• SPOILERS: Season 7; any episode
• CROSSOVER: The Chronicles of Mist and Shadow
• SUMMARY: What if Earth's strongest ally were some of it's own people? Sworn to live in secrecy hiding from their own government? Would they help? Or would they choose to remain in the Shadows? And if they did, how would SG-1 react to their unique abilities?
• PG [CR] [D]

Chapter One: MindCrime

Jacob lifted his head, and Selmac looked out of his eyes. It was an eery thing to see but the team seated around the conference room was more than used to the change. Hammond waited for the Tok’Ra to speak, his fingers playing idly with the papers in front of him. He had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, one presaged by the words he dreaded to hear.

"General Hammond, we need the Circle." the words, softly spoken sent ice down the General’s back. He dropped his head for a second considering, then in his soft Texas drawl answered.

"Are you certain, Selmac?" his gut clenched, his ulcer stabbing at him, promising another visit to the infirmary. He didn’t take his eyes off his friend’s face, hoping beyond hope that this wasn’t their only option.

It was Jacob who answered, "George, it’s the only way. The Tok’Ra have tried, your own teams have met with no success. IF we are going to succeed against Anubis, we NEED these people."

Jack O’Neill started to speak, but was forestalled by Hammond’s quiet acquiescence. Confusion reigned around the table as Hammond stood, he opened the door to the Briefing Room and spoke softly to the Airman standing guard.

He rejoined the group at the table and spoke again to Jacob. "You realize that I’m not even sure they will respond."

Jacob nodded. There was an emotion in his eyes that no one could place. "It would be their right."

Jack could take it no longer, "Excuse me, General, but what are we talking about here?"

General Hammond’s answer was cut off by the opening of the door. The airman entered carrying a black laptop computer. He placed it in front of General Hammond, and retreated back into the hallway. Hammond looked at the laptop like it was a snake about to bite him.

"George, would you rather I do it?" Jacob asked only increasing the confusion around the table. O’Neill shifted in his chair obviously impatient for answers, Carter was looking between her father and the General trying to read the byplay between them.

Hammond shook his head. "No, if we are going to do this, I had best be the one to…" he lifted the laptop screen and turned on the computer. For a moment the boot up screen flickered, then the desktop appeared. The standard windows desktop with only a few programs shown. He turned the screen so that others could see his keystrokes. He opened a program that none of them recognized, MIRC. The screen took a moment to load and as it did so, he accessed a folder.

"Are you absolutely sure Jacob?" he asked for the last time as the screen began to load, data moving too fast for the watching team to read it. Jacob nodded. With that nod, Hammond typed in a command. A screen appeared, the lines of a conversation became apparent, and a list of names.

*Now talking in #shadowrunners

-NickServ-Password accepted- you have been identified as DRX

Topic is "Time is Fleeting" set by ShadoSensei 12-24-03

<SilentHunter> gem... was there any sign of a large blue dragon and a silver wolf...

<SilentHunter> any scales or fur anywhere?

<SilentHunter> better yet... Gem if you are up to it... can you take me there?

<SilentHunter> just direct me... i'll fly us there?

<shadowgem> i'll take you there

<shadowgem> give me a sec

<SilentHunter> ok.. thanks

<shadowgem> by land or air?

<SilentHunter> air... it's safer and faster... you can rider

<SilentHunter> ride

* SilentHunter is now known as Sairys

<briterra> i'm going to watch you guys... is that ok?

<Sairys> thats great hon

*DRX has joined #shadowrunners

Hammond didn’t hesitate but typed in one word.

<DRX> Mindcrime

The result was immediate. There was a flurry of script and suddenly the room was empty of all by the name Sairys and DrX. The members of SG-1, thoroughly confused, leaned forward to read what was on the screen. Hammond hadn’t indicated that this was private, but instead had turned the screen where they could see it.

<Sairys> what the FUCK do you want?

Hammond flinched then replied. ‘Need to talk.’

<Sairys> nothing to talk about

*Sairys is now known as ShadoSensei

<shadosensei> leave hammond

<DRX> Mindcrime

<Shadosensei> I said leave.

*DRX shakes head… can’t leave and you know it.

<shadosensei> Fucking bastard… should have killed you when I had the chance.

<DRX> but you didn’t and now we need you.

*shadosensei sighs… mordor?

<DRX> isengard

<shadosensei> isengard? You’ve come up in the world then. Or should I say down?

<shadosensei> 0928

<DRX> when?

*shadosensei sighs heavily… when I fucking feel like it

*shadosensei grins evilly…. Gandalf?

Hammond quirked his eyebrow and looked at Jacob. Jacob nodded.

<DRX> (Gandalf) I’ll be here as well.

<shadosensei> two birds with one stone then.

*shadosensei has left #shadow runners… Onem estel u-cheben Edain. I-cheben estel anim.

Hammond closed out the programs and turned off the computer. He sat back in his seat heavily. Jacob met his eyes.

"You realise what this means?" Hammond said softly.

"My affairs are in order." Jacob said with a tight smile. "Have been for quite sometime."

"Would some care to tell us what exactly is going on?" O’Neill’s voice was cold and irritated. "Just what was that all about?"

Jacob answered. "Twenty years ago, there was an ‘accident’. An experiment went wrong in Area 51. General Hammond and I were indirectly…"

Hammond hmpfed emphatically. "Be honest, Jacob, we WERE responsible and they paid the price."

"Colonel, I’ll send you the files on it. Easier if you read it." Hammond said rising swiftly. "This briefing is over." his departure forestalled any further conversation. Jacob watched him leave, sadness in his eyes.

O’Neill turned his eyes to Jacob. "Jake?" the Tok’Ra Selmac answered.

"They have never forgiven themselves, O’Neill. They would have left them in peace, but their unique ‘abilities’ are required for us to succeed."

"Selmac, just what the hell is going on?" Carter asked. Her voice was strained and her eyes worried. The Tok’Ra smiled sadly but gently at her.

"The files will explain, Sam." he said, then he too left the room. The members of SG-1 looked at each other.

"Did you all see what this ‘person’ said?" Daniel asked. "He said that he should have killed them when he had the chance."

"Indeed, there appears to be some animosity between the General and this Shadowsensei." Teal’c agreed.

"Ya think?" O’Neill said sarcastically. The Jaffa merely raised an eyebrow at the sarcasm. Any further conversation was interrupted but the entrance of an airman carrying a computer disc. He handed it to O’Neill then retreated. O’Neill leaned forward and pulled his laptop to himself. "Let’s see what this is all about."

Hours later, the SG-1 team sat back in their seats. "Holy shit."

"Indeed, DanielJackson."

The atmosphere at SGC for the next few days was strained to say the least. General Hammond didn’t speak to anyone and refused to meet with the members of SG-1. He spent his time sequestered in his office. Since the Briefing the team had been put on stand-by, which meant that none of them could leave the base. Daniel was filling his time catching up on a few translations brought in by other teams, O’Neill moaning in his office trying to catch up on his reports (much hated things that they were) Teal’c training the new recruits and Sam, working on some pieces of tech they had found yet hadn’t figured out. Although they were occupied, the thoughts they shared were about this mysterious Circle they were waiting for. The files they had read only fueled their speculations, and concerns, for contained in them were the threats uttered by the mysterious Shadosensei.

It was on the morning of the fifth day that the tension was finally broken. The call came from Hammond for the team to meet him in the Control Room. They met up in the hallway leading to the Room, each out of breath from jogging through the corridors, even Teal’c was slightly winded. They didn’t speak but moved into the room.

Hammond was standing in front of the security screens. His eyes glued to the monitor for the front gate. "They are here."

All eyes turned to the view. Six identical black cars bearing identical plates lined up waiting to be allowed entry. The phone rang and Hammond answered. He spoke briefly, eyes never leaving the monitor, giving them access to the complex. The camera panned to follow the cars through the gate. Daniel whistled slightly under his breath.

