Please Note:
Well, it has been a long time since I last posted a chapter for this fic, and so much has changed for us all! One of the reasons why I had stopped posting for awhile was due to a series of nasty guest reviews, calling my work "terrible" and criticising aspects of my work. Being that I do this for relaxation and enjoyment around my busy life of two jobs and everything else real life involves, it really affected me. However, it has recently emerged that whoever this person is, or several of them perhaps, has been targeting other fanfic authors and the messages have been getting increasing aggressive towards some authors. Unfortunately because they post as guests, the site can't do anything about them. I am not sure if someone is targeting just JT writers or if this is a wider issue. It seems that, despite the current unifying global situation, some people still prefer to be cruel to others.
Anyway, onto the important stuff. I am sure that many of you reading this will be, like myself, currently in lockdown in your country. I am very fortunate that I can work from home, though doing so brings its own stresses. However, I remain SO grateful for the many key workers who are still out there working on the frontline in dealing with the crisis. I am not able to offer anything so useful, except to hope you are all keeping well and safe. I am sure that many of you, like me, look forward to the day when we can see our work colleagues, friends and family in person again (and it'll be hugs all round), but, until then, we must all do what we can to protect each other. Wishing you all good health and support through these difficult times.
So, back into the Alliance for Day 13 of the story...
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DAY 13 – TRUST
Chapter 15 – The Beacon
Aki grinned brightly, one little fist stuffed into his mouth and saliva coating his hand, lips, chin and the front of every top that Massa dressed him in. The most recent bout of teething appeared to be accelerating and Massa could barely remember what it was like to sleep a whole night through. The Healers had assured him that nothing was wrong, it was simply that Aki appeared to be pushing through more teeth in one go than was standard for babes his age. A check of Iketani' own medical records had confirmed that she had done the same as an infant, displaying accelerated growth from her first days, becoming the tallest and strongest of her entire age group on Vancet. So it seemed that Aki was simply growing like his biological mother and there was nothing of concern.
Massa believed the Healers, but still he worried.
Worry had not been a significant part of his life before Mera's death. As an Elite, he'd grown up with risk being a natural part of his life and he'd gleefully pushed any boundaries placed on him. Even when he had worried for Mera's safety, it had still been with the knowledge that she had been very capable of defending herself and, ultimately, they had both known that their lives would be short.
That logic had made sense back then, but it had in no way helped on that fateful day when his beloved had been taken from him.
And, with her, their unborn babe.
He'd always, perhaps naively, assumed that he'd be the first to be killed, especially as they had discussed her moving off battle rotation once the pregnancy had evolved out of its first months. They had begun planning a life of sharing rotation, alternating between one of them in battle and the other bringing up their child.
And perhaps more children in the future.
He had no doubt that he would have feared constantly for Mera had that life plan come to pass, and she for him, but they had both dedicated their lives to serving the greater mission to save lives by fighting the Wraith.
Even if that meant losing their own.
Except, it had not been a Wraith or a fateful battle accident, it had been a Human who had killed Mera and their child.
All on the orders of Iketani.
She, and her avatars on the Hastos, had destroyed his life. Had ripped his heart out of his chest and forced him to live on without his beloved and the beautiful unlived potential of their child.
Iketani had taken that all from him.
But he had ensured that she paid.
He had stopped the traitor, had halted her deceit and betrayal, but it had not brought back his beloved. It had not healed his heart in anyway, and had instead torn his own Elite career away from him with the damage Iketani' blade had done to his arm. It had all been death, blood, and betrayal from the first of Iketani' acts on the Hastos to when he had struck her down on Milioc Primary.
But he had not been the only victim left behind.
She had abandoned Aki, allowing him to live only to use as blackmail material against his equally traitorous father, High Councillor Telson. Though that biological father lived and was permitted occasional short supervised visits, Aki had been left with no one to love him. No one to defend him against the reality of what his mother had been, that his existence had been intended for nothing more than scheming and betrayal, and that Massa had killed his mother.
It was a burden that Massa knew he would have to one day reveal to his son.
And Aki would have to face what his mother had done, and no doubt plenty of suspicion and resentment from those who might blame him for the sins of his mother.
Both of them had lost family and had heavy stories to one day share and hear, and if Aki wanted to hate him for what he'd done, then Massa would face that day of reckoning.
But until then, Massa had dedicated himself to his new life mission: to support the young. He now spent his days trying to be the best father he could for Aki and in helping train the Elite Recruits. He knew Mera would have liked his mission, would have supported him.
It was just difficult to be without her still.
But Aki helped.
His tiny bright sparkling smiles and absolute innocence was a sweet balm to Massa's soul. Aki had allowed him to smile once more and to enjoy what he could in life again.
And if that required him to constantly worry for his son, then Massa accepted it.
Most Elite would disagree with him, especially after what had happened to Mera, but he had always known and accepted that Love was worth all the pain and burden it placed on you.
He smiled down at Aki and Aki grinned back, dribble pouring out over his lower lip to coat his chin anew. Massa settled Aki into a supported seated position on his lap and lifted the fabric bib and wiped the saliva away.
"Should he be dribbling that much?" Oneakka asked from his bed.
"He's pushing through more teeth," Massa reminded his friend as he dried Aki' chin.
Though Massa would never wish injury on his friends and colleagues, it was nice to have this time sat at Oneakka's bedside each day in the Healing Bay. Though often assigned far apart, he and Oneakka had always kept in close contact over the years. Being approximately the same age, they had entered into the Elite training programme at the same time as children, and Massa had very few memories of his youth that did not include Oneakka. Or Kane, the third part of their old dynamic trio. The three of them had been inseparable from their first days as Recruits through to the day they had all graduated together and went onto battle rotation. Unfortunately, Kane had been killed over ten yearly cycles ago now, and Massa still missed the third part of their trio.
