Yeah, honey, very nice," he smiled back painfully, laid both hands on her shoulders, and turned her around to face the front of the line again. "It would never work," he brushed his hands off and shook his head. "You have far more," he rolled his eyes and shivered "body hair than I do."

Jack continued to patrol the area visually. "Teal'c, our only option here is to go through the Stargate with these fine folks and see what's happening on the other side." His head suddenly whipped back to one of the more available women who had lowered her brow at him and was now running her tongue over her clubbed teeth. Jack covered his face with both hands and scrubbed up and down, "We're definitely not getting anywhere flirting with the locals."

"Indeed." Teal'c tried to avoid moving his own brow altogether.

"Well, it looks like our time is up!" Jack pulled his hood over his more refined features as a Jaffa warrior pushed the line towards the gate.

~~~

"DAD!"

"JONAS!"

"ANYONE!"

"There are no men here,"a voice spoke softly.

"Mom?" Sam felt faint.

"Hello, Samantha." A strong, radiant light appeared ahead of Sam.

Sam held her arm across her face shielding her eyes from the light. She closed her eyes tightly and could feel herself teetering on her feet. Suddenly the ground gave way and she began to fall forward.

When Sam finally found her footing she was standing in the backyard of her childhood home. She spun around several times to gain her bearings.

"Hello, sweetheart," Sam's mother appeared beside her and stretched her arms outward. Sam turned into the arms of her mother and held on for dear life.

"Mom...how...am...am I dead?" her eyes widened.

Sam's mother let out a solid laugh. "No baby, this place was created out of your mind. This is the place you feel most safe; in your home with your mother."

"With my mother? You're not my mother?" Sam pulled back and searched longingly into the woman's eyes.

"I am that which you trust most," she whispered. "It is the only way for us to communicate."

Sam stepped back, "What are you? Who are you?"

"We are the mother, the Machwa. We live within the earth, we nurture it, allow it to grow. We guide the cycles and balance all that lives on it. We do so with love and teach those who exist here to trust in the process of life implicitly." The woman stepped closer to Sam and looked straight into her eyes.

"No! Don't! Sam pushed her away defensively.

"Oh sweetheart, this is much too painful for you." The woman stood still as Sam felt her anger build. "Forgive me Samantha, forgive us."

"I ... I can't do this." Sam turned from the woman who had been taken from her when she was not much younger than Cassandra. The years she had spent mourning the loss of her mother came back in a flood of emotion and the pain was unbearable. She walked away.

"Wait, there is another way." Lifting her arms Sam's mother dissipated into light, "There is one other."

Blinding light encircled Sam and as it faded Sam recognized the small strong presence standing in front of her in a very familiar yard with a very familiar ham bone at her feet. "Janet?"

"Hi, Sam," Janet smiled brilliantly.

Sam blinked several times. "You're still not Janet," she said with certainty.

"In order to communicate, to open a dialogue, it is imperative that we find a source within your consciousness that you fully trust. We are the matriarchs of this planet; we are female energy and need to communicate with that same energy within you. If there is no one that you trust, no woman that you trust, you would not be here right now."

"So you're an energy, you have no physical form of your own?" Sam asked.

"We beat from the core of this planet, no physical element could survive there. We exist mostly as pure energy and can travel through the layers of this earth, through solid matter and other energy."

"But I just held onto you, you were solid," Sam shook her head and then knotted her brow, "how?"

Janet laughed charmed, "And you're the astrophysicist?"

Sam smiled back; it was amazing to her how Janet's presence, her smiling face could evoke such calmness.

"So you have taken Janet from my memories. Are you telepathic?"

"Yes," the entity acknowledged.

"As are the Ves'naries," Sam stated with certainty.

"The Ves'nary people have evolved with a certain amount of seeing power; they have learned well and trust us to guide them and protect them."

