Don’t Ask
by Setcheti
Disclaimer: Don’t own them, have my fingers crossed that those who do don’t turn Season 2 into a train wreck. Although I am prepared to write more fic to fix it if they start to err in that direction. ;) This story is a one-shot, stand-alone, and not episode or CD related.
It had started out as just a regular sort of day. Sheppard was in his office, poking around at things he should have been working on and contemplating the bright blue sky outside his window with longing. He wasn’t supposed to fly anywhere today, but maybe he could sneak a jumper out later…
Someone knocked, and he scowled as his clandestine flight plan drew farther away with the interruption. “Yeah?”
The door slid open in response to his grudging mental okay – sometimes it was nice to be the only guy on the planet with a fully working ATA gene – and revealed the last person in his command he wanted to see. “Sergeant Bates,” he said, not bothering to get up. In fact, he lounged back in his chair. “What do you need?”
The younger man swallowed and stepped inside the room, looking a little surprised when the door didn’t close again behind him. “Sir, I had something to report.”
His tone suggested the something was meant to be reported in private, and Sheppard made a face as he let the door slide shut again. “What is it?”
Bates stiffened to attention. “Sir, I need to report a serious breach of conduct involving two of the officers under your command.” He waited, and when the other man didn’t ask added, “Captain James and Lieutenant Morris, sir.”
Sheppard’s expression didn’t change, but he slowly sat forward, resting his forearms on his desk. “And?”
“I have reason to believe they are participating in…actions which necessitate their immediate dismissal, sir.” Bates was looking really stiff now. “But due to our current situation, I’m not sure how we should proceed.” Sheppard raised an eyebrow, and the younger man swallowed. “Sir.”
Sheppard stood up. “Sergeant, I don’t like people who pussyfoot around – and I for damned sure don’t contemplate dismissing someone from duty over a conversation consisting entirely of innuendo. Either tell me plainly what you’re here to complain about or we drop this now.”
“I saw the captain kiss the lieutenant, sir.” Bates made a face. “And I heard them planning to meet later for…for an assignation, sir.”
“Assignation, that’s…a really big word.” But Sheppard was nodding, looking thoughtful and serious. “All right, seeing as how we’re on another planet so discharge isn’t an option, what exactly are you proposing we do with the officers in question?”
“I’ve been thinking about that, sir.” The sergeant was serious too. “We could lock them up in the facilities we have here, but that would make them a drain on our resources. And I don’t think the Ethosians are going to want them on the mainland, so my suggestion would be that we exile them, sir. There are plenty of abandoned planets to pick from.” He paused, hesitated. “I would recommend they be exiled separately, sir.”
“So we aren’t just sending them on assignation vacation, yeah.” Sheppard sat back down and the door slid back open. “I’ll decide the best way to care of it, Sergeant. Dismissed.”
Bates hesitated. “But sir…”
“I said dismissed.” Sheppard’s brown eyes hardened. “And you are not to discuss this with anyone else or take any action on your own, Bates, do I make myself clear?”
“Yes sir.” Bates wasn’t happy, but he managed to unstiffen enough to get out of the office. Sheppard watched him go, his frown becoming a scowl. So much for sneaking away later.
He called a meeting of the entire military contingent a few hours later, bringing them all together in the gateroom and standing on the steps to address them; he loudly and pointedly ordered Bates down off the steps when the sergeant tried to join him there, relegating him to the front row. Sheppard was angry, that was obvious. “I had someone bring a certain issue to me this morning,” he barked out without preamble. “And we’re going to settle it right here and now. We’re not on Earth any more, people. And we’re not going to drag the worst of Earth into Atlantis with us – we’ve got enough problems on our hands that were already here. So listen up! As of right now, that piece of crap regulation that starts with ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ is defunct. Over. Banished back to Earth – which is where it should have stayed in the first place.” He shot a narrow-eyed look at Bates, who swallowed and looked away, then turned back to the rest of the soldiers. “We are not on Earth, we are on Atlantis. We may be on Atlantis for a very long time, maybe even for the rest of our lives – which may not be as long as we’d all like, considering what we’re up against. So in light of all that I am not going to play bullshit games with you people trying to regulate your sex lives. The standard rules of fraternization aside, I do not care who you sleep with just so long as they’re an adult and it’s consensual – but believe me, if you cross either one of those lines you’re going to wish you hadn’t. And as of right now, any person who attempts to report a homosexual relationship to me with the idea of getting someone into trouble is going to find themselves facing disciplinary action, do we all understand each other?”
There was a whole chorus of, “Yes, Sir!”, and Sheppard marked who was less than enthusiastic about it for future reference. “I’m sure there will be a lot of discussion about this and that’s fine,” he told them. “But if any fights break out all participants will spend the night in a cell to cool off. You people are the finest soldiers Earth had to offer for this mission, I expect you to act like it. Dismissed.”
The ranks fell apart into little groups and files of people, and Sheppard quickly approached one particular officer who looked like he was torn between staying where he was and running out of the room to throttle someone. “Captain James?”
James started, not having seen his commanding officer coming. “Major,” he answered, stiffening to attention, the expression on his face somewhere between embarrassed, defiant…and busted.
Sheppard didn’t quite smile. “Don’t do anything that won’t heal by itself, we need every man we’ve got in case something happens. When you’re finished, both of you report to me for your punishment.”
James’ jaw dropped, but he recovered quickly and saluted with a quick, “Understood, Major,” before moving off determinedly in the direction Bates had disappeared in.
Sheppard watched him, took another look around the room and then headed back up the stairs. He’d only made it to the first landing, though, before Dr. Weir intercepted him and dragged him off to one side. “What do you think you’re doing?!” she hissed in shock.
“I’m going to assume you aren’t questioning the announcement I just made, so the answer to your question is that I’m maintaining discipline in the ranks,” he replied coolly. There was a glint of steel in his eyes she’d only seen once or twice, and the intensity of the look startled her. “I don’t expect you to understand, Dr. Weir. James needed to know that I knew he needed to settle this with Bates.”
She didn’t get it. “You gave him permission…”
“I gave him parameters, and let him know I understood,” he corrected. “He’ll report to me once he’s finished kicking the crap out of Bates, and then I’ll toss them both in adjoining cells for the night. By morning they’ll have sorted it out the rest of the way, James will have everyone’s respect for standing up for himself and they’ll all know that Bates got what was coming to him for trying to mess up someone’s career over something that wasn’t his business in the first place. They’ll also all know that I mean what I say and that I’ll follow through with it.” He arched an eyebrow at her. “Get it now?”
Dr. Weir did, and her eyes widened as she dropped the hold she had on his arm. “When you said all…you knew what would happen, you were making sure it didn’t look like you were playing favorites, taking sides.”
She might have expected him to grin, but he didn’t. He just nodded. “Thinking one step ahead is what being in command is all about, Dr. Weir. And in spite of what you might have seen – and heard – about my record, I am not a total fuck-up in the officer department. The incident that got me busted had just a little bit to do with my decisions and a whole lot to do with politics.” This time he did smile, although it had a grim edge to it. “Let’s just say I don’t kiss ass very well.”
“I knew that.” He was already walking away, probably back to his office to wait for James and Bates, but she had a sudden need to know something and called after him. “Major?” When he turned and looked at her she almost didn’t ask, but then it just sort of burst out. “Did your commanding officer…understand?”
Something deepened in his eyes, and she suddenly wished she’d stopped herself. “The guy who brought the charges against me was left as my superior for six months before I was allowed to transfer,” he told her, turning away again. “That’s why I understand.”