Episode Seven - McManus & Hopper's Story

[Thomas Hopper]

1535
Stargate Operations
Meropis
Triangulum Galaxy

"Well, Sir, uhm... I think it might be better to discuss that in a more... Private place..." the Lieutenant said in response to the General's question regarding him standing here. He knew. He was supposed to be dead. Hopper bet nobody saw this coming. He followed the General to the conference room, and made sure to seal it off. Everyone, save one person from the medical staff, and one Marine to stand guard were allowed to enter with the pair.

After sitting down in a chair opposite to Conway, Hopper began to talk. "The Jumper. It crashed into a wall of snow, or ice, or what have you. I was pretty banged up. I can't really remember anything about then. I faded in and out as half a dozen of them aliens dragged me out of my seat, and threw me in a brig of sorts. Over the next. I don't know. Could be weeks. Maybe months. How long was I away? They tortured me, trying to find out more about the defences of Meropis. Its personnel. The ship above. I considered breaking a few times, but then I was reminded of what I had to lose, sir." the Lieutenant said.

He took a minute to breath, and to gulp down the glass of water that had been set before him. Then he continued. "This morning. Or yesterday. I was taken to a different cell. Mine had been filled while I was enjoying my near daily torture hours" Hopper let out a small chuckle. It wasn't exactly a laughing matter, but having gone through what he had, it was important to have something to hold on to. And right now, he needed a little humour. "Anyway. I joined Sergeant McManus. We broke out of jail, along with some guys that I think were with him. We took a quick stop to blow up their engine room -I have a present for you when I finish- and proceeded to the gate with haste. We went to another planet, and from there I went home." he said.

Tom let that sink in for a while, before he unslung the bag from over his head, and put it on the table with a soft thud. He slid an object out of the cloth, and it wasn't until he was holding it with both hands in front of him, that the room could see it. "Brought you a ZPM. Figured they didn't need it anymore" he said, smiling.

[Jason Conway]

1540
General Conway's Office
Meropis
Triangulum Galaxy

Jason led the way into his office. He signaled for just one armed marine to stay. Being a General you got good at reading people, and Jason felt that Tom was telling the truth so far. He allowed the medic to stay as well as he swiped closed the office doors. The medic set about trying to get a blood pressure monitor on Hopper's arm as soon as the man slumped into the chair opposite the General's seat. Jason took his place as well, eagerly waiting to hear the rest of the story.

"The Jumper. It crashed into a wall of snow, or ice, or what have you. I was pretty banged up. I can't really remember anything about then. I faded in and out as half a dozen of them aliens dragged me out of my seat, and threw me in a brig of sorts." Hopper had begun as the medic removed the blood pressure monitor and set about trying to take a sample of blood for testing, Hopper didn't seem to mind. "Over the next. I don't know. Could be weeks. Maybe months. How long was I away? They tortured me, trying to find out more about the defences of Meropis. Its personnel. The ship above. I considered breaking a few times, but then I was reminded of what I had to lose, sir." 
"Your life..." Conway replied, "And the lives of everyone you've ever loved." He said, his tone flat and emotionless. It was the cold, bitter truth. It was what they were all out here fighting to protect.

"This morning. Or yesterday. I was taken to a different cell. Mine had been filled while I was enjoying my near daily torture hours." Hopper seemingly wheezed with laughter as the medic now began to listen to his chest, gently the man pushed the wounded hero back into his seat. "Anyway. I joined Sergeant McManus. We broke out of jail, along with some guys that I think were with him. We took a quick stop to blow up their engine room -I have a present for you when I finish- and proceeded to the gate with haste. We went to another planet, and from there I went home."
"McManus..." Muttered Conway, his thoughts drifting back to the meeting he had with Major Callaghan just yesterday.

With a thud, Tom placed a bag on the table between them. The medic was all done now and stood back with the marine as they both looked on, sharing Conway's expression of interest. Tom then slid an item from the bag... A ZPM. Gently glowing with raw, harnessed power.
"Brought you a ZPM. Figured they didn't need it anymore." Hopper said. The General, eyebrows raised, said nothing for a moment. After nearly a minute of silence he found the words.
"Damn, son. Damn good job." He said, smiling at Hopper, "While you were gone we had a freak galactic storm of sorts. The kind that happens once every few hundred years. That, coupled with the Etruscan attack a few months back, damn near depleted our existing ZPM. At least with this we'll now be able to defend the city properly! Good job!" He didn't really know what else to say. The man had been presumed dead, had fought and escaped and had brought home a ZPM in the process. Conway began to mentally scroll through the list of medals and see what the man deserved.
"As you know there's all sorts of debrief processes a man like you has to go through now. But first, let's talk about the shore leave huh?"

<continue if you wish but I left it at a nice point closing out the short story>