Title: Ice Cold in Antarctica
Rating: K+
Spoilers: None
Pairings: Weir/Zelenka. Come on this is me
Summary: Elizabeth meets a scientist she must have on the expedition team
Disclaimer: I own none of the Stargate Characters I just use them for my own amusement.
Authors Notes: This comes from a brief conversation in the Zelenka Appreciation thread on GateWorld, the title is a reworking of the film title Ice Cold in Alex. No beer was harmed during the writing of this story.
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Dr Elizabeth Weir was looking at the latest batch of scientists with pity, they were being treated to Rodney McKay's "I'm the greatest mind in the galaxy and the only reason you're here to make me look even better" lecture. She caught the eye of one of the group, a man with scruffy hair and glasses, according to flag patch on his arm he was from the Czech Republic, he rolled his eyes and shook his head and Elizabeth smiled in sympathy, the man tried to smother a yawn and Elizabeth giggled into her hand hoping no-one could hear her. Rodney had obviously seen the Czech scientist yawn because she could see that long suffering sneer on his face as he spoke to the man, whatever the Czech had said in reply had reduced the rest of the group to hysterical laughter and Rodney to opening and closing his mouth while he struggled to form a coherent come back. Elizabeth had to get to know this man better, if he was a match for Rodney McKay and could actually keep him quiet he was someone Elizabeth wanted on the expedition team.
"I'm Dr Elizabeth Weir, welcome to the Antarctic," she said
"Dr Radek Zelenka" he replied "thank you". Elizabeth pulled her jacket tighter around herself and tried not to let her teeth chatter, she still had not gotten used to the cold and yet he was wearing just a sweater
"Aren't you cold?" she said in wonder. He chuckled
"Not really, I am used to cold, I have spent time in Russia and Poland and every Christmas we stayed on my Grandparent's farm on Polish border, it made this place look like Africa" he said with a smile.
The next time she saw him he was sitting in the mess hall with a cup of coffee
"How are you getting on with Dr McKay?" she asked him, Radek scowled
"He is...bláznit, blbec, ne obyčejí," he spluttered.
"I agree", said Daniel Jackson sitting next to him, Elizabeth smiled thinly wondering which language she could use to tell Daniel that he was a gooseberry
"And?" she enquired
"He said that Dr McKay is a fool with no manners," he explained. Elizabeth laughed; it was one of the more polite descriptions of Dr McKay
"Is it true he once called Samantha Carter a dumb blonde?" Radek asked, Daniel laughed
"Yes I believe he did, from what I've been told anyway, I wasn't there at the time I also heard she made an interesting suggestion of what he could do with a lemon" he said. Elizabeth almost spat her coffee out in an effort not to laugh, Radek made no effort to hide his amusement at the scenario, she idly wondered if Radek would be willing to go to Atlantis, if they ever found it.
A month or so later she found him in the Chair room repairing one of the naqadah generators
"The transport's here to take us back to McMurdo" she said, Radek looked up and then looked at his watch
"I'm sorry I did not realise it was so late, why are you still here I thought you left long time ago" he replied
"I had some paperwork to finish up, then there's General O'Neill's visit next week the list goes on and on" she said. Radek smiled
"I would not have your job for all the money in budget," he said
"Thank you" she replied with a grimace. She pulled her jacket tighter, she still could not believe how he could work in sub zero temperatures in a lab coat "do you think we're doing the right thing?" It had been bothering her for sometime, she knew how dangerous opening the Stargate had been, she didn't want to put these people in danger "I mean asking people to put their faith in something completely unknown, we have no idea what we'll find at the other end or if the city is even in one piece". He could tell she had been worried about this for sometime, he'd often wanted to say something to comfort her but fate, in the guise of Dr McKay or Dr Jackson had gotten in the way
"People would not be here if they did not want to find Lost City" he said simply "They knew risks when they came here, nobody forced them to come here and no-one will force them to go to Atlantis". Elizabeth breathed out a sigh of relief, knowing he was right
"Thank you Radek" she said as the next shift filed in "come on it's time to go".
"A week after General O'Neill's visit, when Daniel had found out where the Ancients had gone and O'Neill had said yes to letting them go, finally, Elizabeth was sitting in front of her laptop reviewing candidates for the expedition to the Pegasus galaxy.
"Dr Weir, here is final inventory you wanted" said Radek
"Thank you Dr Zelenka" she said as he turned to go "Doctor...um...I'd like you to think about joining the expedition"
"Why?" he asked, because you are my friend and I want you there with me she thought.
"Because you are a brilliant engineer and you can handle Dr McKay" she replied with a smile "and the expedition needs someone like you, Dr McKay says, next to him, you are the best when it comes to Ancient technology".
Several weeks later and Elizabeth was standing in the observation room at the SGC looking down at the organised chaos in the Gateroom. She couldn't believe the day was finally here, she was actually going to another galaxy,
"Ok let's give this a try," said Jack O'Neill as the technician started to dial. Elizabeth looked down into the Gateroom and caught the eye of Dr Zelenka, he smiled up at her and she felt her heart beat a little faster. Guiltily she thought about the goodbye she'd said to Simon, it hadn't been as hard as she'd thought it would be, it had led to a couple of sleepless nights as she'd worried about her growing attraction for Dr Zelenka. Had she said goodbye to Simon because she was going on the adventure of a lifetime or had she dumped him because she had started falling for Dr Zelenka.
"Chevron eight is...locked," said the technician as the gate opened
"Dr Weir, you're good to go," said Jack, Elizabeth nodded, Yes I am she thought as she went downstairs to join the others.