(no subject)
TITLE: Playing the Game
RATING: G
FANDOMS: Stargate: Atlantis
SPOILERS: S1 & 2 of SGA.
WORDS: 1000
NOTES: Just a little happy birthday fic for trinityofone :) Thanks to siriaeve for checking it over.
________________________
“I know you are not pleased about this...”
“Oh, really?” Rodney snapped irritably. Standing in his private quarters, he had placed himself at the point in the room where the acoustics were just right for moral indignation to echo perfectly off every wall. “Do you have some keen super sense that makes it impossible for you not to know these things? Give me one good reason why on earth I should be pleased about it!”
Sitting at the table, Radek gazed at him owlishly. “Because I am here to save your skin from some very angry marines,” he said. Opening the box in front of him, he withdrew the contents.
“They can’t do anything to me!” Rodney protested, although there was the faintest hint of worry creeping into his voice. “Why would they want to anyway? It’s not like I did anything to any of them.”
“Your actions have had grave repercussions, Rodney,” Radek said simply, shuffling through the articles in his hands. “What affects any commander will affect other members of their team. I think you would say ‘spreading it around’.”
“But I didn’t do anything!”
Radek’s look was one Rodney had seen many times before; patient belligerence combined with amusement. “You should have known better than to make deals with Lieutenant Cadman,” the Czech said. “She is a clever woman and I have been sent by Colonel Sheppard to teach you so you will not make the same mistakes again.”
“Teach me?” The look of bewildered incredulity that crossed the Canadian’s face was almost worth the one-hour slot of free time that Radek had given up on the polite request of Colonel Sheppard. Spluttering, Rodney started to rise, “This is ridiculous! He had no right to...”
“Sit down, Rodney,” Radek’s voice was quieter, but no less forceful and he didn’t even bother to look up. “You are already in the bad books of many. You do not want to add me to their number. I have given my free time to help you and you will be helped, whether you want it or not.”
Scowling, Rodney sank back onto the seat. “So what?” he snapped, folding his arms defiantly. “You’re going to try and teach me the rules again? I know how to play the game, Radek. I don’t need you to show me what to do.”
“Yes, I agree. I should not need to show you. You know the principles of the game and you know the rules,” Radek agreed lightly, pushing his glasses up his nose with his index finger. “But you do not know how to play.”
“Now, just a second...”
Pale eyes rose to him over the steely edge of the glasses. “Explain to me,” Radek’s voice was politely innocent. “How it is that you lost Colonel Sheppard his privileges in the mess hall? How is it you lost him the better shower rooms? How is it that you lost him everything he found useful when he is not on duty?”
“Wasn’t just him,” Rodney grumbled, his shoulders hunching irritably. “Anyway, I’m pretty sure Cadman cheated. How else could they always manage to out-play us? And hey!” A finger was jabbed in Radek’s direction. “That wasn’t all my fault! If Sheppard didn’t like to take so many risks...”
“The Colonel’s issues are his own,” Radek interrupted firmly. “We are here to correct yours.”
“And how do you propose to do that?” Rodney demanded sharply. “I followed the rules! There was nothing I could have done that would have given me away.” The Czech coughed, hastily clearing his throat to stifle a laugh. “What’s funny?”
“You say you know how to play,” Radek peered up at him, lips twitching in a barely smothered grin. “But you forget that so does everyone else. They know what to look for as well.” He shook his head, clearly amused. “Your face, Rodney, gives away more than your cards.”
Rodney’s brows rocketed towards his hairline, then - as he realised they had - he pulled them back down, only for them to pull into a frown. “I’m not that bad,” he muttered sullenly.
A snort of amusement escaped Zelenka. “Your face is like an open book,” he said with an apologetic smile. “What is happening in your mind, we can see all over your face. Cadman did not need to cheat. You gave her all the answers.”
“Still doesn’t mean Sheppard has any reason to blame me,” Rodney grumbled.
Dealing out the pack of cards he had been shuffling, Radek chuckled. “Who was it who became annoyed with Cadman and challenged her to a poker competition in the first place?” he asked innocently.
“I hadn’t slept and someone had used up the last of the coffee!” Snatching up his cards with a glower, Rodney scowled. “You find the person who emptied the coffee pot and you’ll have your answer!”
“I think you will find that was also Cadman,” Zelenka arranged his cards delicately, ignoring the sputter of indignation from the other side of the table. “You seem to be surprised, Rodney.”
“That woman is the devil in disguise,” Rodney muttered vengefully. “One day, I’m going to get painful revenge on her for everything she’s done to me, starting with that kiss and working onwards.”
Unable to help himself, Radek laughed. “Then you will have to listen and learn,” he said. “If you manage, you will be able to beat her.”
“Please tell me this comes with a side of humiliation for her,” Rodney implored, hastening to arrange his cards.
“Rodney, if you can learn to bluff, I think you will be able to win back everything that you have lost,” Radek said seriously. “And if you learn well enough, who is to say what may happen?”
Slowly, Rodney started to smile. “So... bluffing. You think you can teach me?”
Radek lifted a shoulder mildly. “I convince Elizabeth that my interest in her is purely professional,” he replied.
Rodney blinked at him. “Right...” he said. “Guess it’s worth a try.”
