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"So she's staying?" John asked warily, peaking open one of his eyes as Elizabeth stepped up next to his bed in the infirmary. He had been stuck in the infirmary for two days now and it had him going stir crazy. He felt fine. Just a little tired. But Beckett had insisted he stay there for observation after they had stopped his heart to get the damn Iratus bug off of him.

Elizabeth smile indulgently. "I was hoping to discuss that with you, and if you agreed, I would like to extend an invitation to Miss Zian to stay here with us. Yes."

John nodded agitatedly. He couldn't say he was surprised. Kai had been here for nearly three weeks now and everyone seemed to like her. Given her help with the latest emergency it made sense to make her a more permanent member of the expedition. 

"I believe that given the fact that Ms. Zian has the gene and is quite an accomplished mechanic she would make an excellent addition here in Atlantis," Weir was speaking in the extra calm way of hers that set John's teeth on edge. She had already made this decision without him, now she was just sticking to the formality of discussing it with him.

"Only one person who has worked with her has filed a complaint-" Elizabeth hedged.

"Oh yeah? Who's that?" John was genuinely interested. Aside from him everyone else seemed dazzled by the beautiful new mechanic.

"Ah, Doctor Kavanagh," Elizabeth reported.

John scoffed. Kavanagh didn't count. The man was a jack ass who could complain about anything. More to the point it would have been more suspicious had Kavanagh said he liked Zian.

John huffed, feeling ridiculous. He wasn't sure why he was hanging onto his distrust of Zian. He didn't know how she had ended up on the comm, but she had and it saved his life. He had also read over the reports and knew she and Zelenka had worked together to discover what Rodney needed to get the drive pods in. Which meant he owed her twice.

"You said it yourself Major. We are cut off out here, we could use some friends. In the very short time we have know her Ms. Zian has done some truly remarkable things with Doctor Zelenka. I have to tell you when things went wrong with the shuttle she was right there working with Zelenka to find a solution. Her knowledge of shuttles and motors is remarkable, especially considering these are not ones from her native planet."

And there it was right there, the thing that bothered John more than an anything. Elizabeth was naming off all the things they knew about Zian, but what she failed to see was how much the things they didn't know out weighted them. There were too many secrets. "Do we even know where her native planet is?"

Weir sucked in a breath. "Major, Doctor Beckett has appraised us both of the...difficult past Miss Zian has and I have made it a point to not force her to discuss it. I've made a decision on this. I believe Ms. Zian will be an asset to the expedition. While not a traditional scientist, she certainly seems to understand a great deal about the technology here and gate technology."

"I-" John started to argue but Weir cut him off.

"I've made arrangements with Carson to release you early so you and I could go speak to her."

John jumped to his feet. "Sold," he said pulling off the heart monitor. The machine started beeping uncontrollably and Beckett marched in scowling at The Major.

"You have to be the worst patient I have ever had the misfortune of treating," Beckett informed John, switching off the angry machine.

"I'll take that as a compliment. Thanks Doc," John called over his shoulder as he turned back to Elizabeth. "Let's go."

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John and Elizabeth were almost to the jumper bay when he glanced back at her. "I thought you said it was her day off."

Elizabeth nodded briskly. "It is, but I was informed she has been in the jumper bay since early this morning."

The doors hissed open. There was no sign of anyone in the bay. John frowned at Elizabeth but led the way inside.

"Kai?" Elizabeth called cautiously.

"Over here," came a muffled response.

They walked towards the voice and found Kai working on the very jumper that had nearly gotten John's team killed. She had the drive pods open and was laying on the ground beneath them with just her legs sticking out. She had a laptop with an array of cords coming out of it that connected to the inside of the jumper sitting next to a Lantian tool box.

"Kai," Elizabeth greeted.

Kai slid out from under the pod. John's eyes widened a little. He hadn't seen her in anything but the Atlantis uniform since she arrived. She wore a mechanics jump suit with the top hanging and arms tied around her slim waist.  A fitted, long sleeve black athletic shirt clung to her curves and flat stomach. John swallowed. He had known she was attractive, but until that very moment had forced himself not to notice. He dragged his eyes up to her face and refused to look anywhere else. There was a swipe of grease across one of her cheek bones, hiding the soft freckles. Her scarf was tied down snuggly around her hair so it would stay out of her way while she worked.

