Man Hunt

spacegypsy1

Vala decides it's time to move off base, marry, and make babies. D/V with the regular cast of characters.

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Chapter One

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Vala considered the fact that she'd been watching too much Food TV, Wedding TV, and Baby TV. But really, she'd wanted a place of her own, or more correctly a home, for some time. She wanted to marry, cook for someone – after she learned how, and have children. Daniel won't wake up and realize he wants kids until he's 50 and that's too late for her...besides there's no guarantee he'd choose her.

What she needed was a man! Unfortunately, it wasn't going to be her Daniel.

Tomin? But that wouldn't work, he's a traveling preacher. Flying all over the universe. No, she doesn't want to leave here...home.

She had a self imposed deadline. Six months to marry and get pregnant... the proverbial clock is ticking as they say.

Options? Obviously someone with security clearance... narrows the field somewhat. Or maybe not. I'm now a bona fide Earpling...er...Earthling with papers and all – an American citizen – with a passport. Lots of SGC personnel have spouses who don't really know what they do. Hmm...online match dot something or the other? eHarmony?

"Vala?" General Landry called.

She looked up, seeing that the conference room was empty – she'd missed the whole briefing with her musings! Not to worry, Daniel would reiterate the entire thing in irksome detail. She didn't know why she even bothered coming to these things. Daniel's back up version, though long and boring, did usually make more sense. "Oh, sorry." She stood as General Landry walked towards his office. "General Landry, sir. Could I have a moment of your time? I have something I need to ask you...and I really don't want Mitchell to know right now."

Landry turned back, curious. "Of course, come in."

"I feel like a mold." Vala stated as she entered.

Landry, halfway into a sit behind his desk, stopped, suddenly standing again. "Excuse me?"

"Because, unless I'm on a mission, I live underground in tunnels."

"Oh." Taking his chair, Landry indicated the seat across from his desk. "Mole."

Vala plopped down, folding her legs up in the chair. "Yes. I want to find something off base. Well, actually, I'm getting married."

Landry popped right out of his chair, hands braced on the desk. "What!" To who?"

Vala shrugged. "I have no idea. Maybe you could help me there. I mean, you must know a lot of eligible men. I have six months...in reality, less than six months, considering the baby."

The General sunk down into his chair. Fiasco! He knew the day he gave her those patches that one day it would come back and bite him in the ass. "Whose baby is it?"

"Well, silly, it will be mine!"

Controlling the urge to yell, Landry took a breath and tried again. "I mean, who is the father?"

"Whoever I marry, of course. I'm not that woman anymore, I'm no longer … how do you say it? Loose, and irresponsible, indiscriminate. I've decided that since I can't be with the one I love, I'm going to love the one I'm with. It's not like I haven't done that before." She grinned wide, happy to have finally come to a rational decision.

"Vala?" General Landry seemed to plead.

"Hmm?"

"Could we start over?"

Eyes rolling upwards in disgust, Vala leaned forward. Communicating with the Tau'ri male was like trying to talk to a Furling! "Alright. I want to live off base. I want to find a man, get married, cook, clean, shop, go dancing, eat out sometimes, go to movies, have children, join a PGA, and settle down."

Landry looked outside the window towards the conference room wanting to be anywhere but here. "PTA." He mumbled, head shaking slowly as he looked back to Vala.

"What does that mean, is it a code for off base living? Is that a yes? Do I need to fill out a form? That's it! It's the form I need to get permission from the upper ups, the IOA, right!"

About to implode, Landry stood once again. No use in trying to explain. Vala would always speak Alienese, he'd just deal. "I'll get the paper work. Schedule a meeting to discuss it further – with Dr. Hutchison and Colonel Mitchell."

Vala grimaced, shivering. "Is that necessary? Dr. Hutchison, I mean. After all I've been long cleared with his brand of torture. I knew Mitchell would have to give his okay, he is my CO after all. But Dr. Hutchinson! He's for crazy people. I'm not crazy. I'm normal now."

With a measured look, Landry stared.

"Fine. But could you hurry this up? I'm running out of time!"

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By the look on Daniel's face she knew he knew. Word travels fast at the SGC! It'd been less than twenty-four hours since she left the General's office. Not to worry. He'll rant, shuffle his feet around, scowl - adding to that permanent crease between his eyes - and move on.

"Don't look at me like that." Vala said calmly.

"You could have talked to me about this first, Vala, instead of letting me hear it through the gossip channels!"

Stopping just inside the door, she stared at the wall behind his head. "I've been talking to you about THIS for years! If you're interested in marrying me, having children, then I'll put you at the top of the list! Otherwise, shut up."

"Vala." He patronized.

"If you say we work together, I swear I will zat you. Twice!"

Looking back down at the artifact in his hand, he shrugged. "Fine. I thought we were friends."

Ambling over, Vala propped her six on his desk. "Of course we are, darling. Here." She dropped a stack of printed material in front of him. "These are my candidates. I would appreciate your input. Once you have narrowed it down to, say twenty or so, then I think you, me, Sam, Mitchell, and Muscles should grab a pizza, some beer, and pick the top five. I've checked Sam's schedule, she'll be here when we get back. I've marked the ones I'm most interested in...I think there's about ten. I'm on a deadline. So let's get to it! I mean after our mission to PXP- number, number, number."

Sigh. Head drop. Sigh. No surprise - she'd expected that from Daniel. With his reaction out of the way, she could move forward. "I have to go," she hopped up, "so I won't be able to get those things you needed from the storage thingie. I have an appointment with Carolyn. I'm getting off my birth control, checking out my baby making...er...equipment. Could you start on those." she pointed to the printouts from several online dating services... "And chunk out the obviously bad ones today?"

His eyes lifted, looking over his glasses. "Yeah, sure."

"Thanks, darling. I knew I could depend on you!" Vala scurried out.

Once she was gone, Daniel absently thumbed through the stack. Every single marked sheet with a picture he came across was a blue eyed, sandy or brown haired, man with glasses. Holy buckets!

~TBC