AN: Frank is having a really weird week so far isn't he?"
Chapter 2: Steaks are High
Not bad food for the Chair Force. Frank smiles inwardly at the pet name for his rival military brothers and sisters. Most people would tell you the Navy has the best chow in all the branches of the service. He cuts another piece of steak and dips it in his mashed potatoes and gravy. Chewing it lovingly, there is nothing like a good meal after an afternoon of PT.
He leans back in his chair surveying the mess hall. It's a typical room with the usual suspects. From his vantage point in the farthest back corner from the entrance as possible. It's an old habit he has had since basic. Always keep a wall at your back so you can focus on what's ahead of you. The one point of interest is the four people sitting in the center of the room. SG-1, the elite team of this command. They appeared to be in a heated debate about something. Taking another bite he wonders what it would take to get assigned to them on a mission. To be blunt, they always seem to get into the shit. His kind of party.
Out of the corner of his eye, he spots a newcomer. That nerdy smart ass Lynn Schultz. Once he got her to take his weapons training serious she was a pretty good shooter. Taking a sip of what the Air force called coffee, he hopes she notices him. He's never been a ladies man, being a little shy and always focused on his work. He'd been shocked when he dropped some nerdy pop culture phrases that she replied back with the right responses. Brains, not too hard on the eyes, and a nerd like him. Lynn waves at Major Carter and they chat for a second. Then he sees her look up and make eye contact with him. He tries not to spit his coffee all over himself and puts the cup down then buries his face in his chow.
What the actual fuck. He was acting like a teenager looking at his first Hustler mag. Get it together sailor. Then he gets that familiar tingle of being watched and looks up to see Lynn standing there with a smirk on her face. He smiles at her. "Hi, how's it going?"
She shakes her head and replies, "Hungry much?"
He looks at his spread. Two steaks, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, and a huge piece of pecan pie. Just what a growing boy needs to survive and smiles sheepishly. "Have a seat."
Lynn chuckles at him. She had just chatted briefly with her boss and the base commander Colonel O'Neill who had complimented her on her improved range scores this time around. Major Carter had complimented her as well which made Lynn uncomfortable so she'd looked around the room for some kind of escape from the attention. Thankfully Dr. Jackson who had insisted she just call him Daniel had resumed the heated conversation about the superiority of Next Generation over the original version of Star Trek.
Lynn made her escape while Major Carter and Colonel O'Neill glared daggers at each other but it was clearly a game.
Her eyes fell on her new range buddy. She smirked at him. His tray was piled with enough food for two people. Four if they were her size. He told her to have a seat and Lynn got the oddest impression that he thought she was attractive. Her heart did a little flutter in response.
Get a grip Schultz! She yelled at herself in her head. You are a goofy little dork who only ever talks to her boss and sometimes her cutely shy archeologist teammate when you need something translated. Guys who look like Hopkins go for women who look like Major Carter not mousey little geeks. 'Come here often?' Really Schultz? You idiot. She sat down and stared into her black coffee, glad that she wasn't prone to blushing on top of sounding like an idiot.
He laughs at her comment. "Only when I'm hungry." Taking another bite and swallowing, he smiles. "And I'm always hungry." Putting his fork down he asks her "What's it like working with SG-1? Got to be pretty exciting working with the Elite team on the base. I mean, when I was considered for a spot in DEV group, it was like hitting the teams version of the lottery. Sometimes I wonder if I should have taken that over this." Taking a sip of his coffee he gets melancholy. "I know going off world and everything should be interesting and something most folks in my line of work would consider an honor but to be a part of the best of the best… well, I'm not sure I will ever get that here." He shrugs and starts eating his pie.
She looked at him a little shocked. He thought she… "It's really not like that. Major Carter is my boss but I don't really talk to the rest of them. Colonel O'Neill is the base commander. I'm no one really. The only reason he remembers my name is because of Hogan's Heroes."
"Two reasons, Daniel! Kirk and Spock." Both of them looked at Colonel O'Neill who was gesturing wildly. Dr. Jackson had a hand in his hair, frustrated, and Major Carter rolled her eyes.
"I found Lt. Uhura extremely attractive." Teal'c agreed with Jack.
"Thank you Teal'c!" Jack sweeps his hands to the large Jaffa emphatically as Sam excused herself.
Sam headed for Lynn and Frank. "Who's your friend Lynn?" she asked with a bright smile and a smothered chuckle at Jack and Teal'c trying to convince Daniel that original Star Trek was better than Next Generation. Sam only watched it because Jonathan Frakes was hot. Most of the science was bad.
"Oh! Hi Ma'am. This is Senior Chief Frank Hopkins." She said. Sam was frankly the nicest CO she'd ever had. Dr. Lee was a good guy but Sam seemed to inspire fanatical loyalty. It wasn't just her. Most of the base adored her.
Frank snapped out of his chair and stood at attention. "Ma'am. Like Captain Schultz said, Senior Chief Frank Hopkins, formerly Seal Team 2."
Sam smiles. "Relax Senior Chief. No need to be so formal on my account."
Frank smiles and blushes as he takes his seat again. Sam's eyebrows wrinkle "Seals, huh? Not too many chances to use your skills off world is there? I mean for underwater excursions."
"Well Ma'am, when I have my canteen the water is always with me. What I mean is yes, the water is our home be it is sea, air, land, we do it all. To be honest, if it wasn't for the CNO convincing me that this was the deployment of a lifetime I'd be in a green team now securing my spot in a DEV group.
