My Name is George Hammond

Epistis
ROLL - Gate Conditions: 53 (nobody spotted yet)
ROLL - Stealth - Disadvantaged: 30 (you get noticed)
ROLL - Recon - Advantaged: 92 (Discovered a lot of world information, discovered Goa'uld overlord, discovered simple on-world refinery)
ROLL - Not attracting Jaffa - Strongly Disadvantaged: 15 (snitches do not get stitches 'round here)
ROLL - Opportunistic Exit: 92 (Made off with a variety of naquadah samples)
ROLL - Getting out clean: 76 (you cheeky fuckers)

The NR8-D6O mission may very well be the most important mission at the SGC to date. My people have found yet another enemy Goa'uld, this time a snake named Eris, after the Greek Goddess of Chaos, Discord, and Strife. Daniel has already supposed that she's probably a close ally of Anubis, since they have similar 'conceptual dominions'. This marks the fourth Goa'uld system lord we've visited the world of directly, and the third we've encountered personally, since Zeus is likely long dead. In particular, President Truman is worried that we haven't yet found any good allies in the galaxy, and shared with me his private concern that our world is a lone bastion of freedom in a sea of tyranny. He's informed me that he plans to begin research into space-capable rockets in the event of an attack, and is agonizing over the decision to include other countries in the effort.

At the same time, the NR8 mission is a milestone because it brings with it a critical element in the solution to our problems with understanding Naquadah. Samples, dozens of them, ranging from raw ore to staff-refined energy cells, were recovered despite the dangerous conditions, and select members of the Sunchasers and SG-4 are already being considered for the Medal of Honor for their part in retrieving what may well turn the tide of this little conflict in our favor.

I have quite a lot riding on my shoulders, it seems it's up to me to keep the Goa'uld off our backs. It might be time to consider some serious offenses against the Goa'uld we know, just to keep their attention at home, and away from our world, but we have no idea of their industrial capacity...

------

Retirement Fund
ROLL - Planetary Conditions - Advantaged: 53 (Clear skies... for now)
ROLL - Digging in - Strongly Advantaged: 44 (Dual site established: Generates -Pressure as long as it remains)
ROLL - Deep Recon: 80 (Site enhanced: primitive schizo tech site->primitive civilization ruins built over top of hyper-advanced civilization ruins)
--Zig Zag
ROLL - Studying the Past - Disadvantaged: 99 (Discovered a hyper-advanced artifact of days gone by, research site exhausted)

As Second company and Zig Zag make their first weekly callback, complete with their first shipment of excavated resources, one of the President's cabinet members nearly collapses from the sight. Two hundred pounds of pure precious metals, maybe a bit more, has the treasury secretary nearly in hysterics as he uses my phone to tell the president just how much the 'endless mine' in Cheyenne will have to justify appearing each week. It seems that even more might have to be done to hide the extend of the program, since the Retirement Fund operation alone with put out nearly a percent of the world's current production of multiple precious metals that don't naturally occur in the same place.

Regardless, oaths and favors aplenty have been granted to me so long as I keep the goods flowing. It's almost ironic how the artifact that had doctor Zeigler nearly shaking is practically a footnote to the Washington types. I do eventually receive a letter from Truman, about a week later when he deigns to read the report about the find, which expresses just how eager he is to see the results of the study.

------

Andana
ROLL - Settling Diplomatic Friction: 52 (normal amount of international bluster and dick waving)
ROLL - Deep Recon: 23 (Nothing of note)
--Rainbow Bridge
ROLL - Settling in to work - Advantaged: 85 (Site Established - Instant Results: Tech Gap shrunk!)
ROLL - Ancient Booby Traps: 98 (Andanians would have triggered them long ago - Bonus: Safe site - no risk of accidents)
ROLL - Antics of SG-1: 24 (Is that a secret Goa'uld cult in my aristo-capitalist society?)
ROLL - Solutions of SG-1 - Advantaged: 78 (Well, it was)
ROLL - Checking something important: 99 (huh, guess you bagged a live one)

---Jack---

I don't really know why I have to be here. These guys are nice and all, and Carter was insistent, but I'd rather be on the gold world mission. Why can't we ever get those kinds of missions? The ones where nobody bothers me and I just get to relax and look at the stars, or go fishing.

Ohh, Zombie world. Man, that's really ruined fishing for me.

Wait, did someone just say something to me?

"Sorry, what?"

The attendant looks annoyed. Whoops. "Ahh, I said, would you care for anything to drink while you wait, Colonel O'Neill?"

I flash him my good smile, I feel a little bad pissing off waiters. "Just water, thanks."

