icarus: Snape by mysterious artist (Default)
[personal profile] icarus
(With apologies to [livejournal.com profile] tafkarfanfic and anyone else who's been flooded with long posts, I'm now putting this behind a cut-tag.)


The Walls of Jericho - 20 (from part 1 here)


The sun, such as it was, had dipped down to the tops of the mountains, occasionally hidden behind black peaks outlined in sharp light. They marched their way down their long, winding back trail. They had made relatively decent time now that they were no longer going in circles. Hours of fruitless walking -- in the cold -- recalcitrant natives, oh yeah, it was Jack's idea of fun. But he was prepared to forgive them anything for a hot meal and good, long soak.

He mentally erased the image of Daniel sprawled out in the tub, head tipped back sensuously in the steam. 'Accidentally' walked in on of course. Though he'd probably just sit there, hold a conversation, giving Jack a good look at the merchandise. Okay. This fantasy's gotta stop. He squinted and forced himself not to look over at Daniel.

Jack had taken point when they crested the hill about two hundred yards from the door to the Emerald city. He winced when he saw a small figure parked outside. As he watched, the door opened a bit and the little alien scooted inside. "Oh crap." A lookout.

Sure enough, as they plodded downhill, a welcome party filed onto the doorstep and waited for them. Which meant their return wasn't routine, which at this point could mean nothing good.

Their leader -- a different alien from before -- was all smiles. Jack gritted his teeth into a smile in return. They bowed, but no alien offered himself to beheaded this time. Too bad. Jack might have taken them up on it.

After some meaningless small talk, which didn't seem to be moving in the direction of indoors Jack noted, the alien got to the point. "You are back so early," he said obsequiously. "We regret family has come from afar and we of course needed to give them your rooms." Jack heard Daniel's quick in-drawn breath next to him. "But you may have the honor of staying in the houses of our ancestors."

He gestured to the open mouth of a cave.

"Oh for crying out loud…."

Daniel cut him off. "You are most generous. However, perhaps we might stay in the protection of your great city. The evening is, " he waved at the sky, "well, it's a little cold."

The alien bobbed his head. Then he held up his hands -- Jack vaguely discerned he was holding a couple little rocks between his ring and forefingers -- and orange-gold lava bubbled up near the mouth of the cave. Jack stepped back. It flowed slowly in a line around the perimeter of the interior, like water in a dike, then followed a carved line like a moat outside the cave, crossing in front of the big alien door, tracing the bottom step in bright gold.

"Whoa," Jack said, blinking and taken aback. Let there be light. He wondered how the aliens might've adapted this to some sort of concealed weapon and eyed them with suspicion.

"It shall keep you warm," the alien bowed to them as he backed away. "We wish you a pleasant rest."

The alien ensemble crossed respectfully around the lava, and filed inside. The door slowly shut with a loud echoing thud.

Jack studied their 'accommodations' and gazed up at the tall door. "Anyone else notice that that lava is between us and their precious city?"

No one answered. Carter coughed a little as she scanned their immediate surroundings for threats.

"Feels like a trap to me," Jack observed, eyes searching the valley around them. The aliens could station themselves anywhere along the ridgeline. No way up, and only a narrow opening at the far end of the valley. They were sitting ducks.

"Agreed." Teal'c was on full Jaffa alert. Which was comforting.

"Okay." Jack backed away from the city, keeping his gun at ready and an eye on that door, as well as any other likely openings around them. The little valley in front of the city could not be more perfect for an ambush. "This mission's a bust. We'll find our own campsite, away from this… lava."

He gestured for Carter to take point, Daniel and Teal'c took the flanks while Jack brought up the rear. They moved slowly, careful not to excite anything while they were in such a vulnerable position. Jack shut off the voice that was mentally cursing himself and focused on the task at hand.

They traversed the long valley, with nothing but the wind stirring, no sign of life beyond a few mossy boulders.

Then the lava flared to life.

"Um, Jack," Daniel said, casting a glance over his shoulder.

"I see it." They broke into a run as an orange glowing line streaked along either side of their path. It passed them easily and left an even six feet to either side, but Jack flashed back on that archway from early in their trek, and put on more speed.

