Chapter 22: Children
The Nox seemed to be masters of letting their world evolve into natural beauty, then subtly using their powers to make it into something even more extraordinary. The case in point was the grotto Ellen had stumbled upon in her walk. There was a series of natural-appearing stone steps that traced a path around a shallow basin below an overhanging spur of rock. A stream from above was cascading down over the end of the overhang, tumbling down into a mossy pool that had formed in the center. Wild flowers covered the bits of grassy dirt and grew out of the crevices of the walls. There were several flat stones, and in one case a remarkably dry and clean fallen log, placed in convenient spots for sitting and contemplating the beautiful scene. There was nothing there that couldn't have happened through random chance, although the perfection of the tableaux made that unlikely.
Ellen had started hiking out of a need for something to do. Their hosts seemed to understand that she didn't want to talk through her feelings with strangers, but they also refused to let her work. Every time she tried to do something she considered productive, there was always a member of the Nox there demonstrating why it was unnecessary, or even counter-productive. They were always very polite and friendly, which made it impossible for her to begrudge them their ways. It made it damned hard to distract herself from her feelings, though. Hiking at least gave her something physical to do. She had found this particular grotto three days ago, and had started a habit of stopping here to eat something when she became hungry on her hikes.
Nox food always appeared simple, but that simplicity concealed a complexity of flavor and texture that was quite astonishing. It was difficult to describe, if only because the words in English just couldn't do it justice. How do you describe a sweet-tart fruit about the size of an apple whose flesh had a creamy consistency and fleshy edible seeds that, when taken together, was like the world's best cheese steak while also being a savory source of nutrients and protein? It was simultaneously bizarre and slightly addictive, but strangely never to the point of excess.
She watched the water fall into the pool as she ate her food. 'Amanda would have loved this scene,' she couldn't help but think. 'She loved to swim as a child. I wonder if she kept it up when she grew older?' Ellen couldn't help but wonder about the life of her daughter when her mind grew quiet. She hadn't had the strength to find out much about her after she was rescued...after she was told that that her child had passed from old age. How hard had Amanda's life been because of her absence? There was even a small part of her that worried that it had been better with her not there, and the idea of discovering there was truth there was terrifying.
Ellen didn't notice her own tears as she swallowed the flesh of her fruit. The noise from the falling water covered the sounds of a woman finally mourning the life of a child lived without her mother. That loss was suffused with the guilt of decisions made. That fateful final journey of the Nostromo was supposed to enable her to take a break and spend time being a mother. Was there a different choice that she could have made?
It was getting dark by the time Ellen started to make her way back to the others. For once, she felt like talking with somebody.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Metis appeared in the flash of a teleport inside a large stone cavern. A narrow bridge seemed to span a great, open chasm. This was the entry point to communicate with the Omeyocan, one of the ancient races discovered in SG-1's exploration of the galaxy. Metis was not here for them, though. She could hear voices, which led her to her target.
"It looks like your ride is here," said the man speaking with Daniel Jackson. Nick Ballard was older than Daniel, but he looked younger than he had when he first arrived here with SG-1. Daniel looked over to where Nick was pointing and saw Metis walking toward him.
"It was good to see you again," said Daniel.
"You're welcome to come visit at any time. My hosts are happy to have you," replied Nick with a smile. He opened his arms and gave Daniel a firm hug, which was returned enthusiastically.
"Are you ready to go, Daniel?" asked the black lizard once they had finished their goodbyes.
After letting go of his grandfather, Daniel nodded his agreement. The two quickly disappeared in a flash of light.
Back on the Ship of Fools, Daniel said, "Metis, I want to thank you for taking me to visit my grandfather. I just...hadn't had a chance to get back. It always seemed kind of frivolous to simply use the Stargate for social calls."
"It's not a problem, Daniel. I think, perhaps, you place too great a cost on travel, though. Didn't Teal'c use the Stargate to see his family?" asked Metis.
