NaNo2006 -- Chapter 29
<><><>
Chapter twenty-ninth, in which the command staff relocates and help comes from a most unexpected source.
~*~
Previous Chapters Here
“I have two men who need medical attention, sir.”
“No can do, General.”
Jack O’Neill swore under his breath before trying again. “General Hammond, these men need medical attention - now - or we may lose them.”
General Hammond ran his hands over his face and took a deep breath. *Damn, I hate this.* “General O’Neill - we’re close to a solution here. We can take your wounded military but the civilians will have to wait.”
“What if they can’t wait, sir?” Jack asked acerbically.
“Are the civilians going to die in the next few minutes, General?”
Jack swore under his breath. “No, sir.”
“Then they don’t come.” General Hammond sighed loudly. “Hurry along, General O’Neill. I want all your men on board the Daedalus in fifteen.”
Jack squared his shoulders, making Colonel Sheppard look at him quizzically. “All my men, sir?” he asked into his headset. “What if the Wraith come back?” He heard Hammond sigh and smiled.
“Okay, General. The command staff have to be on board the Daedalus in - twelve minutes. Put someone else in charge and get your ass out of there.”
“Yes, sir,” Jack snapped. Turning quickly, he saw Sheppard staring at him. “What is it, Colonel?”
John Sheppard shrugged. “Just wondering what’s going on, General,” he said unapologetically.
Jack scowled. “We’re leaving.”
“Leaving, sir?” John asked.
Jack nodded. “You, me, Ellison, Sandberg, Ronon and Teyla.”
John frowned but didn’t ask the one question he wanted to - ‘why’. “Okay then - I’ll put Harcourt in charge of the team.”
~*~
“Well, fuck,” Abby growled as she watched the small group of soldiers disappear from the field in back of Gibbs’ house. The rest of the group milled around the yard, some taking stations at the back fence, some moving around to the front yard. She sighed. At least they still had some fire power. That made her feel a little better, since Tony and Gibbs were out of commission.
She sighed and walked into the living room. McGee was stationed by the front window. Abby grinned and walked up to him. “Tim?”
He turned to her and smiled. “Hey Abs - what’s up?”
She frowned. “Tell me something.”
He nodded. “Okay - I’ll try.”
“What’s up with the command crew leaving so suddenly?”
“Well, General O’Neill said they were needed elsewhere.” He nodded to the men in the front yard. “They’re holding down the fort.”
Abby sighed as she wrapped her arms around her midsection. “I know - but something doesn’t seem quite right with all of this, Tim.”
McGee snickered. “Things seem a little hinky for you, Abs?” he teased gently. At her nod, he put his arms around her. “It will be okay. I’m here - they’re here. We’ll keep you safe.”
~*~
“Welcome aboard, General O’Neill.”
Jack nodded to the commander of the Daedalus as he stepped forward. “Colonel Caldwell,” he said in greeting. He wasn’t looking at the Colonel, however.
Stephen Caldwell stepped forward as General O’Neill’s men took up defensive positions behind and to the side of their leader. “General, I’d like you to meet someone.”
“Captain Jack Harkness - Torchwood,” the smiling man said as he stepped forward, his hand extended in greeting.
Jack looked at Colonel Caldwell before turning his gaze to the stranger once again. He stared at the proffered hand for a moment before reaching out. Just before their hands touched, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked around to see Captain Ellison at his back. He raised his eyebrows in question.
Captain Ellison nodded and bent his head. “Not entirely human but not a threat,” he whispered.
Jack nodded and turned to Captain Harkness again. “Captain,” he said as he grasped the other man’s hand in a firm handshake. “Never heard of Torchwood.”
“General.” Jack Harkness grinned as he pumped the hand in his before letting it go and gesturing to the people standing at his back. “My crew,” he said in way of explanation. “Gwen, Owen, Tashiko, Ianto. And you weren’t supposed to have ever heard of Torchwood.”
Jack nodded to them before turning to Colonel Caldwell again. “And they’re here why, Colonel?”
Stephen Caldwell looked between the two men and saw that Captain Harkness hadn’t been insulted by the General’s comments. He sighed in relief. The new group of people were an unknown and things were tense enough without feelings getting stepped on.
He cleared his throat softly. “He’s here on orders from General Hammond, sir. Orders direct from the President.”
Jack looked at the newcomers and wondered just what was so special that they were there on orders from the President of the United States. They didn’t really look like much to Jack.
Just then Captain Harkness smiled. “We’re here because your President knows that this invasion has to be stopped - now. We have the means to erase all of this.” He spun around, gesturing widely. “You have the means to transport us to where we can do the most good - space.”
Jim leaned forward again. “He is telling the truth, sir,” he whispered. “At least, he thinks he is.”
*Not lying - interesting.* Jack nodded. “So, Captain Harkness.”
“Jack.”
Jack O’Neill smiled. “So, Jack - just what can you do for us to stop this invasion.”
The other man grinned and pulled something from his pocket. He held it aloft. “I can erase it all.”