With a "very well" and a quiet exit, I'm left with Teal'c, Corporal Mallory, and the quiet girl he rescued. Unlike my team's token superhuman alien, I do not like how awkward this silence is. "Sooo... Princess, how're things going for you guys lately?"

The heiress looks confused for a second before she replies, but Mallory just groans. "I... hmm... Well, Father has been in some legal fighting with Fermikan Group recently. They are-were, our main supplier of Brennepot."

"I'm sorry, what?"

Mallory is the one who speaks up for her, here. "Fuel cells, colonel."

"Ahh. I see." I don't.

The girl keeps going. "The head of the Fermikan Group has been causing problems. He is breaking old contracts and overcharging for goods, mistreating workers, building his personal security forces. Father is a councilman, he cannot turn a blind eye to these things. He is having a lot of stress and confusion. Handel Fermikan is a family friend, it is sad to see him like this."

Ah, fella getting a little mean in his old age. "Oh, that's too bad. Can't your dad cut him a little slack?"

The heiress shakes her head. "No, no, too many bad practices. Many of his actions towards my father alone would see him forcefully retired. As an owner, responsibility is most important. An indiscreet owner can harm many people, and the Fermikan Group's workers have suffered enough already."

I nod, satisfied, if a little uncomfortable at the idea of someone taking my life's work from me just because I wasn't perfect. But Mallory seems interested, now. "Already, Anita? You hadn't told me about anything like this last time I visited..."

Anita, nice name, keeps the conversation going, and I start tuning it out, happy to have the white noise while I wait for Carter and Daniel to sort things out with the Andanian diplomats. "Ah, yes, it happened a few months ago. Damien Fermikan, was getting old, and had started ignoring the regulations on oanwins kontroljere rint. He had acquired some abandoned factory grounds, all quite legally, and then was found to be side-mining into another company's land claim to supply them shortly after. It was very scandalous, and Handel was distraught, as was my father. He had to be retired, but it was too late. Several other abuses of the workers were found when the investigation concluded, and Handel took over for Damien, who died a short while later."

Mallory hummed. "That's a shame. Father loses his head, then his death rattles his son that badly?"

"No, Handel was Damien's grandson, his father died many years ago."

Something's off with this. I can't really put my finger on it, but... Ah ha! "Hey, wasn't I supposed to get a water?"

Daniel came in just as I said that, and for a second I thought I would get my drink. Now I'm thinking about it and I'm getting all thirsty. Damn. "You'll have to use your canteen, Jack. Mr. Reican has arranged for our trip to the archaeological site. We've got clearance to study the site's writings and several artifacts, and we'll be needed to set up the long term operation for Sam's research team."

"Well, the service on this world is terrible. I'm not leaving a tip!"

---En Route to the Site---

"This is so exciting!" Carter blurts out, pausing in her imitation of a six year old waiting to go to the playground. "We're going to see an actual spacecraft construction site! We'll be able to learn so much about the physics necessary to go into space ourselves, not to mention all the energy applications, the shields, the weapons! You weren't exaggerating about those things, were you Teal'c?"

"No, Samantha Carter, I do not exaggerate about such things."

"I'm a bit more interested in how the site matches up to the pyramids at Giza or elsewhere in Egypt. I've never seen any evidence that the sites were used for anything other than landing completed ships."

I'm surrounded by nerds. What I wouldn't give for a firefight right about now.

It's my firm opinion that the next three seconds are only survived because of hundreds of hours of live combat. The lead car in the convoy explodes with deafening sound and blinding fire, and I thank God for keeping my Swedish-K at hand despite the security forces in the car with us.

I turn to the left-facing window to see an ambush team springing up from just below line of sight out of the ditch at the side of the road. The only thing I can hear is the explosion ringing in my ears but I don't think for a second my gun isn't firing as I put down half a dozen before they can bring their weapons up. A fuzzy voice that sounds like Teal'c comes from behind me, and I can hear his staff weapon's signature buzz going off. Classic roadside ambush, take out the front car, trap the convoy in impassable terrain, river on one side, forest on the other, and fire away.

Too bad these poor bastards were up against Colonel Jack O'Neill. "EVERYBODY GET BELOW THE WINDOWS! AMBUSH, LEFT AND RIGHT! CARTER, DANIEL, WITH ME! TEAL'C, SUPPRESSING FIRE ON THE TREELINE!" I can barely hear my own screaming over the din of battle, but everyone gets the idea. Carter's rifle takes a minute to get unslung, panicked as she is in the ambush, but Daniel is surprisingly ready with his service pistol, and I see a few bastards go down to my left. The ditch ambushers go down fast to my SMG, they're still mostly using bolt action and semi-automatic rifles, so it's not long before I turn to the forest and see a smoky mess that none of the remaining Andanian security forces can seem to shoot through, save Teal'c himself, who stands, like an idiot, tall and proud, blasting away into the smoke and getting a pained cry for most every shot.

