Chapter 6 A new game

Author's note: This is it folks, the end. I had a lot of fun with this chapter, hope you enjoy the neat little surprise.

Three weeks later, Sg-1 had its first briefing since their routine mission. All team members were in attendance, with Jack and Jonas both in wheel chairs. General Hammond had summoned the group for their first post mission briefing right in the commissary since there were stairs leading up to the briefing room, and that was unacceptable given O'Neill and Jonas's circumstances. He scheduled it between meals so the commissary would be empty, and ordered the remaining mess crew out until the briefing was over.

"Well, SG-1, it is good to have you all back together again." Hammond started the meeting off in his usual down to business manner. O'Neill thought that his CO sounded a bit more chipper than usual, and chalked it up to the holiday weekend that was approaching in a few hours.

// Another weekend stuck in this joint. I wonder what kind of trouble I can get Jonas into with the nurses? //

The meeting had barely started, and Jack found himself drifting away from the conversation already. He kept a well-trained ear on the briefing, and continued on to himself about what else he could possibly do to Jonas.

// Well, let's see. We've tried I Spy; we suck at hide and seek; I never win at Tic Tac Toe; I can win at hangman because Jonas still isn't familiar with Earth slang, but that's too easy; all he ever drinks is water, so I can't pull the laxative trick on him; I still can't beat him at chess because Teal'c has played chess with him since the day he got here; damn. I'll think of something we can do around this place for some excitement. //

"....isn't that right Colonel?" Damn. He did it again. Carter was asking him something, and Jack didn't hear the question the first time. Damn Damn Damn. He played along.

"Yes, Major, I think so." Ah hell he may as well just say it out loud. "What was the question again?"

"I said, SIR, that what little Naquadria we were able to extract from the rock samples that Sg-13 returned with, was enough for the Pentagon to authorize a long-term mining operation. So even though it was just supposed to be a routine mission, we've made a fantastic discovery. Isn't that right?" Sam was ever so patient with her CO and his wandering attention span.

"Yes, Major, absolutely. But we should give credit where it is due. If Jonas here hadn't forgotten to fasten his ears to his head the morning we left, and disobeyed my orders, we wouldn't have much to be excited about would we?" Jack was still bitter about missing his hockey game that night.

"Yes sir, in fact, If Jonas and Teal'c hadn't researched the ancient Goa'uld dialect last week, then we never would have even known how to disable the plate and collect the samples. The cavern where you fell was actually a Naquadria mine that's been abandoned for thousands of years. Hopefully the excavation team can uncover some more details when they begin work in a couple of weeks."

Teal'c and Jonas were quiet as usual through the briefing, but their chests puffed out just a little when Sam honored them with her praise. Jack rolled his eyes, and hoped none of the others saw it.

"Okay, well that just about takes care of everything. SG-1, you are on light duty until Colonel O'Neill and Jonas are cleared by Doctor Frasier to return to full, active duty. Colonel, maybe you can finally get caught up on that paperwork. It's not an option. Major Carter, I believe you requested to help Sergeant Siler with some gate diagnostics, request granted. Teal'c you will accompany the excavation team back to PY2-487, but only for the first few days, to help acquaint them to the terrain. Then you are free to take some personal time. Jonas, SG-5 returned this morning with some written logs in an as yet unseen language. I will have an airman go with you to your room to assist you with whatever you need to research the writing. I will be in and out this weekend, as we only have two teams off world. I want to get in a little time with my granddaughters for the holiday, so you know where to find me in the event of an emergency. Colonel Chekov will be in charge when I am not here. Don't worry, he's been briefed about what to do and what not to do. If there's nothing else then, you're dismissed." Knowing exactly what was coming next, and who it was coming from, Hammond gave O'Neill a "don't you say anything about a Russian being in charge because you're laid up" look, and stood up to go. Sam stood in respect, as the General started to exit the commissary.

"Um.. General?" Jack queried. " With respect, is there any way we could avoid being sent on the ROUTINE missions? Can't you give those to the Marines or something? The only reason I ask is because when we go on the missions where we're supposed to do some ass kicking, that's what we do. And we arrive home most of the time in one piece. On the missions where we are supposed to do nothing but ROUTINE....whatever these guys do," O'Neill gestured to Carter and Jonas. "WE'RE the ones getting our asses kicked. What do you say sir?" Jack pleaded. He didn't mind a little begging every now and then.

Relieved about his 2IC not questioning the orders for Chekov's temporary command, the stout General answered readily; his usual. "We'll see Colonel." He turned on his heels to go. "Have a good weekend, Jack. The rest of you do the same." Hammond acknowledged the rest of the team and left.

