"Duck " by sdraevn (PG)

[fhartman.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: Daniel/Vala
Characters: Daniel, Vala
Category: SG-1, Vignette, Humor
Warning: None
Author on LJ: sdraevn
Author's Website: http://svendra.com/fica.html

Link: http://svendra.com/fanfiction/duck.html


Why This Must Be Read: It's early days for Daniel/Vala fic, and maybe because we don't know much *about* Vala, the only thing we can really fall back on is the great banter between these two. That in itself is tough to write convincingly, because Vala is the sort that walks a very fine line between being a character and a caricature. sdraevn wins the prize for being one of the first to nail this dynamic perfectly, and to be able to draw the bold lines that make up Vala with the necessary precision. The trick here is accomplished by showing us Vala through the eyes of Daniel, a character we already know well, but don't be fooled. Daniel himself is one of the tougher SG-1 characters to write, and this walk inside his mind is an absolute hoot - Vala inspires reactions in Daniel that aren't exactly the norm. Daniel's uncharacteristic behavior and resulting internal monologue are precisely in character here, and this scenario is so perfect I found myself double-taking more than once to be sure I hadn't already seen it on screen.

That, and Daniel muses on Vala's metaphorical resemblance to an asteroid. Who could ask for anything more?