By Deb
SERIES/UNIVERSE: SG-7
DISCLAIMER: M7 characters belong to MGM, Trilogy, CBS, and TNN. The characters from Stargate SG-1 belong to MGM, Gekko, and Showtime. I'm not making any money from writing this story, I just love to write. Original characters (present and mentioned) belong to me...primarily Adriana and Dawn in this story.
SPOILERS: references to Ghosts of the Confederacy, One Day Out West, Witness, The Trial, Achilles, my own More than Friends. References to the movie Stargate, and various Stargate SG-1 episodes.
WARNING: original characters, some violence, nasty language in certain sections.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: At the end of the story, as I did with The Light in the Distance, will be the entire song from which the title is taken. While the quote won't make sense right away, it will as the story goes on and once you read the song, which reminds me powerfully of Vin.
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Part Twenty-Six
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Now is a good time for me to thank Elizabeth, for all her hard work, and for keeping me thinking. Thanks, Elizabeth!
Nathan Jackson wasn't the only one doing soul searching that day after the meeting. Major Buck Wilmington had gone back to his quarters, only to discover that his mail had arrived. The shocking part was, he had received a letter from his little sister. It wasn't his birthday, it wasn't Christmas, and Buck briefly panicked. Was she all right? Had something happened to her? He forced himself to calm down, and opened the letter.
It was, indeed, a letter. A four page, block printed letter, because he was forever teasing her about her microscopic handwriting. The date in the top right hand corner, and Buck was amused to discover that his baby sister had adopted the European habit of dating...the year, followed by the month, followed by the day. Well, hell, she had been living in Germany for the last two years, what did he expect?
The standard greeting, no matter what the occasion, was, 'Hey Bucklin.' Buck grinned. She was one of a very few who could get away with calling him that. Adriana had spent the first paragraph asking him what was new, had he met any new ladies (or is that a dumb question?), so on and so forth. A typical Adriana letter, at least so far. Although, how DeeDee knew about his ladies, Buck wasn't sure...unless Chris had told her? Lord, he would do something like that, too. Oh yeah, he would definitely do that, especially before Sarah and Adam were killed. Buck swallowed hard, thinking of his surrogate sister and his godson. He wished now he hadn't been so intent on protecting Adriana. She never had a chance to meet Sarah and Adam.
In the second paragraph, Adriana got down to the nitty-gritty, describing her flat (which was just the European/Continental term for an apartment), her roommate, and her classes. She was rooming with a German girl, Petra, who was studying economics. Petra was also helping her with the finer points of German, and even teaching her a little Dutch. Petra's insistence, after she found out that Adriana's mother had been Dutch.
Petra refused to have her picture, citing her desire to protect Adriana's camera (no, Adriana wrote, she most certainly is not ugly, though I haven't been able to convince her of that in the last two years. I'll keep trying, though), so Buck would just have to use his imagination. (Scary thought, I know, dear brother, was the sassy remark, but I have faith in you) Buck had laughed, barely able to believe this was the same shy girl whom he remembered...then again, Adriana's letters to Chris had been always sassy. The ones that Chris let him read, at least, and those were few and far between.
When Buck had asked why Chris didn't share more of Adriana's letters with him, Sarah had laughed and replied, "Aside from the fact that most of what your sister writes to Chris is of a personal nature? Because while you're protecting your little sister, Buck, Chris and your little sister are protecting you from realizing a few things about her." Buck hadn't understood at the time...he thought he did, now. The time he had spent protecting his sister, he should have been spending time with her. The young woman who had written this letter was neither shy nor naive.
Buck was surprised to find that his sister loved a wide variety of music. Not just classical music, but in the last few years, she had gotten interested in classic rock (80's music was now considered classic rock, much to Buck's surprise), what was commonly called 'adult contemporary, country music (!?!), as well as Celtic music. And by the way, she had written, it's pronounced 'Kel-tic, not Sel-tic.' We're not talking about basketball after all. Haha. The girl had turned into a smart-ass while he wasn't looking.
She had gotten into Celtic music, while she was going to college in Texas, because she remembered Buck singing the old Irish ballads to her when she was a child. Chris, too. (Chris???? Chris Larabee? Singing? Didn't bear thinking about) In any event, buying one CD of Irish music led to another, which eventually led to Scottish music (including bagpipes, God help them both), and so on.
That paragraph led into the next, as she explained how Petra had taken her to various festivals around Germany and helped her with her German. Her relationship with Petra was something of a tradeoff, Adriana observed, as Petra taught her things about Germany which couldn't be found in a classroom, while Adriana...well, she wasn't entirely sure what she was teaching Petra (scrawled in the margins was the following note, in an unfamiliar hand, your sister is too modest, Major, but we both love her anyhow.)
That side note, obviously from Petra, had made Buck laugh. Closing his eyes, he could almost imagine two girls wrestling over a pen, Petra finally getting the better of his sister, and writing that note around Adriana.
