100 Goats – Chapter 3

Me again! Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for the lovely reviews! I was overwhelmed! Here is chapter three. Hope you enjoy!

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General Hammond put down the pen he'd been writing with as the men of SG1 entered the room.

"What's your progress, Colonel?"

"Well, sir," Jack lowered himself into his chair. "It seems we've hit a bit of a snag. We spoke with the town elders and explained the mistake, but I don't think they understood."

"Colonel?"

Daniel spoke up instead.

"General, it turns out that the Allians take great offence to going back on a transaction. Needless to say, they weren't very happy when we asked for Sam and Janet back."

"We are no longer welcomed in their presence," Teal'c explained further.

"They kicked us out, sir."

"All right," the General rubbed his forehead. "I want suggestions, people."

"Don't you worry, sir, I've already come up with a brilliant idea."

"I believe it was Daniel Jackson's idea, O'Neill."

"Fine, Daniel came up with a brilliant idea."

"Well, let's hear it."

"Okay, since they aren't talking to us anymore, we contact one of our allies and get them to go in and buy Carter and the Doc back. Then they return them to us."

"Excellent. I'll contact the Tok'ra immediately."

"The Tok'ra, sir?" Jack gulped, casting furtive glances at Teal'c and Daniel. "Are you sure that's such a good idea, sir?"

"We're expecting a visit from them today anyway."

"But, sir!"

"Dismissed."

Jack rested his head against the table.

"Oh, this is so not good."

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Sam and Janet stared at the cows before them. From what they understood of their owner's instructions, they were to move the cows from one pasture to another.

"Janet? You ever move cows before?"

"Nope."

"Hmm."

"Any ideas?"

"Well, I suppose we could always just say, 'Beeta, beeta'."

"Sounds good to me."

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"Jack."

Jack glanced up from his paperwork. How had the Tok'ra found him here? He was in his office for crying out loud. Was no place sacred?

"Jacob! How's things?" He cast a quick glance at the door. Darn, it was closed. No one would ever hear him.

"I just spoke to George."

"Oh really? That's nice. Um, gotta go!" he made his move towards the door.

"Jack!"

Jack winced, then slowly turned around.

"It was a mistake, sir, I swear! We'll get them back. I promise."

"You mean, I'll get them back."

"Well, yes... Say, you want a goat?"

"Holy Hannah," Jacob muttered to the ceiling.

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Sam and Janet stomped on their way to the Glunchi orchard, balancing their baskets on their hips.

"Now that was totally uncalled for!"

"Completely overreacting," Sam agreed concerning the recent tongue lashing from their owners.

"I mean, it's not our fault we don't know how to herd cows. I'm a doctor!"

"Me too!"

Coming to the first tree, they looked up at the fruit they were supposed to gather.

"All right, how about one of us climbs up and drops the Glunchi to the other," Janet suggested.

"Sounds good to me."

Janet winced.

"Remember the last time you said that?"

"Hey, how was I supposed to know the cows would take 'Beeta, beeta, go over there' for 'Beeta, beeta, run for your lives'?"

"True. I can't believe that one kicked me though," she winced as she touched her bruised cheek.

"You did try to jump on it."

"It was getting away!"

"So were the other seventy-five!"

"Look, let's just not worry about it. I'm sure they'll all find their way home soon. Come on, I'll climb up, and you catch these as I toss them to you."

"Okay... You know, I think I'm more bothered by the fact that I ripped my dress. I was really beginning to like it."

Janet looked down at her own muddied, tattered dress as she began to climb.

"Yeah, they were kind of pretty. Comfy too."

"Yeah."

They worked for a few moments in silence, taking in the peacefulness of the late afternoon, the smell of ripe Glunchi soothing their nerves. The suns were getting lower in the sky, and a cool breeze graced them after the heat of the day. The farm really was a beautiful place. Maybe it wasn't so bad here after all.

"Ahh! Janet, my eye! You hit my eye!"

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There we go, everyone! Hope you enjoyed. Next chapter should be the last one and longer too. Thanks so much for reading! Review?