Clash Of the Titans 2
Dana Scully looked at the clock and tried not to sigh. She was bored. She had not joined the FBI so that she could spend her time autopsying the bodies of serial killer victims. In fairness, she thought darkly as she continued filling out yet another report, I didn't join the FBI to chase after space aliens and the Loch Ness Monster either. Still, at least that was interesting. Tagging and bagging skin samples from dead prostitutes was not.
Worse, she had an appointment for an interview for a job she hadn't even applied for right after work. Her current boss, an idiot compared to Skinner, had apparently volunteered her for some sort of Air Force project. Ever since the X-Files had been shut down, it seemed like she was always being volunteered for whatever hair-brained project that came up. No doubt, she thought darkly as she washed her hands and grabbed her jacket, I'm about to be interviewed in some dank coffee shop by a junior officer who will be condescending because I'm not military. Worse, it was going to be followed by a long phone conversation with Mulder, who took paranoid interest in the various petty assignments that she had been given.
So, it took her by surprise to see a limousine waiting by the entrance of the lab. It was so surprising, she immediately began to consider just who had rated a limo, because it was impossible that a two star general of the Air Force was waiting with a limo to interview a somewhat disgraced FBI agent. It was especially disconcerting because the general looked a great deal like her late father. The general appeared to be waiting for someone and he clearly didn't mind the damp Virginia weather because he was standing next to the limo and not waiting inside. Unusual. Most top brass would have waited in the warm car. The general was in fact scanning the faces of the people leaving for the day, looking for someone. As he turned and faced her, it was obvious that he had been looking for her.
"Excuse me, " he called, " Are you Special Agent Dana Scully?"
" I am." She walked over to the man and put her hand out. " And you are?"
" General John Hammond of the United States Air Force." He smiled pleasantly. It was obvious that he was sizing her up. " I must say, I've very pleased that you agreed to listen to our proposal. I think you'll find this to be a marvelous opportunity. Why don't we go for a ride and we'll discuss what role you'll be playing in our project." He opened the car door and was clearly waiting for her.
" To be honest, I'm curious to know what sort of project you need me for, General," She tried not to let his well thought out pleasantries get to her. Hammond knew a thing or two about interviews and he wanted her badly enough to play the "assume they've already accepted" tactic. It was interesting. And flattering. Especially since she knew how to read the medal rack on the man's chest. Hammond hadn't gotten to the general ranks by manning a desk.
Inside the limo was another military officer, a female major. Traditionally pretty, Scully noted, probably the general's attaché. She was working on a laptop, but looked up at Scully and smiled pleasantly.
Hammond took a seat in the limo and the car began to move. He gestured to the major, " This is Major Samantha Carter, one of the people you'll be working with. You might be familiar with some of her work in the field of physics."
That made Scully sit up and think. She had heard of Dr. Samantha Carter. A top flight researcher, the woman had quietly left the physics scene a few years earlier. The few papers that she'd done since then were intriguing. At the same time, it made Scully even more confused. She had done her undergraduate work in physics, but that was not even close to the level that Carter functioned on. And the Air Force did not lack for medical doctors. " Well, I must admit you've piqued my curiosity."
" I hope to do more than that," Hammond said easily. " Dr. Scully, I am in charge of a top secret project with the Air Force. We're doing some highly technical and specialized work and we need someone with your unique talents. Now, unfortunately I can't give you a lot of details due to the project's classified nature but I can assure you that this is probably the most important scientific endeavor our country has ever or will ever participate in." He and Major Carter both managed to look earnest and serious at the same time.
"Why me?" Scully asked. " I'm an FBI agent. I solve crime. Most of my scientific background is in forensic medicine."
"You've done quite a bit of investigating in situations that are… extra-ordinary," Major Carter said. She had, Scully noted with some concern, that look. That earnest, puppy-like, true believer look that Scully had come to know so well. It was time to lay down the cards, she decided. It would be different if it was Mulder. It wasn't Mulder and she wasn't interested in getting sucked into some new version of Project BlueBook.
" I don't want to mislead either of you," she said firmly, " but I am not terribly interested in chasing UFOs or aliens or werewolves or whatever weird thing you might be hunting down."
Hammond and Carter exchanged looks. They were trying to cover up being amused. That was not exactly what she had expected, not when Carter had made a point of stressing their interest in her work on the X-files. " So what are we talking about?"
" Joining a team," Hammond said. " A team of elite specialists who travel to… let's call them exotic locations and solve problems for us. There's some danger involved, a lot at times, but it will also be immensely satisfying work. Work your country needs to be done."
A patriotism pitch. She was a little disappointed. Oh, it was an effective yank on her chain, she didn't work for the FBI because she hated America, but somehow the whole scenario had made her expect more. " Are you really saying that this… project… is more important than say combating terrorism?"
" This makes terrorism look like kiddie fights." Major Carter said exuberantly. Hammond eyed her and she visibly deflated. However, her outburst made Scully consider the proposal more seriously. From her experience with Mulder and the X-Files, she knew that intelligent people could sometimes hoodwink themselves into believing nonsense but that sort of thing didn't happen very often in the military. Carter also seemed very military and professional. Hammond seemed very professional and she knew that officers didn't make it to general rank by being crackpots.
"You can't tell me more than that?" she asked.
"The project is classified," Hammond intoned. " However, you will need to undergo training at our facility in Colorado and much will need to be revealed at that time. Are you interested, Agent Scully?"
" Where is the money coming from? Who's ultimately in charge? What exactly will my status be?" She had more questions, a lot more, but she figured it was best to start with the big ones. She didn't want to sign her life away just to be someone's secretary and when the military was involved, that's how a lot of women ended up. Major Carter's presence eased her mind a little on that score but it was still a worry.
" We already have several teams," Hammond said easily. He seemed pleased by her questions. " Each team is autonomous when on missions. You'll be on our first civilian team so your rank, so to speak, will be similar to what you currently enjoy. We may actually use the special agent designation. The money comes from the government, a secret fund. I am in charge of the overall mission, but of course, the president ultimately has the final say. And he does take a personal interest in this project." He paused. " So, Agent Scully, what do we need to do to get you on board? We want you with us, and I'm willing to work with reasonable requests."
She thought about that for a moment. She was interested but she also was very familiar with claims of having the president involved. In her experience, it was pretty damn hard to even talk to a congressman. " I'll tell you what," she finally said, " I'll do it… If you can get the president on the phone to assure me that this isn't some black government organization bent on god knows what."
Hammond picked up his cell phone and dialed. " This will take a moment." Then, after a only a few moments, he said into the phone, " Yes, Mr. President. I would appreciate it if you would reassure one of our candidates as to the positive intent of SG Command." After a moment he handed the phone to Scully. " There's someone who wants to talk to you, Agent Scully."
Dammit, Scully thought as she took the phone, his eyes were actually twinkling.