SGI- Chapter 2
"Let me ask so we can all be clear, Doctor Jackson. Are you saying that a civilian, possibly an American citizen was discovered on P3X-666?" The General couldn't believe what he'd heard.
It had been hours since the operation on P3X-666 had come to a disastrous and costly end. Hours later, the activity in the embarkation room had settled and SG-1, General Hammond and the leaders of SG-13, 7 and 5 were all seated in the board room for debrief.
"Yes sir, you can see in the video she saved Janet's, I mean Doctor Fraser's life. I have no doubt, that staff blast would have killed her." Daniel had played the shaky video during the debrief and although he'd been there, he couldn't believe how crazy it all seemed.
"Doctor, can we be sure this isn't some kind of Goua'uld trick to infiltrate the base? According to you and Dr. Jackson, she healed Airman Wells supposedly without the aid of a Goua'ould healing device or any other technology that you could see."
"Sir. Sorry, if I may interrupt." Dr. Jackson chimed in trying to make sure the facts remained uncluttered.
" She didn't really heal Airman Wells per se. It was more of a transfer or exchange of sorts. Doctor Fraser and I were both there and we can't say for sure but it seemed like she took his injuries onto herself somehow. Newton's third law which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction."
"Sir, if this is some sort of trick, it's a very convincing one." Dr. Fraser spoke up while holding onto a folder.
"Her clothing and glasses are labeled as made in China. Her dental work and blood work suggest she was living and raised in North America. The antibodies in her system, the fillings in her teeth, the wear marks on her clothing are all suggestive of a woman born and raised on this continent. I don't think this level of detail can be duplicated and every test I've run shows her to be completely human."
"What about her identity? Any news on who she is? Was she part of the NRD, maybe the Russians?"
Samantha Carter took her turn to speak since Sg-1 as the flagship team was taking the lead on sorting out the mess left from the mission.
"Walter and I are running her prints and searching through records in every database we can. Doctor Fraser informed us that she has extensive scarring on her body reminiscent of captivity and possibly torture in the middle east within the last five years. Something like that would have to be documented somewhere and although there's nothing yet we'll keep looking." Samantha Carter spoke up eagerly, curious about the latest development and glad that her friend and base CMO was alive and well.
"Thank you, Major Carter." The General did not look pleased at the unexpected turn of events.
"What is the status of Airman Wells? Doctor? Was he truly healed as it seemed?"
"Sir, it's hard to believe but there are no pathogens, nanites or contagions of any type that I can detect in Airman Wells' blood. He passed his psyche evaluation and although he needed a blood transfusion and antibiotics, he is otherwise healthy. He'll be granted a week at home to recover with regular check ins with me."
The General nodded his head, this time in open satisfaction, glad he didn't need to call another family to inform them their loved one was lost. He couldn't leave things as they were however, there were still too many unanswered questions and too much mystery.
"Dr. Frasier, what is the current status of the mysterious civilian with what seems to be extraordinary powers?" The General seemed resigned now as he settled back into his chair and awaited the doctor's response.
"She is currently unconscious due to blood loss but the wounds she took on from Airman Wells were already healing by the time we brought her into the embarkation room.
A staff blast grazed her side when she pushed me down but it's been treated and we've given her a blood transfusion and antibiotics to stave off infection.
"Any news of when she'll be up for a conversation? I'm sure we all have some questions for her."
"I don't have any sort of a baseline here, but she is still gravely injured. From what I saw on the field, the injury that Airman Wells sustained, several organs had been damaged, some organs had been vaporized along with several vertebrae in his back. The staff essentially burned a hole clear through him sir."
Everyone in the room took a moment to let that sink in, knowing that any of them could have been lost the same way with a direct hit.
"As of the last checkup I did, It looks like all the missing organs and her spine are being regenerated from scratch and it's happening at a remarkable pace. I'm not even sure a Goa'uld healing device could have repaired such an injury." Her tone had become cold and rigid at the General's mention of questioning. It wasn't missed by those in the room.
