Into the Gate [A Stargate SG:1 Adventure] (RS Mistress and RomanSoldier)

[RomanSoldier]

[OCC Thread for thanks, and constructive criticisms. https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=75731.0 ]

Alexis Long was free.  Free from the horrors that she had seen.  She stepped off the plane that landed in Denver.  She was happy to be going home after serving in the Marine Corp for 8 years.  She turned in her uniform and stepped out, a free woman.  She didn't expect to see her friends from years ago greet her.  They waved flags and cheered as she stepped into their view, each holding a large "Welcome Home, Lt. Col. Long" signs. She laughed then shouted across the way, "It's retired Lt. Col Long!"

The drive home to Colorado Springs was uneventful. Mostly they spoke of what was going to happen now that she was out.  She said the first thing was to get drunk, to which all of her friends agreed.  She had no where to stay and luckily enough for her one of them had agreed to let her crash with him for a while. She wasn't bothered by it, and in fact kinda enjoyed not having to think about somewhere to stay.  She was also glad that she never had to worry about another Monday Morning check in.  They pulled up to his house and all promptly got out of the car.

She walked up the short way to the entry door and used her very own, newly made key to enter. He pointed up to the stairs, saying that her room would be on the right.  She walked the stairs, a bit tired and somewhat worried about what she actually was going to be doing now that she didn't have to take orders.  She opened the door and saw a nice clean and boring room awaiting her.  Nothing was there except for what appeared to be standard issue military bedding.  She breathed a sigh of relief.  She had lived in the dorm all her life, never wanting to go anywhere else and the room matched them exactly.  It was a little bit of comfort for having just gotten out.  She set her military backpack, with all of her belongings on the bed and headed downstairs.

The door bell rang and she was asked to get it.  She opened the door, being greeted by a wave of the rest of her friends, and a few kegs of beer.  She greeted them each in turn and even smiled when one of them handed her a very special gift, Absinthe.  She wondered how James had gotten it, but knew better than asking.  She took "Don't ask, Don't tell" literary for more that what it was designed for.  It wasn't that cheap shit they allowed to be imported either, no this was the real deal.  She gave him a big grin when he asked when they were going to get the party started. She told him to grab a glass.  Most of her friends had brought alcohol with them, and most just grabbed ice and started drinking.  Would be there a sober person left?  Oh yes! They were the beer runner or the liquor grabber for when they ran out.  Her friends had been kind enough to realize that she was going to be able to actually out drink them all and they had made the proper preparations.  The goal of the night was to make sure no one died of alcohol poisoning, but it was expected that everyone at least try to get it.

Alexis smiled.  This was going to be the best first night of her freedom.

[RS Mistress]

Kelly woke with a start as the heavy book slammed against her desk. She looked up, blurrily, to see an evil smirk on her assistants face.

“Morning, Sunshine!” Danny said, a little too cheerfully for her taste. “Fall asleep at your desk again last night?” she only managed a grumble in response as she tried to rub sleep out of her eyes. She, however, forgot she still had on her glasses and only managed to smash then into her face; which by the look on her face, hurt. “Coffee?” Danny asked with a chuckle. She didn’t even get to answer as by the time her brain registered that he has said he was already gone. She smiled. That was why she loved him; he always knew what she needed even before she knew herself. She stretched and headed off to the bathroom hoping she hadn’t used all her extra clothing she stashed in her locker.

Dressed and showered, thanks to the biohazard shower in the chemistry lab, she was ready to start work again. Working at the Denver Institute for Modern Scientific Research had its advantages. She entered her lab and found Danny with two military officers and what looked like another scientist. Danny handed her coffee as the officers introduced themselves. “And I’m Dr. Lee” the short balding man in the lab coat held out his hand. She looked at him as she sipped her coffee.

“What can I help you with?” She ignored the offered hand completely. Dr. Lee stammered and seemed embarrassed. Danny tried to hide a smile as he quietly left.

“Well you are Dr. Green, yes?” She nodded. “I was interested in your research on crossbreeding diversely different species based on your book Green is Green. You pass the security clearance and you have an unusual talent for finding compatible species…” He rambled on hoping for a reaction from her and getting none. ” And was hoping you would come with us. I have found... that is we have found a rather unique plant that we.... I would like your option on?” He finished lamely.

She blinked and tilted her head to one side. “I don’t know… I don’t like to fly.”

Dr. Lee seemed confused again. One of the officers saved him this time, “Ma'am, the specimen is being held in Colorado Springs.” She shrugged and gave them all a bright smile.

“Ok then.” Dr. Lee was left wondering what he had gotten himself into.

[RomanSoldier]

There was a persistent knocking that Alexis couldn't quite figure out.  She opened her eyes, and discovered she was in a bathtub.  'What the hell?' she thought.  She looked at her watch, in clear green letters it read 0630.  She had last looked at it at 0530.  'Shit, I've only been asleep for an hour?'  She didn't care though.  The knocking continued and she tried to get out of the tub.  After some struggling with it, she decided that trying to stand was not the best idea.  She sort of rolled, flipped out of the tub and crawled to the door.  Once there she was able to stand, with some difficultly she stepped out of the bathroom.  She used the wall as a leaning post, and passed a guy with about a half a bottle of Jack Daniels.

She made her way to the front door, downing the Jack as she went.  She opened the door and discovered two Air Force SFs standing there. "Lt. Col. Long, we require your presence. It is a matter of urgency."  She blinked in the too bright sun. "What? No beer?" she asked as she watched as one of the SFs eyes never left hers.  She turned and saw James sleeping on the couch.  He had his sunglasses on and Alexis stepped over and grabbed them. She slid them on her face and grabbed the bottle of Captain Morgan laying next to him.  She unscrewed the cap and starting drinking it.  She stumbled out of the house, the younger SF catching her.  She had drank about half the bottle before he took it from her. "You won't need this where we are going ma'am."

