Under the Silent Stars - Chapter 4
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Previously: Ch 1 | Ch 2 | Ch 3
Under the Silent Stars - Chapter 4
Stargate Command, April 2006
Cam's fingers hovered over the side of his neck and he gulped painfully while rounding the corner and closing in on Sam's lab. He walked in and was surprised to find it empty. Frowning and putting his hands on his hips he glared at the empty room as if by sheer force of will he could make Sam appear.
"Hey Cam, I was about to call you." came her bright, melodious voice from behind him and he nearly jumped. He turned to see Sam chuckling and edging around him carrying two plates heaped with food. He stared at them in open amazement. She'd not only managed to find roast beef, but she'd gotten hash browns too. The woman was a goddess. He licked his lips and moved aside to let her pass without taking his eyes from her burden.
"Sam... I don't know how you did it, but you read my mind. And you got them to make roast beef! And hash browns! Breakfast and lunch for dinner!" He cried in triumph, following behind her to her lab bench and helping to clear enough space for them to eat. "You have no idea how starved I am, Doc Lam wouldn't clear me out of the infirmary in time! She did it on purpose!" Sam grinned and laughed at him.
"Let that serve as a lesson to you about going off-world half-cocked." She smiled as he grumbled throatily at her then gave a slight cough. She winced at that and raised her fingers to his neck, letting them brush over the darkening ligature marks left by Volnek as he fought with Cam. She breathed in softly as her fingers moved over his skin, her eyes locked on the bruises, until he turned to look at her with a small smile.
"I'll be okay, Sam. Doc says I should be careful when I eat, but that's all." He took her hand and pulled her to sit down next to him. "Now tell me how come the kitchen staff will make you roast beef on a whim, but they wait until I'm out of phase before making it at my request?" She laughed and began tucking into her hash browns.
"What can I say, Cameron? They like me." She grinned and he just scoffed.
The Pentagon, Washington D.C., July 2010
They walked into the briefing room at Homeworld Command, having taken a short trip from Lunar orbit aboard Odyssey, to find General O'Neill, Major Paul Davis and a technician who was currently hosting the consciousness of Colonel Everett Young. Cam and Sam came to attention until O'Neill waved them off and everyone sat down around the table.
"Thanks for coming, guys." Jack began breezily. "It's good you called when you did or we might have been forced to beam you out with no warning." He introduced the man next to him. "Some of you know Tech Sergeant Wilson. This of course isn't he. This is Colonel Young inside the Tech Sergeant." He turned to Sam. "Did I mention I find these stones to be kinda creepy?" She smiled and Daniel lay his head in his hands.
"You seemed to find them relaxing when you were seeing parts of Joe Spencer's life, sir." Sam replied, to which he blinked.
"Yeah, but we weren't swapping bodies. I blame Daniel for that." He glanced at the archaeologist who looked at Vala while holding his hand out to indicate Jack.
"See? Told you we'd always get the blame." he said and she quirked an eyebrow.
"I didn't hear my name mentioned at all." She smiled and Daniel glared at her. Jack cleared his throat and both returned their attentions to him.
"As I was saying, I blame Daniel for that." Jack's smirk was very noticeable and Daniel just glared at him. "All that aside, Colonel Young is here for a reason and I'll leave it to him to explain it." He leaned back in his chair and motioned for Young to continue.
"Earlier this week, Dr. Rush approached me with a story of a Lucian Alliance spy within the SGC." He had everyone's attention with that. "He claimed to come by this information in a dream, flashbacks which passed through his mind, of this spy meeting with Lucian Alliance operatives on Earth." Cam had frowned at the mention of dreams and flashbacks, but he certainly wasn't in a position to gainsay such things, as he was still recovering memories from two timelines which no longer existed. "I don't exactly trust Dr. Rush," everyone heard Jack snort before Young continued, "but something he told me gave me pause, he mentioned that the person whose reflection he saw in the flashback was someone who he had switched consciousnesses with via the stones before. Lieutenant Scott had come to me several months ago with a similar story of flashbacks, about the same person." Cam turned to Sam and she glanced over at him at the same time.
"Some sort of bleed over? Interference caused by something deeper in the psyche?" asked Sam of no one in particular. Young still answered her question.
