Disclaimer: We don't own any of the things that sound familiar to you. There are a few characters in here that I own and one at the end who is owned by co-author LadyDeb1970.

A/N: Sorry it took so long. Also sorry that this is shorter than what either one of us would usually write. But it seemed like a good cut-off point and we really wanted to get this chapter up. If it helps, the next one is already under construction.

Chapter Two

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""SGC Mess Hall

"So. . .how did you meet him, sir?"

Jack looked up from the food in the cafeteria line, and at his 2IC, asking, "Ian?" Carter rolled her eyes, and Jack ignored the subtle insubordination, instead continuing, "Gulf War. He and his men were in the Green Howards. Good men, all of them. You'll meet them in a few days, but I figure you and space monkey will get along the best with Ian." He thought briefly about how Shaw would take Carter, then shook his head. Nope, that was best seen to be believed. To say nothing of entertaining. Real entertaining.

"He seems very nice. . .and very knowledgeable," Carter observed, glancing over her shoulder at the table where Daniel and Teal'c already sat with Ian. Jack cast an affectionate look at his long-time friend. Since Jack announced his plan to have Ian go after the Template. . .Templar. . .Treasure, the plan had taken on a life of its own. Not he was surprised. . .at least, not where Ian was concerned. Ever since Jack met him, Ian had a gift for planning. He planned ahead, and he took care of his men. That was why he and Jack got along so well. Never mind some of Ian's. . . oddities.

"Knowledgeable? Oh yeah. . .where history or archaeology was concerned, he was always our go-to guy. We used to tease him, because he spent most of his free time in the museums. And the Kuwaiti kids loved him, loved that blond hair of his. Nice? To those kids, he sure was. Has a real soft spot for kids. . .always has. I gotta tell ya, though, Carter. . .Ian can be just as dangerous as any of us. I've seen what he does to people who cross him, people who mess with his team. Not pretty," Jack told her. Something occurred to him then, something that Carter might not appreciate.

"Ahhh. . .Carter?" he began, trying to decide the best way to explain this without turning Ian into some sort of 'me Tarzan, you Jane' type. He wasn't a caveman sort. Just. . .real protective in certain respects. The colonel looked at him questioningly, and Jack decided finally to simply bite the bullet and say it outright, "There's one thing you really, really need to know about Ian. He's kinda. . .protective. . .of the women who are. . ." What? Under his protection? Around him? Jack chose the last one, saying, "The women who are around him. That, in case you're wondering, would include you."

She started to speak, most likely to remind him that she was quite capable of taking care of herself. That was the way Carter thought, but Jack shook his head and continued, "I know that, Carter. I know. And more than likely, he knows, at least in his mind. But in his soul, his first instinct will be to protect you if you two are in a situation together. Don't take it as an insult. It has nothing to do with you. That's just the way Ian is."

He thought briefly about telling his 2IC just how protective Ian could be, then decided against it. If he did that, if he told her the steps Ian took in the past to protect those around him, he would, without a doubt, witness an unholy battle between the two. Ian did what he thought was right, and had no problem with accepting the consequences. However, he tended to get rather put out when people who didn't know the entire situation judged him. Jack had his own concerns about the actions Ian took, but in the end, it wasn't the general who had to live with the consequences. It was Ian.

"Understood, sir," Carter replied, and Jack released a soft sigh of relief. Well, there was one problem avoided. At least for the moment, though that was likely to change from minute to minute, especially around here. And he would deal with those problems as they cropped up. In the meantime, the pair made their way over to Daniel, Ian, and Teal'c. Ian, evidently, was telling a few stories about Jack. That was fine. Jack had a few stories of his own to tell about Ian. And his friend knew about it.

Daniel was laughing as the pair sat down, and Teal'c said, "Greetings, O'Neill. IanHowe has been telling us of the times when he was required to aid you." Jack looked at the blond man, who was just grinning impishly. Aid him, huh? He couldn't wait to hear what Ian had been saying about him this time. Not that Jack was particularly concerned. He was a master at payback. Teal'c added helpfully, "We found the story about you angering the leader of the Special Action Services unit particularly amusing."

Now Ian's grin nearly split his face, and Jack just smirked, replying, "Well, what Ian here forgot to mention is that he's the one responsible for Sergeant Grady getting angry with me in the first place." Ian nearly fell over, laughing hysterically. Daniel just raised an eyebrow, and Jack explained, "See, Ian told me that a certain phrase was a compliment in the British Army. . ."

