Fic: Minor Characters: I'm Out in Space (Stargate SG1)
Title: I'm Out in Space
Fandom: Stargate
Rating: T (language warning, guys. No, seriously.)
Genres: gen
Summary: A glimpse into what SG10 were doing during Season 1 of SGA.
A/N: Okay, so I'm having a little SGA rewatch and when Letters From Pegasus ran, this kind of popped up. It contains massive spoilers for Minor Characters so everyone who wants to avoid these, please back off immediatedly. Everyone else who'd like a glimpse into what SG10's been up to during the first SGA season and doesn't mind spoilers... enjoy :)
I'm Out in Space
"All I had to do was
Pick up the phone
I'm out in space
Trying to talk to someone
Yeah, we're living in
In a modern world."
Electric Light Orchestra, "Calling America"
You know, it's days like today that I really regret letting the Major drag me all the way from Hurlburt to Area 51. There is absolutely jack to do on this base and honestly, I'm starting to consider a reenactment of the fucking Folsom Prison Blues in Reno. I used to be really good at waiting out even weeks of stretches with nothing to do but sit and wait but it's been… months now since we quit the SGC for a transfer to AFSOC at Hurlburt after Laura died and then another transfer to Area 51 when they wouldn't stop badgering us for information on our last posting. The Major didn't take really well to it.
Anyway… it's fucking dull out here and you can mix up chemicals until they make boom only so often before even that becomes boring. I'm pretty sure the Major feels the same way, even though they put him in electronic countermeasures as soon as they could get their hands on him. I know that he's been trying to get into Area 51's networks even since before he knew that there actually was something worth getting in for and they probably figured that it was better to have him on their side. It's always better to have him on your side.
But damn I just wish… "Hey, Dee. You got a minute?"
Huh? Oh right, the Major's standing in the frame of the lab door and just asked me something. I resist clearing my throat and look up from the data sheet that I'd been trying to analyze. "Sure, sir, what is it?"
"Look at your e-mails." What… oh right. Been at least three hours since I had a look at them. I shut the alarm off because I wanted to get some fucking work done and… what does "data burst from Atlantis" mean?
"Uh, sir… is that what I think it is?" I look up at him and he runs a hand over his face.
It takes another minute until he nods, and only now I realize that he looks like he just saw a ghost. Honestly, it could be the bad lighting in the lab but I'm pretty sure he's all pale and everything. And are those dark rings under his eyes? "I wouldn't know. Haven't opened mine yet."
Right. Coward. I click open mine, noting the attachment but concentrating on the text first.
To the recipients of this e-mail,
Today we have received a data burst from Atlantis. It was a super compressed cluster of video messages from the expedition members. We have decrypted and decompressed the data. In the attachment, you will find the video that is intended for you. If you erroneously received a video that is addressed to someone else, please contact us immediately and we will sort it out.
Sincerely,
Walter Harriman, CMSGT, USAF
A… video message? I look at him again and he just shrugs, looking pretty much forlorn. Seeing as we both only know one person in the entire Atlantis expedition, we know exactly who our message is from. I have a look around the lab. Right now I'm alone but the rest is on their lunch break and could be back any time. Well… I do have a lot of overtime logged, anyway. "Sir… how about we take this to my quarters?"
He simply nods, as if he expected me to make that suggestion. I just hope he cleared that with Lieutenant Colonel Jarpeth, his superior officer. Ever since Laura died he became… kind of reckless, or maybe more like disinterested in his superior's good graces. He's had a disobedient streak since I first got to know him but when he disobeyed, it always was for a reason. Not because he just didn't give a fuck about what his superiors think about him. "Don't worry, Sergeant, Jarpeth gave me the rest of the day off. Something about grabbing the sleep I forwent in the last couple weeks or something."
Rrright.
Well. I type a short e-mail to Dr. Mariana, the lab's head and then grab my laptop and coffee cup to make for my quarters. Thankfully, it's lunch break so the barracks aren't as crowded as in the evening and we get to my quarters without people asking us to join any number of community activity you can think up in the middle of the fucking desert. We plunk down on my couch, the laptop on the coffee table in front of us.
