Chapter Three: I J K L
I is for Impress
It was glitzy – lots of sparkling jewels, small but paramount in its glory. He had found it by accident. Dug it up when he'd slammed his trowel into the ground in frustration. The ping got his attention and he'd focused on the spot and pulled it out of the ground.
His first thought was Vala. The small, gloriously radiant piece was spectacular and just the right size. She would love it! Daniel blew the dust from the now twinkling treasure and smiled. Of course, he couldn't give it to her, but he certainly could impress her with it.
The prongs of the hair comb looked like pure gold. The gems that fanned out across the arc could be rubies and emeralds, the large middle stone resembled a yellow diamond. Taking a small brush from his pouch, he gently swept the remaining residue from the artifact and frowned.
Using the magnifying glass he more closely studied the piece. His frown intensified into a full blown scrunched brows, narrowed eyes, tight mouth scowl. "VALA!"
Her P-90 shot up in readiness, as did Teal'c's and Mitchell's. "What!?" She rushed over looking down at the object in his hands.
"Oh! You found it!" She snatched the hair comb from his hand. "I thought I'd lost it on the base. Imagine that! It's been missing for nearly two months. I guess it fell out when we were here last. Thank you, darling. It's one of my favorites. Lovely isn't it? Samantha bought it for me in that Egyptian store at the mall. It's a replica of the one…what? Why are you looking at me like that?"
J is for Jell-O
Sam stood in line, her head cocked curiously to one side as she studied the rainbow assortment of Jell-O "Hey, why no blue?" She asked with a pleasant smile for the woman behind the counter in the commissary.
"Well, Colonel, since you've been gone so much, no one ever ate it, so I took it off the line."
"Really?" Sam's voice took on a command tone. "Then why was there so much when I was here all the time?"
"Because you're Colonel Carter, and even when you were Captain Carter, Major Carter and Lt. Colonel Carter, nobody, and I mean nobody, woulda complained about all the blue. Mitchell's an strawberry man. Teal'c likes the raspberry, Pigtails likes the pineapple, the cherry and the peach passion fruit. Dr. Jackson sticks to lime, 'cept when he's eating out of Pigtails cup. When General O'Neill was still around he mostly ate whatever struck his fancy. Nobody else actually eats the Jell-O."
"Nobody?'
"No ma'am. When Jonas was here he ate it occasionally. And I think General Hammond, god rest his soul, ate some then too. Now, Ms Janet, that girl ate every color except blue. Tsk,tsk, such a wonderful gal, that Doc."
"Oh." Sam uttered sadly, "I'll have the peach passion fruit." Turning to look behind into the empty room, a lonely, forlorn feeling washed through her and with a weak smile Sam returned her attention to the woman.
"You're old team's scheduled to return soon, I already got the word from Walter. What say I mix up a batcha blue? You come back when they're all done checkin' in and we'll be ready. Just like old times, 'kay?"
"Thank you. And Lily, could you order me some boxes of blue to take with me? Maybe a case or two. I'll send a requisition from the George Hammond, soon as I get back on board."
"You got it, hon. Just like old times. Bless your heart."
K is for Kel'no'reem
I had most recently purchased a large assortment of new candles, a few with aroma, which I carefully chose to blend pleasantly.
While Kel'no'reem in its original meaning, was no longer necessary, I find that even with my symbiote now long gone, I need this practice to survive.
DanielJackson has offered numerous books on the practice of meditation from many cultures, and not all Tau'ri. I find each fascinating, though I believe the Tau'ri Buddhist and Native American methods are a blend and most assuredly came from or preceded Kel'no'reem.
As I open the package with my new purchases, I find several missing. That is rather anomalous. I looked around in puzzlement before assured they were indeed missing. Had the sales personnel failed to place these particular candles, all of the scented variety, into the bag?
I took inventory and discovered which ones had vanished.
The blue and glittered Tropical Jasmine - ValaMalDoran's favorite scent was jasmine.
The orange Mango and Island Fruit – ColonelCarter is well known for her love of all tropical fruits.
Lavender – DanielJackson often spoke of the healing and relaxing properties of lavender.
And the Cucumber Melon…undoubtedly, ColonelMitchell's much loved smell.
Puzzled, I sat down on the floor and arranged the remaining candles, lighting only those, and closed my eyes.
I had left the package for a short while on the desk in ColonelMitchell's office, but retrieved it as soon as I had returned with the information he had requested.
Next, I visited ColonelCarter. She was calibrating some crystals to return to the GeorgeHammond. I assisted her by 'fetching' and delivering a tool from SergeantSiler, leaving the purchases on her workstation.
