It was dark where the gate stood, but you wouldn’t guess it at that moment in time, because it was active, sending shimmering light bouncing around and off of the trees that surrounded the clearing, which had a large stone pedestal directly in the middle of it.
A grey machine came through the event horizon, and made its way down the few short steps, looking around the area. It moved around the pedestal and checked the DHD was there and working properly, then moved to the outskirts of the clearing and stood motionless.
That’s when SG1 came through, their night-vision goggles on. As they made their way down the steps, the gate shut down and flooded the place with darkness, except for the light from the moons, which were both almost full.
“Well, this looks interesting,” said Daniel, turning his flashlight on and inspecting the pedestal closely. “It looks as though this used to be a Furling planet.”
“Nice,” said Vala, “Does it say if they are here still?”
“There are no tracks other than our own around the chapa’ai,” said Teal’c, who was bent close to the floor and looking at the footprints that were scattered around.
“Ok, let’s set up camp in the trees,” said Cam, we should be able to get some shelter then.
Most of the team worked on setting up the camp, whilst Daniel continued to study and begin to translate some of the Furling writing that had been carved into it.
“Soup’s up,” called Cam, two hours later.
“Be there in a minute,” said Daniel. He had taken off his night vision goggles and was using the flashlight to see. He had also nearly finished translating the writing on the pedestal.
“Now Daniel,” said Cam, “It’s not going to be heated up again.”
Daniel sighed and got up, leaving his translations behind him and walked to the fireside, where he collected his soup and then went back to the pedestal.
Ashe sat down again, a bird call went out, and then almost as quickly, there was a brilliant flash of gold as the sun began to rise, its early morning rays already warm and reaching them through the trees.
“This is wonderful,” said Vala looking at the ray that was diagonally crossing above her tent.
“Well, at least I can see this better now,” said Daniel, his voice sounding a little muffled.
“I’m going to scout around a little,” said Sam placing her small bowl near the fire and standing up.
“I’ll go with you,” said Vala.
“Uh –.”
“Oh come on! It’s better than being bored out of my mind here isn’t it?”
Sam thought about it for a minute.
“Alright then,” she said finally.
Vala jumped up and brushed herself off, then followed Sam as she walked away through the trees.
“Why didn’t you want me to go with you?” asked Vala.
“Well, I guess I wanted a little time on my own. I haven’t had any alone time in a long time, always being bugged about something or asked to fix something.”
“Oh, ok I’ll leave you then.”
“No there’s no need. It’s better to be on the safe side anyway isn’t it?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m sorry that I’ve made you feel uncomfortable.”
“No, you haven’t, you’re ok.”
They continued to walk until they came to a clearing, exactly like the one they had left. The sun was up higher now, and it filled the clearing with its brilliant bright light and warmth. They could see the pedestal in the middle of it and they could also see the stargate, but their camp was gone.
“Cam, come in,” said Sam into her radio.
“Go ahead Sam,” said Cam’s voice from the radio.
“Where are you?”
“I’m at the camp back at the gate. Do you want me to send up a flare?”
“No, it’s ok, only I’m standing at the clearing with the stargate now, and I can’t see you. We must have doubled back or something.
“Sam, you’re not here, I’m standing directly in front of the gate.”
“Right ok, stand by.”
Sam moved towards the gate and climbed up the few short steps, then gave it a gentle kick. It was real.
“It seems there are two stargates on this planet,” continued Sam into the radio.
“That’s unusual isn’t it?”
“Very,” said Sam.
Another bird call went out around them. They scanned the area, aiming their weapons around, but they didn’t see anything or anyone around them.
“Perhaps we should get back to the others,” suggested Vala.
“Do you feel that?” asked Sam.
Vala stood still for a moment, frowning, trying to work out what Sam was talking about.
“Yes, I do,” she said eventually. They were both feeling some kind of static in the air, and also had the feeling they were being watched.
“Maybe this planet has ley lines and we’re just standing in one of them,” said Sam, continuing to move again.
“If that was true, then why is the feeling getting stronger?” asked Vala, falling into step with Sam.
“Cam, come in.”
“Go ahead.”
“Are you feeling anything weird where you are?”
“Uh, weird…how?”
“Tingly static kind of thing?”
“Yeah, we’re thinking that it has something to do with the pedestal. Daniel says that it says something about a connection with something that brings 5 strangers forward.”
“Right. Does it say what that something was?”
“Probably, but Daniel is having problems translating it.”
“Ok we’re going to head back. See you in a couple of minutes. Carter out.”
Vala and Sam continued to walk back to their camp, the tingly feeling growing stronger and stronger the closer they got to it.
“Hey, is it me or is the feeling stronger here?” Sam asked, looking at Vala.
“Yeah I’d say so,” she replied.
“It’s stronger now you’ve come back,” said Cam.
“Oh, I’ll go again then shall I?” said Sam, joking around slightly.
“No its ok.”
Some twigs broke from a tree, and they all looked up to see a person hanging from a branch above them.
The person looked as though they were covered in green and brown fur. They looked at the group, knew they had been spotted and sent out a call, which sounded exactly like the bird call they had heard.
“Hi,” said Vala, looking up at the person.
It tilted its head a little, and then dropped down from the branch, landing lightly on its feet, considering the weight it carried around its middle. It was shorter than all of them, and it looked up at them curiously, tilting its head again and blinking slowly. Daniel stood up from where he was trying to translate the pedestal, and came over to it. it considered all of them for a moment, then seemed to cower a little, backing up until it hit a tree.
“It’s ok, we’re not going to hurt you,” said Cam.
“My name is Daniel Jackson,” said Daniel.
“Althea,” said the person. They sounded female.
“I’m…sorry, I don’t know what that means,” said Cam.
“It’s a Greek herb, but it also means ‘healer’ in Greek,” said Daniel.
“It is also my name,” she said.
“You know our language?” asked Vala.
“Yes.”
“Are you from here?” asked Sam.
Althea considered her for a moment, tilting her head the other way, before answering.
