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TITLE: Bull of the Woods AUTHOR: Debi C EMAIL: dcole6@satx.rr.com DATE: 22 November 2001 STATUS: Finished CATAGORY: Drama SPOILERS: Shades of Grey SEASON/SEQUEL INFO: Fifth season, no squel RATING: PG-13 PAIRING: None SUMMARY: Problems in Stargate Command WARNINGS: Sexual innuendo, sexual harassment, attempted NCS, disturbing images, some foul language and violence. DISCLAIMER: Stargate SG-1 and its characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions and Gekko Productions. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. No copyright infringement is intended. The original characters, situations, and story are the property of the author. This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author. AUTHOR'S NOTES: Thanks to Crashtomcat, Badgergater and Madeline for the help and betas.
At the sound of a loud voice, he looked towards the doorway of the Commissary that led into the food serving line. Jack saw a large Marine Lieutenant Colonel striding his way from the coffee pot carrying a large cup of coffee. O'Neill watched in amazement at the man literally kicked a chair out of the way and headed towards him. When he got to Jack's table, the man stopped in front of it. "I'm looking for John McNeill, an Air Force type with birds on his shoulder." "Well, I don't know about any McNeill, but I'm Jack O'Neill. One oh, two ells." Jack unfolded himself from his chair and stood up to meet the giant. He was a few years younger than O'Neill, maybe a inch taller and almost as wide as Teal'c, but Jack thought a lot of the size was due more to the size of the man's girt than his shoulders. "Who's looking for him?" He replied affably. "Why, I'm Bad Bob Bowers" The man reached out a large calloused hand to shake Jacks. "I'm replacing that no good S.O.B., Makepeace that the Marine Corps accidentally sent instead of a real man." Bowers sneered as he said the name then pointed at Jack's chair. "Sit yourself down there, Colonel. Don't stand on my account." The big officer then pulled a chair away from the table, turned it backwards and straddled it, slopping coffee on the floor. Jack settled back in his own chair and watched the newcomer carefully, sipping his own cup of coffee. "Well, welcome to the SGC. Have you been in Colorado long?" O'Neill hadn't liked Makepeace, but he had been a good man to have at your back. He had just taken a wrong turn somewhere and for some reason Bowers' opinion of the ex SG3 leader irritated him. "Not lately, no." Bowers replied in a twangy southern accent. "My Uncle's used to bring us boys up Mule deer hunting every couple a years. But after combat killing unarmed bambis didn't seem much fun." He looked over at Jack. "I put in for a bear license when I got this assignment, just have to wait and see if I can get it." "Well," Jack said mildly, over his coffee cup rim. "If you're replacing Robert Makepeace as a team leader, you'll have all the 'big game' hunting you can stand." He nodded. "And it shoots back." "Big game hunting at it's best, hey. I like it." Bowers grinned ingratiatingly. "So if I am who you're looking for, what can I do for you?" Jack determinedly put on his friendly face; the man was after all, a fellow officer and he would be working with him. "Well, that little bitty Air Force Security type up there at the gate said you were the bull in these here woods and Hammond's big stick." His smile turned into a wolfish grin. "I just wanted you to know that I'm in town so's we don't mark on each other's trees, so to speak." "Then I guess I am who you're looking for." Jack nodded. He saw the rest of SG1 coming through the doorway and heading for the food line. "If you want to stay a minute, there's the rest of my team. I'll introduce you." "Well, that'd be real nice, McNeill." The man said affably.
As usual, Carter was in the lead. She was talking over her shoulder to the two men that were following her. Teal'c, second in line, was nodding at her as they went through the serving line and Daniel was dragging along several feet to the rear, already nursing a cup of coffee in a paper coffee cup marked Starbucks. After getting served, the three proceeded over to the table with their trays. As they arrived, Jack introduced them each by name. "This is Major Sam Carter, she's my second in command." The tall slender blond woman reached across the table to shake his hand; Teal'c, my good right hand man." The large black Jaffa warrior nodded and raised an eyebrow. "And Doctor Daniel Jackson, linguist, archeologist and general all round, uh, expert." The slender light haired academic saluted him with his fresh cup of coffee. O'Neill introduced the Marine. "Lt Col Bob Bowers." Then Jack added. "He's going to be with SG3." "Well, now...So this is the great SG1." Bowers grinned charmingly at the three as they sat down. "Pardon me, but you all don't look as scary as all that I've heard about you." He leaned back in the plastic and chrome chair until O'Neill thought it would crack under the pressure. Daniel was on his third cup of the morning and was beginning to take an interest in his surroundings. He glanced from Bowers to O'Neill. "Scary? Scary. Jack, is that in my job description?" The young man remarked affably. "It's covered under the 'other duties as required' category." Jack replied dryly. "Remind me of that next time my contract is up for negotiation." Daniel kept a straight face. "I want to be sure that my pay reflects that." O'Neill suppressed a grin. For the first three months Daniel had 'worked' at SGC he hadn't even realized that he was getting paid or cared for that matter. "Oh yea. Carter, take a note." Jack remarked casually to the female Major. "A note, Sir?" Carter looked confused for a moment at his instructions, then got the inference. O'Neill winked at her. She looked down at her plate