"IMPERIUM"

Following the dramatic slalom of last week's episode…

Thank you to all those who reviewed, the response has been overwhelming. However, for those who enjoyed this story and are wishing to have it updated regularly, just a small note:

Yesterday I went back to school, for my Senior year, so updates may be a few days in between. I will try to update this story as fast as I can, because I rather like it myself, however, sometimes it will be slower than usual. This is due to the fact that unfortunately, between writing fanfiction or doing the study that will impact the rest of my life, fanfiction does have to come second. Nevertheless, I will endeavor to update as fast as I can! Thanks to everyone who reads this story for their patience.

Finally, for myself and all the other heavenly creatures Down Under:

HAPPY AUSTRALIA DAY (January 26)!!!


"You have untapped greatness inside you, Sam. But you're limited by your own fears. You play by the rules, you do as you're told and you deny yourself your own desires."

"I have no desire to rule the galaxy, believe me."

"All humans desire power. It's just that most of them are never in a position to attain it."

The Repli-Carter and Carter, "Gemini"


Jack had Teal'c and Sam assembled in the briefing room. Teal'c was looking rather non-plussed at the reason for this meeting, while Sam was sitting calmly, the perfect image of an Air Force Colonel. And Daniel… Daniel was nowhere to be found.

Jack was just about to send Teal'c to make sure that he really had gotten out of the cupboard, when the frazzled archaeologist himself burst into the room.

"Sam!" he said surprised. "I've been looking all over for you! The closet door locked behind me when I went to get that screwdriver you wanted…"

Jack was amazed at Sam's ability to keep a perfectly straight face as Daniel placed a thick screwdriver on the table.

Daniel pushed his glasses further up his nose. "So, uh… what's going on here?"

"Colonel Carter has made a request," Jack said flatly.

"A request, O'Neill?" asked Teal'c, cocking one eyebrow in the way that only a confused Jaffa can.

"Carter seems to think it would be… prudent… if she carried one of the ribbon devices with her on missions," the General answered, looking none to pleased.

"Sam?" asked Daniel, worry springing into his bright eyes. "You… you want a ribbon device? After what you've seen it do?"

"Especially after what I've seen it do," she replied firmly. "I was just thinking, we have access to the technology, I have the ability to use it. The Goa'uld make use of it, why shouldn't we?"

"Because the Goa'uld are evil?" asked Daniel, looking rather alarmed.

"But we're not, Daniel. We can use it for good. Just think of how many situations we could get out of if we had a ribbon device. It's much more effective than a P-90 or a staff," she argued, a passionate fire coming into her eyes that usually only a quark or a gluon could put there.

"I was under the impression that you had an intense dislike of the Goa'uld ribbon device, Colonel Carter," interjected Teal'c.

"I… did," said Sam, faltering for the first time in the meeting. "But… sometimes we have to do things that we'd rather not to stand up for what is right."

"Noble words, Colonel Carter," was Teal'c's only response.

"So why are we having this discussion?" Jack butted in suddenly, the first words he'd spoken since calling the meeting. "You just said it yourself, Carter, you'd rather not."

"I'm afraid you've misunderstood my meaning, sir," Sam replied sternly. "I meant that as an example. Personally, sir, I think the ribbon device can bring many advantages to our team in combat. With three of us, we really could use the extra firepower."

"But what about you?" Jack asked in a pained voice. "I mean… it nearly destroyed you when you used one on Seth."

"I was fine, sir," she answered in her best 'soldiers voice'. "I just needed some time to come to terms with that kind of power. Which I have, sir. It's just another weapon, something I firmly believe I can turn to our advantage."

"But what about what happened to your office. That was out of control," Jack said, knowing he was fighting a losing battle.

"That was the double ribbon device, sir. A normal ribbon device I'm certain I could handle, sir," she answered, eyes gleaming.

Jack sighed; realizing dissuading Sam was going to be inexplicably impossible.

"Teal'c?" he asked finally. "This affects the whole team, ergo, it is a team decision."

"I believe it is up to Colonel Carter. I have seen the ribbon device at work, and it would be a formidable weapon against the Goa'uld," was the stately Jaffa's ambiguous answer.

"Daniel?"

The young archaeologist stared at his blonde friend. "Sam?" he pleaded.

"I'm sorry, Daniel," she replied, "But I really think this is for the best."

"But this thing hurt you…" he said, voice strained. "But… it is your decision," he concluded eventually.

Sam's eyes gleamed with something that looked disturbingly like ecstasy.

"Okay," Jack relented wearily. "You can take it on your next mission as a trial. If it works effectively and you don't get to ribbon device happy, I'll consider letting you take it on other missions."

He paused and looked Sam dead in the eyes. "Nothing I could say could stop you anyway, could it, Carter? Just don't be telling the other Generals I can't control my subordinates."

Sam nodded in agreement. "No, sir, I don't think you could stop me if you tried."

The answer was spoken jokingly, but there was a harder edge behind her voice that all three men picked up on, and none of them liked.

"With you're permission, sir?" she asked, rising to her feet and collecting the screwdriver Daniel had acquired for her.

"Of course, Carter. By all means, fiddle with your doohickeys. Just rest that knee."

The slim Colonel smiled slightly and exited the briefing room in a sweeping, military stride.


"You really think you couldn't stop her if you tried, Jack?" Daniel asked after a long silence.

"Well, she did lock you in that closet," the General replied with a wry smile, moving to leave the briefing room.

Daniel blinked slowly a few times, gaped like a fish in the direction of Sam's exit, blinked some more, and then realized that Jack and Teal'c had left him to be stunned alone.

"She… what?"


After leaving Daniel alone to ponder Sam's 'treachery', Teal'c and Jack made their way to the commissary for a break.

Jack selected a double chocolate chip muffin and a coffee. Comparatively, Teal'c selected enough corned beef to constitute a baby cow, half a cheesecake, a bunch of red grapes, and a miniature cottage pie.

The pair selected a table quite apart from a group of technicians having an animated argument with a pair of burly marines from SG-7.

"Um…" began Jack, eyeing Teal'c's feast. "Do you think I made the right decision, T?" he asked slowly, biting into his muffin.

"I believe you are correct in saying Colonel Carter would have found another way. She is a formidable woman when she is determined."

"You think?" Jack said drily. "I just… I don't get it. One minute, she's scared to death of the things; the next, she's destroying laboratories and wanting to take them out on missions."

"Perhaps she is willing to sacrifice her own personal fears for the good of the Taur'i. I have seen ribbon devices used many times, O'Neill, and she is right in her estimate of their value to our cause. Especially in the small scale guerilla warfare that SG units practice."

"It's just… unexpected, you know?" Jack sighed.

"I do know, O'Neill. It is most out of character for Colonel Carter. However, I do not think you are incorrect in allowing her to use the weapon. It is valuable."

"But at the expense of Carter?"

Teal'c raised an eyebrow, but offered his friend what could most closely be determined as a reassuring look. "I believe time will tell, O'Neill."

Jack stared down at his muffin and felt his appetite wane. There was a feeling in his gut that this was so damn wrong, but another voice told him it was ultimately Sam's decision. Even if he did have power of veto as her General, he just didn't think he could deny her something she so obviously, ardently wanted. Even if he had a feeling it was a bad idea.

"Time will tell, Teal'c? You know I hate clichés," he said grumpily, draining his coffee. "And I'm not a patient man!"