Chapter 30

Jack came out of the shower in the morning and looked at his partners as he dried off and began to dress. “I need to know what you are thinking about this whole unification thing,” he said to them. “Truthfully. Positives and negatives, I want to hear it.”

Daniel pushed pillows against the headboard and leaned back, fingers laced behind his head. “Well, seems to me, if you’re going to lead this unification thing, you can’t be the Tau’ri representative, too. Conflict of interest. You should step back and let Earth pick their own council rep. Since the Jaffa accept you as a brother, and Enki accepts you as an in-law, through me AND Jonathan, you could legitimately claim at least three races you are loyal to. You stand between the worlds, as it were. If Earth is going to participate, there needs to be a Tau’ri representative that is NOT you. I’ve been making notes on this subject, actually, just a little doodling I’ve been doing for a couple of years. I’ll show you my notes, if you want to see them. It’s been pure fantasy and speculation up ‘til now; this is do-able, Jack, and it isn’t as scary as you think it will be.”

“I agree,” Sam said from the small table where she was putting on a light touch of make-up. “You can get a little tunnel-visioned, once in a while, which having a personal council will help you with, but you can’t lead the council as a whole and be the Earth representative. In fact, I think it would be a bad move for you to be the local rep.” 

Jack looked at her reflection in the mirror. “Why?”

“Because you would need to be subservient to all of Earth’s leader’s, and you don’t do subservient well.”

“Oh. This is true.” He’d concede that one to her. “Wouldn’t that also make it difficult for us to remain here?”

“Not necessarily,” Daniel said, absently scratching at his chest. “Unless you want to get a planet all your own, we would be living on a world that is, supposedly, a member of this unification. May as well stay here. You’ll just need to set firm boundaries to not play favorites.”

So far, it sounded to Jack as though he wouldn’t be much more than a referee. He could do that. He’d need to make sure there were plenty of cells with locks on them, just in case squabbles got out of hand.

That morning the kids were allowed to stay home from school so that they could see the Heaven’s Bow off to her new home. Sam begged off from the seminar, leaving Dr. Lam in charge for the day. Enki made sure Landry understood that their Gate address was NOT to be public knowledge. As far as the rest of the Gate holders were concerned, the Abydos address was still history. Bre’tac and Teal’c knew it was open, though, as did the Asgard. Landry and Jack both promised to keep the gate’s existence a secret. 

M’Net playfully offered Jack and Daniel one last try at his sleeping pillows. They both playfully refused. M’Net had been having fun with quite a few people; he and the other Sua were being dropped off at their own planet on the way to Kalam, so they were getting their licks in. T’Keet and Zu were currently raiding the kitchen for fruit to take with them on the trip home. It was only about an hour ride at top speed, and Enki did plant fruit trees, but it was the principle of the thing.

“You can do it, Jack, trust in yourself,” Enki told him, gripping him by the shoulders for a shake. “Be judicious. Remember, sometimes we must choose between two evils, and live with our choice. Cut off the arm if it will save the body. When the time comes for those types of decisions, harden yourself and do the right thing. 

“You are a good man, Jack; you are welcome to join us at any time. We’re not far away, a walk through the gate, an hour or so by ship. All our people know that I have claimed Daniel as my child; as his mate, you also have the right of family. Samantha,” he turned to her and took her hands. 

“You are the queen of your family. Never forget that. Just as Jack is the strength and Daniel the truth, you are the heart. Only you can balance strength and truth. You not only saved our lives, you are my son’s queen; call upon us.” She hugged him hard and kissed his cheek.

Enki turned to Daniel. “I had many sons, many who have died. Daughters, too. Only Ninurta survives and I bless Life Herself for him. You remind me of Ba’eru. He was a curious little fellow, always poking his nose into places just to see what was there. He was lost to me long before we came to this planet. I wish he had lived to see this world; he would have fallen in love with it. Ninurta was born on this world, just after we came here. I love him for who he is, not for those that I am missing. I cannot replace your own father, I have no desire to, no one should, but as you have taken in children not of your body, and have loved them with all your heart, I hope that you can understand my heart. It may not be logical, but I don’t know when love is ever logical. Know that I don’t speak lightly, Dan’el; my family is yours, just as fully as Ninurta makes that claim.”

