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. All the SG-1 children were put together for pictures. 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.”
Chapter 33
Katie rushed down the stairs, swinging her book bag onto her back. Her friend Lydia was right behind her, having spent the night after a serious session of math cramming. Jerrie was waiting in the van for them.
“Bye,
Dad!” she yelled as she grabbed her coat. “Hi, Malek!” Lydia looked curiously at the strange, and cute, man in the strange clothing.
“Thank you, General!” Lydia called out.
Malek gave a polite bow as he watched them, curious at the morning routine. The door slammed shut and he turned back to Jack. And took a step back from the pukku that was resting on Jack’s shoulder.
“She’s a child,” Jack informed him. “Hands, and eyes, to yourself.”
Malek raised an eyebrow and inclined his head. He cleared his throat.
“The council’s main concern is that the voice of the Tok’ra will be lost in the vastness of this endeavor,” Malek continued. It had been a month since the gathering on the Prometheus, and more than one planet was talking about the new unification contract. The SGC had called Jack earlier in the morning to let him know that the Tok’ra wanted a word with him; Jack had been expecting their call. He put a pot of coffee on and had Malek brought over by SF.
“One group, one voice,” Jack said, tossing the pukku negligently onto the couch. He lifted Olivia from her playpen and kissed her noisily. She laughed and blew bubbles at him. “I don’t understand the problem.” He put her into the highchair and gave her a bottle.
“The problem is our numbers,” Malek said. “We are fewer than ever and we need hosts.”
“Yes, I know that,” Jack said. He dished up scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and juice, and set them on the table. Malek looked curiously at it and took cautious bites of each item. He decided they were good and ate. “Malek, we’ve sent five hosts to you. I can’t help it if Tau’ri have an objection to sharing their body with a snake. You’re trying to fight a cultural issue; snakes have been bad things since forever. Why don’t you join forces with the Masharu?”
“Thanatos has offered; some of us are considering it,” he admitted. “Most don’t wish to leave this galaxy.”
Jack shook his head. “You people are so stubborn,” he commented. “You’ll cut off your nose to spite your face. Look, the System Lords are gone. Those with power, anyway, and even the Anunnaki have offered to let you share their world as long as your snakes don’t lay eggs. You can live above ground, stop playing trolls.” Malek was still puzzling over the nose and face comment. “The Tok’ra have a place on the inner council, what more do they want?”
Malek sipped at the juice and made a face. “Too acidic, I’m sorry.” He put it down and Jack got him a glass of water. “You need to understand, Jack, the Tok’ra have known nothing except fighting and hiding for thousands of years. We don’t know how to colonize.”
“Okay, fine,” Jack waved a hand. “How about being on the main scout ships? We’ll need forces to help put down problems on planets. Just because the System Lords are gone, doesn’t mean all the bad guys are gone. There are others. The Aschen are still out there, and they will find a way out of their little corner of the galaxy sooner or later. Let those who want to relax go live on Kalam, fighters can be part of the Prometheus crew. The Europa is getting ready for her first tour, she needs scientists. There are lots of things the Tok’ra can be doing.”
Malek nodded thoughtfully. “I can take that back to the high council,” he acknowledged. He thanked Jack for the meal and headed back to the SGC. Jack had been receiving many callers lately, all of them having issues over the unification. They each wanted a say in what was happening, if they were going to be involved. Jack gave everyone translated copies of the treaty, making sure they understood that it was still in a planning stage, and if they wanted something changed, make the changes and send it back for review.
Jack disappeared.
“Thor, don’t leave the baby alone,” Jack said once he recognized where he was. “Put me back and come down yourself.”
They both beamed back to Jack’s living room. Thor looked around curiously. Olivia looked at him, not quite sure what to make of him.
“The Asgard are pleased with your progress,” he informed Jack.
“Great,” Jack said dryly. “Do the Asgard want to comment on the new plans, too? You guys joining the fun?”
“No, we must remain neutral,” Thor said, not unexpectedly. “There are a few worlds that can now be lifted from protection, since the System Lords are no longer a threat. All the Goa’uld who agreed to the treaty are dead. The treaty is null and void.”
“Does that mean you can give us more toys?” Jack asked hopefully.
