![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Title: The Drowning Deep
Author: Alasse
Rating: PG13
Category: Gen, episode tag
Summary: Ronon and McKay are sent to the mainland to recuperate. Tag to "Sateda".
A/N: Tag means spoilers. Many thanks to my meerschweinchen; Aniko, Dee, Yllek, Toni, etc. You knew I couldn't just leave it there ;)
0x0x0
Ronon was not fooled. Try as they might to tell him how his help was needed on the mainland while he recovered, he knew why he was being sent away. His years on the run had honed his skills of observation, and he noticed everything that happened on Atlantis. Noticed and learned.
He had seen seriously injured marines sent back to earth to recover. He never saw them again. Likewise he saw scientists, overwhelmed by the danger, 'freak out' as McKay put it, and be sent back to earth. He never saw them again either. Losing the scientists never bothered Ronon, but he found himself sometimes missing the marines.
That pony tailed scientist had been the worst of them, and Ronon had not been at all sorry to see him go. He knew Weir had been upset by his offers to 'question' the man, and for that Ronon was sorry, but in his opinion the sniveler had no business being alive, much less on Atlantis.
On Sateda, even the most respected scientists had been expected to be able to defend themselves and their world if necessary. He'd personally ensured that Melena could fight with a knife and a gun, much good that had done her…
Ronon abruptly slammed the door on those thoughts, pushing them to the part of his brain where he'd successfully kept them for eight years. Until four days ago. He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face.
The bottom line was that he was not from Earth, so they couldn't send him back there. To them the mainland was merely the next best thing. It could be worse. At least on the mainland he could breathe. He liked Teyla's people, and Halling was a man who knew how to keep his mouth shut. After two days in the infirmary, with at least one member of his team there every second watching him like a becsi hawk, some peace and quiet would be good.
He eyed the black canvas bag Sheppard had given him to pack his things in. The mainland was fairly safe; he shouldn't need more than four or five knives. He secreted them in their usual places and put an extra one in the bottom of the bag. His blaster followed, and as an afterthought he threw in a shirt.
"Ronon, are you ready yet?" McKay's voice sounded in his ear.
Ronon zipped the bag and slung it over his shoulder. "Yeah," he answered.
"Good, I could use your help with some stuff."
"Okay." Ronon look a final look around his sparse quarters, and headed out the door toward McKay's lab.
He found the scientist surrounded by large black duffel bags, crates, computers and books.
"Good, good," McKay waved at him without looking up from the computer he was feverishly tapping at. "You can get started on those." He snapped his fingers and pointed toward the duffel bags.
Ronon shrugged and walked over to the bags. He started to lift one slowly, carefully keeping his back straight as his stitches pulled.
"Hey, where's your stuff?" McKay looked up finally. "You put it in the jumper already?"
"No." Having secured one bag, Ronon reached for a second.
"Geez McKay, you sure you didn't forget anything?" Colonel Sheppard was at the doorway, leaning against the frame. He gave Ronon a sympathetic grin.
"There is no internet on the mainland, okay?" McKay said defensively. "And no power either. I need many, many batteries, and I have to take along all the research I can find."
"And PowerBars," Ronon observed, peeking into the not quite zipped bag he was about to lift.
"Well who knows that they're going to be feeding us," McKay said. "You'll be thanking me later, my friend, when you're starving in the middle of the night. I even packed plenty of the peanut butter and chocolate ones you like."
"Thanks," Ronon grunted, lifting the bag. His stitches pulled and he rolled his shoulders reflexively.
Sheppard's sharp eyes caught the movement and he frowned. "That's enough for you," he said to Ronon. "I'll send some guys to bring the rest."
The colonel crossed the room to a crate of books. He picked the top one off the pile and burst out laughing. Over his shoulder Ronon squinted at the words, 'The Construction of the Hoover Dam'.
"McKay, you're going to the mainland, not Vegas, you know that, right?"
McKay slammed down the top of his laptop and glowered at Sheppard. "Look, you're sending me to do a job that by rights shouldn't even be mine, and I'm just trying to do it right. And be careful with those books, they're Radek's."
"And Radek doesn't mind your absconding with half of his library, I assume." Sheppard got only a glare in response as he hefted the crate. "Hey," he paused at the door. "If you're gonna re-create Lake Meade, should I bring my surf board when I come to visit?"
"You said some day you'd teach me to surf," Ronon reminded him.
"And I will," Sheppard promised. "Just as soon as Rodney makes us a nice beach."
"Would you two please just go, carry," McKay was back to fussing over the computers, waving them away with one hand.
"Sure thing," Sheppard said cheerfully. "By the way, Doc wants to see both of you for wound checks before you leave."
"He just changed the bandages this morning," Ronon protested.
Sheppard shrugged. "I'm just the messenger."
Ronon sighed. He carried McKay's bags to the waiting jumper, and tossed his own under the front seat. He turned to find Sheppard behind him, setting pushing the crate against the side of the rear bulkhead. The colonel straightened and grinned widely. "Got something for you," he said.
Ronon raised his eyebrows.
Sheppard held out a small black shiny object, and a pair of headphones. "For when you need to drown out McKay," he said proudly.
Ronon recognized the tiny music player. Several of the marines had them, and sometimes let him listen. He wasn't quite sure what to make of Earth music, however. He took the player gingerly between his fingers.
"You strike me as the metal type," Sheppard continued. "With maybe a little country/western thrown in."
Having no idea how to respond to that, Ronon just nodded.
"Anyway, put a little of everything on there, so you should find something you like."
"Thank you," Ronon said solemnly.
"Don't forget your wound check," Sheppard punched Ronon lightly on the arm. "Or Doc'll have me for lunch."
As the colonel was leaving the bay, Teyla entered. It was almost as if they were taking shifts guarding him. "Ronon," she greeted him with a smile. Two marines trailed behind her, each with their arms full of McKay's bags.
"I have something for you," Teyla announced. Ronon smiled tentatively back.
"Where should we put these?" One of the marines asked.
"Anywhere," Ronon waved vaguely around the back cargo area of the jumper, and looked to see what Teyla was holding out to him. It was a book.
'The Fellowship of the Ring,' he read, aware that his lips moved slightly as his eyes processed the Earth words.
"Good movie," said the marine, looking over his shoulder as he left, probably to get more of McKay's things.
Ronon watched the marines go, and looked questioningly at Teyla.
"During my first year here, I asked Elizabeth for some Earth books to practice my reading," she explained. "This is the first one she gave me. I think you will like it." She lowered her voice as another set of marines entered the bay. "One of the characters reminds me of you."
