Disclaimers in Part 1
Part 3
TEAL'C
LieutenantColonelCarter had been weeping when I interrupted her. The signs were subtle, but there nonetheless. As her friend, I did not wish her any unhappiness and felt it best we provide her with a challenge to engage her energetic mind. The locked rooms were one such challenge.
"Hi, Teal'c. It's so good to see you again." She gave me a brief hug and stepped back. "We've missed you and Daniel. Did he get the rest of my team settled?"
"Yes, ColonelCarter. They are quite happy with the quarters we have provided for them." The three other females of SG-1 were residing in the remodeled barracks out back. "We cleaned and refitted what once must have been the senior officer's quarters into a suite for them. Each one has a private bedroom and the bathing facilities are quite luxurious." She nodded, seemingly content that we had taken care of her team for the moment.
"Thanks, Teal'c."
"If you have a moment, ColonelCarter, I have a problem that requires your attention."
"Lead on, Teal'c. I'm happy to help." As we walked, I described the electronic combination locks, inscribed with a language neither DanielJackson nor I had ever seen before.
SAM
We walked down stairs from my third floor apartment to the basement. At the bottom, Teal'c turned to the right. We went down a wide, brightly lit corridor dotted with closed doors, and then turned left into a short, much narrower hall. Teal'c opened the door at the end and stood back for me to precede him into a large, empty space.
There was a portable lamp set up opposite the door where I stood, illuminating what at first glance was a blank section in the wall. Teal'c walked to it and pressed an area roughly in the center. A smaller panel slid back into the wall, revealing what looked like a keypad. Characters unlike any I'd ever seen before covered the area around the keypad. Instructions?
"MajorAdam's team found this accidentally while performing an in-depth survey of the building prior to our arrival. Both DanielJackson and I have accessed records of every script we know, as well as Lojan and Ancient. This appears in none of them."
"What else have you used to try to open it?" My curiosity was engaged and ready.
"We tried random combinations on the keypad, many hundreds of them, chemical strippers and acids on the surface, searching for another opening, as well as brute force. As you can see, there has been no effect on the exterior."
I crouched and ran my hand over the section around the open panel. "Hmm, have you found any other irregularities on the wall, Teal'c?" He shook his head. "Any indication of where the power for this panel comes from? The main electrical source?"
"We have found nothing in the mechanical room that appears to power this panel."
"Can I have some time to think about this, Teal'c? It could take quite a while to open."
"Of course, ColonelCarter. However, I will be more at ease living here when we know what is behind the two doors." There was an air of worry about him that I'd never felt before. If something was worrying Teal'c I knew it was important.
"Oh, yeah, the second door. Is it just like this one? May I see it now?" I stood to follow as he turned back the way we'd come.
"The second door is a mirror image of the first. Please follow me, ColonelCarter."
Week 10 Day 2
JACK
I've said it before and probably will again. The doc was a Napoleonic power monger. I swear she used square needles; dull, square needles at that. My butt was sore from top to bottom – pun intended - and both arms were full of holes from giving her all my blood. My left knee was throbbing from the treadmill and weight tests. Still, this was my last checkup before she declared me fit for light duty. Boy, was I hoping everything was a-okay. My home was becoming a prison without Sam.
She'd been gone four days. Four days in a house empty without her things there, four nights in a lonely bed. I'd taken to writing her each night about my day. It helped me feel closer to her.
At least my work was going well. My course schedule had been through three iterations and was ready for review by General Hammond. I'd mentally picked two former SG team leaders for instructors. Hammond and I communicated daily on the type of candidates we wanted for students and the facilities available for my unit to use.
I wandered down to my old office while I waited for the results of my tests. Hammond had agreed to let me use it until someone else needed the space. All of my stuff was gone, so I read email on my laptop for an hour until Doc Fraiser called me back to the infirmary. My stomach was in knots with anticipation. The results would determine if I came back to duty or my injuries forced me into permanent retirement. The SGC was my only link to Sam. I couldn't lose it.
She finally summoned me to the infirmary. "Doc, what's the verdict? Can I come back Monday?"
