“General O’Neill,” Ronnie stopped on her way out after dinner. “I just wanted to thank you. All of you. For being accepting of me. And thank you for dinner.”
“We’re not on duty,” Jack said. “You can make it Jack. And I have no problem with people being real.” It was the first time Ronnie had made a reference to her differences, and Jack wondered how hard it was. She was scared, he could feel.
“Hey,” Daniel went up to her and gave her a hug. “Just relax. You have nothing to prove to anyone; if people have an issue, it’s their issue, not yours.”
“Ditto,” Sam said, poking a thumb in Daniel’s direction.
Ronnie wasn’t very good at passing as a woman; she was too masculine even with the estrogen and surgery. People around the SGC and the university quickly learned to keep their opinions to themselves, having had Daniel in their face when one wrong word was said.
“Parents,” Matty called out, getting their attention after Ronnie left. He held up a piece of paper. “Can I play baseball this summer?”
“Swimming,” Stacy said.
“Volunteering at the hospital,” Katie said. Permission slips were signed by the nearest parent.
They looked at David.
“I just want to play,” he said. Everyone laughed and Davy ducked his head, sticking his tongue out at his siblings.
“You can play,” Jack told him.
After dinner, the kids found a corner and began to devour Daniel’s book. Davy didn’t understand most of the first page, so Daniel picked excerpts and told him stories. After a couple of hours of silence by children who were usually running around after dinner, bedtime was declared. Daniel insisted that Stacy walk her dog once more before putting him into the kennel. She had been a little clingy, sitting near him as she read and watching closely when he got up, so he went on the walk with her. Once the kids were in bed, Jack and Daniel sat on the floor, backs to the couch, as they watched the news. Sam lay on the couch, the baby next to her playing with her tags.
“Here we go,” Jack murmured, watching the numbers on the death toll rise. “Oh, my God.” He covered his face for a moment, Daniel and Sam also choking.
“Almost the entire armed forces and civilian consultants in Seoul,” Jack said. “About 100,000 people, mostly ours. Those who didn’t die weren’t at their bases.”
“If that….. hadn’t been killed by his own people, we’d be at war,” Sam said.
“Eleven million in Seoul,” Daniel said, feeling sick to his stomach. “If we include the surrounding areas, tourists, civilian workers, and our own troops, we’re looking at about 11 and a half million dead.” He suddenly jumped to his feet and ran to the bathroom. Jack took Sam’s hand from over his shoulder and laced their fingers together.
“I don’t know what to do, Sam,” Jack confessed.
She pulled his arm back and put her mouth to his knuckles, knowing what it cost him to make that admission. “There’s nothing we can do except to mourn,” she said. “More than likely, we have a few local families who lost someone over there. Americans work through grief by talking about it. Once we identify the families, we get everyone together and we talk about it.”
It didn’t take long for the first families to make themselves known. Just after they went to bed, the phone rang. It was the sheriff.
“Jack, I’m sorry to wake you,” Andy said. “We have four men in lock-up. Army boys. Taking a vacation together, camping out. They came up for air long enough to turn a radio on, get drunk off their asses, and bust up a bar. They were stationed at Camp Red Cloud.”
Jack squeezed his eyes. “Let them dry out for the night, Andy, I’ll come over in the morning. I’d appreciate it if you kept them away from the local population. Give them space. Thanks for calling me first.” He thought for a moment and then dialed the SGC.
“This is O’Neill. Sergeant, find me the home phone for General Morrison at Fort Carson.” Patched through to the general, Jack updated him on the men in the tank. The men weren’t under Jack’s command, so Gen. Morrison would take care of it in the morning.
In the morning, it was easy enough to get the kids ready and off to school. Just as they were heading out, a car from the auto-pool showed up.
“Welcome back,” Jack said, holding his coffee mug as he watched the kids greet Teal’c and Mason before running to the waiting truck with an SF behind the wheel. “You’re looking particularly…. Jaffa-esk.” Mason had lost his BDUs somewhere along the way and donned Jaffa gear.
“Jack, what the hell’s been going on?” his cousin asked, slightly wide-eyed. “Half the Jaffa nation is talking about an explosion on Tau’ri and when we get to the solar system, we hear Korea has been almost completely destroyed. I leave for ten days and the world goes to hell.”
