Confirming Carter Bk 02 Daedalus Ch 02

The senior staff recovers from the night before, and Caldwell is brought on board.

Andi begins selling Sam on her plans for a government, and gets support from the staff.

An old friend comes to dinner...and brings a friend with him...

(-)

Confirming Carter Book Two Daedalus

Chapter Two

Interior-Kitchen

0840 Hours

Sam and Tammy were sitting at the kitchen table when Vala stumbled in. She was wearing slippers and a short robe, but it was open in the front, and they could see hickeys and love bites all over her breasts, belly and neck.

She went right to the coffee pot, poured a cup and came over, taking a seat next to Tammy. She sat her cup down, and turned her head, burying her face in Tammy's shoulder.

"Poor baby." Tammy said, bringing her arm up around her back as she leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek. "Hard night?"

Vala nodded into her shoulder.

"Was it hard all night?"

Vala nodded into her shoulder again.

"Did you have a good time?"

Vala nodded, then pulled away, and took a sip of her coffee.

She looked at Sam and Tammy.

"He's never been like that before! It was...amazing. I finally had to push him away and go sleep in another room." She said.

A few minutes later, Teyla came in. Her dress from the night before was only partially closed, and was belted loosely in the front. One breast was visible, and the nipple was swollen. There was a large, dark hickey off to one side of it. She sank into the chair across from Tammy, and her head dropped to the table with a thump.

"Hard night?" Tammy asked.

Teyla nodded, not looking up at them

"Coffee?" Vala asked.

Teyla held out her hand, and Vala slid her cup across the table. Teyla closed her hand around it, sat up, and took a sip.

"The man is insatiable. He would not let me rest!" She said, taking another sip of coffee. "He woke me twice to continue. I finally had to threaten him with bodily harm."

At that moment, Jennifer limped into the kitchen. She reached over and took the coffee cup out of Teyla's hand. She glared at Tammy as she took a sip.

"You bitch!" She said, handing the cup back to Teyla. "Don't you ever do that again!"

"That's mine." Vala said

"Hard night?" Tammy asked.

"Well, yeauuhhh. We didn't even get downstairs!" She said "He bent me over in the elevator and shoved that thing in me before I knew what was happening. I was still impaled when we got to my door. We did it on the floor the first time!"

"That's what you get for not wearing panties." Sam said.

"The first time?" Tammy said.

"And let me tell you! Me and him have very different ideas of what making slow, sweet love is!"

She winced as she sat down. "Owwww. I'm gonna walk funny for a week!"

Tammy reached across the table and took the cup from Teyla. She went over to the coffee pot and poured three fresh cups. She sat them on the table, then got one for herself, and refilled Sam's.

"How 'bout you?" She asked Sam.

"I feel wonderful! Thank you. And thank you for asking." Sam grinned.

Andi chose that moment to walk in. "Well! It's nice to hear that everyone had a good time last night!" She said brightly.

"Oh, shut up." Jennifer said.

Teyla put her head back on the table, and Vala just glared at her.

Interior-Kitchen

0930 Hours

Sheppard, Daniel, and Caldwell had joined them a few minutes apart. All three were seated at the foot of the table.

By that time all the women had showered and changed, and were showing signs of recovery. Andi and Jennifer were wearing clothes from the closets in their suites, while Sam and Teyla were in Athosian gowns. Tammy had put her outfit from the night before back on, and the men kept sneaking glances at her.

Sam reached over and buttoned another button on her vest when she noticed Caldwell staring at her. Tammy opened it back up, along with the one under it. She leaned back in her chair, and put her arm over the back as she shifted slightly, turning toward the men, making the full swell her breasts stand out under the nearly open vest.

"Slut." Sam muttered.

"And loving it!" Tammy said, turning her head and grinning at her.

"Steven." Carter said, looking down the table at him. When he didn't reply, she raised her voice and said, "STEVEN!"

His head snapped around, and everyone laughed. Caldwell blushed.

"Yes, colonel?" He said.

"I know she's nice to look at, but we have business to discuss." She said lightly, smiling at him. "Were you serious when you offered your services? You're not jerking me off?"

"No, I was completely serious, colonel." He reached down, picked up his briefcase, and took his laptop out. "I offered to join you because I think you're being screwed." He said as he waited for it to boot up. "And because you're an excellent commanding officer. I've always admired the way your people respond to you, and we've worked well together in the past."

