"Why don't you want those?" she asked, consulting her clipboard, and than looking up at me.
"Um, SG-3 I made cry. SG-9 swore that I was incompetent and 'used unethical means to obtain clearance checks' and wanted to negotiate some 'none medical personnel' to do the post missions checks. And SG-10 because," I paused, thinking. "Oh, they said they may be scientists, but that they like to be the one who conduct the experiments. Apparently they thought Dr. Frasier and I were in the back messing with DNA or something."
Lam looked at me, suppressing a smile, for a moment. "I forget you where here before."
"It's easy to do. Routine check ups, after mission screenings, surgeries, charming bedside manner - it's hardly notable in the books of the SGC Medical Personnel," I said, flipping through my charts.
"I'm sorry," Lam said. "I'll take them, no need to disrupt the natives even more. You really are sure you..."
"Yes, I am sure." I cut her off and looked at her. "Before I accepted the position of CMO on Prometheus I had my share of fun around here. I know what it's like being in charge of people's health and well being. I missed it here and as long as the Prometheus is being repaired and grounded, I want to be helping look after these fine men and women." I got up and placed a hand on her shoulder. "And don't worry, just because you're a civilian doctor and I am a military doctor does not mean I am upending your infirmary. It just means you have to work harder to give me orders."
Lam gave a soft laugh. "You and Colonel Mitchell would be great fun to watch. I feel you are just as stubborn as he is.�
As she passed out of the office I smiled. Following her into the main infirmary room, I softly added, "You have no idea."
- - -
"Knock, knock, woman doc coming in," I said tapping lightly on the dark blue fabric curtain. I pushed it back, studying my latest chart - the brief description of their last mission - and pulled the curtain back into place with the ease of doing so for the past three years. "I'm Dr. DeBarr, by the way. So... a non-com mission?"
I looked at each of the four team-members in front of me, raising an eyebrow at the one who was not meeting my eyes. Oddly he was also the one who had his arms across his chest, dog tags out, almost hugging his jacket and looking very uncomfortable. I gave a small smile in his direction.
A woman who quickly introduced herself as "Vala, Vala Mal Doran," was sitting on the infirmary bed, playing with a bracelet she had on, and gave me an odd look as I asked the question. Beside her, standing was Dr. Daniel Jackson, also nodding to the slight irony and then giving a smile of recognition. Maybe my stint with SG-1 was not lost to everyone. On the other side of "Vala, Vala Mal Doran" was Teal'c, looking a bit less alien with hair. He gave a small nod in my direction. And than there was the guy who was avoiding my gaze, Colonel Cameron Mitchell. Still arms crossed, and a faint blush creeping into his cheeks. Almost cute.
"A few bumps and bruises. A few scraps and cuts. Oh, but signs of having fun: a trace of GSR, I see blood, sadly no concussions.." I said as I signed the chart at the bottom and placed it on the steel table. "Good. Well, I"ll just give the routine shots, and we shall get you out of here."
I opened the cabinet and took out syringes, antiseptic, and the tetonion for Teal'c. I prepared the syringe and cotton swab and moved over to Daniel first.
"You where here a few years ago," Daniel said.
"Yes I was. I helped out with Dr. Frasier for a time, took over the infirmary as acting CMO after she died," I said, letting a lingering sadness pass over us before breaking into a smile, and inserting the needle into his arm. "But I got bumped up, or out, depending on how you look at it, and am CMO on the Prometheus. It's down for repairs, so I came over here for a while."
"Glad to have you back," Daniel said, giving another smile. I returned it and disposed of the needle, filling another one.
I walked over to Vala and eyed her for a second. "Your not from around these parts are you?"
"What gave it away?" she replied.
"Well if you have any reactions to this, just let me know," I said as I swabbed her arm. I had read each of their medical files - Vala's being a bit less comprehensive since she had just arrived a few days before. Enough time for Dr. Lam to do enough of a screening for us to know she was human. I patted her arm as I turned to go back to the metal table.
"How is Colonel Carter?" I asked, wanting some kind of conversation. I knew where she was, met her when I docked, but always enjoyed hearing news from the team mates - or in this case, former team mates - themselves.
"Area 51 seems to be agreeing with her. Said she was glad to have the Prometheus to concentrate on for a while," Daniel said, pulling his jacket back on.