“Are you well, O’Neill?” Teal’c rumbled.
“Fine, T, and you?” They clasped forearms. Mason took a breath and waited.
“Master Bre’tac would welcome a visit from you,” Teal’c said. Jack looked quickly at him.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
Teal’c considered his words for a moment. “He is….. most advanced in age,” he said. “Is there anything here my people can assist with?”
Mason sat on a porch chair and lifted Olivia from her round scooter.
“No, there isn’t, T,” Jack said tiredly. “The injured are being taken care of; the land will need to heal by itself.”
“From what I understand, he’s aging quicker without his symbiote,” Mason said. Teal’c had already noticed the same speech patterns between the cousins and was ready for the non sequitur. “He’s old, Jack. He relaxes and lets his students and pretty girls fetch things for him. Even Dor’nar tires him out. Jack, Korea…..”
“You want coffee?” Jack asked. He went in and was back out a minute later with two more cups. “A moment of insanity, Mace,” he said. He leaned back against the porch railing and gave the men a summary of recent events.
Olivia gave a restless wiggle and she was put back in her scooter.
“I had buddies in a couple of the camps,” Mason said after a moment of silence. “Jack, I’d like to go home and see my wife and kids. I don’t know how Mel will like Colorado but I’m now willing to do this.” He stood up and pulled his mesh vest aside, revealing a healing staff wound on his right side. “I understand, now, Jack.”
Jack gave a slow nod as he considered his cousin. He reached out to touch Mason’s side. Mason stepped back, shaking his head.
“I’ve been hearing rumors about you touching people; I want the scar,” he said. “I’m not sure I understand about this Ancient stuff and genetics I’ve been hearing about. I’ve been hearing a lot of surreal things.” He paced to the end of the porch and back as he thought, and grimaced as he ran his fingers through his hair. “Mind if I take a shower before heading home?”
“Master bedroom is the door to the right of the stairs,” Jack said. “Help yourself to clothes. And don’t leave town without stopping to see Mom and Michael.”
While Mason showered off the grime of the universe, Teal’c informed Jack that the Tollan were arguing amongst themselves and Narim had moved in with the Anunnaki. Inanna was making him clean the stables. Teal’c reached into an inner-vest pocket and pulled out one of Inanna’s miniature notepads, an Earth invention she had recreated around crystal technology.
“The council has accepted your nomination of President Hayes as the Tau’ri representative, providing Tau’ri approves the nomination.”
Jack glanced up. “That was fast,” he commented. “I only sent this yesterday. Our council here hasn’t even met on this; I’ll let them know, though.” He signed the notepad and handed it back. “Does this mean Tau’ri is in?”
“It does,” Teal’c said, inclining his head. “Congratulations. The Unified Worlds Council will be sending official notice shortly. A few of the members felt that the approval should be provisional, particularly in light of the bombing of Korea. The fact that China has found a new sense of its own humanity has convinced those members to give Earth the benefit of the doubt.”
Jack nodded in relief; he wasn’t sure they would be accepted, not after recent events, hell even he would have refused a world where one country just bombed another from existence.
“President Tien seems to be towing the new party line,” he commented. “I have to admit that Japan is dealing with this in an unexpectedly positive manner; they’re doing a remembrance for Nagasaki and Hiroshima, two of their cities that were bombed during a world war many years ago. President Ito sent me a private email this morning, once more pledging peace from Japan and promising assistance in the rebuilding of Korea. It took three months for the Japanese towns to begin rebuilding, and those bombs were not quite as large as the one that dropped on Seoul. I’m estimating five months before Korea clears enough for people to walk around without haz-mat suits. It isn’t the radiation that worries me, T; it’s those millions of dead bodies that weren’t turned into ashes by the blast.”
“Yes, I see,” Teal’c said quietly. “The water and land will be poisoned by the decaying bodies for a longer period than the radiation will remain harmful. What about destroying the bodies?”
“That’s a big problem, too,” Jack said. “Most Tau’ri bury their dead. Burning seems to be an issue among Earth religions. I’m going to recommend it, though; we can use the ships to raze the ground with lasers. That should take care of human and animal remains. Without a provisional government, I’ll need to convince the UN to allow it to happen. The UN isn’t happy with me.”
“Is anyone happy with you, O’Neill?” Teal’c asked.
