MacKenzie wasn't surprised when the archaeologist sat on the armrest rather than on the seat itself. It was a comfortable resting place for only a short period of time, indicating that he had no plans of remaining for long; he could and would be on his feet and out that door in the blink of an eye. The doctor didn't think that Doctor Jackson was aware that he chose a similar position every time they had met. Colonel O'Neill may be the most vocal member of SG-1 about his opinion of 'shrinks', however Doctor Jackson was the most distrustful and resistant. Not that MacKenzie could blame the man. When the archaeologist had presented with the psychosomatic symptoms of schizophrenia during the SGC's second year, and claimed to have been implanted by aliens, MacKenzie had put it down to a textbook case. Of course, that had been the first time that the patient hadn't been delusional and had been speaking fact. Since that case, MacKenzie had learnt that when dealing with anyone from the SGC, to take anything they may say, no matter how 'insane', at face value, because nine times out of ten it was true even if it took a while to discover hard evidence of the problem. It had been a steep learning curve for the doctor.

Unfortunately, it had resulted in Doctor Jackson's complete mistrust of psychiatry. As such, MacKenzie hadn't come here today with the expectation that Daniel would open up to him at all. Rather he had a separate criteria for him to make his analysis, one that he also loosely used for the other SGC personnel. He wasn't looking for odd behavior or signs of trauma in general. Instead he was looking for changes in behavior in comparison to the last time he had seen him, which had been after the consciousnesses of the people of Talthus had used Daniel's mind as a lifeboat. Then he had been irritable. Usually the archaeologist was unfailing polite, however that time Daniel had snapped at him. He'd immediately apologized, pinching the bride of his nose like he was suffering a headache. With a sigh he'd explained. "Four months ago, I had my head jammed to the brim with all the knowledge that comes with being one of the Ascended. Three months ago I was stripped of not only all that knowledge but of all my memories. Up here," he tapped at his temple, "was effectively an empty shell. Then just as my amnesia receded enough that I knew who I really was, I had a dozen identities downloaded into my skull, all clamoring for top position. So forgive me if I don't want another person trying to get inside my head right now."

Comparing then and now, there had been a drastic change. Despite the difficulty of the last mission, the tension in the archaeologist was practically non-existent. And Mackenzie suspected what tension he was seeing was due to the mandatory psych session. He was still wary, yet there was a sparkle in his eyes. The remnants of the grief and guilt over Sha're that had haunted him even after his return to mortal life was gone, replaced with a joyous contentedness. It didn't take a psychiatry degree to figure out what, or rather who, had been the cause. All of this, MacKenzie observed in the time it took for Daniel to enter and sit, and he couldn't help but comment on it. "You seem happy."

Daniel was startled by the statement, not expecting that kind of opening. "I am."

"Married life obviously agrees with you."

Eyes narrowed slightly, trying to figure out where Mackenzie was going. Where were the questions? 'How are you feeling/coping/adjusting, with being, ribboned/dying again/resurrected again?' "It's not the marriage so much as the person I'm married to."

Another thing about Doctor Jackson's sessions, he was always very concise, making sure any 'generalizations' were turned into specifics. "Annika is quite an extraordinary woman."

"That she is, in so many ways." Daniel was unaware that his face lit up as he spoke of his soul mate. "I've never known anyone like her before. Having her love me is the best thing that has ever happened to me."

"It must have been disconcerting to find out that your wife comforted you as a child after your parents' accident."

"Actually, it wasn't," he contradicted. "It was hard to watch them die again, to know it was going to happen and not be able to warn them. Yet to be just the observer...I got to see how all the pieces of the puzzle finally fit together."

"You didn't find their deaths more difficult to witness, given that you had spent time with your parents, reconnecting with them?"

He shook his head. "Those few hours were surreal and I will treasure them always. I was given something that I had been denied, the chance to say goodbye."

MacKenzie moved on to the next item on his mental list of things he had to discuss with the archaeologist. "Just backtracking a bit to when you were on Ba'al's ship pretending to be your counterparts."

"Yes?" Daniel waited for him to continue, silently wondering what the hell was taking Kinsey so long. They had very precisely timed his session with the senator's arrival. The SF on level eleven had notified him that the senator had signed in and was on his way down. He'd calculated the travel time down the high security levels taking into account possible stops it made on the way, then surmised the senator would go directly to Hammond's office and would demand a meeting with SG-1. The senator's routine was regular as clockwork. So where was the speaker announcement paging SG-1 to the briefing room? A little distracted it took a second for MacKenzie's next words to sink in.

"You don't have a problem with Annika having had to peddle herself to get the key?"

Daniel stiffened. "No, I don't. Annika did what she had do, what we all would have done in that situation." He had to force his hands to remain still on his thighs and not curl into fists. "I realize it's your job to elicit an emotional response, but I had better not find out after Annika’s session that you used the same method of questioning on her as you did on me just now." His tone had dropped a notch in warning. "I will not let you plant the seed that she did anything wrong."

MacKenzie tried not to flinch as a shiver ran down his spine at Daniel's icy anger. "My apologies, Doctor Jackson. I meant no disrespect to you or your wife."

