Author Notes: Hi! This is my first Stargate story, but it's been knocking around in my head for some time now. I know this premise of a story has been done a few times already. However, I think mine is going to be different in that it will focus more on the aftermath, so don't give up on me! Oh, and for the record, SG-1 will be a close, five man team, even though this never happened; it just suits my purposes.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, nadda, zilch. Except this fictional story. Any likeness to any other story, person or character is completely coincidental.
Memories of a Child
Chapter 1: A Gift
"Okay sir, I've collected all the samples I'm going to need." Called Major Cater, rising to her feet and brushing the dirt off herself.
"Finally! Alright Carter, me and Teal'c will pack up base camp while you go and drag Geek 1 and Geek 2 away from their rocks, I've radioed them three times already."
Smiling, Sam packed her samples away securely and headed towards the temple that Daniel and Jonas had been studying for the last two days. The planet, P31-X23, was utterly deserted, so it had been a relatively quite mission. In fact, apart from a small incident involving a racoon-like creature (secretly named 'Bob' by Teal'c) and Colonel O'Neill's dinner, nothing exciting had happened in the slightest; all the more reason for O'Neill to want to high-tail it through the Stargate to get back to The Simpsons.
After a five or so minute walk, Sam made it to the temple entrance. Calling her team mates names as she went, Sam proceeded into the antechamber and onwards until she found the hall that Daniel and Jonas were working on. "Hey guys, the Colonel says we're heading back to the gate. Guys!" Sighing, Sam walked over to the closer of the two, Jonas, and cuffed him lightly around the head.
"Hey! That hurt! Oh, hi Sam, didn't hear you come in."
"I bet you didn't. Oi! Daniel!" To her surprise, he actually responded, although he didn't look up.
"Tell Jack I'm almost done translating, just a few more hours."
"Sorry Daniel, I've got orders to return with you both. Now."
"But Sam!" Jonas had joined in the protests now, "This language is completely unique! We haven't found it anywhere else; it really needs some more study."
"Look, take it up with the Colonel when we get back, I'm just following orders. Anyway, between you, you've made over 24 hours of footage! You've got that to study."
Grudgingly, the two archaeologists began to pack up their things, grumbling under their breath about how watching it on a computer wasn't the same, or how she wouldn't be saying that if she hadn't finished with her precious samples. Sam waited patiently, fiddling every so often with her gun. Not that she thought that they were in any danger, it just passed the time.
Finally, Jonas and Daniel had finished and the three friends began heading towards the doorway.
Leaving so soon?
The three whipped around as one, Sam with her P-90 and the other two with their handguns. The room was empty. Jonas swallowed nervously, and said, "I'm gonna guess you both heard that too?"
Sam scanned the room warily, "I think we should get back to Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c."
Nodding, they hurriedly began backing away.
Please, don't leave on my account; I have been waiting to talk to the three of you alone since you arrived. The heavy, think stone door slammed downwards, locking them in.
"We don't mean any offence by being here." Daniel spoke up, "We are sorry to have upset you, but we're going now."
A man suddenly appeared in front of them. He was about seven foot, completely bald, and wearing wispy white robes. His eyes were black, unblinking; the pupils filling the whole of the eye and to be stared upon by them was wholly disconcerting, "Upset?" His voice was pleasant enough, crisp and light, "Of course not! I just wanted to talk to you alone, away from the other two. Although, it would be a lot more agreeable to talk if I did not have weapons being pointed at me, don't you think?" Instantly, every weapon, knife and radio disappeared, leaving only the two packs, which now resided by the door.
"Hey! You can't do that! I-"
"Sam! Please!" She was cut short by Daniel, who didn't take his eyes off the stranger.
The stranger, however, seemed unperturbed, "I will not harm any of you, I give you my word Samantha. My name is Aquiell."
"How do you know my name?" Sam had never, of course, been referred to by her full name by any of her team mates for quite a while.
"My people are telepathic, among other things."
"That's why we could hear you. You were in our heads!" Jonas looked decidedly unsettled by this thought.
"I am sorry for the intrusion."
"Look. Why did you want to talk to us alone?" Sam was getting bored now.
"Ah, I was wondering when one of you would ask that. I am here to give you a gift; a most wonderful gift."
"Well, thanks, but no thanks. No offence, but we don't make a habit of taking gifts from aliens that lock us in rooms."
