Dark Distraction - Chapter 1

Mistakes

How could she argue with him? I mean, seriously, was he not the king of all arguments, criticisms and complaints? The messiah of science and the unknown? Why was she not bowing down at his feet, or taking him at his word, or better yet, cooking him a candlelit dinner for two? That sexy body and beautiful face of hers should be put to better use right now than bugging the sanity out of him. Rodney McKay's blue eyes shined with malevolent irritation as he shook his head.

'Ludicrous.'

'It is not ludicrous.'

'It's ludicrous.'

'How can you call it ludicrous when you haven't even heard what it is I have to say?'

'Because, I know your position on the matter and any words that come out of your mouth will be against me, therefore, your idea is ludicrous especially since my plan is brilliant.'

Rodney's smug smile played across his face before he continued tapping at his computer. Christina Chase was less than impressed, her long blonde hair dancing about her shoulders and green eyes burning holes into his stupid little head.

'It's not brilliant.' She said simply. Rodney glared at her.

'Yes it is.'

Chase shook her head and made a negative noise. 'Nu-uh.'

'How can you say it is not brilliant when it clearly is?' He said shrilly.

Chase's green eyes locked with his and she grinned. 'Because it's up against my flawless plan.'

'Ludicrous plan…' He muttered.

'Enough with the stunted vocabulary already, McKay.' Chase huffed, sticking her hip out at a provocative angle in clear frustration.

'His vocabulary isn't the only thing that's stunted.' Said a deep voice over her shoulder. Chase turned to see Ronon leaning against the doorway to Rodney's office, giving her a cheeky smile. Rodney scowled at him.

'Oh very nice, Mr Quick-Witted.' He stormed his way past the Satedan whilst Chase gave him an appreciative grin and stood in the doorway with him.

Ronon glanced down at her outfit with hungry eyes before looking up at McKay fumbling about with various papers. She wore black trousers and boots with a fitted green silk blouse. It was unbuttoned at the top with a pretty gold heart locket dangling down toward her chest.

A focussed scientist herself, her mind was on the immediate problem, whereas normally she would have picked up on the fully male look Ronon gave her. Right now, this agitating, infuriating man - her very own boss - was pushing her to her limits.

'What are you arguing about?' Ronon asked.

Chase spun on her heel to face him, her arms coming up to support the language she used. 'Our resident genius over here has decided to for-go the barbeque this weekend for the scientist mixer in favour of a curry-quiz night, but as he well knows chef has limited spices and can therefore only do one dish, and naturally I said a one-dish curry isn't a curry at all. So I have been trying to make a few suggestions, but he's decided not to open those holes on the side of his head used for listening and ignore everything I say.'

'Because it's ludic-' McKay began. Chase rounded on him with a threatening finger and he paused. 'Oh come on, a barbeque? What are we – simpletons? We can do better than that.'

'And your idea of better is a curry?'

'And a quiz.' He said pointedly.

Christina growled low in her throat. 'Lame.'

'Only to the non-curry lovers.' Rodney retorted.

Ronon gave her a look which meant he couldn't care less while he tried to look interested. She scowled at him.

'Okay, so it's no big deal, but still! There are some new scientists finding it hard to integrate and these events are a good chance to make friends…and for someone who wasn't even planning on coming, you sure seem concerned about the arrangements.'

Rodney smiled at her impishly. 'I will come if there's curry.'

'It's not a curry with only one dish-' She said sternly.

'Okay.' Ronon interrupted. 'What was your idea?'

Chase folded her arms. 'We do a barbeque this weekend and then the curry night in three weeks so that chef can stock up again with the proper equipment for a real curry when the Daedalus arrives with supplies.'

Rodney rolled his eyes and Ronon stared blankly. He turned to McKay. 'Sounds good.'

Rodney huffed. 'Oh, naturally.'

'Are you coming to the mixer?' Chase asked gently. Ronon raised an eyebrow.