"And it was the exact opposite," Daniel guessed. Ian actually was on the ground now, arms wrapped around his waist as he laughed. Daniel continued, grinning broadly, "And you just accepted it, without asking anyone else?" Oh for. . .! Well, Jack could hardly deny that. But he trusted Ian, fer cryin' out loud! And if not Ian, then he could at least trust Shaw to tell him! Uh, no he couldn't. Shaw was utterly devoted to Ian. On the other hand, Jack had to admit that Ian was paying him back for doing something similar to him the week before, with an American colloquialism.

"You got it, space monkey. Up you go, kid," Jack said, reaching down to grab Ian under his arms and settling him back on the bench. He was still laughing, and Jack smacked the back of his head, feeling totally safe. Ian was cackling like a hyena, there was no way the kid would be able to pay him back any time soon. 'Soon,' of course, being a relative term. Especially where Ian was concerned.

"Stop calling me 'kid,' Jack. Or I'll tell them what your nickname was," Ian retorted, once he was capable of saying anything. Jack sat down opposite his English friend, raising an eyebrow, Teal'c style. Which nickname was this? Ian responded with an evil grin of his own and replied, "The one that Shaw created, with help." Nickname. . .? Oh. OH! Jack glared at the blond man, who just raised his hands in a gesture that was obviously meant to be innocent.

Of course, with Ian, 'innocent' was something of a. . .well, it just didn't fit. However, Jack had to admit, he wouldn't have liked Ian so much if it did. Much less back then, when he first met the smart-aleck. Daniel said, "I don't know, Ian. . .he calls you 'kid.' He calls me 'space monkey.' And we won't repeat some of the other nicknames. They aren't exactly repeatable in mixed company."

"I'm familiar with the kind," Ian replied, his voice hoarse from laughing so much. He took a sip of lemonade, his shoulders still shaking from the occasional snicker, then went on, "Jack's known for his nicknames. He used to call. . ." The Englishman stopped in mid-sentence, a spasm of pain crossing his face. Jack lost any desire to laugh, because he knew exactly what Ian was thinking. Damn stupid kid. There was very little heat in the thought, though. No matter what he said, Ian punished himself a thousand times over.

"I gave Ian's team nicknames as well," Jack said, covering up Ian's sudden silence, "Like Shaw. I called him 'Kojak.' When you meet him, you'll understand why." Ian flashed him a grateful smile, and Jack responded with a slow wink. He continued, "Now, I think we have unfinished business to discuss. . ."

There was something rather odd going on between the general and his English friend. Under ordinary circumstances, Colonel Sam Carter wouldn't have worried about it, because there were a lot of odd things about the general. However, between his warning to her earlier, and Ian Howe's sudden silence just now. . .there was a secret here, and Sam's instinct told her that it involved a woman. In her experience, few things could cause such pain in a man's eyes, aside from a woman. A fallen comrade, perhaps. She had only to think of how she felt earlier in the year, when she thought Janet was dead.

Janet didn't die, though it was a near thing for a while. Dr. Janet Fraiser was her dearest friend, as well as the chief medical officer for the SGC. They had saved each other's lives countless times, and Sam was an honorary aunt to her adopted daughter Cassie. Sam shuddered involuntarily as she thought of those dark days when Janet's life had hung in the balance. She and Daniel had been absolute wrecks, both inside and out. And Teal'c hadn't been much better. They had almost lost both Jack and Janet. It was not an experience Sam ever cared to repeat.

After lunch, Jack excused himself and took Ian with him, presumably back to the Level 12 briefing room to discuss more variations on their plan. One thing Sam learned during the few hours she had a chance to talk to him. . .Ian liked contingency plans. He liked to look at all possible outcomes. Daniel headed back to his lab to work on more translations and 'rocks', while Teal'c had a training session scheduled with some of the newest members of offworld teams. The group separated in the hallway outside of the commissary, with Daniel and Teal'c going to the left while Jack, Ian, and Sam headed right.

As Sam followed them from the cafeteria, a familiar figure was striding from the opposite direction, and her gray eyes widened with appreciation as she looked at Ian. Who was, Sam had to admit, a very attractive man. She was quite certain she wouldn't be the only female in the compound, aside from her current companion, who would think that, either. The colonel had to hide her smile as Ian flashed the newcomer a devastating smile. Not, of course, that it would keep her quiet for long. She was right.

