Stargate Revealed: Politics and Power 22

by livi2jack

Summary: Jack returns to the Commonwealth under guard. The aliens selectively return Earth leaders. Deception abounds. What do the aliens want with Jack now? What's up with the Asgaard?

Category: Action/Adventure, Drama, Humor, Mystery, Holiday, Point Of View, Angst, Other
Season: SG-1 Season Nine
Pairings: Jack/Other

Related SG-1 Episode(s): 703 Fragile Balance, 717 Heroes, Parts 1 & 2, 720 Inauguration, 903 Origin Related Atlantis Episode(s): 201 The Siege, Part 3
Featured Character(s): Jack O'Neill, Mini-Jack, Daniel Jackson, Samantha Carter, Teal'c, Cameron Mitchell, Hank Landry, George Hammond, President Hayes, Harry Maybourne.

Sequel to: Stargate Revealed

Author Notes: Spoilers thru Season 9.

Author Notes: For those who have written me and are upset about the excessive manners and protocol for Lady Anna, et al... Just remember there are societies on Earth like the Japanese with a ritualistic and very formal set of manners. The bows they exchange vary on the position of the one offering the bow and the one receiving. In Medieval Japan, not bowing would get your head cut off. The same in medieval Western Europe if a peasant didn't bow to a nobleman. SO, Commonwealth society still has that issue. Lady Anna's annoyance is our look in her head. She isn't the modern monarch of today such as Queen Elizabeth II. Even so, the PM bows to Queen Elizabeth, who represents the nation.

Considering that Anna represents a nation six times the entire population of Earth, she deserves respect. At home, her response is to exile someone for the offense of not bowing. In her brain, she is being extremely lenient, diplomatic, and generous to Earthlings who don't "understand" her standards. In her opinion she has gone to extreme lengths to accommodate O'Neill's reluctance to bow. All he has to do is salute, and he barely manages to do that. At this point she has basically given up on him extending to her that courtesy, because she has plans for him. But she and the rest of the nobles won't take it from anyone else, only O'Neill.

And this is the running theme of this story. How our perceptions, biases, cultural clues all conspire to separate us and mislead us. Two people viewing the same event come away with entirely different interpretations. And they can both be wrong!

Sequel to Stargate Revealed Series where aliens come to Earth looking for their hero, O'Neill the Great. Earth learns the secret of the Stargate and will never be the same.


Chapter 22: Victory Is Defeat


At the SGC, President Hayes went into the VIP quarters to get a shower and a small break. His wife, Babs, sat in a chair reading. As he entered, she put down her book. He looked terrible. She rose to greet him. But he shook her off and went straight for the shower. Afterwards, he joined her and lay down on the bed.

"Dear, I want to talk to you." Henry patted the bed. Babs joined him. He put his arm around her and sighed. So much had happened in their long life together. She still looked good. He let his thoughts drift. They carried him back to their days at the University. She was a sorority girl, all perky and happy. Henry held her closer. Just a few more minutes of sanity, that's all he wanted. "Babs, I have to ask you to do something important. And I need you to say yes." Babs rolled away a little to look at him. Then she nodded. "First let me say we won the battle. It's going to be fine. The bad guys are gone for now."

"That's wonderful, Henry. But what can I do?"

"Babs, the Commonwealth beat the crap out of the bad guys, the Goa'uld. I mean they did a 'Star Wars' number on those bastards. You can't imagine. We watched it broadcast to us in the briefing room from one of their ships. It was like watching CNN in three-D. Now I know how the Iraqis must have felt watching us come pound on Baghdad. It was thrilling and scary." Henry was silent remembering Ba'al's mothership explode.

"That's good, right? I mean they love us, or she loves General O'Neill, right?"

"It's more complicated. You see, now they have the upper hand here. We owe them. And, well, they are not leaving anytime soon. Do you understand?" He hoped she did. Babs was a consummate politico's wife. He saw the shrewd look in her eyes. Ok, she was with him. "Sweetheart, there's going to be a victory celebration on the base ship, the 'O'Neill,' up there tomorrow. We've been invited to attend." He waited for her reaction. She stiffened. The alarm was clearly in her eyes, but she regained control after a moment.

"How dangerous?"

