"The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help." - Ronald Reagan
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Goran bowed deeply upon entering the room. Seated at a large square table were eight people, divided by country: Tyrea's ambassadors and minister on the right side and Clatia's on the left. All looked expectantly at the three strangers who had just arrived, interrupting proceedings, which were not… proceeding. The Tyrean ambassadors were quick to anger, and the Clatian representatives were quickly losing their own patience.
"Ministers and ambassadors, may I introduce the mediators," Goran said as he pointed respectively to each person as he spoke their name, "MacGyver, Jack O'Neill, and SAM MacGyverson. It is they who are to help bring peace to Pladonis."
A man stood up from the left side of the table, and nodded in greeting.
"Clatia bids you welcome. I am Minister Henron," the man oozed authority. His ambassadors, or assistants also stood and nodded as well in agreement. They all sat and looked expectantly at the other side of the table.
However, despite the warm welcome from the Clatians, the Tyreans remained seated, but also nodded curtly, as if they really couldn't care less. A man at the head of the table, who looked the exact opposite of the portly Henron with his long black hair spoke up.
"I am Minister Klax of Tyrea."
MacGyver took off his hat as a sign of respect, and following his lead, so did SAM. Jack kept his on as a way for the aliens to distinguish him by…at least that was his excuse.
"We thank you for your warm welcome." Mac said, as one of the ambassadors motioned for the three men to be seated at the head of the table, closest to the door. Now that pleasantries were over, Mac settled in, ready to get down to business.
"We have been briefed on the situation between the Clatians and the Tyreans, but I would like to hear the requests and terms each side wants or is willing to cede so as to be able to draft a fair peace treaty between your two nations."
From there, Jack figured, things went south. The talks quickly escalated into shouting matches and heated arguments. Clatia wanted to divert funds from weapons manufacturing to stabilizing their economy, but couldn't afford to do such because if they stopped, Tyrea would pull ahead of them in the stalemate and blow their collective butts off the face of the planet. Tyrea expressed that they had no qualms about doing such a thing, for they wanted access to the Fridh mines that lay deep in the heart of Clatia. Fridh was a valuable mineral that gave off energy when burned, similar to fossil fuels and coal.
There was no talking to either minister, and no progress was being made. It was all Mac could do to keep the two leaders from killing each other, and Jack's tolerance was quickly going the way of the dodo. SAM just seemed bored and interested at the same time.
Jack had been in many negotiations thanks to his position as 2IC at the SGC. He had to be present at many of the discussions that were held at the underground base, but none were as irritating as this. And the annoying thing was that they were dealing with higher stakes; it was a cold war, and only a matter of time before someone developed an itchy trigger finger. They were teetering on the edge of their very existence over what? Mines?
He stood up and slammed his hand down on the table when Minister Klax insulted the heritage of Minister Henron.
"For cryin' out loud people! Wake up!" Mac stared at him, a harried expression on his face, he was just as frustrated as Jack was, he was just better at controlling it. "You're gonna blow each other up?! Then what? That's it, everybody's dead. No second chances, and none of you get what you want; just death and destruction. I suggest that you guys make nice and try to get along… or else."
The room was silent for a few moments after he stormed out of the room, unsure of what to do. Mac was torn, he wanted to see what was going on with Jack, but he knew that he had to stay here and try to drill in Jack's statement so that it would make as much an impact as he could get. Instead, SAM got up and walked out after him. He wasn't doing any good there anyway; he was just along for the ride.
SAM ran down the hall when he saw his uncle enter the "elevator" and caught up with him just in time as the doors closed right behind him.
"Jack?"
The older man currently had his back to him and was staring out one of the large glass windows. He didn't move or acknowledge SAM's presence. But SAM was persistent, and proved that he inherited the family's stubborn genes when he moved over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"What is it?"
Jack let out a heavy sigh and turned to his nephew.
"It's so stupid! So inconsequential!"
"This?"
"Yeah, they're gonna blow each other up over some damn mineral. Such a waste of life. It's not worth it."
