Taft had been up since before true dawn, just like every day, to inspect his forward operations base. It was a modern day fort, and he had worked hard alongside his Marines (and some others) to make it the most secure fort that it could be. The walls, special containers filled with dirt from the construction efforts, surrounded it in a protective barrier that not even a howitzer shell could penetrate, and much of the earth had been provided by the series of three slanted ditches as deep as he was tall that separated the fort from the river. He had concerns about flooding, that was an easy solution to put into place with the Bobcat they had on hand and a few shovels. Putting them in 'angled' also made them useless for an assaulting force to use as cover against the base.

He'd filled sandbags for the lower third of the walls of the hard structures, nailed boards, cut wood, carried more cement than he cared to think about, and run long patrols ever since the site was chosen. It was good. Taft couldn't remember the last time he'd been so happy to do his duty, rather than merely satisfied. If it weren't for the advent of fully automatic personal weapons, he'd have been tempted to say he'd been born in the wrong century.

He completed his inspection tour and made his way back to his tent. The thing was huge, meant for a high ranking officer. So Taft had saved space on base by partitioning the thing in half and making the front half his office while the back half held the scant items the Spartan soul needed to survive and maintain combat readiness. He checked the paperwork for the day, of which the base for the moment generated precious little of, and then checked his watch. It was time to welcome the new campers. Taft put on his lid, strapped on his light pack, and hefted the semi-automatic drum magazine fed shotgun he swore by as he headed out the 'door'. It was a relatively short walk, as he figured those things, from the secure outer perimeter to the gate.

There waited a group of marines, with the carts they'd used to move construction materials from the gate to the fort. They no doubt intended to ingratiate themselves with the civilians by offering to help with their luggage and what not. "Patty Cake. That's all you get when you mix civilians with soldiers." He said it to himself but he could see several soldiers make a point of pretending like they hadn't overheard it. He snorted and drew out a cigar, lighting it up to bide his time until the transition through Midpoint (as they'd taken to calling it) dialed through to the world that Taft had officially suggested be called Taftsylvania. Hey, why not?

[Beta Site, P5X-088]

… And deposited in another. He had barely paid any attention to the brief stopover at the so-called midpoint, where he found himself swept up by looking out at the scenery, counting his fingers and toes, and generally assuring himself that he was the same him as had just disappeared from Earth. His face was ghastly white, and indeed it did look like, as the Good Doctor had suggested, he’d shit himself. He hadn’t actually, in point of fact, but it was definitely a sensation he’d need to get used to.

The second gate had been much less terrifying. Other than a seemingly-more advanced Stargate on the other side of the chamber, they had essentially made a cosmic U-turn, coming out one side and then back in. Or maybe it was closer to a cosmic K-turn… Regardless, he found himself landing feet-first on a new planet… A whole dang planet. Sure, he had been to the midpoint but he’d been in too much shock to really do anything productive there. He looked around as he rapidly cleared the area that other people would be coming out, staring up at the trees, moons, stars, sky, and pretty much anything that wasn’t people.

As he looked around, he found himself near some kind of temperate forest, very reminiscent of some of the places he’d visited in Canada. He cinched the straps down on his gear and looked for someone else, seeing what looked like a Marine with a lot of black on his bars, listening for orders, or for anyone else to make a move, as he tried to get acclimated to his new home.

Thanks to some reshuffling at Midpoint, Fia came out the gate just after FRED and it's driver. She had made a subtle point to walk through with Airman Torngate. He had seemed a bit shaken from the trip to Midway. Gate travel effected everyone differently and the Airman had done better than many. He hadn't lost his lunch on the ramp. Now that the trip was done, She gave him an encouraging smile. "Welcome to the universe, Airman."

Turning her attention forward Fia quickly scanned those already here, looking for the face she had been missing for the last month. It wasn't hard to find. There he was, patiently waiting as he always did. I'm here, Cuore mio. Just the thought made her heart leap, but the only expression she allowed herself was a slight smile as she jugged down the ramp. The sparkle in her eyes she could do nothing about.

She stopped in front of Taft, pulling her gaze away to look over the assembled marines and carts. "Why Sergeant Major, I hadn't expected you to take the 'welcome wagon' so literally."

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Claire had paused for a few moments at the midpoint, taking in her surroundings. Somehow, there was something about many alien planets that looked the same. This one had the lush greenery that hearkened to the Pacific Northwest, but the sky was more green than blue, and there were two low-slung suns grazing the horizon. It was cool, bordering on cold, and - to Claire, at least - it felt like dawn.

