Fiction > Het Fic > Novels > Honor Amongst Thieves (Original Version)

Honor Amongst Thieves (Original Version) by Cleo the Muse
Rating: Older Kids
Genre: Het (Daniel/Vala), AU, Action/Adventure, Drama, Humor, Romance
Warnings: Some foul language (though nothing too severe), some questionable comments from Vala, and (since some folk don't like him) Jonas Quinn.
Episodes: Nothing's sacred. Basically, any episode which has either Daniel or Vala in it (and maybe a few which don't), so... the first movie through season ten?
Synopsis: Vala Mal Doran steals a cargo ship, but wrecks it on a backwater little farm planet whose people don't even speak a dialect she can understand. Fortunately, there is a stranger living among them who is able to translate. He arrived on that planet in a flash of light only months before, and has yet to remember who he is. When a conversation with the incorrigible thief leads him to remember his name, Daniel agrees to travel with her through the Stargate to find his past.
Notes: Loosely based on Ael L. Bolt's "Five Daniels That Weren't: The Third Daniel - Pirate". Now, the part that might REALLY send you for a loop is that I wrote and posted a chapter EVERY WEEKDAY for three months to get this plot bunny to stop nibbling on me!
Status: Completed as of May 16, 2007
Disclaimer: See The Fine Print.  I don't own Stargate... it owns me *eg*.

Ch. 1-10      Ch. 11-20      Ch. 21-30      Ch. 31-40      Ch. 41-50      Ch. 51-60      Ch. 61-70

Honor Amongst Thieves

"The highest compact we can make with our fellow is
'Let there be truth between us two forevermore.'"
—Ralph Waldo Emerson, The Conduct of Life

Chapter 1

"That's just great!"

The simple, disgusted outburst broke the silence after all the noises of the crash-landed ship had faded. Hands on her hips, Vala Mal Doran surveyed the crumpled nose of the tel'tak, shaking her head.

"They just don't make 'em like they used to," she sighed, crossing her arms over her chest and looking around her. "Note to self: the next time you liberate an unattended cargo ship, make sure it works first!"

At least it had gotten her to a habitable planet which supposedly had a Stargate, according to the navigational computer. Unfortunately, she had no idea how far away the transportation device was, as the computer had oh-so-kindly decided to fail shortly after she entered the planet's atmosphere. The naquada running through her blood seemed to indicate it wasn't far, though she couldn't tell in what direction. There was just enough of the mineral in the soil to confuse the homing sense leftover from the Goa'uld which had inhabited her up until a few years ago.

Her stolen ship had put down—more "crashed" than "landed"—in a thicket of skinny conifers, the short trees having made for a bumpy but less-abrupt stop than bare earth would have afforded. Unfortunately, the offending flora was too tall to see over and too springy to effectively climb, meaning she was either going to have to stay at her ship until someone found her or strike out on her own and hope she encountered one of the villages she's seen dotting the landscape as she made planet-fall. Sighing, she stepped back into the ship's hatch and grabbed the simple satchel in which she carried the tools of her trade. Opening one of the engine consoles, she began methodically stripping control crystals from key systems, knowing the parts would sell well once she returned to a space-faring world.

As Vala stepped back out of the darkened confines of the non-functional ship, she realized that she was no longer alone. She briefly considered removing the pistol from her thigh holster, but just as quickly decided that maybe she'd give these people a chance to prove their intent first. "Come on out! I'm not going to hurt you!" There was a brief rustling in the thick brush, but no forms emerged. "My name's Vala, and I'm looking for the Stargate."

A male voice called out through the trees, but not in a language Vala recognized. "I'm sorry, I don't understand," she replied, then switched to Goa'uld. "Kel sha! Tal'mac Vala. Ta'noc kree chappa'ai?"

They didn't seem to understand that, either, but two lanky, spear-wielding men stepped out of the undergrowth, moving cautiously toward her. They were clad in the simple, homespun fabrics common to practically every planet in the galaxy, though their hooded capes and boots seemed to be made of dyed animal skins. They were of average height for most humans of the galaxy—the taller was only a few fingers above her own height—with thin, craggy features. She held out her hands in surrender. "Look, can you just take me to your village? A'roush? Uh... Kario?"

"Kha'reo?" the shorter of the two men asked, changing the first syllable into the little throat-noise that always reminded Vala of a spitting cat.

"Kha'reo," she smiled. It wasn't often that she voluntarily remembered tidbits from Qetesh's past, but this time the Goa'uld's long-time association with Athena seemed to be paying off. Clearly, this planet had once belonged to Cronus or another of the descendants of the Goa'uld queen Tethys. "Me... porte... kha'reo sash?"

Their faces split into grins. "Elat." She couldn't be sure if that was a good thing or not, but at least their spears wavered. At her confusion, the speaker made a "come on" gesture, turning back toward the trees and soon disappearing. At the head nod "after you" from the second hunter, Vala pressed the button to close the cargo ship's hatch and set off after the first man.

Neither local seemed surprised to see her or the tel'tak, which immediately brightened Vala's hopes of finding a way off this planet before the previous owner of the downed spacecraft came looking for it. Surely such familiarity with Goa'uld technology indicated a reasonable amount of experience with offworlders, perhaps even close proximity to the Stargate. Of course, that could be a bad thing if this particular world was now a part of Baal's ever-expanding domain... but why dwell on the unknown?

After nearly an hour's walk, the undergrowth cleared, giving way to a field of early summer grains not yet tall enough to obscure her view of the stone buildings of the village ahead. Stacked as much as three stories high and clustered tightly, the structures wouldn't have been out of place on any number of worlds. No matter how many planets she visited, it was always nice to see swathes of familiarity, and she thanked the long-forgotten First World for spawning such a spread of creatively-challenged children.

A welcoming party awaited the return of the hunters, more spear-wielding villagers standing by in case Vala should decide to be foolishly reckless and attack the lot. At the fringes of the greeters were women and children, easing her brief fear that this might be one of those ludicrously un-enlightened worlds that didn't allow women to be seen. She'd accidentally stumbled across one of those in her early forays free of Qetesh, and had to muster a great deal of cunning and an unusual amount of patience to win her way free.

She couldn't understand what was being said, but no one seemed to be making any threatening gestures. Actually, the shorter of the two hunters was pointing at her, but he seemed to be indicating her fair skin and blue-gray eyes—traits which the swarthier natives did not share. The gray-haired man standing at the center of the welcoming committee said something which vaguely sounded like the Tethysian word for "sky" and looked upward, which sparked a round of laughter from the assemblage.

Unsure whether to smile or not, Vala cleared her throat and was about to mangle another request to be taken to the Stargate, when a new voice replied to the leader's comment. This prompted an answer from the gray-haired man, who then gestured to the unseen figure. Vala turned to her right to see the gathered villagers part slightly to allow passage of the tallest of any local she'd seen yet. He was a full hand taller than she, which made him stick out among his fellows, especially as he wore a deep straw hat to shade his face.

The leader spoke again, this time asking something which Vala didn't quite catch. "I'm sorry," she began, spreading her hands, "but I don't understand you."

"He asked if you were friend to Demetta or foe," the tall one translated in a clear, strong voice. Vala blinked in surprised, turning to look at him and noting the villagers were doing the same. He rattled something off in their language, shrugging apologetically.

"That depends," she began, glancing around. "Which is likely to get me safely to the chappa'ai?"

His arms crossed his chest. "Uh, 'friend' would. They haven't seen Demetta in over a thousand moons, so don't really know what the Goa'uld are like."

"What are the Goa'uld like?" she asked, curious.

He shrugged again. "How would I know?"

Vala frowned. "But you just said they 'don't really know what the Goa'uld are like'. That implies you know what they're like."

"Don't you?"

"Don't I what?"

He sighed. "Okay, let's start over again. I'm called Theadan. This village is Makosis, and its leader is Atrus. The two men who brought you here are Darian and Eschius."

She offered her most winning smile. "Pleased to meet you, Theadan! I am Vala Mal Doran."

"So... what brings you crashing to this planet, Vala Mal Doran?" he asked.

"It was an emergency landing," she corrected, mind already working swiftly to fabricate a suitable story. "My ship was badly damaged by an ion storm, and I just barely managed to make it safely to this lovely planet. I pulled some of the parts in need of repair and am hoping to take them through the Chappa'ai so I can return and fix my ship. I have a deadline to meet... I'm carrying some very important cargo which is supposed to be on another planet in a matter of days, so as quickly as possible, if you don't mind."

"Hmm," he answered in a non-committal manner, hesitating before translating her statement back to Atrus. Upon receiving replies from the leader and the shorter hunter, he grimaced and turned back to her. "Darian's agreed to lead us to the Circle of Stars—uh, Stargate tomorrow morning."

"Us?"

"Yeah... they think I should go with you since I speak your language," Theadan sighed, arms tightening against his body.

"Why do you speak my language?" she asked.

"Uh... I don't know?"

Vala crossed her arms in a deliberate mirror of his pose. "How can you not know?"

His arms dropped. "Because I don't? Look, uh, I have no memory of my life before I woke up on this planet, so just drop the interrogation, okay?" At a question from one of the villagers, he responded with another self-conscious hunching of his shoulders. Atrus stepped up to his side and gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder, speaking at length and indicating Vala with a wave of his hand.

"What was that about?"

Theadan sighed. "They think you could help me figure out who I am. I've tried before to explain what an infinitely vast universe it is out there, but these people don't quite grasp the concept."

"But you do," she countered.

"Yeah. I guess I do." He pointed upward. "Anyway, the sun will be setting in just a few candles, so you're welcome to spend the night."

Vala quirked a grin. "With you?"

She was sure he was blushing beneath the straw hat. "N-no! Uh, there's a residence for, um... unmarried women."

"A whorehouse?"

"No!" he cried out. "Uh... more like a boarding school? A dormitory? And don't ask me what either of those things mean, I'm just saying what comes to mind."

"That will work," Vala agreed. "That is, if you're saying what I think you're saying." Just as she was about tease him again by asking where he stayed, a distant horn sounded: two short blasts followed by a long one.

"Crap," Theadan muttered. Atrus began shouting directions as the villagers split off and dashed about madly. A few of the orders were directed at Theadan, and he nodded in response.

"What's going on?"

He stepped over to her and gently took her arm. "The horns tell us when the Stargate is activated. Just in case there are Jaffa, you and I need to hide in the root cellar of the travelers' hall."

"Why?"

Theadan blew out a breath. "Because our height, light-colored skin, and pale eyes kinda give us away as foreigners."

Now that he was close enough for her to see into the shadows of his hat, Vala realized his irises were an intense sky blue, set in a handsome, strong-jawed face.

He definitely was not from around here.

Chapter 2

"Oh," she replied simply, allowing him to lead her toward the tallest building in the village. "How long do we have to hide?"

"Until the all-clear is sounded," he answered. "That took almost a week last time, and the villagers kidded me about smelling like milret for a long time."

"Milret?"

"A very stinky root."

"Ah. Well, I hope it's not very long this time, because the last thing I need is a Jaffa patrol finding my ship."

"Yeah, that would suck," he answered. He licked his lower lip. "May I ask you a question, Vala Mal Doran?"

"Just Vala, please," she smiled. "Go ahead."

