Gah! Sorry I haven't updated in like forever.. Huge writer's block! I even got half the chapter written and then hit it again. Thanx to Rey for helping me through it though!
Ok, guys, enjoy and please review!
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Chapter 11: Planning & Prep
After being pounced on, Marc decided to get back at Alexa, so the tickle war was on. The battle, though mostly one sided, since Lexa was ever so ticklish, was entertainment for them both. Within minutes he had her on her back on the couch as he leaned over her. Lexa was laughing as hard as she could which diminished her capacity to do anything about the attack, but she was soon able to roll the two of them off the couch and onto the floor. She had hoped that the thud onto the floor would allow her the upper hand since she was now the one on top, but the laughing fit he had her in was proving to be her downfall. No sooner had they hit the floor did he maneuver to the top and pinned her down. "Oh alright, you win," Lexa laughed out.
Marc stopped tickling her, "Huh, what was that?" Lexa sat up as though she was going to kiss him, but then quickly poked him in the stomach. "Ugh. Ok, I guess I can live with that." Lexa smirked back and her expression easily said yeah, you'd better. "Alright, what do you say we go eat, besides, I've got to go find Beckett and tell him you healed me."
"Oh," Lexa whined as she pulled him closer and kissed him, "Do you really have to? I mean, this is the kind of week together that I was hoping for."
He smiled back at her, "Yeah, I know what you mean, but…"
"Oh, don't even, I know, you gotta go play dutiful soldier boy. Well, if we're gonna go, you need to get off. Huh, never thought I'd ever be saying that."
"You are so bad, you know that," he joked as he pulled her to her feet.
Lexa frowned slightly as she answered, "Yeah, well, I've got a lost year to make up for."
"You sure it's not just the fact that you live in the gutter?" He got her to smile again before leaving the room.
The two ate dinner and then went to tell Carson about Marc's leg. Although he was quite surprised, he gave Lorne a clean bill of health and then joined them on their way up to see Dr. Weir. As the three entered, Weir and Colonel Sheppard quickly dropped the subject they were discussing, whether or not to send a team to investigate the Wraith Camp. Lexa, Lorne, and Carson took their turns explaining the situation and Elizabeth and John were glad to hear it.
"Well, looks like you can be back on duty starting tomorrow Major," Sheppard instructed. "And Alex, do you think you have a good handle on your powers?"
Weir gave him a stern glare, "John no, we already discussed this."
"Someone want to fill me in," Lexa questioned.
"We were debating sending a team to investigate the Wraith Camp. Colonel Sheppard wants you to be a part of that team," Weir explained.
"I see," Lexa was unsure about the mission. "But, I don't thinking sending a team would be very safe. I will however volunteer to go alone."
Before Lorne could protest Weir put her foot down, "I'm sorry Alexa, but I can't allow that." Her statement was followed by a sigh of relief from Marc.
Lexa wasn't about to let this one slide. "I have to help them. Besides, if I go undercover, alone, they'll have no reason to suspect foul play, and if I get into any trouble, I'll have my powers to protect me."
"Alone, I don't think so," Lorne interrupted. "Lexa, I get why you feel you have to help them, so if you go," he turned to Weir and Sheppard, "I'll go too."
Elizabeth looked to John, "What do you think," she asked, even though she already knew the answer.
"I think, with some planning, it's a good idea, sending the two of them in together. Not only could we get some good intel, but maybe we can also help out the villagers."
"I had a feeling." Weir turned her attention back to Lexa and Lorne. "Are the two of you sure about this?" They nodded in response. "Alright, but we're not rushing into this. Take a week to prepare, I want this to go as smoothly as possible."
Sheppard, Lorne, and Lexa left as soon as they got the green light to go start planning, while Carson stayed a minute more, "Are you sure about this Elizabeth?"
"Honestly Carson," she shook her head, "I don't know, but I have a feeling Alex would have gone whether I permitted it or not. At least this way, Lorne will be there to keep an eye on her."
"Aye," and with that Carson headed back to the Infirmary.
For the next few hours Lexa and Lorne threw themselves into preparation for their mission. They had a meeting with Sheppard, Ronan, and Teyla to discuss the best means of infiltration into the camp. They knew they would go in undercover, but they had to decide what exactly that cover would be. "Well we obviously can't go in as inhabitants of the village, for several reasons, so what are our options," Lorne questioned.
"You are correct Major," Teyla began, "New faces in the village would surely arouse suspicion, but the Wraith would not mind the addition of a few new workers. With the new information we have, I suggest you pretend to be worshippers from another planet, there to help keep the villagers in line."
Lexa giggled and then spoke up, "Great minds think alike. But are you sure they'd buy it? I wasn't really certain, that's why I didn't say anything."
"I'm not so sure about it either, but what other choice do you have?" Ronan actually brought something to the meeting beyond the ability to convert oxygen into carbon dioxide.
"Well, I guess that settles your cover," Colonel Sheppard jumped in, "but how are you going to blend?"
Lexa smile, "That's been taken care of."
"Yes, Alexa has already asked to borrow clothing from my people, and I was more than happy to oblige," Teyla added.
"Well, you're just thinking of everything now, aren't you? But did you think to ask Ronan for some tips on fighting the Wraith hand to hand, you know, just in case." Lorne was turning this into a game between them to keep the matter from getting too serious.
"Yes I did, you just beat me to him." Lexa smiled as she kicked Lorne off his soap box. "We start training tomorrow."
After the meeting Lexa and Lorne went to their room and immediately started discussing how to play their roles. Lorne had spent a few hours with Wraith Worshippers just a couple weeks ago, so they went over their behavior. They also thought up a few scenarios as how things could play out and how they'd deal with them, but for each one, Lexa had the same solution, "I'll just use my powers, no worries."
"Lexa, your powers aren't the solution to everything, and there's no way I'm going to let you face the Wraith alone, so just forget it."
The next day they began training with Ronan and throughout the week their skills improved. Lexa also practiced using her powers, trying to fine tune them as much as possible. Most of her powers now came as second nature, but she was still having problems with her exploding power. She just couldn't focus the energy forward enough and she'd push herself backwards and off balance every time, leaving her vulnerable.