He gave a small snort of disbelief and rose. He couldn't wait for the page. If he remained he'd do something that would not encourage the psychiatrist to sign off on his eval. Walking out could well have the same result, but at least he wouldn't end up with an assault charge. "I think that concludes this tête-à-tête."

Daniel managed not to slam the door behind him. Barely. By the time he stalked halfway down the corridor, his fury had switched from MacKenzie to himself. He'd walked straight into the psychiatrist's ploy. Should have stopped at 'No, I don't' and left it at that. But he just couldn't keep his mouth shut. MacKenzie hadn't been on that mission, hadn't been there for the fallout of Annika being tormented by what happened, hadn't felt her shame and guilt in the wee hours of this morning. Daniel had only just convinced her that she had nothing to be ashamed of, fingers crossed Casey right now was helping her with her final demon. He'd been surreptitiously checking Annika's emotions since he'd seen her at the mirror. Whatever was worrying her wasn't so much causing her guilty grief but rather frustrated confusion. Regardless he'd be damned if he was going to let MacKenzie play that 'game' with her. He was about to radio Jack to let him know his 'extraction' had been self-imposed, when the colonel sauntered from the lift.

Jack had also picked up on Kinsey's mysterious delayed arrival and was going to revert to plan B. Teal'c exited the stairwell with the same intent. They stopped short at seeing Daniel free from the clutches of the psychiatrist, immediately knew something had gone wrong.

"What's with the early escape?" Jack asked.

"I fucked up." Daniel let out a frustrated sigh. "Be prepared for SG-1 to revert back to a four man team."

The colonel raised an eyebrow. For Daniel to swear, in English no less, he had to be royally pissed, and right now steam was practically hissing from his ears. "Like hell it is."

"What transpired, Daniel Jackson?" Teal'c was concerned. His friend did not lose his temper in such situations, if anything he became the perfect diplomat.

Daniel took a calming breath and repeated what MacKenzie had said.

"He said what?" Jack felt his own anger start to boil.

The Jaffa's expression was flat. "Do you require our assistance to dispose of Doctor Mackenzie's body?"

Despite his fury, Daniel chuckled. Teal'c's response helped validate that he hadn't overreacted. "Thanks, but not necessary. I walked out...after I threatened him."

Jack and Teal'c exchanged glances, the same outrage on their faces as Daniel's.

Overhead they heard Walter's voice paging SG-1 to the briefing room.

"Danny, you go down, try and stall Hammond as long as you can. T, you're with me."

"Jack, don't make things worse." Daniel appreciated the offer, but he couldn't let him jeopardize his own chances at remaining on active duty. "Maybe I can convince Hammond to let me remain on base as a consultant."

"Nuh uh." Jack waved away Daniel's suggestion. "Nobody except me gets to provoke a member of SG-1, and I'm sure as hell not going to let a shrink ground you."

Daniel gave a nod, surrendering to the stubborn gleam in his best friend's eye. "Just don't wind up in the brig on my account."

"Trust us," he smirked, then gestured to Teal'c to follow him to the Officer's Lounge.

A  A  A

Mackenzie was startled when the door was flung open and the two members of SG-1 strode in. "Colonel, Teal'c, I wasn't expecting you so soon."

"We are not here for our forced evaluations," Teal'c replied. He closed the door then let O'Neill as the leader of SG-1 articulate their displeasure. He was there as solid backup support.

"Oh. So why...?"

Jack interrupted, cutting straight to the chase. "Ya' can't call a man's wife a whore and not expect him to react."

Recognition dawned. Wow, that was quicker than I expected. Doctor Jackson hadn't left more than a minute ago and already his team was here to defend him. "I realize that, Colonel."

"You do." Jack was skeptical. "Care to share why you did it then? 'Cause pissing off Daniel isn't the smartest thing to do, is it, Teal'c?"

"It is not," Teal'c confirmed, his expression sterner than usual. "Insulting one of our teammates is also gravely unwise."

The psychiatrist wasn't usually prone to discuss his methods, nor his patients, with anyone. However, he figured in the interest of self-preservation he had better relent just this once. "Daniel has never been very...cooperative during our discussions."

"If today's an example of your tactics," Jack drawled, "then I know why you're not on his Christmas list."

The doctor ignored the sarcasm. "This mission you've been on was excessively traumatic. People either become emotional about it or shut their emotions off. I needed to know which one Daniel was doing."

"You almost ended up with a broken nose," Jack pointed out.

"It's the 'almost' that's important."

"It is?"

MacKenzie nodded, and tried to clarify. "Having the emotional impulse to lash out is one thing. Acting on it is another. Balance is the key."

Jack shot Teal'c a glance. That kinda' made sense, didn't it? Teal'c gave a barely perceptible nod. Jack returned his attention to the psychiatrist. "So, Daniel passed your stupid test?"

"What do you think?"

"I would have hit you. I still might on Daniel's, and SG-1's, behalf."

