Note: Daniel’s brief history of Europe came from http://www.historyworld.net.
***
A nucleus was carefully removed, replaced with another nucleus. The person waited, watching the cells consider the new information, and begin to divide. And divide, and divide again. There was a splash of water nearby and the person glanced at it. They were happy, the person decided.
***
“O’Neill,” Jack grunted into the phone. He wondered who had the nerve to wake him up. “Francis, it’s…..dawn. What? What the hell does he want me to do about it? Tell him to take his Texas ass and…..yeah, whatever.”
Jack put the phone down. After a moment, he picked it back up and set it for silence.
“Daniel.” He pushed at the shoulder in front of him. “Judge Stokes has apparently been told about his son. He seems to think I’m to blame. He bitched at Maynard about it.”
“I’ll call Nicky,” Daniel grunted.
The body in front of Daniel snuffled softly and turned, comforted by the weight of both men. They fell back to sleep.
The next time they were woken up, Jerrie was bending over them, gently shaking Jack’s shoulder.
“Sir, urgent call,” she whispered, holding out the phone. Jack took it from her.
“What?” he grunted into the phone. A moment later he sat up. “That has to be one of the stupidest things I’ve heard in a while,” he said as he shook Daniel awake. “Bring home whoever is nearby and have them wait for my call.” He handed the phone back to Jerrie and looked at the other side of the bed, just to make sure. Sam was definitely not in bed.
“What’s going on?” Daniel asked, rubbing his eyes and searching for his glasses. Jack had jumped out of bed and began hauling his clothes on.
“Apparently someone let Major Coulter onto the base and he’s locked himself and Sam in her office.”
Daniel hopped out of bed and also began to dress. “Who’s in the solar system?”
“Europa can be here in about an hour,” Jack said.
They left Jerrie holding the fort and sped out to HomeSec. Jack used a few backroads, kicking up dirt. Local police considered stopping him but decided that there must be something happening, for the general to be driving recklessly. They ran through a side-door into the building and down to the lab. The arch was already up and waiting for them. Jack and Daniel ran through and came out at the Area 51 lab.
“Someone turn the shields off and report!” Jack shouted.
“Sir, Major Coulter is demanding his record cleared and an honorable discharge,” Lt. Wilson said as she jogged along side the men.
“How’d he get in?” Jack asked.
“He convinced a few friends on staff that he left personal belongings in the office and he needed them back. He waited until I took a short break, sir,” she reported.
“Everyone deserves a pee-break, lieutenant,” Jack said. “I’m not blaming you for this. I want the names of those ‘friends’ of his, though.”
The SF outside Sam’s office stood aside for the general and let him in. Jack held up a hand, halting those behind him. He quickly felt around for Sam’s energy pattern within himself. She was alive and a little irritated, but not afraid. Jack was proud of her.
“She’s fine,” he told them. Wilson didn’t understand but Daniel did. Jack hesitated and then opened the intercom to Sam’s office. “Major? It’s General O’Neill. You’ve got my colonel and my wife in there, major. You know how this will end, so how about we cut to the chase?”
“The charges against me are bogus, general,” came the major’s voice through the intercom. “I want them dropped and I want an honorable discharge.”
“Major, it ain’t gonna happen,” Jack told him. “Especially not if you continue to hold Colonel Carter hostage. I’m not negotiating, major. You release her and then you and I will talk.” He pulled Daniel close and whispered. Daniel gave a nod and left the room.
“Major, both your wife and your daughter have been treated multiple times for bruises and sprains,” Jack said. “How do you explain that?”
“I wouldn’t hurt my family, sir,” Coulter said. “My wife is clumsy, sir. It wasn’t me.”
“There are several reports from your neighbors about loud fights,” Jack said.
“We argue, sir,” Coulter said. “All married couples argue.”
“Yes, they do,” Jack admitted. “Most married couples don’t end up in the emergency room, though. The colonel in there can tell you we argue, just ask her. But we have never lifted a hand to each other. Are you going to tell me that you’ve never hit your wife? Maybe gotten a little pissed with her and put her back in her place?”
“That isn’t abuse, general; it’s my right to reprimand her,” Coulter insisted. “My marriage is not the business of the military. I love my wife and you and everyone else is out of line interfering in my business.”