“Yes. You are not.”
“No, we are from another planet, called Earth,” said Sam.
“I have not heard of it.”
“It’s also known as Terra or Gaia,” said Daniel.
“Impressive,” said Althea. “Your kind has come far in a relatively short time.”
“Yes, the Asgard seemed to think so,” said Cam.
“You know them?”
“We did. They named us the 5th race in the alliance,” he said.
“I see. Where are they now?”
Before they could answer, there were two more bird-like calls and two other people dropped out of the trees landing, just as lightly as Althea did, next to her.
“Althea, who are they?” asked one of the new comers, looking a little worried.
“They are from Gaia,” said Althea.
The two new comers screeched out a laugh, and began jumping up and down in excitement.
“They seem…happy,” said Vala.
“Please, you must come with us,” said the one that stood to the left of Althea.
“What about our things?” asked Sam, looking a little bit wary of them.
“They will be fine,” said the one on the right.
“What are your names?” asked Daniel.
“I am Moya,” said the one on the right.
“And I am Urania,” said the one on the left.
“Interesting. They have names from different origins,” said Cam.
Nobody said anything, but everyone gave him a weird look.
“What?” he asked.
“Do we not have names of different origins too Colonel Mitchell?” asked Teal’c.
“Oh, yeah of course. Sorry.”
“You are prince of the obvious yes?” asked Althea, a small smile playing on her lips.
Cam smiled a little as the others chuckled at the humour.
“So, you will come with us?” asked Moya.
“Sure ok,” said Daniel, before anyone else could answer.
“Excellent. You can join our feast we have tonight.”
“You have a feast?” asked Vala.
“Well, we don’t yet, but we will, for two reasons; first, because we have guests and secondly, because some of an ancient prediction has come true.”
“Really?” asked Daniel, as they began to walk through the forest.
“Yes. It was written over a millennium ago that 5 people, such as you, would come to our planet,” said Urania.
“Well, that’s interesting.”
They walked for over half an hour and they finally arrived at the edge of a large clearing.
“Welcome to our camp,” said Althea, spreading an arm out in front of her in a semi circle movement.
“I don’t see anything,” said Vala.
“Look up,” said Moya.
They all looked up at the same time. Above them was lots of wooden swing bridges and ropes and there were also some rope ladders that lead up to them.
“This is amazing,” said Daniel.
“Thank you,” said a male voice.
They looked around them and they saw a tall hairy person walking towards them. He looked older than the others by far, and also looked male.
“Everyone, this is Alden. He is one of our protectors. He is the oldest and wisest of us.”
“Althea, did you find them in the forest?” asked Alden, sounding rather fatherly as he questioned her.
She nodded, looking down at the floor.
“What did I say about strangers from the forest Althea? Did you study them?”
“I did for the entire morning, since before sunrise, but they are not from here. They came through the Astria-porta. They are from Terra,” she said.
Alden’s eyes seemed to grow.
“Just as the stone says…” he whispered in amazement.
“Yes.” She then proceeded to tell him their names, and they shook hands.
“Please, you are welcome to join our camp,” he said hastily.
The team moved to the rope ladders, whilst the others climbed up the tree branches that lead to the top of the rope camp.
“This is seriously one great camp,” said Daniel in amazement, now looking down at the floor below him.
“It was built a while ago, when we had to move closer to the Astria-porta,” said Alden, stepping off of a tree onto the bridge they were now standing on.
“It’s surprisingly strong yet supple,” said Sam, inspecting some of the wood on the floor of the bridge.
“That is why we chose it. It is also weather proof, and it goes unseen unless it is revealed by one of us. It is, in our opinion, a very good defence,” said Urania proudly.
As the team looked around more carefully, they could see huts built into the trees and there were people appearing at their doors to get a good look at the new comers.
“Come!” shouted Alden to the others, “Greet our guests that have come as predicted by our oldest ancestors!”
The people seemed to move as one, back into their houses and then coming out again, laden with lei’s of flowers and crowns of twigs and leaves with red and white roses in them.
“Now,” said Alden, “would you allow us to dress you in the attire of a party?”
“Yeah, I don’t see why not,” said Daniel, again speaking before anyone else could.
“Excellent, Samantha Carter and Vala Mal Doran, you will go with Althea, Urania and Moya and join the females to get ready, whilst the rest of you will join me and the rest of the males,” said Alden, a big beaming smile on his face.
They split up and Sam and Vala went into a large hut that was, surprisingly warm and cosy, covered in red and white flowers just like the ones that were in their crowns.
They wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but they had been given a golden goblet of wine that seemed to never end, and they were now dressed in identical fairy-like pink dresses, and they were both bare foot. Their home made crowns were also replaced with a single large pink dahlia tied into their hair which was up, except for a couple of strands at the front of their head, hanging down in half ringlets.
Moya gave them a mirror to look at themselves.
“Wow this is beautiful,” said Sam, looking at the way the dress and the hair style with the flower worked.
“It does not compare to your beauty Sam,” said Moya, blushing lightly.
Sam blushed deeply and Vala chuckled.
“The same can be said for you Vala,” said Althea, trying not to leave Vala out.
Vala began to laugh in a nervous way, her face also blushing.
A knock came on the door, and Urania stood and answered it. From where she was sat, Sam could see Urania blush a little as she saw Daniel standing there.
“Hi, I was wondering if Sam and Vala were ready,” he said.
“Y-yes…they are,” she said. Daniel noticed her eye colour deepen quickly, and he knew what she was feeling.
“Daniel, you want to come in?” asked Vala, hearing his voice.
Daniel looked at Urania, who nodded and moved out of his way. He was wearing green and brown clothing, looking smart and handsome at the same time.
“How long does it take for yoooowwooaah…” he stopped walking, staring at the two of them.
Vala stood up and showed herself off better.
“You look pretty,” he said, looking at both of them.
“Not quite the word I was looking for,” said Vala.
Daniel looked at her.
“You are beautiful,” he said smiling, and offering his arm to her. She accepted his offer and they together walked out of the hut.