"I think we'll be fine. And many other world leaders will be there." Henry pulled her closer and stroked her hair. "I would never put you at risk. You know that." Babs still eyed him. "But, we can't say no." Babs Hayes sighed and nodded firmly. Henry knew he loved her more at that moment than ever before.


On board the 'O'Neill,' the Stargate engaged without the usual vortex wave. Just the shimmering pool of water effect appeared to announce the wormhole had opened. First the security detail stepped through. The signal received, Carter and Daniel escorted Jack through the Gate to Aretz, the Capital planet of the Star Commonwealth. His security forces made way for him and his team. More security joined to form up a corridor for him to pass through the Central Terminal. The place was deserted except for the employees and security. After all, these people just had a coup d'etat today. Security had closed the ports and patrolled the streets. As if a signal had been given, the employees, who were in the terminal, knelt. Some women were openly weeping. Jack looked around, hating the whole scene. He wanted to scream at them to get up. But he knew it would do no good. The Director of the facility met him at the midpoint of the open gallery and knelt, bowing his head. That time Jack did reach out and lift the man up to his confusion. A gasp passed through the crowd.

"Look, please, stop that. Ok?" The man nodded hastily, but kept his eyes down. Jack found the whole thing disconcerting in the extreme. He sighed. The love fest was about to begin in earnest this time. And he was the object of their attentions. "Everyone," Jack called out. "GET UP!" Nothing. "I said GET UP!" Murmurs rippled through the crowd. But no one rose. In exasperation, Jack flopped his hands out to his sides and pirouetted around to see the galleries above him filled with kneeling people.

"My Lord General," began the Director. "They are all waiting for your blessing."

"What?"

"Yes, your blessing, they want your blessing, but if you do not feel we are worthy, then what can we do to repent?"

Okay, that was about as weird as it got with these folks. And at times it got plenty weird. Jack looked over to Daniel for a clue. Daniel moved over to him and whispered in his ear.

"I think you should raise your hands and say, 'Bless you all.' Um, if that doesn't do it, I'll think of something else." So Jack tried it. The Director seemed satisfied, as did the crowd. But no one rose up. The Colonel in charge of Jack's security detail approached to direct Jack out to the waiting vehicles. And then they moved quickly through the Terminal on their way to see the Royal Matriarch. The street was lined with kneeling people. In fact, the entire way to the Palace, the vehicle passed row upon row of hoards of kneeling people. Jack had to wave the entire way. And he was getting pissed.


"My Lord, the ships we have on long-range sensors are moving off." The First Officer of the Commonwealth Starship 'Enterprise' initiated the hologram plot showing the intruders moving off.

"Did we figure out whose they were?" Captain Jack O'Neill, the clone, moved around the console table on the bridge for a better view. Teal'c followed him and examined the representation of the solar system where they had just fought and won a good battle today.

"No, My Lord. They were too far. Our better sensor drones did not get there soon enough."

"Very well, transmit what we have to OAI and let the Spooks there figure it out."

"OAI, Captain?"

"Yeah, T, Office of Admiralty Intelligence. They will have a better shot at it. We have other things to worry about right now."

"I believe that the threat here is contained. I request that you return us to Dakara, Captain."

"Sure, T." Captain Jack extended his hand to the Jaffa. Teal'c accepted it in the Jaffa arm clasp. He gave a respectful head nod to the Captain and turned to leave. Rak'nor took his place beside Teal'c and nodded to the Captain as well. Then they exited with the doors silently closing behind them. Jack sighed and went back to the plot. The Stargate on the planet below would send them home. He hoped to see his friend many more times in his now long life.

"Now what did we really see?"


The press was out in force. It was a real circus. Jack stepped out of the vehicle at the entrance to the Matriarch's palace. Large video screens hovered over the heads of the crowd gathered at the gates. Not a movement would be missed. The protocol officer directed the group to the top of the stairs. She told Jack to wave at the crowd. Jack frowned and sighed. Such gatherings held no charm for this naturally modest man. As he turned to face the crowd, those sufficiently important to be allowed inside the gates pressed as close to the stairs as allowed. Jack raised his hand to wave. The several thousand people assembled below including the news crews knelt and bowed their heads. Jack froze. This was getting creepy. He looked to Daniel for an explanation. Daniel shrugged and made a small wave near his waist indicating Jack should go ahead. He did. No one moved. Even Lieutenant Rachel, Jack's usual protocol officer was down on her knees.

