A/N: So, I was just watching Aurora today, and loved it, but the opening sequence caught my eye. Stargate Atlantis doesn't belong to me, and neither does the dialogue. Somehow, this time around, I needed the structure of the provided dialogue and the credit to that goes to whomever worked on the Aurora script. Otherwise, the thoughts and ideas are my first SGA fic.
.
.
I don't understand him. Maybe I never will. Still, I want to get to know him, become friends. I had reservations about him being here, but John assures me he is a good man. He is watching the chess match; I could tell him about the game, make small talk. He indicates I can join him. A man of few words.
"It's called chess. It's a game," I tell him.
"They've been sitting there like that since I sat down." Maybe he does talk after all, about things that are normal, everyday stuff. I wasn't sure he'd respond to my small talk.
"Those two? They play every single day." Its what keeps them sane, I think. Their own little piece of home out here in Pegasus. They didn't know each other before they came out here, but now, their common love of chess has bonded them in a way their jobs cannot.
"Neither one has even blinked yet." What do I say? What can I say to open him up? Wanna bet on which one blinks first?No. Too much like one of the boys; that doesn't sound like me. I need to say something to keep this going...
"Well, its not really a game of action."
"I can see that," he says, but not unkindly.
"It's all about strategy," I explain. "He's planning his next move and the move after that and the move after that."
"You guys do that a lot around here." He states it as more than an observation. I've never been one to act first; think later. In fact I enjoy a good game of chess myself. So far from Earth, we may as well be playing a big game of chess with the Wraith. Our supplies, our resources have to be played carefully.
"Yes, we do." I concede. "I take it that's not how you prefer to do things."
"No," he stands up, "I'm leaving." Oh, now you've done it, Elizabeth. The man is leaving. Was it something I said, something I did? The colonel really wanted this guy for his team and now, he's leaving. What will I tell John? Maybe, we just have a misunderstanding about what I said about how he and I prefer to do things differently. Let's not end this on a bad note.
"Hey, Ronon, wait." Well, he stopped to listen to me. That's good. "Just because we do things differently doesn't mean we can't learn from each other." When in doubt go back to what is safe in a relationship. We can learn from anyone, despite our differences. Atlantis has so much to learn from this man. He's become friends with people here; he can't leave without disappointing them. "And Colonel Sheppard has already invested an incredible amount of time trying to make you an integral part of his team."
He looks at me, reading my sincerity, gauging just how crazy I am. "I meant I was leaving the table." Oh. Open foot, insert mouth, I-I-I mean, open mouth insert foot. Ummm, what I meant was...If only my head would stop whirling. I've made worse blunders than this. Now what. He wants to know if that is ok.
"Yes, of course, I'm sorry." Somehow, I think he's seen more of my cards than I intended to show. Cards? The game was chess. "I-I thought that..." Thank goodness for dear old Rodney, in one moment I snap from confused individual to professional expedition leader. I nod even though he can't see me and tell him I'm on my way. But, how will this end with Ronan? Will we be able to move passed this?
"I'm leaving too." Maybe to a nice hole in the ground, or cave, or somewhere...
"Ok."
"Ok."
And, somehow I know that Ronan and I are going to be ok.