They led her to a car, a nice black limo.  She somehow managed to get into the car and leaned back, promptly passing out again.  A short drive later, she was woken up.  One of the SFs handed her a shirt and she put it on, not realizing that she hadn't had one on before.  They led her to the General's office. 

"You're AWOL soldier." General O'Neill stated.  She looked at him through the sunglasses. 

"I'm retired." O'Neill chuckled, he had been retired once before too.

"Is that alcohol I smell?"  Alexis didn't even bother addressing him as sir.

"Ya, you got a problem with that?"  Under normal circumstance she would have never said anything like that, but she was still quite drunk.

"Are you drunk? Where is your uniform?" O'Neill didn't have time to deal with this.  There were more pressing needs at hand.

She smiled, "I don't have one, don't you have extras?"  He looked at the two SFs. 

"Take her to the infirmary. I guess I will have to deal with her later." O'Neill ordered.

The two SFs did as they were ordered, taking her up the elevator and into the infirmary.  "Major Fraiser, we got a new recruit for you, she's a little... out of it."  One of them said.

Major Janet Fraiser turned around and looked that them.  She didn't quite have a look of shock on her face, but she was surprised.  What had happened to this recruit. "OK, just set her on a bed over there, I'll be right with her." The SFs once again did what they were told.

Alexis was brought to a bed and she didn't hesitate to lay down.  When Doctor Fraiser went to check on her all she found was Alexis passed out.  Janet closed the curtain and walked to her office.  Never would she have expected a Lt. Col. to still be drunk.  It was career suicide.  She quickly typed up Alexis' name and a little screen with all of her medical record came up.  It also came up with her being 'retired'.  The Marines had let her turn all of her gear back in, and then the SGC had declared her theirs.  At the bottom of the screen in bold letters it read: STOP LOSS.  'That explains it," Janet thought to herself.  The poor Lt. Col. had no idea that she had be sort of recalled.  Janet made her way to O'Neill's office.

"Sir, its about Lt. Col. Long." Janet started.

O'Neill sighed. "What about her? She just committed career suicide."

"No sir. Not exactly.  See she had already returned all of her gear. The Marines let her go before the SGC could claim her.  Now she has been stop lossed.  She didn't know she had to report for duty." Janet explained.

"Good, you'll inform her. And get her back in here."

"Sir, the best thing for her right now is to let her sleep it off."

O'Neill nodded and Janet went back to work.

[RS Mistress]

Kelly was shown into a lab deep underground. She wasn't too sure that she liked the idea of being that far away from the surface.  The trip itself was bizarre. First the long car rides then check in at the main gate. By the time the where going down the elevator she had lost what little sense of direction she had ever had. 

There first stop was the infirmary to get a checkup. They didn't want her to contaminate or be contaminated by any of the samples. As nice as Dr. Fraiser was: Kelly was not having fun. Who liked to be poked and prodded?

Just as she was getting fed up there seemed to be some sort of commotion by the door. A drunken woman was shuffled in with the help of two SF’s. The Doctor had to deal with that for a moment and Kelly slipped out the other door.

Not really knowing where she was going she just followed the hall to the right. She managed to run into Dr. Lee who had, apparently, been waiting for her. “Are you all done?”

“Yep! I bet you will be glad to know that I am still alive!”

“Well that’s good… I guess…” He looked distracted for a moment. “That didn’t take nearly as long as I thought it would.”

“She has to wait for the test results; but I got to leave because she understands the importance of your research.” Kelly lied through her teeth. She knew he would believe her. He was obviously trying really hard to get his research noticed and accepted. She also knew that you couldn’t get away from a medical doctor without consequences, and she would have to pay a high price to the lovely doc later. This was all worth it if the plant was as interesting as she thought it would be. Any plant that had its own military guard would be worth it!

“Well it’s nice to know that they are thinking of the bigger picture once in a while and not just worried about fighting the gu... About fighting, and making weapons.” He finished with a cough and hoped she didn’t notice the almost slip. She had but chose to ignore it as it didn’t seem like anything interesting.

“Anyway my lab is this way…” She followed him hoping that from what she had heard him say so far about the mystery plant was true. Imagine unhindered growth!

[RomanSoldier]

Alexis opened her eyes to a world that was much too bright.  She looked down at her body, feeling almost cold. She pulled her shirt away from her body, "Army?"  She looked down at her legs.  There she was, laying in an unknown bed, in only an Army shirt and her plaid boxers. "What the?" she started.  The hospital curtain opened, causing more light to flood in.  She could make out a figure.  "Are you an alien? Did you probe me? Did I like it? Do you know what happened to my pants?" she slurred out.

"Oh, you have been briefed." Janet said taking a step forward.

"What?" Alexis asked.  Janet looked down at her.  "Nevermind."  She pulled out her pen light and shone it into Alexis' eye.

"What the hell is that?" Alexis shouted pulling back and covering her eyes.  "It's just a pen light.  Tell me Lt. Col. Long, what is the last thing you remember."

"I'm retired. And the last thing I remember is getting drunk.  Where am I?"

Janet looked at Alexis, both a twinkle and a bit of sadness were in them.  She hated being the one that had to tell her this. "I'm sorry Lt. Col. Long, you've been stop lossed."

Alexis sat up. "Shit. Not again."

Janet was surprised that this was the second time she had been stopped from getting out.  She handed her stand issue SG uniform.  "General O'Neill would like a word with you, and if I were you, I would be all yes sir, no sir.  You were still drunk when he first saw you."

Alexis nodded and watched as Janet left.  Well, she was cute.  She got dressed quickly and made her way to O'Neill's office.  She tapped on the door and waited for his reply to enter. "Lt. Col. Long reporting as ordered sir!" She snapped to attention and gave a salute.

