"You don't like me, do you Colonel?" Major General George Hammond asked of his new 2IC, Colonel Jack O'Neill. They were sitting in Hammond's office having a whiskey and talking completely off the record.
"No, Sir, I don't," Jack replied honestly. "You're too damn quick to hide your ass behind the rulebook, and you were too quick to assume that Abydos was a threat without checking it out. That makes you a poor leader, and a dangerous one to the men under his command."
Hammond frowned at the characterization, but he couldn't deny what O'Neill had just said. He was a rule book oriented commanding officer. He also had jumped the gun and ordered a nuclear warhead prepared to send to Abydos without confirming a hostile situation on the planet. Jack O'Neill had saved him from what would have been a very costly mistake. "What can I do to make our situation work, Colonel?" he asked finally.
"Get rid of Samuel's, first off," Jack replied without a seconds thought. "He's an arrogant asshole who should never have reached Major, let alone being an aide to a General."
"I agree with you there, Colonel," Hammond assured him. He'd been stuck with Samuels from the beginning and was just looking for ways to get rid of the man.
"I also need you to trust my judgment," Jack continued, holding out his glass for another round. "When I pressed for Teal'c to be made part of my team, at the very least you should have talked to the President about it. You know my record and from that you should have known that I would never recommend for my teams someone I had even a hint of doubt about. Even if you didn't trust Teal'c completely, you could have trusted my trust in him and fought for him from the beginning and not wait until the NID started their bullshit."
''I've made a lot of mistakes in this command, Colonel," Hammond responded after a few moments. He wasn't used to a subordinate talking to him so frankly. "Unfortunately they almost all center on you and your team. I think I'm man enough to admit that. I also know that you and I are two very different kinds kinds of officer. I'll make you a deal, though. I won't interfere in the running of your team and its training, and you give me a fair chance to show you that I can earn your trust and respect."
"What do you mean by 'fair chance,' Sir?"
"Give me six months to clean this place up," Hammond offered. "I'll get rid of Samuels and deal with the issues that have caused you and I some real headaches so far. In return, you continue to be my 2IC with all that that usually entails. I won't be a hard ass about the rules so long as the job is getting done."
"I can live with that," Jack nodded. He stood and drained that last of his whiskey. "For what it's worth, General, I do respect you. Any man who makes Major General and gets a command like this without the political contacts that are usually needed has to be someone worthy of respect. It's the trust issue that bothers me, and that's what determines a good commanding officer."
Hammond stood up as well and held out his hand. "Well, I do trust and respect you, Colonel," he said with a smile. "I want to thank you for being honest with me. Not many people speak their mind to the man who has the stars on their shoulder boards."
"You asked me an honest question, General," Jack replied as he shook the older mans hand. "You deserved an honest answer. For what it's worth, General, I hope this works out for us. I want to be in this program and I think I have something to contribute, but I won't hesitate to retire again if it doesn't work."
The next six months were tense at times between General Hammond and Colonel O'Neill. No one knew that better than the rest of SG-1, though there were plenty of rumors about their early on late night meeting in which Jack had told the General his unvarnished opinion of him. Jack did give the man an honest chance and found that when determined, Hammond could be a commanding officer Jack could work under. A new problem arose, though, that neither could have really foreseen: Jack fell in love with his 2IC and vice versa.
"You're what?!" Hammond practically shouted. The two men were at Hammond's house having a beer and grilling some pork ribs. As was their custom, these informal meetings were completely off the record, no exceptions.
"I'm in love with Carter," Jack repeated.
George Hammond could feel a major headache coming on, and it was borderline migraine. His shoulders slumped. "Does Captain Carter feel the same way?" he asked. Maybe there was a slim chance that she didn't return the Colonel's feelings. That pipe dream was blasted our of the water, though.
"Yes, Sir," Jack replied cautiously.
"Do you have any idea what kind of problems you are presenting me, Jack?" Hammond asked almost rhetorically. "We just got Kinsey off our backs and now you put this in my lap?"
