#3) To say she was nervous was putting it mildly. Dr. Jennifer Keller checked and rechecked her pack and adjusted the straps to her tac-vest. She was one of four civilians standing in a concrete room in a secret underground bunker getting ready to walk through the Stargate to the "alpha site". Oh, and by the way, the "alpha" site was on another planet. She still had a hard time believing it was all real.
She was to meet with Dr. Simon Talbot who was one of the leading specialists in genetic research in the program. It was really more of a courtesy meeting. She suspected that the real purpose was to get the civilian newbies acclimated to gate travel.
The military unit assigned to accompany them stood around looking bored with the entire assignment, even as the dialing sequence started. Jennifer jumped slightly at the movement and adjusted her straps again. One of them had noticed her nervousness and whispered something to his buddy. They both smirked and seemed to be having a good laugh at her expense.
"Is something funny?" she snapped at them.
"No, ma'am" they answered quickly and practically stood at attention for being caught.
"Then perhaps I have some of this equipment on wrong?" She looked down at her tac-vest and began tugging at straps again.
"No, ma'am. You're wearing it right."
"Then what is so funny?"
"You just seem a bit nervous."
"Of course I'm nervous. Do you have any idea what happens to a body while going through one of those things." She jabbed a finger towards the Stargate just as the last chevron engaged and it whooshed out to greet her. She sighed and marched up the ramp.
"I guess ignorance really is bliss." she remarked as she continued to march through the wormhole to the alpha site without even pausing.
********
#4) "Be a dear and pass me that debridement kit, would you sweetie?" Dr. Carson Beckett gestured to a shelving unit containing miscellaneous medical supplies.
Dear? Sweetie?
Seeing no nurse nearby, Dr. Jennifer Keller picked up one of the kits and quickly delivered it to the bedside of man who appeared to be in his twenties and suffered some sort of injury. Quickly evaluating the wound as Dr. Beckett removed the bandage, Jennifer thought that the burn on his side would probably need only one more debridement to remove dead tissue before the healthy tissue began to regenerate and heal.
Patients come first. Annoying misogynistic bosses come after. She was careful to be efficient and gentle with the patient, despite her anger at being called "dear" and "sweetie" by her new boss. She assisted with the minor procedure and helped clean up the area, discarding the used bandages and other materials.
Dr. Beckett smiled at her. "I know you didn't expect to be put to work doing something so trivial when you arrived. But I must say, your timing was most excellent, dear. "
Dr. Beckett's warm personality quickly won her over, but she never forgot her initial anger when she thought he was being condescending. She never told anyone she'd been angry. After his death, her private anger made her feel guilty and made her miss him all that much more.
She was to meet with Dr. Simon Talbot who was one of the leading specialists in genetic research in the program. It was really more of a courtesy meeting. She suspected that the real purpose was to get the civilian newbies acclimated to gate travel.
The military unit assigned to accompany them stood around looking bored with the entire assignment, even as the dialing sequence started. Jennifer jumped slightly at the movement and adjusted her straps again. One of them had noticed her nervousness and whispered something to his buddy. They both smirked and seemed to be having a good laugh at her expense.
"Is something funny?" she snapped at them.
"No, ma'am" they answered quickly and practically stood at attention for being caught.
"Then perhaps I have some of this equipment on wrong?" She looked down at her tac-vest and began tugging at straps again.
"No, ma'am. You're wearing it right."
"Then what is so funny?"
"You just seem a bit nervous."
"Of course I'm nervous. Do you have any idea what happens to a body while going through one of those things." She jabbed a finger towards the Stargate just as the last chevron engaged and it whooshed out to greet her. She sighed and marched up the ramp.
"I guess ignorance really is bliss." she remarked as she continued to march through the wormhole to the alpha site without even pausing.
********
#4) "Be a dear and pass me that debridement kit, would you sweetie?" Dr. Carson Beckett gestured to a shelving unit containing miscellaneous medical supplies.
Dear? Sweetie?
Seeing no nurse nearby, Dr. Jennifer Keller picked up one of the kits and quickly delivered it to the bedside of man who appeared to be in his twenties and suffered some sort of injury. Quickly evaluating the wound as Dr. Beckett removed the bandage, Jennifer thought that the burn on his side would probably need only one more debridement to remove dead tissue before the healthy tissue began to regenerate and heal.
Patients come first. Annoying misogynistic bosses come after. She was careful to be efficient and gentle with the patient, despite her anger at being called "dear" and "sweetie" by her new boss. She assisted with the minor procedure and helped clean up the area, discarding the used bandages and other materials.
Dr. Beckett smiled at her. "I know you didn't expect to be put to work doing something so trivial when you arrived. But I must say, your timing was most excellent, dear. "
Dr. Beckett's warm personality quickly won her over, but she never forgot her initial anger when she thought he was being condescending. She never told anyone she'd been angry. After his death, her private anger made her feel guilty and made her miss him all that much more.
********
to be continued in next comment...
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