He opened the door to the travelers’ hall and ushered her inside the surprisingly cool building, grabbing a lantern from the entryway. Flipping back the woven rug on the floor, he dug his fingers into a groove and lifted a cleverly-disguised trapdoor. "Do you know what 'release your burden' means?"

Vala shook her head. "Sell all your loot?" His grimace spoke all-too-clearly what he thought of her guess as he cautiously climbed down the long ladder into the pitch-black cellar. After he reached the bottom and lit his lantern, she quickly followed after, guessing the villagers would see to concealing the entrance. They were perhaps twice her own height below-ground, long rows of hanging herbs bringing the already-close ceiling almost uncomfortably low. She guessed the space between the building's floor and the cellar's ceiling was likely filled with earth to muffle the sound, though she had no way to test her theory at the moment.

If she was uncomfortable with the head-room, Theadan was miserable. He'd removed the silly straw hat and was bent over, hunching his shoulders as he passed through the dangling roots to a small living area closed off from the main chamber by wooden partitions. There was a table, two cots, and even a small fire place. She guessed the curtained-off corner was for personal needs.

"'Sell all my loot'?" Theadan repeated, flopping heavily onto one of the two cots. "No, that can't be it."

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, it's one of the few things I remember from... before. There's a woman's voice, and she says 'release your burden'."

"Ex-girlfriend? I've gone with a few so-called 'men' who couldn’t release their burdens."

"No, I get a sense of... maternal encouragement." His thick brows knitted.

"Well, in my experience," Vala grinned, depositing herself on the cot beside him, "their mothers were usually the burden they needed to release!"

Theadan shot her an amused look. "Got a thing for Momma's Boys?"

"Why? Are you one?" As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them. "Oh, sorry... I didn't mean—"

"It's okay," he smiled in that sad, self-deprecating way of his. "To be honest, I get the impression I was stubbornly independent."

"Was?"

"Am. I figure some things never change, right?"

Vala laughed, then stifled the noise. "I guess we need to be quiet while we're stuck down here?"

"Nobody's come to close up the trapdoor yet, but yeah," he replied.

"Damn, that means we can't pass the time by having sex." When his face flamed, she had to smother another laugh. "You're not a prude are you, Theadan?"

"Uh... not exactly, no... but I don't think I was ever used to women being very... um, bold?" He'd shifted the distance of a few fingers away as he spoke.

"Well, the women of your world must be blind if they weren't chasing you like hiel'nas in heat."

"Um... funny you should say that, when my vision's not really all that great."

Vala blinked. "You can't see?"

"I can't see clearly," Theadan corrected. "I'm fine by day, for the most part, but I have to get pretty close to stuff in the dark. I get... distracted by bright sources of light. If someone's walking toward me with a torch, I won't see his face until he's about two arm-spans away."

"All the more reason for us to stick very close together," she teased, laying a hand on his upper thigh. He yelped, jumping straight up and banging his head on a low beam. With a pained moan, he fell back on the mattress, clutching his head. "Sorry, Theadan!" While his reactions to her advances were quite amusing, she hadn't meant for him to get hurt.

"Dan," he whispered after a long moment, uncurling his body a little.

Caught up as she was in admiring what seemed to be solid muscle beneath the rough cloth of his shirt and trousers, she missed what he said. Hmm?"

"Dan," he repeated, peeking at her with one lash-filtered eye. "I don't know what my real name is, but 'Dan' is better than 'Theadan'."

"I thought 'Theadan'—"

"—Is the name the people who found me gave me when they discovered I couldn't remember my own name. It means 'god given', since they say I fell from the sky." He squinted up at her. "Actually, that's what they were laughing about earlier. I appeared in a flash of lightning, and the sound of your ship crashing was similar to thunder. Atrus joked that he was waiting for it to start raining sky-eyed children."

She trilled her tongue in a purring sound. "We could give it a good start..." It was her turn to yelp, as he suddenly surged off the bed, scooping her up under the knees and shoulders and dropping her on the other cot unceremoniously. "You caveman, you!"

"Just knock it off," he moaned, returning to his own bed and wrapping his arms around his head.

"Sure, Dan." She sprawled out on her stomach, propping her chin up on her palm as she stared at him. "You don't strike me as a ‘Dan’."

"Yeah, well 'Theadan' sounds like a king or something... and I'm sure I wasn't a king."

"Maybe you just judge yourself too harshly."

He frowned. "Well, obviously somebody else judged me pretty harshly, too. Why else would I have had my memory stripped and dumped naked on some planet in the middle of nowhere?"

"Naked?"

"Forget I said that part."

Vala grinned. "Not on your life." He heaved a sigh in response. "Where my people come from, we call variants of the language the locals of this world speak 'Tethysian', after the Queen Goa'uld who spawned the gods of the region."

"You don't say."

"Where I come from, the native language is called 'Atiratu', after the Queen of that particular family. Anyway, my name in that language means 'woman of god', which is a quite ironic name if you knew the whole story."

"Which I'm sure I'm going to get to hear, huh?" he replied sarcastically, now massaging his temples.

"Not this time," Vala promised. "As I was saying, there's a name in Atiratu which suits you: Dana'en. It means 'I am judged'."

He snorted. "Funny. And I suppose you—" He bolted upright, a look of intense introspection on his face. "God is my judge."

"No, 'I am judged'. You may be the hotshot at the local lingo, but—"

He shook his head. "That's not what I meant. My real name means 'God is my judge'. My real name is Daniel."

Chapter 3

"Dan-yel," Vala repeated slowly. "That works, I suppose."

Theadan... no, Daniel blinked at the strange woman. "I guess it does. There's more to it than that, I know, but 'Daniel' is a start."

"You see?" she beamed. "I'm a good influence."

That he doubted. His head was still throbbing where he'd struck the beam, so he resumed gently rubbing the sore spot. "The knot on my head says otherwise."

"Shall I kiss it better?"

"No." He wondered if she was like this with everyone, or if it had just been a really long time since she'd seen another light-eyed male. It couldn't be just him, as the unmarried Makosin women giggled when they saw him and the older ones called him 'exotic'. In the four moons since he had awakened in a fallow field not far from where Vala's ship crashed, he'd endured continuous teasing over the way his skin turned red in the sun and his hair lightened to the color of summer grain. He'd begun wearing the floppy hat so he wouldn't sunburn, but the women especially still enjoyed joking that he was "ripening" just loudly enough so he could hear them.

Daniel tensed as the door to the travelers' hall swung open. "Theadan, the horn of clearing has sounded," Atrus called. "You and the lady are welcome to come out... unless you are enjoying yourselves!"

"Funny. We're coming out," Daniel promised. He turned to Vala, switching to the language which sounded more natural to his own ears than the one he'd spoken since he awakened. "The all-clear's been sounded. Let's get out of here and get some supper."

"By all means," she replied, "let's." She stepped over to the cot he was sitting on and lifted her satchel. As she swung it carefully over her shoulder, it made a quiet clinking noise, like stones rattled together.

"What did you say you had in there again?"

"Parts for my ship," she answered, twisting around and tugging the drawstring to open it. "They will look like crystals to your eyes, but they're the parts I need to make repairs."

Taking the slender rod in his hand, he had a sudden flash of memory. He was standing in a gold room, watching as someone else's hands opened a panel in the wall, revealing a row of similar crystals of differing colors. Just as abruptly, the vision faded, and he furrowed his brow in confusion. "This crystal isn't broken."

"No, but it needs to be replaced."

"You don't have to replace them unless they are cracked, clouded, or melted," he countered, knowing it for truth even as the words left his lips. "You're not really intending to repair the ship, are you?"

Vala stared at him. "And just how do you know that?"

He would take her response for confirmation. "I don't know. Probably the same way I speak your language?"

She plucked the crystal out of his hand. "I wonder what else is in that head of yours. Know where any good treasure maps are?"

"Sorry, fresh out."

Giggling girlishly, she closed her bag. "Give me a call if you find one."

Daniel grabbed the lantern and stood, careful not to smack his head against the ceiling beams again. "Actually..."

"What?"

"I was thinking of leaving with you."

She slipped her arm through his and leaned against him, batting her eyelashes. "I knew you liked me!"

Despite himself, he chuckled. "No, I don't, but I've remembered more things about my past in the last candle than I have in four moons."

"I told you," she grinned, releasing his arm so she could climb the ladder. "I'm a good influence!"

Atrus was waiting for them on the main floor, giving Daniel a wicked grin as he stepped out of the shaft and closed the trapdoor. "Have a good time?"

"Not quite," he answered. "She is argumentative and annoying."

"You could not keep your hands off her?"

He snorted. "The opposite. She would not stop touching me."

"What do I tell you, Eranos?" the older man laughed, calling Daniel by his personal nickname, "Sky". Atrus had settled on it as a dual reference to both his arrival on the planet and the color of his unusual eyes. "The girls at Helena's tease you because they like what they see!"

Daniel sighed. "Speaking of Helena... Could someone show Vala to a room at her house? I thought it best if she stayed with the other unmarried women tonight, rather than the travelers' hall."

"Of course," Atrus agreed. Opening the door, he called out to one of Helena's own daughters, Ithena, asking her to escort the strange woman to the boarding house so she could leave her satchel of "parts" and wash up for dinner.

Turning to Vala, Daniel relayed the instructions. When she left in the company of Ithena, he sighed with relief. "Irritating as she is, when she leaves in the morning, I will go with her."

Atrus nodded. "That is good. Darian was hoping you would walk with him as you speak her language."

"I think it is also my language," he admitted. "Remember in the first moon, how strange my accent was to you?"

The gray-haired leader chuckled, sitting down on the bench just outside the travelers' hall and leaning against the wall. "Your accent is still strange to me."

Daniel rolled his eyes, taking the other end of the bench for himself. "True. But I also had difficulty with many words. I know now that my challenge was that I was not speaking my native tongue. The words come easily with Vala, as though they are already there and do not need to be learned."

"You think she is of your people?"

Gazing at the front door of Helena's house, he shrugged. "I have my doubts—our accents are very different—but I do not truly know. What I do know, though, is that in talking to her this last candle, I have regained a very important memory and had another vision."

Atrus nodded. "That is very good! What did you remember?"

"The vision was not clear," he explained, "but I seemed to recognize one of the parts for Vala's ship. More importantly, though, I have remembered my true name, or at least part of it: Daniel."

"Da-nee-el," the village leader repeated carefully. "I like it, Eranos. What does it mean?"

"'God is my judge,'" he answered, "which might be surprisingly accurate, given the state and manner in which I arrived here. Maybe I offended my god?"

"You sound as though you do not believe that."

Daniel grimaced. "Actually, I do not think I ever believed in gods."

Atrus lifted an eyebrow. "A man without a god could therefore not be judged by one. Who then passed such a judgment upon you?"

"Maybe Vala is correct," he sighed. "Perhaps I judged myself."

"Now that I believe. You never see your own gifts, Eranos, though we named you a gift from Tseus himself." Atrus clapped his shoulder. "When you say you are to go with Vala on the morrow, do you mean to travel to the Circle of Stars and back again, or to travel with her through the Circle?"

"Through the Circle," Daniel answered, biting his lip. "I have remembered so little of substance in four moons, and I fear it is because I do not belong here." He wrapped his arms around himself. "I have long believed I was stripped of memory as punishment for some serious misdeed, but my judge did not wish me harm. I was left here to remain in safety."

