Title: Kur
Author: JayBee-Bug
Chapter Ten - Second Contact
-----------------------------------------
"Careful. Easy. That's it. Light as a feather."
With a wonderfully steady hand, Teal'c lowered the 6 of Diamonds down, micrometer at a time, and set it in place.
"Perfect! You're a natural at this, Teal'c!"
"I still do not understand the purpose of this activity, O'Neill," the Jaffa intoned, peering intently at the creation on the desk before them. Jack leaned back in his chair and motioned with his hands.
"I told you, it's a house of cards. There is no point. Well, ok, the point is to do it to see if you can. It takes skill. Precision. Patience. Practice-- good eye and hand coordination--"
While he was explaining, Teal'c added another card to the house the way Jack had shown him.
"--bragging rights. I'm telling you, the ladies love a good parlor trick, gets em' every time."
Teal'c arced a brow as he set another card in place-- Jack gave him the thumbs up.
"Lookin' good. Careful with that one, the ends are tricky."
"Are we not supposed to be working on your backlogged reports and records?" Teal'c asked as he selected another card from his shrinking deck. Jack gave him a funny look,
"What? These?"
He glanced at the stacks of paperwork on his desk and on the floor.
"C'mon, Teal'c, we got enough done for now, we're on our break."
Teal'c steadily added a new row to the house of cards.
"We completed four forms, two records and one report, O'Neill," Teal'c informed dutifully, "Hardly what one could call much progress."
"Hey. That's just harsh, T. You know how bad I am at this. That's a lot of progress for me."
Teal'c bowed solemnly.
"I apologize. You are correct, it would be considered much progress for you."
"Thank you," Jack sassed, and then thought about it a moment. "I think."
"Colonel O'Neill?"
"I'll answer to that," Jack waved his hand for the airman to enter the messy office. Teal'c was patiently putting the final remaining cards into place. The airman gave the Jaffa a wary glance and continued,
"Sir, I expected you'd be in the control room by now."
Jack narrowed his eyes at the man. Greasy fatigues, glasses, clutching unidentifiable electronic crap in his hands. Looked like a technician, according to the field markings. Jack was pretty good at identifying them.
"And why would that be?" he asked cautiously.
The tech made an impatient little gesture towards the door,
"We're just about ready to launch the MALP. I've got to get going, sir, they're expecting me."
"Woah," Jack started to protest, but when he suddenly leaned up from his chair, he knocked a stack of paperwork with his elbow. He struggled to get the stack under control while Teal'c watched tensely, the fluttering papers threatening his card house. When Jack glanced back up the tech was already gone.
"Damnit! Teal'c, did you hear anything about this?"
"I did not."
"I thought so. They're leaving us out of the loop again!"
Jack stood, having tamed his paperwork back into place. Teal'c put the last card on top, roofing the house.
"Perhaps there was a memo, O'Neill."
Jack scowled down at him.
The control room was a relatively small room, so Jack wasn't quite sure why it was so jam-packed with people. He squeezed his way in and pushed by the busy techs and talkative SG team members, seeking a familiar face. He caught sight of Daniel and Major Kovacek, seated in front of one of the central control panels, chattering away. Shuffling his way over, he also found Carter dinkering with the computer, to his complete lack of surprise.
"Hey, guys," Jack piped up in a threateningly cheerful tone, putting a hand on the back of Carter's and Daniel's chairs. "Where we goin'?"
"Jack-- we were just about to call you up."
"Sure you were," Jack patronized.
"We modified a MALP to send to P3X-4Y1," Carter said, either unaware of Jack's irritation or ignoring it. Jack gave them all wary glances.
"All ready?"
"Ah, we've been working with SG-9 and we've sketched a rough plan."
"You have."
"We're going to deal with them on their own playing field, sir," Kovacek said with assurance.
"I think it could work, Colonel," Carter agreed, still setting something up on the computer.
