Chapter Seven – Wings and Tiaras

The voodoo priestess studied the scattered bones. "There is only one way to lift this curse. You must return the Eye to its desert people. All of you must take part."

Everyone at the table except for Daniel, who stared in wonder at the voodoo priestess Dabo, was looking at Daniel.

"It is the golden necklace one of you holds that is responsible for this curse. It belongs to the people and must be returned to that place."

"Abydos?" Jack practically squeaked the name - he was so amazed by the statement.

"Egypt?" Daniel said at the same moment.

"Wherever it was found. Return it." Dabo gathered the bones and replaced them in her pocket.

"Egypt! The Eye of Ra!" Both Jack and Daniel stated ardently.

"The curse of Ra." Teal'c stared transfixed at the place where the bones had laid on the table.

"The Curse of Ra? I've played that game. It's like Mahjongg." Mitchell frowned.

"No. It's the necklace Catherine Langford's father found on a dig in Giza. Part of what started the whole … you know … Program. She gave it to me, I returned it. Then, when she died, she left it to me. I have it in my quarters at SGC. We have to take it back. We have to lift the curse."

"Danny boy, that's real nice, curse lifting is really what I had in mind! There's a frickin' snakehead out there and you want to take a necklace to Egypt. Oh, yeah and Ori floating around, the Trust, the NID, the IOC, let's see, who else… what the hell did you tell this woman, anyway!?"

"Nothing. Not one word. Jack, we have to return the Eye of Ra to Egypt."

Skeptically, Jack watched Daniel, who had that serious, 'I'm not kidding and I know what I'm talking about' look that Jack dreaded. Again, he lifted his eyes to Carter who was looking intently at him. "You're falling for this aren't you?" He asked.

"It has some possible obscure scientific value. General, I think it might be a good idea."

Jack scoffed, "obscure scientific value….nice try Carter. This is pure bullshit. Let's go. Pack it up. We're heading back. You all are going to be double, triple and quad-whatever, examined." Jack stood.

Madame Dabo stood up beside him. Again, Jack had the feeling that she appeared, rather than stood. She gave him the major creeps. "Monsieur," she began.

"Call me Jack." He turned towards her feeling slightly dizzy.

"Jake." The priestess tried again.

"Jack!"

Madame Dabo lifted a hand, brought it down as Jack sat, unable to understand what was happening. "There are forces of evil surrounding this building. We must prepare." She said smiling knowingly.

"Carter?" Pleading, Jack turned towards his former 2IC.

Sam shrugged without comment.

Come." The Priestess seemed to float towards the back of the shop. "You must leave this place."

Jack, followed by SG-1, moved into a back room. Madame Dabo stood at the door as they past. The priestess leaned and whispered something in Jack's ear that made him flush and look back at Carter. When Daniel, last in line, got to the door, the priestess held out her hand. He placed a hundred dollar bill into her palm. She didn't move, only stared at him. He put another one, and then another into her hand and finally she nodded and smiled. "Return the necklace, at once. And, later, please visit me again with your mate. I have much to tell you." She motioned him through the door and closed it behind him.

The room was dark, with the exception of a door outlined across from them. When they opened it and found themselves once again on Frenchman Street far from Madame Dabo's shop, they all stood looking around a bit confused.

"I say we split up, double back and check out what's going on with Charlotte Mayfield." Mitchell pulled the gun from his cowboy costume gun belt and checked the ammo.

"I agree, but first we need to check in with base or the Odyssey." Sam moved up beside Mitchell as the group scanned the surrounding area.

"Right. General, if you don't mind…."

"Got it," Jack interrupted Mitchell, pulling out his satellite phone, "I'll check with base, you check with the ship."

"Okay, everybody heads up; keep your eyes and ears peeled, sliced, diced and makin' fries while the General and I get the scoop." Jack and Mitchell moved across the street, each taking a different position while the others waited weapons close to hand.

Mitchell returned first. "The Odyssey's left orbit. Seems our friends beamed out and she's tracking them."

