STΛRGΛTE - The Long Road

[Harambe is Love]

Noah Winters stood in the elevator rocking back and forth the on the soles of his feet, the confined space was doing nothing to calm his already nervous state. The steel box was descending into the depths of the Cheyenne Mountain Complex, hundreds of meters underneath steel, concrete, and rock. He didn’t know why he was there. Last week he was living the life of a Pararescueman at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. He heard rumors that several investigators were questioning his squad mates about him, canvassing him for some sort of position, when he suddenly received orders to report to the Colorado. His commanding officer knew nothing of the sudden and abrupt transfer. A brief investigation revealed that the facility had something to do with deep-space radar telemetry. Somehow, Noah doubted that.


The elevator suddenly came to a stop and opened. Sublevel 28. ”Right this way sir,” the airman stated. Following the guard, Noah took note of the concrete walls and exposed pipes. The remembered briefly reading that the Cheyenne Mountain Complex was a relic of the Cold War and it showed in the architecture. The airman suddenly stopped at a door and opened it, gesturing for Noah to enter.


Stepping into the room, Noah to a quick glance around. The long wood table in the center of the room was a stark contrast to the steel and concrete surroundings. A blast shield of some sort was lowered down on the far wall, obstructing his view of whatever laid beyond. A circular staircase was tucked into the corner of the room, leading to a level below.


”The General will be in to see you shortly,” the airman said as he closed the door, sealing Noah in the room.


”Thanks... I think..." Sticking his hands in his pocket, Noah started walking around with his hands in the pockets of his utility uniform. It was then that he noticed another room that branched off of the meeting room. Easily visible through a giant glass window. On the other side, Noah could make out a 2-Star General dressed in his service blues and another man also dressed in a utility uniform. The later had a patch on his shoulder that Noah had never seen before. The two were deep in conversation, and it was obvious to a casual observer that they seemed to be disagreeing on something.


Deciding he might as well get comfortable, Noah took a seat at the long wooden table.


@Detective Rascal

 

[Detective Rascal]

Dr. Kos knew that having a military escort to bring her to wherever she needed to go was standard procedure, in fact not having an escort probably would have triggered some kind of warning bell in her head, but the fact that he was necessary did not at all calm down Sonja's nerves.


Currently the officer stood just behind her. When the two of them had walked into the elevator he was leading, so of course that meant when Sonja had entered and then turned around to face the door, he was behind her, intently staring at the wall right in front of him. Usually, that behavior didn't really put Dr. Kos off, but the elevator was only so big and the level they needed to be at seemed to be so far down.


Soon enough though the elevator came to it's stop and the doors opened, leaving the officer to direct Dr. Kos out of the elevator and towards where they were going. The tables were turned when the officer took the lead, though Sonja took the time to look at the hallway the two of them were walking down (and down the ones they passed) instead of getting revenge for the staring in the elevator.


The place looked old; much older than previous places Sonja had worked at. It wasn't exactly surprising, but it was certainly unusual. Dr. Kos wasn't exactly used to see grey walls instead of the normal white ones, and Kos was sure that the exposed pipes weren't exactly up to current code.


Though Dr. Kos' pondering on underground building codes was interrupted when her escorting officer gestured to a closed door, and then opened it.


"The General will see you shortly."


Dr. Kos gave a polite thanks to the officer before entering the room, hearing the door click shut just as she got passed the door frame, and then she was left alone, with another officer sitting at the boardroom table.


Sonja only gave him a welcoming smile, since she didn't think she was late, and then sat down in a chair opposite the officer, placing her handbag down on the ground next to her feet.


@Onomatopoeia

 

[Harambe is Love]

Noah smiled briefly at the new arrival. A civilian judging by her choice of dress. As to her purpose there, he couldn't even begin to list off the numerous possibilities. Perhaps a representative for Homeland Security? Or perhaps this place really is involved with deep-space radar telemetry and she's a doctor? His musings were broken rather quickly as out of the corner of his eye Noah saw the General exit the office. He quickly stood at attention and offered a quick salute.


"At ease son," the General said as he walked forward and offered a hand. "My name is General George Hammond," he said.


Noah relaxed and grabbed the General's hand in a firm shake. "1st Lieutenant Noah Winters."


