Arrival in Xanadu

[listensclosely]

The worst thing about Stargates was that they didn't work perfectly. There were other things about them, but most of Kate's career for the past few years was centered around trying to patch people up psychologically when something went wrong with a Stargate. Kate's only been through the 'gate a handful of times herself, but, according to Teyla,

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[whatdorosesmean]

The changing of the nexus has been met with a lot of different reactions - but none better termed 'quietly grateful' than Dr Hardaway's. Despite the arguable debt he owes the place (for his life), he's never really been comfortable with the inconsistency of it for reasons that he generally prefers not to discuss. Xanadu, as a city with landmarks and some sense of permanence, is a little easier to deal with. If he can't entirely get away from it, then it doesn't hurt for it to reform into something he can cope with a little easier.

So he's looking (rumpled, vaguely tired) a little less like he needs to be somewhere else. Pausing in the act of lighting a cigarette, he catches a glimpse of Kate's expression and resists the immediate impulse to listen in (on her thoughts); people in the nexus have this irritating habit of noticing when he does that, and it can be awkward.

Instead, he offers her a faint, unassuming sort of smile. "Lost?" he asks, sympathetically. "You don't look like that's where you intended to be."

[listensclosely]

English, and not just the language. It's the first thing Kate thinks when she sees the man. Not wearing Pegasus attire, and not in an Atlantis expedition uniform either.

"I think I'm a little far from where I intended to be," admits Kate, with a wry look. "But that's about the only thing I've figured out so far. I don't suppose you could lend a hand and tell me where I am?"

Hopefully she can figure out how to get back to Atlantis without too much trouble.

[whatdorosesmean]

Jeans, turtleneck, runners, suit jacket - he wouldn't look out of place in most 21st century Western cities, so it's probably a safe bet that the accent actually comes from England rather than being some coincidence of 'why do all the aliens speak English, anyway'. Besides, how many aliens have a crumpled pack of cigarettes in the other hand?

"I know that feeling," he commiserates lightly, "I don't mind at all. You're in Xanadu, it's a multiversal nexus connection point. Do you know what that means?"

He pauses here, glancing at her expectantly; it's not patronizing, he just needs to know if he needs to explain that too before he continues.

[listensclosely]

As a matter of fact, Kate's always wondered about the details of how they can understand most of the aliens they encounter, but not enough to read the Colonel Carter and Dr. Jackson joint paper on the translation features of the Stargate. Not unless she's having a hard time falling asleep.

"There's someone who can make one of those and keep it stable?" asks Kate. It's not as if she's an astrophysicist, but she's picked up a fair amount of theory from hanging out with Simpson and Miko.

She shakes her head. "Sorry, it's just been one of those days."