Jack glanced around the room as he entered to explain the plan to them. As usual Daniel and Sha’re sat together, they were talking quietly and Jack smiled slightly as he saw his friend sneak a quick kiss from his wife. Janet and Carson were at the couple’s side discussing what Jack assumed was something medical, next to them was Rodney, John, Laura and Jeannie before Ferretti and his own second-in-command, Lorne completed the group.
They were all sitting, waiting for Jack to explain the plan and to give their own input into it. Jack took his seat and waited until everyone finished their conversations.
“Okay,” Jack stated, “We’ll have to tell everyone what is going to happen but for now we are the ones who have to set it up so here it is. Rodney, you’re confident you can set up the...what did you start calling it?”
“A Zero Point Module,” Rodney told him.
“ZPM,” Jack nodded, “So?”
“With Siler we’ve got a way to connect it to the Gate’s power relays,” Rodney told him, “Our problem is we don’t want to leave it behind but there’s no way to take it with us. We’ll have to destroy it.”
“Which is where I come in,” Laura noted; “We fix an explosive charge to the Zero...ZPM and boom.”
“But we’ll need it until the last person goes through,” Daniel reminded her.
“Easy,” Laura told him, “Last person to go through hits the button and starts a timer.”
“Good,” Jack nodded, “Okay, getting everyone through?”
“We are in contact with several other resistance groups,” Sha’re spoke up, “I believe Louis knows of a few more. We should be taking those people with us if they wish to come.”
“That could be hard getting in touch with them all,” John noted.
Sha’re shook her head, “We keep in contact with them as we move near each one. It allows us to know what the state of the place above us is, it will be easy enough to speak with them and bring them here.”
“That could be a lot of people,” Ferretti reminded her.
“We can make the room,” Sha’re told him pointedly, “We cannot deny the possibility of safety to others.”
“She’s right,” Jack noted before turning to the young woman at his side, “Can you handle it?”
Sha’re nodded, “I know all our contacts but I shall need some help evacuating them here.”
“I’ll help,” John told her, “I’m useless until we get to the actual fighting.”
“Lorne will pitch in too,” Ferretti nominated the man at his side who rolled his eyes.
Sha’re smiled, “Thank you. We will start as soon as the meeting is over.”
“As for the meeting,” Daniel said, “How about we get to the actual plan, Jack.”
Jack heard the sharpness in his friend’s voice and winced but took a deep breath and launched into the plan.
-
Silence filled the room.
“Jack,” Sha’re started but stopped speaking as Daniel shook his head.
“You don’t have to do it,” Ferretti spoke up, “I will.”
“Or I’ll do it,” John added.
“Look,” Jack held up his hand to stop them all, “Daniel and I have already gone over this, several times, “The only place we can get those codes is her office. We have the cloak that can get me in without being seen.”
“What about getting out?” Janet said; her voice wavered slightly.
Jack shrugged, “I have a plan.”
“Are you going to share?” Janet demanded.
“No,” Jack replied, his voice brooked absolutely no argument from any of them.
“Alright,” Sha’re broke the uneasy silence that settled in the room, “We all have a great deal of work to do. Since our aim is to leave next week then we have to ensure that we are ready to.” As no one moved, Sha’re stood and folded her arms across her chest, “Now.”
*********************************************
Janet went through her supplies recording everything for Sha’re’s accounts. Glancing over to where the young doctor was fixing a cut knee of one of the little girls that had come with Ferretti and his people. Like Carson she was relieved to have another pair of hands to help with the work. As much as she wanted them to go to Atlantis and safety, she didn’t want to leave Cassie here. She stopped working for a moment as she thought of the girl she’d taken into her home and heart so long ago, it took all her control not to cry as she thought about the day she lost her daughter to the woman she had thought of as her best friend.
-
Janet took several shaky breaths as she walked quickly through the streets; her car had been surrounded by police, so she had to walk to Jack’s house and hope there was no police waiting there.
Walking quickly through Jack’s neighbourhood, relief filled her as she saw one light on and no other cars in the driveway. Whispering a quick wish she knocked, when no one appeared she knocked again and continued to until Jack opened the door.