So. Here goes nothing, I guess.
"Hey Team," holy fucking crap. Instinctively, I hit pause and the Major and I just wordlessly stare at each other. I mean, I knew what was coming but to see her again after over a year and be greeted as if it's only been a few weeks… that's so weird I don't have any words. And the Major… God, I don't think I wanna go there.
Which is why it surprises me a little that he's so fast with hitting play again. "How are you? Alright, stupid question, you can't answer." Yeah, that sounds like our little Lieutenant, even though she doesn't quite look like her anymore. Just… older, somehow. "Anyway, I just wanted to say that I hope that you're all okay and that the Major hasn't gotten any of you killed." Shit. Shit shit shit. She still doesn't know about Laura. Of course she doesn't know about Laura and even though I'm aware of that there's a moment where I just want to strangle her for being so damn casual about it. The Major… "I'm alright, apart from the impending danger of space vampires bombing this city into…"
Huh, what?
"Hold on a minute, Dr. Weir said…" Seriously, sir? Did you just go into jealousy mode, just because there's a male voice from behind the camera?
Reece, in the video, rolls her eyes. "This goes to my SGC team, Aiden. Security clearance isn't an issue." Okay, so she's on first name basis with the guy behind the camera. Big deal, sir. Still no need to get jealous.
"Yeah, but… don't you want to send anything to your family?" Aiden seems genuinely flabbergasted. So apparently, Aiden doesn't know her well enough to know that essentially, she doesn't have…
"That team is my family." Oh. I… honestly didn't expect that one. And from the look of it, the Major didn't either. So far he hasn't said anything but if I'd had to hazard a guess, I'd say that for some reason, that sentence got him harder than the one about him not having any of us gotten killed yet.
For a moment, Aiden is silent. Then, "Right."
Reece, on her side of the camera, looks a little annoyed now and I'm not sure if it's the MARPAT camos or the lighting or anything but… she looks as if she's much more aware of her rank than she was the SGC. "Can I proceed now?"
"Sure, uh, knock yourself out." At that, she rolls her eyes again.
Then she continues, "Thank you. Anyway… where was I?" I distinctly remember something about, "Oh yeah, the space vampires bent on bombing this city into rubble." Yes, that. Wait, what? "Right now, they're kind of our biggest problem but don't let that faze you." Sure, no, why not. "We've been through worse here, I guess." You guess? "Or maybe we haven't but you all trained me well and the people here really are the best and brightest and it's, as the Major always likes to say, gonna be a piece of cake."
"Did she just say space vampires, Dee?" The Major hit pause and she's frozen in mid movement, imitating the look on the Major's face when he tells you that something's gonna be a piece of cake pretty well. He's staring right at my laptop's screen but I'm not sure what he's seeing there.
I take a deep breath. "Yes, sir, I believe so."
"Why in God's fucking name did she want to go there when there are fucking space vampires?" Right, so apparently, he still hasn't forgiven her for accepting a transfer to the Atlantis Expedition. Jeez, that man really can hold a fucking grudge.
"You know, sir… I don't think anyone knew about the space vampires when they went to Atlantis." Actually, they didn't know anything but I sure as hell hope he's not going to point that out to me.
Thank God, he just gives me one of his looks that say very loud and clearly, "I hope you're aware of the bullshit you just said" and hits the play button again. Right.
"You really think so?" Aiden, behind the camera doesn't seem to be very convinced of the Major's favorite saying. To be honest, there yet has to be an instance when I am convinced of it.
She raises her eyebrow and is it just me or did the Major just discretely hide how that turned him on? "What, you don't?" Then she looks back into the camera and he still seems a little… uncomfortable? "Okay, apparently, Lieutenant Ford here doesn't think so but then again, he's not SGC so there." Apparently, that's a familiar argument between them and sir, there's no need to look so relieved at Aiden turning out to be one of the fresh faced Marines being trained at the SGC for their trip to the Pegasus Galaxy that Reece only had some eyerolling and exasperation left for.
"Anyway, it's been an awesome ride here so far and the team that I'm usually attached to is alright." Mh. Does that mean that she doesn't actually have a regular team there? It is kind of ridiculous how relieved that makes me. "They're not you but they're okay. I learned a shit ton of new languages and I could actually get to pass on some of skills you helped me acquire."
