"Siler," Sergeant Davis acknowledged as he sat down.
"Davis," Sergeant Siler said affably. He frowned when he saw the other man's dissatisfied expression. "What's wrong?"
Davis made a face. "Oh, it's nothing. It's just one of those days where I feel like a human intercom. It'll pass."
Siler rolled his eyes. "I know what you mean. Sometimes I feel like the only mechanic on the whole base. You know someone stopped me in the hall the other day and asked me when I was going to fix the AC on twelfth? That's not my job. I went to MIT for Christ's sake, I'm not the handy man."
"At least you get noticed," said a voice from the next table over. "Most people don't even know I exist."
The two Sergeants turned to look at the speaker. He was of middling height with short brown hair, wearing ubiquitous green fatigues, but without insignia which marked him as one of the civilians. Davis frowned. The man looked vaguely familiar...
"Nyan," the man said with a sigh. "I'm Daniel's research assistant."
Davis put down his fork and gave the young man a curious look. "I didn't know he had a research assistant."
"He does. I'm him."
"Oh."
Siler gestured for Nyan to join them at their table. "How long have you been his research assistant?"
"A little over a year. I'm from Bedrosia." He put down his tray and took in their blank looks. "It's another planet." There was no response. "SG-1 was taken captive?"
Davis shrugged apologetically. "You're going to have to be more specific. That's not really unusual for them."
"Teal'c was nearly blinded?"
"Oh!" Siler sat up a little straighter. "I think I remember that one. It's not often SG-1 comes back and Teal'c is the only one in the infirmary."
Nyan raised one hand. "And me. I was there too. I got shot."
"I didn't remember them bringing anyone back."
Nyan gave his plate a morose look. "I rest my case."
"I get the invisible feeling a lot too," Davis said reassuringly. "Colonel O'Neill can't even remember my first name, and it's printed on my uniform. He's called me Walter, Norman, /Harriman/, for God's sake. Just how boring does he think I am?"
"At least he tries," Siler said gloomily. "As far as anyone here is concerned my first name is Sergeant."
There was a depressed silence.
"Red shirts," Siler said suddenly.
Davis looked alarmed. "God, I hope not!"
Nyan gave them both a puzzled look. "Red shirts?"
"Characters from an old science fiction show," Siler said with the air of someone bearing very bad news. "They were the unnamed peripheral characters who got killed off every time they needed someone unimportant to die. They all wore red shirts."
Davis took a sip of his water. "All the more reason to stay behind my nice bullet-proof glass window, if you ask me."
"Not necessarily," Nyan said, suddenly looking a little more cheerful. "If a year here has taught me anything it's that death isn't permanent. I mean, how many times has SG-1 died or been presumed dead? They always come back."
"That's different," Siler said, and frowned. "I think."
"Well, we've lived this far. Why not longer?" Davis said reasonably. "And we don't do anything as dangerous as the teams offworld. If anyone runs a chance of being killed permanently it's them."
Nyan shuddered. "I wouldn't trade places with them for anything in the world. I went on one mission with SG-1 and it was the scariest thing I've ever done. I watched Teal'c take on a garrison of troops /blind/, for Nefertum's sake. I'd rather stay obscurely in Daniel's office than have to do that. Maybe it's cowardly, but there it is."
"I know what you mean," Siler said. "I dread every time I have to work with Major Carter on something. Somehow I always end up getting electrocuted, and there's no telling what some of the stuff they bring back will do when it's turned on. Electrocution could be the least of my worries."
"Nice motorcycle, though," Davis said speculatively.
"Beautiful motorcycle. But I'm always expecting her to fit it out with a naquadah generator or something."
Davis grinned. "Can you see her trying to explain that to the General?"
Siler laughed. "'I was only going two hundred and ten, General, I swear!'"
Davis raised his water glass. "To SG-Faceless," he intoned. "The best handy man, human intercom, and invisible research assistant in the SGC."
"Amen," Nyan said reverently.
"Cheers," Siler said, and they drank.
FINIS
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Feedback is not only appreciated, it's gloated over.
© July, 2003 Sadly, the characters mentioned in this story are the property of Showtime and Gekko Film Corp. The Stargate, SG-1, the Goa'uld and all other characters who have appeared in the series STARGATE SG-1 together with the names, titles and backstory are the sole copyright property of MGM-UA Worldwide Television, Gekko Film Corp, Glassner/Wright Double Secret Productions and Stargate SG-1 Prod. Ltd. Partnership. This fanfic is not intended as an infringement upon those rights and solely meant for entertainment. All other characters, the story idea and the story itself are the sole property of the author. An Unas once bit my sister.