The atmosphere inside the base was tense as the loud yells emanated from behind the closed door of General O'Neill's office. The commotion had caught the immediate attention of Walter Harriman who had called Dr. Jackson, prompting him to leave his lab and investigate. He knew that something significant must have transpired for Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter and General Jack O'Neill, the leaders of SG-1 and the base, to engage in such a heated argument.
As Daniel approached the office, he spotted Walter standing at a cautious distance, his usual calm demeanor disrupted by the unfolding drama. The shouting from within the office was impossible to ignore, and the voices were unmistakably those of Jack and Sam.
Walter's pallor had drained, indicating the gravity of the situation. Daniel, concerned and curious, couldn't help but inquire, "What's up, Walter? Why did you call me?" He hoped for some insight into the ongoing dispute.
Walter, however, appeared equally perplexed and shaken. "I really can't tell, Dr. Jackson," he replied with a helpless shrug. "Lt. Colonel Carter entered the General's office, closed the door, and moments later all hell broke loose inside. They've been shouting at each other like that for minutes now," he added, checking his wristwatch as if to measure the duration of the ordeal.
Daniel scratched his head, perplexed by the circumstances. He had no inkling of what had triggered this confrontation, but the intensity of the shouting suggested it was a matter of utmost seriousness. He contemplated whether he should intervene, but a glance from Walter dissuaded him.
With a sigh, Daniel weighed his options. He knew that ever since Sam had become engaged to the cop, things between her and Jack had been strained. They had started to avoid each other, making him wary of stepping into whatever was causing this outburst.
"So, Walter, they aren't killing anyone, just having an animated discussion. I believe there's no harm in it. I'll leave them to it," Daniel decided, offering a comforting pat on Walter's shoulder. With that, he turned away and hastily retreated, preferring not to get entangled in the middle of the conflict. The enigmatic nature of the argument and the history between Sam and Jack left him with no desire to become an unwitting mediator in their dispute.
Inside General O'Neill's office, the atmosphere was thick with tension, palpable and suffocating. Jack had been engrossed in the mundane task of signing paperwork when Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter had burst into his office, slamming the door shut with an uncharacteristic force. He lifted an eyebrow, surprised by her unusual behavior, and inquired about the issue, unwittingly igniting the fiery exchange that followed.
The shouting erupted like a sudden storm. Sam, it seemed, was vehemently displeased with Jack's decision to put SG-1 on stand-down status following their last mission, and she made sure he knew it. Her words were sharp and her tone insubordinate, a side of her that Jack had never witnessed before.
Jack's patience began to wear thin as he warned her to calm down and return later. But that only fueled her anger further. Her voice escalated as she challenged him, "Are you saying that I'm not calm enough to speak to?"
Jack's icy response came as a warning: "I'm telling you, Lt. Colonel, that you are addressing a superior officer, and your tone is not appropriate."
Sam's face flushed with anger, her restraint slipping away.
"Well, General, I'm sorry if my tone offends you, but your decision is even more offensive and hard to accept. You had no right to take us out of rotation," she retorted, her words a declaration of defiance.
Jack rose from his chair, his patience running thin.
"Lt. Colonel Carter, I suggest that you lower your voice before I'm forced to take further actions against you," he cautioned.
Sam's response was a defiant smirk, her resolve unyielding.
"Oh?! Do you want to throw me into the brig now?! Go ahead! I dare you!" she challenged, her voice filled with defiance.
Jack took a deep breath, trying to maintain his composure. This was not the Samantha Carter he knew.
"Lt. Colonel, I'm warning you for the last time. Leave before I have to do something we'll both regret," he cautioned, his voice steady despite his mounting frustration.
Sam moved closer, inches away from Jack now, her piercing blue eyes locking onto his.
"I dare you," she repeated, her defiance unrelenting.
Resigned to the situation, Jack reached for the phone on his desk and called the Security Station. "This is General O'Neill. I need an escort in my office immediately," he ordered before hanging up.
Sam continued to stare at him defiantly as two armed airmen entered his office, their expressions almost apologetic as they obeyed their orders to escort her to the brig. Jack cleared his throat, his resolve unwavering.
"Please escort Lt. Colonel Carter to the brig. She is to be detained there until further notice. Handcuff her," he instructed.
As Sam was led out of the office, the SGC corridors were filled with shocked onlookers. She was a formidable presence, and the sight of her being escorted away in restraints was jarring.