Daniel frowned. "I guess. Maybe he was used to seeing the Stargate as nothing more than a way of traveling, whereas for us it was something both extraordinary and expensive to operate."
"Well, don't hesitate to ask in the future. If there's one thing the Family understands, its family," said Metis with a delighted smirk.
"Are you taking me to the others, now?" asked the archaeologist.
Metis nodded. "They've been spending time with the Nox. We'll head there right away."
Daniel's eyes lit up at that news. "Wow, you folks are spoiling me."
The lizard actually laughed. "Trust me Daniel, you haven't seen anything yet."
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Harry was lying on a surprisingly comfortable table that appeared to be made of stone but wasn't. Ianthe and Lya of the Nox were nearby. Sitting next to his head was a skull made of black crystal. It was exquisite work. A fine pattern of runes scrolled their way around the surface of the skull, only some of which he recognized. The runes were engraved, then filled with quicksilver and sealed. The eyes of the skull held two deep blue sapphires, sizable enough to be worth a fortune back home. Harry would have never been able to afford such an elaborate crafting back home, even if he had possessed the skill to create it.
"Are you ready, Harry?" asked Ianthe with a small smile.
"You're sure that you know how to do this?" he said with a worried frown.
"Do not worry, Harry Dresden. When you wake, your daughter will be safe," said Lya, cutting straight to his real concern.
With that, Harry lay back on the table. "All right, let's do it, then."
Ianthe reached out to touch Harry's hand, and soon the wizard was in a deep sleep.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
"You have created quite a disturbance in the status quo," said the being.
A voice replied, "You do not approve?"
"My opinion on the matter isn't relevant. What matters is that you've potentially created a lot of work for some powerful interests."
"I have simply changed the path of their tasks...and yours."
"You know, wandering around and randomly poking holes in universes carries risks, especially for some realities. Do you know what would happen if the barrier in the Federation's reality were breached too early?"
"It was necessary. There were possibilities that had to be opened."
The being did the metaphysical equivalent of glaring. "As long as you're prepared for the consequences."
"The standard rules still apply."
"Well," pondered the being, "it should at least be entertaining."
"That is guaranteed. You worry too much, Q. You should believe in your charges more, as do I."
"We'll see..."
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Harry woke feeling refreshed. He pushed himself up into a sitting position and looked over at Ianthe, who was watching him carefully.
"How do you feel?" she asked.
"I have to say, I feel really good. I mean, I thought I felt good after you healed me and we did the cleansing ritual, but everything is, I don't know, lighter?"
Ianthe nodded knowingly. "The spirit's growth was putting pressure on you...not physical pressure, but pressure none the less."
Harry looked around for the skull, and was disappointed that it wasn't nearby. "Where's Bonnie?"
"I'll take you to her. She's recovering in the other room with Lya." Ianthe gestured toward the door.
Harry got to his feet, sliding off of the high table, and asked, "Did everything go all right with the transfer? What is she recovering from?"
"Everything is fine. I think it will be obvious as soon as you see her," said the lizard as she walked through the door.
Dresden followed her through the door. In the next room, Lya was sitting and speaking with a teen-aged human girl. While that was odd, Harry shifted his gaze to look for his daughter's skull, and looked over to Ianthe questioningly when he couldn't find it. He quickly shifted his attention back to the girl when he heard her say, "Dad?"
Harry stared at the girl. She was tall, though obviously still had some growth left and shorter than his gangling six-and-a-half feet. Her skin shared Harry's olive tone, and she had long, dark brown hair past the shoulder. Unlike Harry's brown eyes, though, this girl's eye's were a brilliant, sapphire blue. She looked at Harry, hopefully. He stared at her, mouth slightly agape, before he simply asked, "How?"
"We thought," said Ianthe with a grin, "that we would make it easier for you and your daughter to spend time together."
Harry looked over at Ianthe. "I thought you were moving Bonnie to that crystal skull?"
"That is what happened, Harry," said Lya with a kind smile. "We then placed your daughter's skull in her body."
