MISSING SCENE for Cold Lazarus
I've prided myself in the past on a well-run command. My career has provided me with a variety of operations, from those in Vietnam and other areas of conflict, to bases and outposts I commanded in peacetime. Never in my career, however, have I seen something quite as unique as Stargate Command.
It's proving to be an incredibly singular operation, as well as a challenge both in how the base is run and how we've had to adapt to the problems we're facing. The command has a different feel to it than anything else I've experienced, and so I've tried to keep an open mind about how things are managed.
There's a delicate balance in how the SGC is run. Due to the nature of the program's origin, there have been times when it's been better to play the situation by ear rather than insist on sticking to the book. I have never seen regulations that provide input on dealing with enemies such as the Goa'uld and Jaffa. And of course, the nature of the Stargate itself and how to run the operations around it are groundbreaking in and of themselves.
The precedent set since the very beginning is to be fairly flexible, and to judge events as they occur. What worked in one situation may prove to be disastrous in another. If a crisis arises, I'm confident by now that the numerous individuals under my command will be able to come up with a solution that will be more than satisfactory. We're not guaranteed success, as the tragic demise of Major Kawalsky demonstrated many months ago, but we are learning from our mistakes.
This is definitely not what I thought I'd be doing when I accepted the command of the base deep within the guts of Cheyenne Mountain. It was to be my final assignment, one I was happy to take in the year before my retirement. I accepted the assignment for two reasons. Colorado Springs is where my children and grandchildren reside, and the base itself is a journey down memory lane for myself. I spent several months stationed here in the late sixties.
My son told me on several occasions as I was preparing to return to Colorado that I wasn't ready for retirement. There were plenty of years left for me, he claimed, along with more stars to gather before I made full bird general. I disagreed, since military life was holding little appeal for me at that time. When command transferred to me from the departing General West, I prepared myself for the twilight year or two of my career.
Apophis changed that. When he stepped out of the Stargate and set into motion the events that would birth the SGC, I found myself being committed to the fledgling program. It was the last thing in the universe I expected, but I accepted it nonetheless. I'm pleased with the results of this endeavor so far, particularly in view of the individuals who have assembled under my command. I couldn't ask for more committed men and women.
SG-1 is the team who has so far impressed me the most. They're an example of the forces necessitating the creation of the SGC. Each have a stake in the results that will come with whatever is on the other side of the wormhole. Colonel O'Neill and Dr. Jackson both have people they care for trapped among the Goa'uld. Captain Carter seeks to broaden her knowledge of the Stargate and its physics. Teal'c has dedicated his life to the freedom of his people, allying himself with us in pursuit of his goal.
I wouldn't come out to say this in public, but I will freely admit that I had my doubts about the success of SG-1 when O'Neill informed me who his team would comprise of. I forced the issue as far as Captain Carter was concerned, knowing that she was the most knowledgeable person on the planet as far as the Stargate went. Despite a few rough patches between her and the colonel, they've come to respect each other. I wasn't exactly thrilled about the addition of either Jackson or Teal'c to the team. Jackson, I felt, was unreliable and a loose cannon. The loss of his wife, the lack of training he clearly displayed, as well as what, at the time, I felt was a mildly treasonous attitude only made it worse. How else to explain his failure to return from Abydos? I worried that he would act in his own interests rather than our own, a fact I genuinely believed was also in question with Teal'c. I had no reason to believe the veracity of the Jaffa's newfound allegiance to Earth.
Then there was O'Neill himself. A good man as I now realize, I really wasn't sure how to deal with the retired and very sarcastic man brought to my office in the aftermath of Apophis' attack. There was something about his report filed after the Abydos mission that didn't sit right with me; I sensed correctly that there were missing and very vital details. The revelation that Jackson and Abydos still existed was enough for me to want to put the man on report, although I understood his motive in protecting innocent civilians and non-combatants. Although I know now that the Goa'uld who visited our world was not Ra, I couldn't help but feel at the time that due to the omissions in the reports from both O'Neill and his surviving men, our very planet was in danger.
Despite my concerns several months ago, I have little reason to be concerned about this team. O'Neill has proven to be an exemplary commander, even if his sarcasm is inappropriate at times. Teal'c has been adapting moderately well to our world, in part due to the efforts of his teammates. Carter continues to be a fine officer and scientist, while Jackson has proven himself to be as dedicated as any other member of this facility. In addition to that, his skills in the field are slowly improving, also due to the aid of his teammates.
There are times, however, when the latter members of the team irritate me. Their actions of late are of particular concern.
