Now that I have fired them both, I tend to agree with you. But if Sumner is going to make his case for them he better do it soon. Rumor has it he has signed up for the Expedition. She didn't have to say the name with the whole mountain gearing up for the departure of the exploratory mission to Atlantis. Fia had eagerly read all of the reports on it she could get with her access level, just the thought of finding the fabled city of the ancients was fascinating. Not fascinating enough to make her turn her back on the promises she made though. Unconsciously fingering the soda tab around her neck, Fia smiled over at Taft. I couldn't do it, I have way too much family to leave behind.

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"I'm no scientist, or even an explorer. I don't do potential death for the educational opportunities or the view. If they find an enemy out there, I'll be happy to ship out and fight them face to face so the Navy and the rest of the civilians don't have to." He winked to put the joke to it. "But on the original subject, he's up in arms about the, what? MP5? Whatever it is, I bet his home unit uses and swears by it, so he's coming at the situation with a bias and pushing for it because it's the gun he was taught to favor. Not because it's the best gun for the job."

We all have our 'shotgun' biases. She said before taking another sip, her eyes teasing over the edge of the bottle. She had to admit she was developing a bit of a bias as well, towards a certain Sergeant Major. Who was she kidding. It wasn't developing, it was fully formed and immutable. It was rather disconcerting just how quickly he had worked his way past her defenses, but at the moment she didn't care. Chuckling at herself, Fia put the bottle down. So any requests for the showing of 'Big Jake'? I do more than just Italian.

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"That we do," the Sgt Major chuckled back. They were where they were going to be for a while, so getting there quick didn't disconcert him in the slightest. That was the kind of relationship he worked with. Any slower and he had a tendency to sort them as something else before they had a chance to become lovers.

He rolled his neck. "I could cook. Crank up the grill, marinate some chicken breasts, and grill up my world famous make it up as I go along flavored chicken." It all depended on what he could find when he cruised through the grocery store. It was a reflection of his second line base time, where what was in the company store tended to vary from day to day but cooking the locals' chickens was the best possible option available for non-MREs.

As Taft outlined his seat of the pants cooking skills, the waitress arrived with their steaks and a fresh glass of lemonade for him. "Another Cidar, Ma'am?" She asked, noticing Fia's was three quarters done. Fia nodded, she wasn't driving home anytime soon. They still had dinner to get through, then back to Taft's where she wanted to do a more in depth cleaning of the Heirlooms. By the time she left there it would be out of her system, not that she was that much of a light weight by any reckoning.

Now that doesn't seem right. I get a swim, a home cooked meal I didn't have to cook, a good movie and ensconcing lessons all for free? That sounds too good to be true. She looked at him dubiously. What's the catch.

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"You've got to reassess the situation. Swimming, I get to see you in a bathing suit. Movie is educational and certainly imposition on me. Ensconcing is a mutually rewarding scenario by nature so even stevens. Only thing you'll owe me over is the meal and... honestly, you might not feel like you owe me after you taste it. It's not a repeatable process so the results aren't guaranteed." He shrugged. Taft was all innocence.

Fia didn't believe his innocent look for a minute. Only two nights ago she had been kissed to the point of wanting... She looked down at her food a moment, the memory still fresh enough to cause a blush. Taft had many fine qualities: restraint, patience, honor, but innocence sure as hell wasn't one of them. In fact she was beginning to wonder if innocence was as fine a quality as she previously thought. And that was NOT a train of thought she should have been following.

Fia directed her mind back to safer ground. Well if it turns out horrible, I reserve the right to cook after that.

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Liam returned from New York City where he was on leave visiting his son. He rarely got to see him from his time in Special Forces then the SGC, he was never really a father but he did speak to his son and he was glad his son didn't hold a grudge against him neither did his son's mother. Of course, the pregnancy wasn't supposed to happen, it was only a one night stand at a bar but he lucked out. She happened to be rich and the heir to an empire, therefore he didn't have to worry about his son being raised, she was there and she could take care of him. She never asked for money or anything, she sent him pictures and letters keeping him up to date and they were on good terms which was a surprise considering they only met once, it's a good thing that they exchanged numbers or he'd never know.

Liam just got back into town and was supposed to resume his duties as SG Team Leader tomorrow but before that he went to O'Malleys to get a bite to eat and to get some beer. He noticed a couple of faces, nothing new considering this was practically the only restaurant base personnel went too and he knew some regulars that were usually here when he was. Sergeant Major Taft was sitting at a booth with a woman that Liam didn't recognize and Liam waved to the man as he looked around seeing if there was anyone else around that he knew.

SGC was unlike most other commands and units, no one else fought aliens or had to rely on each other more than an SG team, only four people, they're bound to get close. Most people in the SGC don't have lives outside of work, Liam was no exception. Whatever time he did get he spent at his apartment in Colorado Springs, he wouldn't buy considering anything could happen and he didn't want to buy a house then be reassigned. Renting was the logical choice and it's only a one bedroom, big enough for him and all of his stuff, but he mostly resides on base, you never know when you'll be needed, even when you're off duty. The only time he actually left the area was when he had leave or was ordered to take some leave which he didn't mind at all.

"What can I get for you, sir?" The bartender asked as Liam took a seat on a stool looking at the tv screen and saw a baseball game on. "I'll take a bud light and some red Doritos. I'm not hungry just yet." Liam said as the bartender got him his beer and removed the cap and got him his bag of Doritos. Liam wasn't sure what he wanted to eat just yet, he figured he'd figure it out soon.

"I reserve the right to give up in favor of your superior skills if things aren't going well at the grill." He chuckled, patting his pocket for the cigar he had hiding out in there in its metal tube. About a half a heartbeat before he remembered you couldn't smoke in lot of the United States... he'd have to check the local statutes because he wasn't going to sit there gawking around the place to see if anybody else was. "But it shouldn't turn out horrible, not with all these grocery stores around here. Beats the Quartermasters any day of the week."

He gave her a smile and found something else to talk about other than his experimental cooking process. "So, what did you think of the M1 Garand? Patton called her 'the greatest battle implement ever devised.' Hell, I'd carry one today if it was still in service." He nodded to the Lt Colonel who waived at him. Heart must have just gotten back from his scheduled leave, if Taft's memory served. That meant a certain Major was gonna have to rein it back in come tomorrow.

He also called it the most deadly rifle in the world, and at the time he wasn't wrong. The M1 rifle played a big part in the outcome of that war. You know the history of yours? Would be interesting to know if it and the Glisenti 1910 were ever on the same field. It was unlikely they would ever know, not everyone had the detailed history of their firearms she did. But then the Modello 1910 was handed down to her along with the wartime diary of the soldier who carried it. She made a note to show Taft some afternoon, she would have to translate it of course.

She glanced over at the man Taft acknowledged. The face rang a dull bell in her mind, though she couldn't place it. Returning her gaze back to the far more interesting view, she tilted her head slightly towards the bar. Anyone I should be concerned about?

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