Harry turned back to look at Bonnie. "Your body has a skull inside it?" he asked, somewhat confused.
The girl laughed. "Doesn't yours?" After a few moments where Harry just stared, slack-jawed, she added, "Is...this OK?"
Instead of saying anything, Harry simply walked over to the bed and hugged his daughter for the first time.
Ianthe and Lya left the room quietly. Outside, Lya said, "That was a kind act, but Harry will need help. His daughter is still a Spirit of Knowledge, despite being in the body of a human girl."
"Don't worry about that. We've got plans already in motion that should help," said Ianthe.
Lya smiled in response. She was growing quite fond of these lizards, and not just because they tended to discomfort Antaeus with their antics.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
"Xander," said Metis. "I've got some friends I would like you to meet."
Xander looked up from where he was polishing the dolphin he had carved earlier to see the giant lizard leading two men to speak with him. His eyes widened comically as he recognized who she was leading. He carefully placed his carving on a wooden shelf before getting up from his chair to greet the new arrivals.
Metis did the introductions. "Xander Harris, may I present to you Dr. Stephen Strange, Sorcerer Supreme, and Thor, son of Odin, Prince of Asgard. Gentlemen, this is Xander Harris, protector of the Hellmouth, White Knight of the Vampire Slayer and the One Who Sees."
"Really, just Xander, please," stammered the young man.
Thor regarded him critically. "I think I see what you mean, Strange. He does seem to share some of Odin's and Heimdall's gift." He looked at the carving on the shelf. "And he's a craftsman."
Stephen smiled at the young man. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Xander. Saurial and Raptaur described your situation to me."
"Thank you, I mean, the pleasure's mine," said Xander nervously. He had read some of the stories from Peter's reality, and knew exactly with whom he was talking.
"Xander, Thor and Dr. Strange have come with some gifts for you, to help you protect your world and your friends," said Metis. "Ianthe has something for you as well, but she's helping out Harry right now."
"Harry Dresden?" asked Dr. Strange. "I also would like to speak with him."
Ianthe apologetically said, "I'm sorry, but he's just given birth and needs some time to adjust."
Strange's eyes widened. Thor just said, "Understandable. I remember when my brother gave birth for the first time." Turning to look at Xander, he said, "So, Xander Harris, do you have a weapon of choice? I use a hammer, myself."
"Um, I tend to prefer axes. They're a good weapon to use, especially, if you're fighting a stronger foe like a lot of demons we faced," he replied. "Hammer's are a little slower unless you've got the strength of a god," he said with a small grin.
Thor laughed. "That's a good answer. I think I have something for you." Thor removed a long case from a bag on his belt that looked to be too small to hold it. He set the case on the floor and opened it to reveal an axe. The weapon was impressive, with a curved haft and a pike on the tip. The blade was curved and extended past the butt of the head above and below. Lighting-like curls decorated the blade.
"This weapon is named Jarnbjorn, or Iron Bear, in English. The Dwarves forged this for me centuries ago, before I had Mjölnir. It's enchanted to be indestructible, and can cleave through almost any armor. It also carries Odin's blessing, so it should work well against Hellspawn." Thor held out the axe with both hands toward Xander.
He took the axe with reverence. As he grasped the handle, there was a brief surge of electricity that seemed to run up Xander's arm a ways. "I have no words that can express how much this means to me..." he said.
"It seems to like you," said Thor with a grin. "Just take care of it, and it'll take care of you."
"Now," said Dr. Strange, "I have something for you, as well." He reached into the pocket of his robe and pulled out an amulet. Set into a thin gold setting was a large red gem that seemed to glow slightly. "This amulet holds the Eye of Zartra. The stone was originally mounted in the Sword of Kammu, an ancient blade wielded by the King of Atlantis. The stone was gifted to me, and I am passing it on to you. While you wear it, you should be immune to almost every form of magic."
He passed the amulet over to Xander. Xander set Jarnbjorn to rest against his chair while he placed the chain of the amulet over his head. The young men then bent to pick up the axe, at which point there was a bright flash.