"Nice cars." he said to no one in particular. "This year’s model if I’m not mistaken. GTO’s."

The camera switched to the parking lot, where the cars parked side by side. The team found themselves holding their breaths as the doors opened and one by one the mysterious members of the Circle came into view.

A petite dark haired woman, a tall lanky dark haired man, another petite female equally dark haired, a slender blonde, taller blond man and another brunette. They were dressed identically, black jeans, black shirts, long black dusters, leather from the looks, even the sunglasses were identical. Dark black and expensive. The smaller dark haired woman took the lead, heading toward the entrance, with the others arranging themselves behind her in a semi circle. A stray shaft of sunlight turned her hair into the color of dried blood. Not a brunette, a red head, O’Neill thought to himself. The same shaft of sunlight glinted coldly on metal, catching his attention.

"Whoa." he said softly. He pointed to the backs now in full view of the parking lot cam. "Swords."

Sure enough, carried in sheaths strapped across each back, the team could see the hilts of tanto blades. They exchanged uneasy glances, the words of the reports and the threats echoing in each mind. Only Hammond seemed unaffected. The team watched as their guests made their way into the complex. The Circle never spoke, didn’t look at anyone but made their way silently through the halls and into the elevators. At the check points, they never halted, the guards seemingly oblivious to their existence. As they passed through the detectors, SG-1 held their breaths expecting the alarms to sound. Yet only silence. Teal’c and O’Neill exchanged concerned looks over the heads of Daniel and Carter. Hammond moved glancing at his watch.

"0928." he spoke as the doors to the elevator opened. "Right on time."

The cars pulled into the parking lot. Doors opened and the travelers climbed out. Despite weary bones and stiff muscles, none of them stretched.

Shado taking the lead, began to walk to the entrance of the mountain complex. The others followed in a semi circle behind her.

The six entered the hallways, and began the trek into the depths of the complex. They didn’t halt at the checkpoints or the scanners but continued until they reached the control room. The door slid open.

Chapter Two: The Briefing From Hell

O’Neill hadn’t been sure what to expect from this "circle" that Hammond and Jacob had brought into the complex. It certainly wasn’t the group that entered from the elevator. From the moment he had read the file the General had given them , his "spidey" sense had been going haywire. Everything that made him the effective leader he was screamed that this was going to be trouble. The evening meetings with the rest of his team had done nothing to assuage this feeling either. Both Daniel and Sam were agog with the possibilities of what they had read, speculating about the ramifications of such things; Teal’c in his own way added to the concern, his normal reserve even more pronounced and his time on the training courses extended. The fact that they waltzed right through the security check points, carrying tanto blades, unchallenged… his skin crawled at the thought. Shadosensei’s words "should have killed you when I had the chance" echoed through his mind.

Now as he watched them exit the elevator, he devoutly wished for a sidearm. Any sidearm. The group halted in the control room, looking neither left or right. The six pairs of sunglasses looked only at the General, oblivious to the technology surrounding them, oblivious to the Stargate quietly framed by the obs glass. He felt Daniel move slightly closer to him, as the archeo-linguist was wont to do when feeling threatened. Teal’c also made a slight movement in the direction of Hammond, not enough to be more than a shifting of his weight, preparatory to a quick move if necessary. Yet O’Neill had the feeling that both moves were noted by the impassive group before them.

The tableau remained for a few moments, then Hammond stepped forward. "Welcome to Stargate Command, Col…"

‘We are the Circle. What is it you wish from us?’ the petite red head spoke. Her voice was flat and echoed oddly in the Control Room. Hammond cleared his throat and motioned toward the Briefing Room off the control room. All six heads inclined at the same angle, and as a single entity the members of the Circle passed through the room. O’Neill noted uneasily as they passed, that their strides were exactly the same, and they were in perfect step. As they passed him, he shivered as he felt their gazes run over him, and he could feel Daniel do the same next to him.

The members of SG-1 followed the Circle at a slower pace, exchanging worried gazes. THIS wasn’t what they had expected. None of the reports had said anything about this behavior. But then those reports were 20 years old. O’Neill did the math in his head… no friggin way! That would make these people at least ten years older than himself, but none looked a day over 30. He could see the others reach the same realisation just by the way they kept doing double takes.

Hammond took his usual seat in the briefing room. O’Neill and his team sitting next to the glass wall overlooking the control room. The members of the Circle declined to sit, arranging themselves with their backs to the wall. The petite red head stood in front of the others.

The uneasy feeling that O’Neill and his team members only increased as the black clad group moved as one to take off the sunglasses. The eyes that looked at them now were curiously blank, making him shiver once again. His "spidey" sense was on overload. He was used to being able to judge people by their eyes and this, well this was just beyond creepy. He felt the reactions of his team mates as the Circle placed their glasses in the identical place, hanging from the front strap of the tanto swords. This was not going well.

"Where is Jacob Carter? We were expecting to see him, Hammond." the redhead spoke again, her voice still flat and emotionless.

"He has been delayed, but should be here momentarily." Hammond said swiftly. Carter exchanged glances with O’Neill, the General’s anxiety was evident. "Until he gets here, let me introduce you to the members of SG-1." The six inclined their heads in acquiescence. "This is Colonel Jonathan O’Neill, the CO of the team."

All six pairs of blank eyes fixed on his face, making him quiver inside, but he managed a tense smile.

"Major Samantha Carter, second in command." Carter tensed as the regard was turned in her direction. She nodded her acknowledgement of the introduction, refusing like O’Neill had to let them see her discomfort.

"Dr. Daniel Jackson the team’s Archeo-Linguist." O’Neill could feel the tension in Daniel when he was introduced. He managed to stammer out a greeting of sorts.

"And this is Master Teal’c."

"We are KeeperoftheLight." the tall thin dark haired man inclined his head slightly. "Blackmage." this time it was the tall dark haired woman. "FalnPhenix." the petite brunette. "Shadowgem." the blonde man. "Briterra." the blonde woman. "Shadosensei." this time there was no inclined head. But all knew who it was. The small redhead was the one whom Hammond had spoken with.

"Major Carter. We remember Jacob Carter’s daughter was named Samantha."

"Um yes, he’s my father."

The group inclined their heads. "We offer our sympathies, Major Carter, on your father’s demise."

Sam paled as the words sank in. She looked frantically at O’Neill, then at General Hammond who looked decidedly pale himself. Daniel shifted in his seat distinctly nervous now.

"Now just one minute here…" O’Neill started to bluster. Hammond raised his hand to silence him. "General…"

"Colonel O’Neill." the warning in Hammond’s voice froze the words in Jack’s throat. Impotent he huffed softly, shooting a warning glance at the Circle.

The door to the Briefing Room opened and Jacob Carter hurried in. He paused at the sight of the black clad guests, then continued into the room. He stood behind Sam, and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"I apologise for being late." he said softly, his eyes looking at the Circle.

"We can see that you are much changed, Jacob."

"Yes, I am." Jake subsided and Selmac spoke. "I am Selmac of the Tok’Ra."

"Explain this to us."

"I think it is time to explain why we contacted you." Hammond said. His eyes flickering to Jacob.

Forty-five minutes later.

Silence reigned in the briefing room once Jacob and Hammond had finished their recitation of past, and current events. There wasn’t a movement or a sound. O’Neill and the team had managed to relax a bit, but were still keeping a watchful eye on the silent people before them. The Circle was perfectly still, breathing in unison even. They were completely unprepared when the Circle broke it’s rigid stance. The taking of chairs and collectives sighs startling them. Six heads dropped into six pairs of hands and deep sighs filled the room.

"Um, guys enough hiving already ok?" Shadosensei spoke, but her voice was different. Deep emotion colored it making it husky.

"Sorry, Shado." Five other voices spoke at the same time, drawing a collective chuckle from themselves.

