Summary: Sam and Daniel begin to wonder – just how smart is the colonel? Is Jack the genius known only as MacGyver?
Disclaimer: I do not own "Stargate SG-1" the series. I believe it is owned by MGM. No copyright infringement is intended. I do not "MacGyver" (original or remake) and am not sure who does. No disrespect is intended I am merely intrigued by the possibilities.
The Colonel?
Chapter 7
By: visions2share a.k.a. Vi
It was nearly time for the weekly Senior Staff Meeting to begin. Sam had found, at last week's meeting, that Daniel's supposition was correct – the Colonel was the same as ever. The only notable difference had been he didn't seem as rested after his long weekend at the cabin as he had in times past. But when Teal'c had asked, the Colonel had said the traffic coming home had been horrendous – so it was no wonder he hadn't appeared rested.
Now a week, and two routine missions later, if traveling across the galaxy by Stargate tethered wormholes, could ever be called routine – and Sam had gotten used to putting her questions about the Colonel to the back of her mind. General Hammond and the Colonel were standing by the coffee pumper pots and donut boxes with Teal'c discussing a hockey game that had aired the night before. Daniel sat on her left at the conference table and was absorbed by the work or reports or whatever he'd brought in with him. Sam, herself, was trying to be equally absorbed by her own stack of work – but found her eyes repeatedly drawn, against her will, to the conundrum that was her commanding officer.
How could he stand to hide such an extensive education? Why didn't he want people to know he was well educated – a 'serious and brilliant scholar,' as Daniel had deduced when reading his personnel file. General Hammond thought it was a strategy so people would underestimate him? But to Sam this made no sense – why would he want his own commanding officer to underestimate him? Wouldn't that hamper his career? And what about the team? Sg-1? Surely, they deserved to know they were in good, well-educated, hands? Sam trusted Colonel O'Neill without a doubt but it had taken time and multiple life threatening, and certainly life altering, situations to build that trust. Wouldn't she and, especially, Daniel have felt better following the Colonel's lead if they had known he was as interested in expanding his knowledge base as they were? And he had to be interested in that – nobody who wasn't could have possibly amassed the volume of degrees the Colonel had. Sam tried to focus on her work but her mind kept spinning like she was on a carnival ride.
As Sam glanced toward the Colonel for what had to be the thousandth time, he met her gaze and, embarrassed, she swung her gaze around the room hoping to make him think she hadn't really been looking at him. But as her eyes swung around, she caught sight of the clock on the wall – they were running behind schedule – the meeting should have started eight minutes before. What were they waiting for? Another glance around the room showed they were all there – except Dr. Fraiser, the Chief Medical Officer for the program. Janet Fraiser was probably the sole person in the whole program who could be late with impunity – if she wasn't here it was because she had a patient that needed her to be elsewhere.
Sam's gaze moved to the bank of TVs at the end of the room, opposite the General's office, sometimes they were all on – today only two were playing – one on ZNN and one on C-SPAN – and while neither had the sound on – both had tickers scrolling across the bottom on the screen – each with nothing much to say. Sam forced the TVs and her pile of work to hold her attention – it wouldn't be good to be caught eyeing the Colonel again.
"Well, let's get started people," General Hammond's command drew everyone's focus as he, the Colonel, and Teal'c all moved to take their places at the table. "Dr. Fraiser will just have to join us in progress."
"I kind of feel sorry for whoever has the attention of the Doc and her needles," Colonel O'Neill smirked as he got himself settled at the General's right hand with Teal'c on his other side.
"I do not believe DoctorFraiser would use for needles unnecessarily," Teal'c offered with his customarily straight face.
Colonel O'Neill replied with only a disbelieving snort, and General Hammond just slightly shook his head – ignoring the byplay.
The meeting had barely started when an out of breath Janet Fraiser came bounding up the steps into the conference room with an arm full of files. "Sorry, I'm late, sir," Janet spoke and dragged in air, at the same time, as she stood at loose attention at the top of the stairs.
"That's alright, Doctor," General Hammond waved her forward to take a seat at the table, "I assume you were with a patient?"
"I was checking on the members of SG-11 who are recuperating at the Academy Hospital. They all seem to be doing much better," Janet updated as an aside, "but the reason I'm late is there was an awful set-to at the Academy – MPs and civilian law enforcement all over the place!" She now had the full attention of the five other people in the room. "I had to present my ID six times, and two different checkpoints searched my car and through all my belongings before I was allowed to leave." Janet ran out of steam as she took the seat on Teal'c right side.
"What in the world?" General Hammond asked, although Sam didn't think he really expected an answer.
"I don't know for sure, sir, but I saw General West being taken out in handcuffs!"
There was silence for a moment while that thought sunk in then the Colonel's gaze met Daniel's and they both smirked. Daniel chuckled as the Colonel said, in full sarcasm, "couldn't happen to a nicer guy!"
Author's Note: I should probably warn viewers that I have taken a few liberties with the original movie. I've seen it – but since RDA wasn't in it I don't care about it nearly as much so I have repurposed some of the movie characters for my own agenda. Hint, hint, wink, wink. ~Vi