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The Poseidon Effect
Author: Ayiana Rating: PG for language Category: Drama/Angst/Romance (S/J) Spoilers: Nothing specific. Set post season 9. Archive: Gateworld, S and J yes, ff.net, and my own site. Any others, please ask. Disclaimer: You know, after you write enough of these, you begin to feel a bit like a broken record. Still, just in case there are any questions… Stargate and its characters don’t belong to me, and I’m not making any profit off of this story. This particular story belongs to me. Please don’t use it without my consent. Feedback: Always appreciated. Acknowledgements: I probably wouldn’t have finished this story without the help of my friendly neighborhood beta readers. Thanks, ladies. A/N: This is a shipper story, but it’ll take me a while to get there. Summary: SG-1 deals with some difficult changes. Will their friendship survive? Meanwhile, an unusual device is discovered on Dakara.
Chapter 1 Jack sat down on the locker room bench and dropped the large cardboard box to the floor beside him. The longest three months of his life were finally coming to a quiet close. He ran a tired hand through his hair. It wasn’t that he had doubts exactly, it was just that this was a rather lonely way to end eight years of dedication and friendship. The decision he’d made all those weeks ago, to retire quietly and without fanfare, had been made after many long nights spent tossing and turning instead of sleeping. Hammond hadn’t been happy about it. Hell, the President had practically begged him to stay, which was both flattering and, in a way, frightening. Surely he wasn’t the only one on the face of the planet who could keep a lid on this joint. He opened his locker, haphazardly pulling things out and dropping them into the open box. He’d agreed to stay until they found somebody else, but only under the condition that his impending retirement wouldn’t be made public knowledge until absolutely necessary. He didn’t want pomp and circumstance, didn’t want people gaping at him and wondering what he was going to do next. And he definitely didn’t want people staring at Carter and speculating about his reasons for retirement. She didn’t deserve to be fodder for the gossip mill. God knew there’d been enough of that around the base already. In the end, he’d decided not to tell his team until after the fact. They’d be hurt, he knew. Hell, they’d probably be furious with him. But he’d rather that than put his friends in the uncomfortable position of having to defend his choices. Besides, if Carter were just as pissed at him as everybody else would be, there’d be little doubt as to the status of their relationship – or lack thereof. And if, by some lucky chance, he was able to win back their trust and acceptance, he’d just be that much more convinced that he still had a tiny bit of good Karma left somewhere in his screwed-up psyche. He put his jacket into the box and closed the locker, his movements a little slower than usual, a little less sure. When he heard the door open, he cursed under his breath. So much for being gone before anybody noticed. Straightening, he looked up. Daniel. Damn. Sure enough, Daniel stood just inside the door, leaning almost too casually against the bank of lockers. The overhead lights glinted off his glasses, effectively hiding his expression. Jack decided to play it light and hope for the best. Maybe, if he was especially lucky, he could still escape without Daniel being any the wiser. “Daniel,” he said, the single word rising in pitch at the end, making it both greeting and question. “Jack.” Daniel’s response, framed in the same tones, didn’t bode well. “What’s going on?” “Not much.” Suitably casual. He was proud of himself. “Going somewhere?” Damn, damn, triple damn. The box. He stood and turned slightly, shielding it from Daniel’s view, but he sensed that it was already too late. “Just tidying up.” “Uh huh.” Daniel’s tone dripped skepticism as he moved across to the locker. “You took your lock off.” “Yeah. Well…” he hedged. “Time for a new one.” “I see.” Surprisingly, Jack didn’t expect Daniel’s next move. If he had, he