Author's Notes: I'm currently working on a multi-chapter fic, in which we get to know Naina better. I hope it will turn out the way I want it to. Until then, enjoy this piece that I've written a little over a year ago.
The stuff written in italics is the actual dialogue from the episode.
Evan was half an hour late to dinner and I started to get irked. He had never stood me up before and I hoped for him he'd have a good reason for it. Flesh wound, being attacked by a Wraith, Eratus bug incident, that sort of thing. The last time I had spoken to him he was in what Sheppard and McKay called "The Game Room", so I was on my way there. Suddenly, I heard footsteps behind me. When I turned around, I saw Dr Weir approaching.
"Good evening, Dr Weir."
She smiled and replied, "Same to you. Where are you headed?"
"On my way to 'The Game Room'", I answered, using two fingers as quotation marks, "I hope to find Major Lorne there."
"I'm headed there as well. Dr Zelenka stood me up. He wanted to report whatever else he would found out about that room."
Suddenly I got the feeling that we would both be finding what - or rather who - we were looking for.
My gut feeling was confirmed when we entered the Ancient lab. Sitting across from each other, Evan and Radek were wildly discussing something, almost fighting.
"What are you talking about? It's a perfectly reasonable request!", Evan said, standing up from his chair.
"Oh yeah, perfectly reasonable, yeah", Radek replied sarcastically, "I give you all of my food and my people starve to death."
"I'm not asking you to give up all your food."
"That was your request!"
Elizabeth sighed and crossed her arms in front of her chest. I really couldn't believe what I was seeing: my mentor and my boyfriend arguing with each other about a game. This was definitely not on the list of things I expected. It took a lot of effort for me not to start to laugh.
"I did say, that we would make a deal", Evan said, standing up and pointing at the Czech scientist, who was standing up as well.
"A deal. Oh yeah. Baskets."
"BIG baskets! Two dozen of them, hand-woven and very nice!"
"Very nice. What am I gonna put in? Certainly not food!"
Evan shifted on his feet, ready to respond. "You know what? I think you're holding out on me. I think you have plenty of food. "
"Are you calling me a liar?"
Elizabeth looked at me. She was speechless, surprised and maybe a little bit angry.
"No, I think you're trying to squeeze me for a better deal", the Major explained, using his hands to underline his intentions, "that's what I think."
Radek's eyes widened. "Oh, I have nothing to hide!"
"Okay, okay, maybe I'll send some of my Army troops down and we'll have a look."
I could see from Dr Weir's face that she had about enough. Anger flared up in her eyes when she decided to interrupt the two men.
"What the hell are you two doing?", she shouted in order to be heard.
Startled, both men turned and looked like we just caught them stealing from the cookie jar. Evan immediately shifted back into military mode and straightened his posture, hands behind his back.
"I thought I gave specific orders to stay away from this device."
"Yes. Yes, you did." Radek's response was barely audible.
"We just saw that there were some people in trouble and we thought that maybe we could...uh...help...", Lorne explained, looking at Radek for support. Of course they wanted to help, but disobeying Elizabeth's orders didn't help the two men any bit.
"No, no more help. Clearly we are not qualified. Now turn this thing off, disconnect the power and seal the room."
"Yeah, okay but we..."
"Now." That one word was packed with intensity and authority, getting Radek and Evan to do as they were ordered immediately.
Elizabeth turned to leave, but put a hand on my shoulder briefly before exiting the Game Room. Which left me and the boys to our own devices.
Having shut down the computers and the Ancient devices, they looked at me sheepishly.
"We were really helping those people", Evan explained and walked closer to me, "we grew them food so they wouldn't starve to death."
"That's one hell of an excuse", I said, grinning from one ear to another, still trying not to burst out into laughter, "but still, I was afraid you two would start pulling each other's hair!"
"I don't think we would've done that."
"Oh, believe me, it certainly looked that way from my point of view."
Radek and Evan looked at each other, a disbelieving look on their faces, their brows furrowed as they shrugged their shoulders.
"It only looked that way, because the Doc here doesn't appreciate the baskets I was offering him."
"Oh, I heard", I replied, a little sarcasm in my voice, "two dozen AND hand-woven. You are very generous, Major."
"Told you." Radek's voice came closer as he approached us, having a victorious look on his face.
Evan rolled his eyes. "You just don't appreciate the art of hand-crafted stuff."
"I do, when it's edible and filling my population's needs."
Again, they faced each other and I had the feeling, that if I wouldn't break it up now, they'd continue where they had left off.
"Alright, you two, play nice. It's just a game."
"We know. I just think someone needs to tell Major Lorne that empty baskets don't help against starvation."
"You could always sell them elsewhere", said Major retorted, "or trade them for food."
Again, I held myself back from laughing, because - besides the fact I was facing the Seconds in Command of the military and the science contingents - they were grown man, who seemed to have had fun in playing a game which took a wrong turn when their ambitions and compulsion to be the best got the better of them.
They looked at me expectantly, both sure that I would take their sides, but I had to take the wind out of their sails. "Ohhhh no, nononononono. You are not going to get me to choose sides."
"Why not?", Evan asked, stepping a little closer to me, his eyes shimmering in the nicest shade of blue and an irresistable smile on his lips.
Oh dear.
I took a step back, making my neutral position clear to both of them. "Because Radek's my boss and mentor and you and me are together. That being said, keep me out of this."
"Oh come on", Radek encouraged, "we won't be angry with you."
I had the bad feeling that they wouldn't let it go. I needed an exit strategy. Right now.
"I'm hungry, anybody joining me for dinner?"
"You're changing the subject." Oh, for God's sake. That low voice of Evan's had always given me goose bumps.
Suddenly, Elizabeth's retreat didn't seem like such a bad idea. I started walking backwards towards the door. "Am not, but I...uh...I have to go."
With that, I turned and walked out of the room, ignoring the men's calls to wait for them. I mean, really. If I hadn't gotten out the minute I did, I would've gotten in trouble. Boys and their games. I shook my head and made my way to the Mess Hall. Eating alone it was. The only decisions I'd have to make would be the choice of food and the food that didn't land on my plate would certainly not be mad at me for not choosing it.