Disclaimer: 'Stargate SG1' and all the characters associated with the show belong to someone who isn't me. As I doubt that the owners would be willing to trade their rights for some magic beans that aren't in any way magical, this is not going to change at any point in the foreseeable future.

Chapter Seven

"You guys stink!" Jack had never been known for his tact but, in this instance, he felt that there really wasn't a politer way to put it.

At Teal'c's insistence, the group had arrived at the shallow pool where the penguins were housed precisely ten minutes before their feeding time was due to begin - only to find a sizeable crowd already gathered there.

With an enthusiasm more suited to a small child than a Jaffa warrior, Teal'c had managed to manouver his way through the crowd to the frnt, pressed against the low bars fencing in the penguins, right next to their keeper. He had pulled Daniel along behind him.

Jack had been thankful that little Sam had found the odour as objectionable as he had and, as her position sitting on his shoulder's gave hera bird's eye view of the proceedings, she had not demanded that he move any closer, leaving him in a perfect position to use the camera to capture Teal'c's not quite concealed surprise and joy when the penguins' keeper had offered to let him throw in a few of the fish himself.

The expression on Daniel's face when the penguins had made a beeline for Teal'c - or, more accurately, the fish he held - splashing them both liberally, could not be described as anything other than priceless.

Jack was considering using the picture as a screensaver.

That General Hammond had called him just minutes after the other two men had been soaked, demanding their immediate return to the SGC, not listening to excuses about needing to change, had been the icing on the cake.

Thus Jack and Sam were accompanied back to the base by two men drenched in smelly, stagnant water.

Jack had been duly grateful that they had used Daniel's car rather than his truck to get to the zoo, otherwise both men would have been walking back to Cheyenne Mountain.

Hearing the titters from just about every member of the SGC they passed, Daniel's face turned an interesting shade of pink and, although Teal'c showed no outward sign of embarrassment, Jack would have been willing to bet that he was committing the names and faces of every sniggerer to memory.

"Good Lord!" General Hammond, coming to the control room to greet them, gaped at his flagship team in astonishment. "What happened to you?"

"They had an accident." Sam informed him blithely.

Hearing this, Colonel Makepeace of SG-3 snorted with laughter, looking as though several of his birthdays had come at once.

"Not that kind of accident!" The now crimson Daniel scowled at her.

"The penguins attempted to attack us." Teal'c sounded quite distressed about this.

"They weren't attacking you, big guy." Jack said patiently. "They just wanted the fish."

"I would have given it to them had they been patient."

"Uncle George?" Sam tugged on her godfather's shirt. Once she had his attention, she held a stuffed rabbit out to him. "Look what Colonel O'Neill got me."

"Very nice."

"His name is George." She told him sweetly. "George the Rabbit."

"Is it?" He grinned, enchanted by her. "Did you have fun at the zoo?"

"Uh-huh, but then we had to leave when Teal'c and Daniel got wet."

"Speaking of..." Daniel spoke up hurreidly, wanting to get to a shower and clean clothes as soon as was humanly possible.

"By all means, clean up." General Hammond nodded permission. "But please hurry back. We recieved a radio message frrom the Tok'ra, one of their operatives will be arriving within the hour."

"Jacob's going to kill us."

"Nobody could have known what the pool would... hey!" Daniel's tone switched from calming to indignant. "What do you mean 'us'? You were in charge."

"If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me."

"The Tok'ra did not give the name of the operative in question." Teal'c observed logically. "It may not be Jacob Carter."

"True." Jack acknowledged, glancing through the glass window of Hammond's office, where Sam had commandeered the general's chair and was drawing a picture. "If worst comes to worst, I call Carter as a human shield. You can use Daniel." He told Teal'c generously.

"What's to stop Jacob killing me?"

"Nothing."

What promised to be a very childish argument was cut off by the alarms signifying offworld activation.

General Hammond emerged from his office, leading little Sam by the hand and handed her over to Jack. "Why don't you take Sam down to the 'gate room. I'm sure she's like to see the stargate in action, wouldn't you, honey?" She nodded eagerly.

The warning not to let her any closer to the event horizon than the bottom of the ramp went unspoken, but the three adult members of SG-1 heard it as clearly as it it had been shouted.

Taking Jack's hand, little Sam all but dragged him out of the briefing room, eager to see the stargate again, Daniel and Teal'c following at a more sedate pace.

"Receiving Tok'ra IDC, sir." Lieutenant Simmons reported.

"Open the iris." Hammond ordered.

"How does that work?" Sam asked, wide-eyed as the metal shield receded.

Jack shrugged. "Ask Siler."

A few seconds after the iris opened fully, a solitary figure, clad in the usual tunic of the Tok'ra, stepped through, his arrival causing Jack to exhale slightly in relief before grimacing in irritation.

Maybe Jacob wouldn't have been so bad after all.

Sam moved closer to him, clutching at his hand. "I feel funny." Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper.

"I believe Samantha Carter senses the presence of a symbiote." Teal'c said.

"Samantha?" Martouf knelt down in front of her, his eyes wide with disbelief. "What has happened?"

"Long story." Jack said, picking the little girl up.

"So I see."

"Maybe you can help us." Daniel suggested eagerly. "If you have the time. You see, we were on P4C-656 and there was a temple dedicated to Hebe, I'm guessing she's a a Goa'uld and..." He trailed off, seeing that Martouf's attention was focused on a spot on his shirt. He flushed, realizing that one of his so-called friends must have stuck it on his shirt while he showered. He removed the offending 'brave boy' badge, waving it accusingly at Jack. "When were you planning on telling me that I was still wearing this?"

Jack grinned. "I wasn't."

TBC.

Author's Note: I know some people wanted to see Jacob, and he will be along at a later point, but there'll be some fun with Martouf before that.