Jack got his meeting without much trouble, and within a few hours SG-1 was armed with their evidence and information, all of them ready to go when Hammond gave the word.
Hammond nodded at Jack to start his explanation. Jack stood up to begin, but no sooner had he opened his mouth, did the alarms of the SGC go off.
"Off-world activation," Sergeant Davis' voice announced over the loud speaker. Hammond looked at SG-1 in surprise, and all of them poured out of the meeting room to the observation room.
"Who is it, Sergeant?" Hammond demanded.
Davis stared at the displays, waiting. "I don't know yet, sir." Finally, a familiar blip can across his computer screen. "It's the Tok'ra, sir."
"Open the iris," Hammond ordered. The soldiers in the 'Gateroom held their guns at ready.
Immediately the metal shield covering the Stargate's mouth opened, an a few minutes later one man stepped out of the wormhole. "It's Jacob," Hammond noted. Carter turned around and headed for the stairs that would lead her to the 'Gateroom, SG-1 at her heels. "Stand down," the General told the soldiers through the observation room's microphone.
General Jacob Carter, who shared his body with the Tok'ra Selmak, waved a hand up at Hammond. "Nice to see you again, George."
"Likewise, Jacob, although we weren't expecting you," Hammond replied, still speaking in the microphone.
Sam burst into the 'Gateroom, giving Jacob a big hug. "Dad! What are you doing here?"
Jacob waited until the hug was finished to tell her. Behind them, the wormhole shut down. "Important business, Sam. Earth is in danger."
Suddenly, the Stargate started dialing up again.
"In-coming wormhole," Davis called out from his post in the observation room. The iris closed over the Stargate once more and the Carters backed up toward the rest of SG-1 at the back of the 'Gateroom.
"Is it friendly?" Sam called.
Again, Davis studied his read-outs. "It's Bra'tac," he called out.
"Open the iris," Hammond repeated, feeling rather like a parrot.
"Whoa, two allies arriving in a matter of five minutes," Jack remarked, "That can't be good."
The iris opened once more, and Teal'c's mentor and friend stepped into the SGC, the wormhole closing immediately behind him.
"Welcome once again to the SGC, Bra'tac," Hammond's voice came through the 'Gateroom's speakers.
"I have not come merely to exchange greetings," Bra'tac called, "I have come to inform you of danger to your world."
"Join the club," said Jacob, dryly.
Hammond spoke again over the speakers. "SG-1, Jacob, Bra'tac, I would appreciate seeing all of you in the briefing room so we can discuss these matters."
"He means now," Jack clarified, waving his hand toward the door, "Guests first?"
Bra'tac and Teal'c had finished their warm greeting to each other and were already heading out the door. Sam and Jacob walked arm-in-arm, catching up as they walked. Daniel trailed after, cleaning his glasses thoughtfully. Jack nodded at the soldiers and took up the caboose.
It was going to be a long meeting.
Jack was right, for two hours later SG-1 had only just finished explaining what they had seen on TV, and the meeting was still going.
"A certain Gao'uld named Baba has escaped the system lords' prison for him and is thought to have headed for earth," Jacob announced.
"Baba?" Jack protested, "Like in Ba, ba, black sheep?"
Jacob ignored him, and Bra'tac spoke up. "This is the same news for which I have come to the Tau'ri. Baba is much feared among the system lords, which is why he has been locked up for so long."
"And which is why we've probably never heard of him," Sam deduced.
"Indeed," said Teal'c, "I, in fact, believed him to be dead."
"Daniel, what can you tell us about this Baba character?" Jack inquired, lip still twisting at the name.
Daniel was immediately in professor-mode. "Well, according to Egyptian mythology, Baba was the god of aggression and virility. He was normally depicted as a baboon whose penis was the bolt of Heaven's doors or the mast of the Underworld boat."
"Whose penis… what?" Jack gaped. Sam smothered a giggle. Even Jacob and Hammond looked slightly amused.
Daniel seemed totally oblivious to their reactions. "Was the bolt of Heaven's doors or the mast of the Underworld boat," he repeated. He paused. "He must be pretty terrible for the system lords to be so scared of him."
