Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate-SG1 or its characters. They belong to MGM et al. No profit is being made by me. (Boo-hoo).
Author's notes: This is an old story that I wrote some time ago but never posted. It takes place in season five right after the episodes Summit/Last Stand. It also features the characters from the episode Proving Ground . It was just something that came to my mind.
Reality by lynxlan
Jennifer Haley walked quickly down the corridor headed for the elevators. Her research had taken longer than planned and now she was late for lunch. She grinned to herself as she imagined Grogan's complaints. The group that had once been just a training team had become friends and having passed the 'test' together had stayed close. Whenever they were on base or at the academy at the same time they would eat lunch together, go running or whatever. Although they were going to end up assigned to different SG teams the bond they had formed would never completely break.
The change was starting though. Even now, Elliott was away on his first off world mission with SG-17. He had scoffed at describing it as a mission since it was just a simple orientation but they had known that deep inside he was excited.
Haley couldn't wait for her own first mission. Ever since Major Carter had introduced her to the Stargate and its possibilities she had dreamed about it. As she hurried toward the corridor intersection her thoughts were interrupted, by the sound of the elevator just around the left corner ahead. She remembered hearing the sound of the warning klaxons some minutes before and had wondered who might be coming through the gate.
Listening she heard the multiple footsteps and murmured conversation of a large group of people who must have exited the elevator. Upon also hearing the unmistakable sound of a medical gurney she knew that they must be on their way down the hall ahead to the infirmary which from her position was around the corner to the right.
Not wanting to get in the way she stopped before reaching the intersection and waited. She was also curious to see which SG team had returned after apparently finding trouble. It mustn't be serious trouble, though, going by the slow pace of the group as they headed towards the infirmary. Unless, of course . . . she stopped that train of thought cold.
As the group moved closer to Haley's position she was able to start picking out bits of the conversation. The first voice that she heard clearly was one she actually recognized. As she listened she unconsciously moved closer to the left wall as if to avoid being seen.
"How long did you wait?" the distinctive voice of Dr. Frasier asked.
"Just a few hours. The poison dissipates pretty quickly," answered an unfamiliar male voice.
"And it's very efficient."
That voice Haley knew well. It was Major Carter, although with a tone that Haley had never heard from her before. For some reason it made her feel uneasy. So the returned team was SG-1. Who then was on the gurney?
"C'mon Sam, there was no other way," the unidentified male voice said as the first of the group moved into the intersection.
Haley saw Dr. Frasier leading the way followed closely by Major Carter and a man that Haley recognized from pictures as Jacob Carter. Right behind them was Dr. Daniel Jackson in a distinctly non-SGC outfit. Satterfield will be pleased, Haley couldn't help thinking.
She noticed scratches on Major Carter's face and out of curiosity she was about to step forward to ask what had happened when the next words she heard froze her in place.
"Elliott and Lantash were just trying to save . . . the rest of us. They weren't going to make it and neither would we without their help," Dr. Jackson said quietly.
Major Carter glanced at the gurney behind them. A still figure covered with a sheet lay there being guided along by two interns.
"Yeah, I know," she sighed.
As the first part of the group moved past the intersection and the gurney followed along Haley stood still, barely able to comprehend what she had heard. Her mind couldn't seem to think so she found herself listening again, this time to the conversation of the three men following the gurney.
" . . . so no survivors from SG-17 or the Tok'ra?" General Hammond said almost disbelievingly.
"Just Jacob," Colonel O'Neill replied.
"When the Goa'uld blocked the Stargate the Tok'ra had no other means of escape and no weapons of note to battle with," Teal'c added.
General Hammond just shook his head as they followed the sad procession.
Haley continued to stand there as they moved out of sight, not knowing what to do. She knew what she had just heard and yet she couldn't believe it. In her confusion one thought came to the fore. She had to find the others. Getting her legs moving she walked around the corner and down to the elevators.
A few minutes later she entered the commissary, somewhat startled to see that everything looked normal. It seemed wrong, somehow, that these people were eating, talking and laughing while she felt so empty. Of course, they didn't know what she knew. The news had not spread . . . yet.
Looking around she spotted Grogan and Satterfield at a table against the right wall and she moved towards them. Now that she was here she wasn't sure what she was going to say. How could she tell them that one of their best friends was dead?
Grogan laughed at something Satterfield had said and then looked up at Haley.
"Hey! You're late. What took you so long?" He called in a cheerful tone.
Satterfield turned in her chair to look at Haley but her welcoming grin suddenly turned into a frown.
"Are you okay? You look a little pale."
"Pale!" Grogan eyed her closer then held up his hands in mock defence. "Are you coming down with something? Stay away from me."
"Grow up, Grogan," Satterfield muttered.
Haley slid into the chair next to Satterfield and just looked at them. She opened her mouth a couple of times and then shut it again and she saw confusion growing on her friends faces. Finally, not knowing how else to do it, she just blurted out the news.
"Elliott is dead." She spoke in a tightly controlled voice and it took a minute for the others to grasp what she had said.
"What the . . .!" Grogan started to yell and Haley hurriedly shushed him.
In a quieter voice he tried again. "What the hell do you mean?"
"How do you . . . I mean where did you . . .?" Satterfield stumbled to a halt.
Haley pulled her thoughts together and told them what she had seen and heard in the corridor. They looked as stunned as she had felt.
"But it was just his first mission." Satterfield said her voice catching.
"You didn't actually see who was on the gurney." Grogan said dubiously. "Maybe you misunderstood what you heard."
Haley shook her head.
"I went over it again and again but it was very clear. General Hammond himself said that there were no survivors from SG-17," she said with conviction and watched as gradual acceptance grew in their eyes.
The three sat in silence for a few minutes, their minds full of thoughts, memories and images. Finally Grogan broke the silence.
"I was just waiting for you to get here to tell you that I have some good news. I got my assignment today . . . with SG-9," he said in a voice that was flat and showed no trace of the excitement that would have been there moments before. He didn't even raise his eyes from the table as he spoke.
"That's . . . great," Satterfield said but she could have been talking about going to the dentist for all the joy she showed.
Haley looked at them and gave herself a mental kick.
"Yes, that is great," she said firmly. "It's what we've all been waiting for, isn't it?"
The others looked at her now and Satterfield frowned. "Well sure, but . . ."
"No buts. Look, Colonel O'Neill warned us. Why do you think he was so hard on us in training? This assignment is not a picnic and there are no guarantees. We knew that coming in but we're still here." Haley said and then paused and waited for the nods of agreement before continuing.
"Elliott knew that too. He knew the risks but was determined to make a difference and he wouldn't be too impressed with us sitting here and moping. So what are we going to do?" She stopped and waited to hear the answer she wanted.
Grogan and Satterfield stared at each other and then sat up straighter, a look of determination on their faces.
"Now?" Grogan said. "We go on, and kick some Goa'uld ass."
"Yeah," Satterfield agreed. "In Elliott's memory."
Haley smiled then for what seemed like the first time in years. The others joined her and it seemed a pact had been made. At that moment an airman came up to their table.
"Excuse me, but Colonel O'Neill would like to see you in the briefing room, immediately," he said quietly.
With now sober faces they glanced at each other again then rose from their chairs as one and quietly moved into their new reality.