Chapter 2: Fusion
Mary tried to stand up and even though she was leaning heavily on the table she barely made it. Jake knitted his eyebrows and stared her down. "You don't feel well?" he repeated. Mary nodded her head slowly, nausea threatening her and the blackness of unconsciousness calling to her.
"I, I" Finally the pounding became to much, releasing a small scream Mary let the beauty of painless black claim her.
Jake watched as the young woman before him fought her demons and lost. Watching as she fainted before his eyes he barley caught her before she hit the ground. "Medic! I need a medic!"
3/4 's of SG1 had been watching in unperturbed fascination the couple across the room. There was something romantic, mysterious, and violent about them. Suddenly the man was yelling for a medic and panic laced his voice. Jack jumped up first and directed Daniel to call to the infirmary for an emergency team. He and Sam quickly rushed over with Teal'c behind them.
Jack quickly slipped into command mode and began sizing up the situation. "Colonel, what the hell happened? It's only 05:20."
Jake looked up. "I don't know. We were just having a discussion and she fainted. I do know though that she just got back from some down time. I'm sure that has something to do with it."
Jack raised an eyebrow. "You know her well?"
Jake shrugged. "Specialist has made her way into my office a couple times." Looking him over it was obvious that the man was not planning on sharing anymore information. Sam closed in and leaned over to take the woman's pulse.
"Mary" she whispered into the woman's ear. Getting no response she turned back to her colonel and shrugged. "Not responsive sir and her pulse becoming more and more thready."
Jack nodded. "Alright, well the med team should be here any minute."
After almost a minute and a half Jack swore.
"Damn it where are they?" He stopped pacing for a second to look down at his watch for the thousandth time, then back at the pair on the floor. Shortly after Sam and Jack had backed off Rossini had moved into a closer more comfortable position. Currently he was mumbling words Jack assumed of either comfort or prayer. Jack eyed the other colonel over. An Air Force Colonel of about 42 he was Jack's subordinate just by a few years. From what he knew of the man before him Rossini had spent a few years in the Black Ops, from experience Jack knew how tough you had to be, but there was some fire in the other man's eyes that a career in the military hadn't managed to destroy. Jack was sure it was some sort of Italian passion or something because even though Jake had been living as an American in the US for probably over twenty years he was still as Italian as the day he had first arrived.
He was the commanding officer of SG-10, the back up team Jack mused to himself. Whenever any team, but it was usually a scientific team, needed back up SG-10 went with them. Comprised of ex-Black Ops Rossini, two marine captains, a 2nd Lt from the Army, and a Navy captain it was definitely unique but the team was tight. Jack knew from first hand experience.
Flashback: Jack's POV
He and Teal'c were entering the mess after an extremely boring morning. No missions, no crisis, they had actually had to do their jobs. Making their way to SG1's regular table Jack noticed rather large table a few rows ahead. Usually one saw groups of two or three sometimes even four people per table but the one he was looking at seated six guys from all across the Services. Not really giving it much of a thought Jack proceed on to his regular seat. Daniel had joined them a few minutes later with Sam and Jack's brain official shut down to the barest minimum level. That was until Teal'c's concerned voice broke through his reverie.
"O'Neill I believe that those two Airmen are in search of a fight." Jack looked up. There weren't that many people in the dinning hall at all so picking out the two trouble makers wasn't hard at all. Interestingly there weren't that many fights at the SGC. The Marines and the Russians kept to themselves and the scientists were respected. It surprised him that the two men were heading towards the six man table he had passed coming in. The two Airmen were hassling the Navy Corps man who was seated at the table.
There were hardly any people from the Navy among the SGC, in fact you could probably count them on one hand, and place them all in the infirmary. The poor guy was studiously trying to ignore them but it was obvious that the two marines on either side of him were getting agitated.
Daniel's civilian-ness controlled his mouth. "Jack shouldn't you intervene?"
Jack shook his head. "Not yet. They all work together so they have to learn to eat and live together. If they start throwing food or punches then we intervene."
Then it got loud.
"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be on a boat or something?" Annoying Airman One teased.
Annoying Airman Two stepped in. "Yea, how many water guys are there here anyway? What are you the only one?" They laughed too hard at their own stupid jokes. Finally the Marines sitting on the left side of the Navy captain, Captain Brian Fersong, stood up.
"Come on guys, knock it off. You're not even that funny, okay?" The two men stopped laughing and looked at each other. "Not funny eh?" They stepped a bit closer. "Are you sure about that?"
The second Marine, Captain Wallace Fernandez, stood up. "I'm sure about it. You know what; come to think of it my ex is funnier than you are."
Airman 2 grabbed him by the lapels. "Oh yea. So what is that an invite? You wanna by my bitch?"
The Army Lt., William Flynn, moved across the table and placed a hand on the each of the men's chest. "Settle down Airmen, no harm no foul. Let's all just take it easy okay?"
Airman 2 nodded and dropped Fernandez's jacket and began turning around, then abruptly pivoted and laid a hard one on Fernandez's jaw. Ironically the first person to react was Jack Morton, the Navy captain. He was able to get one in on the offensive Airman's face before Flynn pulled him off. Just as Jack was readying himself to walk over and break it up the sixth man pushed himself up from the table.
"STAND DOWN AIRMEN." His voice was cold, soft, and deadly tinged with a European accent, even Jack stopped. Both Airmen sneered and started laughing.
"Oh yea, I'm shaking in my little booties. Stand down, or what?"
The man looked up. "Or I will drop your ass back down to cadet so fast you wont even have time to call mommy. And then, your mine. And I can guarantee you a life of toothbrushes and an endless supply of dirty latrines." The man smiled. "It's a benefit of being a colonel in the United States Air Force." Placing his hands in his pockets Jake rocked on his feet a couple times. "We are going to leave now. And if I ever see you approaching Captain Morton it had better be to buy him lunch." Then he walked away.
Jack had been seriously impressed with not only Jake Rossini but with his team too.
End Flash Back
Seeing him now almost cradling the young specialist Jack couldn't help but wonder how the man in front of him had managed to keep his humanity so strong after all these years.
