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Landry shrugged. �Maybe. I could kill Jack for not telling me about that little fact before I took over here, you know?�
�General O�Neill is� full of surprises,� Elizabeth said diplomatically.
The once-familiar sound of stone scraping over stone made Elizabeth jump ever so slightly, though she was able to cover the fact that she had been startled by turning to peer through the large window in the briefing room that overlooked the Stargate. Holding her breath, Elizabeth counted the Chevrons as they locked.
One�
Two�
Three�
Four�
Five�
Six�
Seven�
Then came what felt like the longest dramatic pause of her life�
And eight.
The �kawoosh� was the most welcome sight Elizabeth had been lucky enough to bear witness to and when she heard Walter�s PA-enhanced voice announce that it was Atlantis� IDC it took all of the self control she possessed to refrain from running down the stairs like an overeager prom date.
When she got back down to the Control Room she immediately headed for the two-way view screen that Walter was pointing to. �The feed is up, ma�am,� Walter said, though it was unnecessary as Elizabeth could clearly see the Control Room on Atlantis, Chuck sitting off to one side behind the DHD console, Teyla hurrying gracefully across the bridge that led to Elizabeth�s office, Zelenka�s body moving into frame as he slid his rolling chair in front of the view screen that matched the one Elizabeth was standing in front of.
�Radek, Teyla, how�s my city?� Elizabeth asked, a smile spreading across her face, both at the sight of her friends and at the visual assurance that, not only did Atlantis exist outside of her memories, but that it was still standing.
�Atlantis is well, Elizabeth,� Teyla said with a smile.
�Repairs to the damaged sections are ahead of schedule,� Zelenka put in.
�My people have been assisting Doctor Zelenka and his team as much as possible in the City,� Teyla said.
Elizabeth smiled. She knew that Teyla often worried that the Athosians would grow weary of living on the Mainland having any battles fought for them and doing little more than grow some fruits and vegetables in return, so Elizabeth was glad that Teyla�s people had found something they could help with. �That�s great,� Elizabeth said. �Any Wraith activity?�
�None,� Teyla assured Elizabeth. �My people have also been assisting in perpetuating the belief that Atlantis was destroyed. Word is already spreading beyond our trading partners to other planets, ones we have never been to.�
�Never thought I�d be glad people are perpetuating that belief,� Elizabeth said. Teyla offered a sympathetic look in response.