vacation

The thing about Bra'tac was that he'd been fighting for the Jaffa cause since he was a fetus. He'd hidden his slightly grumpy tendencies well and gone about his business in pleasing the gods and then making rude gestures when they weren't looking. What he really wanted though was a man with broad enough shoulders to carry a cause that spanned across the galaxy. A man that would look scary enough to carry that cause and allow Bra'tac to be grumpy on the outside as well as on the inside. On the inside, it disturbed his symbiote too much and gave him gas.

Then he met Teal'c. Bra'tac marveled at Teal'c's ability to look pissed off without looking like anything at all. In essence, he always looked the same, yet Bra'tac could tell when there had been trouble with the wife, or when Ryac had been sent home for not beating up the other kids (Goa'uld schools were obviously missing a class or two on moral issues).

Just like Bra'tac expected, it was Teal'c that brought down the Goa'uld (okay, there were some Tau'ri people involved too, but they spent most of their time messing around with each other). It left Bra'tac less on the front of the revolution and more in a room filled with people that couldn't swing a staff if their life depended on it. These days Bra'tac spent too much of his time making faces and giving his symbiote a tumor.

Once again, it was Teal'c that came to the aid of Bra'tac.

“It is what the Tau'ri call a vacation, old friend,” Teal'c said with a smile as they stood in the mess hall on the Daedalus. “I have heard many good things about Atlantis. Though Vala tells me that anything Daniel Jackson has to say about the city is an overstatement, I am inclined believe that you will be impressed.”

Bra'tac frowned. “I have never heard you utter so many words in one sentence, Teal'c.”

Teal'c smiled and nodded. “With teammates such as Daniel Jackson, Colonel Mitchell, Vala and Colonel Carter, sometimes it is necessary to speak.”

Bra'tac nodded. “They are very loud together.”

Teal'c sighed. “Indeed.”

The ship dropped out of hyperspace and soon entered the planet's atmosphere, Bra'tac still not convinced that this vacation was going to be of any use to him.

They were greeted immediately by Elizabeth Weir, John Sheppard and Rodney McKay.

“Just you, is it?” Rodney asked, peeking past Teal'c's shoulder.

Teal'c just smiled and gave Elizabeth a bow of the head, Bra'tac next to him, giving a slightly sharper nod.

“Teal'c,” Elizabeth said warmly. “Welcome to Atlantis. Master Bra'tac,” she said, “I'm Doctor Elizabeth Weir, this is Colonel Sheppard and Doctor Rodney McKay.”

John shook Teal'c's hand. “Teal'c,” he said, shaking Bra'tac's hand next. “Sir.”

“No message or anything?” Rodney asked curiously.

Elizabeth smirked and John seemed to be trying to hide annoyance or impatience as she led them into the city, Teal'c could see Bra'tac was impressed, taking a long look at everything as they headed to the tower.

“So, Elizabeth says you guys need a vacation,” John said.

Teal'c nodded. “It has been some time since Bra'tac has taken any leave from his duties.”

“Really? How long?” Rodney asked.

“Fifty-three years,” Bra'tac said.

Rodney opened his mouth, flapped about for a moment and then looked at John. “That's--that's long.”

John gave a sheepish smile. “Well...hey, there's the rest of my team. You should meet them.”

Elizabeth smiled at Bra'tac. “That was a joke. Right?”

Bra'tac smiled. “Yes. I have never taken leave. Leave is only permitted for those about to give birth.”

Elizabeth looked across at Teal'c, amused, smiling, pretty. What was Ishta doing these days anyway? He was getting sick of her using him for good sex and then never calling for weeks.

Up ahead, John and Rodney were talking to their team and Teal'c could just make out Rodney saying to John, “...and you're like on a vacation every five minutes.”

“Ronon, Teyla,” Elizabeth said. “This is Teal'c and Master Bra'tac.”

Teyla smiled up at Teal'c. “You are from Earth?”

“We are from Chulak,” Teal'c said. “Though I mostly reside on Earth.”

“What's with the gold tattoo?” Ronon asked.

Teal'c stiffened a little, though anyone would have noticed.

“It is a symbol of my enslavement to the Goa'uld,” Teal'c said.

Ronon looked across at Rodney and John. “They the ones with the flashy eyes?”

Both men nodded and Ronon turned back to Teal'c. “I don't like 'em.”

Teal'c arched an eyebrow and then smiled. This Ronon seemed a man of few words, but Teal'c expected they were all wise and true.

“So, Bra'tac,” Elizabeth said. “What do you think so far?”

