Chapter 29
AN: Thanks for coming back to the story. We are almost at the end. Hope you enjoy the remaining chapters. Although, if you are like me, you may need to read the previous chapter to remember what was going on, oh well, of we go!
Their arrival in Scotland was as underwhelming as their arrival had been in Oxford. They found themselves in a small room inside a large hangar, where they could see a Lear jet.
"SG-1, how wonderful to see you again," Marjorie greeted them as she approached, looking like she wanted to hug them all. "I am so pleased you were successful in Washington."
"Thank you, Ma'am," Jack was brusque but polite, moving back slightly when it looked like the ambassador wanted to hug him. As the ambassador backed away gracefully, Jack continued in a slightly warmer tone, "And thank you for organising this end of the operation."
"No trouble at all. I have thoroughly enjoyed my role in this whole adventure. Come, I have a room set up across the hangar where we can talk and you can tell me about your next move."
Jack winced a little. It wasn't that the ambassador hadn't been helpful, but he really didn't want to run all his plans through her. However, she did seem keen on them making progress so, he assumed, she may be able to grease some wheels, so to speak. He indicated to the team to follow her and they crossed behind the jet to another room, where there were tables and chairs set up, a coffee machine that Daniel immediately gravitated towards, and some snacks that Teal'c took an interest in.
Once they'd all sat down, Marjorie took great delight in starting her briefing. "There have been many discussions over the last few days. Your military chiefs have spoken to mine and I have spoken to the Prime Minister and First Minister of Scotland and the result is that they are all willing to allow you to interview Mr Clayton. He was here, properly vetted as a civilian contractor, and they all want to know how he got through the security procedures and how he got a weapon into the hangar."
"We're interested, too," Jack spoke up. "We're also interested in checking whether there's other technology both here or in Orkney that comes from... well… out there," he said as he pointed upwards lamely and coughed.
"Again, the authorities here are interested in that, too. The stargate programme is still very much a secret here. The Prime Minister and his Defence Secretary know but the First Minister has not been read in yet. The PM would like you to be very discreet about this investigation. To that end, he has given me permission to take you to Orkney in my plane and use the small Air Force base there to avoid landing at the main airport on the Islands."
Jack grimaced again. He'd known this mission would involve politicians but that didn't mean he had to enjoy it. Shrubs always got in the way of a good military operation. "Okay, first, let's interview Andrew Clayton. Then, depending on what he gives us, when he realises that he's been abandoned by his boss, we'll see if we need to visit Orkney."
"But, Jack..." Daniel interrupted, "We're so close! I need to at least verify Marko's research."
"We'll see, Daniel," Jack replied sternly. Did the man still not understand the chain of command? "Carter, take Teal'c and interview Clayton. Any of your spidery senses relating to a Goa'uld come up, zat him and get in touch. Are we clear?"
"Yes, Sir."
"Daniel, you and I will have a look through the hangar that was bombed and see what we can find." He turned back to Marjorie. "Ma'am, if you could lead us to the correct place, I suppose we should check in with the Commander first. It'd be the right thing to do."
"Of course, Colonel. If you would all follow me, we can get you started straight away. I suggest you leave most of your weapons here in my plane. They will come to no harm but will not be permitted on the base."
They left the hangar, and their weapons, much to Jack's annoyance but, as Daniel pointed out, they would never let foreign military into the SGC with their weapons so it's no surprise that they'd be expected to leave theirs.
Once introductions had been completed with the Commander, Sam and Teal'c followed an escort to the prison block, while Jack and Daniel, along with Marjorie and a soldier assigned by the Commander, went to the destroyed hangar.
SGCSGCSGCSGC
Sam and Teal'c stepped into the small room and faced the man who'd tried to kill the Colonel. He was a small, tubby, middle-aged man who looked absolutely terrified, in particular when he spotted Teal'c behind Sam. Sam and Teal'c looked at each other and communicated without words. This could be easier than they'd thought.
"Mr Clayton," Sam addressed the man as she moved slightly closer to him. "We're interviewing you about your involvement in the explosion here last week."
Sam sat down and then looked at Teal'c, who'd taken up position at the door alongside the sergeant who was accompanying them. She shook her head at him and he acknowledged her signal. This man, if he'd had a Goa'uld previously, certainly didn't have one now.
Sam turned back to the man. "Mr Clayton, you're under arrest by the Royal Air Force and are being held on charges related to national security, both in this country and the United States. As such, you're under military rule and not entitled to a civilian lawyer. Do you understand what I've just explained to you?" Getting no response from the terrified man, Sam leaned forward and repeated the question, this time more forcefully. "Mr Clayton, do you understand what I've just explained to you?" At the man's slight nod, Sam sat back and continued.