"Is that why they are not fighting the Jaffa?" Sam asked as they walked towards the small shaded bench in the far end of the garden.

"These Jaffa are taking them through this planetary travel machine, this Stargate, to a world where they are being subjected to a truth device called a Zetarc Detector." Janet gently touched Sam's arm, guiding her to sit down. "Sam, your father knows of this, and he knows that the system lord Anubis has been using this device to interrogate the Ves'nary people. What he does not know is why."

Sam froze and spoke slowly, "What do you mean he knows? He asked for our help to figure this out; he would have told us if Anubis had somehow acquired a Tok'ra Zetark Detector."

"Sam, the Tok'ra know! They haven't shared this information with you, they want you and the rest of SG1 to determine what could be of such great value here on Ves'nary. The Tok'ra do not know of us, the Machwa, and they cannot know. You and a very few of your people are the only ones we trust."

"But he's my father." Sam's eyes saddened, she was unable to accept this new information.

"Your father loves you very much, Sam, and he would do anything in his power to protect you, but his loyalty lies with the Tok'ra not the Tau'ri."

The words stung; Sam couldn't believe what she was hearing. She looked at Janet and knew this woman wasn't really her best friend, but some how she couldn't shake the possibility that her father had changed. Was this entity to be trusted over her own father?

"I know this is hard for you to hear, but it is the truth. Our whole existence is governed by trust and honesty. We do not have any hidden motives, there is no need to lie to you. We could not if we wanted to. This planet's survival is dependant on our ability to balance it and we have done that through establishing rules that have existed for eons. The primary rule we follow is one of honesty; it does not serve us to be deceitful."

Sam closed her eyes. She could not ignore the words or her gut feeling telling her that the woman was speaking the truth.

"There is nothing you can do here to change what is happening on Ves'nary. We have instructed the people of this planet to comply with their captors because we know that Anubis will not find what he is looking for, and what he is looking for is us, the Machwa. Anubis wants to harness the power we possess, the energy that we are. He would use it against all who defy him."

"How did Anubis come to hear of your existence, if he was uninterested in the Ves'nary people?" Sam did not understand.

"He had recently used this detecting device on some who have been visitors to this planet, they had heard the Ves'nary people praying to their Mother Earth, some have seen our powers, witnessing miracles when we have had to protect our children from dangers." Janet's eyes looked tired with worry.

"Anubis is searching for just one who can confirm that we truly exist and where we are located. All believe in the Machwa, but only one knows how and where to find us, but he cannot communicate with us directly, because he is not of a compatible energy source. We have the ability to use all the elements of this world. We speak through the wind and the waters, and we can give instruction through the rock drawings in this cave."

"Telsa?" Sam concluded.

"Yes, Telsa. He knows and will not be subjected to the device."

"How can you be so sure?" Sam wondered how he would be able to elude the Jaffa soldiers.

"Telsa is not what he appears to be." Janet smiled. "Telsa is not from this planet. He comes from above and is capable of much more than any Ves'nary, Tok'ra, Goa'uld or Human could ever be capable of."

He is Fravase. Sam suddenly felt less like speaking aloud and more like having her mind communicate her thoughts.

Yes, he is Fravase. Janet's smile broadened.

So it was no coincidence that we entered the village with relative ease and right into his hut.

We knew you were coming; with our telepathic abilities we knew that the Tok'ra were going to bring the Tau'ri, a people who were compassionate and held integrity. We knew that you, Samantha Carter, would be among this group and we instructed Telsa, through the writings on the cave wall, to watch for you and bring you to us. The woman knew that Sam now fully believed her words. The Fravase have immense reverence for the Machwa, as we do for their kind. Telsa sees you, Samantha, as Machwa...and he is right. It is rare that one can enter our world below and in doing so you are considered a part of this world, a part of the Machwa. We, here see you as Machwa...Mother.

