Stargate Force

Chapter 7: From Within

Kwai Chang Caine got word of Sam's condition, so he cut his visit short to be with her. It was far more important to help her than what he was doing. At first, he did not make himself known. He wanted to talk to his Master, Ping Hai, to get the latest on what he knows about her.

"Kwai Chang Caine, she is hurting badly. I believe she knows what it is, but it is so sadistic she has pushed it so far in her mind that it won't easily leave her."

"I was afraid of that. There's a way to get this out of her, but it will cause her so much pain."

"You know that if you don't help her with this, she will only get worse. She needs to face this once and for all."

Caine sighed, "I'm more concerned with the scars she could have on her psyche when all of this comes out of her so abruptly."

"If she keeps this bottled deep in her, it would eat her up totally. It will be worse than cancer in her soul. I suggest that you go to her and talk to her for a time. I believe once you see what is inside her, for yourself, you will understand this needs to be out of her life."

"I will do as you ask. I know that she is very strong, but from what you have told me, she might not be strong enough to deal with this mental implant."

"Trust me. She is strong enough to go through this procedure. I couldn't have gone through this mental conditioning, and I am afraid for her safety if we can't remove this conditioning soon. I think it can kill her if she doesn't submit to Palpatine's demands... to be this host for the Dark-side of the Force."

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While waiting for Kwai Chang Caine to come to her, she was spending time with Annie Blaisdell — at her home. After doing some small talk and some catching up since the last time they met, Annie became quiet for a moment. She asked Sam, "Well?"

Sam understood what she meant, but jokingly replied, "Where are you going to dig it?"

Her blunt silliness didn't amuse Annie at all. She waited for her to make the next move.

She sighed, "I don't know where to start."

"Why not start with something that you have told no one, including yourself? I do not need to have the power of sight to realize you are hurting inside."

"Yes, I am." She was quiet for the longest and continued, "I have been through horrors I can never fully explain, but there's one that I can't face at all. It frightens me far too much to the point I can't get myself to remember." "I feel it has everything to do with these suppressed memories. If I knew something about my past, I could deal with this. Why am I getting pictures of Skyma mixed with this implant? Karabast! Why were my memories taken from me? I don't think my sister is guiding me as Jill Cantrell did for Brandon in one of his dreams. If she was, Cassandra would have told me about this by now."

She replied, "It will continue to frighten you... until you face it. Since you have buried it so deep in you, Caine might be the only one to help you pull it out from the dark abyss of your soul, so you can finally look at it as you are looking at me."

She shook uncontrollably once again. She forced herself to say, "I'm far, far too terrified to have that done."

Even though Annie was blind, she could grab her hands to hold in order to comfort her. "My dear, that is why you need to face what is scaring you to death."

She said uneasily, "I know... but how?"

"You had this in you all these years. I know you can't do it alone. Caine will only guide you to let this... finally, out of your life. From how much you are trembling, what you will face will be very horrific. It can be worse if it stays in you. Whatever it may be, promise yourself that you will push through it."