THE TRENCH

PART FOUR: WHEN IT RAINS….

Sheppard sighed, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. Damn this planet was hot. Frankly, he wouldn't mind a little rain right now. Something to cool this place down a little….

"Sir?" Ford stared up at the sky, his lips pressed tightly together. It was his first word since they'd left McKay and Teyla about twenty minutes ago.

Sheppard glanced at his lieutenant, noticed the direction of the young man's attention, and looked up.

"Wow," Sheppard noted softly, eyes watching the show. "That's…wow."

"Are they clouds, sir?"

Ordinarily, that would seem like a dumb question. Of course they were clouds.

But they weren't acting like clouds.

They were literally boiling across the sky, collecting at a pace that was unreal. He'd never seen anything like it. Moments ago, the sky had been perfectly blue. Now white and grey clouds were rapidly rolling across the firmament, swirling and collecting, with a speed that reminded the major of a fast forwarded movie reel.

They thickened and gathered, boiling over the lighter, fluffier clouds, forming solid masses of darker and darker gray.

Ford clicked his tongue, "Not to sound superstitious or anything, sir, but the word 'foreboding' comes to mind."

And then it started to rain. Lightly at first, then heavier and heavier.

"Fabulous," the major muttered, quickly turning up the collar on his jacket and zipping it all the way up to the throat. "Talk about, 'be careful what you wish for,'" he added darkly. As the first raindrops really started to pelt their shoulders, he pulled his hat out from where he'd tucked it inside his vest and pressed it onto his head. Next to him, Ford had imitated his CO's motions, except to the extent that he already had his hat on.

"I don't like this, sir," he announced then. "It doesn't seem natural."

"Grin and bear it, lieutenant. It's just water."

"Doesn't smell like just water," Ford replied smartly. His eyes were open and staring at Sheppard, the question clear. Did he smell that too?

Sheppard grimaced, sniffed, and frowned. The faint smell of sulfur.

Ford clapped at his sleeves, where the rain left marks on the cloth. It almost looked like it was going to eat through the dense fabric.

"It's acidic," he realized, glancing worriedly at his CO. "Can't be good for us to be out in it."

"We need cover," the major agreed, looking around. He spotted some rocks off to the left, with a slight overhang. "Come on."

In moments, they were huddled under the rocks, watching as a fierce rain pelted the ground. The sulfurous smell grew stronger the heavier it got.

A crackle in their ears had Sheppard tapping his radio.

"Major," McKay's voice was sharp, "You should get under shelter. The rain is acidic."

"Yeah," he replied, "we figured that out when it started to eat our clothes. We're under some rocks."

"Yo, Doc," Ford called, leaning out to peer up at the sky, "How long will it last?"

There was a pause, then, "Are you serious? I'm supposed to know?"

Ford shrugged, though McKay obviously couldn't see him. "Yeah," he replied with complete honesty. "Don't you?"

They could almost see his disdainful sneer, "Good Lord, Ford. I'm not a soothsayer. Why do you people always think that—"

"Calm down, doctor," Teyla's voice interrupted. "Doctor McKay does not like the rain," she explained over the radio.

Nothing like Teyla to state the obvious. Sheppard couldn't help but smile. Still, he knew McKay would know something. He always did.

"Okay, McKay, you may not know how long it will last, but can you tell us anything about it? I mean, since when does acid rain eat through clothes?" the major imitated his lieutenant by leaning a little ways out of their protection, to check the status of the clouds still roiling overhead. They were still moving incredibly rapidly across the sky.

"How should I know? Look, major, I'm not an ecologist any more than I'm a meteorologist!"

"So? Since when has that stopped you?"

"Since I don't know the answer!"

"Yes you do. Come on, McKay. You always know—"

"Look, major, acid rain on earth is just the term given to precipitation where the pH level drops below a certain level. It's caused by, among other things, the introduction of sulfur, nitrogen oxides and ammonia into the atmosphere—by fossil fuel burning, for example. On earth, the effects are dangerous, but not obvious to the everyday observer, except over time. Trees die faster, fewer fish in the lakes and rivers, corrosion of buildings, etc., but all slowly. This, however, is different. This so-called acid rain really is acidic, to the degree of even smelling like it. The levels of sulfur in the atmosphere here are obviously much higher, and the rain more corrosive. It would explain why the landscape is made up of only the hardiest of flora. Nothing delicate could survive here long. What's causing it? I don't know. All I can say is that it's nasty and we should wait until it's done before venturing out again."

"There, see?" Sheppard smiled smugly, "That's all I wanted to know. Now, was that so hard? Told you that you knew the answer. You always do, Answer Man."

The reply was succinct, "I hate you."

"I know." Sheppard's grin split his face. "I hate you too."

"So, Doc," Ford licked his lips, smiling over at Sheppard, "How long will it last?"

Sheppard grinned, holding up three fingers. Ford arched an eyebrow as Sheppard counted down, three…two…one….

Just as Sheppard lowered the last finger, McKay sighed heavily over the radio.

"Fine, fine. Christ. In Area 51, though I will admit to not paying that much attention to what went on outside, I can remember that rainstorms were often heavy…but quick. So…this probably won't last long. Happy?"

Ford grinned. "Yes. Knew you couldn't resist, doc."

"Yes, well, I hate you too, lieutenant."

"Nah, no you don't. Everyone likes me. I'm a likeable guy."

Sheppard couldn't hold back the laugh, and he'd bet ten to one that, wherever he was, McKay was smiling too.

"Really?" McKay's tone was deceptively deadpan, "That's not what Carson tells me."

Sheppard's laugh grew louder as Ford blushed.

"Yes, well, extenuating circumstances," the kid muttered over the sounds of both Sheppard's and McKay's laughter over the radio.

"The rain is slowing," Teyla interrupted.

And, sure enough, it was. In moments, the rain had stopped completely. Gingerly, Sheppard and Ford stepped out from their shelter and looked up.

At the perfectly blue sky.

"This place is weird," Ford said. "I mean, that was really, really weird."

"Yes, well, it's also over." Sheppard checked to make sure everything was still where it should be, then tapped the radio. "Teyla, McKay, you all set?"

"We are already moving, major," Teyla answered. "We will get back in touch if anything else happens."

"Right, Sheppard out." The major dropped his hands from his radio and nodded to Ford. "Let's move out. Hopefully, that will be the worst thing that happens to us this day."

But, of course, it wasn't.

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TBC Seriously, Sheppard needs to learn to knock on wood, he really does…. evil grin>