"Jesus, George, you couldn’t make it easy could you?" Shado spoke to Hammond, raising her head. O’Neill was surprised by the exhaustion he could see in her eyes. There hadn’t been a trace of it earlier. He looked at the other faces and saw various levels of tired in all of them.

Hammond visibly relaxed as did Jacob. "Sorry, Col. Jackson, but we need you."

Eyebrows went up at the rank and name. She raised a hand.

"Colonel Jackson is gone, George. We are who we said we were. Just call me Shado, ok?"

"Shado." he said in agreement. "Will you help?"

Shado tilted her head back to stare at the ceiling of the Briefing Room. The others exchanged glances, waiting to hear what she would say.

"I don’t know. We need to talk things over. It has to be a mutual decision."

"First, Shado, you need to rest." the tall dark haired man she had introduced as KeeperoftheLight spoke. His voice was filled with concern. "Blackmage, when was the last time she slept?"

‘Mage cocked her head and considered for a moment. "Sometime before the General contacted us."

"I’m FINE, Keeper." a collective snort went through the group. She glared at her companions. "You worry too much."

"General, with all due respect, sir, I don’t see how the Circle can be of any help to us or to the Tok’Ra." Daniel spoke softly. He shrugged his apology and met the eyes of the six. "I don’t see what you all have to bring to the table."

"Dr. Jackson," the one called FalnPhenix said. "You would be infinitely surprised at what we can do."

"Indeed?" Daniel challenged softly. Hammond cleared his throat to divert any hostility.

"Shado, perhaps…?" Jacob questioned. Shado tilted her head up to contemplate the ceiling once more.

"Trout." she said. The group stifled a giggle as the members of SG-1 found themselves trying to hold large wiggling trout. FalnPhenix waved her hand and the trout disappeared.

"Now that was interesting." O’Neill said wiping his wet hands on his BDUs. "So is that all you can do?"

Shado dropped her head and stared into his eyes. He felt himself starting to flush at the look in them.

Keeper’s head whipped around and he grabbed Shado by the arm. "Sensei?"

A low keening moan came from Shado. "Gods not NOW." she whispered.

General Hammond leaned forward as did everyone else. Her face was pale and her eyes wide, pupils dilated fully. "Shado? Is everything ok?" Hammond asked.

She pulled her gaze from O’Neill’s. "I have to get out. Now." and she was gone. Her chair vacant.

"FUCK!" Keeper’s voice said it all. "What the Hell did you say to her, O’Neill?"

"Me?" the Colonel’s voice was confused and he spread his hands wide. "I didn’t say anything."

Keeper hissed. "Mage? Anything?’ Blackmage shook her head, eyes slightly unfocused. "Me either."

"She’s gone. Completely blocked off." FalnPhenix whispered, her voice distant, her gaze also unfocused.

Keeper stood in one swift move and was around the table before anyone could react. The blade of his sword pressed against O’Neill’s throat. O’Neill put his hands up very slowly, his brown eyes wide, the members of his team shocked into immobility. Teal’c started to move but a hiss from Briterra stopped him. Hammond and Jake both began to speak.

"Keeper," Hammond’s voice was calm and neutral. "stand down." he gave the order hoping that the man’s training would kick in. He knew that one wrong move and O’Neill would be dead before anyone could do anything.

"Son, think before you do anything." Jacob’s voice was also neutral.

A snort from Blackmage drew their eyes. "Keeper doesn’t think very often, General."

"I got her!" Shadogem’s voice was triumphant. "She’s still here. In a room… it’s dark, someplace close."

Keeper held the blade steady against O’Neill. "Oh great, you know how many rooms are here, Gem. Can ya be a bit more specific?"

Gem was silent for a moment. Then he shook his head. "She’s not ‘here’ though. Something has her, and Keeper, it’s bad… all I can read is pain, despair. Faln, here… see if you can’t see her better." he laid his hand on Faln’s shoulder. The girl stiffened, her eyes wide.

"Shit. Keeper, she has a gun, loaded. She just chambered a round." desperation tinged her voice. She closed her eyes concentrating hard. "I see a picture… a boy… medals, reports…" her eyes snapped open. "O’Neill’s office. Christ, we have to hurry, she‘s gonna kill herself."

"Where’s your office?" Keeper snapped at O’Neill, pulling the blade away. O’Neill didn’t answer but bolted for the door, followed by everyone else. He barreled through the hallway, his heart pounding, blood cold. He slid to a stop outside his office door, and fumbled with his keycard. He swiped it, but nothing happened. He tried it again. Still nothing. Briterra pushed O’Neill aside and laid her hand on the door, there was a soft popping sound and the door vanished.

Light pierced the darkness of the office from the hallway. They could see the still form sitting on the edge of the bunk, gun held to her head. Tears streamed down her face, utter desolation in every line. Very slowly, Keeper and O’Neill entered the office.

"I killed them all. Charlie, Kawalski, Daniel. All dead because of me. My fault." she whispered into the quiet.

"Shado, honey, it’s me. Keeper." he spoke softly. "No one is dead. You haven’t killed anyone. Put the gun down."

"Chris, she’s channeling. Can’t hear you." Mage’s voice came from behind them. Indeed, Shado seemed not to hear them at all. She was completely unaware of the audience now clustered in the hallway.

"Oh God, Charlie. All my fault, should have been there…" her whisper was beyond desolate. "Won’t let it happen again. No more."

"Who?" Keeper’s question was rhetorical, but O’Neill answered.

"My son."

Without a word, Keeper spun on his heel and his fist plowed into O’Neill’s face. The stunned Colonel fell to the floor. Without a sound, Shado collapsed in a heap, the gun falling from her grasp.

Shado could hear the steady beep of machinery, feel the chill in the air, and the smells that told her that she wasn’t in her own bed, but in a hospital. For a moment, she had no idea where or how she had gotten there, then the memory of the meeting came flooding back. Right up until the moment she had looked deeply into the brown eyes of one Colonel Jack O’Neill… beyond that, everything was a blank. She opened her eyes, moving slowly because there was an ache in her head that threatened to become one of her migraines if she moved too quickly. She turned her head to get her bearings. The light was dim, but she could see someone sitting in the chair beside her bed.

"Keeper?" she said softly. The head came up, catching the light as it did so. Silver hair glinted and she looked into a pair of wary brown eyes. Still slightly groggy, she pushed her hair back. "O’Neill? How long…?" she gestured to the Infirmary in general.

"You have been out for about 12 hours." O’Neill said softly. His voice was neutral but she could feel the confusion he was trying to hide from her. Confusion and something else, but it was gone too quickly for her to identify.

Then what he said hit her. She sat up hurriedly wincing as her head throbbed at the movement. "12 hours! O shit. Talk about crash and burn." She stood clutching the back of her hospital gown, waving away O’Neill’s offer of assistance. "Have they been behaving themselves?"

"What? Oh, yeah, I guess." O’Neill shrugged, keeping his eyes carefully averted.

Shado groaned. "Yeah right. That means they haven’t been. Crap where are my clothes?" She shook her head to clear it. "Any clue?" she asked O’Neill. When he shook his head, she sighed and gestured. The hospital gown was gone and in it’s place she wore a set of BDUs with Colonel’s birds on the shoulders. "Come on. Let’s go see what hell they have managed to raise while I was…out. Ok, O’Neill, take me to your leader." she grinned mischievously at the other Colonel. Bemused by the grin, he lead the way out of the Infirmary. He shook his head slightly sneaking a glance at the small woman walking beside him. The top of her head came barely to his shoulder, yet she walked if she was his equal in height.

