Chapter 37

They arrived at a room that when they opened the door it was bigger than they had thought — there was about 4 tables set up, each able to hold about 6 people comfortably. Felix stood waiting, not knowing what to do for such an occasion, especially seeing as how the tables were already majority filled with mostly military personnel.

Felix recognized the General, Colonel Sheppard, he saw Major Lorne already sitting with his crutches next to him on the floor, Dr. Beckett, and a couple of others that he had seen in passing. He looked around for a way out of having to attend this but there wasn't one that he could discern; plus there was no corner to back into so he could blend in and disappear.

Before Felix could entertain any more thoughts about escape, he was waved over to sit in between Major Lorne and Colonel Sheppard. Like the condemned man going to the electric chair, Felix made his way slowly over to stand between the Colonel and the seated Major.

He managed to stop himself and turned back to Colonel Carter as he realized that he had been really rude to her for barely any logical reason, and he wanted to apologize to her.

Felix stopped in front of Colonel Carter and looked her right in the eyes and said, "Ma'am, I want to apologize for being rude to you a few minutes ago for being so touchy about my beret. I don't know why that came out — it just did, and I'm truly sorry for getting upset with you. My only excuse is like I said — I had an incident in the past and it popped into my mouth before my brain could stop it. So, again — I'm really sorry, ma'am."

Samantha Carter looked at Felix for a moment and as she looked into his still haunted eyes she could see that he was very sincere about his apology to her. She answered softly, "Apology accepted — Felix." And then she gave a smile as she saw Felix getting embarrassed and motioned that he should take his seat.

Sheppard asked, "Did you and Colonel Carter exchange ideas about your drone modification?"

Felix answered, "Yes sir, we did. She does agree with me on the one thing — the fact that it shouldn't work the way I modified it but that it still does. So she is probably taking one back for testing, but there isn't a Wraith sac for that one."

Sheppard nodded his understanding, and then was distracted by General O'Neill talking to him.

Felix felt a tap on his leg and looked down to see Major Lorne holding out his hand and saying, "Congratulations on your medals, Sergeant Grey — it sounds like they were very well deserved by what General O'Neill was describing."

Felix shook the Major's hand and replied, "I was just doing my job, sir — just like the other day for your team — just doing my job. Good to see you up and about as well."

They released the handshake and Lorne added, "Well, you doing your job sure saves a lot of lives that could have been lost. And I thank you for the lives of my team and I — means a lot out here knowing now that someone can come and get us back if needed. The Colonel told me what you have been tasked with — sure will be welcome here."

Felix was saved from further comment as General O'Neill said, "I don't know about you folks, but I'm famished - lets eat."

They all sat down simultaneously in their chairs and pulled them into the table; Felix removed his beret — it was then that Felix noticed what there was to eat. Roast beef with mashed potatoes, gravy of course, Yorkshire pudding, and mixed vegetables with salad on the side. The smell hit his nostrils like a wave of delicious flavours and his stomach reminded him that he still had a meal or two to catch up on.

The food was on trays on each table and it was passed around from person to person, just as if the meal was a family gathering. Once his plate was full, Felix looked around the table and saw that people were already eating, so he dug right in and started chowing down.

To Felix the food tasted so delicious he barely noticed that he was finished the entire plate in about 5 minutes, and the other occupants of the table were now staring at him. He looked around and said, "What? I was hungry! I haven't had a meal like this in ... quite a long while — sorry." He placed his fork down on his plate and waited to see if seconds were going to be offered or just some dessert.

Even Sheppard was amazed at the rapidity of the food disappearing — he thought Ronon ate fast when he first came to Atlantis. Felix had just polished off a full plate of food like a hungry engine that needed fuel desperately.

Colonel Carter inadvertently came to the rescue when she asked Sheppard, "What about these Naquaada mines that I heard about — how did those come to be?"

Sheppard finished his mouthful of food and replied, "Ask Felix — he made them."

O'Neill interjected, "You made mines? How? Out of what?"

Felix answered, "Out of anything I could find. If I remember correctly, sir — your Special Ops training was supposed to cover that sort of thing — yes?"

O'Neill replied, "Yes, but I never really thought that we would ever use it - just another tool in training."

Felix nodded and replied, "Mm hmm. Well — I mean no disrespect to your training but it actually comes in quite handy in certain circumstances — like I had put on me being stuck off world. The instructor I had years ago for booby-traps had a very twisted mind when it came to making IEDs — he was considered one of the best in the business. What you see on this table, as an example this plate — see the hollow under the bottom? I can make this plate an IED in about 10 minutes and you couldn't tell. And you wouldn't see ant trace that the plate had been set-up as one either, sir. Sorry, I found I have a knack for making, finding, and defusing booby-traps, sir."

Carter asked, "You made the Naquaada mines then? Can you show me later?"

Felix replied with a smile, "Another lesson, ma'am? Can do. Its actually quite easy to do — the Naquaada is quite stable until you put it in the fulcrum, and then when a certain amount of pressure is introduced into the equation — say good night, Gracie."

O'Neill exclaimed, "Careful Sergeant — you're almost sounding like Carter there for a minute. Next thing you know she'll be asking you to work with her at Area 51."

