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Fic: Mok'tal Oz KREE! (02/02)
Title: Mok'tal Oz KREE! (02/02)
Author: Erin (erinm_4600)
Characters, Pairing: Cain/DG and SG-1 (with appearances by Raw, Glitch, the Queen, Landry and Walter, plus a few OCs and mentions of pretty much everyone else...)
Rating: PG-13 barely
Summary: "...I don't think they bought my act. Why? Who'd you say you were? The... ah... Great and Powerful Oz..." -Daniel and Jacob, Tangent
Warning: post-series for Tin Man; post-series and Continuum for Stargate. For purplerhino, by way of demilos_wagon. Looked over by gatechic and any remaining errors are mine.
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and all it's bits and pieces belong to the folks at Gekko, Showtime and Sci-Fi. As for Tin Man, the original characters belong to L. Frank Baum and their respective actors. The current characters belong to Sci-Fi, the movie folks and their respective actors. The OCs are mine.
Part One | Part Two
DG was awoken by the slight tickle of Cain's breath on her neck. Smiling, her head turned slightly and DG opened her eyes to see Cain was still asleep, his arm wrapped around her, holding her tight.
"Good morning, Missus Cain," he said quietly, a slight smile on his lips.
"Good morning, Mister future-Queen," she breathed back, stretching just enough to press a kiss to the tip of his nose.
"How do you feel?" he asked as his eyes took in the sight of her.
"I feel very good, thank you," she said with a grin. Cain smiled and buried his nose just behind her ear.
"That's not what I meant, Princess." DG sighed and glanced down to his hand, taking it in her own.
"I'm going to the cave today," she said simply. Cain shifted and was now leaning over her, propping himself up against the mattress.
"You don't have to. I can take them." DG's hand moved to Cain's cheek again and she smiled as he turned to kiss her palm.
"It's all right," she assured him.
"Promise me that you'll get out if it becomes too much," Cain ordered. DG smiled again and nodded.
"I promise." Cain nodded once, content with her answer and glanced toward the window.
"Suns'll be up soon. We should probably get-" he started, looking to the trail of clothes between the door and the bed. DG reached up and pulled his face back to look at her.
"It's gonna be a long day, Cain... let's give them a few more minutes," she finished as a sly grin spread up her face. Cain raised an eyebrow and bit the inside of his cheek for a moment as he looked down to his wife.
It's not like the cave was going anywhere, after all.
"So," DG said, pulling a stalk of long grass free as she walked. "Colonel's like... up there, right?" she asked, turning to face Sam. Sam nodded and stepped around a rock.
"I'm a Lieutenant Colonel, actually," she smiled. DG nodded and turned again.
"How close are you to a General?" Sam threw a dirty look toward Daniel, who was holding his side and trying not to laugh.
"Still a way to go," Sam informed her, shaking her head as DG nodded toward Daniel. Cam, Cain and Teal'c were ahead of them by a few yards and both of the women felt bad for Cam - as he wanted to talk - because Cain and Teal'c weren't talkers.
Well, Cain was growing out of it, but he couldn't really answer half of Cam's questions, as he didn't know what Cam was talking about.
"So, how long have you been married?" Sam asked a moment later.
"About a week," DG shrugged. Sam stopped short for a moment but kept walking.
"Wow, I... I would have guessed a lot longer, judging by yesterday," she said with a slight laugh. DG nodded and looked sideways to Sam.
"We've know each other about a year, actually. But, that's just Cain," she added, waving toward the former-Tin Man. "And you?"
Sam shook her head. "I'm married to my job." She ignored another snort from Daniel and wondered if she could find a rock to throw at him. "Besides, my last two engagements didn't work out so well."
"Sorry to hear that," DG said with a soft smile. Sam shrugged.
"It's all right, really. The first one ended up thinking he was a god and the other one... well, that one was more me."
"Still," DG shook her head. Sam smiled again and threw a look toward Daniel. "How about you Doctor Jackson?" Daniel turned to look at DG. "Are you married?"
"I was," he said and DG noticed a sad smile pass between Sam and Daniel. "That's actually kinda how I got into this job," he nodded. "She, uh..." he laughed at the explanation.
"She was a gift," Sam informed DG when Daniel hemmed one second too long.
"A gift?" DG asked, raising an eyebrow in Daniel's direction.
"Yes," he nodded, turning a little pink. "It was our first trip through the gate and the local population thought we were gods, so-" he shrugged. "I ended up staying... and, about a year later, Jack and Sam showed up," he said with a wave to Sam. "And Sha're was taken by the Goa'uld and here we are." Daniel threw his hands up and spun around.
DG knew enough to know that it was probably not the best idea to press for too much information too soon, so she let the conversation end there. Glancing ahead of them, DG could see Cain and Teal'c nearing the tree line and she threw a glance over her shoulder to the palace of Finaqua.
They'd left the village that morning via the jumper, simply because DG didn't want them to tire out by traveling all the way south, then have to walk back to get to their ship. Neither she or Cain were too sure about the transportation, but it made more sense to leave the jumper at the palace and then walk to the cave.
Of course, it took a rough explanation of the iron suit when Cain refused to get into the large, metal tube, regardless of the standing room inside.
Cain had followed DG to the cave the first time, and that was an annual prior. He didn't want to admit that he couldn't remember which path, so he didn't. DG knew he wasn't waiting for the rest of them to catch up, but she was glad to let the others think that. She didn't want to head into the woods with so much distance between the two of them, anyway.
"It's this way," she nodded, letting her hand catch Cain's arm for a moment as they regrouped just past the first trees. They'd moved along in silence for a few minutes before DG couldn't take the quiet any longer. She threw a sideways glance to the Jaffa and nodded slightly.
"Mister Teal'c," she called to him with a smile. Teal'c gave her a slight smile and nodded once. "What do you do for fun?" Sam and Daniel smiled as Teal'c cocked his head, considering his response.
"I enjoy films."
DG grinned and turned to him. "Was the new Indiana Jones awesome?" Daniel snorted and got a raised eyebrow from Teal'c and DG.
"What?" he asked, shrugging. "Seriously?" Daniel shook his head. Sam shook her head in DG's direction.
"We found a crystal skull a few years back. So, plot-wise, Daniel had some issues."
"But, it's Indiana Jones..." DG sighed and looked to Cain. "Have to be honest: his hat's cooler than yours," she said, giving him a shrug. Cain simply shook his head and pointed to a stump in front of DG.
"What about Sean Connery?" DG asked, turning back to Sam. At least she could swoon over the Jones boys with Sam, she figured. Sam shook her head.
"Just a photograph," she said with a sad smile. "But they mentioned him a few times."
"Sweet," DG smiled. She turned back to Teal'c and waved. "Any other good movies come out lately?" Teal'c tilted his head but didn't respond. "What's you favorite?" Teal'c eyes moved toward Daniel for a moment before a smile crept up his face.
"I prefer Star Wars, PrincessDG." DG looked away as the grin overtook her face and Cain actually smiled at the sight.
"Do you have a particular favorite?" she asked, giving Teal'c another smile.
"The Empire Strikes Back," Teal'c offered with a nod. "Do you have a favorite Star Wars, PrincessDG?" Teal'c asked.
"I'm an Ewok fan," she shrugged. Honestly, she didn't understand why so many people had a problem with the Ewoks. "Not only that," she continued, raising a finger. "I like Jar-Jar." Teal'c nodded slightly and DG turned around to look at the rest of SG-1.
"Star Wars," Sam nodded.
"Jedi," Cam replied, as if the answer was obvious. DG raised an eyebrow in Daniel's direction and Cain's hand moved to her back, directing her attention back to the path.
"I liked the mmhm," he trailed off, coughing slightly. Sam raised her hand to cover her smile as DG glanced back to Daniel. He was turning pink again and DG's eyes went wide.
"Oh... no," DG begged, shaking her head. Cam looked at Daniel and Sam turned away, still smiling. DG stepped in front of Daniel and stopped. "You'll rag on the plot holes of Indiana Jones, yet claim the Star Wars Christmas Special as your favorite?"
"Aww," Cam groaned as Sam snorted into her hand. Daniel's nostrils flared and he tilted his head in Sam's direction.
