By Fabrisse
Title: Teal'c's Thanksgiving
Rating: General
Season/Episode: Late Season 3 or Season 4
Spoilers: None
Bra'tac looked into the bowl again. "Teal'c, you are certain this is the correct color?"
"It is distinctive enough that the Tau'ri call the color avocado in honor of the fruit." He peered into the bowl. After a moment he squeezed a lemon over it. "It also discolors easily, but I believe that you and Rya'c will like this guacamole."
Rya'c looked up from the tomatoes he was chopping. "I do not understand why a warrior must prepare food like a woman."
"It is the nature of the holiday. In some families, one person makes the whole meal, but among SG-1 it has always been that each of us brings a dish. O'Neill prepares the ceremonial turkey as the feast is held at his home. The rest of us bring either a dish to be served cold or to be reheated easily."
"Why, Teal'c?" Bra'tac added the garlic that Teal'c indicated.
"My first year here, O'Neill made a point of including me in all the traditional feasts that this culture shares. He told me a story of one group of Tau'ri coming to this new continent and meeting another group of Tau'ri whose land it was. The first year, after the harvest, the new Tau'ri had a feast and invited the old Tau'ri who brought freshly killed meat -- including the turkey."
Bra'tac looked thoughtful. "And was this story true?"
"I asked Daniel Jackson the same. He said that O'Neill had told me the story that all are taught in school when children. Apparently, things were more complicated."
Sergeant Avery came in to check on the group. "Master Teal'c, that bacon's going to burn if you don't get it off the fire."
"Indeed, Miriam. I was distracted by questions."
"I heard some of that. May I butt in?"
"I would welcome your clarifications."
"Master Teal'c's right, Master Bra'tac. It is more complicated. But the Tau'ri are not one culture. This culture was founded by immigrants, and so we have lots of different traditions about lots of different things -- like I do Passover not Easter. Thanksgiving, well, it's the only one that everyone here shares. It doesn't matter if you're old or new to the country or what your traditions are, everyone stops and has a 'feast' as Master Teal'c calls it. On one day we are united in tradition."
"Indeed. Daniel Jackson professes to like this holiday for exactly that reason."
Rya'c asked, "Who will be joining us tomorrow, father?"
"For the first time since the first year, all of SG-1 will be there. Major Carter's brother must attend Thanksgiving with the family of his wife. Not only will she be there, but Jacob Carter and Selmac will be present as well."
Sergeant Avery went to the oven and pulled out three of pies. "The one with the lid on it is for you gentlemen to have for dessert tonight if you'd like. Leave the other two alone."
Bra'tac gave her a small bow. "Although they look delicious, we will remain honorable."
A grin answered him. "If I weren't married, Master Bra'tac, I'd be after you."
"I most deeply regret the fact of your marriage." Teal'c watched the byplay with some amusement.
Still smiling, Sergeant Avery left them to their work.
Bra'tac asked, "What of Hammond of Texas? Is it traditional for him to be there?"
"No. But this year his granddaughters are spending Thanksgiving with their other grandparents so he, too will be present."
"I am glad. I always enjoy my discussions with so fine a strategist. How many millenia have our people used the Stargate? But it took Hammond of Texas to come up with an adequate defence."
Teal'c nodded and finished grating the horseradish. "I would like to know how high the bounty is on our GDO codes now."
"A year free of taxes for any planet that can produce a working GDO and either the prisoners or the code to go with it. Every system lord has pledged this."
Teal'c's eyebrow lifted. "That is good."
"Father? Is it supposed to look like this?"
After inspecting both Rya'c's salsa and Bra'tac's guacamole, Teal'c said, "Indeed both are finished. Mine will take only a minute longer."
"And what is it we are bringing, Father?"
"The snacks. While the cooking is going on, there will also be television in the form of ritual combats or, as the Tau'ri call them, sports. It is also a tradition to have chips and dips while watching these. We have made the dips, and I have already purchased the chips for our contribution to the feast."
"If what you and Sergeant Avery said earlier is true, why did we not make a traditional Chulakian dish to take to the feast."
