Dichotomy & Irony - Part 3

     Incongruity & Consistency

 

Jack walked the floor outside the operating room, waiting for word on his friends.  Dr. Ronald Black came out, covered in blood, bleary eyed and obviously exhausted.  "Doc?" Jack asked as he stepped toward the man.

"We didn't lose anyone on the table, Jack," the doctor said quietly, "but there are a few that may not last the night.  Sam's one of them."

"How bad?"

"Lacerated liver, ruptured spleen, perforation of the lower intestine.  Peritonitis is no small matter and she's got a case of it . . . bad.  Her arm was shattered."

Jack swallowed the bile that rose up in his throat.  "Can I see her?"

The doctor shook his head.  "No.  We've got a quarantine field around her.  I want her undisturbed for at least twenty four hours."

"What about Jacob?"

"Well, with Selmac helping, he'll recover - but he's still in a pretty bad way.  He's unconscious right now."

"General Hammond?"

The doctor's eyes clouded over.  "There was some brain injury.  We won't know how bad until he wakes up.  Dr. Warwick did everything he could and then some.  It's a matter of wait and see now."

"Janet, Cassie?"

"Severe concussion, some broken bones, and Janet's just gone into surgery to fix some internal bleeding.  Cassie had a collapsed lung and we're watching for pneumonia.  Now, you mind telling me what the hell happened to cause all this?"

Jack shook his head.  "I'm not really sure.  We can assume an attack . . ."

"Will they be coming here?" the doctor asked pointedly.

"I don't know," Jack answered honestly.

"Teal'c was the least injured of all of them.  He lost a lot of blood, but he's conscious.  He's in a deep state of kel'no'reem, but he should come out of that soon.  You can sit with him until he comes around."

"Keep me posted on everyone in there," Jack stated.

The doctor nodded tiredly and walked back through the double doors.  Jack pushed through a set of doors to his right which led to the recovery room.  He saw Teal'c's prone form in a bed on the far side of the room and as quietly as he could, he took a seat beside his friend.

++++

Daniel paced back and forth in the command center, watching the monitors closely.  The stargate remained inactive and there was no sign that any other ships had entered their quadrant of space.  Graham walked back to his station, followed closely by Paul who, upon seeing Daniel, made his way over.

"Daniel," he said with a tight smile.

"Have we had contact from anyone?"

Paul shook his head.  "No.  Not even the Tok'ra have responded."

Daniel ran his hands through his hair and let out a frustrated grunt.  "That paper Jack took from Jacob, all those cities.  What was that?"

Paul turned away, briefly.  "Those were . . . those were chemical weapons storage and manufacturing sites."

"Why would Jacob have a list of those?"

"That paper he had," Paul said, his voice tightening with suppressed emotion, "that was a strike list."

"Strike list?  Like . . . like a possible target list?"

"No," Paul said.  As he turned back to Daniel, his eyes were filled with tears.  "It was a list of sites that had been hit.  The page in Jacob's hand was page 12.  I know the program it was generated from.  It lists chemical targets last, nuclear sites first."

"Sites hit?  I don't . . ." Daniel's eyes went wide and he dropped down into a chair.  "Oh my god."

Paul nodded and turned away again as a tear finally fell.  He wiped it away quickly and took a deep, shaking breath to steady himself.

"Will there be survivors?" Daniel asked.

"God, I hope not," Paul said, his voice cracking.

++++

"O'Neill."  Teal'c's voice sounded raspy and dry.

"Teal'c," Jack said, dragging his chair closer to the bed.

"We have failed."

Jack closed his eyes and hung his head.  It was a few minutes before he could speak.  "Can you tell me what happened?"

Teal'c opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling as he began his tale.  "Approximately two weeks ago, we received word from the Tok'ra that Anubis was marshaling his forces for an attack.  General Hammond tried to convince the various governments of your world to deploy the grid system.  He was unsuccessful.  He began an evacuation to various allied worlds.  We were the last to depart.

"Three days ago, we began receiving reports that Anubis was targeting various military sites and using high powered laser weaponry to incinerate them.  He began in Asia."

"He blew up the nuke sites in China?" Jack asked.

"He did.  The devastation was instantaneous.  We had less than two hours before he crossed into American air space.  GeneralHammond, MajorCarter and myself made sure there would be no information or technology left behind at the SGC for him to find.  Just before an explosion destroyed the mountain, we escaped through the stargate to the Alpha site, only to find that its location had been given to Baal.  He and his forces were waiting."

"Goddamnit," Jack said, face in his hands as he listened to the account of the tragic end of his world.

"JacobCarter was waiting for us. He transported us instantly to a waiting ship and we departed, but not before taking severe damage to the ship.  It is fortunate we are here at all."

"Teal'c, is there a chance anyone survived the attack?  Can we mount some sort of rescue?"

"We cannot.  Before we escaped, we managed to obtain atomospheric data.  Your planet is entirely uninhabitable.  The home world of the Tauri has been destroyed."  Teal'c's jaw worked as he fought to retain control of his emotions.

"Get some rest, Teal'c," Jack said, his hand firm on the Jaffa's forearm.  "We'll talk more later."

Teal'c merely closed his eyes.

Jack walked out into the thin light of dawn.  News of the attack had spread through the colony and he found himself facing a large crowd just outside the hospital doors.

"Is it true?" asked a woman to Jack's right.

Jack nodded.  "Yeah.  It's true."

"Are they coming for us next?" asked a voice toward the back of the crowd.

"I don't know," Jack said numbly.  He looked up into the terrified faces of the people surrounding him.  "Look, there's nothing you folks can do here right now.  We've got some pretty sick people inside and they need their rest.  The best thing you could do is go back to your homes and give us some time to sort this all out."

"What will we do if they come for us?" asked another anonymous voice from the crowd.

Jack looked over the people before him and gave the only answer he knew.  "We'll fight."

++++

Paul knocked softly to get Jack's attention.  The older man looked up, eyes smudged with fatigue and grief.  "Jack, the doc sent me to tell you.  Sam's waking up."

Jack let out a sigh of relief and stood up slowly.  "Thank God."

"We still haven't been able to contact any of our allies, but we're continuing to try.  After you see Sam, why don't you head home for awhile, get some sleep?  There's really nothing anyone can do at this point."

Jack wanted to argue that there was always something to do, but he knew Paul was right.  It was night again and Jack hadn't gotten any sleep in a day.  He wondered if Daniel was faring any better.

"I'll talk to Sam, then I'll see about maybe grabbing a short nap."

Paul gave him a small, sad smile and left.

Jack made his way quickly to the hospital and found the doctor waiting for him.

"Jack, come this way.  Sam's just coming out of the coma."

"Coma?  She was in a coma?  Why the hell didn't you tell me that?" Jack barked.

"Because there was nothing you could have done," the doctor snapped back.  He stopped and placed a restraining hand on Jack's arm.  "She's weak, and not particularly coherent.  Just let her know you're there, stay for a couple minutes, then leave.  She needs her rest.  And don't ask her any questions."

Jack nodded in understanding and let himself into the recovery room.  Sam was covered by a bluish-purple light from the quarantine field.  He got close enough that he could feel the electro-static energy on his skin, then reached through and touched Sam's hand.  "Carter?"

Sam rolled her head to the side, her pale skin a sickly color in the field's light.  "Sir?"

"Glad to see you're back with us."

"What happened?" she asked groggily.

"Made kind of a hard landing, but don't worry about that right now.  You're gonna be fine.  Why don't you close your eyes and get some sleep.  I'll be here when you wake back up."

"'k," she whispered.  "There was an explosion."

"Not now, Carter.  You just rest.  We'll talk about all that other stuff later."

Jack watched as his former 2IC closed her eyes and drifted off into a normal sleep.  Jack withdrew his hand through the field and sat back in the chair.  He felt the doctor walk up behind him.  "She's asleep."

"Good.  She needs it."  The doctor nudged Jack's shoulder.  "So do you."

"I know."  Jack rose wearily to his feet and looked around the room.  "Everyone make it?"

"So far.  I'd like to take credit for it, but I think there's probably a bigger power at work here than just me."

"Believing in miracles now, Doc?" Jack asked tiredly.

"Yes," came the instant answer.

++++

Jack walked into the command center and looked around at the bustling activity.  Daniel sat at a makeshift workstation, sorting through notes and messages.  Paul and Graham sat huddled in conference over a monitor as Paul hurriedly scribbled notes into a palm computer.  At last Daniel looked up at Jack.  The two men shared a look of shock and grief before Jack turned to leave everyone to their work.

As he stepped out into the warm night, Jack felt as though a weight were pressing him into the ground.  Every step was labored, every footfall felt as though it would sink into the dirt.  He looked up to see where he was and realized he'd ambled through town and was now in the 'square' created by the intersection of the four main thoroughfares of the colony.

He paused, tilting his head up to see the night sky.  The stars looked like diamonds cast on a velvety cape that covered the planet, strung together by the faint golden glow of the security grid.  He suddenly thought of Sara and felt a spear of anguish shoot through his body.  His breath began to come in gasps and he stumbled, dropping to his knees in the middle of the road.  The remembered glimpses of old friends, past lovers, family and co-workers tumbled through his mind.  He struggled to breathe, his voice hitching in a wracked sob as the heartbreak of what had happened finally overwhelmed him.  Wrapping his arms around himself, he leaned forward and began to weep.

Suddenly, a strong pair of arms and an equally strong body wrapped around him, pulling him close, trying to give him comfort.  Mind dulled by pain, he looked up into blue eyes the color of the summer sky, yet red-rimmed like he knew his own to be.  "Daniel?" he asked quietly.

"I'm here, Jack.  I'm right here."

From a doorway to Jack's left, a man emerged, unshaven and rumpled.  He walked up to the two men in the road, then sank slowly to his knees beside them, putting his long arms around both of them.  Another light in a door shone into the street, illuminating a woman who hurried out and came to kneel beside Daniel, her slender arms going gently around his broad shoulders.

One after another they came, quietly, without any words, each taking their place in the growing huddle of bodies in the square.  Jack allowed himself to lean into Daniel as Daniel leaned into him, both men taking strength from the others around them.

Under the watchful eyes of the stars, the colony, as one, mourned.

++++

Jack opened his eyes slowly.  The sun was barely coming up.  He estimated he'd slept about two hours before the nightmares had forced him awake.  He lay with his head on Daniel's shoulder and smiled as he felt his lover's fingers stroking through his hair.  "You didn't sleep, did you?"

"No," Daniel said quietly.  "I tried, but every time I closed my eyes . . ."

"Yeah, I know," Jack said quietly.  "You should try again.  You need to rest."

There was no answer, just the constant touch from the gentle fingers.  After a few minutes, Jack pushed himself up into a sitting position.  "Any chance of finding weapons in the dig site?"

"We haven't seen any indications yet," Daniel said softly.

"Maybe something in the library?"

"I'll get my people on it," Daniel said sitting up beside Jack.  He rubbed his eyes tiredly and eased out of bed.

"Daniel."

Daniel turned to look at his partner.

