Tag to Progeny

“So.”

Jack watched Daniel meander his way through the command tent, randomly picking up various objects and putting them back down. When it became apparent Daniel wasn't going to say anything else, Jack repeated, “So.”

Daniel set down the paperweight (read = rock) Jack had been using to hold down one of the corners of his rudimentary map of Alpha. “Why didn't you assign me as the ambassador to the Ancients?”

“Who said you were in consideration?”

“Hmm. I don't know. The fact that I'm the leader on all things Ancient and oh yeah, I lived with them for a year...”

“I didn't know you wanted the job.”

Daniel did that constipated frown look. The one that said without saying, “I completely do not understand you, Jack.” Or rather had been said with. A few times.

Daniel blinked, constipated frown still firmly in place. “How long have you known me?”

Jack pointed a finger at him like he'd just won a prize. “Exactly!”

“I don't even know what that means.”

“It means, Daniel, that I know that look.” He gestured at the look Daniel was giving him right then. No longer the constipated frown but, “You want to go so bad because you think they hold the answers to everything you've ever wanted to know. But you're also pissed at what the other Ancients did and what they put you through.”

“That's not...”

“True?”

Daniel faltered, unable to deny it. A bit half-heartedly, he tried, “They had nothing to do with that.”

“But they were abandoning Pegasus just like the others did - heading to Earth because the Wraith kicked their asses.” Jack paused, before firmly stating, “You're not the right man for the job. But it's because you're right about them.”

Facing him silently, Jack watched as Daniel slowly accepted what he'd said. That or he was thinking up a counter argument. Jack left him to it, returning his attention to his plans.

A few minutes later, Daniel admitted, “I don't know what to do.”

“Do?”

“Yes, do. Everything I've ever worked for is gone. Everything I've devoted my life to is gone. No one is ever going to learn about Ancient Egyptian culture ever again. No one is ever going to know about the Romans or the Greeks or how those empires shaped the very way we live. At the SGC, my work meant something. Whether or not I knew something often meant whether we lived or died. And these things in my head, all those priceless artifacts sitting in museums just waiting to deteriorate; they're all useless!”

Jack had heard enough. “Just stop! You are not useless. You didn't devote your life to books, Daniel. You devoted it to people. Whether they'd been dead for three thousand years or just born yesterday, you have always been about people. That hasn't changed just because our situation is different. You want something to do? McKay took as much of the database as we could manage. If anybody's gonna find anything useful, it'll be you. And while you're at it, make your own damn history book.”

Daniel stood stunned for long enough that Jack became self-conscious of his rather animated praise of the man.

“That's not a bad idea.”

“Um. What?”

“Someone should really be writing this down. I mean, you have mission reports and all that, but that's just part of the picture. People are going to start having kids eventually. They'll need to know how we came to be here more than just word of mouth. Future generations need a record of how things really were.”

He'd kind of been joking about the history book thing, but okay. He'd take credit for that idea. “Don't forget to write down how awesome I am.”

Oh well, I'm tired and so weary

But I must go alone

“This ones a bust, too, sir.”

Lorne and three-quarters of his new team walked away from the gate. Celise let go of Jack's hand and ran to Kiryk, who tossed the little girl in the air before settling her in his arms.

Jack was not happy with the news. “What's wrong with this one?”

“The official reason?”

“There's an unofficial reason?”

“Officially, there's no fresh water source any reasonable distance from the gate. Unofficially, mosquitoes as big as golf balls.”

“They were very numerous,” Keras noted uncomfortably.

Jack sighed. “Fine. We'll mark it off the list.”

Now that the Alpha Site was home, they needed a Beta Site. Jack wouldn't be comfortable until one was set up and manned. But like everything else in this galaxy, finding a place that met their qualifications wasn't easy.

“Zelenka checked in yet?”

“No. Why?”

“Just curious how he'll react when he hears you've put him on a field team.”

Mockingly, Jack asked, “Are you suggesting he won't be overjoyed at my decision?”

Evan grinned. “I just hope you don't speak Czech, sir.”

The relatively good humor was abruptly broken by the unexpected dialing of the gate. Without a shield or iris as of yet in place, it felt as if the door was always wide open. The gate security team got into position and Jack left Lorne's side to hear word from Chuck if it was one of their teams.

The technician was waiting for him. “Sir, it's Midway. They're requesting medical assistance.”

“Who's injured?”

“Lt. Shanks – non-critical head wound, but he might have a concussion.”

Jack radioed for Beckett to make his way to the gate. Shanks stepped through the puddle holding gauze to his head and looking thoroughly fed up with the female sergeant trying to mother hen him. The gate shut down behind them.

“What happened?”

Seeing his commanding officer, Lt. Shanks quickly lost his aggravated expression. “Uh...”

“Hit your head that hard, did ya?”

Dr. Bancroft answered for the Lieutenant. “We were spotted, sir.”

“Spotted?”

“By Ba'al.”

Noting Jack's anger, Bancroft quickly continued, “We did not engage. We both came on each other quite unexpectedly.”

“Did he know who you were?”

Shanks finally spoke up. “He recognized our uniforms, sir.”

Jack glanced at his head wound. “Nobody else hurt?”

“No, sir. I was just lucky enough to be in range of his hand device.”

Wincing in sympathy, Jack stated, “He'll head straight for Earth now.”

Shanks nodded. “Colonel Ronson thought the same thing. He's already evacuated the SGC personnel and headed to the Tokra planet.”

“Tokra?”

Shanks seemed surprised at his surprise until Bancroft spoke up. “Yes, sir. It was just found today.”

