“Because fire not only sheds light, it also destroys, cleanses, and renews the seeds of life.”
“You’ve been listening to Daniel,” he accused.
“Do you want me to change the name?”
“No,” he shook his head. “It’s fine. I was just curious. These look good, Sam; do we have the necessary amount of naquadah?”
“Yes, we do,” she was pleased to tell him. “From what Teal’c brought in, what was found on Lord Yu’s planet, and what we’ve dug out of various mines, we have plenty to last us a while.”
“Did you figure out what that jumper was mixed with?”
“Not yet,” she said. “We’ve isolated the element, but we haven’t seen it before. It isn’t registered with any of our surveys in the SGC files. The Asgard don’t know what it is.”
“Really.” Jack’s eyebrow went up. “Alright. I’m not happy with something sitting on this planet and we don’t know what it is.”
“Neither am I,” she agreed. “We’re working on getting it off-world. The only ship with a large enough bay is an Asgard ship. As soon as Thor can spare someone, I’m going to have it taken to the Alpha site. Jack, I need the specs for the new ships to go to the United Worlds council. We’re going to have aliens on the crew, so we need to make sure the ships have appropriate arrangements. Other worlds will have their own ships, but ours are going to include allies on the crew.”
“I’ll send them to Inanna,” he said. “What’s Thor doing?”
“Not sure,” she said. “He said something about no longer needing to hold our hand.”
The phone on his desk rang and Jack held up a wait finger to Sam.
“O’Neill. Who? Put him through. Alan, what’s up?” As he listened, he glanced at Sam. He put the phone on speaker.
“……insisting that their kid is innocent, Jack; they’re moving to press charges against Katie.”
“That’s bullshit, Alan,” Jack informed the man. “That boy wouldn’t take no for an answer and Katie decked him. The parents are only pressing charges because of me.”
“I agree,” his lawyer said. “Unfortunately, it’s their right to sue anyone they damned well please. God bless America. Their kid has the bruises, Katie doesn’t.”
“So, if Katie had allowed herself to be raped, she’d stand a better chance at winning a court battle?” Sam asked, indignant. Alan King paused.
“Correct, Colonel. I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were there.”
“I’m not,” she said. “That’s immaterial. There is no way in hell that boy is getting away with this. Jack, can we use a memory device on that kid?”
“Not legally, no,” he said. “I’m considering calling in Zu.”
“Oh, that’s good,” Sam agreed. “Will they believe him?”
“Probably not.”
“What’s a memory device and what’s a zoo?” Alan asked.
“Nothing we should be telling you,” Jack said. “Do you have any recommendations, Alan?”
“Yes,” King said. “Go ahead with the fight. Sheriff Richardson’s office sent over a file on that kid. Boy’s been reported more than once for mishandling his dates.”
“Good,” Jack said. “Do what needs to be done, Alan; I’ve trusted you with everything else.”
He hung up with his lawyer. “If we need to, Katie goes off-world,” he told Sam. “I’m not allowing that boy to win this.”
“I have an idea,” Sam said. Jack wasn’t sure if he liked the glint in her eyes.
The next day, a local news station was filming a mini-documentary at the high school. The JROTC class was present as were several members of the AFA’s martial arts team, the SGC’s combat trainers, Jaffa trainers, and the US military’s top martial arts award winner and newest SGC member, Colonel Mason Addison. The reporters were pleasantly surprised to learn that Addison and General O’Neill were first cousins. Mason’s wife and sons were also present for HomeSec’s unexpected show and tell. The boys, Mark age twenty-one, and Keith aged nineteen, both politely kissed Sam’s cheek upon meeting her. They weren’t sure about Daniel, but shook hands with him anyway.
“General O’Neill, how does this help the kids?” the reporter asked, thrusting a microphone into Jack’s face. “All this seems a little too extreme for kids to be learning.”
“We baby our kids too much,” Jack said. “Ten years ago, I would have agreed with you, though. Matt, come here.” He brought Matthew close, an arm across his shoulder. “This is my son, Matthew. He turned fifteen a week ago. Kinda on the skinny side, I know. So was I, at his age. Go show ‘em what you’ve learned this year, Matt. Matty never learned anything about self-defense before this past year,” he told the reporter.