"I know," the General said as he nodded his head and gave Noah a warm smile. "I'm the one who hand picked you. If you're anything like your father, you're going to be quite the asset to this program."


Noah looked at the General in surprise. "I'm sorry sir, my father?"


Hammond gave Noah another nod and warm smile. "That's right son. I served with him in Vietnam. He was one hell of a PJ. Seems like you've made quite a name for yourself as well."


Not offering much more of an explanation, Hammond turned to Dr. Kos and offered her his hand. "Dr. Kos, a pleasure to meet you."

 

[Detective Rascal]

Dr. Kos was a little startled by the entrance of the General into the room. Somehow she hadn't noticed the adjacent room when she had walked in and sat down, and now Sonja was mentally kicking herself as her heart raced just a little bit faster than normal.


Sonja did stand up to greet General Hammond, though waited to stand after the lieutenant from the other side of the table did so in attention, and then took the General's offered hand once he had finished with the lieutenant.


"Same to you, General Hammond. An absolute pleasure to meet you."


The General's name had been thrown around a little bit at Sonja last station, and Sonja was glad that she was finally able to put a face to a name after all the talks in the break room and between equations.


Then another officer exited the same room that the General came out of, which at this point Dr. Kos just had to assume was someone's office, most probably the Generals.


This one looked generally miffed, like as though he had recently lost an argument, or possibly just had a face that was permanently on the edge of annoyed. He headed for Sonja first before heading to the lieutenant, extending his hand for a shake that Sonja took, with a smile on his face, though that looked more like a grimace than anything.


"Colonel Jack O'Neill."


"Dr. Kos, pleasure to meet you Colonel."

 

[Harambe is Love]

"Colonel," Noah said as he shook O'Neill's hand and then took a seat along with everyone else in the room. Noah got the feeling that the Colonel and General were arguing about something involving Dr. Kos and Himself. An argument that the Colonel seemed to have lost and was clearly unhappy over the results. This was further supported by the Colonel's next statement.


"And one more thing General, I'd like to point out that between Carter and Jackson, they have like a gazillion doctorates between the two of them and the patch up jobs by Dr. Fraiser have kept us moving just fine," O'Neill said with an exaggerated look on his face. He seemed like he wanted to say even more on whatever topic they were speaking about, but a stern look from the General stopped any further discussion on the matter.


"First off let me be the first to personally welcome the two of you to this facility," Hammond said as he opened his hands in a welcoming gesture. "And I'd also like to apologize for all of the cloak and dagger routines leading up to this point. However you will see why it was needed shortly. Doctor, as I understand it, you are already aware of the subject matter, so I'll do my best to keep it brief and to the point."


"But before we can continue I need both of you to sign these," the General said as he slid forward a piece of paper to both of his guests.


"What is it sir?" Noah asked as he pulled the paper towards him and read the header.


"Nondisclosure agreements with the United States Government. I'm aware you have some levels of clearance Lieutenant, but it doesn't even begin to cover what we're about to talk about. And Doctor, I'm aware you have experience with the program. But I must insist."


After a moment, General Hammond continued after he observed both Dr. Kos and Lieutenant Winters signing the paper.


"In 1928 during an archaeological dig in Giza, a Professor Paul Langford discovered a massive artifact of unknown origins. The ring shaped device was transported here to the United States of America, where it has since been extensively researched and studied. Following several incidents and minor hiccups, the origin and purpose of the artifact was finally discovered." Hammond stood up and walked towards the small control panel on the wall containing the blast shielded window. "In the year 1996, in no small part due to the work of Katherine Langford and Dr. Daniel Jackson, the now deemed alien device was activated." He pushed the button and the blast shield rose, revealing what Noah assumed was the ring shaped device.


"Which is why the two of you are here," the General said as he turned to face the two guests. O'Neill seemed to have a look of boredom on his face as he played with the pen laying on the long table at his position. "I want the two of you to join a team of explorers named SG-1 lead by Colonel O'Neill here," Hammond said as the aforementioned Colonel gave a falsely shy wave of his hand.


"I'm sorry sir? But explorers?" Noah asked as he leaned forward and cupped his hands together. "I'm a pararescueman. What possible use could I be to a team exploring the world and digging up artifacts."


