Teyla looked at her team. She wondered, not for the first time, if this was worth being so distant from her people. She believed that with the aid of the people of her galaxy, the residents of Atlantis could defeat the wraith. She believed that being here with them would benefit her people. Truly, she did.

However, there were times she questioned her beliefs. Teyla knew they were good people. She knew they were loyal and honorable. She knew they were able to use technology to their advantage. Their skills in diplomacy were adequate. Looking at them now, she was sure they needed a keeper. Or a warden.

They had been at the Alpha site, engaged in what some were calling 'War Games'. It was for training purposes, according to Colonel Carter. A way for them to release some tension. Teyla had used her pregnancy as an excuse not to go. She had wanted to spend the day in peace and quiet, perhaps meditating and napping. She had felt refreshed by the time the Jumpers had returned. Thinking she could invite her team to join her for a meal, she had gone to the Jumper bay to meet them.

The two warriors on her team was covered in spatters of brightly colored paint. John and Ronon wore matching expressions of ire. Rodney, with significantly less paint, smirked.

"It was cheating!" Sheppard was insisting.

"No it wasn't."

"Yes. It. Was."

"No, it wasn't cheating. It was... improvising a defensive perimeter!" Rodney said triumphantly.

"I guess they learned some things. It was a smart thing to do against an enemy with better training." Ronon smiled slyly. He found it amusing to watch the two bicker like children, and often encouraged it. Teyla sighed, glad she hadn't had the chance to invite them to dinner.

"Ha! See! Good strategy!" Rodney huffed gleefully.

"Perhaps you should discuss this later? After you have changed your clothing?" Teyla tried to soothe and divert. Usually, it worked.

"You can't use land mines in paint ball!"

"Yes, I can," Rodney's chin lifted, "and I did."

"But it's cheating!" John stalked from the Jumper. Teyla closed her eyes at the hint of whining in John's voice.

"Correct me if I'm wrong- which, of course, I'm not- but wasn't this supposed to be a training exercise? A way for the scientists to practice combat skills without being in danger of actually dying?"

"But... well, yeah, sure, but no one makes paint filled land mines!"

"My science department does." He wiggled his fingers near his head. "Smartest man in two galaxies? Ring a bell? Did you think I wouldn't come up with some kind of advantage?"

"It wasn't mentioned in the rules!" Sheppard was pouting now. Teyla watched them wondering, again, how a whole planet of people like them had managed to survive for so long.

"You're right. It wasn't specifically prohibited by the rules, at least." He picked at a piece of flaky blue. "Do you think this stuff is really safe? I mean, did the botanists test the plants before extracting the dye? What if it's an allergen? Should we go see Keller?"

"Rodney! It won't hurt you. But you should worry about the marines. None of them are very happy." Now it was John's turn to smirk. "They all thought you cheated, too."

"Oh come on! You're the military commander. You worry about them. And besides, do you think any of us are really worried about them? Hmm?" Rodney threw an arm towards the hallway. "We just built land mines from pieces of our paint ball guns and our survival kits!"

"Yeah, that wasn't bad McKay." And wonders of wonders, Ronon did sound impressed. "Can you teach me to do that?"

Rodney's mouth opened and closed, his eyes wide as he tried to decide if Ronon was serious or teasing. Finally, he said, "Well, I imagine we can teach you how, though of course you won't understand all the science behind it-"

"Don't need to. Just want to make 'em." Ronon smiled his 'I love to kill' smile. Teyla ground her teeth. She knew why he persisted in acting as if he lived to kill, but thought that doing it simply to intimidate Rodney was childish. They were team.

It always worked. Rodney swallowed nervously, then seemed to gather his arrogance as a shield. "Sure. If you stop by the labs later, I'll show you. Of course, this will mean that the science department will have to come up with something else to give us an edge, but it shouldn't be too hard. Radek really likes explosives. I'll have to talk to him and see..." His voice faded out as he and Ronon left the bay.

"It was a good tactic." Teyla said, just because she was feeling mean. "And your marines were perhaps, complacent? They gravely underestimated their opponents."

"Yeah. They weren't thinking the geeks would give them much of a challenge." He smiled happily.

Surprised, Teyla asked slowly. "But you were not upset?"

"Nope." He gave her a smug grin. "I knew my genius would think of something. McKay works well under any threat of death, even pretend."

"Then why...?" Teyla looked at John.

He looked at her. Then he grinned. "I love to wind him up."

She stared at him for a second. Then she groaned. "I do not understand your people."