With
Jack brooding darkly at his side, Daniel was finding it difficult to
keep up with the conversation.
"Trust
me!" Sam told Ghenn brightly, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"The last thing you need is a horde of motivated agnostics on your
case."
Gratified,
Teal'c bowed.
"What
you need is something like the ten commandments," Jack
interjected. "A whole list of instructions to make sure the
folks at home get this simple message: 'Thou Shalt Not Annoy The Crap
Out Of Thy Goddess'."
Ghenn
beamed approvingly at clever Colonel Jack.
"What
is crap?" Tuyett asked curiously.
Sam
grinned. "It's best you don't know."
Tuyett
looked inclined to argue this point.
"Jack
is full of it," Daniel supplied helpfully. There was another
snort of suppressed laughter from Sam, Teal'c's eyebrow reached new
heights of hysteria, while Jack loftily ignored them all.
"I
sense you disapprove, Daniel," Ghenn told him softly. "I feel
that I must take action. I have striven to shelter and care for
my people, to repay their faith in me as fully as I am able. When
my people turn to me - how can I refuse what guidance and withhold what
aid I am able to give?"
"Do
you educate your people to question, to doubt?" Sam asked interestedly.
"The
teaching of the young ones is in the hands of the priests," Ghenn said
gloomily. "It is tradition. I left the teaching of the
young to those I trusted most."
"Ghenn
does as much as she does because of the priests," Eiliana told
them. "When I came here, they were all but ruling in her
name. She strove then to appear to the faithful at prayer in the
Mandir, to speak for herself, and with the people. They heard her
clear at last."
"They
are ecstatic in Ghenn's presence," Scollen seconded his beloved.
Jack
looked Ghenn over from her dusty bare feet to her raggedy braids with
impolite incredulity, avoiding the repressive look Daniel directed at
him.
"They
grow more dependent on my presence with every year that passes," Ghenn
snapped, frustrated. "If I withdraw again, then the priests will
speak for me and much will be done and asked in my name that I do not
approve."
"Smite
them," Jack suggested, grinning. "Carter is right."
"I
am?" Sam asked, looking up in surprise.
"It
happens," Jack said unkindly. "Education is a good place to
start. You've got this whole damn library," he reminded Ghenn,
eyeing Genizah somewhat coldly. "Pick yourself out the best
students in the schools and shift their asses in here, make them study
and earn their keep. Teach them to think for themselves."
"Science
and mathematics are very important," Sam agreed earnestly. "Teach
them scientific method, experimentation and analysis, logical
deduction."
"It'll
take some time, but once the students are ready to be teachers, take
the priests out of the schools and make them minister to the needy or
whatever," Jack ordered briskly.
"There
are no needy," Eiliana objected, seeming slightly insulted.
"The
goddess provides?" Jack sing-songed witheringly.
Ghenn
looked deflated.
"Jack!"
Daniel protested. "You could make some allowances for the fact
Ghenn is as tied by doctrine and ritual as the people are." He
looked at her apologetically. "Although, I think you are too
rigid in your thinking, Ghenn. The religion is focused on you, so
it's up to you to work with the people to help it evolve
naturally. You'll have their co-operation because it's the will
of the goddess."
"You
need to threat assess," Jack said. "What would happen to your
people if you were gone tomorrow?"
Ghenn's
mouth fell open.
"What
would they need to know? To do? They'd need leadership,"
Jack suggested briskly.
"We
have a council," Ghenn interrupted.
"Chosen
by the goddess?" Jack asked sternly.
"Chosen
by the people!" Ghenn snapped, glaring at him.
"That's
something," Jack sniffed.
"It
is not!" Tuyett snorted. "They're good men and true but they have
the Goddess and turn to her with all difficulties."
Ghenn
avoided Jack's ironical eye.
"You,"
he accused, "are ridiculously tender -hearted."
Daniel,
who'd had this aggravating accusation levelled at him more than once,
was glad to see that Ghenn took it no better than he did. The
look she tossed at Jack was decidedly resentful.
"I
think the goddess could be tempted to smite you, Sir," Sam said smugly.
"Indeed,"
Teal'c agreed. "Though O'Neill's plan is not without merit.
Tell your councillors that they must not come to you with problems, but
with solutions. Then you may agree a course of action, which you
will make them responsible for carrying out, and grant them the
authority to do so."
"It's
called delegation," Jack said cheerfully, winking at Ghenn, who thawed
visibly, winking back.
"If
they make mistakes?" she asked slowly.
"They
will learn from them," Teal'c told her gravely.
"I
think having your trust will make them do their best for the people and
for you," Daniel suggested soothingly. He was rewarded with a
blinding smile that made him blink. Jack too, unfortunately.
"No
one is saying it's going to be easy, Ghenn," Sam said warmly. "It
will take time. I do think the colonel is right, though.
Plan for what your people would need to know and be able to do if they
didn't have you to rely on. Leadership, education, defence,
science…" She smiled at the Blessed Disciples. "The Sisters
can help with all of these."
The
Sisters looked suitably staunch and supportive.
"In
time, you'll be able to introduce the people to your technology,"
Daniel added, "when they've made sufficient advances in their
own. As for the priests…" He hesitated, then plunged
in. "Honestly? I'd find them something useful and
productive to do, something they can contribute to the pastoral care of
the people and get them out of the Mandir."
"And
make them do it!" Jack seconded emphatically.
"There
is wisdom in all you say," Scollen said approvingly. "This is a
land of plenty and the living is easy. Ghenn must seek to
challenge the people in new ways, to learn and to grow as you advise."
"There
are other ways," Daniel suggested. "Music and art, performances
of plays, dance, singing."
"Those
we have in abundance!" Ghenn said happily.
"In
praise of the goddess?" Daniel asked gently.
