Jack took a look through Hayes’ proposal, made a few suggestions, sent word to his 303s and told them to scour their ships from head to foot, inside and out. He told the commanders privately what was happening, and they rousted all their personnel from comfortable homes and families. The crews went into overtime when they found out the reason. Jack had a talk with Col. Chekhov and things were readied from there, too. Chekhov was surprised, but honored to be included.
Sam flew out to the base. It seemed that someone (feathers and leather) had dumped some sort of arch made of rocks on their doorstep. Sam had recognized it as the arch that sent Jack and Maybourn to a moon. Daniel had already translated the writing on it, but still didn’t know how it worked. Sam was almost salivating to get her hands on it.
While posts were buzzing with the upcoming ceremonies, Jack read through Daniel’s fictional peace treaty that he had been working on –just for a mental exercise, he said. Jack read it again. He sent it to Davis. The major made a few minor revisions and sent it back. Jack sent it to Hayes and Maynard. He received phone calls from both men. He then sent it to a few other people around the world; a few of his HomeSec council members that he had been learning to trust. They reported excitement from their leaders.
Jack drove over to the university, ignored the startled looks from students and staff, and made his way to Daniel’s classroom. He watched quietly from the back of the room as Daniel and his students poured over a tablet. One of the students argued with Daniel over a translation and then pointed out Daniel’s mistake in the translation. Daniel paused, cocked his head, and pushed his glasses up.
“I think that’s an A for the semester,” Daniel finally said.
“Semester?” the young lady squeaked. “I just passed the entire year.”
“You translate the side panel, and I’ll consider it.”
All the students stopped.
“What side panel?” the young lady asked.
“Those chicken scratches on the side,” Jack said. The students jumped, not having heard him come in.
“General!” Several went over to him and offered hands.
“Don’t let him fool you,” Jack said, pointing a thumb at Daniel. “That tablet had him stumped for months until he realized that those weren’t scratches.”
“That’s cheating, Jack,” Daniel said with a smile.
Jack came into the room. He put the printout of Daniel’s treaty on the table.
“This game is on, hasduk,” Jack said to him. He kissed Daniel soundly, much to the amusement of the class.
Nonplussed, Daniel pushed his glasses up, licked his lips, and cleared his throat. “Pronunciation and usage was right,” he commented. “To what do I owe this visit, though?”
“Sheer amazement,” Jack said, patting Daniel’s cheek. “So brilliant. I’m taking this to the allies; just thought I’d let you know.”
“Jack, I was doodling,” Daniel protested.
“It’s brilliant, Danny-boy,” Jack informed him. “Works for me, Hayes, Maynard, and several other people. Paul tweaked a few things; he sent you the revised version. You never cease to amaze me. I’ll see you at home, I need to drop in on the Mountain.”
It took only two very fast-paced weeks to get the ceremonies in order. While the allies were looking over the proposed treaty, Jack put on his dress uniform and took his al'kesh to pick up Major Erikson. The major was in surprised shock as his eldest son pushed his wheelchair onto the vessel. Erikson tried to lift his arm to salute. Jack offered honors instead and then took the major’s hand.
“Major, this honor is mine,” Jack told him. “I hope you enjoy the ride; it’ll only be a few minutes.”
“We’re in Seattle, General O’Neill,” Mrs. Erikson reminded him. She was a little pale, weepy, tired. Jack hoped the elderly lady wasn’t as weak as she looked. “Isn’t DC longer than a couple of minutes?”
“No, ma’am,” he said. “And we’re going to Nevada, not DC. Either way, it’s only a couple minutes.”
“Nevada?” the youngest daughter, Betty, who was about Jack’s age, asked with a frown. “I don’t mean to be disrespectful, General, but what’s in Nevada?”
“Area 51,” Jack said with a smile. He got the family seated, set Erikson close to the screens, and pressed the controls. Major Erikson was almost seventy-five; the rest of his team, older, had already died. The first US astronauts to leave the atmosphere and return alive.
