Author's Notes: This one is a long time in coming. An opportunity to mark the cutting of Daniel's trademark long hair was sadly missed in the show, and while there's been a few fics to describe why, I felt that I had to come up with something, too. So here it is!
Many thanks to Jmas for beta'ing, and to Jennifer for her amused chuckles when I tell her the latest escapade of Danny and Jack.
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters and property of Stargate SG-1 belong to MGM/UA, World Gekko Corp. and Double Secret Productions. This fan fiction was created solely for entertainment purposes and no money was made from it. Also, no copyright or trademark infringement was intended. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. Any other characters, the storyline and the actual story are the property of the author. Not to be archived without permission of the author(s).
Mental note to myself: never get injured on duty anytime in the near future. If I do, my ass is toast. Doc Fraiser's nurses consider me enemy number one, relegating me to the top of their hypodermic hit list. That's the sure way of being the "volunteered" subject of all kinds of wonderful things if I should ever happen to drop by unannounced.
Mea culpa, okay? Since when is helping a friend in trouble a cardinal sin, for crying out loud?
It happened as it always does, on a mission that should have been routine and otherwise boring. At first, P8I448 fit the description of typical, and it certainly wasn't the most spectacular of places. The usual overabundance of trees, and some nice scenery. Typical of most Goa'uld planets, I'd say. They should have fired their real estate agent. Forests and deserts, not too grand if you ask me after you've seen them for the sixtieth time.
Unlike most worlds the Goa'uld colonized, '488's population had spread out beyond the initial settlement. There was a large city, with a few satellite communities a short distance away providing food and basic materials in what Daniel claimed to be a very Mesopotamian manner. Funky thing was that these folks were more Egyptian in origin. Go figure.
We ran into the locals very haphazardly. We were heading into town, and they were heading out. No problems with thinking that we were gods or anything, which was nice for a change, when we had to tell them that we came through the Stargate. Local term was... Sha-pie, something. Gotta ask Daniel. Anyway, the folks in question were a man and a woman, looking probably near my age. By the really gruesome short hair, I was thinking they were some kind of religious folk, but don't quote me on that. After a little chitchat that decided our identity as mortals, they took us into town to talk to the big cheeses of the place.
From what we were being told, the folks around here hadn't seen Goa'uld in a good fifty years. They recognized Teal'c as a Jaffa, but it didn't drive them batty like other people we've had the pleasure of running away from. In fact, these people were making a deliberate point of welcoming all of us to their humble abode.
The woman, Iekara, was taking great pleasure in telling us all about their city and the wonders it supposedly held. I'd be stating the obvious if I said that Daniel was hanging onto every word, his mouth halfway open as he stared at the scenery. It was what I like to call his "sponge face," when he tries to soak three different sources in at once. It seems to work for him. Me, it makes my head hurt just thinking about trying. I have trouble walking, talking and chewing bubblegum.
The rest of us were politely paying attention to the lady's words. I was frankly a little bored, to tell the truth. Not that it's a surprise or anything. I mean, there's nothing like too much information to turn the old brain off. What was interesting was to see a culture that seemed to enjoy life, not cringing under the shadow the threat of a Goa'uld visit can bring. But have the snakeheads show up in their usual charming mood, and we'll see how the locals are then.
There were a ton of kids around, running around the local equivalent of a market. Their shouts were carrying through the air as they played. The sucker at heart that I am, I had to smile at them. The adults seemed tolerant of their antics, as long as they steered clear of the stands and displays. The pace some of them were going, I was expecting there to be produce all over the ground as a long-haired dervish breezed by. Somehow, it never happened.
Our destination was referred by Iekara as the "Palace of Judges," which I took to be the local town hall of sorts. We could see it rising above the rest of the city by a good two or three stories, and it did fit my idea of a palace. Big, huge, and very sweet. Turns out it was in the very center of the city, and the only way to access it was through a courtyard.
It had everything you'd expect when it came to opulence. Statues, fountains, pruned plants and trees, nice paths to walk on... very, very sweet. All around the courtyard was an enclosing wall that cut off the view of the outside, though I'm sure it was meant for the exact opposite reason. Either those walls were symbolic to show that this place was important from the city outside, or not just anybody could come waltzing through those gates.
That was the time for the reality check. The thoughts were a sure sign that I was hanging out with Daniel for too long. It was scary sometimes. I was beginning to think a bit like him, but only a bit. Daniel, on the other hand, was getting more and more sarcastic as the days went by.
