Aberrant: StarGate Atlantis - [SFP #1] Tales From the Vulgar Pegasus

[Forge]

Two Months Prior

The Gate closed with the requisite 'sucking sound' of its dispersal as Vinny descended the ramp. The clang of his USAF issued boots comforting as he walked the metal gangplank. It had been months since he had set foot on Earth and nothing said home like the smell of the Gate-room.

"Welcome home, Captain." O'Neil said, standing at the bottom and waiting.

"Thank you, Sir. It is good to be back." Vinny said, quickly pulling the forgotten cigar from his mouth and shoving it in his pocket.

"I trust all is well on the Alpha Site?"

"Right as rain, Sir. The 302's are a fine vessel."

"Good to hear, Captain...walk with me."

"Course, Sir."

Vinny hefted his bags and followed the General through the blast doors.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Atlantis! General...this for real?" Vinny said, looking at the file, but not really reading it as he sat at the briefing room table. The room was empty but for the pair of them. A quiet island in an otherwise tumultuous sea of military paradigm.

He couldn't really believe what he was seeing. He had not been gone that long, and while he had more or less ignored any communications that had come from Earth-side, the prospect of actually going to the fabled city of Atlantis was not something he had expected to be on the table in front of him.

"There are inherent risks, not to mention a couple...quirks...in the plan." O'Neil said, from his seat at the head of the table.

"Like?"

"Well, we're not sure you can get back, or if you can. Right now, this is a one-shot kinda deal."

"Okay, so it'll be a rough ass-reaming without lube."

"Such an eloquent way with words..."

"Sorry, Sir."

"The harder part will be who's in charge..." He hesitated, he'd been dreading this particular part of the conversation, especially with Vinny.

Vinny turned his head from the file and looked at his mentor, a man he could only hope to emulate.

"The man in charge...isn't a man at all. She's a woman...and she's a diplomat."

Vinny blinked and then a shiver ran down his spine that actually caused him to jerk his head to the side a bit as goosebumps flared over his arms.

"Think about it, Captain, before you decide. You are one of my best pilots and you have the ATA gene. You were born for this. Take the weekend and let me know."

Vinny turned back to the file in mute shock and was still reading through it when the General excused himself and left, though Vin never noticed.