"Who said anything about exploring the world?" Hammond asked with a smirk on his face. "I'm talking about the galaxy son. The galaxy."


@Detective Rascal

 

[Detective Rascal]

Dr. Kos didn't quite understand the Colonel's outburst just as he sat down; it seemed out of place since the meeting had only just started, but as the General handed over the standard disclosure paperwork Sonja mulled it over. The Colonel didn't exactly seem happy when he had shaken her hand, and it was very likely that he and General Hammond had talked over the contents of today's meeting beforehand, so possibly whatever General Hammond had called them for wasn't something that Colonel O'Neill agreed with. Whatever it was though, it was a mystery to Dr. Kos.


Now the history of how the stargate was found; that was no mystery to Dr. Kos. Getting scraps of stories through reports and word of mouth as equations were thrown to Sonja at her previous position was one of the more exciting parts of the job, because really, finding out there was an adventure behind an almost impossible equation made working on that problem a hell of a lot more fun.


Sonja's eyes followed General Hammond as he talked his way to small control panel on the wall, and as the blast shielded window uncovered the room on the other side, Dr. Kos was left in wonder.


There it was. The actual Stargate. The ultimate alien device humanity had ever come across, and it was just on the other side of the window. Sonja was utterly amazed; in all her time working for the program she had never actually seen it in the flesh, only in photos that were sparing detail because of security, and those photos didn't do it justice.


It took a moment for Sonja to realize that the time to look at the stargate had ended, as General Hammond started talking again, and his voice garnered the attention it deserved. She was a little dazed, but as the General pointed out Colonel O'Neill and told both her and the lieutenant about the positions they were going to have, it all finally clicked.


No wonder the Colonel didn't seem happy, and was amendment to have the last say on his teams accomplishments, he was the Colonel O'Neill! And even Dr. Kos could see that her addition to a team so close knit would seem like some kind of attack, but surely Dr. Kos and the lieutenant wouldn't be replacing anyone, would they? The small mystery from before had been solved, but now a slightly more concerning problem had just popped up just as quickly as before.


That thought was something that Sonja would have to bring back up at a later point. From what General Hammond was saying, Sonja was going to join SG-1, and most importantly, was going to go off-world, and Dr. Kos just needed to make sure she hadn't misheard.


"General Hammond, I'm sorry but I just have to clarify, but do you mean I'm going off-world? As in, through the gate? Actually leaving the planet, not taking up another researching position?"


@Onomatopoeia

 

[Harambe is Love]

Hammond nodded his head. "That's correct doctor. With recent events and the increased threat against the Earth, I have decided to expand SG-1's team to 6 members. Something that in hindsight should have been done long ago. Your positions will be hands on, through the gate, as active members of the team," he said as he once again took a seat at the table. He gestured towards Dr. Kos.


"Doctor, you have been selected in the spirit of international cooperation. After extensive consideration the list was narrowed down to two choices. Yourself and Dr. Rodney McKay who I believe you may be familiar with. Due to Dr. McKay's... Personality quirks, I decided you may be a better fit for the team." Hammond said with a welcoming smile. "Personally I think you're going to be an asset for this facility for quite some time."


O'Neill took this time to look up from the pen he was extensively studying. "Just do me a favor," he said with a resigned sigh. "Try and keep the techno babble between yourself and Carter to a minimum. I get enough of a headache as is from Daniel." O'Neill reached back and scratched the back of his head with the butt end of the pen.


Noah looked at the Colonel and tried to his best to school his features. The Colonel was certainly an unorthodox officer for his rank. Leaning back in the chair Noah pinched the bridge of his nose as he felt a migraine coming on with this sudden information drop. Everything he understood about the world had just been turned upside down with the revelation of the Stargate. It was almost overwhelming and impossible to wrap his head around. After all, he was just a grunt.


"Sir, I really don't see how I'm going to be an asset. From the sound of things, you need more scientists and researchers then anything else. I know I have an extensive skill set, but what good is a parajumper going to do for a team that explores worlds?" he asked with a somewhat lost look on his face.


