Aberrant: Stargate Universe - A New Year [Complete]

[z028 Riley]

Vinny's death had been horrid. The funeral had been worse. For the first time in her life, Kyria had cut herself completely off from the minds around her. And then there was the mind she couldn't cut off, the one she couldn't shut out or keep her own emotions from. Not completely.

Which was why she was standing out in the woods three miles from the Beta Site either very late at night or very early in the morning depending on how you wanted to look at it, with Declan pacing a few feet away. "So...."

He rubbed the back of his neck and stared up at the moons above them, "So....what? It's not like ya' to start a line and not finish it. What're we doin' out here?"

"We need to talk."

"Huh. Y'know, that's not a string o' words most men want to hear. It usually start right before 'just friends' or 'it's me, not you'."

She smiled for the first time in days, just briefly. "It's nothing like that. I quite enjoy being more than 'just friends'. It's just...." She shrugged and laced her hands together, nervously. "I wanted to talk. Out loud. About...everything. About what we're going to do. About where we go from here."

[The Red Man]

Dec processed her words, even as he also processed her posture, tone, the way she lightly chewed the inside of her lip and her heart beating just a barely-perceptible fraction faster when the lovely red-head talked about being more than just friends. His senses took it all in, his mercilessly efficient brain analysed and cross-referenced all of the available data along with his own opinions and feelings.

He hadn't particularly liked Vinny. It was a personal thing, not professional: Dec thought he was an asshole, stayed out of his way, and that was that. Vinny had been good at his job, a good team leader, and a career soldier devoted to his duty. Cameron was a man Declan had less opinion on. He'd seemed competent and personable. Both men had died in a fucked-up way in a far-off place and had been buried with less ceremony than they deserved. Black-ops funerals didn't tend to lean heavily on public pomp.

Which was a shame, because if anyone deserved a full Presidential funeral when they went out it was the guys and girls of SGC. 'Saving the world' wasn't merely a figure of speech for the things they did. But to the REMF's in the IOA, the SG teams, the amazing discoveries they made, and especially the Specialists were resources to be guarded jealously from the world at large. The accident wouldn't even have happened if the guys with the oversight could actually be trusted with that sort of power.

All of this flashed through Dec's head in a nanosecond as he regarded Kyria. Of course, his brain being what it was these days, it threw up about a hundred sets of strategic, tactical and operational plans for neutralising, eliminating, or curtailing the IOA. Then it cut out the ones that involved large scale loss of life, dissolved the world governmental structure, or would end up pitting him against the other Specialists: his friends, for the most part. That left ten scenarios. Of these, the most effective and stable was...

"We leave." he said with barely a heartbeat's pause to think. "We need to get out from under the IOA: they're compromised by this Trust group, and even then the Trust doesn't actually have to do diddley-squat to foster suspicion and resentment in the various member nations. After this shit with the Device, the IOA is gonna come down harder on the Specialists and try to tighten the reins. You and me are at the top of their list, for different reasons. Psychologically and powers-wise, we're the most random elements in the mixture. These guys are control-freaks: they hate random elements." Declan paused for a moment.

"So we need to get the fuck out and work on neutralising the Trust. We can't do it from the inside with their rules and regs. As things stand, if we arrest or take prisoners from the Trust, they get handed over to the IOA and ten'll get you a hundred that they 'disappear'. Or the intel we get from them becomes useless. We can't do the job inside a system that they manipulate."

[z028 Riley]

Kyria nodded. That was about the same conclusion she'd come to, for slightly different reasons, but she'd also checked on something else. "We'll be on our own, Dec. The others, they won't come with us, not yet. They've got family here, or loyalty to the SGC or their home country. To Earth, in one way or another, and enough to keep them from leaving even if they realize that they're essentially slaves at this point."

She chewed on her lip again, her eyes darting to him and away again several times before she finally murmured, "There's something else, another reason why I don't want to stay." She paced away from him and back again, as nervous as he'd ever seen her.

"You and I, part of the reason they fear us so much is that we don't need them in any way. We're both more than capable of surviving in the universe on our own and they don't have the psychological hold on us that they do on some of the others. Or family. We don't have parents or siblings or baseline spouses that can be held ransom against our cooperation."

She took a deep breath and looked back to him, "We don't yet, but...we will."

[The Red Man]

"We don't yet, but...we will."

The words rolled into his mind and acted like sugar in a gasoline tank. The hyper-specialised analytical brain slowed it's endless calculation as six words bounced back and forth between the synapses. Dec's eyes widened, thick brows climbing his forehead in an almost comical expression

"Ya mean..." He looked at the slender girl's belly, then met her eyes once more. For once, Kyria noted, his brain seemed to be operating at a normal speed. And focusing on one thing.

"Oh, wow." he said, still staring at her in an expression somewhere between fear and elation. "I mean, holy shit!"

*Oh crap if they find out they'll never leave us alone they'll try to take the kid use the kid I won't let them harm this kid my kid our kid kill them all first!*

Dec realised his jaw and fists were clenching unconciously and took a deep breath, feeling Red straining to 'proactively defend' their family. Smiling a little sheepishly, the burly soldier stepped forward and folded Kyria in a warm hug.