"This should not hurt a bit," I said coming over to Colonel Cam Mitchell.
"I don't believe you," he said in a hushed tone.
I stood there; eyeing him, needle in the air. "Look you can either take it in the arm or turn around and drop your skivvies," I said as I stuck the needle into Mitchell's arm. I gave another small smile at him as he glanced at me. Going over to Teal'c I held out the tetronine applicator. "I remember you and needles." He gave me a faint smile and nod.
Throwing all the used bottles away, I picked up the charts once more and headed toward the curtain. "Well you guys can go. I'll see you the next time you come back." I pushed the curtain partially away and turned back. "Oh and you may want to be less modest about dropping your skivvies. Honestly, I've seen worse."
I pulled the curtain back and broke into a full smile. Being back at the SGC was fun; being SG-1's primary doctor was going to be even better.
- - -
I was asleep - I think for the first time in months - when the call for "Medical Personnel to Research Labs" rang out and woke me. I slipped my shoes on and grabbed my lab jacket, thankful that I had collapsed in my scrubs, and raced to level 19.
I was met by a small gathering of medical personnel already and a quiet Mitchell. Dr. Lam and Dr. Bill Lee - introduced to me over a rushed dinner - were on their knees over two collapsed people. Dr. Lee moved and looked up at me, and I saw that it was Vala and Daniel who were on the floor.
"I - I did not do anything," Dr. Lee said. He had held his hands away from him as if I was going to arrest him.
"No one said you did," I reassured him. I glanced over my shoulder and saw Mitchell's halfway concerned and angry look. "Well, I don't say you did. What happened?"
Two gurneys were wheeled into the room and Daniel and Vala were moved onto the beds, interrupting Dr. Lee. We watched for a moment and than returned my gaze to him. Mitchell had moved to stand beside Dr. Lee.
"I was resetting the device, and um, Dr. Jackson - is he going to be alright?"
"He'll be fine," I said, touching his arm to prompt him to continue.
"They took the stones," he pointed to the black stones on the device beside him, "and they inserted them into the device. They stood there for a second, and then they collapsed. I did not do anything."
"Did you know..." Mitchell started. I placed a hand on his chest and shook my head.
"What does the device do?"
"It transmits personal images - um well, it gives another person access to images, or activities, from another person," Dr. Lee said, fidgeting. "That does not make sense does it?" He looked around and took a deep breath. "Last year a civilian came to us saying that he knew about the program, claiming he had seen it all as if he was there. He could describe in great detail the missions, and knew things only the top personnel knew. We found out that General O'Neill was also carrying an identical stone for the past eight years. That was how this man was seeing the images - images from the General's life, missions, etc.
"So when this device was found, and the same stones found nearby, we figured it was a similar thing, perhaps a bit more powerful," Dr. Lee shrugged. "I'm in trouble aren't I?"
"You better..." I pressed my hand harder into Mitchell and glared at him.
"Stand down, Colonel. Dr. Lee has not done anything wrong," I saw Dr. Lee relax. "However not consulting with me or Dr. Lam to discuss the possible side effects was a bit unadvised." I felt Dr. Lee tense up once more. "Look, it happened, we're dealing with this, and I have to get to the infirmary. Colonel, come with me, you can fill me in what Dr. Jackson and Vala were doing, Dr. Lee, call in one of your staff to have this device transferred to the infirmary. If it's a link of some kind, I want it as close to the linked as possible. It may reverse the effects or slow it down."
Mitchell quietly walked beside me as we headed toward the elevators and level 21. He looked at me for a moment as we got into the elevator. "You know what you are doing?"
"Have doubts in my abilities?" I retorted.
He looked at me for a moment longer. "No, just surprised."
"You of all people should expect the unexpected. Look where you work," I said as I lead the way into the infirmary.
Dr. Lam was monitoring the two patients when I came in, Mitchell trailing behind. "They seem to be sleeping," she said as I came beside her. "I don't understand."
"Perhaps it is some massive connection that they tapped into when they put the stones in to the device. Dr. Lee said the stones by themselves linked a civilian and General O'Neill here on Earth, maybe..." I fell into thought. Dr. Lam nodded, also thinking.
"Maybe what? Doc?" Mitchell asked.