"That's why I'm bringing this up here in private, George," Jack said a bit hotly. They had started calling each other by their first names most of the time in private. "I didn't want you stuck with having to order a court martial. I was hoping that we could come up with a way around those damn regs which shouldn't apply to the SGC and you know it!"
"I know," George replied honestly. "I've been discussing it with the President for a couple of months now because the level of security we work under is too damaging to stable relationships with outside individuals. The President agrees, but doesn't know how to deal with it yet."
"You have discretion as a commanding officer, George," Jack pressed. "Any charges against SGC personnel have to come from you. Don't sign off on any fraternization violations."
"I wish it were that simple, Jack," George said as he took a seat with his ribs and ear of corn.
"It is," Jack said confidently.
"I'm afraid it isn't," George sighed. "We may have dodged a bullet this time, but Kinsey is just looking for anything to use against us. If I start ignoring a very real and visible Air Force regulation, no matter how inappropriate that regulation is, he would be able to come after us again."
Jack scowled thunderously. "Someone should cap his ass," he said with a dark undertone that spoke of his Black Ops days.
George raised his eyebrows and stared at his 2IC carefully. He knew Jack's record and knew that someone like Jack O'Neill could plan and execute such an idea with no problems and with absolutely no evidence to point to him or those he worked with. That's what made the man so dangerous. "I would prefer not to hear comments like that, even in private, Jack," he said finally. His stare told O'Neill that it was more for the protection of the program than any disagreement with the sentiment. He settled back into his seat. "I won't do anything about you and Captain Carter if it stays off the base, Jack. Just do me one thing. Give this some serious thought. I'm the last one to begrudge anyone a good personal life with the person they love, but this could be the very thing that shuts down the program. I'll keep working on the President in the meantime."
"Thanks, George," Jack said with a smile.
George Hammond knew he had a real problem on his hands. Jack O'Neill was very pissed off and it was directed at him. The rough part was that Jack was justified in his anger and George knew it. The covert mission that Jack had done at the behest of the Asgard had been successful, but the stricture that Hammond had placed on Jack of not telling his team what was going on had been at a great cost."Give me one good reason why I shouldn't retire right now," Jack shouted in an angry tone. "How the hell can I possibly lead a team that doesn't trust me?"
Hammond looked at his 2IC carefully. The anger being displayed showed just how much Jack was considering leaving the program, and just how much Hammond had screwed up. "I don't know," he finally replied.
"You know what really pisses me off, George?" Jack asked almost rhetorically. "I've built up an incredible relationship with Sam since the first year, and now she won't even speak to me outside of business. There is no fucking way that we can justify having left her and the others out of the loop on this one, outside of begging them to believe that the two of us were monumentally stupid!"
"We were," George said quietly.
"No. You were," Jack shot back acidly. "My mistake was even considering that bullshit you spouted about need to know! Frankly I should resign right now and beg her to forgive me before the one positive thing in my life gets flushed!"
George's head shot up at such a bald statement. Jack had been tossing it about during this conversation, but now he was stating it directly with no alternatives attached. The last thing he wanted was for Jack to resign, and he knew that if the younger man did then the President would have his ass in a sling for even letting it get this far out of control. "You aren't, are you?" George asked as he nervously swallowed a massive lump in his throat.
Jack stood and leaned over the desk, his angry face inches from Hammond's. "You've got one day to fix this mess, General, or I walk! And if I hear, and I will, that you tried spouting any sanctimonious shit about duty and responsibility I will walk," he said, his voice dripping venomously. "You will personally apologize to SG-1, and specifically to Sam, and admit that your whole idiotic idea was wrong, and that there will be no more covert ops involving any of us that the others are not brought in on. And don't even try to say it seemed like a good idea at the time. It was a fucked up mistake pure and simple, and that's how you will characterize it."
George winced as Jack stalked out of the office and slammed the door hard enough to cause three of his framed pictures to fall off of the wall. He sighed, then picked up the phone ordering his aide to gather Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c together in his office for a small conference. Jack had given him 24 hours and he wasn't going to waste any time. Then he was going to contact the President and let him know just how much his SGC Commander had made a mess of things and the very real possibility that Jack O'Neill might angrily resign. That was a royal ass chewing waiting to happen. The President was a real fan of Jack O'Neill, and now Hammond had just pissed Jack off.
