A comment fic: Guard Duty
My first ever fic that can fit into one comment! I'm quite impressed with myself. LOL. I've had one line in my head since back when "gateship" used to do episode weekly challenges, but "Need" never came up on their roster.
When redial_the_gate did "Need" this week, the plot bunny reasserted itself--although it didn't turn out as cracky as the line which inspired it would imply. Ah, fickle muse.
Spoilers only for Season Two's "Need":
Petan is both happy and anxious in his new position. He used to be one of the ones stationed with the naquadah, escorting it out of the hot,dark mines. Now he is part of the royal entourage.
When the princess breaks away from the group, heading for the forest, Petan watches, surprised, when none of the guards follow.
He nudges the soldier next to him. "Should we not protect her highness?" He nods towards where he last glimpsed her.
His companion shrugs, looking almost bored. "Nah, she does that every month. We'll pick her body up in about a half hour."
He stares at the veteran in horror. "Her body?!"
The other laughs at his expression. "I can tell you're new. Have you not wondered how we are graced by King Pyrus for so many generations? In slaying the god, he's overcome death itself."
"But..."
"He, and his daughter with him. She is still young, but during the high phase of the moon, she chooses to test death. Usually by flinging herself off the Cliff of Persmon."
He leans forward, his face serious. "It is not our place to speak of the ways of the royal family. Pyrus and his daughter have their idiosyncracies, but they keep us from the evil gods, and we do not question them. We let the princess tour the trees, and if she chooses to battle the beyond, we retrieve her and bring her to Pyrus and the golden box, where after a rest, she will rise again, whole in body, if not in spirit."
He stops speaking when we both hear noises from the woods.
"No one else should be there." He readies his weapon and signals to others.
"But if the princess can conquer death?"
"We must always guard against agents of the false gods. Come."
Bewildered, Petan followed his companion into the unknown, wondering what this change will mean to his people.
When redial_the_gate did "Need" this week, the plot bunny reasserted itself--although it didn't turn out as cracky as the line which inspired it would imply. Ah, fickle muse.
Spoilers only for Season Two's "Need":
Petan is both happy and anxious in his new position. He used to be one of the ones stationed with the naquadah, escorting it out of the hot,dark mines. Now he is part of the royal entourage.
When the princess breaks away from the group, heading for the forest, Petan watches, surprised, when none of the guards follow.
He nudges the soldier next to him. "Should we not protect her highness?" He nods towards where he last glimpsed her.
His companion shrugs, looking almost bored. "Nah, she does that every month. We'll pick her body up in about a half hour."
He stares at the veteran in horror. "Her body?!"
The other laughs at his expression. "I can tell you're new. Have you not wondered how we are graced by King Pyrus for so many generations? In slaying the god, he's overcome death itself."
"But..."
"He, and his daughter with him. She is still young, but during the high phase of the moon, she chooses to test death. Usually by flinging herself off the Cliff of Persmon."
He leans forward, his face serious. "It is not our place to speak of the ways of the royal family. Pyrus and his daughter have their idiosyncracies, but they keep us from the evil gods, and we do not question them. We let the princess tour the trees, and if she chooses to battle the beyond, we retrieve her and bring her to Pyrus and the golden box, where after a rest, she will rise again, whole in body, if not in spirit."
He stops speaking when we both hear noises from the woods.
"No one else should be there." He readies his weapon and signals to others.
"But if the princess can conquer death?"
"We must always guard against agents of the false gods. Come."
Bewildered, Petan followed his companion into the unknown, wondering what this change will mean to his people.