-
‘I used to be an archaeologist.’ He lifted the painted vase back onto the shelf. ‘I used to spend hours digging through sand. I had an office full of texts at the SGC, you should have seen it.’
‘I did see it.’
‘I spent days researching, I used to dig up facts. I used to…’ Daniel rubbed his eyes under his glasses. ‘I used to find things.’
He moved to the window and lifted the percolator so that the morning light passed through the dark liquid and bathed his lined face. ‘Coffee?’
‘Please,’ Sajid replied, glancing up as the door opened.
‘Morning. Sorry I’m late.’ Anna shut the door and dropped a file onto the cluttered desk.
‘You’re not late,’ Daniel observed, pouring a third cup of coffee. Sajid leant across and cleared a chair for her, cursorily glancing at the papers in his hands before depositing them onto a pile on the floor.
‘Shall I give you the headlines?’ Anna asked.
‘Shoot,’ said Daniel, bringing the mugs across to the desk.
‘The Geo-economic Resources Committee was suspended again last night after the French delegates refused to respond to British allegations of a major breach in the mining treaty. The French walked out and have issued a statement demanding an explanation for the presence of British intelligence-gathering personnel on P45-932. The British have declined to comment, although Mr Poole has asked to speak with you regarding this. I scheduled him in for two-thirty.’ Daniel flicked open the file and pulled out the relevant brief.
‘Any chance they’ll have made a backroom deal before then?’
‘Not this time.’ Sajid said, with a wry smile. ‘The French have everything to gain from delaying an investigation and the British won’t be giving an inch, they’re still smarting over the concessions they had to make over the Yorfarda incident.’
‘Right.’ Daniel made a note. ‘Go on.’
‘General Mitchell has reported that the X-305 tests have been delayed by another month.’ Anna looked up. ‘Word is, he is not a happy man.’
‘I bet.’
‘He also reported that the Chinese squadron at Gamma station is now back at full complement and that General Leow intends to re-table Operation Whitefall within the week.’
‘Is Mitchell still backing him?’
‘Yes, although I imagine he’ll insist on USAF involvement this time. Leow will probably go with that; they seem to get on pretty well. Major Larsen can give you a fuller brief,’ Anna glanced at her watch. ‘He should be landing within the hour.’
Daniel raised his eyebrows. ‘I didn’t know he’d gone. For an attaché, he’s not very attached.’
Sajid grinned. ‘Oh I think he’s very attached, just not to us. He has a wife back in Washington.’
‘My God, he has a life? And he took a job here? Does he know what he’s letting himself in for?’
‘Regular internal flights, apparently,’ said Anna, passing Daniel a further document. ‘This is the report Dan’ek compiled for you on the Jaffa census.’
Sajid watched Daniel flick through the pages. ‘A little light isn’t it?’, he asked.
‘No doubt it’s a succinct, pithy account.’
Sajid gestured to the disordered stacks of files surrounding them. ‘Perhaps we should replace our bureaucrats with Jaffa.’ Daniel barked a laugh.
‘A bureaucratic Jaffa…. If I ever live to see the day…’
‘You could always tidy your office.’ Anna offered dryly. ‘At the very least, read that before you add it to the furniture. The Council convenes tomorrow and they’ll expect your appraisal.’
‘I’ve read all of them,’ said Daniel firmly. ‘Is there more?’
‘Of course. Dr Estrada has put in another request that you attend the OCT board meetings.
‘But I sent Major Saderfield as my representative.’
‘Then you’d better ask her what’s going on.’
‘The personnel department would like you to counter-sign the reviews completed by Dr Khan.’
Daniel turned to Sajid. ‘They don’t trust you?’
‘It seems not.’
‘And one of the President’s staff rang. She wants to speak to you.’
Daniel sat up sharply. ‘Saving the best ’til last, huh? Is it about what I think it is?’ Anna shrugged. ‘Then tell her I’m busy.’
‘Daniel, she’s the President.’
‘I don’t care.’
‘I can’t tell her you’re busy.’
‘Why not? I am. I have an impossibility of meetings to attend. I have reports coming out of my nostrils. I have…’
Daniel narrowed his eyes. ‘You agree with her. Both of you do.’
Anna glared back defiantly, but Sajid looked uncomfortable.
‘Let’s not discuss this now, Daniel. I think you should talk to the President. Find out what she wants. It might have nothing to do with this.’
Daniel flopped back in his chair. ‘Alright! I’ll talk to her. Anna, can you fix that for me?’ She nodded. He glanced back at his notes ‘And tell Saderfield to come and see me.’ He let out a long sigh. ‘Anything else I should know?’
There was a pause. Sajid drained his coffee mug. ‘Sol Kinsey won the Tour de France…’
‘You’re kidding.’
‘… so you owe me fifty bucks.’ Sajid stood. ‘Not that I actually expect ever to see it.’
Daniel grimaced, stood and picked up the painted vase again. He shook out a role of notes.
‘I was an archaeologist once. Did I mention that?’
-
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A Stargate: SG-1 Fanfiction Site
Daniel's Office: 2020
by AbacusStory Bemerkung:
I wrote this scene as the opening for '2020', an ongoing long-fic. I subsequently gave this scene the chop, but decided to post it as a ficlet rather than throw it in the wastepaper bin.Site Navigation
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