Title: Deception
Rating: T
Summary: A mysterious planet holds quite the adventure for SG-1 Daniel/Vala
Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate and all that jazz...
Deception: Chapter 1
A/N: This story is dedicated to all of my twitter friends, but especially to spacegypsy1 and ShanksyMellark for the following prompts: funny, lost, fighting, loving, Vala confused, Daniel not confused, and alcohol.
Vala's POV
P4X-322, that is the name given to the next planet on our list of jaunts across the galaxy. This one shows some promise though. They sent the MALP through and we found a very advanced culture that is more than willing to meet us and set up some sort of diplomatic trade agreement. I am a little suspicious about this since I'm not really sure what Earth could possibly offer a culture such as the one that seems to be on the other side of the Milky Way.
"Vala! Hurry up! Everyone else is waiting for us at the gate!" Daniel yells at me from the other side of the door to my quarters like that will help make me pack faster.
"I'm coming! It takes time for a girl to pack for a whole week of inter-planetary travels ya know!"
Yep, a whole week of P4X-322 is in store for me and the rest of SG-1. A whole week of dull diplomatic discussion on trade alliances. I quickly shove some more BDUs and Jerry the giraffe into my pack before swinging open the door to an angry looking Daniel.
"Took ya long enough! Come on, let's get going!" He begins to pull me by my arm towards the gate room.
Ah Daniel, his aggressive side always shows through when I'm around. The man confuses me beyond reason. One minute he is nice and friendly and almost...loving to me and the next, total anger and frustration.
Don't get me wrong, I care about Daniel, a lot, but my feelings confuse me. I swore to myself a long time ago that I would never let a man get the best of me, but here I am caring about this man more than I probably should.
Before I know it we are through the stargate and on P4X-322. I am on edge right away by the sight that is before me. A huge city looms in the distance, tall skyscrapers littering the horizon and small flying vehicles flitting around everywhere. That's not what has me concerned though. It is the building right in front of the stargate with two doors labeled 'males' and 'females'. At first I thought it was some sort of public restroom or something, but I was quickly proven wrong.
A man and woman stood before us to greet us.
"Welcome to Trunthia! I am high chancellor Carvin and this is my wife Lilya."
"Nice to be here. I'm Lt. Colonel Mitchell, and this is Lt. Colonel Carter, Dr. Daniel Jackson, Teal'c, and Vala. Should we start negotiations right away?" Cam took charge, stepping out in front of the rest of us.
Carvin and Lilya regarded Cam in alarm, before Lilya spoke up. "We have some...regulations on Trunthia that you will need to abide by before we can set up any negotiations."
Regulations? What was going on here?
Cam frowned. "What kind of regulations?"
Carvin took over for his wife. "Well, you see, we have a horrid disease here that has ravaged the planet. Ever since then we have had to screen all visitors before allowing them into the city. Most off-worlders do not show symptoms of the disease, but at least ten percent are carriers of it. Therefore, we will need to subject you all to tests to make sure that you are not carrying the disease."
Okay, just get me out of here now. No, seriously I mean it! I dislike testing of any sorts, but especially medical testing!
Teal'c came forward to speak next. "Does this disease affect Jaffa? Because I no longer carry a symbiote, I am on tretonin."
Carvin and his wife looked at each other nervously before responding. "Actually, Jaffa with or without a symbiote seem to carry the disease most often, for that reason, we must ask you to leave our planet."
Teal'c looked taken aback, but Daniel was outraged. "Excuse me? You are demanding that Teal'c leave here because he 'might' carry the disease? You just got done saying that we all might carry it!"
Carvin hesitated a bit before answering. "That is so. However, the rate of Jaffa carrying the disease is more like ninety percent compared to ten percent of human off-worlders. Also, many Jaffa have be shown to develop symptoms of the disease; we are only trying to protect him as well as ourselves."
I didn't believe them for a second, but before I could say a word, Teal'c bowed his head.
"I will leave, this mission is too important for all of you to miss out on because of me."
Apparently that was good enough for Cam because the next thing I knew, Cam and Daniel were being hauled off to the 'males' door and Sam and I were escorted to the 'females' door.
Inside was like an enlarged version of the infirmary at the SGC only with different machines.
Several people in starched white uniforms usher us to the center of the room.
"We will be testing you now. Please remove all of your clothing minus your underthings."
