Colonel Jack O'Neill

I created this next prompt. It's like a character study and a writing prompt all in one.

Think of a person. Describe their personality, how they act, etc. What are their mannerisms? Are they funny mannerisms? Annoying? Helpful? Are there some of that person's traits that you would like to have? Why?

*As a note I am doing this about Colonel Jonathan 'Jack' O'Neill of the show Stargate SG-1. For those who watch it I'm doing it from the point of view of Major Samantha 'Sam' Carter.*

Colonel Jack O'Neill of SG-1. United States Air Force. Earth. Chicago to be specific. It's been about seven years since I met him in the briefing room and nine since I first started working on the dialing computer and other systems for the gate. Of course at that point we didn't know what it did. How to activate it.

Seven years. I can hardly believe it's been that long. I still remember orally sparring with him in the briefing room and my first trip through the gate.

"I adore you already, Captain."

He's charming. And a damn good leader. We've never been in a situation that we haven't all come back from. In the end. I'm not saying we haven't died, because we've had our share of death. We've all lost family members. I think we've all died at one point or another. Except maybe Teal'c, he's pretty hard to actually kill. A few close calls though. It's been less than year since Daniel returned from ascension. He kept calling the Colonel "Jim". Colonel O'Neill grumbled, but I could tell he was glad Daniel was back. We'd all missed him.

I've learned a lot from him as a leader. I still don't understand exactly how he does it. SG-1 is the most eclectic team on the planet and he manages to keep us organized and together to also be the best team on the planet. We're all so different. Daniel is the scientist. He studies 'rocks', as the Colonel puts it. Teal'c's a warrior all the way. With what he says he's been a warrior since he was a kid. It's part of the Jaffa culture and his skills as a fighter, observer, and knowledge of the Goa'uld are an asset to the team. I'm a scientist too. I study 'doohickies'. Also Colonel O'Neill's wording. I'm a theoretical astrophysicist, but I'm also a Major in the US Air Force. I adhere to the same rules the Colonel has to. I'm his second-in-command and to date I've only had to take command of the team twice. The first he was stuck in the infirmary due to an arrow to his arm. General Hammond sent Daniel, Teal'c and I, we're not really SG-1 without the Colonel, to the planet SG-10 was stuck on. The second time was a couple months ago. The Colonel stuck his head in the Ancient Repository of knowledge, for a second time. The first time it happened the Colonel was able to contact the Asgard and get help. This time we couldn't reach them. He resigned. He gave control over to me so that he wouldn't endanger any of us. It's scary to be in command. Did you know? And yet he does it everyday, like it's just a way of life for him. Which it is. He's been doing it so long it comes naturally. I've seen the way people will fight for him.

He seems so irreverent. He'll disobey orders if it's not, morally, the right thing to do. He pisses people off, but if you pay attention, you'll realize that it's only the people that are morally wrong that he annoys. Sure he annoys us sometimes, but he tries to make up for it afterwards. He's got a great sense of humor and he plays with his gameboy or his yo-yo in his freetime on base. He's like a big kid.

He does tend to get fustrating at times. His strengths are strategies and planning. He pretends to be so clueless sometimes. And he does it so well that even I start to believe it. And then he says something so deep and insightful and on a rare occasion, even scientific that it shocks me, and I remember that it's ploy. What's fustrating is that it works so well. If he's busy keeping us safe from unfriendlies it gives us a chance to grow in our fields. To think up new ideas, and it keeps us on our toes. That's probably how Daniel and I have gotten so good at working quickly, and together. It's made the whole team stronger.

I'm so used to thinking on my feet for the well-being of SG-1 and here I am. Sitting under the ice of Antarctica. In a room built by the Ancients, the gate-builders. Staring at my CO, my friend, my mentor. And I feel so helpless. I can't think of a way to help him. And the SGC is under new management. And most of all, I miss him. The way his eyes glaze over when I explain something scientific. The way he doodles when he gets bored in Daniel's briefings. The jokes, I miss the jokes. Just simple things. The way he responds with a flippant, "ya think?" when one of us says something obvious. And the "for cryin' out loud" when something minor goes wrong.

And looking at him in there is kinda creeping me out. He's just frozen and it's like he's looking right at me. Through me. It's scary to see him like this. It's not like he looks worse than he usually does, quite the same actually, he's just so still. He's never still in real life, unless there is need to be. He's always playing with a piece of equipment in my lab or an artifact in Daniel's office. And it seems like he's never in one place unless he's eating or sleeping (or unconscious).

"Major Carter?"

I turn away from my frozen CO to Dr. Lee. "Yes?"

"I think I may have figured something out about the way Colonel O'Neill wired the rings to cut through the ice. I was wondering if you'd like to come see."

"I'll be right there, Doctor." With the Dr. Lee headed back to the cargo ship and I turned back to the Colonel. "We'll get you out, sir."

*THE END*

Of Jack O'Neill's mannerisms I like his morals. He refuses to leave anyone behind. Even if the person is not from Earth. I love his humor and his ability to lead a team of people that are so different. I also like the dumb act he puts on. It's a strategy to get the rest of SG-1 on their 'A' game and get others to underestimate his mental strength. He's brave and courageous and would do anything to save the members of SG-1, human and alien. He gives most people a fair chance to get in his good books, though most people that deserve to be on his bad side make it there quickly. He judges quickly about people and is usually right about people. Despite the fact that's he's a character I admire him.