This banter carried over into the next few paragraphs, as Petra would write a paragraph, detailing some of the things his little sister had done. Skydiving (?????), driving on the Autobahn, getting drunk off her ass at one of the festivals (and I have pictures, Major, Petra had written, obviously gloating). Buck tried to imagine his sister getting drunk off her ass, and failed spectacularly. Adriana, drunk. It was just not an image that wanted to form.
The very next paragraph would be written by Adriana, as she refuted some of her flatmate's claims. She had merely gotten a little tipsy at the festival in question...but the hangover the following morning felt like she had gotten drunk off her ass. Yes, she had driven on the Autobahn, and the speeds had almost given her a heart attack, she had felt like she was driving in the damn Indy 500 (had his little sister just said 'damn' or was that an inkblot?), and yes, she had gone skydiving with Petra.
She seemed so...happy. It was steadily becoming apparent to Buck that while he had tried to protect her from knowing about all his ladies, he was the one who had lost out. His little sister didn't need him any more. She had turned into a gutsy, confident woman, without any help from him. And he was proud of her, God knew he was proud of her...but as Buck finished the letter, he felt a little empty inside.
His sister had asked if this summer would be a good time for her to come see him. She had missed him so much, and it had been years since they had seen each other. Buck sat back. He wanted to see her...wanted to see how much she had grown, wanted to see her smile, wanted to hear her laughter. God, he wanted to hold his little sister again. Wanted to see if she could still make Chris laugh.
But...he couldn't be selfish. He would be spending a lot of time at the Cheyenne Mountain, especially after SG-7's first mission, and he wouldn't be able to spend the time with her that she deserved. And...he had to keep an eye on Vin Tanner. Still, Buck wasn't ready to let go of his sister that easily. He would write a response after they got back from this mining planet. He gently brushed a kiss across the paper, and folded it up, before tucking into his trousers.
Now that he had thought of their new tracker/sharpshooter, Buck's mind stayed right where it was. The major didn't know what to think about Vin Tanner. At the moment, he was being pulled in two different directions, and he wasn't sure where his instincts began, where his emotions ended...and if all of his misgivings about the young man were solely due to jealousy. He couldn't believe it was entirely jealousy. Chris had been his friend for a long time, and it was Buck's job to look after Chris, even when he didn't want it.
Especially now that Chris wasn't drowning in a bottle, and was capable of being reasonable. But even as he was feeling that mixture of jealousy and suspicion, there was something else wanting acknowledgment. Against his wishes, he found himself liking Vin Tanner. He was a smart kid, damn capable with that rifle, asked good questions in the briefing. And in his heart, Buck Wilmington was a protector. Ever so often, he would see traces of a vulnerable boy in Tanner's eyes, and that left Buck without defenses of his own. Buck could not turn away from someone who was hurting...even if they wouldn't admit they were hurting.
Almost angry, Buck rose to his feet and began pacing. So what the hell did he do? Keep an eye on Tanner, and risk Larabee's ire? Hell, he had been there, done that...survived it, though not unscathed. Yes, he would keep an eye on Vin Tanner, because Chris was his friend, even after everything. But...he would keep an open mind. Instead of expecting Tanner to make a mistake, as Nathan was doing with Ezra, he would hope that his mixed feelings came from jealousy, and that his instincts were right.
Something tight in Buck's chest began to loosen. Yes, that was a solution he could live with. It was almost lunchtime, and Buck hadn't flirted with the lovely Janet Frasier yet. That would make him feel better as well. He was careful not to cross the line with her, but they both enjoyed the bantering. As Buck left his quarters, heading to the infirmary on his way to the cafeteria, he wondered fleetingly what Chris would say about Adriana's request to visit this summer. Oh God. Chris and Adriana, joining forces. Now that was scary!
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Part Twenty-Seven
They called it 'the psych test.' It was actually hell on earth. The worst possible fear you had, in living color. An attack on four out of the five senses, courtesy of a helmet, which fed stimuli to the brain. Smell, touch, hearing, and sight. Vin would have never believed such a thing was possible, if it hadn't happened to him. His nightmare began early in the morning, when Chris Larabee came for him. He couldn't stay with him through the test, Larabee explained...there was some paperwork that needed his attention.
Hell with that. Vin wasn't a kid. Didn't need no one holding his hand. He just nodded his acceptance, and Chris patted his shoulder. Told him to just relax. Yeah, right. If there was one fear that almost all humans had in common, it was the fear of the unknown, and Vin Tanner was no exception to that. He didn't know if there were ways the brass could figure out what scared him, but half the things he would have considered impossible the day before, were turning out to be far more than possible.
Once he was inside the evaluation room, Teal'c had slipped the helmet on, facing Vin as he did so. There was nothing there...Vin began feeling more than a little claustrophobic. He couldn't see anything, and if someone attacked him right now, he'd get his ass kicked. He could barely hear through the helmet, and he couldn't feel vibrations when someone moved from the floor. Damn, he did not like being this vulnerable. One moment, he was trying to control his panic attack, from being closed in...and the next, he was standing on a sidewalk in the middle of a city.
