Author's Note: Yup! This is definitely an AU. In the Campers stories, they never met Oma, and Daniel didn't die. None of them know what ascension is except for Ian, who proved he knows about it when he mentioned it to Alexander in the story about Dotty's death. Beware! Anubis might be a little different from how they portrayed him in the show, as well. Thanks for the reviews!

OOOOOOOOOO

McKay scowled.

"That was rude."

Sam didn't seem to care.

"Just go find something to do," she said, one hand on her hip and the other in her pocket to keep from swinging at the infuriating astrophysicist. "I have a briefing to go to and I don't want to come back and find the place dismantled just because you were curious about something."

"For your information, Major," McKay said, equally annoyed. "I'm invited to your precious briefing. So let's go."

God, she just wanted to hit him sometimes! The man was so annoying! Knowing that it would just fuel his ego if he thought he was getting under her skin, Sam forced her expression to stay calm, even though she was seething.

"Fine. After you."

"So you can ogle me, hmmm?"

"Give me a break, McKay," Sam said, biting down on the comment she really wanted to make. "You're not that good looking."

"You say that now…"

Sam just shook her head and gave Harriman a look that plainly said another comment like that and McKay wasn't going to live to make the briefing room.

"I'll be in briefing," she told Harriman. "Call if anything happens."

"Yes, ma'am."

Sam left the room without another glance at McKay, who watched her go.

"She wants me…"

Harriman snorted in disbelief, and turned back to his work, leaving McKay to find his own way out.

OOOOOOOOOO

The others were waiting on her when she walked in. All except for Ian, which didn't really surprise Sam, although Hammond noticed the absence immediately when he entered the room from his office an instant after she arrived.

"Where's Ian?"

Jack spoke up, first.

"He's recovering from the flight out here, sir."

"Is he all right?"

O'Neill nodded.

"He's just not a good flyer. It might not be a bad idea to give him a little while – just to make sure he's going to be able to hold down his lunch."

"That's fine."

Really, as long as Ian was on the base where they could find him if they needed him, it was okay with Hammond. He honestly didn't think the boy would have much to offer in this briefing, anyways. They didn't really have anything to go on about the Ha'tak and nothing about Anubis. If they needed information on something Ancient, Ian would be needed, but Hammond was well aware that Ian didn't know any more about the Goa'uld than the others did – and Teal'c would be the one he'd really need if they wanted to try and get inside the mind of them.

Sam sat down between Jack and Teal'c, reaching down to rub Jack's (the dog) ears when the yellow lab greeted her with a rumbling noise and a thumping tail.

"Doctor McKay is supposed to be here…" Hammond said, taking his seat as well.

"What? That weasel?"

This was from Jack, who was scowling. Obviously, this was the first he'd heard of McKay being on the base.

"He's coming, sir," Sam said. "I saw him in the control room…"

"And no doubt he annoyed you…" Daniel guessed, judging her expression and the tone of her voice.

"Oh, yeah."

"He'd better watch himself," Jack said, glowering.

"Doctor McKay is one of the foremost experts on the technology behind the Stargate," Hammond said – even though he agreed (privately, of course) with O'Neill. "We're fortunate that he was in the area."

"That's right," agreed a voice from the doorway, and everyone looked over to see that McKay himself was standing there, a smug expression on his face.

Hammond sighed, inwardly, and gestured for McKay to enter.

"The President will be here this evening, and he's going to want to have some kind of information to give the world leaders – and our own people, of course – when he gets here. So we need to find out what this Ha'tak was doing – and why the Goa'uld have suddenly decided to break their protected planets treaty with the Asgard."

"I signaled Thor," Jack said, leaning back in his chair. "Who knows how long it'll take for him to reply, but he's probably our best bet for information."

"Especially since dad and the Tok'ra don't seem to have anything to give us, yet," Sam agreed.

"You don't even know the Asgard will respond," McKay said. "It's not like they're at our beck and call, after all, and I'm sure they have other things to do besides answer a-"

"They'll respond," Jack interrupted.

"You don't know that."

"It's a pretty good bet that they will," Daniel said.

McKay shook his head, but he didn't argue. There was no point in it, after all. When the Asgard didn't respond, he'd be proven right – again – so he'd just wait and let them all find out the truth for themselves.

"As for this Anubis," Hammond said, once he was sure that McKay wasn't going to speak again. "We'll have to-"

A knock on the door interrupted him, and they all looked over. And saw Harriman standing there.

"Sir, the Asgard are hailing us."

Jack couldn't help the smirk on his face when he looked over at McKay.

OOOOOOOOOO

"My Lord…" The Jaffa waited until the cloaked figure in the command chair turned towards him, and then he bowed deeply. "The scouts have returned."

"What news?"

"They did not find evidence of the Tau'ri Stargate command as we expected them to."

"What?"

The face was hidden – none of the Jaffa had ever seen what their lord looked like – but the tone of voice was angry. The First Prime bowed even lower.

"They could not find the command center, My Lord."

"We need to locate it. I will not attack the Tau'ri until I am certain they cannot use their Stargate to summon assistance from the Asgard."

"They only have one planet, My Lord," the First Prime said. "I do not understand why you are so interested in them. They are nothing."

"They are the key to everything," Anubis said, his hand tightening on the arm of his command chair. "And I want them. Find that command center!"