The Colonel? Chapter 1, a stargate: sg-1 fanfic

Summary: Sam and Daniel begin to wonder – just how smart is the colonel? Is Jack the genius known only as MacGyver?

Author's Note: This takes place in late season three or early season four. No real spoilers. I know absolutely nothing about the education requirements for the armed forces - I just used what worked for the story.

Disclaimer: I do not own "Stargate SG-1" the series. I believe it is owned by MGM. No copyright infringement is intended. I do not own "MacGyver" (original or remake) and am not sure who does. No disrespect is intended I am merely intrigued by the possibilities.

The Colonel?

by: visions2share a.k.a. Vi

"Daniel – what do you know about Colonel O'Neill?"

"What do you mean? You've known him for more than three years – are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah – it's just he mumbled something at me yesterday when I was fixing the DHD and…He'd been being sarcastic but then it was more like…well…"

"Sam?"

"… … disgust. It was like he was disgusted with me." All of a sudden her words came in a rush. "He'd said something sarcastic about was I sure it was plugged in. I assured him it was receiving power. Then he said it was a computer maybe I ought to turn it off and turn it on again. The layman's solution to any computer problem – but it gave me the idea to do a reset. Which – "

"Is basically turning something off and back on again to factory reset?"

"Basically. But that's not the point. Anyway – I told the Colonel that it should work now and then he mumbled the thing. And now over 24 hours later I'm still confused. So what do you think?"

"Think about what?"

"Daniel haven't you been listening? About the Colonel?"

"What about the Colonel?"

"Daniel!?"

"What did he say? The mumbling?"

"He said… he said… 'There's nothing worse than a physicist stupefied by the obvious.' Daniel?"

"Well you know how Jack is with scientists. He doesn't have a lot of patience." Daniel shrugged.

"I know that – but I guess I was wondering if you know why?"

"Why he doesn't particularly like scientists?"

Sam nodded.

"He's never said. But I've always figured it was kinda like he's just easily bored."

"Right. I can see that."

They both fell silent for a few minutes.

"But does he get bored because he doesn't understand it or because he does?" Sam sounded more incredulous as her question went on.

"Well, Jack's always been a jump to the bottom line kind of a guy – I guess he understands and wants to move on to doing."

"Oh."

Again silence.

"Daniel, what kind of education does the Colonel have?"

"I don't know, we've never discussed it."

"Never?"

"No."

"Did he go to the Air Force Academy?"

"I don't know – why?"

"Well it's just that there are education requirements for officers in the Armed Forces."

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"Well, I'm not sure about the other branches – but the Air Force requires all officers to have a bachelor of arts or sciences."

"Well, that isn't really surprising – but it would be interesting to know exactly what his degree is in."

"But, Daniel, senior officers - majors and higher – require a masters degree."

"A masters? Jack has a masters degree?"

"He'd have to…the only other possible way to reach senior rank is to be personally promoted by the President."

"Probably – although, knowing Jack, I wouldn't put 'favor from the President' past him."

"Well, no – neither would I – now. But this was before the first Stargate mission…wasn't it?"

Daniel nodded.

"This President knows the Colonel walks on water – but before? He'd have had no reason to come to the prior President's attention."

"We don't know that, Sam! You know what Jack's background is like, even before the SGC, one highly classified mission after another. Black op on top of black op. You told me what he said about parachuting into Iraq in '91. Even stranded in an ice field in Antarctica – and he thought off world thousands of light years away – and he still couldn't say anything but that it wasn't," Daniel used finger quotes, "'an official mission.' Don't you think a man like that probably came to the President's attention with some degree of frequency?"

"Yeah – you're probably right. Still I wonder about his education."

"And, now, I am too. Thanks so much for that by the way."

"You could always ask him when he gets back from his fishing trip day after tomorrow."

"You were curious first! Why don't you ask him?"

"Daniel, he's my CO. I can't go questioning how he qualified for his promotions!"

"Jack isn't like that."

"With you! He's much more formal about what he will and will not tolerate from me! And asking about that could very easily sound like I was questioning his fitness for command – or second guessing his judgment. I couldn't stand to give that impression. Maybe we could get Teal'C to ask?"

"Never work. Teal'C doesn't care about Jack's past – beyond what is relevant in the moment. And what's more, Jack knows it."

"You're right. Why can't you ask him?"

"Well I guess I can – but he probably just won't answer."

Sam nodded.

"Why don't you ask General Hammond? He's got to know!"

"Daniel, if I can't ask the Colonel directly, I certainly can't go over his head and ask his commanding officer!"

"So don't. Ask your Dad's old friend – your God-father."

"Well, I guess I could try – but what if he thinks…"

"He won't, not if you explain about just being curious."

"I could try it," Sam checked her watch, "General Hammond and both of us are off duty in five minutes – maybe we can catch him before he goes home – com'on."

"Why me?"

"Because I refuse to go alone! Now let's go!"

GENERAL'S OFFICE

General Hammond looked up at the tentative knock on his door – he'd been just about to leave – and sincerely hoped that knock didn't mean he'd be here all night.

"Come."

Sam and Daniel looked in.

