802 - Tag to New Order II

The last face O'Neill saw before his depleted mind and body gave out was Carter. And as Thor brought his consciousness into contact with the ship's massive computers it was the first bit of information he became aware of - Carter was missing, abducted by Fifth. And they had been willing to sacrifice her to destroy the Replicators. Now he needed to defeat the Replicators in order to save her.

They were both exhausted, he from his recently tour of duty as a Popsicle, and she from her torture at the hands of Fifth. The Asgard ship lacked certain amenities the humans are used to so when they could find no beds to crash on, O'Neill slid down the bulkhead to the floor and sat with his head resting on his arms braced on his knees.

Sam was alarmed that perhaps he was ill, feeling the after effects of the cryostasis or of the ancient download. When she asked he just stared at her with tired bleary eyes. Her eyes reflected the same weariness and she slid down to the floor beside him.

"You okay?" He asked

"I will be, you? What was it like?"

"I don't remember much, not till Thor... defrosted me. What did that thing do to you?" He would not even dignify Fifth with his name.

Tears formed in her eyes as she remembered the pain both emotional and physical.

He leaned back and wrapped his arm around her.

"I don't want to remember." She said as she rested her head against his shoulder. Sam did remember telling Fifth "If...you really, truly love me, you'll let me go." Who in her life would she say this to - Pete or Jack?

Later, Teal'c came across them both asleep, O'Neill leaning back at an awkward angle and Carter's head in his lap. He smiled to himself wondering when these silly humans would realize what was so obvious to him.

Later in the long trip back to Earth Jack and Daniel had a conversation.

"Do you ever wonder why we're not floating around like our astronauts?" Daniel asked.

"The Asgard have some kind of gravity thing – no?"

"Jack, don't you wonder how it works?"

"No."

"What if you had to fix it, you know, if it broke?"

Jack looked at Daniel as if he were nuts. "That's not why I'm here. You and Carter are the brains. T and I are the muscle."

"Do you really think that's why you're here?"

"Are you getting all philosophical on me Daniel?"

"Sorta, but do you really think that's why you are here?"

"I used to."

On his return to the SGC and endless medical tests and debriefs, O'Neill went to see the base Commander, Dr. Weir. And he found her packing. And he left her office, ah...his office, with a promotion and a new job.

He was frustrated and irritable and feeling burnt out. Somehow the stasis pod was not as restful as one might think and Thor's side trip did nothing for his well being.

He was up to here with war, politicians, allies, orders, paperwork and scientists. Some part of him wanted to retire, wanted to sit in the sun and drink beer, pet a dog, and enjoy the zen of fishing.

But he doesn't want to be the old guy muttering to himself, living alone with only his dog for company. He wanted to stay in the loop and have a hot blond in his bed. He wanted some semblance of control but not to have to run the whole shebang. He wanted it all.

There are things he was not sure he wants – a promotion, kids, marriage, those ties that bind. Not that they are not appealing, they are. He looked at these as a sure source for failure. He's had enough failure in his life and doesn't think he could handle any more.

There are things he was absolutely sure he doesn't want – dealing with politicians, implantation, pain, the Earth in flames.

He would like the parking spot.

He asked them, his friends. Said "Yeah, I could do anything I want." like an affable idiot. If they thought about it, they would realize what he was doing was telling them he couldn't do anything he wanted. He would be constricted more than ever and a barrier would be placed between him and them. They would and more importantly should no longer be his go to sources. Colonel Reynolds and Dixon had seniority and Reynolds would be the 2IC of the base.

"Congratulations, Sam." Daniel said.

"Thank you, Daniel."

"First thing he did as General." Daniel said with a grin.

Sam blushed. "What about you? Get a raise?"

"You know what I really want?"

"I could guess. Didn't you already ask Dr. Weir?" Sam asked.

"Yeah. She said 'We'd love to have you but you'd better ask General O'Neill.'"

"And he said…"

"No, big fat no. He didn't want to even discuss it." Daniel seemed demoralized.

"Well you know that I wanted to go through the Stargate when it was first opened. I barely got to see it. I did all the computer programming to make it operational but not good enough to use it."