"That is a wise question, Master Bra'tac. And indeed the first year I managed to put together a reasonable attempt at Dugha from Tau'ri ingredients. O'Neill ate it without changing his facial expression, and Daniel Jackson will occasionally make it for me and share it even now. However, Major Carter was less able to hide her dislike of the dish, though she was most amusing in her attempt."
"How could anyone not like Dugha?" Rya'c's disbelief was palpable.
"I believed Daniel Jackson when he told me it was 'a texture thing' and did not make it again. It was he who suggested that I bring snacks. It was Miriam who taught me to make the dips rather than purchase them." He put lids on both their bowls and placed them in one of the refrigerators.
"Oh, I didn't expect anyone to be here."
"Doctor Fraiser, it is good to see you. Were there any problems with Rya'c's or Master Bra'tac's physcials?"
"No, no. I really didn't expect to see anyone when I ..." Janet looked a little sheepish as she glanced at the pies Sergeant Avery had left to cool.
"Those are chess pies, Doctor Fraiser?"
"Yes. Now Teal'c, you won't tell anyone will you?"
He finished measuring out the sour cream and cream cheese and added them to the bowl in front of him. "I have often been advised by O'Neill that is bad policy to offend anyone who could 'stick needles in my butt.'"
Janet laughed. "It's just, well, everyone expects a girl from Louisiana to be able to cook."
Bra'tac looked speculatively from Teal'c to Janet. "I do not understand."
Teal'c's raised eyebrow indicated that the ball was in Janet's court. He began to cream his ingredients together.
"Well, Master Bra'tac, it's like this. There's some good food in Louisiana and some great cooks. Everyone expects a woman to cook, too. So the idea that a woman from Louisiana is at best merely adequate in the kitchen is just not believed."
"But you are a physician, skilled in your art. Why should you be expected to have more than one art?"
"I could kiss you for saying that." Janet cocked her head at Teal'c who had finished preparing his bacon horseradish dip and was adding it to the refrigerator with the others.
"Your secret remains safe with me."
"Doctor?"
"Yes, Rya'c?"
"My father has informed us that the dishes at the feast have a ritual significance. What may I ask is the significance of your pies?"
"My mother used to make them, every Thanksgiving. Sometimes we'd have them if company came over, but usually it was just Thanksgiving. The recipe has been handed down in my family for seven generations. I look forward to giving it to Cassie. She's a better cook than I am."
"That is all, just a connection to your mother?" Rya'c seemed disappointed.
"That's all, but that's what Thanksgiving is. One tradition from one family, another tradition from someone else's family and soon there's a new tradition born. My mother's family was from Virginia, so no one else in our town had chess pies at Thanksgiving. But it was our family tradition."
"May I ask what Cassandra is bringing?"
"Well, in honor of the General, she's made her first pecan pie. She got the recipe off the Karo bottle, so I hope it will be all right."
Teal'c nodded solemnly. "I believe the last time I tried pecan pie at General Hammond's he told me that was the recipe he used."
"Oh, that will be fine then. Just let me wrap these up and I'll leave you gentlemen to your dessert."
"Would you care to share some with us? Sergeant Avery's apple pie is excellent."
"I'd be delighted."
****
General Hammond picked up the Chulakian delegation. He patiently explained the cornbread/pecan/anchochili dressing that he was bringing. It was a combination of the cornbread and sage stuffing that he'd had as a child, and his wife's nut and chestnut stuffing. The chilis had been added because the General's daughter loved them.
"Of course, we don't stuff the turkey at Colonel O'Neill's. Dr. Fraiser would have our hides if we tried it. So, technically, this is a dressing and not a stuffing."
"And this dressing, or some form of it is one of the traditions of this feast?"
"Yes, Master Bra'tac, that about sums it up. Everyone has something like this as a side dish or inside the bird, but every recipe is different."
"I will be honored to try this dressing."
General Hammond managed to suppress a smile at the solemn pronouncement. "It looks like we're here, gentlemen."
Teal'c looked at the car they pulled next to, "I see Daniel Jackson has arrived before us."
"I think Dr. Jackson probably stayed last night to help Colonel O'Neill get ready for guests."
"Indeed, General."
Jack called to them from an area near the garage. Jacob or Selmak was already there with him.
