Chapter 25
After dropping Jackie and her bicycle off at campus Jon drove onto the SGC. Jon had opted for the silver version of Jack's truck. He purposely parked it right next to Jack's vehicle in the parking lot.
Jack had climbed out of his truck and looked over at Jon's truck and the many empty spots he could have chosen. He asked, "Why did you park next to me?"
Jon smirked, "Why not?"
Jack rolled his eyes and walked with Jon to the troop truck and climbed onboard the back to catch a ride into the mountain. He sat across from his clone and tried to ignore the stares of the enlisted riding in the truck. Not everyone knew that Jon was Jack's young clone and many assumed they were father and son. And because Jon was given the rank of major rumors where abound on how Colonel O'Neill's son got special treatment. They said nothing to one another and climbed out of the truck. They stepped into the elevator and started the long ride down.
Jon sighed, "Guess what Carter and Fraiser introduced Jackie too last night?"
He sighed in return, "That stupid show! I saw Sam take it with her when she left for girl's night out." He turned to him, "Which was at your house. How did you deal with that?"
"I hid," he admitted.
"Hmm," Jack slowly nodded in agreement for he would hide too. He turned his head and asked, "It's working out with you two?"
He nodded, "Yeah, she's the only other person who knows what this is like. Though, sometimes her age catches up with her."
"How's that?" Jack asked.
"Once in a while she will walk into a room and forget what she came in there for," he mentioned. "Occasionally she forgets what she was about to say."
"I've done that myself," Jack admitted.
"So have I," he sighed. "She mentioned last night at dinner that she was treated more like an adult when she was fifteen than she is treated now."
Jack glanced over at him, "She grew up in the depression."
"I know," he reminded him. "We lived it! I swear if I ever have to eat another squirrel…"
"Those weren't as bad as possum," countered Jack.
"Crow was worse," Jon stated.
Jack nodded, "Crow was awful."
The elevator came to a stop and door slid open. They stepped off and stood in the hall for a moment. Jack waved, "See ya at lunch."
Jon waved back, "See ya then." He started down the hall in the opposite direction.
Jack started a saunter towards his quarters. He shivered as he muttered and recalled, "Crow pie."
Briefing Room
After breakfast Jack, Sam, Daniel and Teal'c were called to the briefing room by General Hammond. Sam and Daniel wore blue BDU's and sat across from one another at the table. Teal'c and Jack sported the green version and they sat in their regular chairs. Hammond took the head of the table.
Hammond looked over his team, "I'm giving Fred SG-2 to lead. I will be assigning a new man to SG-1 to fill Major Carter's old position." He looked at Sam, "You will remain the head of your department and this man will work under you, Major."
She asked, "Who are you assigning?"
"Dr. McKay," he sounded firm.
Jack closed his eyes and if he had entered a bizarre dream. He couldn't believe what he just heard. He looked up at Hammond, "McKay? Why not just keep Fred on SG-1? We were doing good."
"I need someone with a science background for SG-1," he told him. "Colonel Jackson was only training under you, Colonel."
Sam sat amused but no one at the table was very thrilled with the news.
General Hammond continued, "I'm also placing Dr. Frasier on SG-2 under Colonel Jackson's command."
Daniel asked, "Who is going to be our chief medical officer then?"
"Dr. Caroline Lamb," he stated. "She will be taking over as CMO."
Jack asked concerned, "Any other surprises?"
"Since Colonel Jackson will be heading SG-2, General Landry will be taking over Black Forest and the racing teams." he mentioned.
"Anything else?" asked Jack in fear for when the military changed things they aimed high.
"SG-2 will be acting as a backup to SG-1." he stated. "The oversight committee insisted on having a civilian assigned to that team as well, someone who could act in Dr. Jackson's position. They want Dr. Weir in that position."
Jack closed his eyes again for Dr. Weir was nearly handed Hammond's job mere weeks ago.
Hammond then stated, "I will let Fred fill the last position on his team."
Jack rubbed the side of his head, "Sounds like an interesting team." He then looked at Sam, "Remember when we went back to 1969?"
She nodded, "Sure do."
"Remember all that stuff about the timeline?" he motioned with his hand.
"Yup," she nodded again.
"How would we know if we messed that up by going back to 1935?" he wondered.
"We wouldn't," she shrugged. "If we altered future events that we had not lived yet then there would be no way of telling that."
Jack asked, "So this could be totally screwed up and we wouldn't know?"
She winced, "Yeah, we wouldn't know."
Daniel countered, "We can't say that for sure. I mean if we never went back to 1935 and let Jon stay there we know they would have gotten the Gate back eventually. Or maybe we were supposed to go back and help the Gate back. It's hard to tell." He then pondered, "Of course if Jon never went back in the first place the Gate never would have been moved and Jackie never would have been taken and made into a Tok'ra spy for sixty-five years…" He winced. "We could have screwed something up and not know it."
Sam told him, "The only way to find out would be to go to an alternate reality that is identical on the spectrum and see if there are any changes in comparison."
Daniel made a sour face, "Let's not do that!"
