14 – Neeva
SGC
"So, how are things going?" Colonel Carter asked as she handed a hot cup of coffee to Lt. Hailey before sitting down next to the young woman.
"Other than the fact that my CO had to call in his team during his honeymoon?" Hailey asked with a small, troubled smile. She was sitting just outside the observation room overlooking Jennifer Keller and she gave a slight nod toward the door and her team that could be seen just beyond.
Carter winced, "Yeah, that is a bit of an initiation into the 'family' dynamic of the team." Sam had noticed Lt. Hailey sitting apart from the rest of the group and felt for the girl. I'd be hard to step into a team as dysfunctional yet close as SG-1. Especially being the only other 'military' member. Sam could see how it might make her feel like less of an 'equal' team mate since she was definitely of lower rank and hadn't had the years of bonding that the rest of the team had. "So… otherwise, how's it going?"
"Well, for the first week I was continually dressed the opposite of the rest of the team." Hailey gave Sam a sheepish look, "But after a little recon I got that ironed out. Then there's the matter of them calling me Jenny…" Hailey let the sentence trail off. Really, after looking back she realized that Jennifer had been right, it had turned into a term of endearment and one she didn't mind nearly as much as she protested.
"Yeah, we did the uniform thing to Jonas Quinn when he was working with us." Carter laughed at the thought, fondly remembering how eager Jonas was to fit in and be a member of SG-1.
"Yeah and I've heard about how General O'Neill used to make Dr. Jackson wear his helmet all the time."
Carter didn't miss the fact that Hailey referred to Daniel as Dr. Jackson. The older woman knew it'd take time for the Lieutenant to feel a part of things enough to relax. "Colonel Mitchell probably had the worst of it. He joined SG-1 only to find he was the sole member. We all resisted coming back. The thought of O'Neill not leading us here on base was too disappointing to deal with and we all had alternate places that pulled us away."
Carter looked across to where Cameron was sitting, watching Jennifer, waiting for any sign or clue he could use. She'd been on both ends of this scenario, but it was just as hard to watch a friend go through it as it was to be there yourself.
Sam laughed softly as she looked back at Hailey, "Don't think he got out of his own hazing though. Vala walked through that gate within a few days and set everyone's world on end. She slapped those bracelets on herself and Daniel and he suddenly had over half the team working with him temporarily. Then Vala and Daniel's consciousnesses were sent to the Ori galaxy by an Ancient communications device and almost killed them before Cam could destroy the device. He was certainly tested, but in the end he had his precious 'band' back together."
Carter grinned thinking about the missions and the ups and downs that followed as they found how they all fit together. Vala had disappeared but they'd later found out that she was alive and just how big a threat the Ori were and eventually added her as a fifth member of the team. She'd often wondered how Jack would've handled those same circumstances had he still been leading SG-1.
Sam had become quiet, but Hailey didn't interrupt her thoughts. This team she'd joined had a history and she looked forward to becoming part of that, even if she felt like the fifth wheel during this particular crisis.
"Holy Hannah," Carter exclaimed, springing up from her chair and startling the young Lieutenant. "Hailey, go get Dr. Lee and go to my lab. Tell him that I'll meet you both there as soon as I can. He needs to bring all his data relating to our research using the Tok'ra subspace communicator and Alteran communication technology," Sam ordered as she moved toward the door to the observation room.
"Yes ma'am," Hailey responded to the order, all the while knowing that Sam was too distracted by her thoughts to hear her.
Atlantis
"Mr. Woolsey," Sheppard acknowledged as the gate disengaged behind him. Between the three teams that went to M5R-491 and the four people that came back with them, the gateroom floor was a bit crowded.
Woolsey's gaze moved from the dark skinned man in restraints, being held by two of Lt. Hoyer's men, to the military leader. "Welcome back, Colonel Sheppard. I take it the mission was a success?" His gaze took in the mother and daughter, before settling on the smiling woman standing between Sheppard and McKay.
"Yes sir," Sheppard replied with a grin. "Karin and Darah here are just hitching a ride home."
"That won't be a problem Colonel. Dr. Beckett can give them a quick physical and I'll have a team escort them home."
"Mr. Woolsey," Teyla interrupted. "I wish to accompany them to the infirmary and then on to their home, if that is acceptable."
Richard looked at Sheppard and seeing his slight nod turned back to Teyla, "That would be fine. I'll have Chuck summon Major Teldy's team to escort you once you are ready."
Teyla bowed her head toward Mr. Woolsey. She then turned to Jennifer and gave her a quick hug. "I will miss you."
"I'll miss you too," Jennifer tightened her hug before stepping back. Karin gave a nod in Jennifer's direction, but Darah threw herself at Jennifer. "Thank you. When will I see you again?"
"Probably not for a long time squirt," Jenn squeezed the little girl tight, "but obviously, you never know. Be good for your mom."
"I will," Darah exclaimed. Everyone watched the exuberant child retake her mother's hand and practically skip from the room as they followed Teyla toward the infirmary.
Woolsey cleared his throat, recapturing Colonel Sheppard's attention and gave him a pointed look.
"The unhappy camper hanging with Hoyer's team there is Jannick, one of Neeva Casol's accomplices," John informed the Lantian leader, nodding his head at the prisoner. "He'd say hi, but he's been in a foul mood since Ronon stunned him."
"Well done, Colonel. The Coalition will be grateful to hear it. Quite frankly, we had assumed he was dead." Woolsey turned to Lt. Hoyer, ignoring the glare from Jannick. "See that he's taken to the infirmary for a physical then secured in the brig. At no time are his restraints to be removed, Lieutenant."
"Yes sir," Hoyer acknowledged, before moving with his team toward the infirmary.
