"We have good news and bad news." Rodney said to the group assembled around the conference table.
"Let's start with the good news." Elizabeth said.
"The ZPM is half full." Radek said quickly, not wanting to be the bad news bearer.
Rodney glared at him while Elizabeth said, "And the bad news?"
"It's one of those specially configured ZPM's. It won't run Atlantis. At least not every efficiently." Rodney said quickly.
Elizabeth frowned and tapped her pencil.
"So we almost died for nothing?" John asked, swiveling his chair lazily toward the two scientists.
"No. We have idea for good use of it." Radek grinned. "We…"
"…can give it to the kids." Rodney smirked at Radek.
"The kids?" Ronon asked confused.
Rodney waved his hands around. "The kid planet. Hari-Kari at 25. It will increase the shield coverage and extend the time that the shield will hold."
Elizabeth leaned back with a thoughtful expression. "It couldn't be used on the Antarctica outpost or one of our ships?"
"Not without a lot of modification to their systems." Radek replied.
"Which would render the other ZPMs useless." Rodney tacked on.
"We should put it to the most beneficial use, Elizabeth." Teyla said.
Elizabeth nodded. "Okay. Give it to the kids."
Megan fidgeted nervously as the Gate dialed. Elizabeth and John had said she could go with them to deliver the ZPM to the kids. Get to experience the Gate and see Rodney in action in the field where there was practically zero chance of danger was how John had promoted the idea to Elizabeth.
Distract the brats from bothering him while he installed the ZPM was how Rodney had promoted the idea to John. He could possibly forget the installation sequence with the brats under foot. Unless John wanted to be the distraction, Rodney had added.
So here she was, sitting in the puddle jumper behind the co-pilot seat, outfitted like a team member: boots, cargo pants, black t-shirt, tac vest, and even (she hoped not to ever use it) a hip holster with a 9mm.
She looked across at Rodney who was sitting behind the pilot seat. He was entering data on a keypad and cross checking information on his laptop.
Rodney looked up and saw her watching him. He leaned across the aisle and whispered, "You look incredibly hot, Mrs. McKay."
Laughter bubbled up inside her and spilled out into the confines of the puddle jumper. "You are such a flirt."
John rolled his eyes and Teyla looked tolerantly amused. Rodney said things to Megan that he would never in a million years be caught dead saying to anyone else – mostly for fear of being smacked.
"Ready for your first conscious trip through the Gate?" John asked glancing back at her.
She took a deep breath and nodded.
The wormhole stabilized and the puddle jumper slowly descended until it hovered in front of the Gate.
Megan grasped the chair arm nervously and glanced at Rodney who was watching her with an amused expression.
"It doesn't hurt. It's like taking a huge step. You step in here and step out on another planet."
Megan reached for his hand. He looked down startled at her need for reassurance. His grip tightened reassuringly and then John shot them forward.
Whoa, Megan thought as she reappeared on another world. That was beyond real. She looked over at Rodney and grinned in excitement.
Rodney grinned back at her glad she hadn't freaked like some did. No, he thought, seeing the glitter in her eyes, she was hooked. She'd be wheedling her way through the Gate with them every chance she got.
John sat the ship down at a safe distance from where Rodney estimated the new EM shield's border would be. "Alright, folks, we've got a long hike in front of us."
Megan followed them out of the ship and looked around. They were in a small clearing in a wooded area.
"This way." Teyla said and they headed off through the woods. The woods were quiet except for the sounds of small animals and insects.
"This could be Earth." Megan said taking in the tall trees and lush undergrowth.
"Worlds that have human populations are amazingly similar even in the Pegasus." Rodney informed her.
She grinned ruefully. "I was hoping for purple skies and orange trees."
"Two suns and four moons?"
"Exactly. Now I feel foolish."
"Don't," Ronon said. "I've seen orange skies and Sateda has three moons."
"Really?" Rodney turned to look at him.
