'I'll be back in about thirty minutes Chet,' Richard Woolsey called out as he crossed to the main staircase in the middle of the Atlantis control room, 'Please alert me when Mjr Lorne's team returns.'

'Will do sir,' Chuck called down from the balcony before turning back to his station grumbling quietly, 'And it's chuck, not Chet!'

Sighing Chuck plopped himself in his station and picked up his latest novel to read while on duty.

'I can't believe they've had fifty complaints in the last week!' Chuck's ears picked up a pair of gossiping techs as they came on duty,' from the sound of the reports those two have been at it every night since they got back from earth!'

His curiosity peaked Chuck pulled up the gate logs from the last week and searched for the rare occasions Atlantis was connected to Earth.

There was only one. Dr's McKay and Keller returning from the disaster that was the environmental machine testing event.

Rodney McKay and Jennifer Keller? Chuck frowned as he double checked the readings.

Switching to the far side of his station Chuck accessed the server that contained any and all complaint reports filed. After a two minute search he found almost seventy separate reports of excessive noise emanating from either Dr McKay's quarters or Dr Keller's.

Before Chuck could react to his findings the Stargate started to spool up and Chuck shot back to his main console to alert the security teams and Mr Woolsey.

Two hours later Chuck slumped into one of the cafeteria seats and started shovelling his food down his throat. It had been Mjr Lorne's team returning and Mr Woolsey had spent forty-five minutes berating the team in his office over a paintball match he'd stumbled across on the east pier between Sheppard's team and Parrish's bio team.

The scientist had blurted that Mjr Lorne and his team were regular attendees at the matches, something that lead Ronon to empty his remaining pellets into Parrish's rear.

Once the verbal assault had ceased another dilemma had arisen in the form of a slight technical glitch in the control room's lighting. Once Dr Zalenka had been summoned, Chuck had endured just over an hour before he could withstand the flashing lights no more and retreated to the cafeteria.

Lifting a large forkful of mash potato to his mouth Chuck froze as he spotted Dr McKay hobbling into the large room.

'Looks a bit knackered eh Chuck?' Sqn Ldr Mike Charleston chuckled as he sat his tray down next to the technician.

Sqn. Ldr. Charleston, the most senior member of the British forces on Atlantis sighed as he began to eat, 'don't blame him to be honest, what with all the noises coming from his quarters every second night or so.'

'I've seen the reports,' Chuck replied, 'I was rather surprised by the comments about Dr Keller.'

Laughing Mike dropped his fork back onto his plate, 'You've always got to watch the quiet ones. Not so meek or mild now is she?'

''Definitely not,' Chuck leaned closer to the Brit, 'Did she really scream out....?'

'Yup,' Mike grinned like a canary eating cat.

'I can't believe she's the type to do that,' Chuck stared as the woman in question herself hobbled into the busy room, 'I guess the saying is true.'

'It's the quiet ones you have to watch out for,' Mike quoted as Keller stiffly slid into the seat next to McKay.

'Most certainly,' Chuck sighed, finishing his small meal Chuck stood and went to take his tray back to the kitchen, a path that took him past where McKay and Keller were sat

As he approached the couple Chuck overheard their quiet conversation.

'How they hell did you get so good McKay?' Keller quietly spoke, 'you were amazing last night, they way you handled your weapon was the best I've seen.'

'Well it is me we're talking about,' McKay grinned smugly.

'Don't get too cocky McKay,' Keller leaned in and smirked, 'Tonight I'll have your ass, mark my words.'

CRASH

All heads in the commissary turned as Chuck walked into one of the food trolleys, sending it and him flying.

'I'm ok!' Chuck cried as he jumped up.

'I'd better check that he is ok,' Keller sighed and stood up, 'be warned Rodney, I know your tactics now. You won't beat me at Halo 3 again.'

'If I knew you were the one to bash your opponents with the controllers when you lost I wouldn't have beaten you.'

'Hey,' Keller grinned, 'I made up for bashing your leg with it didn't i?'

McKay's beaming grin was the only reply Keller got.