Daughter
Chapter 49 – Special
Reynolds's daughter ran over to him in the backyard. He was seated in an Adirondack chair, casually conversing with Jack. The General smiled softly as he watched the girl whisper a question into her father's ear. He hadn't seen the kid since she was a baby, newly born around the time Reynolds had joined the SGC. He marveled at how big the Colonel's youngest had gotten.
Reynolds sighed and looked over at Jack. "She's asking if we can have Gracie open her gift from us early, so she can show her how to use it." He shook his head, clearly not in complete agreement with the idea but feeling compelled to present it anyway.
Jack chuckled. He looked at Reynolds's daughter. "Sure. Bring Elda, too. I'll bet she'd like to see it."
The girl glanced over at the woman in question. She knew Elda was one of her dad's newest teammates. And she knew she liked her and wanted to be around her. She nodded enthusiastically at Jack's suggestion. She looked at her own father for final approval.
Reynolds let out a breath. "Alright. You remember where it is?" The girl nodded. He waved a hand back toward the house. "Go ahead." She darted off.
Meanwhile, Gracie was attempting to demonstrate to Elda how to throw a frisbee. A few party guests were watching with amusement. Elda's laughter could be heard over everyone's conversation and the Oldies radio station blasting in the background.
"Your kid's got ideas," Jack commented.
"Yah. Self-serving ideas disguised as gifts to others."
Jack laughed aloud. He could tell Reynolds's little girl wanted Gracie to open that gift so she could play with it herself. He tucked away that example of conniving manipulation for future reference. He hadn't gotten to raising a girl of her age yet. They essentially pressed the 'Skip' button and went straight from age three to twenty with Elda.
Daniel groaned as he dropped into the seat on the other side of Reynolds. He leaned forward and sipped from a newly-opened beer bottle. "You guys good?"
Reynolds tipped his half-empty bottle toward him. "I'm good. Thanks."
Jack did the same. "Just peachy."
Daniel nodded. His gaze was drawn to Reynolds's daughter running over to Gracie and Elda with a brightly-colored gift in hand. "How old is she, Mal?"
"She's eleven."
"Holy cow," Daniel said. "Not a baby anymore, huh?"
Reynolds chortled. "Nope."
"You and the wife are done, right?" Jack asked. He took another swig of beer. "Four sounds like… a lot."
"Believe me. We're done. We were supposed to be done like two kids ago."
Jack laughed again. Daniel shook his head. They watched as the young girls settled at an outdoor table to open Gracie's new gift. The birthday girl jumped up and down excitedly as she gazed at a new bracelet-making kit. Carolyn, Vala, and Teal'c drew closer to see. Sam was already hovering over the girls, snapping pictures with a digital camera. Carolyn held two glasses of wine, one for her and the other for Sam while she was busy. Meanwhile, Cameron and Hank were chatting near the grill. The rest of SG-3 were huddled together, getting to know Crawford's girlfriend.
Reynolds astutely observed that Vala only held a bottle of water this time. She was usually a loud champion of wine. He glanced sideways at Daniel and raised his brow.
Jack noticed this and smirked.
"Anything new, Jackson?" the Colonel asked casually.
Daniel was simply watching the others. "Nope." He took a swig of beer.
"Sure about that?"
Daniel turned to him now. He could see the cloud of friendly suspicion on Reynolds's face. He ducked his head with a smile. "Well…"
"Might as well, Dannyboy," Jack encouraged.
He blew out a breath. Then he grinned as he admitted, "Don't say anything. But we're expecting."
Reynolds reached out to pat him on the shoulder. "How 'bout that. Joining our club. Congrats."
"Yah. Thanks. Got any advice?" Daniel asked with a smile.
"Demand that every boy have 'em home before dark," Reynolds replied automatically.
Jack chuckled amusedly. Daniel sent a meaningful look the General's way, as if he should be listening to that advice, too.
"And if it's a boy?" Daniel queried. "I know you have one of those."
"Yep. I do. He's my only back-up in a house full of estrogen."
They laughed. "So?" Daniel prompted.
"I got nothing. Just try to survive."
Daniel tipped his beer towards Reynolds with a grin. "Duly noted. Thanks." He shifted in his seat uncomfortably. There was a weight in his pocket itching to get out.
"Who else have you told?" the Colonel asked curiously.
"Just the family. SG-1, Jack, Sam. Carolyn obviously. And General Landry."
"What about Vala's sister?"
"Oh yeah, she knows, too."
Reynolds nodded. So he would refrain from mentioning this in front of the men on his team. For now. Easy enough. He understood why some people hesitated to announce a pregnancy when it was still in its early stages. All kinds of bad things were known to happen. Sometimes people just wanted to deal with all that in private. It was a pretty common way to behave.
"You know who else has advice?" he offered.
"Who?"
"Dixon."
Daniel tilted his head in thought. "He's got a lot of kids, too, right?"
"Four, just like me. He's got stories. Loads of 'em."
"He has legendary insight regarding the miracle of birth," Jack quipped. This made Reynolds laugh.
Daniel smiled along with them. "I'll have to find him then." He chuckled. "Thanks."
"Jack!" Sam called. "Let's do cake!"
Her husband jumped into action, standing quickly at the mention of cake. But then he stopped short, leaning as his knees screamed at him in protest. He groaned a little.
