Chapter Five: Arrival
And just like that, he was back. It had only been a few days since he had visited Atlantis as part of the IOA delegation and yet somehow it felt different for Richard Woolsey, knowing he was returning to head a new expedition to the Pegasus galaxy. Filled with both excitement and trepidation, he took a few steps towards the control room before he was halted by the sound of a familiar voice.
"Mr Woolsey!" called out Rodney, waving him over to where he and Zelenka had been deep in conversation moments earlier. Woolsey trudged towards the eccentric scientist, wondering what else had gone wrong for Rodney to call him over so urgently.
"Doctor McKay. Is there something wrong?" he asked inquisitively before offering a slight nod in the direction of Zelenka, who reciprocated the gesture.
"What? No No No...just wanted to say hello and let you know that I cleaned out my...your office last night. So you can move back in immediately" said Rodney with what sounded like a hint of relief in his voice.
"Oh" said a surprised Woolsey, somewhat sated by the lack of any further potential catastrophes "Well, thank you Doctor McKay, I appreciate that. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a lot of work that needs to be done before we can get underway"
"Oh sure sure...and erm...welcome back" said Rodney, displaying an unusual comfort with social situations. He then turned back to Zelenka and began working on whatever issue they had discusd before Woolsey's arrival.
Mr Woolsey reached his now spartan office but had barely unpacked his briefcase when a message arrived from the control room. Colonel Sheppard and his team would be arriving ahead of schedule and would be bringing with them the package he had requested. Mr Woolsey smiled knowingly, grateful for the trust he had seemingly been granted by both the IOA and the SGC.
After an hour of reading status reports and completing requisition forms, Woolsey was called to the gate room to meet the next contingent of arrivals, both new and old. The familiar sight of the Asgard transport beam caused him to momentarily close his eyes, opening them again to find Colonel Sheppard and his team standing before him. A broad smile formed on Woolsey face at the pleasant familiarity of this reunion.
"Colonel Sheppard, Mr Dex. Welcome back" he said warmly
"Mr Woolsey, good to see you again" replied Sheppard whilst Ronon simply nodded curtly.
Woolsey respected that the big man didn't waste his words so nodded back in turn. He then noticed the two new faces behind his old colleagues, one of them clutching a rather elaborately decorated box.
"Is that the item I requested?" Woolsey enquired.
"Yes Sir. One fully charged ZPM, courtesy of SG-17 and the Lucian Alliance" proclaimed Major Andrews proudly as he handed the box over to the waiting technicians.
"Excellent" said Mr Woolsey before turning to the technicians "See that this is delivered to Doctor McKay and tell him I expected it installed within the hour" ordered Woolsey authoritatively. The technicians nodded before scurrying away down the main corridor.
"Well now that's all in order, what now?" asked Sheppard.
"Now Colonel, you and your men can relax and unpack. I've arranged a staff meeting at 1800 hours, I will see you and Mr Dex there" said Woolsey before turning to head off back to his office and the stack of paperwork waiting for him there.
Without needing further invitation, Sheppard nodded to dismiss his men, who gathered up their rucksacks and headed off in the direction of their new living quarters. Sheppard waited a moment longer, taking in the familiar feel of Atlantis once more. How he had missed her. He too then headed off down the corridor and onward to his old lodgings.
- - SGA - -
Teyla felt an unusual fearfulness aboard the Daedalus as it approached Atlantis's position on the moon. She could not place the feeling exactly, just an inherent unease about the whole situation. Or perhaps it was simply a case of her personal problems affecting her more than she realised.
Feeling the need to think more clearly, she had taken Torren with her on a stroll around the Daedalus, leaving a morose Kanaan in the mess hall, still refusing to speak with her.
Her apparently aimless wandering had taken her to the bridge where she was immediately confronted by the inspiring view of Atlantis, perched peacefully within one of the many craters that dotted the surface of earth's satellite. A warm feeling of nostalgia washed over her as she remembered all the good times she had experienced within those city walls.
Colonel Caldwell appeared to be studying a particularly interesting datapad when he glanced up to notice Teyla standing in the doorway. He rose from his seat and approached her gently, unwilling to break what appeared to be a trance-like state she was currently enjoying.
"Colonel Caldwell, it is a pleasure to see you again" Teyla said warmly, turning away from the amazing view of Atlantis.
"Miss Emmagan, always nice to see a friendly face" he replied sincerely. "We are just about within beaming range of Atlantis, if you're ready?"
