LIBERTINES AND LIBERATION – FLOWER CHILD – CHAPTER 20
DISCLAIMER: I do not own any Stargate characters, ideas or themes. As a matter of fact, Stargate can have my ideas if they want them (wouldn't that be great). All standard applicable disclaimers apply to this piece. I have tried to source any materials quoted in furtherance of this story.
Spoilers: Probably some for Season 10 and beyond
Summary: Vala and Daniel centered storyline adventure (hopefully); relationship (okay yes); angst (yup); comfort; etc.
Rating: R to NC-17 in some parts.
Author's Note: This is my first Stargate fiction. I have no betas – not even a beta fish – not even sure what a beta is in fact.
There's more to follow, probably tomorrow.
This story will have multiple chapters.
I took inspiration from Milena D's Misappropriation of Lives and a short story called Believe by Random. I really wish those two authors would write more on those two story lines.
I hope for a few comments.
Flower Child
"Hello Daniel! Did you miss me?" Vala had called with a big smile as she walked up and bumped her hip into his.
Daniel didn't look at her; instead he was watching his coffee shake precariously in his cup. He knew she was making a subtle reference to her leaving before they woke up together snuggled onto his couch this morning. He'd wondered where she'd gone, but he chose to ignore it.
"Hmm? Vala when do I ever have a chance to miss you? You're always here," Daniel said still not looking at her, but raised an eyebrow anyway.
"Not ALWAYS," she pouted.
Daniel finally looked up at her. His eyes widened and an amused smile crept onto his face. She smiled at him widely -- he was a sucker for her brilliant smile – a weapon, of which even she did not comprehend the full impact.
"What are you dressed as Vala, a flower child of the 60's?" Daniel knew this cultural reference to flower children would infuriate Vala. She hated cultural references she could not put into context since she hadn't grown up on Earth and had no knowledge of underlying Earth, let alone American, culture.
To his surprise, Vala clapped her hands and said, "You caught that did you? I watched something on your television about Woodstock, and Cameron told me to watch 'Easy Rider;' and I also watched 'The Graduate' and 'Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.'" She'd given him Daniel a saucy look and a wink at this last movie about wife swapping. Daniel was getting increasingly irritated with Cameron's "bad influence" on Vala. She didn't need any more ideas than she came up with on her own.
"Actually Vala I think some of those movies are from the 70's." Daniel corrected.
"No darling, they're all from the 60's." Vala held her ground.
Daniel ignored her and asked curiously, "Who told you about Woodstock?"
"Daniel do you think you're the only person that ever bothers to teach me anything about your culture?" Vala said and stuck out her tongue.
"Vala did I ever tell you the old team and I accidentally gated to 1969?" Daniel grinned at her.
Daniel had to admit that Vala made the 60's look very enticing – and Daniel would know since he had time traveled to 1969. Vala had on white linen pants that hugged her hips. Casual roman sandals peaked out of her pants' exaggerated flair bottoms. She had an orange and pink floral scarf threaded through the belt loops of her pants. Tucked into the pants was a simple, form fitting, white tank top that hugged her curves. And Daniel was pretty sure she wasn't wearing a bra. Vala's hair was ruler straight and kept off her face with a pink scarf tied as a headband that complimented the one at her waist. She held a small white purse in one hand and big white sun glasses in the other.
The clothes were modest by Vala's standards Daniel thought. Hell, the clothes were modest by even Daniel's standards, except for the not wearing a bra part. He had to remind himself not to stare.
And then Vala had leaned in looking at what he was translating; her hair brushed his arm and he'd had to cover his stammering while he moved a note pad into his lap to hide his rising peak of interest; think baseball, mother, NANA, Daniel desperately screamed to himself.
Daniel came back to attention as Vala was peppering him with questions, "How? How'd you get back? Why I am just hearing about gate time travel? I suppose it makes sense considering that thing you told me about with all the multiple SG-1s; did you go to Woodstock?"