Carson and two of his medical personnel made themselves known. “Alright. What did you do to yourself this time, Lieutenant?”

“Not my fault this time, Doc. Promise.”

“Aye.” Carson prodded the gash, earning a hiss from Shanks. “That's what you always tell me.”

“He was thrown into a wall by a hand device. Left momentarily unconscious on sight and probably has a concussion and maybe some cracked ribs.” Bancroft sent Shanks a look. “Not that he would tell me.”

“God damn it, Lily. Will you quit fussing over me?”

Carson led the pair and his team away to his make-shift infirmary.

Good news and bad news. They would for sure be able to make an underground base now. Wouldn't be the prettiest place, but it would work. But then there was Ba'al. Now that he knew there were still Tau'ri around, however few in number, he would be relentless in finding them. Ha'taks didn't have intergalactic ability but if Ba'al found out about Pegasus, Jack was positive he would find a way to get here.

Til the lord comes and calls, calls me away, oh yes

There will be peace in the valley for me, for me

Sheppard's team came through the gate a few hours later. Jack gaped. “They gave you a jumper?”

“I don't think gave is the appropriate word.”

Before Jack could even fully realize the implications of Elizabeth's statement, Sheppard said, “Colonel, we need to evacuate.”

“Somehow I don't see Ancients wanting this pile of dirt, Major.”

“They aren't Ancients but they would probably like to blow us up.”

Jack considered them a friendly enough bunch. Really. Which left him wondering why everyone kept using them for target practice.

“There better be one hell of an explanation for this, Elizabeth.”

“We'll tell you everything as soon as we land.”

Thirty minutes later and Jack decided he really had heard everything. “So let me get this straight. After we finally get rid of the replicators, you went and found a whole blooming country's worth of them and let them stick their hands in your heads.”

“Well, I wouldn't say we let them do anything.”

Sending McKay a look that said, 'I really don't want to hear your crap right now', Jack continued, “And what I really don't understand is what convinced you that bringing one home would be a good idea?”

“Niam was different from the others, Jack.”

He gazed pointedly at the bruises forming on Elizabeth's neck. “Yeah, I can see that.”

“What happened happened,” John intervened. “Niam's floating in space and whatever replicators left are rebuilding.”

Rodney picked up on Sheppard's thought. “Yes, but that will only last so long. We rigged a ZedPM overload but that only took out the center of their massive city, the portion similar in size to Atlantis. They know that the Ancients are back but they can't do anything about them because of their programming. We aren't so lucky. Once they build a ship, it's highly probable they'll come here for retribution.”

“Ya think?” Jack blew out a breath. “How much time?”

“Time?”

“Before they'll have a ship or a gate?”

Rodney blinked. “I have no idea.”

“Days? Weeks? Months?”

“Well, weeks but...”

“Two? Four?”

Instead of answering him, McKay turned to Sheppard with a fierce frown. “What is it with you two and arbitrary numbers?”

John ignored Rodney. “The sooner we get out of here, the better. We can always use Earth until we find a Beta Site.”

“That's out. Ba'al found one of our teams.”

Elizabeth stepped forward. “Was anyone captured?”

“No. Shanks got tossed around a bit but everyone got out okay. But now Ba'al knows we're around so Earth's off the table.”

“We could always ask the Ancients for assistance. They should be informed of the situation anyway.”

“I'm not staying there under their thumb. We'll find a Beta Site. Sheppard, organize all teams for the search and then hit the sack.”

“I can go back out.”

“When you can look me in the face without looking dead on your feet and without the migraine I know you have right now, then you can go back out. Until then, all of you should sleep it off.”

Elizabeth backed him up. “I agree.”

John's jaw clenched moodily but he said nothing else before leaving. When it was just him and Elizabeth left, Jack took a good look at her. She was clearly exhausted, her face fraught with tension.

“You okay?”

Elizabeth's head popped up to look at him. “I'm fine.”

When he looked skeptical, she took a deep breath. “Really. I just ...we can't get a break, can we?”

“You all came home alive, Liz. That's a good enough break for me.”

Elizabeth hmm'd thoughtfully. “Ba'al.” She shook her head. “What if he finds us?”

“One problem at a time.” Jack tapped his pen on the desk. “Ya know, you were included in that sleep order.”

She smiled tiredly. “I know. I just...” a worried frown lined her face. “When they were probing my mind, the scenario they presented to me wasn't all that different from this. The escape, I mean.”

“Wondering if this is real?”

“A little.”

“I don't know what I can tell you to convince you. Your instincts are good. If this wasn't real, you'd be able to figure it out.”

She seemed a little reassured by that. “Right. Well, goodnight.”

“Nite.”

Pausing before she left the tent, Elizabeth said, “Don't forget you need sleep as well, Jack.”

With replicators and Ba'al in the wings, the wraith a constant threat, and troops so emotionally fractured and mentally tapped out that they couldn't see straight, Jack wasn't sure he was capable of even closing his eyes.

Well the bear will be gentle
And the wolves will be tame
And the lion shall lay down by the lamb, oh yes
And the beasts from the wild
Shall be lit by a child
And I'll be changed, changed from this creature that I am, oh yes

There will be peace in the valley for me some day

Author's Note: I have to admit, I'm quite unhappy with not actually tagging Progeny's episode. Though it doesn't seem like it in the chapter, in my head, the events of Progeny happened differently than in the episode. For one, since Oberoth knew the Ancients were in Atlantis, they never left Asuras. They knew they wouldn't have been able to attack it. I chose not to detail the changes in a chapter because in order for it to flow in any sort of sense, I was having to use a lot of dialogue from the episode which I hate to do.