"Well, Colonel O'Neill, despite the severity of your injury and the extensive repairs necessary due to previous injuries, it seems the surgery and physical therapy has brought your knee back to an acceptable level of functionality. You'll need to keep up with the PT and wear your brace when engaging in extended physical activity. You may come back Monday." She never once cracked a smile.
"Wow, you've overwhelmed me with your enthusiasm, Doc. Are you upset about something? There's nothing wrong with Cassie, is there?"
"No, sir. There's nothing you need to worry about. Now, if you don't mind, I'm expecting a team back very soon and need to prepare." She turned away, as if dismissing me.
"Sure, no problem. I'll get out of your hair. Thanks for the good news, Janet."
Her expression was more annoyed than anything, and I would have sworn one of her nurses glared at me on my way out. What'd I done to deserve their displeasure? One way or another, I knew they'd find a way to let me know.
SAM
My PDA beeped with a reminder for a team meeting I'd called. I put down the letter from Jack that had come in the twice-weekly mail delivery. There were two others I hadn't opened yet. I was saving them. On the way to the conference room Captain Alice Yamauchi, our new biochemist and chemical engineer, joined me. The next-most senior member of my team, 1st Lieutenant Moreen Barton, followed her. Barton was an Electrical Engineering doctoral candidate and something of a computer wiz. Teal'c and 2nd Lieutenant Sigrid Meyer, archeologist and linguist, essentially a Daniel-in-training, were waiting for us in the only usable second floor conference room. Daniel's construction crew had worked full speed on getting the place habitable, but some things had just taken time.
I sat at the head of the table and addressed my team. "Good morning. I'd like to review the mission planned for tomorrow. Captain Yamauchi, what have you found on the technology we're going to P2X-098 to retrieve?"
"SG-6 brought back a small sample of the substance, ma'am, but didn't know how to store it properly and most of the power leached out before the techs at Groom Lake could test it. I've received the new storage units. We should be able to acquire enough power clay this time and keep it potent until we can check it out in the lab here. The potential uses for the clay as a power source are endless."
"That's good news, Captain. Thank you. Lieutenant Barton, have you been able to set up the equipment in the labs so we can start testing as soon as we get back?"
"Yes, ma'am. The captain's lab is complete and ready for the tests. Yours is ninety-percent done and will be done by the end of today. Lieutenant Meyer's and mine are seventy-five-percent done. The network is functional on all floors of this building. The remaining buildings should be ready by the end of next week, barring any emergencies, of course." She flashed her infectious grin around the room, eliciting smiles in return.
"Good work, Lieutenant, thanks. Lieutenant Meyer, how are you coming with the language of the natives on 098? We'll need to be able to speak with the chieftain to negotiate for more power clay."
"It's slow going, but I know enough to greet them, buy the clay, and say goodbye. By tomorrow, I'll be more fluent. Doctor Jackson is helping me with the vowel sounds and syntax. He says it's similar to a language spoken by ancient Toltec natives." The bubbly 24-year-old flushed slightly at the mention of her current idol.
"Good. Thanks. Teal'c, has all of our equipment arrived from home?"
"Yes, ColonelCarter. All is in readiness." Succinct, that's our Teal'c.
"Well, I think we have a go then. Any issues anyone needs to bring up before we break?" We worked through problems with defective equipment and missing personal items. By lunchtime, we were done and looking forward to the latest dish from the chef Daniel had hired. The Etrurian man made the best food I'd had in years and his desserts were to die for. I could feel the gym calling me already.
GENERAL HAMMOND
"Despite his many idiosyncrasies, it is nice to have Colonel O'Neill back to work. A certain …spontaneity has been missing around the SGC." I paused, listening to the man on the other end of the phone line. "Yes, sir, his plans and requisitions look very good. I'm quite pleased with his work so far. He didn't waste any time while he was recuperating. Thank you, Mr. President. I'll be sure to tell him that." He began a new topic of conversation.
"Yes, sir. Doctor Jackson's last report was quite accurate. I've had independent confirmation via the Asgard that our delegation is doing a superb job. If I may say, sir, the idea of assigning SG-1 to the embassy was quite inspired. Not only does Doctor Jackson still have his team members around him, they have unparalleled access to other races for study and trade of technology. Yes, he's in his element and has become quite popular with the local intellectuals.
