Loose Ends, by Redbyrd (PG)

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: Episode Fix

Pairing: none
Category: episode fix, gen, Daniel Jackson, sg-1
Warning: references to canon character death
Author on LJ: redbyrd_sgfic
Author's Website: Redbyrd's Stargate Fanfiction

Link: Loose Ends

Why This Must Be Read: Admittedly, I would rec nearly all of Redbyrd's stories in this category if I could. Since that's not entirely possible (er... is it?), I had to pick and choose, with great reluctance. Loose Ends is definitely one of my favorites.

Much as we all love Stargate: SG-1, even the most avid fan must reluctantly concede that TPTB are not very good at keeping events tightly in continuity, especially when the storyline arcs over several seasons. That's what makes Loose Ends so special, as Redbyrd deftly weaves all of Daniel's experiences with Oma and other ascended beings to make some kind of sense of just what was happening at the Waffle House at the End of the Universe. The story retells Threads strictly from Daniel's POV as he puzzles out the various hints and clues to understand exactly why Oma can't tell him the whole truth and just what needs to be done in order to make things right.

Redbyrd adds a few delicious scenes between Oma's disappearance with Anubis and Daniel's reappearance in Jack's office. There's a lovely cameo visit from an old ascended friend, an explanation as to just how Daniel did get back to the SGC, and a nice suggestion as to just how the countdown stopped before the self-destruct destroyed the mountain. Once we rejoin the actual events of the episode, we get a nice, satisfying debriefing to finish off the story, including Jack, Sam, and Teal'c pointing out just how much Daniel did to save the day.

While the most intriguing part of this fic, to my mind, is Redbyrd's ability to actually make some kind of sense of the Others' rules, the snippet of fic I've included is my personal favorite, harkening back to Reckoning and the sheer ridiculousness of Selmac, Jacob, and Sam trying to puzzle out Daniel's notebooks. Amused as I was at Selmac's annoyance at Daniel's lack of "organizing principle" to his notes, the little scene Redbyrd adds to the debriefing is absolutely priceless.

Go read this one. I know you'll enjoy it!

"Where was I? .. oh, yeah. Killed. So sometime in there, you used the weapon on Dakara, and disintegrated the Replicators- nice work, by the way."

"It would have been easier if we could have figured out your notes," Sam said with a wry smile. "I know you're a lateral thinker, Daniel, but the material you have on the Ancients is downright chaotic."

Daniel blinked at her. "You used my notes? The ones in the journal in my office?"

"Yes," Sam said.

"Why?" Daniel asked.

"What do you mean, why?" Sam asked, baffled. "We needed to translate the writings on Dakara."

"Why didn't you use the Ancient dictionary and grammar on the server?" Daniel asked.

There was a brief silence. "On the server?" Sam said weakly.

"The reference materials I put together for the Atlantis expedition," Daniel clarified. "The written notes are really old, Sam. I corrected, expanded and revised them and then put everything in the computer before I went to the Outpost last winter. There are a couple of printed and bound copies in the archeo-linguistics lab too." He looked from her to Jack to Teal'c, "Tell me you at least took one of the people from my department with you to Dakara."

After a brief pause, Teal'c answered. "We did not."

"All our other Ancient speakers went to Atlantis, Daniel," Jack said. "You're the only one we have left who's really fluent. As you well know."

"True, however, that's why I've got several more people studying it. They would have been better than nothing," Daniel said. "Especially with the latest reference material."

"I was on leave when you left for the Ancient outpost," Sam remembered. "Teal'c was offworld. And General O'Neill was busy taking over the SGC."

"And I did a lot of the work while you guys were flying off to look for Thor anyway," Daniel said. The silent addendum 'without me' hung in the air unspoken.

Jack looked off into middle space and addressed the center of the table. "So, I'd like all departments to prepare a brief overview of resources they've developed for general use and present it at the next staff meeting." He scribbled a note to himself on his pad.

Comments

[hsapiens.livejournal.com]

Just a quick note. I'm adding this to my long list of fics that I really must read but I have to take a second to tell you how much I enjoy reading your recs. They're always written in the most tempting language; I want to rush out now now NOW to read whatever you're rec'ing. I hope the writers appreciate your taking the time to rec them. I know I do!

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

This is just... wow. Thank you. I do put a lot of effort into writing these recs, and it's wonderful to get a confirmation that people out there are enjoying them. Feedback for feedback... you really made my day. :)

[hsapiens.livejournal.com]

Yay! I'm glad to give back a small part of the pleasure I get in not only reading your recs but reading the excellent fic itself. Based solely on your reviews, I'm actually going to venture back into ff.net years after deciding nothing there was worth wading through the dreck. Thanks, again, for all the time you spend on these. I know it's considerable.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

To be honest, most of ff.net is still dreck. :) Most of the good ff.net fic I've found is by following recs made by other good authors. They do allow for filters in categories nowadays, which can be rather helpful - you can select which characters you want to read about. So venture back, by all means, but use caution! :)

[redbyrd-sgfic.livejournal.com]

I don't just appreciate, I squee with delight and turn bright pink at all the nice things she says! And I too rush out and read sg_fignewton's recs for other authors.

I'm also delighted to see that the scene she chose to quote is one of my own favorites. The whole notebook thing in Reckoning bugged me to death.. half the Atlantis expedition can apparently read Ancient and yet there isn't a single person left at the SGC? And if you've just taught a few hundred people to read Ancient, it's really hard to believe that the best reference material on the base is Daniel's handwritten notebook.

But, hey, it's the burning urge to explain things like this that got me writing in the first place.

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Hee! I can make Redbyrd squee? Talk about power. :)

I'm glad you also enjoy my recs (and my impeccable taste, considering how many of my recs are your fics!), and it's delightful to discover that my favorite scene matches yours. So please, feel free to keep writing... er, didn't you kinda promise us a contination of SUH? Soon, maybe?

[hsapiens.livejournal.com]

So often the things I see onscreen leave me scratching my head -- I love fics that give me a mental framework to prop up the absurdity...

I've printed this one out and plan to make it my bedtime story. I can hardly wait!