“Spousal and child abuse is the business of the military, major,” Jack said. “Under the Family Advocacy Program: each branch of the military services has a Family Advocacy Program that operates in accordance with DoD Directive 6400.1. They are designed to prevent child and spouse abuse, to promote early identification and intervention in cases of alleged child and spouse abuse, and to provide programs of rehabilitation and treatment for child and spouse abuse problems. To the maximum extent possible, DoD cooperates with responsible civilian authorities in efforts to address the problems to which this Directive applies. Each branch of service maintains a central registry containing data on reports of alleged child and spouse abuse.”
As Jack continued to quote military regulations at Coulter via the intercom, he kept looking at his watch. He stopped in mid-sentence after hearing a crash in the room.
“Major? What’s going on in there?” Jack called out.
“Coming out,” he heard Sam call. The door opened. Sam tugged on her jacket and smoothed her hair into place. She had a scratch on her cheek, but nothing more. “You can take him, now,” she said. “He’s probably going to have a doozy of a headache when he wakes up.” She looked at her nails and frowned before buffing them on her uniform.
The SF went in and cuffed the man laying on the floor before shaking him awake. Jack looked at him.
“What took you so long?” he asked.
“He had a gun on me and I couldn’t reach him,” she said. “He started pacing when you wouldn’t shut up, and when he came near I kicked him in the groin and punched the side of his head. He went out like a light.”
Jack canceled the Europa and had Coulter taken downstairs into the dungeon. He sent Daniel down to monitor the deposition that Barrett would be conducting via the Tok’ra device.
“Did you have breakfast yet?” Jack asked Sam.
“Yes, I did,” she said. “But I can use some lunch.”
Her admin looked from one to the other and decided to take Colonel Davis’ advice and not ask.
Food on the Vegas strip was cheep and plentiful. Sam took Jack to a small diner that she had discovered while taking in morning dinner with friends Grissom and Nicky after their midnight shifts were over. Daniel would be most of the day disseminating Coulter’s head and filling it with new information, so they sat around the diner for a while. The waitress said the CSI crew hadn’t been in yet and were probably working late. It was almost noon when the crew came straggling in, dead tired from whatever kind of hellish night they’d had. Nicky paused at seeing them and gave a tired smile as he pushed Sam over while Grissom took Jack’s hand and sat. The young lady, Sara, called out orders to the waitress and informed the woman that the boss was paying. It was news to Grissom but he took it with good grace.
“Need to talk,” Jack said low to Grissom.
“Private is fine, but my team knows,” Grissom told him.
“Ok. General Maynard from the Joint Chiefs woke me up this morning,” Jack said. “It seems Judge Stokes cornered him and complained that I corrupted his son. Damned if I know how I did that.”
Nicky groaned and tossed his head back to stare at the ceiling while Catherine smiled and patted his leg.
“I swear he thinks I’m 10 years old,” he griped. “I am really sorry, general. And whoever else he woke up.”
“Honey, you are 10 years old,” Catherine told him. She patted his arm, her bracelet sparkling and making rainbows on the wall. “All men are 10 years old.”
Sam smiled and sipped her coffee as the men protested.
“I told Maynard what the judge can do with his Texas ass,” Jack said. Nicky laughed and nodded.
“You’re the youngest of his kids, Nick, he’s bound to worry more about you than the others,” Grissom told him.
“May I ask how the rest of the family confession went?” Sam asked.
“Actually, it went pretty well,” Nick said. “Mom cried for about 5 minutes, my brother turned his nose up and said I was sinning, and my sisters said I had good taste in men. Sam, how are you and your brother getting on?”
Sam shrugged. “We email about once a month,” she said. “I’d like to be closer but he doesn’t make it easy. My work doesn’t make it easy, either.”
“Don’t take the blame,” Jack told her. “He’s been invited to every get-together we’ve had and he’s always had an excuse not to attend. I’m sorry but he’s a jerk, Sam. I know generals who aren’t nearly as uptight as Mark.”
Sam nodded glumly. Jack’s ear beeped and he touched the earwig.
“O’Neill. Let me talk to him. Listen, Barrett, I said get a depo from him, not wipe his brain. There is nothing he knows that we can’t deal with if it goes public. Put Daniel back on and you will follow his instructions…..” Jack waited for a moment and then switched to Ancient. “Make sure the major gets questioned about every little thing. See if he knows of anyone else undercover. And find out if he knows about anything going on in DC. I’m still not happy with the senator’s story. I think something else is being hidden. And, Daniel, make sure the major is secured. I don’t want him attempting suicide. For all we know, he has planted instructions. …what do you want on it? Danny, it’s a diner; I’m sure they don’t have feta cheese. I’ll see what I can do. Later.”