"We don't know. Dr. Rush suspects the possibility of Goa'uld brainwashing." He looked on impassively as Sam's eyes widened slightly. "Dr. Rush then laid out a plan to attempt to prove his claims, by taking over the body of this person and attempting to find clues, ideally leading to an attempt at contact with this person's handlers."
"Whoa, whoa! Dr. Rush is gonna play spy?" Cam cried in disbelief. "You can't possibly think that's a good idea!"
"No, I don't, but it is the best we could come up with." Young replied. "He was the one who had the visions, he has the clues."
"But you said you don't trust Rush." Daniel added and Young nodded.
"That's right, which is why this plan also serves a secondary purpose. To possibly give Rush enough rope to hang himself with." Young looked between the several SG-1 members seated at the table, who were looking back in various states of disbelief. "We need one of you to follow Dr. Rush after he slips his Air Force handler, the rest will monitor from orbit and prepare for capture of the Lucian Alliance members if possible, or an extraction of Dr. Rush if necessary."
"You have not identified the alleged spy as of yet, Colonel Young." Teal'c pointed out, breaking his silence.
"That's right, Dr. Rush has swapped bodies with Colonel David Telford." he stated softly, leaving them all stunned. Sam blinked several times, looking down at the table trying to get her thoughts in order. Telford knew everything about Destiny. He knew about Praxyon. He'd been there! She looked up sharply at O'Neill.
"General! Colonel Telford knows-" She was cut off by Jack's raised hand.
"Taken care of, Carter. Daedalus and Odyssey are both setting off for Praxyon right now. Though if the Alliance hasn't hit it yet they're not likely to. The planetary surface is a molten hell hole. The base is two miles underground with only ring and 'gate access to the facility, which we've fortified to an insane degree." He shrugged and looked at Cam expectantly.
"They'd have to be crazy to try, sir." Cam dutifully supplied. Sam sighed and turned back to Jack.
"You've never been the sort to rely on an opponent not being crazy, sir." She tilted her head.
"You're right. Which is why I know they won't hit it." He smiled smugly and she shook her head a little, frowning. "The crazier thing to do would be to hit your new Moon base." Sam was horrified.
"Sir, the Alliance couldn't possibly be that crazy! To attack a static position in their enemy's home system is suicide!" She looked over at Cam for support. He was already turning to address O'Neill.
"General, Selenis isn't defenseless." He leaned forward with his forearms laid flat on the table. "We've checked out several systems. There are shields and several drone launchers. Once life support is restored to the rest of the base and we find the chair room, the base can't be touched by anything the Alliance can bring to bear. Once we find the long range sensors, which are bound to be there, we'll be able to see them coming from several thousand lightyears away."
"They don't know that, you've only found that out in the last two hours." O'Neill pointed out and Cam had to nod in acquiescence. "Anyway, I doubt they'll hit either. Not anytime soon." He stood up and the three Air Force colonels around the table stood with him. "Danny, you're the tail, you'll have several tactical squads at your beck and call if you need it. The rest of you are to take over the Hammond, get ready to pull them up off the ground as soon as he yells." He turned and walked out, Young left with him, no doubt so he could return to Destiny. Vala turned to Daniel and she grinned broadly.
"Want me to come keep you company, Daniel?" She grabbed hold of his arm and he had to gently pry her fingers from him while shaking his head.
"I'll need to stay focused, Vala, stakeouts may be boring, but distraction is even worse." He sighed at the angry pout on her face. "Besides, you need to stay up here and help the guys." He turned to Cam and raised his eyebrows. "In fact you should take this opportunity to use the Galaran memory device. Test out the Alteran course while you wait for my signal." Sam crossed her arms across her chest and realised that was a good idea. She turned to Vala and nodded towards her.
"We should both do it, Vala." She waited for a reply, but Vala simply shrugged her shoulders apathetically, still upset she couldn't go with Daniel. Sam turned to Teal'c and sighed apologetically. "Sorry, Teal'c, but it's not rated for use by Jaffa."
"I understand, Colonel Carter." He nodded slowly with a slight smile. Cam turned to Major Davis.
