Author: Porthos
Summary: "Elizabeth silently hoped she wouldn't have to work too closely with this Dr. Rodney McKay." Weir's first impressions and growing friendship with Rodney.
Spoilers: none yet, possibly Rising in future chapters
Author's notes:I plan for this to be amulti-chapter fic. I have the whole thing planned out (sort of) but only the first chapter is written. If I get a good response, then I'll continue writing the other four(?) chapters.
Special thanks to my wonderful and talented betas, Cali and Elizabeth, for their help and encouragement.
oOo
Elizabeth walked through the Antarctica research facility, following her tour guide, Dr. Daniel Jackson. She had just arrived at the Ancient outpost, having been flown in from McMurdoch by a charming and slightly flirtatious major. He had made the twenty minute flight an enjoyable experience, even if she was distracted by his unruly dark hair.
Her attention was brought back to the present as Dr. Jackson continued his impromptu tour. "And this is our medical facility. You've already met Dr. Beckett, the chief of our medical staff."
Elizabeth nodded and grinned. "Yes, back in the chair room. The slightly skittish Scotsman."
Dr. Jackson smiled at her response. "I assure you, he has a wonderful bedside manner when he isn't being asked to activate powerful ancient technology." He moved on down the corridor, continuing her tour. "This is the mess hall. The living quarters are just down that hall to the right. Over here we have our tech labs, and the acting head of the science department, uh…Dr. Rodney McKay," he finished with a grimace, and Elizabeth could see why. The man in front of her was gesticulating wildly with his hands while loudly berating a member of his staff. The poor Asian girl looked close to tears.
"Unlike you, I consider my time valuable. Do you have any idea how many hours of work you've just wasted? Have you spent too much time near the radioactive material, or did you not understand my simple instructions? Am I the only person on this station who has any respect for the work we do here?" The last comment was directed to the throng of terrified onlookers.
"Dr. McKay," Jackson began, trying to get his attention.
"Hold on," he said rather testily, before immediately returning to criticizing the girl, saying something about a head full of sushi.
"Dr. McKay!" he said again, this time more forcefully.
"What?" McKay asked, clearly agitated. The girl took that opportunity to run away, her face in her hands.
"This is Dr. Weir," he responded, raising his eyebrows. She could almost hear the phrase, "Your boss," that was not spoken but clearly implied by his tone. She respected Dr. Jackson for subtly trying to get Dr. McKay to settle down and act in a more professional manner. It displayed his sensitivity towards his coworkers, but somehow Dr. McKay didn't strike her as a man who responded well to subtleties.
"Ah, good," McKay began, facing her and putting his hands behind his back. Elizabeth thought he was either going to start sucking up or apologize for his rather unprofessional display a few moments ago. In either case, she was quite surprised by what she heard him say next. "Now that you're here, perhaps you can tell me why the SGC has seen fit to supply me with a staff consisting mainly of incompetent schoolchildren."
Elizabeth blinked, and her brow furrowed. "I assure you, Doctor, we have some of the finest scientists on—"
"The planet?" he finished for her, adding a sarcastic snort. "Yeah, I very much doubt that."
Elizabeth frowned at the scientist. She had dealt with some difficult personalities as a diplomat, but this guy was really beginning to rub her the wrong way. Crossing her arms, she responded coolly, "Perhaps the atmosphere of the lab isn't conducive to productivity. Have you tried using methods of positive reinforcement? Constructive criticism, for instance?" she shrugged and raised an eyebrow.
McKay responded in a condescending tone. "I'm sorry, do you have multiple PhDs in astrophysics? Do you even have a working knowledge of the intricacies of particle mechanics? I didn't think so. So as the most knowledgeable person on this godforsaken hunk of ice, I will run my lab how I see fit." At that instant, a young assistant came up next to the doctor and shoved a sheaf of papers in his face. With only a cursory glance at them, Dr. McKay was off on another rant. "No, no, no! This is all wrong! You were supposed to be running a spectroscopic analysis, not a chromatography! Honestly, does anything I say ever reach those miniscule ganglia you call your brains?" And with that, McKay was headed off to another part of the lab to take over the tests.
Elizabeth took a breath to try to calm her temper, then let it out in a huff. Turning to Dr. Jackson, she asked, "Is he always like that?"
Jackson made a face and rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously. "Pretty much," he answered. With a sympathetic smile, he moved off to continue the tour, Elizabeth following close behind him.
As they moved off, Elizabeth heard a loud crash in the distance followed by the unmistakable voice of Dr. McKay rising to decibel levels she dared not fathom. Elizabeth silently hoped she wouldn't have to work too closely with this Dr. Rodney McKay.
oOo
Author's notes: Okay, that's the end of Chapter 1! Let me know what you thought, and if you would like to see how their friendship will grow and develop from mutual dislike. ;)