Fic: Nature vs. Nurture (Flight or Fight challenge)
Title: Nature vs. Nurture
Author: Gemmi999
Challenge: Flight or Fight
Characters: Ronon, Sheppard
Rating: PG
Words: 600ish
Author's Notes: So much of Season three is questionable, from an ethical point-of-view. From a humanitarian point-of-view. I wrote this because I want to begin to talk about the problems that are arising in the Atlantis community, and see if other people who watch the show are wondering about them as well.
Spoilers: Post-ep for Common Ground
Summery: There are things you don’t know about Wraith.
“You have to talk to me eventually,” John commented as he set the tray down next to the angry man. “Otherwise Heightmayer won’t let us go offworld together.”
Ronon merely growled before stuffing a forkful of imitation Pork Chops into his already full mouth.
“Or not.” John acknowledged.
Ronon took a few seconds to finish chewing before he simply said: “you didn’t kill it.”
John nodded. “No, I have a habit of not killing the…” he hesitated before continuing: “people that help me escape from prison. Weird I know.”
“It wasn’t people.”
“No, but he did save my life. Even gave me a few extra years according to Rodney.” John grinned.
“But he will kill again. Has already killed.”
John sighed before realizing that he would need to explain himself fully to Ronon. “Yes, he more then likely has killed again since we let him go, but the people he’s killed were likely already captured.”
“You let him go. You are responsible for the killing.” Ronon explained.
“He saved my life. We had a deal, and I keep my promises.”
“But he was a Wraith, he deserved to die.”
John took a deep breath before continuing: “a long time ago a man on Earth thought everybody who was Jewish needed to die because of who they were. Killing the wraith like that would be wrong. A genocide.”
“Better they die then us.”
“Yes, I agree.” John nodded at his friend. “But there are some lines you just don’t cross.”
“And who decided where the line was?” Ronon challenged John.
“I did. It was my decision. I’m the one that is going to have to live with the choice for the rest of my life.”
“You condemned others to die in his place. You should live with that guilt.”
“Better that guilt then knowing I betrayed him.”
“His opinion is worth so much to you, Sheppard?”
“No.” John shook his head before once more trying to explain. “There’s this whole nature vs. nurture debate on Earth: are people born bad, or do they turn bad because of their upbringing. Are the Wraith necessarily evil, or do they become evil based on how they are raised.”
“Wraith are evil.”
“Yes,” John sighed. “There is another expression on Earth-flight or fight.”
“I do not understand.”
“Basically,” John looked at Ronon carefully before continuing. “People respond to danger in two ways: they fight it, or they flee.”
“And you choose to flee.” Ronon shook his head in apparent disgust.
“No!” John shook his head violently. “I choose to fight.”
“Then why did the Wraith survive?”
“Because I chose to believe that people and beings aren’t born evil, that they are raised with it. That maybe the Wraith was raised with evil, but he now knows there are people who keep their promises. People who will fight to see people as individuals, instead of as part of larger groups.”
“But you know the Wraith will go out and kill again. You know he needs to survive, and yet he lives.”
“He said there are things we do not know about Wraith. I told him there are things he doesn’t know about humans-one of which is that we keep our promises.”
“Empty words.” Ronon looked at Sheppard carefully. “Empty words from someone who chose to flee from a fight.”
John shook his head once more. “He isn’t the only one who doesn’t know about humans, either.” John stood up from the table and turned to walk away. “Meet you for a run at 0600 hours?”
He didn’t wait for a response before leaving.
Author: Gemmi999
Challenge: Flight or Fight
Characters: Ronon, Sheppard
Rating: PG
Words: 600ish
Author's Notes: So much of Season three is questionable, from an ethical point-of-view. From a humanitarian point-of-view. I wrote this because I want to begin to talk about the problems that are arising in the Atlantis community, and see if other people who watch the show are wondering about them as well.
Spoilers: Post-ep for Common Ground
Summery: There are things you don’t know about Wraith.
“You have to talk to me eventually,” John commented as he set the tray down next to the angry man. “Otherwise Heightmayer won’t let us go offworld together.”
Ronon merely growled before stuffing a forkful of imitation Pork Chops into his already full mouth.
“Or not.” John acknowledged.
Ronon took a few seconds to finish chewing before he simply said: “you didn’t kill it.”
John nodded. “No, I have a habit of not killing the…” he hesitated before continuing: “people that help me escape from prison. Weird I know.”
“It wasn’t people.”
“No, but he did save my life. Even gave me a few extra years according to Rodney.” John grinned.
“But he will kill again. Has already killed.”
John sighed before realizing that he would need to explain himself fully to Ronon. “Yes, he more then likely has killed again since we let him go, but the people he’s killed were likely already captured.”
“You let him go. You are responsible for the killing.” Ronon explained.
“He saved my life. We had a deal, and I keep my promises.”
“But he was a Wraith, he deserved to die.”
John took a deep breath before continuing: “a long time ago a man on Earth thought everybody who was Jewish needed to die because of who they were. Killing the wraith like that would be wrong. A genocide.”
“Better they die then us.”
“Yes, I agree.” John nodded at his friend. “But there are some lines you just don’t cross.”
“And who decided where the line was?” Ronon challenged John.
“I did. It was my decision. I’m the one that is going to have to live with the choice for the rest of my life.”
“You condemned others to die in his place. You should live with that guilt.”
“Better that guilt then knowing I betrayed him.”
“His opinion is worth so much to you, Sheppard?”
“No.” John shook his head before once more trying to explain. “There’s this whole nature vs. nurture debate on Earth: are people born bad, or do they turn bad because of their upbringing. Are the Wraith necessarily evil, or do they become evil based on how they are raised.”
“Wraith are evil.”
“Yes,” John sighed. “There is another expression on Earth-flight or fight.”
“I do not understand.”
“Basically,” John looked at Ronon carefully before continuing. “People respond to danger in two ways: they fight it, or they flee.”
“And you choose to flee.” Ronon shook his head in apparent disgust.
“No!” John shook his head violently. “I choose to fight.”
“Then why did the Wraith survive?”
“Because I chose to believe that people and beings aren’t born evil, that they are raised with it. That maybe the Wraith was raised with evil, but he now knows there are people who keep their promises. People who will fight to see people as individuals, instead of as part of larger groups.”
“But you know the Wraith will go out and kill again. You know he needs to survive, and yet he lives.”
“He said there are things we do not know about Wraith. I told him there are things he doesn’t know about humans-one of which is that we keep our promises.”
“Empty words.” Ronon looked at Sheppard carefully. “Empty words from someone who chose to flee from a fight.”
John shook his head once more. “He isn’t the only one who doesn’t know about humans, either.” John stood up from the table and turned to walk away. “Meet you for a run at 0600 hours?”
He didn’t wait for a response before leaving.