From Here to Alternity: Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig
Disclaimer Haiku:
I do not own Stargate: SG-1
But I'd take it
If you offered.
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SGC, Level 21 – Evidence Processing Lab
VERY Early A.M./ Mid-All-nighter
Downtime Day 14
The quiet hum of the SGC's night cycle was broken by the clinks and whirrs of a hastily organized forensics laboratory several doors down from the infirmary. All the techs had been ordered to take a break once their last analyses of the night were collected in a growing database of evidence from the Grand Canyon crime scene. The only people still standing were two tiny, determined women and a cuddly bald scientist.
The younger of the women planted two capable fists in the small of her back and groaned softly as she stretched, arcing away from the microscope-laden lab bench. The strawberry blond weight of Lieutenant Jennifer Hailey's customary French braid dragged her neck out of its cramped position as she arched backward to touch the tops of her calves. She had doggedly insisted to Dr. Janet Fraiser that 'just a little more work' would allow her to completely process the blood-stained pebbles meticulously sorted from other chunks of gravel. That had been three hours ago, and she had just barely finished. She glanced around the nearly empty upside-down lab through the blood rushing to her head and contemplated her companions.
Janet Fraiser's presence was almost a given despite the unusually late hour. Sam Carter's best female friend had come out of a hasty conference with General Hammond and Jacob Carter 36 hours ago with the light of battle in her eyes and an understandable urge to wring the nearest NID neck. She had commandeered the largest lab on the infirmary level of the SGC to process the incoming evidence from the Grand Canyon and set up an adjoining lab as the video room. Within the first six hours she had the best audio-visual techs on base and Lt. Graham Simmons nearly finished running Sam's very own Zapruder film through a frame-by-frame analysis. They'd built a virtual 3D model of the crime scene to tag the exact location in which every piece of evidence was found. Other techs gathered chemicals, test tubes, computer terminals and the various minutiae of lab work to outfit the best damn CSI lab Cheyenne Mountain had ever seen.
And if anyone had retained the slightest thought that it was the only CSI lab Cheyenne Mountain had ever seen, they kept it to themselves. After all, Colonel O'Neill was still in transit and no one else wanted to tangle with the frustrated, base-bound CMO. While the men of SG-1 climbed down canyons and wrestled the FBI, Janet got to console Cassie at home and twiddle her thumbs on base. There wasn't enough chocolate in the galaxy to make that situation pleasant for innocent bystanders.
Once she finally had a task, Major Doctor Fraiser had proceeded to command, coerce or cajole all unoccupied people on base to sign up for a specific evidentiary task. Her customary brisk efficiency (and access to large needles) had … inspired the 'volunteers' in her new lab to sort the incoming evidence and begin preliminary tests in record time. Even after most of the techs gratefully quit for a few hours of sleep and a hot meal, Janet Fraiser stayed in the lab and worried over the tests she only trusted herself to perform. Or maybe she'd decided that she would keep working as long as there was anyone in her lab. Either way, Doc Fraiser had been in constant motion since the Generals had given her a part in the investigation. Hailey had to admit that she was impressed by the doctor's determination and stamina even if this was the place you might expect to find the sleep-deprived CMO.
Dr. Bill Lee, the cuddly balding scientist who filled out the trio, was a much less likely person to have volunteered for the grinding tedium of cataloguing the hair and fibers left at the site of Samantha Carter's abduction. Despite a deep professional respect for Major Carter, Dr. Lee had been more than a little upset by her recent high-handed obsession with Colonel O'Neill's disappearance. He and his science team had done all they could for two weeks to figure out the Furling gate-arch before admitting defeat and packing up to return to the SGC. Major Carter had thrown a massive temper tantrum and demanded that he stay until Colonel O'Neill was found despite the scientists' conclusion that a lifetime of study might not yield the Colonel's location. Dr. Lee had won that particular pissing contest and no one would have blamed him if he had continued his own research rather than volunteering to be a lowly lab tech in an effort to locate the Major. Of course, that didn't take into account Sam's abject and heartfelt apology or Dr. Lee's years of experience with close-knit SG teams.
