"Colonel Sheppard, this is the Daedalus."

"Colonel Sheppard, this is the Daedalus. Do you read?"

"Sheppard here," John said, pushing himself over to sit propped up against the smooth gold wall. He noticed he still had his wristband and watch on.

"We're preparing grapples to bring you aboard," Caldwell's voice was a dry as dust. "It won't be too much longer."

"Thank you, sir," John said.

"No, thank you. It's not often we get a free alien vessel and a seventeen hour classical music concert."

John rolled his eyes. "McKay's idea, sir. The comm. beacon wasn't working, so he rigged his ipod instead. Apparently his Johnny Cash collection is sorely lacking."

"Very ingenious." Caldwell chuckled. "I have to say that the Beethoven got a little old after a while, but the entire Wagner catalogue, now that was rather...inspirational."

John looked at Rodney, lying naked on the makeshift bed they'd created out of bedrolls and curtain-like things. Rodney was still asleep, but John didn't begrudge him the rest - there had been several hours of energetic activity, and Rodney had worked really hard. John fingered the hickey just over his collarbone and started looking for his pants.

"For us, too," he said.