11
Chapter 4: Making Contact
General Hammond had set the departure time for Teal'c and Danial at 0900 the next morning. General Hammond went down to the control room to prepare for the two men to depart to Ravenna. He could already see Teal'c standing in the Gate Room with his pack secured and staff weapon ready. The general chuckled. Daniel always seemed to be late to departures.
SMSgt Harriman was at the control desk running his tasks and had the Ravenna address ready to dial out when General Hammond gave the order.
"Um… General?" Daniel's voice drew General Hammond's attention over to the stairs that came down from the briefing room.
"Dr. Jackson, you're supposed to be down in the Gate Room," General Hammond stated firmly. He had a schedule to keep after all.
"Yes, I know. But I have a problem. I can't find a reference to these Blair Witch Stones that the goa'uld in Sam talked about. How will I know what to look for? I couldn't find anything in any of my books…" Daniel said in frustration.
Walter snorted.
General Hammond found that to be an odd response to Daniel's statement. "Sgt Harriman, do you know something about these stones?" General Hammond asked.
"I doubt Walter would know anything…" Daniel started.
"Actually, yes, I do," Walter replied.
"Please, enlighten us," General Hammond said. He noted Daniel's flabbergasted face.
"The Blair Witch was a movie. A real bad horror flick that came out not too long ago. One of the gimmicks in the movie was the Blair Witch Stones. Stacks of rocks that were completely unnatural," Walter stated. The man grabbed some paper and quickly drew an example. "I thought the movie was really, really bad."
General Hammond took a look at the hand drawn sketch. It was a bunch of ovals stacked on top of each other in reduced size. If they were rocks, then yes, it would be unnatural. Odd, but childish. He handed the sketch to Daniel.
"There you go, Dr. Jackson. It was not in your books because it is not of historical importance," General Hammond said with a slight grin. "You should consult with SMSgt Harriman on pop culture references."
Daniel took the sketch and almost looked at it sideways before Walter turned it the correct way. Daniel sighed and then headed down to the Gate Room.
"Dial it up, Walter," General Hammond said with a grin.
"Yes, Sir," Walter replied.
"Good job, by the way," General Hammond said on the side.
"Thank you, Sir," Walter replied before calling out the chevrons.
Before long, Daniel and Teal'c had departed through the Stargate and it had shut down. General Hammond sent a prayer out after the men to keep them safe and started for the stairs when the Stargate started to activate again.
"Off-world Activation," Walter announced.
"Close the Iris," General Hammond ordered.
The Iris closed after the splash and they waited to see if an IDC would be received.
"Receiving Tok'ra IDC," Walter announced.
"Open the Iris," General Hammond ordered as he started to make his way to the Gate Room. He both hoped and dreaded it was his friend Jacob. After their last joint mission to the System Lord Summit and the attack on Ravenna. This would be the first contact the Tok'ra had made to Earth.
When General Hammond had made it to the Gate Room, he was greeted by Jacob Carter/Selmak and Jalen.
"Selmak, Jalen, Welcome to Earth," General Hammond said. "Come on up to the briefing room. I have some news for Jacob that is not good."
"Of course," Jalen replied, as she followed General Hammond up to the briefing room.
"It's about Sam, isn't it?" Jacob asked.
"It is," General Hammond said sadly as they settled in the briefing room chairs. "But first, you have business. What can we do for you?"
Selmak took control, "The Tok'ra have decided to avoid using a centralized base. This new goa'uld Anubis is as cunning as Ba'al and more ruthless. We have broken up into 'cells' and each cell has a drop point for information. That way if one cell is compromised, the network still stands."
"That makes sense," General Hammond said. "What does that have to do with us?"
"Well, we have volunteered to be a part of your cell," Selmak stated.
"Our cell? Earth isn't Tok'ra last I heard," General Hammond stated.
"Yes and no," Selmak stated. "Yes, you have offered Jacob to the Tok'ra. A gift I am eternally grateful for. No, you are just allies."
"So, what does that mean for you both?" General Hammond asked.
"Anubis has already attacked Earth," Jalen said. "As far as Anubis is concerned, Tok'ra are already here on Earth. As our allies, we want to see you defeat his plans. To that end, we will assist you. Selmak and I will provide whatever assistance our Tau'ri allies need against Anubis and the other System Lords."
