Thank you to everyone who reviewed, it's really appreciated! I'll post it at Heliopolis shortly, there are just some editing 'details' I have to fix up. :((

DAY TWO: TUESDAY

'Morning, Major.'

'Morning,' Sam returned, showing her ID card to the airman.

'That's okay,' he told her, moving aside to let her through. Just as she was stepping past, he stopped her. 'Major Carter!' She turned back.

'Yes?'

'I have a letter here for you from a Lieutenant Simmons,' the airman told her, handing her a small piece of paper. Sam took it, confused.

'I don't understand, why would he write me a letter?' she mused aloud.

'I really don't know, ma'am. I didn't read it.' Sam suddenly thought of something. She looked up sharply.

'He's in the infirmary. How could he have left the letter here?' The airman just smiled.

'Oh, Colonel O'Neill took the liberty of bringing it up here.'

'Colonel O'Neill?'

Ting!

A lightbulb flashed, and Sam stared the letter, shaking her head.

'Thank you, you've been very helpful,' she told him. He suddenly had a worried look on his face.

'I wasn't meant to tell you that,' he admitted, and Sam walked off, grinning to herself. She pocketed the letter, deciding to wait until she reached her laboratory to read it. Trust Jack to do something like this. He had the worst sense of humour at times, finding humour in other people's misfortune. Of course, Sam reasoned, if this were happening to someone else, and women were declaring their undying love for him, she'd have to poke fun. But it wasn't that way at all, so she just had to sit back and accept whatever Jack was going to dish out. If neccessary she'd recruit Daniel to help her with a little revenge...difficult when the risk of court martial was hanging over her head, but a few comments here and there could be over-looked.

Deep in thought, Sam seemed to walk the way to her laboratory without even thinking about it. She was at the door before she even realised where she was, suddenly snapping back to reality as she tried to open the locked door.

'You may need to unlock the door, Major,' a voice called cheerily.

'Yes, sir, I figured that,' Sam said, pulling a key out of her pocket and unlocking the door.

'You may want to visit Daniel later,' Jack told her. 'He's in an absolute rampage. Daniel-style, so it's nothing too violent, but a rampage all the same.'

'What's happened?' Sam asked, flicking the switches and entering her laboratory. It had been off-limits since the device had been rushed out, but was now thankfully safe to enter. 'I missed this place yesterday.' Jack shook his head.

'Carter, you were gone from it for what? Six hours?' She didn't reply, too busy checking everything to make sure it was all in place.

'Hmm?'

'Forget it, Carter, you work too hard. Anyway, Daniel's in a bad mood because that annoying archaeologist...what's his name? He joined our team for a couple of missions when Daniel resigned.'

'Ah...Rothman, I think, sir,' Sam told him. Jack snapped his fingers.

'Yeah, him. Something happened and Daniel found him in his office, sorting through all the papers Daniel spent so long cataloguing yesterday.

'Really?' Sam leant against one of the workbenches, shaking her head. 'That's terrible. So you want me to visit him, sir?'

'Yeah.' Jack shrugged. 'You know me and sympathy.' Sam nodded, her eyebrows raised.

'Or lack thereof,' she added, but Jack just rolled his eyes.

'Whatever. Hammond wants to see me, later, Carter.'

'Bye, sir,' Sam said as he left, closing the laboratory door behind him. It was then Sam remembered the letter in her pocket. Damn! She was going to mention it while he was there, but forgot. Putting her hand in her pocket, she pulled out the letter, unfolded it, and read,

'Major Carter (do you mind if I call you Samantha?),

Dr Fraiser says I'll be out of the infirmary today, so would you like to meet me in the commissary at lunch? I'll be sitting at your usual table...and Samantha...come alone.

Lieutenant Simmons.'

Sam had to grin. That was so typical! Terrible, but typical. Shaking her head, she folded the letter and put it back in her pocket, then checked her watch. SG-1 had a meeting with General Hammond sometime during that morning, and she didn't want to be late. If Jack's meeting with him was any indication, he was cracking down on work being done and teams working together as teams, for lack of a better term, even when not offworld. Plus they had the device to discuss. Sam frowned. She'd rather forget it never existed...but as that wasn't possible, she'd just have to put up with it.