might’ve been able to stop it. As it was, the locker was open before Jack could do much more than blink. “Wow,” Daniel said, “That’s really tidy.” Daniel had learned a lot about sarcasm in the years they’d worked together. It was pretty damned obvious he wasn’t buying Jack’s story. Still… Nothing ventured, nothing gained. “It is, isn’t it?” He smiled proudly. “I’m thinking of painting.” “You’re going to paint.” There was patent disbelief in Daniel’s voice now. “Yep. Peridot, I think.” Jack grinned and resisted the sudden urge to shift his balance. The locker door slammed suddenly, and Jack twitched despite himself. Daniel eyed him quizzically. “Little jumpy, Jack?” “So.” Time for a change of subject. “I’m heading out. Was there something you needed?” Daniel’s arms were folded now. Thunderclouds loomed on the horizon, and here Jack was without an umbrella. “I stopped by your office a second ago. Wanted to talk to you about something.” “Oh yeah?” Oh no. General Landry. Looming conversational black hole. He saw it coming, but couldn’t do a damn thing to escape its grasp. Carter would have a twenty dollar name for that phenomenon. “Yep.” Daniel took off his glasses. So much for hidden expressions. Pissed would sum this one up nicely. “Odd thing, though.” “Odd, you say.” Jack wasn’t about to wave a white flag. “Very.” “And, um… What was odd about it? Exactly.” He played for time, hoping inspiration would strike. “It was nothing, really.” There was that sarcasm again. “And yet,” Jack said, reaching for his jacket. “You mention it.” “Yeah, well…” Another theatrical pause. Jack wondered if he could grab his gear and make a run for it. He eyed the distance to the door and sighed. It’d never work. “See,” Daniel was saying, “it’s just that there was this strange general in there.” “Really.” Jack tried to sound surprised. “Yep.” Daniel nodded. “A strange one, you say.” “Uh huh.” “Well.” Jack coughed and reached for his things. “Imagine that.” A large, leather clad foot landed neatly on top of the box, forcing Jack to set it back on the floor. He looked up. “Name’s Landry, apparently.” Daniel’s arms were folded across his chest again, and his foot remained squarely on top of the box. Jack considered leaving it and making a solo dash for the door, but vetoed the thought. Too undignified. Besides, he’d never run from a fight before, and he wasn’t about to start now. “Landry, huh?” he said instead, pretending he needed to tie his shoelace. “Yep.” “Good name.” “Maybe.” Daniel’s response was noncommittal. The silence in the room began to take on a life of its own, and Jack finally took a deep breath and looked his friend squarely in the eyes. “What’s your point, Daniel?” Daniel continued to observe him silently for a few seconds before putting his glasses back on with a sigh. “I figure it’s one of two things, Jack. Either you’re leaving the SGC for good, and trying to slip away unnoticed, or …” “Or what?” “That’s just it.” Daniel said. “I don’t know what else it could be.” Jack reached for his box again. Daniel’s foot didn’t move. “Daniel.” “No, Jack. Not until you tell me what’s going on.” “Damn it, Daniel. Can’t you just leave it alone?” “No.” Jack sighed his exasperation. “Empty locker, empty office, new general… What the hell do you think is going on, Daniel?” “So you are leaving.” Jack nodded. “Without a word?” “Apparently not.” It was Jack’s turn for sarcasm. “Sorry to spoil your big exit.” There was anger in Daniel’s voice now, and Jack responded in kind, tired of dancing around the subject. “What would you have me do, Daniel? Should I tell Teal’c I’m tired of fighting a war that never ends? Tell you that I can’t stand the thought of looking at one more Ancient artifact? Tell Carter…” He trailed off, unwilling to finish the thought, but Daniel wouldn’t let it go. “Tell Sam what, Jack?” His voice was soft. “Never mind.” Daniel let it drop, finally lifting his foot off the box. “I used to think you weren’t afraid of anything.” Jack slid on his jacket, picked up the box, and headed for the door. “Looks like you were wrong.” “Yeah,” said Daniel, his voice almost lost behind the closing door. “Looks like I was.”