Daniel hugged him and kissed both cheeks.

“I think my father would have approved,” he whispered huskily.

Ninurta stepped in, took him by the ears, and gave him a shake. “Little brother,” he said. “Come and play with me, once in a while. I will keep a horse just for you. I will teach you to hunt with falcons.”

Daniel hugged him, too. “Thank you… for keeping Jack safe,” he said.

“I could do no less,” Ninurta said and gave Daniel’s cheek a pat.

“What did Zu mean by calling Olivia daltu?” he asked with a frown.

Ninurta lifted an eyebrow. “I don’t know, ahu,” he said. “Zu sometimes knows things we don’t. He doesn’t explain to us, either. That’s an interesting epithet for a baby, though. Powerful connotations. Perhaps we should call her Ammartu. Come here, babu,” he cooed, taking the baby from Katie. Olivia gurgled happily, drool pouring over the fist in her mouth. Ninurta kissed her anyway and looked thoughtfully into her eyes which had begun turning from newborn blue to O’Neill brown. “Daltu, eh? Well, little one, we shall see, hm?”

Inanna hugged Sam nearby and kissed her cheeks. “You have a present waiting for you in your Yard,” she told Sam. “I’m sure you’ll figure it out yourself. Come for tea. Soon.”

Shara handed Jack a piece of leather. Jack looked at it. It was a short scabbard with delicate patterns tooled into it.

“Very nice,” Jack said. “What’s it for?”

“The pukku,” Shara said. “You can’t go around with it poking out the back of your pants. This attaches to your belt.” Jack nodded, impressed at the work that went into the leather, and took Shara’s forearm. 

“Cassie isn’t here,” Daniel mentioned as he turned to Jonathan.

“I saw her yesterday. I spent time with Mom, too. They’re both fine. Cassie’s fine,” Jonathan assured him. “She’s happy, Daniel; I think Dean is good for her. Be happy for her.”

“I am,” Daniel assured him with a nod. 

“And be happy for me,” Jonathan said gently. “I’m happy, too. I don’t know where this is going to take me, but I’m finally free of Jack’s memories. I’m me.” The younger man seemed at peace; possibly for the first time in his dual life. Daniel believed him.

The children got in hugs and kisses from all around, and clamored to know when they could come and visit. Enki declared himself Grandpa and told them that grandpas always got frequent visits from the grandchildren.

“Lady Inanna,” Jack said, standing straight with his hands resting behind his back. “As an official representative of Tau’ri, our world thanks you and your people for your assistance over this past year. And unknown to the rest of the world, I thank you for your assistance in our past. We literally wouldn’t be here, if it wasn’t for you and your people. Especially that old goat. If you ever need help, just call.”

“Thank you, General,” she said with a royal incline of her head.

“And I’ll be by sometime soon,” he said, “to talk about this unification thing. I think I need a meeting with my council.”

She laughed easily. “Anytime, Jack. Our home has a wing set aside for your family. And the Anunnaki are grateful for your assistance; we would still be lost, if not for you and your people. You have done a tremendous thing, and I don’t believe you are fully aware of the gravity of this.”

Jack cocked his head and looked at her. “Are you going to tell me who you guys really are?” he asked. She laughed again and brushed his mouth with hers.

They all beamed up.

Once the crowd was gone and the house was quiet again, Daniel slouched on the couch with Olivia on his legs, bouncing her.

 “Jonathan’s becoming an interesting person,” he said. “I can still see you in him, but this new thing he’s doing is bringing out a lot of unknowns. Do you have any of that in you?”

Jack pursed his lips and sat at the dining room table with a mug of coffee. “I’m not sure what I would do in his place, but think I can understand him. Maybe Ninurta is right; it comes from the soul, and the heart and mind only fill in the blanks.”

“Do you believe in a soul?” Daniel asked him, curious. 

“Actually, Ninurta asked me that same thing,” Jack said. “You came to me several times when you were dead. I can only believe that it was your own willpower that kept your soul together and conscious. I can’t believe the soul can be duplicated, so if I have a clone, he must have his own soul. I’m not sure I believe in soulless creatures, and he’s definitely alive.”

