Back at the Ranch

Series: Moments Sacred and Profane - Season Two

Title: MSP Interlude 3: Back at the Ranch

Author: Mice

Category: Stargate: Atlantis, Zelenka/Osbourne

Warnings: slash, angst

Spoilers: season one, The Siege 3

Rating:

Summary: While the command staff is on Earth, somebody has to be minding the fort. Radek and Geoff have some issues to resolve.

Archive: If it's on your list, you can archive it. If it isn't and you'd like it, just let me know where you're putting it.

Feedback: Feed me, Seymour.

Website: Mice's Hole in the Wall http://www.squidge.org/mice

Mirror: http://mice.inkpress.org

Disclaimer: Not mine. They belong to many other people. But if they were mine, they'd be having very interesting adventures.

Author's Notes: Beautiful nitpicky beta by Zortified. Further word-wrangling from Pas, Heuradys, Lucia Tanaka, and Kaytee4Ever. Thanks to AmIReal for the whacked b-plot idea.

~~~

Where am I from, I sometimes ask myself, where

in the devil

do I come from, what day's today, what's

happening...

~~Pablo Neruda from Canto General: The Magellanic Heart~~

Radek sat at the table in the briefing room, rubbing his neck. It had been less than a day since the command staff had stepped through the Gate to Earth, and already things felt strange. Teyla was nominally in charge of the expedition at the moment, and Radek was filling Rodney's shoes. Major Lorne and Lieutenant Miller were there as well, along with Dr. Chandrapurna, and Sgt. Riordan, who had taken over most of the Gate tech duties that Peter used to hold.

Major Lorne was Major Sheppard's new second in command. He had arrived with the Daedalus and seemed to be quite competent, but Radek was relieved that Lt. Miller was sitting in on the meetings as well. Miller had been with them from the beginning, and would, most likely, be able to curb any of the new Major's excesses.

Coffee had been poured, but they were all still engaged in pre-briefing chatter. "I do not understand why there must be so many reports," Teyla said to him quietly. "Your people seem inordinately fond of them."

"Yes," Radek said. "I do not envy you having to take Dr. Weir's job." He took another sip from his mug. "However, we really must get started. There is much to do, and I believe the military contingent is getting restless."

Teyla nodded. "Very well. I believe you are right." She looked around the room. "May I have everyone's attention please?" The side conversations fell silent, and she began. "Thank you. I know that we are in unique circumstances until Dr. Weir and the rest of the command staff return, so I will very much appreciate everyone's cooperation and assistance as we deal with the everyday operations of the City of the Ancestors."

People sipped at coffee and nodded. Radek appreciated Teyla's honesty in their situation. It would be difficult for all of them, filling the roles that others were usually responsible for. True, he was Rodney's second and had been to enough of these meetings when Rodney was offworld, but with this new group of people sitting around Dr. Weir's conference table, he wondered how they would coalesce as a ruling council.

Major Lorne spoke first, as Radek half-expected. "Ms. Emmagan, I'm not sure I understand why Dr. Weir left you in charge. While I understand that Atlantis is a civilian project, you aren't even from Earth. I'm not certain whether the military here will follow your lead." Miller and the others bristled slightly but said nothing, waiting for Teyla's response.

Teyla nodded. "Yes, I did anticipate your question. Dr. Weir and I spoke at length about this. Her feeling was that my long experience with your people, my work on Major Sheppard's offworld team, and my work with your people in these meetings every day served to make those of us who have been here for the last year comfortable with me. If anyone has any discomfort with my command, I hope that they will bring it to me. If you are expressing your own discomfort, I can only refer you to the military personnel under your command who have been here from the beginning." Miller nodded.

"In addition," Teyla said, "I believe that my loyalty has been proved on many occasions, despite the potential risk that it was initially felt I may pose to the expedition. My... unique ability to contact the Wraith has, in fact, served us well, as is demonstrated by the fact that we are still alive and sitting here."

Lorne sat back in his chair, watching Teyla closely. He tilted his head. "I'm willing to work with you, Ma'am. I just need to be certain for myself and for those of us who have recently arrived from Earth."