"Refitting the buildings and hiring a staff has taken much of the ambassador's time, but he's managed to make a number of new friends for Earth. Apparently, he's cutting a wide swath, albeit quite unintentionally, through the female population of Hawai'iki. It is a common occurrence around the young man. Fortunately, his behavior is always above reproach.
"No, sir, he's a widower. His wife, Sha're, was a victim of the Goa'uld. However, the female members of SG-1 have been serving as temporary hostesses when required and are filling in as his representative on a rotating schedule. It's very good experience for them and Major Adams. Yes, I just received a requisition for six new personnel for the embassy."
"Yes Mr. President, I agree that his bachelor status makes him a tempting target for certain 'distractions.' No, I don't know for sure of anyone here to whom Doctor Jackson is attached; although, I will make it my job to find out. Goodbye, sir." I let out a large breath and my mouth formed a soft smile as I replaced the red handset in its cradle. My thoughts and expression closely matched for once. "Some days, I really like my job."
Reaching forward, I picked up the other phone and asked my aide to page a member of my staff.
DANIEL
Thanks to Bragi's suggestions, plus the various local customs he shared, sleep was my regular companion. The embassy closed its doors to visitors each night from two a.m. until noon, except, of course, to any citizens of Earth. It's the custom for most embassies and no one thought anything of it when we posted a sign to that effect.
The remodeling was going well. The building was turning out to be an archeological dig of sorts. Most days one of the workers would come to me with some new find: a beautiful mural discovered under six layers of paint and wallpaper, discarded personal items, or papers that I had to, sadly, put aside for later study. The characters found on the papers were similar to that on the mysterious panel downstairs, but not close enough to provide a key.
The craftsmen on Hawai'iki were masters of their craft, if rather expensive. By good fortune, the President had given me the equivalent budget for any new embassy, which we brought in as gold bullion and converted to the local currency. That system presented a problem. Gangs of bandits roamed between the 'gate and Hawai'iki City. With the Stargate so far from the city, the regular shipment of large quantities of gold was hazardous and required that we send most of the Marines to meet the party transporting it.
One of those same Marines had made an off-handed remark that had stuck in my mind until I could think it over at leisure. Transportation within the city was either by foot, riding animal or animal-drawn cart. The Hawai'ikians had banned internal combustion and similar technology long ago in favor of less environmentally damaging methods. For some reason, no one had tried less damaging technology, at least according to the sources I questioned. I had derived quite a bit of entertainment imagining the puzzled look on General Hammond's face when he saw that requisition.
SAM
SG-1's mission to P2X-098 was a complete success and my team performed very well. Lieutenant Meyer was able to explain to the headman what we wanted the substance for and that we had no intention of allowing it out of our possession. His attitude was very close to that of the Tollans at first, but he warmed to her arguments and finally gave us the lumps of gooey clay-like material that his people dredged out of the nearby streams. I don't think it hurt our case that we were four women, plus Teal'c, who mostly stood to the side. The leader's grandson cast appreciative glances from time to time at the two lieutenants.
"Ma'am, he's agreed to give us the amount we asked for in return for the items we've brought." Lieutenant Meyer looked justifiably quite pleased with herself. The wizened chieftain had just waved two of his people away to get the power clay.
"Very good work, Lieutenant. Let's unload the rest of the trade goods and let him inspect them before the actual trade." I could see Captain Yamauchi and Lieutenant Barton standing ready to pack up our newest acquisition properly.
"Lieutenant Meyers, have you asked them about how long the properties should last and how to store it long term?" Captain Yamauchi inquired.
"Yes, ma'am. The grandson is going to tell me while the chieftain rests." At my nod granting permission, she turned to the young man and they began speaking haltingly in his language. He gestured frequently as if describing something to her and, finally, grabbed her arm to lead her toward a storehouse.
"Would you stay with them, please, Teal'c? I don't want our young friend to get the wrong idea and spoil such a promising relationship."
The Jaffa gave me a dignified nod and followed the two young people from a discrete distance. I yet again thanked whatever gods prompted the President to keep Teal'c on SG-1. While I knew Sigrid could take care of herself, the presence of a large Jaffa made clear to the leader's grandson, without insult, that she was not his.
