The corridors of the Langaran Congress bore the scars of weapons' fire. The wood panelling was gouged and splintered in places. Cassie shuddered, remembering Jonas's light-hearted stories of the Ori Resistance. It was clear that he had down-played the danger and terror of the Ori occupation. She wondered if he had down-played it with Sam or Daniel – or whether it was just her. She was beginning to get irritated at the idea of everyone protecting her.

The guard marched onwards taking them out of the Congress building where the Stargate was located and across a small square. The second building was smaller. It only took them a moment to reach Jonas's office.

'Wait here.' The guard said politely. 'I will fetch Professor Quinn.'

Vala threw herself into a chair. 'This is cosy.'

Rya'c looked over at Cassie checking with her that Vala was joking given the palatial size of the office. Four wide windows let in a wash of golden sunlight that skipped over the plain wood floor turning it a burnished copper colour. The room smelled of books, dust and a faint hint of lemon polish. Every other wall was covered floor to ceiling with shelves, all filled with books or artefacts. There was a large desk over by the far wall where more books were stacked. Two benches were covered in old manuscripts and oddities.

Cassie strolled over to take a look. She picked up a battered metal bowl and examined it intently. It was very old, Cassie mused; Byzantine in style. She wondered where it had been found.

Jonas burst through the open doorway; Cassie barely had time to take note of the brown pants and green over-shirt that he wore before he was across the room and sweeping her into a hug.

'Cassie!' Jonas spun her around before setting her down and taking a step back from her, leaving his hands cupping her shoulders as her own hands moved to gently clasp his arms. 'You look great!'

She felt her cheeks warm at his compliment. 'You too.' He did look good; he looked better than the last time she'd seen him. He'd put on some weight, grown his hair back to the length that he had sported during his time on Earth. She shifted moving away from his hold. 'You remember Vala?'

'I do.' Jonas gave her a wave.

'And Rya'c.' Cassie completed the introductions.

'Rya'c?' Jonas's eyebrows shot up. He walked back across the office to offer his arm and Rya'c clasped his forearm strongly. 'It's been a long time! I barely recognised you.' His eyes ran over the Jaffa. 'Your Dad said you'd grown into a fine young man.'

'Thank you.' Rya'c smiled at him tightly. 'It is good to see you again.'

'So,' Jonas broke away from Rya'c and whirled back around, striding back across the room to perch on the edge of his desk, 'what's going on? How much trouble are SG1 in?'

Vala pushed herself out of the chair and walked over to him, hands in the back pockets of her pants. 'What makes you think they're in trouble?'

Jonas absently picked up a round fruit from his desk and rubbed it against his shirt. 'Well, you're all here and they're not.'

'They've been declared MIA.' Cassie confided. She sat beside him on the desk and folded her arms over her chest. 'They went for some treaty mission with an ally...'

'Cartegia.' Vala supplied.

'And didn't come back.' Cassie saw Jonas's expression sharpen with interest and concern.

He held up both his hands. 'From the beginning.'

Cassie smiled at him; she bet he was a hit with his students.

'Well, the beginning is Cartegia.' Vala said, beginning to pace. 'You probably remember them from the alliance briefings you may have received during the Ori war.'

'I do.' Jonas answered.

'They requested a new alliance treaty a few months ago, and Earth saw no reason to protest.' Cassie inserted as Vala stopped pacing as she reached the window and stared out into the Langaran sunshine.

'SG1 took the mission.' Jonas surmised. 'But not you.' He pointed at Vala.

Vala shrugged. 'I wasn't officially invited but I would have been with them except I contracted a virus from a Julloi child the week before.'

'You can only get to Cartegia by ship so the Apollo took them when they were making a run to Atlantis – it's kind of on the way.' Cassie added.

'SG1 was scheduled to be picked up by the Odyssey three days later. I was on the Odyssey waiting to surprise them.' Vala spun back around. 'They claim that SG1 was there until the morning of the third day. Apparently they didn't show for breakfast at which point someone went looking and found their rooms empty and their belongings gone. They assumed our people had been beamed away early and they hadn't had the chance to say goodbye. The Cartegians produced the treaty as evidence that they had been there and the treaty had been signed.'

'The SGC believes it's the Lucian Alliance.' Cassie said.

'And you?' Jonas asked, nudging Cassie's knee with his own.

Vala pinned a bright smile on her face. 'I'd like to speak to the Cartegians.'

'You didn't speak to them before?' Jonas inquired.

'I was prevented from going down to the planet.' Vala admitted. 'There might have been a small,' she waved her hand and pinched two fingers together leaving a small space in between them, 'miniscule chance that I might have infected the population with the virus. Apparently, Carolyn discovered that everyone on Earth has a natural immunity which was why I was allowed on the Odyssey to pick up SG1, but not humans on other planets.'

All three of them looked at her.

'Oh, I'm fine now.' Vala assured them swiftly. 'Completely cured.'

'If the Cartegians are lying, we will find out.' Rya'c spoke up for the first time. There was a glint in his eye that reminded Cassie of his father.

'And how do you propose to find out?' Jonas asked pointedly, tossing the fruit he held from one hand to the other.

Cassie and Vala exchanged a guilty look.

'We may not have all the details quite worked out yet.' Vala allowed, walking back over to rejoin them.

Which was something of an understatement, Cassie thought wryly. They hadn't thought any of the details out exactly.

'Well, I'm in.' Jonas said firmly.

Cassie darted an amused glance at Vala.

'I believe they are about to tell you that they did not come to seek your assistance on the actual mission.' Rya'c said dryly.

Cassie wondered with chagrin, why she and Vala hadn't considered that the others would want to join them in searching for SG1. Possibly because, as with the plan, they hadn't really thought much further than leaving Earth and securing transport to Cartegia.

'Not that your presence wouldn't be appreciated, Jonas, but surely you have duties?' Vala jumped in quickly.

'Nothing more important than helping you find SG1.' Jonas looked at her. 'So if you didn't come here for me to join you specifically...'

'We require a ship.' Rya'c explained, emphasising his own involvement in the rescue in a subtle but firm way that Cassie knew he'd inherited from his father. 'Ishta has none to spare and it may take days before we secure one from our various contacts.'

'I remembered you telling me of a Goa'uld cargo ship that you used in the Resistance.' Cassie said.

Jonas turned and smiled at her. 'That's right. She's pretty beaten up though.'

'But it flies?' Vala questioned urgently.

'It flies. But if you want it, I definitely come as part of the deal.' Jonas slipped off the desk and handed Cassie the fruit. 'Try it; it's delicious. Kind of a cross between a lemon and an apple.' He started to walk away to the door. 'I'll make the arrangements.'

'I should return Hak'tyl and confirm we will be leaving from here.' Rya'c said. 'I will need to say goodbye to Karyn and collect our supplies.'

'Sure.' Jonas motioned for him to follow. 'We'll stop by the Stargate on our way back.'

The two men left.

'That was unexpected.' Vala said, breaking the silence.

'Really?' Cassie examined the fruit with a frown and placed it back on the desk. 'I think we should have expected it. Jonas was with the team for a year. He loves them as much as we do. Plus he did lead the Resistance here during the Ori occupation, and he has tons of knowledge and...'

Vala held up a hand to stop the spill of words. 'And Rya'c is Teal'c's son and a trained warrior, I know.' She sighed. 'I guess the more the merrier. They can help with the plan.'

'What plan?' Cassie said dryly.

Vala winked at her. 'Which is exactly why they can help.'