The Anunnaki

by MicheleB

Set just after Season 8, ignoring 99 percent of Seasons 9 and 10. Jack thinks he's going to retire again; the universe has other plans.

12. Chapter 12

Smoke and Mirrors
Anunnaki Part 12
By Michele
Rating: NC-17 (Jack/Sam/Daniel)
Summary: The last day of show and tell is completed, Jack finally says the words, Daniel is the after dinner entertainment, and Davis gets an unexpected offer.

Thankfully the afternoon discussions turned toward the Stargate and Daniel was happy to hand the stage over to Sam. The physicists were baffled, arguing that wormholes shouldn't be stable, much less work or even exist. Like a black hole, if one did exist it should instantly obliterate a person. Sam found the whiteboard marker and quickly drew all over the board. After a stunned silence, there was a flurry of notebooks being opened and the equations copied. She waited until they were done to tell them that they wouldn't be able to duplicate it in a lab because they wouldn't be able to round up enough energy to run it for even a second. They didn't have the materials to make it work or the power supply, and the beings that created them are long dead. Someone suggested tapping into a sun or black hole for the energy.

"AAAH! Don't do that!" Jack shouted, startling everyone, waving his arms. Sam agreed and told everyone about black holes sucking in the SGC and exploding suns.

"Col. Carter, over the past week we have heard wonders we never thought we'd hear," someone said. "We have also heard over and over how the knowledge and use of this Stargate has almost destroyed us. Why is it still in use, if it's so dangerous?"

"Fire is dangerous," Sam said. "Electricity is dangerous, people drown in water every day. Should we bury our heads in the sand? We are as careful as we can be, and like children, we are learning from our mistakes."

"What about colonization, colonel? Will humans be heading to the stars any time soon?"

"Humans have already colonized the stars," she said. "Just because they haven't lived on this planet in a couple thousand years, doesn't make them less human. If you mean will Tau'ri be heading out, the answer is not anytime soon."

After the protests died down,

"We can't get along on one planet, we won't be wasting gate time by sending people out to other planets to bicker," she told them.

"You're playing God with this thing, you know," someone said.

"Maybe," she said. "But I can tell you that at the moment the gate isn't working at all because the Asgard feel that the current political agenda isn't conducive to being good neighbors. The complaint of playing God is always given by someone with a smaller gun."

"It isn't working?" someone asked after a silence. "How can it be fixed?"

"When the Asgard can once again trust our leadership to play nice in the sandbox, they'll turn it back on," she said.

"But others with Stargates aren't playing nice. Take these Goolds, for example."

"Goa'uld. The Asgard don't have as high hopes for others as they do for us," she told them. "Most of the other worlds are in elementary school; we are about to enter college. We don't get Dad's car keys if we don't bring up our grade point average."

"Alright, ignoring this obvious case of discrimination, have these Asgard really been stealing people and returning them?"

"The alien abduction stories?" Sam asked. "Only a few. The Asgard look the way they do because of cloning. They've been using DNA from other species in trying to find a compatible match in which to splice their own DNA onto so that they can continue to live. If they don't, their cloning will completely break down and they will die out as a race. And not all the Asgard have been taking people, only a couple of unethical scientists. They've been dealt with. We caught them and turned them over to Asgard authorities. If anyone has been claiming abduction lately, they're lying."

The afternoon went quickly and everyone was disappointed in not getting individual attention, mostly from Daniel. He didn't particularly care, he was too worn out. There was another two hour break and then two hundred specially chosen would meet in the main dining hall for a private dinner. There was coffee waiting backstage and Daniel took a sip as he glanced out the curtains. He paused and looked at the cup in his hand. He took another sip.

"What is it?" Sam asked.

"I know this coffee," Daniel said, pointing to the innocent cup. He took another sip. "Where is she? Mrs. Arthur! Where are you?" He looked around, his attention perking up.

"Here, boy." An older woman stepped out from a back office, putting an armful of papers on a desk. Daniel put his cup down and threw his arms around her. She barely reached his shoulders. She was equally glad to see him and held his face, planting a loud smack on his cheek.

"Look at you," she said with pride. "Dr. Jordan would have been so proud of you."

"Where were you?" he asked. "I was looking for you all week."

"Oh, Daniel, this was your time," she shushed him, taping him on the chest. "You had more important things to do than spending time with an old woman."

"Jack, Sam," he turned, putting an arm around the woman's shoulders. "This is Mrs. Arthur; she was Dr. Jordan's admin assistant. She mothered me the entire time I was here." He introduced Jack and Sam to her. "And she makes the best coffee in the world. Best fried chicken, best chocolate chip cookies, best fudge, best…"

"You stop," she said, waving a hand at him. Jack and Sam shook hands with the slightly rounded lady.

"Come to the dinner tonight?" Daniel begged her. He peppered her apple cheeks with pecks.

"Alright," she conceded with a laugh. "Just stop slobberin' on me, boy." She poked at his stomach and chest. "At least someone's been feedin' you. He was so skinny when he first came here, his pants kept slidin' down those cute buns of his," she informed Jack and Sam. They smiled, enjoying seeing Daniel squirm.

