the cold hard equation, by isawet (PG-13)
Show: SG-1
Rec Category: Samantha Carter
Characters: Samantha Carter, Jack O'Neilll, Daniel Jackson
Categories: gen, Jack and Sam friendship, Sam and Daniel friendship, angst, drama, character study
Warnings: adult themes
Author on LJ: isawet
Author's Website: isawet at AO3
Link: the cold hard equation
Why This Must Be Read: I love best the episodes when SG-1 has to grapple with difficult, shades-of-grey situations. In this heartbreaking story, Sam has to deal with a problem with an impossible solution which she nonetheless needs to make.
I love Sam's courage here, Jack's unremitting strength, Daniel's gentle support, the general competence of just about everyone, and the inevitable choice. Painfully, powerfully good.
“Ah, Carter,” he says, and she sighs, and resigns herself to a break. “What are you doing?” he asks and she stands up and puts her tools on the table.
“Stripping, sir,” she explains, gesturing to rows of neatly laid out parts and coils of wire, “everything that’s not needed has got to go, for the weight limits.” He nods, and Sam takes her first proper look at him since he interrupted her. He’s wearing the same dress blues he was during their first briefing four days ago, with the jacket discarded and the sleeves rolled up, sloppy and lopsided. There are circles under his eyes to match hers and his hair is even more disheveled than usual. She offers him a tired smile that she knows looks more like a grimace than anything else and his lips quirk in response. Her laptop beeps on a nearby counter-the latest simulation finished. She moves to check it.
“Are you sure this is going to work?” he asks, and reaches to fiddle with an exposed panel.
“Little late for second guesses, sir,” she murmurs, and takes a deep relieved breath. They’re still on schedule.
“I don’t like it,” he says, and what he means is I don’t like you doing it alone. The panel he’s poking sparks and starts to flash red. Sam closes her eyes and sighs. “Oops,” he adds helpfully, and takes a few steps backwards.
“I’m almost done, sir,” she says, moving to get back to work, and adding only a hint of get out of my way into her tone. “it’ll be ready on time.”
“Last briefing at oh-nine-hundred tomorrow,” he says crisply, “get some sleep, Carter, that’s an order.”
Rec Category: Samantha Carter
Characters: Samantha Carter, Jack O'Neilll, Daniel Jackson
Categories: gen, Jack and Sam friendship, Sam and Daniel friendship, angst, drama, character study
Warnings: adult themes
Author on LJ: isawet
Author's Website: isawet at AO3
Link: the cold hard equation
Why This Must Be Read: I love best the episodes when SG-1 has to grapple with difficult, shades-of-grey situations. In this heartbreaking story, Sam has to deal with a problem with an impossible solution which she nonetheless needs to make.
I love Sam's courage here, Jack's unremitting strength, Daniel's gentle support, the general competence of just about everyone, and the inevitable choice. Painfully, powerfully good.
“Ah, Carter,” he says, and she sighs, and resigns herself to a break. “What are you doing?” he asks and she stands up and puts her tools on the table.
“Stripping, sir,” she explains, gesturing to rows of neatly laid out parts and coils of wire, “everything that’s not needed has got to go, for the weight limits.” He nods, and Sam takes her first proper look at him since he interrupted her. He’s wearing the same dress blues he was during their first briefing four days ago, with the jacket discarded and the sleeves rolled up, sloppy and lopsided. There are circles under his eyes to match hers and his hair is even more disheveled than usual. She offers him a tired smile that she knows looks more like a grimace than anything else and his lips quirk in response. Her laptop beeps on a nearby counter-the latest simulation finished. She moves to check it.
“Are you sure this is going to work?” he asks, and reaches to fiddle with an exposed panel.
“Little late for second guesses, sir,” she murmurs, and takes a deep relieved breath. They’re still on schedule.
“I don’t like it,” he says, and what he means is I don’t like you doing it alone. The panel he’s poking sparks and starts to flash red. Sam closes her eyes and sighs. “Oops,” he adds helpfully, and takes a few steps backwards.
“I’m almost done, sir,” she says, moving to get back to work, and adding only a hint of get out of my way into her tone. “it’ll be ready on time.”
“Last briefing at oh-nine-hundred tomorrow,” he says crisply, “get some sleep, Carter, that’s an order.”