"Anemia," Hank stated flatly.
Gabe crossed his arms, staring at the floor. He was propped against a wall, and though he didn't know it, he looked ghostly pale. The bandage covering the wraith . . . bite, for lack of a better term, was hidden securely under his sleeve. "Beckett's got me on meds." He shrugged. "Now that we know what it is -"
"I've gotta report this," Hank gently interrupted him.
Gabe closed his eyes for a moment. Beckett had sent Gabe's team in on his way out, advising the SF to tell as much of the truth as he could. Which, unbeknownst to the good doctor, was none at all.
"Medical reason or not, the Major's gotta know at all times the status of the men under his command." That Hank didn't want to do it was clear enough, but there was no way out of the situation.
"He'll sideline me," Gabe said bluntly, meeting Hank's eyes. "I know it. You know it." Dylan and Pete were there, staring but staying silent. "And we can't afford that."
"You passed out, Gabe. You were missing for over five hours – that's unacceptable."
"It won't happen again."
"You can't guarantee that," Hank countered. Sharp words, but the tone was gentle. "I don't want to jeopardize my team, including you, if you're wrong."
Gabe grimaced, letting out a breath.
"It's not permanent. Just for a week or so, while you get settled in with the meds and until the doc says it's okay for you to go back to active duty."
It was the best he would get – as opposed to a medical discharge. There was no way anyone could be discharged from this mission.
They spoke for a few more minutes, speculating and guessing, until Hank decided that Gabe was tired and needed rest. He hustled Dylan and Pete out, and when the door closed behind them, Private Venner dropped onto his bed in exhaustion.
Gabriel scowled. This was exactly what he didn't need – and the ridiculousness of being forced off-duty for medical reasons made him snort. It was the last thing he could have expected; but on the flipside, it did more to enhance his cover story than any deliberate action on his part.
When he woke the next morning, the news he heard pushed all thought of irritation at his situation out of his mind. The word was final – three wraith hive ships were less than two weeks away.
It might have been the panicked mood of Atlantis, but there was a strange, charged feel to the air he breathed. Pulled from active duty, he approached Weir and offered his computer skills to the effort. He was put in a team of scientists, who were puzzled about the presence of a soldier in their midst; at least, until he sat down and started working with them. It didn't take long for him to become pulled into their orbit, trading the necessary jargon with ease.
Hank approached him at one point and told him that he had yet to notify Sheppard of Venner's new off-active status. Too much was happening. The Major and Teyla had been sent on a recon mission to find out what they could about the status of the Wraith ships. At near the same time, McKay had managed to wrangle 1.3 seconds of an active wormhole out of a recovered ZPM. With his new high-compression method of packing data, there was a way to warn Earth about the Wraith. This meant double the work for the scientists, as they converted the necessary information files to encrypted lines of data, and then compressed them using McKay's new system.
Gabe was put to work, and spent several solid hours staring at a computer screen before he sat back and rubbed his eyes with a sigh. People had been rushing back and forth within the room all day. Now as the most pertinent information was almost finished, there was a little time to rest.
A hand came down on his shoulder, and Gabriel jumped. He was sitting in front of a computer layout, and had been for several hours. His instinctive dislike of having his back to the door had been pushed aside in light of the massive amount of work to be done. He whirled, gaining his feet immediately, and giving the man behind him a nasty shock.
Dr. Zelenka, the small, bespectacled and Czechoslovakian scientist, jumped as Gabe towered over him.
"I'm sorry, Doctor," Gabe apologized, seeing the fright in the little man's eyes. "You startled me."
"I think we both did a good job at startling the other," the Czech grinned shakily. "I've seen you working for hours, and wanted to tell you that you can take a break."
"Thank you," Gabe breathed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "I was just about to do that."
Despite his hours of unconsciousness the day before, exhaustion still pulled at him and he leant against the console for a moment, regaining his equilibrium.
Zelenka looked at him closely. "I do not think I know you," he commented. "You are not one of my team, are you?"
Gabe straightened, and saluted. "Private Gabriel Venner, sir," he responded.
"Aw, come on," chimed in another scientist, who was working not too far away. "You've been sitting here for nearly eight hours. I thought by now we'd been able to wash the military outta you, Gabe."
Gabe grinned in response to the teasing jibe. "Take more than a few hours with the civvies to wipe out the military," he retorted laughingly.
"Ah, get on with you," retorted a female scientist from Canada, who was working across the way. "Get out of here, Gabe. Take a break."
He saluted insouciantly. "Yes, ma'am. Right away, ma'am."
She stuck her tongue out at him, and he grinned.
Zelenka was looking at him, a tinge of amusement on his face. "Why are you helping here?" he asked curiously. "I was under the impression we needed all our military personnel -"
"I've been pulled from active duty." Gabe couldn't keep his lips from twisting in disgust. "For medical reasons." He shrugged, following the Czech scientist from the room. "I have experience with computers, and offered my services to Dr. Weir. She assigned me here."
"Ah," Zelenka murmured. "Thank you for all your help."
Gabe shrugged. "Your team are the real pros. I just do what I'm told." He smiled, and the two men spoke amiably together as they headed to the commissary. As they finished eating, Lt. Ford approached Dr. Zelenka.
"Doctor," he began. Within moments, he had outlined his new task. He had been assigned to record statements from each member of the Atlantis crew, to give to their loved ones on Earth.
Finished, he smiled in response to Zelenka's nod. The two arranged to meet at a later time, and Zelenka shifted his attention back to his food. Ford was about to turn away, when he noticed Gabriel. "Private Venner," he said.
Gabriel started to rise to his feet, but Ford said quickly, "At ease."