"He's been playing with the military," Sam said. "They shamed him into working out."

"Uh huh," the lady commented, giving Daniel's biceps a squeeze. Her small hands barely fit over the front of his arms. "Good thing I'm old, honey, or he'd be in trouble."

Sam laughed out loud as Daniel flushed.

"And what's your excuse, Mr. General, sir?" she questioned Jack, looking over his slim form critically. "Don't the Army feed the generals?"

"I'm Air Force, ma'am," Jack said. "And they feed me fine, but I'm kept busy so I tend to work it off." He tilted his head toward Sam and waved his left hand. Mrs. Arthur laughed.

"Good for you, son," she informed him. She looked all three of them up and down. "Daniel, did I hear right? It's the three of you?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Uh huh. Well, you always did like strange things. I don't want to hear about it," she said, covering her ears. "You are old enough to know better," she said, pointing at Jack.

"Yes, ma'am."

She brushed off a speck on Daniel's chest. "You disappeared, boy," she said a bit huskily. "We missed you. He missed you. We didn't hear from you after that seminar. That's when all this started isn't it?"

"Yes," Daniel acknowledged with a nod. "I was approached outside, by a private concern, and that was that. They didn't exactly give me time to get my affairs in order. Things started getting a little dangerous and I didn't want anyone coming and hurting you because of me."

She nodded. "And this private concern proved your theories. As we all know, now."

Daniel put his arms around her again, holding her tight. "There were so many times I wanted to call you," he whispered. "Times when I really needed you."

She held him for a few minutes as Jack and Sam turned and kept a few people from interrupting. Someone had spent time mothering Daniel, or he would have turned into a complete ass, and now they knew who to thank for their sweet natured boy.

"Ok, now," she said, sniffling a bit. "I have to get back to the office. Dr. Bradley wanted those files."

"Not Ghangis Khan?!" Daniel pulled back to look at her in horror. "Come to Colorado," he begged. "Work for me. I'm going to be writing, finally, maybe teaching a little, hopefully, and I'll need help. You're the best. And I wouldn't trust anyone else."

"Colorado?" she questioned with an incredulous look. "My kids are here, honey."

"Your kids are all grown up, I'm not," he said. "Please? At least think about it? I'll take care of all your moving expenses. You can live in my house. It's in a nice family neighborhood. I was going to rent it out because I'm moving in with Jack and Sam, but you can live in it."

"Hmmm. I suppose it's chock full of relics," she commented.

"Of course it is," he said. "But they'll be coming with me, so you won't have to worry about them."

She gave his face a tap. "I'll think about it," she said.

"Good. And Jack's a Cubs fan, so you two can commiserate together."

Only one more event and they could go home.

"Who's Dr. Bradley?" Jack asked on their way to the hotel room to change. Daniel snorted.

"The Chair for Far Eastern Studies," he said. "Victoria Bradley. Prima Dona. Thinks she's God's gift. I admit she's good, but she could stand to lose the attitude. She couldn't even bring herself to come to the seminar this week, and she even worked Mrs. A through it. I had left Mrs. A a seat. Pisses me off."

"You're Mrs. A looks to be in her 60's," Sam commented. "Is she up to the job of assisting you?"

"She's the best," Daniel said with a nod. "She was the only person who could keep Dr. Jordan not only on schedule but organized. She knows how to catalogue artifacts, how to read chicken scratch, knows her way around a computer well enough to format a 300 page thesis, she knows which student needs a hand holding and which one needs a spanking, she can spot a cheater by looking into their face, and if I had had a say in who was adopting me, I would have chosen her. And she's lived in tenement housing all her life, survived gang wars which two grandsons didn't, and she's managed to keep her integrity. I can guarantee she keeps secrets better than the Nox. God couldn't pry information from her and she'd rap His hand for trying."

"Ok, ok," Jack chuckled. "We're sold. If you want her, the base will pay for her relocation."

Daniel threw his arms around Jack's neck and smooched him loudly on the cheek.

"Jack, do you realize you've been talking as thought you're in charge of the Mountain?" Sam asked, looking sideways at him. He paused and scowled, not answering.

"So," Sam said after a moment. "Daniel, what'd she catch you cheating on?"

Daniel flushed and she laughed. "Latin," he admitted. "I had finals in that and Ancient Hebrew on the same day and I had only studied for the Hebrew. I hated Latin. She boxed my ears, read me the riot act, and dragged me to church with her. She made me confess in front of everyone. It was an African-American Baptist church, Sam, have you ever been to one? They whooped and hollered and rattled the windows with their singing and praising of Mrs. A for rescuing the poor white boy who didn't know any better. I never cheated again."

Sam and Jack were laughing as they got out of the taxi at their hotel. "Maybe we should put her in a room with Baal for an hour," Jack suggested.

"He'd leave the room weeping for his mother," Daniel guaranteed him.

