Note: Sorry for the delay in posting new chapters these last weeks – with chasing house purchasing, a cold, and the political events here in the UK, it's been a tad busy.
I'm glad that people enjoyed the Sam/Jack ship in the last chapter – I've been waiting awhile to add that :)
For the delay in posting, I am putting up two new chapters this evening. Hope you all enjoy them – let me know.

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Chapter 11 – The Preparations for Reunion

Elite Training Facility

The hatch of the small transport craft slid aside, revealing the way into the interlinked transport lobbies of the Training Facility. It had a been a short journey from the Portal, and one that Oneakka had sat through silently, letting the Recruit pilot sweat nervously as he performed an excellent flight here. The Recruit had slid the craft through a near perfect docking procedure into one of the myriad of craft ports along the transport lobbies of the Facility, into which the craft's hatch opened.

Oneakka strode through the open hatch without pause.

Clearly news of his arrival had preceded him, as Recruits were already turning away and lowering their eyes, attempting to scatter without appearing to be doing so.

A scarce few of them managed to hold their ground, chins lifted and followed with respectful nods, but the fear was always obvious to Oneakka.

It was hardly new for him.

He had no interest in people fearing him – unless it helped get something done. He had no interest in what people thought of him, and the Recruits only feared him because they feared him testing them in the training sessions. He had no interest in consoling Recruits' feelings – they were here to dedicate their lives to battling Wraith. If they weren't strong enough, weren't determined enough, then best to find out now and not on the battlefield where their weakness would get them and/or others around them killed.

Turning up randomly to training sessions was a vague pastime hobby, one he did to check on training standards and as something to do between missions. It had been a while since he'd last visited here, and that fact had probably added to the fear response of the Recruits.

And that he had arrived the day after a group of Recruits had decided to do something particularly stupid.

Recruits did stupid things from time to time, after all they were all hyper confident and determined individuals by selection, so some conflicts and differences of opinion happened on occasion. He'd been involved in a couple such events during his own training years, but never had Recruits attacked a member of the Facility's staff before.

Fights among the Recruits was almost expected and often helped identify the dangerous and the susceptible alike. Cornering a staff member and attacking her en mass had not happened before now and had been dealt with decisively by Massa and Maja already.

Oneakka had suspected the Recruits would react poorly to Seeal's arrival in the Facility, and had predicted a possible confrontation or two, but he hadn't predicted his own response to the news of what had happened.

He'd been enjoying the last day and a half on Mil Hub. He'd finally started to relax and burn off the excess distracted energy that had been bothering him the last couple of weeks. He'd used the station's gyms, sparred with military personnel, swum twice a day in the long leisure pool, and he'd spent the last two evenings eating home cooked late meals with Pampata and Piye.

At first he'd felt somewhat uncomfortable with the invitations, but he had really enjoyed their willingness to just sit and talk over a meal, to laugh and recount stories together. The ease had no doubt also been due to Pampata's decision that his and her casual sexual relationship was at an end, and he was surprised at his easy acceptance of the decision. Pampata would always be one of his closest friends and spending two evenings with her for just her company and nothing else had been relaxing. It had also been clear that Piye had been informed of the change in their relationship, and Pampata's lover was greatly relieved. She had been the more gracious and friendly than ever before – clearly no longer seeing him as competition. Without the sexual component anymore, he'd just been a guest for late meals, and the three of them had talked every subject possible. He'd enjoyed the company more than he'd expected, and the women's happy and non-military company had soothed something inside him.

Then Massa's call had come in this morning.

Oneakka had toyed with the idea of not getting involved – Massa and Maja were in charge in the Facility and he didn't need to get involved.

Except he felt a strong compulsion to see the recording of the fight, to see how Seeal had behaved, to comfort himself that he had been right that she was trustworthy. Massa had finally reported that she'd behaved herself impeccably while working in the Facility – which Oneakka found slightly suspect. She was not usually a woman who kept her head down and stayed quiet.

Except that was what she had done on Dreamstation; she had kept the peace, but buried her head in the dirt away from the reality of what the visitors on Dreamstation were doing.

That he had found some common ground between Dreamstation and the Training Facility had annoyed him. He would defend the Elite and their Recruits always, but that she had been attacked on what should have been safe territory for her...

It angered him from a deep place inside.

Massa had reported that she hadn't started the fight, in fact, as she always did in Oneakka's experience, she had warned her attackers off first. However, the woman seemed destined to find trouble everywhere she went.

Part of him wanted to just let that fact exist, while another, worryingly loud part of him, wanted to go and find the Recruits responsible and have a little 'talk' with them himself.

He wouldn't do that though, because a part of him worried that he wouldn't stay in control if he did. The woman had gotten under his skin, and that was dangerous. For example right now as he walked through the clean hallways of the Facility, he was acutely aware that Seeal was in the same base. She could appear around any corner at any moment, and a stupid part of him kept nervously clocking any female with dark hair that came into view, even if only in his peripheral vision. Each female caused a sharp adrenaline based reaction inside him, and as each one turned out not to be her there was a strange relieved disappointment that followed.