"Thank you," Ronon said, looking apprehensively at the strange people drawn on the cover.
Teyla put her hands on his shoulders and he bowed his head to touch hers. "I will see you soon," she told him.
Both of the marines sighed in envy as they watched her walk from the bay.
On his way to the infirmary, Ronon wondered if Doctor Beckett was going to give him a present too. Instead, the doctor gave him a bag of antibiotic pills and another bag filled with gauze and tape for his leg.
"Be sure you take the medicine properly this time," Beckett admonished. "And change the dressing twice a day. I'll be checking on you in a couple of days."
Back in the jumper, Ronon climbed over the bags and crates to reach the front seat beside McKay. He stowed his meds, the music player, and the book in his bag under the seat while McKay fiddled impatiently with controls. At last they heard the voice of the Canadian technician. "Jumper one, this is control. You are clear for launch."
The roof of the jumper bay opened above them, and Weir's voice came over the comm. "Good luck, you two."
Ronon felt a lump rise in his throat as the jumper cleared the spires of Atlantis and sped out over the open ocean. He didn't realize how tightly he was holding onto his seat, until McKay asked if he was alright.
"Just watch where you're flying us," he told the scientist gruffly. He forced himself to release his grip on the seat, leaned his head back and closed his eyes.
0x0x0
Jinto was excited. He was always excited when the Lanteans visited, even if it wasn't Colonel Sheppard. For one the thing, the jumpers were, as Sheppard put it, cool. Whoever came brought other interesting things which were also cool. Doctor Beckett brought needles, which were not cool, but Jinto liked him anyway, especially the funny way he talked.
Today the jumper was bringing Doctor McKay and Ronon. They were going to build a dam, which would require the work of all the villagers, and so for the next few days that meant no lessons, a fact Jinto found very cool.
He liked Doctor McKay, even though the scientist always pretended not to like any of the children. Sometimes he'd even throw a tantrum when they touched his computers and other things. Jinto and Wex found this great fun.
Ronon fascinated the boys. He was big and strong like Jinto's father, but instead of Halling's underlying calm, Ronon had a dark angry streak. He was frightening and exciting at the same time. Jinto looked forward to seeing him again.
Having been running around in the grass in front of the village for hours, throwing the football that Colonel Sheppard had given them, Jinto and Wex were the first to spot the jumper as a silver sliver in the blue sky.
"They're here!" Jinto shrieked, running as fast as he could toward the house he shared with his father. Wex chased down the ball and hurried to follow his friend.
Halling came to the doorway of the house much too slowly for Jinto's taste, and he grabbed his father's hand, tugging him toward the clearing. Halling squinted up at the sky and nodded as the sliver grew and began to take on the squashed square shape of a jumper. He gripped Jinto's shoulder firmly, preventing him from moving and motioned to Wex to join them.
"Colonel Sheppard advised us to stay well back until the jumper lands," he said. "We will wait here."
As they watched, the ship came into full view. It glided low over the village, wobbled, grazed the top of a tree, and then finally set down in the clearing. The villagers cautiously approached the landed ship as the back ramp swung open and down.
Jinto heard Ronon's voice as the ramp touched the ground. "Smooth, McKay." There was more than a trace of amusement in the large warrior's voice.
"Shut up," was the eloquent reply following him as Ronon limped down the ramp.
Halling stepped forward and bowed his head low in greeting. Ronon copied the bow and then nodded at the villagers assembled behind their leader, including Jinto.
"You are most welcome to our village," Halling began formally. He was interrupted almost immediately by Doctor McKay's arrival on the ramp next to Ronon.
"All right people, we've got lots of stuff to unload, so, uh, let's get to it, shall we?" McKay rubbed his hands together, and then winced as Ronon elbowed him none too gently in the ribs. "Ow!" McKay scowled, blinked, and then seemed to really see the villagers for the first time.
"Halling was just telling us we are welcome," Ronon told him.
"Right," McKay said. "Thank you, Halling. We're absolutely thrilled to be here, and all the rest of it. So, how about if we unload?" The scientist flashed his most ingratiating smile. Ronon arched an eyebrow in Halling's direction, his lips twitching as if he were trying not to laugh.
"Of course." Halling gestured to the others and they came forward to take the bags and boxes that Ronon handed them.
Jinto and Wex approached with the others, hands out for loads to carry. Seeing them, McKay wagged a finger at Ronon. "No kids carrying computer equipment."
Ronon nodded gravely, and as soon as McKay's back was turned, placed a computer in each of the boys' hands, with a conspiratorial wink. Giggling softly, the boys carefully carried the shiny silver computers to the three room tent the village had prepared for their visitors. They placed them on the low table that the women had covered with candles. Jinto ran a finger reverently over the black Lantean emblem on the cover.
"Do you think he will show us how to use them?" Wex whispered, as others milled about them, piling the tent with boxes and bags.
"Doctor McKay?" Jinto said. "Are you kidding? Besides, it's probably boring stuff, like lessons."
"Yeah," Wex nodded but gave the computers a second wistful look.
They slipped back to the corner of the tent as Halling entered with McKay and Ronon. He gestured around the common room and then showed the men the two sleeping areas that were separated by colorful hangings. Ronon listened impassively while McKay poked at the wooden supporting beams of the tent and frowned.
"We will leave you now to get settled," Halling said, casting a stern look in the direction of the boys. "When you are ready, we have prepared a meal for you in the village center." At the mention of food, McKay perked up and Ronon grinned.
"You didn't make anything with citrus, did you?" McKay asked.
"We have paid strict attention to your dietary requirements, Doctor McKay," Halling assured him dryly.
"Excellent," McKay said, as Ronon rolled his eyes.
Halling gestured to the boys and they followed him out of the tent.
"Do you want to play 'hide and seek' tonight?" Wex whispered to Jinto, as the walked back through the village.
"Sure," Jinto whispered back. "And you can be Colonel Sheppard," he added magnanimously.
"Cool!" Wex beamed.
Jinto grinned widely. "I'm going to be Ronon."
"Hey," Wex protested, "Who's going to be the wraith?"
"There aren't any wraith on Atlantis, silly." Laughing, Jinto ran ahead of his friend the rest of the way.
0x0x0
Ronon rolled over on his sleeping pallet and stared up at the tent ceiling. The mainland was too quiet. He was used to city noises now, the hum of machinery, and the distant rushing of ocean. The sounds he was hearing how only came when his team was camped off world - breezes rustling through leaves, insects singing. If he were camped with the team now, he would be on watch, patrolling the campsite, always on the lookout for danger.