The most recent mission assigned to SG-1 was to explore P3X562, a world where the team discovered blue crystals arranged in a pit. These objects were later revealed to be entities whose species were executed by the Goa'uld, and after a very close call with one entity impersonating first O'Neill then his deceased son, we were able to contain the situation. I'm not entirely pleased with how quickly we lost control in the first place, because although the alien O'Neill behaved strangely compared to the real version, none of us thought to question the scenario until it was too late. I'm holding myself as responsible as the others who interacted with the entity. Again, this was a situation that proved to be instructive, but the realization of how easily this could have been a major disaster chills me. It chills me as much as it did to order a code red during the Touched crisis several months ago.
Before the return of the real O'Neill from P3X562, the sirens on base went off. I was called to the control room moments after the emergency was declared to be a false alarm. When I inquired as to what caused in the incident in the first place, I learned that Carter and Jackson had convinced Teal'c to fire his weapon at one of the crystal samples they'd salvaged from the planet. The test was in the embarkation room, of all possible places in the mountain.
Due to the nature of the crisis that presented itself when O'Neill arrived on base, I didn't have the opportunity to deal with the situation until much later. In fact, it wasn't until O'Neill returned from escorting the entity home that I had a chance to deal with the two scientists. The moment the Stargate deactivated, I ordered them to my office.
I have no qualms, as I've previously stated, to their skills in their respective fields. I knew from their files that they were accomplished, and their skills thus far in the program were exemplary. Unfortunately, there was a streak of unorthodoxy in Jackson that seemed to be influencing Carter. I sensed it had something to do with the blacklisting of Jackson's name in the archaeological community; his enthusiasm and tenacity in presenting his theories and beliefs to his fellow academics two years ago spoke volumes about his attitude toward adversity.
Jackson's dedication to the SGC is more than just his quest to find his wife. I realized fairly quickly that he was serious in his work as the civilian consultant on ancient languages and cultures. His knowledge and skills are remarkable, but the method he used to make sure that our goals matched his as far as cultural considerations go still annoys me. He veered around the hierarchy, deciding instead to ignore my refusal and go above my head to get what he desired. It is to his credit that he succeeded, and while I took a bit of pleasure announcing the news to him if only to get him to stop his very loud protests, I still wish the boy would buckle down and do things properly.
I have no doubt that it would take a lot of wishing before that day occurs.
They appeared in my office like two children about to be scolded by the principal. Captain Carter was at attention like a good soldier. Dr. Jackson was standing a little straighter than normal, the slight slouch of his shoulders that's the signature of his usual stance gone for the moment. Two pairs of blue eyes watched me as I deliberately took my time closing a few dossiers. I noted apprehension, and perhaps a bit of guilty regret on their faces.
"Take a seat, Captain, Doctor." I kept a stern tone in my voice. Even in her chair, Carter's posture remained stiff. Jackson relaxed slightly, though I noted he was seated forward in the chair, not allowing himself to get too comfortable. "I've asked you two here to discuss the progress of the science departments."
"Oh," said Jackson.
"Yes, sir," Carter replied. "Anything in particular, sir?"
"Now that you mention it, yes." I eyed them both. "I realize the importance of the tests you were conducting on the Unity crystal. That is part of your duties as scientists in this facility, but I cannot allow events to pass without comment when I see something that violates base regulations."
Carter was quick with an apology, just as I expected. "Yes, sir. I realize that, General, and I apologize for the indiscretion and our negligence."
"We, uh, felt that our hunch needed to be addressed as quickly as possible," Jackson continued. He seemed sufficiently sheepish for the moment. "It's my fault, General. I pushed to neglect the regulations. I thought that the hassles would take too much time."
They finished by looking at me, both of them equally embarrassed. I looked from one to the other, deciding what would be done.
"Following procedure is not a hassle, Doctor Jackson," I said slowly, enunciating the words to make it clear that I meant business. "It is required and expected to occur at all times outside of extraordinary circumstances, a category I'm afraid which does not include this recent episode."
"Yes, sir. I understand that now, sir." Jackson seemed sufficiently repentant at the moment, but I felt the need to ensure that the lesson was driven home.
"We have regulations for a reason, Doctor," I continued. "It is not your place to question the validity of procedure. What would you have done if a squadron of SF stormed into the embarkation room after your test had been completed? Or in the process of it?" I waited for a response. Both Jackson and Carter's eyes had widened. I know for Jackson the thought had never occurred to him. I was hard pressed to decide what the situation was with Carter. "I repeat myself one last time. Regulations exist for a reason."
