Stanza Four "Jeannie"

His wrong's your wrong, and his right's your right,
In season or out of season.
Stand up and back it in all men's sight -
With that for your only reason!
Nine hundred and ninety-nine can't bide
The shame or mocking or laughter,
But the Thousandth Man will stand by your side
To the gallows-foot - and after!

She moved around the "room," if that's what you could call it, picking up the used dishes. Her exile in this goddess-forsaken land had gone on for four interminable weeks. She kept track of the days, the hours, the minutes, since she'd last seen her Master.

Her cousins were over at the Atrium, as they'd dubbed it, playing Jackals & Hounds, a favorite for thousands of years. Every night, without fail, for untold years, they've ended their evenings this way. No reason to break tradition now, was there?

The oldest cousin, Yusel, laughed uproariously at his younger brother, Hamal. "Got you, brother!"

The younger scowled, rose up and stomped off. Like he did every night.

Do they not ever get tired of that? Jeannie wondered. Every night, same thing: Yusel wins, Hamal stomps off. He went to sulk in his usual place, his corner where he'd set up his sleeping accomodations.

For one being used to any comfort, any desire at her whim, this was torture. She couldn't do things just by blinking them. Her cousins had bound her powers, she was weak, she was (dare she say?) "normal." For the first time since she'd become a djinn, she was like anyone else, her abilities effectively locked up by her elder cousin. She was nothing.

She set the dishes down with a slam, and Yusel looked at her.

"Cousin, behave yourself as a proper woman!"

She turned pleading eyes to him, once again begging, "PLEASE honored cousin, let us go HOME then!" Ha, honored cousin, she thought. But if she even insinuated anything but utmost respect, he would beat her, as was his right.

His black eyes drilled into her. "NO! Not until the poison of that" and he oozed the name out "NELSON is out of your mind, your heart. He is not worthy of a daughter of our house!"

"He IS worthy! He loves me! He is strong, intelligent, as required. He is brave, he goes to the stars, the Moon, in their own craft. That is not brave to you? He does not need to use the powers of the djinn to make himself a wonderful man!" She regretted it the instant she said it.

He reached across and cuffed her for insolence. She rolled with it, to take the sting away, knowing she'd spoken out of turn.

She slunk back to where she'd slammed the dishes down, ashamed of her reaction. The dishes were not at fault, after all. Her cousins knew that she, without her powers, was terrified, helpless. They'd get her to crack, get her to forget about this, this... PERSON that had so fascinated her for years.

If that was the condition for their returning to their homeland, then here they'd stay. Tony was forever in her heart, no passage of time would change that.

She had tried to discreetly find escape routes from this ancient complex, knowing such structures often had little tunnels. Desperation drove her on. If Yusel caught her, she'd get a sound beating for her efforts.

They left her to her own thoughts, out in the open, looking around and waiting. After a few minutes of standing there, a wind wafted her way from the cliffs. The warm gentle breeze reminded her of strolling on the beach in Florida with her Master at the end of a scorchingly hot day. She closed her eyes, losing herself in her memories of her beloved Master. That never failed to raise her mood, if even for a short time.

She looked back to the ruins, the hovel they'd called "home" for the last four weeks. Yusel was playing a solo game, Hamal was doing his post-game sulk. They weren't paying attention to her. She wandered away from them, toward a clearing.

She stopped at the barrier they'd set her. This far, no further, Yusel decreed. And he'd know, too. She gazed in the distance, toward where she knew the main road through this land was. So close, and yet so far. All she'd have to do is run for it, wave someone down, phone home. She knew the phone number, of course. Her Master had made her learn their address and phone number, just in case. This was the "case" he must have been thinking of, she thought.

But even if, by small chance, she DID get to the road and call home, how would she ultimately get there? Where would she wait while her Master found her?