It's not that I have an issue with being almost naked in front of complete strangers (minus Sam of course), but to be put through all of the screenings and testings that we went through was almost humiliating. They took samples of our hair, skin cells, saliva, blood, and urine before we were done.
We pass the screenings and are taken back to Daniel and Cam who have passed as well.
However, before we can talk anything through with them, we are all whisked away to the fancy hotel for off-worlders.
Carvin leads us to two doors. "The room on the left is for the ladies, and the right is for the men. We serve meals all day downstairs in our dining hall; feel free to go down there whenever you would like. Also, in honor of our upcoming trade agreement, I would like you all to have several bottles of Trunthia's finest ale. I promise that you have never tried anything quite as tasty as this!"
He thrusts a case of bottles at Cam before taking his leave. "See all of you tomorrow afternoon at the city hall for negotiations!"
I can't take it anymore, I have to say something. "Don't you all think that all of this is just a little bit...wonko? I mean screening us for some odd disease and then putting us up in their fancy hotel with free alcohol?"
They all stare at me like I've grown horns or something before Daniel finally speaks up. "It is a little bit odd about the alcohol I guess, but I see no reason why they shouldn't screen us for carrying a disease that is rampant on this planet."
Sam and Cam nod in agreement.
Later on that evening, we are all in Daniel and Cam's room going over the negotiations when Cam decides we should try out the ale that Carvin gave us. It surprises me when he says this because I am supposed to be the irresponsible on one the team, not the commanding officer!
The drink that they give us is potent, to say the least. However, it isn't like the alcoholic beverages on Earth at all. It's fruity and fizzy without any of the harsh aftertaste of alcohol. Sam, Cameron, and Daniel have all had at least four helpings of the drink each, while I have just finished one. There is something...off about the people on this planet, something sinister and dark that I can't quite put my finger on, but I don't like it. I'm not sure what exactly is making me feel this way, but I definitely don't trust them.
"Vala! Why aren't you drinking with us? This stuff is great!" Sam tips her glass in the air at me and I stare at her in horror. She isn't even acting like herself anymore.
"I'm good, thanks." I try to force a smile at my friend as she pours herself another drink.
"Let's play strip poker!" Cam chuckles as he fumbles with the playing cards he keeps in his pack.
Strip poker sounds like fun to me, maybe it will set my mind at ease a bit. I doubt Daniel will play though, he can be such a prude at times.
"I'm in," Daniel says, and I wonder how many drinks he has actually downed. This isn't like him at all, in fact, none of my friends were acting as they should, especially on such an important mission.
Cam continues to fumble with the cards until I finally take them off of him and deal. The rounds go by quickly, and before I know it, we are all down to our shirts, pants, and underwear.
Daniel is the first to lose his shirt, I take a nice long look at his hairless chest and the hard planes of his abdomen. He is amazingly attractive and I was definitely taking advantage of being able to see him half naked.
The next round goes by in a flash and it is down to Sam and Cam.
"Read 'em and weep Carter!" Cam says as he places down a full house.
Sam smirks and places down four of a kind. "I believe you have lost Mitchell, now off with that shirt!"
I can't help but to giggle at their silly antics, but it is still so odd of them to be behaving in such a manner, and matters only get worse when Cam begins to pull of his shirt...and sing.
He lifts his black t-shirt over his head as he begins to sing. "I'm too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my shirt, so sexy it hurts!"
Sam and I nearly double over in laughter while Daniel gives a dazed smile. He's looking a little bit out of it.
"Are you okay Daniel?"
He scrunches up his face to look at me. "Hmm?...Wha?"
Yep, he's gone. Before I can tell him to get to bed, I hear a strange slurping sound and turn to see Cam and Sam kissing each other. They are practically sucking each others' faces off and I look back at Daniel to see what he thinks of all of this. However, the man has passed out already, his head slumped forward at an uncomfortable angle.
I have to stop this nonsense. "Cameron! Samantha! What are you two doing?"
The two colonels look at me and then back at each other in confusion.
"I...I don't know...I'm sorry Sam." Cam shuffles away nervously.
Sam just nods and turns to help me get Daniel onto his bed.
I can't get off this planet soon enough. Everyone has gone absolutely wonko!
A/N: I promise that there is a good reason for sending poor Teal'c off! Anyway, feedback is always greatly appreciated!