"Ok, O’Neill, spill it." she said without looking, her voice amused. "You are dying to ask me several things. Let me see if I got them right… number one: I’m a lot older than you think; one of the side effects of our "experiment" is a slowed metabolic rate. None of us age like we are supposed to. Does that mean we’ll live forever?" a shrug. "Who knows? Second: no I don’t remember a thing beyond the trout incident. Third: yes I am single. Fourth : I don’t know if we will help or not. I, we, need to consult with the Avatars first and then we’ll know if this is the right thing to do." She tilted her head to look at him as they waited for the elevator to open. "Did I get them all?"

Abashed he nodded, words failing him for once. She grinned at him again. And as she stepped into the elevator he could have sworn she said something about all the demons of hell and pissing them off somehow. They didn’t speak as they rode the elevator down into the lower levels. The doors opened and O’Neill let her off first, ever the gentleman. She took two steps into the corridor and froze, causing him to bump into her. He stepped around her to see what had caused her to stop. Her eyes were wide and she looked like she couldn’t decide to laugh or scream.

"Is there a problem?" he asked.

"I’ll say!" She took a deep breath. "Tell me Colonel O’Neill when you look down this hallway what do you see?" O’Neill looked down the corridor and then turned back to her.

"A hallway, a few airmen, nothing unusual why?"

Shado sighed and laid her hand on his arm. "Now look." He felt a tingle, a warmth that filled his body and when he looked again his mouth fell open. The walls were covered in NEON graffiti, none of which was very polite. There were small ape like creatures cackling madly as they scribbled with the neon colors. No one else seemed to be aware of their existence. "This was what I was afraid of, come on let’s go see what else is going on."

She kept her hand on his arm as they made their way further into SGC.

O’Neill could barely keep up with the infuriated female walking with him. He wanted to goggle at the things he was seeing in the normally grey and drab hallways. Bright flowers and peace signs, doodles intermixed with graffiti decorated the walls in eye bleeding color. He almost tripped when he "heard" the entire conversation between this Colonel and her Circle. He could feel the disapproval she was broadcasting and the resultant unease of the young people in her "command". He cast a wary eye downward at her as they walked. There was another tingle and he felt the strange warmth flow from her hand into his body once again.

"Colonel, do you know where the General is?" she asked him verbally.

"He is probably at home since it’s almost 2300." he said trying to keep his voice even. This was way too weird for him, seeing and hearing things that weren’t there. Or were they? He gave himself a mental shake. They reached the Briefing Room, and he started to swipe his key card, she reached out and opened it. The members of he Circle were already present, heads hanging slightly, like guilty children.

"I do not believe you all!" she said her voice cracking like a whip. The group flinched and shot uneasy looks at each other. "I don’t know what you all have been thinking, but it stops NOW. Mage, you have five minutes to clean everything up and corral your "pets". Gem, Keeper, return the money you won by cheating… Brit and Faln, you had better pray to the Avatars that I don’t catch you in the men’s showers again. People we are here because we are needed. This is not the time for fun and games. Once you have completed the clean up of the base, you will report to the quarters assigned, I fully expect to see all of you well rested in time for our meeting with General Hammond and SG-1. That means absolutely no time spent on the paths tonight, they should be well protected. I have messengers in place if we are needed. Until then you have your orders. Do I make my self clear?"

"Yes, sir." they replied in unison and filed slowly past the two Colonels. Once they were gone, Shado allowed herself a soft chuckle. "I was going to talk to you for a bit, but given the hour, Colonel, I think that can wait."

"That will be fine. Shall I show you to your quarters?" O’Neill offered, suddenly unwilling to leave her alone. She shook her head.

"That won’t be necessary. I can find them. See you in the morning Colonel." she said and started to the VIP quarters. O’Neill watched her go, a small quiet figure in the hallway. He had intended to go home for the night, but sudden curiosity got the better of him, and he headed for his quarters. There was a file that he wanted to read again.

Chapter Three: Paintball, Dragons and Vegetarian Curry

"General Hammond, I believe that Dr. Jackson expressed a desire to see what we bring to the table here?" Shado said the next morning. She looked at the assembled faces in the Briefing Room. "I think that is a fair question, given the circumstances. It will also help us to decide IF this is something that we want to get into or not."

"Shado, a demonstration is not necessary." Hammond said. "Both Jacob and I are well aware of what the Circle is able to do…"

"Forgive me, George, but your knowledge is a bit outdated. Things… we… have changed in the past 20 years. What we were capable of then is not what we do now." she smiled slightly. "We have grown, George. Matured if you will in ways that NO one expected."

Hammond shot a glance at Jacob then back to Shado. "Just what do you have in mind, Shado?"

She shrugged and grinned. "A minor demonstration, nothing too great. Don’t want to scare the ‘civilians’." her look encompassed everyone at the table. O’Neill bristled slightly at her tone of teasing.

"Well I would sure like to know what it is that the General thinks you can do to help us." Daniel said. There was a slight hint of animosity in his voice. Something highly unusual for the archeologist. Teal’c raised an eyebrow at the tone.

"Indeed DanielJackson, I am also curious."

Faln snickered and Brit intoned under her voice in a perfect imitation. "Indeed."

"Although, some of us have matured while others apparently are still kids in many ways." Keeper said teasingly.

"Bite me, Keeper. I know what you are thinking." Briterra snarked back. He flipped her the bird and smiled serenely at the rest of the room.

Shado raised her eyes to the ceiling. "If you all are ready to act like adults. Time is wasting. Sir, if there is somewhere relatively indestructible?"

Carter and Daniel exchanged odd looks, mouthing the word indestructible. Hammond thought for a few moments then nodded. "I believe we have somewhere that will suit."

The area that Hammond had decided on was in the bowels of the mountain. It had once housed nuclear warheads, but with the placement of the Stargate, the warehouse had been cleaned out. Now it was just a large empty room. There was an observation window placed high but the obs room itself was rather small with everyone in it. Shado surveyed the room below and the contents of the obs room, satifaction lighting her face.

"General, this will be perfect." she turned to Keeper. "War games, Keeper. No rules."

Keeper nodded, everyone grinning at each other. "The winner this time gets dinner at Neelam's tonight. My treat."

"Gem, your ass is mine." Blackmage growled at the tall blond standing next to her.

"I don’t think so."

"Go for it, Mage." Brit said as they left the room. The snarking continued until it could no longer be heard by those remaining in the observation room. Shado, who had remained, leaned forward and flipped the mike open so that they could hear and be heard. Three minutes later the Circle entered the empty room. Their clothing had been changed for form fitting black jumpsuits, they proceeded to the center of the room, stopped and turned as one to face the window. As a unit they bowed to the watchers.

"Music, Sensei." Keeper said his voice echoing in the emptiness. "It’s too quiet in here." His sentiments were echoed by the others creating quite a clamor. Shado groaned and nodded. "Cool. Ready whenever you say."

O’Neill was standing closest to Shado, and he felt a tingle like the one the night before. The loud guitars and growls of Rob Zombie filled the room below. At is beginning the Circle began to move. Balls of energy appeared from outstretched hands and burst against shields in rainbows of color. Laughter came over the speakers, and as they watched, the battle grew. The crack of energy drowned out the music being played. The members of SGC could only stare in amazement at the sight before them. The Circle was nothing like they had ever seen. Their movements were quick and fluid, defying gravity. They threw around energy that scorched the concrete walls and shook the room yet seemed unaware that what they were doing was impossible. Ten minutes into the "war games" and they showed no signs of tiring. The games had escalated in intensity blinding the watching people with the amount of energy being released. Finally Shado called a halt to the games.

"Ok. Enough." she said into the mike, stopping them in their tracks. They stood grinning up at her. She shook her head as she surveyed the damage. Brit and Faln were dripping with bright pink paint. Keeper was sporting lime green in his hair, Gem had orange, and Blackmage was polka dotted in various colors. "Sloppy guys. Very sloppy."

"Ahhh, Shado. Come on it was just for fun." Keeper said still grinning. "Sides, the girls were cheating."

"We were not!" the three protested and retaliated by dousing Keeper in more of the lime green paint.