"Paul, can we contact the SGC and have them prep the things we'll need for some accelerated learning courses?" he asked. Major Davis simply smiled and nodded.
"I'll put in the request right away." He turned to Daniel. "Dr. Jackson, let's get you to mission prep, you'll find a change of clothes there and a vehicle for your part of the mission." Daniel nodded, "Colonel Carter, you've been assigned command of USS George Hammond for this mission," at the quizzical tilt of her head he explained further, "Colonel Brigham was reassigned to take over at the Alpha Site and the Hammond is undergoing a refit to better integrate the new ZPM harnesses in case we find any more of them." Cam and Sam both chuckled at that.
"Oh, we have a surprise for you, Paul." said Cam and the team followed him out.
USS Odyssey, above P3X-474, May 2007 + 212 days relative
Cam held the mistletoe above Sam's head and grinned jovially. It didn't count of course, but if she did go with it he definitely wasn't going to complain. He'd been trying really hard to bottle up what he was feeling and this would be a test of his resolve. She smiled at him and her eyes twinkled and he nearly lost his nerve completely. She could destroy him so easily with those eyes. She looked so beautiful, she'd even worn the small hair clips he'd had made for her as a present nestled above her ear. Vala had been right about what design to use, they looked cute in her short hair. He'd need to think of something to match for her birthday in four days. She leaned up slightly and he moved to close the rest of the gap, chastely pressing his lips to hers and pulling away a little more slowly than was necessary, but still more quickly than he'd like. As he did, he saw the blue in her eyes deepening and how she bit her lip while smiling, until she turned to laugh at something General Landry said. He really wasn't paying attention anymore. It was just a tiny kiss, there was no passion in it, but it had sent a shock through him and he realised his resolve was nothing. Not in the face of the certain knowledge he was in love with Samantha Carter and trapped on a boat with her for who knows how long. And all the while she was... out of reach.
He plastered a smile on his face and turned to Vala. He needed to camouflage things. Twirling the mistletoe above the raven-haired alien he grinned and leaned down. She grinned back and kissed him lightly on the lips, patting his arm as he pulled away. The look she gave him was slightly sad though, and he saw her eyes flicking over to Sam. He shook his head at her and saw her sigh. He didn't know how, but Vala knew. Vala had always known. She'd poked and prodded him from time to time until he made it clear to her what the frat regs were, at which point she'd scoffed and poked and prodded more. For a while anyway. Until he'd gone to his reunion. She'd not been overt about it, but he could sense she had been disappointed in him. This from a woman who was legally married to a Commander in the Ori armies and was shacking up with the man she really loved aboard a Tau'ri ship. Still she had never pretended to be a good girl. He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment with a tiny nod and she smiled sadly at him again. Time for more camouflage.
He stood up and got Daniel's attention, giving him an evil grin and holding up the mistletoe. The reaction was immediate. Daniel glared at him and pointed at him to stay away, brandishing his fork defensively. Everyone around the table laughed out loud, except Teal'c, whose smirk was very broad.
USS Odyssey, above P3X-474, May 2007 + 216 days relative
Sam opened the door to her quarters to find Cam standing outside in his running outfit. It was barely 0600 hours and she blinked wearily at him, wondering what he was doing there. He seemed a bit flustered and fumbled at the pocket of his hooded sweatshirt, producing a small box from its folds. He held it up and offered it to her.
"Happy birthday, Sam." His voice was soft, his drawl slightly more pronounced, early morning perhaps, or her own semi-awake state, the fact she couldn't take her eyes off his lips just then didn't help matters at all. She was remembering that kiss at the Christmas party. She'd been remembering it every day since, and dreaming about it every night. There was something about it that she couldn't put her finger on. Something which made her lean forward towards him, still staring at those lips. Why had he come here on her birthday? Her birthday! She gasped and her eyes widened, released from the spell which locked them onto his lips she glanced down at the long, thin box he held up.
