SERIES: WHAT IF

TITLE: August 2009

(No real spoilers for 1969)

Jack picked up the ringing phone on his desk - the one that had a direct line to the SGC. "O'Neill."

"General."

"Mitchell, what's wrong?"

"Oh, just curious about something. General Landry said to pass it by you."

"What's that?"

"A transfer request from an old couple of geeks who've been at Area 51 for a year."

"And?"

"Well, somethin' got me thinking…"

"Mitchell! For cryin' out loud, spit it out."

"Old files I read. General, the guy, 30-year Air Force retired Major Michael something or the other spent a few years at NASA but never made the space program. Seems he had a little weed record."

"Weed?"

"Yeah, you know, old hippie guy, one little misdemeanor long time ago."

"Did you say hippie?"

"Yep, anyway, he's also an astronomer, his wife, Jenny…"

"Jenny?" Jack barely got the word out.

"Yeah, she's got a PhD in astrophysics or somethin'."

"Do they drive a bus?" Jack could hear Mitchell shuffling through papers.

"Nope, they drive a Volvo."

"Did Daniel put you up to this?"

"Sir?"

"Come on, Mitchell, Sam? Teal'c? Nah, T would never … You're not serious?"

"They have the clearance, Sir. Both of them have done extensive research on some of the… ah 'items' at Area 51. The wife actually mentioned Sam, Sir, said she knew who she was."

"And what, pray tell, did Carter say?"

"We haven't heard back from Atlantis yet."

"And Daniel?"

"He's gone to play amongst the ruins of PR3-341."

"T?"

"Nope, just me and Vala on base, but we're both scheduled off-world in about thirty minutes. Teal'c's doin' the Jaffa thing."

"Damn! This is weird."

"Yep. Thought it had to be them, Sir."

"Where are they now?"

"The IOA is bringin' 'em in here, Sir."

"I'm on my way."

"You flyin' or beamin' Sir? They should be here any minute now."

"I'll be there in five minutes!"

Cam hung the phone up and grinned foolishly at his team. "Hook, line and sinker! He's on his way."

Sam nodded, took the cover off the cake, and checked to be sure Siler had finished hanging the banner across the Stargate.

Turning to Daniel, shoulders raised, Vala grinned. "Oh, I love surprise parties."

"I know." Daniel mirrored her gesture. He turned and smiled at the President, grinned at General Hammond, and nodded to Hank Landry. "Good plan you three and Mitchell came up with to get him here."

"Oh, he was adamant about not having a retirement party. Today's his last day and he insisted on staying. And it was Colonel Mitchell's idea." The President laughed as he pointed to Cam. "The 'mission report encyclopedia' came up with it, lined it out. The rest of us just filled in the blanks."

"Well thank you, Mr. President." Cam grinned proudly. "Where are those two anyway?"

General Landry eyed the very large cake before answering. "Oh, they're married alright, living in a farm house in Southern Indiana, right across the river from Louisville, Kentucky. Six kids, eight grandkids."

"And the bus?" Teal'c asked.

"Parked on the property, I think it's for sale on eBay."

Teal'c gave Vala an interested look and she smiled. "I can find it for you, Muscles."