Chapter 9 – The Best Laid Plans
"You want to do what?" Elizabeth paced up and down her office. John had just filled her in on what they had discovered on the planet and she needed a minute to formulate all the information that had been thrown at her. "Do you think that's wise John? Wouldn't it be better for General O'Neill to track them from his end. If they keep surveillence on the stargate, they will eventually catch the men as they come through."
"That's all well and good Elizabeth, but we need to know how far reaching this is, and we need to catch them actually involved in one of their missions, assuming that General O'Neill manages to verify what we have so far only assumed. Getting just a few of them will only serve to scare them enough to go into hiding. We need to get them all."
Elizabeth gathered her notes together. "We'll wait until we have further communication from General O'Neill, and Ronan? Could you put your ears to the ground and do as the Colonel suggested and see if any new factions are making themselves known in the galaxy."
John left the office, intent on heading down to the gym. He needed a work out to clear his head, and some physical exercise would help him to organise his thoughts a little. Walking past an open balcony, he automatically turned his head towards the brisk breeze that blew in off the sea, and paused when he saw Dani standing out there, leaning over the railing, face turned out to sea. Watching her, he noted the slight smile on her face as though she was turned inward to where the thoughts were good and could help her forget some of the bad that had happened.
"Hey, you..." He spoke softly, not wanting to startle her and she turned, a tiny flicker of fear in her eyes that she quickly pushed away when she realised who it was.
"John... I was hoping to see you. Did you find the men? Were they on the planet as you hoped?" She moved away from the railing and came towards him and looked into his eyes searchingly, hoping to find the answer.
"We found a little more than we bargained for, but they were gone. We do, however, have a fair idea of what they are doing in this galaxy and we think that you must have somehow discovered what they were up to, threatened to expose them and they needed to get rid of you."
Seeing the sudden flash of pain that shot into her eyes, he softened his and moved towards her so that they were standing close and he could pick up her hands, gently squeezing some warmth into them, noting that they were cold. "You're freezing – it's far too cold out here for you to be standing around, come inside where it's warmer." He moved his hands further up her arms, and rubbed softly trying to infuse some warmth and he saw her shiver and knew that she had only just registered the cold air. "Come inside Dani..." Sliding his hand back down so that he could grasp her hand, he led her off the balcony into the warmth of the city.
Ronan discreet enquiries led to success and he left with John the next day to visit a planet near his homeworld of Sateda. A lot of business was done by the male's of the settlement and it was done over the local equivalent of beer, and lot's of it. Seated in the local tavern, tall, handled mugs full of the frothy ale in front of them, they were at a table with two local men who were well on the way to becoming more than just a little drunk. However drunk was good, it meant that they were likely to retrieve more information, so John lifted his mug high in the air and ignoring Ronan's amused smile and raised eyebrow, he chugged back most of the mug, wiping the froth from his mouth and eliciting a loud manly burp. Sometimes, it was good to be a man!
John let Ronan do the talking, which was a good thing really, because the ale had spread more than it's share of warmth through him. His mug was refilled several times and he noticed that Ronan continued to drink, and in larger quantities than him, but it did not appear to have any effect on him.
"Friends... you are most welcome here. State your business...!" Another manly burp, more manly laughter and more ale, and John was feeling a little numb and suspecting he would be in more than just a little trouble when he arrived back on Atlantis.
Ronan's voice was a loud rumble and John found this amusing, smiling a rather silly smile. "We seek men to assist us. Our neighbours wish to mine more than their share of minerals. We had an agreement and they are not honouring it. Talking no longer works. Word is out that you may know of a group that can assist... with a more deadly force..."
Raucous laughter and lots of backslapping. John heard the answer but it was amusing, so he began to laugh and a corner of his sane mind hoped that Ronan at least, had remained sober enough to get the information they required.
He was only partially aware of the trip back to the stargate. Understood that it must have been amusing, because there was considerable laughter, but John had the distinct impression that most of Ronan's laughter was directed at him.
"What the hell is in that brew Ronan... cause I am in serious trouble when I get back to Atlantis... Lizabeth's gonna give me a severe... telling off..." this caused more laughter, more backslapping.
"Can't handle drinking with the big boys eh Sheppard? Stick to your milk and cookies my friend, that stuff is for men only..." John stopped then, giving Ronan a firm look and felt the need to punch him in the stomach, but the rustling of bushes around them caused his training to kick in, regardless of the alcohol he had consumed and he dropped immediately into defensive mode.
