Previously: Anna's trying to figure out how to deal with life after a sudden disaster (chapter 52) so she goes for a day-vacation to visit Iskaan, the Athosian from the mainland (whom you may remember from chapters 34-40). Radek doesn't know what to do for her except try to make her birthday okay (since chapter 56).
Chapter 58. Sugar and Spice.
"Cupcakes?" Elizabeth smiled. "With purple frosting? That's oddly specific."
"The frosting color isn't too important…" he mumbled.
Radek couldn't imagine what Elizabeth must have been thinking of him right now, but her surprise and amusement was entirely worth it. "You've never requested anything made before and now… Well, I didn't think you were a cupcake person."
"I'm not. Not that I don't appreciate cupcakes." Here he was, getting sidetracked again. "It's Anna's birthday."
The amusement vanished. "It is?" She looked distressed now. "She won't be sixteen, will she?"
"Sixteen," Radek echoed. "This is the first time in years I have been there for a birthday. It's very important, which is why I'm here." And Anna had cupcakes on her birthday. Radek had seen two different birthday pictures, and the only constant was cupcakes. Cupcakes with violet frosting, but one couldn't have everything in the Pegasus galaxy. Even on their birthday.
"Oh, what could be more important than cupcakes?" Elizabeth looked like she'd been waiting to say that for her whole life. "What is it, then?"
Radek took a deep breath. "It is a crazy idea. But Carson thinks it would be good for the data and he assures me it's mostly safe…" Elizabeth waved him on. "What do you think of Anna receiving ATA gene therapy?"
Elizabeth paused to consider that for a long time. So long that Radek was aware he'd been standing in her office for longer than he ever had in the past. She was obviously weighing all the pros and cons with more contemplation than he gave it… which was not a good sign.
"It's a big step," she said finally. "To what end?"
"Her learning." In Sheppard's mind, to fly a Puddle Jumper.
There was more than one reason to receive the gene therapy. Rodney already spoke of teaching her all sorts of things about the Ancient systems and… well, Radek would have loved it if Rodney could teach her that side of things as well. In terms and a reality that Radek would never understand. Radek possessed impressive control of Ancient systems without it, so Anna could learn the systems just fine either way. But with the ATA gene and learning from the very best, like Colonel Sheppard and Rodney? She would eventually surpass him.
Wasn't that what every parent wanted for their child?
"Of course," Elizabeth said with a nod. "Does she want it?"
"I didn't want to ask her until it was approved at all possible levels…"
"I'll think about it, but I don't see why not right now."
That was unexpected. Radek felt slightly deflated. He talked himself out of that feeling quickly. Why did he expect her to say yes immediately? It was something he admired about her, wasn't it? Her methodical, careful process to decision-making. It was a way they were alike. He couldn't fault her for that now.
Besides, she was right. There were things to think about. Things to consider.
"Of course, of course," he said quickly. "Take your time." But he could come up with another suitable gift in the time he had left… just in case. Couldn't he?
What was he going to do now?
Don't panic. That was step one.
"I'd just like to talk to Carson about it. I'll have an answer for you tonight probably?"
Radek didn't know why that was a question, but he nodded, anyway, enthusiastically.
"Good." Elizabeth reached for the work she'd set aside. "Can we meet for dinner?"
He nodded again, so he didn't notice what was happening when he almost choked on oxygen. "Dinner?" he croaked.
What was step one again? Something about panicking?
"I mean, dinner," he finished. "I usually eat with Anna."
"Isn't she on the mainland with Teyla?"
"Oh. Yes, she is."
Elizabeth raised her eyebrows, a smile pulling at her lips.
"Dinner." He cleared his throat. "Dinner, then."
"Good."
#
Gerald insisted Anna call him by his first name. He wouldn't even tell her his last name. She learned that he grew up in the United States' New England, fishing, crabbing, and otherwise "communing with nature" as he called it. He was an entomologist, and he was apparently having the time of his life creating a bug collection with the Pegasus galaxy's bugs.
"I never thought I'd actually have an alien bug collection," he said. Like he'd contemplated an alien bug collection before coming to the Pegasus galaxy. He seemed strange, if not loveable in his own way. Probably like everyone else on Atlantis.
Also, he seemed to be having the time of his life making crab stew.
"This." Gerald held up a wooden bowl full of spices so that Anna could smell it. She inhaled the rich aroma and smiled, not just for his benefit. "This is the secret weapon," he whispered conspiratorially.
"Secret weapon…?" Iskaan repeated skeptically.
Anna grinned at his response. She was going to make it a point to ask Teyla on the trip back about… Athosian culture. That seemed a reasonable way to frame it.
"It's a blend I made myself from the herbs we have in the botany department," Gerald said. "I don't know anything about plants, but my mama made sure I knew a thing or two about crab soup." He took a whiff of his special creation before dumping it into the pot. "Smell that?"
Anna nodded. It did smell like it might taste good. It smelled pretty strong. She realized a while ago that it was going to be a long time before she had fried cheese again, but this stew looked like something she would have eaten at home. Probably because she loved soups and stews, no matter the season.