"Yeah, really."
"Hmmph." Rodney grunted.
"How beautiful!" Megan breathed as they cleared the woods and moved along the shore of a large lake.
"The ruins aren't far now and then we'll reach the village soon after that." Rodney slid an arm around her waist resting his hand on the small of her back.
"Can I take a second to look around?"
"Sure. We aren't in any hurry." John stopped and the rest followed suit.
They all watched as she scanned the area in awe. They had been to so many new worlds that the excitement had worn off. In fact, they were usually edgy since most of the time they ended up fighting or running.
Megan moved to the edge of the water and took it all in. It looked like an Earth lake in an Earth forest. It was hard to imagine she was on an alien world.
A fish broke the water's surface , jumping high in the sun. It was several feet long and electric blue with bulging eyes and a spiral horn sprouting from its forehead.
Megan gasped and laughed self-consciously. "Now I know I'm not in Kansas anymore."
Beside her, Rodney laughed. "No, Dorothy. You aren't in Kansas anymore."
"Dr. McKay!"
Everyone turned at the sound of two young voices. A young boy and girl moved out of the forest and headed toward them.
"Claire? Kasta?" Rodney asked uncertainly as they stopped in front of him and stared up expectantly.
The two grinned. "Yes."
"Wow. You've grown."
"It's been two years. We're eight now."
"Ah! Eight." Rodney nodded solemnly. He looked over at Megan. "Is eight too old for chocolate?"
Megan pretended to think about it. "Its borderline, but I think we could make an exception." She grinned at the two eager faces.
"Chocolate! You remembered to bring us chocolate?" The two kids beamed up at him.
Rodney grinned, enjoying himself immensely. He hadn't been nice to these two when he was here last, but they had helped him out and warned him of danger. He wanted to make up for being mean. He opened his backpack and pulled out two paper bags. He started to hand them to the kids and then pulled them back. "You'll share with the others in the village?"
"Oh, yes. We'll share." The two nodded and promised; their eyes huge at the sight of two bulging bags of chocolate.
"We'll even guide you back to the village ourselves." Kasta said.
Rodney handed them the bags and they eagerly opened them up. Gasps of surprised delight erupted from them as they peered into the bags.
"These look different." Claire said suspiciously.
"Yes. That is high quality chocolate from my world. Much better than the stuff we had last time."
"Better?"
"Much better." John interrupted. "Can we continue now?"
"Sure."
"Come on."
The two kids led them into the forest following a path. They walked slowly as they selected a piece of candy from the bags and began unwrapping them.
"Who is that?" Kasta asked Rodney pointing at Ronon.
"That is Ronon."
"Is he mean?" Kasta asked.
"He looks mean." Claire added.
"He is mean." Rodney said.
"Meaner than you?" Kasta asked.
"No one's meaner than McKay." Ronon rumbled with a smirk at Rodney.
"Funny, Ronon. Yes he's meaner than me, but he loves kids." Rodney smirked back at Ronon as the two gravitated toward him.
"What's that?" Claire pointed to his tattoo.
"A tattoo."
"What's it for?" Kasta asked.
"It signifies what fighting unit I belonged to."
John and Rodney looked at each other. Neither of them had known that.
"You have a lot of knives." Kasta said.
"Yes."
"Why?" Claire asked.
Rodney stifled his laughter at Ronon's pained look.
"So I can kill a lot of people." Ronon rumbled darkly.
"Oh."
"Have you killed a lot of people?"
"Mainly those who annoy me."
The two kids edged away from him and walked quietly for a little bit. They were nearly to the ruins when Claire and Kasta dropped back to walk beside Rodney and Megan.
"Who are you?" Claire asked Megan.
"I'm Megan."
"My wife."
"Your wife? You married him?" Claire looked disturbed.
"Maybe that's why he's nicer and brought better chocolate." Kasta said in a loud whisper to Claire.
Claire nodded.