"To them it is. It's their energy source; it's the same back home," SAM said as he tried to reach the man, "Desert Storm," SAM went on despite the tiny shudder than ran through Jack, "American military presence over seas… for oil. We do it too, mind you not as a potential nuclear war, but wars have and still are being fought over oil. It isn't too different," SAM paused and saw that he had his attention and he seemed to be calming down.
"That's the point SAM. It is the same back home. I don't think that your dad can do anything here. No one will listen, just like on Earth. Good men and women have died there, and they're gonna die here…many will…" Jack ignored the doors as they opened on the ground floor, and spoke while gesticulating his sentences "Mac's gonna beat himself up because they are too stubborn to give in a little. He would be better off pounding his head against a brick wall than trying to convince Mr. Clucks of anything. Thor is gonna lose this planet, there's nothing we can do." he stated with finality as he walked out of the elevator while SAM followed him.
"If you need me, I've got my radio. Channel 16," he collected his weapons from the desk and left the building, leaving SAM standing still in the lobby of the capitol building.
"Where is he going?" SAM jumped as Goran appeared behind him.
"For a walk," he answered as he too let out a sigh and headed back to the elevator. He had to go tell his Dad where Jack was, and he was sure that he might need some help refereeing.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Jack needed to let off some steam, so he felt that it would be calming to recon the city, get his bearings and figure out where some things were. After about half an hour, he finally was calm enough. He had been furious because he knew, from watching the ministers that an agreement wasn't going to be reached. As willing as Minister Henron was, Klax wasn't. The pigheaded son of a…
"O'Neill," the voice startled him, and he stopped and looked around him for whomever it was that was calling him.
"O'Neill," when it was repeated, Jack knew what it was, and he searched his pockets for the communicator that Thor gave him.
"Yeah?" he asked into the stone.
"How go the negotiations?"
"There not looking too good Thor. I don't think that we will be able to do this; Mac's still trying though. He might still be able to pull a rabbit out of the hat, but I doubt it."
"Why would one pull a small Earth mammal from a head covering O'Neill, I do not understand,"
"Never mind Thor, it's a figure of speech," it was times like this that Thor reminded him so much of Teal'c.
"Jack?" this time, his radio activated.
"Speak of the devil, hold on Thor, I've got another call, " he thumbed his radio, "Yeah Mac?"
"Negotiations have paused for the day, we'll continue tomorrow. Goran has offered us accommodations in a room in the capitol building. It seems that it also serves as a hotel for when the Ministers are in town. It's the securest place for them to stay. We'll be on a different floor though,"
"Okay Mac, I'll meet you downstairs in 20."
"'kay. See ya then."
Jack then switched back to the rock, feeling a bit like an operator, "Thor, we're gonna spend the night down here."
"That will be acceptable O'Neill. I do, however, have not so favorable news. The High Council has informed me that my presence is needed somewhere else at the moment. I have the closest ship to the area in question, and am being recalled. I will return in a few days, you are as you say 'on your own' until such a time as I am to return."
"That should be fine Thor, I think we're okay for now, but don't forget us. We need a ride home."
"Very well O'Neill. I will return soon. Take care,"
"You too Thor," Jack responded, a little worried about what had the Asgard running around the galaxy.
He hid the communicator away and headed back to the capitol building to meet up with Mac and give him the news.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
"So Dad, how's do you think it's going?"
"Honestly SAM, not well. But, it's only been one day, normally these things take a long time and lots of planning and going back and forth," MacGyver answered.
"I'm thinking that Jack might be right though, I don't really trust Minister Klax. It seemed like he was hiding something."
"Yeah it did. He did seem like he didn't want to even be here, as if he was waiting for his chance to send the first bomb."
"It was kinda creepy."
"Yeah well most politicians are," Father and son turned to the door where Jack had just entered, "Goran told me the way," he explained at their questioning looks.
"Ah."
"Hey, I've got a question…." SAM stated, "What time is dinner around here? I'm starving!"
Jack smiled and Mac laughed as he ruffled his son's hair.
"Kids!"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Author's Note: Don't forget to review and tell me what you like or don't! ; )