Interlude Four

Dr. Jackson's was onboard the Andromeda sitting with Trance in the Hydroponics bay. Official he had accompanied the Andromeda crew back to the their ship to help plan the relief effort but in reality he was there because of Trance. Since encountering the Andromeda his emotions had gone on a roller coaster ride. It had been nearly a year since he and Trance had said farewell and when he had realized he was going to see her again he had to control the urge to shout but now that he and his lover were face to face he didn't know just what to think. Instead of his beloved purple pixie the woman before him was golden in color with red rather than blonde hair. However it wasn't the change in her physical appearance that was bothering him, as unsettling as that was, it was the look in her eyes that unsettled him. The Trace he had known was a living ray of sunshine, always bubbling with enthusiasm and able to brighten a room with her sheer enthusiasm about life. This Trance was somber, almost melancholy and just a little distant. Dr Jackson had seen the same look in the eyes of some of General O'Neill's friends. The ones who had seen too much combat and witnessed the deaths of too many friends. Her Tranceness was still there, he could feel it, but something had happened to her, something bad.

Trance had seen the look of confusion and loss on Daniel's face. It hurt to see him looking at her in that way. She wished she could have stayed they way she had been when they first met but fate had had other plans. She was going to have to explain the best she could and hope he could understand that she was still Trance and she still loved him with all her heart.

When General O'Neill had commented upon her change of appearance she had dodged the issue with a lie. Telling him that when her species achieved sexual maturity they changed color. The expression on his face had been priceless as he turned to Daniel saying, 'Daniel when we get back to SGC you are in big big trouble.'

The lie may have been sufficient for the other SG-1 members but Daniel deserved the truth. She had led him to the hydroponics bay. The flametree was in bloom its fragrance filling the bay with a sweet faintly cinnamon smell. They had made love under the same tree some months ago and she was hoping that the memories of their lovemaking would help her explain. There was a bench at the base the tree she sat and pulled him down beside her. It was difficult to explain what had happened, neither Common nor the English language had the concepts she needed. Daniel was a scientist; saying that she had traded places with another of her selves had raised even more questions in his mind. In the end it wasn't her words that eased his mind but the love they had for one another. They were two halves of a whole and nothing could change that.

When Dylan came looking for them sometime later, he found them still sitting on the bench holding hands and chatting away like nothing had happened and they had only been separated for a few days. He hadn't been quite sure what he would find after Andromeda had told him the two lovebirds were in the hydroponics bay. He was pleased but somewhat surprised to find them fully dressed. He knew what he would have in mind if he had a lover and had been separated from her as long as Dr Jackson had been from Trance.

He cleared his throat. "Ahem. Sorry to break this up but Dr Jackson, Trance will you both please go down to the landing force gear issue room and draw what equipment you will need for a planet side expedition. Victory's Crucible and Indomitable have arrived.

The two left and Dylan started after them as he was walking towards the exit hatch he passed the basketball court. On a whim he picked up one of the basketballs that were lying against the bulkhead and took a shot. Nothing but net. He hoped that was a good omen.