Name: Better Ways To Self Destruct (aka 'Politics...Oy')
Pairing: Sam/Jack in later parts
Feedback: Very much appreciated, of course!
Notes: This isn't directly S/J in the first couple of parts, but it'll get there, so keep that in mind. It's primarily a mission, though.

Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and the characters are the property of MGM. There is no infringement intended and no profit made.

–Part 1–
Politics

"Every time!" Colonel Jack O'Neill exclaimed as he strode down the ramp into the waiting Gate Room. "Every time, General."

General Hammond raised his eyebrows enquiringly at the rest of SG-1 as they followed their leader away from the giant metal ring that was the Stargate. Daniel Jackson took it upon himself to explain.

"Jack feels that all civilisations we meet with our level of development are intent on--"

"Blowing themselves up, sir!" Jack snapped, his irritation passing the point of public safety. "It's an intergalactic cold war out there."

"I take it your mission to P2C-293 didn't go well?" Hammond enquired calmly. He was too used to O'Neill's outbursts to be fazed by them.

"Oh, it went just fine, sir," the Colonel answered with more than a hint of sarcasm.

"On the contrary, O'Neill," Teal'c observed, "the mission to Merniva was far from yielding."

Jack shot him a look. Sam Carter hastily added, "They were too busy with their own affairs to pay much attention to what we had to offer, except for weapons technology."

"And we sure as hell weren't going to give them any of that," O'Neill expressed furiously. "They wouldn't even let Carter into their so-called defence labs. They wouldn't listen to Daniel when he told them about the aid we could offer."

Daniel nodded seriously. "Apparently their government was only willing to trade for 'offensive purposes'."

"I'll give them offensive…"

"Colonel," Hammond warned. O'Neill fell into a resentful silence. "I think you all need to wind down," the General went on to the team at large. "I'm giving you two hours before you have to debrief. Dismissed."

Jack left the Gate Room first, muttering, "Politics…oy."

That was the beginning of the whole thing, Sam Carter was to reflect later. Not the mission itself – they were getting used to stumbling into difficult political situations offworld – but the mounting frustration. It wasn't only Colonel O'Neill that was finding it all too much, though he was more willing to show it than the others were. Daniel was unable to understand the common trait of self-destruction; Carter herself was finding it difficult that the help she could offer with defences was being dismissed so airily; and Teal'c…who knew what Teal'c thought, other than his clear contempt at the self-interested behaviour of the alien governments.

"It's as if there's a fundamental trend in this kind of society," Daniel was saying as they walked away from a thoroughly demoralising debriefing. It had served only to heighten their sense of infuriation with their latest mission. "Maybe international tension is inevitable, like civil war. It has to occur sometime in history for progression to take place."

"No such tension has ever occurred on Chulak," Teal'c disputed calmly. "Nor have I heard of civil war on any Jaffa world."

"No offence, Teal'c," Daniel answered, "but places like Chulak are at a standstill. Jaffa societies can't progress, the Goa'uld are making sure of that."

Teal'c inclined his head in thoughtful concession.

"I think Teal'c has a point, though," Sam said. "There must be societies that don't come under a generic heading like that."

Jack, who was striding meaningfully ahead of them, said over his shoulder, "I'm sure this is all very intriguing, theorising about the nature of the human race, but it's no longer our problem. We offered to help. They wouldn't listen."

Sam and Daniel exchanged uneasy looks at Jack's forceful apathy. A statement like that could only mean he was angry at himself for not being able to persuade the political powers on Merniva to pursue peaceful relations. He would hold himself responsible for any consequences of their continued war on innocent lives.

They dispersed: Sam and Daniel to their labs, Teal'c to his quarters and Jack to the firing range.

The team's frustrations could only grow in the time they were given between that mission and the next. Colonel O'Neill was irritable – so much so that Hammond threatened to have him up for court martial for counts of gross insubordination.

"I just want a mission, General!" O'Neill exclaimed, appearing to ignore the stern words that had just been bellowed from Hammond's lips.

"And you'll get one, Colonel," the General replied, "but you damn well better be patient."

It was telling how much O'Neill craved action that he snatched the first hospitable planet that was found by the dialling computer. It was a small world, with a cool climate and a moon that was only visible for a third of the year. He regretted the decision to embark as soon as the team arrived.

The sky was grey. Drizzle made the air seem dense; the ground was soft with recent rainfall. O'Neill gave the grass a disgusted look as it fastened itself around his boots. He tugged one foot away from the stuff and found it released him after a brief struggle.

"Careful of the grass," Jack muttered before moving to safer ground.

"Uh, Colonel?" Carter began, "I don't think that's actually grass…"

"Hey guys!" Daniel's voice distracted them from the unpleasant possibilities of the now gently convulsing ground at the base of the Stargate. "I found a road!"

"Are you sure it's a road?" Jack asked warily as he approached, Sam and Teal'c close behind.

"Yes," replied Daniel, looking between his team mates for an explanation of the strange question. Getting no response, he continued: "It's pretty well travelled, and look – not just a mud track!"

"Meaning?"

"Meaning whoever built it are relatively advanced in their engineering, sir." Sam seemed to be just as fascinated by the road as Daniel was, but Jack knew it would be for an entirely different reason. It always amazed him how his second-in-command could make the science of anything sound incredible. He didn't get it himself, but it was fun to watch her try and persuade him how important something might be.

This time, he stopped her short. She was talking about history for some reason, and they seemed to be getting side-tracked by Romans. "Let's see where it goes," he said, then added in an almost sing-song voice: "Follow the road, the yellow brick road…"

The mood seemed to lighten slightly as they walked. Daniel began to offer Jack theories of what civilisation might be ahead; the Colonel cast a pleading glance over to Carter, who grinned and came to 'rescue' him with atmospheric readings. Daniel dropped back to impress upon Teal'c the potential significance of road building.

"…the low visibility, which is probably due to–"

"Carter." Jack cut her off. "He's gone now. You can stop."

Sam gave a feigned look of surprise. "You mean you weren't really interested in the proximity of the planet to the outer layer of its atmosphere?"

"What do you think?" he shot back. There was a playful glint in his eye; she caught it and chuckled.

"Glad to be offworld again, sir?"

"You have no idea," Jack smiled and stretched, emphasising the open plains that surrounded them. "Sorry if I was snappy at you before we left. Goodness knows how I escaped the wrath of the General."

"I guess he must understand how we feel after missions like our last," Sam replied; "not that this trip has turned up much action yet."

"Ahh, patience, Carter," O'Neill smiled: "there's still time for things to go drastically wrong."