“Sorry,” he said, hanging up and seeing the others not looking at him.
“Don’t you have something for Gil?” Jack asked, nudging Sam’s ankle with his foot. She brightened up.
“Oh, right!” She searched her pockets. “I found this on Chulak years ago and I ran across it recently when I was cleaning a bookcase.” She handed something across the table to Grissom. He pushed his glasses up onto the top of his head and peered closely at the small rock.
“It’s almost like ….amber,” he said, tapping at it.
“It is,” Sam said. “As close as it can get from an alien tree. There’s a bug in it.”
Grissom patted at his pockets and came up with a magnifying glass. Jack wondered who walks around with magnifying glasses in their pockets. The other CSI’s seemed to expect odd things from their boss. Grissom held the rock up to the light and looked closely. He was as tickled as a child upon spotting the tiny bug.
“Oh, great,” Nick groaned. “I’m going to be ignored for days while he stares at that thing.”
“Is this an extinct insect on Chulak?” Grissom asked Sam. The others laughed and patted Nick’s shoulders.
“Want to go and find out for yourself?” Jack asked. Grissom looked blankly at him.
“Excuse me?”
“I have a meeting on Chulak in a few days,” Jack said. “Want to come with?”
Grissom’s jaw dropped. “Are you serious?”
“Wouldn’t offer otherwise,” Jack said. “You’d be gone for just a day. Maybe ten hours. It’s a short meeting.”
“Come to my office when you get off work tomorrow and my med techs will check you over and give you some inoculations,” Sam told Grissom. “Lots of civilians have been going off-world lately; it won’t be a problem.”
“Be at our house first thing Thursday morning,” Jack said. “We’re gating over.”
Catherine’s bracelet once more sparkled as she touched Grissom’s hand to shake him. Jack reached into his pocket and took out a pen. He was at a loss as he searched for something to write on. Sam handed him a small notebook; she had gotten into the habit of carrying a spare in her purse for Daniel. The table grew silent as they watched Jack quickly scribble on the pad.
“Whatcha doin’?” Sam asked after several minutes. Jack didn’t answer. “We’ll find out when he comes up for air,” she told the others. She recognized the picture that was emerging but didn’t inform her friends. Nick picked up his burger and made a deal out of taking a large bite. Sara wrinkled her nose.
“Big, soulful brown eyes,” she informed him. “Gentle. Velvet nose. Cute little ears. Playful babies.”
“Tastes great with eggs,” Nicky informed her. Sam noted that Sara had all non-meat products on her plate.
“We visited this planet one time and began collecting some of the vegetation for tests,” Sam said. “The people of the planet were non-human, very gentle, didn’t speak. Not on our level, anyway. They started dying. We thought we had brought in a bug. Turned out that the plants were the dominant species and the people had begun dying because their lives were tied in with the plants.”
“Are you saying the plants were alive?” Catherine asked, staring wide-eyed as Sam told her story.
“Yes,” Sam nodded.
Sara looked at her salad.
“Most of this began when she helped me babysit a dead pig,” Grissom said.
Jack paused and glanced at Grissom and then at Sara. He handed his drawing to Sam. She looked at it carefully and smiled.
“Good Jack,” she praised, patting his hand. Nicky looked over her shoulder.
“What is it?” he asked.
“A battery,” she said. “The kind that runs the generator that we put your city on.” No one asked why Jack was sketching batteries.
“Sweet,” Nick nodded. “We haven’t had any power problems since we started on that. Cheapest energy bill I’ve had in years.”
“And less allergy problems from less pollution,” Catherine said. The others agreed.
Sam scanned the drawings and notes with her cell phone and immediately sent them to her lab.
“You do know cell phones can be hacked,” Grissom commented.
“Not this one,” Sam smiled.
“Made on Mars?” Nick asked.
“No, Area 51,” Sam said.
“What? It looks like a BlackBerry,” Catherine said, peering over. Sam put her phone away.
“It’s supposed to,” Sam said.
The yawns were becoming more and more contagious, so the CSI’s decided to call it a day. Bills were paid and they all walked out to cars. Grissom paused and looked down, frowning at the front of his shirt, scratching at it with a nail. He had spilled a little egg yoke and it was staining.
“Allow me,” Jack said after checking the location of the others. He touched the shirt. When he took his hand away, Grissom looked from his shirt to Jack. “Been learning new tricks. I’m considering putting blue streaks in Sam’s hair.”