'Free food?'

'Yup.' She nodded once.

'I'm there.'

Chase smiled widely before turning to Rodney. 'McKay.' She said with a tight grin before striding down the corridor. Rodney folded his arms and spun his chair to face Ronon.

'Do you think that if I sprouted breasts and blonde hair that you'd side with me once in a while?'

Ronon gave him a look. 'No.' Rodney scowled. 'Sounds too ludicrous to me.' The scowl deepened. Ignoring the looks the scientist gave him, Ronon continued. 'Are you ready?'

'For what?' Rodney said blankly.

'Training.' Ronon gave him a dark look.

Rodney felt his heart jump into his mouth, his voice sliding up a few octaves. 'Oh…yes…about that, I have a lot of work that needs doing and I think it would be best for me to reschedule-'

Ronon wondered in and hoisted McKay out his chair, pulling him up by the back of his jacket and thrusting him forward.

'Or I could reschedule the work…' Rodney said miserably.

* * *

Christina walked slowly, her mind whirling with thoughts of the day. The work she still needed to do was sitting on her desk, waiting for tomorrow's briefing before they went off world. She had been chosen to be on McKay's scientific team along with Graden and Zalenka to investigate an Ancient outpost on an uninhabited world. She dreaded the awkwardness to come not because McKay was…well, McKay, but because there were other members of his team she would rather avoid right now.

It had been three months since her first mission – definitely one for the books. An alien power source which was researched by a team of scientists off world due to security issues which led to a scientist being eaten by an alien creature, and then a massive race against many hungry alien creatures ensued, and of course, the explosion of the alien power source – escaping near death and forever carving her place in the expedition as an 'able survivor'. She smiled. Ironic that her first mission had left her scarred physically and mentally but brought her closer to her co-workers, some a little closer than others.

She rounded the corner into the food hall and halted, taking hasty steps back and hiding behind the wall. She peered out from behind it and sighed sharply. Colonel Sheppard was speaking with Lorne. His messy brown hair and handsome lopsided smile enough to make her melt. His eyes shone animatedly and she watched him plant his hands on his hips…he had such nice hands…Christina scolded herself. He was a colleague and no more. They had pursued a romantic relationship for about two weeks after they had come back from that mission, and in the end had both decided that they really liked each other – which is why they had to stop. Dating co-workers was dangerous in ordinary circumstances, but when it came to life and death situations like they met practically every day, it made everything so much more complicated.

And it killed her, because every time they were in the same room they were enormously friendly to each other, sometimes too friendly. They both hid their awkwardness in the belief that it was better to be friends than not in each others life at all.

Chase felt her heart slow and the familiar pang of misery slide down her gut. He was a wonderful man, and she really liked him, but friends would be as far as they would go. She hoped that one day they could become comfortable in each others presence once again and that she could find someone new.

Sheppard patted Lorne on the shoulder and walked toward the hallway she was in. Chase took a few steps back and began walking forward again but looking to the floor. She rounded the corner and saw out of the corner of her eye that the Colonel had slowed his walk but continued on the same course. She looked up and gave a semi-surprised smile, the awkward and lonely knot tightening in her stomach again.

'Colonel.' She greeted.

'Doctor.' He said with a smile, warmth radiating from him. One of his spiky hairs flopped over grazing his forehead and Chase wanted to march over and put it back in place. Something told her however that that would be breaching the personal space rule.

She held her breath, waiting for him to speak, and when she realised that he was doing the same thing, she exhaled and stumbled over her words to begin a conversation. 'How are you?'

'Good.' He nodded, with a thankful smile. 'Fine, nothing too strenuous.'

Chase smiled. 'Understandable.'

Before an awkward pause could set in he continued. 'What are you up to?'

Chase glanced over his shoulder. 'Lunch date with Lorne.' She paused and backtracked quickly. 'Well, a date as in a planned occasion to meet for lunch – no romance attached, just two friends, having a conversation over…' She glanced at the board on the wall and laughed. '…over fishcakes.'