Jack returned frowning. "Landry wasn't too happy until I mentioned our visitors. He's contacting the ship now."

"They're gone." Daniel informed Jack.

"Gone? As in not there?"

"They're tailing the mothership, the Goa'uld beamed out right after we left." Vala started off, back towards Madame Dabo's.

"Vala, you're going in the wrong direction." Daniel called after her.

"Oh. Right. Now what are we going to do?" She followed the group who walked back towards the French Quarter.

"Well we can get a commercial flight back." Jack offered his solution.

"Can't. We're carrying weapons…damn." Sam had caught her wings again, this time on the stop sign at Esplanade and Decatur.

The others kept walking as Jack worked to disengage her wings.

"What'd she say to you?"

"Who?" He pulled the wings loose and hand on Sam's back, walked along with her.

"The voodoo priestess."

"Oh, that. I'll tell you later." He said as they caught up with the others.

Mitchell suddenly stopped and turned. He shot a pointed finger out into the air. "Keesler!"

"Who's Keesler?" Vala asked as Daniel pulled her away from admiring the jewelry in a shop window.

"Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. It's a little over an hours drive from here."

"Good plan, Mitchell. I doubt they have any 302's. But we can rent a car and drive there and I'm sure they'll have something available for a flight home. I'll get it set up." Jack flipped his phone open as the team made it to the river front park.

"Keesler, that's where the hurricane hunters are, man I would love to see that setup!" Mitchell smiled at Sam.

"Me too. That's a wonderful idea." Sam sat on the rocks flanking the river bluff next to Teal'c and watched a Riverboat paddle past.

"I didn't get my tiara." Vala settled down on the other side of Teal'c, wiggling herself between him and Daniel and pouted.

"You'll have to wait on that princess, maybe you and Jackson can come back on your honeymoon."

Vala cupped her hands to her chest and grinned at Daniel.

"Ha-ha…funny Mitchell." Daniel frowned up at the Colonel who stood behind him, then stared across the river.

"Plan A's a bust. There are no rental cars available, however, I pulled a few strings and we have a ride in a Keesler van. They'll pick us up in two to three hours at The Dry Dock Café and Bar across the river in Algiers." Jack, hands in his pockets stood behind Sam. "We're going to Plan XYZ. We take the ferry," Jack crooked his head down river, "and wait there for them."

"Let's go." Mitchell reached a hand out to help Sam up, "We'll take our fairy to the ferry and get a bite to eat while we wait. I could eat road kill I'm so hungry."

Daniel laughed out load as he stood, then helped Vala up.

"I didn't get my tiara, I didn't get any beignets with Café au Lait, I didn't get a Hurricane drink in a souvenir glass, I didn't get to flash my boobs and get any beads and we haven't lifted the curse yet. What a depressing day!" She said so seriously no one had the heart to laugh at her.

The ferry to Algiers was packed and the team split up to find a seat for the ten to fifteen minute ride across the Mississippi.

Mitchell stood near the wired gated exit across the room, arms folded and cowboy hat pulled low.

"Save a horse, ride a cowboy… now it makes perfect sense," came the soft voice with a deep southern drawl. Cam turned to see the woman, who looked a bit like Carolyn Lam, grinning at him. He frowned as his heart did a little flip and the dark eyed beauty dressed in a short skirted nurses costume frowned back. "Oh, sorry, darlin' that's the bad thing about NawLenz, I can't always tell who's gay and who's straight. Such a pity." She turned to leave.

"Whoa, whoa, hold on a minute, you got me all wrong. I was just thinking of somebody, that's all. Come on back here, I think I might need a shot or somethin'."

……

Sitting in the plastic seat surrounded by a myriad of costumed partiers Teal'c stared ahead vacantly.

The scantily clad and heavily tattooed young woman next to him leaned over. "Hey, man, where'd you get that awesome tattoo?"

Teal'c answered without missing a beat. "Barney's Tattoo Barn in Kansas."