When the days felt dark, Massa could still find some joy from remembering his youth with Kane and Oneakka. The three of them had done everything together, which had often involved some form of trouble. They had never been destructive or aggressive in the way some other Recruits had acted out, but they had become something of an infamous trio among their caregivers and teachers back then. If there was something that shouldn't be attempted because it had been deemed too dangerous, the three of them had done it. They'd climbed the highest training walls and ropes that had been banned from their age group, taught themselves to use the most deadly weapons years before they were officially shown, and had even snuck out to join the older Recruits on long range marathons in atmosphere suits.
There hadn't been a boundary or area of study that the three of them had not conquered, and, as they had grown into their teen years, that focus had also turned towards flirting with the ladies. Kane had been ridiculously handsome, his only rival having been Myrtle when it came to being able to attract female attention, though Oneakka had never had to try all that hard to draw a female eye back then. Massa though, he had focused his flirtation on one particular female.
Mera had been two training years above his, so it had only been when his trio had crashed an older Recruit secret party to flirt, that Massa had properly talked with her for the first time. He'd seen her around the smaller facilities the Elite had used back then, but he'd never talked to her. But during that party, through which she had only lightly flirted with him, he'd fallen completely in love.
It had taken a further year of wooing by being one of her sparring partners, before he'd finally been able to prove to her to take him seriously as a mate. She'd laughed at him for years afterwards that all he had needed to do was to actually say he was interested in her. She had simply thought he had wanted to challenge himself by sparring with older Recruits and hadn't realised she had been his sole focus during training. But, once they had shared their first kiss - the two of them alone in a gym when everyone else had long ago retired to sleep - he had never even glanced at another female. They had been in their mid teen years and life had been good...before the realities of life's brutality had found them.
The first had been when three of their training year had died during a training session, and then the second had been Oneakka's horrific loss of his people, which had transformed Oneakka instantly from a young man of playful determination into a brooding stubborn warrior. Massa and Kane had tried to help as much as they could, but it had been Halling who had turned out to be the one to pull Oneakka out of his depressed anger long enough to remember he had years to go before graduating as an Elite. Oneakka become one of only three Recruits in the history of the Elite who had gained their first Queen's marking before graduating, and the day he'd had that first tattoo applied to his face, along one side of the healed scar down his cheek, it had changed their trio. From that day onwards, the three of them had dedicated their combined focus into becoming not the best for best's sake, but to forge themselves into the warriors they had already known Oneakka to be.
The carefree days of childhood had gone, but Massa had still had Mera to help soften the brutality of that realisation.
But, once they had graduated, the losses had accelerated. Each year had brought more deaths as huge numbers of Elite were killed in the brutal war against the Wraith. And then, seven years after graduating, Kane had been killed while on a seemingly simple mission to clear an old Wraith base, and their trio was broken.
With each loss, Massa had known that, sooner or later, he or Mera would be next. In that knowledge, they had both been determined to live their lives together to the fullest. They had held onto their love even tighter, and, though he still missed his Mera desperately each day, he knew he had shared everything of himself with his beloved. He had held nothing back.
And in those darkest days after losing her, when he had felt as if his very soul had turned into a dead lump of pain, it had been Oneakka who had refused to let him retreat into despair. He'd visited constantly, refusing to let Massa give up on himself. After all, Oneakka knew more than most how to keep going even in the face of absolute desolation.
It had always been that way for their old trio; they had always been there for each other, through the first days of training as children when they desperately missed their families and all through the years of constant demanding training, they had helped push each other to climb that little bit higher, to push the limits just that bit more because the other two were there to help pick you up if you fell.
They had striven to push through everything together and defy expectations, and it had been a bond of vigorous honesty, teasing insults, and a deep unquestioning trust.
There were few that could speak to Oneakka with the frankness Massa enjoyed, but the openness went both ways. Of all his friends and colleagues, Massa trusted Oneakka to always tell him the truth and be there in the rough times when all light seemed lost.
But Massa now had an additional light in his life; a son to care for, to love and protect. It was a duty for which Massa had no previous training and some days he wondered if he was capable, but all it took was a bright little trusting smile from Aki and the world seemed to brighten once more and everything seemed possible again.
After several wipes with the cloth bib, Aki' chin was as dry as it could be right now, so Massa lifted his boy back up in his hands. Aki' little feet tapped down against the top of Massa's lap, instinctively trying to support his own weight.
"He never used to dribble that much," Oneakka muttered again from the bed.
Massa turned his attention to his old and dear friend. "You never used to dribble as much as you do now," he told him.
As expected, Oneakka glared up from his computer pad. "I don't dribble," he objected.
He was just too easy to wind up.
"You do when you sleep," Massa lied. "Your mouth all hanging open and snoring," he bounced Aki in his hands. "It's not pretty."
"You're the one who snores," Oneakka argued.
"I don't snore," Massa argued back, though he had to wonder if he'd ever have a night of sleep long enough again to start snoring.
Oneakka's gaze sharpened on him. "Remember that mission in the escape pod drifting through that asteroid belt, your snores echoed around that tiny pod. Kept us all up."
Massa smiled as he lifted Aki up high and back down to his lap and Aki giggled brightly. "Didn't."
"It was astonishing that the Wraith didn't detect us from that sound alone," Oneakka exaggerated the story.
"Sound doesn't travel in the vacuum of space," Massa corrected him.
"With the sound you made, we certainly tested that theory," Oneakka looked back to his pad. "Ask any of them in that pod."
"Si promised me that I didn't snore that loudly."
"Si would lie to protect your feelings," Oneakka returned with a victorious smile.
Mmm, clearly Oneakka's medication wasn't as strong as last week. A different track was required to win this.
