V. The Reassignment
Entry 36, August 18th, 2005
Still here in Minnesota, at Jack's cabin. Even though technically my time off is up by now (those two months), George hasn't called about work. I doubt that he'd forget I'm here, heck, I'm staying in my former OC's cabin nearly three states away. I need more time off. Even if it was just two months ago, I still can't even fully grasp the fact that in one day I lost my whole team. My family.
"Major Carter, sit down." Hammond invited Sam to sit.
Sam sat. It had been two weeks since the attack on PC57621, and no word from any of Earth's allies. She had been able to report back to duty now, even with her stitches in the back of her head. Her arm was bandaged nice and snug. Sam looked up at her General in wonder.
"I am giving you some time off, Major." Hammond spoke. "You need time to recover emotionally and physically. You have two months, I'll call you when we are ready for your arrival back here at the SGC."
"General, sir?"
"Yes, Major?"
"Has…there been any word from my Dad?" Sam asked softly. Hammond sighed and shook his head. Sam looked down sadly, nodding. Hammond dismissed her and she left, heading towards the surface.
I've been off base plenty of times. But, that day, when I left the SGC, I felt like I was….actually leaving. Leaving as saying good-bye. Even though I wasn't seeing Pete anymore, he wanted to spend time with me. I couldn't, not after what had happened. So I found myself on a plane to Minnesota.
Soon after my arrival, I had a call from George. He explained that since Jack, Daniel, and Teal'c were still being reported as MIA, whatever was in their wills for me would be given to me. I received Jack's cabin….who would have guessed? After all, he did leave it to the rest of us, the SG-1…but…..
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Major Samantha Carter sat on the dock behind the cabin. The day was clear and hot, normal for August. She held a cup of water in her hands, watching the lake, her feet submerged in the water. She now had shoulder length blond hair that was pinned back in a small pony tail and her attire consisted of shorts and a spaghetti string tank top, the shirt was a pale blue and the shorts were an off white. Sam took a sip of her ice water, staring out over the lake.
It hadn't felt like two months. All the days had blurred together, making it seem like only one week. Sam removed her feet from the water and stood, heading back to the cabin. She entered, and placed the water down on an end table, heading over to the kitchen. She stopped, looking at the picture wall. Jack's photos. Some of him in his early military days, others with him and Sara and Charlie. She looked around the wall for perhaps the hundredth time since she'd been here.
She found her favorite photo. It was of the SG-1 team, before the business with the Lost City, after Daniel returned. They were celebrating at Claim Jumper's. Daniel had a goofy smile, and Jack seemed to be enjoying himself. Teal'c sat there, his normal look. Sam sat beside Jack and Daniel, smiling, and leaning over towards Jack to be in the picture more. Sam smiled sadly, touching the glass in front of the photo sadly. She thought it was hard to loose Daniel…even what happened to Jack. She never imagined loosing them both.
Sam turned her cell phone on and headed into the guest room. She set the phone on the table beside the bed, looking at the photo that she had placed next to it. It was another of her favorites, but she had only found it once going through Daniel's things after his return from being ascended. She remembered on a mission when Daniel had taken pictures, but had never guessed at what he had taken. It was of her and Jack, sitting around the campfire in the early morning, sharing a cup of coffee. Both had just their greens on, and it was one of those classic 'look at each other before any personal sees' moments. Sam sighed sadly and lay down on the bed, deciding to take a nap.
Sam opened her eyes, finding that some of the men from the village were taking her to the gate. She looked around groggily, trying to find her bearings. She turned to her left, seeing the large hole made from the Death Glider that had attacked. It was still smoldering, but she could tell that there were moving people in it. A Jaffa stood, turning and seeing her. Sam tried to move, but wasn't able to as the Jaffa raised his staff weapon. Jack shot up from behind the Jaffa, tackling him. The two landed and a zat gun went off, hitting Jack. Jack kicked the Jaffa and looked at Sam.
"Carter, get out of here!"
Sam turned to run but stumbled onto the ground as her vision blurred and cleared again. She attempted to crawl but stumbled. She heard a fire and turned, seeing Jack fall to the ground as the zat energy ran about his body. Sam felt someone pull her up and over their shoulder, and watched as the Jaffa aimed his staff weapon down into the hole were her friends were, and then she saw the back wall of the SGC, then nothing.
Sam shot up and looked to her left at the table as her cell phone went off. She removed her tears before picking up the phone and answering. "Major Samantha Carter."
"Major Carter." Hammond's voice said. Sam sat straight up. "I hope I haven't chosen to contact you at a bad time, Major."
"No, of course not, General."
"I'd like to call you back to the SGC, Major." General Hammond spoke. "I would like you to be back at the end of the week, is that alright?"
"Of course it is, General. I'll be there tomorrow." Sam spoke her good byes and hung up. She stood, heading to the closet and began to pack her things. Sam stopped and looked over at the picture on the table stand as she placed her suitcase onto the bed. She picked it up, looking it over, before placing it in her bag.
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Sam looked up at the building before her. She hadn't truly expected to see the SGC again in her life. Sam fished out her identification card and entered the building, heading for the elevator in her BDUs (battle dress uniform). As the elevator stopped and she exited, she nearly ran into Jennifer who stood their waiting anxiously. "Lieutenant…"
Jennifer saluted. "Major Carter." She smiled and tried to contain her excitement. "We've been waiting for you Major. General Hammond has asked me to escort you to the briefing room." She nodded to the airman that was in the elevator and led Sam down the hallway to the briefing room. Sam climbed the stairs slowly, half expecting her team to be sitting there when she arrived, all happy and ready to surprise her. She and Jennifer reached the top of the stairs in the briefing room, but her team mates were not there. Sam came over and saluted to General Hammond, who nodded and offered her a seat. Sam sat down, and Jennifer sat down next to her.