"That would be in keeping with your character, Colonel," he replied calmly. His head gestured to Teal'c. "I'd expect you to issue a challenge of honor. With Daniel, he's very good at deflecting his emotions. He treats my sessions like he's conducting a treaty negotiation, very diplomatically. That he revealed his anger to me is a good sign."

See, this is why I hate shrinks, Jack thought irritably. Everything they did had an ulterior motive. "Word of advice, Doc, you pull that shit with Casper and you'd better know how to run real fast."

Teal'c gave a firm nod of agreement.

"I give you my word I will be more delicate with Mrs Jackson," he promised.

"Teal'c, anything you want to add?" Jack still wasn't a happy camper but he had the answer he'd been seeking.

"No, O'Neill, you made our point succinctly."

The two men turned to leave.

"I have some free time now if one of you would like to remain for our one on one."

Walter's voice once again echoed in the air. "SG-1 report to the briefing room."

"Sorry, Doc, wouldn't want to keep the General and Kinsey waiting."

The pair picked up their pace and disappeared down the hall.

MacKenzie was thoughtful as he jotted down some notes, not only on Doctor Jackson, but on his teammates' immediate protective response. It seemed that this mission had only served to strengthen their loyalty to each other, at least as far as the men were concerned. He wondered how they would 'join forces' when confronted with Kinsey's arrogance and bigoted attitude. Rarely had he the opportunity to witness the team work together without himself being their primary target of avoidance. Decided that this was too good an opportunity to miss and headed for the security monitor room. Of course, it was for strictly professional reasons. It had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the bet Major Ferretti had going, on how long the senator's visit would last. Nope, he was going to observe SG-1's interaction, at least that was what he was going to say in his report.

A  A  A

Annika was surprised that she wasn't the last to arrive at the briefing room. General Hammond, Sam and Daniel were quietly discussing the weapons manual, huddled near the small side table where the coffee pot was. Senator Kinsey was sitting at the far end of the table, his fingers impatiently thrumming against the tabletop. She gave an automatic courteous nod at Kinsey then hurried over to her teammates.

Daniel immediately handed her a cup of coffee. "Finish your chat?"

"Yep, everything's good," she nodded, reading the silent question from both Daniel and the general that they wouldn't verbally ask with Kinsey in earshot. Gave them a bright smile and backed it up privately to her husband with a reassuring caress of their bond. In doing so she felt worry and residual anger emanating from him.

He felt her concern and tried to put her mind at ease by sliding his arm around her shoulder into a casual hug.

Annika bit her tongue, refraining from asking what was wrong, especially when it was clear that Kinsey was trying to inconspicuously eavesdrop. Instead she took a sip of her coffee, wondering where Jack and Teal'c were.

The senator annoyed at the delay, glanced at his watch. "What is taking the rest of SG-1 so long?"

"Jack and Teal'c are just resolving a miscommunication issue," Daniel answered. "They shouldn't be much longer." Well, depending if they got thrown into the brig or not, he added silently.

The general raised an eyebrow. The colonel and Teal'c, two of the least diplomatic people on base were resolving a miscommunication issue? Heaven help them all! Wouldn't even hazard a guess of who this conversation was with.

"I haven't got time to waste," Kinsey said brusquely. "I suggest we get started."

Hammond shot the politician a warning look. He may have to endure Kinsey's visit's but this was his base and he'd be damned if he'd let Kinsey usurp his authority. "We're not quite ready yet, Senator. I'm sure you won't mind waiting a few more minutes." He didn't wait for the man's 'permission' just resumed his discussion with Daniel and Sam about their progress, or lack there of.

The three members of SG-1 hid their grins as Kinsey silently fumed, his finger tapping becoming faster and louder. There was a short crackle from the tiny radios hidden in their ear canals that they were using for their unofficial operations. Jack's voice was quietly triumphant. "Danny, you didn't fuck up. We're on our way down now."

None of them visibly reacted. However, while Sam and Annika were baffled by their team leader's words, the tension in the archaeologist immediately disappeared.

Less than a minute later the last two members of SG-1 hurried into the room.

"Nice of you to join us." General Hammond looked up at their entrance. Was surprised when his assistant followed them in.

"Sorry, sir." Jack slid into his chair.

Hammond gave a nod then turned his attention to the Lieutenant. The man quietly informed him they had an incoming subspace communication from the Tok'ra. "Thank you, Lieutenant." He addressed Kinsey, "I'm needed elsewhere. I trust SG-1 can answer any questions you have regarding recent events."

"I'm sure they can." Kinsey didn't reveal how happy he was to have the CO sit out the meeting. Officially, he was here in relation to the last mission where apparently SG-1 had saved Earth once again. Hammond would have acted as 'mediator' sticking to the official agenda. There had been no chance for Hammond to inform SG-1 of the agenda for he'd only been told upon the senator's arrival. With him gone, Kinsey could direct the meeting as he saw fit to suit his own private needs. He waited until the general had left, then began the meeting even though the team hadn't yet settled at the table. "The President has given me clearance to discuss the zatarc incident. He intended to do it himself, but as you know due the three day malfunction of the Stargate, which you still have not given an adequate explanation for, he had to cancel his visit."

