Fic, Stargate SG-1/Stargate Atlantis, Pegasus Happiness, PG-13
Title: Pegasus Happiness
Category: Drama, AU
Rating: PG-13
Characters: Sam, Martouf/Lantash, Sheppard
Pairings: Sam/Martouf/Lantash
Summary: Shortly after Sam arrived in Atlantis, she was attacked by a Wraith. Things did not go as could be expected, and that was not the only surprise to come.
Notes: Written for
tokra_kree round 6.
Combining these prompts:
194. SG-1/SGA, Samantha Carter, Sam in Atlantis. She is fed upon by a Wraith, but the naquadah in her blood means 1) she gets younger instead, by life being drained from the Wraith, 2) the Wraith dies, 3) by draining all the life from the Wraith, Jolinar is rejuvenated from some remnants that was left in Sam (I've seen fanfic have tendrils remain there)
207. SG-1/SGA, Samantha Carter/Martouf|Lantash, fun with timelines: Martouf & Lantash are alive and are members of the Atlantis Expedition... from the timeline where Atlantis floods as soon as the expedition sets foot in the city. Fortunately Martouf|Lantash is one of the people that escapes the doomed city in the time-travel jumper and end up ten thousand years in the past just before the Ancients evacuate the city. When the Ancients leave Atlantis, Janus has Martouf & Lantash stay behind in the stasis pod, coming out of stasis every 3300 years to rotating the city's ZPMs. That means that when the events of the episode "Before I Sleep" occur the new Atlantis Expedition discovers Martouf|Lantash in the stasis room instead of an aged Dr. Weir (being a Tok'Ra Martouf has aged much less while in stasis). Upon being awakened M&L learn that in the new timeline they died during the events of "Divide and Conquer" and that their beloved Samantha is a member of the current expedition.
Notes: tweaking the timeline a little, since Sam did not get to Atlantis until season 4, but the episode "Before I Sleep" is mid season 1. So, moving the events of "Before I Sleep" to early season 4 - and changing it to be Martouf/Lantash instead of Elizabeth Weir.
Notes: I assume they mean "resurrected" instead of "rejuvenated" in the prompt 194, part 3.
"Sam!" Sheppard shouts, when he sees a Wraith attack her. He tries to get to her to help, but is himself attacked. He manages to throw off the Wraith and shoot him, just as he sees Sam - and the Wraith - fall. "Damn!" He runs to her, and push the Wraith off her, then turns her over, prepared for the worst. "What the...?"
The rest of his team members have fought off and killed the remaining Wraith, and they run up to him.
"Colonel Carter?" Teyla asks, worried.
"Sam!" McKay exclaims, looking horrified noticing she is down and a Wraith is beside her. "Did it feed on her?"
"Yeah... or it tried to anyway." Sheppard shakes his head and touches Sam's neck to take her pulse. "She's alive - and something else..."
"Oh, my god!" McKay says. "She looks younger, doesn't she?"
"She does indeed," Teyla agrees.
"The Wraith is dead." Ronon kicked him, and turned him over.
"I have never seen this happen before!" Teyla says. "The Wraith tried to feed, but the victim was not drained of life - but the Wraith was."
"Yeah, it's not like it was when I got life back again," Sheppard agrees, kneeling beside Sam. "Sam?" He shakes her gently, but she does not respond. "She's out cold. We should take her back and let Doctor Keller take a look at her."
"Better bring the Wraith too - it looks... drained? Like life was sucked out of the Wraith instead," McKay says.
"I agree. Dial us home," Sheppard orders.
"The Wraith died from trying to feed on her?" Keller asks, as she examines the small abrasion above Sam's left breast, where the Wraith had latched on.
"Yes - and it died from it," Sheppard says. "The process was, reversed somehow, unintentionally I'm sure."
"Even when a Wraith gives life back to a victim, they never drain all their own life like this!" Teyla remarks.