Sam paced back and forth in front of the window, too angry to sit still. “I can’t believe he just left like that.” Daniel shrugged, trying to rationalize Jack’s odd behavior for Sam’s sake. “You know he doesn’t like pomp and circumstance.” “But he likes cake.” There was the faintest hint of desperation in Sam’s voice as she gazed down at the Stargate. “We would’ve had cake.” There was no answer to that, and Daniel took refuge in his coffee. “In Jaffa society it is not unusual for an aging warrior to choose to die alone,” Teal’c said. Sam spun around, and she and Daniel stared at Teal’c, aghast. Daniel found his voice first. “He’s not dying, Teal’c.” “And he isn’t…” Sam almost choked on the word, “aging.” Teal’c didn’t look convinced. Sam turned to Daniel. “Are you sure he didn’t say anything else?” Daniel shook his head. “Sorry, Sam.” The door opened and General Landry came in, effectively ending the conversation and bringing Daniel and Teal’c to their feet. “At ease, people.” The four of them sat down, and for a few moments there was much shuffling of paper and clicking of pens as the group prepared for the briefing. “Before we begin,” Landry said, “I want the three of you to know that I realize how difficult this is.” Sam and Daniel exchanged a doubtful glance. “This change of command is both sudden and unexpected,” Landry continued. “I want to assure you that I’m not looking to upset any apple carts. For now at least, activities here at the SGC will continue the way they always have.” “Yes, Sir.” Sam’s voice was subdued, but relieved. Daniel and Teal’c settled for nods. “Now,” Landry went on, “if you’ll open your briefing folders, we’ll get busy.” Much later, Sam sat in her lab, toying absently with a screwdriver while her mind wandered. After those few words, the briefing had been…well… normal. The rest of the day had also been altogether normal. Things were as they always had been, except for one thing. Jack was gone. His seat at the conference table – empty. His seat in the commissary – also empty. His gentle gibes and self-deprecating humor – absent. Everything was the same as it had always been, only not. A pile of half-finished reports lay in a jumble next to her computer, the screen of which had long since switched to power saver mode. She knew she needed to get something done, but every time she tried to work she ended up thinking about Jack. With a sudden curse, she threw the screwdriver across the room. “Whoa there.” Daniel ducked just in time to avoid getting his nose pierced. He peered cautiously at her from the safe side of the door frame. “Hey, Sam.” “Hey, Daniel. Sorry about that.” She must not have sounded very convincing, because he kept a close eye on her as he edged further into the room. “Everything okay?” He asked. “Yeahsureyoubetcha,” she said with a weak smile. “It’s strange without him around, isn’t it.” “Ya think?” Daniel ignored her sarcasm. “Give it time, Sam.” “Give what time? Him? His replacement? The general weirdness of his sudden disappearance?” She knew she didn’t have to name the ‘him’ she was referring to. Daniel was a bright guy. “D. All of the above.” She huffed angrily. “He had no right to do this.” “This is Jack we’re talking about. Predictability isn’t exactly his stock in trade.” He leaned a shoulder against the open door. “Are you really so surprised?” She sighed in resignation. “I guess not.” She interrupted his nod before he could finish it. “But that doesn’t mean I have to like it.” He grinned a little at that. “I wouldn’t expect you to.” “So now what?” Sam asked. The question was rhetorical. There was only one possible answer, and they both knew it. He shrugged a shoulder. “Now we get back to doing what we do best, I guess.” “Exploring the galaxy, cheating death, and occasionally saving the planet, you mean?” Daniel’s smile was lopsided. “Yeahsureyoubetcha.”
