“Sam, why are we doing so much testing?” Daniel asked. “I mean, uh, we know Edora has an abundant supply of naquadah.” He paused, asking, “It is naquadah?”
“Oh, it's naquadah, and there's lots of it.”
“Which is good for us, since we need lots of it,” Jack added.
“But we also need to make sure it's pure grade and determine how, or if, it's essential to Edora's survival.”
“Yeah. Wouldn't want to bleed 'em dry,” Jack spoke. “It'll help us with the negotiations.”
“Negotiations,” Sam snickered.
“Carter, can it,” Jack ordered.
“Yes, Sir,” the blonde acknowledged, though she continued to smile in amusement.
Standing nearby, Teal'c simply listened to the conversation. He would much rather be engaged in battle than spending time guarding a perimeter that didn't need to be guarded. There was simply no danger to SG-1 on the peaceful planet.
“Well, this is what we've been waiting for -- the *big* show,” Jack said dramatically. “Let's go.”
“Laira says it'll be worth our wait,” Sam noted, referring to the woman who was the leader of the village that owned the rights to the naquadah.
“She definitely made sure we knew that,” Daniel affirmed, glancing over at Jack. “Very sure,” he added.
“What?” Jack asked, noting his lover's glare.
“Just making an observation,” Daniel spoke as the team walked towards the place where they were to meet the woman in question.
“We'll see the rocket's red glare tonight, finish up the negotiations in the morning, and be home in time for pizza tomorrow,” Jack proclaimed confidently, ignoring his teammates when none of them answered verbally, but just stared at him instead.
====
Awhile later, atop a grassy hilltop, the team was enjoying their relaxing night, watching the sky in anticipation of the fire rain Laira had told them about.
“When I was a child, my father told me that the fire rain was the tears of our ancestors longing to be reunited,” the widowed woman spoke softly.
Watching a meteor streak across the sky as he bit on a twig, Daniel smiled shyly as he said, “A falling star. That's, uh ... that's what we call fire rain where we come from. In our culture, you're supposed to make a wish.”
~I got my wish, and he's beautiful,~ Jack thought, his mind anywhere but on the fire rain.
“On Chulak, we call it tal pat ryn,” Teal'c commented.
Thoughtfully, Daniel translated, “Which means, uh ... falling star.” He smiled, thinking silently, ~I'm a falling star, or, well, that's what Jack says. Stop it, Jackson. Now is so not the time to start looking red in the face.~
Laira turned to Jack, a longing look on her smiling face as she questioned, “Whadda ya do you think, Jack? Was it worth the effort?”
“Oh, yeah. Yeah, I'm a huge fan of fireworks,” the colonel answered. ~Boy, am I going to create some fireworks soon. Big, big show. Sorry, Lady, you aren't invited to that show. It's a private performance, just my Space Monkey and me.~
The lovers' private thoughts were interrupted when another meteor appeared, coming dangerously close to the surface. Fire rain was no longer just a beautiful show in the sky; it was now a threat to the planet's survival.
Laira noticed the sudden look of concern on the faces of her Tau'ri companions and listened as Sam explained the significance of a 'near miss'.
“I'll make some more observations tonight, Sir,” Sam told the colonel. ~So much for my night off.~
“I'm gonna check the, uh, geological record in the morning,” Daniel added.
“I'll ... make a wish,” Jack said with a smile. He didn't feel the need to enter panic mode yet. He was confident that his second-in-command would use her doohickeys to figure out the problem and fix it, and there was nothing Daniel could do until morning, so his mind returned to his private fireworks show. ~My falling star and me. Now that's what I call heaven.~
====
“Fair day and be well,” Laira said as she excused herself a few minutes later to return to her home. She smiled at Jack, who innocently returned the expression. ~He would be good here,~ she thought as she walked away.
~Right. Smile at her.~ Daniel glared at his lover, but Jack missed it, since he wasn't looking at him at the moment. Then he glanced at Laira's back as she walked away. ~I know what your thinking, and it's so not going to happen.~
“Sir, I'm going to need some equipment from the SGC.”
“May I be of assistance, MajorCarter?”
