Chapter 2: Explinations
Author's Note/Disclaimer: I have received permission from all members of SGX to use their characters in this story. Only one of these characters belongs to me. The rest are © their owners (see below). SG-1 does not belong to us, nor are we making any money from this. We do it solely for our own enjoyment.
Cast:
Gunnery Sergeant Charlie Bass: RaceGlen (race_glen@yahoo.com)
Lance Corporal Jeremy Thomas: Jeremy J (bearskin4@juno.com)
Lieutenant Robert 'Bobby' Dalziel: Brit (britgirlrnr@yahoo.co.uk)
Lieutenant Bekki Eralc: Clare (Clare@revell124.plus.com)
Milo Kinski: WhiteJazz (whitejazz98@yahoo.com)
Tamlyn Gregory: Mayhem (MayhemNX01@aol.com)
Tayte: RedVelvetDragon (Redvelvetdragon2@aol.com)
Viper: Egypt (kunoichi@earthlink.net)
"Who's that?"
"Not sure. Something to do with the new team."
The two guards whispered back and forth to each other as the woman was led past them surrounded by ten armed guards. Before she could hear the rest of the conversation she was led into an elevator and the door closed, locking her away from the sunlight.
A few minutes later the door opened again to reveal a very different view. It was obvious that she was on a military base, but exactly where and why was not known to her. Her captors had knocked her out as soon as they had gotten her into the car, making sure that she didn't know where she was or even how long it took to get there. She couldn't blame them. If they hadn't they'd all be dead by now and she'd be free.
Above her head a red light began to flash as an alarm klaxon blared through the facility. There was a commotion and the guards that surrounded her were distracted for an instant. It was long enough for her.
Without a word she turned to the nearest guard. With a few quick strokes he hit the ground and she moved onto the next, taking them all out one by one. Her movements were fast and fluid. By the time the others realized what was going on it was too late. Nearly all of them were caught off guard by her attack but she took special care not to kill any of them. The last thing she needed was the military on her ass.
As the last man fell she didn't waste a second. Turning she ran down the hall the way she had come, her waist length black hair flying loosely behind her as she made a beeline for the elevator that had brought her here. Behind her she heard a shout, followed by the sound of many feet racing toward her. She didn't have much time...and she knew it.
She rounded a corner and was met by a very large dark skinned man with a stoic expression.
"STOP HER!" she heard a male voice shout from behind her.
She lashed out at the man, her hands striking only a couple blows before he caught her right wrist and tossed her against the far wall. The wind was knocked out of her but that was nothing compared to the next feeling that gripped her. A cry of pain slipped from her lips as her body was racked with an intense pain she had never experienced before. Her entire system was paralyzed for a moment but it seemed to be enough time. The next thing she felt once the pain had started to subside was a sharp blow at the base of her neck.
She didn't hear the thud that resounded through the hall as her body fell lifelessly to the floor in a heap.
"Get her into a holding cell," came a gruff order from somewhere down the hall, "I don't want anyone near her until Bass gets back. He'll have to deal with this."
"Come on, you gotta give me at least *some* hint of where we're going? I mean, you've got me all tied up and everything, the least you could do is let a girl know what your intentions are," she cajoled over the sounds of the helicopter blades.
The man setting across from her still said nothing, his two companions still holding the barrel of their guns level with her chest. She remained outwardly calm but inside she was seething. She hated handcuffs but at least those were fairly easy to get out of. Whatever these were they were tight enough that she couldn't maneuver her wrists to even try and pick them.
"You know how uncomfortable these things are, don't you?" she asked with a sigh, leaning back against the seat.
Her only answer was a smile. Things were going perfectly. No one, not even the military units that he had chosen knew why they had been chosen or even what they had been chosen for. He had planned on hitting them with it all at once, it seemed easier that way. Group shock was less shock, that and they didn't have the chance to blab to anyone about what they would be doing.
Slowly the copter began to descend, signaling to Bass that they had arrived at their destination. With a smirk Bass exited the helicopter once it landed, the two guards assisting Tamlyn out of the copter and escorting her behind Bass. He had to admit he felt much better about being in front with her hands secured snuggly behind her back.
In corridor A Bass encountered what to him was an amusing image. General Hammond, along with a certain British Lt. walking down the corridor toward him. He nodded to the guards and pointed down the hall towards the brig.
"Take our guest to the holding cells," he instructed, "Put her in the cell across from our other...new friend. We'll need to get everyone together soon enough, best they meet now."
The guards nodded and guided Tamlyn down the hall toward the cell that was indicated.