What the hell? Vin shook his head, but the scene remained the same. It looked like downtown Denver, but he couldn't swear to it. Cars screamed past him, it sounded like rush hour to him. Vin tried to orient himself, almost gagging from the smell of the cars. Damn, he knew he hated the city for a reason! What was Adriana's word for the city? Sensory overload?
That was when he heard the gunfire, followed half a second later by a strangled scream of shock and pain. Vin spun around, just in time to see a slight body hit the ground. Carefully watching for the gunman...where the hell was he? Why hadn't anyone else stopped? Did this sort of thing happen so often in the city, nobody noticed anymore? Never mind that. Someone had been hurt, and Vin wanted to see what he could do to help.
As he knelt beside the fallen victim, Vin's breath caught in his throat. Oh no. Oh God, no. A pale, triangular face, surrounded by dark curls. A pair of small hands stapled to the wound low on the right side. Wide, dark hazel eyes, almost brown with pain and fear, stared up at him. Adriana. He ducked low over her, slipping his arms around her at the same time. There was another volley of gunfire, and this time, he found the shooter. Eli Joe...and he was smiling. As if this was some sort of joke. He raised two fingers to his lips and mouthed, 'kiss her good-bye, blood hound.'
That bastard. That bastard had...he had shot Adriana. Adriana. He had to get Adriana to safety. Still cradling her against his chest, Vin located a parked vehicle, which would provide them cover from Eli Joe's bullets. He covered the distance in a few more steps than normal, but he was carrying a limp body and having to stay low. All the while, his mind kept spinning. She was here. In Denver. And Eli Joe had shot her. How had he found out about their friendship? How had he realized that Adriana was important to Vin? Never mind that, Tanner! Stay focused.
Adriana was whispering something to him...it sounded like she was trying to tell him she was alright, but he could see that she was afraid, and that she was in pain. He had felt her muffled screams against his chest as he carried her to safety. I'm sorry, Adriana, so sorry. I left Texas, to protect you, and he found you anyhow. I'm sorry. He wanted her to know that, wanted her to know how much he missed her, but the words wouldn't come.
He sensed movement to his right, and angled his body so that he could protect Adriana. But it wasn't Eli Joe...someone whose face he couldn't see, but voice he vaguely recognized as friendly. It was telling him that Adriana was in good hands now, that the police and ambulance were on the way. He wanted to stay with her. It was his fault she was...it was his fault this had happened to her. He had to make it up to her, had to make so many things up to her.
And then there was another volley of shots...Vin had two choices. Stay with Adriana, or take down the son of a bitch who had tried to kill her. Pressure was being applied to the wound by the newcomer...there was nothing he could do for her. However, he could make sure that the bastard could never hurt her, or anyone else, again. Yes. He could do that. Vin leaned over and lightly kissed her forehead...and then he headed out to confront Eli Joe yet again. And by God, this would be the last time.
Except, halfway across the street, he was grabbed from behind and held by his waist. Vin began struggling, only half aware that none of the cars on the street were hitting them. And then the street disappeared. A voice was telling him, "Easy, son...easy!" Vin blinked...and then blinked again. The street was gone. Eli Joe was gone. Adriana was gone. He was back in the SGC, and Vin realized a bit numbly that the helmet which had changed his reality were gone. He had never even felt it come off.
"Vin? It's all right, son. Just relax...it's over," General Hammond told him. His hands were gripping Vin's forearms, and the former bounty hunter wondered who was holding him. His question was answered a moment later when the general said, "Let him go, Teal'c." Vin was released immediately, and his legs almost gave way. He would have never admitted it, but only Hammond's grip on his arms kept him upright.
"Sorry, General. Don't know what happened to me," Vin mumbled, still shaken. He took several deep breaths, struggling to bring his breathing under control. It had seemed so real. He had heard Adriana cry out. He hadn't just seen her, he had heard her. Had touched her. Hadn't he? A gentle hand rested on his shoulder, and Vin jerked at the unexpected touch.
"You have done nothing to shame yourself, Vin Tanner," Teal'c told him quietly, "the virtual reality program used by the SGC can make you doubt your very sanity. I daresay you have the answers you sought, General?" Vin looked at the general, still taking deep breaths. But the general, rather than looking angry, seemed more concerned. He nodded and Teal'c continued, "Then I shall escort Mr. Tanner to Colonel Larabee. Their briefing is in a few hours, is it not?"
"Yes, we found out exactly what we needed to know. And son, just so there's no misunderstanding...you passed. With flying colors. The report will be given to Colonel Larabee later this afternoon," General Hammond said. Vin nodded, uncomfortably aware of how shaken he was by the whole experience. As Teal'c started to lead Vin away, the general added, "And Vin...Andrea did survive being shot."
