Chapter Six
Sam felt like cattle, being led everywhere and not being left alone for one second. That morning, before she had been taken outside for the hearing, Itama had fed her breakfast while sharing with Sam more of her own personal history.
The woman held high standing in the village, having six living children. She had had seven children and three mates, but one of her husbands had died, drowned in the river some years before. She had sadly told her about her seventh baby, a little girl born soon after Seema, but who had not survived. Itama had almost died herself, and she had been unable to have any more children after that.
She had explained to Sam that, after a few years of not producing babies, she had been replaced in the Okapa Leadership. Only breeding females could participate. Her first daughter, Itama, had taken her place. The young woman had proven even more fertile than her mother, having had three daughters in quick succession. She was regarded as the most important woman in the Okapa Leadership, the older Itama had informed Sam proudly.
The matriarch’s two husbands and three of her children, Trone, Creb and Seema, still lived in her home. Everyone but Creb, including Okan, had come in and shared the meal with Sam and Itama. The husbands had been helping Trone and Okan build Sam’s new home, in the outskirts of the village.
The Captain found that they were all very good-natured people. They laughed easily and teased constantly, and Seema seemed to have developed a crush on her. She could not take her eyes away from Sam, star struck. Trone and Okan, sitting on each side of Sam, had been the butt of everyone’s jokes that morning, Itama and her family harassing them about their clear fascination with Sam.
They, however, had not seemed to mind, laughing as much as the rest of the family, and had kept offering Sam a taste of this or a piece of that. Sam had felt embarrassed by the attention and had tried not to lead the young men on, uselessly attempting to keep her distance. It had proven to be an impossible endeavor.
After the morning meal, when Itama had left to confer with her daughter regarding Sam’s dilemma, Okan had tried to explain to Sam what a wonderful life she could lead among the Okapa people.
“You will be honored as a wife and mother, and you will be loved and protected always,” he had cajoled.
Sam had tried to explain to him why she could not stay, but he had refused to listen.
“You will change your mind, you’ll see. We will make you very happy.” Trone had just nodded with a smile, looking confident.
Itama had come back shortly, to Sam’s relief, and told them that the Okapa Leadership would be calling a public hearing to discuss and resolve Sam’s problem. She had wanted it settled before the young men became more deeply enamored of the foreign woman. She plainly told Sam that she did not want to see Trone or Okan suffer.
Now, inside Itama’s home again, the young Captain continued to be treated as a queen by Trone. He offered her the most comfortable spot in the dwelling and handed her a drinking cup filled with a tasty fruit juice.
“Thank you, Trone. I really appreciate everything you are doing for me, but please, accept that I can’t stay,” Sam begged him gently.
The young man’s smile faded in disappointment and meant to respond, but his mother interceded. “Trone, everything will be decided tonight. Either you or Sam will have to accept the results of the ceremony. Go on, and see if you and Okan can locate Creb. It is important for him to participate in the ceremony tonight.”
Her son nodded in obedience, smiled at Sam adoringly, and left for the jungle to look for his younger brother.
“Itama, please understand. Staying is not a possibility for me,” Sam tried to make the woman listen. “Even if my friend doesn’t prevail in tonight’s challenge, I will not stay,” she warned.
“Let us just wait and see…” the older woman appeased, patting Sam’s hand lightly. “Try not to worry about it right now. You need to prepare for the ceremony,” she serenely advised, which only made Sam more nervous.
“Prepare how?” Sam warily asked.
“You need to bathe and rest. You must also remove the barriers you use to separate yourself from nature,” the woman cryptically explained.
“What barriers are you referring to?” Sam asked even more apprehensively.
Itama must have realized that Sam was becoming tense because she just smiled encouragingly and answered, “You will understand later. Right now, I will bring water for your bath. Seema is looking forward to preparing your hair. A woman should never be without nature’s gifts on her person. My daughter is quite skilled, you will like the results.”
She patted Sam’s cheek affectionately and left the dwelling, smiling at her youngest offspring, who was sitting in a corner, smiling adoringly at Sam and selecting small flowers from a bowl of water, placing them carefully on a mat.
