Chapter 3: The New CO

Jack's bed. 7:45 am

Jack O'Neill has been awaken for at least an hour. But he didn't want to get up, he just remained there looking at the lady that was sleeping on his bed.

I can't believe in this. She is actually here. She is beautiful. How could I possibly be so luck that Samantha Carter, the most beautiful and intelligent woman in the world, would actually love me. I must be having a dream, but if so please, oh please don't wake me up god.

- Hey. How long have you been awaken?

- Not long. How did you sleep?

- Oh. Like a baby. I meant I didn't sleep very long. – With that Sam started to remember the previous night's events.

As neither Jack nor Sam had had anything for dinner thy decided to order a pizza.

Jack had, somehow, convinced Sam to watch an episode of The Simpsons wit him and although she had been reluctant on watching it she end up having a good time.

They had talked for most of the night about things that they didn't have the chance to talk about in their previous situation as co-workers. They talked about trivial things like their taste in music, favorite movie of all times, things like that. It came as a surprise to both of them that they had compatible tastes: they liked the same type of music, the same movies, the same toppings on a pizza and so on. This only came to ease a bit of their insecurities. Jack was unsure that he could sustain a long conversation with a woman like Sam, he was afraid that they would have nothing in common and the same thoughts had also been wandering on Sam's mind.

After a nice conversation they decided to take things to the bedroom and, well what happen there is between the two of them.

- A dollar for your thoughts.

- Oh. I was thinking about last night. And about the fact that I'll have to go to work soon.

- Don't go. Stay with me.

- I can't I wish I could but I can't. The new CO arrives today and I have to be there.

- Ok. But I think that you still have some time for some kisses. – Jack started to kiss her passionately.

- Well, I only have to be in the base at 9:00 and I get ready in about 25 minutes, it's a 30 minute drive to the base, being 8:00 that leaves us with about 15 minutes to have some breakfast and a lot of kisses.

- I like the kiss part. Maybe we could skip breakfast.

When Sam arrived at the base the new CO was already there making a speech.

- Daniel. What's going on I thought he was only due to arrive at 9:30.

- Me too, but apparently our new "boss" couldn't wait to start in his new job.

The new CO noticed Sam's arrival.

- Hello. You must be Colonel Samantha Carter, my 2IC. – Sam nodded and saluted him. He saluted her in return. - Nice of you to join us colonel.

- I'm sorry sir. But with all due respect, I'm not late you are early, sir.

- Right you are. Apology accepted. – Seeing Sam's face of surprise by his words he decided to let her know he was only joking. – I'm joking…can I call you Samantha or Sam? It's just that calling you colonel all the time is a bit boring and way to much professional for my taste. I like to maintain a good working atmosphere, so I like to treat the men and women that serve under my command almost like a family member.

- Sure. You can call me Sam, sir. – Sam was really surprised by their new CO's actions and by the look in Daniel's face she knew that he was too.

- I like to joke around Sam. I find that it helps to ease the stress. Oh, by the way I don't think you were here in time to catch my name. I'm General Benjamin Charleston.

- Well general I'm sure it will be a pleasure to serve under your command.

- Thank you Sam. You can call me Ben.

- Ben, sir?

- Not Ben sir just Ben. Drop the sir.

-Ok, I'll try.

- Now back to my speech.

The General continuo talking for 35 minutes and them dismissed everyone and went to his office. Sam and Daniel went to Sam's office to talk about the device.

- Is it just me or our new CO is a bit… How can I put this?

- Crazy?

- Yeah.

- And you weren't there for the beginning of the speech.

- What did he say?

- Oh, something about how what we've done till now to get alien technology to help us defend our planet hasn't been effective enough and that from now on we would show results to the pentagon. Stuff like that.

- Do you think this guy is friend or foe?

- To early to know. But one thing is for sure: he's crazy.

- That I believe in. So what about the translation?

- Not going so good. All I could actually translate was that the people in 23X-769 believed that the device was sent to them by the gods. It was rumored to have magical powers. But I found no mention to what those powers might be or how to turn it on.

- I haven't had much luck either. There's no on and off switch. Actually there's no switch at all.

- I'm getting frustrated.

- Me too.

- So you didn't go to Jack's place last night. Did you?

-No. I got distracted by this device. When I finally gave up for the night it was already late so I went straight home.

A young airman entered the room. Saluted Colonel Carter and informed the two that the General had requested to see them in his office.