"Lose the salute Col.  We are a relaxed bunch here.  As you know, there is a program related to physics.  I read your file. You were told you could come far here, and for the past 8 years the SGC had been trying to get you here. Sorry that you had to be stop lossed, but we could use you." He began to explain to him what the Stargate program was all about.

At the end of his speech she simply nodded.  He looked at her. "Welcome to the SGC."

"Sir, I will only be a SG team leader if it's SG:13."  She simply stated.

"This is the military, you don't get a choice."  He handed her a patch. "Your first meeting is 1 hour. Be prepared." O'Neill dismissed her.

She wondered around for a while, finally going back to the briefing room.  There she saw her old time friend Stone.  He gave her a smile. "Stone, how the hell have you been?" She asked.  A young, fresh out of basic soldier walked through the door.  She looked at him, and in her usual greeting asked, "Are you an alien?"  He looked at her confused but then sat down.

"I asked you a question soldier." She glared at him. If there was anything she hated, it was being blatantly ignored. He muttered a "No, ma'am, I'm not an alien."

Stone looked at her. "You didn't ask me."  She grinned.

"I know you aren't an alien."  A few moments later Major Samantha Carter walked through the briefing room doors. She explained to the newly formed SG:25 that they would be helping the Tokra move.  She laughed saying that it was a petty job. "I understand you are expecting something with a little more action Lt. Col. but I'm afraid that this is it.  We want you to get used to some gate travel before we send you somewhere dangerous."

[RS Mistress]

Kelly could hardly contain her excitement. The plant not only had fanatical growth properties but, with just the few tests she had administered first, easy to manipulate  genes. “I think we should try mixing it with a common tomato plant first. I have one that has been engineered to produce big tomatoes but it also grows slower.” She suggested to Dr. Lee. He nodded and they got to work.

Things were going good with the test. The sample plant clipping had grown into a full adult plant that had to be moved into new pots at least three times already. Dr. Lee had called General O'Neill in to see the progress. He didn’t seem as amazed by the plant as the two of them were.

“Let’s go get some lunch.” She tried to get Dr. Lee’s mind off the rejection from O’Neill. She knew what that was like. Most people didn’t find what she did to be very interesting and tended to ignore her because of that.

[RomanSoldier]

Lt. Col Long sat at a table.  The cold steel pressed against her.  She didn't mind the food in the mess hall, it was better than most of the MREs that she had eaten.  Stone was sitting across from her, and Ford was sitting to her right.  She watched as they ate, making sure that there was enough conversation.  She had to admit she was a bit nervous about going to another world, but she figured that she had been around this world long enough to not be afraid of anything.  She watched as Major Carter grabbed her lunch and started to walk to a distant table.

"Major Carter!" Long stood up and barked.  Major Carter stopped in her tracks and turned around. "I insist that you join us!"  Long motioned over to her table.  As a general rule a member of lower rank was required to sit with a member of a higher rank when invited.  Carter walked over to where Long was sitting and waited for her to sit back down before sitting herself.

"So, tell me Carter, why did you come here? I mean how does a Doctor of Astrophysics end up in the military?"  Long asked.  She was partially curious because she wanted to know, but she was really more hoping that she would be a friend.  Long had gotten a Bachelor's degree in Applied Physics.  She was a hell of a lot smarter than she let people know.  Before she was given her answer the loud speaker cried out. "Unauthorized Off World Activation."

[RS Mistress]

Strangely enough Kelly liked the food at the mess hall. Granted the mess didn’t have to be good as most of the people on base where military used to MRE’s or scientist who didn’t pay attention to what they ate or even if they ate. She thought it was way better than anything she could make and with no one else in her life to do the cooking she usually ate out. She was, however, getting a strange felling, from the looks of the other dinners that actually liking the food as much as she did wasn’t normal.

Just then the loud speaker went off “Unauthorized Off World Activation.” Off word activation? What was going on? She asked Dr. Lee what it stood for. He laughed nervously. Hoping she wouldn’t freak out like he had when he had first been told of the Stargate and its dangers; he explained in detail. She looked a little worried but generally took the news is stride. “I don’t have to go thought it though right?” she asked. “Because I don’t like to fly and I think it might have to be dropped into the same category.” Several more people around her in the mess looked at her like she was crazy.

“It’s nothing like an aircraft Dr. Green.” Dr. Lee said confused. They ate the rest of the meal in silence.

After lunch things took a turn for the worse. They returned to the lab to find it had taken over every available surface. Dr. Lee sighed; he didn’t want to have to tell O’Neill he had messed up something else. She touched his shoulder gently. “Well find a way to control it. Maybe it’s like kudzu? We’ll try to burn it.”

[Writersblockade]

Cash sat on the cot they’d let him nap in between shots. The good news was he was feeling a lot better. The bad news was, he had a whole ‘nother round of these damn things to go. It was worse than his last hop into Africa and still had enough to beat his experience prepping for the Philippines.  They were giving him a break to let his body adjust to what they already did to him. Now if he can only stop the room from spinning long enough to get the hell up. Trying just that, he actually managed to get halfway before those dancing spots in his eyes worked their magic. With grunt, his rump touched pad, and his head slapped concrete. Wincing, he just decided to stay right where the hell he was. His babysitter, the fine young gentleman standing post beside him, said in a way that almost sounded like compassion “Stay down, sir. Trust me…its better that way”. Cash grunted his agreement, and concentrated on just making the world stop spinning

After about fifteen minutes of deep breathing, and focus-point concentration, Cash decided to try again. Pushing off the wall and leaning forward, he trusted his legs to do the rest. It almost didn’t work. With a jerky buckle, his weight fell to his right leg for the briefest of moments before his body could recover. Standing tall, he turned pointedly to his babysitter and took a walk around. It was a good thing he was heading towards the head, because a few steps later he was contributing a half digested sandwich and what he believed to be the powerade he drunk earlier…that or those meds have really screwed him righteous. The babysitter grinned and shook his head, but made sure to straighten up like he hadn’t seen a thing once Cash gave him a once over from the sink. Wiping his mouth, he stood up again and quickly realized how much better he felt. He wasn’t going to dance anytime soon, but he was sure he’d be able to walk to where he needed to be now.