"Dr. Weir would not have left Teyla in charge if she did not have absolute faith in her abilities," Radek said. "And she has left me as Teyla's second, so that those who might be concerned about the leadership of an alien might have someone to turn to. Unless you have some objection to my leadership?"

Lorne shook his head. "No, Doc. From everything I've heard, you have a pretty good head on your shoulders. No offworld experience to speak of, but Dr. Weir didn't have much either."

"Yes," Radek said, "this is so. But with Dr. McKay gone, I am the one who knows most about the physical operations of Atlantis. I do not anticipate having to go offworld while the command crew is gone."

Miller grinned at him. "We'll do our best to make sure that doesn't happen, Sir," he said.

"Dekuji," Radek muttered, relieved.

Teyla smiled. "Let us begin with Dr. Chandrapurna's report."

***

Rob Stackhouse had his assignment for the day. City exploration was the priority at the moment, now that their supplies were replenished. A lot of new systems had been powered up with the ZPM as well. He was just as glad, because he didn't think he was fit to be going offworld for a while.

Everything inside him was just numb. The week since the end of the siege had been hell for him. Outside of the remaining members of the Thursday Night Crew, there were very few people who understood the magnitude of his loss. He couldn't be caught mourning publicly as much as he needed to, and he didn't want to burden his friends. Everyone had been touched by loss over the last year.

Some of those losses, he knew, were more devastating than others to different individuals. It didn't make his own pain any less. Nor did it help when he had to be around the other military in the city. He was glad he'd been paired up with Siwicki again. She knew him and what he'd been through, and she wouldn't find his actions inexplicable if he were to shut down emotionally from time to time as they worked.

They'd been assigned to Tower 57 with about a dozen other military and scientists. There were power uses going on that the engineers weren't certain about, and no sign that any of it was as dangerous as the isolation virus labs that had been breached after the big storm.

When the posse got to Tower 57, he and Siwicki were sent to the top to work their way down. Others were assigned to different floors to work in different directions, with two teams being assigned to the lowest floors due to the larger area to be covered.

The transporters flashed them up to a corridor, and Siwicki started making notes on her tablet. "Looks like every other corridor in the city," she said, boredom in her voice.

Rob nodded. "Yeah. Probably more living quarters or something."

"I guess we'll find out." She shrugged and they headed out. About halfway through their exploration of the top floor, they found an unusual door with more elaborate stained glass than the others. The tones were in blues and greens, lit from behind, rather than the common earth tones of the glass in the rest of the city they'd seen.

"This looks different," Rob said. "Maybe I should call Dr. Kusanagi."

"Nah," Erin said. "There's definitely a power signature here, but I'm not reading anything that seems even a little bit hazardous."

"It's your ass in a sling if you're wrong," Rob grumbled.

She opened the door and they both stood for a moment stunned in the brilliant light. "Whoa," Siwicki muttered.

Rob blinked in the sunlight. What lay on the other side of the door was less a room than a massive, natural-appearing open space capped by a huge, arcing crystal dome. The sound of falling water was everywhere. "What the hell's this?" he asked.

"Dunno yet, but I sure want to find out," Erin said. She smiled. "Solarium? Greenhouse? Indoor park?"

He stepped in first and she followed him, both of them looking around. It looked as though someone had imported a park. There were stone grottoes and flagstone paths all around them. The only thing missing was the moss and ferns. About five minutes into the exploration, Erin tapped her headset. "Sergeant Reed, this is Siwicki. Stacks and I have found a really fascinating area. Nothing dangerous here, but it's going to be a while exploring. We'll let you know when we have something more concrete."

"Roger," Reed's voice replied. "Check in as soon as you can."

"Definitely."

They explored for about twenty minutes, walking the paths. In the center of the area was a huge open space covered with earth. "Wonder if this used to be a garden?" Rob asked.

