Chapter Three:

Getting to know you

Drake paced a bit nervously in front of the military command center room. He had spent the night in his new quarters, not a bad night considering the cramped space, but it had been better accommodations, what with its own private bathroom and all, then he had even considered to be given to him. A bed instead of a cot was definitely the best, he thought to himself with a satisfied smile.

The door suddenly opened and he nearly ran smack into a man a bit older than himself with a hard expression on his face. The man, someone he recognized from amongst the new arrivals, glanced at him before walking away. Drake wondered who he was before quickly knocking on the door, mentally keeping himself on task. He could wonder everything and everyone later; unfortunately, easily getting distracted or off topic was a habit he just couldn't seem to shake easily.

"Come in," called the voice of his new commanding officer.

Taking a breath, he stepped inside.

The office within the military command center, now placed as it should have been instead of lined with chairs for a debriefing, was quite large he realized. The walls were a pale white with a wide aqua colored line running across the middle. The windows within, which he only now noticed, were tinted like all the others, but still looked bright, giving way to a beautiful view of the ocean. Four desks were well spread throughout the room, each tucked in its own corner with a trashcan and their own personal touches. Though they looked fairly well kept, only one was currently being manned.

"Colonel," Drake saluted, "Lt. Drake Rook reporting."

Sheppard studied the young lieutenant before him and smiled at what he saw. Rook hoped it meant something good and not the smile that most commanders had that meant "cocky little brat" or "naïve little rookie".

Sheppard however, as though reading his mind, just chuckled. "Relax Rook, at ease."

Drake gave a nod and quickly stood at casual attention. Sheppard smiled kindly before opening a folder on his desk.

"I see you have had training of various kinds. Tactical, strategical, maneuvers and codes, technical classes, as well as many other sorts of educational know-hows."

"Yes sir," Rook replied, curious where the Colonel was going with this.

"I also noticed, Lt. That you are a fighter pilot with the 35th squadron, currently having been stationed in Turkey."

Rook stayed silent, nodding.

John smiled.

"I was in Turkey for a time. Nice place, but I have heard not such great things recently."

Drake blinked.

"Err…yes sir, it has become a bit hostile lately."

Sheppard nodded and Drake realized the Colonel was merely trying to chat with him in a casual, "let's get to know each other", sort of a manner.

"Tell me Rook, why did you volunteer for this posting on Atlantis?"

Drake wasn't sure what to say. He thought it would be cool to be in the lost city? He wanted to fly a jumper he had heard so much about? He wanted to meet a living legend? There were so many reasons and yet none that he felt were worthy enough to even state aloud.

Sheppard studied him another moment before seemingly coming to a decision.

"No matter the reason, we are happy to have you. Tomorrow at 0700 hours, we will be leaving Atlantis for physical survival training, as discussed within the debriefing. You and seven others, shall be going through the gate with two senior staff. The world we will be going to is uninhabited, but still dangerous in its own right. So long as you follow the commands given to you and rely both in yourself and on those surrounding you, all should go well. Remember your training, but never forget your own gut feeling. It's those instincts that will allow you to survive when others die."

Drake nodded. He took the words to heart as Sheppard looked him up and down once more before nodding and closing the folder.

"For now I suggest you relax, take a look around the inhabited parts of Atlantis and if you feel the urge, go to the gym and watch or participate in, some sparring matches. You might find something… interesting and worth your time."

With a look that clearly said "I am not just suggesting this", Sheppard dismissed him.

Drake decided relaxing and exploration could wait until later. He was curious what the Colonel had wanted him to see in the gym.

Getting there without getting lost took the longest, but when he did reach the area, he was alerted by many shouting voices, that something was going down. Rushing in, in case something was wrong, he was startled to see many people crowded in the room cheering on a fight going on, on the mats before him. Many waved money around taking bets, but Drake just felt himself frozen upon seeing the scene. The native man and woman, the two from the welcome wagon and debriefing, were fighting one another in a way Drake had never seen before. They were ruthlessly attacking and yet, neither one was winning or losing at the moment. The woman was keeping her own, watching, waiting, and strategically preparing. The man, his strength no doubt great, was warred against her blow after blow, refusing to back down. The two, so different in both size and style, were nearly matched and it took his breath away.

