Brower:
I found Major Carter unconscious on the floor of the temple, or at least I couldn't wake her up. She kept on calling for Jack and saying 'Just let me die'. A pity really that such a scientific mind should belong to someone who was being so pathetic.
"I really thought better than this of you Major. I can't believe you are ready to die over O'Neill rejecting you." I said to her even though she couldn't hear me.
I busied my self with looking around, the room again, she had to have come from somewhere and my 'excavation' of the pillars had proved fruitless, the only thing I found were hollow areas inside of them.
While searching I let my mind wander to my conversation with Kinsey the night before.
*****
"Captain Brower I presume?"
"You presume correctly Senator."
"So is this the right world?"
"We have every reason to believe it is"
"…"
"The Gate Address matches the one given to us by the Goa'ould inhabiting Adrian Conrad."
" And that world is supposed to hold the secret to destroying the Goa'ould?"
"As well as an abundance of Naquada, yes sir."
"Well it looks like we have a job to do. How are you planning to proceed?"
"SG-1 has been assigned to the recon, a few well placed phone calls including one from you to the president, and my team should be in like Flynn."
"Quaint, so who will be joining you?"
"Major Conway and Captain Mallory and a new guy named Nichols."
"Mallory are you sure that's wise."
"I doubt any of them will recognize him, besides he and Conway will be necessary if we have to eliminate SG-1. Hope you don't mind."
"No, no, of course not. SG-1 has been a thorn in my side for too long, it would be nice to not have them interfering with my agenda any longer. Feel free to eliminate them, . . . one way or another. "
*****
"One way . . . or another." I muse to myself fingering my Zat. It would be so easy to fire three times and give her what she was asking for. No muss, no fuss, but a lot of questions and paperwork. Somehow leaving their teams demise to a reckless affair between a CO and his 2IC seems SO much more . . . poetic.
SAM:
Soon, the voice said. You will be free.
The images passing before my eyes were approaching the present and for some reason I was back in my office this morning just before . . .
*****
General Hammond stepped into my office about 30 seconds after I arrived.
"Major, I need to see you in my office. Immediately."
"Yes, sir." I said, and followed his lead.
"Close the door, Major… and have a seat." General Hammond said. I closed the door as he ordered, and sat down opposite of him at his desk.
"What is it, General?"
"Sam… we have a situation regarding SG-1 that needs to be dealt with immediately, and unfortunately we don't have time to wait for Colonel O'Neill to arrive."
"What kind of situation, sir?"
"The four personnel files we waiting for me when I arrived this morning," He slid the files over to me, "Along with orders to assign them directly to SG-1."
"Sir, I recognize this one." I said, seeing the name of a man… Captain Mallory. "He was one of the NID agents who stole the touchstone."
"I was afraid of something like that, Major… which is exactly why I just got off the phone with the President, and he was on the phone late last night with Senator Kinsey. It seems he is very interested in the world SG-1 is assigned to go to this morning. P3X-455."
"Not a world I'm familiar with, sir." I said, and the General slid another folder across the table to me.
"The dialing computer stumbled on it yesterday, and sent a probe through last night. Reports came in; no signs of an indigenous population, so I'm curious just why the NID would be so interested in a planet like-" I broke in…
"Sir… I know this world."
"Major, didn't you just say-"
"No sir… I mean, I recognize the gate address."
"I don't understand, Major…"
"Jolinar, sir. She's been to this world, and if I'm clear on her memories, allowing the NID access to this world would be a very bad thing. Sir, we cannot allow them to go on this world."
"I'm afraid my hands are tied, Major. I have orders from the President to see that this mission goes as scheduled."
"Sir, there's got to be something we can do!"
"What do you suggest, Major? We've got about ten minutes before we are supposed to start the briefing for this mission, four members of the NID who, in the past, have been a major threat to this project… not to mention kidnapping you, along with numerous thwarted attempts at breaking up my best team… and now you tell me that there's another potential danger."
My brain was racing with ideas, trying to come up with some scenario that wouldn't leave us vulnerable to whatever the NID had in mind, but also left us open to completing our mission effectively.
"Divide SG-1…" I said, before the thought had fully formed in my mind. General Hammond looked at me as if I'd grown a second head.
"What would that accomplish, Major?"
I considered my statement for a moment.
"Divide and conquer, sir… If we split up SG-1, we've accomplished half their goal for them, and if we go one step further to make it seem like SG-1 can no longer be a cohesive unit, we may even get them to let their guard down enough to spoil any other plans they have." I said. I can't believe I'm saying this. I've barely thought this through! I thought to myself, but knew it was too late now.
"And how do you propose we do that, Major? I can't think of one believable reason why SG-1 would suddenly break up. Even Daniel's death-"
I broke in quickly.