Jack reached down and lifted Lieutenant Rachel up to face him. She was aghast. Jack whispered to her softly asking for instructions. She told him to give his blessing if he felt these people worthy. Jack started to argue, but Daniel nudged him. Jack had nothing to say. It was all so overwhelming. They didn't want him to do much, but he felt silly and uncomfortable.

'Who am I to bless anyone?' Jack grimaced at Daniel, who nudged him again and nodded to him to do something. Jack shrugged back with his two hands in the gesture saying 'I don't know what to do.' With some more consultation, Jack finally managed a 'bless you' as if they had collectively sneezed. Everyone seemed satisfied. The group moved inside.

A moment later, the transporter inside the gargantuan palace moved them to Princess Ellen's antechamber. Sam looked around in astonishment. The glorious decorations were beyond any Earth palace. On a tour of Europe, Sam had visited Versailles in France and the Hermitage in Russia. Even put together, they could not compare with this palace. The enameled walls decorated with gold filigree and geometric designs in precious stones attested to extreme wealth. Lacquered screens inset with more precious materials decorated doors. Tapestries of immense size hung from walls that went as far as the eye could see. The floors were a luminescent material that used fractal images. Fractals are divided images with infinite detail. So the pattern in the floor had a mathematically determined pattern that never repeated even once. Sam nudged Daniel and pointed this fact out to him. Jack could not be bothered. He was losing his mind by the minute and he was pissed.


"My Fellow Americans," began President Hayes.

"Grandma, come here and see this. It's important." Mitchell had a 24-hr pass. As soon as the Lt. Colonel had returned from K'tau, he used the Daedalus' transporter to visit his grandmother while his parents were visiting her. Sitting on the couch, Mitchell was shoveling homemade apple pie like there was no tomorrow. There almost hadn't been.

"Why should I watch that fool? The Gospel Hour is on. Change the channel."

"...fundamental change in the course of history."

"I really want to hear this, Grandma. Everything's going to change. You need to hear this."

"You need to hear the word of the Lord." But she turned to listen for a moment.

"...bright future, prosperity, and peace. Our relations with these aliens..."

"Aliens my foot. They are heathens pure and simple. We had a bake sale to raise money for a mission to those godless people."

"...the dawn of a new age of man is upon us. We embark on a bright future of shared responsibility...'

"Grandma, they have the same Ten Commandments we do."

"So what? They have to see the light."

"...the American Taxpayer has solely funded the design and development of great new ships that can travel the stars. They must reap the benefit..."

"He should worry about the problems we have at home not spend our hard earned money on some fool airplane that goes into outer space."

"It's not like that. Grandma I want to hear this."

"You are going to hear my hand whack you upside the head if you don't change that channel to the Gospel Hour."


Colonel Harry Maybourne pushed away his coffee. He wanted a piece of pie. Even though the food dispensers now replicated apple pie, it just wasn't the real thing. He pushed his cup away as his aide sat down with a plate of pie. "You would think with all the fancy toys around here, they could figure out pie. Can't we send someone down for a real pie? I mean how hard can it be? They manage to find world leaders, but not a good pie recipe."

"I don't think pie is on their priority list today, sir." The lieutenant dug into his own slice. "Not bad, really. But I'll ask them to adjust the formula. So what are they going to do with all the people they have stashed up here? Those high level honchos keep asking when they can go back."

"What did you tell them?"

"Just that their cooperation would go a long way to answering that question."

"And?"

"And, that warlord cracked. He gave up the information you wanted and demands to go home. The others are getting restless stuck in solitary confinement. I think two are about to crack. The rest," a forkful of pie landed on the table. "The rest will take some convincing."

"Well, it doesn't really matter. Just having them is good enough right now."

"I guess. So when do we send that warlord home?"

Harry just gave his subordinate a look of disbelief. "Never."

"Why? You made a deal, sir. He gave you the information. It checked out. And now he's supposed to get his freedom." The lieutenant stopped eating his pie. "I don't understand, sir. A deal's a deal."