"Sam, who is that hottie with Jack?" Cassie Frasier blurted out as soon as the two men took the turn that would lead them to the briefing room and were out of earshot. Sam looked at the sandy-haired girl, smiling affectionately. Cassie spent as much free time at the SGC as she could. . .she did while General Hammond was in command of the facility, and she spent even more time here now. She had General O'Neill wrapped around her little finger, and had ever since she was brought to Earth, years earlier.

"His name is Ian Howe, Cass, and he's an old friend of the general's," Sam replied, wrapping her arm around the girl. Cassie just mouthed, 'wow,' and the colonel went on, "I can tell you that he's English, a friend of the general's from Desert Storm, and he's helping us with a new project." Sam chose not to tell Cassie about what the general mentioned at lunch. . .namely, Ian's ferociously protective attitude to the women around him. She remembered his expression when he mentioned the nicknames, and wondered if that was what Jack was trying to warn her about.

"Ian Howe. He's really. . .really cute. I wonder if he'd look good in black," Cassie mused. Sam just rolled her eyes, trying not to laugh, then Cassie went on, "Of course, he'd probably be more interested in Mom, but that's okay. She's so pretty that I wouldn't mind." They were actually heading over to see Janet. Sam wanted to brief her about Ian Howe, and his involvement in the new project. Still, Cassie's words rang a bell in her mind, a warning that maybe Cassie should know a little more about their new auxiliary.

"Cass, I don't think he's interested in a relationship. . .with anyone," Sam told the girl. Cassie frowned, narrowing her eyes ever so slightly, and Sam explained, "Based on what the general did, and didn't, say, I think he's on the rebound." Admittedly, she thought there was more to it than that (a lot more, really), but Cassie was protective of her mother. Telling Cass that Ian was on the rebound made the teen less likely to play matchmaker between Janet and Ian.

"Oh. Too bad. He really is cute. Is he nice, too?" Cassie asked, linking her arm with Sam's as they neared the infirmary. Sam glanced at her suspiciously, but Cassie was looking curious, rather than innocent. She worried when Cassie tried to look innocent. The teenager continued, "I mean, if he's nice, maybe he can tell me some stories about Jack." Of course. Blackmail material.

However, she stifled a grin and instead answered, "I don't see that as a problem. From what the general told me, Mr. Howe has a soft spot for youngsters. The kids in Kuwait apparently adored him." Cassie glared at her.

"I am NOT a 'youngster', Sam," the teenager's tone was one of offended dignity and Sam fought a grin as she tightened her arm around Cassie's shoulders.

"Of course you're not, sweetie," she replied, mustering up the most condescending tone she could. Cassie's glare turned even more deadly and Sam laughed as they entered the infirmary.

'''''''''''''''''''''''Briefing Room – Level 12

"They'd do anything for you, Jack," Ian observed quietly as they shut themselves away in the briefing room after lunch. The older man looked up from a paper he had been skimming and shot Ian a questioning glance. "Absolutely anything," Ian repeated. "That kind of loyalty isn't found often."

"No….it's not," Jack finally said, letting the paper drop back onto the table. "We've been through things that I never thought of or dreamed about. I suppose you want to know a little more about them other than the fact that they're loyal to me."

"Well, it would be nice to have a little bit of background on them, Jack," Ian replied, his tone cautious. He didn't want to intrude into the lives of these people he had just met, but he did want to know something. Obviously, they were special. Otherwise, they would not be as close to Jack as they apparently were.

Jack sighed and leaned back in his chair. His eyes closed and Ian knew he was trying to decide what he could tell and what he couldn't. After a moment, Jack began his story.

"I met Daniel around nine years ago, not long after…." the words hung in the air for a moment before Jack cleared his throat went on. "He went with me and my men on a mission to a foreign land. We were supposed to make contact with the natives and-."

'Unscheduled offworld activation!'

Jack froze as the announcement thundered through the room and the corridors of Level 12. Ian watched the general as his expression went from worry to confusion to outright anger. The only emotion Ian was experiencing at the moment was confusion. 'Offworld activation'? What did that mean?

He barely had time to ponder this before he realized Jack was on the phone in the briefing room. And he was very glad that he was not on the other end. Jack O'Neill was livid.