She nodded.

"I've also seen the video of your meeting with the IOA, and read your outline for your proposed department. You have some bold ideas in it, and I think it's time we stop just holding the line, and actually go out and try to get something done."

Heads were nodding around the table as he spoke.

"I'm glad to see that you're in much better shape than you led them to believe. And I have to ask, why did you lowball the numbers on your compensation package like that? You could have easily gotten eight or ten times what you asked for, if not more."

Vala stood up and went to the fridge, taking out a bottle of orange juice. She got a glass from the cabinet, then turned toward the table. "Anyone?" she asked, holding up her glass.

"Bring me one." Andi said. "I'll split it with you."

Vala took another glass from the cabinet and returned to the table. She filled her glass, then slid the bottle and the other glass over to Andi. She adjusted her chair, moving closer to Tammy, and her hand disappeared under the table as she picked up her juice and took a sip.

"We thought of that, but I looked at comparables in the civilian market, then pegged our numbers to that." Carter said. "And the show was to get me off the hook, and let me shift over to where I wanted to be. You can see where I landed."

Tammy coughed, then turned in her chair, moving closer to Vala. She looked down at her tablet, then looked down the table at Caldwell. "Our main concern was getting the plan in their hands. We had hoped that when they saw the numbers, that they would jump on it. The cost savings alone made it worthwhile."

"They think you're holding something back, that there was alot more that you weren't telling them. They've also been getting reports of unusually activity, missing equipment, and unauthorized power usage here in Atlantis, along with questionable behavior on your part. Most of those came from Dr. McKay."

"That sneaky little bastard." Carter muttered.

"They know you're doing something involving Space Time Matter bridges, which, I'm assuming, is where you got all the ZPM's for the city? And I thought Atlantis only used three. Our scans showed six."

He slid his laptop down the table to her.

"That's a record of all research you've accessed over the last several months, along with copies of all your emails. Everyone you've had contact with regarding this has already been questioned by the IOA. Dr. Miller was detained briefly, until they determined that she was just answering questions that you sent her, not actively participating in your research."

"The outer piers each have their own power center. We never knew that because the city had never been completely explored or mapped. I found this building when I first came to Atlantis, I was doing a walking tour of the city. I've explored alot of it on my own time." Carter said as she scrolled through the files. She went through screen after screen, then pushed the laptop away.

She looked up at him. "We've never spent the time to explore the city like we should have. Part of that was because we made enemies, but a bigger part was because we were always putting out fires, and trying to recover from some idiotic human error. Most of which were the work of Dr. McKay. He was also against checking out anything but the central section of the city."

Tammy stood up and moved around behind her. "I think this is a good time for a break." She said. "Sam, can I speak to you for a moment?"

Carter stood up, and Tammy took her hand, leading her out of the room.

Andi slid Caldwell's laptop back down the table too him.

Daniel looked at Vala, and she smiled brightly at him as she took a drink of her juice.

Interior-Bedroom

1005 Hours

Tammy pulled Sam into the bedroom, then led her into the bathroom, closing the door behind them. She pushed her down onto the toilet and stepped in front of her as she opened her pants, letting them fall to the floor.

"Eat me!" She said as she put her hand behind her head and pulled her face between her legs. She lifted one leg and put it up on a stool as Sam's tongue darted out, lapping at the clean shaven lips of her pussy.

"Vala's been diddling me for the last ten minutes, and I just couldn't take it anymore!" She panted. She had both her hands on Sam's head, and was arching her hips up at her face.

Sam slid her hands up the back of Tammy's legs, and cupped her asscheeks, pulling her against her. Her tongue lashed up inside her, lapping at the spicy juices dripping from her. She drove her tongue rapidly in and out, grinding her nose into her clit.

Tammy grunted, and her legs started shaking. She pulled Sam's face higher in her sopping wet slit. "Suck it. Suck my clit, Sam! Oh god! Please! Make me cum!"

Sam looked up at her as she moved her mouth up, sucking her clit between her lips. She chewed on it lightly, letting her tongue slap back and forth across the tip.

Tammy shuddered, whimpering as her orgasm swelled over her. She stiffened, her legs shaking, then dropped to her knees in front of Sam, gasping for breath as she hugged her, panting harshly into her neck.