"Is it?" Harry wondered if he should replace this officer. How stupid do they make them these days, he asked himself? The lieutenant continued to look puzzled. "Think about it, lieutenant. These folks we still haven't released are here for a very good reason. They tried to kill Lady Anna. Some also worked with terrorists to kill General O'Neill and didn't mind if they got President Hayes in the bargain. And you want to let them loose?"

"But you promised, sir."

"Try to wrap your mind around this, son. This ship is the Commonwealth. This guy tried to kill their ruler. I don't care if he wasn't the one who actually pulled the trigger. He was part and parcel in the conspiracy. He funded it. He harbored the terrorists. They don't forgive that sort of thing around here, ever."

"But sir, he's the Sultan of..."

"I don't care if he's one of the twelve Apostles. Like the rest of them we still have, he's done."


As requested, the Commonwealth graciously transported President Mikhailov to the city of Naro-Fominsk just outside of Moscow. The Taman Motorized Rifle Division Headquarters containing 12,000 rapid deployment troops was stationed there. The commander of that elite guard division was the President's boyhood friend. The President calmly strolled into Division Headquarters and asked his old friend for a detachment of honor guards to escort him on his return to Moscow. The Commander volunteered two tank battalions.

As the military formation entered Red Square, they deployed to surround the Kremlin. As if on cue, the commander of the Kantemir Tank Division with his 8,000 troops received the Taman Command Division Chief of Staff in his office in the Moscow suburbs. Then, and only then, was President Mikhailov delivered to his office surrounded by two-dozen hand picked troops. Simultaneously, the elite Russian Federalnaya Sluzhba Bezopasnosti (FSB) Alpha Group deployed to surround the dacha of the Russian Vice-President. Mikhailov wasn't taking any chances with that fellow. The Duma or Parliament had voted the Vice-President into power as President once Mikhailov went missing. That was a problem now that he was back.

President Mikhailov made a telephone call to his Vice-President. Mikhailov warmly invited the Vice-President to the Kremlin. For his convenience, a car with a detachment of bodyguards was already waiting outside the gates of the luxurious dacha, or summer residence in the Moscow suburbs.

Later that morning, a most satisfactory meeting was conducted in the Kremlin. In the presence of heavily armed bodyguards, President Mikhailov persuaded his Vice-President to order the TV stations to broadcast Mikhailov's speech on the resumption of his office. The embarrassed Duma approved the transfer of power two hours later.

When Colonel Chekov heard Mikhailov's speech on the TV, he was astounded. Chekov decided that if this guy managed to survive that ordeal, he was throwing in his lot with Mikhailov. And he thanked goodness he was 10,000 miles away doing his duty at the SGC, in America. If things didn't work out, he could request asylum.


Emmett Bregman sat in the briefing room at CNB Washington Headquarters. Kendall Cross sat across from her managing editor to watch the President's speech. Afterwards, they just sat there and eyed each other deciding on how to point fingers. The blame for this would be huge. The editorial possibilities were tremendous.

"There are just so many angles to this. I don't know where to begin first." The Network's V.P. looked at Kendall for a cue. She shrugged glaring at Bregman. "Is there any possibility of getting some of that footage of the battle?"

"I've got my team working on that. We contacted Colonel Rundell at the Pentagon. He's looking into it."

Kendall turned to Bregman. "What we need is Mr. Bregman to perform on his end of the bargain. I don't see any of his contacts rushing to call him to finish his contract."

"Now, just hold on. I got a call from the White House Press Secretary fifteen minutes ago, Kendall. So just hold your horses." Emmett turned to the V.P. "Jerry, I'll have you know I've been invited to cover the President's meeting ON BOARD their flag ship 'O'Neill, the Great' tomorrow. Seems there's little party to celebrate the victory." He smirked at Kendall and leaned back with utmost satisfaction on his face and in his demeanor. "That good enough for you?" He threw a power glance over to Jerry. He had to satisfy Jerry not Kendall in this deal.

"Well, now, that's different, Emmett. You just give us a list of whatever you need and we'll have it for you." Jerry gave a look to Kendall that said, 'shut up you cow.' He glared at her. "And Kendall, here, will be glad to do her part, won't you Kendall? She's been up in space before, it should be a picnic compared to the last time."