Daniel smirked at him. "Come on, old man," he goaded.
Jack pointed with his near-empty bottle. "Shut your trap, Lover Boy."
Reynolds laughed heartily at their banter. It had the marines looking over at him in interest. Elda also glanced up at the rare sound. She spied her father, looking comically in pain, and realized why he was entertained. She grinned. So they were friends, she concluded. Old friends. Perhaps that's why her father gave his blessing for her to work with him. And maybe that's why he was extra cross with Reynolds before, when one of his escort missions had ended up with her hurt. Even though that was Jasuf's fault, not his.
She marveled at how much had happened since then.
Her mothers coordinated the rest of the activities, bringing the party guests together to sing Happy Birthday to Gracie. She was able to blow out the pink candle on her cake independently. The child clapped in delight as everyone cheered. Sam and Vala handled the cake, making sure Gracie was served first, and Jack second. Then everyone watched as the child opened the remainder of her presents. The backyard was soon littered with ripped-up bits of wrapping paper. The men of SG-1 dutifully picked it all up while Gracie got distracted with her new toys.
Elda stood at ease next to Sam, enjoying an extra serving of cake. Sam smiled sideways at her obvious O'Neill quality.
"Why did you invite SG-3?" the younger blonde wondered. "Not that I'm complaining."
Sam shrugged as she watched the party. "When you get accepted onto an SG-team, it's like gaining a new family. Thought it might be nice to include them."
Elda smiled around her bite of cake. "That's kind of sweet."
"So is that cake," Sam retorted, pointing at her slice. She shook her head. "Vala really picked out the most sugary-option available. Gawd."
Her daughter happily swallowed another bite. "I think it's perfect."
"You really must be your father's daughter," Sam said drily. They shared a smile.
Crawford's girlfriend, Chelsea, gestured at the pair from across the patio. "So, she's the new girl, right?"
Her boyfriend answered, "Yeah."
"And her sister is…" Chelsea pointed with her beer bottle toward one of the raven-haired women chatting away with other party guests. "…her?"
"Right," Smith answered.
"So is that other blonde her mom?" she asked curiously. It wasn't making a whole lot of sense to her. The dark-haired one and the older blonde could have been the same age.
Crawford and Smith shared a look. Baker's eye twitched. "Uhhhh…" they all intoned together.
Chelsea looked at all of them funny.
Crawford tilted his head. "It's a sensitive topic," he said cryptically.
"Yeah," Smith agreed.
"They get testy whenever someone brings it up," Baker explained. "It's like a super weird coincidence that Elda looks like Colonel Carter. We've learned it's one of those 'non-issues.'"
"Non-issue?"
The three marines nodded emphatically, as if they were afraid to even be discussing the topic. Chelsea quirked a brow and remained confused. But she decided to let it go. She simply observed as the little girl's father joined the two blondes. Eventually the elder blonde stepped away to chat with the other General among the partygoers.
Everyone continued to chat casually until a commotion caught their attention.
Daniel was getting down on one knee before Vala.
The other women, including Elda, covered their mouths as their eyes widened at the scene.
Chelsea grabbed Crawford by the collar and made them all draw closer. Her hand remained firmly gripped on his shirt as they watched, open-mouthed.
"Vala, you are everything to me," Daniel declared loud enough for everyone to hear.
She stared down at him, eyes shining. She was quietly trembling. And she was completely caught off-guard. She and Teal'c were just discussing something about Puddle Jumper 1. Daniel interrupted and surprised her with this. She loved it.
"Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" His smile was laced with obvious devotion to her. The diamond on the ring he held up was gigantic and glittering in the light that filtered through the trees.
"That thing is huge!" Chelsea exclaimed in a whisper.
Smith squeezed his eyes shut briefly, trying not to laugh out loud and ruin Dr. Jackson's moment. He settled for hitting Crawford's arm meaningfully. Crawford swallowed, trying very hard to ignore his annoying friend.
Elda blinked rapidly, simply delighted to be witnessing another proposal. She glanced at Teal'c and caught his gaze. They inclined their heads toward each other.
Sam and Hank stood together with rapt attention. Cameron tightly hugged Carolyn's waist while they watched with smiles on their faces. Jack wrapped an arm around Elda's shoulder as they observed the couple, waiting for Vala's answer. Reynolds didn't fail to notice this. His eye twitched. He glanced over at Baker to share his observation, but the Lieutenant was distracted by the proposal.
Vala's hands reached down to cup Daniel's face. She smiled adoringly at him. "Yes! Of course I will!"
He grinned. Then he slipped the ring onto her left fourth finger. It fit perfectly. He stood up and Vala jumped into his arms. They kissed each other with passion.
The crowd cheered and began clapping. Little Gracie had no idea what happened, but she jumped up and down with them in celebration. Then she pointed at Daniel and Vala. "Eww!"
The pair separated and looked down at her in amusement. The partygoers laughed.
The door to the apartment shut softly. Carolyn sighed as she dropped keys into the dish on the counter. "I'm so glad he did this before I left. I would have killed him if he didn't wait for me to come back."
Cameron rolled his eyes. "I have a better idea. How 'bout you don't leave at all?"
She turned to him. "Cam," she whined. "Let's not start."
He raised his palms up. He pulled his wallet out of his pocket and placed it on the counter near the small bowl for their keys. Then he dropped himself onto the couch. There was a little time to kill before she needed to report to base. Before she had to galivant half-way across the galaxy.
