Chapter 28

Jack and his team arrived on Langara eager to see Jonas again. Penny Parker continued to take notes upon experiencing her first trip through the wormhole which irritated Jack to no end.

Parker placed the recorder to her cherry red lips and made a note, "Going through the wormhole is harsh and can send a chill through you. It's not like what I thought it would be. It's not as simple as walking through a door. It's more like…" she reached for the word, "being slammed through a wall."

Jack paused and looked at her. He was actually impressed with her assessment of Gate travel.

Penny caught the look and assumed she upset him again. She asked, "Is there something you would like me to add to my notes, sir?"

He admitted, "Nope! 'Slammed through a wall'…I like that."

"Thank you sir," she replied unsure if he was true to her or just entertaining her.

Daniel asked her, "First time through, huh?"

She nodded, "My first off world assignment. You guys all seem to be handling Gate travel well."

Daniel told her, "You just get used to it." He then continued ahead of her.

Charlie walked beside her as they made their way to the nearby city. He smiled, "I think you impressed Dad with how you described it. He doesn't trust reporters."

"I see that," she agreed. "Thank you standing up for me back there. Getting an off world assignment is rare and getting approved is difficult."

Charlie assumed, "Must be a huge waiting list of reporters wanting to go off world?"

She shook her head and laughed, "Nope! Most have no intension of going off world. No one really trusts that Gate travel is safe. Few of us are willing to go off world and Hammond has strict rules. He won't embed anyone with a team due to risks. The fact he's semi-embedding me with your father and the former SG-1 is a pretty big deal. Normally, we just get the press releases and an occasional interview."

Charlie cocked his head, "But I saw a report on TV about SG-5 last night and they were off world."

"Mock footage," she told him with a grimace. "Since we can only interview and get press releases some stations were using mocked up sets to…recreate…what it would be like to be off world. It's fake footage."

Charlie gasped, "Why?"

"Ratings," she replied. "If it looks like off world footage the viewers watch it. The press releases get boring. Hammond said I can only take still shots with my camera and he has to approve anything to be published."

"Let me get this straight," Charlie began. "The television stations are faking off world footage for ratings and placing it in a story to make it appear like they have total access?"

She nodded, "Yup!"

"Just for ratings?" he clarified.

"The ratings dictate how much they can charge for advertising. Just fake some off world footage, plant that into a very basic and frankly lame story and poof…people watch." she told him. "You would be amazed what they can do with a green screen and a computer. They can make it look like a TV crew came under alien fire off world and no one would know they never left the studio." She looked up ahead, "I got to take a picture of the city!" She stopped and removed her camera from her bag. She took the shot of Jack and his team walking ahead of her with their backs turned. She called out, "General!"

Jack came to a halt and looked back, "What is it Parker?"

She asked naively, "Can I get a shot of you and the team standing before the city off in the distance?"

Jack barked, "No! This is not a picnic, Parker. You take your shots but keep that camera out of my face." He then turned and continued his march.

She stood soured, "You could cooperate a little more, General."

Charlie assured her, "Dad likes you."

She gave a doubtful look, "How so?"

"He said you can take you shots. If he didn't like you he would have just taken your camera and told you to make stick figure sketches." he informed.

"That so assuring." she miffed.

Meanwhile

Retired General Hammond sat in his office with Janet Frasier sitting across from him as they went over the medical briefing for the teams. He informed, "The new C.M.O. is Dr. Carolyn Lam. She's President Landry's daughter."

"As long as she is a good doctor I don't care who her father is," she told him.

"She an excellent doctor but with her father being the president she looks favored." he told her. "I need you to help ensure the press doesn't try to make a scandal out of nothing."

"I'll keep them at bay. Emit asked me to lunch." she told him. "Charlie is keeping Lt. Parker busy."

"Understand," he agreed. He then gave a smirk and placed another file before her.

She looked at the title and asked, "Casting?"

"The producers would like our input on actors to be cast in the movies and series. You have any suggestions?" he laughed amused.

Janet gave a wicked grin, "You know that actor who played in that TV show, MacGyver?"

"I already suggested they cast him to play Jack." he told her.

"That would be hilarious since they look so much alike." she chuckled. "They should get James Spader to play Daniel. He was so good in all those movies."

"Who do you suggest they should get to play me?" he wondered.

She assured, "I'm sure they will find a great actor to play you. Sam would be harder to cast. They would have to get someone who can research some of what she does so you don't get that…" she reached for a term, "Bambi affect."

"It will be interesting seeing what they come up with." Hammond admitted. "I heard disclosure didn't happen the first time."

Janet confessed, "I wonder how much they deviated from the original time?"

"Dr. McKay and Colonel Sheppard reported we were far behind."

Klaxons suddenly sounded. Hammond and Fraiser went to the Control Room over the Gate to see what the matter was. Hammond hollered, "What is airman?"

Walter replied, "Langara sir. I'm getting SG-1's signal."

"SG-1 isn't on Langara. General O'Neill is escorting trainees and a reporter with the old SG-1 and Teal'c. Where are Sheppard and McKay?" he asked.

"In house sir," Walter reported. "Our SG-1 is not off world. I'm getting a radio signal sir."

"Put it through," Hammond stated.

Over the radio a voice came, "This is Jonas Quinn. Langara has fallen to the Ori. I have a handful of survivors. General Landry, we are coming in hot!" the voice proclaimed.

Janet looked at George confused. "Langara isn't under attack."

Hammond told Walter, "Lower the iris. I was warned of the Ori by Colonel Sheppard." As he spoke John Sheppard and Rodney McKay had entered the room upon responding to the klaxons.

Sheppard shouted, "Who is knocking?"

"Jonas Quinn," he replied. "He said Langara has fallen to the Ori and have refugees."

"We avoided the Ori," he insisted. John looked out the window as a handful of women and children emerged from the event horizon along with Jonas Quinn who seemed worse for wear. His dirty blond hair was cut short and he sported what appeared to be a military uniform that was tattered. The wormhole dissipated behind them.

Jonas Quinn's hazel eyes landed on General Hammond as George emerged from the stairs and into the room. He was most surprised to see him, "Sir!"

Hammond never met Jonas before, "You're Jonas Quinn?"

Jonas cocked his head, "Yes! General Hammond, I thought you were transferred to the Pentagon. Sam told me you were…" His eyes then landed on Janet Fraiser as she walked into the room carrying a first aid kit she grabbed to tend to the wounded. He gasped, "Dr. Frasier!"

Janet stood before him, "Are you okay? I need to tend to any injured."

"You died!" he gasped.

"You met me before?" she asked concerned.

"I know both of you. Where is SG-1?" he asked.

Sheppard spoke up, "I'm SG-1!"

Jonas looked on a bit baffled, "Where is Sam Carter?"

Hammond told him, "She just went to Langara to see you."

Jonas blinked confused, "There is nothing left on Langara. The Ori destroyed it."

John told him, "We avoided finding the Ori here."

"What?" he asked baffled. "Dr. Jackson and Vala mal Duran led them to our galaxy."

Hammond stated, "I'll have you and the refugees taken to the infirmary and cleared. Soon as General O'Neill returns with Colonel Carter from Langara we will sort this out."

Rodney suggested, "I should run some test on the Gate. Sometimes it can do odd things…Like cross realities."

"Do it," Hammond ordered.