"Maybe," Erin agreed. "But seriously -- pools everywhere, and waterfalls over there along that rock face." Some of the pools had steam rising from them while others were large and deep enough to be public swimming pools. In one area, the stone walls were interspersed with doors and cubicles. As they explored, Erin got more and more excited. "You know what this is?" she said. "It's a spa. The pools are different temperatures. Some of these rooms are steam rooms while others are saunas. They're at different temperatures for heating up or cooling down." She gestured back toward the area with the cubicles. "What do you bet those are showers?"

Rob followed her back to them, and sure enough, that was what they were. There were stone benches and little cubbyholes large enough for clothing and towels. "Damn, I think you're right," he said. "We need to tell everybody about this."

Erin gave him an evil grin. "Yeah, but before we do, I'm gonna have a soak. Do you have any idea how long it's been since I was in a hot tub?"

"What?" Rob watched, astonished, as she stripped down and plopped into a pool.

"Oh, man, this is awesome!" she said. "This is really going help the aches in my leg." She smiled blissfully and waved a hand at him. "Come on in. Give yourself a few minutes to relax. It's not like you don't need it."

"But... but you're naked."

She snorted. "Like you care? What, you've never seen a naked woman before?"

Rob stood and stared for a moment as Erin closed her eyes and leaned back, reveling in the hot water. "Aw, fuck it." He stripped off and slipped in with her. The pool was big enough for twenty people, so it wasn't like they were crowded together, though he did suffer a little embarrassment at the whole idea.

It was a few moments before Rob spoke again. "Umm... how are we gonna dry off?" he asked.

She shrugged. "We can drip dry for all I care. Maybe they have Ancient blow-driers around somewhere. Who knows, there might be towels in one of the lockers."

"Hmm. I suppose there's that."

She rinsed her fogged up glasses in the water. "Either that or we just get dressed while we're wet. Which would be kinda gross, but if worse comes to worst."

Rob eased himself further down into the water. "It doesn't bother you to be naked with a guy?"

Erin snorted. "No; certainly not with you. Now, if it was Kavanagh or Tryggveson? Yeah, then I'd be less inclined. I'd sooner spork Tryggveson's eyes out than let him see me naked." She sighed and stretched. Rob could hear a pop in her upper back. "Oh, yeah, that helped." Erin made a quiet, purring sound. "Bubbles?" she asked. "I'm betting one of these little lights over here probably turns some on."

"Sounds good," Rob said. He was starting to relax a little, and that surprised him.

She waved her hand over the lights and different jets began to come on. With a yelp and a giggle, she moved. "Oh, that was in just the wrong place."

"Maybe it was in the right one," Rob suggested, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, don't you go getting any ideas," she snorted. Once she was comfortable again, her face sobered. "How are you doing?" she asked. "It can't be easy, not being able to talk to the other guys you're working with."

"It's not," he admitted. "I don't know who to trust."

"With all the new guys, I'm not surprised." She held out a hand. "Want a foot rub?"

"You're kidding, right?"

"No. You could probably use it." Her hand was still out.

With a sigh, Rob offered her a foot. "You sure about this?" She didn't answer, but set to giving him what was really a pretty decent foot massage. "I'm kinda worried about Lorne," he said. "He's a lot better than Everett so far but, I mean, I have no idea what he's gonna be like when it comes to this."

Erin nodded. "I could see that being an issue." She looked up from his foot, hands still moving. "I'm sorry about Jacks."

Rob looked away. "I know. Hurts like hell." He couldn't help the crack in his voice. It was still all too fresh, and she was one of the few people who really knew what they had been to each other. "At least you civilians don't have to hide it."

Erin nodded. "Yeah, but I'm seeing Tanya. Not like she can be out. But you know if you need to talk, you can," she said. He hissed when her thumb dug into a knot in the arch of his foot. He took a deep breath and let himself flow past the pain before he replied.

"I don't know if I can," Rob said. He gave a soft groan as her thumb moved over the sore spot again. "I just... things are different now; too many new people. I'm afraid for anyone to find out."

Erin nodded. "Yeah, pretty much all the newbies are military. I can see how that would be a problem. No idea who would react how."

"Dr. Weir talked to me once, just after the memorial. Asked if I wanted to go back to Earth. I said no. I've been thinking about talking to Heightmeyer, but I don't want it in my record."

