Circles - Chapter 7
Circles - Chapter 7
by Explosion_Of_Colour
Summary: Sometimes life just keeps going round in circles. until something breaks the pattern.
Category: Action/Adventure, Romance
Season: any Season
Pairing: Jack/Sam
Rating: G
Warnings: minor language
Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions, and Gekko Productions. I have written 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(s).
Archived on: 03/09/04
Circles
Chapter Seven - Answers
"Hi." Sam knocked on Daniel's door to announce her presence. He was leaning back in his seat with his cast leg propped up on another chair, engrossed in some papers on his lap.
"Sam, hi." He greeted her, pushing his glasses up on his nose. "I'd get up but..." The doctor gestured to his leg, which Sam noticed had been colourfully signed in many different handwritings.
"How are you?"
"I'm okay. Pleased to be out of there."
"Really?" Sam asked with a knowing smile.
"You've been talking to Jack haven't you?" Daniel replied with exasperation.
"I hear the nurses took quite a fancy to you." She couldn't help it, Daniel was just so easy to tease, and it had been a while since they could have a conversation outside of an infirmary or hospital.
"Actually I have a date tonight."
"A date?" She grinned. "Is that why you threw Jack out before?" If Daniel had let slip to Jack that he'd been right about the nurses, Daniel would never hear the end of it.
"Jack?" He looked at her with surprise.
"What?"
"You said Jack."
"I did?"
"You did."
She was saved from covering the slip by the man in question turning up at the door, stopping in the doorway to observe what was taking she and Daniel so long to join him in the comissionary.
"You two done yet? Apparently there's jello on the menu - blue, Carter." He moved to enter the room only for Daniel to stop him abruptly from where he was sitting.
"Stop right there, Jack."
"Danny, come on. I didn't mean to break that... whatever it was."
"Actually you broke the artefact from PX3-110 as well, sir." Sam piped up.
Jack gave an exasperated sigh. "Am I supposed to know what that is?"
"That cube that was on my desk this morning."
"I broke that?"
"It doesn't glow anymore, sir." She grinned.
"I'm loosing the will to live here, kids."
Daniel got to his feet with the aid of his crutches, moving past Jack with surprising speed, shooting a sarcastic, "I'm sure blue jello will cure that." over his shoulder as he left.
Jack looked to Sam in bewilderment. "Oh, he's really pissed." He stated with a smile.
**
General Hammond was finishing his latest progress report to the president when his 2IC knocked at the door.
"What can I do for you, Colonel?"
"Well, sir, it's about Colonel Karrington." Hammond looked at him with a weary expression. He'd half-expected a personality clash between the two, and he hadn't had a lot of choice as to Karrington's assignment. Orders directly from the President himself had come down to assign the Colonel as a temporary on SG-1. Of course he had been suspicious, especially as certain areas of Karrington's background had been blacked out, but there had been no reason to distrust the man when they had met, so he had left it alone.
"Is there a problem?"
"General, it's a bit difficult to go in to at the moment. I'd like to request SG-1 be put on stand-down until the weekend."
"You know your team is scheduled to go off-world in 36 hours? I need a good reason, Jack." The use of his first name let Jack know this would be off the record if necessary, which he was very grateful for.
"Sir, do you have the background files for Colonel Karrington?"
"Of course."
"Anything... odd about them?" Jack questioned, hoping the General would trust him enough to tell him honestly what his opinion was.
"He's moved pretty fast up the ranks over the last ten years, and there's a few gaps in his history - but then so do you, Colonel." Hammond answered.
"I just need to contact a few people before we head out again, sir."
Hammond hesitated, before deciding that friction within his flagship team was best avoided. "Granted, Colonel. You have until Friday to sort this out. But please don't ruffle too many feathers in the process."
**
Sam was putting the finishing touches to a new portable power source she'd been working on when Colonel Karrington appeared at her door.
"Major."
"Yes sir?" She grated out.
"I see you got your coat back." Karrington said as he gestured to it hanging behind the door.
There was something in his half smile that sent her defences up. "How did you put it there with my lab locked?"
"Oh, you think I did it?" He laughed outright.
"Is there something you wanted, Colonel?" Sam asked.
"Just wondering if you hurt yourself, falling like that yesterday."
"Excuse me?"
"When you hit your head."