"Hello," Kai greeted in surprise. She hadn't expected to see both leaders of Atlantis. In fact she hadn't expected to see anyone. There were no off-world missions planned and almost all of the scientists including Zelenka were taking the day off.

"I thought it was your day off," Elizabeth said looking around the bay meaningfully.

Kai cleared her throat. She didn't remember anyone saying the day off was mandatory. "It is, but, well I don't sit still well and we still haven't worked out what exactly went wrong with the drive pod."

"Sounds like someone else I know," Elizabeth said wryly, glancing over her shoulder at John. John scowled at her playfully. "'Worst patient ever', that's a direct quote."

John shrugged unapologetically.

"That's right," Kai said turning to the Major. "How are you feeling Major?"

"Better," John said uncomfortably. "Thank you for your help with that."

Kai nodded, looking just as uncomfortable with the Major's gratitude as he was giving it.

Weir noticed and stepped forward, breaking the tension. "Kai, we won't keep you. But we wanted to talk to you about your time here on Atlantis."

Kai swallowed. This was it. She had honestly been allowed to stay longer than she had expected. She had been well for over two weeks now and knew it was just a matter of time before she would have to move on. She had somehow hoped if she just kept busy and made herself useful they would continue to overlook her presence.

The Major crossed his arms over his chest and she could see in his face he wasn't happy about this whole situation. She realized then there was no way this man would have overlooked her presence. She had screwed up too many times in front of him and now he considered her too much of a security risk. It was almost laughable. If they only knew what she was actually capable of. She was being condemned for being a simple mechanic with secrets. If they knew what she was she doubted they would let her go.

"Of course. I've stayed too long," Kai said nodding. She wasn't going to stand there and make Elizabeth say the words. She was a good person and a strong leader and she had shown Kai kindness. "I know you have several planets in your system which are populated. I would be happy with one as technologically advanced as possible," she only had two marketable skills. Her best bet for making a living was finding a planet with engines for her to work on. The other option wasn't as palatable as it used to be.

Weir looked at Kai with shrewd eyes as though she were trying to read the other woman's mind.

"Wouldn't you like to go home?" Sheppard asked helpfully though his eyes were hard. He was testing her again she realized, but why test her if they were kicking her out?

"Not if it were the last planet in the galaxy," Kai replied with absolute certainty.

John crossed his arms over his chest. This was exactly what he was talking about. She was hiding something more than just a messed up family life. John was all too familiar with what that looked like. He had an estranged father and brother back on his own planet. This was something else.

"We aren't asking you to leave Kai. In fact, we would like to formally invite you to stay," Weir said with a welcoming smile, certain of Kai's response.

Kai frowned, looking back and forth between the two leaders. "Stay?" she asked in confusion.

Sheppard studied her reaction carefully. "I mean unless you have somewhere else to be."

Kai met the Major's hard, steady gaze. Weir's face was open and welcoming, but Kai could tell the Major did not want her to stay.

"We would be honored if you agreed to stay with us. We would provide you with quarters of your own, a living stipend. You would be on Doctor Zelenka's team. You would be free to come and go as you please."

"Well," Sheppard interrupted. "Within reason."

Weir turned to cast John a warning look.

He shrugged unapologetically. "You would be held to the same standards of conduct and expectations as everyone else here," he warned.

Kai actually respected the man for being so straight forward. He was a good leader and he had good instincts. It made her more comfortable with the idea of making this a more permanent situation. Had he simply believed her like everyone else she wouldn't have felt as secure. The Major was a competent soldier however, and he was serious about the security of this base and it's peoples safety. She realized in that moment what must actually be bothering the Major. If she agreed she would fall under that protection. She would be one of his people.

The trouble was the lies she had told to get herself here in the first place. Now she had to decide in a moment whether or not she could maintain those. Lying didn't bother her, not as a principle. Lying was simply part of the job. It kept her alive. She had done plenty of operations undercover, but this felt different. There was no overarching goal here, no end game. The cover, the lies, they would be her life now.

In the end it was the prospect of peace that made her say yes. The chance to be something other than what she had been. She had enjoyed the weeks working here with Doctor Zelenka and the other scientists. She liked working on the engines. She enjoyed helping the team so to speak. She didn't know it at the time, but it was that first tiny glimmer of hope that set her fate.

"I would like that very much," Kai said. She looked back and forth between the two leaders. "Thank you," she said and surprised even herself at the depth of her sincerity.

