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�If it helps, General O�Neill is probably the best person to have in your corner right now,� Sam said.
Elizabeth nodded. �I know,� she said. Sam smiled and turned to leave. �Sam?� Elizabeth called after the blonde Colonel.
�Yeah?� Sam asked, turning back to face the brunette.
�Take care of John out there,� Elizabeth requested.
�Always,� Sam promised before leaving the control room to head for the labs in search of her wayward long-time friend.
�I�m supposed to be somewhere, McKay,� John complained as he shifted in his seat. He had been sitting in Rodney�s temporary lab for quite a while, he wasn�t sure how long exactly, hooked up to some Ancient device that Rodney was sure held the answers to all the questions in the universe�John thought it looked like a plunger, albeit one of Ancient design, but when he had said so he�d simply gotten ten minutes of sarcastic questions on when he became an expert in Ancient technology. John didn�t see the point in reminding Rodney that, despite the astrophysicist�s delusions of being the smartest person in two galaxies, other people were what most would consider experts in subjects that Rodney liked to think only he had mastered, and that John knew a lot more about the Ancients and Ancient technology than he let on. John liked learning, though, like his skill with numbers, he hid it behind multiple layers of misdirection and other techniques that he had mastered over the years.
�No one knows where you are. Where could you possibly need to be?� Rodney asked as he took note of the most recent readings.
John was about to answer when Sam appeared in the doorway, geared up for a mission. �There you are!� the blonde Lieutenant Colonel exclaimed.
�Sam!� Rodney choked, straightened his spine and smoothing down his rather grungy grey-ish lab coat. �You were looking for me?� he asked, intrigued.
�Hardly, McKay,� Sam said, rolling her eyes. �I thought I told you 1300, John. It�s 1330.�
�Crap,� John cringed, pulling the wires that attacked his body to the device, ignoring, as usual, Rodney�s protests. �Sorry, Samantha. McKay shanghaied me. Can you give me five minutes to get ready?�
Sam smiled softly. �You�ve got ten. But this is a one-time reprieve, John,� she warned.
�Thanks,� Sheppard said. He gave Sam�s hand a squeeze and ruffled her hair affectionately as he passed her on the way out of the lab.
�Gateroom, ten minutes,� Sam called after the retreating Major.
�I�ll be there,� John called back before disappearing around a corner.
Sam peered at the device that Rodney had been testing. �What are you doing hooking John up to that?� she demanded.
�To find out what it is. He has amazing control over Ancient technolo�why do you keep calling him John?� Rodney frowned.
�Don�t ever> just hook someone up to devices that you know nothing about,� Sam said, her voice hard and unforgiving. She turned on her heel, heading off in the direction that Sheppard had gone only moments before. �And, for your information, that Ancient device that you�re testing? It�s a freaking plunger,� she called over her shoulder before disappearing from Rodney�s sight.