"Even so, Da-nee-el," Atrus began, "I can think of no greater sentence for you than denying you answers. You are always so full of questions! Remember how you were with the traveling minstrels? I do not believe you to have ever been anything but a good man, and I'll not hear you say another word further on that matter."

Daniel smiled. "As always, you know such polite ways to tell me to shut up."

"I have four daughters and a wife... I hear enough complaining at home!" He chuckled. "'Oh, Papi, Theadan does not smile at me when I walk by!' 'Oh, Papi, Theadan did not talk to me when he helped me carry water from the river!'"

The younger man blushed, unsure how to respond. "Are you certain they are complaining?"

"Oh, yes... all evening long," Atrus confirmed, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "I do not know what it is that makes you refuse to see the good in yourself, Eranos. You are as tall and broad at the shoulder as almost any Jaffa, yet you do not think yourself strong. Your features are not displeasing to the young ladies, yet you think yourself unattractive. Maybe this Vala will help you to find not only your true self, but the belief in yourself, as well."

Daniel swallowed. "Then I leave with your blessing?"

The village leader sighed. "Melia, the girls, and I will miss you, Da-nee-el, and I doubt there is anyone in Makosis who would not say the same. You have been as a son to me, Eranos, and at other times, a younger brother—most especially when I tease you about your fair coloring, or when you wield that sharp wit at my expense. I will never forget the day you appeared to Darian, Eschius, and me. You were so lost and alone, a giant of a man compared to us, yet weak as a babe... speaking in strange tongues and shivering with the cold. Though you knew nothing of yourself, you gave me your trust, calling me 'Zhek', though you did not know what that word meant."

"I still do not," Daniel admitted.

"Yet it was the first thing you would say when you awoke from a terrible dream, as though the word or name brought you solace. I am pleased you let me be the 'Zhek' you needed those first days, and pleased that I could be of comfort."

Daniel remembered those first days, how he would wake from sleep with the ghost of terror causing his heart to race, yet having no recollection of the nightmare itself. The feelings they provoked remained though, haunting him with a maelstrom of sorrow, anger, pain, fear, and shame. Though not as frequent as they had once been, the dreams still came to him some nights; they were the reason he knew, deep inside, he'd committed some grave error or unspeakable evil and been exiled, naked of body and mind.

"Vala is a wise woman to see so soon that your most critical judge is yourself," Atrus continued, finally lowering his hand from Daniel's shoulder. "After witnessing you leap into the flooded river to save young Mikos last moon, I find it hard to believe you could be afraid of anything, yet you continuously worry about your past. Face your fear, Da-nee-el: rediscover who you are. Judge yourself fairly with all the facts before you."

The younger man swallowed heavily. "My greatest fear is that if I finally discover my past, I will not like the person I was. That I do not have it within myself to atone for whatever sin I have committed."

Atrus clicked his tongue against the inside of his teeth. "Eranos, I see before me a good man. Travel to the stars with this woman who speaks your language. I believe with all my heart that you will find in yourself not only a good man, but a great one. Yet should you not find any answers out there," he continued, gesturing at the stars twinkling against the darkening sky, "know that you will always have a place with the people of this village."

Daniel could feel tears prickling his eyes, but he resolutely withheld them. "I pledge to return if I find nothing," he vowed. "I also pledge to return if I discover the good man in whom you believe, even if it is for but a short visit. I could never repay you or anyone else here for the kindness you have shown me these last four moons."

"Your safe return is payment enough," Atrus smiled gently. He rose to his feet, cupping Daniel's cheek affectionately. "It does not matter if your past returns—though I certainly hope it does—nor does it matter if it be fair or ill. And for the love of Demetta, Eranos, accept the affections of a fine woman! I still wait for my rainstorm of sky-eyed babes!"

Chapter 4

The next morning, Daniel woke to find the village in frantic motion. Although the notice had been short, the people were determined to give him a farewell party. Dressing, he packed his meager belongings—a change of clothes and the small box of wooden carvings he'd made to keep his hands occupied while his thoughts leapt about like a festival dancer. He'd given most of the figures he'd created to the village children, but a small few held a trace of significance to the elusive shadows in his mind. The lack of luggage didn't bother him any, though, and he got the impression he'd packed up and left many times in his forgotten life.

He wondered if maybe that was why he was having such a difficult time remembering: he'd never been one to cling to his own past. Now, the past in general interested him, as he'd discovered when a troupe of traveling entertainers visited Makosis within Daniel's first moon in the village. He'd hung on every word and gesture as the master bard wove epics and sagas into living, breathing stories, discovering later that he'd committed the tales to memory with little effort, though not quite word-for word. Still, the elderly storyteller had been impressed, inviting Daniel to apprentice with him. Still new to the world, the language, the people, and himself most especially, Daniel declined, but the bard asked him to decide carefully before he returned again in the summer. If Daniel went with Vala now, he would likely miss the return of the gypsies.

He weighed the thought carefully, then dismissed it. Leaving through the Stargate afforded him a greater opportunity to rediscover who he was, as it was obvious now that he was from another world entirely. Daniel felt certain Vala was not of his own people, but at least the language they shared was more familiar, came to his lips with less difficulty. He promised himself that if he hadn't found any solid answers by the next winter, he would return to Makosis and join the traveling minstrels.

Atrus waited for him outside Daniel's room in the unmarried men's dwelling. "Are you ready, Eranos?"

"I have the feeling I am always saying goodbye," Daniel admitted. "Perhaps I have never been meant to stay any one place for long."

"Even the traveling minstrels have a place to call 'home'," the older man advised. "Perhaps you live in the journey, not the destination."

That statement struck a chord deep within him. "I believe you are right, friend, and I will certainly miss you."

Atrus clasped his shoulder. "And I you. But before you depart, there are many in this village who wish to see you!"

Daniel groaned theatrically, but allowed himself to be led out of the men's house. A cheer greeted him when he stepped into the early morning light, shielding his pale eyes from the already-bright rays. "Safe journey, Theadan!"

He glanced at Atrus, and the village leader splayed his hands. "I did not tell them your true name, for I know it matters naught to them if you were judged or by whom. You will always be our gift." Daniel frowned and opened his mouth, but was interrupted. "Eranos, allow yourself to enjoy these moments without self-doubts. If we never see each other again, I want to go to Tseus knowing your last candle with us was spent joyfully."

Nodding, Daniel began to turn back toward the waiting villagers, but caught sight of Vala out of the corner of his eye. The strange woman was sprawled across one of the ever-present benches lining the front walls of the buildings, crunching noisily on a piece of fruit. He started to move in her direction, but a gentle push at the small of his back reminded him that Atrus intended this farewell to be for him alone. She was not one of them, and he would have plenty of time to speak with her in the near future.

Mikos, the young boy he had saved from a near-drowning during the spring floods, hesitantly stepped forward. "We wish we had more time to give you a proper sending off, Theadan, but we understand that time is short for the lady." He gulped air and continued stumbling over his hastily memorized speech. "We named you 'gift' when we found you, and a gift you proved to be not only when you saved my life, but countless ways since that morning four moons ago. It is not in your humble nature to accept thanks for even the smallest of deeds, yet we wish to offer you tokens by which to remember us."

Melia, the wife of Atrus, and their four daughters stepped forward, a length of cloth clutched in the hands of the youngest. "You have been as son and brother to us," the older woman smiled. "We clothed you when you were brought to us bare. For this parting, we clothe you again: take this neck-wrap, so that you will be untroubled by whatever chilly winds may blow beyond the stars."

Daniel accepted the scarf, eyes stinging. The women could not have created the beautiful garment overnight, and must have been planning it for some time. Made of soft lambs’ wool, the yarns alternated deep blue, cream, and gold.

"The colors represent the features for which we teased you most," the eldest daughter explained, "your eyes, skin, and hair. You are unique to us, Theadan, and we will miss you."

"And I you," he replied, grateful his voice did not betray him. "All of you." The weather was far too warm to wear the scarf, though, so he carefully folded it and tucked it in his satchel.

Nelus, the village smith and Mikos' father, moved up beside his son, the drawstrings of a small bag looped around his wrist. "At first we thought it strange how you would take a piece of wood and fashion it into a toy... of course, we find much about you strange, as you well know. Still, the joy the children have found in the simple figures has been wondrous to behold. As you leave us to regain your past, take with you these wood-crafting tools, so that you may continue to carve your little marvels wherever your path takes you."

Daniel accepted the parcel of tools with a gracious nod, not trusting himself to speak. He placed the gift in his satchel, and on impulse, pulled out the box of carvings. He spied a particular rounded carving and drew it out, handing it to Atrus. "I leave you with one final gift. Like so many things, I do not know the true meaning of the shapes carved into this circle, but I think it means 'family' or 'home'... or as much of either as I ever had in my old life. Please place this where anyone can see it, so that they will look upon it and know that this place was 'home' for me."

Atrus' eyes crinkled, cradling the disk in his hands. "It will be hung above the door to the traveler's hall, so that all who pass beneath it will be... home." He then pulled Daniel into a hug. "Be safe, Eranos."

"Thank you again," he whispered in the older man's ear. "Vala's ship lies not far off the direction we must take to reach the Circle of Stars. As she does not intend to return to repair it, I believe it best that we find a way to destroy it. Then if any Jaffa come here, you can say it was destroyed when it crashed. I hope it will save you from any unwanted questions. It may be dangerous, so please ask everyone to stay away from the wreck for now."

"Everyone will remain in the village," Atrus promised, pulling away reluctantly. Again, he cupped Daniel's face in his palm. "Remember to come back to us, Eranos."

"I will," Daniel promised. Shouldering his bag, he waved to everyone and set off on his new journey, Darian somberly taking the lead.

Vala bounded up from her bench, grabbing her own satchel and catching up to the men as they passed the last building. "Well, that was touching," she commented.

"Knock it off," he growled. Perhaps sensing his mood, she quieted.

They crossed into the trees, the numerous conifers soon swallowing up the view of village. When the travelers entered the swath of destruction left by the crashing ship, Daniel asked Darian to wait for them, then motioned for Vala to follow.

"I told you the ship doesn't work," she protested, jogging a little to catch up to his long-legged strides.

"We need to destroy it," he replied.

"Destroy it?"

"Yes. If Jaffa find this ship, they will want to know who was aboard. Naturally they will question the nearest village. If they find only its wreckage, they will believe its passengers to have perished in the crash."

Her mouth snapped shut. "That's not a bad idea, actually."

"I have those occasionally," he answered sarcastically.

"Mee-yow," she huffed. The unexpected response drew a grin from him, though he wasn't sure why he found it so funny. It served to lighten the mood, though.

They were now close enough to the ship that he could see its actual shape, and not just the dull gray blob it had been up until now. It seemed oddly familiar, so he was sure that he had been near a vessel of its construction in his past. "So... any idea how to make it look like it... burst into flames? Blew up on impact?"

Vala nodded, stepping up to one side of the craft and pressing buttons on a small panel. "It should have a self-destruct mechanism... most do."

"Why would anyone want to blow up their own ship?" he asked. "Oh, besides us, of course. Forget I asked."

A seam split on the wall as doors slid open. "Did they overload you with too many parting gifts, or do you have room in your bag for a few more items?"

He hefted the satchel. "There's room enough, I guess. Depending on what you plan to pack in there, of course."

"A few more crystals," she answered, "and I should probably get you your own zat'nik'tel the first chance we get."