Keller gently moved Sam's head from side to side. "Colonel Carter looks younger, as you say. I'd estimate... late twenties, maybe thirty."
"That shouldn't have drained the Wraith completely!" Sheppards insists.
"No, something else must have done that. I wonder why it worked like this at all." Keller frowns, looking at Sam's medical record. "She was a host, so she has naquadah in her blood. I wonder..."
"She is still unconscious. Will she be all right?" Teyla asks, worried.
"Yes, she seems fine. I think it's just the shock to her system that caused unconsciousness. She should wake up soon. I'll just run the Ancient medical scanner over her, to be sure she's fine," Keller says.
Suddenly Sam groans and shifts a little on the bed.
"Sam?" McKay asks, leaning closer.
She opens her eyes and looks at him. "Where am I?"
"Whoa!" McKay jumps back.
"Doctor?" Sheppard asks, looking at Keller.
"Why is she talking like that?" Teyla asks.
"She's a host!" McKay exclaims.
"A Goa'uld?" Sheppard looks unconvinced. "How would that have happened?"
"I am not a Goa'uld! I am a Tok'ra! My name is Jolinar of Malkshur!" Jolinar insists, sitting up.
McKay snaps his fingers. "That's... I've heard that name before. It was the name of the Goa'uld that infested Colonel Carter."
Jolinar flashes her eyes. "I told you I am not a Goa'uld!" She frowns. "This is not Stargate Command... and my host is a Captain..."
"Right! Right!" McKay says, "It happened years ago! But the symbiote died."
"Died? I am not dead!"
"Could, could whatever happened to Colonel Carter, could it have, uh, resurrected the... Tok'ra?" Sheppard asks.
Keller slow shakes her head. "I don't know. I'll examine her, them some more, and then give you an answer later. Hopefully."
"All right. I'll have four marines keep guard!" Sheppard says, before they leave the room. "And try to find out who if the symbiote is who she says she is."
"What do you have, Doctor?" Sheppards asks.
"Can you remove the parasite?" Ronon asks.
"First, Colonel Carter is awake, and I have talked to her," Keller says.
"Or so you think. Couldn't it be the symbiote tricking you?" McKay asks.
"It could, but I don't think so." Keller looks at Sheppard. "I have examined Colonel Carter, and she is completely healthy. No lingering problems from the failed feeding. Except that she is a good ten years younger."
"That's good." Sheppard says. "Any idea why this all happened?"
"I am pretty sure it was the naquadah. We already knew that it has some youth-protecting properties in humans - and symbiotes. Meaning it increases their lifespan somewhat. To Wraith it is quite different. It is not only highly toxic, but it interferes with their ability to feed."
"So if we inject people with naquadah, it would protect them against being fed on by Wraith?" Sheppard asks.
"I need to do some more tests, but yes, it certainly looks that way." Keller says.
"That is fantastic!" McKay says. "We should get started injecting people immediately!"
"We should wait until Doctor Keller has finished her examinations," Sheppard insists. "Anything else, Doctor?"
"No, that's all I have to report for now."
"So no risk Sam will go crazy like Ford did?" McKay asks.
Keller shakes her head. "No."
"There is one remaining side effect though - the parasite," Teyla points out.
"Yes. I have looked in Colonel Carter's medical records, and she has been infested with Goa'uld symbiotes twice. Once was a Tok'ra named Jolinar, and the other time was an infant Goa'uld clone. Anyway, in the second instance, the symbiote did not have time to insinuate itself in the brain stem before it was killed, so nothing of that remained. That was not the case for the first symbiote - even after it was dead and most of it was broken down by her body, Colonel Carter retained a small remnant of it in the form of tendrils in the brain stem. Since they posed no problem, it was decided not to try and remove them." Keller explains.
"That's where the parasite comes from? Those tendrils?" Ronon asks.
"It can regrow from that?" Teyla wonders.
