Genitive of Absence, by Mad Maudlin

[michelel72.livejournal.com]

Show: Stargate SG-1
Rec Category: Rodney McKay
Characters: Rodney McKay, Svetlana Markov, Col. Chekov, OCs
Het/Slash/Gen: Gen
Warning/Spoilers: Character deaths, apocalyptic scenario | SG-1 6x01 "Redemption"
Author on LJ: mad_maudlin
Author's Website: Mad Maudlin at Wraithbait
Link: Genitive of Absence

Why this must be read:
Summary: AU of "Redemption." Of all the things he's been subjected to, Rodney deeply resents the Russian language. (1.7k words)

We first met Dr. Rodney McKay in the SG-1 episode 5x14 "48 Hours"; he returned from his Siberian quasi-exile in 6x01 "Redemption". But what if he hadn't been called back? On its surface, this story is about Rodney resentfully dealing with the Russian language, but in the background we see the situation back at the SGC steadily degrading. Rodney here is cold and dismissive and self-centered, fitting his development at that stage, yet still concerned for the fate of the rest of mankind (in his own way).

Excerpt:
They tried for eight hours to make a wormhole connect, and when Chekov arrived to hear tell of their failures Rodney asked him, "Any word from Stargate Command?"

"Their situation has not changed," Chekov said gravely.

"I mean about me," and he took it as a sign of growth, at the time, that he managed not to add you vodka-addled homunculus. "Have they sent any messages to me? Because while I'm really quite the Renaissance man, as well you know by now, wormhole physics is my actual field of concentration and if they're serious about trying to fix this—"

"There has been no message for you," Chekov said, and walked away.