Massa looked briefly down from Oneakka's face to the front of his white Healing Bay issued shirt. "There's dried dribble on your shirt right now."
Oneakka narrowed his eyes, saying he didn't believe the lie, but Massa held his gaze. One of Oneakka's eyelids faintly twitched, no doubt desperate to check his shirt just in case.
"You wouldn't want Seeal to see you with saliva all dried on your clothes," Massa added with a smile.
"Stop it," Oneakka's challenging stare turned instantly into an angry glare and he quickly dropped his attention back to his computer pad to cut off the line of discussion. Except, the grumpy display was interrupted by Oneakka abruptly wincing as a spasm of pain hit from his wound. He was clearly very uncomfortable this morning, but that was most likely due to the fact that he had set the head of the medical bed up so high today that he was practically sitting upright, which clearly had to be putting undue pressure on his wound.
"You're sitting too high," Massa pointed out. He'd made the point several times already this morning, but Oneakka had stubbornly refused to lower the head of his bed.
"I'm fine," Oneakka insisted as he jabbed at his pad's screen. To Massa's experienced eye though, Oneakka's complexion looked paler than normal for him and there was clear tension across his shoulders. Not for the first time was Massa reminded of one of their childhood teachers who had declared to Oneakka once that he would be "forever stubborn". Back then, their trio had thought the comment hilarious and Oneakka had used the phrase for years afterwards almost as a brag. However, now older, Massa could appreciate how accurate the teacher had been in her prediction. Dealing with Oneakka when he was this way was always a challenge and usually it was best to just let Oneakka reach the same conclusion as everyone else in his own time. Until then, distraction was always good.
"I can brush the dried saliva off your shift if you want," Massa suggested to Oneakka's profile.
"Go away," Oneakka returned.
Massa chuckled as he lifted Aki up high again, the little boy giggling brightly as he kicked his legs in the air.
Oneakka grunted crossly from his bed as Massa lowered Aki back down to his lap. Oneakka was jabbing aggressively at the pad's screen now, a heavy frown creasing his forehead.
"I see 'The Grump' is finally starting," Massa considered out loud.
"The only reason I might be grumpy this morning is because you're here bothering me," Oneakka retaliated.
Massa grinned, knowing full well that Oneakka didn't really mean it. Massa just shook his head and focused down at Aki again, the little boy grinning back in delight. He was at a delightful stage now where just smiling at him made Aki giggle and grin. Massa lifted him high up again, letting Aki hang in the air a little longer this time, his little legs kicking gleefully, and then quickly brought Aki back down to his lap in a big swoop. Aki' happy little noises echoed over Oneakka's loud annoyed grunt.
Being completely fluent in Oneakka's language of various grunts, glares, and sighs, Massa recognised this one as being properly angry.
"What is it?" Massa asked.
"Thing has barely any charge left," Oneakka muttered as he lowered his pad and started looking round towards the side tables. With the head of the bed set so high, he couldn't see the side tables as well and the required twisting motion to look round was a mistake. Oneakka froze, his breath catching as his entire body tensed with a burst of pain. Massa winced in sympathy as he watched Oneakka crush his eyelids closed and ball up his fists against the painful spasm. Massa caught himself breathing slowly along with Oneakka, as if his using the relaxation technique as well might help.
Slowly, Oneakka relaxed, dropping his head forward as he let out a frustrated sigh.
Massa took the chance to try to help again. "If you lower the head of your bed a bit, you'll be more comfortable."
"I just need the charging cable for the pad," Oneakka muttered.
Massa could see the cable in question draped over one corner of the nearest side table. Lowering Aki into a seated position on his lap, Massa leant sideways, snagged the cable and passed it to Oneakka.
"Hmph," Oneakka mumbled a part thank you as he took it and roughly plugged it into his pad.
"You are definitely grumpy this morning," Massa concluded as he settled both his hands around Aki' back. Aki had returned his attention to chewing on his own hands, dribble flowing free once more, unaware of his Uncle Oneakka's pain.
"I'm always grumpy according to you," Oneakka stated.
"Only in comparison to my wit and suave manner," Massa quickly returned.
Oneakka couldn't quite hide the little smirk of a smile that caused, but it was quickly replaced with a contorted expression of pain again. Massa knew from long experience, that once you upset a wound and inflammation kicked in, it would repeatedly repay you for your inattention. Clearly some further distraction would be the best medicine for Oneakka right now.
"I hear you're far more pleasant to be around when Seeal sits with you," Massa commented, watching Oneakka's face.
Oneakka frowned at the pad and remained silent.
"Halling tells me you've been nothing but polite and talkative with Seeal."
"That's a blatant lie," Oneakka finally looked round. "I'm never polite to anyone."
"Well that's true enough," Massa agreed and another tiny reluctant smile appeared across Oneakka's pallid face. He shifted against the pillows a fraction, trying to get more comfortable.
"Lower the bed," Massa tried again.
"Go away," Oneakka replied though.
Massa shook his head at his belligerent friend. It was like the man preferred to be in pain.
Aki shifted in his hands, growing bored, so Massa lifted and turned him, sitting Aki so that the boy's back was against his middle. Oneakka's eyes dropped immediately to Aki now the boy was facing him and he smiled at the babe.
"You remember when I had my last significant surgery on my arm?" Massa asked as he reached down into his bag for one of Aki' favourite toys.
Oneakka rolled his eyes and looked away.
"You sat next to me telling me over and over in great detail about what happened to me when we all got drunk on that moonshine Kane found in the older Recruits' dorm room," Massa recounted.
Oneakka smiled. "You threw up so much."
"We were ten yearly cycles old," Massa reminded him as he presented Aki with his bright red fluffy toy.
