Disclaimer: If they were mine there would be no talk of cancellation!!
(OK having got that off my chest...)
This is something just a little different. It's always hard for me to write Rodney with a different personality. This is from an idea from hellomynameisidontknow (and if you don't know your name then I don't either ;D) for an "evil genius McKay". The problem that I had was some of my own making...I've already covered the entity in an alien artifact (with Radek) and the Go'ald (with Lorne). Mirror image McKay wouldn't know enough about Atlantis to pass muster and a machine that reverses his personality would probably make him nicer!! I'm not sure that this is quite what they envisioned but this is my effort. I hope that you enjoy it...
Potent Potable.
The Queen looked serenely across the banquet hall from her ornate throne situated at the head of the room. It was improper for royalty to eat in the presence of commoners so she sat well away from the food tables her only concession being a goblet full of nectar wine on a small table by her left hand.
Usually she found official luncheons tedious but she was watching the team from Atlantis with great interest. In particular the one that they called Colonel Sheppard.
Teyla was talking politely with a large man to her left. Ronon sat next to her chewing calmly on a piece of meat. Sitting opposite was Rodney McKay who was talking excitedly to the bored Satedan waving his hands as he spoke. Next to Rodney John Sheppard was leaning forward in deep conversation with a young ambassadors wife who was seated next to Ronon.
A red haired woman standing to the Queen's right leaned close to her to speak. "He is fascinating is he not Milady ?"
The Queen answered quietly without looking at her or changing her expression. "He is, Meralda. Do you have anything that could make him more...receptive to our cause ?"
"I have a potion, Milady, that could turn him to the dark side. Make him more compliant."
"Do it," the Queen said.
Meralda nodded and moved away behind the throne. She moved across to a serving girl who had a tray full of wine already poured into colored goblets. Shielding her actions from the people she dropped the contents of a small vial into a blue goblet on the tray. "Give this cup to the one that they call the Colonel," she said softly.
The girl nodded and walked to the far table. She placed the blue cup in front of John and another in front of Rodney before moving on.
Rodney stopped talking to Ronon. "Hey," he said towards John. "How come you get the fancy blue one ?"
John glanced sideways at him and sat back in his chair. "Oh for heaven's sake, Rodney. Here," he said switching the cups. "I'll take the green one."
"It matches your eyes," Aria cooed.
"Oh please," Rodney said taking a drink.
The Queen watched without emotion. "Do you have more ?" she asked softly.
Meralda leaned forward close to the Queen's ear. "I'm sorry, Milady," she said. "That is all that I have prepared."
"That is unfortunate. However this may yet work to our favor. He could also prove useful. How long before the potion takes effect ?"
"He will be ours by the morning, Milady."
"Very well," the Queen said getting up. "Bring him to me tomorrow."
Meralda bowed as the Queen left and then left by a different door, heading for her lab.
John looked up as the Queen left. He wasn't sure exactly what it was about her but there was something creepy. Kinda like the Queen in Snow White.
"What ?" Rodney asked.
John shrugged. "Nothin'." he replied.
oOo
The next morning Rodney felt lousy. His head was pounding and the room kept moving. He sat up on the edge of the bed. "I really must stop drinking strange wine," he thought as he stumbled to the bathroom. He hadn't even been awake enough to get undressed from the night before. Add to that that he really didn't remember how he got there...He kinda hoped that he didn't do anything real stupid. At least there weren't any strange women around. "Not that that would matter," he thought.
John saw him in the hallway as Rodney headed outside for some air. "Morning," he said cheerfully as Rodney walked past ignoring him completely. "O...K..." John said watching him head outside. "Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning."
John knocked on Ronon's door. Ronon opened it and stood back letting him in. "You feel OK ?" John asked.
"Sure. Why ?"
"Rodney just blew past me and I wondered if I was the only one without a hangover or something."
"Nope. Feel fine."
"Because I know that I drank more than he did," John said looking thoughtful. "Way more."
Outside Rodney stopped for a moment blinking in the sunlight. He rubbed his temples. A woman was walking towards him. She was young with flaming red hair that reflected the sunshine as she walked.
She stopped directly in front of him, so close that he could smell her perfume.
Rodney grabbed her hair, pulled her head back and kissed her long and hard. Meralda flinched slightly but did not resist.
"The Queen wishes to see you," she whispered in his ear as he nuzzled her long neck. "You must come with me."
Rodney stopped and looked deeply into her green eyes...commanding him.
