Day Forty-Five - Forty-Seven

It takes almost two days. There are some losses in N'vellesem and Ayse, two Marines are killed, and one 302 is lost in the battle. The Marines dig two more graves, and they double their efforts on digging out the port side hangar. John is sure that they'll find some way to extract the precious, trapped 302s.

The Wraith coming here for the first time is going to cause some fallout among the citizens of Dominat, but Anbur reassures John that tragedy is the 'Will of Qaral', and drops the matter.

The Asgard beam is limited by the fact that they are on the ground: it can't beam them through the planet to the other side, but it isn't necessary; before Anbur leaves to return to N'vellesem, he explains the odd pattern of populations that had been bugging John, why they seem to only use a small portion of the planet. No one lives in the forested zones because of the uncontrollable, dangerous fires, and the huge desert sea on the other side is too dry and empty.

The Daedalus' scanners are limited as well; the data is incomplete because of radiation and magnetic interference, so they don't know if there are Wraith present in the far distant towns.

However, the Wraith didn't use their usual cull/destroy tactics, but had generally seemed to concentrate their efforts on the area surrounding the Daedalus: they are after the hyper-drive and information about the better feeding grounds of Earth. John considers that it could have been worse; the entire population--including them--could have been annihilated.

The discussion of how to approach the problem has Rodney disappearing into a workroom of the Daedalus with Hermiod and Novak, specifically charging John to baby-sit Shaaziya. With the Daedalus no longer surrounded by the Qaroptimat forces, there's no reason to keep her on board, but she's willing to learn and doesn't appear to be anxious to return home.

John kind of likes Shaaziya and he's amused that he got picked for babysitting duty. He teaches her a few English words for things around the ship and makes a little headway with figuring out some the Qaroptimat dialect, which turns out to be vaguely similar to Peragro.

He lets her shadow him when he visits Elizabeth, but there hasn't been any change. The respirator makes her chest rise and fall with a sighing shush-shush sound, and the EKG beeps reassuringly, but Elizabeth is still pale and unmoving. Shaaziya stands back, looking around the infirmary with unconcealed amazement.

It's late evening by the time John is bored with babysitting, so he tracks Rodney down in the lab with Shaaziya in tow. There's no mistaking the look in McKay's eyes when he sees her and he laughs delightedly when she says "Hello, Rodney," in English.

"So, Rodney, whatcha you doing?" John has no reason to be jealous, yet he finds himself feeling unaccountably annoyed at Rodney's moon-eyed expression. He lets his glance slide off Hermiod, who merely gives him a slit-eyed glare. Hermiod's still annoyed by John's naked alien crack.

He doesn't get an answer because the moment that Shaaziya sees Hermiod, she gives a little scream and runs from the room. "Oh crap," John mutters.

They run out after her together and catch up to her when she stops just down the corridor. Rodney croons nonsense to her while patting her hand. He orders John, "Make her understand."

John's eyes grow wide with disbelief. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me! I can barely get lunch, bathroom and sleep across, and you want me to explain benevolent aliens who really aren't gods? And how did you get Caldwell to agree to let her stay, anyway?"

Rodney glares at John like this is his fault. Maybe it is, he hadn't even considered what Shaaziya's reaction might be upon meeting Hermiod. "I, uh, asked. Nicely. I think it shocked him so badly he didn't know what else to say." Rodney pauses for a moment, thinking. "It worked remarkably well," he says wonderingly.

Shaking his head, John tries to explain Hermiod to Shaaziya, but he just doesn't have the words.

"Please, Colonel, allow me." John whips around; he hadn't even heard the sneaky little grey. "Anbur and I had some very enlightening discussions while you were away."

Huh. John makes a 'be my guest' gesture and Rodney soothes Shaaziya, while Hermiod fluently explains his presence on the Daedalus to Shaaziya in what's very likely perfect Qaroptimat.

Shaaziya doesn't sound convinced, she's firing questions at him and Hermiod is defending against her volley, until they apparently come to some understanding.

Hermiod gives them a look that's distinctly supercilious. "If you require any further translation, or would like me to attempt to teach you the language, I'm available at any time." He turns and pads back to the lab, his gait as awkward as ever.

Perhaps Hermiod's feeling as useless as John, but he didn't think that people with brains that big ever got bored; though on the ground, Hermiod's regular job is out the air lock. Metaphorically speaking. "Hermiod."

He stops and turns with the usual, faintly condescending look.