She continued on, face down, shuffling her feet, kicking a particularly attractive rock she found, when she heard it. In the distance, toward the road. A buzzing sound. She quickly looked back, to see if the cousins were following her. They were not.

She couldn't go past the barrier, but she could go right up to it. She got as close as she could, and looked, scanning the horizon for that buzzing sound. She squinted, trying to focus, and to her complete amazement, she saw a vehicle off in the distance. A vehicle made for desert travel. She began to jump up and wave madly, not making too much noise, trying to get the driver's attention. Something was happening, someone was coming!

Could it be ANTHONY? Hope beyond hope!

Her keen eyesight kept watch on the vehicle. Little did she realize that it was her friend Roger Healey at the wheel! It approached the ruins, then turned back. She made one more futile attempt to be seen, but it was already heading back toward the main road. Her hopes dashed, her depression returned.

She turned around to go back to the cousins and their humbled abode.

The next day, after a sleepless night thinking about the wondrous vehicle she'd seen, Jeannie got up to do the drudgery, as always. Her cousins could pop in whatever they wished for comforts, so the food was laid out for her to finish preparing. Of course, they don't do it already COOKED as she'd done for her Master so many times. They wanted to make her WORK, to do something besides mope. So she set automatically to preparing the mid-day meal.

She had to remain strong. She was not going to give in to her cousins, she would NOT disavow Anthony Nelson! There was nobody there to help her, so she had to help herself. By waiting it out with the cousins. They'd bore of this soon enough, in a month, a year, they weren't going to want to remain here in this horrid land.

She went out to the heap they were using for trash and debris and dumped the previous meal's remains. As she turned toward the ruins, her back toward the main road, she failed to notice the two men off in the distance, approaching their temporary home.

A few hours later, Yusel looked up from the game he was playing.

"Jeannie, tonight is your night to choose the meal, what will it be?"

She knew what she WANTED to say, what she wanted it to be... but dared not speak it. She didn't feel like eating any way.

"Whatever you wish, honored cousin, I will be happy to prepare for you and Hamal." she said meekly. She walked to the table that was suddenly laden with food, Yusel's sneer following her. Good, she'd maintained the proper attitude.

Yusel didn't know how close he'd come to death just then.

"Whatever you wish, honored cousin, I will be happy to prepare for you and Hamal," Tony Nelson heard her say. He and Roger had been there, watching the three, for a while, planning their strategy. With the two cousins having their djinn powers, Healey and Nelson couldn't just burst in.

When Tony saw the look on Yusel's face, sneering at Jeannie with such contempt, he almost put a bullet in the man's head.

Roger saw him reach for his firearm, and grabbed his hand. He hissed at him, motioning him to remain still. Tony paused, as if pondering resisting the order, and Roger stared him down.

"Tony," he hissed, "you CAN'T! If we come out now, they'll zap us to Kingdom Come and we'll have come all this way for NOTHING!"

Tony nodded his head in acquiescence, but he didn't have to like it.

He continued to watch, marking every move Jeannie made. She looked so vulnerable, so gaunt. She's not been eating, Tony thought. She must have been terrified all these weeks. He looked behind him, at the cliffs, trying to reconnoiter the immediate area for future escape paths.

"Roj, we can't delay much longer. We've got to get Jeannie somehow, and hightail it back to the city. Look at her, she's so skinny and pale." Tony couldn't hide the agony in his voice from his best friend. Roger ached for him, imagining what Tony must be going through.

Tony set his gear, his firearm, everything down, stripping down to his black pants, black t-shirt and black boots. He was going in, now. Roger watched him, knew what he was going to do. Tony had the stealth to do it quietly, but he couldn't let Jeannie know they were even there, or else her reaction would give them away. Slip in, slip out is what he'd planned.

Roger watched Nelson as he silently moved among the rocks and columns, slowly working his way toward the main "living area." Jeannie, of course, was unaware of his presence. He worked his way closer to the two cousins, watching them, seeing if they did something unusual to show how Jeannie's powers had been somehow subdued.