JANET
I walked into the general's office unaware of how the following conversation would change my life. After I sat down, I saw that General Hammond looked a little uncomfortable. "I – uh – have a rather delicate question to ask you, Doctor Fraiser."
"Yes, sir?"
"The President is concerned that Doctor Jackson has no wife or significant other to act as hostess at the embassy and he would rather the woman be someone who would be a friend and partner to Doctor Jackson. He asked that I find out if there is anyone to whom Doctor Jackson is attached, a girlfriend or close friend."
"Sir, Daniel has many close friends, but I don't believe there is anyone whom Daniel is currently dating." Evasive enough?
"Doctor, I have noticed over the past few years that you have grown pretty close to Doctor Jackson and I know he thinks quite highly of you. Is there anything you would care to share with me?" My cheeks began to burn. I'd thought my infatuation with Daniel was my little secret.
He stopped me from replying. "Don't say anything just yet. I have another question to ask. Doctor Jackson has requested a physician and a nurse for the embassy clinic. Apparently, the host culture's medical science is quite far behind ours. They have immunity to most diseases and simply die from those for which they have no resistance.
"In part, because the gate is so far from the city, they need a doctor trained in emergency medicine as well as a general physician. I have a complete description of the positions here." He slid a large packet of paper across the desk to me. "Do you think any of your staff might be interested in the position?"
The temptation to leap on the offer was almost irresistible, but rash decisions were never my style. I had too many things to consider before making this one. "May I have some time to think about your request, sir?"
"Of course, Doctor. You may take a few days to answer. Dismissed."
JACK
My meeting with Hammond had gone well. He agreed to the space and personnel requests I made and approved the initial lesson plans. Now it was up to me to start recruiting for instructor and support staff positions. I mentally reviewed the names I'd come up with in advance and sat down in my office to dredge up contact information for the two retired SG team leaders I knew who could do the job standing on their heads. I sent an email to the one whom I remembered as a technophile and called the other.
"Hey, Fred, it's Jack O'Neill. Do you have a minute to talk?"
"I have an hour if you'd like, Jack. I can't see why you ever retired the first two times. Unfortunately for me, my back forced me out."
"Well, I may be able to do something about that, if you're interested. Can I meet you somewhere for lunch? O'Malley's? They should be about ready to let me back in." He chuckled at the mention of SG-1 having been barred from the bar several years ago.
"I'll have to tell Mary that I'm leaving. Say, in an hour?"
"Great. See you then." I hung up and leaned back. So far, so good. I stood to go in search of the senior sergeant I wanted for the unit. Word was, she was craving a new challenge and I had just the opportunity for her to kick some junior officer butt with no repercussions.
Week 11 Day 5
TEAL'C
Drey'ac came to me the previous night in a dream. The human need for sleep brought with it several strange side effects. Dreams were but one of them. My dead wife told me that Rya'c had need of me; that the rebel's cause was faltering with few adherents left. I had known this since the slaughter of the rebel army that had resulted in the loss of my symbiote, but her words made it real. I resolved to ask DanielJackson and ColonelCarter in the morning for some time with Rya'c and Master Bra'tac.
"Of course you should go, Teal'c. Assuming Sam has no objections, of course. SG-1 has no missions planned until after your next downtime. She and Major Adams can fill in for you on security. Please give our regards to Rya'c and Master Bra'tac."
ColonelCarter was, as ever, generous and understanding, giving her consent to my absence immediately. I packed a few belongings and obtained my staff weapon from the armory at the back of the embassy property. I took my leave of my two friends as though driven by wild targs. Something was pushing me to see Rya'c as soon as possible.
SAM
That door panel was driving me crazy. I'd tried irradiating it, hitting it with sledgehammers, punching in countless combinations based on an algorithm I developed and bombarding it with sounds. Nothing worked. Teal'c certainly knew how to keep me out of trouble.
Captain Yamauchi was making good progress with the analysis of the power clay. Its promise was vast if she could discover what made it work. The natives had used the substance to power crude lamps and heaters during their 18-month winters. I was hopeful the blankets and sheets of rigid insulation we traded them would help make their flimsy homes more livable.
I wandered into her lab three days after we got back from P2X-098 to see if she wanted to go to lunch. The chef, Mamarce, was quite temperamental when people showed up late or just ate and ran. "Alice, how goes the research?" I grinned to indicate I wasn't checking up on her and she smiled back.
