Summary/Rating/Disclaimer – Please see part one
Not-So-Comfortably FamiliarChapter 2
"Elizabeth!" Rodney's call stopped her from leaving the room.
He looked unusually awkward as she turned to him. "Rodney?"
"Can I talk to you?"
She smiled, a curious expression on her face. "Of course."
"Can you shut the door?"
"Rodney, what-?"
"I need to send a message home." He was so nervous that he hadn't even sat down and she realised that this was something serious.
"That should be no problem." She sat behind the desk and leant forwards, resting on her elbows. "But it's something else isn't it?"
Rodney lowered his eyes and his voice, when it came, was soft. "Before I worked at the SGC I worked on a project that's still completely classified, even more so than this. I think that some of the people I worked with there would be extremely helpful here but I would need a guarantee that any message I sent could only be viewed by the President and not anyone at the SGC."
Elizabeth stared at him. "What in God's name did you do there that could help here?"
Rodney gave a weak grin. "You know I can't tell you that Elizabeth. It'll be hard enough petitioning to get them clearance for this without getting you clearance for that right now."
"Rodney."
"I'm serious Elizabeth. You understand classified. Let's just say that if we can get Rupert and his people on board then our lives will be a lot easier."
She nodded in acceptance. "Is it likely?"
Rodney hesitated. "The President usually adheres to outside advice where this project is concerned, they know it far better than he does or ever can." His eyes darkened. "We all remember exactly what happened last time a President decided to listen to his staff when it came to the project." His tone was black and his eyes distant, Elizabeth shuddered. "But," Rodney continued, his mood vanishing quickly. "I'd say clearance is likely and if they get it then I'm almost positive they'll be here. Rupert owes me a favour after all."
Elizabeth watched him steadily. "It would have to be a hell of a big favour to get people out here."
Rodney's eyes were black again and there was an unpleasant smirk on his lips. "Oh it was, believe me."
"Rodney… this project wasn't very nice was it?" She phrased it terribly but she couldn't think of another way to ask.
He paused. "That would depend on your definition. Most people are born into it and have little choice in the matter, all others are brought into it very young."
It was only with great difficulty that she managed to refrain from asking how old he'd been.
"Some people are fantastic, some aren't, that's the nature of everything but… let's just say that I removed some people who were causing Rupert and his people difficulty, leaving them the opportunity to seize the day, as it were. That's why he owes me a favour and I've probably broken numerous laws telling you that but right now I'm too tired to care."
With that he was out the door. Elizabeth stared after him, trying desperately to reconcile the scientist who bounced excitedly over every new discovery with the one who had just coolly announced that he had 'removed' some people.
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Thirty minutes later and he had recorded a message to the President pleading his case. It was recorded with a five-minute warning at the beginning and, after that, twenty minutes of facts and figures. He didn't need to think about it. This message had been planned for a long time.
He stopped the tape and took a deep breath, he had really never wanted to do this.
Thinking back though he couldn't believe that he thought he'd gotten out. How stupid had he been to think he could just walk away?
It wasn't exactly a nine-to-five civil service job he'd been in. It was the Council. Life in the service of The Powers was life. It wasn't an occupation, most never even got the chance to escape.
At least he could send them all the information about the Wraith that he'd compiled. Even if he couldn't find anything maybe they could make something of it. There might be something in one of the lexicons; 'Wraith' or 'Laughing Death' weren't exactly uncommon entries.
Slowly he reached forwards and pushed the button marked 'record'. If the President refused clearance then this would be the message that was sent. A goodbye message with something else hidden underneath. Willow Rosenberg would be able to find it, if everything he'd heard about her was true anyway.
Then it was time to record the real one. He took a deep breath and looked into the camera.
"Hello Rupert…"
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He hadn't realised he was praying silently to The Powers to grant him the favour until Ford looked at him curiously.
Then a man wearing a military uniform stepped through the gate and his heart sank.
But the man walked straight over to him, bypassing Elizabeth and the other soldiers without even a sideway glance.
"Doctor McKay?" He saluted as Rodney nodded hesitantly. "I'm Agent Riley Finn, Rupert Giles sent me." He gestured behind him as he dropped the salute. "I don't know exactly what you did for him Sir but he's sent you a little present."
He clapped a hand to his ear. "Xan? We're clear, send them through."
Girls started appearing through the Stargate almost instantly and Rodney counted ten of them before they were followed by two faces he knew instantly. Everyone's heard of them even if very few have met them.
Buffy Summers and Xander Harris easily took charge of the girls who were standing perfectly still in military lines. Their ages ranged from about fifteen to around eighteen but they all looked more than experienced. Riley started barking orders at the squad who followed the girls through and for a second Rodney zoned out completely, entranced by the impossible beauty of the scene.
Then Elizabeth started shouting and he was flung back into reality, a reality where the wraith are about to start attacking their city.
Then regular marines began flooding through the event horizon but as Elizabeth reached him and started demanding to know why there were children in her gateroom all he could see are the new people.
His people
Ignoring and dismissing Elizabeth he stepped forwards and held out his hand. First Buffy shook it, then Xander who snapped a perfect salute after.
"Miss Summers, Mr. Harris. I have to say that I wasn't expecting the two of you."
The man in front of him grimaced and Rodney's gaze landed on the eyepatch for a split second. "Xander, please. And from what I've heard we seriously owe you."
"Besides," the petite, blonde woman next to him chipped in. "You're a friend of Giles' where else would we be? He send his apologies for not attending personally by the way."
"Anyway, aside from all that." Xander waved an arm enthusiastically. "Look at this place! It's incredible." A random something lit up in the corner of the room and started to flash. Xander dropped the arm sheepishly. "Did I do that?" He unconsciously echoed John's words of almost a year earlier.
Rodney smiled at him. "You have the gene, that is going to make life so much easier."
Xander looked delighted. "Alright! About time I had a superpower. Super-Xander, I like it."
Riley stepped over suddenly, his face showing that he had probably heard most of the conversation. "Troops are ready Sir, why don't you bring us up to speed?"
For the first time in weeks Rodney relaxed as he explained when the Wraith were due, what type of things they should expect and the weapons available to fight with. Xander listened intently and then started quizzing him the second he finished on exactly what he'd tried in what doses and on what parts of the body. In the background he could hear Buffy and Riley arguing about entrance points to the city for ground battles.
And for the first time in weeks he had the feeling that they might actually survive.