"Carter," explained Col. O'Neill as he was leaving the mess hall table and a motionless Maj. Samantha Carter, "it was just a thought..."
As Col. O'Neill starts to pass through the swinging doors of the mess hall he meets another member of his team, SG-1, Daniel Jackson, the team's resident Anthropologist. "Hi, Jack. What's up?"
Still wondering where the future will lead his team, and the mysterious reaction to his simple question on Maj. Carter, he says, passing Daniel in the doorway, "Ask Sam" and continues on his way. Still without an answer.
Daniel feels he has missed something, but is not exactly sure of what that could be. As he ponders Jack's response he notices Sam sitting still at the table he saw Jack get up from. She has a fork of food hovering over her dinner plate, and a look of shock on her face. After watching her movement, or lack there of, Daniel decides to find out and joins Sam at her table. "Hi, Sam. What's wrong?"
"Huh," says the startled Samantha Carter, "I thought the Colonel was sitting there".
"He was... I think," still unsure of what happened in his absence, "at least I assume he was sitting with you. If you would like me to leave...".
"No, no need to go," said a still slightly shaken Samantha Carter, "Its just that he caught me completely off guard".
"Jack.... Jack caught you off guard?" asked a bewildered Daniel Jackson as he pushed his glasses back into proper position.
"Yeah"
"Our Jack... " Daniel asked to make sure he was speaking of the correct Jack, "...Jack O'Neill?"
"Yes."
"Ok," said a suddenly wary Daniel Jackson, "what did our... what did Jack do this time?"
Finally, after 20 more seconds of thought, and putting the fork of food back on the plate, Sam looked Daniel in the eyes and said, "I just had one of the oddest conversations with him".
"Shouldn't we go find him?"
"He's on his way to Dr. Weir's office on level 26," Sam answered, "she can use a challenge right now I think."
"Ok, so now what did Jack do?"
"I'm sorry, Daniel," said the still shaken U.S. Air Force Major, "but he just asked me a question, out of the blue, that not one of the other people on the Stargate project has ever thought of..."
"I don't like the sound of this..." said a definitely wary Daniel Jackson.
"You don't know the half of it, Daniel," explained Sam, "it was such an obvious question! It was also the smartest one I have ever heard from the Colonel... and I still don't have an answer."
"The smartest question... from Jack?" Daniel asked for clarification.
"Yes".
"Ok," said the suddenly ready-for-action Daniel, "what's the problem?"
"It was so in depth, so to the point, so..."
"Unlike Jack?", prompted Daniel.
"Well, yes".
"Sam, should I be concerned?"
"About what?"
"About.... Jack?" defined Daniel.
"What?", Sam said as she started fully coming out of her shocked feeling, "no, of course not. Its just the way he asked. That is what threw me".
"Ok," said a Daniel that was starting to get tired, feeling he is never going to find out what he missed, "just tell me... What did Jack say?"
"Daniel, we were talking about the various probes we send through the gate; the MALPs and Air Reconnaissance Drones. Not to mention firing missiles through it. Then he looks at me and says, without any warning I tell you...." Sam paused to take a sip of her rapidly cooling coffee, "He says 'Carter, why do we always have to walk when a Hummer will fit up the ramp and through the gate just as easily as anything else? The lifts are big enough to accommodate one being drought down, and the MALP corridor is plenty large enough....' and then he said ' it was just a thought...' and then he just walks away".
Daniel stares at Samantha, like she had blue hair or something.
"Daniel," explained Major Carter as she was leaving the mess hall table, leaving her half-full dinner dishes, and a motionless Daniel Jackson, "it was just a thought..."
As Samantha walks to the mess hall door she hears Daniel speak in a low voice saying, "Eight years, and dozens of pairs of my shoes, and no one was bright enough to think of sending us out in cars. Except Jack. Too bad he isn't in charge".
© July 2004 The characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-I, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-I Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author.