SGA fic: Nasty Little Elves, PG-13. All about Sheppard.

[icarus]

I always thought that the debate in "Rising" between Weir and Jack O'Neill to get Sheppard on the team was a little flip (of course, they had to move the story along). So here's my vision of that discussion:

Title: Nasty Little Elves
Fandom: SGA, Episode "Rising," though this is set back on earth and SG-1 fans will relate.
Summary: The general is talked into reconsidering a disgraced pilot for the Atlantis team. (So unbeta'd. So off the cuff. But I love Jack, and I really think the military would have put up more of a fight against including John. Weir knew the right person to ask.)


"Major Sheppard defied a direct order," Jack explained in a huff of frustration. He hated how the civilians just didn't get the whole "orders" thing.

"I've read your file, General." And Dr. Weir's little smile just didn't bode well about things that Jack really wished weren't in there, but had to be.

"That's different." Jack tried for breezy, and got skewered with a look. Why the hell was she so hung up on Major Sheppard anyway? They needed more than just the Ancient gene for Atlantis. Especially the military. He dropped the act. "Look. It's a matter of degree. So I've… modified… a few commands to suit the situation on the ground…."

She folded her arms. "You've done more than that, General."

"And yet, I have never taken my eye off the ball." She opened her mouth but he held up a finger. "Ah! Let's talk about this inside."

He gestured towards the door of her office across the room. Because this, this was getting into some dangerous territory. There were enough people questioning his right to command the SGC. Starting with one "General" Jack O'Neill. And yes, he did still think of his title in quotes.

Jack resisted the temptation to drag her along by the arm. Apparently, Weir had done just fine while he was in the deep freeze, but if she was going to be head of a mission that included military personnel, she needed to get some important distinctions down, now. He veered wide around the chamber that had been his living coffin for the better part of a year. The thing still gave him the creeps. Though it looked like someone used the Ziplocks, because he hadn't come out with freezer burn.

In her office, he shut the door behind them. Dr. Weir had Major Sheppard's file out on her desk as she folded neatly into her chair.

Jack remained standing. "You've got to get," he began, "if you've read my file, that I have never disobeyed orders in a combat situation. Yes, I kidnapped a little girl to give her a day of kindergarten. I took my team on a commando mission to save Earth—which, by the way, was only not being saved because of some political… nonsense."

"Nonsense," Weir quoted and smiled. "That wasn't what you were going to say."

Jack ignored that bit. "The fact is, I have always had my priorities straight. If it came down to it, given a choice between a member of my team and taking out the Goa'uld, I'd make the sacrifice. You know I would." Jack gave Dr. Weir an intense steady glare. "Sheppard's a nice guy. I like him too. But I'm not convinced that he can do that. He disobeyed a direct order and abandoned his objective—under fire—during combat."

"To save his men, General," Weir interrupted, her voice firm.

"At which he did not succeed," Jack pointed out. "He blew the mission and those men still died." There was a loud silence in Weir's office. "He fucked up."

And if she couldn't handle the pithy profanity she didn't belong at the head of this mission. Or Jack's people. Quite a few of the military going to Atlantis had been recruited out of the SGC. It had been hell to replace them.

Weir leaned forward. "So since you've succeeded, you've gotten away with it? Even though you have done the exact same thing."

Jack softened. He couldn't say that he was better than Sheppard. He just didn't know. "The military's not big on rewarding good intentions. Success is what counts when lives are on the line."

"And if you hadn't succeeded, time and again, this could be you in Antarctica." Weir, nicely enough, didn't use an accusing tone. Though she did cock her head at Jack in a way that was just… cocky.

He settled into a chair in front of Weir's desk, his arm draped loosely over the armrest. "Sometimes I hate talking to civilian negotiators." Of which he only knew one. "It feels like I'm talking to Daniel, only you're a tad more polite."

"Doctor Jackson, you mean?" she asked.

"Yeah."

Jack reached for Sheppard's file and flipped through some pages randomly, before remembering he really wasn't good at paperwork.

"Maybe that report doesn't represent the whole picture," Weir suggested, as if this were a novel idea.

"Of course it doesn't." Jack made a frustrated gesture. "They don't. They never do. They can't. But the facts are pretty clear."

"Well," Weir turned the report towards herself and scanned through it more competently, and Jack had another pang about his ability to command the whole SGC. Was he out of his mind to even try? "The tone of it is fairly even-handed," she admitted.

Good. That's what he'd picked up on.

