Bates

Bates was a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps assigned to the Atlantis expedition under the command of Colonel Marshall Sumner.

2004
During the first off-world mission to Athos, Bates, Sumner and several other Athosians were taken by the greatest threat in the Pegasus Galaxy; the Wraith. Bates and most of the Athosians were rescued by a Marine team led by Major John Sheppard, though Sumner was killed.

In the months following, Bates was pointed Internal Head-of-Security for the base, under Sheppard's command (who had become ranking officer in the wake of Sumner's death). Whatever chances of a friendship between Bates and Sheppard were seriously weakened when, during a time where the Wraith somehow gleaned intelligence on the Expedition's off-world missions, Bates suggested harsh new security measures to Sheppard and the Expedition Commander; Dr. Elizabeth Weir. Bates' requests were partially approved, badly straining the relationship between the Atlanteans and Athosians, and eventually drove them to settle on the mainland. The situation between Bates and Sheppard worsened when Bates centered his investigation on Teyla Emmagan, and exposed her as the unintentional spy.

After the capture of Steve the Wraith, he was put in charge of security around the Atlantis brig in which he was held.

2005
When an Ancient nanovirus was released from the Nanite lab, he and Dr. Elizabeth Weir instituted a quarantine. He was then ordered by Major John Sheppard to open the doors of the gym. He followed the order despite Weir's own orders not to.

When a Wraith Dart was detected heading toward Atlantis, he and Dr Carson Beckett piloted a Puddle Jumper to take it down, but it self-destructed before Carson was able to get a clear shot.

On a personal level, Bates has a younger brother who he is close to, and is a fan of L.A. Lakers Basketball team.

Bates continued his duties in Atlantis, harboring his opinions that Teyla was a security risk. These fears were exacerbated when it was revealed Teyla was a Wraithkin, and as such retained a mental connection to the Wraith which Bates believed exposed the location of their Alpha Site. Believing the Wraith could control her mind, Bates was present during another experiment with the link, and such shot her with a Wraith Stunner when she fell under their control.

Hours before the Wraith arrived, things came to a head between Teyla and Bates. They argued, which culminated in Bates accusing her of being in service to the Wraith, which is a serious insult among the Athosians. Bates says that is his point, after which Teyla punches him. Later, when a Wraith fleet approached the mostly undefended city, Bates was badly injured in an encounter with a Wraith infiltrator named "Bob", while attempting to stop him from sabotaging the city's Naquadah generators. Bates was then sent back to Earth upon delivery of a ZPM by the crew of the Daedalus along with other injured expedition members.

2008
Due the injuries he sustained, Bates was honorably discharged from the USMC, but shortly afterwards was contacted by the IOA and offered a job as a Special Agent in the IOA Field Operations Division, dealing with alien threats on Earth. Bates accepted and, in the course of his duties, aided Sheppard in tracking the renegade Replicator.