Chapter One: The Beginning
Page Nine3, July 1999 Saturday Her mind able to go along other paths now without endangering hers or any other driver's life, she mentally ran over her
schedule to see how best to optimize her day. * * * * * * 7:53 AM Syla grinned over her coffee mug as Nora and Greg argued over who's turn it was to pay this time.
When the four of them
had first formed SG-13, Terry had suggested they find a convenient time whenever off-duty to meet and just talk about anything besides the SGC.
The café had become their little place and no
rank existed during the hour they spent there.
Maj. Terry Gorowitz, Capt. Syla Mason, Capt. Nora Frome, and Lt. Greg Harris were just Terry, Syla, Nora, and Greg.
The change in how well
they worked together off world had been so marked that even though Terry hadn't said anything, the team knew Gen. Hammond had privately commended him. "I paid for the drinks at the survival party." Terry's insert into the
bickering almost made Syla giggle at the annoyance it brought to Greg's normally amenable expression.
"Greg, that's invalid. You volunteered." Syla relaxed and enjoyed the carefree atmosphere; glad they still had
about twenty minutes before time to leave for the base.
They'd had a grueling week and these off base meetings restored a lot of morale.
Greg had just given in, agreeing to pay for this
round when their beepers went off, the message letting them know it was time to make tracks back to base.
Immediately ranks clicked into place and the four officers stood, the mess on the
table cleared so quickly it looked like magic to the other patrons.
The waitress snickered and watched, having become used to this particular group's odd habits a few weeks before.
Lt.
Harris paid and they piled into their separate vehicles with Maj. Gorowitz leading their little caravan to Cheyenne Mountain.
Syla drove her little car, staying as close to Capt. Frome's
vehicle as she could without actually getting on her tail.
It just always felt a bit safer that way.* * * * * * 8:15 AM Nora checked her rearview mirror, aware Capt. Mason was less
than two car lengths behind her and smiled with satisfaction.
When push came to shove, Mason was fully capable of not only defending herself, but protecting her team as well.
In peaceful
times, however, with no Jaffa or alien threat, Mason was shy and quiet, preferring to observe rather than interact and that was just fine with Nora.
She felt almost like an older sister at
times like this, though that dissipated a bit when they were under fire.
A twist of anticipation ran around her gut, making her wonder why they'd been called in early this morning.
They
hadn't had a real break yet, just a half day…infirmary time didn't count.
Gen. Hammond had been trying to give teams time between missions ever since Dr. Fraiser had made that announcement
that overall health was declining because teams were too keyed up to rest properly when on base.
Therefore, the fact that something required them to come in before normal check-in time was
significant and she went just a bit faster, hoping it was something good. * * * * * *
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