Jack tensed as Jack Harkness pulled the sleek silver object from his pocket. He could feel the men at his back reach for their weapons. “What is it?”
“Alien technology.”
Jack O’Neill shrugged. “Okay. What does it do?”
“Turns back time.”
A soft gasp was heard then and Jack had little time to wonder who it was before everyone started talking at once.
“Wait a minute!” General O’Neill shouted. The group of people quieted. “You have the means to turn back time?”
Jack Harkness grinned but it was Toshiko who stepped forward. She smiled at the assembled group of people. “Yes - we can use this device to turn back time.”
“Talk to me,” Jack O’Neill said as he crossed his arms over his chest.
Toshiko looked to Jack Harkness who nodded. She took a deep breath and began.
~*~
Blair fidgeted as the Asian woman talked. Her words echoed in his head. They could reverse what had happened. They could undo all the damage - but at what cost? He stewed and fretted as he puzzled it out. And finally - he spoke.
“Excuse me?” he interrupted softly. Silence fell as everyone turned to look at him. Blair blushed. “Sorry - I just…” He trailed off.
“Go on, Chief,” Jim prodded.
Blair looked up at Jim before looking around at the other assembled people. Jack O’Neill nodded and Blair relaxed.
“If I take it on faith that you can really do this - turn back time - I have to know something. What is the cost to humanity?”
Jack Harkness smiled. “Good question, soldier.”
“I’m not a soldier - no matter what it looks like,” Blair said defiantly. “I’m Doctor Blair Sandberg.”
“Dr. Sandberg,” Captain Harkness said questioningly.
“Doctor of Anthropology,” Jack O’Neill supplied.
Jack Harkness nodded. “No known cost to humanity.”
“No known cost. Why doesn’t that make me feel all warm and fuzzy?” Blair asked.
“It’s alien technology, Dr. Sandberg.”
“Blair.”
“Blair,” Jack acknowledged. “This is not something we can safely test. We either do this or do nothing - and let the Wraith subjugate the human population of the Earth.” He crossed his arms over his chest and looked around. “Your choice.”
~*~
In the end there was no choice. Even not knowing what the outcome was going to be, they realized they had to take the chance. Toshiko hooked the device up to the command center of the Daedalus and then stepped back.
“It’s all yours,” she said.
Colonel Caldwell shook his head. “No - it’s all yours. Work your magic for us.”
<><><>
A/N: Don't shoot me, okay? It makes sense... it really does. Besides, it was a dare. *G*
Chapter twenty-ninth, in which the command staff relocates and help comes from a most unexpected source.
~*~
Previous Chapters Here
“I have two men who need medical attention, sir.”
“No can do, General.”
Jack O’Neill swore under his breath before trying again. “General Hammond, these men need medical attention - now - or we may lose them.”
General Hammond ran his hands over his face and took a deep breath. *Damn, I hate this.* “General O’Neill - we’re close to a solution here. We can take your wounded military but the civilians will have to wait.”
“What if they can’t wait, sir?” Jack asked acerbically.
“Are the civilians going to die in the next few minutes, General?”
Jack swore under his breath. “No, sir.”
“Then they don’t come.” General Hammond sighed loudly. “Hurry along, General O’Neill. I want all your men on board the Daedalus in fifteen.”
Jack squared his shoulders, making Colonel Sheppard look at him quizzically. “All my men, sir?” he asked into his headset. “What if the Wraith come back?” He heard Hammond sigh and smiled.
“Okay, General. The command staff have to be on board the Daedalus in - twelve minutes. Put someone else in charge and get your ass out of there.”
“Yes, sir,” Jack snapped. Turning quickly, he saw Sheppard staring at him. “What is it, Colonel?”
John Sheppard shrugged. “Just wondering what’s going on, General,” he said unapologetically.
Jack scowled. “We’re leaving.”
“Leaving, sir?” John asked.
Jack nodded. “You, me, Ellison, Sandberg, Ronon and Teyla.”
John frowned but didn’t ask the one question he wanted to - ‘why’. “Okay then - I’ll put Harcourt in charge of the team.”
~*~
“Well, fuck,” Abby growled as she watched the small group of soldiers disappear from the field in back of Gibbs’ house. The rest of the group milled around the yard, some taking stations at the back fence, some moving around to the front yard. She sighed. At least they still had some fire power. That made her feel a little better, since Tony and Gibbs were out of commission.
She sighed and walked into the living room. McGee was stationed by the front window. Abby grinned and walked up to him. “Tim?”
He turned to her and smiled. “Hey Abs - what’s up?”
She frowned. “Tell me something.”
He nodded. “Okay - I’ll try.”
“What’s up with the command crew leaving so suddenly?”
“Well, General O’Neill said they were needed elsewhere.” He nodded to the men in the front yard. “They’re holding down the fort.”
Abby sighed as she wrapped her arms around her midsection. “I know - but something doesn’t seem quite right with all of this, Tim.”