The General gave him a sympathetic smile. "Understandable son. And you're right. A good 90% of this job is scientific in nature. The sheer amount of alien tech we've obtained in the past few years is staggering. And although we've made a good deal of allies in the Milky Way, we certainly aren't lacking in enemies. Your skillset, particularly your medic certification, is something SG-1 has been lacking since its inception." Hammond's face turned deadly serious with his next statement. "Make no doubt about it son. This will be the most dangerous and hostile environment you've ever encountered. On any given mission, you are more likely to see combat then any other time in your military career. Whether or not you join SG-1 is your choice. This assignment is completely voluntary."


O'Neill once again looked up from his pen and stared at Noah. "Hell, there's no hiding it. I'm against the expansion of SG-1... For now. But there's no better opportunity in the United States Air Force kid. Trust me, it's worth it Lieutenant."


Noah stared down at his hands and weighed the choice before him. He was presented with the opportunity of a lifetime. He doubted he'd be getting a second chance at such a prestigious posting. His entire military career, from enlistment to his journey down the "pipeline" he had been focused on one goal and one goal only, to be a United States Air Force Pararescueman. Granted, he was technically now a Combat Rescue Officer since his commissioning and graduation from Officer Training School. It was literally the same job, just a better pay grade.


But who in their right mind would pass up an opportunity like this?


"I'm in."


@Detective Rascal

 

[Detective Rascal]

Sonja couldn't believe it; actually, fully, believe it. General Hammond had said it, she was going to go off-world, and even better, going off-world with SG-1! It was almost like a dream come true, the only thing missing was probably the balloons and confetti! Even the small smile on Sonja's face had just gotten slightly bigger as a testament to how excited she was.


But Dr. Kos kept her excitement in check, for just this moment. This was still a meeting, and Sonja could celebrate at least after it. Beating Dr. Mc'Kay for the position was a real ego boost, and General Hammond's expectations for Dr. Kos' stay in the program, that was just the icing on the cake. Sonja even took Colonel O'Neills joke well; since even she was sure both herself and Major Carter could get too sciencey for the Colonel to understand.


"Not to worry Colonel, I'll make sure to try and keep the tech talk to a minimum. And General Hammond, thank you so much for the opportunity. You have no idea how excited I am to start in the position."


But of course, Dr. Kos wasn't the only one joining the team. Sonja looked over to the Lieutenant across from her on the other side of the table, and beamed her smile towards him. They were both going to be teammates now, and Sonja couldn't remember if the two of them had actually shaken hands at the beginning of the meeting, though Dr. Kos had picked up his name from his introductions to the other two officers in the room.


So Dr. Kos turned more towards the Lieutenant and stretched out her hand to him for a handshake.


"Well then Lieutenant, I hope we can be great teammates."


@Onomatopoeia

 

[Harambe is Love]

Noah felt a chill crawl down his spine as the magnitude of what he just agreed to set it. He wasn't being deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, nor was he accepting a posting in England or Hawaii. He was joining a top secret government organization that explores worlds through an ancient alien device, all buried underneath a mountain in the middle of Colorado. It sounded like something out of a corny 90's sci-fi television show, but lo and behold here he was accepting just such a position.


Turning towards the doctor, he grasped her outstretched hand and gave it a firm shake. "Looking forward to it doc," he said with a smirk.


Rising from the long briefing room table, Hammond gave a quick nod of his head. "Very well. Now that that's finished, I have other business to attend to. I'm sure the Colonel here will be able to show you to the bases HR officer. They'll be able to assist you with getting housing off base. In the meantime you'll be assigned a room here where I'll arrange for you to receive past and current debriefing reports so you both will have a better idea."


Noah stood with the Colonel and snapped off a quick salute. "Sir," he said shortly.


"Lieutenant," Hammond responded in kind. "Pleasure to finally meet you son."


Watching the General leave, Noah gave a quick glance to Dr. Kos before looking towards the Colonel.


"Well then," the Colonel said as he clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "I don't know about the two of you, but I'm famished." O'Neill took a glance at his watch after an awkward pause. "And what do you know, the gang will be gathering at the mess in a few minutes for lunch. The jello is to die for. Care to join?"


Noah saw the olive branch for what it was. He shrugged his shoulders and nodded his head. "Sure, why not." O'Neill seemed to be accepting the fact that he was getting 2 new team members whether he liked it or not.


@Detective Rascal