Noda
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/ Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. This story for entertainment purposes only and no money whatsoever has exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author.
Story notes: Thanks to Littlemiss for betaing and encouragement!
Copywrite 2000 by Noda
noda@win.bright.net
~Promotional Consideration~
It's been one hell of a week. No, actually, it's been one hell of a last few months. I jump from working nearly non-stop on the particle beam generator we used to get Colonel O'Neill home, into a situation where he's behaving so erratically, I wonder if I ever really knew him. I thought I did, but maybe I was just familiar with his routine. A week ago I could answer with absolute certainty that Jack O'Neill was a loyal, concerned, *honorable* man. A man who would do the right thing. Now I'm not sure.
His behavior on Tollana was so unbelievable, General Hammond sent him to the infirmary, convinced he'd been invaded by. . .by *something* to cause Jack to do an about-face in the honor department. I was speechless at his insubordination. Not that Jack didn't always walk a fine line, but he was acting, like, well, a total ass. I remember sitting in the briefing room, casting glances at Daniel and Teal'c, wondering if it was just me or if they'd noticed Colonel O'Neill had gone off the deep-end. Their disbelief echoed my own, but if SG-1 is anything, we're loyal to one another. Even though we all saw what Jack had done on the planet, and knew it was wrong, we remained silent. The only evidence we revealed of Jack's guilt were the furtive looks we gave each other.
I can't say I was surprised Hammond had him removed from our team. In the face of Jack's actions, he had no choice, and I could see it was killing him to tell Jack his career was over. I tried to work up some sympathy for my ex-C.O., but in light of the way he treated me--treated all of us--I couldn't seem to feel sorry for him. I was hurt, angry and confused, but more than anything, I was knocked off-balance. To think I could be so wrong about a person had me second guessing just about everything.
Then the questions of who would lead SG-1 came up. I can't say I'd really thought about what would happen should Colonel O'Neill not be able to fulfill his roll as commander. I always assumed if Jack *weren't* in charge, it was because of an injury or he was dead. Never in a million years had I envisioned this scenario.
Now the question wouldn't leave my mind. Would they give me SG-1? True, I didn't have a lot of leadership experience, but who else would they choose? Daniel and Teal'c are civilians, and even though Teal'c has the strategic mind and military bearing, he's *still* an alien. I couldn't see the President authorizing him to take over the team.
If not me, than it would be someone new, most likely someone higher up on the food chain who already worked at the SGC. But who would that be? Would there be a general shake-up? Transferring one of the commanding officers from any of the other SG teams was bound to cause a chain reaction. In that case, were my chances at getting command of our team improved?
Did I want command of SG-1? It was a lot of responsibility. Not only to be accountable for the lives of my team mates, but to uphold the tradition of our team being the "flagship of the SGC." Well, Colonel O'Neill had certainly left us with a tarnished image. It would be up to whomever took over, to spit-shine that image and put us back on top once more.
I'd finally decided I was up to the challenge of heading up our team when General Hammond asked us to meet him outside the control room. Daniel, Teal'c and I loitered in the hallway, speculating on what the meeting was about. Daniel said he thought it was probably about our "fourth," and I agreed, even though I was surprised we weren't meeting in the briefing room if that's what the General intended.
Daniel thought perhaps we'd get Ferretti, and I'd get the lead spot. I wasn't trying to be modest when I said it was likely they would choose someone of a higher rank. It was the logical choice, still, I did have my experience with SG-1 on my side. To me it made more sense to have the "new kid" be in the ranks, and not in command. So I was a bit surprised when Hammond announced O'Neill's position was going to be filled by Colonel Makepeace.
Daniel, bless him, started to argue with the General about his choice, how I should be the one to take over our team. It was sweet of him, really, but I knew the military, and I knew Hammond. His mind was made up.
I tried not to let my disappointment show, but I don't think I was entirely successful as Daniel continued to argue on my behalf. Swallowing my frustration, I did my best to welcome Colonel Makepeace to our team. I was surprised to see Teal'c turn away, as if he were disgusted by the choice. I thought just his general respect for authority would have kept him in place.
Makepeace made the proper welcoming speech before following Hammond back up the spiral staircase. Daniel and I just stared at each other, neither quite sure what to say.
"Well, Makepeace isn't who I would have put my money on," he said, apologizing once more.
I told him it was okay, and I tried to truly mean it. I had to suck up and accept the situation, especially in light of Daniel and Teal'c's reaction. I was the one who was going to have to bring them around to accepting a man I myself didn't want to accept. It was hard enough to see someone else filling Jack's shoes, let alone Makepeace. I found myself cursing Jack O'Neill again for his actions. How could he be so selfish as to subject us to this? Was that piece of Tollan technology *really* worth the hell he'd put us all through?
Later, when I found out he'd asked to retire on Edora, I thought it appropriate. Somehow it served my sense of irony that after stealing superior technology, he voluntarily exiled himself to a low-tech world. Perhaps there is some justice in the Universe after all.
The End
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