The planet was like every other planet in both the Milky Way and Pegasus. Except there was one big difference.
"Pink! Are you kidding me?" It was Laura. Lorne looked at her and stared at her for a full minute before asking, "What happened to your good mood Turner?"
"Well it evaporated when I set foot on this hideous coloured planet sir." She replied with scorn dripping from her voice.
"Not a fan of pink then?"
"What gave you that idea?"
"Being sarcastic won't help Turner." He was about to say more when a snicker from behind him caused him to turn around. Cadman and Sparrow had watched the whole exchange and had found it amusing.
"Something funny lieutenants?" he asked them. They immediately stopped laughing. However Laura was pulling faces behind his back, causing Cadman to try and stop herself from breaking into a grin and struggling before she replied, "No sir." He continued to look at her and her resolve broke, and she burst into fits of giggles. Lorne spun round and Laura smiled at him sweetly. Shaking his head slightly he said, "Ok. Everyone move out." As he hid a smile as he walked ahead of his team. I wonder what the locals look like he mused to himself as they walked towards the village.
Laura and Cadman were chatting as they walked towards the village. "So tell me. Is he always so grumpy when he's offworld?" Laura asked.
"No. Not normally. I just don't think he liked us eavesdropping."
"It wasn't exactly a private conversation." Laura was walking behind Lorne and staring.
"So what's goin on with you and the major?" asked Cadman. Laura hadn't said anything for ages and she had noticed that Laura had habit of tilting her head to the side when Lorne was walking. Cadman laughed. This was going to be fun. They had nearly reached the village when Lorne and Sparrow suddenly stopped and Laura walked into Lorne.
"Oof. A bit of warning next time major would be nice." She scalded him. If she had been paying attention she would have seen him put his hand up indicating that they should stop. Cadman laughed again. He rolled his eyes at Laura before stating, "Everyone back to the gate. We're leaving now." Puzzled Cadman said, "Sir? We just got here. What's the problem?"
"Just come on." He said as he grabbed Laura by the shoulders and turned her around before she could see the village. Giving Cadman a significant look saying 'don't ask just go' he began to push Laura back the way they had come.
"What the hell is going on? Lorne stop pushing me I can walk you know!" Laura was struggling against him as he was pushing her. Cadman and Sparrow were now in front of her when they heard weapons fire.
"Split up! You two get back to the gate and dial it. Tell Atlantis that we're coming in hot and go through. We'll be right behind you!" ordered Lorne. Cadman and Sparrow acknowledged the order and began running towards the gate.
"Lorne what the hell is wrong?" asked Laura. When he didn't answer she stopped running. Realising that she wasn't beside him, he turned around and said, "Come on. We have to move." She was about to say something when she suddenly fell onto the ground. A tranquilliser dart had struck her. Kneeling beside her Lorne checked to see if she was ok, when he saw nothing but blackness.
Back on Atlantis Cadman and Sparrow had just come through the gate when the wormhole disengaged.
"Where is Major Lorne and Laura?" asked a frantic Dr Weir. She hated having teams coming in hot. That always meant there was trouble.
"Major Lorne ordered us to the gate and to come through. He said they would be right behind us. There was weapons fire. But we didn't even get to the village before he ordered us back. I don't understand why. I was walking with Laura a few metres behind." Provided Cadman. Weir looked at Sparrow. "Well?"
"When Lorne saw the occupants of the village he said crap and ordered us to stop. Laura walked into him and then ordered us to the gate. He seemed really agitated. I don't understand why. They should have made it to the gate." He seemed really puzzled.
"What was wrong with the occupants of the village? Major Lorne is not the kind of person to do something like that without having a good reason."
"They were clowns ma'am." Weir blanched. She understood why he had ordered the team back to the gate. She had read the report from the Daedalus. This was not going to be good when they got back. "And Laura is with Lorne?"
"Yes ma'am. Request permission to go and get them out."
"Denied. I will get Colonel Sheppard and his team to go along with Dr Beckett once I know what's actually going on, on that planet."
"Dr Beckett ma'am?"
"Laura is mortally frightened of clowns. That's why he ordered you back to the gate." The rest of the team looked at the expedition leader in shock. Weir was saying something to them but they weren't listening and she pointed to the direction of the infirmary for their post mission check-up. They nodded and left leaving Weir to debrief colonel Sheppard's team.