Jack thought about it. “Olivia is happy with me.” They looked at the baby who was trying to get close enough to Fang so that she could grab his fur. Her legs weren’t strong enough or long enough to cooperate yet, though, so she pumped her legs and arms in agitation and gave an indignant yell. Fang stayed out of arm’s reach.
The door opened and Mason came out looking neat and tidy in borrowed BDU’s, wiping shaving cream from his jaw with a washcloth and holding a copy of Daniel’s book with the other hand. “I called General Pembroke,” he said. “He’s going to grant my transfer to the SGC.”
Not that he really had a say in this, Jack thought. “I’ll let Landry know he’s getting a new team member. Did Pembroke give you orders until the transfer?”
“He told me to take a couple weeks leave,” Mason said. “I called Melanie to let her know I’m on-world. She’s a little upset with you.”
Jack ignored Teal’c who deliberately didn’t look at him.
“Keep the book,” Jack said, nodding toward the item. “It’ll hit the shelves next month. Consider it homework before you get to the SGC. T, did you get your copy?”
“I did,” he confirmed. “Thank you for sending it.”
A car pulled up to the curb and Jack waved at Mandy and Maria. “Mace, I have something I need to do today; make yourself at home,” Jack said. “Would you do me a favor, though, and take Olivia over to Mom’s? Her bag is on the couch.”
Jack took Teal’c with him to the car at the curb. Mandy was surprised to see Teal’c with Jack and carefully shook Teal’c hand as Jack opened the passenger door and squatted down next to the young lady. She was pale, her skin slightly yellow-tinted, weak from her chemotherapy, her once thick brown hair reduced to a thin layer covering her head.
“Hi, you must be Lydia,” he said. “I’m Jack. That’s Teal’c. Are you ready? You feel up to this?”
“I’m tired, but that’s normal,” she told him, taking his hand. “I’m happy to meet you, General. I’ve been trying to get the gossip out of Mandy and Maria, but they don’t say much of anything beyond you being nice and things sometimes getting a little entertaining around here. Mandy said I can touch the Stargate; is he kidding me?”
“No, he isn’t,” Jack said, enjoying the sparkle in her eyes as he reached back and took Maria’s hand. “You can call me Jack. I have special permission from General Landry to take you guys into the base and let you touch the Gate. Believe me; your brother will be mowing my lawn all summer for this one.”
Mandy laughed. “I don’t think so, Jack,” he said.
Something occurred to Lydia and she turned to look closer at Teal’c, her eyes becoming wider as she stared at the sigil on his forehead. “He’s a……”
“Yes, he is,” Jack nodded. “Teal’c is a Jaffa. He’s an old friend of mine, part of my team. I didn’t plan on him being here, he happened to show up about an hour ago. I hope it’s alright with you if he tags along?”
“Oh, yes,” she breathed. Teal’c bowed, hands in their typical place, clasped at the base of his spine.
Jack held up a hand toward Mason on the porch before getting into his truck and leading Mandy to the Mountain. Most of the crew knew Jack was bringing guests in that morning, although they didn’t know why. It wasn’t their place to ask as they stood aside for the lady in the wheelchair. Teal’c gave her his arm, helping her to slowly walk up the stairs to the main conference room. Jack introduced everyone to Landry and Reynolds, who had stuck around after the morning briefing.
“This is my favorite viewing window,” Landry said, smiling paternally at Lydia. He touched a switch and the blast shield went up. Lydia gasped as the huge circle came into sight.
“That’s the ring that was found in Giza?” she asked, wide-eyed. Landry caught Jack’s eyes and received a nod.
“Yes, it is,” Landry nodded. “And Dr. Jackson deciphered it, allowing us to go to other worlds.”
“Oh,” she remembered something and reached for her bag which Mandy handed to her. She drew out a book. “Is Sgt. Harriman here? I’d really like him to sign my book.”
Landry chuckled. “He’s here,” he said. “Although, his proper rank is chief master sergeant. Two different ranks.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said, embarrassed. Landry waved at her.
“No need,” he said. “Happens all the time.”
They went down to the control room where the civilians were warned not to touch anything. Walter turned a little red and signed Lydia’s book.
“Hey, Jack.” He turned to see Bosco coming up the stairs.
“Jerry, how’s Connie?” Jack asked, taking the offered forearm.
