What a week it's been!

25 AUG 2004 Wednesday

Daniel, Teal'c and I had a final review of the Goa'uld language, politics of the system lords and the known Galaxy in general and discussed the various "superior" races and allies.

26 AUG 2004 Thursday

Weapons training completed. We reviewed my experience and skills that I've had for a long time, just had not used much lately. You know, things like Command, covert ops, survival, such as that.

Then we reviewed things I've learned (more hand-to-hand technique, advanced weaponry, languages, peoples of the Galaxy, the Gate/DHD/glyphs/addresses) since my posting here.

27 AUG 2004 Friday

Ah, now THIS was the highlight of the week!

O'Neill wanted me to work on the X-302 more, so SG-1 and I went to the airfield to play!

Teal'c gave me pointers on air combat tactics in the X-302. Daniel joined him, just for the ride, and Sam was my co-pilot

Needless to say, this was a BLAST! And thank goodness for those inertial dampeners because those things are so maneuverable, we all would've been creamed by the g-forces. Poor Daniel was getting motion-sickness even with the dampeners ON, he said, something to do with his eyes and motion. Nystagmus.

I know one thing: Teal'c is an amazing fighter pilot. If his son Ray'ac can fly like him, small wonder the kid is doing so well in his training! I think Ray'ac was 16 when he blasted Anubis's weapon and saved us all. Amazing. Some day when I have kids, they're all going to be pilots (of course.) Brilliant, charming and handsome too, like their old man.

After we returned to the hanger, we went to lunch then back to SGC. Daniel felt better immediately after the world stopped whirling around him, so he joined me and Teal'c in the gym after our lunches had settled.

Sam was off to parts unknown.

(Reality stops by for a chat.)

O'Neill, Carter and Major Marc Gregory were in the main conference room, reviewing Healey's file one last time.

Jack had decided SG-9 could most use a man of Healey's talents, knowledge and skills. Ironically, it was the same team that lead them to find Jeannie on P2X-899.

Although the General didn't need Major Gregory's approval for Healey to join SG-9, he always ran new assignments past the team leaders. Made for better morale and less bad-blood on the team. An off-world team had to be a cohesive, tight unit, not carrying a lot of resentment.

Granted, it could take time to forge that connection, but it would be doomed from the beginning if not allowing for the team leader to have an opinion.

Carter and O'Neill chatted while the Major looked over Healey's extensive file.

The Major finally looked up, at them both, and sighed.

"Major? Is there a problem?" Sam asked.

Gregory thought a moment. "Permission to speak freely, sirs?" He was a little nervous, knowing the Lt. Colonel had a relationship with Healey. He wasn't sure how she'd react to any possible criticism. Sure, he was the same rank as Healey, but not of these two.

O'Neill smiled. He understood his nervousness about being honest about Roger. "Certainly, Major, nothing to hide here, that's why we invited you."

"All-in-all, his record looks great. Academics, test-pilot, astronaut, the additional training here at SGC, but I have one concern." He looked nervously at Carter.

She gave him a relaxed smile, to show she was't going to flip out if he said a bad word about Roger. "Major, please speak your mind, it won't bother me at all."

"Yes, ma'am." He pulled out a sizeable portion of the file. "It's this. His psych reports from NASA."

He looked more carefully. "A Dr. Bellows. Something in there on him almost every week from the base psychiatrist."

Sam laughed, causing Gregory to stare at her in confusion. "Major, a good portion of what the doctor was writing about was what was going on with Major and Mrs. Nelson and her seeming use of 'magic' during that time. We've since determined that she's been using Ancient technology, and she's a direct descendant of the Ancients who had remained on Earth after Atlantis. To the doctor's point of view, Majors Healey and Nelson DID look pretty crazy. But it was never enough to bar them from the astronaut corps."

She removed another portion and showed him. "See? His actual official tests on handling stress and so on, the usual battery given to all potential and current astronauts, he always did extremely well. And that's the important aspect of this file, not some old doctor's personal opinion of him."

Jack said, "I've got all the proof I need, Major, that Healey can handle himself in extreme situations."

"Yes, sir," he said, not sounding totally convinced. "General, during his time here, he's proven to be a bit of a clown, do you think that'll be a problem? I've heard the scuttlebutt around the base." He glanced nervously at Sam again, then back to O'Neill.

"He does have a sense of humor, no crime in that. He, Dr. Jackson, Teal'c and Colonel Carter can vouch for that, from the laughing I hear from her lab sometimes." He pointed to the file. "BUT, if you've noticed, he's always the epitome of respect as well, to myself, General Carter and Colonel Carter here. He insists on saluting her and myself, and you know how that fares with me."