Both the provisionally assigned civilian scientist and Lt. Hailey, part of SG-7's reconstituted scientific team, had come back through the 'gate on individual errands from Maybourne's Moon and the Furling Planet. It had taken no more than their walk from the abnormally hushed 'gate room to the somber infirmary for them to stop talking about correlations between the Furling artifact and their various specialties and realize that something was very wrong. Once they found out that Major Carter was missing they had immediately insisted on joining the lab effort, no matter how elementary the tasks might be. Which led them directly here.
Hailey sighed and glanced at the communal coffee pot; Dr. Fraiser had finished the last of it a few minutes ago. The lieutenant had six or seven blood samples to retest before she could conclusively report the odd results on a few of the bloody rocks. She needed to sterilize a new workspace and break out brand new bottles of reagent, fresh swabs, all new gloves… the very thought was aggravating. Or just exhausting. Either one required fresh, unadulterated coffee.
She straightened back up and wandered over to Dr. Lee's hunched form. "I'm officially caffeine deprived. I think I'm gonna raid the commissary for donuts and fresh coffee." His noncommittal grunt led her to use her best 'juicy gossip' whisper. "I heard there might be chocolate chip muffins for early birds this morning."
Bill Lee looked up, but not far up, and frowned. Lt. Hailey returned his serious look with a significant one and then nodded her head slightly towards Janet Fraiser's stiff back. He followed her oblique signal and his eyes widened. "It might be enough of a break to keep us fresh. When are the muffins going to be done? SG-6'll come in before dawn for those if they're on base."
"Not for a few hours," Hailey sighed as she led Dr. Lee to the door. "Still, it can't hurt to check. Dr. Fraiser, can we get you anything?"
Janet's mumbled negative response wafted in the scientists' footsteps as they closed the lab door. Dr. Lee paused to look over his shoulder, but Hailey's hand on his arm urged him silently along. They only got a few feet down the passageway in silence.
"Do you think it'll work?"
"I'm not sure, but he seemed pretty confident. It's obvious she needs it, and turn about is fair play."
"I notice you didn't say that where she could hear you."
"Hey! You're just lucky I included you in my alibi."
The swoosh of the elevator door cut off any reply.
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Major Janet Fraiser, MD let out a sigh of biblical proportions and let her head rest briefly on the lab bench in front of her. If her mama had ever said there'd be days like this she might have stayed home and married the good ole boy next door rather than cram her brain full of medicine and military procedure. Far too early the previous morning the remnants of SG-1 had arrived on base with a mountain of evidence she and her technical staff had pounced on with nearly frenzied fervor. After thanking the CSI gods that she finally had some way to help, Janet had set her staff to sorting the evidence bags while she inspected the returning team. It had been less than friendly on certain people's parts.
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SGC Infirmary
Downtime Day 13
Early morning – approximately 20 hours ago
"…And don't drop anything!" The last of the volunteer lab techs shot a glance Doctor Fraiser's way as he heaved the last sealed plastic box onto a dolly and joined the parade of technicians moving the evidence to its new home. For all that Doc Fraiser had worked like a trooper to get the lab set up, raising her voice to harangue the troops wasn't her style. Which was probably why the querulous voice belonged to a grumpy colonel in civvies rather than the white-coated woman clutching a clipboard and holding a silent eyebrow conversation with the big Jaffa between them.
As the last of his precious cargo disappeared down the hall, Colonel Jack O'Neill sagged like a marionette whose strings had been cut. Janet Fraiser fought her instinct to pounce while the irascible man was vulnerable… for about three-hundredths of a second. Her eyes flicked from the exhausted Kelownan's worried frown to the symbiote-enhanced Jaffa's disapproving expression and then she swooped into action.
"Here, Colonel. I want to give you guys a brief check-up while the lab sorts the evidence. Let's start with you." Janet gave O'Neill a tiny push backwards onto the waiting exam bed, hoping that he'd be too tired to resist her brisk gentleness. She could already see the fatigue that would give her a tiny advantage over the colonel. Theoretically. Maybe.
"Huhn? We don't need check-ups, Doc! We were only in Arizona, not off-world. Gimme a break."
"Nevertheless, colonel, the three of you may have come into contact with an unknown sedative while transporting the evidence. The chemical used on Major Carter had to be powerful and capable of aerosol transmission, and we don't know how persistent the effects are. I need to make sure you aren't showing any symptoms of exposure." She held a warding hand palm out as he started to argue again, "if only to insure the health and safety of my lab assistants." Janet knew the colonel would give in if she pushed that particular button.