"For the time being we have her on a nutritional IV, but I've refrained from implementing any surgical devices to assist with her healing. It seems she's recovering well on her own and anything I do might actually cause harm instead of healing in this case."
The General looked like he had a headache by the time the petite CMO was done speaking and he softened his eyes when addressing her again. If the woman in their medical isolation room was indeed not a spy of some sort, it seemed she was owed a debt of gratitude.
"Inform me when she wakes up. I'd like to know who we have to thank for not one, but two lives saved today." He stood slowly, but turned to speak once more before leaving the briefing room.
"Rest assured doctor. If she isn't hostile, I won't treat her as such. From what I've heard here, we owe her, at the very least a debt of gratitude for saving not just your life but Airman Wells' as well."
With that, the general got up and left the room.
Tired after the disastrous mission, all those in the room got up too and went to clean up and get some rest once the General was gone.
*0*0*0*
Mia woke in pain to the sound of a beeping monitor and a shrieking alarm. She didn't make any sudden movements to show she'd woken despite her pain, but instead did her best to simply lay there, trying to listen to her surroundings. She'd gotten mixed up with the military and judging from the drab décor and lack of windows, she was likely in some secret base. Her heart sped up at the thoughts of being dissected and discarded as Jubilee and the other children from the Massachusetts Academy had been.
Another alarm started screaming behind her somewhere as she tried to push her fears aside to instead asses her current situation.
She tested her arms and legs to see if she was strapped down. They were barely responsive, but she could see there were no restraints keeping her on the bed. She moved her neck a bit to see if she'd been fitted with a collar and found nothing.
She was on a medical cot, hooked up to an IV and a monitor, a clip on one finger, but otherwise unhindered.
Remembering the injuries she'd taken on, she shuddered remembering what it had felt like as her back had collapsed and she'd passed out in pain in a puddle of gore on a pile of dried leaves. Had they carried her to their base? What were they going to do with her? Would anyone be looking for her, would they try to find her?
The copper haired woman from her vision, the one she'd pushed out of the fireball's path on the planet with two moons, ran into the room and picked up bottles and needles in a flurry of movement. The woman was looking at her and saying something she couldn't make out before darkness closed in on her and she knew no more.
*0*0*0*
Mia woke again after an undetermined amount of time. She was in less pain and slowly wiggling her fingers and toes could tell she was getting stronger. There was still an IV on the back of her hand and a clip on her finger. The beeping and mechanical shrieking were present too, but still she wasn't restrained and it looked like she was in the same room as the last time she woke.
The sound of a door closing was heard somewhere behind her and she tried to sit up to see who had entered. Before she could sit herself up, the red haired woman from before, probably a doctor was beside her, firmly pushing her down.
"Don't strain yourself, you're still healing." The voice was gentle, but firm and Mia stopped her movements.
Without asking permission or waiting for any sort of reply from her, the woman placed a stethoscope on her chest and listened to something. She repeated the motion and then moved further down to the stomach area and listened for something there too. She pushed on her abdominal area and then turned to look at the screens. Nodding she turned to Mia and gave her a tight smile before going to the back of the bed and adjusting it so that she was propped up in a more seated position.
Not knowing what to say or do Mia kept silent and her eyes widened as she only now saw the tall man who was also in the room. His hair was cut short and unlike the doctor in her white jacket, he was wearing denim pants and a plain shirt.
"You have five minutes Airman. She needs her rest and I need to do a more thorough check up on her." The doctor spoke to the man over a foot taller than herself in a stern voice and the man nodded without hesitation. "Yes Ma'am."
Wary of the new person in the room Mia kept her eye on him as he pulled a chair over to her bed and sat on it. He looked at her for a while and as she became more uncomfortable and he finally spoke up.
"I don't know if you remember me, but you saved my life a few days ago."
Mia's eyes widened in recognition as he continued.
"Thanks to you, I got back home and my wife had her baby yesterday. A healthy little girl with a killer grip and the sweetest face I've ever seen." He shifted before continuing.
