The Continuing Misadventures of SG-1 or 101 Things A Girl Can Do.
by ALC Punk! and Ryuu
Chapter Four: Wherein Our Heroes Embark For a Boring Mission.

0745. Right on time, Sam thought as Daniel came into the gateroom, carrying his pack and talking animatedly with Nyan. The young Bedrosian was still an efficient assistant for nearly the entire archeology department, and Sam knew they were grateful for him on a monthly basis. He was also good at keeping Daniel from missing his appointments.

"And you'll remember the translation on the pre-Sumerian glyphs from-"

"Yes, Dr. Jackson." Really, Sam wondered how he could sound so patient and sweet, and still also sound sarcastic. "I'll remember."

It was definitely an art. "Daniel. Nyan."

"Colonel Carter," Nyan smiled at her, "Safe journey."

"Ah, it's a mineral survey. I don't think it'll be a problem."

Just then, the General called from the control room, "SG-1, are you prepared to depart?"

She turned and waved upwards, automatically filing the sensations of attraction and disquiet away to study later. This was the General, and this was her job. A distraction could cost someone their life.

The gate began dialing.

"Chevron seven locked," Walter announced a few moments later and the gateroom was filled with a rippling light as the gate activated.

Sam looked over at Captain Jones. He looked back at her calmly. "Colonel?"

"Let's go, Captain."

He saluted. "Yes, sir."

SG-1 walked up the ramp and into the wormhole, feeling the familiar disorientation as they were transported to P3X-333. Daniel looked around as they stepped out.

"Trees."

"And they're green," Sam said dryly. She looked up at the low-lying sun, and considered, "Teal'c, you and Captain Jones scout out a place for base camp. Daniel and I will make a sweep of the area. Call when you've found a spot."

"Indeed." The tall jaffa gestured to the Captain.

Sam watched the two set off for a moment, then glanced at Daniel, "Shall we?"

"After you." He sneezed, then made a face. "I think there's something in the air I'm allergic to."

"And this is new?" she asked lightly as they skirted the edge of the woods, peering under the branches, her eyes automatically searching out the likely hiding places of jaffa or foe.

"Well, as long as I don't turn into a caveman," he replied, mimicking her actions. Sam shot him a quick, proud smile when he wasn't looking. He'd really learned a lot in eight years.

"I'd rather not go through that one again, myself." She looked up at the trees. "It's funny. These aren't that different from what you find on Earth."

"But it's still completely different when you're looking at trees on Earth?" Daniel asked.

She nodded. "Exactly."

Silence fell, then, a companionable one built upon years spent working together. Nothing appeared to break the silence, although in the distance, a breeze rustled the leaves and birds called to each other. Eventually, Sam began circling, heading back towards the stargate.

Daniel, apparently, took that as his signal to begin talking again. "So. You and Jack..."

Carefully keeping her attention on her surroundings, Sam shifted slightly to glance at him. "What about us?"

"Kissing." He waved a hand.

"I was excited and happy about beating that idiot."

"Really?" There was something derisive in his tone. "I'll have to make sure I'm not in your vicinity the next time you're excited and happy about something. Wouldn't want to get accidentally kissed."

"Daniel-" she began.

"I'm not military, Sam." He looked at her seriously. "I don't care about the regs. But I want to know if this is going to make our problem worse."

She sighed and looked down. "I don't know. It just... happened. It shouldn't have."

"Sam." She looked up to see him watching her sympathetically. "Have you ever thought that this might be why Jack's being, um..."

"Such a mother hen?" she asked dryly. "Yeah. I have."

"Well, what are you going to do about it?"

Sam thought back to a certain envelope she'd put in Jack's inbox that morning. "I've been working on a plan."

"A plan?" Daniel shot her a disturbed look. "Is this going to make me regret saying anything?"

"No. And I'm not telling you the plan, either, so don't ask."

"Yay." Side-stepping a branch in his path, Daniel was silent for a few more minutes, then brightened, "Can we go to the ruins soon?"

"Yes, Daniel." Not rolling her eyes, Sam glanced at him. "As soon as we've finished this sweep, we'll meet up with Teal'c and Jones. And then you and Teal'c can head to the ruins while Jones and I do the soil sample thing."

"Good." Daniel almost bounced as he continued walking. "Because if those really are Olmec..."

Sam listened as patiently as she could while he rattled on. If nothing else, it kept her awake on this rather boring planet. Not that she'd wish for the goa'uld or replicators to show up. But a forest fire, or even rain, might be pleasant. Natives who were restless and required an explosives expert would also be amusing. But she was resigned to spending the next three days absolutely bored.

If nothing else, at least she could practice her skills at hiding her irritation with Daniel.


