Chapter 16

The next morning, Sam frowned not only because her bedside was empty, but there was a message on her cell phone for her that she needed to present herself on her dress blues. She got it ready and decided she was better of getting changed after dropping their kids and once she was sure her experiments wouldn't ruin it.

However, it was during the afternoon where all were called to the gate room fully dressed. She looked around wondering what the change that was about to happen was while hoping that if there was a new CO, it was someone that would understand her relationship with Jack and especially the thing with the letters was.

"Ten hut!" Someone called, and in one single movement, everyone stood at attention. General Hammond walked in and up the ramp.

"At ease," he ordered watching them stand a little bit more comfortable.

"I'm here to announce you that, starting tomorrow, there will be several changes here at the Stargate Command. A memo will be waiting for you all tomorrow morning. However, it's my duty to inform you that you will be getting a new Commanding Officer." Mumbles raised from the crowd, but Hammond raised his hand to shut them.

"Starting tomorrow." He added. "Today is my last day not only here but at the Air Force."

"What?" someone shouted loud enough to be heard. Hammond smiled.

"Nothing bad, I'm retiring. You all knew I was only counting the days since I started here, it took me far longer to reach to this decision. However, there's someone now who the President and I feel is the right candidate to my chair and all the responsibilities it demands. As for who that is… Ten Hut" he said, and in a swift motion, they were all back to attention.

Shocked but happy expressions invaded the room as the officer moved through the room and up the ramp.

"It an honor for me to introduce to you the new Commanding Officer of the Stargate Command, Brigadier General Jack O'Neill. General, would you like to say a few words?" Jack turned to look at every one, his friends, his officers.

"At ease," he commanded.

"I'll make this brief. I'm honored to be your new commanding officer. Let me say; it will take some time to get used to this new role. However, and as the first order of business, Major Carter, the President, and the top brass have decided that you are now the leader of SG1. Yeah, they kinda pushed that one of me," he added shaking his head. He could see his wife was shocked by the news.

"And the rest of you, don't worry, I won't favor SG1 over any other team. If I do, then I order you here and now, to tell the doc to bring out her big needles for me." He joked making them all laugh.

"And my next order is for all of you," they all straightened a bit.

"When you are off would, please do return safe and preferably in one piece. It won't only make the medical team job easier but mine. You all know how much I hate paperwork." He sighed, and he could hear a few chuckles.

"Well, there's not much else to say except, I'm the man now!" he grinned.

"And I'm looking forth to keep working with you all. Dismissed. Oh! Wait! There's cake in the mess hall, and we like to invite you all to go there and have some time to talk with General Hammond before he leaves us."

Every one clap and they congratulated Jack on his promotion as well talk to General Hammond briefly before walking out of the gate room. Soon the room emptied, and the mess hall was filled to the brim.

Early the next morning, Jack stood in the control room as a team walked off world. Then he went to his previous office to pack his things. Finally, he moved to his office and started the fight with the moving and finding a new place for everything, and soon everything set on a routine filled with paperwork.

Six months later, on the other side of the world, Chris and Sally welcomed their second child David Paul Blake to the world, a little brother for the fourteen months old Adam. And six months after that, Jack found out he was promoted to Major General.

A week after the congratulatory dinner the Carter-O'Neill had in their household, it was Jacob Carter's turn to open a letter. This one was inside the envelope he had received three years earlier. However, the contents were even more shocking than learning someone from the future had contacted him. He read that letter a couple of times before getting a grip on himself and picking the phone.

Later that afternoon, Jacob showed up at the front gates of Cheyenne Mountain wearing his dress blues and carrying a suitcase and duffel bag. At that point of the day, Jack was in his office reading one of the many memos that polluted his desk when the phone rang.

"O'Neill," he said not even looking who it was.

"General O'Neill, it's Sargent Wilson from the front post, sir. There's a General Carter here to see you, sir." Jack raised his eye brows, surprised to say the least.

"Well, then tell General Carter that I'm on my way, Wilson."

"Yes, sir."

Placing the phone down, Jack wondered what the reason behind the presence of his father in law by the gate was and frowning; he reached the elevator only to find Sam walking out of it.

"Carter," he grinned.

"Sir, Are you off to the mess hall for some cake?" She asked knowingly.

"Funny you'd ask. Dad's here, top side." He explained, and she frowned.

"Dad's here? That's weird; he didn't call ahead."

"Yeah, same thoughts exactly. Care to come and see dad?" He offered as the elevator doors opened again. She smiled

"Why not?" she said as they entered. "So, how are the memos coming?"

"Long and boring. I believe there's a conspiracy to drown me in them." She snorted. "What about you?"

"The device SG5 brought back, the reading results I got…" He raised his hand to stop her.

"I'll tell you what, it sounds great, but I will wait until I get your long report. Whatcha say?" She chuckled before nodding and changing subjects until they reached the surface.

Since her SUV was close, they jumped into it and drove to the front gate. She stopped it next to the guard post and walked down. Jacob smiled when he got a glimpse of both.

"Jack," he nodded, "Sam, how are you, kiddo?" he asked as Sam engulfed him in a hug.

"I'm good." She frowned looking at him. "You don't look good, what's wrong?"

"It's only the results of the chemo I had three days ago," Jacob said dismissively.

"Dad! Why didn't you called, I would have given Sam some time off, you know that " Jack said frowning.

"But that's not it, right? What is it, dad?" Sam asked, Jacob, pulled out a letter and gave it to her.

"It was on the envelope I got for Christmas Eve," Sam looked at him then took the letter and read through it.

"Sam, what is it?" Jack asked worriedly.

"We should move this inside," she said walking towards the parked truck.