"The Stargate's inbuilt safety protocols activating when the universe was in a state of flux while we were fixing the timeline, isn't an adequate explanation?" Sam murmured in disbelief to Daniel as they crossed the room.

The archaeologist shrugged. "There's just no pleasing some people."

Jack wasn't the only one to eye the senator warily. The 'generic' version of the zatarc incident was officially on file. The complete file was under lock and key, with only a very small list of people allowed access. Kinsey was not on that list. The senator was trying to bluff his way into getting them to reveal more of the details. "What is it you're dying to know?"

"Let's begin with the safety protocols for ensuring that traitorous act doesn't happen again. The transport blocking emitters."

"What about them?" Daniel ignored the deliberate baiting.

"It took two weeks to manufacture and have them installed. I'm assuming that the zatarc's home was one of the first on the list."

"Why would you draw that conclusion?" Teal'c enquired.

"To block Ba'al's access to his spy as soon as possible," Kinsey replied as though the answer were obvious.

"Did ya' skip the page of the report where we were feeding Balls disinformation?" Jack drawled.

Daniel added, "Logically it should have been one of the last installed so as not to tip our hand."

"So the zatarc's was in the final batch?" Kinsey pressed for confirmation.

"Did you guys say that?" Annika asked innocently, looking from Daniel to Jack. "I didn't hear you say that."

"Senator, the order of installment wasn't based on who the zatarc was," Sam explained. "With the technology neutralized, the order was determined by the level of security of the personnel. The people with access to the most classified information had the emitters installed first. The first batch I believe included not only the President, but yourself and the IOA."

"Yes, as well as yourselves, General Hammond, SG-2 and Doctor Fraiser."

"A distinguished group, with one exception," Jack quipped, his eyes flicking to the senator. "What else?"

"The random blood testing. How is that being administered?"

Annika couldn't stop herself, not that she tried very hard. "I'm gonna hazard a guess and say randomly."

For the most part, snorts of laughter were covered by a sudden bout of coughs and quick sips of coffee.

Kinsey glared at the redhead but any retort he would have made was forestalled by Sam who launched into a more detailed explanation.

"All teams are tested in their pre and post mission exams. Each day one seventh of the rest of the personnel right down to the cleaners have their names selected by the computer to be tested for the enzyme, so everyone is tested within a week period. That list is cross-referenced manually by a third party once the test has been done."

"There is no hard evidence in the report to confirm that the nanite technology has been neutralized."

SG-1 exchanged glances. That comment alone gave them hard proof that Kinsey had not read the complete report, not that they truly believed that was a possibility in the first place. The generic version maintained that the EMP had disabled the nanite. The other report went into detail how the nanite had been found and removed.

Teal'c was the one to reply. "The fact that Ba'al did not question the disinformation we gave and acted upon it is proof."

"Yes, the disinformation. Your transcripts are incomplete."

"They are?" Daniel raised an eyebrow. They had left out the tail end of the Ba'al's interrogation, where Ba'al had asked about the intimate details regarding Annika and himself, but no one besides SG-1 and Janet knew that, and the recordings had since been destroyed. "They were triple checked before submission."

"You only identify the speakers by letters."

"Oh. Well that was for efficiency," Daniel shrugged. "B for Ba'al, Z for Zatarc."

"In fact you have omitted to mention the zatarc's name throughout the entire report."

"Did we really?" Annika asked, pretending to be surprised. "How did we miss that?"

"Well, there was no need was there?" Sam said blithely. "If you had really been given clearance then you know who it was."

"That's really gotta' stick in your craw, doesn't it, Kinsey?" Jack smirked at the man's irritation at Sam calling his bluff. "A mission you can't get your little paws on."

"I assure you, Colonel, that I have no interest in who the zatarc was other than to confirm they will not betray Earth again."

"Consider it confirmed," Teal'c said firmly.

The team nodded, then waited in silence for Kinsey to continue. They may be required to be here, but they weren't going to offer up any information willingly, especially not in regards to the identity of their friend.

Kinsey considered his options. Realized that it was futile to continue to try to get a direct answer about the traitor. He would have to be more subtle in his dig for information. Inwardly shrugged. He hadn't been very hopeful to begin with. And as much as he wanted to know, asking about the identity had been a decoy. If SG-1 thought that was why he was here then perhaps they'd be lax in regards to other matters. "Moving on to this timeline incident. I am concerned by the Nox interference."

He waited for a response from the five people around him.

SG-1 treated him to another dose of silence.

Eventually Sam cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, was there a question in that?"

"The Nox have portrayed themselves as being a benevolent species, not even lifting a finger to defend themselves, and yet they were manipulating you and thus the rest of us, for years," the senator said. "Our relations with them have been based on your assessment of their character and motives. I'd say that was a serious lapse in your judgment skills."

"Our relationship with the Nox exists only because they want it to," Daniel contradicted. "They were under no obligation to offer any kind of assistance even though they had prior warning of what Ba'al would do."