"And the carvings perfectly corresponded to ones found at sites in-" Daniel broke off his excited monologue to poke his fork cautiously at the plate in front of him. "Just what am I eating?"

"Chicken," Sam replied, poking at hers. "At least... I think it's chicken."

They were settled around a cheerfully glowing campfire where Daniel had been regaling them for the past hour about the ruins and why they were apparently the greatest thing ever. Jones had a slightly glazed-over look on his face, causing Sam to hide a grin. She was pretty sure he was now grateful for being taken along on the "boring" soil samples.

Teal'c poked at the fire with a stick, causing a shower of bright sparks to fly upwards.

"Meals rejected by Ethiopians," Jones announced, holding up a forkful of something that might have been chicken.

Sam grinned at him, "Even the Tok'ra know better than to eat MREs."

"Lucky them," Daniel muttered.

"On Chulak, a man would be grateful for such food as this," announced Teal'c. "If there were nothing else, including dead comrades, to eat."

"Ew. Thanks, Teal'c," making a face, Daniel set his aside. "I think I'm going to go pretend I actually ate and go over my notes."

Sam could see that Jones was clearly trying not to laugh, and was forced to revise her earlier assessment of the man still further. He was a career soldier and marine through and through, but she found herself growing to like him more and more. He took orders well, chipped in and did his share of the work without complaint, and seemed to be hiding a lively sense of humor under that stoic façade. If they didn't get Jonas back, she was seriously thinking about requesting that Jones stay on with SG-1.

...assuming she actually stayed in command of SG-1, of course.

Sam frowned a bit and stared into the dancing flames.

"Sam?"

She looked up at Daniel and managed a smile. Of course he'd noticed. "What is it?"

"You okay?"

"Fine. Just planning out tomorrow," she said quickly.

He didn't look convinced, but he dropped the subject with the sort of look that promised he'd bother her about it later and headed towards the tent he was sharing with Jones. "All right. But remember I want to be at the ruins bright and early."

"Yes, Daniel. And you've got second watch!" He waved his hand in agreement. She poked at her food some more, then sighed. "I think that's all I can eat, Captain, Teal'c, either of you still hungry?"

Jones blinked at her, then shrugged, "I'm always hungry, sir. My mama used to say I had more room for food than any growing boy had a right to."

She handed the plate over. "Your mama was probably right." She glanced at her watch. "Teal'c, I'll go ahead and take the third watch. You've got the last one. Jones, you're up first."

"Yes, sir."

He didn't question the order. Sam fought down a strange surge of exultation. Of course he hadn't questioned it, she thought to herself as she began gathering her supplies for the coming day. She was his superior officer, regardless of sex, or rumors of competency. There was no reason to set a watch, but Sam felt the need to be extra cautious. The caution drilled into her by instructors, danger, and Jack O'Neill.

Sam smiled at him and Teal'c and stood. "I'm going to get some sleep. Don't stay up too late, Teal'c. Good watch, Captain."

He nodded. "Thank you, sir."

"Pleasant dreams, Colonel Carter," Teal'c replied gravely as Sam headed for the tent she was sharing with him.


The third watch had been Colonel O'Neill's. Sam leaned back against her chosen log and studied the night sky-what she could see of the constellations were completely unfamiliar. She made a mental note to get some images of them the next night, since getting out the equipment would probably wake Teal'c.

She knew why he took it-the same reason she did now. Because it was the time when strange things could happen. Or maybe that was simply old superstition.

Silence settled over their camp, broken only by Daniel's soft, slightly congested snores. Sam grinned. Some things really never did change.

A faint breeze flittered through the camp, making her shiver a bit. She wrapped her coat more firmly around her shoulders and took another glance towards the dark forest. She wasn't sure if crickets actually were making the sounds out there, but they sounded enough like them to be oddly comforting.

The fire had long ago burned down to sullen red embers. She stirred them with the same stick that Teal'c had used earlier, brightening them up and getting a bit more heat. She stared down at them, wondering if Jack had looked in his inbox yet and what his reaction had been.

And why had she kissed him? Daniel's questions kept dancing through her brain. On some level, yes, she was worried that kissing him had made her problems worse. Then again, the feelings between them had started far before that kiss. She didn't really see how much more complicated it could have made things. She shivered again, wondering what he'd say when they all got back.

Probably something sarcastic. Or angry. She could see him being angry-after all, she hadn't consulted him before putting in her request.

Hell, she'd be angry, if it had been Daniel, or Teal'c, and they'd gone over her head. A smile touched her lips. Not that either of them would have done something like this. But then, this situation really was unique to her and him. Jack.

She was allowed to call him Jack, here in the middle of nowhere on an alien planet billions of light years from the men who upheld the regulations of the United States Air Force.

It was almost amusing. She was being more introspective on an alien planet than she had been on Earth for more than a year. Of course, the last time she'd thought about this sort of thing, she'd been concussed and on the Prometheus.

