Evan' POV

It was early the next morning when Evan was walked through the controls of the Orion by his brother. John shared everything he had picked on his encounter with the Aurora as well as his findings while he had studied the Orion in the last weeks.

"See this is the helm, its works like the one in the jumpers. As of now you would need someone with the ATA gene…"

"Yeah, I went to the file of every known ATA carrier."

John's eyebrows shot up. "Every?"

"Yup."

"Damn! How did you stay sane?"

"Coffee. And knowing once I was done, I could let handle Reed all the transferring."

"Learned that from me, huh?"

"I always strife to learn from the best!" Evan deadpanned.

John smiled sheepishly. "Well," he said, rubbing his neck, while looking apologetic. "Somehow I don't think Reed will have trouble with you doing your paperwork."

Evan lowered his voice an inquired quietly: "How his Major Duncan holding up?"

"Um."

"I'll talk to him." Which he had wanted to do anyway. Knowing the helm worked the same as in the jumpers was all the information he needed for now and wanting to change the uncomfortable topic of paperwork, Evan asked: "So, what do you know about the weapon system?"

At that McKay looked up from the floor where he had been sitting before a control panel.

"Don't you dare think on! I don't want to be electrocuted!"

"Not even a little spark to brighten up your day, McKay?" Evan couldn't help himself.

"You! My day is bright enough at it is, thanks Lorne. Sheppard, get your brother under control, will you?"

They both grinned at each other. Evan was then grabbed by the arm and deliberately pulled away.

"We will stay over here. No accidental touching. That's okay for you, McKay?"

"Fine by me. Just don't disturb me. You'll want these weapons in working order."

"I guess I shouldn't get used to rely on ancient drones?"

"Yeah sorry, but you know how it is. Luckily for now the ship is almost fully equipped with drones."

"You wouldn't have some spares for your brother?"

"No can do."

"That's what I thought."

Sooner rather than later the Orion would have to be reequipped earth style. Drones were too hard to come by. As John continued to walk him through everything he knew, Evan was amazed by what he learned. If only he had more time to get himself familiar with the ship before that hive ship reached Atlantis. Then sadly, their little private time was up:

"Orion this is the Daedalus, do you read?"

"This is the Orion, come in." Evan replied to the call.

"Colonel I'm about to beam your personnel to the empty hangar bay, as agreed."

"Thank you, Colonel."

"Okay, that's my cue," John said. "I'm off to the city. Call me when you need something."

"Will do. Thanks for the tour. It was fun."

"Yeah." John simply grinned and headed for the jumper bay with a quick wave goodbye.

SGASGA

"Welcome on board the Orion!" Evan greeted his crew. "To get you familiar with the layout, we will first have a tour, then you will each be assigned your quarters. As off tomorrow you will remain on board. So, make sure to bring your duffle bag. Once we finish the tour you will be able to familiarize yourself with your stations before the next wave arrives with your staff."

"Yes, Sir." Came the replies and Orion's new captain began to herd his officers through the ship.

"Reed you're with me." Evan wanted his XO close by for now.

"Yes, Sir."

"As you're not yet familiar with the tech be sure not to touch anything." Evan cautioned. "You will have to get used to the fact that some of these stations react already on your thoughts alone." Evan felt a little like a teacher on a school trip with having to look out for everyone, so no one was accidentally activating anything. He remembered John telling him once how Becket accidentally fired a drone at him but then told himself to have more trust – these were his officers!

There was the ready room, maintenance, engineering, a small sickbay, the galley… As expected there where many questions on how to use the gene to handle their stations and everything else.

All went well and they stopped at the quarters. The individual rooms were small of cause but large compared to the ones on navy vessels. Not that the airman would know the difference, but the marines would notice. Evan was certain the ones who had transferred to him from the city like Stackhouse and Cain would be pleased they wouldn't have a downgrade.

"Sir," Reed addressed him looking at the quarters in awe, "are these real showers?"

"That's a yes, Reed."

"Really?" "Let me have a look." "Just move a little to the side, Peterson, will ya?" Could be heard from those still on the corridor.

