Stargate Atlantis: Cupid's Arrow3
Richard was shaking his head. "You want me to what?"
John repeated his decision. "We need to recall all of the science teams. The fuglies are on the move and I don't want any of our people out there. Send teams of marines to gather them up and bring them back to Atlantis. I am taking a squad to go secure one myself." He hefted his P90 as proof.
"Colonel, I don't believe that is necessary. The aliens are still light years from Atlantis and not near any of the planets where our people are working," Richard argued as the two men stood in the control room.
"The fuglies are on the move and I don't want our people out there, all right? For all we know they could be here sooner rather than later. Do you want to take that chance? I don't! All teams are to be recalled to Atlantis as this is a military decision. Chuck, dial it up!"
"John, you don't need to lead a team to—" Richard protested, but John was already heading to the 'Gate room where a squad or marines were waiting for him. Richard sighed, looking over as Chuck was already dialing the address that John had given him. "Fine. I suppose erring on the side of caution is a good thing," he decided.
He would have to find a way to reel in the increasingly independent military commander.
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John strode through the mist and the rain. The gray day on Atlantis had apparently followed him to this planet. Everything was tinged with gray: the air, the trees, the dirt, the rocks, even the sky. A fine mist was suspended in the air. It was almost rain but not quite yet. Everything sparkled with the mist as the moisture hung suspended in the air, wafting like a breath. "Emerson!" John barked as the men reached the Quonset huts that were a brisk walk from the Stargate. "Doctor Emerson!"
At his voice men appeared. They had yellow ponchos over their Atlantis BDUs but no weapons, clearly marking them as scientists. "Colonel Sheppard?" an older man asked, staring at the armed men eying them.
"You're being recalled to Atlantis. All off world teams are to report back to the city now."
"What? Why? Is there—"
"You don't need to ask why," John interrupted the biologist before he could continue. "Get your gear and your equipment. We depart in thirty." His gaze moved across the group of men and tension tightened his gut. "Where's O'Meara?" he asked tersely.
"She's doing field work at the outpost. It's a short walk from here and the—"
"I'll find her. Get your gear. Thoreau, make sure they are packed and through that 'Gate in thirty minutes. If they resist drag them back to Atlantis."
"Yes sir!"
John strode down the pathway, snatching a life signs detector from his pocket. There were several readings on it and he concentrated, narrowing it down to the one human blip on the screen. Soon he came across an open stretch of land that abruptly ended in a ridge. He caught sight of her at last and slowed his steps, sliding the life signs detector into his pocket.
Moira O'Meara was crouched at the lip of the ridge, leaning over as she balanced a camcorder in her hands. She was leaning so far that her green shirt was riding up and her khaki pants were sliding over her rear, dipping low to give John a very generous view of bare skin and violet panties. He smiled, tension dissolving even as another reaction began in his pants. He neared quietly, anticipation making him grin.
"O'Meara!"
Moira nearly fell headfirst over the cliff.
"Oh crap!" John rushed to catch her but Moira caught herself and scooted backwards, grabbing the camcorder before she dropped it. The loud, harsh voice had startled her and her quarry as well. A herd of entelodonts squealed and ran to the safety of the brush.
"What the hell?" she snapped, whirling and moving to her feet. "Look what you did! Damn it, you just ruined a possible sighting of two extinct species! What do you think you are doing?" she flared, until she saw that her adversary was the military commander. "Colonel Sheppard?" she squeaked in stunned surprise.
John had stopped a few inches from her, a vision in black and swathed in gray from the mist. It sparkled in his dark brown hair, on the stubble lining his handsome face, along his bare forearms. His green gaze was intense as he stared back at her, openly roving over her damp messy hair and her damp clothing. Her brown eyes were full of fury and surprise and her anger was causing some delightful sensations in his pants. "Besides getting an eyeful of your panties?" he teased, voice husky. He smiled at her glare. "Get your gear. You're being recalled to Atlantis. Let's go." He began to walk away from her, knowing full well she would argue.
"No, colonel. Colonel Sheppard!" Moira had regained her composure and stood resolutely.
"Excuse me?" He stopped. He turned to her, amused.
"No. I don't think you understand the historic importance of this research, colonel. I don't think you comprehend how astonishing this all is! We have found not one but several examples of living species that have been extinct on Earth for millions of years! Prehistoric fauna are alive and well here, and we have the unprecedented chance to study them as living fauna and not just as fossils!" Her enthusiasm shone in her brown eyes. "It's a dream come true and I am not leaving!"
John smiled. He tilted his head, as if considering. "Yeah, I get that. You know what my dream is, doctor? To get you and your team back to the safety of Atlantis. Now let's go."
"No," she refused. "I won't give up this opportunity."
"Yes, you will. I need your expertise on a few things."
"Such as?"
He moved to her. "What is Turnagog?"
"What?" Her bafflement was genuine.
John sighed. He withdrew a piece of paper and handed it to her. "I don't know how to say it," he complained.
Moira took the paper and read it. "Tir na nOg?" She smiled at him. "Are you telling me you found Tir na nOg, colonel? I would have expected a man like you to have found Tir na mBan, the land of women."
"Hilarious, Moira! What does it mean?" he snapped.
"Tir na nOg? The land of youth. It's a Celtic otherworld, a myth or a legend."
"It's also the name of a sister city of Atlantis I have discovered. One that made contact with the fuglies years ago before Atlantis fell."
"What? They made contact with the new Homo erectus species?"
"Yeah, that's what I said. What are Gorias and Murias and—"
"You've found the cities of the Tuatha De Danann now?" At his annoyed look she smiled. "Seriously? You came all this way for a lesson in Irish mythology?"
John glowered at her. "Just answer the question, please."
Moira shrugged. "There were four cities of the Tuatha De Danann, from which they took four magical items. How did you find all of this out? I mean—"
"That's a long story, and one that I will tell you once we get back to Atlantis. I need to know all about those four cities and the magical items, all right? I know this sounds…crazy but it could actually help us against the fuglies. Now let's go, Moira."
"No."
"Excuse me?"
She shook her head. "You don't need me for any of that, colonel." She set down the camcorder and pulled a book from her pack. "Here." She shoved the book into his hands. "This is a book all about Irish mythology. You can find everything you need in there. You already have all of my research on the Homo erectus species," she continued, gently pushing him backwards and away from her. "I need to stay here and continue this unprecedented work, all right? You don't need anything else from me, do you?" It was wonderful seeing him again, but it was painful too, seeing the man she could never have, except in dreams.
"No…I guess not," he agreed, seeming to accept her dismissal. He turned to go, took a few steps. He stopped. He turned back. "Except for this." He advanced upon her.
Moira stared as he strode towards her, his gaze smoldering. She made a soft sound of surprise as he caught her upper arms in a firm but gentle grip and drew her to him, dropping the book onto the grass between them.
He kissed her.