Sometime Somehow by G.E. Waldo (PG-13)

[morena-evensong.livejournal.com]

Show: SGA

Rec Category: Rodney McKay
Characters: Rodney McKay, John Sheppard, Radek Zelenka, Elizabeth Weir, Carson Beckett, Ronon Dex, Teyla Emagen
Pairings: None
Categories: Gen, Angst, Adventure
Warnings: Harsh survival situations, Perceived character death, violence, way too many giant bugs
Author on LJ: Unknown
Author's Website: FF.net Profile
Link: Sometime Somehow

Why This Must Be Read:
Author's summary: Radek Zelenka's pet experiment goes horribly wrong and Rodney McKay pays the price.

This story starts off as a bit of a Doranda flip -- not as an AU to that episode, though -- where Zelenka comes up with a brilliant idea that could solve their power problems and this time it's Rodney who's the voice of caution. There are a lot of stories out there with characters struggling to survive alone in harsh conditions, however not only does this story pack an interesting twist, but G.E. Waldo also keeps the readers anxious to find out what's going on by focusing on those left in Atlantis with only a few glimpses of Rodney. And boy does she use those glimpses well. At 62K, this story is definitely on the long-ish side, but well worth reading.

Also be sure to check out the sequel Someone Somewhere, which is just as amazing as the first story with an interesting, original premise that make it more than just your typical 'what happened next' story.