Sam's eyes widened a bit. Most in the covert world heard the whispers about DEV group. The group of men that did the jobs that were considered impossible. Ghosts in the night. The men who dealt out retribution to those who brought terror around the world. With a background like that, she could see why Hammond wanted someone with his background and Jack tapped him in particular. "Wow, that must have been hard to pass up." She told him.
Frank nodded. "It was what I trained for and pushed myself most of my career. But the admiral told me that what you folks did was out of this world…" He chuckled. "To be honest I was surprised that he was being literal." He ate some more of his pie.
Sam smiled at his last comment. "My dad wanted me to be an astronaut." She grinned as though laughing at a personal joke. "Lynn, is this who helped you with your range scores?"
"Yes Ma'am. Senior Chief Hopkins is a good coach." Lynn agreed.
Frank held up a hand. "Captain, it's just Frank or Hopkins." He smiled at her embarrassed expression.
"That might be useful." Sam said thoughtfully, ignoring their discussion about ranks.
"Ma'am?" Lynn asked her, curious.
"Oh nothing. Ja… er, Colonel O'Neill gets tired of handling all the qualification training on top of everything else he has to do. Tell me Mr. Hopkins, do you like paperwork?" Sam asked him.
Across the room, Daniel nudged Jack. "Who's the sequoia?"
Jack gave Daniel a bland look and a shrug. "Hammond gave me a short list of ops guys. He was one of the ones that decided to give it a shot." Jack told his younger friend.
"He seems a most formidable warrior. Looks can be deceiving. I shall test his worthiness to be here for you O'Neill." Teal'c told Jack.
Jack got a thoughtful look on his face. "I'll tell Walter to set up the pool." He said absently.
Frank pauses mid bite "Well, about as much as a kick in the nu… teeth Ma'am." Nice save there Seal, he thinks. "It's a necessary evil. What do you have in mind?"
Sam smiles. "It's just that Colonel O'Neill was looking for someone qualified to help with the training schedule." She glances at Lynn who is silently drinking her coffee. "Your first student made significant gains so I'd say you are the man for the job."
Frank smiles. More time shooting and a chance to impress the head of SG-1… just what he needed. "Sure, I'd be honored… just one thing."
Sam shakes her head in amusement. "Sure, what?"
"Think I could meet the rest of SG-1?"
Sam smiles. "Of course. Come on."
Standing he looks at Lynn. "Wait for me?" and flashes his best grin at her.
Lynn gives him the hairy eyeball. Does he think this routine works on women? His green eyes sparkled at her with mischief. She caught herself starting to smile back and frowned. Dammit, it kind of was. She looked pointedly at her watch. "I've got a few." She admitted. Her pointed look told him to try not to drool or sit up and bark.
Damn she's a hell of a woman, Frank thought. Winking at her, he follows Major Carter.
O'Neill sees Carter approaching with the new guy and gives Daniel and Teal'c the 'play natural' look.
Sam looks at her teammates and wonders what evil plot they have been concocting. "Sir, this is Senior Chief Frank Hopkins. He's the one that helped Captain Schultz improve her scores on the range."
Jack raises his eyebrow. "Yes… Hopkins, Navy Seals… great guys. Nice work with Schultz. Bet that was… interesting."
Frank nods. "Yes sir, it was, but not as hard as you think. Like most folks less interested in firearms, you have to find the key reason for them to want to learn. My favorite motivation is finding what they are good at and how they became good at what they do. Then I tell them weapon proficiency is the same principle… repetition makes practice perfect."
Jack nods. "See, that's what I say all the time… but getting people to believe it, that's a different story. Tell me your secret?"
Frank smiles. "Well… I tell them that in a worst case scenario, it's better to know how to use your weapon and save your life and others around you or die where you stand. Self preservation is usually a great motivator."
Jack likes this guy. Glancing at Daniel, he knows it was tough convincing him that force is a necessary evil. "Great strategy… Carter?"
Sam nods. "Chief Hopkins has offered his skills to assist with the training schedule."
Jack stands. "Yes… hell yes." He pats the man on the shoulder.
At that moment Teal'c stands. "I wonder if we might exchange services Senior Chief Hopkins?"
Frank looks at the Jaffa. Damn he's thick. Bet he'd make a helluva Seal. "Sure thing. What do you have in mind?"
"You will teach me your Tauri weapons skills and I will teach you Jaffa hand to hand combat."
Frank stares at the man and tries not to swallow hard. "I'd love to learn some new hand to hand skills."
Teal'c smirks and bows his head.
"Great." Jack says a little too excitedly then catches himself. "I mean, teamwork… exchange of ideas… sweet. I have to go see Walter." He says absently and turns and leaves.
Frank wrinkles his forehead. Something is up. Looking over at Lynn he sees her fidgeting. "Excuse me… I 'll catch up with you later." He turns and heads back to the table. "Sorry Lynn… I think I may have gotten myself in over my head." As he takes his seat.
Lynn looks at him thoughtfully. She'd overheard their conversation as SG-1's table was only a few feet away and she'd been trying to listen in. The basically good part of her really wanted to tell him he'd been had. Teal'c didn't need training in Earth weapons. A far less noble part of her, however, was still miffed that he'd manipulated her last week. Sure it had motivated her but that wasn't the point. She'd been there to practice anyway. She supposed what she really ought to work at was her pistol skills as the most likely situation she would be in involved someone getting the drop on her while she was repairing something.
Plastering an innocent look that fooled her perennially suspicious three older brothers for years. She smiled mildly at him. "I'm sure they were just being friendly. Colonel O'Neill is always very nice to everyone."