Late the next morning, a loud 'pssst' caught Rodney's attention. He looked up to see Sheppard peeking in the infirmary doorway. He frowned in confusion at the odd behavior, squinting as the major gave him a quick hand signal: Clear? Understanding suddenly dawned. Glancing toward the office door, he saw it was still cracked open but dark. No doubt Carson was still recovering from the long and hectic night. "He's asleep," the scientist confirmed in a stage whisper, waving the man in. "He was up all night with Jameson."
"I thought I should lie low for awhile," explained Sheppard. He gave a quick nod and a quirked a smile at the nurse who noted his arrival. She pursed her lips slightly and also glanced toward the darkened office where their CMO no doubt slept in a crumpled heap on his office couch. Purposely turning her back on the two, she started making notations on a chart. Taking it as taciturn permission, Sheppard hopped up to sit on the edge of McKay's bed, swinging his legs to and fro energetically, and completely ignoring Rodney's displeased expression.
McKay winced at the major's enthusiastic show of vitality and tugged at the blanket a bit where the major's weight had pulled it too tightly against his leg. "Did you come here for a reason?"
"Just to give you this," Sheppard said innocently, pulling out a laptop he had hidden under his jacket. He jerked it away and held it out of reach when McKay snatched at it like an eager child. "Only if you promise not to go charging back down to the lab." He wiggled the computer slightly as enticement.
Rodney crossed his arms, refusing to be baited. "We've got important projects down there, Major."
"I know, but give yourself some time to recuperate. Bates has it locked up tighter than a drum. Only he, Weir, and you have access. It'll be there when you feel up to it. In the meantime, you can stay here and play with this," he said, finally handing over the computer.
"Why suddenly so solicitous of my health, Major?" he asked with narrowed eyes, though he took the device quickly enough.
Giving the scientist a frank look, Sheppard explained, "Because you look like shit, McKay."
"I feel pretty good," Rodney replied, too surprised to take offense. "You know, considering." Snapping open the laptop, the scientist initiated the boot-up protocol that would allow him wireless access to Atlantis's mainframe. "And Beckett finally approved some painkillers...now that he's sure my brain isn't going to start leaking out of my ears."
John smirked in response. "Just imagine how you must have looked yesterday, then. You scared the crap outta me when you almost fainted on the way back from the lab."
McKay's jaw tightened at the wording but he let it pass. "I don't really remember much after we left the lab," he confessed.
"You got all gray and gaspy-like. I'm not surprised Beckett considers me persona non-gratis for the duration of your stay." As if afraid the mere mention of the doctor's name would cause the Scot to appear, he hopped back off the bed and started to leave. He had the distinct impression the nurse was of the don't-ask-don't-tell mindset when it came to his visit, but he doubted she would put her neck on the line if Beckett were to catch him in the act.
"Wait'll he finds out you brought me my laptop," said McKay.
"That's our little secret," warned Sheppard, glancing anxiously towards the infirmary office. "If he finds out, my ass is grass, so mums the word. You too, Zelenka," he added, seeing the Czech watching them from the bed next to Rodney's.
"Mám se dobře, děkuji," replied the scientist in a sarcastic tone, adjusting his sling and leaning back against a stack of pillows before closing his eyes.
Frowning, Sheppard looked at McKay. "Is that a 'yes' or a 'no'?"
Rodney shrugged, already immersed in the contents of the laptop. "I have no idea. He hasn't said a word in English since the accident. Beckett can't decide if it's some lingering effect of his head injury, shock, or just obstinacy."
oOo
Two days later, Beckett had released the majority of his patients, several with the condition they take it easy. McKay, anxious to start piecing together the remains of his lab, had already been working for an hour when Sheppard appeared. Other scientists and technicians periodically went in and out, transporting their projects to a new lab located nearby. Some were busily trying to cannibalize what materials they could from the projects that were unsalvageable. More than one looked close to tears at the scope of the destruction.
"I thought Beckett released you to light duty?" scolded Sheppard as he breezed in. He had to step aside momentarily to make room for a scientist with an armful of components and wires to exit.
"What are you, my mother?" McKay grumped. Tired or not, there was too much to do--months of hard work had been lost in an instant.
Sheppard ignored the comment and gave Zelenka a light clap on the back instead. "How ya feeling, Doc?"
"Není mi dobře i bolí mě hlava," said the Czech, wincing miserably.
The major frowned and looked to Rodney for translation but the astrophysicist was busily scraping debris out of his way so he could get to something. "Well…um…sorry to hear that. Hang in there." John walked up behind Rodney and leaned over his shoulder feigning interest until the scientist finally noticed him, shooting him an exasperated look. "Look McKay, why don't you let me draft some of my guys to help?" He cut off the scientist's sarcastic comment before it could form on his lips. "They can at least move some of the heavy stuff around for you."
Rodney looked around at all the debris, torn between the desire for the help of extra hands and the fear of having the military equivalent of oxen plowing through in his lab. "I supposed that might not be a bad idea," he finally agreed, "But they don't touch anything until we clear it first!"
Sheppard accepted that condition with a nod, then leaned in conspiratorially. "And I think you ought to send Dr. Z back to bed."