Sam felt an overwhelming sense of honor. Thank you, she smiled at the entity who took the form of the only other woman aside from her mother that she fully trusted. It is strange to hear this coming from the image and the voice in front of me. It has always been Janet who has been a mother to Cassandra. I have been more of a friend, a pal to her, and although I take responsibility for her well being I have never thought of myself as her mother.

Do not devalue your maternal effect on the girl or the nurturing you have provided her. She would not have developed as vibrantly without your influence, your love and your trust. Janet's eyes softened with affection. It was difficult for Sam not to respond to this woman as if she were her newfound love, and the entity could feel it. You are truly a noble creature, Samantha Carter. You deserve the happiness you will no doubt experience with Janet Fraiser. She is well matched to you; strong, compassionate, committed, honest, protective and very passionate. The entity smiled at Sam's surprise. Sam suddenly realized that this information must be a part of her own subconscious and she smiled back.

"What do you want us to do here?" Sam felt the need to focus back on her mission.

"What we ask is that you let this process complete itself. Anubis will not learn anything from the Ves'nary people and after all the inhabitants have been subjected to his technology, he will determine that the myth was only a myth and deem this planet too primitive to be of value again. We know that he would never use these people as hosts for symbiotes, he finds them physically repulsive. We also know that he would not hesitate to kill them in hordes if they resisted. There has not been one casualty thus far, and in cooperating it is most likely we will bypass any large scale tragedy and in a very short time everything will return to normal."

"And what happens if I fall under Anubis' device?" Sam had to ask. These beings were placing a great amount of faith in her.

"We will make sure you and your people make your escape without incident. Anubis will never know that you have been here and if at some point in the future our existence is disclosed, we will deal with it then, but the risk we have taken in communicating with you is far out weighed by the gains. Please, Sam, take your people and the Tok'ra far from here and have confidence that we will survive without your help."

"How am I going to explain this to Colonel O'Neill or to my father? I don't have the authority to retreat without some kind of explanation"

"Speak with O'Neill, explain what has happened here to only him, he will make the right decision."

"And what of my father, am I to hold back from him?"

"Sam you must," Janet's eyes pleaded, "for now you must."

Sam looked deep into the familiar eyes, "Oh God," she knew what she needed to do, "for now."

Thank you, our trust has not been misplaced. There is one more thing, Samantha.

Sam looked at the woman quizzically, Yes?

All that have come before you to this place where we stand now have inscribed their name and one wish on the inner walls of our home. We ask that you too honour us with this tradition.

Sam smiled and nodded. The green foliage and cool breeze faded and the dark metallic walls appeared. Surrounded by fire light on the upper ridge of the cavern, Janet handed Sam a diamond blade to inscribe her remark. On the wall in front of her were the wishes and signature of not more than twenty women. In the tens of thousands of years that the Ves'nary people have lived on this planet there had been less than two dozen who had met and spoken with the Machwa.

Sam brushed her fingers over the words etched in several languages. She exhaled as a small tear gathered in the corner of her eye. Grasping the writing tool tightly, she let the tear fall as she pressed the blade into the stone. Above all else, this was her hope ...

Peace to all those who live upon this planet and all other planets, of which I know for certain there are many.- Major Samantha Carter

Suddenly the floor gave out beneath Sam and she dropped the etching tool from her hand. Sam found herself standing outside the mouth of the cave.

