Lance Corporal Sam Jacobson is a third-generation Marine. He has service ribbons from Iraq and Afghanistan and a Silver Star for something he doesn’t like to talk about, but all his experience hasn’t prepared him for Atlantis. Stranded in a dead city with water pressing in on all sides and every officer on the wrong side of the Stargate is not a good place to be.
At the end of the day, the city floats peacefully on the surface of a blue, blue ocean, but Colonel Sumner is reduced to memory and a pair of dog tags clutched tightly in Major Sheppard’s fist, and there are ancient life-sucking vampires in the spaces between stars, waiting. Sam can’t really say that things are looking up.
Some of the Marines blame Sheppard, don’t like the way he’s stepping in to take Sumner’s position. Sam sees the brittle weariness in Sheppard’s eyes and doesn’t know what he feels.
About fifteen crises and one Genii invasion later, the men have learned to trust Sheppard, to follow him with their eyes full of awe.
Sam is the same. He would do anything Sheppard asks of him, fight for him, die for him. But the first time he really feels that swell of pride that Sheppard is his CO isn’t when Sheppard proves he can use a sniper rifle without laser sighting or when he blows up a 10,000 year old Wraith. It’s when Sheppard and his team stumble back through the Stargate with twenty five refugees of a culling. Sheppard is lowering a wounded man gently to the gateroom floor, and the blood on his hands is from trying to save someone.
ii.
Sergeant Lisa Emmett loves Atlantis. She loves the wide open ocean and the Ancient database and going off-world. She also loves the hand-to-hand practice sessions Major Sheppard insists on.
Lisa enjoys the looks on the Marine’s faces when she wipes the mat with them. Six months on Atlantis and they still seem honestly surprised that a woman can knock them to the ground, can beat them at anything. She’s waiting for the day when she’ll see respect in their eyes instead of snapping anger or hot embarrassment.
Lisa arrives at the training rooms early for every session. Usually the rooms are empty and she can take a moment to stretch in peace. Today, however, there are sounds coming from the far arena; the hollow thunk produced by the impact of wood on wood. Curious, she creeps silently to the doorway.
Major Sheppard and Teyla Emmagan are facing off, a pair of wooden sticks in each of their hands. As Lisa watches, Sheppard brushes a trail of sweat from his forehead with a wrist and Teyla takes the opening to lunge forward. Sheppard brings the stick in his left hand around just in time to catch the blow from Teyla’s first swing, but her other arm comes around quick as a whip and smacks a stripe across his shoulder. Lisa winces in sympathy. Sheppard twists and strikes out, but Teyla dances around him gracefully and cuts his legs out from under him. He lands on his back with a quiet oof and Lisa watches for the spark of anger in his eyes.
Sheppard laughs, his eyes lit bright with pleasure. “Wait, show me that move again,” he says, taking Teyla’s hand to haul himself up. Teyla’s lips quirk in a smile and Sheppard quickly edits, “Slower.” Teyla laughs too and mimes the move on an invisible opponent.
Lisa has never loved Atlantis more than right this moment, watching Sheppard get beat up by Teyla with a pair of sticks and laugh.
Five times John's men were proud to have him as a CO (part 1)
Lance Corporal Sam Jacobson is a third-generation Marine. He has service ribbons from Iraq and Afghanistan and a Silver Star for something he doesn’t like to talk about, but all his experience hasn’t prepared him for Atlantis. Stranded in a dead city with water pressing in on all sides and every officer on the wrong side of the Stargate is not a good place to be.
At the end of the day, the city floats peacefully on the surface of a blue, blue ocean, but Colonel Sumner is reduced to memory and a pair of dog tags clutched tightly in Major Sheppard’s fist, and there are ancient life-sucking vampires in the spaces between stars, waiting. Sam can’t really say that things are looking up.
Some of the Marines blame Sheppard, don’t like the way he’s stepping in to take Sumner’s position. Sam sees the brittle weariness in Sheppard’s eyes and doesn’t know what he feels.
About fifteen crises and one Genii invasion later, the men have learned to trust Sheppard, to follow him with their eyes full of awe.
Sam is the same. He would do anything Sheppard asks of him, fight for him, die for him. But the first time he really feels that swell of pride that Sheppard is his CO isn’t when Sheppard proves he can use a sniper rifle without laser sighting or when he blows up a 10,000 year old Wraith. It’s when Sheppard and his team stumble back through the Stargate with twenty five refugees of a culling. Sheppard is lowering a wounded man gently to the gateroom floor, and the blood on his hands is from trying to save someone.
ii.
Sergeant Lisa Emmett loves Atlantis. She loves the wide open ocean and the Ancient database and going off-world. She also loves the hand-to-hand practice sessions Major Sheppard insists on.
Lisa enjoys the looks on the Marine’s faces when she wipes the mat with them. Six months on Atlantis and they still seem honestly surprised that a woman can knock them to the ground, can beat them at anything. She’s waiting for the day when she’ll see respect in their eyes instead of snapping anger or hot embarrassment.
Lisa arrives at the training rooms early for every session. Usually the rooms are empty and she can take a moment to stretch in peace. Today, however, there are sounds coming from the far arena; the hollow thunk produced by the impact of wood on wood. Curious, she creeps silently to the doorway.
Major Sheppard and Teyla Emmagan are facing off, a pair of wooden sticks in each of their hands. As Lisa watches, Sheppard brushes a trail of sweat from his forehead with a wrist and Teyla takes the opening to lunge forward. Sheppard brings the stick in his left hand around just in time to catch the blow from Teyla’s first swing, but her other arm comes around quick as a whip and smacks a stripe across his shoulder. Lisa winces in sympathy. Sheppard twists and strikes out, but Teyla dances around him gracefully and cuts his legs out from under him. He lands on his back with a quiet oof and Lisa watches for the spark of anger in his eyes.
Sheppard laughs, his eyes lit bright with pleasure. “Wait, show me that move again,” he says, taking Teyla’s hand to haul himself up. Teyla’s lips quirk in a smile and Sheppard quickly edits, “Slower.” Teyla laughs too and mimes the move on an invisible opponent.
Lisa has never loved Atlantis more than right this moment, watching Sheppard get beat up by Teyla with a pair of sticks and laugh.