Hammond was relaxing in his office after yet another trying conversation with Colonel Chekhov of the Russian Army. Jack hadn't helped with his 'Bite Me' comment, but Hammond knew that in his own heart he agreed with Jack on the issue of incorporating a Russian on SG-1. Thoughts of SG-1 brought him a bit of internal pain when he remembered Daniel Jackson who had tragically died of radiation poisoning a few weeks before. It was amazing how the team had rallied together in the face of the tragedy, especially Major Carter and Jack. Their relationship was a horribly kept secret at this stage, but no one was about to bring it up, not even the NID. The President had issued an executive order which had eliminated the Fraternization Regulations from applying to the personnel of the SGC. It also eliminated the frat regs regarding officer/enlisted mingling both on and off base. Jack and Sam had continued to keep it under wraps, though, for their own reasons. Hammond assumed that it allowed them to be as professional as possible when need be.
"You got a minute?" Jack asked as he stuck his head in the door. He knew that George would know that this was to be one of their off the record talks.
George nodded and pulled out a bottle of bourbon from his desk drawer. "Have a seat, Jack," he said as he poured two fingers worth in each old fashioned glass. "What's on your mind?"
Jack took a sip of the excellent whiskey. "I wanted to apologize for earlier," he said finally. He didn't apologize often, but when he did, he meant it.
"I told you it wasn't a problem, Jack," George replied, though he was pleased that Jack felt adult enough to come to him like this. "I meant what I said, though, about you needing to find an acceptable replacement for Dr. Jackson."
"Teal'c
thinks I should give Jonas a chance," Jack said with a pinched
look. "Sam does, too, though she's more subtle than T is."
George
chuckled at the ways in which Sam would 'subtly' move Jack to
consider Jonas Quinn as the new member of SG-1. "He certainly has
the right qualifications for the job to replace Daniel," he mused. "What's your problem with the idea?"
Jack sighed and looked at the drawing that Hammond's youngest granddaughter had made. "Every time I see him I see Daniel on that hospital bed dying," he admitted. "I've lost people before, George, but at least with them it was for something worthwhile. Daniel's death was senseless and then the bastards had the gall to try and blame Daniel for what happened. The only redeeming feature in Jonas is that he stepped up to the plate in the end and admitted it."
George nodded his head in agreement. "I understand, Jack, and in many ways I agree with you. Unfortunately, I can't hold off Colonel Chekhov for much longer if we want the Russian's 'cooperation.' Think about it for the time being and get back to me in a week," he said as he put away the Bourbon.
A few days later, Jack was once again in Hammond's office after having completed his first mission with Jonas as the newest member of SG-1. The near loss of the whole program and Jonas' contribution to the solution had allowed Jack to move beyond his anger at the man and see what he could bring to the unit. He liked what he saw.
"How do you think Jonas will work out?" Hammond asked curiously. He had been pleased when SG-1 had returned and Jack hadn't shouted 'Next!' like he had the previous nine times with potential new members.
"I think it will work," Jack admitted guardedly. "Sam gave me the evil eye every now and again when he would get on my nerves a bit, so he's getting a better chance that the other ones."
George chuckled. Sam had a way of dealing with Jack that was little short of a miracle. "All I ask is that he gets a fair chance, Jack," Hammond admonished.
"That's more than I gave the others," Jack grudgingly acknowledged. "My team is my family, George, and it's a bit late in the game to be adding to that family. I'll be fair to Jonas, but it won't be easy, especially after what the Kelownans tried to do." He looked at the clock. "I better get out of here. Sam's already at my place and will not be happy if I'm too late for dinner."
"You are so whipped, Jack," George said with a wide smile.
"I wouldn't have it any other way," Jack replied with a smile of his own. "Besides, have you ever seen her when she's seriously pissed? I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy!"