Carter and Felix exchanged a smile and she said, "I already did ask him sir — he declined."

The rest of the meal continued with some light banter and questions being asked of Felix about his life experiences, what it was like growing up north — the usual questions asked of a new person.

Suddenly, O'Neill looked at Felix and asked, "What did you just say, Sergeant?"

The entire room stopped and it was so quiet that you could hear people's stomachs digesting the food.

Felix looked around like a cornered rat and wondered what he said wrong and replied meekly, "Sir?"

O'Neill asked, "What was the name of that place you just mentioned — a place in Iraq — you were just talking to Major Lorne about it. What was the name of the place you just mentioned that you were at?"

Felix clued in and replied, "It was Qal'at, sir that I was at — I was there with my team doing a rescue when we got an abort. We argued with HQ for a bit and they ordered us out of the area — said an air strike was coming in shortly and we had to clear the area."

O'Neill said quietly, "I was there too, enjoying spartan accommodations for a few months."

Felix realized in horror what the General was saying and blurted, "That was you we were coming to get out! Dam! Then why did they pull us out of there? We were set to launch in about 10 minutes — we could have had you out of there and back home in no time flat."

O'Neill added, "I wondered what happened to any rescue — now I know." He paused and looked at Felix and said, "Thanks for trying anyways, Sergeant — nice to know our allies didn't forget about us."

Felix was distraught and said, "I'm sorry that I didn't know — I know my team could have gotten you out and home. I'm really sorry, sir."

O'Neill replied, "You have nothing to be sorry about, Sergeant — you obviously didn't know that we both got screwed by HQ. It's done — forget about it."

To change the subject, Sheppard asked Felix, "Did you ever have any troubles with your driving whenever you came back from a mission?"

Felix replied, "Oh definitely, boss. One that sticks in my head is any mission where we had a high chance of encountering roadside bombs or IEDs. There was many an occasion I would be driving and forget about the lines on the road or I'd be straddling potholes because they hide mines. Oh, the amount of honking and fingers I got was tremendous. I'm sitting in the seat, trying to look nonchalant while trying to apologize — doesn't always work. We had to really concentrate on staying between the lines — sounds like something you'd tell your kid at school — 'make sure you stay between the lines'."

Major Lorne asked, "Was speeding a problem for you at all after a mission like that?"

Felix looked at him and replied, "Honestly — no, not really. That was the one thing I made sure that I kept under control — thank goodness for cruise control."

Over at a nearby table Felix heard, "What about that big rifle of yours I've heard so much about? What is it — a Barrett?"

Felix looked over to see who was asking and saw it was a Marine Captain by the looks of him, and didn't like the look of disdain on the officer's face, but he answered, "I use a modified McMillan 50calibre, sir — I gather the Marines use the new Barrett with the longer barrels?"

The Marine answered, "Yea, that's right. Don't you like the Barrett — isn't it good enough for you?"

Felix could see where this was leading: the Marine officer obviously wanted to argue about what Felix considered to be a non-issue about weapon preference. He sighed and looked down at his empty plate but gave the officer a reply, "Yes sir, the Barrett is good enough for me, but I found it is too prone to breakdowns in certain areas, and the barrel on the newer A2's is too long for my liking. I find it boils down to ... personal preference — I also like the fact that the newer McMillan takes the caseless 50cal rounds that we use and the Barrett doesn't — yet. I'm sure it will soon but it didn't when we had the choice."

Something wasn't sitting right in Felix's mind and he leaned over and asked Colonel Carter quietly, "Ma'am — what the hell is the real reason for this lunch? It just seems a bit ... fake or staged. Something isn't sitting right with me, ma'am — is there something going on that I should know about? Or am I out to lunch and I'm way off base?"

Carter gave a small smile to Felix and replied softly, "There is something else, but you don't need to know — yet, Sergeant. Soon, but not yet."

Felix looked away and muttered under his breath until Colonel Carter elbowed him lightly and said softly, "It's a surprise."

Felix rolled his eyes and replied equally as softly, "Lovely — a surprise - oh joy."

Major Lorne looked at Felix and said, "I think you may like this surprise, Felix, so relax."

Felix looked at the Major and asked, "How is your shoulder doing, sir? You able to eat okay - or did you take a couple of painkillers before growlies?"

Lorne nodded and replied, "Yea, I took a couple of T3's with codeine before coming here — the shoulder bothers me a bit but I'll get over it."

Felix nodded in reply and said, "Right on, sir — do they have you doing any form of physiotherapy yet, or is that torture down the road?"

Major Lorne chuckled a bit and replied, "I believe I start physiotherapy next week, according to Dr. Beckett. I take it that you've been through the therapy before, Sergeant?"

Felix replied, "Oh definitely. I drove the therapists nuts the first time when they were giving me exercises — I drove my body beyond what they wanted. I had to get back into shape so I could get back to my troops and get on with missions. First comes the actual muscle therapy at their level, then you have to get into your own muscle and exercise regime, then comes the swimming, then finally comes the weapons training again — all to make sure you stay top-notch for duty."