"Sam!" Daniel hissed, "Now is not the time to piss off our host."
"Unfortunately, Samantha, my gift to you is compulsory."
"What is it?" Jonas asked, curious as always.
"The gift of memories; of youth. You see, when I say that I am a telepath, I do not mean that I only see and hear what is on the surface of your mind. No, I see what even you do not; I believe you call it repressed memories, memories that your subconscious has hidden from you. Which is why I had to speak with you alone, unlike your team mates, who deal with their past openly, you have hidden yours away."
"Sorry, but I know what's in my past. So, thanks for the offer, but we'll be off now." Sam stalked over to the door and folded her arms.
"Perhaps you have rebuilt a new memory, Samantha, over your past, as has Daniel, but perhaps you should look towards Jonas for an answer."
Sam and Daniel both turned, frowning, towards Jonas, who suddenly found the floor very interesting. "Jonas?" Daniel walked towards him.
Jonas reluctantly met Daniel's eyes, flinching involuntarily when he met the pools of crystal compassion. "I don't have many memories from when I was young, just a few glimpses." He whispered.
"Jonas? Why didn't you tell us?" Sam walked back over to her friends.
"It didn't really come up in general conversation."
Aquiell clapped his hands, making them all jump. "Well, now that we are agreed, let us begin. I've always been partial to the number twelve, and in this case it fits perfectly, don't you think?"
"Wait! What? We haven't agreed anything! And how can you be partial to a number?" Daniel turned away from Jonas to face Aquiell.
"Quite easily. So, my gift to you shall last for twelve hours, no more or less. You shall return to twelve." The alien gave them a businesslike smile. "Shall we start with you Samantha? Then Daniel, and then Jonas – I can only do you one at a time you see."
Sam leapt at Aquiell, but her feet were suddenly stuck. Looking down, she saw some strange, metallic wires and tubes had snaked up her legs to her knees. The same thing happened almost immediately to her arms. Turning to look behind her, she found that the same thing had happened to the others; Daniel was about two metres away from her, apparently having tried to get to her, Jonas was behind him, another metre away.
"Unfortunately," Aquiell sighed, "All gifts come at a price. For one thing, for the next twelve hours you will have no memory of anyone or anything up to the date, shall we say, 28th August, of your twelfth?"
Aquiell turned away from them and walked to the opposite wall, where a panel appeared. As he pressed some buttons, he spoke, "I must also regretfully inform you that there is a great degree of pain involved in this process."
"Why can't you just tell us what you want us to remember?" Daniel yelled, all diplomatic thoughts long gone.
"Unfortunately, your memories are so complex; you must remember them through re-experience. Incidentally, after you have gone home, my planet will be unreachable from your Stargate."
Aquiell pressed a few more buttons. Suddenly, a high pitched squealing filled the room, making their hairs stand on end and setting their teeth on edge. A tingling began at Sam's fingertips, spreading throughout her whole body. Then her whole body seared, it felt as if every muscle in her body had cramped. The last thing she remembered was her screaming blending into a hideous cacophony with her friends' yells and pleas.
Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c had long since packed up camp and were waiting patiently for their team mates' return; at least, Teal'c was waiting patiently. Finally, O'Neill gave up throwing stones into the tree that had once been Bob's home, and shouldered his pack, "Alright, I think Carter needs reinforcements. We've got an hour before we're due, but we'll need that to get back to the gate."
As they came in view of the temple, a strange thing happened that made Jack's stomach turn. In front of their eyes, what looked like a sliver lightning rod rose from the roof of the temple. The tip began to glow golden, as if it was collecting the sun. "Shit!" Jack cursed, "What's Daniel touched this time!"
The two men sprinted full pelt into the temple, not stopping until they reached the door. It seemed that the walls were humming to each other. They both tried their radios, but to no avail. Jack pressed his ear against the door; a faint screaming met his ears. "Dammit! Carter! Daniel! Jonas! Teal'c, blast the door!"
Standing back, Teal'c hefted his staff weapon and shot three consecutive blasts into the door. All it did was leave three charred, smoking smudges behind.
Just as Jack was about to break out the C4, the humming stopped, and the door slowly slid upwards. Lying in the middle of the room, were three, deadly still, bundles of green clothing.
To Be Continued…
Author Notes: So? What do you think? I crave your opinions! Please, please, please review!