The Deputy Director of the NID was in no mood to be held up in looking for
explanations. "So you tell me, Barrett, why ex-USAF Major Samantha Carter
is pictured here with a husband who supposedly died twenty seven years ago?
And why a goddamned Traders' Union should be able to have such power as to
limit our ability to establish an off-world economic dependency?" He passed
across the picture of Sam and Jack standing together, receiving a standing
ovation at the end of his retirement speech.
"I can't explain it either, Sir." replied Barrett, shifting nervously as he shuffled in the visitor's chair. 'Damn it!' he was thinking. 'Three weeks to retirement - I don't need this.'
"Didn't you know the woman once?" the Director continued. "How did we lose track of her?"
"She was discharged from the Air Force on medical grounds - nervous breakdown, I believe, after her husband died - supposedly. She went to ground after that and we just stopped surveillance, what with limited manpower resources and all."
"And her *dead* husband?"
"Er, her former CO, Colonel Jack O'Neill. He'd already taken a medical discharge and went off on an extended off-world spying mission for the old SGC, posing as a trader. She joined him a year later and for twenty years they carried on passing intel back to Stargate Command until that was wound up in '24. After that it seems they had no-one to report to - some snafu about transferring roles and responsibilities when the last of the staff got laid off - so they just carried on trading."
"So why can't we just get them to carry on reporting to us now?"
"Several reasons, Sir. First, they're no longer active in the field - O'Neill is seventy nine now, and she has no political ambitions. Second, they've 'gone native' as far as the Traders Guild is concerned - in fact, they *are* the Traders Guild. No-one following him as President of the Guild is going to change direction suddenly. They will continue to wield considerable influence in interplanetary commercial politics for years to come."
"So are you telling me that the Guild's schemes to regulate Earth's economic expansion plans were formulated by them? What would it take to remove them? Economic incentive?"
"Sir, you may not have seen the full details of the investigation into the Traders Guild." said Barrett diplomatically. "The whole Earth's GNP doesn't compare to the combined wealth of members of the Guild. Even individually, they couldn't be bought. They've had generations to build fortunes as a result of trading throughout the Gate network. Even the O'Neill's - their company is called SJ Trading, by the way, have amassed an incredible fortune by Earth's standards in less than thirty years. They're not for sale at any price."
"I see." replied the Deputy Director, remaining quiet as he thought these things through. After a minute or so, he sat up and smiled at Barrett.
"Well, thank you for your input, Captain. Now, I believe that you're retiring in a couple of weeks or so? Clearly you won't want to get involved in a matter as time-consuming as this so close to The Big Day. I'll send someone to be briefed by you. Expect them this afternoon. And, good work, by the way."
"Thank you, Sir." replied Barrett, standing up and leaving without ceremony, relieved to be out of it all.
As the door closed, the Deputy Director pressed the button on the secure line to his superior. "Sir? I'd like authorisation for a house cleaning operation. Off-world. Yes, Sir. Nothing traceable to Earth or the agency. Very quick, very clean. Thank you, Sir, I will."
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Several thousand parsecs distant, Jonas Quinn, President and CEO of Kelownan Universal TV, made sure his reporting staff all understood their tasks for the next few hours. It was the day after Jack's retirement. He looked at each of them in turn.
"Interview Jackson to get his viewpoint on being manoeuvred into his campaign and his rescue." said the first newshound.
"Get the low-down on Hailey and why she abandoned her career and partner to go rescue him." said the next.
"Talk to the sons, find out their part in the rescue."
"Interview the next Guild President on policy, continuity, blah blah blah."
"Don't undersell that element!" warned Jonas. "Try to get a statement on why they oppose the unregulated expansion of the Earth's dependencies. Yes, we think we know why," he interjected, anticipating the man's argument. "But get the official view. Never assume." He looked to the next person.
"The short straw!" replied the novice reporter. "Interview Teal'c. Break new ground by actually getting him to say anything revealing *at all*!" His comrades laughed and one ruffled his hair.
Jonas grinned too. "We all started somewhere!" he said. "But here's a tip... Ice cream!" He carried on smiling at the man's look of puzzlement and moved on. "All right, girls and boys! You know how many news organisations would give their souls for the exclusive that we're getting today. Knock 'em dead!"