"Wow. Really cool. You hooked up with anybody for tonight?"

"I am."

"Too bad."

"Indeed." Teal'c returned his gaze out across the river watching as they moved further away from New Orleans, the city looking remarkably serene from the riverboat.

……

Standing on the bow of the ferry's downstairs level, Vala enjoyed the feel of the moist wind against her face. Daniel stood behind her, mere inches from her back. "I'll buy you something to make up for the tiara." He whispered against her ear.

She turned into him the hint of a smile quickly replacing her pout. "I could probably find one on eBay."

The ferry hit the wake of a freighter and Vala bounced into him. Daniel put his arms around her back to steady her. "Okay, we'll look when we get back. My treat. And… I managed to pocket a few Mardi Gras beads." His eyebrows waggled suggestively.

Smiling up into his crinkled eyes Vala nodded and kissed him lightly. "Thank you, Daniel." She turned back to the rail and he leaned against her as Algiers came closer into view.

……

Jack, in leather jacket, T-shirt and jeans sat beside Sam, who'd removed her wings and held them in her lap.

The couple across from them was making out as if no one else existed.

"I think you should put the wings back on." Jack's eyes were on the other couple.

"They just get in the way."

"No they don't. I think they're sexy."

Sam looked at him as he turned to face her. "Sexy?"

"Yeah. As a matter of fact, I think you're sexy."

"Jack." She whispered with a loving smile.

"Carter." He leaned and kissed her slowly.

"It's not easy to sit in a chair with wings on." Sam explained, looking across at the young couple still locked in a passionate, public display.

"I bet they'd look great spread out across my bed." His voice was gruff and low and sent a thrill right through her and her head snapped around, shock evident in her eyes.

Jack was grinning. "That's what she said."

"Who?"

"That Dodo lady."

"Madame Dabo?"

"Yeah, that's what she said. She had a vision. A heart stopping, need a cold shower one I might add."

With a sigh, Sam moved closer as he put an arm around her shoulder. She stared out across the river, a full blown grin spreading over her face. "I can fix that."

Squeezing her shoulder, Jack relaxed into the seat and watched the city grow smaller.

……

The Dry Dock sat at the foot of the street across from the ferry exit ramp and they wandered into the busy café, finding a large table near the bar.

Daniel had to practically shove Vala aside to see around her. "You didn't even look for a chair." He grumbled.

"Why bother? I like it here much better." She wiggled her hips against his lap and grinned.

"Fine, but you have to move when the food comes. I'm starving and very happy not to have to fight Mitchell for road kill."

"What exactly is road kill?"

"I believe, ValaMalDoran, that it is the animals that have been run over by vehicles on the roads and highways across America."

"And people eat them!?" She said loud enough to turn heads in the noisy bar area.

"The Beverly Hillbilly's do."

Vala grimaced.

The waitress arrived to take their orders. "Hi, ya'll, whatcha havin'?"

Jack looked up, "A Guiness, bowl of seafood gumbo, Cajun fries and another Guiness."

Smiling the women turned to Vala who still sat on Daniel's lap. "Oh! Crawfish Monica and Rum Punch. "

Daniel was next. "Another chair, Shrimp Po'Boy and iced tea."

"The Long Island variety, honey?" The waitress questioned.

"Sure, that's fine."

Mitchell started to warn the clueless archeologist but Jack raised a brow and shook his head with an evil grin. "I'll have a Catfish Po'Boy and a Bass." Cam grinned back at Jack.

"I'll have an Oyster Po'Boy and …hmmm … a Bloody Mary."

"Spicy?" The waitress asked Sam to clarify.

"Sure, why not."

"And you, handsome?" The waitress turned to Teal'c.

"Alligator sausage, a Muffaletta, shrimp bisque, and a Cajun Kettle Salad. And Water."

"How are we going to convince General Landry that the entire team needs to go to Egypt?" Vala looked across the table to Cam who shrugged his shoulders.