"How close are you to a General, again?" Sam stopped laughing rather quickly and cleared her throat. Daniel turned to Cam and continued: "And how close are you to a General's daughter?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Hey, look! A tree," Cam said, turning away from Daniel and continuing along the path.
"They always like this?" Cain asked Teal'c, indicating the rest of SG-1 with a nod.
"Indeed," Teal'c responded.
A few minutes later, the group arrived at the entrance to the cave and Sam and Cam pulled out flashlights. DG and Cain stayed outside for a moment as Cam and Daniel headed in, followed by Sam. Teal'c stopped just inside the entrance but said nothing.
"You sure about this?" Cain asked DG. She took a deep breath and nodded then turned to see Teal'c standing in the entrance.
"Are you all right, PrincessDG?" he asked quietly. DG looked up to the Jaffa and let her hand rest on his arm for a moment.
"Yes. A very bad thing happened here," she explained, nodding for him to head inside. Teal'c nodded and continued forward, staying just close enough. DG took a deep breath and turned her head as Cain's hand found hers.
"Let's go, Princess." She leaned toward him and sighed as Cain pressed a kiss to her forehead. Rounding a corner, DG saw the lantern on the floor and lifted it up, running a hand over the surface and blinking as the light began to shine. She handed the lantern to Cain and began looking for another one as she spotted Daniel staring at the glyphs on the wall.
"That doesn't look like Ancient writing, Daniel," Sam said with a grimace. Daniel glanced at it, too, and shook his head.
"No... it's Ancient..." Daniel shook his head again. "It's just... pre-Ancient. Look," he said, pointing to one of the symbols. "Earth." Sam nodded, recognizing the symbol. Daniel went back to staring at the symbols.
"Dawn of time..." he mumbled, pointing to the various images. "...light over darkness..." Pointing to another image, Daniel turned to DG and tapped the wall. "Here's your witch." DG forced a smile and stepped past him, pointing down the dark tunnel.
"It's down here," she said tentatively. SG-1 moved ahead and came to what was left of the stone face.
"Doesn't really scream 'Ancient'," Cam said with a frown. Daniel shook his head and stared at the face as he scoured through his memories of being ascended. Cam continued on, stepping through the hole and into the chamber.
"Anything?" Sam asked, noticing the look on Daniel's face.
"Nothing," Daniel huffed, shaking his head.
"More symbols in here," Cam called from the other side of the face. Daniel glanced back to DG and Cain before stepping through the hole. DG made it to the carved surface and stopped, deciding she didn't quite have the nerve to go into the witch's prison. Cain set the lantern down and stepped between the opening and DG and looked into the cave before DG gave him a slight shove.
"Go," she nodded, knowing that curiosity was getting the better of him.
Teal'c had turned behind her as was looking down the chamber. DG turned and stepped next to him. "Did you see something?"
"I am unsure," Teal'c replied. DG moved back to grab the lantern and returned to Teal'c's side, holding the lantern up.
"Is that the round thing you were lookin' for?" she asked, nodding to the DHD. Teal'c nodded and turned around.
"We have discovered the dial-home device," he announced in a booming voice. Inside the cavern, Sam, Daniel and Cam looked at each other and followed Cain back to the opening.
Daniel swept past DG and Teal'c and gave a quick glance to the space around the DHD. Not seeing a gate, he pressed down on one of the symbols.
Nothing happened. Cam aimed his flashlight along the wall as Sam pointed hers at the roof of the space. "Y'know," she said, looking up then raising her arms. "This is just about..." she started, then dropped her arms and turned slightly, aiming her flashlight up to a corner.
"Gate," she announced, causing everyone to look at the wall behind them. There, resting against the solid wall of stone, was the gate; the outer ring was nearly wedged into the space. Teal'c moved over and ran a hand along the symbols.
"Can you move it?" Cam asked. Teal'c forced the inner ring slightly and noticed that it did give, but just barely. The problem would be getting the chevrons to shift and lock.
"It is possible," Teal'c responded, but none of them assumed he was confident about it.
"How did they get the gate in here?" Daniel asked, glancing again at the opening.
"Maybe there was an earthquake," Cam offered. Sam pulled the panel off the DHD so she could examine the crystals. The DHD seemed to be dead, so if it was as simple as finding a ZPM...
"Maybe this was the first one, and they screwed up," Cain offered, waving to the gate. Everyone turned to look at him and he shrugged. "What? Obviously you've seen this thing in an open space, otherwise," he motioned to Daniel. "-you wouldn't have asked how they got it in here."
Sam and Daniel looked at each other for a moment, having the same thought.
"Throw a rock and we're practically in the Pegasus Galaxy," Sam shrugged.
"Ancients had to come from somewhere," Daniel mused. Cam stepped forward and waved his hands in the air.
"All right, time out. You're suggesting that the Ancients are from Oz?" Sam and Daniel shrugged and Cam spun around. "Anybody else think this is crazy?" Teal'c returned his focus to the gate and DG and Cain shared a look. "Where's the technology?!" Cam turned back to DG and Cain and raised his hands.
"I don't know," Sam replied. "That suit sounded pretty..." she winced slightly and shook her head.
"No offense, but, with what we saw yesterday... you guys seem to be stuck in the Wild, Wild West, here." Cam said, waving toward Cain and DG.
DG nodded. "Out here, yeah... Central City's a little more-" She glanced to Cain and shrugged. "World War Two?"
"Again," Cam nodded and turned back to Daniel. "Where's the technology?" He moved around DG and pointed to the wall near the entrance. "Besides some cave paintings that you said are 'pre-Ancient'," he repeated using air quotes. "-there's nothing about this place that says 'Ancient'."
Sam looked up from the DHD and pointed to Cain. "You're right." Cain frowned slightly, not sure what he was right about. "Hear me out," she said quickly, raising a finger to Cam and Daniel. "We've got a cave of naquadah. They're advanced enough to know the technology behind gate travel and they carve the gate out and head for who knows where."
Daniel nodded, willing to accept the theory. "Wherever they went, they perfected the technology and did their thing, up until they headed to the Pegasus Galaxy," Sam finished and ducked back underneath the DHD.
"Why wouldn't they come back?" Daniel asked, staring off into the dark.
"Why would they lock a woman up behind a giant stone face?" DG offered, not expecting an answer. Cam and Daniel glanced at each other again, but it was Teal'c who spoke.
"Perhaps she was the first to be banished," the Jaffa offered.
Cam pointed to Teal'c and nodded. "Every tradition starts somewhere."
"Banishment, to an Ancient, is like detention to us."
"They wiped your memory and dropped you, buck naked, on a random planet, Daniel," Sam reminded him from underneath the DHD.
"Okay, maybe 'detention' wasn't the right choice of words. But, to lock a person up in a cave for-" he couldn’t remember what the hieroglyph said and leaned slightly, knowing he wouldn't see it from where they were standing.
"Thousands of years," DG offered, getting a nod from Daniel.
"Thank you. Thousands of years. They like to prove a point, but that's just-"
"She possessed her sister," Cain interrupted, nodding to DG. "Then killed her and spent the next fifteen annuals trying to plunge the Zone into eternal darkness. That doesn't exactly sound like the actions of an innocent person."
Daniel opened his mouth to respond but pointed to DG instead. "You died?"
"I got better," she mumbled, shrugging slightly.
Cam huffed dramatically and turned, kicked at the dirt. "Am I the only person here who hasn't died once?"
"You've been close a few times," Sam offered, giving him a look.
"I'm not talking near-death," Cam grumbled. "I mean full-out dead."
"You want to die?" Daniel asked.
"Well, no," Cam groaned. "Besides, no one will ever catch up to you, Mister I've-died-eighteen-times," he continued, making a face.
Daniel gave him a look and shook his head. "It's only five," he defended. Sam breathed a laugh as she checked the control crystal for the DHD.
Cam spun around again and pointed. "That you know of! Alternate realities, altered timelines..." Cam counted off on his fingers. Daniel hitched a thumb over his shoulder to Teal'c.
"You gonna count every time Teal'c killed me in the video game, too?" Cam gave Daniel another look and shook his head.
