Break out of the frame | Updated April 12, 2006 | Get the frame back

Vala's people

General info | known people

General info

NB: All information about Vala's people in general is suspect, since it all comes from Vala herself and she didn't appear to be the most reliable of narrators. So this might be true, or it might not.

They were once ruled by a Goa'uld who was using Vala as a host. (Prometheus Unbound)

After a Tok'ra-induced uprising, they captured and tortured Vala in an outburst of anger over how " she" had ruled them, beating her for days on end. They didn't understand that their true enemy was the symbiote inside her. (Prometheus Unbound)

Shortly after the Tok'ra (possibly feeling guilty) rescued Vala, removing the symbiote and nursing her back to health, another Goa'uld showed up to claim the world for his own: Camulus. (Prometheus Unbound)

When the people refused to surrender, Camulus ordered them wiped out. (Prometheus Unbound)

They had a handful of ships -- troop transports, cargo ships, al-kesh -- and got as many people as possible to a nearby, inhabitable moon. The ships made several trips before most of them were shot down, and Camulus never knew about the survivors. (Prometheus Unbound)

Although the moon saved their lives, they were trapped there -- it had no stargate, and they had too few ships left to transport everyone again. (Prometheus Unbound)

For a while, that was no problem -- they used their handful of ships to keep an eye on what Camulus's forces were doing on the homeworld, and to steal supplies and technology where possible. Camulus never went looking for them, and he ignored the other planetary bodies in the system so never found them even accidentally. (Prometheus Unbound)

After Camulus was defeated by Baal, Baal's ships started showing up everywhere, searching every inhabitable body in Camulus's territory. Vala went looking for a ship large enough to transport all of her people to a safer world, far away. (Prometheus Unbound)

Known people

Vala

She was once a host to a Goa'uld (unnamed). (Prometheus Unbound)

The naquadah left in her bloodstream allowed her to use the kull's body armor and weapons, use a healing device (smaller than the standard healing devices), and quickly figure out how to fly the Prometheus. (Prometheus Unbound)

She may be claustrophobic. (Avalon part 1)

'So now is a bad time to tell you that I hate small spaces?' (Avalon part 1)

In roughly 1994, a Tok'ra arrived on her world and incited an uprising against the Goa'uld ruler -- Vala (or at least, Vala's symbiote). The people captured her alive, tortured her, and beat her for days, not understanding the difference between host and symbiote (or even that there was a symbiote involved). The Tok'ra, possibly feeling guilty for his part in it, rescued her and removed the symbiote, then nursed her back to health. (Prometheus Unbound)

There's no proof for this beyond Vala's word, but the part about once being host to a Goa'uld symbiote, at least, is pretty likely to be accurate -- she could use Goa'uld technology without any problem. (Prometheus Unbound)

She implied that somehow she became involved with her people again, but that shortly after the original uprising, Camulus arrived to claim the planet, and when her people resisted, ordered them all killed. After being driven off their world in their attempt to escape Camulus's massacre decree, then facing the threat of Baal finding them after he took over Camulus's domain, she went looking for a larger ship than the few small ones they still had available, in hopes of rescuing all her surviving people and bringing them to a safe world far away. (Prometheus Unbound)

nb: Everything in the above paragraph is suspect. It's the story she told Daniel in hopes of getting him to let her go. (Prometheus Unbound)

What she didn't mention, but which later became clear, was that she'd made a deal with two aliens, probably smugglers, to trade a big ship for a crate full of weapons-grade refined naquadah. (Prometheus Unbound)

She sent out a distress call from a crippled al-kesh, hoping to find a ship that would be big enough to suit her purposes. She got the Prometheus. She used a kull warrior's body armor as a disguise and captured the entire ship, ringing its crew over to the al-kesh in groups. The only person she didn't find was Daniel Jackson. She found him later, when he shot her twice with a P-90 modified to kill kull warriors. The shots had no effect on her, and she zatted him then tied him up in a chair. (Prometheus Unbound)

She got the sublight engines working on her own, and by dint of whacking a panel just right, managed to get long-range communications working as well. (Prometheus Unbound)

She couldn't gain access to the navigational computer without an access code, though, and started trying to get it out of Daniel. (Prometheus Unbound)

As Daniel put it, she was a fruitcake. She alternated threats, violence, and blatant sexual overtures to get him to talk (sometimes not so much alternating as all at the same time). (Prometheus Unbound)

While she was off reconfiguring things among the ship's power crystals (and changing the access code on the navigational computer so that only she could use it), Daniel escaped and came after her with a zat. She managed to disarm him and they got into a vicious hand-to-hand fight, which she was winning. After some more mixed sex-and-violence messages, she headbutted him and seemed to knock him out cold, and turned her back to do something at a computer console. Daniel zatted her unconscious and tossed her into a holding cell (literally the brig), after changing her clothes from protective kull-warrior suit to a standard-issue jumpsuit. (Prometheus Unbound)