Bra'tac was nodding and 'hmm'ing and turning in circles, taking everything in. Teal'c could see he was impressed by the city. Of course, being impressed by the people would be a different matter. After all, they weren't SG-1.

“It is a fine city,” Bra'tac said. He turned to Elizabeth. “And you are the leader, hmm?”

Elizabeth nodded. “I am.”

Bra'tac's nostrils flared a little. He looked at John who was standing there, hands on hips and a suspicious look on his face. “And you? You are the military leader here.”

John nodded. “Yes, sir, I am.”

Bra'tac snorted. “And these are the warriors that fight this great enemy the Wraith. A woman, and this seshak.”

John's hands fell from his hips as he stared. “Hey!” he looked to Elizabeth. “What's a seshak?”

Elizabeth made a face. “It's better if you don't know.”

“Master Bra'tac, I have been told these are warriors of great skill and cunning,” Teal'c said.

“Yes, uh, that would be skill,” Rodney said motioning to Teyla, “and, hello, cunning,” he said holding a hand up and smiling.

“Hmph!” Bra'tac said. “Cunning?”

He grabbed Rodney's hand and shook it. “I could break you like kindling,” he said, giving Rodney's hand a little bite for good measure.

Rodney stared, holding his hand where Bra'tac had left it mid-air.

Bra'tac moved to Teyla. “And you, a girl. What skill could you possibly possess?”

Teyla was frowning at him for a moment before she tilted her head at him and her face relaxed in a smile. She nodded to Bra'tac. Bra'tac smiled and nodded back. Bra'tac always did have a way with the ladies.

“Hey, look,” John started a protest, but Bra'tac was already swinging his staff for an attack and Teal'c sighed. You just couldn't introduce the guy to anyone new.

Bra'tac didn't get very far because Ronon was suddenly holding a huge gun on him and John had ducked the blow and swiftly stolen the staff weapon, earning a surprised look from Teyla as he armed it and pointed it at Bra'tac.

“That's not very nice,” John said, no longer looking like a seshak.

Bra'tac looked from John to Ronon and then nodded. “Yes. Fine warriors.”

Elizabeth looked a little surprised and gave Teal'c a questioning eyebrow.

“He is a complicated man,” Teal'c said flatly.

“What? You mean that was all a test?” Rodney asked, holding up his hand.

Bra'tac nodded. “Indeed it was,” he said, smiling at Teyla.

Ronon sighed, put his gun away and assumed a rather sulky pose. That would never have worked on SG-1.

Rodney waved his hand. “You bit me! What kind of a test is that?”

“A most effective one,” Bra'tac said, taking his staff back. “It has not failed me in the last hundred years.”

“A hundred...what?” John stared. “How old are you?”

“A hundred and forty-four years old,” Bra'tac said, somewhat sullenly.

Everyone looked suitably impressed. Teal'c wished they could all figure out that their goldfish expressions would only make an old Jaffa feel even older.

“No way. Really?” John asked, too impressed.

“You think I am lying?” Bra'tac said, taking a step forward.

John stepped back. “No. I never said that.”

Rodney was nodding, pointing at John. “He never said that. Please don't kill us all.”

Bra'tac smiled and looked at Elizabeth. “Show me the rest of this city of yours.”

Bra'tac was sitting with everyone listening to his Jaffa tales, all hundred years plus of them. Teal'c watched from afar and smiled, Elizabeth joining him.

“He's an interesting man,” she said.

“And a good friend,” Teal'c said. “He has been waiting for a free Jaffa nation for a very long time.”

“And now that he has one, he doesn't know what to do with himself,” Elizabeth said.

Teal'c nodded. “And he does not wish to see the Jaffa fall to the Ori. A man can only fight so long.”

Elizabeth gave Teal'c a long look. “Are you talking about Bra'tac or yourself?”

Teal'c was saved answering the question when people started applauding, Bra'tac looking proud and happy among them.

“Looks like the vacation's going to do him good,” Elizabeth said. “You sure you can't get him to stay more than twenty-eight hours?”

Teal'c shook his head. “For a Jaffa that is already too long with nothing to do.”

Elizabeth arched an eyebrow. “I'm sure you could find something to do.”

She smiled and walked away, Teal'c watching her, intrigued way more than any Jaffa was supposed to be.

Damn that Ishta. Why couldn't she just call him? Teal'c shifted with a sigh and continued to watch Bra'tac demonstrate a headlock on some Major Lorne, who was asking how he always ended up in these situations.

"Oh my god!" he yelled. "Are you sure you're a hundrend and forty-five?"

Bra'tac smiled and tightened the hold. "Not for another month!"

- the end -