"Okay, take a seat, time for theoretical astrophysics 101." Sam said as
they sat at the dinning room table with mugs of coffee.
"I don't need a lesson in how to become an astrophysicist; I just want to know what it is in case anyone should ask me."
"And what have you done when people asked in the past?"
"Shrugged it off, said you're good at your job so I didn't need to know what it was that an astrophysicist did or was."
"You know even your Mom knows what an astrophysicist." Sam said taking a sip of her coffee and a bite of toast.
"When did you talk to my Mom?"
"About a year ago, it was just after you got back from Edora and you'd gone out for more charcoal for the barbeque. I answered the phone; we had a chat for ten minutes after I explained who I was. She calls me once every couple of months to check up on you since you don't call her often enough."
"My Mom calls you. How come I don't know about this?"
"She doesn't want you to know she worries about you. Besides which she likes the picture of you with the chicken pox I e-mailed her."
"My Mom knows how to e-mail?" Jack seemed stunned.
"Jack, you're Mom knows a lot more than you think. But right now you're going to learn what I do."
"I take it the theoretical bit means that you do every thing in theory. You speculate and run simulations."
"Everything tends to be in the hypothetical or conjectural but since I started work at the SGC it became less theoretical and more practical." Sam confirmed.
"Okay. So were onto the astrophysicist bit, which I know has something to do with stars and stellar phenomenon."
"It's based on the application of the theories and methods of physics to the study of stellar structure, stellar evolution, the origins of the solar system and related problems of cosmology."
"So basically you theorise about what the stars and cosmos do."
"Yes among other things."
"That should cover it. Thanks." Jack said trying to avoid a lecture on the nature of astrophysics.
"Okay for now. But I'm still going to lend you Astrophysics For Dummies."
"I look forward to." Sam shot him a look.
"For that you can do me a favour."
"What?" He questioned.
"I'm craving blue raspberry Jell-O. Can you run to the store and a packet of mix please?"
"Sure do we need anything else while I'm out?" Jack asked.
"Food in general I think, you definitely need milk and bread." Sam replied.
"Okay. I'll finish getting dressed and run to the store."
"Thanks."
~
When Jack arrived home he carried the bags through the door and kicked it shut.
"Sam, I'm back." He called.
"I'll be there in a minute." Sam called from upstairs.
"Okay." He started to unpack the groceries when there was a knock at the door. "Yes. What can I do for you Airman?" Jack asked.
"Sign here please Colonel." The Airman held out a clipboard.
"What am I signing for?" Jack asked as he signed his name.
"Ah hey Fritz." Sam said cheerily as she went to the door. She'd dressed in jeans and a shirt.
"Ma'am." He handed her a small sealed box. "Dr Jackson asked me to advise you that he added a copy of his report, along with those of Dr Thomas, Dr Longstein and Lieutenant Harmon."
"Thank you. How's Heather doing?" Sam asked.
"Great, she's seven months now. Doctor says she's right on course." Fritz replied.
"That's good, tell her I said hi."
"I will do ma'am. Hope you feel better soon."
"Thank you Fritz. Can you do me another favour?"
"Of course ma'am." He said.
"Can you try and head Dr Bradford off when he goes near my lab? He keeps borrowing things and not returning them."
"Yes ma'am. If you'll excuse me ma'am, sir, I need to get back to the base."
"Go ahead." Jack said confused as to what happened.
"Thank you sir." Jack closed the door.
"What just happened?" Jack asked. "And who is Heather?"
"Heather is Fritz's wife. It's their first kid so they're both excited." Sam put the box on the table and entered the pre-designated combination and took out the CD of information.
"How do you know them?"
"Fritz has worked at the base since pretty much at the beginning and Heather used to be one of my lab techs. We had to move her upstairs to NORAD after she got pregnant, because it's slightly safer up there."
"But what did I sign for?"
"All the results of the tests we ran and some others I asked them to run. I need to analyse them before I can write my report. You know how to make Jell-O right?"