Although nervous, Matthew went to the center of the circle, meeting Teal’c in the middle. The Jaffa had put on a show earlier, drawing gasps from the crowd as no thrusts and jabs were held back. Blood was spilled, including some of Jack’s. Matthew made the appropriate greetings and held his ground, waiting. The crowd of civilians didn’t expect much except to see the alien Jaffa toss out a few half-hearted jabs until the boy went down. What they got was a teenager who found his feet, centered and grounded. Matty met Teal’c’s every move, fell and rolled before leaping back to his feet. Being smaller, he was able to dance around Teal’c, swing up on his staff, and landed his feet on Teal’c shoulders, making the warrior stumble. The crowd gave a startled gasp and clapped. Matthew eventually fell under Teal’c’s advances, but Jack’s point was proved; even a small teenager could learn to defend himself against a much larger adversary. Sparkling with pleasure, Teal’c accepted Matty’s bow of respect before grasping the boy’s forearm.
Vinnie also showed off his skills. His own training was much like Matthew’s: suitable for a smaller person instead of a large man. He also made a good showing against a Jaffa. He then went back to his friends, accepted shoulder claps, and took back the hand of his new boyfriend. Much to the interest of the media. Bosco stiffened as the camera shot toward him. He gave his son a hug and ruffled the boy’s hair as the rest of SG-3 cheered their boy.
After a short break, the center of the circle was re-staged with an old couch and a made-up car frame. Katie, dressed in her dating best and drawing a few whistles from the crowd (Jack glared), sat in the passenger seat. One of her JROTC mates, a larger boy, a football player, sat behind the wheel. More whistles ensued. Jack was a little uncomfortable watching her kiss the boy but perked up when she began to resist. When he didn’t take no for an answer, and getting her blouse torn in exactly the same place as before, Katie shoved her elbow into his chest. His explosion of air was audible across the circle. She jumped from the car and he followed. He grabbed her shoulder and Katie turned, shoving her foot into his crotch and snapping the palm of her hand across his jaw. The boy went down, moaning and holding himself. Jack snickered.
“You are brilliant,” he whispered to Sam.
At the hand on his shoulder, Jack turned and saw the sheriff. “Remind me not to play poker with you anymore,” Richardson said.
Everyone was clapping for Katie, and Sam went into the circle to discuss self-defense for girls. To make her point plainer, another alien was suddenly present in the circle. A large feline on two feet. Paws. The crowd gasped once more, and took a step back. Sam picked up a staff and took on M’Net. He pawed her across the field a couple of times, and took a few smacks of the staff from her, before she knelt in his back with her teeth buried in his neck. Jaffa, SGC and HomeSec personnel howled for her, raising fists and staves. M’Net was introduced as the Sua delegate to the United Worlds and the commander of the Sua warriors. A small red ball of fur ran out and scurried up to M’Net’s shoulders.
“I T’Kt!”
Everyone laughed. The cub paused and then stood on M’Net’s arm and patted him between the ears as she hooted and bounced in pleasure, shaking M’Net by the mane. He seemed resigned to the rough handling.
“I think we may be in trouble once she, or
he, becomes an adult,” Daniel commented. Jack agreed. Sam was spitting fur from her mouth.
The civilian crowd mingled with the military and aliens, feeling free to walk up to people and ask questions. Although the townspeople were proud of their military, they tended to step aside, claiming respect for their space. They were really a little afraid of the strong presence that played with aliens and jumped across the galaxy on a whim. Seeing the military at play with their families present, the civilians relaxed. The aliens got the most attention, especially M’Net and T’Keet. Not that T’Keet was complaining about the attention.
Sam leaned into Jack. “When I was on M’Net’s back, he said he wished I was a male. He was enjoying the biting.” Jack tossed his head back and laughed.
His phone rang.
“O’Neill. Hi, Francis, coming over to play? Naw, just having a little show and tell. How’d you hear about it? It isn’t live. Oh. Gotta love the military’s rumor mill. Just Jaffa and Sua. No, M’Net and T’Keet. Yeah, she’s got them eating out of her hands. Paws. No, they’ll be gone in a few hours. Sure.”
