Chapter 4
Pete "Maverick" Mitchell from himself standing before the Gate after completing his training in the new fighters. He was suited up in green battle dress and sporting a black tactical vest with a P-90 rifle and side arm. The P-90 was certainly not standard issue like the M-16. It was not a rifle most carried in the military. The bull pup design made it an ideal close quarter weapon but he had very little training or practice with the P-90 which made him a bit uneasy. He looked upon the faces of the original SG-1 team standing beside him in full gear as well. He couldn't help but ask, "Why the P-90?"
Sam explained, "We wanted something for close quarter combat and we also had to come up with a special coating to penetrate the armor of the enemy. I went with the P-90. It was me. I did it."
"You guys kept the same rifle and round for the last thirty years?" he asked impressed.
Sam smirked, "It works. If it's not broke, don't fix it."
Jack added, "Might want to tell that to the Navy."
"I'm not Navy anymore…sir." Pete reminded him.
Jack wondered, "Why did you choose the Navy, Maverick?" Jack found he preferred to call Pete by his call sign as it helped separate Pete from his cousin, Cameron.
"Just did," he shrugged. "I always wanted to be an aviator. I knew I was going to go to Top Gun school and that was all I cared about at the time."
Daniel asked, "And what do you care about now?" He found Pete to be an interesting character.
He paused for a moment in thought. He looked upon Daniel and asked, "Ever wish you could go back and do something different?"
"I think we all do." he agreed.
He confessed, "I would save Goose." he nodded to himself in thought. "I wish he and Iceman were here with us, going through that big ass thing and seeing other planets."
Sam admitted, "The Navy could have sent us a Top Gun team as well."
"I like Air Force." Jack declared.
Teal'c stood by and simply listened to the conversation. The Jaffa found the Navy to be a formidable force and wondered why the branches of the military all seemed to have some friction.
Jack then added, "The Air Force is gonna kick the Navy's ass this season." He referred to a football game. He looked at Pete for a reaction.
"I don't care about football." Pete replied. "Never paid much attention to it. Only watched occasionally at a bar."
Jack asked, "What about The Simpson's?"
He shrugged, "That cartoon is still on?"
Jack asked, "Do you watch any T.V.?"
"No," he shook his head.
Sam beamed, "See! I told you so." She looked at Jack pleased. She insisted that Pete Mitchell was not the type of guy to waste his time on television.
"Movies?" he pressed.
"Not really." he admitted.
Jack asked, "What do you do for fun?"
"I ride my bike or fly my plane." he informed.
Sam mentioned, "I wish I kept that Indian."
Pete grinned, "You ride a motorcycle?"
She nodded, "I did. I haven't rode in years but I used to have an Indian."
Pete suggested, "Get yourself a bike, Sam and we can go riding together." Pete found he liked Sam more and more as he discovered they had much in common.
Jack interrupted, "I know how to ride a bike too."
Daniel stood rolling his eyes as he waited for the Gate to dial. He left out a deep sigh, "I should have stayed on Atlantis."
Pete looked over at Daniel and asked, "Are we boring you?"
"More like irritating." he informed.
He asked, "We're you always this much of a…a…stick in the mud?"
"Yes," he gave a firm nod.
"Good!" he gave a nod back. "I like a guy who is honest." He heard the last chevron lock and looked up as the event horizon erupted from the center and then settled back into the large stone ring resembling a pool of water. For a moment he was captivated by the sight. "That's something to see." he admitted.
Jack smirked, "Wait until you go through it."
Pete caught the sarcasm in the tone of voice and wondered why the General made such a remark. He then found himself walking up the ramp behind Teal'c who then walked right through the shimmering water before them. Then Daniel stepped through followed by Sam. Pete found himself standing beside Jack. He asked, "This is easy, right?"
"It's better now." he told him. "That first dial out was a little rougher."
"I wish I was there for it." he admitted.
Jack motioned, "After you."
"Sir," he gave a nod and then stepped through the event horizon before him.
Jack then followed him through. It was like riding a bicycle for Jack. Once he learned how, he never forgot.
Kelowna
Pete Mitchell stepped through the event horizon and found himself on another planet. The initial trip through was a rush for the man. He shook off the affects of the wormhole with ease. He admitted, "That's a rush." He glanced at SG-1 and then confessed, "I like it. Kind of like hitting mach 10 but without the plane."
Daniel informed, "It's actually better than it was. Sam made some fine tuning."
Pete grinned, "I gotta try it they old way then."
Daniel shook his head and grumbled, "Crazy flyboys."
