kellifer: (serious jack)
kellifer ([personal profile] kellifer) wrote2007-01-11 11:36 am

FBR 4 "Torch"

Title: Torch
Rating/Warning: PG
Wordcount: 543
Spoilers: None
By: [livejournal.com profile] kellifer_fic
Category: SG-1 - Jack.
Spoilers: S9
Prompt: For [livejournal.com profile] angelsgracie - Jack O'Neill. Maybe in an F-302 or something.
Summary: Jack wants reassurance that he's leaving his team in the right hands.



What’d you name her?

The warehouse is empty because it’s a Sunday of a long weekend. Jack prefers the silence because he’s got something to do that might seem a little odd to an outsider.

A little crazy.

The Guards at the gate looked at him funny when he told them where he was headed. Probably because he’d called it Hangar Eighteen instead of the name they were all used to.

The Graveyard.

I didn’t-

Yeah you did.

Alright, maybe I did. You wouldn’t laugh at a man in traction would you?

He swipes his ID card through the reader by the large double doors and waits as they grind back. He peers into the shadows, hulking shapes breaking up the line of darkness. He knows what he’s looking for because he’s seen pictures. He flicks the lights on and tarpaulin-covered shapes loom when his eyes adjust.

I called her Beth. After my grandmother

He brushes fingers over the twisted metal he passes, paying a sort of homage. He doesn’t like seeing them this way, all bent and grounded.

It seems wrong somehow.

He finds the one he’s looking for and whips back the covering.

“Hello Beth,” he breathes.

He takes in the shorn-off wings, bent metal and broken form. His gaze skips over where the starred glass of the cockpit is still marked with dark red. He puts a hand out and lays it flat on the nose, running hands up the almost slick surface.

This thing of beauty destroyed.

Cameron Mitchell’s X-302.

“I just had to ask you a question,” Jack says, almost conversational. He waits for a moment to let his presence and the pressure of his hand sink in. “There’s this young guy, cocky as hell but best damn pilot I’ve seen in a while. He’s taking my team and I just wanted to make sure… just to know that they’d be safe with him.”

He’s surrounded by the dead, or decommissioned as the various engineers and techs call them. The ships that will never see the sky. To be stripped of all their useful parts because the whole is too broken to ever fly true again.

He understands how they feel.

“You know him best. You protected him when he should’ve died. You did your job and I just wanted to ask you if it was worth it.”

Silence is his only answer. Jack wasn’t really expecting a response, not quite soft enough in the old melon for that, but seeing her, seeing Beth he is reassured. He can see from the damage that even though she hit and hit hard, Mitchell was trying to pull it out of the fire the whole way down.

His co-pilot received only minor injuries and even though it took months, Cameron managed to walk away from the landing.

That made it a good one.

“Sir?”

Jack stands and turns at the voice, seeing a younger man behind him in coveralls. He’s wiping his hands on a rag and looking wary. Jack tries not to think of him as carrion, picking over the dead.

“Sorry, I’m done,” Jack says, stepping away. He threads out through the double doors into the sunshine, fighting the urge to look back.
lark_ascends: Blue and purple dragonfly, green background (Jack gorgeous by sorcha_gaia)

[personal profile] lark_ascends 2007-01-11 01:09 am (UTC)(link)
Gorgeous.

[identity profile] kellifer-fic.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 11:59 am (UTC)(link)
Thankyou!

[identity profile] kuwdora.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 01:09 am (UTC)(link)

Oh, Jaaack.

[identity profile] kellifer-fic.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 12:00 pm (UTC)(link)
*grin*

[identity profile] angelsgracie.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 01:19 am (UTC)(link)
That is absolutely perfect!!! OMG! Man is a true pilot, and I loved tying it all in to Cam and... This was just great!

Thank you!!!!!

[identity profile] kellifer-fic.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 12:01 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm so glad you liked it. :D
medie: queen elsa's grand entrance (sg1 - comfort - cameron and sam)

[personal profile] medie 2007-01-11 01:30 am (UTC)(link)
awesome. Seriously awesome.

[identity profile] whisper99.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 02:45 am (UTC)(link)
*stares at your icon* Cam & Sam?

[identity profile] shutthef-up.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 01:47 am (UTC)(link)
God, just heartbreakingly beautiful, Kel.

This really speaks to the little girl who believed her toys had feelings.

Damn, this thing made me tear up.

Just really, really lovely and lovingly rendered. You've really touched upon the connection between man and machine.

[identity profile] kellifer-fic.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 12:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Thankyou so much hon. :)

[identity profile] starrylizard.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 01:49 am (UTC)(link)
Yay! I love these little fics!
Very nice idea there. :)

*using the only Jack icon I have!*

[identity profile] kellifer-fic.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 12:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Thankyou!

[identity profile] whisper99.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 02:45 am (UTC)(link)
Lovely :)

[identity profile] kellifer-fic.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 12:02 pm (UTC)(link)
Thankyou!

[identity profile] whimsicalwhims.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 03:58 am (UTC)(link)
This is lovely.

[identity profile] kellifer-fic.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 12:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Thankyou!

