The War Works Hard, by Pares. (PG-13)

[thady.livejournal.com]

Fandom: STARGATE SG-1
Pairing: Gen
Length: ~ 1,080 words
Author on LJ: kormantic
Author Website: http://www.kormantic.com/

Why this must be read:

I've read this story about 2 years ago for the first time. I barely knew the characters then, but I was impressed with this story anyway. I loved the language and the images it created, very realistic and painful.

Now, after having watched the show, I read it again. And even though so much time has passed since I read it, its images and emotions were easily recalled. And now I love it even more. I wish this would have been shown on the show. The realities of war and its consequences. And in between all that the characters, and their care for each other, in a very subtle way.

Pon was crying, miserable little whimpering sobs that tore at Daniel's nerves. His sister, three year old Hata, sat mum and staring, so still that Daniel worried she'd hit her head somewhere along the way. Sam had Gifall sucking on a rag she'd soaked in a goat-thing's pungent milk, and Miri was huddled to her side, with her fingers in her mouth. The twin girls, Des and Ciy, 12 or 13, were kneeling beside Teal'c as he kept watch. He had carried them for miles; the soles of their feet had blistered as they'd run from their burning hut. That left Ban singing softly to himself, rocking gently in Daniel's lap, every motion pushing a little puff of smoke-scented air out of his scorched smock. Some of his fine black hair had burned away almost to the scalp and Daniel touched it briefly, feeling the stiff strands against his fingertips, feeling some of the longer, more brittle pieces crumble and give way. Ban ducked out from under his hand before kneeling up to tug one of Daniel's tac vest pockets open, poking around for chocolate. Daniel cupped his hands around Ban's face and when he had his attention, he mouthed, "No more." Ban had been born deaf on PX3-772, a planet under Ba'al's rule, but he apparently could read lips in standard American English, so he subsided with a sigh and started rhythmically banging his head against Daniel's sternum.

The War Works Hard.