Holy Hannah! It was turning out to be one hell of a week. It literally started with a bang. Well, not precisely, more of a flash, actually. I was promoted to Major. I'll never forget that promotion ceremony. I don't think anyone else will either. One minute Colonel Jack O'Neill was standing in front of the podium about to give a speech, and then in a flash of light, he was gone. Vanished. General Hammond immediately called a Code Nine, and everyone was shocked into silence. A kind of stillness fell over the room. For about two seconds, and then all hell broke loose.
After doing a thorough sweep of the embarkation room, and then the base, we didn't have anything else to do, but wait. The podium, where the Secretary of Defence had given his speech, and where Jack had been about to make his, had been dismantled, and sent to the lab for analysis. The gate room was empty, every centimetre of the room itself had been checked and rechecked, desperately searched for some clue of the Colonel's disappearance.
Stargate teams two and eight, jointly under the command of Major Ferretti for this scenario only, were suited up and ready to go at a moment's notice. Of course, there didn't seem to be anywhere for them to look. I watched from up in the control room as the soldiers paced up and down the ramp in front of the gate. They were tense, waiting for something, anything to happen. I was running a routine system check on the iris, desperate for my own distraction, when a sergeant appeared in front of me, and handed me several note cards.
"These were on the podium, ma'am."
"Thank-you, Sergeant." I looked down at the small, blue coloured cards he handed me. On them was Colonel O'Neill's handwriting. If you could call it that. His writing is even worse than mine. Which is why I type everything, even my grocery lists. After working with Jack for the past several years, I had learned how to decipher his scrawl and I read the first sentence.
*Normally, I am a man of very few words.* It was his speech. The one he was about to give before he disappeared. Now that I had a minute, I did wonder what he was going to say. Oh Jack, where the hell are you? This is not the way I wanted to hear your speech. Before I could read the next part, General Hammond wandered up behind me and gently placed his hand on my shoulder.
"Find anything, Major?" He inquired.
"Not really, sir. Just the Colonel's notes for his speech."
"Well, I guess we'll just have to wait, and--" At that moment there was a flash of light and Colonel O'Neill reappeared in the gateroom as suddenly as he had vanished. I shoved the note cards into my dress uniform pocket, and jumped out of my chair.
"Whoa! What a ride!" I heard him exclaim as the general and I bolted down the stairs to see him.
A slightly audible sigh of relief escaped from my lips as I bent down in front of the Colonel sitting on the ramp. I found my right hand instantly moving down to his shoulder in a gesture mixed of comfort and reassurance. He looked a little disoriented and his face was a bit pale. "Sir, are you okay?" I squeezed his shoulder slightly as I asked the question, worried.
He turned towards me, and flashed me a very slight smile, "Yeah, I think so." He slid his hand up to grasp my elbow and I helped pull him up. Still leaning on me, I assisted him down the ramp, as Daniel and Teal'c dashed into the room.
"Jack..." Daniel asked in that questioning tone of his, "Where have you been?"
"Oz." The colonel dead panned.
"What happened, Colonel?" The General demanded.
"Well sir... we're in trouble."
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The beginning of the Colonel's explanation took place in the infirmary as Dr. Janet Fraiser examined him. He described his adventure on Thor's ship as thoroughly as he could while Janet poked and prodded his body, making sure he was alright. After the Doc told him he could get dressed, we moved the meeting to the conference room, where Thor appeared and clarified the rest.
I couldn't believe it. Just couldn't. Three Goa'uld system lords were coming here. In four days. The colonel would be representing our entire planet, and together with Thor, would be negotiating with the Goa'uld, so that Earth could be included under the Protected Planets Treaty. Like I mentioned, it was one hell of a week.
No one in the SGC slept much over those four days. Least of all Colonel O'Neill. General Hammond ordered him to sleep from time to time, and Teal'c, Daniel and I made sure he was eating at least something. Cold pepperoni pizza seemed to be the only thing that Jack would eat, so I made sure there was an entire fridge full of it by the second day. Along with several tubs of antacids Janet provided. At least he ate something.
On the evening before the Goa'uld were scheduled to arrive, I found my C.O., the Tau'ri representative for the intergalactic negotiations, sound asleep on the couch in the meeting room, snoring lightly. I smiled, remembering all the overnight missions we had been on. It was a sound I had eventually gotten used to, and had come to expect. In fact, I worried more when I couldn't hear his snoring at least once during the night. It usually meant he was awake, and that there was something wrong.
