Chapter 17
"General?" Jack said knocking lightly on the door.
"Enter!"
Jack barged in as soon as he was given the ok and immediately started talking up a
storm.
"General, an airman told me you wanted to see me? Listen Sir, if this is about the…"
He suddenly noticed one composed looking Tok'r'a sitting to the left of the General.
"Jacob?!"
"Hi Jack." The older man said with a sincere smile. "How are you doing?"
"Uh, fine?" He sat down abruptly on the other side of Hammond. "Did I miss a
memo again?"
"Jacob arrived while you and the rest of SG-1 were getting cleared in medical,
Colonel."
"Oh!" Jack said, surprised but relieved it was only Jacob. Logically he knew the
Tok'ra were better than the Goa'uld, but they all still wigged him out big time.
Thank god Anise wasn't with him. The thought made him shudder. He quickly
focused his attention back onto Jacob.
"Do ya want me to go get Sam?" Jack made a move as if to stand up.
"Not right now Jack." Jacob Carter said seriously.
//Ah cripes- he knows.//
"General?" Jack asked much more subdued.
"Sorry Jack." Hammond laid his hand out on the table and gave a small shake of his
head.
"But you promised!" Jack whined not sounding even remotely like an officer in the
United States Air force.
Jacob's eyes flashed briefly as Selmak began to speak.
"Colonel O'Neill, General Hammond thought it was imperative the Tok'ra be told of
the discovery of the Khan-Goa'ulds and he was correct in doing so. I apologize if it
makes you uncomfortable, but the knowledge was indeed important."
"Yeah, I s'pose." Jack said in a resigned voice. *Shit! How much did Hammond tell
them? Do they know about me and Sam?*
"Um, General?" Jack said fidgeting in his seat. "What exactly do the Tok'ra know
about that mission?"
"The Tok'ra only know that SG-1 came across eleven outcast Goa'ulds on a remote
world." He paused. "Jacob and Selmak however know a little more."
If Jack could have sunk any further into his seat he would have. He and Sam had
only been dating for 4 months now and he wasn't even certain Jacob knew what was
going on between his baby girl and a scruffy looking officer. He had hoped to have
Jacob over for a barbeque one night the next time he was in town but now…
"Jack, you can quit panicking." Jacob said with a grin. "I know all about you and
Sam."
"You do?"
"Yep. Sam sent a letter on through a few days after George gave you both the ok.
And for what's it worth, I'm happy for you both."
"You are?" Jack sat up a little straighter. "She forgot to mention that to me."
Jacob laughed. "I'm sure she just wanted to watch you squirm the next time we saw
one another."
"Probably." Jack muttered. Samantha Carter was SO going to get it from him for
this. Well, when she was more or less back to her old self that is. Jack wasn't given
any more time to ponder this very sneaky side of Sam before Selmak began
speaking again.
"Both Jacob and I were quite upset to hear what you and Samantha went through on
the Khan-Goa'uld's world."
Jack just nodded, not trusting himself to speak. In hindsight, Jack was very, very
thankful Jacob already knew about their relationship. If he to hear about it for the
first time with regards to their last mission… Jack shuddered. God, that would have
been horrible. Hell that WOULD have been considered rape.
"How's Sammy doing Jack?" Jacob (once again himself) asked.
"I don't really feel comfortable talking about Sam when she's not here General."
Jack said addressing both generals present. "Me and Carter are doing fine. If
anyone wants to know more, they can ask the both of us off-base."
"Fair enough son." General Hammond said with a nod. Jacob understood as well,
Sam really had found a good man in Jack O'Neill.
"Sooooo." Jack said looking at Jacob expectantly.
"We need your help Jack."
*Here we go again!*
Not trusting himself to say anything even remotely nice, Jack just raised an eyebrow.
Selmak took over.
"The Tok'ra have known about the Khan-Goa'ulds for quite some time and have been
most anxious to find their planet of exile. With your help, we would like to capture
these Goa'uld."
Jack shook his head ever so slightly as he pointed at Selmak. "I know there's a trick
in here someplace. You guys always ask for just a small little favor and in the end
WE are the ones doing all the hard work."
"And I'm afraid that's how it's going to be this time as well Jack." Jacob answered.
Jack groaned as grasped his forehead between both hands. "I am SO getting a
headache already." He slid his hands down his face and looked up at Jacob/Selmak
"All right- spill it."
"We need SG-1 to return to the planet via the Stargate and reestablish contact with
the Khans."
"That's it?! You want us to go back to that hell-hole of a planet and place ourselves
in the exact same situation we were before?" Jack said incredulously. "General with
all respect.."
"I wasn't done Jack." Jacob said patiently.
"Go on." Jack was doing his best at not sounding surly. He was pretty certain he
was failing miserably.
"Once SG-1 has established contact with the Khans, a group of Tok'ra will ring down
to the planet and assist you in apprehending them. The Tok'ra will take the Goa'ulds
off the planet and SG-1 will be free to take whatever naquada you may find."