John and Teyla laughed earning a scathing glare from Rodney.
"He's very nice." Megan smiled up at him and looped an arm around his. He smiled back at her.
"Ah, the ruins. Sheppard, do you want me to go ahead and begin the transfer or go on to the village with you first?"
"Better come to the village first and let them know why we're here. We don't know what may have changed in the year since Zalenka was here."
Rodney nodded. "True."
It wasn't long before the two ran ahead to tell the villagers that the full-growns were back.
"John Sheppard!"
"Karis!"
A young man strode forward and hugged John. John hugged him back in a rare display of affection.
Aren't you looking old." John teased with a wide smile.
"Ancient." Karis replied with a grin as they broke apart.
John looked beyond Karis and his face shuttered. "Ares." He greeted the young man with in a cold voice.
"Sheppard." Ares responded just as cold.
Not quite as warm a welcome there, Megan thought.
"He tried to shoot Sheppard and Karis intercepted the arrow." Rodney whispered to her explaining the animosity.
Karis, Ares this is Ronon and this is Megan McKay."
Karis glanced at Megan and Rodney. "Your wife?"
"Yes, my wife. Why does everyone do that?"
"What has brought you back?" Karis asked, tactfully changing the subject as he welcomed them into the village.
"Well, we knew your ZPM was almost depleted and we came across one in an empty settlement. It's about half full. We came to see if you wanted us to replace your old one with the newer one."
"Dr. McKay meddling caused the trouble last time." Ares stated angrily.
"I was not…"
"Still cranky, Ares?" Sheppard interrupted sharply.
Ares glared and stalked off.
"You are sure you can transfer the devices without damaging the shield?" Karis asked Rodney.
"Yes. I'm sure. I remember the sequence so it should just be a matter of changing out the ZPMs."
"And how long would this take?"
"Fifteen, twenty minutes."
"And how much more protection would it give?"
"Umm, at the current parameters - another 400 years. If you want to increase the covered area, 250 years approximately."
"Let me discuss this with the Elders." Karis told them. "I will be back shortly."
"Take your time." John drawled.
Karis grinned. "I will."
For the next two hours they hung out in the village, talking to the other kids.
"How old is Karis?" Megan asked.
"Twenty-six, maybe twenty-seven." John said proudly.
"And he's an Elder?"
"The eldest Elder."
"Where are the older people?"
Rodney grimaced. "There villages are protected by a EM shield, but they didn't know that. In order to keep the population down and inside the shielded area their ancestors invoked a ritual suicide law generations ago. When you reached twenty-five, you killed yourself."
Megan stared at him aghast. "That's…that's…."
"barbaric?"
She swallowed. "Yes," she whispered staring around at the young kids running around the village.
"When we were here the first time we figured it all out and convinced them to stop the hari-kari."
"What did he mean about your meddling?" Ronon asked.
"Oh, you had to bring that up, did you?" Rodney carped.
Ronon grinned like a shark smelling blood in the water.
"I removed the ZPM to study it and then found out you had to enter a certain sequence to get it back on line. The Wraith over there on their shrine had an emergency beacon that started emitting a signal when the shield went down. We didn't know about it until the Wraith sent a probe. I got the shield online before the probe got back to the Gate though so no harm done."
"John," Karis called as he reappeared. "The Elders have agreed to let you replace the ZPM. We will leave the parameters alone for now. We have plenty of room inside the shields."
"Great." John grinned. "We'll catch up on news while Rodney installs the new ZPM."
"Of course you will." Rodney grumbled, standing up.
Megan stood with him and together they headed for the ruins. He showed her where the device was and she leaned against the wall while he went to work.
He touched the top of the device and the ZPM slid into view. "Hello, again." He murmured to it. Carefully, he removed the nearly depleted ZPM and handed it to Megan then he reached into the backpack and removed the newer one.
"Sheppard."
"Yes, McKay."
