Prompt 73.02

Jun 10, 2009 18:09

Five times John’s men were proud to have him as a CO

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set 73, sga, john sheppard, prompts

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the_summoning_d June 11 2009, 20:03:38 UTC
1: The first time

Many of them weren't impressed that John inherited the role of CO after Sumner was taken. He had a reputation - someone who couldn't obey orders shouldn't be in a position to be giving them. The fact that his first act as CO was to order a pointless suicide mission was only the icing on the cake. At least he wouldn't be CO for long.

And then the gate activated and their missing men came home.

It was a moment many of them played again in their minds later, when a mission went south, or an order seemed unreasonable, or life in the Pegasus Galaxy was that little bit more insane than usual. Their CO would walk into a Wraith Hive Ship for any one of them, and that knowledge did more to ensure their loyalty than anything else ever could.

2: Under siege

Too many of them had served under the kind of CO who sits behind a desk and gives orders, never risking his own life in the field despite asking his men to do so. Assignments such as those are the ones with the highest transfer rates, and often the highest casualty rates. Atlantis, however, is not one of those assignments.

An awed quiet falls over the marines in the jumper bay as their CO flies off on a suicide run, completely prepared to sacrifice his own life for a chance to save theirs. When the Wraith advance again they are grim, determined.

The least they can do is to ensure that he didn't die for nothing.

3: From a new perspective

Naturally there is tension when a new military contingent is stationed permanently on Atlantis to boost the numbers and replace those they have lost. But there is a lot less tension then there could have been. The new soldiers, fresh from the SGC, fit in and adapt to their new CO remarkably well. After all, most of them served under General O'Neill. Sheppard seems positively sane by comparison.

4: Exiled from home

There's a rumour going around the SGC that Atlantis' command staff have a plan. A statistically improbable number of marines on duty that day suffer from temporary and selective blindness.

They are of course terribly surprised when a Jumper is stolen.

5: In the face of hard choices

Sound carries in the corridors: half of Atlantis hears Sheppard go ballistic at McKay when replicators bring Elizabeth Weir back from the brink of death. Only a small security detail hears the initial refusal earlier, but word travels fast.

It's an easy principle to understand, that personal feelings and friendships must always be secondary to the greater good - especially for those in a command position. But it's a difficult one to follow. And everyone on the base silently asks themselves if they could have made the same decision.

Few come up with satisfactory answers.

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skieswideopen June 22 2009, 04:23:00 UTC
Great list! I love the idea of Sheppard seeming sane compared to O'Neill, and the temporary and selective blindness that goes around the SGC. And #5 is both true and heartbreaking.

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the_summoning_d June 22 2009, 11:48:20 UTC
Hee, thank you ^^ When aliens have made you do it that many times, you learn to ignore things you don't want to see ;D And yeah, I'd watched Adrift right before I wrote this, and I had to work it in somehow.

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smilebackwards June 24 2009, 02:33:46 UTC
I love these ♥ Especially 2 and 3. I adore John for being a commander from the front of the line, and any comparison between Jack and John makes me indescribably happy. And this was my prompt, so thanks for writing it!

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the_summoning_d June 24 2009, 12:31:34 UTC
Thank you :) I can't imagine John willingly sitting behind a desk when anyone under his command is fighting. And of course there are distinct parallels between Jack and John - it makes me happy too when other people see them!

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sidlj June 25 2009, 04:02:08 UTC
Brave, self-sacrificing, resourceful, tough and comparatively sane. The perfect CO! Nice job. :-)

p.s. Jack will get ya. *eg*

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the_summoning_d June 25 2009, 13:54:45 UTC
Thank you :D

Jack can get whatever he likes *leer*

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dimac99 January 18 2010, 03:44:20 UTC
All good points but #4 is my fave, I think because #4 is the one where they do something for *him*.

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the_summoning_d January 18 2010, 11:05:30 UTC
Ta very much :) Glad you enjoyed

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csad21 June 24 2010, 15:40:25 UTC
Just found this because it was recommended over at sgagenrefinders, and I absolutely *loved* it! This is one of those stories you want to hug, and wish it were a longer, epic one.

Best parts:

Their CO would walk into a Wraith Hive Ship for any one of them, and that knowledge did more to ensure their loyalty than anything else ever could.

That's the part of Sheppard's personality I adore. It's what O'Neill too would do. And seeing that in a character is a surefire way to make me a loyal fan of any show.

After all, most of them served under General O'Neill. Sheppard seems positively sane by comparison.

*laughs* Don't know if that says something about O'Neill or Sheppard.

They are of course terribly surprised when a Jumper is stolen.

*This* one I adored. It seems oh so probable with our show, doesn't it? Hmm... wonder if there are any fanfics out there built on that premise...

In short: a wonderful little story that's viable to induce gushing in anyone, apparently :) Also, all of it sounds very much like right out of the show.

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the_summoning_d June 24 2010, 16:51:38 UTC
I got recced? :D Awesome!

Heh, you've managed to pick out most of my favourite parts. I do love playing with the similarities between John and Jack. And I really hope there are fics based on that premise. That would be awesome.

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saphirablue July 5 2010, 07:24:10 UTC
I really like all of them! :)

I like, that the Marines know that John'll do everything possible and impossible to get them back, that they'll fight for him, that they turn blind for him... :)

Thank you!

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loriel_eris September 20 2015, 12:11:08 UTC
*loves this*

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