Title: Adrift

Author: Lorr

Genre/Rating: General, some humor, some drama

Characters: Weir, Sheppard, Beckett, McKay, Teyla, Ronon, Zelenka

Disclaimer: This sandbox belongs to other people. I'm just here to build castles.

Spoilers: Inferno and Allies, but only in reference to the Orion

Note: This takes place sometime after season two. My thanks again to the lovely people who have reviewed other stories of mine. It is nice to know other people enjoy them.

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It was another one of those interminable nights. Nothing happened at zero-one-hundred hours. The two technicians alternately yawned and tried to concentrate on their duties. It was the quiet that made it difficult to stay awake. It was just so damn quiet. One technician leaned forward to look over the railing at the Gate Room floor. A movement and muffled noise caught his attention. Two on-duty Marines were walking diagonally across, on patrol. He sat down again. His next yawn was interrupted when the Gate began its activation sequence.

"Unscheduled activation! Raising the shield!" The technician hit the shield control as he glanced back at his co-worker. "No-one is due back for at least twelve hours."

They heard heavy footsteps and thuds as the Marine squad assigned to protect the Gate on this watch rushed to their positions. The wormhole opened.

The second technician came around to watch the laptop that displayed the IDCs of off-world expedition members. "It's Dr. McKay's IDC. Lower the shield. I'll call Dr. Weir."

The shield dissolved and seconds later, McKay walked through the event horizon. Almost immediately, Ronon emerged, supporting an obviously limping Col. Sheppard. His long left arm was wrapped around Sheppard, holding him up as the latter barely touched the ground with his right foot. The Colonel's right hand clutched Ronon's shoulder from the back.

A pressure bandage mid-thigh and dark stain running down his trouser leg told part of the story. The rest was explained very quickly.

"…want me to say? Look, I'm sorry! I didn't do it on purpose." McKay was talking as he came through the puddle.

"Hold it a second." Sheppard said through clenched teeth. Ronon stopped. Sheppard gave the P-90 in his left hand to Teyla as she emerged behind them and the Gate shut down. He waved McKay over. "Give it here, Rodney. Hand over your pistol."

"What? Why?" McKay backed up, hand clutching his holstered side-arm. "I told you, it was an accident! I'm sorry!"

Sheppard glanced around at the Marines. He pointed to the nearest one. "Okay, then give it to Sgt. Ramirez."

"Colonel, we need to get you to the infirmary." Teyla passed the two P-90s to another Marine and took Sheppard's left arm.

"That's twice you've shot me, Rodney. Next time, I shoot back." Sheppard glared at the astrophysicist. "And, remember, I'm a good shot."

He nodded at Ronon and they left. The technicians stretched over the railing to watch the group below disappear down the corridor leading to the infirmary. McKay nervously handed his pistol over to the Sergeant as he followed the others, head bowed to avoid onlookers' eyes.

----------

Elizabeth hurried into the infirmary. The scene very briefly described to her in Gate operations had been confusing, at best. She knew the technicians told her only part of the story, including that it appeared the Colonel was injured. Not badly, but he needed to be supported by Ronon. They were very reluctant to say more.

"What happened? Is everyone alright?"

Sheppard was sitting on one of the beds, propped up by the raised bed head. His right trouser leg was slit from hem to hip, exposing a bloody wound mid-thigh, a little towards the outside. He winced as Carson Beckett injected something near the wound. Then, he leaned back to look at McKay, who was sitting on an examination table a couple of beds over. The astrophysicist was facing away and didn't turn when Elizabeth entered. He hunched down a little instead. The Doctor examining him looked at once amused and uneasy.

Teyla and Ronon sat on opposite ends of a nearby exam table. They were watching Beckett working on Sheppard's wound, occasionally glancing over at McKay. Her face was perfectly composed, making it impossible to know what she was thinking. Ronon, on the other hand, had the air of someone expecting, and hoping for, something to happen.

Elizabeth stopped at the end of the Colonel's bed. A nurse deftly inserted an IV into the back of his left hand and taped it in place. She started the flow then quietly turned to Teyla and Ronon and began to take their vitals.

"What happened? Are you okay?" She was only slightly relieved to see everyone calm and unhurried.

"Elizabeth! Sorry to get you up at this time of night. The party ended early." Sheppard smiled wearily at her. He flinched and scowled at the Doctor. "Hey! You could wait for the local to take effect before you go poking around."