She put his foot down and started on the other. "Hmm," she muttered noncommittally.

"I know you don't like her," Rob said, "but she's okay. Really."

"I don't do shrinks, but I know they help a lot of people," she said, not looking at him.

"I heard you two had a fight over that music box thing a while back."

She raised her eyes, hands still moving on his foot. "More than a music box, but yeah."

"Any idea what happened to it?"

She shook her head. "No. I'm out of the loop on it. Not like anybody's had time to experiment with it anyway."

He nodded. "Right." Rob took a deep breath and let it out slowly. His feet were aching a little less, and though he still felt numb inside, it was helping a bit with his stress level. So was the hot water. "This was a really good idea," he said, just over the sound of the bubbles and falling water.

"Figured it would be when I saw the place," she said, "but I think we should be going. We'll need to be checking in soon anyway."

"Yeah."

She patted the sole of his foot. "Go see Heightmeyer. All she really has to record is that you saw her and that you're dealing with trauma and grief. You know Weir's not gonna let anybody give any of us shit after what's happened here in the last year."

"Yeah, I know, but Weir's not here right now."

Erin snorted. "And what, Teyla's going to give you shit over it and tell Lorne? I don't think so."

He shrugged. "There's that, I guess. It's just instinct to cover your ass."

"I know. It'll be okay. Honest."

He let himself crack a tiny smile. "Yeah, probably. I'm just paranoid."

"Around here? Who's not?" She lifted herself out of the pool and brushed at the water streaming from her skin. "Let's see if we can locate some towels. I'm not sure I want to be in the way when folks find out about this and the rush hits." She grinned. "It'll be chaos, just you wait and see."

"Yeah," Rob said. "And they'll probably make us wear swimsuits, the bastards."

***

"Swimsuits?" Radek said, startled.

Teyla raised an eyebrow. "What is a swimsuit?" She sounded genuinely puzzled. Radek couldn't blame her.

"It is clothing for swimming in. Some people do not care to allow their bodies to be seen, nor do they wish to see the bodies of others," Dr. Chandrapurna told her.

She turned a confused face to Dr. Heightmeyer. "A nudity taboo for swimming?"

Dr. Heightmeyer nodded. "Unless you want to institute women-only and men-only hours," she said. "That might be wise whether people choose to wear swimsuits or not, to be honest. Given the homophobic incidents of early last year, public safety may be at issue in some cases." She glanced at Radek, who nodded.

"Granted, that did occur, but we are all adults here," Radek said, "and the offenders have been removed and sent back to Earth. Why should we not just make it a matter of personal choice?"

"Considering that there could be people on the expedition who are survivors of rape or child abuse or who may have other objections to public nudity," Heightmeyer said, "we have to take into account the potential for discomfort. With the increased population, we can't be certain everyone will behave like adults."

"How about this," Lorne said. "We declare some hours clothing-optional, and some sections of the area can be set aside for just the women or just the men."

They all leaned on the table, chins in hand. "I suppose this would suffice, yes," Radek said. "The compromise would no doubt suit most people best."

"Your people are very strange," Teyla muttered. She looked like she was developing a headache. Radek couldn't blame her. It had only been one day, and he already had immensely more respect for Dr. Weir's work in running the city.

"Shall we make a general announcement?" Radek asked.

Sergeant Riordan, the Gate tech, shook his head. "No way. You know what kind of a stampede that would create? Send everybody emails. Seriously."

Lieutenant Miller grinned. "I think we should do a fact-finding mission before we make the announcement," he said. "You know, test the waters, so to speak?"

The grins that appeared around the table were encouraging. "Yes," Radek said. "I suggest we adjourn this meeting to the spa. We must, of course, be certain that the conditions are safe for the expedition members."

"I agree," Teyla said. She smiled.

***

Geoff Osbourne sat quietly on the bed, staring out the window into the darkness, watching as the smaller of Atlantis's two moons rose over the towers before him. His dirt-streaked reflection stared back at him. The day had been a busy one. Even though all the fires had been extinguished after the Wraith siege of the city, there was a lot of cleanup still to be done. Anyone not directly involved in working with Ancient technology or the offworld teams was doing cleanup or city exploration. He'd been on one of the cleanup details.