"I think we're going to take Shaaziya to the mess. Would you like to join us?"

Hermiod dips his head in acknowledgment and walks back to them. "Thank you for the invitation, Colonel."

John knows life in the Pegasus galaxy is weird, but there are levels to the weirdness and he doesn't know if this is the first or ninth.

They get a few stares when they enter the mess, but everyone looks away when John gives them the 'I'm a Colonel' glare. He has to look away and not laugh when Hermiod climbs into a hard backed chair, his feet swinging free. Shaaziya takes the seat just across from Hermiod. John tells himself to buck up and sits next to the naked alien. Rodney slides into place next to Shaaziya, with a tray of coffee and water, all three quarters full.

Rodney passes the water to Hermiod and coffee to the rest. "So where were we? Oh, yes. We're building a relay satellite. It'd be a lot simpler if it was just scanning and radio, but I'm sure we can relay the beaming technology, too."

John smiles, but Rodney's attention is on Shaaziya. He drops the smile and stuffs his jealousy down and away; he and Rodney have been nearly joined at the hip since the Expedition arrived on at Atlantis. "Cool. How long?"

Rodney is still smiling when he looks back at John. "Trials are tomorrow, we're tracking down an anomaly in the re-materialization circuit. We used all the spare parts to repair the console, so I have to patch up the old parts for the satellite."

"Uh, that's kind of frightening." John gives Rodney a bug-eyed look that he'd been beamed around by recycled parts.

"Oh, please. The only reason we used the spare parts was expediency, not because the parts were irreparable. You got back from the desert, I think you might remember that."

"Yeah, just a little."

That gets John a good-natured eye roll. "I thought you might. Your sunburn seems to be better."

John waves away his concern. "It's fine."

"Anyway, Carson's already promised me one of his future ATA mice. We'll have someone waiting a little way from the ship and send the mouse through the satellite. Mouse has been promised a full physical post-beaming. If it works, we'll send it up with a 302."

"The mouse?" John asks mildly.

"Idiot," Rodney smiles affectionately. "Anyway, I'll have to do another round of testing when the satellite is in orbit; I don't know how the radiation in the atmosphere is going to affect the signal over distance."

"I, for one, hope that it works out, it would save a whole lot of wear and tear on the feet, not to mention time."

"Yes, well, they say that laziness is the mother of invention. I usually prefer to think it's intelligence."

John gives Rodney a sage nod. "Right."

"Really, I think Dr. Cole is being far too cautious. I'm the best choice to study the database, but I'm not cleared to walk across the desert, even at night."

John quirks his eyebrows at Rodney. "So, it's not laziness, it's conceit. What about the power requirements?"

"The opportunity to study an Ancient database with people who understand and use it daily has immensely important implications for our work on Atlantis. I think Colonel Caldwell is being over cautious in his power consumption figures," Rodney says in an airy way, his hands flailing.

For the moment, John doesn't bring up the Qaroptimat's objection to general study of the Avaxqaral. "You still believe that we’re going to get rescued?"

"Eventually, when the SGC has a spare ship to send to Atlantis, they'll come looking for us, whether or not Swenson gets to Atlantis. The satellite will let us extend our scanners so we don't have to continuously send a wraith-attracting distress signal. With the satellite, our chances of getting found increase dramatically."

"You are amazing as always." John means it, really, but he hides the meaning with a twist of sarcasm in his tone.

Rodney glances at Hermiod nervously. "It was a group effort."

John swears that Hermiod's expression is a smile.

"Colonel, I have been considering Lieutenant Swenson's journey. Perhaps it would have been more effective to make a short jump to a planet with a gate, instead of trying to travel all the way to Atlantis?"

He knows that he's got a stunned expression on his face, because Rodney's got the same look on his face as he says, "Why didn't we think of that then?"

"I must confess, at the time, Dr. McKay and I were still not well, and not thinking clearly."

John asks solicitously, "So you're feeling better?"

"I am quite recovered." Hermiod sounds conciliatory, which is a strange sound.

"That's good." He's starting to understand why Novak is alternately afraid of and besotted with Hermiod; under that snotty attitude is a person that could be pretty interesting to talk to, something he learned early on with McKay. No wonder Rodney's been regularly holed up with them.

John is glad that Rodney's found his place in their nascent colony; he just wishes that he wasn't turning into a Marine security officer by default. "Should we campaign to send another 302? We're down to four. Do we even have a gate map?"

