<br/><br/>(http://www.thecriticalcondition.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/milla.jpg)<br/>Dr. Katherine Randall, PhD<br/><br/><br/>Katherine stood in her dimly lit office, and looked around the tiny shell of a room, impatiently tapping her foot.  Because it was several levels below ground there were no windows, and the grey concrete walls were bare except for a few framed diplomas, including her PhD in psychology, and other documents attesting to her primary area of expertise…Group Dynamics in Isolated and Extreme conditions.  When she accepted a head research position with NORAD last year at only 32 years old, it was a dream come true, but tonight promised to make or break her career.  Trying to calm her nerves, she sat down at her desk and inhaled the steam from her fourth cup of coffee, savouring the bittersweet aroma.  Anxious about the meeting taking place in the conference room down the hall, even the simple click of her portable heater switching on, made her jump.  Setting down her cup, she stood up again and checked her watch.  It was 9:30 pm…anytime now.<br/><br/>Pacing the length of her office, she impatiently ran her hands through her hair.  Then the sound of shoes marching on the hallway’s concrete floor seemed to be getting closer, and her gaze flew to the door just as Stargate commanding officer, Major General Landry, came striding into her office. His expression was impassive, betraying nothing, causing her to tense even more.  He stopped a few feet away from her and clasped his hands behind his back.  “Dr. Randall, I have some good news.  We have approved your civilian personnel recommendations for the Stargate mission, and let me be the first to congratulate you on your good work.”<br/><br/><em>Yes!</em>Relieved, she nodded her head and tried to suppress a grin at the pride she felt, and said, “Thank you sir. I am convinced that these people will work very well together.  Each one is top notch in their respective fields...highly professional.”<br/><br/>“Yes well, as you know, I have selected the military contingent with the same goal in mind, and Dr. Heath now has their complete personnel files at her disposal.  I would like you to spend the next few hours going over them to familiarize yourself with each member your new team.”<br/><br/>That stopped her short.  “Excuse me sir…my team?  I thought that Dr. Heath was elected to head this mission?”<br/><br/>He just stared at her unblinking and Katherine became wary. Finally he said, “She was and still is, however, the panel has agreed with her recommendation that you accompany and assist her.”<br/><br/>Katherine was incredulous.  “What! Are you serious? I can’t go...”<br/><br/>“Why not?”  His gaze narrowed on her, obviously not impressed by her outburst.  “I’ve looked over your file Dr. Randall, and you have no family left alive, save some obscure cousin in Seattle,” he waived his had dismissively, “and you never married, so I don’t understand your objection.  This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and if I may offer my advice…don’t even think about turning it down.”  He turned on his heel and calmly walked out of her office, while she stood frozen with a stunned expression on her face.<br/><br/><em>What the hell did he just say? He must be mistaken!</em>It took less than a minute to run to the conference room, where she found Dr. Janet Heath standing over a long table, carefully perusing through several files.  She looked up when Katherine rushed in and smiled. “So…I gather the General told you the good news?”<br/><br/>Katherine frowned. “Good news?  So then, he was serious?  But why?”<br/><br/>The older woman was practically beaming and it made her appear much younger than her sixty years. “Kat…I’m sorry I didn’t discuss it with you before, but I didn’t want to get your hopes up.  Turns out, I didn’t have anything to worry about…the panel agreed on your placement unanimously.”<br/><br/>Katherine shook her head and leaned forward, resting her hands on the table. “But I have no relevant field experience!”<br/><br/>“That may be true, but once we are on board the ship, it will be a controlled environment don't you agree?  Not so very different from your lab at all,” she said reassuringly. Allowing Katherine a few moments to absorb that, she grew serious and said, “I chose you because I will need help from someone who can deal with the personnel issues that are bound to arise. The success of this mission depends almost entirely on this group of strangers working well together, and you know more about how to make that happen than I do.”<br/><br/>She had to concede the woman was right about one thing…putting a small group of people together in an isolated, unpredictable, and possibly permanent, life threatening situation, so far away from anything familiar, was bound cause problems.  No matter how intelligent or professional they might be, the challenges they would face were likely to bring out not only the best in everyone, but the worst as well.<br/><br/>Dr. Heath walked over and put her arm around Katherine’s shoulders. “It also says in your file that you obtained a degree in Cultural Anthropology before switching your focus to psychology, and that it remains a passion of yours.”  Her voice became excited. “Just think of it!  There are potentially thousands of new species and unique cultures we may encounter, and your knowledge could be a big asset.  Imagine all the amazing things we will see and learn as we explore the ultimate new frontier!”<br/><br/>Katherine was taken aback by the woman’s enthusiasm because she always seemed so quiet and stoic, but the words hit home and her heart started racing with excitement.  She vividly recalled the day, a few weeks ago, in the General’s office, when she learned about the existence of the Stargate program, and the new discoveries that made this mission possible.  It had been too fantastic to be believed, and it wasn’t until she had gone through all the evidence presented to her, that she realized it was not only true, but incredible beyond her wildest dreams.<br/><br/>The truth was, she envied the people who were lucky enough to be part of the program hands on, and her initial shock at the news she was going, was rapidly giving way to elation at having chance to prove herself in a way she never imagined.  Besides, as the General had so coldly reminded her, she had no family.  She was an only child whose parents had been killed in a car accident when she was 21, and she’d been too busy studying and furthering her career all these years to make many friends let alone get married.  No, she sadly had nothing to lose by accepting what promised to be the opportunity of a lifetime.<br/><br/>Sensing a change in the younger woman’s demeanor, Dr. Heath grinned. “I knew you’d come around to the idea!  Now!”  She grabbed several folders from the table and handed them over.  “Here are the files General Landry mentioned.  Captain Scott Hunter is the last to arrive,” she looked at her watch and said, “actually, he should be here soon, and I better be there to greet him.  Once the General briefs him, I will introduce him to everyone else.”<br/><br/>Grabbing his file first, Katherine began reading through it.<em>Impressive!  Marine Captain…Special Forces…extensive combat experience</em>.  She looked up smiling as Janet headed for the door and said, “Well it seems he’s a perfect fit, and should have no trouble blending in with the others.”<br/>