"Whatever, Kenny." He glanced up to see Cain and DG both staring at the both of them, DG trying not to laugh. He gave them an apologetic nod as Sam pulled out from underneath the DHD.
"When you two are done," she nodded to Daniel and Cam. "I know what's wrong," she continued, nodding back to the DHD.
"Control crystal missing?" Daniel asked? Sam shook her head.
"A different crystal, actually," she shrugged. "And not one that would ever need to be pulled, really."
"Can we pull one from another DHD?" Cam asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Because scavenging DHD's and ZPM's has worked out so well for us in the past?" Daniel mocked.
"What's this crystal look like?" Cain asked, giving a cautious look to DG.
Holding up two fingers, DG looked to Sam. "About so big? Green?" Sam nodded and Cain and DG sighed.
"You know where it is?" Daniel asked. DG and Cain nodded.
"Central City," DG sighed. "In my mother's office."
"Why?" Daniel started to ask, but stopped when DG shrugged.
"Eternal darkness," she explained and looked to Cain again.
"It's a two-day walk, kiddo."
"Not in the jumper," Cam offered, getting a look from Sam.
"He's right," DG nodded. "We go to Central City, get the emerald and come back. Then everybody's home in time for dinner." Cain breathed heavily and turned away slightly.
"And if it doesn't work?" They both knew that the emerald was probably just a chuck of rock now, and probably wouldn't serve the purpose SG-1 needed it for.
"We go back they way we came," Cam stated. "And the next time the Daedalus is in the area, we stop by and say 'Hi'," he added with a smile.
"Where are you gonna park that thing?" Cain asked, raising an eyebrow. DG smiled and reached up to pat his cheek.
"We'll be right back. Tell embarrassing stories," she said, waving between Sam and Cain. Cain gave Cam a look that pretty much threatened the younger man's life if any harm came to the princess. Teal'c continued to try and rotate the ring manually as Sam moved over to Daniel.
"You're pathetic," she said quietly, noting the look on his face. She nodded toward the entrance and Daniel stepped away, turning at the corner and throwing up his arms.
"It's the Emerald City, Sam." Sam shook her head again and moved over to Teal'c's side to help him with the ring. Cain let out a deep breath and glanced at the two of them.
"What do you need me to do?" Sam smiled and nodded him over.
"Too bad we couldn't call ahead," Cam said and he maneuvered the cloaked jumper toward Central City.
"Phone lines are running through Central City," DG informed him. "Haven't managed to get them strung out yet. What we need is a damn cell tower," she mused quietly, getting a smile out of both Cam and Daniel.
"There's your Emerald City, Doctor," DG said a moment later, pointing out the viewscreen as the spires of the city came into view. Daniel glanced out over the buildings and frowned slightly.
"Did you really think it would be green, Jackson?" Cam asked with a laugh.
DG pointed between them. "There. There's a large garden around the back." Cam nodded and dropped the jumper to the ground with a slight thump. As they regrouped by the hatch, DG nodded to the firearms.
"I swear, no one will shoot you..." She gave Cam a look and he frowned. She'd seen that look a hundred times from Cain. "It's gonna be complicated enough to explain to my mother how I'm back and not with Cain. Trust me," she asked.
"All right," Cam huffed, detaching his rifle clip and dropping the weapon to the chair. DG waved the men across the garden and they ducked inside the palace and headed up the main staircase.
"Hey, Raw," DG smiled, waving to the Viewer as he stared from her to the two strangers. "Is my mother-" he asked, pointing over her shoulder. Raw simply nodded, still confused as to her presence when he'd seen her off not two days before.
DG moved about halfway down the hall and knocked on one of the doors, then pushed it open. "Hey, Mom," she announced, getting a similar look of surprise from the Queen. Cam and Daniel stopped in the doorway as DG moved around the desk, kissed her mother's cheek and then opened a large box behind the desk.
The Queen glanced to the two men and gave DG another look. "Oh, sorry!" DG said, slapping her palm to her forehead. "Mom, this is Colonel Mitchell and Doctor Jackson," she said, pointing to each of them. Cam waved and Daniel bowed his head slightly. "They're from the Other Side. Technically, Earth," she said with a smile.
DG held up the emerald and nodded. "We need to borrow this. Have a good day." She stepped around the desk again and stopped at the look on Daniel's face. Sighing, DG turned back to her mother. "Sorry. Colonel, Doctor. This is my mother, the Queen of the Outer Zone."
"How do you do, gentlemen?" she asked carefully, still not sure exactly what was going on. "DG, where is-"
"He's in Finaqua, with their friends. We're trying to help them get home."
"And you need the Emerald of the Eclipse?" DG nodded.
"We weren't expecting to run into anyone so soon, ma'am," Cam spoke up, figuring that a slight stretch of the truth wouldn't hurt. "We would have brought a proper detail. But, if we can get home, we'll return with... a proper detail," he huffed, realizing he should have thought that response out a bit more.
The Queen nodded and raised her shoulders slightly. "It was lovely to meet you, gentlemen," she forced out, not entirely sure what to say. "I look forward to speaking with you at a later date?"
Daniel smiled and nodded. "You have a lovely... planet," he said, rolling his eyes and cursing Cam for letting the incomprehension spill over to him. DG shook her head and pushed the both of them toward the door.
"I'll explain when we get back, Mom," she said with a smile and a nod.
They were halfway down the stairs when DG heard Glitch's voice coming from the second floor landing. "DG! I didn't know you were here."
"Wasn't here, Glitch. You didn't see me!" she hollered, raising a hand as she moved down the stairs with Cam and Daniel.
"Oh," Glitch nodded. "Well, it was nice not seeing you!" he called after her.
"Really?" Cain asked as Sam nodded.
"I swear," she responded, holding up a hand.
Cain chuckled and turned slightly as Cam announced: "If it's about me, it's not true."
DG handed the emerald to Sam and looked at Cain. "My mother is probably going to show up tomorrow." Cain made a face but his attention soon turned to Sam, who huffed as she pulled herself up from underneath the DHD.
"Okay," she breathed then reached down to press one of the symbols. The ring began to spin and there was a large clunk, followed by a cloud of dust. Daniel and Cam collected the gear from in front of the gate and pulled Cain and DG aside.
"Hang on a second, Sam," Daniel said, moving to the gate and then counting off steps between the gate and the DHD. Sam realized what he had and her eyes went wide as she ran the numbers.
"That's gonna be damn close," she breathed.
"Can we move the DHD?" Cam asked.
"How else would Russia have gotten it from Germany?" Daniel asked.
"We don't have the equipment to move it now," Sam informed them. "Unless you can bench press a truck?" she nodded to Cam.
"What's wrong?" DG asked.
Sam pointed to the gate. "When the gate connects, an extremely unstable energy vortex kinda... wooshes out," she motioned with her hand. "-then sucks back in."
"And standing in front of it's not a good idea?" Cain assumed. SG-1 shook their heads and Cain nodded. "Good to know."
"There's no way your ship is gonna get in here, either," DG pointed out. Cam and Daniel turned and looked at each other, both realizing they’d forgotten about the jumper.
Cam pointed to the gate. "One of us goes back, makes sure it connects from the SGC. Then we take the jumper back the way we got here in the first place."
"You want to dial the gate right now, be my guest," Sam offered. Cam shook his head and turned to Daniel, who shook his head as well.
"How much room do you need?" DG asked. Everyone looked at her. "A couple of inches? A foot? What?"
"I'd prefer a couple of feet, at least," Sam nodded. DG nodded and stepped between the gate and Sam.
"So... here?" she asked, drawing a line in the dirt with her foot. Sam nodded. "Okay," DG said, pointing to the DHD. "Go for it."
"Uh-" Cam and Daniel said together.
"I don't think so, Princess," Cain shouted.
DG glared at Cain. "I can do this." She turned back to Sam and nodded. "Do it." Sam gave a concerned look to the rest of her team and they shrugged, not sure what was going on. Cain huffed and clenched his jaw.
'God, I hope I can do this,' she thought as her arms raised and her palms faced the gate. The walls shook as the ring continued to spin and DG had to blink as the dust swirled around her. "Now," Sam yelled and placed her hand on the red button.