She looks really excited now and I realize that even though she might look older and more mature, this posting seems to have her done a world of good. She sounds so much more self-confident now, too. "I know that the Major won't like to hear it but… the decision to come here was the best one I could have made." Okay, except when she has to directly address issues that were left unfinished between her and the Major. Somehow, it's good to know that some things never change. "Now…"
"You got two more minutes." There's that annoyance at being interrupted again and it starts to figure. She might not be big on the usual blustering and chest beating that Marines like to have going on but she does seem to have internalized that she's more experienced than and senior to Ford, even though they still hold the same rank.
"Thank you Aiden." Yep, just like I thought. "Okay, you heard the man. I'd just like to personally address each of you now." Oh, huh, really? "So… Dee, you're first." I… am? "Thank you for everything you taught me, from explosives to infiltration. I probably wouldn't have been able to survive here without that." I… honestly don't know what to say to that. I look at the Major and he actually slaps me on the shoulder. As if to thank me too for teaching her all of that. Huh.
"And I… you know, I just wondered if you and Laura ever… well, you know what I mean." What? I… what? How did she… I mean… what? "I just want you to be happy so if you haven't… you know, just do it. Whatever makes you happy."
I have to pause the video, swallowing against the big lump that suddenly appeared in my throat. I look at the Major and I'm pretty sure that he's thinking back to that not exactly pleasant encounter at Hurlburt that we had about his behavior after Laura died. I'd wanted him to stop moping around and start being that badass soldier that I knew him to be again and he'd thought I didn't care about Laura being dead and well… let's say we settled it like men.
So, with the biggest amount of stupidity possible, as both Laura and Reece would have said.
I look at him again and he questioningly raises his eyebrow, asking me if I want to continue. The answer is definitely no, feeling as if someone just stabbed me and twisted a knife when Reece told me to act upon my feelings for Laura before it was too late and not even being able to be pissed off at her for that because dammit, she doesn't even know that her best friend has been dead for months now. I hit the play button anyway.
"Laura, if you haven't done so yet, give that man a chance." I'm not sure if she'd have needed that encouragement, to be honest. Two days before she died, we'd kind of somehow maybe agreed to something sort of like a date. And then she'd sacrificed herself on a planet full of goa'uld and stayed behind to cover our retreat and all we found of her when we went back where the charred remains of her uniform and her dog tags. Swallowing is starting to become an issue for me. Does feel more like choking now.
"And do cut the Major some slack sometimes. We both know what an idiot he sometimes can be and he just needs someone to look out for him." I expect him to hit pause and gripe about how she became insubordinate and delusional during her time in Atlantis but all he does is stare right at the monitor, only occasionally blinking. I'm wondering what's hurting him more; hearing her talk as if Laura's still alive or telling us effectively that she worries about him. "You and Dee are probably best qualified to do that so I'm counting on you." And we haven't let you down so far. I just wish though it hadn't taken the ultimate sacrifice to achieve that.
There's a pause now and for a moment I wonder if the video is having issues but then I realize that she became very quiet and that there's something like shame and insecurity in her face. And… pain? "And last but not least… the Major. Sir, I… you're probably still pissed at me and I guess I understand that I have to accept it but just let me say that…" she takes a deep breath and the pain I thought I'd only imagined a moment before is fully visible now and damn, sir, are you about to fucking tear up on me? "For what it's worth, sir, I'm sorry for never giving you the chance to say your piece. I… Well, uh, I just wanted to say…"
The silence after that seems to be excruciating, just like watching her squirm in her chair and looking anywhere but the camera… and watching the Major grip the fabric of his trouser's leg really hard, as he needs to keep himself from reaching out and touch the screen or something. This is really, really bad.
"Make up your mind, Maureen." To be honest, I'm almost thankful to Ford for breaking up the silence and quietly reminding her that she's only got a few seconds of video left.