Erikson came aboard the al'kesh with his wife, Lily, and three adult children, Frank, John, and Elizabeth. Most of the general public remembered a little of the astronauts who landed on the moon, but a few took note of the ones who pioneered the space program by orbiting the Earth. Air Force pilots remembered.
“It really exists?” Frank asked.
“Thought the major would like to see the newest 303 being born,” Jack said. “If anyone has earned the right, Major Erikson has. I just wish we could have done this before Hagan, Brandt, and Newton passed away.”
“We thought the ships were from Nellis,” John said, his eyes a little wide. “We thought the Area 51 stuff was nonsense.”
Their questions were put on hold as they were abruptly crossing desert just moments after leaving the ground.
“I didn’t even feel that,” Betty said faintly.
“Inertial dampeners,” Jack commented. He hit the speed more than he usually would have.
As they came up to the base, the family gasped. Prometheus, Daedalus, and Argos sat proudly across miles of sand. Behind them sat rows upon rows of gliders, all gleaming black in the sun, bright Tau’ri sigils decorating their wings.
Hundreds of people in their dress uniforms all stood and came to attention as Jack landed. Wooden runways had been built across the two miles in front of the 303s with gangways leading up to the ships themselves. Shuttles were standing by to take people back and forth along those miles.
A group of eighteen retired men in dress blues stood together, unable to keep their eyes off the ships. Two honor guards came forward to take charge of Erikson but one of the retired astronauts insisted upon taking Erikson’s chair himself.
President Hayes and the Joint Chiefs stepped forward and shook Erikson’s hand, murmuring soft words to him and then to his family. Hayes offered Mrs. Erikson his arm and they walked behind Erikson. The other retired astronauts fell in line.
Markham, Caldwell, and Galanakis each greeted Erikson. He was then further surprised to be greeted by his Russian brothers. Colonel Chekhov took Erikson’s hand and inclined his head as he spoke. When they reached the end of the line, at the main entrance to the underground work shop, President Hayes stepped up to the podium. The Secretary of Defense and the Joint Chiefs took seats behind him.
Sam and Daniel were both there; Sam in her dress blues and Daniel in a formal suit and tie. The children were dressed in their best and seated in the audience. All the current SGC and HomeSec personnel lined the podium on either side. The retired pilots all sat in sectioned seating in the front.
“This day is long overdue,” Hayes began. “When word reached us of Major Erikson’s battle, we knew this needed to happen. Yes, the space program received an unexpected leap forward just a short time ago, but we would never have left the ground to begin with, if it weren’t for people like Major William Erikson and all these men before us. Our world is changing daily due to our new circumstances, and no matter where life goes from here, we must not forget the sacrifices made by those men and women who have gone on before us.” He looked down at his papers and smiled softly.
“I was just thinking of our Founding Fathers and wondering what they would have thought about all this,” he commented. “It’s been a little over two hundred years since this great country began from humble beginnings. I don’t believe our Fathers would recognize us. To even contemplate traveling off the ground would have brought charges of insanity. To say we have been off the ground, even to the stars, would have brought charges of blasphemy.
“Those men who made the first attempts at travel stared death in the face just as those colonials did when they crossed the Atlantic Ocean. Progress is a scary thing; these men pushed the envelope of progress and forced us to take those steps toward maturity.
“Mr. Henry George said, “Progressive societies outgrow institutions as children outgrow clothes”.” There was a smattering of laughter and head nodding. Hayes smiled. “And Goethe said, “He who moves not forward, moves backward”.
“Yes, recent happenings are scary to many of us. Remember that it was also scary to those of us old enough to remember those first trips off the ground, made by men who deliberately placed themselves in seats sitting on top of bombs. Progress was scary then, and it’s scary now. General O’Neill?”
Jack stepped forward to the podium.
