SG-1 Fic: U.S.D. Daniel Jackson, by kuonji (G)
Title: U.S.D. Daniel Jackson
Author: kuonji
Fandom: Stargate SG-1
Characters: Jack O'Neill, George Hammond
Pairings: Jack/Sara
Category: AU
Rating: G
Spoilers: none
Words: ~890
Summary: George Hammond was the name of the new guy in charge. Bald as a cueball. No-nonsense. Jack gets recalled to the stargate program.
A/N: This is an idea that has been kicking around in my head for six months or so. I wrote this teaser, and then decided to extend it before posting, but that never quite got off the ground.
U.S.D. Daniel Jackson
by kuonji
Jack came back from what he was determined to make his last top secret mission for the Air Force ready for a life of gardening, stargazing, and avid fishing. He got what he wanted. Unfortunately, however, his life working for The Man just wouldn't end that easily. Not quite a year later, he was recalled to Cheyenne Mountain by two apologetic airmen and one word: Stargate.
Before he knew it, he was twenty-eight floors down again. Flouting his retired status, Jack made a show of strolling down the concrete halls with hands in pockets. He couldn't manage to keep it up, however, when he was taken to the General's office and ushered to a seat.
"Colonel O'Neill," he was greeted.
Jack checked the plaque at the front of the desk. George Hammond was the name of the new guy in charge. Bald as a cueball. No-nonsense.
"Retired," Jack returned amiably. The general took it in stride, and Jack felt slightly better. "What do you need me for?" he asked.
"I'm afraid, retired or not, we need your help." The man had a southern drawl that softened up his image. Jack wasn't sure yet if that were an intentional effect or not.
"I heard something's up with the gate."
"In a manner of speaking, yes."
"Frankly, sir, Kawalski or Ferretti would be a better bet. I'm not inclined to field work anymore." Jack had been offered a job last year, as head of one of the exploration teams off-world. It'd sounded right up his alley -- high action, high excitement, high secrecy. He'd turned it down without a second thought.
That sort of job had killed his kid, almost killed him, and nearly broken up his marriage a dozen times. No more.
Hammond twitched his fingers atop his desk. "It's nothing like that. It's more of a... sociological dilemma."
Jack raised an eyebrow. He wasn't exactly dumb, but no one had ever put him forward for exercises of the mental sort, least of all himself. "I think you'd do better to call in the Jacksons then."
"That's exactly the problem. They're dead."
Jack's heart seemed to skip a horrible beat. "Sir?"
"A plane accident. Prop flight out of Cairo."
Jack was stunned, his mind blank with disbelief. The Jacksons, dead? Mel and Claire had always had an aura of invincibility. Their ingenuity, dedication to ideals, and stubborn love of life had been instrumental on the Abydos mission.
And they had turned Jack's life around in the bargain.
Hammond's gimlet eyes turned compassionate. "I'm sorry, son. I know you were close."
Not damn close enough. Jack hadn't kept in touch with them. He'd seen an article featuring their names a few months ago, but he'd never stopped to look them up. He'd kept telling himself that building back his own family was more important, that the Jacksons would understand.
He'd had a vague thought to invite them over and introduce them, triumphant, to Sara and the new house they'd just moved into three months ago.
"What--" Jack had to stop to clear his throat. He needed to remain professional here. "What do you need from me, General?"
Thankfully taking the hint, Hammond turned business-like once again. "It has to do with what, excuse me, whom they left behind. He picked up a personnel folder and handed it over. Jack's eyebrows lifted as he took it, noting the color -- a crisp ruby red.
Jack read the typewritten name on the tab, incredulous. "'Daniel Jackson'? That's... unusual."
He certainly wouldn't put it past the Jacksons, though. They were -- had been -- an eccentric pair.
"Daniel Jackson," Hammond declared, "is currently the foremost expert on Abydonian language and culture. He is also a gifted linguist, philologist, and--" his lips quirked slightly, "--anthropologist."
Jack opened the folder and stared uncertainly at the photo of 'Daniel', trying to find something of the Jacksons in the set of that long nose and the attitude in the strange blue eyes. "With all due respect, sir, I'm a pilot, not an aviator."
