Chapter Four
Finishing in the Commissary having gotten the support from all the people he had spoken to there Ford headed to the labs, entering the first one to see Zelenka and Dr. Beckett working on something. "Hey guys what ya up to?" He said as he entered the room and heading over to where they stood.
"Lieutenant Ford" Zelenka said as he looked up to see him come round to them. "What are you down here in the labs?" He asked curiously, they hardly ever got visitors down in the labs unless there was some kind of emergency.
"Is there anything wrong Lieutenant?" Beckett asked as he too looked up from what they had been studying and turned to Ford.
"No, not that I know of there isn't" Ford said and watched as they both relaxed slightly.
"Then what is it?" Beckett asked.
"Just need to ask you both a question" Ford replied and then just as he was about to continue Weir's voice came over the PA system and all three stood and listened. "Well sounds as though there may be some trouble now" Ford said after the announcement had finished.
"It does" Beckett agreed and then turned to Zelenka. "What do you think the problem is?" He asked.
"I have no idea, there has not been problems with the Gate before" Zelenka answered.
Beckett then just shrugged and turned back to Ford. "So, what was it you needed to ask?" He said.
"Ah, just that Weir's given a go ahead for us to celebrate Christmas, wondered if you'd join in the decorating and stuff?" Ford replied after a short pause.
"Sure… What…" Zelenka started before he was interrupted by the PA system going off again. 'Zelenka to the Control Room, Zelenka to the Control Room' sighing Zelenka looked towards the other two. "That's me" He said and then turned ti leave. "I'll return later and we can figure this out" He said and gestured to what he and Beckett had been working on.
"See ya" Ford said as he watched Zelenka leave and then turned back to Beckett. "So, what you think about the whole celebrating Christmas thing?" He asked.
"Sounds like a fine idea, Aiden" Beckett replied.
"Good, so I can count you in?" Ford asked.
"Yeah… sure" Beckett replied.
"Great!" Ford replied. "And I guess Zelenka's in to, the more the merrier" He said as he then turned to leave the room.
"Bye Aiden" Beckett said as he then watched Ford leave, shaking his head and the younger man's excitement.
Sheppard and Teyla had just got to the Commissary when they heard the Pa come to life and Weir's voice come over and inform them off the situation, they turned to look at each other, having not found Ford in the Commissary at all they then turned and headed back out of the room.
"Well that was odd" Kyle said as they watched Major Sheppard and Teyla enter the room look around and then leave again.
"Probably looking for Ford" Jim said.
"Yeah, more than likely" Kyle replied and they went back to their original conversation.
Sheppard and Teyla walked back out into the corridor, and heading back in the direction they came. "I suggest we go see Weir and find out what happening?" Sheppard said as he turned a corner and heading back in the direction of the Control Room and Weir's office.
"I agree" Teyla said as she followed him.
McKay still sat working away at his laptop when Zelenka walked up the stairs. "What's the problem Rodney?" He asked as he made his way over to where McKay sat.
"There's something wrong with the Gate, still haven't figured out what exactly it is yet but I'm checking" McKay explained not even looking up from the screen. "Elizabeth told me to call you up, we gotta find out what's wrong with it!" He continued as he still worked away.
"Right" Zelenka said and just shook his head and McKay and then moved around and set his computer down and connected it to one of the other Control Panels. He then turned it on and waited for it to load, taking a seat on one of the chairs he then opened the correct program and read the screen. "Oh, this could be a problem" He said.
"You can say that again" McKay agreed and the two scientists continued working away at the problem.
Ford had quickly gone to the other labs and asked who else would like to join in in the celebrating, so far everyone he had asked had agreed and thought it was a great idea, he was so looking forward to it now, with almost everyone on the base getting involved it would be the best Christmas ever, in a new home, with a new family, but still great.
After leaving the last lab, Ford had figured it'd be best to head back up to the Control Room, find out what the situation was, it must have been pretty bad if they'd had to cease Gate activity, although that was all they had heard so he was pretty sure that it mustn't have been a giant galactic emergency or anything.