He turned and walked out of the room to the waiting aerocar sent by Sam and Jack, and was gone in moments to interview them - the CEO's prerogative, of course.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
"I can't explain it either, Sir." replied Barrett, shifting nervously as he shuffled in the visitor's chair. 'Damn it!' he was thinking. 'Three weeks to retirement - I don't need this.'
"Didn't you know the woman once?" the Director continued. "How did we lose track of her?"
"She was discharged from the Air Force on medical grounds - nervous breakdown, I believe, after her husband died - supposedly. She went to ground after that and we just stopped surveillance, what with limited manpower resources and all."
"And her *dead* husband?"
"Er, her former CO, Colonel Jack O'Neill. He'd already taken a medical discharge and went off on an extended off-world spying mission for the old SGC, posing as a trader. She joined him a year later and for twenty years they carried on passing intel back to Stargate Command until that was wound up in '24. After that it seems they had no-one to report to - some snafu about transferring roles and responsibilities when the last of the staff got laid off - so they just carried on trading."
"So why can't we just get them to carry on reporting to us now?"
"Several reasons, Sir. First, they're no longer active in the field - O'Neill is seventy nine now, and she has no political ambitions. Second, they've 'gone native' as far as the Traders Guild is concerned - in fact, they *are* the Traders Guild. No-one following him as President of the Guild is going to change direction suddenly. They will continue to wield considerable influence in interplanetary commercial politics for years to come."
"So are you telling me that the Guild's schemes to regulate Earth's economic expansion plans were formulated by them? What would it take to remove them? Economic incentive?"
"Sir, you may not have seen the full details of the investigation into the Traders Guild." said Barrett diplomatically. "The whole Earth's GNP doesn't compare to the combined wealth of members of the Guild. Even individually, they couldn't be bought. They've had generations to build fortunes as a result of trading throughout the Gate network. Even the O'Neill's - their company is called SJ Trading, by the way, have amassed an incredible fortune by Earth's standards in less than thirty years. They're not for sale at any price."
"I see." replied the Deputy Director, remaining quiet as he thought these things through. After a minute or so, he sat up and smiled at Barrett.
"Well, thank you for your input, Captain. Now, I believe that you're retiring in a couple of weeks or so? Clearly you won't want to get involved in a matter as time-consuming as this so close to The Big Day. I'll send someone to be briefed by you. Expect them this afternoon. And, good work, by the way."
"Thank you, Sir." replied Barrett, standing up and leaving without ceremony, relieved to be out of it all.
As the door closed, the Deputy Director pressed the button on the secure line to his superior. "Sir? I'd like authorisation for a house cleaning operation. Off-world. Yes, Sir. Nothing traceable to Earth or the agency. Very quick, very clean. Thank you, Sir, I will."
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Several thousand parsecs distant, Jonas Quinn, President and CEO of Kelownan Universal TV, made sure his reporting staff all understood their tasks for the next few hours. It was the day after Jack's retirement. He looked at each of them in turn.
"Interview Jackson to get his viewpoint on being manoeuvred into his campaign and his rescue." said the first newshound.
"Get the low-down on Hailey and why she abandoned her career and partner to go rescue him." said the next.
"Talk to the sons, find out their part in the rescue."
"Interview the next Guild President on policy, continuity, blah blah blah."
"Don't undersell that element!" warned Jonas. "Try to get a statement on why they oppose the unregulated expansion of the Earth's dependencies. Yes, we think we know why," he interjected, anticipating the man's argument. "But get the official view. Never assume." He looked to the next person.
"The short straw!" replied the novice reporter. "Interview Teal'c. Break new ground by actually getting him to say anything revealing *at all*!" His comrades laughed and one ruffled his hair.
Jonas grinned too. "We all started somewhere!" he said. "But here's a tip... Ice cream!" He carried on smiling at the man's look of puzzlement and moved on. "All right, girls and boys! You know how many news organisations would give their souls for the exclusive that we're getting today. Knock 'em dead!"
He turned and walked out of the room to the waiting aerocar sent by Sam and Jack, and was gone in moments to interview them - the CEO's prerogative, of course.
XXXXXXXXXXXX