A/N - Why did Rodney stop wearing a tac vest in Season 5? Here's my answer (tag for S5 episode, 'Tracker' takes place between the first scene with Sheppard and meeting up with Ronon and Jennifer in the Gate Room)
Written for the 'What Should Have Been' episode tag challenge over at LiveJournal's Stargateland. It's gen, PG, about 450 words.
xx Squashy Insides xx
Rodney was facing Woolsey in his office, standing proud, all geared up and ready to go, complete with Kevlar plated, zipped up tac vest and P90 against his chest hanging from the clip inside.
Woolsey eyed the scientist and considered him for a moment before he sighed and said, "It has been decided by the IOA that civilians going offworld on non-military missions to known friendly planets no longer need to wear the armoured tac vests."
Rodney visibly deflated, but then panic set in. "But what about all my stuff? Power bars, epi-pen..." he counted off on his fingers, "...bandages, scanner, reloads?" His eyes widened further. "What about a gun? I am allowed to take a weapon, right? Or should I just invest in a bullseye jacket and go and sit at the end of the local target range?"
Woolsey's eyebrows rose higher, but he merely said, "You will be allowed to take a sidearm, along with another small bag. You also have pockets, which should be more than sufficient."
"And Sheppard's okay with this?"
Woolsey nodded, "It took some convincing, but he said it's fine. We do not wish to convey a message that we mistrust those we visit by going to their worlds dressed as though we mean to start a war. Also, it makes civilians appear as though they are military and that they should be targeted equally."
Rodney gulped and nodded his agreement before leaving. He made his way to the training room where he knew John and Teyla were practising their sparring. It wasn't as though Rodney was allowed to wear the Kevlar vests very often, but he didn't like the idea of going offworld with no protection whatsoever for his insides from the bullets and arrows and other nasty things out there that tended to find him. Insides that always felt extremely squashy and vulnerable when a gun was pointing at him.
But the more he thought about it, the more he remembered how the tac vest had never really helped him anyway. That accursed arrow had gone in his unprotected backside, and Sheppard's bullet had hit him after he'd taken the vest off. He hadn't been wearing one when he'd concussed himself in the jumper that had crashed in the ocean, not that it would've saved him from that injury.
Sure, the thing was useful for storing stuff, but ultimately if someone really was that intent on killing him, then he would die whether he was wearing it or not.
He swallowed again and changed his mind about talking to Sheppard as he instead went to the armoury to drop off the vest before meeting Jennifer in the gate room.