There was no danger here. Atlantis' long range sensors warned them of anything approaching the planet, and there was no one else besides the Athosians on the mainland. Fish had been discovered in the sea, and some birds and small animals on the land, but no real predators. At least not of the type that preyed on humans.
There was no need for him to be on watch. Resolutely he closed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.
The crackling of a snapped twig just outside the tent brought him out of his almost sleep. He rolled soundlessly to his feet with his blaster in his hand before he realized what he was doing. A giggly child's voice outside was followed by the stern hiss of a parent.
Sheepishly, Ronon knelt down and tucked the gun back under his pallet. Kids, sneaking out to play. He remembered playing the same games as a child on Sateda, with cousins and friends who would grow up to be his blood brothers. They would climb out the windows after dark and chase each other down the streets, staging mock fights with sticks as swords. They'd been young, invincible, and the wraith could never touch them…
Ronon sighed and gave up on sleep. He took Sheppard's and Teyla's presents out of his bag, and pushed aside the hanging that separated his sleeping area from the common room of the tent. He used the fire starter to light the candles the Athosians had left for them, filling the tent with a warm glow.
He put the headphones in his ears and spun the little wheel on the music player to pick a song at random. When he pressed the play button, and loud mismatched jangle assaulted his ears. Something about a thong and a booty. He hit the wheel again. The next song, which seemed to be about beer and horses, was more promising. He moved closer to the candles, sitting cross-legged beside the low table, and opened the book. Whispering the words softly to himself, he began the painstaking process of reading English.
He'd made his way through a page and a half, and about three more songs detailing the glories of alcohol, when the flap of the other sleeping area lifted. A tee-shirt and boxer clad McKay stumbled out, yawing. "Couldn't sleep either?" he said to Ronon. "Where'd you stash the PowerBars?"
Ronon motioned to the bag in the corner next to the batteries and McKay rooted through it. He grabbed a bar, ripped the foil with his teeth, and took a large bite. Grabbing up a computer, he came over to join Ronon at the table.
"Whatcha got there?" he asked around a mouthful of candy, as he knelt carefully down on the floor. Ronon showed him the music player and the book. "Whoa, a nano! Where did you get that?"
"Sheppard gave it to me," Ronon told him. "And Teyla gave me the book."
"They didn't give me anything," McKay grumbled. "I got shot in the ass; you'd think that would deserve at least a get well card." He frowned, noticing Ronon's troubled look. "What's the matter, don't like the music? You can change it, you know."
"I've noticed," Ronon said carefully, "that your people give gifts to others that are leaving."
"Yeah, going away presents," McKay shrugged. "Why?"
Ronon looked silently at the music player.
"Wait a minute," McKay was staring at him. "Did you think you were supposed to be leaving for good? After all the trouble we went through to find you and bring you back? We give presents for lots of reasons," he continued, "birthdays, Christmas, weddings, too many times really," he waved vaguely.
"Okay," Ronon said.
"This is just a vacation," McKay told him. "You know, vay-cay-shun. R&R, downtime, shore leave. Not exactly Risa, but I suppose this is the best we could do under the circumstances." He grinned.
Ronon grinned back, even though he'd only understood about half of what McKay had said. He'd grasped enough to know that he was, after all, meant to return to Atlantis.
"Besides," McKay said, "if nothing else, your fighting skills slightly over-qualify you for a life of carrying rocks, don't you think?"
Ronon nodded in agreement, and stood to leave. Suddenly he was feeling tired after all. "Goodnight McKay," he said softly.
"Hey," McKay called after him, opening the laptop. "If you're going to sleep, can I borrow the nano?"
"Sure." Ronon tossed the music player to McKay, who caught it with one hand and grinned.
"And what do you know; I think we just actually had a conversation. Carson will be proud."
Uncertain why the doctor would be proud of them talking, Ronon just smiled and pulled open the tent flap. As he lay down on his pallet he could hear McKay muttering to himself.
"What crap did he put on here? Damn flyboy has no taste in music…."
0x0x0
Jinto rustled the outer flap of the tent, calling a respectful hello before entering. He held the flap open with one hand while carefully balancing the basket-woven tray in the other. On the tray was a basket of bread, a bowl of fruit, and a pitcher of something steaming that was very heavy and sliding sideways.
Ronon was sitting on the floor near the table, and seeing Jinto he pushed himself to his feet, wincing slightly as his weight shifted to his right leg. The tall man reached Jinto, and grabbed the tray from his hands just as the pitcher in the center had slid almost to the edge. With a grunt, he set it on the table.
"Thank you," Jinto said, relieved to have accomplished his mission without incident. He followed Ronon over to the table and watched him sniff at the contents of the pitcher.
"Coffee?" Ronon looked up with eyebrows quirked in surprise.
Jinto nodded. "Doctor McKay gave Hanja very specific instructions on how to prepare it. I hope she did it right." He looked doubtfully toward the sleeping area that was still curtained off.
Ronon shrugged. "Smells right." He took one of the rolls of bread and bit off about half of it. "This is good," he said with his mouth full.
"I like those too," Jinto smiled shyly and glanced again toward the curtained sleeping area.
The curtain billowed out, shook and then finally rose as McKay struggled out. Jinto stared wide-eyed at the scientist's messy hair, and then at the strange pictures of fruit on his shorts.
"I smell coffee," McKay mumbled, and then he saw Jinto and scowled. "What are you staring at?"
Jinto backed up toward Ronon, who clapped a hand down on the boy's shoulder.
"He brought us breakfast, McKay," Ronon said. "Say thank you."
"What, are you Teyla now?" McKay yawned widely and staggered over to the table. He picked up the pitcher and took a swig directly from the side. "A little weak," he murmured. Ronon punched him lightly in the arm. "Ow." He glared at the other man, and then looked down at Jinto. "Thanks," he mumbled.
"Come on, Jinto," Ronon said. "Show me the stream where we're building this damn."
"You saw it yesterday," Jinto frowned.
"It'll look different in the morning light. And McKay needs time to make himself human," Ronon glanced at the scientist again, an amused smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. McKay was still drinking from the pitcher. Ronon picked up a few pieces of fruit and more rolls, and gestured for Jinto to lead the way.
Outside, Ronon blinked in the bright morning light, and offered Jinto one of the rolls. He limped slightly as he followed the boy, favoring his right leg. Jinto watched as he ate his roll and then started to peel a piece of fruit with a knife that seemed to appear out of thin air.
As they crossed the field toward the stream, Jinto worked up his courage. "What happened to your leg?" he asked finally.
Ronon arched an eyebrow at him in surprise. "What?"
"You're limping." Jinto pointed to Ronon's right leg.