At the narrow entrance to the valley, it arched over their path. Carter dove under it, quickly followed by Teal'c and Daniel. Jack felt the warmth as he passed underneath, but nothing reached for him or burned. He rolled into some icy moss, then got up and ran.

A hundred yards later the lava was simply a glowing line in the distance. It didn't follow beyond the valley and Jack breathed a sigh of relief, heart still pounding. His breath misted about him.

Tired, he forced everyone to hike another couple hours till all traces of the alien settlement were completely gone. Then they bushwhacked a little off trail and made camp. Carter protested that they were safer on the trail than off, but there was no way he was trusting the path to the stargate now, not while they were asleep.

Primitive civilization, my ass.

As they lit their tiny (and thank god tame) campfire, Jack squatted down beside it and mentally composed his excuses to General Hammond.



Part 21 is here.

Date: 2005-01-04 12:12 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] setissma.livejournal.com
I love this. Also, coincidentally, I managed to catch a couple of episodes last night where Daniel actually was there. Oh my god. This fandom should really be much larger. The downside of all this is, my brain has decided that it's completely canon that Jack and Daniel are, at the very least, sleeping together. Therefore, I began sputtering indignantly when Jack went off with a woman. As a side note, the people who I was watching with didn't quite see the Jack/Daniel, but to a fault, they feel Teal'c is gay. There's something terribly amusing about all this...

Date: 2005-01-04 05:16 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com
I'm telling you the relationship between the two of them is intense. WG and I were watching an episode last night where they were both bored, and Jack was sprawled out on the ground, knees up, Daniel was sitting by his knees and it looked... Jeeze. Especially as the knees sort of tipped in Daniel's direction.

Which episodes did you see, do you know?

Icarus

Date: 2005-01-05 12:26 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] setissma.livejournal.com
It really is.

I saw the one where they went to some world to capture a creature that could turn itself invisible, found these weird fairies instead, and frolicked about. They weren't terribly gay.

Then there was, like, the aging STD one. They were so gay. So exceedingly gay. There was a line of dialogue, and this isn't verbatim, but hey, that was like, "You never cease to amaze me with your many talents." Said in a way that implied Jack knew an awful lot about Daniel's variety of talents. And that he wasn't just talking about delivering babies.

Date: 2005-01-05 04:09 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com
Oh yeah, that one with the invisible creature is one of my favorites. Even in that one -- did you see how they sit in each other's personal space. I mean, they're always standing so close.

"You never cease to amaze me with your many talents."

Oh yeah. Interesting you pick up on the verbal clues, while I zero in on the non-verbal. :)

Icarus

Date: 2005-01-05 12:11 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] setissma.livejournal.com
They do. Daniel never seems to be very far from Jack's side. Literally. And the way they throw things at each other, verbally, is... well, very couple-like.

I think it was more the way he said it than the fact that he said it at all. There was a definite smirk on Jack's end, and Daniel looked rather pleased. And not in the, "I just got complimented by my superior" sort of way. And when Jack starts getting fed cake by the weird greek woman, Daniel starts looking exceedingly amused. Like, "I totally get where she's coming from" amused. But when Jack walks off with her, he gets, like, exceedingly upset. Carter seems cranky because she's lost her commander. Daniel, however, kind of goes nuts. And looks panicked.

The subtext is really rather... strong.

Date: 2005-01-05 03:06 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com
Michael Shanks has sheepishly mentioned at conventions that he and Rick Anderson "camped it up" sometimes, and worries that might have caused some of the slash. (We all know we would have slashed them anyway.)

But man, they make it so easy. It hasn't been this easy since Frodo and Sam.

Icarus

Date: 2005-01-05 11:11 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] setissma.livejournal.com
I think it boils down to the fact that, really, they look good together. They clearly work well together, too, which makes it incredibly easy to slash them.

Date: 2005-01-18 03:50 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com
I think it's more than that. Richard Dean Anderson consistently stands very close to Michael Shanks. There's a lot of subtle eyeplay between the two of them, like they're sharing a private joke. And sometimes they're so physically synched they move exactly the same -- without seeming to be aware of it.

:D The next few parts are up, by the way, and I think you'll enjoy them.