Heading towards the Control Room, he walked slowly through the halls thinking about how great the following few days where going to be and how great Christmas day will be, having the Athosians there, having all the decorations up and also having a big feast and he had really liked the idea Robbie had given him earlier, he was surprised it had not been on his list, but at this time of year Family was extremely important and what would Christmas be without being able to see your family, photos being the least they could do.
Smiling he continued on his way to the Control Room, hoping that it turns out as he has planned, and that it really is a great celebration and they all have a great time, with those thoughts he just kept walking.
Sheppard and Teyla walked up the stairs to the Control Room to see McKay and Zelenka with their heads down typing away at their computers. "What's going on?" Sheppard said as he entered the room.
"The Gates systems are somehow over powering and I can't figure out why or how to stop it" McKay stated not turning away from the screen.
"Right, so we have a problem?" Sheppard asked.
McKay just looked up and across at him and rolled his eyes. "Yes Major, we have a problem" He said then turned to face Zelenka. "What have you got?" He asked.
"The energy level is increasing, but extremely slowly, I still can't figure out why it's doing that or how" Zelenka replied looking back and forth from McKay and his computer.
Sheppard then looked across at Zelenka then turned to Teyla. "Sounds like a problem to me" He said to her.
"I agree" Teyla responded before turning back to McKay. "When did these… 'changes' first start to occur?" She asked.
"I only noticed it about twenty minutes ago" McKay responded. "Since then there has been a slow increase of power, which we didn't pick up until about five minutes ago, because it is so minuscule" He continued. "Has anything like this happened before?" He asked her.
Teyla shook her head. "No, not that I know off" She replied. "Do you know what is going to happened if it keeps it up?" She asked.
McKay shook his head and looked back down at the computer screen. "No idea" He said as he then continued to go on with what he was doing.
"What happening guys?" A voice from behind them asked and they each turned to see Ford and he made his way up the stairs and into the room.
"Gate problems" Sheppard responded. "They're working on it" He said gesturing to McKay and Zelenka.
"Then fixed in no time, right McKay?" Ford said with a grin as he looked over at McKay, who just looked up from the screen and glared at him before turning back and continuing typing stuff. "Riiight…" ford said as he turned to Sheppard and Teyla. "So what you up too?" He asked.
"Well we where looking for yo, but heard Weir's announcement and came straight here" Sheppard explained.
"Ah well I was in the labs when I heard the announcement" Ford explained. "Why where you looking for me?" He asked after a short pause.
"Because Weir still wants me to help you with the Christmas decorating and stuff" Sheppard explained.
"Oh" Ford said. "Well, ah, I've been to the Commissary and Labs and everyone I've spoken to has said yes, minus a select few, but with that much help we should get this place all decorated in no time" He explained.
"Guess that's an… up side" Sheppard said.
"Well Sir, with all the help from everyone else, I won't mind if you go back to watching your Football game again" Ford said with a grin and Teyla laughed slightly.
"What?" Sheppard said turning to Teyla. "It's a Great game" He said in a louder voice, in an attempt to get his point across.
"Look can you take this somewhere else?" McKay said looking up at them. "Some of us are actually trying to do something!" He added and then turned back to the screen.
"Yes Sir" Sheppard said and mock saluted. "Let's go talk to Weir" He said and the three of them heading in the direction of Weir's office.
Sitting in her office Weir could here the entire conversation that was going on outside, laughing to herself she then waited for Sheppard and the others to reach her office. Hearing the knock she turned to the door just as they entered. "What's happening?" She asked as she looked up at them.
"Ford has done the rounds and got almost everyone interested in helping him out" Sheppard said.
"Good to hear" Weir said as she looked across at Ford. "So have you got any more ideas from people?" She then asked.
"Yes ma'am" Ford replied. "Some people brought up some good ideas, though my favourite was the idea of everyone getting out the photos they have of their families etc, and put them up as well" He explained a smile growing wide on his face.