"And that's it?"
"That's it."
"Excuse my stupid earthling ignorance here." Jack began gesturing with his hands.
"But for crying out loud, why don't you guys just ring down from the beginning?!"
Selmak chose to answer. "Unfortunately Colonel O'Neill, the Khans have established
a foothold defense system on the planet. The caverns that you and the rest of SG-1
saw are only a small section of a very large underground labyrinth. We are afraid
that if we arrive en masse, the eleven Goa'ulds will run and hide in the caverns.
Once hidden, it will be difficult to find them without loss of life. "
"But it's ok to risk OUR lives, right?" Jack asked pissed that once again the SGC was
doing the To'kra's footwork.
"Colonel, that's enough!" General Hammond said angrily.
"Jacob! You're willing to send your own daughter back in there without adequate
backup?" Jack knew he was playing dirty but he really didn't think Sam should go
back to that damned place.
"You will have back up Jack. And we will be quick I promise you. If you thought for
a second I doubted the outcome of this mission you know I wouldn't support it. Not
when it's Sam. And not for eleven old guys with god-complexes."
Jack couldn't help but smile. Slightly.
"Colonel, what both Jacob and I would like to know from you is if you think any
member of you team will have a problem with this mission." It was blatantly obvious
they were both concerned about Sam.
"If you have any doubt as to ability of SG-1 to do their job on this mission, I need to
know right now." Two sets of very worried eyes looked at him.
Jack didn't have to give it much thought at all. He wanted to make some wisecrack
remark about himself or Daniel but mostly he just wanted this briefing to be over.
He cut to the chase.
"In this ONE instance I wish like hell I wasn't her boyfriend as well as her CO.
Because Sirs, Major Carter will not only do her job superbly, she will most likely kick
some major Goa'uld ass. And that goes for the rest of SG-1 as well."
Both Jacob and General Hammond smiled.
"Notify your team Colonel. Mission briefing in 90 minutes and all of you will leave at
0800 tomorrow morning."
Jack nodded as he and Jacob stood up. Jacob turned and slyly smiled at Jack.
"So Jack, you and Sam free for dinner tonight?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
tbc. We're getting close to the ever-so-exciting ending. BUT I'm afraid you're going
to have to wait until late October. I will be taking a three-week hiatus from writing
as I mentally whip myself into shape for some graduate exams. I'll post as soon as
I'm done, ok? And you KNOW if I get a lot of groovy reviews, I just MIGHT be able
to FORCE myself to write a few sentences in-between practice tests. grin
"General?" Jack said knocking lightly on the door.
"Enter!"
Jack barged in as soon as he was given the ok and immediately started talking up a
storm.
"General, an airman told me you wanted to see me? Listen Sir, if this is about the…"
He suddenly noticed one composed looking Tok'r'a sitting to the left of the General.
"Jacob?!"
"Hi Jack." The older man said with a sincere smile. "How are you doing?"
"Uh, fine?" He sat down abruptly on the other side of Hammond. "Did I miss a
memo again?"
"Jacob arrived while you and the rest of SG-1 were getting cleared in medical,
Colonel."
"Oh!" Jack said, surprised but relieved it was only Jacob. Logically he knew the
Tok'ra were better than the Goa'uld, but they all still wigged him out big time.
Thank god Anise wasn't with him. The thought made him shudder. He quickly
focused his attention back onto Jacob.
"Do ya want me to go get Sam?" Jack made a move as if to stand up.
"Not right now Jack." Jacob Carter said seriously.
//Ah cripes- he knows.//
"General?" Jack asked much more subdued.
"Sorry Jack." Hammond laid his hand out on the table and gave a small shake of his
head.
"But you promised!" Jack whined not sounding even remotely like an officer in the
United States Air force.
Jacob's eyes flashed briefly as Selmak began to speak.
"Colonel O'Neill, General Hammond thought it was imperative the Tok'ra be told of
the discovery of the Khan-Goa'ulds and he was correct in doing so. I apologize if it
makes you uncomfortable, but the knowledge was indeed important."
"Yeah, I s'pose." Jack said in a resigned voice. *Shit! How much did Hammond tell
them? Do they know about me and Sam?*
"Um, General?" Jack said fidgeting in his seat. "What exactly do the Tok'ra know
about that mission?"
"The Tok'ra only know that SG-1 came across eleven outcast Goa'ulds on a remote
world." He paused. "Jacob and Selmak however know a little more."
If Jack could have sunk any further into his seat he would have. He and Sam had
only been dating for 4 months now and he wasn't even certain Jacob knew what was
going on between his baby girl and a scruffy looking officer. He had hoped to have
Jacob over for a barbeque one night the next time he was in town but now…
"Jack, you can quit panicking." Jacob said with a grin. "I know all about you and
Sam."
"You do?"
"Yep. Sam sent a letter on through a few days after George gave you both the ok.
And for what's it worth, I'm happy for you both."
"You are?" Jack sat up a little straighter. "She forgot to mention that to me."