"Be that as it may, Daniel is a valuable resource that we can't afford to lose. His advice has already been instrumental in several missions so far. He's agreed to continue working with the U.S. government, but only on the condition that you be his partner."
"Sir, I don't have any background in his subjects." Jack was fuzzy about the details, but he did know that partners to the 'Reds' -- as they were called in the U.S. military -- were usually chosen to be compatible on the job. "More importantly, while I owe Mel and Claire a hell of a lot, I really didn't know them that well." Apparently not even well enough for them to have ever told him about this 'Daniel'. "Shouldn't you be looking for someone who's at least met him before?"
"As a matter of fact, Colonel, you have met him. Though he didn't look like this at the time, of course."
"What?" Jack felt his jaw drop. "You can't mean... They were authorized to keep it?" That had never occurred to him as having the slightest possibility. He'd even made sure to remind the couple not to expect to be able to keep such an enormously valuable and unique item. "Anything we brought back was supposed to belong to the U.S. Air Force."
"That's right," Hammond agreed. "But of course, as Doctors Melburn and Claire Jackson pointed out--"
"--dragon eggs aren't possessions," Jack finished for him.
There were some who thought it should be otherwise, but the Equality Act of 1947 was clear. Dragons couldn't vote, but they could own tangible and intangible assets and even hold jobs as long as they had a human partner. Ownership of a dragon was akin to slavery, which had been outlawed in the mid 1800s. Eggs had the same amorphous rights as a human fetus -- not quite individuals yet but definitely not property to be owned.
"Exactly. A top secret military tribunal ruled to let the egg hatch and allow the dragonling to choose for himself what he wanted to do."
"And of course he wanted to stay with the Jacksons." The Jacksons, who at first sight had lavished on it all the outrageous wonder and flattery that a couple of geeks could for an actual alien dragon egg, who had braved death (literally) to save it from Ra's ship, who had been gifted the egg with high ceremony by Kasuf and his people who were its protectors.
It would have been a foregone conclusion. Jack supposed that it said something for the fairness of the tribunal that they had ruled the way they had.
Hammond nodded. "Fortunately, the Doctors Jackson were amenable to encouraging Daniel to work for the Air Force. Unfortunately, now with them gone, we have no hold over him whatsoever. I can only thank God that they weren't killed on a mission for us, or losing a resident expert would be the least of our worries."
"Yes, sir," Jack agreed emphatically. He didn't know much about dragons, it was true, but everyone had heard stories about Reds on a rampage after their partners were declared KIA. Before joining, they were required to have special psych training and to agree to be sedated on the event of their partner's death or injury.
"As it is, you're the only person on this planet now that Daniel Jackson trusts."
Jack scrubbed a hand across his face, astonished by the turn of events. He wondered what Sara would have to say. But he knew the answer: "I can't promise anything, sir, but I'll give it a try."
"Good man! We need you on the first train to New Mexico that you can manage."
Jack was so surprised that he didn't even think to protest the urgency. "Train, sir?"
Hammond sighed. "The Jacksons had a fatal plane accident. Do you think Daniel Jackson would let you fly?"
Jack groaned. Not only had he given up the sleek jets that he'd loved in the Air Force, now he was stuck with an aerophobic dragon.
END?
There is now a Part 2!
A/N: I am curious how many of you figured out halfway through that this takes place in the world of Naomi Novik's Temeraire series? Or maybe the title gave it away? (If you don't know what I'm talking about, I highly recommend that you go find her books and read them. Right now. And just to convince you: You may already know Naomi Novik, but by another name.)
A/N: There's a second ficlet, but it's pretty dry and doesn't end with as good a punch as this one. I'll post it after another edit. Let me know what you think. :)
If you enjoyed this story, you might try these:
Universe Ambassador (Stargate SG-1/Firefly), by kuonji
We Sort Too Soon (Harry Potter), by kuonji
A Different Sort Of Command (Stargate SG-1), by kuonji
On The Wings Of Imagination (Stargate Atlantis), by Xparrot
Link to: Part 2
Author: kuonji
Fandom: Stargate SG-1
Characters: Jack O'Neill, George Hammond
Pairings: Jack/Sara
Category: AU
Rating: G
Spoilers: none
Words: ~890
Summary: George Hammond was the name of the new guy in charge. Bald as a cueball. No-nonsense. Jack gets recalled to the stargate program.