"General?" Shado asked. Hammond turned wide eyes to her, his surprise at the forefront.

"General if I may?" O’Neill interrupted. "Shado, I read in the files about a few other abilities that your team has…?"

She nodded. "Yes would you like to see a few more?"

"Yes please." he asked.

"OK." she leaned to the mike again. "Gang introduce the other team members please." Eyes turned back to the windows. All evidence of the paint was gone, each dressed in black again. Keeper raised an eyebrow at the order but he raised his right hand.

"Aeropteryx." Where he stood a large condor slowly fanned it’s wings.

"Evenglade." In Gem’s place a sleek grey fox.

"Fallenstar." In Faln’s place a black panther.

"SilentHunter." Where Brit stood a black wolf.

"Nightwing." a black eagle stretched it’s wings in Blackmage’s spot.

O’Neill raised his eyes to Shado. "Can you?"

She smiled slowly. "Colonel, I’m the biggest badass there is. Keeper, you all can come back." They reappeared. "We can become any plant or animal we wish and still retain all the knowledge of our human forms."

"Sensei, why don’t you show them what you can do?" Blackmage suggested. "Give them a show." Her suggestion was echoed loudly by the others. Shado ducked her head and seemed to be considering for a moment.

"Shado, please." Hammond said. His voice was soft but there was a hint of command. "You say that your abilities have grown with experience, and from what I can see here, you haven’t exaggerated in the least. We need to know everything."

She raised her head and met his eyes. "Alright, George. Just don’t say that I didn’t warn you. Keeper you all come up here."

"Yes! Sensei is going to play." they crowed happily. When they joined the others in the obs room, Shado turned to Keeper. "Keeper, monitor things and let me know if things get to be too much." he nodded his understanding. With a smile at everyone, she left to enter the warehouse.

She came through the open door into the room in a few moments. It closed behind her and the click of the locking mechanism could be heard. She turned her face up to her audience. There was a stillness about her that was unreal. They could see her gathering herself. The tingle that O’Neill felt on his skin increased to an itch, and he could see that everyone else was feeling it as well. Even Teal’c appeared affected by whatever she was doing, he shifted his stance and quirked his eyebrow.

"She’s gathering power." Keeper said by way of explanation.

"Any idea what she’s going to do?" Hammond asked. Keeper shook his head.

"Whatever it is, it’s going to be big." Mage said. "She’s setting shields in place." she nodded to the glow that was slowly surrounding the room. It was a melange of pastels that coated the walls and floor. They could see through it, to the still figure in the center. Shield firmly in place she moved. A quick running jump and she was suspended in mid air. Keeper sucked in his breath. His action echoed by the others. "This is going to be good."

Shado brought her hands to shoulder height and closed her eyes. Energy began to spark in the contained area. The sparks growing in intensity and frequency coalescing into a ball in front of her between her outspread fingers. The ball continued to grow in size until it was the size of a basketball. Satisfied with the size of the ball, she pushed it away from her. It spread out until it formed a flat disk roughly the same size as the Stargate. Shado allowed herself to "land" and stood head bowed in front of the window for a long moment. Hammond and the watchers exchanged glances briefly, until her next movement caught their attention. Her left hand raised and a blackly bright blade appeared in it.

"ShidoRyu." Keeper said softly. "She’s calling the Avatars." His voice seemed overloud in the silence of the small room. "Watch, General, and learn what she has become."

In the warehouse, Shado raised the blade above her head, left on the hilt of the black obsidian katana, the right cradling the blade. She looked straight ahead and in one swift move plunged the blade to the hilt into the solid concrete floor. The resultant thunderclap rocked the mountain, causing all to lose their balance, klaxons could be heard coming from the complex. Energy sparked and crackled behind the shields that she had raised as the gate responded to her command. As her audience gained their balance again, they could see something moving in the light from the gate, something very large. O’Neill caught Teal’c’s eye and with an imperceptible nod gave his consent for the Jaffa to prepare for anything. Teal’c moved to stand between the doorway and the rest of the room.

"What is that?" Daniel asked bringing O’Neill’s attention back to the the room below them. Any answers were forestalled by the sound of Shado’s voice.

"I greet you Great One." she bowed her head slightly, never taking her eyes off the Creature forming in front of her. Massive wings gusted energy around her to settle restlessly on the heavily muscled back. Talons the length of a mans arm gouged deep ruts into the concrete flooring as the heavy mass of the creature fully materialized. The curve of it’s long tail encompassed the bulk of it’s body, the tip resting just shy of the embedded hilt of her blade. They could hear the exhalations of it’s breath, and feel the vibrations of it hitting the glass.

"Holy Hannah." Carter breathed. "Is that real?" Her blue eyes were wide, fascination in them as she looked at the dragon sitting oh so still in front of them.

"Indeed, she is very real." Briterra answered. "And very dangerous."

::WHY HAVE YOU CALLED ME?:: the voices thundered in their ears, causing them all to flinch.

"By the Oath of the Blade and the Rite of the Word, I have summoned you. As a seeker of the True Knowledge, sworn in the Blood, I seek your counsel."

::I AM NOT BOUND BY YOUR OATHS:: the dragon’s heads whipped and snapped at the air around them.

"Five heads?" Daniel mused. "That means this is Tiamat."

"You are correct, Dr. Jackson." Falnphenix whispered. "She is Tiamat, Queen of Chaos."

"By Rite of Word and Oath of Blade, sworn in the Blood, I name you Tiamat, Queen of Chaos. You will give me that which I seek." Power gave her words force and the dragon reacted instantly, the five heads surging forward to snap angrily at the small figure. They never reached her, a flash of lightning cracked from the ceiling between Shado and the dragon which hissed it’s fury.

::WHAT IS IT YOU WISH TO KNOW MORTAL?:: the voice was angry and scornful.

"I wish to see the possibilities that exist in the dimensions, all the outcomes of the choice we must make. I seek the knowledge to determine the paths of those in my care, to know that which is not easily seen."

"I am the Shadowed Rainbow, I am the Walker between the Worlds, Master of the Shadowed Paths."

::THESE NAMES ARE KNOWN TO ME :: the dragon’s heads swung to peer down at her. ::FOR THIS KNOWLEDGE THERE IS A PRICE::

Shado nodded. "One I am willing to pay, for this knowledge is greatly needed." She extended her left arm above her head, palm toward the dragon. In her right hand she held a small dagger, the twin to the blade buried in the floor. "I pay this price willingly." A quick movement and her wrist was opened to the bone. Blood flowed freely and the dragon dipped it’s center head and it’s long tongue lapped greedily at the offering.

"Christ!" O’Neill swore at the sight. "Do something." he ordered her silent companions. When none of them moved, he started to the door only to be halted by Shadowgem.

"Don’t Colonel. We can’t interfere. IF we try, we risk loosing Tiamat on this plane. And believe me when I say that would be worse than any Goa’uld out there."

"Colonel." Hammond’s voice was strained. "She knows what she is doing." his muttered comment of "I hope." was ignored by all. Horrified and fascinated, they watched the scene play out before them

The dragon fed from Shado for what seemed forever. A glance at the clock proved it had only been a few minutes yet by the time it was satisfied, they could see she was swaying slightly on her feet. She lowered her arm, blood still dripping sluggishly from her wrist. She gathered herself and looked into the eyes fixed on her.

::PREPARE YOURSELF:: the voices said. Shado nodded and set her shoulders against the weakness she was experiencing.

"STOP!!" a new voice thundered from behind the dragon. The five heads whipped around, displeasure in their hissing. Shado’s head snapped up and shocked flooded her stance.

"I claim the Rite of Challenge." a "man" stepped through the portal that the dragon had come through.

"Shit." Keeper’s voice was strained. "Could this get any more fucked?" anger was in his eyes and he leaned forward to get a good look at the newcomer.

