Section 33: Day On
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Jack was enjoying his day off. Last night had been nice in the company of others, but now was time to be alone, and it was time he treasured. He had a nice late start followed by the relaxing pleasure of watching the hockey game his faithful VCR had taped for him while he had been offworld. He was halfway through the third period with the Kings scoring point for point against the Sharks when the phone rang. He almost didn't answer it.
With a sigh, he pressed pause. "Hello."
"Colonel O'Neill, this is Corporal Sanders. The General needs you to come in for a meeting about your last mission, sir."
Jack's heart sank. So much for a day off. "Alright, I'm on my way. Has the rest of my team been called in?" By rest of his team, he meant Daniel since Janet hadn't wanted Carter on her own in her house and had thus confined the Major to the infirmary.
"No, sir."
"I'll take care of it. Thanks." He hung up and gazed mournfully at the paused game. It would be there when he got back he supposed. Still, nothing to ruin his day off like a call from the base. He rang up Daniel then grabbed his jacket and was out the door.
One drive, three checkpoints, and two elevators later, Jack was striding down the halls of the SGC. He met Daniel in the locker room where they both quickly changed into blue uniforms.
"Any idea what this is about?" asked Daniel.
"Nope," said Jack. "Though it better be good. It's five to four in the third period and I'm not waiting another week to see who wins." Daniel gave him a blank look before following him out the door to the briefing room.
They were the last to arrive. General Hammond sat at his usual place at the head of the table. Dr. Frasier and two other men Jack didn't recognize sat on his left, both wearing Major's insignia. On the right Major Davis, the SGC's Pentagon liaison, sat with a two star General. Their guests looked up in surprise when they entered.
"Ah, Colonel O'Neill, Dr. Jackson," General Hammond greeted them. "This is General Forge and Drs. Rhodes and Dendron. They're with the medical group at Area 51 that studies the Goa'uld. And they are very interested in our guest, Mr. D'argo."
"General, Majors," Jack nodded to them before sitting gingerly at the table next to Dr. Rhodes. Daniel took the seat next to the General.
"General Hammond, what is this?" Forge demanded sharply. He looked appraisingly over Jack and Daniel, trying to figure out what Hammond was playing at. Jack had a pretty good idea.
"General Forge here read Dr. Frasier's report on the poisonous properties of our guest's blood," Hammond ignored Forge's question and instead gave his men a pointed look.
"General," said Forge.
"Forgive me, General Forge," Hammond turned his attention back to the visitor. "Colonel O'Neill and Dr. Jackson were the ones who made first contact with Mr. D'argo and his people. I think it only prudent that you are aware of the political ramifications of your request."
"And what request would that be?" asked Daniel.
"In order to do the necessary research they need a supply of the toxin in his blood," said Doc Frasier. "And until we can produce it ourselves . . . "
"You need the source," Jack finished. "Didn't we already go through this with Teal'c?"
"Colonel, I'm sure you can appreciate the difference between the situations," said Forge down his nose. "Here we have a known poison that has proven very effective against the Goa'uld. This will not be a random study."
"I'm sure he'll appreciate that," Jack smiled sarcastically. "Have you even asked him?"
"He hasn't woken up yet," said Dr. Frasier.
"Colonel," Davis spoke up, "the Pentagon is looking very closely at this matter. We're here to ask for his help now."
Jack looked at Daniel who replied with a silent lift of his eyebrows before looking down at the table. They both heard Davis's unspoken warning that the Pentagon might not be in an asking mood later.
"Enough stalling," said Forge impatiently. "This is a waste of time. General Hammond, I have orders here and unless you want me to report on your obstruction of those orders, you will let me and my men inspect the alien."
Hammond visibly bristled. "And I'm sure, General Forge, that you can appreciate the diplomatic implications of treating a guest of this facility as a lab rat. Now before I let you anywhere near Mr. D'argo, you will listen to Colonel O'Neill's assessment of the political situation. Colonel?"
"Yes, sir," said Jack though he had no idea what to say. He didn't think escaped prisoners really factored into political situations.
"General, if I may," Daniel came to Jack's rescue. Hammond nodded for him to continue. "Mr. D'argo is actually Captain D'argo. His ship and most of his crew are waiting for him in their reality. You know about the faulty stargate that took us to their reality?"
"Yes, what does that have to do - "
Daniel spoke over Forge's impatient reply. "It was his scientists that figured out a way to get us back to our reality. Since the stargate was in hostile territory, Captain D'argo was forced to come with us when we were attacked. We discussed this as possibility, but if he and his two soldiers that are also here are not returned soon, you can bet that his crew will stop at nothing to get him back."
"The crew of one ship?" Forge asked incredulously.
"General, the hangar of this ship could eat an aircraft carrier for breakfast," said Jack. Not that it was filled with anything, but he wasn't going to tell him that.
"But according to your report, they can only get into our reality. They don't know the coordinates of Earth." General Forge said smugly. "I don't think they'll be giving us any trouble. My orders stand. General Hammond, if you're quite through."
Hammond glared at him. "General - "
"General Hammond," Forge but him off crisply. "My orders supercede any of your protests. Until the President orders otherwise, you will give me my patient."
Jack watched his CO simmer with repressed rage. "Don't think this is over."
"Yes, it is. Now take me to my alien."
Janet tried to protest, but the General politely ignored her using his own doctors as his ammunition against her. At Hammond's shake of the head, Jack and Daniel held their own protests as an airman led General Forge to the infirmary. Hammond retreated to his office and the red phone. They had lost this round, but they were not going to lose the next.
