Chapter 10

On the planet it was only around nine in the evening, but according to Atlantis-time, it was nearly two in the morning. Fortunately the six women on the Athosian planet had made sure they didn't have an early-morning shift. For them morning would start at around nine, giving them enough time to catch up on their sleep.

So it was a relatively tired, but happy group that dialled the stargate. The Athosian children yelled their greetings to different members of the expedition they missed: John, Ronon, Radek... Then the connection was made and the entire clearing lit up with pale blue light. The kids ran around the gate and Laura had to catch one little critter just before he went inside the event horison. Having had the kids living on Atlantis for a while had ensured they did not fear the stargate anymore. To them it was just an exciting ride in either direction.

"Goodbye, Talen," Teyla greeted one kid. "Be good."

"I'm always good!" the child laughed before running off after a friend. Then it was time for the women – and Torren – to go home.

As it always was, the journey home seemed both to last forever and no time at all. From the equipment they were aware the journey took several seconds, but time had little meaning inside the wormhole.

And then they stepped out the other side, almost as if just taking one step in the legendary seven-mile boots. Except the distance was easier calculated in light-years than in miles, though.

Of course the sight that greeted them on Atlantis was not exactly what they had expected. Well, it was true the gate-room and control-room was ordinary enough. But they soon noticed the closed doors of the conference room. Those doos usually stood open this time of night, in case of emergency. And then they heard the unmistakable sound of Ronon's gun.

"What the..." Elisabeth began, already running. Cadman and Teldy was next to her, as well as Sitnalta. Teyla only took a single moment to hand Torren – who instantly began to cry – to Jennifer.

As the doors opened, the women realised they had been needlessly worried. Though in trouble, the men were not under attack by either aliens, alien monsters, alien bugs or even alien illnesses. And the trouble they were in had not reached them up until the moment the women had stepped through the doors.

On one side of the table sat a singing trio – that would explain the eerie noise the women had heard. The two Becketts and Radek were singing – and not even the same song, it seemed. Behind them were numerous scorch marks as Ronon, who sat opposite them, had been shooting at the singing trio. To judge by the marks, though, Ronon's weapon had not been set to 'stun' the whole time. On the end between the two parties sat Rodney, grumbling.

"What language is he speaking?" Sitnalta asked.

"I am not sure," Teyla answered. But most of the rest of the women grinned.

"My dear," Anne Teldy replied, holstering her weapon, "the moment he is not in trouble anymore, have him speak that to you. Any man who can speak French shouldn't hide that fact from the world."

"French?" Sitnalta asked again.

"I'll explain later," Elisabeth promised. Then she frowned. On the other end of the table sat John, looking happy. Then he dumped his cards in front of him, got up and sat down on the seat next to him. Ronon dealt two cards, causing John to frown.

"Doctor Weir, why is Colonel Sheppard playing two sets of cards?" Teyla asked. She only reverted to that formal mode of address when she was really worried – or on duty, of course.

"I am not sure," Elisabeth answered.

Then they heard a snore. The six of them bent down, looking beneath the table. There lay Evan Lorne, snoring peacefully.

"Ladies, I think it is time to get these men to bed," Jennifer said, handing the now-quiet Torren back to his mom. Then she marched up to one of the Becketts, tapped him on the shoulder and frowned, her hands on her hips.

"Oh, hey, love!" the Beckett greeted her, saluting her with a shot of liquor. "We were just playing...umm," he frowned. He looked at the other Beckett. "Carson, what were we playing again?"

Carson grinned at Duncan. "Danny boy?" he wondered. Then he spotted Laura Cadman. "Oh, dear."

Silently the two Becketts got up in unison, causing Radek Zelenka to fall straight back off his seat. "One of these days I'm going to learn Czech," Anne grumbled as she went over to her fallen lover. "Then I can scream at him in his own damn language!"

Jennifer looked back just as she was leaving the room and grinned. "You're going to have to sober him up first!" Which was true: Radek was still singing, apparently unaware he had just landed on the floor.

Anne grimaced. "Can you give me a hand?" she asked Elisabeth.

"Sure," she replied. Fortunately both women were strong, and they easily lifted him back on his seat. Anne slightly slapped him and his eyes finally focussed. He seemed incredibly pleased to see Anne, but he still spoke Czech, so it was just a guess. Anne frowned and Radek suddenly sobered enough to realise the trouble he was in.

"Ah, sorry," he managed in English.

Meanwhile Teyla had gone to Ronon, who was sulking. He was telling her that she should go away. She put on her cool leader's-face and firmly told the huge man:

"Well, you can't stay here the entire night, now can you?"

"I can try," he replied. But even as he said it, he got up and meekly followed in Teyla's wake.

Which left John to Elisabeth. She went to him and sat down in one of his seats.

"I trust you enjoyed yourself," she began. He turned his head sideways and frowned.

"Not particularly, no," he replied. "Some idiot keeps on spiting me!"

"I see," she said, not seeing at all.

"You know what," he suddenly asked. "I am a selfish, arrogant bastard!" he pronounced. But something was wrong. "Or was that an arrogant, selfish bastard? I don't really remember."

"I'm sure it'll work itself out," she said.

"No," he corrected her. "I've been an arrogant, selfish bastard towards you."

This took her by surprise. But he was drunk and she knew drunken-talk was only that: drunken-talk. She patted his hand. "I appreciate that. But perhaps now is a good time to get you to bed." She pulled at his hand and meekly he followed her out of the room. The night for revelry and revelations had ended.

And beneath the table a single, happy snore was heard only by the empty room.