"That is a good idea" Weir commented with a smile. "So since now that the Gate is out of action, at least until McKay and Zelenka can figure out what's wrong, guess you have a heap amount of time to organise everything" She said with a grin.
"Yes ma'am" Ford said still smiling brightly.
"Does that mean I don't have to help now?" Sheppard asked hopeful.
Weir just shook her head. "No John, it doesn't, you'll do your part" She said to him and watched as he hung his head in defeat. Weir then turned to Teyla. "Do you want to help out as well?" She asked the other woman.
"I would be a pleasure to do so" Teyla replied. "It will also be a good way for me to obtain more knowledge on your Earth rituals" She stated.
"Indeed it will" Weir responded with a grin. "Now the three of you can get back to work, we only have two days before Christmas" She stated and then watched as all three exited her office.
Almost two days later Ford and some other soldiers and scientist were in the Commissary as they set up some more decorations around the room, photos had been put up around the room, by most members on the base, they were photos of family members and friends, all those who were still on Earth. A massive table was set in the middle of the room; with a table cloth over the top of it that someone had gone over and drawn little Christmassy pictures on it. The room looked very festive and Ford was glad everything had been working out.
The Twig men, as the Athosian children had called them, were set up around the room, they had turned out reasonably good. There was one of the biggest Athosian trees/plants they could find set up to the side of the room and there were a heap of presents stacked underneath it, most wrapped in plain paper with Christmas pictures drawn on them as well. For people who really didn't have a lot to use they had done pretty good getting it all organised and even though it wasn't as colourful as a normal Earth Christmas it still looked great and this wasn't earth anyway. Christmas's in Atlantis were going to be different.
Teyla and Sheppard and some other people who were capable of flying Puddle Jumpers had gone across to the Mainland, to pick up the Athosians, they had organised for them to stay the night in Atlantis so that in the morning, on Christmas day they could all sit around the tree and open the presents together. So far half of the people where already on base and were settling back down into the quarters they had had when they were living on the base.
Finishing off all the decorations in the Commissary Ford stood and looked around the room smiling at their accomplishment. "This'll be a good Christmas" He stated and the others in the room agreed.
"Different… but good" He said and then they all left the room to get some more things down.
Sheppard and Teyla where in one of the Puddle Jumpers with their last lot of Athosians, it was getting dark outside and the children where starting to drift off to sleep, so Teyla sat in the back with them and she told them stories, stories that Ford had told her about Christmas, as she told these stories she watched as they drifted off into their sleep with peaceful dreams of Christmas and a man called Santa Claus.
Having finished her story telling and the children being fast asleep Teyla smiled and then moved back into the front compartment with Sheppard, taking her seat in the passenger's seat. "Nice stories" Sheppard said to her as she took her seat.
"Aiden has told me many of your Christmas tales over the last two days" She replied with a smile. "The Athosian children enjoy them and are looking forward to tomorrow and Santa coming to give them presents" She said, still smiling.
"You really got into the Chrissie spirit haven't you?" Sheppard asked her smiling back.
"Should I not?" Teyla asked in reply.
"No no, it's good it's just I didn't expect it" Sheppard said.
"Well Aiden is a good teacher of the Christmas spirit" She replied with a grin and then looked from Sheppard to outside. "It is also good for a change to something to look forward too, something to lift our spirits" She said. "There has never been such things amongst my people, our fear of the Wraith coming would never let us relax and enjoy such times" She continued.
"Guess so" Sheppard replied as they neared Atlantis. "I'm glad that you are enjoying it as much as you are" He continued. "And Ford sure is as well, he can't wait until tomorrow" He added with a childish grin. As he then re-entered the Jumper bay and parked the ship, allowing the Athosians out.
In one of the other Puddle Jumpers carrying Athosians back to the Base, Beckett fly cautiously threw the sky. He had gotten better at it over the months he had been flying them, but he still was no fighter pilot, he could barely keep it on course, but he was currently managing it fine.
The Athosians in the back department where making rather distracting noises but he was just trying to block them out and ignore them, only wanting and needed to concentrate on flying the ship home, he wished that there were more pilots with the Ancient gene, or even just more of them he'd be allowed to give the Gene Inoculation to.
