Confirming Carter Bk. 04 Expansion Ch. 04

"Beer me." Larrin grinned, looking up at O'Neill as he moved behind her. She held her hand up as she smiled at him.

"Only because you asked so nicely." He said as he opened the fridge.

"Me too." Kinai said as she held out her hand.

"Anyone else?" He asked as he handed them both beers.

"Get the tequila while you're up Jack." Carter said.

"Are we drinking out of the bottle tonight, or should I get glasses?" Tammy asked.

"I would prefer a glass." Bra'tac said, glancing at Pharris. She nodded, and he said, "Two."

"If we're drinking, would you bring the bourbon Tammy?" Samuels said as she sat down.

"And the scotch." O'Neill said.

"Anything else while I'm up?" Tammy asked

"Do we have any chips, or pretzels...maybe some nuts?" Sam asked. "I can help if you want."

"No, I've got it." Tammy said as she sat glasses on the table, then bottles of bourbon and scotch. She went over to a cabinet and got down bowls and filled them with snacks, then brought them over to the table.

Kinai picked up a chip and took a bite, smiling as she ate the rest of it.

"That tastes like the food stick, only thinner." She said. "It's salty too."

"They're made of the same thing, potatoes." Tammy said. "Try the pretzels and the nuts, but eat the nuts one at a time, they're all different kinds."

"You guys just being sociable, or did you need something?" Sam asked Samuels and Pharris.

"Andi said you were discussing the fleet." Pharris said, pulling two glasses closer and pouring scotch for her and Bra'tac, then sliding the bottle over to O'Neill. "I'm disappointed that you did not include me."

"The fleet wasn't the main topic being discussed, but it did come up." Sam said. "And Larrin gave us the information we needed."

"But you haven't met our guest, Kinai, from Durrim Samar." She said. "She's staying with us while we wait for her partners to arrive. They should be here tomorrow. They wish to join us too."

"They will make a good addition to your domain." Pharris said, glancing over at Larrin, then back at Sam. "They have been helpful in distribution of fleet resources, and other problems."

"I'm glad you mentioned the distribution of the fleet Pharris, that was one of the issues that Kinai brought to our attention."

"Andi told me that she felt that the cost to ship to their more remote facilities..."

"The facilities weren't remote Pharris, not until the fleet was moved." Tammy said. "Now more than half of them can't get the supplies they need."

"It was necessary to move the fleet to meet our changing needs." Pharris said.

"I understand that, but at the cost of cutting off half the galaxy from trade?" Sam asked.

Pharris glared over at Larrin as she asked, "What did you tell them? You had no right..."

"She didn't tell us, Kinai did." Tammy said. "Larrin just confirmed what we were being told."

"I had every right, I am a Traveller, and the leader of my clan." Larrin said. "You may wish to scheme and play games Pharris, but I will deal honestly with my queens."

"I am not playing games Larrin. I am trying to keep our people alive while you run off to your space station..."

"And I am in contact with my clan every day, managing their affairs, preparing them to come under the domain of our queens." Larrin said. "My people are eager to join them, as are your people in Anchorage. We work toward the same goal Pharris, we simply take different routes."

"But our people have not decided yet, Larrin." Pharris said. "There are details to be worked out, commitments to be kept..."

"My people have made their decision." Larrin replied. "I had their answer the day after we asked to be taken into the fold. Almost three thousand ships, more than seven hundred thousand people. I will show you the messages if you do not believe me."

"But the others, they are not as prepared." Pharris gasped. "Walleen..."

"We know what Walleen is doing, and we're prepared to deal with him if we need to." Sam said. "What we need to know, is where you stand Pharris. We don't care that you're using Anchorage as your personal food factory, I actually admire your ingenuity, but I want to know, right here and now, are you the woman I thought you were? Can I depend on you to finish what you started?"

Pharris looked at her for a long moment before she replied.

"I am, and you may depend on me Samantha." Pharris said, looking her in the eye. "Like Larrin's, my people will vote to join you, but the other clans..."