“Oh, I see,” Sam murmured, smiling at the little girl.
~*~
Jack, Teal’c and Daniel had been given seats on straw mats in the middle of the younger Itama’s home. They had been served as honored guests by the woman’s three husbands, good-humored fellows who had had many questions about where they had come from and why they wore so many clothes.
Itama sat and breast-fed her baby girl, not even a bit uncomfortable with the three strangers sitting across from her. Her other little girls played with colorful rocks on the ground, sometimes squabbling.
The young leader had questions regarding Sam. She wanted to understand why a woman of her age was not already married and producing babies.
Daniel had explained that in Sam’s world there were as many women as men, and that some chose not to marry until later in life, or not at all. He also explained how both, men and women, had jobs and careers they engaged in, and that Sam was an example of a workingwoman.
The Okapa family clearly thought it all sounded very strange, but politely kept their comments to themselves. Itama then explained to Jack that he would have to fight both, Trone and Okan, at the same time, and maybe even Creb, if he could be found.
Jack just nodded, but Daniel immediately inquired, “That doesn’t seem fair. Why not one at a time?”
“If Jack will keep Sam for himself alone, he must prove that he can protect her by himself,” she logically explained, and Jack smiled to himself at the thought of Sam needing anyone’s protection. The young woman elaborated. “If she were to stay with Trone and Okan, they both would share in her protection, along with Creb. The three of them would do so together, not one or the other. Trone and Okan are trying to locate Creb in the jungle as we speak.”
Teal’c raised and eyebrow at Jack, who calmly asked, “And what weapons will we be using?”
“None. Just as you must be able to protect and provide for Sam with your bodies and the skills you possess, that is how you must win her,” Itama replied. Everything seemed rather simple and logical to the Okapa, and Jack felt almost envious as he considered the simplicity of their world.
“So fists it is,” he jokingly mumbled his teammates. “Boy, is she going to owe me a big one!” he added.
Daniel looked concerned, but Jack could swear Teal’s was smiling.
~*~
At her insistence, Sam had been given a measure of privacy for bathing in a corner of Itama’s home. They used colorful cloths hanging from wall to wall to separate areas as needed. She had been given a large bowl with warm water and a soft cloth, and she endeavored to bathe herself behind the hanging wall.
She had used a soap provided by Seema that had a flowery smell and felt surprisingly soft on her skin, and she finished quickly, not liking being naked in an unfamiliar place. She was wrapped in a large, soft cloth, still wet from her bath, when Itama returned from her latest errand.
The woman was carrying a pitcher in her hands as she slowly approached Sam. “You must sit down and drink this while Seema prepares your hair,” she advised.
“What’s that?” Sam cautiously asked.
“It is the ceremonial drink. Do not worry; it will not harm you. On the contrary, it will help you relax for tonight,” Itama assured her.
Sam was still suspicious and preferred not to drink anything, but hesitated in her refusal, not wanting to hurt the woman’s feelings. “What is it going to do to me if I drink it?”
“Nothing harmful, dear. It will just relax you. Taste it first, if you like. Many people choose to drink it during ceremonies since it makes celebrations more enjoyable,” she explained. “Tonight we will be celebrating your joining with your new mate or mates, and I am sure you will not be the only one who partakes of the drink.”
Sam thought it sounded like she was being offered an alcoholic drink. She took the cup Itama had poured for her and smelled it warily.
Yep! It had a faint alcohol smell all right! ‘Well,’ she thought, ‘just a little won’t hurt and it will please my hostess.’ She smiled at Itama and took a sip of the drink, finding it delicious. It tasted like spiked fruit punch.
Itama smiled back at her and asked, “Do you like the taste?”
“Yes, it’s actually very smooth and aromatic,” she complimented. “Thank you.”
“You can have as much as you want, Sam. Now sit so that Seema can make you beautiful with flowers,” she instructed, pulling her down to sit on the mat.
“Shouldn’t I dress first?” Sam asked, feeling exposed with only the colorful wrap as a cover.
