Fic: Bureaucracy
Title: Bureaucracy
Author:
angelqueen04
Rating: PG
Character(s): George Hammond, Robert Kinsey, Jack O'Neill, Elizabeth Weir, Jacob Carter
Pairing(s): minor John/Elizabeth and Beckett/Cadman (blink and you'll miss them, really)
Summary: It was at times like this that George Hammond felt like retiring.
It was at times like this that George Hammond felt like retiring. After all, given what he put up with as Mayor of Atlantis, most men would not have lasted a year in this position, let alone the nine years that he had. Dealing with savage gangs that constantly sought to burn the town to the ground with all the people in it and corporations that wanted to move in and run it with their own special brand of ruthlessness were only a part of what constituted his job. What he was handling now was perhaps the hardest aspect of being the mayor.
Making sure Robert Kinsey and Jack O'Neill did not kill each other in front of nearly the entire adult population of Atlantis.
"This is ridiculous," Kinsey was saying from his seat at the end of the table. "The NID is a perfectly legitimate organization that could help bring major business opportunities to the town! I don't understand your reluctance! We could increase the prosperity of Atlantis tenfold! Bring it to compete on the state level in so many different areas of expertise! Give -"
"Correct me if I'm wrong," Jack cut him off in a seemingly lazy manner, though anyone who looked closely enough could see the tension lines around his dark eyes. "But weren't you the one recommended that we do business with the Genii?"
Thus why retirement was looking more and more appealing. Both of these men squabbled like children over anything they discussed.
He sighed inwardly, thanking God for small favors. The town hall, one of the most recent structures added to the town, had been structured to allow for a large crowd to attend the town council meetings. The entire room was filled with seats, all facing the table where the Council was seated. As mayor, George had the middle seat. Normally, Jack would have had his seat at his right hand as Deputy Mayor, but ever since Kinsey had been elected to the council just the previous year, George had seen fit to ensure that both men were seated at either ends of the table, as far away from one another as they could possibly be.
On his right and between himself and Kinsey sat Jacob Carter, Atlantis' retired Sheriff. He leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest as he listened to the bickering going on before him, his face inscrutable. Whether he was hiding his irritation or his agreement with Jack, George could not tell. Perhaps the man was recalling his own retirement, which had taken place a year ago, due to the trouble he was having with his heart at the time.
Maybe he was wondering why he agreed to stay on the Council, when Sheriff Caldwell had been all set and ready to take his spot the moment he rode into town with two new deputies fresh from Denver.
To his left and between himself and Jack sat the equally quiet Miss Elizabeth Weir. He hadn't been entirely sure about her when she'd been elected along with Kinsey the previous year. He knew she was a brilliant and astute businesswoman who had a great love for Atlantis, but actually involving herself in the town's politics wasn't something he'd been entirely comfortable with. But all too soon, she'd more than proven her worth in keeping a cool head, as well as for her skills in negotiation. Their latest treaty with the various Indian nations in the area had not just been a product of Jack's excellent relationship with them. She had also supported Jacob in convincing him to remain part of the Council after his retirement, effectively keeping the newcomer Caldwell out of the administration of Atlantis.
Elizabeth's green eyes met his, obviously sensing his stare, and she offered him a small, suffering smile. She too, George knew, found Jack and Kinsey's constant harping on one another troublesome. He straightened and reached for his gravel, knocking it on the table sharply.
"That's enough, both of you," he barked sternly, using the same tone he'd used on young soldiers brought before him for discipline. Being a General in the United States Army during the height of the Civil War had prepared him for this position than an entire education in politics would have. "You've both stated you cases adequately. I think it's time for us to vote."
Kinsey nodded stiffly, straightening his waistcoat self-consciously. "Of course, Mayor. My apologies. I forgot myself. My vote would be in favor of doing business with the NID."
George acknowledged his vote, marking it on the official papers before him, then turned in Jack's direction. Before he could even open his mouth to ask, the Indian Agent beat him to it. "No. I vote no."
Again he nodded and marked the page. "Miss Weir," he asked, looking at her once again.
The Mercantile owner leaned forward in her chair, resting her hands, which were laced tightly together, on the table. "I do believe that Atlantis deserves every opportunity to expand and flourish," she said slowly. "This town has shown its fortitude in the face of great challenges." She paused and glanced over his shoulder. George could just imagine the smug look on Kinsey's face, thinking he'd won himself a vote
"However," she continued, "I have heard far too many conflicting reports of the NID to trust them with any part at all in Atlantis' future. Until more research is done on this proposal or more options are made available, I must also vote no."