Sam looked a little surprised at this, and then she realised that Urania was looking disappointed.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” she asked, standing up and moving towards her.
“It’s…never mind. You wouldn’t understand.”
“I might do.”
Urania opened her mouth twice, swallowed hard, opened her mouth again, then couldn’t seem to speak, and so she began to cry instead.
Moya and Althea came over and gave her a hug, wiping her tears away.
“It’s ok,” said Moya, “I’m sure you’ll find someone else.”
“He didn’t even see me that way,” said Urania, another tear slipping from her eye.
“He was already in love…though he doesn’t really know it properly yet.”
“I know what it’s like, having feelings for someone you can’t have,” said Sam.
The three of them looked at her, all of them with what seemed to be an understanding look.
“Really?” asked Urania, trying to look like she didn’t already know.
“Yeah. I mean he knows…at least I hope he knows…and he feels the same way, but our jobs keep us apart.”
“I’m sure he knows,” said Moya, noticing Sam was now looking down.
“We’ll see,” said Sam, “Anyway, don’t we have a party to get to?” she asked, looking suddenly happy.
“Yes, we do,” said Urania, wiping away her tears and picking up on Sam’s feigned happiness. She wiped away her tears, and as she did, Sam noticed that the fur she thought the people were covered in was actually just makeup, as it smudged a little.
Sam smiled as a small thought crossed her mind.
“You’re thinking of this Him.” It wasn’t really a question, but more of a statement.
“Yeah I am,” she said, “How did you know?”
“The way you smiled to yourself,” said Althea.
“Oh. Yeah I was thinking of something he once said about you guys. Obviously he didn’t know, and he still doesn’t know what you guys look like.”
“What did he say?” asked Moya.
“I don’t want you to take offence,” she said.
“Please, just say it.”
Sam sighed.
“Okay. When he heard your name, he seemed to say that you would be small, cute and furry.”
None of them had a smile on their face and Sam thought that they were upset by this. They looked at each other and then collapsed to the ground laughing loudly, almost as though they were young children being tickled.
“Oh my dear, that is so funny!” said Urania through her laughter.
Sam relaxed a little. She was glad they could see the humour in it and didn’t take offence.
“You so have to say that to Alden,” said Moya.
“Are you sure he wouldn’t take offence?” asked Sam, feeling uncertain now.
“Yes, I’m sure. He would love it!”
“Maybe…you could do it?”
“Nervous are we?” asked Althea.
“Just a little,” said Sam.
There was another knock on the door.
“Ahh, this should be your dinner partner,” said Urania.
Althea, who seemed to somehow fix her makeup without Sam noticing, opened the door as she was nearest to it.
“She is ready for you,” she said, stepping aside to let the man through.
Sam’s eyes widened in shock and surprise. Jack O’Neill entered the hut.
“Sir?”
“Hey Sam,” he said, checking her up and down.
Sam suddenly felt conscious of what she was wearing and her face flushed deeply.
“How – I mean – when did you get here?”
“I’ve been here for several days,” he said. He offered his arm out to her. “Are you coming? I’m starving.”
His eyes roamed her body as she stepped slowly towards him. He couldn’t help but stare at her like that as she was as beautiful as ever. He had stared at her in the past when he was working with her and he had the feeling she knew he had done it, but she never gave it away that she knew, except on certain occasions when she would change her body language and sometimes swing her hips a little more than she usually did.
“Sir, are you coming?” asked Sam, noticing he had gone glassy eyed.
“Huh? ...oh yeah, and Sam…call me Jack.”
“Sir?” she questioned.
“We’re not officially on duty here. Please, call me Jack.”
“But –“
“Ok, I’ll make it an order.”
“Yes…Jack.”
She noticed him shiver ever so slightly when she said his name, and she also saw his brown eyes darken and glaze slightly. She couldn’t help the tight knot feeling that was building within her as he looked at her like that.
“Come on sss…Jack,” she said, pulling on his arm a little.
“Oh I’m coming,” he said.
“Me too,” said Sam smiling. ‘In more ways than one,’ she thought to herself.
“Just…don’t make a mess,” said Urania.
Jack and Sam heard the other women chuckle behind them.
“Are you coming?” asked Jack.
“Um we are…going, yes,” said Althea, before she and the other two chuckled.
They all stepped outside. It had already started to get dark, and there were lanterns hanging in the trees, gold and white light flooding the place. What caught their eyes the most though was the fact that where there was previously a large gap where you could see the forest floor below them, there was now a solid floor that held a large table laden with huge silver and gold plates full of delicious smelling food. They walked along the table until they found two empty seats and they took them.
As they sat there eating, laughing and chatting with the other Furlings around them, they didn’t notice just how fast time was flying again, and then Sam’s radio crackled.
“SG1 come in,” said Landry’s voice.
“Go ahead Sir,” said Sam, sounding rather drunk.
“I was just wondering why you missed your scheduled check in,” he said.
“Oh yeah sorry Sir, we were met by the Furlings, and then we found General O’Neill here too,” said Sam.
“Colonel, are you inebriated?”
“No sir,” said Sam, chuckling after she let go of the speak button.
“Are you sure about this?”
Jack took the radio from her and spoke into it.
“Look Hank I told her to relax and I allowed her to have the drink that the Furlings offered us. If you want to blame anyone, then blame me, because I forgot to mention that it had alcohol in it.”
“Jack, you know they’re not supposed to drink whilst on duty.”
“I relieved them of duty whilst they were here,” he said.
“Right, ok but can you make sure they check in with us next time?”
“Sure when is it?”
“in 24 hours,” said Landry.
“Yep, no problem. O’Neill out.”
The radio went dead and then they continued to party for a few more hours. Finally, Alden stood up, even though he was swaying all over the place, and called for silence.
“We are honoured to have our guests to our camp, and we will ask you now, would you like to sleep here tonight?”
Sam, who had drunk a little too much, was leaning on Jack, and he was trying to concentrate on everything else around him.