His entire body ached, muscles pulled and bruised by the work. Radek wasn't home yet, and Geoff wasn't sure when he would be. Since he and Teyla had been given Dr. Weir's duties as well as Radek taking over for Rodney McKay while the CSO was on Earth, Geoff wasn't certain what his hours would be like.

Weary hands rubbed gravelly eyes and he sighed. The place felt empty when Radek wasn't there, even more so now that Peter was gone. The silence of it echoed inside him like a cavern. Atlantis didn't even have the hum of electricity in the walls, like they did back on Earth, to mitigate the intensity of her silences.

He opened the drawer in the bedside table and pulled out the photo. It had been taken one Thursday shortly after Peter had become their lover: Peter and Radek and Geoff curled up together on the couch, unaware of the camera. Peter was laughing, snuggled up against Radek's side, Geoff's legs in their laps. The empty ache in him blossomed into a chest full of misery.

"Peter," he whispered softly. His thumb traced along the curve of Peter's arm. He took a deep breath and put the photo back into the drawer, closing it firmly. It still hurt too much to face. And Rodney had left him there, left Peter in that satellite with the Wraith coming and no defense.

A shaft of light accompanied the quiet shoosh of the bedroom door opening. "Milacku?"

Geoff turned. "Hey, Radek," he said softly.

Radek's eyes took him in, assessing him. "You did not get the general email?"

Geoff blinked, puzzled. "Email?"

Radek smiled. "One of the city survey teams found a spa," he said. "And it is not just a few saunas and some hot pools. Is very beautiful. Command staff was just up there." He went to Geoff, taking his wrist and tugging. "Come. You look like you need this. Bring a towel. Not so many people know about it just yet, and it's late. Probably very few people there, if anyone."

"I'm tired," Geoff said simply.

Radek's eyes narrowed, concern growing on his face. He sat on the bed next to Geoff. "I'm sorry. I just thought perhaps it would help you feel better. Would you prefer if I shower with you, wash your back? Perhaps you would like your shoulders rubbed? Yes?"

Geoff felt something in himself collapse. "Yes." He closed his eyes, resting his face in the palms of his hands. "That would be really nice."

Radek leaned into him, his body warm as his arm slipped around Geoff's shoulders. The backs of his fingers brushed Geoff's cheek. "Please, milacku, talk to me. You have not been yourself for a long time now. I worry for you."

"There's nothing anyone can do," Geoff told him. He looked up into Radek's eyes. "I just feel lost. There's a hole in me where Peter used to be."

"I know." Radek's voice was soft and quiet, pain reflected in the blue of his eyes. "For me as well, though I know not so much as for you."

Geoff lifted a hand, cupping Radek's cheek. "Miluju te." He took a deep, shaking breath. "Never believe for an instant that what I felt for Peter changes how I feel for you."

"Geoff--" Radek looked stricken. "Geoff, why would I ever think you would feel less for me because you loved Peter?"

A long silence stretched between them as Geoff tried to put it in words. His thumb caressed Radek's cheekbone and his eyes stung as he tried to keep tears from falling. "Because," he eventually said, "because of how it happened; because of what I said. Be-because of how you feel about Rodney."

"And that does not change how I feel about you either," Radek whispered.

"I don't know what to do anymore," Geoff said. "Seeing how you and Carson were while you were in detox, I just--" His breath hitched. "I don't know what to do."

"I think you must try to sort how you feel. And I honestly do believe you must speak with Rodney when he and Carson return. Until you resolve this with him, you are not going to feel any peace. Also, I don't think you will be able to let Peter rest. Not in your heart." Radek nuzzled his cheek and kissed it. "Come, then. Let's get you shower. Your face is all dirty. You must be sore from the long day."

Radek stood and tugged at Geoff's hand. "Right," Geoff said quietly. "Getting up." Radek led him into the bathroom, helping him tug clothes off as they walked. His lover shed his own clothing as well, his long hair mussed and wild. It brought a tiny smile to Geoff's face, seeing Radek like that. He reached up and combed his fingers through the feral mess.

