Chapter 34

“Oh, Ms. Cummings,” Jack stopped Tommy’s mother as they left the house the next day. “Tommy mentioned that you do accounting. We need another bean counter at HomeSec, if you’d like to apply.” He told her the salary and full bennies.

She seemed a little startled and thanked him. Jack wondered if their car would even make it to their home. He went back inside and called the manager of personnel.

“But there isn’t an opening,” Lupe told him, confused.

“There is if she applies,” Jack informed her. She understood.

Michael stopped in to pick up Matthew and Vinnie for church after Frankie, Carlos, and Dylan went home. Michael had been spending a lot of time with the chat group and had come away with more and more to think about. At least he was thinking, instead of agonizing, for which Jack was grateful. He had also taken a part-time job at Matty’s church as a counselor. Jack found that interesting and wondered how many shrinks took their job as a way to counsel themselves.

“Are you working out?” Michael asked, looking at Jack’s chest through the open robe. Jack yanked the robe shut.

“Have I really changed so noticeably?” he asked Daniel in the den.

“Your body looks about twenty years younger,” Daniel told him, glancing up from the computer. “You lost that middle-aged love handle you were acquiring, and I do like the six-pack that’s rebuilding itself.”

“Hair is still gray,” Jack grumbled and gave his stomach a pat. The muscles did feel harder….

“The world community won’t respect a dark blond general,” Daniel said. “Look at the problems your clone had.” Jack conceded that one. “And I don’t want to hear about your hair issues, not while mine is receding.”

Jack went over and pushed Daniel’s hair off his forehead. “Only a little,” he said. A centimeter, at least.

“I’m not a happy camper, Jack.”

He went around and buzzed the back of Daniel’s neck.

“Come upstairs and let me make you a happy camper,” he murmured into Daniel’s ear. Daniel smiled as hands felt up his chest and a mouth nuzzled across the back of his shoulders.

“I’m a little busy,” he said.

“We can kick the rest of the kids out and do it in the living room,” Jack suggested. His hands began to wander down Daniel’s front.

Daniel chuckled. “We cannot kick the kids out,” he said. He sighed, relaxing.

“Come on, Danny. You work and I’ll get under the desk.”

“My, my, General O’Neill, where’d my skittish virgin go?” Daniel cooed, teasing him.

“Completely debauched,” Jack informed him. “Do you want to play or not? ‘Cause I gotta tell ya, Danny-boy, I’m addicted.” Jack told him exactly what was addicting, and feeling his body beginning to betray him, Daniel agreed. Jack quickly pushed him aside and got under the desk.

Most of Jack’s day was consumed by the main Unification Council taking over his living room. They descended on him with an issue they were finding hard to resolve.

“A few worlds are having problems with the no slavery clause,” Inanna told him. “Slavery is part of their culture. Even the slaves agree to it. Coming from one of these cultures here on Earth, I have to say that I see their point. I had many slaves in Mesopotamia, Jack, and I enjoyed them greatly. I have a problem with owners abusing their slaves, but is that any different than this modern society having laws against abusing spouses and children? As long as there are laws to protect them, I don't really have a problem with it.”

The Taklede representative, Karoly, stood up. The Taklede were human, while the Mulakma were feathered. And scaled and furred. They tended to walk on fours, instead of hind feet, and they could fly. Daniel thought they looked like griffins. Whatever they were, Jack had to admit that he found them formidable in appearance and could understand how they managed to fend off Goa’uld attacks. The claws clicking on the floor and snagging the rug were enough to make any attacker think twice.

“We must disagree with Queen Inanna’s proposal,” Karoly said. “The Goa’uld took slaves. We must not align ourselves with them. Also, how can we be sure these slaves agree to their place? How do we know they are not simply too afraid to speak otherwise?”

“Because their societies have in place a means for them to climb out of their servitude, should they desire it,” Inanna said. “Some place themselves in service as a means of payment of debt, others are born into it, but in all four societies, they do earn wages and they are able to buy their way out of service. And all four societies have laws forbidding abuse, all four societies allow slaves to sue anyone they feel has done wrong by them, even their owners. There isn't much of a difference between that and hiring someone to work under a contract. Everyone who takes a job, also signs a contract. I don’t understand the issue, Honorable Karoly.”