She got him to release her by refusing to give him the codes to unlock the ship's systems even though they were under Goa'uld fire. She did help him in the firefight as much as possible, and when Hammond and the al-kesh arrived, she pretty clearly knew that she was going to be held captive again. She made an attempt to start to talk to Daniel about it, but he zatted her unconscious in annoyance. (Prometheus Unbound)

Later, aboard the Prometheus, she managed to knock out Security Team 1 and ring over to the al-kesh (being salvaged, and guarded by SG-3), knocking SG-3 out as well and ringing them back to the Prometheus. She escaped in the al-kesh, going into hyperspace as quickly as possible and jamming the Prometheus's long-range scanners so they couldn't track her. (Prometheus Unbound)

She returned to the SGC in early 2005, demanding to see 'my Daniel' so he could help her with a tablet she'd acquired -- it had coded Ancient writing on it. To make sure of his help, she whapped matching bracelets onto their wrists that forced them to stay within about a hundred feet of each other. If they went beyond that distance for more than about half an hour, they'd both collapse and risk death. Daniel was less than thrilled. (Avalon part 1)

When Daniel figured out that the tablet had been written by Myrddin - presumably an Ancient who'd fled Atlantis during the Wraith siege some 10,000 years ago - and that Myrddin was the Merlin of Arthurian legend, they got clearance to take the Prometheus to search Glastonbury Tor for hidden chambers, using Asgard sensors. They found what they were looking for, and Mitchell, Teal'c, Daniel, and Vala all ringed down. Shortly after their arrival, they triggered the appearance of a sword in a big block of stone, as well as a hologram of Myrddin, welcoming them as knights of the Round Table and saying that with a wealth of knowledge and truth of spirit, they could prove themselves worthy and gain access to the treasures hidden there. Vala was very pleased to hear it. (Avalon part 1)

They split into teams, and she and Daniel headed down a corridor to explore. They found a small chamber with a table in it, with fire springing to life in a line of pots around the perimeter as soon as they got close enough. They went in and were promply trapped by the closing of a thick stone door, and were forced to take the test laid out for them: two pots, one silver and one gold. The gold one had a label that said 'The universe is infinte.' The silver's label said 'The treasure is in this pot.' While Daniel was still thinking, Vala opened the silver pot, which turned out to be empty. A few seconds later, the stone ceiling began to descend. (Avalon part 1)

Daniel managed to redo the test and save their lives, and both of them realized that Mitchell and Teal'c would be in the same danger. Daniel took off, but Vala waited long enough to steal the coin that had appeared in the gold pot. (Avalon part 2)

After Mitchell and Teal'c had been saved, and Mitchell had drawn out the sword in the stone and successfully faced down the oddly solid hologrammatic knight that appeared to challenge him, the other three left the chamber, assuming the treasure would appear when only Mitchell was there, since he'd taken the sword. Instead, the chamber began collapsing as though in an earthquake. Daniel immediately wanted to know what Vala had taken, and she had to give up her stolen coin. She was pleased with the tradeoff - once the coin was returned, the chamber filled with gold, gems, and other trinkets - but in the end wasn't allowed to keep any of the treasure for herself. (Avalon part 2)

She decided that the knowledge Daniel seemed on the verge of discovering, of the secrets of the gatebuilders, was worth more than a few trinkets anyway. (Avalon part 2)

When Daniel put himself forward for testing the communications device they found in the chamber, Vala promptly grabbed the second black stone and insisted she try as well, using the fact that they weren't sure if it was a transporter of some sort to bolster her argument - if she and Daniel were separated, they'd both die. (Avalon part 2)

They used the communicator and their consciousnesses were swapped with the minds of two people - a married couple, Harrid and Sallis Cicera - in another galaxy. Vala did her best to play along with Daniel's attempts to gather information, but having to sit through a face-to-face tea ritual with a local woman ('drinking the leaves') proved impossible, and Vala was declared to have been 'overcome' - possessed. She was taken to a sacrificial altar where burning oil traveled through an array of channels until it reached her, engulfing her in flames. (Avalon part 2)

She died horribly in the flames, but moments later, a Prior arrived and doused the flames, then healed and revived her with his staff. He wanted her and Daniel to follow him, so they did. (Avalon part 2)

Daniel and Vala were  brought by the Prior to the Plains of Celestis, where they walked to the City of the Gods   and waited to be seen. Vala winds up bored out of her mind, while Daniel managed to say the right thing (quoting frmo the Book of Origin) and get an audience with the Doci. Afterward, he and Vala were  sent back to Ver Ager to be used to 'cleanse' it -- meaning that the Priors would follow them to other unbelievers and kill them. Fannis went to them and helped them find the base unit for the communication stones despite the danger. The base allowed them to transfer briefly back into their own bodies, but when a Prior showed up and killed Fannis and destroyed the Ver Ager base unit, Daniel and Vala switched back into Harrid and Sallis's bodies. They were taken to the village center and chained to the sacrificial altar to be burned to death. (Origin)

They switched back to their own bodies when the Earth base unit was destroyed by Teal'c and Mitchell, just in time to avoid burning to death (Harrid and Sallis died in the fire instead). They were still connected by the bracelets. (Origin)