"I'm making the switch now."
"Okay."
Gingerly, he seated it in the device and hit a sequence of buttons on the sides. The ZPM began to glow. Rodney pulled out his laptop and ran a diagnostic on it. With a smile of accomplishment, he tapped the top and the ZPM slid down into the protective casing.
"That's it?"
He tapped his radio. It didn't work. "That's it. These people are now protected for nearly four hundred years from the Wraith."
"You, Sir are amazing." Megan smiled softly.
"You impress way to easily if that," he pointed at the device, "impressed you."
Megan moved away from the wall and put the old ZPM on the ground. She pressed against him and kissed him. "That took five minutes not fifteen."
"I know that." He murmured against her lips as he kissed her again.
"Devious, Dr. McKay."
He slid hands around her back. "I prefer to think of it as wise time management." He pressed her back against the wall and slid a hand under her shirt and over her breast.
She moaned and arched into his touch. She felt him pressing hard into her belly. "These uniforms make this a bit difficult." She groused as they fumbled with belts and buttons. She gave up and yanked his shirt loose, running her hand up his hot flesh.
He growled his own frustration at all the gear between him and her. She chuckled and pulled his head down to kiss him again.
There was a rustling sound outside ruins.
"Yuck!"
"The Bobsie Twins," Rodney muttered.
"Ya'll were kissing!" Kasta accused.
"Karis and Annet kiss too." Claire screwed her face up in disgust.
Megan laughed. "When you get older, you'll kiss people too."
Claire and Kasta looked at each other doubtfully.
"You haven't eaten all the chocolate already?" Rodney asked incredulously.
They shook their heads. "We came to be look outs for you."
"Well, you're too late I've just finished." Rodney said shortly.
"Oh," they looked dejected.
"You know, Megan hasn't had a chance to look at the rest of the ruins yet." Rodney said with a sigh. He was suppose to be nice this trip. "You could watch out for us while she does that."
"Okay," they brightened immediately and hurried out.
Rodney gave her a look of frustration. "Come on. You have to look at a bunch of old rocks."
"I'll be sure and take my time." She teased, looking at the evidence of his desire.
He flushed. "You don't think they…"
"No, I don't think they did."
"Oh, thank goodness."
After she gave the ruins a good inspection they headed back to the village.
Teyla meet them as they entered the village. "We have been invited to stay for the midday meal by Karis. John has accepted."
"Of course he has." Rodney said. "Sheppard and Karis struck up an instant bond." He told Megan.
"This way." Teyla led them to a rope ladder and offered to hold it for them as they climbed. Rodney went up first and then Megan. He reached down and helped her up onto the platform. Teyla came up swiftly and led them across a swinging bridge to a tree house.
Inside, the rest of the team was waiting with Karis and a young woman. "Dr. McKay, Megan, this is my wife, Annet." Karis introduced them proudly.
"The benefits of living beyond twenty-five." Rodney said smugly.
"Nice to meet you, Annet." Megan said.
"It is good to finally meet the ones responsible for ending the ritual deaths." She said earnestly. "Please, be seated."
Everyone settled around a low table on cushion placed on the floor. Rodney groaned as he sat. Karis looked over at him curiously. "Is this one of things we can look forward to as we age?"
"Bad knees?" Rodney asked. "Yes."
"Not everyone gets bad knees." John refuted.
"Uh huh. Just wait. You run. Another ten, twenty years and your knees will be worse than mine."
"Then in twenty years you can say I told you so." John drawled.
Karis and Annet laid out the food and everyone dug in. Dinner conversation was light and varied. Many times John, Rodney or Megan had to explain something they said.
"Your world sounds wonderful." Annet said later as she collected the dishes.
"It is. You two should come visit sometime." John replied.
They looked at each other. "You would let us visit your world?" Karis asked.
"Why not?"
"We got the impression from the last visit that visitors were discouraged."