I knew that Jack hadn't had many moments to himself, let alone sleep in the last few days, and frankly, neither had I. So I sat in the chair next to him and watched him sleep. I studied the rise and fall of his chest, his slightly damp tousled hair, face quietly content -- the burden of command removed for a short while. I found myself yawning and I stretched, wishing I could spare him the anguish of the coming negotiations, but I realised I would do nothing, except to support him, even if I could. He would have it no other way, and I respected him for it.
Jack growled softly and pulled his hands to his eyes, trying to rub the
sleep out of them. He glanced at his watch, "Uuuhhhh." Turning over slightly, he noticed my presence, and tried to shake off his need to sleep. "I was just taking a short break. Away from all the craziness. I guess I fell asleep."
"You do need to sleep, sir." I quietly reasoned. "Everything that Thor told us to do, has already been done. There is nothing else left to do. Except to rest. It is almost oh-two-thirty, sir."
"Nothing left to do?" He asked me, the sleepiness mixed with disbelief evident in his voice.
"No, sir. The weapons will be shipped out in the morning. Last thing before the Goa'uld arrive." He looked almost disappointed. I pulled myself out of the chair, and sat down next to him. "Go back to sleep, sir."
"Yes, ma'am." He offered sarcastically with an evil grin on his face. I was pleasantly surprised when he turned slightly so his back was to me, pulled his feet up on top of the sofa, and leaned back until his head was in my lap. Then he closed his eyes and I sighed softly, following his lead. That night, I wished I was anywhere else, on just about any planet, sleeping under the stars listening to Jack snore.
I woke up at nearly oh-six-hundred, and he was gone. A well worn USAF blanket was wrapped around me. I wondered when he had left, and where he had gone. Topside, I'd bet. To look at the stars.
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The morning brought another wave of activity as we finalised all the preparations exactly as the Asgard requested. I spent several hours in the armoury overseeing the collection and redistribution of the weapons which were forbidden at the summit. The last weapons to be moved were the Goa'uld devices, all of which, unfortunately, I was only too familiar with.
Later, I discovered the Colonel still standing in front of the flags in the conference room. He was quietly staring at the wall, just as he had been for the last hour, obviously lost in the incredible responsibility that had been placed upon him. I didn't envy him. I was silently glad that this time, not all the pressure was on me. A bit selfish, perhaps, but true.
I had been watching him for the last forty minutes trying to be inconspicuous. Finding any excuse to wander quietly in and out of the meeting room. Gathering up water jugs and glasses, straightening out chairs. I'm sure I checked everything at least twenty times in twice the minutes. I knew the pressure he was under, our whole world's destiny hanging in the balance. I wanted to go to him, to take him in my arms, and tell him he would do just fine, just to reassure him. But I didn't. I couldn't. So I settled for the next best thing.
I walked up to him, trying to look absolutely confidant. "Just wanted to wish you luck, Sir." It was a lame comment, seemingly almost out of place considering our relationship, but a gesture he would understand, nonetheless.
"Thank-you, Captain... Major," he stammered and it was obvious that I had startled him. I know he's proud of my promotion, and under any other circumstances would never have made such an error albeit such a minor one.
"Nervous?"
"I wouldn't call it nervous." He admitted. "Confused. I have no idea why I'm here." He was being extremely honest with me. I couldn't detect even a trace of sarcasm. Now... now I'm a trifle worried.
"Well, the Asgard obviously have confidence in you, Sir." I hoped I was sounding optimistic. I have faith in him. He's never let me down, "As do the rest of us. I know I couldn't do it." I answered truthfully.
"Why?"
"Well, I didn't want to say anything because I wasn't sure until I saw his face... but I think Cronos is the one who sent the Ashrak to kill Jolinar. I just hate having him here." I confided in him.
"Major, I hate having him anywhere." At that moment, Daniel arrived with the Goa'uld system lords. Cronos scowled. "Oops."
"Good luck." I said as I turned to leave, and Jack flashed a quick smile and a reassuring wink at me. Oy. Listen up campers, this is where is gets interesting.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I have never, ever, been so thankful to see the worm-hole engage as when the Goa'uld system lords finally left. I couldn't make myself join the colonel and Daniel in the gate room during their departure. I watched silently from the control room, making sure all the equipment was functioning properly, so the Goa'uld wouldn't remain here any longer than necessary.