"Yes, that is the only explanation. Most likely the largest part of the regenerative powers from the Wraith - the lifeforce it inadvertently infused Colonel Carter with - went into regenerating the symbiote."
"So she is this Jolinar of Malkshur?" Sheppard asks.
"Yes, I'd say that with 99.99% probability. It's the only possibility." Keller tells them.
"Okay - what now?" McKay asks.
"We get the Tok'ra out of her," Sheppards insists.
"Maybe not. As I said, I have talked to Colonel Carter. She is understandably a bit dazed by it all, but she did say that she wanted some time to see if she and Jolinar could get along." Keller says.
"Get along?" McKay exclaims. "Why would she want that? Assuming we're believing it is her!"
"I think we can assume it is Jolinar, Doctor. If that is the case, then she is Tok'ra. From what I understand, they do not suppress their hosts." Keller says.
"Do you think she can return to duty? Colonel Carter, I mean," Sheppard asks.
"If you're asking if she can be trusted, then that's not for me to say That is a military decision. I can't see any medical reason not to trust her. I do insist she take a few days off, also to get used to her new... house guest. And to make a decision on what to do about her." Keller says.
Sheppard nods. "Okay. Let's keep this under wraps for now. There will be time enough to contact Stargate Command in a few days, when she has made her decision."
"Are you crazy? They're the same as the Goa'uld! We should have Hermiod beam the symbiote out"!"
"I don't know much about the Tok'ra, and I wouldn't volunteer to be a host to one of them, but they are our allies!" Sheppard says, somewhat sharply. "We'll treat her like it! Can Colonel Carter be released to her quarters, Doctor?"
"Yes, as long as she agrees to return for a checkup tomorrow morning."
"No guards?" McKay asks, looking shocked.
"All right. One guard. But only until tomorrow or however long until Doctor Keller gives the all clear."
"Enter." Sam says from inside her quarters.
Sheppard enters and sees her quickly wiping her eyes. "Something wrong?"
"No, I'm fine." Sam insists, her eyes a little red, but she otherwise looks composed.
"Look, if you want, we can contact Stargate Command and have them contact the Tok'ra. If you need someone here to help - or if you've decided not to be a host to Jolinar."
Sam smiles a little and shakes her head. "No... I've decided to remain Jolinar's host. We need to talk to the Tok'ra eventually, yes, but with everything that's happened, there's no rush. I also suspect there will be a lot of trouble with Stargate Command - and even more with the IOA - when they learn I'm a host. Jolinar and I would like some time to get used to this before we tackle them."
Sheppard nods. "I understand. Probably a good idea." He looks searchingly at Sam. "Sure you shouldn't talk to Heightmeyer? This is a pretty unusual situation."
"It's not the first time for me, remember? Jolinar and I can handle this on her own. It's just a lot to take in - for her too. With all that's happened since she, ah, died."
"It's a very different Galaxy - we'll we're in the Pegasus Galaxy now, but you know what I mean. The situation in the Milky Way has changed a lot. The Goa'uld are gone. Well, mostly at any rate."
Sam nods. "Yes - and so are many of the Tok'ra. Her friends and loved ones. She only just learned of their deaths." She looks down.
"Of course. I didn't think of that. I'm sorry."
Sam bows her head, letting Jolinar take over control.
"You could not know, so there is no need for you to feel sorry."
"Jolinar."
She nods. "Yes. I must admit this was unexpected."
"No kidding! For us too! But I guess suddenly being not dead, and finding yourself in the future in another Galaxy must be pretty strange."
Jolinar smiles, a little bleakly. "Very much so." She takes a deep breath. "I do not remember dying, but Samantha has allowed me to go through her memories of that time and much of what has happened since then. Since she has agreed to stay my host, we will be blending, which means I will soon know it all much better."
"Well, that's... useful, I guess."
Jolinar nods, then dips her head and gives Sam control. She looks up. "It still feels strange - having another control your body, talk through you."