He turned to Sam and paused as his belt was pulled from the back. Daniel leaned in from behind.
“Three o’clock,” he said low. Jack and Sam turned.
“Uh oh,” they muttered. Baring down on the group were protesters. From the signs being carried, it was everything from abortion to non-Christian aliens to gays to the poor abused children being raised by non-Christian gay aliens to aliens secretly in charge of the world. The news camera spotted them.
“Andy.” Jack caught the sheriff’s attention and pointed. Andy spoke into his radio as he moved toward the approaching group. While the military technically had no jurisdiction over civilians, not allowed, by the US Constitution, to work on US soil without the president and congress putting martial law into effect with an emergency bill to temporarily suspend Constitutional Law, the SF nonetheless beat him to it and formed a line between the party and the on-coming. One old lady was halted by the new line. She glared up at the SF towering over her and popped him on the head with her sign.
“That’s enough, Mrs. Willard,” Andy said. “Apologize to the nice young man.”
“I won’t!” she spouted. “Disrespect to his elders! Getting in my way….. Move, you over-grown….!”
“Mrs. Willard, don’t make me call the nursing home to come and get you,” Andy warned. “Why don’t you tell me what the problem is?”
“I don’t wanna talk to you, Andrew Richardson, I want to talk to that…. that….. that!” Andy looked over his shoulder. She was pointing at Jack.
“Jack, did you run over Mrs. Willard’s cat?” Andy asked.
“Not me,” Jack said, shaking his head. “Although our pup was recently chasing something furry….”
“Brought shame to this town!” Mrs. Willard declared, waving her sign. The others behind her cheered. A few Amens were shouted. “Consorting with men! Involving children in his torrid affairs, AND encouraging the rest of our boys and girls to do the same! And his own brother a PRIEST! Bringing aliens here and destroying our Christian values! For shaaaaame!”
Sam stepped forward. There were a few mutters of warning from behind her.
“If you want to discuss military issues, you can talk with the general,” she said quietly. “If you are going to get malicious about my family, you’ll need to take it up with me. Ma’am.”
Mrs. Willard glared at her. “Hussy!”
Jack hung off Daniel’s wide shoulders, relaxed. Mrs. Willard’s eyes were scrunched into cherry pits.
“Daddy, why’s the lady angry at you?” Jack looked down. He squatted and Davy climbed onto his back.
“Don’t know, son,” Jack said, standing up. He grabbed Daniel’s arm for balance. “Ooof. I think Aunt Sam is trying to figure it out.”
A man came out of the protesters crowd and put a calming hand on the old lady’s arm. “Now, now, Mz. Charity, you’re getting ahead of things here.”
“HA!” People looked around at the yelp.
“Oh, was that me?” Jack asked innocently. “Sorry. Please continue.”
The man stepped forward, edging carefully away from Sam.
“General O’Neill, I’m Reverend Gilchrest,” the man said. “Our concern is that the influence of these aliens has begun to turn our people away from God, sir.”
Before Jack could get out the diatribe that was on the tip of his tongue, Daniel stepped forward.
“Jack, how about I handle this?” he suggested.
“Good idea,” Jack agreed. “You do that. Me and Davy are going to play on the jungle-gym.”
“I don’t think so.”
Jack and Daniel both turned to see Michael, arms crossed and waiting.
“What?” Jack asked.
“I’m pulling rank, Jack,” Michael said. “I’m the older brother, and I’m going to insist that you deal with this.”
“Not,” Jack said, wondering what got into his brother.
“Come here, David,” Michael said, holding his arms out. Davy slid off Jack’s back. “I don’t know what your problem is with all this, Jonathan, but you WILL deal with it. You force me to deal with my issues, I’m forcing you to deal with yours. Or I will call whomever in the universe I need to call to make you deal with it.”
“I don’t have an issue, Michael, I just know better,” Jack told him. “And you know exactly where my knowledge comes from.” The pastor and his people, and anyone else within hearing, looked from one brother to the other, wondering what was going on.
Michael stepped in close. “I don’t care how many times Daniel has died and returned, there is still a Higher Power,” he said in a low voice, unheard by anyone else. “You are ignoring that aspect of the entire situation.” He turned to the waiting reverend and held a hand out. “Michael O’Neill,” he introduced himself. “Reverend, if you don’t mind, I’d like to get back to you on this. My brother will be attending the next religious council meeting and I’d like to personally invite you along. This issue will be addressed.”