of scrambled eggs to keep from laughing. Teal'c watched the Marine LC as he stood up and tried to stretch to his full height over him. "I will remind you Danieljackson and you will help me with my 'contract' also." "Of course, Teal'c. I'll be happy to." Daniel gazed up at the big man as Bowers towered over him standing mere inches from Jackson. "Oh, going so soon?" He remarked mildly. "Yep, I got to go roust me some jarheads, find out where they are and what they been doing without a CO." Bowers looked down on the civilian and shook his head. "A platoon of Marines without a CO is like a snake without a head, whipping around spilling all the wrong blood. See ya later, McNeill." He waved an irreverent salute at them, turned on his heel and strode off through a crowd of lab techs scattering them in all directions as he left. "Who the hell is that, Jack?" Daniel finally managed to get out, trying not to laugh until Bowers left the room. "That is Makepeace's replacement." O'Neill replied, watching the flock of scientists reform and head for the coffee maker. "He came looking for me to 'mark his 'territory' whatever the hell that means." By the look in his eyes, Daniel knew Jack knew exactly what that meant. "This must be a mistake." Carter interjected as she waived a piece of toast. "That man can't be a real Marine, he's got a worse John Wayne imitation than yours, Sir." "O'Neill." Teal'c spoke, keeping his eyes on the Marine as long as he could see him. "While Colonel Makepeace was not an easy man to like and was subverted by Maybourne, he was not the fool that this man appears to be." "Well, maybe it's just introduction nerves." The Colonel replied, also looking after the disturbing individual. " I don't know the guy. He may make really bad first impressions. Anyway, we probably won't see much of him except in briefings. So what's going on with you guys this morning?" The subject changed to other things and 'Bad Bob' was relegated to the group's collective unconscious.
Bowers headed for his newly assigned office. So that was the infamous SG1. He'd been expecting a lot more. The Colonel himself was not impressive; going gray, skinnier than he'd expected. Now, the big black guy looked like he could hold his own. Must be a foreigner though with that fancy tattoo. The blond gal was a looker all right and rumor had it she had it bad for the old man. Must be a power thing, not satisfied to stay home and have kids for a real man. Now that boy, he was a purty as the gal, what the hell was he doing here much less on the Numero Uno squad. Must be the Colonel's fancy boy. Yea, it'd be easy to make points around here, just like ole Uncle Bob had told him. Take advantage of their weaknesses and turn it to your advantage. Several days of paperwork, and office duties had pushed BBB almost completely out of O'Neill's mind. Then a busy schedule that included a SGC team chief meeting brought him right back into focus. Jack had stopped before the meeting to check his distribution box and refresh his cup of coffee. He nodded at Eileen, Hammond's plump civilian secretary, and was skimming through some memos that he hadn't seen before. Suddenly the door to the inner briefing room slammed open, bouncing off the genuine imitation maple paneling in the office. O'Neill pulled the middle-aged woman out of harm's way as two uniformed men rushed out, shouting at the top of their lungs about personnel, procedures, hostiles and confrontations. Major General George Hammond entered from the exterior office door, threw his hat in the corner and continued forward with all due speed. "WHAT THA SAM HILL'S GOING ON IN HERE! BREAK IT UP! AND I MEAN NOW, GODDAMNIT!" The two 'junior' officers, a Major in the Air Force and a Marine Lieutenant Colonel jumped back in a sad attempt at attention. O'Neill had to admire his boss' style, while George wasn't the biggest man in the room he was undisputedly the pit bull on top. He didn't start fights, but he definitely stopped them. He looked at the two men in question: Lt Col 'Bad Bob' Bowers, SG3 and Major Louis Ferretti, SG2. O'Neill watched the face of Ferretti with interest. The Major had been on of the original team to go through The Stargate, first in '94 when Daniel had opened it then again in '95 when they had reopened the gate and brought the Archeologist home with them. The Major met his eyes for a moment then went stone-faced when the General continued. General Hammond was talking again. "Just what in hell's name is going on here? Major Ferretti?" He demanded looking at the Air Force Officer. Ferretti looked up at the far ceiling. "Sir. Nothing is going on, Sir." Hammond stepped up into the smaller officer's face. "I come into my office, hear two of my officers engaged in a verbal disturbance and you tell me it's nothing?" "Yes, Sir." Ferretti repeated. "It was nothing." General Hammond turned to Lieutenant Colonel Bowers. "Do you also state that this is 'nothing' Colonel?" Bowers was looking at another corner of the ceiling. "Sir, Yes Sir. It was nothing, Sir. Just a discussion." "Well, in my office and during my meetings, discussions are carried out at a decent volume and with respect to the other officers. Not at the top of your voices or at the cost of military office furniture, is that understood?" The two men nodded. "Very well, everyone take your seats so we can get down to business." Chastened, the two men and the rest of the team leaders filed back into the briefing room. Hammond glanced at O'Neill when the room had cleared. "Jack, do you know what started this?" He nodded to Eileen and she smiled gratefully at him and returned to her desk. O'Neill, still holding his cup of coffee, shook his head. "No Sir. I'd just gotten here and was checking my inbox. I haven't a clue." The General nodded. "Well, let's get started then." And led the way into the briefing room.