“Uh, yes, Teal'c, that would be great. If you could bring back some things, I could stay and make some notes about the frequency and distance of the meteors.”
“What is it you need?” the Jaffa questioned.
“I'll make you a list.”
“Do you need any help, Carter?” Jack asked, knowing he needed to make sure he and Daniel weren't needed so that he could follow through with his plan in good conscience.
“Just the equipment,” Sam answered.
“Fine. Teal'c, when you go back, brief Hammond. Tell him Daniel and I are going to make some observations in another area. If we find anything significant, we'll contact SGC; otherwise, we'll report in at our regular check-in tomorrow.”
“Sir, really, that's ...” Sam took an unconscious step back upon seeing the death glare her CO had just given her. She gulped, realizing there was another agenda in play. “On second thought, Sir, I think that would be a ... big help ... Sir.”
Jack smiled, replying, “Thank you, Carter.” Turning to his archaeologist, he ordered, “Daniel, you're with me.”
“Jack, I ...”
“Don't argue with your CO, Daniel.” Turning back to Sam and Teal'c, he added, “We'll see you at 0200 hours.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Teal'c nodded and moved closer to Sam to discuss her needs. Sam watched Jack turn and head north. She looked at Daniel and smiled, a knowing expression on her face that caused Daniel to blush. He knew that she knew that Jack's observations were to be of a certain archaeologist, not of the Edoran sky.
Already a bright red, Daniel turned to follow Jack, quickening his pace to catch up with his eager lover.
====
“Jack? Are you sure we should ...” the archaeologist asked hesitantly as the soulmates walked.
“Are you questioning my orders, Doctor Jackson?”
“I always question your orders,” Daniel answered wryly.
“I'm gonna forget you said that.”
Daniel laughed, “Well, you do have a tendency to forget everything whenever I'm right, and since I'm right a lot that means you forget a lot.”
“I haven't forgotten a thing,” Jack claimed. “You have a problem with my orders?”
“Problem? Uh, well, not really. I can't do anything until morning, and Sam doesn't need any help, so ... uh, no, not really.” The couple continued to walk for quite a while, Daniel's curiosity piqued by the soft tune his lover was whistling. “Jack, where are we going?”
“It's a little spot I found a couple of days ago. Beautiful vista, secluded, grassy for comfort, and perfect for us.”
“You scouted this?” Daniel asked incredulously. ~Wow. He actually looked for a place, a special place, just for us.~
Jack looked over at his partner and grinned, his Irish charm shining through, so much so that Daniel blushed again just from the look.
“Gawd, I wish I'd stop doing that.”
“I don't,” Jack responded proudly. “I love making you blush. I love it,” he repeated more softly, reaching out to take Daniel's hand for the remaining quarter mile walk until they reached the site he'd chosen for them.
====
“This place is beautiful,” Daniel spoke, serenely taking in the location.
Jack watched as his lover made a panoramic survey of the area. The young man's eyes were sparkling, and his facial expression was soft and loving. He walked up to Daniel, taking him into his arms.
“I thought I was going to burst. There we were, watching the sky. Peaceful and serene. Then, this falling star races across the heavens, and I look over at you, at my falling star. Your eyes were lit up, Danny. You looked so tranquil, so gorgeous,” a small laugh escaped Jack's throat, “and so incredibly sexy, chewing on that darn straw twig.”
“Jack,” Daniel felt his strength weakening. They'd only just arrived and in the course of a few sentences, Jack had him feeling weak in the knees. The two kissed. “It's the perfect place.”
“I couldn't take my eyes off of you,” Jack claimed.
“Hmm. I thought you were looking at Laira.”
“Laira who?” Jack questioned before kissing his soulmate again, his hands sliding down Daniel's back and slipping inside the man's pants.
“She likes you,” Daniel stated.
“I like you.”
“Like?” Daniel asked with arched eyebrows. “Just like?”
“Love.”
“Love? That's, uh, pretty nondescript, if you ask me.”
“Love passionately,” Jack declared tenderly.
