CHOOSING HIS TEAM by Tipper
CHAPTER THREE: CONFUSE-A-CAT
Stepping out of the conference rooms, handing the last of his food to whomever was in charge of it that morning (looked like Sumner's right-hand man, Staff Sergeant Bates, who still looked at him with a wary expression), Sheppard turned and walked through the doors into the Gate Room.
It was awash in sunlight, and he had to stop. He'd never really looked at it before, not without there being something else more pressing to control his attention. He paused in the center, turning a slow circle, taking in the cavernous room. Above him, on one of the balconies, he could see Grodin talking to another scientist, this one smaller with Einstein-like hair and a Czech flag on his arm. What was his name again? Zaphod? Other scientists also buzzed about, but not McKay, who was strangely absent.
For some reason, this disappointed Sheppard. Sighing a little, he continued his visual tour.
His breath caught when he looked in the direction of the Stargate, or rather, at the massive windows behind the Stargate. They were breathtakingly beautiful. Not that he normally noticed stuff like that, but some things even he could appreciate. He soaked in the sun streaming through them for a couple of minutes, before looking away.
It had suddenly occurred to him that it wasn't "the" sun. It was a different sun. An alien sun. Overlooking an alien planet. In an alien galaxy. Far, far, far away from his sun. And no way home.
The warm air felt suddenly chillier at the realization, and his smile disappeared.
Forcing the depressing thought aside, he decided it was time to get down to business and start assessing the room strategically. He would need to establish a standard response to threats that might come through the gate, for the Wraith were probably only the tip of the iceberg in terms of what might be out there. He needed to set up positions that would garner the greatest cover and most effective defensive and offensive possibilities. They'd need to train, have drills, know every niche, every hole, make this place their own. For when all else failed, Sheppard planned to make this their Fort McHenry, because he'd be damned if he would let it become their Alamo.
Of course, they'd have to clear all these boxes away first.
He sent a wry look down at a box he nearly tripped over, pushing it to one side with one foot. It had "Dangerous and Really Fragile, So Don't Touch! I Mean It! Doctor McKay" on it. Almost against his will, he found himself smiling again. Looking around, he saw there were still a large number of boxes littering the floor in here, a number of them with McKay's scrawl on them. They'd need to go somewhere. Surely the Ancients had closets….
"Major Sheppard?"
He turned, his half smile blooming into a full grin as Teyla walked into the room, striding purposefully towards him from one of the doorways. As she reached him, she stood attention, clasping her hands behind her back and lifting her chin proudly. Gone was the grateful woman from last night. Before him stood a beleaguered leader who had suddenly found herself in charge of a displaced and completely unprepared people.
"Major, I have been looking for you."
"Hey Teyla," he grinned, finding he was actually happy to see her. "You're looking awake. How's things?"
Her eyebrows lifted a little, confused by the greeting, then shook her head. "I...things? Our, uh, our things are fine, Major and...I am...indeed awake. However, I would like to discuss a few matters with you. I spoke with Doctor Weir last evening for several hours about Atlantis and its future, and, although there are those among us who," she grimaced, "feel that we are," she pursed her lips, looking vaguely embarrassed as she continued, "'trespassing' on sacred ground," she lifted her chin again, "we are nonetheless agreed to help you in your endeavor."
"Really?" Sheppard pursed his lips in mock seriousness and nodded, "How very nice of you."
She grimaced a little at his seemingly dismissive tone, "That is, if you feel you could use our help."
"Tour guides would be very useful, yes," he shrugged, "especially as I don't think any of us remembered to pack our Lonely Planet Guide to the Pegasus Galaxy." He smiled at her obvious bewilderment, "So, yes, we would be grateful for your help."
After a moment, she nodded. "I…yes, well, good. Then we understand each other."
"Apparently. Thank you, Teyla." And he turned away, looking again around at the room. She did not move, clearing her throat a little to get his attention again. He glanced back at her, arching an eyebrow. "Yes?"
"I apologize, Major, but," she frowned a little, before plunging on, "I do not think you fully understand the import of my message. This place, Atlantis, is sacred to my people, Major. For us to accept the idea of living here, of helping you…that is a daunting concept for many of my people. And yet we…."
"…Are agreed to help us," he finished, sounding almost impatient. "I am not deaf, Teyla. And I said we were grateful."
