The Report, part 2

Hammond waited patiently for the call to go through, trying to workout the best way to say what he wanted to say: President Ryan was a fair man, but well known for sticking to the rules. Well, most of the time: Hammond had read the stories in the press about Ryan's time in the CIA, and some of the things he was said to have done made even O'Neill record look normal.

The phone connected at the other end, and Hammond found himself jumping to his feet without even thinking about it, "Yes Sir. No Sir, there's no emergency as such, but there is a slight problem that I feel I need to make you aware of." He sighed, "Yes Sir, it does involve Col. O'Neill. Sir, I think it would be easier if I faxed you a copy of a report I just received from our base physiatrist."

Hammond fed the report into the secure fax link, and sat quietly while the President quickly scanned the same report he had read only minutes before, "Yes Sir, SG-1 are still on down-time while we try and find a replacement for Dr Jackson. Well sir, I think that Jonas Quinn, the young man who was exiled here by the people of P2S-4C3 would make a suitable replacement."

Hammond jumped to his feet, "No Sir, I was not aware of Senator Kinsey's report to the Senate Appropriations Committee! Yes Sir, I understand the need to gain advanced technology from off-world sources, by the means employed by the NID risked our alliance with the Asgard." Hammond stood in silence for a moment, "Yes Sir, I understand. Are you sure that you can find two officers who will be able to conduct the survey in an impartial manner? No Sir, I do not believe I have met ether of them. Yes Sir, I'll have the base VIP quarters made ready for their arrival, and I'll send Col. O'Neill and Maj. Carter to meet them at the airbase in two days. Thank you Sir. Good-day."

Putting the phone down, Hammond activated the intercom on his desk, "Lieutenant, page SG-1 and Mr. Quinn to my office." He had just locked Dr. Spencer's report into his safe when there was a knock at the door. "Enter." He replied automatically, not even looking round. SG-1 made their way in, followed by a confused Jonas Quinn.

"You wanted to see us, Sir?" O'Neill stood before the General's desk, his hands in his pockets.

Hammond sighed: he had long ago given up any hope of his second in command ever acting ether his rank or age, and ignored his little idiosyncrasies. Most of the time, that was. "Sit down, all of you. Mr. Quinn, I am making you a probationary member of SG-1." The young man's eyes lit up with delight, but Hammond raised a hand to silence him when he went to respond, "Senator Kinsey has been raising questions about our track record for gaining advanced technology from off-world to use in this planets defense. He has used his position to put pressure on the President to have our standing orders changed." The secure fax hummed, and spat out two sheets of paper, which Hammond picked up and glanced at, "The President has agreed to send to officers with no links to The Stargate Project to report back on a typical off-world mission."

O'Neill rolled his eyes, "You telling us that we're going to have to baby-sit two Pentagon drones?"

"According to this, the two officers in question are more than capable of looking after themselves." Hammond smiled as he read the fax's, "Brigadier General John Clark, and Major Domingo Chavez. They are currently part of a NATO counter-terrorist unit based out of England, and are over here for a joint training session with the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team. The President is sending them down here to see how we do things."

To Be Continued…