Chapter 3: I Get Around

The two men worked in silence for close to 30 minutes, only speaking when John needed the scientist to find him a tool or part. He'd stripped the clutch assembly apart and discovered that one of the gears had a deep gouge in it causing the clutch to get stuck in mid shift.

Holding the piece up, he showed it to Rodney. "How'd that happen?"

McKay glanced over from his desk, scowling as he studied the piece. "Must have been when I crashed the first time."

"The first time? How many times have you crashed?"

"Only twice. That's when I decided to park it and work on something else until I could find what I needed to fix it."

"You end up visiting Beckett for every little thing. How did you survive crashing twice and I didn't hear about it?"

Rodney ignored him as he stood up and cleaned some of the litter off his desk.

Sheppard knew this man well and could recognize the scientist's avoidance tactics easily. "You did get hurt, didn't you? What, swear the good doctor to secrecy?"

"No. It was just a bump and he said as long as I didn't try to hide anything that he would find out about later… he wouldn't tell."

"Does he know what you have going on down here?"

"Not exactly."

Sheppard couldn't believe Rodney. This was like pulling teeth from the normally over talkative scientist. "What does that mean?" he asked in exasperation.

"Look, he's just happy that I have a hobby that doesn't entail blowing my self up." Rodney grinned as an impish delight shined in his eyes, "Actually the good doctor has helped me on a project or two."

"Carson was able to answer an engineering question?"

"No. I was tinkering upstairs with some ball bearings and he suggested using petroleum jelly for grease." Rodney shrugged, "Crude but effective."

Standing up to stretch his back, Sheppard surveyed the room. "There's a lot of stuff in here. How long have you been doing this?"

Rodney was sifting through a pile of parts before he held up another gear in triumph. "A few months." Seeing that the major wanted more, he sat back down on his stool and placed his hands on his knees. "Sgt. Stackhouse came to me one day, asking me what he should do with a MALP that had broken down. The thing was riddled with holes from gunfire and was just a pile of junk. I told him to send it off to salvage. After he left, I got to thinking and decided to see what else might be down there."

"And you started your little operation," Sheppard finished.

"Why not? It isn't like there's a television or library nearby."

Sheppard walked over to the work desk and flipped the open magazine over. Spying Kavanaugh's name on the address box, he raised a brow to Rodney.

"I borrowed it. It's not like he was going to do anything other than look at the pretty pictures anyway."

The major busted out laughing, "You really don't like the guy, do you?"

"He's an ass. As intelligent as he thinks he might be, what's he doing subscribing to this? This is for old men sitting in recliners."

"And, you have it because…?"

Rodney sighed as he picked up the piece of literature, "It was like finding an old puzzle that needed completed. I didn't have anything else to do and the plane looked interesting."

John plucked the magazine out of McKay's hands and picked up the gear. "What do you say we put the cart back together and blow this place?"

Twenty minutes later they had the clutch reassembled and pushed the cart out the door towards the hanger bay.

"So, you got enough 'gas' to run this thing for a while?" Sheppard asked with a smirk.

"Now, Major, what are you implying?" McKay looked up innocently from filling the small tank on the back.

"Nothing, Doctor. I just wondered if there might be any left over for later."

"Uh-huh." Rodney made his way to sit down on the small seat only to be pushed off by Sheppard.

"Me first."

"I don't think so, major. I built it, I ride it first."

"No, I fixed it. I need to make sure it runs okay."

"Oh please, if that isn't the lamest thing I've heard today. "

"Rock, Paper, Scissors."

"What?"

"You heard me. Whoever wins, goes first."

Rodney huffed. "Fine."

Both men made a fist, shaking them three times before they stopped with McKay's staying in a tight fist and Sheppard's with his thumb sticking up.

"I win," the major gloated.

"Says who? What's that supposed to be?"

"Dynamite. It blows up rock. You lose, now get off."

Rodney's look of contempt returned as he made his way to the back of the vehicle. Watching Sheppard settle himself in the seat, he grabbed the cord and pulled, turning over the small engine. The motor coughed and died.

"Try it again," Sheppard directed as he adjusted the choke and pumped the gas. He could feel McKay shooting daggers at the back of his head and dare not turn around.

The second pull was successful as the engine caught and John put the vehicle in gear while slipping the clutch. Giving it a little gas, he felt the tires grip as he pulled away. At first, he was a bit hesitant; testing the cart, but seeing Rodney standing there rolling his eyes, he gunned it and let it rip. Soon he was circling the hanger as fast as he could, nearly colliding with Rodney at one point.

Bringing the cart to a halt, he grinned, "McKay, you've made my day. I forgot how much fun it was to drive."

The scientist returned the grin. "So, driving in circles is all you do for fun?"

"What else do you have in mind?"

"Well, I was thinking…"

"That's dangerous," John interrupted.

"Shut up! What if we made it a bit more exciting?"

"What do you have in mind, McKay?"

Rodney grinned as he made his way back to his lab. "I'll be back in a bit. You keep driving in circles until I return."

Moments later, he returned with several large empty containers and a sheet of stiff metal. Placing the items strategically throughout the bay, he created an obstacle course. "Fastest time through the course gets to design the next one."

It wasn't long before more and more of McKay's lab appeared out on the floor as the course increased in difficulty. Soon they had even created a small ramp.

SG:A

It was several hours before the guys finally tired of their new toy. Sitting in the middle of the enormous mess they had created, the surveyed their surroundings.

Rodney was the first to break the silence. "Beckett should be proud."

"Why's that?" John asked.

Holding out his hands, the scientist turned them back and forth. "Not a bump or scratch to be seen."

Sheppard smacked Rodney's hands down. "Don't say that. Geesh, now we're bound to have something happen."

Rodney eyed the major before standing, "I'm hungry. Did you bring anything good down here?"

"MRE's. How about you?"

The scientist sighed. What he'd give for a cheeseburger right about now. "The same."

The major nodded, "What do you say we go out to the platform and watch the sunset while we eat? Take a break from all of this."

Glancing back to his makeshift lab, he mentally tried to remember where he'd put his pack. "Okay, I'll meet you over there."

Sheppard climbed back on to the cart and revved the motor. With a quick grin cast over his shoulder, he buzzed the room before driving down the hallway. "Don't be late, my little space bunny," he called out before he was gone.

"You are so not funny," Rodney yelled back, his retort drowned out by the engine.

A swift search revealed his pack before he made his way over to the platform. Hearing the sound of the cart coming up the hallway from behind him he quickly stepped out of the way. He was surprised to see that the major wasn't slowing down as he neared the shield. "Stop," he yelled but quickly realized from the look on Sheppard's face that the brake mechanism wasn't working.

Dropping his pack, he raced after the cart and watched in horror as it drove off the edge of Atlantis. "Major!" he yelled, scanning the shadowy water for his friend.

Within seconds, the dark head broke the surface, spluttering from the cold water.

Rodney leaned as far over the side as he could without falling in. "Give me your hand," he ordered.

Sheppard splashed a few times before catching Rodney's grip. Relief flooded him as the scientist pulled his soaking freezing body back on the ship. "Thanks," he whispered, while trying to stop his teeth from chattering.

"Don't mention it," Rodney replied, looking back out over the water.

John followed his gaze, "What's wrong?"

The scientist was chewing his lip. "Do you think we should go get it?"

Both men silently studied the water.

"Well, we wouldn't want Weir to find it," Sheppard finally said.

"That's what I was thinking." Rodney turned to his dripping friend, "Are you up for going on a little ride?"

Sheppard couldn't believe McKay was suggesting what he was suggesting. "Oh, yeah. Let me get changed and we can go."

TBC