"The Za'tarc incident." I couldn't believe what I was suggesting. The General gave me a blank stare; apparently, he couldn't believe it either. I continued. "General, the rumor mill already has the Colonel and I having some sort of affair. I know the NID got hold of the reports that say he and I care about each other more than we are supposed to. That's enough of a basis, and if we lend credence to the rumors you could put Teal'c and I on another SG team with two of the guys from the NID. If the Colonel and I were both commanding a team, we could stage a lover's quarrel as soon as we step through the gate, just to get them off balance, and wing it from there."
"I do not like this idea, Major. But unfortunately, I don't have a better one, and we are out of time to discuss it so you have a go. I don't have to remind you that none of this leaves this room, and that the walls have ears even in the SGC. Now, there is the issue of getting Colonel O'Neill to play along."
"I'll take care of that part, sir."
"Good, I'll meet you in the briefing room in three minutes. Oh and by the way major, I asked you to my office to tell you that you were going to be running this briefing" He said, leaving me alone. My brain hurt and I wanted to hit myself for even suggesting the course of action I now had to pursue. I grabbed a piece of paper and wrote a quick note. I folded it and held it tightly in my hand, thinking to myself: 'I know nothing but what is in the report, I do not know that they are all NID, and this has got to be the stupidest idea I've ever had.'
*****
My own selfishness, my own desires and needs. I had to drag Jack into this, not explaining anything. He didn't want me, he made that very clear with the slap. He had never wanted me. Only wanted me dead, or out of his life. "Oh God Jack I'm so sorry."
I woke up crying, my tears falling to the hard marble floor beneath me. The intense overwhelming sense of guilt was gone but . . . I was supposed to be dead. " Why am I not dead?"
"I'm guessing , but I think that it's because whoever took you didn't want you dead."
I looked up at the man standing above me, I recognized him, from somewhere- 'Brower? Yes, Captain Brower.' His name seeped back in through the mass of images and emotion fresh in my mind.
"But you're not Jack." I turned my face back toward the floor as the tears came even stronger. "It's all my fault."
Brower:
'Oh this is too good, she's having a complete breakdown. Kinzie will love it and I might be able to use it to my advantage.'
"Major . . . Major?" I waited till her crying slowed to light sobs. "Major, forget him. He's not worth it. Let me help you forget." I put my arms around her and pulled her into me. "I can help you forget Major. All the pain will be gone. " Her crying quieted even more. " I'll help you forget O'Neill, if you'll help me."
I found Major Carter unconscious on the floor of the temple, or at least I couldn't wake her up. She kept on calling for Jack and saying 'Just let me die'. A pity really that such a scientific mind should belong to someone who was being so pathetic.
"I really thought better than this of you Major. I can't believe you are ready to die over O'Neill rejecting you." I said to her even though she couldn't hear me.
I busied my self with looking around, the room again, she had to have come from somewhere and my 'excavation' of the pillars had proved fruitless, the only thing I found were hollow areas inside of them.
While searching I let my mind wander to my conversation with Kinsey the night before.
*****
"Captain Brower I presume?"
"You presume correctly Senator."
"So is this the right world?"
"We have every reason to believe it is"
"…"
"The Gate Address matches the one given to us by the Goa'ould inhabiting Adrian Conrad."
" And that world is supposed to hold the secret to destroying the Goa'ould?"
"As well as an abundance of Naquada, yes sir."
"Well it looks like we have a job to do. How are you planning to proceed?"
"SG-1 has been assigned to the recon, a few well placed phone calls including one from you to the president, and my team should be in like Flynn."
"Quaint, so who will be joining you?"
"Major Conway and Captain Mallory and a new guy named Nichols."
"Mallory are you sure that's wise."
"I doubt any of them will recognize him, besides he and Conway will be necessary if we have to eliminate SG-1. Hope you don't mind."
"No, no, of course not. SG-1 has been a thorn in my side for too long, it would be nice to not have them interfering with my agenda any longer. Feel free to eliminate them, . . . one way or another. "
*****
"One way . . . or another." I muse to myself fingering my Zat. It would be so easy to fire three times and give her what she was asking for. No muss, no fuss, but a lot of questions and paperwork. Somehow leaving their teams demise to a reckless affair between a CO and his 2IC seems SO much more . . . poetic.
SAM:
Soon, the voice said. You will be free.
The images passing before my eyes were approaching the present and for some reason I was back in my office this morning just before . . .
*****
General Hammond stepped into my office about 30 seconds after I arrived.
"Major, I need to see you in my office. Immediately."
"Yes, sir." I said, and followed his lead.
"Close the door, Major… and have a seat." General Hammond said. I closed the door as he ordered, and sat down opposite of him at his desk.
"What is it, General?"
"Sam… we have a situation regarding SG-1 that needs to be dealt with immediately, and unfortunately we don't have time to wait for Colonel O'Neill to arrive."