The negotiations did not go exactly as planned. Within seconds, Jack had accidentally insulted the system lords, and Daniel had needed to script a grovelling letter of apology. Then we were told we would have to give up both of our Stargates. I'm glad that didn't happen. Assuming that the second gate is still where it's supposed to be. Knowing Colonel Maybourne as we unfortunately do, even with the gate sealed with a permanent iris and under 24 hour guard, that may not be enough to keep him away. We'll worry about that another time.
Teal'c was accused of attempting to murder Cronos, apparently his father was First Prime of Cronos and that bastard had him killed. Teal'c had been set up by Niirti. She wanted control of Cronos' territories, and if he were dead, she could just walk right in and take it. Teal'c was severely injured, but his Goa'uld larvae healed him.
Cronos was not as lucky, he was dying, and Niirti attempted to heal him using the handheld healing device, but of course she lied and told us his injuries were just too severe. She offered to take him with her and save him using a sarcophagus, but we were running out of options. As much as I wished him dead myself for what he did to Jolinar, I ended up healing him with another damned Goa'uld device.
It took several tries before I made it work. Janet was increasingly skeptical. My first attempt produced no effect whatsoever. Then the Colonel reminded me not so gently, that my feelings about Cronos might be getting in the way of my ability to use the device. I turned on him, defensively denying that my memories of Jolinar controlled me in the least. I was really angry with him for suggesting that at the time. After everything we've been through, all the late-night, tear-filled, emotionally draining conversations we've had about that subject. How dare he? But no one was more surprised when the healing device actually worked, than me. Dammit, I hate it when he's right!
After I healed Cronos, I quickly excused myself, ran to the washroom, and promptly threw up.
We bluffed our way through the rest of our predicament. Suggesting that Niirti had the ability to phase shift in front of Yu turned out to be very effective. She proved our point immediately by disappearing then and there. Though it wasn't long before I tracked her down with the T.E.R. which Dad and the Tok'ra gave us. I dragged Niirti back to the conference room, and the Colonel explained the situation to Yu, the other system lord. He agreed to side with Cronos and our plight and we didn't have to give up our Stargate. Either of them.
If I didn't feel I'd earned my promotion before this little incident, I sure did now.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
"Are you guys about done in there?" I yelled, pounding on the door to the locker room. I usually go first, but this time the guys had commandeered the room first. They had been in there for nearly an hour. Even considering the extraordinary circumstances of the past week, this was taking way too long. I could have been in and out in ten minutes. "Two minutes and I'm coming in whether you're done or not!"
"Is that a threat or a promise, Major?" Colonel O'Neill shouted through the door.
"One minute!" I bellowed again, not trusting myself to answer the colonel's question, and then the door opened as Teal'c joined me in the hallway.
"I did not mean to inconvenience you, Major Carter. I apologise for the length of time I have taken." He bowed his head in apology.
"That's okay, Teal'c." I can't stay angry with him, he is just so damn polite. "As long as you guys are done."
"I am finished. However, Colonel O'Neill and Daniel Jackson are not."
"Thirty seconds!" I silently counted down to zero and then barged through the locker room door, smiling at Teal'c as I made good on my threat. It wasn't as if I hadn't seen both Daniel and the colonel... sans clothes.
Jack was standing at the sink in bright red boxers and an undershirt, shaving. He didn't even blink as I made my way to my locker. As Daniel saw me, he quickly pulled on his pants, turning a very slight shade of pink as he grabbed his shirt from a hook. I considered apologising to him, but thought better of it. That would be like admitting that perhaps I should have waited outside.
"Sorry to take so long, Sam." Daniel muttered, his still wet, uncombed hair plastered to his head. I'm never going to get used to his new haircut.
"What have you guys been doing in here?" I wondered out loud.
"Making you wait," the colonel answered without looking up, a grin on his face.
I glared at him, but the gesture was ineffectual since he was still focussing on shaving. Instead I shifted my gaze back to Daniel, who quickly combed his hair, and grabbed his jacket as he headed out the door.
"I'll see you later, Sam." He said as he gave me a small wave.
"Bye."
I unbuttoned my shirt, and opened the door to the locker. My dress uniform jacket which I had hastily shoved inside earlier, fell to the ground and into a small puddle of water. I sighed, bending down to pick it up. It needed to be dry-cleaned anyhow, I had been wearing it off and on for nearly a week, ever since my promotion.
