The earthy warm melodies floated out the window and into the blue moonlight. General O'Neill sipped at a strange mix of berry and nut wine, noting its potency. Two more glasses and he'd be sitting happy for the rest of the night. Solitude. A perfect view of the wild dance rituals of the insect-like Sart Maargra. Their slender silver bodies moved expertly to every note played. High up in the giant trees of planet PX-R25, O'Neill finally relaxed after a three week mission of intense negotiations between the Maargra and their brutish neighbors, the Tin.
O'Neill had barely seen Daniel or Carter as they'd been tied up with translation and finding a suitable food replacement for the carnivorous Tin. The General and Teal'c had their hands full rescuing a handful of Maargra from a Tin camp, which wasn't easy as they had to cross a marshland of acidic rivers. Now, O'Neill settled against a thick tree trunk, appreciating the large tree houses hundreds of feet up in the sky.
Daniel suddenly poked his head out the window. "Jack, these people…they are incredible. They have seventy-five ways of saying hello. And if you reply in the wrong way they won't continue the conversation. They find it rude and beneath them."
O'Neill raised an eyebrow. "Uh, Daniel, I have been clawed at, chased, trapped in a cave, and barely escaped with my life. Do you really think I care about how many ways I might not say hello the right way?"
"Ah, yes, I see your point. I'll get you another drink."
"Now you're talking."
Daniel disappeared back into the hut. Just then O'Neill caught a glance of Carter freshly cleaned, being shoved by a handful of Maargra into the center of their dance. She awkwardly maneuvered her way out of their reach and quickly found the exit.
"What, Carter, you don't go for tall and lanky?"
Carter turned, startled. "Sir. I didn't see you out here." She blushed as she took off a tooth necklace one of the younger Maargra had given her.
O'Neill chuckled. "I'm pretty sure that's a marriage proposal in this society."
Carter tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, the way she did when she was embarrassed. "Am I disturbing you, sir?"
"C'mon, Carter. I've been sitting out here drinking God knows what, flicking rocks off the hundred foot balcony. Not exactly Vegas. We aren't scheduled for departure until mid-afternoon tomorrow. Daniel says this cultural exchange is important for further SGC relations."
"He's right, sir. With such a delicate treaty between the two races who knows what kind of parenting they are going to need in the coming weeks."
"Yea, well, as long as it's not me changing the diapers." O'Neill noted how beautiful Carter looked in the eerie moonlight. Torches burned like small wildfires along the many walkways of the tree city. "You wanna get out of here? All this noise is driving me crazy. I think there's a really cool telescope at the end of one of these paths."
"Sounds great, sir."
The General stood and downed the last of his wine. Should have drank more. "C'mon." He gently laid a hand on Carter's shoulder but didn't let it linger. She followed him down a narrow wooden walkway that had only ropes to hold onto. A citrus breeze wafted through the leaf canopy and made Carter feel slightly off-balance. She steadied herself with a hand on O'Neill's back. He shivered but didn't turn around.
"Sorry, sir, I just feel a little dizzy. Must've been that drink of theirs. The Sart Maargra are really a very social race. They have large families, dozens of children who never leave home unless it's to start a home of their own. And even then it's never far from their original family."
O'Neill turned down another walkway. "Sounds swell."
"And their birthing process…"
"Enough, Carter!"
"Did you ever want more children?" Carter bit her lip as soon as it was out.
O'Neill coughed. "Can we not talk about that either?"
"Sorry, sir. Seems like I've been apologizing a lot. Are you sure you want me to come?"
"Carter, you're the only one I want with me right now."
"Oh."
They continued on in awkward silence for several minutes, admiring the natural beauty of the twisting treetops and glowing multi-colored algae. Most of the aliens had migrated to the party, leaving the rest of the city deserted. After numerous twists and turns, Carter was sure they were lost. But she didn't mind. The General's aftershave filled her nose every time a breeze blew. He had several severe cuts from his recent adventure and it always amazed her how effortlessly he bounced back. His muscles moved fitly under his black t-shirt, even for a man of his age. She lowered her gaze, reminding herself they were still both military.
O'Neill stopped and Carter ran smack into him. "Here we are." The path ended at a circular platform made of a marble-like substance. At the center of the platform was a structure that had two magnifying glasses the size of a car. O'Neill seemed pleased with himself. "I knew it was around here somewhere. Maybe we can see Earth."
"Sir, the probability of us…"
"Carter!" O'Neill laid a hand on her mouth. "And don't say sorry." He quickly moved towards the telescope, examining the whole solar system it magnified at one time.
Carter blushed again and followed. "This is amazing. The magnification is way beyond our own technology."
"It is amazing, isn't it?"
Carter leaned closer for a look and O'Neill was suddenly aware of just how close their faces were. He noted her long eyelashes and the way her blonde hair fell lightly over her forehead. He cleared his throat. Sure, they had kind of addressed their feelings for one another on several occasions. But he'd never acted on them. He was still her commanding officer. But on this distant planet, breathing in the smell of this beautiful woman beside him, the Sart wine still coursing through him, he felt the boundaries of the Air Force growing dim.
"Sir, I think this is just a few star systems from ours. Not too far from home. This orange one is PX-527 I believe."
O'Neill smiled. He knew she'd appreciate it as much as him. "Is that the one with the guys with the snot? Yuck."
Carter laughed, meeting his gaze. She was suddenly aware that he was staring at her and not the planets. "Well, it's not exactly…uh…it's…"
"Carter…I…" O'Neill pushed a strand of hair off her face. "Really want to kiss you."
"You do?"
"Yup."
Carter gulped, feeling her stomach turn. "Do you think that's wise, sir?"
"Probably not. But we are a million miles from home."
"More, sir."
More? Huh." O'Neill stroked her cheek tenderly and Carter laid a hand over his. She wanted this moment to last. She stared deeply into his dark eyes, recognizing the longing in them. This was the man she loved for so many years.
Carter shuddered. "We have both been under the influence of some strange alien substance."
O'Neill leaned in closer, allowing his lips to hover just above hers, taunting her to come the rest of the way. Carter closed the distance, softly, their lips lingering in a dream-like touch. She closed her eyes and allowed him to embrace her fully. O'Neill held her face tightly as if she might disappear. Their kiss deepened. He opened her mouth with his tongue, exploring, delighting. Their bodies pressed urgently together. Carter ran her hands through his silver hair and then up the back of his shirt. O'Neill moaned, finding the soft skin on her stomach. Then he traced his hand up to her breasts. Carter gasped.
"If we keep going I won't be able to stop," Carter managed to get out.
"Sam, do you really want to?"
"No," Carter whispered in his ear.
O'Neill pulled Carter to the ground, and in an instance of unrequited passion, they were soon naked in each other's arms. They moved under the blue moonlight as two dancers who have expertly studied each other. When they had finished making love, they fell asleep to the distant drum beat of a Maargra chant. And when the sun poked through the leafy canopy, they made love again because more than a million miles away from home is long a way.