"Yes, sir," Carter replied.
"It won't happen again, General," Jackson added.
"I should hope not." I watched them again. "I cannot allow this incident to pass without note, however. Captain Carter, I'm writing you a letter of reprimand. Doctor Jackson, as a civilian, you are not subject to the same type of discipline as your teammate. You will, however, be subject to the deduction of a portion of your salary in the upcoming pay period."
Neither appeared overtly thrilled at the announcement. A part of me wishes that it hadn't been necessary, but I needed to drive the matter home with them. The incident didn't require anything harsher. A simple letter of reprimand was all Carter deserved. It would remain in our mutual possession, and it would go no further than this unlike the official letter of reprimand, which could affect her chances of promotion or transfer. As far as Jackson was concerned, a fine, if you will, was far more preferable than the termination of his employment. Those were both far more drastic than I felt were necessary under the current circumstances.
"Thank you, sir," Carter said, her gaze avoiding mine. Jackson's eyes were darting between her and myself. "It won't happen again."
"Good." I placed my hands palms-first on the desk, looking at both members of SG-1 for a few seconds. "I don't want to look down on all the activities of the science department, Captain and Doctor. As a department, it's coming very well, and I hope to see this trend continue and improve for the duration of your time here."
Both of them smiled slightly, though Carter's was a hair brighter than Jackson's. "We'll do our best, sir."
"I should hope so," I said, but in truth, I was having fewer doubts than I did in the beginning. Once things completely settled down into a pattern as far as Jackson and the entire Stargate project went, there would be a groove for them to work with. Once they reached that pace, I wouldn't be surprised if the department began to come out with extraordinary results. The only unfortunate thing was that for the near future, at least, credit for these developments would not be theirs.
My mind whirled for a few moments, the possibilities of what we might discover through the Stargate boggling my imagination. Already there had been intriguing results, or the possibilities of results, in the form of medications, some bits of technology, and there was literally an entire universe yet to explore. That thought in particular was worrisome; while I trusted the teams under my command to follow their commands to the letter, outside of the problems had with SG-9 not too long ago, there were always unforeseen events. Those, more than anything, chilled me.
The cliché Jack O'Neill would espouse at this moment would be that there is no greater fear than fear itself, and within good reason. President Roosevelt was right, and I know that the words as he voiced them never suspected the potential threats we're likely to face as the Stargate program continues into the indefinite future.
Jackson and Carter were watching me, waiting for permission to leave. I had nothing else to say to them. I also had a growing collection of reports and other forms of bureaucratic nonsense to go through before this latest mission could be laid to rest. I eyed the first of them, a report issued by one of the airman in the control room about the scientists' test. He'd been among the most startled at the cacophony of alarms and the shards of shattered alien crystal on the embarkation room floor. The description now made me smile.
"Is that everything you wanted, sir?" Carter was gently prodding me, waiting for their dismissal. As she spoke, movement outside my office drew my attention. Colonel O'Neill was pacing, almost appearing out of nowhere as he waited for his teammates.
"Yes. Thank you, Captain, Doctor. Dismissed." I held back a smile as the two scrambled out of their chairs, immediately heading for the door. Carter paused long enough to throw me a brief salute. I returned it before she left, following in Jackson's wake.
A moment later, the doorway was reoccupied by O'Neill's lanky frame. Inquisitive brown eyes glanced around my office, eyebrows raised as he questioned, "Permission to be slightly nosey, sir?"
"Come in, Colonel," I beckoned. "Anything for an excuse to avoid paperwork."
"Ah, yes." He slid into the first chair with a bit of a grimace. "The bane of my existence, which makes me just oh so eager to get in and tackle a new day at the office. Sir."
As the recipient of most of O'Neill's reports, I just gave a wry smile. The more I come to know the colonel, the more I appreciate some of his humor, provided it comes at an appropriate moment. This was fortunately one of those times. "I understand completely."
"So how much trouble are they in?" The humor was gone for the moment, replaced by seriousness. O'Neill was understandably worried about his teammates and the consequences they were facing. If he weren't concerned as team leader, I would have given a second thought to his position.
"It's taken care of, Colonel," I assured him, and I was rewarded with the sight of O'Neill taken aback.
"You're sure? I mean, that's all, sir?" He seemed slightly suspicious. "Or by 'taken care of,' you mean that Daniel and Carter are on toilet duty for the next two weeks?"