"Walter! This level is supposed to be secure! Level 12! What do you mean Siler hasn't fixed the problem, yet? What problem? Why don't I know what's going on in my own chain of command? Walter, I want Siler in my office yesterday!"

As Ian took all this in, he was also putting pieces together. He did not, by any means, lack intelligence. 'Offworld activation'. Jack going on a mission with Dr. Daniel Jackson. An archaeologist who had been shunned in the academic community because he essentially believed in aliens. And who had just disappeared from view nine years ago. No digs, no papers, no news of any kind. Nine years….around the time he went on a mission with Jack to a 'foreign land'. No. Ian shook his head almost reflexively. No, surely not. While he had admired the young archaeologist's passion for his beliefs, Ian had certainly never shared those beliefs. No, it just couldn't be. Suddenly, he noticed that the tone of Jack's voice had changed.

"How badly?" Jack was asking, his voice soft. Ian saw his friend close his eyes briefly before he spoke again. "Let Doc Fraiser know I'm on my way." Jack hung up the phone gently, almost reluctantly, and then looked at Ian. So much for partial truths. He knew Ian was well on his way to putting two and two together. He'd have to be an idiot not to, after all. Sighing, Jack clapped his friend on the shoulder. "Follow me, Ian," he said. "We have some things to discuss."

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''SGC Infirmary

"Hey."

Sam turned from her position to see Jack headed towards her. Ian was nowhere to be seen.

"He's in my office," Jack explained. Sam nodded. "How are things going here?" he asked.

"I haven't heard anything since Janet took her into surgery," she replied. "I haven't seen anything that bad since….um…since…" She broke off, unable to finish. She hadn't seen anyone injured that badly since Jack and Janet had been wounded just a few short months ago.

"Where's Daniel?" Jack inquired, his eyes already scanning the room for the archaeologist. He was surprised that the man wasn't here. Sam shook her head.

"He left the base about fifteen minutes ago. There were some books at his apartment that he needed for reference."

Jack breathed a sigh of relief. That little coincidence had probably just bought them a much needed hour. If he knew Daniel……and he did……then the young man was most likely just now pulling up to his building. Then he'd have to rummage through his things for the books and, more than likely, would stop at his favorite coffee shop before returning to the mountain. Yeah, they were safe for a while. Jack looked around the infirmary for a moment longer before furrowing his brow. "Didn't I see Cassie earlier?" he asked.

"She left as soon as they brought SG-23 in. You know Janet doesn't actually like for her to hang around the infirmary very much. Even when things are calm." Jack merely nodded in response. He took a look at Sam's face, at her haunted eyes, and knew she was reliving the incident with Janet and himself. Wanting to comfort her, he reached out to put a hand on her shoulder and jumped back when he heard a voice.

"Sir? Ma'am?"

Both Jack and Sam turned to see Colonel Havlicheck in a bed at the other end of the infirmary. Having caught their attention, he proceeded to wave them over. In beds on either side of his was the rest of his team. Sergeant Winters was dead to the world, apparently. She didn't stir as the General and Colonel walked by. By contrast, both Havlicheck and Dr. Spencer were wide awake. All of them, however, were covered with various scratches and bruises were already becoming apparent. Jack frowned as he took in the sight.

"They slipped her some drugs," Havlicheck nodded towards the sleeping Winters. "You can't see it since they covered her up, but she's got a makeshift splint on her right leg. Snapped right in two on our way back to the gate. We would've just carried her, but we needed our arms for firing back at the natives."

"The natives?" Sam's tone was incredulous. "I thought PTX-931 was a peaceful planet! This wasn't some attack from the Goa'uld?"

Dr. Spencer grimaced as he shifted in his own bed, trying to find a more comfortable position for his back to settle into. The grimace turned to a grateful smile when Sam quickly moved to put an extra pillow behind him. Jack looked around, curious.

"Where are all the nurses? And Dr. Boyd?" he inquired, wondering why the infirmary was so empty.

"They're in surgery, assisting Janet," Sam replied. "Dr. Townsend has already been called in. She'll be able to tend to the rest of SG-23. The nurses on downtime have been called in as well."

Jack acknowledged this bit of information with a simple nod. His eyes narrowed, focusing on the two men of SG-23. An informal briefing with the team's CO and scientist would have to do for now, obviously.

"So, back to the original question. What's happening with the natives on PTX-931, Mick?"

