AN: - Apologies for the lack of posting in the last few months as have been really mad busy in both work life and other stuff popping up. Hopefully things have settled down now and can begin posting again.
General Hammond looked up, returned the salute and then waited for Colonel McMasters to take a seat, for what he new would be an uncomfortable time for the man.
"Sir I don't know why you listen to anything that dam man says." McMasters almost growled.
Hammond looked at McMasters and waited for him to continue, wanting to give him the chance to tell the truth.
"I have never run from a battle and no way did I do it when those Jaffa attacked." McMasters was gaining confidence at Hammond's continued silence
"Dr Jackson got no idea about what happened to me." McMasters pointed out. "I was knocked out and if I hadn't had been I would have been right there at the front of the fight kicking arse, showing those Jaffa what a marine can do to them."
"So Colonel, what did happen to you?" Hammond once again gave the man the chance to tell him the truth or to dig himself further into trouble.
McMasters stared intently at Hammond wondering whether the General was toying with him or whether the lies he was telling where being believed. McMasters smiled to himself at the seemingly open expression; he believed that he was going to escape unscathed from this nightmare episode.
"Sir it's all in my report." McMasters smiled at Hammond.
Hammond faced the smiling McMasters, taking a deep breath, the General tried to remain calm but a red mist descended upon him, making it hard to control his anger at this man who had thought to lie about his cowardly actions, especially when those around him had fought and died bravely.
"Colonel. How dare you stand there and outright lie to me." Hammond snarled. "You ask me how I can believe Dr Jackson."
McMasters went to respond but Hammond drew himself to his full height and stared down at the seated man.
"I have given you every opportunity to tell me the truth regarding your actions when Medusa's Jaffa attacked, but you chose to lie and thereby ruin any chance you had of my being able to help you. Hammond roared.
McMasters again attempted to speak, but was waved to silence by Hammond who this time spoke in a controlled manner.
"Colonel you are relieved of all duties pending my recommendation for court martial. Now get off my base and out my sight."
McMasters stared in shock at the red faced General, shaking himself he stood up and saluted which Hammond return.
McMasters stormed towards the locker rooms, raging at the injustice of the treatment he had received.
In McMasters mind he truly believed that he had been knocked unconscious and had missed the battle because of that and he was no coward.
Storming into the locker rooms he never noticed that a shower cubicle was occupied.
"This is all O'Neill's fault and that dam Jackson." McMasters raged kicking his locker in rage. "O'Neill's lucky he's dead otherwise I would kill him myself and that geek bastard Jackson is gonna pay."
The shower turned off and suddenly McMasters realised he was not alone. Staring towards the showers McMasters waited to see who would emerge.
Daniel wrapped the towel round his waist and tiredly walked towards his locker head down, he never realised he was not alone till a fist struck him directly in the face. His head snapped back from the force of the blow and he crashed bleeding to the floor.
A boot smashed repeatedly into the prone mans ribs and the air was driven from his lungs. McMasters was grinning manically as he drove his boot into the defenceless mans side. Drawing his foot back he now changed his aim but before he could smash his foot into Daniel's face McMasters found himself lifted of his feet and thrown away from his victim.
"You dare to attack DanielJackson in such a cowardly way." Teal'c growled as he knelt down next to the naked bleeding man.
McMasters struggled to his feet and ran from the locker room hurrying to leave the scene of his crime before he was stopped. Heading to the surface he rushed as quickly as he could through the numerous security checkpoints and then he left the Cheyenne mountain complex behind.
Teal'c meanwhile used the phone in the locker room to call to Dr Fraiser regarding the attack on Daniel Jackson, who was slowly coming round to painful awareness.
"Ow what hit me?" Daniel groaned as he struggled to sit up.
"Take it easy Daniel." Dr Fraiser advised him.
"What happened?" Daniel shook his head to try to clear it.
"McMasters attacked you." Teal'c calmly spoke.
"Where is he now?" Daniel asked. "And why did he attack me."
"It's because I relieved him of command." Hammond told them as he had heard about the attack and arrived as quickly as he was able. "And I believe he blames you for it."
"Right we need to get you to the infirmary so I can examine you properly." Janet told Daniel.
"I'm fine." Daniel tried to get to his feet but wobbled unsteadily. Teal'c reached out a hand to steady his friend.
"Sir, Colonel McMasters has left the base." Sam told the General and the others.
"Send some SF's to his home and have him arrested." Hammond ordered.
Daniel was helped to the infirmary and Sam gave orders to the SF's to go to McMasters home to arrest him.
McMasters paced the motel room frantic with worry at his violent actions, he realised that he was in serious trouble after attacking Daniel Jackson. Although he did feel a degree of satisfaction from getting the boot into the man although it was a shame that he was stopped before he could do some serious damage.
A knock sounded on the motel room door and McMasters cautiously went towards it, cracking open the door he found himself face to face with an evil smiling man.
"Yes." McMasters barked at the smirking man.
"Colonel McMasters my name is Smith and I work for an organisation that would like to use a man of your talents." The man called Smith smarmily smirked at the silent man. "He was especially pleased with what you did to Dr Daniel Jackson."
"So what do you want?" McMasters questioned intrigued by the thought that someone outside the SGC knew what he had done to Jackson and was not arresting him for it.
"My employer would like you to work for them." Smith put to the interested man.
When the SF's and local law enforcement finally tracked down the motel rooms location a couple of hours later, they found the room clean and empty.
Smith allowed the phone to ring, and as the other end was picked up he advised the listening party.
"He said yes and everything is in place for the parcel to be collected during the memorial service."
Smiling the silent listening man, replaced the receiver and returned to his dinner guests.
"Senator Kinesy your wife is such a excellent hostess." A dinner guest complemented.
"Yes she is." Kinesy continued to smile pleased that soon his plan for revenge would soon begin.
Cocooned within the darkness, his heart began to pump slowly barely noticeable, awareness was a long way off, but no one would be able to see this as soon the ground would reclaim him as he was to be buried a hero to lie silent beside his only child.