"Fuck you, Aiden." Funny enough, she seems to be, too, even despite her rather harsh words. But they lacked any real bite and you could see it in her eyes, just for a moment, that he gave her something else to think about than whatever she wanted to but couldn't tell the Major. "All I wanted to say… ah, yeah, uh, Laura!" Huh? "If we ever see each other again, I'll totally kick your ass if the first thing you give me isn't the next Harry Potter book. I'm being serious here." Oh, Maureen.
Oh, Maureen.
Strangely, the Major seems to be thinking the same, shaking his head, his grip relaxing a little and actually snorting under his breath at Ford saying a little incredulously, "Really? Harry Potter?"
There's indignation in her face now, the same that she always showed when Laura was making fun of her interest in a children's book series. "I take my obsessions very serious, Lieutenant Ford." Then she gets serious again, looking back directly into the camera. "Anyway… goodbye, guys. I hope to see you again soon but if… if I don't… it's been an honor serving with you and serving here and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I'd never have gotten as far as here without you. Thank you and… farewell, guys. I'll see you on the other side!"
"Aaand… we're out." With that, the video ends, leaving behind only static for a second or two and then silence. There's the slight humming of the laptop and the whirring of the air condition but other than that… God.
Then, after another minute or so, the Major blinks and looks at me. "She was being serious about the space vampires hell bent on destroying the city, wasn't she?"
Oh for the love of… well. I clear my throat. "Yes, sir, I believe she was."
He blinks again. "She's… she's gonna be all alone over there, fighting space vampires." No, she's not, sir. She'll be with her Atlantis team and the rest of the expedition members. She'll be fine.
I decide to remind him of that, knowing it's probably futile, anyway. "No, sir. Not alone."
"She's got no team, Sergeant." Yes, she does. Didn't you listen? "She doesn't have us." Well. No. She doesn't. And she doesn't… she doesn't have you. That's what you can't say out loud, isn't it?
I'm almost tempted to say something to that effect but then the Major's Blackberry makes itself known and after a moment's hesitation, he takes it out, looking strangely like Reece in his annoyance and only now I realize why that look on her face struck me so odd. Good God.
He takes a moment before looking up, still frowning. Instead of speaking, he just holds the thing out to me and a little weirded out I take it. There's an e-mail on the display, sender being a certain e.lorne@sgc.usaf.mil. I frown. Now what… holy shit.
Hey idiot,
They're putting together a strike force to reinforce the Atlantis Expedition and you and your sergeant are gonna be a part of it, no buts allowed. I put in your names as suggestion to Landry and O'Neill and don't you dare saying no. If you do, I'll personally have them beam me down to Nevada to kick your asses back to Colorado. Trust me, you don't want that to happen, so get ready for your marching orders. They should arrive tonight or tomorrow morning so I suggest you start packing. It's gonna be a long ride and I personally do not want to spend all that time with you two bored out of your wits on a space ship. I'll see you as soon as you get on the Daedalus.
One more kick in the ass,
Evan
PS.: I was being serious about coming down to Nevada. Don't test me.
Whoa. That. Whoa. "He's really serious about this, isn't he, sir?"
The Major just rolls his eyes, slowly being back to his usual obnoxious self and boy, am I relieved to see that. "No kidding." So, what are we gonna do now? "Okay, you start packing and I…" Yes, sir? "I need to go to Rachel. I need to organize a couple things." Organize a couple things, mhm. Of course.
"Sir, you might want to wait until later tonight." He's looking at me like he has no idea what I'm talking about and I'm almost sure he doesn't. I can't help and grin a little. "Half-Blood Prince won't be sold until after midnight tonight." Because I'm pretty sure that's what he'd wanted to "organize".
Aaand, "Right. Uh. Anyway… get packing. I'm gonna see where those marching orders are."
And with that, he's gone like a bat out of hell, probably to harass the next best personnel officer into making those orders appear out of thing air and well… I'm not sure who to be more grateful to. Reece, Lorne or the space vampires. It's not really important anyway because thank God at least the Major is back in all his glory. You have no idea for how long I've had to wait for that.
So, well, anyway… I guess it's off to Pegasus now. I just wish I could tell Laura about that. I wish I could take her with us but as it is, I'll at least finally be able to get the things she left for Reece to their rightful owner. It's the least I can do, for the both of them. And myself. At least that.
