Title: The Cajun and the Canadian

Author's Note: I'm originally from St. Martin, Louisiana which is in a region of South Louisiana known as Acadiana. I grew up listening to stories of Evangeline, the young woman separated from her fiancé in the expulsion from Ile Saint-Jean (otherwise known as Prince Edward Island). I thought Rodney McKay was just the kind of person to take any blemish, no matter how slight, on his nation's track record personally. So, I'm introducing him to a Cajun and we'll all see what happens. I think this'll be fun.

Featured Character: Rodney McKay, Ronon Dex

Other Characters Include: Teyla E., John S., Jennifer K., Radek Z., & Richard W.

Disclaimer: I don't own Stargate, not making money, please don't sue me I don't have anything worth taking, etc. etc. etc.

Canadian Disclaimer: I am not in any way, shape or form anti-Canadian. I'm not even trying to write Evangeline as anti-Canadian but just in case someone reads that into the story because of the confrontational stance McKay is going to take, I want to say for the record it's not there. I mean, Acadian (name from which the term Cajun was derived) is even practically an anagram for Canadian for crying out loud (stupid, pesky extra N). Les Acadiens comme les Canadiens! Je promets!

John Sheppard let his food tray fall the last two inches to the mess hall table, creating a satisfying clang that caused his team to jump. Okay, it caused his team minus Ronon to jump but McKay made up for it by actually letting loose a little squeak.

"So, new arrivals! The new personnel have had time to settle in here at Atlantis. What are our thoughts?" John said as he plopped himself into his seat.

Ronon grinned wryly, "Well, I don't think Teyla's eying any of this group if that's what you're asking."

Teyla looked slightly annoyed. "I have told you, all of you, repeatedly that I was not attracted to Lt. Phillips."

"Sure, you weren't." John said unconvincingly.

McKay chimed in with, "Oh, please! Even I could see you had the hots for him, and I'm, well, you know…me."

John and Ronon both laughed at that and even Teyla was forced to grin. Ronon leaned back in his chair and seemed to consider something before speaking.

"I have a question. Do any of you understand Lt. Hebert when she talks?"

Teyla nodded sympathetically, "Yes, I thought at first that she was perhaps speaking a language that is similar to English but not. Like Dr. Zelenka and Dr. Krajnak, their languages sound extremely similar to my ear but apparently Dr. Zelenka speaks Czech and Dr. Krajnak speaks Slovak. However, I was confused because the flag displayed by her patch is the same as that of John."

"Okay, okay, okay." John said after swallowing the food he had been chewing. "First of all, her name isn't pronounced Hebert. It's apparently supposed to sound like "a bear". That's how she explained it to me. Just say a long "a" and the word "bear", and you've got it. It's French. Second, you're not the only ones having a problem with her accent. I'm having a little trouble understanding her myself. She's Cajun."

"What does that mean?" Ronon grunted.

"I'm not sure. All I know is that Cajun's talk funny, eat a lot of spicy food and say 'aieee'." John raised his voice into an ascending falsetto for the last word and paused to appreciate his team's laughter before adding, "Oh, and they're from Louisiana. That's about it. However, you can ask her about it on our next mission if you want."

McKay's head snapped around to face Sheppard, "What?"

"She's one of the marines assigned to help with the heavy lifting on our mission to PF2-663." John replied. "Why? Is there a problem?"

"No, just as long as she understands English better than she speaks it." McKay said irritably.

John squinted at McKay, "I'm sure she'll be fine."

"She has got to be, without question, the single most annoying human being I have ever met and I'm a scientist! We excel at being annoying!" Rodney ranted to Jennifer the day after the mission to PF2-663.

"Really?" Jennifer said, "I did her post mission check up and she seemed really nice to me."

"Are you insane?" Rodney demanded.

Jennifer smiled at his reaction. "Not the last time I checked."

"Yes, well, you actually enjoy my company, or seem to do so." Rodney said in a much more subdued tone. "I think that qualifies your abilities in judging character as suspect."

It never ceased to amaze Jennifer that someone as confident in his intelligence and abilities as Rodney could be so insecure about his personal worth.

"Actually, I would say that qualifies me as a discerning judge of character not easily swayed by outward appearances." She said and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, again wondering what had occurred in his past that caused him to only see his own value in what he could do and never in who he was.

"Is it because she's Cajun?" Jennifer queried.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Rodney asked exasperatedly.

"Well, you are Canadian. Didn't the Canadians kick the Cajuns out or something? Isn't that what that Longfellow poem Evangeline is about?"

"No!" Rodney fairly shouted. "It was the British who made them leave."

Jennifer paused a moment wondering if it was worth it to press on, before she continued.

"The British in Canada? In other words the British Canadians?"

"That was centuries ago! What does it matter now?" Rodney said defensively.

"Nothing! Nothing, Rodney. I mean, I'm American for crying out loud. Talk about displacing people. I was just wondering if maybe her being Cajun was part of what made you uncomfortable around her."

"No!" Rodney said, adding, "Being around her is what makes me uncomfortable around her."

He thought of the previous day's mission and shuddered.

(to be continued...)