Oneakka chuckled. "And you fell through that glass table."
"Which you recounted to me in vivid detail while I was recovering from the surgery aesthetic, when you know those drugs make me nauseous enough without you reminding me of past drunken nausea."
"Kept you awake, didn't it?" Oneakka challenged.
"There was no need for me to be kept awake!"
"You were boring to sit with," Oneakka shrugged.
"Because you're a ton of laughs," Massa countered.
Oneakka shifted against his pillows again, his face noticeably paling a fraction.
Massa decided to try one last time. "If you lower the bed, you'll put less pressure on your wound," Massa explained the obvious logic.
"Whatever," Oneakka muttered.
Massa rolled his eyes. Clearly he needed more help here.
He reached back down to the bag of toys and, after setting a new toy up on his lap, he reached down again towards the bag, but instead redirected his reach towards his computer pad lying on the floor out of Oneakka's view. He tapped in a very quick text link and then quickly pulled a further toy out of the bag as cover. Aki, who had been giggling at the slight sideways lean, grabbed at both new toys with a gleeful squeal of excitement.
"Look at grumpy Uncle Oneakka, Aki," Massa said as he bounced his legs and Aki with them. "Don't you think he should lower the head of his bed?" He asked in a playful high-pitched voice and Aki responded with an expected cheerful giggle at the tone.
"See," Massa looked up at Oneakka, "Aki agrees."
"What time is Emmagan bringing Sheppard to the Facility today?" Oneakka asked, bluntly changing the subject.
"Just after midday meal, I believe. I'm hoping to have time to invite them to late meal after my shift, after I take Aki to see the goat young again." Massa leaned forward enough to be able to see Aki' face. "We went to see the goaties yesterday, didn't we?" He asked Aki, who rocked his little head right back to grin up at Massa.
"How are they?" Oneakka asked.
"They are very sweet but bizarrely active. The runt, 'Splodge' as Seeal has named her, is clearly smaller and a little weaker than the others, but she's still doing well."
"Is Belka alright too?" Oneakka asked of the mother goat.
Massa heard his pad vibrate a response message from the floor. "She's fine, seems happy enough with the babes all walking around and under her," he replied as he glanced down to the pad's screen to see the response. Help was on the way.
"Something interesting?" Oneakka asked. He wasn't back to his normal state yet, but the man still didn't miss much.
"I'm helping with the latest Skerti research later," he told Oneakka, which wasn't a lie, but it wasn't what the message had been about.
"Helping with what?" Oneakka frowned. "I didn't see any update on any new developments in the research."
"Halling has been working with Atlantis to obtain some intel from outside our borders. Colonel Carter is sending through a series of scans later today of some areas of the galaxy that their Ancestor scanners can reach."
"Any sign of Skerti activity?" Oneakka asked as he shifted, trying to hide his discomfort now.
"Well, we haven't received the scans yet, so I can't tell you," Massa pointed out the obvious as he spied movement through the window to the corridor outside, which heralded the arrival of Massa's reinforcements.
Wrapping his hands supportively around Aki, who was happily preoccupied with his toys, Massa settled back to enjoy the show.
Seeal stepped into the room through the open doorway. She rarely visited Oneakka in the mornings, her shift to sit with him always in the evenings, so her sudden arrival was clearly a surprise for Oneakka who he snapped his head round towards her with a shocked frown.
Seeal's gaze slid over the surprised Oneakka in a split second and settled on Massa. "What's going on then?" She asked, her tone clipped and efficient. As was always the way with the black-haired Glisi, the bold strength of her character shone through her voice and confident posture.
Massa smiled at her over Oneakka's bed. "Oneakka has set the head of his bed too high today, so that he's in pain and can't get comfortable, but he's refusing to lower the bed," he explained to her.
Seeal's dark eyes turned to Oneakka, her body turning to face him, her hands on her shapely hips. "What?" She demanded of Oneakka. "Why are you being so stupid?"
It was still something of a thrill to witness her talk to Oneakka like this, something that no one in their right mind would even attempt. As much as Massa loved Oneakka, even he wouldn't talk to his friend with such frank criticism. Seeal, however, seemed unbound by any fear or politeness when she spoke to people, delivering statements of fact in a way that somehow managed to just about skirt around sounding patronising or disrespectful. He suspected it was a skill she had learnt from her days as Dreamstation's Security Lead, or perhaps from having to grow up in the shadows of the Glisi giants. Either way, she clearly didn't let Oneakka's appearance and temperament of a volatile and dangerous warrior stop her from speaking her mind plainly to him.
Massa switched his gaze quickly to Oneakka to see what his response would be.
"I'm fine," Oneakka insisted, who had drawn himself up a little taller on the bed and was glaring back at her.
Massa looked back to Seeal.
Seeal shook her head, clearly unimpressed with Oneakka's assurance. "Foolish male," she told him as she moved up alongside Oneakka's bed and reached for the bed's controls for herself. "You know that if you put too much pressure on your wound site," she told him as the head of his bed began to lower, "you'll increase inflammation and slow your healing."
Massa worked really hard not to laugh as he watched Oneakka's silent frowning displeasure as he was lowered back into a more reclined position.
The head of the bed at an angle that Seeal deemed suitable, it stopped and she began pulling out pillows from behind Oneakka and puffing them up for him.
"The pillows are fine," Oneakka objected as he held himself up on one elbow while she started shoving the puffed up pillows back in behind his back and shoulders.
"Explain to me the point of you being uncomfortable," Seeal asked him.
"I was impaled," Oneakka told her grumpily, "I'm always uncomfortable."
Seeal shifted one last pillow and then stepped back a fraction from him, her hands returning to her hips. "Better?" She asked, ignoring the impaled comment.