"I wish I knew, sir," Mick Havlicheck sighed. "We'd been there one night already. Everything had been calm and peaceful. No troubles at all, really. It was an idyllic setting. Then, just after breakfast this morning…..well, I'm not really sure what happened. Colin?" Mick looked over at his team member.

"The Colonel wasn't there when it happened," Colin Spencer explained. "Neither was I, really. But I walked in on the middle of it. To tell you this, though, I'm gonna have to start from when we arrived, General," Spencer scrutinized Jack's face carefully. Everyone knew General O'Neill preferred short, sweet, and to the point. Which wasn't something the SGC's resident scientists excelled at. Jack sighed.

"Carter? Go to my office, please, and keep our guest company. Oh, and tell the front gate to have Daniel report to my office as soon as he checks in," Jack's air was resigned and, in spite of the circumstances, Sam had to bite back a smile.

"Yes, sir," she responded. Giving a quick glance at the three present members of SG-23, she turned and headed towards the exit. As she walked away, she heard the sound of Jack pulling a chair in between the two men's beds. Then, "Alright, Spencer. Fire away."

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''Office of General Jack O'Neill

Sam wasn't sure what she would find when she entered her CO's office, but she was surprised to find Ian Howe sitting in one of the chairs and reading through a thick folder. He looked up at her when she came in and she read the question in his emerald eyes quite easily.

"It's true," she said softly, closing the door behind her and taking a seat next to him. Ian drew in a breath and exhaled slowly.

"I've already signed the papers," he said after a moment of silence. Sam didn't respond, though she was a bit startled at his quick acquiescence. He continued, "The sergeant brought them to me not long after Jack left me here. Then he brought me this," Ian gestured to the folder before putting it back on Jack's desk. Sam watched him as he began to pace the room, wondering when Ian would actually show some sort of verbal reaction to all this information. Glancing at the folder, she realized it was only the report on the first mission to Abydos. Oh, Ian had a lot to learn about. The trouble was, she wasn't entirely sure she was the best person for this job.

"It's a lot to take in, you know," Sam's attention was drawn back to Ian when he spoke again. "I mean, I guess it's arrogant to assume we're alone in the universe. But maybe I'm an arrogant sort of guy."

Sam smiled softly.

"You don't exactly strike me as the arrogant type, Ian."

"I know several people who would disagree with you there, Colonel," Ian returned the smile, but it faded when his eyes fell on the folder again. "So what happened after that first mission to Abydos? Obviously Daniel didn't stay there. And there was no mention of you or Teal'c." Sam shook her head.

"I created the dialing program for the Stargate, but I didn't create it here. I didn't even see it until a year after the first Abydos mission, when I met General O'Neill and Daniel for the first time. That's also where Teal'c came into the picture," she explained.

Ian sighed as he leaned back against Jack's desk.

"I'm gonna take a wild guess here. Jack and Daniel didn't meet Teal'c on a dig in Africa, did they?" the British man inquired, raising an eyebrow. Sam rolled her eyes at what she considered to be General O'Neill's inability to come up with a plausible cover for the Jaffa.

"Not even close," she responded. Ian groaned in frustration.

"I hate not knowing what's going on. However……now that I'm 'in', do you suppose you could tell me how you all wound up together? And what has been happening over the past nine years?" he asked.

Sam opened her mouth to say that such an explanation was probably better left to Jack, but was interrupted by a knock on the door. A second later, Daniel's head popped into the office.

"Hey, what's going on around here? The guard at the gate told me to report down here right away," his eyes scanned the room, pausing on Ian in confusion, and then moving on to Sam questioningly. "Where's Jack?"

"Ian, would you mind excusing us for a minute?" Sam asked, her expression apologetic when she looked at the blond man. Sensing something was very wrong, Ian nodded and stepped out into the hall, closing the door behind him. He asked no questions. . .this didn't concern him, and he had an uneasy sense that he didn't really want to know, either. Not thirty seconds later, the door to Jack's office was flung open and Daniel went tearing down the corridor, nearly knocking Ian over in the process. Sam came out next.

"Daniel! Daniel, wait!" she called after him, but he showed no signs of slowing. Swearing under her breath, Sam looked back over at Ian. "I guess you'd like to know what that was all about."

Ian shook his head slightly, responding, "Really not any of my business." Sam grimaced.

