"A xastralion? And, just what does that mean for me?" questions Jack.
"It indicates that you possess the genes of two or more Races. The five are the Tau'ri, the Nox, the Asgard, the Ancients, and the Furling. In this case, you have the Tau'ri and Ancient genes. There are other xastralions; regardless, you have a much more elevated acuity than others," responds Isteno. She's unable to look away from the specimen of Jack O'Neill.
"It's almost as if you have enrichment in your genes," says Daniel in moderation.
"I'm sure I do after being hit with blue energy, healed by the Nox, and infected with an alien organism high on the wall. That ball thingy sought me out and penetrated my shoulder," Jack grimly voices, rubbing where the sphere organism pierced through his body and into a wall in the embarkation room. None of those encounters were pleasurable, especially being blasted with a staff weapon and pronounced dead courtesy of the slimy snake. "And that's just a few things that have happened to me. It may also benefit that my mother worked on Project Giza, too. I was born in Chicago and mainly raised in Minnesota and some parts of North Africa. The list can go on and on."
"Your mother worked on Project Giza?!" rhetorically asks Sam, already knowing the answer since he just informed the group. She's not ashamed of her outburst because the likelihood of her declaring everyone's current thoughts aloud is high. Who is this person in the body of her CO? There are so many uncovered layers. "Theoretically, there's more science to it than presented, sir, but your linkage to the program runs deeper than I'm sure we'd have ever suspected."
Daniel nods, and Teal'c lifts an eyebrow.
"We should continue this conversation at the SGC, O'Neill," requests Teal'c. He's got a point. More unrevealed information about their team's head links with his current unfavorable circumstances with anyone through the Galaxy to have on Cyria. Back Earthside, they'll need a thorough sit-down and a sit-rep. What he does know, though, is that he made the right decision to aid O'Neill and his passe with their escape from capture and join forces with the original 'gate traveler.
"Yes," says Jack, sucking his teeth with a scowl, "let's do that." He's undoubtedly not looking forward to being the center of conversation at Command. Some things are to be left unsaid, and he'll ensure it. No amount of poking and prodding will earn his confession. All high credit to SERE.
"Earlier, I sent a 672 to Command, sir," declares Sam.
Sighing, Jack nods, tilting his head upwards and delivering a three-tap on his thigh, his brown tone lit under fluorescent lights. It's too late to revert the action. He respects her because he knows she did it out of spite to support him, yet the influence of that judgment is the opposite.
This can get ugly, on Earthside and off-world.
Where's Kawalsky when you need him? Can he be revived? Though Jack doesn't need a counterpart to get the job done, the two formed as one and reigned Hell alongside each other. The following person in line is Teal'c, but perhaps he's healed from his past manners.
"Isteno," says Jack, almost with a whine that's masterful to him. While defending himself one-versus-three, he almost forgot that he is off-world and the sweet Cyrian woman is present. He hopes that she has anything to get him away from this headspace. A change of scenery, maybe. It doesn't matter. Doh. "Let's get on with it, shall we?"
Isteno smiles and nods, walking to the security hand-pad and placing her hand on the indentation. The pad switches from red to green, and the door raises. She moves to the side of the door and motions for SG-1 to enter.
The colonel strolls into the ominous room first. The neon lights matching the ones that the characters above the door are inscribed in activates, almost as if tracking his movements as he roams the room. The floor grating squeaks as Teal'c, Sam, then Daniel joins him, and the latter man decides to ramble in the opposite direction of his team, engulfed in darkness. There's nothing exceptional about the room besides it being immense and lined with pods. To the left of Jack is a solid table with new characters above it. He examines them momentarily; he removes his weapons, GDO, and other electronics and whatnots and places them on the table. His team follows his actions, and Sam withers as she watches him essentially comprehend the inscription.
From the entranceway, Isteno secretly beams as she surveys SG-1's movements, especially the colonels, as he unknowingly reads the Cyrios language. He is indeed a xastralion, though there is more to it.
"Alright, Jack O'Neill and companions," begins Isteno, pushing off the wall she's leaning on near the door and entering the room completely. She gestures around the room, saying, "Please choose seating."
The inner-child of the colonel emerges as he dashes to a center pod on the far wall. He sits in the seat with straps dangling about, his thighs flexing as he kicks his legs back and forth. Teal'c and Daniel sit in the pod seats on the left and right wall; Sam sits on the side with her CO, but she leaves four spaces open between them since they're off-world, and he's sir, and she's Carter.
"You know, Isteno," comments Jack as he releases a content breath, pleased to be off his feet, "you don't have to refer to me by my full name. It makes me feel as though I'm being reprimanded."
The Cyrian chuckles as she makes her rounds to secure the straps on the chair of the pods. "It is your full name, is it not?"
Sam chortles and lowers her head at the question, not wanting to meet eyes with her leader. Did Jack walk himself into this one? The man in question makes a facial expression, replying, "Eh, kind-of. I have a first name, but few address me with it."
At Daniel's pod, the axmin pauses with the equipment in her right hand and raises her head to look at him. "What is it, if you don't mind my asking?"
Teal'c, Daniel, and Sam silently turn their heads to look at him. Oh, boy. The colonel's eyes are trained on Isteno, his expression hidden behind a curtain, and his team isn't sure if he'll respond to the innocent question. Sam is uneasy and debating whether sitting so close to him is a good idea.
There's a beat or two more, then: "Jonathan."
There's no emotion behind the response. Jack utilizes one of his breathing processes, his chest slowly rising and down. His brown eyes roam the room, first at Carter to his left, then where Teal'c and Daniel are sitting, and, finally, back on Isteno.
The Cyrian drops the equipment and carefully strides to stand before the colonel. She moves gradually and leaves enough space between herself and him, not wanting to alarm him. They have a silent exchange, and Daniel softly clears his throat and squirms in his seat.
"May I call you Jonathan?" softly asks Isteno, her hands clasped on her lower abdomen.
Teal'c lifts an eyebrow so high that his gold insignia almost disappears. He has nothing to say and doesn't know what he'd say if he did have something to say. Daniel is astonished that he's frozen. Sam's blue eyes are big and round, almost resembling the size of suns on other planets.
That's a million-dollar question if they've ever heard one.
Finally, after beats of quietness: "Sure, why not," he responds, though not as a question. He watches as the Cyrian accepts his answer, her cheeks growing outwards and her mild dimples emerging. So far, he has felt nonthreatened by Isteno, and something about her makes him feel at ease. Not so much as when he's topside and away from the Mountain, drinking his renowned Guinness; desiring a military-less life with Carter and no pesky regulations between them; or when he's out with Teal'c, but close. She's . . . cool . . . to him. He doesn't know how to explain it.
This may be the first society he favors besides the Abydosians, Noxians, and Asgardians. His first impression of the dark-skinned woman is acceptable, and he hopes the feeling remains as he meets more of the Cyrian people.
The campers are so bewildered right now that it feels like insanity.
A/N: Here comes some bad science, LOL. JO's mother working on Project Giza = From RDA. JO residing in Africa during childhood = An idea from an episode of MacGyver!