Jack was on his way to yet another one of the infernal briefings. He really didn't know why they even bothered with them, things never worked out like they planned. Some stinking Goa'uld was always messing with their plans, or the locals would interfere, or any of a number of things. He let out a brief exasperated sigh as he continued to walk down the halls of the SGC. For a place that has been attacked dozens of times by many threats, shut down on more than one occasion and buried in a mountain it looked pretty good. The décor could use a little work, though.
Taking a quick glance at Teal'c, Sam and Daniel who were already there, he sat down in his chair to be briefed. He really hoped that Carter would keep the techno-babble to a minimum, and that Daniel would try to die only once during the briefing. "Any idea what this mission's about Teal'c?" He asked the stoic Jaffa sitting opposite him.
"I believe we are going through the Stargate to another world, O'Neill." Jack really didn't know why he even bothered asking Teal'c questions, you can have better conversations with magic eight-balls.
Finally, General Hammond entered the room. "As you were." Hammond took his place and turned to Daniel, "So, what is it that has you so interested in P1G-337?". Did that Hammond ever have a cushy job, Jack thought, we get to go get shot at by whoever happens to be around, and he just has to give us the go-ahead. Jack knew that if he kept his record up he was inline for a promotion, or a court-martial, whichever came first.
"Oh, yes, P1G-337" Daniel said as he gathered up various papers and walked up to the display. "This planet is quite some distance away from any other of the planets in the network, and our initial scans showed no signs of life." Daniel paused to adjust his glasses.
"Great, you've found us a nice quiet getaway planet. Anything else important I need to know?" Jack inquired as he tapped his hands on the table.
"Yes, well, what's fascinating is that all around the gate room on P1G-337 there are hieroglyphics, which seem to date back longer than any others I've ever seen." How Daniel could be so riveted by poorly drawn pictures, Jack never knew.
"So just a standard go in, take the archeological data, take a look around and head back?" Sam queried. Well, at least we won't get shot then, Jack mused to himself.
"Yeah, I guess." Daniel agreed as he sat back down, wondering why noone else seemed very excited. Oh! He had forgotten to bring the images of the hieroglyphs on the walls up on the display. That was it.
"Alright then, you will have an hour to get prepped, and then you'll head out. I expect a report back by three hours after your departure. Dismissed." General Hammond left the room, and they disassembled.
As they headed towards the locker rooms, Daniel stopped. "Oh, I left some of my notes on the translation of the walls I had just started on in my office, I had better go get them." He took a turning to the left and the others continued on.
"Jack, why do you always have to give Daniel such a hard time?" Sam lectured to Jack.
"I do not understand major Carter," Teal'c began "How is it possible that time may be hard?". He had spend many years with his new friends at the SGC, but Teal'c still found them to be very strange. They almost never meant what they said, and yet they still somehow managed to say what they mean. Most unusual.
"A hard time? I'm nothing but smiles and good cheer all round to everyone. My favourable disposition is famous on planets from here to...you know, one of those far-away ones we've been to.". Jack wondered at the audacity of some people, trying to say he was cynical, sarcastic and a number of other things. He had never once been sarcastic. He had done it a number of times. But no more than his daily recommended intake of sarcasm. The only thing he occasionally exceeded his daily requirement of is fruit loops, but that hardly counts.
He really hoped that he wouldn't have to miss supper for this mission. Getting shot at he could take, but keeping someone from a square meal was just unacceptable.