Scotoma, by Rydra Wong (PG-13)

[figs_sg1_rec]

Rec Category: Sha’re

Pairing: none
Categories: Sha’re, Samantha Carter, AU, gen, angst, drama
Warnings: none
Author on LJ: rydra_wong
Author's Website: Fic list
Link: Scotoma

Why This Must Be Read: In this powerful AU, Amaunet is captured by SG-1 and Sha’re is freed. But the triumph can only be bittersweet… because this takes place in Season Six, and Daniel isn’t there.

This is the amazing story of Sha’re’s journey to emotional recovery and equilibrium. Follow in her steps as she mourns her husband’s absence, moving among his things to try and taste his presence; develops a beautifully real friendship with Sam, whose experience with Jolinar allows for a special empathy; handles Mackenzie and other irrating facets of life in the SGC with aplomb; and finds her own place, her own strength, and her own heart.

There are fantastic cameos from Janet and Teal’c – and even Jonas! – but this story is mostly Sha’re’s, and Sam’s. Rydra Wong gives us the Sha’re that Daniel fell in love with, and makes us fall in love with her all over again.

…And look! Here’s an extra treat! isabeau has just posted a beautifully evocative remix of Scotoma for this year's gateverse_remix : Whispers of the Gods.

In the lab, she slides the bracelet over her hand, then starts fitting her fingers into the metal caps, one by one.

It’s only when Sam says, "Don’t –you don’t have to do this, I shouldn’t have asked you -" that she realizes her hands are trembling.

She will not be this, she thinks, an empty, broken vessel, discarded like a cracked jug. Dull as clay.

If we understand their technology, Sam had said, we can use it against them.

She raises her hand, flexing her fingers, trying to remember how it felt when Amaunet used the ribbon device – lines of force running through her body, anger gathering in her palm, a hot burning point, like a fire being kindled.

Suddenly the air ripples with force, shimmering like the heat rising over the desert. The blast hits the edge of a table, sending it screeching across the floor and into a bench. Glassware topples and shatters on the floor.

She looks round in alarm. But Sam is grinning, a little wildly. "Wow."

She takes Sha’re’s hand, carefully examining the ribbon device as if she’s seeing it for the first time. "I’ve only been able to get that thing to work occasionally. "

When Sha’re looks up, she adds, in a rush, "I was a host too. Just for a few days. I know it’s not anything compared to what you’ve been through -" Her face has flushed slightly, as if she is ashamed or afraid of what she has confessed.

Impulsively, Sha’re turns her hand to clasp Sam’s, and Sam stares at her, looking lost and grateful.

Then she straightens. "So, Daniel said you were able to send a message to him. When Amaunet was … hurting him."

Sha’re nods and Sam beams.

"That’s incredible – I mean, the implications are phenomenal. Even the Tok’ra don’t have direct thought transmission –"

Sam turns to her work bench, grabbing a stool and tapping buttons on something Sha’re recognizes as an interface, like a page-turning device for a tablet. Brightly-coloured files bloom, a world of knowledge opening at her fingertips.

Sweep your hand across the sand, erase the drawings you’ve made, and no-one will see, Ra will not punish.