*Our kid, man. Ours and Kyria's. Fuck. We can't let anything happen to her or the kid. We got to get outta here before any of the other Specialists know.*

"Do any of the others know?" he murmured in her ear, trying to be logical, to think this problem out rather than just snatch up his alien princess and run off through the nearest Stargate.

[z028 Riley]

She snuggled into him and shook her head. "No, I didn't know until a few days ago when I started sensing another mind around me all the time. It's....it's not much yet, just basic brainwaves, but...." She sighed.

"I didn't want to say anything with the funerals and all. Everyone's already dealing with so much and we weren't trying to have kids, so....so I just figured it'd be better to wait until afterwards and then talk." She looked up at him, her eyes serious, "But I do agree. If we stay, who knows what the IOA would try to do. They fear adult novas enough, I don't think they'll be able to handle a nova child. The child certainly won't understand an NDA, and with the powers our child is likely to have....well, keeping secrets at all probably isn't going to work well."

She nuzzled against him, just enjoying his closeness for a moment. "But where are we going to go? The Tok'ra might help us, and I want to check on Kornan and make sure he's doing well with his new host. I don't know that it'll be much better than with the IOA, if we tried to stay, though. They're fighting a war, too, and we're just too much of an advantage not to want to use if we stick around long enough. I don't know anyone else...maybe one of the old Goa'uld worlds, one that's been freed or an inhabited world outside of the Goa'uld sphere of influence?" She frowned, "I know it would probably be the safest if we went somewhere unihabited, but I don't want to feel like we're hiding away, that we can't interact with the rest of the galaxy just because we're novas. That's not good for us and it won't help our child deal with the universe as they get older."

"I know we need to leave, I just don't know where we should go."

[The Red Man]

"We need to be mobile, then. We also need to be independant of the 'Gates." Dec pulled back enough to look down at Kyria, his arms still around her. "The IOA, the Trust, the goa'uld and the SGC can monitor and restrict our movements if we stick to those things." A pause.

"We need a ship, and seeing as neither of us owns one, we need to steal it." A shrug of brawny shoulders. "Doesn't bother me none, except I've no fuckin' idea how to fly one." He smiled down at her then, a half-sheepish, half-amused grin. "Do you?"

[z028 Riley]

She nodded, "I'm still a beginner at it, but yeah, I could fly one." She pursed her lips, "There's the Al'kesh here at the Beta Site, and they've got the Asgard ship now. Though I don't really like the idea of stealing from the rest of the novas, or living permanently on an Al'kesh. They're not really meant for longterm habitation."

"Maybe....maybe we could borrow the Al'kesh for a while and then bring it back once we picked up a better ship? The only people that know the Al'kesh is here are the other novas, so we might even be able to take it and return it before anyone goes looking for it. I've got the control codes for it." She frowned and murmured, "I'm really going to miss people here. I...I hate the idea of just leaving without telling anyone. Livy's one of my oldest friends here, and Aradia is sort of family...."

She trailed off, her brow still furrowed in worry and sadness. "We need to go soon, though. I heard Dr. Fraiser thinking about the check ups they'll be doing on everyone in few days, to see if the Asgard did anything to us and to check up on everyone's mental health."

[The Red Man]

At the mention of Livy, Dec's eyes went distant for a moment, then refocused on Kyria's gaze. He nodded. "Yeah, Livy's been through enough shit lately. To leave without giving her a heads-up ain't the act of a friend." He took a deep breath, his expression stoic.

"She deserves to know, and Aradia too. Neither of 'em is the kind to rat us out, and it ain't like they'll be able to tell the suits anythin' damaging even if they did let slip." He looked back in the direction of the Beta site HQ. "I don't see any problems with havin' a little pow-wow with them and explainin' if you want to. In fact, if only on a pure strategic level, it's a good idea to leave on good terms with some of our buddies." He grimaced, then smiled. "O' course, that's not the only consideration."

[z028 Riley]

She nodded and sent out her thoughts to the two women, finding it surprisingly easy to exercise the new ability she'd developed with her telepathy. *Livy, Aradia, could the two of you come talk to Declan and I for little bit? Discreetly?*

She sent an image of where they were and how to get there, then murmured to Dec, "They're on their way. Are we going to tell them everything? Or just that we're leaving?"

[The Red Man]

Declan shrugged, thinking it over. "If we tell them we're leaving, they'll want to know why. We could bullshit them, but we might as well just leave as do that. I don't like the idea." He hugged Kyria tight for a moment. "These are our friends. We shouldn't hide something like this from them unless it'd put them in danger."

He pondered a split-second more then shook his head. "Not enough of a problem to warrant concealment from them. I vote we tell the girls." He grinned faintly. "No stickin' around for baby showers, though."