Following that, I stopped by to visit DanielJackson, and perform the necessary 'firing upon the soft wind', as O'Neill had taught me. The archeologist asked if I would deliver a very heavy box of artifacts to the storage room and bring back another. I was happy to oblige and leaving my package on the counter across from his desk, I did so.
At that point I proceeded to my room, intending to 'Yell Outward', again, as O'Neill had instructed, to ValaMalDoran. She however, precluded my intention by careening around a corner and literally bumping into me.
Saving the package I carried by catching it as it fell, she grinned apologetically. At that moment, Dr. Lee approached us and began to ask my opinion on an issue he was having with a staff weapon crystal. I turned to him, leaving ValaMalDoran alone with my bag behind me.
Now that leaves a dilemma. As I do not know if; 1. The purchases were never put into the bag. 2. Each team member helped themselves each to one. Or more likely, 3. ValaMalDoran helped herself to all four.
I am sure none of them proposed to steal a candle. I am most baffled by this. Although my thoughts have returned to number three. It is not beyond ValaMalDoran's capability to unconsciously return to former practices and her need to…liberate objects that attract her attention.
The knock at my door stopped my thoughts. "Enter." I believe my voice held a note of irritation.
ColonelCarter entered, quietly. "Hey, Teal'c. I came to return this candle. It smelled so good I took it out to write down the name so I could get some and forgot to put it back. Thanks. I have to rush; I'm due on ship in ten minutes."
One mystery solved. I closed my eyes again, only to be disturbed once more. "Enter!"
"Look, Big Guy, I forgot to ask you where you got this? It's cucumber melon, makes me miss my gran'maw. Where'd you find it?" ColonelMitchell set it on the floor beside me and I gave him the name of the store, beginning to feel uncomfortable about my thoughts.
After he left I waited, but no more candles were forthcoming. I feared she took both of the missing candles. No sooner then I closed my eyes for the third time, the knock came and DanielJackson poked his head in.
"Teal'c, sorry, I couldn't resist the smells and I took these two out." Without fully entering, he set the two candles down. "I copied down the names and forgot to give them back to you. I think they'd be perfect for Vala and her birthday, I think the second one this year, is soon. I already got her some stuffed toys, a few hair clip things, some fancy bath bubbles, a gift certificate to Victoria's Secret, and a nice bracelet. I'm off to shop! Thanks."
I shook my head in self disgust. How could I have so maligned my friend and fellow resident alien? I retrieved all four candles lining them up in front of me, and turned to find the new matches I had also purchased.
"Muscles!"
Her outburst stunned me and my head snapped around. "Yes!?"
"Oh, it smells nice in here. Anyway, have you seen Daniel? I need to remind him of my birthday so he can have time to shop."
Picking up the candles, I placed them in the empty bag and held it out. "He is indeed shopping for you as we speak. And I have this for you…just until the actual day. Some small token of my esteem for you and all that you are, and do." I handed the bag to her. "Have no fear; I shall purchase a real gift for your birthday."
She leaned and kissed my cheek. "Thanks, Muscles. You're so sweet. But you don't need to buy me presents. I only have birthdays so Daniel will have presents for me. Don't bother getting me anything. But thanks for these." She stuck her nose into the package and sighed. "Lovely!"
When she left I closed my eyes and drifted deep into Kel'no'reem – I had a need for some mind-set modification, as O'Neill had taught me.
L is for Life
Life sure as hell ain't like a box of chocolates! Not any I've ever seen. But I gotta tell you, it's like a box of unknown ammo. You just hope you've got the right gun for at least one of those bullets.
We're on P2X-239. Again. It's a horrible little planet with horrible big people. Mean as snakes and dirty as a pig in a sty. There's a streak of Naquadah the size of the Amazon River here. And it's been a bitch to even talk to these people, much less trade with them.
They're the kind that hates outsiders. From the smell of the place I don't think they have much to worry about.
However, the whole lot of them has an eye for Carter and Vala. Not good. We've had to keep those two in our sight every minute. I think – and I'm not sure 'cause Jackson wouldn't elaborate on the translation – that their first offer of trade was for the females of our team.
None of us at the SGC has any issue with women in the military. And honestly, where would the SGC be without Carter AND Vala? And lots of other's. I'd be dead and gone, as would most of us, if not for Doc Lam, and my two teammates.
But still, sometimes things aren't the same around the universe. These women are doing what the want to, what they love. That's somethin'. Me? Oh yeah, what I really love, like right now I'd love to beat the crap out of these guys.
Teal'c looks as if he's gonna rip off a few heads with his bare hands. And Jackson? Damn! I don't know where folks get the idea he's a geek…not with that deadly glare of his…or those bulging arms, strained now that his P-90 is aimed dead center of the leaders forehead. Yep, we do what we love and love what we do.
I better calm the 'geek' down before things get tough…er.
~TBC M N O P