((Sorry all for the delay, but I ran into a bout of… well not writers block cause I had what I wanted in my mind already… more like I was suffering from a lack of ability to lay this chapter out to my complete satisfaction. I hope you enjoy, another chapter is in the works as well.))

Colorado Springs, Colorado
Stargate Command – Level 28 Gate room – 1:34pm

The last of the official VIPs where escorted from the Gate room, Jack turned and glanced off toward the ramp leading up toward the Stargate; as he stared at the massive ring his mind was drawn back to Carter's eulogy, it had been touching and the best way to honor Janet for she had lived to help others and that's how she should be remembered.

Looking towards the open blast doors he caught sight of Cassie, flanked by Daniel and Teal'c, talking quietly to General Hammond and General Myers, the head of the Joint Chief's; the small medal case that held the Silver Star that was awarded posthumously to Major Janet Frasier cradled in both her hands.

General Hammond caught his eye and nodded for him to join the small group; Jack sighed and slowly made his way across toward the small group. Coming to attention he saluted General Myers, the small group talked softly for several moments, Major Carter joined them as well.

General Myers' aide came to inform him that they where on a pressing schedule and if they where to return to Washington before morning they had to leave for Peterson's now. With this news, goodbyes where said and the group parted ways. Cassie gravitated toward Jack and he put a supportive arm around her shoulders. The silence was broken by the approaching footsteps of Major Davis, as he drew closer he looked toward General Hammond.

George steeled himself for what he knew was to a terse meeting, but orders where orders. As the older man glanced at the Davis he said "SG-1 I need to see all of you in the briefing room at once." Then walked over to Major Davis; both spoke for a brief moment then walked out of the gate room.

With a glance Jack looked from his team members then towards Cassie. Seeing that his friend Major Lou Ferretti was still present Jack called out "Ferretti, would you mind driving Cassie back to my house?"

Walking over to the small group "Sure thing Colonel." said the gruff looking Special Forces Officer.

Jack reached into his pocket for the key to his house, removing the key from the key ring, he handed it to Cassie. "Will you be all right?" his eyes studied her, she had been controlled during the ceremony but he knew deep down inside that she was hurting. Sam's eulogy had struck a cord with all present.

She nodded clutching the key in her other hand. "You promise to take it easy? I spoke with Doc Warner, I wanted to know what I should be concerned about and he told me to make sure you took it easy… got plenty of rest and some other things as well." She stated in a calm almost maternal tone, as her eyes moved slowly around his face searching for any sign of pain.

The Colonel's mouth opened slightly then closed as he realized Cassie would mother hen him until Dr. Warner returned him to duty. He made a mental note to have a nice long talk with Warner… better yet, skip the talk and go straight to crazy glue and the man's desk chair. Glancing upward he could see the small smirk on Lou's face and he had a feeling that it was mirrored on the faces of his other teammates with the exception of Teal'c, but then he was probably doing his 'eyebrow thingy' he thought.

"Alright campers, lets not keep the General waiting. " He said as he watched the retreating back of Cassie.

…

Colorado Springs, Colorado
Stargate Command – Level 27 SGC Briefing Room – 1:40pm

As the members of SG-1 walked into the room they could sense that something was amiss. General Hammond and Major Davis stood together at the front of the conference table both silhouetted in the ethereal glow of the large plasma screen monitor, upon it the slowly spinning logo of Stargate Command.

One by one the members of SG-1 seated themselves around the table with; Jack seated to the immediate right of General Hammonds usual position at the head of the table and Daniel to his immediate right. Across from Jack, Sam was seated with Teal'c to her left.

Turning away from Major Davis, Hammond stood at the head of the table.

"What I am about to tell you is not to leave this room. This information is compartmentalized and these orders come from straight from the Joint Chiefs and General Myers himself." He said as he held the gaze of each member of SG-1 with his.

"The day after the events of P3X-666, I received a call from Captain Wilkinson at the Academy Morgue. She called to inform me that Major Frasier's body was apparently directed, without her knowledge or consent, to the Base Morgue at Peterson. She felt it prudent, given the nature of the SGC, to report this situation at once." As the General spoke voice, he noticed the subtitle changes in posture in each member of SG-1 as what he said regarding Major Frasier's body registered fully.

"Major Davis, if you would." Hammond said as he ceded the briefing to the young officer.

"At the behest of the General I reported the situation to the Joint Chiefs and started to quietly investigate if in fact the body had been directed to Peterson, unfortunately that was not the case. My investigation found no record of a delivery from the Academy Hospital to Peterson anytime that month, furthermore I had a team of SF's from Area 51 examine the Morgue and what we found was not encouraging." Picking up the remote that operated the briefing monitor, the Major stood aside and the image of the SCG logo was replaced by several photos of what appeared to be the Academy Morgue.

"Major Frasier's fingerprints where recovered not only from the door and wall surrounding the storage locker, but also within the pathologists office. Further tests also determined that Major Frasier's prints where on the report as well." As he spoke the images on the screen changed to each object in question.

Silence engulfed the room took on a life of its own as the words spoken by Major Davis sunk in, the words slowly took shape like a dark monster, with a presence felt by all present.

"You mean Janet is alive?" asked Daniel, the first to find his voice after this revelation.

"No Danny, she's alive… but what there not saying is that they think she's got a snake in her head… Am I right General?" Jack said with a grim look upon his face, his eyes staring at the opposite wall of the conference room.

Slowly taking his seat at the head of the table, General Hammond leant forward resting his elbows on the dark mahogany surface of the conference table. Glancing to each member of SG-1 in turn he nods slightly in response to Jack's question before speaking.

"Given the situation the Joint Chief's have declared this a 'Foothold' situation. The facts that not only were Major Frasier's fingerprints found on the medical report but also that there is blatant evidence of an attempt to cover-up the fact that she is alive…" As he spoke, those gathered caught a glimpse of the stress inherent in being Commander of the SGC upon his kind face.

Slowly he claimed his seat at the head of the conference table; he rested his elbows upon its rich and dark polished surface. Schooling his thoughts in the pregnant silence that permeated the room Hammond looked to each member of SG-1, but before he could continue with the briefing the silence was interrupted by the soft click of the conference room door being opened. As he rose to verbally dress down whomever was entering, General Hammond's pallor went from merely flushed to an almost alarming shade of red as the lanky form of Senator Kinsey stepped into the silence of the room.

Another man entered directly behind Kinsey, shutting the door silently and standing a discreet distance behind the aged politician.

"Well…well… what do we have here? This wouldn't be a meeting to discuss the fact that, due to your incompetence General, we have a Goa'uld running loose in the population?" Kinsey spoke in a smooth and controlled voice, grinning in slight self-satisfaction as the hue of not only the General's but Colonel O'Neill's face reached shades of red unheard of in nature.

…

((More to come))