Yvi

Author at http://archiveofourown.org/users/Yvi/pseuds/Yvi.
Also has a journal at http://yviwriting.livejournal.com/.

Symbiosis (Stargate)

Reviewed by Kathryn A on 15th December 2011 (1)
Tags: Novel, AU Divergent Timeline
Characters: Samantha Carter, Jolinar, Martouf
(424K, 63406 words)

Summary: When Jolinar doesn't die in the Ashrak attack, Sam is faced with a difficult decision. She can trust Jolinar and go to the Tok'ra base with her, hoping that they will be able find a new host, or she can stay at the SGC and trust the NID not to harm her. Sam decides to flee the base with Jolinar, not realizing that this is only the beginning of an adventure that will change her life.

Here's an AU set at an obvious turning-point: what if Jolinar survived? What would the two of them do? I'm surprised, in a way, that I haven't read more AU stories with this premise. Perhaps there are lots of them out there that I just haven't found. Be that as it may, this is a very good example of the (small) genre.

I like the character development of Carter and Jolinar; the journey from betrayal to trust, from prisoner to life-companion. Carter is well aware, at the start, that while the Tok'ra talk equality, all the power is in the hands of the symbiont. That's a difficult place to build trust from.

I like that the Tok'ra are shocked and disgusted by Jolinar's actions in taking Carter without asking - something that was noticeably missing from canon. Not that the Tok'ra aren't arrogant, but the alliance between them and the Tau'ri is built on a better footing than in canon. It makes me wish there was a sequel, because I like AU universes where the Tok'ra have an important part to play. And I want to see what Carter/Jolinar do next!

There's also a satisfying amount of action/adventure in this story; not just AU versions of certain episodes, but additional perils and derring-do.