Jack remarked, "We're not all that crazy. Just Maverick."
Pete looked about the area. He found the Star Gate was in a park like setting. "Their Gate is out in the open?" he asked.
Sam confirmed, "Most other planets have the Gate out in the open and is public knowledge. It's just our Gate that's still a secret."
"Why hasn't disclosure happened yet?" he asked baffled.
"It was slated to happen in 2020. It never happened. It got pushed aside due to the pandemic." she told him not enthused. "That was rather disappointing. I had a speech all made up, we were going to have this big gala and make a movie and a TV series based on SG-1 and Atlantis. None of it ever happened it's still classified."
Pete insisted, "This needs to be declassified. You must have some pull on that." he insisted.
Jack informed, "It's ultimately up to the President."
He paused, "You mean only the President can disclose our Gate and Atlantis?"
He nodded.
"Isn't there a way for Congress or the Senate to override him?" Pete wondered.
"Nope." Jack shook his head.
"That sucks." Pete assessed.
Daniel stated, "You could always run for President, Maverick and if you win you can declassify it."
Pete blinked, "Why don't you do that, Jackson?"
Jack gave a funny look, 'Can you really see Daniel running for President and winning?"
Pete stated, "Sure! He's pretty articulated and I know Natasha thinks he's cute."
Daniel wasn't sure if it was a compliment of a sarcastic remark. "Is that why Natasha wants me to teach her to read Ancient and Asgard?"
"Probably." Pete smirked assumed.
Sam cheered, "I think Daniel would make a great president."
"Thanks you, Sam." he replied humbled.
Jack disagreed, "Nah…He would be to busy doing his research to be President. Need someone who has been in the military to take that job." He then suggested, "Sam could run."
Daniel asked, "Why do you want Sam to run?"
"If she wins than I becomes the first, First Man." he told him of the record he would break.
Pete suggested, "I think General O'Neill should run. He could win and disclose it."
Jack's shoulders slunk. "I don't want that job."
Pete cocked an eyebrow surprised as how Jack seemed disappointed.
Sam informed, "A number of Pentagon officials have suggested that. The Pentagon wants Jack to be Commander in Chief and disclose the Gate."
Jack shook his head and waved it off. "Can you really see me as President? President O'Neill?" he shook his head disgusted.
Daniel looked his friend in the eye and nodded, "Yes! Yes I can."
"Not you too." he soured.
A familiar figure walked into the park and came closer. Jonas Quinn had come to meet his friends. He wore gray trousers and a matching gray tunic and his hair was still rather short. His face showed some aging but he looked spry and healthy. "Sam!" he called grinning. His eyes landed on the team. At first he thought Pete was Cameron Mitchell from the distance but as he got closer he realized he was someone else.
Sam grinned back, "Jonas."
He came to before the team and looked at the much older faces. "It's good to see everyone again. General O'Neill, Teal'c, Daniel." He looked at Pete and paused. "For a moment I thought you were Colonel Mitchell. I see you have the same last name though." He noted the name tag.
"Pete Mitchell." he held out a hand. "Cameron is my cousin. I was Navy."
Jonas shook his hand, "Pleasure to meet you."
Jack stated, "We call him 'Maverick'. You know, to separate them since they look like twins an all."
"Maverick." Jonas stated wondering where the name came from.
"It's my call sign." Pete told him. "I was Naval Aviation. I've been transferred to the Air Force."
Sam beamed, "Pete went to Top Gun. He's the best of the best for pilots. We've been trying to get him in the S.G.C. for years."
Jonas nodded as he understood. "Top Gun is the Navy's program for fighter pilots. Are they different from SEAL's?"
"Little bit." Pete nodded.
"I see." Jonas understood. "So, is this just a visit of friends or was there something you needed to see me about?" he asked Sam.
"The Homer is nearing completion. We want you on it with us." she stated.
Jack added, "It's a search and rescue mission that is highly risky and we may not be back for years. You want in?"
"Search and rescue for what and who?" Jonas wondered.
"The Destiny and crew we sent." he told him. "It's a Ancient space ship with a bunch of Star Gates on it."
"I'm in!" Jonas nearly jumped excited.
"Great!" Sam hugged him enthused.
Pete wondered, "Will the Homer have a Gate on it?"
Sam released Jonas from the embrace and informed, "It will as soon as we find one that is not in use."
Daniel stated, "That's our next goal. To find a Star Gate for the Homer."
Jonas then figured, "You need me to help you go through records to help you find one."
"I would appreciate the help, Jonas." he confessed.
Jonas assured him, "You got it!"