John smiled tightly and nodded, raising an eyebrow and casting a look to the floor. 'Well have a nice lunch.' He smiled and began walking away. Chase dropped her fake smile and gave an expression of relief. 'But…I'd avoid the fishcakes. Friendly advice.' He grinned back, Chase smile painfully quickly and then walked away.

She watched him go and slumped. 'Well that went well.' She whispered bitterly. She turned on her heel and headed toward Lorne, his blue eyes studying her as she sat.

'Wow.' He commented.

Christina looked up with surprise. 'What?'

'You make Eeyore look like your happy twin.' He said with a feint smile. Chris grinned.

'Cheers.'

'No problem, anything the matter?'

'Nope.'

Lorne watched her beautiful face and frowned. 'You ready for the briefing? Radek says McKay has twelve full pages of notes to deliver.'

Chase moaned. 'Bring on the pain.' She joked.

Just as they sat back down with their meals, Radek Zalenka wandered in, spotted them and made his way over with a smile. 'Have you heard?'

Lorne was amused by the mans obscurity. 'Heard what?'

'Apparently there's a new oceanographer coming on the Daedalus, and she's supposedly quite striking.' He said eagerly.

Chase shook her head. 'Tell me you don't live your life by apparently and supposedly, Radek?'

'What? It's just a rumour.' He said blushing.

'Striking how exactly?' Lorne inquired, interest piqued.

'Oh god, it's going to be one of those male conversations.' Chase muttered, giving it her full attention, and placing her fork by her tray.

'McKay saw a picture in her file and said that she was…in his terms – hot.' He explained. 'A brunette too.' He added with a nod.

Lorne grinned at Chase's demeanour. 'Afraid she's prettier than you?' He said tentatively, well aware that he was within kicking range.

'Afraid that that poor girl is going to be bombarded by a bunch of forty year old men acting fourteen.' Chase replied, her green eyes fixed on his face, and then she leaned forward. 'And she will, in no way, be prettier than me.' She said with a quirky smile.

Lorne didn't argue the point because in his opinion she was the pinnacle of pretty. Gorgeous would be a far closer description. There was no way some oceanographer could outshine this woman that sat before him. Chase was striking in every way and had been from day one. Radek glanced at his watch.

'Better get some food, McKay wants me to check the equipment for tomorrows mission.' Radek rose.

'You want help with that?' Chris offered.

Radek shook his head. 'I'll be fine, besides, Rodney said he'd pop by later to…help out.'

'You mean check your progress.' Lorne corrected him and then shook his head. 'That man is insufferable.'

'And yet he's the boss.' Chase sighed and grinned at Radek as he left for the food counter.

'Your boss.' Lorne corrected her. 'My boss is far more agreeable than Mr Whiny High Maintenance.' Chase smiled.

'Oh, I'd agree with you there.' She looked down at her food and stifled the sigh sitting in her throat.

The next day went fairly smoothly with only a few hiccups which apparently only McKay could identify. They were ready and geared up in the Gate room doing last checks on their equipment when he came barging into the room.

'Zalenka.' He snapped.

The Czech looked up in surprise as did the rest of the team. Rodney's face was set in a stormy grimace. 'Did you take my coffee mug?'

The two other scientists laughed whilst Ronon gave him an eyebrow of amusement. Chase zipped up her jacket, double checked the Lantean pad strapped to her hip and shook her head, Teyla smiling at her from her side. Radek frowned.

'I don't think so.'

'Mendez said that he saw you take it from my desk and arrive back with it about five minutes later with your own coffee in it.' Rodney folded his arms.

'Actually, I only drink tea.'

'Tea then, it's still theft.'

Radek became defensive. 'I am not a thief! I have no idea what mug I was drinking out of because I didn't think it was that important!'