She settled into the spot next to him easily, shimmying into the crook of his arm. They simply stared ahead at the blank TV across from the couch. Carolyn let her head rest on his shoulder. "The gray car needs an oil change tomorrow. Appointment is already set."
"I saw it on the calendar. I'll take care of it."
"Lydia from 4B invited us over for Saturday. I haven't had a chance to tell her we'll be out of town."
"Really? Invited us for what?"
"I think she's having a little party to celebrate something. Maybe one of her son's new promotions? I dunno."
"If I see her, I'll let her know."
For a few more moments, they remained silent, just simmering in the tension of her impending departure. Carolyn knew he was unhappy about it, but she also felt it was imperative that she do this.
Something about this whole situation was bothering her on a deeper level than she'd ever felt before. Here on Earth, there were strict rules and protocols to follow when using human test subjects in research studies. Protections were supposed to be in place to ensure volunteers didn't suffer undue harm for the furtherment of science. There were already too many tragic injustices to count from the past. Most scientists now were willing to engage in ethical practices to get the answers they were seeking.
But that possibly part-Furling scientist? He didn't seem to care about any of that. Nor did he care that most of his victims were subjected to extreme levels of suffering from unnatural genetic tampering. It was truly disturbing to her. And she'd seen some shit in her time as CMO for the SGC.
Carolyn didn't think she'd feel any peace until she found actual relief for those Jaffa. The only problem was, she wasn't one hundred percent confident that she ever would.
"For what it's worth," Cameron said, cutting through the silence, "if anyone's going to figure this out, it'll be you."
She sat up a little to look him in the eye. His hand remained wrapped around her upper arm. She saw confidence in his expression. He might be mad at her, but he wasn't letting it get in the way of his unwavering love. Carolyn felt relieved by that.
She cupped her hand around his neck and leaned in to kiss him chastely. "Thank you, Cam. That means a lot."
He leaned his forehead to hers. "I'm coming after you," he said with warning.
She smiled. "Oh I know you will."
"Best believe Reynolds is going to get a smack-down if anything happens to you."
She only grinned at this, enjoying his protectiveness. She'd forgotten how nice it was to have someone stick up for her. She was so used to having to do it for herself. Carolyn once thought her ex-husband would have filled that role. But he had long ago proven unworthy. By a mile.
Yep. Cam was better.
She shifted her weight to show him so. Carolyn placed herself on his lap and kissed him hard. His hands automatically dropped to her hips as he responded. If these would be their last moments alone for a while, she had better make them worth it.
Cameron didn't mind.
When the wormhole activated, a group of Jaffa guardsmen stood ready before the gate on Tek'ron. Jasuf was front and center. Their weapons were held at ease. Their stances were somewhat relaxed.
Crawford and Smith passed through first, carrying a heavy case between them. They nodded respectfully toward the Jaffa as they headed right for the Firefly to load cargo. "'Sup, man," Crawford called out. The ship sensed their presence and opened its hatch.
Reynolds and Baker followed with smaller cases. One box had an open top and appeared to be filled with food. "Jasuf," Reynolds greeted. The Jaffa inclined his head, allowing the leader to continue on.
Four more individuals passed through the gate now. The wormhole dissipated behind them.
"Old buddy!"
Jasuf smiled. "Rick of Earth." He laughed heartily as Jack stepped forward to grasp his forearm, Jaffa-style.
The General clapped him on the back congenially. "How are you?" he said with a friendly tone. The Jaffa guardsmen behind Jasuf remained expressionless.
"I am well. It is good to see you." He turned his gaze toward the others. "Master Teal'c. Elda." He let go of Jack and then bowed before Carolyn. His men now followed. "DoctorLam."
She blinked and smiled hesitantly. "Jasuf," she said, not having ever spoken to him directly before. She unconsciously shifted the weight of her dufflebag strap on her shoulder.
"Our people would like to thank you for your efforts to help our unfortunate brothers and sisters. You honor us with your dedication. You are now considered a hero among us."
Carolyn's mouth dropped open. She glanced at Jack, who grinned proudly at this proclamation.
"Nice," he complimented. "Your pops will be hearing about this."
She felt her face flush with embarrassment. She wasn't the sort to relish in this sort of recognition. All she wanted to do was her job.
Elda and Teal'c smiled widely behind her. Elda carried her own dufflebag. She was bringing the extra station clothes that she, Crawford, and Smith owned.
"Thank you," the doctor said respectfully toward the Jaffa. "I hope the refugees can hang on until I figure something out."
"You have provided them with ample supplies of medicines to ease their pain. They will endure," Jasuf promised her reassuringly. "We will continue to care for them in your absence."
She took in a deep breath and let it out, trying to draw some optimism from that. Elda was right. The Jaffa she'd been treating were much better off among their own kind. It wasn't unlike humans who recovered better when supported by family. Colonel Reynolds was a recent example.
The doctor smiled. She made an attempt to incline her head with respect toward the Jaffa, as she'd watched Elda and Teal'c so often do.
They seemed to be satisfied with her attempt, bowing their heads back kindly.
Jack laid a hand on her shoulder. "Godspeed, Doc."
Carolyn briefly placed her hand over his. "Thank you." She took that as her cue to board Elda's ship.
