Getting To Know You

Summary: Devon wants to get to know the ops crewmembers better…one of them in particular. Inspired by Danziger's line to Devon "What, you run biostats on all of us?" in the 'Water' episode.

Devon strode purposefully into Yale's tent. Yale looked up in surprise. "Devon? What are you doing up? It's late. You should be asleep." After looking after her for so many years, Yale's fatherly habits still kicked in even though he no longer technically worked for the Adairs.

Devon paced, agitated. "Yale, I need to talk to you. I want to review the crew's biostats."

"That information is usually classified, Devon. It has information that could be confidential, not to mention personal."

"Are you saying you don't have access?"

"No, no. But are you sure you should invade their privacy?"

Devon stopped pacing. "I don't want to," she admitted. She sighed. "But I need to know who they are. We're all stuck here together on this planet and we're going to have to go to New Pacifica together. I don't want any more unpleasant surprises," she said, thinking of the conversation she'd had with a certain mechanic earlier that week ("Are you in shock, Adair?!").

Yale raised an eyebrow. "You're saying you don't trust them." It was more of a statement than a question.

"I don't know about trust." Devon shrugged. "I don't distrust them, Yale. But other than the advance crew, I really don't know anything about these people. I'd like to know who I'm dealing with."

"Ah. So it's the ops crew you're interested in, then?" Yale said knowingly. "The ones who weren't supposed to land?"

"Yes. I mean, I probably should've paid more attention to them before but I didn't see any reason to. O'Neill hired the crew. He was the one who was going to take care of that end." She sighed again. "I never would've guessed that I'd have to deal with them after we got to this planet."

"Well, you'd had a lot on your mind what with Uly and making the final arrangements on the ship," said Yale consolingly. He punched a few keys on his robotic arm, pulling up a holographic bright blue screen. "Shall I start with anyone in particular?" he asked dryly, thinking he had a fair idea of who exactly Devon might be thinking about.

Devon didn't take the bait. "Just go in order as your files are listed."

"Very well." Yale made some more adjustments on his arm.

They spent the next few minutes reviewing the bridge and maintenance crew's files, finding nothing particularly noteworthy. Devon already knew about Alonzo's reputation as a womanizer and chronic sleep jumper, but his reputation as one of the top pilots certainly wasn't unwarranted. Similarly, Baines, Magus, and Walman also had normal histories. They were good workers, reliable, with no messy personal problems or significant trouble with the law. The most colorful things Devon discovered were that Baines had once been on probation for shoplifting while a teenager, and that Magus and Walman had been romantically involved in the past.

"Nothing worrisome to report thus far," said Yale. "It seems as though Commander O'Neill did a thorough job of screening everyone."

Devon frowned. "What about the head of the operations crew?"

"Er, yes. Which brings me to…" Yale pulled up a file with the familiar photo of a burly man with curly, brownish-blonde hair. Devon groaned.

"Danziger? He's the head of ops?"

"It would seem as that's the case. John Harry Danziger, 32 years old. Occupation: chief mechanic and head of repair crew aboard the Roanoake. High school dropout at the age of 16, enlisted in the military at 17. Served for four and a half years, then discharged and returned to the quad to take care of his terminally ill mother who died six months later."

Devon's frown deepened. "He's from the quad?"

"Yes, according to the information here. His parents were also, and his grandparents."

Realization hit Devon. "He's an immigrant worker."

"Apparently so. Or, as they'd refer to him commonly back on the stations, a drone." Yale made a sour face, as did Devon, at the sound of the derogatory term for those forced to repay the debts of their ancestors' passage from earth.

"What about his daughter?"

Yale pressed another button on his arm. "True Elaine Danziger, age 8. Born on the stations, quadrant hospital. Attended schools for immigrant children when Danziger could afford it. Average student." Yale shrugged. "Not much else to report."

"And her mother?"

Yale scanned the file. "No further details on that in the initial file," he said thoughtfully. "According to Danziger's file, he's not married now and there are no previous marital contracts under his name. Although I'm not sure how that information is relevant here," Yale asked.

"I need to know if he's anxious to get back to any family on the stations, but then he probably wouldn't leave a wife behind for 44 years. Anything else on Danziger?"

"Worked as a mechanic as a youth with his father, who was also a mechanic till his death. General mechanic but specializes in vehicular technology. Supposed to be one of the best, mostly clean employment record, except for one incident where he was cited as 'difficult and insubordinate and has a problem with authority' by his superiors."

Devon's curiosity perked. "Does it say what happened?"

Yale shook his head. "Not in my initial files. I would have to dig deeper. It's possible the information may have been sealed by the Council. And no similar complaints from other superiors so whatever it was was probably an isolated incident, Devon."

"Well, maybe." Devon shook her head, annoyed, wondering what O'Neill had been thinking when he hired someone as impetuous and hot-headed as John Danziger.

Yale looked at Devon as though he was reading her mind. "He seems like a good man, Devon," he said in a slightly chiding tone.

Devon rolled her eyes. "He seems like a pain the ass, Yale. I'll bet he's the type who shoots first and asks questions later. Like the kind of man who-"

"Won't give in to you easily when you insist on having your way?" said Yale wryly.

Devon made a face. "All right, so I'm not the easiest person to get along with sometimes," she said grudgingly, remembering how Julia had caught her talking behind her back on the ship. Yale stifled a snicker. "But the last thing I need around here is someone who'll keep antagonizing me and second-guessing every single thing I say."

"I don't think it's a bad idea to consider this from his perspective, Devon," said Yale gently. "After all, the crew wasn't even supposed to set foot on this planet."

The same words Danziger had said to her. Why did they they sound perfectly sensible coming from Yale, but rile her so much when coming from Danziger?

"I don't think it hurts to give Mr. Danziger the benefit of the doubt, at least for now," Yale added. "He did help us find Uly after he went missing."

Devon couldn't argue with that, remembering how tirelessly Danziger had worked to find Uly after the Terrians took him.

Yale stood up and put his hands on Devon's shoulders. "We all have to journey to New Pacifica together, so it's best to keep an open mind. Don't be so quick to judge him. Who knows? After you spend some time together, you may even like each other." His mouth quirked.

"Well, it's not like I have a choice now," said Devon resignedly. "Anyway, I'd better get to bed. Good night, Yale."

"Good night, Devon."

Devon filed out of the tent and back toward the one she shared with Uly, mulling over the biostats info. Maybe Yale was right: she didn't know the ops crew that well. And of course she'd trusted O'Neill's abilities when he'd hired the crew.

Danziger's face suddenly popped in her mind along with Yale's words. You may even like each other. Devon snorted doubtfully.

Fine, so she'd agreed to give them all a chance.

But she and Danziger like each other?

Yeah, right. Like that was ever going to happen.