Geoff turned the water on and let it get warm and they both stepped into the shower. He let the flow pound down on his head and shoulders as Radek soaped up his back, taking the opportunity to massage sore muscles with his strong, precise hands. With a sigh, Geoff let himself lean against the shower wall, bracing himself with both hands and letting his head hang down.

They were silent for a long time, with only the sound of falling water and Geoff's quiet moans to accompany the reverie. He was angry about Peter's death, about Rodney coming way from it unscathed. Not that he actively wished any harm on the man. He was, or at least had been, a friend. Geoff wasn't sure how he felt now.

Rodney had been in isolation with Radek and Carson while they'd been in detox. To Geoff, it had felt like an intrusion, but he'd needed to be with them. His own feelings for Carson were similar to Radek's for Rodney, and the four of them, for good or ill, had become closely intertwined in one another's lives. He'd heard the guilt in Rodney's voice when he talked about Peter in the more lucid moments of his ordeal. Unfortunately, Rodney's guilt did nothing to ease the pain or the anger Geoff felt.

He could feel it in his shoulders and down into his back as Radek's hands moved on him. "Easy," he asked as Radek pressed into a knot with a little too much pressure.

"Sorry," Radek said. His hands moved gently down to Geoff's waist and he slipped his arms around Geoff. Radek's body was warm and comfortable nestled against his back.

"It's okay." He turned in Radek's arms and embraced him, foreheads touching. Water ran down Radek's face, his eyes intensely blue without his glasses covering them. "I don't think I can talk to Rodney."

Radek shook his head. "You know it was not his fault. I know you know this, but I think you are still so angry you refuse to understand."

"It was just so meaningless," Geoff said, his chest tight. He closed his eyes.

"No," Radek said. "Not meaningless. Peter destroyed one of the Hiveships. Without that, the Daedalus would have been too little, too late. Peter died for all of us, Geoff, just as you or I would have -- just as Rodney would have -- if we had been there instead. Do not take that from him."

Radek's words shook him. "You'renotdeadyou'renotdead," he whispered, holding Radek as tight as he could.

"I'm still here, milacku." Radek's voice was soft and his hands moved gently, caressing Geoff's back under the falling water. "I'm still alive. I still love you." There were nuzzles and soft kisses accompanied by the scratch of a day's growth of whiskers. That was steadying in a way Geoff hadn't really appreciated before. Radek's voice was a lifeline in the swirl of numbness and rage Geoff was living in.

"Don't die," Geoff said, unable to stop himself. He knew it was a stupid, unreasonable demand. There was nothing anyone could do when the time came. Yet he held onto Radek, shaking, tears running down his face to disappear in the heat of the shower. "Please, don't die."

Radek's lips moved over his face, kissing away the tears. "Trust me, Geoff, I have no plans for dying anytime in the next fifty or sixty years, at least."

"Neither did Peter."

He could feel Radek flinch. "You know that is not fair." Radek's voice caught. "You know that none of us plans to die, it just happens. Here, especially. It just happens."

Geoff's mind flashed to the day the nanovirus kept Atlantis in lockdown, when he'd sat in the Geology lab with his friends, wondering if Radek and Rodney were still alive. He sobbed silently into Radek's shoulder.

"Listen to me, my love," Radek said, his voice intense in Geoff's ear. "I am not going to leave you. I am not on an offworld team, so my chances of staying alive are better than they might be. Regardless of my feelings for Rodney, you are the one I live with; you are the one I love and this will always be true. I will always come home to you."

Unable to speak, Geoff just nodded into Radek's shoulder. He took a few shuddering breaths, trying to control the weeping, but it was like a tsunami inside him. Nothing could keep it back. The entire time he'd been away at the Alpha site, he'd been unable to do anything but hold himself together, working frantically to set up and worrying about Radek back in Atlantis. The last week had been inundated with damage control and repairs and then sitting, helpless, while his lover and two of his best friends -- was Rodney even still his friend? -- recovered from too many stimulants in too little time.