Once Sheppard was assured of Woolsey's attention he began his last introduction. "Mr. Woolsey, you've met Neeva Casol."
Woolsey wasn't sure what to think with the Colonel smirking at him. He felt like the parent of teenagers who went through the motions of acting respectful to assure they didn't get grounded, but their facial expressions contradicted the sincerity of their words.
"Now you can put a face with the name… and the thieving, murderous personality. However currently," the Colonel paused and Richard found the glee on his face exasperating, but he patiently waited for Sheppard to get to the point, "this is the infamous Dr. Keller, yet again redefining the definition of the word luck."
"How," Woolsey began.
"McKay will be happy to fill you in on all the particulars," John assured him with a meaningful look to Rodney.
"I still need to go to the lab before I'll be completely convinced," the scientist grumbled, although he knew it was redundant to even check.
Woolsey snuck a glance at Jenn before turning back to Sheppard, "Colonel, how do you know this isn't just an elaborate ruse Neeva is working to gain our trust?"
"Well, Lorne is sure, but… let's just say I'm not too sure of Lorne anymore," John chuckled still wondering how Legos fit in. "But what convinced me was the big guy giving her a hug," Sheppard finished throwing his thumb over his shoulder to indicate the Satedan standing behind them.
"Well, I'd say it's not proof, but I see your point," Richard agreed grudgingly. "While you were gone we had an urgent dial in from the SGC. It seems Dr. Keller has had either blocked memories or amnesia because she can't remember the SGC or anyone there. I'd say this new development sheds a new light on their problem."
"So Cam's alright? You've seen him?" Jennifer asked, holding her relief in check till she heard the answer.
"Yes doctor, the Colonel looked fine," he confirmed. "We're due for another dial in for an update in almost three hours, although I don't wish to leave them in the dark that long. I suggest you and the teams head out for your physicals then we meet for a short briefing before dialing the SGC. I'd like to have this straightened out as soon as possible."
"You heard the man," Sheppard said, then turned and offered his arm to Jennifer, "shall we? I'm sure you're a bit anxious to get home."
"Thank you Colonel," she smiled back. She was almost home and Cam was alright. To her thinking she was pretty damn lucky.
SGC
Colonel Carter pushed into the observation room and cast a quick glance through the glass down at the supine form of Jennifer Keller. Cameron wasn't going to like her idea, but at least it was a theory they could work with and right now that was what Cam needed. A distraction from this vigil he was keeping over Jennifer's body.
She turned to the group, her old team, and rocked forward on her toes and back, trying to find the right wording for her announcement.
"Just spit it out Sam," Cameron spoke with a soft smile for his former team mate.
"I think we're looking at the affects of an Ancient communications device." Carter watched Cam's face for a reaction. She didn't miss the quick look between Daniel and Vala, the worry they tried to keep from their faces.
It only took Mitchell a moment to process Sam's words and how they related to his wife in particular. Although it was a joke that he read every mission report, it wasn't an entirely inaccurate statement, especially where she'd been concerned. "There's no way, Sam. They destroyed the Ancient communications device in order to reverse the effects, much like we had to do here for Jackson and Vala."
"I'm not saying I know how… or even that I'm right. But we were able to perpetrate Vala communicating to us through Daniel's body while she was in the Ori galaxy. By using a Tok'ra subspace communicator we were able to mimic the frequency sent and received by the stones Daniel and Vala had touched and activated, despite the communication device and the stones being vaporized in the…" Carter made an outward hand gesture of the unstable vortex of a forming wormhole, "kawoosh."
Hearing the word 'kawoosh' used instead of one of the 'big words' typically used by the very scientific minded Carter still made him grin, if only for a second considering the circumstances. "So you think that may be what's going on here?"
"I'm saying possibly," Sam stressed. "But there is one way to find out. I can get the mission report pulled and find the name of the woman. We can then go in there and try to bluff her and see what happens."
"Neeva Casol," Cam announced.
"What?" Carter asked, her mind scrambling to fit Mitchell's words into the conversation.
"Neeva Casol. That is the name of the woman who switched bodies with Jennifer," Cameron explained.
"Seriously? How can you remember that?" she asked with a shake of her head.
"She was responsible for almost having the woman I love beheaded. She did get Jenn shot." Cameron ran his hand over his face while trying to absorb the ramifications of this new theory. "Not a name I'll probably ever forget."
"It would fit Dr. Keller's other symptoms prior to this," Jackson stated, entering the conversation. "The dreams that seemed so real and experiencing them even when not sleeping, even the duration of the dreams would make sense if someone was trying to adapt or reverse engineer the technology… testing or trying to stabilize it."
Carter nodded excitedly at Jackson, warming to the theory even more. "I sent Lt. Hailey to collect Dr. Lee and get started." Sam nodded down at Jennifer before looking at Cameron, "Even if that isn't Neeva, it might still be the effects of the communication device. Dr. Lee should be able to determine the frequency if it is."
"Well, if the lot of you walk in there she's going to be on guard," Vala pointed out. "I know I would be."
"So we have Dr. Lam do it," Jackson suggested. "She's been checking on Jennifer regularly. Just have her slip in, call her Neeva and see how she reacts."
"Sounds like a plan," Colonel Mitchell exclaimed, rubbing his hands together. This was so much better that sitting around, they had a plan… a theory to check out and the people best qualified for the job on it. "I'll go lay out our plan to Dr. Lam and have her shoot the video feed to the briefing room. We can meet General Landry there."
"I'll go help Lt. Hailey and Dr. Lee," Carter said, turning to leave. "We'll hook the equipment up to Jenn as soon as we can and begin determining the frequencies."
Cameron nodded at Sam before following her out of the observation room with the rest of his team right behind him, relieved to be moving.