"It's called survivor's guilt.  It takes awhile, but you do get over it."

Daniel nodded slowly as he made his way to the bath.

++++

Jack was reading over the last year's worth of reports when the alarms sounded.  "Unauthorized gate activation," came the explanation over his comm.

"This is O'Neill.  Do we know who's trying to come through?"

"No sir," came the tinny voice.  "We're not receiving any IDC."

"Get security to the gate," Jack ordered as he ran from his office, grabbing up his P-90 on the way.

Jack watched as the security team took up their positions around the gate.  Coming to a halt just beside the loading platform, Jack watched as the iris seemed to waver and a small form stepped through.  "Stand down!" he shouted to those around him and broke out into a wide smile.  "Lya."

"O'Neill," said the petite Nox woman as she stepped down the ramp.  Her face was filled with sorrow as she approached Jack's position.

"You've heard?" he asked.

"Yes, we have all heard.  This is a very grave time for many of us.  The Asgard have been unable to respond to your requests for communications because their situation with the replicators has become quite dire.  The Tollan have been severely attacked as well by the Goa'uld.  Our people are safe for the moment.  The Asgard have sent me to check on your welfare."

"We've got some people who are pretty badly injured," Jack said.  "Do you think you could help?"

"I will do what I can," Lya said and Jack walked with her toward the town.

Jack keyed his mic.  "Control, this is O'Neill.  Lya's here.  Have Daniel and Paul meet us up at the hospital."

"Yes, sir."

"I am glad to find you well, O'Neill," Lya said with a small smile.  "This will give many great hope."

++++

It was nearing evening when Lya came into the small office they'd turned into an impromptu conference room.  The three men stood as she entered.  "Your friends were badly injured, but they will make a full recovery."

"Thank you," Daniel said warmly.

Lya smiled at him.  "Anubis has a weapon of great destructive power.  We were not aware of this until his attack on your world.  The weapon is able to penetrate many miles of rock and reach targets hidden deep underground," Lya explained calmly.

Jack's mind flashed to the memory of Netu.  He suddenly knew where Anubis had gotten the weapon.

"What about the Tok'ra?  Have they been able to gather any information?" Jack asked.

"We have received no word from them since they assisted with the evacuation of the people from your world.  We fear many of them have been lost."

"We can't just sit around and wait for him to show up here.  There has to be a way to fight him."  Paul looked at Lya.  "Can you give us any technological help?"

"The defense grid that surrounds your planet will provide you with adequate protection.  One of its purposes is not only to provide a defense against attack, but to act as a cloaking device for this world."

"You mean, to anyone looking for us, we're invisible.  Like that city of yours?" asked Jack.

"Yes, the grid is based on the same technology," Lya said plainly.

"Does Anubis know about this world?  Is there a record of it somewhere?" inquired Daniel.

Lya's expression turned slightly sad.  "No, there is no record."

"I'm getting the feeling there's a story behind all this," Jack said, leaning forward on the table.

"Many thousands of years ago, the Alliance built several centers of learning across the known galaxy.  This was the last.  However, before it was completed, there was a war."

"A war?" asked Daniel.  "I haven't found any references to a war."

"It happened suddenly," Lya said.  "One of the members of the Alliance, those you call the Ancients, had begun experimenting with transphasic shifting.  It was at this point that they, and the Furling, began to engage in hostilities.  The Alliance was broken and this place was abandoned."

Jack and Daniel exchanged looks.  "Okay, I need you to go real slow - and use small words here," Jack said.  "Transphasic shifting?"

"You have determined that the Ancients are the race you have come to know as the Ascended," Lya stated.  "You have met one of their kind before - Oma Desala."

Daniel's eyebrows raised in understanding.  "Yes, of course."

"Ascension was not the natural state of the Ancients.  It was the Furling who were truly the ascended.  You see, as a natural part of the life process, a Furling, when it dies, slips into a phase that is partially between this time space continuum and another.  This is where they carry out the next part of their life cycle.  The Ancients wished to acquire this ability.  What they didn't know was that in doing so, they were displacing the Furling.  This created a tremendous fissure in the Alliance and, inevitably, there was a war.  It was soon after that a plague befell the race of the Ancients and they left.  Most of them ascended - some stayed behind to try and remedy what had happened.  Anubis was one of the ones left behind."

"So he not only has all the knowledge of the Goa'uld, but the Ancients as well?" Daniel asked.

"Not all the knowledge.  This place was abandoned before he came into existence.  He does not know of it.  There was no record kept of this last outpost.  You found it quite by accident."

"But you knew about it," Paul said.

"I did not.  Thor told me, for he was, as you speculated O'Neill, a part of this place when it was functional.  He is the last of the Asgard to recall its location."

"So, this Anubis, he obviously got his butt kicked by someone and has been in hiding and licking his wounds for a few thousand years, waiting to make his move."

"Indeed, we think that is exactly what he has done.  In that time, he has gathered as much of the Ancients' technology as he could and has now unleashed it upon your people.  Other systems will be next.  He cannot be allowed to continue."

"Well there's not much we can do," Daniel said kindly.

"We're fresh out of super-snake killing machines at the moment," Jack cut in sarcastically.  "I've got three hundred and some scholars and scientists here, and just a handful of trained military personnel.  Not exactly a match for someone who just blew up an entire planet."

Lya smiled at Jack.  "As a member of SG-1, you defeated many Goa'uld system lords with less than you have now.  You are the galaxy's best hope for defeating Anubis."

"How about a little help, then?" Jack asked.  "Weapons, munitions?"

"I cannot provide that," Lya said.  "The Tauri are an inventive people.  You will find a way."  Lya stood up, indicating the conference was over.

"Will you help us contact our allies?" Daniel asked hopefully.

"Of course," Lya said.  "I will be in contact with you periodically as well."

"Daniel, you want to walk her back to the gate?"

Daniel nodded and ushered the small woman from the room.  Jack looked over at Paul and shook his head.  "They expect us to fight him when they won't.  Some things just never fucking change."

++++

Jack walked into the hospital, a small bouquet of flowers in his hand.  He saw Sam sitting up slightly, being fed some broth by one of the nurses.  When she saw him, she smiled weakly and spoke quietly to the nurse who nodded and cleared away the remnants of Sam's meager lunch.  Jack dropped the flowers into a glass of water and sat them on the table beside the bed.

"How're ya feelin'?"

"Weak.  Tired."  Sam's lips were pale and her skin slightly ashen.  "I keep having these nightmares."

Jack nodded and sat down on the bed.  "What can you remember?"

"Just bits, fragments," Sam said, her voice barely above a whisper.  "It's all gone, isn't it?"

Jack wrapped his fingers around hers and squeezed.  "Yeah.  It's all gone."

Sam's eyes filled with tears and she turned away angrily.  "We gave them the answer and they wouldn't use it," she hissed.

"I know," Jack said, his thumb stroking over the back of the cold hand in his.  "You did everything you could.  More than you were expected to."

"All that research, all that technology . . . and they didn't do a damn thing with it.  They let that sonofabitch come and blow it all to hell."  She squeezed her eyes shut and tears poured down her face.  "My brother, his kids . . ."

Jack could only sit while Sam began to fathom the tremendous loss she and every one else had suffered.  Jack heard soft footsteps and looked up to see Teal'c standing stoically by his side.  "Carter, I know it's not much right now, but we're trying to come up with a way to stop that snakey bastard from doing this to any other worlds.  We're gonna need you.  I'm gonna need you.  Don't you give up, you hear me?"

Sam turned pain filled eyes on Jack.  "How?  How can we fight someone who's able to do this to an entire world?"

"I don't know that yet, but Daniel's looking for the answers.  He'll find them, I know he will.  And once he does, SG-1's gonna need to be geared up and ready to kick some ass."

Sam gave a small chuckle and winced.  "Understood, sir."

"Okay," Jack said.  "I'm gonna go see what's up with the rest of the folks in here.  Teal'c, you stay with her for awhile, huh?"

"Indeed I will, O'Neill."

Jack let Teal'c take his place by Carter's side before going in search of General Hammond.  He found him resting in a private area just off the recovery ward.  Jack stepped inside the curtained cubicle.  "General?" he whispered.

The man turned his bandaged head toward him.  "Jack?"

"Hey," Jack said softly.  "How's it going?"

"Feel like I've been run over by a herd of mustangs," Hammond said, a small smile touching his lips.  "What's the situation?"

"Everyone in the transport pulled through.  Some folks have a ways to go before they're recovered completely, but we didn't lose anyone."

"That's good to know," Hammond said quietly.  When his gaze caught Jack's it was full of remorse.  "Jack . . ."

"No, General, don't say anything.  You tried your best.  You didn't get much support from the people above you."

"I owe you an apology," Hammond said, his voice horse.

"No.  No, you don't," Jack said firmly.  "Neither one of us knew . . ."

"I should have trusted you," Hammond cut in.  "Should have listened.  Should have made them listen."

"You couldn't make their decisions for them, General.  You did what you could."

"He killed my family," Hammond said, anger and grief thickening his voice.  "That dirty bastard killed my children, my granddaughters."

"Yes, sir," Jack said softly.

"I want him dead, Jack.  Do you understand?  I'll do whatever I need to do to see that happen."

"We'll get him, sir.  One way or another, we'll get him."

Hammond nodded and closed his eyes as fatigue overtook him.  Jack patted the man's shoulder as he fell into a deep sleep.

++++

Daniel dragged himself through the door of the house, dirty, bedraggled and exhausted.  Jack looked up from his notes and gave his lover a once over.

"You look like shit."

"Thank you for that welcome observance," Daniel grunted as he kicked off his shoes.

"Find anything?"

"I won't know until we translate it," Daniel said tiredly.  "Probably more of the same stuff we've been finding."

"Meaning of life stuff," Jack said cheerlessly.

"Yeah.  Where are the plans to some mega-weapons when you really need them, huh?"  Daniel yanked his shirt over his head and wiped the sweat from his face.

Jack shoved his work away from him and rubbed his hands over his face.  "We can't keep going like this."

Daniel looked at him for explanation.  "Like what?"

"Driven by the need for revenge, looking for some weapons technology that will take care of one Goa'uld to the exclusion of all others.  It's killing us."  Jack stood up and walked to the window.  His gaze fell onto the fields beyond.  He watched as the picking equipment sailed slowly over the fields, gathering up the second harvest of the year.  "We're finishing what he didn't."

"I don't understand."

"We need to live, Daniel.  Anubis didn't want to destroy Earth - he wanted to kill humanity.  And for the most part, he did.  But not completely.  We can't let him finish what he started."

"I thought that's what we were doing," Daniel said.

"When was the last time you heard anyone laugh?  When was the last time you and I made love?  When was the last time you saw someone happy around here?"  Jack stepped up close to his partner and looked him in the eye.  "Anubis didn't win when he destroyed Earth.  But we're sure as hell acting like he did."

"I don't know many people here who would share that assessment," Daniel said honestly.

"Then we lead by example," Jack said.  "Lya said something the last time she was here.  She said as long as we were alive, there was hope.  I could use some hope, couldn't you?"

