Disclaimer: Stargate and all related materials are the property of MGM/UA, I'm merely borrowing them.
A/N: Don't forget to review, it'll keep me going. Thank you for reading this.
Chapter Three
Dinner Among The Stars
Previously:
"Wow!" He gasped as he felt the caffeine run in his veins. He jerked on his feet.
Their host laughed wholeheartedly. "I see you've tried Tréhín. What is your evaluation of our drink?" He smirked at Jack.
"Wow…" Jack mumbled and regained his composure. "Sweet, and… Well, I don't know, it's like if I had coffee injected."
The Ambassador and SG-1, actually mostly Daniel Jackson, learned much about each other while they discussed. At some point, after—according to Teal'c—three hours of non-stop chatter about SG-1's adventures through the Stargate, the Ambassador invited his guests to dine in company of the Hógtúimi Szeluán's captain.
Their host had explained that he and Dr. Hjared were able to speak and understand English thanks to translating devices which they wore behind their earlobes. After he had equiped SG-1 with similar apparatuses, he led them to the bridge where they would meet the captain.
Before them, a large and seemingly heavy blast door sealed the entrance of the ship's command center. Leümtannavéyar explained that it protected the bridge in the event of depressurization. He pressed his palm on a panel on the blast door and the door slid to the left revealing the bridge of the Hógtúimi Szeluán.
Compared to all the ships SG-1 had been on, the bridge of their hosts' vessel was magnificent. Every wall was covered in either computer screens displaying the ship's status or engravings. The whole bridge covered three levels—they were at the lowest one. In the middle of the half-ellipse shaped room, there was a chair that almost looked like a throne. Leümtannavéyar beckoned them to the chair. While they had expected a man sitting as captain, they saw a woman. She nodded when they approached her and rose from her seat.
The ambassador presented her.
"Captain, this is Jack O'Neill, Samantha Carter, Daniel Jackson and Teal'c of Chulak." He said and presented the captain to SG-1.
"This is Maléf Arsûleví, the captain of the Hógtúimi Szeluán."
They all exchanged greetings.
"What do you think of our ship?" She asked proudly.
Sam reacted first.
"It's impressive. I've rarely seen technology that advanced except on Asgard vessels." She said.
Arsûleví laughed.
"We're currently on route to one of our worlds in the Arfrerr Nebula, where our Chancellor and the President Ambassador of the Great Twelve's Council requested to meet with you. They wish to extend the Earth's protections against the Goa'uld by providing your planet with our technology." She said after regaining her seriousness. "We'll arrive at Hän in about three hours."
Samantha Carter couldn't believe it. They were offering Earth technology?
One hour and a half later, they were all sitting—or rather lounging—in the captain's quarters. Her quarters—she had explained—were where she had spent the last twenty years. Leümtannavéyar had explained earlier that in their culture, eating meat was considered badly: they were all vegetarians. Jack had enough self-control to not comment that piece of information.
Arsûleví grabbed a black bottle from what looked like a freezer. She handed glasses in the same black glass to SG-1 and the ambassador. "This is Amar Wine; a very fine liquor from the Majiri homeworld." She explained when she poured the bubbling blue liquid in Jack's glass. "It's best when drunk below the freezing point of water. I recommend that you pinch your noses when you drink it." Leümtannavéyar added when Jack brought the glass to smell its contents. Daniel almost declined the offer of beverage when the captain approached him. She quickly understood. "Do not worry, Mr. Jackson, Amar isn't an alcoholic liquor. When she had filled her glass, she lounged in her sofa.
She held her glass high. "It is customary to wish for something when meeting new people." She said and expressed her wish aloud. "I wish for a fruitful cooperation between our peoples." She pinched her nose and emptied her glass. SG-1 had expected her to frown because of the beverage, but she didn't. Her features relaxed and she seemed extremely relaxed.
"Why is it best to pinch one's nose when drinking it?" Daniel asked still not trusting the alien drink.
"Otherwise, you'll lose most of the aroma." Leümtannavéyar said.
"Ah, okay." Daniel said sheepishly. He eyed his goblet with concern and after looking at Jack for comfort, he approached the glass to his lips. He stopped remembering that the captain had said that it was a tradition to tell a wish. "I wish for…" He frowned, not knowing exactly what to wish for. "Uhmm… a long life." He smiled and pinched his nose and emptied the goblet.
A chill ran in his whole body as the cold liquid descended towards his stomach. Suddenly, a warm wave spread from his mouth to his whole head. A flavor exploded in his mouth. Sweet like honey but with a distinct taste that reminded him of paprika. He opened his eyes now feeling completely in harmony with the entire Universe. "Wow…" He whispered in total bliss.
Leümtannavéyar was the next to drink. "I wish for my family to stop being green-eyed and red-haired." He smirked. SG-1's members looked at him with surprise. When the Ambassador had drunk his wine, he explained. "The Leümtannavéyar family is perhaps one of the most ancient families on my planet: at least 3,000 years. Most of us are green-eyed and red-haired. There is even a proverb that says: Red hairs and green eyes are a mark of riches." He rolled his eyes. Seeing that SG-1 did not understand. "My brother is CEO of the Timirgor Shipbuilders Cooperative, our father is its CFO, and my mother is Prime Consul of the Nobuzyanese Republic. Timirgor is the largest company in Pheinn—we are richer than the GNP of every single planet of the galaxy put together."
Only Teal'c of SG-1 kept his mouth closed while Jack, Sam and Daniel were swallowing flies.
Another hour and a half later, they had returned on the bridge of the Hógtúimi Szeluán. They were about to reach their destination. Daniel, being appointed by Jack to serve as diplomat, was preparing a speech when they would meet the Chancellor and the President Ambassador. The vortex of hyperspace faded into the blackness of space as the Hógtúimi Szeluán transited into normal space again. In the bridge's bays, they could all see the magnificent green-blue orb of Hän and the quite large armada of vessels protecting a rather large cruiser. Obviously, protecting someone important. Jack noted.
Author Note: Thanks to those who read this. Please review, it'll keep me going. Thanks again, in advance.
The Minustarian