DG closed her eyes as the blue light rushed toward her and she pushed back with everything she had. It only took a moment for the woosh of the vortex, but it seemed like an eternity to DG. As the vortex collapsed on itself, DG curled her arms back and stretched.
"There's some power behind that sucker," she said with a half-laugh. If Cain was mad at her for stepping in the middle of the gunplay, he was going to rip her a new one for that.
"That's not normal," Cam stated, as if DG didn't already know about her abilities.
"Because we're so used to seeing normal?" Daniel snapped, getting a look from Sam.
Sam stepped over to DG's side and gave the girl a look. "How did you do that?"
DG shrugged. "Same way I can do this," she said, holding out a hand and using the magic to pull the flashlight from Cam's hand. Letting it hover a few inches in front of him for a second, DG glanced back to Sam and shrugged again.
"Like I said," DG nodded to Sam. "If it has to do with this cave," she said, indicating the stone walls. "-it's me and my sister."
"Who's got the GDO?" Daniel asked, looking at the gate. Cain had moved over and was staring at the blue swirls, trying to wrap his brain around the fact the solid stone wall was no longer stone.
Or solid.
Teal'c stepped next to him and gave Cain a nod. "The technology is fascinating."
"And you walk through that?" Cain snorted, pointing to the event horizon. Teal'c gave him a single nod.
"This is Colonel Carter, come in SGC," Sam said into the walkie-talkie on her shoulder.
"We read you, Colonel," they heard Walter's scratchy voice reply. Sam looked up and SG-1 all nodded to each other. Cam nodded to Sam and she turned to pick up her pack.
"Walter, can you prepare a care package?" Daniel asked into his own walkie-talkie.
"Yes, Doctor Jackson," Walter replied. Daniel shook his head at the look from Sam and turned to DG.
"For your mother. It's a sort of diplomatic gesture when we meet a new race," he nodded.
"All goes well, I'll be back in a few minutes," she said with a grin. "You might want to clear the-" she said, motioning to the area surrounding the gate. DG leaned around Daniel to watch Sam disappear into the event horizon and she gave a look to Cain.
The gate shut off a moment later, plunging the cavern back into darkness and Cain and DG both moved over to the stone wall as Cam and Daniel moved the rest of the gear down the tunnel a bit.
"I'd say that's a new one, Princess," Cain said, looking to DG with a blank expression. DG mirrored the look and nodded, running a hand along the stone surface again. They both jumped at a clunking sound about five minutes later and were grabbed and Cam.
"Okay, kids, you can feel the wall later," he said, pulling them out of the danger zone. As the seventh chevron locked, DG and Cain saw the vortex push out as it was meant to and the color drained from both their faces. DG laughed nervously and turned slightly, just enough to see the murderous look on Cain's face.
A moment later, Sam came back through with a smaller pack on her shoulder and holding a dark box. "Guess who's back," she said with a cheeky grin, aimed at Daniel and Cam. Daniel huffed and dropped his head dramatically.
"Well, at least she didn't bring her along," Cam told Daniel, smiling because he new that if anyone wasn't going to hear the end of this one, it was Daniel.
"Guess who she called," Sam said with a forced smile as the gate shut off behind her.
"No," Daniel breathed. Sam nodded. "How did she get his number?"
"I don't know, Daniel," Sam shook her head. She lifted the box up to show to Daniel. "One care package." Daniel took the box from her and nodded for DG and Cain to follow him out of the cave. Teal'c and Cam picked up the rest of their gear and Sam grabbed Daniel's pack before following them outside.
"So this has a signature that we'll recognize. You just dial the gate, throw it in and we'll get back to you."
"Why throw it in?" DG asked, taking the offered box.
"We've got a... thing on the gate. It's a safety-measure and not a good way to die," Daniel said with a smile.
"I told General Landry about the DHD and he said that, as long as you want diplomatic procedures to proceed," she motioned to DG and Cain; DG nodded. "He'll authorize a crew to move the DHD."
Cam threw a look over his shoulder as they cleared the entrance to the cave and waved. "This place get a lot of traffic?"
"It does not appear so," Teal'c replied, taking in the surroundings. DG stopped and handed the box over to Cain then turned and faced the hole. Raising her hand, DG closed her eyes and mumbled something for a moment. Opening her eyes, DG dropped her hand and looked at SG-1.
"Only someone who's already been here will see it." She shrugged and shook her head. "Unless they're really looking, I mean." If it was good enough to hide the Grey Gale, it could protect the gate.
"When we get back to the jumper, I'll write down the gate address for you, just in case," Daniel offered. "Just make sure that you're backed up against the far wall," he half-laughed. DG nodded.
"We'll be back before then," Cam offered. "Unless some major catastrophe hits in the next week." Cain snorted and turned as Sam shoved Daniel's pack into his arms. Cam handed her rifle over and she took point, walking behind with Teal'c.
"The Daedalus arrives in Atlantis tonight, give or take a few hours," she announced. "Puts them back in Earth's orbit sometime next week, which should give you plenty of time to work on your sales pitch, Daniel."
Daniel rolled his eyes and turned as DG asked: "How will we know when you've come back? It's one thing to park your jumper in the garden when I'm along, but the guards might freak a little bit if you just show up."
"Oh," Sam said, shrugging the pack off her arm and holding it out for Cam to take, as he was closer. She nodded for him to pass it along to Daniel and said: "There's a walkie-talkie in there, and an extra battery. Also grabbed you the paper and a couple of-"
"Oh my God, Snickers!" DG shrieked and spun around with a smile. "Thank you, Colonel."
Sam smiled and replied: "I wasn't sure what you liked, and the mess was busy."
"Who wants some?" DG asked, holding the candy bar up. Daniel and Cam shook their heads and Teal'c simply smiled. DG broke off one end and tried to collect the drooping caramel before holding the piece out for Cain. "Oh, try it," she huffed and Cain finally took it.
"It's going to be at least a week, so I'd not even bother with the walkie-talkie until... Thursday. Of course, that's assuming the length of day here is the same as Earth..." Sam trailed off, beginning to run the math in her head.
"The two suns kinda jack everything up," DG said, covering her mouth as she chewed on the candy bar. "I haven't figured out the time change yet," she added with a shrug. "I'll turn it on in, like... six days." Cam and Daniel nodded and Sam smiled as she watched Cain snatch the candy bar from DG a moment later.
"Travel safe," DG said, hugging Sam. "And thank you for the Snickers," she added, which made Sam grin.
"No problem," she laughed. "I'll make sure there's a case when we get back."
"Make it Mister Goodbar and we're allies for life," DG informed her. Sam laughed again and nodded. She liked this girl.
Cain shook Cam and Daniel's hands then turned to Teal'c. "It's been a pleasure, gentlemen." Teal'c bowed his head slightly and smiled at DG as she and stepped over with Sam. Cain nodded to Sam again and DG gave them all a wave as SG-1 moved back into the jumper.
As the jumper lifted off the ground and moved farther away from Finaqua, Cain sighed. "I gotta say, kiddo," Cain started, his hand finding hers. "Life with you is never dull." DG smiled and leaned toward Cain to kiss him.
"Kinda shows up the whole week," DG said with a half-frown.
"I think we'll survive," Cain replied, pulling her into his arms and smiling.
"Well, there is one thing I wanted to do," DG informed him, pressing her lips to his jaw carefully.
"What's that?" Cain asked as his hands moved up her back.
"We have to wait for it to get dark," she sighed, kissing the same spot on the other side of his face.
"Why's that?"
DG pulled back and smiled. "Because it involves you, me and a swing."
Cain tried not to smile, as his mind went to only one possible place, but it was hopeless. "Really?" he asked, trying to seem oblivious. DG smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Indeed."
o
_/ \_
-a few weeks later-
"Mom," the Queen heard, and looked up from her stack of papers to see DG leaning into the doorway. "They're ready," she smiled. The Queen nodded and pushed herself up from the desk.
As the women stepped into the conference room, the Queen nodded to Cam and Daniel, recognizing them from the previous visit, but it was the silver-haired man at the end of the table who caught her eye.
He stood up as Daniel smacked him on the arm and straightened his jacket before giving the Queen a grin and holding his hand out. DG nodded to her mother and the Queen took his hand carefully.
"Jack O'Neill. It's a pleasure."