The ideas I get after the fact. "Unfortunately not, Colonel, but I'll keep that recommendation in mind for the next time."
"Sure." He paused for a moment, looking everywhere but at me as he collected his thoughts. I recognized the look. He'd used it before, when we'd sat down together to plan the first two Stargate teams months ago. I can still hear the uncharacteristic tentative note to his voice as he put forward his recommendation for Kawalsky as leader of SG-2, and the inclusion of first Jackson, and later Teal'c, on his own team. "General, I want to let you know that I know we've got a few problems as far as Daniel goes. Okay, maybe more than a few problems. I'm used to dealing with it when we're off-world, and he's actually getting pretty good out there all things considered."
"As I've seen from your reports," I interrupted. It was almost four months to the day that I'd taken the colonel aside to tell him that unless he got Jackson combat ready, I'd be forced to relegate the archaeologist to a completely consultative duty on-base. Since then, I'd seen the entire team rise to the challenge of getting him trained.
"Right." He continued as thought I hadn't spoken. "Anyway, I'll be sure to bring this up with Daniel. Again, if I have to. You'd think he'd never had to do paperwork before."
"I'd appreciate that," I said, pleased with the responsibility O'Neill was taking with his team. Although not normally a betting man, I almost wish I'd placed a wager on the team's viability in the early days. I might be significantly richer now if I had, but then again, a good general doesn't bet.
"Is that everything, sir?" O'Neill's the kind of man who, once he's said what he's come to say, wastes little time in heading out for his next destination. He was getting ready to get out of his chair, hands poised on the armrests to propel him up and out of my office.
I would have let him go, but one more order of business suddenly came to mind. I gestured him to settle down again as I leaned forward, clasping my hands on the desk. Eyebrows raised, O'Neill gestured for me to continue, as though he were patiently waiting for me to get my next train of thought.
"One more thing, Colonel." I wasn't sure exactly how to voice this, so I decided to word it carefully. "Regarding Teal'c... I know he's an alien to our world, but could you please somehow assure him that the planet's not as strange as he thinks it is?"
"Oh. I guess I could, uh, take the big guy aside and break it to him gently," he said with a wry smile. I knew from his look that he was remembering the same image fixed in my mind, that of the large Jaffa, stubbornly hanging onto his staff weapon before the team was to depart to the hospital. Although I would never tell him this, the expression on Teal'c's face very much reminded me of my son as a child, when he was faced with parting from a much beloved blanket almost always clutched between his hands. "From what I hear, he got hold of a remote and started channel surfing. The six o'clock news, and you know how bad that can be."
"Of course." The truth was I rarely was home in time for the six o'clock news.
"And I did get a mention of finding MTV," he winced, "in the middle of heavy metal hour."
"Oh, my."
"Yeah. Can't say I'm a big fan. I'm more a Stones fan, myself."
I'd been spending too much time in my office. The vision of Teal'c strutting like Mick Jagger across the embarkation room was enough to shatter any hopes of getting work done. I struggled to suppress my grin to a tolerable smile. "I was more into Buddy Holly back in those days."
"Cool."
The smile still struggling for full reign, I gestured to the desk. "That's all, Colonel. I appreciate you stopping by."
"No problem, sir," O'Neill replied, hopping up from his seat. "I've got to check in on the kids when they're in trouble. Glad they didn't get into too much sh-- ah, hot water, sir."
I nodded. "Dismissed."
The moment the door was closed, I let out a chuckle, leaving the files closed in front of me. It was late enough in the afternoon that I could get away with leaving the base early for the day. I always carried around my pager in case of an emergency, and if the need arose, my staff could contact me wherever I might be. I hadn't seen my granddaughters for a few days, and I decided to give into the temptation to visit them. I'd exercise grandparental rights and sneak them out for ice cream.
All in all, it would be the perfect end to a very interesting day.
There really wasn't anything in the known world that could prepare me for the experiences we'd face with the SGC. The Stargate and all the mysteries and dangers it held were as fantastical as anything I'd ever imagined. Perhaps more so. But due to the uniqueness of our situation, the way we dealt with each situation on a case-by-case scenario seemed to promise an effective and very educational experience.
This command will be unlike anything else humanity has ever faced, and I'm proud to be listed as the commander of this endeavor. With the presence of individuals such as the four persons making up SG-1, I'm sure we'll have the time of our lives.
© January 28, 2001 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.
Author's Note: This is the seventh part of the Getting to Know You series. Many thanks to Jmas for the proofing and to Lost for the advice on military procedure and practice.