Daniel gave a small nod.  "Yeah, I could."

Jack grabbed Daniel's face in both hands and kissed him . . . hard.  "You feel pretty alive to me," he said before diving in for another kiss.

Daniel's arms slid around Jack's waist and pulled him close.  "You're not exactly dead yourself," he answered.

"Come on," Jack said.  "Let me show you just how 'not dead' I really am."

++++

Daniel lay sprawled on the bed, sweat thick on his body and his breath coming in ragged gasps.  Jack lay beside him, his own breathing sounding harsh and rough in the still afternoon air.  He turned his head to look at Daniel as he felt the bed jerk a couple times as Daniel ground his hips downward.  "Daniel?"

"Aftershocks," came the mumbled reply.

Jack snorted laughter and grazed his hand up and down his lover's strong back.  "Good to know I haven't lost my touch."

Daniel said something unintelligible into the pillow before falling asleep.  Jack followed him a few minutes later.

++++

Jack walked slowly down the road to the medical facilities.  It was early morning, the sun just barely making its appearance over the horizon.  The cool of the night was already beginning to fade and he knew that now, during the apex of summer, there'd be very little outside activity during the daylight hours.  At this time of morning, however, the colony bustled with activity as people hurried to accomplish any tasks that required any sort of extended physical activity.  He waved and smiled to the people he met along the way.  All of them wore looks of haggard determination.  He knew that if the morale of the colony didn't change soon, they'd all be in trouble.

He entered the complex that had been built for rehabilitating the wounded, which also served as a minor emergency center.  A proper hospital complex was being constructed, but it was far from completion.  Janet's patient voice sounded down the hall as she guided George Hammond through his physical therapy.

The head injury was far more severe than first diagnosed, costing the former General the sight in his left eye and partially disabling him on the left side of his body.  With Janet's constant, patient care, he'd regained most of the use of his leg and partial use of his arm.  It was that arm that was currently being worked on.

"Looks like you'll be pitching in the big leagues in no time, sir," Jack said as he stepped into the room.

Janet looked up and smiled.  "We've had a milestone today."  She brushed a lock of hair from her eyes which were sparkling with happiness.

"Can I get you a glass of water, Jack?" George asked casually.

"Sure," Jack nodded, unsure of what was going on.

Hammond grasped the handle of the pitcher next to him, carefully, somewhat painfully, lifted it and poured a small cup of water for his one_time 2IC.  There was some spilling and his arm trembled, but he accomplished the task.

"Well I'll be damned," Jack smiled.

George set the pitcher back down and looked up at Jack, his eye still covered by a patch.  "I may not be able to kill the bastard, but at least I'll be able to offer him a glass of lemonade."

Jack winced and Janet's smiled turned instantly to a scowl.  "General Hammond, I will not tolerate that sort of talk from you.  You know that."

George's jaw tensed and he looked between the doctor and Jack quickly.  "What's on your mind, Jack?"

"I was wondering if you and I could talk," Jack said.  He nodded toward the door leading outside.  "Privately."

"Don't overtax yourself, sir," Janet said.  She gathered up the articles from the morning's therapy session and moved off to her next patient.

Grabbing his cane and the dark glasses he'd become accustomed to wearing, Hammond followed Jack through the doors into the warm morning.  Jack pointed toward the center of town and the two men headed off.

"George, I need your help," Jack said.

"Don't see what good I can be," George said stubbornly.

"It's been three months since the attack," Jack said.  "We're barely surviving the emotional fall-out here.  I need you."

"No, you don't - not like this."

Jack sighed in frustration.  They walked in silence until they came to a long bench built into a small flowered area on the side of one of the avenues.  Jack motioned for them to sit down.  He waited until George was settled before he began to talk.

"This entire place is running on nothing but adrenaline and emotion.  Has been for months.  We can't keep going this way - we'll end up finishing the job Anubis started."

"I can't change the way these people think, Jack."

"You can help me change it," Jack responded quietly.

"You assume I want to."  Hammond stared straight ahead, his body perfectly still.

"We can't live for death, George.  We've got refugees out on other planets that we need to relocate back here, we've got a killer winter to get ready for, we've got babies on the way.  We won't survive if we keep going like we have been."

"You're making an assumption about me that is in error," George said softly.

Jack turned to look at him.  "You wanted us to let you die?"

"I wish you had."

"No," Jack said firmly.

"The greatest mistake of my career was not knowing when to call it quits," George said, his voice taking on a far-away tone.  "Had I not been in command . . ."

"Had you not been in command, this place wouldn't exist!" Jack practically yelled.  "All of us would be dead.  No one would have survived."

"You tell that to my granddaughters," George hissed between grit teeth.  "You tell that to my precious baby girls."

"We all lost in this one," Jack answered said tiredly.  "Help us find a reason to live again, George.  Your grandkids would want you to be happy; so would your daughters.  They wouldn't want . . ."

"Don't you tell me what my girls would want," George barked viciously.  "What they wouldn't want is me walking around like some damned invalid . . ." He waved his arm in front of Jack before it fell uncooperatively back into his lap.

"Looking for a way to die won't fix that," Jack said once he was sure George had calmed down.

"Then you tell me what will."

"Nothing."

The silence that fell between them was nearly palpable.  "What the hell am I supposed to do, Jack?" George finally asked.

"We did a recon not long ago.  About five miles from here there's a little lake, nice patch of land.  I know there was ranching in your past, you and your folks.  That'd be a nice place to homestead."

"In case you haven't noticed, Jack, it'd be a little hard to drive a tractor with a leg and arm that don't work."

"The Tok'ra have given us some equipment . . . we used them as prototypes and started building our own.  You can fly them with voice command if necessary."  Jack shrugged.

"Hardly the retirement I had in mind," George said sadly.

"This isn't what any of us had in mind," Jack answered.  "You told me you'd do whatever it takes to get that bastard.  I'm expecting you to live up to your end of that promise.  Our chance will come, George.  But before and after it does, we have to have something more to live for than hate.  Help me."  Without waiting for an answer, Jack left Hammond sitting on the bench.

++++

"O'Neill."

Jack turned to see Teal'c climbing up from one of the dig sites.  He waited for the Jaffa to catch up to him.  "Helping down in the library today?"

"Indeed.  ProfessorHunter required my assistance in removing a blockage from one of the access tunnels."  He turned appraising eyes on the man beside him.  "You have spoken with GeneralHammond."

"Yeah," Jack said.

"He bears much grief and anger over the events that have happened.  I believe he will come to terms with the things that have transpired."

"I hope you're right."  Jack stopped their progress.  "What exactly is it that Anubis used, do you think?  Carter's been trying to work out if it was something called a 'mass driver.'  What the hell is that?"

"I do not believe that is the technology that was implemented.  It is my opinion that Anubis employed the same technology which Sokar used to transform Netu."

"Making sure to target all the weapons caches across the planet.  Nifty."  Jack ran his hands through his hair.  "You talked to Carter about this?"

"Indeed I have.  She, is not in a state of mind to listen to any outside opinions."

Jack shook his head.  "We're killing ourselves, T, and I can't stop it."

"What do you require of me?"

Jack looked up into understanding brown eyes and felt some of the weight lift from his shoulders.  "I need to make them see that us not just surviving, but thriving, is the one thing that will defeat Anubis in the end.  We'll get payback for what he's done, I'm sure of that.  But right now, these folks have got to find a will to live that's based on something other than hate and revenge."

"That will be difficult," Teal'c said seriously.  "The pain is still too new, the wounds have not yet had a chance to heal."

"I know, but we have to make a start."

"I will do what I can, my friend."

Jack grasped Teal'c shoulder and gave it a squeeze.  "That's all I'm asking."

++++

"Sims, Cutter, come here for a second."  Daniel cleared away the debris from a small shelf and looked into what appeared to be a display case.  The two men came over to stand beside him and peered into the transparent box.  "Look at this."  Daniel gave them a smile.

"What is it?" asked Cutter.  He was one of the last transfers to Theta before Earth was attacked, and one of the hardest hit.  He'd made the decision to leave his wife and family on Earth in order to stay on Theta and continue his work in mathematics.  He was volunteering his free time to help excavate the immense library that had been discovered.

"I think," Daniel said, passing his hand over a side of the case, "it's a music box."  The image inside changed as his hand moved.

"Music box?" asked Sims.  The man stood up.  "What fucking good is a music box going to be if Anubis decides to make a run at us?"

Daniel stood up and faced the man squarely.  "Knowledge is power.  All knowledge is beneficial.  I'd hate to find the secrets to a massive weapon here and not have the knowledge, the wisdom or the conscience to use it properly."  Daniel took a half step into the man's personal space.  "Maybe turn out to be like Anubis ourselves, taking aim at whatever gets in our way that we don't like?"

Sims swallowed and backed up.  "Point taken."

"I should hope so."  He motioned to the artifact.  "Why don't you take that to Sam Carter?  Maybe she could use that imaging technology for something."

"You know, Doctor Jackson, Teal'c said he'd be giving lessons in that Kel'no'reem thingy he does," said Cutter.  "Maybe we could take some classes, learn to deal with this a little better.  We're all a little ragged."

"I think that'd be a good idea," Daniel said and tried to offer a smile.  "I know I'm going to be there."

++++

"LeslieDonovan, you would be well served to bring the beam two inches to your right."

"How's this, Teal'c?" asked the woman as she placed the last board in place on her new 'deck.'

"I believe it is now sufficiently centered," Teal'c said as he quickly hammered it into place.

"Thanks for your help," she said through a smile.  "I really wanted to get this done before summer was over."

"I am glad to be of assistance," Teal'c said, a small smile touching his own lips.  "Do you require my aid further?"

"No, I've got it from here, thank you."

"Very well.  I must now depart to help KevinRichardson install the new weather monitoring station."

"You sure are keeping busy," Leslie said as she stood and pushed sweaty strands of hair from her neck.

"I enjoy helping the people of this community.  It gives me great pleasure to know that I have been of service."

"Once I get this finished and set up, you'll be my first dinner guest."

"I would enjoy that immensely."  Teal'c bowed.  He turned and jogged down the road to the loading dock where Kevin Richardson, the chief meteorological science technician was waiting for him.

"Hey, Teal'c!" Kevin shouted from the far side of the platform.  "Les get her deck all done?"

"She has," Teal'c said, helping load the last of the equipment in the transport sled.

"You know, she's a great cook.  Can't wait to see what she does with that new pit barbecue."

The two men settled themselves in and proceeded on toward their destination.

++++

"Oh, Mr. Teal'c!"  Stacia Carber's voice echoed through the square, causing Teal'c to pause on his way to check on the progress of a new set of pants he was having made.

"StaciaCarber," Teal'c said with a small bow as he approached her doorway.  "How may I be of assistance?"

"You are just a such a polite young man," tutted the woman as she patted him on the arm.  "I knew you were going to be going with Jack O'Neill today to do some scouting for the second colony site, and I just wanted to make sure you have a little something to eat."  She handed him a foil case.

