Several people asked me for a sequal to 'Dragons of the Deep' so here it is! If you haven't read the first one please do! Anyway...this one is short and funny so please enjoy!
The Dolittle Device
by Rowana Farrin
"Have you seen Jamie this mornin'?"
Dr. McKay put down his tools with an exasperated sigh. "No, Carson I haven't seen your precious lizard. Now will you please go? I'm right in the middle of a delicate experiment."
Dr. Beckett rolled his eyes, but left to search elsewhere. McKay turned back to his work. He finally felt he was close to learning more about this Ancient device and he was in no mood for interruptions. Especially to look for annoying pets.
The device itself was about two feet square with rounded corners. On one side was a space for placing a hand, and the opposite side was open as if to put something inside. Every time he put his hand on it it lit up, but nothing more ever happened. The only thing he had been able to determine from the Ancient text was that it was used for communication, but he still didn't know what kind.
He tapped his fingers in impatience and checked the data on his laptop again. He was too distracted to notice the small green form that slithered into the lab.
x x x
In the weeks since his premature birth, Jamie the sea dragon had grown to nearly four times his original size. Even so, he was still much smaller than his kindred, who still lived in the Ancient's underwater base. He was, at times, more loyal than a dog, and would follow Carson around or ride on his shoulder. At other times, he had the independence of a cat and the curiosity to match. He would explore every inch of Atlantis he could reach and usually ended up leaving little surprises when he left.
Today was a "cat" day.
After his usual breakfast of meat and fish, Jamie proceeded to sneak out of the infirmary without being noticed. He had wandered around several hallways, before finding McKay's lab. The labs were his favorite places, because they were always filled with new and fascinating things to investigate.
Today was no different. There, on the table, was a new box that immediately spark his interest. The only problem was that the human Rodney was fiddling with it. He didn't like Rodney, mostly because he was sure that the man didn't like him. But his curiosity was too much and he began to sneak around the room, searching for a way to see closer.
Using his razor sharp claws, he climbed up to the surface of the table. While, Rodney was distracted, he slipped inside the device. It was cool and dark inside and just big enough so that it was not uncomfortable. Jamie decided that it would be the perfect place to take a short nap. So he curled up in a tight circle and started to doze off.
x x x
McKay stared at the screen in frustration. The device seemed to be getting enough power, but it still hadn't done anything of interest. Feeling defeated, he decided to give it one more try before moving on to one of the other things he had to figure out. He put his hand in place and began to concentrate on turning the device on.
As he had expected, it lit up, but this time it was brighter than ever. A tiny shock spread from his hand to the rest of his body, causing him to yank it back in surprise. At that moment, a blue-green blur shot out of the device so fast that it crashed into a pile of equipment. The precarious stack tumbled down in a heap accompanied by a series of frightened shrieks and screeches.
Hurt! Afraid!
McKay shock his head in confusion. Was he imagining things, or had someone just spoken? 'Nah. No one else is here.' He went towards the noises and reached out a hand. He immediately regretted it, as several very sharp teeth sank into his hand.
"Yeow!" He pulled his hand back, tearing the skin further in the process. He clutched his now bleeding appendage and glared at the culprit. "You nasty, ungrateful, little monster!"
The creature hissed, his golden eyes flashing, and backed further away into the debris.
Meany!
Was it just him, or had the lizard actually insulted him? 'Now I must be going crazy.' He reached for his radio with his uninjured left hand. "Carson."
"What is it, Rodney?"
"Your pet terror bit me!"
"Oh, you found Jamie then?"
"Yes! Now would you please get him out of here!"
"Alright, I'm comin'. Don't get yerself into a tizzy."
x x x
Minutes later, Dr. Beckett arrived with a curious Lt. Ford in tow. The young soldier liked to help with the occasional lizard hunt, because he thought the little creature was really neat. Dr. McKay was sitting on the table, clutching his bloody right hand and glaring hatefully at the far corner.
"It's about time you got here!" he said irritably.
"What happened to your hand?" Beckett asked, ignoring the other man's tone.
"What do you think happened! That beast is what!"
"Jamie? He wouldn't hurt anyone, you must have startled him." He reached for McKay's hand. "Let me have a look."
"Him startled! What about me!" He winced as Carson examined the bite. "I bet it's permanently damaged," he sad mournfully.
"Don't be so dramatic, Rodney. It's only a few punctures. It should heal in no time." He pulled a roll of gauze from his coat pocket and started to bandage the wound.
Meanwhile, Lt. Ford had been investigating the room, but he hadn't been able to find Jamie. "Are you sure he's in here?"