"Are not your problem." O'Neill said. "Let Arrin and Walleen worry about their clans. From what I've heard so far, you two control almost half the Traveller fleet."

"Not the fleet, Arrin's clan has the most ships, and with Walleen, they control more than half the fleet, but my clan has the biggest ships." Larrin said. "Pharris and I care for more than half the population."

"So if your two clans vote to join, they win." O'Neill said. "Right?"

"No, it's not an election Jack." Tammy told him. "We're asking these people to vote to join us. Any no votes split off from the fleet."

"Give me two numbers Pharris. How many people, and how many will say yes." Carter said, looking down the table at her.

"Six hundred and forty thousand, and all but a few, less than a thousand, will say yes." Pharris said. "Most already have."

"Two down." Tammy said, then looked back and forth between Larrin and Pharris. "Do either of you want to venture a guess what the other two clans will do?"

"Arrin's clan will join." Larrin said. "He will lose less than ten percent. It's Walleen's clan I am concerned about."

"And I." Pharris said. "He will not provide me an estimate of a tally, and I fear that he will lie when he does."

"How do you send messages to the other council members?" Carter asked, looking back and forth between Larrin and Pharris.

"There is a messaging system..."

"Yes, but what kind of device do you use?"

"There is an ancient terminal in my quarters here, and in Anchorage..."

"There's one in my office, and I'd like you to use it to send Walleen a message." Carter told her.

"What message?" Pharris asked.

"Will you allow your people to join us? Sign it Col. Samantha Carter and Lady Tammy Ford, Queens of Atlantis."

"You don't need to wait for a reply, we can check for that later." Tammy said

"Can we table this while you wait for an answer?" O'Neill said, looking around the table as Pharris got up and walked out of the room. As he started to continue, Kinai stood up and opened the refrigerator, bending over as she took out two beers, handing one to Larrin as she closed the door.

"Jesus..." He muttered as he stared at the smooth, round cheeks of her ass.

"Nice, huh Jack." Tammy laughed, watching him. She leaned closer to Sam as she said, "I am going to hit that so hard later..."

"Get in line girlfriend, get in line." Carter laughed.

(-)

Interior-Kitchen

2210 Hours

"Well, she can't hold her liquor." Larrin laughed, wrapping her fingers in Kinai's hair and lifting her head from the table. She looked at her for a moment, then laid her head gently back on the table.

"Yeah she can." Tammy giggled. "She was holding me by the ears when I was licking her."

"You are so bad." Carter laughed as she tossed back a shot of tequila.

"You wanna go see how bad I can be?" Tammy asked, leering at her drunkenly.

"Mmmmm hmmm. But I'm not gonna have to hold you by your ears..."

(-)

Interior-Bedroom

0210

"Samantha." Larrin said softly as she shook her gently.

"Unnnggghhh...yeah, what is it Larrin?" Carter asked as she rolled over, then sat up on the bed.

"Pharris received a response from Walleen's clan." Larrin said.

"From Walleen's clan..."

"Yes. Walleen is dead." Larrin said. "They say they will join. Arrin relayed the news to Pharris. His clan too will join. The vote is over, the Travellers are yours."

"Who killed him?" Carter asked, feeling a shiver run over her.

Larrin was silent for a long moment before she answered.

"His wife...and his daughters." She paused before she went on. "Then they took their own lives."

"Thank you Larrin." Carter said as she laid back on the bed. She lifted the sheet as she looked up at her. "Sleep with us tonight Larrin, you shouldn't be alone."

"Thank you my queen." Larrin said as she laid down beside her.

"Go to sleep now Larrin, and dream about the future." Carter whispered as she put her arm around her, laying her head against her back.

Larrin nodded, but Sam lay listening to her crying long into the night.

* * * * *

Thanks for reading this installment. Chapter Five is in progress, and will be posted soon.

As usual, comments are appreciated.