"Cell?" Tamlyn yelled, dragging her feet in a vain attempt to stop her movement in that direction, "What cell? You are NOT locking me up! Damn it! What the hell am I doing here?"
Everyone ignored her, the guards finally resorting to dragging her down the corridor. She fought them the entire way, kicking and screaming in an effort to get free. Her struggle was in vain. In the end she was tossed in a cell, the door slammed behind her with a deafening finality. The guard smirked at her through the bars before he stepped out of the room and closed the large metal door behind him.
"Hey!! Aren't you at least going to take these damn things off?" she kicked at the wall, "Hey!"
~Ok, ok... don't panic, Tam. Get a grip.~ she thought.
She tried to concentrated on something else, anything else besides the predicament she was in. First she checked the cell door for a way out, wondering if maybe they had forgotten something. She found nothing, not even a loose weld.
"Damn it!" she yelled again and kicked the door once more for good measure.
With a sigh she sat down on the bed and swore the next person that came through that door was going to get *way* more than they bargained for.
"Lt Dalziel, meet Gunnery Sergeant Bass." Hammond motioned to the young Brit standing next to him, then turned his full attention to the Gunny before him. "Bass, I see the other member of your team has arrived. We've just gotten word that your final two members are in transit. The doctor's already arrived and is on route with her escort and your other member has just boarded his plane. He should arrive within 2 hours."
Lt. Dalziel looked quizzically from the Gunny to the General.
"Other member?" he asked, "In chains General? A Gunnery sergeant running the unit? What kind of team is this?!"
Bass stepped forward coming almost nose to nose with the Lt. His eyes were ice, void of all emotion. From the look he was giving the Lt. he was more likely to snap the young man's neck than look at him.
"My kind." the Gunny's voice was just as cold as his eyes. "And now, your kind. You're under my command now...let's not forget that. For Queen and country and all that."
The way he said the last line made it sound more like an insult than a pledge. It made Dalziel bristle but he knew there was nothing he could do about it. Slugging a commanding officer was grounds for court-martial.
"I'm not calling you sir."
Bass had turned to leave. When he heard the Lt's words he simply waved his hand in a dismissing manner.
"I don't expect you to." he said arrogantly, "I'm a Marine. We work for a living. Call me Gunnery Sergeant."
Tamlyn paced in her cell, cursing none too silently. It all came down to one thing, she was locked up and that was something she could not stand. It irritated her to no end, and was one of the few times in her life that she felt... *trapped*. She didn't mind tight spaces, her life was full of them. But *locked* spaces were another thing entirely.
It didn't help matters that her hands were still tied and she couldn't get to her picks. She stopped pacing for a moment and turned her attention to the door of the room.
"Hello? Come on guys? My hands are fallin' asleep!"
Her only answer was silence.
"I know SOMEONE'S there! At least talk to me so I won't be so damn bored anymore!" she said with frustration.
She resisted the urge to kick at the wall yet again. Her toe already hurt from the first 20 or so times.
"This absolutely SUCKS!"
Across the room her 'cellmate' sat silently in her own cell and stared at the door, trying to ignore the woman who was ranting in the cell across from her. The headache that she woke up with had slowly subsided leaving her with a myriad of questions. Why was she here, better yet why was she still alive and not in some high security prison? It was obvious that whoever held her knew she was dangerous, so why...
Her thoughts were interrupted by voices outside the door. She looked up but did not move from where she sat on the bottom bunk hidden in shadows. Slowly, the door opened and the large dark skinned man from the hallway stepped into the room. At first he turned his attention to the young woman in the other cell. She had suddenly become very quite once he had entered the room, her face wearing a look that was something between awe and seething anger. She seemed to overcome it quickly though, turning around and motioning to her hand restraints. He gave her an apologetic look and then turned his attention toward the other cell, his brown eyes seeming to see the woman despite her attempt to conceal herself in the shadows of the lower bunk. He said nothing for a moment, they simply stared at each other in silence. When he finally did speak his words shocked her.
"Are you injured?"
His deep rich voice filled the room with a warmth that had not been there before but it was his words that caught her off guard. No one had ever been worried about her well being...not since Kevin. Luckily her face was hidden in shadow so that none saw the look of shock that crossed her features.
"No."
The single word that slipped from her mouth was almost musical, destroying her intimidating exterior and replacing it with one that only enhanced her dark beauty.
"Forgive my actions," again the rich, warm voice, "We could not allow your departure."
"I understand."
He looked at her for a moment before bowing slightly and turning to leave. There were many things she wanted to say but knew that her questions would be answered in time. So she simply let him go...intending on returning to her own contemplation. Her 'cellmate' seemed to have other ideas.
