"Major Gant." Sam Carter smiled, holding out her hand for Prometheus' first officer to shake.

"Major Carter," Gant replied, "It's good to see you again."

"You too. How have you been, Erin?"

"Fine. Busy. We've got the core set up to receive the new reactor. Colonel Ronson wants it installed within a week."

"A week? Did you tell him it will take at least that long just to prep it?"

Erin shrugged, "He's a colonel. What are you going to do?"

Sam grinned, sharing a look with Erin. She knew all about colonels and their expectations. "Well, maybe we can do it in ten days."

"I've got some ideas about that. Come on in and let's go over the specs."

"Great, I've got some ideas of my own. Let's see if great minds really do think alike."

Erin looked out in the corridor. "Did you bring Jonas with you?"

Sam pushed down the knot of annoyance. More and more, the Kelownan was being sought out for his rapidly expanding knowledge. He was a good guy, and Sam had to admit, he had a unique perspective, but the naquadria hyperdrive was her baby, not his.

Then she got a look at Gant's face and realized it wasn't his knowledge that the major was interested in. She sighed. Quinn was pretty much clueless about the effect he had on women. Very much an old-fashioned gentleman, he had them falling at his feet, but the most they could hope for was a gentle smile.

"Actually, Colonel O'Neill has him acting as liaison with the Tagrean scientific community. He's at some sort of meet and greet right now."

To Sam's surprise, a look of horror crossed Gant's face. "Oh, no."

Immediately concerned, Sam frowned. "What? What's wrong?"

With a sense of urgency, Gant headed to the intercom. Holding up a hand to forestall Sam's questions, she pressed a button. "Colonel Ronson."

After a few moments a deep voice answered, "Ronson here, what is it, Gant?"

"Major Carter has informed me that Jonas Quinn is attending the Science Council function. I believe a rescue is in order, sir."

There was a pause, then Ronson asked, "How long has he been down there, Major?"

Erin looked to Sam who consulted her chronometer. "About three hours."

Erin visibly flinched, but relayed the message, "About three hours, sir."

Sam could hear the colonel mutter 'Good God' before he answered out loud, "Yes, by all means, rescue the poor man. Ronson out."

Stiff with worry, Sam asked, "Erin, what's going on? What's wrong?"

Gant held up her hand, signaling she needed a moment longer, and flicked a switch on the intercom. "Lieutenant Wolfe, come in."

"Yes, Major?"

"Wolfe, patch me through to SG1's radio frequency."

"Yes, Ma'am… done, Ma'am."

"Major Gant to Jonas Quinn."

After a moment, Sam felt relief when Jonas replied, "Yes, Major?"

"Mr. Quinn, your presence is required onboard the Prometheus immediately."

"Uh, yes, I'll be right there."

Sam frowned. Was that a hint of relief she heard in Jonas' voice? As Major Gant shut down the link, Sam demanded, "All right, Erin, what was that all about? Is Jonas in some kind of trouble?"

"After only three hours, probably not. It's that fifth hour that turns the brain to jelly."

"What?"

"Oh, Sam, you have no idea. The Chairman's Science Advisor is this harpy named Clinteas. After you guys gated home, we were invited to one of the Science Council's parties. She latched onto Colonel Ronson and wouldn't let him go." Erin smiled ruefully, "By the time Chairman Ashwan rescued him, the colonel said the only thing that had stopped him from shooting either her or himself was the overwhelming numbness that her droning had caused."

Sam chuckled. "And you think she's like that with everyone?"

"I know she is. The next time they had a party, Colonel Ronson sent me. Sam, this woman has to be the most egocentric non-Goa'uld in the galaxy. She talks on and on, never lets you get a word in edgewise. And God forbid you should try to walk away from her or excuse yourself. I've seen limpet mines that didn't hold on so tight." Erin shuddered expressively. "She's horrible."

"Oh, come on, you're exaggerating," Sam laughed.

Gant shook her head. "Not at all. After that second party, Colonel Ronson announced that further attendance would be considered punishment duty. We've never had better discipline on this ship."

Shaking her own head, Sam continued to chuckle. "Poor Jonas! Colonel O'Neill would never have sent him if he had known." Sam paused for a moment, thinking. "No, I take that back. The colonel would have sent him regardless."

"No, Sam, he wouldn't. Not even a full bird hard ass like O'Neill is that cruel. Hell, even the worst System Lord wouldn't subject a person to Clinteas the Impaler."

"The Impaler?"

"Colonel Ronson is convinced she has a pike somewhere running through a stack of the shriveled up brains of her victims."

"That's kind of gruesome."

"Trust me Sam, you do not want to let these people know you have a doctorate. They'll send you to one of their parties, and you'll realize the truth is far more gruesome than any sick joke Bill Ronson could make."

Still smiling, Sam changed the subject, "Well, we'll just have to escape before that can happen, won't we? Let me see your ideas."

The two women settled down to a technical discussion of reactor installation, sharing ideas, and coming up with improvements in the buffer module to prevent another episode like the one which had led to the destruction of the original reactor.

Sam was nodding in delight at one of Erin's suggestions when Jonas appeared at the door of the wardroom they were using. "Major Gant, you needed me?"

The two women looked up at Jonas, standing in the doorway, an inquisitive look on his face. Sam had to admit he looked good in the suit that she had helped him pick out for formal occasions. She heard rather than saw Erin's little gasp at the sight. "Uh, no actually, we, uh, I mean Colonel Ronson and I, thought you'd appreciate a rescue from the party."

Sam opened her mouth to explain further, but Jonas got it right away, breaking out a rueful grin. "Yes, thank you, Major. It's been a while since I've needed that kind of rescue. I take it you and the Colonel have had experience with the Science Advisor?"

"Call me Erin, please. Yes, we have. I was telling Sam that Colonel Ronson uses the threat of those Science Council wingdings as discipline here on the Prometheus."

Sam grinned. She had almost forgotten that on Kelowna, Jonas had moved in the highest political circles. He had an openness that she sometimes mistook for naivete, but in truth, there was nothing naïve about her teammate. "You've run into people like her on Kelowna, Jonas?"

He shrugged. "The more worlds I see, the more convinced I become that people everywhere are the same. There will always be those who gain position and power despite their lack of qualification or any inkling of intelligence."

"Oh, she was telling you about her theories about the neeka, wasn't she?"

"The neeka? What's that?" Sam asked curiously.

Jonas rolled his eyes, "Sam, you don't want to know. So, what are you ladies working on?"

"We're looking at the buffer module. Come look." Sam offered, indicating the chair next to her. Within in a few moments, Jonas was in the thick of it, and the three spent the next hours going over diagrams and specifics.