Dr. Kate Kinsey sat at her desk moving papers around aimlessly. These reports really needed to be read, but she just couldn't concentrate. Not that she ever really enjoyed reports or signing off requisitions but, at least, she could usually focus on the task and get it done. She reworked the ponytail in her long blonde hair for the fifteenth time in the past hour, really wishing she had taken the time to get her hair cut. It was longer than it had been for awhile, and she was seriously questioning her decision. Kate couldn't believe how anxious she was about today. If someone would have asked her a week ago if she was ready for today, she'd have laughed it off. She'd been preparing for this meeting for years. It was, after all, why she was here and not somewhere else in the galaxy doing Tokra business or tinkering with something in a lab. But, now she was nervous. She had to have their trust if she was going to achieve her objectives, but she also had to follow her orders. She couldn't tell them everything, and Jack O'Neil would know she was holding back. "Great, just great," she thought, "I wonder if he had any idea just what he was doing to me when he gave me these orders. What if I fail?"
Kate didn't even notice the knock on her door, but Colonel Kyle Mitchell, SG1's current leader, didn't bother waiting for her to answer anyway. "Dr. Kinsey, Fraiser's tests are back. They check out, but we knew they would didn't we?" He paused, &How are you holding up, Kate?"
"Ready to get this over with," Kate sighed. "I think it would be best if SG1 and Dr. Fraiser were in on this meeting. You know how he feels about the Tokra, and when I tell him what we need them to do then I'm probably going to be public enemy number one. They trust Cassie, and you are the son of their friend. That'll have some weight with him."
"You know, if we just tell them everything, the generals will trust you, too. Are you sure you want to play this one this way?" Kyle lowered his voice, "Think this through, Kate. Its not going to be easy."
"Kyle, we have our orders. I can't. I'm not going to risk the fate of the world just because I don't want to be uncomfortable. I'll just have to earn their trust the old fashioned way."
"While feeding them a half-truth that O'Neill is going to instantly classify as a lie. I don't know about this, Kate. Besides, SG1 has never really been much for following all the rules anyway. General O'Neill set the precedence himself," Kyle joked.
"I'm not on the team anymore, and rules kind of go with this job. You know what's at stake. How can I not?"
"Okay, we've got your back. But, for the record, once SG1, always SG1. And, uh, you might want to remind Egeria to keep her mouth shut for the time being. It isn't going to be fun explaining why a supposedly dead Tokra queen is inside the base commander's head."
Kate giggled. Her eyes flashed and Egeria answered for both of them. "Unfortunately, General Carter will sense my presence immediately because of her time with Jolinar. I have already asked Dr. Fraiser to inform the generals of my presence. I agree with your assessment that I should not speak until General O'Neill is ready to hear my voice, but I sincerely doubt he will wait long to question me."
Back in control, Kate sighed. "Gather your team colonel, and take General O'Neill and General Carter to the briefing room. We'll begin in half and hour."
Thirty minutes later, SG1, Dr. Fraiser, and two very tired generals were seated in the briefing room. Cassie sat to the left of Sam with Jack to the right. Kyle opted to stand. He had way too much nervous energy to try and sit down just yet. Kate stood outside the door, Egeria willing her to try and relax. Finally, she took a deep breath, pulled her shoulders back, and attempted to look like the composed professional that the generals needed to see. "General O'Neill, Colonel Carter, thank you for your patience. I'm Dr. Katherine Kinsey. Welcome back to Stargate Command. I know you have lots of questions and I promise we will get to them, but I think it would be easiest if you let me give you the basic rundown of the situation before fielding your questions."
"Ordinarily, I'd have no problem with that Dr. Kinsey," Jack broke in, "But, at the moment I'm struggling with the fact that there's a Tokra by the last name Kinsey in charge of the stargate. That just really doesn't work for me. So, what do you say we address the elephant in the room first?"
Sam put her hand on Jack's. "General, I think we should listen to her explanation first. I'm sure she'll get to those details, and we really need to understand what's going on here if we are going to make it home." The love and compassion between the two officers was so evident that it made Kate pause. She could see some of the tension leaving the general's face as his wife gently stroked his hand, and, not for the first time, she marveled at how much they'd accomplished in their years in her position. She only hoped her legacy at Stargate Command would be half of theirs when she became a footnote in history.
"Thank you General Carter." Kate made eye contact with Jack, "If it helps any, you are going home. And, I'm doing my best to follow the orders you and General Carter gave regarding this situation. Right now, we need your help. Do you think you could save the world one more time before retirement sir?"
"I'm listening, but you'll understand if I'm a little hesitant to take on another mission from the Tokra. It generally doesn't go so well. Not good about sharing information, those Tokra," Jack grimaced.
Knowing he was trying to get Egeria to show herself so he could get a better feel for the situation, Kate frowned. If this was really the way he wanted to play it then she'd just have to adjust her prepared speech. Her eyes glowed and Egeria spoke for them, "General O'Niell, General Carter, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Egeria. I'm queen of the Tokra, and we are in your debt for your part in the rebellion against the goa'uld. You accomplished more in a few years than my children and I were able to accomplish in millennia. Thank you."
Both Jack and Sam were visibly taken back. "But, you're dead. We were there when they found you. This is impossible," Sam began.
"Impossible? Hardly. Improbable, I'd agree but you should know better than most that things are rarely impossible anymore, General Carter. Actually, I owe my life to your tireless research. After my children realized the technology of the Asguard could potentially be used to revive me and keep our race from dying, they came to you. It was you and Dr. Kinsey who worked so hard to restore me to my people and Kate willingly became my new host with the permission of the IOA. The partnership has benefitted our alliance greatly. Even you, General O'Neill had no complaints about our alliance in your last days." Egeria took a moment to look directly into Jacks eyes, "General, if we've sufficiently addressed this particular elephant, I'd suggest we move forward with the debriefing."
Jack and Sam exchanged glances again. "By all means, continue. It's been a really, really long day. I'd like to get some sleep at some point. Not as young as I used to be after all. But, I think we are going to need to discuss this further a little later."
Kate nodded her head. "Of course, General O'Niell. Now, if I could get started," Kate paused until Jack and Sam nodded in agreement, "In April of 2012, a solar flare traversed the wormhole between PX7-363 and Earth just as you entered the stargate sending you here. Today's date is October 9, 2047. We were expecting you, because you told us when you would arrive in your report. While your trip to the future was an accident, it was probably the most fortunate accident in history. We need your help. In 2041, just 6 years ago, Earth had a series of odd weather patterns and storms that threw the planet into a second ice age. Because you will go back with this knowledge and all of our telemetry on the storms and evacuation plans, you will be able to convince the governments of the world to begin evacuation procedures to other planets. Billions of lives will be saved."
"Wait, let me get this straight. You want us to save the world by evacuating our planet?" Jack nearly shouted.