“She’s good,” Bosco nodded. “And thanks again for all your help. Hey, did you have anything to do with Tibet?”
Jack sighed. “No, I didn’t,” he said. He looked up at the ceiling and spoke loudly. “Now hear this –I had nothing to do with Tibet!”
There was a click and then Walter’s voice on the loud-speaker. “Attention all personnel: per General O’Neill, he had nothing to do with Tibet. That is all.”
Jack looked at him.
“Thank you, Walter.”
“You’re welcome, sir.”
One more short flight of stairs and they were entering the Gateroom itself. Lydia looked up in wonder at the size of the ring.
“Come on,” Jack said, holding out his arm. She took it and they walked slowly up the ramp. She touched the ring. As Jack watched her, he remembered his first time and realized that he had become so accustomed to it that he forgot to be amazed by it. He waved Mandy and Maria up and they, too, touched the Stargate. Pictures were taken.
“Are you tired?” Mandy asked his sister.
“Not yet,” she said, reaching to touch the nearest glyph. She looked at the back, seeing that it was the same as the front. “And this dials? Like an old rotary phone to get a certain phone number?”
Jack looked at her and nodded. “That’s good,” he said. “That’s exactly how it works. It dials other Gates all over the galaxy. And with an extra power boost, it’ll dial Gates in other galaxies.”
The door opened and Jack looked over. “Ah. Lydia, this is a friend of ours. Malek. He has something to discuss with you.”
Once Lydia was settled into negotiations with the Tok’ra, Jack went into the monitoring room to look at the screens. The main bank of monitors was focused on Korea and the ship in Austria. Daniel was among the people watching and kibitzing with the science team on the mountain.
“Who’s up there?” Jack asked, watching the team scratching their heads.
“Captain Boggs, Colonel Sheppard, and a few others from the B-team,” Daniel said, not taking his eyes from the monitors.
Jack frowned. “So who’s on the mikku?”
“Burkett, I think,” Daniel said.
“The B-team?”
“You’re the A-team, Jack.”
“Oh. I keep forgetting.”
Jack found a mic and put it on his ear.
“Sheppard, how’s it going up there?” he asked.
“General? That you?” Sheppard called back. “It’s cold, that’s how it’s going, sir. We don’t see any way to get this ship out of here without bringing the entire top of the mountain down. The local villages along the slopes and at the base are evacuating, just in case.”
“Last resort, Colonel,” Jack warned. “And we will discuss it before that happens. I happen to like the Alps just the way they are.”
“Yes, sir.”
The Europa was still in orbit over Asia. Col. Belarus was straining the ship’s resources in assisting the world’s medical community in treating the victims. Many countries were asking where all the alien technology was now, with all the dead and dying from radiation poisoning. Davis had gone live to tell them that everything was being done that could be done, and there were three other ships in orbit also helping.
“Jack.” He turned at the sound of his name. Landry stood in the door. “Just a warning: our CMO knows you’re on base and is hunting for you. Something about updating your records.” He knew his daughter was like a terrier with a bone; he owed Jack at least a chance at escape.
“Crap,” Jack muttered, turning quickly away from the monitors and tossing the mic to a table.
The intercom beeped.
“Yes?” Landry said.
“Is General O’Neill with you, General Landry?” Teal’c asked.
“I’m here, T,” Jack said.
“Dr. Lam just left the conference room,” Teal’c said. “I believe she is heading your way.”
Jack scrambled and stuck his head out the door.
“What’d ya do?” Landry asked, watching in amusement. He was taking great entertainment out of seeing his daughter trying to get the stubborn Jack O’Neill to mind his doctor.
“I healed Tien’s grandson from major radiation burns,” Jack said. Landry’s eyes opened wide. The room contained personnel in highly sensitive positions; people who knew when to shut their ears.
“Oh, my,” he commented, glancing at Daniel. Daniel lifted a shoulder and chuckled. “That explains quite a bit. You better get out or she’ll strap you to an exam bed.”
“Shut up, Daniel.” Jack saw the instant speculation in Daniel’s eyes.