Still, she didn't have the time to wait around and admire the scenery. She waited for a minute or so, until the last of the military escort had arrived, and, satisfied that everyone else was through, Claire stepped through onto the Beta site.

She wasn't sure what she had expected, but she hadn't expected one of the men she saw waiting in the clearing by the gate. A joyful smile spread across her face as she spotted Taft. It was good to see a friend there. Sure, Caleb was with her, but sometimes, you just needed a friend. The smile turned into more of a smirk as she noted Fia Serigliano approach him, and cocked an eyebrow at Taft. She had known about their blossoming relationship before she had left for Atlantis, and, true to her word, she hadn't told a soul, not even Caleb.

Shrugging her pack from her back, Claire let it drop to the floor, and stretched, looking around her surroundings. Again, shades of the Pacific Northwest, but, like the midpoint planet, two suns. She wondered whether they were in the same solar system. However, the sky was the usual blue, not green, if a slightly deeper blue than you would get on earth, and the air smelled like rain. She glanced down, expecting the ground to be wet, but it was bone dry. She looked around, her eyes seeking out Caleb, before giving him a warm smile, and then glancing back to Taft. She had a hug in store for her friend, but it was obvious that there was a "moment" taking place between he and Fia, one that they wouldn't welcome being interrupted.

Ruth hated being late. However, this time, she hadn't particularly wanted to leave earth, at least not for such an extended period of time. She was leaving behind her family, all of her friends, and... well, just maybe she was leaving behind someone special, too. She had spent too long that morning saying her goodbyes, and, by the time she had raced into the gateroom, her red hair flying, the same flaming colour as her cheeks, the final chevron was locking into place. Muttering her apologies, she had tagged onto the end of the group, and, her head down as she tugged her hair back into a messy ponytail, she headed through the gate.

She barely noticed who was there at the midway point, and almost charged straight through the second gate without noticing her surroundings. Still, she made a mental note to come back at some point and explore, see if there was anything of interest there, linguistically speaking.

She took a deep breath as she exited the wormhole onto the Beta site, and a small smile of relief twitched at the corners of her lips. Too late to back out now, to pass up this opportunity. Sure, it was a long posting, but still... she was possibly the only specialist linguist in the camp, and likely the most experienced, anyway, seeing as Daniel Jackson was remaining on earth.

Stepping off to one side of the gate ramp, Ruth's took in the assembled crowd. She recognised a few, but some were utter strangers. Just about managing to keep her bubbly excitement under control, Ruth waited for... well, whatever they were all waiting for.

Stepping through several Gate's in one go – or close enough to – was not something that Caleb got to experience very often. Not even on Atlantis had there been a time to step through several in one go, unless you count times where you stepped through got taken somewhere else by ship and then went back through a different one, but that hardly happened if at all.

Yet there he was, having finally made his way through the midway point and then onto the Beta site finally, standing in amongst the group of people there. It still reminded him of a giant get together, even as he did the usual salute to the relevant people, he moved a bit out of the way from the Stargate, let everyone else and there stuff come through.

The Beta site felt a bit like Earth to him as he stood there, looking around him, he caught Claire looking his way and smiled quickly back at her. He didn't think for two minutes they were going to get much chance to be on there own together, not until at least everything and everyone had been settled into wherever they were staying.

But he wasn't there just to be with Claire, he had a job, he was there for a reason, he was a CPO now and he was damn sure he was going to earn that title even more than he already had done. He was ready for what this new adventure was going throw at him, he just hoped he managed to stay in one piece whilst it did its throwing.

Wormhole travel was a little hard on the system sometimes, it was probably something to do with being broken down into your particulars and then whisked through space, to be reassembled at an end destination.

Dozens of trips back and forth, and Mere for the most part, barely acknowledged the slightly off kilter sensation that would present itself for a moment or two after arrival. However, she also made a habit of not travelling hung over, and by the time she emerged from the second gate at the Beta sight, it was fair to say that the pitiful contents of her stomach had been reconstituted in an agitated fashion.

Breathing deep through her nose, and exhaling slowly through her mouth, Mere leaned forward a little to clear her head, before moving to one side to allow others to clear the platform in from the Gate. She was moderately certain the cookies were not going to be tossed, but she sure as hell was not going to welcome her colleagues with the pleasure of standing in it.

