What Lies Ahead
Burningchaos
Rated: Mature
Category: Roswell/Stargate SG-1 Crossover
Pairings: Liz/Max (past), Li/Michael (past), Liz/Daniel, Sam/Pete (Past?), Jack/Sam UST, Jack/Kerry (Past?)
Disclaimer: Neither Roswell nor Stargate belong to me. I am just playing in their worlds.
Spoilers: Though Season 8 of Stargate SG1 and Season 3 of Roswell
Summary: This takes place five years after graduation and right after Moebius Part 2 in the Stargate Universe. Liz and Max married; one year after being on the run they found a way to Antar. They returned hoping to make the planet of their origins home but found only war and desolation. Now four years later, a widowed Liz is leaving Antar through a Stargate. What she finds is the last thing she suspected.
Notes: I started this fic several years ago, pulled it once because of a plot hole but never lost my love for it. This fic is my baby. I will be posting a chapter a week, on Thursday, as it is all but finished. Be forewarned, there are already 17 chapters finished and beta’ed. I have had many, many betas and friends who have read this and encouraged me to stick with this story. My current beta is my beloved Darkmoon, I would be lost without her. All mistakes left are my own. I did NOT make this banner, Raven Sprite did back when she was still a member of this board. (I miss her)
It is my hope that I sufficiently explain the Stargate Universe as things happen, so that even if you haven’t seen the show you will understand what is happening. If at any point you feel confused feel free to PM me I will happily explain what is happening.
Chapter 1
Liz was a Queen of a dying planet. A Queen who no longer had a throne, or a people who loved her; she was powerless, not even a figurehead. Just unwanted, and irrelevant.
When she had arrived with Max and the others on Antar, there had been many who were eager to rally behind the reincarnated King’s banner. They were treated as if they were the fulfilment of an ancient prophecy, heralded as heroes and treated with the reverence due only to a god. The return of King Zanakith.
The half formed revolution took shape under Max and Michael’s hands. The people rose up with one voice and purpose; to rid themselves of Khivar. For a time they had been the victor’s. Kivar barely snuck away with his life during a decisive battle and the day was won.
However, he had never been truly conquered and thinking he was, for even a moment, had been a fatal mistake. Kivar had unexpected allies. Allies who were indebted to him, that offered him troops, support and supplies. Soon the entire planet was engulfed in a war. It wasn’t merely skirmishes, now there were full-blown battles leaving the youth of her husband’s people lying dead on the blood soaked fields.
In the four years she had been here, Liz had learned a great many things. She had learned to fight, to harness her powers. She’d forged her body into a weapon and with that weapon she had killed. It made her feel dirty, and to create a balance within herself she had also learned to heal.
If she closed her eyes, she could still hear the cries of the dying as she held them. She could still taste the bitter ash of lies on her lips. It had always been the same lie; ‘don’t worry I’ve got you…everything will be alright now’. Liz could see the blood covering her hands. And she had done it all in the name of love.
But that too had been a lie.
Liz took a deep breath as she paused. The hall she was in lay shrouded in dust. Nothing living had entered this section of the palace in centuries. Yet even here, in rooms untouched by the violence that had been an integral part of their lives, she shuddered from the weight of her memories. Screams and cries had echoed off marble walls much like these in other areas of the palace; rooms where the floors were coated with blood instead of dust.
Max had died here. But then so had all the others. Kyle and Maria had been assassinated. Isabel had died, from wounds she had been unable to heal, in Michael’s arms. For two years she and Michael had been the only ones left. They’d taken cold comfort in each other’s arms, both knowing neither was what the other wanted but still desperate for physical contact and the illusion of love.
Michael had died a fortnight ago. She’d held him as his blood spilled over her hands and arms. In a bitter twist of irony, he had whispered that it would be alright with his last breath.
Now she was alone.
Her people, who now claimed they had never wanted them in the first place, had asked her to leave. They had given her this one chance to go before Kivar retook the palace.
The Gate was old, it had long fallen into disuse, and forgotten for so long many thought it a myth. Melina’s beautiful face had been marred by sadness as she told Liz about it. She’d known very few addresses, all taken from ancient crumbling texts, books she’d held with reverence as she offered them to Liz. In truth it was the only choice she had.
In the end Liz had taken an address for a world that sounded like Earth and prayed that it was.
She wanted to go home, except she didn’t have a home anymore. She was wanted and most likely considered dead back on Earth. There was a chance the special unit was still looking for them too, even after all these years. It was a chance she didn’t want to take but what was left of the girl she used to be desperately wanted to go home and cloak herself in her parents love.
Liz walked toward the hidden room without a backward glance. Her weapons were strapped to her waist; her knives were in their sheaves at her wrists and ankles, and her bag in her hand. She had nothing else to show for her reign here on Antar. Except for the changes in her; she wasn’t the same girl Max had healed. She wasn’t even the same woman who arrived on Antar four years ago.
The gate was beauty personified. The grace of its curves, though coated in dust couldn’t be denied. There was a time when the mere thought of it would have excited her beyond all measure. But that part of her was gone too. Now it was just a means to escape this world that had never needed her.
