Two chapters in one day, I'm obviously on a bit of a role today. I hope you like it :D This is also the longest one to date.
An hour later Jack, Daniel and Teal'c were all sat around the fire when they heard the unmistakeable sound of the transporter from Voyager. They looked up and saw that the Captain had arrived along with everyone else they had met today.
Daniel stood and went over to them while Jack turned his attention back to the fire and pocked at it some more.
It wasn't dark yet, Sam had said that it would only be dark for a couple of hours either side of midnight, so the crew of Voyager could see how the camp was set up. There were two tents side by side with the doors facing towards the fire as well as a couple of logs that looked a little rotten but that Jack and Teal'c were using as seats. "Make yourself comfortable," Daniel said as he came to a stop in front of them.
Everyone filed past him and took a seat on the logs, enjoying the warmth that the fire provided. Even though the night wasn't cold there was something soothing and safe about sitting around a fire. "Where's Sam," B'Elanna questioned once she was comfortable on one of the logs.
Jack gestured behind them, "She went swimming in the lake over there. Decided that once the fire was lit and the tents were up she was going to leave the cooking to us for a change, but she should be back in a bit. Plus," Jack added, "It's one of the few chances she's had to relax recently."
"Can I interest anyone in a cup of coffee?" Daniel questioned, holding up the pot that had just come to the boil.
"I'll take one Daniel," Jack answered, standing and walking to the tarp that was pegged to the floor. "Anyone else?" he questioned, "I need to know how many cups to find."
"I'd appreciate one," Janeway said. B'Elanna also indicated she would like a cup too along with Tom and Chakotay.
Jack nodded and began rummaging through the bags whilst asking, "Did you put on some water for Carter Danny-boy?"
"Crap," Daniel muttered, "I knew I'd forgotten something, can you pass me the kettle?"
Jack passed the kettle to Daniel and then pulled out two mugs from his bag anther two from Daniel's and then two each for Teal'c's and Sam's as well as a tea bag out of the plastic pouch in Sam's bag.
He handed all of the mugs bar one to Daniel and in the mug he had left he put the tea bag in and placed it to the side before recovering the bags. He then picked up the mug again and moved towards the fire, retaking his seat on the log beside Daniel. He placed the mug by his feet, away from the fire so that the metal didn't get heated.
Daniel quickly poured out the coffee and handed everyone who had asked for some a cup. Janeway took a sip and smiled at him, "Nice coffee."
Daniel shrugged, "This stuff is ok I guess but it's the stuff we have in our MRE's, the fresh stuff on base is so much nicer."
"You would know Daniel, you drink more of it than anyone else," came a voice from the trees.
Everyone looked up and saw Sam walking towards them, drying her hair with a towel as she walked. "Nice to see you all again," she said as she came closer.
She stopped by the tree nearest the fire and hung her towel over one of the branches before heading towards the pile of bags that Jack had recovered. She crouched and began going through hers for a minute before turning and asking Jack, "Which side am I on sir?"
"Left," Jack answered quickly.
Sam nodded and headed into the tent closest to the bags before zipping the inner door shut. Jack turned his attention back to the fire as Janeway asked, "You share with your wife?"
Jack chocked on the mouthful of coffee he had just taken as Daniel burst out laughing. Teal'c moved and smacked Jack on the back. Jack waved him away then glared at Daniel, "Don't say a word." Daniel bit his lip in an attempt to stop laughing but his shoulders continued to shake. Jack looked at the Captain, "She's not my wife, she's my second in command and we share because she won't share with Doctor wiggle butt and neither will I. Teal'c only shares with him because he spends most of the night either on watch or kelno'reeming in the corner."
Janeway looked abashed, "I'm sorry."
Jack shook his head and stared back into the fire for a moment before glanced at Daniel beside him and glared, "Seriously Daniel, it's not that funny."
Daniel shook his head, "It really is Jack." He started laughing again.
They all heard the zip go again as Sam came out of the tent and moved across to sit beside Jack. "Watch out Daniel, he might end up dead again if you're not careful."
"Again?" Janeway questioned.
Jack nodded, "Daniel has an unhealthy habit of dying and then turning up naked."
"Hey," Daniel protested, "The naked thing happened one time."
"Wait, hang on a second," Janeway said, shaking her head in confusion and she wasn't alone, the rest of her crew had much the same expressions. "Again?"
Jack nodded and then looked at Sam and raised an eyebrow Sam got the message and said, "In our universe there are aliens who can revive the dead. Three of us got killed and the Nox brought us back, Daniel got radiation poisoning and then ascended. The race that built the machine that sent us here left our universe and ascended to a higher plane of existence, they became beings of pure energy and one of them helped Daniel do the same. We have also all died a handful of times at the hand of the Goa'ulds and they brought us back using a piece of technology called a sarcophagus to bring us back."