At some point after the bracelets were safely removed, she was escorted to the gateroom where Daniel was waiting for her - to make sure she was thoroughly searched before she left. Sgt. Bradley found a small 'keepsake' - a priceless artifact - in her bag, which she gave up with reasonably good grace. She tried to steal it back by picking Daniel's pocket after asking for a goodbye hug, but he knew she'd done it and took it back. Finally, she left. (The Ties That Bind)

An hour or so later, she was back - both she and Daniel collapsed after being too far apart for too long, because the bracelets's effect hadn't worn off yet. (The Ties That Bind)

When Dr. Lee was having trouble determining exactly what had happened and how to break the connection permanently, Vala admitted she knew someone who might help - the man she stole the bracelets from. (The Ties That Bind)

Arlos refused to help unless she returned his mother's necklace, which she'd also stolen when she left him. (The Ties That Bind)

She went with Daniel and Mitchell to find Inago, the Jaffa merchant she'd dealt with after she left Arlos - they traded the necklace ('a priceless heirloom from the House of Verenna') for what Inago claimed was a Goa'uld force shield inhibitor (actually a power coil from an obsolete cargo ship). Inago wanted to kill her, but she got the drop on him and offered to buy the necklace back, despite her annoyance at getting a power coil instead of what she'd expected. He refused, but said he'd be willing to buy the power coil back. Eventually they agreed to an even trade. (The Ties That Bind)

Vala, Daniel, and Mitchell went to the shrine  of  Grannus  where she was greeted as 'Sister Vesina' by 'Brother Caius', a former smuggler turned monk of the god Grannus - a minor Goa'uld in Camulus's service, whose worship had fallen off sharply after he was  executed by his own Jaffa. (The Ties That Bind)

Landry wouldn't allow them to go after the Lucian Alliance - he wanted Daniel on hand in three days to speak before the Senate Appropriations Committee. To keep them both from collapsing, Vala had to go with them. She kept quiet for most of it, but when the chairman announced that despite the reports and testimony he was cutting Stargate Command's budget to just 30% of its former budget (he suggested they cut back on exploration), and instead putting extra money into building more Daedalus-class ships to defend the planet, Vala took the opportunity to impugn his manhood, saying the only reason he could possibly want to put that much effort into big ships with big engines would be to compensate for his own 'shortcomings'. (The Ties That Bind)

Landry was less than pleased with her, and when they arrived back at the SGC, he sent them all off to find the Lucian Alliance after all, to expedite her departure. (The Ties That Bind)

They wound up  meeting with Tenat and Jup (who had Caius's ship), the traders Vala had tried to swap the Prometheus for weapons-grade naquadah for the year before, a deal that fell through when Daniel got involved. They set it up as a bounty sale -- 'Cam Mitchell, bounty hunter' and his Jaffa partner contacted Tenat and Jup to sell Vala and her partner (Daniel). (The Ties That Bind)

They were planning a double-cross, to beat Tenat and Jup's expected double-cross. Tenat and Jup planned to get Daniel and Vala aboard their cargo ship with Jup, while Tenat stayed on the ground and killed Teal'c and Mitchell as soon as Jup arrived overhead in the ship. Daniel and Vala,  prepared  for  that,  escaped their handcuffs and overpowered Jup, ringing him down and Teal'c and Mitchell up, then fleeing the planet, very pleased with themselves. (The Ties That Bind)

The Lucian Alliance showed up moments later, called by a remote signal Tenat triggered once he realized the others had taken his ship - triple-cross. (The Ties That Bind)

Vala figured out how to use some of Caius's modifications: she generated multiple false energy readings with projected ships, confusing most of the Alliance ships, and took off. Two Alliance ships followed. She drew ahead, turned around, and went dark. As soon as they got close enough, she sent an energy pulse at them, knocking out their ships' systems long enough to open up a hyperspace window and escape. (The Ties That Bind)

In order: the ship went back to Caius (who tormented Vala by thanking her for not taking the swag out of the secret compartments), the engine coil went back to Inago, and the necklace went back to Arlos, who was very happy because now his mother would stop bugging him. When Mitchell and Daniel pressed Arlos to fulfill his half of the bargain, Arlos shrugged and said that his 'extensive research' had come up emtpy, but that he thought the effect would wear off eventually on its own. (The Ties That Bind)

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Abydonians | Adorans | Alabran's people | Altairians | Amrans | Argosians | Arkhan's people | Ayiana's race | Bedrosians | Byrsa | Caledonians | Cave-dwellers | Cimmerians | Dome-dwellers | Edorans | Ellori's people | Eurondans | Golap | Hankans | Hebridans | Latonans | Ma'chello's people | Madronans | Medieval Christians | Nasyans | Nomads | Orbanians | Pangarans | Randians | 'Residents' | Salish | SG-X | Shavadai | Shyla's people | Tagreans | Taldor | Taltheans | Teneeze | Tiernods | Togar's people | Untouched | Vala's people | Village of Ver Ager | Vyans