"Major . . . sss . . . look, I don't think these bug-people are the very diplomatic type. Sort of the 'shoot first, ask questions later' attitude?"
"Major Carter, have the modifications--" The General grunted indignantly as a frightened tech scurried by him in the overcrowded room and mumbled an apology. His voice came crisp,
"All right, people, clear out. SG-1 and 9 and the bare essential tech crew, and that's it."
Jack sighed in relief as the room became less stuffy.
"Have the modifications been completed?" Hammond repeated as he approached.
"Yessir. We're ready to give this a try."
There was some silent communication as Hammond looked to Major Kovacek and Daniel and Kovacek glanced to the rest of his team standing by-- Captain Harper, Dr. Forrester, and Bodger-- and then Kovacek nodded as Daniel answered,
"We're ready too, General."
The General gave the command to dial the gate. Teal'c stood back by the wall observing everything calmly, but Jack was shifting about restlessly.
"Nobody's explained to me what the heck we're doing yet," he complained, watching the techs scurry out of the Gateroom as the massive ring began sliding into place.
"Jen, you got my cheat-sheet?"
"Right here," Dr. Forrester said, passing a file over to Kovacek. Daniel glanced up distractedly at the Colonel.
"Don't worry, Jack. I'm pretty sure we know what we're doing."
Oh, well, that's reassuring, Jack thought to himself.
FA-WHOOSH!
SENDING MALP PROBE NOW, the loudspeaker announced. Jack decided to give in and sunk down in a chair well out of the way of the busy, scheming anthropologists. If they wanted to play diplomat, who was he to stop them?
RECIEVING MALP TELEMETRY.
"I'm patching it through now," Carter noted, tapping the keyboard. Two overhead TV screens came on above Daniel and Kovacek. Jack grimaced upon seeing the familiar orange scenery, the sunlight flaring in the MALP's camera lens. The probe slowly lurched forward. Nearly all eyes were on the screens as the MALP slowly advanced upon the lonely alien desert. They watched for some time in an anticipating silence. Jack sighed quietly, leaning his chin into his palm, but a sudden crackle made him jump in surprise. The visual went fuzzy and jumpy and the audio hissed and crackled angrily in the control room. Carter snapped,
"We're being scanned! Swing it around, 160 degrees, go you guys, go!"
The camera's visuals shifted as they swung about, blue-colored images jumping wildly for a few moments longer until clearing back up. The ominous oval shape of the spider Patroller hovered a few mere feet away. The electronic voice came over the control room's loudspeakers clear and threateningly.
{Cease motion immediately, Alien Vessel. Your presence is in violation of the Law.}
"Just like I remembered them," Jack said in a fond tone, glancing to Teal'c. The huge blue eyes of the spider flickered and it stated,
{Technology owned by those other than the Mighty K'laul will not be tolerated. Vessel will be destroyed.}
"Hit it, light show one, now!" Carter yelled. One of her techs rammed on a button and an eerie green light was cast onto the screen. Jack frowned. The beam of green light seemed to be coming from the MALP. It swept over the Patroller twice and snapped off. Kovacek leaned forward at this cue and spoke into the microphone he gripped;
"Patroller craft of the Great K'laul, scan zone 4662-5. We came forth from Zero Territory 8. 4 minutes ago. Patroller scanners a little slow today, aren't they?"
His finger released the microphone button and it buffered through Carter's computer. A few moments later, they heard it echoed on the TV screens in an electronic voice;
{Patroller craft of the Great K'laul, scan zone 4662-5. We came forth from ZeroTerritory 8. 4 minutes ago. Patroller scanners a little slow today, aren't they?}
Carter grinned and then gestured urgently to the techs."Light show two, go!"
Jack heard a noise from the MALP but he couldn't really see what had happened. Carter nodded to the team, "Major." Kovacek spoke quickly and clearly into the microphone; it reverberated on the planet.