"Good morning, Elizabeth. Don't worry, I think they'll all live." Beckett ignored Sheppard's protest as he swabbed the area with a clear solution and draped sterile cloth around it. "Are you sure you want me to do this with just a local?"

The Colonel looked at the wound then at Beckett. "You said the slug wasn't deep. Just get it out. I'm tired and would like to get cleaned up and into bed sometime tonight."

Elizabeth moved closer. "Slug? I take it that means a bullet. You were shot? What happened?"

Sheppard leaned back again to look past Beckett at McKay. "Rodney, would you care to answer that?"

Elizabeth quickly glanced at McKay's back then at Teyla and Ronon, both of whom studiously avoided her unspoken query. She then looked at Beckett. The Doctor just rolled his eyes and went back to work. She turned to Sheppard for an answer, trying to understand what was going on. He just nodded in McKay's direction.

McKay hunched over even more. Teyla and Ronon tried to appear interested in Becket's ministrations or the nurse who was now drawing blood from Ronon's arm. The Doctor proceeded to gently prod Sheppard's leg to see if the anesthetic was taking effect.

"Wait! You were shot. Right?" She held up one hand, looking from Sheppard to Beckett and back again. "Is it serious, Carson?"

Beckett shook his head as he unwrapped the bundle of sterile instruments he would need to make the extraction. "No, the bullet isn't very deep at all and the scan didn't indicate any serious damage."

Elizabeth had a growing, unsettling suspicion from everyone's attitude, but needed an answer. She wanted Sheppard to tell her what happened, but he just shook his head and nodded towards McKay again. Now, she was beginning to lose patience.

"Rodney?" Her tone was slightly threatening.

"We're busy over here." McKay still didn't turn around.

His Doctor stepped back and began to remove his gloves. "We're all done, Dr. McKay."

"Oh, thank you very much." His voice dripped with venom. He sagged even further before sliding off the exam table. After a moment, he straightened and walked around to stand on the other side of the bed Ronon and Teyla sat on. He was still not looking anyone in the eye.

"Rodney, what is going on?" She asked again, trying not to shout. She was watching Sheppard watch Beckett. The Doctor gently touched a blunt instrument around the wound again. When his patient nodded, he picked up another instrument and began to probe for the bullet.

McKay took a deep breath and looked up. He started to speak twice before words would come out. "It was an accident!"

"You…you…Rodney shot you?" She was stunned, and looked from McKay to Sheppard to Teyla and Ronon then back at Sheppard. "What the hell happened?"

"I made the mistake of letting Rodney carry a loaded weapon." Sheppard's voice was preoccupied as he continued to stare while Beckett removed the bullet from his leg. He frowned as blood seeped out of the wound.

Beckett quickly pressed a wad of gauze over the oozing hole. He placed Sheppard's hand on it. "Hold this, please."

"He said he's going to shoot me!" McKay gesticulated in the Colonel's direction.

Elizabeth now felt she understood. She worked hard to keep a straight face and steady voice even though she was quite alarmed that McKay really did shoot the military commander of Atlantis. "You're going to shoot my chief scientist?"

"Well, it's only fair. This is the second time he's shot me. I think I should be able to shoot back if he does it again." Sheppard put on his best offended expression. His leg hurt like hell so he was going to milk this for all it was worth. And, McKay was such an easy mark. He smiled evilly. "Don't worry, Rodney, it'll be quick, and I'll try to make it painless."

"Sheppard's right." Ronon observed dryly. "If it had been me, I would have shot him this time."

McKay stared at Sheppard as he moved closer to Elizabeth for protection. "Carson said it wasn't serious. So did you. I don't see why you're so upset."

"You shot me!" Sheppard blinked incredulously. "Rodney, you were facing the other way and had your eyes closed when you fired!"

"I was just trying to defend myself." The astrophysicist was defensive.

"They were only domesticated herd beasts, Rodney. They were quite tame and would have done you no harm." Teyla's tone held a hint of condescension.

"You never know. They could have stampeded." McKay challenged her.

"Then how did you manage to shoot John?" Elizabeth glared at him. She was serious now. This could have easily ended very badly.

"I…well…uh…I…my…uh…I don't know. My eyes were closed." McKay folded his arms over his chest and hunched over. He suddenly straightened and pointed at Sheppard. "But, he said he's going to shoot me!"

