The month of menial Cafeteria work punctuated by the new arrivals and the occasional Superstorm was beginning to wear on Damien. Being from Florida, he was used to strong storms and even stronger hurricanes, but these Superstorms were very different.

He had requested this assignment out of some twisted need to be safe. Hearing the exploits and adventures of all the newcomers while bussing their tables made Damien envious. Now all he could think about was somehow making a name for himself. He wanted to the one that all the others talked about.

The only friend that Damien had made, Senior Airman William Hunt, also known as Billy, was going be leaving soon, his month long Cafeteria rotation coming to an end. Billy found Damien in the kitchen washing the morning pots and pans. "Well, I am out of here tomorrow, you know. They finally told me that I'll be on Captain Sinclair Thomas's communication crew."

"Must be nice. Wish I could get out of here, but I'll probably still have these dishpan hands for years," Damien muttered.

"Hey! I was talking with one of the other guys about this new crew, you know, just getting the general 411 on them, and he said that Captain Thomas is always grumbling that he doesn't have enough people to do his job on time. Somebody is always getting hurt, tripping or getting sick being out in these rainstorms, you know. Maybe you could ask to be transferred there also," Billy said brightly.

"Sounds kinda risky, but anything's better than washing one more pan coated with oatmeal. I wish we could have grits now and then. But I guess that is just the South in me talking," Damien said, starting to feel better in spite of himself.

As he made his way to his Sergeant's office, Damien thought about how he would ask to be reassigned so soon after his initial assignment. He knew that his previous medical and psychological record would be a part of his file and it wouldn't look good for all the sudden transfer requests.

Knocking on his open door, Damien asked, "Sergeant, do you have a minute?"

"Sure, come on it, Airman," replied the Sergeant from his desk, "what's on your mind."

"Well Sergeant, I was wondering when I might be rotated out of Cafeteria duty?"

"I was wondering when you would be asking about that." Sergeant Butler replied, surprising Damien.

"Yeah, you probably think I am just trying to get out of something. I know what my file says about me and you're just waiting for me to get into trouble so that you can send me back to Earth," pouted Damien.

"No, actually, I knew that you were told when you checked with the base C.O. that this was just a temporary assignment, but with so much going on, and you seemingly content with the position, you had been left alone. But if you want we can send you back to Earth," pointed out the Sergeant sternly.

"I'm sorry, Sergeant, I shouldn't have reacted that way. It's…well... I have no excuse, just an explanation. Ever since I had that breakdown, it seems that everyone treats me like a little kid and sometimes it feels like it is easier to act like that little kid than not."

"I know, the SGC specifically and the Air Force in general just can't take the time to cater to everyone and therefore you were shuffled aside in many ways, but here, we are starting this new colony, I believe that we should be able to look out for the individual as well as the group," stated Sergeant Butler again surprising Damien.

Gaining a little courage, Damien asked," Sergeant, would it be possible for me to be rotated to the communication crew. Senior Airman Hunt is scheduled to transfer to that crew soon and we thought that maybe I could be also. We know that the Captain is always looking for able bodies and as you know from my record, I was at one point. An able body, I mean."

His Sergeant, Stanley Butler, thought that Damien would be a good addition to the communication team. The next thing that Damien knew, he was assigned to Captain Sinclair Thomas's wire laying crew. (Tip of my hat to TC, whose fanfics were the first I ever read and got me hooked.)

They were about five miles outside of the settlement alongside the River Tamm, heading towards the new hydroelectric station, when Captain Thomas called a midday halt for lunch. Damien thought about taking a short nap after eating his MRE but couldn't seem to settle down.

"Billy, come on let's see if we can look around a bit. This is just so boring. All we are doing is following this Big Honking Tractor and breathing the dust it kicks up."

"O.K. but, you're the one doing the asking, you know. I don't think that the Captain is in a good mood, something about that darned deadline again," said Billy rolling his eyes.

"Captain, is it O.K. if Billy and I take a little walk?" asked Damien with Billy next to him.

"Who? Oh, Hunt. Yeah sure, just make it a short one, we need this section done before nightfall or especially one of those blasted Super Storms," replied the captain distractedly while poring over his schedule and plans. "Don't forget your radios, boys," he called after them.

So after making sure that their radios were on and that their canteens were full of water, they started to explore the cliffs that butted up against the River.

They had only walked about the length of a football field when Damien sighted a dark cave about 20 feet up.

