Chapter 7
Jackie wore her tan surplus army clothes and rode her bike to the local school to wait for her friend Dee. As the students filtered out of the school Jackie waved to Dee who walked out the door holding her books. She wore a blue sun dress with a white collar and brown shoes. She walked over to her friend.
"Jackie," she greeted her.
"How was the dance, Dee?" she asked her.
She rolled her eyes, "Bill Sheppard isn't the most gracious dancer. Where did you and Jon go?"
She grinned, "We flew to DC. Jon found his father!"
She gasped, "He found his father? Did Jon move away?"
She shook her head, "No, he's an officer too! Except there was a misspelling on Jon's last name for some odd reason, it's spelled with two L's and not one. I met him and his wife, Jon's step-mother. And you won't believe what her name is."
"What's her name?" she asked gathering her bicycle.
"Sam Carter," she laughed. "She kept her maiden name."
"Jon's step-mother has the same name as my uncle?" she winced.
"Honestly, I'm kind of wondering if there is a relation. She looks a lot like a Carter." she told her.
"Only Sam Carter that I know is my uncle," she replied mounting the bike. "So Jon is going to live with his dad?"
"He got his stuff earlier today," she nodded readying herself to push off the bike. "You got to meet his family!" Jackie was told to provide the cover that SG-1 was Jon's family. She continued, "His uncle, Daniel is so cute."
Dee asked, "Uncle Daniel?"
"You are gonna love this guy," she stated excited. "He's tall and handsome. He has brown hair and bright blue eyes. He's very scholarly and can speak more languages than me!" She continued on about Daniel with a gleam in her eye for she was developing a crush on the man.
Dee laughed, "Sounds like you're in love."
"I kind of like him," she admitted. "But he's way older than me and…"
"And what?" she asked as they rode down the dirt road.
"His last name is Jackson," she winced. "I just hope we're not related."
"His last name is Jackson?" she laughed. "Wow, I wonder if maybe you and Jon are of any relation?" she teased her.
"I doubt it," she told her. "He's real sweet through. You know Jon looks just like his father. It's kind of freaky."
"Really?" she asked.
"His father is real cute too for an old guy," she mentioned. "Then they have this friend traveling with. His name is Teal'c Jaffa. He's colored and I think he's from Africa."
"Sounds interesting," she replied. They soon rode to Dee's house. "Let me change and then we can go the airfield." She parked her bike by the front door.
Jackie dismounted her bike and followed Dee inside. Much to her surprise she found Sam was visiting Caroline. They sat at the kitchen table nursing their coffee. Sam had changed into teal dress with white shoes. She lightly applied makeup to blend in with the style of the day. She took the time to visit her grandmother while her infant father slept.
"Sam," Jackie gasped surprised. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm getting to know the other wives," she played the cover. She couldn't tell her that she wanted to visit her paternal grandmother.
Caroline greeted, "Dee…This is Samantha Carter-O'Neill. She's Jon's step-mother. I can't believe she has the same name as your uncle."
"Nice to meet you," Dee smiled at her. She looked at Jackie and whispered, "She does look like a Carter."
"I told ya," she whispered back.
Dee spoke to her aunt, "Jackie and I are going to the field to work on the plane."
"Okay," she gave a nod. "Be back in time for dinner."
"I will," she agreed and went to her bedroom to change.
Jackie took a seat at the table, "So how's it going?"
Sam replied, "Very well."
Caroline stated, "It's so nice to meet another officer's wife. Sam also told me she went to college and has a few degrees. Maybe you should rethink school, Jackie?"
"No," she shook her head.
Caroline added, "You can get a degree and have a career. Times are changing for women in the workforce. Sam here is proof of that."
Jackie asked, "Do I really need a degree to continue to race airplanes?"
Sam admitted, "No."
"Then why do I need a degree?" she asked.
Sam suggested, "I understand you like to design airplanes and an engineering degree could help out with that?"
"But I already learned engineering," she rebutted. "I would just be repeating what I already know."
"You could always take a placement exam," she told her.
Jackie waved her hand, "Nah…I got too much work to do to go to college now. Beside we don't have the money and there aren't any loans."
Sam suggested, "Maybe in time you will change your mind?"
She smirked at her, "Maybe I will travel into the future?"
Sam gave a smirk back, "And end up in juvy hall!"
Soon Dee emerged in her green fatigues and holding the baby. "Jacob woke up," she announced and handed the baby to his mother.
Caroline then handed Jacob to Sam, "Hold him while I get his bottle ready."
Sam held the infant and it most surreal for her. Her father was a baby and in her arms. "You are a cute baby," she told him.
Sleepy and hungry Jacob started to cry.
Sam tried to calm him, "It's okay. Shhh…" She tried to reposition him but he simply cried even more.