Roger was trailing him, not too close in case one or the other was spotted, to take a position near Hamal.

Tony froze. Jeannie was walking within two feet of him. It was all he could do to keep from jumping out and grabbing her into a huge hug, but he contained that instinct. Now more than ever, he had to think soldier, not astronaut, not officer and gentleman.

Jeannie paused as she was carrying the tray of food to her cousins. She sensed something, something she couldn't define, a presence. It was warm, it was loving. She closed her eyes, remembering that feeling, of Tony holding her in his arms, of laughing at her as he wiped ketchup off her face at their last, fateful picnic. She basked in that glow for a moment, when her cousin's harsh voice interrupted her.

"JEANNIE!" he yelled.

She started, almost dropping the tray. "Apologies, honored cousin." And she hurried to serve them.

Tony signalled silently to Roger, who was now within feet of Hamal. Nelson paced alongside Jeannie, behind the fallen columns, silent as a leopard, getting closer and closer to her and her wretched cousin. If he saw him speak that way to her ONE MORE TIME, he thought... and then it happened.

Jeannie tripped on a piece of rubble, pitched forward and spilled the entire tray of food on her cousin Yusel.

He screamed as the hot liquid, the wine, the roast pig landed on him, and before Jeannie could duck, he slammed his fist in her face, throwing her back.

Time stood still. All was motionless. Tony saw red, literally saw red, as he launched himself at Yusel, slamming the bigger man in the face, putting body and soul behind it. The man was so startled he had no chance to call on his djinn powers, as his instinct demanded. All he could do is yelp in surprise at this person who suddenly burst from the shadows, slamming fist after fist into his face, his stomach, preventing him from doing anything to fight back.

Tony couldn't stop. A part of him, the small part remaining rational, watched while it seemed like someone else's fist was pounding, pounding into the man cowering on the floor. Blood was flying everywhere. He didn't know whose it was, and didn't care. He continued on, time still motionless for him, the adrenalin pouring into his blood, driving him on. All the weeks of misery, fear, worry were pouring out of him into this pathetic fool on the ground, that had dared lay a hand on HIS Jeannie!

Healey reacted the instant he saw Tony leap out of hiding, knowing that if he didn't do the same, cousin Hamal would send them to No Man's Land, with or without Yusel's assistance. He'd picked up a chunk of rubble and, while Tony was pounding on the older cousin, Roger followed behind and slammed the chunk against Hamal's skull, dropping the man like a sack of flour to the ground.

Roger ran to Jeannie's still form, checking her pulse in her delicate wrist. He glanced up to see his best friend continuing to whail on Yusel. I wonder if I should stop him, Roger thought. He felt rather detached regarding the man's fate, after what they'd done to Tony's beloved Jeannie.

Jeannie came to and saw Roger looking at her kindly, smiling down at her. She shook her head, thinking she was dreaming. "Major Healey?" she asked, confused.

Roger reached down for her, pulling her up and steadying her as she swooned.

"You okay, Jeannie?" He saw her look at her Master, with the now unconscious Yusel at his feet.

"MASTER!" she cried, stumbling over the rubble and debris and tripping on a chunk, literally into his arms.

"JEANNIE!" He caught her and swept her up into his strong arms, where she'd dreamed to be for all of these long weeks. He kissed her passionately, holding her as closely as he could to him. Roger stood and watched, leaning against the table, smiling.

Tony and Jeannie remained that way for a time, when Roger heard Hamal moan behind him. Oh, okay, I didn't kill him. Oh well, he thought. He turned to look at the man, who was trying to rise to his feet.

"Uh, Jeannie, Tone... maybe we should think about leaving shortly? Like, now?" He motioned his head back to Hamal, who didn't look too happy with these impertinent intruders.

"Jeannie? Are you able to pop us outta here ASAP?" Tony asked her.