Jack was not in the best of moods. Sam was pissed off at her brother, and that translated into a miserable home life for poor Jack since he had to deal with her temper. He didn't blame her really, but that didn't change the situation. That's when he had invited George over for a drink to try and get some perspective.
"Does Mark have some kind of a death wish?" he asked George in an almost whiny voice. "He had to have known that Sam would not be very appreciative of this. Hell, he's known that Sam and I have been involved for nearly six years."
George had been shocked at the antics of Jacob's son, Mark Carter. Mark had called his sister and invited her to dinner in Denver where he was at a conference. Sam had agreed, and when she had showed up, found that Mark had brought along his best friend, Pete Shanahan, who was a detective in the Denver Police Department. It didn't take long to discover that Mark was trying to get Pete and Sam together, and that Pete had no idea that Sam was already in a committed relationship. Sam had been polite to Pete, and to be fair, Pete had backed off the second Sam had informed him that she was unavailable and had been for years. Mark, on the other hand, had gone on a tirade about the Air Force and one older Colonel in particular. Sam had shown monumental restraint in not decking Mark right then and there, but had let him know in the parking lot that she was extremely pissed off.
"He hates the Air Force, Jack," George said with a sigh. "He adores, Sam, and wants the best for her. The fact that she entered the Air Force has never set well with him, and the fact that she's involved with a senior officer is really against his grain."
"At least this Shanahan guy was a decent sort and actually felt bad about his part in it, even though Mark had misled him," Jack responded. "How the hell did he ever become a friend with Mark?"
"Mark is actually a nice enough guy, Jack," George said honestly. "You just happen to be wrong for his sister in his eyes."
"I've never been good enough for her, George, but for some reason she doesn't care and accepts me just the way I am," Jack said in bewilderment. "Sarah was like that until I went off the deep end when Charlie died."
Hammond was surprised that Jack even mentioned his late son. To his knowledge, Jack had only discussed the subject a small handful of times to Daniel, Sam, and Teal'c over the years, and never to Hammond himself. "Don't sell yourself short, Jack," George counseled as he got up to leave. His granddaughters wanted him to come over for ice cream and he wasn't about to disappoint them. "You're a better man than most in this world, and we all know that from the years we've been around you. If you have anymore problems with all of this, I suggest you fly out to San Diego and have a little talk with Mark. Let him know exactly where you stand and that you're not going away anytime soon."
Jack was sitting in his house trying to get used to the idea that he was even alive. Granted, several months had passed since he had taken the Ancients download, but he was frozen up solid like a Popsicle for almost all of it. Now Hammond was the head of some new department called Homeworld Security and he himself had just been offered a promotion to Brigadier General and command of the SGC. Sam was offworld with her Father to try and sort out some of the more painful emotional issues that were brought up by her torture from Fifth. When Jack had come home that afternoon he had found that Sam had actually moved in and made a home in his house. He'd wanted that for years now, but they'd sidestepped the issue each time it had come up. He had to admit that she had done a great job making it 'their' home.
"Knock, knock," George Hammond said as he entered through the front door. The newly promoted three star general came into the house in civilian attire. "How does it feel to be home, Jack?"
"Sam and I always thought about her moving in, but we never did anything about it," Jack mused as he took a seat. He accepted the offered bottle of Guinness from Hammond. "Congratulations on the promotion, George. You've deserved it for a long time now."
"Thanks, Jack," Hammond said with a slight grunt as he sat down. His age was beginning to catch up to him, unfortunately. "I hate the idea of working in the Pentagon, but it's a post that's been needed for some time. Have you given any more thought about your own offer?"
"I don't know what to do," Jack sighed in frustration. "The absolute last fucking thing I want is to be stuck behind a desk running a base. Daniel, Sam, and T think I should take the job. Daniel even said that I could then do 'anything' I want. He's still so naïve."
"I'm not saying it will be easy for you, Jack, but the others on the list for the command are definitely not the types we want in place for the SGC," Hammond said in a concerned voice. The new President was pushing back against the more conservative elements in the Pentagon, but it wasn't enough to keep some damn rotten people off the short list for his replacement.
