21Year 2, Episode 4: Secrets, Part 3
"Secrets" AT. Only Earth Part.
In "Secrets", Jack's father shows up at the reception (he was in Washington DC for his annual report) and demonstrates his contempt towards General Carter by a lack of warmth in his voice.
Previously, on Stargate: Assiah…
Meanwhile, Jamila had cradled his head in her hands, trying to assess the damage with her diagnostic abilities. "Don't move, don't try to move."
"You – you did this," Armin gasped, accusing Jack, the Air Force and the world in general.
"No. No, we didn't do this." Jack shook his head violently. That once would have been both Jamila's and his style, but it never had been Hammond's.
"Son of a bitch…" he rattled.
»Oh no, you won't«! Jamila hissed in High Antarian, concentrating on keeping the young man alive without the treacherous glow of her hands.
And now, the conclusion...
Spiritual Realm
Area: A Crossroad of Two:
? /Jamila Bartholomew and Armin Selig
September 19, 1998
ca 1600 Zulu
"What the… where…?" Armin twisted around, puzzled. This place was definitely not DC… or heaven or hell… it was foggy, and kind of familiar.
"Don't be afraid." Suddenly, the mist dissolved, revealing Jamila in her true form. They were standing in a plane, covered with mist and water. Two doors stood in the middle of nowhere, facing off.
"Where am I?"
"Hmm… this place is very interesting, not as shaky as many others… but far weaker. This is a place where our minds touch." Jamila grinned.
"WHAT? What the hell are you?"
"And I thought you were an intelligent person, capable of drawing conclusions." Jamila's apparition made a sour face. "Well, I am not a human being, if that's what you mean. I am an Antarian, capable of many things. Among them telepathy. I serve together with Jack O'Neill. I am Captain Jamila Bartholomew, Royal Navy. Now listen closely. In the outer world, not even a second has passed, but you are a hair's breadth away from death. And before you ask, it is impossible to lie in here. We didn't do this to you. Got it? Or why would I risk public exposure by keeping you alive if all we should do is draw you out so one can kill you?"
Armin's mind was racing as he took all of this in. A bona fide alien serving in Earth military… and she was right, if they wanted him dead, he wouldn't be now in this "dream world", for a lack of better term. No, she wanted… "What's the catch? I assume you want some kind of bargain."
Jamila chuckled. "Always to the point. Well, it's simple. Your life for your silence. And your service."
"What?" The puzzlement was back in full force.
"I can heal you. Not right here and right now, but later on. We'll make appropriate arrangements. For now, I want you to not publish your findings, and instead, you are the one writing our cover-ups."
"NO FUCKIN–"
"Everything has its price," she cut in mercilessly. "Balance must be preserved at all costs, and the price must be appropriate for the service. And I wasn't finished yet."
Armin bowed his head. "What's the deal?"
"Become our spin-doctor. Deviate, cover up, deny…" she paused, "and at the same time, you prepare the eventual disclosure of everything. This cannot be kept silent forever, but if you bring it to print now, you will endanger everyone. Essentially, I am not asking for your silence as a price. I want your loyalty. All of it."
"I… well, it's my life, ain't it…" he looked away. Life lies, or death's truths… what a choice. Well, not exactly a lie, only a postponing of the truth actually, if she would be keeping her word. "How do I know I can trust you?"
Crash. Armin was slammed into his own mental door, with the force of a heavy storm of malice. His conscious representation hung in the air. "You are in no position to question my reliability, Selig, hear me? I could have let you hang out to dry but instead I am risking exposure for the guy who could ruin my life! Or what's left of it, for the matter… how many people will have to die for your deaths' truths until you are satisfied?"
For that, the young man had no answer. He had never really considered what breaking this story could mean to those involved, not that he could expose the source anyway; it all had been sent by mail. All things considered; if he would have been one of them… "All right, I'll take door № 1… Life lies by loyalty… Captain. For now."
"Good answer." »Jamila« smiled, and the storm subsided, putting Armin to the ground. "And don't you dare to forget it!" Jamila's sentinel exploded in a ball of light and lightning, and suddenly, he had to hang onto the »doorknob« of his own door for dear life, as a burning sensation washed over his »neck« as soon as the light touched him. As it was gone, his hands went up to his neck to feel… metal embedded into his »skin«; writing in strange symbols forming a collar. The light died, but Jamila was gone. But he was still in this strange dream world, so she had to be somewhere still. "What's that?" he wondered, staring at his reflection in the "thought water" on the ground.