Ghenn
frowned. "Not all. I begin to see what you mean,
Daniel. I should ask more of my people. I should ask them
to celebrate more of their lives, their joys, as well as mine. At
first they may do so for my sake, but they will grow to do it for their
own. You have given me much to think on." She looked at
each of them in turn, smiling, her grey eyes shining in the last of the
evening sun. "It was a good day you came to us. I thank you
all."
"Are
you going to Mandir again tonight?" Daniel asked hopefully, blithely
ignoring Jack's swift, deeply reproachful look. Although this
possibly wasn't a healthy attitude for cooing new lovers, Daniel was
nevertheless aware he could have sex with Jack any old time, while a
visit to an alien temple accompanied by the deity herself was probably
a one shot deal.
"I
need not go again to the faithful until Quarter Day," Ghenn answered
impishly. "Time enough to plan for what I will do to - for," she
corrected herself conscientiously, "For my priests."
"How
about a life of silent contemplation for the really annoying ones?"
Jack suggested heartily. "Someplace many, many, many miles away."
"There
is a place of great beauty and solitude high in the mountains," Ghenn
said softly. "It is special to me."
"So?
Get them to build you a temple up there!" Jack smiled evilly. "A
nice, big temple, worthy of their goddess."
"The
priests are not skilled at such labour," Ghenn objected feebly,
appearing strongly drawn to this particular siren call of Jackian
temptation.
"Practice
makes perfect," Jack beamed at her.
"What
was all that about?" Jack demanded the instant he'd closed Daniel's
bedroom door behind him.
"Jack?"
Daniel asked, looking up in surprise from his book, neatly propped
against the pillows of the bed.
"All
those doe-eyed looks from our pint-sized Venus," Jack grumbled with
markedly less pissiness. He looked Daniel over
appreciatively. "I can't tell you how sexy that is," he said
huskily.
"Reading?"
Daniel hoped not. None of his books would be improved by the
liberal application of various sticky bodily substances.
"You
on a bed," Jack said vaguely, unbuckling his belt.
Daniel
sat up straighter. "Are we?" He gestured from himself to
Jack.
"Yes!"
Daniel
closed his book and moved over on the bed to make room for Jack, who
was stripping with slightly unnerving single-mindedness and
speed. He slid the book to safety, then tugged at his T-shirt.
"Ah!"
Jack rebuked him, waving a stern finger.
"You
want to take my clothes off?" Daniel asked slowly. It begged the
question 'why?'.
"Do
you mind?"
"I'm
not sure," Daniel admitted honestly. "We'll have to see."
He realised that wasn't exactly a sign of wholehearted commitment and
hurriedly explained. "It's all so surreal, Jack," he
apologised. "I've known you for five years and now…oh."
"Oh?"
Jack asked smugly as he prowled over to stand by the bed, looking
hungrily down at Daniel.
Daniel's
gaze was fixated on Jack's cock, flushing, filling with the blood rush
of arousal to jut hard against his belly. Oh, indeed!
Daniel nodded wordlessly as Jack climbed onto the bed and stretched out
beside him, slipping his hand beneath Daniel's rumpled T-shirt to rub
his belly, his hand firm and sure. Daniel lay very still on his
back, eyes closed, breathing hard, really needing to know what his
body's response would be as Jack's firm fingers traced every contour of
muscle, then began to rub rhythmically with the heel of his hand.
He
tingled with sensation, feeling so alive, so vital, so much in the
moment. Jack's hand slipped lower, between his legs, cupping his
crotch, fingers gently massaging. Daniel gasped out loud, jumping
violently as he got hard, aching and hard…He reached up shakily, took
Jack's face between his hands and pulled him down into a breathless,
urgent closed-mouth kiss.
"I
didn't know this!" Daniel panted, overwhelmed by the eroticism of
having Jack on him naked like this, his fingers scrabbling on Jack's
hot skin, writhing as Jack aggressively ground his erection over
Daniel's. "How could I not know this?" he asked distressfully.
"You
don't see yourself as clear as we do," Jack said simply.
"How
could you fall in love with me?" Daniel asked shakily.
"Ah,
Danny," Jack said caressingly, his sudden, sweet smile blinding.
"How could I not?"
Daniel
opened his mouth and found he had nothing he could say in response to
that.
"I'm
sure," Jack promised.
"Jack?"
The tenderness in Jack's eyes was more convincing than what he was
saying, more feeling than Daniel had ever seen from his friend.
"I - I'm sure too," he said shyly. Kind of late in the game and
alarmingly clueless, but maybe for him it was always about Jack.
He…he was always about Jack. So much so, he hadn't seen it.
"Did you know?" he asked hesitantly.
"Some
days I knew. Some I hoped. I figured - I just needed a
chance," Jack admitted honestly.
"What
do you want to do?" Daniel asked, stroking Jack's strong, broad back,
gloating over the straight spine and hard muscle.
"Anything,"
Jack said softly.
Daniel
pushed at him, and Jack backed off to allow him to sit, straddling his
hips. Jack peeled off his T-shirt then kissed him very gently on
the mouth.
"I
love you," Jack mouthed silently, grinning wickedly as Daniel
blushed and blinked at him.
Jack
hitched up long enough to efficiently extract Daniel from his BDUs,
then allowed himself to be pulled into an embrace side by side with
Daniel. He lit up when Daniel hooked his leg over Jack's butt and
hauled him close, Jack's hand at once stroking over his thigh and ass.
"I
want to be close," Daniel asked quietly.
"That's
good," Jack said tightly, his eyes dark and needing.
Daniel
was restless, aching with arousal, losing himself in the pleasure of
touch. His fingers stroked and rubbed over crisp hair and smooth,
hot skin. He was awed by the sheer size and vitality of Jack, the
breadth and weight of his bones, making Daniel seem so slender, almost
fragile by comparison.
"I
would never believe you're the height you are, or the size," Jack
mused, turning Daniel's hand this way and that, spreading his
fingers. "God, look at you. You're perfect."