Fandom: Stargate
Rating: T (language warning, guys. No, seriously.)
Genres: gen
Summary: A glimpse into what SG10 were doing during Season 1 of SGA.
A/N: Okay, so I'm having a little SGA rewatch and when Letters From Pegasus ran, this kind of popped up. It contains massive spoilers for Minor Characters so everyone who wants to avoid these, please back off immediatedly. Everyone else who'd like a glimpse into what SG10's been up to during the first SGA season and doesn't mind spoilers... enjoy :)
I'm Out in Space
"All I had to do was
Pick up the phone
I'm out in space
Trying to talk to someone
Yeah, we're living in
In a modern world."
Electric Light Orchestra, "Calling America"
You know, it's days like today that I really regret letting the Major drag me all the way from Hurlburt to Area 51. There is absolutely jack to do on this base and honestly, I'm starting to consider a reenactment of the fucking Folsom Prison Blues in Reno. I used to be really good at waiting out even weeks of stretches with nothing to do but sit and wait but it's been… months now since we quit the SGC for a transfer to AFSOC at Hurlburt after Laura died and then another transfer to Area 51 when they wouldn't stop badgering us for information on our last posting. The Major didn't take really well to it.
Anyway… it's fucking dull out here and you can mix up chemicals until they make boom only so often before even that becomes boring. I'm pretty sure the Major feels the same way, even though they put him in electronic countermeasures as soon as they could get their hands on him. I know that he's been trying to get into Area 51's networks even since before he knew that there actually was something worth getting in for and they probably figured that it was better to have him on their side. It's always better to have him on your side.
But damn I just wish… "Hey, Dee. You got a minute?"
Huh? Oh right, the Major's standing in the frame of the lab door and just asked me something. I resist clearing my throat and look up from the data sheet that I'd been trying to analyze. "Sure, sir, what is it?"
"Look at your e-mails." What… oh right. Been at least three hours since I had a look at them. I shut the alarm off because I wanted to get some fucking work done and… what does "data burst from Atlantis" mean?
"Uh, sir… is that what I think it is?" I look up at him and he runs a hand over his face.
It takes another minute until he nods, and only now I realize that he looks like he just saw a ghost. Honestly, it could be the bad lighting in the lab but I'm pretty sure he's all pale and everything. And are those dark rings under his eyes? "I wouldn't know. Haven't opened mine yet."
Right. Coward. I click open mine, noting the attachment but concentrating on the text first.
To the recipients of this e-mail,
Today we have received a data burst from Atlantis. It was a super compressed cluster of video messages from the expedition members. We have decrypted and decompressed the data. In the attachment, you will find the video that is intended for you. If you erroneously received a video that is addressed to someone else, please contact us immediately and we will sort it out.
Sincerely,
Walter Harriman, CMSGT, USAF
A… video message? I look at him again and he just shrugs, looking pretty much forlorn. Seeing as we both only know one person in the entire Atlantis expedition, we know exactly who our message is from. I have a look around the lab. Right now I'm alone but the rest is on their lunch break and could be back any time. Well… I do have a lot of overtime logged, anyway. "Sir… how about we take this to my quarters?"
He simply nods, as if he expected me to make that suggestion. I just hope he cleared that with Lieutenant Colonel Jarpeth, his superior officer. Ever since Laura died he became… kind of reckless, or maybe more like disinterested in his superior's good graces. He's had a disobedient streak since I first got to know him but when he disobeyed, it always was for a reason. Not because he just didn't give a fuck about what his superiors think about him. "Don't worry, Sergeant, Jarpeth gave me the rest of the day off. Something about grabbing the sleep I forwent in the last couple weeks or something."
Rrright.
Well. I type a short e-mail to Dr. Mariana, the lab's head and then grab my laptop and coffee cup to make for my quarters. Thankfully, it's lunch break so the barracks aren't as crowded as in the evening and we get to my quarters without people asking us to join any number of community activity you can think up in the middle of the fucking desert. We plunk down on my couch, the laptop on the coffee table in front of us.
So. Here goes nothing, I guess.
