I'm back! Actually I never left. We changed our plans at the last minute, due to unforseen circumstances.

Thanks for all your reviews, and I hope you enjoy this, the penultimate chapter.

General Disaster.

By LetitiaRichards.

Previously:-

The hand on her shoulder moved into a gentle tap and they moved off towards the infirmary eager to see their team leader and friend.

Chapter 12

Jack shifted awkwardly, his chest uncomfortable but at least he could breathe again. The last thing he remembered was the stifling airless cavern underneath the temple back on that planet and a lot of pain, but whatever he was lying on was warm and soft, and the familiar aromas filled his nostrils with the scent of the infirmary.

So, rescue. Home.

As the memories came back so did his concern for General Hammond.

He forced his eyes open and blinked in the low lights of the room. Shifting his head he could see a fuzzy shape bending over another occupied bed and he wondered if it was Hammond.

"Sir?"

He turned his head and came face to face with a nurse. One he recognised but didn't know by name.

"Hammond?" he asked, surprised when his voice was no louder than a whisper.

She looked across to the other bed then returned her gaze to him with a smile.

"He'll be just fine sir. Dr. Warner has pinned his leg and casted his ankle, but he'll be out of action for some time.

She offered him some ice chips which he held onto for a while before swallowing and savoured the feel of it melting in his mouth and then the cool liquid as it slid down his dry throat.

"Colonel?"

Doctor Fraiser's voice interrupted the news as he saw Janet approach him from the foot of the bed. Her smile was one of relief.

"How are you feeling sir?" she asked, as the nurse slipped away, leaving her to speak with Jack alone. She stood at his side and shone that dreaded pen light into his eyes about which he complained bitterly.

"Must you do that every time I open my damn eyes?"

Janet's smile deepened. Now she knew he was going to be okay for sure. If he was complaining already then he was certainly on the mend.

"Are you in any pain still, sir?"

"Nope! Well, only when I move Doc. Headache too."

"Uh huh!" she muttered, adjusting the IV. It was hardly surprising that his head ached really, after what he'd gone through.

"My team?"

"I ordered them to go eat and then sleep Colonel. They've all had a tough time but they refused to leave the infirmary until they knew you would be okay."

"So, what's the damage?"

"Broken ribs, a lot of bruising, a nasty gash on your leg which led to an infection Colonel. You've been out of it with a high fever since they brought you back. Concussion, badly bruised arm. Shall I go on?"

"Don't remember a thing after... Well, let's just say we didn't expect to wake up!" he quipped, shrugging and wincing when the movement pulled on his healing ribs.

"You're both going to be fine Colonel. General Hammond woke up three days ago." She didn't add that he was being a worse patient than the Colonel on a bad day.

"Days? How long have I been out?"

"You were rescued on Wednesday, and today is Sunday."

"And the others? They're okay you say?" he asked, wondering if any of them had been injured during the quake too.

"Teal'c was the only one injured, though not because of the earthquake sir..."

"Indeed not O'Neill!"

"Hey! Teal'c!"

The big Jaffa stood in the doorway, observing his friend, glad to see him awake and obviously feeling better.

"It is good to see you O'Neill. Daniel Jackson and Major Carter were exceedingly worried for your welfare."

"Yeah, you too Teal'c. So, what happened?"

"As you would say O'Neill, it is a long story."

Janet sniggered and hurried away before she broke into real laughter. It wasn't often that Teal'c got the better of the Colonel.

"So you all got out and what?" Jack said, manfully ignoring the smirking doctor. "I'm not goin' anywhere; so tell me!"

"We did not," Teal'c replied, his head tilting upwards in a gesture of 'I know something you don't.'

"Did not what?" Jack was confused. Here he was only just awake and still suffering from a concussion or fever or whatever; add to that, Janet was pumping him full of drugs too, so no wonder he was being a little slow on the uptake. "Teal'c!" he sighed, feeling his headache worsening.

"I did as you instructed O'Neill. I manoeuvred Daniel Jackson and Major Carter from the temple but we were immediately set upon by Osiris and her Jaffa. I was slightly wounded while the others were rendered unconscious by a Zatnikatel.

"What?" he almost yelled, bringing Janet back into the room.

"Colonel O'Neill!" the admonition came this time from the next bed.

Jack stiffened at the sound of his CO yelling at him.

"Sir?" he gulped at the tone. One he knew well. Hammond was annoyed with him.

Jack turned to face the wrath of the General, only to see him break out in a smile.

"Glad you're feeling better Jack!" Hammond said, grinning with relief. He wasn't going to admit to being more than a little worried about the Colonel, especially as he was near delirious with fever only a day ago. "Get some rest, and worry about what happened later."

"Yes sir," Jack sighed. He knew his kids were safe, and now he thought about it, he was feeling more than a little tired.

Teal'c nodded his approval and sat himself down in the chair to keep vigil over his brother warrior while he slept. Explanations could wait until he was well once more.

Jack relaxed in the relief he felt when Teal'c took his seat. His family were fine, he was safe, he was home and that was all that mattered. For now at any rate.

OoOoOoOoO

They were a motley crew that sat round the briefing room table a few days later. General Hammond was sitting in a wheel chair which had been pushed up to the table. Jack had hobbled there on crutches which he had laid down on the floor beside his chair. General Bauer was sitting at the head while the three members of SG-1 sat facing the invalids.

General Bauer called the de-briefing to order.

"First of all, General Hammond, SG-1, I would like to take this opportunity of apologising to you all, especially to Major Carter and Dr. Jackson. This whole situation was my fault; though not in entirety..."

There were gasps of disbelief along with denials that he was to blame for their predicament. Bauer held up a hand to stop them, his head hanging down in shame.

"I must confess that I would like nothing more than to be exonerated from this but I can't in all honesty claim that honour. What I did was entirely my own greed and selfishness."

"What are you talking about?" Hammond asks, thoroughly confused.

"This whole scenario of you going off world George. It was all a plot to get rid of you and Colonel O'Neill. They had a spy working here and they were in collusion with Osiris. She was meant to capture you on that planet and deliver you to Anubis. He planned on turning you into Goa'ulds so that he could gain all the secrets this base held..."

"Who are 'they'?" Jack asked, needing to understand who was behind all this. "Just who are we talking about here?" Jack didn't like the idea that someone had planned all of this and was willing to sacrifice Earth at his and Hammond's expense. He had no doubts that Anubis wouldn't have stopped there. He would have moved on Earth just as soon as he had the codes.

Bauer bowed his head and sighed. He couldn't bear to look them in the eye.

"I only know the name of the person who was pulling my strings in this game. But, don't worry, he's sitting in a cell on the President's orders awaiting trial. As to how far up the chain this goes, I can only guess, but one mane sticks out more than any others. There won't be any proof though; the man's a genius for getting himself out of sticky situations..."

"Kinsey!" Jack spat, feeling his hatred for the slimy senator grow more intense.

Bauer didn't deny it so they all knew he was the most likely candidate for such a daring scheme. Nobody would put it past the man, and he was most skilful at covering his tracks.

"Yeah, that I can believe," Daniel sighed. Was there no end to the dirty tricks the man would try to get rid of Jack? And now he was trying to get rid of General Hammond too.

"There isn't any evidence that actually points to him but, I know the man is more than capable of this."

"Yeah, we know Kinsey too well. We won't find anything to nail him on this sir," Jack sighed, throwing his pen down on disgust. "You can bet your sweet life , he'll be as clean as a whistle General."

"So who is sitting in the lock-up?" Sam asked, curious as to who it could be.

All eyes turned to Bauer.

"Colonel Frank Simmons."

TBC