Ficlet: Hammond Alphabet Soup: E is for Error, G

[holdouttrout]

Go to the rest of Hammond's Alphabet soup.

E i s for Error



It wasn't yet the end of Hammond's first week in charge of the Stargate program, and he'd already made more gut decisions than he had in the past ten years. It was possible some of them, like allowing the alien Teal'c to remain on base, would prove fatal. He knew nothing about the man except that Colonel O'Neill thought he was trustworthy and highly motivated to help them, and that he had a gold tattoo on his forehead.

Allowing Colonel O'Neill anywhere near the Stargate could be a mistake. Hammond was positive that somehow--ironically, considering O'Neill's file--he had become a truly honorable man. Honorable men were dangerous, unpredictable, and ultimately uncontrollable. Hammond hoped he could win O'Neill's respect, and quickly, or he was in for a rough ride.

Then there were his two scientists, both of whom were more brilliant--and possibly crazy--than just about anyone else on the planet. One of them was head over heels in love with the 'gate itself and what it represented, and the other had a wife out there, somewhere, held prisoner in her own body--literally, one of the enemy.

Those were the people he was considering for the front lines.

He must be crazy. The president had even told him so.

Yet there was something that made sense about it all, something that made him pick these four people. He'd built many teams over the years, and there was something special about the ones that worked--something that had nothing to do with complimentary areas of expertise.

He wasn't sure about any of them, least of all himself, but he'd made the decision, and only time could tell the consequences.

Comments

[sg-betty.livejournal.com]

I particularly enjoyed Hammond's take on O'Neill.
You wouldn't have long to make the right impression, it is very true. And once his mind was made up, it would be even harder to change. His sense of honor would be pretty surprising in a black ops guy...

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

Jack's very used to making snap decisions, I think. Which can be good or bad. *g*

[mrspollifax.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes! I love Hammond's perceptiveness about the pieces he's putting together even though he barely knows them; and seeing him trusting his intuition, having that sixth sense about putting the parts together to make something bigger - just right. Very nice.

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

Yay! Thank you.

[delphia2000.livejournal.com]

I like your take on his way of following his gut instincts, but not without a little worry about having done the right thing or not. Thanks for sharing this!

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[sg-fignewton.livejournal.com]

Oh, I love this - Hammond contemplating the insanity of SG-1 (Sam's description is priceless), and the need for gut decisions instead of rational, logical thought where the Gate is concerned. Great stuff!

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

Thanks! A lot of times the decisions they make are so completely opposite what rational, cautious people would do--and yet it works. (Okay, yeah. TV magic. But assuming it weren't.)

:-)

[supplyship.livejournal.com]

Boy, that first week must have been insane. I wonder if poor George got any sleep at all!

I loved this:
Honorable men were dangerous, unpredictable, and ultimately uncontrollable.

Really insightful.

[holdouttrout.livejournal.com]

Thank you!