Science Lab 4 AM

Zelenka was starting to get fed up with Rodney; it wasn't even his arrogance this time! No, no, it was his incessant childishness, how dare he hog the ancient technology - as if it were his! Rodney had commandeered the object late last night and hasn't given it up; Zelenka didn't even think Rodney had slept at all yet.

The object was found in a section of a previously flooded lab. The lab had been drained quite some time ago, but it wasn't until just yesterday that they actually got around to working with the items found in it.

His inner rant and raving was interrupted by a very loud, very ancient sounding, well; he wasn't sure what it was. He looked up to see Rodney enveloped in a glowing beam, feeling a sense of dread and terror he leaped up only to have Rodney fall to the ground before Zelenka was even a foot away from his chair. But wait, is that Rodney? It – It turned him into a kitten! He stood staring in shock as the formally superior scientist, now tiny kitten, looked around in obvious horror. Part of Zelenka screamed 'He's terrified! He's defenseless!' But before Zelenka could even blink, Rodney was out the door, fast as a cat.

"What do you mean you lost Rodney?" To say Weir was a bit angry and a lot confused would be quite accurate, but one question demanded itself prominence in her brain, "What would the ancients be doing with a 'turn me into a cat' machine? And where exactly is Rodney?"

"I don't know where Rodney is, that's the problem. After he transformed, he ran, and he's pretty darn fast now. As for the ancients, well I haven't had a chance to look at the machine – Rodney was hogging it," There was definitely some resentment there, even over all the worry, noted Elizabeth, "But hopefully I'll be able to figure that out, I was thinking that I'll work on the machine while you send some marines to look for Rodney."Good, I'll have them check his quarters first, and the infirmary, the commissary."Yes, yes, oh and check Colonel Sheppard's quarters too, I've noticed them hanging out quite a bit lately."

Meanwhile, Rodney frantically ran, well, skittered down the hallways; he didn't even know where he was going - he was so terrified he could barely think. A cat! He was a cat! How could this have happened? Sure, the machine was meant to alter, though alter what and how he couldn't seem to figure out – until now. But he wasn't even touching the machine when it transformed him! He was just thinking about how frustrating this all is. God, what he wouldn't give to just sleep for hours, and not have to worry about anything blowing up, or attacking him, or attacking the city, or . . . John! John's room, perfect! Colonel See-you-later would be safe. He quickly willed the door to open; lucky it wasn't locked, and flew inside. Before he knew it he was under the covers the snuggling closer to nice safe John who would protect him no madder what. Nice safe John who was warm and big and cuddley. Safe and secure, Rodney fell asleep – must be the transformation, I was wide awake a minute ago, really . . .

A few minutes later

"Weir, Weir! I think I've found something!"

"Already?"

"Yes, yes, I just extrapolated from Rodney's notes, and now knowing what happened to him, and the rush of fear I felt when he changed – Weir, I think he can't express his emotions telepathically."

"Telepathically? You mean he put the fear in your head?"

"Yes, yes, that's exactly what happened! Though I suppose some of it was my own, but, well you get the picture. It is probably meant for communication purposes."

"Are you sure, ancient technology is pretty scary, Radek."

"I'm sure! It wasn't just fear, it felt differently."

Weir contemplated this, "It went away though, the fear?"

"Yes, yes, when Rodney left the room, there's probably a range."

"Well we'd better find him then, we certainly don't need a bunch of terrified marines running a muck just because they stepped a little to close."

"Yes, yes, have you radioed Sheppard?"

"No, I was just about to," She touched her ear piece, "Sheppard! Sheppard, come in!"

After a pause, a low groan emitted out of the other side of the radio.

Sheppard's quarters

If Colonel John Sheppard didn't know any better . . . wait, really? Seriously?

"Kitty?" He sat up, pulling the kitten onto his lap, "Kitty? How'd you get here?" He, oddly enough, didn't really think anything of the abnormality of a kitten suddenly being in his room- he just said the first thing to come to mind; he felt oddly safe, like nothing could hurt him, certainly not the cute little kitten on his lap. He felt so safe, and a little tired, that he laid back down, still holding the kitten.

Speaking of which, said kitten blinked his eyes a bit, obviously tired too, "Mreeeow?"

"Aw, you're a cute little kitten aren't you," He smiled, scratching behind the little kitten's ears, "I love you, too, kit." This statement didn't even seem odd to him . . .

"Sheppard!" Hmm? Such a tiny little voice, need not be bothered, so comfortable . . .

"Sheppard, come in!"

Weir? Was something important happening? Was someone in trouble?

Sheppard rolled over to grab his ear piece.

"What?"

"Hi, is Rodney there with you?" Weir responded.

"She means a kitten, he's tiny, uh, grey, ."

"Rodney's a kitten?" Still unnaturally calm, he looked down at the kitten on his lap and suddenly realized that he should definitely hold the little kitten closer– Rodney, his mind said – to be sure he doesn't fall off the bad.

"Yes, yes," Zelenka responded, "There was an accident, we think he can make others around him feel his emotions, to communicate, so be careful. We need you to get down here so Carson can check him out."

But Sheppard was still trying to comprehend the accident, "Rodney's a kitten. You're Rodney?"

The kitten purred and nudged Sheppard in the stomach.

"Huh."

"Sheppard, he hasn't seen Carson yet." Weir, right, Carson, doctor . . .

"Okay little guy, we're going to get you down to Carson, okay?" He spoke as if to a child.

Of course, after they went to the infirmary, they didn't know any more than they did before. Rodney was in perfect health, as far as Carson could see. Sheppard should have felt relieved, but in all honesty, he expected that, that's how it always is.

So while Zelenka and the science crew worked on changing Rodney back, Sheppard was walking around with him, but damn, he really needed to pee. But the dilemma was, he couldn't put Rodney down, every time he tried Rodney would freak out and cling at Sheppard's pants, while Sheppard himself was overwhelmed with Rodney's fear of being alone. Mind you, even if Rodney was perfectly content with sitting alone for a minute or two, Sheppard still wasn't sure he'd do it. Rodney was just so little and defenseless.

Ronon! Duh, why didn't he think of it before? Ronon just rounded the corner, and bam! The idea struck him.

"Hey Ronon, could you hold Rodney for a second?"

Ronon looked down at the buddle, not so surprised that it looked as he wasn't told, just so much that you could tell that he hadn't believed who ever had told him.

"Just for a second, I really need to use the bathroom!"

He looked unsure but, "Um, okay."

"Great! Just, uh, don't put him down, okay? He likes being held and gets scared when he's put down. Oh, and he hasn't eaten yet! Don't give him normal food, he'll get sick, just, uh, give him tuna or something, any Earthling will point you towards it, and, uh, milk! Yes, yes, milk, cats like milk, milk in a dish. And umm . . ."

"Sheppard."

"What?"

"Just go."