Jack snuck out of the room and into the halls, hugging the walls as he carefully made his way through the corridors. Personnel watched him; those who knew him were amused, others were curious. He spotted Capt. Bogner from SG-1. Bogner was making a motion with a half-hidden hand. Jack rushed into a room and watched from the crack in the door as their own Kull warrior tried sniffing him out as she stalked the hall. She paused, looked around suspiciously, and continued her quest.
From around another doorway, Jack saw Bogner motioning again. Jack hurried toward him and gave Bogner’s shoulder a touch as he followed the hand signals to another corridor. Zane met him at the next corridor and ushered him on after a quick look around. Molina and then Kaplan cleared his way through to a hatch where Jack climbed up to the next floor and breathed a sigh of relief as he hit the elevator button.
The door opened and he jumped. “Yikes!”
“Hold it right there, General!”
“General?”
Jack turned and saw Harper coming toward them.
“I’m glad I caught you before you left,” Harper said. “Hi, Doc. Sir, can I borrow you for just a moment? Col. Reynolds is busy babysitting Tok’ra and I’m really having a problem understanding one of SG-1’s previous reports. I believe it’s pertinent to a current issue, but I’ll know for sure if I can get a translation of all the Jack-speak.”
“Of course I’ll help, Major,” Jack said, tossing a friendly arm around Harper’s shoulders. “I’ll get back to you, Doctor.”
Lam watched suspiciously as the men walked away.
“O’Neill! I am ordering you to the infirmary the second you are done!” she called after him.
“Ana mish fahma,” he called, waving a hand in the air above his head. Her eyes narrowed. Harper bit his lip to keep from snickering.
“I know where you live, O’Neill!”
“Never knew that would come in handy,” Jack said, glancing back. “You know how many times Daniel used it on me? I don’t understand!” he whined in a nasally version of Daniel whining. His arm quickly slid off Harper’s shoulder the moment they were out of Lam’s vision.
“And she’s going to make her way around the crew until she finds someone to translate it,” Harper said.
“Did you really need me?” Jack asked.
“No, not really,” Harper said, shaking his head. “Word went out and a bunch of us each took a floor and stationed ourselves near the elevators, waiting for you and her.”
Jack looked at him. “Five thousand dollars, Harper,” he said, swinging his arms in exasperation. “Who the hell pays $5,000 for a dress they will wear only once?”
Harper held up a hand in defense. “I told her we could pay for it, but she’s insisting on doing the ‘traditional’ thing.” He held out fingers, making quote marks in the air. “My parents are paying half, and I’m paying for more than I told Cassie I was paying for. Believe me, you got the lesser of the evils. Forget the dress, have you priced chicken lately? I’m considering taking this party to Chulak. Oh…. my folks want you guys over for dinner.”
“What?” Jack squinted. “Why? Not that I wouldn’t mind meeting……”
“Because my mother is very old-fashioned and doesn’t quite know what to do with an orphaned young lady who has no background and no parents for them to meet. I mentioned that you guys sorta-not-really adopted her, so Mother is grasping at straws. They do not approve of Daniel in your marriage but I don’t particularly care; I’m feeling a little foul toward Mother, at the moment, so bring Daniel by all means.”
Jack was surprised and gave a reluctant smirk. “You may want to consider taking Col. Davis to lunch.” The radio at Harper’s shoulder clicked.
“She’s in the monitor room,” someone whispered. “She’s headed back to the infirmary.”
Jack went carefully through the corridors and took another hatch to climb back down near the conference rooms. He opened the door slowly, looking inside. Everyone around the table paused to watch as Jack slid into the room.
“How’re we doing, kids?” he asked.
“You should submit to Dr. Lam,” Malek told him. “Don’t you want to track your own changes?”
“Not at the risk of my soul,” Jack said. “So, Lydia, what do you think?”
She looked paler than when she had come in. “I think….. I’m not sure what to think. Is this for real?”
“It is,” Jack said gently. “You don’t have to accept the offer now; you can take time to think about it. I recommend thinking hard on it. I’ve known the Tok’ra for a long time; my wife’s father became a Tok’ra when he was dying of leukemia. He was very happy with it. We’ve sent a few hosts to the Tok’ra and they are all enjoying the experience.”
She looked pensively at Mandy and Maria.
“Will I be able to see my family?”
“Sure,” Jack nodded. “Any time you want. Malek comes and goes all the time and he doesn’t even live here.”
“Can I change my mind later?” she asked.