She didn't reply, refusing to be baited by him. "If that's all, sir."
He obviously wasn't getting the message, as he stood there, turning to look around at the various gadgets and technology littering her lab.
**
"I'm not happy about this Jack."
"Ahh come on Harry, you live for this cloak and dagger stuff." Jack replied, taking shelter in the shadows the trees cast behind the building. "What did you find?"
"You said Max Karrington right?" Maybourne asked to be certain. "Well you got yourself a right one here. He comes from a long patriotic line of Karringtons, all in the service for at least thirty years. They have money, lots of it - old money mind you, the family made its fortune in the '20s, but stayed in the military."
"What does this have to do with the SGC, Maybourne?" Jack pushed, his patience wearing thin very quickly.
"Max didn't conform to tradition until sometime in the early nineties. He took the fact his father would get him out of any trouble he caused completely for granted, and being the four-star General that James Karrington was, Max escaped plenty of court-martials."
"What exactly was the 'trouble'?"
"Mostly indiscretions with female officers. Several charges were brought against him over the years, only to be dropped within the next week after they'd been filed. Looked to me like the guy doesn't have the greatest respect for women. Better watch that Major Carter of yours, Jack." Maybourne smirked at him, his knowing face unnerving Jack slightly.
"He's an arrogant son of a bitch. What happened in the early nineties?" Jack asked, glaring at his acquaintance.
"It seems Karrington's promotions started coming in very fast at the same time as the NID took on a new employee."
Jack rolled his eyes. "NID have planted him at the SGC? What happened to stealing technology keeping them happy?"
"I'm not entirely sure the NID are behind the assignment, his father seems to have pulled some strings to get his wonderful son a better placement and the NID were only too happy to oblige."
"Does this James Karrington know about the Stargate program?"
"His links to the NID suggest that may be the case. Last I heard the guy wasn't doing so well health-wise."
"I might've guessed you'd know him."
"Why Jack, I help you out and all you do is berate my employers." Maybourne replied in his usual condescending manner.
"Yeah Harry, it's a great bunch of people you work for." Jack responded sarcastically. "So what does this Max guy want at the SGC?"
"Like I said, I don't know. It could be that it's an official assignment, but his ties to the NID means he reports back. I'll warn you Jack, don't bet on this being temporary."
**
Jack stalked the halls, his dark mood obvious to anyone who passed. He was sick and tired of the NID, various political figures and god knew who else making it so difficult to get their jobs done at the SGC. He was on his way to Carter's lab, hoping to get her out of the base and discuss the information that Maybourne had come up with.
"Sir, I'm busy." He heard her say heatedly, opening the door to see Karrington leaning over her desk to look at the thing she was working on, much to her irritation.
"What's going on?" Jack demanded, making them both jump.
"Nothing, sir. I've nearly finished the -" Sam was cut off by the sudden wail of the klaxons going off, alerting them of 'Unsceduled Offworld Activation'.
All three officers ran for the control room as SG-1 and two other teams were asked to report there over the PA system. General Hammond approached them as they got there.
"That was Sg-13 radioing from PX5-778, they asked for help with their mission. It appears they have found a large amount of naquada in one part of the planet, and they need help persuading the villagers they mean them no harm."
"Sounds like a diplomatic mission to me, sir." Jack replied, hoping he wasn't going to be asked to do this.
"Unfortunately not, Colonel. The villagers have many advanced weapons that they are threatening to use against SG-13. Jack, I know I said you could take some time off but I need you to go to that planet."
Sam looked at Jack in surprise at the mention of him taking some time off, and then returned her attention to Hammond. "Sir, advanced weapons could mean they have advanced technology to use against the goa'uld. Is our primary mission for the naquada or an alliance with these people?"
"Hopefully both, Major. But if you cannot change the villagers minds; try to find out if they know about or use the naquada, and take it from there."
"Yes, sir."
"I'm sending SG-1, SG-3 and SG-7, and I do not want a fire-fight. If the villagers attack, for any reason, defend yourselves and retreat to the Stargate. Jack, you're the commanding officer on this mission."
"Yes, sir."
If you enjoyed this story, please send feedback to Explosion_Of_Colour
Heliopolis Main Archive
A Stargate: SG-1 Fanfiction Site
Circles - Chapter 7
by Explosion_Of_ColourSite Navigation
Support Heliopolis