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Title:Why would they kill Rodney?
Author:Keenir.
Summary:Radek has the unenviable task of explaining to Elizabeth why Rodney's been sentenced to death.
Warning:The story's fulcrum is a British word.
Author's note:Just a little bit of silliness, and inspired by the music vid "The many women of Rodney McKay" by unbuttons.
Note:Nicolae Ceauşescu was a dictator in Romania - I don't think it odd that Radek's heard of the guy. if messes with his surname: C-E-A-U-S,-E-S-C-U is how it's spelled, with a hook under the S)
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He hadn't showered, hadn't grabbed a bite to eat, hadn't even taken the time to slap dust from his clothes. Radek Zelenka had marched straight from the stargate to the debriefing room. "Radek?" Dr. Weir asked him. Such innocuous words, yet they stung him, stung because of what he knew, of the reason why he wasn't putting this debriefing off. He wasn't about to put it off, not for anything, not for Genii invasion troops or Wraith fleets overhead, or the reincarnation of Nicolae Ceauşescu.
Well, maybe for that.
"The amatif have begun preparations," Radek said, "to put Rodney to death."
"Why would they do that?" she asked him, and with one hand dismissed Sheppard to go get a rescue party ready to disembark. "We'd opened relations with them, without any problems."
Radek nodded. "The amatif regard lying as a capital offense, you know."
"I do. It's part of what makes them such good allies." Even if, she knew, even if we have to watch our euphemisms and metaphors around them.
"And you know Rodney would never betray you."
Elizabeth nodded. No words were needed there.
"He wouldn't betray you or your memory."
Another nod.
"…or do anything that might hurt you in any way."
A nod. And a chill feeling down her spine, nestling in her gut. "What happened?" she asked. Rodney had been known to put his foot in his mouth before. Looking before leaping had never been his strong suit.
"Among the languages Rodney knows," Radek said, "are both Queen's and American English, Russian, and Czech." A smattering of the latter, but that is another matter entirely.
"I do."
He dropped his head, staring at the tabletop. Much as he shouted at himself - within his mind - to look up, to explain further, he couldn't bring himself to.
"Radek?"
Unable to hint obliquely at it any longer, "The amatif royal family considers his actions -- what he said -- proof that Atlantis lied to them."
Oh no.
"The High Princess of the amatif, Keeper of the Books, she asked Rodney if she would like to exchange knowledge."
"I take it he agreed," Dr. Weir said, not seeing what was so heinous about that.
"In amatif, the word for 'exchanging knowledge' is 'shnog.'"
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The End.
