Free SG1-16 Four Dragons by Diana Botsford

of them, including his First Prime.”
    “Five or six hundred Jaffa, you say?” Jack didn’t care for those odds, but what other choice did they have? “All right. If this SAR mission is going to fly — ”
    “SAR?” Bra’tac asked.
    “Search and Rescue,” Jack explained. “As I was saying, we’ll need a couple of pounds of C-4, some M60s. And forget the zats; we don’t have time for niceties. P90s with plenty of magazines all around. I also wouldn’t be opposed to taking along a grenade launcher or two.”
    He picked up one of the jade pendants and turned it over in his hand. The less he saw of Yu’s dumbass symbol, the calmer he’d stay. “Carter, any way you could manufacture more of these? I’d like to bring some backup, maybe SG units three and five.”
    Carter took the pendant from his hands. “Already thought about that, sir.”
    “And?”
    “We’d need to melt one of these down in order to examine its properties,” Carter replied. “I’m not even sure our refinery could process this fine a grade of naquadah. More importantly, I’m pretty sure this is Nephrite jade, which consists of a microcrystalline interlocking fibrous matrix of the calcium. The jade’s pretty dark, too, which might mean a higher iron content than we have on Earth. Really, sir, this is a remarkable feat in geological engineering.”
    Jack sipped his coffee and tried very hard to listen attentively to his second-in-command gush on about the pendants. It was the least he owed her after being such an ass in the briefing room. Eight years ago, Daniel helped him regain his desire to live. Teal’c covered his back better than anyone ever had or ever would. But Carter? Her sense of wonder was downright infectious at times. Couple that with sharpshooting skills that put his own to shame, and Jack knew he was damn lucky to have her. Always had been. Always would be.
    Still, enough was enough.
    “Major, cut to the part where you tell me how long it would take.”
    Carter stuck out her chin defensively and Jack knew they were in trouble. “Weeks, sir. At best. Matching the right composite of jade and naquadah — ”
    “Okay, I get it.” Jack turned to Teal’c. “What about the gate?” At least a Marine unit could cover their sixes once they’d extracted Daniel.
    “Heavily guarded,” Teal’c said flatly. “We would be immediately captured.”
    “A tel’tak may be our only means of approach,” added Bra’tac.
    “I can help with that,” Jacob offered. “You’ll want one with stealth capabilities. Give me an hour to — ”
    “I’m afraid not, Jacob.” This from Hammond who’d just entered the room. Jack noticed how the general’s shoulders hung low, as if he’d lost his best friend.
    Jack knew exactly how he felt.
    “General?”
    Hammond looked from Jack to the plans on Carter’s table and then back again. “I just got off the phone with the president.”
    “Cutting into his television time, were you?”
    Hammond’s eyes narrowed in that way he had of silently telling Jack to shut the hell up.
    “I’ve received orders to wait while he considers the political ramifications.”
    “Excuse me?”
    “I’m sorry, but as Commander-in-Chief, it falls under his purview to — ”
    “The president’s a lame duck and he knows it. Elections are only a few months away. Then some other shrub will take up midnight runs to the White House kitchen’s ice cream stash.”
    “Jack — ”
    “This is Daniel’s life we’re talking about! Who gives a crap about politics?”
    “That’s enough,” Hammond warned.
    Jack sank onto a stool in disbelief. Maybe it wasn’t proper protocol with his commanding officer still standing, though at the moment, he couldn’t give a crap. Just like no one seemed to be giving a crap about saving Daniel.
    The general stared briefly at him, but let it pass. “It’s been a long day, people. The president has promised an answer by oh-nine-hundred tomorrow. Go home and get some