For disclaimer check the 1st chapter…
A/N: Wow! Only two reviews? o.O I might have to contemplate the thought of blackmailing or you know, begging. Whatever gets me a few more reviews… *shrugs*
But for now we keep rolling.
Chapter Three
"What happened?" asked a worried Woolsey
"One of the devices I discovered turned out to be a bomb. Apparently it activated when Sheppard touched it but when it stopped transmitting signs of energy we discarded it as depleted. Turned out it was still running a timer."
"We? I think you meant you discarded it, I wasn't allowed to do much, so this is your fault."
"Of course you would blame it on me! That is so like you military dogs when things go boom you blame someone else!"
"Was anybody else injured?" Said Woolsey, choosing to ignore the bickering he became familiar with.
"Like always Sheppard was the worse because of his hero complex."
"Doc says I'm fine."
"What I said was that you look fine now, but we have no idea of the possible complications of genetic alterations."
"Genetic alterations?" said Woolsey alarmed at the consequences that could have.
McKay explain full of sarcasm, "Yes. Sheppard also activated a healing device, which of course is the reason why he looks so refreshed after an explosion."
"But we don't know the extent of the healing."
"Didn't you say that you ran all the tests you could think about and all of them were clean?"
"Yes but…"
"Then, there you go." Sheppard was stopped by Woolsey from further gloating. "Dr. Beckett, is the Colonel clear for active duty or not?"
"As far as I can tell he's fine."
"Except for the new piece of jewelry he acquired." – John glared at McKay who shrugged innocently.
"There's that," he conceded.
"May I suggest something?"
"Yes Rodney?"
"Assign him to me."
"Rodney" – John said in a warning tone, indicating his patience was running thin.
"What I mean is, I can study the device, see how it works, get some readings and figure out how to turn it off safely."
"I think that's a reasonable idea. John?"
"Fine, but if there's an emergency off world, I go."
"Let's hope that doesn't happen but you have yourself a deal."
"You know it's not my job to satisfy your curiosity."
"Really? Because that's exactly what you're going to be doing." Rodney replied smugly as he made his way to his lab accompanied by Sheppard, who was still walking a bit stiffly.
"Be careful Rodney, you're not the indestructible one here."
"Said the guinea pig." - The soft reply of McKay was met by a punch to the shoulder and followed by a resounding "Ow".
"Watch out I bruise like a peach and unlike you I didn't come unscathed from the explosion. I'm probably still bleeding internally slowly but surely and that's the reason the incompetent nurse couldn't see it in the scan."
"Save it Rodney I'm having a really bad day."
"That's why you have me. When things go wrong you guys always turn to science to save the day."
"You know, science ruined my day and my shirt to begin with."
"I believe Colonel Sheppard is fine." – Teyla said with a warm smile as she too made her way out of the infirmary.
"Somehow I'm not convinced" - Carson muttered before going back to his office.
Once they got to their destination the banter had stopped and the scientist had turned into all business. Now that Sheppard was grounded all he could do was wait for McKay to work his science and get the device off. So the Colonel found himself sharing a science lab with McKay. The problem was they were alone…McKay had sent all of his 'underlings' away to attend different projects, including helping out with his primary lab that was now almost ruins because of a certain Military CO; or so McKay would say if asked.
The fact that he and Sheppard had discovered a healing device was the greatest finding for Rodney (not necessary great for the city but he was known to be a selfish egocentric man) and of course, since it appeared to work and looked better than the one SG-1 had, it made him feel all the more excited. He was thrilled like a fanlboy, almost to the point of glee, but a scientist would never admit that. Still, it had become his number one project and he didn't want to deal with the interruptions from the petty scientists he worked with, so he kicked them all out.
"We need to test it" – he said overexcited, getting the computers ready, taking out the necessary wires and looking for a sharp instrument.
Meanwhile John asked nervously "What kind of testing?"
"Like we did with the personal shield."
"Oh no."
"Why not?"
"Because…" He didn't want to sound like a coward but he wasn't a masochist either.
"Yes Colonel, that was most eloquent on your part, but still doesn't prove your point."
"Rodney, this is different."
"You pushed me off the balcony after you shot me!"
"In the leg!"
"Then let me repay your kindness."
"Do you remember what you felt after each testing?"
"Yes of course, not a thing, I'm pretty sure it had inertial dampening properties."