McKay glanced in the Czech's direction and frowned before returning his attention back to the ruined experiment. "Jones!" he barked, as he carefully began dismantling the damaged bits and pieces.
"Sir?" replied the eager young lab tech as he jogged over to his supervisor.
Sheppard shook his head in amusment. The young techs seemed to thrive on McKay's abuse. In fact, they practically worshiped the man. He would never understand it.
"Take Dr. Zelenka back to his quarters and put him to bed," said Rodney. Out of the corner of his eye he couldn't help but see Sheppard grinning but apparently decided to ignore him.
"Yes, sir," said the tech. He walked over to the Czech and put a sympathetic hand on his back. "Come on, Doctor, I'll walk you back to your quarters."
"Děkuji," the scientist replied tiredly as he allowed the tech to lead him away.
Happy that at least one person who was supposed to be resting was now following doctor's orders, Sheppard put out a call for volunteers among his men. Within twenty minutes, the room was filled with camo-clothed helpers. While the military and the scientists often rubbed each other the wrong way, deep down everyone realized how important it was that they all stick together. Stranded in the Pegasus Galaxy, there was no one to depend upon except each other.
Having 'grunts' to do most of the physical labor seemed to help but it still didn't take long before Rodney was looking absolutely exhausted. Sheppard slipped quietly out of the room and radioed Beckett.
"Damn, fool," said the doctor in response to Sheppard's report.
"Maybe you could just wander down here - casual like," the major suggested.
"Aye, I'll be there in a few minutes," agreed the Scot.
"This squares things between us, right Doc?" Sheppard asked before the physician could sign off. It was bad enough dealing with the Wraith, he didn't need to be on Beckett's shitlist as well.
"I'll consider it, Major," came the amused reply.
Sheppard reentered the lab and made sure he was busy digging out debris when Beckett arrived. Rodney gave him a suspicious look but John countered it with one of innocent surprise at the physician's visit. After a little arguing, a compromise was reached and McKay left, escorted by Beckett, for lunch and a 'short nap'. John wasn't surprised when Rodney didn't reappear.
oOo
The next day, McKay's rats continued to scurry between the old lab and new, though Sheppard saw fewer and fewer of them now that the majority of the equipment transfer was completed and they were working in their new location. Rodney appeared late that morning, looking infinitely better in the major's opinion.
"Sir, have look at this," said one of the soldiers as he levered a large piece of debris out of the way. He and another soldier were looking at a jagged hole in the wall they had just uncovered.
Both McKay and Sheppard walked over and peered into the opening. They saw several strands of different colored lights. One strand seemed to have been damaged by the explosion. The rest were dim and flickered occasionally.
"That's not good," grimaced Rodney, pulling out a flashlight to get a better look.
A nod from Sheppard sent the soldiers back to other duties. "Is that what I think it is?" he asked, getting a glimpse as the light beam hit the damaged area.
"Power conduits," confirmed McKay, grimly.
"Do you think they're safe?"
"I doubt it. The minute we draw anything resembling full power through them, they're likely to collapse under the strain."
Watching as the scientist's light flashed over them, Sheppard managed to catch sight of the damaged area of the closest strand. "I'm surprised we have any power at all."
"The ancients systems are, as Radek is so fond of saying, 'incredibly redundant'."
"Can you fix it?" At McKay's a scathing look, he reworded the question, "How long to fix it?"
"We'll need to reroute the power to secondary systems while we work on it." He continued, talking more to himself than to Sheppard, "This is part of the network that powers the control room, so it's possible we'll lose some systems there until the repairs are complete." Squinting into the hole unhappily he replied, "Several hours, at least."
oOo
Rodney let out an exasperated sigh. "Radek, this is not going to work."
"I'm doing the best I can, Rodney," replied the Czech unhappily.
"I know you are, but this just isn't going to get done with three hands." Rodney had removed the panel from the other side of the wall to give them better access, but there was still only room for two people to work, one on either side of the wall. Zelenka's arm remained in a sling due to his cracked collarbone - Beckett had been adamant about that.
"Why don't you let me give you a hand?" offered Sheppard, taking the tool from the Czech's unresisting fingers. He patted the man encouragingly on the arm. "At least you're speaking English again."
"I hardly think you're qualified…" began Rodney, peering through the hole at him from the other side of the wall.
"Well so far," Sheppard drawled, "the main qualification for this job seems be the ability to be yelled at, and I think I can manage that." He gave Zelenka conspiratorial a wink. A tentative smile was his reward as the Czech backed out of the way, making room for the major to take his place. "Besides, I don't see anyone else." Rodney had demanded the military vacate the area while they worked because of their 'ham fisted' nature. Most merely rolled their eyes at the insult and were happy enough to follow their commander's suggestion that they grab a bite to eat. Thrusting his hand into the hole, Sheppard positioned the tool in approximately the same location where Zelenka had last had it.
Rodney grunted. "They're busy setting up the new lab. Shift that about eight centimeters to your left."
Sheppard moved his hand.
"Careful!" exclaimed Rodney. "I said eight centimeters!"
"You rerouted the power," John reminded him. "Chill out."
"There might still be some residual energy stored in the…" A bright green flash interrupted him as Sheppard shifted his grip on the tool and inadvertently bridged a damaged area.
Radek watched in horror as the major was thrown backward several feet.