• SUMMARY : Nine thousand years ago, the peaceful world of Arana was invaded by the Goa’uld. They used the planet as an agricultural center, growing crops tended by human slaves. As could be expected of them, the Goa’uld abused their slaves. But they never reckoned with the indigenous beings: The Feltors…
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Prologue:

Nine thousand years ago, the peaceful world of Arana was invaded by the Goa’uld. They used the planet as an agricultural center, growing crops tended by human slaves. As could be expected of them, the Goa’uld abused their slaves. But they never reckoned with the indigenous beings: The Feltors…

Now:

"The planet that we’ve designated P5X-1549 seems to be a relatively typical world as we would expect. The level of technology appears to be similar to that of 19^th century America, and while the oxygen level is slightly higher than what we’re used to, the gravity is lower than that of Earth’s." Major Samantha Carter finished her part of the briefing. As far as he was concerned, Colonel Jack O’Neill was surprised at the unusually short length of her speech. He glanced at his watch. A new record: under five minutes. He hadn’t even had time to doze off. Mentally, Jack made a face. He’d been looking forward to that nap. General Hammond announced that they had a go and would leave in a half hour. Gathering up a variety of papers, Jack left the briefing room.

* * * * * * * * * * *

SG-1 stepped out the Stargate onto P5X-1549. They were deposited in a dimly lit room, walled with stone. Dr. Daniel Jackson was somewhat surprised to find that he walls were bare of any decorations, except a simple geometric pattern around the joining of walls and ceiling. He glanced up as a set of footsteps approached. A slender, middle-aged man dressed in a blue robe stood in the only doorway, smiling.

"I am Ranas, guardian of the Portal to the Stars. Welcome, travelers. What is your business here on Arana?" he said.

"I’m Daniel Jackson. This is Jack O’Neill, Samantha Carter, and Teal’c." Ranas started slightly as Daniel said the Jaffa’s name, but showed no other reaction. "We are explorers from a planet called Earth." Daniel continued. Ranas’s eyes widened.

"You are from the Firstland?" he asked.

Daniel glanced at Jack before answering. "If that’s where you mean by the original homeworld of all humans, than yes, we are." Ranas smiled again.

"Then come with me. The Council of the Elements will wish to speak with you. In fact, I have called for a representative to come directly here," he said. Suddenly, a very large, spotted cat came running into the room and yowled at Ranas.

"She’s here already?"

Mreow!

"You understand him?" Sam asked incredulously. The cat turned to her with a look that very much said Duh, human before turning back to Ranas yowled again, fanning a pair of large, feathered wings that grew out of his shoulders for emphasis.

"She’s what?" Ranas asked, and then whirled around. Another winged cat stood there. This one was pure white and long-limbed. She had a deep chest, small ears, and a slightly protruding lower jaw, down from which jutted a pair of canines easily three inches long. At the size of a full-grown tiger, the cat was an impressive sight.

"Travelers, I introduce Surronai, one of the senior members of the Feltor Elemental Council," said Ranas, regaining his composure.

"Your council is made up of cats?" Jack asked dubiously. Surronai flicked her tail irritably. Then, without warning, she pounced. Daniel went down, the Feltor’s forepaws pinning his shoulders to the ground. Jack, Sam, and Teal’c drew their various weapons, but Surronai snarled, flaring her wings. A dome of pale blue light flickered into existence around her and Daniel. The archaeologist wisely chose not to struggle as the violet-eyed feline carefully sniffed his face and chest. Apparently satisfied, Surronai gave another peculiar cry. Beginning as a growl, it rose to an eagle-like shriek before falling back to a mew, hitting every note in between. Jack recoiled from the sound as an odd tingling flooded his body. It felt similar to the time when, as a little boy, he had stuck a butter knife into an electrical socket on a dare. The light-dome faded as Surronai stepped off of Daniel. She delicately grabbed his jacket sleeve in her teeth and helped tug him to his feet.

I apologize for frightening you, said a voice in Jack’s mind. I needed to be sure you were trustworthy before I enacted the spell that would allow us to communicate. The Air Force Colonel glanced around, trying to ascertain just where the voice was coming from.

"Sir?"

"Yes, Carter?"

"I think what we’re hearing is Surronai," she said.

"What?"

The one called Carter is correct. My people cannot physically speak any human languages, although we understand them easily. Normal Feltors bond with a single human, with whom they can Mindspeak. An elemental such as myself, however, can Mindspeak with any intelligent being once their bioelectric fields have been attuned to accept the wavelength required to communicate in such a fashion. The tingling will wear off momentarily.

"What is an elemental?" Teal’c asked. Surronai explained that the Feltor Elementals protected this world from outside threats, using a variety of magical abilities to do so. She had powers connected with water, which meant she could manipulate water molecules, whether they were in a liquid, solid, or gaseous state. Winding down her explanation, she led all six of them (Jack, Sam, Daniel, Teal’c, Ranas, and his Bonded Feltor) out of the chamber. A long hallway opened up to the outdoors. A series of hot springs bubbled nearby in the otherwise grassy terrain. Less than a kilometer away stood a village. A few farms surrounded it. They were tended by humans and Feltors alike. Jack noticed that some of the winged cats were more lightly built than Surronai. He figured that it was either because their guide was an elemental, or simply because the females were larger than the males.

The village of Porutus, said Surronai.

Before they reached the village, Ranas and his Feltor turned back to the building that housed the Stargate, saying that they needed to return to their duties. Surronai nodded him off, then led SG-1 towards a large building in the center of the Porutus. It was very elaborate compared to the surrounding ones, and easily two stories taller. The Elemental led the humans into it.

