CHAPTER 2 – THE RITUALS OF COURTSHIP

He looked for her several times during the next two days, going so far as to ask Elizabeth when she had arrived on Atlantis. However, Elizabeth was busy trying to write a report that was long overdue and only listened to John with partial concentration. The person he asked about did not register immediately with her, but she did deal with a lot of personnel, afterall it was a very large city and told him in a rather vague manner, that she would look into it for him.

Not really important thought John. I'll find her myself. He moved through the laboratories, found Rodney pottering over a piece of ancient technology that had brought an excited gleam to his eyes and stopped briefly to chat with him, finding his eyes glaze over as he launched into a technical explanation, as only Rodney could do.

Rodney, not entirely clueless, knew when to stop and looked expectantly at John. "So John, why are you really here if it's not to applaud my absolutely amazing discovery ...hmmm?" John had to grin – Rodney really was the most arogant of people, so convinced of his own superiority that he failed to see that others may not hold him in as quite a high esteem as he held himself. But on top of that, John liked him, finding that his somewhat disconnected social skills brought an awkward balance to their team.

"I'm looking for someone Rodney. A new engineer... long, black hair, killer eyes and hot... very very hot..."

"Ahh, the Sheppard radar has been switched on I see... why does that not surprise me? Perhaps if you were to keep your mind trained on another portion of your anatomy, you may be surprised at just how much you can actually achieve in a day." Rodney smiled a rather sardonic smile, shaking his head a little at the shallow level of Sheppard's intentions. Really, the man was a walking ball of testosterone, how was that fair? Couldn't be leave some of the women for the rest of the lesser mortals.

"That was mean Rodney! I can train my mind on all the other parts of my anatomy... just not when there is a really gorgeous woman in the vicinity – then it gets a little complicated."

"That is exactly what I mean Sheppard – you need to learn to focus more – try meditation or something... anything to distract you." Rodney was anxious to go back to his ancient device, but did turn back briefly to John. "The engineer you're looking for? Try the jumper bay. I heard she's looking into the hyperdrive on the jumpers... at least that came from Zelenka, who like you, became a drooling idiot as soon as she spoke to him. Seems it's contagious..."

John slapped him on the back and smiled. "Thanks Rodney! I owe you one!"

"If it's dinner, then tonight is Salisbury Steak night... and you know how much I love Salisbury Steak.. just saying!" Rodney's focus was back with his device and John went to leave the room with his parting comment. "If my plan works, I'll be having dinner with someone a little better looking than you Rodney. See ya round!"

He found her in the jumper bay, standing near poor Zelenka who was coloured a rather unbecoming shade of crimson, his shorter stature bringing his unfortunate gaze about level with the tops of her rather delectible breasts, which certainly were not contained as they should be, in the rather simple base uniform of teeshirt and very tight fitting pants.

She looked up when he came in and the smile that lit her face had him faltering a little and perhaps echoing some of that same colour that was lighting up Zelenka.

"Colonel John Sheppard. Have you come down to check on our progress with the hyperdrive?" He let her voice flow over him and only when he realised that she awaited his reply, did he shake his head a little to clear it and replied.

"Actually... not quite. I wanted to see if you were free for dinner tonight. As a 'welcome to Atlantis' celebration. That is... if you have no other plans." He stood still then, a little unsure and watched as she left Zelenka's side and move towards him and now he was rewarded with the view of her breasts, however he was able to look down, right down from his considerably taller vantage point. And the view was quite splendid.

"That is very nice of you to ask Colonel John Sheppard. I would enjoy having dinner with you very much. Do you wish to meet in the mess?" Her consciousness registered where his gaze lingered and now she placed her hand on his arm and held it lightly, knowing that this would please him also.

And she was right. He drew his gaze away from her cleavage and down to where her hand lingered, and placed his own over the top of hers, so that he could feel it's softness. She felt a strange sensation inside her, and it was not her consciousness that felt this, but the new human part of her, and she filed this feeling away to be analysed later. She did not think that her human form was capable of separate feeling and this surprised her.

"How about we avoid the mess tonight – if you like, we can take a picnic over to one of the beaches on the mainland. A little stroll in the moonlight, a nice ride in the jumper... how does that sound?" Her hand moved under his, a little higher now until it rested on his shoulder, and again, it was her human consciousness that made this movement, causing a frown to mar her face.

"Well, if that doesn't suit, I am happy to go with anything you come up with" he backtracked a little, assuming the frown was for the suggestion he had just made. Perhaps she considered it a little forward for a first date.

Carefully smoothing the frown from her face, she encouraged a smile in it's place. "A picnic sounds wonderful. Shall I meet you in the jumper bay?"

Picking up the hand that now rested on his shoulder, he lightly kissed the back of it, his hooded eyes making contact with her wide, bright violet ones and she felt the touch of her lips right down to the tips of her toes. What a strange sensation she thought. Very pleasurable, I am sure that I will enjoy the courtship stage of this relationship. It is not without wondrous feelings.

He was waiting for her when she arrived in the jumper bay, having changed into casual attire of mid thigh length summer dress held up by tiny straps and he noted with a little shift of pleasure that her feet were bare. Noticing him looking at her bare feet she smiled a little uncertainly. "You did say that it would be a picnic and walk in the sand? I assume shoes would not be a requirement for such an activity?"