"That is rather a firm departure from the previous Tok'ra stance on the matter," General Hammond said, pointedly looking at Jacob.
"It is, George. I had to do a lot of convincing. They are waging a losing war using pawns. I am the first general they have ever met. Ravenna was a horrible loss that I had predicted years ago. They didn't believe me. Now they do. They would like to send more Tok'ra near the end of their host life cycle to Earth. I would like to give the opportunity to others to fight, like I got," Jacob said strongly.
"I'll start the paperwork. You start finding people who would qualify for the Tok'ra. Selmak is sure to help in that area. You and Jalen can give them an orientation and a bit of off-world experience before you send them to their new cell," General Hammond said in approval.
"New blood for a new war, George," Jacob said with a grim smile.
"Too true, Jake," General Hammond said sadly.
"Now, what is this news you have for me?" Jacob asked losing his smile.
General Hammond sighed. He stood up and moved over to a computer at the side of the room and started to speak. "As you know, after that SNAFU at the summit and the attack on Ravenna, Earth was actively seeking new allies against Anubis and the other System Lords. A few weeks ago, SG-1 went to a planet that was technologically advanced. The first day they were there they were attacked and the team was split in two. Daniel and Teal'c returned to radio us that Colonel O'Neill had been taken and Major Carter was in pursuit of the party that had taken him.
"A week later, I received a radio transmission from Major Carter to turn on the MALP video feed. I received this…" General Hammond said. He played the video for Jacob. When it ended, he continued. "One week after that video, Daniel and Teal'c returned from the planet unharmed. They had not seen or heard from Colonel O'Neill or Major Carter for that whole two-week period. Nor had they seen any sign of a goa'uld. They just left to go to Ravenna to see if a message was left for you. They didn't want to risk you if it was a trap," General Hammond said as he retook his seat.
Jacob was in shock.
Selmak took control, "Thank you, General Hammond. Jacob is very upset to find that his daughter has been taken by a goa'uld. However, we both feel that it should be us that goes, not SG-1."
"Are you sure, Selmak?" Jalen asked.
"Yes, The message was not very goa'uld. More Tok'ra. It is like something Jolinar would send to be obvious, but not obvious," Selmak said.
"Do you think this might be a Tok'ra?" General Hammond asked.
"No. If it had been, then they would have returned to Earth. Since, they did not, I can only make guesses," Selmak said.
"I'll have to look at that video more closely then," General Hammond said.
"I will leave a mark, Jalen, if I go willingly. No mark for unwillingly," Selmak said. Selmak turned to General Hammond, "The mark is a coded message that is unobtrusive. It will let cell members know my status."
"Understood," Jalen said with a nod. "Take care, Selmak."
"I will," Selmak said, then she turned to General Hammond. "Teach her more about the SGC and care for her well.
"I intend too," General Hammond said.
They trooped back down to the control room. "Walter, Ravenna again if you please," General Hammond ordered.
"Of course, Sir," Walter replied and started dialing the Stargate.
Jacob Carter/Selmak stormed into the Gate Room. General Hammond could tell that it was Jacob back in charge. He hoped his friend regained his composure on the other side.
"Godspeed, Jacob," General Hammond whispered.
The wormhole engaged and then Jacob stormed through. It blinked out a short time later.
SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG
Jack was curled up in bed with Sam in his arms. He was warm and comfortable and there was the annoying sound of his alarm clock. But he was ignoring it. Alarm clocks meant that Sam would disappear and life would suck again. He could be late. Besides he was warm.
You really should get up, alien, Shade said to him.
I am not an alien, Jack protested automatically as he snuggled closer to Sam.
Well, you are the one to set the ship to notify you when the Chappa'ai activated. It would be a waste if you missed it, Shade said sarcastically.
What? Jack said muzzily. This is a weird dream.
It's not a dream, Shade told him.
It's not? Then why is the alarm clock going off? Jack said as he slowly gained alertness.
Not an alarm clock. Alarm. Chappa'ai alarm, Shade said pointedly.
Why would I have a Chappa'ai alarm? Jack asked.
Oh fer crying out loud! Just get up and go look, Shade said. I swear to all that is holy, alien. You are a trial and a half.