The others were ambiguous about the entire issue. Only Langara had no history with slavery in their culture, so Jonas stayed quiet as he listened to the various sides.

“Okay, how about this?” Jack said. “Daniel, what was your intent for that section?”

Daniel nodded and stood. “My concern was for the unwilling subject,” he said, frowning in thought, arms crossed. “I have a little personal knowledge of modern slavery here on Earth. Slavery is not legal on this planet, we have a united nations that has forbidden it of all members, but there are some countries, still extremely behind the times, who have lower classes who are, basically, a slave-type class. There are private people who buy and sell other people on the black market. An illegal trade. And there are people who participate willingly and openly in voluntary slavery, but that has more to do with sexuality, than true slavery. I would say allow it but only under extreme conditions. 

“Inanna, Hammurabi had extensive laws regarding the buying, selling, and treatment of slaves. I would say find the laws, make adaptations for modern times, and use them as an amendment. If the slaves of these worlds do indeed agree with the practice, who are we, or anyone else, to tell them differently? How different would that make us from the Goa’uld to go in and force them to change their society? Also make sure they have a means of contacting this council for a hearing, if anything goes so wrong that they cannot get justice on their planet.”

“That brings up another point, Daniel,” Jonas said. “What about the worlds where a gender is enslaved instead of an individual? There are a few worlds where women are forced to abide the men. Even in some of the cultures here on Earth.”

Daniel was brought up short.

“All for one,” Jack said. “We cannot force anyone to change their society, not if they don’t want to. The main agreement is that their nations are aligned. One planet, one vote. We have a nasty history on this planet of subjugating women, and I for one despise the idea. I have to say that if another planet with this issue wants to join, and they have all their ducks in a row, let them join. They need to understand that the rest of the compact does not treat their women in that manner and they will need to abide by the rules of others when they are off-world. Daniel, I just thought of something that isn’t in this compact.”

Daniel looked at him.

“I cannot stand this idiotic American idea of diplomatic immunity,” Jack said. He looked at the aliens. “My country has this rule that says diplomats are immune to prosecution for any crime, including murder. That has got to be one of the stupidest rules ever made, and it’s hurt us big time. I’d like to see it added to the compact that no ambassador is immune to the laws of the compact or the world he/she/it is visiting.”

The others agreed and Ninurta, as scribe for this meeting, made notations.

“With that added, and in addition to the abuse laws, no ambassador may use the rules of their own world when they are in session with the union,” Inanna interpreted. Jack agreed. “Slavery and the such is permitted providing it is legal on the home planet and that they have laws protecting their subjects, along with the care and well-being of the subjects. Except for eccentricities, all the compact worlds should be following, mainly, their contract with the union.”

The others agreed to the interpretation.

“Sir Karoly, are you able to agree with this?” Inanna asked the Taklede.

He frowned, pursing his lips. “I will take this back to my government for review,” he conceded. “I would like to see an initial over-view of the abuse laws beforehand, though.”

Inanna agreed.

“We cannot impede any world their own progress,” Jack said. “Look, there are a lot of things I hate, a lot of things I will fight for; I made the mistake once of looking at only one side of the coin without stopping to think about the other side, and I regretted it. It isn’t our business to tell people how to live their lives, it is our business to keep the terms of this contract. If people have agreed to the contract, then it becomes our right to step in.”

“And the rights of children?” Karoly asked.

“What about them?” Jack asked.

“One world has children who are sexually active.”

Jack thought about it. “How old are the children?”

“As young as five years,” Karoly said. “They claim it is with the consent of the child, but how can a child consent?”

Jack could feel that this Karoly was indignant about a great many things, all of which he felt it was his right to instruct others on. Jack had a few opinions of his own, but he rarely stepped on someone else’s toes. Not on purpose, anyway. He had learned the hard way, from Daniel, that people deserved the right to live as they will and Jack didn’t have the right to tell them otherwise. He could make his opinions known, but he couldn’t force anyone to his side.

