Disclaimer: Neither SG1 nor its characters belong to me
The Bet
„Walter!"
The gate operator ducked behind his computer as he heard the angry voice of Major General Jack O'Neill. He didn't know what he had done that the General was obvious angry with him. Slowly Walter turned towards the rear entrance of the control room and he saw O'Neill with a red face his eye's darting directly into the technician.
"Walter!"
"Yes, sir?"
"Were is it?"
Walter looked confused at the General. It doesn't mater what he had done Walter never wanted to be in the receiving end of O'Neill's anger.
"Is what, sir?"
"The little black book of yours."
All colour was washed out of the technician face as he understood what had made the General so angry. But he had to try and convince O'Neill that he didn't know what he refer to.
"What book, sir?"
"Don't mock me Walter the little black book with the numbers in it."
Said Jack and his eye's now were ice cold.
"The manual is over there, sir."
Walter tried again and pointed at one of the shelves at the end of the room.
"WALTER! For crying out loud, you know exactly witch book I refer to."
The head of the SGC walked down the stairs and with a confused face he focus Jack.
"Jack, why do you shout in my control room and at one of my NCOs?"
"Oh, I don't know Hank because I found out that Walter here has a little black book with lots of bet's in it. Bet's regarding all SG teams and what they will encounter or who is going to be next to get hurt by an alien device."
General Landry looked at his technician and his eye's became small slits as he asked:
"Is that true Walter?"
The guilty face of the technician said everything and with a small nod he confirmed it. General O'Neill looked down at him and with a deadly expression in his face he said:
"Walter you have five minutes to bring us the book or otherwise…"
More he didn't say, more he hadn't to say because Walter was gone so fast that it startled both Generals. The other men and women in the room looked at both Generals.
"I guess all of you knew about this?"
Asked General Landry and of a sudden all returned with guilty faces to their work.
"I thought so."
Was the only commentary of O'Neill. Ten seconds before the ultimatum ended Walter jogged into the control room. He stood before the two Generals and handed over the small black book to General O'Neill. Jack begun to read several of the bet's and his eye's widened by what he saw. Without a word he handed it over to Landry and his eyes fixt on Walter.
"That book contains only two years were is the rest?"
"The rest is with Syler, sir."
"So Syler is also involved into this?"
"No, Sir. He only help me to store the books."
"But he knows what's in them?"
"Yes, Sir. But only I take the bet's and pay the winner."
General Landry looked up and then he asked:
"How big is the stock at the moment?"
Walter thought some seconds as he would calculate then he answered:
"The stock is at 3.400 Dollar, sir."
"That small? I thought with a base of this size it would be bigger."
"Yes, Sir. It was but Doctor Jackson did with this Prior thing a good job."
Answered Walter with a shy smile.
"Who won?"
Wanted Landry to know.
"Vala Mal Doran, sir."
That fact caused a raised eyebrow from both Generals.
"So you take bet's from team members as well?"
"Yes, sir. I did it even in your time as a team leader."
Said Walter and regretted it immediately as he registered the look of O'Neill upon him.
"Walter, now I want to see the other books go get them you have 3 minutes and Walter don't make me come after you."
Said General O'Neill and watched the technician as he ran out of the control room.
"Can you believe it? Look here a bet that SG1 will ruin the next diplomatic mission."
Said O'Neill and handed over the book to Landry.
"Walter will pay for that I swear."
Was Landry's commentary and again the technician managed to arrive seconds before O'Neill could hunt him down. That fact let Landry to wonder, he knew that he could be dangerous, but he never had known how dangerous General O'Neill was for the people around him. He known Jack now for several years, but he obviously had never met him when he was in action and the faces he saw now were a good impression what they knew about Jack.
"Here, sir."
Said Walter nearly out of breath. O'Neill took the three additional books and begun to read them. The technician begun to shrink visibly as the eyes of General O'Neill looked between him and the book.
"I can't believe what I read here Walter. Even General Hammond made bet's at SG1?"
