Laura had barely been back a day when her earpiece chirped, "Laura? It's Dr Weir. Could you come to my office please?"
"Certainly. On my way." Laura replied. Grabbing her new Atlantis jacket (this one had red patches instead of black) she walked to Elizabeth's office. She knocked on the glass and said, "What can I help you with?" when she stopped. She hadn't noticed Lorne already sitting on the couch in her office. It was half in shadow, which is why she hadn't seen him when she had first knocked.
"Have a seat Laura." Laura took the seat opposite Elizabeth. She waited for Elizabeth to speak.
"Laura, colonel Lorne's team has found some ancient ruins on a planet and he has requested a translator. I've picked you. You are to go to the planet and take some photos and do some on site translations. Come back here and finish it off on the base. Any questions?"
"Why did I have to finish the translation here?" Lorne groaned from his place on the couch. Elizabeth shot him a threatening look before replying, "Because the locals are not that friendly. So that means only you and Lorne will be going and you will be going at night. Take plenty of flashlights and batteries. Dismissed." Lorne went to leave and Laura followed him calling, "So how did you manage to piss the locals off?" Lorne completely ignored her when a voice behind her made her jump.
"You know you shouldn't antagonise him like that." Elizabeth said smiling. "I'm sorry Elizabeth. It's just my way of trying to get him to talk to me. Not the best way to go about it huh?" Laura asked her. Elizabeth shook her head before she said, "No. Not the best way. Have you seen anyone since you been back? You should probably go and see Cadman, she's slightly pissed at you for leaving without saying goodbye."
"Yeah I know. She is one of the many bridges that I have to fix. Do you know where she is?"
"Try the mess hall." That said Elizabeth walked back into her office.
Laura walked towards the mess hall to try and find her best friend on Atlantis Laura Cadman. They had developed a strange friendship in the time that Laura had been there. This was probably going to be the easiest bridge to fix. Lorne would prove to be more of a challenge no doubt. Looking in she noticed Cadman sitting by herself. Laura walked over and said, "Mind if I sit?" Cadman stood up ramrod straight and saluted her. Laura looked at her strangely. "What are you doing?" she asked Cadman. Cadman in turn looked at her funny before replying, "You are a superior officer. I'm showing my respect ma'am."
"Alright. Stop that. I'm retired so lose the salute and the ramrod straightness. I never made you do it when I was a superior officer so please don't start doing it now." Cadman relaxed and sat back down. Cadman looked like she was about to say something when Laura jumped in first.
"Listen before you say anything. I just wanna say I'm sorry for leaving the way I did. But it was a last second decision. I thought I was going to be leaving a couple of days after my request not the same day or I would have said bye in person instead of just leaving like that. I'm really sorry. Will you forgive me? Oh and I'm not above begging, ya know if you want me too." Laura looked at Cadman hopefully. Cadman looked at her for a full five minutes before she replied, "You're forgiven. I'm pleased your back. When did you retire?" Laura visibly relaxed before replying, "When I went to Earth. I'm pleased someone's pleased to see me. Some people really ain't pleased." Cadman looked at her. "Would that be a certain Lt Colonel we both know?"
"Yeah, that would be the one. He really does hate me doesn't he?" Laura asked sadly. Cadman shook her head, "No he doesn't. You might not believe this but he really has missed you. He hasn't been the same since you left. When the Daedalus came back he was looking for you. When you didn't get off it he was in a bad mood for a week. Everytime the gate activated he would go running to the gate to see if you were coming back that way. Everytime he was horribly disappointed and he took it out on us. Deep down he's pleased your back trust me." Laura looked at her slightly dumbfounded before saying, "Well that's not true. He wasn't there when I came through yesterday."
"That's because we were offworld." Cadman offered. Laura looked at her and decided to change the subject, "So tell me. What have I missed? Any interesting gossip?" Cadman laughed before replying, "Actually you did. Lets see. Sheppard and Teyla are so nearly a couple its ridiculous they should get a room already. It's actually really funny. Anyways moving on, Ronan it seems is in love with one of the new scientists, but no one is sure which one. It could just be a rumour. I'm also pretty sure McKay has a thing for Weir, but I have no evidence to back it up yet. It's just my observations at the moment." Laura sat there in total shock, "Wow. Interesting. I think I may have to keep an eye out to see if I notice anything. So what do you think I should do about Lorne?" Cadman laughed at her. "What?"
"Oh nothing. Its just…" she trailed off and her eyes went wide in shock. Laura looked at her in confusion before turning around. Lorne had just walked in with Kate Heightmeyer. He was all over her. She turned back to Cadman, opened her mouth to say something, couldn't say anything and then got up and left. Running to her quarters in tears.
Lorne walked over to Cadman and sat down. Heightmeyer had gone to join the line for something to eat. Cadman rounded on Lorne, "What the hell are you playing at? You did that deliberately. Besides I thought you and Kate were over?" she scowled at him. He held up his hands in surrender. "I don't know why I did it. I guess I just wanted to make her jealous. And now I have to go that damn planet with her tonight. If things weren't goin to be awkward enough as it is, now it's going to be worse." He groaned out loud.
Laura walked out of her quarters and headed towards the gateroom. She had radioed Elizabeth and asked her when she was leaving for the mission and that she and Lorne were to go through the gate and 1900 hours. Grabbing her gun holster and fastening it to her leg, putting on her jacket and finding plenty of flashlights and batteries. She also grabbed a small bag in which to put in a couple of books just in case she needed them, putting her 9 mil in the holster she headed for the gateroom. Lorne was already there. She didn't look at him when Elizabeth said, "Take a jumper instead. Just in case. Cloak the second you get on the other side." Lorne nodded at her and headed for the jumper bay. Laura followed silently behind him. She was not going to talk to him. No matter what he said. Arriving at the jumper bay she followed him to the second jumper from the left. Walking inside he said, "Hey Goku. You ready to go?" Laura raised an eyebrow and didn't say anything. Why the hell is calling Goku or whatever it is? She thought to herself. Just then a rather disjointed voice said, "WHERE ARE WE GOING TODAY COLONEL?" Lorne answered the voice, "To P19-85S."
"VERY WELL. WHO IS THIS YOUNG LADY? I DO NOT RECOGNISE HER ENERGY SIGNITURE." Enquired the voice. Lorne looked at her briefly before saying, "Just ignore her. She's just the translator." Laura scowled at him and didn't say anything. This is going to be a long night she thought to herself wishing that she could be anywhere but in the back of the jumper. Lorne piloted the jumper into the gateroom and joined the planet and went through the gate.