When he returned to Earth Colonel O'Neill requested a meeting with General Hammond. Hammond thought it was perhaps that the man had finally had enough. This past week he was left behind, although unwittingly, on an alien planet by his team. Then he was held at gun point and incarcerated upon return to earth. Finally, he found out some alien energy being was impersonating him and was at his former home with his ex-wife. To make matters worst the being morphed into his son, the child of his heart, barely cold in his grave.
How much did he expect his men to bear? As commander of the base he had tried to provide the finest medical staff available and this included mental health experts but his men were loathe to avail themselves of the psychiatric help. As much as the physical toll Hammond worried at the burden his men bore with the incredible events they faced and the secrets they were forced to keep. And so he looked with trepidation when Jack O'Neill asked for a meeting. No, not a casual knock on the door for a chat but a meeting. With whom would he replace O'Neill?
Much to Hammond's surprise O'Neill felt it imperative that they warn the rest of the SG units. This ability of a non-threatening species to portray an image from ones mind was astounding but what if this were used by their enemies? Off world it was better to trust no one and no thing. It was a hard way to live but for the safety of Earth and the troops it was a necessity. Much to his distress Hammond agreed.
Jack made his way home that night deep in thought. He saw his son today – no, it wasn't his boy but the remnant of him left in his heart. After the boy's death he thought there was nothing left – no heart, no soul, just emptiness. And now when he had found out he had a heart, he had to harden it again.