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia sighed as she heard the mental summons. She... was not ready for this. She wasn't precognative; she didn't know what was coming, but she didn't know if she could stand in front of the happy couple right now. Now's... I don't think this is a good time, Kyria, Olivia said, trying not to think anything else. She didn't want to hurt in the presence of her friends, or hurt them by avoiding them, but she had avoided them lately. More accurately, she'd avoided any happy couple on base. She'd even avoided the unhappy ones. She found reasons to leave rooms when people talked about the loved ones. It was all painful and hollow, and she wasn't sure she could handle being face-to-face with what she'd just lost.

[z028 Riley]

Declan caught the small frown that passed over Kyria's features, *I understand, Liv. We're leaving, Declan and I, in the next few days at the latest. We didn't want to go without saying goodbye.* Livy could feel the mental sigh, *There's more, nothing....nothing really dangerous or anything, so I can just tell Aradia and let her tell you when you're up for it, if you want.*

"Livy's not coming, Dec. She's still...." she trailed off, knowing he'd understand.

[Aradia McConnell]

Aradia was more receptive to the mental summons. The death of Vinny and Cam hadn't been as personal to the young acrobat - it mostly expressed itself in worry for Livy, and she'd been doing her best to avoid making her best friend uncomfortable. There was no talk of Wakiki near Livy for now, Aradia could see how hard it was for Livy to deal with that sort of thing right now, and she'd been the one to call him with the news so that Livy didn't have to.

So when she received Kyria's mental summons, she was more than happy to go meet her. She wasn't sure why the other woman wanted to see her, but hopefully it would be, at the very least, a minor distraction from all the misery surrounding the base and the rest of the specialists at the moment.

[z028 Riley]

She found Kyria and Declan exactly where she'd been shown, both of them leaned up against a tree; Kyria tucked inside the circle of the predatory sergeant's arms. Kyria smiled, but it was careful, controlled. Not the smile of carefree good news.

The young alien climbed to her feet, dusting off the earth that clung to her jeans. "Hey." She pulled her 'neice' into a hug, "Thank you for coming out here in the middle of the night."

She glanced back at Declan, taking strength from his presence, then looked Aradia squarely in the eye. "Declan and I are leaving. In the next couple of days at the latest."

[Aradia McConnell]

Aradia's brow furrowed slightly in confusion, as if at first she didn't quite get the relevance of what they were saying.

"Leaving? Like, on a trip? Or what?"

Dec shook his head slightly, his expression as serious as the one worn by the young telepath he held in his arms.

"Naw.. unless you're talking the permanent kind."

Ari's eyes widened slightly, looking startled for a moment, and then confused again.

"How are you gonna - wait, if this is illegal or something, best you don't tell me - I can claim ignorance if anyone asks. Not.. that I wouldn't anyway. And I guess the only person who could tell I was lying is gonna be gone."

Her lips twisted into a brief, wry smile. Knowing Dec and Kyria, and seeing the somewhat strained expressions on their faces, she could tell there was a lot more to this. But she felt a slight pang of envy at the idea that they were leaving all this crap and getting away from the SGU. Still.. it was such a huge risk.

"So.. why? I mean.. what happened? Where are you going?"

[The Red Man]

"Somewhere that the I.O.A can't get their hands on us." Dec replied soberly, then added with a slight smile. "Well, hopefully. As for this being illegal..." he took a deep breath, then let it out.

"The legality is spotty where Kyria is concerned, but in my case this is AWOL. Desertion. Court martial territory, and all that fun stuff." It was obvious to both women how that sat with the career soldier: it stung. His jaw tightened as he hugged Kyria gently, reassuring himself of his course.

"This ain't us throwin' our toys outta the stroller just because, though. There's good reasons, real good ones." He explained earnestly, then held up a hand to forestall Aradia's response. "Naw, wait a sec there. We're tellin' you this shit for a couple of reasons beyond you bein' Kyria's buddy, frail. First, we trust you, and second, someone needs to tell Livy and the other friendlies this shit when the time's right."

"One, we don't have much faith that SGC can keep the IOA off our backs. There's a full medical and psych performance review comin' up, and what with one thing and another, I might not make it through the psych. O'Neil and Landry came through like the 82nd Airborne for me last time, but now the IOA, stirred up by these Trust assholes, are gonna be flexin' their muscle and lookin' to show us who's boss. If I stay, I'll be given a choice between dancing to their tune, spending life in a box, or killin' a whole bunch of people to stop options 1 and 2 from happenin'. All three ways, the Goa'uld score a point."

"Another reason is that we just can't do what we need to do on the inside. Earth is my home, the U.S of A is my home, but I can't defend them properly when the very organisations calling my shots are infiltrated to hell and back with Goa'uld agents, and most of those who are clean of the snakes are too busy playing stupid fuckwitted politics. I believe in keepin' the planet safe, but I feel like I'm tryin' to do the job hogtied and blindfolded workin' for those cocksuckers at the top." Dec's deep voice was calm, with only a trace of weary bitterness. "They keep all the cool tech, all the stuff that could revolutionise transport, medicine, and a hundred other facets of life, locked away from the people who need it the most. Truth be told, I don't think those bastards deserve to have Novas working for them."

He fell silent for a moment, the night air moving about the three Specialists like cool fingers. In the pause, he gave Kyria an enquiring look, wordlessly communicating to her that the soapbox was now hers.