“Yes, that would be great,” said Daniel from the opposite side end of the table from them.
“Excellent, you shall sleep with your dinner partners. We have huts that you can have to yourselves. We hope you sleep well and comfortably.”
All the Furlings stood up as one, and headed back to their huts, all of them with someone, even the Urania, Moya and Althea were with someone, but they came over to the remaining couples that were at the tables. Cam and Teal’c had been paired off with a Furling female for the night, and were already being led back to the huts they occupied by them.
“If you follow us, we will show you where you can sleep for the night,” said Urania, taking Daniel’s hand and pulling on him. Vala was leaning on Daniel from drinking too much too and she nearly fell over, but Daniel caught her, and then followed Urania and her partner to a spare hut. Then Urania and her partner ran off down a bridge towards her hut.
“We will see you in the morning,” said Moya, as she and her partner left them.
“We will show you your hut,” said Althea, taking Jack’s hand. She pulled him along behind her to the hut that was on the outskirts of the camp, and was the one that was most separate from the rest.
“This is your place whilst you are with us,” she said, smiling up at them slightly shyly. “You should not be heard if you were to…sing or anything else.” Even in the darkness that was around them, Jack noticed that Althea’s face had flushed red, partly due to the fact that it seemed to glow slightly.
“Ok, thanks,” said Jack smiling back at her.
Althea and her partner pushed past Jack and Sam and ran back along the bridge into the camp where they disappeared within the structures.
“Well, I guess we had better go inside,” said Jack, stepping forwards and supporting Sam. he reached out for the handle and turned it. Then opening the door, he stepped inside, and closed the door. He also slid the deadlock and chain lock which he was surprised to find there, and lay Sam on the bed that was in the far corner, before pulling the curtains.
The hut was full of a glowing light from where someone had lit a real wood fire within a brick enclosure. Jack pulled his top off so that he could get a little more comfortable, before settling himself down on the soft seating area to go to sleep.
“Jack, why are you over there?” asked Sam.
Jack jumped a little, as he had thought that Sam had gone to sleep almost immediately.
“I didn’t want to disturb you,” he said.
“Well, I’m not asleep yet. Why don’t you join me?”
Jack looked a little more closely at Sam. She wasn’t very clear on things that were going on, and she didn’t look like she was lying comfortably the way he had put her, and her dress looked as though it was constricting her.
“I tell you what, how about I help you get more comfortable,” he said, getting up and moving towards her.
“Ok,” she said.
He managed to sit her up and she leaned on him. He gasped a little as her breath played against his bare chest. She giggled, but she gasped herself when she felt Jack undoing her dress from behind her neck.
“Jack, what –“
“I’m making it more comfortable for you to sleep,” he said.
She giggled again, the sensation of his arms around her, his hands running up and down her back trying to find the other knots that were keeping her dress on her.
“Hey, no giggling,” he said.
“Sorry sir,” she said.
He was reminded of the time they were stranded in the ice one time, her voice whispering that in his ear, and how it had ran a shiver of pure feeling for her at the time.
Finally he got the final knot, and the dress fell away. Jack couldn’t decide if the breath he had let out was more of disappointment or relief for the fact that she was wearing a bra, but he didn’t get much time to think of that because Sam reached up behind her and undone it. She didn’t seem to notice she was in his company any more, and she managed to get herself up onto her feet, if a little bit wobbly, and she pulled the dress off her over her head. All she was wearing now was a pair of pure white cotton panties, which he had to stop her taking off before he made her lie back down on the bed. As he did, she pulled him down onto the bed next to her, and then rested her head on his chest, her arm draped over him all the way, and holding onto him tightly. He shifted a little with difficulty and managed to get his arm around her and pull the sheets up to cover her more than him.
He thought to himself that he would just wait until she was asleep, but the next thing he knew he was waking up, his face buried in a large bundle of blonde hair. Her neck was millimetres away from his lips, and something inside of him shifted heavily, as a feeling shot through him, trying to influence his sleepy mind to do what he desired most: place his lips on her flesh and caress it forever. As he closed his eyes and went to move his head, she shifted, opening her eyes dreamily. She looked up at him a small smile playing on her lips at first, and then he saw the change in an instant as she realised the way she was.
“Oh my God!” she said sitting up extremely fast and pulling the sheets with her to cover up.
“Sir, I’m so sorry – I didn’t know what I was doing – I shouldn’t –“
“Carter!” he said, cutting across her, “Nothing happened. You went to sleep.”
“But – I’m not dressed!” she said, her voice getting shrill.
“I know. It’s because you needed to sleep comfortably.” Jack sat up. ”You know, it’s still early. Why don’t you go back to sleep?” he said, still sounding sleepy.
“Yeah, but I’m going over there,” she said.
“Sam, please stay. That’s the only cover we’ve got.”
Sam considered this for a moment, and then she got up and looked around the room. She could see Jack’s discarded top on the floor by the seating area and she picked it up, pulling it on with her back to him, before getting back into the bed, and pulling the covers over them both. He sighed in a comfortable bliss, before his whole body stiffened as she shifted slightly, rubbing him down below. He cleared his throat and tried to focus his mind on getting back to sleep, and then something else began to bother him. He opened his eyes, not realising he had closed them, and looked around the room.
“Uh, Carter, where’s the bathroom?”
“I don’t know Sir, I was wondering the same thing,” she said, sitting up again, making him instantly cold. He tugged at the cover, trying to pull it over his chest and a large amount of her thigh was exposed to him, as well as a certain smell he knew only too well. he felt the room spin slightly as he tried to concentrate his efforts on not reacting to it, but he knew only too well that he would be betrayed by his body any time soon.
She tugged the cover back over her legs, hoping that he didn’t smell her arousal from the situation. She noticed how stiff he was lying on the bed, and she knew he was feeling just as hot as she was under the proverbial collar. She knew she had to move, or she would do something she would later regret.
“I’m going to go into the camp and ask them where it is,” she said, getting up and leaving him alone. He watched her pull on the dress she wore last night, though she didn’t use her bra, and pulled off his shirt, throwing it at him.