- Thank you. You may go now. – After the airman left, Sam turned to Daniel. – What do you think he wants from us?

- I've no idea. Let's go and find out.

GENERAL'S OFFICE

- Sir… I mean Ben. May we come in?

- Yes please.

They saluted.

- I called you here to tell you that the new member of your team will be arriving at the base in an hour. Is name is Lucas Thomason and he is a lieutenant. Of course you'll be in charge of your team Sam. Any objections to the fact that you have a new teammate?

- If we did would it make any difference?

- Dr. Jackson I asked only to be polite. The final decision is mine.

- Sir.

- Ben.

-Ok. Ben I think that what Daniel meant was that this isn't exactly the best time for us to get a new teammate. We have a mission tomorrow and we have no time to train anyone.

- I'm well aware of that. But I also know that it is a mission to a planet that according to SG-15 has been abandoned for quite some time and you're only going so that Dr. Jackson has a chance of studying the ruins that he insist that may give us some clue about a weapon to destroy the Goa'uld. I'm not totally convinced that that isn't just a waist of your time and this base resources.

-Ben.

-Call me sir, Dr. Jackson.

- Ok .Sir, as I have explained to Jack. I meant General O'Neill, in the pictures brought back by SG-15 there was this segment of the text that talked about a powerful weapon witch I believe could be somewhere on that planet. SG-15 didn't cover the entire planet and I think this is worth checking.

- The president agrees with you. So you're going with your new team member. This is the perfect situation for a first mission: a deserted planet. – Seeing that Daniel was going to argue with him he decided to end this matter once and for all. – Enough Dr. Jackson. This matter is closed. Teal'c has just arrived and is being checked in the infirmary. You may go and tell him about what I have just told you.

They left the room but Sam just remembered something so she told Daniel to wait for her in the hallway.

- Ben. Excuse me but I have one thing to ask you.

- Go ahead Sam.

- Well, I would like to ask you that in the eventuality that we find nothing at P7X-986 and return, oh let's say Friday or even Saturday morning…

-You want to take the day off?

-What? – Sam was surprised that Ben had interrupted her.

- Saturday. You want to take Saturday off.

-Oh. Yes sir. Ben. Actually we all would.

-All?

-Me, Daniel and Teal'c. And I'm sure that Lieutenant Thomason wouldn't mind having a day to digest Wormhole travels.

- Ok. You can have the day off.

-Thank you sir.

-Ben.

-Thank you Ben.

Sam went to meat up with Daniel.

- What was that about?

- I can ask you the same. Are you crazy asking the general either our opinion would count or not?

-I don't like that guy. All right?

- I can see that. I just don't understand the why. He seems to be ok.

- Oh yes. I figured you would say something like that.

- What are you talking about?

- Call me Ben. Can I call you Sam? - Daniel hadn't liked the way that Ben had treated Sam. And he surely hadn't liked the fact that he thought that their work in P7X-986 would be a waist of the base resources. He was convinced that they would find something on that planet and it wouldn't be some low life general that would change his mind. General Hammond and Jack had always respected his work. Or at least trusted his translations but this guy had questioned that and that really made Daniel get angry.

- Come on Daniel. You're not going to tell me that that is why you acted like that.

- I don't know why but that guy really gets on my nerves.

- I think you just miss Jack. And that it wouldn't matter who sat on that chair, to you it would always be some annoying guy. Wouldn't it? That's what this is all about. The fact that he isn't Jack.

- I guess you could be right. - Thinking about it made Daniel realize that Sam was right. He was just trying to find excuses to hate the new boss.

- I think that Ben is a nice guy. Apart from that whole new teammate I have nothing to complain about.

- Ah. You do agree that this isn't the right time for this guy to arrive, don't you?

- Yes. But there is nothing I can do about it. Oh. And Ben just gave us Saturday off. If we return before Saturday that is. So see if you can hurry up those translations and we can go fishing with Jack.

-Wait. I haven't told you about Jack's plans for Saturday and you've said that you got distracted so you end up not going there last night. So how do you know about the fishing?

- I called.

-You called?

-Yeah I called. To know how he was doing.

- why didn't you mention this before?

- We were interrupted. Remember?

-Yeah.

Daniel knew that his friend was hiding something but he decided not to think about that. At least for the moment.

Sam didn't want to tell anything to Daniel. She decided that she and Jack would tell their friends about their relationship together.

-Let's go and tell Teal'c the news.

- Ok.

Author's note: Hope you liked this chapter. More is still to come.