Disclaimer: No copyright infringement is intended in the writing of this story – or any of my others. I don't claim any of the characters used on the show, only those that I've made up for my own personal amusements and the enjoyment of my readers. (This includes any other TV shows or movies that I might bring up in the upcoming chapters).
Author's Note: Remember, this is an AU, so things will be different from what they are in the series – and I'm not always one hundred percent when it comes to the technology, so try not to nitpick, okay?
Here we go!
OOOOOOOOOOO
The day was sunny and bright, and the ocean was fairly calm. There were a fair number of boats out on the water; commercial and private – leisure vessels, mostly, although there was even a rusty fishing boat flying an American flag off her stern that was probably heading up towards the eastern Canadian coast to try their luck at some early season cod.
On a fair sized sailboat that was passing only a few hundred yards from that ship, a serious discussion was taking place.
Ian Brooks looked over at his father.
"You're reading too much into it, dad…"
Nathan Brooks, who was a few inches taller than his son and far more imposing, really, scowled.
"All I'm saying is, they crashed on the island two years ago, right?"
"Dad…"
"No… they crashed two years ago. Each season is a year, right?"
Ian sighed.
"Yeah. I think so."
"And they've been running around this island being chased by all sorts of people and creatures… right?"
"I haven't seen it, dad…"
"Well they have."
"Okay."
"Then tell me something; why is the fat guy still fat?"
"It's just a show…"
"There should be some realism to it, is all I'm saying…"
Ian looked out over the water, making sure no boats had wandered into their chartered course while he'd been talking, and adjusted the wheel of the sailing ship to accommodate the sudden breeze coming up from the north.
"It's not that important to the show."
Nathan shrugged.
"I don't know. The guy is obviously hiding a McDonald's somewhere… that might be important in the-"
"What are you two arguing about?"
They both turned at the new voice, and both smiled a greeting to Samantha O'Neill, who came up on deck dressed in shorts and a button up shirt that was open to reveal the green bathing suit she was wearing underneath her clothes. Nathan was wearing loose khaki slacks and an unbuttoned shirt as well, but all Ian was dressed in was a pair of swim trunks and slip on shoes.
"He's taking TV too seriously," Ian told Sam as she walked over. "Tell him it's not real, will you?"
Nathan scowled.
"I know it isn't real, smart ass. I'm just saying, they should try to make it more realistic than they do."
Sam smiled.
"You sound like my brother, Nate. He's always nitpicking TV shows and movies."
"You've done it yourself, Major," yet another new voice said.
This time it was Jack coming towards them from the bow of the ship with Jaffer walking easily at his side, despite the rolling deck of the little ship as it rode the gentle waves. He'd obviously heard the last part of the conversation and couldn't help but put his two cents worth in.
"That's different," Sam said, defensively.
"How so?" he asked, walking over and leaning against the rail, obviously relaxed and enjoying the day of sailing.
"Because I only do it when it's obvious that they're messing up."
All three men rolled their eyes at that.
"So if-"
Jack was interrupted by a beeping sound coming from down in the cabin of the vessel. A beeping sound that was immediately joined by another.
"Pagers," Jack said, even as Sam headed for the cabin.
Since they'd been worried about having Jake on the water at such a young age – especially the ocean – they'd left him with Laura Piper, Ian Piper's daughter, who was more than capable of babysitting, Nathan had assured them. But they'd also left their beeper numbers and their cell phone numbers in case the young woman had needed anything, and both Sam and Jack automatically assumed that's who it was.
Nate looked at Ian.
"Wonder why she didn't call…"
"Beats me. I-"
He was interrupted by a bark from Jaffer, who had been watching the seagulls playing in the air around the boat, and both men turned to look at the lab. Jaffer was looking up, his posture stiff and wary, which drew their attention up as well to see what he was looking at.
"What the hell is that?" Nathan asked.
Above them and off to the east was what looked like a thundercloud. A huge atmospheric disturbance that looked like a storm coming at them.
"Rain?" Ian asked, already starting the diesel engines that powered the sailboat. If it was a sudden storm, they'd want to get back to port as quickly as possible, just in case it was as serious as the clouds looked.
"If it is then I'm going to go down and beat the guy from the weather channel's ass," Nate growled, heading for the boom, where the mechanism was that would lower the sails. "He promised me clear skies today…"
"I-" Jack was interrupted by Sam's arrival back on the deck.
"It's not Laura," she said, her pager in one hand and her cell phone in the other. "It's the SGC. Yours, too," she added, handing Jack his pager.
"Wonder what's-"
"Holy shit!"
They all turned at Ian's exclamation, and followed his gaze towards the sky.
"What…"
Sam's voice trailed off as the atmospheric disturbance cleared out just a little, and the nose of a very large and very familiar looking ship appeared.
"Oh, crap…"
"What is that?" Nathan asked, awed, even as the huge ship flew directly overhead, whizzing by them so fast that the sails of the sailboat were filled with air and Ian found himself battling the wheel to keep the ship from turning and capsizing.
Sam started dialing a number on her cell phone, and Jack turned to watch as the ship continued on by, already almost gone in the distance as it flew off over land.
"That's a Ha'tak."