"Hey Team," holy fucking crap. Instinctively, I hit pause and the Major and I just wordlessly stare at each other. I mean, I knew what was coming but to see her again after over a year and be greeted as if it's only been a few weeks… that's so weird I don't have any words. And the Major… God, I don't think I wanna go there.
Which is why it surprises me a little that he's so fast with hitting play again. "How are you? Alright, stupid question, you can't answer." Yeah, that sounds like our little Lieutenant, even though she doesn't quite look like her anymore. Just… older, somehow. "Anyway, I just wanted to say that I hope that you're all okay and that the Major hasn't gotten any of you killed." Shit. Shit shit shit. She still doesn't know about Laura. Of course she doesn't know about Laura and even though I'm aware of that there's a moment where I just want to strangle her for being so damn casual about it. The Major… "I'm alright, apart from the impending danger of space vampires bombing this city into…"
Huh, what?
"Hold on a minute, Dr. Weir said…" Seriously, sir? Did you just go into jealousy mode, just because there's a male voice from behind the camera?
Reece, in the video, rolls her eyes. "This goes to my SGC team, Aiden. Security clearance isn't an issue." Okay, so she's on first name basis with the guy behind the camera. Big deal, sir. Still no need to get jealous.
"Yeah, but… don't you want to send anything to your family?" Aiden seems genuinely flabbergasted. So apparently, Aiden doesn't know her well enough to know that essentially, she doesn't have…
"That team is my family." Oh. I… honestly didn't expect that one. And from the look of it, the Major didn't either. So far he hasn't said anything but if I'd had to hazard a guess, I'd say that for some reason, that sentence got him harder than the one about him not having any of us gotten killed yet.
For a moment, Aiden is silent. Then, "Right."
Reece, on her side of the camera, looks a little annoyed now and I'm not sure if it's the MARPAT camos or the lighting or anything but… she looks as if she's much more aware of her rank than she was the SGC. "Can I proceed now?"
"Sure, uh, knock yourself out." At that, she rolls her eyes again.
Then she continues, "Thank you. Anyway… where was I?" I distinctly remember something about, "Oh yeah, the space vampires bent on bombing this city into rubble." Yes, that. Wait, what? "Right now, they're kind of our biggest problem but don't let that faze you." Sure, no, why not. "We've been through worse here, I guess." You guess? "Or maybe we haven't but you all trained me well and the people here really are the best and brightest and it's, as the Major always likes to say, gonna be a piece of cake."
"Did she just say space vampires, Dee?" The Major hit pause and she's frozen in mid movement, imitating the look on the Major's face when he tells you that something's gonna be a piece of cake pretty well. He's staring right at my laptop's screen but I'm not sure what he's seeing there.
I take a deep breath. "Yes, sir, I believe so."
"Why in God's fucking name did she want to go there when there are fucking space vampires?" Right, so apparently, he still hasn't forgiven her for accepting a transfer to the Atlantis Expedition. Jeez, that man really can hold a fucking grudge.
"You know, sir… I don't think anyone knew about the space vampires when they went to Atlantis." Actually, they didn't know anything but I sure as hell hope he's not going to point that out to me.
Thank God, he just gives me one of his looks that say very loud and clearly, "I hope you're aware of the bullshit you just said" and hits the play button again. Right.
"You really think so?" Aiden, behind the camera doesn't seem to be very convinced of the Major's favorite saying. To be honest, there yet has to be an instance when I am convinced of it.
She raises her eyebrow and is it just me or did the Major just discretely hide how that turned him on? "What, you don't?" Then she looks back into the camera and he still seems a little… uncomfortable? "Okay, apparently, Lieutenant Ford here doesn't think so but then again, he's not SGC so there." Apparently, that's a familiar argument between them and sir, there's no need to look so relieved at Aiden turning out to be one of the fresh faced Marines being trained at the SGC for their trip to the Pegasus Galaxy that Reece only had some eyerolling and exasperation left for.
"Anyway, it's been an awesome ride here so far and the team that I'm usually attached to is alright." Mh. Does that mean that she doesn't actually have a regular team there? It is kind of ridiculous how relieved that makes me. "They're not you but they're okay. I learned a shit ton of new languages and I could actually get to pass on some of skills you helped me acquire."