She was annoyed now, her forehead pinching, "This is not easy for us, Major."
He turned to face her again, and, suddenly, he looked very tired. "Yes, I know," he admitted. "Look, Teyla, I know you and you people think this City is holy. We may not see it in the same light, but, in a different way, it is sacred to us as well. We risked everything to come here, and, for good or ill, it is our home now. But," he met her eyes squarely, "that does not mean it has to be yours. You and your people are free to leave any time you want—you know that right? In fact, maybe you should; it would probably be safer for you, now that we've woken your Wraith. So, please, do not stay just because you feel somehow," he shrugged, "obliged to us."
She frowned, clearly confused, "Obliged?"
He nodded, "I know you feel grateful to us for rescuing you, but, trust me, it's misplaced. Fact is," he turned his eyes away, "you would not have had to be rescued if it hadn't been for us. We only brought you here because, after what we did, I do not think you could return to Athos. And I...we...can never make up for that. We—"
"Wait," she held up a hand, "You think you are the reason we were forced from Athos?"
He grimaced, looking at her again, "Who else? If we hadn't—"
"No, Major, you do not understand." She sighed, the hand she'd raised falling to her neck, to finger the pendant there, lowering her eyes. "The Wraith coming to Athos when you were there was just a bad coincidence, Major, nothing more. My people are superstitious, thinking that, perhaps, it was your trespassing on the old city that did it, but the Wraith were never predictable. They come and go, without warning, without reason. And it would not be the first time a people has been forced from their home—it happens more often than not. To be honest, a goodly number of my people were not born on Athos." She shook her head, then lifted her eyes to meet his. "So if you now are going to say that rescuing me, Halling and my other people from the Hive ship was a mistake…." She dropped her hand. "Major, you take too much upon yourself. The only evil here is the Wraith." She practically spat the name, her eyes flashing with conviction.
He just stared at her, his eyes dark with his anxiety, and she suddenly realized that she had taken the wrong tack with him.
"Major, listen to me," she said, softening her voice and stepping closer to him. "My people wish to help you, not because they feel obliged, or because they feel they have nowhere else to go, but because they...we...want to help you. In fact, we would be honored to do so."
He frowned, "Honored?" He shook his head, "You're right, Teyla, I don't understand. How can you say that? You just said we were trespassing on a holy place, I would have thought you—"
"Major," she smiled at him entreatingly, "you rescued me and my people from the Wraith, from within a Wraith stronghold. Such a thing is unheard of." She shook her head, as if still trying to wrap her head around that fact, and then she looked around her at the massive, sunlit room, "And you have brought Atlantis back to life, the home of the Ancestors, made its promise real again." She smiled, focusing on him with clear eyes, "You bring new hope to the galaxy, hope that has long been missing, hope that I had never thought to know in my lifetime. Do you understand how amazing that is? Major, the loss of our home was worth it, to feel that again." Her eyes sparkled, "Does that answer your question?"
He stared at her for a moment, seeing the absolute faith in her eyes as she met his gaze, and part of him wanted to run away screaming. Hope? Life? They had barely escaped, and had, at the same time, awoken creatures that made Dracula look like that damned Count from Sesame Street. How could she praise him for the complete botch that was yesterday? For being the reason the Athosians could not return to their homes, for nearly getting all of her people killed, for nearly killing his own people. For...Sumner. He swallowed, and his lack of confidence must have been clear on his face, because her smile faded and some of the seriousness of earlier returned.
"Major Sheppard," her voice was impossibly soft now, "I know this is not what you and your people expected to find when you came here. I know that we," she smiled self-mockingly, "are not what you expected to find when you came here. But this is your life now. And we will help you make it right, and make this your home, as well as ours. And together, I believe we will bring Atlantis to full glory once more, for all the galaxy to see."
Her words had a powerful effect on him, soothing his nerves and refueling his confidence. After a moment, he found his lips perking up again in the face of her conviction.
"You're good at that, aren't you?"
She frowned, her confusion returning, "Good at what?"
"Talking to people."
Her bewilderment grew, "I...have been a skillful trader for many years, Major. And a leader of my people for some time as well."
"No," Sheppard shook his head, his smile growing, "that's not what I meant." He held out a hand to her, "Thank you, Teyla."