Elda dropped her bag to the ground and stepped forward to hug Jasuf. They shared a brief kiss.
"You will take care not to place yourself in harm's way," he instructed with hands around her waist.
Jack chuckled at his warning, having told her something similar back at the SGC.
Elda couldn't see it, but she could feel her father smirking. She pointed at him without looking. "Shush."
Jack bared his hands outward.
She kissed Jasuf more fully now, neverminding their audience. "As you say, my love," she finally responded. She leaned back to take a good look at him before she had to leave.
Then she pulled away and addressed the men. "Jaffa," she said with meaningful respect in her tone. Elda bowed low to them.
"Lady Elda," they all responded together, bowing in kind. She made eye contact with each of them, knowing every one of their names. They were her brothers now. They all knew it and agreed.
Jasuf regarded the exchange with satisfaction and pride. It simply felt right. He accepted one more brief kiss from Elda, then let her go. He didn't feel the same apprehension over her departure as he used to. He trusted her to make every effort to return home to him. She was more than worth waiting for.
Elda turned around to hug her father and Teal'c. They whispered words of luck to her and let her board her ship. They already had chances to say proper goodbyes on Earth. The Jaffa and single human watched as the Firefly's hatch whined closed and the vessel lifted up off the ground. The group moved to the space behind the DHD to give Elda room to maneuver. She waved enthusiastically at them through the forward port. Colonel Reynolds seemed to be inhabiting the co-pilot's seat next to her. He raised a brief hand in goodbye.
As the ship rotated to face the gate, the DHD lit up with an address being dialed. The Firefly flew straight through a new wormhole and disappeared.
Once the event horizon dissipated, Jack turned toward the Jaffa. "So," he started.
"GeneralO'Neill. Master Teal'c," Jasuf said with formality. "We invite you to join us for a meal in our village. My father has a few matters to discuss."
This was all planned. Jack waved a hand toward the forest. "Please. Lead the way."
"Hey, Doc," Reynolds called from his seat up front. "You wanna see?"
Carolyn looked over. She glanced inquisitively at Baker across from her, who nodded his head encouragingly. "Go ahead. It's safe to move about," he said. She unhooked herself from the harness and meandered over to the pilot's compartment. She noted that the ship's artificial gravity was comparable to the Hammond's. There didn't seem to be any danger of her suddenly floating around the cabin, like she heard could happen here without functioning upgrades.
Elda felt her aunt's hand grip the seat back behind her. She craned her neck to smile up at her.
Carolyn's eyes were wide, taking in the heads-up displays as they spit out information in Goa'uld. Elda seemed quite at ease piloting the ship. She was making it look easy. When the doctor gazed outward, she could see the blackness of space through the forward port. The ship seemed to be rotating because a beautiful gas giant suddenly came into view. It glowed brightly as the light of a local star reflected off its pleasant blue and green swirls.
"Gorgeous view," she breathed out.
"That it is," Reynolds agreed. "I bet you don't get to see this much everyday."
"No, indeed not."
Elda raised up a hand to point. "If you look there, you can see the space gate we just came through."
Carolyn leaned forward to squint. "Oh wow. So that's the shortcut you were talking about?"
"Yes. Same one SG-1 used when they went to the station. It removed about 1-2 hours off their journey. Wish I had thought to do that," Elda complained to herself.
"We won't need to make as many stops as they did, either," Reynolds remarked. "SG-1 already dropped a buoy half-way through. We can use it to maintain regular communication with home base the entire way along."
"Sounds perfect, then."
"You know, Colonel, I have a feeling they attracted the attention of pirates with that thing."
Reynolds now turned his head to look at Elda with exasperation. "What."
"Well, the idea just came to me. When the boys and I flew on our own, we had no problems. I just realized the difference between our trip and SG-1's might have been their efforts to communicate with Earth."
"We need to maintain contact," Reynolds pointed out.
Carolyn glanced between them.
"Right. But what if that is what captured the fancy of the three Al'kesh that reportedly chased them? They likely detected the signal and used it to home in on Puddle Jumper 1."
Reynolds groaned. He brought out the commands for the DHD.
"What are you doing?"
"Telling Earth what you just said before we get too far out. We're going radio silent until we safely reach the station," he declared. "Last thing we need is a run-in with pirates."
Elda shrugged. "Okay," she said nonchalantly. She simply kept flying the ship. She refrained from jumping them into hyperspace so that Reynolds could complete his call.
Carolyn quirked a smile at them. She recognized the frustration her niece had so innocently triggered in Reynolds. It wasn't unlike the way Vala often annoyed Cam. They were really two peas in a pod. It was hilarious to her. The doctor patted their chairs. "I'll leave you guys to it. Just let me know if there are any medical emergencies."
Reynolds waved a hand at her, now in the middle of making radio contact with the SGC through the space gate.
"Tell your dad we don't need any fancy ceremonies or anything for dinner. It's just me and good ol' Teal'c here."
Jasuf quirked a brow toward Jack as they reached the edge of the settlement. "An informal meal?" he clarified.
"Yeah. Sure. However you wanna refer to it. We're simple guys. All we need is some food, drink, and conversation. Right, T?"
The Jaffa in question inclined his head with obvious amusement in his expression. "Indeed," he agreed readily.