“Don’t you dare,” she warned him.
“Rainbow?”
“I know where you sleep, O’Neill.”
While Sam got her office back in order Jack went down to the dungeon to check on Daniel. Ex-NID Agent Barrett was sitting with Daniel. Jack didn’t like the look on their faces. Barrett motioned and Jack bent down.
“This man is deep undercover,” Barrett whispered. “He’s Trust. We’re extracting as much information as we can. I’d like to take him off-world to Delta site.”
“What’s Delta site?” Jack whispered. Barrett gave him a look.
“His wife and daughter are caught in the middle; I suggest telling them he’s been killed in an accident. Nothing left of his body.” He handed Jack Coulter’s tags.
“Ok,” Jack said and put the tags in his pocket. “Keep him on ice until Prometheus can get here; I don’t want him anywhere near the SGC. And find out how he got in this far.”
“Working on it,” Barrett said. “He’s been programmed pretty well. I’d say the Trust is using one of these Tok’ra devices on their own people.”
“Great,” Jack said, puffing noisily. He thought hard and then hit a speed dial on his cell phone. “Did you find anything unusual in Coulter’s background? He’s a mole. The Trust. No, Barrett is taking him to Delta site. You and Paul take your week. I insist. Nick, you’re allowed to miss one, now and again.”
“He got by Nick’s background check?” Daniel asked. “Someone has talent in creating paper-trails.”
Jack scratched at his nose before tugging thoughtfully on it. “Barrett, find out if Coulter and a young lady named Brynn Sheely are working for the same people.”
“The woman you tried out as a nanny?” Barrett asked.
“Yes,” Jack nodded, not surprised that Barrett knew about it. “She’s in an Irish prison. Sam can get you the files.”
“Jack,” Daniel began. He was pacing a little, his arms wrapped around himself.
“Daniel, we need to know,” Jack said, knowing what was bothering Daniel. “If this was a simple case of stupidity, I’d let it go, but it isn’t. He’s been programmed. We need to find out what that programming is. I’m not asking you to participate, but you need to understand why it needs to be done.”
Daniel wasn’t happy about it but he did understand.
“Where’s the ship?” Jack asked, giving Daniel’s shoulder a squeeze. Daniel left with Jack, leaving Coulter in Barrett’s hands, and led Jack through the underground maze to a large bay holding the ancient jumper that they had brought over from Austria.
Scientists dressed in white suits buzzed around the ship, some writing on hand-held boards and others talking into recorders.
“Who’s in charge?” Jack asked. Daniel looked at him. “I mean, who’s in charge when you’re not here.”
“Dr. Frito,” Daniel said. Jack returned the look. “Don’t, please. Just Fritz. She’s over there.”
Jack looked across the room and spotted the professor, an older woman with frizzy white hair flying away from the pins attempting to hold it captive. She absently pushed coke-bottle glasses back to the top of her nose and then pulled them down again to look over the top of them.
“Fritz,” Daniel called, waving an arm. She blinked blankly and then smiled.
“Where do you find them?” Jack whispered. Daniel ignored him and went across the room with Jack tagging behind.
“Hello, Daniel,” she said. “Is the fire out?”
“It is,” he nodded.
“What fire?” Jack asked, looking around. He didn’t smell anything….
“Upstairs,” Daniel told him. “Sam.”
“Oh, right.”
“We’re good,” Daniel assured Fritz. “How’s it going with the ship?”
She turned to the ship, tossing her arms out wide to encompass the vessel. Jack jumped out of the way of the clipboard.
“It’s been quite fascinating,” she informed them. “I don’t believe this ship is necessarily older than the current ones, but I do believe its purpose was different than the others. Come, come….” she waved at them to follow her.
Inside the ship, someone, or several someones, had plastered the panels and walls with sticky notes. Jack looked closely at them. Most were written in various languages, and a few had multiple languages on single pieces of paper. They reminded Jack of Daniel’s notebooks.
“Most of this is Ancient technology,” Fritz said, stepping over feet sticking out from under a consol. “There are aspects that don’t fit, however. Someone had attempted to force the crystal technology with a gaseous technology, hence the hollow tubing. The gas had long since dissipated. What’s been interesting, though, is that the main function of the ship remained.” She pushed on her glasses, waiting. Daniel pushed at his own glasses.
