"I don't know what to say, sir," Janet Fraiser said. She indicated the image on her right. "This is a typical human brain – we use at most five to ten percent of our total capacity." She then indicated the other image. "This is Colonel O'Neill's latest scan. As you can see, he's using over twenty percent, including some areas that aren't usually tapped by Earth humans."
Daniel pointed to one of the regions Janet had indicated. "Isn't that area untapped paranormal ability?" he asked.
"Yes." Janet was impressed that he'd seen that. "When the Colonel took the Ancient download several years ago, his brain usage increased to 90 capacity."
"It nearly killed him, Doctor," Hammond said. "Is that going to happen again?"
"That is unlikely, General Hammond," Sam Carter … no, Garshaw said. "He has spent the last two weeks with us and we have seen no indication of that. He appears to have made a strong empathic connection with Alina." She indicated the young empath, who was curled into one of the chairs, hugging her knees to her chest and looking utterly forlorn.
Hammond looked over at her and felt just like he did when Kayla or Tessa was hurt. He knew that she was blaming herself for Jack's current predicament, and for what Anat had put him through on Ba'al's ship. Damn Goa'ulds; how could they use a little girl like this? Then he answered his own question; because they knew that Jack would do anything for children. It was the man's greatest weakness.
"He can communicate telepathically with her and his first instinct is to protect her," Garshaw continued. "I would submit that he was under alien influence."
Selmak piped up, "In some ways it is similar to the Zatarc mechanism. Colonel O'Neill's mission in this case is to protect Alina. And if he is not allowed to do so … I fear for his sanity."
"He didn't do too good a job protecting her from the Goa'uld," Hammond said, choosing to play devil's advocate. "And he seems to have accepted that."
"General," Daniel said suddenly. "I met Jack more than a year before you did. And he was a very different man."
Hammond nodded his head; he'd seen General West's report and had been shocked by the psychological assessment. Why the hell had they reactivated a suicidal man? But then again, who better to carry out a suicide mission? Sometimes the Air Force was so damn heartless. "Go on, son," he encouraged.
"Trust me; Jack on that kind of guilt trip is not a pretty sight," Daniel said. "We all know he feels things very deeply, despite that dumb cocky fly-boy act." He pushed his glasses up his nose. "You know what he'll risk to protect someone. You remember that Orbanian girl, Merrin?"
Merrin. Hammond closed his eyes. Jack had literally kidnapped her when he'd learned that the nanites in her brain were to be harvested – a procedure that would effectively mind-wipe her. He'd come perilously close to court-martial that time – and he would never know how many favors Hammond had had to call in to prevent that.
"General …," Alina said softly, dragging his attention back to the briefing. "What will happen to him?"
"I can't say," Hammond said. "What we've learned could help him in defeating the charges against him, but …".
"But Jack has made enemies," Alina said. "Enemies who will use this as an opportunity."
Hammond just nodded his head. This girl might be young, but she was surprisingly mature.
Alina stood up and put a hand on the table. "Jack was pressed into the role of my protector, and he has shown no resentment toward me for that. He is a good man and I will tell your people as much."
"Thank you, Alina," Daniel said.
"But … I will not allow Jack to spend the rest of his life in a cell. It would destroy him, and I will not have that," Alina added. "I have other abilities besides what you call telepathy and will use them if necessary. I … I love him." She squeezed her eyes shut. "Despite what I did to him." The eyes opened and tears shimmered there. "I owe him a great debt, and will do everything in my power to honor that debt."
Hammond sighed. "Thank you for your honesty, Alina," he said. "Does anyone have anything to add?"
There was silence.
"Dismissed, in that case."
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One month later:
Jack grimaced at his reflection in the mirror. He'd always hated the dress blues, but now that he realized that this was the last time he'd likely be allowed to wear them, he was oddly reluctant to let go.
His court-martial had been surprisingly short. Hammond had not been involved, as he was too close to the situation, and Lieutenant General Vidrine had chaired the trial. A good officer, but absolutely no sense of humor.
Alina had been allowed to testify and he'd been touched at her attempt to take on all the blame. He could've sworn even Vidrine's eyes had softened at her distress; what was it about that little girl that made people want to protect her?
Then Vidrine had called for recess so that they could deliberate and Jack had been taken back to holding.
And now … now they'd reached a decision and Jack was to go back into the court room. He would either walk out of it a free man … or he would walk away to a van full of MPs to escort him to Leavenworth.
"Let's go," he snapped at the silently waiting Airman.
"Yes, sir," the young woman replied.
They traversed the short distance to the court room, then the Airman escorted him in.
