Stargate Atlantis

Spiritual and Science

I don't own Atlantis

Beliefs

This is set at some point during Sanctuary.

Rodney leaned on the railing on the gang way between Elizabeth's office and the control room. His hands were gripping tight turning his knuckles white. He was annoyed, annoyed at everyone for ignoring his concerns. Could no one else see it, how come he was the only one who was having a warning light go off in his head? The woman was lying he could sense it or if not she was holding something back, there was something else about her. She was using religion as a cover for something, for that weapon and he knew it. Frustrated he hit his hands off the railing as he headed towards the top of the stairs. He was going to go looking for John but decided against it. Instead he thought it would be better to gain evidence, he made his way to the device they had found earlier that their guest had set off. The only way he was going to learn anything new about Cheya was to figure out what the device did. He clasped his hands together as he sat down to work.

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Teyla walked through the corridor of Atlantis smiling, she was thinking back to the conversation she had just had with Major Sheppard. Does he really think we are all blind, she thought, that we cannot see that he is attracted to Cheya? What see could not understand was why he was afraid to admit it. Yes he was the ranking officer of Atlantis but as she had said to him that did not mean that he did not have the right to feelings. Despite what others may think she thought as she saw Rodney skulk through the door.

As Rodney spied Teyla he quickened his pace towards her. "Teyla." He said with a hastened breath.

"Yes Doctor." She asked carefully.

Rodney's hands were dancing all over the place as he nervously and frustratingly klicked his fingers. "Have you seen Major Sheppard anywhere?"

It was wrong to lie to a friend especially when he was asking a simple question but Teyla thought that it would be better if Doctor McKay did not disturb the Major and Cheya. She had the feeling that it would only cause more hostility between the two. She tilted her head slightly as she spoke. "I'm sorry I have not."

His jaw tightened and a it took all his effort to say as pleasantly as possible. "Fine." Rodney knew it was a lie but instead of making a comment or questioning her he left it alone. It would be pointless trying to get Teyla to tell him because if she had wanted to she would have told him the truth.

He walked past her as if brushing her away, she thought he was over reacting he could tell that she thought that he was being unfair to John, but John was the military leader of Atlantis and he didn't have the luxury to allow himself to get involved with an alien woman who they really knew nothing about and who was obviously hiding something from them.

Teyla placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him. She did it without effort as Rodney stopped despite himself. "Doctor perhaps you should not be so hasty in your judgment of Cheya. She is only doing what she believes is best."

Rodney looked at her as if she had grown another head. He didn't get it he really did not get it. Why was it him who was supposedly in the wrong? Why was it only him who was outraged by Cheya's decision? He shook himself from Teyla's touch.

"For whom?" He looked condescendingly at Teyla. Of all the people who he thought would be outraged he thought it would be Teyla. She knew better than them all what it was like to lose someone to the Wraith and yet she could still be understanding and calm. "Millions of people can be saved and yet she refuses to help how can you not be the slightest upset by that?"

"Because it is her decision and I, we must respect that. Cheya says that Athar will not allow it and we must respect that."

"What respect some God that doesn't even exist?"

"It is her people's belief Doctor that Athar protects them." Now she was looking at him as if he had grown another head. She did not understand how he could be so disrespectful. "And how do you know that Athar does not exist. Do you have evidence?"

Rodney scoffed. "I don't need evidence. It's a religion that they are hiding behind because they are to selfish to lend the people of the galaxy a helping hand. I can't believe in a God that wont help others whether it existed or not. In fact I haven't and never will believe in any God of any kind." Rodney was fuming his voice rising.

Teyla was simply staring at him in disbelief. How could someone not believe in something beyond this life? "You must believe in something, that there is..." She raised her hands in the air. "...someone or something that is greater than us that is waiting for us when we die?"

"The only thing waiting for us when we die is darkness that is all. There is no light at the end of the tunnel there is no master plan. Why on earth would a God create a universe with such evil?"

In contrast Teyla spoke calmly and quieter hoping that it would work to calm Rodney down, as he was making rather violent gestures with his hands. "It is a test of our faith."

"No it's science it's evolution. That is why we and the Wraith exist it has nothing to do with a master plan. Athar did not save us it was science. There is a weapon on that planet and by Cheya refusing to acknowledge it and by not helping us by allowing us to study it she is condemning us all." Rodney didn't wait for an answer he walked away angry, upset, fuming. All Teyla could do was look on as Rodney walked away. She didn't attempt to go after him he had his own demons to deal with she thought.

He didn't and never had believed in a God, it was beyond him to believe in stories. That's what the Goa'uld did, told tall tales but a spin on science so that people could feel that they were part of a grand plan and that nobody died without reason. But it was all lies. Even Ascension was a story. The Ancients just added a nice little spiritual factor to so that ordinary people could understand it, but they researched it. How on earth do you research enlightenment if it's true enlightenment. You're meant to leave those things behind with ascension. But no the Ancients had cheated hadn't they, tried to get and got there without growing spiritually. No facts are what he knew and how he lived his life. Facts didn't lie they didn't hurt and they could help you to save yourselves. God hadn't helped them when they had been stuck in that jumper and locked in the Stargate. It had been science that had saved them.