"They helped us in the only way they were able without breaking their own laws," Annika added quietly. Saying that out loud herself, she felt some of the anger that she'd been carrying shrink a bit more. She was still hurt, but with each passing day she was able to view it a little more objectively. "All they did was prepare us for what was to come, imparting the...tools...that they thought we'd need."

"I'm surprised by your attitude, Mrs Jackson, considering you were the main 'tool' they manipulated."

"Annika wasn't the only one 'manipulated', if that's what you want to call it." Jack pushed aside the thought that they had called it the same thing when they had learned what the Nox had done. Hearing Kinsey say it made it sound like a dirty word, and as angry as they had been, deep down they had known that the Nox hadn't intended to be malicious. He could see what direction Kinsey was going, if not the destination. Singling Annika out from the rest of them. "We all were. We'd become accustomed to Annika's enhanced abilities, used them as SOP in the field."

"Yes, which brings me to my next point," Kinsey eyes once again swiveled to Annika. "You should have kept those abilities. They gave us a tactical advantage over the Goa'uld."

Annika met his gaze coolly. "They weren't mine to keep. In my mind it would have been tantamount to stealing."

"Stealing?" Kinsey scoffed. "They offered to let you keep them."

"The Nox also said they were abilities no human should have," Teal'c butted in.

Sam was equally quick to show her support of her teammate's decision. "The long term effects on Annika's mind could have been damaging."

"It would have been worth the risk," he brushed aside the concern.

"You're talking about risking the health of my wife, Senator," Daniel warned. "I suggest you reconsider your words."

"You had a duty to keep those abilities," Kinsey insisted.

"Duty?" Jack spat, clenching his fist under the table. "Don't you dare talk to us about duty. We just killed our families out of duty. We could have kept the past changed and just organized an uprising against Ba'al and kept the people dear to us alive."

"Meeting's progressing well, I see."

All heads turned at the dry comment, to see General Hammond stride in and take his usual seat at the head of the table. It seemed he'd come back at just the right time. It had been a busy few minutes for him. After receiving some unsettling news from Jacob, there'd been the silent arrival of their expected guests. Hammond still marveled that they could activate the 'gate with a wave of their hand and without the noisy splendor of the wormhole ka-whoosh to give warning. They'd be along in a moment. He returned his attention to the meeting, noting that thankfully tempers were all visibly reined in.

"It's just peachy, sir." Jack forced himself to relax back into his chair. "We've established that Kinsey is itching to get his mitts on the Zanax report..."

The sharp look the general darted at the senator told them all that the zatarc mission had not been part of the official agenda.

"...And moved on to defending the wee tree folk's assistance."

"Thank you, Colonel, we appreciate the gesture."

Heads once again swung back to the doorway. Two familiar people were standing at the threshold.

"Well, speak of the devil," Jack grinned. "Nice to see ya'."

It was force of habit that had Annika standing up to give the Nox a hug in greeting. Well, habit and the desire to prove to Kinsey that she didn't hold a grudge against them, no matter how unresolved her personal feelings were. As far as she was concerned that was a private issue.

Lya and Rosettym were a little surprised by the warm welcome, but they accepted the embrace from their young kin. It may have been a trifle forced, yet they took it as a step closer to her forgiveness.

Drawing back Annika saw that there was a bulky device hovering behind them. "Is that the temporal monitor?"

Rosettym nodded. "Our summit is in a short recess, and we decided to take the opportunity to deliver it now." The Matriarch stepped aside and Lya floated the device into the room.

SG-1 rose to take a closer look.

"It's different from the one you have in the city," Sam noticed that straight off the bat.

"We had to make adjustments due to the power source, since our technology is not compatible to yours." Lya gently set the squat pedestal down.

The blonde major gave a nod of understanding, remembering how she'd concluded the same thing when touring the living city.

Kinsey pushed his way to the front. He was annoyed because Hammond had conveniently interrupted just as he was pushing all of SG-1's buttons. He was sure that he had almost gotten one if not all of them to the point of doing something stupid like hit him in full view of the security camera. He just needed one of them to lose control and then he'd have their collective asses in a sling. It also irked him that upon the general's and the Nox arrival, the fiery tempers had almost instantly cooled and they had as good as ignored his presence. "I don't believe we have been introduced."

The Nox were a little taken aback by the man's aggressiveness and Daniel hastily stepped in. "Rosettym, Lya, this is Senator Robert Kinsey. He is a member of the oversight committee who helps fund our Stargate Program. Senator, it's my pleasure to introduce Matriarch Rosettym of the Orthalia Clan and Member of the Nox Council, and Lya of the Orthalia Clan, the Nox chosen liaison between our two people."

"It is an honor to meet you both." Kinsey pasted on the saccharine smile he reserved for public appearances and basically sucking up to those in a higher position than himself.

Rosettym gave a regal head bow of acknowledgement, though her omission to return the sentiment was obvious.

"So how does this baby work?" Jack asked, rubbing his hands together, breaking the uneasy silence that had descended.