Once in their room, Jack handed out the rest of the jackets that had been given to him and the SGC made their appearance at the hall all dressed in the colors of the evening, denim and the SGC logo. Jack had been counting on the guests wearing suits and ties, which he had been correct on. Jack mentioned the Enki thing in the break room and Daniel frowned.

"He did what?"

"Turned the chair red. With his mind."

Daniel scratched his head. "Well, according to the myths, he's considered the god of magic. As well as numerous other things. I guess there's something to it. Let me think about it."

Daniel walked around greeting people as they entered. He didn't want to pull the old thing of making the grand entrance after everyone had been sitting around for a while, a proper host should be on hand to greet people as they came in.

"Daniel, why is there a bird in here?" a professor asked, looking over Daniel's shoulder. Daniel turned and shook his head at the bird sitting on the back of a chair.

"That's Zu, sir; he has a mind of his own."

"Zu? You named your macaw Zu? Only you, Daniel." Several others around them laughed. He wasn't going to correct them but he motioned at Jack with his head. Jack turned to look and sighed. Trust Zu to make an appearance at a chicken dinner.

Daniel had invited all his favorite faculty, a few who he wanted to politely smile at, various fellow students, family, a few that Sam talked him into as politically correct, and friends that he felt should be sharing the accolades. As the wait staff began to set up dishes, people slowly moved toward their seats. A few salads were started before there was a clinking on a glass. Everyone quieted and looked up.

"There are people in this world who are not going to be fed on this day," Mrs. Arthur announced when she had their attention. "I believe thanks are in order for what is before us. Daniel, you will say grace since it's your party." There were a few light snickers from those present who knew Mrs. A. "And no funny business, boy."

"Yes, ma'am. I mean, no, ma'am."

"Take hands, you buncha heathens," she ordered, waving a hand around the large room

Daniel hid a smile and took Jack and Paul's hands as he stood.

"Thank you for this bounty set before us, may we be grateful and remember our neighbors in their time of need. Amen."

There was a quiet echo around the room as he sat and began to eat.

"What funny business?" Jack whispered, leaning over after a moment. Daniel smiled.

"I've said grace in almost every language I know, I've done the God is good God is great Yeah God, I've used the name of almost every deity that enters my head at the moment, I've shouted Sun God Sun God RA RA RA, and I've switched pronouns."

Davis choked on a piece of lettuce. "It was in Hebrew, though, so it took her a while to figure it out."

"How'd she find out?" Sam asked from Jack's left.

"She got suspicious and asked a visiting Professor from the University of Jerusalem. He was amused, I got dragged to church again." Sam and Paul snickered at him.

Jack tore the chicken leg off and handed it back to Zu. The bird cracked the bone and greedily licked at the marrow, an insane gleam in his eyes.

"I don't suppose you'd like to tell us where you've been?" Jack asked the bird.

"Innnnaaaa."

"Inna means No," Daniel told them. They had already guessed that.

"Daniel, if I'm going to take the Homeworld Security position, I should probably know what the aliens are up to when they're on-world," Jack complained. Daniel half turned and spoke to the bird. Zu reluctantly answered.

"He's been tracking snakes, he said," Daniel informed Jack. "Zu, you need to report to Jack or you can't play." Zu sputtered something. "He doesn't like it but he'll report in."

Zu said something else and an image entered their heads. SG-1 choked on various foods.

"And you're telling us now?" Jack asked the bird with a raised brow. "Sam."

"I'm on it." She looked across the room, caught Reynolds' eye, and made a discrete hand gesture. He raised an eyebrow but acknowledged. "Zu, tell Col. Reynolds." A moment later, Reynolds registered the information and slowly walked around the perimeter. He found his subject, bent and whispered into the man's ear, and they walked out of the room with Harper and Bosco following. Sam calmly followed.

"Who was that?" Jack asked.

"One of the Egyptian Envoys," Daniel said, a sick feeling in his stomach. "Hanif El-Nabawy. Jack, either a few symbiotes are jumping bodies, or…."

"I know. Zu, what's the story?"

After a lengthy croaking speech in Sumerian, Daniel told him, "He said El-Nabawy had met in private with General Cason at the State Department. Cason is dead, the symbiote jumped into El-Nabawy. No one has found Cason, he's thought to be missing. The symbiote zatted him out. The other envoy, Kassir, is unaware of the switch. We need to tell him, Jack."

"Ok, but you can't leave here without arousing suspicion," Jack said. "You can meet with him privately after and express your condolences. Davis, take Kasey out and have a talk with him. Show him the remains, if he needs to see for himself."

"Kassir; yes, sir."

"Zu, any more in here?"

"Noooo."

Jack scowled as he bit into a corn on the cob. "Daniel, we need to find a better way to monitor these snakeheads."

"We could inject the security teams with naquadah," Daniel suggested.

"Something a little more feasible," Jack responded.

"Well, I still like my idea of a hand-held MRI."

"So do I, actually," Jack commented. "When the major gets back, let's see if he's got any plans on that. I saw wheels turning when you first mentioned it."

