Chapter Twenty-six

"This is never coming off."

"Scrub harder."

"I can't believe this worked." Jack chuckled.

"I know, I'm still a little shocked myself. You've still got some behind your ears."

"I've heard of being blue, but this is ri..."

Sam interrupted Jack's bad pun by covering his mouth with her own. She could feel him grinning under her hand. She rolled her eyes and continued to try and removed the blue paint from his neck. Hot water poured down her bare back from the waterfall like shower. Sam managed to remove the last of the blue paint from Jack's face.

Jack pressed Sam against the black marble wall of the shower with his own soapy body. Using a great deal of care he gently rubbed the purple paint off her face. As he removed the covering on her throat he exposed her blue tattoo. Running his fingertips down the symbols he smiled sadly.

"Something wrong?"

"We're marked for life."

"Since neither one of us like jewelry the tattoos can acted as wedding bands." Sam suggested.

"I like that."

Sam reached up and ran her fingers against Jack's tattoo that only differed from hers by a single symbol. He leaned in for a kiss that she gladly gave. After removing all of the colour and soap they stepped out of the glass and marble shower. They dried off using the fluffy round towels being held up by a silver bar.

There were six soft white robes made of some sort of thin fleece hanging in the closet of the extravagant bathroom. After donning one of the robes himself Jack slipped one over Sam's shoulders and reached around her waist to tie off the belt. He held her close for a moment and sighed contently.

Stepping out of the bathroom they were greeted with more luxury. The large open room was lined in black marble walls with silver accents and strange art. The lighting came from softly glowing orbs that were suspended from the low ceiling. The far wall had a rounded alcove that held a large soft bed with blue silk sheets.

"This is traveling in style." Jack purred.

"Part of me thought we'd be shipped over seas in a small metal box."

"Same here. I like this arrangement much better."

"It feels like we've started moving." Sam said.

"That means we are getting closer to home."

"I wouldn't mind this particular journey lasting a few days."

Jack smiled brightly and had to agree. They were currently in one of the staterooms of what they assumed was some sort of luxury ocean liner. The ship was enormous and much to Sam's amusement it was the classic saucer shape. They had boarded the ship in the guise of being disabled. They had painted their faces and hands as a precaution and had worn loose clothing with hoods. Sitting in wheelchair type devices Tai and Ser'in pushed them right up the gangplank and onto the ship. Tai had secured papers of some description for them all and as first class passengers no questions were asked.

Tai had healed from his encounter with the poachers quickly. Sam wasn't sure if his race was fast healing or if Tai had simply escaped without any broken ribs. Either way Tai was not only true to his promise, but he had them on the road and to the sea within two weeks. As of right now they still didn't have a real plan.

However Tai had supplied the pair with several maps to study on the trip over the sea. They were headed for the shores of a country just above Ketch. Sam had no way of knowing how many miles it would be from there to the pyramids since she had no way of understanding the scale of the maps. Luckily they knew exactly where they going since a picture had revealed the gigantic tree holding the Stargate was within visual distance of the pyramids.

Sam pulled Jack over towards the bed. She had been anxious during their trip onto the ship. If they had been caught out in the open like that there wouldn't have been any escape for any of them. With the danger mostly over she was getting tired. They laid down on the bed just as their was a knock at the door that adjoined the other stateroom to their's.

"Dak, Tai."

Tai entered the room and smiled. Sam and Jack sat up and smiled back at him. Tai had a silver tray with him that held a large assortment of fruits and vegetables. He brought it over to the wooden table and set it down with a flourish.

"Gala, Tai." Sam said. "This really is amazing. Thank you so much."

"Yer are welcome." Tai bowed to them both. "There is no less Tai could do."

"That's not true. Your help means everything to us."

Tai's eyes dilated in pleasure. He walked over to the alcove that held the bed and passed his hand over the wall. A blue spot started to glow and he pressed his palm against it. Sam gasped as the three solid black walls of the alcove turned transparent. Beyond the glass was the vast beauty of the alien sea. They were far below the waterline and the coral reefs and all the creatures living there were suddenly visible.

"Oh wow..." Sam breathed. "It's beautiful."

"Tai, you have seriously out done yourself."

Tai didn't seem to really understand what Jack meant, however he smiled. He made sure that their door was locked with a 'do not disturb' sign on it and ducked back into his and Ser'in's half of the large stateroom. Jack got up and retrieved the dinner offered.

"You know, not to knock Tai's views on vegetarianism...but I really want a steak right about now."

"I certainly wouldn't say no." Sam agreed.

Sam collected an armful of the pillows and moved them to the far end of the alcove so that they could prop themselves up on them and watch the ocean life go by. Laying on their stomaches they munched on the fresh fruit and vegetables. Sam was hypnotized by the large brightly coloured fish that flashed by the clear window. The seas here were full of life. The clear waters stretched out for about six hundred feet before becoming a blue hazy wall.