"Thank you, Cameron!" She smiled and took the box from him, lifting the lid with a gentle snap, she looked inside to find a small bracelet with similar motifs to the hair clips he'd given her for Christmas. Her smile widened as she ran a finger over the ornamented silver chain then looked up at Cam's sheepish smile. "It's lovely. Help me?" She held the box out to him and he took the bracelet from it. She held her wrist out, palm up, and he encircled it with the bracelet, doing up the little clasp. When he finished, his fingers brushed along the smooth skin of her inside arm and she nearly shivered. As it was her breath hitched and she frowned slightly when he pulled his hand away.
"I wanted to say sorry too. I've not been the most pleasant person to be around the last six months, I know. I've said some things to you which..." He looked down for a moment before meeting her eyes again. "Well, I wish I'd never said them, I can't stand that I did, that I hurt you by saying them. I'm sorry, Sam." His voice was laden with emotion, thickening and breaking at the end. Sam reached across to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, embracing him.
"It's okay, Cam. I understand how you've been feeling, I really do. I knew you regretted it the moment you said it, I could see it. It's okay." she said gently into his ear, trying to soothe his tattered emotions. His hands had slipped around her waist as she'd spoken and he held her tightly for several moments after she finished. She was surprised at how good it felt to be held by him. How well she fit against him. "I'll never forgive you for waking me up this early though. I only went to bed two hours ago." He pulled away, looking horrified and apologetic. She laughed and hugged him again, tighter.
Selenis, Luna, August 2010
It had been a week since Sam had returned from the Archive Storage facility after activating the advanced scanning program created by Selenis. Essentially they were on facility and systems exploration duty for a while. They had found the chair room at the base of the facility, below the 'gate room, but there was no control interface crystal for it. Selenis mused that it was probably one of the last systems to be brought online, and likely had not been before the connection with the archive was severed. So in order to make up for the facility's sparse database, Sam had arranged for a subspace connection to Praxyon, and had spent the last few days integrating the Ancient database there into Selenis' own databanks.
"~Hypraxia Korvalis is a fascinating facility, Dr. Carter.~" Sam smiled and nodded, she had just finished explaining some of the many uses to which they were now putting the Ancient outpost. "~To think you have used it to direct wormholes through time is frankly astonishing.~" Sam wondered just how sophisticated the personality engrams used by the computer were.
"~It is Selenis, but unless we can find a way to channel more of its power to the Stargate we can't use it to connect with Destiny.~" She paused and looked up slightly, something they all seemed to do unconsciously when addressing the base's computer directly. "~We were hoping to be able to connect from here, but the power relays and safety interlocks connected to the 'gate here are only rated for intergalactic connections and can't be easily replaced.~"
"~That is correct, though if these schematics of Hypraxia are accurate, manufacturing uprated power relays for use there should be possible, with the right raw materials.~ Selenis' feminine tones were beguiling, Sam was finding it harder to resist joining Vala in genderising the computer's personality.
"~I admit that we were hoping that would be the case.~" She reviewed the schematics Selenis was displaying on the console in front of her. "~Our manufacturing base on Terra is still not quite up to the task. We can manage components to handle the capacity, just not the fine control elements they would require.~ She sighed and pulled her glasses from her face, rubbing the skin between her brows.
"~It is getting late, Dr. Carter, and I believe Colonel Mitchell will come and fetch you in a further 6.73 minutes, based on past performance, he is already at the foot of the stairs.~ Sam chuckled, it seemed the base and Cam were officially in cahoots to make sure she got tucked in at night.
"~Yes, though I should point out we have an adage on Terra, Selenis, 'past performance is not indicative of future results.'~ She replaced her glasses and stood up from the console.
"~Colonel Mitchell tells me to 'expect the unexpected.' A phrase I find baffling.~" Selenis' tone had Sam laughing, the computer actually sounded confused.
"~Colonel Mitchell is wiser than he looks, Selenis. We'll pick up this integration work in the morning.~" She moved away from the console at Selenis' acknowledgement. It was late in their workday and Selenis was already dimming internal lights in the facility, as they requested for it to do when they set up the mission at the base. They all felt they should follow Atlantis' example of making distinctions between day and night, especially since they were underground. Hypraxia had been an eye opener for them as a twenty-four hour base, it was hard to keep to sensible schedules. Things would be different here. Sam walked down the stairs from the command balcony to the left of the Stargate and stood next to Cameron as he looked out over the hangar bay from between the two sets of stairs. He looked over to her and smiled gently, slipping an arm around her waist he pulling her close so she stood in front of him facing the hangar and he encircled her from behind with his arms.