"General – are you done for the day?" Sam asked.

"As a matter of fact, I was just about to head out. What do you need Major, Dr. Jackson?"

"Nothing, even remotely, official, Sir. I was just hoping you might have a few minutes for an unofficial, casual conversation?"

"For you? Anytime – Sam – I hope you know that?"

"I do, Sir. I just don't want to impose."

"Nonsense. Come in – shut the door."

"Thank you, Sir."

Daniel nodded.

"What's going on?"

"Well, I'm curious…"

"That's not unusual for you, Sam."

"No, Sir. Let me give you a little background. When we were off world yesterday I was fixing the DHD and the colonel muttered a comment that, well, it got me wondering – and I asked Daniel – and when he didn't know…" Sam tapered off.

"Wondered what?"

"What Colonel O'Neill's education background is." Sam rushed the words out.

The General frowned – but Sam spoke again before he could.

"I know as a junior officer I shouldn't ask – and I don't mean to imply anything with my question – I, we, are just curious. Neither Daniel nor I have heard the colonel mention his education – not at all. And I guess that was such a big part of our lives that we can't help but be interested."

"And you're worried that asking him will either leave him thinking you're questioning his fitness for command or he'll brush you off with a joke. Which leaves asking 'Uncle George' as your only option."

Sam blushed but nodded and responded with, "Yes, Sir."

"Well, Sam, there isn't a lot I can tell you." Hammond held up his hand to forestall the impending interruption, "not because I don't trust you or because I don't trust your motives – but rather because I don't know a lot. I've read his file, of course, and as the leader of the flagship team and my second in command, I've memorized his file – what little of it there is that I have access to."

Sam and Daniel shared a look before Daniel asked the question, "I know I still don't know everything I should about the military or the Air Force specifically – but as Jack's commanding officer shouldn't you have access to his complete file? Maybe not details of, or details of his roles in, 'need-to-know' operations – but at least an overview?"

"Normally you'd be absolutely correct – especially given the high level of classification of the Stargate Project – and with every other officer under my command – that's exactly how it works. But Colonel O'Neill's file is redacted to the point it is only one single page."

General Hammond unlocked one of his desk drawers and withdrew a file – a very thin one. He passed it over wordlessly and waved his hand to indicate they should see for themselves. Daniel leaned over Sam's shoulder so they could read at the same time – the first thing of note was the photo which Daniel recognized as having been taken around the time of the first Abydos mission. The file, if one page could be called a file, wasn't so much redacted as summarized.

Name: Jonathan James O'Neill (a.k.a. Jack)

Rank: Colonel

Military Branch: United States Air Force

Born: October 13, 19-

-, Minnesota

Mother: - - -, deceased

Father: - - -, deceased

Education: High School: -, Minnesota

Valedictorian 19-

College: - University, California

- degree in - 19-

College of the - - of - University, -, England

- degree in - 19-

Work History: 19- thru 19- Private Sector contractor and consultant

19- thru 19- DXS – special consultant/agent

19- thru 19- - -

Special Operations

Trouble Shooter, as needed

Consultant/Agent

January 20, 19- Joined United States Air Force

19- thru 19- Special Advisor/Consultant, Senate Sub-Committee

19- Special Operations Field Command

19- thru present Project Blue Book (SGC)

Team leader SG-1

One page – and even that not full. Not one single date aside of the one for this assignment to the SGC.

"That's just ridiculous." Daniel finally spoke after the third time he'd read it.

General Hammond nodded. "And that's the expanded version. I had to beg, literally, the president to get that. The only additional thing I know is the Senate Sub-Committee mentioned was headed, during the time Jack was assigned, by the current president."

"Really?" Sam's eyes were huge – she wouldn't, couldn't, have looked more shocked if the General's eyes started to glow.

"Yes – but, then, Senator Raymond sat as head of three different Sub-Committees during his sixteen years in the Senate. So that doesn't narrow it down much."

"Why would they redact everything? I mean it doesn't even list his parents' names – or the year of his birth." Sam questioned.

"I don't know. I have a couple of suspicions but absolutely no proof."

"High School valedictorian. Eight degrees from a University in California. And three degrees from either Oxford or Cambridge. He definitely is better educated than he lets on!"

"Oxford or Cambridge? Are you sure?" Sam took her eyes off the file for the first time for her gaze to spear Daniel.

"Positive." He pointed at the file – refocusing Sam, "See College of blank blank of the blank University in blank England? Like College of archeology of Oxford University. Or College of Historical Studies of Cambridge, University. Only those two Universities are big enough to be organized as colleges of. In fact, to the best of my knowledge, they are the only Universities so organized in the world."

"Aren't those two of the best schools in the world?" Hammond asked.

"Oh yeah." Daniel verified. So much for peeking at his file answering questions. "And for an American to get in? They – he – would have to be a serious scholar. Serious – and brilliant."

"Serious scholar? Brilliant serious scholar? The colonel?" Sam was only becoming more confused.

Author's Note: At this point this story is just a quick little one-shot. If anybody is interested in me continuing it please let me know! Thank you for taking the time to read "The Colonel?"!