She looks really excited now and I realize that even though she might look older and more mature, this posting seems to have her done a world of good. She sounds so much more self-confident now, too. "I know that the Major won't like to hear it but… the decision to come here was the best one I could have made." Okay, except when she has to directly address issues that were left unfinished between her and the Major. Somehow, it's good to know that some things never change. "Now…"
"You got two more minutes." There's that annoyance at being interrupted again and it starts to figure. She might not be big on the usual blustering and chest beating that Marines like to have going on but she does seem to have internalized that she's more experienced than and senior to Ford, even though they still hold the same rank.
"Thank you Aiden." Yep, just like I thought. "Okay, you heard the man. I'd just like to personally address each of you now." Oh, huh, really? "So… Dee, you're first." I… am? "Thank you for everything you taught me, from explosives to infiltration. I probably wouldn't have been able to survive here without that." I… honestly don't know what to say to that. I look at the Major and he actually slaps me on the shoulder. As if to thank me too for teaching her all of that. Huh.
"And I… you know, I just wondered if you and Laura ever… well, you know what I mean." What? I… what? How did she… I mean… what? "I just want you to be happy so if you haven't… you know, just do it. Whatever makes you happy."
I have to pause the video, swallowing against the big lump that suddenly appeared in my throat. I look at the Major and I'm pretty sure that he's thinking back to that not exactly pleasant encounter at Hurlburt that we had about his behavior after Laura died. I'd wanted him to stop moping around and start being that badass soldier that I knew him to be again and he'd thought I didn't care about Laura being dead and well… let's say we settled it like men.
So, with the biggest amount of stupidity possible, as both Laura and Reece would have said.
I look at him again and he questioningly raises his eyebrow, asking me if I want to continue. The answer is definitely no, feeling as if someone just stabbed me and twisted a knife when Reece told me to act upon my feelings for Laura before it was too late and not even being able to be pissed off at her for that because dammit, she doesn't even know that her best friend has been dead for months now. I hit the play button anyway.
"Laura, if you haven't done so yet, give that man a chance." I'm not sure if she'd have needed that encouragement, to be honest. Two days before she died, we'd kind of somehow maybe agreed to something sort of like a date. And then she'd sacrificed herself on a planet full of goa'uld and stayed behind to cover our retreat and all we found of her when we went back where the charred remains of her uniform and her dog tags. Swallowing is starting to become an issue for me. Does feel more like choking now.
"And do cut the Major some slack sometimes. We both know what an idiot he sometimes can be and he just needs someone to look out for him." I expect him to hit pause and gripe about how she became insubordinate and delusional during her time in Atlantis but all he does is stare right at the monitor, only occasionally blinking. I'm wondering what's hurting him more; hearing her talk as if Laura's still alive or telling us effectively that she worries about him. "You and Dee are probably best qualified to do that so I'm counting on you." And we haven't let you down so far. I just wish though it hadn't taken the ultimate sacrifice to achieve that.
There's a pause now and for a moment I wonder if the video is having issues but then I realize that she became very quiet and that there's something like shame and insecurity in her face. And… pain? "And last but not least… the Major. Sir, I… you're probably still pissed at me and I guess I understand that I have to accept it but just let me say that…" she takes a deep breath and the pain I thought I'd only imagined a moment before is fully visible now and damn, sir, are you about to fucking tear up on me? "For what it's worth, sir, I'm sorry for never giving you the chance to say your piece. I… Well, uh, I just wanted to say…"
The silence after that seems to be excruciating, just like watching her squirm in her chair and looking anywhere but the camera… and watching the Major grip the fabric of his trouser's leg really hard, as he needs to keep himself from reaching out and touch the screen or something. This is really, really bad.
"Make up your mind, Maureen." To be honest, I'm almost thankful to Ford for breaking up the silence and quietly reminding her that she's only got a few seconds of video left.