He looked inside and saw a number of thick sandwiches and slices of cake.  "This will be most welcome for our afternoon meal.  I thank you for your consideration of our needs."

"It's no trouble at all," Stacia beamed.  "You've been such a help to us all over the past few months.  Things have been quite hard you know."  Her voice cracked slightly.

"I understand," Teal'c said solemnly.  "But the Tauri are a strong and resilient people.  I am proud to be among you."

"Well thank you, Teal'c.  We're glad you're here as well."  Dabbing a tissue at her eyes, she fixed Teal'c with firm look.  "Now you make sure you boys drink plenty of cold fluids.  This summer heat's not over yet.  And make sure Jack rests some.  That man works far too hard.  So does Doctor Jackson for that matter."

"I will do what I can," Teal'c said.  He bowed once again before walking away.  Glancing down at the pack he held, he wondered if O'Neill would notice if there was one sandwich missing.

++++

"Teal'c?"  Paul Davis stood quietly in the doorway of the Jaffa's "office" which had been set up next door to Jack's.  Scattered around were remnants of translations that several of the newly formed off-world teams had brought back - mostly in Goa'uld.

"MajorDavis."

"It's just 'Paul', Teal'c."  The man smiled.  "Can I have a minute?"

"Of course."  Teal'c sat up straight in his chair, hands folded on the top of his desk.  "What do you wish to discuss?"

"You do know the impact you've had around here, right?"

"I have only wished to facilitate the furthering of the colony.  If I have had an impact on the well-being of these people, then my efforts have been well rewarded."

Paul smiled.  "Of course."  He scratched his ear, trying to puzzle through how to ask the next question.  "You realize we're a pretty closed society here.  Just over three hundred of us, less than a third of us at the age that it would be practical to start a family."

"Indeed.  Many of the colonists are beyond the Tauri standard for rearing children from an infant stage."

"Right," Paul said with a small cough.  "Strangely enough, however, the majority of the younger women here are single.  And, uh, they've asked me . . . why, I'll never understand . . . but they've asked me to broach the subject with you of, uh . . . procreation."

"I am fully aware of how to procreate, MajorDavis."

"Paul."

"PaulDavis."

"Yeah."  Paul rubbed his eyes.  "Teal'c, what I'm trying to get at is, we're a small colony, and if attrition has anything to say about it, we're only going to get smaller.  Some of these ladies have put forth the idea of having the men . . . donate their . . . DNA . . . in an effort to begin . . . expanding the colony . . . if you understand my meaning."

Teal'c's eyebrows went up in surprise.  "Indeed."

"Yes."

"You have spoken with O'Neill about this?"

"Oh, yes," Paul said, his face turning a vivid color of red.  "And I won't be recapping that conversation anytime soon."

"Do these women not wish to have a home with both parents for their children?"

"In such a tight community as this, Teal'c, that doesn't seem to be a concern.  The ladies feel they want to have children, but don't necessarily see the need to pick one person with which to do that.  From a purely scientific perspective, this would enable a larger gene pool for future generations.  I don't really have all the answers right now . . . I just needed to bring this to your attention so that you could give it some thought."

"I will do so," Teal'c said.  "Several of the women of the colony are in the last stages of their pregnancy as it is . . . perhaps there is some merit to what these other women suggest."

"You think about it and get back to me."  With a small wave, Paul stood up and walked out of the room.  After the last few hours, he felt the overwhelming need for a tall, cold beer.

++++

Daniel thrust smoothly, slowly into Jack's body.  "There's something to be said about getting pregnant the old-fashioned way," he teased.

"If you think I'm letting you anywhere near any of those women, you've got another think coming," Jack panted.

"Oh, that's not what's gonna be coming soon," Daniel said, his jaw tight.

"Oh yeah, right there," Jack hissed.  He canted his hips up a little farther so every slide of Daniel's cock teased his prostate.  "Oh, fuck that's good."

Daniel's paced increased as his climax drew closer.  Jack's hand slid down behind Daniel's balls and he tugged on the rings hanging there.  With a shouted cry, Daniel exploded inside him, his entire body trembling and shaking through his orgasm.  After a few minutes, he looked down at Jack who lay waiting expectantly.

"Ready?"

"Oh yeah," Jack said as he slicked up his cock.

Daniel straddled Jack's hips, positioned himself over the thick, purple head, and sat down slowly, letting Jack stretch him as he entered.  Daniel grunted as the pleasure/pain pulsed through his body.  Once he was all the way down, he smiled down at his lover, rolling his hips slowly.  Jack groaned at the feeling.  "Good?"

"Damn, this just never gets old," Jack responded.

"Do it," Daniel whispered, leaning forward to kiss Jack full and deep.

Jack clamped his hands onto Daniel's hips and thrust rapidly into the tight warmth above him.  "Awwwww gaaaawwwwwd," he moaned.

"Yeah, Jack, get in there," Daniel growled into the ear he was currently licking.

"Won't last," Jack warned.

"Give it up," Daniel demanded and bit into the side of the strong neck.

"FUCK!"  Jack's rhythm faltered and his body spasmed time and time again as he emptied himself into his lover.  Mumbling incoherently, Jack held on through the last waves of completion until he fell back on the bed, boneless.

"You seem to be having respiratory distress, O'Neill.  Do you require assistance?"

"FUCK!" Daniel yelped, falling onto the bed beside Jack.

"SHIT!  THOR?!  GODDAMNIT!!"  Jack squeaked as Daniel leapt toward the other side of the bed.  Clasping his balls with one hand and trying to fight Daniel for the sheet with the other, he finally got turned around to see Thor gazing at them from the top of the stairs leading to the bath.  "Knock first, you little grey shit!" Jack snapped, massaging his balls to help the pain dissipate.  "Dammit, Daniel, you rolled a nut!"

"Sorry," Daniel said with a wince, his own backside doing some stinging of its own.  "Thor, you can't just drop in like this."

"Yes, so I see," Thor said, his eyes growing wide with understanding.  "I have urgent need to speak with you, O'Neill."

"Couldn't it wait, say, five minutes?"

Thor merely blinked.

"Christ, fine . . . FINE!  Give me a chance to get dressed."  He looked at Thor who didn't move.  "Go wait in the living room . . . the . . . front part of the building!"  Jack waved angrily toward the door.

Thor walked casually through the room and out the door.  Jack lay back, cupping his balls protectively.  "I swear I'm gonna kick his little ass one day."

"Can it be today?" Daniel asked, easing himself from the bed.  "Come on, let's get cleaned up."

++++

"We were able to evacuate our world, but our relocation is not going as well as expected.  There have been many setbacks."

Jack sat slumped on the couch.  Daniel sat beside him, leaning forward and concentrating intently on what Thor was saying.

"So this . . . time dilation device . . . you finally got it activated?"

"Yes.  We hope it will give us ample opportunity to rectify the mistakes with our cloning technology and enable us to find a permanent solution to the replicator dilemma.  We were able to stop their progress before they began reproducing the models of their progenitor, Reece."

"Who was uncovered by some unsuspecting, moderately advanced race that the system lords somehow managed to overlook for the last three thousand years?" Jack asked.

"The world that was once Kelowna no longer exists.  The discovery of Reece, and her subsequent construction of a new form of replicators destroyed them.  And ultimately, my world."

"Speaking of the destruction of worlds," Jack said.

"We were unable to help due to our own battle, O'Neill."

"We . . . understand that," Daniel said, stopping the fight before it even started.  "What we need now is intelligence on Anubis.  Where he is, what he's doing?"

"He has turned his attention to defeating the individual system lords systematically.  This world is safe for now."

"For now?" Jack asked.

"He will, eventually, try to discover your location."

"We can't exactly let that happen," Daniel said.

"The Asgard no longer have the resources necessary to help your race in its struggle.  My journey here has put my own race in peril as I have taken one of the few battle ships left."

"Then tell us what's in that facility out there," Daniel said earnestly.  "Tell me if there are weapons, or research notes, or anything that can help us fight and defeat Anubis."

Thor looked down, his body conveying extreme sadness.  "There is not."

Daniel gave a slightly hysterical laugh.  "Then this all has been for nothing?"

"No," Thor said adamantly.  "You have insured the survival of your race.  You carry its destiny."

"But you can't help us anymore, the Tok'ra are too few to help us, the Nox won't help us, at least, not in any way that's substantive . . . so exactly who does that leave to give us a hand with this?" Jack asked.

"You will rely upon yourselves, as you have always done."  Thor blinked slowly.  "I must return to my ship."  He placed a small device on the table in front of him.  "This is a direct communication device with my world.  I am afraid that verbal communication will be all we can offer you in the near future."  He placed another item on the table.  "This is the history of our world, and the alliance we established with the Furling."  Dark eyes settled on Daniel.  "Consider this a personal gift, Doctor Jackson.  The gift of knowledge."

"Thank you," Daniel said softly.  "And I'm . . . sorry . . . about what's happened to your people."

"As I am about yours."  Thor turned his eyes toward O'Neill.  "If there is anyone who can bring this matter to resolution, it is you, O'Neill."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Jack said.

A brilliant white light shone briefly and Thor was gone.

"Dammit," Jack sighed.

++++

"Mr. O'Neill, we're ready for you."

Jack looked up from the notes in front of him to the young man standing at the door.  "Tell them I'm on my way."  Jack pulled his things together and walked out of his office a few minutes later.

The colony had assembled in the field at the landing platform.  A speaking podium and sound system had been set up for the evening.  Speeches had been given, future plans discussed, and now, Jack was preparing to give the final report regarding the last few hours before the attack on Earth.  It was four months since Anubis had decimated the planet and between first-hand reports and Tok'ra supplied intel, they finally had a clear picture of what had happened.

Jack saw the sea of faces gathered before him as he stepped up onto the platform.  Daniel gave him a small smile from the front row.  Carter sat beside him, clutching his hand tightly on one side, and her father's hand on the other.  Teal'c sat quietly on the other side of Daniel and suddenly Jack felt more calm and centered.  They were all here, together again.

"What I have to say," he said without preamble, "will be difficult to hear.  Not only because of the memories of family and friends who were lost, but because of the brutality of the details.  But before I start the report, I want to say this.  There's much to be said for secrecy and security . . . it keeps people safe, keeps bad things from happening, and it keeps the waters from getting clouded from an abundance of opinion.  But secrecy can go too far.  The leaders of this colony have decided that, in our situation, secrecy can be kept at a minimum, and so I'm not going to be leaving anything out of this report.  You'll know what I know by the time I'm finished."

Jack unfolded the notes and began to speak.

"Approximately 120 Earth days ago, an attack was launched against Earth by a Goa'uld previously believed to be dead.  His name is Anubis.  It would seem this particular snake is bent on galactic domination and apparently he found out about Earth and the potential threat we posed.  He assembled a fleet in preparation for an all-out attack.

"During this time of preparation, we here at Theta discovered two planetary defense grid systems.  We kept one and sent the other back through the gate to Earth.  Due to international politicking, that technology was never used.  Despite efforts to the contrary to make the leaders of the different nations understand that they needed to activate the technology as quickly as possible in order to prevent the attack, they instead felt the need to fight among themselves until it was too late.

