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�I�m just remaining realistic about the whole thing. I don�t want to leave Atlantis, but I realize that it is beyond my control.� John shrugged. �I don�t know for sure, but I do know that I only got to go in the first place because Elizabeth played General O�Neill,� he said.
Sam shook her head, chuckling. �If General O�Neill didn�t want you to go you would not have stepped through the �Gate,� she said. �Whatever protests he may have put up were token at best.�
�What do you mean? He had to have had problems with my file,� John said.
�I�m sure he did,� Sam said. �I read your file last night,� she added with a disapproving frown. �What were you thinking in Afghanistan?�
Exhaling sharply, John rolled his eyes. �My guys were in trouble. I did what I had to do to get them home safely. The Brass had some trouble with my actions, but other than putting that damn black mark on my file, they couldn�t do anything. Even when I was doing it I walked the line enough that they couldn�t Court Marshall me. It wasn�t exactly my intention at the time, and I would have gone as far as I had to if it meant getting my people back, but I got lucky and I didn�t have to actually break any of the rules or laws, just bend them a little.� He looked at Sam, his hazel eyes piercing hers. �Don�t even pretend that you wouldn�t have done exactly the same thing if you were in my position.�
�Probably not exactly the same thing, but, yeah, sure, I would do anything to get my people home,� Sam admitted.
�Thank you!� John said, relieved. �Why does no one want to admit that they would do the same thing when any leader worth anything would do what it takes to make sure that no one gets left behind.�
Sam nodded. �And that attitude, right there, is why General O�Neill signed off on you going to Atlantis,� she said. �He lives by a code, and the number one rule is simple. No one gets left behind.� Sam smiled softly at John. �If SG-1 wasn�t about to scatter to several points in the universe I�d say, if you are pulled, you�re welcome here� but this is one of our last missions before we split up.�
�You�re� scattering?� John asked. From all he�d heard SG-1 was the team that stayed together no matter what.
�Yeah,� Sam nodded. �Teal is going to work on creating a unified Jaffa government for the freed Jaffa. Daniel finally convinced enough people that he�s needed in Atlantis, so he�s going to join you on the Daedalus when you guys head back to Pegasus�apparently your head of archaeology is woefully out of his depth when it comes to Ancient artefacts and Doctor Weir hopes that Daniel will be able to at least help figure out some of the things that have big question marks hanging over them. And I am about to leave for Area 51. I�ll be heading up R-and-D. I don�t know what General Landry is going to do about the team�I don�t think he even knows at the moment. After this mission we�re just going to go to a few planets where we have close relationships with the people or beings, then SG-1 as we know it is no more.�
John stopped walking. �You�re giving up field work?�
�Not all field work, just� just daily �Gate travel,� Sam said. She frowned. �Why does it seem like that bothers you?�
�You mean besides the fact that we are in serious need of capable warriors who can understand what McKay and his minions say?� John asked. �I�ve come to agree with General O�Neill on the subject.�
Sam frowned. �What subject?�
Starting their slow patrol of the ruins again, John said, �After Elizabeth asked me to go with them, the General tried to talk me into it. I was� well, reluctant.�
�Understandably so,� Sam nodded.
�I thought so,� John agreed. �He asked me why I became a pilot. I told him�because I think that people who don�t want to fly are crazy. He smiled and told me that he thought that people who didn�t want to go through the �Gate were�and this is a direct quote�equally as whacked.�
Sam smiled. �That sounds about right.