"Fuck you, Aiden." Funny enough, she seems to be, too, even despite her rather harsh words. But they lacked any real bite and you could see it in her eyes, just for a moment, that he gave her something else to think about than whatever she wanted to but couldn't tell the Major. "All I wanted to say… ah, yeah, uh, Laura!" Huh? "If we ever see each other again, I'll totally kick your ass if the first thing you give me isn't the next Harry Potter book. I'm being serious here." Oh, Maureen.
Oh, Maureen.
Strangely, the Major seems to be thinking the same, shaking his head, his grip relaxing a little and actually snorting under his breath at Ford saying a little incredulously, "Really? Harry Potter?"
There's indignation in her face now, the same that she always showed when Laura was making fun of her interest in a children's book series. "I take my obsessions very serious, Lieutenant Ford." Then she gets serious again, looking back directly into the camera. "Anyway… goodbye, guys. I hope to see you again soon but if… if I don't… it's been an honor serving with you and serving here and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I'd never have gotten as far as here without you. Thank you and… farewell, guys. I'll see you on the other side!"
"Aaand… we're out." With that, the video ends, leaving behind only static for a second or two and then silence. There's the slight humming of the laptop and the whirring of the air condition but other than that… God.
Then, after another minute or so, the Major blinks and looks at me. "She was being serious about the space vampires hell bent on destroying the city, wasn't she?"
Oh for the love of… well. I clear my throat. "Yes, sir, I believe she was."
He blinks again. "She's… she's gonna be all alone over there, fighting space vampires." No, she's not, sir. She'll be with her Atlantis team and the rest of the expedition members. She'll be fine.
I decide to remind him of that, knowing it's probably futile, anyway. "No, sir. Not alone."
"She's got no team, Sergeant." Yes, she does. Didn't you listen? "She doesn't have us." Well. No. She doesn't. And she doesn't… she doesn't have you. That's what you can't say out loud, isn't it?
I'm almost tempted to say something to that effect but then the Major's Blackberry makes itself known and after a moment's hesitation, he takes it out, looking strangely like Reece in his annoyance and only now I realize why that look on her face struck me so odd. Good God.
He takes a moment before looking up, still frowning. Instead of speaking, he just holds the thing out to me and a little weirded out I take it. There's an e-mail on the display, sender being a certain e.lorne@sgc.usaf.mil. I frown. Now what… holy shit.
Hey idiot,
They're putting together a strike force to reinforce the Atlantis Expedition and you and your sergeant are gonna be a part of it, no buts allowed. I put in your names as suggestion to Landry and O'Neill and don't you dare saying no. If you do, I'll personally have them beam me down to Nevada to kick your asses back to Colorado. Trust me, you don't want that to happen, so get ready for your marching orders. They should arrive tonight or tomorrow morning so I suggest you start packing. It's gonna be a long ride and I personally do not want to spend all that time with you two bored out of your wits on a space ship. I'll see you as soon as you get on the Daedalus.
One more kick in the ass,
Evan
PS.: I was being serious about coming down to Nevada. Don't test me.
Whoa. That. Whoa. "He's really serious about this, isn't he, sir?"
The Major just rolls his eyes, slowly being back to his usual obnoxious self and boy, am I relieved to see that. "No kidding." So, what are we gonna do now? "Okay, you start packing and I…" Yes, sir? "I need to go to Rachel. I need to organize a couple things." Organize a couple things, mhm. Of course.
"Sir, you might want to wait until later tonight." He's looking at me like he has no idea what I'm talking about and I'm almost sure he doesn't. I can't help and grin a little. "Half-Blood Prince won't be sold until after midnight tonight." Because I'm pretty sure that's what he'd wanted to "organize".
Aaand, "Right. Uh. Anyway… get packing. I'm gonna see where those marching orders are."
And with that, he's gone like a bat out of hell, probably to harass the next best personnel officer into making those orders appear out of thing air and well… I'm not sure who to be more grateful to. Reece, Lorne or the space vampires. It's not really important anyway because thank God at least the Major is back in all his glory. You have no idea for how long I've had to wait for that.
So, well, anyway… I guess it's off to Pegasus now. I just wish I could tell Laura about that. I wish I could take her with us but as it is, I'll at least finally be able to get the things she left for Reece to their rightful owner. It's the least I can do, for the both of them. And myself. At least that.