The reverend agreed and took his party away. Jack spun and glared at his brother. “Boundary,” he snarled, pointing at the ground. “You’ve crossed it. No one has the authority to order me to a discussion on religion. No one! I don’t believe in it, Michael; you deal with it. Try giving me an order again, and I will personally ship you out to Hell. I know the address!”
Jaffa and a few SG personnel winced. Unaware of doing so, Jack had switched to Ancient. Michael hadn’t understood a word of it, but he knew the tone. Jack was pissed.
“Jack.” Daniel was looking at the ground. Between Jack and Michael, where Jack had pointed, a line about a yard long of grass had turned red.
Chapter 52
The neighborhood SF were all carefully watching for invasions of reporters or cross-bearing zealots as four-wheelers zoomed up and down the street. Kids and adults laughed and yelled to each other. A shop-owner from Denver showed up on Jack’s doorstep and asked if he could convince a few of his men to ride the four-wheelers in a commercial for the store. Jack said he’d think about it but first he wanted to give them a try. He called several SGC families, and twenty small buggies were soon racing around the neighborhood. Since most of the neighborhood along the route up Cheyenne had become the home to SGC and HomeSec families, there weren’t too many civilians who were complaining to the sheriff about the ruckus. Andy leaned against the hood of his car as he watched the kids playing. The small kids and the big kids. One four-wheeler came to a stop a couple yards from Andy.
“Hi, sheriff!” Davy called out, waving excitedly. He sat in front of Jack, covered in protective gear and a helmet. He was tickled that Daddy was letting him steer.
“Hello, David, how’s the ride?” Andy asked, returning the wave.
“It’s SWEET!” the boy declared. Andy laughed and nodded. Katie and Matthew had their own rides and were racing with Reynolds’ teenagers, while Stacey was riding carefully in front of Daniel and a
rguing with him to let her ride it herself. He was considering it; the other kids her age were doing it on their own, and she did have a helmet and padding. Even Jessie Bosco was riding her own four-wheeler. Sam rode in close and said something to Daniel. He reluctantly stopped and got off the bike.
“Be careful!” Daniel said worriedly as Stacey slowly started out on her own.
Jack shook his head at them.
“Is he always so…..?” Andy asked.
“No,” Jack said. “I think he’s going through some growing pains. Captain Kaplan and his family moved in up the street. Stacey took one look at Kaplan’s thirteen-year old son, Simon, and was struck speechless. Daniel isn’t taking it well, which is actually funny considering his former stance on being an open and cool Dad.”
Andy smiled. “Captain Kaplan? Say that three times fast.”
Jack chuckled. “Yes, it's a bit of a tongue-twister; we’re working on a promotion for him. People trip over that every time.”
There was a toot! behind him and he jumped out of the way.
“Move it or loose it!” his mother yelled as she came speeding past him.
“Aren’t you supposed to be chasing down speeders?” he asked Andy.
After getting everyone to sign releases, the ATV owner went back to Denver a happy man. Having all the families playing on his toys went much better than just the military at play. Jack was set to buy all the kids (their own, not the neighbor’s) ATV’s but Daniel and Sam vetoed him. The kids had plenty to play with. They could even play off-world. With aliens. They didn’t need four-wheelers. “But...” Jack began. “No, Jack.”
Leaving the kids with Jerrie, the adults left for HomeSec. Sam kissed her men and walked through the arch to her own office. Her office was in a quiet uproar over the sudden discharge of Major Coulter. Sam’s new admin, newly made 2Lt. Rusty Wilson, was wide-eyed at her unexpected promotion. Not only to second lieutenant, but as the new assistant to Colonel Carter! If talk was any indication, it won’t be boring. Rusty called Col. Davis for advice. He told her to expect the unexpected. Always. If the colonel disappeared in thin air, let him know, but don't worry unless he tells her to worry. He told her to keep in contact and email him whenever she had a question.
The Anunnaki Unification, Book 3: A Stargate SG-1 Fan Fiction Story Page 29