The Ghost of Stargate Command
"General O'Neill," a man called. Jack turned around and nodded to the man. "The newest team members are here."
"Which one?" O'Neill asked. Everything was beginning to run together in his mind.
"The diplomacy team the president ordered," the man replied. O'Neill nodded and walked into his office. A woman sat in the chair in front of his desk.
"This is the team?" Jack asked, seeing only one.
"Yes, Sir," the man replied. "This is only a trial, Sir."
"Okay, you may go," O'Neill whispered to him. The man closed the door as Jack sat down. "So, who are you?"
"My name is Christina Trammel," she replied. O'Neill nodded.
"No…life stories or anything like that?" O'Neill asked. Usually new people talk his ear off, but this woman was silent.
"Nothing worth speaking of, Sir. I have no family remaining to talk about, Sir. I am here because of them. They wanted me to work with the government that paid for much of their treatment," she whispered.
"I'm sorry to hear that. Well, the Stargate is top-secret, classified, et cetera. You may stay on the base while you are on duty, but otherwise you should go home, but keep where we can contact you. Um…SG-1 will leave for a planet with some old friends of ours in…one hour. Do you mind going on duty so soon?"
"No sir," she smiled. "I would love to go. What do I need to do?"
"Follow me," O'Neill smiled. He led her to the briefing room where SG-1 was carrying out the briefing without him. "Hello everyone."
"Hey, Jack!" Daniel smiled. "Who's that?"
"Our government-provided diplomat. Let her meet the Tok'ra and…try not to get her killed on her first mission. I'm going to show her around then drop off with you at the gate room."
"I can show her the locker room," Sam offered. Jack shook his head.
"You know I love having a reason to go in there. Your bathroom stalls are more spacious than any of ours. By the way, check the seats when you go in there," Jack grinned. Daniel shook his head to keep from laughing as Jack and Christina walked away.
"How long have you been here?" Christina asked.
"A long time," Jack smiled. "I was on SG-1 before I was promoted, and we've been together…ten years? Either way, it's a long time."
"I had to quit my career for my family. I ran a book store in a small town, and I loved every moment, but they needed care that I couldn't afford, so I had to rent out the business to people who destroyed it completely and literally. No income meant no luxury for me, and now…here I am. I do not mind this place, but…it's not my dream. My dreams are gone."
"I'm sorry," Jack whispered. "I know what it means to have your dreams crushed by inevitable life events."
"It sucks, if you don't mind me saying, Sir," Christina whispered. Jack smirked.
"I make being laidback a part of my work as well as my personality," Jack smiled. "You'll like it here, and the adventures you face will help you forget your grief, I promise."
"Alright, Sir," she sighed. "I was hoping I'd get someone like you as my superior. I've always enjoyed working for father-figures. Those were my best days, working in the bookstore before it was mine. The old man who owned it cooked some of the best dinners I ever tasted in my life. I'd have to lie to my parents about my dinner plans most of the time because I would eat with him. His wife died long before he did, and he had to take up cooking for himself based on the recipes she left. I wish he had given those to me, but the business was enough."
"Well, you can't have your cake and eat it too," Jack whispered. "By the way, this is the cafeteria. You don't want their cake because you can't stomach it, I guarantee. That's all for in there."
"Where are the medical facilities? I read that they would have to examine me," Christina questioned. Jack nodded and made a u-turn. They were soon in the infirmary, and Christina was receiving her physical while Jack waited. Once she was finished, they sat together to wait for her results.
"How do you think you did?" Jack asked.
"Who knows?" she whispered. "Who is that standing over there, by the last table?"
"I don't see anyone," Jack said sadly. He liked Christina, but this proved that she might fail the psychological part of the examination.
"She has shoulder-length hair and is in a medical uniform. How can you tell me she's not there?" Christina asked sternly. Jack looked around quietly, but no one had heard her sudden outburst.
"Ma'am, I would not lie to you. There is no one there. At all, no one," Jack said as quietly as possible. Christina stood and walked to the "woman".
"She's right here! I see her! How come you can't?" Christina asked loudly. The entire infirmary was at a standstill, but Jack still had no idea what she was seeing. Another nurse was forced to tranquilize Christina and put her on a gurney. Jack then had to tell SG-1 the bad news: their new diplomat may be insane and would not be making her first trip with them, if she ever made a trip.
"Good morning, Christina. I'm a psychiatrist. I would like to talk to you about who you saw yesterday. Was it a man or a woman?"
"A woman," Christina whispered. The doctor nodded.
"This is an album of pictures. Inside are the members of Stargate Command that have passed away in while in this program, and also others who passed away before. Please look through them while I speak with Jack O'Neill."
Christina began flipping through the pages while the psychiatrist spoke with Jack.
"It's highly unlikely she'll find anyone. Maybe she is crazy, I don't know. I'm not allowed to ask her certain questions, badger her mind if I may put it into those words."
"I'll sit with her while she looks," Jack whispered. The psychiatrist nodded and left the hallway. Jack entered Christina's room and sat beside her. "Have you found anyone yet?"
"A few look-alikes, but none that were her."
"Are there names listed?"
"That's how they're organized. I didn't see the woman's name badge, but…that's her! That was who I saw!" Christina exclaimed, pointing to a picture of a brunette. Jack O'Neill nearly dropped the album.
"I'll be back," he whispered, but he left with the album and boarded a plane back to Colorado, back to Stargate Command where the ghost of Janet Frasier still roamed.
"Christina?" a man asked. She nodded in response to her name. "I'm here on behalf of Jack O'Neill. I'm Daniel Jackson, or do you remember?"