George heard a suspicious-sounding cough coming from the crowd in front of him as he tallied Elizabeth's vote. He struggled not to make any reaction of his own to what was undoubtedly a comical situation down at the banker's side of the table. He turned his head slightly to his right, carefully avoiding any eye contact with Kinsey. "Jacob?"
"I agree with Ms. Weir," he said. "Far too many unstable variables in this situation. I vote no as well."
"And I also vote no," George added, marking the final two votes. "The final count is four-to-one against the stated proposal." He looked up and began shuffling his papers into order. "If there are no other matters anyone wishes to put before the Council, we are adjourned."
The meeting broke up fairly quickly after that. Kinsey left fairly quickly, though without any purposeful haste. No doubt he was trying not to show that his latest defeat was driving him mad, George thought.
He nodded courteously to various people, but managed to move fairly quickly towards the exit. His son-in-law was no doubt waiting at the entrance, just as eager as he to return home. George's youngest daughter and only child to have remained at home, Marie, had declined to attend the Council session given that her two girls, Tessa and Kayla, were both confined to bed with a minor flu, but she demanded that her husband come and bring home all the news of the evening's events.
It was when she acted like in that particular manner that she reminded George a great deal of his dearly-departed wife, Joanna. Had it only been five years since she'd died? Sometimes he rather thought it had been decades since he'd last seen her smiling face.
As he and Thomas walked, George noted several other people also making their way back home. He saw Carson Beckett escorting the pretty Miss Cadman back towards the Mercantile. He thought he recognized Rodney McKay and Samantha Carter arguing fiercely while Jacob and Jack looked on in amusement. Did he really see Elizabeth Weir on John Sheppard's arm, walking over by the creek that ran right alongside the town?
It was simple things like these that made him reconsider retiring. If he did, he would never be able to experience the normality of Atlantis in the same way. He'd always see these people, yes. He'd see them behave in a much similar way, yes. But it still would not be the same.
So he stayed, putting all thoughts of retirement out of his mind.
Until Jack and Kinsey's next blow-up, that is.
Author:
angelqueen04
Rating: PG
Character(s): George Hammond, Robert Kinsey, Jack O'Neill, Elizabeth Weir, Jacob Carter
Pairing(s): minor John/Elizabeth and Beckett/Cadman (blink and you'll miss them, really)
Summary: It was at times like this that George Hammond felt like retiring.
It was at times like this that George Hammond felt like retiring. After all, given what he put up with as Mayor of Atlantis, most men would not have lasted a year in this position, let alone the nine years that he had. Dealing with savage gangs that constantly sought to burn the town to the ground with all the people in it and corporations that wanted to move in and run it with their own special brand of ruthlessness were only a part of what constituted his job. What he was handling now was perhaps the hardest aspect of being the mayor.
Making sure Robert Kinsey and Jack O'Neill did not kill each other in front of nearly the entire adult population of Atlantis.
"This is ridiculous," Kinsey was saying from his seat at the end of the table. "The NID is a perfectly legitimate organization that could help bring major business opportunities to the town! I don't understand your reluctance! We could increase the prosperity of Atlantis tenfold! Bring it to compete on the state level in so many different areas of expertise! Give -"
"Correct me if I'm wrong," Jack cut him off in a seemingly lazy manner, though anyone who looked closely enough could see the tension lines around his dark eyes. "But weren't you the one recommended that we do business with the Genii?"
Thus why retirement was looking more and more appealing. Both of these men squabbled like children over anything they discussed.
He sighed inwardly, thanking God for small favors. The town hall, one of the most recent structures added to the town, had been structured to allow for a large crowd to attend the town council meetings. The entire room was filled with seats, all facing the table where the Council was seated. As mayor, George had the middle seat. Normally, Jack would have had his seat at his right hand as Deputy Mayor, but ever since Kinsey had been elected to the council just the previous year, George had seen fit to ensure that both men were seated at either ends of the table, as far away from one another as they could possibly be.
On his right and between himself and Kinsey sat Jacob Carter, Atlantis' retired Sheriff. He leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest as he listened to the bickering going on before him, his face inscrutable. Whether he was hiding his irritation or his agreement with Jack, George could not tell. Perhaps the man was recalling his own retirement, which had taken place a year ago, due to the trouble he was having with his heart at the time.