'Damn device,' she muttered to herself, leaning against the bench for a few more minutes before pushing herself up and heading to the control room, where she was needed to check a couple of the programs running on the computers.

***

Daniel was furius. Daniel was livid. Daniel was ready to tear down and destroy anyone who dared walk in that door and act cheerful. Basically, if Jack came along, he was gone. Not that it was his fault, of course, but he always seemed to make Daniel's anger worse. Sometimes he came through and managed to calm Daniel down, but most of the time, he just riled his temper even more.

How dare Robert Rothman go into his office without asking and disturb all the files? How had he gotten in? He'd refused to answer when Daniel had questioned him, and then had fled before Daniel could really start interrogating.

It wasn't just that the files had been messed up a bit. It was the whole principal of the thing. You don't just walk into somebody else's office. And along those lines, you don't allow someone to walk into someone else's office. You ask first. You not go in there in the first place. You at least get yourself out before the owner of the office catches you rifling through their stuff...okay, so maybe that one wasn't applicable, but the first two certainly were!

Flicking through the papers on the desk, Daniel quickly made sure they were all there.

'Well, there's none missing, they're just out of order. Fabulous. I only have to re-file these, and then continue doing the rest. What a great start to a week.' Daniel rubbed his eyes. It was only the second day they'd been back at Cheyenne Mountain after a day off after the mission, and already everything was going down hill.

'Daniel Jackson.' Daniel looked up. Teal'c was standing outside the office. 'I believe it is nearly time for our meeting with General Hammond.' Daniel checked his watch.

'How can that be? According to my watch, I've been here for three hours! That is impossible.'

'I believe, Daniel Jackson, that it is possible. You often get very engrossed in your work and lose track of time. I have observed this between you and Major Carter.'

'Oh.' Daniel didn't quite know what to say to that. 'Okay, I'll be there in a second, Teal'c.' Daniel put down the papers and grabbed his crutches. 'Do you have any idea what this meeting is about?'

'I do not,' Teal'c replied, holding his head a little higher. 'I do believe that O'Neill is speaking with General Hammond at the moment.'

'Yeah, his paperwork.' Daniel walked to the door, and Teal'c stepped sideways so he could go through. 'Ah, thanks. And something else, I think. He didn't exactly have any idea what it was about himself, so when I asked...'

'Is there something the matter, Daniel Jackson?' Teal'c asked suddenly as Daniel pressed the button for the elevator viciously.

'Why do you ask?' Daniel enquired, surprised. He didn't think his anger was so apparent.

'You do not seem in your normal state of good humour,' Teal'c told him, stepping inside the elevator. 'What has happened?'

'It's nothing, Teal'c,' Daniel told him as the doors whooshed shut. 'I just had a bit of a bad morning.'

'I see,' Teal'c said, although Daniel knew he had no idea what Daniel was talking about. They spent the rest of the elevator trip and walk to the briefing room in silence, both deep in thought.

***

Jack sat, fidgeting, as General Hammond talked.

'Now, I'm not going to say much until we join the rest of SG-1,' General Hammond was saying. 'But I really feel we need to keep up a team dynamic at the base as well as off-world.'

'With all due respect, sir, SG-1 do have a good team dynamic, and I can't imagine why you would think otherwise,' Jack told him.

'I didn't say that you didn't, Colonel. All I'm saying is that you will all be helped greater if you communicate just that little bit more...especially in the conducting of research and completion of paperwork,' General Hammond told him.

'General...'

'I know this doesn't really apply very much to SG-1, Colonel, but I have to tell you this.'

'I know, General, but SG...'

'I won't say anymore until we join the rest of them. Dismissed.' Jack went to say more, but knew it would be useless.

'Yes, sir.' Jack stood up and left General Hammond's office, walking into the briefing room and collapsing in his seat. Picking up his notepad, he started drawing idly, not really concentrating. He knew his paperwork would come up, and General Hammond had given him a sound lecture about being in Daniel's office the day before instead of working. Jack had argued that Daniel had needed help, and General Hammond had promply asked him how he could possibly help Daniel with his paperwork when he couldn't do his own? He had also been asked to not get Major Carter to lie for him. No matter how much Jack had argued that she hadn't lied, the General wouldn't believe it. Knowing he was defeated, Jack had simply listened, occasionally tuning out. It was when Hammond had started talking about team dynamics and keeping it up that Jack had found the need to argue.

