Quitting

An epilogue to "Stargate the Movie"

O'Neill finished reviewing his report and sighed deeply. The whole mission--stepping through a huge metal ring into something that masqueraded as a pool of water and coming out freezing into a desert millions of miles away, meeting Skaara, battling a glowy-eyed Egyptian god and himself, being saved in a couple ways by a freakin' scientist, for crying out loud--now seemed to be an elaborate, realistic dream.

But it hadn't been a dream.

After signing the report and one other thing, he left the cramped office, papers in hand.

It took only minutes to find West. The general, hands clasped behind his back, stood at the base of the Stargate's ramp. "Ah, Jack," he said as he turned to face the approaching colonel.

"Sir, my report and my resignation," O'Neill said, handing the documents to West. "Which became effective, oh, about five minutes ago." That said, he decked the unsuspecting officer with a left cross. "Next time, you pusillanimous son-of-a-bitch, you do your own dirty work."

West, stunned, stared up at his attacker.

O'Neill about-faced. He brushed past Ferretti and Kawalsky, who had entered the room moments after Jack and had seen everything. Both men quickly buried their smirks.

In the corridor, Jack dug into a pocket for his cigarettes. Three left. He crushed the pack and tossed it into a trashcan.

Because Charlie had wanted him to…

The End