Chapter 27

The team headed back through the town and once at the Jumper they loaded up and headed back to Atlantis, with barely any conversation by any member.

Sheppard dialled the gate, they went through to Atlantis, entered once they re-materialized, and went up to the Jumper bay.

They disembarked and went downstairs to see Dr. Weir about the mission that night. Once Sheppard explained roughly how were going to occur that night, Elizabeth added her modification to the plan. She told them, "Teyla and Ronon go with you tonight, they sleep in the cloaked Jumper a short distance away and they stay there unless absolutely needed. I want to have that little bit of insurance, Colonel - just in case."

Felix spoke up, "Ma'am — you're starting to think like me with the 'just in case' planning — that's not a bad thing."

Dr. Weir said, "Would you mind explaining exactly how this ... what do you call it, anyway?"

Felix replied and nodded, "It's called a night Observation Post, ma'am. The way I run it is the OP is totally passive — meaning no lights, no heat, camouflaged, minimal movement, all traces come back with us, any food is eaten cold or under cover. Basically we set up as quickly and quietly as possible, I set up the area of observation with my optics, and we stay there watching in shifts until something happens, or hopefully nothing happens. Does that answer what you wanted to know, ma'am?"

Weir nodded and asked, "Mostly — I assume you would be in your ... suit thing. What would Colonel Sheppard be wearing for tonight?"

Felix nodded and explained, "The boss will be wearing my chameleon cloak for tonight; he can heat a meal under it, sleep under it, and when he moves up to the OP it stays over him the whole time. It reduces heat signature, it blends in very well, and it keeps him warm at the same time." He looked at Sheppard and asked, "Clear so far, boss?"

Sheppard said, "So far — what about viewing from the OP? All we have are binoculars and FLIR scanners."

Felix nodded and replied, "Yeah I already have that covered with Sasha's optics. If you'll remember she has built optical and thermal on wide and narrow field of view — I'll run you through how to use it before we get to the OP. Plus I plan on 5 mini-cams set-up at various spots in or around the grain silos — we can use the small laptop for keeping tabs on that. Bring binoculars as back-ups; don't bring the FLIR at all — too big and just about useless. The kind of FLIR you folks have ... I think somebody pawned their cheap garbage onto you like a bad used car. What else? Um ... right — plastic bags — Ziplocs or shopping bags — are there any around that we can take with us?"

Weir asked, "Why do you need plastic bags, Sergeant? Keeping stuff dry?"

Felix gave her a wince and replied, "Do you really want to know, ma'am?" She nodded in reply so he continued; "Nature calls, ma'am — you do them in the bags and pack it out with you, so you leave no or little trace that you were ever there."

Sheppard looked incredulously at Felix and asked, "You do your ... nature call ... in the bags? How? Or do I really want to know?"

Felix looked at Sheppard seriously and said, "Boss, you just make it happen. Before we leave the OP we both police the area for any traces that we were there, and then we pull back to our next location. Believe me, that is how I have found people, especially downed pilots. I won't get into it right now, as it will gross everyone out, but let me assure you if I were hunting you I could find you very easily."

Ronon looked at Teyla and said, "I'm glad we'll be staying in the Jumper tonight then." Teyla's response was a roll of her eyes and a grimace kind of smile at that thought.

Felix burst the balloon by asking, "Does the Jumper have facilities on-board?"

Sheppard answered, "Nothing."

Felix gave a smile and said, "Then I guess they better come up with a way to have nature calls inside the Jumper — that or hold it all night."

Sheppard asked, "Can't they just lower the ramp and go outside?"

Felix answered with a question of his own, "How far away from the OP are they going to be? If they are far enough away I don't have a problem, but if they are within a certain distance — not happening. The lights from inside will give their cloaked position away, and thereby potentially alerting any opposition that others may be in the area."

Sheppard looked at the looks of apprehension on Teyla and Ronon's faces and told Felix, "How about we make that call when we get there?"

Felix replied, "No problem; shall we get our gear and get ready for tonight's festivities?"

Sheppard replied, "Teyla — you two get whatever you feel you may need for tonight to stay warm and comfortable in the Jumper. I'll go with Felix here and start learning about ... OP's. Meet at the Jumper when you are ready, and we'll be as quick as we can."

Felix headed down to his room to get changed into his ghillie suit, and as they were headed there Felix told his boss, "Boss, I'd like you to divest your gear of any non-essential stuff that makes noise and stow it in your room for tonight. Next — do you know off-hand if you have any ration pack boil-a-meal bags hiding anywhere?"

Sheppard answered, "Is that those weird bags in the ration packs? Is that the boil-in-a-bag thing you are talking about?"

Felix answered, "Probably; speaking of rations, I would like you to pick two meals, break it down into what you want and what you don't, and pack it in your vest or a daypack. Next, any comfy gear you want to bring — put it in a daypack or something like that. Also, make sure you have camouflage paint on you — and skitter bug juice as well, just in case. Any lights — cover them with a red filter. Take two canteens of water as well as extra coffee packets. I'll check your gear once we get to the Jumper and we'll go from there. Right then, off you go."

Sheppard stopped in his tracks flabbergasted and said, "Uh Felix — you do realize that I'm an officer — right? And technically I should be in charge of this ... OP, right?"

Felix stopped short and replied, "Yeah you are — is there a problem?"

Sheppard said, "You just gave me a multitude of orders, and I feel I should be the one giving the orders — but you just took right over."

Felix replied, "Look, don't take offence at this way of doing things. In our army the NCOs are always the ones who get things done for the officers but the officers are the ones ultimately responsible. So in a way I have placed our lives in your hands, as you are relying on me because I know what I'm doing in this area, and therefore I am also responsible for the team's lives. Plus the big factor — you are Air Force by trade and I am Army — and I do this for a living. Make sense?"