"I can't stay long and technically I'm not on the clock, but I wanted to drop by to thank you for allowing me to come home and see my daughter be born." The tall man in front of her seemed genuine and his eyes were even a little watery as he talked about his near death experience.
Still unsure though, Mia was careful not to speak much and kept things simple.
"You're welcome." Her throat was dry and her voice broke a bit and he quickly passed her a small cup of ice chips he must have brought in.
Mia took the offered cup and looked at the contents suspiciously. The man, maybe smarter than he appeared to her in that moment was quick to realize what she was thinking and spoke up.
"Don't worry, it's just ice, nothing but water, see?" he shook a chip into his hand and quickly tossed it into his mouth, crunching loudly on it to show her it was safe.
Mia nodded and took the cup back when he held it back out to her.
"Thanks and you're welcome. I'm glad you're doing alright." She didn't try an ice chip but stared into the cup a moment, unsure what was going to happen to her.
The man, clearly uncomfortable in the room and maybe a little akward stood to leave. "Um, I guess I'll get going back to my family. My name's Simon Wells by the way." He stood and held a hand out to her side.
Mia stared at the hand a moment and noticed a slight drop as she didn't respond. The man looked disappointed and she didn't think there'd be any harm in it so she reached out slowly and replied in kind while accepting the handshake. "Mia Solomon. Nice to meet you."
He smiled warmly at her in return and opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again thinking better of it. He faltered while turning to leave and looked at Mia once more.
"I don't know what you've been through or how you ended up where you did." Mia could tell he was being careful with his words, but listened closely for a slip up that might help her escape.
"You saved my life and Doctor Frasier's too. That counts for something here and we'll try to help you if we can. You don't need to be afraid of us."
Mia looked at him and weighed his words carefully before responding. Feeling awkward in her prone, reclined position while he towered over her.
"I don't know where I am, how I got here or what's going to be done to me. I'm in no condition to defend myself and I feel like crap. I don't think it's unexpected that I'm more than a little freaked out right now, but I'll answer some questions if I'm allowed to ask some too."
Simon nodded and gave her a smile before excusing himself. He returned a moment later with the copper haired doctor he'd referred to as Doctor Fraser.
"I'm just an Airman and probably can't answer any of your questions, but the doc here's a Major and she's been authorized to answer some questions for you if that's alright."
Mia nodded slowly. "Thanks Simon, it was nice to meet you. Will I see you again?"
The man nodded, looking a bit surprised by the question.
"Thanks for coming to see me then. I'm sure you want to be with your family right now, don't let me keep you here on your day off." Simon smiled and left with a polite bye, leaving Mia with the doctor.
*0*0*0*
Mia watched the doctor and the doctor watched her a moment before taking a deep breath and moving closer to the bed, taking a seat in the chair Simon had previously occupied. She reached out for Mia's hand, causing the other woman to pull back violently. A dark look came over the doctor's eyes but she didn't say anything, only pulled her hand back and placed it into her lap, acting like nothing happened.
"I'd like to thank you for saving my life. If you hadn't tackled me to the ground I'd have taken a direct hit and died. Not only did you save my life, but you got injured yourself yet still managed to somehow save Airman Wells. Would it be alright if we started with how you were there in the first place? Were you a native to that planet?"
Mia's eyes widened as the doctor only confirmed what she'd already figured out. She had somehow, definitely been transported to another planet while sleeping. The two moons in the sky had made it pretty obvious, but hearing someone saying it out loud so casually really brought it to the foreground of her thoughts.
The doctor was watching her closely as she in turn watched the doctor too. Mia knew that this conversation wasn't going to be an easy one since neither of them trusted the other. Hopefully, they'd both become more at ease as they spoke and got their questions answered.
"A native of that planet? I'm from Earth, which I'm hoping is where we are right now. Right?"
The doctor nodded to confirm and Mia sighed with relief before she continued.
"I actually don't know how I got to that place. I was sleeping in Westchester, New York and woke up in a cave with my clothes in a neat little pile beside me and a fire to keep me warm. There was even some spare wood, which is good because it was pretty chilly there. I didn't even know I was on another planet until I managed to get myself to walk out of the cave and saw two moons in the sky."
