Chapter 21: Lies
In the White House, the President concluded his private luncheon with Selmak and the Carters. Only the White House Chief of Staff attended in addition. After all, he had been the President's long time strategist. Selmak refused the coffee preferring fruit juice. For a moment there seemed to be an internal struggle. Eyes swiveled to Sam.
Sam looked at him and bit back a grin. "Mr. President, Selmak hates coffee. My father feels deprived. I heard his caffeine withdrawal unnerved his symbiotes friends."
"I can understand that, Major. If I don't have my morning coffee, I'm good for nothing," the President replied.
"Oh alright," Selmak's voice conceded. "You may pour one cup only." Jacob's facial expression announced his arrival. "This I intend to enjoy. Thank you, fill it to the rim."
"You two argue much," asked the WCS?
"Sometimes," answered Jacob. "No we don't," replied Selmak.
The looks on the other two men's faces were priceless.
"O-kay then, I guess we have covered most points. But what makes you think you can even find O'Neill?" The WCS still stared at Jacob savoring his coffee.
"You leave that to us," answered Jacob. "Teal'c can be persuaded to bring him back with the right assurances."
"Ahem, Dad, about Teal'c," Sam nudged her father under the table.
"I thought we stopped playing footsies when you were ten."
Sam looked like a kid caught with her hand in the cookie jar. She patted her mouth to deflect her embarrassment. The President's eyes crinkled in amusement. This was worth throwing off his schedule today. Oh yes, a foundation fully funded, campaign contributions up the wazoo and a significant transfer of technology from the Tok'ra made this interlude very worth it.
The personal interplay between those…three…was priceless. If the U.S. could withstand that arrangement, raising a fifteen year old Spec Ops commando could be handled too. The information that came forward indicated he had received false reports on O'Neill's situation. But the underlying problem was real. A fifteen year old in possession of information vital to Earth's security was a terrible risk. Anything could happen to him. He could make a terrible error in judgment blowing the whole situation wide open before the time was right. O'Neill was a huge risk anyway he looked at it.
"You understand that Jack and I go all the way back," the President began to back peddle. "But he is compromised. We have to agree on that point."
"We agree," answered Selmak. "So what did you have in mind?"
"Just off the top of my head," answered the WCS. Nothing was off the top of his head. They knew the subject of this meeting. "He has to be contained off-world for a few years, out of reach of the Trust."
"Locking him up is not an option."
"Nothing that heavy handed. We were thinking more along the lines of letting him live on our first colony."
"You will give us the address so we can tell you if it is near Goa'uld controlled space?"
"Of course, we appreciate the help."
"And he will have to continue as a member of the Air Force posted to that assignment. He can't leave without permission."
"I think that's a given." Jacob spoke. "Now about Teal'c, you should know a few things."
"We know we have to work with him. We just don't want him on an SG team anymore. His allegiances flip flop too much."
"He probably feels the same. But you should not be so overt. Let him decide. He is a great leader in his own right. What he was doing for so long on a front line squad never made much sense."
"We agree. He is welcome among us. Please tell him we would like to discuss our future relationship with the Free Jaffa."
"A wise decision."
You don't need to tell them about Teal'c's little operation. O'Neill can tell them or not.
Will you just let me handle this, pal? I know what I'm doing.
I hope so. Now fix Samantha's position.
Keep our shirt on, I'm getting to that.
I'll do it if you prefer.
You will just make them mad. It has to come from her father.
Sigh, just get on with it. The coffee is making me sick.
It is not, you hypochondriac.
Is too. See? Jacob felt nauseous.
I'm going to barf. Shut it down. NOW!
I told you.
There's one more thing, sir." Jacob suppressed a burp. He nodded to Sam to leave the room. She scowled and excused herself to the ladies room. "My daughter has been a great asset, wouldn't you say?"
"Don't worry, General. We know."
"That makes me feel so much better." Jacob grinned. "She's the apple of my eye."
"We completely understand."
"So Teal'c, may I ask you a question," Daniel asked respectfully this time?
"Indeed."
"Why aren't we going by Stargate?"
"The natives do not know I reside off-world. I must appear from ground transportation, with a retinue."
"Okay, why?"
"Because they would take action if I were not thought to be there full time."
"Okay, why?"
"A leader must reside with his people. All they know is that I live in a far off capital and they live in a colony on the frontier. Periodically, I make a state visit. I hear their concerns and let them know what the legislature in the Capital has decided."
"Legislature?"
"Indeed."
"What if they want to travel to this Capital?"
"They are permitted, after I approve the visa."
"And what do you show them?"
"My aides show them Washington."
HUH?
"You're kidding?"
"No."
"What you come by cloaked ship?"
"Indeed."
"And roam around Washington, DC, America, Earth?"
"So I have said."
"Don't they wonder about the space travel?"
