Kajos: Hi all, its been a long time, literally years. I' m rewriting the second chapter of this so I can do more with Rodney's pregnancy and just because I think there are a few scenes missing between the pregnancy and independence. I hope this is worth the 2 and a half year wait. I've got a lot of free time over the next few months so I'm hoping to update fairly often assuming people are still interested.
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"Independence?" Dr Weir asked staring at the three department heads across from her. John shrugged.
"Yes, ma'am. This mission was supposed to be about colonisation but as things stand when our child is born it'll be shipped back to earth for military training. On average 80% of children born on Atlantis will be required to return to earth in one form or another." John explained. They had discuss this for the last week with Beckett, as a Scott he like Rodney had been raised by his parents with a couple of siblings and all living under one roof. They had reached the agreement that convincing the US to change their laws was over ambitious but that it might be possible for them to give special dispensation to Atlantis based citizens and for the international oversight committee to agree to a treaty governing Atlantis that would allow them to keep their kids. The first two hurdles though were to get first Dr Weir and then the rest of Atlantis on side.
"Colonel while I am aware that was the original purpose of this expedition, you have to admit the Pegasus galaxy is not what we expected. We found the wraith and the Genii and the Asurans. We regularly narrowly avert destruction." Weir sounded regretful which encouraged Rodney to continue.
"Elizabeth I read the SGC reports as much as you do. Earth's escapes destruction of one kind or another just as often and at least here we don't have the threat of war."
"Not to mention I have a more advanced medical facility than anything on earth, so any of the little ones that staid would receive the best medical care possible." Beckett add.
"Carson, you don't know how half that equipment in the infirmary works."
"Aye, but the stuff I do understand outstrips earth by years."
"I can see your all rather convinced of this."
"We are, Elizabeth. I want to keep my baby, I know other feel the same way. There's no over population here. There's no reason not too, not a good enough one for me. We want your support in taking this to the rest of Atlantis and eventually to the IOA and the SGC. Can you do that for us?" Dr Weir went quiet considering Rodney's request.
"Dr McKay, I can not support this large a change in policy for the sake of two men, even if I do consider you friends." She held up her hand to prevent their interruptions. "That said, you are correct that in those terms earth is under just as many if not more threats than we are and this was supposed to be a colonisation mission. A mission which I think many have forgotten over the last three years. I think it may be time to remind those people that colonisation requires a different form of law and government. Laws and systems of a society needing to reduce numbers and conserve resources have no place in colony attempting grow and establish itself so far away from home. So I will do my best to support and facilitate your cause." Rodney whooped and Beckett grinned widely.
"You had me for a moment their lass." JM just smiled softly.
"Thank you ma'am."
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"So, that went well?" John asked Rodney as he beavered away at his computer in the office. The meeting had been hours ago and John had just finished looking over the military rota and caught up on his reports. There was never that much to do with EL keeping track of it.
"Yeah, but it's still a long way to go." Rodney grunted. "We need to talk to the whole of Atlantis and put together a complete charter proposal and then we'll have to get earth on side and we only have 8 months to do it all." John knew all this but at least they hadn't stumbled at the first hurdle.
"I know but Dr Weir will be a big help with that, she's the political one."
"It's not just about the children John. Its everything, if we're going to do this we need to open with a complete charter. The whole thing. Probably don't need much to cover commerce, but law and order, military and civilian life, rights, obligations the whole thing. That's a lot to decide on that quickly." Rodney abandoned the laptop for pacing the office.
"I know but I've emailed EL and asked him to organise a meeting for the senior officers tomorrow and one for all the military next week so that we can decide where we stand on the charter. I know you civilians can take longer to sort these things but we should have our side decided by the time you start your considerations." Rodney stared at his other half like he had just grown a second head.
"How can you decided in two weeks what you want for the rest of your lives?"
"Rodney, I'm going to have to push my people to actually give me inputs on this. Most of them will simply nod and agree to anything me and the other SOs agree. We don't have input for most of this. I'll tell you one thing, they aren't going to agree with disbandment. It is dangerous out here and we need to be our own entity. I'm hoping to convince them of increased integration not immediately but for our children. It makes sense to have joint classes for basic skills like writing and mathematics. I also want to introduce basic defence training for all children and adult civilians." John explained. Rodney was silent for a while.
"How long have you been thinking about this?"
"Since I met Dr Jackson. He talked to me before we left about integration and it got me thinking. More since I met EL he came to the military late but he's one of the best officers I've met. I started to think integration in early years would work. I can't even conceive of a world where I don't see myself separate to civilians, but I think we can change that for our children."
"You never said anything..."
"Rodney, it was philosophy, thoughts nothing more. I'm an SO, you do the thinking I do the fighting. I never expected to be in this position but now that I am... I know that you scientists will try to do things like disband military segregation and I want us to have our say. I want the military to have a say in their lives here." John finished and looked up at Rodney.
"John, we wouldn't have done anything with out taking the military opinion in to account."
"How many of you would have accepted our choices as anything more than conditioned responses? How many of you would have allowed us to simply agree?" Rodney was quiet for a moment in honest realisation. They would have. They would have asked but all the military were anti-disbandment and almost all were against integration. They would have ignored those sentiments.
"I'm sorry John. Your right. Have your meeting tomorrow. We make our statement of intent to the whole expedition a week Friday, it's Wednesday now so your staff can discuss it in full before everyone knows. Then after your men have had time to think we can talk with them about it and we can make sure their voices are heard." John walked around his desk and embraced the pregnant man.
"Thanks Rodney." He whispered into his loves ear.
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Kajos: first instalment. I can't promise anything regular in terms of updates but if people are still interested I'll keep writing.