They had once again worn their formal wear to the actual Treaty signing – Jack and Sam and the other members of the Air Force in their dress blues, Jillian in a dress conservative enough for church, he in his sharpest black suit. Teal'c and Ishta had opted for Jaffa robes. (Knowing that Jack - who liked to wear t-shirts purchased sometime in the mid-80s and was more comfortable in his BDus made it all the more striking to watching him now – ramrod straight and sober as a judge, every inch the Air Force General and representative of his government.)

But all formality was dismissed as the evening approached and the expansive gardens of the government complex were opened for the feast. It was typical of a South Pacific luau, with low tables and seating on blankets and pillows. The women were resplendent on every possible color in the visible spectrum, and Daniel thought, especially the women of the SGC. The vivid colors of their native garb suited them. Their only accessories were rings of flowers around their wrists and ankles and a circlet of leaves worn like a crown. The only adjustment they had made to any of their costumes was a sash of brightly patterned material that Ishta was wearing from her right shoulder to her left hip. Teal'c had a matching sash wrapped around his waist because no one really felt like trying to explain a symbiote pouch to the Mau Lo'ans. Scotty looked like a displaced Viking warrior but he was in a good mood about the whole thing, embracing the experience with his typical exuberance. Keeper Rand, who had been found after the earthquake, no worse for the wear. He had been investigating the cleaning robots, trying to find where they had been built. He claimed he'd lost his locator beacon, which hadn't kept Jack from chewing him out about it. Keeper looked like an unruly tropical bird but he was also having a grand time.

Daniel had learned on his honeymoon that, while his wife had been born and raised in England and lived all over the world, her soul must have been born on a tropical island. She wore the native garb as naturally as he had worn his Abydonian robes; and though she was pregnant no one could tell yet.

Except Daniel who was too familiar with her lovely, long-limbed body not to see that it was somehow fuller already, even more feminine. If it was possible he was even more in love with her now – now that this incredible aura of ethereal magic surrounded her. He'd bought her a stack of books about pregnancy and birth and the first year of childhood. She had set them aside, kissed him and said, "I'd rather just count the weeks and surrender to whatever this is going to be and make love to you." The books were still unopened on the coffee table downstairs.

Since the moment he had seen her in the coral colored grass skirt, floral bracelets and strapless top he'd been flooded with desire – and it was going to be hours before he could do anything about it. He had reached for her hand, speechless. She had rekindled his life from the cold ashes it had been and it was reinforced over and over every time he caught fire for her. The hot look she swept him with almost stopped his heart and made him wonder at the ability of this knee length loincloth to keep everyone from knowing exactly what it was he wanted.

All the men, including Alexander North but with the exception of Jack had submitted to the single wrap of cloth around their hips, rings of vines around their wrists and ankles and the feathered belts. Jack had either flatly refused or lost his on the way to the garden. He was also the only man at the dinner wearing a t-shirt with the loincloth. But he said if Teal'c could add the sash to his clothing then he, Jack, could add a t-shirt.

Daniel quickly discovered that he wasn't the only man from the SGC to be feeling a little possessive of his female partner, though what Alexander North thought of his daughter's current dress (or lack of it) Daniel couldn't begin to guess. Scotty was practically glued to Annie – who was dazzling in her bright red outfit. Jack had taken up a place under a tree with both hands wrapped around a carved wooden mug. He had not taken his eye off Sam, even if he was trying to look like he wasn't the least bit interested in where she was. Daniel had been on too many covert operations with Jack not to exactly where the man was looking at any given time.

Only Teal'c didn't seem overly concerned about Ishta; perhaps because there was no official declaration of any kind between them or perhaps because he knew Ishta could eviscerate any man who attempted an unwanted advance. Daniel was briefly separated from Jillian, only to find her a bit later chatting with a small group of locals. Her lovely hands were moving to indicate she was speaking the native language. In Daniel's opinion, the men in the group were all looking a bit too fascinated by her.

He was starting to join them when Teal'c intercepted him, blocking the way like an avalanche on a highway.

"She loves you," the Jaffa said without preliminary, "You are the sun that lights her from within. Without you she is nothing but shadow."

The message had at first gone straight over Daniel's head. "I know," he said, impatiently.

"Then you should not take any actions to indicate that you do not trust that love."

This time the message penetrated. He blinked and looked at Teal'c, which required dragging his hungry gaze away from Jillian.

"I kind of feel sorry for them now," Daniel said.

"Indeed," Teal'c said, "There is only one man she will leave here with tonight, and that is you."

With a slight inclination of his head Teal'c had moved away to join O'Neill.

The feast began in the late afternoon and the food was amazing. With Alexander's help they knew which drinks were alcoholic and which ones weren't and not surprisingly Jack settled on something deep gold and frothy that was the local beer.

