THE ARRIVAL
Dec. 14, 2005
"Chevron seven is locked."
Brady Thatcher looked back at General Landry, Cam Mitchell, and Walter Harriman, giving a small wave.
"Give 'em hell, Brady," Cam said.
"Good luck," said Daniel Jackson as he watched her walk up the ramp. He noticed her hesitation as she eyed the shimmering wormhole. "Relax. If you need anything, I'm just a wormhole away."
Brady nodded and took a deep breath. She approached the wormhole and shook a lock of dark red hair out of her eyes before straightening her shoulders and clenching her eyes shut. She'd traveled by Stargate more times than she could count, but she still hadn't mastered stepping into the wormhole with her eyes open. She emerged on the other side with a slight stumble. Warm hands and a friendly smile greeted her as John Sheppard reached out to steady her.
"Easy Dr. Thatcher," he said lightly as she straightened.
"Brady," she corrected automatically.
"Well, Brady...welcome to Atlantis."
"Thanks," she said, returning his smile.
"So the word around the SGC is that you're the next best thing to having Dr. Jackson around," Sheppard said as he took her pack.
"Um...yeah, I guess," Brady said absently, looking around. "This place is...wow..."
"Yeah, it is," Sheppard said. "Come on," he added with a jerk of his head. "I'll show you your quarters and then introduce you to the team."
"There's only one?" Brady asked, and then shook her head as she brought her eyes back to Sheppard. "Sorry. Dumb question. I really am brilliant," she added with a shy grin. "It's just...this place is awesome."
"Well I'm glad you like it," he replied. "Let's just hope the feeling stays after you've met McKay."
"Dr. Thatcher, nice to see you again."
Brady shook the outstretched hand and smiled at Elizabeth Weir. "Dr. Weir. Thanks for having me."
"Please sit," Weir said, indicating a chair at the table.
Brady glanced around the room. Sheppard and Weir visited SGC semi-frequently to give their reports, so she was somewhat acquainted with them. The rest of the members of Alpha team were strangers to her.
Brady's gaze flitted from one face to another—Weir, Sheppard, the petit woman across from her, the friendly-looking blue-eyed man to her left, and the sullen face of a man who she immediately recognized as Rodney McKay. Sam Carter had warned her that McKay was somewhat of an acquired taste. She planned to ignore his inevitable hostility.
"Ok, well this is fun," Sheppard said as the silence stretched. He leaned on the table and crossed his arms. "Brady, this is Teyla," he said pointing at the woman across the table. "She's a newly acquired friend of ours."
Teyla bowed her head slightly in greeting which Brady reciprocated.
"Carson Beckett," Sheppard continued, laying a hand on the shoulder of the man to her left. "Resident Chief of Medicine. I always feel so intellectual when I say that," he added with a wink at Brady.
"Pleased to meet you," Beckett said with a shake of Brady's hand.
A little bit of Brady's heart melted as she heard him speak with his thick Scottish accent. She smiled politely. "Nice to—"
"I'm sorry," McKay interjected, waving his hand and shaking his head. "But I cannot possibly be the only person here who thinks it is ridiculous that 'Dr.' Jackson," he said with air-quotes, "sent this...infant...to act as linguist on this expedition. I mean, no offense, but the girl's younger than Ford was. There's no way she's adequately qualified in knowledge of alien dialects."
Brady heard the door behind her slide open, but she didn't turn around to investigate. Instead, she kept her gaze steadily on McKay.
"McKay," Sheppard began with a sigh.
"First of all, 'the girl' has a name," Brady began, unruffled by McKay's rudeness. She stood so that she wouldn't feel so much like something under a microscope. "Second, I am above and beyond capable to complete any assignment you give me. I've been off-world with SG-1 on numerous occasions, not to mention the other SG teams."
"What'd I miss?"
Brady jerked her startled gaze toward the deep voice behind her. She looked up—and up—into the face that stared down at Sheppard.
"Ah, Ronon," Sheppard said, patting the giant on the back. "We're just introducing Brady to the team. Brady, this is Ronon. Ronon, Brady. She's—"
"The new language specialist," Ronon said. "Yeah, I heard. Is there a problem?" he asked, scowling at Brady.
Her mouth snapped shut with a click. "No. It's…well, I mean…you're huge. I'm sorry," she apologized, blushing. "I wasn't expecting you're overall…giantness…when I looked back."
"And I'm supposed to work with this woman?" McKay demanded. "Shouldn't you be at the mall or something?" he asked Brady.
"Ok, Mr. Condescension," Brady said with a slight frown. "Yes, I'm younger than the average member of the Brain Trust. However, need I remind you that while you were off being all sciency in the Great White North—before you even knew the SGC existed—I was deciphering alien texts to help battle the Goa'uld. I've been studying language samples that Dr. Weir sent back to the SGC from some of the planets you guys have been to. Oh, and I've been tutored in Ancient by Dr. Jackson," she said, stressing the title. "So I am very well versed in that subject as well."
"And, if I remember correctly, you aren't," Sheppard said to McKay.
Rodney shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Yes, well...as long as she stays out of my lab, I don't see that we will have a problem."
"It makes him feel better to pretend to have some control over the personnel," Beckett whispered.
"Brady, I've got a list of texts you can start with," Weir said, standing and gathering her things. "Now that you're acquainted with everyone, Teyla will show you around. Welcome to the team."
"One more nerd to babysit off-world," Ronon grumbled as they shuffled out of the meeting room.
"Where'd you learn 'nerd'?" Sheppard asked as he passed.
"Cadman calls McKay that all the time. She said it is nicer than what she could call him."
"Eh...still, people don't really like being called nerds. It makes them feel bad," Sheppard explained.
Ronon shrugged unrepentantly.
"Technically it isn't a bad label," Brady said, having overheard the discussion. "I mean, the definition of nerd is an intelligent but single-minded person obsessed with a nonsocial hobby or pursuit. So actually it is a pretty fitting description. For me, anyway."
"You do not care that a complete stranger just insulted you?" Teyla asked.
"Well...not really, no. I'm sorta used to it."
Ronon looked over his shoulder at her and grunted, obviously not finding it hard to believe. Brady smiled.
"Anyway, big guy, I won't be needing a babysitter. I've got lots of field experience."
Ronon stopped and turned to her, crossing his arms over his chest.
"You ever been in a forest so thick you can't see anything around you, being chased by creatures that want to stick you in a cocoon and suck the life force out of you with their hand?"
"Um...no. I haven't," she admitted. "But I've been in a forest so thick I couldn't see anything around me, being chased by Jaffa who wanted to kill and revive me over and over, and eventually put a snake in my brain."
"It's not the same thing," Ronon said.
"But it's still not a fun time," Brady countered.
Ronon opened his mouth to speak, but instead cast a quick glance at Sheppard and turned on his heel, heading toward the gym.
Brady chewed on her bottom lip as she watched the warrior stride away.
"Well ladies, looks like this is where we part ways," Sheppard said. "Enjoy the tour. See you at dinner."
"Do not let Ronon's hostility intimidate you," Teyla said as she led Brady down the corridor. "He doesn't dislike you."
"What makes you say that?" Brady asked.
"He did not stun you," Teyla replied with a smile. Brady chuckled nervously.
"The members of the Alpha team are good people. Some are more...difficult than others, but they have good hearts," Teyla said. She paused and eyed Brady carefully before nodding. "You will fit in well."