_____________
Talk to Steve, yo...
Author: Erin (erinm_4600)
Characters, Pairing: Cain/DG and SG-1 (with appearances by Raw, Glitch, the Queen, Landry and Walter, plus a few OCs and mentions of pretty much everyone else...)
Rating: PG-13 barely
Summary: "...I don't think they bought my act. Why? Who'd you say you were? The... ah... Great and Powerful Oz..." -Daniel and Jacob, Tangent
Warning: post-series for Tin Man; post-series and Continuum for Stargate. For purplerhino, by way of demilos_wagon. Looked over by gatechic and any remaining errors are mine.
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and all it's bits and pieces belong to the folks at Gekko, Showtime and Sci-Fi. As for Tin Man, the original characters belong to L. Frank Baum and their respective actors. The current characters belong to Sci-Fi, the movie folks and their respective actors. The OCs are mine.
Part One | Part Two
DG was awoken by the slight tickle of Cain's breath on her neck. Smiling, her head turned slightly and DG opened her eyes to see Cain was still asleep, his arm wrapped around her, holding her tight.
"Good morning, Missus Cain," he said quietly, a slight smile on his lips.
"Good morning, Mister future-Queen," she breathed back, stretching just enough to press a kiss to the tip of his nose.
"How do you feel?" he asked as his eyes took in the sight of her.
"I feel very good, thank you," she said with a grin. Cain smiled and buried his nose just behind her ear.
"That's not what I meant, Princess." DG sighed and glanced down to his hand, taking it in her own.
"I'm going to the cave today," she said simply. Cain shifted and was now leaning over her, propping himself up against the mattress.
"You don't have to. I can take them." DG's hand moved to Cain's cheek again and she smiled as he turned to kiss her palm.
"It's all right," she assured him.
"Promise me that you'll get out if it becomes too much," Cain ordered. DG smiled again and nodded.
"I promise." Cain nodded once, content with her answer and glanced toward the window.
"Suns'll be up soon. We should probably get-" he started, looking to the trail of clothes between the door and the bed. DG reached up and pulled his face back to look at her.
"It's gonna be a long day, Cain... let's give them a few more minutes," she finished as a sly grin spread up her face. Cain raised an eyebrow and bit the inside of his cheek for a moment as he looked down to his wife.
It's not like the cave was going anywhere, after all.
"So," DG said, pulling a stalk of long grass free as she walked. "Colonel's like... up there, right?" she asked, turning to face Sam. Sam nodded and stepped around a rock.
"I'm a Lieutenant Colonel, actually," she smiled. DG nodded and turned again.
"How close are you to a General?" Sam threw a dirty look toward Daniel, who was holding his side and trying not to laugh.
"Still a way to go," Sam informed her, shaking her head as DG nodded toward Daniel. Cam, Cain and Teal'c were ahead of them by a few yards and both of the women felt bad for Cam - as he wanted to talk - because Cain and Teal'c weren't talkers.
Well, Cain was growing out of it, but he couldn't really answer half of Cam's questions, as he didn't know what Cam was talking about.
"So, how long have you been married?" Sam asked a moment later.
"About a week," DG shrugged. Sam stopped short for a moment but kept walking.
"Wow, I... I would have guessed a lot longer, judging by yesterday," she said with a slight laugh. DG nodded and looked sideways to Sam.
"We've know each other about a year, actually. But, that's just Cain," she added, waving toward the former-Tin Man. "And you?"
Sam shook her head. "I'm married to my job." She ignored another snort from Daniel and wondered if she could find a rock to throw at him. "Besides, my last two engagements didn't work out so well."
"Sorry to hear that," DG said with a soft smile. Sam shrugged.
"It's all right, really. The first one ended up thinking he was a god and the other one... well, that one was more me."
"Still," DG shook her head. Sam smiled again and threw a look toward Daniel. "How about you Doctor Jackson?" Daniel turned to look at DG. "Are you married?"
"I was," he said and DG noticed a sad smile pass between Sam and Daniel. "That's actually kinda how I got into this job," he nodded. "She, uh..." he laughed at the explanation.
"She was a gift," Sam informed DG when Daniel hemmed one second too long.
"A gift?" DG asked, raising an eyebrow in Daniel's direction.
"Yes," he nodded, turning a little pink. "It was our first trip through the gate and the local population thought we were gods, so-" he shrugged. "I ended up staying... and, about a year later, Jack and Sam showed up," he said with a wave to Sam. "And Sha're was taken by the Goa'uld and here we are." Daniel threw his hands up and spun around.
DG knew enough to know that it was probably not the best idea to press for too much information too soon, so she let the conversation end there. Glancing ahead of them, DG could see Cain and Teal'c nearing the tree line and she threw a glance over her shoulder to the palace of Finaqua.
They'd left the village that morning via the jumper, simply because DG didn't want them to tire out by traveling all the way south, then have to walk back to get to their ship. Neither she or Cain were too sure about the transportation, but it made more sense to leave the jumper at the palace and then walk to the cave.
Of course, it took a rough explanation of the iron suit when Cain refused to get into the large, metal tube, regardless of the standing room inside.
Cain had followed DG to the cave the first time, and that was an annual prior. He didn't want to admit that he couldn't remember which path, so he didn't. DG knew he wasn't waiting for the rest of them to catch up, but she was glad to let the others think that. She didn't want to head into the woods with so much distance between the two of them, anyway.
"It's this way," she nodded, letting her hand catch Cain's arm for a moment as they regrouped just past the first trees. They'd moved along in silence for a few minutes before DG couldn't take the quiet any longer. She threw a sideways glance to the Jaffa and nodded slightly.
"Mister Teal'c," she called to him with a smile. Teal'c gave her a slight smile and nodded once. "What do you do for fun?" Sam and Daniel smiled as Teal'c cocked his head, considering his response.
"I enjoy films."
DG grinned and turned to him. "Was the new Indiana Jones awesome?" Daniel snorted and got a raised eyebrow from Teal'c and DG.
"What?" he asked, shrugging. "Seriously?" Daniel shook his head. Sam shook her head in DG's direction.
"We found a crystal skull a few years back. So, plot-wise, Daniel had some issues."
"But, it's Indiana Jones..." DG sighed and looked to Cain. "Have to be honest: his hat's cooler than yours," she said, giving him a shrug. Cain simply shook his head and pointed to a stump in front of DG.
"What about Sean Connery?" DG asked, turning back to Sam. At least she could swoon over the Jones boys with Sam, she figured. Sam shook her head.
"Just a photograph," she said with a sad smile. "But they mentioned him a few times."
"Sweet," DG smiled. She turned back to Teal'c and waved. "Any other good movies come out lately?" Teal'c tilted his head but didn't respond. "What's you favorite?" Teal'c eyes moved toward Daniel for a moment before a smile crept up his face.
"I prefer Star Wars, PrincessDG." DG looked away as the grin overtook her face and Cain actually smiled at the sight.
"Do you have a particular favorite?" she asked, giving Teal'c another smile.
"The Empire Strikes Back," Teal'c offered with a nod. "Do you have a favorite Star Wars, PrincessDG?" Teal'c asked.
"I'm an Ewok fan," she shrugged. Honestly, she didn't understand why so many people had a problem with the Ewoks. "Not only that," she continued, raising a finger. "I like Jar-Jar." Teal'c nodded slightly and DG turned around to look at the rest of SG-1.
"Star Wars," Sam nodded.
"Jedi," Cam replied, as if the answer was obvious. DG raised an eyebrow in Daniel's direction and Cain's hand moved to her back, directing her attention back to the path.
"I liked the mmhm," he trailed off, coughing slightly. Sam raised her hand to cover her smile as DG glanced back to Daniel. He was turning pink again and DG's eyes went wide.
"Oh... no," DG begged, shaking her head. Cam looked at Daniel and Sam turned away, still smiling. DG stepped in front of Daniel and stopped. "You'll rag on the plot holes of Indiana Jones, yet claim the Star Wars Christmas Special as your favorite?"
"Aww," Cam groaned as Sam snorted into her hand. Daniel's nostrils flared and he tilted his head in Sam's direction.
