Chapter Text
EJ read the pages of the new contract carefully, reflecting silently on the changes that had happened over the past two months on Atlantis as she flipped slowly through the papers.
After her recovery, EJ was officially cleared of any wrongdoings and reinstated to her previous position in the expedition. Her actions during the explosion, along with Carter’s carefully worded positive testimony about the telepathic link the Caretakers shared with the City, convinced the IOA that EJ had the best interests of Atlantis at heart. Jack decided it was better if EJ's mental abilities were kept a secret from the SGC and IOA for the time being. Her abilities continued to develop, both empathy and telekinesis proving useful when EJ resumed her place on Evan's off-world team.
Woolsey decided not to renew his contract with the IOA when it came up at the beginning of the year, instead choosing to retire to his hometown with his new pet Yorkie. The IOA finally came to the conclusion that Atlantis needed someone in command who could understand and adapt to the strange ways of the City, including the fact the most of the senior staff was telepathically bonded to the City’s AI. After two weeks of debate, Brigadier General Sam Carter was granted command of the Atlantis expedition. Truthfully, no one was crazy enough to actually want the position anymore, so when Jack suggested that Sam was one of the only people not bonded to the City that really understood what the link could do, the IOA agreed readily to her resuming command.
There was an investigation into the explosion that occurred in the science lab, which was ultimately ruled an accident. The tower was still currently under construction, but with Atlantis helping with the blueprints and technical specifications, the repairs were going smoothly. The young scientist who had plugged the device in had not escaped all consequences, however, and had to endure a three hour long Dr. McKay lecture about the dangers of ‘fiddling with Ancient technology when you’re too stupid to know what it does’. The lecture was swiftly followed by Zelenka giving the crying man the Czech version of ‘do that again and they’ll never find the body’.
All the Caretakers received commendations for their actions in saving the lives of everyone working in the tower that day. Sheppard and Lorne also received promotions to Colonel and Lt. Colonel, respectively. The resulting celebration in the City lasted three days and nights, after which the infirmary passed out strong painkillers to anyone who had imbibed Zelenka’s homemade moonshine and offered STD screenings with no questions asked.
Jack and Daniel went back to the SGC a week after the explosion, both having neglected their duties long enough. Jack returned to Atlantis yesterday, with good news and a contract for EJ to sign. He and Daniel had eliminated four of her six former handlers as the traitor, and with a little political maneuvering on Jack’s part, completely terminated her employment with the four agencies. He offered EJ a choice: stay on Atlantis under her civilian title, reducing her duties to what they were when she originally came to Atlantis or sign a five year contract, retaining her rank as Colonel under the sole jurisdiction of Homeworld Command, keeping all of her present duties, in addition to adding a few more that Sam had requested.
EJ was looking over the last page of the contract while Jack watched her, tapping his pen impatiently.
“Will you just sign the damn thing, Baran?” Jack huffed, “I’d like to spend some time with Sam before I have to go back to Earth tomorrow.”
“It says I’ll be assigned a minimum of two labs to supervise,” EJ pouted, “I don’t want to be responsible for minions. Can’t we cross that part out?”
“Those are by the request of General Carter,” Jack pointed out, “She seems to think you’ve been trying to do too much on your own. The assistants are to help you with your lab work, so you can focus more on your other duties.”
Doesn’t it feel weird to call your wife ‘General Carter’?
Jack narrowed his eyes at the young blonde woman, “If you don’t sign that contract in the next ten seconds, I’m going to make you eat it.”
EJ sighed heavily and signed the bottom of the page with a neatly curled signature bearing her full name. She set the pen down on top of it and shoved the papers back across the table at Jack. He turned them around and added his own signature below hers before squinting at the page.
“Your middle name is-” Jack looked up at her.
“Never you mind what my middle name is,” EJ interrupted.
Jack sat back and smiled widely, “You do realize this means I own you for the next five years, right?”
EJ groaned as she stood, “I’m actively trying not to think about that, sir.”