MGM owns all characters and some dialogue from GateWorld.

A/N: Thanks to Betherdy Babe and all the reviewers.

"Unbelievable," Rodney muttered as he glanced at Jennifer and rolled his eyes after Tunney used his freeze lightning description. She smiled a sympathetic smile from her place by his side. They stood on the staircase from the control room to the reception area with Tunney, facing a couple hundred guests who were huddling together for warmth.

"It is the sudden and immediate transfer feed from a localized area and it is potentially very lethal," Tunney explained, ignoring Rodney's frustration.

"Look, we need to figure out how to collapse the matter bridge – stop it from drawing energy from the heat sink, otherwise it's going to get unlivably cold in here," Rodney said.

"Why don't we just turn this containment field off and get out of here?" a female guest offered.

"Well, for one thing, it's tied into the basic function of the matter bridge, so we can't just shut it off," Tunney said.

"Even if we could, it houses so much cool air now that it would create a sudden massive cold front as soon as it drops. I mean, we're talking high-speed winds, tornadoes... an instant mega-storm." Rodney swallowed hard thinking of this single building in the flat dessert being swept away by a tornado. His concern for Jennifer swelled once again and it made him glance at her. To his amazement she continued to smile supportively at him. What did I do to deserve her? Even with our date going to hell, she still understands. No way can I let her head off to her dad tomorrow.

"Not to mention the fact that the heat sink would start to draw heat not just from this facility but from the entire planet. We cannot allow that to happen," Tunney continued.

"Why don't we just destroy it, just bash it apart?" Bill Nye offered.

"Because that could create a tear in our space/time," Rodney explained slowly like he was speaking to a child.

"Never mind, then," Bill replied.

"Yeah," McKay sighed. Idiots. They're all idiots, but Jennifer has a point. Sometimes even Zelenka has a good idea.

Freeze lightning shot across the lobby behind the scientists causing Jennifer and the others to jump. Her ingrained medical training, which espoused keeping people calm in dangerous situations, took over and made her speak, "Look, you guys are the best of the best. I'm sure if you work together you'll come up with something." She wasn't able to keep a slight catch out of her voice, however.

Rodney heard the fear in Jennifer's voice as Tunney told everyone they would have some erasable white boards moved into the reception area for brainstorming. The physicist stared intently at her until she met his gaze and he saw fear in the soft brown eyes he loved. Closing the gap that separated them on the landing, he reached out to take her hand and squeeze it.

"You know we'll figure this out," he said in his self-assured voice. If pressed, he'd admit his concern for her was distracting him from focusing all his attention on what he was certain had to be a simple solution.

"I know," she said with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I know you'll figure it out, it's just…"

"What?" he asked quietly. Tunney was still holding court to his right and blathering on about the need for cooperation and other nonsense.

"I can't believe this perfect evening…"

"Perfect?" Rodney asked, eyes widening.

"Well it was until this happened." Her smile did reach her eyes this time.

"Save that thought," he said with another squeeze to her hand. "I promise we'll pick this up tomorrow and pretend none of this ever happened."

"Sounds like this might go beyond breakfast," she laughed as his jaw nearly hit the ground.

About a half an hour later groups of scientists clustered around each white board, writing complicated equations and arguing amongst themselves. At the nearest board to Jennifer, Bill Nye was writing while Rodney and Tunney watched.

"Whoever built this, it's all wrong," Bill said.

"Watch who you're correcting, Science Guy. My PhDs are not honorary!" Rodney snapped.

"Hey, look, I'm an engineer. I can do math. Just-just listen to my idea," Bill argued.

"I have been listening to you, and that is what confirmed to me that you are a moron," Rodney barked.

"If it's any consolation, you're both wrong," Tunney said smugly with his arms crossed like he was looking down at them.

"What, and you're right?" Rodney replied.

Tunney nodded as Bill shouted at him, "We're supposed to listen to you? You're the jerk that got us into this mess."

"I have a workable theory," Rodney shouted even louder than before. All his years of fighting with Kavanagh couldn't prepare him to face the level of arrogance and stupidity that Tunney was throwing around.

"Yeah, a theory," Tunney said dismissively.

"Maybe take into account the fact that I have some experience with this; that I have been doing work that is years ahead of anything that you guys have even been dreaming of," Rodney shouted, unable to keep the indignation out of his voice. I can help them. Stupid, incompetent morons.

Jennifer had been standing nearby and listening to all of the back-and-forth with growing frustration so she finally called out, "Hey!" A quiet spread through the room. "This is embarrassing. Look at you. The greatest minds this world has to offer and, if I didn't know any better, I'd think there were a bunch of sixth graders in here. You guys need to suck it up and get along." She honestly couldn't remember the last time she lost her temper. Probably when Carson tried to set me up with that plastic surgeon in graduate school.

"It's like I've always said. You see, people are more alike than they are different..." Bill started.

"Not now, Nye," Jennifer snapped, trying to reel in her lost temper. "Our lives are at stake here."

Malcolm, Rodney and Bill hung their heads like chastised schoolboys.

"We need a solution, and we need this fast. Please. Come on, the rest of us are counting on you. Rodney has been trying to tell you his idea for a while. Listen to him." Jennifer pleaded, trying hard to remember that they had never seen Rodney save the day. Her anger was still strong because of their dismissal of him so easily.

"I think I'm onto something. I... It just needs some ironing out," Rodney said quietly. Swallow your pride McKay. The woman you love needs you. See if they can help you out.

"Great, Rodney. You guys should listen to him," Jennifer stated. She suddenly felt sick to her stomach for scolding people far smarter than she was but was happy when she saw the scientists close in around Rodney and the whiteboard to listen to his theory. The CMO watched them for a moment longer, turned and saw Kramer standing nearby.

"They'll figure something out," he said in a defeated voice as he leaned against a table.

"I know he will. He always does." Her faith in Rodney was unwavering.

Kramer nodded and shifted a bit as if uncomfortable with her attention.

"Let's just hope it's before someone dies." She gave him an evil look and then remembered her nana's be nice advice that she tried to live by. Changing tactics, the physician said, "You know, my Uncle George… he always hated the phrase save the planet."

"What?" Kramer furrowed his brow.

"Well, he just thought it was a little backwards, you know, 'cause the planet's gonna be here no matter what happens. It might be a giant unlivable rock like in Tunney's presentation but it's gonna survive."

"So you're turning this into a discussion on semantics?" Kramer barked.

"What I mean is, Mister Kramer, the work you're doing isn't about saving the planet – it's about saving lives, and that's a noble pursuit, trying to save billions of people. But it's no less noble to save a hundred. These guys, no matter how smart they are, they could use some help. One phone call could get that help here. Now, please, please let me make that call." Jennifer hoped she sounded persuasive and not desperate. The need to help Rodney even if it was just to call in Carter and Lee to help shut this down was driving her to be more confrontational than she'd been before.

"You can use the phone in my office," Kramer offered as he stood up straighter.

"So you only turned off Tunney's phone?" Jennifer asked.

"What?" Kramer's eyes widened as he took off in a hurried pace.

Jennifer rushed through the complex after their host and ended up outside the communications room, which had a large splat of ice on the wall partly covering the door.

"Let me guess, this room controls all the phones in the facility," Jennifer said.

Kramer nodded and forced the door open. Once inside they saw a similar splat covering the control panel, which was still sparking out.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Kramer said.

"We're completely cut off, aren't we?" she stated the obvious like the man she loved often did.

"Yes," Kramer replied, unable to meet her fearful gaze.

TBC

A/N: I hate these filler chapters but they are necessary. Everyone knows what's coming next and I can't wait to get to that part.