Daniel
shook his head diffidently, looking bashfully at Jack, who seemed just
right to him. Softening a little here and there, lines where
there were none when they first met. The sleek grey hair and the
fascinating scar in his eyebrow. Daniel liked real and vital,
flawed and human. That was attractive.
They
leaned in to kiss, wrapping arms around one another, holding and
stroking easily, curious hands sliding over hip and waist, thigh and
ass, back and shoulder. Daniel pushed his hips into Jack's,
smiling as his aching cock ground pleasurably into Jack's throbbing
heat and hardness. Jack cupped his ass, holding him tight as they
pushed into one another, Jack's practiced physical grace driving their
bodies compulsively together again and again.
The
kiss deepened, Jack sliding into Daniel's mouth, tongues softly
touching, tasting. Flickering teasingly, caressing gently, then
rasping, thrusting hungrily, like their hips. The tingling shocks
of pleasure throbbed low and sullen in Daniel's belly, pulsing clear
through to the head of his cock. Jack was kneading his ass,
clawing him closer, their hips urgent and straining.
So
quick…they wanted it, needed it so much it took so little, kissing and
being close, being loved, Jack pushing into him there, just there…he
sobbed into Jack's mouth as he shook, was shaken through with heat and
dizzying pleasure, cock surging…Daniel convulsed, hips jerking as he
came hard, spasming, spurting slick heat over Jack's groin.
Jack
breathed Daniel's name as he came, his kiss eloquent as they clung
together, panting and quivering, tumbling exhausted into sleep,
sweating bodies bathed by beneficent blue light.
"What's
your relationship with Genizah?" Jack asked Ghenn as he slid a platter
of mild cheese and tasty, thinly sliced meat over to Daniel.
Ghenn
looked up from her oatmeal - it looked like oatmeal - in surprise.
"It's
a computer? A building?" Jack persisted, waking up in a tangled
heap with Daniel to find Genizah watching over them very much on his
mind. "An entity of some kind?" Genizah seemed to him alive
in some way he couldn't fathom, couldn't pin down.
"It's
a fair question," Carter agreed, her face lighting up with avid
curiosity.
"I
agree, Major Carter," Teal'c added his voice to hers. "I too have
wondered."
Caught
with a mouthful of cake, Daniel took a long drink of cool milk and
settled for nodding bright-eyed agreement.
"It
was I who built Genizah," Ghenn admitted. "I grew tired of being
alone."
"There
aren't any others of your kind?" Carter murmured sympathetically.
"They
went out among the stars and did not return. I loved this place
and stayed, believing the others would come back to me in time.
When they did not…" She gestured eloquently at the walls around
her. "I sought occupation. If I were to die, then the
history of my world and my people died with me. I found I did not
want to pass from living memory," she admitted.
"Our
people have a similar drive," Daniel said gently. "Long before
man developed a written language to communicate and record ideas,
history was shared in the oral tradition, told by one generation to the
next."
"It
was for that I turned to books!" Ghenn said eagerly. "I travelled
through the gate to other worlds, to meet their peoples and hear their
tales. I found their technology to be infinitely inferior to my
own, and knew that if I was to record our history, I must use a medium
that could be touched and read by all."
"Books!"
Daniel gloated.
Jack
smiled at him fondly, swallowing it hastily in favour of scowling
darkly at Carter, who had an 'aww, isn't the colonel sweet' look on her
face. When Carter failed to look suitably suppressed, Jack
figured he needed to work harder on the tough guy thing. Or, as
pushy as Carter was these days, maybe he could swing 'respect for your
elders'.
"It
was easy enough to make scrolls on which to record our lives and
history, satisfying to build this place to hold them." Ghenn
smiled at Daniel. "You came to the oldest part of Genizah."
Daniel
smiled back. Jack straightened up, crossing his arms over his
chest, not especially thrilled by the ready understanding that existed
between his linguist and Ghenn. There were times when he felt
Daniel's instinct to communicate was decidedly indiscriminate.
"What
about the computer?" Carter asked inquisitively. "I take it
Genizah is both the building and the artificial intelligence that
monitors and controls the library? You built the computer?"
"You
were lonely," Daniel said, all soft and sympathetic.
Jack
pulled a face.
"I
was," Ghenn confessed. "To build such a machine was a new thing
to me, and I made many mistakes. Genizah and I, we learned much
along the way."
"You
made Genizah capable of learning?"
"I
did, and more."
"It
has a personality," Daniel said with feeling.
"It's
self-aware?" Carter queried with odd certainty, as if she knew the
answer. She looked round at them self-consciously. "I
haven’t got much sleep while we've been here," she admitted. "The
lights kept coming on and waking me up. Genizah didn't talk, but
there were things it wanted me to see and learn from."
"And
I," Teal'c corroborated.
"I
had my weapon and my radio, Sir," Carter glanced apologetically at Jack.
"Easy,
Major," Jack said casually, not about to get on Carter's case when he'd
spent both nights getting sweaty and sated with Daniel.
Everyone
looked at Jack and Daniel.
"Genizah
guided me to the original scrolls and Ghenn gave me a primer for her
language," Daniel cheerfully supplied.
"She
did?" Jack asked coolly.
"That's
what I was reading last night when…" Daniel bit off the words, went red
to the roots of his hair and generally made like a stupefied guppy.
Everyone
looked interestedly at Jack.
"I
think Genizah has the hots for Daniel," Jack said meanly, rolling his
eyes meaningfully. Carter did the math, fortunately didn't know
she was supposed to add one, figured Daniel was a big, healthy boy
capable of making his own entertainment and went pink. Daniel
also did the math, looked as if he'd like to subtract one forcibly and
subsided, visibly seething and speechless with embarrassment.
"If
the faithful are not of your species, how do they come to be here when
you speak of being alone for so long?" Teal'c asked Ghenn, kindly
rescuing Daniel.