Jasuf tilted his head. "If that is your preference, then we will accommodate it." He raised his communicator to his mouth to call ahead. He ordered the minders to move the food that had been prepared to the regular eating hut. They were originally ready to host Jack and Teal'c in the governance hut. It possessed a private space in the back that served as his father's residence. There was room there to host official state visits.
Jasuf's instruction came with a silent command to make certain there was space for this impromptu meal in the common eating area. A few Jaffa lingering over their drinks would likely be ushered out to make room.
Meil'nor stood waiting outside of the hut when they arrived, having overheard his son's orders. "Jasuf."
"Father," his son announced, "GeneralO'Neill and Master Teal'c."
"Welcome," Meil'nor said, grasping forearms with them. "Thank you for agreeing to meet."
"Ahh, it's no problem. I was in the neighborhood," the General responded casually.
Jasuf shared a small smile with Teal'c over his nonchalance. The younger Jaffa had gotten to know this human when they were kidnapped together. He was unsurprised by his aversion to formalities. He, in fact, found it amusing. Jack possessed a certain charm that reminded him of Elda.
Meil'nor gestured toward the hut. "Please."
They all filed in. The Jaffa inside noticed their Tribe Father's rare presence and stood immediately in deference. Meil'nor bowed his head, allowing them permission to return to their meals. A few of the guardsmen who were there sent questioning looks Jasuf's way. He merely tilted his head toward the human guest among them. Jasuf turned to the remainder of the escort and dismissed them early from duty. A new patrol was already in place to monitor the forest.
Meil'nor and Jasuf settled onto one side of a table. Jack and Teal'c sat across from them. Minders placed bowls of food at one end. Everyone served themselves while Jaffa placed drinks in front of them. Jack had been coached by Teal'c to wait until a blessing was made over the food before digging in. They went through that motion and began to chow down.
As he munched, Jack looked up at the two Jaffa before him. "So… how goes it?"
Meil'nor sent a quiet look toward his son. He received a smile of encouragement in return. It would seem this General's personality was indeed relaxed, as Jasuf tried to explain. He'd only met him once for a handful of hours. It did not compare to the time his son spent kidnapped with him. "We are well, GeneralO'Neill."
"Jack."
"I am sorry?"
"You can call me Jack."
Teal'c raised a brow toward his friend. His smile told Meil'nor that this was unsurprising. "I address him as O'Neill," he offered as an alternative.
Meil'nor bowed his head. "I feel that is preferable. O'Neill," he repeated, testing out the human's surname without a title in front of it. It felt strange to the old Jaffa.
Jack just shrugged in acceptance. He didn't seem to care either way. Jasuf found himself even more entertained. Now he was seeing Elda's reluctance to accept her own title reflected in her father. Everything seemed to make more sense now.
"I have invited you here to offer our formal gratitude for EldaMalDoran's service to the Jaffa. Her recent actions have been met with great pride by our village."
The General paused to regard Meil'nor. He smiled proudly. He shared a look with Teal'c, who also seemed to share in his pride. "Why, thank you, Meil'nor." Jack suddenly adopted a cautious look. "It is okay if I call you just Meil'nor, right?" he hazarded.
The tribe leader inclined his head. "Of course. We are allies."
"That we are. And yes, Elda's special, isn't she."
"Agreed," Jasuf responded.
Jack's eyes twinkled at this. He could tell his daughter was in good hands while she was here. Unlike Mitchell, he had no reservations about this young Jaffa she had chosen. He had a chance to evaluate him before he even realized the guy needed evaluating. Jasuf earned Jack's approval well before he figured out his daughter was with him. He probably couldn't have picked better than him, if he were to be given the choice.
"In light of our gratitude," Meil'nor continued, "I trust you are aware that she has been afforded a title here among us."
Jack tilted his head side to side. "I might have heard a little something about that. Thought that was a joke."
"Perhaps at first it was used in jest," Meil'nor admitted. "But her continued demonstrations of loyalty required that we formalize what was already bestowed upon her with affection by our warriors."
"There is no greater honor here," Jasuf emphasized.
Teal'c smiled at this, recognizing the younger Jaffa's devotion to his human niece. Ishta seemed to have been right in allowing their courtship to proceed. She could have put a stop to it if she wanted to. Instead, she cunningly saw the advantage of letting one of her Hak'tyl warriors woo the mighty son of Meil'nor. The result was nothing short of miraculous, in terms of benefits to both tribes on Tek'ron.
So much had been accomplished simply by allowing Elda the space to form her own identity on this world. He felt vindicated in convincing Jack to let her spend time here in the first place.
"You know, I'm not familiar with the title she earned. Well, not the way it's used among Jaffa, anyway. What exactly does it mean to you folks?" Jack asked curiously. Any titles of adulation he'd ever observed them use toward female humans were always references to queens. And those humans were Goa'uld hosts. This case seemed uniquely different.
"It has been decided between myself and the Hak'tyl leader that her station now allows her to take on leadership in times of distress for our tribe."
Jack blinked. "You mean, she's going to be…" He looked left then right. "…in charge?"
"That is the intent. She has shown great potential, O'Neill. We feel it must be fostered."
The General shot a questioning look toward Teal'c. His Jaffa friend remained expressionless, apparently not wanting to influence his opinion on the matter.
Jack gestured in the air above the table. "When you say 'distress,' you mean…"
"When neither my father nor I are available to lead the tribe, Elda will be asked to step in," Jasuf answered, realizing that Jack expected someone to finish his sentence. He'd learned that about him back on the Ha'tak when they were kidnapped.