~~~

Jack and Teal'c jumped through the Stargate running and not stopping for anything. With a half dozen Jaffa on their tails and another dozen momentarily stunned by the first real disruption on the Ves'nary home world, they made their way into the forest and kept going.

After about 2 miles of all out running they slowed and stopped to catch their breath. "I...think... those Jaffa...will head to...the village," Jack gasped.

Teal'c nodded catching his breath. "We will have to reach the village." His head swung back to make sure they were safe, "Major Carter, her father and Jonas are all now in danger."

"Come on," Jack tossed his head back and began to sprint forward.

~~~

"Major Carter!" Jonas came running towards Sam, "Thank God!"

"Jonas," Sam bent over, hands on knees, and shook her head which was still spinning from her return to the surface. "What time is it?"

"What happened? Where have you been?" Jacob jogged up to her with concern in his eyes. "Are you alright?" He placed a soothing hand on her back.

"Yeah, dad, I'm fine," she stood up and looked at Jonas, "how long do we have?"

"We're to meet Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c near the village in 20 minutes."

"We better get moving," She urged and started to move in the direction of the village.

"Wait, what about Telsa, he's out looking for you," Jonas looked confused.

"He'll be fine, he'll catch up, don't worry," she called back, "now let's move!"

Sam's mind was racing as fast as she was. There was urgency to her pace she could feel it emanate from the earth below, almost blindly following a course laid out. Her mind felt separated from her body. Thoughts of her father, the Tok'ra, her mother, her childhood, the SGC, Janet, Cassandra, the Ves'nary people, the Goa'uld and the Machwa all blended in an ensemble of emotion. Tears blurred her eyes...and then evaporated as she suddenly fell into sync with the beating of the earth. "God," she breathed, her feet off the ground or sunk deep into it, she was unsure. With her mind clearer than ever before Sam could see that she had lost her father, at least the father she had known. But she had gained. She had gained an opportunity with Janet, the only woman alive that she fully and unquestionably trusted. Sam could see that when her mother left her, she responded by burying herself in her school books, which enabled her mind's potential to flourish. This lead her to the Stargate program and in turn introduced her to many new worlds and races, which then allowed for her dying father to continue his life with the Tok'ra and thus, brought her here to Ves'nary and to the Machwa and to this very moment of realization: Every single part of her life was truly hers to enjoy and cherish or dread and resent. And with that she could no longer be angry with her father for holding back the truth; or her mother, as she suddenly realized, for leaving her.

"Sam, this way," Jonas called out as he stopped to wait for Jacob.

Sam smiled. "No, Jonas, this way," she knew with certainty and continued.

Sam was well ahead of the other two men when she entered a small clearing and immediately spotted Jack and Teal'c breaking through the forest on the other end.

"Colonel," Sam called out, making her way towards them.

"Carter! Where are Jonas and Jacob?" Jack fell to the ground, lying flat on his back he wiped the sweat from his face.

"They're right behind me a quarter mile or so," Sam, with her hands on her hips, bent over to catch her breath.

"We've got Jaffa on our tail, we've gotta get out of here soon."

"Colonel, there is a stream bed one mile north of here," Sam could hear the Machwa guiding her, "we can head there, rest and then make our way to the rendezvous point."

"Are we leaving so soon, Carter?" Jack was surprised by Sam's forwardness.

"Colonel, I can't talk about it right now, but trust me with this; we have to leave and what I have to say can only be said to you." Sam was serious enough that Jack did not question her further, although he did look over at Teal'c who couldn't help but lift his brow at this.

"Please, this is very important," she looked from one man to the other, "and, Colonel, it is very important that you don't mention any of this to my father." Sam's eye grew wide to emphasize the importance of her request as Jacob and Jonas trotted up to the three members of SG1.

"Jacob?" Jack, still lying on the ground, laced his fingers behind his head and crossed his feet casually, "how did Anubis acquire a Zetarc Detector?"

Jacob looked at Jack in surprise, "I knew you would find out sooner or later," he shifted his gaze to Sam. "I stressed to the Tok'ra that we should really tell you, but Tok'ra High Council felt differently and well...," he looked down at Jack and then back at Sam, "I'm sorry." He then had the good sense to lower his eyes.

"Colonel O'Neill!" Teal'c tensed up. "The Jaffa are near."

Without a second thought Jack was on his feet and Sam was already running north ward.

"Follow the Major!" he ordered.

~~~

Sam had lead the way back to the rendezvous location safely. With eight hours to wait for their transport home and night fall cooling the air, Jacob and SG1 agreed that a small fire was needed to ease the cold and their disappointment of a failed mission. Or so it was thought by all except Sam who now explained her story to Jack, as they walked away from the camp.

"Telepathic, eh?" Jack scuffed the gravel under his feet, "it's a wonder the men of this planet didn't line up to send me skyward." He looked up to the dark sky littered with stars and shook his head thinking back to all his thoughts and comments of the day.

"Actually, Ves'nary society is a matriarchy; the women probably found you very funny. Heck, those women were probably flirting with you intentionally, just to egg you on." Sam kicked a few small stones at the Colonel. "You don't really look like their type either, too tall, not enough hair and you talk too much." Sam chuckled lightly.

"Well one thing is for certain. Leaving is a good thing." A brief silence passed between the two. Jack turned and looked over at the shadows sitting by the fire. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," Sam's gaze lingered over her father's silhouette and then shifted towards Jack, "I almost...almost...lost faith in him." Sam paused, searching Jack's eyes until she found the right words, "He's my father, but I guess he's not my 'dad' anymore."