"Will there be restrictions, Colonel? Like only once a week or so?"

"I'm glad to tell you that there won't be any."

Cheers could be heard from the corridor. Evan had been delighted himself when he learn of the Orion's much more advanced water recycling system.

"Okay listen up. Everybody, pick your quarters. Just put a note with your name on the door. My quarters will the first ones on this floor, Reed yours will be the opposite ones for obvious reasons. Now take your pick and get to your stations. Dismissed."

Evan waited for Reed to put his name on the door before he said: "Major with me."

Let Reed get his surprise tomorrow when he would move in. The quarters of the captain and his XO were much larger than the other ones. They were even more comfortable than his ones in Atlantis as there had a separate living room. If Evan had to guess it was to give them a better chance to decompress and more privacy during the long deployment the ship was designed for. It was clear by its design that the ancient had deployed their spaceships for many months rather than weeks as the Daedalus class ships.

"Sir, I've got to say, I hadn't put much hope on the living quarters. Giving that this a spaceship and all and what I know from the crews of the Daedalus class ships but I have to say it's quite nice."

"I'm glad to hear that, major." Evan replied dryly faced with the confidingness of his XO.

When they arrived back at the bridge, he explained its layout in more detail:

"Something else you should know, Reed. See these armrests on the captain's chair? I will be able to operate all the main systems from here. Or you will."

"Just with a though, Sir?" Reeds eyes bulked.

"Almost, but you must have your hands on the controls, also as long as you are in that chair your every command will overpower that of the stations if you don't tell the system otherwise. Take a seat Reed."

Cautiously the major did as told.

"Now think 'stellar control'."

"Done."

"Now think about where we are in the solar system."

Immediately stellar constellations were shown on the main screen.

"Hey, you're still using that line?" McKay asked from the other side of the bridge.

"Can't harm anybody with that. So sure." This first demand McKay had once given his brother had long become a default for testing peoples connection to the command chairs. As he redirected his attention back to his XO Evan saw that Reed was plotting a route back to earth.

"Already planning to go home, Major?"

"Sir. No, Sir." Reed answered sheepishly.

"How about a route to the alpha side, Reed. Since that's the place we must go if things go south."

"Yes, Sir." The displayed map changed.

The other officers began to tickle in one by one and Evan showed them to their stations and helped as best as he could for the next hours. He could tell his officers got more confident at their station and their ability to handle ancient tech as the day went on, but giving the little sleep he had Evan needed coffee. Knowing the gally on the Orion wasn't ready to accommodate its crew yet, he had come prepared. However just as he had pulled out his thermos and was pouring himself a nice cup the Orion was suddenly banking.

"What the hell!" Evan cried out quickly grabbing the nearest station for support, his coffee now all over him. Unfortunately, Reed who hadn't been near a station to grab onto fell onto him, taking him to the ground.

"Are you crazy! You moron!" McKay held onto his tablet with one hand and with the other to the station. Evan could see the others on the bridge doing the same. Tablet clutching by some included.

"I'm sorry Sir!" Reed cried out overlapped by Captain Whitakers slightly panicked cry from the helm:

"So Sorry, Sirs!"

The while Evan and Reed had been sliding down the floor, Evan ordered calmly but loud:

"Captain! Think level!"

Their slide was soon stopped abruptly when they crashed into the wall on the other side of the bridge. Luckily, the Orion then leveled out causing Evan to sigh in relieve.

"Don't do anything!" He ordered firmly, while McKay spit at the Whitaker with blazing eyes:

"You nearly got me fried! What up with you?"

"I didn't expect her to react like this. I'm sorry but I've never flown a ship like this. The reaction is totally different." Whitaker still looked spooked.

In the meantime, Evan had gotten himself of the ground and reached for his radio. "This is Lorne. We had a small problem at the helm. Every station please report your status!"

And that was why Evan had to make a call to the Daedalus.

"Daedalus, the is the Orion. Please respond."

"This is the Daedalus. What's the matter Colonel?" Caldwell replied.