'Hey, Jack.' Jack looked up.

'O'Neill.'

'Hey, Daniel, hey Teal'c, have a seat.' Teal'c took his place to Jack's left, and Daniel sat across from Jack.

'What was your meeting with the General about?' Daniel asked. Before Jack could answer, the General himself walked in.

'Tell you later,' Jack muttered, making a half-hearted attempt to stand.

'At ease, Colonel.' Jack sat back down again and resumed his drawing. 'Where's Major Carter?'

'Still in the control room, I think,' Jack replied. 'Want me to go get her?'

'She's here now,' Sam said, walking through the door quickly and taking a seat. 'Sorry, sir,' she said to the General.

'That's alright, Major. Before we officially start, I'd just like to inform you that the device has been put in quarantine until further notice. Scientists are attempting to study it, but quite frankly, I don't see the point in that.'

'Yes, sir,' Sam replied, looking relieved that the device was well away from where it could do any harm. General Hammond continued.

'Now I've called you all here today to talk about something I've just been talking to Colonel O'Neill about.' There was silence around the table.

'Jack, why...'

'It's nothing I've done, it's the team in general, Daniel,' Jack said, cutting Daniel off before he could say anything.

'But...'

'Ah!' Jack held his hand up. 'I don't want to hear it, Daniel.' General Hammond waited patiently until they finished their sniping.

'Colonel O'Neill's right, I'm here to talk to you about team dynamic. It's been noticed that once some of the teams return here, they lost contact with one another. Or they...'

'But that's not the case with SG-1, sir,' Sam told him. The General sighed. Jack was amused. He knew the General was going to have a tough time trying to explain to SG-1 they needed to have more team dynamic. There would be arguments after every sentence.

'It all depends on what you call team dynamic, Major,' General Hammond told her. 'Some of the teams don't communicate once back on base as much as they should. This lack of communication means lack of detail and the work that's done back here. But it can also be...'

'Sir...' Jack started, but General Hammond continued talking before he could say anything.

'Because of differences in interests between the team members, there is a huge communication loss.' General Hammond sat back, and couldn't help wishing he'd worded that differently. The arguments came at him all at once as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

'General, we couldn't be more different and we talk on the base. Frequently. Helping with reports...'

'Sir, every single member of SG-1 has a different interest. Heck, one of us is an alien. And we all know how I...'

'Sir, need I remind you that...'

'I believe this is not the case for SG-1.' General Hammond held his hands up as they all talked at once. 'If you would let me talk, I could explain what else is an issue. Look, I know you believe that the team is fine. And I whole-heartedly believe this. However, there is some talk that SG-1 is too close. As much as there is a lack of communication between some teams, in others there is too much.' Silence met this.

'Sir, first you're accusing us of not talking, and now you're saying we talk too much?' Sam asked, confused. 'What do you want us to do?'

'Yesterday, you were all helping Daniel Jackson in his office. Did you all need to be there?'

'We were helping, General. He just happened to be in trouble and needed help. Is this wrong?' Jack demanded.

'No, Colonel, it's not wrong. But you all had other work to do. It seems to me that you all communicate very well...for the wrong reasons. Now...'

'Sir, with all due respect, I think SG-1 has been functioning normally ever since we started...well, ever since Teal'c joined, anyway,' Sam told him. 'I think our team dynamic works quite well, especially looking at the success rate we've had over the years.' Jack and Daniel both nodded to that, and Teal'c bowed his head once in approval.

'I agree with Major Carter. SG-1 works extremely efficiently the way we are at the moment,' Teal'c told him. 'If this is not to your satisfaction...' General Hammond shook his head, standing up.

'I can see that I'm not going to get anywhere talking to you people at the moment. I can see your arguments. However, Senator Kinsey...'

'What the hell does Kinsey know about how SG-1 runs?' Jack exclaimed.

