In the thirteenth hour
Summary: Meeting the Aschen was everything SG-1 could have hoped for in their continuing fight against the Goa'uld. Or is it? An AU take on the episodes '2010' and '2001'. Character death as in the show but with a twist.
Rated: T, M in later chapters
Disclaimer: Some dialogue appropriated from the show itself to fit the plot. No copyright infringement intended.
Author's note: This story arose from several pressing questions I had while watching '2010'. How did things get to the point where they were in 2010? How did the relationship between Sam and Jack play out? Why did Jack so vehemently oppose the Aschen alliance? I find it hard to believe that it had just been intuition/soldier's instincts, seeing as he probably knew just what was at stake. This led me down a path where I started out imagining what could have happened. Soon enough, the story took on a life of its own and went somewhere I never thought it would. I hope you'll enjoy the journey as much as I did writing it.
Chapter 1 – Connection
P4C-970
December 22, 2000
The wormhole disengaged with a quick snap behind SG-1, leaving the team of four staring in awe at a sprawling city built over a shimmering ocean of the darkest blue. In the dying light that filtered from an unknown source high in the atmosphere, the city's towering spirals stretched as far as the eye could see and disappeared into the mist that beckoned from the horizon. High above, ships and transporters glided through the air, the hum of the traffic converging at some point several hundred metres into the clouds.
"This is incredible," Daniel breathed in amazement.
It was a sentiment of consensual admiration so rarely shared off-world.
This time, even the sides of Jack's mouth tilted up slightly in appreciation, the small gesture not having gone unnoticed by the rest of his teammates.
"Okay, kids. Time for work."
Slowly, they stepped out together to where the neatly-trimmed vegetation dropped off at the edge of a glassy-smooth circular platform. A long pathway opened up before them, its rectangular edges unfolding gradually as though sensing sentience. The arterial boulevard led straight into the heart of the city, joined by many walkways that came into view once SG-1 crested the slight incline. In the mix of natural and artificial light, the entrance to the city resembled a gateway of which the stuff dreams were made.
Her eyes shining with the thrill of discovery, Sam said, "I can't even begin to imagine their level of technology. This really could be something, Sir."
The Colonel settled a cautious gaze on his second IC, unconvinced. All too often, they encountered patronising alien cultures far too possessive of their own weapons and way too suspicious of the Tau'ri's sudden rise to prominence in the galaxy. Why would this be any different?
"We'll see, Carter. I'd rather not be bitten in the ass later by something we could have easily avoided," he told her in a non-committal tone, catching the grin that she unsuccessfully tried to hold in.
"Yes, Sir."
Teal'c wordlessly took point, his strides longer and surer than the rest.
At the end of the walkway, they were met by a man in an austere, dark grey get-up who greeted them with a formality long forgotten on Earth.
He introduced himself as Borren, the top aide of one of the members in the Aschen Prime Council.
Eager for the cultural exchange to begin, Daniel held out an anticipatory hand, a gesture that Borren ignored.
"Nice dig you've got," the Colonel said lightly in greeting, earning himself a dour look from the Aschen representative.
"Our city was built over fifty-thousand fe'ol ago, Colonel. Much work and thought have been given to its layout and design. Its beauty, to us, is unparalleled."
Borren motioned into the distance with a finger.
Two aides dressed in lighter-grey robes joined their side briefly, holding out wide, heavy boxes made of a pearlescent element.
"I will now ask you to stow your weapons away in these secure containers," Borren announced gravely, "We are a peaceful race and do not approve of unnecessary weaponry in our inner city. You have my reassurance that they will be kept and looked after with much care."
The guy really lacked a sense of humour, Jack thought as he fingered his P-90 before reluctantly relinquishing his grip on the weapon. He saw Carter and Daniel do the same, stripping themselves of their pocket knifes, zats and handguns. Then he motioned to a reluctant Teal'c to pass his staff-weapon along.
It was difficult not to feel more than a tinge of admiration of the city as Borren quickly ushered them onto another walkway that disappeared into a domed-building and emerged again in a large park. The walk took them past regulated streams of water built into the sides of the inner city's walkways, past white and grey buildings that stood around one of the numerous town squares.
All this time, Borren acknowledged Daniel's attempt at making conversation with monosyllabic answers, the severe façade on his face not slipping even for a second.
The last stretch of their jaunt to see the leadership involved a bridge-crossing, a short boat-ride and a winding path through an avenue lit softly with strategically-placed green and yellow lights. Borren led them up the final flight of stairs, then stopped briefly at the large doors that shielded the public from the council chambers of the Aschen Prime.