Sam held her as she recovered, whispering to her. Tammy hugged her, then drew back.

"Oh god, I'm sor..."

"Are you kidding?" Sam laughed. "That was just the kind of break I needed! What do you say we go back in there, and on the next break, you do me!"

"You got a deal." Tammy laughed, backing up and getting to her feet. "I guess I should change, huh? This outfit is a little distracting."

"You definitely got Steven's attention." Sam laughed. "But I have to admit, I was looking too. We're gonna have to go through all these suites though, and find more of those suits. I like that look on you!"

She got up, went over to the sink and washed her face while Tammy pulled her pants up, and buttoned her vest.

"Is that better?" Tammy asked, putting her hands in her pockets and slouching slightly.

"Open another one." Sam said, looking at her in the mirror. "Show a little cleavage, just not all of it!"

Interior-Kitchen

1025 Hours

"They did it." Vala said to Jennifer as they came back into the room.

"Good, I'm just wondering who did who." Jennifer said.

Caldwell looked back and forth between them, his face coloring.

"Get used to it, Steven." Andi said. "But this is the only place you can expect this kind of behavior. We're at home here, so we feel free to say what we please. When we go out and deal with other people, it's strictly business. And not everyone will get as warm a reception as you did."

She looked over at Carter, then back at Caldwell.

"You smirked when Sam introduced Tammy as her girlfriend. Apparently you believe the rumors about her. It doesn't matter. They've bonded very deeply, on an emotional level, which isn't surprising given what they've been through in a very short period of time. But Tammy is Sam's primary caregiver, and is the driving force behind what we've discovered to date. Without her, Sam would, most probably, be in the state we described to the IOA. She's also responsible for stimulating her when she needs it. That is a sexual process, and needs to be done several times a day."

"You need to know that periodic stimulation is part of Sam's treatment, and is what makes it possible for her to function normally. We'll explain the medical part of it later if you'd like." She went on, telling him about calling for Tammy if he ever needed help if Sam was in trouble.

She looked around the table, and smiled. "I'm sorry, the psychiatrist in me comes out sometimes."

"No, please. Continue Dr. Samuels. I need to be aware of how things work around here if I'm going to fit in. And I have to admit," He said, glancing down the table at Teyla. "This has been the most interesting introduction to a new command that I've ever had."

"Andi, please. Once the decision has bee..."

"He's in. Read him in on everything." Carter said. She looked down the table at Sheppard.

"John?"

"Yes. He's not going to screw us. And we can use him." He looked over at Caldwell. "That came out wrong."

"I knew what you meant. So I call you sir now." Caldwell said.

"Teyla?"

"Steven will deal honestly with you, and serve you well."

"Tammy?"

"Yesterday, I would have said no. But I've eaten with him, danced with him, and had a chance to talk to him. I think Teyla is right, he'll serve you well, and honorably." She looked at Teyla. "And I think he has an incentive to want to stay."

Teyla met her gaze, and nodded after a moment. She looked over at Caldwell. Then back at Tammy.

"Steven will serve us all well. You have my word." She said.

"Caldwell, Lord of the Admiralty." Samuels muttered, making notes on her tablet.

"Excuse me?" Caldwell said, looking at her.

"Ignore her. It's a little game she plays." Sam said.

Andi spun her tablet around, and slid it over to him.

He smiled as he looked at it.

"Let me see that." Sam said, holding out her hand for the tablet.

Caldwell handed it Vala, who passed it to Sam.

"Oh no, you are not doing this." She said as she looked at the tablet.

The note was a list of names and titles.

Col. Samantha Carter, Queen of Atlantis

Lady Tammy Ford, Consort

Sir John Sheppard, First Knight of the Realm, Commander of the Royal Forces

Lady Andi Samuels, Foreign Minister

Lady Jennifer Keller, Jester/Court Physician

Lord Daniel Jackson, Royal Advisor

Lady Vala Mal Doran, Royal Advisor/Adventurer

Ambassador Teyla Emmagan, Ambassador of the Athosian Peoples

Col. Steven Caldwell, Lord of the Admiralty

Carter slid the tablet down the table, and Teyla grabbed it. She looked over the list, then looked over at Andi. "What is a Lord of the Admiralty?"

"Something he's never going to be." Sam said.

"The commander of the Royal Navy." Andi told Teyla.