"That was interesting," said Thor.
"Yes," replied Stephen. "Xander, do you mind if I examine your amulet and axe for a moment?"
"Of course you can," he replied, setting both on a nearby table.
Stephen went over and began to examine the two artifacts with the Eye of Agamatto. When he was done and the Eye had closed, he said, "It appears that the Eye of Zartra has accepted Jarnbjorn as part of Xander's regalia, just as it did the enchantment of the Sword of Kammu. That's very good, as it means you won't have any problems wielding the two together." He noticed that Xander seemed to be staring at the Eye of Agamatto. "Is there something wrong with my amulet?"
Xander looked up at the wizard's face, and asked, "That's not an Infinity Stone, is it?"
Strange looked confused for a moment. "Why would I wear one of the creation stones around my neck?"
Xander blushed. "It was something in one of the stories I saw about your reality. Anyway, thank you both for the gifts. I promise to try and be worthy of your trust."
"Ha!" exclaimed Thor. "Just be sure to slay plenty of Hellspawn and you'll be using Jarnbjorn as it was meant to be used."
"In my world, that's a given," replied Xander with a rueful smile.
"At some point, I would like to meet your friend, Willow Rosenberg," said the wizard. "Saurial mentioned that she's a powerful witch."
"I'm sure she'd be happy to meet you," said Xander. "We can probably set something up with the Family after I get back."
"Absolutely," agreed Metis. "Doctor, we'll let you know when Mr. Dresden is up for having visitors."
With that, Thor and Dr. Strange took their leave to return to their home universe. Xander took the opportunity to take some practice swings against a tree. He was pleased with how the axe seemed to swerve in his hands based upon his intended target, guiding his blows.
In Asgard, a single eye gazed across the realities, watching the champion test out his gift.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
High above the Nox home world, Supreme Commander Thor of the Asgard fleet sat aboard his battlecruiser. He had watched the departure of his namesake from another universe. "Fascinating," he said to his companion. "The Aesir of that universe are advanced in both technology and magic, but they appear in reality as we present ourselves to the less advanced humans we protect."
Saurial looked over at Thor, whose newly cloned body appeared much more human than the small Asgard forms they had encountered when they rescued Idunn, albeit with the same grayish pallor and larger cranium. Interestingly enough, Thor was dressed in an outfit that might have fit in quite well in a formal setting on Asgard in the Marvel universe. Apart from being healthier and stronger, the clones were no longer genderless. Taylor and Varga had been somewhat surprised to find out the Idunn was actually female.
"How goes the fight against the Replicators?" asked Saurial.
"It is going quite well. They appear to be unable to adapt to the weapon you provided. We are in your debt." Thor was quite satisfied. He himself had watched a revitalized Asgard fleet disable an armada of commandeered vessels infested with Replicators in less time than it took to locate them. They had already cleansed three lost worlds of infestation, and had begun to restore their population from backup.
"We would prefer to spend your gratitude helping out Daniel Jackson's world. You've seen the stories about your universe that we have," said Saurial. The Family had provided the Asgard with copies of the television shows. To say that the Asgard had been stunned would be an understatement.
"I have." said Thor. The depiction of the end of their race had been horribly plausible, although the High Council was still debating the correct response to it. "Once we have rebuilt our civilization, we will be speaking to the humans of Earth. We will also be dispatching ships to the Pegasus galaxy to deal with the Vanir." Their presence there had been yet another unpleasant revelation. "What are your plans?"
Saurial gave a predatory grin, which Thor found strangely endearing. "We have plans for the System Lords, and we intend to aid the Tok'ra in avoiding genocide for their species. We should be able to avoid alerting the Ori of the existence of the Milky Way galaxy now that we know the risk. The Wraith are a longer-term project, though, so feel free to vaporize any whose paths you cross."
Thor actually smiled. "It will be our pleasure." The Asgard's reputation as warriors was not undeserved in this reality, either, and their relationship with the Family was getting off to a magnificent beginning.
