CHAPTER 5

 Just as soon as everyone heard the phone ring inside Hammond’s office they stopped what they were doing. This, thankfully, included Janet Frazier who had not stopped pacing around the briefing room since she first came in. Currently she was a nervous wreck and her being away from the infirmary was considered a good thing by everyone on base. No one wanted her anywhere near a needle with her hands shaking like they were.

 No sooner had Hammond opened his office door than he found himself stormed by the doctor, “what did he say?”

 This question was naturally repeated by almost everyone in the room till George put his hands up, “I need not remind anyone here that I am as fond of Cassie as anyone else.”

 Sam Carter had been sitting on the briefing table as she waited.  Now she slid off and was plainly agitated, “the President didn’t turn us down did he, sir?”

 Hammond put his hands behind his back and rocked on his feet as he tried to word his feelings as delicately as possible, “I just feel uncomfortable with letting you all go. None of you have any experience with this and I might should remind you that screwing this up could just as easily bring harm to that child.”

 Janet flew off the handle, “you can’t just expect me to sit here General, not when my child is…”

 “Doctor please,” Hammond said.  “You’re authorized to go.”

 Jack gritted his teeth, “yes!”  He quickly started issuing orders, “Teal’c break out the hardware.”
 

“One minute colonel,” Hammond barked, “this is low profile. I’ve been assured by the President that Federal Agents with experience in these matters have already been put on the case. I don’t want to sound heartless here but Cassandra is also a national security issue. That’s the only reason he agreed to let me send you.”

 As Jack was about to start, Daniel cut him off, “Jack I don’t mean to interlope on your military experience here but while you’re arguing over which tank you want to drive, Cassandra is running out of time.”

 Jack grumbled, “Well we can’t go in there unarmed. I want at least a Zat for this one.”  As an after thought he added, “and for the record Daniel. I was thinking about which bomber I wanted to fly. This is the Air Force after all.”
 

Hammond made his final orders known, “side arms only people. We have an airplane standing by. Bring her back.”

 Jack nodded, “that was the plan sir.”