Goodbye
written by: Ozymandia
dana@ozymandia.org
Summary:
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: None
Category: AU
Pairing: None
Warning: Character Death.
Disclaimer: They don't belong to me, and neither does anything else currently
in my possession. Suing
me is useless, and will bring you nothing but lawyer's fees.
Goodbye.
Daniel had told him one time that goodbye was a contraction
of God be
with you. Jack was trying hard to remember when they had had this
conversation. Oh, yes, when they had met the Sartun on P3X-956. Their word
for
parting was "et-a-yema", may the devils leave you in peace. On the
way back to
the Gate the team had talked about ways to say goodbye. Farewell. Ciao. Adios.
Auf Wiedersehen.
Daniel didn't think Jack remembered these things. In fact, he
was pretty sure his
Commanding Officer had the attention span of a gnat, and the memory
of... well, of something that didn't have a good memory. Truth was, Jack paid
devilishly close attention to everything Daniel said. He filed every tidbit
away for
future use. Every once in a while he would pull something out, like a rabbit
from a
hat, and surprise the younger man.
Like the time he walked into the chamber on P4X-264 with Daniel,
and exclaimed
loudly, "Oh, cool, CUNEIFORM." The archaeologist had almost fainted
from shock when he realized that Jack had correctly identified the writing
on the
walls.
Usually Jack had more fun getting the facts wrong, allowing
himself to be corrected.
Daniel had a bit of a self esteem issue. He liked to know he was needed, that
he was
contributing. There were times when a linguist's contribution wasn't that
obvious. So
Jack would get his facts mixed up, and Daniel would sigh, and give that look
to Carter
that said "Where the heck would this guy be without us here to keep an
eye on him",
and would explain very carefully exactly what it was that his CO had missed.
Daniel was his best friend, the type of friend that Jack had
never really gotten to know
before. He usually hated scientists. They always knew exactly what they were
talking about,
they knew that they knew, and they wanted to make sure that you knew it too.
But Daniel
had been different. He was a good man, who loved what he was doing so much
it oozed
from every pore, and it made you want to love it too.
Like here for example, on P3X-296. The natives were friendly,
the ruins were in good shape.
Daniel was in paradise, and all was right with the world. Jack had listened
to him go on for
hours about the locals, the Brih, and their history. How it was most similar
to Sanskrit. The
building was dedicated to Sarasvati, the goddess of knowledge. A temple, perhaps,
or a
school. Daniel had read the history of the people there, how they had been
brought through
the heavens by the gods to live here, in heaven. Here they developed their
minds, tried to
understand their new home and their gods better, and did their best to live
in peace and
virtue and learning.
Jack smiled at the thought. O yes, this was the perfect place for Daniel.
A touch on his shoulder brought him out of his reverie. He looked
up into the swollen red
eyes of Carter. Her voice was raw and quiet as she spoke. "It's time
we left, Sir."
Jack nodded, swallowing the lump that was growing in his own
throat as he turned back
to the grave. The simple headstone marked this as the resting spot of the
peaceful explorer
from Earth who had saved two men from a cave-in at the ruins. Jack laid his
hand on the
freshly disturbed soil, memorizing the image before he stood up slowly.
"Goodbye, Daniel. Et-a-yema."