If he ever got back to M38-P46, he was going to personally blow up the place with a naquadah generator.Turning away from the still useless DHD, and he really wasn't sure why he kept trying to fix it, except that it was something to do, Rodney picked up his canteen and headed back to the cave he'd managed to turn into a fairly decent shelter. On the walk back, he pondered the food supply. It was getting low, which meant he'd probably have to hunt in the next few days. Not one of his favorite chores, but if he didn't hunt, he didn't eat, and he'd die, and that really wasn't an option if he wanted to blow the Brekkarii to hell.
And he really wanted to blow the Brekkarii to hell.
As he approached the cave, Rodney reached out and shook one of the trees on the path three times. Its hollow branches made a distinct sound that would carry to the cave, letting Rodney's fellow exile know he was on his way back. It would keep Rodney from being shot when he opened the door of the crude wooden barrier that covered the cave mouth.
Reaching the door, Rodney opened it and called out. He really hoped that John was in one of his more lucid periods. It was a lot easier to deal with a John Sheppard who wasn't armed and crazy.
John was sitting on the log that served as their couch, turning his radio in his hands. The radio battery had long since died, yet John seemed loathe to part with it. It kept John somewhat calm, which Rodney appreciated. The major looked up and nodded at Rodney before going back to looking at the radio. Rodney sighed. Apparently, John was in a withdrawn mood. Not as bad as 'armed and crazy' but a far cry from the 'armed and snarky' man whom Rodney had gotten to know so well on Atlantis.
Shutting the door behind him, Rodney crossed the main room of the cave to the smaller room that served as their kitchen. It looked like he would be cooking dinner again tonight. He stopped at the door to look back at John.
It had been five years since they'd been marooned on this hell hole of a planet. Five years since the start of John's slow decline. Rodney had long stopped hoping that Ford and Teyla would come through the stargate in a jumper to rescue them. Now he just hoped for the strength to get through another day.