“ “Human salvation demands the divine disclosure of truths surpassing reason”. Thomas Aquinas, if anyone is interested. During this past year, we have seen truths that surpass reason. I can only apologize that the space programs from various countries were not involved in this from the beginning. A few knew what was going on, but most didn’t. It was need to know. They are involved now. Astronauts and cosmonauts are being retrained, at their own choice, for space missions. They are participating on these ships, the X-303s. A few are taking their turns walking through the Stargate. Their reasoning has had to take drastic steps to keep up with truth. I’m still rushing to catch up.” He paused, considering his notes.
“Today is a birthday. Our newest 303, the Europa, is ready for launch.” There was an excited rustling in the crowd as people craned their heads to look for the ship. “Although there’s still a little tinkering to be done on her, she’s ready to stretch her wings. Unfortunately, the commander we had planned for her was one of those who died during the recent battle. Colonel Anthony Powers will be remembered by all. It is my privilege and honor to announce the new commander of the Europa, Colonel Alexander Belarus.”
It was unsure who was more surprised, the US contingent or the Russians as people stood and clapped. Belarus jumped to his feet and proudly saluted Jack and then Chekhov. The other 303 commanders shook hands and welcomed him to their small brotherhood. Jack pinned the new wings to Belarus’ uniform, only the fourth set of newly minted wings, the Tau'ri sigil with outstretched silver wings to either side, to be given out. Jack handed him a remote control.
“Colonel Belarus, would you care to deliver your new baby?” he asked. Belarus took a deep breath as he looked at the control box. Just before he touched the button, he stopped. He then stepped off the stage and walked the few steps to the seated astronauts.
“Major, would you do the honors?” he asked Erikson. He held the box out and placed it under the pilot’s hand. After fighting with a hard trembling of his hand, Erikson pressed the button.
Everyone looked as the ground rumbled. A large hole began to appear behind the group. Eyes were shielded as sand was swept up. The Europa appeared, slowly, majestically. She turned in the air, giving everyone a good look at her, and then took her place a few hundred yards away from the group. The ship opened and the crew walked out, all in dress uniforms, and stood proudly at the side of their ship. The air was filled with applause, shouting, and whistling. Belarus took his seat next to Galanakis. The Russians were all sitting a little straighter.
“Alright, pipe down,” Jack told the crowd. There were some chuckles as they settled. “Welcome aboard, Colonel. All of our crews and ships have been taking a long deserved vacation; it’s time to get back to work. Colonel Markham, you wanted to say something?”
Markham stepped up to the podium. “Yes, sir. It would be the honor of the Prometheus and her crew to escort the esteemed ladies and gentlemen for a flight around the galaxy.” There were more excited rumblings as the retired astronauts looked at each other and then at the Tau’ri flagship and her commander.
After spending time shaking hands and greeting people, the astronauts and their immediate families were taken on board the Prometheus, as well as the various heads of state that were present. A few argued with advisers who were against their leaders heading off-world. Davis smoothed a few ruffled feathers; not everyone could go on the trip but there would be other trips.
“Colonel,” Jack said quietly. Belarus looked over to him. Jack held out his hand. “Well done, Colonel.”
“Sir. I wasn’t sure of the protocol, but it seemed the right thing to do.” Jack assured him it was.
The children were allowed to attend after they promised to mind their manners and not run off. Markham wheeled Erikson to the controls, pointed to a panel, and placed Erikson’s weak hand on it. A moment later, the ship came alive. Everyone watched the large screen and saw the ground slowly fall away. The people below became small as they waved excitedly.
“My God, she’s beautiful,” Hayes murmured in awe as they watched the Earth becoming smaller below them until it was just a blue-white spec in the darkness of space.
Sam was talking to people, explaining equipment and the science behind it all as she conducted a tour around the observation deck.
“General O’Neill, will we be meeting any aliens?” someone’s teenage grandson asked.
“I don’t know,” Jack said, not bothering to tell the boy about the Asgard behind the weapons console in engineering. “I don’t know what Colonel Markham has planned; this is his party.”
“I’m not sure I want to meet them,” someone else said with a shudder. “All those abduction stories.”
“That’s been taken care of,” Sam said. She went on to explain the problems with the Asgard genetics and the reasons behind the abductions.
“So cloning really is a bad thing?” someone asked.