"Wow." Jack seemed to consider the gravity of that responsibility quietly. "Question. Is she bumping anybody out of the chain of command? No one's going to take offense to our dear little Elda taking over?" He seemed concerned for his daughter's standing among the people in the village. Meil'nor realized now that this General was indeed deserving of his status as a great leader on Earth. Good leaders always genuinely cared for the thoughts of their people, down to the lowest ranked and seemingly least important.
"No," Meil'nor responded. "Jasuf has been my only successor. He chooses a few trusted guardsmen to speak for him when he cannot. But there is no formal leadership role beyond his. The warriors are well aware of this."
"The warriors raised her station themselves," Teal'c reiterated.
"Right, right," Jack acknowledged. He brought a hand up to rub his chin in thought. Then he waved it around again aimlessly as he spoke. "Welp, that's really nice of you to think of her like that. Thanks."
Jasuf looked at his father, encouraging him to continue. He was honest with him about Elda's reservations. He clearly explained that it would be selfish of them to interfere with her time on SG-3. She should be considered a stand-in of last resort. He was ready to argue for this, but his father saw reason and agreed easily.
"O'Neill, there may be times that our distress overlaps with her duties for Earth."
Jack pointed a finger in the air. "Ahhhhhh, that's why we're here. You're asking permission to use her if you need her." He leaned back a little in his seat, thinking on it. He took a sip of the drink that had been placed before him. Jack looked down to regard the cup thoughtfully. "I tell you what. I'll put in standing orders to allow her to be interrupted, if it's safe to do so. We'll let her commanding officer know." He coughed now. "I'm hoping this will be rare?"
"Indeed. This is not an arrangement we take lightly. We respect her obligations to your planet. In truth, we honor them. If it were not for those duties, she would not have liberated the refugees we now care for. Her work out in the galaxy is equally important, if not more. It would be foolish of me, however, not to call upon her when we are in need. She is too loyal and well-intentioned to ignore. I am confident that she will make a fine leader. Our people already regard her with much respect."
Jack let out a breath, in complete awe of what his daughter had accomplished. She could have an entire tribe of Jaffa at her command, if it came down to it. She had an entire planet ready to back her up. Simply amazing.
The General smiled. "I appreciate your consideration, Meil'nor. She's a special girl. It's almost like there isn't enough of her to go around," he quipped.
Teal'c laughed loudly. They had just left the four-year-old version of her behind on Earth. All she needed to do was grow up and they would have their extra copy ready to go.
Jack grinned. He looked back at the others. "Anything else?"
"I trust that my son has delivered our other message of gratitude toward your healer."
"Yup, that he did. That's really nice of you, too. I'm planning to pass the message along to her father, General Hank Landry. He'll be mighty proud."
The two Jaffa nodded in thanks.
"How likely is your healer to find relief for our refugees?" Meil'nor asked.
Jack grit his teeth. "We have a saying on Earth: 'It's a long-shot.' Means it's not likely, but it's worth trying anyway. I will say, Dr. Lam's pretty determined to give it a go. Something about this whole thing has her spooked."
"Earth seems to produce many women capable of great accomplishment," Jasuf commented.
Jack smiled, now thinking of Sam. "No doubt about it."
Elda was allowed a break from piloting after a handful of hours. She initiated autopilot and let Baker inhabit her seat. Reynolds remained in the co-pilot's chair. The two commanders agreed to switch seats every mission, so that they both could get comfortable with the commands on either side of the console.
Now Elda lounged in the back with the rest of SG-3 and Dr. Lam. She was busy munching on a piece of fruit. She regarded Smith with an amused smile.
"What."
She shook her head as she chewed. "Nothing."
Carolyn looked between them, sensing banter coming on. She sat back to enjoy the show.
Crawford grinned. "He's got this look on his face."
"Oh yeah," Elda said as she swallowed a bite. "He's got plans."
Smith let out a quiet breath now. He just needed to let them get it out of their systems. At some point they would get bored of him and move on to something else. He just had to wait them out.
Crawford squinted at his buddy. "I predict something between barely-restrained hug and immediate bang."
Elda wheezed as she began to laugh. Her head lolled back briefly. The half-eaten fruit shook in her hand.
Smith groaned. Crawford grinned more.
Carolyn simply watched them, having no idea what they were talking about, but enjoying the entertainment just the same. SG-1 had a similar way of teasing each other.
"He's got just enough self-control, I think. He'll hold on until he can get her in a room," Elda remarked.
"Ahh," Crawford now thought, "so many choices in that department, too." He held up his hand, ticking off a list on his fingers as he spoke. "There's a back room in the club, private exam room at Medical…"
"Her place…"
Smith leaned back on the seats and let his eyes stare at the ceiling. He just had to suffer a little longer.
Elda and Crawford then shared a naughty look with each other at his expense. "Private lift," they suggested together. They both turned to regard Smith with absolute mischief.
"You guys are dumb," he complained in a flat tone.
They both laughed.
Carolyn spoke up now. Tentatively, she asked, "Are we talking about that medical professional? The one you got close to?"
Elda and Crawford nodded affirmatively with enthusiasm.
The doctor adopted a small smile. "Smith, why don't you introduce me to her? Personally."