'Colonel, he's asked me to report how each of the teams run on the base. Your team just happened to perk his interest.' Jack stood up.

'I bet it did. He's been looking for any reason to split us all up since Bauer failed.'

'Colonel O'Neill, please sit down.'

'Sir...'

'I understand what you're thinking, Colonel, but please, sit down.' The General's tone was commanding, and Jack reluctantly sat down, casting a glance around the table. He could see they all looked as shocked as he did. 'I'll dismiss you now, and we'll have another meeting in a few days. In the meantime, don't dwell too much on what Kinsey thinks. I have no intention of following what he says.'

'Then why...?' Sam started to ask. General Hammond sighed.

'I thought it best to let you know what was happening up in the political side of the program. When teams are being watched carefully, it's only fair to let them know it's happening. Dismissed.' The General stood up and left the briefing room.

'I don't believe it!' Daniel said, mostly to himself. 'How could Kinsey just...'

'Oh, he and his precious NID can do anything,' Jack said bitterly. 'I should have shot him when I had the chance.'

'Sir, I don't think there's anything to worry about,' Sam told him.

'Oh, there's something to worry about.' He stood up, looking extremely animated. 'If Kinsey even comes out here, he's going to regret it.' He left the briefing room. Sam and Daniel exchanged glances.

'You don't think...'

'I don't know,' Daniel replied.

'Well, he wouldn't...'

'No idea.'

'Should we...'

'Definitely.' They both stood up and headed for the door, Daniel quite slowly, determined to follow Jack and make sure he didn't do anything drastic. 'Teal'c?'

'I must once again report to Lieutenant Fisher. He still does not understand the Goa'uld hierarchy.' Sam nodded.

'Okay, we'll see you later, Teal'c.' Daniel nodded, and they both headed out the door, Daniel slowly as he was still getting used to the crutches.

***

'That's called stalking, you know.'

'Jack, we just want to make sure you don't do anything drastic.'

'Me, drastic?'

'Sir, don't let what Kinsey said get to you,' Sam advised. 'Just don't worry about it.'

'I'm not worried about it.'

'So why are you sharpening your biro?' Jack looked down sharply, then removed the biro from the sharpener calmly, putting both on his desk as if it was nothing out of the ordinary.

'Okay, so I'm annoyed. Big deal. All you have to do is mention NID and I'm ready to go out and shoot Maybourne.'

'That's no threat, Jack, you're always ready to go out and shoot Maybourne,' Daniel pointed out mildly. Sam hid her smile as Jack glared at Daniel.

'You know what I mean.' He sat silent for a few seconds. 'Now, if you don't mind, I've got some things to do.' Knowing that he wanted them to leave, they left, closing the door behind them.

'I'm back to the control room.' Sam made a face. 'Something's happened to one of the programs, it's not responding properly.' Daniel just nodded.

'That's a bit inconvenient.'

'Just a little bit.' Sam started walking down the corridor. 'Have fun with your filing!'

'Oh, absolutely,' Daniel muttered to himself. 'I may even get Rothman to help me.'

***

Jack was already sitting at a table in the commissary by the time Sam made it down there. She'd had one visit to the infirmary, where, to her and Janet's delight, the five men were no longer making any comments to them. It was like they'd woken up from being unconscious, and had absolutely no recollection of what had happened the previous day. Confusing, but the source of much relief to Sam, Janet and the nurses, and much disappointment to the people who'd found the whole thing hilarious.

To Sam's relief, Jack seemed to be in a much happier mood, writing on something in front of him.

'Hi,' she said, putting her sandwhich down. 'This seat taken?' He looked up from what she recognised as a report and shook his head.

'Nope, not taken.' He grinned slightly. 'Aren't you meeting someone?'

'I don't think they're here yet,' she said. 'Running late, not a good sign.'

'What are they like?' Jack asked her, taking a sip of coffee.

'Oh, they could give some men around here a run for their money.'

'A run? Impressive.'

'Okay, maybe a sedate walk, but...' Jack grinned.

'I take it the airman blabbed.'