“I don’t read minds, doctor, spill it,” Jack finally said. She blinked at him, having forgotten his presence.
“It’s a gigantic tape-recorder,” she said.
“Excuse me?”
“It has been the witness to our entire civilization,” she said. “Everything that has ever happened on this planet has been recorded. We haven’t actually been able to turn on the replay but we know it’s recording. From the amount of stored data, we estimate it has approximately 7,000 years worth of history recorded. It’s still recording.”
Jack touched a side panel and sat on the small seat that extended. Several people looked at him, not having realized that the seat was there. He clasped his hands between his knees, looking at the floor as his mind raced. Daniel ran his hands over his face and locked his fingers behind his neck as he paced in thought.
“Did Colonel Sheppard go over the ship?” Jack asked.
“Just a cursory exam,” Daniel said. “Mainly to check for weapons.”
Jack stood. “Everyone out.” The scientists paused, looking from him to Fritz. “Out. Now.” Daniel jerked his head toward the door and motioned them out. He closed the door behind them, ignoring their protests.
“This could destroy the planet,” Jack said. Daniel nodded.
“Are you prepared to make this decision on your own?” Daniel asked.
“I don’t know,” Jack admitted. “I was expecting to fight weapons, not knowledge.” He stood and paced, yanking on the back of his neck as he looked around. “We need to get this ship off the planet before I consider mentioning it to people.”
“I think I’d like to know who did this before we do anything else,” Daniel said. “If the Ancients didn’t put it here, who did? It isn’t Furling, definitely not Nox or Asgard.”
They opened the door and went out.
“No one goes in there,” Jack ordered. He palmed the door shut and locked it. “I want all data sent to my office immediately. Including any secret copies that anyone was hoping to make money on. Don’t think I won’t know if anyone ‘forgets’ a piece of paper.”
“But, general!” Fritz protested. “You can’t do this!”
“It’s done, doctor,” he said. “Daniel, I want everyone who isn’t here, brought here. Get them out of their bath, their blow-job, their after lunch shit, I don’t care. Here. Now. Everyone should be tagged; get the Europa back here.”
Daniel inclined his head, not arguing. Jack called Sam down and then called Michael. “Mikey, I need to ask you something,” he said when the line was answered. “If you were offered absolute, physical proof that your religion was true, or not, would you be willing to hear the answer? What if that answer wasn’t what your heart wanted to hear?” Jack waited. “I can feel your panic, Mike. No, I’m not making the offer, I’m just asking.”
“What’s going on?” Sam asked when he hung up.
“That jumper has been recording Earth history for about 7,000 years,” he told her. She immediately pieced together the puzzle.
“Oh, my,” she breathed, wide-eyed. Jack nodded.
“I’ve put the ship off-limits for the time being,” he told her. “Daniel is gathering up all off-duty personnel. Dr. Fritz hasn’t been able to get the replay button to work. I’m pretty sure I can.”
He sat across from her, stretching his long legs out as he tilted his head back, staring at the ceiling.
“I’d like your thoughts on this,” he said. “Your personal feelings.”
She leaned back, lacing her fingers over her stomach. “Personally, it won’t bother me one way or the other,” she said. “Whatever the reality, it won’t effect my work. On a broader level, though, billions of people will feel the effect.”
“It’s a powder keg,” Jack said. He palmed the door open and let Daniel back into the ship, much to the irritation of the scientists hanging around and scowling. They had tried to get the door open and succeeded only in fraying tempers.
“Are we sure this isn’t an Ancient ship?” Jack asked.
“We’re sure,” Daniel said. “We have a small dilemma. Enki was here about 10,000 years ago, and he didn’t notice anything happening in Europe. There really wasn’t anything to watch happening, in that time period.
“The Neolithic Revolution - introducing village life, the cultivation of crops and the rearing of animals - arrived in Greece in about 7000 BC from its region of origin in the Middle East. It will take about 3000 years to spread to the Atlantic coast and Britain, pushing back the way of life of the hunter-gatherers at an average rate of slightly more than a mile a year. Tribes speaking Indo-European languages, and living as nomadic herdsmen, are well established by about 2000 BC in the steppes which stretch from the Ukraine eastwards, to the regions north of the Black Sea and the Caspian.
“Over the coming centuries they steadily infiltrate the more appealing regions to the south and west - the Caspian -occasionally in something akin to open warfare, and invariably no doubt with violence. But the process is much more gradual than our modern notions of an invading force. In Europe the first Indo-European tribes to make significant inroads are the Greeks. They move south into Greece and the Aegean from the 18th century BC.” He paused and looked at them.
