The Asgard Solution
Author's Note: Okay, so this one pretty much takes off from where the last one finished. Just remember; it's an AU, so it might be – and will be – different from whatever's going on in the show.
Disclaimer: I'm not making any money off this, and I don't lay claim to any characters I didn't create! I'm just borrowing them for my own amusements.
Here we go!
OOOOOOOOOOO
"The Tok'ra – Jacob Carter to be precise – sent us word a few days ago that they needed to talk to us."
General Hammond looked at the group gathered in the briefing room, watching to make sure he had their complete attention. From the looks of things, he did. Ian was the only one who didn't seem to be paying absolute attention, but Hammond knew that he would remember everything he'd heard, and with the lousy time the boy had had the week before, the General was willing to be a little charitable towards him. This time.
"Jacob said that they had some intel on a new threat to the Tok'ra – and to us – and that they needed to meet."
"Did they say what kind of threat?" Jack asked.
"A new system lord, apparently," Hammond replied, looking at Daniel, who had actually had a chance to do a little research on the name.
Daniel nodded.
"His name is supposedly Anubis," Daniel told the group. "A name which also happens to be shared by one of the more potent – and ancient– of the old Egyptian gods. He's not a friendly one - and he supposedly had the head of a jackal."
"Why don't they ever take the names of friendly bunnies or something?" Jack asked, shaking his head.
Ian smiled at that, proving that he was paying attention, even though his mind seemed to be elsewhere.
"You'll have to remember to ask him if you ever meet him," Daniel said.
"This is just reconnaissance," Hammond told them, looking around the table. Now Ian was watching him, too. "If this Anubis is a threat, then we need to know what the Tok'ra can tell us. Bring the information home safely, and then we can worry about what to do with it."
Jack nodded.
"We're on it, sir."
"Good. You'll leave in twenty minutes."
It was clearly a dismissal, but when they all stood up to go, Hammond spoke up.
"Colonel? Teal'c? Stick around, please."
Daniel and Ian looked a little curious about that, but both of them left, saying they'd meet up in the armory, and Hammond walked over and closed the door behind them when they left.
"I wanted a word with the two of you…"
Jack cocked an eyebrow at that, wondering what Hammond wanted that he wasn't willing to share with Daniel or Ian.
"Yes, sir?"
"If Jacob isn't the only Tok'ra there – and there's no reason think he will be – I want the two of you to make sure the rest of them don't get anywhere near Ian."
"To what purpose, General Hammond?" Teal'c asked.
"The Tok'ra have information we need, yes, but they've also been infiltrated recently. There's nothing to say that it can't happen again, and I'll bet if it happens, Ian's a fair target for some annoyed system lord. While I do trust Jacob, I don't trust the others, and with the Ancient's information in his head, he's the last person we want in Goa'uld hands."
Which was a good point.
"Are you certain it is a wise idea to have him accompany us, then?" Teal'c asked.
"I want him there," Hammond said. "Especially in case something said triggers something in those memories of his. Just keep him away from the Tok'ra, Jack. Okay?"
"Yes, sir."
OOOOOOOOOO
When Jack and Teal'c – accompanied by Jaffer and Jack (the dog) – walked into the armory a few minutes later, they found Daniel and Ian already dressed to go. Ian was checking the load on his Glock, while Daniel was checking to make sure that the zat he was carrying was fully charged.
"Are we ready?" Jack asked, reaching for a Kevlar vest and looking at the others.
"All set," Daniel said.
"Sam's not coming?" Ian asked.
Jack shook his head.
"As much as she'd like to see Jacob, she's going to stay here and get some work done."
"Oh."
Of course, it was always possible that Sam didn't want to leave Jake – or that she hadn't gotten over what had happened the last time that they'd gone off world with Jacob. It had been pretty traumatic, after all, even if it had had a happy ending.
Jack examined Ian closely, noticing that he still looked fairly well battered from his week at camp – although he'd gotten a good night's sleep and didn't look tired like he had.
"Are you up for this?"
The cadet nodded.
"Of course."
It was better than six-year olds. Besides, he was ready to get off world for a while and do something interesting.
"Stay close to Teal'c, okay?"
"Any particular reason why?" Ian asked, looking between Teal'c and Jack and wondering what Hammond had said to make Jack tell him that.
"Because he likes your company," Jack told him, slipping into the vest. "Just do what I tell you."
"Yes, sir."
He'd stick close to Teal'c, anyways. Teal'c didn't like the Tok'ra all that much, and neither did Ian – Jacob Carter excluded, of course.