Evil Author Day post 2
Title: Genderbend Vampire AU
Notes: I started thinking about how most of the genderbend's I've read were based in canon. I wanted to do a complete AU, but I was struggling with plot, so I just decided to combine two tropes I love.
*
"Did you hear about Head O'Neill?" Gaul asked in a loud whisper. At this point, Meredith was used to the whispers - they'd been happening all day, ever since the mysterious announcement this morning. She could care less what was happening in Clan O'Neill, as they weren't her family and it would have little effect on her. It seemed she was one of the few to hold that opinion, however, as everywhere she went people were speculating.
"I heard he's going to announce Lady Sam's pregnancy," Abrams said, and Meredith fought a snort. Sam was far too dedicated to science to think about children just yet, and the death of O'Neill's first child was still too raw, even after all these years. Long life meant long memory, after all. No, Meredith was sure it was not impending children, but something else. Perhaps something important, at least for others who concerned themselves with the political. As Meredith did not hold any special title, she paid little attention to the comings and goings of the elite. O'Neill having children (or not, as Meredith was convinced) would do nothing for Meredith.
"I hear," came Kavanaugh's annoying, arrogant voice, "that he is announcing his successor."
"Don't be daft," Simpson snapped, making a face at Kavanugh. Her incisors flashed as she spoke. "He hasn't any children to pass his title to."
Kavanaugh looked at her like she was something smelly and disgusting under his shoe. "You know as well as I do that a successor must be chosen in the event of death with no children."
"O'Neill is still young and healthy yet. He has time to have children."
"I heard he is making plans to leave." Kavanaugh sounded smug. One day, he was going to be challenged to a fight, and Meredith dearly hoped she was there to watch. If ever someone was in need of being taken down a peg or two, it was Kavanaugh. He thought that because he was the first cousin to a member of the Elite, he was something special.
"Where are you getting your information?" Simpson asked scornfully. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and scowled.
"I'm not telling," Kavanaugh informed her, settling onto the stool in front of his lab table.
"You're making things up," Gaul accused, and Abrams nodded in agreement. Kavanaugh sniffed imperiously and tossed his long hair over one shoulder. Sometimes Meredith dreamed of cutting it off. She would, too, if not for the consequences. She had no desire to listen to Kavanaugh bitch and threaten, nor listen to yet another lecture from Elizabeth.
Why was she still listening to this?
"You'll see I'm right soon enough." With that, he returned to his work. After a moment of shared disdain, the small group of gossipers broke up and returned to work as well. Meredith took a deep breath and let it out slowly: another day of babysitting her minions, another day of discovery, another day of science.
Sometimes the biggest changes come when no one is looking.
*
Because the Clans are of varying length, ranging from small to quite large, not every vampire could attend an announcement. Representatives from the other Clans would gather to hear the announcement and then spread it to their respective Clans, and the rest of the room would be given to the regular citizens of the announcing clan. Technically Meredith was considered an Elite, as she was from a land-owning Clan with money; she could sit with her Clan Representative or with the O'Nill Clan Elites, but she'd never held with that kind of thing. She was a scientist, the second daughter of a small Clan - she had no business sitting beside the Jacksons or the Jaffas and held no real desire to.
She could sit with Carson Beckett, of Clan Beckett, but he wasn't attending and hated the pompous displays as much as she. Carson's refusal to leave his patients did him credit as a physician, but it did nothing for Meredith's mood, which had steadily soured throughout the day. Radek had resorted to grabbing her laptop and moving it into her office, knowing as he did that she would follow wherever the laptop went, trailing behind like a besotted human. She'd scowled at him as she watched him leave, but she had to admit her headache had eased in the quiet office.
It was coming back as the Clans stood and respectfully acknowledged each other's attendance. Meredith's leg bounced with impatience, stopping only when Radek laid a hand on her knee and glared. She glared back, but settled in resentfully. She didn't bother looking up when Jeannie's presence was announced, knowing as she did that Jeannie wouldn't look for her in the audience. Jeannie had disapproved of Meredith putting herself first and pursuing a career in science, rather than making an advantageous marriage to another Clan, as anyone devoted to their family would.