My promotion.
"Oh, sir... I nearly forgot," I said, reaching into the pocket of the jacket. Pulling out two blue notecards, I walked over to the now dressed colonel. "These are yours I believe?"
He turned around and looked down at my hands with a look of surprise. "My speech."
"Yes, sir," I replied. "A sergeant found the cards on the floor next to the podium, just after you disappeared."
"Did you read it, Major?" he asked me, his eyes questioning me more than his words.
"No, sir. I didn't. Just the first sentence. Enough to know what it was," I answered honestly.
"Why don't you keep these? A souvenir of your promotion," he offered as he handed me back the cards, a smile in his deep, brown eyes. "By the way, we haven't had a chance to celebrate yet. What do you say we round up the rest of the team and maybe some others, and go to Pag's?"
"I'd like that, we have a lot to celebrate."
"Yes, we do." His grin gave way to a more serious look. "Of course, you know tradition says the newly promoted buys everyone a drink."
"Of course, sir. Tradition. I'll meet you there in 60?"
"I'll be there with whatever stragglers I can track down. Later, Major." He grabbed a jacket out of his locker, slammed it shut, and left the room, leaving me to finish up.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Whatever stragglers the Colonel could find turned out to be nearly twenty officers and techs. We literally took over the place. Teal'c wore his traditional topside cowboy hat, and I had to admit he looked really great in a casual jacket and shirt. Daniel was in jeans and a t-shirt, and the Colonel wore cream chinos with a navy shirt. After being trapped in the SGC for the past week, the only clean clothes I had left was a pair of white jeans and a red t-shirt. I dressed them up by wearing the gold earrings I had worn at my promotion. They had been a gift from Dad when I graduated from the academy.
Within minutes of our arrival, the jukebox was ringing out tunes from the 'Eighties', with the occasional song here and there picked out by Jack from an earlier decade. Everyone was starting to relax and wind down. I was sitting with the rest of my team and Janet, finishing a hamburger and enjoying the diversion. Several of our group were dancing, some were just talking, nearly all were drinking. At my expense. Oh well, I'm only going to get this promotion once.
"Major," Daniel cooed at me. "Wanna dance?"
"Sure, Daniel." He held out his hand and I grabbed it, walking the short distance to where everyone was dancing. It wasn't really a dance floor, the guys had just moved a couple of tables to make some room. This place wasn't exactly a club, just a watering hole with burgers and a jukebox.
"I never had the chance to say congratulations on your promotion, Sam," Daniel half-shouted toward my direction over the music.
"Thanks, Daniel." I smiled back at him, watching his body keep time with the music. I had no idea he could dance so well. "It's been an interesting week."
In between bumps and turns he piped up again. "So, just before Jack was abducted by the aliens," he said grinning at me, and we both knew that was going to be a running joke for years to come. "He was about to give a speech about you. Did he tell you what he was going to say?"
"Actually, I found his notes from his speech. I tried to give them back to him, but he told me to keep them."
"And..." he prompted.
"And I haven't read them, yet," I admitted.
"Aren't you curious? Did you know he spent three days writing it?" he added with a teasing gleam in his eyes. "Every time I saw him last week he was busy writing. Didn't you notice he spent last week doing nothing but paperwork?"
"I did think it was a little odd, but I thought he was just catching up on the mission reports." I looked over to our table, where Jack and Janet were laughing and Teal'c had that confused look of wonder on his face. I'm convinced he sometimes does it just to annoy the Colonel in his own quiet way.
The music ended then, and Daniel held my hand for just a second longer. "No, I asked him. Said he was busy writing a speech."
I practically floated the few steps to the jukebox, as Daniel returned to the table. The alcohol I'd imbibed was starting to catch up with me and I was feeling just a slight buzz. Pretending to be totally engrossed in reading the available musical selections, I didn't notice Janet coming up behind me until she jabbed me in the ribs.
"Who knew what a good dancer Daniel was?" she grinned, shouting loud enough for everyone to hear.
I shrugged my shoulders at her, caught her gaze, and then we both broke out giggling. This elicited quite a response from the guys. The colonel sipped his beer, and whispered something in Daniel's direction, laughing. Teal'c raised an eyebrow. Our quiet anthropologist with the short hair blushed a deep red colour, and I wondered what Jack had said to him.
"Hey, Ladies! No giggling!" Jack shouted to us from across the room with a boyish look on his face.