"You will survive this," Radek whispered. "You will hurt, and I will hurt, and Rodney and Carson will hurt, but we will all survive this, and we will do it together."

"I... I don't know if I can forgive him," Geoff choked.

Radek's arms closed about him more tightly. "You're a good man, Geoff. There is time before they return. By then, I think your feelings will be more settled. You will be more clear, and more ready to see why you feel this way."

"I just want to go to bed." Geoff's exhaustion was weighing him down, and his misery only added to how desolate he felt.

"Yes, yes, but we must first get you clean. So much ash and dirt on you." He felt Radek move back and then the touch of a warm, wet, soapy cloth on his face. He stood still, just letting Radek take care of him. He'd done this often enough for Radek after the assault, when he was still barely able to care for himself. Radek's touch steadied him, and the pressure inside him eased.

There was something so real and solid about the washing. It was almost like being pressed back into his body after he'd been away, lost in a place that left him dizzy and disoriented. "Love you," Geoff said, looking at Radek after he'd rinsed his face. Radek smiled back at him.

"I know." Radek kissed him softly, hands still moving gently on his body.

***

It was still raining. It had been raining for the past three hours.

"Major Lorne!"

Craig turned his head at the excitement in the botanist's voice. He tapped his radio. "Reed, Kaufman, stay alert. What is it, Doc?" He got acknowledgements from his people, and Dr. Parrish waved him over.

"Oh, you just have to see this. It's a magnificent specimen!"

Berry picking. A Major in the United States Marine Corps, and he'd been assigned with his team to berry picking on some godforsaken hole of a planet. He'd come to Atlantis to fight Wraith, not get berry juice on his BDU's.

"Is it going to attack you?" he asked, grumbling.

Parrish chuckled. "Oh, no. It's just a fascinating example of a new species. I think this one may actually be unique to the Pegasus galaxy. You know the Ancients didn't seed every--"

"Right, Doc, right. That's okay. I don't need the whole lecture, trust me." He rolled his eyes and sauntered over to where the botanist was standing. Geeks. Why did it have to be geeks?

Parrish kept barreling right along, explaining god only knew what as they walked. He took notes as Craig kept an eye out for Wraith or other potential dangers. Unfortunately, with his eyes up, he didn't see the edge.

With a yelp and an ungainly flailing of arms, he tumbled over the edge and landed on his face in the mud. "Crap," he spluttered, spitting mud out. "God, I hope there's nothing disgusting in that."

"Major? Major! Are you okay?" Parrish was shouting and he could hear him on the radio too, and Kaufman and Reed's responses.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, just a little muddy." He got up onto his hands and knees, fingers digging into the slurry. He spit again, shaking his head to try to get some of it off his face without smearing it further.

A bright spot caught the corner of one eye, and he looked, ignoring Parrish's prattle above him. "Okay, what's this?"

He crawled over to it, a glint of sunlight reflecting from something. Brushing the mud away, it looked like the top of a smooth, metal arc. "Holy shit."

"What?" Parrish asked, as Reed and Kaufman came pelting up at top speed. "Are you hurt? Do you need a rope?"

"Yeah," Craig said. He sat back on his haunches. He was so muddy that getting his ass in it too wasn't going to make that much difference. "And I think we need a shovel."

Twenty minutes later, they were all knee deep in the mudhole, and a good bit of the arch was unearthed. It was some kind of doorway, but nothing they did opened it. "Crap," he said. "I think we're gonna have to get the engineering geeks out here. I got bupkis."

"Good," Parrish muttered. "I can't make heads or tails of the readings here. I'm a botanist, not a metallurgist."

"That mean we can go home, Major?" Reed asked.

Craig wiped sweat from his still-muddy face. It was drying and cracking and felt really nasty, but there hadn't been much choice for cleanup. "Yeah. I think that means we go home. Fuck, I need a shower."

"Okay," Kauffman said, starting to grab some of the supplies. "Let's pack it in."

***

"Doctor Kavanagh was most unsettled," Teyla said, watching as the puddle vanished within the Gate.

Radek sighed and rubbed his forehead. "If he was not upset about something, I would think he was feverish."