"When Anubis arrived, he began a systematic attack on the nuclear, chemical and biological weapons caches around the globe.  He started in Asia and worked his way east.  The United States was his final target.  The technology he used was a high powered plasma laser system that can bore its way miles into the surface of a planet's crust.  SG-1 and I saw the results of the use of this technology up close and personal on an off-world mission to Netu.  This coupled with the massive destruction of the weapons arsenals meant that within the day Earth was destroyed and totally uninhabitable.

"Sam Carter, General Hammond, Teal'c, Doc Fraiser, and a handful of others stayed behind to make sure that what technology Anubis' weapon missed, they destroyed.  They barely made it through the gate in time.  They gated to the Alpha site, but when they got there, they discovered that Baal was waiting for them.  A trap had been laid.  The Alpha site was a complete loss as well.  The blast wave through the gate from Earth destroyed the gate at the Alpha site and most of the surrounding land mass.  For those of you who didn't work with the SGC at that time, the Alpha site was located on a planet that was exceptionally rich in naquada, thereby creating a cataclysmic explosion from the destruction of the gate.

"Jacob Carter managed to fly a cargo ship through enemy lines to Theta.  He arrived with his passengers, all of whom were seriously injured.  General Hammond had the foresight to begin evacuation of SGC personnel and their families two days before the attack began.  I do not have the locations where he sent those people, nor do I want them, at this time, for security reasons.  It is my hope they are building colonies and finding ways of defeating the Goa'uld threat, just as we are.  Once we are more certain of where Anubis is and what his intentions are, I hope to contact those colonies and reestablish ties."  Jack folded his notes neatly and put them in his pants pocket.  He could hear the buzz of the late summer insects around him as the sun began to set.

"I've heard it said that the best revenge is living well.  I don't know about you folks, but that's exactly what I intend to do.  Anubis kicked our ass, but he didn't beat us.  I lost a great many friends and family in this attack.  I'm probably going to lose more in the coming years.  But the one thing I will not do, is roll over to this snakey sonofabitch.  I want revenge as bad as the next guy - but living on hate isn't the way I'm going to get it.  I've been down that road before and death's the only thing waiting at the end.  I know one thing above all else - those who cared about me back on Earth would want me to be well and happy.  I'm going to honor that.  I'm going to live well, and I'm gonna do everything within my power to blast that Goa'uld bastard out of the sky.  And I'm never . . . ever . . . gonna quit."

Jack looked around him at the faces of the people who were turning his words over, thinking about what he said.  "Now, I have one more announcement to make."  He pulled a slip of paper from his shirt pocket.  "It would seem we have a new addition to our colony.  About an hour ago, Amy Wertz gave birth to an eight pound five ounce baby boy, by the name of Jonathan Daniel.  I'm just warning you all now, I'm going to be insufferably proud for the next week."  He smiled as a cheer went up from the crowd at the news.

++++

Autumn struck Theta with a vengeance, turning the sky slate gray and dumping copious amounts of rain on the planet.  Every bit of food that could be stocked away, was; emergency apportionment plans were in place; and the colony worked to brace itself for the long, savage winter it knew was on the way.  As long as the summer had been, everyone knew the fall would be short, as would be the spring - after the long, harsh winter.

Jack and Paul had worked out plans and gotten them well underway to develop recreational facilities to give the colonists a way to wile away the coming winter when research would be hampered by inclement weather.  There were weight rooms, arts and crafts facilities, sewing rooms, rooms for games, libraries of translated materials, everything they could think of to keep people busy.  The invitro fertilization program had moved ahead with more volunteers than anyone had anticipated.  Several women were already pregnant, and all the women who had been pregnant before had all delivered healthy, wriggling babies that the entire colony took great joy in spoiling.

Jacob left Theta late in the fall and reunited with the remaining Tok'ra.  He'd promised a report soon to see what the state of the war with the system lords was.  During the day of the first snow, almost six months after the attack on Earth, a request for clearance came from an unexpected source.  Bra'tac.

++++

Jack trotted down to the loading dock just in time to see Bra'tac and Ry'ac emerge from the ship.  The young man spotted Teal'c, who was striding toward them from another road, and ran to him.  Jack watched the embrace and smiled.  He turned toward the grizzled old warrior in front of him.  "I'm going to assume you weren't followed."

"It is good to see you as well, O'Neill," Bra'tac said smugly.

Jack gave him a half smile and clasped the old warrior's forearm.  "How're things going out there?"

"The situation is tenuous at best.  Jacob Carter has asked me to convey news of the other refugees from you world."

"Everything alright?"

"They are as well as can be expected."

Jack turned to see Teal'c and Ry'ac approaching swiftly.  Teal'c greeted his former teacher warmly and Ry'ac had a handshake for O'Neill.  "Let's take this indoors."

Jack lead the way down to the command bunker.  "Graham, give Daniel a call, let him know we've got company.  Tell him to come down to the main conference room."

"Will do, Jack."

"Find Paul and tell him to join us, too."

Graham nodded his understanding as the men walked past.  He smiled as he heard Jack shout down the corridor, "Might as well tell Carter.  And Hammond."

Once everyone was assembled and seated, Bra'tac began the report.  "The majority of your people were sent to Cimmeria.  As far as we know, they have been left alone and there is no Goa'uld activity in that area of space.  The Land of Light received the rest of your people.  What few we were able to retrieve from the Alpha Site have been resettled on the planet you call Eudora.  It would seem the Goa'uld have taken no notice of this.  For this, you should be grateful."

"We are, Master Bra'tac.  More than you can imagine," Hammond said.

"The Jaffa rebellion continues, but the progress is very slow.  It was our hope that we could secure the positions of your people with additional troops of some sort, but as yet, we are too few in number.  Anubis has made many who would have joined us think again about the risk that would entail."

"What do we know about Anubis' movements?" Jack asked.

"After the destruction of the Tauri home world, he left with his fleet for a relatively unpopulated region of the galaxy.  Legend and myth say that the worlds he has gone to were once the home of a mighty race that populated this galaxy long ago.  If it is true he has gone here, we can only assume he is in search of some sort of technology with which to continue his fight."

"This race that lived in this region . . . I don't suppose you know the name of them?" Daniel asked.  Jack glanced at his partner and recognized the look in his eyes.  Daniel was onto something but he was trying very hard not to tip his hand.

"I believe they are known as Furling," Bra'tac answered.  "Why?"

"Just . . . curious," Daniel said, giving Jack a look that told him to keep quiet until they could speak privately.

"What sort of technology could be so important that Anubis would back that far off after such a major victory?" Sam asked.

"We are unsure.  Because of the remoteness of these worlds, any ships entering that area of space would fall under suspicion.  We cannot risking sending any of our people."

"How long you figure he's gonna be on this . . . treasure hunt?" asked Jack.  "What's your best guess?"

"I do not know.  I only know that while Anubis is on his quest, Baal grows ever more powerful.  The operatives he had among the Jaffa did not know of this base, and therefore we believe this world remains secret to him.  However, the danger to your people, and the worlds they now inhabit, is great.  If you know of a way in which you may counter Anubis effectively, I would encourage you to do it quickly."  Bra'tac looked about him, his face sad.  "I mourn for your losses as I would my own people."  He placed his fist over his heart and bowed in O'Neill's direction.

Jack nodded.  "Look, why don't you and Ry'ac stay here awhile; give things a chance to calm down out there a bit?"

"A respite from our travels would be most welcome," Bra'tac smiled as he saw Ry'ac's face light up at the prospect of being able to stay with his father for an extended period of time.

The meeting continued on for some time, with details being gone over time and time again until everyone was certain that no bit of evidence was left unspoken.  When it was determined there was no more information to glean, the group adjourned for the evening.  Upon leaving the underground facilities, they were all surprised to find several inches of snow had already accumulated on the ground and the temperature had plummeted dramatically.  "Carter?" Jack asked, looking around.

"This is just the beginning, sir," she said.  "We may be in for a hell of a ride."

Jack looked hopefully at Daniel.  "Maybe we can make a rink . . ."

"No."

"What?"

"No."

"Well if the river freezes . . ."

"No."  Daniel walked off quickly before Jack could continue.  "I am not playing hockey with you."

"But Daniel . . ."

++++

Daniel stood looking out one of the windows in their bedroom.  The snow had been falling for weeks with no signs of letting up.  The entire colony was buried and they'd taken to burrowing through the snow and ice in tunnels.  For possibly the third time in a minute, he stretched his hand out toward the opening in the wall.  He felt a slight, slick resistance against his palm, and when he pushed his hand further, it emerged into the stinging cold of the snowstorm outside.  Pulling his hand back in, he rubbed the palm free of the tingling sensation and shook his head.  "How does it do that?"  The snow was piled nearly up to the windows of the second story of the large structure.

Daniel could practically feel the weight of the snow pushing in around him, and even though winter had only just begun, he longed to see the blue skies of spring and summer.  He felt trapped and isolated, penned in by weather and the colony's present circumstance.  Something inside him ached for release.  Just then, he heard Jack enter the house.

"Daniel!"

"Up here," Daniel called.

A few moments later Jack entered the room, pulling off his parka and gloves.  "Those little doo-dads the Tok'ra gave us sure make it easy to get through this snow.  Makes a great little ice tunnel to walk through."

"Is the gate unburied?"  Daniel gave Jack a slight push in the chest, indicating he should sit down on the edge of the bed.  When he did, Daniel knelt down and began unlacing his boots.

"Yep.  We made a nice little cavern for it.  Looks kind of pretty, sitting in that big ice cave."  Jack ran his cold hands through Daniel's soft hair.  Daniel looked up and smiled as he untied Jack's other boot.  "The bath still clear of snow?"

"Not so much as a flake," Daniel said.  When he had Jack's feet uncovered, he began to rub them slowly, warming them with his hands.  "You free for the rest of the day?"

"Have something in mind?" Jack chuckled as he lay back on the bed.

Daniel ran his hands up Jack's legs and let them rest over the denim covered crotch.  He smiled as he watched his partner work himself up against his hands.  Daniel increased the pressure and Jack grunted his approval.

Jack placed his hands over Daniel's and pushed them down.  "Yeah, that's it.  Get me nice and hard."

"Then what?" Daniel asked, moving himself up and over the prone body below him.  He nestled his groin into Jack's and began to rub.  "Tell me what you'll do to me."

Jack reached down and gripped his ass, pulling him in tight.  "Gonna fuck you all afternoon," he said as he lifted his head up for a kiss.

Daniel met him eagerly, mouth open and welcoming.  "Force it out of me," Daniel mumbled against lips slightly chapped from the cold.  "Make me come until I can't any more . . . then keep after me till I beg you to stop."

"I'll never stop."  Jack rolled them over until Daniel was underneath.  "Want you to use me.  Use me to get off."

"Yesssssss."

"Masturbate with me . . . fuck yourself on my dick."