"Hey there, Bra'tac, T. Good to see you Rya'c." They were all staring at a large vat. "I figured since there were so many of us, I'd need more than a turkey. So I got a Turducken."
Rya'c looked at it dubiously. "Do the winged creatures of this planet lack bones?"
Jack clapped him on the back. "No, it's chicken inside a duck inside a turkey. They have to debone it partially to make it work."
"And the vat O'Neill?"
"Well, once I get the contraption I saw rigged properly, this will let us deep fry it."
"Deep fry, human?"
"Stop calling me that. Yeah. You take oil, heat it to over 400 degrees, and set the bird in it."
Bra'tac called over his shoulder. "Teal'c, you must see this. It is truly a warrior's way to cook."
Teal'c's expression went rigid. "I must take the dips indoors for serving."
As soon as he crossed the threshold, Daniel was trying to explain. "Until he sprang this on me last night, I had no idea he was going to try it. I'm dubious about something called turducken, too."
"The 'bird' is irrelevant; the deep frying of anything so massive is frightening in the hands of O'Neill." Teal'c drew himself up to his full height before fixing his gaze on Daniel. "It was your responsibility to keep him from accessing the Food Network again. You have failed."
Daniel had few doubts that those words and that expression would have preceded "You will die" back in Teal'c's First Prime days.
"How was I supposed to know he'd figure out how to override the parental controls? Once he saw the Alton Brown thing, it was a done deal." Daniel thought for a moment. "I suppose I could have an accident with the electricity?"
"No Daniel Jackson. That would ruin the rest of the meal." Teal'c's disappointment was evident.
"Jack gave me enough notice that I was able to buy welders gloves yesterday. 4 pair."
"Doctor Fraiser's presence will be most welcome."
***
The large balloons of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade took some explanation.
Bra’tac was positive they were some type of primitive surveillance. Rya’c remained skeptical that small children were pleased by things so massive and unwieldy.
Football went over better. Bra'tac and Rya'c were fascinated by the game. Rya'c got the rules quickly, but Bra'tac was fascinated at how it could be used as a training tool for young warriors. During one half-time, Jack and Daniel took everyone outside and organized a game of flag football in Jack's yard. General Hammond promised to referree.
Daniel, Bra’tac, and Jacob beat Jack, Rya’c, and Teal’c mostly because General Hammond deducted points for cheating. Sam, Cassie, and Janet decided to cheerlead. Cassie actually jumped up and down; Janet and Sam just raised their glasses when anyone scored.
Afterwards, Teal’c took Sam quietly aside and suggested that her knowledge of engineering was an essential requirement for the success of deep fried turducken.
***
“Well, you all know the tradition.” Jack said. “General, would you please start?”
“I’m thankful to be able to share a Tau’ri tradition with such stalwart allies as the Free Jaffa and the Tok’ra. May this alliance continue.”
There were calls of “hear, hear” from around the table, but Jack merely looked queasy.
“I’m thankful for another year of life, and the chance to spend a holiday with my daughter.” Jacob said. Selmak added, “I am thankful that Jacob has finally learned to meditate. It is difficult to share with such an unquiet mind.”
Cassie was thankful for her chance at life among the Tau’ri. Janet’s thanks for having a daughter were quietly heartfelt. Sam was happy that she finally had a relationship with her father. Jack thanked Sam for helping him override the parental controls on his television remote.
Teal’c glowered at Sam and made certain she was coming to spar on Monday.
Rya’c was glad such a feast was being offered, but couldn’t understand why they weren’t allowed to eat it yet, which got a chuckle from all present. Teal’c was thankful for General Hammond’s kindness that allowed his son and mentor to share in such a tradition.
“I am thankful the human’s have such good weapons, and are loyal allies in the fight against our common enemy.”
Daniel was the last. “I am thankful Skaara and Share have been freed from the parasites that imprisoned them in their own bodies. I am thankful for the friends around this table. Most of all I’m thankful that I have work whose scope and meaning surpass anything I ever dreamed possible.”
With that, Jack grabbed the first slice of turkey (or was it duck? chicken?) and began to explain to Rya’c why mashed was the absolute best way to eat potatoes.