We mop them up quick, and the battle rush fades into fatigue as my body screams at me for all the abuse I put it through in my old age. I order a magazine check, just in case, and we've got more than enough for another one of these attacks if need be. After a final once over of my team to see if any of the idiots got shot, I scan around for the security captain. He's standing with the lead car, checking a map while a spotter is on the lookout for follow up. Not bad. "Hey, what gives?! I thought we had you peoples' blessing to go out here, why are we getting ambushed with land mines in the middle of podunk, nowhere!"

Going by the angry cast to his face, he's probably lost a few people, and wants to know the same thing himself. "I was just going over it myself. There are no reports of violence in the area, and the nearest bandits are a few hundred miles away. The closest company land is the Fermikan Group, but they'd have no reason to..."

Another explosion gets everyone's attention. This one's further away, back in the city. The security captain pales. "The Reican building! Colonel, I'm cutting your field trip short, we need to get back to the city at once!"

I whistle and gesture for my people to get in the car. "No argument here, one of my teams is back there, too! You'd better step on it, buddy!"

---The City---

The convoy stops short of the main building, rubble and panicked civilians clogging up the road. The captain turns to me. "Colonel, could you and your team secure Miss Reican? I need to get to Mr. Reican immediately."

"Sure thing, cap'n. Good luck in there."

We hit the ground with boots already running. "Carter, get Mallory on the new radio, we need their location!"

"On it, sir! SG-2 this is SG-1 Radio. SG-2 this is SG-1 Radio, do you copy-"

"Daniel, what's going on?"

"You're asking me?"

"You're the one who studies these people, why are they blowing each other up?"

"Ahhh... I-It's not that easy, Jack! There's a lot of complex factors that go into these things. Sabotage, terrorism, we need to know the motive to know the perpetrator."

I stop cold, seeing a symbol I think I might have seen in the pre-mission briefing on the back of a man slipping into an alleyway. The Fermikan Group logo. I only need to glance back to see that everyone else saw it, too. "How about revenge?"

"It's a good motive, Jack, but something's still off about it. These people, the Andanians, they fight in court, in newspapers. They've got a lot of taboos about actual human bloodshed, for any reason. Zeus was horrific to their ancestors, the only way they could survive was to work with one other, even when they were pitted against each other."

"Sir, I'm not able to raise SG-2!"

"The guy running the Fermikans is losing his mind, Daniel. Dementia or something. His grandfather had it, too!"

Daniel grabs my shoulder. "His grandfather?"

"Yeah, so?" I'm not happy about pausing again in the middle of a chase.

"Jack, Handel Fermikan is only twenty five. He's too young for that to happen to. Too young for anything."

I flash back to Skaara. My jaw aches as my teeth start to grind unconsciously. "We're going to the Fermikan headquarters."

"Jack, we can't just go in there and start shooting up the place."

"Trust me Daniel, I've got a bad feeling about this."

---Fermikan---

The Fermikan headquarters is well-guarded, but these people aren't real soldiers. It takes a mere thirty minutes to figure out a key patrol point schedule, and two good haymakers to put down the next pair slated to pass by for three minutes. We're inside without anyone the wiser, and the two guards are tied up in a broom closet.

Teal'c frowns (more) as he closes the door behind him. "These men do not appear to be from the city, O'Neill. They bear tattoos marking them as exiles or bandits."

Daniel furrows his brow. "Bandits? They're banned from the cities, they're too disruptive, 'betrayers of the good gods', or so the Andanians say."

I grit my teeth and push forward, silent and very, very angry.

------

My suspicions confirm themselves when I get the team into position on the other side of a board room partition where Handel is hiding out. A Goa'uld, with the 'betrayers' as his loyal underlings. He's calling himself Harapeleks or something, son of Zeus, and they certainly seem to be buying it. We snuck into the partition in the middle of him grandstanding to Anita and Mallory, saying he's finally got a useful host to take, or some such snake crap. When he has his people 'take her somewhere they can be alone', and Mallory's half a second from getting himself killed, I have my team go in guns blazing. Harpekels barely even has time to blink before his honor guard is down, and seeing Teal'c, gets a particularly funny look on his face like he can't understand what he's seeing, before shouting "SHOL'VA," with more fury than both my aunts combined. I give Teal'c the honor of swinging his staff upside the snake's head, and he's out like a light.

