General Hammond sat at his desk with Kennedy's pipe, now cleaned up and sealed in a plastic bag, lying in front of him. He and Sam were both watching the last five seconds of the fight leading up to the fatal blow play out on a video screen. Then Hammond hit the power button on the remote causing the screen to go black. "That's enough." He stated and straightened up in his chair and picked up the pipe. "Do we know how much strength it would take to do this?"
"Not yet, Sir. We have a stress test scheduled for later to determine the metal's breaking point." Sam answered.
"Good." Hammond nodded then set the pipe back down. "What else can you tell me about her. You said that she outran you to get there, by how much."
"Yes Sir. We tried to estimate her speed by using the time stamps on the tapes as she passed by the cameras to clock her, but that's not completely accurate. The ballpark estimates right now put her doing about 40 miles an hour. But it wouldn't surprise me if she could move even faster than that if she needed to, Sir"
Hammond shook his head in wonder. Where are they now?"
"In the Infirmary with Teal'c and Bra'tac. Kennedy seems very curious about them. Sir, About Daniel?"
"I know. I'm worried about him too." Hammond shared Sam's concern. "The State Department assures me that they're doing everything they can to locate the camp where they're being held."
"But not everything that can be done, Sir."
"You want to ask Willow to do something? I thought you didn't believe in magic."
"I don't but ---." She paused. "Sir, this is Daniel. We can't just sit back and wait for the State Department to find him. And if Willow can find a ship, why not a person?"
"As I told Jack, The President has already ordered the C.I.A. to gather as much intelligence as they can on the rebel groups in that area. But he hasn't decided if it's worth risking an international incident by sending in a rescue team. Until he does decide, which will probably be after he hears what Langley has to say, it would be a little premature to ask Willow to get involved. Let's see if what the C.I.A. can come up with first. Then we'll see if we need to ask her to step in."
"Yes Sir." The Major acknowledged disappointedly.
*** *** ***
A nurse placed the last piece of tape, securing a gauze bandage over Bra'tac's head wound while Teal'c stood behind his friend.
"Well, there doesn't appear to be a concussion or any other serious trauma. All in all I'd say you were very lucky." Frasier said in her sweet bedside manner. "As for you," She looked at Teal'c, "You have some deep soft tissue bruising so expect some difficulty talking or swallowing over the next few days."
Teal'c simply bowed his head in acknowledgement.
"What about you?" The doctor turned to Kennedy who was standing off to the side with Willow so they wouldn't be in the way. "You sure you don't need checked out?"
"Nah, I'm fine."
"The woman fought well." Bra'tac praised.
"Indeed" Teal'c agreed with a rasp in his voice that sounded painful even though his face hid it well.
"Well thank you. But give yourself some credit." Kennedy addressed Bra'tac. "You're the one that warned me about the armor."
"You must know your enemy if you wish to be victorious in battle." Bra'tac answered.
"Words to live by." Everyone turned to the Colonel when they heard his voice. "How are they doc?"
"They'll be fine. Just don't make Teal'c talk more than he has to. I'll send the full report to the General later today."
"Good. If you're done with them then Hammond wants to see us."
"Yes, I'm done."
Teal'c and Bra'tac started toward the door followed by Willow and Kennedy.
*** *** ***
General Hammond stood up as the people he had sent for came into his office. Major Carter was already standing to one side.
"Please have a seat." The bald man invited the young women while waving to the two seats facing his desk. Once they took their seats he sat back down and continued. "First off I want to thank you for bringing an end to that crisis earlier. Who knows how much damage that escaped warrior could have done if you hadn't stopped him."
"No problem. That's what I was born for." Kennedy replied in a matter of fact tone.
"Yes, of course." Hammond tried not to sound bothered by that statement. "But now we have some business to get out of the way." Then he handed them both a thin book. "I think you'll find these terms agreeable."
Willow and Kennedy each carefully read every page of the books in their hands then switched and skimmed over the other book to make sure they were identical. Once they were finished they looked at each other, then nodded. Willow handed her book back to the General. "You sign that one while we sign this one. Then we'll swap."
"Fine." He picked up two pens, handing one to Kennedy, and they both began to sign the agreement.
"Ah guys, this pen won't work." Kennedy stated disgruntlly and started shaking her pen vigorously.