I am not an alien, Jack said finally waking up enough to realize that he is talking to someone IN HIS HEAD and Sam really was in his arms. The alarm is for the Stargate. Shit! The Stargate!
"Sam! Wake up," Jack poked her side.
"Five more minutes, Dad," Sam mumbled.
Jack smiled. Sam was so cute when she was totally out of it. "Sammie…" Jack sang to her. "Time to go see who came to get your message…"
Sam snapped up, instantly alert. Then dropped back to the bed. "Fuck!"
"Come on. Let's go see who showed up," Jack told her as he started to root around for clothing.
"I bet it's Daniel. He always had the worst timing," Sam replied.
"Not taking that deal. Sucker's bet," Jack said.
They made it to the bridge with the view of the Stargate from their cloaked ship to see Daniel and Teal'c looking around the Stargate in confusion.
"Yeah, total sucker's bet," Jack echoed. "At least we know they made it off that crappy planet okay."
"Yeah, I didn't realize how worried I was for them until I saw them just now," Sam said with a huff.
Jack reached over and hugged her tight. They watched the next half and hour as Daniel wandered around looking confused at all the rocks in 200 yards.
"Has Daniel ever seen Blair Witch?" Jack asked finally.
"You know, I don't think he has," Sam replied as Daniel trooped once more over to some randomly piled rocks some distance from the Stargate.
"You know, this is kind of sad," Jack said.
"Kind of… this is very sad. Our expert in everything alien, doesn't seem to know one simple Tau'ri fact. And Teal'c can't help him," Sam said shaking her head.
Then the Stargate activated again. This time it disgorged Jacob Carter/Selmak. Jacob stood on the Stargate platform then stormed down towards Daniel and started to yell at the man.
"Ouch. I think I can hear your dad yelling at them from here. What for do you think they did?" Jack asked.
"What else? Not saving me from be goa'ulded. Oh… That is his 'angry dad' face," Sam replied wincing.
"Am I going to get that face?" Jack asked.
"No… You are going to get the much worse 'defacing my daughter' face," Sam replied with a smirk.
"Oh yeah," Jack said with a smirk. "Not sorry."
We do not need reminders while staring at Sam's father, Shade told him.
We always need reminders, Jack said smugly.
Jacob had ordered Daniel and Teal'c back through the Stargate. It splashed to life and then Daniel and Teal'c disappeared.
Then Jacob stopped and hunched over the DHD. He finally rose up and walked over to the Stargate platform where Sam had hidden her note.
"Ha! I knew your dad would find it," Jack said with a smile.
Jacob pulled out the note and read it. Tears started to fall from his eyes. He walked over to the base of the Stargate ramp and sat down with the note in hand.
"Well?" Jack asked Sam.
"I think we can trust him. I want to talk to him. Shade?" Sam asked.
He appears moved by the note. He seemed to understand that you wanted to see him alone. I will accept the risk. Bring him here. We will fly the ship somewhere to talk, Shade said to Jack.
"Shade is good with it. Once he is one board, we will fly somewhere to talk," Jack relayed.
Sam signed, "Wish me luck."
"Good luck," Jack said.
Sam went to the outside hatch and opened it. She stepped outside the cloaking field and took a strengthening breath. "Dad!" Sam shouted.
Sam watched her dad's head jerk in her direction. He stood up and walked a few steps in her direction. Sam walked towards him. She reached him at the bottom of the Stargate ramp.
"Hey, Dad," Sam greeted him. "Hey, Selmak."
"Kiddo," Jacob pulled her into a tight hug. "I was so worried about you."
"I know. It is a long story. I want to tell it to you, but I can't do it here. Can you come with me? I promise no harm will come to you or Selmak," Sam said.
"You don't have a symbiote," Jacob said. "I can feel that."
"Long story," Sam said again.
"Okay, I'll come. Let me leave this marker here. It says I left of my own free will," Jacob said. He placed a coin on the Stargate ramp. "Where to?"
"This way," Sam said as she led the back to the ship.
Once inside, Sam close the hatch and sealed it. They both felt it take off.
"We are trying to protect someone. Come on," Sam said.
"This is an Al'kesh," Jacob exclaimed.
"Yeah, we bought it. We needed a ship with a cloak to watch who picked up the note. Watching Daniel was just sad," Sam said.