"He's not going to shoot you, Rodney." Beckett looked at him in disgust. He took the gauze out of the Colonel's hand, swabbed the bullet hole with a different solution and placed a wad of fresh gauze over it. He returned the Colonel's hand to hold the gauze in place.

"He isn't?" McKay looked around then at Sheppard, who just raised an eyebrow with a smaller version of the wicked grin. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Rodney, I'm sure." Beckett decided enough was enough. "Okay, ladies and gentlemen. "It's late, and I need my beauty sleep. You three have been checked out and can leave now. I suggest you get some rest."

Sheppard started to swing his legs off the bed. "Thanks, Doc. Want to put a Band-Aid on this?"

"Not you, sonny. You get to stay for the night." Beckett pushed him back. He saw the disappointment on his patient's face. "No arguments."

Sheppard thought for a moment then nodded. He was too tired to argue.

"May I stay for a minute, Carson?" Elizabeth asked.

"Aye, a minute." Beckett searched the tray next to him then started to walk away. "I'll be right back."

"Okay, what happened?" She folded her arms, determined to get a real answer this time.

"We were five or six miles from the Gate. The Wraith had decimated the first village and we were halfway to the second." Sheppard peeked under the gauze and grimaced when he saw blood was still oozing from the wound.

"The Wraith were there?" She was now even more alarmed.

"Don't worry. It was at least a week ago. Anyway, a handful of cattle…well, they kind of looked like cattle…were moving through the brush. Rodney was already jumpy, and…" He waved his left hand at his leg.

Beckett returned with a role of surgical tape. "He's lucky. I saw Rodney shoot like that once. It's truly frightening."

"He's going to be okay, Carson?" Elizabeth hadn't moved.

"I'm fine." Sheppard answered quickly.

"Thank you, Dr. Sheppard." Beckett's tone was mildly sarcastic but softened when he spoke to her. "The wound is minor and should be completely healed in ten to fourteen days."

"Good." She smiled at Beckett then looked at Sheppard with a more serious expression. "John, you really shouldn't tease Rodney like that. You were teasing, weren't you?"

"Yes. I can't very well shoot him, can I?" The Colonel feigned disappointed. "So, my only alternative is to mess with his head a little."

"John, please." She felt like she was dealing with an adolescent.

"Hey, I'm the one with the hole in my leg!"

"I know. And, I'm sure he's very upset it happened. You just shouldn't threaten to shoot back."

"He's quite paranoid enough as it is." Beckett added.

"Okay, okay." He paused for a moment. "I am going to have to do something about his habit of firing blindly, though."

"Please do!" Elizabeth and Beckett responded together. She continued on her own. "That I can happily live with. What do you have in mind?"

He yawned. "Let me think about it."

The Doctor looked at Elizabeth. "Okay, I need to get him settled for the night."

"Thank you, Carson. Goodnight." She smiled at both of them and left.

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McKay attempted to whistle, but only a soft sibilant noise came out. He glanced around before talking. "Hmm. There shouldn't be any problems. The shield will easily protect the city."

"I'm thinking of the Orion, Rodney." Zelenka didn't take his eyes off of the computer screen.

Elizabeth frowned at them then back at the screen. "Why, what's wrong?"

"It's a coronal mass ejection, Elizabeth. It's heading straight for us." McKay responded.

Zelenka turned to her. "And, it's big."

"How big?" She continued to watch an indecipherable graphic on the screen. "Could it damage the Orion?"

"Massive. Look, we don't know if it would cause any damage, but the shield is operational, so it shouldn't be an issue."

"How soon before it gets here?"

"Not more than eight hours." McKay watched the screen. "Maybe less."

"So soon?" Why wasn't it detected earlier?" She was stunned.

"It is coming straight at us from the sun. When that happens, it is more difficult to detect." Zelenka motioned the action he described. "And, we weren't really watching for it."

"No, we weren't." McKay said thoughtfully. He paused for a moment then looked at Zelenka. "Who's on the Orion now?"

"Let's see, there's Gilbert and Park, along with Crosby, Hughes, Prentice and Johnson." Zelenka responded. "Oh, and a couple of Marines."

McKay exhaled heavily. "I'd better get up there and make sure everything's ship-shape. Elizabeth?"

"You all won't be in any danger, will you?" She asked before making a decision. "Should we bring everyone back?"

"No, no. No danger." He suddenly frowned at the suggestion. "Well, there shouldn't be, anyway."

"Not with the shields operational." Zelenka offered.

McKay found his courage again. "And, the shields are operational. There won't be a problem."

