Thanks for the great reviews. I'm glad people liked my take on the Jack/Vala dynamic. Because they both have a natural ability to drive poor Daniel up the wall, I thought it'd be fun to bring them together. And I'm glad people picked up on my Farscape in-joke. I couldn't resist that one, but will try not to do it again. Anyway, per demand; here is the next part.
Several days later
Vala Mal Doran was bored.
Insanely bored.
The last time she'd been on this planet, she'd been bound literally to one Daniel Jackson — the very attractive human she'd met when she'd hijacked the large clumsy ship he'd been on.
But now he'd gone to ground somewhere in the bowels of this mountain, and she couldn't find him. As a thief, she was very good at finding things and people that didn't want to be found, but she was finding her skills sorely lacking in this instance.
The people here had very little sense of humor and just would not cooperate when she asked where the good Doctor was.
She allowed a small smile to curl her lips when she saw another very attractive human. A lot older than Daniel, but handsome still. Jack O'Neill. Tall, gray hair and dancing brown eyes. And he had a sense of humor. Maybe there was hope for the Tauri.
"Hello, Jack," she said, placing a hand on one of her firm hips. What was that Tauri saying? If you've got it, flaunt it.
He gave her a quick grin as well as an appreciative look up and down, but didn't seem personally affected by her as a female. "Hey, Vala," he said. "Heard you were looking for Daniel?"
"Yes." Vala effected a pout. "I thought he'd grown to like me."
Jack looked at her assessingly, then mischief lit up his face. "Oh, I'm sure he does, Vala," he said. "He's just … shy."
"Ah." Vala nodded her head. That would explain a lot about the handsome Tauri's behavior toward her. She saw a tall blonde Tauri come over to Jack. "Sam," she said to the woman.
"Vala," the other woman replied, putting a hand on her distended abdomen. "Jack; General Landry's looking for you."
"Oy!" Jack sighed, his hand going to his forehead as if he felt pain. "Remind me why I took this job, will ya?"
"Because you look very sexy in your uniform," Vala said, noting with pleasure how the blue fabric emphasized his broad shoulders and long legs.
"Excuse me?" Sam said, looking daggers at Vala. "I thought you were interested in Daniel?"
Vala shrugged. "I am, but it doesn't mean I don't have eyes," she said. She looked at the Tauri female. "You're acting like you have a claim on him."
"I do. He's mine. Get lost," Sam said, slipping an arm around Jack's waist.
"Ah." Vala smiled. She could appreciate such bluntness. "Well, congratulations." She looked again at the two Tauri — they appeared well suited to each other. "I was just flirting, Sam," she said. "You should try it sometime; it does a girl's ego wonders."
Sam smiled suddenly. "I could use an ego boost at six months gone," she admitted. "I'm going to the commissary for some ice cream if you'd like to join me." She glared fiercely at Jack. "Seeing as someone forgot to stock up last night."
Jack held up his hands in the near universal gesture of surrender. "I'm sorry, Sam," he said, then aimed a sweet smile at her. "I'll make it up to you tonight, huh?" He waggled his eyebrows. "Another massage, maybe?"
Sam shivered. "Okay; you're forgiven. You may be an ass, but you're my ass." She turned to Vala, who'd been watching this interaction with delight. Another Tauri with a sense of humor. She could come to like this world. "After you, Vala," she said, then turned to Jack. "Jack; General Landry," she prompted.
"Ah. Right." Jack cleared his throat, then turned and strode off along the corridor.
"Vala; were you looking at Jack's ass?" Sam asked after he'd turned the corner.
"What?" Vala shrugged innocently. "It's a very nice rear. Don't you think?"
Sam laughed. "Yeah," she admitted. "I never get tired of looking at it."
Daniel peered warily out of the empty lab and saw Jack strolling past, hands plunged in pockets as usual. "Jack," he hissed.
Jack looked around and smirked. "Still hiding from Vala, huh?" he asked.
Daniel pinched the bridge of his nose. "She's driving me nuts," he said. "D'you know where she is now?"
"In the commissary with Sam," his best friend replied.
"With Sam? Sam and Vala? Together?" Daniel could only imagine what the two women could come up with if they put their beautiful heads together — and it wasn't pretty. The words destruction on an inter-galactic scale came to mind.
"Yep." Jack now wore a mischievous grin. "Ah, don't worry, Daniel; I'm sure Sam's talking you up very nicely."
Daniel shot Jack a death glare. "So help me, Jack; you're not funny," he said. "Anyway, aren't you expected back at the Pentagon?"
Jack stuffed his hands in his pockets. "I've taken some leave," he told Daniel. "Thought I'd spend time catching up with my good friends here at the SGC."
Oh God. That look in Jack's eyes — the one he used to wear when baiting Goa'uld or NID operatives — was back. Daniel had the sinking feeling that Jack was going to be no help in keeping Vala away from him. Would in fact aid and abet the alien whack-job. Jack was evil that way.
Daniel Jackson was not a happy camper. But Vala would only be here two more days. He could take two more days of this. Two more days of ducking into unused labs, having the SFs regard him as if he were nuts, Jack's incessant teasing.
And now Vala had an accomplice in her madness. As Jack would say: Oy!