The Queen turned to face them as Meralda entered with Rodney following behind her. Meralda bowed and moved to the side. Rodney stood still calmly staring at the Queen.
"Good morning Doctor McKay," the Queen said smiling slightly. "I have something that I need you to do..."
oOo
John was puzzled as they flew back through the gate. "I don't get it," he said as they left the Jumper bay. "One minute everything seems fine and then suddenly the Queen announces that all talks are over, go home. What happened ? Did you do something, Rodney ?"
"Of course not," Rodney said abruptly as he walked away. "That's your perogative, not mine."
Teyla stopped and watched him leave. "Rodney does not seem like himself," she said thoughtfully.
"He's had an attitude all day," John said. "I'm getting tired of it."
"Least he was quiet," Ronon said.
"I think that I prefer noisy with a better outlook," John said.
His radio chirped suddenly. "John."
"Yes Elizabeth."
"Come to my office please."
John looked at Teyla and Ronon. "Want to come ?" he asked.
"I think I'll go and train," Ronon said.
"I believe that I will join you...in training," Teyla added.
"Cowards," John said as he headed for the transporter.
oOo
Radek walked over to John as he had breakfast the next morning. "May I join you ?" he asked.
John gestured towards the chair opposite and Radek sat down placing his tray carefully in front of him.
"It's Rodney," Radek said.
"I know he's been acting real strange. I've hardly seen him since yesterday."
"He's even surlier than usual. And I checked on him. He's been disabling certain of the CCTV cameras. Not enough to trigger an alarm but enough to get in and out of certain areas undetected."
"Which areas ?" John asked although he thought that he could guess.
"Medical supplies, Armory and ZPM room."
"Don't tell him that you've told me. I'll check into it."
"Don't worry," Radek said. "I'm staying well away from him."
oOo
John met with Elizabeth in her office. "He's been behaving really weird since the banquet," he said. "And now he's loaded medical supplies, C4 and weapons into Jumper four. I'm just waiting for him to make his move."
"If he's been affected by something that would explain why the Queen was suddenly uncooperative," Elizabeth said. "She didn't need to trade any more."
"Apparently not," John said. "I think that he'll be making his move soon. I'm gonna stay hidden in Jumper one. When he takes off in Jumper four I'll be right there after him."
"John."
"Yes."
"If Rodney pulls the ZPM we won't be able to dial the gate again. You'll be on your own."
"No I won't," John said smiling. "Rodney will be there."
"Will he ?"
oOo
It happened late that night. John wasn't surprised at the timing. It was daytime on the planet and there were always less staff working at night.
The gate dialled with a computer generated automatic sequence opening a wormhole to the planet and then everything suddenly plunged into darkness as Rodney removed the ZPM. Emergency generators turned on some of the lights as Jumper four powered up and Rodney lowered it down into the gateroom.
John followed immediately afterwards using the onboard DHD to keep the wormhole open just long enough to slip through in Rodney's wake.
Rodney was heading rapidly down towards the planet. John followed closely on his tail. But John was at a disadvantage. He didn't want to destroy Rodney...
A drone flew from Jumper four heading straight for John's craft. "Crap!" John said as he turned swiftly to avoid the missile.
They entered the atmosphere almost side by side. John was staying so close that Rodney couldn't fire another drone. But John didn't want to target the engines because of all of the explosives that Rodney had on board. Not to mention their ZPM...
"Sheppard ?" Rodney said over the radio. "What are you doing ?"
John didn't answer. He positioned his Jumper immediately above Rodney's and started to descend, forcing him down.
They were skimming the tops of the trees, heading towards open fields.
"Sheppard...!"
"Better land McKay."
"You'll destroy us both."
John was less than a meter above Rodney's Jumper matching his speed precisely. Rodney was right. One wrong move and they were both dead.
Fortunately for John Rodney was neither a precision pilot nor suicidal. He powered the craft down and landed in a field.
"I'm jamming your cloak, Rodney," John said.
"Radek..." Rodney spat opening the back door.
John parked his Jumper a few feet away.
Rodney emerged from the craft and John went out to meet him. "Rodney..." he said. "What has happened to you ?"
Rodney pulled his sidearm from it's holster and pointed it directly at John.
John raised his hands walking slowly towards him. "Rodney..." he said.
Rodney fired the gun.
John dove to the side feeling the seering pain as the bullet passed through the flesh of his upper left arm. He pulled his own weapon and fired back hitting Rodney's weapon, knocking it from his hands.
John made a mental note to thank Ronon for the training as he ran towards Rodney who was off balance. John hit him with a full body slam knocking him off his feet.
