CHAPTER TWO: Lunchtime Conversations

The Cafeteria was busy but Lieutenant Jenkins still managed to find an empty table. It was not that she was an anti-social person, she just had several things she wanted to look over while she ate and time would be wasted on small talk if she shared a table. That however did not stop her from taking note of everything that was happening around her. At the table behind her a couple of Japanese analysts were discussing the best way to access the ancient database and convert it to a user friendly program. They seemed pretty excited about something.

Across from her a couple of young soldiers were talking about the latest American Football League. They obviously supported different teams and were debating the benefits of both. After something that his friend said the Latino soldier let fly with a string of curses that would make a normal person blush. Kayjay smiled as she stared at her laptop screen, currently showing the details behind the Puddle Jumper's inertial dampeners, wondering if the other soldier had a clue about what had just been said. A quick glance at his dumbfounded expression confirmed that he had no clue; the frown suggested he got the gist however. She chuckled quietly taking another bite of her chicken salad and going back to her research.

Kayjay had been on Atlantis several days now in which time she had been run pretty ragged. The additional training and orientation were not as easy as one would have would have thought and she had not yet been able to prove herself to Lorne. Of course driving the Puddle Jumper into the wall during her first lesson had not exactly helped. She had another lesson this afternoon and was determined to prove that she could handle the machine. It was one of the reasons she was currently reviewing the schematics and notes on the Jumpers. As a mechanical engineer she often found it easier to control things when she had an idea of what made them function.

Kayjay had just gotten to the section on the shields when a shadow fell over her. She looked up in slight surprise as Ronon, the large Satedan, sat down almost opposite her. She looked at him curiously for a few seconds after all in all her time here the two of them had never said two words to each other. She had seen him around the halls and watching the sparring at the gym, but she would have been surprised if he even knew who she was. Seeing as though he did not say anything to her and set about digging into his food Kayjay assumed he had just been looking for an empty seat and went back to her studying. As she munched on her salad she was beginning to get a gist of what exactly made the Puddle Jumpers work.

"So are you a combater or not?"

Kayjay paused taking a couple of moments to realise that the Satedan had actually spoken to her. "Excuse me?" She asked moving her eyes from the computer to look at the man across from her.

"He said you did not know combat, but I have seen you fight. You seem to know how to hold your own to me," Ronon stated between mouthfuls of food.

Kayjay just looked at him as she tried to understand what he was saying. It was not exactly cryptic but came from so far left field that she was struggling to keep up. 'He said you did not know combat'. Okay so was that Lorne? That would make sense and would explain why Lorne had a thing against her. One thing she had noticed about the soldiers here was that they did seem to have more than one tour of duty on the frontline. Something she could not exactly claim. Her one tour of accidental frontline had been cut short. However there was definitely a difference between combat and what she did in her sparring sessions. She smiled at Ronon, "I have studied Tae Kwan Do since the age of eleven, so I know something about fighting." She replied, "However I have only been on the front line once and it did not end so well."

"But you are still alive."

"Okay so it did not go badly but I did not come away unscathed." She popped in a piece of cucumber and considered Ronon thoughtfully. "But you would know something about fighting so you should understand what I mean about the difference between sparring and combat."

Ronon nodded but did not say anything. A knowing smile however slipped onto his features. "You should fight with me."

Kayjay almost choked on her last bit of chicken. "Is that a suggestion or an order, sir? 'Cause if it's a suggestion than thanks but my skin tone doesn't look so good in black and blue."

Ronon maintained the stony expression he usually portrayed, "I am not that bad."

Kayjay gave a small smile that got larger when she heard another reply coming up from behind her. "Tell that to the Marines that end up in my med bay."

Jennifer Keller, Atlantis' Chief Medical Officer sat down in a char next to Kayjay. Dr. Keller had been one of the few people that had been incredibly friendly to her since her arrival, but then she seemed to be friendly with everyone. At this point in time however she was giving Ronon a pointed look, the smile on her lips however negated any bad feelings.

"I can't help it if they don't learn," Ronon said with a soft smile at the doctor.

Keller just rolled her eyes causing Kayjay to laugh.

A couple of tables away Evan Lorne looked up at the sound of laughter. His eyes narrowed ever so slightly when he saw from where it was emitted. It was enough however for John Sheppard who was sitting opposite him to notice. He glanced over his shoulder and then back at the major. "Still don't like her?"

Lorne looked at Sheppard with a neutral expression. "Why does everyone think I dislike her?"

"If you are talking Lieutenant Jenkins then you do seem to be pushing her a bit more than the others. Shame, nice enough girl for a soldier and seems interested in the science behind things, which is unusual for one of your kind." This contribution was from Rodney McKay who was sitting down next to Sheppard with a tray full of food for two people. He looked at Sheppard's plate. "They had cake? I didn't see any cake. Are you going to eat that?"

Sheppard automatically put his hand over his slice of cake but did not look at McKay, his gaze remaining on Lorne. "Despite Mr. Babble over here going on and on . . ."

"Hey!" Exclaimed Mckay and again he was ignored to which he mumbled to himself.

". . . He was right about you being slightly tougher on Jenkins then some of the other new people." Sheppard finished.

"I am not." Lorne declared defensively then frowned slightly, thinking, "Am I?"

Sheppard just gave him a small pointed look causing Lorne to review his actions.

"Is she that far behind the others?" Asked McKay in between shovelling food into his expanding mouth.

"No, she completed every task she's been set and then some." Lorne paused before clarifying, "I mean she doesn't exactly excel at everything but she holds her own without complaint."

"Is she insubordinate?" Queried Sheppard.

"No, other than that first day. She knows her place and is quite respectful." He gave a small smile despite himself. "She throws in the odd humours observational comment, but it's not insubordinate."

"Almost sounds like you like her," McKay said with a smirk to which Lorne's frown returned.

"I would not go that far. Fact is I could name ten to twenty soldiers that could do just as good a job as she, maybe even better."

"Yes but do they have 'the Gene'?" Sheppard asked putting down his fork from his main and moving his cake further out of McKay's reach.

"For all the good that's done her," growled Lorne, "She crashed a Jumper."

"That was her!" Exclaimed McKay and then muttered something that sounded like, "No wonder she wanted the working plans of the jumpers.""

Sheppard rolled his eyes already knowing what had happened as he had been there. Besides it was not really a crash more of a drag against the wall. Sheppard however had seen the moment of fear before the accident and the way Jenkins had handled the situation afterward. "And Beckett almost blew up the General and I, he did not turn out so bad." Lorne had to concede that point about their old friend. He still did miss the doc.

Sheppard pressed a hand to his earpiece obviously receiving a message. "Understood I'll be right their Colonel." He snatched up his piece of cake and looked at Lorne. "She's been here four days. I'm sure she'll prove herself soon enough. We've just got to give her a chance or put her in a position where she'll shine."

Lorne sighed. Maybe he was being too tough on Jenkins. "Understood Sir," he replied as Sheppard left the table and the cafeteria. Evan glanced over to Jenkins' table only to see that she too had left the table, he quickly scanned the cafeteria but she must have left that too.

"You keep looking for her like that and people will think you like her," smirked Rodney.

"Shut up McKay," was Lorne's lame comeback as he threw his fork on his tray and got ready to leave.

Authors Notes: I wish to thank everyone for their reviews. I promise not to take so long getting the next part up. I promise there will be some more action in this one ;). Also more about Kayjay's past will be revealed as the story progresses. As always I appreciated constructive critism.