stargateficrec | Time Cannot Benumb These Feelings by The Pouncer (R)

Rec Category: John/Rodney
Pairing: Sheppard/McKay
Category: Military fic, yes, making up categories again, I know, but "Dark" is just too vague
Warning: Violence, Potentially disturbing subject matter
Author on LJ:

thepouncer
Author's Website: The Carousel
Link: Time Cannot Benumb These Feelings

Why This Must Be Read: When they dropped bombs on Baghdad in 2003, the fighter pilots played The Clash's "Rock The Casbah" over their headphones. "The Sharif don't like it / Rock the Casbah, Rock the Casbah!" Word hit the press and the U.S. public was horrified at their callous attitude. But these were soldiers. They knew they weren't dropping piñatas on the enemy.

How often do we forget that John Sheppard's a soldier? One who's seen real combat against other humans, not just the Wraith?

thepouncer doesn't forget. In this stand-off with a human enemy, John is every bit the soldier, willing to do serious damage to accomplish his aims. This story harkens back to

rivier's brilliant "Exigencies."

What

thepouncer also reminds is that, for all that Rodney's worked for the military most of his life, he is not a hardened fighting man. Thank goodness.

"They ambushed us."

"Yes, yes, I remember that part." Rodney would have circled his hand to tell Sheppard to speed it up, but moving hurt too much.

"You remember we were on our way to the Ancient base? Apparently, these guys got there first." Sheppard stared intently at something Ronon was pointing to for a moment, then continued. "And they must do this a lot, because they've got people guarding the stargate."

Rodney blinked as he absorbed that. "Were they Genii?"

Sheppard shook his head. "No, they look like extras from The Road Warrior. And they know what they're doing." Sheppard moved to reload his P90. "Ronon and I've been testing the radio range. All this rock interferes, and Elizabeth isn't expecting us to check in for hours. We're on our own." Sheppard added, grimly, "And they have Teyla."

(I confess, I'm hoping to see more military stories at the