A/N: This is an idea that has been kicking around in my head for six months or so. I wrote this teaser, and then decided to extend it before posting, but that never quite got off the ground.
U.S.D. Daniel Jackson
by kuonji
Jack came back from what he was determined to make his last top secret mission for the Air Force ready for a life of gardening, stargazing, and avid fishing. He got what he wanted. Unfortunately, however, his life working for The Man just wouldn't end that easily. Not quite a year later, he was recalled to Cheyenne Mountain by two apologetic airmen and one word: Stargate.
Before he knew it, he was twenty-eight floors down again. Flouting his retired status, Jack made a show of strolling down the concrete halls with hands in pockets. He couldn't manage to keep it up, however, when he was taken to the General's office and ushered to a seat.
"Colonel O'Neill," he was greeted.
Jack checked the plaque at the front of the desk. George Hammond was the name of the new guy in charge. Bald as a cueball. No-nonsense.
"Retired," Jack returned amiably. The general took it in stride, and Jack felt slightly better. "What do you need me for?" he asked.
"I'm afraid, retired or not, we need your help." The man had a southern drawl that softened up his image. Jack wasn't sure yet if that were an intentional effect or not.
"I heard something's up with the gate."
"In a manner of speaking, yes."
"Frankly, sir, Kawalski or Ferretti would be a better bet. I'm not inclined to field work anymore." Jack had been offered a job last year, as head of one of the exploration teams off-world. It'd sounded right up his alley -- high action, high excitement, high secrecy. He'd turned it down without a second thought.
That sort of job had killed his kid, almost killed him, and nearly broken up his marriage a dozen times. No more.
Hammond twitched his fingers atop his desk. "It's nothing like that. It's more of a... sociological dilemma."
Jack raised an eyebrow. He wasn't exactly dumb, but no one had ever put him forward for exercises of the mental sort, least of all himself. "I think you'd do better to call in the Jacksons then."
"That's exactly the problem. They're dead."
Jack's heart seemed to skip a horrible beat. "Sir?"
"A plane accident. Prop flight out of Cairo."
Jack was stunned, his mind blank with disbelief. The Jacksons, dead? Mel and Claire had always had an aura of invincibility. Their ingenuity, dedication to ideals, and stubborn love of life had been instrumental on the Abydos mission.
And they had turned Jack's life around in the bargain.
Hammond's gimlet eyes turned compassionate. "I'm sorry, son. I know you were close."
Not damn close enough. Jack hadn't kept in touch with them. He'd seen an article featuring their names a few months ago, but he'd never stopped to look them up. He'd kept telling himself that building back his own family was more important, that the Jacksons would understand.
He'd had a vague thought to invite them over and introduce them, triumphant, to Sara and the new house they'd just moved into three months ago.
"What--" Jack had to stop to clear his throat. He needed to remain professional here. "What do you need from me, General?"
Thankfully taking the hint, Hammond turned business-like once again. "It has to do with what, excuse me, whom they left behind. He picked up a personnel folder and handed it over. Jack's eyebrows lifted as he took it, noting the color -- a crisp ruby red.
Jack read the typewritten name on the tab, incredulous. "'Daniel Jackson'? That's... unusual."
He certainly wouldn't put it past the Jacksons, though. They were -- had been -- an eccentric pair.
"Daniel Jackson," Hammond declared, "is currently the foremost expert on Abydonian language and culture. He is also a gifted linguist, philologist, and--" his lips quirked slightly, "--anthropologist."
Jack opened the folder and stared uncertainly at the photo of 'Daniel', trying to find something of the Jacksons in the set of that long nose and the attitude in the strange blue eyes. "With all due respect, sir, I'm a pilot, not an aviator."