Unfortunately Rodney had been training too and with a swift movement he hit John hard by his left eye using the heel of his hand. John rolled off him, his head spinning, only his military training helping him to roll to his feet as Rodney got to his.
John didn't want to use his handgun and Rodney had taken all of their stunners so he had to subdue him by hand.
"Why are you doing this Rodney ?" John said flexing the fingers on his left hand as blood trickled down his sleeve.
"The Queen requires it," Rodney said glaring. "And Meralda requires it."
"Who the hell is Meralda ?" John thought. "Rodney think it through," John said. "What are you doing ?"
Rodney stood for a moment and relaxed his gaze. "You're right, John," he said walking forward. "I'm sorry."
The next thing that John knew he was flat on his back from where Rodney had hit him between his eyes. "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid." John thought as Rodney grabbed his throat applying pressure. Spots of light started to dance before John's eyes. "Rodney..." he gasped.
Rodney stopped and released his grip, a confused look on his face. "John...?"
John couldn't take any chances. Taking a deep breath he hit Rodney hard in the face. Blood spurted from his nose as he fell back and he swayed on his hands and knees his right hand held up to his eyes.
Before Rodney could recover John put him in a choke hold cutting off the blood supply to his brain.
"John..." Rodney said weakly. "Please..."
John closed his eyes and resisted the urge to release him. Blood trickled down John's arm and mixed with Rodney's blood staining his shirt as he slipped into unconsciousness.
"I'm so sorry..." John said.
oOo
John returned with Rodney in Jumper four. Radek replaced the ZPM and John met with Carson in the Infirmary.
"I have him sedated," Carson said as he bandaged John's arm. "But I need the antidote to whatever's affecting his brain chemistry. Either that or a sample of the original ...er ...serum."
"Now that I can do," John said pushing the button on his radio. "Ronon ? Teyla ? Gear up. We're gonna take a squad of marines and go pay a royal visit."
oOo
John, Teyla, Ronon, Lorne and seven marines all crammed into a single Jumper. When they got through the gate John headed straight to where he had parked Jumper one earlier. He hit the remote and the cloak disengaged, revealing the craft in the middle of the open field.
John landed Jumper three next to Jumper one and opened the back door. "OK Major," he said. "Follow us in and stay cloaked until I give you the word. Just hover nearby."
"Yes sir," Lorne said taking the pilot's seat as John, Ronon and Teyla entered Jumper one.
It was a short flight to the palace. Unlike the last time they were there when they parked the Jumper outside of the settlement, this time they landed in the large courtyard in the middle of the palace grounds.
This time John wanted to make an entrance. He was through playing games. He opened the door and they walked out, hands on their weapons, looking threatening. Something that came naturally to Ronon.
The people stayed back as the trio stepped towards the palace and stopped in front of the door, waiting.
The door was opened by two guards armed with spears and the Queen walked out onto the steps. She stopped looking down at them. Meralda stood behind her to her left.
"Good morning," John said. "My friend was drugged when we were here the other day. I want the antidote."
"To the point Colonel Sheppard," the Queen said. "And why should I comply ? You are but three. I have many more guards," she said gesturing towards the armed men.
"Oh there are more than three of us," John said tapping his radio. "You may decloak, Major."
The second Jumper materialized hovering above them. The people in the courtyard scattered, running into the surrounding houses.
The Queen stood her ground staring impassively. Meralda and the guards also stayed still.
"Man she's cool," John thought. "Now," he said. "Give us the antidote."
"Or ?" the Queen asked.
"Or we have enough firepower to completely destroy this palace and everything around it. Then we'll sift through the rubble and find the antidote."
"Give it to him, Meralda," the Queen said. "His friend is of no further use to us anyway." Without another word the Queen turned and walked back into the palace.
"Meralda," John said.
She stopped on the steps and stared at him.
"Don't even think of bringing the wrong one."
oOo
John ran after Rodney as he walked down the hallway catching up with him as he turned the corner into his lab tapping away on a hand held padd.
"Hey," John said. "Want to come grab some lunch ?"
Rodney looked up at him, a large bandage still across his face. "Maybe later," he said looking tired. "You would not believe how many systems I managed to jack around with while I was er affected. I think that I've identified most of the major problems but I don't entirely remember everything so I'm kinda shooting in the dark."
"Well it's good to have you back."
"Hum. Did you have to hit me in the face ?"
"Well you shot me, Rodney."
oOo
There we go. A slightly different McKay.
Reviews ? ;)
Debbie
