As soon as the door closed, Sam turned around and said, "You know, that kid would be a great person to have on SG1,"
Now it was General Landry's turn to gawp. "What are you saying Colonel? Are you making an official plea to add a minor to your team!"
Sam shrugged. "If that's what I have to do…"
Cameron butted in. "Sam, you are insane! I mean, you said it yourself. He's a kid. And if he joins SG1 we'll be taking him to other planets! He'll likely get himself killed and us with him."
"Give him a chance, Cam" Daniel responded on Sam's behalf.
"I'm sorry, but my gut instinct is saying NO WAY!"
In the time-honoured tradition of a female army officer fighting to make her point stand, Sam blew her top.
"You know what! SCREW your gut instinct! If you'd seen his training record…"
Cameroon frowned and interrupted, "Exactly. Training record. We don't know how he'll react under pressure. He's just a kid and I don't think a kid is good enough for SG1, Sam.
General Landry looked at his flagship team and sighed.
"Ok, let's bring this meeting to order. First point: Col. Carter wants Col. Rider in SG1. Right?"
Sam nodded. "Yes sir."
"Right, Col Mitchell is opposed. Dr Jackson?"
Daniel suddenly seemed to find the table extremely interesting. He fiddled with a pen as he spoke.
"I'm sorry Sam. Maybe we should put him on another team, but not SG1. Like Cam said, we don't know how someone as young as him will react under pressure."
Sam opened her mouth to say something but Landry put up his hand for silence.
"Teal'c?"
"I believe he has the heart of a warrior, General Landry. He has the look of one who has been through many troubles and triumphed."
General Landry sighed again. The team was split. Great.
"Are you sure Alex wants to be on your team Col Carter?"
Sam grinned. "Oh yes sir. You should have seen the look on his face when he saw me."
"And what was that?"
"Like someone who had seen a ghost or an avenging angel sir."
Cameron scoffed. "Why don't we just ask him sir?"
Landry nodded. "Yes."
He strode to the door and opened it; to find Alex Rider completely vanished.
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Alex stood outside the door like a tin soldier, desperately trying to hear what was being said. And failing pathetically. Good old military soundproof walls. Excellent.
Just then a man wearing green BDU's with greyish brownish hair and very dark brown eyes walked up. Alex gawped. For at least the fourth time that day. Jack O'Neill. Holy Moly. Jack O'Neill. One of the first people through the Stargate, one time leader of SG1 and now head of Homeworld Security. Holy Moly.
"Hey," the legend said. "Hank in?"
Alex nodded dumbly.
"Busy?"
Alex nodded. Dumbly.
"Ok then. Guess it'll have to wait."
Alex finally recovered the ability to talk.
"Can I help you, sir?"
"Oh, I doubt it. Well, actually you might. How do you tell someone that they are about to be replaced by someone who had the best job in the world and wants it back to go and do another one of the best job's in the world?"
Phew, Alex thought. I had a hard time following that.
"Err. Would you be that person, sir?"
"No, not me. An old friend of mine though."
The glimmer of anticipation in Alex's eyes died. Nuts.
"Tell ya what, Colonel…. Rider. We'll discuss this over coffee."
"Ok."
Jack raised an eyebrow.
"I mean, yes sir."
Jack raised both eyebrows.
"With all due respect, what, sir?"
"You're new aren't you?"
Alex grimaced. "Is it that obvious?"
Jack grinned. "Oh yeah."
He chuckled as they walked off.
Sg1sg1sg1sg1sg1sg1sg1sg1sg1sg1sg1sg1sg1sg1sg1sg1sg1sg1sg1sg1sg1sg1sg1sg1Cameron started laughing. General Landry's head snapped round. "What is so funny Colonel?"
"You're talking about putting this kid on SG1 and he can't even be trusted to stand outside a door?"
Sam frowned. "Sir, permission to go and look for him?"
"Granted, Colonel. Try the commissary. He's new so he won't know how bad the food is!"
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Alex was sitting in the commissary, making small talk with a legend. Stargate Command was way underrated.
"So… d'ya like the Simpsons?"
Alex looked up to see Jack looking over at the door.
"Yes, sir."
"What?"
"You asked me if I like the Simpsons. I said yes."
Jack smiled absent-mindedly. "Is that who I think it is?" He said, pointing.
Alex looked over to see Samantha Carter scanning the room, obviously looking for something. On the spur of the moment, he ducked under the table. Jack chuckled. "Sorry, I think I blew your cover."
Alex saw a pair of feet come to rest next to the table.
"Sir!" she exclaimed.
"You don't have to call me sir any more, Carter. I'm not your CO. Just call me Jack, or if you can't handle that, O'Neill." He said, jokingly.
"I don't think so, sir…"
Alex slowly backed out from underneath the table with the intention of escaping back to his desk and hopefully not getting kicked off the program for running away.
"There's our runaway!"
Cameron's loud voice caused Alex to jump. Sam started and Jack frowned.
"Mitchell!" he yelled. "What do you mean by runaway? I asked him to join me for coffee."
"Where's the coffee now, sir?"
Jack paused. "Don't get smart with me Mitchell. We were getting it."
Sam grinned, but Jack's attention was diverted, once again, to the door.
"Hank! How are ya buddy?"
Landry jumped. "Jack?"
"Oh boy." Murmured Cameron. Alex nodded.
"Can I have a word with you, Hank?"
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Ok, that's it for now. Next chapter we'll have Jack and Hammond coming back to the SGC and Alex joining SG1. And a bit of action because it's a bit slow moving. Sorry about that. Sorry again and thankyou for reading and reviewing.
