Mount of Fealty
By Christine
Quick background:
Planet: P2X-2698; Hi'ed people (Neither is Stargate Canon… It's my world… deal.)
Sam
I like being in the military - usually. I also liked being "one of the guys" - usually. And I have learned in the four and a half years with SG-1's guys, that boys would be boys - always.
But as I sit silently between Colonel Jack O'Neill and Dr. Daniel Jackson, I seriously doubt whether my job, the things I have done to get here, was worth all this. "This" being what I was witnessing. No matter what the people called it - Daniel had translated it into some beautifully named ceremony - it was a drinking contest. An all out, brutally tipsy, get smashed-like-there-is-no-tomorrow, drinking binge.
And the two human males were watching intensely. Jack, I'm sure, thinking about grabbing the nearest pitcher, tub - hell, it was huge and filled with liquor. Daniel is trying to convince me that it was a ceremony ("For what?" "Um, I guess in celebration. I mean we did trigger the rain storm – in their eyes at least.") and not watch the half-clad woman walk around the fire, casting glances at us.
Teal'c was in a quiet debate on whether the tribe was indeed off shoots of the Tau'ri and if their "god" was a Gou'ald. He seems to enjoy himself just learning the history of the people on P2X-2698. Something I find strange; that was usually Daniel's gig.
Admittedly I want to join in the fest, but both Daniel and Jack were the only ones being offered (and turning down, with less and less fervor) the drinks. I find myself frowning and wondered why I'm not allowed to drink; the other women in the tribe were hitting the water pitchers like they had never tasted liquid.
"Stop scowling."
"I'm not scowling, Sir. Just thinking." Turning to face O'Neill, I only find his attention was firmly locked on the dancing girls. She was swaying beside one of the men who escorted us to the village from the Stargate.
"Well stop. You're scaring the natives."
Daniel gave a short laugh, and I quickly turn to look at him. One of the scantily clad women, ("Must be the dress code," I think.) was holding a feather to his neck, stroking him in long, delicate strokes. The woman must have sensed my penetrating gaze, because she looked up and stared at me for a moment, feather suspended in mid-stroke.
I could see that the woman's expression changed from one of enjoyment, to confused, then insight. After insight, a look of pained worry, almost fear, crossed into her eyes. I watched this, and quickly looked away.
Geez the Colonel was right, I am scaring the natives!
I try giving a weak smile to the woman, who was now sitting facing Daniel, and told O'Neill I was leaving.
"Where?" He asked, not really concentrating on me. Men!
"For a walk." I reply.
"Hmm, umm… ok don't go far… that tickles!"
I roll my eyes and get up and move away from them. Teal'c sees my movements and gives one of his questioning eyebrow lifts, and I simply nod in the direction I will be taking.
As the villagers continue to move past me in the direction of the free drinks and dancing, I loosen my vest and let out a small sigh. It is heard to be the only girl in a male team, be the one who would be the eye candy, the one the guys wanted to protect. Not that it was all bad. O'Neill is the mother hen of us all and would be the first to lay down his life, or haul us out of a situation. Teal'c is the strong, stoic warrior, always looking out for out safety. And Daniel… he has grown into the man who has faced so much and has been shaped. He is the one to question the orders O'Neill and I have to take, and he is the one I can always get a good cup off coffee with.
Moving deeper into the forest that surrounds the village, I come upon a small stream. Taking my vest off, I eased down on to another log, and listen as the laughter of the party floats to me and mingles with the sound of the flowing water.
I guess I drifted off into my own world – I rarely can do that any more – since Teal'c's hand startled me.
"I am sorry to disturb you MajorCarter. The others do not look so well, and I fear we may have to help them back to the SGC." Teal'c said as we walked slowly back to the village.
"What happened? They decide the scantily clothed females were not enough? They loose the drinking contest?" I smiled into the darkness as the images of what could have happened floated about.
"They did indeed give into the drinking contest. However they have become more intoxicated then they had intended since they have started to dance along with the girls." Teal'c once more raised his eyebrow, conveying what he thought of the whole matter.
I put my vest back on as we once more came into sight of the dancers and drinking. Spotting O'Neill and Daniel was easy – they were the only males who were fully clothed and participating in the dancing near the circle.
"You join," the same woman who was stroking Daniel said, taking my hand and leading me near the fire.
"No thanks, I think I will sit this one out," I said as I tried to pull away.
She grabbed my arm and practically drug me across the dirt floor to where O'Neill and Daniel were moving to the beat of the drums and whistles. Satisfied that I would not try to run away, she left me standing there. I glanced back toward where Teal'c was standing and saw confusion in his eyes also. However he was being let into something I did not know about since the tribal leader was once more talking to him.
"Hi Sam," Daniel said. I turned to face him and watched him move.
"Hi Daniel." Oh Gawd, not another under-the-influence-your-so-cute moves. I looked at O'Neill and saw he too was glassy eyed and half staring at me as if I was the most fascinating thing he had seen in ages. "Maybe we should leave, Sir."
"Leave? Have you tasted this stuff?" He asked as he tipped the jar back and drank some more. "This is the best moonshine I have ever had!"
Right. I once more suggest we should leave, and once more he tells me to calm down, have a sip. No, I don't think I will.
Finally the beating and whistles stop, and so do the two swaying men. The scantily clad females once more surround us, and I have to watch as two inebriated men are staring. Please let me wake up! The same woman who led me into this wild dance, once more takes my arm and leads me away, gesturing to a woman with another jar full of the liquid. Once more, I don't want to play; yet she still is not letting up, so I go along.
Peering into the cup the other lady gives me, I notice it is not pale pink like what the guys have been drinking, rather a pale green. They insist I drink.
The things I do.