She smiled, with a wicked look in her eye. "Oh, yes, Master. I shall pop us ALL out of here!" And with that she, Nelson, Healey, Yusel and Hamal disappeared.

They found themselves in an exotic room, draped with tapestries, lit up with torches and candles. Mysterious incense was burning in the corners, with a smell Tony didn't want to think too much about.

The two astronauts spun around, and saw the semi-conscious Hamal still struggling to move, to rise, and the completely unconscious Yusel lying at Tony's feet. The unconscious man looked almost as if he were a prize Tony had bagged.

Roger followed Jeannie with his eyes, as she moved to an elaborate cord and pulled on it mightily. A great resounding gong vibrated through them, and within seconds Hajji appeared, taking in the scene quickly.

"You summoned me, daughter?" he asked kindly when he saw Jeannie. He was shocked by her appearance. She wasn't the usual healthy, robust djinn he'd seen last.

She bowed to him, and rose. "Yes, Hajji, I bring you a prize. Two prizes, actually." She resisted the urge to spit on Yusel.

"What has happened, young one, why do you look so sickly?" Hajji moved to her, as always concerned for the djinn under his benevolent rule.

She explained. "Cousin Yusel discovered that my Master and I were enjoying a romantic relationship. He had the idea that Anthony Nelson was not WORTHY of our family, so took it upon himself to try to convince me to discontinue a romance with him."

Roger and Tony stepped forward.

Roger spoke first. "Haj, nice to see you again, old man!"

"Major Healey, how kind of you to come along. What part did you and Major Nelson play in all of this? Were you there to rescue Jeannie from her cousins?"

"Yes, sir, Tony and I moved in and did it."

Hajji nodded his head, impressed by these two mortals. He wondered if the two had realized the danger they had been in. To come all this way from their native land, this man accompanying Jeannie's Master in the quest to free her, increased his estimation of mere mortals. He did not realize they had the mettle and bravery to take on the daunting task of facing two healthy male djinn as they did.

Hajji bowed to Roger, a small sign of respect. "Major Healey, Anthony Nelson may not have realized what he has done. In fighting Yusel, the oldest of Jeannie's family present at the time, he has proven himself worthy to be her mate."

Tony spoke up finally. "I have?"

Hajji smiled at the other Major. "Yes, Major Nelson. In fighting for her, and triumphing, you have proven beyond any doubt that you are worthy of her love and companionship. It is my honor to wish you my blessings on you both. May you both have many sons and daughters! I shall Witness such to my people and make the declaration that you have been deemed worthy. And Major Healey will be proclaimed too, as the Champion for your relationship, when he stands with you both at the bonding ceremony to come."

Hajji went to Jeannie and gently pulled her to Tony's side, placing her hand into her beloved Master's. Roger went to his two friends, putting one arm around each one's shoulder.

"Well, Tony, we knew it'd be an adventure, but who would've thought it would've ended like this, with Hajji here to give his blessing?" Roger turned to the older djinn. "What's going to happen to these two now?"

"They will be returned to their homes, with the missive that they are not to interfere ever again with Jeannie or her Master. To do so now that I have granted my blessing would be to bring down the wrath of all the people. And me." He smiled at the three. "Now, I shall send you directly home. Jeannie, alert me when it is time."

And with that, Roger, Tony and Jeannie disappeared, to return to Cocoa Beach and the next chapter of their lives together.

(Author's Note: It's been so long since I've seen IDoJ, I wasn't sure if Hajji was a "good guy" or not. I seem to recall an older guy, talking to Jeannie. So this ending may've been slightly A-U. And yeah, I plagiarized my own writing, but this depicted the idea of 'to the gallows foot-and after!' so well, I couldn't top it, Roger and Tony together risking their lives. Tony, being in love with Jeannie, had no choice but to do something. Roger didn't have to come along, but of course he did. This was TONY, after all, and JEANNIE. How could he remain behind?)