After a couple of minor emergencies that kept General Hammond from his office, he went in, closed the door and sat in his chair. It was his moment to recollect himself and get ready for the next emergency. As he sat, he noticed a neatly addressed envelope on his desk, his name on the front written in Jack O'Neill's handwriting.
He opened it, unsure of what to think.
Dear General Hammond:
I am sure that this will come as an unexpected twist of fate to you, but I am tendering my resignation from the United States Air Force and the Stargate Program. My time here has been filled with wonderful experiences and I have grown with each one, but I feel that at this time, I can no longer perform the work that I am being asked to perform with the objectivity that is required of an Air Force officer.
When we let Nirrti go, we did so to save Cassandra Fraiser, and she was allowed to wreak havoc on another entire people. Countless lives are now on my hands because I convinced you in this course of action. Those lives almost included those of SG-1, and for that I am deeply sorry.
Even in her final moments, I tried to save Nirrti so that she could help the other members of my team. I was unable to see the alternative that Eggar was able to see. I am grateful that we were able to evade the inevitable disaster that would have ensued by allowing Nirrti to live again, but this is yet another moment in which emotion clouded my judgment.
If these were the only two moments in my career that this had been the case, I would be grateful, but the last nearly nine years since the Program first opened are studded with such moments.
At this time, I feel that the only responsible thing for me to do is to tender my resignation, and thank you for putting up for my irreverent sense of humor and my momentary insubordination.
Colonel Jack O'Neill
George Hammond stared at the letter for a few moments. Something had indeed happened on that planet that had changed Jack O'Neill. He looked at the phone. It was probably not his place, but…
He picked up the phone.