Trust Once Broken | SGA John Sheppard

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Misbegotten Cont.
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Kai had been absolutely right. Despite her exhaustion, thoughts of John and their conversation kept replaying over and over in her mind until she finally gave up on sleep. It was four-thirty when she made her way down to the mess for a cup of tea and some breakfast before she got started for the day.

Kai had grown accustomed to seeing Colonel Caldwell in the mess so early. It was normally just the two of them. Rather than forming a comradary they had worked to avoid one another as much as possible. Caldwell often stayed out at the far end of the mess near the balcony while she prepared her tea in the kitchen. What surprised her today however was the sound of two heartbeats out in the dining area.

"May I join you?" an unfamiliar male voice asked. Kai frowned as she struggled to identify who else would be moving around so early.

"Of course, how are you settling in Mr. Woolsey? You're up early," Caldwell commented, taking a sip of his coffee.

"I'm not sure about this uniform," Woolsey confided. "And I never did settle into a sleep schedule on board the Asgardian ship."

Intrigued by why the IOA agent would be talking to Caldwell in an unofficial capacity Kai continued to go through the motions of preparing her breakfast all the while listening to their conversation. It wasn't really eavesdropping if she wasn't working at listening in, it wasn't her fault they chose to have the conversation within easy hearing distance of a Mortii.

"You'd stand out more in a suit and tie," Caldwell said. "Being on planet with a sunrise and sunset will help with the sleep."

"Believe me I have done enough of these investigations to realize no amount of camouflage is going to disguise who I am or what I'm doing here," Woolsey said grimly, looking down at the orange in his hands.

"Are you expecting something less than full cooperation?" Caldwell asked with feigned innocence.

"We're just having a conversation," Woolsey said with a shrug as he worked on pealing his orange.

There was something about the IOA agent's quiet insistence that put Kai on edge. She moved her cup to the counter closer to the dining room and strained to hear Caldwell's response. Political games were familiar enough from her time among the Mortii. The Zian caste were typically more straightforward than most, but the backstabbing to get to the top was nothing new and she couldn't shake the fact that Caldwell was potentially after Sheppard's job.

Caldwell snorted and shook his head. "As commander of the Daedalus, I have standing orders to help out around here whenever possible, but I am not a member of the expedition. I don't answer to the IOA and unless otherwise directed by my superiors I don't have to answer your questions."

A small greasy smile pulled at Woolsey lips. He was on the hunt now. "The only reason that you are not the military commander of Atlantis is that Doctor Weir insisted that post go to Colonel Sheppard, if she were to leave...you would be the most likely candidate to take over."

Caldwell froze, and Kai breathed a sigh of relief when he proved himself smarter than what she or Woolsey had given him credit for. "That's not why you're here. The IOA doesn't really want militarization they're just afraid they might not have another choice."

Woolsey cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable with the direction the conversatoin had gone. "I think you've already spoken to Doctor Weir," he said stiffly.

A pleased smile crossed Caldwell's face and he folded his arms over his chest. "No, I've just been around long enough to know what's going on."

"Sounds like you're saying you won't come out against Doctor Weir only because you're not confident of the outcome," Woolsey said taking a bite of orange.