Jack placed both hands on Sam's shoulders and then ran them down her arms to her elbows. "Sam, he's alive." He watched as Sam's eyes welled up with tears and then he pulled her into a gentle hug and whispered, "He's alive."

~~~

Upon SG1's return, General Hammond ordered an immediate briefing. Jack's team and the Tok'ra representatives entered the briefing room, while Jack took the General aside to give him a quick run down of the events which would not be discussed in the meeting.

Fifteen minutes later both men entered the room and sat down in their respective positions. The General glanced over at Sam briefly and she nodded back.

"Well to begin with, Colonel O'Neill has just relayed some information to me which he did not disclose to any of you." He looked around the table evenly, "As you know, Anubis is now in possession of a Tok'ra Zetarc detection device and this device was used to interrogate the Ves'nary people. What you don't know is that when Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c went through the gate to investigate, they were able to infiltrate the laboratory where the prisoners were being questioned. After that last of the interviews Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c were able to destroy the device." The General stopped briefly to take a sip of water, allowing everyone the opportunity to process the new information. He continued, "I feel certain that Anubis' forces will now abandon the Ves'nary home world after interrogating the entire population, not finding what ever it was they were looking for and now not having the resources to continue."

Hammond looked over at Jacob, "I also feel certain that this facility and its people will not come to the aid of our allied forces without their full disclosure of any and all information pertinent to any mission that puts my people at risk." He then leaned over to the oldest and wisest of all Tok'ra and said with whispered precision, "Do I make myself clear?"

After the briefing the members of SG1 were ordered to the infirmary and then to rest for the next several hours, as they were all exhausted.

Sam walked her father to the gate room before she obliged the order.

"Sam I hope that I can gain your trust again." Jacob's eyes revealed his true regret.

"Hey, all's fair in love and war," Sam smiled. "Dad, I understand that you're part of the Tok'ra now, it's just that I think some of what the Tok'ra is goes against who you are ... or were," she softened the last two words sadly.

"Sam, I know that I've changed. I am not the man you used to know or the father you once had. But know this...I love you, always and forever, and although I may have to hold things back from Major Carter, I won't ever hold back from my daughter."

"But you see dad, that's just it! I don't see you as a Tok'ra commander, I see you as my father and that's the hard part." Sam felt that she had been put in a position to hold things back from him because of all this. Sam searched her father's eyes.

Allowing his daughter to look deep into his eyes, Jacob took Sam's hand. "I know sweetheart, but we'll get through, I promise."

Sam knew that this time it was her father speaking and despite all the unraveling that had occurred in the last 24 hours, she could not help but believe him. "Yeah, I know, we will get through this."

Jacob pulled his daughter into a heartfelt hug and then turned and walked towards the waiting gate.

Not turning back, he spoke, "Quit staring at my ass."

"I'm not STARING at your ASS!" Sam said uncomfortably, "God! What is it with you and your ass?"

"I don't know," Jacob looked back over his shoulder and smiled, "maybe I've just realized how much I've been acting like one." And with that he stepped into the shimmering pool and was gone.

~~~

Sam walked up the front steps to Janet's door and rang the bell. After Jacob's departure Sam had spent an hour in the infirmary and another four hours catching up on some much needed sleep. Rejuvenated and very anxious to see Janet, she had left the SGC with the hopes she would catch her and Cassie home after dinner. With her recent experience on Ves'nary, Sam felt reassured that a relationship with Janet was worth the effort and the risk; after all the Machwa did say they were a good match.

"Hey, Sam!" Cassandra swung the door back and Sam stepped inside.

"Hey Barney, how was bowling the other night?"

"Great, I bowled a 140, I'm told that's brilliant for a beginner," Cassie flipped her hair back with an exaggerated sway.

"A 140," Sam whined, "by the time I was your age I was bowling ..."

"Yeah, really interesting," Cassie cut Sam off at the knees and then went in for the kill, "Mom, your girlfriend's here."

Sam's jaw dropped.

Cassie squinted and smiled innocently, as was her customary defensive move.

"Cassandra," Janet warned in a low tone and then tossed a dish towel at the girl, "go dry," she pushed her daughter towards the kitchen.

"Girlfriend?" Sam flushed.

"We had a little talk, it came up." Janet brushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear and then wiped the corner of her mouth with her pinkie.

"It came up?"

"Well, I couldn't keep that silly grin off my face and a succession of 'nothing's up' just wasn't cutting it." Janet took Sam's hand and led her to the sofa. "Is that okay?" she asked suddenly concerned that Sam was upset. "I mean I'm always forthcoming and honest with Cassandra and I thought it would be okay, but I guess I didn't really ask you and, oh God..." Janet clenched her jaw. "Sam, I'm sorry I should have talked this over with you first, I didn't think ..."

"Janet!" Sam took Janet's hand and noticed the woman wasn't breathing, "it's okay, really! I don't mind, I'm glad Cassie knows."

"Honest?"

Sam smiled, "Honest, I promise."

"Well then," Janet relaxed, "how about a 'hello, I missed you' kiss?"

Sam leaned over and took Janet's face in her hands and slowly guided her lips to her mouth.

