Part Two – The Morning of the Mission (i)

Ronon was already bored. Twenty-four hours of nothing particular to do when the rest of his team was busy preparing for a mission and he was climbing the walls.

It seemed everyone was busy, not that there was a huge number of people in the city that he wanted to hang out with but he couldn't even find a willing victim among the military personnel to spar.

He was beginning to suspect that John was getting his revenge for his taking some time off by ensuring he was bored. There was something suspicious in the way people suddenly needed to be elsewhere when he entered the gym. Of course, a lot of people did that anyway.

He ate everything he could lay his hands on in the mess hall, until the chef came out of his kitchen and informed him sternly that no one required third helpings to live, especially at breakfast and he'd be grateful if Ronon would go away and leave some food for everyone else.

So, once his food had settled, he went for a long run around the city, slowing to a walk only as he got back to the central tower. Without conscious thought, he gravitated towards the Gateroom. John and the team were due to leave shortly and at least there would be some activity.

The Gateroom was in fact more than usually busy. Since Ronon had missed the mission briefing and hadn't really paid attention to what McKay and Zelenka were arguing about he didn't know that in addition to SA1 a full scientific team and a small medical team consisting of Dr Cole and Nurse Yoshida, plus enough military personnel to ensure their safety were going as well. As a result the floor was strewn with equipment crates, various people seemed to be running around in a panic and above all the chatter could be heard Rodney McKay berating Zelenka yet again and getting shriller by the minute.

The most peaceful spot seemed to be by gate control where Amelia Banks was serenely going about her business.

She noticed him coming and looked up, greeting him with a slight, absent smile and immediately turning her attention back to what she was doing. Ronon leaned against her station and watched the hub-bub happen all around him.

Finally Mr Woolsey came down from his office with John, Teyla and Lorne in tow and somehow their presence created an immediate calm. The crates were marshalled into some kind of order and it appeared for a moment that the mission would begin on time.

Then Dr Keller arrived with an injection of anti viral medicine for Dr McKay who apparently had not turned up for his scheduled appointment. She saw Ronon as she came in and started slightly, giving him an uncertain smile before making a beeline for Rodney.

Five minutes later after a pointless argument that Woolsey settled by ordering McKay to obey he was injected, the gate was dialled and the team departed, John grinning at Ronon as he left.

Woolsey, left in the middle of the gate room floor sighed and rubbed his neck, he turned and came straight to Amelia, nodding at Ronon on the way.

"Amelia I understand you have some experience with Military issue Weather stations."

Amelia's eyes widened slightly, "Yes sir, I worked with Virtacom on behalf of the air force before I was approached for the Atlantis mission, they manufacture the W 480's that we use."

"Good." The expedition commander gave her a tight smile, "Dr Zelenka informs me that one of the Weather stations on the mainland has ceased communicating with Atlantis, since a large proportion of the science department is off world and the rest is trying to deal with the shield generators or the com system, well, perhaps you'd enjoy a little field trip. It should only take a few hours."

"Thank you sir." Amelia smiled in genuine pleasure.

"I'll clear it with Chuck," he half turned away then spun back, obviously remembering something. "You'll need someone to go with you, the weather station in question is on the North West Peninsular, apparently there is quite a lot of animal life there and until someone completes a full biological survey we have no idea if any of it is dangerous."

"I'll go."

Mr Woolsey examined Ronon over the top of his glasses, "Not that that isn't an excellent solution but aren't you supposed to be on Vacation for a few days?"

Ronon shrugged eloquently.

"I see," said Mr Woolsey, repressing a smile "very well," he turned back to Amelia, "at your own convenience Miss Banks." He paused, obviously puzzled, Amelia had tensed the moment Ronon had said he would go and the expidition commander had quite obviously detected it. He looked her up and down silently, seeing if she had anything to say but Amelia seemed pre-occupied with her station again. He glanced at Ronon, opened his mouth, shut it and appartently decided to let it drop. "I think I will go and get some breakfast." He nodded to them both and disappeared in the direction of the mess hall.

"Can you meet me in the Jumper Bay in two hours?" Amelia asked coolly.

Ronon frowned, she was looking at him in her usual impassive way but there was something frosty in it. If Ronon was reading her correctly she didn't want him along and it irritated him. They hadn't exactly spent a lot of time together but he'd spoken to her, or at least nodded at her a little more often since Michael's abortive attempt to kidnap Teyla and her baby, in fact he'd looked out for her in the gym, wanting to see her moves again.

Not that he'd ever considered it but he'd assumed that she didn't dislike him. She'd spoken to him quite naturally the day before so why did she look like she'd swallowed ice cubes now?

Whatever her problem was he'd told Woolsey he would go so he nodded curtly and left for his quarters. He might not pay much attention to the Scientists but he did know that the Northern Peninsular would be cold. He would need his coat.