See Chapter 1 for notes and disclaimer
Chapter 2
It was the sound of wood hitting wood that drew Sam to the training room; in the metal city that was Atlantis, wood was an oddity that peaked her curiosity. She wasn't quite sure what she expected, but seeing Ronan and Teyla spinning around and beating the crap out of each other with wooden sticks wasn't exactly high on her list. Any concerns she may have had, however, were put aside when an exhilarated outburst escaped from Teyla, and she settled into the doorframe to watch.
The pair were easily matched, and it soon became clear that they were well-used to sparring together, that they were fighting not to win but for the simple satisfaction of the exercise. They made quite an impressive show: Teyla had a lithe strength to her movements which, as she twirled around her opponent, proved quite effective against Ronan's broader, more heavy handed swipes.
It wasn't long before Sam's inherently analytical mind was cataloguing their moves and deciphering the rules of their match. As such she almost missed Ronan's words, direct yet out of nowhere, in no way slowing his movements.
"She shouldn't be going with us, we don't have the time to look after her."
There was no doubt as to who the 'she' was. Sam had informed Sheppard's team that she would be joining them on their upcoming mission, eager as she was to get her hands on some of the Ancient tech that had been abandoned on an outpost they had stumbled across. Ronan apparently, had not been convinced.
"We have no idea who, or what, will be there," he continued.
It was now that Teyla darted a quick glance at Sam, apparently having been aware of her presence the whole time. "I hardly thing she will require 'looking after'. She is a colonel, after all, surely she would have received the same training as Col. Sheppard."
Ronan scoffed slightly as he deflected several advances Teyla made, "She's a scientist."
Sam shook her head; not this again. It was always something, either she couldn't protect herself or her team because she was a woman, or she hadn't truly earned her military rank – receiving it only through academic, or decidedly more unsavoury means. She knew that Ronan hadn't intended to insult her, that he had accepted her leadership and even respected her in his own authority-distrusting way. But he had never seen her in the field, and barely knew her off it. She knew it shouldn't be necessary, that she had worked damn hard for her position, but she hadn't yet proven herself to him.
And this was her chance.
"Mind if I have a go?" she asked, peeling off her base jacket as she entered the room. "I don't get as much exercise as I used to, sitting behind a desk."
She accepted Teyla's bantos rods and smiled at the woman's twinkling eyes; she clearly had faith in her abilities, even if Ronan didn't. It struck Sam that Teyla, a warrior and a leader herself, had likely experienced a similar life.
Striking up a defensive position, Sam ignored the appraising, then dismissive, look Ronan gave her toned arms and slight frame. She knew she was small, leaner than even some of the other female officers on Atlantis, but she was smart and quick, and knew how to find her opponent's weaknesses.
Dismissing Ronan's offer to train first, to learn the intricacies of the form ("I'm sure I'll pick it up"), she dodged Ronan's first assured blow. Years of sparring with Teal'c had taught her to use her far smaller size to her advantage and she easily slipped under his arms, swinging a rod around to his front. With three quick jarring blows Ronan was down and Sam was victorious.
She said nothing, merely handing the weapons back to Teyla and collecting her jacket. Walking down the hallway towards the lift, however, she heard Teyla's cheerful tones and Ronan's grunt as she helped him off the floor. "I tried to warn you."