He sat up. "Yeah, sure, Doc."
Carolyn gestured at the other two. "We can let them worry about all the other stuff. Like securing accommodations. Guard duty. Whatever."
Elda and Crawford furrowed their brows. They glanced at each other.
Smith slowly adopted a smile. He sensed that the doctor was sticking up for him. "They could show the Colonel and Lieutenant around the station, too. I tell you what, Doc, I volunteer to be your personal escort over to Medical. You don't need all five of us. Just me." He flashed her a charming smile.
Carolyn quietly laughed. She now understood why Elda chose him to 'work a mark.' "Sounds like a plan, Corporal."
Smith smirked at his friends triumphantly.
Elda's mouth dropped open. She pointed at Carolyn. "That's my doctor," she whined.
Carolyn just laughed more.
Smith sat back now with arms folded behind his head. "Too bad, so sad," he taunted.
Crawford's eye twitched. Then he turned to Elda next to him. "We'll just hook up with the old crew. Get caught up. Then earn enough cash to get an even nicer blaster."
"Oooh, okay. Let's pick something really shiny." She turned back to Smith. "And we're not sharing," she announced petulantly, reminding Smith of how jealous he was that they both had newer blasters and all he had was the confiscated one that the SGC issued to him.
Smith sent her a snooty look.
Carolyn could see just how close these three had gotten. They could pick on each other like little kids. Their camaraderie was obviously special. She found it reassuring to know that Elda was in good hands while on this team. It was no wonder their mission was successful the first time they went to the space station.
Smith peeked out of the open hatch when they docked inside. His eyes lit up. He turned back toward his team. "Guess what. Everybody's favorite dock master is here."
Crawford smiled delightedly. "No way." He took a quick look out to see that Smith was right. A man in a gray jumpsuit stood waiting on the main platform. He had on his signature cap. His curly hair and thick mustache looked exactly the same as the last time they had seen him. Crawford turned toward Elda, still at the pilot's console shutting the ship down. "Hey Cakes, our buddy is out there."
She smiled as she entered the last of the commands. She turned around to clap her hands lightly. Elda moved forward to open the storage console. Around her, the military personnel were checking their weapons.
"Cakes?" Carolyn repeated, carrying a smaller bag with tablets inside.
"Baby Cakes," Smith casually supplied the full name. He reached into his vest pocket to retrieve his station data pad.
"Don't ask, Doc," Reynolds muttered.
Carolyn simply widened her eyes.
"It's a marine thing," Baker said helpfully. "Nicknames and such."
"Ahh. Airmen seem to do the same thing." She gazed around. "Do the rest of you have nicknames?"
The subordinates of SG-3 glanced at each other. Then they looked at Reynolds. The Colonel explained, "If we used 'em, conversation would get real inappropriate real quick 'round here." He looked at his men meaningfully. "We stick to our real names as a courtesy to non-marines."
"Which the SGC is filled with," Baker added.
Carolyn looked at them dubiously. "Only Elda gets a nickname?"
The young blonde in question grinned.
Crawford chuckled. "She's special." He reached into the storage console and pulled out a small cardboard carton filled with red apples. He placed one fruit in his pocket. Then he handed the box to Elda to hold. The older personnel regarded them with curiosity but said nothing.
Reynolds locked eyes with Smith by the opening. "Take point, Corporal."
"Yes, sir," he responded enthusiastically. He gestured for Crawford and Elda to join him. As they followed him out, Elda kept the box hidden behind her.
Reynolds, Baker, and Carolyn hung back while the younger members of SG-3 greeted the station attendant waiting for them.
Smith held out both hands merrily. His data pad waved around in one of them. "Ayyyyyyy! It's Griel!"
"Still lookin' sharp as always," Crawford complimented.
The jumpsuit of the station attendant was stained even worse than they remembered. The motorized cart he usually kept with him stood ready at his side. The gruff and stout man raised a bored brow toward them. "State your intent."
Elda responded sweetly, "We're here to see you, Darling."
The attendant grunted.
The trio grinned at him.
"Pay your fees," he demanded.
Carolyn looked on uncomfortably. When she glanced at the older members of SG-3, they were simply watching the others with quiet exasperation.
Smith held his data pad in the dock worker's direction. He quickly pulled it back before it could be scanned. "Just checkin', how much are you takin' today?"
"Same as before. 300 zimas."
Smith brought a free hand up to his chin. "Funny. Thought it was 150," he fibbed, sounding thoughtful.
The attendant snorted. None of the three seemed concerned. Carolyn realized they were preparing to haggle. She eyed the box that Elda was still hiding behind her back.
Crawford retrieved the apple from his pocket. He made a show of taking a big, juicy bite.
The dock worker's eyes were immediately drawn to the unfamiliar fruit. He watched jealously as the marine chewed, then swallowed.
"Good, Crawfy?" Elda asked innocently.
"It's perfect. Sweet. Fresh. Juicy." He made eye contact with the attendant. "Grown on an actual planet."
"150," Smith suggested.
The dock worker's eyes darted back toward him. "300." He wasn't budging.
Crawford took another distracting bite of apple. He pretended to enjoy it immensely.
Elda fought a smile. She pursed her lips to control herself.
Smith spoke again. "150, and you get to try a bite."
Crawford flipped the apple around to show the dock worker the unbitten side. It gleamed brightly under the dock lights. He raised his brow suggestively.
