Ch. 11: GOOD Morning Campers
Sam woke up to the smell of coffee. She sat up and looked around…she was in Jack's bed. She stood up and headed for the kitchen. There was a fresh pot of coffee, but no Jack. She noticed that the back door was slightly ajar so she took a guess and went outside. She rounded the side of the house and went immediately to the wooden ladder. She climbed it and, as expected, found Jack sitting in the dark on the roof. She sat next to him. The first rays of light were just beginning to creep over the horizon as the sun started to rise. Sam watched from the corner of her eye as he fiddled with the still full coffee mug in his hands. "You alright?"
Jack nodded, finally turning to look at her. "For the first time in a long time I actually feel like I am."
Sam grinned. "Good…ya know, it's really not cool to leave before waking the other person up."
Jack smiled. "I know."
_________________________________________
Daniel's mind snapped back to attention as he heard the watch alarm going off. They'd been on the roof all night, talking and thinking. He looked over at Mytel. Her head was resting once again on his shoulder.
Mytel felt his head turn and sat up, looking at him. "We should return to the base should we not Daniel?"
Daniel nodded. "Yeah, we should."
_________________________________________
Jack sighed quietly. They'd stayed sitting close, even after the sun had risen, but now he knew they needed to get going. He needed to see the General and he knew Sam had work to do in her lab. Wordlessly he rose to his feet before helping Sam to hers. Standing this close he couldn't resist the opportunity. He bent slightly and kissed her tenderly before taking a marginal step backward.
Sam smiled. "What was that for?"
Jack however, didn't smile, instead he just looked deeply into her eyes. "For you being you." He turned and headed down the ladder and inside.
_________________________________________
Daniel stepped through the gate and looked around. Mytel was directing her people to help take their equipment to the caves. Daniel was about to go over to her when another man walked up. He put his hand on her shoulder. Mytel spun around and immediately pulled the man into a big hug. Daniel's smile faded as he turned to head for the caves.
Mytel spotted Daniel walking away and hurried to him. "Daniel, there is someone I wish you to meet." She turned to the man that was now standing beside them. "Lusof, this is Daniel Jackson from Earth. Daniel, this is Lusof, my brother."
Lusof grasped Daniel's arm as if greeting an old friend. "It is an honor to have you among our people."
Daniel hoped Mytel hadn't heard his sigh of relief as he returned the gesture. "It is an honor to be here."
Lusof eyed the two large bags Daniel had been carrying before picking them both up. "What chamber do you wish these to be in?"
"Those are to translate the wall writings."
"Then that is where I shall take them." Lusof turned and jogged toward the caves.
Daniel turned back to Mytel. "Why didn't you introduce me to him at the celebration?"
"He was not here. He went on a journey to purify his inner self. I was afraid he would not return before the election and it would all be for not." Mytel noticed Daniel's confused look. "Since before my own election I have been preparing Lusof to lead our people. We wish them to all be equal, in every aspect of life. The best way to do that would be to have a man elected, but it would have to be a man that was trustworthy, and would not in turn oppress the women. Lusof has a good heart and strong mind. I KNOW he can do much good…and the arrival of your people has only increased his chances of getting elected tomorrow."
Daniel stood for a moment, gaping at the woman in front of him. He managed only a single word. "Wow."
Mytel smiled. "You have much to learn about me and my people."
"I guess so." Daniel returned her smile.
They walked to the caves together in silence. When they got to the main chamber, Mytel stopped. "My apologies Daniel, but I must attend to the final actions of leaving office."
Daniel nodded. "I understand. Will I see you later?"
Mytel flushed slightly at his question. "Of course." She hurried into her chambers."
_________________________________________
Jack knocked on Hammonds door, but entered without waiting for an answer.
Hammond looked up as Jack came in. "Colonel, I was just about to try calling you. Have a seat son."
Jack eyed the chair his CO had indicated. "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather stand, Sir."
Hammond nodded understandingly. "As you can probably imagine I've spent most of the morning on the phone, calling in favors. The best I can get is permission to enact a don't ask don't tell policy on relationships."
Jack couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I…thank you sir." He turned to leave.
"Jack…" Hammond waited until his 2IC was facing him again. "That means I can't see it either." He lowered his voice. "So watch it around the cameras." He knew better then to ask them to keep their relationship off base. They sometimes didn't get home for months at a time. That just wasn't fair.
Jack smiled. "Yes Sir." He walked out and went to find Sam.
