�It�ll be okay now?� I asked, wanting to make sure, but not understanding why it was so important to me.
�Yes, Quinn, thanks to you, he�ll be okay now.�
That caught my attention and I frowned, �He? It�s a boy?�
�Sure looks like one.� Colonel jack drawled and Sam and Doctor Janet shot him withering looks. �Well I was just�� The Colonel held his hands up defensively, perhaps realising that arguing with Doctor Janet and Sam would prove futile. �So, what you gonna call him?� He eventually asked and the women in the room finally drew their eyes away from him and on to me.
�Oh I uh�I hadn�t thought of that.� I shrugged sheepishly, rubbing my eyebrow thoughtfully. �It�s a boy�so it should be an odd number.� I muttered not realising my mistake until I saw Colonel Jack�s eyes narrowing.
�Colonel O�� I began, stopping mid-sentence and glancing to him, the dog and then back again.
�Quinn?� Sam began and I could sense the worry in her voice.
�Neill.� I finished, smiling, and I couldn�t help but give a small laugh at the confused look on Colonel O�Neill�s face.
�What?� He asked and I grinned, finding myself having fun.
�Neill.� I repeated, looking this time at the puppy before finally explaining myself when the bewildered look on everyone�s faces began to make me feel guilty. �You asked �what are you going to call him�.� I explained, �I�m going to call him Neill.�
The Colonel paused for a second before breaking into a huge grin and nodding. �Well I can deal with that.� He started, �As long as it�s-�
�Got two Ls.� Sam and I finished together before looking at each other and bursting into laughter which almost but didn�t quite manage to drown out Colonel Jack�s disgruntled yet light hearted;
�Damn kid�s stealing my lines��
*-*-*
As interesting as learning Ancient was, and it was interesting, so much so that I�d started trying to learn Goa�uld too, it really wasn�t something I felt like doing at that very moment in time. Of course, I was still firmly convicted to becoming fluent in the language and I was partway there already. I could generally understand most of what was written down but I hadn�t ever heard the language spoke aloud or tried to speak it myself. But, as I re-read the same page of Doctor Jackson�s notes for the third time, I could tell that my heart wasn�t really in it.
�I don�t suppose you feel like learning this for me?� I said aloud to Neill who was lying on my bunk. The puppy simple opened one eye sleepily in response and then closed it again. �I guess not.� I sighed but I couldn�t help smiling. I�d never seen an animal quite like this one before; I didn�t know whether such creatures even existed on Kelowna. I�d never seen much wildlife there at all, decades of warfare had killed off most of the native species leaving only the most hardened creatures to survive.
*-*-*
�Hey, Seventeen, look at this!� I was two years old, inexperienced and na�ve and my flaw of curiosity was representing itself again.
�It�s just a dumb reptile.� Seventeen shrugged as he crouched down beside me, our eyes just peering over the top of the boulder.
�It�s not dumb.� I pouted, reaching out to touch the small animal. �I bet it�s-�
�Twenty three!�
�Ow, hey, get off!� I scowled as I tried to jerk my arm out of my fellow clone�s grip. �Quit it!� I yelled as his grip tightened and then it suddenly dawned on me that my friend wasn�t playing. Of course, since his programming was far less flawed than mine I shouldn�t have imagined that he would be in the first place.
�How do you know that isn�t poisonous?� Seventeen asked, his eyebrows raised and I faltered as he slowly released my hand.
�I�uh�I don�t.� I admitted sheepishly as my eyes tracked the reptile as it scuttled away. �Thanks, Seventeen.� I mumbled, embarrassed at my basic mistake.
�S�Okay.� Seventeen smirked as he replied before nudging me in the ribs. �Now you owe me one. Well�� He paused, �Make that another one.�
*-*-*
�Well, I know you aren�t poisonous.� I grinned as I abandoned Doctor Jackson�s notes and went to sit next to Neill. It wasn�t until the animal flinched away as I reached out to touch it that I remembered that he was likely traumatised by what had obviously been a horrific start in life.
�It�s not easy is it?� I mumbled, knowing I should feel self conscious for talking aloud to an animal but the fact didn�t seem to bother me. �When you�ve got nothing but bad memories to fall back on�� I continued, ���It�s not easy to trust people.� The puppy simply whined in response and I sighed as I stood up, �I didn�t believe it either.� I admitted, �But there are people that just want to help, people that see you than more than an object to be abused. Because you�re more than that and�� I took a deep breath and turned to look into the mirror as I spoke, watching myself speak, �And so am I. I�m learning that now.� I jumped as another figure appeared in the mirror and my eyes widened in surprise, �Teal�c!� I gasped, spinning round as I realised that he had probably just heard everything I had just said. �I�� I looked down briefly before remembering that the Jaffa had told me to always keep my head up and I swallowed a lump in my throat before making eye contact and repeating myself, �I�m learning that now.�
�So? Is he coming?�
I had no idea what Colonel O�Neill was talking about but I was relieved that he at least hadn�t heard my monologue. I wouldn�t have minded discussing my feelings with; Sam because I always felt at ease with her, Teal�c because he understood what it was like to be treated like a slave or even Doctor Mackenzie because he was paid to listen to me talk about what was on my mind but I didn�t think Colonel Jack could ever truly comprehend what I was talking about. Not that he wouldn�t try and I was sure he wouldn�t mock me but I had a suspicion that the Colonel didn�t generally like to talk about �feelings�.
