Forty-Eight Hours Earlier….
Jack had always heartily disliked politics, politicians, politicking so on and so forth. He much preferred it when people said what they meant and did what he said. Which was weird considering the time he had spent doing things because political people told him to.
He gave Walter Harriman a wary look and slowly sat at his desk.
"Yes Sergeant?" He asked carefully. Walter grinned heartily at his general and handed him a manila folder then stepped back and waited.
Jack continued to study Harriman then sighed and looked at the folder.
"Colonel Carter's personnel request for the latest rotation." Harriman clarified.
Jack grunted and opened it, skipped past the boilerplate opening paperwork to the personnel and supply manifests then scowled at a particularly interesting sheet of paper.
"Sergeant Harriman, were you aware of Colonel Carter's unusual…" Jack made a face like he'd smelled something foul "…request?"
"Yes sir General O'Neill, I have the paperwork ready to go."
"You know what paperwork is needed to request a Presidential pardon in the face of a national security threat?"
"Yes sir." Harriman replied earnestly.
"Neat." Jack said sounding impressed then sighed and returned to the file.
Two hours later he was in the midst of video conference with Carter.
"Sir I know it's unusual but we need her."
"Okay, see, that's the part that's confusing me. For what exactly Carter?" Jack asked tiredly.
Carter hesitated, licked her lips then forged on, "Sir, I strongly suspect that her natural abilities may prove immune to the wraith."
Jack considered this then scowled. "If they are you're going to need Carthis."
"Maybe sir, with the technology on Atlantis we may be able to find a way to mimic her natural defenses. If we can do that we gain an incredible tactical advantage."
"What about Dr. Beckett's cure?"
"Problematic sir, even if it works the wraith don't have crops or livestock, at best we would have to either support them or try to integrate them with native populations until they could survive on their own. Not to mention the fall out once they realize they've been forced into becoming human."
"I don't like this, you know she won't."
"I know but I think we have to ask."
Jack scrubbed at his face then rubbed his neck and sighed again.
"Fine, but you send one of your people to ask her no drafting, not for this."
"Absolutely sir."
"You sure Jarod wouldn't be better for this?" Jack asked thoughtfully.
"He can't agree to it sir, even if he could or we were willing to do it we don't know what his state would do to our findings."
"Ethically questionable Carter? You're springing a mass murderer who may be as dangerous as a wraith."
"I know sir, I wouldn't ask if it wasn't Max."
"I know. Just…be careful and brief your security teams but wait until she's agreed, no need to spill the beans early."
"I agree sir." Carter said with a relieved but worried smile.
"Harriman where's that paperwork?" Jack asked.
Carter ended the call half an hour later and let out a slow breath. She picked up her tablet and entered two passwords and a string of instructions, hesitated and added an addendum, studied it for a few moments then hit enter, smiled tiredly and set the tablet down.