Oneakka leaned back against his newly arranged and softened pillows, shifting faintly into the newly reclined position, still frowning but obviously more relaxed and comfortable.
"Well?" Seeal insisted.
Oneakka made a noise that was somehow both an agreement and a growl of displeasure.
Massa quickly looked down at Aki while he worked to control the urge to grin. Never would he have believed he'd see the day that anyone would treat Oneakka like this and, even more significantly, that Oneakka would go along with it. But then Oneakka didn't yet understand the power a female could have over you when you were besotted with them. Massa and Halling had already noticed over the last week that Oneakka seemed far more willing to go along with a line of argument if it came from Seeal rather than them, which was the reason why Massa had asked for her help now.
And also because of the entertainment value.
The sooner Oneakka surrendered to the obvious the better in Massa's opinion.
"Good," Seeal concluded to Oneakka and Massa lifted his gaze back up to the reluctant couple. "Because I've got to get back to my project work."
Oneakka frowned at her from his reclined position. "I didn't call you in here."
Seeal ignored that bitter comment and turned to face Massa. Massa smiled up at her with grateful thanks. She smiled back at him, which was something she'd been doing far more often over the last few days. Presumably it was because Oneakka was recovering. It was a lovely smile too, brightening up her often intense expression.
He was almost certain that she also had no idea of the power she had over Oneakka, but Massa didn't know her well enough yet to be sure. He also wasn't all that certain of the level of interest she had for Oneakka in return. She clearly cared for him a great deal and the flirtatious bickering the two of them seemed to enjoy always brought a slight flush to her cheeks that Massa hadn't spotted on her when she talked with anyone else. Of course, it could be that she had no interest in Oneakka outside of that playful banter, but Massa remembered Oneakka in his teenage years. If there had been a female that Oneakka had been interested in, he had been ridiculously charming and flirtatious. Of course no one had seen that side of Oneakka in a very long time, not since he'd lost his people and become permanently scarred in more ways than one. However, Massa suspected that if Oneakka got over his stupid denial and actually set his sights on wooing Seeal, then she might be easily convinced.
"Thank you, Seeal," Massa told her.
"Anytime," Seeal replied before returning her full intense attention to Oneakka. "You listen to Massa and be comfortable," she ordered him with a pointed finger.
Massa looked from her pointed finger to Oneakka's scowling returning stare, but Oneakka said nothing in return, which was a level of restraint that he never used with anyone else.
"Good," Seeal replied to Oneakka's silence, which she took to be agreement, and lowered her finger and abruptly smiled at Oneakka.
Massa looked back in time to see Oneakka's almost confused little frown in response to her sudden smile.
"I'll bring you some new pictures and recordings I took of the goatlings later," she told Oneakka. "Splodge is doing much better."
Oneakka's expression shifted suddenly. "You're taking a particular interest in her," he commented and Massa sensed something in that tone which suggested that Oneakka had caught wind of something that he was going to use to his advantage.
"Of course," Seeal shrugged, "she needs extra support."
"The smallest one of the family, set apart from her kind, weaker than the rest?" Oneakka told her with a tone laced with sarcasm. "Wonder why you're taking an interest in her?"
Seeal narrowed her eyes at him. "Yes, yes, I know. She's like me and the Glisi. Well, someone has to look out for the small people. That's why I'm looking after you."
On that beat, she turned her back instantly to Oneakka and victoriously exited the room before he could say anything else.
Oneakka took a breath as if to reply with a comeback of some sort, but she was already out in the corridor and he had to lean faintly to his right to watch her leave. It was probably the fact that she was now heading away in the public corridor of the Bay that stopped Oneakka from shouting what he'd thought of as a rebuttal, but he appeared to still be watching her leave through the window.
It could probably be argued that he was watching her disappear from view so that he could readjust the bed once she was gone, but Massa secretly suspected it was her back view that was keeping Oneakka's attention.
Pleased and amused at the interaction of the two, and looking forward to telling Halling about it later, Massa waited for Oneakka to remember he and Aki were here.
Oneakka finally settled back against his more comfortably angled bed and looked round at him. "Traitor," he accused bitterly.
Massa just grinned at his friend. "You weren't listening to me. Seeal helps you see reason."
"No, she stomps over it and does what she wants," Oneakka argued grumpily.
"Mmm," Massa considered, "that sounds like someone else I know." He tapped his chin with his fingers. "Who could it possibly be?"
At which point, Aki delivered a perfectly timed giggle.
00000
Teyla had never seen the hallways and the interconnecting lobbies of the Training Facility so decidedly busy as when she arrived with John and Lieutenant Ford. All around her groups of Recruits had apparently all found themselves arriving in the large lobby at the same time, all eyeing up the new arrivals at her side.
This particular lobby was one of the largest from where the largest canteen, the gyms, security centre, and project sections of the Facility could all be accessed, and it appeared an exceedingly popular random location today. From the two mezzanine levels looking down over the lobby from both sides, Recruits were peering over the balustrades with ill-concealed fascination, all whispering between them.
However, they were not the only unexpected arrivals for the somewhat historical event of visitors from another galaxy visiting the Facility, for it seemed that all the Elite currently in the Facility had also all arrived to greet John. She had been rather shocked at the display, since the Elite pridefully placed little importance in 'pomp and ceremony', which was precisely why she had not broadcast the time of her arrival here with John. However, it appeared that word had gotten around and everyone had turned out.
It had been the same at the Portal, as the entire Portal security teams from across all rotations had been stood at attention in their smartly pressed uniforms when Teyla had stepped through the Portal onto the Facility's moon. Maja herself had been with them and had been the first to step forward to greet John with his culture's customary handshake. Maja had then overseen the security checks, John and Lieutenant Ford each willingly handing over their single weapon they had been allowed to bring with them. Maja had checked over the Earth sidearms with obvious intel at play and she had expertly disassembled the weapons, checked their components, and reassembled the weapons in quick fashion. John had nodded his approval at the display as Maja had returned his sidearm to him and Maja had nodded to him in turn, which was a sure seal of approval from her.