“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” she said.
Jack watched as she went out of the room and along the rope bridge until she disappeared from sight.
He had to do something about his feelings, and he had to do it soon. It was becoming too much for him. Before he even had the chance to do anything about it, Sam was back in the hut with him, and closing the door.
“What did they say?” he asked, sounding slightly irritated.
“They didn’t. I didn’t see anyone, but there was a lot of…noise coming from all of the huts in the camp.” She looked slightly flushed, and she kept glancing up at him with some kind of hope, and yet he could see slight embarrassment there too.
“What kind of noises?” he asked truthfully confused.
She looked up at him fast, her eyes wide in slight shock as she flushed a deeper red.
“Well…the kind of noise that…people make when they are having bedroom fun,” she said as she found a way to say it in a way that he would understand and yet not make things any more awkward for them.
“Ah,” he said, looking away from her, but then glancing at her from the corner of his eye.
“Yeah,” said Sam. she was still had a lot of pent up feelings that were threatening to explode from her the longer she sat here.
“I’m…going for a walk,” she said, getting up and facing the door.
“Sam.”
She turned to face him.
“Are you ok?” he asked her.
“I’m…fine,” she said, nearly telling him how she felt. Her face flushed again. The sounds she had heard from the other huts earlier didn’t help her mood. If the rules didn’t stand in her way she would –what the –
Jack stood, and without meaning to, she automatically looked down, and she could see that his “side arm” was sticking out quite proudly.
“Uh, Sir…” she couldn’t say anything more. He moved towards her with quickening grace, and before she could move more than two steps, he took hold of her arms and pinned her to the wall, sealing his lips in a very wild and possessive kiss. She didn’t know what was happening at first, but then she found she couldn’t resist kissing him back. She didn’t know what was making them do this, but at that particular point, she didn’t care. The only thing that she wanted to exist in her world at that moment was Jack.
He was feeling the same. He didn’t know what possessed him to do what he was doing, but he really didn’t care. He was doing what his heart had desired for years and she wasn’t fighting him off, but in fact she was encouraging it. He pushed a knee between her thighs and rubbed it roughly against her sex, causing her to moan into his mouth. He could feel her arousal already soaking her, and he knew she had been feeling like this for a while.
Her hands were running up down his bare chest, and she was revelling in the fact that he was being very receptive to her. He was also running his hands around her body, pulling at the cords that kept her dress up again, and he finally managed to pull it free. The dress fell forward, and as it did, he dropped his mouth from her lips, kissing a trail down her neck towards her perfectly formed globes that he had longed to touch and taste the previous night. Then he began to ravish them, one at a time, whilst forcing her dress off of her completely, leaving her totally exposed to him. He released her so that he could take a very good look at her, and then she seemed to become conscious of the situation and went to cover up.
“No,” she said, grabbing her wrists to try and stop her.
She looked up at him, her eyes dark with desire, and a little worry there too.
“It’s ok Sam, I’m not going to force you to do this,” he said.
“No, I want you. You’re wearing too much,” she said, her voice thick with passion.
He glanced down at his own body and realised what she meant. He was still in his shorts, though somehow his pants had been removed without him realising, and he looked up at Sam, who had a slightly smug look on her face.
He then proceeded to take his shorts off, finally freeing his painfully hard sex. Then he leaned down on Sam, kissing her, and lifting her up by her ass, he carried her back to the bed, laying her down and slowly moving his mouth down her body. Her giggle turned into a moan as his mouth found her soaked sex, and he gently began to kiss the outer lips, before dipping his tongue into the slit, dipping low near her channel and high up around the engorged nubbin that was so obviously craving his attention.
She moaned louder, and her moan bought out a primal growl from within him and she moaned again at the sensation of it, and so be began to hum against her. Her breathing became more and more erratic and she was bucking her hips against his face, her hand snaking through his short silver hair and pressing him further into her. He decided to dip his tongue into her channel and she bucked again, and then he moved upwards and popped the nubbin into his mouth, alternating between nipping and sucking at it. She moaned even louder and her call seemed to make him even more painfully hard. He knew he wouldn’t be able to resist much longer, and so he inserted a couple of fingers into her channel, and she practically screamed. Then, he began to flick her nubbin with his tongue in time with the movement of his fingers, causing her to moan even louder with arousal. He couldn’t help grinning at her reactions to him. Then, he felt her walls tighten around his fingers and he knew she was close. He made his movements faster, and within a minute, she came. He was amazed at how much she had to offer as he lapped up the sweet nectar of passion, and then, as he got the last few drops, he moved up her body, sealing his lips over hers once again, their tongues duelling for dominance as she tasted herself in his mouth. He settled his weight over her and she accepted his weight freely. She reached between them where she could feel his hard sex pressing down on her stomach and she guided him to her entrance.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked her.
“Yes,” she said, still out of breath from the first orgasm. She looked up at him through her heavy passion-filled eyes, and he could see sincerity behind them. He smiled and then pushed his pelvis against hers slowly, causing them both to moan in mutual passion. He pushed as far into her as he could, and found she took him almost to the hilt, which surprised them both in a very good way. He could feel her internal muscles twitching slightly, partly because she was still getting over the orgasm, and partly to get used to his size. When he knew she was ready, he began to move, a slow and steady rhythm, and she bought her legs up around him, crossing her feet behind his ass, making him go deeper inside her so that she took his entire length. He could tell she was wanting more, wanting him to move faster, and so he began to, and she matched his every thrust. He moved in alternate ways until he found her G-spot, and continued to make himself strike it, making her have multiple orgasms.
Soon his own release was near, and he knew she was building up to another orgasm, so he moved his hands between them, and began to rub her small nubbin again, causing her to moan even more, and as she broke around him again, he exploded, screaming her name and spilling his seed within her. He gave her a few more thrusts, and then collapsed in a blissful oblivion on top of her, his head coming to rest on her breasts.