"Agreed," stated Teal'c.
Black Forest Air Field
Jackie rode her bike to the site after her classes were done and fully expected to find her father. Instead she found a heavy set General with thick brown hair and bushy eyebrows. He wore dress blues and was looking over the P-35 she had been restoring. She dismounted her bike and propped it up against the wall.
"May I help you?" she asked him as she walked closer.
General Hank Landry turned and smiled upon her, "Ah, Miss Jackson. Or should I say Cadet Jackson. Nice plane you have here."
"You're um…" she winced for she soon realized he was a general.
"General Hank Landry," he greeted her. "I'm taking over from your father as administrator of this program."
She asked concerned, "Where is my dad?"
"He just assigned to lead SG-2," he informed. "You're really eighty-eight years old?"
"I am," she confirmed.
"You looks so young," he gave a sigh in astonishment. "I also understand you flew this bird for Army Intel during the thirties."
"I did," she agreed. "I take it you read my file."
"I did," he admitted. "You know even with all the satellites and all high resolution imaging there are places where we need a recon plane. The air racing makes a good cover to re-instate an old program."
"You want me to do recon," she summed it up.
"You're the perfect candidate. You have the experience, you look young and you have the cover of being a student on a racing team." he smiled. "The Pentagon saw the real value in this program when we read your file and how your father used the air racers to gather intel on the enemy and find the Gate. That was brilliant!"
"So why not leave my father in charge and have him do it again?" she wondered.
"I want you to be the star of the show and work intelligence. If your father is running the program it would like a conflict of interest and we can't have that." he explained.
"So, they moved my father to the SGC and then have you take over the program. Then have me pretend to be a eighteen year old kid and a racing pilot for the Academy and I do your recon and gather your intel while I tour the planet as a racing prodigy." she gathered the plan.
"You're a smart cookie," he smiled at her.
"That Academy has some pretty strict rules. How do you propose I get around that without looking favored?" she asked.
"You look favored," he told her. "That way no one knows what your job really is."
"You realize I could simply challenge the testing and fly right though in no time," she stated. "Then what would my cover be?"
"Prodigy pilot working for the Air Force," he smirked.
She asked, "Do I get paid to do that or is this part of my patriotic duty?"
"Officially it's part of your patriotic duty," he told her. "But I'm sure we can make some sort of arrangement for your service. Is there anything you want?"
She nodded, "A Lockheed Electra set up with the same configuration on Amelia Earhart's plane. I wanna know what happened to her. I want to take the same flight with the same plane and find out where she went down."
Landry agreed, "Done deal."
She held out her hand, "Then you have yourself an operative."
He shook her hand, "I look forward to working with you."
Few Days Later - Black Forest Air Field
It was late afternoon and Jackie had been very busy getting the P-35 restored. She had just gotten it done and was readying for a test flight when the Air Force pilots arrived at the field for introduction to the new program.
Fred, Jack and Sam had also arrived at the field after work to check on the P-35 and see if Jackie needed any help. None were aware of the deal she made with Landry and the department of Military Intelligence. Jackie had gone to wash up and was not readily seen upon their arrival.
The Cadets also emerged on the airfield for a briefing with the Air Force pilots as well. The cadets climbed out of the back of the troop truck and wandered into the main hanger which housed the sole plane.
Cassie spotted Sam in her blue BDU's gazing at the plane and grinned, "Sam!"
She smiled back, "Cassie!" She welcomed her with open arms as the girl gave her a hug.
Jennifer Hailey stood baffled, "You know Major Carter, Cassie?"
She grinned, "She's my god-mother."
Sam greeted the prodigy, "Good to see you again, Jennifer. How are your studies coming?"
"Good Major," she replied a bit shocked for she never thought anyone else knew about the Gate that was in her class.
Major Mitchell asked, "Where's Cadet Jackson? She's supposed to be here."
General Landry approached and stated, "Your cadet is getting washed up, Major."
"General," Mitchell came to attention.
Sam also greeted the officer, "General Landry."
Jack stated, "Sir."
Fred on the other hand wasn't so impressed for the man replaced him. He popped a cigarette in his mouth and asked, "She finished the restoration, General?"
Landry stood before Fred and smiled upon him for he was most impressed with Fred's record. He also understood the era of which Fred came from and could understand the man's feelings about the changes. "She did!" he reported. "I spoke to your daughter earlier. She's very smart woman."
"That she is," he agreed.
Landry then pointed to the sign, "There is no smoking in the hangar due to the fuel residues."
He dropped the cigarette on the ground and snuffed it out with his foot upon taking a last drag. He mentioned as he let his breath out, "Trust me…It ain't gonna catch fire."
Some of the Air Force pilots stood rather shocked how the Colonel talked back to the General. One found it amusing. Major John Sheppard had also come for the program. The tall pilot with the thick black hair stood aside and chuckled to himself.
Major Cameron Mitchell noticed the laid back attitude and introduced himself, "Major Mitchell. I'm the CO if the cadets."
Sheppard shook his hand, "Major John Sheppard. I'm here for the tryouts for the program."