This was exactly why he had been keeping his distance from her. It shouldn't matter to him, and especially not to his nervous system, whether one particular female was in the same base as him.

He was an Elite.

Except, Pampata had been right about one particular fact: He didn't run away from anything.

He'd realised this morning that it wasn't Seeal he was avoiding, not really, it was his own reactions and lack of control that bothered him.

So, here he was, facing the reactions and heading towards the Security central hub within the Facility. He would check in with Maja, watch the recording of the fight and make sure that Seeal was innocent in the fight and unharmed from it.

Then he would focus back on his own work. Robiah had been sending him the latest research results from the Toshka and Dreamstation databases, but it was clear that the Division agents and investigators had hit something of a few dead ends. Robiah had requested to contact Seeal for possible information that could help, but Oneakka had not agreed. If Robiah asked Seeal for help, she might be uncooperative, and since she'd been attacked in the Facility, she might not feel as helpful towards the Elite as before. No, if someone was to ask her for intell help, it should come from him.

Whether that would be in person or via link, or a simple written message, he hadn't decided.

He'd watch the recording first and decide after that.

The central hub of the Facility came into view ahead of Oneakka, and so far 'she' hadn't appeared in a corridor.

Oneakka kept his eyes forward as he strode towards the guarded twin set of double doors into the security centre of the Facility. The guards all recognised him and had the doors open for him as he arrived so he didn't have to break stride as he entered.

Although the Facility was a secure location, the actual security headquarters of the Elite was kept as a separate area within the Facility, with completely independent power supplies and computer servers. No Recruits were ever allowed in here; only Elite and high level Facility workers and security staff moved through these doors. The security staff used here were often retired Elite.

As the security doors slid shut behind Oneakka, he felt himself relax a little – she wouldn't be in here.

The lighting was low in the initial corridors as a security measure, but as he passed through another internal door, the corridor beyond was brightly lit. As he stepped into the light a shape to his right drew his immediate attention.

Massa was lent against the opposite wall, young Aki fast asleep in a harness on his front, and an uncomfortably amused smile across the man's face.

"That was quick," Massa smiled.

Oneakka schooled his expression carefully. "You contacted me two hours ago, that is hardly quick."

Massa pushed off the wall gently, Aki's little arms and legs shifting with the movement, the babe completely relaxed in deep sleep.

"He's growing fast," Oneakka noted.

"Babies do that," Massa replied. "He'd love to see you; you staying here after this?"

Oneakka narrowed his eyes at his friend, hearing all sorts of curious tones in the question. "Maybe," was all he gave. "Let's get to it," he stated and turned to lead the way towards the Security Lead offices.

"No time for small talk, I understand," Massa remarked as he followed, falling into step at Oneakka's side, Aki' little limbs bouncing with the man's steps. "You had a good time at Mil Hub?"

Oneakka nodded, keeping his mouth shut.

"You usually stay here when the Sythus is in dock," Massa asked indirectly, that curious probing tone getting annoying. It was because he'd lost the stubborn stalemate they'd had regarding information about Seeal.

"I'm here now," Oneakka replied simply.

"Yes," Massa agreed with a weight that implied he was annoyingly reading too much into that.

"How are the Recruits behaving since the attack?" Oneakka asked. "Any retaliations?"

"No, all of them have been keeping well clear of Seeal now. She's changed her habits in the last day too."

"How?" Oneakka asked.

"Before she had a very fixed routine and only worked out in the gyms once a day for a half hour at a time," Massa reported as they turned into the corridor that led towards Edfu and Maja's offices.

"That's not like her," Oneakka remarked.

"No, in the day now since the attack she's worked out twice in the gyms, pushing herself far more and she isn't so fixed in her routes through the Facility."

Oneakka understood immediately. "She was baiting them," he concluded as they turned into Maja's open office door.

"Yes, she was," Maja replied to his comment as she turned in her chair. Her dark desk across the office, the desk surface outlined with highly organised stacks of electronic pads. Behind the desk, a wall of screens and monitors glowed with motion.

As he entered, Oneakka quickly scanned over the screens, most of them security feeds from various parts of the Facility, but the central largest screen held a fixed image of an empty corridor. It might be the recording of the fight that he was here to see.

But, for now he settled his attention on Maja sat behind her desk.

"Honoured Elite," she greeted him and Massa.

"Maja," Oneakka greeted her in turn. He respected the woman; she did a very good job and she spoke her mind without the soft excessive smiles of Edfu.

"It was clear from the start that the woman was establishing very clear routines and routes," Maja stated. "The gym supervisors report that her workouts have significantly advanced in skill and stamina."

"Half hour workouts were a fake," Oneakka concluded the obvious fact, his eyes returning to the security feeds and then the frozen image on display behind Maja. No one was visible on the screen yet.

He realised he was anxious to see Seeal on the recording.