The night fell and the party became lit with candlelight, torches and the rising moon. From around the edges of the celebration drummers appeared and a cheer went up from the locals. Ka'eo went to Sam and whispered something, who then went to round up the rest of the SGC. Jillian was sitting beside Daniel at the time so Sam explained to both of them at the same time,

"They want to know if we want to join in the dancing. Annie, Ishta and the Whytes said yes. Teal'c said maybe. Scotty and Keeper said no. General O'Neill said hell no."

Daniel snorted. "Not surprising," he said.

But Jillian was already starting to get up. He caught her hand. Even with the flickering torchlight reflecting back in his glasses Jillian could see the concern.

"It's just dancing, Daniel. I'm not going to free climb a mountain," she said to reassure him.

He hesitated and he felt the way her hand tightened on his.

"Okay," he relented, before the fight could start. "Just, have mercy on me and don't do anything strenuous."

"You're not going to dance with me?" She seemed surprised.

"I don't think they're going to be waltzing, Jillian," Daniel pointed out, "This isn't the Broadmoor on Friday night."

Jillian smiled, leaned over and kissed him.

"Have fun," he said.

The girls vanished into the darkness at the edge of the celebration and the men of the SGC gathered at the same low table and settled down on the grass mats. Jack arrived last with a pitcher of beer and enough mugs for everyone.

"So what are we going to be seeing now?" Jack asked, taking a long swallow from his mug.

"Something on the order of a hula, I suspect," Daniel answered,

Jack paused before he took another drink. "Really?"

"The hula?" Scotty asked. "Annie's told me a little bit about the history of the hula. The dance was designed to honor the gods and to preserve their history. Originally it was performed topless, which of course the first European explorers found scandalous."

"It was performed what?" Jack asked.

Scotty seemed to suddenly remember who he was seated with.

"Sorry, sir," Scotty said, "I'm sure that's not the case here and anyway none of our personnel would…. I mean, I don't think…."

"Captain!" Jack snapped.

"Yes, General, sir!" Scotty snapped back, his spine straightening.

"Stop talking and drink your beer."

"Yes, sir," Scotty said and raised his mug to comply.

A moment later an older man and woman wearing traditional garb walked out into the open area between the tables. The woman raised a conch shell and blew four long mournful notes, turning as she did to face each of the four directions. The man then beat his tall staff on the ground four times and then began a slow chant accompanied by hand signs that had become familiar if still not understandable. Every eye at the table turned towards Daniel.

"Ummm," Daniel's gaze riveted on the man. "He's welcoming us as new friends and powerful allies, celebrating us coming through the Gate and opening a galaxy of possibilities for the Mau Lo'an people…. He invites us now to see the story of how they came here and defeated their warlord masters."

When the man stopped chanting a new sound could be heard from the darkness – an insistent clapping of heavy sticks. It accompanied the arrival of about twenty dancers, male and female, all wearing vivid yellow. They came in using a rhythmic two step march, hips swaying in time to the clapping of the sticks in their hands. Their voices were raised in another chant, not quite a song, but a more lyrical utterance of their language.

Daniel stopped translating. It was not the kind of performance that welcomed outside noise. Even without being able to understand all the words, the audience was drawn in, caught by the cadence and the beautiful movements of the dancers as they moved as one unit across the grass. The dance transcended language barriers.

Jack leaned over and softly asked Daniel, "Where are the girls?"

Daniel gave him a puzzled sideways look for a moment and then said, "Oh! You mean our girls. Sam? Jillian?"

"Yes," Jack hissed.

"This is a choreographed dance, probably taught to them from infancy as part of their oral tradition. They wouldn't have taught this to any of us," Daniel explained

"Then where are they?" Jack asked.

"I'm sure they're just waiting until the floor is cleared and they invite us to join in."

When the dance finally ended the group turned towards their visitors and bowed from the waist. Alexander North and said some very nice things about their hosts and how honored they were by the offering of the dance, which Daniel quietly translated for the benefit of everyone at their table. Then the dancers left the open space, marching and clapping their batons together accompanied by the applause of the audience. The woman blew on the conch shell and the man invited everyone to join them in celebratory dance. The drummers who had until now been waiting quietly began to beat an urgent frantic rhythm. From the edges of the gathering people poured into the space and began to dance, free form, something earthy and free. It took the men from the SGC less than thirty seconds to find the women they were looking for. It took several seconds longer for them to find their voices.

"Are they….?" Scotty asked.

"Well they aren't topless at least," Daniel managed.

"But they are…."

"Wearing some kind of body oil?" Daniel asked.

"Yeah," Scotty breathed.

"They weren't that shiny when they left, it must be a part of the celebration," Daniel reached for the beer mug - that he had not touched until now – and took a healthy swallow.

"Oh," Scott exhaled again, "This could be really interesting."

Eyes riveted on his wife, Daniel drank again and said, "It already is."

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