“You can dress later. Don’t worry, no one will enter here until you are ready,” she assured Sam. “While Seema arranges you hair, I will rub sera into your skin.”
“What’s… sera?” Sam asked, peering at the oily substance Itama was scooping out of a decorated bowl with her fingertips.
“It is something we use to protect ourselves from insects. It also makes us smell good, see?” she showed her, letting Sam smell the substance in the bowl.
“I see what you mean. I had wondered what made you all smell so good,” Sam smiled. Itama proceeded to rub the oil into Sam’s skin.
“Oh-kay,” the young Captain sighed, thoroughly enjoying Seema’s gentle little fingers combing through her golden hair and Itama’s strong hands rubbing her shoulders. She took another, larger sip of the drink, and she thought, ‘It’s actually very pleasant to be pampered like this. I better enjoy it while I can.’
Then Sam closed her eyes, sipping her drink and relaxing in the warmth of her hostess’ home.
~*~
Jack was having second thoughts about flying solo as he removed his shirt to prepare for the fight. ‘It would have been much easier if at least Teal’c could join me in the fight.’ But he knew he was now stuck, so he shrugged off the thought and handed his shirt over to Daniel.
“What do these people have against clothes anyway?” he mumbled grumpily, remembering when earlier young Itama’s husbands had insisted he had to bathe naked in the river in “preparation” for the important ceremony. That had been when he had really wished Teal’c and Daniel had been included. It would have been just fair if they had had to take a dunk in the cold river as well.
Suddenly, he noticed that the crowd parted and the older Itama approached the center of the town, where everyone had convened to witness the challenge.
Torches surrounded the area, providing illumination to the circle designated for the fight. The three young men claiming Sam were sitting on the ground, as he was, facing him, and Jack started to fidget nervously, wishing they could get started already.
So when he saw the three people that followed Itama into the circle, he seemed to freeze, his mouth agape. His three adversaries also stared in awe as Sam approached with the little girl, Seema, and a boy a few years older leading her gently by the arms.
His Captain wore the garments of an Okapa woman, flowers in her hair, skin glimmering in the light of the torches, a colorful straight skirt that revealed her long legs as she walked, tan boots up to her knees… and nothing else.
Soft, flute-like music started as she was slowly led to the center of the circle and was left standing there, between the two children. Itama also stood nearby.
Jack’s mouth was still hanging open, helplessly staring at Sam’s lovely figure, when he heard Daniel whisper to him from behind, “I think she’s drugged, Jack.”
“What?” he replied distractedly, still staring.
“Sam is drugged. I don’t think she knows where she is,” Daniel was telling him, and Jack snapped out of it and focused on Sam’s face.
She was looking at her surroundings with a distant, dreamy look on her eyes. She was swaying a little, as if tipsy, and her hands were hanging by her sides, completely relaxed. The youngsters were gripping her arms just hard enough to keep her steady.
Teal’c was silent, watching everyone, especially Captain Carter, but he did not seemed surprised to see her naked, as his two teammates were. He was clearly not aware of Earth’s customs on the matter.
“I think she’s really going to be mad about this later!” Jack heard Daniel comment, and he mentally agreed.
The music slowly changed and softly beating drums could be heard. Four very young women, much shorter than Sam, entered the circle and started to sway in a seductive dance around her. They followed the rhythms of the drums, softly at first, then keeping up with them as the beat increased.
Jack was reminded of Polynesian dancers as the women’s hips swayed gracefully and their arms floated, but Sam was oblivious, watching them as if sleepwalking.
All of a sudden, the four young women’s dance became almost frenetic. The drums were urging them on, their hips shaking, lose hair flying as they turned. Jack was mesmerized, wondering how the human body could move that fast and yet so gracefully. The women kept dancing, keeping up with the music until it abruptly stopped and the girls dropped, their foreheads on the ground and chests heaving with the results of exertion.
‘I can see how they stay in shape,’ Jack ironically thought, having enjoyed the dance immensely. Moments later, four young men entered the circle and helped their mates to stand, gently leading them out of the circle.
