Author's Note: A million thank yous to Kamikashi my wonderful marvelous beta. Sorry, I forgot this earlier and I added it. She stuck with me through the year and a bit it took me to write this one. AD: Year Three is finished and now in the editing stages, well hopefully soon and that mean it will be ready by the time I finish posting this one.

Happy New Year to Everyone!

Lunch and Outbursts

Haruka opened the door to her office and Sam was surprised at the change. For one, it was a different office, much larger and more spacious – General Kerrigan's old office, she realized. Two, there was not a paper or file out of place. "I'll just make the call, you have a seat Colonel."

"Thank you Ma'am." Sam headed toward the table in the corner of the room. She caught sight of a photograph and stepped closer to have a look.

As the General put the phone to her ear, she replied, "Please call me Haruka. I never liked Ma'am and I get enough General Sharks in a day to make me bang my head on the desk."

Touched by the familiarity, Sam smiled. "Then call me Sam as well. Haruka, that is Japanese isn't it, what does it mean?"

"My father is American and my mother was an Ex-Geisha; that is literally a Person of the Arts, a Living Artwork from Gion, Kyoto. She was never a courtesan, that's a very different job. My father was stationed on Okinawa during the Korean War and met her on a holiday trip to the old imperial city. My father wanted to give me more than one given name, something you don't find in Japanese names. My mother didn't like it. In the end, love prevailed – together with the fact that they just couldn't decide which name was the most fitting, so my full Name is Haruka Kanata Jasmine. The Japanese part means far off and beyond distance. My name is the result of the worst argument in my parents' 50 years of marriage." Haruka picked up a brush-pen and quickly put down the respective characters, showing them to Sam.

"It's beautiful and someday I would like to hear more of your parent's story if there's a chance."

"I'm sure there will be a chance someday. They were a bit like you and Jack. They were star crossed lovers too."

Sam's brows furrowed. "What do you mean by that? There is nothing between Jack and me and there never will be. He's my CO and that is all." Sam's voice held a note of exasperation at having to explain this point again.

Haruka took no offense. "Sam you keep telling yourself that. My mother did the same thing up until my father dragged her to the next shrine." Not giving Sam the change to counter that statement, the General turned and dialed the phone. "I'll get our lunch moving."

Sam turned back to the photos lining the wall as the General began to speak to someone on the other end. Sam was surprised to find not only a much younger Haruka Shark but also Jack O'Neill in the Academy graduation photo.

Finished with the call, Haruka came to stand next to Sam, looking at the picture as well. "Yes, Jack and I were in the same class. It was the first one to allow women, and the first one allowing them to fly; I chose the Air Force for that reason even though my family's tradition is being Naval Aviators, with all that kerosene in the veins. In the Navy, the only option for a woman at the time was medicine and I have a horrible bedside manner." She motioned to the graduation photo. "There were two of us… the other one became a doctor."

"So what was the General like when he was younger? Was he like Jon, rash and mouthy? The two of them seem so different yet the same. You have known them both, what do you think?"

"It is very strange for me to see Jon. He seems to have been able to shed some of that horror and pain that still clings to Jack. It's hard to believe that Jack actually walked away from a brilliant scientific career. Had he stayed in academia his life would have been so very different and less painful."
Sam looked at Haruka as though the woman had grown a second head. "The General, an academic? He hates scientists. With a vengeance. It took a long time for him to warm up to me and Daniel."

Turning to face Sam Haruka asked, "Have you never wondered why?"

"Yes, but I have never had a way to find out the answer and I certainly ain't going to ask the General directly. Daniel doesn't know so I just let it go." Sam explained.

Haruka studied Sam for a few minutes before she answered. "Jack O'Neill was a man way ahead of his time. His masters thesis was world shaking and his dissertation would have shattered everything we thought at that time about his field if he had published it."

"Dissertation as in doctorate?" Sam looked at the hopeful, fresh faced young man again. What had happened to him? "What was his field of study?"

"Astronomy. He was my nemesis, my rival, my confidant and my very best friend. He pushed me to be better than I ever thought I could be and when Jack left it was never the same." There was sorrow in Haruka's voice.

