The thrust reversers powered on and opened as the transport settled down. Max pulled the itchy earplugs out and rolled her head loosening stiff muscles. She watched the loadmaster and flying Crew Chief go through the landing checklist and insuring all was well. She leaned back and tried to relax in the last few seconds of peace before re-entering the SGC. She wouldn't admit it even under threat of torture but she was worried about people's reactions to her. After all the last time she had seen these people she had been a lunatic influenced by a Goa'uld inspired immortal. She shook her head and listened as the engines rumbled on.
Finally they taxied to a halt and she stood and stretched. Adam and Daniel led the way out deep in conversation she didn't recognize the language they were speaking. Jack was discussing the Simpsons with Teal'c and Carter. Max watched them go feeling a sense of familiar desolation settle over her. She raised her head and rolled her shoulders back. She would not be cowed by these mortals she was who she was had survived numerous deaths and close encounters, had killed dozens of men and women. She would not be cowed.
She strode down the walkway studying the layout of the reception. There were several obvious armed guards and judging by a random rooftop glint there were several snipers as well. Max jogged up to O'Neill.
"Think they have enough security?" Max asked coldly. Jack sighed.
"Look, Holloway I appreciate that you're pissed about this situation, I can't say that I would feel any differently in your place but, this is the way of it. You two are dangerous, you've proven that and you're carrying around all of Akna's knowledge-"
"Which I've told you repeatedly I can not access!" Max interrupted huffily.
"Yes, so you two say."
Max hung her head in mock exasperation and looking up sighed at the sight of more armed uniformed individuals crowding the entrance to the terminal.
"Adam!" Max called interrupting his strange conversation with Daniel.
"Yeah?"
"This is fucked up."
"Yes it is."
"Are you okay with this?"
"Not really but there isn't much choice at the moment." She glared at him.
"Max-" Adam said pulling her close to him. "- keep it together, we haven't gone this far to screw it up now. I will get us out of here, eventually. In the mean time keep cool, do not do anything to freak them out or they will lock you up or worse. Put yourself in their position Max." He growled and released her. She sighed and stretched her shoulders.
Sadly Adam was right in fact the SGC people had been rather humane all things considered, in their shoes she wasn't sure she would have been as lenient, shackles and chains would have been the least of the restrictions she would have recommended. So she bit her lip and played nice, greeting General Hammond and the rest of the command staff with her own wry good humor.
They were trucked into Cheyenne mountain in a well armed and guarded convoy, she and Adam were separated for the trip. She sighed at the pointlessness of it. She and Adam while far from super beings were perfectly capable of escaping and evading the armed escorts but they wouldn't because they were not fools. The mortals now had so much information about them and their culture that it would be extremely easy to find them. Or their friends. She sighed and shifted in her seat.
"Uncomfortable?" Carter asked. Max swallowed her impending smart ass reply and shrugged.
"I know this can't be easy for you Max." Carter said. Max felt the kindness in Carter's voice like nails on a chalkboard. Her anger was unreasonable but still it roiled. It burned in the back of her throat and pressed against her guts like sour bile.
"Yeah well, with luck we won't be here too long." Max said mildly struggling to meet the Major halfway. Max had always been a creature of urges, the urge to kill, fight, screw, the urge to anger or melancholy, she wondered if perhaps she was bi polar but didn't care. She was what she was.
"Yeah hopefully they'll clear you two and let you go about your lives." Carter said cheerfully but Max detected a hint of falsehood. She let it go, she doubted that Carter was being anything but kind and she doubted that she and Adam would be leaving any time that year. She sighed again and leaned back, folding her arms over her chest she peered out the window. Mercifully it took less than an hour to reach the base. She and Adam were assigned to neighboring quarters, allowed free reign between their quarters, a rec room/gym, and the chow hall. All other areas were either entirely off limits or required an escort.
Two weeks into their stay Max got bored. She was tired of being pissed off and nearly resigned to staying in the mountain for at least one mortal lifespan but was not content to go quietly. So she broke into the ventilation system.