“Doc?” was all he managed to say as she wrapped her arms around him.
Jack drew her inside and locked the door. Sitting the upset woman down, he pulled a chair over so he was facing her.
“What happened?”
Janet licked her lips, “They think I hurt Cassie.”
“How?” Jack gasped in horror.
“She’s...she’s in hospital,” Janet told him, “She was beaten so badly and the doctor said she told them I did it.”
Jack shook his head, gently rubbing Janet’s arm as she finally let go and started to cry for her daughter.
“Sam was there,” Janet breathed, “She said she wouldn’t cover for me anymore, she...she...you were right, Colonel.”
“Damn,” Jack murmured, he’d hoped whatever was happening with Carter wouldn’t affect Cassie and Janet.
Seeing how distressed Janet was he pulled her into a tight embrace, rocking her as she cried for her daughter.
“Look,” Jack said after a while, “I know this is hard but I can’t do anything now. I’ve been forced to retire but Hammond is going to send Jacob to see me the moment he arrives. Until then, you’ll have to stay hidden here.”
-
“Janet?”
Janet jumped and dropped the clipboard in her hand as Sha’re looked at her worried. They both crouched down to retrieve the fallen item, Sha’re still held the look of concern.
“Are you ill?” Sha’re’s concerned voice made Janet sigh.
“No,” Janet shook her head, “I’m just thinking about Cassie and that I have to leave her.”
Sha’re reached out and took the other woman’s hand, “We know Cassandra is safe and she is studying to be a teacher. There is no way we could retrieve her and even if we could...”
“I know,” Janet whispered, “Sha’re, I was just having one of those moments.”
Sha’re nodded in understanding.
“I’m almost finished with this,” Janet stepped back and became professional again.
Sha’re nodded, “Good. Until we leave, try and ensure you keep a note of everything that is used.”
Janet gave her a firm nod and smiled slightly to herself as she watched Sha’re leave, Jack was right about her.
*********************************************
Jeannie sat staring at the computer in front of her waiting for the programme to finish and wondering where life had taken such a bizarre twist.
“Hey,” John said at her side making her jump a little.
“Hi,” she gave him a slight smile, a little confused as to why he was here when Rodney usually chased him out for annoying them.
“Since we’re moving,” John said as he pulled over another chair, “And you sort of got grabbed without any notice...”
As he trailed off, Jeannie looked at him confused, “What?”
“I sent someone to your old apartment,” John explained, starting to look a little embarrassed, “We got you some stuff we thought you might want. It’s in Rodney’s room for now.”
Jeannie stared at him, she’d been wearing clothes from what Janet called the closet, “That’s so nice of you.”
John shrugged looking embarrassed, “I did kidnap you. I thought I owed you.”
At his apologetic uncomfortable face, Jeannie laughed and impulsively kissed his cheek.
“Thank you.”
John stood up and gave her one of his ‘nothing bothers me’ grins, “I’ve got to go; we’re meeting with the first group soon. Sha’re has no patience with people who are late.”
-
Jeannie looked up as her brother called her name; he was motioning her over to look at something. Life was strange these days, for starters she had never ever seen herself working so closely with her brother. She wasn’t sure how she felt about this move to Atlantis, leaving Earth was something a few months ago she never would have considered – she’d never even gone through the Stargate to one of the tourist planets. Now they would be going to a new galaxy where they had no idea what was waiting for them. She’d stood listening to Jack’s announcement and had an overwhelming urge to put her hand up when he asked if anyone wanted to stay but she also knew there was no way she’d be safe if she stayed here.
At least joining the insane trip through the Gate she would be with her brother - they’d become closer in the past few months than they’d ever been, she’d made friends with some of the others here and she’d get to see John. He would never see her as anything more than Rodney’s sister and maybe a friend but he was the first guy since Caleb she’d looked at, she didn’t want to lose that.
-
John walked through the corridors to join Lorne and Sha’re at the transport, “So,” he grinned when he arrived, “Where to first?”
