Chapter 13: Slip Ups

Before Alexa could speak, Edana broke their embrace so she could no longer reflect in the mirror. "You okay," Marcus asked, startled.

"Yeah, um," she quickly thought up a lie, "just thought, you'd like to go get something to eat."

Marcus smiled. "You read my mind. I didn't wanna say anything…"

"Hey, I know you've been down in the Infirmary with me all day, so… Besides, I could go for some fruit myself." Marcus raised an eyebrow at her reply. "What?"

He dropped his questionable expression. "Oh nothing. Its just, you, in the mood for fruit. Its just weird, I've never seen you anywhere near the stuff. But if that's what you want. Lets go." He put his arm around her shoulders as they left the room.

At the Mess Lorne filled up his plate with a wide variety of foods while Edana picked through the fruits and veggies. She didn't recognize any of them so she tried to pull the information out of Alexa, but due to the aspirin Beckett had given her, she couldn't. She was starved and beginning to get frustrated, which in a moment, Lorne noticed. "Oh right, you've never seen the Athosian fruits. Um, here, try these." He picked up a few things that resembled a grapefruit, a peach, and some grapes and put them on her plate. "I love 'em."

Edana smiled back, trying to respond as Alexa would, but without access to her mind, she was on her own. "Thanks. But honestly, I'm going to need a lot more than that." Lorne sighed and grabbed her a few more things.

As they walked over to a table to sit down Marcus responded, "Well, its nice to see you finally have an appetite. You used to barely eat anything." Edana froze for a moment, realizing that she shouldn't have said anything, but then again, Lorne went with it, so it was all good.

A few minutes later they were joined by Colonel Sheppard, who, after some time of playing the concerned CO, finally got to the point. "So, Major, Beckett's told me that he's putting you in charge of keeping an eye on Madison here, bet the two of you just love that." He received a wide-eye stare from the two of them and continued. "Well, we all know how I feel about Rules and Regs, so you won't hear anything out of me, but I don't want to catch you making-out in the back of one of the Jumpers." They all smiled and had a good laugh.

"Is that an order sir," Lorne asked with a chuckle.

"Is what an order Major," Caldwell asked as he walked up to the table.

"Oh nothing sir. Colonel Sheppard was just making sure that I'm going to keep a good eye on Madison. We don't need anything else happening to her," Lorne quickly shot off a cover up.

Caldwell gave them all a stern look. "No we wouldn't want that now would we." He looked to Edana, "It's good to see you up, how are you feeling?"

Edana hesitated for a moment, not knowing who the man was and unable to access Alexa's memories, but she had paid attention to Lorne's response and decided to follow his lead. "I'm feeling great, sir. I don't know why everyone is so concerned?"

"Well, you may feel fine, but be sure to follow Beckett's orders. I just came from talking with him and he still has some concerns, which I'm sure will fade once McKay deciphers the database," Caldwell stated. As he finished his sentence they were interrupted by the bickering of McKay and Zelenka who had just grabbed some food themselves. "I take it things aren't going to well?"

"Really? What was your first clue," McKay spat back, taking a seat.

Realizing Rodney wasn't going to elaborate Zelenka continued for him. "Well we've got some of it translated, but it still doesn't make much sense."

Edana broke in before he could say more, "I could help. That is, if you want me to?" Help wasn't exactly what she wanted to do. She knew if they figured out what was in the database that they'd try to find a way to get rid of her, perhaps even kill her, so she figured she'd try and lead them in the wrong direction.

"Oh, just what I need, more help," McKay mumbled to himself.

"Alright McKay, play nice," Sheppard chimed in.

"Oh, and I love you too McKay… I'm just saying, if you need a fresh set of eyes, let me know," Edana insisted.

"Well, looks like we're all done here, what do you say we get going," Lorne said as he pulled Edana to her feet. They said good-bye, dumped their trays, and exited the Mess. "So you enjoyed the fruit?"

"Yes, it was delicious. The Athosians are quite the farmers." As Edana spoke she began to get dizzy, so she stopped and clung to the corner of the wall for a moment. "Knock it off," she yelled at Alexa in her head.

Alexa shouted back. "Make me! Looks like the drugs Beckett gave you are wearing off!"

A worried Lorne put his arm around her. "You all right? Maybe we should go see Beckett."

"No, no, I'm fine, just a little dizzy. It will pass." She let go of the wall to stand but didn't have any balance so she tumbled to the side.

"Whoa," Lorne caught her. "Okay, we're going down to Beckett." He activated his headset, "Hey Doc, its Lorne. Alexa's dizzy and nearly fell over so I'm bringing her down to you."

Edana spoke to Alexa, "Great, now look what you've done."

"Yep, that was my plan. With that tip from Caldwell that Beckett's still concerned, I figure he's gotta know something, and he'll tell Marc. And with Marc all worried I knew something as simple as a dizzy spell would get him to make you go to the Infirmary," Alexa answered.

Beckett radioed back, "Yes, yes, bring her down and I'll have another look at her."

"No way," Edana shouted, though she meant to say it to Alexa in her head.

"Um, yes way," Lorne said as he head her down the hall. "Just to be safe. I don't want anything else happening to you."

Edana sighed and reluctantly went along. She wanted to concentrate on absorbing Alexa's memories and getting rid of her, but she couldn't do that with Beckett examining her or all these people around. She needed to sit someplace quiet, alone, but that wasn't happening any time soon, which means Alexa had more time to figure out how to get the others to realize what has happened. She needed to find someway to tell Lorne, and then he could convince the others, but how. A mirror? Edana could talk to her in a mirror as if she was another person. Maybe she could talk to Marcus this way. No, Edana will never let it happen, she'll stay away from mirrors.