Diplomatic Mission
A Stargate: SG-1 / MacGyver Crossover
By Teri


"Typical. Just when you're getting ahead, someone changes the odds."
– MacGyver (Thief of Budapest)


Pete cut-off Craig's reply as they reached their final check point, "Showtime, boys. Ready, Mac?"

"Yeah, let's hit it," Jack sounded sure of himself.

Craig frowned, "here goes nothing."

With that the three men left the car and Jack felt deep down that his first instincts were right. This trip was going to be a huge honkin' mistake.

Jack looked up at the castle, a converted house, nearly palatial that had once belonged to the DXS that Pete had acquired for the Foundation and was often used for events like this. Although he never understood why Pete had wanted the place after what Quayle had put him through there, Pete still talked about that "adventure" often. Still, it seemed as if it had taken months to get this point (surely readers could sympathize about long waits). Sure it was only a matter of seconds, but it did feel like forever. Could he do it? When had his life gotten so complicated?

"MacGyver?"

Jack looked up to see Craig standing in front of him, staring, his tone had been a barely restrained hiss. It was then that Jack realized that he had just stopped walking and had been lost in his own thoughts.

"Now is not the time, Jackie-boy," he thought silently to himself before responding out-loud. "Yeah, coming Ban-ah-Craig," he smiled at the man his most MacGyver-ly smile. When had MacGyver-ly become an adjective? Probably about the time Carter made it a verb.

They proceeded into the castle.

"Why don't you go settle in and meet us in the conference room in about an hour?" Craig clearly ordered despite the format of the sentence before he started to walk off.

Jack stopped him. "Nope, we're here for a reason. I'll head-up now."

"But . . . "

Jack ignored him and headed in what he hoped was the correct direction.

"Hey, look here," Craig started after him only to be stopped as he felt Pete's cane tap him across the chest, blocking his path.

"No, Craig, he's right." Pete paused for a moment as if picturing some other time in his mind. "Trust him. I do."

Jack stopped, not having heard the exchange, "um, which way – which conference room?"

"Down the hallway at 3 o'clock, up two flights, turn right, first door on your left, near the old control room," Pete replied.

"Thanks," Jack smiled and turned the opposite direction from where he was going.

"Trust him, huh?" Craig asked when Jack was gone.

"With my life Craig, with my life."

Within a few minutes, Jack was standing in front of the conference room door. He couldn't hear a thing inside. Were they being that quiet or was the door that thick? Only one way to find out, Jack pushed the door open.

Everyone in the room looked over at him. He was able to identify four of the six people in the room quickly. In between the two arguing men was Michael Thorton, Pete's son. The two arguing men were Samadian President Habad and Prime Minister Josef Rossovich of the Republic of Azmir. The two unidentified men, who he really couldn't see well from where he was standing, were obviously their aids and the final person was a foundation operative named Katherine Houlihan who was acting as the service staff during this negotiation. He had seen her picture in the file Bannister had given him.

One of the arguing men broke of the verbal sparring match and smiled as he began to walk over to Jack. "MacGyver, my friend, so indeed they were able to find you. This is a good thing. It has been nearly a score of years since you saved my life."

"As-salaam alaykum (Greeting - Peace Be With You), President Habad," Jack answered returning the smile.

"Wa alaykum as-salaam (And With You Peace), MacGyver. An appropriate greeting, for now that you are here at last, we will discuss peace."

"Mac?" Michael smiled and came over and shook Jack's hand. Jack noted that Michael was giving him a look, probably trying to decided if he were indeed MacGyver or just the stand-in. He nodded for a moment and his grin grew. Jack decided he passed the Mac-test.

"It's good to see you. I am so glad they were able to get you here," he turned towards the other dignitary in the room. "Please allow me to present, Prime Minister Josef Rossovich of the Republic of Azmir."

"Zdravstvuyte, Rad s amee poznakomit' sya (Greetings, I am glad to meet you)," Jack said easily which surprised Craig who had finally joined them in the conference room.

"Privyet (hello), there is no need for formal speech, I feel as though we are already old friends. My aid has spoken of you often," the Prime Minister returned in greeting. "It is why I refused to negotiate with any one else once we reached the impasse."