"No, they are rendered unconscious with tranquilizers so that they sleep for most of the voyage."
"I see. I don't see. Why the masquerade?"
"These people are more advanced. They are developing a democracy and an industrialized society. I am encouraging them."
"That's good, really. A democracy, so who are you in that democracy if you are the leader?"
"The President."
Daniel gulped and stared. "Of course you are," he murmured softly. "So, Mr. President, where do their representatives go when they go to the Capital?"
"They are a colony not entitled to representation until their population is large enough. I administer them directly until then as a Territory."
"What if they want to go or to move to the Capital?"
"It is discouraged."
"How?"
"It would reduce the number of people in the Territory hindering their move toward becoming a State. And other …inducements."
"Oh." Daniel pushed his glasses up his nose and pouted. "That can't work for everyone."
"It does not."
"What happens?"
"I take them to Washington."
"What?"
Silence.
"You can't be serious?"
"Indeed."
"What happens?"
"They usually ask to go home."
"And if they don't?"
"They stay."
"That could jeopardize the Stargate Program, Teal'c."
"Who would believe a crazy person saying he came in a flying ship or asking for something called a Chappa'ai? They learn not to tell that story. Then I find them employment on a farm or somewhere else they can understand."
"How many?"
"A few."
"How many?"
"We are approaching the planet; take your seat Daniel Jackson."
"Alva, I do know him, er, President Teal'c. I'm not lying."
"Uh huh, just like everything else. I'm disappointed in you, Jack, if that's really your name. I'm doing you a good turn and this is how you repay me, more lies?" She shook her head. "Shame on you," she turned to go.
"Wait, please, Alva, I can prove it. Ask me something, anything?"
"What for?"
"Teal'c is a big guy with a gold tattoo on his forehead shaped like this," I drew the symbol on the glass window pane."
"Everyone knows that, boy."
"Um, ok, I can draw you a picture."
"Everyone has seen his picture at one time or another," she said wearily.
"Um, right, they would, of course they would," I was stumped. "He says 'Indeed' a lot and…and…" how do I describe him? We've fought side by side for six years and I can't tell her one personal thing about him. "He eats a lot," I said lamely. "He likes watching women wrestle in jello and Star Wars. He's a huge fan of that movie. He loves doughnuts. I call him 'Murray,' just to kid him. He beats me when we play ping pong. He will spar with me but I take most of the falls. He's 104 years old. He's a Jaffa but doesn't have the symbiote anymore. He takes medicine instead. He used to be First Prime of Apophis. We killed that damn snakehead sonofabitch together, a couple of times actually. He's rescued me more times than I can count."
Alva looked so disappointed and walked out of the room. I chased after her tripping on the nightshirt, stinking to high heaven in her anti-itch lotion. One eye was swollen shut and I had a rash all over me from the poison ivy. How could I convince her? I was babbling.
She walked outside to finish the week's weeding. I scrambled after her barefoot. She picked up where she had left off to come tend to me. I threw myself down on the ground next to her and promptly had a coughing jag. The ground was a bit cold and I had no shoes on. She moved away. Her lips were pursed tight, not a good sign. My mother did that when she was extremely angry.
"Alva," I grabbed her sleeve. She looked like a rattlesnake had hold of it. I let her go. She kept weeding and moving down the row. "Alva, I know I didn't tell you the truth in the beginning. And you have every right not to believe me now. But for the love of God, get me to Teal'c and…"
"Shut up, boy. I've heard just about enough lies out of you. If you know what is good for you, you'll get out of my sight."
I sat there coughing and wretched. Finally, I picked myself up and walked back to the house. I had to think this through. If these folks knew Teal'c, maybe there was a way to contact him. That night we did not eat together. She left me my soup and closed the door. I lay there looking at the moonlight dance on the curtains. It was sheer misery. I had blown it again.
The whole next day she avoided me. I lay in bed letting my thoughts drift and napped a little. By the end of the day I washed up and felt hungry for the first time in days. I passed a mirror in the hallway, the sight was not pretty, let me tell you. The menfolk were due back that evening. They were sure to toss my ass out. I sat on the stairs feeling dejected.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. I didn't know where Alva was. She was probably in the barn feeding the animals. So I opened the door. A boy stood there holding an envelope.
"Well take it."
"Thanks. Um I don't have any money to tip."
The kid looked at me strangely and walked away, got up on his horse, and trotted away. I turned back to the kitchen when I heard Alva's steps on the back porch. She came in wiping her hands with a question on her face. I silently handed her the unopened note. She nodded wordlessly and opened it. I went to my room. My clothes were laid out on the bed. Yeah, she was throwing me out. Guess she had been somewhere in the house. I put them on. I would in her position. I was well enough to travel even if I wasn't so pretty.
"Jack?"
Now what?