The pot of water reached the boil and Jack picked it up before pouring the water into the mug with the tea bag. He put the pit back down and handed the mug to Sam. She took it with a smile before taking a sip.
"I thought that since you were spending the night out here you would want these back," Janeway said, gesturing to Tuvok.
Tuvok handed her a case that none of SG1 had noticed and Janeway opened it to reveal the weapons that they had relinquished in the infirmary. Jack smiled at her before pulling the case closer to him and pulling out the weapons. The threw a vest and zat to Teal'c, which the big Jaffa caught without a problem before passing Teal'c's knife to Daniel so the archaeologist could pass it on. He then dished out the remaining vest's P90's, zats, hand guns and knives.
"Thank you," Jack said to Janeway.
Janeway nodded and handed Jack the staff weapon which he stood and handed to the Jaffa. "I recognise the two fire arms from our history but the staff weapon and the other things I don't," Janeway said.
Jack nodded, "You wouldn't. The staff weapon is what the Jaffa use as a large gun while the zats are more sort of hand guns."
"They run of a liquefied form of the material that the gate is made of. The zat is a less concentrated burst of energy so the first shot stuns the second shot kills and the third shot disintegrates," Sam continued.
Everyone looked sceptical so Sam nodded to Teal'c and said, "Fire your zat three times at a rock that we can all see."
The Jaffa nodded and proceeded to demonstrate. Everyone jumped as the zat flashed across the clearing three times, making the rock he was aiming at vanish. He shut the zat and then took a seat, leaning the staff weapon against the log beside him.
"So," Jack said, breaking the silence that had descended, "Who's doing the washing up tonight?"
Sam and Daniel both groaned before all four of them said as a group, "Not it," in perfect sync.
The Voyager crew all smiled at them while Jack looked around thoughtfully, his gaze finally falling on his recently returned knife. He smiled before looking at Daniel. "Oh no. I do not like the look of that smile Jack, what are you planning?" he asked.
Jack just smiled wider, "Whoever hits furthest from the target washes the cups."
Daniel shook his head, "That's not fair; you know full well you're all better shots than me."
"How about," Sam said, "Whoever hits closest picks who washes up."
Daniel still didn't look happy but nodded anyway. Jack too nodded and the three of them turned their attention to Teal'c who inclined his head in agreement.
"And," Daniel said quickly, "If Jack gets picked he can't order Sam to do it."
Sam smiled while Jack sighed.
Happy that everyone was clear Daniel stood and said to the Voyager crew, "If you wouldn't mind, do you think that you could all go stand by the tents? Just in case."
The crew all moved quickly, intrigued by what was going on around them. Once they were standing by the tents Teal'c moved to the tree that Sam had hung her towel from. He looked back and said, "DanielJackson, could you pass me the apple that is in my pack?"
Daniel nodded and once he had found the slightly bruised apple he threw it to the Jaffa. Teal'c then placed it in a v between two branches and after she was sure that it wouldn't move if someone hit it he moved back to join the group. They stood in a line and each pulled out their knife. "This doesn't go in the report," Jack suddenly said, "The last time the General caught me throwing knives he said if it happened again he'd tell the marines who stole all their towels."
A few weeks before Jack had stolen all the towels from the locker room as a prank after two of the marine SG teams had returned from a mission to an incredibly wet and muddy planet.
Teal'c went first, his knife hitting the branch a centimetre away from the apple. "Not bad," Jack commented, "But you're slipping Teal'c."
The Jaffa inclined his head, "It has been a long time since I have thrown a knife O'Neill."
Daniel was next and he hit the other branch although there were a good few inches between the apple and where the knife had struck. Jack smirked before throwing his own. He got the apple straight through the middle of the apple.
He turned and smirked at Sam who just shook her head and drew back her hand to throw, she shut her eyes for a few seconds before she let the knife fly. Everyone watched as it span ended over end before coming to a stop, the tip dug right into the end of Jack's knife. Sam turned and smiled at the gobsmacked Colonel before he said, "You've been holding out on us Carter."
She just shrugged, "What can I say sir, math wins every time."
Everyone laughed and retook their seats as Sam walked over and collected the knives and the apple that had been sliced neatly in half by Jack's throw. As she sat she handed everyone their respective knife before offering Jack half the apple, "Spoils to the winner sir?"
He took the offered apple but said, "Oh no Carter, you won that one fair and square."
Sam smiled happily and after making sure that there was no bark on her apple she took a bite out of it.
The next chapter will be the end of the camp fire and the next day