Hammond's expression grew pained as he realized what Ian had said. Jack simply closed his eyes in resignation. Sam shook her head, amused and trying somewhat to hide it. Only Shawn and Andrew actually snickered. They were teenaged boys, after all, and appreciated the humor in the statement Ian had made – even though he'd been serious when he'd said it. Only the Asgard took it as Ian had meant it; very serious criticism of a racial strategy gone wrong. Terribly wrong.

"We will take that under advisement, Ian Brooks," one of the Asgard said, giving him a slight bow. "With this chance that you have given our people, we will have the opportunity to change many errors that we made in the past."

"And for that, you have our thanks as well," another said, also bowing.

Ian scowled. He didn't want their thanks. He looked at Hammond.

"Do you need me anymore?"

Simply relieved that the Asgard hadn't been nearly as offended as they should have been, Hammond shook his head.

"Stay close, though."

Meaning he didn't want him to head back to New Jersey just yet.

"Fine."

They all watched as he left, with Andrew visibly trying to decide if he wanted to follow Ian or stick around and see what was going to happen here next. Hero worship won out, and Andrew headed out the door, too, leaving the others standing around.

"So what next for your people?" Sam asked, curiously. "Now that you're safe?"

Thor's large eyes were serious as he turned to look at her.

"There are many dangers facing the Asgard, still, Major. This was the most serious of many, but not the only one. We are free to concentrate on them, now, however."

"What kind of dangers?" Shawn asked.

Thor had never mentioned any other dangers to him – only the problem that was facing them. And even that had been couched in generalities until they'd finally admitted what the exact problem had been. Of course, Shawn was smart enough to have made his own guesses – which were pretty close – but he couldn't even imagine what else might be out there that the Asgard and all their technology would be worried about.

"They are of no moment to your kind, Shawn," Thor said. "Unlike this problem, there is nothing – at least not now – that you or any other humans can do for us."

"Is it the Goa'uld?" Daniel asked, just as curious as Shawn.

Thor shook his head.

"We can control the Goa'uld – for the most part."

"You mean you bluff them," Jack said.

"The Goa'uld are not a problem for us," one of the other Asgard said.

"Yeah, well we have a bit of a time with them," Jack said, annoyed.

"This Anubis-"

Daniel was interrupted by Thor.

"General Hammond. We wish to speak with you before we depart."

Jack scowled, fairly certain that Thor had changed the subject on purpose. But Hammond simply nodded.

"Come with me. We'll go to the briefing room."

He turned and headed for the door, followed by all but one of the Asgard, and SG-1, including the dogs. The other Asgard vanished in a brilliant beam of light and an instant later the stasis pod and all of their notes vanished as well. No sense tempting the humans, after all, with the technology to make their own clones. Who knew what kind of mistakes they would make if left alone with the means to do such great things?

OOOOOOO

"You realize he just basically told them to screw themselves?" Jack asked, softly, as they walked well behind the Asgard and Hammond.

Sam nodded, still smiling.

"I was wondering if you picked up on that…"

"It was pretty hard to miss," Daniel said, just as amused, even though he was surprised that Hammond hadn't exploded. Of course, he might be waiting until the Asgard were gone to say anything – or, even less probable, maybe he hadn't caught the implied insult. "Ian's not usually quite so vague with his abuses."

"He might have just been giving them advice," Shawn said, sticking up for his friend. "It is a good suggestion, after all."

"Maybe…"

Jack's tone indicated that he doubted it – and really, Shawn wasn't all that sure, either.

Hammond looked back at them as he reached the door of the briefing room, stopping to allow the Asgard to enter first.

"Shawn, as much as I hate to do it, I'd like you to find something else to do right now, please."

He felt a stab of annoyance at being dismissed, but Shawn could understand the request. It wasn't like he was cleared for every secret in the SGC, after all – no matter how well acquainted he was with Thor – and it would be Hammond's decision whether or not to let Shawn in on whatever was discussed. He nodded, feeling a little pleased that Jack looked just as annoyed at having him sent away.

"I'll go check on Jake," he told Sam and Jack. "He's probably awake by now."

"You can take Jaffer," Jack said. Even as he said it, though, the big black lab was already dodging around Thor and entering the room, plainly intent on being in the room with Jack and Sam. "Never mind…"

Shawn smiled.

"I can go alone."

He was a long way past the time when he would have had his feeling hurts and felt left out and need Jaffer or someone else to come with him to reassure him that he was wanted. He never doubted that anymore.

OOOOOOOOOO

"What can I do for you, Thor?" Hammond asked once they were all seated in the briefing room.

Thor looked at his fellow Asgard, and then turned to the general.

"We wish to discuss Ian Brooks with you, General Hammond."

"What about him?" Jack asked, wondering if they were going to ask for something else from Ian.

"My people owe Ian Brooks a debt of gratitude."

Hammond glanced at Jack, and then spoke up.

"Ian seems to have made it clear he doesn't think you owe him anything."

"Whether he thinks we do or not is irrelevant," one of the other Asgard said. "We were facing extinction, to put it bluntly, and his solution proved to be our salvation."

"He had a lot of help," Jack said, still frowning, and clearly waiting for another shoe to drop.

"What do you want?" Hammond asked, uncharacteristically blunt – mainly because he was thinking the same thing that Jack was.

"We want him to come with us when we return to our home world."