[z028 Riley]

Kyria chewed her lip nervously for a moment and then flashed Ari a small smile. "I'm pregnant, somewhere around nine weeks along, and for all the reasons Declan just said, we don't want our child in arms reach of the IOA or the Trust."

She took a breath, leaning into Declan, and continued, "And the SGC just isn't prepared to handle novas....well, really any novas from what I've seen, and a child nova even less. Our powers aren't as strong before puberty, but they're there and they get stronger as we get older or we're in danger. They'll want to study the baby like a rat in a lab, they'll want to control it, and they'll want to push it and try to make it into weapon for them. Just like they're doing with us." She shook her head, "Until the SGC isn't some dirty little secret of the Powers That Be and we aren't slaves to the alphabet soup of the day if we stay, Earth and the planets the SGC controls just aren't a safe place to raise a nova child."

She glance up at Declan and then back to Ari, "So we're leaving. We'll see if there's some way we can make the break amicable, but we are going. That's what we wanted to tell you."

[Aradia McConnell]

Aradia leaned back against the nearest tree, and let out a breath that she hadn't realized till then that she'd been holding. She'd never contemplated the idea of a nova kid before, but now the implications - those Kyria had mentioned and more - rushed over her, and she shook her head slightly.

"Yeah. No shit. I can't say I blame you. I sure the hell wouldn't wanna raise a kid under the thumb of these assholes. It'd probably be taken away from you before you could bat an eyelash, like in one of those sci-fi horror movies I never used to believe in."

She let out a little noise of disgust then, but shook her head, and glanced back at the two soon to be ex-Specialists.

"Okay. So.. don't worry. You know I won't open my trap, especially not about this kinda shit. You guys can both trust me, I swear. I don't like the IOA any more than you do.. I just have motivation to stay right now than go, you know? I got stuff.. people. That I care about, or I'd almost ask..."

Her expression had gotten almost wistful for a moment, as she imagined a life outside of the IOA and the SGU, away from all the bullshit and the government and all the rest of the lies and backstabbing. But that would mean leaving too much behind. For all that Ari had grown up thinking she didn't have any kind of real connections.. that she was a true carnie, without a care in the world.. it just wasn't true. She had her Dad. She had the carnies. And she had Livy, and Wakiki.. whom the idea of actually leaving bothered her more than she'd ever dreamed it would, once she thought about it. So she shook her head, pushing the thought out of her mind.

"Anyway.. where are you gonna go? Do you think you can find out a way to keep in touch somehow? You know.. just in case things get rough around here or something? You guys are great friends, I'd hate never to get to see you again."

[The Red Man]

Dec watched as the young acrobat and reluctant Specialist grew momentarily wistful, her feelings on the matter plainly worn on her sleeve. He sympathised with Aradia. He sympathised with all of the Specialists who had Earthly ties. Before Kyria, he'd have likely envied them those people they had to care for.

Not any more, though.

"I've had a few ideas about keeping in touch. Firstly, we can use a dead-drop system. Write or record messages on a flash drive and stash them in a place known to both parties." He glanced around. then grinned and pointed at a tumble of rocks in the lee of the nearest tree. "Like right there." He suggested. "Just remember to make sure the package is water- and air-tight." He pondered for a moment. "We need to set up a backup too. Tell Livy that the other drop place will be where I was hiding during our first combat exercise together. She'll know that one." He frowned and rubbed his stubbled jaw.

"It's slow, but I'm not really all that good at the alien space-tech comms side of things. But it's a fair bet that it's interceptable by all sides." He glanced down at the redhead in his arms. "You got any better ideas, Kyria?"

[z028 Riley]

"Well, if we can get in orbit in a cloaked ship, I can just contact people telepathically. It might take a bit, but it's more secure than any mechanical communications." She pursed her lips, "I'm not sure about how secure the communication systems are from the other races."

She gave a wry smile, "I guess we'll need to be brushing up on our alien tech. And I think we're going to check up on the Kornan and spend a little time with the Tok'ra, to begin with. We should be able to get some messages through that way; after that, we'll just have to wing it."

[The Red Man]

There wasn't much more to be said after that. Aradia hugged Kyria tightly and, after a moment's pause, hugged Declan too. "Gonna miss you guys. Take care of each other?" She smiled as she stepped away from the two of them, determined not to get all weepy. There were enough reasons for tears: two of her friends getting out from under The Man wasn't one of them.

"We will." Declan said quietly, a confident note in his deep voice. "You take care too. And if things get bad, we'll come for you, okay?" Kyria nodded in confirmation of his words.

* * * * * *

The pair returned to Stargate Command for what would probably be the final time in a long time. By unspoken consent, they packed what few belongings they wanted/needed before seeking out Carter. Of all the brass, she was the one officer that both novas felt was owed an explanation.

The current commander of SGC looked up at the knock on her office's open door. "Sergeant? Kyria?" She sized the two of them up for a second before she set down her pen and gestured to the two of them. "Come on in. What's up?"