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Jack was enjoying his day off. Last night had been nice in the company of others, but now was time to be alone, and it was time he treasured. He had a nice late start followed by the relaxing pleasure of watching the hockey game his faithful VCR had taped for him while he had been offworld. He was halfway through the third period with the Kings scoring point for point against the Sharks when the phone rang. He almost didn't answer it.
With a sigh, he pressed pause. "Hello."
"Colonel O'Neill, this is Corporal Sanders. The General needs you to come in for a meeting about your last mission, sir."
Jack's heart sank. So much for a day off. "Alright, I'm on my way. Has the rest of my team been called in?" By rest of his team, he meant Daniel since Janet hadn't wanted Carter on her own in her house and had thus confined the Major to the infirmary.
"No, sir."
"I'll take care of it. Thanks." He hung up and gazed mournfully at the paused game. It would be there when he got back he supposed. Still, nothing to ruin his day off like a call from the base. He rang up Daniel then grabbed his jacket and was out the door.
One drive, three checkpoints, and two elevators later, Jack was striding down the halls of the SGC. He met Daniel in the locker room where they both quickly changed into blue uniforms.
"Any idea what this is about?" asked Daniel.
"Nope," said Jack. "Though it better be good. It's five to four in the third period and I'm not waiting another week to see who wins." Daniel gave him a blank look before following him out the door to the briefing room.
They were the last to arrive. General Hammond sat at his usual place at the head of the table. Dr. Frasier and two other men Jack didn't recognize sat on his left, both wearing Major's insignia. On the right Major Davis, the SGC's Pentagon liaison, sat with a two star General. Their guests looked up in surprise when they entered.
"Ah, Colonel O'Neill, Dr. Jackson," General Hammond greeted them. "This is General Forge and Drs. Rhodes and Dendron. They're with the medical group at Area 51 that studies the Goa'uld. And they are very interested in our guest, Mr. D'argo."
"General, Majors," Jack nodded to them before sitting gingerly at the table next to Dr. Rhodes. Daniel took the seat next to the General.
"General Hammond, what is this?" Forge demanded sharply. He looked appraisingly over Jack and Daniel, trying to figure out what Hammond was playing at. Jack had a pretty good idea.
"General Forge here read Dr. Frasier's report on the poisonous properties of our guest's blood," Hammond ignored Forge's question and instead gave his men a pointed look.
"General," said Forge.
"Forgive me, General Forge," Hammond turned his attention back to the visitor. "Colonel O'Neill and Dr. Jackson were the ones who made first contact with Mr. D'argo and his people. I think it only prudent that you are aware of the political ramifications of your request."
"And what request would that be?" asked Daniel.
"In order to do the necessary research they need a supply of the toxin in his blood," said Doc Frasier. "And until we can produce it ourselves . . . "
"You need the source," Jack finished. "Didn't we already go through this with Teal'c?"
"Colonel, I'm sure you can appreciate the difference between the situations," said Forge down his nose. "Here we have a known poison that has proven very effective against the Goa'uld. This will not be a random study."
"I'm sure he'll appreciate that," Jack smiled sarcastically. "Have you even asked him?"
"He hasn't woken up yet," said Dr. Frasier.
"Colonel," Davis spoke up, "the Pentagon is looking very closely at this matter. We're here to ask for his help now."
Jack looked at Daniel who replied with a silent lift of his eyebrows before looking down at the table. They both heard Davis's unspoken warning that the Pentagon might not be in an asking mood later.
"Enough stalling," said Forge impatiently. "This is a waste of time. General Hammond, I have orders here and unless you want me to report on your obstruction of those orders, you will let me and my men inspect the alien."
Hammond visibly bristled. "And I'm sure, General Forge, that you can appreciate the diplomatic implications of treating a guest of this facility as a lab rat. Now before I let you anywhere near Mr. D'argo, you will listen to Colonel O'Neill's assessment of the political situation. Colonel?"
"Yes, sir," said Jack though he had no idea what to say. He didn't think escaped prisoners really factored into political situations.
"General, if I may," Daniel came to Jack's rescue. Hammond nodded for him to continue. "Mr. D'argo is actually Captain D'argo. His ship and most of his crew are waiting for him in their reality. You know about the faulty stargate that took us to their reality?"
"Yes, what does that have to do - "
Daniel spoke over Forge's impatient reply. "It was his scientists that figured out a way to get us back to our reality. Since the stargate was in hostile territory, Captain D'argo was forced to come with us when we were attacked. We discussed this as possibility, but if he and his two soldiers that are also here are not returned soon, you can bet that his crew will stop at nothing to get him back."
"The crew of one ship?" Forge asked incredulously.
"General, the hangar of this ship could eat an aircraft carrier for breakfast," said Jack. Not that it was filled with anything, but he wasn't going to tell him that.
"But according to your report, they can only get into our reality. They don't know the coordinates of Earth." General Forge said smugly. "I don't think they'll be giving us any trouble. My orders stand. General Hammond, if you're quite through."
Hammond glared at him. "General - "
"General Hammond," Forge but him off crisply. "My orders supercede any of your protests. Until the President orders otherwise, you will give me my patient."
Jack watched his CO simmer with repressed rage. "Don't think this is over."
"Yes, it is. Now take me to my alien."
Janet tried to protest, but the General politely ignored her using his own doctors as his ammunition against her. At Hammond's shake of the head, Jack and Daniel held their own protests as an airman led General Forge to the infirmary. Hammond retreated to his office and the red phone. They had lost this round, but they were not going to lose the next.
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