After the meeting adjourned, the team leaders left the area rather hurriedly. No one stayed and talked over coffee as usual as if the earlier scene had discomfited them all. Hammond looked over at his second. "Jack, I would really like to know what precipitated that kind of outburst from the Major." He watched O'Neill as he got to his feet. "I would too." O'Neill nodded as he gathered up his notes. "Louis Ferretti is a reserved man, not at all prone to scenes like that. Bad Bob must have really pissed him off." "Bad Bob?" Hammond questioned, looking at him in confusion. "Did you say 'Bad Bob'?" "That's how he introduced himself down in the commissary a few days ago." Jack explained. "I was waiting on my team when he waltzes over and introduces himself as Bad Bob. At first I thought it was a put on, but now I'm not so sure." O'Neill shook his head thinking back to the interplay that had occurred at the time. "What did the rest of SG1 think of him?" General Hammond asked. "Carter couldn't believe him, Daniel thinks he's a jerk and Teal'c just plain doesn't like him." Jack paused. "And I don't trust him as far as I can throw him." Hammond frowned at his primary team's assessment. "Well, if he is unreliable, we need to know sooner than later." Hammond headed towards his private entrance back to his office. "We don't need any internal problems here; we have a full enough plate as it is." He gave O'Neill a searching look. "Why don't you check him out and give me your...opinion." "Yes, Sir."
Later that day Jack O'Neill stuck his head in Jackson's office doorway. He'd been in the immediate vicinity of Daniel's office and he had wanted to get a clearer picture of Danny's take on Bowers. "Yo. Anybody home?" Jackson was no where to be seen. The Colonel let himself in the rest of the way. "Daniel?" No answer. Jack wandered over to Daniel's desk and looked at several folders that were lying out. He walked over and helped himself to a cup of coffee. He looked around the room again and finally left, pulling the door softly shut behind himself.
Ten minutes later, Dr. Daniel Jackson stepped through the doorway, turned, shut the door and locked it. He went over to the coffeepot and poured the last cup of coffee for himself and sat down at his desk. The young archeologist was holding the cup in both hands and it was still shaking. He took a sip of the lukewarm liquid and finally had to set the cup down as it was threatening to slosh over the cup's rim and on to some documents. He took a deep, shaky breath and blew the air out of his mouth, trying to regain his composure. Daniel propped his elbow up on the cluttered desk then leaned his forehead against the heel of his hand. He then rubbed it back and forth, up and down trying to quiet his emotions. Finally he lay his palms down on the desktop and pressed his head against them, closing his eyes tightly. He had never been so angry or so frightened at anytime in the Cheyenne Mountain Complex. Well, not true. He had, but there had been good reasons before: aliens, black holes, Machello's inventions. Now, he couldn't blame it on any of these. Now, it was just another human being. He had thought briefly about going to Jack with this, but he had decided to try to handle it himself. He had handled these 'situations' before, with varying degrees of success. In one of his foster homes, in college, and once in the field on a dig, and he had never been sure what had precipitated them. Well, in some cultures at least, this was an accepted occurrence, a release of sorts, for a strict sexual and moral code where women were kept away from unattached males. But here in the stratified atmosphere of a military base... Well, maybe it was more common than he had realized. His only real contact with military personnel had been with Jack O'Neill, a real man's man and Samantha Carter, his adopted 'sister'. He had heard of the 'don't ask, don't tell' ruling when it had first come out in the 90s but he had assumed that it had included 'don't make advances and don't harass'. Homosexuals and bisexuals were not relegated to any race, creed or color so of course they would exist in the military ranks. He just really hadn't expected to be waylaid in the men's room and not by this particular individual. And when he had tried to say no, politely, the physical 'contact' that had resulted had bordered on an assault. This was a clear case of harassment. Well, he'd leave it be for now. If he did tell Jack, he was sure that his friend would overreact. He didn't want to start any problem.
Bad Bob Bowers looked at himself in the mirror. Not too bad for a man his age. Course he wasn't a pretty boy like that damn Air Farce Bird Colonel. That McNeill had probably spent his early years as an aide-de-camp slash dog-robber to some old General. He didn't see any South East Asia ribbons on McNeill's set of colors. Just a few Desert Stormers but that hadn't been a real man's war. Hell, even that little blond chick Major had some of them. And that civilian...who was he kidding? That boy probably didn't know how to hold a real gun. If fact, rumor had it McNeill wouldn't even let him carry a long gun. Made him tote a little 9-MM pop gun. Oh yea, he was probably ole Jack's favorite. Now that big, black guy. Yea, now he looked tough, at least. He'd have to watch him. Maybe he was worth a bullet. Bowers smiled at that particular fantasy.