SG teams around the room were on alert having seen the small altercation that none of the civilians noticed. Jack gestured and they reluctantly relaxed back into their guard positions.

Sam was back 45 minutes later, none the worse for wear, as was SG-3.

"It's done," she said quietly. "Major Davis is on the phone with the Egyptian Embassy, the other envoy is a bit shaken. We showed him the dead symbiote. The snake bragged a little before Col. Reynolds' ended it. It was from Enlil's ship, declaring that its god would be back for us. It seems Major Harper has been watching too many X-Files reruns," she commented with dark humor. "He used a small awl to shove into the back of the man's skull. Killed the symbiote."

Jack chuckled as Daniel paused.

"What's X-Files?"

Everyone who heard him stopped and stared.

"What?" he raised his hands innocently. "I keep hearing the term but no one has explained it to me."

Sam shook her head sadly. "That's it," she declared. "We're educating Daniel when we get home; he is woefully ignorant of important information. I'll bet you don't know Red Dwarf, either."

Daniel shook his head.

"Doctor Who?"

"Who?"

"Are you pulling my leg?" she asked suspiciously.

"Honey, I've done a lot of things with your legs, but I haven't pulled them," he commented. There were laughs around the table and numerous heads shaking in pity.

"Jack, we need to stop at Best Buy and stock up on box sets," Sam told him. He agreed.

"As long as I can get Wild Wild West," he said. "Is Black Sheep Squadron out yet?"

"Yes," someone nearby spoke up.

"And I want the Sid and Marty Krofft collection," Sam said. "I had a major thing for the Bugaloos."

"Who's your favorite?" someone asked.

"IQ, of course," she said.

"It's out of print, and it was only on VHS."

Sam was visibly crushed as the table started in on their favorite cartoons.

"Do I even want to know?" Jack asked Daniel. He shook his head.

"I don't think I do," he commented.

"Why don't we make the rounds?" Jack suggested. Daniel agreed and they left Sam and the rest of the table to their cartoon debate. Neither wanted to know what a Sigmund was, either.

Major Davis came back in after a while and whispered into Jack's ear before heading back to their table. A few people at the Egyptian's table wondered where they had gotten to but Daniel told them that Mr. El-Nabawy had taken ill. Probably the change in weather and the water. The table agreed that Chicago water wasn't the greatest in the world. One of the guards at the door caught Daniel's attention and he went over.

"Sir, there is a gentleman outside who wishes a word. Says he's an old colleague. Rayner."

Daniel was startled but he nodded and stepped outside. The guards outside stood at attention. Daniel hoped there would be a time when the guards wouldn't be necessary and he could go back to being just Daniel, SGC resident geek and Jack's main irritation.

"Stephen," Daniel greeted the waiting man. "How are you?"

"Good, Daniel, thanks," the man hesitantly held out his hand. Daniel willingly took it. "Listen, Daniel….I just wanted to apologize. You were right, I was wrong. I was a prick. You were always so much smarter than I was and I was jealous. You think outside the box; I don't know how to do that. I'm sorry for my behavior."

"Stephen…."

"No, Daniel," Stephen shook his head. "I've had a long time to think; I…you and your friends, you saved my life. You didn't have to. I don't think I would have, if things were reversed, and I'm ashamed of myself to admit that. Congratulations. I'm glad this has happened for you. Truly."

"Stephen, come in," Daniel said as the man turned to leave. "There's room. Come in and eat. Socialize a little."

"No, but thanks," Stephen said, seeming to be genuinely grateful. "I'm still a bit of a self-righteous prick, so allow me this moment of weakness." He took Daniel's hand once more and left.

The last time Daniel saw Rayner, he had been overcome by Sarah/Osiris in Egypt after stealing a key to a tomb that appeared to be bare of artifacts but in fact had a hidden panel of Goa'uld toys. Janet and Sam saved Rayner who had been on the verge of losing too much blood for a middle of the desert recovery. They gave Rayner an excuse for all the happenings and luckily Rayner had enough of a head injury that he didn't remember, clearly, the events inside the small tomb. Apparently the recent events brought back a few memories or at least made the shadows clear.

The door opened and Reynolds poked his head out.

"Hey."

"Hey," Daniel responded. He turned and went back in.

"You ok?" Reynolds asked. Daniel nodded.

"Ready for home," Daniel said. Reynolds agreed.

"I hear that."

Daniel slowly made his way around the tables, greeting people he hadn't seen in years and welcoming the politically correct crowd. He could have filled those seats with friends but the military convinced him to include a few who needed convincing. Some of the scientists whispered that they felt it was inappropriate for any military to be present but Daniel just smiled and let them know that the military personnel were his friends and fellow gate travelers. Talk to them, they could be asked questions, too. One of the archaeology professors asked about security at sites and Daniel took that opportunity to drag Col. Reynolds over. He left the colonel at the table to tell everyone about off-world security and exactly why military was present at sites.