�Colonel O�Neill has requested that I ask you-�
�Wanna shoot some guns?� The Colonel interrupted the Jaffa with a grin on his face and I had to fight to keep my own face expressionless as I averted my eyes from the two men in the doorway. This was it�my chance to prove myself! And this was something I knew I could do. I had been learning how to shoot from the time I�d been able to pick up and hold a gun and with my advanced eyes I could be deadly accurate. Once they realised that then surely they wouldn�t think of me as a burden and then I�d be allowed to stay for sure.
�You don�t have to.� The Colonel started and I remembered I was supposed to be replying. �General Hammond just though that-�
�No!� I cut him off sharply, �I mean yes!� I shook my head, desperate not to loose my chance, �I want to, Jack, Colonel, Sir! Please, I really do!� And I couldn�t help the excited smile that spread across my face as Colonel Jack turned to Teal�c with a somewhat surprised look on his face.
�Well�I�d interpret that as a �yes�.� He shrugged. �How about you, T?�
�I too believe that Quinn was stating a desire to�� The Jaffa cocked an eyebrow, �Shoot some guns.�
*-*-*
�So, you have shot a gun before, right?�
My eyes narrowed at the tone of the man stood before me. I knew that he obviously viewed me as what Colonel O�Neill would call �a geek� and, whilst I wasn�t quite sure what one was, I knew that that moniker had negative connotations.
�Of course I have.� I scowled as my greying eyes met with his green ones.
�Now, now, Quinn, Ray Ray, play nice.� Colonel Jack stepped in between me and the other solider. �Quinn, this Colonel Raymond Murray. Murray, this is Quinn.�
�I know who he is, the latest shipment of nerd to the SGC.� Murray sneered and I saw Colonel Jack tense a little as he and the other Colonel moved to the side of the room, clearly unaware that my advanced hearing could still pick up their speech.
�What�s your damned problem, Murray?� The Colonel spat and I could see him bristling with anger.
�My �damned problem� is that I�m sat here babysitting your little clone whilst my team is offworld looking for the original Quinn.�
I winced as I heard this, I didn�t want my presence getting in the way of the SGC finding Jonas and I wasn�t aware that people would feel so strongly about me being here. I was reminded of my first weeks here at the SGC when anyone noticing me at all had made me feel uncomfortable and I realised briefly how much I had changed. I had overcome worse than this, I told myself, I could get through this too.
�General Hammond isn�t going to like your attitude, Ra-�
�General Hammond feels the same way that I do, Jack.� Colonel Murray all bit hissed the last word but I could see his body language soften a bit as, perhaps, he realised the anger in his tone. �Look, Jack, I know you care about the kid and it�s obvious he�s been through Hell, anyone can see that.� I saw Murray�s green eyes flicker over to focus on me for a brief second before turning back to Colonel Jack. �But we can�t just keep him here indefinitely, the SGC doesn�t have the resources for that. Unless the kid starts earning his keep��
I felt my eyes starting to turn black at this and my heartbeat began to speed up as my worst nightmare began to come true right in front of me and I could feel tears that I was determined not to shed well up in my eyes.
�Soldiers don�t cry, Twenty Three.� I reminded myself, �Get a hold of yourself.�
�We didn�t know what model you�re supposed to have shot before.� I could hear the scepticism in Colonel Murray�s voice as he approached me, a tray of weapons in his hands and I scanned over the various guns laid out before my eyes finally landed on a pair of semi-automatic pistols. I felt a pang of emotion as I thought of my own similar guns back home, the ones I had been given on my first birthday. These guns were heavier and unfamiliar but nothing I couldn�t adapt to.
�Hey, if you don�t want to- �
�Where do I shoot?� I cut Colonel Murray off as I scanned the shooting range.
�Just aim for the stationary targets first. See if you can hit one of those. Preferably in a place that would kill a soldier.� The Colonel replied and I nodded before exhaling calmly and scanning over the four targets. I was surprised that they were two dimensional, if anything that made things even easier, and that they were drawings of human soldiers not aliens. Still, I wasn�t going to complain and I took a deep breath in before firing with my right pistol four times in succession.
�The drawings aren�t to scale.� I explained as I turned back to Colonels Murray and Jack, �So I had to estimate where the jugular veins would be located. Well�I mean�I-I�m guessing it�s located in same place on Earthlings as Lanagarans.� I paused as both Colonels remained silent. �Did�did I not do it right?�
�D-do that again�� Murray stammered out and I noted he had gone considerably paler.
�Aim for their watches.� Colonel Jack added, looking only slightly less shaken. I simply nodded, firing four times again, alternating between my left and right hands. I was pleased to see all four bullets had pierced the intended place on the drawings and I looked expectantly to the Colonels.
�Did I pass?� I paused, willing my eyes to stop watering, my voice sounding hollow to my own ears. ��Can I stay?