"My
species is not that of the Im'a'Tokin," Ghenn answered him
quietly. "The people were brought here in a ship, herded like
animals to break and take this land. I slew the being who took
them from their world and brought them to mine."
"A
Goa'uld?" Jack asked.
Ghenn
nodded. "It was the first I knew of such a species. Those
survivors who bore the larval symbiote I returned through the gate to
their home."
"Survivors?"
Ghenn
looked modestly at Teal'c. He smiled at her approvingly.
"Cool
Slayer chick!" Jack agreed.
"And
the people the Goa'uld had enslaved?" Daniel asked, recovering some of
his composure. "The Im'a'Tokin?"
"Their
world was destroyed when the Goa'uld came, so my home became
theirs. I did not seek to be their goddess," Ghenn promised
earnestly, "but they were a primitive people, slow to reach
understanding, reluctant to embrace the freedom I bestowed upon
them. They were much in need of guidance and…" Ghenn hung her
head, sighing.
"It
sounds as if they'd exchanged one slavery for another," Daniel
suggested, frowning.
"I
think that also," Tuyett agreed.
"As
do I," Teal'c seconded.
"You're
just going to have to wean them off your ecstatic presence, one step at
a time," Jack advised. "It'll work a hell of a lot better than
going cold turkey."
"Turkey?"
"It's
an Earth expression," Carter answered readily, as usual unable to
resist explaining things to the baffled. "It means rapid
withdrawal."
"Can
we see Genizah?" Daniel asked hopefully.
"The
machine itself?" Carter perked up visibly. "Please," she asked
eagerly.
Jack
hid a smile as Ghenn laughingly agreed. He loved when his kids
got like this, excited over the littlest things.
"Jack?"
"You
go on," Jack told Daniel. "I'd better check in with Hammond."
"Okay."
Jack
embarrassed himself, he was so pleased by Daniel's
disappointment. Gawd, he was a hopeless case. He watched
them all head off up the stairs under Teal'c's eagle eye, then slipped
the sleek little gizmo Ghenn had given him when he got here onto the
table. He hit the buttons in the sequence he'd been shown, which
appeared to first speed dial the Stargate, then interface with the
radio system without breaking a sweat.
"Colonel
O'Neill?" Hammond's voice sounded.
"Yes,
Sir," Jack said cheerfully.
"Anything
to report?" Hammond asked.
"The
kids are poking round the library computer right now, Sir," Jack
answered pleasantly.
"Have
you made any progress on obtaining one of the energy weapons you saw
demonstrated yesterday?"
"Never
happen, Sir," Jack reported, pulling a sour face he was glad the
general couldn't see. "Tuyett asked way too many questions about
Earth's current geo-political status. She's got a damned good
idea what we'd do with one of those weapons and the odds of us firing
it on any threat from space were too remote for her taste. I
appealed to our gracious hostess, who laughed and said no."
"What
about the device you're using to communicate with right now?" Hammond
probed.
"Couldn't
get one if I tried," Jack said promptly. Not that he would.
"The motion sensors in this place are scary. And no, I doubt
there's any chance we'll get one of them."
"Do
you see any potential in Ghenn and her people as allies in the defence
against the Goa'uld?"
"I
think you can rely on Ghenn to take out any Goa'uld stupid enough to
stray across her path with hostile intent, but apart from that?" Jack
shrugged. "No."
There
was a silence. Jack suppressed a sigh, knowing what was coming.
"Without
the potential for any kind of tactical or technological gain," Hammond
began.
"Twenty-four
hours, Sir," Jack interrupted.
"This
was supposed to be a quick survey mission, Jack," Hammond answered
after a moment.
"I
know."
"You're
scheduled to ship out to P3R-965 in thirty-six hours for a three-week
diplomatic exchange that could yield tangible technological gains."
"I
know that too, Sir," Jack said wearily.
"If
your continuing presence there could guarantee some kind of material
advantage to us…" Hammond hinted, generous as ever, giving Jack a
graceful out.
"It
won't." What else could Jack say? He couldn't lie just
because he wanted Daniel to have a good time.
"I
can understand how Dr. Jackson and Major Carter feel about your new
friends, but the SGC isn't financing off-world vacations," Hammond
responded crisply. "Return to the SGC immediately and begin
preparations for your departure to 965."
"Yes,
Sir," Jack acknowledged. He hit the kill switch on the little
gizmo and went off to break the bad news. Loping up the stairs
towards the transport pods, Jack hesitated. "Guess you heard
that, huh?" he told the wall, feeling stupid. "You don't get to
have him. Don't pull anything stupid, willya? We get out of
here with our asses intact this time, there could be a next time,
kapish?" Awkwardly, he patted the wall, then strolled round to
his waiting transport pod.
Jack
hopped into the pod, which whisked him off to who knew where. He
prudently refrained from further comment until he was deposited at his
destination. When he emerged in a small hallway with huge doors
at the end of it, he stopped, looking up at the obliging golden swirly
thing. "Daniel is spoken for. Get over it." The
swirly thing turned surly red. "No," he added. "I'm not
sorry."
When
he pushed the doors open, he found his kids oohing and aahing over what
looked for all the world like a rainbow tornado, a tapering column of
light turning in the centre of the room at blinding speed, a myriad of
colours flaming in turn. The stone floor stopped right at the
edge of it and of course Daniel and Carter had their noses practically
in the thing.
"Woah!"
Jack yelled. "Fall back! Tryin' to give me a heart attack,
here," he grumbled.
"There
is no danger, O'Neill," Teal'c smoothly contradicted him.
"As
long as we don't touch it," Carter added brightly.
"And
if you do?" Jack asked, sidling towards Daniel, who was enraptured.
"Try
to imagine every molecule in your body imploding instantaneously at the
speed of light," Carter supplied helpfully.