"Pretty good so far, Colonel. I've been able to isolate 25 distinct compounds or elements within the clay, but nothing yet that explains its unique properties. The identification of two elements eludes me, so they may be the key. Lieutenant Barton has made several attempts to use the clay to power various devices, with mixed results. You can't exactly just stick the power plug for your electric toothbrush in it," she added ruefully.
"Ready for lunch? Don't want to keep Mamarce waiting, do we?" She chuckled at my little joke about his tendency to have hysterics and began putting various experiments and devices on pause. "Let's stop by Barton's lab to pick her up, too. You three are all as bad as I am about forgetting the time and not eating. Poor Teal'c has his work cut out for him between us and Daniel."
We ran into Daniel on the way to lunch and he naturally moved to join us. Over lunch, the four SG-1 members and our ambassador talked about how our various research projects were going.
"Find anything new in the remodeling today, Daniel?" I asked him, glancing up from my plate. His distracted gaze meant something was up and I'd have to pry it out of him later.
"What – uh – no. No new finds today. The last was the hand mirror in the ventilation shaft two days ago." His mind was obviously elsewhere so I took pity and turned to Lieutenant Meyers.
"Sigrid, any progress on the Lojan language samples we found?"
"I haven't been able to find anything with translations and, even though it sounds similar to Mandarin, it appears to not be Earth based. So, there's no common basis. It may take some time, even with Doctor Jackson's help." Sigrid glanced sidelong at her oblivious new hero and then quickly down at her plate. Alice and I exchanged amused looks. This was nothing new around my friend, Daniel.
After we broke for lunch, I excused myself and went after him. "Daniel, wait up. I want to talk with you." He stopped for me to catch up and I pulled him into a small reception room, closing the door.
"What's wrong, Daniel? I can tell something's eating at you. Can you talk about it?"
He looked at me, dipped his head, eyes closed, then raised his head to look at me. "You know I requested six new people, including a doctor and nurse?" I nodded. We'd discussed it at length last week when he and Teal'c came to my place for dinner.
"Well, General Hammond asked me if I'd like Janet to be assigned here. I think he and the President are sort of playing matchmaker, partly to keep from having a bachelor ambassador."
"Oh, dear, what have you said?" This was interesting!
"Nothing yet. I frankly don't know what to say. What do you think, Sam?"
"You already know what I think, Daniel, and Teal'c would say the same. If she's willing to leave the SGC and the general would agree to let his CMO go, why not take the chance?" I put my hand on his and squeezed.
"I don't know, Sam. I never brought it up with her, how will she know …"
"She'll know, Daniel. She's pretty smart and I know she cares for you a lot. Okay, more than a lot. With that statement, I've betrayed her confidence. Don't make me regret it." I hugged him quickly and opened the door. "Go. Tell the general that you'll happily accept her if she's willing to come here."
"Yes, ma'am! You know, you're worse than Jack sometimes."
"Thanks, Daniel." I grinned and strutted away, pretty pleased with myself.
JACK
Two days after I spoke with him at lunch, Fred Marchand called back to accept my offer. Even his wife thought it was a good idea and she'd always hated his work at the SGC. Master Sergeant Maser had accepted too. Actually, she jumped at the opportunity and was already working on my team. She was recruiting her own support staff members, so, thankfully, I didn't have to. Two down for me, two to go.
My second choice for instructor was already working for the SGC in another capacity, so I had to go looking again. The interviews I had had were discouraging; one lieutenant colonel in particular. We sat in an anonymous office at Peterson and I'd seen his smirk upon spying my cane.
"I see you have quite a few years with Special Ops, two years of instruction and some in support of scientific units. How well do you get on with scientific types, Colonel Ferris?"
"Well enough to keep their butts out of a wringer, but not well enough to want to spend my downtime with them." Okay, so long as he could be civil and make nice occasionally.
"Tell me why you'd be good in this position. What do you have to offer?"
Another smirk plastered itself on his face. "Sir, if you can't tell that from my record, I don't think I could explain it to a desk jockey like yourself. With all due respect, sir."