"She's continued to work well as part of the Research project," Massa put in as he crossed towards an empty chair and sat down with a soft out breath that sounded tired to Oneakka's ears. He glanced at his friend and watched as Massa stroked a hand over Aki' sleeping head, soothing the boy at all the movement.

"Research scientists are not the same as warriors," Maja pointed out. "And that woman is clearly a warrior."

Oneakka suppressed the repetitive urge to defend Seeal out loud to the two. Maja was doing her job to watch out for the Facility, the Elite, and the Recruits. Seeal was still an unknown quantity and her change in behaviour would worry Maja.

"She has an interesting fight style," Massa replied, not rising to Maja's distrusting comments either. "Unusual combination of different techniques and a very new take on transverse body use and some good old dirty fighting."

Oneakka nodded. "She was a pit fighter and grew up on dangerous streets," he reminded them.

"It shows," Massa replied. "She doesn't trust others, doesn't relax, and certainly doesn't socialise."

"Hardly surprising," Maja added in.

"Maja still feels that Seeal may be here as part of some elaborate plot to infiltrate the Elite," Massa reported unnecessarily.

Oneakka understood the concern, and had even shared it for awhile, but not anymore. "She's not a threat," he stated. "She's had more than enough opportunities to sell what she already knows and has seen."

"With all due respect, Honoured Elite," Maja said gruffly, "this is my Facility to watch over and it is the most secure and sought after location in this entire galaxy. Except perhaps for the City of the Ancestors," she added. "She may be waiting to gather more intell, or even attack us from within."

"She's not a threat," Oneakka repeated, working to keep his temper that was annoyingly all too ready to break free. Maja was doing her job and she was damn good at it. She was highly intelligent, had a grim determination and was highly suspicious of anything and everything; which made her perfect for her role.

The woman's eyes studied him intently and frankly. "How can you be so sure?" She asked.

Oneakka held her stubborn gaze. "I've seen her in battle. She fights on the right side."

Maja kept her assessing stare going. "She's a woman who has been defending herself all her life, which means that even if she's not our enemy today, tomorrow she might be if it is in her best interests. She will always look out for herself first, and if we come second to that, then she'll turn on us, just like she did with Dreamstation."

"She's consistently refused to give intell on Creass himself, being loyal to the scum for the good he did for her in the past, at least in her mind," Oneakka reminded Maja. "And she knows Dreamstation was a mistake. She's making up for that mistake by helping us."

"And if she decides helping us has been a mistake?" Maja pushed.

Maja was paid to ask these questions, to push and defend the Facility at all costs. Any other day, Oneakka would support her in anything she said, but today he had to remind himself repeatedly that she was right to ask these questions. That she was right to question Seeal's loyalty.

He just reacted poorly to it.

"She has had several opportunities to leave and sell her information elsewhere, but she hasn't," he pointed out logically. "She has saved lives, including Elite."

Maja glanced away to Massa and back, her mind clearly working hard.

"Emmagan and Nalla agree that she is not a threat," he added.

Maja took a breath, some of the tension easing from her. "Honoured Elite Nalla is not infallible, as Iketani and others have now proven."

"Has Madesh assessed her?" Massa asked.

"Yes," Oneakka replied. "He trusts her; in fact they formed a friendship of sorts on the Sythus."

"Makes sense, I suppose," Massa considered. "They have a lot more in common with each other than they do with those around them."

Maja leant back in her chair, the backrest easing back with her. "You trust her, Honoured Elite?" She asked Oneakka directly.

"She was willing to give her life to save all those on the Sythus," he reminded Maja, knowing the woman would have read all the reports. "She killed a Queen to save Halling and me."

Maja turned her seat round towards the bank of screens and monitors. "Well, it's true enough that she certainly pulled her punches with the Recruit band." She reached forward and triggered the paused central image and it began to run.

Finally, the recording of the fight.

Oneakka moved forward a step and crossed his arms as he watched the rolling image of a section of the outlying corridor of the Facility. It was one of the wider sections that looked out on the barren view of the landscape outside.

From the left lower corner of the screen, Seeal moved into view.

The image was slightly grainy on the monitor, but her face and dark hair was clear to see.

She looked good and seeing her, even through a recording, satisfied something inside that had been waiting unhappily these last weeks.

However, there was something wrong with her body language; she was walking with her shoulders just slightly folded forward, her steps slower as if she were injured or exhausted. As he watched her walk over to the windows of the corridor, seemingly looking out at the view and taking a break, he ran his eyes over her. She might have only been doing only half hour workouts in the gym, but he was almost certain that her shoulders supported more muscle than two weeks ago. Had she been focusing on upper body strength during her reduced workouts?

A sense of unexpected pride glowed up in the centre of his chest.

She looked tired and lonely in the image, but she was just baiting in her attackers, waiting for them.

That her back was to the corridor behind her itched at his nerves though; waiting out an attacker was one thing, but keeping your back to the approach wasn't wise.