"That bad, huh?" Jack said with a grunt.
"Yeah," George said bluntly. "You've got a month to decide, Jack. Weir is running the SGC just fine, and I'm her military commander for the time being. Why not head up to the cabin and spend some time fishing and relaxing? God knows you deserve it after this mission."
"I've been thinking about it," Jack informed him.
"You really scared Sam when you resigned on the Tel'Tac," George said, changing the subject slightly. Sam told him she would resign if she was ever again given an order like the one Weir had given her regarding command of the mission. Hammond believed her, and made a policy directive that in terms of SG teams, the discretion at all times was in the field with the team and the SGC commander was not to issue such directives in the future. That had mollified Sam somewhat, though she was still angry over it.
"I know," Jack said with his head hung low. "I don't really remember it, but I'm sure it was to make it easier on her and the others. It's hard for Sam to see the weaknesses in others, and I was so damn vulnerable then, George. She saw everything I've tried to hide over the years when it comes to this damn war. I wasn't the commanding officer they needed this time."
"They followed you anyway, Jack, and that says a lot about the team you've built over the last eight years. I couldn't have done it. It took you letting me know what you thought of me as a commanding officer to make me see the light about this whole thing," George told him without a hint of bitterness. "Hell, Jack. If I could have, I'd have gone with you on the mission, too."
Jack stood and walked over to the sliding glass door to the deck. Looking out over the wooded area behind his house brought a smile to his face. For all his moaning and groaning about trees when on missions, he really loved the forest. "I don't need a month, George," Jack said in a casual tone. "Tell the President he has a deal on two conditions. First, Sam gets a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel. Second, she gets command of SG-1. She's the only one I'll trust my family to." He paused for a minute and then continued. "Also let him know that if he tries any political bullshit on me, or the SGC, then I'll retire on the spot and I won't come back."
"You really don't like him, do you?" George asked with a hint of a smile.
"No," Jack replied sternly. "And unlike you, no amount of talking and bullshitting will change that. You were trying to secure the safety of the planet. I can respect that, even if your thinking was wrong. This shrub tried to play image games with the safety of the whole damn planet and almost got us blown out of the stars as a result. That's something I can never forgive, and I refuse to even try."
George was going to have to sit down with the President and let him know just how difficult Jack could be if he was played with. He also would have to let the Commander-in-Chief know just how little the new SGCCG thought of that C-in-C. It was a match made in hell, but Hammond knew that the President was doing everything he could to make amends for his ill-advised actions. Having to bow and scrape to General Jack O'Neill was going to have to be the mans penance, pure and simple. Instead of trying to temper Jack's attitude, George simply raised his beer and offered his friend a toast to his future.
General Jack O'Neill was sitting behind his desk waiting for his first official, unofficial, appointment with Sam in her role as his base 2IC and commanding officer of SG-1. She'd brought her team home from their first mission with her in command that afternoon, and the debriefing had went as well as Jack had expected. Sam had been ready to command a team for several years, and only Jack's insistence at not breaking up SG-1 because of the work they were doing against the Goa'uld had kept her from heading up the top science SG team. Of course he would never admit that to her for fear of a royal ass kicking. Watching the three of them go through the Gate, though, was something that he would never get used to, and wouldn't even begin to try.
"You wanted to see me?" Sam said as she rounded the corner of his doorway.
"Close the door and have a seat," Jack said as he fished out a bottle of Jameson's Irish Whiskey. It was the really good stuff, aged 50 years, and very difficult to get. He poured each of them a double and handed her hers.
"What's this all about?" she asked curiously, though she took a healthy drink of the excellent whiskey.
"George and I would always have off the record talks about once a week over a drink," Jack supplied. "Usually it was in his office, but sometimes it was at my place, or his. I called them our 'Do we have a deal?' talks."
"Excuse me?" Sam said, obviously fishing for a better answer.
Jack chuckled. "From the beginning, George and I were never going to see eye to eye on most things, Sam. We're completely different kinds of commanding officers. We had to come up with a way of dealing with the inevitable head butting with the two of us commanding the SGC. After that first mission with Teal'c on the team, he invited me in here for an off the record drink and open talk. He asked me if I liked him and I told him what I thought."
