SG1-16 Four Dragons by Diana Botsford

than Daniel’s rescue was too much. The only way to keep her cool was to focus on the table in front of her.
    The silence stretched out from moments to seconds to —
    A pencil snapped in half.
    “What, are you nuts?” the colonel demanded.
    “China will not be ignored,” replied Huang.
    Sam looked up as Teal’c and Bra’tac traded glances. The two kept their cool. They knew better than to get mixed up in Earth politics. Her father, on the other hand, either didn’t know better or didn’t care. “Sending SG-1 into enemy territory without proper defenses would be a suicide run. Yu’s fortress is teeming with enemy combatants.”
    “With serious firepower,” added Colonel O’Neill shaking his head. “This is insane.”
    Ambassador Huang stood up from his chair. “I will not be insulted by your officers, General Hammond.”
    Sam painfully realized that if Daniel had been there, he could have reasoned with the ambassador. Make him see sense. A quick look at the empty chair to Colonel O’Neill’s right drove home the fact that Daniel was gone. And he needed their help. But was the president willing to pay the price?
    Revealing the existence of the Stargate would change the world — in entirely unpredictable, and potentially dangerous ways.
    Sam rose from her chair to face Huang. “Sir, with all due respect, attempting this mission without weapons is — ”
    “Please sit down, Ambassador,” General Hammond cut in. “I’m sure we can come to some sort of compromise.”
    “Compromise!” Colonel O’Neill’s face darkened, his teeth bared. “For crying out loud, does China want us dead?”
    “That’s enough, Colonel,” ordered the general. “The president has made his position clear on this situation. In the interest of national,” he then nodded toward the ambassador, “and international security, we’re expected to demonstrate full cooperation with the Chinese government.”
    Demonstrate.
    It wasn’t like the ambassador would be following them through the gate. All they had to do was appear to cooperate.
    Sam glanced down at the colonel. A minute nod, a fast blink. He’d heard it, too.
    Colonel O’Neill rose from his chair, a mask of contrition settling over his brow. “My comments were inappropriate, Ambassador. I apologize.”
    With a grunt, Huang took his chair. Paul Davis gave Sam a curt, but thankful nod as the room took a collective sigh.
    “SG-1 and SG-5 will depart to recover Dr. Jackson within the next hour,” said General Hammond.
    “We should be able to report back their success to you within forty-eight hours,” Davis added.
    Huang chuckled, the sound out of place and very inappropriate.
    The colonel leaned in. “Something funny?”
    “You must think I am some simple peasant, easily blinded by empty words.”
    “No one here has made such a claim,” Teal’c said.
    “Nonetheless, the president’s orders are clear.” Huang insisted. “You must demonstrate compliance with China’s demands.”
    “And we intend to follow those orders to the letter,” assured General Hammond.
    “Yes, you will.” Huang stuck a hand into a jacket pocket. “To ensure SG-1 follows China’s request, I will monitor your mission from Stargate Command.”
    “Impossible,” said Bra’tac. “The Tau’ri have no such technology.”
    “There are other means,” the ambassador said, pulling out a small box lined with dull metal. Lead, Sam realized.
    Her neck prickled again. Just like when Huang first came into the room.
    The ambassador opened the box. Inside, two fist-sized silvery Goa’uld communication balls shimmered under the room’s fluorescents.
    Now Sam knew why she’d experienced such odd sensations since the ambassador’s arrival. The naquadah in her blood must have triggered a response. Lead did a good job shielding the mineral, but some leakage was inevitable.
    Enough leakage to make her know the ambassador wasn’t quite playing by any normal rules of diplomacy.
    “Airman,