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Part Twenty-Eight
Andrea? He must have cried out Adriana's name when he saw her fall, and they heard it as 'Andrea.' Strange. But ever since he had entered this place, the definition of 'strange' had become normal. He shook his head, still shaking from the experience. God, everything had seemed so real. He asked Teal'c, more to calm himself than to actually make conversation, "Didja say that what happened...it ain't the worst ya seen?"
"Indeed," came the answer, "This was not the first time the general requested my presence during a psychological evaluation. Based on the things he learned of your background, General Hammond believed it prudent if I was in the room, to restrain you, if need be. In the past, I have seen recruits lose control of their bodily functions during such an evaluation." In other words, Vin thought, they either shit themselves or pissed themselves, and maybe even both.
Something else occurred to him, and he asked, "Was that ya, sayin' that she was in good hands?" He looked at the big Jaffa as he spoke, and Teal'c inclined his head. Vin continued, "How did ya know it was a she?" A faint smile crossed the Jaffa's face, but he said nothing as they kept walking toward Larabee's quarters. Vin waited patiently, then decided if it was really that important to find this out.
As he decided it was not, Teal'c replied, "When you reacted to the gunfire, or what you believed to be gunfire, you cried out the name of a woman. General Hammond heard the name as 'Andrea.' I heard it differently. 'Adriana.' An unusual name, but very beautiful for Ta're women. She...is...important to you?"
"Yeah. She weren't my girl...she...aw hell," Vin sighed, shaking his head. Teal'c very gently placed a big hand on Vin's shoulder, and this time, the former bounty hunter didn't pull away. From the gentle squeeze of the Jaffa's hand, Vin understood that there were no need for words. He said softly, "It's just that...'til I met her...I never really had no friends. I ain't seen her in two years, and lately, it's been drivin' me plumb loco, cause I see her everywhere I look."
"There is no need to explain, Vin Tanner. I do understand," Teal'c answered quietly, sadly. The former bounty hunter looked at the former First Prime (that, he had learned from Chris on the way back to the SGC, had been the rank which Teal'c held when he had met up with O'Neill and the others). Teal'c said, still in that low, sad voice, "I have...found it necessary to leave behind those dear to me, in order to spare them."
There was no more conversation between the two men, nor was there any need. They understood each other. A few minutes later, they arrived at Chris Larabee's quarters. The door swished open, and Vin backpedalled slightly. Sure, he was used to those things when he had gone to the store with Adriana back in Texas, but those things, he could see through! This was a little different.
Larabee looked him over expectantly, and Teal'c said, "The psychological evaluation has been concluded, Colonel Larabee. General Hammond was very pleased with the results of the test, and will be sending the report to you later this afternoon." Larabee nodded, looking more than a little bemused, then Teal'c turned to Vin and said, "It was my honor to observe you today, Vin Tanner." And then, the big Jaffa embraced him fiercely, whispering in his ear, "And none shall hear from my lips, that of which we spoke."
Vin had initially frozen when Teal'c embraced him, but relaxed when he realized two things. One, that Larabee hadn't reacted at all...aside from a widening of his eyes. And two, when he heard the whispered message. It was the Jaffa's way of saying that he considered their conversation to be confidential. Teal'c released him, clasped his forearm, then nodded to Colonel Larabee. There was silence for several moments.
Then Larabee said, a little stunned, "Well, that's not something we see often. I've only been here a few weeks, but still. Teal'c is not exactly the squeezing kind." Vin didn't answer, and Larabee shook his head in astonishment. He continued, "Well, since it seems you've passed the last test, you feel up to breakfast?" Vin quickly shook his head. The adrenaline high was still leaving his body, and as usual for him, the thought of food was enough to make him nauseous as his adrenaline levels came down.
"Naw. Couldn't eat. Reckon ya could show me 'round some more?" Vin asked. The colonel looked at him closely, then nodded. For the next hour, they walked around the compound, Chris explaining the function for the various units, as he put it. Half the rooms, Vin couldn't have remembered their names to save his life. And he knew he would need more time exploring this place, before he could make his way around without getting lost. That would be a laugh and then some...the goddamn guide/tracker gettin' lost inside the mountain where he lived. It was just weird enough, crazy enough to appeal to his sense of humor.
By seven am, or, as the military put it, oh seven hundred, Chris and Vin were back in the briefing room, with the rest of SG-7. Excluding Ezra Standish, who was chronically late. Looked like he weren't a morning person. Hell, Vin couldn't fault him for that. He remembered a few times when he had ended up stayin' over at the ladies' apartment, and the hell of tryin' to get Adriana out of bed!
The briefing lasted about forty-five minutes. Vin learned that they would be aiding a native people 'gainst some loco Gou'ald System Lord who wanted 'em minin' naquada, which was what the Stargate was made of. Plan on anything between twenty and forty men, expect forty to be safe. Vin's instincts about the others grew stronger. Somethin' weird, which he didn't rightly understand, was goin' on 'tween Nathan Jackson and Ezra Standish.