'My mug is important! It has personal value to me and also, I'm the boss, urgo you should treat my mug with respect.' Rodney's blue eyes childishly glared back.

'What? We should come to it for assignments?' Chase interrupted. 'Perhaps a survey on the coffee and tea consumption of the city to test resources and popularity between both beverages.' She drawled.

Ronon smirked approvingly and Radek gave her a big smile of thanks while Rodney fumed.

'Did you steal my mug?' He asked shortly.

The blonde scientist stared at him. 'No.'

'Then this doesn't concern you.'

'Don't be rude, Rodney, it doesn't matter what happens to a silly mug.' Radek reasoned.

'Silly? This mug was given to me as a gift at Christmas for landing this job – its personal value goes sky high, my friend, sky high, and you abducted it.' Rodney growled.

'What are you on about now?' The stern voice came over his shoulder and Chase looked up. Sheppard strode across the room in full gear, a look of weariness on his face at McKay's arguing. His brown eyes watched them and she became aware of her movements, knowing that his eyes would linger on her moments longer than the others.

'He stole my property.'

'He possibly borrowed a coffee mug.' Chase corrected him. 'He's blowing it way out of proportion.'

'I am not-'

'Oh come on, McKay, you're just sore that Elizabeth didn't let you finish your twelve page briefing – like we needed to be lectured to death before our mission.' The Colonel wandered over and joined the group whilst Rodney's sulky eyes followed him.

'I had gold in the last seven pages, okay, but your impatience, as always, thwarted a grand performance!' He snapped.

'It's a mission briefing, not the Atlantean Drama Society.' John said incredulously, before turning to the group. 'Everyone ready?' Rodney fumbled with his jacket before nodding, everyone else waiting on him.

John didn't wait for him, nodding up to Elizabeth to begin the dialling sequence. The wormhole swooshed into the room, roaring its arrival. Once it was still, the rippling surface awaiting them, Sheppard took the lead, and ignored Rodney's high-and-mighty pout.

Sheppard had been on the hunt for an Ancient outpost before, the majority of which had been destroyed or cleared out. Every now and then they'd hit gold, according to Rodney, but it was still a situation which required the scientists to do their thing whilst the military types walked around scratching their heads for entertainment. But going on the parts of the briefing he hadn't been day dreaming in, this one hadn't yet been opened which meant there was a good chance that whatever was inside was intact. Rodney had begun to speculate what may have been inside on page five. Sheppard rolled his eyes just thinking about it.

The scientists were gathered around what was supposed to be the entrance, but its appearance looked like it had been locked, bolted and welded shut. It could have trolls patrolling the inside and he wouldn't be surprised. Who ever left this facility did not want anyone getting in. Rodney gave a loud noise of bored and frustrated anger.

'Who would do that?' He growled walking away.

'I think you mean why would they do that.' Chase commented.

'What ever is inside must be very important to protect it so…' Radek began, pausing to find the right word.

'Annoyingly?' Rodney snapped.

Radek pushed his glasses up his nose and sighed. 'Well, yes. This could take a while.'

'Months.' Rodney folded his arms like a child denied a treat.

'Don't be silly.' Chase said lightly. 'Days at best. We have the best scientific minds of our planet standing here, minds that have had much experience with Ancient Tech.'

'Not to mention experience with vexing Ancient scientists with eclectic means of protecting their work.' Mendez piped up, her pretty face shining with positive thinking.

Chase did a double take at her use of the word vexing while Rodney stared at her with a sneer. Her green eyes reflected the humour she felt but she spoke with determination. 'Exactly. We can at least try. We have no idea how many layers of code there are, it could be very simple.'

'You can all bet there are going to be more than a few.' Rodney said stubbornly.

'Then you best get started.' Sheppard appeared at his side with a smile on his face, more than just suggesting that he hurry it up. Rodney huffed and stomped back over. Chase smiled at the Colonel warmly before returning to work also.

