“Sir, what are you doing here?”
“Oh, hello Carter,” said Jack, turning from his staring match with the Stargate. “What was your question?”
Sam laughed. “Why are you here? Not that we don’t miss having you around, but aren’t there more important things for you to be doing?”
“Jack?” They turned to see Daniel and Vala coming into the gate room. “What are you doing here?”
“Am I not allowed to drop by?”
Daniel looked at Sam questioningly.
“I just asked him that,” she said.
“General O’Neill?” Sgt. Harriman was standing in the doorway. “General Landry can see you now.”
“Thanks Walter. Well guys, guess you’ll have to hold that thought.” And he left the gate room.
“Huh, I wonder what that was all about,” said Daniel.
Sam shrugged, but anything she had been about to say was cut off by the gate activating.
“Unauthorized off world activation,” Walter said over the p.a.
As marines poured into the gate room the three of them ran out and up to the control room where they were met by Mitchell, Teal’c, and the Generals.
“Do we have an IDC yet, Walter?” Landry asked.
“It’s…um, it’s SG-1’s sir.”
“Hello,” said Jack. “Haven’t we played this game before?”
“You know, I was just thinking that,” said Cam.
“So what is it this time,” Daniel asked, “a note from the future, or an alternate SG-1?”
“I’d like to find out. Open the iris Walter,” ordered Landry.
“Yes sir.”
The trinium iris pulled back, showing the liquid surface of the event horizon. There was a pause and then two figures stepped through and looked around. They were young boys, no more than 16 or 17, and they were dressed in the style of the Jaffa and carried Jaffa weapons. They stepped away from the gate, but not all the way down the ramp. They seemed to be taking up guard for something. Then another figure stepped through the gate; a young woman, beautiful and fierce. The gate shut down behind her, and she glanced around.
“Ok,” said Daniel. “So option C then.”
The seven of them went down to the gate room, where the three strangers were still standing, looking completely unperturbed at the presence of the marines. The young woman looked them over and smiled as they entered.
“Jack,” she said. Her voice held a light accent, similar to Vala’s. “You look good.”
Jack looked around, as if trying to find who she was talking to. “Um, do I know you?” he asked, looking back at her.
She smiled again. “No, but I know you.” She held out her hand, proffering a folded piece of paper.
“Ha! So there is a note,” said Daniel, then fell silent as the others glared at him. Jack took the note, unfolded it and read it over.
“Well Jack? What does it say?”
“Well Daniel, you tell me.” He handed the note to Daniel, then turned back to look at the strangers.
“‘I, Jack O’Neill, give my absolute assurances that these people are who they say they are, and that they are to be trusted,’” Daniel read. “And it’s signed by Jack, Sam, Teal’c and Vala.”
“Why not us?” asked Cam.
“That’s a good question,” he said, handing the note back to Jack.
“‘Who they say they are’?” Sam said. “What’s that supposed to mean? Who do you say that you are?”
The woman smiled. “This is Jacob,” she said indicating the boy to her left. “Jacob Cameron Carter O’Neill. This is Bra’tac, son of Teal’c, and I am Kara Danielle Jackson. We are your children.”
No one moved or said anything. They all continued to stare at Kara in utter bewilderment.
“I’m sorry, you’re who?” Daniel finally managed.
“Perhaps we should continue this somewhere else?” Kara suggested.
“No, no. I’m still trying to wrap my head around how I could have a kid I don’t know about.”
“Are you from the future?” Sam asked.
Kara shook her head. “No. Look, I know the nature of your work has made you skeptical of things, so how about we go down to see Dr. Lam, and she can clear everything up for you.”
“Ah-ha, I was just about to say that,” said Jack. They all looked at him. “What?”
“Nothing sir,” Sam said with a smile.
“All right,” said Landry. “Take them to the infirmary. If you would hand over your weapons?” he asked them.
Kara nodded and the boys handed over their weapons obligingly. Mitchell motioned them to lead the way and she laughed. “I’ve never been in this facility Colonel Mitchell; I don’t know how to find the infirmary.”
Mitchell and Carter exchanged a look. “Ok, well follow me then.” They fell in behind Cameron and Sam, with Teal’c and several marines brining up the rear.
“Well? What do you think?” asked Daniel after they had left.
“You’re asking me?” Jack asked. “I’ve got nothing.”
“Jack, seriously. Do you think they’re telling the truth?”
“Well Daniel, they have to at least be partly telling the truth.”
“Why is that?”
“Because this is my handwriting,” he said, holding up the note.
“That doesn’t necessarily mean anything,” Vala said with a scoff. “All you’d have to do is be good at forgery. I could do it.”
Jack turned to Daniel with his usual mischievous grin. “She’s a keeper. Now Hank,” he said, turning to Landry. “About that meeting that we were going to have.”
“Right this way Jack.”
The two generals walked out of the gate room, leaving Daniel and Vala alone.
“He said I’m a keeper,” Vala said proudly.
“He was being sarcastic.”
Her face fell. He laughed and pulled her into a hug and kissed her on the forehead. “But you are a keeper. If nothing else, you’re entertaining. Come on, we should probably go join the others in the infirmary.” And they walked out, his arm around her shoulders.