Alone in the cell, Sam's frustration boiled over as she began to trash the small space, venting her anger through her actions. Meanwhile, Jack remained at his desk, head in his hands, torn between his duty and the complicated emotions that swirled within him.
The news of Lt. Colonel Carter's detention at the SGC brig spread rapidly throughout the base, causing shockwaves of surprise and concern among the personnel. Daniel was in the middle of something when he was informed, and the revelation nearly caused him to fall off his chair. With a sense of urgency, he rushed to Jack's office, where he found him at his desk, wearing a desolate expression.
Daniel closed the door behind him and wasted no time in voicing his bewilderment.
"What the hell happened, Jack? Someone just told me that Sam is in the brig," he exclaimed, clearly taken aback by the news.
Jack cleared his throat, attempting to maintain his composure.
"Yes, it's true. I sent her there. Her behavior caused it," he confirmed, his voice heavy with regret.
Daniel sank into one of the chairs, still struggling to process the situation.
"I heard the shouts. What was all that about? What happened?" he inquired, his confusion evident.
Jack opened his arms in a gesture of helplessness.
"I don't know, Daniel. She barged in, yelling about SG-1 being taken out of rotation, and she started to be as insubordinate as I'd never seen her before. I had no choice," he explained, his tone reflecting defeat.
Daniel looked at him in disbelief.
"Sam?! Insubordinate? You're joking, right?" he questioned, unable to reconcile this new information with the Sam Carter he knew.
Jack shook his head solemnly.
"I'm afraid not. I've never seen her like this. I don't know what happened. Maybe you can talk with her and find out," he suggested, his concern for his friend evident in his eyes.
With a heavy sigh, Daniel agreed to visit the brig and try to unravel the mystery behind Sam's outburst. He left Jack's office, determined to uncover the cause of the unexpected confrontation and hopefully help resolve the issue.
In the dimly lit confines of the brig, Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter sat on the cold floor, her back pressed against the unforgiving wall. Her breaths were rapid, matching the rapid pace of her thoughts. Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions and calculations, replaying every moment that had led her to this point. She had accomplished the first step of her plan - getting sent to the brig - but the next step would be even more challenging and emotionally draining.
As she reflected on the events in Jack's office, every word exchanged and every action taken, Sam couldn't help but feel a heavy weight in her heart. She had deliberately pushed him to this point, and now she had to follow through with her plan. It was a painful path she had chosen, but she believed it was the only way to achieve her goal.
Her anticipation grew as she knew that her next visitor would be arriving soon. Sam's expression almost betrayed a hint of a smile when she saw Daniel approaching. He was as predictable as ever, her surrogate brother, a man she had known and trusted for years. And he was about to become an unwitting accomplice in her scheme.
As Daniel entered the brig, Sam's emotions threatened to overwhelm her. She had to suppress a sob, her heart heavy with the knowledge of what she was about to do. The pain of her actions weighed on her, but she steeled herself for the difficult path she had chosen, determined to see it through to the end.
Daniel's attempt to engage in a normal conversation with Sam in the brig wasn't going as smoothly as he had hoped. He settled into a chair, positioned just in front of her cell, and began, "Well, this is something we don't see every day."
Sam remained seated on the floor, her silence casting an uncomfortable pall over the exchange. Daniel couldn't help but feel puzzled and concerned by her behavior. He needed answers.
"What the hell were you thinking, Sam?" he asked his tone a mixture of confusion and worry.
"Did he send you here, or do you just like to be an errand boy?" Her cold response cut deep, and Daniel was taken aback by her acidic tone.
"What's wrong with you?" he inquired, a hint of hurt in his voice.
Sam merely shrugged her shoulders, an air of defiance surrounding her.
"I'm tired of babysitting schoolboys and having assholes as bosses," she declared, her words laced with bitterness.
Daniel's mouth hung open in shock, struggling to process her words. This wasn't the Sam he knew, and he couldn't fathom what had caused this dramatic shift in her behavior. He mumbled, "I think you should go to the infirmary. You're not acting like yourself. It could be a virus or something."
Sam erupted into laughter, her amusement unsettling. When she finally stopped, she locked eyes with the archaeologist.
"So, when I start telling the actual truths around here, I'm possessed? Jolinar all over again?" she retorted coldly. "Sure, take me to the infirmary. I'm perfectly normal, but if you feel better, go for it, Daniel. Maybe General Asshole will also feel better," she added, her disdain for Jack clear in her words.
