Briefing Room

[Tracy Jane]

Rowena nodded, wishing the floor would swallow her up. Of course they lowered! What an idiot! She stood up and spun the chair right down to her level, and then sat on it, trying to relax and lean back. "Thank you, Sir."

((you not on Yahoo tonight? Or are you still cooking?))

[Gen Blue]

Callista came in with a mug in each hand. "General. Cadet."
She sat the Chai carefully where they could reach it and put a little paper cup next to each drink. "As requested, sir."
Nick smiled up at his aide. "Thanks, Cal. Now, go take a hike."

[Tracy Jane]

"Thank you," smiled Rowena, thinking that the General's instruction to 'take a hike' had been rather rude. She peered at the liquid and raised her eyebrows at the General. "This is...?"

[Gen Blue]

(( Gotcha. ))

Sergeant Mykonos did a double take at the order. "Sir?"
"A hike, Cal," he chuckled, "Defined as a walk in the . . . Outside. You know outside. Go. Outside. I can cope. Really."
Mykonos looked relieved at the explanation, "Oh. Yes, sir. Outside. I hear it's a really strange place." She shut the office door and left through the corridor entrance, shutting that door as well.

Nick picked up his own cup. "It's Chai. A type of tea. Schast'ya i zdorov'ya!"
He took the pills in the paper cup with a sip of his Chai.

<< Callista to Quarters >>

[Tracy Jane]

Rowena eyed the cup warily. She avoided hot drinks as a rule. She'd much rather have a glass of water, but it would be impolite to turn it down. She smiled politely and returned the toast before taking a sip of the liquid and trying her best not to pull a face.

((And now I understand why you put it in phonetically. I tried to put it in properly too and it looks like the cyrillic character set hasn't been put in, neither has the Celtic character set))

[Gen Blue]

"It'll grow on you." He put his own cup down to cool a bit. "Now, where were we?" Nick waited to see if Rowena would give off a smart remark or a legitimate answer.

[Tracy Jane]

'You mean before I tried to punch the hologram and made a prat of myself?' Rowena thought, biting her tongue. "I think you were asking me about me expectations, Sir," she replied meekly.

[Gen Blue]

"Ah, yes. Thank you. That and 'trained chimpanzees' I believe."
He waited for Rowena to gather her thoughts and continue.

[Tracy Jane]

Rowena frowned and looked at her feet, twisting her fingers as she thought. "Maybe chimpanzees was a little strong," she admitted, after a few moments' silence. "I'm sure the Airmen and enlisted officers are incredibly good at their jobs," she continued, meeting the General's eye, "But I spent the best part of four years at the Academy, and find myself here, doing the same things that eighteen year olds straight out of high school are qualified to do."

[Gen Blue]

"And you think that doing those jobs is demeaning, right? Because you're an 'Officer'." His tone put quotes around the word. "You're not. Yet. You're potentially an officer. Do you know how many Cadets don't win their commissions?"

[Tracy Jane]

"I know," Rowena said quietly. "But I always worked so hard, tried my best... I was always near the top of the class. But you know that. There's no way I would have been taken off world otherwise," she sighed. She bit her lip slightly, hesitating, not sure whether she should say it or not. "I know this sounds selfish and childish, but it's just not fair. I've gone through all that work, all the training, for nothing."

She held a hand up to stop him from interrupting. "I know, it was a life experience, I've learnt a lot. But I would be lying if I said that I went to the Academy for any other reason than to graduate from one of the most prestigeous institutions in the country, with the hope of getting a commission after graduation. And I've done neither."

[Gen Blue]

Nick reached out a hand and laid it on her shoulder. "You don't get the ceremony, true. You graduated the day you stepped through that Stargate and, with a little more field training, you should get your commisssion."
He leaned back and twitched the sling into a more comfortable position. "That's just the start of the hard work. Those little pieces of metal bring a lot with them to your shoulders. Some authority. Lots of responsiblity. Do you know the one thing they won't drop on you?"

[Tracy Jane]

"The right to act like a complete ass?" asked Rowena, half jokingly.

[Gen Blue]

Nick laughed aloud, "That too." He shook his head. "I was thinking 'Respect'. From your fellow officers, from the Enlisted, from the public. That you have to earn."

[Tracy Jane]

Rowena nodded. "With all due respect, Sir - and pardon the unintentional pun, there - I know all this. I don't understand... Was that what you called me about? You asked me to get a tape." She frowned slightly. "And SG7... they've gone on a mission. You didn't think me capable of going with them?"