"It's a boy! It's a boy!!" a man said, running and giving me a fierce hug. "It's a boy!"
"It's a boy," I said, less enthused. I glanced to my right and saw something dripping down the wall. Chunks of a pot lay in a heap below. "Congratulations."
I moved out of his grasp and walked over to Lam. "What's going on?"
"SG-5 came back with some of the villagers who were able to escape the Prior. Guns, the man who just hugged you, and his wife, Marla, just had their first child. As you can hear, it was a boy," Lam said, in her usual dry manner. A piercing scream of a newborn sent a small tremor through her body. "Oh if you could pick me up some food, I think I may have two minutes to eat sometime, but not five to get it myself. Excuse me, I need a bottle of aspirin and an incubator."
"At least he has a healthy set off lungs," I said, smiling as she huffed and walked away. I grinned and patted the new father on the back as I passed him. I was glad to be going away from the infirmary when another ear piercing scream radiated through the room.
- - -
I saw Cam sitting alone with a pile of food on his plate and a pile of manila folders beside him. I smiled as he looked up, but paused when he called out for me to join him. I swung back to where he sat after packing a to-go box for Lam and a plate for myself.
"What's in the box?" Cam asked, pointing to the box with his fork.
"Dr. Lam's lunch, or more likely, midnight snack."
"She works too hard," Cam stated digging into his carrots.
"As a doctor or personally?" I asked, mixing my mashed potatoes and gravy.
He paused. "There's a difference?"
"Cam, spill it. I have eyes, and I know what I am seeing," I said, raising my eyebrows and giving him a small stare.
"Dr. Bailey DeBarr, I have no clue what you are talking about," he said, a little of his southern accent showing through.
I humpfed and let it slide - this time. "What's with the reading material? You bored after only two months of doing this?"
"No, catching up on some missions that SG-1 will be taking and the recent hit list from the Priors," Cam said, munching his salad thoughtfully as he flipped through a file.
"Is there a SG-1?"
He caught my eye as he reached for another file. "Yes. Yes there is. And I am not populating my team with just anyone. I am going to get the team back together."
"Trying to do a reunion tour? Get the band back together?"
"I like that. Yes, I am putting the band back together. I need to hang around you more often, Bay, I may get some new phrases," he said cracking a grin.
"Oh I don't know if you want some of my phrases," I said matching his grin.
"Well aren't we all cheeky?" an accented voice said as I fingered the latest discarded file. "So this is where the people go. Bored with entertaining guests, so they go and eat. I positively don't see what is so appealing."
"Don't let the ladies who make the meals hear you," Cam said, looking over my shoulder. "People have been known to disappear after making comments like that."
Vala eyed him. "I think you are threatening me. What's these?" she asked as she opened and skimmed a file. "Boring," she said, picking up another. "Rubbish, why die for a silly planet that does not have treasure on it?"
Cam and I exchanged glances. "I don't know how far you want to extend that thought around here," I said. "Well I have to get this to Lam, maybe rescue her from babysitting duties."
"Have fun with that," Vala said, flipping another file into her discard pile. "Oh I know these people," she said as I hit the door.
"Define 'know,'" I heard Cam respond. I chuckled and hurried up to Level 21.
- - -
Luckily we discharged the newborn and family a day later; Lam and I were beginning to look into Rogaine for Women stock options. I grew up with a brother, a younger brother at that, so I slightly remembered how kids could be, but poor Lam was an only child and seemed to enjoy every bit of that status.
Once more life became 'routine' - as routine as you can get when you work in a top-secret military facility, with an alien device that can transport you within seconds to another planet altogether. Lam had never had the immense joy of traveling through a wormhole, and ending up on the opposite side of the galaxy. Not until Cam called in franticly requesting a medical team. I don't think she enjoyed the experience. It could have been the fact that we were carrying heavy medical equipment - in hazmat suits - or it could have been that she was just too intently concentrating on the medical emergency.
Don't ever say doctors don't make planet calls. I had gone on my medical emergencies with the late Doctor Janet Frasier shortly after I joined the SGC, and could not stop talking about it for days. Janet introduced me to than Major - now Colonel - Sam Carter, the astrophysicist who practically built most of the controlling systems for the Stargate. She and Daniel did not mind spending hours talking about it. I think it helped Daniel since it was shortly after he descended.
We found Daniel, Teal'c and Cam frantically try to help Vala heal the people on P8X-412. They had become ill after a Prior - surprise, surprise - demanded their allegiance. Apparently Daniel had tried to do some diplomatic work, but it did not work as well as he hoped. Lam hurried to check on some of the worst cases, as I followed Vala and Daniel as Vala used the healing device. Vala was pushing herself harder each time to use the healing device, making me wish Janet and I had perfected the synthetic Naquadah enzyme so that almost anyone could control Gou'ald devices.
"DeBarr," Lam's voice, through the radio, said, almost frantic. "Come into the temple building. Bring your med kit. Stat."
I told her I was on my way just as Daniel and Vala were being told that the Prior had returned. We parted, me slinging my med kit and running, as best as I could, toward the temple. There I saw Cam hooked up to a few portable machines, Lam hovering over him.
"What's going on?" I asked as I knelt beside her. I checked Cam's vitals and took out one of the medicines that I had.
"He seems to have come down with the same thing as the villagers. We need to get Vala over here and heal him," Lam answered, struggling to keep her voice calm.
"Vala and Daniel just found out that the Prior came back; they are talking to him now." I placed a hand on her arm. "Don't worry. He'll be okay."
I hooked the medicine bag up to the small tubing, and was about to insert a lead into Cam, when a bright light swept the room. "What?" Lam asked, looking around. Cam's sudden raspy breath caught her by surprise.
"You were not going to stick me with that, where you, doc?" Cam asked dryly as he met my eyes.
I unhooked the contraption, and took the nettle out of his sight. "No, never," I answered over Lam's shoulder, who was hugging him. Another commotion from the far side of the room drew my attention. The once dead man, Asdak was walking. I nudged Lam as she sat up, and she too looked amazed.
"It's the power of the Ori! Surely they are gods!" someone sang out. Soon others were shouting in agreement and were hugging those who had, just seconds earlier, been ill.
"Dang, can't convince them," Cam muttered as he got up.
Picking up my bag, we headed out of the temple, following the thongs of people back to the small outpost the Prior most likely was. "It's like that commercial: 'Dang, lost another one to the Ori.'" *
Cam doubled over in laughter and, between gasps, said, "Honestly Bay, I do need to learn your phrases!"
Lam and I, aiding the still laughing Colonel, exchanged a small smile and continued toward the Gate.
- - -
* A/N: In the USA there is a commercial for a company called Ditek and their slogan is "Lost another one to Ditek" promoting their lower rates for their products. No infringement is ment - please do not sue.
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