"It's not quite the same as a starry sky is it? Though looking at that Supergate is a little breathtaking at times." His soft voice made her smile as she pressed her temple against his cheek and closed her eyes. It felt so good not having to hide anything anymore. They were together, everybody knew, nobody cared. At least not as far as they were aware. If someone outside the SGC was raising objections they weren't reaching them. She was grateful to Jack and General Landry for that. She lay her hands across his over her stomach and caressed the backs of them. "Everything in this place is breathtaking. I don't know what to look at half the time."
"Why only half the time?" She turned her head to look into his face over her shoulder. She had an idea what he would say, and an idea he knew that she knew, if the smile on his lips was anything to go by.
"Because the other half of the time I'm looking at you of course." He didn't disappoint, she nuzzled his cheek with a smile. "I have been looking over at that half-built ship down there." He nodded down into the hangar and she looked down to the ship sitting in its cradle. She frowned slightly, something was amiss. "Does it look less incomplete than when we arrived to you too?" He was right, it did.
"~Selenis, these Alteran ships in the hangar- ~" Sam began.
"~Galadia and Palladus.~" Selenis supplied.
"~Yes, thank you. What is their history?~" she asked.
"~They are the first two vessels of my defense fleet. Galadia's construction was completed approximately one hundred and twenty Terran days before Ilemus directed me to enter minimal power mode, at which time Palladus' construction was paused.~" The implications of what the base told them registered with both of them at once.
"~Paused, but not halted. You've resumed construction?~" asked Cam, one of his hands coming up to touch the transparent wall ahead of them.
"~Correct. Palladus' construction will be complete in 78.65 Terran days. At which point I will begin construction of their sister ship, Kastia.~" Sam's breath stuck in her throat as she leaned in closer to the view, looking down at the vessel which was slowly taking a more complete shape.
"~Um, how many ships are you scheduled to build, Selenis?~" she asked in a soft voice.
"~My construction schedule at present, based on available raw materials, is for ten vessels.~" Sam closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the wall, Cam placed his hand on her shoulder as he looked past her down to the hangar, she reached up to clutch at it. She'd looked at the specs for those ships, they were state of the art at the time for the Alterans, comparable to, or better than, the vessels the Lanteans used in the Pegasus galaxy.
"~So approximately two hundred and forty days, per ship, to build?~" she asked in amazement. Each ship was nearly two thousand metres long and five hundred meters wide at the aft engine cowlings. They were almost twice as long as the Ori motherships.
"~Correct, Dr. Carter.~" replied the AI impassively. "~Although I could employ more berths, to build multiple ships simultaneously, if you require it. There is a commensurate loss of efficiency, however.~" Sam laughed nervously and clapped a hand over her mouth. She'd sounded like Vala just then.
"~Uh, no, Selenis. Just carry on as you are for now. We'll get back to you closer to when Palladus is completed.~" Cam instructed and the computer burbled a response in acquiescence. He placed both hands on Sam's shoulders and moved them down her arms until she leaned back against his chest and stared off into the depths of the hangar, he wrapped his arms across her chest. "How the Hell are we going to explain that to the IOA?"
"I'm not sure I want to." she confessed. The idea of the IOA having control over a fleet of Alteran ships did not sit well with her. Before she could think about it further however the view in front of her was suddenly obscured by an image projected in the clear matrix. She blinked in surprise and stepped back along with Cam to better see what was being shown.
"~You will wish to see this, Dr. Carter, Colonel Mitchell.~" Selenis cut in as a set of targeting boxes flashed on a star map being displayed. "~A group of vessels travelling in hyperspace have entered the extreme range of my sensors. Their projected course will pass within three lightyears of Sol.~" A faint blue line continued past the blips and sidled close to a marked star. "~This is likely not coincidental.~"
"~We're not expecting anyone, are we? Tok'ra or Jaffa?~" asked Cam to Sam's headshake.
