MAJOR CARTER AT THE SGC WITH GENERAL HAMMOND

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Back at Star Gate Command, General Hammond had instigated the biannual scheduled performance of StarGate dialling calibration synchronisations, power output variance analysis and vibration dampening system tests. The measurements were being carried out to update the baseline diagnostics. And together with the on going procedural analyses, General Hammond ensured every single analogous and digital pulse the StarGate produced was looked at listened to weighed and measured.

Presently although any incoming wormholes could be serviced, due to the type of diagnostics being conducted, during the course of a seventy two hour period it was essential that at least one hour elapsed between dial out processes. Thereby allowing for complete power downs and reboots each time The SGC StarGate was internally activated.. ..for test and measure purposes.

General Hammond vaguely waved his hand as he stepped through the doorway into Major Carter's lab. It resulted in the faintest sound, a knock.

"Oh General come in. I'm just finishing up on inputting the last hours readings."

Major Carter formed part of the group conducting the StarGate diagnostics. It didn't take her away from her normal duties, since the initial, master, templates for all the StarGate diagnostics had been designed and formatted in the early days of the Star Gate Programme. These routine measuring tests where more a matter for record.

Should it ever be the case that extraordinary results were obtained from the measuring procedures, then the Major's normal duties would actually be suspended whilst the base was put on alert and all 'Off World' teams recalled. Thankfully that was a rare occurrence.

"Major we've heard from P3X 989."

"Erm.. ..Harlan, the artificial life form. The planet Altair?"

"Correct Major."

"Does Colonel O'Neill know."

"Well that's just it. Harlan addressed the message directly to the Colonel."

"You know what the Colonel thinks of him. You wouldn't think he'd risk it."

"Turns out hes under attack from a Goa'uld. Ibnis. Seems we have ourselves another galactic Gate crasher Major."

"Hes not on our books Sir. Have you spoken to Daniel about this?"

"Doctor Jackson is still out in the field with Major Pierce. However Teal'c seems to think it may well be a minor Goa'uld out to impress the System Lords."

"Hes after the duplicating technology?"

"Apparently so Major. We're advised hes attempting to have Harlan create an army of synthetics."

"If he succeeds General."

"Colonel O'Neill is taking SG-5 via cargo ship to the planet. This time SG-1 will be without Doctor Jackson."

"I'll gear up immediately Sir."

"I've already instructed the Control Room not to dial out until you're ready to leave. I'll have the planet co-ordinates pulled for you so come by my office when you're ready."

"General, can I ask why we are travelling by ship?"

"The message Harlan sent was not altogether coherent but what was evident is that this Goa'uld has almost certainly set up an ambush situation at the P3X 989 StarGate."

"Understood Sir."

Major Carter reported to the General's office as ordered.

"We're still waiting for the StarGate one hour power down, reboot diagnostic to time out Major. These are the co-ordinates. I've spoken to the Tok'ra and they backup Teal'c's theory."

"That would mean we won't be facing a large force."

"We're hoping that's the case Major."

"Sir I could do with going down to the Gate Room to check the ordnance requested by Colonel O'Neill."

"Carry on Major. Activation will be in about eleven minutes."

"Thank you Sir."

There was a lot of activity in the Gate Room. Apart from the various personnel working on the StarGate diagnostics procedure, there were quite a few Logistics staff all involved in sending building materials and supplies through to the Beta Site.

Major Carter identified her cargo and set about check listing the Colonel's armaments. She placed her gear and laptop computer on top of a stack of packing crates. The files which were already up there, fell to the floor.

Sergeant Siler rushed over to help pick them up. Major Carter bent down and picked up a black folder that had caught her eye.

"Doctor! Doctor! Whats this?" And even more rattled, "whats this?" She was quite amazed and puzzled. General Hammond was watching her from the Control Room.

She was holding a copy of Colonel O'Neill's thesis on Strategic Decision Making in Irregular Warfare. "Hes a Doctor?! PhD? A Colonel Doctor? Doctor O'Neill?" She was waving the folder around in the air, stunned.

Siler discretely commented, "its probably being used as a Special and Tactical Ops training manual Major. I'd just put it back where you found it. All that equipment..," he was pointing at the crates Major Carter had placed her gear and laptop on, "its all for Special Ops, you know that lot, they're very secretive."

General Hammond walked into the Gate Room and over to the Major's position. It may well have been a friendly smirk that he was trying to conceal. Major Carter looked quizitively at General Hammond. Pleading in all honesty for some logical explanation.

The General spoke in very quiet terms. "Major, Colonel O'Neill is Second in Command of the entire Cheyenne Mountain Operations Center. What we represent here is a multi, multi-billion dollar investment. We answer directly to the President. Did you really believe being a Colonel was the only requisite for that position?"

"But Sir?"

Of course two and two equals four, she knew that, its just that she was watching neutrons moving backwards.

"Sir?"

Some things were taboo, but once discovered it was relatively easy to drive the point home. "Major, The Star Gate Program is the most guarded secret in our world. Colonel O'Neill, apart from being my Second in Command, heads The SGC primary unit. Now I guarantee yoou the selection process for The SGC StarGate flagship team Commander, and my Second, was excruciatingly stringent. Trust me Major, off the record, after the Colonel sequestered himself the only way to get him back into active service was to offer him the Abydos Mission.

As a personal favour I would ask you to keep this to yourself. The Colonel prefers to keep some things close to his chest. Come to think of it Major, you know he gets shy about personal issues. I imagine if he ever wants you to know his educational background, he'll probably just give you his thesis to read. You may find Major, that Colonel O'Neill has quite a few achievements you know nothing about."

"But Sir, I thought the Colonel Joined up in his late teens?"

Hammond began to chuckle. "Major are you telling me you haven't heard of Military College, you've lectured there haven't you?"

"Sir..?"

"Ready Sir."

"Thats you Major."

The General turned and made his way back up to the Control Room.

The Chevrons began to lock.

Major Carter was frowning. Siler, who had been floating around in the background said, "I never realise you didn't know Major. Colonel O'Neill's work is very specialised so I guess unless he goes round telling people, only those who need to know, get to know."

"Need to know!"

"Need to know Major."

Whuuu'schhh!

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© Richard Dean Anderson all rights reserved June 2006