I've been stationed at the SGC for twelve years now, and I've never seen it
so subdued. We've lost entire teams before, but nothing's been as
shocking, as unexpected as this.
Colonel Richardson's a good man, and a good officer, but he's not General O'Neill, or Major General Carter-O'Neill. They've both been here from the beginning - since General Hammond. They were the representatives for the SGC - until the very end.
Major Fraiser was in this morning, which didn't surprise me. Her mother must have contacted her and her new husband, even though they were on their honeymoon. She looks as though she's in shock, which I think is the general reaction to most of the personnel stationed here. I didn't know her until she was assigned here a couple of years after me. Knew all about her of course - SG-1's exploits are still told around the base today. Everyone seems to have a new angle on it, or have heard a piece of gossip relating back to their earlier days. Before they went off to the Triumvirate, there was one about O'Neill and Carter - something about O'Neill buying Carter on one of their earlier missions, and that made them married. I don't really listen to gossip, and besides, they're married anyway; have been for longer than I've known them.
"Off world activation!" A familiar call comes through the base communications system, accompanied by the equally familiar warning lights. I hasten to the control room, wondering who it could be. Seems like most of those on base have the same idea; including Major Fraiser.
"Are we receiving a GDO code?" Colonel Richardson is demanding as I reach the control room, staying out the way, but close enough to be able to see the Stargate and the ramp through the window.
"Ah, yes sir. It's SG-2," the technician replied, waiting for the next command which was to be 'open the iris.' No one ever said that the military was full of surprises.
"Open the iris," came the predicted order, which the technician was halfway to executing anyway. The titanium circle span out of the way and four figures appeared through the event horizon. Even from up here in the control room, I could see the way their shoulders slumped in defeat. However, I knew that they were glad to be doing something, even if it was only finding bodies to return home to loved ones. Unlike me, and several other SG teams, who were grounded because officially we were on down time.
"Are you coming Major Fraiser?" I heard Richardson ask the young officer by his side, and I knew that it was a pointless question. Wild horses would not have kept her away from the returning team.
I follow my two fellow officers down to the gate room, anxious to know what...if anything... SG-2 found. I had friends who had attended the Triumvirate, and although I knew that my hope was probably in vain, I wanted to be there when... if... anything was found. Of course, what I really wanted was to go through the gate and help, but what with my CO being confined to the infirmary for a good few weeks if the Doc had anything to say about it, and the other half of SG-11 on loan to SG-5 for some science thing off world for the next month, I was pretty stuck. Even if we had been a full team, we probably would still be here on base - we're half military, half civilians. Not that I have a problem with Heidi and Aaron, it's just that we wouldn't have been the best choice to send.
We must have reached the gate room in record time for people not planning on using the gate for unauthorised purposes.
"Report Lieutenant Colonel," Richardson ordered, as William Dawson, the CO of SG-2 pulled off his dusty helmet, and wiped his sleeve across his brow.
"The Tollan have recovered six bodies," Dawson replied, not knowing where to look. Behind him, the rest of his team looked uncomfortable as well, so I prepared myself for the worse. Those six bodies were the first to be recovered, despite it being nearly four days ago. Any and all hope had been dwindling as the hours drew on. The longer they took, the less chance they had of finding anyone alive. Just pulling one person out alive would have been enough for the rescue teams working there. "Four Tollan, one Tok'ra, and one of ours."
"Have they..." Richardson paused, and took a deep breath. "Has the body been identified yet?"
"Yes sir," Dawson told him. "The dog tags report the deceased as Captain Ewan McTaggert. SG-15 sir. SG-9 are preparing to bring the body back through the gate for a visual confirmation"
Fraiser inhaled loudly. She was... used to be, the second in command of SG- 15. McTaggert probably saved her life more than once, and she his. Now he was dead.
"I'll do the visual confirmation, sir," she told Richardson, her voice deceptively calm. He just nodded, before turning back to Dawson and SG-2.
"Report to the infirmary, and get cleaned up," he ordered. "I want a full report in an hour."
"Yes sir," Dawson replied, saluting tiredly, as he and the other three officers filed out of the gate room.
"Shit," I heard Richardson swear under his breath, as he ran his hand over his unshaven face. The recovery of a body just made it seem all the more real. No one was denying that we were all hoping for some miracle, but bodies would shatter that hope. Even if we knew in our hearts that they were gone, we would not accept it until we had proof. We had been surprised more than once by people who we thought were dead returning. But after you've found a body, then there was nothing left to return. And all hope is lost.