Suppressing my laughter, I watched as Teal'c rose from the table and made his way over to us. "Dr. Fraiser, would you care to dance?"
"Sure, Teal'c. I'd be honoured." She grabbed his proffered hand and flashed me a look of surprise. Raising an eyebrow of my own, I turned as they joined hands and arms and started dancing to a slow, romantic tune. Teal'c dancing with Janet. I didn't think this week could get any more interesting. Smiling, I glanced up and caught the colonel's eyes. He raised his beer bottle in a silent toast in my direction and returned my grin.
Turning back toward the jukebox, I found a song that interested me and I shoved a hand into my jean pocket looking for a quarter. Finding the correct change, I fed the machine and programmed my selection. Then I found myself staring at the folded cards in my hands which had been in my pocket with the money.
I saw my one chance to satisfy my curiosity that evening, and dashed towards the washroom. Maybe it wasn't very dignified, but as I sat down on the toilet, I unfolded the blue note-cards and started to read what my Colonel had written about me:
*Normally I'm a man of very few words. Rarely do I see the need to use more words than is necessary. Kind of a "less is more" thing. As I was writing this, I noticed just how long it was getting. And I can honestly tell you that I wrote no more than was absolutely necessary to describe the contribution that Major Samantha Carter has made to this command.
Major Carter has served as my second-in-command for SG-1 for the past two years. She was assigned to my team, a fact for which I am eternally grateful to General George Hammond. She is a highly-educated, resourceful, and well-trained officer, who can always be counted upon in a fight.
She is passionate about her work, and takes the time to explain complicated scientific concepts to her co-workers, even if she's been asked the same question over and over again. She is a vital link in the chain of the SGC, and always acts upon what is best for the team before thinking of anything else.
She is dedicated to serving her country, and in doing so, has managed to save it several times, almost single-handedly. Hell, she has even saved the planet more than once.
She thrives under the continual pressure that I and this command perpetually place her under. I used to think time was constant, but not according to relativity. It changes depending on gravitational pull or something like that. This is also true of Samantha Carter. When you need her, she is there, putting in the finest efforts. And in this particular line of duty, more often than not, only the finest efforts are good enough.
In conclusion, I'd like to say it has been and continues to be, my utmost honour and privilege to serve with such a fine officer. Congratulations, Major.*
Holy Hannah.
I'm glad I didn't have to respond to that. I'm pretty sure I would have turned beet red, and stared at the floor. Like I'm doing now.
Holy Hannah.
I didn't know he felt so strongly about my work. One part of me was really glad he didn't get a chance to actually deliver his speech. I'm not sure I would have survived it.
Minutes later I was still sitting on the toilet in shock when something at the bottom of one of the cards caught my eye. There was one more sentence, crossed out in red pen, but the words were still visible.
*Now, how about that arm wrestle?*
Arm wrestle? Damn how I wished I had never said that! I had hoped he had forgotten. Our first meeting had not gone well. I was mentally prepared for a challenge based solely on my gender, and I sure didn't disappoint myself.
If it weren't for General Hammond, I would have been booted out on my ass for saying what I did to the Colonel. I had been way out of line. Feeling slightly embarrassed by both the speech I had just finished reading and the memory of our introduction, I got up, unlocked the stall door, and filled the sink with cool water. Splashing the liquid on my face made me feel better, as if the coolness alone would erase the flush created by both embarrassment and alcohol. I took a deep breath and turned to face the world again, or at least my small part of it.
As I was making my way back to our table, Lt. Graham Simmons interrupted me.
"Major, would you like to dance?" he asked, hope and fear in his eyes. The song I had requested was starting to play.
"Of course." I acquiesced, forcing a smile, and I allowed the young lieutenant to take my hand and lead me to the makeshift dance floor.
Months ago it had taken Daniel to point out that Graham had a crush on me. Since then, I had made sure that my behaviour around him was strictly professional, that nothing could be misinterpreted. I really didn't have anything to worry about, I knew that he would never act upon his feelings for me. One dance wasn't going to hurt, and I really loved this song.
We danced together for all of about a minute when a tall, greying colonel tapped Simmons on the shoulder. "Excuse me, Lieutenant, may I cut in?"
"Yes, sir. Of course, sir," Graham stammered, practically running away. Frankly, I think he is a little afraid of Colonel O'Neill.