"The other scientists who went on the mission were not so perturbed."

Radek nodded. "This is because none of them feel that Rodney should have left them in charge instead of me."

Lorne was there, freshly showered and in a clean uniform. "Can't think of anybody I'd rather see slopping around in a mud hole than Kavanagh." He paused. "Well, okay, maybe McKay."

"You barely know Dr. Kavanagh," Teyla said, giving Lorne a raised eyebrow.

He smiled back, a crooked little grin. "I've heard enough of his tirades already. The man's a menace. And he needs a haircut." Lorne looked at Radek. "No offense, Doc."

Radek snorted. "None taken. His hair does not bother me, just his personality. Perhaps Dr. Chandrapurna can find a way to do a personality transplant. With Ancient technology..."

Lorne laughed and even Teyla let herself smile just a little at the comment.

"I believe we have paperwork, Dr. Zelenka," Teyla said, gesturing toward Dr. Weir's -- now their -- office.

Radek tugged his glasses off and rubbed his eyes. "Of course. Always there is paperwork. Paperless office. Yes. Like sound-powered telephone battery." Lorne snickered but Teyla just gave him a blank look.

"Geek joke," Lorne said.

"Two things that do not exist," Radek said, taking pity on Teyla's confusion.

"Oh." She sounded less than convinced. "Perhaps we should get started."

The next several hours were filled with reviewing reports, filling out forms about reports, approving reports, giving reports to someone to file, and filling out reports about all the reports they'd reviewed. Radek was about to slam his head on his desk, or perhaps commit seppuku, if he could find a sharp enough screwdriver.

"I believe it is time for dinner," Teyla said, eyeing him as he was contemplating suicide by patch cord.

"Do you think Elizabeth hates us?" he asked.

Teyla blinked. "No, why?" She looked confused again. It was really rather adorable, when Radek thought about it.

He shook his head. "Of course not. Nothing."

In the mess hall, she and Radek sat together, still discussing the frightening mountains of paperwork. It was truly appalling. Even Rodney had nowhere near this much as head of the sciences department. Radek sighed and tapped his radio. "Geoff, where are you?"

"Just finished up a damage control shift. You?" Geoff sounded as exhausted as he had last night.

"I am in the mess hall with Teyla. Perhaps you would like to join us?"

"Okay, sure. I'll see you in about ten minutes."

"How is Dr. Osbourne doing?" Teyla asked. "I... I know he was very upset with Rodney about Dr. Grodin's death."

Radek gave her a puzzled glance. "Yes," he said softly. "Yes, he still is. But I did not know you knew this."

"I went a few times to visit the three of you in the infirmary while you were all recovering. He was there as well. It was quite apparent he was uneasy with Rodney. And... to be honest, Rodney apologized several times when he was awake. It upset Dr. Osbourne very much."

"I see," Radek said. "I didn't know. I do not think I remember you there."

"You were always asleep when I was visiting. I did speak to Rodney once, but he was not very coherent."

Her dark brown eyes reminded him of Peter's, and something caught in Radek's chest. "What did he say?"

"That he wished it had never happened. He was very afraid. He spoke of losing Carson, and you." She clasped her hands together. "I believe he cares for you a great deal. He is very afraid of losing more of his friends, after all that has happened."

Radek nodded, silent. He picked up his cup of coffee and just let the steam rise around his face. It fogged one of his lenses, but he ignored it. The implications of what Teyla was saying soaked into his skin. It wasn't a thing he could deal with right now.

Teyla ate as Radek sat, absorbed in his own thoughts. He looked up when Dr. Chandrapurna joined them. "Good evening," Anand said.

"Good evening, Dr. Chandrapurna," Teyla said to him.

Radek nodded. "Anand."

"I have the results back finally from Major Lorne's bloodwork. He is very lucky he does not have dysentery. I do not understand how the military here manage to survive these offworld missions of theirs. Always they are getting hurt or ingesting some questionable substance. Usually at the same time." Anand sighed and set his tray down.

"I do not believe he ate the mud deliberately," Radek said.