He was tall, well built, with long dark hair falling down past his shoulders. He stalked with an easy grace to a place just to the left of Shado, his lazy grin held a menace that was evident to everyone. Icy blue eyes flicked from her face to take in the watching people. As it passed over them, they could feel the caress of evil he carried.

"Daemon." she said in greeting. "Why am I so not surprised that you would show your slimy head here now?"

"Aww, come on my Love, you honestly didn’t think we would let you get away with this bit of ‘manipulation’?" he reached out a hand and gently traced her cheek. "Looking a bit pale there Babe." She flinched away from the contact, swaying with the effort.

"Fuck you." she snapped. He chuckled at her , slapping a hand over his heart in mock wounding.

::PAYMENT HAS BEEN GIVEN AND ACCEPTED. WHY DO YOU INTERFERE?:: Tiamat hissed in irritation.

"She has not the right to request this information, my Queen." Daemon said suavely. "We feel that it wouldn’t serve the greater good for it to be known what awaits."

"Since when does the Dark give a rat’s ass about the Greater Good?" Shado ground out between clenched teeth. She was finding it hard to maintain her control over the dragon as it was, and this was only making it more difficult.

::EVEN THE DARK HAS THE RIGHT, NO MATTER IT’S MOTIVATION. RITE OF CHALLENGE HAS BEEN ACCEPTED:: Tiamat snapped her jaws and moved back toward the portal.

"Double fuck." Keeper said. He closed his eyes for a moment.

"Keeper?" O’Neill said. "Just what is going on?"

"She’s going to have to fight for it now." he answered. "To the death."

"Can you help her son?" Jacob asked his concern evident. Keeper shook his head frustration marring his face.

"No. There is not a damn thing anyone of us can do." Blackmage whispered. The SG-1 team looked at the very pale and very worried faces of the Circle, what they saw made their blood run cold. Daemon’s voice came to them over the monitor.

"You know, if you would just give it up, we could do such wonderful things together." his voice was low and seductive. Shado shook her head forcefully.

"I DO NOT have time for this." She moved quickly, sinking the dagger in her right hand into the chest of the man standing next to her. His eyes widened in surprise.

"You didn’t actually think I would fall for that. Again." he chuckled as he pulled it out with a deft motion.

"One could only hope." she said as she darted back from him. His chuckling continued as he flipped the knife in his hand. Moving quicker than the watching eyes could see, he threw it back at her, she managed to duck and the blade shattered against the shield.

"Come on, my Heart, you can do so much better than that." he taunted her. He pressed his attack on her, energy crackling and sparking as it missed the quickly darting figure. Again the warehouse shields cracked as the misses hit against it. Shado was getting weaker, everyone could see it in the slowing of her movements and in the wavering of the shield that surrounded the room. Growls of frustration came from her team members, as well as the watching SG-1 team.

She slipped and one of Daemon’s attacks connected solidly throwing her against the wall where she slid to the floor, breathing hard. Pain filled her face but she pushed herself to her feet. Daemon’s laughter filled the silence.

"You are getting tired, my Dearest, tired enough to perhaps accept my offer at last?" he approached her hand outstretched to help her away from the wall. She took it and held it for a moment. Weariness in her eyes, she looked briefly up at the watching faces. Defeat slumped her shoulders.

"Shado, don’t you dare!" Keeper yelled into the mike. His voice was panicked. "Fight him, damn you!"

"I am sorry Keeper. I am so tired." she said softly. "Watch over them for me will ya?" Daemon crowed his triumph and wrapped his arms around her. She enfolded the man in her arms and closed her eyes. A scream came out of nowhere, shocking them all. There was a massive blast of light and fire, and Shado stood holding onto nothing. Where Daemon had stood a pile of ashes remained. She smiled coldly.

"I told you I didn’t have time for this shit." she grinned up at the shocked audience. "He never learns does he?" Turning she stood before the dragon, her movements slow and labored. "Challenge has been won. I claim the knowledge denied."

The dragons heads lowered and briefly touched their noses to her. Another flash and the dragon was gone. The portal from where it had come, also vanished as did the shield holding them from her. Shado swaying on her feet, turned to look at her audience.

"General Hammond, sir, permission to pass out." she managed to say before sliding to the floor.

By the time they reached her, she was already conscious and sitting upright on the floor of the now destroyed warehouse. Keeper dropped to the floor beside her and slid his arm around her shoulders. O’Neill crouched on her other side and the members of her team clustered as closely as they could. She gave them a rather bemused smile and gestured weakly around.

"Told you we needed someplace indestructible, George." she said to the General. "I’m fine." she grumbled to Keeper’s unspoken inquiry. "Bit of a headache that’s all."

"Shado, just that the HELL was that all about?" Hammond barked, his voice slightly strained and his accent more defined than anyone had ever heard before. She cocked her head back and looked at the worried man standing behind her. She motioned to the pile of ashed still smoking slightly.

"Old boyfriend." she said softly grinning from ear to ear.

"Oh, boy, you are looped." Keeper said his voice gruff. Concern turned his brown eyes dark. "Just sit here for a few ok, Hon?" She shook her head still grinning.

"Nuh unh. Got too much to do. Not time for this shit remember?" she pushed his arm off and tried to stand, O’Neill’s reflexes were sharper and he caught her as she again started to fall. She turned her smile on him and patted his cheek. "You are one hunk of a man, O’Neill. Gonna have to get you in bed at some point. Yep, bet I could teach you a few things." she giggled at the blush that stained the Colonel’s cheeks.

"Oh man , she’s been zinged." Blackmage groaned.

"I’d say." Brit grinned. "She’s going to be impossible."

"Zinged?" Daniel asked.

"Technical term, Doc." Shadowgem said trying to stifle his laughter. "Think along the lines of being massively drunk, only without the party."

"OOOO, did someone say party?" Shado’s face lit up and she tried to move away from O’Neill’s support and swayed back into him. "Where? Here?" she looked around fuzzily at the room. "George we need to talk about your idea of décor. It sucks."

They couldn’t control their laughter any longer, loud and slightly hysterical it came from her friends, making tears roll down their faces. Keeper paused long enough to wrap her in a tight bear hug.

"Damn, you, Sensei. You scared the hell out of me." she pushed at his arms trying to free herself.

"Why? The day I can’t handle the Queen of Chaos and a Class 2 Demon is the day I hang it up." her voice was stronger and she managed to pull away from him this time steady on her feet. "I need my laptop though. Too much for the brain to hold this time. Good lesson for the class though, remember what you ask for, you just might get it. George let me do a memory dump and then we’ll discuss this mission. There are a few things I don’t think you all are aware of." Her eyes were serious as she looked around the cluster of concerned faces. "Keeper, love, you were so right when you said that we were screwed. Our path and theirs have merged. Anubis has found a way into the Dark."

"Oh that’s just peachy." Fallen said. Shado nodded and started to the door just behind Hammond.

"Shado, I’d like Dr. Fraiser to take a look at you and make sure you are ok." Hammond said stopping her before she could leave. She turned to face the General, the look on his face stopped her protests. She nodded, the motion making her sway a bit.

"Lead on MacDuff."

O’Neill and Daniel watched them leave the warehouse, Shado giggling again at something only she found funny. Carter and Teal’c joined their team mates in the center of the warehouse. They looked at the gouges in the concrete, the charred walls and the pile of ashes. Their eyes lit on the hilt of the sword still imbedded in the concrete.

"Think she forgot something." Daniel said moving to the hilt. He knelt on his haunches to examine it. He started to stretch out a finger to touch it.

"Daniel, don’t touch." O’Neill growled a warning. Daniel snatched his hand back and grinned at Jack.

"He’s right, Dr. Jackson. Don’t touch it." Falnphenix said from the doorway. They hadn’t been aware that she had returned. "Only Sensei can touch ShidoRyu. If you did, well let’s just say you would be spending time in the infirmary with her."