“I'm a man of science, my Silver Fox,” Daniel said as he began to unzip Jack's jacket. “I require ... proof,” he added, his eyes locked onto chocolate baubles that lit up his soul. “You'll have to prove it to me.”
“Well, there was that time on ...”
“Let me rephrase that. Prove, as in show. Present tense. You have to ... show me,” the younger man stated.
“Oh, you want to see it,” Jack smirked.
“Oh, yeah ... <brief brush of their lips> ... definitely. I want ... <lingering nibble on Jack's lower lip> ... need ... <right hand sliding down Jack's chest> ... desire to ... <their tongues dance together in a wet kiss> ... see ... <right hand slips inside Jack's pants, stroking> ... it.”
“La Mio Bello Stella Cadente,” Jack whispered into Daniel's mouth. His lover would always be his beautiful falling star. “I love you, Angel.”
“I love you, too, so much. I don't know what I'd do without you,” Daniel responded passionately.
Jack had a reassuring look on his face as he cupped Daniel's jaw and replied, “You'll never have to find out, Love.”
“Promise?”
“Big time promise. It's you and me forever,” the older man vowed. ~I'll never break that promise.~
“Just make sure Laira knows that you aren't available,” Daniel stated. ~She wants you, badly, and everyone knows it, including me.~
“You're jealous, Danny.”
“I don't get jealous, and you're just evading the issue,” Daniel accused. “Laira likes you, and you didn't do anything to discourage her.”
“Angel, I wasn't even thinking about her. It was you in my heart,” Jack said, raising his hand to go over his chest, “my soul, and my mind. I saw that falling star, and nothing else existed except for us.”
“You need to be careful, Jack. She's a lonely widow, and she's set her sights on you. Let's be clear on this -- you're mine, so ... behave,” Daniel warned firmly, pulling his lover close and devouring his mouth.
Both men moaned from the kiss and anxiously removed each other's clothes as they fell to the ground. Their arms roamed each other's bodies on a successful exploration to excite and arouse. They rolled around in the grass, struggling to see who would bottom and who would top. It wasn't a fight. Neither really cared, but sometimes they did it like this, where their lovemaking was a random, just seeing where they landed at the moment they couldn't wait any longer.
“Gawd, need you,” Daniel gasped as he straddled his lover.
“Looks like it's your night, Angel. Want you, Danny.”
“Geez, Jack, where's the lube?”
“Pocket,” Jack laughed.
Daniel rolled his eyes, scurrying off of his lover, quickly finding the lube, and returning with it while complaining, “You could have taken it out before we ended up way over here, you know.”
“I was distracted.”
Jack grinned, making Daniel smile, too. Soon, the two men were seeing stars of their own making. The fireworks of their bodies had ignited the secluded area, leaving both happily satiated as they lay together on the grass.
Daniel was in his usual position, drifting as Jack's beating heart comforted him as it always did. Then, he heard Jack's soothing voice.
“Star from which my music evolved,
you are my music.
Songs eternally on rivers flow,
to sing unchained.
By you there be no winds of change.
Headstrong against all gales ... breathless,
I try master your shining prowess.
Swimming into oceans of love’s plenitude,
in its strength ... its magnitude;
I dare caress left stardust,
blindly seeking paths … culmination.
Falling star … you fill my heart with fire!
Through stretched limbs of oak,
through all terrestrial plains of adoration,
I there dwell in melodies of devotion
... not to hold
… but to touch
... this falling star.”
“Jack?” Daniel responded as he looked up at his lover with misting eyes.
“Just a little poem I found the other day,” Jack stated. “It reminded me of you. I love you.”
“I love you, too -- my poet.”
An hour later, the two walked hand in hand towards the village, and the tent they were sleeping in, until they knew it wasn't safe anymore. Without words, speaking only with their hearts and eyes, they reluctantly let go and continued on to their destination.
As yet another meteor flashed through the sky, Jack and Daniel stepped through the tent's flap, smiling at Sam and Teal'c, who were busy with their calculations. Though the lovers had no clue what the next day would bring, the two were secure in their love and their nation of two, confident that no matter what the future held, they'd always be together -- the silver fox and his tal pat ryn.
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