"I don't think this is right." Jack O'Neill announces. He's standing in the doorway of Carter's lab. Dressed in his rumpled and beloved BDU's, now with more than 1 star on the collar, he grins at her.

"What's not right, Sir?"

He pulls something off her bookshelf. He flips open a book and points. "This. I'm nearly sure this is incorrect."

Sam takes a look at the page. What Jack has started calling the Queen dissertation is on her desk. "Oh?"

She turns the book so she can read the equation. She shakes her head, "Sorry, sir. This is right. All the components add up."

Jack sighs. "Yes, as far as it goes."

Sam quirks an eyebrow at him. "Really." She's unfazed by his understanding the math and physics. She's just surprised he made a trip out here to announce it to her.

He quirks an eyebrow back at her. Apparently, he's been practicing in the mirror. Sam bites her lip to suppress the smile.

"You forget, Carter, I had up close and personal views of the dust clouds in question."

Sam shakes her head, "No Jack. I don't." She says quietly.

They stare at each other for a moment. Jack clears his throat. "Yes, well I'm just saying that from the data gathered on the X-301 and other deep space missions, this isn't correct." He stabs his finger into the page.

"Would you like to explain to Dr. Brian May exactly how you know his equations are wrong?" Sam asks. "And they aren't wrong. You have to take into account the distance." Sam points out. "You were IN the dust clouds. They would behave differently surrounding a ship rather than being observed from Earth."

Sam's rational and reasonable explanation slumps Jack's shoulders. "Of course, you'd say that."

She crosses the room and hugs him. "You're adorable when you get all science-y." She whispers in his ear.

He chuckles. "So are you." He hugs her back.

Sam steps back. "Let me get back to work." He kisses her once, "See ya tonight." When he comes to town, they have a standing date.

"His equations are still wrong, Carter." Jack calls out as he leaves the lab.

Sam shakes her head. The General isn't wrong. But neither is Brian May.

"Ah math." She smiles.

The science departments buzz with the gossip that General O'Neill is back on base. A few people drop by the lab to ask why.

Over a beer and a steak Sam asks the question. "Have you been figuring out the dust cloud math ever since I read the dissertation?"

His ears flush. "Not all the time."

Sam points at him. "You came to town just to tell me about the math!"

Jack is stung. "No! I came to see you and drop off paperwork." His shoulders slump. "And to talk about the math."

She giggles.

"I love it when you giggle." He tells her.

"I know."

Several Years Later-

Sam tugs at her uniform jacket before going on the dais. She checked the computer and screen earlier and hopes everything goes right for her presentation. Her heart races and she breathes deep to calm down.

It's funny, after all the years of briefings, battles, and memorials it's presenting at a conference of her scientific peers makes her nervous. She takes one last deep breath and starts to talk.

Forty five minutes later she closes out the notes and smiles at the crowd. Several have questions. One of them makes her smile, as it was a similar query all those years ago by a then cadet in the Air Force Academy. Glad to know the cadet in question was ahead of the times.

The moderator ends the question session when one physicist gets a little aggressive in his questioning. Sam winces when she sees the man position himself at the door.

"Dr. Carter," an English voice sounds to her right. She turns and sees a tall man with long grey curls. The face seems familiar.

She smiles and hold out a hand to shake.

"Fascinating talk, Doctor," he compliments her. "A bit over my head." He grins.

"Thank you. I don't believe we've met?"

His smile grows wider at her words. His eyes dance in a way that remind her of Jack when he's being mischievous. "Dr. Brian May."

Sam laughs. "No, we hadn't met. I enjoyed reading your dissertation however. So did my husband."

May's eyes widen a little at her words. "Is he in the field?"

Sam shakes her head. "Just an enthused amateur. In fact he believes your equation for dust cloud movement isn't quite accurate."

"I think you have to refresh my memory on that." He notices her wince as the aggressive questioner comes down the aisle, tired of waiting. "Let me buy you a coffee and you can tell me about it."

May muscles past the newcomer and escorts Sam out of the room. Settled in the lounge she thanks him for the coffee.

"I appreciate the save back there." Sam says.

He nods. "Old instincts." He laughs. "You never lose the radar for the fanatics. So, tell me about dust cloud velocities."

Sam laughs again. "It's an ongoing argument. Your equations are perfect. Jack just thinks there should be a time differential in the equation compensating for where the cloud is in comparison to Earth."

May thinks about it. He then nods. "Interesting. Difficult to do because we would need to encompass the entire dust cloud."

"And its mass." Sam chimes in. She sips her coffee. "It's a running joke for us at this point."

"Glad someone enjoys the dissertation." He says wryly.

When Carter checks out of the hotel the desk clerk hands over a message for her.

"Thanks for the coffee and the idea. To your husband as well. Dr. Brian May."

Sam pulls out a Queen photograph from Live Aid, signed by the four band members, and now addressed to Sam and Jack.

A/N Because I just couldn't leave it alone. Or rather Jack couldn't.