CHAPTER 13 – NEWS FROM THE SGC

He delivered his slightly damaged cargo to the infirmary. The scientists had been quiet throughout the journey and John knew that they were attempting to process what had happened to them. It would be up to him to write the report on this one, and he had no idea what he was going to say. Real or imagined? Tangible or intangible? Those were the questions he had asked himself repeatedly on the trip back to Atlantis and he had kept his own thoughts close to his chest, not wanting to voice aloud what he was really thinking. There had been something in that mist. His spidey senses had been in overdrive and they did not react to something that was not real. It just did not happen. If he could not trust those senses, then damn... just what could he trust?

"Nice job with the shoulder Colonel. Really, lad. I couldn't have done better myself. Nicole? You're lucky the Colonel was with you. A dislocated shoulder is no fun." Carson's warm eyes smiled down at her as he gently probed the shoulder joint, grimacing a little himself as she winced during a particular moment.

"Sorry, lass."

"It's ok Dr Beckett. Really. And getting said shoulder put back into place? No fun either..." her dry tone caused a chuckle to accompany the warm smile.

"Aye lass, that it isn't. Colonel? What did you run into out there? I've never seen my two assistants looking so pale. They're not saying much, but I'm thinking that you must have run into something that caused those two to turn down lunch. And coffee." Carson spoke only partly in jest. He was worried. Michael and Peter had said little about what they had encountered, simply handed over the samples and both had pleaded headaches and asked if they could retire to their private quarters.

"I'm thinking I need to give you and my scientists a good checkup Colonel... why don't you pop yourself on that bed over there. Just to be safe, eh lad?"

Carson's eyes had sharpened and John knew that it would do little good to protest. When the doctor got into his head an idea, and a point of action – there was little that anyone could do to put him off his stride. The kindly scotsman, chief medic for the base – took his role seriously. And he genuinely cared about all the men and women in Atlantis, the point in case making him a superb doctor. One who John trusted implicitly.

"There was something possibly narcotic out there doc, so yeah. A checkup would be on the agenda if you've got the time. Make sure you give your boys a good working over. By the way... they're ok, doc. Happy to take them out whenever they need to collect samples. Got some guts..."

"Guts, Colonel? Not exactly a technical term, but I'll let that slide. More to the point, I'm wondering just what they might have needed "guts" for?" Carson continued to run tests on his patient. Gently probing her head now, looking into her eyes for any sign of head trauma. He had found her left wrist to be extremely swollen and prepared to move the portable xray machine over to her bed to rule out whether the wrist may be broken or not.

"That report is mine to write doc, and I'm not quite sure yet what I intend to put in it... still need to process what it was we ran into out there. How's the patient? She gonna be ok?" John moved closer to the bed, ignoring for now, the doctors request that he take up residence in one of the other beds.

"Plenty of scrapes and bruising, which will cause a little pain in the next 24 hours. I'm going to keep her in for observation, to make sure that there is no concussion. I'll just check out this wrist. I suspect it's just sprained, albeit badly, but we need to make sure there is nothing broken in there. All in all, she is a healthy wee lass and it could have been a lot worse, given what you have told me about the incident."

A dry chuckle came from said patient. "You make me sound like some sort of prize filly...you're kinda cute Dr Beckett. The last stay I had in a hospital... ugghhh... put me off needles for life."

"Ah lass, sweet of you to say. I can't see anything broken in there... just a bad sprain. We'll strap the wrist and the shoulder just to keep everything secure so that the muscles can heal around the joint. And rest!" His stern voice was outweighed by the kindly twinkle in his eyes and she found herself smiling up at him.

"That's not gonna be a problem Dr Beckett. I feel like I could sleep for a week... it's been an... interesting few days and I'm thinking that my body is still trying to cope with the fact that it's been displaced into another galaxy..." Her eyelids began to droop as she spoke and Carson eased her down on the pillow, pulling up the blanket and turning to look at the Colonel who stood nearby. Something in John's eyes had his own narrowing. If he didn't know better, he would think that there were some serious feelings beginning to brew between the sometimes taciturn Colonel and this lovely lass from Earth. Hmmm... thought Carson. Interesting. I suspect Colonel Sheppard will have more than his hands full if he tries to take on this young lady. She won't take any of his crap and she'll likely give him back as good as he gives. Stay tuned for the next episode, eh?

John's eyes narrowed as he caught the doctor's gaze. "Share the joke doc?" John ambled over to the other bed and lightly pulled himself up on it, content to let Carson give him the usual after mission going over.

"Not so much a joke, as a revelation son. And there's no need to share as I suspect you're already privy to that information..."

They were interupted by the arrival of Sam Carter and looking at the expression on her face, John mentally groaned. It would appear that the Colonel was not bringing good news.

"John! I've just had communication from General O'Neill. A rather unusual memo found it's way onto his desk an hour ago. Someone claiming to have knowledge of the stargate programme. Someone claiming to have visual proof – pictures. It has to be whoever was behind getting Nicole to Atlantis. How else would they have pictures? Too much of a coincidence and I suspect, their way of showing their hand. They want to expose the programme. And I think they intend to use Nicole to do it."

Sam flicked a glance back at the bed where the reporter lay. Following her glance, John saw that Nicole's eyes were closed against a pale face that showed evidence of some of the scrapes from her fall into the hole. He sighed, and brought his glance back to Sam, finding that she was looking at him intently, waiting for a reponse.

"Signed or anonymous?" John's question was uttered in a terse voice and he risked another glance at the woman who lay in the nearby bed, dragging a hand roughly through his hair as he brought his gaze back to Sam.

"Anonymous, John. But there were enough clues in there to let the General know that they were military. So, we're not dealing with some independent – we're looking at a rogue military group perhaps."

"Ah crap!" replied John. "That changes the playing field. That would mean there is more than likely someone watching her in Atlantis, hell – possibly more than one. We're gonna have to smoke them out Sam, set up a trap of some sort. We need to take them down, now. Before they do any further damage and before anyone gets hurt." Again, his eyes flicked to the woman in the bed.

"Ah John?"

Dragging his eyes back to Sam he saw the query in hers.

"What happened out there John? Or do I have to wait for the mission report?"

"I'm kinda hoping that we can use Nicole's photos for the report... I don't know that I want to try and put into words what it is we saw out there. That 'picture says a thousand words' thing? That would more or less work for me right now."

Sam attempted to stifle a smile, but her blue eyes held more than just a glint of humour. "So about that plan, John..."

"Give me a few hours Sam... I'll come up with something, and by all means... feel free to jump in any time if you happen to have a brain wave. Where's Rodney?"

"Ah John... that would by my second point. He's been working on some theories of his own and I'm sure you're dying to hear them. Go see him when you're done here."

She gave him a smile and made to leave, chuckling a little when she heard John's dry reply.

"Can't wait..."