"Zat-ni-what?"

"Zat-nick-uh-tell," she repeated more slowly. "It's a type of energy weapon that... never mind, it's a defensive weapon. Where we're going, you'll probably need to be armed."

He pointed at the holster strapped to her thigh. "What about one of those?"

Vala's hand dropped to the butt of the pistol. "You recognize it?"

"It's a handgun," he answered. "Yet another of those things I know but really can't explain. It fires projectiles at very high velocities, doesn't it?"

"Actually, this particular model fires bursts of energy, but most are projectile-based." She cocked her head to one side. "I suppose we could get you one of these, too... but you'll first have to prove you know how to use your weapon." She grinned slyly, winking at the unintended innuendo.

"Funny. Why don't we just start with the zat, and go from there?"

"'Zat?' Oh, I suppose." She stepped into the darkened cabin, motioning for him to follow. Cautiously, he entered the wrecked ship, carefully moving to keep his balance on the pitched deck. Following Vala into a compartment at the rear of the vessel, he held open his shoulder bag while she selected more of the crystals. The resemblance to the panel from his brief flashback was uncanny, though the one from his memory had had considerably fewer melted and fractured rods than this.

At last, Vala decided she'd salvaged as much as she could and gestured for Daniel to step out of the ship. A moment later, she emerged. "We have a minute to get out of the way," she warned as they walked quickly back in the direction they'd come. Just as they reached where Darian was waiting, there was a low rumble and the ground shook. Looking back toward the cargo ship, Daniel could see a dark plume of smoke rising.

"That should do it," Vala nodded, satisfied.

Darian was puzzled. "Why did she destroy her boat?"

"When she showed me one of the parts last night, I recognized it from my other life and realized her, uh, 'boat' could not be repaired easily. We removed her cargo of crystals and destroyed the boat so that the Jaffa would not come looking for passengers."

"Crystals?"

"Yes. We put them in our packs," Daniel explained, inwardly marveling at what a bad influence Vala was turning out to be. He'd never deliberately lied to any of the Makosins before, and here he was spouting little white ones.

They passed the next two candles making idle chatter, Daniel translating between the hunter and the woman when needed. Less than three candles after the start of their journey, they reached the sentry station near the Stargate.

"Hail, sentry!" Darian called out in greeting. "I bring two travelers who wish to pass through the Circle of Stars!"

The sentry on duty leaned over the tower's rail. "Hail, Darian! The Circle stands empty for the moment, but yesterday a cart was sent through."

"Cart?" Daniel questioned.

"The horn of clearing was sounded, Baeloc," Darian protested.

The man nodded. "The cart was not pulled by man or beast and did not move after the water drained from the circle."

"What's going on?" Vala asked, waiting for the translation. Daniel quickly explained that some sort of probe had arrived through the Stargate, but had been inactive since the wormhole collapsed. "So it's safe to go on?"

"Yes," Baeloc replied after the question was relayed. "It has made no movement at all this morning. I do wonder about the column of smoke back in the direction you came. Was it the boat which crashed yesterday?"

"It was," Darian confirmed. "Theadan felt it best it be destroyed so that Jaffa would not seek the boat's passenger—the lady who travels with us."

The sentry smiled. "I had heard of you, Theadan... well met. Well met, lady."

"Well met, Baeloc, and farewell," Daniel replied, for himself and Vala. "We are going through the Circle to find my past, and she has business beyond the stars. Perhaps one day I will return, but it will not be soon."

"Farewell and good luck."

Darian smiled and laid his spear across his chest. "The Circle lies just ahead, Theadan. Good luck, friend, and farewell."

"And you, as well," Daniel replied, crossing his right hand to his left shoulder, since he carried no weapon. Quick to catch on, Vala mimicked the movement.

They exited the trees and stood before the Stargate. Daniel knew he had seen it before, though no images came to mind. He stood close to Vala as she touched panels on the pedestal facing the ring, causing lights to shine on the console and the Stargate itself. Then, with a great roar, a column of blue shot out from the ring before settling back into a shimmering pool of light.

Sparing only a brief glance for the wheeled contraption standing beside the Stargate, Vala grinned. "Your first time through can be a little unnerving if you don't know what to expect." She held out her arm, and Daniel automatically linked elbows with her. "Let's go."

Together, they stepped into the event horizon.

Chapter 5

"Chevron seven will not engage."

Colonel Jack O'Neill rolled his eyes. "It worked fine yesterday afternoon!" Up in the control room of the SGC, Sergeant Walter Harriman shrugged his shoulders in reply.

Without needing to be asked, Major Samantha Carter exited the 'Gate room and soon reappeared next to Walter. The two computer geeks consulted their monitors, while Jack shot looks of exasperation at his other two teammates, Teal'c and Jonas Quinn. The funny thing about making faces around those two was that the big Jaffa wouldn't twitch a muscle in response, while the Kelownan couldn't wipe the grin off his face.

Through the glass, he could see Carter and Walter alternatively shaking and nodding their heads, while General George Hammond loomed behind them. He was apparently trying for a look of concerned understanding but when he met Jack's gaze, it was more like 'drowning in technobabble'. There was also a slight twinkle of wry amusement in his eyes, as though silently telling the colonel, "That's just your luck, isn't it?"

Finally, the techno-geeks seemed to come to a consensus, and the Stargate started dialing again. Walter didn't announce the chevrons this time, though, as he was busy frowning at his computer, instead. The seventh chevron locked successfully, spilling bright blue light out into the 'Gate room.

"Sweet!" Jack muttered. "Carter, get down here and let's go!"

The astrophysicist spared a word or two for Walter, then bounded back down to meet her teammates. "Sorry, sir, we have no idea why it didn't lock the first time. MALP's clear, though, so we should be good to go."

"Then by all means," the colonel replied, "let's." Striding up the ramp, Jack emerged on the other side of the wormhole on P11-who-really-cared and took note of the sunshine, the clean air, and—of course—the ever-present trees. They were conifers, too, making them of the even more exasperatingly common kind.

"The naquada readings aren't very strong, sir," Carter began, almost immediately after stepping through the 'Gate herself. "Still, there's enough of a concentration to warrant investigation."

"Thus why we are here," he replied.

Jonas, third through the 'Gate, was looking around at the ground. "I'd say this 'Gate sees some fairly regular use, Colonel. The grass is pretty tall, but it looks like some people have been walking around recently."

"That could be why the chevrons wouldn't lock," Carter suggested. "Maybe someone was using it at the time."

"Coming or going?" Jack asked.

"Leaving," Teal'c confirmed, squatting so he could look at the ground more closely. "The most recent footsteps go toward the Stargate. Another's footsteps approached, but he appears to have only investigated the MALP."

"So there's a good chance the locals know we're here," Jack concluded. "All right, eyes peeled, kids. Carter, you can play with your mineral samples later, we're not alone."

"O'Neill," Teal'c warned. Jack spun around, weapon pointed at the figure just emerging from the trees. He was short—probably not more than five-foot-six—and wearing simple brown clothes. He also carried a spear in his right hand.

"Hello," the colonel offered casually, but the man didn't reply. "Jonas? You want to do the whole... meet 'n' greet thing?"

The young alien nodded, holding his hands out carefully to his sides to show he was unarmed. "Hi... my name's Jonas Quinn. We're explorers from a planet called Earth."

No matter how many times the Kelownan said those words, they always sounded wrong to Jack's ears. It had nothing to do with Jonas' technique, though, but rather the colonel's own belief that the "peaceful explorer" routine would never be right again. The original peaceful explorer, of course, had been dead for more than a year.

"Uh, I don't think he speaks our language," Jonas said.

"Well, that's new," Jack replied sarcastically. "He doesn't seem surprised to see us, though."

"No, he doesn't," Carter agreed.

Actually, the native looked pretty darn amused. "Dah-ree-an," he pronounced, tapping himself on the chest.

"Dah-ree-an," Jonas repeated, pointing first at the native, then himself. "Jonas."

"Jo-nas."

"Oh, fer cryin' out loud," Jack muttered under his breath, but he held his temper while the team's "cultural liaison" finished introducing the rest of the team.

"Kha'reo," the grinning native said. "Elat." He gave a wide gesture, and an almost-ear-splitting blast sounded from a horn nearby.

"What the hell?" the colonel winced, rubbing his ear with the heel of his hand.

"I think he wants us to go with him," Jonas guessed. "The language could be similar to Ancient Greek, but I'm not sure. I think he said we should follow him to his 'town', though. The horn could be part of some kind of early warning system, like a sentry or guard tower."

Gesturing for Carter to lead the way, Jack had to clamp down on the urge to point out that Daniel would have already been merrily chatting away with the local, finding out the local history, the best restaurants, directions to the nearest ancient ruins... but Jonas wasn't Daniel, and Jonas could never be Daniel.

Four months. Four long, agonizing months had dragged by since Anubis blew up Abydos, and there'd been no sign of Daniel. No sudden appearances in elevators, no whacky dreams of another life, not even a stray gust from the air vents. As much as he hated to think so, Jack was worried the Ascended linguist might have bitten off more than he could chew when he took on Anubis... and it was Jack's fault for pushing him to do it. Then there was the other impending anniversary...

"Are you well, O'Neill?" Teal'c asked, interrupting his thoughts.

"I'm retiring," he blurted.

"Sir?" Carter asked, coming to a halt.

He hadn't meant to say that out loud, but the cat was out of the bag now, wasn't it? "I'm retiring. This is my last mission, kids; I gave Hammond my notice this morning."

"Why did you not tell us sooner?" the Jaffa questioned.

"Because I didn't want it to affect this mission any," he admitted. "You caught me off-guard though, so I guess that's out."

"Sir, does this have anything to do with—"

"Next week's one-year anniversary of Daniel's death and ascension? Today's four-month anniversary of the destruction of Abydos? I'd be lying if I said 'no', but it's not the only reason. In the immortal words of Roger Murtaugh: I'm gettin' too old for this shit."

Jonas looked stunned. "Colonel, there's still a lot—"

"—That can be done by younger officers with better knees," Jack interrupted. "Hell, Carter might even get command of SG-1. Now let's get back to the matter at hand... Darius over there is looking worried."

"Darian," the native corrected, not looking even the slightest bit worried, really. Apparently satisfied everyone was going to follow him again, he set off through the woods at a hurried walk.

"He's in a bit of a hurry," Jack commented.

Jonas exchanged a few words with the native. "If I understand this correctly, he wants to get back to town before the midday meal."

"They're on Mountain time?" the colonel joked.

"Actually, sir, this planet's day is shorter than—"

"I was kidding, Carter."

"Oh."

He grinned. This he would miss when he retired. Not shooting bad guys, overwhelming odds, dying friends... He would miss joking around with his team. Carter took everything literally, and Jonas did too, at times. One never knew what Teal'c was thinking and Daniel... Well, Daniel was dead. But when he'd been alive—and Jack wasn't behaving like an ass toward him—he could fall into either camp or give as well as he got.

Tired of dwelling on what had-been-and-could-never-be-again, Jack turned his attention to the terrain. Scrubby and flat, the ground was covered with thick grass and weedy-looking cedars just tall enough to keep a person from seeing where they were going. The pleasantly warm air was refreshingly clean, and he took a deep breath to enjoy it.

Or maybe not so clean. "I smell smoke."

