Mess Tent

Sarah smirks and nods a little. True enough, she thinks to herself, and von Braun probably doesn't know the meaning of the word bluff.

Von Braun coolly shrugs off the controversy and once again extends the device to Eileen. "Your minions seem a bit unruly, mein Frau. I thought you were in charge."

Eileen remains quiet while the talking goes on around her, taking the destruct control and frowning.

"Bishop has a point," she says. "And so does Captain Morgan. There's still equipment that's salvagable aboard Hammond, and if anybody happens to be monitoring the're sure to detect a naquadah-laced explosion. You should remember, Herr Doktor, that we have no idea where we really are - for all we know, we're in the Ori galaxy, even.

As for 'my minions' - well, 'Billy'," she says, using the name she reserves for when Dr. von Braun has really gotten under her skin, "I don't subscribe to the McKay-Rush-von Braun school of management." She then does crack a smile though. "And I need to be kept in the loop with regards to destruct plans. However, I do applaud your initiative. And I'd ask if there's a way, if you managed to remotely rig explosives, if there happens to be any way you could remotely rig the maneuvering thrusters to perform a retroburn instead."

Findy MacLean

Since the Major seemed to be soliciting suggestions at this point, Findy gave a theatrical clearing-of-the-throat noise to get the other woman's attention then said, "There is another solution, major, although Dr. von Braun decided against it in our early planning phases. We could just pull the crystals from the ring device on the Hammond. It'd leave a mini-MALP trapped up there, but we've got enough scrap from the escape pods we could make more."

Captain Micheal Wantanabe

The army captain chaffed under being called a minion, yet he had enough self control not to show it. He could see his lieutenant ready to slap the pridefull scientist into next week.

"If we have to destroy the Hammond I like the idea of causing it to burn up in the atmospher, or taking out the control crystals like MacLean suggest. It keeps us from using a finite ammount of supplies we have, and if we just take the control crystals then we can return to the Hammond if we need to."

Dr. von Braun's jaw clenches and his nostrils flare, and the color drains from his cheeks as he stares coldly at Eileen. "Well, Major, it seems you've developed some vertebral tenacity. That..." He pauses and turns to gaze suspiciously toward the other members of the science team, as though to accuse them of being in on this turn of events. His eyes linger on Findy, and he resumes speaking in an entirely different tone of voice. "Yes, Miss MacLean can arrange for that in short order. Ve can discuss the merits of distress flares some other time."

Tucking the purported detonator into his pocket, the physicist grumps his way over to his seat and sits down in a huff. He waves his hand dismissively toward Eileen and adds one last icy barb: "Vell, Major, I believe you vere telling us about your plan..."

"Thing is," Sarah says with a glace over at Wantanabe, "If we leave the Hammond in orbit with deactivated rings, the Hammond is still in orbit. Now, that does increase the chances that someone might actually find us. Problem is," she adds wryly, "we don't know who 'someone' might be. We don't really even know where we are, and I don't really want to be found by the Ori or Wraith or who knows who or what else in our current condition."

The few who had been close to Sarah on the Hammond knew that she was opinionated often frustrated when things didn't move as quickly as she felt they should. Still, she tended to be very measured in her actions and generally avoided conflict. Sure she had a temper, but very few people got to see that, unless they recognized that she only reason she went to the gym was to work out her frustration. The cold, bad coffee, and lack of sleep had started to wear her down and the normal barrier she had in place was crumbling, resulting her in speaking more freely and firmly than she might otherwise. "Plus that leaves our technology sitting up in orbit, ripe for the picking. Do you really want the Ori or some other hostile race to get a hold of our technology or logs? The Hammond is a liability. We need to get what we need off of her and scuttle her beyond recognition and get out of Dodge. I really don't want to see what wakes up from hibernation come spring."

Captain Micheal Wantanabe

"Dr Braun, hand me the detonator if you please," The army Ranger said opening his hand to him.

**************************************************************************************

(To Sarah)
"If that is what the Major wishes then I support her decision. A push into the atmoshper would work beter and take less resources."

Sarah grips her coffee mug tightly, her knuckles slowly turning white as she stares at the oily black substance within. She purses her lips together and glowers at the mug before closing her eyes. She takes a few slow, deep breaths then lets go of the mug and puts her head in her hands, just sitting there for a few moments before pushing her hair back from her face and opening her eyes. She looks over at von Braun, empathy and frustration evident in her eyes, before turning her glance back to her mug.

Dr. von Braun glances at the army captain, then shrugs and hands him the compact device. A slight smile crosses the physicist's face as he takes a seat next to Sarah, but his words are to Michael. "Lock it up if you vish. It is just a toy--zere are a thouzand computers in zis camp zat could send ze signal." He pleats his thick fingers across his lap and gives Eileen his "undivided" attention.