"Uuunnnghh."

"Need it . . . need you."

"Jaaaa'k."

"Lemme see your cock," Jack panted as he pushed himself away.

Daniel fumbled with his pants, finally pushing them down over his hips until Jack could grab them and yank them off.  Daniel merely raised his shirt up so Jack had an unobstructed view of all of him.

"Look how nice that is," Jack whispered as he rapidly slipped out of the rest of his clothes.

"Tie my hands?" Daniel asked quietly.

"You want that?"  Jack reached into a bedside drawer and pulled out two lengths of soft material.  Daniel held out his hands and Jack quickly bound his wrists.  "Okay?"

Daniel tested the bonds and nodded, then put his hands over his head.

"What else you want?" Jack asked as he pushed Daniel's shirt up and over his head, using it to further immobilize Daniel's arms.

"Beads," Daniel said in a horse whisper.

Jack's eyes went dark.  "You're in a mood today, aren't you?"  He moved quickly to one of the large armoires and retrieved the requested item.

Daniel worked his way around on the bed until he was able to reach up and grasp the headboard with his hands.  "Tease me . . . make it last."

Jack climbed between Daniel's legs and reached forward to grab the lube from under the pillow, stealing a kiss while he was there.  "One taste first.  You have to let me have one taste."

Daniel raised his hips in response as if offering his cock to Jack.  He let out a small groan as he watched the silver head dip down, the sound increasing as warm lips and tongue sucked and teased at the head.  He bit his lip against the complaint that threatened to escape when Jack let the erection fall back onto his stomach.

Jack sat down and pulled Daniel's thighs over his.  He poured some lube into one hand then ran his palm down the string of beads, making sure each one was well coated.  "Lift up."  He smiled as Daniel obediently brought his knees up to his chest exposing his tight pucker.  "Sweet," Jack whispered.  "Such a sweet ass."

Daniel heard the harshness of his breathing and he tried to relax a little.  He felt strong fingers enter him slowly, spreading more lube around and inside him and he pushed down against them, wanting more.  A firm jab sent him skyrocketing as Jack quickly found his prostate and began to play.  Bucking his hips, he let himself get lost in the feelings Jack was sending through him.  He felt the edge begin to build and he forced himself to still.  Looking up, he made eye contact with Jack.  "Do it."

Jack placed the first sphere against Daniel's hole and pushed slowly but firmly until the ball seemed to be sucked inside the tight channel.  He smiled as Daniel groaned and rolled his hips.  One after another Jack inserted the balls until only the end of the string and the ring at the end remained.  Daniel was writhing with the sensation inside him.  They'd discovered that between Daniel's natural sensitivity and the piercings, this one act alone could keep him at the brink of orgasm for quite some time.  Jack gave a slight tug on the beads and Daniel yelped in pleasured surprise.  He remembered back to one of the first times they'd tried this - Daniel calling him the master of erotic torture because of the way he'd teased each and every ball back out of his body.  He'd only mastered his technique further since then.

"Feel good to ya?" Jack purred.  He laughed when all he got was a garbled reply.  Another tug and Daniel's hips lurched against his legs.  Slowly, steadily, he pulled the sphere nearly all the way out, then reached out with his other hand and stroked quickly over the soft skin of Daniel's perineum.  Daniel's hips bucked rapidly and he tried to both twist away and push down into the pleasure.  The first ball popped free of Daniel's ass and a loud, low groan followed.

"You know I'm gonna make this last a long time," Jack taunted softly.

"God, I hope so," Daniel growled as he waited for the exquisite torment to continue.

Over and over Jack repeated the process, periodically leaning forward to lick at the desperate, weeping cock before him.  He loved being able to bring Daniel to this place of complete abandon and trust, knowing it freed something deep in the man who usually held himself under such tight control around others.

"Last one," Jack whispered against Daniel's stomach as he tugged steadily on the last bead.

Daniel was incoherent with lust and need, covered in sweat and cursing loudly in every language he knew.  When he felt the last ball slip free, he nearly wept in frustration.

"Need something else in there?" Jack asked against a nipple.  He grinned smugly as Daniel tried to marshal enough resources to formulate an answer.  He failed miserably.  "Get on your hands and knees and face the other way."

Jack moved so Daniel could comply, albeit it a little clumsily.  Kneeling behind Daniel, Jack leaned back against the headboard and placed his arms along the wood slats at the top.  He watched in fascination as a drop of pre-cum oozed from the tip of Daniel's cock to fall slowly to the comforter below.  He didn't think he'd ever seen a more erotic sight than was before him at that moment - Daniel, wrists bound in front of him, laying forward on his arms, his steely hard cock jutting straight out, parallel to his stomach, dripping with need, and that perfect ass tilted into the air just waiting for him.  He swallowed hard as he fought to maintain enough control to continue this session for Daniel.  He removed the ring from his cockhead quickly, tossing it on the table.

"Come on back here," Jack said.

Daniel turned his head to see what Jack meant and he quickly scrambled backward, lining himself up with Jack's erection.

"Take what you want, Daniel.  I'm not gonna move until I know you've had enough."

Daniel pushed his hips back and felt the sudden and deep penetration.  A half scream tore itself from his throat as he began to use Jack's body to pleasure himself.

Jack's grip on the headboard turned his fingers white and made his arms shake, but he held himself perfectly still while Daniel used him as nothing more than a fuck toy.  The sounds Daniel was making, the sensation of having his body taken in this way were pushing him to the very limits of his control.  After many long minutes, he could tell Daniel was beyond the point of needing release and his actions were becoming frustrated.  Jack released his grip on the bed and pushed Daniel forward and slightly onto his side.

Straddling one well-muscled thigh and pushing the other one forward, Jack leaned into his thrusts and set up a dizzying pace.  Daniel made to bring his hands down to rub the fabric over his cock, but Jack shoved them away.  "No.  Mine."

Readjusting his position slightly, he jabbed rapidly into Daniel's body as he took his lover's erection into his hand and stroked quickly.  Jack felt and saw the contractions begin around the rim of Daniel's opening and the yell of delight and release pushed him completely over the edge.  He braced himself from falling onto Daniel, then eased himself down behind him, keeping himself wedged tightly in the warm, wet entrance of his lover.  Before the weight of sleep overtook him, he quickly untied Daniel's wrists, then rolled him farther over onto his stomach.  He fell asleep with his face nestled in Daniel's damp neck.

A few hours later, Jack awoke with the luscious feeling of still being inside Daniel and his cock responded instantly.

Daniel let out a soft moan beneath him and turned completely onto his stomach, canting his hips up slightly.  "Help yourself," he purred happily as he felt Jack begin another lovemaking session.

++++

Daniel staggered down the stairs in the thin light of dawn looking for something to eat.  He and Jack had gotten so carried away the day before they had only stopped long enough to sleep before waking to pick up right where they'd left off.  As he poured himself a glass of juice, Daniel clenched his anus and reveled in the slight ache of overused muscles.  While Jack couldn't take more than two sessions at the most in any one day, Daniel loved being worked to the point of exhaustion as the bottom and Jack had most certainly accomplished that.  He stood quietly and enjoyed the emotions currently flowing through him.  Giving a glance at the window which was now covered from the outside with snow, he set about preparing some breakfast sandwiches to take back up to the bedroom.

When he arrived, he saw Jack dutifully changing the sheets and pulling down fresh linens from the closet.  "What'cha got there?  I'm starving."

"Just some sandwiches and juice."  He set them on the table before helping Jack quickly make up the bed.  Once done, they climbed in and ate quietly for a time.

"What's going on in that head of yours, Doctor Jackson?" Jack asked.

"It's good here, isn't it?  Us, the colony, what we're doing.  It's all so good."  Daniel looked out at the thin sliver of sky still available over the pile of snow.  "I want him stopped, Jack.  I don't want this to end - any of it."

"We'll get him."

"I want more than that.  I want the Goa'uld threat gone.  They've taken everything from me since I came to the program.  I won't let them take this . . . take you, too."  He turned serious eyes on his lover.  "I'll die first before I'll let him win."

"Then we'll go together," Jack stated simply.

Daniel nodded and bit into his sandwich.  "Just so we're agreed."

"Yep," came the firm reply.

++++

Jack waited patiently until the indicators in the lab turned green before opening the door and stepping inside.  Sam was checking readings carefully, her movements deliberate and purposeful.  "Carter?"

"We did it."  She looked up at Jack, her eyes shining like sapphires.  "I can't believe it, but we actually did it."

"What is it that you have accomplished?" asked Bra'tac as he, too, stepped into the room.

"This target was surrounded by the latest Goa'uld shield technology."  She indicated a pile of smoking powder in front of her.  "We blasted straight through it."

"This is that new, high-razoo shielding Jacob was talking about?" Jack asked, motioning to the debris.

"Yes," Sam said with a laugh.  "When Daniel found those calculations in the library that were based on temporal shifting, I didn't have a clue what the Ancients could have been working on, but I applied that to what we know about the oscillating frequency technology the Goa'uld are already using, and came up with an energy pulse that, when fired in direct proportion to the amount of . . ."

"Carter!" Jack snapped.  "Please."

"Sorry," she said, still smiling.  "The short version is, sir, we've got something viable we can use against Anubis."

"Well hot damn," Jack said calmly.  He turned to Bra'tac.  "Think you and Jacob can find a few ships for us to outfit with this?"

"I believe we can," Bra'tac said, a fire in his eyes.

"Good."

++++

"Daniel, you here?"

Jack heard the faint reply echo down the steps.  He knew where he'd find his partner and climbed the stairs to the room that held the 'library.'  He walked in and saw Daniel sitting on the floor, books and papers spread out around him, the glow from the overhead display glinting off his glasses.

"How'd the experiment go?"

"Great," Jack said, pulling up a chair and sitting himself beside Daniel.  "Carter busted through that Goa'uld shielding like it wasn't even there."

"Really?" Daniel asked, surprised.  "Wow.  That's . . . huge."

"Yeah," Jack said with a half smile.  "What've you got going here?"

"Well apparently Sam's not the only one having major breakthroughs today," Daniel answered, his voice carrying a certain amount of stunned surprise.

"You too?"

"Oh yeah."  Daniel held up a notebook full of scribbles.  "This is the basic time line of the Asgard  alliance.  But the information in here," he said, pointing to the glowing device before him, "is an accumulation of millions of years."  He turned to look directly at Jack.  "Do you know why the alliance fell apart?"

"The war, I would assume," Jack answered.

"Yes, the war . . . but do you know the real reason that war started?"

"Something about displaced Furlings . . ." Jack said, his voice trailing off.

"Not entirely," Daniel said, warming quickly to his subject.  "To understand this, you have to go back farther into the history of these races than when the gates were built.  Back to when they were just beginning to discover who they were and their place in the universe.  Jack, do you know what happens when a Furling dies?"

"They go to Furling heaven?" Jack asked, wincing because he knew Daniel wanted him to follow his train of thought and he just wasn't quite able to do it.

"Yes, in a manner of speaking," Daniel said, "but do you know how they get there?"

