A/N: I'm back to my once a week posting schedule. Just a note that this story has 3 parts. Part 1 is 21 chapters, so we are just over halfway through it.
Sam & Jack Shipday is coming July 28. I have a story over on AO3 in honor of it. It's part of a risqué series called Pushing Boundaries that does not meet FFN's posting guidelines (too explicit). It's called Pushing Boundaries: Holiday Heat and is the third installment of my Pushing Boundaries series if anyone wants to check it out.
Chapter 12
"Those terms are unacceptable!" the Kisqua representative, Cholti, growled and slapped a hand on the top of the conference room table, effectively ending the current push to reach a viable agreement.
Richard Woolsey pursed his lips and paused to count to twenty before replying. He had been trying to negotiate an acceptable compromise all day. He thought they were finally making progress but obviously not, judging by the look of anger on his Kisqua counterpart's face. Richard glanced at Dr. Jackson on his right, trying to come up with a response that would not completely stall negotiations. Daniel, despite his obvious disagreement of Richard's plan, had been a key reason why they had gotten this far.
"We have agreed to give you ongoing access to Colonel Carter and her unborn child with a simple 24 hour request," Richard reiterated, knowing his tone was borderline exasperated. "I do not understand why that is unacceptable."
"Because your medical equipment is too primitive," Cholti sneered at him. "It is a miracle you discovered the Alteran gene to begin with. Simple access to the woman and her child does nothing. They must be in a Kisqua medical facility. That point is non-negotiable!"
"Colonel Carter is a very important officer," Daniel interjected, sensing Richard's agitation and seeking to give him a moment to compose himself.
"Dr. Jackson is correct," Richard said, following Daniel's lead, "her extended absence off-world is non-negotiable." He pinned Cholti with a hard stare.
"Then give us the child after it is born," Cholti countered.
"As Dr. Jackson said earlier," Richard reiterated, "we are willing to provide you with the placenta and umbilical cord upon birth. Surely, that contains enough DNA for you to extract what you need."
"The placenta does nothing," Cholti fumed. "It is marred with a mixture of the carrier's blood."
"A blood sample directly from the child then," Richard's voice was becoming exasperated.
"We need to derive the pure naquadah-infused, Alteran gene that can only come directly from continual access to the child," Cholti declared with finality.
"And I am trying to help you obtain that within the confines of our laws," Richard said placatingly.
"According to Kisqua law, the child is ours anyway."
"Colonel Carter is not of Kisqua descent and neither is her child," Richard reminded him. "And as you have continued to point out, it is the child's Alteran genetics you seek. There is nothing within this child that makes it Kisquan."
"The child would not exist if not for us," Cholti growled.
"Exactly!" Daniel smiled thinly. "It was you who violated our people in the first place. This situation is of your own making. We are simply showing our willingness to assist you despite your grievous misconduct."
"Enough of this!" Cholti exploded, realizing he'd fallen into a logic trap. "If we cannot reach an agreement, my government will simply take what it wants by force. I suggest you accept our initial offer and cease with these ridiculous negotiations."
"I suggest we all take a break until tomorrow," Richard also stood, taking a deep breath. "No one wants a war that will result in the death of thousands on both sides."
That statement caused Cholti to scoff and roll his eyes.
Teal'c who had remained silent thus far also stood and turned to Cholti. "The Tau'ri's defense capabilities are not to be taken lightly," he reminded them. "Unlike you, they have the Alteran genetics to operate Ancient weapons and have done so successfully in the past."
"We shall see," Cholti glared at the Jaffa warrior, but his eyes showed a hint of concern before he turned to leave.
"Wait," Shen Xiaoyi said, drawing all eyes to her as she remained seated at the conference table. "Mr. Woolsey may be the lead IOA representative, but he does not speak for all of us."
"Shen!" Richard gaped at her, "what are you doing?"
"What you should have done from the beginning!" she hissed back at him before turning to Cholti. "I represent the People's Republic of China and we do not share the same beliefs as our American counterparts."
"I'm listening," Cholti said, dismissing the others and turning to her.
"All you ask for is this one child?" Shen asked, pinning her adversary with a sharp glare, daring him to lie. "You do not want anything more than that?"
"That is correct."
"And if we deliver the child," Shen cocked her head, keeping her voice inquisitive, "you will provide us with all of your technology."
"All of our defensive technology," Cholti clarified.
"No," Shen smiled thinly, " all of your technology."
Cholti sat back in his chair and appraised her. He had been so focused on the men in the room that he failed to realize this woman wielded such power. Still, he hesitated. "You could deliver the child to us?"
"Once it's born," Shen replied coolly.
"You don't have the right!" Daniel snarled. "She doesn't have the right!" He told Cholti.
