Disclaimer: Not mine. Wish it was, but its not. Except for the stuff you don't recognize, i.e. the plot and the original characters which I won't name because there's just so many and you haven't even met all of them yet. But that's not the point. The point is that I do not own Stargate Atlantis, its places, people, or things.
A/N: Thanks again to my dearest Bann and Chibi. As I'm writing this, I have yet to even post the first chapter of this story, so I have no clue if anyone has reviewed. If you have I want to say thank you, it means a lot. And if no one has, well…. Thanks to the readers for reading it. And if no one's reading it… I guess I'm talking to myself. Oh well.
As for this chapter, Number Three… what to say… it is, just like the previous two, continuing lead up to the revelation of the actual plot. Which will be in the next chapter. Which will be up… whenever I find the time. So go on and read this lovely new chapter created by me, for you.
P.S.: Thank Electric Spyro, I hope I spelled that right, for the fairly quick update. We had a deal. She won. Or did I win? It's kind of confusing. Anyway, this is up because of her. I try to post quickly but sometimes it takes longer than I like. She made me make time to do this.
Loading Up and Heading Out
Another door swooshes open and I look back in the general direction of my room at the one on the left, 9 o'clock. I am greeted with a mirror image of my brother resting his feet in my lap, with one subtle difference.
Meet Alan, who is younger than me by about two minutes. It's almost impossible to tell him from Aaron. Except for that one little difference. Aaron and Alan have the same spiked (lots of hair gel goes into that believe me) brown hair, are the same height, have the same nose and ears, have the same taste in clothes and shoes. They even talk the same. The one deciding factor between the two? Their eyes. Aaron's are a dark emerald, Alan's are a light, sea green.
"Well, it's about time, Alan." From the exasperation in his voice, Aaron's probably been waiting for awhile. Alan just shrugs a response. Aaron lets out an "ugh" of disgust at Alan's blasé attitude and lifts his feet off me to stand up. "Apparently we're going surfing so go grab some shorts and then we'll grab some on-the-go food on our way to the Jumper Bay."
"And I'll meet you down there." I add. Alan groans and turns back to his room. Aaron and I just shake our heads helplessly. "See ya." I tell him as I move towards the transporter. I activate it and end up in a different hallway than the one before. This one is closer to the Jumper Bay. I make my way through the hallways and just as I'm about to activate the doors to the Bay someone else does. Ah. Short hair in a color identical to that on the heads of my brothers.
"Hey, Mom."
"Hello, Ashlei. I was just looking for your father."
"Well, he ought to be along soon. He's flying us to the mainland." Her face shows surprise and slight consternation.
"Oh, is he now?" From the way she says it I realize why Mom is looking for him.
"He's probably in his office. He said he had something he had to take care of before we left, and since he didn't look at all happy about it I assume it is paperwork." As helpful as that sentence may sound, it really isn't.
"Hmm. You wouldn't happen to know where his office is this week would you?" I shake my head.
"I really haven't the faintest, Mom." My mother sighs.
"I didn't think so, but it never hurts to ask. Well, have a fun time darling." She smiles as she hugs me.
"I will, Mom." I hug her back and she leaves. You see my dad moves his office constantly. His theory being that if people can't find it, then they can't leave paperwork in it. It works, too, for the most part. Some people have wised up though and just hand the paperwork directly to him. I let out a soft laugh at my father's antics and think the door open. Or at least I try to.
Nothing. Again. I frown and use the panel. Door swishes open. Lights go out. Lovely. And then I hear the voice again.
"Lady. Please. Come speak to me. You must. It is the only chance we have."
I spin, searching for the speaker. I find nothing and no one.
"Who are you? Where are you?" I demand of the voice.
"Lady, please." The voice seems to be pleading desperately with me as the lights come back on.
"Ashlei?" The voice comes from behind me and I jump and attempt to spin around so fast I nearly fall over. Standing behind me is a young boy of about 10. He has black hair and dark, liquid brown eyes. His hair covers his ears and is pushed out of his eyes off to one side. I relax as recognition sets in.
"Hey, Jet." Relief floods my voice.
"You alright? Why were you standing around in the dark?" he questions, glancing around the room in confusion.
