Rodney being Rodney, this chapter got a little out of hand and took a different turn than I anticipated.
I guess I should clarify something about the timeline for you: Each chapter moves forward over the baseline which is Season 4/5 with the exception that I will ignore Woolsey coming and replacing Sam. The distance between both times is always 26 years and time moves forward for each time every day. (Ask if anything is still unclear). We are coming to a point where a lot of the "real" action will take place in the future and Mer will bring the stone into free fall in the next chapter (or at least start to loosen the pile so the stone can start rolling of the cliff).
Without further rambling... Enjoy!
And you are so beautiful
That I would drink my fill
More pure and more suitable
Than any pint of poison
I could guzzle or spill
Time is Money – Placebo
I knew this mission was doomed, the moment Sheppard opted not to go and sent Lorne and his team with me and Zelenka. Every time Lorne, Cadman and Zelenka are involved in a mission with me something goes wrong. Okay maybe not every time but I guess our combined track record isn't great. And nothing could've prepared us for this idiocy.
We step through the gate and the first thing we hear are voices… loud voices. Shouting. The ever-dutiful soldiers' race to investigate and what they discover is … there are no better words than idiotic and disgraceful.
The young female doctor from the weirdo team, that we've met before is screaming her head of about something. Apparently, their command is made up from idiots. And I heard something about mobbing and torture. Lorne looks about ready to send them both to separate corners and Cadman has that dangerous smirk on her face, that tells me something is going to happen soon. And I might not like it.
The screaming twosome hasn't noticed us yet but the other two have. I seem to remember them. What happened to the team leader these three normally bother?
"Anyone care to explain why you threw every piece of protocol out the window and fight here like little kids?" Mhh Lorne seems to have heard enough arguing. The new man snaps around and hangs his head in shame. "Sorry, sir. We didn't mean to, but I got orderd to inform the team of some changes…" "Changes? Telling me that …" the girl interrupts but seems to notice something and stops her rant instantly. Her lips turn to a small line and if looks could kill I am sure, myself and the major would've dropped dead in an instant.
Cadman rolls her eyes but let's Lorne still take the lead. If I were a betting man, I'd say it takes every ounce of her self-control.
"Lieutenant, care to elaborate? We met this team before. What happened to the former team leader?"
"Sir, he got seriously injured on a training exercise and is now scheduled to return to his home for physical therapy. I just informed the team that I'll be taking over for him as team leader, permanently."
"As if that explains anything!" Cadman huffs beside me. And I got to admit, that is no reason to scream at each other at the top of your lungs like crazy people.
After a little check of our neglected MALP and taking into account that our trip was rather nice, I can confirm we are at least in our own time. So, Lorne decides we set up camp and take the four other Atlantis people with us. Well, until I can figure out how to send them home anyway. The new female seems to be actually interested in my work and if she isn't completely stupid, she can help with the research. Hopefully she is more helpful than Radek.
After two- or three-days Rodney realizes that the unknown female has a broad knowledge of astrophysics and that she really hates the major. Cadman the ever-curious busy body has also taken an interest in the newbies and tries to needle them into revealing something, anything, about the future. But it seems they have been instructed rather well. They haven't let slip anything more besides two of them, the girl and the new leader have grown up in Atlantis. The rest is still a mystery. The new one starts checking his watch obsessively and calls his team together. What is that about?
My little helper walks over to me and Cadman, a happy look on her face. "It looks like we missed our first travel window. So, we will be stuck here for two more weeks." "How do you know that?" is the question I wanted to ask but Cadman is quicker and stuns the not stupid female. They really need to give us their names. This is getting ridiculous. "My dad told us. He has figured the timings and probably because it has already happened for him." After that part she claps her hands over her mouth and looks almost ready to die. She accidentally gave us a clue on who she is. I am sure Cadman realized that too. "So, your father is a scientist in Atlantis? That is the reason you grew up there?" The newbie, who seems to worship Lorne walks over with his hero and puts an end to the questioning "We told you too much about ourselves already. We were instructed to not disturb this time line. Please stop asking about the future." Lorne actually seems to agree and turns to Cadman "Lieutenant, you can do something useful. This one here asked why we would send an air force officer with marines on a training exercise. You want to explain that one?" Oh no, that gleam in her eyes is never a good sign. Well at least this time I don't have to suffer because of her crazy training routine. "With pleasure, sir. Command sends promising officers with a marine unit to further train them and test them. If an air force officer can gain the respect of a marine unit, he is the right fit for a command in a more physical unit. Not only babysitting." That is one proud marine. With her little explanation she manages to get two people to stand in front of her with their mouths hanging open and the doc actually blushes and mumbles a small "sorry I yelled at you T." So his name starts with a t or his nickname is T?