***** Chapter 3 *****
“You can’t do that!” Daniel’s outrage carried across the commissary to where Teal’c was choosing from the dessert selections. Something about his tone made Teal’c put down the slice of pie and turn to see what was going on. “That’s where you’re wrong, Daniel.” Sam’s voice was tight with anger. “I can. SG-7 brought that device back from their last mission. After General Landry, they report any technological discoveries directly to me. You know that.” “Damn it, Sam, if you take that thing apart before my department gets a look at it…” “What, Daniel?” She was in full battle mode now. “You worried my ham-handed techs will damage it?” “Yes, actually! That’s exactly what I’m worried about!” The two of them were on their feet now, oblivious to the tense silence that had fallen over the room. Teal’c shook his head, nodded at the airman behind the counter, and moved toward them, intent on preventing actual bloodshed. Daniel Jackson and Colonel Carter often engaged in conversations of this type, but rarely did they become so heated. “It’s good to know you have such confidence in my department.” Teal’c lifted an eyebrow. He had never heard her speak to Daniel Jackson in those tones before. Daniel snorted. “I have confidence all right. The last time your group turned a device over to us it was so badly mangled it was practically useless!” “Perhaps,” Teal’c suggested, calmly inserting himself between them, “this conversation would be more readily resolved elsewhere.” It only took a moment for his words to reach their intended targets. Daniel and Sam, still angry, were forced to acknowledge their spellbound audience. They sat down, glaring at each other across Teal’c’s overloaded lunch tray. “What do you think, Teal’c?” Sam asked, watching Teal’c peel his orange. “As I did not hear your entire conversation, I do not feel that it would be appropriate to render an opinion at this time.” “Oh come on, Teal’c. You’ve heard it all before.” Daniel refused to back down. “SG teams bring artifacts back from their missions and the damn scientists rip it apart. By the time we get it, there’s not much left to work with.” “Are you not also a scientist, Daniel Jackson?” Daniel snorted his exasperation. “You know what I mean.” “I do not.” Teal’c dropped the orange peel on his tray and looked up at Sam. “Is it not possible to allow Daniel Jackson’s team to examine the device first?” He was playing with fire. Colonel Carter was very protective of alien devices. “No way. I promised General Landry I’d have a report to him tomorrow.” Sometimes, thought Teal’c, the best way to solve a problem was to ignore it. “There is another device on Dakara that may be of some interest to the scientists of this world.” Thankfully, the diversionary tactic was successful. “What kind of device?” Daniel asked, still glaring at Sam. Teal’c took his time folding his napkin before answering. “Of that I am not sure, Daniel Jackson.” “Describe it to us.” Colonel Carter this time. She shoved her still full tray to one side. Teal’c had noticed that Samantha Carter did not eat properly when she was unhappy. “That will be difficult.” He paused to drink a carton of milk before going on. “As you are aware, a number of free Jaffa have been studying the possibility of creating a sustainable food source on Dakara.” “Yes, yes, I know,” Daniel said, obviously still irritated with Sam and, for the moment at least, taking it out on Teal’c’s rather stubborn refusal to get to the point. “Having fought so hard for your own freedom, the Jaffa don’t want to enslave the peoples of other planets for the purpose of providing food.” Teal’c rewarded Daniel with a slight nod. “Precisely.” “Why Dakara?” Sam asked. “From what I’ve seen, the planet’s surface composition is too rocky for farming, its climate too hot and dry. Aren’t there other planets that make more sense?” “Indeed.” “So then…” Daniel trailed off, looking confused. Teal’c swallowed a bite of mashed potatoes. “Several days ago, a group of Jaffa was exploring a section of Dakara that had not been visited for many centuries.” “And?” Sam, never particularly patient, had become much less so during her years working with Jack O’Neill. “And they discovered a device of unknown origin and purpose,” he looked at Daniel, “with unfamiliar symbols inscribed upon its face.” At this point, had General O’Neill been present, there would’ve been a loud groan of protest. As it was, there was nobody to temper Daniel and Sam’s excitement. “Were you able to translate any of it?” Daniel asked his question at precisely the same moment Sam asked hers. "Any idea what it does?” “No,” Teal’c answered Daniel first. Then, turning to look at Sam, “and no.” “So you want us to come out there and take a look?” Teal’c nodded slightly. “Indeed.” Daniel and Sam were almost instantly on their feet, a pair of bloodhounds on the scent of a rabbit. “I think General Landry’s in his office,” Sam said. Teal’c resigned himself to missing the rest of his lunch. One meal was a small sacrifice if it distracted his friends from the ill tempers that had plagued them since O’Neill’s unexpected departure. Taking one of the sandwiches and an apple off of his tray, he followed them out of the commissary.
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