Chapter 17
The next morning Jack found the girls in the comissary involved in discussion.
"It had like a pepita pattern", said Sam, describing something of interest.
"Meh. I don't really like pepita, I'm more of a paisley person", said Noli looking sceptical.
Jack recognized the word paisley and concluded they were actually talking about something girly.
"I used to really like it, I liked that it's strict, you know...
"Sure."
"But now, the squares just look too much like replicator blocks."
And they were back.
"Morning, ladies", Jack cut in.
"Sir."
"Pumpkin."
Sam was amused and bewildered that Jack kept letting Noli get away with her inappropriate pet names - he'd never take that level of insolence from anyone else - but he ignored it and continued: "So. Not that I think you'll be needing it but how's it going with your weapons training?"
Noli squinted an eye in disapproval of the whole thing. She had no choice though, going off world meant she had to have at least basic knowledge in how to handle firearms and her introduction to the art had begun the day before.
"Man, guns are like organised religion. But I'm doing alright, I guess."
"Organised religion?" asked Sam.
"You know... causes death and destruction..."
"Danny! T!" Jack quickly diverted the attention to the two men approaching with their breakfast trays.
"Hey, it's the Bod!" said Noli happily when she saw Daniel. Daniel gave her a quick smile as he and Teal'c sat down.
"Elle McPherson?" Jack mumbled to himself and looked around.
"I believe Elle McPherson is referred to as "The Body", and not, as Noli Brennan said, "The Bod".
Everyone stared at Teal'c for a moment.
"So, anyway." Noli turned back to Sam. "I went to get a wax this weekend."
"Yeah."
Jack and Daniel sent fluttering glances around the table. Teal'c, however, was following the conversation with stoic interest.
"And it's not a lot of work, I mean it's like a little patch, you know?"
"M-hm."
"It took - an - hour. I was, like, in pain the whole time. And now, you should see it. Just don't go to that place. I'm gonna have to do it all over myself."
Jack was trying very hard not to choke on his cereal.
"Well, I could help you if you want."
A loud cough came from Daniel's direction.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, I mean it's easier if you're two..."
"Oh yeah, when you need to get into the thing..."
Just when Jack thought the painfully misplaced girl talk had gotten graphic enough to kill him where he sat, Teal'c joined the conversation.
"Did you not instruct them to use the new brand of wax you were referring to earlier?"
Noli's answer was inaudible to Jack and Daniel, who were busy staring at the bass-voiced man. Eventually Jack spoke, as indifferently as he could muster:
"Teal'c?"
"O'Neill."
"What the hell?"
Teal'c looked around the table.
"Are we not discussing Noli Brennan's motorcycle?"
Jack slowly shifted his eyes towards Noli. She was staring at him with a bewildered look. With a small arching of her eyebrows she confirmed Teal'cs question.
"Oh", said Jack.
Noli surpressed a smirk and turned to Daniel, who was hiding his face in his hands.
"Daniel?"
Daniel made an affirming noise.
"You ok?"
He nodded.
"Can't stop laughing?"
He shook his head.
After a few seconds he opened his fingers and peeked through them at Noli. The lovely baby blue of his eyes, glittering with withheld laugher, hit her like a punch in the face and she found herself suddenly unable to track time - seconds seemed to stretch into hours while she lost herself in the depth of his gaze. The world around her faded away until all she was aware of was the feeling of falling into a wonderful, bottomless well.
After what felt like an eternity she blinked and managed to pull herself away, a bit shaken from what had just happened. She smiled nervously, looking around to find something else to hold on to so she could regain balance. Strangely, everyone else seemed to carry on as usual. What the deuce was that, she thought to herself. For a while there it had felt like looking into her friend's eyes was like looking into an alternate universe. After a few minutes of directing her attention to the discussion going on at the table she glanced back at Daniel. He looked completely normal, not showing the slightest sign that he had ever noticed what she had just experienced. Noli felt a bit relieved. So nothing weird had just happened, really, not if it was just on her behalf. There was probably an interesting explanation to it too, like dehydration. Or divine inspiration.
But as they parted to get on with the day's work and she was making her way down to the training facilities where she was being prepped for going off-world in a few days, a slight feeling of discomposure was growing in her.