“So who the hell was in Europe in 7,000 BC?” he asked them. “We have cavemen and agronomists meeting up with….who? The Ancients were gone by then. As a race, anyway.”
Sam nodded. “True,” she said. “They were gone when we arrived. I have a question: We know that the Ancients were escaping from something. They went from here to the Pegasus galaxy, where they accidentally created the Wraith, and back to here where they died out. So, who were they originally running from?”
“Is this relevant to the ship?” Jack asked.
Sam shrugged. “It might be, I don’t know. Maybe whoever they were running from put the ship in the mountain.”
“Ok, ok,” Jack waved a hand. “It may be relevant. But I’d like to discuss the information this ship quite possibly holds and how we are to deal with it. We have three major religions that will blow up, if this box says what I think it will say. Those three major religions are pretty much in control of most of the world. Do I honor truth and let the information out, or do I leave them in ignorant peace? I asked my brother how he would feel about learning facts that may not be to his liking; he pretty much had a melt-down, and I hadn’t even gotten to the good part. That’s just one man.”
“Jack, how do you know they never existed?” Sam asked. They looked at her as she stood to watch the scientists out the front window. “Playing devil’s advocate….. Let’s ignore the question of whether or not the God of Abraham existed. Did Abraham exist? If he did, all three of those religions are still legitimate. Their message is still appropriate. All three have messages of peace and love and kindness. Granted, all three also have messages of violence, but I think that may be politics talking through the authors, not the spirit of their deity. If you decide to release the truth, can it be released in a certain manner?”
“Kicking their crutch out from under them, any way it’s done, will still have the same effect,” Jack said. “They will fall on their asses and start blaming each other for the kick. They can’t play nice now, what makes you think they’ll play nice when they’re in full-blown panic?”
“I think you should destroy the ship.”
They slowly turned to Daniel.
“Did you say something, Dr. The-Sky-Is-Falling-Save-The-Clouds?” Jack asked.
Daniel nodded and waved a wrist. “I know, I know…..” He put his hands over his face for a moment. “But you’re right, Jack; the tribes of Abraham will destroy themselves and half the planet if they find out that their God was no more and no less than any other god. Send the ship into the sun and destroy it.”
“I have to disagree with you, Daniel,” Sam said. “Now, here me out on this….. You have spent almost a year being open and honest with the kids. You have preached on and on about having them grow up with open minds. Now you are faced with the ultimate truth and you’re NOT going to tell them? How does that work?”
“It would be a loving-kindness to keep this from them,” Daniel said.
“It would be a loving-kindness for their kids to grow up in a world without war,” Sam said.
“There is no easy answer for this one,” Jack said, breaking the silence. “We need to have a talk with this world’s religious leaders. If for no other reason then for the UW’s rule of self-determination.”
“Jack, I think we need to take a look at the history before making any decision,” Daniel said. “We could be panicking for no reason.”
Jack puffed noisily into his hands and then nodded. He turned and looked over the consol, hesitantly putting out a hand. Sheppard wouldn’t have known to look for it and it was highly unlikely any of the scientists outside would have the necessary gene for it. A brief thought entered his head –he wondered if he could get his TV to work on mental power…..
“Well, if it’s still recording, it would make sense that it’s kept up with language shifts…. World map,” Jack said mainly to himself before raising his voice slightly. The screen shifted to an image of the planet.
“Here,” Jack said, touching the screen. The Middle East was brought into focus. “Daniel, what date are we looking at?”
“Try 2000 BC,” Daniel said. “To start with. Move forward from there.”
Jack called out the date and new locations as Daniel prompted him.
“Can we find out who killed Kennedy?” Jack asked him. The screen abruptly changed. “No, go back!” he ordered. “I wasn’t speaking to you.”
They watched for several hours, the silence punctuated now and again by new commands from Jack. By the time he told the ship to stop, Sam was wiping her face.
“Jack, you can’t make this decision on your own or with us,” she said, clearing her throat. Daniel handed her a paper towel from a nearby kit that was left on the floor.
“I know,” he said quietly. “Daniel, make me a list of relevant world leaders and invite them to a very private meeting. Sam, no one goes near this ship. Collect all documentation on it and prepare to expunge all of it. Depending on the outcome of the meeting.”
“What are we doing in the meantime?” Sam asked.
