Much later that night when most of Atlantis was sleeping or trying to in the hot evening, Katie Brown walked toward the Marine on duty, Corporal Jenkins she thought his name was and in her best terrified teenage girl manner started to wail. "Please, please help me," Katie screamed grabbing the attention of the Marine who quickly left his post to help the girl. On hearing Katie's cry the four girls escaped Orla's room and sneaked out of the exit usually guarded by Corporal Jenkins. As they slipped past all of the girls heard Katie cry something about a spider on the bed and tried not to giggle at Katie's distraction.
The girls cautiously made their way to the north pier; they realized they'd need to avoid the crowded areas like the gym or mess hall. Laura had studied the transporter's map and was pretty sure they could get out to the pier once they'd left the corridor they were in, which unfortunately would pass near the mess hall. Clutching their towels tighter with excitement they slowly made their way to end of the corridor wondering if it'd be better to just run and hope for the best when they heard voices… male voices.
"Ronon you can't keep taking it out on the Marines, if you do I'll have no men left and Beckett's infirmary will be permanently stocked as it were. I get your frustrated and you miss her, but at least she's not missing on a hive ship or something. What I mean is, she's here, just… you know," Sheppard really wasn't good at the talking thing.
The big man sighed, "I know, just miss her. Can't sleep 'cos she's not there. Used to her being there it's like… I dunno. Can't talk to her, can't hold her, yet… there she is." Ronon was tired, he'd been trying to physically wear himself out in the hope of sleeping, but it wasn't working, not really. He'd even thought of moving out himself until Orla was better, their quarters haunted him.
"Thought you Runner's could sleep anywhere and in any circumstances automatically?" Sheppard teased gently.
"I know, I still can off world, but on Atlantis? That's different, gotten used to sharing a bed now, guess I've gone soft," Ronon chuckled at his own predicament.
The girls looked at each other shrugging as they heard the men walk off in the opposite direction. Who'd of thought the "wild guy" had a girlfriend. They crept on and managed to pass the mess hall without gaining any attention; they slid inside the transporter and pressed the desired location into the map. Seconds later they appeared on the lower levels showing an exit for the north pier. Wondering if the exit was alarmed Laura pulled at it oh so carefully, as though slowly pulling an alarmed door somehow disarmed it. When no alarms sounded the girls quietly slipped out and onto the north pier.
They walked quietly to the swimming area relieved to find nobody else had thought of the idea. Quickly the girls stripped themselves of their clothes and dived into the pool, skinny dipping. The girls tried to keep the noise level down until a game of tag started to raise their noise levels.
Dr. Rodney McKay was in one of the newly found Ancient labs on the north pier. Previously the laboratory had lain underwater, recently a lot of Atlantis was revealing herself to the expedition. Woolsey had decided they really needed to investigate more of the newly revealed areas… with caution. This was when the laboratory had been exposed. McKay called the lab his own private lab for the time being. Or, as many had surmised, until he had determined whether it contained anything cool.
Until the decisions were made about the women and the orb during Woolsey's meeting tomorrow morning, not to mention, how to get the desperately needed answers they required, Rodney decided to keep himself occupied checking out the lab's data base. He was being distracted by something… it sounded like voices but couldn't be. It was late and there was nothing about the north pier to be of interest to anyone. Rodney went back to the date base only to be distracted a minute later by a burst of laughter not unlike Jennifer's. Rodney McKay was a curious man by nature, he was a scientist and not a macho military flyboy like Sheppard. As McKay exited his new lab he approached the main exit for the north pier. The voices got louder and McKay walked around the corner heading toward the swimming pool area and the female voices.
What McKay saw had him running back around the corner quicker than any attacking Wraith could have. He was sure he'd just spotted four women in the pool… naked! Not quite able to see exactly who it was he went and fetched Radek's binoculars. He knew the Czech man left them in the new lab, he'd spend his free time during daylight hours looking at the bird wildlife that came to Atlantis. McKay headed back to the corner of the pier and stealthily leaned around the corner with his binoculars. As he zoomed into the pool area a very naked Teyla Emmagan came into view, Rodney yelped in surprise sending his binoculars flying behind him as he plastered himself to the wall out of the sight of the naked Teyla. Rodney reached for the discarded binoculars slunk back against the wall and peered back around the corner, the scientist activated his radio and called for Sheppard.
"Rodney, what do you mean there's a naked Teyla on the north pier?" Sheppard asked grouchily, the heat was getting to everyone. He'd even noticed Ronon had changed into his cotton clothing from his leathers.
"Exactly that, Teyla is naked in the pool area and there are others with her, let me see. Oh my god, Orla, she's naked… for god's sake Sheppard, don't tell Ronon I saw that. I think they're all naked. Oh… my… Jennifer," Rodney suddenly fell silent.
"McKay, stop gawking at Jennifer," Sheppard barked bring the man out of his daydream.
Colonel Sheppard really hated this week, why was everything left to him, okay let's redefine that, why where these teenagers left to him? These four women were trouble and as teenagers all they did was get into trouble. He'd have to go out there and sort this. He did wonder if he could send a female Marine but most were off world at the moment. He decided in future to have at least one ranking female Marine on the base at all times. As Sheppard walked out of his quarters and towards the transporter he tried to think of a suitable punishment, a day with McKay? Sparring with Ronon?
"Sheppard?" Ronon's call brought the man out of his reverie; he looked up into the face of the ex-Runner.
Great he thought, so how do I say, Ronon your girlfriends playing naked in the pool without the messenger getting shot. Play it cool he thought, I can always lie.
"Sheppard? You okay?" Ronon tried once more to get the man attention.
