Settling in...
Dr. Rayner opened the case his escort had been kind enough to carry into the office for him, and began unpacking it onto his desk. Laptop was already there, standard issue; he added a few books, a pen and pad of paper, and a stone replica of a statue of Ba'al he'd discovered a few years ago at a dig near Cairo. He frowned, then shifted the books
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TO: Steven Rayner, PhD
FROM: Rodney McKay, PhD
RE: Congratulations, you've joined the Exiles
Dr. Rayner,
I have no idea what the SGC was thinking when they sent you to Atlantis. We don't need Egyptologists. Archeologists, I might grant you, yes. But all the Goa'uld are in the Milky Way galaxy. Not here.
Anyway. Try to be useful.
Dr. Rodney McKay
Reply
From: Steven Rayner, Ph.D.
Re: re: Congratulations, you've joined the Exiles
Dr. McKay,
I think they were thinking you could use someone who knows their way around a dig. My Egyptology background might not be of much use, but I'm sure I'll find something I can do here anyway.
It's been a while since I heard anything about you. I seem to recall something about you being involved in destroying Russia's DHD and almost causing an international incident, but I'm afraid I've been rather out of the loop since then - Area 51's research specialists don't hear much from the main Stargate program. Have you blown up anything bigger since then, or have you been keeping a low profile?
I assure you, I'll find something to do around here. I'm sure there's plenty to be learned in this galaxy...
Dr. Rayner
Reply
FROM: Rodney McKay, PhD
RE: re: Congratulations, you've joined the Exiles
Dr. Rayner,
I don't see why we need a 'dig' expert but fine.
Hey, that incident with the DHD was so not my fault! You were in Area 51? How's Dr. McGillion? He get anywhere with his research? I didn't get a chance to see him when I was last on Earth. SGC had us busy with debriefing and debriefing and then it was going over personnel files.
Anything bigger? Well...
Anyway. Good. Yes, there's lots to learn. Just try not to die or anything.
Reply
From: Steven Rayner, Ph.D.
Re: re: Contratulations, you've joined the Exiles
Dr. McKay,
You never know what you may run across out here. I read about all the hoops you had to jump through trying to find a ZPM that had been hidden by some Brotherhood, I could have gotten that figured out much quicker (and possibly actually brought the ZPM back to Atlantis).
Dr. McGillion? He was one of the physicists, wasn't he? Naquada research or something? I'm afraid that wasn't my field, I don't know much more than that he's still there.
Well? What kind of answer is "well"? Either you have or you haven't, and either way I'm fine with not knowing. It's not as if I even know you.
I do give not dying a rather high priority. Almost as high as finding the tomb of Nefertiti.
Reply
From: Rodney McKay, PhD
Re: re: Congratulations, you've joined the Exiles
You could have, huh? Math genius, are you? Maybe you could have found the pieces quicker (though I doubt it--genius here!) but there's no way you could have solved the puzzle faster than Colonel Sheppard and I did. We're the two best mathmeticians in the city.
As for bringing the ZedPM back, if you HAD read the report, you would know that they had GUNS and had us SURROUNDED. There was no getting out of that situation with our lives and the ZedPM intact!
Oh. Oh well.
Fine. You'll find out anyway. I blew up 5/6ths of a solar system six months ago.
Right whatever. Oh, before I forget. Under NO circumstances are you to have anything remotely citrus within 100 meters of my lab. I'm DEATHLY allergic to citrus.
Dr. Rodney McKay
Reply
From: Steven Rayner, Ph.D.
Re: re: Congratulations, you've joined the Exiles
Dr. McKay,
No, I probably couldn't have solved the mathematical aspect any better or faster than you and Colonel Sheppard managed - but you're right in saying I could have found the pieces faster, and faster might have been the difference between the Genii having time to show up and us getting out of there with the ZPM.
Also, I hear the natives would have let us have the ZPM and wouldn't have called in the Genii had you not told them that we were only temporary tenants of Atlantis? Tact and diplomacy are worthwhile skills. Though I do understand that sometimes a pretty girl can take away the brain cells necessary for that kind of quick thinking.