Sam shrugged. “Point of view, I guess,” she said. “I understand that people are afraid of dying and want to live longer, even if they need to put their brains into a new body, but think about it –the world is over-crowded. All the people and the pollution those people create are causing the planet to fail. Is longer life worth the price of our planet? And if so, who gets to chose who lives longer and who doesn’t?”
“I’d like my father a little longer,” Betty Erikson said bitterly.
“Nnnnooo.”
Everyone stopped and looked. Major Erikson puffed into the tube near his face. John Erikson leaned over his shoulder and read the words on the screen.
“Love you. Don’t want to live longer than God planned. Good life. Blessed.”
Betty wiped tears from her face as her mother put an arm around her.
“He once told me that he’d like to be cremated and scattered through the Crab Nebula,” Frank Erikson commented. “It was a fantasy. Those colored images of the Crab are beautiful.”
“No longer a fantasy,” Markham said. “Would you like to see it up close?” He ordered up the Crab Nebula. Prometheus was there within minutes. Everyone expected the bright colors they were used to seeing in magazines, not realizing that the colors were computer generated to show the different elements that the marvels of the universe were made of.
“Major Erikson, when the time comes, and if it is your wish, the Prometheus would be honored to escort your family back here for the ceremony.” Jack gave him a small nod.
They went to several inhabited worlds, some of them disappointingly human, others completely alien. Daniel lectured on the history of humans and how they got into space. They stopped at Chulak and were joined by Teal’c and Bre’tac. Jack took the new grandbaby from Rya’c and presented him to Olivia. She stared at the baby, not quite sure what to make of the thing in Daddy’s arms.
“SG-1. Our original first contact team,” Hayes said, looking at Jack, Sam, Daniel, and Teal’c standing together. Stacy clamored for the story so Daniel told everyone a summarized version of their story. It kept everyone occupied and they didn’t notice that they were being taken the long way around areas of the galaxy that were still in semi-hostile hands. Or pirate guns. Or claws.
They had lunch and many got over their hesitancy and began asking questions of Teal’c. The heads of state on board cornered Bre’tac into an impromptu private discussion as everyone wandered around. The crew was more than happy to discuss their jobs and equipment. The recent battle was still fresh and many veered away from the topic. Those with war experience understood and respected the space.
To the surprise of their guests, many alien ships stopped to greet Jack when word got out that he was off-world. Daniel had a long, careful talk with Chaka, the Unas, who were the first beings to be the forced hosts to the Goa'uld which shared their home world. They weren’t evolved enough for space flight; the Goa'uld held back their evolution, but when Chaka radioed through a Gate, the Prometheus swung by to pick him up.
The Unas were curious about the Goa’uld situation and were reassured by Daniel that there was nothing more to fear from them. It wasn’t necessarily the Goa’uld that the Unas feared but the humans on a few planets. Jack gave the leadership a quick over-view of the Unas problems with human slavers. The leaders were shocked that humans could do such things.
“You’d be surprised what humans are capable of,” Jack informed them. “And seems to me we had slave issues of our own, not too long ago. There are still slaves on Earth.” Jack promised Chaka once more that if they needed help, the Tau’ri would help them.
“And if the Unas join the Unification?” Daniel translated for Chaka.
“The Union will help the Unas in freeing themselves from their slavery,” Jack responded. “But we will not give them weapons. They can be placed as a protectorate until they are ready to join as full members, if they want.”
Daniel translated and Chaka’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Stacy was watching carefully from behind Daniel and Jack. Chaka looked her over and sniffed. He said something to Daniel.
“Yes, my cub,” Daniel nodded. “Mates,” he said, indicating Jack and Sam. Chaka said something else. “Jack, he wants assurance that human slavers would not be allowed to join the Union,” Daniel said.
“Give it to him,” Jack said.
A few family members dared to watch the incredible meeting from yards beyond the floor where Daniel and Chaka sat face to face. Hayes, Maynard, and other Earth leaders watched as Daniel negotiated with the rough, primitive alien.
