Bonding with Woolsey
Chapter 1
By Rocza
I'm not sure exactly when it happened. I just noticed that suddenly, out of the blue, that Woolsey wasn't so bad. I know. It's not a huge revelation. It's not the answer to life, the universe, and everything. But it did come as a surprise to me.
Woolsey has always been annoying. He is my opposite. He has always been more concerned with counting his beans than what those beans represented. Always the one to use a diplomatic phrase for an undiplomatic problem.
I, on the other hand, took the loss of each bean personally. Because that is what they were; persons. And as for diplomacy... well, let's just say that the kindest way to describe my diplomatic skills is `strait shooter.'
To say we had a philosophical difference is understating the problem. But, however we differed, I always knew that Woolsey was just trying his best. I may have questioned his actions, but never his motives. I never thought he was evil or bad, just misguided... and annoying. Really annoying. Complete with the whiney voice and the hand wringing. Ack!
Anyway, sometime during our negotiations with the Lantians, I had the epiphany that Woolsey wasn't so bad. Don't worry. He is not my new best friend or anything. Just... not so bad. And that is why I feel so very guilty right now.
Here we are running and hiding from human form replicators as they systematically assassinate all the Lantians. I know that there is a very strong possibility that we are going to die, right here on Atlantis. If not from the replicators, then from the nuke that Hank should be sending through soon. But I don't have the heart to tell Woolsey. Instead, I let him cling to the hope that we can steal a ship or make it to the gate and back to Earth.
"Let's hole up here for awhile," I whisper to him. "Get some rest."
"Are you sure that's a good idea? What if they find us?" Woolsey asks me.
"Then they find us and we can rest. Either way, we rest," I reply. He's giving me the look. You know the one. The one that says, `he's finally cracked, humor him till we can get his gun away.' Whatever it takes.
It takes awhile, but he finally overcomes his fear of making noise to ask, "Aren't you afraid of what they will do to us when they find us?" His voice cracks at the end.
Obviously, he is wound up tighter than a spring. I take a minute to ponder my answer. A reasonable question deserves a reasonable answer. I let out a sigh, "If… If they find us… And, not really." I reply honestly. "I already know what they will do when they catch us. I've lived through it before. The worst they can do is kill us. The best... well... we may just wish we were dead." I give him a sad smile. "But, they haven't caught us yet. So, buck up... and ... all that," I finish lamely with a hand wave. Apparently, my words are not soothing his fears. He is staring at me with a terrified look. "What?"
"I don't think I can do this," he whispers. "I am a diplomat. I have spent years working to get to my position." He huddled lower in the corner, as if fold in on himself. "I have no idea what to do now. No frame of reference. I'm going to die here. I know it."
I may be a bit thick towards other people's feelings. But I can hear a scream for help when I hear it. It made me feel even guiltier. Do I even have a right to give him hope in a hopeless situation? Crap. Wolsey with the big hopeless eyes is way worse than a sad puppy. I can't tell him the truth. I can't take his hope away. So, I start to laugh.
OK, Mr. Sensitivity I am not. But I do have a reputation for a twisted sense of humor. Woolsey stares at me wide eyed with shock, and it just makes me laugh harder. Then he does the fish mouth thing, and I lose it completely. Yep, doubled over, laughing, with tears, honest to god, tears squeezing out of my eyes.
It takes him a full minute to say something. "Well, General O'Neill, I'm glad you find my inadequacy funny," he sneers. "Ohh, just go do something, brutish and military, and let me wallow in my helplessness."
As I finally regain control, I give him a big cheeky grin. "On the contrary, you are far from helpless. And be glad you have no frame of reference. Ignorance is bliss in this situation. As for not knowing what to do, you take this," I point at his pistol, "and defend yourself. Survive. Hide when you can, shoot if you must. The rest..." my hand circles to encompass everything in the room, "... is just details."
He frowned back at me. I can tell that he is hung up on the details. Well, he is an accountant at heart. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to scout us some lunch." I stand and wave as I turn to leave our hidey hole.
"Wait!” his panicked shout stopped me. “You can't just leave me here. What if they come? What if you get caught?"
"Details. We'll deal with them IF and WHEN they happen. Until then… think positive. Oh, and remember that you are HIDING. Don't reveal yourself, unless you are sure it is me. Don't talk, don't call out, and don't make any noise." I turn to leave and turn back, "And, please, don't shoot me." Then I turn one more time and leave before he can call me back again.
~~SG~~SG~~SG~~SG~~SG~~SG~~SG~~SG~~SG~~SG~~SG~~ SG~~SG
Finally free of Woolsey, my training kicks in and I ghost through the halls of Atlantis. The city is eerily quiet as I slide between levels and rooms. I can't find any of the Lantians. I do pass several Replicator patrols, if you could call them that. They didn't seem to be doing anything but walking, oblivious to their surroundings.
An hour later, I make it to the chow hall. I was way back in the kitchen when my luck ran out. I have just enough time to hide when the replicators enter. I have a court-side view as they capture the Captain of the Lantian ship. Apparently, she was caught attempting to gather food. Just like I was.
They didn’t bother moving her to start questioning. I watched as they first interrogated her and then tapped into her brain. It looked about like what I thought. Painful. Ten minutes pass without anyone moving.
Finally, the head replicator removed his hand and she dropped to the ground unconscious. "All the Lantians are dead," the replicator announced. "She attempted to hide that information from us. Atlantis is ours. Begin phase II to repair the city. Notify me when repairs are complete." The replicator then turned his weapon on the unconscious Captain and killed her. Without another word the group scattered to their tasks.
OK, good news and bad news. Good news, the replicators don't know about Woolsey and I. Bad news, all our allies are dead. I packed all the non-perishable food I can carry. I had found several cases of MRE’s and some power bars before the replicators started their show. I don't think it's a good idea to return here, even if they are not looking for us.
I slowly made my way back to Woolsey, silent as a ghost. As I pass the Jumper Bay, I can see the replicators working between the ships. No escape there, either. Unless we grow gills… which is not entirely outside the realm of possibility… we are trapped here. Details, details.
~~SG~~SG~~SG~~SG~~SG~~SG~~SG~~SG~~SG~~SG~~SG~~ SG~~SG
Continued in Chapter 2.