Jack harrumphed. There were probably holes in her logic the size of that damned canyon, but he couldn't put his finger on them right now. On them? In them? Through them? He had a sudden mental image of putting his head through a giant, melting piece of Swiss cheese as it pulled apart like taffy. Maybe the doc had a point just this once. Either that or Teal'c had spiked his coffee with the Blood of Sokar.
Doc Fraiser's frown started when she took his blood pressure. Then it deepened as she checked his pulse, pinched… waitaminute. Pinched his skin? What was that about? And, of course, the ol' mini-flashlight-in-the-eyes trick. A classic. By now her eyebrows were drawn down almost to her pursed lips. Crap. That was a bed-rest look if he ever saw one.
Janet sighed. Even if his electrolytes were perfectly balanced and all signs of his fatigue vanished in the next two minutes, which would take a medical miracle, the CO of SG-1 needed to be put on strict bed rest with a sucrose and saline I.V. for at least 24 hours. And getting him back down here would take another miracle or the surreptitious application of strong arm tactics. Janet made a quick decision.
"Alright, Colonel, Teal'c. You're provisionally released to debrief to General Hammond. I'll need to check you again when you're finished, but you can head down to the conference room now." Janet watched as the Jaffa tried to keep pace with his rapidly escaping teammate.
She turned back to the Kelownan gazing forlornly after his teammates and did a quick examination. Although it was more pro forma than anything, she did want to make sure the younger man wasn't suffering from the same dehydration and fatigue the Colonel displayed.
"Alright, Jonas," she said as she stepped back to let him rise from the infirmary bed. "You seem fine. Now, I need you and Teal'c to keep Colonel O'Neill close after the briefing. I'm going to need to run some tests on him and then probably chain him to a bed, but I can't treat him if I can't find him. I know you all need to report A.S.A.P., but make sure you stay with him. And get Teal'c in on the plan," she added.
Jonas agreed as Janet disinfected her instruments and let him pass. It wouldn't be long before the aliens would need to begin Operation Drag-O'Neill-Kicking-and-Screaming-Back-to-the-Infirmary. She warned her nurses and prepared a few "SG-1 Specials" before striding over to her new lab.
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Of course, it hadn't taken a psychic – or a Chief Medical Officer – to predict the movements of SG-1 for the next few hours. They'd finished meeting with Hammond, reluctantly reported back to the infirmary, and sat ringside as Janet Fraiser forced Jack O'Neill to lay down and let her pump him full of caloric fluids. Jonas, ever amenable to securing food, went to the commissary and brought back lunch for himself and Teal'c. Janet tried to get the Colonel to eat as well, but retreated to her office after a stern 'doctor's orders' warning provoked an unusually sarcastic response. She was already busy, impatient and worried and knew O'Neill could put a spark to her tightly-controlled temper.
Everyone who missed Sam was on the ragged edge these days and Janet stepped back before her own deep desire to be in the lab – finally working rather than waiting – could push her into an argument for which she had neither the time nor the energy. Moments like this she missed Daniel's remarkable ability to distract his best friend and teammate. And Sam's staunch support. Janet rubbed her hands over her face and swallowed an aspirin before she went out to do battle with the Colonel. Again. She left him reluctantly eating under the watchful eyes of his teammates and her nurses.
When Janet caught her recalcitrant patient pacing outside the lab the first time, she scolded him back to bed and ordered him to rest if he couldn't sleep and not to leave his bed without a written release in her handwriting. Apparently Jonas had been subverted and convinced to distract the nurses while O'Neill sneaked out. Janet threatened to pull Teal'c from his kel'no'reem to sit on Jack if necessary. Her lab assistants hadn't even set up a proper betting pool on how long it would take the wily colonel to sneak back over before he peeked in the lab door again and tried to hurry their work along.
Still, Doctor Fraiser sympathized with his impatience. She was just as eager for answers as they were, but at least she finally had some control over the pace of revelation. If she were on SG-1, she'd no doubt be doing the same thing. So she'd mentally allotted each member of SG-1 a 'get out of Janet's wrath free' card good for one calm explanation and a friendly send off to anywhere else. They'd all been used up within two hours.
