Thanks go out to everyone who's still reading by this point, but in particular to Sam Carter O'Neill wagtail JEDI,
Stoko and feb04 for reviewing the previous chapter. After another
slightly longer gap than usual (sorry, reality decided to rugby-tackle
me again lol) here's the last chapter for your enjoyment.
Chapter 24: Parting of Ways
"Hello, Sam."
Sam stopped immediately as she reached the doorway to Einar's quarters. He had his back turned, packing some things into an SGC military backpack. She frowned to herself: "How did you-"
"Wolf," Einar cut in, pointing to himself. "Did you want something?"
"So they said yes?"
"Yes. I'll be leaving in a few hours. As soon as possible, O'Neill insisted; no point in inviting the NID to try and… acquire me again."
The Innarim was calm, collected and almost world-weary. His voice had a heavy, wistful quality to it. He hadn't even turned around. This was a far cry from the eager, cheeky, optimistic personality she had first met. Yet, it hardly took an expert psychoanalyst to understand why.
"I'm glad Gairwyn agreed," Einar sighed. "The Cimmerans seem so much like the Hakonans… just simpler, more rustic. Daniel tells me she welcomes a friend of Thor and of Earth."
"You could stay here, you know. I'm sure General Hammond could work out something to stop the NID laying some stupid claim on you."
"Trapped under a mountain? No…"
Einar tugged the bag closed, and finally turned. It was a slow, solemn movement that echoed the mood, and as his face was revealed, Sam was struck with an insight. The sad eyes held a new glitter of dangerousness and maturity; the scars rent down his face were borne like marks of experience; his tall, proud stance that defied his previous nonchalance; the light-hearted openness that had been replaced by self-containment…
"You look… older," Sam commented.
"Strange, isn't it?" he gave a wry smile. "I've lived for 263 years, and I've grown more in the past few months than in all that time."
"But are the last few months the reason why?" Sam pushed.
The defeated sighed Einar gave out was evidence enough. Because, she reasoned, he seems so much more like Colonel O'Neill.
"You knew about us being trapped in Antarctica, and you knew special ops hand-to-hand fighting. Jack knew how to read the Hakonan language, how to use that jamming signal console, and for someone well known for his impatience with alien cultures he seems to have a very deep understanding of yours."
Einar said nothing.
"You and the Colonel were separated before you found out about the other Innarim and the missions to Stoneheim, and I can't think of many reasons for Colonel O'Neill to tell you about the Antarctica incident." Sam rushed on. "The things you both seem to know are too specific to be actively shared knowledge, like you always explained the link between you two."
"Close the door," Einar stated, leaving no room for argument.
Sam obeyed cautiously.
"You can't reveal this to anyone, clear?"
Chilled by the seriousness, she nodded silently.
"When we were captured by Wotan, I told O'Neill about the Innarim and our resistance to the Goa'uld in order to prevent you from becoming a host - you already know that. Yet, it wasn't that simple. While I found the whole experience of sharing a body with another mind fascinating, O'Neill never saw it that way, and after all the obstacles and failed plans to fix things he… began to resent me. So, when I told him about the purpose of the Innarim and offered the only possible escape from Wotan, he wanted to believe me but… well, you know the man better than most – he doesn't just storm ahead on blind faith."
Einar sat back down on the bed.
"There was only one way at the time for him to be absolutely sure that I was telling him the truth. He finally agreed for us both to completely share all of our knowledge, to make deception impossible for either of us."
"What?" Sam blurted. "What about that 'too close to the Tok'ra' and 'not a chance in hell, you furry jackass' argument?"
"He changed his mind," Einar shrugged. "We planned to keep this all hidden. He could be removed from duty due to alien influence, and I could be trapped here due to the security risk. But as you seem to have noticed, more than just knowledge was transferred. My personality has absorbed some of O'Neill's composed, brooding attitude."
"Wait, you know everything he ever has?"
"Yes," Einar smirked. "And judging from that slightly panicked expression, you specifically mean… that issue?"
"Yeah, that," Sam sidestepped explicitly saying it.
"I know about it," Einar confirmed, devoid of any subtle judgement.
"A lot happened, and it's made me question a few things…" Sam admitted. "You know how much of a Catch-22 this is. What do you think we should do about it?"
Einar patted the space next to him, and she joined him as he spoke his mind: "In truth, I think you should do nothing. Nothing at present, anyway."
Sam lowered her gaze to look at her hands, "Ah."
"Please understand, Sam," Einar assured. "I don't mean to be negative. The rebel Jaffa are still few in number, the Asgard must deal with the Replicators, the Nox are pacifists, the Tollans have been destroyed, and the Tok'ra have zero-to-negative population growth, as do the last of my kind. I believe the involvement of the SGC is the key to finally defeating the Goa'uld someday. However, both you and O'Neill are more important than you realise – you could make the vital difference to the outcome. Should a galaxy of oppressed worlds, as well as your own planet, have to suffer for the two of you?"
"I guess not," Sam said ruefully.
"Remember what I've told you though," Einar gripped her shoulder lightly. "We had no way of knowing just how sharing completely would affect us – it could have been a permanent merge, mingling two consciousnesses into a single mind, for all we knew. He was willing to risk his very identity for you."
"But you just said…"
"I know," Einar interjected. "All I mean is… just don't give up on him too easily, hmm?"
A few hours later, SG-1 had gathered in the gateroom to see off Einar and the visiting Gairwyn. Like so many times before, the inner ring of the Stargate spun with its grinding whirr, stopping and starting, stopping and starting, until it flared into life with its watery whoosh of energy. Gairwyn made her way to the event horizon, and halted as she waited for Einar to join her. The creature lingered at the base of the ramp, and Jack stepped out from the neat line the team had formed.
"Well, it's been interesting," he commented.