"Be that as it may, Daniel is a valuable resource that we can't afford to lose. His advice has already been instrumental in several missions so far. He's agreed to continue working with the U.S. government, but only on the condition that you be his partner."
"Sir, I don't have any background in his subjects." Jack was fuzzy about the details, but he did know that partners to the 'Reds' -- as they were called in the U.S. military -- were usually chosen to be compatible on the job. "More importantly, while I owe Mel and Claire a hell of a lot, I really didn't know them that well." Apparently not even well enough for them to have ever told him about this 'Daniel'. "Shouldn't you be looking for someone who's at least met him before?"
"As a matter of fact, Colonel, you have met him. Though he didn't look like this at the time, of course."
"What?" Jack felt his jaw drop. "You can't mean... They were authorized to keep it?" That had never occurred to him as having the slightest possibility. He'd even made sure to remind the couple not to expect to be able to keep such an enormously valuable and unique item. "Anything we brought back was supposed to belong to the U.S. Air Force."
"That's right," Hammond agreed. "But of course, as Doctors Melburn and Claire Jackson pointed out--"
"--dragon eggs aren't possessions," Jack finished for him.
There were some who thought it should be otherwise, but the Equality Act of 1947 was clear. Dragons couldn't vote, but they could own tangible and intangible assets and even hold jobs as long as they had a human partner. Ownership of a dragon was akin to slavery, which had been outlawed in the mid 1800s. Eggs had the same amorphous rights as a human fetus -- not quite individuals yet but definitely not property to be owned.
"Exactly. A top secret military tribunal ruled to let the egg hatch and allow the dragonling to choose for himself what he wanted to do."
"And of course he wanted to stay with the Jacksons." The Jacksons, who at first sight had lavished on it all the outrageous wonder and flattery that a couple of geeks could for an actual alien dragon egg, who had braved death (literally) to save it from Ra's ship, who had been gifted the egg with high ceremony by Kasuf and his people who were its protectors.
It would have been a foregone conclusion. Jack supposed that it said something for the fairness of the tribunal that they had ruled the way they had.
Hammond nodded. "Fortunately, the Doctors Jackson were amenable to encouraging Daniel to work for the Air Force. Unfortunately, now with them gone, we have no hold over him whatsoever. I can only thank God that they weren't killed on a mission for us, or losing a resident expert would be the least of our worries."
"Yes, sir," Jack agreed emphatically. He didn't know much about dragons, it was true, but everyone had heard stories about Reds on a rampage after their partners were declared KIA. Before joining, they were required to have special psych training and to agree to be sedated on the event of their partner's death or injury.
"As it is, you're the only person on this planet now that Daniel Jackson trusts."
Jack scrubbed a hand across his face, astonished by the turn of events. He wondered what Sara would have to say. But he knew the answer: "I can't promise anything, sir, but I'll give it a try."
"Good man! We need you on the first train to New Mexico that you can manage."
Jack was so surprised that he didn't even think to protest the urgency. "Train, sir?"
Hammond sighed. "The Jacksons had a fatal plane accident. Do you think Daniel Jackson would let you fly?"
Jack groaned. Not only had he given up the sleek jets that he'd loved in the Air Force, now he was stuck with an aerophobic dragon.
END?
There is now a Part 2!
A/N: I am curious how many of you figured out halfway through that this takes place in the world of Naomi Novik's Temeraire series? Or maybe the title gave it away? (If you don't know what I'm talking about, I highly recommend that you go find her books and read them. Right now. And just to convince you: You may already know Naomi Novik, but by another name.)
A/N: There's a second ficlet, but it's pretty dry and doesn't end with as good a punch as this one. I'll post it after another edit. Let me know what you think. :)
If you enjoyed this story, you might try these:
Universe Ambassador (Stargate SG-1/Firefly), by kuonji
We Sort Too Soon (Harry Potter), by kuonji
A Different Sort Of Command (Stargate SG-1), by kuonji
On The Wings Of Imagination (Stargate Atlantis), by Xparrot
Link to: Part 2