stargateficrec | Brave New World, by Annerb (PG) (Reply)

Rec Category: Sam and Daniel friendship

Pairing: none
Categories: Sam and Daniel friendship, Samantha Carter, Daniel Jackson, gen, episode related, humor, angst, character study
Warnings: references to events in Reckoning/Threads
Author on LJ: annerb
Author's Website: Annerb Fic
Link: Brave New World

Why This Must Be Read: She likes the idea that maybe their weakness for each other is the charm that keeps this delicate blue sphere spinning calmly under the cold stars.

I fell in love this story when it was first posted for the sd_ficathon. Reading it again makes me love it even more.

Idle, bantering speculation as to just how Sam and Daniel would go about ruling the universe leads leads abruptly to the more serious topics of Ascended!Daniel’s failure on Abydos, and his murder by Replicarter, and how much of Sam’s own self was truly part of Fifth’s creation. Sam and Daniel quietly, thoughtfully talk their way through to acceptance of who they both truly are and how much they, and the team, mean to each other – and why that connection is what keeps them safe and grounded.

This beautiful fic is written with a deft touch that speaks straight to the heart of what makes Sam and Daniel’s friendship so wonderful, and you’ll remember it for a long time to come.

“I’d make all museums and libraries free to the public,” Daniel says.

“What?” Sam asks, distracted by the effort of keeping her mind safely blank.

“If I ruled the Universe.”

“Ah,” she says. “I’d install Asgard beaming technology and naquadah generators to stop global warming.” She tries not to sound like she’s actually given this too much thought, but she knows without looking that Daniel is smiling at her rapid answer. “And maybe make flags the compulsory dress code at the SGC,” she adds with a smirk.

Daniel pelts her with pretzels in retaliation. “Import the nothan plant from PC4-823,” he shoots back.

“God, kids would actually eat their vegetables.” Sam drools a little remembering the green bean-like plant that tastes like chocolate pudding. “A holiday where only motorcycles are allowed on the roads.”

“Outlaw MREs.”

Sam laughs. “Why do all of yours have to do with food?”

“Yours are all technology!” The warmth in his tone erases any imagined indignation and they fall into silence for a while, Sam munching thoughtfully on confiscated pretzels.

“I’d require bad guys to wear black hats. Just for clarity’s sake,” Sam eventually says.

“It wouldn’t be all that difficult of a thing to do,” Daniel replies. It takes her a moment to realize that he doesn’t mean her wardrobe requirements for villains, and she feels her pulse accelerate in reaction.

“It really wouldn’t,” she agrees, craning her neck to look at Daniel again, but this time he is staring intently at her, all levity gone. “I have plans,” she confesses.

“I know.”