Seema and the young boy followed them and Sam was left standing alone, but only for a moment. Young Itama approached slowly and ceremoniously placed a garland of flowers around Sam’s neck. She then took Sam’s hands in hers and beckoned Jack and the three young men to the center of the circle.
“The Goddess will decide tonight who will be Sam’s mate, or mates,” she addressed the men, looking at each in turn. “The Okapa people respect the decisions of the Goddess. Sam has drunk of the ceremonial drink and will also abide by the Goddess’ decision tonight,” she stated, looking into Sam’s far gone expression. “May the Goddess protect you all in this trial.”
She then led Sam out of the circle and helped her sit on a mat in front of the ceremonial fire and the rock figure of the Okapa Goddess. Seema and the boy sat beside her, holding her arms and keeping her from swaying too much.
The three young men, muscular Trone, tall Okan, and burly Creb, surrounded Jack, indicating to him that he better be prepared for the fight to start, so he brought up his fists and assessed his adversaries carefully.
He had already decided to try to take out the youngest one first, to be better able to deal with the two older ones later. The three Okapa men circled him slowly, still not daring to make a move. Then Trone, fast as lightning, closed in on Jack and threw a well-directed punch to his head.
The Colonel moved aside easily, and to everyone’s astonishment, started to dance around, ready to box. A low murmur could be heard from the crowd and his three adversaries looked at each other in perplexity. Teal’c raised an eyebrow and looked at Daniel, whose attention was riveted on Jack.
Creb was the next one to throw caution to the wind and attack, throwing himself at his opponent in an attempt to bring him down. Jack easily avoided him and the young man flew past him, face first on the dirt, but he quickly picked himself up, anger clear on his face. He exchanged one uncertain look with his brother and then tried again.
This time, Jack received him with a well-connected punch to his middle, and the youth fell to his knees, bent over in pain. Jack continued to dance, facing the other two men and smiling.
The two Okapa men looked at each other as if agreeing on something, then they both attacked Jack at the same time. He was able to avoid Trone, but Okan tackled him successfully and they both fell to the ground, wrestling.
Jack knew he had to get up before Trone could join his friend, so he quickly flipped the young man over and threw him hard to the ground, picking himself up immediately after. Trone was almost on top of him when he turned to face him, but Jack stopped him with a hard hook to his jaw that managed to flatten the young man. He was out, cold.
Okan, however, was up again, as was Creb. The two men circled Jack warily, clearly not sure of what to do next. No one had been able to land a single punch on Jack yet, and the older man was actually enjoying himself.
Okan attempted to throw himself at Jack’s legs but, again, Jack danced away, narrowly escaping the young man and keeping his eyes on Creb. While Okan was picking himself up, Jack attacked Itama’s third son, trying to knock him out, as he had his brother. Surprisingly, the youth avoided Jack’s punch and threw himself at his middle.
Jack was brought down, but used the boy’s momentum to flip him off just as he fell on his back. He heard Creb’s grunt of pain as he fell hard behind him.
Before Jack could get up again, Okan was on top, expertly wrestling with him. Both men strained their muscles in their attempt to overcome the other while Creb, still winded, was trying to get up. In almost no time at all, however, Jack was able to gain the upper hand. He managed to pin Okan face down to the ground, twisting his arm painfully behind him. “Surrender!” he shouted, hoping to end the fight.
“No!” Okan yelled back, and Jack twisted harder. The young man screamed in pain, but would not give up. Jack knew he might need to break his arm to convince him, but before he could decide what to do, Creb kicked him away from Okan.
The Colonel was back on his feet in a flash, his fists up. ‘Okay, time to end this,’ he told himself, and he started to dance again, now on the offensive.
He went after Okan first, quickly connecting with the man’s middle a couple of times, avoiding a wild punch, and finally smashing his jaw, sending him to the ground, dazed. Jack then turned to Creb, who started to back desperately away, trying to avoid Jack’s approach. It did him no good. Jack delivered two hard punches to his jaw and the youth collapsed, unconscious.