Speaking of the space monkey. If he was interested before, now he was on another planet. No pun intended. He was making a direct beeline for the nearest wall that was decorated on the interior with vividly colored... things. I never liked Picasso, and this was much worse. Pink things, green things... one thing, two things.
Iekara and Bonel, the guy who hadn't said a word since we ran into them, watched Daniel go with a smile. Yeah, when he's going at the speed of caffeine, it's pretty impressive. With a smile of amusement to our guests, I motioned to Carter and Teal'c to take a look around while I followed our errant archaeologist.
He was currently enthusing, as usual. His fingertips barely brushed over the wall as he studied it, blue eyes wide behind the glasses that had slid down his nose. He was in full blown professor mode. I let the butt of my gun rest between my feet as I stood there, watching him work for a few moments. I swear, I hope he's the only kind of his species. I'd hate to see offspring.
"Jack, this is amazing!" He hadn't turned around, and I hadn't breathed a word. Still, he knew I was there. Damn, I must be getting predictable. "Look at that, it's definitely a very, very stylized version of Greek art!" He pointed at a... thing with beady eyes. "It's a man."
If he says so...
"So it is," I said dryly. "What's it mean?"
"Uh... that it's a man." He glanced back for a moment, giving me that exasperated over-the-glasses look that says I should be paying attention. Whatever. "We don't have any samples of Greek wall paintings because they've disintegrated since Classical times, but it's important because Classicists think that a lot of the other art was influenced by that. And this is what we have! See? It's just like the red-figure ware that came straight from --"
I cleared my throat gently, trying to get his attention pried away from the wall. "Daniel, you can look later. Our hosts are waiting, very patiently I might add."
The guy's nothing if he isn't quick. Well, not as quick as one would hope. He'll still babble on about things at times, but he's come to realize, at least recently, that there are times when it's not appropriate. So goes the theory, anyway.
Now, he blinked, then gave a quick nod. "Oh. Right."
I led him back to where the couple was still standing, satisfied that things were going pretty well. The rest of the team rejoined us in a matter of moments. Iekara was starting to explain that we were going into the Palace thingy, which meant going up the big stairwell into the building. Even from where we were standing a few dozen meters away, I could see that the entrance was covered with... stuff?
Significant stuff. Daniel being who he is, he recognized it immediately and started to take a few steps toward it. His astonished gasps about the "mythic-historical record" being displayed were interrupted by Bonel's hand clamping down on his shoulder. While Daniel's about three inches taller than the guy, I wouldn't want to see the two of them arm wrestling. Hell, I wouldn't want to arm wrestle him.
"The child may not join you," Iekara finished.
"Child?" Teal'c and Carter echoed.
"Excuse me?" I said, eyes narrowed.
"Huh?" asked our linguist.
"I do not pretend to know the customs of your world, Colonel," the woman said. Clearly she was the diplomat of sorts. Bonel was the brawn. "However, it is clear that your Daniel Jackson has not undergone the proper initiation, despite his numerous years."
Daniel's mouth was hanging at his knees in question, while I was just trying to figure out what the hell the lady was going on about. Initiation? That meant what, exactly?
Bless Carter, she asked the right questions, or at least went about asking them. "What is it about Daniel that makes you think he's not... initiated?"
We were given a tolerant smile. "Clearly you hold him in high regard, or else you would not journey such a great distance with him. Perhaps he is special, I do not claim to know. It is due to your presence alone that we have allowed him to come this far as it is."
"You didn't answer the question," I cut in. "Why is he a kid to you folks?"
The look she and Bonel shared said what politeness barred them voicing. We must have been daft. Iekara gave a sigh before speaking again, reaching out toward Daniel in a patient manner. I watched as her fingers twisted gently around a lanky lock of hair.
"He styles himself in the manner of a child."
Her logic whooshed over my head. The same head, incidentally, that was covered in the hair that had been this short since I was, oh, eight. I doubt Teal'c's ever even had hair, and Carter... I won't go there. I opened my mouth to voice my obvious lack of comprehension on the difference between hair and anything else, when the concerned party in question suddenly bounced on the spot.
"Of course!" Why did the very obscure always make sense to him? He bounced a few times on his heels, then turned to me to explain in a rapid-fire tone. "Jack, this culture initiates its youth into adulthood. That means that something symbolic has to be done to show the transition from child to adult. The Minoans, for example, had children cut off the locks of hair they wore before growing a full head of hair, something similar to what to Egyptian children did, but --"
Information overload. I got the point with the first sentence, which Daniel by nature had to extrapolate. I held up my hand to stop the flood before it really began.