"Oh." Ronon frowned at his leg, and shifted his weight to the left. He wiped juice off his beard with the back of his hand and swallowed. "Got shot," he said shortly.
"Wow." Jinto's eyes widened. "Did it hurt?"
"Yes."
Jinto opened his mouth to ask if it had been the wraith that had shot him, took a look at Ronon's face and changed his mind. Ronon was staring intently at the remaining piece of fruit, and squeezing it hard enough to make the juice ooze out of the rind and down his fingers.
Gulping, Jinto scampered a few feet ahead. "There's the stream," he called, pointing through the last few stalks of grain at the edge of the field.
The stream was actually more like a river, just deep and wide enough so as to not be easily crossed. Jinto and Wex and been warned many times by their fathers not to go into the water if there was no adult with them. They snuck down at night sometimes and tried to catch fish with the sticks that Colonel Sheppard had given them. The string from the sticks went in the water, but they didn't, so they weren't really disobeying.
There was an adult with him now, so Jinto crouched by the edge and put his hand in the rushing cool water. "What will happen to the fish after they make the dam?" he asked.
Ronon crouched beside him, grunted, and put his hand in the water too to rinse off the juice. "There are fish in here?" he said, squinting at the rocky bottom.
"There, where it's deeper," Jinto pointed upstream. "I've never caught any though," he said wistfully. "Not even with Colonel Sheppard's sticks."
Ronon snorted. "Those sticks are useless. Sheppard thinks fishing is a game. It's not." He scooted forward and splashed his legs into the water, shoes, trousers and all. Standing up, the water came up almost to his knees. He waded carefully upstream toward the calmer pool, staring down into the water. Suddenly there was a big splash and Ronon went down.
"Ronon!" Jinto squeaked, splashing into the water after him. A sheet of water smacked him in the face, drenching him. He wiped the drops of stinging water out of his eyes, coughing and looked up to see Ronon standing in front of him, grinning widely. His hair was dripping, and in his hands he held a squirming fish.
"Cool!" Jinto waded closer upstream, admiring the silver scales and gaping jaw on the large fish. "Will you teach me to do that?"
"Ronon, what the hell do you think you're doing?"
The two looked up to see McKay standing on the bank of the stream. Behind him was Halling, mouth open in shock, and behind him, the rest of the villagers.
"Fishing," said Ronon.
"Lovely. Want to get out of the pool and come work now?" McKay crossed his arms, and stepped back as the two splashed their way to the edge and up the bank. "And put that thing away."
0x0x0
Rodney McKay adjusted his hardhat and consulted the tablet held in the crook of his arm. He ignored the sullenly dripping Satedan next to him. Just what was Ronon's problem anyway? Well, aside from the whole wraith capturing him and putting a tracking device in him thing.
McKay had risen at the crack of dawn, with barely a decent sized cup of weak coffee and was out here ready to work, with bells on. Okay maybe not with bells, but he was doing his best to be civil at this ungodly hour. He'd even brought an extra hardhat for his teammate. Not that Ronon was wearing it. Come to think of it between the hair and the thickness of his skull he'd be fine.
He'd trekked all the way down here through the fields to find Ronon and Jinto splashing around in the stream like they were at summer camp. And with a live fish flapping around in their hands. McKay shuddered. He was as big a fan of fresh sushi as anyone, but not still swimming and staring at him.
He'd asked Ronon politely to get out of the water so they could start working, and the big guy had not said a word to him since. Well he had more important things to do than deal with sulky cavemen. He had a dam to build out of rocks and sticks, to make a lake and water some plants. A PhD in astrophysics and a Nobel Prize just waiting to be won, and this was the task they sent him to do. Sometimes he thought Elizabeth Weir just liked to mess with his head.
Shielding the face of the tablet from the sun as best he could, he squinted at the list he'd made before leaving Atlantis. He twisted and turned, but no matter what he did he couldn't see a damned thing. Finally he held the tablet facedown over his head and looked up. There. He stared at it for a moment, and lowered the computer to face the Athosians waiting respectfully for his instructions, and Ronon, who was slouching with his arms crossed over his chest.
Rodney noted with approval that although some Athosians were following Ronon's lead, quite a few had put on the hard hats that had been distributed before they'd left the village. Safety first, even if there was no OSHA in the Pegasus Galaxy.
"You can put those down now," he said belatedly to the men carrying the bags of cement and the buckets to mix it in. "Okay," he stepped back as the heavy sacks hit the ground. "I need a few of you to mix this - water and powder in the buckets." There was probably a more technical term for the unmixed cement, but the Athosians wouldn't know it anyway.
"The rest of you can get started gathering rocks. Halling, you said there was a quarry near here?"
"Through the forest," Halling gestured to the tree line at the end of the field. "There is a path. Jinto will show you." He gave his son a stern look.
"Yes, father," Jinto said meekly. Ringing water out of his tunic, he hurried toward the trees.
"As big rocks as you can carry!" McKay called after the villagers following Jinto. He reached out and placed a restraining hand on Ronon's forearm as the Satedan moved to follow. "You're not supposed to be lifting and carrying," McKay reminded him.
Ronon bristled, and Rodney dropped his arm quickly, stepping back and fighting the urge to duck. "You, er, really should wear a hat too," he said. "This is dangerous work."
"If I'm not carrying rocks," Ronon growled, "then how the frak is one going to fall on my head?"
McKay blinked. "How the what?"
"Frak. It's an Earth swear word. Lorne says it. It means…"
"I know what it means," McKay waved his hands. "And it's actually from a television - never mind, just go and supervise and please don't pick up any big frakkin rocks, okay?"
"Okay." Ronon gave him a final glare and stalked off toward the woods.
McKay sighed and shook his head. Of all the stubborn frakkin… Great. Now he was going to be saying frak all day. Where was Lorne getting 'Battlestar Galactica' from anyway? Probably Zelenka, he mused. He was always downloading shows from those eastern European sites that had unlimited bandwidth.
Well, Ronon was twice as big as he was, and would do what he wanted, McKay couldn't stop him. Carson would have to duke it out with him later. That thought put an image of Ronon and Carson sparring into his head, which made him smile, until he saw what the Athosians he'd assigned to mix the cement were doing.
"No, no, no, too much water. It's gonna be dribbling all over the place. Add more powder." He fanned himself in the sun, looking about for a shady place where he could actually see the screen of his tablet, and wondered how long until lunch.
part 3 coming right up...
Author: Alasse
Rating: PG13
Category: Gen, episode tag
Summary: Ronon and McKay are sent to the mainland to recuperate. Tag to "Sateda".