"I'm fine! I couldn't get the lights back on." Jet raises an eyebrow at my second statement.
"You couldn't get the lights back on? You? Ashlei Sheppard is having trouble with the lights?" Oh, that devil. He's mocking me now.
"Just shut up, Jet! Now's not the time!"
"No?" he smirks. He's smirking at me.
"Don't mess with me Jet." I growl.
"Okay, okay." He backs up, his hands raised in surrender. "Chill. I was just messin'. Sheesh!" I stare at him for a moment. 'Chill'? 'Messin''? 'Sheesh'? Who has Jet been talking to? But I have more important things on my mind.
"Whatever. Listen, Jet, before you walked in here, did you hear anyone?" He shakes his head. "Did you see anyone leave?"
"Huh-uh." I frown. Jet looks around to see if anyone else is here before stepping towards me. "Ashlei, are you okay? You're acting kinda off."
"No I'm – I'm fine. I take it Alan and Aaron told you about the trip to the mainland?"
"Yep."
"Are you coming with us, then?"
"Naturally."
"Come on then. Let's help Del and Rayne load up."
"Kay." I let Jet lead me out of the little room. I glance around one last time and follow him into the Jumper Bay.
I guess I forgot to introduce Jet. He's Rayne's younger brother. He's 10 and he can be a right pain. But then I've heard most 10-year-olds are like that. Jet likes to hang around with the youngest of the marines. You'd think it'd be a bit of a problem for them always having him hanging around, but they've grown so used to it that they worry when they haven't seen him in awhile. They also know that Jet is going to think that whatever they do is the height of cool so, in an effort to be a good influence on the boy and not have Teyla and Ronon after them, they behave extremely well. Most of the time. Since it keeps the whole group of them out of trouble, no one really has a problem with it.
Upon entering the vast room, I am met with the rather comical sight of Del attempting to stand up a surfboard in the Jumper, while Rayne tries to balance two others and Jet jumps around the two of them in a way only a hyperactive 10-year-old can. I have to giggle softly at the sight, but manage to stop as I walk over to them.
"Del, will you please just lay it on the bench. It'll be fine." Rayne sounds really exasperated and I get the feeling they've been having this conversation for awhile.
"I know it will. But we may need to sit on the bench, and I can do this. It's just a matter of finding the perfect point at which the tip of the board can be perfectly balanced along its axis, thereby causing –" I tune her out at that point. Del has a habit of explaining things in an entirely scientific way that none of the rest of us can understand. We're all used to it, but right now Rayne looks like she's about to scream so I guess I'll help her out. "And the –"
"Del!" I bark. "Enough!" Del looks at me surprised and I have to laugh inwardly as I realize she only just noticed my presence. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch the grateful look Rayne sends my way.
"When did you get here?" and, somehow, she manages to make it sound like I personally insulted her by not announcing my arrival.
"Right after Jet did." Del's eyes flick momentarily to Jet before resettling on me, and at that point it's all I can do not to laugh out loud. She hadn't noticed his arrival either.
"Oh. Right. Of course." Entirely unconvincing isn't it?
"Now, while I'm sure you can stand that board up so that it won't fall over, I'm also sure that we're leaving in…" here I glance at my watch, it's ten. "Oh, about fifteen minutes. So if we could please just load the boards?" Del mutters something unintelligible under her breath, but lays the board on the bench all the same. Rayne hands over first one then the other of the two boards she's been balancing, while I head towards the storage room at the back of the dock.
All the docks have a storage room in the back, which is useful because it allows the teams to put the stuff that they use on occasion nearby so that they don't have to run it up from the lab or wherever every single time they need it. This being Jumper One, the storage room contains a bunch of Rodney's science thingies and a ton of other things that get used very rarely. These being things like a gurney, a portable defibrillator incase the one in the Jumper breaks, Hazmat suits, and the various odd sports equipment for the mainland, including the surfboards.
I grab two of the six remaining boards and hand them to Rayne, who is standing behind me. Rayne gives them to Del and then looks back at me.
"You think we'll need the other two?" It's a good question. We had loaded our three first, although Del may or may not use hers, and then my brothers' two, but whether we'd need my dad's and the three spares, these being the ones used by Teyla, Ronon, and Rodney when my dad manages to convince them to surf, was uncertain.