"You bought a ship?" Jacob exclaimed. "You have only been missing for a week."
Sam looked at her father, "Dad, you act like I don't know how to do stuff."
"Sam, I'm not saying that," Jacob back tracked. Only to be interrupted by a loud shout.
"God damn it. I am not an alien. Stop saying that!"
"That was Jack," Jacob said.
"Yes. Just ignore him when he does the whole alien thing… I think Shade does it to annoy him now," Sam said.
"Who is Shade?" Jacob asked.
Jack stormed into the common area, "Hi Jacob, Selmak. Sam, tell Shade to stop harassing me. I am not an alien."
It was then Jacob felt the difference in Jack. Jack was the host. Shade must be the symbiote.
"Shade, you know he is sensitive about that," Sam said. "I assume we are in some random orbit?"
"Yes," Jack confirmed.
"So, long story just got longer I assume," Jacob said.
"Not really," Jack said. "All a part of the same long story. I assume we are skipping the planetary no Shade parts?" Jack asked Sam.
"Not all of them, I hope. I would like to know how Sam ended up with a goa'uld," Jacob stated.
"I can do that," Sam said. "Brief summary. SG-1 arrived on planet and found a city in the distance. Noticed hover cars. Went to meet the locals. Long walk. Cliff. Attacked in forest after cliff. Returned fire. Teal'c and Daniel made it up the cliff. I was about to attempt it when Jack got hit. Stunner like a zat. They cover me into the woods. I escape. Locals take Jack. I follow. I lose them.
"Almost a week later, I am gathering intel. Alone on hostile planet. Found local businessman. Rebel leader. Told Jack has been moved to mines. Need different intel.
"The rebel leader I had been getting intel from was a host. He has been hiding the goa'uld. The goa'uld needs a new hiding place. It is willing to give me all the intel I need if I am willing to hide it. It allows me to ask questions. It is not a Tok'ra. It has heard of Egeria. But it had been running from Ra and the other System Lords for centuries. I accept.
"I find Jack two days later. The mine is free. We head back to Stargate. He does not know about the goa'uld. I tell him I can't go back to Earth. He says he will stay with me. Period. I decide to send a message to Earth not to come to planet and that we are no longer on planet. I tag Ravenna for you. Just in case. We didn't really have a plan. Just get off that ready to explode planet," Sam summarizes for her father.
"Okay, that catches me up to what happened on the planet. But what made you take the goa'uld?" Jacob asked.
"A couple of things," Sam replied. "First of all, I felt sorry for Shade. Actual pity. I wanted to help her. I didn't know Artair was a host until she spoke. Second, I needed help. Really needed it. I had not heard from Daniel or Teal'c in a week. That planet is on the brink of civil war. We were about to be caught in the middle of it. Third, Shade didn't try to promise me anything she could not reasonably do. She offered information, not miracles. I asked if Jack was dead. She said she could only help me determine his status. The System Lords are happy to lie to you to get what they want. She didn't lie. She would help, but she didn't lie."
"That is a different perspective for a goa'uld to take," Jacob said.
"Shade also asked that when it came time for me to pass her to a new host that the host take her willingly. There was risk to both of them. She would not endanger anyone unwillingly. Jolinar never gave me that choice. I understand why, but I resented it. She felt like she knew better. She didn't. She knew different," Sam said.
"Yes. I understand that perspective all too well among the Tok'ra," Jacob said.
"Long life, does not always mean well lived," Selmak provided.
"No. It does not," Sam agreed.
"So, you sent the message to Earth. Then what?" Jacob asked.
"Shade led us to one of her Safe Houses on a trade world. We stayed there for a few days to get our heads straight and to figure out what we were going to do next," Sam started.
"I was understandably upset that Sam had taken a goa'uld to get intel to free me. I blamed myself. We talked it out. Sam told me her reasons. That is when I realized that I could help hide the goa'uld much better than Sam could. I made the offer that Shade leave Sam and never go back. Shade accepted," Jack said.
"And that is where things when a bit wrong," Sam replied.
"A bit," Jack conceded. "But I am not an alien."
"Shade made the transfer to Jack and they both passed out," Sam said.
"What?" Selmak said.