He listened for a long a while to her heart rate and breathing as it slowly came down, and he could still feel the occasional spasm from her last orgasm as he was still within her.
Neither of them knew how long they had been laying there like that, but they were beginning to get cold from the sweat that was on their bodies. Luckily, the cover wasn’t underneath them, and Jack, moved from on top of her, pulling the cover over them once more. She whimpered a little at the broken contact and the feeling of him slipping out of her, but she sighed contentedly as he spooned up against her, wrapping his arms around her with the cover. Soon they were fast asleep.
They didn’t hear the small creak of the door as a furry face peered around to check on them. Althea smiled lightly, knowing they were finally as they should be. She silently moved away, and headed back to the camp. Daniel and Vala had exited their hut in the time it had taken her to go there and back.
“Hey,” she said, “You have a good night?”
“Yeah, a great one,” said Vala, looking up at Daniel with a soppy smile on her face.
“Excellent,” said Althea, smiling. “Destiny is fulfilled on all sides.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Daniel.
“She has already said more than enough,” said a stern male voice. They looked over at the direction from which it had come, and they could see a Furling male coming towards them who they had not been formally introduced before.
“Daniel, Vala this is Thestius. He is my father.”
Daniel raised his eye brow a little, and held his hand out to him, and he shook it, peering into his eyes as if trying to study his intentions.
“Good,” he said. “You have not been with my daughter. You are…too young for her.”
Daniel began to feel uncomfortable.
“Father, there really was no need for that. I know not to go with anyone other than the one you choose for me.”
“Yes, you are right to do so.” He then walked away, and she turned to go, but Daniel, held her still.
“Your name has been referenced as a Goddess on Earth, and according to Greek Mythology, you remain a Virgin.”
“That was in the past, many centuries ago. Before I grew my fur,” she said, her face glowing bright red.
“I see. So, how old exactly are you?”
“27,” she said.
“And your father said I was too young,” said Daniel.
“That’s 27 of your centuries,” she said.
Daniel’s mouth opened in a perfect O.
“Anyway, duty calls,” she said. And she moved away before he could say another word.
“Catch you later!” he called after her as she dropped out of sight down a tree.
“We should go and get Sam up,” said Vala.
“Why?”
“I heard General Landry on the radio last night. He called in to see if we were ok. We missed a scheduled check in and he told us not to do it today.”
“Really, I never heard him.”
“That’s because you was talking to Alden about something,” she said.
“Ah, I see. Ok we’ll go then.”
Daniel took Vala’s hand and walked along the bridge that connected to the one that Sam and Jack had taken the night before, and just as they reached the middle of it, Urania and Moya appeared out of nowhere.
“You must not,” they said at the same time.
“They are not ready for guests at this present time,” said Moya.
“But they have to check in with the General in 20 minutes,” said Vala.
“I see. We shall raise them from their slumber. You must not go there,” said Urania
“But –“
“No buts,” said Moya, interrupting Daniel. “Go have your breakfast. Trust me, it is better we raise them than you.”
They could both see the truth within Moya’s eyes, and they finally gave up.
“Ok then. Where do we eat?”
“Where you ate last night Daniel Jackson,” said Althea, also appearing out of nowhere and laden with a large tray of food.
“I see,” he said. “How can you do that thing the Knox do?”
“We learned it from them. We are…similar in physiology…on the inside anyway. Please, let us attend to your friends and they will be along shortly.”
Daniel and Vala turned around and left.
Urania and Moya stepped towards the door and Moya knocked, gently enough that it could have been missed, so Urania knocked harder, and they had no answer.
“What do we do?” asked Moya.
“What we were told to do,” said Althea, who was looking a little impatient.
“Right,” said Urania, lengthily. She took a deep breath and opened the door, and closed her eyes.
Moya cleared her throat.
“You know we’re supposed to look what we’re doing,” she said in a whisper.
Urania sighed and walked into the room, followed by Moya. Althea came in last and put the tray on the small table by the embers of the fire. Then she crossed the room and climbed onto the bed, and shook Jack lightly.
“Jack O’Neill.”
He didn’t stir, but Sam did.
“Morning Mum,” said Althea with a big grin on her face.
“What?” asked Sam, not sure if she heard right.
“I said morning Sam,” said Althea, going a little red in the face again.
“What are you doing here?” asked Sam, making sure she was covered.
“Exactly what has been asked of us,” said Urania, who was now standing at the foot of the bed.
“And that is…?”
“To wake you. You have a scheduled call with your General soon.”
Jack shifted a little and Sam looked down at him. The three Furling women could all see slight worry written on her face as Jack opened his eyes.
“Hey,” he said sleepily, with a big smile on his face. He pulled her towards him and gave her a kiss on the lips, and any worries about him regretting what they had done disappeared in an instant.
The kiss was so intense, that nothing seemed to exist other than each other in that moment of passion, but the illusion was soon shattered when they heard retching sounds breaking through to them.
They broke apart and looked towards the noise, and Jack, seeing two of the Furling women, aimed to cover himself and Sam as best he could.
“What uh…what are you doing here?” he asked, clearing his throat in the middle of it.
“You could have waited until I had moved,” said Althea, making Jack jump as she moved from behind him, “But anyway, you asked us to wake you.”
“Did I?” he asked, looking confused.
“Yes. If you do not remember, we will allow you to dress and we will tell you outside,” said Urania, as Althea stood next to her.
“Uh, yeah I’m going to need reminding,” he said, looking at Sam with confusion, “you wait here, and I’ll be back in a minute.”
He reached for his pants and pulled them on under the cover, as the three women looked away out the window. He then got up and walked out the door, and they followed him, closing the door behind him.
Sam watched, and frowned a little at being left alone.
‘Stop being so stupid, you’ve been left on your own before,” said a voice in her head.
She got up and dressed herself again in her pink dress, and made the bed. Even though she knew they were only outside the door, she couldn’t hear a word of what they were saying, despite the fact the door was made out of what appeared to be a very flimsy piece of tree bark, set into a wood frame.