Sometimes, she thought she'd made the wrong decision, back then.

Of course, with hindsight, she knew it wasn't that simple. Life was never that simple.

Sam let out a faint laugh. Maybe it wasn't the best idea to make life-altering decisions when one had a head injury. Or maybe she should have talked to the real Jack instead of just a figment of her imagination. A faintly bitter smile twisted her lips as she wondered briefly what it was like to have a normal life.

She looked to the east where a faint lightening of the sky preceded the dawn and checked the time. It was just about time for Teal'c's watch. There was a rustling from the tent and Teal'c looked out.

"Colonel Carter?"

She grinned. "Nice timing."

He smiled, "As I have become accustomed to sleeping rather than kel'no'rim, I have adjusted to awakening on a biological clock."

"Good." Sam considered for a moment as she stretched before climbing into the tent. "Teal'c, do you dream when you sleep?"

"I have begun to." He was silent for a moment, then settled on the log she had vacated and looked at her. "Did you wish to speak of dreams, Colonel Carter?"

"Oh! No. I just..." A twinge from her left knee reminded her that kneeling on the ground was something she wasn't used to. She ignored it and tried to understand what she wanted to say, "I just wonder if the other jaffa, those who now take the tretonin, enjoy dreaming."

He studied her for a moment, then inclined his head, "I have not discussed it with any others."

"Right." Suddenly feeling awkward, and at a loss as to why, Sam scrambled into the tent. "Good night, Teal'c."

"Sleep well, Colonel Carter."

He didn't wish her sweet dreams. And as she fell asleep, she wondered if that was what she wanted.


"Walter?"

The man nearly dropped his cup of coffee as the carefully controlled voice of the General broke through the silence of his office. "Um, sir?"

"What is this?"

Walter turned and saw Jack gesturing at the pile of papers from his inbox, a certain envelope sitting on top.

"That would be your paperwork, sir. Um, and that memo from the President probably needs to be answered today, because I think-" He shut up at the stormy look that suddenly filled Jack's eyes.

The General reached out and tapped the envelope. "This."

"Um... Colonel Carter left that, sir. Before she went off-world."

"Did she." From the tone of his voice, Walter was certain that a civillian would assume that General O'Neill was calm. Collected. Peaceful. But he had made it his job to read and understand every mood the General exhibited.

And Walter suddenly wished he'd taken the day off. He swallowed. "Yes, sir. Not that I saw her leave it-which I didn't. But I assume she left it this morning, because she was off base last night, and -" He cut himself off, aware that the sudden babbling was as much a defensive reaction as a sign that he should retreat. Now.

"Tell me, Walter, what does it look like to you?"

"Um, well," he fought the need to say something flippant, "I-It looks like transfer papers, sir."

"A request. For a transfer."

"Yes, sir." His voice was almost a whisper.

Jack simply stared into nothing for a long moment while Walter wondered if it might be a good idea to flee for his life. Then again, the General was former Black Ops, he reflected gloomily, finally staying put and giving Jack a look very similar to the one that is directed to a predator by a cornered rodent.

"...sir?" he asked at last, completely unnerved by Jack's silence.

Jack shook himself, looking up at Walter. "I want this held until Colonel Carter returns," he said.

"But, sir-" Walter began.

"I want this held." Jack's tone allowed for no argument. "Colonel Carter is one of my best officers. I want to talk about this with her first. The SGC can't afford to lose her."

Clamping his lips closed on his protest, Walter nodded. He contemplated the manilla folder for a moment, then decided to see how creatively he could lose it. Maybe behind the stack of reports from Dr. Jackson regarding the indigenous life on the last thirty planets he'd been to. Until the Colonel returned, of course. "Yes, sir. It will be held, sir."

"Good." The General stared at the envelope for a moment, then stood. "I'm going to get some cake, Walter. Take five."

"Right, sir, uh, but there's a briefing for -"

The General looked at him, "Tell them I'll be a little late."

"Right, sir."

Jack nodded and strode out, heading for the mess, his mind working a mile a minute. How could she do this to him? He'd known she hadn't been happy, but he'd never thought she would feel driven to take this kind of action. And where would she go? Groom Lake? The Air Force Academy? He snorted to himself. She wouldn't be happy there. The SGC needed Carter and her smarts. He ignored the part of his brain that was loudly insisting that he needed her too.

He sighed. He'd talk to her when she got back and somehow, he'd change her mind. He didn't know how, but somehow, he'd convince her that it was worth her time to stay.

In the meantime, he'd have cake. If the mess staff were still speaking to him. Not that having cake without Carter was quite the same. He sighed. And he really had to stop thinking about her, right now. He was obviously getting pathetic in his old age.