[z028 Riley]

Kyria squeezed Declan's hand and then straightened to adress Carter, "Sorry for the late hour, but Declan and I need to speak with you."

Carter sat up a little more, the tone in the room heading uncomfortable places, "About what? Has there been a problem at the Beta Site?"

Kyria shook her head, "No, the Beta Site is fine." She hesitated, then pushed through, "We want to leave."

[Mr Fox]

"You want to leave?" Carter asked the question not comprehending for a moment before she grasped what was meant. "Leave the SGC, or leave Earth?" Seeing the response in their faces she said, "Ah."

"You both know I can't give permission for that. Kyria, you are a free person, you signed an agreement, but it allows you to leave anytime you want." She looked to Dec, "Sgt, you know you can't leave. You are in the Air Force and you've got a year and a half left on your enlistment. Even if it was up today, I couldn't give you both permission to leave Earth. Are you both sure this is the only way? And, why now, your leaving will hurt the team."

[The Red Man]

"Ma'am, we weren't asking permission." Declan's tone was polite, but not particularly deferrent. "We're simply lettin' you know that we are leaving, and we have good reasons for doing so." He looked directly at Commander Carter, his expression unapologetic.

"As for hurting the team... Sorry ma'am, but that bird doesn't fly. Most of them would leave too if they didn't have family for the IOA to use against them. You know it, we know it." He looked at Kyria, then back at Carter. "There's no way in hell I'll ever work under baseline orders again, ma'am. I don't trust the IOA, I don't even trust our own government after that Washington mission." He let that sit for a moment, then added. "So yeah, this isn't the only way, but it's the best."

[Mr Fox]

Carter's eyes got hard at the insubordination and she looked on the verge of doing something that couldn't be recalled once committed to. Then the moment passed and although still a bit stony she said, "I see." And she did too, Kyria could read it in her mind.

Carter consciously weighed the alternatives and considered giving the order that would end in their deaths. Kyria was just a little surprised that there was a plan in place to deal with the Specialists in the event of a mutiny. More surprised that Carter didn't know the details of the plan, an obvious security measure to keep Kyria herself from learning of it and being prepared for it. Even more surprising was that she could see a contingency in place for letting them go. All these things had been planned out and premeditated and put into place since the mission to the Asgard.

Most surprising of all was the fact that the decision really did balance on a knifes edge in Colonel Carter's mind. Would they die or be allowed to leave?

...if I give the order it won't just be these two that die. All of the specialists will be through here. The IOA and the President will never trust any of them again. One by one they will be lost in action on missions here on Earth. Used and used up, but they won't survive and they won't ever be free, that's not the way with the black ops... on the other hand if I let them go they are a security threat worse than anything the SGC has faced... can I blame them really? I might do the same thing... Even as she thought that last Kyria knew it wasn't true. Carter was too loyal to ever leave the SGC, she was too much of a believer in the cause, but she was a believer in people too and there was just an edge of faith in the two Specialists that weighed into her decision. Maybe it was that loyalty to her people, maybe it was that faith in them, or maybe just that deep down she liked them. In the end the decision was made, one contingency selected over the other.

"Very well. These are the rules. You will not return to Earth from this moment on unless given specific permission to do so. Any time spent on Earth will be escorted at all times by a minder. You will receive no assistance from Earth, and you will take no weapons or other items that could tie you to Earth when you leave. We will give you a pair of Zat's or a staff weapon if you wish, but nothing else. When you leave you are on your own no matter what trouble you get into. We expect that you will die before surrendering to the Gou'ald and allowing them to gain control over you. You are too big of a threat and you know it yourselves. Finally, you are permitted to return to the Beta Site any time you wish to, but understand that you could be putting your friends in mortal danger if you lead an enemy to them. It would also compromise the fact that you are from Earth and could bring down reprisals on a planet of 6 billion people if an Enemy were to follow you there and connect your activities to Earth. I am risking my career in making this decision to let you leave, worse, I'm risking Earth itself. Don't fail my faith in you. Your reasons for leaving might be good enough that you feel you must do this, but don't forget how many lives are at steak based on your actions."

It was a rather heavy speech but Carter believed every word and she was more than a little afraid of there being horrible consequences.

[z028 Riley]

Kyria glanced at Declan, who nodded after a tense moment. "Then we have an agreement, Commander. And...thank you. We will be careful."

She stepped back, her hand still in Declan's, but giving the sergeant a chance to say his own goodbyes. For all that Kyria had made friends in the SGC, she'd always been an outsider. Declan had grown up on this world, had chosen to serve his country and his planet. She hoped he wouldn't come to resent what he was walking away from.

[The Red Man]

Declan was momentarily frozen as his two sides warred with one another, Kyria picking up the inner dialogue.