“We are going to see Radek first,” Sha’re told him, “He works with us a great deal of the time so explaining this to his people will be easier than to those I do not know as well.”
John nodded in understanding, Sha’re was extremely eloquent and commanding but she always seemed anxious when talking to people she didn’t know. John took this as a left-over from her possession or possibly from the fact she grew up somewhere she knew almost everyone.
“Okay,” John tapped the control panel opening the door, “Our chariot awaits.”
Sha’re smiled and entered the shuttle, taking a seat and waiting for the other two to join her. Lorne looked a little stunned as the small vessel sped through the tunnels towards it destination as John and Sha’re sat indifferently – both had a great deal of experience using this particular method of transport.
It was barely fifteen minutes when they reached their destination and John stopped Sha’re so he could exit first. He relaxed when Radek Zelenka stood grinning at him.
“Welcome to Germany,” Radek greeted them, “Everyone is waiting for you.”
Sha’re licked her lips slightly before nodding, “Good, we have very little time.”
Radek nodded and motioned her to follow him, Sha’re glanced at John who gave her an encouraging smile before she raised her head proudly starting forward with John and Lorne at either side, her silent bodyguards.
*********************************************
The mood of the base was sombre as everyone took in the announcement Jack had made earlier in the day. Daniel, Jack and Ferretti spent most of their day organising how they were going to carry out their plan. Janet, Carson and Jennifer spent their day getting the infirmary ready to move while Rodney, Laura and Jeannie worked on their part of the plan. Those not directly involved in the planning were packing up equipment, supplies and any personal items they could carry.
-
Sha’re sighed in relief when they finally arrived back in the base, they had visited every one of the groups they knew and she’d given the same speech to all of them. She walked through the corridors with John at her side; Lorne was delivering some of Radek’s work he’d sent to Rodney. John took the turn and headed for the infirmary with some information for Janet and Carson while Sha’re walked on alone.
Reaching the small office Jack used, Sha’re smiled as to find just Jack and Daniel sitting talking. She took the one spare seat and the water offered by her husband.
“So?” Jack asked, looking expectant.
“Most agreed to come with us,” Sha’re told them sipping the water, “I gave very little actual information on where we were going or how we were getting there. It did not please many of them but thankfully John and Evan managed to remind them that we had a great need for secrecy.”
“Good job,” Jack told her with a smile.
“They’re waiting for our signal to start the evacuation,” Sha’re continued, “They are also sending me lists of their supplies to add to our own. There are a few more medically trained staff amongst those but none as qualified as Janet or Carson. Also we have more who were once military who I know we will need.”
Jack grinned, “Excellent. Go get some sleep, honey – you look like you need it.”
“You both need to sleep too,” Sha’re told them, “Make sure you do.”
She leaned over and gently kissed her husband before at Jack’s mock look of hurt she kissed his cheek.
“Goodnight,” she smiled, leaving them alone again.
-
Janet saw John wander into the makeshift infirmary hoping nothing had happened while they were speaking to the other groups to warrant medical assistance. She liked John Sheppard, in some ways he was like Jack hiding behind his unflappable easiness but she knew underneath was someone who had lost just as much as all of them.
“What can I do for you?” Janet asked as he strolled over to her, “There are no visible injuries.”
He gave a short laugh before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small photograph, Janet stared at it in confusion. Slowly she reached out and gasped as she saw the smiling face looking back at her, “Cassie.”
“One of the groups we went to see had a new guy,” John told her, “He used to teach at your daughter’s school and became a bit too interested in some things the Zombies were up to. He had a few of the yearbooks and when Sha’re saw the picture of Cassie he happily gave us it for you.”
Janet bit her lip trying not to cry as she stared at the teenager looking back at her, “She looks happy.”
“Looks can be deceiving,” John reminded her.
“Thank you, John,” Janet whispered, wiping her eyes, “Thank you.”
Heliopolis Main Archive
A Stargate: SG-1 Fanfiction Site
Cuckoo In The Nest
by LE McMurrayKapitel Bemerkung:
Thanks to Stonedtoad for betaing.Next chapter is in progress.
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