Za'tarc

Rose Stetson

Summary: When the delegation charged with screening the SGC for za'tarcs comes back to the Tok'ra base, Jacob Carter's thoughts zero in on his daughter and her wellbeing. And when someone drops a hint of something Sam might have said in her interview, his instincts go on alert. Missing scenes from season 4 episodes "Divide and Conquer" and "Tangent."

The activity in the Tok'ra base was unusual as High Councilor Persus arrived from signing the treaty with Earth. In an instant, the leader locked eyes with Jacob Carter. "Selmak. Convene the Council. We have a matter of grave importance to discuss."

Jacob's feet were rooted to the floor as a feeling of dread washed over him. He didn't have to be as smart as his daughter to know that something has gone cataclysmically wrong during the treaty signing. Which meant that there was no guarantee that the next time he went to Earth he wouldn't be burying his daughter.

Blessedly, Selmak took over. Grabbed one of the nearest Tok'ra by the shoulder. "Convene the Council. By order of High Councilor Persus."

As the younger Tok'ra raced to follow the order, the rings activated again, and both Selmak and Jacob turned their attention to them. A body. A stretcher. Only as the rings returned to their platform did they see who was on the stretcher.

Martouf.

Anise and Freya walked off the platform as the stretcher was swiftly carried to the underground lab. Anise answered the unspoken question. "He was a za'tarc."

Jacob's heart squeezed even as shock that was not entirely his own rippled through him.

Before either he or Selmak could respond, however, Anise spoke again. "We hope that by acting quickly, we may yet save the symbiote."

Anise turned to follow the stretcher to the labs as Selmak nudged Jacob toward the council chambers. We will learn more by attending the council meeting than even by traveling to Earth.

The words were wise, and Jacob followed his symbiote's suggestion.

let his feet begin their heavyhearted pilgrimage. The tension was thick as the council members walked into the room one-by-one, stoic and silent. Though not actually on the Council, Martouf had been one of the likeliest candidates to join if and when another position became available. That truth apparently weighed heavily on the council today.

High Councillor Persus entered, immediately flanked by Anise.

Selmak spoke first. "Were you able to sign the treaty, High Councillor?"

Persus turned to Selmak and nodded. "Indeed. For that we are most grateful."

Then, he turned to the rest of the council. "But that victory did not come without significant cost."

He turned to Anise and nodded.

Anise's expression was uncharacteristically somber. "As you are no doubt aware, Martouf and I departed for Earth several days ago. Our mission was to determine if it was safe to proceed with the treaty signing."

Jacob's mind wandered somewhat as Anise discussed a young lieutenant who had become self-destructive when the false memory had been probed. It was sad that Lieutenant Astor had joined her commanding officer as a casualty, but he couldn't help his mounting concerns. If Martouf had been a za'tarc, then it was highly likely that Sam had been in his proximity. If she hadn't been injured by his attack, she may have been the first line of defense. Either way, his heart ached for his daughter.

Thanks to Selmak, he knew something of how she must have been feeling. Selmak had buried several loves in his thousands of years. Pain Jacob had merely tasted when his own wife had died.

"It seemed likely for some time that Colonel O'Neill and Major Carter, also had been programmed as za'tarcs."

Jacob's head snapped up at his daughter's name. "What do you mean, likely?"

Anise's expression was difficult to read. "When Colonel O'Neill volunteered to undergo the procedure to terminate his za'tarc programming, it became clear that both Major Carter and Colonel O'Neill had omitted certain facts from their questioning."

Jacob frowned. Under normal circumstances, it made sense that the two military officers would have something to hide. "They were on a mission for the Tok'ra High Council at the time. If I understood Sam correctly, they were going against George Hammond's explicit orders to carry it out. What could they possibly have tried to hide from us?"

Freya took over. "Their omissions were more personal in nature. Feelings at being separated by a goa'uld force shield which they felt would reflect badly upon their military service."

The words seemed strange to Jacob as they turned over in his mind. Their omissions were more personal in nature. Feelings at being separated... which they felt would reflect badly upon their...

Jacob's heart dropped to his stomach as everything clicked in his mind. He couldn't have understood correctly. There had to have been some kind of mistake. There was no way that after growing up in a military household that Sam could have allowed herself to fall in love with her commanding officer.

The idea that one day, Jack O'Neill who was no more than fifteen years his junior, might one day be his son-in-law turned his stomach. Not to mention what would happen if those feelings turned into something more than that, even if one or the other resigned their commission. If someone even hinted that perhaps an affair had begun while they were in the same chain of command...