"Well," I said, dragging the word out as I thought. "My dad did seem pretty excited to go, so I guess we load his." Rayne waits patiently as I continue on in my thoughtful tone "And we may as well bring the other three, because I don't know who else my dad may bring along." It isn't an overly decisive conclusion but it is enough for Rayne. She quickly takes hold of two of the spares while Jet grabs the other and they carry them over to Del. I reverently and gently pick up my dad's board. Being very careful, I bring it out to Del who loads it with equal care.
Let me explain. My dad, he loves that board. Probably as much as he loves the Jumper, which he has affectionately named Wynona. The explanation for which involves an Earth TV show called Farscape and the tact that while technically he should have given the name to his 9 mil, he was fonder of the Jumper as it was closer to the show's Wynona both in that it never failed him and technology level, anyway. I don't get it but every time he explains it Rodney starts snickering.
Anyway, my dad loves that board and it'd close to break his heart if any damage came to it. As a result we're always very careful with it because, 1. my dad is a pretty cool guy and we'd hate to do that to him and 2. it's probably not a good sign to outsiders if the Military CO is sulking because his surfboard got broken.
Rayne and I help Del strap the boards down. Then there is a faint pause as we all looked at each other for a split second.
"Shotgun!" all four of us yell at once. Chaos ensues as we dash for the coveted chair. I manage to slide into the chair not a moment too soon. Rayne sits on me and Del and Jet groan. Rayne gets up and with a faint glare sits in the seat behind me. However, depending on which of the adults came she might not be able to stay there. The rules of seating are simple. 1. My dad drives, unless he says someone else can do it, which, believe me, with the way Rodney drives and the fact that Del and I are still pretty young to be driving the things and my brothers don't even show an interest in flying, happens rarely. 2. Shotgun is first come, first serve. Period. No dibs, no exceptions. 3. The remaining two front seats are given to the oldest two people who want them.
Del snags the chair behind the pilot's seat and Jet steps towards the pilot's seat before thinking better of it and sitting on the floor
"So, are the other 2/3 of the Trouble Triplets coming then?" Del's tone is innocent enough when she asks but the use of the old nickname for my brothers and I and the faint gleam in her eyes is anything but. I debate for a minute and decide that it'll be more fun not to rise to the bait.
"Yes. Aaron and Alan are coming. They were going to grab a bite to eat before they came here, though.
"Mmm. Did you tell them when we were leaving?"
"Umm…" whoops. "Well…"
"That's a no isn't it?" She sounds more amused than annoyed.
"Yeah." I admit guiltily.
"Should someone go tell them?" Rayne asks with concern.
"No need. We're here." Rayne, Del and Jet start slightly at the unexpected sound of my older brother's voice. I knew it was coming though. Because of the telepathic link we find it hard to sneak up on each other. I spin my chair to face the rear of the Jumper and my two brothers standing in the doorway. Aaron smiles kindly at Rayne. "Thank you for worrying though." Behind him Alan rolls his eyes.
'(Gag.)' I hear his irritated voice drift over my mind and have to hide a smile quickly before Aaron notices.
'(Now, Alan. Be nice. He doesn't do that to you.)' I reprimand, only half serious.
'(I'm not drooling over some girl. Not that Rayne isn't cool and all but… ick. I mean she's your friend. Always has been. She's like a sister. She and Del both and that's just wrong.)'
'(Alan, maybe Aaron doesn't see her that way. After all, he didn't hang out with us girls as much as you did when we were younger.)'
'(Not as much!? Ash, the three of us have been nearly inseparable since birth! If he didn't hang out with us it was because he was sick or grounded and when one of us gets sick or grounded the other two do, too.)'
'(Look, all I'm saying is that Aaron sees some things different than you see them and different than I see them also. Maybe this is one of those things. Now shut up before he hears us.)'
Alan rolls his eyes and makes a face at me where Aaron can't see. I just shoot him a warning glare and tune back in the conversation my friends are having with my more mature brother.
"It's a good point and all, but I still think we're old enough now." Del argues, putting emphasis on the last word. "By Earth standards we're almost out of high school. Earth kids have cars and go all over the place on their own by now." Aaron shakes his head calmly.