"Sure, Jerry. A picnic." Kendall rolled her eyes. The contract specifically said that she participated wherever Emmett went. And so she was going back up there, wherever there was.


"Commander Thor, we have located O'Neill and Anna." The Technical Officer reported to the bridge of the 'Daniel Jackson,' Thor's flagship. "They are on her homeworld." Thor adjusted some controls. The ship immediately arrived in orbit around the Commonwealth's capital planet, Aretz. Presently, they were hailed.

"Unidentified vessel, be advised you have arrived in Star Commonwealth space. Identify yourself or be fired upon."

"I am Supreme Commander Thor of the Asgaard. I am on board the Starship 'Daniel Jackson.' We come in peace. And we request a dialogue with O'Neill andAnna. We have urgent business with them."

"That would be LORD GENERAL O'NEILL and HER ROYAL HIGHNESS REGENT ANNA, Supreme Commander Thor. We request that you de-cloak and submit to our planetary defenses by lowering your shields in good faith. They are of no use anyway."

Thor sighed and complied. He had reviewed the recordings of the battle at Earth. He saw how the Commonwealth drones detected Aegir's cloaked vessel and attacked it. Aegir had barely survived the drone's pursuit through hyperspace. If the Commonwealth's hyperspace missiles ever locked on, nothing could stop them once they entered hyperspace and reappeared inside the starship. Even the internal dampening system wouldn't work if those missiles reappeared just outside the ship but inside the shields. For the first time in millennia, the Asgaard were vulnerable. Even the Goa'uld could not match this technology. The humans were now a threat. But, they held the key to the Asgaard's survival. It was up to Thor to secure his race's future.

"A wise decision. We shall relate your request to Her Highness. Please stand by."

Thor considered just plucking them up and decided to go down instead. He gave the humans a few minutes to relay his request. It wouldn't do to be too aggressive until he could review the sensor readings here.


A message arrived in paper by a courier known to Admiral Zay. The courier stood back to wait for a return response. Inwardly, the Admiral was grieving. But O'Neill had offered hope that Anna was with the Asgaard. Zay doubted it. But he could not bring himself to announce she was missing presumed dead. The paper was sealed in a special material with the imprint of the Royal Matriarch. Only that mark could be made with the ring she always wore. It was a throw back to earlier times. But the sight of it made his stomach churn. No doubt is was a summons to make penance for Lady Anna's life. He had failed his duty to protect her. But Anna would not listen. He should have locked her up on a planet back home. Woulda, coulda, shoulda, as O'Neill liked to say.

O'Neill. If anyone was responsible, it was that man. What hold did he have on the Royal Lady? It was unnatural and despicable. And he had played her for a fool. To Admiral Zay's mind, O'Neill had shown his hand. He was just another power hungry man. Admiral Zay was certain. No one like Lady Anna could possibly have any real interest in such a low person.

Zay looked at the message in his hands, turning it over. His bitterness rose in his throat. The victory today meant nothing. He would be sacrificed to pay for her life; he and his whole family. Zay thought about his wife and young children. The youngest was only fourteen. They hadn't gotten around to having more what with all the military action these past few years. At eighty-four years of age, Zay was the most experienced military leader the Commonwealth had. But in that society, he was still a young adult. He could have lived to be 300 years old with all the ancestors who had completed Genetic Restoration. The more ancestors who did take Restoration procedures, the longer their descendents lived. Zay sighed. He would not live to eighty-five. The message would command him to fall on his sword.

Finally, the Commander of the Fleet opened his letter from Princess Ellen, the Royal Matriarch. He started to read, thinking he didn't need to be told he failed. There would never be anyone like Anna again. She was unique. She was the most gifted leader they were ever lucky enough to have. More importantly, he loved Anna like a little sister, not just as lord and now sovereign. But now she wasn't. She was gone. The tears welled up and he fought them back. Zay opened the letter to discover two letters. After the lengthy salutations, Zay sat up straighter. He couldn't believe what was written.

'Dearest Zay, Nana and I trust you more than anyone else in the entire Commonwealth, cousin. I had to be certain that your reactions were genuine to fool any conspirators who might have remained in our ranks. The biosensors would have been able to detect faked reactions based on physiology. You had to manifest the right readings for a person distressed by news of my death. Only then would a conspirator feel free to act. My Beloved Cousin, know that Ba'al took my double. You may announce this fact to the fleet now and have a memorial service for her in a few days if she does not return by then.