Jack
plucked Daniel to safety, ignoring a very rude alien word tossed his
way.
"Go
pack up and say your goodbyes," Jack ordered Carter curtly.
"Sir?"
Carter protested, taking a hasty step forward.
"Hammond's
orders, Major," Jack warned her.
"Jack!"
Oy.
Same old, same old.
"We
just found this place! Sam hasn't even begun to analyse the
energy source or the particles…" Daniel argued.
Carter
nodded anxiously. "We could learn a tremendous amount from…"
"We
can't," Jack said flatly. He looked across at Ghenn, hovering
unhappily nearby. "Can we?" He didn't know what it was,
maybe his gut…"Which aspect is this?" he asked gently, going with it,
pointing to the column of energy. "The real one?"
"The
Mother," Ghenn admitted shyly, too honest for her own good.
"The
face you've shown to the people all this time?" Jack suggested softly,
feeling smug as Daniel and the others gaped at him. Teal'c was
gaping in his own way of course. "Think about it," Jack loftily
advised them. He hadn't, until this moment, but he'd better start
now if he didn't want to look dumb in front of Daniel. "All this
time the people refuse to be swayed from their worship of the goddess
because…" He did a kind of 'ta-da!' gesture at the dance of light.
"Her
true form inspires awe," Teal'c said gravely.
"And
you were lonely," Daniel added sympathetically, walking over to Ghenn's
side. "So you kept returning to them."
"Even
now the people are a little afraid," she confessed, taking his hand.
"You
created each of your corporeal aspects to help you communicate better
with them," Daniel said understandingly. "And your friends?" he
asked Eiliana and the others, looking on.
"We
are real, Daniel," Tuyett promised. "Travellers like you."
"The
goddess gives of her bounty," Carter announced suddenly, a smile
lighting her face. "You created all of this. This building,
the city, the defence system, all of the technology the people needed -
your essence, your energy powers it." Carter nodded slowly,
wide-eyed and delighted. "That's the kind of thing I can have
faith in," she told Ghenn sweetly.
Teal'c
laid his hand on her shoulder, one of his rare, real smiles lighting
his face.
"You
hoped we'd stay, right?" Jack asked, feeling a bit of a bastard for
making such a big deal out of who won and who lost.
Ghenn
looked at Daniel. "Here there is knowledge of many worlds, many
technologies. To those who accept their responsibility, that
knowledge is given freely," she reminded him.
"If
we need help," Daniel said slowly.
"All
are known. All are welcome," Ghenn answered simply, her eyes
still on Daniel.
One
more than the others, Jack guessed. He didn't know what Ghenn had
seen in them, to 'know' them, but he guessed she saw in enough in
Daniel to want to keep him. She wasn't lacking in discrimination,
she didn't want a little threesome action…she just wanted Daniel happy,
so he'd stay.
"I'll
pitch it to Hammond," he promised Daniel and Carter. They both
smiled at him gratefully, Carter turning to hug Eiliana and, more
gingerly, Scollen, who yanked her into a huge bearhug. Carter
looked very flushed and quivery when she turned to say goodbye to
Tuyett. Jack was amused, figuring she'd be calling General
Kerrigan as soon as she got back. At least she would if she had
any sense.
Daniel
got himself comprehensively snuggled by Ghenn while Jack hovered
nearby, glowering. Eventually he cleared his throat loudly and
Ghenn threw herself at him, murmuring something disjointed but
extremely flattering about Colonel Jack's wise counsel, which made him
feel like a vizier or something. Jack peeled her off, patted her
on the shoulder and escorted his linguist, who seemed disposed to
linger regretfully, out to the transport pod. Daniel was
delightfully squirmy and resistant, but sadly this wasn't the time or
the place.
The
short ride back to the Atrium was cramped and gloomy. It wouldn't
have killed Jack if they'd been forced to hang out here longer either,
but on the upside, he got to go home with Daniel and make love to him
in his own bed. They piled out of the pod, the Sisters crowding
sadly round them.
Lokhail
was waiting for them, their packs at his feet. Carter went
forward to check them, calling out in a very few minutes they were
leaving with everything they'd started with, plus a book each. A
gift from Genizah. Or Ghenn. Jack still didn’t really get
that part.
"Your
aspects enable you to share and express what you've learned from the
people, from your disciples," Daniel suggested to Ghenn, who lit up,
nodding eagerly as his compassionate understanding. "Your
relationship with them is symbiotic," Daniel went on. "You're
losing balance because you give too much. Take what your faithful
offer, but channel their offerings in a way that does them good."
"We've
met beings in a similar situation to this before," Carter agreed.
"Beings worshipped as spirits by a culture stolen from Earth by the
Goa'uld. When these spirits finally revealed themselves as aliens
to the people, showing their true forms, they were not rejected.
Their actions and their guidance meant more to the people than their
physical form. They'd proved themselves."
Ghenn
smiled at her, the Sisters murmuring excitedly among themselves.
"I could hope for such an outcome."
"I
think you'll have it," Daniel said.
"Me
too," Carter agreed.
"Ah,
you're not so bad once people get to worship you," Jack commented.
"Your
true form is most beautiful," Teal'c observed. "I find that I
prefer this one." He bowed gracefully.
Ghenn
blushed comprehensively.
"You
aspire to help your people to freedom. It is a noble endeavour,"
Teal'c approved.
"You
were very impressive," a soft voice whispered to Jack as the animated
conversation flowed.
Jack
looked modestly at Daniel.
"I
was impressed," Daniel emphasised.
And
turned on from the look of things, Jack thought, taking in the flush
and batting baby blues.
"How
did you work it out?" Daniel asked, looking all innocent and
admiring. "About Ghenn and Genizah?"
Jack
found he couldn't actually tell Daniel a whopper. He gave it a
shot but nothing came out but a sickly smile. "I went with my
gut," he offered cautiously, realising he was a goner.