But he just hated officers like that Bird. They kept real men like him from making rank. Just like his Uncle had always told him. There's them that makes the rules and them that breaks the rules and you got to break them to make them. He'd worked long and hard to get to a cushy assignment like this one. But he wanted the top spot. No sir, ole Bob wouldn't take second seat to no pretty boy Air Farce Officer. He'd take it as Big Dog on the heap, and he knew just how to pull the Colonel's strings. He Hit him in his 'team', his 'kids', his 'sweet pieces'. He smiled at himself in the mirror. "Yea, he knew just how to do that all right. He'd all ready stirred the pot and made the moves, now to see if that s.o.b. had the balls to stand up to him--mano y mano.
Several hours later, Jack had just sat down at his desk and picked up a report from SG 11, the Science Team, when a hard fast knocking on his door brought him up straight in his chair. Before he could get up, Sam Carter came in. Well, stomped in was more like it. He looked up at her red face. "What's wrong, Carter?" He was worried now. His second-in-command was not one for emotional outbursts. "Sir. I want to report Sexual Harassment." The Major sounded furious. He stood up. "On who and by whom?" Obviously something had happened and he didn't like the sound of it at all. "On me and by your friend Bad Bowers!" She replied angrily. "Whoa, Major. Calm down." He'd been right, he didn't like it. "First of all, he's NOT my friend. Second of all, when and where? Thirdly, is he still alive?" She definitely had Jack's attention now. "Well," She started, sounding a little calmer. "First of all, Good. Second, in the elevator a few minutes ago and third, yes, unfortunately. I decided that my killing a Lieutenant Colonel could have repercussions on my career." "Sit down." He took a deep breath to calm himself and motioned her to the chair in the corner of his office. He turned to face her. "Not if you have proof." He started slowly. "Did anyone witness this?" "No Sir." She replied, also more calmly. "It would be my word against his." She sat down and leaned forward, elbows on her knees. "That's why I came to you right away." He nodded at her. "You know your word is all I need, but to press charges it would be nice to have a little more." "I know, but he's smarter than he looks." She grimaced, shifting back in her chair. "He'd have to be." O'Neill commented dryly. "So, tell me what happened." He got up and went to the table against the wall that held his coffee maker, poured her a cup of coffee from his Mr. Coffee, and then he warmed up his own. He handed the new cup to her, then pulled his chair out from behind his desk and sat in front of her. She took a drink of the coffee, then began. "Well, I got in the elevator a little bit ago. He followed right behind me. Then he started talking about, you know, just stuff. His new team, their training, whatever. I was only sort of listening. Then he put his hand on my shoulder and asked me how it felt to be the only 'girl on an all-male team'." She shook her head as if she still couldn't believe it had happened. "I said something about us all being professional military and he...laughed. Said working with 'a pro' was always a pleasure." She grimaced at his terminology, then continued. "I stepped away and he slid his hand down and grabbed my arm. He said that you had all the 'sweet pieces' on your team and he envied you." She looked at O'Neill. "That doesn't sound like much now, does it? But in the elevator..." Jack took a sip of coffee and watched her expression change from anger to one of frustration. He spoke to her in a calming tone. "Carter, a lot of things...words, can be said and when it's out of context it can sound totally different than when it was actually said. His tone of voice, the expression on his face, all comes into play. You read him correctly I think. But to look at the words as just words, well...it's not a lot and it is just your word against his." He stopped and thought a minute. "Here's what I want you to do. Write a statement. Say exactly what you just said to me. Sign and date it, then I'll sign and date it. I'll keep it on file and if anything happens again then we'll go to Hammond." He saw her start to protest and raised his hand. "I know. It sucks, but let's do this by the book and if anything else happens then we have documentation. If any other woman says anything to you, that if he tried it with anyone else, bring her to me and we'll build a case against him." Carter looked at him with frustration in her eyes and started to protest. "But...he laid hands on me!" "Look, Carter." Jack ran his hand through his unruly hair. "The next time he touches you...he's yours, go for it. I'll back you to the limit. Hell, I'll take him down myself. But what he did today...well, I've touched you more than that." He reminded her gently. "So has Daniel and Teal'c and you didn't object to us doing it." She made sighed and shook her head at him. "But you guys are different! You're my team. We've seen each other sick as dogs, naked, and bleeding." Sam stopped and took a breath. "You're my family. Nobody else can get away with it but you." "I know." He replied softly with understanding. "I know. But he doesn't know." O'Neill reached over and took her hand. "I want to get the bastard that messed with you, but we've got to get our ducks in line. Okay, trust me on this." "Yea, I do." She squeezed his hand back. "Maybe I am overreacting." "And maybe you're not. Write me that statement. We'll do this right so Hammond has something to stand on when he needs to. Okay?" "Okay. I'll go write it now and have it for you by this afternoon." She stood up to go. "Good. We'll get this straightened out. I'll go talk to Hammond and give him a heads up." He watched her go to the door. "Don't worry Carter, we'll take care of it." "Thank you, Sir." She smiled a small smile at him and walked out the door.