"Hey that's no fair." Teal'c, Jonas and Sam all rolled their eyes as the Colonel started his rant.

"You guys get to do fun stuff, and I have to do paperwork?" Jack snuffed.

"I think the General was referring to after the holiday sir, when everyone else has to return to work too. Have a good weekend Colonel. You too Jonas." Sam was trying not to have pity on her wheelchair bound teammates, and she was already walking away as she finished her sentence. Teal'c followed Carter, and Jack and Jonas were left alone to find their own way back to their beds in the infirmary.

"So Jonas, we meet again." The Colonel's cynicism was not lost on Jonas.

"Colonel, I realize you're getting tired of me, but since we are stuck here on the base recovering together, how about we had back to the infirmary for some Chess?"

" Actually, I had a new game in mind." Jack said slyly, as the two men started the now familiar motion of turning their wheelchairs to leave.

"What would that be Colonel?" Jonas was starting to get a funny feeling he didn't like where this was going.

"Have you learned anything about the game 'Tag'?" Jack was grinning wildly.

"Well sir, to be honest with you, I have and...." Jonas quietly inched his wheelchair so that it was slightly ahead of Jack's.

"And what Jonas, you don't want to play? C'mon, the General has gone home, and the nurses in the infirmary aren't expecting us back for a little while, What do you think? A nice friendly game of wheelchair tag? We'll stay on this level and the level of the infirmary only. The infirmary is our "free zone; we can't tag each other in there. So are the elevators. When I was a kid, it was called BASE. It'll be fun. What do you say?" Jack was desperate for some excitement.

"I would say... YOU'RE IT!" Jonas started wheeling as fast as he could down the corridor. He was smiling madly the entire time.

"You little shit!" Jack was taken totally by surprise, but he also took Jonas's bait and started his own wheelchair in hot pursuit. He just had to get to the elevators before Jonas. Since the corridors were all just big octagon shaped loops that interconnected, Jack decided to swing a quick u-turn and head in the opposite direction that Jonas had gone.

//I WILL get to the elevators before him, and get down to the infirmary level, and tag his ass. //

Although his back was aching incredibly, Jack wheeled faster and faster. He rounded the corners at perilous speeds, one time, he even ended up on one wheel.

//Shit, I had better not tip over, I'll be pulling head duty until I retire if I do something else to get hurt. Especially here on base. The doc and the General both will nail my ass! //

Now, the Colonel had just one advantage over his younger, faster opponent. His legs were both down on the footrests of the chair, while Jonas still had his right leg extended because of the full length cast. To Jack's own amazement, he actually beat Jonas to the corridor that connected to the hallway for the elevators.

// AHha! I got him now! //

The Colonel put his head down and used his arms to rev the wheelchair for all it's worth. Just then, Jonas rounded the corner up ahead of Jack, and because of his leg being extended, the young Kelownan was having trouble navigating the turn. Jack charged on, hearing the ding from the elevator as it got to their level.

//What luck! The elevator is stopping at this floor! If I get there first, I can get down to the infirmary level, wait for the little turd, and tag him before he gets to the free zone. Bring it on! //

Jack was finally getting some real excitement. With Jonas still having trouble at the corner, Jack put his head down again, and raced down the homestretch. He never saw General Hammond step out of the elevators into the hallway. Jack looked up at the last second, and saw his CO. Jack could have sworn he saw steam rise out of Hammond's collar, like on the Looney Tunes. At the very last instant, the Colonel swerved his chair to avoid mowing down his General, and crashed with a painful yawp into the corridor wall. Slowly, he hung his head in guilt, and turned the chair around to face his doom. Jonas rolled his wheelchair up behind the Colonel in silence. Hammond hadn't seen that Jonas was just as involved as Jack, and Jonas wasn't about to give it away either.

"Sir! Great to have you back so soon! Just couldn't stay away, huh?" Jack winced outwardly, as he prepared for his own ass whooping, injuries be damned.

"Colonel, I just came back to get my cover, I left it in the commissary. What the hell do you think you are doing?" The irate Stargate Commander demanded of his second in charge. Jonas spoke up from behind the Colonel.

"Colonel O'Neill... I spy something that starts with the letter G." Jonas rolled innocently into the empty elevator car. Hammond didn't even seem to notice, as his attention was still concentrated on his insubordinate Colonel. As the elevator doors slid closed, Jack watched Jonas give a little wave, and flash the world's biggest shit-eating grin.

========================================================================================================================================================

So that's all gang! Please review, tell me if I should write more like this, or give it a rest and try something new.