"Lya said something about trans . . . planted stick shifts or something."

"Jack."  Daniel closed his eyes and took a breath in frustration.  "Alright, listen to me carefully.  When a Furling dies, it emits a pulse of energy that opens a . . . window . . . into a different plane of existence.  In other words, they ascend.  Naturally.  It's part of their life process."

"Oh - kay."

"The race that we've come to know as the Ancients grew rather covetous of this ability.  During their pursuit of how to attain this knowledge, they stumbled on a few minor discoveries like the stargate and wormhole physics."  Daniel leaned over and tapped a stack of papers.  "I had Sam work up a few brief theories of mine, see if any of them play out.  One did."

"Oh this should be good."

Daniel smiled.  "You're a fan of Star Trek, right?"

"In a manner of speaking," Jack said, a bit defensively.

"Okay," Daniel chuckled.  "You know what anti-matter is?"

"Sure.  The stuff Scotty could barely keep from blowing up."

"Well what if I told you that the whole premise that Scotty's warp engines are based on is at the heart of what happened to the Furling and the Ancients?"

"Come on," Jack said.  "That was a TV show."

"But," Daniel said, raising his finger to stop Jack's objections, "anti-matter is a science fact.  In the most basic terms, if you have one atom of matter, you can safely exchange it with one atom of anti-matter - as long as the two don't come into contact.  And it has to stay equalized like that or everything . . ."

"Blows up?"

"To put it gently."  Daniel patted another stack of papers.  "According to Lya, the Ancients began displacing the Furling by ascending in their place."

"Unbalancing the scales," Jack said, his mind slowly coming to terms with the theories being presented to him.

"Exactly," Daniel said triumphantly.  "The Ancients were populating a universe that was never meant for them . . . leaving the Furling with nowhere to go once they passed from this life."  He picked up a large stack of papers and laid it in his lap.  "This is the account of the end of the Ancients.  We've gathered evidence from here and on other planets indicating that there was a plague that basically wiped out most of what was left of the population.  The common belief was that the Ancients unleashed it on themselves."

"No?"

"No.  That's when the war broke out - a biological war.  It was a last ditch attempt by the Furling to stop what the Ancients were doing.  And it nearly worked."

"Nearly?"

"Some of the Ancients survived.  They were few in number, threatened with extinction.  The task they faced in order to come back and repopulate their race was nearly overwhelming and they fought mortality just like the rest of us.  They began experiments to be able to retain their knowledge from generation to generation so that nothing would be lost."

Jack's eyes went wide.  "Do you mean to tell me . . ."

"The Ancients set in motion the genetic changes that created the Goa'uld.  And the one who was in charge of this research at the end . . ."

"Was Anubis."

"Was Anubis," Daniel echoed in confirmation.

++++

Daniel looked across the room at the stunned faces in front of him.  "Anubis became a host to a Goa'uld during the last experiment he conducted.  From what I can determine, when the blending happened, the Goa'uld secured the knowledge of ascension and determined not only to become the most all-powerful being in this universe, but in the other one as well.  However, something happened, something went wrong . . . he's trapped halfway between being ascended and being non-ascended."

"If what you say is true, then he could be millions of years old," Sam said in disbelief.

"Apparently one does not age on the ethereal plane," Daniel answered.  "Ra was over three thousand years old when we encountered him on Abydos, so we know that Goa'uld can be incredibly long-lived, but that's usually due to sarcophagus use and a periodic changing of hosts.  Anubis may have been trapped in this state for millions of years."

"If he's in this phase shifted state, will we be able to kill him?" asked Hammond.

"The technology Sam has recently worked out is based on the transphasic shifting that happens when a Furling passes from this life to the next," Daniel explained.  "If we can get to him . . . we can kill him."

Jack looked around the table.  "I want every ally we have to be contacted and asked for information.  Bra'tac has managed to secure us a hatac and a wing of fighters.  If we take in a small strike force, I think we have a chance.  Sam says she'll have the weapons ready for manufacture by the time spring breaks.  By then I want clear and concise information on where Anubis is and what he's up to.  And when the time comes, I want SG-1 ready to lead the way."

++++

Life continued at a frenetic pace for the colony during the long winter months.  Scurrying about like voles under the tundra snows, the inhabitants began preparations for a final battle they knew they stood little chance of winning.  By the time the first warm winds of spring began to blow over the town, a hatac and several fighter craft were being readied for flight.

Bra'tac had made several trips to and from Theta, sometimes bearing news, other times bearing survivors of the attack on earth and Jaffa loyal to the rebellion.  General Hammond and Teal'c trained and prepared the troops for their mission to search out and destroy Anubis.  It was into this hive of activity that Jacob Carter came, bearing news that was both welcomed and dreaded.  Anubis had, at last, been located.  Final preparations for the attack began.

Jack was walking through the pirated Goa'uld ship when he heard the hurried steps of Daniel approaching in the corridor.  He turned to see the man nearly running up to him.  "Sam says we should be ready to leave in a couple days.  Teal'c's getting the rest of the munitions stored below decks and Jacob's going over the navigation systems one last time."

"Good," Jack nodded.  He looked up at Daniel and smiled sadly.  "Looks like we're right back where we started, doesn't it?"

"Seems to be our lot in life," Daniel said with a mirthless laugh.  "We're together in this, Jack.  You understand me?  No leaving me behind to keep me safe.  It's both of us or not at all.  And if you have to, Jack - you give the order.  Is that clear?"

"Crystal.  You just know that if it comes to that, I'll be right beside you when that order's given."

"I'll hold you to that," Daniel said, grabbing Jack's face between his hands and kissing him soundly.

"Ahem," came a embarrassed voice from the entryway.

Daniel finished the kiss with a loud flourish before turning to see a rather flustered Jacob Carter standing, waiting for them to come up for air.  "What's the matter, Jacob?  Never seen two people kiss before?" asked Daniel.

"Watching Jack O'Neill kiss someone is not a sight I ever wanted to see," replied the Tok'ra host with a pained expression on his face.  "Thanks for the memory."

"What's up, Jacob?" asked Jack as he snugged his arm around Daniel's waist to keep him close.

"I just got word from one of our operatives.  Anubis is on the move.  If we're going to intercept him, we have to go now."

"Are we ready?" asked Daniel.  "I thought we weren't leaving for another two days."

"We'll have to be," Jack said.  "Tell Carter and Teal'c.  Get everybody aboard.  We'll head out as soon as the last person's loaded up."

++++

Daniel shrugged into his field jacket and looked down at himself.  "I'd forgotten what it feels like to wear these things."

"We have pretty much gone native," Jack smiled.  He tucked his cap down over his substantially non-military hair, tossed his woven pants and shirt onto the sleeping pallet and picked up his P-90.  "Just like the good ol' bad ol' days."

"I love you, Jack," Daniel said suddenly.

Jack remembered a scotch flavored kiss on the balcony of a hotel in Washington, D.C., and he fought back the emotion that tightened his throat.  "I love you, too, Daniel.  More than I can ever, possibly tell you."

"Then let's get this over with so we can get home," Daniel said.  Together the two men walked down the hall to the peltac.

++++

"There's no sign anyone knows we're here," came Jacob's voice as the last two members of SG-1 entered the room.

"Good.  Jacob, get down to the flight deck and get that cargo ship launched.  George, take the helm."

George Hammond limped up to the control panel and placed his hand on the controls, maneuvering the ship as smoothly as if he'd been doing it for years.  "You hold up here and keep this thing cloaked until we call for you."

Hammond nodded and brought the ship into an orbit on the opposite side of the planet from Anubis' ship.

"Alright SG-1, move out," Jack ordered.

++++

"Jacob, you see anything?" Jack asked over the comm.

"I'm not picking much up on sensors.  They may be down on the surface already in an underground bunker."

Jack looked out the window of their cargo ship at the empty space where he knew Jacob's cloaked ship to be.  "Let's put these things on the ground at the coordinates where your people said there was a series of structures."

"Roger that," came the reply.

Minutes later the craft and attack force were on the ground making their way under cover of darkness to what looked to be a large temple.  "Daniel?  You recognize any of this?" Jack asked.

"It's hard to tell, but if I had to guess I'd go with Furling," he whispered.

Jack scanned the surrounding area and spotted several Jaffa placed strategically near the building.  "Think there's a secret passageway or something into this place?"

"I doubt it," Daniel said.  "Didn't seem to be their style."

"Damn.  All right, let's try and keep this as quiet as possible."  He motioned for the troops to advance.  Most of the Jaffa fell without making a sound; only a few zat discharges indicated that some hadn't succumbed to the surprise attack.

Jack met Teal'c at the side of the building.  "How many you think he's got inside?"

"I am surprised there are as few on the surface as there appear to be," Teal'c said.

"He probably wasn't expecting company," Jack said.  He turned his head to look at Sam who was studying the readout of a hand-held device.  "Well?"

"He's in there, sir.  I'm getting a reading of a transphasic flux."

"Any idea what he's here looking for?" Jack asked Daniel.

The scholar merely shook his head.

"I'm getting a bad feeling," Jack said with a slight cringe.  "He's got all the tech he needs - what could he want here?"

Daniel shrugged and looked around him, his eyes coming to rest on a chunk of wall that had fallen to the ground a little to his left.  His eyes quickly scanned the words highlighted in relief in the moon's glow and his eyes widened.  He scooted over to examine the writing more closely, running his hands over the symbols he'd become so well acquainted with in the past months.  "Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"He's not looking for technology."

"What's he looking for?"

Daniel turned frightened eyes toward the man.  "The last outpost of the Furling.  Jack, he's looking for Theta."

A cold knot formed in Jack's stomach.  "Let's get inside."

++++

George stood silently, staring out the window at the barren planet below him.  He pictured Anubis' mother ship floating opposite him, separated by the world between them.  Cold resolve settled upon him when he heard the comm unit spring to life.  Anubis was ordering transport to return to the ship.  He'd found what he'd come for.

With a calmness and purpose he hadn't felt in a very long time, George Hammond gave the order to launch the fighters then slowly took the ship out of orbit.

++++

Jack heard the synchronized marching of Jaffa footfalls echoing through the empty corridors.  Everyone blended back into the shadows along the walls and waited for Anubis and his party to enter the large chamber just inside the building.  He waited until everyone was in clear sight before firing the first shot.

The air around them sparkled as the personal defense shield of Anubis sprang to life, deflecting the weapons trained on him.  One by one the Jaffa fell as they were caught in the deadly cross fire.  Jack pulled Sam's prototype weapon from his backpack, and stepping into clear view of Anubis, he leveled the weapon.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl around Jack as Anubis raised his hands.  The first thing he saw was a ring activation device on the black clad wrist.  The second was a blast of energy aimed, not at him, but at something to Jack's left.  With sickening clarity, Jack heard Daniel's scream of pain before he managed to fire off the first shot.

The blast exploded against the shield in a mass of sparks and Anubis bellowed in anger before the rings activated around him.  Jack took aim one final time but the bolt of energy flew harmlessly through the space where Anubis had been standing.  The last thing he heard was his name being called by Daniel followed immediately by two zat blasts.

