Chapter 6

Sam would have like to talk with her CO before leaving but the boy keep standing close to her. Daniel and Teal'C had left to try finding the Time Altering Device stolen by the NID. The young girl had stayed behind, with an excuse or another. She hadn't listened to the fast talk she had done knowing that in fact she was going to try to find something about them.

- "So Clark, how old are you?" asked O'Neill trying to engage the conversation with the boy.

- "I'm 16" he answered.

- "Great, Cassie is 15 years old. You two should get together well."

- "I hope, what kind of girl is she?"

- "She's a very strong girl. She had been thru a lot both parent died. A friend of mine adopted her." Clarified Sam

- "Another point we have in common." Said Clark but he regretted it almost immediately.

- "You've been adopted?" Asked O'Neill

Sam was looking at Clark, feeling his remorse. He was hiding something.

- "Yes" said Clark.

- "You sure could have got a lot worse for adoptive parent. How old where you?" Said O'Neill not willing to drop the subject when he had saw Sam face getting all concentrate.

- "They're my parent, they've raise me since I can remember."

- "Ever wonder who your biological parent was?"

- "Look, I really don't care about people who could leave their kid like that. For me my parents are Martha and Jonathan Kent."

- "Sorry kid, I didn't want to bother you" O'Neill said.

- "I'm sorry it's just that I've try to find who they were and of what I learn of my biological father. I'm rather glad he sends me away from him."

Silence fell on the truck. Sam was trying to figure out the mood of the boy. But she could only felt her own pain for the boy. Suddenly Clark looked at the road.

- "You've missed the airport exit"

- "We're not going to the civilian airport." O'Neill said looking at Clark by the rear-view mirror.

Sam suddenly felt panic coming from the boy. It was so strong that she could have swear he was about to do something stupid like getting out of the car.

- "Why is he so afraid?" she thought then she added before he did anything. "My friend is a military doctor. She's sending Cassie via a military flight."

Panicked was replace by strong suspicion. At least, she felt that he was giving them a chance.

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- "Sam, it's good to see you. It's been too long"

- "George, it's good to see you too."

- "So you've ask for information. I've been told that you have received the clearance needed."

- "It's good to hear. Come to my office, there won't be long-ears there."

- "We'll have to postpone a little our meeting. I have to see my people. I have a guess that will go with them." turning to the military jeep. "You can come out Cassandra."

Leaving the jeep she looked at the other man.

- "Great what I needed another General" she smiled to him.

- "General Lane this is Cassandra, Cassandra this is General Lane, an old friend of mine."

- "Nice to meet you General"

- "She reminds me of Lucy, my younger girl." said Sam.

- "How are they?" asked George walking with Sam and Cassie.

- "Well you know how it is… One is leaving the teenage years, the other enter it."

- "Wow, time does go by, they were what 2 and 4 last time I saw them?"

- "That's really boring" thought Cassie. Then she saw the black truck. "Generals, there's a truck coming this way"

- "Must be them"

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- "Daniel Jackson, would you tell me once more what that device does exactly?"

- "For what I've translate of the text we've found near the device, it was built to permit to one or two persons to go back in time and 'witness' something that happen then."

- "So why is it call Time Alteration Device?"

- "Actually it a mistake from the first team that had worked on the translation, they had translated 'Gosh'Altu' by 'altering' which his pronounced 'Gosh'Artu'. 'Gosh'Altu' in fact means 'to witness'."

- "I see. We should call it Time Witnessing Device."

- "Yeah, but some people don't think it sound 'Cool'" said Daniel referring to O'Neill sarcastic remark when Daniel had ask for a change in the name of the device.

Teal'C didn't say a thing, but one of his eyebrows rose. Daniel pretended not noticing it.

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When they had arrived at the military base near Metropolis, O'Neill had stepped out of the car and talked to the guard. Samantha had start humming a song so Clark couldn't understand what they were saying.

- "You seem worry Clark, don't be. She's a very fine girl."

- "I'm sure she is." Clark answered. "I've been wondering you're a doctor in what?" he casually asked.

Carter smiled at the boy.

- "Astrophysics… and Archeology" She quickly add, how could she have almost fell for that.

- "Two doctorates"

- "In fact I have other diplomas, I was kind of hopping to go to the NASA and astronauts need to be multidisciplinary."

- "What got in your way?"

- "An incredible offer I couldn't refuse."

O'Neill entered the car before Clark could ask anything else.

- "They've just arrive. She had a big escort…" enigmatically said O'Neill

As soon as the gate was open O'Neill moved the truck. Soon they saw the two general and… Clark jaws fell open as he looked at the girl that was with them.

- "You can breath you know Clark" Said O'Neill laughing at Clark.

Closing his mouth, Clark continued to look at the girl. Sam was giggling at the look in Clark face. All his emotion was so mixed up that it made her almost dizzy.

- "She might not be Lana, but that one heck of a girl!" thought Clark.