Then, though it was customary to use a larger personnel carrier transport craft for the rare occasion that official visitors travelled to the Facility, Teyla had elected to bring John and Lieutenant Ford to the Facility in one of the usual smaller glass-hulled transport crafts. She had predicted that John would enjoy the sights of the trip and the speed of the small craft, and she had been correct. He had been full of questions and had clearly wanted to try piloting the craft himself, while Lieutenant Ford had all but pressed his face up to the glass hull to see everything passing below them. Upon arriving at a docking station and leading the two men from the craft, Teyla had started to notice the suspicious number of Recruits hanging around the docking bay corridors, and as she had led John through the hallways and into this lobby, only more faces had appeared.
It had not been lost on Teyla that a great deal of the whispering had been among the young female Recruits, and, looking at John stood beside her now, she could understand why. He was looking exceedingly handsome in his smart blue official Earth uniform. He had been very careful about it during his stay on Athos, making a show of hanging it up carefully ready for today's visit, while also taking time to show her his new rank insignia displayed on the jacket.
Looking at him now, stood among the all too familiar clean surroundings of the Facility, she felt immensely proud of him. He stood tall and calm, smiling politely to each Elite warrior that stepped forward to greet him, almost all of them offering the Earth handshake. However, it did feel a little strange to see him here, for, though he had become a major part of her life, their interactions had always been either on the Sythus, on Athos, or in Atlantis. Never before had he been here, and very few non-Elite were allowed to visit the Facility, so it felt nice that he was now included in this part of her life as well. When she was not on a mission aboard the Sythus, this Facility was her base of operations, and even though she slept on Athos at such times, she visited and worked from this Facility during her days. Even during this last week while John was staying on Athos, she had several times had to visit the Facility to assist Nalla in urgent work assignments for the Military Council. Yet, on those occasions, she had rather enjoyed leaving each time in the knowledge that John was waiting for her on Athos.
It had been a lovely week with John, spending so much time with him and having him a part of her family. On the few occasions when she had to leave Athos, as Father and Zabetha had to keep attending to their duties in running the Athosian worlds during the days, Rhakshar had stepped in to show John and his people around Tjaru and had taken them to several Bantos competitions. Teyla had returned twice to find John and Rhakshar laughing together over stories or in discussion of Bantos, and it appeared that the two of them had formed a bond, which was pleasing. Of course, once she returned to his side, John spent all his time with her, and it had been a most enjoyable time. They had walked through the snowy streets of Tjaru together, had gone tobogganing down the local hill slopes, had visited markets, seen more Bantos competitions, and then spent the evenings sat in comfortable company with her family. And then the nights had been theirs alone, snuggled up together in the large comfortable bed that was their wedding gift.
It had truly been a wonderful week, and, though she still had one more night with him here in the Facility, she was dreading tomorrow when he would return to his people. They had not yet arranged their next scheduled shared time together, so she was not sure when she would next get to spend so much time with him. So, she was determined to enjoy the rest of today, tonight, and tomorrow morning with him.
Once he was fitted with an Elite beacon of course, for that was the main purpose for his visit to the Facility. She was very much looking forward to the small procedure being completed, as she would then feel far more comfortable about him leaving, knowing that with the beacon frequency she would always be able to find him should something happen to him again.
Glancing at the time displayed on the closest pillar display within the lobby, she saw that they still had plenty of time to reach the Healing Bay for the fitting, so she returned her attention to John.
It was very clear to her that he was actually enjoying meeting all the Elite who were here to greet him, despite all the many assessing eyes on him. He always had a way of presenting himself that appeared casually relaxed and yet never dismissive; a natural charisma which nearly always put people at ease. He appeared in the full of his friendly power today, exchanging pleasantries with a smiling ease that he had never quite achieved with the politicians and traders on Athos. She suspected that he, like her, felt far more at home around military personnel.
Watching him nodding politely and exchanging easy greetings with the Elite with no fear or nervousness, made her feel even more proud of her Husband. She had no doubt that, had she married General Maloo, that her fellow Elite would have taken far less interest. For not only was John from another galaxy and his people uniquely positioned to assist in the war against the Wraith, but they all knew of John's direct involvement and assistance in several missions now on the Sythus. As such, she saw respect in many eyes as they assessed him, though of course some still appeared cautious, yet still curious. That did not appear to faze John though, but perhaps that was due to the fact that the first Elite that John had met had included Si and Oneakka. That he had survived the significant gauntlet of their assessment and approval perhaps made meeting these other Elite less worrisome for him.
Teyla's electronic pad vibrated in her pocket, abruptly distracting her from where Edfu had appeared and was now introducing himself to John.
She drew out her pad and discovered a text link from Massa. Aki was apparently being uncooperative in eating his Midday Meal and Massa sent his apologies for not being present to greet John. However, Massa went on to request to join her and John for Late Meal. She quickly typed a reply that they would be pleased to meet him in the canteen later, and Massa sent an instant acknowledgment back. Of course, John had already met Massa before, but that had been during a very dark time in Massa's life, so she suspected it would be particularly good for Massa to talk with John in a far more positive setting. Or perhaps it was just that she was looking forward to seeing the two sitting and sharing a meal, after all Massa had been very supportive of her choice to marry and had provided her with essential advice on how to adjust to living with love in her life.
John's shoulder shifted closer to hers, a silent communication that she needed to join the conversation. She slid her pad back into her pocket and looked up to see that most of the Elite had dissipated, their interest satisfied and having no further need to stay around.
