jadesfire | SGA Fic: First Contact

Technically this isn't my first piece of SGA-fic, but since the first piece looks like it's going to eat what little remains of my life, I thought I'd post this one first. I was watching 'Rising' and wondered how Rodney ended up in Antarctica. And when I wonder, I write...

Concrit welcomed and appreciated. Cross-posted to

sga_noticeboard.

Title: First Contact
Author:

jadesfire2808
Words: ~2,100
Characters: Elizabeth, Rodney
Rating/Warnings: Gen/none
Spoilers: Set pre-Season 1, so none.

With huge thanks to

donutsweeper,

miss_zedem and

crystalshard who've been holding my hand and prodding me. Much appreciated.

Summary: Elizabeth knows what she wants.

First Contact

Area 51 could probably teach the SGC a thing or two about security. Elizabeth's papers and pass were checked four times before she even got in sight of the main facility, not to mention the scrutiny of more guards than she cared to count. The glaring didn't get to her, nor did the fingerprint and iris scans that she was subjected to before she was allowed to enter the building. They had good reason to be paranoid.

Once inside, she'd hoped to get a look at the legendary base, only to find that she was escorted to something that looked suspiciously like an interrogation room. The heat from outside seemed to have penetrated even to here, and she could almost feel it rolling off the grey concrete walls. It was not, she decided, an auspicious start.

"If you'd like to wait here, ma'am," her escort said, politely. "I'm sure he won't be long."

"Thank you." She started a little as the door slammed shut, then took a deep, calming breath. Laying her attaché case on the small, square table, she debated for a moment before taking off her suit jacket and hanging it neatly on the back of one of the chairs. After another moment's thought, and an experimental nudge, she pushed the table against the wall, arranging the two chairs so that they were within arm's reach of it, facing each other. It didn't do much to lessen the oppressive atmosphere, but hopefully she'd look less like an interrogator this way. Then she sat down, opening the case and pulling out the files inside.

She was rereading the third file for the fourth time when she heard the sound of someone talking in the corridor. Although the thickness of the walls and doors meant that making out individual words was impossible, she thought she could detect a definite tone of annoyance in the constant stream of words. Smiling to herself, she tucked the files away again and got to her feet as the door opened.

"…completely melts through, don't come whining to me."

"Good afternoon." Elizabeth waited for the man in the doorway to acknowledge her presence. He was still apparently distracted by whatever he'd been saying to the guard behind him, and it took him a few seconds to register her words.

Using the time, Elizabeth tried to match everything she'd heard about Doctor Rodney McKay to the man standing in front of her. He wasn't quite the disheveled scientist she'd expected; instead, he was neatly turned out in a patterned shirt and plain khaki trousers. He'd put on a little weight since the photo in his file had been taken, but then, she supposed, he'd been only just back from Siberia at that point. There were lines on his face that could have been laughter lines, although the scowl that he was wearing at that moment suggested that they could equally have been the result of perpetual annoyance. When he finally looked in her general direction, his eyes were challenging and intelligent, and a little surprised.

"It's afternoon?" He put a hand to his wrist. "I took my watch off to work on-" He stopped himself abruptly. "I took it off to work."

"I often do the same." Elizabeth smiled. "I'm Doctor Elizabeth Weir."

Taking a few steps into the room, McKay shook the offered hand. "Doctor Rodney McKay, but I guess you already knew that." He jumped slightly as the door swung closed behind him with a loud bang.

"It's good to meet you at last."

"You'd be surprised how many people don't say that." McKay glanced round the room nervously, registering the furniture arrangement with a slight frown.

"Well, I'm saying it." Gesturing to the chairs, she watched as he sat down, fidgeting a little before settling. When she took the seat opposite, she noticed that he still didn't quite meet her eyes, looking from the floor to her case to the walls and back to his hands, clasped in his lap.

"So, what can I do for you, Doctor Wire?"

"Weir. But please, call me Elizabeth." She paused before going on. On the journey, and even from her first trawl through the files of qualified scientists, she'd known that this was the man she wanted. But sitting here, watching him shift in his chair, his foot tapping and fingers flexing restlessly, she had a moment of doubt. Sam Carter had warned her that he was unbearably egotistical and recklessly confident, but Elizabeth wasn't getting that sense from him. He seemed to be bracing himself, like a man waiting for the other shoe to drop. And he was also waiting for her to speak. That didn't sound right at all.

Clearing her throat, she said, "Doctor McKay, I represent the IOA and the SGC-"

"And no doubt hundreds of other organizations that comprise the alphabet soup of your nation's security." He tutted, shifting on his chair again. "Look, Doctor Wire, you're busy, I'm busy, and while I appreciate your coming all the way out here to give me the bad news in person, I'd also appreciate it if you just cut to the chase. What did I do, who's mad at me, and where are they sending me this time?"

Thrown, Elizabeth tried to replay the statement, which had been delivered with the speed and ferocity of a machine gun. Deciding to tackle one thing at a time, she left her name out of the equation for now, tilting her head and frowning. "I'm sorry?"

"Where are they sending me?" McKay tucked his hands under his arms, hugging himself as he turned in his chair, crossing his legs. "I mean, I've done Berlin, I've done Paris, I've done Vancouver, I've done Siberia and I've been stuck in this miserable excuse for a research base in the middle of nowhere. Just tell me that this time, the people I've ticked off are taking pity and sending me somewhere that doesn't cause frostbite in the winter or heatstroke in the summer."

