Q is for Quantum (written for Stargate Alphabet Soup)

[watervole]

Q is for Quantum

"Events are discrete in nature. Either I go on holiday to Peru or I don't."
Carter's voice was kinda soothing when she was in monologue mode.
"Fascinating mummies in Peru," Daniel chipped in.
"If you're into dead children," Jack said, leaning back in his chair.
Daniel stared at him with amazement. "You read my paper!"
Jack blinked rapidly. "Saw it on the Discovery channel."
"If I go to Peru," Carter continued firmly, "then that is a discrete event."
"What necessity makes you require secrecy?"
"Secrecy?"
"Why do you need to be discreet?"
"Discrete, Teal'c." Jack drawled. "Means 'separate'. Carter's saying that something like a photon either is or isn't. You can't have half a photon. Quantum theory really pisses off people who think in terms of light waves."
"You read my article?"
"It's amazing what you can learn from the back of cereal packets."
And Carter was off again, explaing how the Quantum Mirror could only show an Aleph-naught number of infinite universes, because each universe was created by a decision made by an individual and the number of decisions was an integer not a real number.
Maybe, somewhere, there was an alternate universe where Jack O'Neill didn't find this stuff fascinating.
He yawned. "Time to call it a night, kids. Think I might do a little star-gazing before I go to bed." Half an hour's observation, then he might complete that article for 'Astronomy Monthy.' Under a pseudonym, of course.

Comments

[sallymn]

Yay! I haven't finsihed mine yet (the odea I have is proving.... even more plotless and meandering than I usually manage ) but I'll get there...

[vilakins]

Maybe, somewhere, there was an alternate universe where Jack O'Neill didn't find this stuff fascinating.

[grin] Ya think?

[kerravonsen]

(grin)

[fignewton]

Maybe, somewhere, there was an alternate universe where Jack O'Neill didn't find this stuff fascinating.

Oh, I LOVE that line. Because yes, this is Jack, bizarrely hiding his intelligence. So perfectly him!

Thanks so much for contributing to the Soup. :)

[watervole]

It was my pleasure. It actually kicked me back into writing again, though unfortunately cold (my office is in the coldest room in the house) and stress have put a halt to it in the short term. But I have made some progress on my SG novel and hope to do more in the future.

My Jack is always smart, but yes, he has that odd desire to appear an idiot. One day, I'll figure out why...

[fignewton]

I've often wondered why Jack chooses to play dumb, especially with people who know him well. It must be tied up with his initial (and, quite frankly, later too, with the exception of Daniel and Sam) disdain for scientists. I think he also likes being underestimated, although that wouldn't explain why he doesn't drop the act with people who already know better...

[watervole]

Is there a military culture, especially among special ops, that maybe has a disregard for theoretical/book learning?

Perhaps hiding the smarts was a form of self-protection?

Doesn't sound quite right....

I think he likes being underestimated, but there has to be a bit more.
I think with Sam it has become a game, and they both know that.