Name: Better Ways To Self Destruct (aka 'Politics...Oy')
Pairing: Sam/Jack
Feedback: Thanks so much for all you guys who supported me in this by reading and reviewing!
Disclaimer: Stargate SG1 and the characters are the property of MGM. There is no infringement intended and no profit made.
-Epilogue-
"Sounds like quite an adventure."
Gazing around his flagship team, General Hammond realised once again that no matter how hard he tried, he would never be able to completely conceal the surprise he felt at every SG-1 debriefing. There was always some twist, some unbelievable element to their story. Of course, that was the reason he was so proud of them.
"Yes sir, you could say that."
Cleaned up and rested, the four members of SG-1 sat in their usual places around the Briefing Room table. O'Neill, who had spoken, smiled idly back at the General, sight fully restored. Jack had expressed his everlasting gratitude to Janet Fraiser, whose eye-drops had cleared the last of his impairment.
"Have the Asgard responded to our message yet?" Daniel asked.
"Yes," Hammond replied; "SG-4 established contact just over an hour ago. The Asgard are grateful for what you've done and are willing to help us relocate the refugees. Their only regret was that they couldn't prevent the situation in the first place."
"All I can say is it's a good job we got out when we did," Sam said. "The last UAV readings showed a massive…" She trailed off. The others followed her gaze to find Cain, Sarai and Ailah in the doorway, followed by a very flustered young SF.
"I'm sorry, sir," he spluttered, "they insisted…"
"That's alright, airman," Hammond replied, beckoning the three inside. Ailah, hiding behind her grandmother, peeped out; Jack pulled a face. She stuck her tongue out at him and hid again, giggling. Sam couldn't help but smile.
"We wanted to thank you," Cain announced, an arm around his wife. "Not only for saving our people, but for reuniting our family."
SG-1 smiled back at them. Sarai continued: "After all these years, we can look forward to something more than lingering death. We will have a life of our own and a world of our own. Nothing can express what that means to us."
Ailah chose that moment to emerge, feeling that perhaps she could prove her grandmother wrong. She stood forward, bowing her head at each of them in turn; but when she came to Teal'c, she walked very solemnly over to him. She paused there a moment, then leapt onto his lap, her arms thrown around his neck. The surprise registered on Teal'c's stoic face for a moment, but then his features softened and he gave a rare smile.
"The Asgard are going to keep an eye on you," Daniel told Sarai and Cain.
"And so will we," Jack added with a smile.
"I think we can call this mission a complete success," Hammond said with a decisive nod. "SG-1, dismissed."
Sam glanced at Jack and they shared a smile.
"Yep," Jack said, sighing contentedly, "this is what it's all about."
Sam smiled at him with a certain amount of irony. "Saving people bent on self destruction, sir?"
"Yes, Carter," Jack replied, leaning forward and giving her a surreptitious pat on the shoulder. "That's exactly it."
A/N: That's the end of it! Thanks to all those who have stuck with this story to the end. I hope you enjoyed it.