God I hate snakes.

---Hammond---

I'm torn between pulling my hair out and singing praises. Somehow, SG-1 managed to be right in the thick of an Andanian coup, that wasn't a coup but a hibernating Goa'uld trying to take over the planet of our closest ally, and they'd not only managed to earn the undying gratitude of a man who already swore undying gratitude, but also captured the Goa'uld in question, and the science team still managed to compile an immensely useful report by cribbing off of Andanian archaeologists while SG-1 was busy getting medals.

These disaster magnets are going to be the death of me.

------

Unknown Element
ROLL - Weapons Testing: 25 (minimal progress)
ROLL - Exhaustive: 23 (stymied)
ROLL - Playing with fire: 16 (And unknown element maintains it's excellent track record of blowing up research leads)

For a second time, my base rocks under the weight of a naquadah explosion. For the second time, I have to give some measure of comfort to families that should never have had to worry about their bright husbands and sons and fathers. I'm tempted to simply ban all research into staff weapons, naquadah, all of it. I can't imagine how the Goa'uld even survived weaponizing it.

I pray for the health of the men read in to replace the losses. I don't want to lose more.

------

Relative Space
ROLL - Deciphering: 55 (nothing unusual)
ROLL - Zeus' Stash: 85 (four nominally secret worlds)
Generating Addresses... HGZ-B3E, W2Z-PY9, 6JB-HFS, I2L-ACH

Einstein's expertise isn't in linguistics, but he manages to entertain himself with Doctor Carter's notes on the stargate, and he can be heard postulating on the physics at play everywhere in the base.

------

Mr. President
ROLL - Meet the Middle Managers - Advantaged: 90 (The Interplanetary Resource Commission - Civilian leadership, focused on Trade and Exploitation)

After the secretary's visit, it comes as no surprise that President Truman appoints a small civilian commission to help manage the distribution of our interstellar gains. The leader seems like a decent enough fellow, but utterly without humor. He seems always to have a perpetual frown as he stands with me in the control room to oversee all incoming wormhole activations, and never seems to tire of scribbling away on his clipboard filled with weights and figures and fronts for us to send the goods to. It's a shame, I'd have preferred to get to know the man, but I can at least respect his work ethic.

---World News---

NO MORE NUKES
The SSDU, through the UN, has begun official talks with the United States and Allied Powers regarding the cessation of all nuclear proliferation, as well as the disarmament of nuclear weapons excepting 'a number deemed acceptable by the UN as sufficient for defense of country'. The UN has not yet convened to debate this number, but early statements by several European powers have suggested the treaty be expanded to limit any nation to no more than five weapons of mass destruction in the next convention, likely in response to strong Chinese interest in acquiring WMDs as the Korean war enters it's final days.

THE GUNS GOING SILENT
With the support of the SSDU, the UN has passed Resolution 498, condemning the PRC for their current stance in the Korean war as acting against the interests of the UN. Peace talks have been entered, and the PRC is expected to force North Korea to capitulate due to their precarious position as the last major communist power without nuclear deterrence, though the extent of reparations are not yet clear.

---January Facility Plan---

Things are looking up, even as the interplanetary situation looks grim. Before long, the world will be back on track, and things will be brighter than ever before. It's almost strange, to think that the entire first half of this century was dominated by war, and the second half was at risk of it as well. I can't very well say I've lived in peaceful times in my long life, and knowing I will have them in my winter years, at least, after a fashion, brings me a little comfort.

Monthly Change:
Pressure: +0 (+Getting into fights, ++Current Scope, -Retirement Fund, --Earthbound De-armament)
Power: +2 (-Explosive Goa'uld weapons tests, +++Hyper-Advanced Artifact)
Reputation: +1 (+Helped with Andanian Crisis)
Knowledge: +1 (+Passive Research Trickle)
Steam: +0 (+Captured a Goa'uld, \\Got into a tough scrape, -Alpha Company's Hardass)

Current Command:
Companies - "Alpha Company", "Bravo Company"
Platoons - "Sunchasers", "Snake Charmers", "Guardian Angels", Fourth Interplanetary
Squads - SG-1, SG-2, SG-3, SG-4

Scientific Divisions - "Unknown Element", "Rainbow Bridge", "Relative Space", "Zig Zag"

Generating (4) Cartouche missions per month

Command Approach:
[] [CA] Harsh - Lose steam, take up to four offworld missions, gain bonus to Fireteam effectiveness
[] [CA] Normal - Regular operation conditions with three offworld missions
[] [CA] Relaxed - Gain steam, take two offworld missions, Fireteams may not arrive on time for support requests

Company Orders:
Abydos Base - You have command of a single company, which is tasked by it's captain to man the Abydos base full-time, with rotating leave. This occurs automatically, without voting.