Sam grinned. "You really did tell him off?" she gasped.
"Oh yeah," Jack said with a smile of his own. "The point is, Sam, that those conversations worked for George and I, and I want to continue them with you. It'll give us a way to air out our differences here and not at home when it gets personal. You're a lot more by the book than I am, and I know we'll but heads a time or two."
"So what kind of deal do you want to make today?" Sam asked, taking a page from his own description of these meetings.
Jack grinned wider. "Nothing too difficult. I promise to let you command SG-1 the way you want to and not be the overprotective Father Figure when you go through the Gate. In return, you do your damnedest to come back to me in one piece," he offered.
Sam stood and offered him her hand. "I think we have a deal, Jack," she said with a knowing look in her eyes. She knew that she had just passed some sort of test that Jack was giving, both for her and for him. This was definitely going to be an interesting professional relationship from here on out.
As for Jack, he was feeling pretty good. He'd hoped that George's idea from all those years ago would work for Sam and himself, and now he had that proof. He would always hate being a desk jockey, but with Sam in the lead on the front lines he knew his family was as safe as it could be, and if not, he could always propose another deal to her. That was the beauty of being 'The Man.'
Five Years Later, The Oval Office, The White House
Recently promoted four star General Jack O'Neill was sitting in the Oval Office with his wife, who had recently returned from a year long stint as the Commander of Atlantis, Brigadier General Samantha Carter. A year before upon the defeat of the Ori, Jack had been promoted to three star rank and his position, though highly classified, was put on track to be a four star command, having international responsibilities and authority. The necessary legislation had passed a month before and three weeks ago he had received his fourth star. While Sam had only been promoted to full Colonel one year previously, Major General Hank Landry had, to the surprise of everyone, decided to retire and Sam had been recalled from Atlantis to replace him as the Commanding General of the SGC. She now had one star, and if what she had heard was correct, she was in line for a second soon since many wanted a two star general in command of the SGC. Jack had made it clear that if that happened, then he would demand her promotion since it would be pure bullshit to give her the command and then take it away because the TO&E had changed. She'd been home for two weeks now and was firmly in place at the SGC.
Unfortunately they were in DC for a tragic reason. Their dear friend and mentor, retired Lieutenant General George Hammond, had died of a massive heart attack five days previously while working in his rose garden. His retirement four years previously had vaulted Jack from the SGC command to Head of Homeworld Security where he currently was. George had not ended his association with the program, though, as he had remained a valuable consultant and friend. The funeral had been that morning at Arlington, but the burial would be in Colorado Springs later in the week.
Just as Jack was about to get up and ask where the hell the President was, the man himself walked into the room. The two general officers stood up at attention. Neither had ever developed a warm relationship with Henry Hayes, and both had made clear their general disdain of the man. They worked with him, though, and both had to admit that he had tried hard to not make the mistakes he had so early on in his Presidency regarding the SGC. For his part, Hayes did admire and like O'Neill and his wife, and while he knew they would never like him for some very valid reasons, he always made sure that he was pleasant and well meaning towards them.
"Thank you for dropping by this afternoon," Hayes said as he waved the two down. He went over to a rolling cart and poured two fingers each in three old fashioned glasses. He walked over to the two officers and handed them each one. "I know you don't hold a high opinion of me, and for good reason, but the one thing the three of us have in common is that George Hammond was our friend. George told me of your little 'Do we have a deal?' sessions, Jack, and I thought the three of us could get together today and drink a toast to George."
Jack and Sam stood together. "I can drink to that," Jack said with an nod. He was willing to let the past slip aside for a moment as their friend was honored. Teal'c and Daniel had been unable to attend the funeral, but would be at the interment in Colorado Springs. This was the next best thing and George would have approved. When the President nodded in Jack's direction, clearly letting the younger man make the toast, Jack held his glass high.