Jack glanced quickly around the room. All his friends were there – Daniel, Teal'c, Jacob, Alina, Sam, George, Doc Fraiser and several of the junior staff. Siler, Harriman, Simmons, Hailey (all four nine of her), Grogan and Satterfield. Good people, all of them.
He felt a soft kiss brush his cheek and started, then smiled slightly at Alina. She'd kissed him from twenty feet away – cool trick. Be of stout heart, she projected. I will be there for you – all the way.
Jack smiled slightly once more, then drew himself to rigid attention as Vidrine and the three two stars walked back into the court room. All the AF personnel got quickly to their feet, including Sam and Jacob Carter, he noted with a quick morbid amusement. Hard to break the habit of a lifetime.
"As you were," Vidrine said. He looked around the court room. "Desertion is a serious charge, Colonel O'Neill, and not one that I would have expected to hear laid at your feet. You have a fine record – despite several counts of insubordination and defying direct orders – and the testimonies of your friends and … Alina have been taken into account."
Jack took a deep breath. Here it came.
"It is therefore this panel's decision that the charge of desertion be dropped as you were under alien influence at the time. However, the charge of absence without leave remains." Vidrine put his hands on the dais and leaned forward. "Therefore, Colonel, you will be restricted to desk duty for the next three months at the SGC and an official reprimand will be entered into your permanent record. After which, you will be returned to active duty."
A small happy squeal came from Alina's direction and now … Vidrine smiled slightly. "This session is now ended," he said.
"Ten-hut!" one of the two stars said.
Everyone stood to attention and saluted.
"Dismissed," Vidrine added.
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Lieutenant General Vidrine strode out of the court room, musing on one stubborn Colonel O'Neill. The man had more lives than a cat. He knew certain people were not going to be happy with his decision, but it was his decision. And while Vidrine had little tolerance for O'Neill's maverick attitude, he had even less tolerance for the games being played by Senator Kinsey and his like.
"Lieutenant General!"
He turned and saw the little empath come over to him. He felt a small smile tug at his lips – a hardened thirty-year vet who'd seen his first action in the jungles of Vietnam, and he desperately wanted to protect this little girl.
And he didn't even have O'Neill's renowned love of children. "Yes?" he asked.
"Thank you," she said, her large eyes staring into his own dark ones. "Jack is such a good man, and we need more good men." She regarded him thoughtfully. "He will not like it if he believes that you have risked yourself."
"No risk," he reassured her. "But … thank you."
"You are welcome," she said, linking her fingers together. Then she smiled. "Three months of paperwork?"
Another thing about Colonel John J. O'Neill. He hated paperwork. With a passion. But Vidrine couldn't let him get off entirely scott-free, could he? That would ruin the hard-ass image he'd cultivated for so long.
She gave him another smile, then reached up and touched his lean cheek. "You are another good man, Lieutenant General Vidrine," she said softly. Then her eyes widened. "I am … so sorry for your loss," she added. "But you will find happiness again one day."
Vidrine sucked in a painful breath. He'd lost his wife of twenty five years to cancer two years ago, and sometimes the wound was as raw as the day it had happened. "Thank you," he managed to get out.
"I know you do not believe me," Alina said. "But it is true. Your pain will never go away entirely, but there is the capacity for great joy in you." She now rested both hands on his cheeks. "You are a very good man, with a kind heart. You should let people in."
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"Sir …," Sam Carter managed to get out, her big blue eyes shining with a mixture of tears and happiness.
"Lose the sir, Carter. You're not AF anymore," Jack said gruffly. Damn, she was so pretty!
"Damn; you're one lucky SOB, Jack," Jacob said, patting his shoulder.
"Thanks, Jacob," Jack said. He'd always liked Jacob, having gotten to know the guy pretty well since he'd taken Selmak. He wasn't too keen on the snake, but Jacob was a pretty cool guy.
Sam's eyes searched his face, silently asking permission for something she would never admit out loud to needing. Jack opened his arms. Permission granted. She went into them and slipped her arms round him, clutching hard. "You really are a lucky SOB, sir … Jack," she said.
God … Sam in his arms. He'd hugged her before, but not like this. She was so goddamn beautiful and her tall slim frame fit against him so nice. "Thanks for being here, Sam," he muttered, turning his face into her neck and brushing his lips briefly against the soft skin.
She took a quick breath that indicated that she wasn't completely unaffected by him either, then tightened her hold on him. "Always," she replied.
He raised his head and looked at her lovely face with raised eyebrows. "Always," she reiterated sotto voce.