Late that evening, Bob Bowers sat in his pickup truck and watched O'Neill and Carter walk to their respective vehicles. They stopped and talked for a moment at the woman's small grey foreign car. Then the long-tall-drink-of-water Colonel walked over to his big Ford pickup and got in. They drove off at the same time. 'Not very smart, McNeill. Any hound dog can figure out that you're going to the same place'. Bowers continued to sit in his Chevy truck for another half an hour as if waiting for someone, then he drove off down the mountain
The next day, Jack was in his office just finishing up a report he'd been working on since he'd gotten in early that morning when someone knocked on his office door. He called for them to enter, and Louis Ferretti slid inside. As the Major came over to O'Neill's desk, the Colonel stood up and came around the desk to meet his old friend. "Louis, what can I do for you?" "Sir, we need to talk." Ferretti seemed tense and upset, his face set in unfamiliar lines of distress. Concerned, O'Neill pointed him to the same chair that Carter had occupied earlier. "So sit, talk. Want some coffee?" The younger man settled into the chair looking nervously around Jack's office. "No, thanks, Colonel. I'll pass for now." Jack poured himself another cup, pulled his chair out from behind the desk again and sat down across from his old team member, his interest piqued. "What can I do for you?" Ferretti went right to the point. "Colonel, have you seen Daniel this morning?" "No, I've been busy with paperwork since I got here. I went by his office yesterday afternoon, but he wasn't there." O'Neill looked curiously at Ferretti. "Why?" The Major looked a little embarrassed. "Look, maybe this is none of my business, but I would have thought that Daniel would have come to you already." "About what?" Louis definitely had his interest now. Jack set his coffee cup down on the edge of his desk and leaned forward. "Come on Ferretti, give. What's going on?" Louis took a deep breath and leaned forward in the chair. "Yesterday afternoon I was in the men's room, in a stall. I saw Daniel come in and go over to the urinal." "So?" Jack asked, "If you were in the stall, how did you know it was Daniel?" "He was wearing those ugly Chukka boots of his." Ferretti shook his head disparagingly. "The ones he says are so comfortable. I saw the boots when he walked by." Jack smiled in agreement. Those brown, suede, crepe soled chukkas were some ugly boots. But Jackson loved wearing them on the hard concrete floors of the SGC complex. "Okay, then what?" "Then someone else came in." The Major's expression changed to one of disgust. "It was that damned Bowers character. He went over to Daniel and said something to him. Well, Daniel finishes and heads over to the sinks and was washing his hands. Tthe bastard followed him over." O'Neill nodded, following it in his mind's eye. "Well, he--Bowers said something about, I dunno, the old man, size mattering and being on the bottom. Daniel politely says "No, sorry". and turns to leave. Then I hear him being slammed up against the wall. Well, I get finished as quick as I can and come out of the stall. That son-of-a-bitch has Daniel up against the wall with his hands all over him, leaning on him. Anyway, when I come out, Bowers turns him loose and Daniel's got that deer-in-the-headlights look on his face. I ask him if he's okay. He looks over at me, nods his head and books out the door." "What did Bowers say?" O'Neill was getting madder the more he heard. This assault on his second team-member was getting a little too personal. "He just looks at me and makes some sarcastic comment about civilians and their 'usefulness in the field'." Ferretti said, shaking his head. "Colonel, I swear I wanted to punch him out right there, but after yesterday morning... Well, I know what that would have looked like, so I head out the door to look for Daniel to see if he's all right. But I can't find him. He didn't sign out, so he's still here in the mountain somewhere, but his office is locked." He shrugged. "I figure if anyone can find him and get him to talk you can. Colonel, he looked really shook up." "Yea, I can imagine." O'Neill was definitely mad now, but he couldn't run off half cocked any more than Ferretti could. He thought a minute. "Look, Ferretti. Thanks for coming to me with this. I'll go find Daniel for lunch and we'll get this squared away." Then he looked searchingly at his old friend. "What was that about in the General's office the other morning, anyway?" "Colonel, that rat-bastard put his moves on Lieutenant Sheila Martin last week." He replied, referring to the newly assigned female member of SG2. "I told her I'd take care of it and talk to him. I tried Monday morning before the briefing began, but he denied everything. Then he had the nerve to call her a GI slut in the briefing room, to my face no less." Ferretti shook his head. "I reacted bad, and it got heated real quick." He looked up at his old commander. "She's a good kid Colonel, right out of college, and she's going to make a fine officer. I'll be damned if I let some stupid jarhead ruin her attitude about the military. We need people like her, like Jackson. You know what I mean?" O'Neill nodded. The Lieutenant was cut from the same material as Carter and Daniel, way smarter then their old warhorse team chiefs. Quality people, good people, too good to be screwed with. "I know Lou. Look do me a favor." At Ferretti's nod, Jack continued. "Have Martin write a statement on this incident." The other man looked at him curiously. "I have my reasons." O'Neill assured his friend. "Then you sign and date it too." He thought a moment. "And will you write one up on the latrine incident." "Can do easy, Colonel. You'll have it by the end of the day." Ferretti nodded as he got up to leave. "You gonna go find Daniel?" O'Neill had gotten up too. "You bet, Ferretti. Oh, and thanks a lot. It'll get it taken care of, trust me." Ferretti nodded. "With my life, Colonel, and with my team." Jack smiled at him and nodded, all ready deep in thought.