"Would you care to explain what just happened here?" O’Neill asked. She grinned at him.

"Sure, a quick one though. We need to get Sensei her laptop ASAP, before she has a total meltdown. I’ll explain on the way if you don’t mind." she said gesturing to the laptop she carried under her arm. They followed her out of the warehouse, Daniel casting a longing glance back at the embedded hilt. His desire to "touch" well known to his team mates, Teal’c blocked him by stepping behind to make sure that the inquisitive archaeologist followed along. As they walked to the Infirmary, Falnphenix gave them a quick tutorial on the paths of existence, and their role as keepers of the balance between the Dark and the Light. Her reference to the Avatars and the Epic Battle caught Daniel’s attention, and he began peppering her with questions.

"So what you are saying then, is that there is a struggle taking place between God and Satan?" Daniel asked in the elevator.

"No, not exactly. More like between the "good" and the "not-so-good"." she said slightly frustrated. "Instead of thinking along the lines of religious dogma, look at it like this. You know there are people in the world who spend their lives helping others, and that most try to behave in a way consistent with that philosophy, Mother Theresa for example. On the other end you have your John Wayne Gacys or Gary Ridgeways…people who live for the destruction of others. There is a cosmic force at work that each is a part of… the good and evil aspects of life, for want of a better way of putting it. People call these forces God and Satan." she grinned. "Not all the deities are aliens, Daniel. Those just came in later, snuck in under the radar so to speak, while the true deities were busy. Anyhow, in order for our world to exist there needs to be a balance of good versus evil, otherwise chaos reigns ending in the destruction of everything." she grinned at the skeptical look on the faces around her. "Without light there can be no darkness… kinda yin-yang thing. Both exist but can’t exist without each other."

"Right." Daniel said. "I can understand that concept. But where do you all come in?"

"Well, that’s even harder to explain. We do our best to make sure that the playing field is even and that neither side has an advantage or disadvantage in this cosmic struggle for supremacy. We keep the balance, because to allow one ‘side’ to win would be to allow our existence to end. We are the children of both light and dark. Right now, we happen to be fighting the Dark because it has been cheating. In time, who knows, we may be fighting the light."

Daniel shook his head, not quite grasping her concept. "I don’t think I understand."

Faln patted his arm and chuckled. "It’s ok. There are days I don’t either. It’s enough that we try to keep the evil that is being done equal to the amount of good."

"These creatures that your Teacher brought into the warehouse, what plane of existence did they come from?" Teal’c asked.

"Ahh, that’s a bit more difficult to explain." she chewed her lip for a moment trying to pick her words carefully. "Best way to explain it I guess is like this. We have this plane of existence," she motioned around them to the hallway, "and then there is another plane that exists along side it, just slightly out of sync."

"You mean like an alternate universe?" Sam asked excitedly.

"Sort of, but not quite. Have you ever had the feeling you were being watched or that someone was in the room with you, only to find that you were alone? Or better yet, thought you caught something out of the corner of your eye, only when you turned to look at it there was nothing there?"

They all nodded at her question. "That is one way of explaining the astral plane… it exists but on a level slightly different from the way our mind perceives the world. On that plane there are creatures that exist only as myth, legend or in some cases religious context. Hence the term avatar, they are beings of power that once interacted with our world but for some reason chose not to any longer."

"Oma Desala." Daniel said suddenly, the light bulb going on in his mind.

"Mother Nature?" Faln asked as they prepared to enter the infirmary. "Sort of, but she doesn’t like to come here very often. But usually we deal with the totemic spirits or the dragons. They seem to get on better than the glowing light group."

The SG-1 team stood slightly stunned and she turned back from the door. "Wait a minute, you guys have TALKED to Oma Desala?" Daniel said shocked.

"Yeah we have. Who do you think taught us how to use what the military so kindly ‘gave’ us? This stuff didn’t exactly come with instructions y’know." Faln halted in her speech, eyes suddenly focused on Daniel’s face. "Hang on, how do you know Oma Desala?"

"I-um-well it’s a long story." he stuttered for a moment. "I spent some time as a ‘student’ of hers." he shrugged not certain just what he could tell the girl in front of him.

"You ascended? Oh wow, that’s way cool." she grinned. "So did ya learn anything?"

"Nothing that I can remember." Daniel said softly.

"Talk to Shado, she can help you there. Does it all the time for us when we ‘descend’ from learning with Oma." with that Faln pushed open the infirmary door and entered. Once again the SG team was dumbfounded.

"All the time. When they ‘descend’." Daniel murmured. His eyes were wide and he looked like he had been hit by a mack truck.

"She makes it sound like an everyday occurrence." Sam said just as bewildered as Daniel.

"Maybe it is." O’Neill said his eyes on the group standing in the Infirmary. "Something tell me that these guys are far from what we consider Normal under any circumstances."

"Ya think?" Daniel whispered borrowing one of Jack’s favorite expressions.

"Well, Doc, think I’ll live?" Shado asked as they joined the group.

"It’s a bit early to tell. I’d like to run a few tests, given the fact that this is the second trip to the infirmary for you in 24 hours." Dr. Fraiser said raising an eyebrow at the distaste on her patient’s face. "If you keep this up you’ll beat SG-1’s record for trips here."

"That sounds like a challenge." Shado said mischievously. "I love challenges."

"Sensei, I brought your laptop. And you left Shido behind." Fallen said. Shado held out her hand for the laptop and snapped her fingers in frustration.

"Damn, I knew I forgot something." she said. "Shido, return." Again O’Neill felt the tingle against his skin and the black katana appeared next to Shado on the infirmary bed. Fraiser gave a startled squeak but recovered instantly.

"No weapons in the Infirmary." she ordered. "I’m going to schedule a CAT and an MRI as part of the tests to make sure there is no damage."

"I can save you the trouble, Doc." Shado said. "A CAT scan and an MRI will show that there in enhanced activity in all aspects of the brain. Our brains operate at almost 100% capacity. You will also find increased endorphin levels, as well as an increase in seratonin." she frowned and rubbed at her temples. "Right now, however, I seriously need to do a memory dump, before I have a total meltdown." She flipped open the case of the laptop before Fraiser could object. Shado removed a set of headphones, and before placing them over her ears she looked at Fraiser. "Give me about 20 minutes then you can test all you want."

"Trust me, Doc, you don’t want to be around when she DOES have a meltdown. It’s seriously not pretty." Blackmage warned. "We’re talking padded room here kinda not pretty." Shado flipped her the bird and booted up the laptop. She settled herself in a more comfortable position, nudging Shido with her leg.

"Here, Daniel, hold onto Shido for me. I know you wanted to take a closer look at him anyway." She grinned at the archaelogist. Daniel flushed but was reluctant to take it from her side.

"Fallen said it would be dangerous to touch." he mumbled anxious to touch the beautifully crafted blade.

Shado picked up the katana and ran her finger down the length. "Mellon nin." she whispered. "It will be just fine." She flipped it so that the hilt was facing Daniel. Gingerly he took it from her. At the contact he could feel a warmth flow from the hilt into his hand.

"It’s warm." he whispered. Chuckles came from the assembled team. "Beautiful."

Shado was still chuckling as she accessed her desktop. Curious, O’Neill moved to the head of her bed standing just behind Keeper. He could see the screen and heard a voice say something as the desktop came into view. He froze at the picture displayed as the wall paper. It was of him, wearing his BDU’s and ball cap, he was standing in front of a piece of architecture that he vaguely remembered from somewhere. Shado tore the headphones from her head and glared at the group.

"Oh you all are SOOOO in trouble." she growled, blushing furiously. Innocent pairs of eyes looked at her. "Who has been messing with my computer?" At their still innocent faces, she turned it to the room showing the picture of O’Neill to the group. She clicked a button and O’Neill’s voice could be heard saying "Good Morning campers! Sleep well? I did." At that everyone cracked up including O’Neill.