He had picked up on it the previous night. Was almost like things 'tween him and Will Richmond in the beginnin,' back 'fore Will and Charlotte patched up their marriage. Only more tense. Like Ezra and Nathan done brung out the worst in both of 'em. Vin didn't understand it. But he did realize that even if Chris would tolerate it, General Hammond would not. That, he figured it out two seconds flat.
Major Wilmington...Buck...was reserving judgment on him. Vin had been the subject of apprising gazes in the past, he knew what they meant. He also knew he wasn't going out of his way to please or impress the major. Wouldn't work. 'Sides, he had too many other things to be thinkin' about right now, and Vin figured the big man was just tryin' to protect his old friend from an 'unknown quan-ti-ty.'
Vin wasn't nearly sure of Josiah Sanchez. He had felt the man's gaze on him more than once, but it wasn't the apprising gaze of Buck Wilmington. Vin couldn't figure it out, and that bothered him, more than a little. Nathan Jackson was an open book...whatever he was feeling or thinking, was plain on his face. And even if it wasn't, he tended to speak his mind without hesitation. Least a man always knew where he stood with Nathan. That was a comfort.
Vin was having a helluva time, gettin' a good sense of Ezra Standish. He had realized the previous night, that the Southerner understood loneliness as well as Vin himself. But the young hunter somehow doubted that the Southerner ever had friends like Carly Tucker, Dawn Jackson, or Adriana Wilmington. He showed a mask to the world, of a man who cared only for himself, if Nathan Jackson was right. But Vin couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to him. Especially after seeing Standish react to the threat against the native children.
Nope, there was a lot more to Standish than what met the eye. Vin Tanner was a patient man, and he was willing to take his time. Find out exactly what kind of man Ezra Standish was, and why he hid behind his mask. Vin knew there was a reason. Probably a good one. But he wanted to know for sure.
The last of the group was Private JD Dunne. Who, according to the joshing and bickering he had heard, could 'ride and shoot and fly and swim.' It sounded like a helluva story, and Vin was sure he would hear it sometime.
He was nineteen, the youngest of SG-7, in years and in experience. He made Vin, who was only five years older, feel so goddamn old in comparison. Strange. There had been a time when he felt so much older than the grad students on that fateful dig when he met the Richmonds and Adriana. But Adriana, who was three months younger than he was, had never made him feel old or young, or stupid. Which was funny, with all the book learning she had. But she never made him feel like he was less than she was, 'cause he had less book learning.
JD reminded him of a puppy...young, enthusiastic, occasionally tumblin' ass over teakettle. He knew better than to tell the young private that. Vin knew a thing or two about a boy's pride. And so he kept his observations to himself, instead concentrating on everything else. There was so much to take in, it was makin' his head hurt, but he was determined not to fail. In a very real sense, by offering him this chance, General Hammond and Chris Larabee had saved his life. He couldn't let them down.
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Part Twenty-Nine
After the briefing, Chris made good on his promise to show Vin the various weapons used by the SGC. Lord, what an arsenal! What the SGC termed 'conventional' weapons, the gangs on the streets would have paid pretty pennies for. And then there was the other stuff. The spoils of war, which the SGC had taken from the Gou'ald whom they had bested or killed over the years. The weird stuff, as Vin had taken to calling it in his mind.
Though Vin wouldn't have time to use any of the weird weapons until after the mission was complete, the colonel had wanted him to see the damn things at least. Get a feel for 'em, so to speak. Vin realized his new friend was worried about him. He didn't say nothin,' but Vin could sense it. The way Larabee watched him. Hell, Vin wasn't a damn piece a' china, 'bout to shatter at the least little thing!
But Vin didn't tell him to knock it off. Nobody had given a damn about him since Adriana, Dawn, and Carly, and truth be told, he had missed it. He had the feeling that with this crew, he had a lot to get used to. 'Sides, weren't like Larabee was crowdin' him. Which, bless her heart, couldn't have been said for Carly, who could downright hover when she was of a mind to. No, Larabee hadn't crowded him. Not in the briefing, and not here. Chris asked, "You want to see how these things work?"
Vin nodded and Chris withdrew what he had called a 'staff weapon' from the cabinet. It was sorta like a gun cabinet, but not exactly. Looked a bit like a rifle, at least in the way Larabee held it. But this rifle didn't fire no bullets...nope, it sent out energy. Blasts of energy. The colonel fired a few bolts of energy from the staff weapon, which tore into the rubber of the opposite wall. Chris grimaced and said, "The general's gonna have to replace that again, but that's the best thing we have for target practice at the moment."
Vin laughed in spite of himself and Chris looked at him, then grinned as well. He said, "You got one weird sense of humor, Tanner." Vin just looked at him...say what? Who had the weird sense of humor? Hell, forget weird, at least he had a sense of humor! Larabee lightly tossed the staff weapon to Vin. Expecting something with the weight of a rifle, Vin braced himself...and nearly dropped the staff weapon.