Every dream, everything Sam had ever worked for could be threatened by this one unfortunate twist of fate.

Selmak gave Jacob time to process this revelation, taking over their position on the council as Anise and Freya began discussing their plans for using Martouf's body for scientific study.

"Thanks to Major Carter's swift actions, and Martouf's dying request, we believe we have the tools to end the threat of za'tarcs once and for all."

Another pang of worry for his daughter. Taking Martouf's life, however necessary, must have been especially painful on the heels of the admissions the za'tarc testing had apparently demanded of Sam and Jack.

Unfortunately, there would be no way for him to ask his daughter about how she was doing with everything that had apparently happened in the last few days without admitting that he knew what was likely her most closely held secret.

A secret she would likely have rather died than reveal to him, afraid that Jacob would be disappointed in her if he ever found out.

Sad that his relationship with his daughter had deteriorated to this degree.

Focus.

Selmak's gentle rebuke stole Jacob's attention. The Tok'ra had a point. Whatever it was that Sam was dealing with was less urgent than the current concerns facing the Tok'ra. Namely that there were more hidden assassins among them.

No, Jacob would have to wait to worry about Sam until the next time he got to see her.

Jacob.

Jacob stopped what he was doing and turned his attention to his symbiote. Selmak?

Over at the stargate.

Jacob squinted as he looked through the viewscreen of his cloaked scout ship. Two individuals dressed in black military fatigues quickly made their way to higher ground. The moonlight reflected off a pair of glasses and Jacob thought he caught a flash of blonde hair. Is that who I think it is?

If you believe that it may be Major Carter and Dr. Jackson, I believe you may be correct.

For the second time in just over a month, Jacob's heart skipped a beat. If they'd come even just five minutes later...

He scanned the area, grateful to find that they were close enough to a ring transporter for him to bring them aboard. Of course, in doing so, he'd give away his position...

The anger that had often reared its head whenever Sam had done something dangerous as a teenager came back with a vengeance. Later, he'd undoubtedly soften and express how grateful he was that she was safe, but for now, he wasn't going to apologize for his anger. Not when his daughter had endangered all three of them.

He could see from the look in her eyes as she caught sight of him that she knew what kind of a lecture she was in for. The split second when his daughter, who was in her mid-thirties, looked almost seventeen again.

"Colonel O'Neill and Teal'c need your help." Sam's voice hitched on the word Colonel.

Jacob looked from Sam to Daniel, who discreetly nodded behind her. "What happened?"

The members of SG-1 explained the situation. How Jack and Teal'c had gotten themselves stranded in space. How Jacob's ship was the best hope for a rescue.

He took another look at Sam. At how her expression mirrored Daniel's. Not unprofessional but certainly concerned.

There were no red flags about how she felt about the colonel. At least, not until one thought about the curious way her voice had broken when she'd talked about Jack being stranded. Not Teal'c.

It was thin, but it was evidence that Anise hadn't misunderstood when she'd made her report.

Jacob just nodded, his attention back to the matter at hand. "Good enough."

Then, when he suspected that Sam was wondering why this had been so easy, he spoke again with that edge of command in his voice that he'd used whenever Sam or Mark had disobeyed as children. "Let's go."

They managed a civil tone for most of the true, but Jacob's nerves were reaching their breaking point with everything on his mind. Almost losing Sam to his own surprise attack. The toll it took not to confront Sam about whatever it was that Anise had heard, hoping there was a more innocent explanation for what Anise believed. The fear that if they were too late to save Jack and Teal'c, Sam would be subjected to even a fraction of the devastation he'd felt when his wife died.

He confessed that he didn't want to break down in this part of town before the irritation broke through despite all his attempts to restrain himself.

"And, what were you thinking, anyway? Retrofitting a death glider? You should have known better. The technology you're screwing around with is way over your head!"

His daughter blinked at him. "That is the most arrogant…! I can't believe that that just came out of your mouth!"

He breathed a slight sigh of relief that he hadn't attached her judgment of romantic ideals. This was much safer. "Well, it's the truth."

"You of all people should know—"

Jacob interrupted his daughter. "I am uniquely qualified to know just how technologically infantile the human race is."

"Infantile?" She sounded insulted, the way she had been as a young girl whenever she'd been excluded from something or her ideas had been discounted because of her age. Given her precocious genius, it had been a situation which had arisen often over the years, and it still got under her skin.

Jacob held his course, however. "Yes, in comparison with the Goa'uld and Tok'ra, you're very young."

