Here is the next installment, and right now, it reads more like a crossover. I know that but bare with me; we will get to Atlantis soon.
Nancy awoke the next morning to incessant knocking and needed a couple of moments to remember why she was rolled up on a tiny cot in a dark room with no windows.
"Just a minute!" she called out to whoever was on the other side of the door. She quickly got dressed and then finally found her wristwatch and glanced at it.
"4:30 am? You've got to be kidding me!"
By the time she had reached the door and pulled it open, she was fully prepared to yell at the person on the other side. She wasn't really a morning person, and this was bordering on torture for her to get up that early.
"Good morning, director!" she was greeted by a smiling Daniel Jackson, who thrust a cup of coffee in her hand. "I am sorry that we had to wake you at this hour, but it is part of your preparation for the commute on the Daedalus. You are going to have to wake up at odd hours if there is an emergency."
Nancy inhaled the scent of the coffee and then looked the doctor in the eye. "I assume you only brought the coffee for safety reasons, and no one else will bring me one with my wake-up call?"
"Unfortunately, no one brings you coffee in an emergency situation only if they are terrified of you," Daniel answered, and the two of them shared a laugh at the idea of a scared airman with coffee at their doors.
"Anyways, what's up, or did you just wake me to annoy me?"
"I woke you because we wanted to administer the ATA gene therapy to you and do your physical stress test. The military made them mandatory because they think civilians can't pass, and then they don't need to take them off-world." Daniel continued his rant about the missing respect from the military personnel until they arrived in the infirmary.
"Dr. Lam, I brought you, Director Harrison."
"Hello, Mrs. Harrison do you have any questions about the treatment and the stress test before we start?" Meanwhile, Daniel was looking around the empty infirmary, and Dr. Lam answered his unasked question smiling. "Colonel Carter is having a session of physical therapy, but you can visit her later."
"Thank you," Daniel answers and leaves.
Nancy had silently sat on one of the beds and observed the exchange.
The people here seem so close, almost like a family. And Atlantis is probably a similar, if not closer knit community.
When Dr. Lam turned back to her Nancy smiled and said: "Are there any side effects to the gene therapy besides being able to use the Ancient technology?"
"No, we have been monitoring the recipients of the therapy, and there are no side effects. So shall we?" With that, Carolyn takes hold of a syringe with a green fluid inside and smiles at Nancy.
"Okay, do it." While she rolls up her sleeve, she decides to learn more about the group here. "So you seem to know Dr. Jackson pretty well how long have you been working here?"
"I started here three years ago. The gate teams are all pretty close, and Dr. Jackson and colonel Carter have known each other for a long time. They are good friends, and he worries about her. Why are you asking?"
"I was just wondering how close you all seem here and how it will be in Atlantis. They are like an enclave there."
"I understand what you mean. Some people have described Atlantis as a college dorm. The people there know almost everything about each other not much can be hidden there. I am surprised that they don't have more couples on the staff."
"You hear their gossip down here?" Nancy is surprised.
The word gossip seems to invoke a change in Dr. Lam.
"No, we don't get the gossip. I get news about female soldiers being pregnant or when someone requests a transfer back to earth because they go through this infirmary. The gossip comes as a 'bonus.'" Dr. Lam clarifies. "But you'll learn all about that when you get there. Now I need you to take deep breaths."
Carolyn turns the conversation back to health and the upcoming stress test.
"I get what you are doing, and I wanted to say I didn't want you to tell me gossip. I really only wanted to know what to expect. On another subject, could I visit with Colonel Carter a little later?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact, Colonel Carter wanted to talk to you anyway and go over your travel itinerary and your stay in the city."
After the stress test, Dr. Lam allowed Nancy to go and see Sam.
"I'll come and find you to discuss the results of the therapy and the stress test later," Carolyn told Nancy and then left the two women alone.
Samantha Carter was already wobbling around on crutches, and her leg was only in a walking cast.
"Your leg is healing fast, it seems?"
"Yes, thanks to some really helpful alien technology, we can heal most things faster than natural, but I still have to do physical therapy to get up and running again."
"So you are going to be in the city when I am there?"
"Yes, we will leave earth the same day. You with the Daedalus, and I'll use the gate bridge so I'll be in the loop and can greet you on your arrival. When you arrive, we will get you settled in first and then do a briefing with all the department heads so you can get to know them and set schedules for you to visit the labs and talk to them. I've got to warn you, though, the IOA isn't everyone's favorite organization right now."
"From the military, I kind of understand that, but the civilian scientists don't like the IOA either? Why is that?"
"As you know, all our funding is channeled through your organization, and in recent months the money for several projects has been cut back or denied completely, and that lead to a dislike with the scientists."
"Oh, that must be hard for them. Maybe you can arrange for me to see these particular projects, and if I deem them worthy, I can try to get the funding restored. I was informed that I was chosen because I am not yet tangled up in the politics surrounding this operation, so maybe I can do something for them."
"That would be great and make your stay more comfortable. Rodney McKay, our head scientist, found out how to regulate water pressure and temperature in individual rooms, and if he is displeased, he uses that knowledge to get even."
"What do you mean to get even?"
"Ah, someone thought it would be funny to play truth or dare, and in the end, Rodney was missing a data pad, and his skin was neon green. When he found out who had issued the dare to color code him, well, let's just say that if the person hadn't nearly finished the shower, the shampoo never would have gotten rinsed out. Long story short, Rodney dialed back the pressure and only let ice-cold water come out." Nancy flinched and thought about how hot she always showered.
"I'll keep that in mind."
A short while later, Dr. Lam came back with Nancy's chart.
"You can talk in front of Colonel Carter. I don't mind." Nancy said when Carolyn didn't say a word for a couple of seconds.
"OK then. The gene therapy seems to be taking effect, but that will be tested extensively on your trip up in the Daedalus. Your blood work shows that you are in perfect health, and you passed the stress test, so you are going to be allowed off-world."
"That sounds great, thank you. Anything else you need me to do?"
"Well, now comes the part that could be awkward for you; I have to ask a question concerning your family planning." Carolyn tries to explain and let her decide if Colonel Carter should leave for this, and at the same time, gives Sam the heads up that she may not want to hear this.
"You want to know if I plan to have children anytime soon, right?"
"Yes, that was the question. Right now, you aren't pregnant but you told us that you are getting married soon, and well we kind of need you to not get pregnant." Dr. Lam informs her.
"OK, well, we didn't want to start a family right away anyway. We can still do that when I get back."
After that, an airman escorted Nancy back to 'her' room so she could collect her things and head back to Washington and spend the rest of the evening with Grant and his brother.
A little shout out to all the funny dares out there. Oh and please tell me if you want the wedding or fast forward to the Daedalus and Atlantis.