Liz sighed as she looked down at the dialing device; the hand raised over the keys bore her wedding ring. Liz dialed the address she had been given and watched the water-like wormhole spring to life. There was a new life waiting for her on the other side. What or where that planet was she didn’t know, but it was to be her new home.
Liz looked at her left hand again, a sense of sadness washed over her. Setting her bag down Liz pulled off her rings and set them on the ground. That life was gone, dead and buried. Head held high Liz picked up her bags and walked through the gate to whatever fate held in store for her now.
~*~
Jack picked up another strangely shaped rock off Daniel’s desk; he turned it over and set it down as slim fingers went to grab it. “Jack, seriously, how many times are we going to have this conversation? No one is going to care if you ask Sam out.” Daniel frowned as he spoke. Jack had been his best friend for almost eight years and they had been having variations of this conversation for the last six. It was getting old and just frustrating as hell.
“Yeah, well, if you are sure? I mean I don’t want it to look…funny. She did just dump Pete.”
“Jack… you…just ask her all right.” Daniel closed his journal and shut his computer down. He sighed loudly as he stretched and grabbed his pack. “Now I am going to be late, and you hate it when I am late.”
“What da ya mean late?” Jack followed Daniel out the door. “Danny, where ya goin?”
The longsuffering Archaeologist stopped dead in the hallway, pushed up his glasses and closed his eyes. “Um, Jack you wanted us to go to P3X-6482, remember?”
“Oh yeah…” Jack smiled his tone long and drawn out as he tapped his head, “You know all that paper work…” He trails off and shakes his head “You be careful out there.”
Jack turned the corner but not before hearing Daniel muttering, “What could go wrong? Almost all the Goa’uld are dead, the Replicators are gone…” his voice tapering of as he headed to the gate room. Jack couldn’t help but hope his best friend was right.
Hours later Daniel couldn’t help but remember and regret what he’d said to Jack as he turned and fired off another shot. He really needed to learn to keep his mouth shut. Dust kicked up as a blast landed close enough to singe his pants. The gate was in sight but it might as well have been a thousand miles away. He heard another shot zing past him, turned and saw Sam take a hit in the side. A soft sound escaped her mouth as she fell. Panic raced through Daniel as Teal’c swept her up and continued to run. He could feel the cold fingers of fear trailing down his spine. Going off world was never simple. How could he have ever thought otherwise?
“DanielJackson we must get to the gate.” Daniel fired again hitting the enemy closest to them, before finishing his dash for the DHD. He stood in front of it, his fingers hovering over the buttons as the gate whooshed to life. “Teal’c incoming!” Daniel dove for cover; sure their enemies’ reinforcements would soon be pouring through the gate.
Liz stepped through the gate; as she did an energy blast from a staff weapon hit the wormhole next to her. Dropping to the ground she quickly crawled toward the dialing device. She paused as she saw a man fire toward the trees.
Sighing Liz pulled out her guns. Weapons had been of little use on Antar, not when nine-tenths of the population had powers. She, however, still preferred them. Kyle had too for that matter; even with all their training they had never been truly comfortable relying solely on their powers. Liz took a deep breath this wasn’t what she had been expecting as she had walked through the gate.
Daniel glanced toward the woman who had come through the gate. She was young, and armed. She looked at him for a moment, her chocolate coloured eyes weary and hard before she started to fire. The energy blast her weapons emitted were like nothing he had seen. Orange light hit one of the warriors attacking them; he convulsed as his skeleton became momentarily visible and let out an ear splitting scream as he fell to the ground. Daniel couldn’t tell if he was dead or unconscious, truthfully he didn’t care.
Liz fired over and over, the man kneeling next to her shooting too. Her eyes caught sight of the American flag and suddenly Liz knew she was on the right side. Relief flooded over her. Here was her way home.
“Daniel Jackson, Col. Carter is fading, we must return NOW.”
Daniel grabbed the radio “Kinda pinned down here Teal’c, even with the extra help.” Daniel fired again as he spoke. “Where are you?”
“I am to your left.” Teal’c responded.
Liz looked at him, her eyes pinning him to the spot. “Daniel, right? I can get us out of here but you need to take me with you. I want to go back to earth.”
Daniel frowned at the woman as she spoke. “How...”
Liz cut him off. “There isn’t any time, yes or no?”
“Jack’s not going to like this, but yes now do what ever you are going to do.”
Liz took a deep breath, she wasn’t very good at this and it was draining. She formed the image carefully in her mind, she pictured the men falling, she pictured them dying, gasping for air. She pushed aside any doubt or remorse because that only made it harder. Sweat broke out on her forehead as she fought to exert her will over her powers. She had only done this once and Isabel had helped her then. A tremor ran through her body as the weapon’s fire stopped. Liz held the image, held on to the desire to go home. A desire that fuelled her savagery, especially as she heard them falling and gapping for breath. She held it ‘til she felt a hand on her shoulder. Liz opened her eyes and took the offered hand.
She was going home.
Daniel looked at Teal’c, who was carrying Sam, before dialing Earth. He had no idea what had just happened but he knew it was big.