"You will be meeting Mollum, our official representative of the Aschen Confederation."
Bring him on, Jack thought. How bad could it get?
Mollum turned out to be an even more emotionless guy than Borren if it were even possible, and by the time introductions and preliminary talks had finished, Jack was convinced that Aschen Prime had been built by accountants, for accountants.
On the other hand, the Aschen offered membership within the Aschen Confederation, a particular group of worlds with which the Aschen have formed mutually-beneficial partnerships. If things went well, they could be a potential ally in the war against the Goa'uld, their technology – unbelievably, willingly shared – possibly even turning the tide of war.
Jack wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth this early on.
They took what they could get. That unofficial stance remained the baseline policy of the SG teams, when it became clear a long time ago that obtaining technology and means of defence often meant the sacrifice of goodwill and good personnel.
They sent an initial, optimistic report back to Hammond about the Aschen, Daniel's effusive praise of their peaceful, advanced society filling the copious spaces in between his and Carter's verbal MALP reports.
Pleased with the news, Hammond ordered them to take their time in their talks, then sent back enough supplies to last a month despite the plentiful provisions that the Aschen offered.
SG-1 ended up spending Christmas and New Year's Eve on the Aschen homeworld, ensconced in the luxurious rooms assigned to them in the visitors' quadrant, celebrating the Earth-bound traditions among themselves with a bottle of Tjuk, the Aschen equivalent of beer. As the early hours of the first of January rolled around, they sat out on the balcony on one of the council's accommodation buildings, admiring the sprawling sights of the Aschen capital city.
It was a beautiful planet. A beautiful night.
Jack lifted the delicate glass bottle housing the green liquid to his lips, sighing softly in appreciation. And it would have been perfect if it were only him and Carter-
Without conscious thought, he clenched his fists in the effort to stop any fanciful indulgences. Get a grip on your damn head, O'Neill, he reminded himself brusquely.
Suddenly tired of Daniel's inebriated talk that showed no sign of ending, Jack got up slowly, excused himself and wandered into the expansive courtyard in another part of the visitors' quadrant, leaving the rest of the team to their game of Rummy. He found an empty bench, settled lightly down on it, then looked up at Aschen Prime's wondrous skies.
Then the cool, pleasant winds that circled the planet lifted the light, exotic scent of berries and cream to his nostrils.
A scent that was uniquely Carter.
"Never thought that I'd find you here, Sir. In a place full of plants and trees. And I sent Daniel off with Teal'c in case you were wondering. "
Carter's quiet voice floated over meticulously landscaped shrubbery and flowers, taking on a quality that seemed befitting the hushed, magical night. He turned to face her, seeing her framed against the swirling, atmospheric light that the Aschen had created to fall on their nightscapes, a sight that made his breath hitch.
Jack felt an inexplicable squeeze in his chest, then responded dryly, "It's my secret. I'm a flowers-and-chocolate-type of guy. Trees really do it for me."
It earned a chuckle from her. He shifted to his left and Carter took a seat next to him, leaving a careful distance of a few inches between them. She took a deep breath, loving the natural fragrance that permeated the courtyard, or the park, or whatever it was that the Aschen called it.
"It's beautiful here, Sir," Carter said in appreciation. "I can see why you left."
"Nah, I left because Daniel's a lousy drunk," he offered up with a slight grin. "You want to get away before he starts talking for real."
She nodded her whole-hearted agreement, sharing his humour. Daniel's inability to hold his alcohol was a well-known fact among the SG teams. A lesser-known fact was that he tended to get into belligerent philological arguments when halfway inebriated, then slipping into a cocked analysis of Ancient Egyptian grammar when completely tanked.
They spent the new few minutes in companionable silence, listening to the winds gently rustle the leaves and the branches of the trees that hung low over the bench.
Then Jack started to speak, ruining the moment deliberately, not ready for the perfect scene to turn more intimate than it should. He steered the both of them back to the topic at hand, the negotiations, and the potential of the Aschen as a firm ally.
Carter spoke with the same optimism that she used when she tackled scientific projects, pouring out her hopes a little too fervently in the way she wished for the Aschen to be the big breakthrough of the SGC that had always seemed elusive.
Jack understood how she felt.