[identity profile] sulien77.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 04:04 am (UTC)(link)
I can so see Jack doing just this before he finally leaves for the Pentagon. Nicely done.

[identity profile] kellifer-fic.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 12:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Thankyou so much. :)

[identity profile] 6beforelunch.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 04:29 am (UTC)(link)
Lovely. Jack is spot on. Nice job.

[identity profile] kellifer-fic.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 12:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Thankyou so much. :)
paian: blank white (jack watching)

[personal profile] paian 2007-01-11 05:15 am (UTC)(link)
That's lovely.

[identity profile] kellifer-fic.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 12:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Thankyou hon. :)

[identity profile] libra-traveller.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 05:23 am (UTC)(link)
Very telling scene. Loved the imagery of the carrion.

[identity profile] kellifer-fic.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 12:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Much appreciated. :)
ext_1836: (Default)

[identity profile] rigel-7.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 05:52 am (UTC)(link)
This is such a loverly little piece that speaks so much about Jack.

He might be a bit broken, and his wings might be clipped now, but he landed them safely.

Thanks for this! It was so sad and hopeful all mixed together :D

[identity profile] kellifer-fic.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 12:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Thankyou so much. :)
ext_1941: (Default)

[identity profile] sg-fignewton.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 08:08 am (UTC)(link)
Just... beautiful. So Jack.

[identity profile] kellifer-fic.livejournal.com 2007-01-11 12:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Thankyou!

[identity profile] http://users.livejournal.com/_minxy_/ 2007-01-12 01:43 am (UTC)(link)
Oh, hello Jack. I missed you. Didn't get how you'd made that transition between S9 and S10, but this clarifies some things. *nods*

[identity profile] kellifer-fic.livejournal.com 2007-01-14 10:41 am (UTC)(link)
I think we all miss the early Jack...

[identity profile] adafrog.livejournal.com 2007-01-13 03:55 pm (UTC)(link)
Beautiful and almost tragic. Thanks.

[identity profile] kellifer-fic.livejournal.com 2007-01-14 10:42 am (UTC)(link)
Thankyou!
shallowz: (Default)

[personal profile] shallowz 2007-01-14 01:07 am (UTC)(link)
I haven't read much in Stargate fandom. Wary of getting swallowed into another fandom. This? I'm so glad I didn't miss. Loved it!

[identity profile] kellifer-fic.livejournal.com 2007-01-14 10:42 am (UTC)(link)
Thankyou!! Don't be scared... follooooow us... *smiles*

[identity profile] harrigan.livejournal.com 2007-01-14 02:06 am (UTC)(link)
Oh ... SO satisfying! Right down to the gorgeous last sentence!

[identity profile] kellifer-fic.livejournal.com 2007-01-14 10:42 am (UTC)(link)
Thankyou so much... :)
ext_2180: laurel leaf (general jack // sg1)

[identity profile] loriel-eris.livejournal.com 2007-01-18 09:36 am (UTC)(link)
*flails* Very cool. And it was Jack!fic. *g*

[identity profile] ladybeth.livejournal.com 2007-01-26 04:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Very nice. I like the imagery. Although I thought Cameron's co-pilot died? oh, well. Anotehr reason to watch Avalon again.

[identity profile] evilmissbecky.livejournal.com 2008-05-18 02:24 am (UTC)(link)
Although I'm fairly new to the SG-1 fandom, I've had this story bookmarked for months. I come back to it from time to time, because I just adore it. The simplicity of the writing style, the evocative imagery, the sadness in Jack's actions -- I love it all.

Tonight I finally saw Lost City and now this story has a much deeper meaning for me. I simply had to come back and read it again, and let you know how much I love this piece.


[identity profile] kellifer-fic.livejournal.com 2008-05-18 02:52 am (UTC)(link)
Thankyou so much!

Welcome to the fandom... ! :D
lilyleia78: Close up of a lily in black and white (Jack)

[personal profile] lilyleia78 2008-11-10 02:55 am (UTC)(link)
What a lovely Jack moment. Quiet and introspective. Love it. Reccing!

[identity profile] kellifer-fic.livejournal.com 2008-11-10 08:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much! :D

[identity profile] neiths-arrow.livejournal.com 2008-11-10 03:33 am (UTC)(link)
Oooh! This is a good one. Nice writing! I like reading about that time between the seasons when Jack O'Neill left the SGC. It makes it seem like he was a part of it.

[identity profile] kellifer-fic.livejournal.com 2008-11-10 08:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you!

[identity profile] thraesja.livejournal.com 2008-11-10 12:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh! This is beautiful. Loved the reverence Jack has during the whole scene. You really feel the sorrow and pain of Beth and her sisters. But you can also feel the love they had for their pilots and the strength of their sacrifice. Lovely imagery.

[identity profile] kellifer-fic.livejournal.com 2008-11-10 08:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much!

[identity profile] scifithinker.livejournal.com 2008-11-10 09:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Grief can take so many different forms, and this fits Jack to a T.

[identity profile] kellifer-fic.livejournal.com 2008-11-10 10:10 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you!

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