"The sign of our agreement, etching it into your soul. The phrase says 'I am bound by my words to loyalty', in my kind's language. You will find yourself unable to expose these truths to the grand public until the contract is fulfilled. Not even drugs can change this." Jamila's image replaced his own.
Immediately, he got it. "A deal is a deal, Captain. I have no intention to betray you. So it's a safety measure in case someone tries to get something out of me."
"Yes." The mirror image smiled. "Although, you still will have to sign the usual non-disclosure agreement once you are on your feet again."
"No problem ma'am."
"Well then, see you later…"
"Wait! How do I leave this place?"
"Go home. That's your door. Not mine." The mist was back, and the water gone.
"Alright…" He shook himself. "Why does it have to end like this? Why?"
Washington, District of Columbia, USA, Earth
Outer Staircase of USAF Administration Building 36
September 19, 1998
ca 1555 Zulu
In brief thoughts, Jamila transmitted the agreement to Jack. 'No choice, sorry…'
'No problem I think. Just explain it to Hammond.'
'Sure. Make the arrangements for him to be taken back with us, he's in danger.'
'Alright.'
Jack raced up the stairs to find Hammond. Time was the essence; they needed to redirect the Ambulance to Andrews so Jamila could teleport Armin straight to the SGC…
Half an hour later Jamila stepped out of a shadow, falling into step beside Jack to face the police, making their statements. 'Just in time for the briefing with the Joint Chiefs…'
'Everything settled then?'
'He's sleeping the slumber of the just. It was close though.'
This communication form was certainly strange, but it was way too convenient for people like him who thought speaking to be a bother, and had problems with speaking at all. 'Phew. Hammond is making the arrangements for his future job as the program spin-doc. It certainly is a good idea, he thinks… But, I'm afraid you will have to make a statement to the police,' he thought.
'Oh great. Well, let's make this quick…'
Washington, District of Columbia, USA, Earth
USAF Administration Building 36
Ceremonial Auditorium
September 19, 1998
1710 Zulu
Later, upstairs in the room reserved for ceremonies and speeches, one even more disappointed Major General Jacob Carter stared out of the same window his old friend stood in front of a few hours ago as his daughter approached him. Without turning around, he stated, "You must be disappointed. Any idea why the President cancelled?"
"Colonel O'Neill and Captain Bartholomew witnessed an accident. The President couldn't adjust his schedule. Bad timing all around. General Hammond's going to present us with our medals at a private ceremony back at the base," Sam explained.
Jacob scowled shortly before turning around. "Well, it's the honour that matters, whether I can be there or not."
Something in her father's tone caused Sam to puzzle. What else was going on? "Dad?"
"I have cancer, Sam."
"What?"
"Lymphoma."
"That's bad." Shock settled in Sam's bones, freezing mind and body.
"Well, it's not good. But it's not the worst. Don't you worry; I'll be around for a while," Jake stated, a little flippantly.
"Oh God, Dad!" Sam hugged her father, trying to silence the panicked voices in her head.
The old man stepped back. Continuing in the same, slightly flippant tone, he added, "I was hoping to stick around long enough to see you become an astronaut. Sweetheart, I don't care what it is you do in that mountain, deep space or no deep space, nothing in the world can live up to the chance to actually go into space. Not for you – it's something you've wanted your whole life. And I admit it; I want to see you fulfil your life's dreams before I die."
"It's my dream; doesn't that make it up to me?" Sam smiled sadly.
Jake sighed. "Fathers have dreams too," he admitted.
There it was, the typical Carter-communication… talking at cross purposes. She shook her head. "Sorry, I can't–"
Hurt, the aging General picked up his trench coat. "Alright. Like I said, this thing's going to go on for months, so you don't have to check up on me tomorrow."
"Dad, please don't go like this…"
"Congratulations on the medal. I'm sure you deserve it." He nodded curtly and walked off.
Sam lowered her head. "Carter?"
"Sir." The two mess officers stood in the door. "Ma'am…"
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but we still have a meeting with your Joint Chiefs… are you alright?" the woman asked, noticing both the shaken vibe in Sam's aura and the unshed tears in the eyes.
"I will be I think. Let's go."
"Great. More starched shirts…"
"Funny mermaid."