"Too bad this one doesn't have them."
"Oh."
"I couldn't put it better myself. Not to rain on your parade but you're not supposed to study the device, you're suppose to get it off."
"To find out how I need to study it."
"We both know that you just can't resist the need to understand your new discovery, see if it's truly a treasure. Come on Rodney, it happens with every gizmo you find! I'll be shocked if you didn't already know a lot about it."
He tried the insulted look but Sheppard knew him well enough to be fooled by it. That and Rodney couldn't lie to save his life. – "Okay, fine. From what I gather the Ancestors built the device to help them in the fight against the Wraith. Since depending on when they feed the Wraiths heal quickly, the Ancients wanted an equal opportunity to heal in battle. So I'm thinking it must be a prototype."
"A finished one?"
"I don't know…yet."
"Well hurry up and find the answer…Answer-Man."
"You want answers or the thing off of you? Make up your mind Colonel!"
"Off please!"
Hours had gone by and Sheppard was running out of things to do to keep him entertained. During their lunch break Sheppard had swung by his office and picked up the rest of the unfilled reports he'd left on his desk before the lab fiasco and brought them with him to McKay's lab but John really didn't want to fill them out. His new excuse for that was that his hand was itching and every time he tried scratching, McKay would slap it. He said it was a psychological response to having the device attached. Something about how his mind, in an attempt to make him get rid of the device, would convince him his skin was itching so he would scratch it off. Somehow, Sheppard was convinced by the lame excuse. From time to time, he would look away from his paperwork to check on the scientist who was lost in thought, looking at some equations written on the board. Just as he placed the last folder in the 'done' pile he heard the voice of the expedition leader.
"Colonel, how are things progressing?" Mr. Woolsey greeted upon entering the lab.
"They're not."
"Don't listen to him."
"So they are?"
"Well…yeah…um…slowly?"
"I see, well since that's the case I have a proposition for you."
"We're listening." Sheppard's face visibly perked up at the man's words. Meanwhile McKay was just plain annoyed.
"Seeing that during the past hours there hasn't been any indications of your health being threatened by the device and that Dr. McKay hasn't gone very far with his research I have decided to grant permission for the both of you to go off-world."
"Where are we going?" "When are we leaving?" - Were the unison replies.
"Your presence has been required by the people of PXL-971 and you leave in two hours so I'll leave you to ready," –and with that he left.
"Look at it this way; you get to test it in the field."
"And with you we all know something is bound to happen because you're a magnet for trouble."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence."
"You're most welcome."
"See you in the gate room and remember to pack something other than power bars."
"If it looks like I'm laughing on the inside, let me assure you, I'm not."
"You need to learn how to relax Rodney."
"Yeah, like that's really possible around Atlantis…or you."
"I heard that!" Sheppard said in the distance.
"Good! I wanted you to!"
Two hours later the team was ready to go. Sheppard showing the most enthusiasm out of the small group; McKay came in second place. The possibility of testing the device in the field and in new environmental conditions might have had something to do with that though. Teyla had shared her curious thoughts about how the people from the planet had not only come to know about Sheppard but to actually request to see him. Ronon just shrugged his shoulders; he never cared for such missions.
"Come on people it's time to brighten up a little."
"If I didn't know better I'd say someone put happy juice in your coffee," said McKay, clearly annoyed.
"I believe the only reason Colonel you are so energetic about this is because you get to leave your confinement."
"Yes Teyla, you're right but if they asked for us and Woolsey agreed, who am I to deny them?" Teyla's mouth had become a thin line showing her discontent. "Is a simple meet and greet."
"Yes, what could go…"
"Don't!" Sheppard and McKay said in unison to prevent such phrase from being fully uttered but ultimately failed.
"…wrong…"
"You had to say it, didn't you? Maybe we should take another team…you know, just in case."
"No Rodney we're not taking extra people for something like this."
"Maybe we should; remember what happened with the Genii."
"That was a long time ago."
"Yeah but things turned really bad, really fast."
"So we have some serious bad luck, no need to think it'll follow us wherever we go. If things go bad, help is just a wormhole away. Now let's get a move on people!"
"It won't follow us because it's permanently attached to us. Besides, your good mood always disappears when someone starts shooting at us. "
"Not listening, Rodney." And with that he disappeared into the event horizon.
TBC