Except, she had the full reflections of the windows she was standing in front of watch for their approach.

Pride glowed again, and he tried to squash it down.

He saw her faintly shift her stance; she'd heard them approach. She was holding her towel around her neck, her hands appearing full and in full view.

The Recruits abruptly burst into the view, spreading out to block Seeal in. The volume was shut off as he told Maja he wasn't interested in hearing what was said – he didn't want to know the details. He just wanted to see the body language, the behaviour, and see whether Seeal had acquitted herself properly, as he suspected...no, hoped...she had.

Seeal looked over her shoulder in the image, that expression of bored indifference so familiar to him. She was barely reacting to the Recruits, not even turning to stand off against them.

It was obvious that she was being very careful.

The pride grew again.

Words were being exchanged now, she turned to face them, and Oneakka locked his eyes on her face. Her eyes were moving, judging each and every member of the Recruit attackers. A couple of the smarter Recruits broke away from the back and disappeared out of view. Seeal smiled faintly at that and her mouth was working overtime now. Her stance was subtly changing too, she was preparing.

The Recruit leader, a man who Oneakka had burned into his brain, stepped forward, aggressive and about to light the spark of the fight.

Seeal faced the man, but her attention was shifting off him as if bored...any minute now.

The Recruit leader threw his first and only punch.

Oneakka felt his body tighten as the fight exploded, his eyes fixed to the action.

To say that she worked her way through them like she was cutting grain would have been an understatement. They didn't make it overly easy for her, but her speed and unpredictable unusual fighting style had thrown the Recruits completely. She had also used them against each other, literally smacking one head against another at one point in the fight. She was a flowing battling creature, climbing one man, kicking another, wrapping her arm around another throat and a few elbows strikes and bruised testicles later, she had worked her way to the back of the group, back to the corridor.

Except the last man standing drew out a knife, the corridor light shimmering on the small blade.

She didn't warn the young Recruit, she'd already done that, instead she dealt with the weapon brutally fast and the arm break had been clean and sharp.

The boy curled up on the floor clutching his arm, and she stepped back and away from the groaning pile of Recruits while the Facility's security teams appeared into view.

Maja stopped the recording and turned her chair back round towards Oneakka. "Do I want this woman in my Facility?" She asked.

Annoyed anger rushed up Oneakka's throat now. Seeal had been the one attacked and had clearly, very clearly, not instigated the fight. To his judgement, she had worked to avoid the incident, though admittedly he hadn't heard the exchanged words. Massa said she had warned the Recruits and that was enough for Oneakka.

The urge to watch it through again was strong, but at the same time he felt abruptly ashamed about the recording and this conversation. She should have been safe here, but instead she had been targeted and attacked. If she had not been able to defend herself so well, what would have happened?

"You have this woman in your Facility," Oneakka told Maja hotly. "She works for the Elite and it is your responsibility to protect the Facility and all who work here."

Maja blinked and glanced away to Massa for a split second.

"But you wanted to test her," Oneakka accused her.

"The plan was mine," Massa replied instead. "The Recruits reacted badly to her presence and Seeal didn't report anything to us, so we had to wait."

"Or you could have addressed it directly," Oneakka pointed out.

"It wasn't clear how many of the Recruits might escalate matters and whether they would," Massa replied. "It was their decision to fight her and her decision not to tell anyone."

"It is not their place to questions us and who we employ," Oneakka replied.

"They're Elite Recruits, Oneakka," Massa responded. "It is in the Elite nature to disobey what is imposed on us, to fight that which we are afraid of and bring justice against our enemy. The Recruits saw injustice in her being here, wrongly, I agree, but they did what we have taught them to do: Fight."

"Not stupidly," Oneakka disagreed.

"Such as storming off alone as a young Recruit to face an entire Hive base on his murdered homeworld?" Massa asked with a bluntness that cut.

Oneakka paused at the point. He had done that. He'd run to Ugun alone and burning with violent vengeance in his heart. In many eyes it had been stupid, and that he had survived it had been a miracle. Some nights he wondered if he had.

He blinked away the rush of memories, seeing the faint trace of pity in Massa's face.

"We do not corner a woman thirteen to one," Oneakka insisted. "We fight Wraith not people."

"Fights happen here all the time between Recruits," Massa argued, accurately so. "You were in plenty yourself against other Recruits during your training. You even challenged a few Elite if you remember."

"I remember," Oneakka snapped back.

"Tempers can run high here," Maja put in from her seat. "We put in a secondary camera feed in case something happened and it did. We let it play out in the corridor because it was clear that my security teams were too late to get involved. Best that the Recruits learn the truth of facing someone like Seeal. For it seems that the Elite future may involve dealing with humans as much as Wraith."

"It shouldn't," Oneakka protested.

"Says the man who broke into Esna Toshka's home and stole his computer core," Massa added unhelpfully. "And that nice little extraction of Zau out of Sula's Portal City last week."

