Jack O'Neill was so ready to go home. He was immensely tired of all the greyness around him. Grey roads, grey buildings – never white or brown or blue or any other colour. A perpetually grey clouded sky, overhead, and no-one ever looked happy. That and the sickly yellow toned skin of the alien inhabitants of PCT:112 made for a nauseating combination. "Daniel, we're meeting Sam and Teal'c at the Gate. You've got ten minutes before we head out," said Jack, dropping his backpack down by his feet on PCT:112's library floor. He clapped his hands together with finality, hoping Daniel would get the hint and get moving early. "Time to make nice and say our goodbyes." He looked over at his young team mate who lifted a hand to let him know that he'd gotten the message whilst continuing an animated conversation with the old Fren scholar that he had befriended.
"It is unfortunate that your time here is ending so soon," said Master Gien bowing his head to Daniel.
"Yeah," replied Daniel looking up into the large yellow toned face covered with distinctive patterns of grey/blue veins. Daniel bowed to his two meter tall humanoid companion. "I'm just sorry it took so long for us to find a language that we both know."
Master Gien eyed the red robed government officials that had come to escort the visitors back to the Travelers Ring. "Yes," he replied. He brushed a three fingered hand over his face in agitation and touched his white academic robes nervously. "Very few Fren have studied the old texts to the extent that I have young Daniel. I am due to retire within days, yet I may be the only representative of my people that can communicate with yours."
Daniel watched the red robed government officials take in that information through the crude translator device that Master Gien had set up for them over the last few days. He knew that Master Gien highly resented his imminent forced retirement. "Your loss will be keenly felt amongst the academic whites, Master Gien. It has been a pleasure to meet you and I regret that our people have nothing that your people wish to trade for."
One of the officials stepped forward and spoke brusquely to Master Gien in the native language that Daniel wished he could understand.
Master Gien bowed to the official and translated for him. "Our government also wishes to inform you that it is not our policy to simply - 'give' - technology to another species."
Daniel nodded his understanding. The Fren were a very regimented species. They did not accept failure nor did they give anything away without equatable compensation. Charity was an unknown concept on their world. They had strict rules governing everything from hierarchy to colour coded attire designating their employment fields. Daniel would have loved to study the society further but it had taken three of their allocated seven days just to find someone he could communicate with. Another day was wasted when Master Gien was ordered to create a basic translator device so that the government red necks could understand what was going on without having to rely on Master Gien's translations.
Jack stepped forward. "Well it's been nice to meet you all, but this is where we say: see you later alligator."
The red attired officials muttered together, obviously confused by the translation. Jack had been happily dropping confusing phrases and Earth sayings into every sentence he could. He didn't like the Fren officials and enjoyed watching them try to make heads or tails out of his sentences. They were beginning to catch on now, obviously deciding that it wasn't worth trying to work out a translation for anything Jack said and after a short bland stare at him, they turned away. One of them turned to Master Gien and spoke rapidly.
Jack noted the sudden stiffening of the old scholars shoulders and his own tension level stepped up a notch. There was something about the Fren that had Jack's spidey senses tingling constantly. Maybe it was their oppressive two meter tall stature, or their overly regimented – grey - lifestyle, but then again maybe it was something else altogether. Slowly he stepped forward, tightening his hold on his P-90.
Master Gien bowed his head towards the official. "M..master Daniel ..."
"Ahh just 'Daniel', Master Gien. We don't use the same salutations that your people do," said Daniel completely missing the change in his counterparts demeanor.
"Young Daniel. Official Kee wishes you to attempt a translation of an obscure text that was discovered some months ago. I have serious doubts as to whether you will be able to translate it and I am sure you have no time for this ..."
"No, no I'd love to see this text, Master Gien."
"Daniel, what's going on?" asked Jack watching as Master Gien bowed unhappily and turned to his data pad searching for something.
"Oh um, Official Kee here just wanted me to look at something before we head out, Jack. He's also said that their Government doesn't give away technology – actually I don't think they even understand the concept of sharing unless they get something they consider to be of equal value in return."
Jack sighed dramatically. "Carter's going to be so disappointed about that plasma generator thingie."
"So's Washington," said Daniel vaguely, looking past Master Gien at the data screen.
"Wouldn't they like to trade for some nice colourful beanies or something to brighten up those uniforms?" asked Jack keeping an eye on Official Kee.
"Huh?" said Daniel giving him a distracted frown.
"They'd be a hit on this world."
Daniel quirked a questioning eyebrow at him, not understanding.
"Beanies, Daniel," said Jack. "Bright neon beanies in lots of colours."
Daniel glared at him.
"Here is a sample of the text," said Master Gien shooting a nervous glance at the government officials.
Daniel peered intently at the data screen. "Oh, I know this. This is what we call 'Ancient' Master Gien, I can translate this."
Jack didn't miss the frown that momentarily marred the old scholars blue veined face at Daniel's words before he got terribly excited. Nor did Jack miss the odd expression that Official Kee shot Daniel's way. "So, do we have something worth trading for here?" asked Jack.
"What?" said Daniel, "Oh yeah, Master Gien, Colonel O'Neill here says we can offer translations of this text in exchange for some of the technology that we've been looking at, if your Government is interested."
Master Gien immediately wilted and turned to translate to the officials.
Official Kee bowed his head and muttered to his companion.
Jack could feel the fine hairs at the back of his neck prickle at the way that the two officials were looking at Daniel. They stepped away for a few moments talking animatedly on some of their personal communication devices.
Official Kee finished speaking into his communicator and bowed to Daniel. Master Gien translated. "Official Kee regrets that the translation of the text is not deemed of sufficient value to exchange for our technology. He would like to escort you back to the Travelers Ring now and suggests that perhaps a future meeting may be more productive."
Daniel bowed to the Officials and Master Gien. "I hope we can come to an agreement at that future meeting, say maybe in a week or so if that's okay?"
Jack tried not to feel nervous as Official Kee led them back to the Gate but he found himself on high alert all the way, ready for trouble. He held his weapon ready with a finger pressed over the safety switch. He didn't let Daniel get more than three paces away from him the whole way either, especially with the predatory smiles Official Kee kept shooting Daniel's way.
Waiting at the Gate, Carter nudged Teal'c who turned to watch their approach. There wasn't anything obvious about it, but Carter shifted her weapon around casually and Teal'c stepped just as casually over to a more defensible position. Jack almost let out a sigh of relief that his team were picking up on body language so well.
Official Kee started a lengthy farewell speech that Master Gien had to translate. Jack noticed that Master Gien was still nervous and that Official Kee kept glancing over to the black clad military types.
Jack kept careful watch, his body tense and ready. Daniel bowed his goodbyes and followed protocol by dialing the address to an uninhabited decoy world.
Jack breathed a huge sigh of relief once they Gated through to the neutral destination. For a while there he had been sure things would turn nasty. He watched as Daniel headed for the DHD.
"Sir?" asked Carter.
Teal'c scanned the area around them alertly but he listened carefully for Jack's reply.
"Let's just say Official Kee was looking at Daniel the wrong way," said Jack in way of explanation. "Let's go home people."
SGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSGSG
This is a revised old story, hopefully much improved since i wrote it all those years back. Anyway, let me know what you think.