Brigadier General Jack O'Neil walked into the briefing room from his office. Col Samantha Carter stood at the window, watching the dance of light off the event horizon of the Stargate. He tried not to admire the way it made her eyes shine. Teal'c sat as stoic as usual at the table, staring straight ahead, while Doctor Daniel Jackson sat flipping through a report across the table from him. As they heard him enter, Sam turned and made her way to the table as Daniel, his mind on other things, closed the file and asked, "So what's this about, Jack?"
"Well Daniel, I'll tell you." He intertwined his fingers in front of him on the table top. He wasn't very happy with the news he was about to deliver, and they had already picked up on it. "As you know, since I've been made commander of the base—"
"And you've been doing a fine job, sir," Sam chipped in with an encouraging smile. He knew she meant well, so he smiled at her.
"Thank you, Carter," he took a breath as she broke eye contact. "As I was saying, since I'm no longer an active member of SG-1, I've been looking for a replacement."
"You've shuffled around the files on your desk and turned down the few people who've asked you in person, you mean," Daniel gave a cheeky grin.
"Yes, alright, I haven't really given the process much of a go, I'll admit that—"
"I believe Col Carter stated that there is no regulation that an SG team is required to have four members, if I'm not mistaken." Teal'c responded, whether in defense or defiance of Jack, only he knew.
"Yes, alright! Can I get on with it?" Silence. "Thank you. Now, I confess I have been reluctant to find a replacement and yes, there aren't any rules stating the number of member's a team has to have, but I think three just isn't enough," he paused to see if any of them were going to interrupt, but they held their tongues. "However, the choice is no longer mine, I just got off the phone with the Pentagon and they agree with me in that you need another teammate and they have kindly relieved me of the responsibility of deciding who that is going to be."
"You mean there assigning someone to SG-1?" Sam asked, affronted. He nodded.
"Oh this should be fun," Daniel muttered, rubbing his forehead.
"Who have they chosen, Gen O'Neil?" Teal'c asked calmly.
"Well, I'm told she is the leading expert in the world on alien cultures."
"She?" Sam asked, picking up on Jack's slip right away.
"How can she be the leading expert in the world if she's never been through the Gate before?" Daniel asked, now the affronted one. "I mean," his eyes flicked between them, "wouldn't an SGC member be a better candidate since we've actually interacted with various aliens?"
"Daniel, I have no idea," jack said, conspiratorially, "I only know what I was told and I was told that Miss Calais is being transferred from some organization called UNIT and was the go to guy—er, gal, rather—on alien intelligence.
"Who's UNIT, general?" Sam asked, calmer now, her unstoppable curiosity getting the better of her.
"I knew you'd ask that, and since I'd never heard of them, I asked myself," he was very happy with himself.
"And?" Daniel interjected.
"And…they didn't tell me, said it was a need-to-know kind of deal." He deflated. "Actually, I think even telling me the name might have been a slip of the tongue. He certainly made it clear not to ask questions where they're concerned…whoever "they" are."
"But, Jack, don't we have the highest security clearance in the country?" Daniel asked, arms crossed.
"I don't think they're a United States organization, Daniel." Jack smiled at the little "O" Daniel's mouth made. "Any other objections?" Again, thankfully, silence. "Good, because the Pentagon didn't want to hear them, so they didn't call me until the last possible moment."
"You mean…?" Sam trailed off as Walter wrapped lightly on the conference room door.
Jack turned to face him. "Sir, she's here."
"Show her in, Walter." He turned back around to see Sam's eyes wide open, Daniels' closed tight and Teal'c's right eyebrow raised to a dangerous level. "Don't you love when it just works out like that?" he asked with a half smile, half grimace on his face.
"Sir, I can't help but to feel this is a bit rushed and, frankly sir, a big mistake," Sam said quickly and earnestly. But as Jack opened his mouth to retort, someone else did it for him.
"To be fair, Col Carter, you haven't even taken me out for a spin yet!" Four heads cracked around to look at the two figures walking in. One was Walter who was holding the door open for, whom they could only assume was, the newest member of SG1. She had a hand on her hip and smiled at them warmly, no hint of malice in her voice. Jack stood up quickly as Walter closed the door behind her. Sam and Teal'c got to their feet more slowly. Daniel sat stuck in his chair, his mouth hanging slightly open, at a loss for words. "General O'Neil, what a pleasure to finally meet you," she took his hand and smiled warmly at him.
"Let me introduce you to the team, Colonel Samantha Carter," Sam blushed but tried to smile politely.
"Colonel," she nodded to the blonde woman.
"Teal'c," the intimidating man bowed his head, his hands clasped behind his back.
"Tec'ma'te," she bowed her head as well.
Teal'c looked, somewhat intrigued, at Daniel before replying, "Ba'ja'kakma'te."
She smiled even wider and turned to the still- seated man before her. "You must be Professor Jackson." She held out her hand. Daniel just looked at her; Jack jerked his head behind her for Daniel to come over and shake her hand, which woke him from his stupor.
"It's- it's 'Doctor', actually," he took her hand and he too, smiled.
"You'll forgive me, but I reserve that title for only one man," Daniel was about to ask why or whom, but she turned her smile to all of them. "It's wonderful to finally meet you all, my name is Elaxi Calais, and I am from the future."