“No,” Thor looked at him. “I believe Erra delivered a package to Col. Carter. We are not sure that the timing is right, but it’s already done. If she is able to understand the workings of it, you will have no need for our toys. I have no doubt in Col. Carter’s abilities.” Thor walked around, looking at the family pictures that decorated table tops and walls. Most were Jack and Sam’s families, a few were of Daniel’s parents and him as a child. The children decorated the wall next to the staircase with current pictures, including drawings by Stacy and Davy done directly on the wall with washable markers. Jack needed to wash the wall down.
“You have gained access to your memories,” Thor commented.
“Sort of,” Jack said. “I don’t actually remember anything, but new things keep popping up and I seem to just do them. The kids are being weird, too, little buddy, and not just ours. I had a talk with their teachers and other parents. Kids everywhere are starting to be weird. Daniel’s learned another language; I think he’s up to twenty-seven. He says sounds whisper to him; it’s sensuous, he says. There doesn’t seem to be anything Sam can’t figure out, Major Davis has a gift for arbitration, the list of people with ancient genes is growing by leaps and bounds, and if it gets out that I’m healing people just by touching them, someone is going to kidnap me and lock me up to study me.”
“You are tagged, we will find you and rescue you,” Thor assured him.
“Thanks, but that isn’t the point,” Jack said. “Humans were scared enough at the thought of aliens; once they realize something is happening to everyone, especially the kids, they are going to freak out. I’m kinda hoping that all the excitement over this unification will take their attention from the changes long enough to just allow them to happen.”
Thor took a moment to consider Jack’s statement and then nodded. Jack sat, leaning forward with his hands clasped thoughtfully between his knees.
“Is it just our planet that these things are happening?” he asked. “Is it happening to humans everywhere?”
“A few others,” Thor acknowledged. “Mostly just here. Humans elsewhere have been held back in their development.”
Jack nodded. “What’s happening with Langara?” he asked. “Niriti said something about the Langaran brain when she tried to mess with Jonas.”
Thor hopped up onto a chair. “Because of the concentration of naquadah and naquadria, the Langarans have been affected,” he admitted. “They will be leaping, also.”
“So it’s a good thing to keep them close to us during all this,” Jack commented.
“Yes. Their cultural development is not up to where it needs to be for their abilities, though,” Thor warned. “They are very behind where they need to be. You cannot help them in their development, they need to make the same decisions you are making; make a conscious change, or implode.”
Jack nodded. “Double indemnity,” he said. “They helped in the war and they’ve already asked to be part of the unification. That alone will alter their culture.”
Thor looked thoughtful as his fingers tapped against the arm of the chair. “Then there is nothing we can do, it is done,” he finally said. “I can only hope that they have learned from their past mistakes and be judicious with their new toys.”
“Jonas will be on the unification council to represent Langara,” Jack said. “We can do our best to guide them from there.”
Jerrie came back from the school run and stopped dead in her tracks at the sight of the little gray alien sitting in the living room. Jack introduced them.
“Uh, hi,” she stumbled,
a little white around the gills.
“Greetings.” He jumped down. “I will leave you now,” he said to Jack. “What is the Earth expression? Don’t be a visitor?” He beamed out and Jack chuckled.
“Stranger,” Jack said to the air. “Don’t be a stranger.”
He got up and took Olivia from her chair. He stuck his nose close to her diapered butt and decided she needed a change.
“Okay, I think that put a LOT of things into perspective,” Jerrie said.
Davis stopped in soon after and Jack left for the office.
Time to meet the press. Jack didn’t exactly put his dress blues on, but he did make sure he was well-groomed and had his shirt tucked in. He and Paul spent the day walking around HomeSec and then the SGC, talking with a local reporter (Jack was irritated with the national and international reporters) and making an episode for a weekly TV news segment. Several leaders, from the president on down, asked Jack to do an interview to help the public understand what was happening. Jack wanted to pawn it off on someone else (Daniel), but said someone (Daniel) refused. Jack talked about the Goa’uld history with Earth, the recent battle, and the unification he was asked to help put together.
“Earth is putting a galactic union together?” Alejandro Ramirez stopped and asked in amazement.
Jack shook his head. “No,” he said emphatically. “The other worlds asked for me personally to assist, not Earth. One of the treaty stipulations is that the world asking to join the union must demonstrate that the countries are united and that citizen rights are a priority. There are minor prerequisites about weapons, drugs, and terrorist activities. At the moment, Earth would be denied membership.”
The reporter was speechless for a moment. “How do other worlds handle their issues?” he asked.
The Anunnaki Unification, Book 2: A Staraget SG-1 Fan Fiction Story Page 19