"But it says here on page twenty-seven," her eyes scrutinized it, "under section E, that Major Sheppard was given a limited choice of assignments after Afghanistan. He could go to Guam or Antarctica. Though who knows why he chose here."

Jack grimaced and ran a hand over his face. "I do."

Sometimes the fucking pencil-pushers were clever. Jack would have never found that buried under all the legalese.

"Okay." He let his hand drop. "Someone was definitely gunning for Sheppard. That's a Sophie's Choice for pilots; and it's just plain mean." Dr. Weir's face was focused and surprisingly unsurprised, though she raised a questioning eyebrow. Jack explained, "There are no aircraft at Anderson Air Force Base in Guam."

"So it was Antarctica, or never fly again?"

Jack stared up at the ceiling with a heavy sigh, hands pressed to either side of his head. He was never going to 'get' this job. They were going to tie him up in red tape and hang him with it, and he wouldn't even know what happened. He pictured Washington like a bunch of little elves, all dancing around him with evil grins. "That's about the size of it."

Jack didn't mention that there was only six weeks of guaranteed flight time a year in this region because of the weather. Especially for a chopper pilot.

He snapped the file shut, thinking of all sorts of ways a former black ops colonel could, and never would, get revenge on some asshole in Afghanistan who'd fucked up Sheppard's career. "He's all yours, Dr. Weir. I'll do what I can to get Sumner off your case if he complains." And that guy was going to be a pain in the ass, wasn't he? "When Sumner complains," Jack amended.

"Thank you, General," she said, not rubbing his nose in his oversight. Which was nice of her, but unnecessary. Jack was already rubbing his own nose in it just fine, and would be for the next several days, or at least until his next screw-up, oversight or whatever. "But that's not what I need your help with."

Jack looked confused. "It's your team," he said. "Your call. You can have whoever you want."

"Yes. But so far, Major Sheppard's said no."

"What?!"

Dr. Weir gave Jack a helpless shake of her head. "I'd like you to talk to him," she said softly. "See if you can't change his mind."

"Have we ruled out stupidity?" Jack asked her. Weir just smiled at him as she put away Sheppard's file. "Or insanity? It's possible he's insane. He did say he liked it here."

"Thank you for your help, General."

Jack rumpled the back of his hair, standing and feeling like a rookie pilot again. "Yeah, well, no promises there. If he's clinically insane…." He made a broad gesture encompassing all of the insanity of Antarctica. "But, whatever. I'll try. Just make sure my pilot's Sheppard. I'm heading out at 1600, tonight."

It was the least he could do, for a man who wouldn't save himself. Jack stalked out of the office, Weir forgotten, his mind already on the mission.

Comments

[not-sally.livejournal.com]

Loved it. I love your SGA fics. This should have been on the show.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Oh, thank god. I was afraid no one would like this because
a) no sex, and
b) it really straddles the line between SG-1 and SGA.

Which is where I am right now, absorbing the canon for SGA but my headspace is still in SG-1. I have a partially finished tidbit that I scratched out for Femme the other day that I should probably post here. Gah. I need to write.

Icarus

[not-sally.livejournal.com]

a- Well, can't say I like the no sex thing, but hey, gen is still fanfic. We shouldn't discriminate like that.
b- I love SG1-SGA fics. The more, the merrier.

And yes, you should write more. You make fangirls happy. *waves pompoms*

Still, cool fic. But then again you could write your grocery list and I'd like it.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

I really like Jack in this. His insecurity during season 8 was nearly palpable, and I like that Elizabeth was listening to Jack but also well informed and thinking independently. Nice.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Thank you. *Icarus dips another toe into SGA, cautiously testing the water.* It's not cold, is it?

Icarus

[duffy-99.livejournal.com]

No, it's not cold. The water is warm and lovely; come on in! But I'm glad your head is still in SG-1. Personally I adore stories like this that "straddle" the two shows. More like this would make me very happy!

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

This is one situation where crossovers work for me. Because the shows are linked, so it's not really a crossover if you're familiar with both shows.

Icarus

[http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/]

I agree, the crossing back and forth is much easier to do, and I've even done it too, despite only just getting into Atlantis.

D'you think, if I hold your hand while dipping a toe in, it will be less scary?

And, more importantly, I won't give up SG-1, will I?

[dustandroses.livejournal.com]

I'm kinda glad you're still in an SG-1 headspace. I miss your SG-1 fic. Lots. Just so's ya know...