I stood to end the interview. "Colonel, I don't think we have anything further to discuss. Thank you for your time." I shook his hand and pointed him toward the door, following slower. "Oh, by the way, Colonel. You just blew your dream job. Have a nice day." Okay, so the sarcasm had been a little heavy-handed, but I felt justified after his snotty remark. His face fell and I shut the office door on it.
It wasn't the first time someone had taken me for a career desk jockey since I still walked with a cane so long as the physical therapists held my leash. It had just galled me so much to take crap from turkeys like him.
"Thank God Sam is due back for downtime in a couple of weeks. Maybe I'll go write her another letter," I muttered. This job was making me talk to myself.
Week 12 Day 1
JANET
I gated to Hawai'iki with Lieutenant Marisa Samuels, who was considering the position of nurse at the embassy. I had kept telling myself I was only scoping out the situation so I'd know whom to recommend. Self-deception was something I thought I'd outgrown, but it had been in full force that day.
No one was there to greet us, but that wasn't so surprising since we were almost an hour early. An emergency mission to retrieve the 2IC of SG-3, whose wife was in a seriously compromised labor, caused us to be hustled through the Stargate to clear the way for the returning father. We hauled out the map and took the road that looked like it would get us to our destination. Samuels chattered away, relieving me of the need to be sociable. I merely had to nod and smile at the right place in the conversation. I hadn't fooled her for a minute though.
The long trek to Hawai'iki City was all uphill. Maneuvering the FRED through switchbacks hadn't been too much fun and wasn't an experience I cared to repeat. It carried medical supplies for the new clinic, mail and various other goods. 'No wonder Colonel O'Neill's knee gave out on him, I thought as we trudged up the well-traveled road.
After I flubbed a turn yet again, Marisa gently took the FRED controls away. "Ma'am, your mind just isn't on driving this thing. Let me take it for a while." Embarrassed, I muttered my thanks and we moved on after she extricated the vehicle from the muddy patch where I'd mired it.
Her muted southern accent softened her words. "Ma'am, Janet, if I may, it wouldn't be that bad you know. Doctor Jackson really does like you a lot. You sure can't beat having a two-star general and the President of the United States as personal matchmakers."
I laughed, embarrassed again. "That easy to read, am I?"
"No. I've worked for you for several years now and the rumor mill has been running overtime about you two the last few weeks. Besides, I've seen the way you two look at each other, and it's not like the regs are against you like they were for Colonels O'Neill and Carter."
"True, but we've never taken this beyond the gazing longingly at each other stage. What if my arrival is a total shock to Daniel?"
"Well then, you just give him the same story you gave us. You're just here to check out the facilities and determine who would work out best. No loss of dignity, no embarrassment."
I snorted softly. "You should have Mackenzie's job, Marisa. You'd certainly be more popular than him."
"No thank you, ma'am. I don't like school and don't like bein' a cold hearted person. I think his job would do that to a person."
"You're probably right." After that, we walked in silence until the gleaming white walls of the city came into sight over the rise of the last hill. The city gates hung wide open, welcoming us. We glanced at each other and bright smiles broke out.
"Looks like a friendly place," she commented.
"It does, at that." The late morning sun shone in our eyes, obliterating our view ahead for a minute or two.
SAM
I stopped by the cookhouse to grab the picnic lunch Chef Mamarce Pulena had prepared for our trip to the Stargate to pick up Janet and Lieutenant Samuels. We chatted briefly about his plans for dinner, knowing Daniel wanted everything perfect for his "guests."
"Of course I make a special dinner, Colonel Samantha! My dinners are always special." The tubby man sniffed at me, indignant. I hurried to reassure him and soothe his ruffled ego.
"Mamarce! How could you think that I wouldn't know that? Haven't I gained ten pounds since you started cooking here?" I asserted, stating essentially the truth. He chuckled and pinched my cheek playfully. Vesia Pulena, his wife and the embassy housekeeper, shorter but just as outsized and considerably less flighty, stalked up and slapped his hand imperiously.
"By the wrath of Veive, keep your hands to yourself, Mamarce! I am the only one you can handle so," she ordered her man, winking to me out of his line of sight.
"Vesia, my love, you have no need to call down the god's revenge. I look at no woman but you," he smiled so sincerely at her and gathered her into his arms that her "anger" melted visibly. She placed a generous kiss on his cheek.