But he maintained his hold on the weapon and replied, "What should I use as target practice? Them little bitty snake guns y'all call 'zats,' maybe? Or somethin' else, so the general won't hafta spend more money." That made Larabee laugh, and for the first time since that morning, since the psych test, Vin's mood began to lift. The two men teased and bantered as Vin tried out the various weapons.
He hated the staff weapon. Hated it. There weren't nothin' to it...just point and shoot. Any yahoo could point and shoot. Didn't require no skill, or even brains. The zat was a little harder, a little more challenging, but it was a creepy li'l thing. Damn thing actually felt like it was winding around his hand, like the snake it looked like. He said as much to Larabee, who grinned almost nastily and replied, "You think that's creepy? Wait 'til you head through the Stargate."
Oh terrific. That would happen the following day, and while Vin could handle just about anything, he had heard horror stories about what happened when you went through the Gate. 'Course, he took each story with a grain a' salt...but he was also smart enough to know that even in tall tales, there was a grain a' truth. He was ashamed of himself for even thinkin' like that, but he was right grateful it was one less thing to go through today.
"It any worse 'n a roller coaster?" Vin asked casually, raising the zat gun to fire again. Larabee nodded, that nasty little grin in place, and Vin shook his head, muttering, "Hard for me to believe. I been on some right scary rides." Larabee simply laughed. Vin took a deep breath. He still wasn't crazy about the idea of bein' inside a goddamn mountain, but slowly, he was gettin' used to this place.
Unlike the room where Vin had his brain scrambled, this room had a mat. According to Chris, the various SG teams used this as a practice room, so a mat had been placed on the floor. Less bruises that way, Larabee had observed. It was because of that mat that Vin felt the vibration, even though there was no sound. He spun around, placing his own body between Larabee and the intruder, unconsciously raising the zat gun.
"Easy, son," Josiah Sanchez said, putting his hand on Vin's and gently lowering the zat gun. Goddammit, that was the second time he had done that! He was gonna end up gettin' somebody killed if he didn't chill out! Dr. Sanchez smiled and said, "Damn good instincts, son. I didn't make a noise, but you knew I was coming...had yourself in position and your weapon up. Did you know all this ahead of time, Colonel?"
"Nope...just knew he was a good man to have in a fight. He's full of surprises," Chris said with a grin. Vin glared at him, the one that Adriana had always said scared her. The colonel looked at him in amazement, then his smile grew. He teased, "That your idea of scary, Tanner? You'll have to do better. I've seen better glares coming from Buck's little sister. Oh...never mind." He shook his head, evidently remembering the stories he had told Vin.
"That's right, you knew Major Wilmington's sister, didn't you, Colonel?" the big man asked with interest. He seemed amazed when a fond smile accompanied Larabee's nod. Vin wasn't. Not by the smile, and not by the affection in it.
He had come to realize over the last two days that Larabee and Wilmington loved his friend as much as she loved them. There was, as Dawn would say, a major miscommunication going on. Sanchez continued, "What's she like?" Bright, funny, sassy, shy, compassionate, fierce...Lord, there were too many words he could use to describe Adriana, but he couldn't use a one of 'em, cause he weren't supposed to know her. And he weren't ready to tell Larabee.
He had decided the previous night that he could trust Larabee with the story of how he had met Adriana. While Larabee was protective of his 'little princess,' Chris was far more realistic about the girl than her brother seemed to be. Lord, some of the stories Chris had told about her. Vin's favorite, by far, was her kicking him in the balls, when he wouldn't get outta her way. Yup, he could see her doin' that, too.
Come to think of it, there were quite a few times when Vin could have easily seen her kicking someone in the balls. Chanu came to mind...so did Will Richmond. He had put his foot in his mouth more than once in the years following the confrontation at the cabin. Maybe if he hadn't backed down due to glares from all the ladies present, Adriana mighta felt it necessary. But Richmond had backed down, and sometimes due as much to a thwap from Charlotte as glares from the other ladies.
Larabee's voice brought him back to the present, explaining to Josiah, "You'll have to meet her. It ain't easy, explaining that girl." Amen to that, Vin thought, don't even think Ezra with all his big words, could explain her. Chris added after a moment, "She's a lot quieter than Buck, at least around him. She talks more than me." Vin laughed out loud at that statement.
"That don't take much, Larabee, I don't reckon you say more Œn three words a day!" Vin chortled. Larabee growled and swatted Vin in the back of his head, but his green eyes were filled with humor. Vin continued, "Hey Larabee, that offer a' breakfast still open? Reckon I'm gettin' hungry now." He was feeling normal again...at least, he thought with a mental grin, what passes for normal, with me. Lord, now I'm hearing Carly in my head.