++++

George brought the ship around the planet slowly, and as he did, he saw the ring transport stream ascending from the surface.  He increased speed and began closing on the mother ship.

++++

Jacob knelt beside Jack, looking frantically for a pulse.  Just then his comm unit crackled to life to announce the approach of enemy fighter craft.  In response, he heard one of the Jaffa answer from the Theta forces and Jacob knew he had to get his people out of the temple and back onto the waiting ships.  Grabbing Jack by the vest, Jacob pulled him from the building.

++++

George set the weapons and shields to full and as soon as he was well within the range of the enemy mother ship, he deactivated the cloaking device and aimed the craft directly for the bridge.  He fired a stream of transphasic plasma into the enemy's shields and sneered in satisfaction as he saw them falter and dissipate into nothingness.  With all guns blazing he took dead aim and increased speed.  "This is for Kayla and Tessa, you rat bastard!" he shouted at the screen before him.

++++

"Jack, you've got to move, please!" begged Sam.

Jack groaned and tried to sit up, his head swimming and every nerve in his body feeling like it was on fire.  "Daniel," he croaked, looking wildly about him.

"We have to go!"

"I won't leave him!" Jack shouted back.

"He's already gone, Jack," Jacob said, trying to drag him forward.

"No!"  Jack yanked himself away and ran back into the building to where he'd seen Daniel fall to the floor.  He looked around frantically as enemy fire began to rain down on the roof of the building.  Building blocks and columns began to crack and crumble around him and still he looked.  Then he remembered the two zat blasts before passing out.  "Oh God.  Oh GOD NO!" he screamed at the ceiling.

He spun around to see if there was any place else he could search in the rapidly crumbling building when a small figure, glowing faintly white and resembling a humanoid shape seemed to fade into view.  "You must go," it said in a strange, wavering voice.

"My friend, he was here.  He was right here," Jack said motioning to the ground beside him.  "Did you take him?  Have you seen him?"

"He fell in battle," came the quavering response.

"Where is he?  Please, you have to take me to him.  I can't leave him."

"You must go."

With that, Jack found himself standing outside one of the cargo ships.  The rumble of the building collapsing in on itself drew his attention and with a physical pain more acute than any he'd ever felt in his life, save once, he watched his world fall into a heap on the horizon.  "Daniel," he whispered.  There was a flash of an enormous explosion overhead and Jack closed his eyes as yet another piece of his soul was torn away.

++++

Jack sat quietly on a boulder overlooking the makeshift landing area for the fighters.  Very few of them had survived the battle and the remaining troops would be able to be taken back in the cargo vessels.

"Sir, we're about ready to leave."  Carter came up and put a hand on his shoulder.  Jack slapped it away viciously.

"I already told you, I'm not going back."

"Sir, you can't stay here."

"That's where you're wrong, Carter.  I can do anything I damned well please."  He ran his hand carefully over the zat he'd secreted away in his BDU pocket.

Sam looked at him helplessly, not knowing how to reach him in his deep and all-pervading despair.  Just as she was about to try to talk to him again, she was interrupted by the urgent calls of her father.

"Jack!  Sam!  Get over here right now!"

Jack looked over and saw people rushing to the front of one of the cargo ships.  He stormed past Carter to see what the commotion was about.  As he approached, he saw the shape of the being he'd encountered inside the temple.  It seemed slightly transparent in the early morning light.  It stood quietly, waiting until Jack approached before it stepped forward.

"You have freed us," came its haunting voice.

"Freed you?" Jack asked, not particularly caring for clarification.

"We thank you."  The being waved its hand slowly to the side and Jack watched in amazement as dozens of the same sort of beings made themselves visible.  "You guarded us - we guarded you."  He waved again, this time at his feet.

Daniel's prone form was suddenly lying in the dry sand before them.

Jack dropped to his knees beside the man and grabbed him by the front of his jacket, shaking him roughly.  "Daniel!  Damn you, Daniel, you wake up.  Wake up!"  Jack tried to choke back the tears, but the minute blue eyes opened and locked on his, he lost the battle.

"Jack?"  Daniel sat up slightly and looked around him in confusion.  "I should be . . . dead."

"Shut up, just shut the fuck up," Jack hissed and yanked him into a tight embrace, burying his face into the solid warmth of Daniel's neck.

Daniel's arms hung on as hard as they could as the two men tried to regain some semblance of composure.  "Jack?  Is that a zat in your pocket or are you just glad to see me?"

Jack reached down and yanked the weapon out of his side pocket and slammed it down on the ground.  "It's a zat, you stupid shit."  He began to laugh loudly as relief broke through him in waves.  He slowly pulled them both up to their feet and looked around at their audience.  He didn't miss the tears Sam was wiping from her eyes as she watched the reunion.  "Carter," he said, beginning to formulate an apology.

"It's okay, sir," she said with a smile, "I'm just glad he's back."

"Speaking of 'back'," Daniel said, turning to the alien beings before him, "where exactly did I go?"

"We protected you," said the small-statured alien.  "We had no wish to see you die."

"Thank you," Daniel said with a small nod.  "I certainly didn't want to die."  He studied the small face intently.  "You're Furling."

"Yes."

"You live here?" Daniel motioned around him.

"No.  We live on the world you call Theta."

Daniel looked up at the mass of beings around him.  "You came with us?  In the ships?"

"Yes."

"Why?" Daniel asked.

"To guard.  To protect."

Jack released the fistful of Daniel's jacket that he'd been clinging to and knelt down in front of the small alien.  "I owe you, big time.  Tell me how I can repay you."

"You already know that which we desire."

"That little problem you've got with the Ancients?" Jack asked.  He received a small nod in return.  "When we get back, we'll see what we can do about getting you folks back where you rightfully belong.  It may not happen right away, but we'll keep at it until we find a solution."

"Uh, sir," came Carter's voice from behind him, "we may want to consider what we're getting into here."

"Carter, these people saved Daniel's life.  As far as I'm concerned, they can have anything they want in return."  He turned serious brown eyes on his companion.  "There's got to be a solution.  I'm just saying we'll work on finding it."

"It is all we can ask," said the Furling.  He gave a little bow.

"You've been with us on the planet all this time?" Jack asked.

"Yes."

"Why didn't you say something?" Daniel inquired, confused.

"There was no need.  Your actions showed your intent."

"Where will you go now?" Daniel asked.

"Back to our world," came the peaceful answer.  Again the thin, transparent arm waved and a stargate appeared approximately ten yards from where they stood.  "As will you."

"Uh, what about . . ." Daniel pointed upwards.

"He's gone, Daniel," Jack said sadly.  "Took out Anubis' mothership with the hatac."

"Ah no," Daniel said.  "Dammit."  He closed his eyes and swallowed hard, keeping the emotions at bay.

"We lost a lot of good people here today," Jack said solemnly.  "We'll make sure they're remembered."

The stargate suddenly flared to life and the host of Furling began to walk toward it.  Sam quickly pulled a GDO from her jacket and keyed in the security code then nodded as she received confirmation.

"Jacob, can you get these ships back okay?" Jack asked.

The Tok'ra nodded.  "We'll see you in a couple days, Jack."

Handshakes were exchanged and SG-1 led the human contingent back toward the stargate . . . and home.

++++

"Incoming wormhole," announced Graham from the control console.  Paul ran into the room and quickly took the seat beside him as the two men stared anxiously at the computer screens in front of them.  When the display flicked from red to green, a deafening cheer went up around them and the two men reached out to steady themselves against each other as relief flooded through them.  "Receiving SG-1 IDC."

"They did it again," Paul laughed.  "Those lucky bastards pulled it off one more time."

"Of course they did," said Graham as he sat back and watched the security screens showing the stargate.  "They're still SG-1, after all."

"Little hero worship you got going on there?" Paul chided.

Graham fought a slight blush before pointing to the screen above them.  "Who the hell's that?"

"Theta control this is SG-1, over."

"SG-1, this is Theta control, we read you.  Sir, we're seeing . . ."

"Those would be Furling.  Apparently they've been there with us all along.  They just decided to make themselves known.  Have security stand down.  Everything's fine."

"Yes, sir."

"And Paul, we need to arrange a memorial service for sunrise tomorrow."

"Memorial service?" Graham asked.

"General Hammond didn't make it.  Took out Anubis' mother ship single handed - won the battle for us."

Where there had been jubilation just moments before, stunned silence now fell on the people assembled in the room.

"I'll take care of it, sir."

"Paul, one last thing," came O'Neill's voice over the speakers.  "Lose the 'sir'.  I'm retired.  Again."

"Understood," Paul said and he couldn't help but smile.

++++

Daniel watched as the last of Earth's refugees came walking through the event horizon to their new, permanent home.  He glanced over at the river which, at the beginning of Theta's spring had over run its banks and was in the process of leaving another layer of rich, dark topsoil in the fields.  There'd be many more hands to work those fields now - and to build a new life.

Daniel looked up at the newly erected monument to George Hammond that stood proudly overlooking the field where the stargate resided.  He'd secured their home and their future - and Daniel reasoned that was the most fitting tribute of all.  He smiled when he felt a warm hand slip into his and give a little squeeze.  "Hey."

"Hey," answered Jack as he watched the people in the field below him.  "Looks like that's the last of them."

"Now the real work begins.  Rebuilding a world."

"Think the Furling will pop up every now and then to say hello, maybe lend a hand?" asked Jack as he tugged on Daniel's hand to lead him toward the town.  Paul Davis and Graham Simmons had decided to have a public commitment ceremony and it was scheduled to start in an hour.  As presiding dignitaries, both he and Daniel were expected to be present well before the service took place to mingle and talk with the citizens.  They could have this conversation on the way.

"When they're needed . . . maybe."  He looked over at Jack, a frown creasing his brow.  "You would have done it, wouldn't you?  If the Furling hadn't gotten me out of there when they did, you would have used that zat."

Jack sighed.  They hadn't talked about Jack's obvious decision to stay behind and follow Daniel into death once the others had returned to Theta.  "Yeah.  I would have."

Daniel was silent for a moment.  "I would have done the same thing."

Jack nodded.  "Glad it didn't come to that."

"Where do you think we'll go from here?" Daniel asked as they strolled along the road.

Jack shrugged.  "Don't know.  Now that I've committed us to helping the Furling, I'm sure we'll have quite an adventure ahead of us."

"A little adventure is good," Daniel teased gently as he slid his hands into his pants pocket.

"Just . . . promise me you'll cut down on the near death experiences, huh?  I'm an old man - my heart just can't take much more of that."

Daniel snorted.  "I'll see what I can do."

Jack shook his head in mock frustration.  "Some things with you just never change."

"The more things change . . ." Daniel said, a slight sing-song in his voice.

"Yeah yeah," Jack countered as he reached up to playfully ruffle Daniel's hair which earned him a halfhearted swat on the arm.

Shoulder to shoulder the two men walked into their future.

- finis -

Give the author's ego a marshmallow . . . please feed the bear.

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