"The Daedalus has all of the known Pegasus dialing coordinates stored in the computers."

Rodney looks a little dazed. "I was so intent on Atlantis, I didn't even think of it."

"Dr. McKay, do not 'beat yourself up', as Novak would say. We have no guarantee that the modified hyperspace protocols on Swenson's vessel have worked."

"Yes, true—but still."

"I must return to the laboratory. McKay, please bring Shaaziya, and I will teach her your language as we work. Good day, Colonel." Hermiod slides out of his chair and heads out of the mess.

They watch him leave the dining room, and after he's turned the corner, McKay laughs shortly, more of a snort. "I guess he's forgiven you."

"And I didn't even apologize."

John cuts off Rodney's response with a raised hand, Carson is on the radio. "Colonel, Elizabeth is beginning to wake up."

"Thanks, Doc." He says to the radio, and then lifts his eyes to Rodney. "Elizabeth is waking up." They leave their coffee on the table and Rodney is tugging on Shaaziya's arm in lieu of an explanation that she wouldn't understand anyway.

"Sheppard, I think I'll take Hermiod up on his offer, drop her off at the lab. Elizabeth isn't going to appreciate a crowd."

John agrees with a jerk of his head and he almost flies to the infirmary. Colonel Caldwell is already at Elizabeth's bedside, Carson and Dr. Cole on the other side, checking the monitors and taking her pulse and listening to her chest with a stethoscope.

He stands a few feet away from the foot of the bed, watching as they remove the ventilator tube from the respirator and check to see if she can breath on her own.

Elizabeth takes a few gagging breaths and that's enough-- they hurriedly tip her head back and slide the tube out of her throat, talking her through it. Carson puts a nasal cannula on her and adjusts the oxygen flow while Cole sprays her throat with something. John watches in horror and is gagging in sympathy. Another reason he joined the Air Force.

"Welcome back." Caldwell smiles a little nervously, and touches her hand gently; his attention is completely on her.

Elizabeth tries to reply, but only manages a little croak. She looks terrified and the dark smudges under her eyes make her look pale and washed out as she tracks on Carson as he soothes her with a hand to her arm and a gentle voice.

"Aye, now you probably won't be able to speak for a while, the ventilator does terrible things to the larynx."

Elizabeth takes a shaky breath and sighs. Her large expressive eyes say just how frustrated she is. Rodney blasts into the infirmary. "How is she?!" He loudly asks the room at large. "What did I miss?" he asks John in a lower voice.

John replies in a whisper. "They just took her off the respirator and she can't talk yet."

"Ah. That's good, off the respirator is good."

"I kinda wish I had missed it."

"Ugly?"

"Ever see anyone vomit up a plastic tube?"

"Uh, no. Not really. Why are we whispering?"

Caldwell looks up, and sees Sheppard and McKay lurking against the wall. "Colonel, why don't you brief Dr. Weir?"

John nods, and takes Caldwell's vacated chair.

Caldwell addresses Beckett, "Doctor, keep me informed. I'll be on the bridge."

"I’ll do that, Colonel."

"Thank you." Caldwell leaves the infirmary without a backwards glance.

Rodney drags another chair over next to Elizabeth's bed, and John prompts him, "Rodney, why don't you start at the beginning?"

As they briefly piece together the story, Elizabeth's eyes begin to droop, and then starts nods off right about when John's explaining the rememdium.

Carson checks her pulse again; hand on her wrist, despite the constant beep of the machine behind him. "Don't take it personally, she's still suffering some respiratory distress." He cranks up the oxygen a little. "You're welcome to stay, though she'll fade in and out for a while."

 

Day Forty-Eight

In order to allow her throat and larynx to heal, Elizabeth has strict orders to not talk; she uses whatever computer or pad and pencil is at hand to communicate. She never says if her agreement with John's ATA disclosure to the Idon is to merely keep the peace. John stops in several times to keep her updated on the progress of the satellite Rodney's building. The initial inanimate trials were encouraging, and Hermiod and Rodney deem it ready for the mouse trial in short order.

John volunteers to go long and wait for the mouse. Carson insists on accompanying him and they walk a few hundred yards away from the evening games being played under the lovely night sky, far enough to provide a clear target.

"Colonel, I'm going to send through an inanimate object first."

"Roger that, Rodney. We're ready."

"Here goes."

With a flash, Rodney's PDA appears on the sand. "It's here. Hang on." John picks it up, thumbing the power and scrolling through a few screens. "It works fine."

