Evaluation

After sparring until the rest of the city woke, Ronon and I went to the Mess Hall and ate morning meal together. I felt so exposed, sitting in the relatively empty Mess Hall with Ronon's hulking form, but then he started conversation.

"What d'you think of Atlantis?"

"It's nice."

"You gonna stay for good?"

"I… think so. I'd like to."

"Good. You'll get used to it. I did. The Earthlings are really weird, but they're good people."

"I'll take your word for it." I smiled into my morning meal. We said nothing more for the remainder of the meal. After I was finished, I stood. "I'm going to the Ring to meet Rodney."

"Okay. Good luck. Try not to strangle him."

"I'll try."

I took my tray to where dirty ones went and left the Mess Hall. More people wandered the halls now in pairs or groups of three, and I was hit by a sudden wave of loneliness. Then, the lights in the hall around me began to glow and hum. The vibrations thrummed through me, warm and comforting, and as soon as it appeared, the loneliness was gone. I stopped in the middle of the hallway, staring at the ceiling. What had… just happened?

"Ah, Molli. I was just on my way to the Gateroom." Rodney appeared beside me, holding a tablet. "You ready?"

"Yeah." I tore my gaze away from the ceiling and fell into step with Rodney. He fiddled with his tablet, then held it out to me.

"Read this," he said.

"But I can't read."

"Just try."

I turned to the tablet, slowing as I focused. The letters were unfamiliar – wait. Words appeared in my mind.

"If you can read this," I said, "it means you can read Ancient. What?"

"Interesting." Rodney plucked the tablet from my grip and we climbed a set of stairs and reached the Ring. People bustled to and fro and we moved aside for a group of people in white coats. "So, you've been able to find your way around okay?"

"Yeah."

"Interesting." He made a note on his tablet. "I'm thinking you have some genetic memory in you."

"Genetic memory?" The words jogged something Solus had told me, about how the Venators memories were sent down through DNA. "Is that when you remember stuff from your ancestors?"

"Yeah." He looked at me strangely. "Okay, I want you to stand… right here." He pushed me in front of the Ring. My hand twitched at the unwelcome contact, but I told myself that he didn't mean it. His attention was on the ground in front of me. I stared down and a sudden image entered my mind. I closed my eyes, held out my hand, and something hissed. I opened my eyes and saw a panel had risen beneath my hand, pulsing slightly.

"What's this?" I asked.

"Oh." He seemed genuinely surprised. "Another tick for genetic memory. Okay, come on."

The panel went back into the floor and I followed him up another flight of stairs. The floor above the Ring was filled with large, round bubbles.

"What are these?" I asked.

"We call them Puddle Jumpers."

"Puddle Jumpers." I tried the words on my tongue. It sounded okay. I followed Rodney into one and obediently sat in the front seat. As soon as I touched the seat, the controls came to life, as if sensing my presence. Information filled my mind and I slapped my hand to my head at the force of it.

"You okay?" Rodney frowned and sat in the seat beside mine.

"Yeah." I rubbed my forehead. "Just… a lot of information right now."

"Okay, think about opening the roof."

The thought entered my head and a moment later the room trembled as the roof opened and sunlight shone through. I lowered my hands onto the buttons in front and thought: 'flight'.

The Jumper rose slowly from the bay and into the sunlight. I exhaled as I saw the endless expanse of ocean, and the Jumper zoomed forward without my urging.

"Whoa, calm down," Rodney said. I didn't respond, instead looking at where I wanted the Jumper to go next. I didn't even have to touch the buttons. The Jumper responded to the slightest thought. I looked up.

"I've never been in space before," I whispered. The ship responded, taking us high above the city and away from the air. I marvelled as the blue gave way to black and suddenly there was nothing but night sky. I turned the ship around and stared. The blue globe beneath us… that was Lantea. There was the slightest line and underneath that was a breathable world… I couldn't wrap my head around it.

"See that?" Rodney pointed to a speck of land to the right of Atlantis. "That's the mainland. We haven't been there yet and we're sending teams there to take a look around today." He moved his hand. "Let's go back."

I nodded and flew back down to the city, hovering above the Jumper Bay and lowering ourselves inside. It landed neatly and Rodney and I disembarked. Both John and Evan were waiting outside.

"Hey, Rodney," John said. "All good?"

