[Billie Jean Witwer]

1556
Vanessa’s Office

Billie was busy colouring on a sheet of paper; actually there were one of many she had done since Doctor Vanessa had brought her over from the sick spot. She didn’t like being there. The nasty smells made her tummy upset and all. Finishing with the red colour she had on her, she leaned over to take a peek at other colours that were on the table. With care considered her next choice as if her life depended on it before taking a quick look at where her task was pending then back at the colours. The tiny fingers, wiggled over and hoovered the light blue before picking it up. Doctor Vanessa had asked her to make something for Captain Bobby when he came back.

Hitting the spot where it was going, Billie looked at the said woman working away. She had heard her tell someone that Captain Bobby wasn’t going to be happy camper when he came back. She had wanted to ask was ‘happy camper’ was, but didn’t. She didn’t want to get in trouble as she wasn’t supposed to be listening to the big people talk. Daddy always said that it was bad and rude. Finishing the area that needed the colour, she leaned back and looked at her master piece.

Sliding off the chair she sat in, Billie walked over to the glass of water that was kept for her, and to her level of ease. Picking it up with both hands, she took small sips, “When is Captain Bobby coming?” she asked Vanessa.

Looking at the girl after breaking her gaze away from the computer and the report she was writing, a smile drew on her lips, then looked at the time. There was still time before he arrived, “He will come soon. We can few drawing done for him till then.”


“Will he like them?” Billie came over to the desk as Vanessa took the glass from her, “I hope he does.”

Vanessa wasn’t sure if he would. While she knew that he had a son younger than Billie, however his file didn’t state how much time he spend with the child. A man like Bobby, Vanessa was sure won’t bat his lash twice if the child wanted some time with his father. Then on the other hand, family -to him- was everything. “I hope he likes them too.”

<<Tag: OPEN>>

[Nick Harper]

1556
Vanessa’s Office

He had been looking long and hard for a few items since lunchtime. It wasn't much but he knew it would help keep the smallest member of the expedition occupied and hopefully prevent a future tantrum. The Base already "suffered" through one of them, some were now calling it Hurricane Witwer, he hadn't heard a kid scream that loud since the first time he met his little cousin Mila. 

Having finally found what he headed towards Dr. Collins office, hopeing that the markers he had brought from home would entertain Witwer for a bit. Reaching the office he poked his head in the room before entering, It had been a smart move to remove Billie from the infirmary and to somewhere she could cause less trouble, least they hoped. He saw the pint sized Lieutenant sitting at a table coloring while Dr. Collins was at her desk. Nick walked to the table and sat down across from Billie, "I like this better than the hieroglyphic's on the walls." he said as he picked up one of the many sheets of paper and studied it. 

He set it back down and pulled the pack of markers from his pocket, "I brought you something." he set the pack on the table top, "Figured you'd like them." Nick gave her a smile, his hand still on the pack, "But I have a few terms. One is you can't eat cookies for every meal, it's not healthy." the girl had an obsesssion with cookies, and everyone had quickly realized that they made for good bargining chips. 

[Steve Hamrick]

1550
Anthropology/Archaelogy/Linguistics Laboratory Area

Blake was focused on database translation and ignoring the very annoying Marine playing with his desk tchotchkes. Very handsome Marine, granted, but very annoying.

The quiet clicking of Steve solving the Rubik's Cube for the umpteenth time finally made him snap. "Do you not have somebody that's not me to annoy?"

"Use my rank and I'd almost think you mean that, kitten. Besides Doctor Malhotra is too damn quiet to annoy. It's like picking on a helpless puppy."

"Go help with Lieutenant Witwer, Colonel, you two are on the same intellectual level right now!" Blake tried futilely to get the Cube back, but Steve clung to it.

"I am decompressing. I've spent the past twelve hours fixing what I had to do to the Shiva's computer system. Breaking things is funner than fixing them." With a last few turns the cube was solved and Steve immediately started to mess it up again.