"What do you think, Josiah, you up for breakfast?" Larabee asked, looking at the big man. Josiah inclined his head, and the colonel continued, "Reckon both of us have done enough talkin' right now, Tanner, whaddaya say we let the preacher man's son do all the talking?" Sanchez threw his head back and laughed out loud. He draped one arm around Vin's shoulders and the other around Larabee's. Vin saw the motion coming, and didn't duck away.
"Well, they do say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and I believe I can talk enough for all three of us. Now, Brother Vin, you were saying yesterday that I'm an anthropologist, and the difference between that, and an archaeologist, like your friend, and like Brother Buck's young sister. Would you like to hear about the people I've studied, over the years?" Josiah asked.
"Tell him about your students, Josiah," Chris urged as the big man propelled the two younger, smaller ones out the door.
"Ahh, now they were the most intriguing study I ever did. Twenty-five years teaching high school students, now that was an experience. I taught two primary groups of kids...the gifted ones, and the ones whom everyone else had given up on," Josiah said. His look, when he turned his head to regard Vin, said that he was willing to bet that Vin fell into the latter category. He would have been right.
"You see, every child deserves to have attention. The children I taught were either bored to tears, or tried to get attention in the wrong way. They were taking attention away from other students, who needed it just as badly as they did. That was where I came in. Oh, there were a few bad apples, there always are. Kids who just enjoyed hurting others, bullies. But most of my kids were good kids who had lost their way, or never had a way in the first place," Josiah explained.
Vin listened intently as Josiah spoke of his students. He had been a teacher, in high school, for twenty-five years. Lord, his opinion of the man just went up a few notches. Especially the way Josiah talked about them kids. And he wished, so much, that he had a teacher like Josiah Sanchez. Maybe, if he had, he'd be just as smart as the ladies.
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Part Thirty
It wasn't that hard, figuring out what would scare Vin Tanner. Not to someone who had spent as much time in the military, and around people, as George Hammond. That was why he held the rank he did...as well as the trust and respect of his people. Vin Tanner was a protector. Whether he termed it like that or not, he protected people...and the single greatest nightmare someone like that could face was seeing someone they cared about harmed. And being able to do nothing about it.
Therein lie the psych test. It was a given, that Vin couldn't have done anything to eliminate the initial danger to his friend. He didn't even know about it, until after it passed. But, what Hammond was interested in was what came after. How would Vin react? Would he stay with her, with the threat remained? What exactly would he do? While no one was sure, Hammond had guessed the basic crux of the young man's fears, and reactions.
What had surprised him was the rage on Tanner's face as he left 'the shield' and began walking toward who had shot his friend. Or, who he thought had shot his friend...it was actually Hammond himself. Vin was not responding to the messages from his helmet, that the test was over. Hammond had chosen to leave the safety of the observation room, hoping to break through to the boy. But not even the sound of Hammond's voice stopped the young man. The twisted reality of the virtual reality world had plunged him into a nightmare.
Luckily, Teal'c had left the observation room to grab the incensed Texan before he could do himself or Hammond any harm. His arms about the young man's waist had limited his struggles, and allowed Hammond to pull the damned helmet off. Tanner continued to struggle, his blue eyes wild with rage and grief. He wasn't aware of them at first, still lost in his nightmare. But between the removal of the helmet and the sound of Hammond's voice, the boy began to come back to himself.
And then, to see the shock and horror on Tanner's face when he realized what he had almost done...in a way, that had been worse than seeing the sheer rage. Rage was something that Hammond could deal with, could understand. But when the helmet had been pulled away, and the boy had realized he almost attacked the general, the rage had disappeared, leaving...hurt? Confusion? Fear? While Vin Tanner was only twenty-four, most of the time, Hammond found himself forgetting that.
They wanted the newcomers to believe the VR world truly existed, otherwise, there would be no psych test. However, General Hammond was concerned about a glitch in the system, since the program didn't respond to the commands to shut down. There was a knock at the door and the general absently called, "Come." The door swished open and Hammond read over his last sentence, then looked up and asked, "Something I can do for you, Colonel?"
Hammond had never fully been able to explain his relationship with Colonel Jonathan O'Neill. O'Neill was a combination of best friend, son, subordinate officer, and general pain in the ass. He had almost gotten his own ass court-martialed more times than he could count, but had usually ended up saving the world as a direct result of his actions. And he had never, ever let George Hammond down in the years the general had run the SGC.
"I heard about what happened in the psych test this morning? Everything all right? Tanner okay? Are you?" the colonel asked, sitting down. The general nodded and O'Neill continued, "You know, this might not be the best time for this, sir, but are you really sure we want Tanner in the program? I don't have anything against the kid personally, I like him. But you know as well as I do that politics plays a part...and the bigwigs in Washington are gonna argue that he's a loose cannon, just like Larabee."