Someone clinked their glass and the room quieted. Prof. O'Brien stood and waited a moment.

"Daniel, I double checked your records here," he said. "Actually, I didn't have much of a choice, your general insisted upon it. You now speak fluent Sumerian? And you corrected our pronunciations via the Sumerians themselves? I think the term 'over-achiever' is an understatement." There were knowing chuckles around the room. "And we want to meet the Sumerians, son. Have a little chat with them. You were only six credits from your linguistics doctorate when you left us; the board agrees with me that you have more than demonstrated those six credits over this past week with the use of the ancient Egyptian, not including the alien language which we can't substantiate at this point, so…." He took out a frame from beneath his table. "Your Linguistics Doctorate, Dr. Jackson."

Daniel stood, shocked, before someone nudged him. He went to his old linguistics professor and looked in disbelief at the framed paper. It was indeed a signed Doctorate in Linguistics and it contained his name. The SGC were the loudest in their whistling and yelling, showing their pride in their boy. Daniel looked around and saw Jack nearby. He dipped Jack over a table and kissed him, much to the amusement of the room which got louder in its cheers and laughter. He couldn't have done that in a room filled with military but the college crowd was a different species and they found nothing unusual in it.

"Oh, my," Daniel breathed after releasing Jack and looking at his new Doctorate. "Jack, this means I get a raise."

"You keep kissing me like that, and SOMETHING will be raised," Jack commented as he righted himself and straightened his clothes. There were wolf-whistles and laughter.

"Dr. O'Brien, thank you," Daniel said when things quieted. "Jack pulls these rabbits out of hats once in a while, so this hadn't even entered my thoughts. And I may be able to get you the Sumerian interview. Actually, they've been around you all week. Naaa," he shushed the stunned staff. "Later. I don't know what to say."

"There's a first," an SGC person muttered out loud to laughter.

"Will you be teaching, Dr. Jackson?" someone asked.

Daniel nodded. "I'm going to try," he said. "I do live in Colorado Springs, though, so it will probably be there or in Denver. I need work out a curriculum and make an offer at the University. Actually, there are a lot of variables which need to be worked out, so I can't give you anything definitive yet."

"Can we get you to do a special seminar once or twice a year here?" someone asked.

"More than likely," Daniel said with a smile. "How can we discuss the Orient and not include the Oriental University?"

"How about guest speakers?" came the question after the applause died down.

"What? You mean like Sumerians for the Sumerian studies? I don't know," he said when he received affirmatives. "Technically, they're not even supposed to be here. The term 'illegal alien' is taking on a whole new meaning." He waited for the chuckles and looked toward the back of the room. "Zu, you feel like teaching a class?" he called out. He received a squawk and a flurry of words at which Daniel chuckled.

"Language, Zu," he said. "Bad bird. Everyone, this really is Zu. And he's sentient. He's a little mouthy, though; not even the Marines I work with swear like he does. He can be bribed with bananas and chicken, by the way."

Everyone turned to look at the red-gold macaw who was currently taking apart another chicken bone.

"That isn't a bird?" someone asked after a moment.

"Of course he's a bird," Daniel said. "Doesn't mean he isn't sentient. You've seen me dealing with a runaway kitten all week, and she's sentient. You saw adults of her species fight during the battle. Don't let the fur and feathers fool you." And he wasn't ready to ask what Zu had been up to during his absences.

"I suddenly feel as though we should be avoiding meat," someone near to him mentioned.

"Hey, I like a good steak as much as the next person," Daniel said. "And Zu's over there taking a chicken apart. I keep getting a 'cannibal' refrain running through my head when I see him to that. Don't worry about it. We haven't met a sentient plant yet, but that doesn't mean there aren't any."

"We did meet those people who almost died when we accidentally harmed their plants," Jack reminded him. Daniel nodded and told everyone the story of the plant people.

"I will never pull another weed," a nearby professor swore.

"Daniel, I'm a little confused about how the Sumerians are still around."

Daniel paced a little as he nodded. "When we found them, they were in a type of stasis. You'd have to ask Col. Carter for better details, I'm not a physicist, but they were locked in battle with Enlil who had been overtaken by a Goa'uld. Remember, these are not gods. We have never met a being that would qualify as a true god. We've seen a type of spirit that is more on the lines of a higher, ascended order, but still, not gods. What we read in the myths are simply accounts written by humans who were trying to understand people and actions that were beyond their reasoning of the day. We must now take a step back and relearn to read the myths. The beings we know as Sumerians are a race of beings that happen to live a lot longer than the average human. They were making Earth their home for a while. When Enlil became infected with a symbiote, he tried to make them worship him. They refused and they took their battle off-world. That's about all we know. It was pure chance that we found them."

Someone snapped their fingers. "That man who walked onto the stage!"

Daniel smiled. "That was Aba Enki," he confessed. There were gasps around the room. "The 'god of wisdom' is actually a very smart scientist."

"Come on, Daniel, who else is walking around?" someone begged and others echoed him. Daniel looked at Jack. After a moment, Jack gave a nod.