"As long as the light glows pure white, then there are no temporal disruptions." Lya touched the rim surrounding the clear dome in the center of the device. "Depending on the severity of the disruption the color will change in hues of red to black."

"Out of curiosity, what color did Ba'al's interference change it to?" Sam asked.

The Nox scanned the room, looking for something to compare it to. Her gaze landed on Kinsey's tie. "Similar to the stripe in the Senator's neck ribbon."

"Have you ever experienced a black event?" Teal'c enquired.

Rosettym nodded. "There has been one known event, many eons ago."

"You weren't able to fix it." Annika saw the shadow of remorse cloud the Nox aura.

"No, not entirely." The Matriarch hesitated, deciding if she should elaborate. "According to our records, it was an accident, however the combined efforts of the Alliance could not fully rectify what had been altered."

"By Alliance, do you mean the Alliance of the Great Races?" Daniel's eyes widened at the Matriarch's nod. "Wow." It came out a solemn awestruck whisper. The four of the most advanced people to ever exist and they hadn't been able to fix the error. "I'm not sure if I want to know, but what was the result?"

"The gradual extinction of the Furlings."

"Whoa." Even Jack was humbled by that revelation.

Kinsey tired of the history lesson, especially since it had nothing to do with Earth's past or present, leant forward slightly to closer examine the monitor.

As stunned as the rest of her team over the knowledge that the Furlings' demise was due to an 'error' opposed to natural forces, Annika's reaction to Kinsey's movement was instinctual. She slapped at the hand that was tentatively reaching towards the device. "Nuh uh, don't touch."

Kinsey's reflexes were quick enough that he escaped the psychic's touch. "Keep your hands to yourself, Mrs Jackson."

Annika shrugged. "Sorry, it was preventative OH & S."

"What are you talking about? There's no safety issue here," Kinsey snorted. Entirely confident in the placidity of the visiting beings, he once again reached out to the device.

The instant his fingers brushed the alien metal it sparked, sending an electric shot right through him.

"Are you alright, Senator?" Hammond, who had joined them around the monitor, asked the obligatory question since clearly not one of his primary team was going to.

"I'm fine," Kinsey snapped, trying to regain his dignity. To cover his urge to rub the pins and needles from his hand, he smoothed down his hair, which was standing up on end from residual static.

"Annika Jackson did attempt to warn you," Teal'c said solemnly, using sheer force of will to contain the bark of laughter that really wanted to escape.

"Some children need the experience to learn the lesson," Rosettym barely hid her smile.

"Kinsey, ya' missed a spot." Jack wiggled his finger at a tuft of hair that had escaped the pat down. He was the only one in the room who was openly grinning.

He glared at the colonel then turned his accusing eyes to the two Nox. "I thought your motto was do no harm."

Lya blinked serenely at him, unperturbed by his aggressiveness. "We did not injure you. You touched the temporal monitor on your own accord."

"And the shocks will not harm you," Rosettym added, just as calmly. "Although should you repeatedly try to examine the device they will persist. Regrettably you will experience temporary loss of muscle control, resulting in, but not limited to, incontinence, bowel movements and stomach regurgitation."

At the mention of the undignified side effects Kinsey took a quick step away from the device. "You might have mentioned that before."

The Nox Matriarch didn't bat an eye. "Forgive us, but we are not accustomed to dealing with such impatient younglings."

Behind Kinsey's back, Jack drew an imaginary mark in the air. One point to the Nox!

Annika silently cheered. The Nox may be a docile race, however they were far from placid. They had taken assertive action to protect themselves from threats, in their developed invisibility skills and technology, and by deflection, as this monitor shield had just proven. Having spent time with both these women, she was becoming to realize that their 'innocent' responses were deliberate and were very much inline with their sense of humor.

Sam leant forward. "Um, if we can't touch it, then how are we supposed to use it?"

"You and your team, Major Carter, will not experience the shocks," Lya explained. "We have programmed it so that your touch bypasses the monitor's shield."

Hammond frowned. "Not that we aren't grateful to have the monitor, but restricting the-"

"General Hammond, I'm afraid there has been a misunderstanding," Rosettym apologetically interrupted. "We are not giving the monitor to the SGC. We are giving it to SG-1."

"That's outrageous!" Kinsey spluttered. "These people are employees of the United States Government. As such they report to me and the other members who know of the SGC. I and my associates should have full access to this device."

Rosettym forestalled the angry and indignant grumblings of SG-1 and Hammond towards the senator with a regal wave of her hand. "These people have proven that they can use the technology responsibly and wisely. You, Senator, and your associates, have not."

"It comes down to trust. You have earned ours." Lya's gaze rested on each member of the team, lingering just a fraction longer on Annika, silently speaking an add on to her words, "We'd like to regain yours."

The senator tried one more avenue. "But what happens if down the track SG-1 are transferred out of the SGC or, may the good Lord forbid, are killed in the line of duty."

The two women exchanged glances, though it was Lya that responded. "To use one of your sayings, we shall cross that bridge when we come to it."

Rosettym had clearly had enough of dealing with the senator and addressed the general. "We really must return to our planet. The summit will resume shortly. If I could request the assistance of Annika and Daniel to position the monitor, we will be on our way."