By sending Lord O'Neill through the Chappai this day, you confirmed to those watching that I was dead. He has been greeted according to the Teachings. As a direct result, we did root out another pocket of resistance. I am not sorry because it had to be done. But know that I am eternally grateful to you for the victory this day. My trust and faith in you never wavered and it never will. -Anna.'

And then his tears did flow. The courier marveled that the Admiral would weep for Lady Anna with such distress. It was interesting to know people that high had the same feelings the ordinary folk did.


"How do we know all that really happened," asked the Detective to the Lieutenant at the DC Metro Police Station? "I mean it's just too fantastic. Space battles with a bunch of different alien groups up there? Phfft."

"Then explain how all those suspects just magically appeared on my desk last week or those pictures of the battle up there?" The Lieutenant had been a detective grade officer last week before the shooting at the Alien's Embassy. But their efforts to solve the crime were noticed by the Lady Alien and she commended them to the Captain. Then she delivered the bad guys directly to the police station, dumping the trussed up bodies on his desk, around his desk, in the halls, all with notes pinned to them. The notes were addressed to him and the Detective who had been a Beat Cop.

"I don't care. This was done in Hollywood. There are no aliens. There is no Stargate. They don't have any space ships. That was all just CGI. My kid can do that on his computer. There is something rotten here." The Detective had been on the Force too long to believe that cock and bull story. "I bet they used all that money for something else."

The Washington Post reporter assigned to cover the Police Station overheard them. These were the two cops who had dealt with the aliens. If they thought something was wrong, it might be. He put in a call to his editor. He needed permission to start an investigation on a story involving colossal financial malfeasance by the government. It cost $7.2 Billion a year for nine years to run this so-called Stargate Program. What did they do with it? Who stole all the money?


With trepidation, Jack marched through the double doors to meet with Princess Ellen, the powerful Matriarch of the Royal Clan. Not even Daniel was permitted to accompany him. 'Abandon hope all ye who enter here.' Jack remembered that phrase from Dante's Inferno. It seemed appropriate. No matter what was offered he intended to refuse.

Things had gone far enough. Now, Anna was gone so he was screwed. Without her presence the particle tags were clouding his mind. At this point he could feel himself getting less and less lucid as the hours passed. The effects of the tags weighed heavily upon him. He was losing his mind. Thor was nowhere to be found to correct the situation, if it could be corrected. The best doctors of the Commonwealth didn't think so.

'If I'm not going to be able to make it without her, I deserve to finish my life in peace at my cabin in Minnesota. I had earned that right. That's what I'll say. I earned it.'

The extremely old woman sat by her fireplace in the grand salon. The fireplace was a real anachronism in a society so advanced. But people still cherished home and hearth. She signaled him to approach. At more than two hundred years of age, the Royal Matriarch was failing. Jack had met her on his last trip three months ago. He had impressed Princess Ellen so much, that as Matriarch, she ordered Lady Anna to cooperate with him. In Ellen, he hoped he could find an ally once again. But she wanted something badly from him otherwise he would not be there. 'Here we go again.'

"General."

"Ma'am?"

"Sit down young man."

Young man, well, to her point of view he probably was young at 54 years of age. Jack sat down and waited for her to address him. Ellen was a woman of few words. The sad old eyes looked back at him for a while. Finally, she addressed him.

"I want to thank you for all you have done for us." She closed her eyes as if the effort was almost too much.

Jack waited patiently. 'The other shoe will fall soon enough. Hopefully, it would happen before I lost my mind. And I don't care what she wants.' He felt as though he were operating in a fog.

"I want to thank you for saving my Anna's life. Without your protection, she might have been lost to us." Ellen smiled at him and was quiet for a long while. "I heard how you granted her your protection. You even took her into your home and risked everything for her."

"Well, ma'am, she did come for a short visit, but she was protecting me more than I was protecting her. And now she's gone. I should have seen it coming."