“In my opinion, the child must be of legal age in their society before participating in sexual relations, especially with an adult” Inanna said. “A child may be able to understand, intellectually, what they are doing, but I don’t believe their body is ready for it. I don’t believe their heart is ready for it. From a broader, social standpoint, if the child is old enough to participate in sexual relations, that child is old enough to participate in the community at large, complete with adult standings in that community. Teenagers having sex with each other, I can see, I was a teenager once myself, and although my first experience was with an adult woman, I was at least old enough to understand what I was doing and I later appreciated her teaching me about sex. Children younger than puberty…. no, I don’t think so. We are a sexual creature, I know that, but if the switch isn’t on, the light won’t shine. Legal age.”

They could all agree to that.

Jack had to put his foot down on the sexual union with animals issue.

“An animal cannot consent, I don’t care how many teeth and claws it has,” he said. “Unless there is full, conscious knowledge and consent, it shouldn’t be done. People are actually doing that? I cannot believe we are even discussing these things.”

Inanna nodded, wrinkling her nose. Jack shuddered.

“There are quite a few worlds who are arguing that individual countries shouldn’t be barred from joining just because their world is not united,” Inanna reported.

“Including mine,” Jack responded. She inclined her head. “The point of all this is to unify the worlds. How can they decide to join, if the world itself isn’t unified? I don’t see the problem with this one; if they can’t get together to unify their world, how are they going to play in the big sand box with the rest of us? Get their own world unified, first.”

“Or,” Daniel held up a finger, “at least have a voting process or something that allows their governments to make decisions for the whole.”

“Some are attempting that,” Bre’tac said. “By force.”

Jack shook a finger. “Doesn’t count,” he said. He knew of several planets attempting to do just that, and one which had already destroyed itself through a war they refused to stop. “If they blow themselves up, what use will they be to the overall galactic community? Should we bring in the concept of sanctions?” Not now, the others decided. Ninurta scribbled it down for future discussions.

“And my world?” Atis, the Mulakma asked. His beak caused his words to be clipped. “Our governments are kingdoms run by kings.”

“A feudal society,” Daniel said to Jack. “I read the report. Duels at dawn and everything.”

“As you say,” Atis nodded to Daniel. “It is our way to conquer neighboring kingdoms and rule them. If one king must conquer all in order to join your union, this is what will be done. Will you deny us membership for our ways? We find it abhorrent that you humans use your females and children in such manners and, yet, you look down upon us?”

Jack grabbed his hair and pulled. “Point taken,” he said. “But can we draw a line at using weapons of mass destruction?”

They all agreed.

“Besides,” Atis said. “It is honorable to take one’s enemy face to face, not stand like a coward behind a great machine.”

“Yeah, it’s those great machines that saved your feathered ass from the Goa’uld,” Jack reminded him. Fur-tufted ears twitched.

“Point taken,” Atis said. Jack got a sense of humor from him.

The front door opened and Stacy and Davy ran in, slamming the door behind them as they tossed jackets and boots into the corner. They stopped short, wide-eyed.

“Ooooohhhh,” they breathed. They were staring at Atis.

“Hey, manners,” Jack reminded them.

“I’m sorry,” Stacy said, shaking herself. She walked over to the alien. “I’m Stacy and this is my brother David. I belong to Daniel, he belongs to Jack. We were staring because you have pretty feathers and fur.”

Atis inclined his head. “You are kind, youngling,” he said. “No offense is taken for none is given.”

The children greeted the other new guest with polite hand shakes and the rest of their guests with effusive hugs before going on their way. Bre’tac was chuckling.

“Like father, like child?” he asked.

“Tell me,” Jack snorted. Daniel knocked him on the arm.

“Put Stacy in charge of all this, instead of you,” he warned Jack.

“I’ll second the nomination,” Jack said.

Katie had been pouting in her room for most of the weekend, but she came out long enough to meet and greet people after Jack snapped quietly in her ear. Matthew had long since left to play with friends after changing out of his church clothes. Atis watched curiously as Olivia played on the rug.

