It is true, yes, that while one cannot go far within the occupied areas of Atlantis without meeting someone, it is rare, Radek has discovered, to walk down the hall and find a—a crowd. Especially on what passes for a weekend afternoon and people are off, as much as they ever are, doing their own thing.

But, two turns away from the dining hall there is a crowd, twenty strong, and Radek, like a moth to a flame, finds himself becoming number twenty-one, inching up on the outskirts and fitting himself like a piece of Simpson's 10,000 piece puzzle in between Teyla and Miko.

Teyla glances over at him, smiles, but as he is opening his mouth to ask what is going on, she raises a finger to her lips, indicating quiet. And that is when Radek realizes that the crowd, all twenty of them, military and scientists alike, are being absolutely silent. At first this makes Radek worry just a little, yes? Because if there is one thing that he has come to know about the members of their expedition, it is that they are not known for their ability to stay silent, for better or for worse.

Teyla does not look worried, though, and if it were serious, Radek has no doubt that the crowd would be neither silent nor still. Even so, he stands up on the balls of his feet, attempting to see over some soldier's shoulder, to see what is at the center of everyone's attention, and then he sees and thinks, of course.

Because of course the men at the center of the crowd are Rodney and the Colonel, with Ronon just off to the side.

Even knowing that, though, still he cannot see what it is that they are doing, what it is that has drawn this crowd. As Radek watches, though, Rodney raises a hand and makes a shooing motion in the Colonel's direction and amazingly enough, the other man takes a step back. Smirking, so that at least is normal, Radek thinks. But not really, because then Rodney turns his back on Radek's portion of the crowd and bends over slightly and shifts his weight from foot to foot and, to Radek's amazement, twists his shoulders back, raising—is that a meter stick?—only to swing it back down again, hitting something, a neon green something, which Radek only knows because it goes flying through the air. Down the hallway. Out of sight.

This is followed by a polite clapping from the crowd, of the likes that Radek has never heard in Atlantis, and when Rodney turns around, Radek sees that he is rolling his eyes, but also that he is looking strangely pleased.

Then it is Sheppard's turn and he motions Rodney out of the way and takes his position in the center of the crowd. Like Rodney, he bends over, positions himself, and takes his swing. This time, a bright orange something goes through the air and both the Colonel and Rodney watch it until it is apparently out of sight. Then, to the tune of the polite claps (which are also shifting towards whistles and calls of "Shep-Shep-Shep" and "McKay, McKay") the Colonel nods, as if satisfied, and Rodney shakes his head.

"Two," the Colonel says as they start walking, his voice carrying through the crowd. "You still think you can make it to the East Corridor with only three more strokes?"

"Oh please," Radek hears Rodney say. "If you can, I can. In fact—" but the rest of his sentence is lost as they move out of Radek's sight, as the crowd begins to move again, voices rising.

It is then, his attention no longer focused, that he realizes Teyla is looking at him, smiling almost fondly. He knows he must be looking confused when she says, "They are using—I believe you call them 'stress balls'? Colonel Sheppard said that it would be too dangerous to use the real thing, even if you did have any. Apparently they are too hard?"

Radek nods. "Yes, they are. But—?"

"Why?" Teyla asks, raising an eyebrow, and they are walking, Radek realizes, following the group, even though Radek had not made up his mind to do so.

"The Colonel," she says, "was attempting to explain this sport, golf, to Ronon, but Doctor McKay said that he was just teaching him to hit things with sticks, which Doctor McKay was sure Ronon already knew how to do, and that he would show Ronon how it was done." She gives Radek a small smile here. "Then Colonel Sheppard said that he bet he could get his ball to the gym in six strokes and Doctor McKay said that he could get there in five and here we are. Now we are on the twelfth 'hole', Colonel Sheppard called it, and he is ahead by one stroke, I believe. Ronon is keeping score."

"And they are aiming for rooms?" Radek asks, to which Miko, who is walking in front of him, responds, "No, a glass petri dish. They must get the ball to stay in the dish, or it does not count."

"It is a game of great skill, according to Dr. McKay," Teyla says.

And Radek says, "Yes, but this is golf in name and idea only. On Earth, the ball is this big—" he makes a circle with his fingers "—and you play out of doors, on specially designed courses and you use specially designed clubs. This is—"

"Extreme Golf, Atlantis-style," Colonel Sheppard says, and it is only then that Radek realizes that he and Rodney have dropped back to join them. "Stress balls, yard sticks, and I'm still kicking McKay's ass."

"One stroke, Colonel," Rodney says, falling into step beside Radek. "One stroke. I assure you that I'll be back in the lead by the next hole."

"Sure, Rodney," the Colonel says, almost indulgently. Then he pauses, grins in a way that Radek has come to fear and says, "So, Doctor Zelenka. What do you think the chances are of us getting Elizabeth to let us use the Stargate for the 18th hole?"

End.