"Well, we need that ship. Go." She nodded.

He nodded, only half pleased with her decision. "Okay, I'll take…ah…Yamato, Franks and…Adamsen. Unless you want to come with me, Radek?"

Zelenka shook his head. "No, I will stay here, thank you."

McKay snorted at his friend's trepidation. "Right. I'll get my gear together and be out of here in an hour."

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"Carson, you said yourself it's healing nicely." Sheppard stopped twirling the cane in his hand. He was seated in one of the chairs against the wall in Elizabeth's office. She sat at her desk with Beckett opposite her.

"I know I did. But, you were shot less than thirty-six hours ago." Beckett was exasperated and looked to Elizabeth for assistance.

She agreed. "Carson's right, John. You shouldn't go gallivanting around so soon."

"It's only to the Orion for a few of hours." He was a little impatient. "We'll be back tonight."

Beckett shook his head slowly. "I don't know…

"Don't know what?" McKay appeared in the doorway.

"About John flying you out to the Orion." Elizabeth answered.

McKay instantly became troubled. "Oh, really? You want to come to the Orion with us?"

Sheppard assumed an innocent air. "Yes, Rodney. I wanted to look over the weapons systems again anyway. Is there a problem?"

"No…no problem. I'll…ah…go…get ready." McKay almost squeaked as he pointed towards the Gate Room. He turned and quickly walked away.

"John." Elizabeth said slowly, her voice full of suspicion.

A sly grin appeared on the Colonel's face when he turned back to her and Beckett. "Oh, don't worry. I'll let him off the hook in the Jumper."

Beckett cleared his throat. "I've haven't said you can go yet, laddie."

"Neither have I." Elizabeth warned.

"Oh, come on. I'm fine." His smile faded. He held his fingers to indicate something very small, smaller than the wound. "It's just a little hole."

Beckett looked at Elizabeth and shrugged. "The wound is clean and has begun to heal. I don't suppose it'll hurt."

"Okay, just come back as soon as Rodney gives the all-clear that the Orion is secure." She paused. "And, John…"

Sheppard beamed as he slowly stood up, using the cane for support. "Yes, Ma'am. I promise to behave."

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"You really didn't need to come." McKay looked nervously around the Jumper's cockpit. Sheppard was in the pilot's seat, Teyla behind him and Ronon behind McKay, who was in the second seat. Three technicians sat in the back with two Marines. "None of you. I'm just going to make sure Gilbert and Park have everything under control, that's all."

Sheppard glanced at him. "Rodney, it's okay. All is forgiven."

"Really?" McKay looked hopefully at the Colonel.

Sheppard nodded as he not so subtly moved his walking stick. His voice was smooth as silk. "Sure, it's just a little hole in my leg. And, you didn't mean to, did you?"

Ronon coughed to cover a snort. The men and women in the rear compartment were quiet, straining to hear the conversation. When McKay looked around, Ronon coughed again and cleared his throat. Teyla was composed and completely unreadable. The astrophysicist looked back at Sheppard.

"It was an accident. Honestly." McKay nervously ran on when Sheppard didn't immediately answer. "You have forgiven me, right? You aren't going to shoot me, are you?"

The Colonel shook his head and shrugged. "Course not. Why would I do that?"

"Yes. No, of course not." McKay's voice really did squeak this time. He was afraid to ask which question the Colonel had answered. "Good, good. I'm…uh…happy…uh…happy to hear that."

They fell silent as the Orion loomed out of the darkness. McKay glanced anxiously in the pilot's direction every few seconds. Sheppard slowly flew the Jumper around the great Ancient ship. Besides surveying the repaired damage on the exterior, he loved just looking at her. After completely circling the Orion once, he turned their tiny transport into the Jumper bay they found during the first quick inspection of the ship.

The ramp lowered with a dull clang onto the deck as the solid bay doors slid closed. The Marines and technicians clamored out and went to their assigned projects. Teyla and Ronon moved more slowly, waiting for their team members at the foot of the ramp.

"Rodney." Sheppard turned his seat to look at his friend.

McKay hesitated, unsure whether he should flee or stay. He stayed. "Colonel?"

"You can stop worrying." Sheppard was serious now. "It's okay. I am not going to shoot you."

"Good, good. Okay." McKay started to get up.

"Rodney." Sheppard repeated. "Sit down a minute."

"Okay." He sat down again.