She looked towards the fire, thinking of restarting it, when she saw the tray of food laying there.
“How sweet of them,” she said out loud. She stepped towards it, and just as she was about to bend down and pick it up, the door opened again, and she spun around, losing her balance a little.
Moya and Urania were there almost instantly to catch her, and she was surprised at their speed.
“Thank you,” she said, looking at them both in turn, her face flushing a little.
“You are more than welcome,” they said as one.
Althea nudged Jack. He looked down at her, and then walked over to Sam, placing her on the bed again.
She looked slightly confused, until he went over to the breakfast tray and bought it over. It was only then that she noticed a small package covered in what looked like gold foil, sitting in amongst the yellow fruits.
“Sir what is this?” she asked him as he picked it up and gave it to her.
“Well, why don’t you just open it and find out?” he said, as she took it from him. She seemed to study it for a while, and Jack began to get impatient. She could tell, so she slowly undone the wrappings, which turned out to be some kind of fabric, and revealed a small box underneath it. It was made with the same wood as the huts and bridges, and ornate patterns were carved into it to make it look attractive. Two very tiny, gold coloured hinges connected the lid to the base, and as Sam opened it, she gasped.
Sat on a light pink piece of cloth, was a beautiful platinum band, set with three large diamonds.
Jack moved down onto the floor, and Sam watched as he winced, going down on one knee.
She knew what was coming, and she gasped again, nearly dropping the ring. Jack took hold of her hands and searched her eyes before he spoke.
“Samantha Carter. Will you make me the happiest man in the universe by becoming my wife?” he asked.
She was staring down at him in disbelief and she didn’t say a word, so after a few minutes of her just staring at him, not even blinking, he shook her a little to get her attention.
“Sam?” he said, “I can’t stay here forever.”
She blinked, her eyes coming back into focus. She looked at the ring; she looked at Jack, and then spoke.
“I would love to,” she said.
“But?” asked Jack, hearing it coming.
“But I can’t. We’re both in the air force. Our jobs –“
“-are safe,” said Jack cutting across her.
She frowned, and he continued before she spoke.
“I retired Sam. we can do this.”
She seemed to just sit there for a long time from Jack’s point of view, and slowly, her frown turned into a smile.
“You did this…for me?” she asked.
“I did.”
Her smile got bigger. It was the mega watt smile she always saved for him and him alone.
“Then yes Jack, I will.”
His smile was the biggest she had ever seen on his face as he took the ring and placed it on her finger.
At first it seemed like it was going to be too small, but it soon seemed to make itself fit her finger. Jack then stood, hissing in pain as his knee straightened, and planted his lips firmly on hers.
Althea, Urania and Moya cheered loudly, and Jack and Sam once again pulled away, both of them looking slightly shy.
“Congratulations,” they said as one, before giving them a hug. Both Sam and Jack stiffened slightly as they did it, and the three of them instantly let go, feeling they were uncomfortable.
“Sorry,” said Althea. “We kinda got a bit over excited.”
The other two nodded, and they all looked down at the floor.
“It’s ok, we wasn’t expecting it,” said Sam, tapping Urania and Moya on the shoulder before she did the same to Althea.
“So…are you going to tell anyone else?” asked Urania excitedly.
“They’re not up yet are they?”
“Uh yeah, Daniel and Vala were going to wake you up, but we were told to do it specifically by Jack,” said Moya.
“Ah,” said Sam, in a perfect imitation of Jack, who looked at her with a small grin.
“Let’s go then,” said Jack, taking Sam’s hand and pulling her towards the door.
They all went back to the main part of the camp, where the Furlings were laying out breakfast for everyone.
“Will you be eating with us instead then Jack O’Neill?” asked a woman Furling, as she spotted the small group enter the camp.
He looked at Sam, who nodded.
“If it’s not too much trouble,” he said.
“Not at all sir,” said the woman, setting out a couple more plates. “you are welcome to join us any time,” she said.
Alden was walking towards Jack.
“Jack O’Neill, your General person is attempting communication with you,” he said as he bought a radio over to them. They could hear General Landry’s voice coming through it.
“SG1, do you read?!”
Jack took the radio and spoke into it.
“Go ahead Hank,” he said.
“Jack, is everything ok?”
“Yeah, everything is just fine. Everything has gone to plan,” he said.
“Congratulations, but you missed your check in again,” he said, sounding slightly unhappy.
“Yeah, sorry about that, we kinda slept in late,” said Jack, looking at Sam with another grin on his face.
“Jack, you assured me you would check in. I’m going to order SG1 to come back, and you know full well you can’t contradict me on this one anymore. Now, you can stay if you want, but I have the distinct feeling you won’t want to.”
“Ok,” said Jack sighing, “When do you want them back? Only we were about to have breakfast.”
“Be back for about 1200 hours.”
“Ok, no problem.”
“And Jack, make sure you do,” said Landry.
“Alright, see you later.”
“Ok, Landry out.”
The radio went silent.
“You should not disobey your superiors,” said Thestius, making his way over with Daniel, Vala, Cam and Teal’c in toe.
“Morning guys,” said Daniel.
“Good morning. We ship out at –“
“We know,” said Cam, interrupting him, “We were listening on the radio. What did Landry mean when he said that you wouldn’t want to stay?”
“Yeah and congratulations to what?” asked Daniel.
Jack and Sam looked at each other, and then back at the team.
“Well, he said I wouldn’t want to stay…because of Sam…and the congratulations…you tell them,” said Jack ending the sentence looking at Sam.
Her face flushed a little as a nervous smile appeared on her face.
“Well…we’re...Jack proposed to me and I said yes.” She waited with bated breath for their reaction, and it seemed to take a moment to register what she had said. Then all at once they said:
“Congratulations!”
Vala instantly wanted to see the ring, and Cam, Daniel and Teal’c were giving Jack a man hug each.
Alden spoke next.
“Sorry to break your jubilation a little, but breakfast is ready and it doesn’t keep for long,” he said.