The two men from the tavern came out of the bushes, along with two more and there was a piece of paper in their hands. "We've found someone who will be able to help you with your... problem. Here's the gate address. You'll meet with him tomorrow at midday. Just the two of you, bring no weapons and don't be late. He's not a man you want to piss off." Pushing the paper into Ronan's hand the four men blended back into the bushes and John found he had sobered up, just a little.
"Ok Ronan, looks like we got what we came here for, let's go back to Atlantis."
While Ronan dialled the gate, John rested lightly against the DHD, not looking forward to the trip through the gate. At the best of times, the wormhole was an extreme ride in itself, mind wretching, gut churning and downright adrenalin filled – and that was sober. Somehow he had the distinct feeling that fuelled by alcohol, this trip would not be a pleasant one.
And he wasn't wrong... He was spat out the other side with a churning stomach and rolled over on the gate room floor groaning, doing his utmost best not to throw up. Ronan, lacking in any sort of sympathy, hauled him to his feet and watched him list slightly, like a boat in a storm.
"John? What the hell is going on?" Elizabeth stood before them, not looking particularly impessed, the fumes from the alcohol almost sufficient to set the base alight if a match was ever held in their vicinity.
"Undercover ops Elizabeth... had to blend in with the locals..." Ronan attempted to stand up for his friend.
"Blend in, or soak in... Jesus John, you reek – for God's sake, go have a cold shower and sober yourself up."
John held an imperious finger up. "Just what I had in mind...Lizzbeth.. say, where's Dani?"
Elizabeth frowned at him, flicking a cautionary glance to Ronan. "Not a good time to go looking for her right now Colonel Sheppard."
"Wait!" John kept his finger in the air. "We have a meeting tomorrow, with the leader.. not a waste of time. Contact made, meeting in place, a few jugs of ale... life's good..." Ronan quirked an eyebrow at Elizabeth and told her, "I'll haul him off to his quarters, then come back and fill you in."
She nodded, looking after them with a worried look on her face.
Ronan kept John upright and hauled him down the hallway toward his quarters. Passing the mess, John dug his heels in and announced loudly that he wanted "coffee", and would Ronan mind if they had a little detour. Thinking a sobering coffee would likely be a good thing, he steered him through the door, one hand still holding John's collar and promptly walked headlong into Dani, who yelped in pain as they connected with her healing ribs.
John blinked at her in slight confusion. "God, so sorry Dani... clumsy. Was gonna come see you later. Come have coffee with us..."
Peering up at him, Dani couldn't suppress the grin that came to her face. "A little drunk it would seem, John."
"Nothing a little coffee and a pretty woman won't fix...did I tell you that you are pretty?" John clutched her hand a little tightly as they made their way to the coffee machine, causing her to wince a little. "Ah no, John, you didn't, and you don't need to … really. Maybe some extra caffeine in your cup would be a good idea."
"John, behave... or tomorrow you're going to have a few regrets that you don't really want to have – understand my friend?" Ronan was looking John in the eye, trying to get a message through to his alcohol fuelled brain, and John nodded enthusiastically. "Behaving.. Ronan, yes I am. Now Dani, where were we... did I tell you that you are pretty, really really pretty, and I kind of want to kiss you right now..." Dani shot a helpless glance at Ronan, who grinned and shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't exactly saying anything he didn't mean, just perhaps not the place or time to say it.
"Maybe I'll leave you both to finish your coffee – John, Ronan – I hope you both manage a good night's sleep and that your head is still attached to your body in the morning John..." With a small grin on her face, she rose, lightly running a hand over John's unruly hair and his gaze shot hotly to hers and he found his body rising of it's own accord and following her out of the mess. Ronan shook his head – John was a big boy and he was through babysitting.
"Dani, wait..." Turning, she saw him weaving slightly as he left the mess and follow her down the hallway. Knowing this was not a good idea, she did pause, waiting until he caught up with her and held her breath as he placed his hands around her waist to pull her back slightly against him.
"Not a good idea John..."
He felt the backs of her thighs against the front of his and could not resist lowering his head to inhale the scent of her hair. "Tis a very good idea..."
"One you'll regret in the morning John, let me go..."
"One kiss... just one, then I'll go... just one." He didn't wait for her answer, just turned her around in his arms and lowered his head before she could push him away. Her mouth opened in surprise and he took that opportunity to slant his mouth over hers, feeling the softness of her lips and the moistness of her mouth and his tongue swept inside and lightly acknowledged hers. Still she did not push away and he deepened the kiss, now fisting his hands in her hair and hearing a groan, knew that it came from him. She pushed him away then and backed away from him with stricken eyes, turning around to run towards her temporary quarters. John was left standing in the hallway, self loathing in his eyes and not a small measure of swearing rolling comfortably off his lips.