Hours later, the cafeteria had been abandoned in favor of a real conference room. Theories had been tossed around, inquiries conducted, questioned asked, and questions answered, and all of it resulted in a plan being made.
A search through records had resulted in the discovery of previously unexplored holdings from Ba'al's time on Earth.
Unsurprisingly, at least after Daniel's revelation, they were located relatively close to Yellowstone National Park.
The Odyssey's scanners were unable to gain any information about the location where a building was supposed to be, leading Sam to theorize that someone really must have constructed a naquadah generator to power some stolen Ancient or Goa'uld technology which was blocking the Odyssey's scanners. She even spent some time aboard the ship trying to fine tune the scanners and get a better read on the area, but was unable to achieve noticeable results that concerned them.
On the other hand, they now could capture some really good pictures of Jupiter without leaving Earth's orbit.
Still, Jack had spoken his reluctance about sending people in blind to such a situation.
"I don't like this," Jack said for what felt like the 100th time.
Groans could be heard around the conference room. They had heard him say this for what felt like one hundred times this afternoon.
"I think General, we can all agree that we don't have any other options. It's not like we can call up the SWAT team to take care of things," Gibbs reminded him again, in what was quickly becoming a circular discussion.
They would discuss some aspect of the plan for a while before returning to the whole idea of the team being sent in without any prior information. They didn't even have schematics of the structure they were entering. Contact with the outside was also questionable, leaving whoever went in unreachable until the shield or whatever was blocking electronic surveillance equipment was turned off.
"Jack," Sam finally said, being really the only one in the room besides Teal'c or Daniel who could talk him down, and the only one who really would. Daniel was smart enough to not try it because he would only end up angering Jack. "I know that this isn't the most desirable situation, we've heard you say it a hundred times if we've heard you say it once, but we can't not go just because we don't have any insight into the situation. Somebody has to stop whatever is going on there and the only other group we could send would be the NID, and they're the last ones I would trust," she reminded him.
Jack was silent for a while. "You know Carter, you used a double negative there."
Snorts and chuckles were heard all around the room, while Sam just shook her head in disbelief.
"Fine, let's run it one more time, and then I'll go convince the President to give her a-okay to the mission," Jack stated.
"We'll start by having the Odyssey beam a couple of scouts to a nearby overlook where we can do some informal observations, see what kinds of visible defenses they have, etc." Mitchell began.
"Depending on what they find, we'll pick a viable location to have the rest of the strike team beamed to, while the scout team will remain where they are, keeping an eye on things, and hopefully being able to offer information to the strike team once the team enters the actual compound," Daniel picked up. "If nothing else, they will serve as the on the ground contact to the Odyssey and Atlantis, keeping everyone there up to date on what is going on inside the compound as much as possible."
"Meanwhile, the strike teams will split up and go after individual objectives," Mitchell continued. "Team Alpha will be lead by Sam and include Teal'c, Special Agent Gibbs, Reynolds, and his team. Their primary objective is to locate and destroy whatever 'doohickey' is being used to keep the compound blind to outside observers. Team Beta will be lead by Sheppard, and include Ronnon, Daniel, Special Agent DiNozzo, and McKay. Their primary objective is to locate Jon O'Neill and any other captives being held. Team Charlie will be lead by me and include Ziva and SG-2. We're going to provide back-up if," here he emphasized the word if, as Jack had previously done throughout their discussions and planning session, "It is necessary. Otherwise, we're going to nose around and see what all they're up to down there."
"Do we have a go sir?" Sam asked, looking at her husband for confirmation and eyes that clearly said he had better respond correctly- or else.
"You have a go," Jack responded. "Get those scouts down there for observation, while I get the official permission from the President to override any government, state, or local agency that might have a problem with us taking over the 'investigation'. What is our cover story again?"
"Joint investigation between the Air Force and NCIS, that's Naval Criminal Investigative Services," Special Agent Tony DiNozzo reminded the Air Force General.
"And we are investigating the possibility of illegally imported arms," Ziva David stated, cutting Tony off from making any of his patent wisecracks.
Gibbs just hefted his cup of coffee in the air, as though offering a toast to the General and took a sip, letting his people speak for themselves and for him.
"In the meantime, might I suggest everyone who isn't conducting surveillance get some shut eye. We'll let the surveillance people get a feel for things and relay information back, and then most likely ship out before dawn tomorrow," Jack decided. "No complaints," he warned looking at Daniel, "And no going off to your labs," he further advised glancing at both his wife and Doctor Rodney McKay. "Get some sleep. We've all been up long enough and I want everyone to be at their best for this mission." He stood up, which of course made everyone else stand up, and gave his final word, "Dismissed."
Many of the personnel quickly left the room, retreating to their quarters to get some of the suggested sleep while Major Lorne's team went to gear up for surveillance duty. Sheppard even found a poor lieutenant to lead off one half of the NCIS team, McGee having already followed Lorne's team as he was going to be part of setting up the surveillance station. It seemed that his prowess with computers and other doohickeys had deemed good enough to handle the situation by Sam, and whatever Sam said went, at least in the technical department of this mission- and probably any other mission too.
"I just don't get it," Tony stated as they followed the lieutenant to their quarters.
"Get what?" Ziva questioned.
"Why would Colonel Carter have married someone who looks like him?" Tony asked.
Ziva stared at Tony; barely catching the questioning looks they were getting from Marine Corps Lieutenant assigned to escort them to their assigned quarters. She quickly slapped him on the arm. "Do you think that it could be because she sees more to him than just the gray hair?" she asked.
