Thank you for your reviews! I finally figured out how to reply directly, so those reviewers who were signed in to the site should have gotten private messages from me. If that didn't happen, just know that I really appreciate your comments!

Hope my people aren't too much out of character. Please give your honest opinion if you review.

This writing business is fun!

Oh—am I supposed to put in a disclaimer? I don't own anything having to do with Stargate, and I don't make any money.

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From Chapter 3:

Niles comes straight to the point, holding out an envelope to Hammond. "These are your orders from Acting President Kinsey. You are relieved."

Chapter 4

Hammond slowly opens the envelope in his hands and removes the papers inside. He begins to read;

"To Major General George Hammond; Upon receipt of this notification, you are hereby relieved of command of the SGC, by order of Robert Kinsey, Acting President..."

Hammond raises his head and meets the triumphant gaze of NID Director Niles.

The General's lips purse slightly as he contemplates wiping that look from Nile's face. He speaks slowly, and with relish: "Evidently, Mr. Niles, neither you nor the Acting President has bothered to read the standing orders, issued by the Joint Chiefs, and approved by a Congressional decree, regarding Stargate Command. Orders that go into effect if just such a situation as this should arise."

Niles' eyes bulge slightly. "What are you talking about?"

"Under the condition that the President is deceased, incapacitated, or in any other way unable to exercise the responsibilities of his office, no changes may be made in the command structure of the SGC for at least four days from the time that such conditions are declared. That means for the next three days and eighteen hours you have no power to relieve me, or to interfere in any way with the functioning of this facility."

Niles' face reddens with fury. "You're lying! There is no such order!"

"Oh, indeed there is." Hammond picks up a paper which is on his desk and offers it to Niles. "Read for yourself."

As Niles appears momentarily incapable of movement or speech, one of the men who had entered with him steps forward. "May I see that? My name is Samuel T. Cogley. I'm an attorney for the NID." He is a small man, with a face lined with worry, and blue eyes bright with intelligence. He takes the paper Hammond is extending, puts on a pair of reading glasses which he finds in his pocket, and begins to read the paper carefully.

"Give me that!" Finally recovering himself, Niles steps forward and reaches to snatch the paper from Cogley's hand.

The lawyer evades him handily, and continues to study the paper in his hand. At length he raises his head and confronts Niles. "It appears that the General is correct, Mr. Niles. This is an official copy of the order he just described to you."

"I have my orders from President Kinsey..."

"Which you can carry out in three days and eighteen hours, as the General said. Until then you have no authority over this facility."

"Find a way to break that order!" Niles hisses.

"Mr. Niles, this is an official order signed by President Hayes' predecessor, and the Head of the Joint Chiefs, with the seal of the United States Congress affixed. There is no way to break it."

Hammond is certain that Niles is going to have an apoplectic seizure. Fearing that he himself will not be able to contain his amusement, he calls a security team, and has Niles and his companions escorted to guest quarters on one of the upper levels. "Station guards outside the doors," he orders. "These men have no access to any part of this facility."

Cogley returns the order to the General before he leaves. "I've never seen one of these before, General, though I have heard of them. In the history of the United States, there have been only a handful of these orders issued. The 'Joint Presidential and Congressional Decree' is so rare, many historians have even dismissed it as a myth. The only higher legal authority in the United States is the Constitution. I believe the last President to issue one of these was FDR." Cogley allowed a small smile to touch his features. "Well played, General." The little lawyer gives Hammond a surprisingly sharp salute, then turns and follows the airman who is assigned as his escort.

Sergeant Harriman clears his throat softly, and Hammond glances over to the door where the sergeant is standing. "Well, we've got ninety hours, Walter. Let's hope it's enough time. Send Colonel Markus and Colonel Andrews to my office, please."

"Yes, sir."

"Arrange accommodations for Mr. Niles and his companions at a local hotel, and then have them escorted off the base."

"Yes, sir!"

"I won't be available for any communication from Niles or his group." Hammond pauses with a slight smile. "Except maybe Mr. Cogley. Inform me if he calls."

"Yes, sir."

"How many teams do we have off-world?"

"Seven, sir."

"Notify them all to return home in the next six hours."

"Yes, sir."

"And contact the Alpha Site. I want to talk to Colonel Ross."

"Right away, sir." He turns to go.

"One more thing, Walter. Has Dr. Jackson left the base yet?"

"Yes, sir. I was notified fifteen minutes ago that he's gone."

"Thank you, sergeant."

Walter leaves the office, and George Hammond sits down at his desk and considers what will be the best way to use the next ninety hours.

~0~

The safe house is a chalet in the mountains, several miles south of the SGC. Maybourne's cell phone rings just as they are entering the house, and he moves away from the others to answer it. A few moments later he joins SG1 in the main room of the house.

"Dr. Jackson has left the Mountain, and is on his way here," he announces.

"That's good." Samantha sounds very relieved.

"Also, NID Director Niles has arrived at Cheyenne Mountain."

"That's not so good," Jack puts in. "I suppose that means General Hammond has been removed as head Stargate Command."

"Not yet," Maybourne says.

Jack frowns. "What do you mean?"

"Have you ever heard of the Joint Presidential and Congressional Decree?"

"Yeah. Why?" A grin starts on Jack's face. "Don't tell me..."

"There's one of those in effect that prohibits any change of command at the SGC for four days after the President becomes unable to fulfill his duties for any reason. It was issued three years ago, shortly after Apophis came through the gate."

"Hot damn!" Jack exclaims.

"The idea is to make sure the Joint Chiefs have time to brief the incoming president about the Stargate before anything is done that affects it," Harry continues.

"Wait a minute," Samantha puts in. "Kinsey was in the Senate three years ago. Why didn't he know about this?"

"I have no idea," Harry admits.

"Those orders are usually issued quietly," Jack says. "And the gate wasn't on Kinsey's radar yet. If he wasn't in attendance when the vote came up, he might have missed it. In fact, I doubt if the Congress even knew what they were voting on. It's like an Executive Order—only more so. They'd be pretty much rubber-stamped by Congress."

Samantha gives her CO a surprised glance. "You seem to know a lot about it, sir."

"It's in the military history classes at the academy. You took the same ones I did, I expect."

"It sounds a little shady," she says.

Jack rolls his eyes. "It's Congress, Carter. What isn't?"

"Good point, sir."

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As far as I know, the 'Joint Presidential and Congressional Decree' that I used so blithely in this story does not exist, and is my own invention. However, I imagine a clever lawyer or politician could find something in the Constitution to justify powers like that on the part of the Executive and Legislative Branches. The 'implied powers' that have been given the President over the years, and are now accepted without a thought, are truly extensive.

Also I was careful to say this Decree is seldom used.

Virtual kudos to all of you that know who Samuel T. Cogley is.

Sorry this chapter is so short. I wanted to get something up, and don't really have time to do more.

Thanks always for reading!