409 Scorched Earth
There are times he has to ask of his people more than they think they have to give. Sometimes he has to be the callous bastard, the hard ass, demanding they keep at it. Occasionally, not even liking himself, pushing them in order to get the job done. It's the mission first, always the mission first. He demands nothing of them he would not do himself. He wondered sometimes if he was still that SOB he had become after his boy died.
He's as good as his word to those who serve under him and to those who were his superiors. They all knew him to be faithful, trustworthy and dependable, although occasionally unconventional. He was totally loyal to his country and to his team. His people would die for him and he for them. They had the same prerogative, the mission first and no man is left behind.
Often each of them had a slightly or occasionally a completely divergent method of arriving at that goal.
Jack needed to talk to Sam about command choices. Whether she was aware of it or not she was being groomed for command. She needed to know sometimes you have no time to make a decision. Sometimes there was no right choice, both stink only one stinks a little less. This seemed to be a year of lousy choices.
He was thinking about the damned bomb he made her build. It could have brought the Gadmeer ship down right on the Enkaran village destroying both civilizations and SG-1 as well. He considered sending Carter and Teal'c to report to Hammond if there was any indication that the ship was falling toward the village. But the destruction of the bomb allayed that fear.
Sam though all of this through later, she was sure she would not have obeyed him. Or at least she'd have dragged him kicking and screaming through the Stargate with her. She didn't think she could leave him, leave him to suffer the results of that decision.
There were hard feelings after this mission and rather than ignore them and let thing smolder or fester Sam thought a pot luck supper at her house would help. She wasn't sure if the colonel or Daniel will show up but it was worth the effort.
To her amazement the colonel showed up early and with a 12 pack of beer and a bottle of a nice red. Sam admired the label and Jack confessed that's how he usually picked wine. Her kitchen island was covered with an array of ingredients and a cutting board and knife.
"What'cha making?" he asked while loading up the refrigerator with beer bottles.
"I thought I'd make my dad's chili recipe. It's not very complicated."
"Can I help?" he said while opening the wine and pouring her a glass and opening a bottle of beer for himself.
"Sure." She said handing him two onions and some assorted peppers.
Sam browned chop meat in a large cast iron pot while O'Neill peeled and chopped onions.
Quiet for a few moments he finally asked her "What would you have done?"
She turned from the stove, wooden spoon in hand, wide eyed, then turned back to her task. "I seriously don't know."
Soon it will be her that had to make the decisions. She wondered if he was looking for her approval.
Would she have let the men, women and children they had saved, searched months to find them a suitable home, would she have let them be incinerated? Or would she have forced them back through the Stargate to live underground – for how long or let the whole group go slowly blind on another planet.
There was not a chance they could even save them all even if they immediately force an evacuation.
"Destroying the ship was destroying an entire civilization."
"They attacked the planet, attacked the Enkarans who were already there. What would you have done?" He asked again.
Sam didn't like being put on the spot. "I wouldn't like it but I would have done the same as you."
O'Neill sounding a bit annoyed responded "Do you even begin to think I liked it?"
He calmed down and admitted "I felt angry and guilty and uncertain. You have to know all you're in for when you lead a team. You have to be ready to make the hard choices even when it hurts."
"You did the right thing. You made the right choice."
"I know and I'd do it again. Doesn't make it any easier."
"I know why you ordered me to construct the bomb."
O'Neill was cutting onions his eyes burning. "This enough."
"Yeah" Sam sauted the onions, browned the meat then added seasonings.
Jack's next job was opening cans of tomatoes and beans. It all looked rather haphazard so he asked "You follow a recipe?"
"My dad's, start with onions and chop meat, throw in whatever else is around and way too much seasoning. Wash down with lots of beer."
"Sounds good."
"Oh I almost forgot the cornbread."
The meal went well and tensions seemed to have lifted. The only tidbit of conversation on the Enkaren-Gadmeer subject were ones Sam overheard while Daniel and the colonel were washing up the dishes.
"You need to tell me what you're doing."
"If I told you you would have said no"
"Probably."
"It worked."
"You nearly got killed."
"Better that everyone dying. None of them deserved to die. And it worked."
The colonel was the last to leave and Sam walked him to the door.
"Thanks Carter. The chili was great."
"Was it?"
She still seemed insecure about her cooking although her team had eaten every scrap.
"I have massive heart burn – proof positive."
It took her a beat before she realized he was kidding.
"Thanks for coming" she said as she leaned in to kiss his cheek. He actually blushed.
He leaned down and kissed her cheek. With a sad smile he took his leave.
"Anytime Carter, anytime."
A.N. A sincere thanks to all who have read and reviewed these short tales, I truly appreciate it. Zoser