Meredith hated her family. Jeannie had been tolerable once, before she had gotten married and stepped up to the political stage. Now she was very much concerned about advancing the McKay Clan, and had been more than happy to drag Meredith to party after party to introduce her to various people in the hopes that someone would catch her eye - or, more importantly, she catch someone's eye. She meant well; Meredith knew Jeannie loved her, wanted what's best for her, but they disagreed very much on what was best. Jeannie wanted Meredith to have a family, to find happiness in love, to live a life of comfort.
Meredith just wanted to discover, to advance science, to learn new things. Where Jeannie played with dolls as a child, Meredith had played with a chemistry set. They couldn't be more different, and Jeannie never seemed to understand that what made her happy didn't make Meredith happy.
After all the acknowledgements were finished, the O'Neill Elite took their seats, followed by the Clan Representatives, as was proper. The audience seemed to hold its breath as O'Neill made his way to the podium. He took his time, walking with a slow, light step. Meredith gritted her teeth; didn't he care that she had better places to be? Had he no respect for anyone else's schedule? She began to bounce her leg again. C'mon, c'mon, she thought. This was boring.
"Good evening," O'Neill said, smiling. He gave a small wave. "How ya doin'?"
There was a murmur in response, inaudible with so many people talking so low. O'Neill nodded as if he heard and smiled down at his people. Though O'Neill and Meredith didn't get along the few times they'd met, Meredith conceded he cared about his people and did his best for them. It was more than could be said for some Clan Heads.
"I'm sure you all are wondering why I've brought you here," O'Neill said. He paused, seemingly to consider his words. "I'm going to give it to you straight: I'm stepping down as Head of the Clan." He raised a hand, cutting off the roar of reaction from the crowd, some freezing half risen from their seats. "I've been thinking about this for awhile now, people. I'll be acting in an adivsory capacity, but I'm getting old. I want some time for myself. It's been three hundred years of my leading, I think I deserve that. I wanted to wait until I found a nice replacement, and I'm fairly confident I've done that."
Everyone was quiet. Meredith met Radek's eyes, her own shock reflected back. Clan Heads generally stayed in their position until they died; it was unheard of for one to step down voluntarily. Meredith looked to Sam, found her up front, looking pale and rather drawn. Was she ill? Was that why?
"I'd like to introduce my replacement, a man you're all familiar with: John Sheppard, of Clan Sheppard." He gestured toward the area where Sam was sitting, and Meredith leaned forward to see Sheppard sitting in the corner of the room, an an empty seat - presumably O'Neill's - separating him from Sam.
Whispers filled the room as people expressed their shock. Sheppard wasn't even of Clan O'Neill; he was the disgraced son of Patrick Sheppard, the rebellious black sheep in a family of straight-laced, by the book, hardworking people. He had been O'Neill's right hand man for going on fifty years and was well-liked by everyone. But this...this was unthinkable.
Meredith shook her head and sat back in her seat. A Clan Head stepping down and appointing a successor who wasn't even of the family; today was one for the history books. Sheppard had stood and made his way to the podium. He shook O'Neill's hand and stepped up to replace him as O'Neill returned to his seat. Sheppard looked uncomfortable and more than a little embarrassed; even from here, Meredith could see his cheeks and ears flush.
"Hello," Sheppard said. "I know this must come as a shock and I apologize for that. This is the result of many late night talks, but I promise things will stay the same. O'Neill won't disappear completely - he'll be staying on in an advisory capacity. I've renounced my ties to Clan Sheppard to avoid divided loyalties. Uh. I - I'm sorry, I'm as overwhelmed as you." The audience tittered at that, and something in the atmosphere relaxed. Everyone knew Sheppard - they only had to be reminded that this was the man who had reacted with embarrassed surprise when the Fairy Queen had expressed delight over the point of his ears, had defended their Clan vigorously from the Wraith, had slouched and slumped his way into the hearts of many.
