Written for a challenge at livejournal's writerverse. Prompt: 'need to know'
"That information is need-to-know, Colonel, as I've said before. All I can tell you is that they are as safe as anyone can be in these times." Weariness injected a sharp edge to General Hammond's typically patient voice as he once again parroted the boilerplate answer to O'Neill's daily question. It had been three weeks since Daniel and Carter were spirited away in the middle of the night, and, despite his best efforts, all Jack had learned was that they were needed on a top secret project.
Jack bit back his insolent retort, knowing that blaming his CO would do nothing but damage the already tenuous morale of their camp. Two years into the Goa'uld occupation of Earth, he understood that everyone had to give all they could. And SG-1 did, the same as they always had; more than most, some would say.
"Dismissed." Hammond's voice broke into Jack's thoughts.
With a nod, he left the general's tent and wandered through the makeshift camp, unconsciously doing a headcount as the people settled in for the night. Their numbers were substantially reduced now, after their previous base of operations had been discovered and overrun only a few months ago. They had lost Teal'c in that attack, and almost lost Daniel as well.
He stood on the outskirts of the camp, looking at the night sky. The stars shone brilliantly now that the majority of the city lights had been extinguished across the planet.
"Where are you guys?" he murmured, his eyes searching the depths of space as if it still held an answer for him.