An hour went by and Rodney's mood had not improved in the slightest. Although they had discovered that the code was breakable, and the layers not insurmountable, it was still a lot of work.

'Ugh.' Rodney exclaimed. 'It's hard to think in these conditions.'

Radek looked over his glasses at Christina who shared the same puzzled look. They were surrounded by a field, the sun shining, the only sound coming from the Ancient Pads they were using. There was a slight chill in the air, but apart from that…

'What conditions?' Teyla asked, frowning.

Rodney did not look at her but waved a hand in the air. 'These sub-zero temperatures, it's like a fridge out here.'

'Sub-zero?' Chase said incredulously. 'It's not even remotely close to freezing Rodney.'

'Well something is numbing my brain.' He said shortly.

Teyla smiled slightly and shook her head. 'Perhaps some hot coffee will warm you.' She went to stand.

'No, it's okay, I'll get it.' Chase placed her Ancient Pad against the wall of the structure and headed to the small pack not five feet away.

Rodney's face was inches from his pad when he made a small noise of triumph. 'I think we're getting closer.'

'It's not like we're going backwards.' Radek mumbled.

Rodney raised his head with a bewildered expression. 'What?'

'Mh? I didn't say anything.'

'Yes, you did, I heard you.'

'If you had heard me say something then why do you ask me what I said?'

'Because you muttered it under your breath.'

'I did not mutter-'

'Yes, you did-!'

'Incoming! Wraith dart incoming!' Sheppard's voice yelled over the radio, the sound of the dart clear on the other end. 'Everyone get back to the Gate. Move!'

The sudden arrival induced panic as the scientists packed their equipment. Chase dropped the coffee on the ground and hoisted her pack over her shoulder, looking back as her colleagues began running toward the Gate over the hill. The dart suddenly screamed over the hill and they scattered, it claimed no one. The second beam it sent down left four Wraith, their stunners at the ready.

Sheppard's guys took their positions and fired. Chase watched Rodney run a little way ahead of her, trying to get his Ancient Pad into his vest-

'Oh crap.' She stopped in her tracks, turned on her heel and sprinted back toward the facility.

'Chase!' Ronon's voice roared over the noise.

Her pad! She couldn't let them get it, if they found it they would be half way to opening the facility. As she approached the facility, she could see the small object sitting comfortably where she had left it. Christina heard yells behind her, some one was in pursuit. She couldn't hear the voice all that well, but the baritone quality was unmistakable to that of Sergeant Dodson. Handsome, cocky, and a dear friend. He had arrived on the Daedalus the same day she had. And now he was following her to where she had made her mistake.

She tore towards the door hearing the fight in the background and practically banged into the wall to stop herself. She grabbed the Pad and thrust it into her vest before running back, Dodson frowning at her.

'What are you doing?' He asked. 'This isn't the place to be hanging round.' He said a slight smile on his face. It warmed her to know that in the face of danger, he was still confident, the training so apparent in his stance and the way he held his gun.

'I forgot my Pad.' She said, breathing hard.

'Okay, let's go.' He turned to leave.

He didn't see the Wraith until its hand was upon his chest, didn't have time to raise his weapon before the pain screamed through him. Pulling at him, taking from him…

'No! Dodson!' Chase screamed. She drew her side arm and began firing, aiming for its torso, its arm, its neck, anything to stop it from feeding, to help Dodson who had come back for her.

It finally released him and he fell to the ground. It's grey eyes burned with promise, bearing its pointed teeth and snarling at her. Her anger could match its own fury. She emptied the clip as it stormed toward her and then slid in another, her finger working furiously to slow it down. The Wraith had just fed so it was at its strongest, she knew, but it had to – at some point – die.

She moved back quicker knowing the bullets were running out. 'Why won't you die!' She screamed furiously, eyes wide with panic just as the empty clicks began to sound instead of bullets.