"Yes, well. Do you think I would use it if I didn't trust this completely?"

"Never in a million years."

"I'm going to send over the cage first, then Atom." With that the empty cage appears, and a moment later, the mouse inside the cage, though he falls a few inches to the bottom of the cage. Atom doesn't move, just sits quivering and allows Carson to easily capture him.

"I think he's got a wee bit of shock, but he's all here. I'll just take him in and run a few tests." Carson wanders back to the ship petting and talking to the mouse.

He wonders how Carson can treat his lab rats with such affection, knowing that they'll probably meet with some sticky demise at his own hands. John picks up the cage, then thinks a moment and puts it back down. "Rodney, Carson has Atom, can you take the cage back?"

"Excellent idea. Stand back, you're not in any danger of getting scooped up, but better safe than sorry."

He moves to what could be construed as a safe distance away. "Go."

The cage disappears, and John begins his short walk back to the hangar bay, as he listens to Rodney natters away on the radio. "Well, dependent on Carson's results, I'd say that we're ready to move to the next step, and then we'll launch."

"Sounds good to me. Need to put together an external release system of some kind."

"Sounds like that's just right up your alley, Colonel. Have fun and let me know when it's ready."

"I'll do that. So who's the lucky victim?"

"Ah, we haven't exactly got that finalized. We'll probably ask for a volunteer, lately that seems to be the way things work."

John can hear the nervousness in Rodney's voice. "Rodney?"

"Let's not discuss this over the radio, Colonel."

This turns out to be a very complicated argument with the usual suspects in the conference room, over just which section of the ship's complement to ask for volunteers. They don't want to lose any more Marines, and the scientists, while essentially jobless in the big picture of their exile, were all classified as precious resources, and yet they don't want the 'volunteer' to feel like they are the most useless person on board.

Shaaziya surprises them all. She has been Rodney's shadow for the last week, and no one realizes that she understands that much of their discussion. "I will go."

"What!" Rodney looks horrified at her suggestion.

"I am best choice." Shaaziya's eyes have a mulish expression, and her arms are crossed. Clearly, she's been spending too much time with McKay.

God help him, John shouldn't go there, but...it does make sense. Her offer to aid them is a way for her to ingratiate herself to them in general, but the part of him that's jealous of her speaks. "I think she's got a point, Rodney. If you're willing to send Shaaziya here through, then you must have complete confidence in the satellite," he says in the most innocuous, non-combative tone of voice that he can muster. "Either that, or we just have a random drawing. It might be your lucky day, you might win the lottery."

Despite his mild tone, John's comment gets him a shocked look from every one at the table, including Shaaziya, even though he just backed her up.

Rodney's eyes narrow, and he gives John a venomous glare that lets him know that he really, really hates him right now. "Carson, what about Atom?" he spits out.

Carson speaks in a soothing conciliatory tone, trying to keep the briefing from erupting into something ugly. "Scans, X-rays and blood tests are all within normal ranges. He's fine, I'd say it worked beautifully."

Now Rodney is wearing his determined face, mouth turned down at one corner, lips set in a tight line. "Fine, then let’s do it. No time like the present. Colonel, would you mind terribly being at the other end? Carson?"

"Of course, Rodney." Carson briefly shoots a frown at John, and the meeting seems to be over. The conference room empties with more alacrity than normal.

John could have, should've just said 'she's right', but something had driven him to make the spiteful comment. He's going to regret this for a long time, and he's not sure that Rodney will ever forgive him, or if he even should.

Rodney turns to go with a strangely triumphant look, and that worries him, but Rodney escapes before John can collar and question him. Knowing that he's just fucked things up, possibly beyond repair with his stupid jealousy, John takes the hike to the same spot outside the ship and sits down in the sand.

The sunset is spectacular as it always is, vast sheets of every shade of purple imaginable, tinged with gold. He should've waited for Carson, but he just needed a few minutes to himself to ponder his self-inflicted state of affairs.

Rodney has a girlfriend, and while John hasn't resorted to actual cockblocking, it's a close thing. Cadman's making advances towards Carson, Caldwell is openly courting Elizabeth and she seems receptive to his advances. For all that he's the military commander of Atlantis, it means nothing here on Dominat, and he's just alienated the one person that he could call his best friend.

He's maintained a firm distance from everyone but Rodney. The teahouse in N'vellesem was John at his best since Afghanistan; camaraderie with little to no conversation, and everyone went home at the end of the night feeling amused.