“They are unable to walk so young?” he asked.

“Give her another few months,” Jack said. “She’ll be into everything by then.”

Jonas gave Atis a basic lesson on human baby development, and he chittered his beak thoughtfully. Jack took it as an acknowledgment.

“Ours are hatched and they are up and about immediately,” he commented. Jack started to comment on the hatching part, but didn’t know how to begin without sounding offensive.

“Hatched?” Trust Jonas….. “May I ask how many in a clutch?”

“Two to four,” Atis said easily. “Many don’t survive their first year. They go through ravenous hunger pains at various intervals, and if they are not quickly fed, they will fall to each other.”

“They eat each other?” Jack couldn’t help it.

“No, not exactly,” Atis said. “In olden times they would, but not anymore. The taste of blood seems to satisfy them. It doesn’t happen at all, if attendants are being attentive.”

And he’s questioning our cultures? Jack couldn’t help shooting the thought toward Inanna. She raised an eyebrow and Jack was almost positive she had heard him. What did he just do?

“Lord Atis, you do understand that there is a clause about cannibalism?” Jonas asked as delicately as he could.

“Indeed,” he inclined his head. “As I said, the younglings do not eat, they merely fight for life. We are a hard, but fair society; it is our way.”

After they beamed back to Heaven’s Bow, Jack went to his computer and signed into the SGC files to check out the Mulakma and Taklede. Discovered by SG-3 on a routine mission during Reynolds’ command, SG-3 settled a few disputes, helped to find a lost royal tayr, their word for a small child, and both groups worked with the Argos during the battle. Col. Galanakis put in a good word for them. Jack called Reynolds over for a talk.

“Yeah, there are some oddities about them,” Reynolds said. “Both are a little on the formal side. The Taklede are more puritanical about their formalities, the Mulakma prefer to settle things face to face and are more open in their passions. I think they’re good guys, though; the Taklede have a tendency to preach, but they aren’t rabid about things. Most of the ones I met, at least, aren’t. The birds are a little more accepting and more prone to ask questions before judging.”

“Do they have something to offer, being on the main unification council?” Jack asked.

Reynolds thought about it and shrugged. “Maybe,” he conceded. “The birds can fly which gives them incredible knowledge about aerial combat, and the Taklede are exacting in their maneuvers. They hit their targets with one shot, usually. Outside of combat, they both have strong social backgrounds and an open-door policy for anyone in need. And they didn’t surrender to the Goa’uld. I like ‘em.”

Daniel came in and handed the baby to Jack.

“Hey, Kevin. Jack, I need to run to the store. I’m out of ink for my printer. Do you need anything?” Jack thought about it and shook his head. He gave Daniel an absent pat on the back of a thigh before Daniel went to find his jacket. He called upstairs to Stacy. She ran down and quickly put her jacket and boots on, and left with him, skipping happily while holding his hand.

Reynolds watched him leave and then turned to Jack.

“I still can’t quite get over all this,” he said.

“Believe me, I'm still learning.”

Later in the evening, as Jack and Daniel played in the shower, Sam was reading a report in bed. The men came out, finally, drying off and getting ready for bed. Jack crawled up the bed, burrowed under the paper, and came up to see her looking at him in amusement. She plucked at his wet hair and he rested his chin between her breasts.

“I refuse to believe you are ready for another round, not after all that yelling in there,” she informed him.

“Nope, not ready,” he admitted. “Doesn’t mean I can’t make nice with your boobies.” He nuzzled the soft mounds and she giggled. “Honey, I miss you here every day,” he informed her, whining slightly. “Daniel can’t keep his hands off me, I feel like his sex slave, and I need you here to protect me.”

Daniel smacked his rear end.

“Ow. See? He abuses me,” Jack informed her. She stroked the bridge of his nose.

“Yes, I can see you’re so abused,” she told him. “I have some time saved up; how about a vacation? Just the three of us? A few days off?”