{Attempts to harm our vessel are unadvised and will be met with counterattack. The Mighty K'laul is indeed powerful and wise, but She will now face the fact that there is more than one ruler in this universe.}
The Patroller did not speak at first after that. Its eyes flickered as it floated there in midair, as if processing.
{Alien Vessel, your presence is in violation of the Law,} it repeated. Daniel grinned and patted Kovacek's arm and the rest of SG-9 leaned forward excitedly.
"What?" Jack yelled, and upon seeing everyone jump in surprise, revised in a whisper aimed at Sam or Daniel, "What?" Carter shushed him with a smile. Jack leaned back into his chair with a sigh, recalling the days his subordinates would never dream of shushing their commanding officer. On screen, their MALP spoke,
{Patroller craft, we request you state the law in particular we have violated.}
The Patroller was quiet, its eyes flickering quickly. This appeared to really encourage the anthropologists. Daniel commented quietly to Kovacek,
"They don't know what to do with us. They still haven't made heads or tails of it."
Kovacek hammered down on the button and spoke with a cocky swagger,
"From this moment forth you shall hail us as the Exalted Tau'ri. We come from beyond Zero Territory, the world of Earth. You may continue to deny our existence but more will come."
On screen, their MALP boomed this in its bizarre electronic voice,
{From this moment forth you shall hail us as the Exalted Tau'ri. We come from beyond ZeroTerritory, the world of Earth. You may continue to deny our existence but more will come.}
Daniel and Kovacek glanced to Carter and she gave them a thumbs-up-- Jack guessed Carter had cranked the volume up. He looked back to the screen to find the spider still hovering silently. After a while he started to wonder if it had even heard them at all. Then it spoke very abruptly,
{Vessel of the Exalted Tauri of Earth, the K'laul demands to know the purpose of your presence.}
"This is it," Daniel said, sounding thrilled. Kovacek conversed briefly among his team-members before turning back to the microphone, tapping a place on his cheat-sheet for Daniel to see-- Dr. Jackson nodded in concurrence and Kovacek spoke.
{The purpose of our presence is to seek contact with the Great K'laul. We desire diplomatic relations. We desire to explore the possibility of the peaceable and mutual exchange of culture and technology between our worlds.}
The Patroller considered this, or at least that was what could only be assumed from its silence. Eventually it replied.
{Laborers 3912 through 3915 were people of your world.}
Kovacek was confused and looked to Daniel for clarification. Daniel bobbed his head, muttering,
"He's, ah, it's asking. It wants you to confirm--"
"Ah, ok."
Jack exchanged a concerned look with Teal'c as Kovacek replied.
{That is correct. They were extracted successfully from their erroneous imprisonment and returned to their appropriate homeland posts.}
The General, who had been patiently observing this encounter, leaned forward ever-so-slightly, as if instinctually anticipating something. The Patroller replied,
{Their task was to seek contact as this vessel does now.}
Kovacek glanced at everyone else crowded around. "Looks like we've got a pretty civil dialog going on. This is better than we had expected on our first try."
"Let's not ruin it then," Daniel murmured nervously through his teeth, eyes flicking to the screen. Kovacek carried on.
{That is correct.}
The machine responded bluntly,
{The K'laul grants the Tauri permission for these four people to seek contact.}
Daniel blinked, surprised.
"Hold on a minute, I'm not sure if I like the sound of that," Jack protested, looking to the General. Hammond didn't look exactly pleased either but he was still withholding opinion for now. Kovacek directed the MALP,
{The last time these people were sent they were wrongfully charged of crimes and detained.}
The Patroller's engine hummed, hovering lower to the ground and slightly closer to the MALP. Carter watched it nervously.
{These four of the Tauri are granted permission to travel into this territory at 2 days, 45 minutes from this time. They will come without weaponry or any technology of value. A vessel will be standing by to transport them to where they can seek diplomatic relations. The Great K'laul give their word that these people will not be wrongfully charged or detained.}
The control room fell quiet. Major Kovacek looked up to the General.
