Chapter 9
O'Neill Farmhouse, Blaine County, MT
August 20, 2010
That evening after Josh and Matt had been sent to bed, tired out from the day in the sun and working the garden, Jack and Sam took a breather for themselves. They curled up together on the couch—Jack's hands rubbing circles on her pregnant belly—and discussed their unexpected visitors who were spending the night at the bed and breakfast in Turner.
To have Daniel and Janet turn up on their farm after roughly ten years of estrangement was quite unexpected. As equally unexpected had been the reason for their visit, to ask Jack for help with their discovery that the Aschen were sterilising the population of Earth via the ant-aging vaccine.
"Really, what do they expect me to do?" Jack mustered curiously his chin resting on Sam's head.
"Well, you always led us to victory as a team," Sam reasoned.
"Not always. And it was your brains leading," Jack countered as his hands began to following the movement of the baby, "especially for situations like this."
"There never was a situation like this before," Sam retorted. Jack could not refute that even though his comment had been more about the scientific or technological solutions she had devised, both as second of SG-1 and for the Asgärd when they had been living on Othala.
"Speaking of this situation, how are the plans progressing?" Sam inquired. Her pregnancy had removed her from physical participation but that did not mean her brain was not still a vital contributor.
Jack reported that the situation was stable and that more evidence had been added to the Veritas file. The documentation in that file was more than enough to crucify the Aschen by all the allied and federated planets of the Confederation, but that crucifixion was not enough for them. Considering how the Aschen would handle revolts as demonstrated by what had happened on Volia and the fact that Earth no longer had its own significant military forces to come to its defence.
"Well, taking into account that the last of the ground zones were placed last week and Janet and Daniel came to tell us, maybe we should bring them in?" Sam inquired. "It seems as Earth could be the next allied planet taken."
"Possible," Jack admitted as his attention focused on the small foot that was suddenly thrust against a hand.
Craning her head around Sam looked up into Jack's face. "Come on, admit it. After five years, you're more than ready to put it in motion. Plus, just think of what Kinsey's reaction would be to the distribution of the Veritas file."
Jack smirked at the idea, basking for just a moment in what his mind picture before his thoughts, as always, turned to considering the reactions of the rest of the world. And in the end, it was really the people that mattered, not showing Kinsey up for the power hungry idiot he was.
"We'll see." Jack finally said. "About bringing them in, but in the meantime when they return for a visit tomorrow afternoon, we can see how much they know and how many are a part of their group. Plus, what ideas they'd come up with to stand against them. If they'd come with any ideas at all."
"Alright," Sam agreed. "Do you want to do it soon?"
"It can wait." Jack said before moving onto another topic. "Oh, remember that Thor plans on visiting this weekend."
"Yes I remember, and this time Jack, make sure Thor takes all of his toys with him?"
"Come on Sam, you know the boys love them," Jack cajoled.
"I know, but every time I see one of those spider ones scurrying through the hall I get the heebie-jeebies—considering what your reaction to them use to be, I'm surprised that you're so accepting of them."
"It's Thor," Jack said emphatically as if that was reason enough.
Sam merely gave an accepting sigh and settled back into cuddling with her husband and gradually the movements of their child settled. She did not really see the difference between Thor and what the toys used to be, but if her husband did, she would leave it be.
. . .
Daniel and Janet, feeling apprehensive considering their lukewarm response from the O'Neill adults yesterday, knocked on the door of the farmhouse. Unlike last time, the door was promptly opened and the smiling face of Matt greeted them.
"Hi! You're back!" the six-year-old welcomed enthusiastically. "Come on in, we're in the kitchen. Mom just took the bread from the oven."
Remembering years earlier Sam's claim that she could not cook, Daniel inquired with some interest, "Your mom cooks?"
"Nah," Matt shook his head as the two removed their shoes and placed them on the mat by the door. "Dad's the one that cooks. Mom's the one that bakes."
Both visitors found that distinction interesting as they moved through the farmhouse to the kitchen. Even before they reached the room, they heard another voice that indicated they were not the only visitors to the O'Neill's this day.
Entering the kitchen behind Matt, they found Sam was indeed removing loafs of bread from the oven, while Jack and Josh chatted enthusiastically with a largely muscular man with a bushy mane of brown hair. Matt scrambled into the chair beside the stranger once his guide duties were done.
"Daniel, Janet, this is Thor," Jack made the introductions casually as the two took seats at the table.
The two murmured polite greetings and the man returned the sentiments.
Daniel, searching for a conversation topic with this stranger, gestured to the prominently displayed Nordic amulet proudly worn around the man's neck. "I see you wear a mjolnir—Thor's hammer—are you interested in the Old Norse because of your name?"
Thor's brown eyes twinkled as his hand reached out to pound on Jack's back as the man suddenly suffered from a coughing fit.
"It could be interpreted that way," the man rumbled in a deep baritone.
Not understanding the mood that Daniel's question had invoked in the room, Daniel and Janet exchanged looks. Gradually Jack's coughing seemed to subside. Really only stopped, besides fits, when Sam shoved a loaf of warm bread at her husband and ordered him to start slicing.
"Well," Thor began as he pushed his chair away from the table and stood, "seeing as you have other visitors I shall return at another date to continue our conversation."
"Aww," the protest rose from the boys as they abandoned their bread and jam.
"Do you have to go?" Josh asked.
"Couldn't you stay a little longer?" Matt begged.
"Sorry children," Thor smiled affectionately at them. "But before I go," he made a fist with both his large hands and held them towards the boys, "I have items to bestow upon you."
The boys literally bounced in their seats at the announcement. Obviously, to Daniel and Janet, this man was a regular visitor and his gifts were regular occurrences.
"Can you deduce what they are?" Thor inquired.
The boys scrunched up their noses as they thought.
"Um… a butterfly!" Matt guessed. "One of those big blue Amazon ones!"
"A frog," Josh stated with conviction.
"Ah," Thor's brown eyes twinkled as he uncurled his fists, "you are both correct."
In the hand held out to Josh was a green tree frog with bright orange and white accents perched in Thor's palm. In the hand for Matt a butterfly slowly unfurled large blue wings as if it had just emerged from a cocoon.
"Wicked," Josh breathed.
Matt practically vibrated with excitement as he looked at his present.
"Are you prepared?" Thor inquired.
Two heads nodded vigorously, sending their hair flying in all directions.
"Now you must retrieve them!" Thor exclaimed as the frog and butterfly exploded into action. Two leaps and the frog had cleared the kitchen and headed into the hall while the butterfly had already cleared the doorway into the dining room.
Shrieking gleefully the two boys scrambled off their chairs and chased after their new presents.