"Hey, Billy, look at that, will ya'. I wonder how deep it is. You remember I volunteered at the Florida Caverns State Park that summer after I graduated High School."

"Let's check it out, Mr. Expert," Billy said pointing up the small incline.

After climbing up to the entrance, he peered in while pulling out his flashlight. He slowly stepped into the full darkness of the cave, listening for any animal movement but only heard the dripping of water. The cave was roughly the size of the SGC Gate room and had a couple of doorway sized archways that seemed to lead to other chambers.

First Damien looked into the right hand side archway but it was completely full of water.

Then they looked into the left hand side and was amazed to find what looked like a table made from a stalagmite. As they were glancing around, he thought he saw cave paintings, but after a deeper look found the designs were etched into the stone walls. But the one thing that made him snatch up his radio to call his Captain was an etching that suspiciously looked like a ZPM. They were definitely going to need someone to translate this.

"Captain Thomas!" he shouted into the radio," this is Airman Gordon."

"Airman, where have you been?" Captain Thomas asked with an irritated tone to his voice. "We have been looking for you for over 30 minutes. You two need to get back here, its time to get back to work."

"Sir, we have found a cave with writing on the walls. You have just got to see this. We need to send for a translator. I just know that there is something about the Ancients in here," Damien said excitedly.

"Are you sure? We just can't send for someone like that for a wild goose chase, you know."

"Sir, I am marking the cave with a pile of stones. Please, just go about 100 yards towards the Hydro-plant and we'll show you this amazing cavern."

His Captain was suitably amazed and promptly put in a call to the base to speak with the base commander.

"Yes Sir, I know it's not easy to get him here, but I have seen some of the reports about other Ancient writings and this definitely warrants trying to get Dr. Jackson here, Sir."

"Yes Sir, I will have photos taken so that I can e-mail them to you through the Sat-link."

Captain Thomas turned to glare at Damien. "Well, Gordon, it looks like we are going to have the ever delightful company of Dr. Daniel Jackson. Here, use this digital camera. You better get some good pictures." Then as he turned away, "Why does it seem that everyone and everything conspires against me and getting this job done by the deadline?" Captain Thomas grumbled.

While taking the pictures Damien was deep in thought. 'Oh no, now what have I got myself into? Dr. Jackson is coming here. The last time I saw him was at the memorial for Dr. Fraiser. How will I face him? Maybe he won't remember me. Yeah, he won't remember me.'

The next day Damien found himself waiting to take Dr. Jackson to the cave. Dr. Jackson was as animated as could be expected about the writings on the walls, but Damien still wondered if he remembered him.

"Wow, this is some amazing stuff you have found. Uhm, what did you say your name was again? Uh, Gordon, right? Well, let's get my video camera out and make sure that the lights are right. Oohh, look at this symbol over here…it is so clear…I have got to get a good rubbing of that one. Oh this one too. This site is really well preserved, especially considering the amount of bad weather you all seem to have on this planet." Dr. Jackson babbled without letting Damien get a word in.

When Dr. Jackson stopped to get a cup of coffee from his thermos, he asked Damien to adjust the lights for a different angle, Damien couldn't help it. He just blurted it out.

"I'm just so sorry that I wasn't able to keep Dr. Fraiser alive."

"What?" Dr. Jackson said, caught completely off guard.

"I-I know you were close to her and I am s-sorry that I couldn't keep her alive," Damien stuttered almost hyperventilating.

"You were a part of her team, weren't you?"

Damien just stared blankly, already deep into the nightmarish flashback where the Jaffa multiplied exponentially and he seemed to be running through molasses.

Dr. Jackson called him several times, shook him by the shoulders then finally slapped him to bring Damien out of it.

Damien's eyes were still glazed over but he was rubbing his face and shaking his head to clear it.

"Listen to me, Airman, Dr. Frasier loved her job. She loved taking care of her 'boys' as she repeatedly said. She knew the risks like everyone who has ever stepped foot through the Stargate. And she never hesitated."

"B-But, I-I should have d-done more to save her."

"Didn't you listen to Colonel Carter's eulogy about her? Dr. Fraiser saved more lives than we could ever begin to count. Yes, we all miss her, but her spirit still lives on."

"But…"

"I don't blame you, I never did. The only ones I have ever blamed are the Goa'uld. They are the parasites and the ones who steal everything. They stole my wife, Sha're, they stole Skaara, they stole Sarah Gardner and killed Janet Fraiser. The Goa'uld are the ones to blame and they are almost completely gone. Hopefully Ba'al is the last of them."