"Okay... so they think you're a kid. But you're not."
Brilliant deduction, if I do say so myself.
Carter added her shrug to the discussion. "Apparently they think so, sir."
I let out a mumbled curse that was best not to be overheard in polite company. We were expected to go meet the head honchos of the area, but we very well couldn't with a "minor" in our midst, god forbid. I wasn't too inclined to leave Daniel behind, but then again, having the big cheeses venturing down to meet us was unlikely to happen. That inconvenience thing and all.
Daniel gave us a tight smile, hands on his hips as he surveyed the area. "It's okay. Um, you guys go on ahead. Maybe Iekara can find me a tour guide, and I'll have a look around the area. Learn something about the culture or something. I'll be fine."
"You sure?" I felt like a parent leaving their preteen home for the first time.
"Positive. Uh, how about meeting you guys back at whatever accommodations we're being given? We are staying overnight, right?" He met my gaze, hopeful as he waited for my answer.
I nodded. "Okay, Daniel. We'll be seeing you. Be careful, keep your hat on and wear sunscreen." I smiled at his irritation. "And stay out of trouble, will you?"
The last thing I saw before Bonel escorted the rest of us inside was Daniel rolling his eyes. I do so love annoying him...
The rest of the afternoon was long and very tedious. It seemed to be a universal concept that the higher up the position, the more annoying the person. These folks, a nice group of five men and women, were rather reluctant to admit us after a half hour wait in a very large guest room of sorts. Very plush accommodations that were typical of the Palace, and more of those paintings that Daniel had been so excited about in the courtyard.
When we were finally admitted, we were kindly welcomed with profuse apologies about being held up. I bit my tongue so I could be as polite as possible, but everything seemed to go well. We chatted for a bit, and sat through the same deliberations that we'd gone through with Iekara about whether we were the same gods that routine traveled through the Sha-pie-whatever. We sat through that for a while, until Teal'c ever so helpfully pointed out that the Goa'uld have internal flashlights, and try as we might, we couldn't do the same trick.
That aside, there really wasn't more to talk about. Carter was disappointed to discover that there wasn't anything fancy technologically speaking. These people were only occasionally visited by the snakeheads, but nothing else of real consequence to note. Definitely nothing by way of assistance in helping us, and they were pretty happy with the way things were that they didn't really need anything from us, either.
All in all, quiet but uneventful. We shook hands, smiled, then made our way to our guest quarters.
Daniel was already there, strewn out on one of the beds. He looked at us unhappily as we entered, not bothering to get up to greet us. He looked all the world like a six year old sent to his room for the duration of the day, for reasons known only to the adult mind.
He didn't sulk to us, at least not at first. Iekara appeared to explain we were invited to a formal dinner held again in the Palace. Daniel was again expected to stay behind, and that didn't really make him a happy camper in anyone's books.
"I have to come!" he hissed at me after Teal'c and Carter left ahead of us. I wanted to stay behind to touch base with Daniel before leaving. In fact, I was tempted to ditch the 'do and stay with the poor guy. There's only so much pageantry that I can stand in a day, and the quota was just about reached.
"Ah, ah," I said, holding up a finger to ward off any venting. That would usually be enough to stop him, but that night he really wasn't in the mood for listening to me.
"Jack, I need to be able to go in there and see what's in the Palace. This is a stratified society, meaning that things are better off the higher you are in society, and-"
"I know what that means." Ignorant as I might be of most fancy cultural analysis, that bit was something I was all too aware of. I didn't have to spend thousands of dollars on college to know it, either. "So?"
He had the grace to look embarrassed. "Sorry, Jack. But what I was saying is that, here, all the best art is in the Palace. I literally couldn't find anything during my tour of the city. Nothing except folk art, which was nice, but it's not what I wanted to see!"
"Why the Palace?" I sighed.
"Well, likely it's the high ceremonial center of the city, which makes sense because of their restriction on just who can enter. You have to be of the proper status," he waved to indicate my hair, "to be able to get in. There's probably a holy of holies somewhere in the center of the building that no one but a select few can go into. But that's not the point. Because it's the sacred place of both religion and administration, the best art forms were exclusively made for that area! I need to see it!"
"And how exactly are we supposed to get you in there?" I asked. I was ready for him to falter and clam up in frustration. Heck, if it really was that important to him, I'd get Carter to film and record everything she saw so Daniel could at least have something. It wouldn't be the same, but it was better than him pouting over opportunities completely lost.
I was totally unprepared for what he planned.