"Ironically enough, it's really the only thing I feel comfortable telling you," the colonel told him. When Ian motioned for her to go on, Sam continued. "Jack's in the infirmary. One of the Marines was badly injured and is in surgery right now. That's why he had to leave so suddenly. What you just saw was Daniel's reaction to the news."

"He's close friends with this Marine?" Ian asked, raising his eyebrows. Sam grimaced.

"You could say that. She's his fiancée."

However, she wasn't prepared for Ian's reaction. He actually took a step backward, his face paling, and he looked after the archaeologist. His lips moved, but no sound emerged. He looked back at her and asked, "Should we go after him? I mean, he shouldn't be alone right now, should he?"

Once more, Sam remembered Jack's warning to her in the mess hall, and thought she knew what happened. Obviously, Ian lost his fiancée. That was the only explanation that made sense. She slipped her hand around his arm, replying softly, "Jack will look after him. My job, right now, is to look after you."

She was rewarded with a half smile, as Ian replied, "Look after me? You mean, make sure I don't see anything I'm not supposed to see?" Sam just smiled and led him back into Jack's office. It would be easier that way, rather than taking Ian around on a tour of the base. The general would expect to find Ian in his office, after all.

"Look after you. . .you're a civilian in a top secret military installation, Ian. The general trusts you. He also cares a lot about you. You think about the questions you want to ask, and I'll do my best to answer them. Deal?" she asked. Ian hesitated, then nodded. Sam relaxed, ever so slightly, and sat atop the general's desk, while Ian took the seat in front of it. At the same time, she hoped to learn a little more about this man whom Jack had drawn into the search for the Templar Treasure. The questions a person asked told you a great deal about that person.

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''Two Hours Later

Jack sighed as he walked through the door of his office. If he was surprised to find Ian and Sam still there, he didn't show it. The only reaction he had was towards Sam when she immediately stood at attention upon his entrance. He shook his head slightly as he made his way to his chair.

"For cryin' out loud, Carter. At ease. It's just us."

Ian bit back a small smile as Sam took her seat again, noting that Jack was even less tolerant of military formalities than he remembered. He briefly wondered how the man had ever survived in the world of the military long enough to become a general. Then his gaze rested on one of the SG1 reports Sam had let him read. Oh, yeah. Saving the world, on a fairly consistent basis, tended to be the sort of thing that might recommend one for promotion.

"Sir? I want to apologize for losing Daniel. I…"

"Don't worry about it, Carter. We've lost him several times before, haven't we? And in far worse places than the SGC."

Sam allowed herself to relax a bit at this comment.

"Will she be alright, sir?" she inquired, fairly certain that the answer would be in the positive since General O'Neill was in a comparatively good mood. Jack leaned back in his chair.

"Personally, I have no doubts about that question, Carter. She's tougher than she looks. However, I was kicked out of the infirmary for being in the way. Doc Fraiser's orders. She came out for a moment to check on the rest of SG23 and saw me 'pestering' Dr. Townsend. Ordered me out. Said I wasn't to set foot in HER infirmary again until she sent for me," Jack shook his head again, wondering when he'd lost control of his base. Sam and Ian were caught between amusement and concern.

"What about Dr. Jackson?" Ian asked. Jack's eyes lit up a little.

"Oh, she tried to order him out. But he pulled that 'I'm a civilian and you can't order me to do anything' stunt. The Doc threatened him with big needles…..that usually gets him, you know……and he told her to 'bring it on'. Don't think I've ever heard Daniel use that phrase before. Apparently, neither had she. Because she let him stay there without another word. You can go down and keep him company if you like, Carter. Teal'c's with him right now, though," Jack started thumbing through the reports that Sam had pulled out to show Ian.

Though he tried to hold it in, Ian just couldn't help himself. He laughed out loud and Jack glared at him over the top of the folder he was perusing.

"Something funny?" he asked, his tone slightly peevish. Ian grinned.

"I was wondering, Jack, if you're the only one who isn't allowed in the infirmary that you're supposedly in command of," he chuckled as he looked over at Sam, who smiled as well. Jack bristled slightly.

"I can't be in command of something that's in the hands of a Napoleonic power monger," he grunted, making Ian laugh in earnest. "Shut up," he continued, but he had a smile on his face.