"Funner?" Blake made a shooing motion with both hands. "Just go away, I'll put up with you at dinner, babe."

"I'm keeping the Cube." He lightly chucked Blake in the shoulder as he left the lab.

As Blake brought up another entry in the database, he smiled. It was so damn good to have Steve home, currently being annoying or not.

1556
Control Room

Steve reached the control room, glancing at the Ancient computer systems. Nobody had food and drink in the control room and nothing was obviously dead that had been previously been on. And still shaking off the Brillo pad feeling of the chair in the other universe, for now he deliberately blocked the system status updates. He'd "listen" to the base computer tonight.

Steve watched Harper occupying the miniaturized lieutenant and looked at his Rubik's Cube. He'd been solving them when he was about her current age. Of course, she was coloring so maybe the cube was a little advanced. "When she wears you out, Sergeant, let me know."

Just then one of the database access consoles went dark. Steve shook his head and walked toward it as the airman pushed himself back to give him space to work.

[Billie Jean Witwer]

1556
Vanessa’s Office

She had gone back to picking out the next colour when Sergeant Nick came in. She grinned as he liked her drawing, “That one is for Captain Bobby,” she told him with level of seriousness a child could muster, “You can’t have that one.” It however didn’t look anything like the Captain. The face too round, the eyes, nose and the mouth didn’t match each other. It had the blue of his dress uniform. But the dress was for girls; boys didn’t wear them. “It’s him in his dress you-e-farm.” Her tongue was tied a little at the work, but she was working on it and giggled.

Her face lit up, “You got me something?” she tried to peek at the where it might be, seeing the markers being placed, she squeaked loudly, causing Vanessa to rub her ears, “THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.” She jumped at him and gave him a hug.

When he stated his terms, Billie got that look in her eyes, “But cookie is fooood. Colonel Travis has them all the time.” She argued. Just the Colonel Steve came in and left, his words confused her. She wasn’t going to wear anyone down. She was too tiny for that.

<<Tag: Steve Hamrick and Nick Harper/OPEN >>

[Nick Harper]

1557
Dr. Collins office

Nick just nodded as she explained what the drawing was, he had thought it was a snowman in a dress, but he didn't say anything and just nodded in agreement as if he could see what she meant. Billie finally noticed the markers and before he could react she had her arms around his neck as she all but screamed her thanks, much to the displeasure of his poor ears drums. 

“But cookie is fooood. Colonel Travis has them all the time.”

He sighed and shook his head, of course Travis would have her thinking junk food was okay all the time, "Colonel Travis can be silly sometimes." he told her. Nick looked up at Col. Hamrick walked in with a Rubiks cube in hand, something Nick never had the patience for. "When she wears you out, Sergeant, let me know." Harper glanced at the assortment of crayons and papers scattered across the table and then back to Steve, "I will be sure to do that Sir." he replied. Everyone had in some way ended up watching Billie, wither it be for a few minutes or entertaining her for a couple hours so the others could get a break. "Another term, well kind of.." he slid the pack of markers over to her, "I want you to draw another one of those master pieces, but this time with Col. Travis."

[Billie Jean Witwer]

1557
Dr. Collins office

But he was a Colonel. Billie wanted to argue. Wasn't his word the law? She wondered as she opened the markers and let them out by dumping them from the box that held them. Picking one up, she considered it while she thought. They had an admiral too, she was told he outranked the Colonel. The whole was in charge confused her. "He's a Colonel," she spoke as she struggled to pull a fresh sheet of paper to draw the said man, "I was told the Admiral was his older brother, so how come he's not giving the colonel a time out for eating cookies and I got one?"

Vanessa coughed into her coffee as tiny Witwer argued her case. The woman should have been a JAG instead of a Geo-science graduate. Shame, she shook her head as she watched the interaction. Travis was waaay too old for time outs. After spending ten minutes in her office, he would be ready to bolt. It wasn't even a session. No wonder she was scary. Apparently, Robert took after him, when it came to shrinks. Yet the Guards officer was more blunt in his dislike. 