"Watch it flyboy…"
GeneralAdmiralGeneralGeneral GeneralAdmiralGeneralGeneral GeneralAdmiralGeneralGeneral GeneralAdmiralGeneralGeneral
Arlington, Virginia, USA, Earth
United States Department of Defence, The Pentagon
Entrance Hall
September 19, 1998
1830 Zulu
The meeting was over, the Chiefs, sans Jonathan sr., gone. "I don't think they really got it." Jamila shook her head. "That ability of the technology is totally dependent on the physical limitations of the user – only a telepath/technopath can completely use it!"
"Easy Milady," Jonathan reassured her. "It's not that much of a drama."
"Basically, to them it's more than enough that you can spy into deep space and our own world with it, better than any computer we have." Sam smiled.
"Right." Jamila flipped her cover on her head, a motion mimicked by the others.
"Well I think that's it," the Lt General concluded. "And just in time."
"You have to leave already dad?" Jack frowned.
"My flight goes in an hour. I expect your letter as usual son." There was that smile again… it was the same as his son's, Sam noticed. And overall, the colonel was indeed his father's son; the only difference was the age gap and the hair colour… Delicious… she fought a blush desperately and hoped that she wasn't projecting. While Sam was still musing, Jonathan swept his son in a hug. "Be good, okay?"
"Always, athair." (note 1)
Letting him go, the old General turned to the women. "It was nice getting to know you Captain. I hope I will have the pleasure again," he addressed Sam, this time, saluting. "Milady… since you're onshore again, why don't you drop by once in a while?"
"When I find the time, good friend, when I find the time." The sour mood of the Antarian had been replaced with her signature good-natured smirk. »Atrasta nil zanar« – may you always find your way through the dark."
"Why thank you your ladyship…" He grinned too as he gave her another hand-kiss for goodbye, "Farewell."
"Crazy old man…" Jack muttered.
Jonathan stopped in his tracks as if he had forgotten something and turned around again. "Oh Jack?"
Automatically, said son went into a relaxed kind of parade rest, hands clasped on his back. "What is it dad?"
"Can you do me a favour please?" the older man asked with a slightly uncomfortable smile.
Returning the smile, his son answered, "Of course."
"Don't die before I do Jack… my son."(note 2) Their eyes met.
Jack was speechless for a moment, noticing the unsaid message, speaking of pride and love. "I will," he promised; his eyes unguarded.
With another kind smile at them, Jonathan James Patrick O'Neill left.
"Your father is exceptional," Jamila stated after a few minutes.
"Yeah." Jack closed his eyes. "Tá cion agam ort chomh maith (note 3), athair", he whispered, grinning.
"What did he mean by this last one, sir?" Sam was puzzled.
"Huh?" The tall Irishman reopened his eyes and shot her a stray glance, lost in thoughts.
"The 'don't die before I do' line."
"Oh. That…" Jack shook his head to clear it. "It may sound funny, but my father's greatest dream, ever since I followed his footsteps, was that one day, I would outrank him…"
"A bit difficult with him now being a Lieutenant General," Jamila quipped.
"Yeah… or at least have the same rank. Either way, as long as he says that line…" he let the sentence hang in the air.
Sam made a confused gesture, urging him to go on.
Drawing an audible breath, he finished, "As long as he says that line, it means he is not disappointed with me," and turned his gaze to the door, a faint but satisfied smile on his face.
"Good to know. Let's go home too. To our ocean of stars…"
Sam snorted again. "Yes ma'am." They left the building.
"What now? Hammond said you were willing to take us 'along'", Jack noted.
Jamila grinned and led them to a small orchard outside, obscuring them from view. There, she held up her right arm. "Grab on."
"Jamila?"
"My peripheral teleportation abilities cost too much energy. Something which touches me however becomes an extension if I want to and is taken along. Now, hold on tight."
"Okay." Grabbing the forearm of the Antarian, they vanished in a flash of light.
1 Irish: Father
2 Quote from "Tales of Symphonia", end sequence. Original: "Don't die before I do Lloyd… my son."
3 Irish: lit. I have fondness for you too, often used for I love you too.
AN: ATS Ltd. means Advanced (aka Alien) Technology Sources Limited. It is the newest part of the Bartholomew corporate empire, focussing on the reverse-engineering and further development of alien technologies given by Jamila. Their greatest accomplishment so far: The complete reverse-engineering of carbonite-synthesizers, specifically for fibre form and crystal form (the latter used for unbreakable windows and unbreakable two-way-mirrors, the former for bullet/ environment poison-proof combat gear, including Jamila's diver suit and combat diving ankle boots).