'So this…this is the Pegasus galaxy' he wondered to himself in awe. Surely if these two were so fierce, the enemies they faced and struggled to defeat, were nothing less than impossible.

SGA

Sheppard smirked as he heard the hiss behind the curtain in the infirmary.

"Owe! Owe, owe, owe! I told you to give me something for the pain, gosh that stings!"

The nurse sighed, clearly exasperated.

"Rodney," Sheppard greeted.

McKay looked up, but said nothing as he continued to glare at the nurse who came near him with a small bandage for his finger.

"Problem?" The colonel asked, glancing at the nurse.

"Problem?!" McKay shouted, "Of course there is a problem! I have severely injured my hand, Colonel!"

John glanced at Rodney, his amusement firmly planted on his face.

"I was talking to the nurse, McKay."

The nurse, who had only slightly been listening, grinned in appreciation of the Colonel as McKay gaped. With glares now sent his way, Sheppard walked in and just smiled, completely at ease, despite the murderous aura surrounding his friend.

"Har-Har-Har", "McKay finally pouted as he stared down at his injured finger with concern.

John felt himself frown just slightly. He had been joking, but was something actually wrong?

"McKay?"

Rodney looked up at him, but the nurse interrupted, seeing the concern in his eyes.

"He is fine Colonel. Merely pricked his finger on a nail."

"Yeah, a really sharp, nasty, pointy nail!" the scientist bit out, chagrined, "Let's get out of here before Nurse Ratchet over there brings a needle. She keeps sending me dirty looks behind my back, I know it."

Sheppard huffed a laugh as the two headed for the door. "I think you hit the nail on the head there, McKay."

Rodney glared. "So what brings you here, oh Colonel of horrible puns?"

Sheppard smiled.

"Tomorrow is the training mission."

McKay blinked. "Ah, you think they are ready?"

Sheppard chuckled.

"I'm more concerned about me being ready," he laughed.

McKay smiled, but seemed a bit withdrawn. Sheppard sighed.

"You can still come you know…"

Rodney blinked.

"No. I have work to do here and…and… I don't do well with physical activities, you know that. Besides, all those little twerps will be there and…Katie will also be here you know, so… "

Sheppard frowned. He hadn't considered the rookies as being a problem. He really was only concerned with his friend's health. Lately McKay had been less active and with their team being the main explorers in the Pegasus galaxy, which was a dangerous thing to do. He had wanted to get Rodney more actively involved in military trainings, even if just slightly for his own sake. Still, he could see McKay's point, as much as it bothered him.

"I suppose I could have you run with Ronon and I later."

McKay still didn't look thrilled, but seemed slightly more relaxed about that idea than the previous one.

"Alright then," Sheppard stated, "I won't stop you from your lady love," he teased, quickly going on before Rodney could comment. "However… you need to start working in the gym more with Ronon and Teyla. You need the exercise."

He patted Rodney's stomach with meaning and headed for the door.

McKay glared at him before placing a hand on his stomach where Sheppard had patted it. Perhaps he had put on a few too many pounds lately… hmm… oh well, they needed him for his brain not his brawn. With a satisfied and perhaps slightly rebellious smile, he snatched a candy bar from his pocket and began to chow down as he moved toward the labs.

Sheppard noticed and just shook his head, smiling. He had been mostly teasing his friend, but he was worried. Sheppard and McKay were very different and handled stress just as differently, but while his way of handling it was to act indifferent and put it behind him, McKay's was often his stomach and lately…things had been very stressful indeed.

His thoughts swam to Kolya, Sateda, the wraith, and finally… Carson…

He closed his eyes. Everyone had their way of handling things. Who was he to say Rodney's was any worse than his own?

Sheppard closed his eyes. 'Hypocrite' his mind screamed. He supposed it was true.