Drawing an uneven circle, "What does Colonel Steve want you do?" she asked as she started to draw stick hand very, very carefully.

<<Tag: Nick Harper and Steve Hamrick/OPEN>>

((Travis and a time out......-rolls in a fit of giggles- I pay to see that.))

[Nick Harper]

1557
Dr. Collins office

Nick struggled to keep a straight face as she asked why she got in trouble but Travis didn't, it was like talking to a little lawyer. It made him wonder if she was like this as a kid..the topic of naptime would come up and little Billie would present a full case as to why she didn't need a nap to her parents. 

He picked up a red crayon and grabbed an empty sheet of paper, "The Colonel doesn't know to many cookies can cause you to stay a kid forever, that probably explains why he drives the Admiral crazy sometimes." Nick debated on what to draw, he wasn't exactly the artist. After a moment he drew a heart, and for not being creative it turned out pretty well, "Here. I made you something, it's one of a kind and super rare." he said sliding the paper to Billie. 

[Billie Jean Witwer]

1559
Doctor Collins office

Polishing her coffee, Vanessa had moved to fill more when Nick's words caused her to sniffle her laugh. Travis did have the ability to drive anyone crazy in a short span of time. Matt was more patience with Travis then she ever had been in the years she had known the Colonel. Sure there had been times when she had thrown him out her office on a short fuse. His loyalty was something she won't dare question.

But that didn't explain the cookie issue to a five year old. Who was looking at Nick with a try again expression. Walking over with a fresh mug that was filled, "You might like to try again, Harper," she then decided to join the girl as well. Files would wait, "Let's see what we have here."

Looking at Nick again, "He is lying, isn't he?" her whisper was loud enough for the whole table to hear, "Cookies don't cause you stay little forever. If that was the case, Colonel Travis won't be a Colonel, would he?" Her expression turned into bemusement.

"Sorry Serg," Vanessa fought for a schooled face, "you just owned."

"Who got owned?" Travis asked as he hoovered the doorway, "and why? Anyone seen Hamrick?"

<<Tag: Nick Harper, Steve Hamrick>>

[Steve Hamrick]

1559
Control Room

It wasn't exactly profession as Steve cursed, checking the crystals for the power failures. The Ancients could build flying cities, and yet not make an easily identifiable power supply.

The airman, a former member of the IT team on Shiva, kneed down to look. "It's been restarting randomly, but it always rebooted before now. It's not like the dumb terminals on the Shiva, so I was a little reluctant to go looking for the power supply, sir."

"Decent thought, Bentley. I think our culprit is this one." Steve pulled it out, examining the contacts and the differently shaped slot it came from. A feeling of where to find a replacement crossed his mind, as he heard Colonel Oxford's voice, and managed to pick his name out.

"Check the store room where we put all the Pelican cases for the computers we brought on the ship, I've got a feeling there's one there. And have to see what Army wants."

"Weird, mystical ATA sense, Boss?"

"Something like that. Get the shot, the system won't shut up in your head."

"Nah, kind of reluctant to let military docs screw with my DNA, my future kids'll glow in the dark, sir."

Steve was still laughing as he headed toward the sound.

1600
Doctor Collins' Office

On arrival, he counted Colonel Oxford, Sergeant Harper, Dr. Collins, and little blonde terror that had previously been a Navy lieutenant. "My ears were burning. Troubleshooting a down console in the control room. I miss color-coded crystals."

<<tag Billie Jean Witwer, Nick Harper>>

[Nick Harper]

1600
Dr. Collins Office

Nick just nodded as Billie proved what he said wrong with the smart logic of a five year old. He tried to think of a good response but couldn't think of one. And on top of that Travis chose that moment to walk in, Nick grabbed a clean sheet of paper and started drawing again, "I was being explained the logic of cookies by Ms. Witwer here." he replied, looking up from his paper Nick saw Steve standing at the door again, "Major you're smarter than most, do you have a reasoning for why excessive ammounts of cookies will make a kid stay a kid forever, but don't seem to have any effects on the Colonel."