“Maybe Jonathan was a little more borderline than he let on,” Daniel said. “He had all those memories and knowledge in him and he couldn’t do anything about them. So he surrendered. He seems to have found peace where he is. I think it’s good for him. Healthy. He just may be becoming a new person.”

The phone rang and Jack picked up the kitchen extension.

“O’Neill.” He listened as the other person spoke for a while. “Henry, slow down,” he said, holding up a hand. “It’s a good idea, I don’t mind, really. It isn’t a chore, I’d be honored. Just be sure to include Russia; they were, technically, the first. Have the outline sent to Major Davis, and I’ll take a look. The timeline sounds do-able. A bit soon for this kind of thing, but do-able. Sure, Henry. You’re welcome.”

“What was that?” Sam asked, coming down the stairs. She looked excited about something.

Jack went back into the living room. “Hayes wants to do some kind of memorial, honors, and site-seeing tour for retired astronauts,” he said. “Take them for a spin around the solar system.”

Sam’s eyes lit up. “That’s actually nice of him,” she said with a nod. “The current pilots are being reshuffled; it would be nice to honor those retired.”

“Yeah, and it’s fast,” Jack said. “Apparently Major Erikson has a nasty tumor growing into his spine, inoperable. Hayes would like something to happen before Erikson dies.”

Sam caught her breath, her eyes wide. “He’s the last of the original First Flight crew,” she said. Jack nodded. “Yes, we need to do something. What’s the plan?”

“Is the Europa ready, yet?” he asked thoughtfully. Sam thought about it.

“Almost,” she said. “Those bugs were hell to find, but she’s almost ready for another test flight. Col. Powers was scheduled for her.”

“He died,” Jack commented. “We need to replace him.”

“303-5 is in the final stages, too,” she said.

“That one is research, though, isn’t it?” Jack asked. 

Sam shook her head. “It was going to be, but the committee decided to make the Europa research,” she said. “That was part of the de-bugging process; a few systems needed to be changed out for medical equipment.”

“I’ve been picking out the linguists and dirt specialists, too,” Daniel commented. “It was one of those things that happened while you were gone,” he told Jack.

“Can we afford a ship like that?” Jack asked, dubious. “I think we need security patrols, not exploration.”

Both Sam and Daniel bristled. “You just got rid of the main problem, Jack,” Daniel said. “The allies are talking unification for the first time in, well, the history of the galaxy. I’d say it’s time to start exploring, say hi to new neighbors, do a meet and greet…. You have three ships already on patrol, a fourth is about to launch, and a fifth is being built with two more on the drawing board. I think we can afford ONE ship for patching and digging.”

Jack held up a hand. “I was just asking,” he said in defense. “Daniel, we don’t know what’s going to come out of the woodwork, now that the Goa’uld are no longer terrorizing everyone. We’ve been to a few planets that I’d rather not visit again.”

“Granted, but that’s what allies are for,” Daniel said. “We no longer need to take the entire weight on our shoulders, we didn’t in the first place but it’s what we do; you don’t have to call on our ships to chase down some asshole, you can send others. How many ships, altogether came back from this war? Come on, Jack. Several hundred? Over a thousand? Give me one ship to go digging with, please.”

“Alright, I see your point,” Jack conceded. “I wasn’t thinking of allies. I guess we need to start doing that. Sam, does this new ship have a name?”

“No, not yet,” she said, still a little miffed. “A few suggested the Columbus, but the Native Americans are objecting.”

“How about Lincoln?” Daniel suggested. “Washington?”

“Something a little more universal,” Sam said. “Multi-national crew, remember?”

Daniel nodded and thought about it. He got up and took Olivia into the nursery to change her.

“Who’s the commander?” Jack asked.

“Down to three candidates,” she said. “The Russians are politely asking for a Russian to be recognized.”

Jack nodded. “Well, Col. Belarus did an outstanding job,” he commented. “He led one of the teams on Daedalus. He’s calm, quick thinker, delegates well, personable, and willing to make command decisions. He was also in their cosmonaut program until the Stargate business.”

Sam raised an eyebrow. “Jack, you suggesting a Russian for this position? I’ll toss his name into the bucket.”

“Just because I’m old doesn’t mean I can’t learn new tricks,” he told her.