The reflection in the mirror showed a weary, but steely-eyed African-American male that most would have guessed was still in his mid-twenties. The eyes told them different. Even when he was younger, he still had old eyes. Like he had brought a little sadness with him from another life when he was born. He looked away…looking into his own eyes sometimes nagged him. He grabbed a few paper towels to wipe off the cold sweat from his earlier contribution, and two things came into view. His left arm displayed a tattoo of a medieval-era shield, with a small Marine Corps emblem in the middle. The right arm reveals a same era broadsword, shaded even darker than his brown skin. The sword’s hilt had barbed wire wrapped around it. Outside of the USMC on the left side of his shoulder, they were the only tattoos he had. They were the only ones he needed.

Finally done with his temporary attempt at hygiene, Cash had long enough to get his bearings before the loudspeaker in the area blared “Unauthorized Off World Activation”. He didn’t know what the hell it meant, but judging by the look on his face like he was going to pass a midget through his rectum, the babysitter had some clue. “Mind filling me in, buddy?” Cash said with a grin. The babysitter only shook his head and barked a “Stay Here!” before leaving the aid station. Cash gave him a minute, just to be fair, and then walked out into the rush to find out what was happening.

[RomanSoldier]

When Major Carter shot up, everyone else at the table did too.  Long knew just enough to be dangerous, but not quite enough to truly grasp what those few words meant.  Trusting her instincts, and her instincts were rarely wrong, she followed Major Carter through the hallways.  She was determined to understand more of what was going on, and now was the best time to do it.  She weaved in and out of officers, some were running with M16s and P90s, others were locking down bulkheads.  She sprinted up the last few stairs to the control room.  If it weren't for Major Carter, she wouldn't have even know how to get here.

"Any word on who it is?" O'Neill asked.

"No sir. No IDC has been received yet." Walter replied.  A silence blanketed the gate room.  "Incoming IDC. It's the Tokra sir."

"Well, go on and open the door."

The iris opened up and a few Tokra stepped out. Alexis knew that she was going to be introduced later, but for now she kept quiet in corner. She could almost see a smile come from Carter's lips, and she did recognize one as General Carter.  She wanted to ask questions, like how he had been dragged into it, what was going on, and when was she going to be headed out.  Her thoughts were interrupted when he spoke in a strange tone.

"General O'Neill, thank you once again for seeing us.  I hate to ask this of you, but we really must speed things up.  We fear that the Gou'ald have discovered our location.  We must get your team to help us move soon."

O'Neill  looked at Alexis.  "Well I guess your team is as ready as ever. Good luck. Enjoy your stay."

Alexis looked down at the Tokra that had spoken.  This was going to be a very interesting day.

[RS Mistress]

Lee was looking at her like she was crazy. She was beginning to get used the look. There had been solders running around the halls with weapons responding to the loud speaker on their way back to the lab. Now they were running back. She assumed whatever crises they thought was happening was averted by now.

They also didn’t see what was happening in the lab. Dr Kelly Green with a small flamethrower and an evil grin. She was dressed in protective gear and raving about evil alien plants who were going to take over the world.

It didn’t take long before the lack of help and the ineffectiveness of the fire slowed her down. It seemed the plant could make quick alterations to defend it just as it could alter itself to grow in any environment.

She heard a cough from the door. She turned to find Dr. Lee trying to explain the strange sight to Gen. O’Neill. “I was going to tell you to put the research of this plant on hold for now but I see that we might have a problem.” He was saying. He didn’t sound pleased.

Kelly grinned as she took her goggles off. “No worries Mister, we still have a few more options to try to kill it!” she said sounding perky. Dr. Lee gave O’Neill a worried look. He wondered how much of his lab would still be intact after Dr. Green was done.

“That’s the spirit!” O’Neill said slapping the door frame to find it covered in vines. He looked down the hall where it was slowly creeping along the walls.  “Just keep me informed.”

“Great!” Kelly giggled and turned to Dr. Lee. He groaned as she asked. “Where do you keep the acid?”

[RomanSoldier]

In no less than 15 minutes Lt. Col. Long, Stone and Ford were geared up and ready to go. Alexis was chit chatting with Major Carter and General Carter/Selmak about what to expect.  It wasn't everyday that she would be helping an alien race.  She breathed in deep.

"Hey, its going to be okay Long. Think of it like that time you got piss ass drunk and turned the gravity machine on high. Gate travel ain't no worse than that." Stone was telling her.  She smiled at him.

"If I recall properly Stone, you dared me to, and even given the gravity I still held my lunch." The two of them shared a little private joke.

Major Carter touched Alexis on the shoulder. "Now Col. you will need this to get back.  Guard it with your life. Only you know the passcode to open the iris.  The other team members don't right now, so don't lose it."

Alexis nodded. "I got it. Anyway, its a routine mission right? What could possibly go wrong?"

She shifted the pack on her back and smiled.  Anyway if something did go wrong she was sure she would love the fight.  Part of her felt bad for not actually being able to retire, but another part of her was glad to be able to kick ass still.

[RS Mistress]

She blinked as the lights went out and the dim emergency lighting came flickering on. She twitched slightly. She had been hiding in a storage closet so she could think.  Dr. Lee had gone to a meeting with O’Neill. She wondered how much he would get the laid back General about their latest failures.