"Don't you realize we were sacrificial lambs. Sure Jack was supposed to send us back if he could. But if he couldn't, West was alright with that too. We all could have died on Abydos to protect Earth. You were too valuable, you were always too valuable, still are."

"You too, Daniel. I don't think the Colonel, I mean, the General is willing to sacrifice you."

"I guess. Jack, a general, a hard concept to wrap your mind around."

O'Neill vowed to himself to be even handed but his very first act as commander of the base was to promote Samantha Carter. Admittedly it had been in the works and might have been Weir's last act. But the preparations for the Atlantis expedition were overwhelming and anyway after Samantha Carter's rescue of Jack O'Neill and his rescue of her, Weir thought it only fitting.

O'Neill was proud to do it, to have the honor. So too he needed Carter to know, the cop notwithstanding, he valued her as a professional and a person.

New Order ll Trip home

Thor returned to the orbit around the planet known as Earth. Among his various duties as Supreme Commander of the Asgard fleet he had developed an affection for these people as well as felt a profound responsibility. He beamed up the clone of Jack O'Neill when he realized the clone was in need of more repair due to his botched construction by Loki. Thor and the man in the boy's body discussed perhaps letting nature take its course. The clone was lonely and adrift – so out of place with an adult mind and adult desires and a previous lifetime of baggage.

Thor had to cut this discussion short when given the information that the Replicators were at it again and needed to be stopped. The Asgard resources were stretched to the breaking point and he had no choice. He returned the clone and assumed the role of guarding the planet Halla, former homeworld of the Asgard. When Major Carter and Teal'c arrived they were attacked by the Replicators and Major Carter abducted. Thor returned to Earth to get Daniel Jackson and retrieved the original O'Neill, frozen in stasis, to assist him.

When this complicated mission was finally resolved Thor thought again of the plight of the clone. All of SG-1 was aboard his ship and wondered who would be the proper person to address this problem. He had finished a medical scan of Major Carter at O'Neill insistence to be sure there were no ill effects of her capture by the Replicator Fifth. The Asgard looked pensive and troubled.

A concerned Major Carter asked "Thor was there any residual damage? I feel...I feel fine."

Thor looked distracted and responded "No Major Carter, you are in perfect health. But there is something I wish to discuss with you."

Sam was still somewhat exhausted from her experience with Fifth and surprised and elated over the Colonel's return. She wanted nothing more than to reconnect with her team and rest. There was also a need to process what Fifth had assumed by delving into her mind. She hoped desperately this would not be some scientific problem light years over her weary head.

"O'Neill's clone is not well."

This was so not what she was expecting.

"He refuses further help and seems to welcome death. I do not know if I should interfere."

Thor actually did know what it felt like to be at the end of your rope. Many of his people had been advocating the end of their race. Thor thought there was so much good they could yet do. These Tau'ri would not give up hope. And as primitive as they were, they were creative and innovative. He wished his people were more like them. But with the endless cloning and lack of recombining of genes they had become stale and predictable and ultimately bored with it all.

Sam didn't begin to know how to respond.

Thor continued "I do not have the time to devote to assist him with this problem nor solve it."

"And you want...I don't know how I can help." Sam said.

"Major Carter, perhaps you would understand him. He is the same person as your Colonel. I would appreciate your help."

When Thor scanned this woman it confirmed something he had become aware of. Major Carter would do almost anything for O'Neill. He hoped this would extend to his clone.

It was on the ship with Thor that she asked to be cloned. When she made this suggestion to Thor, she thought he smiled and acquiesced.

Fifth thought she wanted a life with Pete. That opened her eyes. O'Neill, newly thawed, had come for her. Thor put him back in the medical pod. She had been unsteady on return but O'Neill, when his adrenaline ran out, collapsed.

He risked his life for her, perhaps she could risk this for him.

And that's how it happened. She'd say she was tired and put on the spot and not thinking clearly, if any one ever found out. In fact she thought it was their only chance to save him and for them to have a life together.

And, maybe, in time she could straighten this life out too, maybe.