What ever happened to WG's BlackOps!Jack? Sigh...

btw - I wrote a very short little piece for The Porn Battle that made me think of you. It's got one of your favorite kinks in it. I had to cut it way short (4300 characters is the maximum - including spaces) but I got as much as I could in (and borrowed a quick The Joy of Sex reference from The Games Men Play. *g* There's A First Time For Everything

I'm glad you've got time to write, now, anyway; with your reading/class schedule the way it is, no matter what it is you're writing!

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

SG-1 still plays in continuous loop in this house, thanks to it being a shared obsession. WG doesn't like the Wraith, but he's written a weapons list for SGA because what they carry on the show drives him crazy. Apparently they do not make use of military advisors as much as SG-1, and it shows.

Ah, BlackOps!Jack was relying too much on one particular bit of source material that apparently was more well-known than I realized. I was afraid of being (rightly?) called on blatantly ripping off certain parts, so I put it on hold during a period where I was writing for work and my creativity drained for marketing. I'm not sure if it can be reconstituted at this point; it's unlikely, but I don't rule it out.

Oh, I saw the Porn Battle and wished that I could participate. *eagerly dives on link*

Icarus

[dustandroses.livejournal.com]

SG-1 still plays in continuous loop in this house, thanks to it being a shared obsession.

Well, I say thank goodness you've got the WG around! *g*

Yeah, I can't say as the Wraith are my favorite SciFi villians, either. I miss the Goa'uld, to be honest. They made quite splashy bad guys, and were so easy to stir up. I think it was the egos...love that shit.

I knew BlackOps!Jack had run into a snafu of some sort, but I didn't realize it was quite so devastating a problem. That's really too bad. I love BlackOps!Jack. He sends chills up my spine.

There are some good people participating in the Porn Battle...SG-1 and SGA, both. And even some HP (she said with a nod towards one of your other favorites...) You should check them out if you get the chance! And yes, really too bad that you couldn't join in. But you are writing, and this is good.

[celestialseason.livejournal.com]

Very enjoyable. You really captured Jack perfectly. Thanks for sharing

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Thank you! *bsg* (translation: big silly grin)

Icarus

[trobadora]

I hope this doesn't come across the wrong way, but I'm neither a SG-1 fan nor a Weir fan, and I loved this. It's a wonderful look at Sheppard from the outside, and gives us exactly the kind of glimpse into his background that I'd always wanted to see on the show, and it fits so well into Rising that it could have been taken directly out of the script.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Thank you! wildernessguru and I have been discussing deep background on SGA. There was a fanfic that suggested John chose Antarctica but WG explained to me that choppers are generally grounded in 40 mph winds, so John wouldn't be able to fly but six weeks out of the year -- so why choose it? We ran through a number of possible nightmare postings he might have been offered:

- Diego Garcia in the Indian ocean (an island with absolutely nothing there)
- Howard AF base in Panama (but at least there's a nightlife and women)
- Johnston Atoll (another deserted nowhere land, but I pointed out to WG -- South Pacific? Surfing? Good weather? Nah. It's Sheppard heaven.)
- WG joked and said his nightmare would be the Navy command ship (obviously, Sheppard's not Navy though): doing nothing but shuttling a-hole top brass day in and day out. We both decided that for Sheppard, the big plus of Antarctica is the severe shortage of commanders.
- Fort Richardson, Alaska, which has a bit of an Inuit population, but otherwise deserted.

But when WG hit the Guam base ("Look. It's a ghost town. Just a base. No fixed wing aircraft and that usually means no choppers either.") we knew why Sheppard would choose Antarctica. The nasty guy managed to buff his own image by saying Sheppard "chose" his assignment, in the easier-to-read summary that the general scanned. So on the surface it didn't look like revenge. *shakes head*

Other subjects of deep background research: SGA weapons, the make-up and specialties of the Atlantis team, and the culture of the Ancients (to help determine what else might be found in the city).

This is fun!

Icarus

[trobadora]

You guys are amazing! It's lovely to have people work this stuff out who actually know what they're doing - it adds a depth and reality to the story that's often missing from fanfic. Guam vs. Antarctica is such a perfect choice! (I'll be the first to admit I'm in it first and foremost for the characters, but I do believe that not having a solid background detracts from the characters, and that fleshing out the universe is essential to fleshing out the characters.)

I've seen the weapons post and saved it - a wonderful resource! And I hope you'll keep going in this direction, working out all the details many writers don't seem to bother with.

Damn right it's fun! *bg*