"How could you?" Ellen paused thinking as she gazed into the fire. "You showed her kindness and told her the truth at every step. We are all amazed that you found her worthy of such benevolence. She didn't treat you very well when you were first here," Ellen winked at him. "But then you made certain to antagonize her too." Jack tried to look innocent. "You knew just how to handle her. Bravo, my boy. At any rate, I hope your time with us was not too unpleasant."

"Well, it wasn't so bad, except for the night in the pokey, er, jail, that is." Jack felt uncomfortable.

'So much straight talk from any of these people had to mean something was not right. They just pussyfooted around too much with all their protocol and their extreme standards of politeness.'

"You bought us the time we needed to complete our preparations. For that we are all eternally grateful." Ellen was losing steam. Her eyes closed and she remained still for many minutes. "My time is short now, O'Neill. I must assure that our civilization continues through all this turmoil. So there is one more act I must ask you to do." Her voice was soft and barely audible.

"Yes ma'am?" Jack saw she was winded. "My time is short too apparently. Without Lady Anna, I am about to lose my mind, permanently. You heard about the tags?"

Ellen nodded.

"Will you do one more thing, one more?" Her eyes searched him deeply. She sighed.

He thought about it and nodded. 'Might as well hear it.'

"The Anointing Ceremony is the day after tomorrow. You must do your part. Be there and stand before the people."

Jack's eyebrows shot up. 'That was a reasonable request, too reasonable.'

"What do I have to do with all of this?"

"You are revered by our people. Haven't you realized that yet?"

"That's very flattering." Jack was about to refuse but Ellen placed her hand on his gently. Her skin was like tissue paper. She held his gaze. Reluctantly, he nodded yes. Ellen closed her eyes and the interview was over. Jack checked her for a pulse and was satisfied. 'It must be tough to be that old.' He stood up wondering what she did not tell him but figured he would find out soon enough.


"They've been in there a long time, Daniel." Carter paced up and down in the antechamber. She had seen all those adoring crowds. It gave herthe creeps. Besides, it was an impossible situation. She wanted to go home. "And we haven't heard from Teal'c for a long time. Wasn't he supposed to have come here? Where do you suppose he is?"

"I don't know." Daniel studied his friend. "How are you feeling, Sam? You took a pretty good shot couple days ago." Daniel motioned to the guards. "Can we get something to eat? She's tired and so am I."

"We have already sent for a repast. It is being set up in the next room. If you will both follow me." The guard opened a double set of doors. In truth, a table was set for three. Daniel and Sam went to wash up and then sat down.

"I guess they expect Jack anytime." Daniel pointed to the empty chair.

"I don't care. I'm hungry." Sam accepted the plate of food and began.

"You sound angry. Is something wrong?"

"You bet it is."

"I heard you back at the Chair. What was that all about?"

"Oh just that Jack has gone over to them."

"What? How can you say that?"

"Oh, c'mon Daniel. That Lord General stuff has really gone to his head. All that bowing and scraping, he is accepting it. Did you see him waving to his subjects out there?" Carter stabbed a forkful in disgust.

"No, he had to do that. It's called diplomacy. When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

"No, this isn't Rome, Daniel. Jack is losing his mind. I have to wonder if somehow they caused all this, this, memory thing. I wouldn't put it past them. They came looking for him and won't let him go. No, they are up to something."

"You're being paranoid, Sam. They let him go back to Earth twice already."

"Yeah, once for a few hours. And once for what nine days? She never let him out of her paws the whole time."

"Well this time he is not in her 'paws' did you say? She's MISSING. And they are all freaking out. It will pass."

"I don't think so, Daniel. Something's different. Last time he came, they cheered and carried on every time they saw him. Now they are kneeling in the dirt to him asking for a blessing? Get real."

"Well, as soon as we find Thor, he'll be back to the same old Jack O'Neill. You'll see."

"Thor? Yeah right. We saw how that went back there, Daniel. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it." Sam stopped eating. "I'm telling you, Daniel. They want him to stud for her. And so far he's done his job."

"Oh you don't really believe he would, well, you know." Sam gave him a bitter look. "Sam, he's the same Jack O'Neill we have always known. He's one hundred percent Air Force. That's who he is. Look, we have been assigned as his staff. So where he goes, we go."