"Welcome back, Major Carter." Hammond smiled.
"Thank you sir, it's good to be back." Sam smiled sadly back. It wasn't going to be the same around here.
"Sir?" Jennifer asked and Hammond turned his attention towards her. "Aren't we missing someone?"
"He will be joining us shortly, Lieutenant." Hammond nodded to her and looked back at Sam. "Major Carter. The President has asked that I reassign you to a new branch of the SGC that has been created when we were on down time for three months." Sam blinked. "If all proves well, then this will become its own function." He turned his head as a flash of light appeared and Thor stood there. "Welcome back to Earth, Thor."
"Thank you, Hammond of Texas." Thor nodded to him and turned to the women. "Ah, it has been a long while since I have seen you, Major Carter. Are you well in wealth?"
"As much as I will be thank you Thor." Sam smiled. She folded her hands on the table, wondering what this all meant.
"And you must be Lieutenant Jennifer Hailey." Thor spoke, looking at Jennifer. The Lieutenant nodded happily, still trying to retain the excitement inside her. Sam smiled, if this girl was a normal girl for her age, she would have let out a "squee" by now. Thor nodded to them all. "I have come like I was requested to."
"Just in time as well, Thor." Hammond smiled. "I have just told Major Carter of her reassignment…or rather that she is going to be reassigned. I didn't want to say too much without you being present." He noted the confusion on Sam's face. "If you will, Thor, please continue."
"Major Carter." Thor addressed, Sam nodded. "After your visit to PC57621, my people sent a message to your leader about what we have been able to create with your help against the replicators." Sam blinked. "We have proposed to your leaders that they join their technology with us and create a space craft that can go across the galaxy to defeat the Goa'uld."
"But, there is millions of Goa'uld out there." Sam said. "And we are under the protection of that treaty, why should we have to worry?"
"There is one System Lord by the name of Odin." Thor explained. "He has gathered a large amount of Goa'uld and System Lords to his cause and wish to come and enslave this planet along with many others. We feared that Earth would stand no chance since you have limited technology. Even though you have previously defeated the Goa'uld before, with more and more System Lords joining his cause, soon not even Earth can stand up against the loads of technology we have."
"Why don't you guys just give us something to protect ourselves?" Sam asked.
"Because, the Goa'uld were able to steal technology off on of our planets at the same time during your mission to PC57621." Thor informed them. "We told your leader and he had agreed to join forces with us in order to defeat the Goa'uld. If you will come with me, Major Carter and Lieutenant Hailey, we shall show you our finished efforts."
"Well, do as the man says." Hammond smiled. Sam and Jennifer stood, being transported to Thor's ship.
"We shall arrive on my home-world soon." Thor announced.
"I love this job." Jennifer smiled.
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Sam and Jennifer looked around the home-world of the Asgard. Thor led them through the city and into the engineering sector. Thor stopped at a wall and looked up at them. "This is what we and Earth have been working on for the last two months. Within another three, we will be able to put it into full use." He turned as the wall was lifted, showing a window. Sam and Jennifer looked down to see a large ship of normal Asgard build, even though it twice the size of a normal one. Sam turned as Thor brought up design maps for the ship.
"This is the EC4567 Horizon." Thor spoke. "The name was donated by the people of Earth." Jennifer gazed over the designs. "It has many levels, including a bridge and a infirmary." Jennifer looked up. "And even a commissary. It took us many weeks to make plans that would be physically possible, but we have done so. Yes, Lieutenant Hailey, there is even a lab for experiments on."
Sam looked back out the window and down at the large ship that was being constructed. What did this have to do with her? She turned back to the alien and the lieutenant. "What does this have to do with me, Thor? I mean, this ship is very….interesting but…"
"The EC4567 Horizon has more advanced technology and weapons than the O'Neill did." Thor explained. "I see that Hammond of Texas has not told you of what your new assignment is?" Sam shook her head. "Major Samantha Carter, the ship you see out there, the EC4567 Horizon, that is your ship." Sam's eyes widened, not understanding. "By both my people and your people's wishes, you are to be in command of this ship. The EC4567 Horizon is a battle cruiser, Major Carter, the one that will lead our fleet into battle with Odin and his army of Goa'uld System Lords."
"I don't even know how to begin to fight him, Thor, all due respects." Sam said. "I haven't even heard of a System Lord called Odin!"
"Major?" Jennifer asked. Sam looked at her. "We did an analysis with Thor's technology based on the description of the Jaffa in your reports and of the eye witnesses of PC57621…the Jaffa that attacked you, they were Jaffa of Odin." Sam stared at her blankly. "PC57621 must have been either on his way to conquest or part of his territory that he hadn't been to in a long time. Either way, it was Odin who attacked you and the rest of SG-1."
Sam turned back to the window, staring down at the ship. She watched as the Asgard placed the other shell of the ship together, her hands on the rail of the window and she leaned over it. Jennifer and Thor looked at each other worriedly. If it was truly Odin's fault that her friends were gone…..Sam turned back to them.
"When do I start my new position?" she asked.
"As soon as both of yours positions are in state." Thor answered. "Hammond of Texas has asked that you both be promoted before taking on this new assignment." Sam looked at him strangely. "Lieutenant Hailey is also to be on your ship, Major Carter." Sam looked at Jennifer who smiled. Sam smiled back and turned back to the ship.
The EC4567 Horizon.