CAPTAIN AND COMMANDER
A/N For those who haven't read my previous one "Secrets of the Past Come Round Again" (I know the title sucks, but the story is better, promise) because it introduces the Character of Vicky.
Captain Jack O'Neill turned more than a few female heads as he walked through the halls of the Naval Annex in his class A uniform. God, how he hated his dress uniform. Give him armed combat against overwhelming odds any day.
He couldn't understand why they wanted an Air Force officer in the Navy's equivalent of the Pentagon anyway. Stopping a passing Marine he said, "could you tell me how to get to Admiral McPherson's office?"
"Sir, yes, Sir."
Jack waited a minute, no wonder they called them jarheads. "Want to share that information with me?"
"Sorry, Sir," the Marine then gave him detailed directions.
"Thanks, dismissed," and he returned the Marine's salute before turning in the right direction.
Having found the right office Jack stood at attention and saluted the Lt. Commander that was the Admiral's adjutant. "Captain Jonathan O'Neill reporting as ordered, Sir."
The Lt. Commander took his time looking up from his paperwork. "At ease, Captain. Have a seat and I'll see if the Admiral will see you."
Jack knew that he was jerking him around just because he could but it still made him nervous. He went over and took a seat that in typical military fashion was functional not comfortable. Of course there was nothing to read and Jack was easily bored. He sat up straight in the chair and bounced his legs up and down.
It seemed like an hour when the Lt. Commander came back to tell Jack that the Admiral would see him but it was only a couple of minutes. Jack stood before another desk at attention and saluting, "Captain Jonathan O'Neill reporting as ordered, Sir."
The Admiral ignored him for a while. /damn, what is with these Navy guys/ Finally he looked up and said, "At ease, son, have a seat." Jack sat while the Admiral studied him intently. "Do you know why you're here?"
"No, Sir, not really. Just something about a special assignment. Begging the admiral's pardon, but do you mind telling me why the Navy wanted an Air Force officer."
"As a matter of fact I do mind," The McPherson looked at him sternly.
/crap now I've done it/
"You are here to audition for an undercover assignment."
"Audition, Sir?" /what the hell was he supposed to do, sing, and dance/
"Audition, try out, see if you're good enough."
"Yes, Sir."
"We need someone who is not with the Navy for this assignment. You are, in fact, the seventeenth service man asked for this assignment. All of the previous sixteen failed miserably."
Jack swallowed, "Sir, just what is this assignment?"
"You will find out when, make that if, you pass the test. First I have a few questions."
"Of course, Sir."
"According to your record you aren't married, is that correct?"
/not married? What the hell was going on/ "No, Sir."
"Do you have a girlfriend?"
"No, Sir, not right now."
"Dating anyone?"
"No, Sir, I've been pretty busy with all of my recent training."
"Good, because if you do get this assignment you will probably be undercover of about six months. Is that a problem?"
"No, Sir."
The Admiral handed him a file. "In this file is information of a rural house that you will put under surveillance. Your assignment will be to break in to this house."
"Then what?"
"Then nothing, your test will be to make it into this house. You may requisition any and all equipment that you feel you need."
"Just break into this house, that's it."
"Yes."
"And sixteen guys before me failed."
"Yes."
"What's so special about this house?"
"There is nothing special about it. The Commander that will be running this mission wants to make damn sure that you will be good enough to carry this off because both of your lives will depend on it."
"I can understand that, Sir. How long do I have before it has to be done?"
"Today's Friday, take the weekend off then start on Monday. If you haven't done it by next Friday we will go on the next candidate. Dismissed."
Jack snapped to attention and saluted before leaving the office. On his way out he snapped a salute at a female Commander that while returning his barely seemed to notice him. To bad because she's cute, she looks damn young to be a Commander though. His last thought as he passed her was "nice ass, too".
Commander Vicky McPherson noticed Jack a lot more than she let on. She cut her eyes over so she could check out his ass, too. She walked past the adjutant without a word and pushed into her father's office. "So that was the latest?"
"Yes, Captain Jack O'Neill," he said as he handed his daughter Jack's file.
"A little on the pretty side for my tastes."
"His looks don't matter, it's his abilities that do."
"Yeah, well, I'm the one who's going to have to be married to him. Does he know?"
"Why get into that until you see whether or not he passes your test."
"That's true enough."
"I told him to take the weekend off and start on Monday."
"I'm going out now in case he has sense enough to get started now."
It was a good thing she was going to get straight to it because Jack was already filling out the proper forms to get what he needed. He was going to eat and start tonight. To hell with waiting until Monday, Jack planned on being inside that house before then.