Jack turned around to make sure his other adversaries were still down and met Trone’s sad green gaze. He was sitting on the ground, calmly watching him, a look of resignation on his face. The rules of the fight did not allow him to attack Jack once he had been taken out. Only Okan remained as a possible adversary, and he was shakily getting to his feet.
Trone stood up, helped up his friend, and said something to him that Jack could not hear. Okan looked at Jack, nodded, and hung his head in defeat. Suddenly the crowd erupted, putting an end to the match.
Trone knelt by his fallen brother as the younger Itama entered the circle. “You have won,” she admitted to Jack. “Sam is yours to love, keep and protect. May she produce many children for you, and may both of you be happy in your union until the Goddess calls you back to her,” she wished, putting a flower garland around Jack’s neck.
He could tell she was not happy, so he just said, “Thank you.”
The crowd had been incredibly quiet during the fight, but now everyone seemed to be talking at the same time. More than one man approached Jack to pat his back in congratulations, laughing.
Daniel and Teal’c were also there, the archeologist smiling in relief and the Jaffa asking, “What manner of fighting did you employ, O’Neill? I am not familiar with it.”
“It’s called boxing, T. I’ll be glad to teach you if you want,” Jack smiled, taking back his t-shirt from Daniel and putting it on.
“Can you teach us, too?” a young man asked, and others immediately joined him in his request. “Okay, Okay! We’ll see about that,” Jack replied amusedly.
Young Itama had approached Sam and was helping her up. She turned to Jack and waited for him to join them. “Can we leave now?” he asked, walking up to the two women.
“Leave? Not before you complete the ceremony. Everything is ready for you. You may take her away tomorrow, if you wish. But you are free to remain with us as long as you want,” she politely invited.
Her mother was standing next to Sam, holding her arm sadly. The Captain continued to be oblivious, not saying a word, and little Seema actually had tears in her eyes. The young boy had a consoling arm draped over her shoulders.
“There’s still more to the ceremony? What’s next?” Jack asked, worrying that now he would have to dance or something. The music had started again and it seemed the whole village was now partying.
Daniel and Teal’c were standing behind him, trying to keep their eyes away from Sam’s bare body but not succeeding much.
“You must take her and follow me,” young Itama replied. She then turned around and started to walk away from the gathering, toward the outskirts of the town.
“Jack?” Daniel called, making him realize that he was standing frozen, watching the young woman walk away with Sam. He didn’t know what came next, but he had a budding suspicion.
He looked at Daniel worriedly, but the archeologist just nodded toward the retreating women and signaled for him to follow them. ‘Oy!’ Jack thought, not really wanting to get too close to his Captain in her semi-naked state.
“Okay,” he finally sighed in defeat, and he walked up to stand next to his second-in-command, looking straight into her eyes. They were glazed, reflecting the firelight around them.
“Carter! Can you hear me?” he whispered hopefully, but she just blinked slowly without responding. She continued to stand there, swaying lightly on her feet and looking like she could drop at any moment. “Carter!” he repeated, louder. Again, she did not respond.
“She can walk, but you must hold her so that she does not trip and fall,” the older Itama came up to him and instructed, staring suspiciously at him, and Jack could tell that she was wondering what kind of man would not want to touch his woman? He could see the knowledge in her eyes. She knew she was right in suspecting that he did not mean to have her as his mate at all, but she didn’t say so.
“Just pick her up and follow Itama,” the woman brusquely ordered, anger clear in her voice, and Jack decided not to push his luck further. He picked his semi-naked Captain up and turned to follow the younger Itama, who had paused and was waiting for them a few feet away.
He rolled his eyes at Daniel and Teal’c and said, “Good night, boys. I have work to do. See you tomorrow.”
“Jaack?” Daniel called worriedly.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be a complete gentleman,” he assured his friend as he continued walking. “Be ready to go first thing in the morning!”
He then caught up with Itama and followed her into the darkness surrounding the village. He could feel sad eyes on him until he left the group of people behind, and he knew that the disappointed, older Itama would have her hands full tonight taking care of her heartbroken children.
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 ]