"Tell him the truth." Jack stated matter of factly.

"The truth? I never thought of that. The truth. How interesting." Vala grinned playfully.

……

After the meal was cleared away they ordered another round of drinks. Daniel pushed his chair back and patted his lap, "co'mere." He said to Vala, a huge grin on his face.

Jack covered his laugh by taking a swig of beer and cut his eyes to Mitchell who was staring open mouthed at Daniel. "Uh oh."

"Uh oh what?" Sam asked.

"Oh nothin', just uh oh in general."

Vala took Daniel up on his offer, shoving her chair aside and sitting across his legs. He placed a hand high on her thigh and blinked to focus her face so close to his. "I think I lost my glasses I can't see a damned thing."

"Darling, they're right here." She traced the edge with a finger.

"Do I love you?" The linguist slurred, taking Vala's hand and placing a sloppy kiss on her wrist.

"I don't know, do you?" Vala ran her fingers through his hair.

His lopsided grin grew larger. "Every time I look at you it's like a freight train's running through my heart and heading south right towards my…"

Vala clamped her hand over his mouth. With a grimacing grin she turned to see if anyone had heard him.

"He's feelin' no pain." Mitchell was shaking his head barely able to restrain from laughing out loud.

"Oh yeah. We need to cut him off." Jack reached across the table for Daniel's half empty 'tea'.

Sam grabbed it before he could and took a sip. "Oh boy. What's in this thing?"

"Perhaps DanielJackson's tea has fermented." Teal'c offered, taking the glass from Sam and sampling the drink. His eyebrows shot up and he passed the drink along to Jack.

Daniel was too interested in Vala to notice his drink was missing. "Let's go, baby, aren't you bored yet? I know I am… bored…if you get my drift."

"We can't leave Daniel; we're waiting on our ride."

"Oh. Right. Hey, maybe they'll bring that big old hurricane hunting plane. I rode on that one once."

"What?" Both Mitchell and Sam said in unison.

"Yep, it was on PPP33-31234. Flew that sucker right through the Stargate! Bam! There we were on another planet!" Daniel's arm shot out stabbing through the air.

"Let's get him out of here." Mitchell stood suddenly.

"Get him some coffee." Sam turned to locate the waitress.

"Isn't he just adorable?" Vala kissed Daniel, squeezing his cheeks together.

Daniel threw his arms around Vala and laid into her with a heated battle of mouth and roaming hands.

"Holy Hannah, I don't think coffee will help." Sam shook her head, then glared at Jack.

"What? I didn't order his drink." He couldn't keep the laughter inside and he and Mitchell started laughing so hard they could barely sit up straight.

"What was in that drink, Jack? He only had one and a half." Sam scowled, eye locked on the General.

"More like havin' four." Mitchell interrupted, "Vodka, tequila, rum and gin with a splash of Coca-cola."

Appalled, Sam shook her head with a deep, disgusted sigh. She stood, went and placed a hand on each of Jack's shoulders and leaned to whisper in his ear. "There will be no fairies in your bed tonight unless you go back to Bourbon Street and pick one up." She left the table in hurry.

"Oh for cryin' out loud, Carter!"

Mitchell, who overhead the comment, laid his head on the table, his shoulders shaking in silent laughter.

Teal'c gently removed Vala from Daniel's lap. "Come, DanielJackson, we will take a walk outside.

"Hey, Teac ah.. Murphy, whaz up?" Daniel swayed as Teal'c lifted him from the chair and with one arm under his, moved through the crowd and hauled the archeologist outside, pulled him up the river bluff across the street and began to walk him down the river walk, Vala trailing close behind. A large coffee in a Styrofoam cup, Sam made her way across the bluff, wings moving in the breeze, as she hurried to catch up.

Jack and Mitchell stood outside the café, clicked their beer bottles in a toast and watched.

"Uh oh." Mitchell said before his beer reached his lips. He pointed the bottle towards the two airmen getting out of the Air Force van. "Party's over."