“We have another ceremony to attend this evening,” Jack said. “We will continue with our lives and deal with this tomorrow. The ship isn’t going anywhere; this doesn’t need to be done now.”
“Jack, one more thing?” Daniel asked. “Ask the ship who created it.”
The group waited, a little abashed that no one had thought to ask the simple question. Jack asked the ship the question.
“Lanta’ana,” the ship said.
“Hmmm. Could be a form of Atlantean,” Daniel said. “Or Lantian, as the Atlantis team is calling them.” Sam agreed.
“The Atlanteans are the Ancients,” Jack said. “The Ancients made the ship, who created the hybrid form of this ship?”
“Lanta’ana.”
“It may have been programmed to say that,” Daniel commented. “How about asking it to show us its creators?”
Jack asked. “Looks like an Ancient to me,” he said as they stared at the screen.
“We may not get around that programming,” Sam said. “I think that until we know more, we shouldn’t try to make it schizophrenic. Remember Hal.”
Dr. Frito was not happy upon being told to shut down the project and turn in all materials. Jack threatened to wipe her brain of all knowledge and reduce her to a sniveling toddler in droopy diapers. Dr. Frito had heard that such a device existed. The promise was given. Jack locked the ship and had his own SF brought in to see to the shut-down.
They stepped through the arch and back into HomeSec. From there, they took the cars home. There was just enough time to check in with the children and take showers before heading over to Paul and Nick’s house down the road. The ceremony was held over a day due to Paul’s family being in town. They were told he was going on his honeymoon the next day, so they went home. Except for Rebecca who used a new friendship with Cassie as an excuse to stay a few extra days.
Gabriel had changed from a civilized suite to black leather. Ninurta and his boys looked the same, although their kilts had been dusted for the occasion. Jonathan had allowed the fur on his face to grow into a cocky, swashbuckling beard.
“Very nice,” Daniel said, giving Jonathan’s cheek a stroke.
“Still soft,” Shara commented. “Feels like silk on my…..”
“TMI,” Jack said, holding up a hand.
Sam wasn’t sure what she should be doing and was grateful to be taken in hand by Inanna and Ms. Melanie. She was seated and assigned a slave for the evening whether she wanted one or not.
“Just think of him as your own personal butler,” Ms. Melanie told her. Sam looked at the half naked man kneeling near her chair and then back to the man in drag sitting next to her.
“Should I be doing something?” Sam whispered.
“Like what?” Ms. Melanie asked, leaning in conspiratorially. She patted Sam’s hand. “Darling, just relax. It’s a party. Mingle, if you’d like. Or stay here and tell me exactly what it is that you do for a living. Yes, I know what I’ve read and a little of what Paul has told me, but really….. what do you do?”
“Well…. I’m the commander of Area 51.”
Ms. Melanie sat back, staring at her. “Girlfriend!” She snapped her fingers at the kneeling slave. “Well? Get the lady something to drink!” The slave scurried to his feet and hurried to the kitchen.
There was a soft chuckle next to Sam.
“He is not being coerced, dadu,” Inanna told her. “It is the wish of his heart to be in service to us. Allow him his happiness. Allow him to serve and accept his service graciously.”
Sam looked around at the other slaves up and about. “Did someone convince them they wanted this?” she asked quietly, hesitant to offend.
“No, not at all,” Inanna said. Ms. Melanie made noises of agreement.
“Not everyone is made to be either slave or Master,” Ms. Melanie said. “Some, most I’d say, go through life quite enjoying equality. Whatever your heart wishes is where you should be. Unless I’m mistaken, you don’t care for this lifestyle at all and that’s perfectly ok. This evening is special, though, so allow the boys and girls to spoil you for a few hours. It will make them happy. Have fun with it.”
The slave boy brought Sam a glass of wine. She thanked him and took a sip. The slave inclined his head and went back to his kneeling place, a hint of pride in his straight back and shoulders.
Jack was sitting with Nick and Gabriel across the room. He was a little worried about Sam but she was being taken care of, if the protective circle of Inanna and Ms. Melanie was any indication. A few of the slaves were absent; they were doing something in private with Paul. Jack had asked. “Preparing,” he was told. Daniel was among the missing. Daniel isn’t a slave, Jack had said. “Daniel is not only a close friend, but also Paul’s ex-lover,” Gabriel said. “It is appropriate for him to participate in the final preparations, if he wishes.”
