Title: And Now Back To The Studio
Author: Pepper
Fandom(s): Stargate SG-1
Rating: G
Wordcount: 1227
Featured Character(s): The original SG-1. Ahem.
Pairing(s): Um, it's a surprise. Even to me. Rare (het) pairing, not one I've written before.
Summary: "This is Tina Chapel, reporting to you live... with the original SG-1!"
A/N: I have SO MANY IDEAS for this AU.

ETA: HOMG. One minor name change to the fic below, because I've just had a beyoootiful idea.

Reposted to LJ here.



---

"We're here to interview that most famous team of all - the three-letter acronym that's been on everyone's lips, ever since Washington finally released some of the SGC's earliest mission files under the Freedom of Information Act."

The redheaded reporter - walking backwards through the anonymous park while talking to camera with all the poise of someone who'd started out doing weather reports in Podunk, MA - smiled brightly, lipstick orange-red to complement her complexion.

"Of course, everyone knows the basics by now - the heroic leader, the keen-eyed junior officer, the noble alien in exile from his people, and the civilian - a humanitarian and a scientist. But today, NewsCorp has exclusive access to the people behind the masks of official secrecy. This is Tina Chapel, reporting to you live..."

She turned, and gave a showman's wave as the camera revealed four people sat at one of the benches in the weak sunlight.

"...with the original SG-1!"

Three of them smiled at the camera, expressions ranging from cynically amused to weary. The fourth simply gave the camera a stern glare.

Tina Chapel, nerves well hidden, included them all in her no-coffee-no-red-wine smile as she sat on one corner of the bench, legs neatly crossed, power suit immaculate.

"Of course, these four need no introduction," she began, friends already. "May I say, sirs, ma'am, what an honour it is to be granted this interview? The whole country - the whole universe, even, owes you a debt of gratitude that could never be repaid." There was an uncomfortable pause, and Tina turned quickly to the solidly-built man to her left. "General Hammond, let me start with you. As the leader of SG-1 from 1969 to 1982, you were the one out there, making life or death decisions on behalf of the entire planet. How did you deal with that enormous pressure?"

The General gave her a long-suffering look. "Well, I played a lot of golf," he drawled. His former 2IC smiled grimly. "I don't think the pressure was any higher than that dealt with daily by our serving men and women," he added, more seriously. "The scale might be greater, but when it comes to people's lives, it doesn't matter if you're talking eight or eight billion. Every life is important; every loss is unacceptable. That's always been my philosophy."

"Right. And being involved in the programme has affected your life in a more personal way, has it not? Because of course, your wife is a... Tok'ra, have I got that right?"

The General smiled fondly. "Yeah, that's right. Ellie was one of the first Tok'ra volunteers. When we found out she had cancer - well, Selmak saved her life. I couldn't imagine my life without them both, even though I don't see them as much as I'd like. Our grandkids never knew her any differently."

"Isn't that sweet?" said Tina, smiling indulgently at the camera. Behind her, Hammond grimaced slightly. "Speaking of personal lives, Doctor Langford, I understand that you first fought to get the Stargate opened in order to search for your missing fiancé, Ernest Littlefield, who disappeared on a previous attempt at opening the Gate?"

"That's right. Took us a few years, but we found my Ernest, God rest his soul."

"And after his experience of being stranded on a planet for over two decades, believing himself cut off forever from Earth, he didn't want to return to the programme, is that right?"

Catherine shook her head. "He was a stubborn man. He'd had his fill of exploring, he said."

"May I ask, did this create friction between you?"

"Oh, you betcha! Ernest thought I should stay at home with him. But it was the sixties, I'd been reading de Beauvoir and Friedan when I wasn't on missions with these boys." Her nod took in two three-star Generals and the leader of the Free Jaffa. "I wasn't staying at home. But we worked at it, Ernest and I. I wasn't brought up to give up on a marriage the moment it got hard, not like children these days. We were together until he passed on, three years ago."

"A little birdie tells me," twinkled Tina, "that there's someone else special in your life, since the sad death of your husband."

"A lady doesn't speak of these things," said Catherine, primly.

"There is nothing to be ashamed of!" Bra'tac spoke up. "Two people finally able to acknowledge the feelings they—"

"Oh, shut up, you old coot," said Catherine, glaring at him and then glancing pointedly at the camera.

"Woman, you are stubborn, and prudish—"

"And you're an overbearing old man who—"

"Does your heart good, doesn't it?" remarked Jacob.

Tina, glancing nervously at the bickering pair, directed the camera quickly toward the last member of the group. "Um, yes, let's talk to the other General at this table, Jacob Carter. General Carter, what was it like, walking through the Stargate that first time?"

"It was quite amazing, Tina," said Jacob, conveying in one blandly intimate word both 'I've read your security file' and 'it put me to sleep'. "Back then, I was a young lieutenant, brash and cocky, sure I could handle anything. But stepping out onto another world – well, what strikes you first is how familiar it looks. It's quite disorienting. And then you look up and see three moons, or the locals turn out to be purple sentient plants."

"It's literally not like any other job on Earth!"

Jacob smiled. "Quite."

"I understand your daughter is following in your footsteps?"

Jacob's smile became more genuine. "Yes, she is. Sam's been working her way toward the SGC all her life, I think, long before she had any idea of what I did. She's been a key member of George's command for the last six years, and a couple of years ago she made it to SG-1. She hates it when I call her a genius, but it's true – and an accomplished airman, to boot. So her commanding officer, Colonel Cromwell, tells me."

"Congratulations, General – and congratulations on your recent promotion!"

"Thank you."

Bra'tac and Catherine had fallen quiet, and Tina directed the camera back to them. Both look quite invigorated by their brief spat. "Master Bra'tac, what made you join the team? What was it that made you leave your people, your home planet, and come to work with these - well, from your point of view, these aliens?"

"Their spirit," he said. "Shortly after we first met, I was, ah, compelled to spend some time with Catherine. Seldom had I encountered such spirit in a human woman – and never had I heard about a planet so free! I realized then that they might aid me in my long-cherished ambition to free my people. And I was right," he said, smugly. "Beside which, at the time I was – well, as your people say, between jobs." He grinned. "This old Jaffa prefers to keep himself busy, even in his dotage."

"Nonsense," scolded Catherine. "You're in your prime."

Bra'tac puffed up slightly, and didn't correct her.

"Well, that's an amazing story," said Tina, turning to camera. "As I'm sure everyone agrees. Thanks to original-flavor SG-1 for taking this time to speak to the people they've risked their lives, time and again, to save. From Colorado Springs, this has been Tina Chapel, reporting for NewsCorp!"

---

END

ETA2: Work grumble moved to tidy up the fic part of this email, for GateFic Awards 2011 (whee!).