SSgt. Tanika Jenkins pulled herself up straight before entering the infirmary. Composing her face into professional blandness she stepped through the door. As she had been told, the Jaffa Teal'c was standing guard over the alien, who appeared to be sleeping.
"Sir, I've been ordered to relieve you." She didn't salute as the Jaffa had no official rank, but she did pull herself to strict attention.
The tall black Jaffa seemed to merely glance at her, but she felt as if she were being scrutinized under a microscope, and found only marginally acceptable. Teal'c moved directly in front of her and gazed at her with cold eyes. She maintained her composure staring eyes front, resisting the temptation to swallow hard. After a long moment, he spoke. "You will not leave his side."
"No sir, I will not."
The Jaffa continued to glare for another eternal minute, then with a curt nod left the room. Jenkins let out her breath in a gusting sigh and took up an alert, at-ease position. For the next three and a half-hours, her only job was to see to it that the alien in the bed stayed alive. Not a particularly appealing mission, but one she fully intended to complete successfully.
