"Take it easy" is the advice Sam is given more than once during the episode "Ascension", and it's exactly what she tries to do in this fic. "Taking It Easy" begins from a rarely seen idea - that Sam really did get in trouble for her actions with Orlin - and goes on to show how she deals with her feelings of betrayal and anger during a week's enforced downtime. I do enjoy this fic because it is one of the rare ones that actually attempts to deal with Sam's feelings after "Ascension", and it does so without making Sam seem even more pathetic than the episode already has. The author pairs up Sam and Daniel together, and uses the similarities between Machello and Orlin to give the two characters common ground over which they can bond. There are some lovely scenes of platonic intimacy and camaraderie that illustrate the deep friendship between the two characters. As the characters relax off-duty together, the reader can sit back and enjoy the all too rare moments of Sam and Daniel interacting with the real world outside the SGC. In the beginning of this story, Sam has difficulty dealing with her feelings, which meshes well with how I see the character. The Sam on the show is also a very reserved person and not someone who opens up easily. The author's interpretation of Daniel is that of a caring friend, although I personally felt at times that parts of the story were tinged with more than a little "Daniel worship". Many times Sam compares herself and her actions to her teammate, and usually finds herself wanting. For a story supposedly about Sam, a lot of "Taking It Easy" it does ends up being about Daniel. This story has a few technical problems peppered throughout the text: Hammond "mopped" instead of "moped", for example. "Taking It Easy" is probably not a story that will appeal to Sam/Jack fans, but it is a lovely Sam/Daniel friendship fic. It has some wonderful moments and will leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling, in more ways than one. |
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