Vesia, her husband, and her son, Tyrrhenos, had come to Hawai'iki with the Etrurian ambassador, but left his service over an unknown disagreement. Daniel theorized that their people were descended from the ancient Etruscans. According to their legends, the Etruscan gods Fuflans and Veive, gods of wine and revenge, respectively, had brought the Etrurian people to a paradise, but soon disappeared themselves. In reality, their Goa'uld masters had probably died off or killed each other, leaving the Etrurians to flourish and, eventually, figure out how to use the Stargate.
With our lunch in hand, I left the smooching couple and raced up the main building stairs, trying to burn off some of those ten pounds. The hallway meeting area outside our third floor apartments had been a wonderful idea that actually came about by accident. When the "lightly used" furniture dealer delivered the furnishings before the apartments were ready, it ended up in the corridor and we just started using it for evening get-togethers and impromptu meetings. The minute I reached Daniel I could see that he was a basket case waiting for the moment when we could leave. We chatted until, for the fifth time in thirty minutes, he asked me the time.
"It's five minutes later than the last time you asked. I'll tell you what, why don't we leave early. Chef made us a picnic lunch. We could have a leisurely lunch by the 'Gate while we wait for them."
"Great. Let's go." He lunged from the sofa and grabbed his pack.
I bit my lip to stifle a chuckle. The poor man was in agony. He didn't need me laughing at him. I hooked my weapon to my lanyard and followed. We waved goodbye to the sentries outside the gate and walked at a comfortable pace through the city streets, exchanging respectful greetings with people we knew. As soon as we reached the city gates, Daniel picked up the pace. Somewhat surprised, I kept up.
From there, the road led to the first of the hills down to the Stargate. As we got within a few hundred yards of the slope, two figures in BDUs and a squat machine crested the hill. With the sun in their faces, I knew they couldn't see anything in front of them. Having heard stories, which I sincerely hoped were just that, of bandits outside the city walls, we hurried toward them.
JACK
With Doctor Mengele gone for a few days, I was a little less apprehensive about my regular PT and physical exam. I'd hoped that, without Fraiser there to egg them on, the remaining staff members would take pity on me and ratchet down the torture a step or two. Little did I know, they were angrier than she was and she'd been holding them back.
Two hours later, I limped painfully back to my office and made another call to a colonel I knew from my Special Forces days. He was the last on my list of personal acquaintances that I'd considered hiring for my new training unit. With Fred Marchand, Moira Maser and a former Academy instructor I knew on board, things were smoothing out. I hoped we'd be ready to start interviewing student candidates in two weeks.
I mentioned the possibility of training off world to the general again. He actually rolled his eyes. I swear he did. I knew I'd wear him down eventually, but it would just take time.
DANIEL
In the bright light of early afternoon on Hawai'iki, without the sunglasses I'd left behind in my haste, I couldn't walk as fast as my feet felt I should. The last thing I wanted was to trip and fall on my face in front of Janet. I was trying to impress her, not make her feel I needed a nanny to cross the street
The road we walked bisected a large open meadow between the Hawai'iki gates and the edge of the hill that led to the Stargate. I'd noticed signs of temporary structures along the wide, roughly cobbled highway. During several of our all-too-infrequent chats, Bragi had related stories of summer fetes and winter revelries held there.
Ignoring the radio on her shoulder, Sam waved and yelled to her best friend enthusiastically, "Janet, is that you?"
"Yes," came the faint reply. "Sam?" Janet raised her hand in reply and Marisa lifted the walking stick she carried to wave to us.
Just then, the sound of an energy weapon echoed around us. Swirls of dirt puffed up where the shot struck inches from Janet's feet. At least ten men rushed them from behind, apparently having hidden over the edge of the hill. Sam unhooked her P90 and ran toward the attackers, not shooting until the two women were out of her line of fire. I had my pistol out and stopped to aim at the man in the lead. I hit him, but he stood again and ran toward Marisa.
"Janet, Marisa, get down!" I yelled. As they hit the dirt, using the FRED as shelter against the occasional shots by the bandits, I aimed again at the men to the left of the group running toward us. Two went down, but I missed the next two.