"As do I."

"It's too soon to be near his village," Carter protested.

Jonas exchanged a few halting words with their guide. "He says it's a... 'boat', one which fell from the sky and burst into flames."

"'Fell from the sky'?" Jack repeated.

"Probably a spaceship," the major reasoned. "Jonas, how big a ship? Are we talking a glider or a mothership?"

"More like a glider," the Kelownan answered after a moment. "He says they went to investigate it and found it destroyed. I get the impression it wasn't a very big one or we'd be seeing a lot of damage from it."

"This counts as damage, doesn't it?" Jack asked a moment later, as the trees parted to reveal a scar in the terrain where something leveled the woods.

"Judging by the width, I'd say a glider or a cargo ship," Carter assessed.

"I concur."

"Should we go check it out?" she asked.

Darian held up his hand, speaking quickly. "He says he's on his way back to town, whether we choose to follow or not."

Squinting at the smoking smudge on the landscape, Jack shook his head. "We'll check it out on our way back, then."

About an hour later, the woods broke again, this time into an open wheat field, a village of stone sticking up out of the flat ground. Darian began to shout something, and after a long moment, there was a reply.

"He's telling them it's all right, that we're not—"

"Yeah I understood that word," Jack interrupted. "We're not Jaffa. Well, except for Teal'c."

"Indeed."

Slowly, people began to trickle out of the buildings. By the time the team reached the outskirts of town, a sizeable crowd had gathered, a gray-haired man at their center. There were many people both older and younger, but it seemed that this guy was their leader.

"I'm not quite sure what they're saying," Jonas admitted. "They're talking a little too fast for me to catch it all..."

The gray-haired man chuckled at their guide's words, offering a few laughing words of his own.

"Something about going out again and coming back with more? I think he was making a joke," the younger man guessed. "It seems the reason Darian was at the Stargate was because he was leading two people to it."

"That's why we couldn't dial in," Carter reasoned.

"Dropped off two people and came back with four," Jack nodded. "Two-for-one deal?"

Jonas frowned. "Now they're talking about our skin and hair. Major Carter and I have much lighter skin than they're used to seeing and... now they're getting excited about Sam's blue eyes."

"That makes sense... they all have dark hair and eyes. Darker skin, too."

"Théoden... isn't that the King of Rohan?" Jack asked, catching a word from the rapid chatter.

The gray-haired leader stared at him. "Theadan?"

"Yeah, that. What's that mean, Jonas?"

"I think it's a name?" he guessed. "Uh... yeah, Atrus says he is a man of my height and coloring, but Major Carter's eye color."

"Not a local, I take it?"

"Actually, they say he lived with them until this morning. He was one of the two people Darian took to the Stargate."

Suddenly, a child who had been creeping closer and closer to Jack, yelled something and ran back into the village. Whatever he said created a considerable stir, and the village leader cut his way back through the crowd to follow the boy.

"What's that all about?" Jack asked, fingers twitching on his P90. He had been hoping this mission would be an easy one, but natives were yelling and that was never a good sign.

"I have no idea," Jonas sighed. "But look at the rest of them: they seem agitated a little, but certainly not afraid."

Just then, Atrus returned with the boy at his side, the latter carrying a flat, circular object. Taking the item from the boy, the gray-haired man cautiously approached, holding up the circle to Jack's right sleeve. His eyes widened, and he looked up in astonishment. He moved his arm, angling his hand so the colonel could see the carvings on the surface of the disk.

Although a little crude, the etched surface bore an unmistakable resemblance to SG-1's unit patch.

"Where did you get that?" the colonel whispered, constricted throat currently unable to produce proper words.

"Theadan," Atrus repeated.

Jack's heart raced. "Theadan? Not... Daniel?"

"Sir?" Carter questioned, taking a faltering step forward.

"Da-nee-el!" the leader cried in joy, and pointed at the carving again.

"Carter, Teal'c: get back to the Stargate and have Hammond send us a Greek-speaker, pronto!"

"Did he just say 'Daniel?'" the major gaped.

"You're damn right he did," Jack grinned. "That stubborn son-of-a-gun... Daniel's alive!"

Chapter 6

"Welcome to Katana!" Vala smiled as they cleared the Stargate. Daniel had clearly done the 'Gate travel thing before, as he didn't even stumble when they reached the other side.

"That was fun," he blinked, twisting to look at the portal behind him as it snapped shut. "Katana?"

"Trade center and planet," she explained, gesturing at the walled city in the valley below them. "I have a few friends here, some of whom will be able to help you get started on finding out who you were. Assuming you can afford to pay them, of course."

"Pay them?"

"You didn't think they'd work for free, did you?"

He frowned. "Isn't that what these crystals are for? To sell?"

"For me to sell," she corrected. "You'll have to come up with your own payment."

His fingers were on her shoulder, pulling her around to face him. "I'm carrying half of them... you couldn't have salvaged them all without me along to help carry them."

"And yours are the least valuable of all. So we'll split it eighty-twenty," she offered.

"Fifty-fifty," he countered. "You wouldn't have gotten back to the Stargate without me translating for you, either."

"Fine. Seventy-thirty."

"Sixty-forty."

"Done, but... you're buying your own zat, and those don't come cheaply. You'll also have to save your own money to pay the information collectors, because I'm not helping."

Daniel rolled his eyes. "You can't seriously think there's actually anyone who can figure out which of the thousands of planets in this galaxy I came from. I'm better off remembering things on my own anyway."

"Suit yourself. The odds are against you anyway."

"Well, thanks for the moral support!"

Vala ground her teeth together. "You know, I didn't ask you to come along. It's hard enough to survive out here without dragging along somebody who hasn't the first clue how the rest of the galaxy works. I can't waste the time or money trying to track down every obscure lead about your origins. Now, you're welcome to travel with me, but you'll do what I say, when I say. If you don't like it, you can strike out on your own."

His jaw clenched. "Fine."

The trip down the hillside was made in uncomfortable silence, and Vala wondered again what she'd been thinking when she agreed to let him come along. Already, he was proving to be stubborn and argumentative, and the last thing she needed was another problem on her hands. On the plus side, though, he made for an attractive change to the scenery.

"You need new clothes."

Daniel's forehead crinkled. "What's wrong with these?"

Other than the fact they were baggy and unbecoming? "Nothing... but the home-spun look is a bit—peasant-ish. If you're going to be around me, you need to look more like a... smuggler."

"You're a smuggler?"

"Among other things," she replied. "Of course, it's hard to be a smuggler when you don't have a ship, and I've never had much luck in that department."

"Keep wrecking 'em?"

"Or getting them re-possessed."

"Re-possessed?"

"By their original owners, of course."

"Oh." He paused. "Wait a minute... re-possessed as in you couldn't pay your loan, or re-possessed as in you stole them and they got them back?"

She sighed. "Does it matter?"

"You're a thief!"

"Among other things," Vala smirked. "Oh, try not to look so mortified, Daniel. I told you it was a rough galaxy."

He stared at her out of narrowed eyes. "Funny how you wait until after we leave Makosis to tell me."

"Would it have mattered?"

He thought about it for a moment, then shrugged his shoulders. "I guess not."

"You should also know... there's no true currency standard out here. Everything's paid for through barter."

"So we trade the crystals to someone else who gives something else to trade for what we actually want?"

"Pretty much." She patted him on the back of his shoulder. "Better let me do all the talking, dear."

The city was like almost any other trade center in the galaxy, full of furtive crowds, vocal vendors, and heaps of garbage lying here and there. Daniel seemed to be only momentarily startled by the sounds and smells, so he must have been well-traveled in his mostly-forgotten past. It was a dramatic difference from the almost idyllic village from whence he came, yet he showed no outward discomfort with the shift. He could have been just that good at masking his reactions, but she doubted it. He had the type of guileless face that made her seriously doubt his ability to successfully play games of chance.

"First stop is the little place I call my own," she announced. "I rent a small room above a repair shop. It's not much, but it's a place to sleep now and then. The owner will take a few crystals as payment, and if you're going to stay with me, we'll split the rent. She'll probably know a few traders in town who might be interested in the rest of our loot." Daniel nodded and followed behind her.

Winding her way past stalls of noisy vendors, Vala led the way to the two-story stone building owned by Sarilis Camir. The former bounty hunter had become a good friend to Vala in the last two years. She was also one of the few people the former host had actually trusted with her past. If Daniel turned out to have anywhere near as colorful a history as her own, it would do well to get him in Sarilis' good graces, too.

"Vala Mal Doran," grinned the shop's proprietor when the door was barely open. "I'd have thought you'd be halfway to the Cardolian Cluster in that ship you nabbed from the Pellian Spaceport."

That was why Sarilis was so scary: she knew about things happening half a galaxy away only hours after the event itself. "Well, the joke was on me, I'm afraid. The cargo ship I grabbed turned out to be broken, and I just barely managed to land in one piece."

"Hmmm," Sarilis replied, resuming her work on the cooking appliance in front of her. "Who's your friend?"

"My new apprentice and partner," Vala answered. "Sarilis Camir, meet Theadan of Makosis, also known as Daniel."

"Pleasure to meet you," Daniel offered, smiling slightly.

"Likewise," the shopkeeper responded. "No offense to you, young man, but what in the Great Havens possessed you to take on a partner, Vala?" She eyed Daniel appreciatively. "Besides the obvious, of course."

The blue-eyed man opened his mouth to reply, but Vala quickly looped her arm around his, letting the surprise of the action cut him off. "Actually, we were just about ready to head back out, but stopped in just long enough to pay the rent and let you know we were here."

"You mean you've managed to earn something in your ill-fated adventures?"

Vala grinned and dug into her satchel for two relay crystals. "Daniel, get two of the amber-colored crystals from your bag, please."

"For what?"

"So we can pay the rent, darling."

He crossed his arms stubbornly. "Sixty-forty partnership includes the rent."

She heard the shopkeeper snort, but a glance in the older woman's direction showed her diligently rewiring the appliance, straight-faced. "Fine. Give me two and I'll buy your new clothes for you." Which, of course, she'd intended to do anyway, but he couldn't have known that.

Nodding, he opened his own bag and handed over the requested items. Vala set the lot on the table. "That should settle us for another few months, right?"

"Assuming I can barter 'em off," Sarilis replied. "The only people looking for control crystals of late have been from Lord Yu's territories."

Vala sighed. "Let me guess: they won't even look at a merchant who doesn't speak Zhiangma?"

"You guessed it," she replied. "They'll sell to you all day long in the common tongue, but turn up their noses at anyone trying to sell to them."

The thief grimaced. "My Zhiangma's worse than my Tethysian. Maybe we can find a middle man... though I'd hate to lessen my profit."

Sarilis coughed. "Parts from a stolen ship are always a one hundred-percent profit, aren't they?"

"I'm shocked you would suggest that I would steal anything," Vala grinned, tossing a wink at the shopkeeper. Hooking her elbow around Daniel's again, she patted his arm. "Come along, darling."

"Whatever you say, sweetie-pie," he replied just as genuinely. Vala was certain she heard another snort out of Sarilis before the shop door banged shut.

"All right," she began, as soon as they were back out in the street. "We're going to sell only enough of these crystals to get by for a few weeks unless we find a good buyer. These Zhiangma merchants are tough-as-nails negotiators and actually will lower themselves to the common tongue if they need something desperately enough. Hopefully, they'll be as desperate to buy as we are to sell."