"~Not according to the latest communiques from the SGC.~" she replied. "~Do you have an estimated time of arrival, Selenis?~"
"~Eighteen hours seventeen minutes, Dr. Carter.~" the AI replied. Sam grimaced.
"We can recall Odyssey, though I bet General O'Neill will want to keep Daedalus on station at Praxyon for the time being at least." Sam pointed to the star where two of Earth's battlecruisers were currently stationed, Selenis helpfully highlighted it for her. "Even so Odyssey will have to strain its engines to get here in time, since Atlantis is currently using its ZPM to return to Pegasus."
"Let's get Homeworld Command on the blower." Cam said and Sam laughed. "What?"
"You've been remembering too much of your time in the RAF recently." She turned to walk back to command.
"Shut up!" he cried as he followed her.
"~Galadia can be prepared for departure within fifteen hours. Pressurising interior spaces, replenishing plasma capacitors and checking drone inventories can all be completed within such a time.~" Selenis' offered and Cam brightened.
"~Please do, Selenis!~" he cried. "Do you hear that, Sam? Maybe we'll be able to take out the brand-new Alteran ship for a spin." He bounded over to her at the communications console.
"Cam, it's hardly brand-new, it's several million years old." She smiled at his frown.
"So it won't have that new car smell," he muttered, "but it's never left the forecourt!" Sam patted his arm indulgently and took her glasses off as she activated the subspace connection with the Pentagon. They were running Selenis on Mountain Standard Time so they were a couple of hours behind Washington D.C., but Sam wasn't surprised to see Major Paul Davis accept their connection. "Homeworld Command, this is Selenis. Major Davis, we've got some news for General O'Neill, is he still there?"
"We can get his car turned around, Colonel, is it serious?" asked the Major as he signalled to someone off screen and turned back, glancing between Cameron and Sam.
"It is, Paul, we've got contacts on long range sensors, projected course is suspiciously close to us." Sam replied. Davis looked down in thought and nodded. He looked to his left as a Tech Sergeant approached and whispered in his ear.
"We have the General on a secure line, patching it through." Davis nodded at a signal from off screen. "General O'Neill, we have Dr. Carter and Colonel Mitchell online from Selenis."
"Go ahead, Mitchell, Carter." came Jack's voice.
"General, Selenis has picked up several ships on long range sensors on an incoming trajectory to Sol." Cam reiterated for the listening O'Neill. "We should advise the SGC and our ships in-system and also perhaps recall either Odyssey or Daedalus, and contact our allies."
"I thought we had the 'no solicitors' signs posted at the edge of the Oort cloud." O'Neill muttered and Sam blinked in surprise until she remembered Jack was an amateur astronomer.
"Sorry sir, but the DoD refused to fund a sign ten thousand kilometers long." Cam joked.
"Very funny, Mitchell. Seriously though, weren't we looking at a way of relaying Selenis' sensor telemetry down to us?" Jack's question had Sam leaning forward.
"We're working on it, sir. We were going to test the connection in the next couple of days." She glanced at Cam who gave a faint nod. "We can try to expedite that. We have eighteen hours according to Selenis' estimates."
"Sounds like a plan. Anything on the ships themselves?" asked O'Neill over the line while Davis signalled off screen again and whispered into the ear of a technician who ran off quickly.
"~Current range to contacts is too great to discern anything.~" Selenis supplied and Cam relayed the answer.
"Well, I'll get onto the IOA and the President about liaising with the Chinese." O'Neill muttered. "Apollo and Hammond will be put on alert status, Odyssey will be recalled, Davis, get on that." Major Davis rattled off a confirmation. "I'll get Hank to call the Tok'ra and Jaffa, but they may not have anything close enough. Anything else?"
"Selenis is prepping the completed Alteran ship. It will be ready in time also." Cam supplied.
"Well, well. Can we call it Enterprise?" Sam rolled her eyes at O'Neill despite his not being able to see her.
"No, sir, Galadia already has a name." she replied verbally.
"Darn. Well, carry on and keep us informed. Get working on that telemetry connection. Mitchell I assume you'll be piloting... Galadia?" O'Neill asked.
"Yes, sir." he replied.
"Lucky bastard. O'Neill out." Sam smiled and Davis chuckled and signed off himself.
On to Chapter 5