"What kind of situation, sir?"
"The four personnel files we waiting for me when I arrived this morning," He slid the files over to me, "Along with orders to assign them directly to SG-1."
"Sir, I recognize this one." I said, seeing the name of a man… Captain Mallory. "He was one of the NID agents who stole the touchstone."
"I was afraid of something like that, Major… which is exactly why I just got off the phone with the President, and he was on the phone late last night with Senator Kinsey. It seems he is very interested in the world SG-1 is assigned to go to this morning. P3X-455."
"Not a world I'm familiar with, sir." I said, and the General slid another folder across the table to me.
"The dialing computer stumbled on it yesterday, and sent a probe through last night. Reports came in; no signs of an indigenous population, so I'm curious just why the NID would be so interested in a planet like-" I broke in…
"Sir… I know this world."
"Major, didn't you just say-"
"No sir… I mean, I recognize the gate address."
"I don't understand, Major…"
"Jolinar, sir. She's been to this world, and if I'm clear on her memories, allowing the NID access to this world would be a very bad thing. Sir, we cannot allow them to go on this world."
"I'm afraid my hands are tied, Major. I have orders from the President to see that this mission goes as scheduled."
"Sir, there's got to be something we can do!"
"What do you suggest, Major? We've got about ten minutes before we are supposed to start the briefing for this mission, four members of the NID who, in the past, have been a major threat to this project… not to mention kidnapping you, along with numerous thwarted attempts at breaking up my best team… and now you tell me that there's another potential danger."
My brain was racing with ideas, trying to come up with some scenario that wouldn't leave us vulnerable to whatever the NID had in mind, but also left us open to completing our mission effectively.
"Divide SG-1…" I said, before the thought had fully formed in my mind. General Hammond looked at me as if I'd grown a second head.
"What would that accomplish, Major?"
I considered my statement for a moment.
"Divide and conquer, sir… If we split up SG-1, we've accomplished half their goal for them, and if we go one step further to make it seem like SG-1 can no longer be a cohesive unit, we may even get them to let their guard down enough to spoil any other plans they have." I said. I can't believe I'm saying this. I've barely thought this through! I thought to myself, but knew it was too late now.
"And how do you propose we do that, Major? I can't think of one believable reason why SG-1 would suddenly break up. Even Daniel's death-"
I broke in quickly.
"The Za'tarc incident." I couldn't believe what I was suggesting. The General gave me a blank stare; apparently, he couldn't believe it either. I continued. "General, the rumor mill already has the Colonel and I having some sort of affair. I know the NID got hold of the reports that say he and I care about each other more than we are supposed to. That's enough of a basis, and if we lend credence to the rumors you could put Teal'c and I on another SG team with two of the guys from the NID. If the Colonel and I were both commanding a team, we could stage a lover's quarrel as soon as we step through the gate, just to get them off balance, and wing it from there."
"I do not like this idea, Major. But unfortunately, I don't have a better one, and we are out of time to discuss it so you have a go. I don't have to remind you that none of this leaves this room, and that the walls have ears even in the SGC. Now, there is the issue of getting Colonel O'Neill to play along."
"I'll take care of that part, sir."
"Good, I'll meet you in the briefing room in three minutes. Oh and by the way major, I asked you to my office to tell you that you were going to be running this briefing" He said, leaving me alone. My brain hurt and I wanted to hit myself for even suggesting the course of action I now had to pursue. I grabbed a piece of paper and wrote a quick note. I folded it and held it tightly in my hand, thinking to myself: 'I know nothing but what is in the report, I do not know that they are all NID, and this has got to be the stupidest idea I've ever had.'
*****
My own selfishness, my own desires and needs. I had to drag Jack into this, not explaining anything. He didn't want me, he made that very clear with the slap. He had never wanted me. Only wanted me dead, or out of his life. "Oh God Jack I'm so sorry."
I woke up crying, my tears falling to the hard marble floor beneath me. The intense overwhelming sense of guilt was gone but . . . I was supposed to be dead. " Why am I not dead?"
"I'm guessing , but I think that it's because whoever took you didn't want you dead."
I looked up at the man standing above me, I recognized him, from somewhere- 'Brower? Yes, Captain Brower.' His name seeped back in through the mass of images and emotion fresh in my mind.
"But you're not Jack." I turned my face back toward the floor as the tears came even stronger. "It's all my fault."
Brower:
'Oh this is too good, she's having a complete breakdown. Kinzie will love it and I might be able to use it to my advantage.'
"Major . . . Major?" I waited till her crying slowed to light sobs. "Major, forget him. He's not worth it. Let me help you forget." I put my arms around her and pulled her into me. "I can help you forget Major. All the pain will be gone. " Her crying quieted even more. " I'll help you forget O'Neill, if you'll help me."