Jack, who refused to return to Washington until either Daniel was found or the President threatened his job security, organised a briefing on hearing some rather undesirable news. With Landry, Agent Barrett, and the rest of SG-1 present, Jack said with a sigh,

"Ok folks… I've just heard something absolutely crappy from those suits at the NID… I think you should hear it from our slightly less disliked Agent. Barrett."

Barrett nodded, looking more and more nervous, before replying,

"I'm afraid that the NID has decided that the SGC has wasted more than enough time in the search for Doctor Jackson, and…"

He was interrupted by utterances of disbelief from a rather worse for wear Sam, Vala, and Cam, the latter Colonel remarking, his anger growing,

"How could you put a time limit on the man's head?! The guy's been missing for far longer than two stinkin' months before. Have you forgotten what that man's given for not only this planet, but for the entire galaxy!? He…"

Barrett interrupted him, saying with a sad expression,

"The NID is well aware of Doctor Jackson's invaluable contributions to the Stargate programme, Colonel, but while you are searching fruitlessly for him, opportunities for discovering new technologies to contribute to the fight against the Ori and Lucian Alliance are being overlooked. I'm sure that you are also well aware of how much just 'switching the lights on' costs the government…"

Sam blinked in disbelief and remarked,

"You're putting a price on Daniel's wellbeing?!"

"I'm sorry Colonel, but surely you can understand that we cannot maintain this search forever."

She continued, and looking very angry as she paid tribute to Daniel, her voice wavering every so often,

"Daniel Jackson gave us all our jobs by opening the Stargate and then discovering the 'gate system, and now you're just going to say 'right, so long and thanks for all the diplomacy'?! I speak for all of us when I say that that man has saved all of us and others so many times with his quick thinking, diplomatic skills, compassion and utter selflessness. You really should be ashamed of yourself, Barrett."

Barrett replied with a sigh, "I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the bottom line is that the SGC is to resume normal operations from 1800 hours today. The search for Doctor Jackson is not a high priority any longer. I'm so sorry. I don't agree with this but my superiors have made their decision and I'm afraid that you have no choice but to go through with it."

The poor man looked absolutely forlorn at having to relay such bad news, and Sam, seething with anger, said as she stood up,

"Right, that's it. I resign…"

Everyone looked up at her in surprise, and Jack said, subconsciously pinching the bridge of his nose like Daniel,

"Carter…"

"No Sir… it's obvious that everything that Daniel has done is nothing in the eyes of the NID so I refuse to work here any longer, knowing that he is still out there and we can't do anything about it unless we happen to accidentally bump into him."

Barrett said, concerned, "But the SGC has been fruitlessly searching thousands of worlds… surely you of all people can understand that maintaining this search is wasteful… I mean, we don't even know if he's still alive."

Jack snapped, "I don't want to hear that… this is Daniel we're talkin' about."

Sam replied, still standing,

"Exactly Sir… Daniel is still out there and we have to look for him. He'd do the same for us."

Barrett continued with a sigh, "There are millions of gates in the system… The decision is out of my hands. You have no choice but to capitulate. I'm sorry."

"Then I'm walking…"

Jack said with a sigh, "Carter…"

She continued as she walked out,

"My resignation letter will be on your desk within the hour, General Landry. Sirs."

Cam, Teal'c and Vala stood up, the former saying,

"I think I speak for the rest of us when I say we're walkin' too unless the NID changes its mind."

Teal'c added, "Indeed," and Vala said with a stern expression, "Count me in."

They walked out angrily, and Landry said with a heavy sigh,

"Agent Barrett, I suggest that you report this to your superiors – if the decision stands, the planet's frontline planetary defence team, who have saved Earth time and time again and without whom we would be all dead many times over, will no longer be here to save us again."

Barrett nodded, looking unhappy as he left to contact his superiors, and Jack scrubbed his cropped grey hair with his hands, angry, and remarked,

"What the hell are we going to do, Hank!?"

"We wait Jack… that's all we can do. It's one of the downsides of having NID oversight of this programme… they get to influence the way it's run."

"There should be a rule that says 'if Daniel Jackson goes missing, no-one should give up searching for him for at least a year and then it's touch and go'."

"You really miss him."

"Of course I do… he's not like other geeks. He… hell, I know I'm hardly the most articulate man, but Daniel is everything to the programme, to off-world Archaeology and Linguistics, to SG-1… to me. It'll kill me if we lose him for good."

Landry said with a sigh,

"We'll find him Jack."

"I sure as hell hope so."