They all left the storage hangar, even though Jacob said there wasn't going to be room for all of them in the building with the ship. Cato, especially, seemed determined to check out Jacob's claim that the alien ship was already working – after minimal amount of time by the Tau'ri looking at it. He didn't seem to believe this was possible.

"The Tau'ri – and Major O'Neill, especially – have long since proven they are far more resourceful than they seem," Teal'c said, with just a brush of smugness.

Cato sneered at the Jaffa.

"What do you know?"

Teal'c was completely unruffled by the look, and glance he gave Cato was disdainful.

"The Tau'ri have destroyed several system lords. How many can you account for?"

Ian looked over at Cato as well, and saw that the jibe had scored – even better than all his bad jokes had. The Tok'ra was actually turning red, and Ian wondered if he was going to take a swing at Teal'c – which would have been a grievous error in judgment.

Obviously Cato decided the same thing, because he visibly forced himself to calm down, looking derisively at first Teal'c and then Ian. He was going to say something – it was on the tip of his tongue – but just then Daniel came out of the hangar they were heading towards.

The archeologist saw them, and headed for them.

"That thing's amazing," he said. "If it can fly – and it does look like a craft of some sort on the inside – then we should-"

"If it can fly?" Cato echoed, looking at Jacob. "You said the Tau'ri had already made it work."

"I said the lights were on," Jacob said. "And they are. Sam's good; she'll make it fly if anyone can."

"Actually," Daniel said, wondering why there was so much tension coming from Cato. "Sam wants Ian in there with her. Something about him being good with engines and theories of… something or the other…"

Cato looked at Ian, who tried to look modest and failed.

"This boy doesn't look like he can dress himself without his mother's help. What makes-"

Teal'c stepped forward.

"Perhaps someone should teach you a lesson in manners."

Cato sneered.

"You, Jaffa?"

Ian stepped between them, more than willing to take up his own defense, and his hand somehow ended up flat on Cato's chest, pushing him back. Since the Tok'ra had not expected Ian to do anything of the sort – he'd pretty much assumed that the boy was all talk hiding behind the large Jaffa – Cato was actually rocked back a bit at the push. But he recovered quickly, striking at Ian's hand to move it – only to find it wasn't there anymore, which made him over-balance and almost fall.

He roared in anger and took a step towards Ian, who waited, poised for the attack.

"That's enough!"

The voice was once more Jacob's symbiote, and Ian and Cato both stopped. Cato because of Selmac, and Ian because of Jacob.

Selmac was livid, as was Jacob.

"We're allies, and you will act like it, or I'll have you removed from this planet," Selmac said, looking at Cato, first, and then Ian. Ian scowled, but it was nothing compared to the look Cato gave Jacob. A look that seemed to transcend hatred. But only for a moment, and then it was gone so quickly that most of them wondered if they'd actually seen it. Not Ian, though. He'd seen it and wouldn't forget it.

Daniel was looking shocked at how quickly and easily things had almost come to blows, and Teal'c was looking smug because he hadn't needed to stand up for Ian, after all. The boy was proving that he wasn't afraid to take on a larger foe, and that appealed to the big Jaffa.

"Ian?"

This was the first time Jacob's symbiote had ever addressed him, and Ian turned his attention from Cato's glare to Jacob.

"Sam wants you. Why don't you go see what you can do to help her?"

Ian nodded, even though Daniel could see that the cadet wouldn't have minded finishing what had been started. Ian was as quick to anger as anyone Daniel ever met – and that included Jack – and that was saying something. Luckily, the cadet obeyed orders put to him – and he respected and liked Jacob, which made it easy to do what he said.

Ian didn't turn his back on Cato – that was a lesson he'd already learned – but he did head for the hangar, and the others followed, Cato trailing behind with Bern.

"Are you trying to start hostilities with the Tau'ri?" he asked, disturbed by just how quickly things had escalated.

Cato shrugged.

"They are nothing."

"They are our allies…"

Cato shrugged again, and Bern scowled; the Tok'ra did not have the resources to simply shrug off allies like Cato seemed to be trying to do – especially allies that were as formidable as the Tau'ri were. He knew what they'd done, after all, and with far less technology than the Tok'ra had access to. He moved off with the others, leaving Cato to walk alone – which was fine.

As the others walked, Cato made sure that none of them were actually looking at him, and then reached inside his belt and pressed a button on a hidden device. A slight vibration told him that it had been activated, and with a smile that held absolutely no cheer, the Tok'ra followed the others toward the building, ignoring the fact that above them, things were progressing quickly.

OOOOOOOOOOO

"So what have you learned so far?"

Sam sighed, and looked over at Jack, who was standing behind her, looking back towards the Tok'ra and not really at her as much.

"No more than I knew the last time you asked, Jack," she told him. "Three minutes ago."

He knew he was annoying her – and distracting her – but he couldn't help himself. He was uneasy, and Jaffer was uneasy – probably feeding off Jack's own emotions – and he wanted her to get it figured out so they could get the hell out of there and get her back to the SGC, where she could blow things up in the relative safety of her own lab.

"Sorry."

She smiled, understanding why he was doing it, which made it a little more bearable – although no less annoying.

"When Ian comes in I'll have a little more help and another perspective – so it shouldn't take long to figure it out." Hopefully. Otherwise Jack was going to drive her crazy.

Jack looked back towards the rear hatch, as if staring at it would make Ian show up that much quicker.

And suddenly a large explosion outside rocked the building – and the ship they were in.