As he sank back into his chair, the Lieutenant continued, a little puzzled, "I don't believe I've recorded any message from you. Would you -"
Gabe shook his head with a small smile. "No, thank you. That won't be necessary."
He could see the question on Zelenka's lips, and Ford frowned a little. "Are you sure?"
"Quite certain," he responded positively.
Ford nodded, and beat a hasty retreat.
Zelenka, scientist at heart, was unable to contain his own curiosity. "If you don't mind my asking," he began, gaze focused on his plate.
"Why don't I want to send a message home?" Gabriel finished for him. His smile, gentle and understanding, went unseen though it did not leave his face. "There's no real reason to. I have a younger brother, an uncle and a cousin – but they already know that I have gone. Anything I might say would only upset them unnecessarily. They have all spoken to me about this, and we understand one another."
There was nothing more to say. If they called for him, despite the massive distance between, Gabriel would be there for them in less time than it took to blink. He had made a promise to them, as well. The hunter valued keeping his word so much that he rarely made promises. They were soul-binding, once he did.
"I see," Zelenka said, and by the sympathy on his face, it was clear that he saw only what Gabriel chose to let him see.
It was only a few hours later, however, that events took an unexpected turn. Delayed by wraith cunning, Major Sheppard and several refugees finally arrived back at Atlantis. It was not long after this that Gabriel found himself called to speak with his commanding officer.
As soon as he stepped into the room, following his own team leader, he understood the situation. Sheppard was fairly vibrating with frustrated tension, a hangover from his latest mission.
"Devor?" Sheppard demanded, looking up from a few scattered papers in irritation.
"Sir." Hank cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I've come to report that I've pulled Gabe Venner from active duty, and I'm a man down on guarding the 'gate."
Sheppard scowled, catching sight of Gabe standing behind him. "And you're Venner?" he asked harshly.
Gabe saluted. "Yes sir."
Sheppard turned his attention back to Hank. "Why did you remove him from active duty?" His tone conveyed that there would be dire repercussions – Atlantis was under attack. There was no time for this paper-pushing nonsense.
"He has been found . . . medically unfit," Hank responded, promptly and uneasily.
Sheppard's brow rose. "Exactly what do you mean by that?"
"Private Venner passed out, sir. He was missing for over five hours."
"And where exactly was he when this occurred? Why wasn't he discovered immediately?" Sheppard was no slouch.
Hank froze, having obviously not examined the situation from that angle. Surprise flashed across his features, hidden quickly enough. But his silence needed no explanation.
"Private?" Sheppard asked dangerously.
"I was in the northeast quadrant of the city," Gabe answered levelly. There was no point in lying – Sheppard would just check the city's sensors, and deduce where Gabe had been from what he found in their records. The real question was why the sensors hadn't warned of a wraith in the city, and it was this which darkened Gabriel's expression.
Sheppard read it as defiance. "Devor, dismiss," he snapped.
Hank gave Gabe a warning look as he saluted and left, closing the door softly behind him.
For the first time, Gabe experienced the full force of Sheppard's glare. For all his youth, the Major was formidable. Lean and athletic, his unruly dark hair reflected a lightness of spirit that could also be seen in his eyes. Now, however, his gaze was cold and authoritative.
Gabriel, however, had stared down more frightening and powerful creatures than John Sheppard. He met the other's gaze calmly, before he realized that Gabe Venner would have to show deference to his commanding officer. Slowly, he turned his attention to a point on Sheppard's chest – staring him down but not looking him in the eye.
"What were you doing there?" Sheppard asked coolly.
Careful, now. "I was checking out an anomaly in the sensors," he responded, with equal confidence. It was the truth, in a fashion.
"That was just after the wraith dart flew over the city," Sheppard realized. He hadn't been present, but used his quick mind to run the calculations. "What anomaly?" It hadn't been reported to him.
Gabe shrugged. "It turned out to be nothing, sir. I neglected to take backup, and passed out on my way back."
"Foolish," Sheppard snapped, only just keeping his calm. "If you hadn't been medically pulled, you'd be removed from duty for that alone."
Gabe was silent.
"As it stands, I need every man I have, and a few extra," Sheppard informed him grimly. "Like an armada or two extra. Why were you medically pulled?"
"I was diagnosed with anemia in the latest round of physicals," Gabriel told him. He didn't have to fake his disgust. Under normal circumstances, Sheppard wouldn't have had to ask – Beckett would have informed him. But these circumstances were anything but normal.
"How long will you be under Beckett's supervision?"
"Not long."
"Excuse me?" Sheppard had no patience for vague ambiguities. They couldn't afford them, not now.
"A few days. Sir," Gabe added, refusing to back down at the icy expression on Sheppard's face. "I've already volunteered whatever aid I can give to Dr. Weir -"
"You have," Sheppard repeated, both angry and dubious.
"She's assigned me to work with the scientists for now, sir. I want to continue in that function until Beckett says I can return to active duty."
"And why," Sheppard stood now, aloofly authoritative, "should I allow you to do anything of the sort, instead of throwing you into a cell?"
The man must be tired – normally, he'd understand in a moment. His tetchy irritation amused Gabriel, though he knew Gabe Venner would be wary of his CO's temper. He gentled his voice, explaining cautiously. "Because you need every man you can get, sir."
Sheppard sighed wearily, his anger punctured and draining away. "Fine," he said quietly, sitting down at his seat once more. "I'll be putting you under McKay's supervision." He correctly read the look on Venner's face, one of resigned acceptance. As a form of punishment, it was subtle and cunning.
"Sir," Gabe responded. With a salute, he was gone.
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I have discovered that, as of the last chapter, this fic is AU. I thought so when I wrote it, but now I'm sure, and wanted to inform all of my readers. Hope you've enjoyed it so far!