CHAPTER 4 – SPECIAL CLEARANCE

Carson was not amused when John arrived back in the infirmary with his escaped patient. Not amused at all. With either the patient, the man holding her or the situation.

"You need to tell her something Colonel. It's unfair to expect to take all this at face value without any explanation, nothing."

"I know that Doc, but I need to get her security clearance before we go down that road, and we need to find out how the hell she went through that stargate. Bermuda Triangle? I mean, how does that translate to stargate. Without information at our end, how do I give her any answers?"

"That clearance John... no longer a problem. Jack... General O'Neill's given me the word. We can give her some answers, in return for some of our own. When she wakes up? Let me know and I'll come back down. I prefer to be here myself when you tell her anything."

Sam had come into the room and stood looking down at the woman.

"We've found ID in her pockets and ran it through the system at the SGC. She's a photo journalist , freelance... that much she told you is true. And she was in the Triangle on commission as stated. Jack looked into what could have happened. Got hold of the skipper of the boat she chartered – apparently he saw her fall overboard, went in after her but she just disappeared. This was two days ago. They've been searching for her body ever since – but she's been classed as 'missing presumed dead' as far as the authorities are concerned. Her name is Nicole Harmon."

"Nicole... yeah, name suits her. What do we do with her? If she goes back, what is her story?"

John had sat down in the chair beside the bed and looked thoughtfully at her pale face, watching as Carson bustled around casting anxious glances in their direction.

"Nice of you to talk around me... I'm right here..." The chocolate eyes were open and staring at him, and he felt a vague sense of discomfort before something warm and unfamiliar made itself known.

"Hey... how's that headache...?" He smiled across at her and saw that there was a little less pain in her eyes and hoped that the sleep had helped things a little bit.

"Not so debilitating... but I'm curious. You seem to know my name so that would presume you have been through my things and found my ID. Violations of my private rights are escalating it would seem. Perhaps you can return the favour and do me the courtesy of telling me who you are?"

Her voice held no amusement, only censure and he huffed a breath, wondering where to start. Sam beat him to the punch.

"You were correct Nicole. This is a military facility of sorts... and very secret. My name is Colonel Samantha Carter and this is Colonel John Sheppard. I administer this facility and John here? He is the military commander. This facility... there is only one way to get here and that is by a very special means that I could not possibly begin to explain to you – we would have to show you for you to understand. What we are especially interested in, is finding out how you managed to arrive here in this manner."

"Through that... ring? I was disorientated, and scared... when I arrived. But I do remember the feeling. The intense cold, the terror, like being on an out of control roller coaster... but I have no memory of stepping into or onto anything... just the boat... then being here and only pieces of the in between."

Her breath hitched and John watched as her eyes brightened, tears filling them but not spilling over. He watched fascinated, wanting to reach out and run his thumb across her eyes, allowing the moisture to spill over.

"This facility is a long way from where you began your journey... longer than you can possibly imagine. Most people who become privy to this facility, have a science or military background, and already have a working knowledge of what this is, and what this means. To take a lay person, such as yourself and attempt to give them a lesson in something that to most people is simply inconceivable... I'm having difficulty finding the right words. John? Step in any time you want..."

Nicole's eyes had been on Sam, but they moved now to take in the handsome Colonel with the tousled dark brown hair and she remembered the strength in his body as he had lifted her as though she weighed nothing and the feel of his arms around her. Security.

"Thanks Sam... much appreciated. Ok Nicole... this is a really broad picture of what we are. What do you know about wormholes..."

Nicole's eyes opened wide and she struggled to sit up, pushing the blanket aside impatiently.

"You're talking about space, aren't you? Is this some sort of secret space station. Are we in space, somewhere?"

She tried to move her legs over the side of the bed to get up, but John rose and placed his hands on her shoulders to still her movements and keep her in the bed.

"Ahh yeah... somewhere... That wormhole? That ring you stepped through? That device was built by an ancient alien race who found a way to harness the power of a wormhole, a means to travel instantaneously from one point in space to another. From earth... to here."

Nicole pushed his hands away and slid off the bed, leaning against it for support, looking up at him.

"And where exactly is here?"

"The Pegasus galaxy – which would be next to the Milky Way galaxy..."

"Oh..."

She seemed to deflate a little and he reached out a hand to support her in case she fell. Finding some sort of strength, she even summoned a small smile and pulled herself up straight again, holding his gaze, chocolate brown eyes to hazel green ones.

His hand reached out and touched hers lightly. "Fancy a tour? I've given your information to some of our scientists here and on earth, and they need to find out how you got here, in case we get any more unwelcome guests. So not expecting someone like you to casually walk through the gate, if we were a little shocked and surprised, you now know why."

"No one knows about this? Outside of military?"

"Scientists and military – and we work with a sort of coalition – other countries are involved. But essentially the US military, primarily airforce, run this show. You're a photographer? The sights out here are essentially amazing, unlike anything you will see on earth. Unfortunately we can't allow you to photograph anything to take back to earth. Security... the general public cannot know about this project – they're years away from being ready to accept that sort of knowledge."

Anger showed on her face now. "Such arrogance! What gives you the right to presume what the public can and cannot know? What they are ready to know? Who gets to decide that? You? The US airforce?"

"Aaah Nicole... spoken like a true journalist... which is why we would not allow any out here in Pegasus. Yes, we make that call for now. Somebody has to. Imagine the mass hysteria if they were to suddenly be confronted with this knowledge. How did you feel when you first heard – that first instinct? Fear..."

She closed her eyes and ran a hand across her face in resignation. "What is going to happen to me?"

"The powers that be get to decide your fate I guess... for now? I can offer you a tour of the city so you can see for yourself exactly what magic is out here light years from where you thought you were. Allow me?"

He held out an arm and she looked down at it, as if in thought. Coming to a decision she placed her hand on it and allowed him to tuck it into his elbow and pull her a little closer.

"For now..." she replied. "But I want the whole story, and I won't allow you to put a gag on me and keep this quiet. I have the right to know, as do all of mankind..."

"Aaahh.. a gag. What a wonderful idea..." he murmured and earned a slap on the arm from Nicole. Sam watched them go and shook her head. Seems their irrepressible Colonel had met his match.