"Oh, but I do," Shen said evenly. "Colonel Carter may be a citizen of the United States of America, but this is an international matter. Your sovereignty and laws mean nothing when the very survival of our species is at stake."
"The President would never agree to it," Richard asserted, realizing he was losing control of the negotiations. He'd seen Cholti's hesitation at Teal'c's words and knew they had made headway. He'd already assumed no agreement would be reached today, but Shen was going to undo all the progress he'd made.
"It wouldn't matter," Jean LaPierre, the French representative replied frankly, swallowing hard. "You know as well as I do many world leaders would not hesitate to insist the child be handed over. They would ally against you in war." He looked appalled at his own words. "France, of course, would not be one of them," he blinked rapidly, knowing he'd just betrayed Richard.
"You would be so heartless?" Teal'c asked Shen. "Do you have no children of your own?"
"I do," Shen answered, her gaze hardening. "And I will do anything to protect them."
"You would rip a child away from its mother?" Richard asked her, aghast at what his friend and colleague was suggesting. He'd known Shen for years and had never considered her heartless. Ruthless and power-seeking, yes, but what she was doing was horrific.
"Would you permit Colonel Carter to join her child on your planet?" Shen directed her question to Cholti.
"Of course," he answered immediately. "They would live a life of luxury; all of their needs would be provided for."
"Then I don't see the problem," Shen shrugged. "The answer to this entire situation is simple and I suggest we take the Kisqua up on their gracious offer and avoid unneeded bloodshed. If Colonel Carter decides to stay on Earth and abandon her child, that's her decision, not ours."
"What the hell have you done?!" Richard tore into Shen as soon as the Kisqua delegation had returned to their planet. They were alone in the conference room, Dr. Jackson and Teal'c having insisted on making sure the aliens left without causing any problems.
"What you lacked the courage to do, Richard," Shen replied haughtily, "secure the guaranteed survival of Earth. The technology we are acquiring will allow us to protect ourselves against any threat."
"You just promised a morally corrupt society the means to access the most advanced knowledge in the known universe!" he exclaimed, practically panting from the anger coursing through him. "Or did you forget what Dr. Jackson and the others told us about the Kisqua."
"Their theory ," she stressed the word, "is conjecture at best. The fact is that the Kisqua have the means to destroy us and yet they agreed to peaceful negotiations. Does that sound like a morally corrupt society to you?" She arched an eyebrow. "Besides, I've just taken the first step to making them our most powerful ally." She crossed her arms over her chest.
"You're sacrificing an innocent life," Richard countered, his voice finally softening. "How would you feel if it was one of your children you'd just agreed to hand over?" He saw her facade crack just a tiny bit at his words.
"I'm doing this for my children," Shen countered, "for all our children."
"Not all of them," he shook his head sadly. "You've turned us into Omelas," he said, referencing the city in the philosophical story by Le Guin.
"Where are you going?" Shen demanded when Richard turned to leave.
"To find a means to walk away." [1] Richard gave his colleagues a scathing look before he turned away.
Daniel snapped his phone shut and made a quick gesture at Walter and Teal'c alerting as Woolsey stalked into the control room. The man pinned the three SGC personnel with a hard stare before speaking.
"Things have gotten out of hand," Richard admitted sharply.
"Ya think?" Daniel scoffed, crossing his arms across his chest.
"I didn't mean for this to happen," Richard shook his head. "What Shen did was wrong and I don't condone it."
Daniel glanced at Walter, then at Teal'c. Slowly, Teal'c turned and walked to stand before Richard. He pinned him with a hard stare that lasted several heartbeats. Richard fought against the urge to squirm under the intense gaze.
"I believe Richard Woolsey speaks the truth," Teal'c finally said, turning back to his friends.
"I do," Richard said, "and I want to help. I'm assuming you're trying to contact the President?"
"Actually, General Hammond already has," Daniel told him. "Thanks to some help from friends, he is debriefing him on Prometheus as we speak."
"Good," Richard nodded. He didn't know how much good it would do at this point, but perhaps Hayes could buy them some more time. The Kisqua delegation was set to return in the morning to finalize negotiations. Shen had promised to produce Colonel Carter at that time for an initial examination by a Kisqua doctor to confirm the pregnancy. "We need to alert General O'Neill and Colonel Carter," he instructed, "he needs to get her away from here as soon as possible."
Daniel gave him a thin smile, but didn't say a word.
"They're already gone, aren't they?"
Post Note:
[1] The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas by Ursula K LeGuin:
http/shsdavisapes./f/Omelas.pdf, is a short story (about 4.5 pages) and is a work of philosophical fiction. The philosophical question it raises was the basis for this chapter.
Note: Omelas can be triggering for some.