"Zhiangma, Tethysian, and... Atiratu? And the common tongue, too," Daniel mused. "How many languages are there and what makes the common tongue common?"

"The answer to the first is thousands... maybe even millions, and that's just in this galaxy. As for the second question, no one really knows... Not even the Goa'uld, and they'd like to think they know everything."

He frowned. "Who or what are the Goa'uld?"

Before she could formulate an answer to a question which seemed obvious to her, Vala spotted the brightly-colored hangings which indicated the Zhiangma presence in the bazaar. She slipped out of the almost-too-comfortable arm-link and pointed to the enclosure. "There are our boys. Let me do all the talking... and let's hope that they don't come from the sort of backwater world where women are treated like property."

Chapter 7

The crowded marketplace was almost an assault to Daniel's senses, yet another part of him welcomed the chaos, as though he'd found another small piece of the enormous puzzle that was his missing life. Although unfamiliar and unusual by themselves, the sounds of vendors shouting and customers haggling combined with the pungent odors of sweat, spice, smoke, and animal excrement to create a unique blend that resonated within him. Just as suddenly and familiarly came a rush of sensation: perusing aesthetically arranged tables of clothing in a cool, pleasantly-scented environment while a gentle voice offered advice in shopping. The juxtaposition was extreme, yet each felt just as comfortable and recognizable as the other. Clearly, he'd been a man of many adventures in his other life.

"Oh, great," Vala sighed, drawing Daniel's attention to the portly man standing just inside the brightly colored tents toward which they were walking. "Looks like Andron beat us here with crystals."

Daniel tipped his head slightly, straining to hear the exchange. Clearly, it was not in the "common tongue", and yet he found himself recognizing snatches of the speech. It wasn't until the bald man talking to the trader Vala identified as Andron turned to his close-cropped companion that Daniel realized why the language sounded so broken.

"His speech is even worse than the quality of his crystals," Baldy complained. "I'm afraid that we're going to have to move on to another planet to find the greater starlight speed control crystals we need."

"And leave our ship here? No, Lu, we must stay here until the right seller comes along or Mai returns with the parts from her father."

"Vala," he began, catching her shoulder as she turned to stomp off. "We wouldn't happen to have any hyperdrive control crystals, would we?"

"They were the first things I salvaged," she admitted. "Why do you ask?"

He couldn't quite smother his grin as Lu turned around from "consulting" with his boss and resumed haggling with Andron in what could only have been a deliberately-poor rendition of the common tongue. "Well, I think that's what Lu and uh... Shao are hoping to buy—since they said 'greater starlight speed' control crystals—and Andron's crystals just aren't up to snuff."

Vala's jaw dropped. "You speak Zhiangma?"

"Among other things," he smirked.

She whacked him hard across the arm, drawing a pained yelp. "Fine, you do all the talking, but translate everything they say back to me and don't offer any price but what I tell you to."

He shrugged. "Okay. So you want me to just interrupt, or—"

"Go!"

Working very, very hard to not grin like an idiot, Daniel stepped up to the tent entrance and cleared his throat. "Pardon my interruption," he began slowly, the words falling into place as he picked up speed, "but I couldn't help but notice that there seemed to be a communication problem here. How might I assist?"

It was a wonder Lu didn't get whiplash from jerking his head around to stare at Daniel. "You have come to translate for this merchant?"

"No, but for the woman with whom I travel," he replied, gesturing toward Vala. The portly merchant who had been attempting to schmooze the Zhiangma merchants leveled a glare at him, then at the dark-haired thief. "My name is Daniel, and my employer is Vala." Hearing her name, Vala smiled and nodded hello.

Shao waved dismissively at Andron, who gathered his wares and slunk off sulkily. "I am Liu Shao and my partner is Kien Lu. What goods do you offer?”

“A little bird told us you were looking for crystals,” he began carefully. “As it so happens, my lady friend here recently acquired a number of them.” He paused, then deliberately asked Vala, “What sort of crystals did you say you had again?”

One could never accuse the woman of being a slow thinker. “All sorts. Everything from simple power-regulation crystals to navigational data storage and hyperdrive control.”

“I am not quite sure how to translate these into your language, but she said we offer—”

“There will be no need to translate,” Shao interrupted, speaking the common tongue flawlessly, as Daniel suspected he might. “You have proven your skill at the language, Master Daniel.” His eyes crinkled at Vala. “And clever are you for hiring a translator.”

“He’s my partner, but it so happens he knows a few useful languages,” Vala grinned. “Now, I’m willing to sell any of these crystals you wish to buy.”

Shao gestured grandly at a cluster of cushions gathered around a low table. “Shall we begin?”

The negotiations began in earnest, then, with Vala clearly in her element. The majority of her dealings were for weights of something called naquada, but three of the red crystals were traded for a pair of zats. Finally, bartering was begun for the hyperdrive controllers, and even Daniel could tell the raven-haired woman's starting offer was high.

After a few counter-offers had been exchanged, Shao coughed lightly and looked directly at Daniel. "I don't suppose the same little bird told you which crystals we most needed, did it?"

He glanced at Vala. "I might have overheard something," he admitted.

The two traders exchanged astonished looks which segued into grins, drawing a questioning glare from Vala. "What did you tell them, Daniel?"

"Oh, Miss Vala," the bald trader chuckled, "your partner is so refreshingly honest!"

"Daniel..."

Before the tall man could open his mouth to reply, Shao cut in. "In truth, Miss Vala, we cannot afford the price you are asking, which is twice what these crystals are worth."

Vala shrugged. "We'll just go elsewhere, th—"

"—But as you are perfectly aware of our need, as Master Daniel has admitted, you are clearly in a much stronger position to negotiate, yes?"

The thief smirked. "Of course."

Shao leaned on the table. "We would like to offer you a job, instead." When Vala began to shake her head, he held out a hand to forestall her. "Please, hear me out before you decline."

"I'm listening," she replied.

"We have a third partner, one who is presently absent, attempting to acquire for us the parts for which you are so cleverly charging extra. Her name is Han Mai." Vala straightened visibly. "I see you are familiar with her father, yes?"

"Han Kazo?" The name meant nothing to Daniel, but that was hardly surprising.

"Correct. You are not entirely unknown to us, Vala Mal Doran."

Daniel felt his eyebrows shoot upward, and a quick glance at Vala showed she was just as impressed. "You've heard of me?"

"We've heard it said you have, ah... 'nimble' fingers," Shao admitted. "A nimble mind, too, of course."

"Of course," she answered. "So... what does an agent of the great and powerful Han family want with little ol' me?"

"Master Han has been seeking a reliable expert to acquire certain... rare items for a number of years, now. Unfortunately, several of these artifacts have been hidden well, with only cryptic clues as to how to access them. That is where your partner comes in, of course. Are you able to read any of the languages you speak?"

"Yes," Vala replied quickly, before Daniel could admit he wasn't sure.

"Excellent. We will, of course, require a test of that ability."

"Of course," Daniel sighed, and hoped Vala's quick reply hadn't doomed whatever task they were being given.

"Unfortunately, our need for the crystals is great. Would you accept the word of the Han that you will be properly compensated for them?"

Vala raised a skeptical eyebrow. "That assumes I can trust your word that you are Han agents."

Shao sighed and reached into the neck of his shirt to draw an amulet over his head. "I understand you won't need a naquada detector to verify its authenticity," he mentioned casually as he held it out for her examination.

Her lips thinned. "So you have heard of me." She wrapped her hand around the pendant briefly, then nodded and released it.

Reaching across the table, he handed the amulet to Daniel. "I'll be wanting this back," he cautioned.

"Of course," Daniel agreed, glancing at Vala before accepting the jewelry. Since he was apparently the only person either party would trust, whatever the necklace represented obviously fell to him to guard. He peered at the face, tracing the raised lines representing honor, wisdom, and courage.

"Would Sarilis Camir be the best means to contact you?" asked Lu.

"Well-informed you are. And yes, she would be," Vala agreed. "So... how long before I—or rather we can expect to hear from you?"

"A day... perhaps two," Shao replied. "We have a ship to repair, first." He grinned at Daniel. "You are intended to wear that around your neck, of course."

Daniel felt his skin flush as he slipped the chain over his head, hesitated, then tucked the amulet under his shirt. "Sorry," he muttered.

"It is no matter," the man dismissed. "I can tell by your clothing and mannerisms that you are from one of the more agrarian worlds. You do not know the significance of the amulet, correct?"

"Not really, no," he admitted, though there were several logical conclusions he could draw from what he'd observed thusfar.

"The Han family is one of the oldest and most respected trade and... 'special interest' conglomerates in the galaxy," Lu began, "which is no empty boast or exaggeration. In order to protect the Han name, agents of the family are given these amulets to verify their identity. It contains a small sample of naquada at its core, one which has been treated to emit very low levels of energy."

"Radiation?" Daniel recoiled, grabbing for the chain in a sudden flash of irrational fear.

"Harmless radiation," the bald agent soothed. "It allows our operatives to be easily verified by someone with a naquada scanner or—" he glanced at Vala "—an acquired ability to sense its presence."

"That doesn't mean they can't be faked or stolen," the dark-haired thief remarked.

"True," Shao agreed. "However, reproduction requires a level of manufacturing expertise very few worlds have easily available... and stolen amulets do not stay stolen long. Master Daniel, while you wear that amulet, you are a representative of the Han family, and are held to the three tenets which guide us in our dealings."

"Honor, wisdom, and courage," he guessed, hand straying to the bump beneath his shirt.

"He reads that language, anyway," Lu grinned.

"We shall await your communication," Vala beamed, rising gracefully to her feet and scooping the spoils of her barters into her satchel. "Come along, Daniel... we have clothes to buy." Before he could formulate a protest, the surprisingly strong woman hauled him upright and dragged him outside the tent. Once they were a few paces down an alley, she spun to face him, grabbed him just behind the ears, and pulled him down for a brief but enthusiastic kiss.

"What?" he managed after she released him, feeling his face flush.

"That's for being your simple, sweet, irresistibly naïve self," she replied, tapping the end of his nose with her forefinger. "Now... let's go shopping! We can't have an agent of the great and powerful Han family looking like a peasant, now can we?"

Chapter 8

"Colonel O'Neill, come in."

Jack waved at the UAV circling overhead as he squeezed the radio's push-to-talk switch. "Reading you loud and clear, sir."

"Major Carter tells me you have good news," General Hammond continued.

"Oh, she's letting me be the one to surprise you, eh? Well, Jonas has been working hard and heavy but understands only about one word in three, so we could definitely use that Greek-speaker. Oh, and you can toss my retirement papers in the shredder. Again."

Hammond chuckled. "I take it you found something to renew your sense of adventure."

Jack grinned. "Not something, sir. Someone." He paused for a moment before finishing, "Daniel."

"Doctor Jackson? My god, Jack, he's there?"

"He was. Actually, if we'd been five minutes earlier, we'd have met his corporeal self at the 'Gate."

"Corporeal? Well, is the boy all right?"

He glanced at his Kelownan teammate, who seemed to be trying to explain what the UAV was to the locals. "From what Jonas has been able to determine, Daniel's suffering from amnesia. That could be a side-effect of expulsion from Oma's School for Ascended Archaeologists. The village leader, Atrus, says he appeared in a flash of light about four months ago. Didn't know his name or anything. He only remembered his name was Daniel yesterday, after talking with some chick who crashed her spaceship here. The two of them headed out this morning, but nobody got the address."