"Oh, for cryin' out loud!" Jack's annoyed voice echoed down the hall startling the few people passing through as they went by their business.
*** *** ***
"Major Carter!" Willow called out when she saw the woman headed the other way in the corridor
Sam stopped and turned around to see both the witch and the slayer walking up to her. "What can I do for you?" Sam asked politely.
"We were wondering if there was any more word about Daniel." Willow wanted to know.
"Jack's getting ready to go down there and find him."
"You mean a rescue mission." Kennedy clarified.
"Something like that."
"Alone?" Willow asked.
"He's meeting a C.I.A. contact down there that's going with him."
"I want to go too." Willow announced.
WHAT, WHY!" Kennedy almost shouted as she faced her lover.
"Because Daniel is a good guy, I like him. Besides, I can find him a lot faster and easier than they can." The witch stated pointedly.
"This really isn't why we're here. We came here to fight the Goa'uld not human bad guys. I'm sure they know what they're doin'. They can handle this themselves," Kennedy argued.
"I already suggested asking for your help to the General; but I only wanted you to locate him. I didn't expect you to actually go long." Sam said.
"Yeah, can't you do your mojo from here then let them do the rest." Kennedy implored.
"I could locate him yeah, but what if they move him between now and the time they get there. Then what? I need to be there close by in case something unpredictable happens."
Kennedy's expression softened. "O.K. You're right. But I don't haf'ta like it."
"This is really the General's decision to make." Sam pointed out.
*** *** ***
"This isn't your problem. You only agreed to help us fight the Goa'uld not our human enemies." Hammond told the witch as they all stood in his office.
"I realize that, and I appreciate that you want to honor our agreement, and you're right. Normally, political conflicts aren't our jurisdiction. But this isn't a normal situation. Daniel was on an alien related mission when he was taken. That has to change things." Willow rationalized.
"She's right, Sir." Sam supported with realization. "We don't know whether or not Daniel was able to find the device before he was captured. It could be in the hands of those rebels right now."
Hammond looked at the Major as he considered the new argument. "I take it you want to go too." He addressed Kennedy.
"No, I think that I need to go to this other planet, uh what's the name of it?"
"Tartarus." Sam answered.
"O.K. I think I need to go to Tartarus with the others. Unless you know someone else that can go toe to toe with these guys."
"Alright," then Hammond turned back to Willow. "Prepare what you need to take with you. I'll stop the plane from taking off. And Major, Kennedy will need to choose a weapon from the armory." He said.
"Yes Sir." Sam acknowledged.
"Uh excuse me, but if bullets can't penetrate the suits these guys are wearing what good are guns going to do?" Kennedy brought up.
"Yeah, how did you manage to capture one of them anyway?" Willow added.
"Well, after the tranquilizer failed to work, we ---." Sam started.
"Tranquilizer, what tranquilizer?" Kennedy interrupted.
"Since we discovered that the suit material was woven like cloth, we figured out that small, sharp objects like a needle could get through so we tried hitting him with a trinium tipped tranquilizer dart. But the drug we used wasn't strong enough to do the job."
"Trinium?" It was Willow's turn to ask.
A metal we discovered offworld. Once refined it is much stronger than any earth based metal."
"Oh. So, can you make other things out of this stuff?" Willow continued.
"Sure, why?"
Willow and Kennedy just looked at each other and smiled.
"You've been waiting for an excuse." The redhead said to the brunette.
"Oh, I never needed an excuse."
"Wait, an excuse for what?" Hammond had to butt in.
"Scarlet." Willow answered.
"What's a Scarlet?" He was bewildered.
"Kennedy'll explain. I need to get going." Willow said and started off.
The brunette caught her lover by the hand. "Hey, not so fast." She said firmly. "Aren't you forgetting something?"
"And what would that be?" Willow stepped close to the shorter girl.
"You know what."
"Alright, just remember, you asked for it." Then the two women wrapped they're arms around each other as they met in a long deeply passionate kiss that put the two onlookers in a state of shock.
The lovers finally broke the kiss and Kennedy spoke first. "You just come back to me."
"Me? I'm just going to another country. You're going to another planet. So you come back to me.