Colonel Richardson's a good man, and a good officer, but he's not General O'Neill, or Major General Carter-O'Neill. They've both been here from the beginning - since General Hammond. They were the representatives for the SGC - until the very end.
Major Fraiser was in this morning, which didn't surprise me. Her mother must have contacted her and her new husband, even though they were on their honeymoon. She looks as though she's in shock, which I think is the general reaction to most of the personnel stationed here. I didn't know her until she was assigned here a couple of years after me. Knew all about her of course - SG-1's exploits are still told around the base today. Everyone seems to have a new angle on it, or have heard a piece of gossip relating back to their earlier days. Before they went off to the Triumvirate, there was one about O'Neill and Carter - something about O'Neill buying Carter on one of their earlier missions, and that made them married. I don't really listen to gossip, and besides, they're married anyway; have been for longer than I've known them.
"Off world activation!" A familiar call comes through the base communications system, accompanied by the equally familiar warning lights. I hasten to the control room, wondering who it could be. Seems like most of those on base have the same idea; including Major Fraiser.
"Are we receiving a GDO code?" Colonel Richardson is demanding as I reach the control room, staying out the way, but close enough to be able to see the Stargate and the ramp through the window.
"Ah, yes sir. It's SG-2," the technician replied, waiting for the next command which was to be 'open the iris.' No one ever said that the military was full of surprises.
"Open the iris," came the predicted order, which the technician was halfway to executing anyway. The titanium circle span out of the way and four figures appeared through the event horizon. Even from up here in the control room, I could see the way their shoulders slumped in defeat. However, I knew that they were glad to be doing something, even if it was only finding bodies to return home to loved ones. Unlike me, and several other SG teams, who were grounded because officially we were on down time.
"Are you coming Major Fraiser?" I heard Richardson ask the young officer by his side, and I knew that it was a pointless question. Wild horses would not have kept her away from the returning team.
I follow my two fellow officers down to the gate room, anxious to know what...if anything... SG-2 found. I had friends who had attended the Triumvirate, and although I knew that my hope was probably in vain, I wanted to be there when... if... anything was found. Of course, what I really wanted was to go through the gate and help, but what with my CO being confined to the infirmary for a good few weeks if the Doc had anything to say about it, and the other half of SG-11 on loan to SG-5 for some science thing off world for the next month, I was pretty stuck. Even if we had been a full team, we probably would still be here on base - we're half military, half civilians. Not that I have a problem with Heidi and Aaron, it's just that we wouldn't have been the best choice to send.
We must have reached the gate room in record time for people not planning on using the gate for unauthorised purposes.
"Report Lieutenant Colonel," Richardson ordered, as William Dawson, the CO of SG-2 pulled off his dusty helmet, and wiped his sleeve across his brow.
"The Tollan have recovered six bodies," Dawson replied, not knowing where to look. Behind him, the rest of his team looked uncomfortable as well, so I prepared myself for the worse. Those six bodies were the first to be recovered, despite it being nearly four days ago. Any and all hope had been dwindling as the hours drew on. The longer they took, the less chance they had of finding anyone alive. Just pulling one person out alive would have been enough for the rescue teams working there. "Four Tollan, one Tok'ra, and one of ours."
"Have they..." Richardson paused, and took a deep breath. "Has the body been identified yet?"
"Yes sir," Dawson told him. "The dog tags report the deceased as Captain Ewan McTaggert. SG-15 sir. SG-9 are preparing to bring the body back through the gate for a visual confirmation"
Fraiser inhaled loudly. She was... used to be, the second in command of SG- 15. McTaggert probably saved her life more than once, and she his. Now he was dead.
"I'll do the visual confirmation, sir," she told Richardson, her voice deceptively calm. He just nodded, before turning back to Dawson and SG-2.
"Report to the infirmary, and get cleaned up," he ordered. "I want a full report in an hour."
"Yes sir," Dawson replied, saluting tiredly, as he and the other three officers filed out of the gate room.
"Shit," I heard Richardson swear under his breath, as he ran his hand over his unshaven face. The recovery of a body just made it seem all the more real. No one was denying that we were all hoping for some miracle, but bodies would shatter that hope. Even if we knew in our hearts that they were gone, we would not accept it until we had proof. We had been surprised more than once by people who we thought were dead returning. But after you've found a body, then there was nothing left to return. And all hope is lost.