Sam brought the conversation back to the main concern at this time. In her mind, if Janet had left surgery at all, then the danger was over. There was nothing to worry about on that front except the recovery process for SG23. And the small little detail of why the natives had turned crazy all of a sudden. For now, she did want to fill the general in on what Ian knew about so far.

"I've answered as many questions as I can, sir, but I'm sure Ian still has several. And there were a few he asked me that I thought would be better for you to answer."

"Really?" Jack observed, picking up another report and skimming over it before saying, "Gah! Fruit Loops!" and slamming it shut. Ian raised his eyebrows and looked questioningly at Sam, who shook her head. They hadn't gotten to that report, yet.

"Probably best that I don't know, anyway," Ian said in a low voice that only Sam could hear. She silently agreed. She had the feeling that there were a few things the general and Teal'c had left out of that mission report that she probably didn't want to know, too.

Jack picked up another mission report. "So, what can I tell you, kid? Can't tell you much about the Furlings, I'm afraid. And the Ancients……that's more Daniel's territory. I can tell you a few things about the Asgard, though. Heck, I'll get my little buddy Thor to tell you about the Asgard, if you want."

"With all due respect, sir, I don't think Ian is ready to meet Thor just yet," Sam interjected. Ian knew all about Jack's first encounter with the 'Ancient downloading machine' and had gone over a few reports involving the Asgard and the Replicators. But he was still really new to this whole 'we're not alone in the universe' idea.

"Really?" Jack frowned. What was the point in being in command of a top-secret military base and having the ability to contact a powerful alien race if no one ever wanted to contact said alien race? He continued skimming. "Ah, I remember this one. Lots of trees."

"Jack, I want to know more about the Goa'uld," Ian stood and took the mission report out of Jack's hands. He knew his friend was avoiding the issue. Jack didn't like answering a lot of questions. Ian leaned over the desk, placing both hands on the surface, and looked Jack straight in the eye. "Tell me more about the Goa'uld."

Wonderful. Just. . .peachy. Jack took a deep breath and tried to stall a little longer, asking, "What, exactly, do you want to know? I mean, that covers a lot of territory, kid."

Carter ducked her head, almost as if she was trying to keep from smiling, and Jack glared at her. Especially after he heard the next words out of Ian's mouth.

"I read how they infiltrate their hosts. . .how they violate them. What I want to know is, whom do they choose as hosts? Do they choose children?" Ian asked.

"Not as a general rule. Carter and Daniel can tell you more. . .Teal'c can add to whatever they don't tell you," Jack replied. He paused, then said softly, "In terms of a Gou'ald infection, you don't need to worry about Annie. There will be other dangers to her." Carter mouthed 'Annie?' and Jack just shook his head at her. There would be time enough for that explanation later.

Ian closed his eyes, looking tired, and Jack said softly, "Look. . .go to the head, splash some cold water on your face. When you get back, I'll tell you what I can. I'll have one of the airmen escort you there."

Ian's eyes snapped open, and he eyed Jack suspiciously. The general added with an innocent smile, "Wouldn't want you getting lost, after all. Remember what happened the last time you did that?"

"You don't plan on ever letting me live that down, do you?" Ian asked, but there was a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Jack thought about that for a brief instant, then shook his head slowly from one side to the other. Ian shook his head as well, but rose to his feet anyhow, and said, "All right, then. . .I'll be back in ten minutes. You can send the other airmen after me if I'm not back in fifteen."

"No, if you're not back in fifteen, then I'll send the Marines after you!" Jack retorted. Ian rolled his eyes, and disappeared from the office. Not surprisingly, he had been gone but a few seconds.

And then, Carter asked, "Sir? Who. . .who is Annie?"

Jack sighed and answered, "His daughter, Carter. Ian's eight year old daughter." He thought briefly about what would happen if Ian caught anyone, Gou'ald or human, menacing his little girl. If it was Gou'ald, Jack had no doubt that they would learn a new way to kill one of those snakeheads. In a way, Jack felt a bit sorry for anyone who crossed Ian on this hunt. Ian had a name for the nameless, faceless entities that could harm his daughter. He knew that the Templar Treasure was bound up with the Gou'ald somehow. Knowing what he did, he would allow nothing to stop him.

Absolutely nothing.

TBC

A/N: authors run off cackling maniacally Seriously, though. Please review! And we're open to ideas, too! Tell us what you liked and, if you must, what you didn't like. Just do it nicely.