Title: Babbling Day
Author: A. Karswyll
Rated: K
Words: 730
Summary: October 21st is not a holiday Jack O'Neill marks with particular relish, but for his two babbling geeks on the team he will endure—for the day.

Season 2
21 October 1998

Jack listened to the weekly science geek congress babble on about their weekly findings and wished—not for the first time—that these briefings weren't a requirement he had to attend as team leader. Jeez, and he still had to attend the Daniel-type geeks briefings this afternoon.

Last week the geeks had been all excited about the ongoing development of longer ranged recon probes that had developed into the UAV. Things like that he could appreciate.

Long dissertations on the analysis of the sound waves used by the bald, white, and naked aliens and white alien plants of PJ2-445 were mind numbing. Just listening to them go on and on was threatening to bring on a headache like the one he'd gotten three days ago on the planet from said alien plants.

As the projector was turned off and the briefing room lights were turned back on Jack rubbed his eyes. Didn't Foldger know two, or even three, syllable words?

Pressing his palms into his eyes he took a breath and reminded himself of his promise to hold his tongue and let the geeks babble all they liked today. He was seriously reconsidering that, though. Next year, yes next year, he'd hold his tongue only for his geeks: Carter and Daniel.

Feeling better with that decided he lowered his hands and opened his eyes to find one of his geeks, Carter watching him with her head cocked at a curious angle.

"What?"

"You okay Sir?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

Carter's blue eyes flickered around the room before returning to him. "You've been very... quiet today Sir. Are you sure there are no aftereffects of the infrasonic frequencies produced by the plant-like organisms of PJ2-445? You and Daniel were exposed for a long period of time and Teal'c had his symbiote to buffer his susceptibility."

Jack groaned. This was the thanks he got for keep his trap shut? Carter eyeing him like she was on the verge of reporting him to the needle pushers? "I'm fine Carter. No need to go a hollering for the Doc."

She worried her bottom lip and glanced away.

Sighing he ordered, "Spit it out Carter."

"Sir?"

"You've still got something to say, spit it out."

Her cheeks reddening a bit she spoke, "Are you sure? You're really—"

"Quiet," Jack rolled his eyes and finished for her. "Yes, you've said that already Carter. Really, I thought you'd appreciate no interruptions from me. Let you talk about your doohickeys all you want."

"I..." Carter trailed off, and then clearly changing her mind about what she was going to say, instead said, "Why have you not been, er, your usual self today?"

"Because of the holiday."

"Holiday?" she blinked at him.

Jack gave her a crooked grin. It clearly had not been an answer his second had expected. "Yeah, it's Babbling Day today."

"What is Babbling Day?"

"Come on Carter, you don't know what it is? You're a card carrying member," he teased. He thought about it for a moment and corrected himself, "No, actually you and Daniel are summa cum laude graduates."

She just looked even more baffled. "I've never heard of such a day Sir."

"No, I didn't think you would have Captain. But trust me, today is the day I let you guys get away with all sorts of blatherskite." Proud of himself at managing to use that word today, he lifted a finger and wagged it at her. "But only today."

Carter looked even more perplexed and absently gestured her acknowledgement when one of the other geeks in the room prompted her that it was her turn to speak.

Jack felt his grin deepen, it always was fun baffling his geeks, and made shooing motions with his hands. "Go Carter, talk about how you talk to your plants."

She gave him one last puzzled look and then she got up and made her way to the front to report her latest discoveries.

Settling back into his chair Jack wondered if he'd be able to get a similar reaction from Daniel when the rock geeks did their talks. It was something to look forward to this afternoon anyway. And he admitted to himself privately, Carter sure got animated and hot when she got going with her technobabble so he settled into to enjoy the rest of Babbling Day.

-FINISHED