After their last mission and what had finally happened between he and Sam, Jack vowed that something was going to change. The trouble was, he didn't know what! Desperate for some advice and praying for a miracle solution, Jack marched to Hammond's office. No one was in the outer office, and so he knocked on the door.
He heard General Hammond's voice call out to him. "Come!" Jack opened the door and was met by a shocking sight. There seated in Hammond's office were not only General Hammond , but Captain Samantha Carter and General Jacob Carter too! And the look on General Carter's face told him he was in big trouble.
"Sorry to interrupt, Sir," Jack said almost shyly as he took a step backward.
"Wait, Jack! You're not interrupting. In fact I was just about to call you, since this concerns you too." Jack stopped in his tracks and just stood here, his hand gripping the door knob.
"Get a chair from the briefing room, son," Hammond said, realizing there was no chair for Jack.
"It's alright, George," Jacob said rising. "I have to leave anyway," he continued with a scowl on his face, and then he headed toward the door. Jack stepped back out of his way, watching as Jacob stopped and stared at General Hammond. "I just hope you know what you're doing, George. I know this was partially Selmac's doing, but that doesn't mean I approve of it."
"I know that, Jacob, and I have to admit I have my doubts as well. But the Joint Chiefs are behind it, as is the President."
"That's what really amazes me. From what I've heard, my daughter is the one person this base can't do without! Sending her to live on some planet that doesn't even have electricity is not only foolish, it's a waste of her talent!"
"As I understand it, her talent is why she's needed for the project, Jacob." While he hated to lose his two best people, George was first and foremost a loyal officer who would do whatever was asked of him, even when he had some pretty strong doubts...like he was having this time.
"All I can see is that Sam is throwing her life away...in more ways than one." He glanced at Jack, giving him a dirty look before he aimed his dark, beady eyes at her. "I just hope you come to your senses before it's too late, young lady," he said cryptically, and then he walked out.
Jack watched Jacob leave. He took a beat before he went to sit down in the chair that General Carter had vacated. He could see how upset Sam was, and he really wanted to comfort her. But under the circumstance all he could do was give her an understanding look. Sam tried to smile at him, but didn't quite succeed.
"Sir, what is this all about? Is Sam...er...Capt. Carter...being sent to live on another planet?" Jack asked incredulously. Hammond got up and walked around his desk, his facial expression about as serious as Jack had ever seen it. God, he really hated to lose these two!
"If Sam accepts the assignment, she'll be leading a science and technology team consisting of Tok'ra and Tauri, on a planet designated P1T-001. They will report to a Tok'ra scientist named Martouf, who was recently appointed as the science and research director on their high council." Jack vaguely remembered the name, but couldn't quite place it. He figured he had most likely met him when they'd taken Jacob to get that snake put inside him, and it made Jack shiver just to think about it.
"And if you accept your new assignment, Jack, you'll be going there too, as the commander of the settlement. You will have a company of combined forces... marines, airmen, and army personnel...to help you do your job. The Army Corps of Engineers will also be there to build the housing and other structures."
"Me, Sir? But I'm just a Colonel," he said, very humbly, even for Jack.
"Not for long, Colonel. If you accept this assignment, both you and Captain Carter will be promoted. But before we get into that, I want to tell you what I told Sam," he said as he sat on the corner of his desk. Jack looked at Sam, who gave him a genuine smile this time. Feeling a tad better, but mostly just plain confused, he sat back in the chair and listened while General Hammond explained.
"As you know, for generations the Tok'ra moved from one planet to another, in fear of being wiped out by the Goa'uld. But now, due to the Asgard's protection, they have been able to maintain a stable society on the desert planet Vorash where we first met them. Living in one place for this long and blending with some of the top minds in the galaxy has enabled them to advance technologically. As you know, they have recently built a small fleet of ships of their own design. One thing you do not know is that they have been using those ships to explore planets in hopes of finding one suitable for settlement. Short story is they've found one, and now it is their goal to move their people to this planet, which is much more hospitable to their human hosts. It's a place where they can live on the surface. They want to do this not only for the health and comfort of their hosts and their hosts' children, but to repay their human counterparts for everything they've done for them."
"Wow, Sir! That's really great!" And he meant it. This really didn't sound like the snake heads he had grown to hate. Maybe, he thought, they aren't so bad after all! "But where do we come in?" Jack asked, still confused.
"The crux of the matter is manpower. While they have been reproducing at a fast rate, they still don't have the large number of adults necessary to man their current base, while sending a crew to prepare a viable support system and infrastructure on the chosen planet."
"P1T-001?" Jack asked. Hammond nodded. "But why can't all of 'em go there and work to get the place going?" Jack asked in layman terms.
"There are two basic reasons they can't do this without our help. First, although they have expertise in many areas, there are still many rudimentary tasks about which they know very little, like building the housing that will be required. They also know nothing about agriculture. And since their human halves are demanding their children be raised on the kind of diet they once enjoyed... Well, you know how bad the Tok'ra food is! Anyway, they really want to eat real food again!"
"You said there are two reasons they can't do this without us? What's the other one?"