'Well, I doubt Lieutenant Simmons would have someone take a note to the airman, when he could just tell me something himself if I visited the infirmary,' Sam pointed out.

'You never know, if he was desperate...'

'If who was desperate?' Daniel hobbled up. 'Can I have a seat? Thanks.' He sat down next to Jack before he could say anything. 'I am absolutely starving.'

'No one's desperate,' Sam told him. 'I'll get your lunch for you, Daniel, what did you want?'

'Don't worry, I grabbed a coffee half an hour ago. Is it just me, or are you guys confused about that meeting with Hammond earlier?'

'Oh, I'm confused Daniel. Actually, I'm way passed the confused stage, I'm onto the go out to Kinsey's office and shoot him stage.'

'Sir, I agree with Daniel, that meeting with General Hammond really was strange,' Sam argued gently. 'It really didn't make any sense. First saying we don't communicate enough, then saying we communicate too much, I don't get it. Why would he even care? We've been working well for years now.'

'Well, they're not going to be complaining about it anymore,' Jack said, taking a sip of water. Silence met that statement. It seemed all too ominous.

'Sir, you haven't done anything, have you?'

'Who, me?'

'Jack, you feigning innocence means you've done something,' Daniel pointed out. 'We'd just like to know how much you've screwed us all up.'

'Daniel!' Jack exclaimed. 'I can't believe that you'd think that!' Sam and Daniel just stared at him. 'Okay, so I may have rung Kinsey...'

'How many times?'

'Once...or twice...' Jack said vaguely, taking a bite of sandwhich to avoid being questioned any further.

'And what did you say?' Daniel asked. Silence. 'What did you say?' he prompted. Jack looked up at him.

'What?'

'What did you say?' Daniel repeated for the third time.

'I said what.'

'What?'

'What?'

'What did you say on the phone?'

'When?'

'To Kinsey.'

'Kinsey?'

'Jack!' Daniel snapped, unable to control his temper. 'What did you say on the phone to Kinsey today?'

'Phone?'

'I give up!' Daniel got to his feet angrily, grabbing his crutches. 'I'm off the infirmary. Bye Sam.' Without even looking back he walked off angrily, not an easy feat with crutches. In his attempt to stomp off he crashed into the side of the door, wobbling as if he was about to fall. Finally regaining his balance, he stormed through, only for them to hear an, 'Get out my way!' as he walked off. Sam didn't have to look at Jack to know he was grinning.

'With all due respect, sir, was that wise?' she asked him.

'Was what wise?' he asked her. She must have been shooting daggers at him, because he hastily added, 'That was not a joke, I really am asking for real this time.'

'Baiting Daniel like that and calling Kinsey,' she answered, her patience with him waning quickly.

'Carter, is anything really wise anymore?'

'Okay, since when did you start talking like the Harsesis?' She went to stand up, but Jack held his hands up.

'I'm sorry, Carter, sit down, for crying out loud. I didn't say anything bad to Kinsey, I just let him know that I know what he's been doing, and that I'm not impressed. He cannot question any of the teams at this base, because, quite frankly, he knows next to nothing about most of them. We're just his target 'cause we keep interrupting his little NID movements.'

'And baiting Daniel?'

'That I just did for fun.' Jack grinned. 'And fun it was.' Sam shook her head.

'Are you sure that's all you said to Kinsey?'

'Well...'

'And how did you say it?'

'Whoa, Carter, back up!' He held his hands up again. 'Don't worry about Kinsey or Daniel, they'll get over it.'

'Get over what?'

'What?' That did it. Sam knew she'd be getting nothing more out of Jack, and staying would succeed in nothing but her losing her temper. She stood up.

'Have a nice lunch, sir,' she said, grabbing her sandwhich, smiling slightly so he'd know she wasn't too mad.

'I hope your date turns up,' he said, a slight grin on his face.

'Looks like he stood me up,' she replied. 'Oh, well, I think I'll recover.'

'Good to hear.' She nodded a good-bye and headed to the door of the commissary. 'A sedate walk, hey?' Sam just held a hand up in response, grinning as she walked out the door.

***

General Hammond was furious. Well, actually, Senator Kinsey was furious and taking it out on a very annoyed General Hammond.