Jack and Jacob followed her both with equally confused expressions. "We better give the Tok'ra a call Jack," she said once they were all settled on the SUV. And giving him the letter.

"Oh hell, it looks like I need to make some phone calls," Jack said as he placed the letter back in the envelope and returned it to Jacob.

"What is the SGC, Sam?" Jacob asked from the back seat.

"We will tell you, dad. As soon as I make a phone call. Now, the only thing I can say to you is that is classified," Jack said

"So, you going to give me clearance so I can learn who is the Tok'ra?" Jacob asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yup, it's classified right now."

"So, I was right and Deep space telemetry is a cover story," He affirmed. The couple exchanged a glance before they reached Sam's parking spot. "Sam."

"Later, Dad." She smiled sadly, shouldering his bag, while Jack grabbed his suitcase. They arrived quickly to the first check point where they lowered the bags. Jack picked the phone and marked some numbers while Sam gave instructions to the guards.

"Walter, General O'Neill. I need you to get me the regular forms to level twenty-eight for Major General Jacob Carter... Yes, I know. Also, I need the President on the line for me in five minutes… Good man... Yes, she's with me... what happened?" Jack shook his head

"yeah, I'll tell her; she won't like it. Thanks, Walter." He hung up and bit his lower lip turning towards Sam.

"What did he say?" She frowned already worried.

"Felger," he said as if that was the most explicative thing in the world.

"Holly Hannah, don't tell me he went ahead," she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Yeah. You told him not to?" He frowned.

"Of course, I did. This is no not great," she clenched her jaw and then she remembered her father.

"Sorry dad, I got to go and strangle a scientist," she told him before walking towards the elevator.

"Want me to call the doc?" Jack called out.

"No, maybe you should find Teal'c. I know he will be able to stop me from killing Felger." She groaned, making him grin. Jack picked the phone again.

"Walter, can you find Teal'c? Level twenty-two, as I supposed Major Carter isn't a happy camper... Thanks." Once he hung up, the guard told him Jacob was all signed up. "Shall we, dad?"

"Sure," Jacob answered following his son in law to the elevators.

"You know, the last time I heard Sam was going to strangle someone she was at high school," Jacob commented.

"Really? What happened?" Jack asked as they stepped into the elevator.

"Well, a couple of guys wrecked her science project, she was fourteen at the time."

"Did she strangle them?" Jack asked not doubting for a moment of her capability to do it. Jacob laughed.

"One of them, yes. But they both got black eyes and broken noses. She was so angry she did strangle the guy. It took two male teachers to pull her off the kid."

"Now I know where Grace gets her temper from," Jack added making Jacob chuckle.

"How are they?"

"As you saw a week ago, they are continuously growing too fast."

"They don't stay small for long."

"True."

The moment they walked into Jack's office a Sergeant entered the room with a thick file in his hands. "Sir, the papers you asked for, and the President is waiting on the line."

"Thanks, Walter." When the man closed the door behind him, Jack grabbed the phone and pressed a number.

"Mr. President, General O'Neill. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. The reason for this call is to give General Carter full clearance...yes, sir, I'll bet my stars. Yes, sir, I'll take full responsibility. Yes, sir, he's a good man. Yes, George also knows him for years. Yes, sir...I will, sir. Thank you, sir. Yes, I will, sir."

Jacob heard him said for a while then Jack lowered the phone, and opened the file in front of him. Grabbing a pen from the pen holder, he walked around his desk and gave the file and folder to Jacob.

"Sign it, and you get full clearance on what's going on here. And you will be able to know what the Tok'ra is," Jacob looked at the file, and with a quick read he signed the papers and passed them to Jack.

"So, care to tell me what's going on here?"

"Sure, follow me." Jack placed the pen back in its holder and stood up, and opened the door, Jacob walked out.

"Walter, can you take care of this?" Jack asked him giving him the file.

"Yes, sir." They turned around when they heard someone running and some yelling.

"Felger! You better come back here!" They heard Sam's voice clearer as they approached, a man in a white coat ran and hid behind Jack.

"General, help me! Major Carter is trying to kill me!"

"And what did you do to make Major Carter chase you around the base?" Jack asked amused.

"I experimented on one of the plants SG5 brought back."

"And?"

"I killed it"

"Felger!" Sam yelled reaching the room.

"General, please, save me!" The man pleaded.

"You are not going anywhere, you … Idiot!" Sam said trying to grab him, but Jack stopped her.

"Carter," she looked at him and inhaled.

"Sir?"

"I'm sure Felger is sorry. And probably there is more of that plant."

"No there's not, he used the whole lot," she fumed.

"Do you need it?"

"Yes, sir!"

"Alright, I'll send SG1 and Felger to go and get some more for you," Sam looked at Jack.

"Sir?"

"Not you! Your team is going to take him, trust me." He winked at her.

"But..." Jack placed his hands on her arms

"No buts, Carter. While your team and bumbling Felger are getting what you wanted and you are going to be talking to dad about this place," He said waving his arms around.

"You mean he got clearance?"

"Yup. So, take dad to your lab, I'll sort out SG1 and Felger and make that phone call too, ok?"

Sam thought for a while and inhaled deeply, looking to her father then at Jack, she nodded. She noticed later that Felger was grinning, and she gave him her best angry look.

"This isn't over Felger. Next time you screw up, I'll send you to area fifty-one, and then you can be Mayborne's problem." She hissed, before turning towards her father.

"Come on, dad. There's a lot to talk," she smiled at him.

"Sure thing, kiddo...Jack."

"You were lucky this time, Felger," Jack hissed to the Doctor once the Carter's were out.

"Next time, you might not be so lucky."

"Thank you, General." He nodded. "But Major Carter sure looks hot when she angry."

"FELGER!" Jack yelled making the man run away.