Hammond nodded.

Daniel couldn't resist getting in one last dig at Kinsey before he left. Co-conspiratorially he leant close to him. "One diplomat to another, you might want to wipe the smile off your face when pretending to be sincere."

"You forget who you are talking to, Doctor Jackson," Kinsey growled.

"Um, no, I think your place was pretty much established here today." He straightened and went to join his wife by the device that was once again hovering in the air.

Lya began directing the bulky technology, following Annika's directions to where the mirrors were being kept. Daniel provided manual guidance around the sharp corners. Rosettym was bringing up the rear, but she paused before leaving the briefing room.

"General Hammond, I wonder if you would convey a message to your President?"

"Of course." Hammond's response was immediate.

"It is because of people such as the Senator that we are reluctant to share our technology."

"I'll be sure to forward it on," Hammond assured. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the colonel do another imaginary point in the air.

The Matriarch gave a nod, then after a warm smile at the remaining members of SG-1 she glided sedately from the room.

"Well, on that note, Senator, I suggest you start your inspection." Hammond didn't acknowledge that the Nox Matriarch had basically put Kinsey's position on the IOA in jeopardy. "Colonel, Teal'c, if I could have a word?"

"Certainly, sir." Jack held back, leaning against the table. Teal'c remained standing taking the traditional at ease position of the military.

"Senator, why don't we start at the science labs?" Sam directed the politician out.

Hammond waited until the room had cleared before gesturing to the men to take a seat.

"Sir, if this is about us being late..."

The general cut him off with a wave of his hand. "It's not. I know despite your loathing of the senator, you wouldn't have been late without good reason." He paused, deciding he had better confirm that assumption. "You did, didn't you?"

"Yes, sir, we did."

Hammond glanced from one somber face to the other. Serious he expected from Teal'c. The fact that Jack didn't have a smartass quip tripping from his lips meant it really was serious. "Anything I should know about?"

"No, sir. It's been sorted out."

He gave a nod pushing his concern aside, trusting that his 2IC had whatever it was under control. "I received a communication from Jacob. He wanted to give us a heads up that Anubis has disappeared."

"I take it it's too much to hope for that someone took him out and buried the body?"

"Anubis has no body, O'Neill."

"Yeah, but 'buried the cloak' doesn't have the same ring to it."

"Yes, it is too much to hope for," Hammond butted in, wondering how SG-1 did that. Go from serious to wisecrack in a blink of an eye.

"Does General Carter have any information as to why?" Teal'c asked.

"Or where? Ya' know, did he leave a trail of breadcrumbs?"

"Not breadcrumbs, Colonel, bodies."

"Oy." Jack rubbed at his temple.

"As for the why," the General pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket, which contained the notes he'd taken during the communication with his friend. "The people killed were all Tok'ra operatives who had infiltrated Anubis's ranks. Six in all. Three of them had managed to get positions in three different super soldier 'manufacturing plants', for lack of a better term. They managed to send their distress beacons. By the time the Tok'ra got to them, the plants were abandoned. All that was left were the bodies. The three not assigned to the plants were found on another planet where Anubis had set up base, which was not their infiltration site, also abandoned. The Tok'ra didn't know about that base until the bodies led them to it."

"Curious," Teal'c mused. "That Anubis would allow the beacons to transmit. Why would he want to announce that he had abandoned his super soldier plants and reveal a covert base?"

"Maybe he's setting up shop elsewhere? Or he milked the snake queen dry?" Jack paused as he thought of another option. "Or maybe he has created enough super slugs to wage an all out war. Jacob have an estimate on how many the plants could store?"

"Conservative guess is forty thousand in total."

"Shifting those kind of numbers would take a lot of ships," the colonel pointed out.

"A ha'tak can carry between one to two thousand men," Teal'c gave the statistics. "However more than likely smaller vessels would be used carrying only a hundred or so soldiers to spread out any attack on the ground."

"Let me guess, the mystery base was a shipyard?"

"The evidence points that way," the general confirmed.

"No hint of who Anubis is planning to launch a ground attack on?" Jack raised an eyebrow hopefully at the general. The super soldiers were built for ground warfare; they didn't have the mental capability to maneuver the death gliders for an air assault.

"That is what nobody knows," Hammond replied grimly. "He has enough manpower to launch multiple attacks on any number of System Lords and other targets he sees as threats."

"Us?" Jack asked needlessly. He sighed when the general nevertheless nodded. "Peachy. This day really is just getting better and better."

"We do have one thing working in our favor." The general tried to be hopeful. "We and the Tok'ra have the only known weapon that can kill a super soldier. It may only work on one soldier at a time, but it is more than the Goa'uld have."

"There is a slim chance that Anubis may delay an attack on us until he has conquered the Goa'uld," Teal'c concluded.

"Yes." Hammond began listing what steps had been taken. "Jacob is overseeing the production of the weapon, speeding things up as much as he can. The scientists at the Alpha site are also trying to adapt it into a larger scale to be fitted on our gliders, the few teltaks we have at our disposal and the Prometheus. The Tok'ra are sending out feelers. They'll let us know if they find anything. I've agreed that we will do the same."

