As the others pushed their way through the dispersing crowd, Ian turned to his father.
"What are you doing here?"
Nathan smiled, glad they were past the point where that would have sounded belligerent – which would have put him on the defensive and made him come back with something that would have been the wrong thing.
"George called me last night and let me know what was happening – assuming correctly that I'd want to be here."
"Where's mom?"
"She has a head cold and couldn't risk the plane trip. She was disappointed, though, so make sure you call her later."
"I will."
"And consider yourself kissed."
Ian snorted, and nodded.
"Okay."
Nathan turned and looked at the almost empty gate room. Jacob Carter was waiting for him at the doorway.
"George and the others are probably waiting, so you'd better get going. I'll see you again at the reception, okay?"
"Yeah."
Nate smiled, his eyes warm.
"Congratulations, son."
"Thanks, dad."
OOOOOOOOOOO
He was the last one to make it to the briefing room. Part of that was that he was one of the last to leave the embarkation room, of course, but he also ran into several people in the corridors who wanted to stop him and congratulate him, so that delayed him as well. Luckily no one seemed to mind him coming late, because they were all smiles as he walked in and took the seat beside Daniel, who slapped his back as he sat down.
This briefing consisted of SG-1 and Hammond. Ian had expected a lot more people, considering the Jaffa and Tok'ra had both been represented in the gate room. But apparently Bra'tac and Jacob Carter had simply been there to see him make Lieutenant.
"This must come as a surprise to you," Hammond said as Ian settled himself.
Ian nodded.
"Yes, sir. I didn't expect anything like it – especially since I have three more years at the academy."
"Had," Hammond corrected. "You were already well ahead of the others – even most of the seniors – so it wasn't too difficult to convince the Commandant that you should be commissioned. Especially with the President fully backing the idea."
Ian frowned.
"The President?"
Hammond nodded.
"It was part of the understanding we have with the Asgard, Lieutenant. I know that Major O'Neill told you that they voiced a concern that we were holding you back, and we-"
"You mean I got commissioned because of the Asgard?" Ian interrupted, feeling a flare of anger at the thought. Just fucking lovely. Not only were they snatching him out of his bed at night, but now apparently they were the ones who were setting policy for the military. Just great.
"No," Hammond said, interrupting his train of thought with an annoyed response. "You were commissioned because you deserved to be. You're way ahead of everyone else in your class, and doing the work of a fully commissioned officer around here. For those reasons – and those reasons alone – you were promoted."
Ian didn't look – or feel – convinced, but he didn't make a big deal out of it. Not yet, anyways. Hammond waited to make sure he wasn't going to spout off again, and then continued.
"The Asgard wanted to take you with them to their home system," he said. "Because they feel you're not being given enough opportunity here with the SGC. How do you feel about that?"
"I think the Asgard are full of shit."
The general frowned.
"Lieutenant, you need to remember that these people are our allies, and are to be treated with the proper respect."
Hammond's frown was nothing compared to Ian's scowl. Oh sure, the allies who kidnapped him out of his fucking bed so he could help solve a problem that they'd been stupid enough to make – and then not bother to try and solve before the whole thing got way out of hand. The people who always wanted something but God forbid you ever fucking ask them for anything… Some allies. He figured they were almost better off with the Goa'uld. At least you knew where you stood with them.
"So you don't want to go with them?" Daniel asked. He would have loved the opportunity himself, but all of them knew just how little Ian liked the Asgard – and none of them were surprised by his lack of desire to have anything to do with them.
Ian bit back a less than appropriate comment and simply shook his head.
"No."
Hammond nodded.
"That was the answer we gave them, as well. Even if you didn't have the knowledge of the Ancients stuck in your head, you're still an asset to us – and one of us. We don't just give away officers because allies ask for them."
Which made Ian feel a little better.
"However," Jack said. "Thor and his buddies want to express their gratitude to you for your help."
"I didn't even want to help them," Ian said. "If anything, they should thank my mom."
"We'd rather they didn't."
So would he, of course.
"Daniel mentioned this drive you've been working on," Sam said. "He didn't have anything specific, of course, but the Asgard were interested in it."
"It's not finished…" Ian told her. "It's not even off the drawing board."
She nodded.
"That's what Jack told them. And they offered to help you with it – as their way of thanks."
"That doesn't mean they're going to share technology with us," Hammond said. "They're still adamant about that. But once you're ready, they're going to provide you with whatever materials you might need to build the drive – and the ship that goes around it."
"Are you serious?"
Sam smiled at the disbelief in his voice. It was exactly the way she'd felt when she'd heard of the offer. True, they weren't going to get any advanced technology from the Asgard, but half the trouble of building Ian's drive was the very fact that he didn't have any materials strong enough to not disintegrate around it when it was activated.
"Yes. Of course, you won't have a lot of free time to work on it just now," Hammond told him. "You'll still have the duties that you've already had. The drive will have to wait, I'm afraid."
Ian shrugged.
"I'll need time to figure out what I can use anyways…"
Besides, he didn't want to stop going offworld and get stuck in a lab full time.
"Major O'Neill told me about the device that you used to block the Asgard sensors," Hammond continued. "I'd like that incorporated into the SGC's defenses as soon as possible. Work with her on it some time in the next few days."
"Yes, sir."
That he was more than willing to do.
Hammond nodded, and looked at the others.
"Anything else?"
They all shook their heads.
"Then let's get to the party."
True it was early, but hey… everyone liked a good party.