"Well, Ninurta is here," Daniel said. "Shara, Gibil, Erra, we've met Ereshkigal but as far as I'm aware, she is NOT here, …Zu, is Ereshkigal on-world?"

"Innnaaaa."

"She was taken off-world for her own protection during the battle," Daniel said. "She was a surprise; she's blind." There were more gasps and scrambles for pieces of paper. "She has this ability to read people's hearts, though, like reading minds but she is able to tell lies from facts on the basis of feelings and emotions. Oh, and their Queen is here."

There were muffled screeches from the Queen of Heaven fans and several people began to fan themselves. A few of the 'Inanna is Ereshkigal' proponents felt their tenures slipping away.

"Daniel, tell us! Is Inanna truly as beautiful as the myths say?"

"I think she's even more beautiful but I may be biased because I happen to like her."

"What's she like?"

"Very smart," he said. "Direct. She's a warrior."

"What about the Goddess of Love?" someone called out.

"I'd say my old argument about love and passion being two different things still stands," Daniel commented. "She's passionate. In everything she does. Ninurta is her consort, and I have no doubt that she loves him, but I wouldn't qualify that as the sign of a love goddess. I don't doubt that Jack loves me but I wouldn't call him a love god, no matter how good he is in bed and believe me, the man is good." Sam and SGC personnel howled as Jack flushed.

"That wasn't what you were yelling the other night, Daniel," Jack told him and headed back to his seat.

Daniel glared at him. ""Oh, my God, Jack" doesn't count," he commented, much to the amusement of the room.

"Daniel, in the myths, is Dumuzi Ninurta?"

"I don't know," he said. "I haven't had time to sit down with any of them and take the myths apart. Zu, is Dumuzi and Ninurta the same person?" Everyone turned to look at the bird.

"Innnnaaa." The negative was followed by a stream of Sumerian. The Sumerologists in the room tried to keep up but quickly lost their way not only on the speed but on the change in pronunciations.

"He said the name Dumuzi was just a ritual name used during the king-making rites," Daniel said. "The name was a reference to the king-land connection, not the name of an actual person. More of an honorific for the new husband. Notice in the Old Testament, Tammuz was only mentioned during the Akitu." And he was off….

Sam leaned over and buzzed Jack's cheek. He smiled at her and took her hand, bringing it to his mouth for a moment. She crooked a finger and he leaned down.

"Love you," she whispered.

"Love you back."

It was almost 1am by the time they got back to the hotel room. Daniel stood in the middle of the living room and felt his ears decompress. He took a deep breath. Sam took one look at him and put her arms around him. He was still as she held him. He shivered slightly and she took his hand and led him to the bedroom. She and Jack undressed him and put him to bed before getting themselves ready and into the bed, each taking a side of Daniel and cocooning him in.

They slept in, having forbidden the guards to allow anyone to disturb them. Daniel finally woke up long enough to sneak out of his warm and cozy situation. The three of them had become used to the middle person escaping for a nature call and usually slept through it. Daniel snuck back in and the others were waking up.

"You did it, Space Monkey," Jack murmured sleepily, his cheeks raspy against Daniel's shoulder.

"Don't call me that."

"I love you," Jack told him, holding him tighter. Daniel stilled and turned his head.

"You…." He started to cry and pulled a pillow over his face.

"What are you doing?" Jack asked, leaning up and pulling at the pillow. Sam sat up, concerned.

"…can't believe….I'm being… a girl about this," came a muffled noise.

"About what?" Jack asked, confused. Sam knew what was going on.

"Danny, you're just over-cooked."

He pulled the pillow off and looked at her, his eyes red.

"What?"

"You've had no time to breathe over the past two weeks, you've fulfilled a life's dream, a new phase of your life is starting, and Jack finally gets the guts to say the words and mean them," she informed him. "I call it being over-cooked. Don't think, just feel, it's ok."

"I'm getting a complex here, Daniel," Jack told him. "If you're going to blubber every time I say it, I won't say it."

"Asshole," Daniel informed him. He sniffed, hooked an arm around Jack's neck and pulled him down. Jack could see that Daniel was wiped out and remembered how Daniel perked up the last time he tried one of Enki's tricks, so he made a conscious effort to pour himself into the kiss. Daniel turned more fully to him, put his other arm around Jack's back, and held on.

Sam found it beautiful watching them. Her boys. She watched them the other night, the first time she saw Jack take Daniel inside of him. Jack had been a little self-conscious of her watching but she 'helped' by kissing him, stroking him, reaching between the boys and taking Jack in hand and stroking his hardness. She loved the way the men felt in her hand, the hard muscle pulsing in her palm, the innate physical strength of them focused in that one muscle, the musky scent of them, the salty taste, and how they both went weak when she took them into her mouth. Daniel was wonderful to watch; he allowed himself to feel everything, putting his entire being into whatever he was doing. She had watched him masturbate and was completely turned on by it. He had played with his own prostate and licked up his own semen. Sam learned a lot by watching, learning his preferences and seeing that she could be a little harder with him than she had been. She had already discovered that she could turn him into a puddle by trying to stick her tongue into his urethra. Jack didn't really care for it, saying it hurt a little, but Daniel loved it. The differences in the men were just as interesting as their sameness.