Shaking his head clear he continued flying the ship home, as he listened to the Athosians in the back compartment as they sang Christmas carols, he smiled, and then started humming along with them as they sang 'Jingle Bells'
"Beckett, What are you doing?" Came a slight yell from next to him.
"What?" Beckett said as he turned to face the Captain in the chair beside him
"Concentrate on flying this, you nearly had us crash" He explained.
"Would you like to take over, son?" Beckett said as he let go of the handles and offered them to the Captain.
"I would, but too bad for all of us I can't" He said looking back at Beckett with annoyance showing on his face. "Just get this dam thing home!" He said and turned back to look out the window.
Beckett just looked at him for a few minutes before turning around and taking the handles again, and mumbled something to himself, as he continued them on their way home.
Arriving back at base Beckett managed to land the Jumper safely and then quickly exit, leaving the Captain to escort the Athosians back to their quarters.
McKay and Zelenka where still trying to figure out what was going on with the Gate, in the last two days the power output had grown almost twice as much and they were starting to worry, although it had seemed to stop growing for the moment.
"Any change?" Weir asked as she exited her office and entered the Control Room to see the two still working away.
"No, nothing significant" McKay said. "The power level hasn't dropped but does seem to be growing again, slowly… again" He informed her looking back at his computer screen. "I still don't know what's happening with it, but it doesn't seem to be anything too dangerous" He continued.
"Okay, well you two head off to get some sleep, it's Christmas tomorrow and I want everyone as chirpy as possible" She stated with a smile. She then shook her head at the fact that neither of them had moved a muscle. "I mean it guys, give it a rest, you've been at it for over 36hours, sleep, and come back to it later, I'm sure of anything changes we'll know" She informed them and all but pushed McKay off the seat and out the door.
Sighing she laughed to herself at their stubbornness and then had a quick look at what was on the screen McKay had spent so long staring at, seeing lots of numbers and squiggly lines she just shook her head and then shut the lid of the laptop, sending it into hibernation.
Just as she was about to head out of the room and down to her own quarters she heard footsteps behind her and turned around just in time to see Sheppard, Teyla and Beckett walking down the stairs from the Jumper Bay. "We're Back!" Sheppard said as he saw her.
"Yeah, I can see that" Weir replied with a smile. "How'd it go?" She asked.
"I don't want to have to do that ever again, I suggest you use the Gene Inoculation on some of those people who can actually Fly" Beckett said and then walked straight past her. Weir turned and watched him walk off and down the stairs just as Ford walked up them.
"What was that about?" Ford asked joining them in the Control Room.
"I don't think the Doc likes flying the Jumpers much" Sheppard said.
"Well he isn't a pilot like you John" Weir said turning back to face Sheppard.
"I know, but seriously, it isn't that hard to do, even McKay is doing pretty good" Sheppard commented, glad that McKay had left the room and hadn't heard the compliment.
"Anyway…" Weir said not wanting to go into it any further. "Are we all set for tomorrow?" She asked as she turned to Ford.
"Yes ma'am" Ford replied with a grin. "Everything is set up, the Commissary is all decorated, the tree is up and presents under it, the table and everything is set as well, it'll be an awesome day" He said as the grin on his face grew wider.
"Good to hear" Weir said. "I suggest that you three head off to get some sleep as well, as I said to McKay I want everyone Chirpy for tomorrow" She said still smiling. I'm heading off for sleep I suggest you do the same" She added and then turned and walked off down the stairs towards her quarters.
"I agree with Dr. Weir" Teyla said. "Tomorrow will be a busy day I suggest that we each get our rest so that we are able to enjoy it" She continued with a smile. "Good night" She added with a nod of her head and followed Weir down the stairs.
Ford and Sheppard just shared a glance with each other. "Guess we should do that to" Ford said with a shrug.
"Yeah… guess so" Sheppard replied and the two of them followed the girls out and down the stairs to each of their quarters.