CHAPTER SEVEN

Jumping out of the back of the ship with thoughts of finding a bedroom filling my head I felt a hand clamp down on my shoulder and I was turned around.

"Randy, this is Tayla. Tayla, this is my twin sister Randy." John said, his voice causing me to look over at the beautiful woman who was standing about a foot away from John. I smiled warmly at her and immediately pulled her into a hug,

"It's very nice to meet you Tayla."

"Likewise." Tayla replied hugging me back before we let go and I felt a yawn coming on.

"Not to be rude but I think I should hit the hay now. I'll see you guys later." I said another yawn taking over as I gave them a smile before turning and heading back to my room. By the time I opened the door I barely had time to shove my things to the floor before I fell into a deep sleep.

"Randy Anya Sheppard!" I heard John holler from somewhere near my right ear causing me to immediately sit up and defend myself,

"Whatever it was I didn't do it!...unless it was cool then I probably did." I replied as I simultaneously rubbed the sleep out of my eyes while wiping the drool off of my chin.

When I didn't hear a reply I looked around my room and realized that John wasn't physically there,

"Then how did he just talk to me?" I started wondering as I began to massage my neck and my hand touched something hard and unfamiliar.

"What the?" I exclaimed immediately pulling it out so I could see it and I felt stupid after realizing it was the comm I hadn't put in my ear that was still attached to my shoulder from earlier. Sticking it back in I heard John say,

"-! Now where the heck are you Randy?" John demanded sounding relieved.

"In my room." I replied while stretching and doing my morning yoga routine.

"Wait, you found a room and claimed it already? Why am I not surprised.." I heard John say sounding more like he was muttering to himself.

Yawning I stretched out as John spoke again,

"There's a celebration party going on in the control room, I was hoping you would be here."

"I'm on my way." I replied, starting to leave the room when I remembered something that 'Yoda' had given me information about. There were transporters all over Atlantis that would take you exactly where you wanted to go, or as close to it as the nearest transporter was.

"Lets see, where are ..aha!" I exclaimed triumphantly as I found the closest transporter and stepped into it. Arriving in the control room I found multiple surprised faces and weapons pointed at me.

"Hello…" I said with an awkward wave not liking to be the center of attention for large groups of people.

"Randy? What is that?" Doctor Weir asked, stepping around the soldiers.

"It's a transporter, like an elevator but instead of the whole thing moving you get sucked up and moved to the transporter closest where you want to go." I replied as I moved away from it trying to get out of the center of attention.

"It's okay everyone, please go back to enjoying the party." Doctor Weir said before gesturing to me to follow her towards the corner of the room.

"Is there anything else you know about this place?" Doctor Weir asked curiously.

"I know a few things and I have a way to learn more but for right now I just want to relax and visit with my brother and his soulmate." I replied hoping she would take the hint.

"Fine but I would like to talk to you about everything you've learned later." Doctor Weir said.

"Actually there are some things I want to talk to you about but in a couple of hours, right now I'm here to celebrate everyone's safe return." I told her before spotting John and Tayla.

"Okay, come find me as soon as you're done celebrating." Doctor Weir called out as I was already walking away from her.

"It's a promise." I called back as I made my way over to John and Tayla smiling and nodding to everyone I passed along the way. Finally reaching the door near the balcony that John and Tayla were standing next to I let out a sigh of relief at having made it.

"Hello again Tayla, sorry that I left so soon before. How are you doing?" I asked remembering that she and some of her people had been kidnapped by the aliens, 'Wraith' my mind supplied.

"That's a weird name..Wraith...eww and it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Well not my actual mouth I haven't said anything yet. Oh crud muffins Tayla's talking shut up brain!"

"-ine. Thank you for your concern." Tayla finished saying as I finally tuned back into reality.

"I'm really glad that you weren't harmed. I don't wish to be rude but would you tell me about your people and traditions? I would love to get to know more about you. And maybe tell you some old stories about my brother." I said, wiggling my eyebrows at the end as I gave John a mischievous smile.

"Randy don't you dare." John said sounding more resigned then anything as he knew I wasn't really going to listen to him.

Tayla laughed at our interaction before speaking up, "I would love to hear stories about when the two of you were younger."

I couldn't help the slightly evil sounding chuckle that escaped me as I rubbed my hands together thinking of which story to start with first,

"I've got it! Years ago when we were six years old-"

"Randy not THAT story!" John cut in desperately causing my mischievous grin to widen and I spent the next few hours telling Tayla stories of our childhood while running away from John.