“How about just the two of you?” Daniel countered. They looked at him. “When was the last time the two of you spent any decent time together? Go, get out for a while, I can take care of the kids for a few days, Jerrie is here, Maggie is up the street, and I can even get Michael in here for an hour or two, if I have to.”

Jack scooted up a few inches and nipped at her lips. “Where would you like to go?” he asked her. She touched his face, gently stroking his cheeks. She glowed as she gazed at him, and Jack couldn’t believe how lucky he was and wondered how in the hell he had earned a right to her love.

“I think I’d like to find a cabin somewhere and disappear under a lot of heavy blankets,” she said. Jack slowly smiled.

“That can be arranged,” he said. He kissed her, brushing her lips with his as she took her long legs out from under him and wrapped them across the backs of his thighs.

“You know the secondary arch?” she asked. “The transporter thing? How about we set it up at HomeSec? Maybe in the ring room? I can come home everyday.”

Jack picked his head up from inspecting her breasts close-up. “You could do that with ships,” he commented.

“Yes, but it’s kind of silly to hop and skip with ships,” she said. “With the arch, home is just a few steps away. And everyone who commutes from here can use it.”

He considered it. “We can give it a try,” he agreed. “Have you worked out the mechanics of it?”

“Almost,” she said. “It’s almost a combination of the gate and a transporter. It needs to be dialed, but since it is for close proximity, not jumping through stars, it takes less effort. Not as many dialing sequences. And it’s a transporter, not a gate, so there isn’t a wormhole to contend with.”

Jack looked at her. “Uh huh. Are you telling me that you can build another one?”

“Eventually,” she said. “Bye-bye airplanes, trains, and automobiles, hello clean air.”

“Detroit is going to take out a contract on you,” he warned her.

“Oh, well,” she responded dryly. She was suddenly serious as she looked at him. “Jack, somewhere in that tin can of yours, you have the schematics for all this, you do know that, right? I mean, I can figure things out, eventually, but I’m only copying. You have the ability to create these things. Somewhere buried in there.” She tapped on his forehead.

Jack groaned and rolled off her. He stared at the ceiling, his hands locked behind his neck.

“I try not to think about it,” he said. “I haven’t had any urge to draw or even pick up a ruler and pencil, and as far as I know, I haven’t been speaking any strange words.”

She rolled over onto him. “You are always drawing, Jack; try sketching out something other than doodles. Will you try?” she asked. “For me? The next time you kel’no’reem and you’re all relaxed, will you just try to draw something? Don’t think about it, just pick up a pencil and try.”

“We could try hypnosis,” Daniel suggested from the opposite side of the bed. His partners looked at him. “No, I don’t believe it can make people act like chickens or anything like that, but it does relax the mind to a point where hidden things can come to the surface. Ask Dr. Edmonds.”

“I think I like the kel’no’reem idea better,” Jack said. A babbling was heard from the baby box and they looked at it.

“I’ll see what she wants,” Daniel offered.

“No, let me,” Sam said, sliding off Jack. “I don’t get enough time with her, as it is.”

“She’s just happy,” Jack said, giving a small reach. “Amusing herself.”

“Still. I want cuddle time,” Sam said. She straightened her t-shirt and went to the nursery. The men smiled as they heard her pleasure in Olivia’s presence.

Daniel rolled over and put an arm across Jack’s stomach, resting against his chest. “I’m glad she’s discovered the mother within,” he commented. Jack nodded. “While you were gone, Sam was dropped head first into the motherhood deep end. She was ready to scream after the first month. I don’t think she realized how sheltered she had been, being away most of the week while you and I took care of the kids. 

“I had a problem at the base which took up almost an entire week, so she was left with the kids. Jerrie was good about helping her, and she was firm about it, too. Sam was their mother, so BE their mother. Sam almost fired Jerrie for insubordination. Then Jerrie pulled the sick relative act and left for a week. I couldn’t leave the base, so Sam was alone with the kids. She finally had a long talk with several base mothers and she settled down to the job at hand.”

Jack chuckled. “Remind me to give Jerrie a raise. Or at least a good vacation.”