In His Defense by Saclateri
Summary: Tag to the Siege; Sheppard goes looking for his missing scientist.
Author's Note: Thanks to ga unicorn, Asano and Megan for looking over this and giving some much needed advice. Of course, more is always good, so please let me know what you think. Even if it is just "Read this. It was ok." The inspiration for the furniture choices in Rec Room 1 was Flah7's "The Couch" – go read it now.
Chapter 1
The newly arrived Commander of the Daedalus met John Sheppard and Elizabeth Weir in the control room and surveyed the damage. He reported that he had teams ready to begin scouring the length of Atlantis to clear the rubble and bodies. The unexplored sections would be opened up and given cursory inspections. The mapping of Atlantis might even be brought up to schedule. Weir looked pleased as she yawned, but nervous too.
Caldwell saw it. "I'll give her back to you in the morning, Doctor. I won't break anything while you're sleeping."
Elizabeth nodded. Sheppard was disappointed that McKay was not around to add a typical stinging comment. Something along the lines of: You'd better believe it, wise guy, because I am not going to clean up the mess this time.
Where was Rodney anyway?
"Just let me stand my people down, then I'll see you in the morning," Elizabeth said. She flashed the 'diplomat' smile.
"Major, that goes for you too," Caldwell said.
John was barely listening. He had been looking around the control room for McKay, and wondering if hearing the voices of angry scientists inside your head was a sign of madness, or just sleep deprivation. "Sorry, sir?"
"You can stand down for the moment, Major Sheppard. Go get some rest."
"I'd rather not…"
Where the hell was Rodney?
Elizabeth looked at him carefully and asked, "What's wrong?"
"McKay. I don't see him anywhere. What's he doing?"
Caldwell smiled. "I think Dr. McKay will be sleeping somewhere, don't you, Major? I'll have my men keep an eye out for him."
In his defense, John was tired. No, damn it, he was exhausted. He hadn't eaten in at least a day, and had only caught brief catnaps between running battles. Ford was gone. Bates was still being ventilated. John had nearly made a successful suicide run into the maw of a hive ship, which he was sure would haunt his nightmares for years. He wanted to lay down, ignore the world, and sleep for days. He didn't want to worry about Ford, or Rodney or Elizabeth for a while. Just sleep.
It was that bone weary exhaustion that made him say "Yes, sir." Somewhere in his fog of exhaustion he was glad someone else was giving the orders for a change.
He lounged against the wall, but suspected it was more like using the wall to prevent imminent collapse. He let his eyes drift closed and listened as Elizabeth's voice echoed in the corridors of Atlantis.
"This is Doctor Elizabeth Weir, and I have something I would like to tell you all."
And in his mind's eye John saw Carson Beckett examining an x-ray. The Doctor looked up from the broken ribs as Elizabeth's voice came onto the speaker …
"I want to tell you how much I appreciate what you have all achieved here."
He saw Teyla comforting an Athosian child beside the body of a young man …
"I am aware how much this struggle has cost in lives. I know there are many injured or lost."
He saw Zelenka, still unconscious in the infirmary and Colonel Everett dozing …
"Now that the Daedalus is parked on the pier we have a chance to catch our breath at last."
He saw the new Major organizing a group of marines into damage parties …
"So that means that I'm standing down the original crew of Atlantis for twenty-four hours. All science and military personnel are to hand over their duties to members of the SGC contingent for one day. All medical duties are to be carried out by fresh staff, unless it's an absolute emergency."
John opened his eyes, and was back in the control room with Elizabeth and Caldwell. She was still speaking. "I don't use words like miracle, but I think we made it happen today. Thank you. Weir out."
The speech was finished and the images faded, but they left a warm flush on Sheppard's skin. He was sure it was tiredness and not some trick of the gene, or slipping to other planes of existence or anything like that. They were exhausted fever dreams. Yet, he couldn't help feeling that Atlantis had checked on her children, and was content.
God, he had to get some sleep
"Major Sheppard," Caldwell said in a tone that was both gentle and firm. "Go to bed before you collapse on my shift. I promised Dr Weir I would have this place returned in the same state I borrowed it in, and I'd hate to add a sleeping major to the décor."
Elizabeth was really smiling. No plastic diplomat's smile now.
That gave Sheppard the energy to snap a salute. "Yes sir."
"I'll see you in twenty-four hours, Doctor. Major."
Elizabeth may have argued, but John gripped her arm. "Twenty-four hours, Doctor Weir," he said. "For all personnel."
"I suppose, but…"
"For everyone. Let me walk you to your door."
--
The walk to his room was a blur. He pulled off his boots automatically and lay on the bed. Exhaustion claimed him almost immediately, but in the vague area between wakefulness and sleep, John realized he still didn't know where Rodney was. Why hadn't Atlantis shown him what Rodney was doing? But then sleep had him, and he was swept into a dreamless slumber still wondering.
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