“Why not teach it… him… to use a table and chair?” Ambassador Piccoli from Italy asked after Chaka left.
“Because he wouldn’t understand,” Daniel said. “If we talk with them at their level, we show respect for their culture and they will be more open to negotiations. To them, having a table between us would indicate that we have something to hide. I’ve had to negotiate naked with some cultures because even clothing would indicate something to hide.”
“This is how Daniel makes new friends, so we go with the flow,” Jack told Piccoli.
“He’s very primitive,” Lansky, an astronaut, said. “Why negotiate at all? What can his people offer?”
Daniel raised an eyebrow. “Do you need a reason to make someone your friend?” he asked. “Primitive doesn’t mean stupid. The Unas may not have technology, but they were among those who taught us how to talk with aliens. They are also the first victims of the Goa’uld. The snakes are from the Unas home world. The Unas are far older than us and they’re dying out. Their last days should be peaceful ones.”
Jonas was next to visit. Sam took Danna from him, since Jack’s arms were filled with a slightly jealous Olivia who continued to glare at baby Dor’nar.
As the children played, Jonas quietly let Jack know that Langara as a whole was behind the unification. They had a few requests for the treaty but, in general, they approved.
As the word continued to spread that O’Neill was in space, more and more messages came through from worlds that were behind the unification. Many other worlds had been scared into retreating behind a cloak of xenophobia and refused all further contact. Note was taken of those worlds, putting them on a no-contact list. They would still be watched, however, silently observed from time to time. If the culture showed signs that it would welcome contact, the Union would be ready to step in.
Other worlds, although not technologically advanced enough for space travel, also sent word of their support. Jack warned them that no advanced technology would be given out, but they would help with whatever else they could. Jack had never lied to them, so they would accept Jack’s word.
One by one, visitors either came to the Prometheus or contacted them in some fashion. When the most recent visitor left, Hayes sat next to Jack.
“This has been quite the experience,” he told Jack. “Humbling, actually. Not one of these people give a crap who I am, they ignore me completely. I can’t remember the last time that happened. I think I’m starting to see the bigger picture, Jack, and it really has nothing to do with us.”
“No, it has nothing to do with individual countries,” Jack corrected. “It has everything to do with us as a whole. This is it, Henry, the big step. Earth must become united. It must. No more political games, no more egos, no more my gun is bigger than your gun, because you know what? My gun IS bigger. You want to kill yourselves, go right ahead; I have better things to be concentrating on and I don’t need to be on Earth to do it. There are three other planets out here who have already issued an invitation to me and my family to make our home elsewhere.”
Hayes nodded. “Up til now, I’d put all that down to hyperbole,” he said. “Seeing all these people coming out of nowhere, just to talk with you for a few minutes…. I believe you, Jack. And seeing this crew, all these people from different countries, all working toward a common goal, ignoring borders…”
“They have another flag to follow,” Jack said. He touched the sigil on his shoulder. “This one unites them as a planet. That’s why I’ve refused to put national flags on ships and uniforms. The only competition they have is between teams, not countries, and that’s a good, healthy competition.”
“We must do this, Henry,” Jack said, looking out at the children. “It’s time to grow up. I know you’re scared, wondering what your place will be, the upheavals countries will go through. I’m fully aware that religion will be taking the largest hit and it’s scaring them shitless. It’s religion that controls the masses, Henry, not governments, and it needs to stop. No more bowing down to the will of the Religious Right. Let them rant and rave, let them threaten their doom. I don’t give a shit. The Crusades were wrong way back then, and they’re wrong now. The Witch Hunts were wrong. The Burnings were wrong. Don’t let them continue, Henry, don’t continue to feed their flames. Keep your spirituality, dump the religion.
“In case you haven’t noticed, the changes have begun. It’s time, Henry.” Jack reached over and put his hand over a scratch on Hayes’ forearm, a gift from the First Lady's cat. A moment later, he took his hand away. The scratch was gone. Hayes whitened as he touched his arm.
“I’m scared, too, Henry, but my will is for life, not death.”
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