She slowly went through the list in her head. Fire no. Acetic acid no. Bleach no. Copper no. Sulfate no.  Ammonia no. She had even tried an old alcohol mixture that someone had told her once. Still the vine was taking over. She had suggested cutting the lights in a last effort to at least slow the growth down.

Dr. Lee was hopeful that someone would think of something before it reached any of the main systems?. Dr. Green decided the best course of action was to go tell the kitchen to stop serving salad in hopes it would calm the plant, if it could think. She wouldn’t like it either if it were sentient and people where eating something that looked very similar.

Kelly was unaware of how the plant had already reached a system involving the gate. The officers in the control room frantically worked to get the gate operational again without overloading the system. They only managed to get it halfway working. They now could do everything but dial out.

[RomanSoldier]

Lt. Col. Long walked around the corner. All sorts of boxes were stacked in long crystal hallways. She didn't think that they were doing that fantastic job of helping the Tokra move, but then she really couldn't gauge.  For all she knew they had only needed an extra pair of hands. She looked over to Stone.

"So, how are things going?" She asked. He smiled.  She knew that probably meant that he had found someone to talk explosives with. She smiled back at him. "I take it things are going well." He just nodded.

She continued to wander the halls, not quite sure what to do.  She turned around another corner that seemed just like all the others. There she saw Gen. Carter/Selmak. "Sir," she started. He held up his hand.

"Please, call me Jacob, or Selmak." He explained. She smiled. Old habits died hard.

"I'm still not quite sure what we are supposed to be helping with."

He chuckled. "It's not so much about helping, its more about getting used to gate travel. He smiled and slammed a crystal into the side of one of the walls. The hall started to disappear before their very eyes. He motioned for them to walk down a different hall. "It doesn't really matter much anyway. We are almost done here. Just a few more boxes to move.."

He was interrupted by the ground shaking. A loud crash was heard from the surface. Alexis looked at Jacob. "We need to get out of here, now. Rund up your team and head for the gate." Selmak stated.

[RS Mistress]

Kelly woke with a start. She had fallen asleep working on a simulation using radiation to kill the alien plant. She rubbed her eyes groggily; apparently it was done. She shivered. It was just in time as she had been having a bad dream about the plants in her house taking over. They had just started to grow around her trying to kill her when she had heard the door slam shout.

“Are the test for the gamma radiation done yet?” Dr. Lee asked not even noticing that he had woke her up in his panic to fix all the problems that he had caused rushing the approval of the plant to come back to earth in the first place. 

“Mmmnah.” She said as she shuffled her way off to find coffee. She was starting to miss Danny.

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” Dr. Lee called out after her.

She ignored him until she had her coffee. He stood there waiting impatiently as she prepared it to her taste and slowly took a sip.

“Well! This is time sensitive! You realize that right?!” He almost shouted at her causing a pair of scientist that where passing in the hall to pause and look into the small break room to see what the commotion was. Finding nothing interesting they quickly left.

“Actually…” she said slowly watching him start to shake in agitation. “Its rather fascinating the way it reacts like a wounded animal. It first…”

“But will it kill the dam thing!” she was irrupted.

She blinked. “Well duh.” She deadpanned. “Would I be this calm if I hadn’t found out what would kill it?” She gave a unnoticed giggle as he threw up his hands and ran off to tell Gen. O’Neill the good news. He was fun to tease.

[RomanSoldier]

Alexis ran down the hall.  She ran into Ford, who was helping carry a box to some transport rings. Stone was watching from a nearby tunnel. "Let's pack it up boys! Time to get a move on. Let's go!" She barked.  The ground rumbled and dust fell from the ceiling of the tunnels. She ushered them into transport rings, and stood near the edge of the rings.

"Col. Long, I need to speak with you!" Selmak shouted over the rumblings and shouts.  Alexis stepped out of the rings and the transported her crew to the surface. She ran over to where Selmak was standing.

"What do you need Selmak?" she asked.

"This is the second time in a little over two months that we have been compromised. I would like you to run an investigation. See who the last person out is, if you can."

Alexis nodded.  She knew she was being trusted with something extremely important. "Will do. Just make sure not to close the door on me." She smiled at him.

Selmak took off, gathering some of the other Torka members.  She figured he had already checked them out.  She ran down a long tunnel, checking people, making sure they were getting to safety.  She turned the corned and hit what she figured was a force shield.  She watched as a Tokra, her name she didn't remember, entering commands on a panel.  "Hey! You need to get out of here!" Alexis shouted.

The Tokra looked at her, it's eyes lighting up. "No, Col Long. I think it is you that needs to get out, though by now you must have figured out that it is too late." Alexis backed up, running into another force field. Now she was surrounded by them, and had no where to run.  "I am Athena, goddess of wisdom.  You should know that I will have fun with you as my plaything."

Athena brought her hand up.  Attached to her wrist and fingers was a Goa'uld Ribbon Device.  It began to charge up.  Alexis drew her gun and fired a shot.  She was lucky that in that same moment a shot fired from above caused the force shield to dissipate slightly.  Her shot managed to break through, however it did not hit her intended target.  Athena spread her fingers and a shock wave blast emanated from the device.  It hit behind Alexis.

Alexis ducked, and tried to turn away from the dust that was filling the small area she was trapped in.  She knew that she wouldn't get another chance to fire her gun, but hoped that Athena would make a fatal move.  She watched as Athena walked forward.  Alexis stood tall and proud; she was a marine and she would not show fear. 

"So, you want to challenge me?" Athena asked. Alexis just stood, defiant. Athena just grinned when Alexis stared.