Soon, Carson is huffing his way across the sand towards his position. John expects him to lay into him with both barrels over his behavior in the conference room, but Carson merely offers him a hand up and a pat on the shoulder. "Aye, Rodney. I'm here. Give it go."

There isn't a response and the flash of light reveals... Rodney, chin tilted up defiantly and arms crossed over his chest. "Yes, you're right, Carson, it works beautifully."

Carson's doesn't look as dumbfounded as John feels, and there's obviously a conspiracy at work here. "What the hell?"

"Well, Sheppard, if we were looking to make a statement about the technology and its apparent safety, who better than I to make the test run?"

John's completely chagrined. He had been this close to offering to be the guinea pig as a gesture of reconciliation, but of course, McKay has beat him to the punch.

Carson doesn't even get the chance to pull out his stethoscope before Rodney activates his radio. "Hermiod, I'm ready to return," and disappears instantly.

"Fuck." That's all he has to say. John walks back to the ship, with Carson at his elbow offering silent support.

 

Day Forty-Nine - Fifty

John avoids Rodney and Shaaziya and anyone else he can conceivably get away with dodging. He modifies one of the missile clamps on a 302 to hold the satellite for launch, and emails McKay that it's ready.

Later in the day, he gets a return email advising that the satellite's been attached to the craft in question, along with the preferred coordinates for release into a geostationary orbit that will achieve the dual aims of extending the sensor arrays' range into deep space and allow immediate access to points beyond the nearby environs.

John is in the hangar bay doing his initial flight prep, when Major Lorne joins him and puts on a flight suit. "Thought I'd go with you."

"Sure, sounds good."

Lorne clears the hangar bay of off duty personnel. They work together, speaking only when the job requires it and eventually they climb in and start the start the preflight. Caldwell gives them a go, and they rocket out of the hangar bay.

John wishes, not for the first time, that air time in the craft wasn't so severely limited due to fuel concerns, because he dearly misses soaring into the open, deep blue, uh, purple sky. If he takes a little extra time in escaping the atmosphere, well Lorne's not going to report him and no one on the Daedalus mentions it.

After flathatting the Daedalus, John points the nose of the craft towards the given coordinates and altitude.

"Daedalus, this is Foxtrot Alpha. How's my aim?"

To his complete surprise, Rodney answers. "Perfect as always, Sheppard. You're in position."

"Roger that. Lorne, you want to do the honors?"

"Yes sir. Releasing the clamp in three, two, one, now."

John executes a precise aileron roll on the y-axis, up and away from the satellite. "Satellite is away."

This time it's the regular comm tech, "Roger that, Foxtrot Alpha. We're receiving telemetry, five by five."

"Returning to base. Foxtrot Alpha, over and out." John brings the 302 to as low a speed as possible, in order to maximize his airtime. "Well, that was a nice distraction."

"I'm just sorry it wasn't longer, sir."

"Lorne, what did I tell you about that?"

"Sorry, sir. It's the plane, causes me to fall back into bad habits."

John can't see Lorne, but he can hear the smile. "You're forgiven."

Lorne sounds dryly amused. "Thank you... sir."

John snorts, and takes the tricky landing in the hangar bay. He's through sulking, Rodney seems to have offered his verbal sword in a Homerian apology, and now John needs to fall on it in an act of honest contrition.

They pack away the 302 and their flight suits, and Lorne throws a sloppy salute in farewell, and heads towards the mouth of the hangar bay. John turns towards the control room.

Rodney, Shaaziya, Hermiod and Novak are shoulder-to-shoulder, peering at a console. Elizabeth and Caldwell are standing at one side, looking on with unfeigned interest.

Shaaziya is wearing a shapeless, uniform overall that's zipped all the way up to the top, and the sleeves are a little too long, but they're not rolled up. She's smiling at Rodney while he explains to her what they're looking at, with minor corrections in Qaroptimat by Hermiod. Novak is making adjustments at the console. It's almost a tranquil, domestic scene and John is reluctant to throw it into discord. He turns to leave, but it's Hermiod that calls him back.

"Colonel. We are examining the data from the satellite, and are preparing for the next phase."

John eases back into the room, coming to rest a few feet away. He's suddenly the focus of every person in the room, and he's desperately regretting his decision to come here, though no one seems to be giving him the evil eye. "Uh, that's good. When?"

"Right now. Carson's waiting outside, and I'm about to initialize the beam and send the cage out to him."