Major Gregory smiled, "Yes, sir."

"I'm still trying to break him of that habit, but it's going to take some time, from what Carter has told me about his NASA days."

Gregory began to put the file back in order. Their good opinion had convinced handed the file back to the General.

"So, Major, what I'm saying is that while he does cut up a bit, when it comes to it he can be as calm, stable and serious as the day is long. And he knows how to follow orders."

"That's another question. Will he have a problem taking MY orders? We are the same rank, after all."

"Shouldn't be a problem. He's been 2IC on many shuttle missions, under Major Nelson as Mission Commander. His file shows he's never exhibited one problem with it. He has, don't forget, been a unit commander as well, so he's not unfamiliar with it."

"Yes, sir. Sounds good then, I'm happy we're getting him, I just needed clarification on a few points. I know at least two other teams were hoping to get him, I'm glad you chose SG-9, General."

O'Neill stood up, indicating the review was over. "I'll let him know and you two can talk soon, get to know one another. Your next mission, August 30th, he'll be with you as 2IC and Planetary Specialist."

Gregory smiled before he left, nodded his head to Carter in farewell. "Yes, sir, I'll get with him soon."

O'Neill checked his watch. "Almost 1600. Why don't you go to Supply, get his uniform ready, and tomorrow we'll tell him the good news." He shook a warning finger at her, "And no spilling the beans!"

Sam laughed as she left. "Don't worry, sir, no bean spilling."

28 AUG 2004 Saturday

Sam and Roger were working in her lab most of the morning, after the daily 0700 briefing.

Both were so engrossed in their projects that the loud voice over the P.A. made them jump.

"SG-1, SG-9 and Major Healey, report to the main conference room, on the double!" bellowed the General's voice.

Roger almost jumped out of his skin, looked at Sam. "What's going on?"

She smiled and took his hand. "Come on, I'll show you."

When they arrived, there were O'Neill, Dr. Jackson, Teal'c, Major Marc Gregory and two people Roger didn't recognize. The General was holding something behind his back.

"Major Healey, please come forward," the General said without preamble.

Healey presented himself at attention and saluted.

Jack rolled his eyes and said, "Healey, I'm going to say this ONLY ONCE: at ease." He had to say the same to Carter when they'd both been promoted; she had insisted on standing to attention whenever he would enter the room.

Roger smiled and relaxed. "Yes, sir." The others in the room knew how he felt, it had taken them some time to finally learn this General was not huge on such protocol.

"Major Healey, we'll be short about this." Jack indicated SG-9, Major Gregory smiling back.

"Welcome to your new team, SG-9. You will be joining them as Second-in-Command and Planetary Specialist."

Roger's eyes lit up. SG-9! The team that guided him to his volcano! To Jeannie! He grinned at his new team, then back to O'Neill.

Jack continued. "You've done an exemplary job since your re-assignment here, and many teams were vying for you. Major Gregory and his team lucked out." He pulled his hand out from behind his back and handed Roger his team jacket.

"Your official SG-9 uniform jacket, made especially for you, Army." And Jack winked. The Supply sargeant had to get confirmation. Army? Are you SURE?

Roger took off his regular uniform jacket and slipped his new SG-9 team jacket on, admiring how it looked. He looked at Sam, and she smiled. "It does look unusual, being Army!"

He looked at Gregory and his two new teammates and laughed, "It'll make me easy to pick out of a crowd!"

O'Neill dismissed them all, and they gathered in the cafeteria, chatting and laughing amongst themselves.

He talked with his new team, listened as they regaled him with missions they'd been on. They talked about the visit to P2X-899 that eventually lead them to Jeannie and the Healey Volcano.

Roger said, "Owens, your report on those quakes that day was very helpful in my preliminary research, one of the first clues we had that there was unrest on that planet. Excellent job."

"Thank you, sir," he said, blushing at the compliment.

Mentioning the quakes brought more laughter and reminiscing from the team, and Roger sat back to listen.

This is going to be GREAT! he thought.

Afterward:

This concludes Major Healey's training at Stargate Command. On 30 AUG 2004, he'll take his first off-world trip as 2IC and Planetary Specialist.

The next story will be "The Gifts," which covers 30 AUG 2004 to 06 SEP 2004. This is going to be the best EVER, so don't miss it. Roger's personal log will resume 07 SEP 2004.

As always, please read and review. You can find out much more about "The Endeavour Series" via my webpage (through my author's profile.) And if you snoop around a bit on that site, you'll get some peeks into Roger Healey's future with SG-9, Stargate Command and Samantha Carter.