"Right as rain. A lot of genetic memory over there." He gestured vaguely in my direction.

"Right." John rolled his eyes. "Look, we're sending people to the mainland today."

"And?"

"And… how did Molli's flying go?"

"Oh, she was… passable." Rodney's eyebrow twitched. John rolled his eyes and looked at me.

"Reckon you'd be up to flying one of the Jumpers to the mainland?" he asked. I glanced between him and Evan, who nodded encouragingly.

"Uh, yeah. I think so."

"Good. Major, looks like you have yourself another pilot." John clapped Evan's shoulder and turned on his heel. "See you 'round."

After he left, Evan looked at Rodney.

"You wanna join us, doc?" he asked.

"No thank you, I've got some interesting data I need to get through." He turned and marched from the Jumper Bay, following John's footsteps. Evan turned to me.

"So, get some food and meet in the gear-up room in two hours. You remember where it is?"

"Yeah."

"Good. See you there."

I opened my mouth to ask a question, but Evan had already gone. The question died in my throat and I lowered my gaze and shuffled down several flights of stairs. Without urging, my feet led me to the gym, and I heard a familiar voice. My ears pricked. While I didn't know where John, Evan or Rodney were, Ronon would surely be able to answer my question.

I entered the gym hesitantly and saw Ronon standing before a group of people. Ronon stopped mid-sentence and looked right at me.

"Hey, what's up? You here for the lesson?" he asked.

"No, I uh… had a question." I flushed. Ronon crossed to me.

"Ask away."

"Uh, well, I'm part of a team going to the mainland. I'm a 'pilot', whatever that is. I was just wondering… what do I do?"

"Well, you'll fly one of the Jumpers over there and probably given a group of three or four scientists to watch. Y'know, make sure they don't get into trouble and whatever. Then you'll leave." He shrugged. "It isn't that interesting."

"Okay. Thanks."

"Would you be able to help me with the demonstration?"

I blinked. "Oh. Sure."

I followed him over to the group of people, fiddling with the sleeves of my jacket. Ronon addressed the group and I felt a sudden prickle on the back of my neck. The floor beneath me hummed.

Danger.

I looked up, straight into the eyes of the man. The one from the corridor. He stared at me with an uncomfortable intensity. I fought the urge to squeeze my legs together and draw my arms tight around my chest.

"Alright, watch closely," Ronon said, his voice penetrating the stare. The man looked away and I dragged my gaze to Ronon. We got into ready stances, I threw a punch, and Ronon blocked and slowly demonstrated how to grab my shoulder, redirect my balance, and roll me onto the ground. I rolled, stood, and Ronon nodded.

He then called for the group to line up and each practice the manoeuvre with me. As each person attempted the throw, he stood to the side and gave advice and corrected their technique. I rolled obediently and, I thought, rather smoothly.

Then the man stood in front of me, with that intense stare, and I wanted to run.

"Okay, go," Ronon said. I did my punch, he blocked, grabbed my shoulder and began to redirect my balance. His hand slipped, moved down my collarbone and grasped my breast.

I reacted instinctively, smacking his solar plexus, wrapping my arms around the back of his neck and flipping him face-first into the ground. A resounding crack echoed through the now-silent gym.

"What the fuck?!" the main wailed, clambering up from the mats. Blood spurted from his nose and dripped onto his shirt. He lunged at me and I side-stepped and planted a heavy kick on his backside. A moment later, Ronon pulled me back and stood between us.

"Guys, ENOUGH!" he shouted. Both the man and I froze. "What the hell?"

"She attacked me!" the man yelled, raising a shaking hand at me.

"You groped me!" I retorted. Ronon stared between us, then fastened his gaze on the man.

"Get out, McCalman," he growled. "I don't want you in my classes anymore, and if I hear you've been near her at all, you'll be hearing from me."

"But-"

Ronon crossed the room in an instant and wrapped his hand around the man's throat.

"Get out. I won't ask again." He pushed the man away and everyone watched as he coughed and slunk away. Ronon then turned to me. "You okay?"

"Yeah." I stared at him.

It was a lie to say that I wasn't used to other people fighting my battles for me. Solus had done it often, after all. But, to put it plainly, I hadn't expected such kindness. Ronon nodded.

"Good." He glanced at the door. "Never liked the guy anyway."