"I'm not insane," she replied harshly. "We were never formally introduced, but he spoke of you a little. Why are you here on behalf of Jack?"
"It's about the incident that got you here. You see, he recently saw her too. All of us have seen her, but…we're used to not saying anything, being secretive and such. You were new, and now…he wanted me to personally invite you back to Stargate Command. He thinks you're one of the best diplomats to come through, and he's willing to sign off that the event never occurred."
"But what about this? You have people in here talking to me like I'm incompetent. Daniel, this has damaged me. I'll have to see what I feel like tomorrow because…this is ridiculous. I've been taken even further away from my destination from military bull shit. I may just use this to get the hell away from here and live a carefree life."
"Christina, don't do that," Daniel whispered. "Listen, you're the first one to see her full-body, like she was there. We could pay you to be a clairvoyant, try to cross her over, or just learn about why she's still here. Are you willing to do that at least?"
"Why is General Jack O'Neill so worried with me? He's leading a branch of the military that no one else wants to lead. He has more problems than he'll ever let anyone know, yet he's concerned with how I'm doing and what I'm doing? Maybe he should be the one here in the crazy house, not me," Christina spat.
"Okay," Daniel sighed. "I didn't want to tell you this, since Jack and I are friends and talk about things like this all the time, but…you aren't to tell anyone."
"Who am I going to tell, my imaginary friends?"
"Okay…Jack has a crush on you, and he has since he first read your personal profile and saw your picture. There, I said it," Daniel sighed. Christina laughed heartily.
"What the hell would he want with me? I have nothing to offer, I haven't been with a man in at least ten years. I'm the worst possible choice. Can't he have a crush on some other insane woman?"
"Well, he chose you. He wants you to be around in case he does decide to make a move. Now, could you help him out? He's had the worst luck with everything since his son died, and I would love to see him at least have one month of pleasure before he's promoted any further."
"Why me?" Christina asked, enunciating the words.
"I don't know. Listen, could you just consider what we're offering? I mean, if you take the original offer, then you're looking at the most amazing experiences you'll ever have. If you don't go, you could miss out a wonderful opportunity, here on Earth and off-world. We've encountered civilizations and races and everything in between just because we gave something crazy a chance. I've been working with the Stargate throughout my entire career. It worked out perfect for me, and I think the same could happen for you. Please, just try it out. He's willing to write everything off your record like this never happened."
"As I said, I'll consider it," Christina said quietly. "You have to remember, Daniel, I'm the one being doubted here, not your program. Could you leave me be now? Return during the last few minutes of visiting hours. I might have a decision by then."
"I hope so, because if you don't, the opportunity is gone. Another investigator is being called onto the case, but letting me know today could get Jack to interfere with the investigation. If you don't want the job after you get back to Stargate Command, we'll see what we can do. I'll call Jack for you, but this whole thing is up to you. If you say no, you might even make Jack retire himself."
"Fine, I'll do it!" Christina exclaimed. Hearing Daniel talk was killing her. "But, the contract can be terminated at any time and the crazy thing could be brought up again."
"Fine, fine," Daniel smiled. "This means a lot to the entire organization. I'll get your papers signed and we can be on the plane back at midnight."
"Whatever, just…see if I can get a prescription for those sleeping pills. Being that far underground makes me nervous."
"I'll see what I can do," Daniel smiled, and he did. At midnight, both were aboard a small plane going to Colorado, and Christina was perfectly content because her sleeping pills left her in a thick fog.
"Welcome back, Christina," Jack smiled. "We've been expecting you, and we have the proper precautions in place. You will always receive your medical exams by our latest doctor and you will be the only one in the infirmary, unless someone is in a coma or something. That way, you and Janet can talk. By the way, Carter wishes to accompany you during your examination. She misses Janet terribly, and she was hoping you could help?"
"I'll try. Thanks for welcoming me back, Sir," Christina smiled.
"It's the least I can do," Jack replied. Christina was then greeted by Sam and the two went to the empty infirmary. The latest doctor took her to the very back after locking the door. Dr. Frasier appeared immediately.
"You're back. I thought they got rid of you," Janet smiled.
"Well, there were some problems, but I'm here. Sam wants to talk to you. Do you have anything you want to say?" Christina asked.
"How's Cassandra?" Janet asked immediately. "I can't leave this darned base to see her, and she's only here with Jack every now and then."
Christina relayed the question to Sam, who nodded with a smile.
"She's great, but she misses you," Sam answered quickly. "Janet, I can't tell you how much I miss you!"
"I haven't missed much, but I guess you have. I've seen a lot, even some things I don't approve of, but…this is my home," Janet smirked. Christina relayed the message, and this continued throughout her examination.
By the end of her time, both Sam and Janet were crying. Daniel was eager to speak with Janet himself, but Christina advised against it due to her emotional state. The two agreed, as did many others. Some wanted to tell her of personal news or private things, but Christina was able to fix the problem at a weekly meeting between many staff members from every part of the base.
"Whatever has happened here that you talk about with someone else is heard by Dr. Frasier. She knows about everything, from new children to whatever else has happened in your life. She is quite aware, and she will remain that way. Try not to bombard her. I'm just a resource, just like she is, and we both could run out if we overuse it. Remember what I've told you and only come to me when the situation is dire," Christina explained. The group understood, and soon the only conversations were personal, which is how Janet wanted it. She finally had what she wanted: contact with her old friends and family.
After learning that Cassandra had received a doctorate in internal medicine, and that she had married a classmate, Janet Frasier crossed over into the other plane, around the time the show ended. Though she missed leaving them behind, she quickly realized that in a short matter of time, everyone would be together, and that kept her happy. The only ghosts of Stargate Command remained unseen, for now.