Oneakka glared at him, but his and Maja's points were valid enough.

When had being an Elite warrior become so complicated? Or had it always been that way, but he was only just really noticing? He'd spent most of his career with deadly focus on fighting the Wraith. He'd barely lifted his head from that purpose until The Traitor had betrayed all they stood for, and her actions had damaged his friend Massa so greatly. Oneakka had worked hard to discover all the poison The Traitor had infected into the Alliance and even the Elite, and that had brought Seeal into his life. The arrival of the Dreamstation database had changed so much, and now with Toshka's database of blackmailing material there was enough evidence to keep that work going. Oneakka's sole mission was now taken on by everyone else, and even the Recruits had decided to invoke justice of their own.

Maybe Teyla was right that the Elite would end up becoming defenders of the Alliance inwardly as much as externally. She had already pushed the Military Council to include the Elite in planetary security throughout the Alliance, but would it have to go further? The Elite were not Enforcement, but a threat to the Alliance was still a threat that had to be dealt with. Freedom had to be protected inside the Alliance as much as it had to be defended from the Wraith. The face of the enemy had become more complicated it seemed.

To the Recruits, Seeal was seen as the enemy, as she had been to Oneakka not all that long ago.

"Elite don't attack people," Oneakka stated. "We might capture some to be judged, but we don't behave like that," he pointed to the monitor that had displayed the Recruits' disgraceful behaviour.

"I agree," Massa nodded. "And they have been punished and we will watch them very carefully. I have already run the first of several training sessions with the rest of the Recruits on the subject."

Good.

"Do you want to run a seminar?" Massa asked.

Oneakka frowned at him. "Me?"

"Why not?" Massa asked. "Or turn up unexpectedly in one, I know you enjoy taking the Recruits by surprise."

"I'm not a teacher, I test them," Oneakka clarified.

"You teach through your actions, Oneakka," Massa replied though.

That was true enough, so now he was in the Facility with all eyes were on him, then he would make sure they saw the truth.

He nodded to Maja and turned and left the office quickly, his decision made.

He'd stayed away from Seeal these weeks for his own personal reasons, but he wouldn't stand for her to be isolated here. If the Recruits watched him, then they'd see him working alongside Seeal to weed out the cruel and deceitful in the Alliance, and he wasn't going to hide away anymore.

It was time to find her and face the stupidity of his own.

He became aware of Massa following him, but Oneakka waited until he exited the security hub and re-entered the main corridors of the Facility until he slowed for Massa to catch up with him.

Unlike before, as Oneakka looked around at the passing people, he no longer worried about seeing Seeal, but now hoped to spot her; Let the Recruits see him talking with her – he'd make it clear that past mistakes could be undone and that the Elite's judgement was to be trusted.

Massa slid into step with Oneakka as they strode away from the security hub.

"Are you angry with her?" Massa asked, Aki still fast asleep against his chest.

"Maja is doing her job, and doing it well," Oneakka dismissed the question. Maja was right to worry about Seeal's skill – the fight had proven that spectacularly enough.

"I meant Seeal," Massa corrected.

Oneakka glanced at Massa. "Why would I be angry with her?"

Massa shrugged. "You seem angry," he replied.

He did? Oneakka realised he was striding quickly forward and, with an effort, he relaxed his forehead from the angry frown it had presumably been locked into.

"But then you've been angry for awhile now," Massa added.

"Aren't you?" Oneakka challenged his friend. "After The Traitor? After our own betrayed us and took Mera away from you?"

Massa's eyes lowered at the mention of Mera's name and Oneakka instantly regretted his words and he forced himself to slow his steps. "When did being an Elite become so complicated?" He sighed.

"I do not know, my friend," Massa replied. "Or perhaps it has always been that way, but we were too young to see it before now. Iketani certainly changed a great deal."

Oneakka nodded, that weary sensation returning from a few days ago. "We never had traitors before."

Massa was the one to sigh now. "That we know of," he considered.

Oneakka glared at him.

"Maybe you should change careers," Massa suggested with a half smile.

"Change careers?" Oneakka asked, thrown slightly by the change in the conversation as much as the crazy suggestion.

"Why not?" Massa grinned. "You could become a farmer."

Oneakka saw what Massa was doing – trying to make him feel better with joking comments. "I'm no farmer," he dismissed with a snort.

"How about an engineer?" Massa suggested. "You're always tinkering with tech."

Oneakka shook his head, a slight smile breaking through his former gloom.

"Maybe you could settle down with a nice woman," Massa continued with his teasing. "Maybe with a dark-haired troublemaker who beats up Recruits, just like you like to do in training."

Oneakka stopped in the corridor and finally turned to face Massa and his misunderstanding directly.

Massa was grinning widely, clearly pleased with the reaction he had gotten.

Oneakka took a calming breath. "I don't know where you have gotten the idea that there is anything between Seeal and I, but there isn't," Oneakka stated clearly, keeping his tone calm and level.