*Bitch wants to talk to us like that - I'll pull her organs out through her mouth in reverse alphabetical order! Does she seriously think that her and this pathetic collection of meatsacks is gonna stop us coming and going as we fuckin' well please?*

*I agree with you. But we're not tipping our hand. When we need to come back, we will. She's just working within her limitations to do what she thinks is best.*

*Limitations is right. She's so fuckin' limited there should be a short bus for her with personalised fuckin' plates. Are we gonna LET her talk to us like that? Seriously?!*

*Not quite.*

"You're operatin' under the wrong intel, Carter." Declan met his former commander's gaze, his mercury eyes uncompromising and cold. "That being that we give two flying fucks about your conditions. Like you said: we're on our own now. Good." He pointed one finger at her. "That also means you and those REMF's don't get to tell us what to do or how to do it. If they choose to interfere with us, or if we get word of ONE of the other Specialists being fucked with by your bosses, all those plans the IOA think they have in place to deal with us will be paper in a firestorm. We're leaving to prevent a confrontation because, right now, we have that choice. My warning to you, as one individual to Stargate Command and the Earth governments, is to leave us alone."

Now he stepped back, his jaw tight with anger as he half turned towards the door and glanced at Kyria. "Let's go."

[z028 Riley]

Kyria winced and gave Carter a sympathetic look, but didn't disagree with Declan. What he said was true, and in a way he was being kind by being honest. In a way.

"Goodbye, Commander Carter. I wish you luck and good fortune." It was a formal, and probably permanent, goodbye but it would have to do. She followed Declan back out of the room, making sure that she was the one to close the door so it wouldn't be slammed off its hinges and take have the concrete wall with it.

"We should go quickly. Is there anything on the base you actually want to take with you?"

[The Red Man]

"Not a damn thing that isn't packed in here." Dec replied, taking a deep breath to calm himself as he bent down and scooped up his duffle from where he had placed it outside Carter's office. Somewhat fortunately, seeing as the duffle contained his two machete-type blades along with several changes of clothes.

"Let's get the hell outta Dodge before these morons do something stupid. -Er." He said. Kyria nodded and they quickly made their way to the Gate Room.

"Dial us out to the Beta site." Dec called up to the control room, receiving an answering nod. Under his breath to Kyria, scarcely moving his lips, he added "Keep an ear in their heads, will ya? I don't want this gate to lead somewhere nasty."

[Mr Fox]

Colonel Carter walked into the control room and stood next to Walter giving him a nod. Kyria could tell that Carter was already second guessing her decision to let them go thanks to Dec's outburst, but hadn't overcome her basic desire to preserve human life. If she thought for one second the other Specialists wouldn't also suffer she'd order these two taken into custody. She even toyed for just a second with the idea of opening the gate to someplace instantly deadly, but dismissed the thought as unworthy then berated herself for thinking it.

It was a very tense couple minutes until the gate opened. When it finally did, and it was to the Beta Site, Kyria made sure of that in Walter's mind, they passed through quickly and made their way past the guards and into the woods. Unfortunately Kyria instantly lost connection to Carter's thoughts the minute she stepped through, but was quick enough to pick up the thought of the one of the guards ...crazy fucking order... let these two specialists go anywhere they wanted to go?... didn't the Colonel know they would be a security risk if they went offworld to another planet from the Beta Site?... fucking brass and their crazy decisions...

Unfortunately Cam was the only one that had had a remote control to call the Al'kesh so the trek would take them a couple days on foot. It would be along sweaty march, but there were provisions and supplies on board including a couple staff weapons and zats. It wouldn't be much, but it was a start.

[z028 Riley]

The trek was a two day hike, and they took it easy; this meant Declan only doublebacked on them three or four times to make sure they weren't being followed by some sort of electronic surveillance while Kyria swept the area for minds every hour or so. Once they actually made it to the ship Kyria uncloaked it.

"I'd forgotten how big this thing was. I think it might due just fine for a mobile home." She smiled at Declan and opened up the hatch to let them both in; they stowed their gear and made their was to the command room. There'd be time later for a full tour to familiarize themselves with the ship again.

"Alright, Kornan gave me coordinates to gate to if I ever wanted to contact him or the Tok'ra. Lemme see...." Kyria managed to fire up the navigation system without a hitch, though it took her a few times before she was able to input the coordinates and get the computer to understand that she just wanted a time estimate. She smiled at Dec a little nervously, "So...this might be a little bumpy; Cam only had time to teach me the basics. Looks like the safest route, meaning the one with the least Goa'uld territory between here and there is gonna take about a month at the Al'Kesh's top speed. We've got all the necessaries we need except food, and at this point we both need to be eating. There's enough rations on board for us for about a week. We can stop at this planet here," she pointed and a small blue dot zoomed into to show a planet that seemed to be mostly an ocean. "It's ninety percent water, uninhabited by humans or any other known sentients, and abundant in sea life. The small patches of islands are tropical in nature and should have fruits and vegetables we can gather. If we dry out the food, we should be able to pack enough for at least most of the rest of the trip; I can keep looking for other planets to restock supplies on as we go, too."

She put her hands on the control globe and gave her lover a tight smile, "Ready?"

[The Red Man]

"More than." he answered with a wry smile of his own as, taking an unnecessary breath, Kyria engaged the drives. The bomber lifted off, rising above the treetops before swooping up and out of the atmosphere faster than any Terran flying vehicle could match.