"Well you did say, Sensei that you would so ‘do’ him." Keeper said between chuckles.

"Watch it, I know where you sleep remember?" she snarked back trying to hide her embarassment. "I am really sorry, Colonel. You’ll have to excuse my ‘children’ they have a very twisted sense of humor."

"Apology accepted, Colonel. Nice to know that I’m…. do-able." he said suavely. Her blush deepened and her eyes promised retribution to her friends. She refused to say any more and settled the earphones firmly on her head. She clicked the icon for her music program and then accessed a word program. She closed her eyes and the watching group could hear music coming from the headphones and she began to type. Fingers flying fast and sure over the keys. Lines of script began to fill the screen, faster than they could read.

"She’s gonna be a while." Keeper said softly well versed in Shado-ese. "I recognise her play list… this is the one for really serious shit."

"Fallen was explaining the paths and planes to us on the way here." Sam said to fill the quiet. She had been examining Shido along with Daniel.

"I don’t know if I did a good job of it though. Shado is much better at this stuff, at making it make sense." Fallen agreed. Keeper nodded, he had had experience in trying to explain to "civilians" before. "It helps that Dr. Jackson here actually knows Oma Desala."

"Cool!" Blackmage said excitedly. "She’s the greatest. I love spending time with her."

"You all know Oma Desala?" Jacob asked from his place near the wall.

"Apparently, Jacob, they ‘ascend’ and ‘descend’ on a regular basis." O’Neill said coolly. He was still watching Shado type trying to read what was being entered and failing.

"Incredible." was all Jacob could say. This was far beyond his realm of experience, his memory of the group was that of their first stumbling attempts at controlling the fallout from that ill fated experiment. Then they had just disappeared one day, gone from Area 51 with no one knowing how or why. He had his ideas about the why; who could blame them when there had been ‘discussions’ about a few procedures to study the increase in brain activity. It had been years before Hammond had confessed to helping them escape and that he still had a way of contacting the group. He still wasn’t sure of why Hammond had told him, just that he had.

"KeeperoftheLight," Selmac spoke. "I am curious. Why did you respond favorably when General Hammond contacted you? Jacob thought that you certainly had the right to refuse. Given the memory Jacob has of your time in Area 51, I found it most interesting that you would place yourselves in jeopardy in this fashion."

Keeper sighed heavily, his face thoughtful. "That’s a good question. She called and we came."

"Why did you come, son?" Hammond asked. His eyes flickered from one to the next. "I have been asking myself the same question. All things considered, I thought Shado…"

"Would keep us far from you and your knife happy scientists?" Brit filled in for Hammond. "Chalk it up to a misplaced sense of loyalty and the fact that we wouldn’t be here if a certain Lt. Colonel hadn’t put his nuts on the line for us way back when."

"It is not heresy and I will not recant." Shado whispered from the bed, drawing all eyes to her. Keeper grinned.

"Singing along, as usual." he explained. "It helps her sort all the stuff in there."

"So what is she doing exactly?" O’Neill asked still watching Shado.

"She’s writing down everything that Tiamat showed her. Otherwise all that stuff would drive her crazy. Kinda like having all the knowledge in the world downloaded into your brain all at once. If she didn’t get it out… she would go crazy from the different possibilities that she knows exist."

"I can relate to that." he muttered.

"Jack look at this." Daniel said without looking up from his study of the katana. He ran his hand gently along the blunt edge of the blade, totally oblivious to the ongoing discussion around him. He looked up fascination in his eyes. "It’s a single piece, I don’t know how it was made. There’s not a single mark on it. Absolutely amazing."

Jack had to grin at his friend’s tone. It was so Daniel it was funny.

"Who made this?" Daniel asked the room. "Whomever it was, is a master."

"Actually," Keeper said trying to suppress a grin. "it was a gift from a very old friend."

Shado shut her laptop with a snap catching them all be surprise. She straightened and sighed heavily. She looked at everyone and shook her head sadly. "Dr. Fraiser, I’m sorry but your tests are going to have to wait." Fraiser started to protest, but Shado raised a hand cutting her off. "I am not military nor am I under contract therefore you can’t make me." She slid the laptop off her lap and stood. "And as of right now, I’m not certain I’m willing to risk my people to help you all."

"Sensei?" her group said in amazement. There were shadows in her eyes that hadn’t been there before.

"Shado?" Hammond was stunned. He hadn’t expected her to refuse, not after her comments in the warehouse.

She shook her head. "I don’t want to go into it George, but suffice it to say the risks outweigh the rewards. I’ll not agree to what is basically suicide."

"Shado, love, what exactly did you see?" Keeper asked. She shook her head emphatically. "Damn it, don’t do this. You said that they have joined forces, and you know that we can’t allow that to happen." he snapped.

"Shado, I have the authority to make you reconsider." Hammond threatened softly, pulling rank for the first time since they had arrived. "I can reactivate all of you."

"Try it, George. Just try it." she answered his threat with an implied one of her own. She stalked past O’Neill, and took Shido from Daniel’s hands. She planted herself in front of the General, her posture was rigid. "You honestly don’t want to push me on this one, Hammond. These are my people and I will not agree to this fool’s venture."

O’Neill cleared his throat hoping the distraction would diffuse the situation. Shado shot him a glance but then turned her attention back to the General. "Why don’t we take a moment to calm down and discuss this?" he suggested.

"Nothing to discuss, O’Neill. We are done here." she said softly in a cold deadly voice. "Come on guys, time to go." she started for the infirmary door fully expecting her team to follow. When they didn’t, she turned back to them.

"Sensei, we need to know why you changed your mind." Keeper said his voice neutral. The others nodded their agreement. "You said that this Anubis had found a way into the Dark, that they had formed an alliance. It’s our sworn duty to keep the balance." She didn’t speak and he continued. "Our sworn duty, Shado. Duty, honor and the balance are all that we are. Don’t ask us to turn our backs on that with out a reason. A damn good one." He walked to her and laid a hand on her shoulder gently. "Love, tell us what you see. What is it?"

She closed her eyes and shuddered. O’Neill and the others watched her struggle with herself, and then she opened her eyes. Gently she reached out and brushed Keeper’s hair back from his face. A tear ran down her cheek.

"Death." she whispered. "Doesn’t matter which possibility, which path. I see you," she pointed at him, "and you," to each member of her team, then to O’Neill, Daniel, and Sam, "all dead. Horrible deaths… wasteful, needless. Because we can’t win. There is not a single possibility that shows a chance of victory. I see our world in flames, other worlds torn apart and for what? Nothing. They win in each because we can’t stop them. Too little too late, Keeper. We have come to late."

Keeper gave a snort. "Sensei, when has that ever stopped us? What would you have us do? Run to the planes and hide? We can’t, Shado, that’s not us is it guys?" the others agreed with him.

"I can’t ask you to do this." she whispered. He pulled her into a hard hug and buried his face in her hair.

"You aren’t asking us, Babe. We volunteer. Hell, hon, this is what we knew was coming isn’t it? Would you honestly expect us to take the easy way out?" he pulled back and grinned at her, eyes twinkling. "Sides I want my Blaze of Glory moment."

TBC

© February 2004 I do not pretend to own any part of the Stargate program... although I would love to get my hands on that Gate for an hour. Also I do not own any of the characters affiliated with it in any way shape or form. However I do own the characters from Mist and Shadow and can do whatever the heck I want with them.... boy are they in trouble! The restaurant and club named in this fic are actual places as well... Neelam's is the greatest little East Indian restaurant in the U District of Seattle, Wa. and the Underground, well let's just say we don't call it the Underground for nothing! I have moved them to the Springs mainly for convenience, apologies to certain friends who vowed never to return to that area. I do not own any song lyrics quoted herein; however permission to quote a few has been given to me by certain members of a certain band over the years.