Icarus

Date: 2005-01-18 12:18 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] setissma.livejournal.com
Oh, absolutely. *G* Finally, conclusion to all that UST!

I think there's an element of them being really comfortable with each other. When you've been around someone for a long time, and you really trust and like them, you start to fall into unconscious patterns of behavior with them - exactly like that private joke thing. And that, I think, is what makes them so easy to pair up.

Date: 2005-01-04 04:58 pm (UTC)
ext_214: dh: don't let the stars get in your eyes (Default)
From: [identity profile] queenofstars.livejournal.com
He mentally erased the image of Daniel sprawled out in the tub, head tipped back sensuously in the steam.

Thanks to this and to your earlier comments on the products of your 'research', I can't shake the mental image of Daniel sprawled out in the tub, with Jack in his lap, sitting on his dick. *dies* I should really, really be focusing on my budget sheets instead of their bed sheets. *snorts a giggle*

I envy your Jack-voice. Yeap, see me? Green as Jack's BDUs. Damn. Your Daniel? To-die-for, visually and verbally. *sighs* How about posting those other two parts you're holding so you can distract me some more? ;)

Hi, I'm Ishi-No, a Greek, a geek, a lurker and I'm here for the stories. *tips hat* =)

Date: 2005-01-05 04:52 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com
Hey, Ishi-No. Welcome! Lurk away.

Thanks to this and to your earlier comments on the products of your 'research', I can't shake the mental image of Daniel sprawled out in the tub, with Jack in his lap, sitting on his dick.

Funny. That's rather similar to Jack's own fantasies. *starts hunting around to see if you've stolen the notes ;)*

I envy your Jack-voice. Yeap, see me? Green as Jack's BDUs. Damn. Your Daniel? To-die-for, visually and verbally. *sighs*

Thank you. The boyfriend, [livejournal.com profile] wildernessguru, believes he has a lot in common with Jack: "Jack reminds me of me. He's cynical." I agree. WG doesn't have Jack's wise-cracking sense of humour, but their outlook is remarkably similar (WG is a military analyst) and their sarcasm? Good lord, so much alike.

Daniel was a lot harder to write, actually, and I had to research the differences between Spader's portrayal and Shanks, and the character growth over time.

How about posting those other two parts you're holding so you can distract me some more?

More coming soon, but I've already posted the three parts I had (that was 17, 18, 19). But the next part is pretty interesting. ;)

Soon, very soon.

Icarus

Date: 2005-01-18 03:53 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com
Okay, I'm poking everyone who's been reading Walls of Jericho, since I know it's been a couple weeks since I've posted a... well these are too short to be called chapters. I've just put two or three more parts up.

Icarus

Date: 2005-01-04 10:15 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kres.livejournal.com
*is puzzled*

Heh. This is getting really tricky. Damn, what are these aliens doing? It's been quite a show, so far.

I'll be waiting for the next part now...

:)=

Date: 2005-01-05 04:59 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com
They've been fortunate in that most of the societies they've encountered are transplanted earth societies, so there's common human ground. With the Goa'uld they've had Teal'c to explain things.

Here, there's no common ground at all.

Icarus

Date: 2005-01-18 03:54 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com
Okay! Sorry it took so long -- school stuff, you know. To make up for it I've posted several parts. Enjoy.

Icarus *ooo, they're gonna like this, I know it.*

Date: 2005-01-05 05:24 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] taligator.livejournal.com
I added you to my flist days and days ago and kept seeing these pop up but hadn't read them until tonight.

What a lovely read! I love the voices you've been to your characters, you've make them so real and it fits perfectly.

I just love love love it ... regarding the comments below, oh yes, they are so gay.

:) Thanks!

Date: 2005-01-18 12:27 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com
Thank you! Yeah, I noticed you on the list.

Sorry, I just realized I didn't respond to you when you posted. I hope you enjoy the next couple parts, too. (21 is up now.)

Icarus

Date: 2005-01-05 09:34 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] cyanei.livejournal.com
MMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Date: 2005-01-18 12:37 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] icarusancalion.livejournal.com
Was that Mmmmm for More? Because there is. In fact, I have a lot more to post. 21 is up, and 22 is going up soon.

*g*

Icarus

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