"Oh?" Jack questioned as he turned towards the Prime Minister's aid to see a smiling open face, the face of a man he was obviously suppose to know. Now, who was it? Jack smiled as he had his answer, "Yuri?"

Craig was shocked, how had that man known his name? Was it in one of the files he had prepared about Mac? It had to have been. Didn't it?

"Yuri Demetri is I," he smiled as he gave Jack a hug. He pulled back, "will the lovely Penny Parker be here as well?" He looked extremely hopeful.

"Not this time, Yuri," Jack smiled.

"Oh," Yuri said crestfallen, a look which caused Jack to start to almost snicker, which he covered with a not so subtle cough.

"Allow me to present my aide as well, this is Rajiv Skinner," President Habad presented.

"Your bravery on Mont Salève is well known, it is my pleasure," the aid shook Jack's hand.

"Twern't nuthin'," he blushed hoping that would be the right reaction given the circumstances.

"Mac, you never could take a compliment," Michael laughed before motioning the men to their chairs, "shall we try again?"

"With pleasure."

"Indeed."

Jack gave the man a surprised look as he matched Teal'c tone for tone. He shook it off. It was a good thing Teal'c and the rest of his team wasn't here.

"Okay, gentleman, let's get down to work . . . "


"" I've never believed the old aphorism that 'no good deed goes unpunished.'
I think maybe it is time to rethink that position.
"" - Clare Boothe Luce


Several hours later Jack and the delegates were still deep in discussion, while Craig was meeting some guests at the front gate. - - - Three guess as to who it is. . .

"Major Carter? Doctor Jackson, I presume?" Craig greeted as the two were shown in the front gate.

"Thank you for seeing us on such short notice, Mr. Bannister," Daniel replied.

"Well, Paul Davis called and said that it was important. I've known him since the Academy and that man isn't known for hyperbole."

"You're an Academy graduate?" Carter asked.

"You'll find that many of us here are ex-DXS agents and . . . "

"and most DXS agents are recruited from the Air Force." Sam laughed slightly, "they even tried to recruit me at one time."

'Really?" Daniel asked turning towards Sam in surprise.

"Yes, but I was more interested in flying."

"Now my understanding is you wish to speak to both delegates?" Craig asked to be clear.

"Ah, yes," Daniel replied.

Craig nodded. "I've decided that you can speak to them, but you must speak to them at the same time. These negotiations are very delicate and we don't want one side to think the other side is getting a better offer.

"Understood."

Craig, Carter, and Daniel began walking towards the staircase.

"Good, now I will take you upstairs. I just got word that MacGyver is going to make them take a break in a few minutes and you can talk to them then."

"MacGyver? THE MacGyver?" Sam was surprised and stopped in her tracks.

Craig hesitated, he wanted to say – nope we've got a cheap imitation, but restraint learned over years of experience lead him to answer, "yes, but I wouldn't say that to him. He is rather modest when it comes to his reputation." He began walking again not allowing them to respond.

Daniel followed for a moment before stopping, realizing that Sam wasn't with him. He turned. "Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"You coming?"

"Oh, yeah," she started after Daniel, "it's just that it is MacGyver."

Daniel just shook his head slightly, he hadn't seen her this excited since she met Stephen Hawkings and before that when she met Igor Dmitrievich Novikov and Freeman Dyson. He couldn't help snickering, Sam could be such a science nerd sometimes and Jack said that he was the only geek on the team – yeah, right! Not that he blamed her, not in the least. He realized he'd feel the same way if he has the opportunity to meet Karl Richard Lepsius or Francois Auguste Mariette. Of course they were dead, so it wasn't a likely occurrence, but then again he did work with the SGC so anything's possible

Daniel and Sam continued to talk as they followed Craig around through all of the corridors.

Within a few minutes, Craig was showing them into the conference room.


I know it's been a long wait. I am sorry. Hope you enjoyed. How will Daniel and Sam react when they see just who is in the conference room?

Teri
May 21, 2006

PS Foreign Language excerpts were found on language learning websites. I can not claim they are precisely correct, although I tried to take them from reputable sites. If anyone finds a problem, please let me know how to correct it. Thanks!