Jacob laughed. "I'm sure she just wanted to watch you squirm the next time we saw
one another."
"Probably." Jack muttered. Samantha Carter was SO going to get it from him for
this. Well, when she was more or less back to her old self that is. Jack wasn't given
any more time to ponder this very sneaky side of Sam before Selmak began
speaking again.
"Both Jacob and I were quite upset to hear what you and Samantha went through on
the Khan-Goa'uld's world."
Jack just nodded, not trusting himself to speak. In hindsight, Jack was very, very
thankful Jacob already knew about their relationship. If he to hear about it for the
first time with regards to their last mission… Jack shuddered. God, that would have
been horrible. Hell that WOULD have been considered rape.
"How's Sammy doing Jack?" Jacob (once again himself) asked.
"I don't really feel comfortable talking about Sam when she's not here General."
Jack said addressing both generals present. "Me and Carter are doing fine. If
anyone wants to know more, they can ask the both of us off-base."
"Fair enough son." General Hammond said with a nod. Jacob understood as well,
Sam really had found a good man in Jack O'Neill.
"Sooooo." Jack said looking at Jacob expectantly.
"We need your help Jack."
*Here we go again!*
Not trusting himself to say anything even remotely nice, Jack just raised an eyebrow.
Selmak took over.
"The Tok'ra have known about the Khan-Goa'ulds for quite some time and have been
most anxious to find their planet of exile. With your help, we would like to capture
these Goa'uld."
Jack shook his head ever so slightly as he pointed at Selmak. "I know there's a trick
in here someplace. You guys always ask for just a small little favor and in the end
WE are the ones doing all the hard work."
"And I'm afraid that's how it's going to be this time as well Jack." Jacob answered.
Jack groaned as grasped his forehead between both hands. "I am SO getting a
headache already." He slid his hands down his face and looked up at Jacob/Selmak
"All right- spill it."
"We need SG-1 to return to the planet via the Stargate and reestablish contact with
the Khans."
"That's it?! You want us to go back to that hell-hole of a planet and place ourselves
in the exact same situation we were before?" Jack said incredulously. "General with
all respect.."
"I wasn't done Jack." Jacob said patiently.
"Go on." Jack was doing his best at not sounding surly. He was pretty certain he
was failing miserably.
"Once SG-1 has established contact with the Khans, a group of Tok'ra will ring down
to the planet and assist you in apprehending them. The Tok'ra will take the Goa'ulds
off the planet and SG-1 will be free to take whatever naquada you may find."
"And that's it?"
"That's it."
"Excuse my stupid earthling ignorance here." Jack began gesturing with his hands.
"But for crying out loud, why don't you guys just ring down from the beginning?!"
Selmak chose to answer. "Unfortunately Colonel O'Neill, the Khans have established
a foothold defense system on the planet. The caverns that you and the rest of SG-1
saw are only a small section of a very large underground labyrinth. We are afraid
that if we arrive en masse, the eleven Goa'ulds will run and hide in the caverns.
Once hidden, it will be difficult to find them without loss of life. "
"But it's ok to risk OUR lives, right?" Jack asked pissed that once again the SGC was
doing the To'kra's footwork.
"Colonel, that's enough!" General Hammond said angrily.
"Jacob! You're willing to send your own daughter back in there without adequate
backup?" Jack knew he was playing dirty but he really didn't think Sam should go
back to that damned place.
"You will have back up Jack. And we will be quick I promise you. If you thought for
a second I doubted the outcome of this mission you know I wouldn't support it. Not
when it's Sam. And not for eleven old guys with god-complexes."
Jack couldn't help but smile. Slightly.
"Colonel, what both Jacob and I would like to know from you is if you think any
member of you team will have a problem with this mission." It was blatantly obvious
they were both concerned about Sam.
"If you have any doubt as to ability of SG-1 to do their job on this mission, I need to
know right now." Two sets of very worried eyes looked at him.
Jack didn't have to give it much thought at all. He wanted to make some wisecrack
remark about himself or Daniel but mostly he just wanted this briefing to be over.
He cut to the chase.
"In this ONE instance I wish like hell I wasn't her boyfriend as well as her CO.
Because Sirs, Major Carter will not only do her job superbly, she will most likely kick
some major Goa'uld ass. And that goes for the rest of SG-1 as well."
Both Jacob and General Hammond smiled.
"Notify your team Colonel. Mission briefing in 90 minutes and all of you will leave at
0800 tomorrow morning."
Jack nodded as he and Jacob stood up. Jacob turned and slyly smiled at Jack.
"So Jack, you and Sam free for dinner tonight?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
tbc. We're getting close to the ever-so-exciting ending. BUT I'm afraid you're going
to have to wait until late October. I will be taking a three-week hiatus from writing
as I mentally whip myself into shape for some graduate exams. I'll post as soon as
I'm done, ok? And you KNOW if I get a lot of groovy reviews, I just MIGHT be able
to FORCE myself to write a few sentences in-between practice tests. grin