Daniel answered the only question he had heard clearly, "Ended up traveling with a couple that were headed to Woodstock, but no didn't go to Woodstock; had to work on getting home instead."
"You didn't go? You had the opportunity and didn't go?" Vala's said with an incredulous tone; her mouth hanging open.
"We had bigger things to worry about Vala," Daniel said defensively.
"Daniel, it was Woodstock!" Vala said emphatically and added shaking her head, "I'm going to have to work on TEACHING YOU to take advantage of the opportunities that life throws in your LAP."
Daniel took his hand and slid it over his face, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Oh, oh, you think I've missed life's opportunities?"
Vala just raised an amused eyebrow.
"Oh, God save me from your life lessons." Daniel rolled his eyes.
Daniel needed to get back on an even keel with Vala. He was drawn to her; he couldn't deny it; but he also saw how she loved these flirty, little sexual games, using him and his discomfort as a form of entertainment. He'd be an idiot to let this go further.
He needed to get her out of the SGC for a talk about the Danter City incident. Maybe if she opened up, she'd be able to put it behind her and sleep on her own. They could go back to normal.
"So I take it you're not here to work dressed like that?" Daniel asked changing the subject.
"Sam and I are going shopping today darling," Vala grinned.
"Oh that's too bad; I was thinking that we never finished our dinner out. I was going to see if you wanted to go off base for dinner tonight." Daniel had returned to his work and did not look up.
Vala arched an eyebrow and smirked, "You mean our date; we didn't finish our date."
"Vala it wasn't a date." Daniel said looking at her and pinching his fingers in the air to emphasize his point.
Ignoring him, Vala smiled and asked, "What time?"
"Be at my office at 1830," Daniel grinned, he couldn't help it seeing that smile she gave him.
"Okay darling, see you then." Vala smiled and rubbed his cheek before bounding out of his office, clearly excited about her day.
Prisoner of Broken Plans
"Sam are you ready?" Vala said excitedly.
"Oh, Vala I'm so sorry, we're not going to be able to go. I got called to consult with Commander Nelson at Area 51 ASAP." Sam said apologetically. Look, I asked Cam to find an Airman to escort you off base shopping today so that you don't miss out."
"Well, we'll have a rain voucher then right Sam?" Vala asked, disappointed, but also excited to go off base with only an Airman escort. It had never occurred to her that this was a possibility."
"A rain check, we'll have a rain check." Sam corrected gently.
Vala went to find Cameron to see what he had arranged for her shopping trip.
"Hello Princess, you look interesting," Cam smiled taking in Vala's 60's garb.
"Thank you Cameron, Sam said she talked to you about an Airman to take me off base." Vala stated.
"Yeah Princess, I'm sorry, but it's too short of notice for today. I can't find anyone." Cameron told her.
"Ahh!" Vala whined. "How about if I just go by myself, I don't know why I need a guard anyway."
"Princess, you're not cleared for unaccompanied off base activities on Earth." Cameron explained.
"What about off world? I could go off world then?" Vala asked.
"Sorry Princess, that takes some clearance too; Stargate operations aren't cheap." Cam responded.
"Cameron, am I a prisoner here?" Vala asked in a frustrated, concerned voice.
"No!" Cam yelled, but he wasn't surprised by the question, he'd been waiting for her to ask it in fact.
"Well, if I can't leave without a guard or permission, it seems like I'm a prisoner." Vala huffed, and then she added, "Teal'c goes off world when he wants."
"Teal'c didn't steal the Prometheus." Cam said, and immediately regretted it.
Vala started to open her mouth, but then shut it.
"I have a meeting; can we talk about this later?" Cam asked, he started to walk away, but then turned back and said almost as a peace offering, "Frank and Wendy are coming for a visit, and I know they'd love to see you Daisy May. Are you up for that?"
Vala put her arms over her chest and asked with a big pout on her face, "Will there be pie?"
"I'll make a special request for pie," Cam smiled at her.
"I don't need pie; I'd love to see Frank and Wendy." Vala finally smiled at Cam, "but I wouldn't say no to it if she's already planning to bake one."