"Well, now that we're all one big happy family," Sheppard said as he frowned at the strange woman. Something had just happened or changed. He couldn't say exactly what it was but it made him uneasy. "I've got work to do." He turned to go.

"Major," Weir called after him. "Beckett hasn't cleared you for active duty until the end of the week."

John huffed indignantly and left the room. Elizabeth and Kai watched as the Major closed the door behind him, perhaps a little harder than necessary. Kai looked back at Weir apologetically.

Weir smiled but there was tension around her eyes. "Everyone is very excited to have you here, but I think it might take the Major a little while," Weir said wearily.

Kai understood his anger perhaps more than anyone. She turned to Elizabeth and gave her a reassuring smile. "I think Doctor Weir, that perhaps you are correct," Kai agreed.

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Suspicion
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Kai had officially been a part of the Atlantis expedition for a week. She had been given personal quarters, free access of all the cities living areas and a comm of her very own. McKay had been the one to bring it to her. Apparently being on Zelenka's team meant she fell under his jurisdiction as Chief Science and Research Officer. He had seen fit to remind her of that fact. The arrogant scientist and her had not hit it off on the right foot and it seemed to deteriorate rapidly. She tried her best to remain quiet and demure but in the end she had been speaking through gritted teeth as she thanked him for his help and he reminded her once more her work was at his convenience. He then graciously informed her he would let her continue to work on her quaint little jumper project for now. Once he was finally gone she custom fit the comm, modifying the volume control so she didn't end up with a blown ear drum every time someone tried to contact her.

She and Zelenka had been putting in extra hours working together in the control room. There was a terminal there that no one seemed to know what it did and they hadn't been able to get powered up. Working in the control room was interesting but distracting. Every time they powered up the gate they had to pause their work for fear they might interfere somehow. It would have taken them half the time without the constant traffic.

She heard the gate power up again and sighed in frustration. She and Zelenka quickly disconnected from the terminal to wait it out. "Maybe if we came back in the middle of the night," she suggested hopefully.

Zelenka smiled good-naturedly. "I think perhaps there might be a reason the ancients didn't fix it themselves," he said wryly.

Kai nodded, stretching her back.

"It's major Sheppard's IDC," one of the technician's reported.

Weir stepped out of her office coming towards the main control panel. "They've only been gone a few hours."

The gate alarm started ringing through the room and Kai resisted the urge to cover her ears.

"Atlantis this is Sheppard, we're coming in hot," the Major's authoritative voice carried over the radio and through the over head speakers of the control room.

"Lower the shield," Weir ordered and marines moved into place, their weapons drawn. Kai moved subtly to place herself between the gate and Doctor Zelenka. She wasn't sure what 'coming in hot' meant to Sheppard. She couldn't imagine Sheppard taking too much of a risk with Atlantis, but she wasn't willing to risk her friends safety. She was far better equipped to handle whatever was coming through that gate.

As soon as the shield dropped wraith stunner blasts began erupting through the room. Teyla, Sheppard, Ford and McKay all ran through the gate. Ford, Sheppard and Teyla swung back around to face the gate, their weapons raised in case they were followed. Kai's hand dropped to the tool belt she wore. Among the pliers and screwdrivers she had slid a slim blade. Her fingers touched it. It wouldn't do much against a wraith warrior if they came through, but at least it was something.

"Raise the shield!" Weir yelled just as one of the stunners hit McKay in the face.

The room erupted into panic. "Medic!" Sheppard yelled.

"I've got a pulse!" someone else yelled.

Zelenka moved past her to stand at the rail and watch the crisis unfold. As soon as the shield was raised once more Kai let go of the knife and allowed herself to relax. In her time on Atlantis so far she had managed to avoid much of the conflict the expedition seemed to encounter. The prospect of a fight had her blood pumping and her hands tingling with excitement.

"Zian?" Zelenka was trying to get her attention but the mechanic's focus was still on the floor below them. "Kai?" he asked uncertainly, touching her arm.

Kai jerked away from the doctor's touch looking up at him in surprise. "Of course I'm so sorry Doctor Zelenka. What were you saying?"

Zelenka smiled. "Not used to the action eh?" he asked. "Me either," he confessed after a moment. "It appears Rodney is fine. Let's get back to work. Don't worry. We won't see much action."

Kai nodded and turned back to the control panel thinking that perhaps that was entirely the problem.

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