Daniel, as well as the others in the dressing room, were all naked and laughing in the large shower as they scrubbed Paul who was complaining about being tickled.
“Are we shaving you?” Daniel asked, holding up a razor.
“No,” Paul said, thankful to shake his head. “Just in case I get caught in the shower at the base, Sir doesn’t want me questioned about the lack of pubes.”
“Bummer,” Daniel said, tossing the razor aside.
Rebecca pulled on an ear and stuck a Q-tip into it. Paul winced.
“Ow, Torquemada,” he complained. He twisted again as Tony attacked him with a washcloth at the other end. Shane appeared in the shower, holding up a hose.
“No!” Paul squeaked, trying to escape.
“Orders per your Sir,” Shane said and began filling it with warm water.
“You don’t understand,” Paul said, pulling on the arms holding him. “It….makes me….hard.”
“We’ve seen it, Paul,” Daniel reminded him. “I’m sure Rebecca’s seen others, if not yours. Just relax and let us take care of you. Or would you rather I called Shara in here to hold you down?”
“Sir wants me clean, not dirty,” Paul said with a smirk.
“Now HE makes me happy I have knees,” Rebecca commented. The men laughed.
“Been there, done that,” Paul told her with a knowing leer. “Believe me, little cousin, I think Shara has donkey DNA. If you want a piece of him, all you have to do is ask him.”
“And ask Jonathan,” Daniel said. “And Ninurta, and Gibil, and Erra, and Inanna…..”
More slaves were waiting outside the shower when Paul was finally released from the water. His hair was trimmed, nails buffed, and feet pampered. He was dressed in flowing, long white pants, and remained topless. Tony held up a thick silver ring and Paul flushed as everyone teased and laughed. He held still as Tony reached into his pants, fondling him for a moment before sliding the ring on and adjusting the drawstring band around Paul’s waist. Tony pecked him on the mouth.
“I’m very proud of you, brother,” he told Paul. Paul hugged him.
Daniel stood in front of Paul, looking at him, seeing the light shining from Paul’s heart.
“We did the right thing,” Paul told him.
“Yes, we did,” Daniel nodded. “And I enjoyed every moment of our time together. I’m glad you and Nick found each other.” He hugged Paul and brushed their mouths together.
Daniel took one last look around and left the room. Upon entering the livingroom, he sought out Gabriel and Nick and gave a nod before joining Jack and Sam. Gabriel and Nick took their places at the front of the room while everyone else gathered in a circle around the room. The lights were dimmed and the candles took over.
“Ladies and gentlemen, Sirs and Ma’am’s,” Gabriel gently called out. “Welcome. Your presence honors this most beautiful and solemn of occasions. Two nights ago, Nick and Paul were handfasted in front of family and friends. This evening, with family and friends present, slave Paul will accept the collar of Master Nick. Bear witness.”
At the far end of the room Paul entered, surrounded by his slave siblings.
“Paul, what are your intentions?” Gabriel asked.
Paul walked carefully to them, stopping within arm’s reach. “Sir, I offer you all honors as my first Master, a true friend, and the father I never had. This man is my partner, my husband, and my best friend. If it is his wish, I will be his slave and wear his collar, bound to him for as long as he wishes.”
“Is this of your own free will, slave?” Gabriel asked.
“Sir, it is of my free will.” Paul kneeled, facing Nick, holding out a slim, elegant leather and chain collar in his open, upturned palms.
“Master Nick, do you accept this slave as your own?” Gabriel asked.
“I do,” Nick said, staring down at the top of Paul’s head.
“Will you treat him well?” Gabriel continued. “Will you love him and be kind to him? Will you accept his heart so freely offered and treat it tenderly?”
Nick was silent for a moment, his throat working hard. “Until and beyond my final breath,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. His hand trembled as he held it out and touched the top of Paul’s head. “Let all the world know that this slave is loved by me and I accept him….” Nick choked and paused. “I accept him and this honor he does me. May I prove worthy of his honor, loyalty, and trust. May I prove worthy of his love.” He took the collar from Paul’s hands and slid it around Paul’s neck. “You may remove this collar while you are in the outside world, due to your commitment with the military. Although the collar may be off, the essence remains. Slave Paul, I accept your collar, now mine. You are bound to me and I accept the responsibility of your love and wellbeing.”
***
The boy was locked down by his hands and feet as he screamed. A familiar form came into his view. Pain blinded him momentarily. The screaming continued but only in the deepest recesses of his mind.