ON THE SHORES OF A WINE-DARK SEA BY dr_dredd [LFWS#3 ROUND 7]
Title: On The Shores of a Wine-Dark Sea
Author: dr_dredd
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Stargate belongs to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., no infringements of any rights is intended.
Spoilers: None
Prompt for the Round: The story must take place at night and must have the whole team. It must be H/C, angst, or both.
ON THE SHORES OF A DARK-DARK SEA by dr_dredd
John Sheppard dropped a last armful of wood on the fire just as the setting sun disappeared below the horizon. A cool wind was blowing off the ocean, making him glad for the blaze. “That should do it for tonight,” he said to his assembled teammates. “We can gather more kindling tomorrow, when we look for a new campsite. A more permanent one.”
From his seat next to the wreckage of the puddlejumper, Rodney glared at John. “Don’t say it!” he snapped. “Do NOT say that we’re stuck here. I can fix the jumper! I just need a little more time.”
John sighed. “Rodney, we crashed almost two weeks ago. Nobody’s suggesting that you stop trying, but we need to face the possibility that we’re going to be here for a while.”
Emotions chased each other across the physicist’s face. Guilt and shame were prominent, followed by a stubborn determination. Teyla placed a comforting hand on Rodney’s arm. “We have confidence in you,” she said simply. Privately, John wasn’t so sure. Rodney was good, but there wasn’t much to work with. The jumper’s power was completely shorted out. Even with his own, natural ATA gene, he couldn’t call up any computer displays or initialize any systems.
A brief silence fell, broken only by the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. Faint starlight glinted off the dark water. During the day, the scene was idyllic. The white, sandy beach was as pristine as the best of them on Earth, and the climate seemed temperate. It would be a wonderful vacation destination.
As a place to live permanently, though? John hoped he didn’t have to find out. However, since the only gate was in orbit and they had no way of accessing it, they might very well find themselves honorary citizens of this planet.
o-o-o
Three months later, John wondered if anyone from Atlantis was still searching for them. He stared up into the night sky, wistfully trying to locate its star. He’d always meant to ask Rodney, but wasn’t going to do it now. The physicist had fallen into a depression, blaming himself for not being able to get the jumper back on line. (He had managed to build a crude emergency transmitter, though, and was constantly watching for any signs that they had been found.)
Hearing footsteps, John looked over his shoulder to find Ronon walking down the beach toward him. Ronon seemed to be taking their forced exile the best of all of them. There was no sign that the Wraith had ever been to this planet, so the big Satedan had relaxed as much as he ever did. He was still alert for danger, but without the inner fury that manifested when the Wraith were involved.
Ronon reached the dune where John was standing. “Sheppard,” he said in greeting.
John nodded back. “’Evening, Ronon. How are things back at camp?”
The other man shrugged. “Okay. Teyla’s meditating, and McKay is… actually, I’m not sure what McKay is doing.”
The two men began walking back down the beach. “How are you doing?” Ronon asked.
It was John’s turn to shrug. “Can’t really complain,” he said. He didn’t elaborate, and Ronon didn’t push it.
o-o-o
A year after that, John once again stared up into the night sky. It had the same wine-dark color as the ocean near their new settlement. Obviously, no rescue had come yet, but at least Rodney had stopped blaming himself. Ronon and Teyla were also faring well. And as for John, well, he was learning to keep his own inner disappointment well hidden. He would also never stop hoping to be found by an Atlantis team.
After all, stranger things than that had happened in the Pegasus galaxy.
Don’t forget to leave ONLY FEEDBACK in the comments and NOT VOTES. All comments will be screened until the voting closes.
Author: dr_dredd
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Stargate belongs to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., no infringements of any rights is intended.
Spoilers: None
Prompt for the Round: The story must take place at night and must have the whole team. It must be H/C, angst, or both.
ON THE SHORES OF A DARK-DARK SEA by dr_dredd
John Sheppard dropped a last armful of wood on the fire just as the setting sun disappeared below the horizon. A cool wind was blowing off the ocean, making him glad for the blaze. “That should do it for tonight,” he said to his assembled teammates. “We can gather more kindling tomorrow, when we look for a new campsite. A more permanent one.”
From his seat next to the wreckage of the puddlejumper, Rodney glared at John. “Don’t say it!” he snapped. “Do NOT say that we’re stuck here. I can fix the jumper! I just need a little more time.”
John sighed. “Rodney, we crashed almost two weeks ago. Nobody’s suggesting that you stop trying, but we need to face the possibility that we’re going to be here for a while.”
Emotions chased each other across the physicist’s face. Guilt and shame were prominent, followed by a stubborn determination. Teyla placed a comforting hand on Rodney’s arm. “We have confidence in you,” she said simply. Privately, John wasn’t so sure. Rodney was good, but there wasn’t much to work with. The jumper’s power was completely shorted out. Even with his own, natural ATA gene, he couldn’t call up any computer displays or initialize any systems.
A brief silence fell, broken only by the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. Faint starlight glinted off the dark water. During the day, the scene was idyllic. The white, sandy beach was as pristine as the best of them on Earth, and the climate seemed temperate. It would be a wonderful vacation destination.
As a place to live permanently, though? John hoped he didn’t have to find out. However, since the only gate was in orbit and they had no way of accessing it, they might very well find themselves honorary citizens of this planet.
o-o-o
Three months later, John wondered if anyone from Atlantis was still searching for them. He stared up into the night sky, wistfully trying to locate its star. He’d always meant to ask Rodney, but wasn’t going to do it now. The physicist had fallen into a depression, blaming himself for not being able to get the jumper back on line. (He had managed to build a crude emergency transmitter, though, and was constantly watching for any signs that they had been found.)
Hearing footsteps, John looked over his shoulder to find Ronon walking down the beach toward him. Ronon seemed to be taking their forced exile the best of all of them. There was no sign that the Wraith had ever been to this planet, so the big Satedan had relaxed as much as he ever did. He was still alert for danger, but without the inner fury that manifested when the Wraith were involved.
Ronon reached the dune where John was standing. “Sheppard,” he said in greeting.
John nodded back. “’Evening, Ronon. How are things back at camp?”
The other man shrugged. “Okay. Teyla’s meditating, and McKay is… actually, I’m not sure what McKay is doing.”
The two men began walking back down the beach. “How are you doing?” Ronon asked.
It was John’s turn to shrug. “Can’t really complain,” he said. He didn’t elaborate, and Ronon didn’t push it.
o-o-o
A year after that, John once again stared up into the night sky. It had the same wine-dark color as the ocean near their new settlement. Obviously, no rescue had come yet, but at least Rodney had stopped blaming himself. Ronon and Teyla were also faring well. And as for John, well, he was learning to keep his own inner disappointment well hidden. He would also never stop hoping to be found by an Atlantis team.
After all, stranger things than that had happened in the Pegasus galaxy.
Don’t forget to leave ONLY FEEDBACK in the comments and NOT VOTES. All comments will be screened until the voting closes.