O'Neill knew that the SGC--well in theory the military--worked as a well-oiled machine. It was at it's best when all members trusted and respected each other. With this trust, each member could perform their duties to their fullest ability because they knew their teammates would support and assist them. When you threw in prejudice, envy, hate or fear of each other the individuals would be unable to perform up to their potential. In a Command like the SGC, when any mistakes could be life threatening, it was doubly important. That was why SG1 was a success. Each of them knew that their teammates would go to the limit for them. There was no holding back because of their differences, weaknesses or strengths. They all knew that in a pinch, the others would come to their assistance. To throw Sexual Harassment into the mix at the SGC would be fatal. If the man was stupid enough to approach Carter or Daniel for god's sake, then no one was safe. The 'Sweet Pieces' comment was both revealing about Bowers and meant as a challenge directed at him, the leader of that team. It showed the way the man thought and it also telegraphed his distain for them. Jack knew he had to act and act swiftly before someone got hurt. But he needed the documentation to successfully push for the man's dismissal. Jack knew that he had to have solid proof to get rid of a decorated Marine officer and it had to be more than one scared Lieutenant or one angry Major. And it was up to him to get that proof. He got up and headed out his door. If anyone could find Daniel Jackson, it was him.
Two hours later, Colonel O'Neill was still looking for the evasive Archeologist. Ferretti had said that Daniel hadn't been in his office yesterday afternoon when he went to look in on him. A call to the front desk revealed that Jackson had never signed out last night so he must have spent the night in his office on the couch or maybe even worked straight through on some project. But a brief check had showed that Daniel's door was locked. Jack checked the dining hall, Carter's lab and office, Janet's office, Teal'cs room and was now headed back to Jackson's office. If Daniel wasn't there by now, he'd have to head down to the basement. But when he reached the office door he could see the light was now on under the door. He knocked, then tried the doorknob. It was locked. He knocked again. "Daniel, open the door. It's Jack, I know you're in there." After a few minutes, he heard the door latch being unlocked and the door opened up in front of him. O'Neill pushed it open, entered and closed it, locking the door behind him. He then followed Daniel into the office and over to the couch where the younger man had retreated. The younger man sat on one end of the couch while Jack, reading his friend's 'don't touch me' self-hugging body language took the other end. He sat back and watched Daniel silently for a long while looking closely at his friend. "Uh, Jack, don't take this wrong, but why are you here?" Daniel finally asked his friend after a couple of minutes had passed. He watched O'Neill suspiciously as the older man had casually sat down on his end of the couch and began to inspect him for cracks, warts and bumps. O'Neill noticed his friend looked tired as if he hadn't slept much if at all. Daniel's hair was uncombed, he had dark circles under his reddened eyes and there may have been a bruise on the pale face. "Did you stay here all night?" Jack asked. When the younger man nodded his answer to Jack's question, O'Neill decided to cut to the chase. "Ferretti came to my office a little while ago and told me I needed to talk to you." He watched Daniel's face as the different emotions ran across it. 'Oh, no Danny. No secrets today.' He thought. "Oh, he did, did he?" Daniel sounded...different, subdued. "Well, I guess he thought he was helping." "Sounded like he did help yesterday afternoon from the way he told it." Jack pushed his friend a little. "What do you say?" "Well, he did break up a situation." Jackson flushed red and nodded, uncomfortable with the subject. "I don't think I was in any real danger, but..." He let the sentence die. "You can never tell, Danny. Guys like that are hard to predict." Jack shook his head. "What exactly happened in there?" He held the younger man's eyes with his gaze, willing his friend to tell him. "Come on, the truth." Daniel looked at him with tired eyes. "Nothing that hasn't happened before, Jack." He sighed. "I've handled it before; I can do it again." He squeezed himself farther back into the couch cushions. "Yea, if you call hiding in your office and hoping it'll go away handling it" Jack spoke evenly. "But you shouldn't have to handle it. That's my job, to be sure that you or Carter or anyone else won't have to 'handle' it." O'Neill extended his hand to Daniel. When there was no response, he laid it casually on the top of the cushions. But he had gotten Daniel's attention. "Sam?" Jackson looked suspiciously at O'Neill. "What does Sam have to do with it?" He demanded. "Well" Jack stretched, popped his neck and leaned back on the couch. "This is confidential, but last evening she came to my office and made a statement against Lieutenant Colonel Bowers. She's alleging that he sexually harassed her in the elevator. He made some inappropriate comments to her then laid hands on her." He looked at Daniel, gauging his reaction, waiting. Daniel sat up a little straighter and made a face like he'd just swallowed something bitter. "What are you going to do about it?" He demanded, starting to look a little mad. Jack leaned forward and clasped his hands between his knees. "Well, my first reaction was to check out Teal'c's staff weapon and use him for a little target practice. Then I thought it would be more entertaining to try him hand to hand." He paused for effect, watching Daniel. "But in the long run, Carter and I agreed that she should write a statement and I'd start a file." His reaction was expected but startling in its vehemence. "A