Daniel saw that the inside walls were covered in paintings showing humans and Feltors coexisting. One mural in particular caught his attention. One section depicted armored Jaffa forcing human slaves to work in fields. Further down, a violet-eyed Feltor reared on its haunches, wings and forelegs spread wide as a storm raged above it. Nearby, humans and Feltors alike fought viciously against Jaffa.

The early records of the meeting of my people and the humans brought here by the false gods, said a mind-voice behind Daniel. He whipped around to see a jet-black Feltor with violet eyes standing there. The long, lean build indicated he was a male.

"I’m sorry, I don’t know you-" Daniel began.

I am Smokewind. My mate Surronai and I are the senior members of the Feltor Council. The winged cat turned slightly, indicating three other Feltors behind him.

These are the others on the Council. The gray and yellow striped female is Chena, of the wind. The spotted male is Tunoc, who controls the earth and stones. Do’ ash is the tawny female, who guides the lightning. I rule fire, and smoke.

Daniel was just introducing the team when Do’ ash hissed.

"Why?" asked Jack warily.

Do’ ash, they have already said he was trustworthy. That was Surronai. I myself have examined them. The Jaffa’s scent indicates he is loyal to these humans of the Firstland, these ‘Tau’ri’.

Growling deep in her throat, Do’ ash strode over to one of the highly decorated pillows along the wall and flopped down.

He will bring the return of the Goa’uld, she warned. Chena reared onto her haunches. This way, travelers. She indicated the pillows. The humans settled themselves on the pillows along with the council. Several people brought out water and fruit for the humans. Surronai began to speak.

I am the oldest of the Feltors, born ten millennia ago.

Daniel choked on his fruit.

"Ten millennia?"

Indeed, Smokewind said. We elementals are essentially immortal unless slain.

I had just received a position on the council when the Goa’uld came. Surronai continued. They came with humans to farm our land, and posed as gods. However, we knew otherwise. No true god would maltreat their worshippers. We also knew where their power came from. It came from keeping their slaves so low on the technological scale that their own devices seemed like magic.

"Exactly." Sam said. "But how could you tell? I mean, you’re not incredibly advanced even now."

We Feltors are not easily as awed as you humans, Do’ ash said smugly. Her tone earned her a sharp, violet glare from Tunoc.

Anyway, we united to fight off the false gods. The battle took a number of years, but we defeated the Goa’uld. After they left, we took the humans under our wings, so to speak. So it has been for nine thousand years. We-

Surronai was interrupted by horns blowing outside and Ronas’s Feltor bounding in. Tail puffed with fright, he yowled something that had a drastic affect on the members of the council. Do’ ash sprang up.

I told you they would bring back the Goa’uld, she hissed. Surronai turned to the striped female.

Until I am slain, I am the senior female of the Council, not you. Until then, you will accept my ruling. Go assemble your warriors. Do’ ash snarled, before evaporating into a cloud of gold sparkles and vanishing.

You are warriors, are you not? asked Smokewind.

"Yes, we are," Jack said," but what does-"

Then you will go with Surronai.

"What?"

Come, Surronai said. She turned and galloped out the door with SG-1 following. The Elemental led them to the hill overlooking the plain dotted with hot springs. Out of the building that housed the Stargate poured Jaffa bearing the mark of Ares. At the tops of surrounding hills were humans and Feltors bent on protecting their world. SG-1 spread out, taking up positions.

Satisfied that they were ready, Surronai sprang into the air, beating her wings. She shrieked, and storm clouds gathered in the sky. Below, the forces of Arana tangled with the Jaffa of Ares. Jack and Sam fired away steadily at a knot of Jaffa moving towards their position as Teal’c and Daniel covered them. Bolts of lightning shot from Do’ ash’s paws to fry those who opposed her as the indigenous humans used old-fashioned rifles to defend themselves.

Finished with the first squad, the Tau’ri turned their weapons on the First Prime, who had joined the fray. A pillar of smoke swooped past Daniel and materialized as a black Feltor; Smokewind. He growled, and the grass surrounding the First Prime burst into flame. The Jaffa jumped back with a shout.

At their leader’s command, the other Jaffa turned and ran for the Stargate. Surronai was having none of it. Paws and muzzle stained with blood, she shrieked again. From the far end of the battlefield, Chena answered her cry. Water rose from the hot springs, shaping itself into a trio of water spouts. They swept around the field, slurping up Jaffa.

One feline shape detached itself from its fellows, darting into the building that housed the Stargate. Distantly, the sound of an activated Stargate could be heard.

The water spouts, now heavily laden with unfortunate Jaffa, swirled into the building. There was a loud sound like water going down a drain, then silence.

Surronai purred. They are gone.

Jack stood up, squinted into the distance, and whistled. "Very neatly done."

Thank you. In the field, humans and Feltors gathered the injured and slain. Surronai watched the proceedings. Your people are formidable warriors, Colonel. Perhaps we may one day be able to allow our humans to return to their homeworld, if your skills have brought the end I imagine them to have.

"What end might that be?" Jack asked. The Feltor turned to him, mildly surprised.

"We did that a very long time ago."

Time has little meaning for one as old as I, she said. Do you have healers?

"Huh?"

"Doctors, you mean?"

"No offense, but don’t’ the lack of hands among your kind kinda make it hard to do that sort of thing, don’t they?"

"You just wave your paws and make them better?" Jack said dubiously. Surronai flicked her ears in surprise.

You have seen a Feltor healer at work? she asked, Or is that how your "doctors" heal their patients?

"Not quite. We use, uh, bandages, and things. Lots of technology."

A very inefficient method. Jack got the distinct impression the Feltor was smirking as she glided down to join the clean up crews.

© November 2004 The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.