"No, I don't intend to challenge you, he does." Alexis pointed behind Athena.  Standing in the doorway was Stone.  He had a look plastered on his face that meant he was more than up to no good.  Alexis hit the ground and held her head.  The blast that ensued she didn't even bother look at.  Stone had definitely found a new toy to play with.  When the dust settled she stood up.  Stone was still there, grin still plastered on his face.

The shield holding Alexis in dropped and she stepped out.  "Stone how did you? You know I don't want to know. Thanks for coming back for me."

He just nodded.  "We should get to the gate. They are expecting us at the Alpha Site." She knew it would be a story for another day as to how he both reached her and knew where she was, but for now she was just grateful to be alive.  She nodded and walked with her old friend to the ring transport.

Once on the surface of the planet she could see what had been causing all the commotion.  Sitting above the atmosphere was a very large Goa'uld ship.  It's blasts continued to shower down.  Both Stone and her ran toward the gate, jumping through as a blast hit a little to close for comfort.  She could almost smell the sand turning into glass before the iris closed behind her.

"Welcome to the Alpha Site Col. Long. Glad you could make it."  She stood up and smiled.

"Glad I could make it myself.  Almost didn't there. The Tokra?"  she asked.

"Doing well, getting ready to go to another planet. Perhaps you should speak to Selmak about that."

She nodded. "I would like to go home if that's okay, at least for a night."

"Well ma'am that would be alright with me, except that we can't get home right now.  Every time we try to dial Earth, nothing happens.  So I guess you'll either have to sit tight, or help out Selmak like he's requested."

Alexis groaned.  Not only had she been nearly killed by a Goa'uld, she had been shot at too many times to count, and she was stranded. She sighed. 'Well, there's nothing left to do but go see Selmak then,' she thought to herself. "Very well. I guess I still haven't finished helping them move and that was my mission.  Better go see him."

[RS Mistress]

Kelly weaved her way around military and scientific personnel equipped with radiation hazmat equipment. She herself was in her own ugly, orange hazmat outfit. Today was the last day they would be subjected to having to wear them for which she was grateful. It was getting a little hot having to wear it all the time.

She was headed to Dr. Lee’s lab as she had yet to be assigned one of her own. She had been told she would join an SG team as soon as she was cleared by Dr. Fraiser. She knew skipping out early on her last exam would come back to get her.

She turned a corner to see the lovely Dr. standing there. She gave a goofy grin and waved. “Hi. Orange is a good color on you doc.” She said as she turned to go back the way she came. Only to find Teal’c blocking the hallway.

“This time I brought backup.” Janet said from behind her.

She had known it would be a matter of time before the lovely doctor would get her hands on her.

[RomanSoldier]

Alexis walked around looking for Selmak.  She was slightly worried when she didn't find him quickly.  She turned a few more corners, and asked other Tokra where he might be.  She received little to no answers.  She hoped that he hadn't been killed, or worse, left on the planet to die.  She wasn't sure what to do so she went to look for Lucia.  Selmak had introduced them and Lucia was the next leader for the current operation.  She didn't walk too far before she ran into her. "Hey, I can't find Selmak anywhere, and I figured that you were the next one to speak to. So where do you need me to help out?"

Lucia looked up from what she was doing. "Wait, Selmak was with you.  What do you mean you can't find him?"

Alexis shifted her weight.  This was not good.  Had she left Selmak behind?  Had she done what not one of her fellow marines had let happen to her?  She looked at Lucia. "Well, if he was supposed to be with me, then I guess I will formulate a plan and go back for him." Alexis took a deep breath in.  "We never leave a man behind.  I would like a to take a team of three, my choice.  We'll go to the planet, and search what remains.  If we don't find him," she sighed, "I'll take full responsibility."

Lucia nodded. "Are you going to need anyone from my team?" she asked.

"No, I'm going to bring in my team, even if Ford is a bit new, he's got a lot to learn, and from what I hear its a lot of hand on learning here."  Alexis spun around to gather her team.  Standing in her way was Selmak. "Good job Col Long." Jacob spoke.

"Jacob, what?" she paused.

"It was sort of a test. A hazing so to speak." He almost chuckled. "We wanted to see how you handled it all.  I wanted to make sure that you wouldn't leave anyone behind. You don't disappoint. There is a problem however," he looked at her, as if he was waiting for her to answer.

"The gate to earth isn't working." She finished. "Well this does pose a problem. And until we can, I am at your disposal."  He nodded, patting her shoulder.

"We can still use all the help we can get, especially with that latest attack from the Goa'uld.  Keep sharp and we'll let you know when the gate home is open."

[RS Mistress]

Kelly swung her feet back in fort as she leaned back on the infirmary bed. The lovely doc had just finished poking and prodding her to which she had only grumbled a little bit. She was in good health, apparently. Now she was just waiting for the test results to come back.

She stopped the movement when there was another commotion out in the hall. This is one busy place she thought. Janet ran to the door as a body was carried in on a gurney. She couldn’t tell who it was as all that was left were bones. She swallowed hard. This was instance. After the small group moved on to the morgue, she sighed.

Dr. Fraiser walked up a moment later with a clipboard in her hand. “Well,” she said in a serious tone. “Everything looks good, but I’m afraid that there are just a few more things you will have to endure.” She said with a slight smile. “We have some vaccines you need to take. Especially now.”

Kelly sighed, here it came. They payback for running off earlier was going to be extra needles. At least that wasn’t going to be too bad. “Especially now?” she asked as she tilted her head to the side.

Dr. Fraiser looked surprised. “Oh, I thought you knew. General O’Neill wanted you to join a team. They should be arriving back through the gate, now that they have got it working again.” Kelly nodded she had figured that she would be joining a team. She was more than qualified for the job and now that she knew the big secret they wouldn’t worry about her having to pass the security clearance.