"I think I can manage that."
"Thank you."
TBC
"I don't need a lesson in how to become an astrophysicist; I just want to know what it is in case anyone should ask me."
"And what have you done when people asked in the past?"
"Shrugged it off, said you're good at your job so I didn't need to know what it was that an astrophysicist did or was."
"You know even your Mom knows what an astrophysicist." Sam said taking a sip of her coffee and a bite of toast.
"When did you talk to my Mom?"
"About a year ago, it was just after you got back from Edora and you'd gone out for more charcoal for the barbeque. I answered the phone; we had a chat for ten minutes after I explained who I was. She calls me once every couple of months to check up on you since you don't call her often enough."
"My Mom calls you. How come I don't know about this?"
"She doesn't want you to know she worries about you. Besides which she likes the picture of you with the chicken pox I e-mailed her."
"My Mom knows how to e-mail?" Jack seemed stunned.
"Jack, you're Mom knows a lot more than you think. But right now you're going to learn what I do."
"I take it the theoretical bit means that you do every thing in theory. You speculate and run simulations."
"Everything tends to be in the hypothetical or conjectural but since I started work at the SGC it became less theoretical and more practical." Sam confirmed.
"Okay. So were onto the astrophysicist bit, which I know has something to do with stars and stellar phenomenon."
"It's based on the application of the theories and methods of physics to the study of stellar structure, stellar evolution, the origins of the solar system and related problems of cosmology."
"So basically you theorise about what the stars and cosmos do."
"Yes among other things."
"That should cover it. Thanks." Jack said trying to avoid a lecture on the nature of astrophysics.
"Okay for now. But I'm still going to lend you Astrophysics For Dummies."
"I look forward to." Sam shot him a look.
"For that you can do me a favour."
"What?" He questioned.
"I'm craving blue raspberry Jell-O. Can you run to the store and a packet of mix please?"
"Sure do we need anything else while I'm out?" Jack asked.
"Food in general I think, you definitely need milk and bread." Sam replied.
"Okay. I'll finish getting dressed and run to the store."
"Thanks."
~
When Jack arrived home he carried the bags through the door and kicked it shut.
"Sam, I'm back." He called.
"I'll be there in a minute." Sam called from upstairs.
"Okay." He started to unpack the groceries when there was a knock at the door. "Yes. What can I do for you Airman?" Jack asked.
"Sign here please Colonel." The Airman held out a clipboard.
"What am I signing for?" Jack asked as he signed his name.
"Ah hey Fritz." Sam said cheerily as she went to the door. She'd dressed in jeans and a shirt.
"Ma'am." He handed her a small sealed box. "Dr Jackson asked me to advise you that he added a copy of his report, along with those of Dr Thomas, Dr Longstein and Lieutenant Harmon."
"Thank you. How's Heather doing?" Sam asked.
"Great, she's seven months now. Doctor says she's right on course." Fritz replied.
"That's good, tell her I said hi."
"I will do ma'am. Hope you feel better soon."
"Thank you Fritz. Can you do me another favour?"
"Of course ma'am." He said.
"Can you try and head Dr Bradford off when he goes near my lab? He keeps borrowing things and not returning them."
"Yes ma'am. If you'll excuse me ma'am, sir, I need to get back to the base."
"Go ahead." Jack said confused as to what happened.
"Thank you sir." Jack closed the door.
"What just happened?" Jack asked. "And who is Heather?"
"Heather is Fritz's wife. It's their first kid so they're both excited." Sam put the box on the table and entered the pre-designated combination and took out the CD of information.
"How do you know them?"
"Fritz has worked at the base since pretty much at the beginning and Heather used to be one of my lab techs. We had to move her upstairs to NORAD after she got pregnant, because it's slightly safer up there."
"But what did I sign for?"
"All the results of the tests we ran and some others I asked them to run. I need to analyse them before I can write my report. You know how to make Jell-O right?"
"I think I can manage that."
"Thank you."
TBC