As Jack licked his way lower over Daniel's torso, Daniel reached out and brought Sam into things. She licked his chest, nipping at the muscles and nipples. She watched his face and knew when Jack took Daniel into his mouth. Daniel grasped her hands and gave a whimper. Sam looked down to see that Jack had slid three fingers into Daniel. Although it was quick, Daniel rapidly adjusted and was flushed from the heavy breathing and the sensations that Jack was creating. From what Sam was seeing, Jack had been learning a lot while she was away at the Yard. He was no longer shying away from Daniel and was clearly enjoying the taste of Daniel as he prepped the younger man.

Jack lay between Daniel's legs, his thighs pressed up against the backs of Daniel's, and entered him. Daniel was floating as he took Jack's hands. He brought Jack forward and kissed him. Sam slid her hands over both of them, their skin slick with sweat. She slid a hand behind Jack and pulled gently at his balls. He swore under his breath and shuddered.

"Let me see?" she whispered. Jack sat back on his heels, Daniel's legs resting across Jack's thighs. Sam pulled Daniel's genitals out of the way and looked at their joining. Jack moved and she held her breath as she watched him slide in and out of Daniel. She touched them with curious fingers and both men hissed in pleasure. Unable to resist, Sam licked the underside of Daniel's balls before taking them into her mouth. Daniel groaned and slid a hand over her back. She took his penis into her mouth and Jack shuddered once more as Daniel clenched around him.

Jack and Sam loved Daniel, gave him their energy, made him the center of their universe as they worshipped him. Jack held back, loving Daniel slowly until he was ready. When Daniel relaxed in Sam's mouth and she released him, Jack allowed himself to complete their union. He leaned forward and kissed Daniel before turning and kissing Sam. Jack tasted her mouth, tasted Daniel in her mouth, and lapped up what he could before turning back to Daniel and kissing him again.

Sam lay back and watched them, still fascinated at seeing these two men together. She dozed off as she watched them slowly kissing each other.

The shower was on when Davis knocked at the suite door and then went in. He heard Sam laughing and then the deeper voices of the men. He shook his head with a smile and put the paper on the table. It was so surreal, knowing that all three of them were 'together'. He expected just about anything from Daniel, but the general? Davis was still having a hard time with that one, despite the fact that he knew O'Neill was indeed having sex with the man. That was the part that wasn't computing. Jack O'Neill. Naked. With another man. With Daniel. Davis had been in the locker room with O'Neill on several occasions after an off-world mission and knew the older man was fit and whip lean, the way Daniel usually liked the men he dated. Davis wondered if Daniel had met other Special Ops men; whip lean with a disliking of protocol was the usual MO for Special Ops, not the brawny he-men that the movies like to use. Special Ops needed to be wirey and flexible to get in and out of tight spaces. O'Neill was definitely wirey and flexible, Daniel was definitely a tight space, and there was certainly no Protocol being followed.

Davis felt it would be best if he let them know of his presence, so he knocked on their door and shouted out that he was there. A cell phone rang and Davis looked around. The lit-up phone was the general's. He looked at the caller ID and recognized the Whitehouse extension. He answered it and announced himself to the caller. It was the president.

"Sir, he's unavailable at the moment," Davis apologized. "No, sir, he's in the shower. I don't know, sir, I just arrived. Yes, sir, it was an excellent seminar. I believe the people were happy with the presentation, if a little disappointed that there wasn't more time for further discussions. Dr. Jackson was presented with his third PhD, sir; Linguistics. Yes, sir, he is. Sir, may I ask how the Egyptians are handling things? Yes, sir. Actually, I'm working on that, sir; Daniel suggested a hand-held MRI, like on Star Trek. There is one that I am aware of but it's on Atlantis, sir, made by the Ancients. Dr. Becket made it work, but he's been unable to recreate it. I have something in mind but I need to speak with someone in tech-support about it. I was thinking that with all the miniature equipment that China and Japan come up with, they could probably do this. And it may make them happier about not being in more direct involvement with the SGC. Oh, sir, the shower just turned off, if you will hold a moment, I will try and get the general's attention."

Davis knocked on their door again.

"General? Phone call, sir!" he called out. After a moment, the door was opened and the general stood there with a towel around his waist.

"Sorry, sir, it's the president," Davis said, holding out the phone. Jack nodded and took the phone, going back into the bedroom.

Jack walked around the bedroom naked as he pulled clothing together and spoke to the president at the same time. His partners took pity on him and dressed him as he spoke into the phone. Sam put a little kiss on the tip of Jack's penis and he rapped her on the head.