The doctor wasn't taking notes that Mia could see, but it was obvious that someone was communicating with the doctor, probably through an ear piece and microphone.
"Can I make a call to my friends, let them know I'm safe?"
The doctor wasn't agreeing right away which worried Mia, but she was asked for some information.
"Can you be more specific about where you were or who it is you want to call? Are you able to give me an address or phone number?"
Mia rattled off the public address and phone number of Xavier's School for Gifted Children and the doctor nodded. There was no doubt now in Mia's mind that the tiny window she saw above was some sort of observation area and she was being studied. The thought frightened her and the doctor must have noticed, because she was quick to capture her attention again. Probably to keep her distracted from the window looming a few feet up on the wall.
"I can't get you a phone yet, until the information you've provided has been verified but you aren't a prisoner here and we won't hold you against your will. We just need to make sure you aren't a danger to us. I hope you can understand that."
Mia nodded and spoke her own piece. "I'm not a danger to you and I'll answer your questions within reason, but I also need to know I'm not in danger here. You've seen that I have abilities and I know you think you have easy access to a mutant test subject, but my friends will come looking for me and their powers are a lot more destructive than mine."
The doctor looked worried at Mia's words, but managed to hide it well enough to continue the conversation.
"Your friends, they have abilities like yours? They're mutants? Is that what you call yourselves?"
Mia was surprised with the question and didn't hesitate to reply this time. "We don't call ourselves anything. Anyone with the x-gene is a mutant, it's a fact."
*0*0*0*
In the observation bay was SG-1 standing with General Hammond. Walter was tapping away at a keyboard trying to verify what they were all hearing. Samantha Carter was at another computer looking up something else and Daniel was taking notes and frowning.
*0*0*0*
Janet didn't know what to make of this revelation. She was pretty up to date on the latest medical research and if a new gene had been discovered or people were suddenly springing up with super human abilities Stargate command would definitely be aware of it.
"Tell me more about mutants. Are they common? Do they all have the same ability as yourself? Have they always been around?"
Mia looked at the doctor like she had two heads, but replied anyways. "I think they've probably been around a while, but Dr. Henry McCoy is the global leading expert in it. There are lots of publications out, I'm sure you've read some of it or heard of his at least. Everyone's powers manifest differently and technically I'm not a mutant, I don't have the x-gene. Didn't you already scan me for it?"
Janet shook her head confounded at what Mia was telling her. "I've never heard of the x-gene or mutants. And why would we scan for the gene?"
Mia's eyes widened and she spoke quickly, too shocked not to. "Everyone scans for the gene, especially medical facilities. Mutants aren't welcome and aren't given the same rights and freedoms of homo-sapiens. They're usually shipped out to a detention center or secret lab somewhere. Isn't that where I am? Some secret base?"
The doctor's eyes widened in surprise and shock as she finally understood Mia's fears and worries and she quickly moved on to reassure the woman laying in the bed.
"This is a secret base, but not in the way you're thinking. We don't experiment on people and powers or not, you still have rights!" The doctor could see the disbelief in Mia's eyes so she continued speaking.
"You saved my life, do you really think I'd repay your sacrifice by cutting you up like a lab rat?"
Mia looked at the doctor, around the room and then up at the window in the wall.
"I don't know anything about you or this place and last I checked, mutants had almost no real rights, especially if their mutation is a physical one. I've been to a secret lab, seen what they do to mutants, what's left of them when they're through. Children seem to be a particularly favoured by the doctors. They usually don't have full control of their powers or fully know what they can do and are easier to manipulate."
Mia could see the doctor paling as she spoke, but continued on. She had to be sure.
"Little kids are strapped down and cut open fully awake and without pain management. Bits of them are taken away, bone, muscle, skin eyes, guts. They aren't seen as people and if they survive the experiments or live long enough they'll be raped and beaten by the guards util they wish they'd died on a table.