"Smooth." Dec noted laconically as they cleared the planet's What's it called again? I'm damn sure the planet's not called Beta Site. atmosphere. He looked over at Kyria, taking advantage of her concentration to study the delicate profile that hid such strength. In six months I've gone from being a psych invalid to a super-soldier gone AWOL from Earth to fight my own war against hostile megalomaniacal parasites together with a beautiful alien girl who just so happens to be having my baby. Life doesn't get any better or weirder than this.

Kyria set the right course for their stop-off and programmed the Al'Kesh for top speed, then shot Declan a smile that communicated louder than words that she'd heard his thoughts. Dec shrugged and grinned in return.

"Come on." she crooked her finger at him semi-playfully. "I've got some things to show you... And DON'T say what you're about to say." Her eyes sparkled with humor. "I mean about the ship. Get your hyper-evolved mind out of the gutter... For now." Grabbing his hand, she led the way out of the control room.

* * * * * *

The stop-off at the water planet was much needed for the pair of them. The pair foraged, spear-fished, and put both Declan's survival training and their nova brains to good use in stocking the Al'Kesh. The climate made drying out and preserving the food relatively easy, and while the fish were smoking over a fire, the two novas relaxed as much as possible, treating the downtime like a working vacation.

When the Al'Kesh emerged in orbit around the Tok'ra homeworld, Declan eyed the blips on the scanner warily as they started to react to the sudden intrusion.

"Okay, what's the Tok'ra for: 'We come in peace'?" he asked Kyria dryly. "Because right now, those blips aren't looking too peaceful."

[z028 Riley]

"Let's try a direct route. I doubt Kornan kept my abilities secret, and right now I'm not sure I could outmaneuver a spear, let alone plasma cannons or whatever."

So saying, Kyria watched the closest ship as it appeared through the window; the Al'Kesh was uncloaked and the weapons powered down, which was about as atypical for a Goa'uld ship as you could get. Gently, she reached out for the dual mind of a Tok'ra, but she couldn't quite make contact. The Tok'ra had spent so long training at resisting their Goa'uld cousins that they were quite effective at naturally blocking.

"Well, let's see if English works," she sighed in frustration and activated the communications system. "This is Kyria Donnighal, a friend of Kornan's. We come in peace." As an afterthought she added, "Please don't shoot us."

Click to reveal..

Telepathy: 1d10=6, 1d10=7, 1d10=3, 1d10=6, 1d10=3, 1d10=2 1 suxx

[Mr Fox]

The comm crackled to life and the voice didn't sound particularly trustful or friendly. "Land on the planet below at these coordinates." Numbers in Goa'uld scrolled across the screen, but the computer seemed to understand and translated into English. Obviously one of Cam's little modifications that had come in handy.

"When you land open your ship for inspection." The comm went silent again. The Tok'ra were nothing if not condescending and a bit arrogant even with their allies.

There was one hopeful sign to Kyria's mind at least. She couldn't sense any Jaffa on the other ship and surely no Goa'uld would travel without their servants and slaves.

[The Red Man]

Declan watched the readouts as Kyria piloted the Al'kesh to the designated landing site on the planet's surface. The landing zone was nothing special - situated in the middle of a vast desert, there was nothing for hundreds of miles in any direction except dunes, sand, and maybe an exciting, monotony-breaking outcrop of sandstone. As they came in closer, however, a blip with a strange symbol next to it appeared on the scanner, not to far away from the spot they were heading to.

"What's this?" Dec tapped it, glancing at Kyria, who squinted in momentary concentration as she looked at her own readings.

"I think that's an operational stargate, but who'd put one of those in the middle of a desert?"

Declan shrugged. "Maybe in case some random bad guy finds the right address and sends a patrol through. They take a look, see nothing but nothing for miles around, then go home and write this place off as being of no interest." He shrugged his broad shoulders again. "That's why I'd do it, anyway."

"Sneaky." Was all Kyria said as she landed the large craft carefully, then shut down the drives and unsealed the entrance hatchway before leaning towards the comms device. "We have landed and are powered down, ready for inspection." She turned towards the passageway down to the entrance hold. "Let's go say hello."

Dec nodded, following the slim red-head's lead.

[Mr Fox]

Three Al'kesh hovered in the air plama cannons aimed at Kyria and Dec's ship. There was no way their ship would get off the ground intact if they tried to flee at this point. That put Dec on edge, Red itching to get out. When the hatch opened there were two men and one woman in the traditional garb of the Tok'ra, none of them recognized as acquaintances.

The one in front spoke in the doubled tones of a snake-head, "Come with us." He gave the pair an appraising look then added, "Please, you are expected." He turned and led the way out in the direction of the stargate, his two followers entered the ship to do their inspection. Other than giving his name their guide was not much for conversation, "I am Han'tir."

There was no path and nothing that distinguished the place in the sand where the man stopped, but he gestured to get closer and once the three were within easy reach of each other, rings rose suddenly from the sand and transported the small group down into the cool shadowed caverns of the Tok'ra. The dark crystalline tunnel led off a few yards and curved out of sight. A pair of guards stood at the bend and waited attentively but did not try to bar passage. Han'tir led the way through twists and turns likely intended to confuse an invader until finally he stopped at an opening to a room.

