Chapter Text
Being called to Elizabeth’s office sometimes felt like being called to the headmaster’s office, John Sheppard thought as he made his way there. It always made him wonder what he’d done now and what trouble he’d gotten himself into. He knocked on the frame of the open glass door, behind which Elizabeth sat on her computer, looking up know.
“Ah, John, please sit. We need to talk.”
That never sounded good.
“You gonna break up with me now?”
Elizabeth didn’t even creak a smile, only the corners of her mouth twitched a little.
“I’ve just spoken with General O’Neill. He told me that the next time the Daedalus comes, she’ll bring some new personnel.”
“That sounds like good news.”
“Wait till you hear the rest. Among that personnel is a scientist, Dr Belana Sullivan.”
“What about her?”
“Richard Woolsey personally recommended her.”
“What? Since when has the IOA a say in that?”
“I don’t know, but apparently they do. But it gets better. He also requested her to join your team.”
“Not gonna happen.”
“I’m sorry, John, but General O’Neill agreed on both. She will be on your team until the General says otherwise.”
Angrily Sheppard growled, but there was nothing he could do. Once she was here, he could request her to get off the team.
“Wait, you don’t think she’s gonna report on us to Woolsey.”
“The thought crossed my mind.”
“Great, so I’ll have a spy on my team, I’ll know that we’ll be reported on and there’s nothing I can do about it? Just great.”
While John was sulking, a few hundred lightyears away on earth Belana was busy checking her equipment one last time. she had already checked it twice today, but she did it again, nevertheless. This was the only indication she gave off how truly nervous she was about the upcoming adventure, aside from that she appeared to be perfectly calm. Which was about to change as Richard Woolsey walked in.
“Hello Belle. Are you done packing?”
“I’ve been done two days ago.”
Woolsey smiled, but Belana didn’t see that, she hadn’t even looked up from her equipment when he had walked in.
“Do you have everything you need.”
“Yes.”
“I still remember how nervous I was before I was beamed on a ship the first time. And we didn’t even make any real trip. But you’ll travel to another galaxy. Three weeks on a ship. Aren’t you nervous?”
“Not really.”
“Are you sure you don’t need anything?”
“What do you want, father?!”
Now she finally looked up and at the man in front of her. No one would ever guess they were related. She was a slim, but tall redhead with pale skin, freckles and crazy green eyes, he was a few inches smaller than her, not as slim, brunet and almost bald. The only thing she had inherited from him was his intelligence. They looked nothing alike and she was glad about it. He was an American through and through, she had grown up in Ireland with her mom and went to university in England when she was 13. When she was old enough to join the Air Corps, she did and became a pilot. Only recently she’d left active duty and focused on science. Then she had heard about the Stargate and about Atlantis. A city in another galaxy build by humanoids, called the Ancients, who inhabited earth over a million years ago. How could she not take that chance? So she had applied and had actually gotten a place on the team. But as she later learned it was not only due to her various degrees and other achievements but because her father had recommended her. Normal people would probably be happy about that, or at least not mad, but normal people saw their dads more often than on Christmas and their birthdays, and even that not every year.
“I just want to make sure you are okay.”
“I am. Thanks for checking. Bye.”
“Belana please. Don’t be like that.”
“Sorry. I appreciate you checking on me. I’ll be fine, I can handle myself. I’ve gone on suicide missions before. And I’m not dead yet.”
“Very comforting.”
“I had no intention to comfort you. You know the risks this job brings. If you didn’t want me to do it you shouldn’t have recommended me.”
“I did what I thought was right.”
“You’ve gotten involved in things that don’t concern you!”
“You are my daughter! How doesn’t that concern me?”
“Oh, suddenly you care about what I do? Quite late, don’t you think?”
“I always made sure you got everything you needed. Who do you think paid for your university?”
“Oh yes, because a 10-year-old genius would never get a scholarship. We never even touched the money you send. It’s rotting on a bank account. I never wanted it and we never needed it. Mom was perfectly able to provide for us!”
“I…”
“I still have a lot to do, father, if you would please excuse me. We leave in an hour and I promised I’d call mom before that.”
Resigned, he nodded and left with a weary sigh. If Belana hadn’t been so angry at him she might have felt bad for him. Instead, she just shook her head, finished her inventory and sat down at her desk. She knew she shouldn’t be angry at her father, he really meant well, but she couldn’t forgive him that he left her mom alone with an infant and some money, okay a considerable amount of money, made up for it, or that getting her a position he wanted did. With a deep sigh she opened her laptop and video called her mom, who picked up after just two rings.
‘Hello love.’
“Hey Ma. How are you?”
‘I’m fine, but I’m not about to go on a secret mission to god knows where.’
“Don’t worry Ma, I’ll be fine.”
Her mom smiled at Belana, but didn’t seem too reassured. At least, she changed the topic.
‘Have you spoken to your Athair?’
“Yes, just now. He seriously thinks sending us money gives him the right to interfere with my life.”
‘He did get you the job, didn’t he?’
“I didn’t want him to get me the job. I want this job because I am good enough for it.”
‘I know love, but Richard wants to be part of your life, too.’
“We’ll, he should have thought about that before he left.”
‘What happened between your Athair and me was a long time ago. And he left because he thought it was the best for you. He loves you very much. He always tried to take care of you.’
“Don’t defend him. He doesn’t deserve it!”
Belle shook her head trying to calm down. After that they talked for some more time, but didn’t mention her father anymore. Then it was time to go.
Airmen came and brought her equipment into the gate room from where it would be beamed on board of the Daedalus. Now her lab was almost empty, only her laptop, which she now packed away too, and her bags, were left.
“Ah, Dr Sullivan, you’re ready?”
General O’Neill, former leader of the SGC and former CO of SG1, a team that had repeatedly saved the world showed up next to her, smiling.
“As ready as I will ever be.”
“Oh, don’t worry, you’ll do just fine. You’ll be among the best and brightest of this world.”
He chuckled as he thought about it, then added,
“You’ll fit right in.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“And just so you know, Woolsey had nothing to do with you being chosen for this position. If I wouldn’t believe you are qualified for it you wouldn’t even get near the Stargate, so don’t worry about that either.”
“Thank you, Sir, but how…”
“I came by to check on you earlier and overheard you talking to your mother.”
“Oh.”
“I didn’t hear much, just that you were mad at him.”
Belana nodded unsure what else to say and she was glad when they finally reached Gate room, where the other scientists and soldiers, that would join the expedition with her, were already waiting for O’Neill. When he entered, everyone turned to him. Belle quickly fell in line with the rest, holding her bad tightly.
“I know you’re all waiting for some profound words, but I suck at being profound, so, good luck out there and don’t screw up.”
In the past months they all had been introduced to the Stargate program and had been trained for off-world mission. During that time and during the selection, O’Neill had closely examined all of them, but her especially. Quickly she had realised that this has been because of Woolsey’s recommendation, but hadn’t figured that her being on the team meant that he actually approved of her. Standing here now, with all her colleagues, in front of General O’Neill, with this typical smug smile on his face, she knew what O’Neill had know within less then a week, that she would fit right in. And that knowledge calmed her down. Finally, she’d found a place where she could be herself, fully and completely herself. She wouldn’t have to be either the soldier or the scientists. No, for the first time in her life, she could be both. And so, she was beamed onboard of the Daedalus with a smile on her lips.