Massa nodded. "Okay," he replied. Except, the word was right, but the man's tone and the smile said just the opposite.

"Massa," Oneakka warned him. "I'm serious."

"I can see that you are," Massa replied, but that annoying smile remained.

"There is nothing happening between us," Oneakka reiterated.

"Okay," Massa repeated his comment, but again the word didn't match the expression.

"There isn't," Oneakka stressed again, his temper rising a little now. Nothing was going to happen between him and Seeal, so it was best that Massa understand that fact. As should that niggling part inside his own chest that was just a little too excited that he now had an 'excuse' to go and find Seeal.

"Nothing has happened or is going to happen," Oneakka stated clearly for the universe and his own chest to hear.

"Okay," Massa repeated.

"I'm an Elite," Oneakka insisted unnecessarily.

"So am I," Massa agreed, again unnecessarily. "And a father now too," he indicated the still sleeping Aki.

"I'm not you," Oneakka replied. "I'm not going to have children, and I'm not going to live happily ever after as a married farmer somewhere. I'm an Elite and if I live to see next year, it's a bonus."

"All the more reason to enjoy what you're doing now," Massa replied.

Oneakka frowned at that logic, which whispered tempting thoughts to that place deep inside his chest.

"But if nothing is happening with Seeal, that's fine," Massa continued, as if he were talking to young Recruit. "But if anything were to happen-"

"It's not going to happen," Oneakka insisted. Why did no one believe him?! First Teyla, Nalla, and Pampata, and he was almost certain that Madesh thought something might be going on too.

Just because there was some attraction didn't mean anything was going to happen. Neither he nor Seeal wanted that, so everyone needed to back off about it, even his closest friends.

"But, if anything were to happen," Massa restarted his comment, "then no one would judge you badly."

"There would be no reason to judge us," Oneakka replied, "because nothing has or will happen," he insisted clearly and concisely. He realised at the end of his sentence that he had started gesturing emphatically with both of his hands with each word.

Massa looked up from the waving hands, that teasing look still there, clearly not convinced. "Okay," he repeated yet again with that infuriating grin.

Oneakka growled loudly at him and stormed away.

Fortunately Massa was smart enough not to follow him this time, but the man was still laughing evilly as Oneakka turned down a corridor out of view.

What was wrong with everyone?

If they weren't assuming Seeal was a spy the others assumed she was sleeping in Oneakka's bed! Why couldn't people keep their opinions to themselves? Well, he didn't care what people thought, and they would all see clearly what the reality was: Seeal was to be trusted and they were just friends.

He pulled up short and quickly turned around, turning back to the wall computer terminal he'd just passed. The quick change of mind and direction had forced a Recruit to quickly dodge around him to save herself ploughing into him. He was rather impressed with the speed of the woman's reflexes and footwork, but ignored her rather unwarranted apologies.

"Good reflexes," he told her idly as he reached the terminal. He didn't care what her reaction might be to the comment, he just focused on tapping in his request.

The time had finally arrived – he had every reason now and he wasn't going to run away anymore. There wasn't any need to anyway – she was just a woman and she had done more than enough to prove herself. He'd make sure everyone saw that because he would work with her openly in view of everyone and she'd continue to help with the research that Robiah needed. Oneakka was almost certain that she'd help if he asked her.

So, with plenty of reasons, he requested her current location from the central database.

The warm anticipation in his chest glowed alight again as the answer appeared on the little screen.

No more running away.

He'd show them all and himself. There was nothing that he couldn't handle.

00000

Atlantis

John felt nervous, which was crazy. It wasn't like he was going anywhere new or meeting anyone new from Teyla's family, but today still felt big.

He contemplated his uniform in the mirror again. There had been an overly long debate last night among the new IOA team and Colonel Carter as to whether he should wear his Blues to this official 'family meal' with Teyla's family. Fortunately, they had decided not to impose that extra stress on him. Not that he hadn't worn his Blues to Athos before. None of this was new really, but at the same it felt huge.

He contemplated his reflection, hit by the fact that he had done this every damn time he'd gone to Tjaru.

He wanted to look smart, which was something that didn't really come all that naturally to him. He could be presentable, he was used to that in a military life, but he preferred the more relaxed end of the presentable spectrum. However, sitting down all officially with all of Teyla's family...it felt big.

It wasn't that he hadn't met Teyla's Dad a hundred times by now, and he'd sat and eaten with Torren, Zabetha, and even Teyla's Uncle, Elkaska, before now. There was nothing new really...except the fact that he and Teyla were married.

It was a Political Marriage though, so that meant...what?

He couldn't ignore the fact that all her family probably knew that he and Teyla weren't just friends in a political contract. They had probably known for awhile. That felt somewhat embarrassing, and along with it being a huge deal in relation to the contract, it felt like a big political and personal weight was on him for this meal.

Which brought him back to Teyla herself – he was feeling nervous about seeing her again. Again that was stupid, but it was nonetheless true.

