Disclaimer: See prologue.
Author's note: Just a quick note; 10 points to Gryphindor for Emily's catch on the QL refference, and 10 points to Ravenclaw for Butterfly's pointing out about Damascus. I stuck that one in there because they're always using it on Hercules TLJ. Remember that this is a slight x-over. It's good to know that I have observant readers.
The Gate opened, admitting first Jacob Carter/Selmak and then three other Tok'ra. Obeying etiquette, barely, Sam didn't rush to embrace her father, but once he'd shaken hands with the General, Jacob didn't let that etiquette stop him. "It's good to see you, Sam."
She smiled. "You too, Dad."
General Hammond then said, "So, what can we do for the Tok'ra, Jacob?"
He smiled. "We just need a rest stop, George. We've been undercover for a while, and we could use some beds for the night. We'll go on to the current base in the morning, but right now we just need a safe place to sleep without having to answer a lot of questions about 'how did the mission go' and all that."
Hammond nodded without hesitation. "Of course. Major Carter, if you'll show our guests to quarters for the night?"
"Of course. This way, gentlemen."
Daniel and Jack had finally finished loading all the gifts into the Jeep and were headed back into the silo when they were met by an airman. "Colonel O'Neill. General Hammond has requested that you sign out and go home for the day. General Carter and his guests will be staying overnight before returning home."
Jack sighed. "Understood, Airman." They both saluted the other, then returned just inside the entrance. Daniel signed out along with Jack, asking the airman to pass the message along that he'd done so. Jack looked at him with one eyebrow raised in question.
"I've got a couple of thoughts on your condition, and I want to run them past you in a private setting." In other words, he wanted to talk about Jack's pregnancy away from the base, where they thought there might be an NID spy.
Jack nodded. "Alright. I've got a couple of steaks I can throw on the grill. We'll make a day of it." The pair went back to the Jeep and headed for Jack's house in Colorado Springs.
The steaks were on the grill and Daniel had thrown together a salad and gotten the sodas out before they brought up the subject again. "So, Danny, what's on your mind?"
"I got the pictures from P3X-983 back. I hadn't finished translating the mural when all the excitement went down, and until just yesterday, I had forgotten about it. So last night, I translated the rest of the mural. Aparently, after the alter was finished, the man came and she made the child from his seed and that of those around him, then planted it inside his belly. He stayed in and around the temple until it was time for the child to be born, and then Demeter took it from him without pain."
"So I'm supposed to go back there?"
"Whatever caused this is still active in that temple, Jack. If it will help you, I think we should try it."
Jack thought about it, but he could already see several problems with this senario. "Doc said I'm grounded."
"So we take her with us. That way, if there's any problems with you using the Gate, she'll be right there to deal with it."
"If this Demeter person─thing─want's me to stay there, it's going to be for around six and a half months."
"You're mostly out of the game right now anyway. We could set up a temporary base camp there just outside the temple, since the nearest human settlement is about three hundred miles south, and not interfere with them. Besides, it's nice there, and that stream you noticed on the way in was full of some kind of fish. Even if they aren't edible, you could have fun catching them, and if they are, all the better."
Jack grinned. "Yeah, that would be good. Okay, what do we do about the nosy people of our friendly neighborhood NID? They're bound to ask questions about a six-to-seven month absence."
"Yeah." Daniel thought about it. "We need more heads on this one. But we'd have plenty of time to figure something out, and as long as you're there on P3X-983, they can't touch you. I doubt the Tok'ra will be a problem, but I'm betting that the temple has some defences that would work just as well against them as they did against the Goa'uld. I doubt that the first part of the story on the walls was false since the second half is undoubtably true."
Jack nodded. "Okay. This sounds like a good idea. Once Selmak and his friends are gone, we'll give your idea to Hammond. 'Course, the Doc has to approve the whole thing."
"Of course, Jack."
The next day they talked to Hammond and Frasier. The doctor was reluctant at first, but eventually she agreed to the proposal. If it would help Jack, then she thought it would be worth it to risk the Gate. "If it turns out that you do have to stay, then we can bring in everything for the base camp."
It was agreed that all of SG-1 would go with Jack to the planet. Since the child was a result of their work, the team felt like it was theirs, not just his. It was guaranteed that the baby would be well loved by all of them, and would probably be the darling of the mountain. But everyone was afraid of loosing both father and child because of the danger that the unusual pregnancy posed to both of them. This seemed like the best chance to save both of them.
Finally! There's chapter four. Sorry it took so long, but RL decided to drop kick me recently. My fiance broke up with me and I had to move back in with my Mom, and it's just been bad. But I hope to be able to pick up the pace for a while. Feedback is more than welcome.