Once again she began her pacing and ranting. It was enough to give Viper a headache. She never could understand the impatience of others. This girl had been here for twenty minutes and hadn't shut up the entire time. Her head was starting to pound from the girl's constant yelling. Had she a knife with her she may have been compelled to throw it across the room at the woman.
Still, she sat silently and patiently in the shadows waiting for her captors to reveal the reason that she was being held. Her mind had wandered over a few of the possibilities but had not as of yet settled on one. Instead she simply waited...but the other was really starting to get on her nerves.
"They will come when they are ready."
Her words were simple and almost a whisper. She didn't expect the woman to hear her but then that was what she was trained for...to remain inconspicuous.
The young woman stopped pacing abruptly, her eyes coming to rest on the bottom bunk of the cell across from her. She had known that there was someone there when the large dark man had come in and spoken to them. However, up until that moment she had not known that the other was a woman. The conversation between the other and the dark man had been silent and at the time it had taken place she had been to upset that he would not release her hands too pay much attention.
"Hello," Tamlyn said again, this time directed at the cell across from her, "Look I know you're there. I have good ears. And I don't think that guy was talking to himself."
She waited for an answer...but none came. By this time she was starting to think that everyone was conspiring to drive her crazy.
"Fine, have it your way whoever you are. I just thought it MIGHT be nice to compare notes, since we're apparently in the same situation here."
She backed up against the wall and slid down until she was sitting on the floor.
"I knew I should have walked away." she whispered to herself, "I just *knew* it!"
The woman may have good ears, but her eyesight was only marginal. How did one expect to do a job in the dark if they could not see a figure in the shadows? Many of the people that Viper had encountered lately had really been lacking in the skills department. She was surprised at how far they had gotten with such meager skills. Still, she was not one to condemn them. It was their life...and they chose to live or die as they wished.
"Our situations are not exactly the same," once again her gentle voice broke the silence, "I am not bound...nor am I frantic to get out."
Tamlyn looked up from her position on the floor, at least someone was talking to her now, "Good for you. I'm so glad you can take being...caged so well."
She stayed on the floor, and leaned her head back against the wall.
"I, on the other hand, hate it, to be honest. And for me, being honest is a neat trick."
She was still trying to maneuver her hands behind her, and her wrists were becoming sore with the effort but she finally managed to strain them enough to get at one of the picks she always had on her belt.
"About time," she muttered.
She felt around for a release mechanism and with her thumb and forefinger, managed to get at the lock and release it with a click that she felt more than heard. A relieved sigh slipped past her lips as she brought her hands around to rub at her wrists. Picking up the strange contraption she threw it out of the cell and into the open area of the room.
"It's about damn time!" she muttered, her attention now focused on returning circulation to her wrists.
Bass moved down the hall toward the cell block flanked by what he had come to affectionately call his 'honor' guard.
~As if I had any,~ he reflected with a wry smile.
Halfway down the hall he nodded respectfully to the same large dark skinned man who had so easily whumped Viper earlier. Smirking softly he continued to the door of the cells that were occupied by his 'people'. Without even a word the guard on the outside opened the door for the group, taking up a position to the right of the now open door.
Bass entered the room with an authority that he knew he had, the men behind him taking up the positions that he had told them to. They all hefted their guns, six of them aiming at Viper while only one took up a position facing Tamlyn.
As soon as Bass stepped into the room Viper's mind went to work planning all the many ways that she could kill him. At this point she was in no position to do anything but that did not change the training that had ordered her mind since childhood. Plan how to kill them from the beginning, once that is done you decipher if they deserve it.
Tamlyn gave Bass a frown as he opened her cell first. To tell the truth she was a bit insulted. The woman across from her had six…SIX guns aimed at her while Tamlyn only got one. It almost made her feel insignificant. Not to mention a bit paranoid. Apparently that woman was dangerous…which begged the question of why they were both here. What did they want from them?
Stepping free of the cell a bit too quickly she stopped just short of the gun that was pointed at her head. With a frown she crossed her arms over her chest and waited to find out what came next. She seriously hoped it wasn't a firing squad.
Nodding to the guard who was covering Tamlyn Bass turned to Viper's cell. He could see her outline in the shadows but no detail. He was sure that was how she liked it but now it was time for her to come out of the shadows…for a while anyway.
The fact that all but one of his armed guards had their guns trained on her made her smile slightly, an action that was hidden by the shadows in which she still sat. It was apparent that he knew her reputation and was making sure that he did not have a repeat of earlier.
"Now," he said as he stepped toward her cell, keys in hand, "Are you going to be a good girl if we let you out? Or will I have to call on our new mutual friend?"
