Stargate Fic Recommendations

Show: Stargate Atlantis
Rec Category: Rodney McKay
Characters: Rodney McKay, John Sheppard, Radek Zelenka, other Atlantis/Daedalus personnel
Pairing: McKay/Sheppard
Het/Slash/Gen: Slash
Warning/Spoilers: None | Vague season five; 3x14 "Tao of Rodney"
Author on LJ: threnodyjones
Author's Website: None found
Link: Antediluvian

Why this must be read:
Summary: It was a cube. A big black cube. (15.4k words)

For a nominally sci-fi source, this canon and its fandom don't seem to have all that many classic science-fiction stories. This is one of those rare entries: A mysterious space object with significant scientific implications, a space trip made solely for research purposes, scientists excited by the unknown ... and time/space/multi-dimensional weirdness. This isn't only a "Rodney story", and his role is slow to develop, but his eventual privileged position turns out to make perfect sense for the story — and it gives us a better explanation for a choice he made in canon.

Excerpt:
"Are you sick, because if you're coming down with something, I really don't want to have breakfast with you." Rodney actually hesitated setting his tray down at the table Sheppard was sitting at, because as much as he probably shouldn't care, he didn't want to start feeling shitty at this point just because he had breakfast with a friend.

Sheppard gave him the stink-eye, which convinced Rodney it was probably safe. Apparently he was the only member of the team who believed in sharing the misery when he was sick, so if Sheppard was well enough to glare at him, it most likely wasn't a virus.

"I didn't sleep well. Weird dreams."

Rodney opened a pepper packet and dumped it on his eggs. "What about?"

"Don't remember. I just remember waking up unsettled."

"Well that could have been anything," Rodney replied, shoveling a forkful of food into his mouth. And another.

Sheppard watched him and his lips started to twist with distaste. "Don't let me keep you."

Rodney rolled his eyes. "Oh please. We're expecting our first real test results back in about 5 minutes. If you think I'm going to let Zelenka have first crack at them without me, you've lost your mind."

"I'm so glad that after all these years you haven't lost your sense of camaraderie."

Rodney thought the statement would have had more impact if John hadn't yawned in the middle of it. "What time did you get to sleep?"

Sheppard shrugged. "It wasn't getting to sleep. I woke up about 4 hours ago. Never got back to sleep."

Rodney thought about it. "Well, it's not like you have anything else scheduled. You could always try taking a nap. And I mean that seriously," he continued when Sheppard started looking at him like, well, like that. "Because you really don't do so well when you're tired."

"You almost had that whole 'human interaction' thing down for a moment. Better luck next time."

"You know what? See if I ever care about you again." Rodney finished off the mediocre hashbrowns and swallowed the rest of his milk as he stood. "Go read really stupid reports and fall asleep."

Sheppard face twisted into a smirk. "Have a good day at the office, dear."

"I will. Just make sure you have my pipe and slippers ready when I get back."