Kelly jumped as she was given the first injection. “I did have a personal favor to ask of you, Dr. Green.” Dr. Fraiser said slowly. Kelly raised an eyebrow, wondering what a personal favor from the doctor would involve. “My daughter Cassie has a school assignment involving plants…”

Kelly gave her a smile. “I would be happy to help. Your place or mine?” she said with another face as she was stabbed again by a vaccine needle.

“You could come over for dinner if you want. Its girl’s night. Sam, … Carter will be there. I get the pizza and she brings the beer.”

“So movie?” she asked.

Dr. Fraiser smiled. “Sounds fun, and it will keep Sam from just talking science all night.”

[RomanSoldier]

Alexis was glad to be stepping onto the gate ramp located on Earth. "Ah, home sweet home!" she murmured. Dirt, dust, sun, and sand had taken their toll on her body.  She was burned in places she didn't want to think about, and her eyes were more than irritated. She couldn't wait to hop in the shower.  It would be nice, long, and... she couldn't decide if it should be hot or cold.  Too many days she had spent in the heat of, well she couldn't remember the planets name, and she figured it didn't really matter.

"Welcome home SG:25.  Report to the infirmary."

"Great. Not even time for a shower?"  Heads shook no.  She grudgingly walked the short distance to the elevator.

"Gun ma'am." She looked up at the person who had spoken to her.  He was holding out his hand asking for her gun.

"Oh, right," she replied, almost in a whisper.  She pulled the gun over her head and handed it off.  He cleared the weapon and walked off.  She slid her card along the elevator swipe and waited for the doors to open.

"Hey, you guys made it," Sam Carter spoke as she stepped out.  "How was it? Any complications?"

Alexis laughed. "Well, let me tell you," she began.

"It can wait for the debriefing Col. Good ole Doc Fraiser wants to see first." O'Neill boomed from above them.

"Yes sir."

The elevator ride was short, compared to how long it felt the first time she had ridden it.  She stepped into the infirmary, after having taken too many wrong turns and asking directions from too many people.  Why the hell had Stone and Ford taken off?  Where had they taken off too?  Alexis shrugged off her questions. She would yell at them for it later.

"Col. Long, glad you could join us.  Over here," Janet Fraiser motioned for her to sit on a nearby bed.  "I heard your trip was less than calm."

"If by calm you mean, nearly getting killed by more than one alien, then yes things were less than calm," she sarcastically replied.

"First run in with a Goa'uld ribbon device too I heard. You're very lucky it didn't hit you." Janet brought her pen light up to Alexis' eyes.  Before she had the chance to say anything light blasted into her eyes.

"What the hell?" Alexis shouted, slamming her eyes shut.

Janet frowned.  She had gotten that response from both Stone and Ford. "Its just a standard pen light Col.  Didn't mean to cause you any pain." She jotted a note down on the clipboard. "Seems you have a light sensitivity."

"You think, Major." Col. Long spit out.  It was harsh, probably a little to harsh, but Alexis didn't care.  She was tired.

"I want to run some tests Col.  Just to see something. I'm going to have to ask you to stick around the infirmary for a while.  Do you think you can do that?" Janet asked.  She was slightly taken aback by the tone that Col. Long had used, but she figured it was just due to being tired.  She did have to figure out what cause all of SG:25 to have light sensitivity however.

"Look, I want a hot shower, no a cold shower, a hot meal, and a good night's sleep. So yes I do mind."

"Look Col. we can do this the easy way or the hard way.  Which do you prefer?" Janet's patience was wearing thin.

Alexis sighed.  She knew that tone.  It was the tone that said, 'technically I have medical orders thus my rank is higher than yours so don't push it'.  "Can I at least get some help out of these clothes? And maybe a shower?"

Janet pulled shut the curtain that separated the two of them from the rest of the infirmary. She pulled out some scrubs from a nearby cabinet and set them on the bed next to Alexis.

"Are you in pain? Is that why you need help?" Janet asked.

Alexis really hadn't though about how much she was actually hurting.  Every cell in her body felt like it was on fire.  A tear rolled down her cheek, against her will.  She hadn't even wanted to ask for help getting out of the gear she was wearing, but she wanted to be in more comfortable clothes.  She knew she couldn't really reach behind her to take off her BDU jacket.

"Okay, let's help get you out of these then." Janet went into full doctor mode.  She had never seen a marine succumb to tears, even if it was just one.  Alexis nodded and wiped the tear away from her face.  She was embarrassed, but at least only the doc had seen.  She unbuttoned her jacket and turned around.  Janet grabbed the edges of it, pulling gently at the material.  Alexis' skin was red, and blistered, parts of it tearing off with the jacket. Alexis winced.

Janet paused, and Alexis did the same.  "Katie I need you to bring gauze and cool water!" Janet barked her orders.  "Col. did you eat anything non regulation?  Did you get bit by anything?  I need to know everything that happened."

Alexis pondered.  She had stuck to MRE's, oddly being a fan of them.  She didn't get bit by anything that she could think of.  The only thing she could think that she did differently than the other team members was spend more time on the surface of the Tokra's new homeworld. "No.  The only thing I can think of that I did differently is spend more time on the surface of the new Tokra homeworld."

Katie rushed in with the gauze and water.  "Okay Col. I'm going to need you to sit down.  Katie take my place and I'll slowly try to peel away her skin from her jacket. Col. I'm sorry to say this, but this is going to hurt."

"Please, call me Alexis. Col. just seems too formal."  Alexis managed a weak smile.

"Okay Alexis.  Ready to get started?"

[RS Mistress]

Kelly was relived when she was finally allowed out of the lovely doc’s grips. She rubbed her sore shoulder. She hated getting shots. She sighed as she had spent way to long at the video store. The fact that she had been able to find one still in business was a miracle in and of itself. She now was late.