McGee snickered. “Things seem a little hinky for you, Abs?” he teased gently. At her nod, he put his arms around her. “It will be okay. I’m here - they’re here. We’ll keep you safe.”
~*~
“Welcome aboard, General O’Neill.”
Jack nodded to the commander of the Daedalus as he stepped forward. “Colonel Caldwell,” he said in greeting. He wasn’t looking at the Colonel, however.
Stephen Caldwell stepped forward as General O’Neill’s men took up defensive positions behind and to the side of their leader. “General, I’d like you to meet someone.”
“Captain Jack Harkness - Torchwood,” the smiling man said as he stepped forward, his hand extended in greeting.
Jack looked at Colonel Caldwell before turning his gaze to the stranger once again. He stared at the proffered hand for a moment before reaching out. Just before their hands touched, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked around to see Captain Ellison at his back. He raised his eyebrows in question.
Captain Ellison nodded and bent his head. “Not entirely human but not a threat,” he whispered.
Jack nodded and turned to Captain Harkness again. “Captain,” he said as he grasped the other man’s hand in a firm handshake. “Never heard of Torchwood.”
“General.” Jack Harkness grinned as he pumped the hand in his before letting it go and gesturing to the people standing at his back. “My crew,” he said in way of explanation. “Gwen, Owen, Tashiko, Ianto. And you weren’t supposed to have ever heard of Torchwood.”
Jack nodded to them before turning to Colonel Caldwell again. “And they’re here why, Colonel?”
Stephen Caldwell looked between the two men and saw that Captain Harkness hadn’t been insulted by the General’s comments. He sighed in relief. The new group of people were an unknown and things were tense enough without feelings getting stepped on.
He cleared his throat softly. “He’s here on orders from General Hammond, sir. Orders direct from the President.”
Jack looked at the newcomers and wondered just what was so special that they were there on orders from the President of the United States. They didn’t really look like much to Jack.
Just then Captain Harkness smiled. “We’re here because your President knows that this invasion has to be stopped - now. We have the means to erase all of this.” He spun around, gesturing widely. “You have the means to transport us to where we can do the most good - space.”
Jim leaned forward again. “He is telling the truth, sir,” he whispered. “At least, he thinks he is.”
*Not lying - interesting.* Jack nodded. “So, Captain Harkness.”
“Jack.”
Jack O’Neill smiled. “So, Jack - just what can you do for us to stop this invasion.”
The other man grinned and pulled something from his pocket. He held it aloft. “I can erase it all.”
Jack tensed as Jack Harkness pulled the sleek silver object from his pocket. He could feel the men at his back reach for their weapons. “What is it?”
“Alien technology.”
Jack O’Neill shrugged. “Okay. What does it do?”
“Turns back time.”
A soft gasp was heard then and Jack had little time to wonder who it was before everyone started talking at once.
“Wait a minute!” General O’Neill shouted. The group of people quieted. “You have the means to turn back time?”
Jack Harkness grinned but it was Toshiko who stepped forward. She smiled at the assembled group of people. “Yes - we can use this device to turn back time.”
“Talk to me,” Jack O’Neill said as he crossed his arms over his chest.
Toshiko looked to Jack Harkness who nodded. She took a deep breath and began.
~*~
Blair fidgeted as the Asian woman talked. Her words echoed in his head. They could reverse what had happened. They could undo all the damage - but at what cost? He stewed and fretted as he puzzled it out. And finally - he spoke.
“Excuse me?” he interrupted softly. Silence fell as everyone turned to look at him. Blair blushed. “Sorry - I just…” He trailed off.
“Go on, Chief,” Jim prodded.
Blair looked up at Jim before looking around at the other assembled people. Jack O’Neill nodded and Blair relaxed.
“If I take it on faith that you can really do this - turn back time - I have to know something. What is the cost to humanity?”
Jack Harkness smiled. “Good question, soldier.”
“I’m not a soldier - no matter what it looks like,” Blair said defiantly. “I’m Doctor Blair Sandberg.”
“Dr. Sandberg,” Captain Harkness said questioningly.
“Doctor of Anthropology,” Jack O’Neill supplied.
Jack Harkness nodded. “No known cost to humanity.”
“No known cost. Why doesn’t that make me feel all warm and fuzzy?” Blair asked.
“It’s alien technology, Dr. Sandberg.”
“Blair.”
“Blair,” Jack acknowledged. “This is not something we can safely test. We either do this or do nothing - and let the Wraith subjugate the human population of the Earth.” He crossed his arms over his chest and looked around. “Your choice.”
~*~
In the end there was no choice. Even not knowing what the outcome was going to be, they realized they had to take the chance. Toshiko hooked the device up to the command center of the Daedalus and then stepped back.
“It’s all yours,” she said.
Colonel Caldwell shook his head. “No - it’s all yours. Work your magic for us.”
<><><>
A/N: Don't shoot me, okay? It makes sense... it really does. Besides, it was a dare. *G*