Black and White
By Alpha Pegasi
Chapter One
Own nothing of this and only playing with it for pleasure.
Rated for language and Carson Whumpage
AN: My first Atlantis fic. I have only seen a couple of episodes so probably full of canon and fanon errors. Corrections and criticism most welcome.
Set in Season Two between Duet and Trinity.
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"Oh No. No! Absolutely not."
"Carson …?"
"Ah'm sorry Dr Weir, I know it's a wee bit busy at the moment and you've got every possible team going through the 'gates but…"
"It's the first time the infirmary has been empty for six weeks and there's a pile of research that you need to get done …I know!"
"Research that you yerself have been nagging me about."
"Carson, this is different …it's special, they have asked for you!"
Dr Carson Beckett was forced to halt his tirade and draw a breath. This earned him a slight smile from Dr Elizabeth Weir, who was seated on the other side of the desk, across which he had been glaring. Having caught his attention, she continued.
"It's M9787 – a fertile planet, lush with vegetation – a sparse population, but it has not been predated by the Wraith for decades. The Gulathais have maintained traditions and customs dating back to the time of the Ancients. They say that there was an Ancient "temple" on the planet once. It was apparently destroyed in a volcanic eruption several centuries ago. But they have kept the plant lore from the Ancients time – it should tie in with the data base – you will be able to match medical data against the derivative plants."
"Lovely. I am interested, but let a trading team fetch some samples and I'll pop them into my piled up in-tray...no problem." Carson allowed himself to settle in a chair as Elizabeth waved him down.
"It's not that simple. The Gulathais have been very friendly and delighted to discover about the existence of Atlantis. They wish to make a gift of their medicinal plants to us. But they want a formal ceremony of passing their sacred knowledge to the City of the Ancients, attended by the highest-ranking medical officer. Yourself, Dr Beckett!"
"No Wraith?" The shine in Beckett's blue eyes told Elizabeth that the lure of the medicinal knowledge had been successful.
"No Wraith, no large predators, a temperate climate and no volcanic activity in the recent past. You will only need a small team - a xeno-biologist and a couple of members of security, and you will back behind your desk by this time tomorrow. And I promise plenty of research time."
Beckett reluctantly nodded. After all, what could possibly go wrong?