RATING: G
FANDOMS: Stargate: Atlantis
SPOILERS: S1 & 2 of SGA.
WORDS: 1000
NOTES: Just a little happy birthday fic for trinityofone :) Thanks to siriaeve for checking it over.
________________________
“I know you are not pleased about this...”
“Oh, really?” Rodney snapped irritably. Standing in his private quarters, he had placed himself at the point in the room where the acoustics were just right for moral indignation to echo perfectly off every wall. “Do you have some keen super sense that makes it impossible for you not to know these things? Give me one good reason why on earth I should be pleased about it!”
Sitting at the table, Radek gazed at him owlishly. “Because I am here to save your skin from some very angry marines,” he said. Opening the box in front of him, he withdrew the contents.
“They can’t do anything to me!” Rodney protested, although there was the faintest hint of worry creeping into his voice. “Why would they want to anyway? It’s not like I did anything to any of them.”
“Your actions have had grave repercussions, Rodney,” Radek said simply, shuffling through the articles in his hands. “What affects any commander will affect other members of their team. I think you would say ‘spreading it around’.”
“But I didn’t do anything!”
Radek’s look was one Rodney had seen many times before; patient belligerence combined with amusement. “You should have known better than to make deals with Lieutenant Cadman,” the Czech said. “She is a clever woman and I have been sent by Colonel Sheppard to teach you so you will not make the same mistakes again.”
“Teach me?” The look of bewildered incredulity that crossed the Canadian’s face was almost worth the one-hour slot of free time that Radek had given up on the polite request of Colonel Sheppard. Spluttering, Rodney started to rise, “This is ridiculous! He had no right to...”
“Sit down, Rodney,” Radek’s voice was quieter, but no less forceful and he didn’t even bother to look up. “You are already in the bad books of many. You do not want to add me to their number. I have given my free time to help you and you will be helped, whether you want it or not.”
Scowling, Rodney sank back onto the seat. “So what?” he snapped, folding his arms defiantly. “You’re going to try and teach me the rules again? I know how to play the game, Radek. I don’t need you to show me what to do.”
“Yes, I agree. I should not need to show you. You know the principles of the game and you know the rules,” Radek agreed lightly, pushing his glasses up his nose with his index finger. “But you do not know how to play.”
“Now, just a second...”
Pale eyes rose to him over the steely edge of the glasses. “Explain to me,” Radek’s voice was politely innocent. “How it is that you lost Colonel Sheppard his privileges in the mess hall? How is it you lost him the better shower rooms? How is it that you lost him everything he found useful when he is not on duty?”
“Wasn’t just him,” Rodney grumbled, his shoulders hunching irritably. “Anyway, I’m pretty sure Cadman cheated. How else could they always manage to out-play us? And hey!” A finger was jabbed in Radek’s direction. “That wasn’t all my fault! If Sheppard didn’t like to take so many risks...”
“The Colonel’s issues are his own,” Radek interrupted firmly. “We are here to correct yours.”
“And how do you propose to do that?” Rodney demanded sharply. “I followed the rules! There was nothing I could have done that would have given me away.” The Czech coughed, hastily clearing his throat to stifle a laugh. “What’s funny?”
“You say you know how to play,” Radek peered up at him, lips twitching in a barely smothered grin. “But you forget that so does everyone else. They know what to look for as well.” He shook his head, clearly amused. “Your face, Rodney, gives away more than your cards.”
Rodney’s brows rocketed towards his hairline, then - as he realised they had - he pulled them back down, only for them to pull into a frown. “I’m not that bad,” he muttered sullenly.
A snort of amusement escaped Zelenka. “Your face is like an open book,” he said with an apologetic smile. “What is happening in your mind, we can see all over your face. Cadman did not need to cheat. You gave her all the answers.”
“Still doesn’t mean Sheppard has any reason to blame me,” Rodney grumbled.
Dealing out the pack of cards he had been shuffling, Radek chuckled. “Who was it who became annoyed with Cadman and challenged her to a poker competition in the first place?” he asked innocently.
“I hadn’t slept and someone had used up the last of the coffee!” Snatching up his cards with a glower, Rodney scowled. “You find the person who emptied the coffee pot and you’ll have your answer!”
“I think you will find that was also Cadman,” Zelenka arranged his cards delicately, ignoring the sputter of indignation from the other side of the table. “You seem to be surprised, Rodney.”
“That woman is the devil in disguise,” Rodney muttered vengefully. “One day, I’m going to get painful revenge on her for everything she’s done to me, starting with that kiss and working onwards.”
Unable to help himself, Radek laughed. “Then you will have to listen and learn,” he said. “If you manage, you will be able to beat her.”
“Please tell me this comes with a side of humiliation for her,” Rodney implored, hastening to arrange his cards.
“Rodney, if you can learn to bluff, I think you will be able to win back everything that you have lost,” Radek said seriously. “And if you learn well enough, who is to say what may happen?”
Slowly, Rodney started to smile. “So... bluffing. You think you can teach me?”
Radek lifted a shoulder mildly. “I convince Elizabeth that my interest in her is purely professional,” he replied.
Rodney blinked at him. “Right...” he said. “Guess it’s worth a try.”