As Jack took my hand, he spun me around gracefully and then pulled me close as the tempo of the song picked up. I relaxed into his gentle embrace, and whispered in his ear, "Thanks."
"You're welcome. I don't often get the chance to rescue you, Carter," he stated. I could feel his warm breath near my ear and it sent a quick
shiver down my spine.
Closing my eyes, I swayed back and forth, following the impressive lead of my partner. Nothing else existed for several moments, the familiar words of the song crooning through my fuzzy head.
* If if you insist, babe, the challenge delights me.
* The more you resist babe, the more it excites me.
* No one I've kissed babe, ever fights me again.
"So, did you read it?" The colonel's voice suspended my reverie.
"Yes, sir," I responded quickly as if I were on autopilot. I was glad it was quite dark, my cheeks were hot, and I knew I was at least still partially flushed. I pulled away from him just slightly, enough for me to look up into his eyes.
* If you're on my list it's just a question of when...
* When I get a yen, then baby amen...
* I'm counting to ten, and then...
"I know I didn't quite get that relativity metaphor exactly right," he admitted, looking down at me.
"That's okay, sir. You made your point." I smiled back at him.
* I'm gonna love you like nothing you've known
* I'm going to love you And you all alone.
* Sooner is better than later, but lover, I'll hover, I'll plan...
"Congratulations, Sam," he whispered in my ear, quickly brushing my cheek with a light kiss.
I looked up at him in momentary surprise, and saw an overwhelming look of respect and pride reflected in his eyes. Like the gravitational pull alluded to in his speech, time seemed to slow down, and we held each other's gaze in a stolen moment.
I never did hear the end of that song.
Deciding to be bold, I used his given name. "Thanks, Jack."
He flashed me a look of semi-approval, the moment gone. "Now, Major." His voice heavy with sarcasm, "How about that arm wrestle?"
"Anytime, sir."
-fin-
Story Notes: Author: Jacquelyn Smith (ilythia@islandnet.com)
Rating: PG (minor profanity & alcohol use)
Classification: S&J friendship, UST, Missing Scenes
Parts: 2
Status: New & Complete
Summary: What Jack might have written for the speech in "Fair Game".
Spoilers: Takes place somewhat during and after "Fair Game". Major (pun intended) spoilers specific to this episode.
Archive: S&J and Heliopolis
Feedback: Of course, but go easy, this is my first Stargate story. Flames will be ignored. Constructive criticism is encouraged.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret Productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Notes: Living in Canada, I haven't actually seen this episode yet, so any mistakes are my own. This story started out just being the text of Jack's speech. And then I thought I needed a bit of explanation to go with it. And then suddenly it was 5000 words. I don't really know what happened. Hope you like it, if you do, tell me and maybe I'll write something else.
Thanks: To Shelly and Siobhan for beta-reading! Thanks so much. :)
Dedication: For Michelle whose advice worked so well, and for Elyssa whose shippy review of "Fair Game" inspired me to wonder about what we didn't get to see.
Copyright Jacquelyn Smith; September, 1999
Rating: PG (minor profanity & alcohol use)
Classification: S&J friendship, UST, Missing Scenes
Parts: 2
Status: New & Complete
Summary: What Jack might have written for the speech in "Fair Game".
Spoilers: Takes place somewhat during and after "Fair Game". Major (pun intended) spoilers specific to this episode.
Archive: S&J and Heliopolis
Feedback: Of course, but go easy, this is my first Stargate story. Flames will be ignored. Constructive criticism is encouraged.
Disclaimer: All publicly recognisable characters and places are the property of MGM, World Gekko Corp and Double Secret Productions. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes and no infringement on copyrights or trademarks was intended. Previously unrecognised characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
Notes: Living in Canada, I haven't actually seen this episode yet, so any mistakes are my own. This story started out just being the text of Jack's speech. And then I thought I needed a bit of explanation to go with it. And then suddenly it was 5000 words. I don't really know what happened. Hope you like it, if you do, tell me and maybe I'll write something else.
Thanks: To Shelly and Siobhan for beta-reading! Thanks so much. :)
Dedication: For Michelle whose advice worked so well, and for Elyssa whose shippy review of "Fair Game" inspired me to wonder about what we didn't get to see.
Copyright Jacquelyn Smith; September, 1999
DISCLAIMER: All publicly recognisable characters, settings, etc, are the property of their respective owners. Any original characters and plots are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended. ... [ read more ]