"God of aggression, remember?" Jack remarked dryly, having regained his composure.
Daniel made a face. "Yeah, that's true."
"And you and Bra'tac think this Baba is here on Earth." Hammond looked at Jacob for clarification.
"Yes," Jacob and Bra'tac said together.
Jacob looked down at the table, and when he looked up again, his eyes flashed, signifying the Selmak had now joined the conversation. "The Tok'ra believe that it would be most unfortunate if Baba should take over the Tau'ri," the much deeper-voice of the Tok'ra announced, "Therefore Jacob and I shall do all we can to make sure that Baba is neutralized."
"But they couldn't spare anyone but you two, huh?" Jack snapped a little rudely. He had never been overly fond of the Tok'ra. In his mind they were good Gao'uld who weren't much better than their enemies. Jacob/Selmak and Martouf/Lantash were really the only two Tok'ra he trusted.
Bra'tac broke in here. "I am afraid that neither could the rebel Jaffa. We have not heard from our spies in Baba's service for many days. We fear the worst."
"Sir, I think we should contact the mutant suspects," Sam told Hammond, leaning on the table, "they might know something even if they aren't truly involved."
Hammond nodded. "SG-1, you have a go." He looked at Selmak/Jacob and Bra'tac. "If you two want to come along, you have my blessing."
SG-1 and their allies rose to their feet.
"C'mon, Bra'tac, let's get you a hat," said Jack, steering Bra'tac toward the door without actually touching him. The Jaffa warrior could be a little prickly at times, and Jack didn't care to get punched in the nose again by Bra'tac.
"A hat?" Bra'tac asked, rolling the word on his tongue.
Jack winked at him. "A little camouflage. C'mon. Teal'c's gotta wear one too."
"Most Tau'ri do not know of Apophis," Teal'c explained from behind them, "So we must hide the sign of our former servitude to him."
"I wish that all Jaffa could," Bra'tac said forcefully, "but that day will not come until we are free from the Gao'uld."
He turned to Jack. "Take me to wear you keep this 'hat'."
SG-1 and their allies were ready to go within the hour. They carried zats hidden under their winter coats as well as traditional handguns and ammo in their backpacks. Teal'c and Bra'tac hid the golden tattoos on their foreheads with black winter hats, and though both looked very uncomfortable in the winter clothes, Teal'c looked a little more at ease than his mentor.
"These clothes are heavy and much unsuited for quick movement," Bra'tac complained, tugging at his itchy hat. He also still looked unhappy about having to leave his staff weapon at Cheyenne Mountain.
"They'll keep us from freezing to death," Jack told him wryly.
"Indeed," Teal'c put in, "The Tau'ri winters get quite cold."
"Especially in Colorado," Sam said, "Boston and New York will be pretty cold too, and from what I understand, those are two bases where our suspects will likely be."
She tightened a deep blue scarf around her neck, put on her matching gloves, and pulled up her sky-blue hood.
Jack's lip twisted. "You look like an Eskimo, Carter."
"You look like you're going to freeze, Jack," Daniel talked back from where he was still putting on his red winter gear.
"Daniel's right, sir," Carter agreed, "I don't think that leather jacket's going to be warm enough."
"It's lined," Jack explained, "And warmer than you might think." He pulled on a black hat that matched Teal'c and Bra'tac's. "Ready to go, kids?"
"As soon as you are, Jack," Jacob said, rechecking his pistol and zat for one last time.
"Carter, where do you think our kids are going to be?" Jack asked, looking over at his subordinate.
Sam shrugged. "Well, the attacks were in New York, and the files say that's their probable base of operations."
"But you think…" Jack probed.
"Sir, I think that they won't be in New York. It's too obvious after the attacks."
"If they're the ones behind the attacks, you mean," Daniel pointed out, "we don't really know that for sure."
Sam turned her blue eyes on Daniel. "They're really the only lead we have, Daniel. If they don't know what's going on, I don't know what we'll do."
"So… Boston?" Jack asked brightly.
Sam smiled. "Yes, sir; I think we should go to Boston."