"And you're sure it was Doctor Jackson?"

"Ninety-nine-point-nine-with-one-of-Carter's-repeating-decimals-percent sure. They put him at Jonas' height, build, and coloring, but blue eyes and trouble seeing distance or at night."

"It's a big galaxy, son," Hammond cautioned.

"Yeah, well besides remembering his first name, his parting gift to the villagers was a wood-carving he told them he wasn't sure but thought meant 'home' or 'family'. I can't tell you how utterly tickled I am that the engraving was clearly a unit patch for SG-1."

"That's incredible, son!" He couldn't see the general gaping, but could definitely hear it in his voice. "But no idea where he or the ship's pilot went?"

"No, sir, but I'd like to leave a GDO with these folks. Apparently, Daniel promised them he'd come back to visit someday, though they don't know how long he'll be gone."

"I'll send one through with Major Carter," Hammond assured him. "Anything else?"

"Not much yet. Carter hasn't dug in the dirt any and there's the wreckage of that cargo ship to inspect, though I doubt we'll get anything out of that since it was blown up to keep Jaffa from asking too many questions. Jonas and I are going to keep on making nice with the natives until Carter and Teal'c get back."

"Keep me posted," the general ordered, then signed off the connection.

Casting another glance at the reconnaissance drone continuing on its pre-programmed flight, Jack rested his hands atop the butt of his P90 and walked over to Jonas and Atrus. "How's it going?" he asked casually.

The younger man looked up. "Oh, well enough, I guess. I think I'm starting to get the hang of this language." He broke into yet another grin. "Atrus was just telling me how Doctor Jackson jumped into a river to save a boy from drowning."

"He's good at that sort of thing," Jack commented.

"Yeah," Jonas replied, flinching almost imperceptibly. He was probably thinking of a similar situation, when Daniel had leapt to the rescue of his whole planet... and died painfully as a result.

Inwardly, the colonel winced, but he wasn't about to let anything spoil his good mood. Laying a hand on the Kelownan's shoulder, he squeezed gently. "You're doing a great job, Jonas. I know I haven't said it often—well, maybe not ever—but that doesn't mean it's not true."

Jonas beamed. "Thank you, Colonel. That... uh, that means a lot to me. Really."

"Zhek-sen?" Atrus questioned.

"Uh, Doctor Daniel Jackson," Jonas clarified, stumbling over another string of vaguely-Grecian words. He tapped his own chest, "Jonas Quinn," then pointed at the team leader, "Colonel Jack O'Neill."

"Zhek?" the village leader asked.

"That's me," Jack replied.

Atrus and Jonas exchanged a few more words, a smile spreading across the older man's face. "He says, uh, that you and Da—Doctor Jackson must have been very close friends."

"When I wasn't being an ass," Jack agreed. "Don't translate that one, Jonas."

The village leader seemed to understand without interpretation, or perhaps saw something in Jack's expression he recognized. Solemnly, he clasped the colonel's left arm, looking up at him and offering a short statement which ended with a knowing smile. Then a villager called to him, so he excused himself and walked away.

"I'm sorry, Colonel, I didn't quite catch what he said."

Jack shrugged, having got the gist of it without understanding a word of the language. "I did. Basically, he just said that any true friendship with Daniel would have to be a very complicated one." He grinned. "But worth it."

"Oh."

Shaking his head, Jack gave the village another look-around, noting for the first time that no one was taller than five-eight or nine. Daniel must have stuck out like a dark blond sore thumb, he realized. In typical fashion, though, he probably fit right in anyway.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of his teammate practically twitching. "Spit it out, Jonas," he offered casually.

"I'd always been told—thought you and Doctor Jackson were close," the younger man admitted.

Jack shrugged. "It's like Atrus said, friendship with Daniel is complicated. I mean, the guy's nice with pretty much everyone and everything he's ever met that wasn't a snake, but there's a difference between acquaintances and friends." He blew out a loud breath. "Still, there were times when I was a Grade-A asshole to him... but of course, he could be self-righteous bastard, too."

"Sounds complicated," Jonas agreed. He shuffled his feet a little. "Colonel, when he comes back—"

"I like that," Jack grinned. "You said 'when' not 'if' 'cause it's definitely a 'when' thing. I'm gonna call it a 'win-when' situation."

Jonas smiled again, but his eyes weren't in on it. "When Doctor Jackson comes back, will I be transferred to another team or... uh..."

The colonel froze. "Look, Jonas... just because we know Daniel's alive doesn't mean he's going to step back onto SG-1 like he never left. For one thing, we don't even know where he is right now. For another, Atrus said he doesn't remember much of anything other than two languages and a few vague images. I'm not so small-minded as to think all those ancient scribbles and cultures crammed into his skull were the be-all-and-end-all of his contributions to the team, but they were still very important. Until he can show me he's the same stubborn genius he's always been, he won't be allowed out in the field... not on my team, not on anyone else's."

The younger man swallowed heavily. "Oh. I just thought..."

"What?"

"I just thought you'd want your friend back on your team, that's all."

Jack sighed. "Believe me, I do. But there's one thing I guess I haven't made clear to you yet, and it's long overdue: you've earned it. It shouldn't even have taken me almost a year to spit it out, but you've earned your place on this team. When—and again, I'm stressing that it's 'when' not 'if'—Daniel comes back and remembers all those obscure things that practically no one else in the known universe does, we'll look at making SG-1 a five-man team. Hell, the combined brain power of you, Carter, and Daniel should be enough IQ to start your own version of MENSA."

The Kelownan gaped. "Really? I mean, you'd let me stay on your team?"

"Our team, Jonas," he corrected. "And if for whatever crazy reason Hammond won't let us have a five-man team, I'll resign and let Carter take command. But as Teal'c would probably say, 'let us traverse that overpass when we arrive at it.'"

If anyone had told Jack a year ago that he would take such delight in seeing Jonas smile—really, truly smile—he'd have probably socked them in the eye and dared them to say it again. If losing Daniel had taught him nothing else, it was that life was too short and unpredictable. Maybe if he'd tried putting a smile on Daniel's face more often, the younger man wouldn't have...

Well, actually Daniel probably still would have disarmed the naquadria bomb with his bare hands. But he might also have let Jacob Carter try to heal him, rather than throwing in the towel and floating off to the Great Glowing Beyond with Oma Desala. What's done was done, though, and it took attempting to re-retire yet again to mellow Jack out enough to tell Jonas some of the things he should have said to Daniel, too. He was turning into a sap in his old age.

"Oh, and Jonas? Don't tell anyone I'm being nice to you. I have a reputation to maintain, after all."

That was better.

Chapter 9

Vala smirked, resting her left cheek on her upturned palm and watching as Liu Shao exchanged a stunned look with Han Yuna, the gray-haired matron of the Han family. Missus Han was apparently fluent in a number of languages, both spoken and written, so had taken it upon herself to evaluate Daniel's abilities. Her test included examples of dialects and texts common to each of the major System Lords, plus a few lesser-known languages.

At the moment, he'd just completed translation number fourteen and was waiting to receive his fifteenth.

"Enough, Yuna," boomed the barrel-chested leader, Han Kazo. "He's proven his worth."

Shao's grin was broad enough to match the one Vala felt like wearing. Of all the amnesiac peasants to stumble across on all the backwater worlds of the galaxy, her fickle luck placed Daniel in her path. While it was clear the Hans might have considered Vala's skills valuable for their needs on a rare occasion, they surely would never have considered hiring her on a retainer without Daniel's extensive linguistic capabilities.

"So... what can Daniel and I do for you?" she smiled, sliding down the bench to link her elbow with the bewildered man's. It was always cute to see him flush with embarrassment like he had the first night they'd spent together. Of course, they hadn't actually spent it together together, as he rather steadfastly refused to share the bed in the apartment with her. Despite his bunking on the floor, she found plenty of other opportunities to tease him mercilessly. In fact, since she'd insisted all good thieves-slash-smugglers-slash-treasure hunters wore ass-hugging leather pants, the blush had become a near-permanent fixture.

One thing was for sure, she hated to see him leave but loved to watch him go.

Unfortunately, he'd purchased a battered long coat yesterday, spoiling the view from the back side a bit, but the front was still nice enough. With a little training, Vala was certain she could turn those shy blue eyes and soft full lips into the tools of a devastating lady-killer. He was already well on his way as it was, with the way Yuna'd started mothering him almost from the moment they met.

"—Was lost forty years ago when the fortress was captured first by Sokar, and more recently Lord Yu," Kazo was saying, and Vala quickly re-directed her attention. "Yu hasn't been the most attentive of Goa'uld for many years now, but there are reports that he is becoming ill and confused. He has foolishly pulled both ha'taks out of the system to battle Baal's and Anubis' forces. That is, of course, most fortunate for us."

"What about ground forces?" she asked, leaping into the discussion.

"No more than forty Jaffa. Not all will be stationed at the fortress, though, as there are sure to be patrols at the Chappa'ai and in the towns and mines nearby." He stroked his closely-trimmed beard. "I realize this is a rather risky first-venture—short on cryptic clues but high on danger—but if the two of you can manage this retrieval... well, let's just say it will be a very beneficial relationship for us both."

"If there are guards at the Stargate, how are we to get to the planet?" Daniel asked.

"Ah! The two of you will travel with one of our merchant caravans. That should give you a large enough group to slip out of for the retrieval, and back into for the return. Unfortunately, it's the best we can offer at this time, as ships are becoming increasingly scarce with the War of the Lords raging on and the sudden growth of the Lucien Alliance."

Vala felt her lips curl in a sneer. She'd yet to meet a Lucien she liked. "How goes the War of the Lords? I've been a bit out of touch lately, as some of these farm worlds don't get much in the way of galactic news."

Liu Shao hooked his thumbs in his waistband and leaned back in his chair. "Anubis was greatly set back when Tok'ra spies destroyed his world-killer weapon. Shortly thereafter, the combined forces of Yu and Baal cornered his ship and destroyed it, but Anubis escaped. Yu and Baal then descended to battling one another again, and Anubis is rumored to be building an invincible army to wipe out them both."

Poor Daniel looked completely lost. Although she'd given him a brief history lesson on the Goa'uld and the hierarchy of the System Lords, it was a lot to take in and apply to the current political stakes of the galaxy. "I'm sorry... 'Tok'ra'?" he asked.

"Sorry, I forgot to mention them," Vala sighed. "They're genetically very similar to the Goa'uld, but their originating Queen imparted a few less of the nastier traits when she spawned them. Their name literally means 'against Ra', who was the most powerful Goa'uld at the time their order was founded." She grinned. "Actually, Ra was the most powerful System Lord up until just a few short years ago, when he was killed in a slave rebellion."

"I see," he blinked. "So they're not just against Ra but against all Goa'uld?"

"Yes," Kazo confirmed. "Of course, any System Lord will deny the Tok’ra, the Jaffa Rebellion, and the First World even exist. It wouldn't do for 'gods' to be repeatedly humbled by their enemies and former slaves, after all."

"I guess not." Daniel shrugged. "Uh, galactic politics must not be my thing."

Yuna smiled warmly. "Perhaps not, but languages are, my boy. You have a real gift for them."

