Big thanks to all my reviewers. Ya keep me inspired!


Nine.
Carson made Major Sheppard sit near the entrance while he followed Rodney to have a look at the device.

"I don't even know what I'm lookin at," Carson complained. He only half understood half of the Ancient technology on Atlantis. Now he was expected to make heads or tails out of some ancient Ancient technology.

Rodney used a flashlight to search the remaining ceiling stones. Standing in the guesstimated spot he stood before, he shined the light up. His shoulders slumped when he saw the shattered orb that would have emitted the diagnostic light. He turned to Carson, who was looking over the pedestal.

A sharp whistle brought the doctor's attention to where Rodney stood shaking his head. He could read Rodney lips, 'Hopeless,' and follow his up-stretched hand, indicating the broken appendage of the device.

Carson came to stand by Rodney for a better view. he sighed, "Well, we'll take the pedestal back with us. Maybe between Dr Zelenka and yerself ya can improvise." He double clicked his walkie.

"This is Bates."

"Sgt Bates, this is Carson. Contact Dr Weir, tell her we need a retrieval team to bring the device back with us."

"Roger that, doc. It's getting close to dusk. How long do you think this will take?"

Carson walked back to the device, circle it. "Uhm, not sure. It doesn't look too complicated but I can't see any power connections or anythin. Either it's internal or through the floor."

Rodney tuned the doctor out as his thoughts turned inward. Dormant diagnostic device, uses the thoughts of the physician to diagnose and probably treat the patient, activated by Major Sheppard, the major's catch phrase for Rodney being 'Shut up, McKay'...ohmygod. He turned to Carson, 'I think I figured it out.'

Carson continued touching and investigating the device, oblivious to Rodney's discovery. A sharp whistle brought his eyes up to Rodney waving frantically to get his attention. "What?"

'I. Think. I. Have. Figured. It. Out.' Rodney over-emphasized each word.

Carson held up a hand, "Hold on a second," and strode from the room. Rodney waited, impatiently pacing. A trickle of dust powdered his hair. He brushed at it irritated but otherwise ignored it. Carson came back in the room toting his pack. he set it on the pedestal, pulling out a laptop, turning it toward Rodney.

Rodney stepped up, fingers flying across the keyboard. Carson moved around to look over his shoulder. 'Major Sheppard activated the device while thinking 'shut up'. It read that as the diagnosis and did something to me to cure the problem.'

"Yer yap can be annoying at times," Carson thought aloud. Eyes wide, he met Rodney's disgruntled look, "Sorry," he said sheepishly. "That doesn't help us fix the thing."

Rodney shrugged, typing, 'We'll figure that out back at Atlantis. At least we know how it works.'

"Theoretically."

Rodney agreed nodding with a shrug.

A grinding noise brought both men's gaze to the ceiling. Fine whisps of dust roiled about them. Carson gripped Rodney's upper arm yanking him from the room as the remaining ceiling stones fell.

Ford and Teyla leaped to their feet at the crash from the next room, John joined them albeit much slower. All nearly bowled over as Carson and Rodney fell out of the adjoining room followed by a billow of dust and rocks.

"What the hell is going on?" came Bates' voice over the walkie. "The whole ground is shaking up here."

The two coughing men were pulled to their feet by their friends.

John calmed Bates' bellowing, "We're alright," cough, "the room just collapsed though."

Rodney looked back at the room. The doorway was completely blocked by rubble. The device was buried. He set his jaw, steeled his eyes, and straightened his shoulders before turning to face the pitying stares of his team mates.


Keep your hands and arms inside the ride at all times. Heeere we go!

This is turning out bigger than I planned. It's going waaay off the outline!