statement! A file? Start a fucking file? Jack, what the hell's wrong with you?" Daniel stood up angrily and walked across the room, running a hand through his short brown hair. "A file!" He said the word like an epithet. "Daniel, calm down." Jack kept his voice placid. He'd hit a nerve all right. "He didn't hurt her, he didn't grope her. He just said some inappropriate things to her." Jack watched the young man pace back and forth in the small space between his desk and his workbench. "We still have the option to rip his heart out if he ever touches her again or...anyone else for that matter." "You said he laid hands on her." Daniel returned savagely. "He put his hand on her shoulder, and then he grabbed her arm." O'Neill said quietly. "One incident that amounts to her word against his. Why? What aren't you telling me?" He pressed, just as calmly. " What did he say to you? What happened yesterday afternoon?" Jack waited, willing his friend. 'This is it, tell me Danny, please.' Daniel looked at him sharply. "Me?" "Yea, Ferretti said that he had a 'encounter' with you too." He tilted his head slightly. "That something happened in the latrine." Jack reminded him gently. Daniel stood against the far wall, his head down and arms wrapped around his chest in his classic 'don't touch me' stance for several minutes. He finally looked over at Jack, chewing on his lower lip, still thinking. "I guess you'd want me to write a statement too?" Daniel's voice sounded hollow. O'Neill pursed his lips and nodded. "Yea, I'm thinking that would be best." He tried to sound non-judgmental. "Would I have to testify against him?" The question came out too quickly and answered Jack's unasked question. "If it went to Court-Martial, you might." O'Neill answered honestly. "I really don't want to do that." Daniel looked down at the floor again. Jack sighed and looked over at his friend. "I understand that, but if he got an Article 15 punishment only your statement would be used." Then he shook his head, "but I can't guarantee that to you." "Who'd see it then?" Daniel was still studying the gray tiled floor. "I'd take it to Hammond, with Carter's." He offered. "And anyone else's who wrote one. And then they, the statments would go to the legal office for punitive action." Daniel's looked up, expression changing like he couldn't believe it. "There's more than just Sam and me?" Jack nodded. "At least one more." He replied evenly. "Another woman though, right?" Daniel's self-contempt was screaming at O'Neill. Again Jack nodded, wanting to remain calm and supportive, trying to figure out this last reaction. Jackson sighed and leaned back on the bookshelves lining the wall. "I'm the only guy, right?" He shook his head in despair. "What is it, Jack? Why me? Do I put out the wrong signals or what? What's wrong with me?" Pleading for comprehension. Jack smiled at him and snorted. "Daniel, do you even own a mirror?" He looked searchingly at his friend. "So you're telling me I 'look' gay? What the hell does that mean anyway?" Jackson demanded angrily. "No Daniel," O'Neill replied calmly. "I did not say that." Though he wanted to go over to his friend, he decided that the young man needed his space at this moment and forced himself to stay on the couch. He tried to keep his voice calm as he spoke. "Face it. You're a good-looking guy. You're always going to attract attention. Add to it that you're smart, funny, nice...and on SG1. You're an attractive package all around." Jack raised his index finger for emphasis. "Now, remember. Sex to some people is not about love; sometimes it's about lust and sometimes it's about control. This is the guy who was talking about marking his territory the first time we met him." Jackson nodded, recalling the conversation in the dining hall. Jack continued. "He came looking for me because I'm and I quote 'the bull of the woods and Hammond's big stick'." "So, you think that this is about, what...threatening your position?" Daniel watched O'Neill curiously. "No, not my 'position'. He's threatening people that I care about. He's wanting to 'mark the territory'." Jack decided to speak plainly to his friend. "I think this guy is just sick enough to want to play Alpha Male games to prove that he's better than everyone else... at least to anyone else that he thinks he needs to prove himself too, like his own team...to me...to Hammond." He motioned Daniel back to the couch. "Don't take this lightly, Danny." Jack said warningly. "This guy is perfectly capable of hurting someone. It's my job to protect not only my team, but also everyone in the SGC. You and Carter may be capable of dealing with it, but a young second lieutenant isn't. Daniel came over and sat down, closer to O'Neill this time, as if he needed Jack's presence. "The other person is Ferretti's new team member, isn't she?" Jack nodded. "She's a sweet kid, right out of college. She doesn't need his crap." Daniel looked away from Jack, concentrating on a framed poster of the Sphinx hanging on the far wall of his office. It had been a birthday present from Sam last year. The red print underneath asked, "Do you know the answer to my riddle?". They had both laughed and assured the Sphinx that they did. "What do you want me to do?" He asked in a quiet voice. Jack watched him watch the picture. "Tell me what happened. Then we'll decide if that statement is needed." Daniel and the Sphinx both took a deep breath. "I went into the men's room and used the urinal. As I was finishing, Bowers came in and over to where I was. He made some stupid comment that I ignored and I went to wash my hands." Jack stopped him. "What did he say to you?" He needed to hear the details. "I don't know exactly." Daniel shook his head and looked down at his clasped hands. "Something like... Something about you... well, McNeill...and size counting...It was so stupid I really didn't listen, I was trying to get out of there... away from him. Then he followed me over to the sink and kept talking...about