"Hey, I bet I'll be the first one back at the base waiting on you."
"Oh really. Usual stakes?"
"You're on!"
"Good!" the witch smiled. "Now let me go. The sooner I get gone the sooner I can get back and collect." With that Willow pulled herself away and hurried out the door.
Kennedy turned to the two speechless officers noticing their dumbfounded stares. "Don't tell me you've never seen lesbians before either."
*** *** ***
Jack sat in the back of the C-130 impatiently drumming his fingers on his knee. Deciding to find out why they hadn't left yet, he got up and went to the cockpit and stuck his head through the door. "What's the hold up kids?" He asked the two pilots who by the looks of them Jack thought that calling them kids wasn't an exaggeration.
"We were told to wait for another passenger, Sir." The co-pilot answered.
"What other passenger? I'm the only one going anywhere."
"Not anymore." A newly familiar voice called out from behind.
Turning around he saw that he was right. Willow was standing there. "Oh no you don't. No way. You're not going." The Colonel stated firmly as he approached the witch.
"Yes I am." Willow responded calmly.
"Oh no you're not! I won't be responsible for you getting hurt." Jack was adamant.
"Listen buster!" Willow didn't back down from the Colonel's harsh tone. "I know how to take care of myself and I'm going! Either with you or I can get there myself. You want to find Daniel as quick as possible, RIGHT? And I can help." She was wearing her resolve face.
"There's no way Hammond authorized this."
"Who do you think told the pilots to wait for me?"
Jack looked over his shoulder at the two pilots who were both looking back through the cockpit door at the arguing pair and obviously enjoying the show. "What are you two looking at Lieutenants?"
"Uh nothing Sir." The pilots said in unison and turned back to face forward.
Jack turned back to continue the argument but was cut off before he got the first word out.
"Now, we're wasting time and the sooner we stop arguing and go, the sooner we can save Daniel."
Jack gave up. "Fine, fine." He put his hands up in defeat then sat back down in his seat. "Let's get this over with."
*** *** ***
"This is Scarlet." Kennedy announced as she set a metal suitcase on a counter in the armory. As Hammond, Sam, Teal'c and Bra'tac looked on, the slayer unlocked the case and opened it to reveal an assortment of parts. She lifted out a piece with each hand, one being a Pistol grip with a trigger mechanism and a long track barrel that had two metal arms ending in hooks running along each side and the other a metal bow prod with the bow string already attached, and started to assemble her pride and joy.
"A crossbow?" Hammond said with surprise.
"Not just any crossbow." Kennedy explained as she tightened a wing nut that held the prod and a six arrow quiver in place. "She's custom made with a four hundred pound pull and a sixteen and a half inch power stroke," She snapped a hollow rifle stock extension on the handle. She can fire a twenty-one inch arrow at nearly five hundred feet per second with an effective killing range of a hundred and twenty-five yards." She couldn't help but brag as she put the final piece, a scope in place.
"It's simple genius really." Sam spoke out.
"Will it work?"
"It might if we use sharp enough trinium heads with it Sir."
"Get to work on it."
"Yes Sir."
"There's one more thing I need." Kennedy added.
"What's that?" Sam was almost afraid to ask.
*** *** ***
The Iris slid back revealing an incoming wormhole. A second later Jacob stepped through as Kennedy watched from the control room. "So that's all there is to it huh?
"Pretty much." Sam answered.
"And this guy with the alien in his head is your dad?" She asked the Major standing next to her.
"Yes, come on. Let's see what he found out." Sam offered then led the way toward the briefing room.
*** *** ***
"Dad, this is Kennedy. She is Willow's ---." Sam didn't know how to finish that sentence as she introduced then in the hall outside the briefing room.
"Girlfriend." Kennedy used the word.
"Right. Kennedy, my dad, Jacob Carter, and Selmak."
"Nice to meet you Kennedy." Jacob held his hand out.
Kennedy took the hand. "Likewise, I'm sure."
"It is an honor for me as well." Selmak added.
The change in voice startled her but Kennedy kept her reaction minimal. "Wow that's gon'na take some getting used to."
"Oh, you get used to it. Maybe we should go inside and get ready. Hammond and Teal'c should be here shortly.
"Great! I'm ready to get this party started." The slayer expressed.