Procrastination16: Metamorphosis
Procrastination16: Metamorphosis
by Newromantic
Summary: Plot free ship that just won't end.
Category: Humor, Romance
Season: Season 5
Pairing: Jack/Sam
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: none
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written this story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author(s).
Archived on: 06/10/03
Disclaimer: I'm thinking of petitioning for timeshare...
Procrastination
Chapter 16: Metamorphosis
"So how come you look like Jacob?" Jack asked as he leant against the purple wall opposite their prisoner.
"I am able to take many forms," the alien replied. "I am also able to reach into your minds and find any information I need."
Jack frowned. "What kind of information?"
The alien smiled reassuringly. "Do not worry, Colonel O'Neill. You have not unwittingly disclosed anything that would incriminate yourself."
Nodding in response, Jack made a mental note to have all Iris codes changed as soon as they returned home, then turned to look at Sam. "Carter?"
"I guess I'd like to know why you brought us here." Sam said as she sat opposite the alien. "And what your name is."
"My name is Josaf," he replied simply, "and this planet is called Kolei. You were brought to this place because you wanted to be."
The two humans exchanged confused glances. "We wanted to be?" Sam repeated.
Josaf nodded once again. "Perhaps it is better if I start from the beginning."
"That would be good," Jack replied humourlessly.
"Uh, you know what?" Sam said before the alien began what was sure to be a very interesting story, "Would you mind not being my father? Only, it's a little disconcerting."
"As you wish." Josaf rose to his feet and muttered a few nonsensical words before raising his arms above his head. A bright light engulfed the room and when it was gone and their eyes had readjusted, they were both more than a little surprised to find General Hammond standing before them in full dress uniform.
"Is this more appropriate?" the alien asked in a well known Texan drawl.
"Not really..." Jack replied nervously whilst Sam started to shake uncontrollably.
"I do not understand," Josaf began as he sat down once again. "I chose to become these people because they were both in the forefront of your minds and have been since you regained consciousness." The alien frowned a little. "If they are important, why then do you fear them so?"
"It's a little hard to explain," Jack began as Sam pulled the thin purple sheet tighter around herself. "The reason we were thinking about them is because...well...Carter?"
Sam glanced at her CO before regarding Josaf once again. Grasping her hands tightly together in an effort to control her shaking, she gathered her thoughts before explaining. "You see, the Colonel and I, we..."
"You are together, no?"
"No!" they both replied simultaneously before looking at each other in shock. Sam turned an attractive shade of pink which, Jack noticed, crawled all the way down past her collarbone and under the sheet.
Apparently the alien hadn't noticed their discomfort. "But you would like to be?" he pressed.
Jack sighed in frustration. Apparently this was no time for false propriety. He stole a glance at Carter, who nodded almost imperceptibly. "Yes." He admitted bluntly. "But the situation is complicated."
"I cannot see how!" Josaf exclaimed. "If you wish to be together then..."
It was Sam's turn to sigh. "But we can't." she said quietly as she regarded the alien, absently wondering why the hell they were telling him all this, but seeming unable to stop. "You see, the two men who you just...became...are some of the people who would never allow it. We have rules on our planet and we have to uphold them. If they caught us dressed like this," Sam shivered slightly, her cheeks reddening further, "or how you caught us this morning, then we would get in a lot of trouble."
Josaf brightened considerably. "Would you like them taken care of?" he whispered conspiratorially. "I know some people..."
Sam did a double-take. Was he suggesting what she thought he was? "No, it's fine, really," She replied quickly. "We chose to sacrifice areas of our personal lives for our work. It's part of General Hammond's job to ensure we maintain our professionalism."
"What do you mean by professionalism?" Josaf asked, his eyes narrowing in confusion.
Jack sighed dramatically. As much as he was really looking forward to a conversation on Earth/Kolei language differences, it was still pretty unsettling explaining his relationship with Carter to a man who looked like General Hammond. "Look, do you think we could skip the phonetics discussions and concentrate on why we're still on this damn planet?"
Sam glanced apologetically at the Colonel, her stomach turning excited somersaults as memories of what they had been doing less than an hour previously came back to arouse her. Suddenly she found herself caught up in O'Neill's eyes, his look turning from questioning and confused to smoky and brooding as she felt her cheeks grow warmer under his unrepentant gaze.
Clearing her throat in an effort to regain some form of composure, she blinked once and made a concerted effort to turn her concentration once again on the alien before her. "So explain why you think we would want to remain on this planet," she said as she self-consciously crossed her arms over her chest in an attempt to hide her slightly obvious arousal.
Josaf, who seemed oblivious to the sudden change in atmosphere simply smiled and nodded his head in agreement. "I will tell you everything just as soon as you have eaten," he replied matter-of-factly. "I have noticed that you have ingested very little since your arrival on Kolei and you must be ravenous."
Jack jumped up suddenly as the alien rose to leave. "Oh, no," he replied, placing a stilling hand on Josaf's shoulder, "You're not going anywhere until we get some answers. After all," he continued reasonably, "How can we trust you not to run off again?"
The alien's eyes turned up slightly in amusement as he regarded the scantily clad Colonel. "Very well," he replied amiably. "We shall go together to the great hall where you will be welcome to share our meal."
"Our meal?" Carter repeated warily. "You mean there's going to be others there?"
"Of course!" the alien looked at her in surprise. "You think I lived here alone? Do not worry," he smiled as she glanced nervously at her sheet, "My servants will give you both more suitable attire before you meet the others." Walking over to a corner of the room, Josaf pulled on a cord hidden behind one of the purple tapestries and less than a minute later the door opened to reveal a young woman who looked remarkably like Cassandra Fraiser.
"Cassie?" Jack murmured uncertainly to himself as he absentmindedly wondered if he was having a stroke.
The young girl smiled politely at the Colonel and Major before curtseying gracefully to Josaf.
"Take our guests to Calies and tell her to provide them with clean water and clothes, and then bring them to the great hall," he ordered before turning to his guests. "Before I leave you, I should explain that all the courtiers and servants you shall meet during your stay will have taken on the form of people who have made an impression on your minds," he said as Jack frowned in confusion. "My kind have no physical form that we can call our own and must therefore rely on the memories of other species to become solid matter."
He stopped a moment and smiled kindly at the Colonel who looked like his brain was about to short out. "Do not worry yourselves for now," he continued. "All will become clear in time. Until then, just remember that the people you think you recognise are not who they appear to be."
With that, Josaf bowed respectfully to the two humans and swept regally from the room, leaving a stunned physicist and a very confused Colonel in the capable hands of someone who was normally considered to be a rather tempestuous teenager.
The servant moved further into the room in an effort to gain their attentions and curtseyed much as she had done to her master before. "If you would like to follow me, I will take you to Calies," she said as she walked out of the room and headed down the corridor.
"So what do we do sir?" Sam asked after a moment.
Jack hesitated, looking around him absently as he tried to think up a game plan. More than anything her hated not being in control but at that moment he could see no other way of getting them out of this. After a minute or two of procrastination, his stomach decided for him. "I guess we follow her," he said simply as his belly growled in hunger.
Sam placed a hand over her mouth to subtly cover her grin and followed her CO out the door.
Footnote: I seem to be making this longer for myself. I think it's going to be a few more chapters yet because I keep coming up with weird little things to add. Still, it's all in the name of fun and what's a nervous breakdown between friends!
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