"If we inform Bra'tac he will spread the word to the rebel Jaffa," Teal'c added.

"I already have Sergeant Harriman trying to contact him," Hammond confirmed.

"So basically it's a waiting game to see where Anubis rears his ugly head."

Hammond nodded. "I just wanted to keep you apprised of the situation." He rose concluding the meeting.

"Thank you, sir." Jack also rose with his customary grin, Teal'c was only a fraction slower, though without the grin. "Knowing that at any moment we could be under attack is just the thing to keep me cool, calm and collected for my session with the shrink."

Hammond refrained from giving an eye roll. "How is this day different from any other, Colonel?"

"Good point, sir."

The CO gave a slight smile of weary resignation then strode from the room.

Teal'c twisted his head slightly towards his team leader. "This information does not impact on our plans for today."

"Nope. As Hammond said, it's just an ordinary day. And if Anubis does attack, do we really want Kinsey's yellow livered ass getting in our way?"

"No. Then may I suggest we expedite his removal?"

"Yes, you may." Jack grinned, activating the speaker for his radio. "Carter, prepare for stage one of 'Houdini's Ghost'. Ready to execute in five minutes and counting."

The pair was already heading for the elevator when they heard to double click of confirmation from the major.

A  A  A

The ride up in the elevator was quiet and while it couldn't be classed as an uncomfortable silence, it wasn't precisely relaxed.

Annika cleared her throat. "Thank you for the monitor. It's a relief to know that we will have some protection if someone tries to play with the timeline again."

Rosettym gave a small nod of acceptance. "Although having it can be a double edged sword. The responsibility that will rest on those within its protection is great, as I'm sure your recent experiences have made you well aware."

The two humans nodded. It would have been so easy to have let Ba'al's changes become permanent. All of them had been tempted by the idea and it was only listening to their conscience that had stopped them. They also knew that many people would have ignored that little voice, placing their own desires above the good of all.

"Annika, I want to apologize personally-"

The redhead held up her hand halting the Matriarch's words. "Rosettym, I don't want another apology, don't need one. I understand the dilemma that you were faced with, and I can't honestly say that if faced with the same scenario I wouldn't have done the same." She reached for the tiny woman's hand and gave it a light squeeze. "I just need some time for my Nox heritage to kick in to fully forgive."

"Then I shall just have to be patient." Rosettym returned the hand squeeze.

Arriving on the archaeological level, any further conversation was put on hold until the device had been shifted into place in the corner of the room where the quantum mirrors were being stored.

Lya gave a brief rundown on the controls, then opened a small side panel. Nestled within was a palm sized tablet, the design of which Daniel recognized as being similar to the 'books' from the Nox library. "This is a more detailed manual. It's translated into your language, but if you have any problems then you need only ask."

"Thank you." Daniel pocketed the tablet, intending to give it to Sam to study. "How far will the shield extend?"

"It will encompass the entire SGC," Lya answered. She entered a sequence of symbols and the glass dome glowed in the expected white light.

"We should return home," Rosettym said regretfully. "The summit recess really is almost over."

"So it wasn't just an excuse to get out of Kinsey's presence?" Annika grinned, following the Nox out. "I wish we could be so lucky. We're stuck babysitting him today."

"He is a most...unfortunate man." The Matriarch couldn't think of a 'nicer' way to describe him. "His selfishness has twisted his soul to the point that he truly believes his motives are for the good of all."

"I'd like to say he was one of kind but to our detriment, he isn't," Daniel admitted.

"Then it is well that our first encounter with the Tau'ri was with people such as yourselves." Lya smiled as she stepped into the elevator after her clan leader.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Annika stopped the lift doors from closing. "At this stage we've got a recon mission in two days, so we'll have to skip my usual lesson."

Her cousin nodded. "Then we will find a time when you return. I wish you a safe journey."

With warm smiles of farewell, the Nox departed.

When the lift closed on the Nox, Daniel slipped an arm around Annika pulling her into his embrace. "I'm so proud of you."

"For what?" She tilted her head up to him in bewilderment.

"For how you're handling all of this. I know how...unresolved...your feelings are towards them at the moment." He sent a gentle caress through their bond. "For how hard you are trying to deal with the anger and hurt so that you can forgive."

"Anger and hurt screwed up my relationship with Mom and Lana, I don't want it to do so again with my new family...not after I have just found them."

His arms tightened around her in comfort and then both of them nearly jumped out of their skins when Jack's voice echoed in their ears giving the five minute countdown.

"Oh shit, that reminds me. My Houdini's living up to its namesake." Annika spun towards the main office.

"Escaped your pocket, did it?" Daniel grinned.

"Yep. I'm gonna have to backtrack and try to find it. Can't have it just lying around, it could blow the whole op before it even gets started."

"I'll give you a hand," Daniel offered, heading for the stairs since it would probably take longer for the lift to arrive than to run down one level. "I'll start with the briefing room."