"Death and Destiny"

A/n: Sorry for the long delay. My internet was out and I couldn't update. Lots of thanks to gabumon for reviewing! And now chapter 3!!

Chapter 3:

"So Long and Goodnight"

Alter Ego (al·ter e·go) noun- alternative personality, a second side to an individual's personality, different from the one that most people know.

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I rush to the computer and lock doing the level I am on. If I know Sheppard, (Which I do. Well, most of the time.) he'll be coming soon. I walk up to the Zed.P.M and get ready to make the final connection, when Sheppard comes on the radio. If he didn't know the level was look down before, he certainly knows it now…

"Rodney, you don't have to do this!"

"Yeah, actually I do." I take one last look at the door and say, "Remember that bad feeling I had? I guess I was right. Of course that shouldn't come as any big surprise."

"Rodney…"

"So long John."

"Rodney! Don't…" That's when I reach up and switch the com link off.

I sigh. "Here goes nothing." And I connect the two crystals in to the control panel and that was it. That's all I remember.

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"It's funny in away. How a choice, just one, can change your life forever. Well Rodney's life. Or technically soon-to-be my life. Everyone has an alter ego. Who knew Rodney's would be so bad…"

"I guess I should explain how this not-so-unfortunate event came to take place. I'm Roddy, by the way. The Rodney that you all love to hate, no longer exist any more. Sorry to disappoint. However I think you'll come to agree that I make a very…. What's the word? Ah, yes interesting replacement. But hey look on the bright side! At least Rodney managed to save Atlantis... Right?"

5 Hours Earlier

"Ten letter word for exodus" Radek walks to the other side of the lab as he says this.

"Oh please! What am I, two? 'Evacuation'"

"What? I am out of words. We have been at this for a while."

I smirk. "I have no idea what you're trying to imply, but I'm not the one who insists we keep playing this game."

He ignores me and gives the next clue. "Seven letter word for 'anomalous'…." He trails off as he hand me a piece of paper he printed. "Here, take a look at this."

I take it and start reading. "Strange."

"Yes, I know."

"No, I mean that's the answer. A seven letter word for anomalous, 'strange'. But now that you mention it these readings do look at little off. Have you tried cross-intersecting them?"

"Yes, but that just causes a feedback loop."

"Alright, try redirecting the dynamism with the first-line crystals. Let's see if we can get it stabilized."

Radek nods and returns working on his lap top. But not before he say's "Ok, 8 letter word for 'despondency'."

"Ah, yes it's me again. You'd think you'd get tired of this by now. Things seem to be going well doesn't it? Don't worry it won't last. Why, as a matter of fact, we're just getting to the good part. Well, good for me anyways…"

3 Hours Later

Sheppard and Teyla both walk in to my lab.

"You rang?" Sheppard says.

Radek begins talking. "Yes we are done. But there is problem."

Teyla then looks at Radek. "What is it?"

"The release protocol, it will not accept the automatic trigger."

Sheppard then reacts. "And that means…?"

I take over the explanation. "It means 'Simple', that the process has to be done manually. This in its self is a problem because the manual process is deadly."

Sheppard looks at me. "I'm sorry. Did you just call me 'Simple'?"

Before I can respond Teyla intervenes. "Perhaps we should get back on topic?"

Then Sheppard being, well Sheppard, has to be the one to say the most ridiculous question. "Deadly as in…?"

I look at him, astounded by his level of intelligence. "As in 'causing death'! Did you have an extra bowl of stupid this morning or is it just…"

Teyla, once again steps in, cutting me off. "I think what John means to say is would this manual override cause any harm to the rest of the population?"

"No. No, just the one doing the override."

Sheppard returns to the conversation and for the first time since he stepped in the lab, say's something helpful. "I'm not a scientist or anything like that," Sheppard pauses to glare at me because of the snort I had just made. "But couldn't you just, I don't know, make your own? You know, a custom made, 'one-time-use-only' type of thing?"

I think for a second. "Maybe…"

I turn to Radek. He seems to have the same idea as me. "It would be close." He says.

"Frighteningly close…" I turn to Sheppard and Teyla. "Give us a few hours."

"That's cutting it …"

I cut him off. "A bit close? Yeah, we know. If you have any last words, I think now would be a good time to say them."

Sheppard gives me a look. "Rodney…"

Yes, yes I know. 'Get it done'."

Sheppard nods and both he and Teyla leave.

I turn to get to work and ask my self, 'Will this day ever end? I really wish it would…'

"Didn't I tell you things were going to start going downhill? I'll give you a cookie if you can guess how the famed Rodney dies. He did ask when this day would be over. I guess Rodney should have been more careful of what he wished for. Either that, or well, more specific…."