He always felt that excited anticipation before seeing her, like he was a teenager again. But, it was so much more now, and there was still so much unknown about how things were between them now.

All the politics and the importance of the contract had been weighing on him more and more, and the meetings yesterday with the IOA lot hadn't helped really. It had all left a worried heaviness that made him start to ask the worst question possible: would be best not to restart things with Teyla?

All those things the IOA lot had talked about – trade, weapons, ships, Elite training, Athosian history, and Athosian links in the High Council – he'd not really known how to answer them. He'd told the IOA everything he knew, but the truth was that he'd spent his time alone with Teyla exploring her rather than her people and the Elite. He couldn't put that in his report. He was lucky he hadn't been fired for signing Atlantis and the Earth into a contract without permission.

"Never fall in love with the warrior princess," he muttered out loud. "They never put that in the training manual."

What would happen if he and Teyla started everything up again? Would he get fired for that? Did it matter now they were married?

He and Teyla had meant things to be fun and short lived, not turn into this...political, life changing and confusing situation. There was so much involved now, so much hanging on this contract, what if he mucked it up?

What if he and Teyla argued again? Would that risk the contract? What if his superiors found out and he was sent back to Earth? No, that couldn't happen because he and Teyla had to spend their contracted hours together. But, if she were in Atlantis, it didn't mean all that time would be spent with him. Could the Colonels deny him contact with her if they thought something was going on?

He had toyed with talking to Colonel Carter about it, because she had hinted that she suspected something. She would probably be understanding, he hoped, but at the same time she was his superior and had to do her job.

And he should be doing his job – looking out for Atlantis and Earth's interests, not his own.

Things had gotten way too complicated.

His room chimes rang out, cutting that resigned thought short and it was a grateful distraction. As he headed for the door, he checked his watch; he was scheduled to leave for Athos in twenty minutes and change, and had to be up in the Gate Room in ten minutes.

Praying it wasn't General O'Neill here to tell him off again, he waved his hand over the door's crystals.

The doors opened to reveal Professor Morgan from the IOA's team.

"Professor Morgan?" John asked, his surprise probably damn obvious.

"Major Sheppard," the tweed jacketed man replied. "I was wondering if you had a few minutes free before you leave for Athos."

John opened his mouth, not really sure how to answer that honestly. He checked his watch again. "I've got to be up in the Gate Room in just under ten minutes," he reported.

"That should be plenty of time," Morgan replied with that polite but insistent tone he'd used a lot in the meetings yesterday.

General O'Neill had made it clear yesterday that John was to "play nice" with the IOA lot, and John had agreed as long as he could make as many 'The Professor' X-Men jokes as he wanted. The General hadn't agreed, but he'd smiled about it, which had been a win in John's book.

"I won't take up much of your time, Major," Morgan insisted again.

"Sure," John acquiesced, remembering the promise to the General. "Come in," he stood aside to let the shorter man in.

The Professor wandered in, glancing around with what seemed like honest interest. John looked around as well to check he hadn't left any dirty laundry lying around or anything.

"I had hoped to speak with you alone, off the record," Morgan said as he turned in the centre of the room.

The doors shut behind him, John moved forward suspiciously. "Off the record?"

Morgan faced him, hands clasped behind his back. "Yes, by which I mean without military eyes and ears."

John wasn't sure what the hell that meant – he was military.

"To speak with you without any superiors around," Morgan explained further.

"Oh," John answered, though still no clearer about what this was about.

"I was hoping we could talk," Morgan began as he moved towards the lone chair in the room. Today it wasn't coated in clothes because John had tidied up last night in an effort to do something other than lie in his bed not sleeping all night.

"Talk about the Elite," Morgan added as he sat down.

"Okay," John agreed as he crossed the room and sat down on the edge of his bed, more or less opposite the Professor.

Morgan was silent, but his eyes were moving, assessing John. John worked not to squirm under the intense study.

"You've spent considerable time with them," Morgan began. "Fought alongside them, even helped them track down one of their own who turned against them." John nodded along. "Why do you trust them?"

"They've proven themselves to us," John began, as this was hardly a new question.

"No," Morgan interrupted him though. "Why do you trust them? What is it about them that makes you so willing to join them in a space battle with only one person to back you up if difficulties should arise. I'm interested in why?"

John glanced away, feeling pressured. "They are making a real difference against the Wraith," he started. "They're good people, fighting the good fight."

Morgan nodded thoughtfully. John wondered if that was enough.

"And Elite Emmagan," Morgan asked next, "why do you trust her?"

Had there been something in his voice? An extra intensity in his watching sharp gaze?

"We've been through a lot together," John replied immediately.

Morgan nodded, but that sharp eyed gaze held fixed on John. "It was an interesting decision of yours, offering for the Political Marriage."

It was starting to feel warmer in here than usual. "I had to stop the Genii getting their foot in the door with the Elite and with Athos."