McKay rolled his eyes. "No, the table decided to take a chunk out of my hand. Of course he's here!"
Ford shrugged and started to move boxes and objects around to get a better look.
Hide! Escape!
"Did you say something?" McKay asked.
The other two looked at him strangely. "No," Ford answered. "Why?"
"Never mind. It's nothing." He shook his head in an attempt to clear it. 'Maybe I should be getting more sleep.'
"Well, come by tomorrow morning so I can check on that hand," Beckett told him, before going to help the Lieutenant. "Come on wee Jamie," he called sweetly. "Come on out."
Mommy!
Jamie crawled obediently from the corner and climbed up Beckett's arm to his shoulder. McKay stared at him in disgust, trying to ignore what he'd just heard. Jamie glared back.
Safe. Meany.
McKay gaped at him as the they left the room. 'I really do need more sleep,' he thought.
x x x
For once, Rodney did what he was told. He arrived in the infirmary early the next morning, hoping that the beast was already gone. No such luck. Jamie was sitting on one of the counters when he walked in. The creature ignored him, and thankfully, no more words popped into his head. 'Maybe I was imagining it after all.'
Dr. Beckett walked in carrying a small bowl of meat and fish. "Good morning, Rodney. Just let me feed Jamie and I'll see to your hand." Jamie's eyes lit up at seeing the bowl. He reared on his hind legs, swaying in anticipation.
Hungry! Food!
McKay groaned. 'So much for my imagination.' Carson look at him with concern, as he set the bowl in front of Jamie, who immediately started gorging himself. "What is it?"
He sighed. 'No point in denying it any longer.' "I've been hearing voices," he admitted reluctantly. "Or rather a voice."
"Since when?"
"Since yesterday."
Beckett frowned. "What kind of voices?"
Before he could answer, Lt. Ford and Major Sheppard walked in. "There you are," the Major said cheerfully. "The briefing starts in 5 minutes." He stopped when he saw the looks on their faces. "What? What'd I miss?"
"McKay here, has been hearing voices," Beckett stated before McKay could say anything.
"Voices?" Sheppard repeated.
"Like from ghosts or something?" Ford asked.
"No!" McKay snapped. He was beginning to regret bringing it up. "It's only one or two words at a time. Like feelings and such." The others looked skeptical. "Look just forget it, alright! I knew you wouldn't believe me!" He started to leave.
Sheppard stopped him. "No, we do believe you. Considering all that's happened, strange voices aren't that farfetched. Now, when did this start?"
McKay resigned himself to tell them, and started to explain. "Yesterday. Jamie messed with something in my lab and ever since I've been hearing this voice in my head. And it's almost as if..." He stopped, reluctant to admit the rest.
"As if what?"
"As if he were talking." McKay pointed at the lizard, who was just finishing his breakfast.
"Jamie!" Carson burst out.
McKay threw up his hands in frustration. "I know! It's crazy!"
Sheppard was more accepting. "What did he mess with?"
"Just an Ancient communication device I was working on."
"Could that have caused this?" Ford asked.
McKay shook his head. "The text said it was used for communication. I doubt it has anything to do with this. It doesn't make sense."
"Why couldn't it have meant communication with animals?"
They all looked at the Lieutenant in surprise. "It was just an idea," he said defensively.
"But it's a brilliant idea!" McKay shouted. "It's so simple only you could've thought of it." He immediately began to think about possible tests and applications, while a confused Ford tried to work out whether he had just been insulted or complimented.
Sheppard patted the younger man on the back to reassure him. "Good job, Ford."
"Thank you, sir."
"I think we should leave the man to his work. I don't think we'll be able to drag him away now that he's on to something. We can tell Weir that his hand is bothering him." Ford nodded and the two men sneaked away before they could be contracted to help with any of McKay's wild experiments.
McKay barely noticed them leave. All of a sudden his misery had turned to delight at the thought of a new discovery. Forgetting his hand entirely, he started to lay out his plans for further experiments on the device.
"Carson! Your not busy, are you? Bring Jamie to my lab, I want to see if I can get that thing to work again."
"Oh no. I'm not getting involved in another of your experiments. And if you want Jamie's help,you can ask him yerself." He fled into his office and started to work on some tests of his own.
"Come on, Jamie." McKay started towards the little creature. "Help me out here."
Jamie backed up hastily. No!
"I'm not gonna hurt you!" he implored.
Jamie bolted off the table and out the door, almost too fast to see.
"Hey! Come back!" McKay started to give chase, but it was hopeless. Jamie was long gone. Only the voice remained, echoing in his head.
Run Away!
The End