"You don't say! This is going to take some getting used to!"
"Well, maybe you won't have to. I'm not so sure the IOA are going to just let me keep my position here."
"I promise you I will speak on your behalf." Sheppard says.
Sam smiles. "Thanks, John." She sighs. "There is one more thing... and I need you to promise not to tell anyone this yet. Doctor Keller is the only one who knows aside from Jolinar and I."
"I promise. What is it?"
"Jolinar was not just resurrected... regrown. She was also, ah, transformed."
"Transformed? That sounds... alarming."
Sam shakes her head. "It's not. In fact it's fantastic, but it's maybe going to make things harder to accept for Stargate Command and the IOA. You see, Jolinar is now a queen."
"A queen? What do you mean?" Sheppard frowns.
"A, um, breeding queen. Meaning she can spawn symbiotes."
"Ah." Sheppard looks somewhat disturbed.
"Since the Tok'ra have not had a queen since Egeria died, this means they are no longer a dying race."
"Well, uh, that's, that's great. Tell her congratulations, I guess."
"Don't worry, she's not going to start spawning a bunch of symbiotes who then jump the first humans they see and take them as hosts - if that's what you're worried about."
"It may have crossed my mind, and that means it will be something that will worry others."
"I know. Which is why I am asking you to keep it quiet for now."
Sheppard nods. "I promise I won't say anything. Well, I better get back to work. Just say if you need anything - either of you."
"We will - and thanks."
A few days later. Teyla, Sheppard, and McKay are examining some labs that has been inaccessible for the entire time since their original arrival, since the area outside them had been flooded.
Sheppard walks over to a console and waves his hand over the top of it, activating it. More lights come on.
"Whoa, what's that?" McKay exclaims, pointing at an upright stasis capsule which has become illuminated.
"There is someone inside it," Teyla observes. "A man. Do you think he is an Ancient? He is wearing the same kind of clothing."
"Is he frozen?" Sheppard asks. "Alive?"
"Well, no, technically he's probably in a state of metabolic stasis, but he is alive. We have seen Ancient stasis before, remember. Aging is slowed considerably, but not completely suspended." McKay says.
"Well in that case he has either not been in there for long, or he was very young to begin with, because he doesn't look like he's older than thirty. At most," Sheppard says.
"I agree. That's strange, because as far as we know, no one has been to Atlantis between 10000 years ago when the Ancients left, and when we arrived here." McKay scratches his head. "Let me take a look at the console, because the stasis chamber actually looks a bit different. Perhaps this is an improved type. It could be very useful."
"Yes - if you feel like putting yourself in stasis for a prolonged period of time, I guess. Can't we just wake him up and ask him?" Sheppard suggests.
"Perhaps he will be more forthcoming than the other Ancients we have met."
"I kind of doubt that, but I agree we should wake him." McKay looks at the panels. "The lifesigns systems indicate he is healthy and that all is well. The data also seems to say he's been in there for ten thousand years. It's obviously an improved type of stasis. It also has a separate power source, which is why it could remain working with everything around it flooded."
"Well, revive him, then." Sheppard says.
"Should we not talk to Colonel Carter first? And should not a Doctor be present?" Teyla asks.
"Sam's not expected back from the SGC until later today." McKay points out. "And that's only if they accept her story and our reports and let her back."
"They would be stupid not to. Granted, that's never stopped them before." Sheppard grimaces. "But we should probably get a Doctor here, just to be safe. He might carry some sort of contagion, for instance."
They have moved the stasis chamber and its portable power source to the infirmary. The room has been sealed off in case the man in the chamber is carrying a contagion of some kind.
"All right, let's revive him. He'll probably be a bit confused for a few moments, but that should pass quickly." McKay says.
"Let me worry about that." Keller says.
McKay glances at the guards outside the glass door, and then gives the panel the command to revive the occupant of the stasis chamber. "Here goes..."