Teyla nodded, then looked at Sam. "I already serve my people as an ambassador to Atlantis. Having such a title, officially, bestowed by the ruler of Atlantis, would do much to bring our peoples together."

"She has a point. The Genii would be much more likely to deal with us as an independent state, as opposed to representatives of Earth." Sheppard said. "They've always known that we didn't call the shots, but had to get approval for almost everything."

"The Traveler's would respond similarly. They do not trust your leaders on Earth, which is why they do not deal with you." Teyla said. "They are many, and if we could offer them safe havens, Atlantis and the other...I cannot recall the name." She said, looking at Andi.

"Anchorage."

"Yes, Anchorage. Many would wish to live there. Many already have the ancient gene, others could be tested to see if your treatment works on them as it does you. They are used to using and operating ancient equipment and devices. Would that not aid in the problem of not having enough people? Were you to offer them such a haven, they may give you ships for Steven's navy in return."

She paused, then added, "He would require a title, however, as the others have been given."

"Are you bargaining for him Teyla?" Tammy asked.

Teyla shook her head. "Merely assuring that he will be worthy of my station as ambassador. This is an important position, is it not?"

"Well filled Athosian warbler!" Vala laughed. "I get it now." She glared over at Andi. "You tried to trick me."

Daniel put his head in his hands, then looked at Caldwell. "Ignore her." He said, then turned to Carter. "I can't believe I'm saying this. But I think they're right."

"Not you too, Daniel! Please, don't do this to me." She said softly.

"There may be no other way. Any other non-democratic form of government besides a monarchy, with you as it's self-appointed head, will be seen as a dictatorship. By the IOA and your people here on Atlantis."

He turned to Andi. "This is your idea, and you have a reason for it. I'd like to hear it."

"The monarchy is the easiest and most stable form of government for an emerging nation. Democracy takes too long, even when the population is ready, or used to it. We also don't have the population to support a democracy." She said. She tabbed down through her notes, wrote out a list on a pad and slid it over to Jennifer.

"Would you find these files in the database, and mail them to everyone please? They can go over them later."

"What makes a monarchy so attractive in our situation, is we live in a feudal culture. The bulk of governments, where they exist, are monarchies, or dictatorships, with a smattering of councils systems rounding it out. We are an exception to the norm. That puts us apart from the majority of the Pegasus galaxy, so we're viewed with suspicion by the leadership. Many of that group believe that we are actually a dictatorship, but hide behind our mask of democracy. And they're right."

"Now wait a minute." Sam said.

"Let her finish." Daniel and Tammy said at the same time. They grinned at each other.

"Parts of our homeworld have democratic governments, but most of it doesn't. Atlantis is governed by the military commander, you Sam, with the power of life and death over every one of us. Which makes it a benevolent dictatorship. It's true, that you were subject to a ruling body on Earth, appointed by various governments, but you had the option to ignore their edicts, and do as you see fit. As we have done recently."

She looked at Daniel. "Do you have anything to add? You can feel free to jump in at anytime."

"You're doing fine. But the history and psychology aside, why do you think this is the best choice?" He asked.

"It's what we need, and it's what the people want." Andi said simply.

"You've been talking to them?" Caldwell asked

"No, I've been listening to them. And this wasn't my idea. by the way." She said, then looked at Sam. "I was in the mess hall a few weeks ago, before I did all this to you, and the people at the next table were talking about it. They were quite animated, and by the time I left, there were twenty people involved in the discussion. I've been haunting the common areas since, and the two top topics are how happy they are that you're okay, and what kind of government you'll establish. Monarchy leads, democracy is a distant second."

"We missed our chance to do it right, now we'll have to put it to a vote. But we'd win, even without rigging it. I'd say an eighty/twenty split. Teyla said it best. You are much loved by your people."

"How did you miss your chance?" Daniel asked

"The night we took over, Sam told them what we had in mind, where she wants to take us. She told them that she had nothing to offer them but hard work, a place to live, and a dream to work toward. And more than nine hundred of them stayed, out of a little over eleven hundred. Because she gave them a choice, and she asked them to stay with her."

"We had a second meeting, after we had sent people home. That's where the window closed. If I had gotten her on board, we could have done it by acclimation, and they would have been happy about it. But she didn't want to hear about a monarchy, and I couldn't do it without her consent. She wouldn't have served."