"Oh, for crying out loud!' Cassie turned on her heels and returned to the kitchen. "It's bad enough that I'm an impressionable sixteen year old coping with my own budding sexuality, I don't need to see my two moms making out like a couple of forwards on the senior girl's soccer team."

"Two Moms?" Janet questioned surprised, turning to stare straight at Sam.

"Senior girl's soccer team?" Sam stared back.

"Well, mom, ma, mother ... dearest," Cassie called back from two rooms away, "I make no distinction between reality and fantasy."

"What does that mean?" Janet laughed confused.

"That means," Cassie walked back into the living room and pinned both women to the couch with her glare, "that I thought you two should have been together years ago and that since my youth, when I first came to you both, I've always imagined that Sam would come to live with us and we could all be one big happy family."

"Oh," Janet said.

"Oh," Sam echoed.

"Hey, you guys asked," Cassie laughed at them.

"Well technically Janet asked," Sam mumbled, receiving Janet's infamous glare of warning.

"Well you did," Sam pushed it.

"Cassandra, Sam's not moving in until she at least mows the lawn, goes for groceries, fixes the leaky sink in the ensuite and belches in front of us," Janet joked.

"Hey, I mowed the lawn two weeks ago," Sam looked over at Cassie,

"Steaks, five days ago,"Cassie looked back at Sam.

Sam belched. "Where's the pipe wrench?"

And so began the evening. The three spent the rest of their time laughing and reassuring each other that they would take this relationship slowly.

~~~

Sam stood at the front door staring into Janet's eyes. She took one of Janet's hands and laced it with her own. Reaching up with her free hand, Sam slowly ran it up Janet's jaw and then through her hair.

Janet twisted and nuzzled into Sam's warm hand. "Hey, you okay?"she asked, curious about Sam's mood.

Sam smiled, "I missed you," as she continued to brush the soft locks.

"I missed you too," Janet smiled shyly.

"Maybe sometime soon we could sit in the back of your garden and I could tell you about some of what I experienced on this last mission." Sam knew unequivocally that she could trust this woman with her experience on Ves'nary.

"Sam?"

"There just so much ..."

A long moment of silence passed between the two women; their eyes did not veer. Finally Sam bent down and into Janet and pulled her close. Sam caressed Janet's cheek with her own, and ran her nose and mouth along Janet's jaw and up to her ear. "I really missed you," she whispered.

Sam could feel Janet smile against her throat and Janet tightened her hold around Sam's waist.

"Hey, you guys taking it slow down there?" Cassie called down when she hadn't heard any voices.

Sam whispered into Janet's ear, "Mmm...very slow."

Janet shivered and pulled back, rolling her eyes toward the top of the stairs. "Yeah, and we're not getting any younger."

"Patience is a virtue," Cass smirked.

"And so is minding your own business," Janet warned, humour laced in her voice.

"Goodnight Cassie," Sam sung upwards.

"Goodnight Sam," Cassie laughed, "Goodnight mom," and scampered off to bed.

Sam looked back at Janet who seemed distracted.

"Oh, sweetheart!" Janet remembered something, and surprised even herself with the term of endearment.

Sam smiled, "I like that."

Janet blushed slightly. Beginnings were glorious and frightening, with so many jumping off points. She looked up and smiled back, "Sam I spoke with General Hammond while you were away about some down time for SG1 and he agreed. He was a little concerned regarding your lack of concentration back here on base last week when ..."

"When I was hit over the head with a daisy petal?" Sam knew exactly what the problem had been.

"Yeah," Janet ran her finger down the front of Sam's lips to her chin and smiled mischievously, "he actually suggested that maybe a small vacation with Cassie and myself would help you relax."

Sam blinked rapidly.

"He said," Janet's voice dropped an octave, "he'd leave it in my capable hands."

Sam swallowed hard and suddenly remembered the last two words the Machwa used to describe Janet. "What happened to taking it slowly?"

Janet squeezed Sam to her tightly. "We will," she assured her.

Sam resumed nuzzling the strong, compassionate, committed, honest, protective and very passionate Janet Fraiser. "A vacation? With you and Cassie? And the promise of rest and relaxation, hmmm ... something tells me I might need a holiday after that vacation."

Janet's eyes grew serious and the intensity of her stare sparked a desire that had lain dormant in Sam for far too long. Sam slowly exhaled and with all her desire suddenly surfacing, she leaned into Janet and decided that what her new love needed right at that very moment was someone to kiss her senseless...and she was just the one to do it.

The End