“That one is more difficult,” Malek said. “No Tok’ra symbiote will stay with you, if you absolutely do not wish for the Blending. We will need to find a new host, though, before we can transfer the symbiote out of you or the symbiote will die.”
She looked at Mandy and then down to her folded hands. Mandy reached and covered her hands with his.
“I don’t know enough about this to advise you,” he told her. “I don’t know anything about this symbiote stuff. What I can say is that I’ve known Jack for several years and he’s always been a good neighbor, friendly, always willing to lend a hand and do a guy a favor. If Jack has offered this as a possibility, I think it’s a possibility that needs to be considered.” He touched her hair, a look of longing on his face. “Lyd, we need to face facts: Christmas will be without you, unless a miracle happens. This just might be our miracle.”
She looked at the aliens in the room, and then at Reynolds and Jack. “Would it be possible for me to see where I would be living before I make a decision?”
Jack looked at Reynolds and nodded. “Sure,” he said. “Malek, that would be alright, wouldn’t it?”
Malek thought for a moment. “Yes, I think so,” he said.
“Colonel, what’s your schedule like?” Jack asked Reynolds.
“Providing General Landry approves, SG-1 is available for escort,” Reynolds said.
“I’ll have a talk with the general,” Jack said.
“Don’t you rank General Landry?” Mandy asked, curious. “Can’t you just order the escort?”
“I could,” Jack admitted. “Technically, the SGC is under HomeWorld Security’s umbrella, but if I did that it would do serious damage to the chain of command. I take over only in an emergency. Don’t worry, I’m sure he’ll approve.”
Landry did approve the mission, and SG-1 was rounded up to play escort. Much to Mandy’s surprise, he and Maria were allowed to go with Lydia to see her potential new home.
“Jack.” He heard Daniel, and looked around until he realized that the voice was coming from his comm.
“Daniel?”
“Lam has the exit staked out,” Daniel told him. “The SF have orders to deliver you directly to her.”
Jack swore under his breath and then paused. He took his radio from his belt.
“Prometheus, this is O’Neill.”
Moments later, Jack was walking in his front door. Mason was watching the news while Olivia played on the floor.
“I thought she was going to Mom’s?” Jack said.
“Da!” Olivia was happy to see him and scooted his way until she was picked up.
“I am a father, Jack, I can watch her for a while,” Mason said. “We had lunch with your mother and Michael. We’re doing fine.”
“Did Fang….?”
Mason scowled at him. “Jack, you’re pushing.”
Jack lifted a hand and bit his tongue before walking toward his office.
“Come in here, if you want to see the real show,” he said. Mason followed him and Jack switched his computer on. He hit a desktop link and the screen came up with four miniature images. He sent two away and brought the remaining two up before motioning his cousin over. Mason looked over his shoulder.
“These are live feeds,” Jack said. “Asia and Austria. I have a team in the Alps working on a project.” He turned the speakers on and chatter was heard. “Toggle the audio back and forth between the sites, if you want to hear the radio chatter. This is a high security clearance. When is your ride heading east?”
“Later tonight,” Mason said as he slid into Jack’s chair. Jack looked at him.
“You do understand that all of our ships are in orbit working on this situation in Asia and they all have beaming capabilities, don’t you?” he asked. “You can go home now, if you wanted to. You’ll be home in thirty seconds. If that. Hell, I can put you on a 302 and we could be buzzing your house minutes after leaving here.”
Mason paused, not having considered it.
“This is going to take a little more getting used to,” he said. “I’d like to go home. I’ll go with the 302, leave the ships to work out there.”
“Done,” Jack agreed. “And I’m sorry about your friends. I knew a few people there, too. There’s going to be a memorial for families and friends here; you’re welcome to attend.”
Mason gave Olivia’s fuzzy head a stroke. “I appreciate it,” he said. “There will probably be memorials all over the place; I’m sure Charlotte will have one. I’ll do it myself, if they don’t.” He hesitated for a moment.
“Jack….. What’s up with Jonathan? I kept getting weird vibes whenever he was around, and I don’t understand the deference that was given to him. He’s a smart kid, I’ll give him that, and he knows his way around a battlefield, but he’s a kid. And why is he living on Kalam, instead of here with you? Is his mother an alien? Was he born out there? And do you really approve of this relationship of his with Shara? What’s going on?”
