"Sir, I understand the value this group will bring to the SGC, but the diversity in results from the norm is staggering, and I don't have a clue where to start with understanding them," she said.
"Doctor, please, calm down," Hammond said. "It can't be quite that bad."
"I can't even discuss the difficulties without violating patient confidences because of their unique natures. Hell, I'm not even sure if they can truly be classified as human, or at least, as Homo sapiens."
"You told them what you were doing?"
"Well, yes," Janet said. "I can't possibly get the information we need to know about them. How in the world can I tell you the health of a partial amnesiac when I can't even get proper skull films?"
"Major," Hammond said, reminding her of her rank. "Do as much as you can now, and we'll discuss more specialized testing when they return. They are all clear for gate travel, right?"
Janet looked at him, frowning. "Sir, I don't like it…" she began.
"Are they healthy?"
"The woman is more fit than two thirds of the marines on base, and she's the low end," she said, wearily.
"I'll take that as a yes. You've got another hour to take any samples or run tests you haven't already, after which I want you to turn them over to SG-1 for field prep. I'm sending them with SG-1 and Dr. Evans to find SG-7."
"Are you sure that's wise, sir?"
"I can't send SG-1 alone, and SGs 3 and 6 are both off-world on missions, and the other teams aren't cleared at this time. They're they only support team available."
"And this is the toy-box," Jack said, as be brought the four X-men, clearly uncomfortable in standard issue BDUs in their sizes, into the armory. "You are all required to carry a sidearm at all times off-world, either a zat or 9 mil, depending on your preference. Most of my team carry both, since there are times when it's better to take hostages instead of using lethal force."
While Jack was explaining the alien stun weapon, Logan walked over, and had taken down a rather odd, compact machine gun, and pulled the clip to see how it went together.
"Hey, be careful with that!" Jack said, finally noticing.
"Give me one of these and a pea-shooter, colonel. Might be useful," Logan said, still looking at the P90.
"Take the zat," Kitty replied, firmly. "We're not going out to kill anyone, yet." Nobody missed the tiredness in her voice saying that killing might become necessary.
Kurt was holding the cobra-like weapon gingerly, checking to make sure his oddly-shaped hands still could activate the trigger, and then passed it over his shoulder to his tail for the same check. "I do not like this," he said.
Jack looked at Kurt, interested. "You think you can shoot like that?" he said, nodding at the tail.
"It is not impossible," Kurt replied, a little sadly. "I am certainly capable of using other weapons while my hands are busy."
"Cool."
They finished selecting the zats and other items from the armory, and Jack started to lead them back down to the briefing room, when Carter caught up with them, carrying an armload of electronic devices that looked like some form of radio transmitter.
"I didn't have time to reprogram these for a new code, so for now these are all set for SG-1's," Sam said, apologetically, as she handed one to each of them.
"What is this?" Pete asked, as he followed the others examples and strapped the device to his left forearm.
"We call them GDOs," Carter began, but was interrupted by Jack.
"Short for garage door opener," the colonel said, wryly. "You activate it before entering the gate at the other end, and it tells the folks back home to open the iris. Otherwise, you'll end up like bugs on a windshield."
Kitty glanced at the device again, then at Carter. "How does that metal thing prevent someone from coming through?"
Sam brightened at being asked a question in her field of expertise. "It's placed about a millimeter from the event horizon, so close that matter sent through the wormhole doesn't even have a chance to reintegrate before being crushed. Death would be instantaneous."
A grin crossed Kitty's face as thought about how that might work with her particular brand of mutant power. It certainly would be interesting to find out.
"Dr. Evans just got checked out to go back, so we should do a quick overview of what happened and then we're good to go," Carter told her commanding officer.
"Daniel?" Jack asked, the one word holding overtones of amusement and concern.
"He's making sure he has extra batteries and tapes for the camera, since we probably won't be able to study the ruins again," Carter replied, grinning.
"Him and his rocks."
"Yes, sir," Carter said.
"Well, campers, let's move out."
The briefing mostly covered the lay of the land, with some details offered by Dr. Evans. Evans was clearly in shock over the whole matter. He seemed to think the entire team had disappeared from around him as they ran for the gate.
Rubbing his hands together in excitement, Jack stood up from the end of the table. "So here's the plan. We'll go through the gate as a group, then head towards base camp at the ruins here," he began, pointing to a spot on the map. "From there, we'll do a quick sweep of the area, and see if we need to split up. Understood?"
The X-Men looked at the topographical map of the area, surrounded by photos of the actual points of interest, and exchanged a look. "Kurt, you should probably get up above as soon as we reach that tree line," Kitty said, indicating an area just beyond the Stargate. "Close enough to cover us if we need it, but high enough to keep a lookout."
Kurt smiled at that, glad to be out of the direct line of fire.
Jack bristled a little at the way Kitty had begun commanding the group, especially since she was easily the youngest of the group. She wouldn't have been his first choice. But then he stopped, watching as they discussed the lay of the land with an ease of familiarity. They deferred to her, for some reason he hadn't yet seen. The files he'd read had shown the four selections as loose canons, each one capable of turning and going it alone if they felt strongly enough. But they were battle-hardened. Even the kids.
And now Jack was supposed to lead them into an unknown battlefield millions of miles from home to bring back some of his men.