5/6 of a solar system? That is rather impressive, if I may say. Unintentionally, I presume? And now we see the upside to having a whole new galaxy to use as our science lab ( ... )
Reply
From: Rodney McKay, PhD
Re: re: Congratulations, you've joined the Exiles
From what we've gathered, the Genii arrived shortly before we found the second to last piece. Even if you'd found it sooner, the Genii would have been there.
And I wasn't flirting! I'm gay! Women do NOTHING for me. I was simply flustered because I had no idea how to let her down easy. It didn't help that one of my lovers was laughing his ass off watching me make a fool of myself.
Of course it was unintentional. Do I look like an egomaniac? ...don't answer that if you value hot showers.
Good. Thank you.
Dr. Rodney McKay
Reply
From: Steven Rayner, Ph.D.
Re: re: Congratulations, you've joined the Exiles
Dr. McKay,
The second to last piece. In other words, if we'd found the pieces and gotten out of there in the time it took you to find the first seven, we would have been fine. And I think I could easily have shaved that much time off.
I never said you were flirting. But distracted or flustered, either way, it can't have had a good effect on your cognitive abilities.
Lovers? Plural? Dare I ask, or is it more than I would want to know?
I can think of some reasons for blowing up a solar system that would be perfectly valid. Colonel Carter, for example, once blew up a star in order to destroy an enemy fleet - but I'm sure you knew about that. I was simply wondering if such was the case here, or if it was just an experiment gone astray.
Dr. Rayner
Reply
Reply
From: Steven Rayner, Ph.D.
Re: re: Congratulations, you've joined the Exiles
Dr. McKay,
I'm not saying things would have turned out better had I been there, just that they might. We'll never know, will we.
I was right, I don't think I needed to know that. But thank you for the advice, and I will make sure to show nothing more than a platonic coworkerly affection for Dr. MacGregor.
Her plan did have its drawbacks, yes, but it was a plan, and it did work. I'm not saying it was a good plan, just that she had a valid reason to try to blow up a star.
So, even the Ancients made mistakes? Good to know.
Dr. Rayner
Reply
From: Rodney McKay, PhD
Re: re: Congratulations, you've joined the Exiles
Dr. Rayner,
No, I don't suppose we will.
Just a warning on who not to hit on. Also might want to know that Drs. Kavanagh and Parrish and Major Lorne are together and pretty tight. And Sergeant Lenoir is with O'Neil so don't break them up. In fact, you might want to be careful around O'Neil anyway. He and Lenoir are pretty close. Oh. And Dr. Brown and Lt. Cadman? Be wary of their invitations to poker night.
True.
And yes, they do. The Ancients made a surprising amount of mistakes. They're far from the perfect beings Dr. Jackson painted them to be.
Dr. Rodney McKay
Reply
From: Rachel MacGregor, Sci.D.
Re: re: Contratulations, you've joined the Exiles
Rodney-
How delightful, you're snarking already. Although the new guy does seem to have the ability to wind you up, mind taking me off your BCC line? Never mind, I take that back. It's actually funny to watch this. And I presume he means the real tomb, not the Egyptian one back on Earth that's been discovered for decades now. Hmm. Wonder if he can read Ancient. We could always stick him with the linguists, they'd keep him busy. Of course, around here, not dying will keep him busy as well.
Chocolate kisses,
Rae
Reply
From: Rodney McKay, PhD
Re: re: Congratulations, you've joined the Exiles
Rachel,
I...wha? *checks* Oh. Sorry. I didn't realize. Huh. *fixes* There.
Yes, yes, I'm snarking already. Have to put the new kid in his place, after all. Dr. Jackson sent me an email in the last databurst warning about Rayner. Though I object to the observation that his ego is as big as mine. I've worked very hard to cultivate my ego to the size it is now. NO ONE has a larger ego.
And how would I know? Do I LOOK like I pay attention to that crap? I want to know what the guy did to get sent here, though.
*laughs* Yeah. I think I'll do that. And you're right. Not dying is a full time job. I wonder if they mention that in the pitch now?
*blushes*
Rodney
Reply
From: Rachel MacGregor, Sci.D.
Re: re: Contratulations, you've joined the Exiles
Rodney--
Therefore, I'm very glad you're so good at your job.
*hugs*
Rachel
Reply
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