Jack considered him and then sent out a feeler. He knew his cousin was a good Marine, no matter how much Jack whined about jarheads. Mason was also black-ops and he was about to enter the SGC. He told Mason the truth. Mason slowly nodded.
“That explains a lot,” was all Mason said. Jack knew he’d keep his mouth shut. Mason hesitated again.
“You, Sam, and Daniel?” he asked. “Jack, you never looked in a guy’s direction.”
Jack went to the library, hunted for the hand-fasting DVD, and handed it to him. “Here. I want it back. No commentary on the music.” He called for a 302 to pick up Mason as soon as possible.
Much to Jack’s surprise, their nanny walked through the door an hour later, not minutes after Mason left.
“Hi,” Jack said, watching Jerrie drag her bags in.
“Hi,” she responded with a tired smile. “I got back as soon as I could; I figured you guys would be busy with everything and would need an extra hand.”
“Actually, there isn’t too much I’m doing, at the moment,” he said. He got up and helped her with a heavy bag. “All the 303s are in orbit doing whatever they can to help, Sam is now in command of Area 51 and is getting her office together, Daniel is glued to a monitor watching the excavation of an alien ship buried in the Alps, and I’m on Olivia-watch. But it was nice of you to consider us.”
“Oh,” Jerrie paused and then shrugged. “Oh, well. Hi, sweetie.” She plucked Olivia from her playpen. “Ooof. I think you gained weight while I was gone; what have Mommy and Dads been feeding you, rocks?” Olivia was happy to see her, too, and pumped her legs excitedly as she was dangled in the air.
“I do need to get a report together, so I’m glad you’re here,” Jack said. “She’s about due for a nap, if you want to take one, too. You look tired.”
“I’m exhausted,” Jerrie admitted. “Duncan’s wife is Korean, Jack. She’s pretty broken up. Duncan, Mom, and Dad are all headed over to Los Angeles for a memorial with Dae’s parents. My presence upsets them. Being lesbian, or any of the alternatives, is very taboo in their culture. It’s important for Duncan and the folks to show their unity, though, so they went to L.A.”
“I’m not sure what to say,” Jack admitted.
She waved a hand at him. “You don’t need to say anything,” she said. “Dae accepts me, and I know my parents and Duncan support me, so I’m fine.”
“It isn’t fine, Jerrie,” he pointedly told her. She glanced away for a moment.
“I’m not Korean, Jack, and I have no one to answer to about my private life. There is a greater concern, at the moment, and that’s making nice with Dae’s family. I insisted that my parents go.”
It wasn’t fine with Jack, and it also wasn’t his life. Reminding himself that Daniel snaps hard when he butts in, Jack backed down. He went into his office and put in an internet call to the United Nations. He had to go through a few admins and assistants, but he finally got through to the UN president and told him what his concerns were. Terebka nodded, the lines on his face more pronounced from the lack of sleep.
“We have been discussing that very issue, General,” he said. “So far, the only thing we can come up with is using napalm to sterilize the entire area. There are so many millions of bodies laying dead.”
“No, don’t do that,” Jack said. “If I can get the go-ahead, I will order my ships to use lasers. We will vaporize all the bodies. My concern is how the living will feel about it. Will they want to bury their dead?”
“Not necessarily,” Terebka said. “They usually bury their dead; in the past the dead were cremated. For religious propriety, our council from the Vatican suggested taking a Catholic priest and a Buddhist monk up on a helicopter and having them do a ceremony over the entire peninsula. Those are the two main religions in Korea.”
Jack sat back, drumming his fingers on his desk as he considered the suggestion. “That’s ambitious,” he commented. “It’s possible, though. A ‘copter will kick up dust and poison, though; my people can handle the fly-by.”
Davis was called in and the afternoon was spent making phone calls and arrangements. Jack paced the living room, talking into the earphone and wheedling his way up the Vatican food-chain.
“Look, Cardinal whoever you are, I’m being nice, here,” he explained. “I could beam myself into his popeness’s office or I could beam him to me. It would probably be easier on the Swiss cheese guys if you just told him I was on the line. General Jack O’Neill. He knows me.” Davis winced and went in search of aspirin.
