Blue Jell-O
1415: Damn!
Sam was sitting at her desk, trying to take apart a small rectangular device they had found on P4X-480 two days before in an ancient, ghost city about 10 miles north of the stargate. They had met nobody on the planet and thus didn't know what to make of it but she basically had established it didn't seem to be dangerous. So, here she had been bending over her work since 0620 when she had entered the base and had not realized it was so late.
She had taken a break though to get a cup of coffee from the coffee maker in the corner of the room and to go to the bathroom but she often forgot all about lunch. Now, she had a crick in her neck, her hands were sore from trying to pry open the thing, whatever it was, and she knew for certain she needed to refuel if she wanted enough energy to fight that darn object and win!
As she was telling herself she would try for ten more minutes and then allow herself to head for the mess, she heard someone walking in the corridor, obviously heading for her would have recognized the sound of these steps in a million: they were Colonel O'Neill's and she knew what was coming next. He was going ask and say: "Are we done with that thing? Can we move on to exploring the next planet? Carter, I'm bored to death here, waiting for you to give us the go-ahead." Instead, he came behind her and bending over her right shoulder, he smirked: "You know that is a remote control for their old TV sets! These people were probably as uninteresting as sea cucumbers! I'm sure we can forget about them and move on. The next planet on our list seems much more fun... Let's, shall we?"
Carter swiveled her chair to face him, making a face: "Hello, Sir. No, Sir, I'm afraid I'm not finished with it yet."
"I don't care. Anyway, I was on a wild-goose chase trying to make you forget about that thingy (he waved at the object on the table with mock disgust). You're like Daniel: whenever something looks like it's hiding something from you, you get hooked so much you even forget to eat...don't you? (he accusingly pointed his finger at her) In fact, I'm here on a crucial mission: to get you to the mess before you faint from lack of food."
"In a minute, Sir."
"Carter...I mean now", he said, raising his voice and putting on an angry look, as if taunting a child who stalls when he knows he has to take his bath.
"Yes, Sir. Go ahead, I'll join you there."
"No, you won't, you stubborn",he replied, lifting her from her chair and pushing her towards the door, "I'm taking you there myself."
He could be so unnerving sometimes!...Well, to tell the truth, most of the times. But she was always touched when he'd come for her, either to take her to the mess or send her home or even just to see what she was doing. And he had a way of walking next to her, bending his head towards her as he made small talk...she simply loved his gait, which had a springy, almost dancing quality, not unlike a kid who's anticipating the fun he's going to have. She had seen that gait in someone else, an actor in a 1980s TV series she used to watch when younger and she had noticed it in him the first time they had met. Now, with all those years working together almost 24- 7, she still loved it when he did that move. It was casual, not stilted as most soldiers walked, especially officers.
"You know, I've seen blue jell-o on display in the mess when I peaked in to see if you were there...", he winked at her. "I asked the cookhand to keep you one."
"That's very nice of you, Sir. I couldn't possibly live without blue jell-o", she teased him, trying to keep a straight face.
"Carter... you are getting very disrespectful with your superior," he bantered. "Don't push me too far... I'm tempted to report you to the General, or the President!"
"Sir, I wouldn't dare, Sir", she mocked him as she was entering the mess.
As usual, most people turned around to watch them come in, a lot to say hi or admire two members from the original team; some, a growing number, to wonder what these two really meant for each other in their private lives. Nobody would have dared accuse them of bending the rules, of course, but it made more and more people wonder how they could manage to live like this: it was obvious a special bond united them and if they were not mistaken, then the Colonel and his second in command must be having a hard time respecting the regs.