She didn't really know where she was going just that it was somewhere she wasn't meant to be. She chuckled to herself pleased with her act of pointless defiance. She kept going until the shafts became tight and constricted. Honestly she was surprised she'd gotten so far. Generally ventilation systems were so flimsy and fragile that they couldn't support even a child's weight let alone her own. She began searching for an exit. Pulling the grate out of the way she peered at the fifteen foot drop. She shrugged or rather tried to in the tight confines of the shaft and dropped. She landed evenly and waited for the tingling in her feet and legs to cease.
She stood and stretched and studied her surroundings. It was a long plain concrete hallway with colored stripes running horizontally down the walls. She began walking listening for SFs and late night workers.
Finally she reached a dead end, a huge door secured with an electronic card reader. She cocked her head and thought through everything she knew about such devices, she decided she didn't know enough to circumvent it without alerting the system to her tampering. So she ducked into an adjoining hallway and waited. She literally had nothing else to do.
After more than an hour when she was pondering turning herself in, things got exciting. A low groaning alarm sounded and white emergency lights began flashing. She sat up and got to her feet. She heard people running toward the huge secure door. She poked her head out and spotted a squad of SFs geared up for close combat. She was intrigued. She slipped behind them and entered the room with them. She stopped stunned just inside the doorway.
The SFs took up defensive positions. They were facing a massive glowing circle of water. The edge of the circle was made of some kind of stone or metal and seven triangular decorations were glowing at random points on the stone. While she was taking in the structure an even more miraculous thing occurred. O'Niell appeared from within the light. Max's jaw literally dropped one by one the other members of SG-1 also appeared, and behind them came blasts of energy. As soon as Teal'c cleared the wall of water it vanished. The sirens ceased and a large wall of metal irised closed over the area where the water had been.
"One hour to debrief." General Landry's voice boomed from an unseen speaker. Max was still rooted to the spot.
"Uh, hi?" She asked hands held up.
"Oh for cryin out loud, how did she get in here?" Jack demanded. The SFs looked baffled she shrugged sheepishly.
"Sorry I got bored." She said and gave a weak smile. This was not how she had imagined things going.
"Incidentally what the hell is that?" She asked hands still up but nodding toward the ring.
"Would someone please cuff her?" Jack asked. The guards scrambled to obey. She didn't fight them. O'Neill looked apoplectic, Landry appeared at the door behind her and didn't seem any happier. The guards frog marched her down to the detention level.
"What the hell were you thinking?" Adam demanded.
Max was shackled to her chair, her wrists were cuffed and fastened to a chain around her waist. She shrugged, her chains rattled in counterpoint.
"Look I didn't know I would stumble across something like that, I was bored okay?"
"Bored? Max do you know what I've been through the last few months? The lies I've spun, the risks I've taken? You know you are an extremely ungrateful person."
"S'okay I think my ennui is all better now." Adam literally threw up his hands.
"You know you'll be lucky if all they do is lock you up forever."
"Oh please I don't even know what that thing was. Besides you really think they haven't tagged us or something yet?"
"Actually I know they have, at least once."
"What do you want me to say? Yes I'm sorry I screwed up and ended up there but I'm not sorry I got into that vent. Adam they were happy to keep us caged like high priced hamsters –"
"There are worse things Max, in life, than being caged on holy ground." Adam grunted dourly.
"Okay here are the facts you screwed up, the General who has until now been uncharacteristically sympathetic is now pissed off, so any leniency we may have had coming is now gone. So I suggest throwing yourself on your sword and begging forgiveness. I have washed my hands of you."
"Pilate." She grumbled.
"No, he was short and mostly bald, stress of the job." Adam muttered and left. Max settled into her chair and tried to get comfortable. Eventually she started to doze. She woke with a jerk when the door crashed open. Two SFs gripped her upper arms and dragged her off.
They left her sitting in a long room. On one side was a transparent diagram of circles and lines, at one end was a large viewing screen and opposite the diagram was a massive viewing window which was covered. She sat chained and guarded. Bored she whistled jauntily to the annoyance of her guards. Finally SG-1 and General Hammond arrived. None looked pleased.
"How did you get to the . . .room?" O'Neill asked seeming to change his mind about his phrasing.
"I've told you guys like a dozen times now. I climbed into the ventilation shaft and ended up in the hallway. When that alert or whatever went off I just snuck into the room behind the guards. What was that thing?"
"Wow you have no idea how screwed you are." Daniel said amazed.