Sam woke up to the smell of coffee. She sat up and looked around…she was in Jack's bed. She stood up and headed for the kitchen. There was a fresh pot of coffee, but no Jack. She noticed that the back door was slightly ajar so she took a guess and went outside. She rounded the side of the house and went immediately to the wooden ladder. She climbed it and, as expected, found Jack sitting in the dark on the roof. She sat next to him. The first rays of light were just beginning to creep over the horizon as the sun started to rise. Sam watched from the corner of her eye as he fiddled with the still full coffee mug in his hands. "You alright?"
Jack nodded, finally turning to look at her. "For the first time in a long time I actually feel like I am."
Sam grinned. "Good…ya know, it's really not cool to leave before waking the other person up."
Jack smiled. "I know."
_________________________________________
Daniel's mind snapped back to attention as he heard the watch alarm going off. They'd been on the roof all night, talking and thinking. He looked over at Mytel. Her head was resting once again on his shoulder.
Mytel felt his head turn and sat up, looking at him. "We should return to the base should we not Daniel?"
Daniel nodded. "Yeah, we should."
_________________________________________
Jack sighed quietly. They'd stayed sitting close, even after the sun had risen, but now he knew they needed to get going. He needed to see the General and he knew Sam had work to do in her lab. Wordlessly he rose to his feet before helping Sam to hers. Standing this close he couldn't resist the opportunity. He bent slightly and kissed her tenderly before taking a marginal step backward.
Sam smiled. "What was that for?"
Jack however, didn't smile, instead he just looked deeply into her eyes. "For you being you." He turned and headed down the ladder and inside.
_________________________________________
Daniel stepped through the gate and looked around. Mytel was directing her people to help take their equipment to the caves. Daniel was about to go over to her when another man walked up. He put his hand on her shoulder. Mytel spun around and immediately pulled the man into a big hug. Daniel's smile faded as he turned to head for the caves.
Mytel spotted Daniel walking away and hurried to him. "Daniel, there is someone I wish you to meet." She turned to the man that was now standing beside them. "Lusof, this is Daniel Jackson from Earth. Daniel, this is Lusof, my brother."
Lusof grasped Daniel's arm as if greeting an old friend. "It is an honor to have you among our people."
Daniel hoped Mytel hadn't heard his sigh of relief as he returned the gesture. "It is an honor to be here."
Lusof eyed the two large bags Daniel had been carrying before picking them both up. "What chamber do you wish these to be in?"
"Those are to translate the wall writings."
"Then that is where I shall take them." Lusof turned and jogged toward the caves.
Daniel turned back to Mytel. "Why didn't you introduce me to him at the celebration?"
"He was not here. He went on a journey to purify his inner self. I was afraid he would not return before the election and it would all be for not." Mytel noticed Daniel's confused look. "Since before my own election I have been preparing Lusof to lead our people. We wish them to all be equal, in every aspect of life. The best way to do that would be to have a man elected, but it would have to be a man that was trustworthy, and would not in turn oppress the women. Lusof has a good heart and strong mind. I KNOW he can do much good…and the arrival of your people has only increased his chances of getting elected tomorrow."
Daniel stood for a moment, gaping at the woman in front of him. He managed only a single word. "Wow."
Mytel smiled. "You have much to learn about me and my people."
"I guess so." Daniel returned her smile.
They walked to the caves together in silence. When they got to the main chamber, Mytel stopped. "My apologies Daniel, but I must attend to the final actions of leaving office."
Daniel nodded. "I understand. Will I see you later?"
Mytel flushed slightly at his question. "Of course." She hurried into her chambers."
_________________________________________
Jack knocked on Hammonds door, but entered without waiting for an answer.
Hammond looked up as Jack came in. "Colonel, I was just about to try calling you. Have a seat son."
Jack eyed the chair his CO had indicated. "If it's all the same to you, I'd rather stand, Sir."
Hammond nodded understandingly. "As you can probably imagine I've spent most of the morning on the phone, calling in favors. The best I can get is permission to enact a don't ask don't tell policy on relationships."
Jack couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I…thank you sir." He turned to leave.
"Jack…" Hammond waited until his 2IC was facing him again. "That means I can't see it either." He lowered his voice. "So watch it around the cameras." He knew better then to ask them to keep their relationship off base. They sometimes didn't get home for months at a time. That just wasn't fair.
Jack smiled. "Yes Sir." He walked out and went to find Sam.
