28 June 2005
Stargate Atlantis




Sheppard's used to finding the science team a bit weird, so he doesn't notice immediately.  They always scuttle around and give him vaguely hostile looks; it's leftover tension from having been abused in high school. 

//jock at 11 o'clock! hide your science project!//

And just like that, they throw a lab coat over whatever they're doing and all glare at him until he goes away.

It takes him a whole month to find out.

Two biochemists, a pathologist, and an engineer have.  Laid an egg.

"Just the one?"

"It's a very special egg."

"You know, I'm getting that."

Elizabeth gives him that kindergarten teacher look of hers, the one that expresses her disappointment that he's not being nice while still offering the possibility of approval, and maybe a cookie, if he minds his manners.  "The Qirii were very grateful for their assistance."

"They must've been.  Is it made of gold?"

Rodney glares at him.  All the freaks belong to him, apparently.  "No.  It's made of the best genetic components of four fairly brilliant people."

"Will it even be human?"

"I don't think they care."

And yeah, they don't.  Sheppard and Bates get together, privately, and talk about ways of isolating the egg to make sure it isn't a threat, but it's clear that short of declaring open war on the entire science team, there's no way to do it.  Some of the non-biological-donor engineers have set up booby-traps around the labs to keep him out.

Every so often, he sees one of the donor-parents walking down the hall with the egg under his/her shirt.  This little bulge.

They sing to it.  All of them.  Their voices carry a long way during the night.




jane
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