A/N: Tag means spoilers. Many thanks to my meerschweinchen; Aniko, Dee, Yllek, Toni, etc. You knew I couldn't just leave it there ;)
0x0x0
Ronon was not fooled. Try as they might to tell him how his help was needed on the mainland while he recovered, he knew why he was being sent away. His years on the run had honed his skills of observation, and he noticed everything that happened on Atlantis. Noticed and learned.
He had seen seriously injured marines sent back to earth to recover. He never saw them again. Likewise he saw scientists, overwhelmed by the danger, 'freak out' as McKay put it, and be sent back to earth. He never saw them again either. Losing the scientists never bothered Ronon, but he found himself sometimes missing the marines.
That pony tailed scientist had been the worst of them, and Ronon had not been at all sorry to see him go. He knew Weir had been upset by his offers to 'question' the man, and for that Ronon was sorry, but in his opinion the sniveler had no business being alive, much less on Atlantis.
On Sateda, even the most respected scientists had been expected to be able to defend themselves and their world if necessary. He'd personally ensured that Melena could fight with a knife and a gun, much good that had done her…
Ronon abruptly slammed the door on those thoughts, pushing them to the part of his brain where he'd successfully kept them for eight years. Until four days ago. He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face.
The bottom line was that he was not from Earth, so they couldn't send him back there. To them the mainland was merely the next best thing. It could be worse. At least on the mainland he could breathe. He liked Teyla's people, and Halling was a man who knew how to keep his mouth shut. After two days in the infirmary, with at least one member of his team there every second watching him like a becsi hawk, some peace and quiet would be good.
He eyed the black canvas bag Sheppard had given him to pack his things in. The mainland was fairly safe; he shouldn't need more than four or five knives. He secreted them in their usual places and put an extra one in the bottom of the bag. His blaster followed, and as an afterthought he threw in a shirt.
"Ronon, are you ready yet?" McKay's voice sounded in his ear.
Ronon zipped the bag and slung it over his shoulder. "Yeah," he answered.
"Good, I could use your help with some stuff."
"Okay." Ronon look a final look around his sparse quarters, and headed out the door toward McKay's lab.
He found the scientist surrounded by large black duffel bags, crates, computers and books.
"Good, good," McKay waved at him without looking up from the computer he was feverishly tapping at. "You can get started on those." He snapped his fingers and pointed toward the duffel bags.
Ronon shrugged and walked over to the bags. He started to lift one slowly, carefully keeping his back straight as his stitches pulled.
"Hey, where's your stuff?" McKay looked up finally. "You put it in the jumper already?"
"No." Having secured one bag, Ronon reached for a second.
"Geez McKay, you sure you didn't forget anything?" Colonel Sheppard was at the doorway, leaning against the frame. He gave Ronon a sympathetic grin.
"There is no internet on the mainland, okay?" McKay said defensively. "And no power either. I need many, many batteries, and I have to take along all the research I can find."
"And PowerBars," Ronon observed, peeking into the not quite zipped bag he was about to lift.
"Well who knows that they're going to be feeding us," McKay said. "You'll be thanking me later, my friend, when you're starving in the middle of the night. I even packed plenty of the peanut butter and chocolate ones you like."
"Thanks," Ronon grunted, lifting the bag. His stitches pulled and he rolled his shoulders reflexively.
Sheppard's sharp eyes caught the movement and he frowned. "That's enough for you," he said to Ronon. "I'll send some guys to bring the rest."
The colonel crossed the room to a crate of books. He picked the top one off the pile and burst out laughing. Over his shoulder Ronon squinted at the words, 'The Construction of the Hoover Dam'.
"McKay, you're going to the mainland, not Vegas, you know that, right?"
McKay slammed down the top of his laptop and glowered at Sheppard. "Look, you're sending me to do a job that by rights shouldn't even be mine, and I'm just trying to do it right. And be careful with those books, they're Radek's."
"And Radek doesn't mind your absconding with half of his library, I assume." Sheppard got only a glare in response as he hefted the crate. "Hey," he paused at the door. "If you're gonna re-create Lake Meade, should I bring my surf board when I come to visit?"
"You said some day you'd teach me to surf," Ronon reminded him.
"And I will," Sheppard promised. "Just as soon as Rodney makes us a nice beach."
"Would you two please just go, carry," McKay was back to fussing over the computers, waving them away with one hand.
"Sure thing," Sheppard said cheerfully. "By the way, Doc wants to see both of you for wound checks before you leave."
"He just changed the bandages this morning," Ronon protested.
Sheppard shrugged. "I'm just the messenger."
Ronon sighed. He carried McKay's bags to the waiting jumper, and tossed his own under the front seat. He turned to find Sheppard behind him, setting pushing the crate against the side of the rear bulkhead. The colonel straightened and grinned widely. "Got something for you," he said.
Ronon raised his eyebrows.
Sheppard held out a small black shiny object, and a pair of headphones. "For when you need to drown out McKay," he said proudly.
Ronon recognized the tiny music player. Several of the marines had them, and sometimes let him listen. He wasn't quite sure what to make of Earth music, however. He took the player gingerly between his fingers.
"You strike me as the metal type," Sheppard continued. "With maybe a little country/western thrown in."
Having no idea how to respond to that, Ronon just nodded.
"Anyway, put a little of everything on there, so you should find something you like."
"Thank you," Ronon said solemnly.
"Don't forget your wound check," Sheppard punched Ronon lightly on the arm. "Or Doc'll have me for lunch."
As the colonel was leaving the bay, Teyla entered. It was almost as if they were taking shifts guarding him. "Ronon," she greeted him with a smile. Two marines trailed behind her, each with their arms full of McKay's bags.
"I have something for you," Teyla announced. Ronon smiled tentatively back.
"Where should we put these?" One of the marines asked.
"Anywhere," Ronon waved vaguely around the back cargo area of the jumper, and looked to see what Teyla was holding out to him. It was a book.
'The Fellowship of the Ring,' he read, aware that his lips moved slightly as his eyes processed the Earth words.
"Good movie," said the marine, looking over his shoulder as he left, probably to get more of McKay's things.
Ronon watched the marines go, and looked questioningly at Teyla.
"During my first year here, I asked Elizabeth for some Earth books to practice my reading," she explained. "This is the first one she gave me. I think you will like it." She lowered her voice as another set of marines entered the bay. "One of the characters reminds me of you."
"Thank you," Ronon said, looking apprehensively at the strange people drawn on the cover.
Teyla put her hands on his shoulders and he bowed his head to touch hers. "I will see you soon," she told him.
Both of the marines sighed in envy as they watched her walk from the bay.