"Yes," Sam said. "Jack didn't wake for several hours. At that point, they were both fine… ish…"
"I am not an alien," Jack whispered.
"Will you stop it," Sam snapped. "Anyway, when I merged with Shade, the connection was light. Shade could only read my active thoughts. No memories unless I brought them forward. The only exception was when I was screaming in my head. With Jack, however, the connection is much deeper. Memories, thoughts, emotions, and personalities are all blended," Sam said.
"Personalities? Even the Tok'ra do not blend that deep," Selmak said.
"Yeah, Shade was nice for Sam. I get the snarky version," Jack said. "I am not that snarky."
"Anyway," Sam said glaring at Jack. "The deeper connection meant we learned more history about Shade than we needed. Shade was running from Ra for a reason. She was hiding from Ra, but has plenty of reason to hide from the other System Lords as well."
"And then she poked my alien data nugget," Jack said.
"Your what?" Jacob asked confused.
"A few years ago, I got my head sucked by an alien device. It deposited an alien data nugget in my head. That nugget unspooled and overwrote all my brain functions until I was about to die. I had to go to another galaxy to get fixed. Thor said he took it out. APPARENTLY, he just respooled it. Fixed, but not fixed," Jack said.
"What does that mean?" Jacob asked again. This time looking at Sam.
"Ancient Repository of Knowledge," Sam clarified. "All the knowledge the Ancients had acquired in one neat package."
"Holy Hannah!" Jacob exclaimed.
"Yeah, Shade poked it. It has overwritten her genetic memories from the dawn of time until her mother. Maybe a little after Shade was spawned. But she can still remember all of her post tank memories and her blended memories," Jack said.
"Shade has all of the knowledge of the Ancients INSTEAD of the goa'uld?" Selmak said sounding as flabbergasted as she has ever sounded.
"Yeah," Jack said. "She is still snarky about it though. Not wise AT ALL."
"If only Shade could pass that knowledge on to another generation? But we have never found our queen Egeria," Selmak lamented.
"You see… This is why…" Jack started.
"Jack, It's not like that," Sam reassured him. "I'm sure my father and Selmak don't want Shade just for the information she can provide to future generations." Then Sam turned on her father, "After all, condemning CHILDREN to a war they did not start is cruel."
"Of course, Sam," Jacob said quickly. "There is no way these children would even be ready to be host for years. They would be no use to this war."
"No, they wouldn't be," Sam said firmly.
Quiet fell over the three of them. Finally, Jacob broke it. "I have moved back to Earth. We have gotten the Tok'ra to create a 'cell' network after Ravenna. I am in charge of the Earth cell. It is sort of a staging ground for getting new hosts and fielding them to the other cells. You can reach me there if you need to."
"We can't go back," Jack said. "Shade needs us."
Jacob sighed, "Yes, It's more important than ever to keep Shade from the hands of the other goa'uld. How can I reach you?"
"We don't know yet?" Sam replied. "We are still working logistics out."
"What do you want me to tell them back home?" Jacob asked.
"Tell them what you know minus the Ancient Database. I won't leave Jack while he is compromised. Jack is blended too deep to be separated. The goa'uld is being hunted by other goa'uld and is in hiding for a reason," Sam told her father.
"I can do that," Jacob said. "Take us back, Jack."
"Yes, Sir," Jack snapped and turned back to the bridge. They soon felt the ship underway.
Jacob turned back to Sam. Sam was watching him with longing in her eyes. His heart ached for her. "Are you happy, Sam?" Jacob asked.
Sam laughed, "Yes. Yes, I am. Happier than I have been in a long time."
"Good," Jacob said with the hint of smile. "I like him, you know. Don't tell him, but he has a good heart. And he makes you smile," he said.
"Thanks, Dad," Sam replied with tears in her eyes.
"I may have also notice that you call him 'Jack' and he calls you 'Sam'," Jacob said with a fatherly look.
Sam had the grace to look embarrassed. "Dad, he makes me happy."
"Very good," Jacob said with a smile. "That is all I have ever wanted for you."
The Al'kesh settled to the ground and Sam opened the door for her father. She gave him one last hug before he stepped outside. She watched as he walked to the Stargate before she closed the door. She felt the ship lurch on take-off as they headed to their next destination.
SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG-SG