"What do you think, sir?"
"I'm thinking I am not inclined to trust these K'laul," he replied gruffly.
Kovacek observed,
"This kind of people consider their word to be very valuable. To reject their word as untrustworthy would be highly insulting."
The General gave him a rather disgusted look.
"Um, hi? Yes, the guy who spent the last many months as a slave over there would like to vouch for the spider's honesty," Jack commented loudly from his seat, waving a hand.
Kovacek sighed,
"Look, I don't trust them any more than you do, Colonel. They've done nothing to convince us otherwise. And the deal is clearly to their advantage. But we might not get an offer better than this, to be honest."
The control room was full of reluctant faces.
"When seeking to make friendly contact with new people, it's often necessary to take the first step of faith yourself," Daniel commented quietly.
Jack rolled closer in his chair and argued,
"Daniel, we already had first contact with these people, and look how it turned out! They took five months of our lives from us. You're willing to just forgive them for that?"
Daniel shrugged and little and answered him,
"The most common cause of conflict arises from miscommunication between cultures, Jack. It's unfortunate and often tragic, but it's rarely attributable to simple malignance."
Jack just wore a stubborn expression.
"Besides," Daniel added thoughtfully, "It really wasn't the most horrible experience I've been through. They treated their indentured laborers relatively humanely. I'm not saying it was moral, but these K'laul do seem to have a strong sense of honor."
Daniel watched him with persuasive blue eyes. The damn little diplomat, trying to work his magic on Jack-- and the General, in a roundabout manner. What drove Jack crazy was Daniel's talent for wording the most crazy and stupid plan in a manner that felt so entirely logical and persuasive.
{Is this acceptable?}
The query came suddenly from the TV screen, catching them by surprise. Uh-oh, thinking time was over with. Daniel looked to the General.
"You're willing to accept these terms, Dr. Jackson?" Hammond asked in a thick voice, feeling the stakes of this decision.
"Well, it would be good if we-- hold on, pass that over, Kovacek, would you?"
Daniel took the microphone and depressed the button,
"Ah, does the Great K'laul give their word that these people will not be harmed in any way during their visit?"
The MALP echoed,
{Ahhhh, does the Great K'laul give their word that these people will not be harmed in any way during their visit?}
Jack and Carter smirked a little, despite the situation, upon hearing Daniel's voice in electronic mode. The Patroller responded shortly,
{No harm will come to them.}
Daniel shrugged, "Well, there you go."
"It isn't enough," Jack argued. He couldn't go back there like that, utterly defenseless. It went against every instinct he had. God, why'd the stupid spiders want him again, anyway?
"Major Carter?" the General asked. She looked between her team-mates.
"The natives don't trust them, sir. They respect the K'laul, but out of fear, not loyalty."
"Maybe so, Major. But what do you think?"
Carter sighed, staring blankly at the computer screen in front of her.
"I don't know. Now that I know how important this jerra is, I know how crucial it is our worlds establish peaceful relations. We do not want to be their enemies."
Hammond nodded, taking her input in, and turning his gaze towards the quiet Teal'c.
"I trust O'Neill's judgment in this matter," the Jaffa said, and Jack sighed, "That really helps, Teal'c."
Everyone was watching him now. Oh, it was typical for him to be the final holdout. His 2IC closed in the ranks--
"I think we should go for it, sir."
Jack grumbled and finally relented. "Fine, fine. We'll go back. Aht--" Daniel had leaned towards the microphone and stopped when Jack pointed warningly at him,
"But only because the dirty spider bastards were decent enough to give us Free Days. Got that?"
Daniel smiled, which was this marvelous little thing of one-thirds victory, one-thirds amusement, and one-thirds risqué.
"Go ahead, Dr. Jackson."
At Hammond's order Daniel leaned forward and spoke into the microphone,
"Then your proposal is acceptable."