"We had a slight hiccup and need to transfer some personnel the sickbay to be checked out."

"Nothing major, I hope?"

"No. Apparently, we got lucky. We got into a stall and the gravity fields didn't balance accordingly."

"All right. Where do we pick them up?"

"Could you lock into Petersons transmitter in engineering? Her and everybody who's with her."

"Alright. We will advice Atlantis on their arrival."

Then "Ready for transport." Could be heard.

"Thank you, Colonel. Lorne out."

"Anytime, Colonel. We have them. Caldwell out."

Evan was about to finally address Captain Whitaker when he was once more hailed on the radio.

"Orion, this is Atlantis, please respond." John's voice came over the air.

"This is the Orion. Come in."

"Evan! What the heck. Cardwell just radioed and said he had personnel from you to transport to the infirmary. Are you guys alright?"

"We are. Just a slight miscommunication with ancient tech." Looking at Whitaker he continued: "Could I asked you a favor? Do you have a seasoned jumper pilot who could give some extra lessons in ancient tech to my helmsman?"

"Oh, I do that myself! I'll be right there. Sheppard out."

"Thank you. Lorne out."

Captain Whitaker looked at him, having heard only one side of the conversation.

"Captain, to get a better understanding of the difference in flying ancient ships to earth style ones, you will train with a jumper." 'Where you can't do any damage to the rest of the crew.' Was Evan thinking but didn't have it in him to say it out loud.

McKay had no such restrain. "I have no clue why you were allowed at the helm! Who taught you to fly, captain? I could have broken my neck! Hell, I think a sprained my finger. I need my fingers. All of them! Do you have any idea just how much I have to move them? So many characters a minute. I could outdo any secretary. Not that that is much of a competition."

Whitaker who had looked relieved at his CO's new orders now looked dismayed.

Evan scolded himself. It was his own fault. He should have thought about starting the training in a jumper from the beginning. Now there was only damage control left.

"McKay! It wouldn't have been that bad if the gravity fields had done their job."

"So now it my fault? You think I should have made them a priority? My bad but I thought clearly weapons were more important. But hey, I think my fingers may be alright after all."

"That's good to hear." Then it hit Evan. "You knew they weren't working properly?" He could hardly believe it.

"Yes well, of cause I knew. I ran a full diagnose on all systems, but the Orion is just sitting here."

"Funny and I just thought we were flying right now." To think all this could have been prevented.

McKay huffed.

Evan then addressed Whitaker anew: "Colonel Sheppard is on his way. He will oversee the extra training."

At that the captain looked slightly terrified but alle he said was. "Yes, Sir. Thank you."

"Please report to the jumper bay, captain."

"Sir."

Belatedly Evan remembered his soaked uniform. "Sheppard, this is Lorne, please come in."

"This is Sheppard. What's up?" His brother responded.

"Could you make a beeline to my quarters? I'm in need of a dry uniform."

"Dry uniform? Just what happened up there? Then again, tell me later. Sheppard out."

Following his helmsman to meet up with his brother Evan tapped his radio again. He needed one of his engineers to solve this.

"Lieutenant Epps, this is Lorne, please respond."

"This is Epps Sir."

"Epps please take a look at our internal gravity field generator. If you have any questions, ask McKay. Lorne out."

"Yes, Sir. Epps out."

Was it too late to radio John for new coffee? He should have thought of that from the beginning. Damn. Now he would have to confront McKay about all his findings and foremost his lack of reporting them without coffee to improve the state of his mind. Crap.

AN
I was thinking on how John and Evan would call each other over radio. I presumed they would use their last names to keep it professional with maybe the occasional slip.

As for the flying. I imagined the Orion flying circles around Atlantis. Large ones of cause, very large ones.

Fun fact: The Orion was named after an old German black and white television series from 1966 "Raumpatroullie – die phantastischen Abenteuer des Raumschiffs Orion". (Space patrol – the stunning adventures of the spaceship Orion) which was of cause shortened by its fans into "Space patrol Orion". A great series with sadly only seven episodes.