"He's Commonwealth now. I work for the good old U.S. of A. I'm a Lt. Colonel in the United States Air Force, Earth. He's on indefinite leave of absence. I checked before showing up at the Antarctic Base. He's on her payroll. And he's been given a title, no less."

"How did you find this out?"

"I have my sources. I didn't spend those years in the Pentagon twiddling my thumbs."

"On indefinite leave of absence? No kidding?" Sam nodded. Daniel let out a low whistle. "You don't think it has something to do with being sick from the tags?"

"No, Daniel. She made her request as soon as she arrived. She demanded that Jack become the permanent Earth Representative to her court for the rest of his life. The President himself signed the order in the White House. In return, the President or whoever is president after him gets to pick the representative of Earth after Jack, IN PERPETUITY. The President sold Jack to her so America will always have access to her directly. Now that she's the Regent of the whole shebang, do you honestly think he will ever return? When this is over, Daniel, I have already been reassigned by request. You can do what you want. I'm gone."

"But she's missing, Sam. You forgot that part."

"Bunk. She's around someplace. Do you really think they would risk her? She's their leader. And she just staged a coup d'etat yesterday. No, she's too devious to let herself get kidnapped at such a pivotal moment."


In the Grand Salon, an attendant came forward to show Jack out another set of doors to the garden. It was summer on that alien world. Jack's mind wandered back to another hot summer day. He remembered that hot August morning, nearly four months ago on another planet far away. On that morning, history took a sharp turn, for him and his people. His memories wandered back to that fateful ride up the George Washington Parkway going to work at the Pentagon. He remembered the radio blasting the greeting on all hailing frequencies played all over the world in every language. ""...we come in peace, bearing greetings from the Star Commonwealth of Planets to Colonel Jack O'Neill, the Great of SG-1, Stargate Command of the United States Air Force, and to O'Neill's people of the Holy Mother Planet." Back then he imagined he was having a stroke. Now, Jack wondered if he finally had that stroke. His mind was skipping all over the place and he couldn't focus.

The moisture from a summer shower left steaming dampness on the lawn and on the stone bench just outside. The smells of a garden in full bloom caught his limited attention. Jack wandered off to sniff a fragrant bush filled with flowers. The attendant came back to guide Jack along the stone walkway to a covered sitting area. A woman was waiting. Jack wondered if she would tell him what the Princess wanted him to do. Jack looked around for the attendant for instructions. The man was gone. It was hot in the sun. So, Jack mounted the steps to the gazebo to move into the cool shade.

The woman seemed confused by him. The woman's long skirts rustled from the petticoats underneath as she approached. Jack just looked down waiting for the other shoe to fall. He really wanted this to be over. He wanted to go home.

"Jack?" He looked at her not understanding. She moved closer, searching him with her eyes. He could drown in those eyes. She was beautiful. He wanted her. He had wanted her for a long time. For a long moment they both stood there without a clue what to do. She looked down and started to move away. In one motion, he scooped her up, bent her backwards, and kissed her for all he was worth. It seemed like an eternity. Time seemed to stand still. Eventually, the fog lifted and reason came back. He just wanted to stay like that forever. She was so soft and warm and smelled so good. Standing there, Jack buried his head in her neck and knew it was going to be ok.

"Too tight." Her hand came up and pushed his arm. And then she whacked him hard on the arm.

"What?"

"Let go!" She squeaked out.

"What?" Jack looked up and around at the sound of running boot steps. He saw weapons pointed at him from all directions. He couldn't understand. Then he looked down at what he held. 'Oops. Uh oh. Oh no!' He let go. Looking up at him, Anna thought for a split second and started to laugh. She raised her hand to stop the guards.

"Enough." Anna signaled the guards to stand down. They did. Anna lightly touched his sleeve to give a small tug. Her touch was electric. He was lost again in the moment. Jack bent down so she could whisper in his ear.

"Don't ever do that again."


Disclaimer: "Stargate SG-1" and "Stargate Atlantis" and their characters are the property of Sony Pictures MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, Gekko Film Corp., Showtime/Viacom and USA Networks, Inc. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended against this or any other story in the universe. The original characters, situations and story are the property of the author(s), and may not be republished or archived elsewhere without the author's permission.

Sources: wikipedia for : Federalnaya Sluzhba Bezopasnosti (FSB), AlphaGroup, Duma