Stowing the picnic basket and blanket in the back of the jumper he came back out to tuck her hand into his elbow, smiling down at her. "You have the oddest, yet cutest way of talking... really cute!"

He took the control seat and she was content to sit and watch him, rather than the beautiful vista of the Lantian sky outside. She memorised his features, the way his mouth curved invitingly when he smiled and the way his eyes lit up whenever he tried to get a point across. And she kept getting drawn back to his hair, and unbidden, she rose from her seat and ran her hand through it, causing a small jump of surprise from John. "Hey! You gave me a fright there... you ok?"

"I just wanted to touch it... it looked like it would feel... nice..." She contined to run her hand down the side of his face and traced his lips, all the while looking into his eyes. "I'm sorry. Is this not acceptable?"

"Hell lady, it's more than acceptable. I just thought we might have a little dinner first... y'know?"

He felt slightly disconcerted and was unsure why. Normally when a stunning woman got her hands on him, well let's just say there was no pulling back. He didn't want to rush with this one... felt the need to slow things down just a little. Must be feeling a little sick, John! You so did not just think that...

Her own responses had confused her, because they were not those of her consciousness, but the needs of the human. Why does this happen? She thought. This body is just a shell for me to exist in, it does not feel or think. She returned to her seat and could still feel the touch of his hair under her hand.

The trip to the mainland was a short one, and John parked the jumper near the sand so they could set up their picnic close by. It was a beautiful time of the day on Atlantis, early evening and the sun having just set. Looking across the water they could see the lit up spires of Atlantis, and the lights from the city were reflected on the water. John decided to build a small fire, needing a few minutes to sort through the disturbing feelings that he was having in the close presense of this woman. It seemed as though he knew her, knew everything about her, yet knew nothing.

As he collected dry firewood, he watched her out of the corner of his eye. She stood with her face turned seaward as though to catch the tiny breeze that drifted off the ocean and the look on her face was one of wonder, almost as though she had never felt such a sensation before. Giving himself a mental shake he thought there's a depth here that goes beyond normal... do I really want to open this particular pandora's box? Pausing a minute again, just to look at her, he felt that pull of... something and thought … hell yeah!

By the time he had a fire going, she had arranged the blanket and the picnic near it and had come to stand behind him, not touching, just waiting. He felt a low hum of energy that seemed to come from her, and when her hand touched his shoulders, he jumped a little, feeling a tiny jolt of electricity shoot through him.

Slow and easy John... don't rush this one. Now where had that come from? He was a sexual man and if offered, then he could be counted on to accept the offering with both pleasure and thanks. Looking down at the hand on his shoulder, he turned, so that he was facing her, and carefully placed both his hands on either side of his face. He leaned in to kiss her, gently, no pressure, no heat yet, just a taste, then pulled back to look at her searchingly.

"How about we eat... hmmm? I had the mess chef prepare us some special items not normally on the menu on Atlantis – he keeps special supplies tucked away, and let's just say he owed me a favour that I have now called in." He took his hands away from her face, dropped one to take her hand and pull her down to the blanket so that they could eat.

He guided the conversation, she seemed content to just look at him as though memorising everything about him. He both found this disconcerting and downright sexy and could not work out the logic in that. When she spoke, it was as though she had to think carefully what she wanted to say and he wondered if English was her first language, even though she spoke with no discernible accent.

"Where are you from Andrea? You seem... different … to the girls I usually meet. Mature yes, but in some ways much much younger? I'm not going to be really crass and ask how old you are, but it's almost as thought you have this clean slate and you are filling it up with information as fast as you can. Does that sound off... yep, it does, I know... but I don't know how else to explain it."

Restless suddenly, he jumped up off the blanket reaching back down to take her hand and pull her up. "Let's walk..."

He pulled her close into his side and felt that jolt of current again as their hips brushed and heard her intake of breath that let him know she was feeling it as well.

"Colonel John Sheppard...?" she stopped when he started laughing.

"Why do you call me that? It's just John... sweetheart, just John. As endearing as it sounds, it is a little odd."

She tried again. "John? These feelings I'm having,when your skin touches mine. Does that mean we will mate soon?"

John promptly stopped and stared at her. "Um... you are definitely a little different... and I'm guessing that English is most definitely not your first language. As to your question – no... not yet. I want to get to know you a little first."

She looked at him, really looked at him – those violet eyes went deep into his soul as though imprinting themselves on the very parts of him that he preferred to keep hidden, especially from the casual relationships he had embarked on to date. And he told himself that this is why he leaned in again to capture her lips with his and felt that fizzle right through to the end of his toes.

The consciousness felt herself cry out in something that felt like pain. She felt what her human form felt, the connection, the little feelings of belonging that drew out like an elastic band, reaching between the human form and Colonel John Sheppard. Where did these feelings come from? She needed to mate and soon – should it not have happened by now? Her research showed that it could be done very quickly and with immediate results. Why did her human form choose to prolong what should have already happened.

Confusion began to set in as the human emotions, the human consciousness, born out of necessity by a need to mate, began to grow stronger, spreading through this body and pushing back the original consciousness. Her cry of pain as she was pushed into a dark corner of the human mind went unheard and she fought to exert her strength to push herself back to the forefront. Weakened, she dropped back and could only watch and feel through the eyes of the human.