Sheppard would be a good leader, Meredith knew.
/end
Notes: I started thinking about how most of the genderbend's I've read were based in canon. I wanted to do a complete AU, but I was struggling with plot, so I just decided to combine two tropes I love.
*
"Did you hear about Head O'Neill?" Gaul asked in a loud whisper. At this point, Meredith was used to the whispers - they'd been happening all day, ever since the mysterious announcement this morning. She could care less what was happening in Clan O'Neill, as they weren't her family and it would have little effect on her. It seemed she was one of the few to hold that opinion, however, as everywhere she went people were speculating.
"I heard he's going to announce Lady Sam's pregnancy," Abrams said, and Meredith fought a snort. Sam was far too dedicated to science to think about children just yet, and the death of O'Neill's first child was still too raw, even after all these years. Long life meant long memory, after all. No, Meredith was sure it was not impending children, but something else. Perhaps something important, at least for others who concerned themselves with the political. As Meredith did not hold any special title, she paid little attention to the comings and goings of the elite. O'Neill having children (or not, as Meredith was convinced) would do nothing for Meredith.
"I hear," came Kavanaugh's annoying, arrogant voice, "that he is announcing his successor."
"Don't be daft," Simpson snapped, making a face at Kavanugh. Her incisors flashed as she spoke. "He hasn't any children to pass his title to."
Kavanaugh looked at her like she was something smelly and disgusting under his shoe. "You know as well as I do that a successor must be chosen in the event of death with no children."
"O'Neill is still young and healthy yet. He has time to have children."
"I heard he is making plans to leave." Kavanaugh sounded smug. One day, he was going to be challenged to a fight, and Meredith dearly hoped she was there to watch. If ever someone was in need of being taken down a peg or two, it was Kavanaugh. He thought that because he was the first cousin to a member of the Elite, he was something special.
"Where are you getting your information?" Simpson asked scornfully. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and scowled.
"I'm not telling," Kavanaugh informed her, settling onto the stool in front of his lab table.
"You're making things up," Gaul accused, and Abrams nodded in agreement. Kavanaugh sniffed imperiously and tossed his long hair over one shoulder. Sometimes Meredith dreamed of cutting it off. She would, too, if not for the consequences. She had no desire to listen to Kavanaugh bitch and threaten, nor listen to yet another lecture from Elizabeth.
Why was she still listening to this?
"You'll see I'm right soon enough." With that, he returned to his work. After a moment of shared disdain, the small group of gossipers broke up and returned to work as well. Meredith took a deep breath and let it out slowly: another day of babysitting her minions, another day of discovery, another day of science.
Sometimes the biggest changes come when no one is looking.
*
Because the Clans are of varying length, ranging from small to quite large, not every vampire could attend an announcement. Representatives from the other Clans would gather to hear the announcement and then spread it to their respective Clans, and the rest of the room would be given to the regular citizens of the announcing clan. Technically Meredith was considered an Elite, as she was from a land-owning Clan with money; she could sit with her Clan Representative or with the O'Nill Clan Elites, but she'd never held with that kind of thing. She was a scientist, the second daughter of a small Clan - she had no business sitting beside the Jacksons or the Jaffas and held no real desire to.
She could sit with Carson Beckett, of Clan Beckett, but he wasn't attending and hated the pompous displays as much as she. Carson's refusal to leave his patients did him credit as a physician, but it did nothing for Meredith's mood, which had steadily soured throughout the day. Radek had resorted to grabbing her laptop and moving it into her office, knowing as he did that she would follow wherever the laptop went, trailing behind like a besotted human. She'd scowled at him as she watched him leave, but she had to admit her headache had eased in the quiet office.
It was coming back as the Clans stood and respectfully acknowledged each other's attendance. Meredith's leg bounced with impatience, stopping only when Radek laid a hand on her knee and glared. She glared back, but settled in resentfully. She didn't bother looking up when Jeannie's presence was announced, knowing as she did that Jeannie wouldn't look for her in the audience. Jeannie had disapproved of Meredith putting herself first and pursuing a career in science, rather than making an advantageous marriage to another Clan, as anyone devoted to their family would.