"I'll definitely be keeping Rome in mind as my destination of choice next year," Einar quipped as he shouldered the backpack and lifted his staff.
Jack rolled his eyes at that, before turning serious: "Thanks for helping out. I know you never really had to go so far and… get yourself kicked out of your own society. Sorry about that."
"I made that choice," Einar assured, shaking his head as he gestured to the open gate. "Now, I follow the path I've started down."
"And you really think there's no chance of the Stoneheim Innarim changing their minds about humans, and trading us a few of those cool weapons?"
"The Pentagon and Joint Chiefs are still trying at that? Tell them to give up," Einar chuckled darkly. "You saw their resolve – they'd shoot a human on sight now. But, Haldor was right about one thing... humans always feared us. I should be thanking you."
"Why?"
"For being the first humans I've ever met who weren't afraid."
Jack nodded in silent acknowledgement. Einar gave a slight grin of satisfaction as he caught Jack off-guard, hefting the Hakonan staff and tossing it at him. Jack barely managed to pull his hands out of his pockets to catch the weapon, and the fumbling reaction forced him back a step. He glared at the Innarim with blend of indignation and puzzlement.
"A little gift of appreciation," Einar stated to the unspoken question. "I'd still be trapped in that lab if your team hadn't gone there."
Jack motioned as if to speak, but Einar cut him off.
"Don't worry, I've still got these," he waved the bracers on his wrists in demonstration.
"I thought you didn't trust the-powers-that-be with your technology," Jack reminded.
"But I do trust you," he inclined his head as he spoke, expressing the logic of his own reasoning. "Put it to good use, friend."
Jack smiled and offered his hand. Einar grasped it with his paw and shook firmly once, and proceeded to nod to each of the remaining members of SG-1 gratefully. The brief farewells over, Einar strolled up to Gairwyn.
"So, um…" Jack began, causing Einar to stop and turn. "This path of yours… think it'll pass by Rome again sometime?"
"You never know," Einar cheerfully replied.
Covering the remaining distance, both Einar and Gairwyn stepped through the event horizon, and within moments the gate shut off.
Within a week, everything was falling back into the routine of the SGC. Jacob had returned to the Tok'ra once more, SG-1 had been reformed once Colonel O'Neill's physical and mental state had been assessed as 'fit for active duty', and Sam dived back into her lab at every chance when not off-world. With Einar's staff to study, and the government big-wigs eager for the scientists to develop anything from Hakonan technology, her motivation for designing new 'doohickeys' was at its peak. There was still a team extracting kurstallis from the abandoned mines on Hakon, and the Stoneheim Innarim had made no appearances on the planet for the entire time they'd been there.
Sam's mind had been racing with the possibilities. With a working staff and the notes she had made with Einar on modifying the generator, she might be able to fathom how Hakonan energy systems were constructed. That could lead to the construction of their own energy weapons, with no need for volatile naquadah or the limitation of finite ammunition. In other uses, it would work as a clean, effective energy source that could help reduce the phenomenal cost it took to provide power to the SGC on conventional Earth sources, help with the development of ship engines and defensive shields…
"Hey Carter!" the unmistakable call tore her from her musing. "How's my staff doing? Not broken I hope!"
Sam grinned as her CO strolled easily into the lab and pulled up a chair, wearing an equal grin himself. Despite his attachment to the P-90, he had taken great pride in Einar's staff – the only one on Earth and it belonged to him. Jack had insisted it was technically his property; after all, Einar had given it to him, not the whole of Earth. She had teamed up with General Hammond to convince him to let her at least study it. For the good of the SGC and the planet, they'd reasoned with him.
"No, sir, still in one piece," she said. "You look like you're in a good mood, Colonel. Glad to be back to normal."
"Well, things aren't completely back to normal. I don't think I can get back to my exact old self anymore… but I think that's why I feel better. The weight of the world doesn't seem as heavy as it used to be."
Sam blinked. He had opted out of his usual, summarised answering method of just saying 'yes' to a question like that.
"So, what're you working on now, Carter?" he asked leaning forward in the chair to prop his head on his hand, still in his light and cheery mood.
After so many conversations that started this way only to have him blurt out something non-sensical to stop her rambling explanations, she habitually trailed off a few sentences in. There was an eerie sense of déjà vu as she realised he hadn't stopped her. He was still sitting there, waiting on an explanation. It was then it struck her – something that hadn't crossed her mind at the time. Einar had said his personality had absorbed some of Jack's composed, dark attitude, and she's seen it herself in his demeanour. Now, observing Jack, she could see some of Einar's curious nature and less contained expressiveness.
And with a knowing smile, she carried on explaining.
--
Well, that's it! I hope this panned out well as a story. My intention was to write an Action/Adventure style fic, but I wanted to include elements of S/J in it without turning it into a romance or having it take over the story. Do you think I've succeeded in weaving it into the storyline in this way or have I hashed up the attempt badly?
I was surprised by the number of reviews people posted - I didn't expect my first attempt at Stargate fanfiction to turn any heads - so thank you to every single reviewer. Of course, I'm just as grateful to anyone who took the time to read the story, review or no review.
As I mentioned in the author notes on previous chapter, I intend to write a sequel to this fic. There are a few ideas that I'm juggling about in my head, but I'm curious to know if there is any aspect of the story any of you would like to see explored or expanded on. For example, Rionach O'Neill suggested in one of her reviews the idea of Jack and Einar being completely fused into some kind of were or changeling creature that can change form at will, and this is one of the ideas I'm considering at the minute (thanks for that suggestion, Rionach. I can still use it, can't I?). Input from feedback has been very interesting and helpful to me so let me know your thoughts if there's something you'd like me to develop further.
Well, thanks again to everyone! It's been fun!
-- Accipitridae