Resupply ship, by minnow1212, for 38 minutes challenge
Title: Resupply Ship
Author: minnow1212
Spoilers through the Siege I and II. Set two or three years in the future.
Sheppard, Gen.
Sheppard’s getting off the mat for the fifth time (though he’s dumped Teyla on the floor twice, just for the record) when McKay bursts in. "Daedalus got here a day early this time. Come on, Major, they brought something I need you to test."
"There’s plenty of people with the gene, Rodney," Sheppard says, keeping an eye on Teyla warily as they start to circle each other again. "Go find one of them."
"Don’t be stubborn, the two of you can hit each other with sticks *any* time, now come *on,*" McKay replies, and Sheppard sees that he’s in a state of barely suppressed excitement.
Sheppard shrugs at Teyla. "Finish this later?"
"Of course," Teyla says, and smiles. "If you feel it might change the outcome of the match."
"It could," Sheppard protests, even as he bends briefly to touch his forehead to hers. He’s barely taken a step back when McKay grabs his sleeve and tugs him towards the door; he considers protesting and goes along with it, because now he is pretty curious about what the Daedalus crew could have brought that has McKay jittering as they head towards the transporter.
"So what’s the big thing?" he asks, and McKay shakes his head.
"Oh, just a little something Zelenka and I sent the schematics for a few trips back," McKay says. The nonchalance would be more convincing if he weren’t practically rubbing his hands together with glee. "We didn’t dream they’d finish it this soon, if they managed it at all. Hopefully it’s functional. We’ll have to test it thoroughly. Very thoroughly. Consider your time booked for the next few days."
"Hurray," Sheppard says, deadpan, as they step off the transporter. He notes that they’re not heading towards the ring transporter, but towards the--what used to be the--puddlejumper bay. "Hey, what exactly did you guys ask--"
Zelenka pops his head out the door; like McKay, he’s practically vibrating with excitement. "Did you find--ah, Major, excellent, you are here."
"Yeah, I’m--" McKay grabs his sleeve again, to tug him through the door, and Sheppard stops dead two steps in and stares for a while. He feels his hands curl into fists, as if to keep himself from touching something he shouldn’t. McKay is babbling about something, trying to tug him forward again, and Zelenka is murmuring to let him be, which John will have to thank him for later.
Nothing really seems appropriate to say. The only thing that’s popping into his head right now is a shocked, "They built a new one?" and it’s pretty obvious they did, because it’s right here in front of him. It’s been six months since they lost the last puddlejumper in the final battle against the Wraith; eight months since he’s flown anything since they always needed him in the chair during those last months of constant fighting. He hadn’t thought--of course they’d always planned on building something or bringing something through for air support; it wasn’t like, when he’d chosen to stay on Atlantis, he’d given up his chances of ever flying again. He just hadn’t known when it would be. Going through the gate with his team is the best thing, the most important thing, but god, he’s still missed--
He steps forward and uncurls his hands and runs them along the smoothness of the jumper’s side as he walks its length. When he glances back, McKay and Zelenka are beaming at him in a way that makes him feel about five and very uncool, everything on his face, but he can’t help grinning back before he turns back to the ship. "Pretty neat," he says quietly, and steps inside.
Author: minnow1212
Spoilers through the Siege I and II. Set two or three years in the future.
Sheppard, Gen.
Sheppard’s getting off the mat for the fifth time (though he’s dumped Teyla on the floor twice, just for the record) when McKay bursts in. "Daedalus got here a day early this time. Come on, Major, they brought something I need you to test."
"There’s plenty of people with the gene, Rodney," Sheppard says, keeping an eye on Teyla warily as they start to circle each other again. "Go find one of them."
"Don’t be stubborn, the two of you can hit each other with sticks *any* time, now come *on,*" McKay replies, and Sheppard sees that he’s in a state of barely suppressed excitement.
Sheppard shrugs at Teyla. "Finish this later?"
"Of course," Teyla says, and smiles. "If you feel it might change the outcome of the match."
"It could," Sheppard protests, even as he bends briefly to touch his forehead to hers. He’s barely taken a step back when McKay grabs his sleeve and tugs him towards the door; he considers protesting and goes along with it, because now he is pretty curious about what the Daedalus crew could have brought that has McKay jittering as they head towards the transporter.
"So what’s the big thing?" he asks, and McKay shakes his head.
"Oh, just a little something Zelenka and I sent the schematics for a few trips back," McKay says. The nonchalance would be more convincing if he weren’t practically rubbing his hands together with glee. "We didn’t dream they’d finish it this soon, if they managed it at all. Hopefully it’s functional. We’ll have to test it thoroughly. Very thoroughly. Consider your time booked for the next few days."
"Hurray," Sheppard says, deadpan, as they step off the transporter. He notes that they’re not heading towards the ring transporter, but towards the--what used to be the--puddlejumper bay. "Hey, what exactly did you guys ask--"
Zelenka pops his head out the door; like McKay, he’s practically vibrating with excitement. "Did you find--ah, Major, excellent, you are here."
"Yeah, I’m--" McKay grabs his sleeve again, to tug him through the door, and Sheppard stops dead two steps in and stares for a while. He feels his hands curl into fists, as if to keep himself from touching something he shouldn’t. McKay is babbling about something, trying to tug him forward again, and Zelenka is murmuring to let him be, which John will have to thank him for later.
Nothing really seems appropriate to say. The only thing that’s popping into his head right now is a shocked, "They built a new one?" and it’s pretty obvious they did, because it’s right here in front of him. It’s been six months since they lost the last puddlejumper in the final battle against the Wraith; eight months since he’s flown anything since they always needed him in the chair during those last months of constant fighting. He hadn’t thought--of course they’d always planned on building something or bringing something through for air support; it wasn’t like, when he’d chosen to stay on Atlantis, he’d given up his chances of ever flying again. He just hadn’t known when it would be. Going through the gate with his team is the best thing, the most important thing, but god, he’s still missed--
He steps forward and uncurls his hands and runs them along the smoothness of the jumper’s side as he walks its length. When he glances back, McKay and Zelenka are beaming at him in a way that makes him feel about five and very uncool, everything on his face, but he can’t help grinning back before he turns back to the ship. "Pretty neat," he says quietly, and steps inside.