MGM owns all characters except my OCs.

A/N: I have to admit that the news of McKay's appearance on Universe has halted a lot of my enthusiasm for this story. (I am one of those who will watch anything to see McKay so I'll be watching it next spring.) I expect updates to be slow as I struggle with being totally overruled by the creators with my idea that Atlantis has to remain on Earth until Earth can defend itself.

Radek Zelenka sat exhausted once again, looking out at the star fields zipping by the Daedalus. They were one week into their journey back to Pegasus and the scientist ran drills with his new team on a daily basis. Sergeant Mehra, Sergeant Major Richards and Lieutenant Colonel Lorne were all veteran warriors and he knew his inability to keep up physically was going to be held against him.

Rodney, even though he whined and complained, was at least able to shoot and run from danger. The amount of times the Czech fell was burned into his head. And all this in the empty hanger bay. He'd never felt so out of place and alone in his life. Grad school at 17 wasn't this bad.

"You look like I feel," a familiar voice said as the chair next to his was pulled out.

"Wha…" Radek started only to stop and stare as Captain Laura Cadman, also in full tactical gear flopped down next to him.

"I never realized what leading a team meant before," she confessed as she pulled off the elastic holding her red mane at bay. "Stackhouse and Porter don't get along and Warrington either smiles or frowns. The only feedback I can get from him. I'm sure he's reporting back to Colonel Lorne or even Colonel Sheppard. Or letting the Sergeant Major do it."

"You don't believe that, do you?" he asked. The young Marine shook her head, so he continued. "You should supervise Doctors Kavanagh or Lee some day if you want annoyance. I can't believe they weren't spaced after Midway was destroyed. I would have killed them after an hour, let alone ten days in a shuttle."

Laura laughed and Radek realized he liked the sound. The female Marine had been on Atlantis for only one tour of duty and then visited often when she was stationed on the Daedalus. After her breakup with Carson Beckett, she seemed to avoid her old friends until the last year when she and Jennifer became close.

"Can I get you a coffee, Captain?" Radek offered.

Laura's eyes widened. "That's really nice, Doctor. I'd love one. Black, please."

"One black coffee coming up," Radek replied as he got up.

"I am having a terrible time with my team too," he confessed when he came back and set the steaming cup in front of her.

"Why? Those guys are the best of the best," Laura said as she took a sip. "Perfect. Good coffee should be a requirement. Like oxygen."

"Amen," Radek said with a smile.

"So what's wrong with your team?"

"I don't fit is what's wrong. I am only slowing them down. I don't understand the hand signals. I cannot get used to carrying the P90 and can barely fire a pistol after all these years." Radek pushed his glasses up his nose and took another drink. "I think it was a mistake to think I could do this."

"It's never a mistake to stretch yourself. Just ask for help if you need it," she said.

"I can't show so much weakness to them."

Cadman shook her head at his stubborn nature. "Then ask someone else."

"How about you?" Radek threw his normally cautious nature around women, even one as young as Captain Laura Cadman, to the wind.

"What?" she sounded shocked. "Me?"

"I could tell you about the difficult teams I've led. Maybe some of my ideas will help you. In exchange you can show me how to be a better soldier." Radek smiled, as it seemed logical to him. "I can't ask Rodney or Sheppard. I'd never live it down."

Laura laughed and shook her long tresses.

"Sorry," Radek felt his heart plunge. Once again jealousy regarding Rodney's luck with people came back.

"I'm not laughing at you," Laura said as she rested her hand on his forearm for a moment.

His blue eyes widened.

"I'm laughing at all this." Her hands waved around. "The universe for putting us in this situation. You're a super genius and I'm a lifer in the Corp. We bump into each other in the mess hall in the middle of the night and realize we need each other's help. Only in this crazy universe does something like that happen." She continued to chuckle as Radek finally smiled.

"A universe that puts Rodney and Jennifer together obviously has a sense of humor. Although if it hooked you up with him that would have been funnier."

"Those are fighting words, Zelenka!" the new Captain shouted.

"Hey!" and "Ow!" could be heard echoing into the corridor.

"He must be stronger than he's leading us to believe," Jennifer stated as she finished her update to Colonels Sheppard and Caldwell. A glance at her team, which was made up of Carson Beckett, Ronon and Sergeant Major Richards, gave her confidence because all the men nodded in agreement. "We believe he's leading us into a trap."

"Of course he's leading us into a trap," Caldwell replied. The Colonel seemed perpetually annoyed at Jennifer where as once he admired her for her willingness to sacrifice herself to Todd to save his crew.

"I only meant…"

"We'll double the guard on him," John added before he allowed Jennifer to offer a defense to Caldwell.

"If you do that, he might know we're on to him," Jennifer stated.

"The safety of my crew is more important than whatever game the Wraith is playing with you," Caldwell snapped. "Decrease the dosage as well."

"Game?" Jennifer was getting angry with Caldwell's attitude. I'm sorry your marriage failed, she wanted to scream. "Todd was going to kill me the last time we were on this ship…"

"Colonel," Sheppard said. "I think we should discuss this before issuing any orders to Doctor Kell… McKay regarding Todd's treatment." His eyes were full of concern as he shot her a glance.

Jennifer glared at John as she settled back into her chair, crossing her arms and ignoring the looks of everyone in the room after her outburst. Her stomach threatened to heave as it had for the past couple of days. The stress of working late, missing meals and trying to hide her ailments from Rodney were taking its toll. She'd suffered chronic fatigue in school and was afraid it was coming back. I've gotta talk to Buckner or Cove later.

"Fine, Colonel," Caldwell said. "Meet me in my office in half an hour. I need to check over some modifications Novak and McKay made right away."

After Caldwell left John leaned forward and asked, "Are you okay, Jennifer?"

"He pissed me off. Since I got married, I might as well have a plague. I think he's jealous because his marriage failed," Jennifer vented.

John and the others chuckled, except for Richards who looked at Jennifer with a critical eye. "What?" she asked as she stood up and looked around. The room suddenly tipped and felt arms wrap around her to stop her descent to the floor.

"Jennifer!" Carson was at her side in an instant as Richards lowered her to the deck.

"Sorry," she muttered as she gripped the Marine's jacket. "I haven't gotten much sleep lately."

"I can imagine," Sheppard muttered as he knelt nearby.

"What's that…" Jennifer started as she glared at Sheppard.

"I only meant with the research."

"Like hell you did. Why does everyone think Rodney and I are doing it like rabbits? We've been together for a long time." Jennifer's anger helped to clear her head.

"Doctor McKay, let me escort you to your quarters so you can rest," Richards' deep voice lent some calm to what suddenly became a tense conference room.

The fellow Midwesterner nodded in agreement. Carson helped her to get up and she left with the Marine and Ronon.

John had a sickening feeling in his gut as his mind raced toward a conclusion that would mean the end of this mission. Turning to Carson, who was closing Jennifer's laptop, he said in an unusually quiet voice, "You don't think…"

"Aye. That's exactly what I'm thinking." The Scot nodded as he looked at John.

"This is the last thing we need. Caldwell's gonna turn this boat around real fast if he finds out."

TBC

A/N: Sorry to stop here, but need to have some cliffhangers after all these flash fictions wrap up their stories. I know it's not much of a cliffhanger as it's obvious where I'm going with this. BUT, I've never gone their before so we'll see how it goes.