"I want you to cut my hair."
He could have told me that some of that folk art he'd seen involved Apophis dressed in drag, and that wouldn't have made me react any different. My eyes immediately focused on his head, where the light brown locks fell onto his forehead at the front and down his neck at the back. I'd never really considered it to be long, but floppy was a definite description. Not too long, but no way in hell was it military. The hair was just part of what made Daniel... himself.
"Me?" I said doubtfully when I could find words again. "I'm a Colonel, not a barber." Those words just slipped out, my sarcasm getting the better part of me. Unintentional though they were, they earned me a sigh and definite pout.
"Jack, please. I'm asking you as a friend." His look was level as he pleaded. "I need to see this place. Who knows? Maybe there's something on there that can tell us more about the Goa'uld, and you know we can't pass up an opportunity like that!"
The friend argument had me already won over, but he had a point. Getting intel on the Goa'uld was a very big thing these days, especially after good ol' Apophis' death. With Snakeboy dead, we needed all the information we could get.
But cutting his hair? Yeesh.
"You're sure." By this time, it wasn't a question. Daniel had made up his mind, and all the convincing in the universe wouldn't make any inroads to change his mind. One of the more admirable but frustrating aspects about him. "You do realize that there's no money back guarantee at Salon O'Neill, right?"
He let out a chuckle. "But of course. Thanks, Jack. I owe you."
"You think?" I motioned for him to stay where he was as I went over to the doorway. If I remembered correctly, there was somebody left behind who was charged with taking me to the feast, and undoubted to make sure that the young Jackson stayed behind. Hah, he had a surprise coming. The thought gave me great satisfaction. "I'm thinking about hockey tickets here, Daniel. Center ice, preferably with the Stanley Cup..."
"Sure, if we're on Earth when they happen," Daniel grumbled, but he sounded a hell of a lot more cheerful than he had earlier.
There was indeed someone waiting outside for me, a kid who reminded me of Simmons back home. Dark hair and wide eyes. There was no mistaking that this kid was one of the uninitiated. His hair went past his shoulders in a wave that made Daniel's hair look short, which in turn made me feel bald. The kid stared at me for a few moments, then stuttered out, "Can I help you, milord?"
"I'm gonna be a few more minutes here. Would you mind passing the word along that I'll be there in about, oh..." That made me stop and think. How long would a haircut take? Sara's used to take forever. All that fuss and gunk. I was aiming more for the cut and go thing. "About fifteen minutes or so."
"Why?" He looked at me in worry. I had the feeling that he wanted to look past me to make sure everything was hunky dory in there. "Do you require assistance? Is there anything you need? Do not hesitate to ask me for anything, sir."
His nervous babble made me grin. "Oh, we're just fine. Tell 'em to break out the wine. We're having a party. Danny boy here," I added the jerk of a thumb, "is getting initiated."
The kid blinked. "He has come of age?"
"Yup," I said matter-of-factly. A glance back into the quarters showed Daniel with an amused look on his face. "Look, we're meeting everyone else back in the Judge's Palace place, right?"
He nodded, not saying a word as he looked at me. I couldn't tell if it was either excitement or doubt.
"Right. So I know where to go. Go on, spread the word, will ya?" I waved him off, feeling a little grumpy when he just stood there. "Go, already!"
Taking off like a scared rabbit, he scurried away in the direction of the Palace. I watched him disappear around the corner, then headed back into the room. I fished in my jacket for my Swiss Army knife, finding it as I reached my destination. We'd been through many things in the time I'd owned it, but nothing was quite like what we were about to do now.
"Okay..." I pulled out the scissors, holding it for my victim to see. "So, Doctor Jackson, just a trim for you today? Or would you prefer a hack job?"
For the first time, Daniel seemed to doubt his decision. He gave a hard swallow as his eyes fixed on the scissor implement, following wherever they wavered. I could have hypnotized him if I wanted. This would be fun, and I couldn't wipe the evil grin from my face.
"Uh, hack job...?" I think it was a request, but it still ended up being raised at the end. Daniel started to shrug off his jacket, probably figuring we could swipe the hair from the black tee-shirt easily. He was resigned and determined to meet his fate, all in the name of knowledge.
Sucker.
"Coming right up!" I grinned as I fingered the first doomed lock of hair.
It was clear within the first snip that the scissors were worth as much as a Goa'uld at a cocktail party. Both were dull as hell. I'm not sure if Daniel winced more at the attempted snip, or the curse that I let out when only a few strands of hair fell onto his shoulder. If I kept going with that method, he'd look like something had grazed on his head when he finally emerged a week later.
