One
Here they go again. A medical visit to one of the planets they have allies on. Check-up on the villagers, vaccinations, general chit-chat, checking their blood for the neurotoxin one of the crazy sci-fi-nerds in the infirmary has dubbed "Reavers' Finest" and which turned out to contain a very high concentration of a component of Wraith enzyme… Piece of cake, and probably mighty boring for her and the others on the security detail, namely Evan and – surprisingly – Sergeant Meyers.
But boring is good, she tells herself. At least boring keeps all of them from getting injured or killed. And she'd take being bored about getting injured and killed any day. So… just doing some last check-up on everything and they're good to go. "Alright, everyone set?" She turns around. Evan's already done, eager to go.
"Yes, sir.", she acknowledges, trying to catch his eye. But all he does is stare at the wall opposite him and nod. She shoots a look at Carson who pretends to be checking his own sidearm of all things, and she can't hold back from rolling her eyes. This is ridiculous. One of them won't speak to her because he tries to soldier on and suck it up and the other won't because out of some "I told you so and you wouldn't listen."-complex. With slight resignation mixed with a little irritation on her face she turns to Meyers who just gives her a shrug and a look that says "Don't ask me, I'm just the NCO-guy."
Whee, that looks like this whole thing is going to be lots of fun, she thinks with a considerable amount of sarcasm. But as it is, she has no other possibility than to shrug it off and go on with business as usual. Suppressing a sigh, she holsters the Beretta, takes up the P90 and follows Evan and Carson out of the locker room.
No one of them speaks, which bodes well for the mission to come. Well… not. To distract herself from the uncomfortable silence, she runs the mission specs through her mind for one last time. The inhabitants of M8X-986 are scheduled for one of the regular medical visits Atlantis provides for all their allied planets not developed enough for supporting their own health system. Evan has the responsibility for the whole team with her as his 2IC, Carson is the accompanying doctor, and obviously someone added Meyers as his assistant, as the Sergeant is carrying some of the medical equipment.
M8X-986, as she recalls it, is a planet with thick woods and rather mountainous with an extensive cave-system. This time of year, their target zone will be covered in snow, which is why everyone of them wears slightly bulky winter BDUs. She's actually looking forward to it, because quite frankly she's a little tired of all the green woods and bleak deserts.
The 'Gate itself is located in a small valley, with the inhabitants living in caves a walk of about two or three miles away. They are friendly, welcoming, if a little bit shy, like most of the people they are dealing with. Carson shouldn't have any problems with checking them up and give them his shots.
Their orders are to get there and stay overnight, on the kind invitation of the villagers, and if there wasn't this stupid triangle tension she'd be actually looking forward to it. Their hosts are good cooks, and she's been living off steak, jello and sandwiches for too long. It would also be a break from dangerous retrieval or scout ops or boring excursions to some ruins, but… well, she'll have to make the best of it. And there's something to a happily burning camp fire in a cave that may loosen up a certain stubborn officer's tenacity or a certain doctor's determined silence.
Anyway, it's gating time again, so they all step up in front of the 'Gate. She's standing right between Evan and Carson, and the irony of this does not escape her, though she chooses not to dwell on it anymore. She's got a job to do, and she's sick of her personal feelings interfering with this. With new grim determination she grips her P90 just a little tighter, lifts her chin just a little higher and puts just a little more resolve into her pace when she finally makes the step through the 'Gate.
A/N: First of all: Welcome back to all my readers. I'm delighted to see that so many of you chose to stay with me and read this story as well.
Second: I know this chapter is a little short and I'd thought about waiting until I have finished the following one and then posting them both, but... certain people kept nudging me to post it, so here it is ;) I also know that I spoiled you all a little with rather short up-date intervals and want to warn you that with this story it could take a little longer between chapters. I know where I want to go, but I may need some time to figure out how to get there. Just give me some time ;)