"Clearly they don't think we are. And in case you haven't noticed, we aren't on Earth. We live in considerable more danger than most Earth kids do. I for one think they are justified in this."
Even without hearing the beginning of the debate, I know what they are arguing about. It's the same thing we always argue about before a trip to the mainland. We aren't allowed to be alone while we are there and if we spend the night we aren't allowed to leave alone. No exceptions, no ifs, ands, or buts. The debate was whether this is because it actually isn't safe for us and we really aren't old enough, or if our parents are just being over protective.
"Aaron." Del sighs, irritation already beginning to edge into her voice. "They didn't even want to let us all move up to the tower. The only reason we got to go is because we would have gone anyway."
"Del is right, Aaron. They have shown their tendency to be overprotective before." Rayne agrees.
"Thank you!" and Del's hands go palm up in Rayne's direction, as if trying to force Aaron's attention toward her. Honestly though? It would have been harder to get his attention away from her.
"However," Rayne moderates, shooting a warning glance at Del to keep her from flipping out. "We do not know that this is one of those times. Nor" she shoots the same glance at Aaron, "do we know that it isn't. Until we manage to discern which it is, we should honor the rules they have lain down. If it is truly for our safety, then we benefit, if it is merely overprotection, then they stay happy and we still benefit." Rayne explains. Silence ensues as neither Aaron nor Del have anything left to argue their points with.
"Wow, Rayne." I half-laughed. "I guess those classes with my mother aren't so pointless and useless after all." Rayne's look clearly said I-told-ya-so, but I ignored it as I continued. "It takes real skill to get the two of them," I nodded toward Del and Aaron "to stop arguing without physical interference." From the floor Jet laughs too loud as ten-year-olds often do, Alan snorts in the doorway and Rayne grins shyly. She's decided she wants to be a negotiator and is beginning to narrow down her classes to those that have a direct impact on that profession. Right now what that means is all the regular senior level high school classes on an Earth based scale and twice a week she meets with my mother for classes, when there isn't some crisis that demands Mom's attention.
"Yeah." She admits softly, a faint blush tinge her dark cheeks. It fades as quickly as it had come and is replaced with a smug smirk. "Well, I did tell you didn't I?"
I choose not to answer and instead glance at Aaron to see his reaction, only to find that he hasn't even noticed because he and Del are trying to kill each other with their eyes. I sigh inwardly. Rayne and I share an 'It's-hopeless' look.
At some point in our childhood, Aaron had managed to get on Del's bad side. No one remembers why or how, just that he did. Del had, of course, gotten even but it has escalated over time to the point where they really don't care for each other much now.
I was about to say something to try to divert their attention when my dad, Ronon, Teyla, and (amazingly) Rodney walked into the Jumper. My dad shot one of his trademark cocky flyboy grins, as Rodney calls them, towards me and sat in the pilot's seat.
"We ready to go?"
"Yep." I replied.
"Up, Del." Rodney commands, jerking with his thumb for her to vacate her seat, which she does with a sigh.
"You, too, Rayne." Ronon says in his low voice. Rayne follows Del quietly into the back of the Jumper. Ronon motions Teyla towards one seat while Rodney sits in the other. Jet gets up off the floor and follows Alan and Aaron into the back; the three of them wait until Ronon chooses a spot before sitting. Alan, poor guy, gets stuck with the floor.
My dad closes the rear hatch and powers up the Jumper. Suddenly, I remember my encounter with my mother.
"Dad, did mom find you?" he glances momentarily away from the forward view screen to give me a nod.
"Yeah she did." He returns his attention to getting the Jumper up and out of the bay.
"Don't worry, kid." Ronon says gruffly. "We wouldn't have let him leave without turning in those reports. It's easier on all of us." I knew what he meant. I frown slightly as I recall what had happened after my encounter with my mother. But then we were out of the bay and over the city and the view and the excitement of flying push it from my mind. In retrospect I realize that probably wasn't a good thing, but as they say, hindsight is always 20/20.
A/N: That's it then. Please leave reviews because you know I love them.
Until next time,
Nimeria over and OUT!