"The test run of Pegasus's own Old Bay spice." Gerald looked positively pleased with himself.
Anna had reservations about eating anything with the word "old" in the title. Then again, well, fried cheese. She was sure the Athosians would have a hard time comprehending that delicacy. At least Gerald's concoction was, presumably, native to their natural habitat and required no deep frying at all.
Gerald carefully stirred the spices into the soup. "And now, we boil it. But you have to be careful with crab. It's like rubber when it overcooks."
Anna couldn't speak to that one way or another. She excused herself to find some water while Gerald lectured Iskaan on the virtues of a good herb garden. The Pegasus galaxy apparently had at least three varieties of mustard that was better than anything Gerald had seen on Earth. It was criminal that the Athosians weren't using that to advantage.
"Can I help you, Anna?" Teyla asked. She stood under a tent, dicing up something that looked a little bit like a ginger root but smelled nothing like it. Rain dripped down the poles holding up the tarp, and blocked her from the sun that periodically tried to break through the clouds.
"I need something to drink," Anna said. She glanced around. No one seemed to be nearby so… maybe now was the best time. "Can I ask you something?"
"Of course." Teyla seized a nearby pitcher and poured some water into a shallow dish for Anna. "Though I may not be able to answer any questions related to Athosian culinary arts. My cooking skills are limited to chopping vegetables." She looked at her strange root like even that wasn't done right.
"No, it's not anything food-related." Or maybe it could have been food-related. Dinner dates seemed common enough on Earth. Did the Athosians do something similar? "I was wondering about a specific… area… of Athosian culture."
"Oh." Teyla looked momentarily pleased, going back to her chopping. "What would you like to know?"
"I don't know." Anna glanced toward Iskaan and Gerald. Iskaan had plucked a few plants from around the ground at his feet and was showing them to Gerald. "What do… um, how are you…" She hesitated for a long time. "Hm. I don't know what I want to know."
Teyla kept chopping at a steady pace. "Does this question perhaps have anything to do with Iskaan?" She glanced up a moment later, smiling knowingly.
"Maybe," Anna mumbled, blushing. "What are Athosian romantic relationships like?"
"Well…" Teyla started chopping up another vegetable while she spoke. "Quite unlike Earth's romantic relationships, from what Colonel Sheppard tells me. We are mostly concerned with ensuring the survival of our children through strong bloodlines."
"So… coupling isn't for love," Anna ventured.
Teyla seemed to consider that. "My people are typically split into separate groups, to make the cullings less devastating. Sometimes, a young couple will remain together their whole lives for love, but that is not always true." She looked around with a sad look in her eyes. "There are very few children much younger than Jinto in this camp. It has gotten harder for my people to survive, and even more difficult for some of them to see the reason to bring more children into such turmoil, since the Wraith are waking in such large numbers."
The sun finally showed on a corner of the camp. Anna wondered that this conversation veered so far off course. Or perhaps it was on course by Athosian standards…
"But," Teyla interrupted Anna's thoughts. "I believe I answered your question in a far more practical manner than you intended."
"Maybe," Anna mumbled. She picked up a root from Teyla's table and a knife, and started chopping, too. "I wasn't thinking about children." Was Iskaan? This could get very awkward, very quickly.
"He may not be, either," Teyla agreed. "Iskaan is young and he is a very accomplished hunter and trader. Many young Athosian traders go through a period of time when they believe home is not… something to be desired. They want to see what the galaxy may offer."
"Sounds like a normal teenager-thing." At least that seemed normal. Except she was pretty sure she didn't want to fall into a category labeled What the Galaxy Has to Offer. The galaxy was not offering her, thank you very much. She slammed her blade through the onion-like vegetable to make sure the galaxy understood. "So, don't put too much stock in Iskaan."
Teyla shook her head. "I do not believe I meant that exactly."
"I only want to know what he's after, I mean," Anna said. "I have no frame of reference."
"A wise precaution," Teyla agreed. "But it may be possible the only way to know for sure is to see for yourself. I cannot tell you what Iskaan is thinking."
Anna felt sure she wasn't ready to navigate a romance of any sort, much less one with an alien culture involved. Anna had wondered what would happen if she went to school in the US, fantasized, however briefly, about dates at such American institutions as the movie theater and McDonald's. She had no idea what Americans did on dates. Granted… she had no idea what a Czech would do on a date, either. She imagined Radek would be secretly pleased to know that.
Sometimes she thought she should get out more. Then she went out and realized it was a mistake. Besides… she was in another galaxy. No one could be expected to anticipate the turn of events. Even small ones.
In any case, relationship with an American seemed manageable in comparison to one with an Athosian.
"Many Athosians have a mind towards family at a very young age. These people may have a family, a child—or even two—before they turn nineteen. Others, such as myself… do not."
"So it's not necessary," Anna said.
Smiling fondly toward a group of men working on raising a large tent, Teyla shook her head. "Perhaps my people are more concerned with love than I give them credit for."
Next time: It's better to say what you need to say before it's too late.