“Oh, right of course.”
They all enjoyed their breakfast, and during the time they were eating, many Furlings came up to them and congratulated them.
Sam was feeling happy. It was the happiest she had felt for a very long time, and she had to admit to herself, that although she never forgot any of her missions, this was one she would never ever forget forget.
Jack was also thinking along those lines. As far as he was concerned, this was the best retirement anyone could ask for. He was able to go to the Furlings, who SG9 had met a couple of months previously and kept it secret from SG1, he was able to surprise Sam and she also accepted his proposal, even after the initial shock of it all. He felt like he was the happiest man alive.
Soon it was time to say goodbye, and as they made their way back to the gate, the Furlings accompanied them.
“We sent someone ahead of us,” said Alden, “When we arrive, your things should be already packed for you.”
“Thanks,” said Jack, who was walking with Sam on his arm. She was still wearing the pink dress, and didn’t even think to change back into her standard issue clothing.
As they arrived at the gate, a couple of Furlings went forward and lifted the packs, handing them to the team.
Vala was looking around at the Furlings, and she could see everyone there except for three.
“Where are Urania, Moya and Althea?” she asked.
“They are at the other gate,” said Alden.
Sam had heard them speak.
“Could you tell them thanks for everything and hope to see them soon?” she asked.
“We cannot,” said Alden.
“Why?” asked Daniel.
“They have gone back to their time. They are in fact not Furling. They are of your decent,” said Alden, looking at Jack and Sam.
“They’re human?” asked Cam.
“They are advanced humans. They are…different.” Alden kept looking at Jack and Sam with some kind of knowing smile.
“Well, that explains why they can do that thing the Knox can do,” said Daniel.
“What do you mean?” asked Jack.
“When we went to wake you, they appeared out of nowhere and stopped us.”
“Wait, you say they are going back to their *time*?” asked Sam.
“I did, and they are,” said replied Alden.
“Backwards or forwards?”
“I don’t understand your meaning.”
“Are they going backwards or forwards in time?”
“They are going back to the future,” said Alden.
Sam’s eyes widened.
“Sam, are you ok?” asked Jack, looking concerned.
“I’m fine. Jack, I think they were our daughters,” she said.
“You are correct,” said Alden.
“What?! But I thought Thestius was Althea’s father,” said Daniel.
“I was only whilst she was here,” replied Thestius. “It was all done so that we could get away with you thinking they were of our race.”
“Well, that explains why when Althea was crying, the fur on her face was rubbed away when she dried her eyes off as well,” said Sam. “By the way, what was the stuff they used on their bodies to make it look like they were part of you.
“That is simple. In winter, our fur grows, and in spring, it begins to shed itself. We put it in store, and it has interesting properties. When you have collected enough fur, it creates itself into a skin-thin costume, and it adapts itself to your body forms, adding extra fur in just the right places to keep you safe. You cannot wear anything underneath the costumes you see,” said Alden.
“Interesting,” said Sam.
“Yes, you may have a sample,” said Thestius, lifting a small clump from one of the younger Furlings who hadn’t quite shed their fur properly. She yelped a little as he pulled it, but then she went back to the conversation she was having with her friend.
“Thank you,” said Sam, frowning slightly.
“You’re welcome,” said the female Furling with a squeaky voice.
Sam smiled at her and she blushed brightly, giggling along with her friend, who up until that point Sam thought was male.
“We should go now,” said Daniel, as Cam dialled the gate and Cam punched in the numbers on the GDO.
“Yes, it was nice meeting you,” said Sam.
“Likewise, Samantha Carter. We hope that you will come back again soon.”
“Me too,” said Jack, holding his hand out to Alden.
He shook it roughly, and then Jack, Sam and Vala walked towards the gate.
“One last thing,” said Thestius, touching Sam on the arm, “The names you knew them by were not their real names.”
“Thanks,” said Sam, feeling confused now, more than ever.
“And Daniel, I lied before, when I said that you were too young for Althea. She was in fact too young for you, and she was only 20 of your years in age.”
“Uh, thanks. That makes me feel…better.”
“I also apologise for the way that I spoke to you earlier.”
“Apology accepted.”
“Sg1 do you read?” said Landry’s voice from the radio.
“Go ahead Sir,” said Cam.
“The gate is going to shut down. Are you coming through?”
“Yes Sir. We were just saying our goodbyes.”
“Don’t be too long.”
“Ok Sir.”
The two Furling females who had spent the night with Cam and Teal’c came forward and gave them both a hug and a small kiss on their cheeks.
“Goodbye, and may we see each other again soon,” said the one hugging Cam, her head now resting on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head.
“I will Shanley,” he said, “I promise you I’ll be back.”
“It is such a shame I could not come back with you.”
“You wouldn’t like it there. They wouldn’t allow you to have any freedom.”
“As you have said.”
She and the other Furling woman then left them and joined the crowd once more.
“O’Neill. I have said my goodbyes to Zenobia. We should depart now,” said Teal’c.
“Right, of course. See you all soon,” said Jack.
As the team stood by the gate and turned to look at the crowd, they all bowed and then disappeared back into their trees.
The team stepped into the event horizon and emerged back at the SGC.
“So, you say everything went as planned?” Landry asked Jack as the team walked down the ramp and the gate shut down.
“Yep, I’d say so,” said Jack.
Landry observed that Sam and Jack were holding hands, and he also noticed the pink dress that both Sam and Vala were still wearing, but he didn’t comment.
“Good,” he said. He turned to face the control room where Sergent Siler was standing, watching them.
“Sergent Siler, you know what you have to do.”
“Yes sir,” said Siler into the microphone. He disappeared along the side of the control room, and then as the side blast door opened, Siler came shuffling in backwards, carrying a table with an SF laden with party food, followed by other tables and six people pushing crates of drink in on wheels.
“Hank what is this?” asked Jack.
“It’s your retirement and engagement party,” said Landry.
‘Yep’ thought Jack, as music began to play, ‘Best way to retire…EVER.’
THE END.
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]