She studied him for a moment trying to gauge his intentions. If he had wanted her dead then he would have killed her already. So it was apparent that he wanted her for something else. Slowly she got up from her bunk and stepped toward the bars. Her face held no emotion, and her jet black hair moved slightly as she nodded her consent.
Satisfied with the nod Bass leaned in and unlocked the door before slowly moving out of the way. Per his instructions, two of the guards shouldered their weapons and swooped in to restrain her hands quickly and efficiently while the others kept their guns trained on her. There was no lax movement, nothing wasted. They all knew what she could do, Bass had been sure that they all watched the video from earlier very closely before he came to get her. He had been working with these men for weeks to get them ready for this. He had drilled them constantly, trying to remove the arrogance that all military men held. He was sure that more than anything the video had taken that arrogance out of them for sure. There was something humbling about seeing a small, unarmed woman take out ten men by herself.
Satisfied that she was securely held he moved toward the door. He exited the room first, followed by Tamlyn and her guard. Lastly came Viper. The two that held her strode beside her, each move smooth and calculated. Behind her came the other four guards, their guns still leveled at her back. In her mind she thought about how she could get out of this, her mind working even though she had no plans of doing anything.
As they turned the corner at the end of the hall a movement caught her eye. She looked to the right to see the dark man from before standing firmly in the hallway with his arms crossed over his massive chest. She gave him a slight nod, one side of her mouth quirking up as if to say 'Next time will be different'. He made no move to answer. Instead he simply quirked an eyebrow…just before the doors closed and the elevator began moving deeper into the mountain.
Bass walked down the line of people who stood before the blast doors in the upper conference room. A doctor, an anthropologist, a demolition man, a thief, an assassin, and a jerk. There was still one member missing but he couldn't wait any longer. He needed to keep the schedule, the new one could catch up when he got here.
Turning toward his 'crew' he looked them over. They were all still clad in civilian garb, even the officers but that didn't matter now. What was important was that the timing was right. Timing was everything in this job. He waited a few seconds more, until he felt that familiar rumble under his feet. With a smile he took up a position just to the right and in front of the group. Everything was ready…it was time to tell these people why they were here.
"I'm not going to pussyfoot around," he said gruffly as he looked at each of the six people before him, "You're here because you're the best there is at what you do. I'm in charge because of the same reason. We will be taking on missions that no one else can, or wants to do. Before any of you even think about refusing, especially a certain pair," he shot a glare at Viper and Tamlyn, "Let me tell you that you have absa-friggen-lutely no choice in the matter. Your Leaders have agreed to this, and of course for the other two of you legally you have no rights…so that clears up that."
He stood a bit taller now, his arrogance showing the more he said. From down the line Viper scowled. Had it not been for the two men STILL holding her back she probably would have taken great pleasure in kicking his ass right about now. She had taken great pains to become a citizen of this country, and now that was all taken away. If she ever did get her hands on Bass…he would be sorry he had ever heard of her.
"We will be assassins," Bass continued, his hands now clasped behind his back, "recon, demolitionists, and thieves. Everything that you people excel at."
"Excuse me, but, I'm not too keen on killing and stuff....." Tayte started, then withered slightly under the stare that Bass shot her. "...I'll be quiet now." Her voice had turned to a whisper as she folded her arms in front of her and rubbed her neck with embarrassment.
"As I was saying," Bass continued, "We are going to be all those things. However, we are not going to be doing them on this planet."
He could see that the 'Not on this planet' part had gotten their attention. Already Bass could see a curiosity creeping across all their faces. Well, most of their faces. It was just the reaction he was looking for.
"Not on this planet, as in what? Pluto?" Tamlyn asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
Ignoring Tamlyn's comment, and with a satisfied grin, he nodded to the private who stood near the blast door controls. The young man replied with a nod of his own as he reached over and activated the controls. With a loud hum the door began to raise, slowly revealing the marvel that hid behind it.
"Ladies and gentleman…The Stargate."
It shimmered like liquid mercury, it's own blue light flooding the conference room and reflecting on the faces of all who stood there. The looks of amazement were expected, as were the few gasps that were heard in the room. The gathered men from the facility had seen it all before. In fact, they had all had much the same reaction their first time seeing the gate. It was a wonder, a thing of beauty that was without equal. And yet despite that beauty, it held a danger that was unparalleled. That was why they were all here…to help combat that danger and hopefully to help hold it at bay.
Bobby stared at the shimmering blue pool in amazement. It's beauty was not lost to him. Whether it was truly a gate to another world or not was still debatable.
