801 New Order

Reluctantly back in Colorado Springs from the Ancient Antarctic base Major Sam Carter was given a few days leave. Dr. Weir, the new commander of the SGC, actually insisted Sam take a few days off. Weir had enough to contend with without the Major insisting they needed to do something for Colonel O'Neill. Dr. Weir was well aware O'Neill had been essential to their victory. However the battle over Antarctica with aliens proved to be an international crisis and an intergalactic one as well. The cover story may have worked with some citizens but not with the majority of world leaders and their military. So too this country had suffered a staggering loss of men and equipment as well as destruction of parts of the country's infrastructure. Although this one man had been vital to saving them all he was just one man.

To add to Weir concerns a trio of Goa'uld had come to call, seeking help in defeating Ba'al. Were they there for assistance or to test the Tauri's new found defenses?

Sam drove to her house wondering what she would find after all this time. She was shocked to see Pete there.

"Babe" he said, putting the plant in his hand down on the counter. "I'm so glad to see you."

"Pete" was all Sam could gasp out, her mind had been focused on ways to save the Colonel.

"I finally got time, things have been insane, so I came down to see, well, to see if you were here. The phones are spotty at best. I couldn't get a hold of you."

"I just got back."

"Where were you?" he asked. Then looking at her expression said "Nevermind." He didn't want another conversation that began with 'that's classified'.

"Do you know what really happened?" Pete stepped in it again but well he really wanted to know.

"It was a meteor, a large meteor that broke up and caused widespread damage."

"That caused all that damage? People don't believe the party line. Many think it was a massive terrorist attack. Lots of conspiracy theories floating around and people are still on edge. People were frightened, they were stocking up on food and guns and even some looting. Wouldn't you people have seen a meteor that big coming at us? "

"Not if it were coming from the direction of the sun." Sam was getting tired of making excuses. "A lot of good people were hurt."

"I heard about the ships." he said and Sam's head came up quickly.

"The Nimitz.." Pete wondered if that's what she was thinking about.

"Yeah but …" Pete could see he was headed down a dead end so he changed lanes. "I think most of your plants are toast but this one might make it."

It was an African Violet, thick green ruffled leaves and deep purple flowers with a white lacy border. It was a gift from Merrin by way of the Colonel. They brought it to her after Merrin's foray into school. Sam watered the plant and replaced it in it's usual spot. She picked up a small framed photo of her team and slid it into her purse.

"I've got to go." Sam said.

"Babe, you just got here."

"Lock up when you leave. Thanks Pete." Sam said as she walked out the door.

Was she worried about her team? No, more likely about her boss, that swaggering insufferable Colonel. Pete remembered the scalding dirty look he got from that man. It was shortly after he came out of the General's office having gotten a dressing down from him. Did they all know about the background check?

When she went to talk to him at his house and again in the cargo ship, Sam wasn't certain what she wanted to say. Yet he said he knew. Did he know what she didn't ? And now he was entombed in Antarctica. She felt as though she had abandoned him and had no idea how to save him.

Sam was swamped with feelings of desperation and she had an idea - or was that desperation too. Whatever, it had gone on too long.

When she left him on Edora - for what 100 days, he wound up shacking up with that woman. It still burned.

When he was dying of the disease of the Ancients she tossed him off to the Tok'ra to save his life and he wound up in Ba'al's clutches.

Now she had left him encased in - what - not ice - but frozen in the moment he had given everything to save them all. Her greatest fear was jeopardizing his life by trying to save him and failing to understand the Ancient machine causing...she couldn't finish that thought.

She had waited too long. Left him alone too long. She had no good ideas. She waited for allies that never showed up. Left him, left him alone. No, not dead, not forgotten. But alone.

He risked everything. So now, why not her? This hair-brained idea, well maybe just slightly questionable idea, might work. And if it did work she could bring him home. They needed him. She needed him.

One of the last things he said to her was "I trust you". He trusted her decisions when he couldn't understand the science, the reasoning behind it. He trusted her when she had abandoned him for another man. He might not like it but he trusted her. He trusted her when she didn't quite trust herself.

So many thoughts filled her mind. She needed to save him from the 'dormata'. If they could manage to get help and get him out they could save his life.

Thor retrieved Major Carter and the Jaffa, Teal'c in the nick of time, yet lost the human to the Replicators. These vile machines managed to invade his ship and foiled Thor's plan to destroy them all. This plan ventured, even if it caused the death of himself, Teal'c and Major Carter, if she had survived her capture.

A revised plan was now necessary. O'Neill's mind possessed the knowledge of the Ancients and perhaps that was the key to the survival of the Asgard, as it had been for the humans of Earth.

Although the trip from Hala to Earth was short, Thor took this precious time to think about O'Neill's plight and what he needed to do to resolve the problem. Thor, the Asgard, no, the entire galaxy needed the information locked in O'Neill"s mind.

Thor liked this quirky human and saw this wounded member of a frail species as essential to all of their survival. Thor needed the information but wanted the man to survive. He programmed the ship's computers and medical pod to link with the human's physiology, access the information and heal the man. It was the second time they had to heal him. His mind had been expanded the first time and had become more compatible with Asgard technology. This would not be easier for that. O'Neill had used almost all of his vital force to defeat the enemy of his homeworld.