Well, this was quicker than I bargained for...so here's the second chapter already. I hope you all enjoy it. Thanks for the reviews folks, you are too kind! Not that I don't enjoy them...LOL! Thanks.
General Disaster.
By LetitiaRichards.
Previously:-
Sam was furious too, and she swore she could see steam coming from Jack's ears.
Chapter 2 – Surprises.
"Ah...what exactly does the Appropriations Committee think goes on out there? And what difference will having a 'supervisor' around make, apart from endangering his or her life in the very real threat from any unforeseen dangers that so often lurk off-world?" Daniel asked. "I don't see how this will help."
Everyone turned to face the Major, anticipating his reply to what was a very reasonable question. One that they were all thinking at the time.
Davis stuttered again.
"I...I'm just the messenger Dr. Jackson. I did try to point out the unnecessary risks but Senator Kinsey as head of the committee was most insistent that these measures go ahead regardless. He put it to the Joint Chiefs who gave the go ahead."
"Oh yeah. He would. I don't suppose he'd volunteer to be our supervisor? After all he wouldn't want to risk his neck out there, would he?" Jack snorted in disgust. It just had to be that Rat Bastard behind this ridiculous idea.
"No sir. He...um... I...er...guess he wouldn't Colonel," Davis replied earnestly, completely missing the sarcasm in Jack's voice.
"I didn't think so. So who then? What poor SOB do we have to drag around on our next mission?" Jack asked. "Just so that he, or she, can tell us to stop and pack all our gear away and that would the enemy please hold fire until we've finished clearing up after us. Then, and only then, can they chase us half way across the damn planet in order to get back to the gate with our asses full of holes." Jack grew more agitated with every word until he was almost yelling. "And when one of us gets wounded, or killed, will we have to stop again and mop all traces of blood and bring home every piece of gauze so that it can be accounted for, before leaving too!"
"I'm sure it's not going to be as bad as that Colonel," Davis pointed out reasonably, still cringing under Jack's tone.
"No?" Jack snapped.
"So, if I might ask, who are we taking with us?" Sam asked, giving Jack a quick look under her eyelashes as if she was half afraid of what his reaction would be.
"Uh...The...em...committee suggests that as SG-1 is the flag-ship team, that…um... that no-one less than a General would be suitable to undertake the task."
"Oh great! A General? How appropriate!" Jack snorted in derision. Jack just hoped it wasn't someone like General Bauer. That man was a disaster in the making. "So who's the lucky guy with the stars?"
"Actually Colonel, That would be General Hammond. He has been chosen to accompany you this time and that, other less superior officers, would follow with the later teams."
All heads now turned towards General Hammond who sat in stunned silence and shock, his blue/grey eyes wide in disbelief. They were actually going to send him off-world? He could hardly believe his luck; and with SG-1 no less.
"They actually want me to go along with SG-1 on a normal mission?" he asked incredulously.
"That's very convenient of them!" Jack sighed in bitterness before turning towards the General, his face softening a little. "I've got nothing personally against you joining us General, we'd be honoured sir. In fact, I think you'd probably enjoy it. But it's just the idea of you being forced into this situation, just as we are, that I'm opposed to."
"You're right Colonel. It's not something that I would want to impose upon your team but if I have no choice in the matter, then I would consider it a privilege to join you all."
Sam couldn't help smiling at him with genuine warmth, even though she turned cool eyes back to Davis.
Jack turned his attention back to Davis, his temper cooling now he knew their 'supervisor' was going to be Hammond, but he wasn't by any means mollified by the insinuation that they needed to be observed whilst on a mission.
"So, who's gonna run the show if we're both off-world?" Jack asked. Being that he, as 2IC of the base, and the General will be away at the same time.
"As a temporary commander and one who is familiar with the running of the SGC, they recommended that General Bauer..."
"What?" the chorus of startled voices rose to a crescendo. "You're joking?"
"He was a disaster from the moment he stepped onto this base Major. No way!" Jack cried.
"Colonel!"
Jack turned back to Hammond, well aware that he was pushing his luck.
