Chapter 14: Finally Some Plot Development
"What about that section in the southeast part of the city, 1L? We haven't explored there yet," Sheppard suggested as the two of them walked down the corridor, trying to find a suitable place to stay out of history's way.
"Just because we haven't explored it yet doesn't mean the Ancients weren't there," Rodney replied morosely. He glanced at his wrist watch. "Besides, it would take almost forty-five minutes to get there, and we have a little less time than that until we reach the point where the war with the Wraith ends- er, begins relatively speaking to us."
"Well, if we're looking for a place that was never used at all, that'll be near impossible to find. After all, it is a city," the major pointed out.
"Oh, very observant, major, and that is the exact problem I'm trying to solve at this very moment!" McKay snapped. Suddenly, he looked up, wide-eyed and fearful. "Did you hear something?" he asked quietly and urgently.
John paused and listened for a second. "Nope, nothing."
"I could have sworn I heard…" McKay muttered, still looking around nervously. Sheppard rolled his eyes. Rodney had been jumping at his own shadow ever since they had began their search, and he had become increasingly paranoid as they got closer and closer to the Wraith War.
"If you're worried about running out of time, the city has to rise to the surface before we encounter actual Ancients and Wraith. That will give us plenty of warning," he reassured. "And I thought you said we had 45 minutes."
"Well, if you remember correctly, there is a margin of error in there because I don't have the equipment to precisely measure the-" Rodney began to gripe.
"Yes, yes, I know," the major cut Rodney off before he could repeat his complaint for the thousandth time.
"Hmmph. Anyway, we could arrive at the war any minute now, and if we're caught unawares, we might as well kiss our future selves goodbye in this reality, and in the other one created by our screw-up. So we need to find someplace to lay low and fast. And if you're not going to help, then just go…" McKay flourished his hand wildly. "..go off and…" When he couldn't come up with a decent enough thing for John to go off and do, he let his hand drop and he grumbled, "Just help."
John was starting to fervently wish he could take up on McKay's offer of swimming to the mainland. At least it was quiet there, and he would be alone without a certain snarky astrophysicist. Sulkily, he stuck his hands in his pockets. His right hand hit something small. He took it out, and smiled faintly when he saw what it was. He had completely forgotten he'd pocketed the personal shield device after tricking Rodney into punching him. Wondering whether McKay would fall for the same trick twice, he tossed the object up in the air a few times. He almost put it on when it hit him…
"McKay!" he cried suddenly.
He turned around, scowling. "What. Is. It," he hissed, accentuating each word through clenched teeth.
"Would this keep us from getting infected?" Sheppard asked urgently, holding up the shield.
Rodney let out another fair-sized scowl. "You're still carrying that thing!" he queried, sounding disgusted.
"McKay, would it?" John demanded.
Rodney paused to think for a second. "Well, it's meant mostly for physical defense, probably not on a bacterial level. But I didn't see anything in the text we found to indicate that it wouldn't protect us from infection."
"Great, let's go get another one," the major said, ready to dash off.
"Woah, woah, this isn't that simple!" McKay said quickly, holding up his hands to stop Sheppard from running away. "We still have to worry about the timeline, here! What if the shield we find would have saved the life of an Ancient who was your ancestor, for example? I mean you already could have changed something when you stole that one!"
John, however, was already one step ahead of the scientist. "Well, the shield imprints on the wearer, so if the timeline's what's stopping you, all we need to do is-"
"-find the one that I discovered when we first got here!" Rodney finished, nodding. "So, when I find it in the future it'll already have my energy signature and it won't matter!" He paused for a second. "Why didn't I think of that first?" he wondered aloud, as if the very idea of Sheppard solving a problem before he could sickened him. When he saw the fierce glare the major had fixed him with, he said meekly, "Right, let's go."