Morgan nodded. "I've read all the reports and I agree with your assessment, especially considering the threats on your own life by the Genii ex-commander, Kolya. I can also understand why Emmagan, your new wife, decided to select you and with you Atlantis for the contract. I can also understand why you had not previously discussed such an offer with your superiors, having only decided spontaneously in the moment that it would be best for Atlantis."

It was all sounding good, but John held still waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Morgan didn't add anything else, but those intense eyes continued to watch him.

John waited, deciding to take a cue from the Elite playbook; Si and Oneakka both used the silent waiting thing to good advantage.

"It is quite a commitment to your cause," Morgan replied after a beat, the waiting thing having worked. "Marrying an alien warrior to make sure they help us battle the Wraith and to hold back any possible threat from the Genii."

"It's just a Political Marriage," John replied, not liking the words though. Teyla had said those words herself, so it wasn't a betrayal of anything between them. Not that there was anything still certain between them...

"Is it?" Morgan asked.

"What?" John asked back, fear making him momentarily nauseous.

"A simple Political Marriage?" Morgan asked. "I've read through the Marriage Contract in depth and it may not be a marriage forged around such feelings as love and trust, but it is more far reaching and significant. You have tied yourself to Pegasus and us with you, for honestly right reasons, but it is no small matter. You will be spending a large part of your life now in the Alliance's territory, alongside this Emmagan warrior. It seems quite a sacrifice."

John glanced away, checking the time on his alarm clock. How had only a few minutes passed? "I don't see it that way."

"No, clearly," Morgan replied. "Most would not even consider it, but you did, and you jumped straight in with the idea. I understand from your file that such split decisions are not rare for you, and in fact necessary for you work, but it was a very life changing decision."

"I stand by the decision," John stated.

Morgan nodded. "And it was a decision that had many in the halls of power arguing for days back home. Some of them thought you should be fired, court marshalled even, while others want you promoted."

"Promoted?" John asked surprised.

"You've turned yourself into a powerful political resource," Morgan replied. "Guaranteed yourself a place at any meeting table regarding the situation with Pegasus and the Alliance. Maybe even a direct ear to the President and other world leaders."

John swore his mouth hung open for a second. "I'm just a pilot. I'll leave the big political decisions to your people, Professor."

Morgan's eyes did that intense study thing again. "I think perhaps you do believe that, Major. General O'Neill said as much, but I was not sure."

John was getting fed up with this. "Look, I've seen what it's like out there in Pegasus first hand. There are millions, billions perhaps, of humans living under the threat of the Wraith, losing people every day. And god forbid if the Wraith find their way to the Milky Way. But, I've seen what the Alliance can do, and, believe me, they have the kind of fire power that can make a real difference. If it takes me signing a contract and doing my part, then I'm happy to do it, and I know Teyla, Mistress Emmagan," he corrected, "believes the same."

Morgan nodded. "I do applaud your ideals, Major, and I support them. The IOA believes the same as you, but I think you need to start to understand your new position in all of this."

John frowned at that, glancing anxiously towards the alarm clock again; it was almost time to use the excuse to head up to the Gate Room. "I'm just a pilot, Professor," he insisted. "I'm more than happy to play go-between with Athos and the Elite, but the political decisions are up to you and your team, not me."

"I think you underestimate your position, Major," Morgan replied, but his tone was almost kind now. "You are not 'just a pilot' anymore. Your name is going to be known across this galaxy and written into the history books back home."

John was starting to sweat now. "Everyone who works here is doing important work," he insisted.

"Of course," Morgan agreed, "but in terms of your own career, you can't really have done better for yourself."

John frowned at that. He'd almost gotten himself court marshalled – how was that good for his career? Sure he'd gotten the contract for Earth, but his part was just playing the role of a political husband now...of course, he had no real idea what that exactly entailed. He'd have to make sure to ask Teyla later.

He glanced at the alarm clock again – it was time enough to head up to the Gate Room.

The Professor must have seen the glance at the clock as he stood up. "I shall walk you up to the Gate Room, if I may, and see you off to meet your new In-Laws."

John stood up, trying to hide his nervous look. "Sure."

"But, if I were you, I would expect a promotion soon, Major. Maybe even a new position outside of a Gate team."

"I'm not due a promotion," John found himself excusing the idea.

Morgan chuckled at that though. "Really? After your speech on the importance of bringing the Alliance and Earth together to battle the Wraith, you don't see how important you are? You just managed to bring the Alliance and Earth together all by yourself."

John blinked. "Elite Emmagan was part of it too," he added weakly. "It wasn't just me."

"I understand, Major," Morgan replied, again with that funny little smile of his. "This has been a very enlightening conversation, thank you."

"Sure," John replied, feeling rather thrown by the conversation. If the Professor had thought John was in this contract because he wanted some sort of political advance in his career, then the man was way off base. John just wanted what was best for Atlantis and Earth.

And for Teyla.

She would never have been happy as a Genii wife.

Teyla.

That anxious excited feeling rose up again. It was time to head to Athos and see her again.

His wife

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TBC