Ok, this is the new chapter.
Enjoy!
The thing about Christmas
In the evening SG-1 met their guests in the cafeteria. Andy, Richard, Alex and Heldon were watching an young man, who had started to decorate a Christmas-tree.
"Hi, is it okay, when we sit here?", Daniel asked.
Andy nodded and Teal'c pushed another table next to theirs. Then he sat down like all the others.
"What is he doing?", Alex asked.
Jack looked at Teal'c: "He is sitting."
"No, not him. What is HE doing.", Andy wondered and pointed at the young man with the tree.
Sam turned around: "He is decorating the tree."
"And why?" Alex wanted to know.
SG-1 looked at them slightly confused: "Well, Christmas is in about two weeks."
Alex, Andy, Richard and Heldon still didn't seem to understand.
"Christmas. You know, the holiday of peace and joy." Jack said.
„He doesn't look so joyful." Alex uttered, watching the man, who was now fighting with the chain of lights. He got frustrated from minute to minute.
Jack grinned: "Well the lights are always the worst but in the end the tree will look beautiful."
In that moment Richard understood: "Wait a second. You mean THAT Christmas? The birth of gods son?", he asked shocked.
"Indeed." Teal'c answered.
"Don't tell me, your people are still praying."
Jack hesitated a moment: "Well not all people on this planet believe in God, but Christmas is a nice tradition and yes… some people pray."
"You don't?" Daniel asked.
The guests shook their heads and Richard answered: "Religion was forbidden over a hundred years ago."
"And that good, if you thing of all the individuals who played god over the time." Heldon said sharply.
"And how does he know about it?" Jack wondered towards Richard.
"I doctorated in History before I went to study the art of war. But religious traditions like this is outlawed. If you do it anyway, you go to prison." Richard said.
"But there is nothing bad about it. Many people celebrate Christmas as a holiday of peace. And as far as I know, you have equivalent to that." Daniel declared.
"Yes, but we don't place trees in our rooms." Alex said and looked again at the young man. He had managed the chain of lights and was now busy placing the ornaments. "But it looks nice."
"Oh you should see our city's at this time. The trees are full of lights and if you want we can go and visit the Christmas village, it's for children, but anyway…." Daniel said eagerly.
"Daniel, it's enough. Christmas is not about trees or lights, it's just about presents." Jack said with a grin.
"Colonel!", Carter shouted.
But Alex and the others were to confused to be upset about such a commercial view.
"You even decorate the trees outside?" Alex asked.
"Isn't that causing forest fire?" Andy wanted to know.
"And what about the energy? It surly takes a lot to enlighten a forest." Heldon wondered.
Even Teal'c had to smile about that. They were asking the same questions, which had troubled him, when he first heard about it.
It took some time until they all believed, that celebrating Christmas was not dangerous. But in the end even Richard was positive about it.
"I would like to see this village, Daniel talked about." Alex said.
"Later maybe, when we are allowed to take you outside." Jack promised.
„Allowed? Are we prisoners? If you don't want us here, we can leave." Heldon shouted angrily.
"Not us, Heldon. Just you." Andy commented dryly.
Heldon snorted: "I don't think they want ME to go. But you… as a second class Symphon.."
"Second class?" Andy almost jumped up.
"Oh please, don't pretend you didn't know. My compatibility with Alex is much higher than yours." Heldon said arrogantly.
"97 percent!"
"Mine is 99,3 percent." Heldon countered.
"I don't care about just 2,3 percent." Alex said tiered and took a bite from her cookie.
SG-1 watched them with interest.
"Just to your information Heldon. Alex and I are the perfect partners in every aspect." Andy shouted.
Jack jumped up: "Could someone please explain what you are fighting over?"
But Daniel only had one question: "Are you two in a relationship?"
Andy was now on the edge: "Why does everyone think that?"
"Andy is engaged.", Ales explained.
"I was. Karl died when they attacked us." Andy said.
"Karl?" Jack asked.
"Is it forbidden in your world?"
Sam shook her head: "No, in some countries but it's not that bad. He will not have to leave because of it."
"So what were you fighting about?" Jack asked again.
"Symphonia. It's the science of vocal tone." Heldon explained: "The people of Symphon were sophisticated. They could bring mountains to tremble only with the sound of their voices. Or dry out oceans. But we haven't learned that yet. We could just active parts of their ruins."
"And how is that possible?" Jack wondered.
"It's a technology of tone, sound, voice and music. The Symphons even opened doors by just using a tone. But we had no time to study how exactly they did that." Andy said sadly.
"But an entity of male and female voice always gets the best results. That's why Saga put us together with a partner. And Andy was only second best." Heldon explained.
"But so much more likeable." Alex hissed..
„We have not heard about the Symphons. Maybe you two could tell me about them tomorrow?" Daniel suggested.
Andy shook his head: "I can't. I have to leave today. Because I'm already existing in this world."
Richard and Alex looked at him: "Oh no, Andy."
"Can we come and say goodbye when he leaves?", Richard asked.
"The question should be: Can we stay.", Alex corrected him.
"I'll talk to the General about that.", Jack said.
An hour later SG-1, Richard, Alex and Heldon stood in the Gateroom. Andy was about to leave to Chulak, where Bra'tac was waiting to guide him back to mirror. Before he entered the Gate he tuned abound and made an elegant movement, which ended in a bow. "Live in peace.", he said. Alex, Richard and Heldon did the same and repeated the words. Then Andy walked through the gate and was gone from the planet and a little later from the reality.
Tbc
I don't know if there is something like a Christmas-village in America. I just assumed there could be, so please forgive me, if I'm wrong.