[Steve Hamrick]

1600
Dr. Collins' Office

For the sake of Billie Jean, after all she was purely acting her physical age and it was kind of silly to think of a small child by her last name, he put a great deal of visible thought into the conundrum, as he clicked away at the scrambled cube and solved it again. "Well, if you eat too many cookies, your body might grow up but your brain won't. Colonel Travis made colonel because the Army doesn't mind if your brain is lagging behind your body, only if you're upright and breathing."

Then he thought about it a bit more, as he re-scrambled the cube. "Well, upright might be negotiable, too. And that's why you shouldn't eat too many cookies."

He tried for a look of perfect innocence as he thoroughly scrambled the desk toy.

<<tag Travis "Wizard" Oxford, Nick Harper, Billie Jean Witwer>>

[Travis "Wizard" Oxford]

1601
Dr. Collins' Office

Amused by Harrper's words Travis leaned on the door frame, but made no attempt at entering the office just yet. Vanessa and him had a age old and unspoken agreement that about him coming into her office. "Is that so?" he asked at he looked at the tiny terror who looked at him with a calculated gaze. Her temper tantrums were winning her names, however it was not going to be best to use once she regained her own age and memories.

"Yea," she replied, "Admiral never gave you time out. That's not fair."

Further amused he walked in, "Is that so?" He bend down to the girls and grinned at her, "I have you know when I was your age, Admiral gave me plenty of time outs." Which was true. As Harper directed a question towards Hamrick, the reply that came him had him hooting in laughter, "My brain is just fine thank you, Major." He was having a hard time keeping his face straight.

Marines vs Army.

"So what is going on around here?" His eyes looked at all the drawings.

"We are drawing Captain Bobby. Now I'm suppose to draw you."

Draw Bobby?

He had no words. He was sure Bobby just might take the drawing as something he would prize. Travis looked at Vanessa for a second. He supposed it was in vain since the shrink was taking the kid's side.

<<Tag: Nick Harper, Steve Hamrick>>

[Steve Hamrick]

1601
Dr. Collins' Office

"And I'm sure those time-outs were hard-earned, sir. Older siblings can be hell." Though, Steve was pretty sure that the Admiral had never thrown Colonel Oxford down a flight of stairs or broke his arm.

Steve looked at the small blonde's work. "You are a pretty good little artist, Billie Jean." He scrambled up the cube but good and looked between the brightly-colored block and Billie Jean. "You ever played with a Rubik's cube before? It makes you think, but you look like a bright kid to me."

He shrugged to the other adults. "I was solving these things when I was her age, she can do it."

<<Tag Travis "Wizard" Oxford, Billie Jean Witwer, Nick Harper>>

[Billie Jean Witwer]

1603
Dr. Collins' Office

Travis send Hamrick a mock cold glare – hardly threatening as the tiny hands guided him to a chair, to which he willingly followed. Much to Collin’s amusement and delight. No he realised that the woman was no going to let him live this down. Once the word reached Kim, he knew the whole story would spread like a wildfire on Delta. He was enjoying having his face and hands guided to suit a five year old. His daughter had done the same at Billie’s age. But the phrase for art had been over as fast as it had come. “There were some,” he admitted with a chuckle.

“No moving,” Billie wagged her finger at Colonel Travis and a scowl was on her cute face, but Major Steve’s compliments reminded her of her manners, “Thank you. Once I’m done with Colonel Travis. You are there next.” She picked up colours and looked at the cube, “My brother plays with them. He won’t let me touch it. Can I play with it later?” It was something she wanted to give a go.

“If she puts her mind to it, she would,” Vanessa agreed. She could get the security video on this and send it to Kim. Hard ball evidence over events that Travis won’t dare deny happened.

<<Tag: Steve Hamrick, Nick Harper/others>>