Edfu was still here though, and was talking with John and Lieutenant Ford about the standard security measures in the Facility. Teyla had already briefed John in detail on the areas of the Facility he was allowed to visit and that she had to be with him all the time that he was here. He had made some rather suggestive remarks about how he felt about that. Teyla quickly blinked away the arousing memories and focused on Edfu as he turned to her.
"Honoured Elite," Edfu bowed his head to her.
"Edfu," she nodded back.
"Honoured Elite Nalla asked me to pass along her greetings as she had to leave for the Military Council meeting a little earlier than expected."
Teyla detected something interesting in that comment. Had there been a new development today? She would make sure to read Nalla's daily report later.
"Thank you, Edfu," Teyla replied simply.
"The Healing Bay report that they are ready to receive Lieutenant Colonel Sheppard for the beacon fitting at your discretion," Edfu smiled in his very affable way.
"We shall proceed there now," Teyla agreed and Edfu nodded to her and John and then headed away. Once Edfu was out of earshot, Teyla turned to John beside her. "Shall we have you tagged?" She asked, repeating a joke that Lieutenants Ford and Cadman had been using for the last few days. Apparently on Earth, scientists studied wildlife by stunning them, tagging them and fitting them with tracking collars before releasing them back into the wild again.
John pulled a face at her. "Very funny," he mused, but she sensed a faint edge of nervousness to him all of a sudden. Was he perhaps a little concerned now regarding the beacon fitting procedure?
"The procedure is very simple and quick," she assured him as she started leading the way down the appropriate corridor off the lobby, a large number of Recruits hurrying away out of the corridor's entrance, seeming now intent on returning to where they actually should be.
"Do they have a giant net they can throw over him first?" Lieutenant Ford joked from behind her and John.
Teyla smiled over her shoulder at the younger man. She had grown rather fond of him. He was clearly very dedicated to protecting John and in serving his people honourably, but he was also clearly a friend of John's and it was clear to Teyla that John appreciated him in return.
John's shoulder brushed against hers. "This place is cool," John commented to her, leaning momentarily close to her as they turned into another corridor. She smiled up at him as he returned to a more socially acceptable distance from her. "How much time do you actually spend here?" He asked.
"When I am not on the Sythus," she answered him, "I am here most days."
"So this is kind of like a home for you?" John asked with a handsome smile.
"Yes, it is," she agreed. "Though I usually spend my nights in Tjaru."
John nodded silently, though she spotted a shining look to his eyes on her mention of 'her nights'.
"How many staff live here?" Lieutenant Ford asked.
She considered the answer, not just what the actual figure might be, but also whether she was permitted to disclose it. "A significant number," she replied carefully. "But most Elite are only passing through the Facility. It is our focal centre for missions, security issues, and in meeting with each other."
"Elite HQ," John interpreted.
Teyla angled them down a right-hand turn that would lead to the part of the Healing Bay that was set aside for small medical procedures, which included a dedicated room for beacon fittings. As they turned, the large bag that John held in one hand bumped lightly against her leg and she glanced down at it. Inside the bag was a large thin gift that John had brought with him to give to Oneakka as a 'get well soon' gift. John had explained that this particular gift, hidden from her view by the brightly coloured wrapping paper covering it, was apparently a traditional gift on his world.
"While you are having your beacon fitted, I will check to see if we can visit Oneakka afterwards," she considered as she looked up from the gift.
"You're gonna stick around during the fitting though right?" John asked his voice lowering slightly.
She had to work not to chuckle at him. Her military trained, highly experienced warrior husband was nervous about a tiny implant fitting. "Of course," she reassured him.
"Though if you've got work to do..." John added quickly and overly casually.
"My work is in staying with you," she replied.
John grinned at that, his eyes sparkling down at her in the glowing clean light of the Facility.
Lieutenant Ford made a light cough from behind and John glared over his shoulder at the younger man.
"What?" she heard Lieutenant Ford ask a little too innocently.
The small procedures entrance into Healing Bay was up ahead and it appeared that word of John's arrival had again preceded him, as there was a large gathering of Healers stood outside the entrance. In fact there appeared to be an unusual number of staff working in this part of the Healing Bay today.
As they drew within speaking distance, Healer Meiyo stepped forward from the group and smiled widely. "Greetings, Honoured Elite and Lieutenant Colonel Sheppard. I am Healer Meiyo and I shall be undertaking the beacon fitting."
Teyla was a little surprised since Meiyo was considered a very senior Healer to be fitting beacons, which was a basic operation. However, it was probably due to John's political status that she had been elected, or had volunteered, for the role.
"Hi," John smiled back at Meiyo, and this time Teyla definitely heard caution in his voice.
Meiyo smiled warmly at him, and Teyla sensed that the woman too had picked up on the shift of John's mood. "If you would please follow me," Meiyo turned and led the way into the Bay itself, leaving the staring smiling Healers behind them, and into the small room just to the right. The beacon fitting room was very familiar to Teyla, as she had had her own beacons serviced and replaced in here over the last ten years. However, she watched as John looked around the room with cautious interest, taking in the large open-fronted cabinet against one wall that was filled with medical supplies and the beacon fitter tech that stood in the middle of the room, set beside the small lone table.
"Please take a seat there, Lieutenant Colonel Sheppard," Meiyo waved John towards the chair on the furthest side of the table before she settled into the chair opposite him.
Teyla walked round to stand at John's shoulder as he sat down, Lieutenant Ford moving around to the far end of the room to stand behind John's back, correctly selecting the most strategic point of the room where he faced the single entrance.
Meiyo picked up a large medical pad. "I have some very basic questions to go through with you before we proceed, would that be alright with you?" She asked John.