Retirement Fund Operation - This company is primarily composed of engineers, tasked with collecting valuable minerals native to the planet. This occurs automatically, without voting.

Platoon Orders:
Cartouche Missions - The platoon on this duty will take recon missions to the addresses on the Abydos Cartouche.

Fireteam Support - The platoon on this duty will be stationed at Abydos to act as a support team on missions that radio in for additional firepower.

Establish Offworld Outpost on [planet] - The platoon on this duty will take a medium-term mission to a previously explored planet that has an Opportunity on it to study, mine, or otherwise manage it.

Assault [planet] - The platoon on this duty will be sent to raid a known enemy world.

Squad Orders:

Cartouche Missions [address] - The squad will take recon missions to the addresses on the Abydos Cartouche.

Deep Recon [planet] - This squad will take a deep recon mission on a previously explored planet.

Study Site on [planet] - This squad will provide protection for a short term scientific study of a previously explored planet with an Interest on it.

Diplomatic Engagement on [planet] - This squad will act as delegates or ambassadors with known neutral or friendly aliens on their planets.

Infiltration on [planet] - This squad will gain intel on enemy operations on known enemy worlds.

Assault [planet] - Squads can't do this unless assigned together with other squads, or platoons. More flexible on the offense.

Scientific Focus:

Establish Offworld Outpost on [planet] - The lead scientist believes this site may have vast opportunities for research. Necessary to exploit a Knowledge-oriented Opportunity.

Study Site on [planet] - The lead scientist believes this site may be useful for research purposes. Have to provide squad escort.

Present Theoretical Papers - This division's studies have produced papers that can viably be disseminated to the public, with some obfuscation of the source. Costs 2 Knowledge, improves Earth technological level, might increase U.S. Stability.

Present Practical Advancements - This division's studies have produced tangible new advances that can be disseminated to the public. Improves U.S. Power, might increase U.S. Stability, might increase Steam. Costs 1 Power and 3 Knowledge (theoretically behind penalty).

Develop SGC Assets - This division's focus on project advancement has borne fruit. Currently might produce anything, but chances are good that based on current research it will be energy related. Costs all knowledge, more equates to greater success chance. Failures refund the cost and may give more knowledge. Success will also likely result in improved Earth tech and U.S. Power/Stability.

Study Alien Technology - This division focuses on captured alien devices in an attempt to determine the theory behind their function, or at least the practical use of it. Needs unstudied Power (currently 6), generates Knowledge, lessens the chance that captured alien devices backfire if used.

Reverse-Engineer Technology - Ambitiously attempt to determine the theory behind alien technology with destructive research. Needs alien Power (currently 6), very likely to generate more Knowledge than study, might explode (or worse), might immediately result in Steam, loss of Pressure, or a significant increase in U.S. Power.

Hammond's Desk:

Request funding [Steam X] - Ask the President for more money. He'll expect more from you, too. Grants a chunk of Steam immediately, increases Pressure gain for a while.

Request manpower [Companies X/Platoons X/Squads X] - Ask the President for more men. Easier to part with, harder to maintain security. Grants more teams in your command, but may trigger oversight, or information leaks, if you overuse it.

Request additional nuclear devices - Ask the President for more bombs. Grants a boost to Power, increases Pressure a lot if you have more than one of these at a time.

Have more experts read in [Steam/Pressure] - Ask the President for permission to headhunt more people for science divisions. Get a science division, either by squeezing your men a bit to fit them on payroll, or in conjunction with a funding request.

You can request each item multiple times, but additional manpower and science divisions quickly run up against diminishing returns due to the strict needs for secrecy during the Cold War.
You use Companies to man permanent offworld sites or organize large invasions. Platoons are used to project a lot of power in one place or do significant mapping expeditions, but they're not very friendly looking, and are unwieldy with gate travel. Squads don't have a ton of firepower, but are pretty hard to pin down, and make good diplomats and recon teams.
Science divisions should rarely, if ever, have no active project. If you have inactive teams, you don't need more.

Please format votes in the following way:
[] Monthly Plan: Title
-[] [CA] your approach
-[] Platoon/Squad/Science Division nickname : Assignment
-[] Platoon/Squad/Science Division nickname : Assignment
-[] Platoon/Squad/Science Division nickname : Assignment
...
-[] Hammond's Desk options
-[] Hammond's Desk options
...