"Written by the Victors" by Speranza (explicit)

[patk.livejournal.com]

Show: SGA
Rec Category: Team
Characters: John Sheppard,Rodney McKay, Teyla Emmagan, Ronon Dex, Elizabeth Weir, Radek Zelenka, Evan Lorne
Pairings: John Sheppard/Rodney McKay, John Sheppard/Teyla Emmagan, Ronon Dex/Teyla Emmagan
Categories: Slash
Warnings: none
Author on LJ: cesperanza
Author's Website: Speranza's SGA Fiction
Link “Written by the Victors" by Speranza


Summary:
It's the story of Atlantis' uprising, told from two different perspectives.
On the one hand we see the events analyzed and evaluated through texts written by historians and political authors, on the other hand we see the story unfold firsthand and get to watch what really happened, what the protagonists' thoughts and motives are.
In short: we see the historical evaluation in hindsight and we see the reality while it happens - and it's quite interesting to compare it. Which leads straight to "Why This Must Be Read" ...

Why This Must Be Read:
Because it's "big". It's history happening, history being created by our beloved heroes - which makes them larger than life - while, at the same time, they're still not more than human beings at this time.
And I can't believe nobody has yet recommended this for the "Team"-category. After all, it's Atlantis' flagship-team that ends up being the first ruling entity of an independent Atlantis.
It's a very worthwhile but not an easy read for two reasons: first, it's somewhat painful to see the crack and break that goes straight through the middle of the expedition and causes the separation, which leads to the second reason: because of the style you have to take your time to read and truly work through the story (it's not a quick read).
Though don't make the mistake to skip the "dry historical" parts because what's written there is absolutely necessary to understand the story right. The information there complements and completes the happenings in the story. For instance: only if you have read the "historical" bit about the rumours of John and Elizabeth exchanging letters after the uprising you'll be able to put their separation and their further relationship into the right perspective. Reading the "historical" parts will either affect your take on the events or it will let you see where the historians went wrong.
Because of it's style this is one of the most intriguing, challenging and thought provoking stories I've read.

In the end, after you've seen what really happened combined with how the events are interpreted it hindsight, it makes you question how much of real historical events are truly what we're told they are.

And not to forget: Even if you're not one for deep thinking in regard to your fanfiction - it's also just plainly a pleasure to see our team struggle and fight to change Atlantis' future to what they deem to be the better course.

Speranza's story sparked a heap of artwork: pictures, texts, complementing stories, a lovely vid that illustrates the story, a podfic that includes 35 different speakers (more an audio drama than a simple podfic) - it's a whole universe.
Make sure to check this out as well.

http://trickster.org/speranza/cesper/victorsverse.html


"They determined that the SGC ships would reach Atlantis seventeen hours before the hives. "It's not like they're gonna side with the Wraith," Ronon said; he was slumped in his chair and looked fucking exhausted. "I mean, maybe they weren't planning to help us, but when push comes to shove—" "They will not side with the Wraith," Teyla said with soft desperation. "They can not. Not when they know what the Wraith are—" Rodney didn't say anything; he was lost in his own thoughts.

"Maybe," John said finally; it was all he had. "Look, I don't know what they'll do. I don't know anything anymore." He sighed and rubbed a hand over his head. "We've got to be ready for anything, is all."

Later, when they were alone, Rodney suddenly came out of his abstracted state and blurted, "You know how this ends, right?"

John couldn't look at him. "Yeah."

"This story ends with all of us dying. This story of—of—a bunch of noble revolutionaries, and our principles, and—" Rodney suddenly clamped his lips together, and John was about to say he was sorry; God, he was so sorry, when Rodney surprised him by saying, "This is the best thing I've ever done. I'm so glad I got to be here with you," and John had to cover his face fast, and try not to make noise, because Jesus. "