Moving forward to join Claire, Mere bumped shoulders with the Doctor and dropped her backpack to sit next to its twin “Home, sweet home”

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"You'll shoot him, I'll save him, they'll question him and everyone goes home happy"

Tahirah came through on the tail end of the party. Gate travel was nothing new to her, so she had made a habit of staying back in case those less experienced needed a word of encouragement... or a push. No such incentive had been needed this time. She trotted down the ramp quickly, more out of habit than needed to get out of the way, and came to a stop beside Meredith. The usually unaffected soldier was looking off color and Tahirah couldn't help but wonder if it had to do with the gathering she had heard being bantered about last night.

Overhearing her 'Home sweet home' comment, Tahirah took a look around and immediately broke out into a grin. Two suns, what a welcome sight. The few times she had been allowed out of the mountain that housed the SGC she had always found the lack of two shadow disconcerting. Like this planet, Hekuptah had had two suns, though much larger in the sky. Which would explain the temperate region they were now standing in. On Hekuptah this grassy field would have been a paradise.

"Indeed, Sergeant Blake."

Chris snapped a salute as he saw the Captain turn through the gate, speak to him, and depart. He was so starstruk, quite literally, that the only things he could do right now were what had been drilled into him in basic, and beyond. Follow orders, follow procedure. Right now, he simply got out of the way and looked back at the gate. He saw a foot-worn path that led away from the gate, but right now he was more interested int he stone pedestal, the DHD, and the area around. A cart was over and there were other people in uniform, so he began to walk over, his hat shading his brow as he stared at the twin suns as he meandered toward the treeline, but stayed in the clearing, taking in the area around. It was safe... right?

He let his mind wander far away, but it eventually looped back to the technology here. He'd read about, but never truly examined a functional DHD. What he wouldn't do to tear it apart and learn everything about it, and how to better interface the Earth system with the servers. But, that would leave them stranded and that wouldn't do anyone any good. Still, it was entertaining to think about, even if it had likely already been done. He also thought about the people- Seemed that the Captain from earlier was friendly with the Seargent Major, and it seemed many people on the trip already had at least one person they knew well. All Chris knew is what he was told, at least until he had a chance to check out the main camp. Though from the mission briefings, he'd be in a tent with around 7 other people. Who they were he'd find out later.

He crouched down and felt some of the fauna around him. He was no scientist of the living world, but he felt a need to get a tactile feel for his environment anyways. He picked up some of the loose brush and let it filter down through his fingers, smelling the air and feeling what breeze there was. He smiled as everything felt both familiar and alien all at the same time. His misgivings and uneasiness melted away as he looked around more, a childish grin on his face at the edge of the clearing, still within earshot but staying well out of the way.

He waited for more orders, but for the moment he was so entranced by the area. He kept all of his gear on his back, so he wouldn't need the carts, but he wouldn't be complaining when they headed to the gate.

Mississippi wasn't the last person through the gate, but he was close to the back this time. He'd endured some disapproving looks on the other side of the first gate, the Midway personnel grumbling after they got done marveling at his size. He was accustomed to the former reaction, not so much the latter. He'd had the good grace to humble himself for the second trip, meandering in at the back of the civilians so he wouldn't draw any more military attention than his height alone could procure. And he was sure that would be plenty.

But for all his attempts to tamp down the enthusiasm... Mississippi just couldn't help himself. He marveled at the experience of getting to go through the gate again right after turning everyone and everything around. Under armed supervision. Heavily armed, actually. He overheard somebody not of the U.S. Marines comment sarcastically about that being typical of U.S. Marines but he couldn't identify who it came from before the shuffle had everyone on the move again. Mississippi laughed on his way out of the last 'gating' and turned around to walk backward a few steps, looking at the event horizon just a few more scant moments before he had to focus on the world he'd ended up on.

When he turned back around he spoke his first thought about the whole thing. "I wonder if they've done a controlled study about long term effects of repeated gate travel on genetic structure, cell cohesion.... hair growth." He ran his hand through his own hair, short cut as it always was. He hated the long-haired hippy look that movies and television gave his ilk, long hair got caught on bushes and branches, got snagged by animals with grasping ability like so many primates and climbing creatures. It was science, not a social movement. Idealism altered results, and that just wouldn't do. He stood at the top of the ramp, waiting for the line to move forward, and surveyed everything. He finally made incidental eye contact with a man who seemed to possess an air of authority.

So Mississippi waved happily at the man.