Sam, having covered the intervening ground at an amazing rate, knelt by the FRED and began sweeping her sub-machine gun along the line of men running toward us. More went down, but the five left were almost on my friends. I ran toward them as fast as I could, but it seemed to take forever as though I ran in slow motion.
Sam continued firing until an energy bolt struck her forearm. Her hand useless, she cried out and dropped her P90 as the men overtook the women. One was too close for her to lean down to grab her fallen gun, so Sam lunged, shoulder first, into the abdomen of the man rushing at her. Her retrieved rifle was ineffective at such close quarters so it became a club in her good hand. From forty feet away, I heard his skull crack.
Marisa stood and swung her walking stick into the face of one man. He stumbled back and she jammed the staff in his groin. He was out of the fray, but another grabbed her from behind, pinning her arms and causing the lieutenant to drop her staff. Janet stomped on his foot, her heavy boots crushing his foot through his worn shoes. Unfortunately, it only made him madder and he tightened his grip on Marisa, who was fighting to breathe. Janet picked up and swung the walking stick at his head, to little effect. Knowing just where to strike to do the most damage, she jammed the thick end in his back, breaking his hold on Marisa. Janet brought the staff down on his head again and he fell to the ground, stunned.
I shot as I ran and, amazingly, took out a man by hitting his foot. The remaining two men grabbed the one I'd just shot and sprinted with him between them back toward the hill. By the time I ran up to my friends, it was over.
"Everyone okay?" I asked, trying to catch my breath. Marisa, practical to the core, had already recovered and was surveying the other two for injuries.
"Doctor, the colonel's arm is hit, but it's not too bad, just a minor burn. Colonel, what should we do with these men?"
"Let's take them to the guards." Sam pulled some long zip ties from her vest and we secured the men while she radioed the embassy to have them notify the City Guard of our situation. We draped two of them over the FRED and marched the third toward the city gates.
The City Guard met us at the gates and relieved us of the men. I didn't envy the prisoners from the glares and shoves they got from the soldiers.
Now that the excitement was over, I remembered why Sam and I were outside the gates and shyness gripped me. Sam and Marisa were over to the side, while the nurse bandaged the burn on Sam's arm.
"Cat got your tongue, Daniel," Janet asked. I'm afraid all I could do was stutter and nod. "A little nervous?" I nodded my agreement. "Me too. Maybe we should gather Marisa and Sam and get going?"
Some great linguist and ambassador, all I could say was, "W-we brought lunch."
Janet bit her lip, probably to keep from laughing at me. "An offer I can't refuse."
Sam and Marisa were more than happy to take a break after our adventure. The adrenaline high was wearing off. We could use food and rest before walking the rest of the way home. The four of us set out the picnic in a charming pocket park just inside the gates, under a copse of trees. The shade was delicious after the sweltering noon sun. We talked mostly of neutral subjects, like the life here on Hawai'iki.
After the last crumb of Mamarce's wonderful lunch was gone, Sam stood and announced, "I have to get back to my lab. Marisa, why don't you join me? We can get the FRED unloaded and you settled."
As they left, Sam said to us over her shoulder, "Take your time, you two. I imagine you've got a lot of catching up to do." I could tell a set up when I saw one.
TEAL'C
Rya'c struggled to stay on his feet on the other side of Master Bra'tac, whom we supported between us. My arrival had been just in time to save them from an attack by former Serpent Guards, now in the service of Anubis. However, I was not in time to keep my master from being badly injured.
We hid for two days until the Serpent Guards gave up their search for us. Rya'c and I were able to dispatch the three Horus Guards left to secure the Stargate. I entered the address for Hawai'iki and stood back to wait for the wormhole to engage.
"Father, why do you not dial the Tau'ri? Do they not have superior medical facilities to your new home?"
"Yes, my son, but I was negligent and failed to bring my GDO device with me. The iris will be closed to us." He nodded his head slowly in understanding and helped me support Master Bra'tac's limp form. We walked though the event horizon and stepped out onto the platform on Hawai'iki.
There was no one about, so we began the slow journey to the city where we could find a safe haven. The hills were the hardest. My master's feet hung down and snagged on protruding rocks and roots as we climbed. At last, the final hill was before us. We had only to reach the city gates and the embassy within before Rya'c and I collapsed.
Continued in Part 4
