Nesert

3.6

SGA Episode 2.13 "Critical Mass" (bold)

The next day at lunch, she found herself sitting at a table with her back to Ronan, Sheppard, Elliot, and a woman named Teyla, who was also native to the Pegasus galaxy.

"And you've been sparring with her every other night?" Sheppard asked quietly.

"Yeah, but I don't know her name."

"And you say that she is good enough at fighting to challenge you?" Teyla's voice was filled with doubt.

"She's strong. Much stronger than other women...men, too."

"What's she look like?" Elliot sounded suspicious and Nes held her breath, realizing how careless she'd been.

"Uh, tall, dark hair, dark eyes...I don't know."

"And you haven't seen her around the base otherwise?" Elliot knew. He had to know.

"No. And I've looked."

"Colonel, mind if I look into this? Make sure we don't have an intruder of some kind?"

"Yeah...might be best."

"I don't think she's dangerous," Ronan commented.

"Ronan, if she can keep up with you even a little, she's dangerous."

Nes worked to slow her heart back down. Shit. She still hadn't made any progress with figuring out what The Trust was up to and without that, it certainly looked suspicious for her to be hiding out here. Elliot would find her quickly once he started looking at the newcomers. Her disguise could only change so much and face to face with him, she didn't think she'd be able to keep up the facade.

Nes went to the lab as usual, but her muscles were tense as she waited to be discovered. By midmorning, though, word was spreading fast of a transmission Atlantis had received saying a bomb had placed in the city.

By The Trust.

Nes headed straight to the control tower, ignoring her colleagues' questions, but remaining Mary as she made her way to Dr. Weir's office where she could see her behind her desk speaking to Ronan, Colonel Sheppard, and a man Nes remembered meeting as host to Sekhmet, Dr. Rodney McKay. He'd been particularly keen to show off his intelligence in those days and Sekhmet had been able to glean quite a bit of information from him.

Nes approached slowly, drawing close enough to listen in, but not be noticed quite yet.

Sheppard leaned over slightly to address Rodney. "Ask them if they can give us a little more than just 'there's a bomb in Atlantis.'"

"Maybe The Trust thinks this is the only way to make sure the Wraith don't get there," said Dr. Weir.

Rodney looked up at her. "Well, it's drastic but effective."

Dr. Weir looked at all three as she spoke. "What's worse is the Trust operative who planted the bomb probably did so under orders from the Goa'uld."

"What?!" Rodney clearly hadn't heard that news.

"When did the Goa'uld get involved in this?" Sheppard was in the dark, too, apparently.

"Several months ago. They successfully infiltrated the upper leadership of The Trust, gaining a stronghold on Earth, accessing government agencies from many countries."

Ronan was leaning against the wall, but stepped forward. "What's a Goa'uld?"

"It's a slimy, snake-like alien creature...burrows into people's heads and takes control of their bodies," Sheppard stated very matter-of-factly, but Nes still cringed at the description. There was really no way to make it sound any nicer.