Jackie held out her hands, "Let me try!"
With no luck at calming the baby she placed him in Jackie's hands, "I can't get him to calm down."
She took the baby, sat down with him in her lap and stuck her thumb in his mouth to act as a pacifier. Jacob calmed down as he sucked on the thumb.
Sam winced, "I hope your hands are clean."
"What's a little dirt?" she shrugged.
Sam rolled her eyes and shook her head.
Caroline hovered over the stove, "Children practically live in dirt. Just make sure there is no grease on your hands, Jackie."
"I washed up before I left the hangar," she told her. "Dad's making brownies tonight. Want some?"
"I'll take some with no reefer," she told her.
She teased, "But reefer makes it fun to eat." She then added, "You know, I think Jacob is starting to teethe. I feel a bump on his gum."
"That would explain the crankiness," Caroline agreed. She then went to the cupboard and retrieved a bottle of whisky. "Here, rub this on it." She then poured some of the alcohol into the cap.
Jackie dipped her index finger in the whisky and rubbed it on Jacob's sore gum. He seemed to calm further.
Sam observed, "So much for Orajel."
Caroline asked, "Ora what?"
"A gel for teething babies," she explained. "It's supposed to numb it."
"So does whisky," her grandmother replied.
"I see that," she nodded. "No wonder he likes that stuff," she muttered under her breath.
Meanwhile - Hangar
The men all gathered in the hangar. They had been issued green fatigues and ranks as a cover. Jack wasn't very happy for he suddenly went from a full bird colonel to that of a second class lieutenant. Daniel wasn't very happy either for he felt like he had just been drafted and was given the same rank as Jack. Teal'c didn't seem to mind the cover as an enlisted man and understood it was to keep them safe.
Colonel Carter entered the hangar with Fred to speak to the men. He gathered them near the nose of the plane for the briefing. He informed, "There are two main air races coming up in two months and they are back to back. The first race is from Burbank, California to Cleveland on August 30th. That's a major race! We will be using the races as a cover to get information from our contacts. The second race is September 2nd and that's in Cleveland."
Curiously Daniel asked, "What type of races are these? One is cross country and the other is in Ohio?"
Fred perked up, "They are both part of a major week event. The first one is the Bendix. That's the important one. Our contact is will meet us in Burbank. The second one is the National pylon race and it's a biggy! That's not so much of an asset as it is a cover race. The asset race is cross country and globally. We're still trying to come up with some reason for us to fly reconnaissance near Japan. We don't have a lot of air racing out that way. Earhart will be in both races. She's our primary asset. She also might be able to come up with a good cover for recon over Japan."
"Hope so," he sighed knowing the woman's fate.
Jon stated, "That gives us plenty of time to get ready. What is Dee going to be doing for the summer? School is out this weekend."
Colonel Carter smiled brightly, "I've given her an assignment too. She and my wife are planning Jackie's surprise birthday party. It's this weekend."
Jon gasped, "This weekend is her sweet sixteen! She never said it was her birthday." He mind raced for he wanted to get her a present.
Fred shrugged, "She's not big on making announcements. This is Caroline's idea…Not mine. Jackie's not into parties that much."
Jon asked, "What do you think I should get her?"
"I already got her a present," he grinned.
"I want to get her something," he insisted. He looked at Jack, "What do you get a sixteen year old girl for her birthday?"
He looked dumbfounded, "You're asking me? If you don't know then what makes you think I would know?"
Daniel suggested, "How about a box of chocolates? Jewelry? Something nice, Jon." He could tell Jon liked her and wanted to help him.
Fred made a face, "She doesn't like jewelry! Though, she will eat the chocolate if it's the good stuff."
Jon huffed, "Do you know how expensive good chocolate is right now?"
Curiously Jack asked, "What did you get her, Fred?"
"A thirty two," he replied brightly.
Jon stuttered, "W…W…What? You got her a gun?"
"A revolver," he clarified. "Nice little revolver with a pearl handle and is engraved. Get her some ammo." he suggested. He then pondered added something about Jackie shooting him with it but decided not to say that in front of Jack.
Jack grinned, "You have got to be the most awesome father ever!" He looked at Jon and hinted, "If I could I would be his kid."
Daniel came to Jon's aid and placed his hand on his shoulder, "You and I will go into town and find something nice for her. She would like a nice leather-bound notebook or something along those lines."
Colonel Carter chirped, "I got a holster for the revolver."
Jack looked at Jon and spouted, "You have no idea of the opportunity before you." Jack decided if he was Jon's shoes he would want Colonel Carter and Colonel Jackson to adopt him and buy him cool presents.
Jon ignored the comment and spoke to Daniel, "We can get a ride into town." He thought the notebook sounded saner than Fred's present.