"You
have terrific instincts," Daniel praised him warmly, sidling that bit
closer. "I've always thought so."
Recalling
several instances right off the top of his head in the past few months
alone where Daniel had got in his face for calling it wrong, Jack
cheered right up. Apparently, Daniel was a goner too, which kind
of took the pressure off Jack for being such a hopeless sap.
Daniel
was looking round edgily. Then he leaned in. "Dinner?" he
mouthed.
Jack
glanced around too. "Your place?" he mouthed back.
Daniel
looked surprised, but pleased.
"Cool!"
Jack beamed at him. Then he noticed Carter and Teal'c were both
looking at him and ordered them to head out. He and Daniel
brought up the rear. The Sisters and their goddess decided to
walk them out until they opened the door. It was raining.
Teaming. Hitting the steaming ground so hard it was bouncing. "If
I were you," Jack coldly advised Ghenn, "I'd start with this. No
one likes getting water in their ear."
"We
can vouch for that," Daniel agreed somewhat emotionally, rolling his
eyes.
"What's
that supposed to mean?" Jack demanded.
In
all the years Daniel had known Jack, he'd never cared what he looked
like round the man. He was beginning to realise that Jack was
right…that was then. Now, he was standing indecisively in front
of his closet. He'd been standing here for ten minutes and he
still couldn't decide what to wear. There was nothing in his
wardrobe that clearly conveyed 'fuck me but let me eat first'.
Not
that…they hadn't talked about…But - um - he - er - he guessed they'd
have to. It was possible Jack was already thinking about
it. Um - after three years of waiting, Jack probably couldn't
stop thinking about it. Not that Daniel wasn't curious.
He'd read that intercourse between men was extremely pleasurable.
Maybe
he should just ask Jack. If he wanted - and he was very, very
curious - and of course Jack wanted intercourse, was there a thirty-day
cooling off period or anything before you got to have it? Or
could they just have it now?
Daniel's
vote was for now. He was getting turned on just thinking about
it. From his reading, he was sure of the mechanics. What he
had no idea of was how it would feel to have Jack moving inside
him. He was surprised by how much he wanted to know.
A
rectal examination at the hands of Janet Fraiser didn't seem like an
adequate basis of comparison to him.
Jack
would probably tell him they should take it easy and not rush among
other boring, responsible stuff. Daniel wanted to be
irresponsible for once. He wanted to be giddy and have fun and
just go at it. He wanted to fuck.
That
decided, he pulled on some black jeans that were astonishingly tight in
the ass, along with a very fine black shirt. Optimistically
hoping that would do it for Jack, he trotted through to the kitchen to
check on dinner. He'd gone for a simple fragrant Thai curry,
creamy with coconut, adding strips of tender chicken, bamboo, mange
tout, sweetcorn, shallots and peppers, which was simmering
nicely. He didn't think there was anything Jack could take
objection to, and if things got out of hand earlier than anticipated,
it would reheat well in the microwave. There was even expensive
imported beer chilling in the fridge.
Now
he had nothing to do but prowl around restlessly picking things up and
putting them down again, jumping at every sound until the colonel
deigned to show up. The sudden knock at his door had him
across his apartment like a greyhound. He opened it with some
semblance of dignity, hoping he wasn't sweating too obviously,
ridiculously flattered Jack had come early.
"Hey,"
Jack said simply. He walked towards Daniel, slid an arm round his
waist, backed him into the apartment, quietly closed the door behind
them, then kissed Daniel hard.
Daniel
exuberantly wrapped his arms around Jack's neck and kissed him back,
nibbling on Jack's straight, firm lower lip. "Mmm," Daniel sighed
as Jack wrapped around him in the climbing into his skin sense.
They traded kiss after kiss, both of them smiling, something like
relief in Jack's fervour, reassurance in Daniel's answering gentleness.
"I'm
sorry," Jack apologised sincerely, nuzzling his cheek into Daniel's.
"For?"
"Dragging
you back. I know you barely scratched the surface of the library,
I know how frustrating it was to lose it." Jack looked at him
seriously. "I could have snowed Hammond…"
"I
understand why you didn't," Daniel interrupted hastily. "I want
to go back, I'm sure we'll have the opportunity to do that some
day." He'd whiled away some time tonight on a mission proposal
for just that purpose and he was sure Sam would contribute too.
"Me
too," Jack snorted. "Hammond has as much success resisting your
wiles as I do."
Daniel
was distracted from asking about his alleged wiles by the way Jack
confidently took his hand and led him up the steps into the dining area
like he'd done it a thousand times before.
"It's
not the first time I've held your hand," Jack pointed out innocently.
"No,"
Daniel agreed, frowning, vividly recalling several occasions Jack had
inexplicably felt the need to reach out and touch.
"God,
I hope I don't look as smug as I feel," Jack announced with complete
lack of conviction. He freed Daniel to tug off his black leather
jacket, draping it casually over the back of the nearest chair.
Daniel
looked at Jack in his black chinos and form-fitting T-shirt, realising
how attractive the man was. Sexy. Seriously sexy.
"Hungry?"
"Starved."
Damn.
"I
brought wine."
Touched,
Daniel smiled at Jack. "You did?"
"I
like wine."
"You
do?"
"More
than you like beer," Jack said tartly. "What are we eating and
can we eat it now, because I want to go to bed with you, as soon as
possible."
"Romantic,"
Daniel commented, turning away to hide a triumphant grin. He
chuckled as a muffled curse from behind him indicated Jack realising
that if he'd brought wine, he certainly hadn't been holding it when
Daniel opened the door. Hard as it was for Daniel to believe,
Jack O'Neill had been so excited about seeing him tonight, he'd left
the wine in his truck. Daniel knew he got Jack excited, he'd seen
ample evidence of that with his own eyes. He just didn't know he
got Jack - excited. If asked to pick an adjective, bored would
have seemed the obvious choice.