'The command you keep is disgraceful, if people like Colonel O'Neill can make phone calls like that to this office several times during the day and threaten me.' General Hammond shook his head.

'Phone calls are not screened by myself leaving the mountain,' he told the Senator. 'In no way did I authorise him to call you, or to make any non-...'

'That just adds to the disgrace of your command. But don't worry, General, it's not you I intend to take it out on. If Colonel O'Neill's behaviour doesn't improve, Major Carter will be looking at a demotion.'

'Senator, Major Carter has nothing to do with Colonel O'Neill's behaviour, I cannot allow that,' General Hammond siad in shock.

'Colonel O'Neill may not think very highly of his own career, but if her career was on the line, he may pull himself together. As a result, I am coming out to the mountain tomorrow. I will inform them then. Don't say a word, General. Any wrong behaviour by Colonel O'Neill after I've spoken to them will have Major Carter or Daniel Jackson out of the SGC before they can say naqahdah.' The phone went dead, and General Hammond stared at the opposite wall, trying to calm himself down. How dare Kinsey threaten some of the people under his command! And how dare he think for a second that he will be doing anything to Major Carter or Daniel Jackson's career because Colonel O'Neill felt strongly about his views and dared speak them.

But at the same time, General Hammond was annoyed at Colonel O'Neill for making the phone calls in the first place. What right did he have to do that?

General Hammond shook his head and beckoned to the technician outside his office.

'Sir?'

'Please page Major Carter and Colonel O'Neill,' he told him. 'Tell them to come to my office immediately.'

'Yes, sir.' The technician nodded and left the office. General Hammond had every intention of telling them what was on the line. Although it was only a couple of phone calls now, it could very easily escalate.

So deep was he in thought that he didn't hear the knock on his door.

'Sir?'

'Is he asleep?'

'Don't be ridiculous, Carter.'

'Come in!' General Hammond called, sitting straighter. Jack opened the door and pushed it open, Sam following him.

'What's this all about, sir?' Jack asked him.

'Have a seat, Jack, and I'll tell you.' Exchanging a glance with Sam, Jack took a seat. Sam sat down next to him, face deceptively calm. 'I've just received a call from Senator Kinsey. Seems you've been calling his office, leaving threatening messages.' Sam closed her eyes and leant back, shaking her head slightly. Jack noticed this, and faced the General.

'I just wanted him to know what I thought.'

'That's fair enough, Jack, but there's a lot at stake here.'

'General, do you know what Kinsey told me? He told me, once he finally talked to me, that he was determined to split SG-1 up if he saw the need to. I told him what I thought, and he calls that threatening? I did no other threatening, I just asked to talk to Kinsey.' He paused a second. 'What's Carter got to do with this?'

'Colonel, there's a lot on the line, here. Kinsey has just told me that if, after a meeting with you and the rest of SG-1 tomorrow, any of this continues, Major Carter will be out of the SGC. Or at least out of SG-1. I got the impression that if that fails, Daniel Jackson will be out as well.'

'What?' Sam and Jack said in unison, both sitting up straighter in their seats.

'He knows what he's doing, Colonel. He knows that you wouldn't jeorpadise a team-mate's career.' The General paused, then continued. 'He told me not to tell you, Colonel, so I expect you both to act surprised tomorrow.' The General stood up. 'I'm not going to mention any more of the phone calls, Colonel, because I believe you when you say you didn't threaten them any of the other times. But Kinsey has contacts.' Apparently they were dismissed, because the General didn't go to any more. They left his office slowly.

'Can you believe that?' Jack was fuming. 'I sure as hell don't!'

'I know,' Sam muttered. 'It's my career on the line, here, and I haven't even done anything.'

'I'm sorry, Carter, I wasn't expecting Kinsey to pull a stunt like this. Although, considering his past threats, I'm not all that surprised.'

'What are you going to do?' Sam asked him tentatively.

'Oh, I'm going to play good little boy,' Jack said sarcastically, walking away. 'Just wait.' Sam felt like running after him and bashing him over the head. It was her career. If he played up, she'd be paying for it. But screaming and hitting him over the head wasn't going to gain anything. General Hammond wouldn't really split them up...would he?

