Thirteen

Three days should really be enough for her little plan to succeed. So she hopes Major Moore has something for her when she enters his computer lab. "Morning, sir."

Grinning, the Major answers, not taking his eyes away from his screen. "Morning, Captain. I believe you owe me one now." Ah yes, he has something for her. Sometimes she really wonders how Maureen can put up with someone so openly full of himself. Resisting the temptation to roll her eyes, she steps beside Moore.

"Not until you show me, sir." He smirks, taps a few keys on the keyboard and the big screen suddenly shows a picture from one of the surveillance cameras two floors below.

"Et voila." Now she does roll her eyes.

"Captain Reece taught you?" He wants to answer, but the pictures on the screen are much more interesting anyway. And she doesn't want to risk losing the chance to act now because he does something to ruin her plan just to teach her a lesson. "Anyway, alright, I owe you one. And no telling Major Lorne."

He holds up his hands. "Of course not. But this is the first and the last time, Captain."

She nods, aware of the fact that he's serious about it. "Yes, sir. Well… hope you enjoy the show."

Moore grins and again she wonders how rational, dry Maureen could end up with someone so smug. "Certainly. In fact, that's the only reason I'm helping you."

Instead of an answer, though, she just tips her forehead in a casual salute and heads to the small lab two floors below she just saw on the screen. When she steps out of the transporter, she's a little surprised she almost ran into Sergeant Meyers. "Oh, sorry, ma'am, I was just…" And suddenly her little plan expands a tad.

Smirking, she interrupts him, "Never mind, Sergeant. In fact… are you headed somewhere important?"

A little wary, he answers, "Well… not exactly. The boss just wanted to round us up for a briefing on next month's mandatory drills but there's still half an hour left." Ah, great. And even greater that Evan wants to see his team in half an hour.

She nods. "Good. Come with me." She's sure that inwardly Meyers just rolled his eyes and shrugged his shoulders a little resignedly, wondering why the hell he still puts up with all those crazy Atlantis officers.

"Yes, ma'am." She leads him over to the little lab, waves her hand over the door opener… and yes, et voila. In front of them, a couple is… at it. As in… passionately. The guy is a Lieutenant they both know very well and the girl looks very much like the IT technician Moore identified as the one with the smoldering looks over the monitor's rim.

As if on cue, both she and Meyers cross their arms simultaneously without even looking at each other. After watching the couple a few more moments, she simply says, "One question, Sergeant: Why do I have the distinct feeling that Atlantis is turning into a college dorm more and more?"

Meyers, having already realized what this is about, simply replies, "Don't know, ma'am… maybe it's all those ki… people making out in those dark corners and transporters."

By now, the couple has stopped kissing, but the guy hasn't turned around yet. Afraid, Lieutenant, she wonders. Aloud, she says casually, "Yeah, you could have a point there."

Now Simmons does turn around. She has to give him credit that he tries to position himself protectively in front of the IT technician. At least someone taught him a bit about being a gentleman. Although… the technician doesn't look as half as embarrassed as Simmons does. "Ma'am… it's not what it looks like."

She's just this close to start laughing but just for the sake of her plot working, she keeps up the neutral façade. "That's what they all say. Isn't it, Sergeant?"

"Affirmative, ma'am." Did she just detect barely veiled amusement in Meyers' voice? She'd love to take a look at him but she's sure that would ruin the effect of their little performance.

Indeed… Simmons looks like he's… blushing. Or is that just the semi-dark of the lab? "Honestly, ma'am, we were just… erm…"

"Improving your mouth-to-mouth technique?" She raises her eyebrow, suddenly sure she must have picked that look up from Evan. And it's even more surprising that it's having the exact same effect that it has when Evan does it.

"Uh… something… like that, yeah.." Definitely embarrassed. Behind Simmons, she can see the technician trying not to grin too broadly, obviously not fully oblivious to the underlying tension between Simmons and her.

She knows she could needle Simmons even more now but she also knows that mercy is always better remembered than cruelty. And more embarrassing. "You might want to try that again in some place a little less public. And you might want to read the memo on the new I.O.A.-rules concerning interpersonal relationships again. Both of you."

He nods, trying to retain at least a bit of his dignity. "Yes, ma'am."

She decides to be just a little forthcoming. "Carry on. Well, just not here, that is."

"Yes, ma'am." In his eyes she can see that he knows he's at her mercy now and that this is her way of telling him once and for all never to mess with her again. He also knows that this time he has no way of getting her into trouble with Evan again. She has caught him in a situation where he more or less acted against the Code of Conduct set by the IOA and he can consider himself very lucky if she doesn't get him into trouble with Evan.

Still… she can't keep from one last jab. "And try not to be too late to your next briefing. Major Lorne hates latecomers." It's true. He does. But unlike her… he is a patient person. Only Simmons doesn't know – or at least doesn't believe – that yet.

"Of course, ma'am." With that she decides to leave the Lieutenant and his technician alone again. She doesn't look at Meyers but gives him a jerk of her head, turning away from the door, trusting Simmons' sense of duty not to need any more reminders not to make out with anyone in a basically public room again. And not to trust Atlantis locks anymore.

When the door has shut again, she finally turns to Meyers and without another word they both grin at each other. After a short burst of mutual low laughter, the Sergeant says, "Impressive, ma'am. I take it you had some help from certain officers with IT skills?"

"Actually…" she grins, "just one officer with IT skills. So… what do you think? Any lasting effect on the Lieutenant?"

He clears his throat. "I'm not entitled to answer that question, ma'am."

She snorts. "Why so modest all of a sudden, Sergeant? Come on, we both know you do have an opinion on that."

"Alright… only because it's you, ma'am." And of course because they are fellow Marines. "Yeah, I think the Lieutenant has learned his lesson. And no, I won't mention any of this to the boss."

Knowing full well that she owes him a big one for this, she nods and says, "I do appreciate that. Anyway… I gotta go and finally finish my work in the explosives lab. And if I'm not mistaken, you have a briefing to attend to. See you and Jessi at lunch?"

"Of course, ma'am. And maybe I'll even get the boss to put the paperwork aside and come with us." The hint of a grin appears on his face and she has to mirror it. One day she'll really have to thank him for looking out for Evan… and her like this. But for now, Meyers just nods and takes his leave.

When he is gone, she taps her headset. "Major Moore… thank you. You were a tremendous help."

"My pleasure, Captain. About time someone got back at that green Lieutenant." Yep, someone really enjoyed the show. She just bets that Moore even found a way of capturing the dialogue and not just the pictures.

However, she feels compelled to make it clear that this wasn't just about petty revenge. "I prefer calling it advancing his soft skills training, sir."

"And I bet he won't forget that lesson for a while. By the way, does that mean that I can call on you if I need someone to discipline a team member?" As if he isn't able to do that on his own. She resists a sigh.

Instead she just says, "Depends on who it is. I don't think anyone can – or needs to – discipline Sergeant DeLisle, for example." In fact, she thinks, sometimes you get the feeling that DeLisle is the one disciplining his CO, not the other way around. And Moore knows that.

"You got a point there, Captain. Anyway… still got some real work today. Moore out." Ah, so busy all of a sudden? Alright, maybe that's her clue to start working on that wretched containment field again.

A/N: Yes, this story is still on my agenda... and actually, now there's only the epilogue missing. I really hope you liked Laura's little plan to get back at Simmons... I for one had fun writing it ;) And I daresay, my wonderful beta reader mac already had fun reading it ;)