It was time for something drastic. More than drastic. Drastic-er? Was that a word? Well, it was now.
"Oh, for crying loud! Here." I tossed the red handle into his lap, making Daniel jump slightly as it landed heavily, nestling between his knees. He stared at it as though expecting it to get up and dance. "Hang onto it, Daniel, will ya? We're going heavy duty, here."
"Heavy... duty?" he repeated uncertainly. Why did everything lately have to turn into a question for him? His eyes widened as I pulled out the knife that I always kept on my belt. It always seemed to come in handy at particular moments, especially when those pesky little Goa'uld came knocking. "Jack, that's a little much, don't you think?"
"What, this?" I held it up before making my proclamation. "The machete of hair dressing."
"That isn't inspiring much confidence, Jack."
"It wasn't supposed to. Hold still." Frowning slightly in concentration, I started to get to it. I'd hold a lock in my fingers, then let the knife at it. Strands flew with the soft whisper of metal through hair. It wasn't going to take too long, but, gee... I'd never been too good at symmetry.
Daniel blinked at me when I was finished. A golden sheen covered his shoulders, but he hardly noticed as he waited to find out what the results were. And they were... interesting. The longer locks were gone, replaced by slightly uneven light brown bangs still an inch or so longer than mine, but... whoa. It was a change, and it was definitely short.
Besides, Daniel's never been one for fashion.
He examined his hair, feeling the difference for himself as I brushed the tee-shirt off as best I could. Thankfully the jacket would cover most of it, but he was going to be itchy. Alas, such is the price of knowledge, he'd claim.
The Palace was one big party by the time we arrived. We could hear it several blocks back. I glanced at Daniel as we strode down the street, trying to memorize the look for later. It would really suck if I had to grab my team in a hurry, and suddenly mistake Daniel for someone else due to the hair.
The guards in the outer courtyard let us go by unchallenged, directing us to the party in question. Daniel smirked at me as we walked. So far, the plan had worked, and there weren't any foreseeable obstacles that I could think of. For once, something would happen without a hitch.
That is, until we met up with the rest of the team. We had spots reserved at the table of honor. Carter was watching the singing and dancing with a vaguely interested look, as Teal'c simply sat, taking in the scene. They were both visibly impatient for my arrival.
Carter noticed us first, jumping up to greet us. Her hands were on her hips as she stared at me. "Colonel! It's about time you arrived!"
"Did we miss much?" I asked, taking in the scene. About a hundred, maybe two hundred people altogether, including hosts, guests and servants. The food that was already out looked good, though. I eyed it appreciatively. Playing a barber builds up the appetite.
"You have not missed much, O'Neill." While he didn't have the same irritated look as the Captain, I knew from experience that he was just as unimpressed with our delay. "The repast was to be served upon your entry."
"Cool. It's been a long day." I led Daniel to our seats, but I hadn't reached them when I started to laugh. Teal'c and Carter were fixing our archaeologist with the same odd look I'd give one of his funny pot thingies that looked a little too abstract to really mean anything to normal people.
"Holy Hannah!" Carter breathed. "Daniel, what happened?"
Teal'c cocked his head. "It appears that an undomesticated herbivore has grazed upon the head of Daniel Jackson."
"Be nice, kids," I said, smiling proudly. "Danny got a haircut."
Carter still had that deer-in-the-headlights look. "That's a haircut?"
"It is not," Teal'c agreed. "It is far more drastic than O'Neill believes."
"It's okay, guys," Daniel spoke up with a smile. "It's okay. Jack was just helping me out so I could take a look at this place."
"You?!" Carter fixed me with a look. "You... butcher of hair! Sir!"
"It is illicit."
"You mean it's criminal, Teal'c, and it's not that bad!" Daniel crosses his arms, giving the final word on the topic. Luckily he was attracted to things more cultural moments later that saved him from seeing my tongue sticking out at the dissidents.
Some people just don't appreciate art.
The moment we were settled, Iekara started the rituals associated with the dinner. I patiently waited them out, snagging a bit of the local hors d'oeuvres to pop in my mouth while waiting. I'd never been patient for grace as a kid, and I guess it is true about second childhoods. For five minutes, she talked about something I didn't really make out, not that I was actually paying attention. Low blood sugar and the attention span are related.