On his way to the infirmary, Ronon wondered if Doctor Beckett was going to give him a present too. Instead, the doctor gave him a bag of antibiotic pills and another bag filled with gauze and tape for his leg.
"Be sure you take the medicine properly this time," Beckett admonished. "And change the dressing twice a day. I'll be checking on you in a couple of days."
Back in the jumper, Ronon climbed over the bags and crates to reach the front seat beside McKay. He stowed his meds, the music player, and the book in his bag under the seat while McKay fiddled impatiently with controls. At last they heard the voice of the Canadian technician. "Jumper one, this is control. You are clear for launch."
The roof of the jumper bay opened above them, and Weir's voice came over the comm. "Good luck, you two."
Ronon felt a lump rise in his throat as the jumper cleared the spires of Atlantis and sped out over the open ocean. He didn't realize how tightly he was holding onto his seat, until McKay asked if he was alright.
"Just watch where you're flying us," he told the scientist gruffly. He forced himself to release his grip on the seat, leaned his head back and closed his eyes.
0x0x0
Jinto was excited. He was always excited when the Lanteans visited, even if it wasn't Colonel Sheppard. For one the thing, the jumpers were, as Sheppard put it, cool. Whoever came brought other interesting things which were also cool. Doctor Beckett brought needles, which were not cool, but Jinto liked him anyway, especially the funny way he talked.
Today the jumper was bringing Doctor McKay and Ronon. They were going to build a dam, which would require the work of all the villagers, and so for the next few days that meant no lessons, a fact Jinto found very cool.
He liked Doctor McKay, even though the scientist always pretended not to like any of the children. Sometimes he'd even throw a tantrum when they touched his computers and other things. Jinto and Wex found this great fun.
Ronon fascinated the boys. He was big and strong like Jinto's father, but instead of Halling's underlying calm, Ronon had a dark angry streak. He was frightening and exciting at the same time. Jinto looked forward to seeing him again.
Having been running around in the grass in front of the village for hours, throwing the football that Colonel Sheppard had given them, Jinto and Wex were the first to spot the jumper as a silver sliver in the blue sky.
"They're here!" Jinto shrieked, running as fast as he could toward the house he shared with his father. Wex chased down the ball and hurried to follow his friend.
Halling came to the doorway of the house much too slowly for Jinto's taste, and he grabbed his father's hand, tugging him toward the clearing. Halling squinted up at the sky and nodded as the sliver grew and began to take on the squashed square shape of a jumper. He gripped Jinto's shoulder firmly, preventing him from moving and motioned to Wex to join them.
"Colonel Sheppard advised us to stay well back until the jumper lands," he said. "We will wait here."
As they watched, the ship came into full view. It glided low over the village, wobbled, grazed the top of a tree, and then finally set down in the clearing. The villagers cautiously approached the landed ship as the back ramp swung open and down.
Jinto heard Ronon's voice as the ramp touched the ground. "Smooth, McKay." There was more than a trace of amusement in the large warrior's voice.
"Shut up," was the eloquent reply following him as Ronon limped down the ramp.
Halling stepped forward and bowed his head low in greeting. Ronon copied the bow and then nodded at the villagers assembled behind their leader, including Jinto.
"You are most welcome to our village," Halling began formally. He was interrupted almost immediately by Doctor McKay's arrival on the ramp next to Ronon.
"All right people, we've got lots of stuff to unload, so, uh, let's get to it, shall we?" McKay rubbed his hands together, and then winced as Ronon elbowed him none too gently in the ribs. "Ow!" McKay scowled, blinked, and then seemed to really see the villagers for the first time.
"Halling was just telling us we are welcome," Ronon told him.
"Right," McKay said. "Thank you, Halling. We're absolutely thrilled to be here, and all the rest of it. So, how about if we unload?" The scientist flashed his most ingratiating smile. Ronon arched an eyebrow in Halling's direction, his lips twitching as if he were trying not to laugh.
"Of course." Halling gestured to the others and they came forward to take the bags and boxes that Ronon handed them.
Jinto and Wex approached with the others, hands out for loads to carry. Seeing them, McKay wagged a finger at Ronon. "No kids carrying computer equipment."
Ronon nodded gravely, and as soon as McKay's back was turned, placed a computer in each of the boys' hands, with a conspiratorial wink. Giggling softly, the boys carefully carried the shiny silver computers to the three room tent the village had prepared for their visitors. They placed them on the low table that the women had covered with candles. Jinto ran a finger reverently over the black Lantean emblem on the cover.
"Do you think he will show us how to use them?" Wex whispered, as others milled about them, piling the tent with boxes and bags.
"Doctor McKay?" Jinto said. "Are you kidding? Besides, it's probably boring stuff, like lessons."
"Yeah," Wex nodded but gave the computers a second wistful look.
They slipped back to the corner of the tent as Halling entered with McKay and Ronon. He gestured around the common room and then showed the men the two sleeping areas that were separated by colorful hangings. Ronon listened impassively while McKay poked at the wooden supporting beams of the tent and frowned.
"We will leave you now to get settled," Halling said, casting a stern look in the direction of the boys. "When you are ready, we have prepared a meal for you in the village center." At the mention of food, McKay perked up and Ronon grinned.
"You didn't make anything with citrus, did you?" McKay asked.
"We have paid strict attention to your dietary requirements, Doctor McKay," Halling assured him dryly.
"Excellent," McKay said, as Ronon rolled his eyes.
Halling gestured to the boys and they followed him out of the tent.
"Do you want to play 'hide and seek' tonight?" Wex whispered to Jinto, as the walked back through the village.
"Sure," Jinto whispered back. "And you can be Colonel Sheppard," he added magnanimously.
"Cool!" Wex beamed.
Jinto grinned widely. "I'm going to be Ronon."
"Hey," Wex protested, "Who's going to be the wraith?"
"There aren't any wraith on Atlantis, silly." Laughing, Jinto ran ahead of his friend the rest of the way.
0x0x0
Ronon rolled over on his sleeping pallet and stared up at the tent ceiling. The mainland was too quiet. He was used to city noises now, the hum of machinery, and the distant rushing of ocean. The sounds he was hearing how only came when his team was camped off world - breezes rustling through leaves, insects singing. If he were camped with the team now, he would be on watch, patrolling the campsite, always on the lookout for danger.
There was no danger here. Atlantis' long range sensors warned them of anything approaching the planet, and there was no one else besides the Athosians on the mainland. Fish had been discovered in the sea, and some birds and small animals on the land, but no real predators. At least not of the type that preyed on humans.
There was no need for him to be on watch. Resolutely he closed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest.