For the first time in years, his daughter was at a loss for words. "You…you are so…"

His voice raised as he tried to stabilize the ship. "There's nothing wrong with being young, but you've got to learn to take small steps. You can't just slap a US Air Force sticker on the side of a death glider and call it yours. Advancement like that has to be earned."

Daniel's voice was almost timid as he entered the fray. "Umm, aren't the Goa'uld, and the Tok'ra, for that matter, uh…where they are by stealing the technology from other races?"

Sam's face was triumphant. "Yes!"

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Yes, but the Tok'ra were flying around in ships like these when most of the people on earth thought it was flat."

Something exploded in the back of the ship, likely in the control room.

The fight forgotten, Sam looked up. "What's that?"

Jacob's heart sank. "What I was afraid of. We've overtaxed the drives."

They approached the death glider, each holding their breath. "Digger One, this is Carter. Do you read?"

Jacob hesitated to look at his daughter. "Are we too late?"

Sam's voice was serious. "I think they're unconscious."

"Well, we have to wake them up somehow," Daniel added, his tone urgent.

Sam pressed the radio again. "Dammit, Colonel! We haven't come all this way to take you home in a box, now wake up!"

Jacob shifted, uncomfortably. She was walking the line of professionalism, and he was starting to get the sinking feeling that what Anise had alluded to was accurate. Sam had unprofessional feelings toward her commanding officer.

That was just going to make it worse when—or if—this whole rescue mission turned out badly.

Give me something, Selmak.

The Tok'ra, who often gave him space to deal with his daughter in peace, stirred. If you were to tap the death glider with the scout ship, you may be able to wake them.

Jacob didn't waste time thanking his symbiote. He'd save that for later. "Let me give them a nudge."

Sam pressed the button on the radio after Jacob had inched close enough to the death glider to almost kiss its wing. "Colonel O'Neill?"

It seemed to have done the trick because for the first time since they'd gotten there, there was movement in the smaller vessel. "Carter?"

There was a long moment as O'Neill seemed to blink the scout ship into focus. "Carter?"

He could hear his daughter's grin as she responded. "Yes, sir!"

The Colonel gave a little wave though he seemed a little disoriented. "Hi!"

She almost laughed. "Hi, sir. We're going to find a way to get you back home safe and warm. What's your reserve oxygen status?"

Jacob concentrated on keeping the scout ship steady as O'Neill responded. "Uh…I don't…what?"

Jacob looked at his daughter as she repeated the question. "What's your reserve oxygen status?"

Jack looked toward them again. "Carter, is that you?"

Sam's voice was patient as she tried to assess the situation. "Sir, we're over here ready to bring you home. But you're going to have to trust me."

She turned back to the rest of the party inside the scout ship. "They're suffering from anoxia, oxygen deprivation." She returned her attention to the death glider. "Do you trust me, sir?"

That drugged up, somewhat optimistic voice. "Sure!"

Sam smiled again. "Good. Is Teal'c conscious?"

Sam walked Teal'c through her plan for getting them into the scout ship. As she did so, Jacob couldn't help but notice Jack's fixation on Sam in what might have otherwise been his last few moments. Perhaps it was because she was the one at the helm, but perhaps it had been something else...

As the Jaffa voiced his concerns about the plan, Jacob spoke up. "Teal'c, the only way we can bring you aboard is with the ring transporter. That means you have to be clear of the glider. You got it?"

"I understand."

Jacob nodded as he prepared his own part of the plan. "Good. I need you at least 5 meters from the scout ship, close together. Stand by until I get into position."

Jack's attention diverted. "Jacob, is that you?"

Jacob tried not to let the colonel's question divert him from the plan. "Yes, it is, Jack. Now do what we tell you."

Jack seemed perplexed by something he'd just noticed. "Do you know your ship's bigger than ours?"

Sam took over again. "Colonel, we need you to concentrate."

What little of Jack was lucid seemed to take over as they prepared to execute their plan. Daniel rushed to assist the team members as Sam hurried to report to Stargate Command. Then, she was back. "Welcome aboard!"

Jack blinked up at Jacob with a wide grin. "Hey…Jacob…Thanks for stopping by."

Despite the gravity of Jacob's fears when it came to the Air Force colonel, Jacob had to admit that Sam had brought home worse boyfriends before. "What the hell? I was in the neighborhood! Ya need a lift home?"

Jack seemed almost humbled as he looked up. "Yes, sir. Thank you."