That was when the figurative spotlight was moved to our archaeologist. Already pleasantly embarrassed at the attention his hair was getting from our team, Daniel was just about overwhelmed when the natives got up to drag him over to the head table. The announcement had gone 'round that he was going through the initiatory rites of adulthood, and of course it had to happen now. Before the food.
My stomach growled in protest, but there was little I could say. Truth be told, I was damn proud of the half hour ceremony. If it'd been for anyone else, it would have been mind-numbingly boring. Seeing Daniel up there, the focus of attention and just soaking it all in, just made it... I don't know. Special.
Somehow, the idea of a coming of age for our archaeologist just seemed right. Looking at the man as he was now compared to the dweeb that came with me to Abydos was like seeing a kid in their preteen years maturing through the awkwardness of adolescence. Not that I'm psychoanalyzing here, perish the thought, but this was something that'd been a long time coming. Daniel was finally coming out as his own person.
Not that I'm saying he wasn't before. I was impressed with the literature about Doctor Daniel Jackson when I first read about him. While actually meeting him the first time dulled it somewhat, by the end of the Abydos mission, I had no doubt in my mind that the civilian in question was a man of quiet courage and great reason.
Just don't expect him to react the same way the rest of us do when things get nasty.
In those moments, all I really expect from him is to decently cover his ass, and let the rest of us take over. Carter, Teal'c and I breathe the military mentality, even if the Jaffa version is a little more archaic than ours. Let us take care of the heavy stuff. We more often than not rely on Daniel to help us with that little issue of cultural relations, and it just seems to work that way. It makes me a very happy camper when we come home with fewer scratches than expected.
Applause brought me back to the present. Daniel's smile was hesitant as Iekara apparently wrapped up the ceremony by placing something like a lei around his shoulders. The words were the local dialect, so I had no clue what she was saying, but by the blush on Daniel's face, I guessed it was good. A pat on the shoulder, and he was sent back to his seat between Carter and me.
"What was the last part that she said?" Carter asked as he settled down, simultaneous with the main course being brought out. I had a glimpse of something being carried by to the other end of the table. It had scales. Maybe I wasn't that hungry after all...
"Hmm?" Daniel blinked at her while he took a sip of the wine. He was a little too interested in the silverware as he spoke. "Oh, uh... Well, she said that she'd conferred the responsibilities and honors of adulthood onto me. I'm to take my duty seriously and most importantly, I'm to continue to make myself worthy of my, um, tribe."
I met the looks that Carter and Teal'c sent my way as Daniel nervously drank a bit more. The food was coming, and despite its definite exotic looks, I did intend to do the smorgasbord thing. If I were lucky, it would taste like chicken.
"Then you have long since fulfilled that requirement, Daniel Jackson," Teal'c said in a solemn voice.
Carter added her voice. "Definitely. SG-1 wouldn't be SG-1 without you."
"Just think of this. Remember P3X487 and those people who thought the Goa'uld delivered us to their planet for their exclusive, members-only sacrificial party?" I waited for the nod, along with the winces at the memories from that particularly memorable mission. "You talked 'em out of it, and we didn't even have to use our guns for more than ornamental show."
"Yeah..." he said, waiting for my point. He glanced at me, glasses lowered onto the bridge of his nose. The lack of bangs gave me a clear profile and a great view of the curious look he was giving me.
"SG-9's claim to fame is that they're the negotiators, but I think... Actually, I know that we've got a better negotiator than Kovacek can ever dream of being." I grinned and ruffled the newly shortened hair. "Congrats, Danny, and here's to more missions. I don't exactly bear a passing resemblance to a sacrificial virgin, huh?"
That made all of us laugh, and as the scaled surprise was served in neat slices that were entirely too reminiscent of smoked ham, we started to eat. It did taste like chicken, with an aftertaste of something else in the background. I ate it like there was no tomorrow, all the while glancing at the rest of the team. Happy faces, all three of them. Daniel was somehow getting bites in between explanations to Carter and Teal'c about what the different images were around the hall, and for once, I listened without any sarcastic comments.
All in all, the experience of cutting Daniel's hair was worth it. It still takes a few moments to realize that he's got hair the same length as the rest of us. And he really needs to see someone who knows something about hair. Carter's taken to referring to the look as the "bowl cut," despite my indignant protests that no bowls were harmed in the creation of this haircut. She just smiles and calls me "Colonel Butcher, sir."
It's time to get ready for another mission. I plan on extra caution this time. Just imagining Janet's nurses and their extra-sharp vengeance is enough to make me very, very cautious. If I'm not downright paranoid when we 'gate out, I'll be surprised.
But, yeesh!
Mea culpa!