The crackling of a snapped twig just outside the tent brought him out of his almost sleep. He rolled soundlessly to his feet with his blaster in his hand before he realized what he was doing. A giggly child's voice outside was followed by the stern hiss of a parent.
Sheepishly, Ronon knelt down and tucked the gun back under his pallet. Kids, sneaking out to play. He remembered playing the same games as a child on Sateda, with cousins and friends who would grow up to be his blood brothers. They would climb out the windows after dark and chase each other down the streets, staging mock fights with sticks as swords. They'd been young, invincible, and the wraith could never touch them…
Ronon sighed and gave up on sleep. He took Sheppard's and Teyla's presents out of his bag, and pushed aside the hanging that separated his sleeping area from the common room of the tent. He used the fire starter to light the candles the Athosians had left for them, filling the tent with a warm glow.
He put the headphones in his ears and spun the little wheel on the music player to pick a song at random. When he pressed the play button, and loud mismatched jangle assaulted his ears. Something about a thong and a booty. He hit the wheel again. The next song, which seemed to be about beer and horses, was more promising. He moved closer to the candles, sitting cross-legged beside the low table, and opened the book. Whispering the words softly to himself, he began the painstaking process of reading English.
He'd made his way through a page and a half, and about three more songs detailing the glories of alcohol, when the flap of the other sleeping area lifted. A tee-shirt and boxer clad McKay stumbled out, yawing. "Couldn't sleep either?" he said to Ronon. "Where'd you stash the PowerBars?"
Ronon motioned to the bag in the corner next to the batteries and McKay rooted through it. He grabbed a bar, ripped the foil with his teeth, and took a large bite. Grabbing up a computer, he came over to join Ronon at the table.
"Whatcha got there?" he asked around a mouthful of candy, as he knelt carefully down on the floor. Ronon showed him the music player and the book. "Whoa, a nano! Where did you get that?"
"Sheppard gave it to me," Ronon told him. "And Teyla gave me the book."
"They didn't give me anything," McKay grumbled. "I got shot in the ass; you'd think that would deserve at least a get well card." He frowned, noticing Ronon's troubled look. "What's the matter, don't like the music? You can change it, you know."
"I've noticed," Ronon said carefully, "that your people give gifts to others that are leaving."
"Yeah, going away presents," McKay shrugged. "Why?"
Ronon looked silently at the music player.
"Wait a minute," McKay was staring at him. "Did you think you were supposed to be leaving for good? After all the trouble we went through to find you and bring you back? We give presents for lots of reasons," he continued, "birthdays, Christmas, weddings, too many times really," he waved vaguely.
"Okay," Ronon said.
"This is just a vacation," McKay told him. "You know, vay-cay-shun. R&R, downtime, shore leave. Not exactly Risa, but I suppose this is the best we could do under the circumstances." He grinned.
Ronon grinned back, even though he'd only understood about half of what McKay had said. He'd grasped enough to know that he was, after all, meant to return to Atlantis.
"Besides," McKay said, "if nothing else, your fighting skills slightly over-qualify you for a life of carrying rocks, don't you think?"
Ronon nodded in agreement, and stood to leave. Suddenly he was feeling tired after all. "Goodnight McKay," he said softly.
"Hey," McKay called after him, opening the laptop. "If you're going to sleep, can I borrow the nano?"
"Sure." Ronon tossed the music player to McKay, who caught it with one hand and grinned.
"And what do you know; I think we just actually had a conversation. Carson will be proud."
Uncertain why the doctor would be proud of them talking, Ronon just smiled and pulled open the tent flap. As he lay down on his pallet he could hear McKay muttering to himself.
"What crap did he put on here? Damn flyboy has no taste in music…."
0x0x0
Jinto rustled the outer flap of the tent, calling a respectful hello before entering. He held the flap open with one hand while carefully balancing the basket-woven tray in the other. On the tray was a basket of bread, a bowl of fruit, and a pitcher of something steaming that was very heavy and sliding sideways.
Ronon was sitting on the floor near the table, and seeing Jinto he pushed himself to his feet, wincing slightly as his weight shifted to his right leg. The tall man reached Jinto, and grabbed the tray from his hands just as the pitcher in the center had slid almost to the edge. With a grunt, he set it on the table.
"Thank you," Jinto said, relieved to have accomplished his mission without incident. He followed Ronon over to the table and watched him sniff at the contents of the pitcher.
"Coffee?" Ronon looked up with eyebrows quirked in surprise.
Jinto nodded. "Doctor McKay gave Hanja very specific instructions on how to prepare it. I hope she did it right." He looked doubtfully toward the sleeping area that was still curtained off.
Ronon shrugged. "Smells right." He took one of the rolls of bread and bit off about half of it. "This is good," he said with his mouth full.
"I like those too," Jinto smiled shyly and glanced again toward the curtained sleeping area.
The curtain billowed out, shook and then finally rose as McKay struggled out. Jinto stared wide-eyed at the scientist's messy hair, and then at the strange pictures of fruit on his shorts.
"I smell coffee," McKay mumbled, and then he saw Jinto and scowled. "What are you staring at?"
Jinto backed up toward Ronon, who clapped a hand down on the boy's shoulder.
"He brought us breakfast, McKay," Ronon said. "Say thank you."
"What, are you Teyla now?" McKay yawned widely and staggered over to the table. He picked up the pitcher and took a swig directly from the side. "A little weak," he murmured. Ronon punched him lightly in the arm. "Ow." He glared at the other man, and then looked down at Jinto. "Thanks," he mumbled.
"Come on, Jinto," Ronon said. "Show me the stream where we're building this damn."
"You saw it yesterday," Jinto frowned.
"It'll look different in the morning light. And McKay needs time to make himself human," Ronon glanced at the scientist again, an amused smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. McKay was still drinking from the pitcher. Ronon picked up a few pieces of fruit and more rolls, and gestured for Jinto to lead the way.
Outside, Ronon blinked in the bright morning light, and offered Jinto one of the rolls. He limped slightly as he followed the boy, favoring his right leg. Jinto watched as he ate his roll and then started to peel a piece of fruit with a knife that seemed to appear out of thin air.
As they crossed the field toward the stream, Jinto worked up his courage. "What happened to your leg?" he asked finally.
Ronon arched an eyebrow at him in surprise. "What?"
"You're limping." Jinto pointed to Ronon's right leg.
"Oh." Ronon frowned at his leg, and shifted his weight to the left. He wiped juice off his beard with the back of his hand and swallowed. "Got shot," he said shortly.
"Wow." Jinto's eyes widened. "Did it hurt?"
"Yes."