"How close are you to a General, again?" Sam stopped laughing rather quickly and cleared her throat. Daniel turned to Cam and continued: "And how close are you to a General's daughter?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Hey, look! A tree," Cam said, turning away from Daniel and continuing along the path.
"They always like this?" Cain asked Teal'c, indicating the rest of SG-1 with a nod.
"Indeed," Teal'c responded.
A few minutes later, the group arrived at the entrance to the cave and Sam and Cam pulled out flashlights. DG and Cain stayed outside for a moment as Cam and Daniel headed in, followed by Sam. Teal'c stopped just inside the entrance but said nothing.
"You sure about this?" Cain asked DG. She took a deep breath and nodded then turned to see Teal'c standing in the entrance.
"Are you all right, PrincessDG?" he asked quietly. DG looked up to the Jaffa and let her hand rest on his arm for a moment.
"Yes. A very bad thing happened here," she explained, nodding for him to head inside. Teal'c nodded and continued forward, staying just close enough. DG took a deep breath and turned her head as Cain's hand found hers.
"Let's go, Princess." She leaned toward him and sighed as Cain pressed a kiss to her forehead. Rounding a corner, DG saw the lantern on the floor and lifted it up, running a hand over the surface and blinking as the light began to shine. She handed the lantern to Cain and began looking for another one as she spotted Daniel staring at the glyphs on the wall.
"That doesn't look like Ancient writing, Daniel," Sam said with a grimace. Daniel glanced at it, too, and shook his head.
"No... it's Ancient..." Daniel shook his head again. "It's just... pre-Ancient. Look," he said, pointing to one of the symbols. "Earth." Sam nodded, recognizing the symbol. Daniel went back to staring at the symbols.
"Dawn of time..." he mumbled, pointing to the various images. "...light over darkness..." Pointing to another image, Daniel turned to DG and tapped the wall. "Here's your witch." DG forced a smile and stepped past him, pointing down the dark tunnel.
"It's down here," she said tentatively. SG-1 moved ahead and came to what was left of the stone face.
"Doesn't really scream 'Ancient'," Cam said with a frown. Daniel shook his head and stared at the face as he scoured through his memories of being ascended. Cam continued on, stepping through the hole and into the chamber.
"Anything?" Sam asked, noticing the look on Daniel's face.
"Nothing," Daniel huffed, shaking his head.
"More symbols in here," Cam called from the other side of the face. Daniel glanced back to DG and Cain before stepping through the hole. DG made it to the carved surface and stopped, deciding she didn't quite have the nerve to go into the witch's prison. Cain set the lantern down and stepped between the opening and DG and looked into the cave before DG gave him a slight shove.
"Go," she nodded, knowing that curiosity was getting the better of him.
Teal'c had turned behind her as was looking down the chamber. DG turned and stepped next to him. "Did you see something?"
"I am unsure," Teal'c replied. DG moved back to grab the lantern and returned to Teal'c's side, holding the lantern up.
"Is that the round thing you were lookin' for?" she asked, nodding to the DHD. Teal'c nodded and turned around.
"We have discovered the dial-home device," he announced in a booming voice. Inside the cavern, Sam, Daniel and Cam looked at each other and followed Cain back to the opening.
Daniel swept past DG and Teal'c and gave a quick glance to the space around the DHD. Not seeing a gate, he pressed down on one of the symbols.
Nothing happened. Cam aimed his flashlight along the wall as Sam pointed hers at the roof of the space. "Y'know," she said, looking up then raising her arms. "This is just about..." she started, then dropped her arms and turned slightly, aiming her flashlight up to a corner.
"Gate," she announced, causing everyone to look at the wall behind them. There, resting against the solid wall of stone, was the gate; the outer ring was nearly wedged into the space. Teal'c moved over and ran a hand along the symbols.
"Can you move it?" Cam asked. Teal'c forced the inner ring slightly and noticed that it did give, but just barely. The problem would be getting the chevrons to shift and lock.
"It is possible," Teal'c responded, but none of them assumed he was confident about it.
"How did they get the gate in here?" Daniel asked, glancing again at the opening.
"Maybe there was an earthquake," Cam offered. Sam pulled the panel off the DHD so she could examine the crystals. The DHD seemed to be dead, so if it was as simple as finding a ZPM...
"Maybe this was the first one, and they screwed up," Cain offered, waving to the gate. Everyone turned to look at him and he shrugged. "What? Obviously you've seen this thing in an open space, otherwise," he motioned to Daniel. "-you wouldn't have asked how they got it in here."
Sam and Daniel looked at each other for a moment, having the same thought.
"Throw a rock and we're practically in the Pegasus Galaxy," Sam shrugged.
"Ancients had to come from somewhere," Daniel mused. Cam stepped forward and waved his hands in the air.
"All right, time out. You're suggesting that the Ancients are from Oz?" Sam and Daniel shrugged and Cam spun around. "Anybody else think this is crazy?" Teal'c returned his focus to the gate and DG and Cain shared a look. "Where's the technology?!" Cam turned back to DG and Cain and raised his hands.
"I don't know," Sam replied. "That suit sounded pretty..." she winced slightly and shook her head.
"No offense, but, with what we saw yesterday... you guys seem to be stuck in the Wild, Wild West, here." Cam said, waving toward Cain and DG.
DG nodded. "Out here, yeah... Central City's a little more-" She glanced to Cain and shrugged. "World War Two?"
"Again," Cam nodded and turned back to Daniel. "Where's the technology?" He moved around DG and pointed to the wall near the entrance. "Besides some cave paintings that you said are 'pre-Ancient'," he repeated using air quotes. "-there's nothing about this place that says 'Ancient'."
Sam looked up from the DHD and pointed to Cain. "You're right." Cain frowned slightly, not sure what he was right about. "Hear me out," she said quickly, raising a finger to Cam and Daniel. "We've got a cave of naquadah. They're advanced enough to know the technology behind gate travel and they carve the gate out and head for who knows where."
Daniel nodded, willing to accept the theory. "Wherever they went, they perfected the technology and did their thing, up until they headed to the Pegasus Galaxy," Sam finished and ducked back underneath the DHD.
"Why wouldn't they come back?" Daniel asked, staring off into the dark.
"Why would they lock a woman up behind a giant stone face?" DG offered, not expecting an answer. Cam and Daniel glanced at each other again, but it was Teal'c who spoke.
"Perhaps she was the first to be banished," the Jaffa offered.
Cam pointed to Teal'c and nodded. "Every tradition starts somewhere."
"Banishment, to an Ancient, is like detention to us."
"They wiped your memory and dropped you, buck naked, on a random planet, Daniel," Sam reminded him from underneath the DHD.
"Okay, maybe 'detention' wasn't the right choice of words. But, to lock a person up in a cave for-" he couldn’t remember what the hieroglyph said and leaned slightly, knowing he wouldn't see it from where they were standing.
"Thousands of years," DG offered, getting a nod from Daniel.
"Thank you. Thousands of years. They like to prove a point, but that's just-"
"She possessed her sister," Cain interrupted, nodding to DG. "Then killed her and spent the next fifteen annuals trying to plunge the Zone into eternal darkness. That doesn't exactly sound like the actions of an innocent person."
Daniel opened his mouth to respond but pointed to DG instead. "You died?"
"I got better," she mumbled, shrugging slightly.
Cam huffed dramatically and turned, kicked at the dirt. "Am I the only person here who hasn't died once?"
"You've been close a few times," Sam offered, giving him a look.
"I'm not talking near-death," Cam grumbled. "I mean full-out dead."
"You want to die?" Daniel asked.
"Well, no," Cam groaned. "Besides, no one will ever catch up to you, Mister I've-died-eighteen-times," he continued, making a face.
Daniel gave him a look and shook his head. "It's only five," he defended. Sam breathed a laugh as she checked the control crystal for the DHD.
Cam spun around again and pointed. "That you know of! Alternate realities, altered timelines..." Cam counted off on his fingers. Daniel hitched a thumb over his shoulder to Teal'c.
"You gonna count every time Teal'c killed me in the video game, too?" Cam gave Daniel another look and shook his head.
"Whatever, Kenny." He glanced up to see Cain and DG both staring at the both of them, DG trying not to laugh. He gave them an apologetic nod as Sam pulled out from underneath the DHD.