It didn't surprise Hammond, that O'Neill knew the opinion of the 'bigwigs.' What did surprise him was O'Neill playing the role of devil's advocate. And that was exactly what Jack was doing. He said, "Jack, I know what they'll say. And they'll be wrong. That's why I'm having that helmet tested for defects...something went wrong with the program. What happened, it wasn't Tanner's fault. I'm also including Tanner's reaction when he realized he had almost attacked me. He was scared, Jack, as afraid as he was during the test."
Again, O'Neill played devil's advocate, asking, "Maybe he was afraid because he realized he almost clobbered the big boss?" Hammond didn't even dignify that with an answer. He had known Tanner less than two days, and he already knew the boy better than that. Jack seemed to as well, for he sighed, "Okay, that's not real likely. Just wanted to make sure it was something you thought of, and, obviously, you have."
"Colonel, he was afraid, all right. Not because he almost attacked me, but because he almost attacked someone who, in his mind, didn't deserve it. He didn't even realize it was me, not at first. He only knew whom it wasn't...and that's the man who shot his girlfriend," Hammond replied. Jack raised a brow, and Hammond could read what he was thinking easily, girlfriend? Tanner has a girlfriend?
However, before he could put the question into words, Hammond had one of his own, asking, "Now, I want to know something. This isn't like you. With anyone else, you'd be in here, demanding that I make sure the politicians don't touch the newcomer. So what's different? Why are you raising questions, especially if you already knew the answers...and after all these years, Jack, you do know the answers."
"Because I'd like to see him stick around, sir. Teal'c has claimed Tanner as one of his own, and you know what it takes to earn the big guy's respect. Because I knew if you defended Tanner to one of your own officers, you would defend him to the politicians. And because I know, just as well as I do, that there are some people in Washington who want to see Larabee's team shut down because of the influence of General Travis holds. He made a lot of enemies, sir, when he switched from the Air Force to the Army," Jack pointed out.
Hammond sat back with a sigh. He knew that. And Jack was right. He looked at the younger man and said quietly, "I have known Orrin Travis for...more years than I can count. He's a good friend, a better man, and a damn fine officer. And I don't care what branch of the service Orrin is in, he's shed blood for this country, for this world. He lost his son because Steven was just as much of a patriot as Orrin was. A patriot, Jack, in the true sense of the word."
"I agree, sir. But the fact remains...some folks want to see Larabee's team shut down. If not because of Travis, then for Larabee himself. Hell, I like Chris...especially when he's behaving like a human being, instead of a bear with a sore ass. But he's another one who has made a lot of enemies, especially since he lost Sarah and Adam. I'm not saying that we throw Travis, Larabee, or Tanner, to the political wolves. But...we have to know where we stand, so we can stand together," Jack responded. Hammond nodded.
"We must hang together, gentlemen," he quoted, "for if we don't, we most assuredly will hang separately." Jack blinked, confused by the reference, and Hammond explained, "Benjamin Franklin." Jack nodded, and Hammond continued, "So tell me, Colonel...are you willing to stand with Larabee and his team." The graying head bobbed once, O'Neill maintaining eye contact with Hammond all the while, and the general continued, "Then I want you to conduct an investigation next week, once you get back from your meeting with the Asgaard. This is the second time something like this has happened."
"Something like what, sir?" Jack questioned. Hammond wondered how he didn't know, then shook his head. Didn't matter. Hammond had been prepared to ignore the confusion of the psych test falling into Nathan Jackson's hands. But the malfunctioning helmet made him nervous. It could be a coincidence...but it wasn't a chance Hammond was willing to take. Especially not with certain politicians who weren't happy about the establishment of SG-7.
"The psych evaluation for Ezra Standish was slipped under Nathan Jackson's door. No one knows how it got there. I just find it very disconcerting that the evaluation was slipped under the door of the man who has the least use for Ezra. And now the malfunctioning helmet. God only knows what Tanner would have...what kind of damage that thing could have inflicted if Teal'c and I intervened," General Hammond replied.
Jack responded with a low whistle, and replied, "Could be just coincidences, General, but I don't really believe in coincidences. I'll let the others know. Like I said, Teal'c has adopted Tanner, Carter isn't that far behind...along with most of the other women in the SGC, I might add. Sanchez is Danny's former teacher, so he won't take kindly to someone messing with him. And me...nobody messes with one of my friends. Nobody."
"Excellent, Colonel. Dismissed," the general said. Jack drew himself to his full height and saluted, then left the office. Hammond sat back, frowning thoughtfully. More because of the statement, about the women of the SGC wanting to adopt Tanner. Hammond had two daughters, he knew how that worked. He thought it unlikely that they just wanted to 'adopt' the newcomer. However, he also knew that Tanner was unofficially under the protection of Captain Travis...and there wasn't a woman in the SGC who was willing to earn the wrath of Mary Travis. Except for Colonel Ella Gaines, commander of SG-3. But she didn't seem likely to make trouble for Vin. And with that reassurance in mind, Hammond returned to work on the report.
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