SG1-25 Hostile Ground(16)

Makepeace sat forward in his seat. “Send my team back to ’104, sir. We only searched the vicinity of the Stargate, but if we headed all the way out to the site Dr. Jackson wanted to investigate we might find out more. It’s even possible they’re being held on the planet. We didn’t find any evidence of Goa’uld transport rings being used. Either that or they’ve taken refuge somewhere and ended up cut off from the gate.”

“That’s a good idea, Colonel,” he said, although he’d be sending a different team. He needed Makepeace to travel with him to Tollana.

He was about to say as much when Dr. Fraiser interrupted. “General, how about contacting the Tok’ra? They’re bound to recognize the Jaffa insignia and they’ll know a lot more about it than Dr. Rothman — with all due respect to the doctor.”

Makepeace snorted. “The Tok’ra? Come on, Doc, they only help us when it’s in their own interest. One of our teams going missing won’t mean anything to them.”

Hammond didn’t appreciate his dismissive tone and Fraiser’s eyes took on a distinctly flinty expression. “I’m sure it’ll mean something to General Carter, Colonel.”

Makepeace shrugged, but remained unconvinced. “The general’s only one of them, Doc. I’m just saying — I’ve never known a Tok’ra do anything without an ulterior motive. And there’s nothing in this for them.” He looked over at Hammond. “It might be worth asking them, General, but I wouldn’t hold my breath waiting for an answer. For something this important, we’re better off relying on our own resources.”

“Really, Colonel?” The chilly look in Fraiser’s eye belied her mild tone. “Even when our own resources aren’t adequate to the task?”

“They’re good enough,” Makepeace said, getting to his feet. He was doing a poor job of masking his irritation. “One thing you learn out there is to trust no one but your own people. It’s the only way you’ll get home alive.” He towered over the doctor as he spoke, but if he was attempting to intimidate her, he was out of luck. Fraiser simply regarded him with a cool, appraising gaze and it was the colonel who looked away first. Glancing at Hammond he said, “Sir, permission to prep for a return mission to P5X-104?”

Hammond considered the request for a moment, taking in the man’s hard face and harder attitude. Unfortunately, he couldn’t ignore the alarm bells that had started ringing in the back of his mind and he realized that, for all his admirable qualities, Colonel Makepeace was not the man to take into his confidence about the Maybourne situation. In fact, Hammond was forced to admit that he probably shouldn’t trust any of his off-world teams. However unlikely it might be, each of them had had the opportunity to steal technology from their allies.

Swallowing down the sudden sour taste in his mouth, he shook his head. “Permission denied, Colonel. I’ll send SG-2.”

“What? But, sir —”

“Robert, your team has just finished two back-to-back missions. You’re all exhausted. Go home and get some rest and report back here for 1000 hours tomorrow.”

“General Hammond —”

“That’s an order, Colonel.”

Makepeace’s jaw clenched and he straightened. “Yes sir,” he said with obvious reluctance. He threw Fraiser a dark look, and then turned back to Hammond. “SG-3 will do whatever it takes to bring them home, General.”

“I know, son. Now go get some rest.”

After Makepeace had gone, Hammond sat for a while in Fraiser’s silent office. She was staring at the closed door, her thoughts drifting far away. SG-1 were her friends too, Hammond reminded himself. She and Major Carter were especially close, but her history with the colonel went right back to the beginning of the Stargate program. It was sometimes easy to forget that Doctor Janet Fraiser was one of the indomitable rocks upon which Stargate Command had been built. He respected her, admired her, and valued her judgment more than almost anyone else on the base.

Maybe sensing his eyes on her, Fraiser shook herself out of her thoughts and looked over at him. “Despite all his bravado, sir,” she said, her tone almost apologetic, “I hope Colonel Makepeace is right. I hope he finds them.”

“So do I.” Hammond gave a thin smile. “Makepeace is a good man, doctor, but I’m afraid his manner can sometimes be a little… abrasive.”

“Ah,” Fraiser said with a smile of her own. “Abrasive — that’s what it’s called.” After a pause, she added, “For what it’s worth, General, I think he’s wrong about the Tok’ra. They may be standoffish at times, but I believe they’d help us if they could — especially Martouf and General Carter.”