by Rose - Conservatory

May 20, 2005 12:32

Title: Conservatory
Fandom: Stargate: Atlantis
Author: Rose Wilde-Irish
Rating: Teen
Pairing: Gen
Challenge: Explore/Rooms of Atlantis
Summary: If music be the food of life, play on.



John took no more than three steps into the room before he retreated, hands clapped over his ears to keep the bombastic tone at bay.

"What was that?" Rodney asked, ears ringing.

"Gee, Rodney, during the extensive time I spent inside the room, I formed several theories," John said, rubbing his cheek just in front of his ear. This was not what he'd expected when asked to continue the exploration of Atlantis. The room wasn't in the least bit threatening; one of those frosted not-glass panels on the door with a stylized...something that wasn't writing on it. Rodney had spent a long time staring at it, saying it reminded him of a mathematical equation, but finally had thrown his hands up, unable to decipher it.

"Well, what did you touch?"

"The floor! Come on, Rodney, you were watching me." There wasn't much in the room to touch. Low seats and what the Ancients used for couches scattered throughout the room, and the only other feature was the walls, which alternated with patterned texture and featureless panels.

Aiden and Teyla exchanged amused glances at the exchange, clearly thinking that John and Rodney were spending too much time together.

"Actually, Major," Rodney said, "I was looking at the scanner."

"Anything unusual?"

"Small spike in power; nothing, really. About the same as turning on the lights in other rooms, just a bit larger."

"Not likely to be a sonic weapon, is it?"

"I can't say for certain, but I doubt it. I don't think it would've activated when someone with the gene entered the room."

Aiden cleared his throat, and the two men turned to him. "What about if someone without the gene went in?"

"Worth trying, maybe," John said, then frowned. "Do we have anything we can use as earplugs?"

A quick search turned up nothing suitable but Rodney's ever present Powerbars, which Aiden flatly refused to stick in his ears. After a brief moment's pause, he stepped into the room.

Percussion, something remarkably like a fiddle, and other instruments sounded lightly. "Huh," Rodney said.

"Sounds like..."

"Afro Celt Sound System! I love those guys. But it's not one I recognize, and I thought I had all of their stuff," Aiden said, delighted.

"It seems that this is intended as a music room," Teyla offered.

"A conservatory," Rodney murmured, thunderstruck.

"Then why did it make that noise when I stepped in?" John said, looking slightly irked.

"Ten thousand years? That's a long time to go without a tuning."

"Plus, no offense, Major, but I've heard you sing," said Aiden, making certain he was out of arm's reach.

"Very funny," John said.

Teyla indicated with a head tilt that she'd like to enter the room, which had also taken on a soft glow of colors. John nodded and gave her a sweeping 'go ahead' gesture, something vaguely chivalrous in his movement. Smiling, Teyla entered.

Exotic, ethereal music floated without a locus. The other three team members stared at Teyla, looking a little startled. She merely looked serene...and happy.

The music played for a moment, then seemed to fade. John nodded, breathing deep, then stepped through before anyone could stop him.

The music was still loud, but it was also decidedly music this time, too.

"Sounds like something from Beethoven," Rodney called. "Something from around the time he was going deaf."

"Kind of like we will be, you mean," Aiden said, grinning and ignoring the look John shot him.

"Come on in Rodney," John said. "I'm curious to hear what it will make of you."

For a moment, John could swear Rodney's shoulders slumped, but then the scientist squared them, and stiffly stepped into the room. Softer music, layered with complexity, began, and all three team members stared at Rodney, who had a look that made Aiden glance away without knowing why. The look made Teyla think of a man in chronic pain who suddenly had that pain made fresh and intense, bringing it to the forefront once more. It made John think of a starving man suddenly shown a banquet he knows he can't eat.

"It's a little like Rachmaninov, isn't it?" John asked quietly.

"If Rachmaninov had been allowed to progress, grow multiple arms and play more than one keyboard," Rodney agreed, striding towards one of the wall sections that wasn't pulsing with color. And many of them were now; pulsing with an intensity that augmented the music. Rodney studied the panels and then touched a few of them in succession. The panel slid down and revealed a wall of crystals underneath. Running his hands over them reverently, he paused with his hands on one, closing his eyes and listening for a moment. Then, abruptly, as the music swelled, he pulled it out.

Silence descended, broken by the sound of Rodney's footsteps. Handing the crystal to Teyla, he paused by the door. "You can put that back when I'm out of here," he said softly. "But do me a favor and wait until I'm out of earshot."

The three exchanged puzzled looks as Rodney walked away.

~fin~

Note: According to a few sites I checked, Rachmaninov's second or third piano concerto is arguably the most difficult piano piece to date.

challenge: city exploration, author: rosewildeirish

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