The kids came home and greeted Jack before running off to find their own entertainment. Sam came in soon after and pecked his mouth as he paced.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“Trying to get the pope on the phone,” he said. Sam nodded, accepting the preposterous statement. Davis stuck his head out the door.
“Sir, the Dali Lama is a go,” he said, holding a thumb up.
“Your Holiness,” Jack said into the phone, looking at Davis. “Thank you for taking my call. We need a favor. Yes, sir, I could. Why, would you like to come over? We’re having spaghetti for dinner.”
Five minutes later, the pope was standing in Jack’s living room, staring in amazement.
“Oh, my,” he breathed, patting himself down. That seemed to be the usual reaction for first-timers. Davis poked his head out again, eyes widening, and he shook his head.
The pup gave a bark and wagged his tail. The pope reached down and gave him a pat.
“Welcome,” Jack said. “How was your trip?”
The pope looked at him. “That is humor, right?”
“I try,” Jack shrugged. “That’s Fang. He’s new around here, so excuse any bad manners. Colonel.” He waved Davis forward and introduced him. “Colonel, get our other guest back on the phone and see if he’s interested in a spaghetti dinner.”
“You work from home?” the pope asked.
“Don’t you?” Jack returned. The pope conceded that point.
The door opened again and Daniel came in. He stopped short, seeing their guest.
“Did he at least invite you before beaming you over?” Daniel asked, politely bowing over the pope’s hand.
“I was invited, yes, Dr. Jackson,” the pope assured him.
“Daniel, please. Jack, what are you up to?” Daniel asked. Jack touched innocent hands to his chest.
“Moi?”
“Oui, tu,” Daniel said, crossing his arms and waiting.
“Danny, Danny, Danny. Still no trust,” Jack sighed. “Can’t his popeness just come for dinner?”
“No, he can’t, actually,” Daniel said. “Not without an entire entourage and months of pre-scheduling and Secret Service covering the entire city.”
“You need food,” Jack decided. “I think the meatballs are ready. Jerrie’s home.” He turned to the pope. “Our nanny. She’s been on vacation. Come on, I’ll show you around.”
Jerrie almost dropped a pan when she saw their guest.
“You’ve outdone yourself, this time, Jack,” she informed him. Someone beamed into the living room. “No, I stand corrected. And I’ll put the meatballs on the side.”
The holy men greeted each other and the children wandered in to see what the commotion was about. Stacey ran to hug the Dali Lama and he patted her, smiling like a kindly old grandfather.
“General O’Neill.” The Dali Lama held out a hand, which Jack took. “Thank you for giving me my country back.”
Jack shook his head. “Wasn’t me,” he insisted. “I didn’t know about it until five minutes before the public announcement.”
The Dali Lama smiled and shook a finger. “You had a hand in it somewhere, I can sense it.”
“Miracles happen,” the pope said.
“Yes, they do,” the Dali Lama responded.
The kids were fed and then the adults sat down to eat. The front door opened and Michael walked in. Someone had called him. He was trembling slightly as he knelt before the pope to be received.
“Come on and eat, Mikey,” Jack said, taking a plate from Jerrie.
“So. Folks.” Jack waited until he had their attention. “Here’s the situation.”
There were no arguments or discussion of payment; both men agreed to participate in the sanctification of the Korean peninsula.
“Do we know what started it?” the pope asked.
“No, we don’t,” Jack said. “If anyone in our intelligence community knows, I haven’t heard.”
“I met with President Tien yesterday,” the Dali Lama said. “He also does not know why the bombing occurred.” He twirled a forkful of noodles around the bowl of the spoon like a pro.
“When are you going home?” Daniel asked.
“The Chinese military is being recalled as we speak,” the Dali Lama said, smiling. “My people are preparing my home and I will be going home in four days for the first time in almost fifty years.” He took a napkin and patted his eyes.
The phone rang and Jerrie picked it up in the kitchen.
“Daniel, it’s Colonel Sheppard,” she said, hesitant about interrupting. Daniel excused himself and went into the kitchen. He came out a moment later, a man on a mission.
“Jack, I need to take this in your office,” he said. “I’m sorry, it can’t wait.”
“What is it?” Jack asked in Goa’uld.
“They found what looks like writing in the ship,” Daniel said. “From the colonel’s description, it is definitely not Ancient. I need to look at it, so I need your computer.”
“Go,” Jack agreed.
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