Daniel swallowed hard, deeply troubled by Sam's behavior. She was still herself, but she was being cruel and dismissive in a way he had never seen before. He couldn't help but ask, "Why are you calling Jack like that?"
Sam ran a hand through her hair, a gesture that seemed to betray her frustration.
"Because that's what he is," she replied flatly, leaving no room for further discussion.
Daniel's concern deepened, and he tried to make her understand the gravity of her situation. "Do you realize that you'll be staying here if you continue to talk like that?" he warned, hoping to break through to the real Sam hidden beneath this uncharacteristic behavior.
The atmosphere in the brig remained tense and unsettling as Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter sat on the cold floor, her defiance and bitterness palpable. Her voice carried an air of indifference as she sighed heavily and declared, "I don't care, Daniel. I honestly don't give a fuck, to tell you the truth. I'm done with this shit. So tell General Asshole to take care of things, bring a JAG here, and I want out. Put me in jail, give me a dishonorable discharge, put me in prison... Whatever. I want out."
Daniel looked at her in disbelief, his shock evident.
"What? Do you want to leave the Air Force? Are you sure, Sam? Is everything all right? Did something happen with Pete?" he asked, his words tumbling out in rapid succession, too stunned to process it all.
Sam's response was dismissive, a disdainful wave of her hand.
"Pete should be fine, I don't know. We broke up weeks ago. Yes, Daniel, I want to leave the Air Force. Tell him that, and please hurry up. I have things to do and don't want to spend the rest of my life in this shit hole," she replied coldly.
Daniel swallowed hard, struggling to come to terms with the reality of the situation. Sam's words were final, and he knew he had to convey her message to Jack. Without saying another word, he got up from his chair, leaving the brig behind without a backward glance.
The entire encounter left Daniel deeply shaken, as he contemplated the startling change in his friend's attitude and the weight of the decisions she was making. Sam's abrupt desire to leave the Air Force and the circumstances surrounding it left him with many unanswered questions and a sense of unease about what lay ahead for her.
As Daniel entered Jack's office, the atmosphere was charged with tension, and it was clear that something was gravely amiss. Daniel's face bore a mix of emotions—confusion, perplexity, and frustration—as he settled into the same chair he had occupied earlier. Jack's curiosity and concern were evident as he leaned forward and inquired, "What's wrong, Daniel? What did she say?"
Daniel's response was delivered in a subdued tone, but it carried a heavy weight.
"She wants to leave the Air Force. Immediately," he stated quietly, his words landing with somber gravity.
Jack couldn't believe what he had just heard. His initial reaction was almost disbelief, and he said, "What? Care to repeat that? I must have heard it wrong…" He almost chuckled as if expecting this to be some sort of joke.
However, Daniel's demeanor was anything but lighthearted, and he continued to express his concern.
"You didn't hear it wrong. She wants out. Now. I don't know what is going on with Sam, but she is very strange. I suggested that she go to the infirmary, but she said she was fine. I don't know if she is fine, Jack," Daniel explained, his gaze locked onto his friend.
Jack's initial reaction of disbelief gave way to a sense of alarm. He knew that Sam wanting to leave the Air Force was a significant and unexpected development.
"I'll arrange for her to be taken to the infirmary for tests. She might be infected with something we don't know," he said, picking up the phone to make the necessary arrangements.
Daniel continued to relay the unsettling details he had observed during his conversation with Sam.
"She's completely different. She told me she broke up with the cop weeks ago. Did you know that?" he asked, his voice tinged with surprise.
Jack's face grew slightly pale as this new piece of information caught him off guard.
"No. She didn't say anything about that," he admitted, a sense of unease settling in.
Daniel then dropped another bombshell.
"Oh, and she called you General Asshole. Just in case she calls you that again. You better be prepared. It's like she has no filter whatsoever," he warned, his tone conveying the bizarre and unsettling nature of Sam's behavior.
Jack's face reddened at the unexpected insult, and he muttered, "General Asshole?" It was clear that he was taken aback by this sudden change in Sam's behavior.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Jack swiftly decided to take action.
"I'm definitely calling the infirmary and putting her there for tests," he declared, picking up the phone and proceeding with the arrangements.
After all was settled, the two friends remained in stunned silence within Jack's office, grappling with the shocking turn of events and the many unanswered questions surrounding Sam's inexplicable behavior.