'Major?' The technician came over. 'We've been wondering when you'd be back, the program's nearly back online. But SG-14 are due off-world in half an hour. The rate we're going, it'll be another hour.' Sam nodded, still slightly in a daze.

'Yeah, sure, let's have a look.' She walked into the control room, sitting herself back down in front of the computers and setting herself up for another half hour of staring at a computer screen and having people hover around, adding useless bits of information here and there.

***

'Are you serious?' Jack paced in front of Daniel, who was seated at his desk, translations in front of him. 'He actually threatened to kick Sam out of SG-1 if you do anything wrong?'

'Apparently. You'd be next.' Daniel raised his eyebrows in surprise.

'That's kind of drastic.'

'I can't help but think there's something more behind this.' Jack kicked at the side of the doorway. 'You know what I mean? Something seems over the top, I can't place it.'

'Just act...civil, and then try and forget about it. If Kinsey can't fault SG-1, then nothing can happen.'

'Yeah, but you remembe when he wanted to shut down the program years ago? He picked holes and twisted our arguments. Plus he has all the power.'

'Not all the power, Jack,' Daniel said mildly, not looking up. 'Just some of it.'

'If only we could do something to interrupt the meeting, something long term, then he wouldn't have the chance to talk and judge.' Jack's eyes suddenly lit up. 'Daniel...'

'Jack, I am not doing a single thing. What do you want me to do, trip over my crutches and break my leg? You do want SG-1 to go off-world sometime in the next six months, don't you?'

'I didn't actually think of that, I was thinking more along the lines of an off-world activation.'

'Jack, we have done our share of opening and going through the 'gate against orders. I don't think I can take the stress of gassing the guards and all that.'

'Since when do we gas guards? We have a signature, Daniel, we lock everyone out.' Daniel shook his head.

'Kind of sad we have an 'open the 'gate and get through without getting shot dead by guards desperate to stop us' signature,' he commented. 'So if you weren't thinking of me breaking my leg, what were you thinking? Apart from an off-world activation?'

'I was just thinking of the off-world activation.'

'Please tell me you have a Plan B.'

'Let me explain Plan A, Mr Optimist,' Jack said sarcastically. 'We somehow get word to the Tok'ra. Jacob, someone friendly.'

'Freya?' Daniel suggested.

'Someone friendly,' Jack repeated. 'We tell them we need them to 'gate through at a certain time tomorrow. They 'gate through, meeting with Kinsey cancelled, mission completed.' Daniel just stared at him.

'Jack, there must be an easier way. How on earth are we going to contact the Tok'ra through a heavily guarded 'gate?'

'I don't know, get Carter to say...'

'I thought you said it was her career on the line,' Daniel reminded him.

'Okay, so I make up some kind of excuse to call them.'

'But you hate them! Well, you don't like them, anyway.'

'Exactly. So that's why Carter...you.' Jack stared at him as if he were seeing him for the first time. 'You can say you need to contact them to...I don't know...translate or something.' Daniel was skeptical. Daniel was more than skeptical. He was downright 'no way'. 'Would you rather get grilled by Kinsey and have SG-1 broken up?'

'Jack, you don't even know he'll break us up.'

'Daniel, I heard the man, he was definitely going to.'

'Jack, if we get caught, we are going to be broken up.'

'If we don't do it, we're going to be broken up.' Daniel sighed, then took off his glasses and cleaned them. Jack hated it when he did that. It meant he was thinking and it would take a long time.

'Alright, at least talk to Sam and Teal'c about it,' Daniel told him, wondering why, as he was answering, that Jack was asking for his permission. 'For the record, I still think you're over-reacting and that nothing will come of the meeting tomorrow. SG-1 hasn't done anything wrong.' Jack didn't say anything, picking up artifacts here and there, only to have Daniel snatch them back. 'Thanks.'

'Daniel, I know how Kinsey works. He'll make up some reason and we'll be...'

'Knock knock.' Jack and Daniel looked up to see Sam standing in the doorway, looking alarmed.

'What's wrong, Carter?' Jack asked her. 'You look like you've seen a ghost.'