As always, he had trouble accepting compliments as they were intended, his shoulders hunching just a little as he ducked his head and nodded. "So, uh... when do we leave?"

"Four days," Kazo replied. "For convenience's sake, they will meet you on Katana and you can travel from there. Kien Lu will be the head trader on this particular excursion, so if you need anything, please ask. You have only a five-day window from the moment you set foot on Gishoral until the wagon leaves... with or without you."

"That doesn't leave much time to shop for souvenirs," Vala quipped. "Well, Daniel... we have our naquada to store and supplies to purchase... I suggest we get to it, then."

"Sure," he answered. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Master and Missus Han."

"Likewise, Master Daniel," Kazo replied as Yuna's plump figure bobbled in a sort-of bow. "Miss Vala."

She kept her arm firmly linked with his until they were through the 'Gate back on Katana. If anyone thought she was behaving possessively, well... she was actually, and had every good reason to, in fact. The attractive, intelligent, and charmingly innocent man beside her had just become her meal ticket. He had a peculiar effect on people, able to make them trust him almost as quickly as he translated languages. It was very, very tempting to teach him how to scam like a true professional, but there was the concern that her lessons might inadvertently damage or destroy his seemingly irresistible naïveté.

"Okay, let me see if I have this right," he began, arm disengaging from hers to join the other one in crossing his chest. It almost looked like he was giving himself a hug. "We're supposed to just walk on in to this Goa'uld fortress and walk back out with the Benuui in hand?"

"I imagine it won't be quite that easy," she cautioned, having not the first clue what the Benuui was. She probably should have been paying attention to Kazo, shouldn't she? "In fact, I think I should probably spend the next four days teaching you to sneak around and shoot stuff."

His jaw clenched stubbornly. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I have a problem with stealing culturally-significant artifacts for someone's private collection."

As if being attractive, intelligent, and guileless wasn't bad enough, now he was being noble and sentimental! "You're voicing a moral objection? Well forgive me if I don't hold myself to your lofty standards, Daniel."

He stopped in the middle of the road, arms tightening and shoulders hunching further. On anyone else, it'd be gesture of submission, but in the last three days, she'd come to realize it meant he was digging in for a fight. Wonderful.

She tugged his arm to pull him off the side of the road and out of the way of the wagon now making its way up the hill toward the 'Gate. "Look, Daniel, there are really only three ways to earn a living," she explained quietly, ticking them off on her fingers. "There's working yourself to death, working others to death, and taking advantage of everyone indiscriminately."

"Even the ones working themselves to death?" he replied defiantly, slipping the bag containing their naquada off his shoulder and letting it drop to the ground.

"To a lesser extent, yes. I'd really rather go after the second group, though, especially since I used to be one." She took a deep breath, knowing she might as well tell him about her history before one of the Hans let something slip. "I was once a Goa'uld host, Daniel."

His eyebrows rose. "You mean you..." he began hesitantly, fingers fluttering nervously toward the back of his neck.

"Exactly. Everyone takes advantage of someone, to some extent or another. Even the people who work themselves to death do: the women take advantage of the men hunting and farming, the men take advantage of the women cooking and raising children. The Hans are certainly going to be taking advantage of your language skills—" and so was Vala, but she wasn't about to admit that "—and my expertise and knowledge of the Goa'uld. We have to be smart and savvy enough to take as much as we can get out of them."

His jaw twitched. "I think we've wandered off the original topic. The Benuui is an artifact of historical and cultural significance to the people of Gishoral."

"They're peasants, Daniel, I doubt they care if a culturally-significant whatever goes missing."

"'Culturally-significant whatever?' Were you even paying attention back there?"

No, she'd been too busy admiring his... assets... to listen. "I was busy working out the logistics," she fibbed. "Training you, supplies, infiltration... that sort of thing."

"Oh. Right," he replied sarcastically. "Well, just so you can 'plan' better, let me tell you a little about what we're stealing. It's a religious icon for the people of Gishoral... a statue of their funerary god."

"Than it's probably a statue depicting a Goa'uld who only called himself a god and espoused a religion of gratuitous worship and adoration." She smirked. "Personal experience on that one, darling. Trust me: they're far better off without another icon to their false god."

"But—"

"No 'buts', Daniel... unless it's yours and I have an un-obstructed view of it."

He flushed with embarrassment, and Vala congratulated herself on a job well-done. If only distracting him would always be so easy... eventually he'd get used to her harassment and it wouldn't faze him further.

Ah, well... might as well enjoy it while it lasted.

"Now, come along, darling. I'd rather not get into a shooting match with Yu's Jaffa, but if it comes down to it, I'd like to know you're capable of holding your own."

"Even if I can aim a weapon and fire it," he began, shouldering their earnings, "that doesn't mean I can actually use it to kill someone."

"And the very fact you realize that tells me you'll do just fine," she replied. She extended her left elbow, and after a moment's hesitation, he crooked his right arm around it. The rest of the walk into town was made in silence.

Chapter 10

She wasn't expecting Gishoral to be so cold. Intellectually, she knew it had to be chilly simply from the sheer volume of the clothing she and Daniel had purchased to help them "blend in" with Kien Lu's traders, but the actual feel of the frigid air on her face was a shock. She glanced around to see how Daniel was handling the chill, but could see only his back as he helped the other men get the traders' wagon in motion.

The wormhole closed with a snap, and she gave her surroundings a quick once-over. As she expected from the freezing temperatures, the valley in which the Stargate stood was covered with snow, trampled into paths here and there but mostly pristine and blindingly white. It would have been pretty had she been inside of a warm building, gazing out a window while she drank something hot and sweet and had a handsome man or two giving her a relaxing massage.

Alas, no warm building, no mulled wine, and the only handsome man in sight was too busy helping their new friends from the Han family to give her the loving attention she deserved. Resisting the urge to sigh heavily, she plodded along the frozen track. The pair of Jaffa guarding the 'Gate were already glaring at the wagon and merchants with suspicion, so she tried to look as tired and bored as everyone else in the party. As ridiculous as the ploy was, at least she and Daniel were on the planet without being questioned.

Although the city in which they were setting up shop was less than a mile away, the trip took over half an hour. Draft beasts were difficult to train to travel through the 'Gate, leaving the men of the caravan to haul the wagon of wares themselves... uphill and through the snow, no less. It was too bad they were all posing as low-tech merchants, because a motorized transport would have been very useful, especially in the bitter cold.

When they finally got the wagon inside the town's walls, they were shown to the wayside house, where the members of the caravan were to be staying. To Vala's delight and Daniel's chagrin, Lu told the landlord they were a married couple who should have their own small bedchamber within the compound. Sidling up to Daniel, she slipped her arm through his and whispered conspiratorially, "No sleeping on the floor this time, darling. We have an image to maintain."

His eyes glared, but his face smiled as he patted her hand. "Of course, dear," he replied through teeth clenched only just slightly.

"Give your wife a kiss, then," she smiled back toothily.

"Would you look at that? Honeymoon's over already." Disengaging from her grasp, he grabbed their luggage and followed the landlord up the stairs.

"Spoilsport," she muttered, quickening her step to keep up with Daniel's long strides. Once inside "their" room, she dashed over to the bed and jumped on it, checking the bounce of the mattress as she turned around to face him again. "Seems sturdy enough... as long as we don't get too enthusiastic."

The innkeeper coughed and quickly backed his rapidly-reddening self out of the room. Dropping their bags on the floor next to the washstand, Daniel toed the door shut and latched it. "You enjoy doing that to people, don't you?"

"It got him out of the room, didn't it?"

He sighed. "Yeah. So... do we want to start out tonight or wait until tomorrow?"

"Definitely tomorrow. First, I want to talk a little with the locals, find out some juicy gossip—"

"Vala..."

"—Like secret entrances or old trails or whatever," she finished. "I don't know about you, but I'd rather not have to walk past the fortress to get to the temple. I want to spend as little time as possible outside... it's freezing!"

"You're telling me. I was born in the desert."

"You were?"

He blinked. "I guess I was. It wouldn't have just slipped right out like that if it wasn't true, would it?"

"Probably not," Vala agreed, twisting around so that she lay on her stomach across the narrow bed, feet swinging in the air over her back as she propped her chin up on her fists. "How much more have you remembered?"

"Besides how to fire a zat and move quietly?" he asked, arms crossing his body self-consciously.

"Besides that."

"Not much. I shouldn't be surprised, really... I mean it took me four moons—months to remember my own name. And that's not even my full name."

"It's not?"

"No... I'm pretty sure I have a last name, too." He leaned against the wall and slid down the floor, knees tented in front of him. "Heck, 'Daniel' might not even be my first name, either. I think there's something that goes before it."

"What if it's a title?" she suggested. "Like 'Sir' or 'Master'?"

"Nothing like that."

"Lord? Duke? King? Oh, wait, I already asked that one once, didn't I?"

He chuckled. "No, no, no, and yes, you did. But I'm too garden-variety for any of those titles."

"'Garden-variety' peasants don't speak—let alone read and write—fifteen different languages. Oh, sorry... eighteen, when you add in the common tongue, Tethysian, and Zhiangma, none of which Yuna tested."

"Uh... I think it's more than that, but good point."

"More?" she blinked.

"Um, yeah... I have this bizarre memory of telling someone, 'lo tak meta satak Oz'."

"That's Goa'uld."

"Really?"

"Yes. Who's the great Oz and why'd you say you were him?"

He shrugged. "I guess it was the right thing to say at the time... or maybe the wrong thing. Who knows? I sure don't."

"You're a strange man, Daniel."

"Thanks, Miss Mal Doran. You're pretty strange yourself."

She laughed. "You make it sound like such a compliment."

"It is!" he grinned. "No, seriously! Think about it: being strange implies that you're somewhat different than what societal mores say you should be. That takes imagination, intelligence, and a bit of a stubborn streak to accomplish."

"Well, when you put it that way, I'm flattered." She beamed at him. "Thank you, Daniel." As though suddenly realizing he was being nice to her, Daniel ducked his head, fingers toying with the fringed edge of his scarf. Vala recognized it as the one the villagers from Makosis gave him. "Do you miss them?"

"A little. I lived there for the only four months I can remember. As much as I liked the people, though, I always knew they weren't home." He smiled wistfully, leaning his head back against the wall behind him. "I think Atrus was right: I live in the journey, not the destination."

"Then you and I are kindred spirits! I've never really had a place to call home, either. The apartment at Sarilis' is really just a dwelling... a place to store my riches and plunder, yes, but not a home."

"I think I—maybe—might have... had one. A real home... and family. But I lost it?" He shrugged, then gestured at his right temple. "Everything up here is just so... jumbled. Images... feelings... voices... nothing makes sense. There are just too many holes and not enough solid memories holding the threads together."

Vala sat up on the bed. "You know what you need?"

He swallowed. "Uh, no. What do I need?"

For a moment, she debated teasing him again, but it just didn't go with the mood. "Supper. I don't know about you, but I'm starving."

"Supper... sounds good." He pushed off the floor and opened the bedroom door. Pausing, he extended his right arm for her to take. "Shall we, my dear?"

"Of course, darling," she smiled in return.

Ch. 1-10      Ch. 11-20      Ch. 21-30      Ch. 31-40      Ch. 41-50      Ch. 51-60      Ch. 61-70

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