The young man in the stasis chamber slowly opens his eyes. He looks confused for a moment, then takes a deep breath and smiles. "Hello, Sheppard, McKay. It is good to see you." He looks around as he steps out of the chamber. "I would have thought, ah, the other me would be here."
"The other you?" Sheppard asks.
"You are not an Ancient?" Teyla asks.
"No, I am not. None of you recognize me?" He wrinkles his brows, clearly surprised. Worried, perhaps.
"No, we don't!" McKay says.
"You clearly recognize some of us, how can that be if you have been in the stasis for 10000 years?" Teyla asks.
He sighs. "Okay. My name is Martouf... Lantash. In short, I was part of this expedition to Atlantis, and I'm a Lieutenant in the US Air Force. I time travelled to the distant past - by accident."
"Time travelled. Is that truly possible?" Teyla asks.
"Yes, and there are several documented instances where SG-1 travelled back in time," McKay says.
Martouf nods. "What year is this? I should have been revived immediately you arrived and the city awakened, but something tells me that did not happen."
"No - I am quite sure it didn't, because today is October 30th 2007, and we arrived here on July 16th 2004," McKay tells him.
"I do not understand what could have gone wrong." Martouf frowns.
"Listen, this is all well and good, but we don't know you, and we really need to contact Stargate Command and see if they have heard of you," Sheppard says. "And then we can debrief when the Colonel have time to be there."
"I can do a DNA test if Stargate Command recognizes him and have something to compare with," Keller says. "However, first I would like to examine you more thoroughly, Martouf. 10000 years in stasis has got to have an effect."
"Yes, I'm very interested in that too," McKay says. "All the instances of stasis we have come across have not had aging suspended completely, which this seems to have."
"Indeed. That is the case for the original version of the stasis chambers, which were constructed by the Ancients. However, the version used by the Tok'ra - and the Goa'uld - has been improved and does not have that flaw. The Tok'ra shared the stasis technology with the Tau'ri, so you should be aware of it."
"Not to my knowledge they didn't!" McKay says.
"That's another difference then," Martouf observes.
"The Tau'ri?" Teyla asks.
"Another name for people from Earth," McKay says. "So I gather you fixed the stasis before using it?"
"Naturally. As it is now, no time passes for the occupant."
"Well, that explains why you're still young," Sheppard says.
"Yes it does - not that I would have aged noticeably in the Ancient version of stasis either, of course."
"And why is that?"
Martouf frowns, then nods. "Of course, you do not know. Because I am Tok'ra." He dips his head briefly.
"Hello. My name is Lantash. I am pleased to meet you."
"Um, hello," Sheppard says.
"Oh, god," McKay says.
"Okay, McKay - you figure out what has happened while Doctor Keller check up on our new friend here," Sheppard orders, then leaves the room.
"So we have a guest? Someone that was found in a stasis chamber?" Sam asks of Sheppard, who has given her a very brief summary when she arrives back from Earth.
"Yes. We are currently in the process of examining him and figuring out what has happened."
"But he isn't an Ancient?"
"No, he is not. He is..." Sheppard begins, when Ronon walks up to them and interrupts them.
"Welcome back, Colonel Carter. Will you be allowed to continue as the Commander of this place?"
"Ronon, yes, I will. The IOA were not exactly happy, and neither were Stargate Command, but since we are currently making an attempt at bettering the relationship with the Tok'ra - because we need them to keep an eye on the many small Goa'uld appearing all the time - it was decided it was unwise to remove me from my position."
"I guess it wouldn't have looked good." Sheppard smiles.
"No, it wouldn't." Sam smiles. "They haven't managed to contact the Tok'ra yet, though. With the state the alliance is in, it may take some time. They would get in touch with me when they succeeded."
Sheppard nods. "Okay."
McKay comes up to them. "Ah, Sam - good to see you back! All went well?"