"250, with the sample."
Elda leaned in. "200, and he gives you the rest of it," she said, pointing at the apple.
Crawford pretended to grip it harder and bring it to his chest protectively. Like a rich lady clutching her pearls. He glanced at Elda with feigned alarm.
This only kept the dock worker interested. He reached his hand out for the fruit. "Sample, first."
Carolyn covered her mouth as she watched. Baker tried to hide his disgust at the thought of complete strangers sharing a single piece of fruit.
Smith nodded his head at Crawford encouragingly. Seemingly at his behest, the marine handed over the apple with a fake frown.
The attendant looked down to examine it with interest. He behaved as if it was something he had never seen before. He held the partially-eaten fruit up to his nose to sniff it. Then he flipped it around to take a bite on the side Crawford had not gotten to yet. His eyes widened.
The trio tensed with anticipation.
"It's good right?" Elda asked.
The man nodded. He swallowed the bite. "What did you say this was called?"
"An apple," Smith answered nonchalantly.
"That's the delicacy we raved about before," Elda supplied.
Reynolds and Baker quietly snorted. Carolyn kept a smile hidden by her hand.
"200," the man now announced. "I'm keeping this."
Crawford sulked.
Smith began to present his data pad again, but stopped short. "I have a better idea. 150. No rate change while we're here. And we give you a whole box."
Elda revealed the small carton she'd been carrying, filled with four more apples. Their red, unblemished skins sparkled under the station lights. She smiled primly at him.
The worker gestured quickly for her to deposit the box on his cart. He looked at Smith. "Deal." He tapped at his personal tablet to adjust something then waved it over the data pad that Smith now readily offered.
"Sweet," the marine said.
Elda leaned in again with a suggestion. "Share one with your boss. And if he likes it, look me up. Maybe I could get the station a nice trade deal for these." She waggled her brows at him. "We have other varieties that I think you'd enjoy."
"Good God," Reynolds mumbled under his breath.
Carolyn smashed her lips together.
The dock worker seemed to consider Elda's suggestion. But he didn't say anything about it. "Welcome back, you three." He hit a button on a panel of his cart. It followed him as he walked away.
The trio watched him for a beat, grinning. Then they joined their fingers in the air and wiggled them together in apparent triumph.
Baker stepped closer now. "I take it you know that guy."
"Yup," Smith answered. "He's cool."
"Didn't strike me as very friendly," Carolyn commented.
"Nah, he's actually a big ol' teddy bear," Crawford said.
Reynolds breathed in and out calmly, trying to get past his exasperation with all of them. "What now?"
Smith looked down at his pad. "Says here station is on night mode." He glanced up at his teammates. "She's either finishing up in Medical or already down in the practice rooms."
"That's if she isn't performing tonight," Elda pointed out. "Crawfy, see if you can check."
The marine was already on it, querying the station database for Aurelia's name. "Not seeing anything for her until tomorrow."
Smith turned to his CO. "Sir, might be best if we split up. Find her faster that way."
"Can't we just call your contact and ask her where she is?"
"She won't answer either way. Usually too busy." Smith shrugged, as if there wasn't much he could do about it. "Not too sure if she received our message that we were comin' either. Prolly best if we find her in person. Seein' is believin'."
Reynolds let out a breath. "Fine." He gestured for Smith to decide how they split up, having already assigned him to be on point. His subordinate knew better than him how to proceed here. He had never technically been awake while he was trapped on this station.
"I'll bring Doc Lam with me straight to Medical in case she's still there. Perfect place for them to meet. Crawford and Elda can escort you straight down to where else she might be. Show you the sights on the way. We'll just check in if one of us finds her first."
His CO regarded him suspiciously. "We're here to escort Dr. Lam. Not be escorted," he reminded.
"Sorry, sir, poor choice of words. I know a good route to Medical from here that will keep her safe. Where you're goin', might be a bit of riff-raff. Better if we don't take the Doc down that way."
Reynolds looked over to Crawford to see that he was nodding in agreement. Elda's expression was neutral. "Corporal?" he asked of Crawford.
"Sir, strength in numbers will serve as an advantage on the route we would take. Smith and the Doc will be fine goin' up to the medical facility. That's all brightly lit and public."
"As opposed to?"
"Back alleys and kinda dark. For some of it."
"You did this all the time?" Baker asked.
"Yeah. Always stayed together for it," Crawford reported. He patted the blaster on his thigh for emphasis, implying that being armed was a necessity.
Reynolds returned his attention to Smith. "Riff-raff, you say?"
"Yes, sir."
He harumphed. "Alright, Corporals." He pointed at Smith. "Keep the Doc secure. No detours."
"Sir," Smith agreed. He motioned for Carolyn to step to his side. He patted at his radio. "We'll stay in contact." He clicked on it to confirm that it was working.
Everyone heard audible clicks on the other radios in the group's possession.
Reynolds offered Smith one final warning glare, then turned to Carolyn. "Doc. We'll come up to you as soon as we can."
She shook her head in affirmation. "Colonel."
Reynolds tipped his cap toward her. Then he let Crawford and Elda lead his group away.
A/N: Thank you to the reviewers who dropped encouraging words. You really made me smile! Hope you enjoyed this chapter - lots of fun and significant things happened here. The next one will continue the fun and reveal a few answers. See you soon!