He gestured, "Please be comfortable until Kornan can meet with you."

An hour passed, but another silent Tok'ra entered with a tray of foods and a pitcher of water part way through the wait. Finally Kornan entered, Kyria recognized the new host from the transfer ritual. "Greetings friends. I am sorry to have kept you waiting. How was your journey?" He smiled knowingly, "I understand you have resigned from the SGC?"

[z028 Riley]

Kyria gave her friend a hug, "Our journey was fine, as is your intelligence." She smiled and sat back down, nibbling at the food and sipping on the drink. "We figured we'd come visit and see how things were here, first. That and get me some piloting hours under my belt."

She smiled at him, "How have things been? We've pretty much been out of contact with anyone for a month, and longer than that since we've seen you."

[Mr Fox]

Kornan gave a genuine smile. "I'm glad you made it. Things are getting a bit strange. We've heard rumors that a couple of the minor system lords have been destroyed along with all of their ships. We've been scrambling to get more intelligence about it, but being minor Goa'uld we didn't have any agents within their organizations." He paused a moment to consider then spoke again, "Your SGC is quiet at the moment, no word from them since the word that you had left. We do not know what they are doing at this time."

Taking a sip of water he continued, "The fight between Anubis and the other system lord's led by Ba'al is heating up. There have been a few major skirmishes but so far Anubis' forces have prevailed in every encounter. It's dangerous out there right now."

[The Red Man]

After giving the food a surreptitious sniff to determine that it was safe (it helped that he didn't need to raise it to his face) Dec eyed the Tok'ra speculatively whilst the alien and Kyria caught up like old friends. Which, he supposed, they were in a way. Sharing bodies and minds like that would create a bond: Dec knew that as well as anyone, he mused as he took a large bite from some strange sort of alien pastry.

*You talking about with me or with her, loverboy?* Red asked sardonically from his front row seat just behind Dec's forebrain.

*Both, I guess. Though in your case don't think 'bonding' makes us buddies.*

*Awww. I'm hurt. Right here, where my tender feelin's should be.* Red cackled then, an eerie, choppy laugh that sounded like helicopter blades and gunfire.

*Spare me.* Dec wasn't as bothered by that dry, murderous voice as he used to be, coming to accept Red more and more as he himself was accepted. Even their bantering had taken on a tone that, if not precisely friendly, at least had a modicum of fellow-feeling.

When Kornan mentioned the war between Anubis and Ba'al Dec perked up a little, casting a glance sideways at Kyria before leaning forward slightly. Several possibilities presented themselves here, all of which warranted investigating. "Kornan. You mind if I ask a few questions?"

"Of course not. Though I warn you in fairness that I may not be able to answer all of them." Kornan replied, his eyes warily friendly as he regarded Dec. Having shared Kyria's mind, if only briefly, he was well aware of the deadliness of this particular specialist.

"That's cool, man. We don't want to impose - I'm just looking for some opportunities to spike the Goa'uld wheel. First: Why's Anubis having it all his way? Numbers, tactics, or somethin' else? Second: Have you ever heard of a bunch of goa'uld infiltrators called The Trust?" Dec took another sip of water. "Three: How much strategic and tactical intel can you share with us right now about the battle lines between Goa'uld factions? Not just ships and men, but cities, resources, political alliances, the whole shebang. Call it a hunch, but I figure if we can see some real data rather than the shit the IOA lets SGC feed it's grunts, we might be able to point you guys at some weak spots on both sides. Nerve clusters, ya could say." Dec looked at Kyria again, then back at Kornan.

"One of the reasons we left Earth is that the powers that be there are afraid to let the Specialists off the leash. They insist on doin' things their way, even if we could show them how to do it twenty times better. They treat us like blunt implements, when we're much, much more than that." Dec looked Kornan in the eye, his face and voice earnest. "We're looking to do some real damage to the Goa'uld, Kornan. Lookin' to really screw up their war machine but good so's the IOA doesn't have it's tired excuse for keeping hold of all the secrets that could improve my planet."

[Mr Fox]

"I'll certainly give you what I'm allowed to provide, which is all the information I've given to the SGC already. However, if you were to plan something I hope you would tell me also, so that we could make sure our agents are not in the middle of any conflict areas."

He considers for a moment then seems to make a decision. "I do have one thing for you right now. I just returned from Earth. I was there to deliver some information to your General O'Neill. It seems that you and Kyria are not the only Specialists to chafe under the constraints of your government. Colonel Mitchell, or perhaps just Mitchell now, he is alive." Kornan watched for reaction from the pair.

"He was captured by Jaffa on Yiu's capital world, apparently he was there to steal a ship. One of our Tok'ra agents helped free him and in so doing Mitchell challenged Yiu's eldest son and defeated him. Jao-long's Jaffa swore to follow him and they stole six vessels including one Ha'tak from the ship-yards. It has caused quite a stir. Yiu has lost considerable face as a result. Ba'al is now the unquestioned leader of the System Lords opposed to Anubis."