"It
was good to have a mission like that," Jack commented as he wandered
into the kitchen and made for the fridge in search of something to
drink. "No one got hurt, everyone got to have fun, we got to help
Ghenn out, we got presents."
"And
I got laid," Daniel added solemnly as he ladled the rice and curry onto
the plates and carried them over to the table.
Jack
winked and waved two bottles of Grolsch at him as he followed him
through. He sat opposite Daniel, stretching his long legs out to
play footsie.
"Are
we okay, Jack?" Daniel asked thoughtfully as he tried the first forkful.
"Okay?"
Jack queried, giving the curry an approving thumbs up.
"It
wasn't exactly professional for us to have sex off-world," Daniel said
diffidently, aware he'd been into it as much Jack was.
"No,"
Jack admitted soberly. "If that had been a high-risk mission -
no. As much as I want you…We couldn't."
"We
have one night and then we go off-world for three weeks, Jack," Daniel
reminded him. He understood the ground rules, there was no
question of endangering Sam and Teal'c by not being there to cover
their backs because he and Jack were otherwise engaged. "What if
it is a quiet, peaceful mission?"
Jack
took a long drink of beer, looking steadily at Daniel, seeming unsure
about what he could say.
Daniel
ate in silence for a few minutes. "If it's any consolation, I
don't think I could stand not being with you either," he admitted
candidly, aware he had no real conception of how much frustration Jack
had endured, seeing Daniel every day, sleeping at his side night after
night off-world. "Maybe we could take some time off," he
suggested to Jack. "Go someplace with a big bed and fuck our
brains out for two weeks."
Jack
choked on his curry, snorting with laughter.
"Would
that help?"
"In
the short term? Sure!" Jack grinned. "How about Maui?"
Daniel
shrugged lightly, willing to go anywhere that made Jack happy.
They
wolfed down their food, Jack glancing at him from time to time.
"You're not obligated, you know," he said firmly, grinning when Daniel
looked up at him surprise. "I've been watching you forever,
Daniel," Jack smiled. "Maybe I am going a little crazy now, and
knowing I'm in the wrong isn't stopping me like it's supposed to.
I've been a lot crazy for a long time and I need to be selfish for a
while, I need to have you with me for a while."
Daniel
reached impulsively across the table to take Jack's hand, which turned
at once in his. "I understand," he promised. "I trust
you." Jack would never risk their lives, he cared too much about
all of them and he was too good at what he did for that. He was
too good a man.
"Yeah?"
Jack said quietly. "I don't trust myself too much."
He lifted Daniel's hand to his lips, kissing his palm tenderly, leaving
Daniel tongue-tied and bashful.
"We
can spend time together Jack, talking, but not sex. It's not
fair," Daniel responded.
"It's
not safe." Jack looked up, grimacing. "I knew I shouldn't -
but I couldn't stop myself."
"Me
either."
"Three
weeks," Jack sighed.
"Three
years," Daniel reminded him, wincing.
"Worth
it," Jack mumbled, refusing to meet Daniel's eyes. "And this
isn't only about sex."
"I
plan to take advantage of that every way I can," Daniel promised,
squeezing Jack's hand. He got up then, tugging Jack after him,
stumbling awkwardly behind him but holding onto his hand anyway, Jack's
other arm slipping around Daniel's waist.
"I
want to make love," Daniel informed Jack clearly.
"I
gathered," Jack replied, his voice shaking.
Daniel
glanced back at him, realising it wasn't humour he heard. The
expression in Jack's eyes - no one had ever looked at Daniel liked that
before. No one.
"I
want," Daniel blurted as they walked into the bedroom, Jack turning him
so they were face to face.
"You
want?" Jack said softly.
"I
want you to fuck me," Daniel asked boldly.
"Funny,"
Jack smiled at him blindingly. "I was going to ask you the same
thing."
"I
don't have a clue what I'm doing," Daniel responded, desire surging
through him, leaving him trembling. "I couldn't, Jack, not like
that," he pleaded. "I need to understand." He stepped up
close, resting his hands at Jack's waist. "I couldn't hurt
you." He kissed Jack's throat passionately. "I'm supposed
to have wiles," he complained into soap and spice-scented skin.
"Why aren't they working?" Jack's hips pushed a bulging erection
unsubtly into his. Daniel smiled smugly at him, busying himself
with unbuckling Jack's belt.
"Eager
beaver," Jack commented, a questioning lilt in his voice as he backed
Daniel towards the bed.
"I've
been thinking about it, and yes, I want it," Daniel said steadily, his
breath catching as Jack began to unbutton his jeans. He reached
up to clasp Jack's face. "I want you," he said directly.
"How do we - er - "
"Hold
that thought!" Jack ordered, turning abruptly on his heel and darting
out of the bedroom.
Daniel
undressed without finesse, putting his glasses safely on top of his TV,
tossing his shirt on the chair, shoving his jeans down then kicking
them clear. He was walking unsteadily towards the bed when Jack
came back into the bedroom. He tossed a small tube to Daniel, who
was lucky to catch it without his glasses, then got on with getting
naked as fast as possible. Daniel climbed onto the bed and looked
at the tube. Lubricant.
"What
are you expecting?" Jack asked kindly, grinning fiendishly. "The
colonel asks this like he hasn't been planning to deflower the innocent
young linguist for three years," he commentated to an imaginary
audience as he stalked proudly towards the bed.
Daniel
prudently refrained from looking Jack anywhere but straight in the
eye. He didn't want to see anything that would make him
nervous. "I lie on my stomach and you - you know."
"Okaaay,"
Jack drawled as he climbed onto the bed and curled up at Daniel's
side. Daniel had no objection to being cuddled or kissed,
enthusiastically giving his all. "Mmm," Jack murmured
approvingly, nipping at Daniel's ear. "Does that sound appealing?"