She arched an eyebrow at him for a moment, then, tentatively, took his hand, watching as he shook it. The night before had taught her that this was his people's way of greeting each other, but it seemed to have additional significance in this moment.
"You're welcome," she replied with the tone of a person who was not entirely sure why she was being thanked. Her eyes lifted to his, and she felt his grip tighten on her hand, just holding it, and that's when she felt it.
They had made a connection.
She smiled then, and he let go her hand. Clearing her throat, she backed away, trying to hide the fact the she was pleased. Steeling her jaw, she decided it was time to get back to more pressing subjects.
"Now, Major, as I said, there are a number of items I need to discuss with you. First, of course, we need to discuss living arrangements. Second, we will need access to the Stargate. Third, we would like to know your expectations concerning—"
"Ho, wait, hang on," Sheppard held up a hand, smiling still, "have you eaten?"
She blinked, "What? Uh, no. We were not sure if we were welcome to eat your food. Actually, that is one of the matters I—"
Sheppard shook his head, "Of course you are welcome. We brought you here; you're part of us now. As you said, Mi casa es su casa, Teyla." He grinned as she blinked in confusion at the strange language, and cut her off when she opened her mouth to ask the meaning. "Look, tell your people to see the marines in that hall over there," he pointed off to his left, "and to get their breakfast. Then, after you've eaten, we can talk business."
She stared at him for a moment, then, finally, gave him a nod.
"All right. Thank you, Major."
"De nada, Teyla." And he smiled more brightly, almost mischievously, "Just remember to tip the waiters generously. For some of them, that's their main source of income, you know."
She blinked in bewilderment again at the off the wall statement and watched him for a second longer, as if gauging his sanity. Finally, with a curt nod, she turned and headed back to the doorway through which she entered, obviously deciding not to bother figuring it out right now. A couple of times, she looked over her shoulder at him. The first time he waved his fingers, the second time he blew her an impromptu kiss. This only served to confuse her more, such that when she left, she had a truly baffled expression on her face, eyes widened a little in concern.
"You know," McKay's voice called down from above as the door slid shut behind Teyla, "I'll have to remember that technique, Major."
Sheppard looked up, surprised to see the scientist leaning over the railing of one of the balconies. Where had he come from? McKay had his foot propped up on the bottom rung, and was resting his arms on the top, where he had obviously been shamelessly eavesdropping. He looked like he was rubbing his right arm a little.
"What technique?" Sheppard replied, arching an eyebrow up at him.
"The seduce them by confusing them technique. I particularly liked the Spanish. That was a stroke of genius."
Sheppard immediately grinned in response, "Well muchas gracias, Doctor McKay. I thought it worked well myself."
McKay's eyes sparkled as he straightened, clearly pleased with this reply from the other man, "So, what's the next step? Sign Language? Whale music? Silly walks?"
"Actually, I was considering more the confuse-a-cat school of thought. Setting up a tent and putting on a show."
McKay's grin was huge now, "Ah, yes, that's sure to win the heart of any Athosian woman."
"Well I think so. Certainly beats the, uh, trying to get a life by eavesdropping on other people's conversations technique. That's been working well for you, has it?" Both eyebrows were lifted as Sheppard stared guilelessly up at McKay. Rodney snorted, holding back a laugh.
"You know," he leaned back and tapped his finger against his chin, "you were almost funny there, Major."
"Thank you, McKay. And you are almost..." he trailed off. Then he shrugged, "Yeah, you know, I'm not sure yet. I'm reserving judgment on you, McKay. I'll tell you when I figure it out."
Surprisingly, that made the scientist grin even more broadly, and he actually bowed a little, "Well, thank you, Major. I appreciate that. It would make you one of the first." And with a quick eyebrow waggle, McKay pushed away from the railing and disappeared back into the control room, and out of Sheppard's sight. The last thing he heard was McKay saying something to someone about going to check out the lab they'd found nearby again.
McKay's reply had actually surprised the Major, though Sheppard didn't let that show on his face until he knew the scientist was gone. He had meant his statement as a jibe, but McKay seemed to take it as almost a compliment.
Looking down, he tapped the box by his foot, then turned to look towards the doors on this floor.
What had he been doing again?
Oh, right...defenses...
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TBC