"Well, we don't have an open door for just anyone, but I'm sure Elizabeth would grant you permission."
"I'd like that."
"Tell you what." John said with a smile. "Pack an overnight bag and come back to the puddle jumper with us. We're having a party tonight. I'll radio Elizabeth and ask her. If she says yes, you can come home with us tonight. We'll bring you back tomorrow or the next day."
Karis and Annet packed a change of clothes and informed the Elders where they were going. Soon they were on the way back to the jumper. The young couple was awed at being in the ship and flying over the trees. Once they reached the Gate, Teyla dialed the Gate and Sheppard explained the request to Elizabeth.
"Of course, they're welcome, John."
"Thank you, Elizabeth." He looked back at Karis. "Ready?"
Karis nodded, excitement shining in his face.
The puddle jumper slid out of the Gate and into the gate room. They had a quick view of people watching them then the ship drifted upwards and rotated. It backed into its slot and John powered it down.
"Welcome to Atlantis." He said cheerfully as the back hatch opened.
They went to the infirmary for a standard post op checkout. Karis and Annet was reassured by the fact that everyone was checked out.
"It's basically to make sure that no bacteria or virus gets spread through the city." Dr. Keller told them.
Afterward, John offered to give them a tour of the city to which they agreed. John showed them their room so they could drop off their packs and then began showing them the city.
He showed them the view from the spires and from a pier. He took them around the rec room and the gym. He showed them the hologram room and finally took them to the control room.
John showed them to their room to rest. He showed them how to use the facilities and then went to get his own shower and change.
He and Teyla picked them up a few hours later. Together they went to the large outer area where long buffet tables had been set up. Lots of people were already there carrying on conversations.
Karis and Annet look overwhelmed, Megan thought as she and Rodney made their way over to them.
"Karis, Annet," Rodney greeted them. "How do you like Atlantis?"
"This city is stunning." Karis grinned at him. Annet nodded.
"Yes, she is." Megan agreed. "I was completely overwhelmed when I first got here."
"You have not been here long?" Annet asked.
"Less than a year."
"Karis," John said. "Why don't we get something to eat?" He indicated the long tables. "It's all finger food. We'll get a plate for Annet if she wants to stay and talk to Meg."
Karis looked at Annet who nodded slightly. Karis followed John over to the buffet. John handed Karis two plates and as they headed down the table he loaded lots of different tidbits on the plates. At the end he picked up three drinks.
"Atlantis is a lot different than our world." Megan was telling Annet when they got back.
"Earth is very crowded and very industrialized."
"Industrialized?" Annet asked.
Rodney muttered, "Just like Sheppard," and launched into an explanation. "We have lots of roads and big buildings and people live together in groups of thousands sometimes several thousands."
"Thousands?" Karis asked startled at the thought of that many people. "How many people live on your world?"
"Approximately six billion."
Karis and Annet just stared, stunned. There was just a little over a thousand on their world.
"Your entire population wouldn't fill one of our large cities." Rodney told them pompously.
Megan nudged him in the ribs.
"What?"
"Your arrogance is showing."
"Yes, well, sometimes it does that."
Megan laughed at him and shook her head. "It's a good thing I love you."
His eyes softened. "For me."
"I've got to go. I'm the entertainment tonight." Megan headed off to where several people were setting up a microphone and a couple of speakers. She had her sets cued up; music to songs without the words sent to her by Julie, Kat, and Mickie.
She saw Rodney wander down the buffet line and then go sit at the table with his team and Karis and Annet.
This was the first time she sang on Atlantis and truth be told she was a little nervous without her friends at her back. She took a sip of water and looked over the crowd. The crowd grew silent as they realized she was preparing to start.
She laughed nervously. "Don't stop talking on my account."
They laughed and a few conversations resumed on a low level.
She glanced at Rodney and he gave her two thumbs up.
She chuckled and blew a kiss at him. The tech indicated the equipment was ready and Megan gave him the go-ahead to start the sequence.
