Running on Empty by Sholio (T)

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

Rec Category: Rodney McKay
Pairing: none
Category: Rodney McKay, John Sheppard, Gen, action/adventure
Warning: somewhat intense character whumping
Author on LJ: friendshipper
Author's Website: City On The Ocean's Edge
Link: Running on Empty

Why This Must Be Read: friendshipper writes fantastic gen stories, usually focused on John and Rodney. Her short pieces are wonderful character insights and her long stories are intense, tightly-plotted masterpieces that rival anything the show gives us. All of her stories are worth reading but "Running on Empty" is one of my favorites.

John and Rodney are implanted with Wraith trackers and placed separately on an alien world to act as runners for the Wraith's amusement. As the story switches between John and Rodney we see a John who doesn't remember anything about who he is but still deals with his problems in a very John way and a panicked Rodney who is all too aware of his own abilities and lack there of. Each struggles in a way so very unique to his character and Rodney's brilliance shines through, especially in some wonderful scenes where he meets a group of children and gets them to help him make gun powder. The story is long but well-paced and worth every minute.



Behind the rock sheltering him, he heard shuffling footsteps, and the first Wraith appeared at the bottom of the path, leaning cautiously around the rock and then relaxing when it saw he wasn't close enough to be a threat. It raised its stunner and Rodney felt his heart seize up. This was the moment of truth. Would it shoot first, or take a step forward?

It took a step forward. And its foot came down on what appeared to be the same cracked stone as the rest of the path -- but was actually loose sand and gravel. It stumbled, momentarily losing its balance. And Rodney was in motion, flinging a double handful of sand into its face, followed by a barrage of poorly aimed rocks. It staggered backwards and went off the path.

It didn't scream. It just fell. Rodney stared over the edge with his eyes as huge as saucers. The other Wraith stared, too, following the trajectory of its vanished comrade until the fall ended in a very faint, very solid impact from below.

Rodney still wasn't sure exactly what it took to kill a Wraith, but he imagined that that had probably done it.

God, they were dumb.

Unfortunately, the other one didn't seem to be that stupid ... or at least it could learn from its companion's mistakes. It tilted its head back and looked up at him, its alien face unreadable. Then it tensed its legs and -- Rodney realized what it was doing a split second before it happened, and scrambled desperately backwards to fetch up flat against the cliffside as the Wraith leaped, several times its own height, straight up, and landed lithely on top of the rock slab he'd been hiding behind. Rodney, huddled against the cliff, stared in numb horror as it bent its legs to catch itself and then straightened up, maybe two meters away from him, staring at him down the length of its stunner.

Rodney realized that he still had a rock clutched in one white-knuckled hand. He threw it, and missed by a mile of course. The rock sailed past the Wraith's shoulder and vanished over the edge.

The Wraith bared its teeth in a smile.

Comments

[rigel-7.livejournal.com]

I loved this fic! Thanks for reccing it :D

friendshipper also has a near-future tag to this fic here (http://friendshipper.livejournal.com/48384.html)

[abyssinia4077.livejournal.com]

I know! I love so much of her stuff but when I find myself telling someone about a great stargate story I read, I so often end up talking about "Running on Empty."
I know! Yay future-tags!