"Screwed? Come on you lot weren't going to let me go anyway. You don't trust me, you think I'm some kind of weird threat, you're afraid I'm going to wake up one day and become Akna. So screw you!" Max snapped.
"General, may I?" O'Neill asked. Max rolled her eyes at the assembled group and was sorely tempted to flip the General the bird. She glowered. Hammond nodded and Jack uncuffed Max, she rubbed her wrists and flexed her hands.
"Thank you." She said mildly.
"Okay yes you're right you're a threat. You are also, sneaky, violent, skilled, obstinate, and curious." She shrugged again.
"What would you do if you were us?"
"I don't know, let me help? Look I may not be trained in the same things you lot are. But I can kill, I've done it before and I'm good at it. I know right from wrong and which side my bread is buttered on. I don't have a clue what you're doing, I barely remember the last what six months since this whole joy fest began. So, you can have me, a proven asset, smart, capable, and efficient also very trainable or you can have me as an obstinate, pissed off, hard headed, pain in the ass prisoner." She suggested. Max was careful not to voice her own suspicion that if she were confined in the manner suggested she would likely loose it and do something violent.
"We could freeze her, sir." Jack suggested.
"Colonel suggestions?"
"Run her through the battery if she passes maybe we'll give her a go." Jack suggested. Daniel shook his head.
"What four eyes? Don't think I can hack it?" Max demanded. Daniel laughed and shook his head.
"I wouldn't sweat the physical stuff but I think you might have some problems with the psych eval." Max folded her arms and cocked her head.
"Sir?" Carter asked and gestured outside the room. O'Neill followed her out.
"Are you sure about this sir?"
"Major we're two people short of a full complement, have been since we started this. Now, she's right, she does have some useful skills, and she's a proven killer. Plus she can't die."
"Sir-"
"Carter relax she still has to pass all the same requirements as anyone else being considered for the program."
"You know colonel Daniel may be right about the psych eval."
"If he is we have nothing to worry about, besides Carter there's no law that says she'll be part of SG-1."
"Yeah right."
"Major?"
"Sir, no one can resist the temptation of an immortal on their combat team."
The tests were exhaustive everything from reflexes to night vision, from a full health evaluation including DNA, hair, urine, saliva, and other less mentionable samples. They trained her on small arms and large arms evaluating her performances after each micro training session. They introduced her to energy weapons that were wholly unfamiliar to her and again graded her performance and reaction. Finally on the fourth day she was given the psychological evaluation.
"Give me your autobiography."
"Why?"
"I just want to get to know you in your own words." She studied the tall lean evaluator.
"I was born and raised in Seacouver, at least I believe I was born there no one really knows where we come from, could be the damn stork for all I know. Anyway I lived there my whole life until I was coming home from work and was kidnapped raped and murdered." She paused lost in thought.
"What happened after?" The evaluator nudged.
"What did they tell you about me? My kind I mean."
"You are an immortal being, you can only truly die if you suffer decapitation." She nodded gazing into the corner.
"Yeah that's us. What they don't tell you is that you don't know that. See even if you're born with the potential to become immortal you aren't guaranteed it, you have to die violently for the immortality to be triggered, a nice kind of booby prize for winning the ultimate sperm lottery.
Anyway afterward I woke up in a park. I was naked and freezing. My clothes were absolutely shredded. I was covered in my own dry blood. I was shaking like a leaf but I didn't hurt. I mean whatever had happened had healed. I didn't think about that. I didn't really think I just wanted to go home. I made it there somehow, bare foot, mostly naked and bloody, it was just after dawn so there weren't a lot of people out.
I made it home cleaned up, went to bed and didn't move for a week. I didn't really have friends. I drove away anyone who took an interest and I worked a dead end job that didn't pay enough to cover my bills. I lost the job; my boss called and left a message." She paused again and sipped from the water glass in front of her.
"Anyway I found the guy eventually, took care of him and six months later Adam found me. He took me to a friend and the two of them taught me about being an immortal, taught me to fight and made me family." The evaluator made copious notes while she spoke and then began asking questions. They broke for lunch and returned to finish the day. Finally at four she was allowed to go.
She was escorted under close guard to her quarters. She took a long shower and curled up under an extra blanket. She felt cold and oddly soiled, eventually she drifted off.