Vala sat morosely in the commissary with her head resting on the side of her hand. She didn't notice when Daniel came through the door and headed to the coffee pot. Sitting down beside her, he said, "So what gives my flower child, I thought you'd be shopping with Sam by now?"
"Daniel, am I a prisoner here?"
Daniel started at the question, he looked at her face, she looked miserable. Before he could say anything, they both heard Walter Harriman over the intercom, "UNSCHEDULED OFF WORLD ACTIVATION!"
Daniel and Vala both got up immediately and headed for the gate room. "We'll talk about this later Vala," Daniel looked at her concerned, and she nodded.
General Landry was already there. He gave Vala the once over, but said nothing about her not being in uniform. The woman was not military; and it was scheduled time off for her.
"Ah, well since you two are here, why don't you sit in; Thellas is about to come through the gate." General Landry announced, "I understand that Colonel Carter is at Area 51. I've already contacted Teal'c and Colonel Mitchell."
"Do you know what this is about General?" Daniel asked.
"Laspul'gas," Landry responded.
Daniel and Vala gave each other a "what now" look as the Stargate engaged and Thellas walked into the gate room
SG-1, minus Sam, sat in the briefing room with General Landry and Thellas.
Thellas began, "I was hoping to see Colonel Carter; I've been quite concerned since the business in Danter City."
"I'm sure she'll be sorry she missed you, but she was called away this morning." Daniel said. "So is this just social, a sorry my people nearly got you raped and murdered call, or was there another purpose?" Daniel continued in a most undiplomatic fashion.
"You'll have to excuse Dr. Jackson, Thellas," General Landry jumped in, "But I think Jack O'Neal might be asking you the same question if he was here."
"Some among the Tok'ra disagree with my coming here today," Thellas began, "It was that debate that prevented my coming earlier. The Tok'ra High Council is in disagreement over the meaning of Laspul'gas' actions; they don't even agree on whether he had any involvement at all. Many are calling for an investigation."
"That's not going to do any good if the people working with Laspul'gas hold positions of power." Daniel said pointedly, he was usually more diplomatic, but his mind kept flashing on Sam kidnapped and the assault Vala suffered through as a result.
"Dr. Jackson that is precisely why I am here; I have recently made an acquaintance that may be able to provide me with the whereabouts of Laspul'gas. He requires a monetary incentive, but he also requires a face to face verification of my identity from one of your team mates, Ms. Mal Doran precisely."
"Who exactly?" Vala asked.
"He says his name is Wonk." Thellas said.
"What?" Daniel said irritated at the reference to the pet nicknames between Aton Re Van and Vala.
"And how did you run across this Wonk?" Daniel asked.
"I had traced Laspul'gas to a planet called Onwaska, only to discover a heavy kassa production run I believe by the Lucian Alliance, I was tailing Laspul'gas when I lost him; shortly thereafter, this man Wonk found me and made a proposition for information concerning Laspul'gas.
"What did this man look like?" Daniel asked.
Thellas gave a description that fit Aton Re Van.
"And he wants you to produce Vala as some sort of identification verification before he'll deal with you." Daniel said.
"Correct." Thellas stated.
"Oh this just keeps getting better and better," Daniel said looking at Cam and Teal'c as if they could stop this nonsense if they tried.
"Vala, can you explain your connection to Re Van?" General Landry asked.
Vala thought it was very unwise to discuss such matters in front of Thellas. So she answered, "An old acquaintance."
Daniel gave her a double take.
"How do we know this isn't another trap for Sam," Daniel asked suspiciously.
"We don't," Vala said, "But my gut tells me it isn't. Best leave Sam at home anyway."
"Check the situation out before we place anyone in harm's way." General Landry ordered.
"Well this place isn't Danter City, so no contacts, but we could set up some surveillance before jumping on with two feet." Vala said.
"Thellas, do you have any accommodations on the planet until we set SG-1 up with surveillance?"
"They may use my surveillance set up." Thellas offered.