She wouldn't be doing a whole gig. The celebration was only a few hours long not all night like at a bar. She began with some mellow music: Move along, Unwritten, 100 Years and World.
She took a break to drink some water and then cued the second short set. Knowing a lot of the people liked dancing she set the second up for country: Here For the Party, Let Me In, Who Wouldn't Want To Be Me, My Baby Loves Me, and The Keeper Of The Stars.
She took a break and wandered over to Rodney's table. She noticed that there was no room for another chair around the table since Radek and Kate had joined them.
She slid an arm around his neck and reached around and snagged a tiny sandwich off his plate. "Enjoying the party?" She asked Karis and Annet.
"Yes." They both grinned at her.
Rodney snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her onto his lap as Annet said, "You have a lovely voice."
"Thanks," Megan shifted to a more comfortable position and leaned back against him. "That's the only thing I miss from Earth. My band. But I wouldn't trade for anything." She twisted and caressed Rodney's face.
"They are always like this." Radek said in a disgusted tone.
"You, my friend, are just jealous." Rodney smiled over at Radek.
Radek sighed. "Perhaps you are right."
Megan chuckled. "You want me to find someone to sit on your lap, Radek?"
Radek turned red and everyone laughed.
"I can find lap sitter." Radek snapped. "Difficulty is finding someone to love someone like us."
Rodney looked superior. "Us? I'm loveable!"
John, Ronon, and Kate started choking as they tried not to laugh.
Radek just stared at him. "You? Loveable? You are as loveable as badger awakened early from hibernation."
"Are you going to let him say that about me?" Rodney asked Megan.
Megan smirked, kissed him passionately, and said, "You know it's not true. I have another set to do." She hurried away.
She got the non country folk on the floor with Black Horse and a Cherry Tree, Bitch, X Amount of Words, SOS, and Boogie Fever.
She wound down the evening with Funkytown, Crush, I Do, Gravity, Little Wonders and If Everyone Cared.
Everyone applauded after the last song and she thanked them. The techs started tearing down the gear and everyone started slowly drifting off to continue their evenings somewhere else or to go to bed.
She returned to the table and plopped down in Rodney's lap even though there was now empty chairs.
She looked over at Karis and Annet who had wandered through the crowd and met lots of people. "Tired or too excited to sleep."
"Too excited." Karis grinned.
John yawned.
"Well, why don't we let my cousin go to bed and you can hang out with us. We usually just sit on the cafeteria's balcony and drink coffee or something and talk, watch the stars."
"That sounds like a good way to prepare for sleep." Annet said.
"It is. Its very relaxing."
The four of them went to the cafeteria and got something to drink then they went out on one of the side balconies.
"On Earth," Megan said quietly, "the general public doesn't know that all this exists. Some people believe that there is life out there." She waved toward space. "Most believe we're alone in the universe."
"Do you not have a Well…a Star Gate?" Karis asked.
"Yes." Rodney replied. "It's a well-kept military secret."
"I nearly died from an, on Earth, incurable virus before they agreed to let me come here." Megan explained to them. "Only Rodney threatening to never help them again convinced them to change their minds."
Karis and Annet looked at Rodney.
"Yes, yes," he said annoyed. "Genius, important."
Karis grinned slightly then tilted his head back against the chair and watched the stars.
"Are you glad you came, Megan?" Annet asked quietly.
Megan studied Rodney. "Yes." She said in a voice full of love and devotion.
The four were quiet for along time, watching the stars and the moon revolve in the sky.
"I believe we are ready for bed." Karis said later.
Rodney glanced down at Megan asleep against his chest. "Hey, Lover," he whispered. "Time for bed."
"About time." She murmured sleepily running a hand across his chest.
Rodney smiled affectionately as she gained her feet and stretched, yawning and rubbing her eyes.
They showed Karis and Annet to their room and then found their own quarters.