"What's the verdict sir?" O'Neill asked. Hammond was reviewing Max's file, he finished and handed it over the colonel. The SGC in addition to taking Max's version of events had done their own homework in preparation to issuing some kind of security clearance.
"Her story checks out." Hammond said as O'Neill began to read. Hammond began going through paperwork while Jack finished the file. The colonel gave a low whistle as he closed it.
"Hell of a story sir."
"You could say that. Did you see the psych eval?"
"I've seen worse."
"Not in the SGC."
"Come on Colonel who here hasn't gotten a little crazy now and then."
"Colonel she hunted down and tortured her murderer to death."
"Can't bring myself to argue that that was an unjustified act sir."
"I agree colonel but it's a disturbing precedent."
"We knew from the get-go she was a killer sir. It's an asset. Besides sir she demonstrated perfect recall on all training sessions and she's a damn good shot for a noob."
"Colonel the report also notes that she displays borderline Psychotic tendencies, enjoys inflicting pain and gets a rush from killing. She has all ready proven she's impulsive and obstinate."
"Agreed sir which is why I'd like to take her into the field and see how she reacts."
"She could be a liability colonel."
"Sir worst case scenario we shoot her and run."
"Would you be comfortable with that?"
"Not really but its not like she'd stay dead."
"Fine Colonel you're next mission should be a straightforward recon. Issue her gear and take her along but tell her a bare minimum, if she isn't going to work out we don't need to give her more information than necessary."
"Very good sir."
Max was stoked, granted Adam still wasn't talking to her but she got to go through that circle thingy and carry a weapon. She allowed Carter and the team to triple check her gear and weapon.
"Okay by the numbers this is simple recon. Max keep your eyes and ears open, your finger off the trigger and follow my lead, I am in command then Carter after that well do as you see fit." O'Neill led the way up the ramp Max took the second spot, Daniel, Carter, and Teal'c followed.
The trip was bitterly cold for half a heartbeat and then she was standing on an alien world, she had the presence of mind to step aside and avoid getting stepped on by the others.
The planet looked pretty nice, it reminded her of the rugged areas of Washington out toward the peninsula and the Olympic range, quite idyllic. Then the bolt of an energy weapon crashed into the gate near her head. She dropped to her belly and drew her assault rifle to bear on the source of the blast. She couldn't see anyone. SG-1 had also hit the dirt.
"Daniel can you get to the DHD to dial out?"
"Doubtful." Daniel grunted as another blast struck the circle.
"Sir? Not to interrupt, but isn't this kind of perfect for me? I've got the home address memorized, you guys give me enough cover fire to get over there, I'll dial, scoot back and bob's your uncle."
"Okay one, who says that? I mean seriously Bob's your uncle? What does that even mean? Two no, that's suicide." O'Neill growled and got to one knee; he laid down a layer of fire and was rewarded with a scream and half dozen additional blasts.
"O'Neill she has a point." Teal'c grunted as he returned fire.
"Fine, on my count, screw this up Max and –"
She was all ready off using Teal'c's counter fire for best effect. She ran low nearly kneeing herself in the chin, she slid to a halt next to the DHD and scrambled around it, painfully aware that her back was completely exposed to the unseen enemy. She quickly slapped the seven chevrons and turned to hurry back.
One of the energy bolts caught her high in the chest; another nailed her in the thigh. She snarled and hit the ground dragging herself around the DHD she used it as cover while catching her breath and healing, once she felt strong enough she got to her feet and charged the gate. She joined the team just as the wormhole opened, narrowly avoiding the splash of water that heralded its opening. O'Neill grabbed her by the scruff of her uniform and hurled her into the wormhole the others kept returning fire and then followed after.
She landed roughly on the grate with a sharp clang. She winced and waved away the waiting medical crew. SG-1 tumbled into the gate room and the wormhole snapped closed and vanished.
"Holloway report!" O'Neil demanded. She got to her feet and held her arms out in an attitude of surrender. The team took in her burned and holed uniform and her undeniable health.
"Sweet." Jack said approvingly. She wordlessly handed over her MP5 and 9MM hand gun.
"Do I pass?" She asked archly. Carter was still staring at her whole skin through the holes in her uniform.
"Sir this is incredible." Max unable to help herself did a little pirouette.
"So, back to the brig for me?"