"Yeah, sorry Ronon, just thinking you know, what's up?" Sheppard innocently inquired.
"Nothing, you walked into me," Ronon looked at the man, something was up.
Sheppard watched as the man's eyes narrowed working out if he was telling the truth, he doubted Ronon would believe him but you never know. "Ah, just walking, gonna grab some paperwork in the hope it'll bore me to sleep."
"Uh huh, Sheppard you're office is on the other side of Atlantis. Going the scenic route? Wanna tell me the truth this time?" Ronon patiently eyed the man knowing whatever was unnerving the Colonel probably won't please him.
Sheppard kicked himself; Ronon Dex was a Specialist trained in warfare the likes of which none of the US Marine or US Air Force had seen. Trying to lie to Ronon was the equivalent of getting McKay to fast for a day, literally impossible.
"If I tell you, but you can't get mad and go storming in shouting at Orla, right?" Sheppard demanded.
Orla, he should have known. Ronon was going to wring that beautiful neck when it came home. "Okay," he sighed.
"The four amigos are skinny dipping apparently on the north pier." Sheppard waited for the fall out.
"What's skinny dipping?" Ronon uttered confused.
"Swimming naked," Sheppard retorted wincing at his bluntness.
"All four of them are naked?" Ronon growled in reply.
"Yep," Sheppard nodded watching Ronon look exactly as he'd felt earlier about their newly acquired teenagers. "Rodney saw them, they'd distracted him with all the noise they were making and then he contacted me. I'm thinking it's better to stop this before too many get a view they shouldn't," Sheppard opened the transporter, stepped in watching Ronon follow him inside mumbling in a language he couldn't understand, he presumed it was Satedan.
As the Colonel and Ronon approached the exit for the pier they spotted Rodney nervously pacing back and forth.
"Rodney, what're doing?" Sheppard quizzed the pacing man.
"What'd you mean what am I doing, isn't it obvious?" McKay stammered never relenting in his pacing,"I'm protecting Jennifer… and the others, from anyone walking out this exit and seeing them," Rodney finally stopped his pacing to begin wringing his hands. "What are you gonna do, Sheppard? There are men probably watching them as we speak…" Rodney chattered away before hearing Ronon snarling at his mention of men watching the women.
"McKay, watch what you say will you, I don't need Ronon in a vigilante mood imaging every man's watching Orla. Ronon calm down buddy, for all we know it's just Rodney that's seen Orla naked, oops, sorry McKay," Sheppard smirked at the scientist letting him know that was for his careless remark. "Ronon quit snarling, your scaring Rodney," Sheppard wasn't too fond of hearing that noise either; it meant Ronon was getting angry.
The three men carefully approached the swimming area hearing the feminine laughter and splashing. The Colonel looked at the men either side of him "Remember guys, the girls are fifteen despite their bodies, you know Rodney you're gonna have to explain this fifteen thing a bit better to me later," Sheppard reminded the men and himself.
"What's to explain?" McKay looked from Sheppard to Ronon.
"Well, for a start. You said they're all fifteen but not all the women are the same age. So do they all think it's a different year or what??? I mean Teyla is older than Jennifer, so do they think it's the same year or different?" Sheppard was confusing himself at this point.
"It's irrelevant what year they were born. Every one of those women in that lab has reverted back to being fifteen. Teyla being older really doesn't matter, she was still fifteen once. I'm assuming they all think it's whatever year it was when they were fifteen. So in Orla and Laura's case it's what… 1994. In Jennifer's case, 1997." McKay explained for what seemed like the fiftieth time since it happened.
"Why fifteen?" Ronon grumbled, "Why not sixteen or eighteen why fifteen."
"How do I know? 'Cause that's what it says on the box? Why not fifteen?" McKay bit back angry that he had no better idea than anyone else.
"Because if Orla was eighteen, she could still live with me," Ronon complained.
"Come on, let's get this over with," Sheppard reminded the men exactly why they were there.
The giggling was getting louder as they edged nearer, the Colonel indicated Rodney and Ronon to stay put. He slowly moved further and in a loud commanding voice spoke, "Ladies, you've had your fun now, will you please get out of the pool, and get yourselves back to your quarters. Now!" Sheppard hoped this would automatically get the women moving. It was at that moment his foot connected with something on the floor, towels and clothing.
The girls were so engrossed playing tag and larking about in the cool water that they jumped with surprise at the sound of the Colonel's voice, they'd been caught. The girls stifled a, "Oh my god," giggle.
"Colonel, we can't," Orla shouted as she swam to the nearest edge of the pool.
"Orla, get yourself out of that pool, or I'm gonna come in there and drag you out," Ronon thundered whilst Sheppard shook his head and pushed the big man away from the pool side.
"Remember our conversation?" Sheppard hissed, "Stay back Ronon."
Orla flinched when she heard Ronon roar at her.
"Yeah, he's so not stalking you Orla," Jennifer hissed.
Teyla having been brought up to have no qualms about the human body or that to swim you really didn't need to get dressed. Calmly she launched herself onto the side of the pool swung her legs over to the floor and rose up. Teyla strode naked toward Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard who turned his head just in time to see a completely naked, wet Teyla.
Sheppard would always maintain that it was shock that made his usually lightening reflexes dull and slow. Eventually Sheppard managed to remember to avert his eyes shouting to Teyla that he could've just passed her a towel. Sheppard blushed but would spend many a night to come thinking of the image she'd provided him.
As Teyla wrapped herself in her towel she reached for the other towels and walked back to the pool. "Here, it would seem that the Colonel would rather I hand these out than you get them yourselves," Teyla was smiling intensely at the Colonel's discomfort.
TBC... Please review