The Tok'ra merely remained their sometimes allies and fair-weather friends, despite Jacob Carter and Selmak contributing an earth-bound voice to their ranks. The Asgard, busy with their own galaxy's enemies, didn't always turn up when they were most needed and Jack got the feeling that they often rode on the goodwill of the Supreme Commander of its fleet. But Thor also had a nasty habit of turning up with pesky problems…and rendering aid typically meant they got their asses singed more than they liked.
He didn't even want to get started on the Tollan.
It would be great, fantastic even, to actually make the acquaintance of a race that was finally willing to share all that they had and even admit them into a confederation of planets where the flow of knowledge and supplies promised to be unlimited. Even though, Earth, comparatively, had very little of worth to offer the Aschen.
It was scarcely believable. And somehow, it just didn't feel right.
Deep in his gut, something gnawed. Or maybe he was too hardened a soldier and too much of a failure as a father to believe it when something looked too good to be true.
"So I'm the only one having second thoughts?" Jack asked, unable to stop the question from escaping his lips. If he couldn't trust his second IC with his misgivings, who else could he have gone to?
Carter hesitated and pursed her lips. He saw her enthusiasm flag, then mellow into a thoughtfulness that appeared as a frown on her face.
"I think, Sir, that the Aschen's offering everything that Earth could ask for. We'd be fools not to accept it. Think about it," she continued, her articulate discourse gaining speed in her building excitement, "Even in preliminary negotiations, they're already offering vaccines that will eradicate diseases that our planet has struggled to eradicate for a long time. And think about the technology that they will be imparti-"
"Ahh!" He sucked in a breath and blew it out slowly.
Jack stopped her with an exaggerated hand over his ear, drawing a brilliant grin from her. Carter's outburst showed enough of her unfailingly good opinions of their new alien friends. He appreciated her attempt at assurances and while, he didn't trust the Aschen, not until they proved themselves over and over, he trusted her. Years of working together, watching each other's sixes had a way of forging this particular committed working relationship in fire and ice.
The amused contrition on her face was easy to pick out even in the dim light. Mistaking his resigned sigh for impatience, she said, "Sorry, Sir. But I really do think we have something good here."
Outwardly, Jack remained silent and acquiesced.
He was still pondering the soundness of the deal that the Aschen offered them when Carter stood up and took a last look around with a regretful sigh. "I think I should call it a night, Sir. We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow."
"Don't let the bed bugs bite, Carter," he quipped his goodnight as she turned and walked away, leaving him alone under the stars again with his thoughts.
Five years of fighting the Goa'uld with no end in sight.
The Aschen's sudden appearance in their list of planets to explore also happened at a convenient time – just as Hammond was pressured to justify the costs of running the SGC.
Yet, somehow the idea of an enlightened world with superior defence capabilities and increased lifespans hadn't gotten him running around in excitement like it had done for Daniel and Carter. For Teal'c, it had been simpler. The end of the fight with the Goa'uld would also mean that his family would finally know peace.
But it also meant that the changes to come would be momentous.
In fact, he knew beyond a doubt, knew deep in his bones that the Aschen would see to it that Earth would be changed beyond recognition in a matter of decades.
Just thinking of the first major change – the Stargate program going public and the far-reaching consequences of such an announcement – gave him a headache. Political and military interest seldom went hand-in-hand; he'd learnt that long ago. The SGC's constant tussles with Kinsey and the Russian government were proof positive facts of the difficulty in maintaining that delicate balance that kept the sharks at bay while allowing the SG teams to do their jobs. Hammond had done all he could to keep the SGC autonomous, but his actions were often limited and not without consequence.
The formation of an Earth-Aschen alliance would be a significant turning point in the SGC's history. In short, the Aschen's proposal of an alliance should be the best thing that happened to them, right?
So why was he the only one left with a bad feeling about this?
SGC
Colorado Springs
January 3, 2001
SG-1 returned to the SGC to a pleased-looking Hammond, who ordered them into the infirmary and into the locker room before the post-mission briefing commenced.
Janet checked them out and declared all of them in perfect health.
They entered the briefing room an hour later to see a handsome, immaculate-dressed brown-haired man sitting where Teal'c usually sat, conversing with the General in hushed tones.
"SG-1," Hammond began after they got comfortable in a seating configuration made awkward by the other man's arrival, "I would like to introduce Ambassador Joseph Faxon, the official representative whom the Presiden has chosen to represent us in the negotiations with the Aschen."
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Faxon said, picking up where the General left off. "I cannot begin to say how much I am in awe of what you all do down here and I definitely look forward to working with all of you."