Maybe he was wondering why he agreed to stay on the Council, when Sheriff Caldwell had been all set and ready to take his spot the moment he rode into town with two new deputies fresh from Denver.
To his left and between himself and Jack sat the equally quiet Miss Elizabeth Weir. He hadn't been entirely sure about her when she'd been elected along with Kinsey the previous year. He knew she was a brilliant and astute businesswoman who had a great love for Atlantis, but actually involving herself in the town's politics wasn't something he'd been entirely comfortable with. But all too soon, she'd more than proven her worth in keeping a cool head, as well as for her skills in negotiation. Their latest treaty with the various Indian nations in the area had not just been a product of Jack's excellent relationship with them. She had also supported Jacob in convincing him to remain part of the Council after his retirement, effectively keeping the newcomer Caldwell out of the administration of Atlantis.
Elizabeth's green eyes met his, obviously sensing his stare, and she offered him a small, suffering smile. She too, George knew, found Jack and Kinsey's constant harping on one another troublesome. He straightened and reached for his gravel, knocking it on the table sharply.
"That's enough, both of you," he barked sternly, using the same tone he'd used on young soldiers brought before him for discipline. Being a General in the United States Army during the height of the Civil War had prepared him for this position than an entire education in politics would have. "You've both stated you cases adequately. I think it's time for us to vote."
Kinsey nodded stiffly, straightening his waistcoat self-consciously. "Of course, Mayor. My apologies. I forgot myself. My vote would be in favor of doing business with the NID."
George acknowledged his vote, marking it on the official papers before him, then turned in Jack's direction. Before he could even open his mouth to ask, the Indian Agent beat him to it. "No. I vote no."
Again he nodded and marked the page. "Miss Weir," he asked, looking at her once again.
The Mercantile owner leaned forward in her chair, resting her hands, which were laced tightly together, on the table. "I do believe that Atlantis deserves every opportunity to expand and flourish," she said slowly. "This town has shown its fortitude in the face of great challenges." She paused and glanced over his shoulder. George could just imagine the smug look on Kinsey's face, thinking he'd won himself a vote
"However," she continued, "I have heard far too many conflicting reports of the NID to trust them with any part at all in Atlantis' future. Until more research is done on this proposal or more options are made available, I must also vote no."
George heard a suspicious-sounding cough coming from the crowd in front of him as he tallied Elizabeth's vote. He struggled not to make any reaction of his own to what was undoubtedly a comical situation down at the banker's side of the table. He turned his head slightly to his right, carefully avoiding any eye contact with Kinsey. "Jacob?"
"I agree with Ms. Weir," he said. "Far too many unstable variables in this situation. I vote no as well."
"And I also vote no," George added, marking the final two votes. "The final count is four-to-one against the stated proposal." He looked up and began shuffling his papers into order. "If there are no other matters anyone wishes to put before the Council, we are adjourned."
The meeting broke up fairly quickly after that. Kinsey left fairly quickly, though without any purposeful haste. No doubt he was trying not to show that his latest defeat was driving him mad, George thought.
He nodded courteously to various people, but managed to move fairly quickly towards the exit. His son-in-law was no doubt waiting at the entrance, just as eager as he to return home. George's youngest daughter and only child to have remained at home, Marie, had declined to attend the Council session given that her two girls, Tessa and Kayla, were both confined to bed with a minor flu, but she demanded that her husband come and bring home all the news of the evening's events.
It was when she acted like in that particular manner that she reminded George a great deal of his dearly-departed wife, Joanna. Had it only been five years since she'd died? Sometimes he rather thought it had been decades since he'd last seen her smiling face.
As he and Thomas walked, George noted several other people also making their way back home. He saw Carson Beckett escorting the pretty Miss Cadman back towards the Mercantile. He thought he recognized Rodney McKay and Samantha Carter arguing fiercely while Jacob and Jack looked on in amusement. Did he really see Elizabeth Weir on John Sheppard's arm, walking over by the creek that ran right alongside the town?
It was simple things like these that made him reconsider retiring. If he did, he would never be able to experience the normality of Atlantis in the same way. He'd always see these people, yes. He'd see them behave in a much similar way, yes. But it still would not be the same.
So he stayed, putting all thoughts of retirement out of his mind.
Until Jack and Kinsey's next blow-up, that is.