"I am Colonel, thank you. I shall return to my quarters and be ready to depart within half an hour"
"Very good. I take it you are looking forward to going home?" he enquired
"Very much so, though I wish it were under better circumstances"
"Well my folks always used to say; don't look a gift horse in the mouth" he offered in a well-meaning manner.
Teyla couldn't suppress the smile those words brought, being the same thing Sheppard had said to her yesterday. Colonel Caldwell look at her rather oddly, unsure how exactly what he said could elicit such a humorous reaction.
"I am sorry Colonel, you just reminded me of something Joh...Colonel Sheppard said yesterday" she offered as explanation. "Now if you will excuse me, I must go and gather my belongings".
And so she turned and headed back to her quarters, the anticipation of returning to her home on Atlantis building within and forcing the problems of the past few weeks out of thought.
- - SGA - -
Several hours had passed since Teyla and her family had returned to Atlantis, settling back into the quarters she had called home for the previous five years. Kanaan had still barely talked to her, silently putting their treasured belongings back into their familiar places. As the tension mounted, Teyla felt it necessary to again seek solitude by walking the corridors of this vast city.
She had only reached the end of the walkway near her quarters when she literally bumped into Ronon, who appeared to be as equally tense as her. His eyes met hers and suddenly they both relaxed, comfortable in each others company.
"Its good to see you" offered Ronon sincerely
"And you, Ronon. It feels like an age since we last spoke, how are you?" enquired Teyla.
"Not bad." he offered before realising lying would be futile with Teyla "Anxious. Amelia is back soon and we haven't spoken in a few weeks"
"And why is that?"
"Work. Me and Sheppard have been off-world for most of time since coming here. It doesn't leave a lot of time for much else..."
"I am sure she will understand Ronon, after all, it was a similar situation whilst on Atlantis"
"Maybe" he offered, clearly considering her words "So what about you?"
"Adapting to life on Earth was difficult. But that would appear to be something I need no longer be concerned about" she replied honestly.
"Sure. But what about you?"
"I...am fine" she proclaimed before realising it would be no good lying to him either. "Troubled. Kanaan and I are experiencing difficulties"
"Yeah?"
"Yes. We appear to have a difference of opinion concerning our future" said Teyla, who felt strangely comfortable confiding in her often uncommunicative friend.
"You should talk to Sheppard" Ronon said, drawing a look of surprise from Teyla "He's not been the same without you there either." A small smirk crossed his face, though internally he wondered if he had revealed too much.
Teyla was stunned by the revelation. She had known that she had become an important member of John's team, but that he was so adversely affected by her absence was something she had not expected from her usually cool-headed and pragmatic friend.
"I...must return to my quarters. I shall see you at the briefing" she said, excusing herself from the awkwardness of the moment. She turned and headed back to her room, glancing back to see Ronon trudging off in the opposite direction. She sighed regretfully at the uncomfortable nature of her reunion with the Satedan, reminding herself to fix the matter as soon as possible.
- - SGA - -
"Doctor McKay, are we ready?" asked Mr Woolsey impatiently, the hour-long deadline he had imposed having already expired two hours ago
"The new ZPM is installed, all systems are online." replied Rodney, his voice as tired as he looked.
"Excellent" said Woolsey as he turned to the rest of the senior staff, who were seated around the conference table. "Colonel Sheppard, how are things coming along?"
"All personnel are now aboard Atlantis. The Daedalus will be arriving within the hour carrying the remaining supplies we requested. I think we're good to go." Sheppard replied, feeling somewhat gratified to be able to say those words.
"Very good." Mr Woolsey started before the conference room door opened to reveal a familiar face.
"Sorry I'm late, restocking the infirmary took longer than expected" said Doctor Keller, her beaming smile seemingly infectious, judging by the reciprocal grins on the faces of her friends and colleagues.
Rodney looked on with a wry smile as she took her seat next to him, placing a reassuring hand on his arm as she did so. Since she had been reassigned to a military hospital, he had not seen nor spoken to her, his mission on Atlantis carrying so much importance as to make it a dark project; meaning no outside contact, even for the lead researcher.
The meeting lasted only a few more minutes before the senior staff were dismissed to resume their preparations. With the room emptying, Sheppard stood to leave too, only to be stopped in his tracks.
"Colonel, a word if you please?" said Mr Woolsey warmly.
"Yes sir. What can I do for you?"
"I believe we have a rather sensitive matter to discuss, do we not?"
Sheppard considered what Woolsey was eluding to for a few seconds before the penny finally dropped. How could he have forgotten about him?
"Todd?" he asked knowingly.
"Todd." replied Woolsey.