Ch. 10: Forging New Paths

"YOU DID WHAT?" Hammond couldn't believe what he had just heard, and he was bright red with surprise and anger.

Jack winced. "Sir, we were under an alien influence at the time. The wine they gave us at the party…"

Hammond cut him off. "The wine at the party doesn't excuse what you're asking me to allow. Do you think that you can walk in here and I'll just throw regulations out the window?"

"You're the one that says normal military protocol doesn't fit what we're doing down here."

The general nodded. "And that's exactly why I AM extremely lenient with fraternization regs, but I cannot allow a CO to have a relationship with his second in command."

Jack was getting frustrated. "Then pull me out of the field. I've been ignoring my feelings for years because of these damned regs…I'm not doing it anymore."

Hammond finally sat back down, his voice softening. "Son, are you really willing to sacrifice your career for this?"

Jack locked eyes with his superior. "Yes."

Hammond sat silent for a minute, studying the officer before him. He sighed. "I'll see what I can do."

Jack stood up to leave then stopped. "Don't split up SG-1. It's one thing to pull me out, but the three of them know more about the Goa'ulds and their technology than the rest of this command combined. We need them together." He turned and walked out.

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Daniel found Jack in the nearly empty command center. All the teams were on Earth so only a single Lieutenant was there this late in the day. Daniel sat down next to him. "You alright Jack?"

Jack kept his eyes on the still Stargate. "Yeah."

"How long have you been here?"

Jack still didn't move. "That depends on what time it is."

Daniel looked up at the clock on the wall. "Almost 5."

"Then about 4 hours."

Daniel turned to face his friend. "You've been here since the briefing?" He sighed. "Well, Sam's been looking for you."

Before Daniel could say another word, Jack stood up and walked out. He headed straight for Sam's lab. As expected, he found her at her computer.

Sam had been staring blankly at the screen for at least 45 minutes. She looked up as she heard someone come in. "Hey."

Jack looked around the room. "Whadda ya say we get outta here?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah." She stood up, pulling her jacket off the back of her chair.

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Mytel sat in the drab room waiting for Daniel. He'd said he was going to ask General Hammond for permission to take her outside, off the base. She was wearing BDUs. Daniel told her that she'd fit in better in those than in her robes. She heard someone at the door and stood up. A smile spread on her face as Daniel walked in.

Daniel couldn't help but smile back. "Hammond said it was alright. I was thinking we could go get something to eat."

Mytel nodded. "The food in your 'commissary' was less than pleasing."

Daniel laughed. "Just be lucky you don't have to eat it all the time. How about I cook for you? I had been planning on having Teal'C for dinner, but I'm sure he won't mind if I feed you instead."

"I would enjoy that." Mytel followed him through the base to the elevator.

Daniel swiped his card and then turned to Mytel. "It's important that you don't mention the Stargate, this base, or that you're from another planet unless we are alone. The people on Earth don't know about the SGC."

Mytel was curious. "This is for their protection…from the Goa'uld?"

Daniel stepped through the elevator doors as they opened. "Yes…and their protection from each other. The people of earth still fight with each other. There are many different governments."

Mytel nodded. "Such used to be with the Tsu'dom. We were once two separate groups, the Tsu'mara and the Tia'dom. When the governing bodies merged, they combined the names. It was then that we began electing our leaders." She stopped talking. They were outside. She looked at the odd objects in front of her. "Are these those 'cars' you explained to me?"

"Yep." Daniel unlocked his car and opened the passenger side door for her.

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Jack hadn't said a word the entire drive home…and neither had Sam. He let her inside then followed. "Uhh, you want something to drink?"

Sam shook her head then turned to face him. "What'd Hammond say?"

Jack mussed his hair. "Well, after he yelled and gave me a lecture on regs, he said he'd see what he can do."

Sam sighed. "Meaning?"

"Meaning he's gonna be calling in a hell of a lot of favors for us." Jack stepped closer to her and brushed his fingers gently across her cheek. "It's gonna be alright, I swear." Sam leaned into him and he wrapped his arms around her.

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Daniel grinned, amused by Mytel's curiosity. She hadn't stopped asking questions since they'd left the base. Since dinner she'd been walking circles in his apartment quizzing him on everything. Now she was flipping through channels on his TV, wide eyed. Daniel stood up. "Would you like to go outside?"

Mytel looked out the window…it had gotten dark. "Can I see your stars?"

"Of course." He put on his jacket.

A few minutes later they were standing on the roof of his building. Mytel stared up at the sky. "You have different stars…"

Daniel sat down. "We can see different ones, and they're in different positions, yes. Your planet is very far from here."

Mytel sat next to him. "Thank you Daniel. This is unlike anything any of my people have experienced in the past."

Daniel's eyes were on the sky. "Consider it repayment for last night."

"Alright." Mytel leaned her head on his shoulder and continued to watch the stars.

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Jack looked down at Sam. Her head was in his lap and she was finally asleep. They'd sat for hours talking about everything except their relationship. Then they'd just sat, each with their own thoughts. Jack was absentmindedly stroking her hair. Finally, with a sigh, he brought himself back to reality. He carefully slid out from under her head, picked her up, and carried her to his bed.