"No, sir," he said into the phone, scowling at his unrepentant wife. "I have been thinking about it, sir, and here's the deal; I will take the lead of Homeworld Security but not the SGC. Both are full time jobs, and I'm one person. I would like the SGC to be under my purview, though, also Area 51. Both are vital to Homeworld Security. Col. Carter is to remain under the direct command of General Vidrine, however, and Dr. Jackson will answer to whoever is placed at the helm of the SGC. I cannot have direct command over them, for obvious reasons. I'd like my new digs to be in Colorado, but I'll need to take a look around to figure out where."

"Jack."

He looked at Daniel. "Sir, a moment, Daniel has something to say. What is it, Daniel?"

"There's an abandoned school about 25 minutes outside of town," Daniel said. Jack held the phone out. "It was closed due to asbestos; the district didn't have the funds to clean it out so they moved to a new building. If the government will clean it up, it has ready made offices and work rooms, including boys and girls shower rooms. And the yard is large enough to hold not only personnel vehicles but also a squad of 302's and an al kesh out in the back 40."

Jack nodded and put the phone back to his ear. "Sir? Yes, sir. I think I know what he's talking about and it is a good sized space. I can have an SGC engineer take a look. Sir, there's one more thing and it may make General Vidrine a little pissy; I'm going to need a good assistant and I'd like Major Davis. He's proven himself invaluable on several occasions, he has off-world experience, and he can be my liaison with the Pentagon. Thank you, sir, I will put in the transfer request. I do have someone in mind, but I'll need to talk with him and see if I can get him out of retirement. Yes, sir."

Jack hung up.

"You know they wanted Homeland Security to stay at the Pentagon," Sam commented.

"Yes, well, DC is a little crowded for my tastes," Jack said, planting a kiss on her. "I have no interest in DC politics nor do I want the Pentagon breathing down my throat every two minutes with every General assuming that they have a say in what I'm doing. Besides, I'd like to be in my own bed at night with one or both of you with me."

"What are we going to do about the gate?" Daniel asked. "The SGC has no function if the gate isn't working." Jack frowned.

"I know," he said. "I think I need to have a talk with Thor."

They moved out into the main room and found that Davis had been joined by several Anunnaki.

"Inanna, I need to talk with Thor about getting our gate back on," Jack asked her after giving a good morning to everyone.

"Have your people decided to play nice?" she asked with an arched brow.

"I have accepted the position to lead Homeworld Security," Jack told them. "The SGC will be under my helm and I will make sure people place nice."

"Good," she said with a smile. "Then I'll turn it back on."

The humans looked at her. "What?" Jack finally spoke. "I thought Thor….? Ninurta said Thor turned it off. You have the power to mess with our gate?"

"I lied," Ninurta confessed as he bit into a piece of fruit.

"Yes, I turned it off," Inanna said. "This planet was originally under my protection, so I was well within my rights to take your toy away. Since you are once more in charge, you may play again."

"But…. I thought only one of the original four groups could do that," Jack sputtered. "Are you…?"

"No," Inanna said with a shake of her head. "We are not the Ancients. I believe Enki discussed mind over matter with you? You could have turned the gate back on, if you gave it a try. Really, Jack, if you can power an Ancient control chair, why not other Ancient devices? For that matter, Sam could have turned it on; she has the naquadah key. Daniel, also; he's been ascended. Twice. And since Oma didn't completely clear his mind, naughty girl, he has the ability to use Ancient devices. Anyone with naquadah in their blood or has the evolved mental capacity can do it; very few, though, have figured that out. It's a secret; don't say I never gave you any." The humans were all startled as they looked at each other and then at Inanna.

She gave Jack a pat on his face. "If you call the SGC, you will find that the gate is now unlocked."

It took Jack a moment but he scrambled to phone home. When the operator answered, he announced himself and insisted on being put through to the gateroom.

"Walter! Is the…..? YES!" Jack pumped an arm down. "I'm sending SG-3 home right now, Col. Reynolds will be in charge until the new general arrives." He redialed his cell phone. "Reynolds! Get yourself and your men home. The gate is on. Yes. You're in charge until your new CO gets in. Says me, that's who, the head of Homeworld Security. Thank you, colonel."

Jack put his cell back into his pocket and turned to the group, gleefully rubbing his hands. "We are going home, kids," he announced. "Sam, check in with Vidrine, if you haven't already done so. See if you can come home for a while. Davis…Erra, you're a dog. Would you please let the man breathe for a second?" Erra sighed and stepped away from Davis who he had been attempting to paw. "Major, I've already cleared this with the president, but I'll respect your wishes on it; would you like to stay in DC or would you like to come to Colorado and be my assistant?"

Davis was completely startled as his mouth fished open. "Sir? Your personal assistant? At Homeworld Security??"

"Yes, major," Jack confirmed. "You would be my liaison to the Pentagon and you will keep me from killing our allies both on-world and off. I'll even let you out to play with Carter once in a while, if you're a good boy."

"I….Yes, sir, thank you, sir!"

"Good," Jack nodded. "I'll send in the transfer request as soon as we get home. Get back to DC, get your affairs in order. So to speak." He glared at Erra.