"…You are so wrong. It's a perfect analogy. Burns as Goa'uld."
Sam chuckled, cuddled up to Jack on the couch, Daniel and Teal'c taking the chairs opposite them.
"They are merely animated characters, O'Neill."
"You are so shallow." Jack accused Teal'c somewhat playfully.
Daniel, who had been trying to balance an orange on his beer bottle dropped the orange as if this statement had surprised him. "Oh Please! Teal'c's like one of the deepest people I know. He's so deep." He turned back to his best friend. "Come on! Tell 'em how deep you are." He said before turning back to Sam and Jack. "You'll be lucky if you understand this." He said with a giddy smile.
"My depth is immaterial to this conversation." The Jaffa said in all honesty.
"Oh! See?" He said, excitedly.
Jack looked at Sam who was chuckling and then at Daniel. "No more beer for you."
There was a knock on the door before anyone else could make a comment on Jack's analogy. "Thank God. Pizza." He said, pulling his arm out from around Sam. He hurried up to the door and opened it to find General Hammond on his step in civilian clothes. "Well you're not the usual delivery boy."
"Is this a good time?"
"It's always a good time for you sir. Come on in. Let me get you a chair." Jack said, opening the door more widely to invite the General into the living room. He shut it as Hammond walked down the steps into the den.
When Sam realized that it was George Hammond, she began to struggle to get her feet. "General."
"At ease Major, please."
"There you go, sir." Jack said, setting the chair down.
He sat. "I'm glad to find you all here." As he sat, he noticed the beer bottles littering the lamp table. "You wouldn't happen to have another one of those?"
"I would." Jack said, going into the kitchen and emerging with another six-pack. He took two bottles out of the case and handed one to the General, keeping one for himself.
"I've been relieved of command."
"What?" Jack asked, stopping as he began to place his arm around Sam again.
Sam was similarly shocked as she started to put her arms around Jack, and both Daniel and Teal'c froze as well.
"The President has effectively shut down the SGC for a three-month review process."
"Three months?" Daniel asked, sobering up considerably.
"During which time, a newly formed Government department will take the place of Stargate Command."
"But Sir, Jack? We don't have much time." Sam said, a pleading look on her face. Whatever hopes they had had of getting this taken care of were now out the window.
"How could this happen?" Teal'c asked, mournful.
"Kinsey." Daniel said, practically spitting the name out as he would some venomous substance.
"Does anyone know anyone who voted for those two shrubs?" Jack asked, as Sam's arms snaked around him again, this time for a more tangible sense of comfort.
"I've known President Hayes for a long time. He's a good man." Hammond said, sincerely.
"Despite his tastes in running mates, maybe." Jack retorted.
"Robert Kinsey brought in a lot of campaign financing. For all we know, he may have used his knowledge of the Stargate as leverage to get himself a place on the ticket. It doesn't matter now."
"What, we're just going to lie down for this?" Daniel asked, surprised.
"We've been in this situation before." Jack said, trying to reassure Sam and himself more than anybody else.
"No, this time it's different." The General said, seriously.
"Who's replacing you, sir?" Sam asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She squirmed against Jack, the baby making it awkward for her to sit the way she had been sitting.
"Her name is Doctor Elizabeth Weir."
"A civilian?" Jack asked, surprised, as they finally got Sam into a comfortable position.
"I've heard of her. She's an expert in international politics. She mediates some high level negotiations for the UN. I actually referenced some of her work when I drafted the first treaty for the Tokra." Daniel said, also trying to lend some comfort to the obviously distressed Sam.
"All I know is I've been ordered to Washington to discuss reassignment. I leave tomorrow."
Jack was hesitant to bring his own life up, but…he was married and they did have a baby on the way. "General, we do have a little unfinished business here." He said, asking the unasked question.
"As far as I know, you're all to report for work as scheduled on Monday." He said, unable to give any more information.
"Something must be done."
"I have my orders. Besides, I have a feeling I may be able to do more about this from Washington than I can here."
"And in the meantime?" Sam asked, tears starting to stain her cheeks.
"You'll just have to plead your case to the new administration. I have every confidence in you people."