His introductory words garnered a chorus of tentative greetings around the table.
Hammond cut in, eager to get down to business. "Major Carter, I believe you have prepared a report for us."
Sam got up, dimmed the lights and began a summative report of the Colonel's threat assessment of the alien race, Teal'c observations of the Aschen's weaponry and Daniel's finer points about their cultural worth followed. She was just into the second paragraph of her analysis of the scientific aspects of their technology when Hammond held out his hand.
"Thank you, Major. That'll be all for now. I'll read the rest when you submit the final version of it."
She nodded, turned the lights back on and returned to her seat, exchanging a nonplussed look with Daniel as she walked past him.
"Now, I want to hear personally what each of you thought of the mission," Hammond stated firmly, closing the report that Sam left on the table next to him.
It is Teal'c who spoke first, surprising everybody. "I believe that the Aschen will be formidable allies in the war against the Goa'uld."
Daniel was quick to point out his approval of their newfound allies. "The Aschen is an erudite, practical and patient race, using their great intelligence to improve their civilisation through long-term planning. By that I mean centuries into the future. I've actually spoken at length with Borren and Mollum and they've assured me that they prioritise peaceful operations within the confederation. Their willingness to share technologies and medical cures is beyond what we could ever ask for."
Jack stared at the animated man whom he holds responsible for dragging his sorry ass back over the edge, then back down at the copy of the report that Carter had given him. Whether he considered himself a cynical man or not, his team's whole-hearted acceptance of the Aschen was enough to set alarm bells ringing through his head.
"Indeed."
"General, the Aschen have also agreed to help set up a defence shield for Earth-"
"Now, hang on a minute. Doesn't anybody think that's a bit too generous of them? Or that there's something's overwhelmingly off-centre here?" Jack objected.
Hammond reared back into his seat and turned to Jack. "What do you mean, Colonel?"
"Look," he explained and tried to get them to see his point, "I'm not trying to be a wet blanket here, but don't you think it's all happening too fast? That things are going way too well even in the first stages of negotiation? We gate to the planet of the most sour-faced people I've ever seen in my life – advanced civilisation or not aside – and suddenly we're welcomed as part of their technology-sharing, aid-providing programme. The funniest thing here? They've not asked for much in return."
"The Aschen did explain, Sir, that the Stargate on Aschen Prime was only recently discovered buried like ours was, and no DHD was ever recovered," Sam interjected. "In their attempt to work the gate without a DHD to compensate for stellar drift, they dialled various combinations of the glyphs without much success and only managed to establish gate travel between worlds closest to their planets – planets which have drifted the least, relatively speaking, from their home planet. So until now, the Aschen haven't had the access to an entire galaxy of worlds and races. The whole point is, what we're offering might not seem much to us, but I'd imagine it's worth a lot more to them."
"I imagine that they must have been surprised with the revelation," Hammond speculated.
"Not really, General."
"What Jack is trying to say is that if they were surprised, they'd never show it," Daniel clarified with some chagrin, stealing a glance at the frowning Ambassador next to him. "They…um…they don't really get excited or surprised in general. Over anything."
"I'd have to agree with the Colonel, Sir," Carter put in with a shrug. "They're incredibly intelligent people, but extremely serious about everything, which makes them very hard to read. It does tend to look as though they're emotionless."
Finally, Jack thought. He pushed on, not liking the feeling of being backed into a corner.
"What she said, Sir. Talking to the Aschen is like talking to a bunch of stamped personalities. Automatons. It's a planet of accountants. Look, General, we still know very little of the partnerships that the Aschen have formed within their confederation, merely only what they've told us. Our talks, these past few days, haven't exactly covered that."
"Jack, Mollum already said that planets in the Aschen confederation are mostly sparsely-populated, agrarian societies. The Aschen provide machinery, medicine and even lodging to those who need it. In return, these farming communities provide grain and produce for the Aschen homeworld as part of their trade."
"That's what they say. Daniel, Earth isn't a simple community made up of farmers. It wouldn't be as simple here. We've got way more than farmland and you know that."
Teal'c had no compunctions saying what it was shaping out to be. "Colonel O'Neill mistrusts the Aschen."
"I didn't say that."
"Indeed you have, on several occasions."
"No, I didn't. What I said was, I didn't trust people without a sense of humour. Especially that boring guy."
"I believe his name is Borren, O'Neill."
"That's what I said."
"Same difference to you, Jack," Daniel cut in.