Jacob patted the man's leg before he nodded.

There was something different in the way Jack, even oxygen-deprived, addressed Sam in the next few minutes as they made their way back to Earth. Something more than mere camaraderie. That coupled with the way she'd only really started breathing again when they found him still alive, and a smile lifted the corners of her lips involuntarily when she'd heard his voice again...

Jacob closed his eyes in resignation. Damn. Anise's supposition wasn't just a cultural misunderstanding, was it?

Once she'd seen to their rescued team members' medical needs, Sam approached her father at the helm of the ship. "Hey, Dad, I didn't get a chance to thank you for this."

Jacob studied his daughter, waiting for some nonverbal confirmation of her feelings. "I'm just glad it worked. I know how much they mean to you."

Sam ducked her head the way she had as a little girl when she would get caught by her parents doing something she wasn't supposed to be doing. "I think the important thing here is that we gained some valuable intelligence, and we didn't have to lose two SG team members to do it."

Jacob heaved a sigh. "Sam—"

She met his gaze with a shake of her head. "Dad, don't. You've made it clear how you feel about our quest for alien technology. I'd rather not sit through that lecture again."

Jacob frowned. That uncomfortable feeling that he'd failed as a parent if all his daughter associated with him was a fear of breaking the rules. "Actually, I was going to say I'm sorry."

She quirked her head to the side. "For what?"

He gave her a look that he hoped reminded her that he knew her better than she wanted to admit. "I heard about Martouf."

Sam tensed. "Oh. Right."

"Couldn't have been easy. I hear you were the one who took the last shot."

She looked at her hands. "Yeah, well, he asked me to."

She crossed her arms across her chest and surreptitiously looked at the cargo hold.

Jacob followed her gaze and noticed the Colonel's sleeping form. A few weeks ago, he might have thought her look that far back was more out of gratitude that this story hadn't ended the same way. Today, however, he suspected it was that Martouf's death would always be connected to whatever Jack and Sam had admitted during za'tarc testing.

Sam sighed as she looked back at Jacob. "No offense, Dad, but I'd rather not talk about that right now."

Jacob studied his daughter's face for a long moment. "You know you can talk to me about anything, right? Just because I'm on the Tok'ra High Council... Just because you're all grown up doesn't mean..."

"I know, Dad." The response was quick, even cut him off.

Jacob turned his attention back to navigating them back to Earth.

Then, she softened somewhat. "I'm fine, Dad. Really."

He offered her a strengthening smile that he hoped hid his skepticism. "And that's all that matters in the end, kid."

There was another stretch of silence before Jacob forced himself to sound more upbeat than he really felt. "Maybe when we get back, I can get a few days off from the Tok'ra High Council, and we can see Mark and the kids."

Sam's expression gave way to a brighter smile as she nodded. "Sounds good. I'm sure that SG-1 will be off the mission list for a few days while Colonel O'Neill recovers. So, I bet I can make an argument for getting a little time off, myself. You know, after we make sure the Colonel and Teal'c are both going to be okay."

She stood. "And speaking of which, I should really go check on them again."

Jacob watched his daughter go before he turned his attention back to steering the ship. There's no way that's going to end in anything other than heartache.

Selmak roused himself at the thought. Perhaps, but I suspect she already knows that.

Jacob sighed. You're right as always.

If there is one thing I have learned over two thousand years, it is to wait and see what happens. Sometimes, it is the impossible that makes life worth living.

Jacob thought of his wife. In some ways, Sam had looked more like her today than ever before, and Jacob wondered if it was the look that had appeared in her eye when she had greeted her commanding officer which had contributed to the transformation.

If that was true...

Any chance you can erase my memory of what Anise said?

Selmak chuckled. Would that I could.

Jacob steeled himself against the discomfort which would inevitably come as Jacob worked with his daughter and her team. Especially given what he'd recently discovered. Okay, fine. We're just gonna see what happens. Maybe she'll find someone new...

Selmak's ancient wisdom reflected in his response. Exactly. There is nothing wrong with being young, after all.

For the first time in weeks, Jacob felt a weight melt off his shoulders. This was nothing more than when she'd dated that kid with the motorcycle in high school. The edgy, dangerous guy that made Jacob's blood boil whenever he looked at him.

There was a laugh from the back compartment, and Jacob turned to see Sam's grin as Jack told a joke. The way happiness just radiated from her face almost stripped away the years and reminded him of being young and in love.

Damn...

Maybe it wasn't like the kid with the motorcycle, after all. Maybe this was the real thing.