Summery: A routine trip off-world has long-lasting effects for SG-1. Meanwhile, Jack has terrestrial trouble too, when his half-sister is recruited to the SGC and his worlds threaten to collide and all his secrets are in danger of being exposed.
Disclaimer: I do not own "Stargate SG-1" the series. I believe it is owned by MGM. No copyright infringement is intended. No disrespect is intended. I am merely intrigued by the possibilities.
A Matter of Degrees
by: Visions2share a.k.a. Vi
The road hadn't exactly been an easy one to drive, as it was a series of switchbacks climbing up the side of the mountain. Thank goodness she wasn't going to work here – that road must be harrowing in the winter.
Two security stops, a parking lot, a bus ride, another security stop. Seriously, how many times was she going to have to affirm she'd left her cell phone in her car? She'd heard them the first time – plus the paperwork said no personal electronics – she had been going to leave it at Jack's but ultimately brought it along in case she got lost. She was new around here, after all, and a sense of direction had never been one of her gifts. As her drive from Chicago had reminded her. Although best not to think about that now – she'd just get herself all frazzled again.
An elevator down fourteen floors and then yet another security post – this one more intense than all the others combined. Some of the people she'd rode down with obviously worked here because they had security cards that were cross matched with both a handprint and an iris scan before they were allowed to get on another elevator that, from what she overheard, continued even further down. Susan had heard of underground military bases from movies, but this was ridiculous! Had she signed up to work for the United States government? Or a Bond villain?
Susan wasn't told to board the other elevator, but was instead escorted down a hallway to a large meeting room set up as a classroom. There were already more than a dozen people scattered through the 'student' chairs. She was handed a clipboard with many pages of forms and legal jargon, giving her a sudden renewed sense of empathy with her patients, and told to read through it all and decide if she was willing to sign. She wasn't given a pen – and when she inquired – was told all signatures had to be witnessed. Sheesh – this was all a little much – but Susan was reminded of Jack's advice to keep an open mind, so found an available seat and started to read.
A handful of more people joined them while Susan was slogging through the complicated forms. She knew legal speak wasn't her forte but her main problem was she couldn't concentrate – her mind kept spinning. Why were there so many people there? Were they all doctors? She knew her study was the only one of its kind currently underway – or at least the only not already classified one – so who were these people? They ranged in age from late twenties to early fifties, showed a wide range of skin tones and apparent fitness levels. Most were civilians, like herself, but five wore military uniforms. She wasn't sure what branches of the military they represented as some uniforms were blue, one black, and others a truly hideous brownish green.
"May I have your attention please?" the voice of the young man who'd been handing out the clipboards boomed over the room – startling Susan, and several others, if the gasps were any indication. "All participants have now checked in. You'll be called one at a time into one of the offices at the rear of the room. You will meet with an Air Force JAG lawyer to review your forms and witness your signature. Anyone who chooses not to sign will be escorted back to the surface. When everyone who wants to stay has signed the appropriate forms, the orientation class will start. Please listen for your name to be called for your turn with the JAG."
When Susan's name was called she had read through all the paperwork – but without a pen hadn't been able to do anything about the forms.
The small office she was shown into was very basic – and she didn't think it was normally occupied, as the only piece of permanent furniture seemed to be a filing cabinet set against one wall. In the center of the room was a small square folding card table and two folding chairs that were much less comfortable than the high-backed black leather office chairs that had been provided in the classroom.
The woman waiting for her appeared to be in her mid-thirties and sported a spotless cocoa complexion that was lovely with her blue uniform. Susan realized she had no idea about this woman's rank, as she'd never needed to learn how to tell the difference before. She should have asked Jack, or at least done a quick internet search.
"I'm Captain Patterson, a Judge Force Advocate with the Air Force."
"Nice to meet you," Susan took the proffered hand for a brief shake.
"Please take a seat," Susan sat in the indicated chair and the other woman took the second chair already in place on her left. Sitting at a ninety-degree angle would work well, Susan reflected, by allowing both eye contact and easy viewing of a single document.
"Are you willing to sign the non-disclosure agreement? Or do you have questions for me before you decide?"
Susan had a great many questions but no doubt about whether to sign, "I'll sign."
"Excellent! First, let's go over your personnel forms," the captain leaned to the floor on her left and pulled up a manilla folder labeled with Susan's name on the tab.
Susan felt an overwhelming need to apologize for not being able to fill out the forms already – even though they had very purposely chosen not to provide a pen. She knew if she tried to apologize she'd likely ramble nervously and make a fool of herself – but still felt it would only be good manners to apologize. She'd just opened her mouth to speak when Captain Patterson opened the folder and pulled out a few pages that looked like the same forms that were on the clipboard she'd set on the table only they were all filled out – neatly typed and only awaiting a signature to be complete.
"I'll need you to read through these and make sure all the information is correct. The address is your legal residence – so Chicago still – you will file a change of address when you have a new local legal residence – your supervisor will be able to help you with that when the time comes. Please pay particular attention to the next of kin and emergency contact information – to make sure it is set up as you would prefer. If anything isn't right, just let me know and we'll get it corrected." The captain handed the papers to her. Susan took them in hand, forcing herself to read them carefully and not just skim them.
It was surreal and all very big brother as the forms were already perfectly filled out – including having Henry as her primary emergency contact and Jack as her local – including home and mobile numbers for each and even a work number for Jack including a personal extension. Her legal address was, as expected, still listed as Chicago – what wasn't expected was a space for 'temporary local housing' with Jack's address listed. Susan wasn't sure whether to be impressed or creeped out. Did they have these detailed forms already filled out for each person out in that classroom? Or was there something special about her? Was it because Jack was her brother and already had a classified job of some sort? Susan's head swam with the possibilities, but she tried to maintain a calm demeanor – falling back on her medical training and her doctor-face to speak without her voice warbling.
"It all looks perfect," a little too perfect – suspiciously perfect.
"Excellent – that always makes things quicker," Captain Patterson held out a blue plastic pen, "please sign on the bottom of each page."
Sheesh, they'd even already filled in the date – although in comparison, that wasn't nearly as weird.
"Now for the non-disclosure agreement." Captain Patterson took the forms and returned them to her folder – and Susan scooted the clipboard towards them from where she'd set it on the opposite side of the table.
Captain Patterson walked her through each form, recapping what they said in regular English and indicated where to initial and where to sign. These she had to date herself – and found herself relieved by how normal that minor annoyance was.
And just like that, she was done – Captain Patterson shook her hand again as she ushered her back into the classroom to retake her seat. It felt like it had taken hours, but a glance at her watch, as she retook the same chair she'd had before, showed only ten minutes had passed since her name was called. Several of those waiting had been called in before her, so hopefully it wouldn't be too much longer before the class started and she learned why medical research needed to be so damned secret in the first place.
Author's Note: No update tomorrow, as I don't post on Sundays. I hope you'll come back again on Monday for chapter 10. Thanks for reading! ~ Vi