"Maybe it's not a connection to somewhere on Earth," Dr. Lam said, quietly. I looked at the patients and their vitals on the monitors and nodded in agreement.
"Maybe it's not even in this galaxy," I added.
- - -
Dr. Lam and I traded the observation duty for the next few days. Dr. Lee, under the thumb of General Hank Landry - Dr. Lam's father - and Mitchell, worked tirelessly along side us. Dr. Lee had originally tried to take the bracelets Daniel and Vala were sporting off, and although unsuccessful, proved that he would not stand by and do nothing. He enlisted the help of several scientists from the department and sequestered themselves into an unused conference room on Level 21. He paged me every two hours, asking for updates.
Knocking on the door I pushed it slowly in with my foot. "Dr. Lee?"
"In here," came the response. Turning he saw the white carryout tray and me in the doorway. "Oh let me get that."
I smiled and handed the box over to him. "I came over to see if I could be some assistance. On the Prometheus I also am one of their cultural researchers and engineers." He gave me a curious glance. "Yes an odd combination; Chief Medical Officer and Cultural Engineer. When you live on a ship you take on some interesting roles."
"Well when you are around here you take on some interesting roles too," Dr. Lee said. "Call me Bill."
"Bailey," I said grabbing the other fork and digging into the chicken breast on my plate.
Bill and I settled into a comfortable three-hour conversation and exploration of what could be happening in the observation room. By the end we had a few theories and a few medical conclusions. I ordered him to go to his quarters and sleep, an order he smiled and nodded at. Before I went to my temporary office I swung by the observation room and found Mitchell in the observation deck, watching Daniel and Vala.
"Hey," I said quietly, resting a hand comfortably on his shoulder.
"Hey. Do you have any answers?" Mitchell said, nodding toward beyond the glass.
"Dr. Lee and I have a few theories. I was going to check their vitals before going over to Dr. Lam's office."
"She went to her quarters, saying something about sleep," Mitchell said, wiping his hands over his face.
"I think you should take some of that too," I said, smiling.
"How do you do it?"
I looked at him and found the steady, compassionate man I had known most of my life resting comfortably in his eyes. "I am the Doctor. I have no time to second guess myself."
"Maybe that's why you are such a good Doctor, Bailey," he said quietly. I laid my hand over his and looked at him once more.
"This is not your fault, and I never want to hear you say, or think that. This is something beyond you, really beyond us at the moment. But we are all trying our best; we all are putting our best efforts and minds into this. However," I glanced at the two patients, "we can't be running on fumes. Don't make me order you to bed, Colonel."
"I'd like to see you try, Major," he said getting up.
I stood beside him and gave him a quick sweep. "I may not be the CMO of this base, but I do hold every right to order you - for medical, and right now, mental reasons - and you have no grounds not to comply with my medical opinion."
"Hands down, you win. Just don't tell Lam that; I think she enjoys trying to figure me out," Mitchell said with a twinkle in his eye.
"Hun, I have had my whole life and you still baffle me," I said, pushing him lightly out of the observation deck. We said good night as two nurses passed us to take over the vigil.
- - -
Once more both my pager and a page awakened me. My pager flashed "Infirmary 911" while the page was Dr. Lam's voice calling, "Dr. DeBarr, to the Infirmary. Stat." I was hitting the elevator by the time she repeated the page.
I found Dr. Lam, Mitchell and a worried looking Dr. Lee talking quietly with General Landry. "Vala went onto cardiac arrest," Lam said as I came over.
"Ok, what're the vitals?" I said, moving over to Vala's bed. I unhooked the metal chart folder and flipped through it, scanning the EKG and notes. "It looks like she's alive."
"We resuscitated her. Dr. Jackson also seemed to be experiencing some residual effects. Dr. Lee thinks it is the bracelets," Lam said, pushing a pen back into her pocket. "It looks like they have slipped into a full coma now."
I glanced at each monitor above each patient. I inspected the leads and gave another look at the results. "REM looks normal for a patient in a coma. What the hell is happening to them to cause one of them to go into cardiac arrest, and go into a full coma?"
I turned back to the small group and saw they too were wondering the same thing. I glanced down at the floor, and caught Lam's feet. She was shuffling around in her pale pink fuzzy slippers. Of course I was doing no better in my elephant shaped ones. Patients' lives were on the line, not our fashion statements.