She speed as she looked at the post it that held Janet’s writing. She squinted trying to decipher the letters of the doctor’s messy writing. She should have paid more attention to the verbal directions, but it was too late now.

She pulled up to the medium sized house in the quiet neighborhood. It wasn’t what she expected. She wasn’t sure what exactly she had expected but somehow this wasn’t it. She was even more surprised as when she reached the door and Samantha Carter answered it. She had only met the woman once and wasn’t sure what her relationship was with the Dr.

“Um, I’m here for girl’s night. Janet invited me.” She blurted out nervously. “I brought a movie.” She held it up as if to offer proof.

“Oh, yeah Janet told me. Your Dr. Green right? Here want a beer?” She offered with a smile. Kelly nodded not really one to drink but it was her favorite kind. “Cassie is off at a friend’s house.” Samantha explained the quiet house. “She has conviently forgotten that Janet said she would help her on her science project.” She smiled.

“So she will have hell to pay later.” Kelly said with a grin her nerves disappearing with the other woman’s easy going attitude.

“Exactly.”

“And call me Kelly.” She said as she took the beer Samantha had fetched from the fridge.

“Sam.” The blond said with a smile.

[RomanSoldier]

Alexis didn't know how much time she had been in the infirmary.  While her back had hurt at first, after a while she went completely numb.  Once Janet and Katie had finished on her back, they moved to the other area's of her body.  Time slowed, then sped up, and finally resumed its normal flow once the two of them stopped.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Janet asked with a smile.

Alexis was laying down.  She hadn't even really heard the question.  Every blink seemed to last longer than the blink before and she was certain that she was falling asleep.

"Alexis, I need you to stay awake for me," Janet urged gently.  She didn't want the marine to fall asleep mostly because it would be harder for her to move the woman, and partially because she wanted to ensure that she was doing okay. "Alexis," Janet urged louder.

Alexis' eyes shot open and she sat up. "Ma'am?" She couldn't quite see clearly who had been talking to her.  All she knew was someone was talking to her.  Her vision took a minute to clear.  "Janet? How long?" She asked.

"Its been about three hours. You passed out, which is both good and bad.  I want to observe you over night, but there isn't much more I can do here. What do you say to coming over to my place? It is supposed to be girl's night anyway."

Alexis looked at her.  She wasn't sure what to say. Part of her thought it was a fantastic idea, part of her wanted to pass out again, and part of her oddly thought the doctor was hitting on her. She tried to shrug her shoulders, but stopped midway as pain spread across them.  Somehow she had forgotten just why she was here. "Sure. I don't mind either way."



Before too long Janet pulled into the drive way of her house.  The drive had been fairly long, only because she was being so careful with her patient in the car.  That and the medication to make Alexis feel better did a number on her stomach.  They had to stop every few minutes for her to step out and throw up.  Much to Alexis' disgust, Janet had been prepared with gloves and small vials.  She scooped some of the vomit up every time, labeled it carefully, and stuck it in a cooler.

Janet opened the garage door and stepped into the kitchen. "Sam, I'm home." She shouted.  She could hear laughing from the living room.  "Alexis, don't be shy come in."

Alexis stood at the entrance to Janet's house. "I will. I just feel a little sick still." While most of the trip she had been throwing up, it had finally subsided and she was beginning to feel better.  So much better that she was starting to be chipper again. A few seconds later she stepped up, and into Janet's house.

Sam greeted her at the doorway to the living room. "So, you never did get to tell me how it went." She smiled at Alexis. "How 'bout we discuss it now? Beer?" Sam offered.

"Oh, god yes." Just as Alexis was reaching for the beer Janet appeared and pulled it out of Sam's hands.

"No. No beer, no coffee, nothing but water.  And right now, you are going up stairs to the bathroom and taking a shower. Second door on the right. I will be right there to help you out." Janet ordered.

Sam raised an eyebrow.  Alexis stared at the doctor then smiled and shook her head a little. "What ever you say doc."

[RS Mistress]

Kelly was off to rejoin Sam in the living room after a quick restoom break when she heard Janet come home. She smiled and started to skip, her long red hair bouncing behind her. As they were supposed to be haveing fun she thought she would let this be one of the few times she didn't have it up.

She jumped in surprise as she turned the corner and almost ran into someone. "Oh sorry," she started to say, then stopped as she looked over the other woman. Military she assumed based on the haircut and posture. She must work with Janet, Kelly thought based on the blue scrubs she was wearing. Maybe another regular atendent to girls night. "Oven baked or deep fried?" Kelly suddenly blurted out at the womans burnt and crispy appearance, a look of honest intrigue on her face, not realizing how rude or random the question was.

[RomanSoldier]

"Neither actually. As my mama used to say, I'm just a little sun kissed. Spent a little too much time out in the sun on the Tok'ra's new home world. Nice deserty place." She smiled at the other woman. It intrigued her that such a question would be asked by someone that was obviously not in the military. How one even got to 'girls night' as Janet affectionately called it was beyond her knowledge. She didn't care to be honest right now she was dead tired and all she wanted was to sleep.

"I hate to bother you, but you seem to know where you're going and since Janet is scolding Sam for something, could you tell me where the restroom is?"

*****

"Sam, she needs twenty-four hour supervision, I can't help it that O'Neill hasn't assigned the personnel I need. Plus you shouldn't be offering beer to just anyone walking through here, what if she were under twenty one? Then what?" Janet scolded.

"Janet," Sam started as she put the beer away, "Lt. Col. Long is far over twenty-one and you know that. And you know that I know. So what is this really about?" She sighed out.

"I'm not quite sure I suppose. Look, I have to help bathe Alexis, please don't get jealous. I can see if a bathing suit fits her if you want?"