510 2001
They were off to see the wizard or wizards, dragging along the naitly dressed ambassador in his very shiny shoes. And all O'Neill could think of was he and Carter might finally get their chance, their happily ever after. Sure the Ambassador looked smitten, the poor misguided fellow was smiling at Carter and inviting her to lunch. But if they could fulfill their standing orders, bring home the proverbial bacon from these humorless drones Jack could retire in peace. And they could have their chance. Earth would be safe. Carter would have all the tech and theory she ever hoped for. And he could share a life with her and maybe get a dog.
Since the possibility of fulfilling their standing orders had been recently dashed by the Tollan disaster, O'Neill was wary.
Since O'Neill didn't trust easily (no matter how much he, and all the rest of them for that matter, hoped the Aschen were their salvation), Daniel and Teal'c were sent off to snoop.
The Aschen made it clear that the Earth's population was unsustainable. The old Volian newspaper banner headline stated "Sterility" with photos of rioting civilians beneath was the death blow to diplomacy.
Then it occurred to them the Aschen were probably from a planet they were warned against in a blood spattered note from the future. Only Kinsey didn't care. The possibility of this alliance fell into Kinsey's political machinations. He forced the continuation of diplomatic relations.
The Aschen demanded Stargate addresses in exchange for further sharing of technology. O'Neill needed Carter to find out all she could yet he hated putting her in that position. Kinsey had nailed his feet to the floor, forbidding him to return to the desired allies. This mission was one of extreme jeopardy. Sam and the ambassador returned to Volians homeworld with orders to continue negotiations with the Aschen. The SGC acceded to this demand of Stargate addresses however the first site on the laptop was a black hole. It was Carter's intelligence and agility that saved her life and that of the entire Earth's. Unfortunately the Ambassador and fortunately a biological weapon did not return to Earth.
Jack was sure they were being spied upon at the SGC. He didn't know who or how. Why was it that Kinsey knew O'Neill was in Washington D.C. on his way to see the president. Kinsey knew when and where to pick Jack up and to stop him. There was probably a whole hell of a lot of information as well as a load of scurrilous rumors that Kinsey had access to.
As Jack flew back to Colorado Springs he thought about the blood splattered note. Doctor Fraiser had examined it. He had recognized his writing and his signature but it was Doctor Fraiser who confirmed it was his blood and a trace of Carter's as well.
They didn't know from where or when it had come from. Was it sent from the future or had it been sent from an alternate universe. Carter said that was improbable but not impossible. Kinsey, when he gleefully prevented O'Neill from seeing the president, said the ink had not been invented yet.
What Jack gravitated toward though was he and Carter were together. Together warning their other selves not to go to P4C-970. They were together and they were both bleeding. He didn't mind so much his own blood but not her's. He'd prevent that if possible.
On his return to the SGC Hammond warned Jack about certain rumors, rumors that could seriously hurt Carter's reputation. So when Carter, the woman who just saved Earth's entire human population, flew through the Stargate, she was left to lie in pain on the ramp. He didn't go to her, he didn't pick her up. He wanted to, his hand itched to.
None of this had played out as he had hoped. His plans, his hopes were put back on the shelf. No end to war, no peace, no Carter, and no dog.