"When you two are done," she nodded to Daniel and Cam. "I know what's wrong," she continued, nodding back to the DHD.
"Control crystal missing?" Daniel asked? Sam shook her head.
"A different crystal, actually," she shrugged. "And not one that would ever need to be pulled, really."
"Can we pull one from another DHD?" Cam asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Because scavenging DHD's and ZPM's has worked out so well for us in the past?" Daniel mocked.
"What's this crystal look like?" Cain asked, giving a cautious look to DG.
Holding up two fingers, DG looked to Sam. "About so big? Green?" Sam nodded and Cain and DG sighed.
"You know where it is?" Daniel asked. DG and Cain nodded.
"Central City," DG sighed. "In my mother's office."
"Why?" Daniel started to ask, but stopped when DG shrugged.
"Eternal darkness," she explained and looked to Cain again.
"It's a two-day walk, kiddo."
"Not in the jumper," Cam offered, getting a look from Sam.
"He's right," DG nodded. "We go to Central City, get the emerald and come back. Then everybody's home in time for dinner." Cain breathed heavily and turned away slightly.
"And if it doesn't work?" They both knew that the emerald was probably just a chuck of rock now, and probably wouldn't serve the purpose SG-1 needed it for.
"We go back they way we came," Cam stated. "And the next time the Daedalus is in the area, we stop by and say 'Hi'," he added with a smile.
"Where are you gonna park that thing?" Cain asked, raising an eyebrow. DG smiled and reached up to pat his cheek.
"We'll be right back. Tell embarrassing stories," she said, waving between Sam and Cain. Cain gave Cam a look that pretty much threatened the younger man's life if any harm came to the princess. Teal'c continued to try and rotate the ring manually as Sam moved over to Daniel.
"You're pathetic," she said quietly, noting the look on his face. She nodded toward the entrance and Daniel stepped away, turning at the corner and throwing up his arms.
"It's the Emerald City, Sam." Sam shook her head again and moved over to Teal'c's side to help him with the ring. Cain let out a deep breath and glanced at the two of them.
"What do you need me to do?" Sam smiled and nodded him over.
"Too bad we couldn't call ahead," Cam said and he maneuvered the cloaked jumper toward Central City.
"Phone lines are running through Central City," DG informed him. "Haven't managed to get them strung out yet. What we need is a damn cell tower," she mused quietly, getting a smile out of both Cam and Daniel.
"There's your Emerald City, Doctor," DG said a moment later, pointing out the viewscreen as the spires of the city came into view. Daniel glanced out over the buildings and frowned slightly.
"Did you really think it would be green, Jackson?" Cam asked with a laugh.
DG pointed between them. "There. There's a large garden around the back." Cam nodded and dropped the jumper to the ground with a slight thump. As they regrouped by the hatch, DG nodded to the firearms.
"I swear, no one will shoot you..." She gave Cam a look and he frowned. She'd seen that look a hundred times from Cain. "It's gonna be complicated enough to explain to my mother how I'm back and not with Cain. Trust me," she asked.
"All right," Cam huffed, detaching his rifle clip and dropping the weapon to the chair. DG waved the men across the garden and they ducked inside the palace and headed up the main staircase.
"Hey, Raw," DG smiled, waving to the Viewer as he stared from her to the two strangers. "Is my mother-" he asked, pointing over her shoulder. Raw simply nodded, still confused as to her presence when he'd seen her off not two days before.
DG moved about halfway down the hall and knocked on one of the doors, then pushed it open. "Hey, Mom," she announced, getting a similar look of surprise from the Queen. Cam and Daniel stopped in the doorway as DG moved around the desk, kissed her mother's cheek and then opened a large box behind the desk.
The Queen glanced to the two men and gave DG another look. "Oh, sorry!" DG said, slapping her palm to her forehead. "Mom, this is Colonel Mitchell and Doctor Jackson," she said, pointing to each of them. Cam waved and Daniel bowed his head slightly. "They're from the Other Side. Technically, Earth," she said with a smile.
DG held up the emerald and nodded. "We need to borrow this. Have a good day." She stepped around the desk again and stopped at the look on Daniel's face. Sighing, DG turned back to her mother. "Sorry. Colonel, Doctor. This is my mother, the Queen of the Outer Zone."
"How do you do, gentlemen?" she asked carefully, still not sure exactly what was going on. "DG, where is-"
"He's in Finaqua, with their friends. We're trying to help them get home."
"And you need the Emerald of the Eclipse?" DG nodded.
"We weren't expecting to run into anyone so soon, ma'am," Cam spoke up, figuring that a slight stretch of the truth wouldn't hurt. "We would have brought a proper detail. But, if we can get home, we'll return with... a proper detail," he huffed, realizing he should have thought that response out a bit more.
The Queen nodded and raised her shoulders slightly. "It was lovely to meet you, gentlemen," she forced out, not entirely sure what to say. "I look forward to speaking with you at a later date?"
Daniel smiled and nodded. "You have a lovely... planet," he said, rolling his eyes and cursing Cam for letting the incomprehension spill over to him. DG shook her head and pushed the both of them toward the door.
"I'll explain when we get back, Mom," she said with a smile and a nod.
They were halfway down the stairs when DG heard Glitch's voice coming from the second floor landing. "DG! I didn't know you were here."
"Wasn't here, Glitch. You didn't see me!" she hollered, raising a hand as she moved down the stairs with Cam and Daniel.
"Oh," Glitch nodded. "Well, it was nice not seeing you!" he called after her.
"Really?" Cain asked as Sam nodded.
"I swear," she responded, holding up a hand.
Cain chuckled and turned slightly as Cam announced: "If it's about me, it's not true."
DG handed the emerald to Sam and looked at Cain. "My mother is probably going to show up tomorrow." Cain made a face but his attention soon turned to Sam, who huffed as she pulled herself up from underneath the DHD.
"Okay," she breathed then reached down to press one of the symbols. The ring began to spin and there was a large clunk, followed by a cloud of dust. Daniel and Cam collected the gear from in front of the gate and pulled Cain and DG aside.
"Hang on a second, Sam," Daniel said, moving to the gate and then counting off steps between the gate and the DHD. Sam realized what he had and her eyes went wide as she ran the numbers.
"That's gonna be damn close," she breathed.
"Can we move the DHD?" Cam asked.
"How else would Russia have gotten it from Germany?" Daniel asked.
"We don't have the equipment to move it now," Sam informed them. "Unless you can bench press a truck?" she nodded to Cam.
"What's wrong?" DG asked.
Sam pointed to the gate. "When the gate connects, an extremely unstable energy vortex kinda... wooshes out," she motioned with her hand. "-then sucks back in."
"And standing in front of it's not a good idea?" Cain assumed. SG-1 shook their heads and Cain nodded. "Good to know."
"There's no way your ship is gonna get in here, either," DG pointed out. Cam and Daniel turned and looked at each other, both realizing they’d forgotten about the jumper.
Cam pointed to the gate. "One of us goes back, makes sure it connects from the SGC. Then we take the jumper back the way we got here in the first place."
"You want to dial the gate right now, be my guest," Sam offered. Cam shook his head and turned to Daniel, who shook his head as well.
"How much room do you need?" DG asked. Everyone looked at her. "A couple of inches? A foot? What?"
"I'd prefer a couple of feet, at least," Sam nodded. DG nodded and stepped between the gate and Sam.
"So... here?" she asked, drawing a line in the dirt with her foot. Sam nodded. "Okay," DG said, pointing to the DHD. "Go for it."
"Uh-" Cam and Daniel said together.
"I don't think so, Princess," Cain shouted.
DG glared at Cain. "I can do this." She turned back to Sam and nodded. "Do it." Sam gave a concerned look to the rest of her team and they shrugged, not sure what was going on. Cain huffed and clenched his jaw.
'God, I hope I can do this,' she thought as her arms raised and her palms faced the gate. The walls shook as the ring continued to spin and DG had to blink as the dust swirled around her. "Now," Sam yelled and placed her hand on the red button.
DG closed her eyes as the blue light rushed toward her and she pushed back with everything she had. It only took a moment for the woosh of the vortex, but it seemed like an eternity to DG. As the vortex collapsed on itself, DG curled her arms back and stretched.