"Well she's hot… and he's not," Tony said like it was the most well known fact in the universe.
"Looks don't have everything to do with a relationship, Tony," Ziva reminded.
"Sometimes people marry for money too," Tony admitted with a shrug.
"I don't imagine that a couple of Air Force officers are that rich," Ziva said. "Besides that wasn't what I was talking about. Maybe there's something else to their relationship. Maybe she sees him differently than you do. Think about it, they have the ultimate love story for people in the military. They fought side by side for years. From the sounds of things, they've looked death in the face more times than you could possibly imagine."
"It can't be that dramatic," Tony claimed with an air knowledge.
"Have you been listening to what everyone has been telling us Tony?" Ziva asked in disbelief of her colleague's lack of perception of the seriousness of the situation.
"What do you think Lieutenant?" Tony asked, attempting to get someone else on his side.
"I've only heard the stories sir," the Lieutenant began tentatively, "But they have saved the planet multiple times."
"What kinds of stories have you heard Lieutenant?" Ziva asked drawing the young man in with her most charming smile.
The lieutenant cleared his throat. "Supposedly, Colonel Carter blew up a sun and all of SG-1 rode an asteroid through Earth at one point."
"Oh come on! That sounds unbelievable," Tony claimed.
"So did traveling to other planets and beaming technology. Yesterday," Ziva reminded him.
"Here is your room ma'am," the Lieutenant stated waving his hand in front of scanner which opened the door.
"Thank you Lieutenant. Good night Tony," Ziva said stepping into the room and the door slid shut behind here.
Tony and the Lieutenant arrived in front of another room.
"Thank you Lieutenant," Tony said after the man waved a hand in front of the scanner. He went to step into the room, only to be stopped by an arm across the door frame. He turned to look at the young man.
"One piece of advice Special Agent DiNozzo, don't mess with Colonel Carter or General O'Neill," the man stated.
"Why, will I have the whole Air Force and Marine Corps hunting me down?" Tony asked, joking.
"No," the Lieutenant looked at him seriously. "But you won't like what either the Colonel or the General do to you. They didn't survive eight plus years on the front line team at the most dangerous base on the planet on their looks alone." He gave DiNozzo a respectful nod, executed a military perfect 180 degree turn, and strode down the hallway and out of sight, leaving a slightly bewildered Special Agent Tony DiNozzo behind.
Meanwhile, back in the conference room, the room was now clear except for Jack, Sam, and Gibbs.
And Grace, of course. The little girl had hardly made a fuss through the marathon planning session, and even now she was sleeping in her mother's arms.
"I hope you know what you're doing," Gibbs stated, staring Jack down.
Jack took a deep breath and braved a glance at his wife and daughter. Sam graced him with a half smile, all in the intent of calming him down, Jack was sure. She'd been doing it for years before they were married, covertly of course, but ever since they had gotten married, she had no problem showing him affection and giving him a smile when she sensed that he needed it the most.
"Me too," Jack finally said after what felt like eternity, but probably was only a few seconds. "Me too."
Gibbs considered the General's words before speaking again. "I need to speak with my Director and let her know that my team and I will be out of contact for a while," he claimed.
"Agent Gibbs, don't forget to reassure your forensic scientists that we haven't let you get kidnapped by aliens too," Sam added with a smile of her own for the man who was almost as difficult to read as Jack was, which was probably why Sam could find the cracks in his façade so easily.
"Of course ma'am," Gibbs promised rising as Jack did.
"Why don't you let me take Grace and you can get some sleep?" Jack suggested softly to his wife. He leaned down and brushed a couple of fingers across the downy hair of their daughter.
"Okay," Sam responded softly, giving their daughter a kiss on the forehead and seamlessly transferring her to Jack's waiting arms. She stood up, stretching out her arms which had started to fall asleep from holding Grace for so long.
"Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite," Jack whispered just before he kissed Sam on the forehead and gave her a little push towards the door.
"Be nice to the President," Sam reminded her husband with a poignant look and one last smile as she left the room.
"Aren't I always?" Jack called after her. He could hear her giggle fade as she walked away.
Gibbs observed this whole exchange with his usual silence, and honestly Jack almost forgot that he was there until he spoke. "Why is this Jon O'Neill so important?"
"Huh?"
"Is he your son, brother, long lost cousin, or whatever? But why is he so important that you would mobilize half of what appears to be Earth's best military resources to find him?" Gibbs probed.
Jack weighed his words and his options carefully. He could lie or he could tell the truth.
The truth won out.
He checked to make sure the doors were closed and the room was empty, and silently sent a command to Atlantis that the doors should remain that way until he said otherwise. "Truthfully, he's my clone. Several years ago one of our allies tried to make a clone of me, but something went wrong. Instead of turning out to be an exact copy, he looked like he was sixteen years old. Imagine, being a sixteen year old with all the memories and experience of everything you've done in your life. He couldn't be Jack O'Neill, Colonel, United States Air Force, so he became Jon O'Neill, high school student. He eventually made the decision to attend the Air Force Academy and became a standout student there. We don't 'talk' for obvious reasons, but he's made it clear that his goal is to get back into the Stargate Program and go through the gate again. He is well on his way to doing that, until now when he's literally disappeared."
"So we're going after him just because he knows everything that you know, or I guess knew five years ago?" Gibbs rephrased.
"Yep."
"Okay."
The two men departed to contact their respective superiors, with Grace O'Neill in tow.