Sam nods. "Yes, I'm still in charge, if that's what you mean."
"Good. Good. Now, I've been looking through the data from just when we arrived, and the systems were supposed to revive our guest the moment we got here. It even tried to, but since the area around it was flooded, it was completely cut off. It was using the separate power source it had, so the power was not cut, which was lucky, or he might have been killed. But it also did not receive any command from the central systems."
They were walking towards the infirmary, where their guest still remained, while Keller was checking if they could get confirmation of who he was.
"Have Keller determined if he is who he says he is? And who that person is here, because things seems to be somewhat different," Sheppard says.
"There are some changes, yes. Actually, the moment he went back in time, a separate reality was created, with a second version of him. According to one of many interpretations of quantum theory. I mean, simply put, this interpretation states that, uh, the universe is in fact split into an infinite number of copies of itself in which every possible outcome to every decision ever made all exist somewhere in this infinitely layered multi-universe." McKay rambles.
"Yes, thank you, Rodney. We've already experienced that - several times. It's not just theoretic anymore. It hasn't been, for a long time." Sam remarks.
"Well I was just explaining it! For the benefit of Sheppard!" McKay complains, as they enter the infirmary.
"I hear we have a guest. Can I meet him?" Sam asks when she spots Doctor Keller. She has barely said it, before she freezes, sensing a symbiote.
"Yes, he's back there, typing up a report on his experiences - and he promised he would include data on how the stasis chamber was modified too. I finished examining him, and he's cleared to leave," Keller says.
"Samantha?" Martouf says, sticking his head out from the other room, looking at her with surprise. "You are alive?"
"Martouf!" Sam stares at him, shocked.
Her eyes flash, and Jolinar take over. "Martouf, beloved!" She smiles widely and closes the distance between them in a few quick steps, then throws her arms around him.
Unsure of who the symbiote is, Martouf freezes. "Who... are you?"
Reluctantly she relaxed her hold on him and pulled back a little. She sighs. "I apologize, you cannot know. I am Jolinar."
"Jolinar!" Martouf exclaims, then smiles widely. "My Jolinar, alive!" He pulls her to him and hugs her hard. "I had not dared hope for such a change in the timeline!" he mumbles against her, overwhelmed with emotion.
"Okay, they obviously know each other!" Sheppard comments to McKay, grinning.
"Yeah..." McKay looks unhappily at the hugging and kissing couple - or foursome, or whatever. His expression is decidedly disappointed as he turns back to Sheppard. "Uh, I was going to go and... eat. Yes."
"Well, seems Colonel Carter can give us the proof for who he is, so I think I'll join you and let the happy couple have some time alone!"
They turn around and leave.
"We thought you were dead too. In fact, my Samantha tells me that you are dead in this timeline." Jolinar tells Martouf, when they finally let go of each other for a little while. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you. Samantha as well."
Lantash had taken over during the embrace and kiss, and smiles at her. "It would seem many things are different here, but fortunately it does not appear the important things are." He looks to Keller. "May we leave?"
"Eh, yes, of course. I've checked you out, and you're healthier than anyone else I ever examined. I need you back for formalities when we get blood samples from Stargate Command, to verify your identity, but I think we can assume that Colonel Carter has verified it for now."
Jolinar bows her head and gives Sam control. She blushes a little, since she is standing there with Lantash holding her close, in the middle of the infirmary. "Yes. I know Martouf and Lantash. Um, quite well. I can vouch for them."
"Okay, you're free to go then, both of you. Um, all four of you, I guess." Keller smiles.
"Good, thanks." Sam takes Lantash's hand. "Because I think we have a lot to talk about."
"Yes, we do. And not just talk!" He winks at her.
Sam feels herself flush again, and she 'hears' Jolinar giggle. It is going to be an interesting life!
The end for now. I intend for this to be the start of a series of fics with Tok'ra in Atlantis, but let's see how it goes!