A knowing smile crossed Sam's face. "I should have known when he started talking about Accretion Disks and keeping that over-the-top telescope. Why didn't he finish?"

"Jack's doctoral supervisor at Yale, Professor Henson, was a jealous, arrogant ass and notorious plagiarist. He stole most of Jack's dissertation research and published it as his own. This was before personal computers were common and so Jack had no way to prove it. He had handed in the dissertation to Henson the week before with all of his notes. Jack didn't even try. He dropped out of school the next day and disappeared into the world of spec-ops a while later, and never looked back."

Sam frowned. "Not David Henson? I seem to remember something about him when I was a Cadet. There were some accusations from a young Major that most of his research was stolen, wasn't his own." Haruka snickered. There was a very proud, mean expression on her face. The grin she sported made an impressive Great White Shark facsimile. "It was you? Wow, that was like the story about the bogeyman while I was at the Academy. It was used to make sure that we always kept copies of our work and notes so it wouldn't happen to us. How did you do it?"

"It wasn't until a few years later I had the chance to ruin the man who had taken Jack's work. By that time Professor Henson had risen far enough that he had a long, long way to fall. I was a newly promoted Major at the time. It was my job to proof read his work and many others in my free time. In one of the man's papers I was surprised to find more of Jack's unpublished work as well as some information that I had read in obscure journals. I was able to prove some of it and that was enough to cast doubt on the man's work. He was tossed out and couldn't get a job anywhere. I heard a while ago that he had died alone a homeless after serving time for plagiarism in several cases and paying off horrific sums for violation of copyrights. I did try to muster up some sympathy but I just couldn't find any. Especially since I now sit in and hold his Chair."

Sam looked at Haruka, reminding herself not to get on this woman's bad side. Deciding to change the topic she picked up another photograph. It was the General in a white kimono, along a man in a Navy uniform. "You're… married?" She cringed at the amazement in her own voice. "I mean I thought a woman would have to give up those things to get where you are." Sam's voice was quiet as she realized that she may have wasted a lot of time and happiness.

"I am. It hasn't been easy: Allen is in the Navy. He's a full Captain, a CAG no less, and we haven't been stationed near each other very often but we have muddled through." She took the wedding photo and put it down as there was a knock at the door. "Come in."

A fresh-faced Airman came through the door with a tray. It was set down on the table and the two officers' food was laid out. The young man saluted and left as quickly as he had come. Haruka motioned to one of the chairs as she sat down. "Where were we? Oh yes. Allen and me. I don't want you to think that it has been easy because it never was. We have had our share of problems but we have stayed together because we wanted to. I know that I can depend on him whatever happens. He won't leave me and I won't leave him. Marriage isn't only about not being alone but trust. You need to trust the person you marry with your very heart and life."

The two women ate in silence for a few minutes leaving Sam to wonder if she could trust Pete that way. He'd already done a background check on her, jeopardized a mission and almost got himself killed. Then he'd moved to Colorado Springs without event discussing it with her… but he loved her and she loved him. She was sure the trust Haruka was talking about would come with time. Ignoring the little voice that told her she already had that kind of a relationship with Jack.

The meal was almost done when a Cadet around Jon and Cassie's age burst into the room, calling out, "Ano okaasan! Ore ga anata to rongi shinakereba naranai nanika ga aru–" (Hey mum, there is something I've to discuss with you-)

Haruka spoke sharply as she cut him off, a harsh contrast to the soft eastern language they shared. "Koko to nai genjiten ni janai, Cadet McRae." (Not here and at this time, Cadet McRae.)

The young man was out of breath and it was only after shouting that he looked around the room and his eyes fell on Sam. Immediately he went white. "Ah! I'm sorry General, I didn't know…"

"Iie, iie." (No problem.) Haruka declined and smiled. "Knocking would be nice McRae." She motioned for him to come closer. "Now what is so important?"

There you have it. Next chapter next week. Leave a review if you like or go to my website and read the next two chapters...