"Okay, people," Hammond stopped the argument from degenerating into a fight of sticks and stones. "I think we've had quite a bit for today. Ambassador Faxon, I hope this briefing has given you a clearer picture of what to expect when the alliance is in progress. SG-1, you're on three days downtime starting now. In the meantime, proceedings will quickly move up to state level."
"Haven't they already?" Jack cast an ironic eye to the Ambassador who gave a slight, abashed smile in return.
The irritation on Hammond's face was clear to all, but he's had his orders. "The President is eager to form this alliance that already looks promising for all the countries of Earth. And if there's nothing else, you're dismissed."
Hammond walked to his office and shut the door. Through the glass, they saw him pick up the red phone.
"So, lunch anyone?" Daniel looked around, seeing Teal'c and Sam slowly get to their feet. "Sam? Teal'c?"
"Well, ther-"
"Actually, Major Carter, would you be able to spare a few minutes?" Faxon cut in smoothly. "Sorry to take you away from your colleagues, but-'
"Ambassador, it would be my pleasure." She cast an apologetic glance at Daniel, pursing her lips briefly. "I'll catch up with you later, Daniel.
Dawning awareness filled Daniel's face. "Uh, okay."
"I must engage in Kel'no'reem, Daniel Jackson."
"Jack?"
"Think I might catch some Simpsons reruns, Daniel," Jack said, then stood and hightailed out of the room. He hadn't missed how the Ambassador lingered on behind Carter during the briefing and the way Faxon had discreetly moved next to her after Hammond had retreated to his office. Hadn't missed the knowing glances that Daniel had sent his way.
His footsteps were harder than usual on the metal railings of the staircase. Whatever it was, he'd be fine with it. He had to be. What choice did he have?
He just didn't want to know.
The sounds of the other chairs scraping the grey, concrete floor filled the room as Sam moved her chair out of the way. She took her time to set her papers in order, then finally looked up again to see that everyone had gone except for the Ambassador.
"Major Carter," he started out, "Well, that was interesting. I hadn't known that the teams engaged in such…lively debates when it came to cultures, or that Colonel O'Neill disagreed so vehemently to this particular alliance."
She cringed inwardly. It was an awkward question that Faxon had asked, the nuances of which he didn't seem to realise. To affirm his assumption sounded like an implicit acknowledgement of the Colonel's petulance in this particular incidence; denying it meant that she risked being overly defensive of the SGC's procedures and her CO's behaviour.
What could she possibly say about the Colonel who had been unusually vociferous about his misgivings, whose instincts she'd learnt to trust? He hadn't been the most agreeable person during the briefing, yet she had to admit that his questions had cast a wary, but different light on the Aschen's proposals, their pertinence still weighing on her thoughts since the discussion had ended.
Instead, she opted for a polite, diplomatic deflection, knowing full well that he'd recognise her attempt for what it was in an instant. "Ambassador, I think you must realise that we are a front-line team. Our work ensures the security of the whole planet, even if most people don't know it. The Colonel's objections or anyone else's opinions for that matter, will always be taken into consideration when it comes to assessing the security risks of any undertaking with any culture that we encounter off-world. Especially the Colonel's."
"I meant no offence. It was just an observation, nothing more," he said amicably, holding up his hands in a conciliatory manner. "Well, I thought that since we're trading knowledge of the Stargate, I, uh, could use a little more of that knowledge myself."
Sam heaved a small sigh of relief. "I could explain that to you, Mr Faxon, if you have the time," she told him, absently wondering when she'd eaten last. It had been tempting to take up Daniel's offer of lunch, but it looked as though that the ambassador needed a bit more time to acquaint himself with the proceedings in the SGC.
"Please, call me Joe," he smiled at her. "Mr Faxon is my father."
Strangely, it was his directness, that sincere openness that disarmed her. It allowed her to look at him, to talk to a man with a confident surety that had for so long eluded her, so unlike the conflicting haze of desire and emotions that tended to overwhelm whenever she thought of the Colonel and about what they were.
If they were even anything.
She forced herself back to what Joe was saying to her. "You know what? I haven't eaten since...well, today."
The ambassador looked sheepish for a second. In a flash, she understood exactly what he was trying to do – sounding out her potential interest in him while cautiously displaying his own.
What hurt could it do to share an innocent meal? Besides, she was hungry as well. The lab could wait another hour.
"The Mess hall is this way. We could talk more there, if you like."
He nodded as a slight smile formed on his face. "I'd like that very much."