"Not
really."
"You're
very supple," Jack admired, stroking Daniel's hip. "And you have
very long legs."
"This
is a good thing?" Daniel asked dubiously. He thought he looked
funny when he walked.
"It
is when you lie on your back with your legs wrapped round my hips while
I fuck you," Jack said dreamily
"Can
we kiss?" Daniel enquired, deciding he liked the sound of this.
His mental images were decidedly erotic, very heavy on Jack's slippery
skin and lots of sweat.
"Try
and stop me."
Daniel
briskly handed him the lubricant and lay down, assuming the position
expectantly.
"There
was a little more in the way of nervous shrinking in my fantasy," Jack
pointed out, eyeing Daniel laughingly.
"Get
over it."
Jack
settled himself comfortably between Daniel's legs, rubbing his stomach
like he had when he'd masturbated Daniel the first time.
Daniel
pillowed his head on his hands, watching Jack watching him, gasping as
Jack's fingers teasingly trailed over his straining cock. He
rocked his hips demandingly, hissing as Jack stroked him softly,
rubbing easy circles. Daniel's eyes fluttered closed as he lost
himself in sensation, his belly tightening with each firm, sure touch.
He
jumped when Jack's finger nudged at his ass, moaning out when Jack
began to finger his balls, squeezing just a little, just right, just
theeeere…"Jack!" he yelped as the nudge segued into slow penetrating
pressure. Daniel opened his eyes and scowled at Jack. "Your
finger is in my ass," he accused him indignantly.
"I
don't feel I can deny this."
"It's
the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen!" The only thing that
could make this more like a rectal exam would be Jack wearing latex
gloves.
While
Daniel watched him suspiciously, Jack's finger stroked gently inside
him, seeming to reach purposefully for…"JAAACK!" Daniel howled,
electrified, white flashes going off behind his eyes as he shook, his
body molten with pleasure.
"Does
it matter how stupid it looks?" Jack asked gently.
"Nggg."
Ecstatically
dazed and giddy, Daniel lay in a quivering, occasionally howling heap
as Jack accelerated him up the learning curve finger by finger.
He had no objections to raise against the slick, snub touch at his
anus, shaking and shaking as Jack penetrated him, the head of his cock
slowly breaching Daniel's ass, Jack groaning desperately as Daniel's
body suddenly gave and he plunged deep, his balls coming to rest hot
against Daniel's ass.
"OhgodJackohgod,"
Daniel whimpered, arching his shoulders uncomfortably as voluptuous
sensation flooded his body. His ass burned like holy hell,
clenched tight around Jack's impaling cock, every throb, every pulse of
blood shivering through him. He whimpered again as Jack
impossibly swelled inside him, only dimly hearing the shaken, stifled
moans from his lover, at the edge of his control.
They
stayed that way for what seemed like forever, Daniel absolutely pinned
and helpless, impossibly full, a little scared by how much he liked the
feeling. He caught his breath as Jack's hips rocked back, crying
out as Jack thrust into him.
"Am
I hurting you?" Jack demanded harshly.
"No,"
Daniel gasped, opening his eyes, pulling Jack's steadying hand from his
hip to kiss it. He moaned gutturally as Jack's cock stroked
satisfyingly deeply inside him, shocked by the way his body thrilled to
it. How much he felt. It felt even better when he hooked
his ankles behind Jack's back, his fingers clenching on the quilt
chafing beneath his jolting body as Jack fucked him steadily with deep,
smooth, slow strokes.
Jack's
face was tight and greedy, his eyes impossibly tender.
Daniel
needed to kiss him badly, reaching up to him. Jack leaned forward
slowly, infinitely careful as his weight sank slowly onto Daniel's
belly and chest. Daniel hissed as Jack shifted inside him, Jack
flinching with him, then their mouths met, Daniel driving deep into
Jack, driving into his rasping, pushy tongue again and again.
He
moaned breathily as Jack's hips rocked, Jack losing it a little,
needing to thrust again. "Oh, Jack, that's good." Good for
both of them. He could see the pleasure he was giving Jack on his
face, the low grunts that sounded in Jack's chest as he stroked into
Daniel over and over, his back arching, ass and thighs clenching as he
powered each thrust from his knees.
"Worth
the wait," Jack promised extravagantly.
"Goddamn
straight!" Daniel agreed fervently.
"You
waited what? All of two days?" Jack complained sarcastically.
"Shut
up and fuck me, already," Daniel ordered. He gave a shy little
shimmy and almost finished Jack off.
"Don't
do that!" Jack snarled, shaking like a leaf.
"I'm
not going to just lie here," Daniel argued.
"Then
this will all be over embarrassingly quickly."
Daniel
considered this thoughtfully. Then he kissed Jack very gently.
Jack
eyed him suspiciously.
Daniel
kissed him again.
As
Jack thrust into him, Daniel arched up, Jack slammed into a spot
inside, Daniel saw stars, his whole body exploding with pleasure
as he came hard. Jack roared incoherently as Daniel's ass
clenched around him, heat erupting inside his ass.
Daniel
lay dazed and quaking as he felt every extraordinary spurt and twitch
of Jack's softening cock. Jack pulled out of him, moving
leadenly, sweating and exhausted, to curl up with Daniel in his arms.
"See!
See!" Jack hissed. "You are soooo sleeping in the wet spot!"
"I
thought that was good," Daniel insisted defiantly and breathlessly.
Jack
paused. "I never suggested it was bad," he back-pedalled
shamelessly. "There was a certain intensity…" he hinted broadly.
Daniel
kissed Jack's shoulder.
Jack
seemed quite pleased.
"When's
it my turn?" Daniel asked winsomely.
"I
thought you quote 'couldn't'?" Jack looked slightly appalled at
Daniel's energy and blatantly prurient interest in his ass.
"That
was then."
FINIS
Back to Part Two
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