"Sure," John replied with a very brief glance up at Teyla. She smiled down at him reassuringly.
"I have received through your medical details from your Healer on Atlantis and it covers almost all I need," Meiyo smiled at him, her relaxed manner clearly the correct approach with John. "I just need to check whether you have had any direct contact with any Wraith or Wraith tech within the last two days."
John glanced up at Teyla again, and she knew exactly what was going through his mind. "Not in the last two days, no," he confirmed for Meiyo, though Meiyo no doubt had details of John's encounter with the strange Wraith that had helped him escape Kolya's clutches.
"Good," Meiyo tapped on the pad. "Have you had any injuries in the last two days?"
"Nope," John replied.
As Meiyo ran through a checklist of questions, Teyla took the moment to pull out her electronic pad and sent a quick text link to Halling. His reply came back almost instantly, starting with an apology for not being there to greet John as he was currently sitting with Oneakka. Teyla typed a reply to tell him it was not necessary to apologise and then asked if Oneakka would welcome a visit from her and John shortly.
"Any skin infections?" Meiyo continued from her list.
Halling's reply vibrated the pad in Teyla's hand. Apparently Oneakka did not mind a visit. However, Halling's last sentence made Teyla smile.
Warning: The Grump has finally arrived. I suggest it is a quick visit.
It appeared that Oneakka's surprisingly relaxed response to his recent injury had finally faded and his more usual reaction to having to go through recovery had asserted itself.
"If you could place your arm into the device," Meiyo's voice cut through Teyla's smile as she quickly tapped a response to Halling, slid the pad back into her pocket and turned her full attention on John.
He had removed his uniform jacket and rolled up the sleeve of his shirt to expose his long lean right forearm. Teyla watched as he settled his arm in the cylindrical base of the beacon fitter and watched as Meiyo reached in with now gloved hands to secure down John's wrist and forearm within the frame of the tech.
John glanced up and Teyla smiled reassuringly at him again, letting him know that all was well. Since the first moment she had suggested it, he had been very willing to have the Elite beacon fitted, though his superiors had had to agree set terms and agreements first, and she felt very grateful for his trust in her.
Meiyo closed the top of the cylindrical frame over John's arm, sealing him into it up to his elbow.
"I'm gonna get my arm back, right?" John joked to Meiyo.
"We might keep it," Meiyo joked back as she tapped some commands into the fitter. It was again the exact right approach with John and Teyla saw him relax his shoulders a little more.
"As your Healer will no doubt have explained the procedure," Meiyo told him, "this device will bore a tiny shelf into the bone of your wrist and then secure the implant into place against the bone."
"Okay," John agreed, his eyes shifting down to his enclosed arm and then away, trying not to appear concerned.
"You will first feel a rush of cold," Meiyo explained and John nodded that he could. "This is the local numbing to the area. Please hold very still," she added as she watched a small screen on the side of the fitter. A small red light lit up on top of the device and Teyla saw John tense slightly, no doubt the tiny drill now through his skin.
"Yeah, that feels weird," John muttered.
"Just drilling the shelf," Meiyo said in that friendly calm voice of hers. "Good. Now the beacon itself is attached."
Teyla watched John's cheek twitch slightly with discomfort.
"And all done," Meiyo announced with a smile. "Just sealing the wound."
"You okay?" Lieutenant Ford asked.
"Just a scratch," John dismissed with a shrug, or as much of a shrug as he could manage with one arm in the fitter.
The device parted and John's arm was once again revealed.
"I will now cover and bandage the wound for you," Meiyo explained as she wiped away the small amount of blood from his wrist with an antiseptic cloth and then reached aside for the dressings.
John leaned forward, Lieutenant Ford doing the same over his shoulder, both peering down at his wrist. A small bright red line was all that was visible on the inner edge of his forearm, an inch or so below the base of his thumb.
"Expect slight swelling around the area for a few days," Meiyo explained as she smeared some fast-healing ointment over the small wound and then started to cover it. "It could be slightly uncomfortable for up to twenty days. If you are going to go into battle within the next few days, I suggest a padded and waterproof covering."
"Okay, sure," John agreed, his shoulders now completely relaxed and he was smiling again.
Meiyo secured the dressing and then reached for a pad. "I will just run a scan of the beacon."
Teyla drew out her pad again as Meiyo ran a sensor pad over John's wrist and there was a satisfying bleep.
Meiyo smiled as she lifted her pad and tapped the screen. "You are now officially registered with the Elite database and I am sharing the frequency with you Honoured Elite Emmagan."
Teyla's pad vibrated with the link to the Elite computer and she downloaded John's beacon frequency onto her pad and into her own personal section of the database. She then set a reminder to herself to ensure she shared the frequency with the Honour Guard when she returned to Athos tomorrow.
A wave of cooling relief passed over her as she lowered the pad, which told her that she had been far more anxious for this moment than she had allowed herself to realise. Too often she had been cursing herself for not having thought of the beacon before John had been taken by Kolya, but, now John was fitted, she had the means to find him wherever he may be in the galaxy.
Even if it was only to find his body.
She blinked away such dark depressing thoughts, though, of course, that had always been the main purpose of the Elite beacons: to enable them to find each other, even if in death.
Sliding her pad quickly back into her pocket, she focused her entire attention on her handsome, and currently safe and secure, Husband as he stood up, watching as he swung his jacket up from the back of his chair, clearly relieved himself that the fitting was over.
"All tagged and ready for release," he grinned to her as he drew on his smart dark blue uniform jacket, his new rank insignia drawing her eye.
The beacon could never ensure that he would not be harmed, but at least it made him a little safer in that he could be found if he was lost again.
Considering the extreme dangers they both faced in their lives, 'a little safer' could mean the difference between life or death.
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TBC