Sheppard leaned forward. "I'm serious. I was pulling your leg."

"Really?" McKay was hopeful.

"Yes. You really think I'd shoot you?" Sheppard managed to keep a straight face.

"Well, no." McKay was a little uncomfortable for a moment then he scowled at the Colonel. "Why?"

"Because it was fun." Sheppard grinned and got up. He picked up his cane and P-90.

McKay followed him out. "That's it, let's all have a laugh while tormenting the geeky guy!"

Sheppard stopped and turned on him. He was not smiling now. "Rodney, it doesn't excuse the fact that you fired your weapon, again, when you weren't watching what you were shooting at. You could have just as easily killed any one or all of us."

Chastised, McKay lost his attitude. "I'm sorry. I can't help it if I panic when I'm faced with imminent danger."

Sheppard decided mentioning the tame cattle wouldn't help as began to hobble away. "I know. Let's see if we can't change that."

"What do you mean?" McKay was suddenly apprehensive. This didn't sound like it was going to be fun.

"Sgt. Mahoney is going to put you through some basic training." He raised an eyebrow at Teyla and Ronon. "And, I'd pay attention if I were you. Mahoney will shoot you."

Sheppard smiled happily as he left the astrophysicist standing in the hatch to the bay. Teyla nodded when she passed him, an enigmatic smile hiding her thoughts. Ronon slapped him on the shoulder and chuckled as he followed her.

----------

Repairs to the Orion had been progressing slowly and carefully. No-one wanted to lose the old warship and her firepower to negligence or haste. Even though they had been working on Atlantis with her complex and extraordinary systems for well over than two years, they were more than anxious about working here. In order to bring the Orion into orbit above Atlantis, systems had been jury-rigged, the repairs made with figurative chewing gum and twine.

McKay blew into the engineering like a tornado. He snapped his fingers at Gilbert. "Okay, we have a massive CME coming our way in a few hours. I need status updates!"

Gilbert and Prentice exchanged sideways glances before picking up datapads to show their work to McKay.

"There's a problem. We need to take the sublight engines offline." Gilbert braced for the response and was very surprised when it didn't come.

"Well, we only need the shields." McKay took his datapad and studied the screen. "What's wrong?"

"We don't know yet, Dr. McKay. There was a minor fluctuation during the power-up sequence. We only found it during the last round of simulations." Prentice replied.

"How minor?" McKay continued to stare at the screen.

"It tops out at about five and a half percent in the second stage. It wasn't there during the initial testing, but we've been increasing the load this week, so…" Gilbert's voice trailed off and he shrugged.

"Damn." McKay tapped on the screen for several seconds then walked over to the panel Gilbert and Prentice had been at when he arrived. He quickly checked their work. After a few minutes of mumbling, he turned and handed the datapad back to Gilbert.

"The trip here must have shaken something loose. Okay, take them offline. We can't afford to do any more damage to this bucket of bolts." McKay looked around. "Where's Park?"

Prentice answered him. "He's started running diagnostics on the bridge with Crosby and Hughes."

McKay left without another word.

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Sheppard chuckled silently to himself again as he, Teyla and Ronon walked down the corridor. They'd spent the last couple of hours in the weapons control room and the armory. Adamsen had gone to the control room with them, but left when they went on to the armory about an hour before.

"You should not tease Dr. McKay in such a manner." Teyla looked up at Sheppard.

The Colonel glanced at her when he stopped at a transporter. He passed his hand over the control.

"Aw, that'd be taking all the fun out of the day." He looked sharply at her. "Have you been talking to Elizabeth? She said the same thing."

"No, but we are obviously in agreement."

Sheppard touched the transporter control. Then a second time. Nothing happened. He limped up the corridor again until he came across one of the multitude of ladders connecting the Orion's decks. Teyla and Ronon followed him up two decks and then along another corridor to a different transporter. It didn't work either. He bit his lip as he tapped the comm in his ear.

"McKay, this is Sheppard."

"Yes, Colonel?" McKay's response had some static.

"Are the transporters offline?"

"No, I just used one. Why?"

"Well, we've found two that aren't working."

"Stand by."

Sheppard waited for all of fifteen seconds. "Damn it. Come on."

Leaning heavily on the walking stick again, he hobbled as quickly as he could, roundly cursing McKay with every step. When he arrived at the between-decks ladder, he waved Teyla and Ronon up first. He hung the cane on the rung as high as he could and moved it up as he climbed.