Road to Pegasus

Part 4

“You do know there’s a party upstairs?” he said as he came into the lab, startling the other occupant out of their private world.

Pulling out from under the lab bench, Chloe Sullivan looked at Sgt Malcolm Cohen with a mock glare.

“And?”

“Every person in Atlantis is there.” he stated, settling himself on a convenient stool. “Including all the Athosians.”

“Can you think of a better time to set up the labs?” she asked, moving back under the bench.

“How about in the morning?” the dark haired marine suggested, pushing his glasses up his nose as he bent over to see what had her attention. “What are you doing?”

“Hooking up one of the wireless routers so Mitchell can start getting everyone connected in the morning.”

More rustling and thumping was heard, followed by what sounded suspiciously like a curse or two.

“I’ll say again - ‘You couldn’t do this in the morning?’” he pushed. “Or better yet, couldn’t Mitchell do it in the morning?” It was the Sgt’s job, he failed to add.

Cohen had seen the Air Force Captain take on more than her share of the workload, and figured Mitchell, Stone and himself could at least pull their own weights. They were her team, after all.

All three of them had seen her work tirelessly in the weeks preceding their departure from Earth. But that was nothing compared to how she pushed herself when Captain Armstein pulled out three days before their departure. There hadn’t been enough time to find someone who had the knowledge, ability and willingness to replace the supply and logistics officer. Instead, the higher ups had promoted a First Lt to Captain, before her time.

She’d done exceptionally well so far, but they all knew it was only a matter of time before she crashed. Adrenaline and caffeine could only carry you so far.

Privately, Malcolm suspected she did so much to prove to herself and everyone else that she could handle the duties and responsibilities that had been summarily thrust upon her without warning. Cohen had promised himself he would do whatever he could to help her out, and suspected the other two felt the same.

“But this will minimize his contact with the scientists.” Sullivan responded. She pulled herself out from under the bench, but made no move to get up. Drawing her knees up, she leaned against the bench and looked up to the older man.

“That’s weak and you know it.” he told her. Mitchell’s personality may be abrasive on a good day, but people would have to get used to him. He'd spent the last year in Antarctica with both Dr. McKay and Mitchell, and didn't think the Marine Sargeant would be the problem. While Dr. McKay had a brilliant mind, Mitchell had a P-90, a 9mm and could kill someone with his pinky. The scientists weren't stupid.

Silence stretched between them as she looked everywhere but at him, while Malcolm waited patiently.

“It’s quiet.”

Which in itself was enough. With everyone celebrating in the Operations centre, the lower levels were empty of all personnel. Even the orgasmic scientists had pulled themselves away to party.

“Which explains why you’re hiding in the labs, but not why you’re doing Mitchell’s job for him.” Cohen pushed. He thought he had a fair idea of what was bothering her - probably the same thing their new military commander was brooding about upstairs.

“I needed to keep busy.” she explained, still not meeting his eyes.

“The burdens of command weighing on you?” he said, calmly meeting her surprised and slightly suspicious gaze as it snapped up to meet his.

“Major Sheppard?” she intuitively guessed.

“Doing the same thing you are, only in front of the entire population of Atlantis.” Cohen told her. Some of the tension leached from her frame at this - some, but not nearly enough.

Silence stretched between them again, as he waited for her to speak. It was a game he’d learned to master early on - out-waiting Chloe Gabriel. Well, it was Sullivan now. He still hadn’t gotten an explanation for the name change.

With her head back and eyes closed, Malcolm could almost believe she had fallen asleep, except he knew she was too wired to sleep any time soon. The constant life-threatening danger didn’t allow for a good night’s sleep for any of them.

“When I first signed up for this assignment, I was just another lieutenant among the masses.” she said, her lips the only movement of her body. “Now I find myself a Captain and the Second In Command on an expedition that may not survive the week.”

“I have faith in you, Chloe.” he replied, her eyes opening at the use of her first name. Military formality was a way of life for them, especially in the marines, so he knew the use of her first name would gain her undivided attention. “So do the rest of the Marines.”

“A few days of off-world training does not a field commander make.” she replied ruefully. “How can I ask these people to put their lives in my hands, when I’ve never been in a real combat situation before? How can I ask them to trust me?”

“You’ve had training-“

“Minimal” she interrupted. “I was never supposed to be in this kind of situation - not this early in my career, if ever. I’m support staff, not command staff.”

“Have you talked to Major Sheppard about this?” he asked. Seeing the doubt in her eyes for the first time ever, Cohen was brought up short. She truly thought she couldn’t handle this newest challenge that had been thrown at her.

“I’ve barely met the man.” She smiled slightly at his look of surprise. “Back on Earth, I was busy getting the labs and equipment sorted and portable, I didn’t get a chance to meet most of these people; only a few in the military contingent, and most of them through the mandatory off-world training Col Sumner insisted on. Then there was double-checking everything Captain Armstein had done...”

At this, he nodded in agreement. He’d seen everything she had done to prepare for this mission, and was still in awe of her ability. She knew almost every piece of equipment and crate of supplies they’d brought with them, spanning from the labs to the infirmary to the mess hall. She could set up and calibrate every device the scientists needed, even going as far as to troubleshoot minor problems - the more complex problems were his to deal with.

He’d asked her how she knew what they would need, seeing her add supplies of things he would never think of - like laundry detergent, toilet paper and sewing kits. She said by answering a fairly simple question: ‘If I was on a deserted island, what would I need?’

She apparently needed a lot - but he wasn’t going to argue. Her over packing was going to save the lot of them quite a few headaches in the future - if they could ever finish unpacking and setting up the base.

“What are you going to do?” he asked her, bringing himself back to the topic at hand. He knew she had to have an idea of how to proceed, because Malcolm really couldn’t see her stepping up to 2IC. The Captain knew herself well enough to know not to put others lives at risk. She wouldn’t put this base or the people on it in harm’s way due to her inexperience. It was something she’d learned from her grandfather, or so she had said on varying occasions.

“Colonel Sumner and I discussed a course of action, should I ever be forced into a command situation due to rank.” she told him. “But that’s not the problem.”

“So, what is?”

“What if we lose Sheppard?” she asked him with a frown, and Malcolm could see that this was the real issue. “I’ll be forced to take command, by issue of my rank.”

And that scared her more than the Wraith could, any day. It was there in her eyes. She was terrified that if that day ever came, she would let them all down because of her inexperience.

“The fact that you’re so worried about the lives of these people speaks for itself. I can see it, and I know the other military personnel will see it, too. If that day ever comes, we will back you up, because we know you will do whatever it takes to keep us alive.”

Silence enveloped the room, as Sullivan absorbed his words.

Then she let out a huff that was half laugh.

“Have you been reading those bodice rippers again, Cohen?” she asked him in amused disbelief. “Because your flowery words are winning me over.”

“Where do you think I get all my best lines from?” he joked, the seriousness of their previous conversation dissipating with the turn of a phrase.

“Cohen. Your best lines all suck.” she told him, having been a female guinea pig for many of them.

“Maybe on Earth, but this is a whole new galaxy.” he told her in mock seriousness. “Anything is possible.”

And Chloe had to agree.

End

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