Rodney has never wasted time before when there was an experiment or project, so John isn't sure why he's faintly surprised. "You want me to go out and wait with Carson?"

"Not necessary, Colonel. Okay, Carson?"

"Aye, Rodney. Hurry it up, it's fucking blistering out here."

John is definitely shocked to hear Carson swearing, but he knows how vicious the midday sun is. "You heard the man."

"Going." Rodney punches a few buttons to send the cage away and checks in. "How does it look?"

"It looks fine."

"Put the mouse in the ring. All right--I have him." A few more buttons, and another check. "Carson?"

"Oh." The dismay in Carson's voice is all the answer that they need. "He's dead, Rodney."

Rodney has so few failures that he takes the news particularly hard. "Damn it! I was sure we'd compensated for the magnetic and radiation interference! I'm so sorry, Carson."

Carson chides him, "It was just a mouse. I told you not to name him. I'll let you know the results of the necropsy when I've the results."

Rodney takes a deep breath and sits down in an empty chair. "Colonel Caldwell, we know the telemetry works, and we've got extended sensor data, so I can at report that the power expenditure wasn't a total waste."

"It was worth the expense, Dr. McKay," Caldwell says.

John offers, "And we can still beam over to N'vellesem without the satellite."

Rodney gives John a grateful smile. "That's true."

Elizabeth whispers hoarsely, "Good job anyway. Rodney. Let's meet this evening and discuss our options, and put a few plans into action." She gives Rodney's shoulder a squeeze and a little shake before leaving. Caldwell nods and predictably trots out behind her.

Suddenly, the implications of the dead mouse hit John all at once. "Rodney. I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, I know. It was stupid of me to take the bait, but well. I'm sure it's the really bizarre magnetosphere."

John can't take in the horror of the disaster that he'd nearly caused with his spiteful and petty remarks. All of his blood seems to rush to his feet and he feels like he's going to pass out. Faint. Whatever. He slides down the wall he's leaning against and puts his head between his knees. "Christ."

Rodney and Shaaziya rush over to John, and Novak is calling the infirmary. "Man down in the control room, I have a man down!"

"Jesus, no, no, I'm fine. Call the dogs off."

Rodney hurriedly taps the radio in his ear. "This is Dr. McKay, belay that last. We're fine. We're all fine here." He shoots an accusing glare at Novak. "I bet you've always wanted to do that."

Elizabeth rushes back into the control room. "What happened?" she croaks.

Rodney glosses over John's panic attack. "Nothing. Sheppard forgot to eat lunch and Novak panicked."

Novak looks a little sheepish for her outburst and shrugs. "Uh, sorry. Got a little carried away."

Rodney puts his hand on John's shoulder. "Don't ever put Novak on a team, Sheppard. We'd have a catastrophe every ten minutes."

John takes a breath, and then chuckles. "I'll take that under advisement, but you're probably right."

"I usually am. You okay now?" Rodney's voice sounds warm and close. John looks up and they are all looking at him with identical concerned expressions.

"I'm okay, or I will be. Shaaziya, I apologize. What I said was uncalled for, and I was wrong."

She smiles easily. "It was nothing, Sheppard."

Rodney nudges her with his elbow. "Shaaz, the man never apologizes."

"Ah. Apology accepted."

Elizabeth still has a worried look. "John, are you sure you don't want to go to the infirmary?"

"Well I do, but only to check on Carson."

Rodney frowns. "Yeah, come on." He stands and gives John room to get off the floor. "I'm not sure if I want to view an autopsy before or after lunch."

"Didn’t say I was going to watch."

"What is an autopsy?" Shaaziya asks curiously.

John smirks at Rodney as he leaves, "Oh, that one's all yours."

Elizabeth falls in beside John. "That was a very honest apology, John."

"I meant it."

She lets the conversation drop as Rodney and Shaaziya catch up. Shaaziya looks faintly ill.

Rodney asks, "Uh, we aren't really going to watch, right?"

"You can if you want, me--I'll pass."

"Right."

They end up hanging about in the corridor until Carson joins them. "It's inconclusive, but there are a few tests that are still running."

Rodney asks, "Inconclusive, how? What do you mean?"

"I believe it was simple heart failure. It might not be the radiation, but just stress related."

"Huh."

"I heard a call for medics to the control room, what happened?"

John waves off the discussion. "Nothing, Doc. Just—nothing."

Carson claps his hands together. "If you say so, John. So, who's up for lunch?"

 

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