Anasazi
Title: Ambassadors to the Furlings
Chapter: 3 of ?
Email: Meeting the Furlings
Category: Action/Adventure/Romance
Rating: Teen
Pairing: S/J
Season: 8/9
Spoilers: Set between Moebius Part II and the season 9 opener, so anything up to then and season 9 speculation.
Content Warnings: None
Archive: My Site: Yes
SamandJack: Yes
Anywhere else: Yes
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Author's Note:
Meeting the Furlings
Sam was sleeping on her narrow bunk in the room she'd been sharing with Jack when Thor's voice came over the ship's intercom.
"O'Neill, Colonel Carter, we are approaching the Furling world."
Jack looked up from the chess game he'd been playing against himself. Thor had very thoughtfully beamed up some of his and Carter's things. Gameboy and chess for him, books upon books for Sam.
"Sam." He said softly, trying to wake her.
She didn't stir.
Jack stood and stretched. He walked over to the bunk and prodded her in the arm. "Sam. Wake up."
She moaned in her sleep and turned away.
Jack glared at her. "Carter!" He snapped.
Sam sat bolt upright on the bunk and gazed blearily around herself.
Jack chuckled quietly.
She seemed to regain her composure and glared at him. "That's not fair, Jack." She pouted.
"I know," he said brightly, "Thor wants us on the bridge. We're there."
She stood and pulled on her BDU jacket. "Let's go."
"In a minute." Jack said.
She looked at him inquisitively. "Something on your mind?"
"Kinda." He paused. ""We going with Jack, or are we going back to the 'sir' thing?"
"Why?"
"We're on a mission." He pointed out.
"It's a diplomatic mission." She countered.
"Uh huh." He said, sceptically.
"You think something's up?" She asked.
"When isn't it?" He said. "Besides, you know me and diplomacy."
She smiled at him. "How about sir and Carter in public, and Jack and Sam in private?"
"Sounds like a plan." He said.
"Since you're still Jack…" She said, her voice trailing off as her eyes began to sparkle dangerously.
"Yeah?" He said, grinning at her.
She closed the distance between them and kissed him gently on the lips.
Jack pulled her body to his own and kissed her fervently.
When they arrived on the bridge, Thor looked at them intently.
"What?" Jack asked innocently.
"I called you over fifteen minutes ago. It takes five minutes to walk from your sleeping quarters to here." Thor said, his tone devoid of all emotion, as usual.
"Sam was asleep." Jack said.
"It takes ten minutes to awaken Colonel Carter?" Thor asked.
"No. But then she had to get ready, you know women…" Jack said, earning himself a slap on the arm from Sam.
"I do not, O'Neill." Thor said.
"Never mind." Jack said quickly. "So… do we beam down or what?"
"I will transport you once I have contacted the Furling civilisation." Thor informed him.
"You haven't done that already?" Jack asked.
Sam glared at him.
"What?" He asked, spreading his hands innocently.
Out of long practice, Thor ignored his Tau'ri friend and hailed the civilisation below them.
Once transport co-ordinates had been received, he turned to Sam and Jack.
"I will now transport you down." He said matter-of-factly.
"Anything we should watch out for?" Jack asked, his light tone effectively concealing the suspicion Sam knew he was harbouring.
"The Furlings are a friendly race, they will tell you everything you need to know. Your contact is named Kihrana. She is the daughter of their leader."
"Kihrana. Remember that, Carter, there may be a test later." Jack said.
Sam stifled a giggle. "Yes, sir."
"If you need to contact me for any reason, ask Kihrana, she will see to it. I will see you soon. Good luck."
Thor activated the transporter and Sam and Jack were bathed in bright light.
When they reappeared they were in what seemed to be a foyer.
Sam looked around, blinking in the afterglow. The room was large and mostly decorated in browns and creams.
A huge window showed a forest scene.
"It's fake." Jack said from beside her.
"Sir?" She asked, turning to look at him.
"That," he said, nodding towards the window. "There's no forest here. I checked out the planet stats on the way here."
"You really do think something's going to happen, don't you?" She asked.
"Let's just say I wouldn't be surprised." He said wryly.
A large concealed door opened to their left, admitting a small figure.
"You must be General O'Neill and Colonel Carter." The figure said in a pleasantly low voice. "I am Kihrana."
Sam smiled at her, while Jack regarded her warily.
Kihrana was about five feet tall, with long, silky looking hair growing everywhere except her face. Her features were almost feline in appearance, her eyes large and greenish in colour.
"I will liaise between yourselves and the Furling council. If there is anything you should need, do not hesitate to ask." Kihrana said.
"How come you speak English?" Jack asked.
"I do not." Kihrana smiled, showing small fangs.
"Then… how…?" Jack asked, confused.
"I am speaking in Furling, you are hearing in English." Kihrana said. "This room works as a translator." She walked over to a small table in the corner of the room, opened a drawer and took something out. She returned to Sam and Jack. "Here," she said, holding out two thin silvery bracelets. "Put these on, they will act as your translators when you are in all other parts of this city."
"Just this city?" Jack asked.
Sam raised her eyebrows in recognition of the astuteness of the question, but wisely said nothing.
Kihrana smiled. "You will not be going anywhere else, General."
"Uh huh." Jack said, suspiciously.
Fearing that the diplomatic relationship between the Tau'ri and the Furlings would be over before it had even begun, Sam stepped in. "Kihrana, could you show us to where we will be staying during our stay, please?" She smiled at the Furling woman, who returned the expression.
"Of course, Colonel Carter. This way please."
Their quarters turned out to be very large, aesthetically pleasing rooms, with adjoining bathroom facilities and a common lounge area.
Once they had both examined their rooms, they met up in the lounge area.
Sam flopped down in one of the large cream chairs, finding it extremely comfortable.
Jack, however, began to pace the length of the room, checking it over.
"What are you doing?" Sam asked, exasperated.
"I don't know." He replied.
"So stop it."
"Something's not right, Carter." He said, giving up and sitting down on the low table in front of her. "Something's going on."
"Why? Because we're only staying in this city?" Sam said, letting 'Carter' slide for now.
"You noticed that too, huh?" Jack asked.
"I noticed you noticing it." She said, with what she felt was Daniel-worthy diplomacy.
He glared at her briefly. "I'm not kidding. Didn't you see how tense Kihrana was?"
Sam actually laughed at that. "She's a Furling! How can you possibly know she's tense?"
"I don't know. I just do. I'm tellin' you something's not right here and it's gonna be us that end up getting burned."
Sam opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a pleasant chiming sound.
"Intercom." Jack said.
"How do you know?" Sam asked.
Jack just shrugged, reached for a small button set flush with the table and pressed it.
"Yeah?"
Sam winced at his lack of ceremony.
"General O'Neill. It is I, Kihrana."
"Oh, hi, Kihrana." Jack said.
"Is Colonel Carter with you?"
"She is."
"I would like to invite you both to dinner in my quarters, an informal affair just yourselves and a few other guests." Kihrana said.
Sam could see Jack was about to decline, so she poked him in the knee, hard.
"Ow! Uh yeah, Kihrana… that would be great." Jack said, glaring at Sam.
"I shall pick you up directly."
"Wait!" Jack said. "Kihrana… we don't have anything to wear."
Sam chuckled at this coming from the man who hated dressing up.
Jack let go of the button. "Might as well look nice." He said to Sam.
"Clothes have been provided in your rooms." Kihrana said. "I will give you time to dress, then meet you outside your rooms."
"Okay." Jack said, depressing the button again.
He looked up at Sam, who was watching him intently.
"What?"
"Nothing," she shrugged. "Let's go get dressed for dinner."
