The quake ceased as they hit the bottom floor. Jack kicked open the door. General Hammond stood beside the stasis unit that had once held Jack in its grip. Ancient repositories, Goa’uld sarcophagi, stasis units… For all the insight gained from these unimaginable technologies, Daniel couldn’t deny the cost.
Especially for Jack.
“Welcome back, SG-1.” General Hammond turned toward Jack with a wary smile. “You ready, son?”
Jack unzipped the pack and pulled out the crystal. “Ready isn’t quite the word, sir.” He tossed the pack at Sam and bolted through the archway. She raced in after him.
Daniel hurried over to Hammond. “Weiyan?”
“She’s gone, son.” The general gestured for him to follow. “And I can’t say if it’s a good thing or a bad one.”
Another tremor shook the room.
Sam had gotten to the ladder first. Teal’c joined her in holding the rungs as Jack swung on, one hand holding the crystal against his side.
“Daniel! Get your ass over here and help me out.”
Running into the chamber, Daniel got a glimpse of Paul Davis and Bill Lee off to one side. Ambassador Zhu stood between them, a fleece pullover pressed to her chest.
Weiyan’s pullover.
Knowing there wasn’t time for condolences, Daniel gave Zhu a quick nod and slid down the ladder to the terra-forming platform below. The force field hugged the walls, undulating as if it were welcoming them back. The crystal cradled under one arm, Jack swept away a good foot of snow piled over the brackets. Daniel joined him, clearing the central red bracket of any debris.
“Fifteen minutes, sir,” came Sam’s warning from up top.
“Right.” Jack stepped in front of the red bracket, his face screwed up in concentration. He raised the crystal and —
The ground shook, sending a spray of ice and dirt down from the hole’s edges. A chunk fell on Daniel, hard. He pressed a hand to his head.
“You all right?” Jack asked.
“Am I all right?” Daniel pulled away his hand. “Shouldn’t you, you know…?”
Jack glanced at the crystal. “Yeah. I should.” He lowered the crystal into the bracket.
The platform lit up, its blue panels thrumming loudly. Like the sound of a heartbeat, Daniel realized.
The quake stopped.
Daniel blew out a long breath. “Well, that’s — ”
Jack’s hands were still on the crystal.
“The tremor’s stopped. You can let go now.”
“Exactly.” Jack closed his eyes, his hands splayed across the crystal’s top-most facet.
“Jack?”
The crystal lit up, its glow casting a red light across Jack’s face. The thrum became louder, quicker. A racing thump loud enough to echo through the room.
“That’s enough,” Jack mumbled. He slid his hands down the sides of the crystal and sparks flew from the platform. Daniel jumped back, but Jack held on, his brow creased, his eyes squeezed shut. The light within the crystal turned darker red.
“What are you doing?”
The thrumming stopped. The illuminated panels dimmed and then went dark. The only light left was from above.
Jack stepped away from the platform, sweat running down his forehead. “It’s dead, Daniel. Finished. No more threats to Earth.”
“What? It’s not that simple. You heard Sam.” The charred crystal remains collapsed into dust. Stunned, he whirled around. “We could’ve learned how to harness its energy. We could’ve learned how to — ”
“And risk ending up just like those dead and gone Ancients?” Jack ran a forearm across his wet forehead. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to live a little longer.”
CODA
FERRAR GLACIER, ANTARCTICA
19 AUG 04/1335 HRS MCMURDO STATION
Sunlight peeked out from behind a patch of clouds as Jack hiked past the waiting chopper. Though he’d donned a wool cap along with the rest of his cold-weather gear, his parka hood was down. The cold air felt good nicking at his skin, keeping him from feeling completely numb and worn out.
He reached the rocky promontory beyond the chopper pad and looked out over the valley below. The crunch of footsteps behind him was no surprise. No doubt his former teammates had decided to come along for the show, short as it might be.
Looking out over the Ferrar Glacier, he took in the rugged white valley, surrounding cliffs, the deep crevasses that looked like someone had squeezed blue gel toothpaste onto the snow. Somehow, Huang had survived all this. Maybe Skaara had helped, but Jack suspected the clone’s basic cussedness had more to do with it than anything else. Cussedness and maybe something else. Something everyone needed.
Faith.
In Huang’s case, that faith had been sorely misplaced.
In Jack’s case, it was about finding that faith in himself.
He grinned. He could do that.
“O’Neill.” Teal’c’s parka hood was zipped up tight enough that Jack couldn’t see half his face.
“I thought you hated cold weather.”
Teal’c turned toward the sun, its zenith past and gone. “Upon our return to the SGC, I would like to visit my son. He is with Ishta and the Hak’tyl.”
“Warmer climate on that planet, I suppose?”
“Indeed.”
“Wow.” Daniel stopped beside him with Carter.
“Bring back memories, Carter?” He knew this had been her first view of Antarctica years ago when they’d been flung from the previously unknown gate into what they thought was an ice planet.
“Lots of memories, sir. Not all of them bad.” Her eyes crinkled. Underneath all that fleece and polyester, Jack was sure she was grinning. That was Carter. Always up for a challenge.