Meredith hated her family. Jeannie had been tolerable once, before she had gotten married and stepped up to the political stage. Now she was very much concerned about advancing the McKay Clan, and had been more than happy to drag Meredith to party after party to introduce her to various people in the hopes that someone would catch her eye - or, more importantly, she catch someone's eye. She meant well; Meredith knew Jeannie loved her, wanted what's best for her, but they disagreed very much on what was best. Jeannie wanted Meredith to have a family, to find happiness in love, to live a life of comfort.
Meredith just wanted to discover, to advance science, to learn new things. Where Jeannie played with dolls as a child, Meredith had played with a chemistry set. They couldn't be more different, and Jeannie never seemed to understand that what made her happy didn't make Meredith happy.
After all the acknowledgements were finished, the O'Neill Elite took their seats, followed by the Clan Representatives, as was proper. The audience seemed to hold its breath as O'Neill made his way to the podium. He took his time, walking with a slow, light step. Meredith gritted her teeth; didn't he care that she had better places to be? Had he no respect for anyone else's schedule? She began to bounce her leg again. C'mon, c'mon, she thought. This was boring.
"Good evening," O'Neill said, smiling. He gave a small wave. "How ya doin'?"
There was a murmur in response, inaudible with so many people talking so low. O'Neill nodded as if he heard and smiled down at his people. Though O'Neill and Meredith didn't get along the few times they'd met, Meredith conceded he cared about his people and did his best for them. It was more than could be said for some Clan Heads.
"I'm sure you all are wondering why I've brought you here," O'Neill said. He paused, seemingly to consider his words. "I'm going to give it to you straight: I'm stepping down as Head of the Clan." He raised a hand, cutting off the roar of reaction from the crowd, some freezing half risen from their seats. "I've been thinking about this for awhile now, people. I'll be acting in an adivsory capacity, but I'm getting old. I want some time for myself. It's been three hundred years of my leading, I think I deserve that. I wanted to wait until I found a nice replacement, and I'm fairly confident I've done that."
Everyone was quiet. Meredith met Radek's eyes, her own shock reflected back. Clan Heads generally stayed in their position until they died; it was unheard of for one to step down voluntarily. Meredith looked to Sam, found her up front, looking pale and rather drawn. Was she ill? Was that why?
"I'd like to introduce my replacement, a man you're all familiar with: John Sheppard, of Clan Sheppard." He gestured toward the area where Sam was sitting, and Meredith leaned forward to see Sheppard sitting in the corner of the room, an an empty seat - presumably O'Neill's - separating him from Sam.
Whispers filled the room as people expressed their shock. Sheppard wasn't even of Clan O'Neill; he was the disgraced son of Patrick Sheppard, the rebellious black sheep in a family of straight-laced, by the book, hardworking people. He had been O'Neill's right hand man for going on fifty years and was well-liked by everyone. But this...this was unthinkable.
Meredith shook her head and sat back in her seat. A Clan Head stepping down and appointing a successor who wasn't even of the family; today was one for the history books. Sheppard had stood and made his way to the podium. He shook O'Neill's hand and stepped up to replace him as O'Neill returned to his seat. Sheppard looked uncomfortable and more than a little embarrassed; even from here, Meredith could see his cheeks and ears flush.
"Hello," Sheppard said. "I know this must come as a shock and I apologize for that. This is the result of many late night talks, but I promise things will stay the same. O'Neill won't disappear completely - he'll be staying on in an advisory capacity. I've renounced my ties to Clan Sheppard to avoid divided loyalties. Uh. I - I'm sorry, I'm as overwhelmed as you." The audience tittered at that, and something in the atmosphere relaxed. Everyone knew Sheppard - they only had to be reminded that this was the man who had reacted with embarrassed surprise when the Fairy Queen had expressed delight over the point of his ears, had defended their Clan vigorously from the Wraith, had slouched and slumped his way into the hearts of many.
Sheppard would be a good leader, Meredith knew.
/end