"Your name has been linked to this attack by an informer who has definitive evidence that you were sent here to not only destroy the hangar but to use that explosion to kill a member of the US Air Force. Your boss has abandoned you and is not likely to return to save you, given that she left you here more than 12 hours ago." Sam paused and watched as the man got paler. Clearly, he hadn't been aware of that part. "Do you wish to say anything that may help you avoid the harsh punishment that comes with treason against your country?" Sam figured she might as well let him have it. He looked like he was about to crack.
Clayton squirmed in his seat. He quickly glanced at Teal'c before looking back at Sam. "How... how do I know you're telling the truth?"
Sam smiled and spoke to the Sergeant "Does the TV work?"
"Yes, Ma'am." The Sergeant walked over to the corner of the room and reached for the remote.
"What news channels do you have here in the UK?"
"Sky or the BBC, Ma'am."
"Turn on whichever one is reporting what's been going on in the last couple of days in D.C."
The airman turned on the TV and then turned to the appropriate channel. Sam allowed Clayton to read the news and listen to the reporter telling the world about the late-night military incursion into the White House. Obviously, they didn't have the real story, and there was far too much speculation for Sam's liking, but it got the point over.
"As you can see, Mr Clayton, the situation in the White House is under control. Mr Martin, who we know was in touch with you, has been freed from his Goa'uld prison, and Sarah Gardiner has left."
"But they promised me money and a position of influence in the future if I found the artefact and set the explosion," Clayton spluttered.
Sam shrugged, not allowing any emotion to show on her face, but internally relieved that it had only been common greed that had pushed the man to do as he had and not knowledge of their enemy. "What artefact did you find?"
"I didn't." Clayton sighed. "She wasn't happy with that, I can tell you. I searched through everything that had been transported here from Orkney but what she described wasn't here."
"What did it look like?"
"She said it would be a cylinder, quite small, maybe the size of a larger fizzy juice bottle. It would be brightly coloured, lit up if it was working, dull if not, but I couldn't find anything like that."
"Okay, so you didn't find it, but that doesn't explain why you had to destroy the hangar. Was that with the sole purpose of killing the Colonel?"
"Look, I don't know anything about killing a colonel," Clayton said defensively. "I was just told to set the explosion to go off in the middle of the night. I even tried to make sure that all the personnel were out of there."
"Okay, so, if the artefact wasn't there and you weren't trying to kill anybody, why did they want you to do it?"
"I was told there was something dangerous among the things that were brought from Orkney, that I was saving my country by getting rid of it!" Clayton said defiantly.
"I suspect that to be a lie, Major Carter," Teal'c spoke for the first time.
"No, that's what she told me!" Clayton cried out.
"He doesn't mean you're lying. He means that she was," Sam explained, considering Teal'c's statement. She turned to her team mate. "You mean that if there was something dangerous, she'd be more likely to either want it or leave it than to destroy it?" Teal'c nodded in agreement.
Sam continued to look at Teal'c for a moment, thinking, then turned back to their prisoner. "You clearly had contact with Sarah Gardiner and the White House. Was anyone else involved in the operation here?"
Clayton squirmed even more.
"Let me remind you that the more you do to help yourself, the better your future will be."
Clayton thought for a moment then sighed and sank back in his chair, seeming to give up. "I was told that some people had been sent to get your colonel but I had no contact with them."
Sam jumped on this. "So, you did know about the Colonel?"
"Well, only that he was to be escorted here. But I didn't know he was supposed to be in the hangar when it exploded."
Teal'c moved forward, towards the table. "If we find you have concealed anything during this conversation, I will be most displeased."
Clayton gulped as he looked up at the man towering over him. "No, no, I admit to setting the explosive and speaking to the woman and the man in Washington, and that they told me what to do, but I didn't know anything else. I swear!"
Sam nodded and stood up to leave. She looked at Teal'c and then they both turned and left the room, leaving Clayton sweating. The sergeant followed them out and, as he turned to close the door, Sam turned to Teal'c and said quietly, "Well, that explains why Osiris left him. He knew nothing and could tell us nothing about her operation and could take all the blame. A perfect patsy for her, as the Colonel would say."
"Indeed."
"Oh well, he isn't our problem anymore." Sam turned to the Sergeant. "Sergeant, can you ensure he's secured? Your commander can take the prosecution from here."
"Yes, Ma'am. The airman radioed for further back up to secure the room.
Once they arrived, Sam took a final look at the man who had nearly killed the Colonel and mentally shook herself. He'd survived and she needed to remember that. Turning to Teal'c, she spoke firmly.
"Right, let's go find Daniel and the Colonel, see if they've found anything. Sergeant, can you take us to the rest of our team?"
"Yes, Ma'am, it's this way, across the base."
SGCSGCSGCSGC
Author's Note: Thank you so much for sticking with me on this, you will be pleased to hear that as of today the story is done. My beta reader has made the final changes and it should all be with you this week. Enjoy.
