Events on the Horizon: A Stargate Sequel

Chapter 13

Eleanor

My first week back at Stargate Command was in full swing. It was the first time I had worn "office attire," in a long while. A houndstooth pair of trousers and a black boatneck t-shirt with my hair curled in a high ponytail and sensible black oxfords. I was already into the program with a keycard and internet access. The IT department would be by tomorrow to set my computer up, but I was dedicating today to having my office in place. The sooner I could comfortably spread files around, the sooner I could work on the database and start taking requests. I was scheduled two weeks from today to give a series of lectures to all the SG teams about my database program, and to explain what I was hoping to gain from their mission reports to expedite the process of research for everyone. I had inquired about the Asgard system I used prior for storage materials, but there was no such knowledgeable tool in this timeline to hand over for me. Because of that, the science team often shipped multiple crates to various bases and kept an online library for context. I'd be undertaking that program from them in order to clear up research time on their end. I opened Daniel's office door and turned the lights on, he was off world on Chulak this morning and cleared a little section for me at a spare table to leave my belongings. Walking back into the hall where the pile of furniture and boxes were for the office space I had claimed I saw Jonas round the corner.

"Jonas," I smiled warmly. I had felt a kinship grow between us the past month and a half since I first met him. "I thought you were due back at the Alpha site?"

"Not until later today, I thought I would help with," he looked over at the furniture and back at me, "this."

"Or you were instructed by higher ups to babysit me?" I gave a knowing look over my shoulder as I picked up a box and he took another following behind me into the empty room.

"Let's call it 50/50," he replied amused. "But I requested to stay a bit longer than necessary and see that you settled in well."

"I see," I brought my box of cleaning supplies and handed him the sanitizer wipes. "And I appreciate the thought. It's nice not having to think before I speak like I do with everyone else here. I have no history with you, so it feels genuine if that makes sense."

"Yeah, I could see that." He started wiping down the dusty shelves and turned to me. "What's your favorite snack?"

"What?" I laughed out.

"I assume everyone is going to ask about your family, your background, how you know everyone?"

"That's fair to assume." I nodded in return.

"Right, all those questions have to be exhausting. So,  what's your favorite snack?"

"Hm, that's a toughie." I took a moment to think it over while I polished off the slightly rusting used filing cabinet I was given out of storage. "I have a sweet tooth, toffee is always a good choice. I'm pretty generic though, before I would have said cheese and crackers now I think fresh fruit has been such a treat."

"Watermelon here on Earth? Oof." He pretended to wipe his brow and I agreed.

"But, I still love a baked good. There is something so wholesome and lovely about the idea that a person took time from their day to combine flour and sugar and what have you together to mold individually unappealing items into such a filling and cozy treat. You can have a pastry for any meal and it wouldn't be odd. A sweet muffin at breakfast is perfect, a bagel at lunch with some cream cheese and lox is divine, a savory flaky savory pie for dinner? Yes. Of course."

"Top tier," he nodded with a smile.

"And a cup of coffee or tea, with a fair amount of cream and sugar is very underrated. There was a coffee shop around the corner from my old home, it's still there but a bit out of the way now. I went with Sam two weeks ago, and it didn't feel the same. We tie such memories to taste and smell, I mean it was still silky and wonderful but it tasted sad." I went out and grabbed another box from the hall and brought it in, setting it on the large metal table in the middle of the room. "Like a lost memory. Just melancholy. However, there is a diner just around the corner from the base."