'I just overheard General Hammond on the phone,' she told them. 'I was waiting to go in his office. The phone rang, and he said something along the lines of, 'What do you want now Kinsey?'' She paused, collecting her thoughts.

'Spit it out, Carter.'

'Kinsey must have talked for a while, because General Hammond finally said, 'I will not have you break up my finest team. Without them we'd all be lost to the Goa'uld.' He kept on, saying that socialising a little couldn't be considered a crime. Kinsey must have dug up something, because the General suddenly went, 'Are you sure? I don't believe he'd do that.''

'Well, that puts you in the clear.' Jack scowled. He was sick of being blamed for everything, even though it was his fault. Sam just made a face.

'I'm not so sure. Sir, we've done something to really stuff Kinsey up, and I can't think of what that something is.'

'I stand by the fact we got rid of Bauer,' Jack said. 'Daniel?'

'I still can't believe...'

'What does it take you to believe anything? You seem to just float along asking questions and not taking in any answers leading to more questions! It's like that...snake thing eating its own tail, you know?' There was a silence.

'Here we speak english, Jack,' Daniel said finally. 'And if your talking about the eternity snake, it has nothing to do with this.'

'Well, you know.'

'Why don't you tell Sam about your brilliant idea to get us all kicked out?'

'Hey! Don't knock Plan A,' Jack warned.

'Plan A?' Sam looked confused. 'Kicked out?'

'Basically, it's a plan to interrupt our meeting with Kinsey tomorrow. I say we get a message to the Tok'ra sometime, and get them to come through at a certain time tomorrow...so the meeting is disturbed.' Sam looked doubtful.

'Kind of drastic, isn't it, sir?'

'That's what I said,' Daniel said, sounding sidetracked. 'But he wouldn't believe me.'

'There's always the risk that we're completely off the mark,' Sam said. 'I think we should just go through the meeting with Kinsey and hope for the best. Just play it by ear.' Jack scowled but said nothing.

'Did I mention Plan B?'

'You don't have a Plan B.'

'I do now.' Jack started grinning. 'And the more I think about it, the more I like it.'

'What are you going to do?'

'What?' Sam and Daniel exchanged glances. When Jack got in this mood, as he had at lunch, questioning him would lead only to anger, annoyance and possible violent actions that could lead to court martials.

'Well, I sincerely hope you don't do anything to destroy my career.' Sam nodded. 'I'm heading off back to the laboratory. Daniel, have fun translating.'

'Mm hmm. See you later, Sam.'

'Bye Carter.'

'Bye sir.' She left, shaking her head as she walked away. She was worried. She was nervous. She was just about ready to pray that Jack wouldn't do anything to jeopardise SG-1.

'JACK!' Jack came walking quickly down the corridor, meeting Sam at the elevator. Turning behind her, she saw Daniel racing after them...on crutches, which slowed his progress immensely. The elevator opened and Jack leapt in. Sam followed him, and he pressed the button for the level he wanted, the door closing just as Daniel reached it.

'I'm not even going to ask.'

'But you want to know, right?'

'I'm not going to ask.'

'Why's Daniel so annoyed, I wonder?'

'Sir...'

'Carter, everyone around here needs to loosen up.' He tossed an artifact into the air, catching it easily. 'Especially Daniel.'

'And he's going to loosen up by you stealing his artifacts?'

'Carter...' The elevator reached Jack's floor and he got out. 'You have a lot to learn.' Sam didn't reply, just waved a hand in good-bye as the doors closed.

'That's the first time I've been told I need to know more by Colonel O'Neill,' she mused. 'I need to warn the airmen on the surface. The sky must be falling.'

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Thanks again for reading! I'm not really *that* happy with this chapter, but oh well. I hope the next chapter will be up as quickly (if I may use that word!), but I doubt it...I've got assignments piled up, and they happen to come first! (I really need to check my priorities list, there's something wrong there...)

Aimme, I still can't work out how you can hate The X-Files (gasp!) yet love X-Files fanfiction. The mind boggles.

Cheers and MORE chocolate chip cookies! (watch out for those choc chips! Or chic chops, lol!)

Jolinar of Malkshur