"There's some power behind that sucker," she said with a half-laugh. If Cain was mad at her for stepping in the middle of the gunplay, he was going to rip her a new one for that.
"That's not normal," Cam stated, as if DG didn't already know about her abilities.
"Because we're so used to seeing normal?" Daniel snapped, getting a look from Sam.
Sam stepped over to DG's side and gave the girl a look. "How did you do that?"
DG shrugged. "Same way I can do this," she said, holding out a hand and using the magic to pull the flashlight from Cam's hand. Letting it hover a few inches in front of him for a second, DG glanced back to Sam and shrugged again.
"Like I said," DG nodded to Sam. "If it has to do with this cave," she said, indicating the stone walls. "-it's me and my sister."
"Who's got the GDO?" Daniel asked, looking at the gate. Cain had moved over and was staring at the blue swirls, trying to wrap his brain around the fact the solid stone wall was no longer stone.
Or solid.
Teal'c stepped next to him and gave Cain a nod. "The technology is fascinating."
"And you walk through that?" Cain snorted, pointing to the event horizon. Teal'c gave him a single nod.
"This is Colonel Carter, come in SGC," Sam said into the walkie-talkie on her shoulder.
"We read you, Colonel," they heard Walter's scratchy voice reply. Sam looked up and SG-1 all nodded to each other. Cam nodded to Sam and she turned to pick up her pack.
"Walter, can you prepare a care package?" Daniel asked into his own walkie-talkie.
"Yes, Doctor Jackson," Walter replied. Daniel shook his head at the look from Sam and turned to DG.
"For your mother. It's a sort of diplomatic gesture when we meet a new race," he nodded.
"All goes well, I'll be back in a few minutes," she said with a grin. "You might want to clear the-" she said, motioning to the area surrounding the gate. DG leaned around Daniel to watch Sam disappear into the event horizon and she gave a look to Cain.
The gate shut off a moment later, plunging the cavern back into darkness and Cain and DG both moved over to the stone wall as Cam and Daniel moved the rest of the gear down the tunnel a bit.
"I'd say that's a new one, Princess," Cain said, looking to DG with a blank expression. DG mirrored the look and nodded, running a hand along the stone surface again. They both jumped at a clunking sound about five minutes later and were grabbed and Cam.
"Okay, kids, you can feel the wall later," he said, pulling them out of the danger zone. As the seventh chevron locked, DG and Cain saw the vortex push out as it was meant to and the color drained from both their faces. DG laughed nervously and turned slightly, just enough to see the murderous look on Cain's face.
A moment later, Sam came back through with a smaller pack on her shoulder and holding a dark box. "Guess who's back," she said with a cheeky grin, aimed at Daniel and Cam. Daniel huffed and dropped his head dramatically.
"Well, at least she didn't bring her along," Cam told Daniel, smiling because he new that if anyone wasn't going to hear the end of this one, it was Daniel.
"Guess who she called," Sam said with a forced smile as the gate shut off behind her.
"No," Daniel breathed. Sam nodded. "How did she get his number?"
"I don't know, Daniel," Sam shook her head. She lifted the box up to show to Daniel. "One care package." Daniel took the box from her and nodded for DG and Cain to follow him out of the cave. Teal'c and Cam picked up the rest of their gear and Sam grabbed Daniel's pack before following them outside.
"So this has a signature that we'll recognize. You just dial the gate, throw it in and we'll get back to you."
"Why throw it in?" DG asked, taking the offered box.
"We've got a... thing on the gate. It's a safety-measure and not a good way to die," Daniel said with a smile.
"I told General Landry about the DHD and he said that, as long as you want diplomatic procedures to proceed," she motioned to DG and Cain; DG nodded. "He'll authorize a crew to move the DHD."
Cam threw a look over his shoulder as they cleared the entrance to the cave and waved. "This place get a lot of traffic?"
"It does not appear so," Teal'c replied, taking in the surroundings. DG stopped and handed the box over to Cain then turned and faced the hole. Raising her hand, DG closed her eyes and mumbled something for a moment. Opening her eyes, DG dropped her hand and looked at SG-1.
"Only someone who's already been here will see it." She shrugged and shook her head. "Unless they're really looking, I mean." If it was good enough to hide the Grey Gale, it could protect the gate.
"When we get back to the jumper, I'll write down the gate address for you, just in case," Daniel offered. "Just make sure that you're backed up against the far wall," he half-laughed. DG nodded.
"We'll be back before then," Cam offered. "Unless some major catastrophe hits in the next week." Cain snorted and turned as Sam shoved Daniel's pack into his arms. Cam handed her rifle over and she took point, walking behind with Teal'c.
"The Daedalus arrives in Atlantis tonight, give or take a few hours," she announced. "Puts them back in Earth's orbit sometime next week, which should give you plenty of time to work on your sales pitch, Daniel."
Daniel rolled his eyes and turned as DG asked: "How will we know when you've come back? It's one thing to park your jumper in the garden when I'm along, but the guards might freak a little bit if you just show up."
"Oh," Sam said, shrugging the pack off her arm and holding it out for Cam to take, as he was closer. She nodded for him to pass it along to Daniel and said: "There's a walkie-talkie in there, and an extra battery. Also grabbed you the paper and a couple of-"
"Oh my God, Snickers!" DG shrieked and spun around with a smile. "Thank you, Colonel."
Sam smiled and replied: "I wasn't sure what you liked, and the mess was busy."
"Who wants some?" DG asked, holding the candy bar up. Daniel and Cam shook their heads and Teal'c simply smiled. DG broke off one end and tried to collect the drooping caramel before holding the piece out for Cain. "Oh, try it," she huffed and Cain finally took it.
"It's going to be at least a week, so I'd not even bother with the walkie-talkie until... Thursday. Of course, that's assuming the length of day here is the same as Earth..." Sam trailed off, beginning to run the math in her head.
"The two suns kinda jack everything up," DG said, covering her mouth as she chewed on the candy bar. "I haven't figured out the time change yet," she added with a shrug. "I'll turn it on in, like... six days." Cam and Daniel nodded and Sam smiled as she watched Cain snatch the candy bar from DG a moment later.
"Travel safe," DG said, hugging Sam. "And thank you for the Snickers," she added, which made Sam grin.
"No problem," she laughed. "I'll make sure there's a case when we get back."
"Make it Mister Goodbar and we're allies for life," DG informed her. Sam laughed again and nodded. She liked this girl.
Cain shook Cam and Daniel's hands then turned to Teal'c. "It's been a pleasure, gentlemen." Teal'c bowed his head slightly and smiled at DG as she and stepped over with Sam. Cain nodded to Sam again and DG gave them all a wave as SG-1 moved back into the jumper.
As the jumper lifted off the ground and moved farther away from Finaqua, Cain sighed. "I gotta say, kiddo," Cain started, his hand finding hers. "Life with you is never dull." DG smiled and leaned toward Cain to kiss him.
"Kinda shows up the whole week," DG said with a half-frown.
"I think we'll survive," Cain replied, pulling her into his arms and smiling.
"Well, there is one thing I wanted to do," DG informed him, pressing her lips to his jaw carefully.
"What's that?" Cain asked as his hands moved up her back.
"We have to wait for it to get dark," she sighed, kissing the same spot on the other side of his face.
"Why's that?"
DG pulled back and smiled. "Because it involves you, me and a swing."
Cain tried not to smile, as his mind went to only one possible place, but it was hopeless. "Really?" he asked, trying to seem oblivious. DG smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Indeed."
o
_/ \_
-a few weeks later-
"Mom," the Queen heard, and looked up from her stack of papers to see DG leaning into the doorway. "They're ready," she smiled. The Queen nodded and pushed herself up from the desk.
As the women stepped into the conference room, the Queen nodded to Cam and Daniel, recognizing them from the previous visit, but it was the silver-haired man at the end of the table who caught her eye.
He stood up as Daniel smacked him on the arm and straightened his jacket before giving the Queen a grin and holding his hand out. DG nodded to her mother and the Queen took his hand carefully.
"Jack O'Neill. It's a pleasure."
_____________
Talk to Steve, yo...