Having just come from the infirmary, John's mood was wavering between happy and regretful. He was happy because…well, that was just his normal demeanor. That, and it was always amusing watching Rodney when he was doped up on morphine. The regret? That spawned from the fact that Rodney was in the infirmary because of him. In all fairness, Rodney was partially to blame.
Two days ago, he and his team had gone to investigate an abandoned Genii facility. It would have been routine if they hadn't run into the weird Slime Creature of Doom. The thing looked like it was straight out of a B-horror flick and was emitting a noxious odor. To make a long story short, John shot, Rodney got in the way and got a nice hole in his thigh for his trouble.
Shoving his hands into his pockets, John headed in the general direction of the control room and Colonel Carter's office. He nodded at a few Marines and fellow USAF members as he strolled leisurely down the hall. He wasn't on duty or anything, so he didn't need to rush to Carter's office. Not that he really rushed…unless his life was on the line. Then by all means, he would rush. No one wanted a flash-fried John Sheppard.
Shaking his head at that imagery, he exhaled slowly and descended the stairs into the control room. Tossing a quick hello to Chuck, he headed across the catwalk to the Colonel's office. Before he even reached the room, he saw that she had someone else in there with her. For a moment, he thought about coming back later, but decided he should talk to her now.
Rapping his knuckles briefly on the wall, he poked his head into the office. "Colonel, you got a minute?" he asked, locking his eyes on the other person in the room.
"Of course, John. Come on in," the woman replied with a smile.
"General O'Neill," John greeted the other with only a hint of surprise in his voice.
"Sheppard. I trust you and your cohorts aren't going to make me go swimming in freezing water to save your asses during my visit?" O'Neill answered in return, looking as bored as ever.
"Wasn't planning on it, sir." John met Carter's eyes and saw the smirk on her lips. Obviously she had heard about the incident with the replicators that landed Wolsey and O'Neill in hot water. Or in this case, landed O'Neill in cold water. Literally.
"Good, cause I didn't bring my trunks."
Colonel Carter clearly decided now was a good time to move things along. "What can I do for your Colonel?" she asked, addressing her 2IC.
"I was just dropping in to say that Lorne and Baker volunteered to come with me and Ronon to check on the Ahyrick settlement this afternoon."
"Fine by me. How is Rodney doing, by the way?" Carter asked with a bit of a grimace.
"Soaring." John grinned. "The amount of morphine Keller has pumped into him can't be safe."
"He's probably much more pleasant that way," Carter joked.
"Less intelligible, anyway."
"Sheppard, go tell Lorne and Baker they can take the afternoon off. Carter and I will go with you," O'Neill interrupted, propping his heels up on the edge of Carter's desk.
One of John's eyebrows rose as he leaned against the wall and waited to see what Colonel Carter's answer would be.
"I can't, sir. I've got lots of stuff to do, and--"
"Bah! Zip it, Carter. Don't make me order you. Besides, I'm sure the city will be safe for an afternoon."
"No offense, sir, but I think that statement qualifies as famous last words," John muttered, distracting the General from Colonel Carter's eager expression. Personally, he wouldn't be able to stand a desk job.
O'Neill just waved a hand vaguely.
"I suppose I will see you this afternoon, Colonel," Carter said in way of dismissal.
John nodded and left the office. He, Ronon, General O'Neill and Colonel Carter going off-world to check on the Ahyrick settlement. Why couldn't he shake the feeling that something really bad was going to happen?