17

"I am not going to apologise George"

"Didn't expect you would son, the president was totally out of line and I told him so, and so did the Joint Chiefs, they were in the room too. We were having a crisis meeting, the Russians are…"

"Don't want to hear it, sir"

"What did you call me down for Jack?" asked Hank. It was obvious the man had not slept, and Jack couldn't blame him, here he was fighting for his kids and Hank had just lost his. Though she was not dead in truth, she may as well be in his eyes.

"Thor wants to know where I want my stone setting, he pointed out that I don't want to be always appearing here" he pointed straight down at his feet. Then looked at both men "guess I'm looking for somewhere that I won't be appearing on top of anyone, or IN anyone"

"The system prevents that happening O'Neill, if you try to transport when someone or something is occupying the space it will fail and you will have to wait until it is clear. Usually the Asgard in charge of transporting will move the co-ordinates slightly to give sufficient space, but in this instance we need fixed points as the system will be automated."

"So I need a space that will always be clear, any ideas?"

"We could find a store room on '28 close to the gate for you." Hank said

"Or you could just go straight to your quarters" George offered

"Don't have any quarters any more" he said

"Storage closet it is then, Ill get one located and cleared for you, and a sign posted on it to stop people going in"

He left and George looked after him sadly "This has hit him hard, not surprising really, but he is questioning everything he does now, and he's expecting you to hold him responsible for her actions."

"Shit George I was the one who gave her the job, he had no idea until she turned up that first day."

"She is still his daughter, Jack, you know he is never going to forgive himself for it, just as you have never forgiven yourself for your sons actions" there was a whole world of sympathy in the older mans gaze, and Jack could not deny the truth of his words.

"So where do I want the other end to be?" he said aloud

"There are more than two settings O'Neill" Thor said

"How many?" he asked

"As many as you need, as long as we get the co-ordinates programmed in and your verbal command there is no limit as long as it is in the correct portion of the earth to be seen from the platform"

"Can we go stand on this platform so I can see where is in view?" Jack asked but Thor was shaking his head

"It is not a real platform, it is the name we give to the control satellite, all of this continent is visible as well as the one to the south. The Antarctic outpost is JUST available, but the continents of Asia, Europe and Australasia are not."

"You need to be able to get to your office in DC Jack" George said, "And the White House too."

"I ain't gonna be needing either George, in fact I don't think I will be needing the transport at all"

"You can't quit" said Hammond and Sam together "I won't let you" she added

"Hell you don't need me!" he was almost shouting "You need someone younger, fitter and with a lot more brains!"

"You talking about me, Sam or me, Colonel Carter? Because in both situations you are wrong, and the only reason the president pissed you off yesterday was because HE needs you too, Jack" she reached over from where she was laid down and took his hand "the whole world needs you! We are just lucky enough to have you" he could see the love and devotion in her eyes, but still he could not understand it, she could do so much better than him.

He sighed, "Ok George, if you are sure I have my job, we need to put points in for DC"

"And the cabin" Sam added, that way you can rest and recover from stress without having to drive for hours on end

"I can't use a piece of alien technology just to go off on holiday!" he exclaimed

"Of course you can" Thor said, "I can also adjust it so you can take other people along with you if you wish." He thought for a while "Though I believe we should make that a manual setting, so if you wish to escape from someone they do not automatically transport along with you.

"Sweet" he said. He could finish work in DC, jump to '51 to Sam, then jump to the cabin all in less than an hour. The huge distance between them would mean nothing, he could get 'home' to her quicker than he could get to his rented apartment at the moment, and it was less than a mile from the Pentagon.

"Ok how do I specify exactly where I need to land?"

"We will go to the Samantha Carter and you can show me, using a hologram of Earth" Thor said, Jack held up his hand,

"We need General Hammond and Sam as well with us"

"I need to get dressed before I go anywhere" Sam said

"I'll go get your clothes" he rushed from the room

When he came back with her clothes he helped her into the bathroom to change and went and stood in the far corner of the room. "I want one of the points to be here" he said and Thor produced another stone (from where Jack did not ask) and spoke into it in his own language.