Everyone wants to find out how mutants work and they want to hurry up, be the first to have their own super soldier army to control." Mia's tone was full of bitterness as she spoke up, recalling what she saw of the children who'd been rescued only days ago by her and the X-Men. She didn't spare any details as she continued telling the doctor what she'd seen. By the time she'd finished the woman's complexion matched her lab coat and she excused herself tight lipped and left the room.
Mia closed her eyes briefly as tears threatened to fall from her eyes as she recalled the horrific injuries shed taken on from the rescue and poor Jubilee.
She didn't have long to get herself back under control before there was a ruckus outside the room and a tall man with salt pepper hair walked into the room. His large strides brought him to Mia's bedside quickly where he stood looking down at her with a frown.
Mia shrank back a little as she saw the barely contained anger in the man's eyes and the effort he was putting in at keeping himself under control. Who was he and what did he want?
Fearing she'd worn out her welcome, Mia removed the clip from her finger and tore out the IV from her hand quickly without taking her eyes off the man in front of her.
Something in her actions must have caught the man's attention as the anger on his face was quickly replaced by worry and he hurried to grab a wad of gauze and bring it to her for the bleeding from her torn IV site.
"Aw crap, Doc's gonna use the biggest needle she has on me."
Mia couldn't believe what she was seeing and hearing. The big, tough man who looked like he was ready to smash her to a pulp a moment ago was now looking at her in concern and whining like a child about needles.
She didn't know what to say, but didn't reach out to take the gauze that was being offered, afraid it was a trick. Instead, she reached under the bed and pulled out a broken clipboard clip and then pulled her legs up under her until she was in a crouch of the bed, ready to jump off while brandishing the flimsy bit of metal. Half the jagged metal she'd pulled out was pressing into her palm, the upper portion being brandished like a knife.
He looked around and quickly noticed the scattered papers from her medical chart ad realized she'd broken the clipboard that held it together apart for the clip and sighed. "Put that down you won't need it here. We aren't going to hurt you. We aren't going to turn you into a lab rat like you think so please, put that down and take this." He held out the gauze to her again and looked at her with concern, not withdrawing the hand holding the gauze.
Her heart pumping fast and being in a more upright position, Mia realized there must have been more than a simple IV in the bag she'd been connected too. Probably a cocktail of things including a pain killer. Pain started seeping into her body as she stayed in the crouch. Her side burned like acid and her insides felt all twisted up and cramped, much worse than the pain from the bit of metal she held tightly in her hand or the torn up skin where the IV had been pulled out.
She faltered as the pain became more pronounced and the man was quick to reach her before she could fall off the bed when a wave of pain caused her to see spots in her vision and lose her balance on the cot.
Mia flinched strongly at his touch, but he didn't let go and only held her arms more tightly to her body as he pushed her back into the bed. Afraid to look up at him, but even more afraid to look away Mia made eye contact with him again while being pressed into the bed and was surprised to see a hardness in his eyes that was not directed at her. He softened his gaze when he noticed her looking at him and loosened his grip. Mia could tell he regretted frightening her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."
He sounded tired and Mia could tell he was being sincere. Heart still pumping in her ears and pain worsening to the point where speaking was difficult, she did her best not to stare mutely at him and managed to reply weakly.
"I'm sorry I was about to attack you with a broken piece of clipboard." Her face reddened in embarrassment as she opened her hand and realized the jagged portion had dug in to the palm of her hand harder than she'd realized. The Colonel took in a sharp breath as he saw how deep the jagged bits were digging into her palm, but he kept his distance.
She pulled the offending piece of metal away quickly and without hesitation before she pressed the wound to her thin medical gown frowning as red quickly spread over the thin fabric.
The man's eyes were crinkled in sympathy, but he didn't try to offer her the gauze again. Instead he took a breath and sat down in the chair the doctor had previously occupied. "Let me try this again. My name's Colonel Jack O'Neill and you're Mia. Why don't you tell me a bit more about mutants and I'll try to answer more of your questions before the doc comes back to patch you up.