“…Zhu’s agreed to revisit the treaty,” Davis said, matching strides with Hammond as they headed over.
“Considering all she’s been through,” Hammond said, “I’d take that as a win, Major.”
“I think so, too, sir.”
The two came up on Jack’s other side. He gave them each a nod and turned his attention back to watching the sun peek in and out of the clouds.
“First day of sun for the year,” Carter said. “It’s supposed to last an hour and thirty-nine minutes. Should set in another eight — ”
“Ack!” Jack said, waving a glove-covered hand. “Don’t ruin it. Just watch. Enjoy.”
“Sir?”
“When’s the last time we just watched the sun set, Carter?”
The group settled down and Jack let the peace and quiet wash over him. That was the best part about so much snow. It made everything quieter. Newer.
Simpler.
“General Hammond?” Davis asked.
Jack stopped himself from groaning out loud. If he wanted peace and quiet, there was always the cabin.
“Sir,” Davis said, “About that promotion — ”
“Promotion?” Jack congratulated the major. “About time, Davis. We were starting to — ”
“Actually, General — Generals, I mean — ” Davis shoved his gloved hands in his pockets. “I think I can do more good at my present rank. I know I’m not critical to the SGC, but I’d like to think I’ve done my part. Both with the treaty, and, well…” He shrugged.
Jack had heard about Davis’ little brainstorm getting the F-302s out of the ice. “If I may, General, I’m with Davis. If he’s happy, how about letting those forced promotion regulations slide for once?”
Hammond nodded. “Happy and helpful. Can’t ask for more than that, I suppose. I’ll notify the Secretary of the Air Force. I’m sure special dispensation can be granted. For now.”
The world back on its keel, Jack turned toward the glacier. “Out of curiosity, General, how’d you get China to release Huang into our custody?”
A muffled sigh escaped Hammond’s extra-extra large parka. “The president promised to consider giving them the plans to the F-302.”
“Great.” Jack
remembered Ambassador Chen’s admiring the bird during his brief visit. There’d definitely been something downright paternalistic about the way the guy had stroked its underbelly. “Good luck with that.”
Carter frowned. “What about the 303, sir?”
“They want the plans to that as well.”
“They’re gonna build their own 303?” Jack watched the sun dip lower in the sky. “With what resources?”
Hammond grunted. “Remember, the president hasn’t agreed yet. He’s just said he’ll consider their request. As far as resources are concerned, I’ll leave that problem up to my successor.”
Successor? Jack felt his eyebrows shoot up into his scalp. “General, is there something you’ve neglected to tell us?”
“I hear tell that there’s a great fishing spot in Maryland, just some forty minutes from the Pentagon.” Hammond slapped him on the back. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to head over to McMurdo and help coordinate the relief effort. Davis?”
Jack did a double take as Hammond trudged off toward the chopper with Davis in tow.
Fishing. In Maryland.
He turned back toward the valley, the darkening sky turning the white snow to a soft gray. A sparse slice of the sun hung just above a mountain off in the distance. A moment later, a bit of smoke wafted upwards. Jack realized it wasn’t just any mountain he was looking at, it was Mt. Erebus.
“If the Chinese do build a 303,” Carter said, “I wonder what they’ll call it.”
“The Sun Tzu’s a good name.”
As the sun dropped behind the volcano, a breeze picked up. Cold. Bracing.
Jack pulled up his hood.
Yep. It was good to be alive.
Thanks to
The Polar Star’s fine crew & expedition team for opening my eyes to the wonders of Antarctica. Special thanks to Danny Edmunds, Hannah Lawson, and Pierre & Wendy Malan--all who went beyond the call of duty to answer even my most outrageous of questions about the fragile continent’s magnificence.
Carey Adams, Mark Biggs, and all of Missouri State University. Their encouragement allowed me to help the reader experience the coldest, driest, and yet most powerful place on Earth.
Jen Brooks, Laura Gerling, Rhonda Mason, and Susannah Sinard whose support and feedback kept my hand securely on the tiller.
Sally Malcolm and Tom Reeve for their belief in this project.
David Read, Lindsey Allen, Marian Trupiano, Kristin Muzina, and Maureen Bensa for sharing my exuberance for this much loved franchise.
Capt. Angela Webb and the United States Air Force for their technical advice and steadfast dedication to our country.
Joy Anne Baker whose Stargate Glyph font set came in super handy in completing this project. And a special thanks to the real-world Weiyan who provided the Chinese translations.
Gateworld.net for providing the ultimate guide to all things Stargate and for their continued friendship.
The cast & crew of SG-1 — especially Joel Goldsmith whose music lives on in the hearts of all Stargate fans.
To my family, for their patience with my obsessive need to explore the bottom of the world.
The great polar explorers Roald Amundsen, Robert F. Scott, and Ernest Shackleton whose Herculean efforts to reach the ‘the end of the axis upon which this great round ball turns’ continue to inform and inspire humanity at every turn.
THE ADVENTURES CONTINUE....
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