Elizabeth knew she was doing a lousy job of hiding her smile, but she didn't care. That was more what she'd expected. "Doctor McKay," she said firmly, "I'd like you to come back with me to Antarctica."

There was silence as her words sank in, and she sat back to wait. As with all truly impressive explosions, it started quietly.

McKay nodded, apparently to himself. "That sounds about right. Of course. Antarctica. It wasn't on my list of possibles, but I guess I was just thinking small. Thinking of habitable continents, actual, you know, countries, rather than a frozen death trap." His voice began to rise as he went on. "Does someone at the IOA actually have a sense of humor, because, I really wouldn't have thought it. And, of course, for someone who spent eight months in the freezing, life-threatening, boring cold of Siberia, Antarctica's the only true challenge left." He was gesturing wildly now, face animated and eyes wide. "And the best thing is, I don't even know what I've done! I mean, okay, there was that tiny incident with the staff weapon, but I got it all cleaned up and there was no permanent brain damage – not that you can really tell with Marines anyway – and it was an accident. They happen when you're experimenting with things that no-one else knows how to use. That's why it's called an experiment!"

"It's from the Latin," Elizabeth said, cutting him short. "Meaning 'to try.'"

"Yes! Exactly- er, what?" He turned to her, startled by the interruption and looking at her properly for the first time. As their eyes met, she smiled.

"Doctor McKay," she said evenly, "I am in charge of the Antarctic base."

It took him a second, but then his eyes lit up like an over-excited child.

"The Antarctic base?" he asked, almost vibrating with excitement. "As in the Antarctic base?"

"Yes. And I want you to come and head up the research teams."

"Why?" McKay said abruptly. "I mean, apart from the obvious."

"You are more than qualified for this post, and I need someone who has experience of working with the military. The research is a civilian operation, and I want a civilian scientist in charge. Your name is the only one on my list."

It had been the right tactic. McKay practically preened, then his face clouded over and he frowned. "Where's the catch?"

"I'm sorry?"

"The catch. There's always a catch. I know how good I am, I don't need anyone to tell me that. In fact, most people have no idea how good I am because they can't keep up. So if you're here, telling me how good I am, you're trying to flatter me, which means there's going to be some almighty downside that I don't find out about until after I've signed on the dotted line." He wagged a finger at her. "You, Doctor Wire, are trying to play me, using my ego."

Wryly, Elizabeth decided that the first thing she was going to do after he signed was spell her name for him. Several times. For now, she returned his gaze, raising an eyebrow. "Is it working?"

"Aha! So you admit you're trying to trick me." McKay looked triumphant. "It's no good. I've got a choice about this right? Else you'd just have had me pack up my stuff and ship out. Well, this may be one of the most boring research labs in the world, but it's also one of the safest. I'll just deal with the stuff as you send it to me."

"No."

"Excuse me?"

Mirroring his posture, Elizabeth sat back in her chair and folded her arms. It probably wasn't entirely ethical, but she wasn't above playing dirty. Not when it was for the right cause. "I said no. You either sign on the dotted line and come help me do this, or you don't get your hands on anything we find down there. I mean it."

"That is- That is completely- Do you have any idea-" After a few moments of speechless spluttering, she put him out of his misery.

"I want you to come to Antarctica, because there is every possibility that we can actually mount an expedition to find the lost city of the Ancients. And if we do that, I want you on it." She leaned forwards, putting every ounce of sincerity she could muster into the words. "This is the real thing, Doctor McKay. Come join me."

He looked down for a moment, then up at her again, his expression unguarded at last. He looked hopeful, and just a little lost.

"This is for real," he said softly.

"It's for real."

"And you actually want me?"

For answer, Elizabeth reached into her attaché case and pulled out a sheaf of papers. "These have your name on them."

He took them, running his eyes over the crest at the top and first few lines. "I knew they'd have to have me back eventually," he muttered. "Just a matter of time before they realized their mistake."

And, of course, this was where the hard work began. "Get packed," Elizabeth said, standing and pulling her jacket back on. "You ship out in a week."

"A week?" He looked up at her startled. "That's nowhere near enough time. I've got to shut everything down, finish some experiments, I've got a paper half finished, not to mention-"

"A week, Doctor McKay." She'd scooped up her case and started towards the door when he jumped to his feet and put a hand on her arm, stopping her. When she looked down, he pulled it away quickly, then gave a half-embarrassed laugh.

"Rodney. Please."

Elizabeth nodded. "Rodney." She held out a hand, and he had to juggle the papers a little to shake it. "Good to have you on board."

"Thank you." He let go quickly, glancing at the floor, then back to her face, in a gesture that she realized was embarrassment, rather than disinterest. A half-smile quirked his lips. "And I promise that next time you tell me your name, I'll remember it."

Stamping firmly on the urge to laugh, because he looked so utterly sincere, Elizabeth just nodded. "You make sure you do. Goodbye, Rodney."

Over the thud of the Marine's boots and the click of her own heels, Elizabeth could hear Rodney talking again as he made his way back to his lab. Vaguely, she wondered if he ever stopped, and if he didn't, how she was going to make him. But then there'd be time enough to find out. As they reached the first security door, she allowed herself a small, satisfied smile.

She'd got him.

Current Mood: nervous

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From:

tarlanx

Great story! Loved how Elizabeth got through to Rodney :-)

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