"To Lieutenant General George Hammond," Jack intoned. "You showed us the way, George, and hopefully we'll be able to carry on without you. Just make sure that you save us a few spots in heaven. See you around one day, Old Friend."
The three clinked glasses, thinking that Jack's sentiments were dead on. Sam had a few tears, but Jack had a steely look in his eyes and his jaw was clenched. Sam knew that he was holding himself in check. The loss of Hammond was especially difficult for Jack since the man had given him a second life for his career, and brought her into his life. She noticed that Hayes also was somewhat distant. Sam knew that Hammond had considered the President a good friend, and Hayes had made sure that Hammond had the respect and dignity that many retirees didn't receive.
"So what's the deal?" Jack asked suddenly. He had been pleased that Hayes had wanted to honor George with a final toast, but he wasn't where he was for nothing. He knew when someone wanted something.
"I'm glad you asked, Jack," Hayes said as he sat down and bade them to do so as well. He looked at the two officers who would be regarded as legends when the Stargate eventually was made public. He pulled a small box from his pocket and handed it to Sam. "The new TO&E for SGC command will be in place in five months, General Carter. When that comes about, George asked that you wear those. They were the two stars that he wore when he was in command of the SGC. Your promotion will be from the new TO&E date. I'm sorry this can't happen sooner."
Sam opened the box and saw the two silver stars. "Thank you, Sir," she said graciously. "It'll be an honor to wear General Hammond's stars."
"Dad would have been proud, Carter," Jack said with a strong dose of pride in his wife. He still called her Carter most of the time, but both knew it was done with an extreme amount of affection and love. 'Carter' was the embodiment of the whole woman, incredible intellect, incredible body, and incredible personality.
Sam nodded, not trusting herself to speak of her late father, Major General Jacob Carter. She was still devastated by his loss to this day.
"The deal part of this little session is pretty good for you, Jack," Hayes continued. "I've decided that Homeworld Security can have a new home. I've ordered the old NORAD facility upgraded and you will be directing the installation and ergonomic layout for your new home, Jack. It will house your department and also the offices of the IOA, which, by the way, you will be directing and heading after today. After last years disastrous escapades that almost cost us the war with the ORI, there are some drastic changes being made and you will be in complete charge with veto power over the committee. The move will also let you have more direct working relations with the SGC."
The surprised looks on their faces told Hayes that he had made a wise set of decisions. He had told the allies that after what the IOA had done, it was lucky that Jack O'Neill had not killed someone. They had acknowledged that maybe it was best the O'Neill be in complete charge and agreed without reservation to the new order.
"Thank you, Sir," Jack said kindly. He was not about to be surly to this man when he had just handed Jack something he had wanted for four years now: having his job away from DC.
"I've known all along that you hate DC, Jack," Hayes replied. "It's just taken a hell of a long time to get all the pieces moved around. Just make sure your make good use of the holographic communications technology to keep me in the loop."
Jack chuckled. "Deal, Sir," he said as he offered his hand.
Hayes shook the offered hand and also shook General Carter's. "I know the two of you want to leave and head for home, so I'll end this little get together," he told them. "There is one other thing, though." He paused to make sure that they were paying attention. "I screwed up big time five years ago. I'm man enough to admit it. I know the two of you don't like me and probably never will. I can admit that and respect it. If I were in your shoes I probably wouldn't like me either. But I will always support the two of you, regardless. You need anything from this end, just call. I may not be able to do it all, but I'll do my best, you have my word on that."
"Thank you, Sir," Jack and Sam said in unison and saluted. They walked out of the Oval Office and began the long walk back to what hopefully would be a peaceful future. Granted that future was a little dimmer without George, but they now had some very good positives from the President. Maybe making some deals was the way to go. George had been right all along.
"Mission accomplished, George," Jack was to say a few days later as he passed by the spot where Hammond's coffin had been lowered into the Earth. He smiled as he thought of the two old fashioned glasses and bottle of bourbon he had managed to have buried with their friend. Who knows what awaited them in the afterlife. Maybe he would be waiting to make a few more deals once his friends got there, too. 'RIP, General Hammond,' Jack thought as he walked away.