"Yes, sir."
"Who is PUS for General Hammond?"
"I don't know, sir. The General made some bet's for someone he only call PUS, sir."
O'Neill got angrier with every bet he read regarding SG1 and especially him and a curtain Lieutenant Colonel. The wrath of O'Neill was cut off as the gate begun to spin and Walter rushed to his place.
"Offworld activation, sirs. SG1 scheduled for this time and we receiving their IDC."
"Open the Iris and let them thru."
Said Landry and saw out of the corner of his eyes that O'Neill headed towards the Gateroom. Teal'c was first followed by Vala and Daniel who stepped out of the wormhole the last two were Carter and Mitchell deep in a conversation.
"O'Neill, it is good to see you again."
Said Teal'c and bowed his head. Vala only waved her hand and smiled a big grin as she walked beside Daniel down the ramp. Jackson's attention was occupied with a small device he held in his hand he didn't even recognise the General standing at the end of the ramp. Mitchell got to attention and saluted
"General O'Neill, sir."
Only half hearted Jack replayed the grating and walked strait towards Carter.
"General, sir?"
She said as he hold a small black book direct under her nose. Sam griped the book and read the open side. Her eyes widened in shock and with a confused look she asked:
"Where did you get this from?"
"Walter is the great bookie here."
The technician ducked behind his monitor to avoid the dreadful look from the Colonel, he failed miserably in his attempt. Sam concentrated again at the book and her eyes grew even wider as she read the names of Daniel and Teal'c in it. Daniel who had at last recognized O'Neill and the small black book turned around with a guilty expression on his face. The Jaffa only looked unimpressed by everything. Mitchell however was confused he knew something was going on and the silent language between the former team members was something he sometimes didn't understand. The black book however seem to anger not only the General but also Sam and it bothered him that he had no idea what was all this about.
"What do you think about this Colonel?"
Asked Jack. Carter only looked again at the page before her and than her eyes locked with O'Neill's. Within a second Jack understood the silent talk and with a nod only Sam could see he agreed. Under the surprised look of Mitchell, Landry and all other members in the control room Carter pulled Jack toward her and kissed him passionately. They kept kissing for a long time, long enough that Landry and Mitchell regained their collectedness. Mitchell looked at his team mates and got only a wide grin from Vala an apologized look from Daniel and a stoic impression from Teal'c. The crack of the open communication channel could be heard and the voice from General Landry came out of the hidden speakers.
"Colonel Carter General O'Neill what the hell are you doing there?"
Both parted and with a big smile on their faces they looked up to the control room.
"We are kissing Hank."
Said Jack and his smile grew even bigger. Carter blushed slightly but her smile was as big as O'Neill's.
"But Jack you know the rules."
General Landry said and his expression was not only confused but also angry. He liked Jack and Sam but he never had thought that they would do something so stupid in front of so many witnesses.
"Sorry, sir. But there are no rules who forbid me to kiss my husband."
Said Carter and her eyes turned back to Jack who laid his right arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer only to kiss her anew.
Cameron Mitchell stood there with his moth open and confusion was shown in his face. He now was the leader of SG 1 for more then two years and somehow that fact he had missed. But now some small things made sense he had witnessed in this time but still he was a little bit upset that the old team members didn't tell him about the marriage of Carter. Still with the odd expression on the faces of the most SGC members something happened that caused all to raised their heads as a deep laughter could be heard and all looked startled at Teal'c.
"T buddy what's up?"
Asked Jack and walked with Sam in his arm towards the Jaffa.
"Sorry O'Neill but the expression in Colonel Mitchell's face… I couldn't hold on myself. It was as someone hat used a shock grenade at him. Also the face of General Landry it is as you would say priceless. Now I know why you both asked me not to reveal your marriage to anyone of them."
O'Neill starred at his friend for some seconds and then he begun to laugh accompanied by Sam and Daniel. Between his laughter Jack managed to say:
"This was never what I had in mind but you are right T this is on hell of a good prank."
End