"You'll be flying up against my cadets," he told him.
Sheppard looked the cadets over and then reminded him, "They're cadets. We'll take it easy on them."
Jackie emerged from the office with her flight plans on a clipboard and two cups of coffee. She walked across the bay wearing a green flight suit under an A-leather jacket. She had cut her long hair recently for she didn't like to wear it in a bun under a helmet.
Sam mentioned, "Jackie cut her hair. It looked so good long."
Cassie nodded, "She cut this morning in the mirror with a pair of scissors."
Jennifer winced, "She cut her own hair! How do you cut your own hair and make it look even?"
"She had a method but it was weird," Cassie admitted. "She cut it dry using just her fingers."
Sam was aware of the method for haircuts were expensive in the depression and all the girls learned to cut hair for their families and friends. Jackie had taught her how to do it and by today's standard it did appear strange. She smiled at Jackie, "Haircut turned out good."
She smiled back with a laugh, "It's not even but close enough." She grinned at her father, "Dad?" She then handed the coffee to Landry, "Here Hank! I brought you a cup too."
"Thank you," he graciously took the coffee.
Her father huffed under his breath, "Now she's on first name bases with him. For crying out loud!"
Mitchell asked, "Um, General what plane will the tryouts be in?" He looked about and only saw the restored P-35.
Landry motioned towards the P-35 between sips of coffee, "That one."
Sheppard made a face, "You're not serious?"
"I am," he assured him.
"It's a Seversky!" he huffed. "That thing is a flying coffin. It's older than the hills and will probably break on takeoff."
Fred cocked his head and spoke to his daughter, "Go stretch her legs, kid."
"I haven't done a basic test flight, Dad." she told him.
Fred suggested glaring at Sheppard, "Show spike here how it's done."
Sheppard stood rather amused and mentioned, "My call sign isn't 'spike'."
"If my kid out flies you it is," he told him.
Jackie stated, "I need to tow the plane out and get ready. Can ya all get out of the hangar now?"
"Certainly," Major Sheppard smirked at her. There was simply no way some eighteen year old girl was going to out fly him.
Half Hour Later
The pilots and cadets all gathered near the runway and stood in a line as the P-35 started up. The propeller spun at the nose of the plane causing the telltale rumblings of a radial engine plane. Jackie sat in the pilot's seat in her parachute harness and a white helmet over on her head while sporting aviator sunglasses. The day was perfect for a test flight. The wind was calm, the sky was scattered with large puffy white clouds. Fall was setting in and trees were just beginning to turn colors.
The pilot released the breaks and increased the throttle. The plane soon rolled by as it picked up speed and lifted off near the end of the tarmac. As it climbed higher the landing gear retracted as all eyes watched the old bird take flight once more.
Sam whispered to Jack, "You realize it's been seventy years since she flew that plane."
"She took off like it was just yesterday," he noted. "Guess once you learn how you never forget."
The plane circled about for the test flight maneuvers. She took it through the basic steps and completed her flight plan.
Sheppard noted, "Look at that. It's still flying. I guess Seversky made one good plane."
Sam smiled, "It's the first prototype of the P-35. It's an XP and it has been highly modified."
Fred spoke to Landry, "Have her open it up."
Landry placed the portable radio to his lips and spoke, "Open it up, Fledgling."
"Yes sir," she replied.
The old warbird then went to full throttle and screamed as it climbed in altitude. She reached the service ceiling high above the clouds and started a series of dogfight maneuvers and aerial acrobatics. She put the plane through barrel rolls, spins, cork screws, loops, weaves and other complex maneuvers that seasoned pilots would endure. She executed them with precision and efficiency.
As the plane roared by Fred looked at Sheppard and snorted, "You're up next hot shot!"
Sheppard held up a finger and smirked, "But I thought my name was Spike."
Fred glared at him.
He retreated, "You're kid is a good pilot. How old is she? Eighteen?"
Fred said nothing about her age. "Get geared up, Spike!" he snapped.
Sam noted under her breath, "Spunky one."
Jack whispered in her ear, "His record as a pilot is astounding. He's as good as Jackie. Though, I would like to see Fred kick his ass."
Jackie came in for the perfect landing and rolled down the tarmac to a smooth stop. She was surprised how well she did for she had not sat in a cockpit for seventy years and feared she had lost some of her abilities. But the moment she went airborne it was like a riding a bicycle and everything came back to her. She patted the instrument panel before her, "Did good!" She slid the canopy back, removed her helmet and climbed out of the plane. She walked down the wing and hoped onto the ground.
Cassie grinned as she went to her, "That was awesome." She then gave her friend a hug.
Cadet Kyle Mitchell had to conceded, "I guess you can fly after all."
Jennifer had to agree, "That was pretty cool."
"Thanks," she replied and looked at Major Mitchell. "You can take the plane up for spin too, Major."
"In time," he assured her. He was rather nervous about going back up and stuck mainly to ground school.
"Once you fall of the horse you need to get back on," she reminded him.
"In time," he told her. "In time."