the Marines teaching him not to pee on his hands and the Air Force having to wash their hands cause they don't. It was so wierd." He looked at Jack and shook his head. "Anyway, I start to leave and he suddenly grabbed my arm and said, "McNeill isn't so young anymore. Why are you putting up with an old man?" I tried to jerk away from him but he spun me around and pushed me up against the wall. I told him to let go. He said "You ought to try a younger guy, sweetheart. You might like the bottom better." Then he started mauling me. I was trying to get away then I heard the stall door slam open and Ferretti comes out. Bowers let go of me and I broke free." Daniel looked over at O'Neill, embarrassed. "I ran...I ran and left Lou to clean up my mess." O'Neill shook his head, looking closely at his friend. Daniel's face was flushed red. "It wasn't your fault and it wasn't your mess. That's what I've been trying to tell you. You did nothing wrong. He did. Ferretti just happened to be in the right place at the right time." He reached over and put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "He's worried about you, and he's worried about Lieutenant Martin. She didn't do anything wrong either, and neither did Carter. It's him, Danny. It's Bowers' fault. And he needs to be stopped before he hurts someone." Daniel turned and looked back at him. Jack tightened his hand on the younger man's shoulder. "I'd like you to write that statement. Then we can go to Hammond." The younger man nodded then dropped his eyes. "I know what you're thinking, Danny. It won't look that way. Hammond's not stupid. He knows you." The blue eyes met brown ones. "I hope not. I never...I'm not..." "I know that, Daniel and so does George. Trust me on this." Daniel responded quietly. "I do, Jack. I do"
Early the following morning, Colonel O'Neill presented himself at Major General Hammond's office. Eileen, the secretary, looked up at him in surprise. "Hello, Colonel. How can I help you this morning?" She noticed the folders in his hand. "Is the General in?" He replied. "I have to speak to him on a matter of some urgency." This was the most formal she had ever recalled seeing the normally brash officer. He was wearing a freshly laundered uniform and his demeanor was as stiff as his starched BDUs. "Yes, Colonel. He is. I'll tell him you're here." The middle-aged woman picked up the phone and dialed the intercom. "Sir, Colonel O'Neill is here and he says it's important." She paused for a moment. "Yes, sir." She hung up the phone and motioned for him to go. "He says for you to come right in Colonel." He nodded his thanks and bestowed a small smile on her as he pushed the door open. Hammond was sitting behind the desk, reviewing some reports and finishing his first cup of coffee. "Morning, Jack. What can I do for you?" He sensed a formality in his senior officer that was unusual for O'Neill. The General got up and refilled his coffee cup. "Want one?" "Maybe later, sir." The Colonel stayed at attention. Hammond looked at his friend and subordinate. He went back to his desk, took his seat and gave O'Neill his undivided attention. "Very well, Colonel. At ease. What's on your mind and please sit down." O'Neill acquiesced and sat in the leather-covered chair across from Hammond's desk. Then he spoke. "Sir, Monday morning we witnessed a display of temper amongst your officers in the briefing room. You asked me to find out what the problem was. I did so, and I am disturbed by my findings concerning an officer assigned here at SGC." He leaned forward and lay the folders down on the large desk in front of Hammond. "It appears that one of our team leaders has been sexually harassing and, in one case, assaulting at least two junior officers and a civilian that is assigned here. No one has been injured yet, but if these actions continue there will be unfortunate results." "Those are pretty strong accusations, Colonel." Hammond looked both shocked and angry at his words. He indicated the folders. "What's in here?" "Three statements from the victims, one statement from a witness and my own statement regarding these occurrences." O'Neill looked at his commander. "Two of the victims are on my team sir; the other is on SG2. That was what precipitated the disturbance. Major Ferretti was...upset, as am I." Hammond looked at the folders with distaste. "You're telling me that Lt Col Bowers; a Marine officer is the accused?" "Yes, Sir. I am." O'Neill continued. "Sir, I brought this to you because I am unable to be impartial in this matter, as two of the victims are my close associates and friends. I do not doubt their veracity in this matter." Hammond looked sharply at Jack at his statement. "Did you say two members of your team?" "Yes, sir. Major Carter and Doctor Jackson. Second Lieutenant Martin of SG2 was the third victim." The General didn't miss the altered inflection in Jack's voice, nor the Colonel's hands clenching into fists on the chair's arms. Obviously, Lt Col Bowers was not aware of where he was treading. Hammond knew O'Neill took Bowers threats and actions seriously and personally. He also knew that his Second in Command would have liked to have taken care of this matter himself, but Jack O'Neill knew his own temper. The Colonel knew that his actions would have reflected badly on the SGC. Hammond appreciated the trust that O'Neill was showing him by turning this over to him. "Colonel, I assure you that this matter will be taken care of promptly. Please have these people available to me for the rest of the day, and of course yourself also. You are dismissed." "Yes sir, thank you." The Colonel stood up, came to attention, saluted, made an about face and left the room, closing the door behind himself. Hammond dialed the intercom to his secretary's desk. "Eileen, hold all my calls." He said and hung up the phone. He then opened the folder and started reading the signed and dated statements of his people.
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