Jinto opened his mouth to ask if it had been the wraith that had shot him, took a look at Ronon's face and changed his mind. Ronon was staring intently at the remaining piece of fruit, and squeezing it hard enough to make the juice ooze out of the rind and down his fingers.
Gulping, Jinto scampered a few feet ahead. "There's the stream," he called, pointing through the last few stalks of grain at the edge of the field.
The stream was actually more like a river, just deep and wide enough so as to not be easily crossed. Jinto and Wex and been warned many times by their fathers not to go into the water if there was no adult with them. They snuck down at night sometimes and tried to catch fish with the sticks that Colonel Sheppard had given them. The string from the sticks went in the water, but they didn't, so they weren't really disobeying.
There was an adult with him now, so Jinto crouched by the edge and put his hand in the rushing cool water. "What will happen to the fish after they make the dam?" he asked.
Ronon crouched beside him, grunted, and put his hand in the water too to rinse off the juice. "There are fish in here?" he said, squinting at the rocky bottom.
"There, where it's deeper," Jinto pointed upstream. "I've never caught any though," he said wistfully. "Not even with Colonel Sheppard's sticks."
Ronon snorted. "Those sticks are useless. Sheppard thinks fishing is a game. It's not." He scooted forward and splashed his legs into the water, shoes, trousers and all. Standing up, the water came up almost to his knees. He waded carefully upstream toward the calmer pool, staring down into the water. Suddenly there was a big splash and Ronon went down.
"Ronon!" Jinto squeaked, splashing into the water after him. A sheet of water smacked him in the face, drenching him. He wiped the drops of stinging water out of his eyes, coughing and looked up to see Ronon standing in front of him, grinning widely. His hair was dripping, and in his hands he held a squirming fish.
"Cool!" Jinto waded closer upstream, admiring the silver scales and gaping jaw on the large fish. "Will you teach me to do that?"
"Ronon, what the hell do you think you're doing?"
The two looked up to see McKay standing on the bank of the stream. Behind him was Halling, mouth open in shock, and behind him, the rest of the villagers.
"Fishing," said Ronon.
"Lovely. Want to get out of the pool and come work now?" McKay crossed his arms, and stepped back as the two splashed their way to the edge and up the bank. "And put that thing away."
0x0x0
Rodney McKay adjusted his hardhat and consulted the tablet held in the crook of his arm. He ignored the sullenly dripping Satedan next to him. Just what was Ronon's problem anyway? Well, aside from the whole wraith capturing him and putting a tracking device in him thing.
McKay had risen at the crack of dawn, with barely a decent sized cup of weak coffee and was out here ready to work, with bells on. Okay maybe not with bells, but he was doing his best to be civil at this ungodly hour. He'd even brought an extra hardhat for his teammate. Not that Ronon was wearing it. Come to think of it between the hair and the thickness of his skull he'd be fine.
He'd trekked all the way down here through the fields to find Ronon and Jinto splashing around in the stream like they were at summer camp. And with a live fish flapping around in their hands. McKay shuddered. He was as big a fan of fresh sushi as anyone, but not still swimming and staring at him.
He'd asked Ronon politely to get out of the water so they could start working, and the big guy had not said a word to him since. Well he had more important things to do than deal with sulky cavemen. He had a dam to build out of rocks and sticks, to make a lake and water some plants. A PhD in astrophysics and a Nobel Prize just waiting to be won, and this was the task they sent him to do. Sometimes he thought Elizabeth Weir just liked to mess with his head.
Shielding the face of the tablet from the sun as best he could, he squinted at the list he'd made before leaving Atlantis. He twisted and turned, but no matter what he did he couldn't see a damned thing. Finally he held the tablet facedown over his head and looked up. There. He stared at it for a moment, and lowered the computer to face the Athosians waiting respectfully for his instructions, and Ronon, who was slouching with his arms crossed over his chest.
Rodney noted with approval that although some Athosians were following Ronon's lead, quite a few had put on the hard hats that had been distributed before they'd left the village. Safety first, even if there was no OSHA in the Pegasus Galaxy.
"You can put those down now," he said belatedly to the men carrying the bags of cement and the buckets to mix it in. "Okay," he stepped back as the heavy sacks hit the ground. "I need a few of you to mix this - water and powder in the buckets." There was probably a more technical term for the unmixed cement, but the Athosians wouldn't know it anyway.
"The rest of you can get started gathering rocks. Halling, you said there was a quarry near here?"
"Through the forest," Halling gestured to the tree line at the end of the field. "There is a path. Jinto will show you." He gave his son a stern look.
"Yes, father," Jinto said meekly. Ringing water out of his tunic, he hurried toward the trees.
"As big rocks as you can carry!" McKay called after the villagers following Jinto. He reached out and placed a restraining hand on Ronon's forearm as the Satedan moved to follow. "You're not supposed to be lifting and carrying," McKay reminded him.
Ronon bristled, and Rodney dropped his arm quickly, stepping back and fighting the urge to duck. "You, er, really should wear a hat too," he said. "This is dangerous work."
"If I'm not carrying rocks," Ronon growled, "then how the frak is one going to fall on my head?"
McKay blinked. "How the what?"
"Frak. It's an Earth swear word. Lorne says it. It means…"
"I know what it means," McKay waved his hands. "And it's actually from a television - never mind, just go and supervise and please don't pick up any big frakkin rocks, okay?"
"Okay." Ronon gave him a final glare and stalked off toward the woods.
McKay sighed and shook his head. Of all the stubborn frakkin… Great. Now he was going to be saying frak all day. Where was Lorne getting 'Battlestar Galactica' from anyway? Probably Zelenka, he mused. He was always downloading shows from those eastern European sites that had unlimited bandwidth.
Well, Ronon was twice as big as he was, and would do what he wanted, McKay couldn't stop him. Carson would have to duke it out with him later. That thought put an image of Ronon and Carson sparring into his head, which made him smile, until he saw what the Athosians he'd assigned to mix the cement were doing.
"No, no, no, too much water. It's gonna be dribbling all over the place. Add more powder." He fanned himself in the sun, looking about for a shady place where he could actually see the screen of his tablet, and wondered how long until lunch.
part 3 coming right up...
Tags:
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
From:
no subject
Loved, loved, loved the boys antics. Well, those boys, too, but I meant Jinto and Wex. I can so imagine Wex's surprise at Jinto's offer for him to be Sheppard this time, lol! And Jinto and Ronon fishing--absolutely priceless. :)
Okay, on to the last part. (HeeHee, I didn't get the wrong show this time...go me!! ::giggles::)
From:
no subject
Great story! I especially liked the hard hats, and Rodney having to look up into the laptop. :)
From:
no subject
Glad you liked it :)