"Sorry sir, but Bauer? For cryin' out loud General, no disrespect to your rank sir, but...I mean...Bauer?" Jack just couldn't believe it. "I doubt we'll have a base to come back too if he takes command."
"Jack!" General Hammond was in total agreement with his second, but he was as much a victim as they were in this; and he had no desire to see Jack's objections reported back to the committee, especially to Senator Kinsey. Jack didn't need another nail in his coffin. Kinsey was already wielding the hammer ready to seal his tomb. "Please, just...settle down," he ordered. He was already at odds with the Colonel for being late.
Jack immediately shut up. He read the unspoken message in the General's expression, and had no wish to put the General in an untenable position with his superiors, or add ammunition to his bad boy image.
"When does this mission take place Major? Do we know that yet?" Hammond asked, outwardly calmer than he felt inside.
"Ah..." Davis shuffled through his notes, looking for the dates. He handed the General a piece of paper and studied his own copy. "SG-1, and yourself sir, will leave on the mission in three days time sir. That, according to the Joint chiefs should give you enough days to prepare yourselves."
Jack harrumphed quietly, giving Davis an icy glare. Under the table, Sam's hand found his thigh and she gave it a gentle squeeze. His hand closed over the top of hers and held it for a moment before she coughed and removed her hand. She didn't want to get caught touching Jack inappropriately. Not now anyway. Davis might act like a friendly soul, but there was no telling how strict he was about the rules. Hammond had turned a blind eye towards their friendship, but they never pushed it beyond the envelope. At work they were all professionalism, at home on down time was a different matter, so long as they were discreet about it.
Jack silently thanked her for her calming influence. She always managed to get him to cool his temper and think twice before speaking outright. It had saved him a beating or too off-world. He could tell she was just as incensed as he was about this but relaxed when they discovered their escort was to be General Hammond.
Davis looked a little lost until Hammond gently prodded him to continue.
"What exactly is the aim of the mission Major?"
"Ah...that...that's up to you sir. As far as the Pentagon was concerned, you get to pick the location sir. Nothing has changed that."
"Well, that's somethin' I guess," Jack drawled with less than his usual enthusiasm.
"Major Carter," Hammond turned to face Sam, "Can I rely on you to come up with a suitable planet for our mission?"
"Yes sir," she replied without hesitation, "I'll run this through the computer and see what new location it can come up with."
"No trees this time Carter, please..." Jack began but Hammond cut him off again with just a deep scowl. Jack shut up and underneath the table he clenched his fists in frustration.
"It's recommended that your stay will be of two or three days duration General," Davis said, trying hard to ignore Jack's steel hard dark eyes boring into him with disapproval. "The Joint Chiefs also wish me to remind you that they would like you to find some tangible technology which we can use in the near future, and to stress the importance of this mission."
Davis swallowed the lump in his throat when he felt angry eyes piercing right into his soul at this last statement. He knew it would bring about the worst reactions from the team and the General who had always tried to do their best but he also knew it wasn't an easy thing to find. Those that had the advanced technology didn't like to share as SG-1 had found out to their cost on occasions. The Tollan were a good example of this refusal to share.
General Hammond just glared at him reproachfully and decided that he had heard enough of this, and called a halt to the meeting.
"Alright Major, I think we've heard enough for now. Major Carter will find a suitable planet and I will prepare myself for off-world travel though I hardly think SG-1's accountability is in question here, and warrant's my supervision but we will do as required. Major Davis, SG-1, you're dismissed. Colonel, I'd like to see you in my office now."
"Yes sir!" they replied. Davis, Carter and O'Neill stood to attention as the General retreated to his office.
Jack glanced up from under his eyelashes at Davis who had his eyes downcast on his paperwork, feeling about as welcome as a Pork chop at a Jewish wedding.
Jack moved his sight sideways and caught Sam's eyes then rolled his in frustration. She gave him a small sympathetic smile in return and then stood upright again, picking up his report file and pen and knew by the General's tone that he was in trouble for several reasons; first and foremost for being late to the meeting.
TBC