*0*0*0*
Despite her pain, Mia and Jack had conversed for about an hour before the doctor had returned to treat Mia's hand and check her over to ensure she hadn't made her other injuries worse. She still looked upset and Mia felt guilty for having pushed the doctor as she had.
"I'm sorry for what I said earlier, I didn't mean to upset you."
The doctor stepped away, finished with her examination of her wounds and nodded tightly. "No, you wanted to test me though, see how I'd react."
Mia flushed with guilt and the doctor's gaze bore into her own. She didn't want to make excuses for her behaviour and kept silent.
The doctor surprised her by taking a seat in the chair that was still near the bed. "I understand why you said what you did, but I need to know. Was any of it true or were you only trying to get a rise out of me?"
Mia shook her head slowly. "No, I didn't lie about it. Before I found myself in the cave, I'd helped my friends find one of their own who'd been kidnapped along with all the other students at their school in Massachusetts. It was a private school for kids up to the end of high school. There were about 200 of them in total, but from what I understood a lot of them were killed during the invasion. We found about a dozen of them still alive in a secret lab and brought them to Westchester.
I know what I felt as I healed them. Those kids were sliced up and smashed to bits. They were all torn up inside and out in the most sensitive areas. Not all of them were hurt from whatever twisted medical procedures were being done. Their organs had swelled with infection and they were left with open lesions and wounds. They had their whole lives to look forward to, but now will spend years traumatized and trying to recover from whatever hell they experienced.
One of them had bits and pieces of other mutants grafted onto her bones, but that wasn't all that was done to her. If I hadn't been there to help, she would have lost her ability to carry a child, to walk without a limp if she survived the surgery to remove those grafts at all.
Everyone knows how mutants are treated, but no one talks about it. I'm lucky, I don't have the gene so I can still come and go freely without worrying about Sentinals and the Friends of Humanity. I can still get treated at a hospital without worrying about being taken to lab in secret. Many of my friends though, do not have the same fortune.
The doctor was looking at Mia horrified, but what she'd heard had raised so many questions. She knew Mia needed to rest, so she only asked what she needed to know to treat her.
"Is that where your scars came from? Helping others with your ability like you helped Airman Wells?"
"The wounds you seemed to have taken on from him are healing at an astonishing rate and your body is regenerating the bone and tissue that it shouldn't be able to. The blast to your side though is healing much slower by comparison."
Mia nodded and spoke. "So you've realized what I did back there. My ability allows me to take on any wound that doesn't kill me outright and I'll heal back from it completely under any condition, not even a scar. Injuries I suffer directly though, heal like they would on anyone else. Slowly, prone to infection and scarring." Mia sounded tired and spoke as if from rote. The doctor guessed that it wasn't the first time she'd explained her abilities to someone.
"I understand now why you behaved the way you did. I'm still upset about it, but I understand. I hope you understand now too, that you aren't in danger here. We won't do anything unconscionable to you."
Mia nodded, but the doctor could see she still wasn't entirely convinced.
"Well, I'll leave you to rest and we'll talk more tomorrow. You aren't ready to eat solid foods yet, so you'll need to keep the IV for now. I'm guessing that if I offered you sedatives or pain medication, you'd refuse?" Mia nodded and the doctor sighed, but respected her wishes. "Very well, if you change your mind, there's a buzzer on the side of your cot. Press the call button and I, or a staff member will come to help you." She walked to the door that led out of the isolation room, hand on the door when Mia's voice rang out again.
"Wait, please. What's the date? How long have I been here?"
"It's February 23, 2003, you've been here 3 days."
The consistent beeping from the heart monitor sped up and Janet walked back over to Mia worried about the increased heart rate.
"Mia, what's wrong? Does something new hurt?" She was checking the monitor and putting the stethoscope back on when Mia held out a hand for her to stop.
"No, no I'm fine, but you said it's 2003?" Mia was sitting up straight, staring at the doctor.
"Yes, did I say something surprising?" the doctor was trying to settle Mia back down.
"Before I found myself in that cave, the date was August 13, 2011."