Set after the opening titles, but right before the briefing.

Coup D'etat

Rodney entered the briefing room with only one objective, and it involved something that glowed prettily and also happened to, oh, power the entire city. Right there on a screen it had been – even in black and white, the ZedPM managed to inspire a string of possibilities. A multitude of tests, new previously undiscovered functions and...there was that issue of space travel.

Casting his eyes around the tables, something appeared out of place. Rodney frowned and looked over to Elizabeth, the sole occupant of the briefing room. Note, sole occupant.

"Oh this is just great," he announced, complete with echoes. "You tell them there's a deadline. You even tell them about the ZedPM. I say again. Zed. Pee. Em. But do they bother to turn up on time for the briefing, when a viable power source is at stake? No. And do you know why?"

The end of this rhetoric was met with Elizabeth lifting the bridge of her nose from her fingers, rising her eyes from the table surface to him. "The briefing is not for two minutes?"

Several calculated sentences decided to abandon Rodney at this point. He pointed at the door uselessly, before pausing and staring at his finger for a few moments. He cleared his throat. "No, in fact, the briefing was half a minute ago by my watch, and I specifically set it for the exact time off my laptop, which itself is synchronised with the computers at the SGC..."

Elizabeth held out a hand. "Then you will have no problems with showing me, right?"

"Wait just – "

Her lips tilted at one wide of her mouth, in that way that meant she was amused.

"No, you – "

Elizabeth's index finger gestured.

"That's not – " He began tugging the watch off his wrist, handing it to her. "Fine. Fine."

A few quick beeps later, the item was returned. Elizabeth settled back into her chair and blew out a breath. Shaking out his wrist, he moved over to stand beside her. After a pause, Elizabeth said, "I should be used to losing my people. But this...this is too much. From what I hear, you couldn't even recognise their faces."

"Thank you for the reminder," Rodney muttered, before adding awkwardly, "I'm pretty sure none of that was your fault. It's not like you can be everywhere at once – that's if you don't resort to cloning, which...which isn't a perfect process to begin with. Just...just saying."

"I am responsible for so many people. Each loss is personal. Some...more than others."

Rodney glanced at his watch, uncomfortable with the look in her eyes. "Well, that's it. They are late, and there's no excuse for it. If they can't take the security of Atlantis seriously..."

"Hang on, Rodney," she interrupted, with a sudden smile. "I thought this was about a ZPM. I'll say it again. Zee. Pee. Em."

"Zed," Rodney corrected, but a good deal softer than he intended.