After five more "progress reports" (or escapes, depending on your point of view), Janet gave in to her first inclination and loaded Colonel O'Neill's I.V. with an "SG-1 Special". One of her more pharmaceutically inclined nurses had brought the colorless, odorless, generally mild and side-effect-free sedatives to Doctor Fraiser's attention. She'd requisitioned a truckload for tranquilizing her patients and/or their team members when they were infirmary-bound after tough missions. The liquid sedatives went just as well in a cup of coffee as an I.V. line. To make sure the colonel didn't foil her plan by crimping the tube and following her to the lab, she glared at him from the foot of his bed until he fell into an uneasy slumber.
Jonas had been the next exhausted visitor to try her patience, and he looked almost as bad as his C.O., so she sentenced him to colonel-watching duty and sent an orderly with him to set up a semi-comfortable chair next to O'Neill's bed. Of course, the orderly had slipped the Kelownan some 'special' coffee that had him snoring in a truly impressive vibrato within fifteen minutes.
Once those two were down, Teal'c made his fourth visit of the night to inquire if DoctorFraiser or her technicians needed any assistance. Janet clung to patience with both hands and calculated how incredibly large a dose it would take to overcome Teal'c's symbiote and his naqahdah-laced blood. There was no way she could slip it to him unawares, and the very existence of her 'special' drinks was a tightly guarded secret between the nurses and the base C.O.
Since the Jaffa was not only immune to most sedatives but bigger and meaner than the little doctor, she decided to employ subtlety. One new lab technician was an eager student of all forms of meditation. With a coyly worded query about his teaching skills, Janet had sent Teal'c off with his charge and a request to kel'no'reem for as long as possible. To make sure the airman got a comprehensive meditation lesson, of course. He'd seen through her ruse but allowed himself to be led back to his quarters with passable good humor. Or maybe that look was the preparation for revenge – with the Jaffa it was incredibly hard to tell. Her last few hours had been broken only by lab accidents and a steady trickle of departing 'volunteers'.
Janet had finally gotten most of the crucial tests done and was about to do a face plant into her own table if she didn't get some rest soon. She decided to stay at work as long as her companions did… or would as soon as they got back from their coffee break. Still, Dr. Lee and Lt. Hailey were two of the most reliable scientists in the SGC. Surely if she just closed her weighted eyes for a little… bit… she… could…. just….. take…….a………
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When Jennifer Hailey returned to the lab ten minutes later, she and Dr. Lee quietly phoned the waiting Jaffa and let him know that Doctor Fraiser was ready to be hauled off to her quarters. Long hours at the microscope do tend to take a lot out of people, of course. But there may have been a reason neither Lt. Hailey nor Dr. Lee had sampled the last pot of lab coffee. The SGC's science geeks could be obsessively single-minded in following up a theory, but they weren't totally unaware of the world around them. Besides, the simple tests could be done by any lab tech. Dr. Fraiser would be most helpful analyzing the full spectrum of results before reporting to General Hammond tomorrow. After a full night's sleep.
As Teal'c picked up the tiny, tired doctor he gave both of his partners in silence a stern, assessing look. Dr. Lee voluntarily informed the large alien that he would be finished within half an hour. Lt. Hailey, by far the smallest person still standing, just stared right back up at the Jaffa and said she'd be done when she had this anomaly figured out.
The patented Jaffa Death Glare seemed to have no effect on Sam's stubborn mini-me, but Teal'c did warn her that he would be back soon to 'check her progress'. Hailey gave him a positively Teal'cian nod in return and went back to her bloody pebbles. Unless the reagents had gone stale, she had a major mystery on her hands. Or a very unsettling discovery. Either way she needed to finish before her mind could slow enough to sleep.
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Author's Note: ACK! It's been soooo long since I updated! I hope someone still remembers this story – thanks for hanging in there. RL has since bitten me, my beta AND my editrix in the butt so this installment was far too long in coming. Good News – I have the next chapter already written. Bad News: I'm not going to post it until I have the one after that started and it's stubbornly refusing to be written. I promise to try EXTREMELY hard not to leave you all hanging this long again. Never fear, this story will continue – I may be a long time posting, but I won't abandon it.
As always, humongous thanks to my beta, technetium, and my editrix – you've made every version of this chapter immeasurably better and I couldn't do it without you two. And starting this chapter, I have another beta to pinch hit when RL gangs up on the rest of my awesome team – yay PKtechgirl!
Next Chapter: NID vs. SGC on Level 28 AND a new twist from the evidence.