"The second reason is really where you will come in, Jack, and it's two-fold. The Tok'ra have never had to deal with any kind of dissension among themselves, and that's mainly because their numbers were so few. But now that their numbers are growing, the need for a security team has become apparent. Also, they've never had to deal with the kinds of problems present on the planet. It's a hospitable place except for one main thing...a large predator that no one has really seen. But one thing is known about it; it likes the taste of humans. The first exploration team the Tok'ra sent to the planet lost three out of eight team members." Jack and Sam noticeably shivered.
"So you want me and my men there to protect the people from these things and from themselves?"
"That's putting it rather simply, but 'yes!' And there is something else which will be of particular interest to both of you that Sam doesn't know about yet. I waited to speak to the two of you together about this," he said mysteriously. He looked from Sam to Jack and back again before continuing. "I'm going to speak 'off the record' for a moment. Recently it was brought to my attention that you two may have acted inappropriately on a recent mission."
Jack heard Sam gasp. He figured the ax was about to fall anyway, so he might as well come clean. "Sir, I swear it was just the one time...well, mostly."
Hammond chuckled and put up his hand. "Jack, I really don't want to know any of the details. What matters is that I know that you two have feelings for each other...feelings that under current military regulations here on Earth are forbidden. So I had a frank discussion about this matter with the President, and I think I have some good news for you," he said with a smile. Both Sam and Jack were looking quite embarrassed about the turn this conversation had taken. In fact, Sam had turned a lovely shade of hot pink, or so George thought to himself. The girl was gorgeous and as smart as a whip, and he could understand why Jack had fallen so hard for her. As for Sam's interest in Jack...well, he decided this must be one of those times when, as they say, opposites attract!
"Don't be embarrassed or unduly concerned; I am certain you are not the only two on this base, or any other, who are having difficulties with the fraternization regulations. For the record, since this matter affects all the military personnel who will be relocating to the planet, new regulations have been adopted in regard to these personnel that will allow them not only to work side-by-side with their spouses, but will also allow people like yourselves to pursue personal relationships and to marry. And since the team assigned to P1T-001 will be going there for a minimum tour of two years, as soon as it is deemed safe, the families of the civilians, enlisted men and officers will be allowed to locate there as well. This is going to be a real community...the beginnings of a new civilization, if you will." Sam and Jack looked at one another with open mouths. They were both clearly stunned, and didn't know what to say.
"And now if that is not enough to convince you that this assignment was meant for you, Jack, let me also assure you that President Hayes really wants you for this job! Particularly since the Tok'ra representative told him the Asgard practically insisted on your participation. Your little gray friends have even offered to place the new Tok'ra home world under their protection, if the Tauri have more than just a passing involvement. Actually it's rather obvious that the Tok'ra haven't won the complete confidence of the Asgard yet. At any rate, what that means is that we will be allowed to remain on the planet indefinitely, we will be allowed to participate in decisions regarding the design, function, and the governing of the settlement, and we will be given full rights of citizenship once a government is established."
"Now, people, I'm giving you two the next forty-eight hours to decide whether or not to accept the President's offer. I'll see you back here at 07:00 on Thursday. Until then you're dismissed."
Jack stood up and actually gave the General a full salute. "Wow, Sir! I don't know what else to say, but 'wow!'" Sam also saluted. But she still was having trouble deciding what to say. Her mind was whirling with all of the news. It was like someone had unleashed a tornado inside her brain! And so she simply smiled at General Hammond and quickly followed Jack out of the office. But once she was out in the hallway, she found that she could not stop the words from spilling out of her mouth.
"This is fantastic! Colonel, can you believe it? I mean this is like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! It's more than that really! It's incredible! I'd be in charge of a whole team of scientists! And you'd be in charge of...well, the entire planet."
"And don't forget about the promotions!" Jack added, keeping his eyes on the floor as they walked to the elevator.
Both of them were actually thinking about the removal of the regs that had thus far kept them apart, but neither wanted to sound like that was a main consideration. In truth they were both feeling a bit gun shy regarding their feelings for one another. Sam wondered if Jack was still even interested in pursuing a relationship with her. After all, he had seemed very willing to let her go, when he'd refused her offer to transfer out of his command. He had even said he was going to have her transferred from SG-1 to another team, for crying out loud! Of course since they had made love, she doubted very much that he'd ever go through with that. Or would he?
Jack was just as uncertain about her feelings for him. She had been willing to give up gate travel for him, or so she claimed. And she seemed upset when he threatened to have her transferred from SG-1, but was that because she didn't want to leave his side, or because she didn't want to lose her elite status as a member of the SGC's premier team? 'Nah, Carter isn't like that! She doesn't give a rat's ass about status. She loves me; she said she did!' his confused mind yelled at him.
"Sir, I think we need to go your office and talk about...well everything!" she suggested vaguely as they boarded the elevator. There were already two SGC personnel on the elevator, and so Sam was very careful not to say or do anything improper. What she really wanted to do was hug Jack until his eyes popped out of his head! She also wanted to scream at the top of her lungs that she loved him and would go to the ends of the galaxy, if it meant they could be together! But she didn't want to add to the gossip about her and the Colonel, just in case this whole deal went south.
"I think that's a good idea, Carter," he replied. As soon as the other two other people got off the elevator, Sam and Jack looked at one another and said in unison, "Your house!" By the time they got up to the surface, they had decided on going to his house where they would discuss the plans for their future...together.
THE END
Read about their decision and the effect it has on their lives in part two, "Yellow Rose".