"Why is the ocean always some shade of blue no matter what planet we're on?"

"Because the refractive properties of light don't change." Sam replied.

"How romantic." Jack teased.

Jack nuzzled Sam's shoulder playfully and she laughed. Having finished dinner he put the tray back on the table. Joining Sam again he laid down on his side and encouraged her to do the same. Curled up together they continued to watch as the sea began to get deeper and the sea life became even stranger. The light was getting dimmer as the sauce shaped ship dove deeper. The craft moved effortlessly and silently without disturbing the waters around them.

"Friction free technology, that's amazing."

"What now?" Jack asked.

"I think that's how this ship works, I think there is a energy field around the ship that acts as a friction free surface, allowing the ship to move as easily through water as it would in space."

"Cool."

"Very."

They settled back into silence for a while and watched the world go by. There were large shark looking creatures that were chasing after smaller snakes. They even saw an animal that resembled a whale made out of glass, its transparent body shimmered with a rainbow of colours. Jack held Sam tighter.

"You know, we've had a lot of adventures, but I think this one is starting to hedge out the current top spot."

"Oh really?" Sam said. "What currently rates as Adventure Number One?"

"That honor has always been held by my very first trip through the Gate with Daniel to Abydos. Until then I thought I had the world figured out."

"The first trip really does change everything." Sam agreed.

"This one has too."

Sam smiled and rolled over in Jack's arms to kiss him. He ran his hand down her back and continued the amorous affection. When Sam's robe fell open Jack deliberately closed it again. They had both come to the decision that they couldn't afford to take any more chances until they were safely home again. Sam chuckled and pulled on the knot on Jack's belt.

"I thought we already decided against this."

"You're old fashioned, and I love that." Sam smiled. "However there are other ways to enjoy our time together."

"Madame, you are threatening the boundaries of polite society."

"I don't see any 'society' around here that we have to worry about."

Jack chuckled and rolled over to pin Sam to the sheets. She smiled brightly as he tore open the robe that he had so carefully put back in place. After an hour of less conventional love they ended up back in the shower. Back in bed the sea outside had turned dark with night, however the show wasn't over.

The alien ocean was alive with bioluminescent creatures. The flashing and blinking light show was breathtaking. Laying in each other's arms the pair fought to stay awake to enjoy the glowing patterns. Eventually a peaceful sleep claimed them both.

The trip across the ocean took a little less than a week. Although Jack and Sam both enjoyed the luxury of the room, they were both starting to suffer from a touch of cabin fever. On the last day of the journey Jack was jerked awake by the sound of retching. He automatically reached out for Sam, but she wasn't there.

"Carter?"

"Right here." Sam replied as she came out of the bathroom drying her hair. "Did I just hear someone being sick?"

Jack didn't have to reply because the noise repeated itself. At first Jack had been terrified that it had been Sam succumbing to morning sickness. However the sound was clearly coming from Tai and Ser'in's cabin. Sam stepped up to the door that divided them and knocked gently.

"Tai? Ser'in? Everything okay?"

It took a few minutes for Sam to get a response. Tai told her she could come in and she opened the door. Ser'in was being led out of the bathroom by a concerned looking Tai. He sat her down on the bed and joined her. Ser'in was in tears and wrapped her arms over her stomach.

"Dali, dali." Sorry, sorry. Ser'in whimpered.

"Kak, des dali." No, don't be sorry. Tai soothed and held her in his arms. "Ne yuni te."

Sam knew the last three words meant 'I love you'. She suddenly had a suspicion as to what was going on. Jack had caught up with Sam and came into the room. Sam walked over to Ser'in and knelt down next to her. Ser'in looked down at her and forced a smile.

"Ser'in, are you pregnant?" Sam asked rubbing her own belly for emphasis.

"Yesss."

"Congratulations."

"Tank you." Ser'in said shyly.

"Tai, what about you?"

"No, I are not, however I are happy." Tai beamed.

Sam got up and gave the pair a warm hug. Ser'in still seemed scared about this new development, however Tai was very supportive, his eyes were just slits from being so dilated. Sam took the dog tags she was wearing off and placed them over Ser'in's head. Ser'in looked at the dull metal tags and her eyes dilated, she knew how much the tags meant to Sam.

"Tank you, Sam'an'tha."

"You're welcome. Thank you for everything, but now we have to go our separate ways."

"No." Tai said firmly.

"Tai you and Ser'in can't take us into Ketch like this." Jack said.

"Ser'in will stay, I will go."

"Ta..."

"Tai promise Ketch. Promise."

"Tai, no, you can't risk..."

"Ja'ck, Saman'tha, my life is because of you. Alone in Ketch you will death."

"We can fend for ourselves."

"No. Tai take Ja'ck and Saman'tha to Ketch, to Stargate, to home."