#7 - The Fifth Season Episode 'Smoke and Mirrors' Theory

Ever wonder why Sam was so sure that Jack didn't kill Kinsey in that episode? Could it be that it was about a lot more than simply 'You just know when you've worked with someone?'

She knew because she was with Jack the entire time he was at his cabin just before the opening of the episode (but of course, she couldn't tell anybody about that little tidbit, or she would have been court-martialed). Considering such a possibility, Jack couldn't possibly have disappeared long enough to kill Kinsey, then come back to dump the murder weapon in his lake without her knowing about it.

So what exactly were they doing together at that cabin concealed in the Minnesota woods?

Playing Scrabble. Naked.

#8 - The '100 Days/Shades of Gray' Theory

Jack sat alone in his living room, the silence of the afternoon pressing down on him as he waited for that creep Maybourne to possibly show up. Of course, there was no way that either he or General Hammond could know for sure that their suspicions were right and Maybourne was their traitor, but Jack had learned years ago to trust his gut, and right now his gut was screaming that he was on to something. So he'd let Hammond unofficially retire him to lure the Area 51 Colonel to his door, hoping to discover just how big this leaks and mole problem really was at the SGC.

But that meant he had to go it alone for this mission. No teammates, no back up, no nothin.' Nothing meant a lot of emptiness in his house, which he wasn't used to. He took another look at the emptiness greeting him in his living room and fervently hoped that this skulduggery was worth the price they were currently paying at the SGC, to say nothing of his own eventual cost. He'd known right away when Teal'c had told him about this mission when they'd met on Edora that the price from him would be substantial, but he hadn't understood just how substantial. He didn't think he could possibly raise the already high bar on the discomfort level of this mission, no matter what the races like the Asgard and the Tollan claimed.

Remembering now, Jack's mind voluntarily cast back to that time on Edora with Teal'c. He'd been so glad - so very glad - to see the big guy when he'd managed to haul his ass to the Edoran surface. He'd lost his inhibitions then and hugged the Jaffa as hard as he could. Beaming, he'd instantly asked about Carter, about Daniel, about Hammond, Fraiser, the others on base. That was when Teal'c had become oddly taciturn in his response.

"O'Neill, it is very good to see you again."

The short statement did more to raise the hair on the back of Jack's neck than to soothe his rabid curiosity about the base or its personnel. Though Jack didn't quite understand the Jaffa's suddenly serious tone of voice, he still couldn't stem his enthusiasm when he replied, "Backatcha, T!"

But the Jaffa's solemnity continued. "Know that my heart rejoices at your continued good health. But there is a matter of great import that I must discuss with you."

That did it. Jack drew back from the Jaffa. Worry now replaced his previous happy mood. "What happened? Is it Carter? Daniel? Didn't everyone else make it back okay?"

"They are fine, as is General Hammond. In fact, I wish to speak to you on the General's behalf."

Jack eyed his friend in misgiving. "Come on, T! You just got here! Nothing can be so bad that it..."

"General Hammond has a mission for you, O'Neill."

The interruption stopped Jack in his enthusiastic tracks. "A mission? For me? Why not for all of SG-1?"

Teal'c shook his head. "It must be just you, O'Neill. Only you are in the perfect position to carry out this mission to completion."

Still befuddled, Jack gave a nervous bark. "Me? What the hell are you talking about, Teal'c?"

That was when he'd learned about what the Asgard and Tollan claimed about being the victims of thieves that looked exactly like their allies from Stargate Command, how they had promised General Hammond to allow his attempt at uncovering those thieves, but they had to act quickly before the other races lost their patience and blew them away.

If Teal'c found Jack on Edora, and Jack was willing, he was to go undercover, to pretend discontent with the SGC, display great impatience with Air Force directives to the point of retirement or court martial in the hopes of flushing out the mole or moles that were stealing from their allies, and ultimately bring them to justice. As O'Neill's MIA status ensured that he could easily pull off the necessary crappy attitude towards current SGC policy concerning the procurement of alien technology, his three month long sojourn on Edora made him uniquely qualified to play the part of disgruntled employee turned hopeful spy for the benefit of Earth and their allies. So as Teal'c's appeal stated, the fate of the planet once again hung in the balance of whatever Jack decided to do.

Sounded good - Jack already knew that he would do anything in the best interest of Earth and its allies. General Hammond could count on him.

That was when Teal'c added that in order to make his sham of a crappy attitude believable enough to lure out the possible mole(s) and uncover their operation, he would have to also play the part of the disgruntled SGC Colonel to his team members as well.

He would have to pretend with his team... his friends... he would have to lie to them, ignore them, even hurt them. If this mission actually went to plan, he wouldn't have any friends left when this was over.

With a sinking heart, Jack finally understood completely what Teal'c was telling him. General Hammond, their allies, Earth was asking him for the ultimate sacrifice. If he did what was necessary to make this mission as believable as possible, his life would never be the same again.

Yet what could he do?

Two weeks after his triumphant(?) return from Edora, Jack's slide downhill was complete; he was alone now, completely alone. He let his eyes once again wander over the emptiness of his living room, making note of each place that had previously been occupied by a former friend. Now the friends were all gone, and the silence that greeted him was eerie in its totality. Even though he lived alone, Jack was used to Daniel calling him to bend his ear about an upcoming mission they just had to go on. Or he wanted to argue the need to visit one ruin or another. Or he just wanted to talk. Or Jack had grown used to Carter sitting on the corner of his couch every Saturday to prattle on about some gizmo or other. Or Teal'c would solemnly discuss what it meant to be a Jaffa free of the Goa'uld. Or he had a team night held at his house to look forward to. Even while living alone, there had always been something going on.

But that was before he'd purposely jilted Carter to ask Laira to come home with him right in front of her. Before he'd stolen Tollan technology. Before he'd told Daniel that they had never really been friends and to basically get lost, like he was nothing to Jack but an annoying bug.

Now they were all gone. It had been the right thing to do for the mission... but without them, his house now just felt... wrong.

Jack prayed that this mission would end quickly so he could at least attempt to make things right again... if he ever could.