"If you are going to bring anyone along with you make sure you are facing due west and they are in front of you" Thor stated.

Sam came out of the room and Thor told them to turn off their shields and the next thing they knew they were in space looking down on their beautiful planet again.

It never got old.

A huge hologram of Earth appeared in the centre of the room, it narrowed in to the US and Sam stepped up to it and pointed to the eastern seaboard it zoomed in quickly, she pointed to Washington… zoom… she pointed to the west of the river…zoom… down below memorial bridge …zoom… the familiar triangle of roads… zoom she stood back, she had not been to Jacks office since he got one and he and George stepped up, they took it in turns to zoom in and eventually locate the interior space that was his office. He had a small private bathroom to the rear, and he zoomed in on that, knowing that he was the only one to ever go in it, except for the cleaners.

So that was one set, when Thor prompted him he said he would use 'office' as the address, not imaginative but not something he would forget either. Then they zoomed out a little and zoomed back in to the east of the river and got to the White House. Here they had a problem, the secret service men were never very happy when someone appeared out of thin air next to the man they were sworn to protect, and Jack did not want to be shot.

He was just about to tell them he would be happy to travel from his office by car when Thor gestured him to the holographic generator spot and he was suddenly 'there' in the middle of the rug surrounded by stars and the man himself.

The Join Chiefs jumped up and stood between him and 'The Man' until they recognised who it was, 5 seconds later the door opened and men in suits with weapons drawn rushed in. Hayes just calmly flapped his hands and told everyone to calm down.

"Good to see you Jack" he said cautiously "Want to apologise about yesterday, I was totally out of line"

"Yes you were" Jack said and he secretly enjoyed the outraged look on Navy and Army, though he received a scowl off his own chief, it wasn't like the man didn't know him, didn't expect him to be blunt.

"Thor has offered me a gizmo… doohickey… thingy, to help with the situation"

"You are going to appear like this in future to meetings? I am not sure that will work" he said

"No I just need a safe place to appear" Jack said "I am going to use a closet at the SGC and my private bathroom at the Pentagon, but it won't work if someone or something is in the place I want to appear."

Navy stood up and said "What about behind that enormous pot plant in the outer office? They all trouped out of the room and Jack said "Thor, follow them please" he reappeared half in a desk in the outer office, as it was full of people, almost causing the secretary there to faint. Navy pointed to the huge plant and Jack noticed there was actually quite a space behind it, the only thing that would be in his way as he stepped out would be the huge leaves, no branches or anything to impede his movement, he went and 'stood' on the spot and said "Here Thor, lets call it Oval" and suddenly he was there in truth.

Everyone turned and went into the oval office except Hayes himself who looked straight at Jack "We need to talk, do not go rushing back off, please" he indicated that Jack should precede him into the room. Jack took the stone from his pocket and said "Can you send down Colonel Carter and General Hammond, and you are also welcome to join us" and put it back in hi pocket and walked in, as if to his execution.

Sam and George appeared behind the sofa and Thor, in his chair, at the side of the presidents desk.

It took them an hour of almost none stop talking but they finally had everyone up to date, Thor came out with a surprise when he insisted that Jack be given full diplomatic status, as the liaison between Earth and Asgard, and that he had a hope that the children could provide answers to some problem the Asgard had later in their lives. Jack, Sam and Hammond suspected it was to do with the failing of the clone system, but did not mention it aloud.

Army wanted the president to get a stone, as it was a more secure way to get from one place to another, but as it was pointed out, it would be noticed if he could travel 3000 miles in the blink of an eye, no one was watching Jack. "Anyway," Hayes said "I enjoy travel, I use the time to relax, Jack can be in constant meetings all day all over the country, I get to rest between," Jack scowled at him…

"For cryin' out loud" he said under his breath. Causing Sam, Hammond, Hayes and Airforce to laugh.