He chanced a look around at the ill assorted team that he was expected…no, forced to join. Apart from Hammond no one, himself included, was in uniform. Most of the others didn't look in the least military. There were four women and one other man apart from himself.
Two of the four women were exotic looking to say the least. He remembered seeing one of them led away in restraints earlier. Now that he got a better look at her he noted her soft features and shoulder length brown hair. She had a figure that any woman would kill for but them again so did the other exotic beauty. However, the second one had an air of danger about her. She was definitely of oriental descent though Bobby couldn't tell if it was Chinese or Japanese. Her jet black hair hung loosely to her waist, her face holding no expression as she stared almost uninterested at the Stargate.
The other women looked a little more ordinary although both were very attractive. One was blonde, and the other sported auburn hair. Both wore it short giving the impression that they were career oriented. The blonde wore glasses, her form a bit plumper than the others but no less attractive.
The only other man was a bit older with a military air about him. He wore a military regulation haircut that was a mucky brown mixed with specks of gray. His features were weathered and etched with a grit that Bobby had seen in many other servicemen, combat experience. From the profiles that he was able to read from Hammond's desk while he wasn't looking he assumed that this was the demolition expert. Absently he wondered what they were going to blow up.
With a silent sigh he shook his head truly wondering at the weird kind of set up this was. Despite himself he was feeling a little bit of excitement at the prospect of working with this group. It was certain to be dangerous and to be honest he still wasn't very sure where he fit in. He had no special skills apart from being a damn good submariner. However, he knew that he would have to wait to find out. It was more than apparent that Bass didn't believe in giving out any more than the most basic of information
He had disliked Bass at first sight and at second sight still could not see any redeeming feature in the man. The gunnery sergeant was arrogant and no respector of rank. Contrary to what Bass probably thought Bobby had no wish to command the team. How the hell could he command when he had absolutely no idea what was happening. He did however, expect the respect commensurate with his rank. He'd worked hard to be promoted to Lieutenant and he'd been that close to Lieutenant Commander and now it looked as if it was all for naught. That did not set well with him and despite his best efforts , or perhaps because of them, he saw it as Bass's fault.
Bekki Eralc, who as far as she was concerned was still a Lt until told otherwise, stared on in amazement. The shimmering stone circle before her was breathtaking. A Stargate? Was it really a doorway to somewhere else? Or was her jet lag worse than she thought? She glanced down the line at the others trying to gauge their reactions. Most of them wore the same expression, pure and utter amazement. The look on the CO's face was expected. He had seen this before and seemed to be simply enjoying the reactions of the others. The oriental woman on the other hand seemed bored.
What Bass had said again came to mind. If they really were going to another 'world', which is what Bass had implied, she would need to stock up on her med order. No wonder they had wanted her. Her own command? This was better by far.
Tamlyn had never seen anything like this before, she doubted many had. It was big, shiny and quite hypnotic. It probably wouldn't fit in her pocket, though.
"Great special effects." she said with a glance at the others, trying to belay some of her amazement with her sarcasm, "So, let me get this straight. We're supposed to, what? Go through that thing, go to another planet and…you want me to pick E.T.'s lock or something?"
Several looks of annoyance were shot her way, eliciting a frown from her delicate features.
"What?" she asked almost innocently, "This all just sounds like something from a movie! Don't tell me you're all buying this." she looked at Bass, her frown still in place. "You can't be serious about this?"
The smirk that still graced Bass's face was enough to convince her.
"Jeez, you are serious."
Tayte's mouth dropped open for a few moments and then her natural curiosity got the better of her.
"What's a Stargate?" she asked, her inner geek taking over as her eyes focused on the strange hieroglyphics, her mind already formulating translations based on what she knew. "It looks Egyptian."
"It looks more like a lop-sided pool of water." Milo grunted, a frown firmly planted on his face.
To be honest it was the comment that Bass had made about 'not on this planet' that had first gotten his attention. However, he could not find himself getting excited about all of this. Yes, the gate was amazing and unlike anything he had ever seen but something still didn't make sense. Call him old fashioned but if this was the kind of team that he thought it was it made no sense for it to be half women.
It wasn't truly his fault. The army he had grown up in wouldn't even let women fire a gun. Nowadays things were different but that did nothing to change what had been drilled into him during his time in the service. Women were not meant for this kind of work, plain and simple. He wasn't sexist, nor was he assuming that they couldn't do the job. It was just that decade old training that was seeping through to the present day. Despite that he vowed to give them a chance. He knew many woman who did men's work these days and who were damned good at it. Perhaps these women, despite their very feminine looks, would surprise him.