Secret Superpowers by skeddy_kat (Secret Superpower Challenge)
Title: Secret Superpowers
Author: skeddy_kat
Rating: G
Word Count: about 900
Summary: Rodney has a theory about some of the expedition members.
A/N: Thanks to Fledge for wonderful beta work. Superpowers are from Wikipedia.
Rodney has a theory. One he isn’t telling anyone, ever. He can’t prove it and he’s not prepared for the ridicule he’d face if anyone found out. Quietly, he continues to collect data, keeping it hidden under three levels of encryption on his laptop.
His theory is this: since the expedition arrived in Atlantis, certain people are developing superpowers. Not everyone, of course, just some of them. Frustratingly, there doesn’t seem to be a pattern he can determine. Some have the gene, some don’t. Some spend time on away missions, some rarely leave Atlantis. Some are from Earth, some are Pegasus natives. Even stranger, no one seems to notice these powers - not even the ones who have them. Except for Rodney.
Rodney considers himself an expert on superpowers. He’s been studying them since childhood. When he was nine, he was sure it was a question of mind over matter. He spent two months trying to fly; stretching out his arms, getting a running start and flinging his body into the air. He achieved some spectacular bruises, questions from one teacher about abuse, and finally a cast from his ankle to his hip (he’d decided maybe some altitude would help so he tried take off from the top of the garage), but he never flew. That was one chapter from his past he’d never admit to Sheppard.
Even his failure to acquire one didn’t dim his fascination. He’s read comic books voraciously since childhood. He even has a database of powers, and the heroes (or villains) who possessed them, in the files on his laptop. That is probably why he started noticing when odd things began happening in Atlantis.
He’s making a list. So far there are only five people on it. He’s very careful not to add anyone until there’s enough evidence that he’s sure. The list looks like this:
Dr. Miko Kusanagi - Invisibility. At first she just seemed timid and forgettable, the type you don’t notice in a room. Later observations raised the possibility of invisibility. On frequent occasions she seemed to disappear from the lab, only to reappear back at her workstation. Superpower was confirmed when she disappeared while I was looking at her after she caused a lab mishap. (Ok, she’s incredibly brilliant, but really, spineless and clumsy?) Has the Ancient gene.
Gunnery Sergeant Darnall Pace - Danger Sense. Pace is a member of Lorne’s off world team. He has become a legend among the Atlantis Marine contingent for his ability to tell when something is about to go wrong on a mission. Documented are four instances of preventing team walking into an ambush, and six or more where he warned Lorne right before trouble happened. Does not have the Ancient gene.
Dr. Katie Brown - Chlorokinesis. Since Dr. Brown took over maintenance of the greenhouses, plant growth rate has more than doubled. She talks and sings to the plants. (Not that this could be a factor!!!) The previous overseer of greenhouses (Dr. Parrish) has verified plants are receiving the same amount of water, light, and nutrients. He is unable to provide a logical explanation for her success. Does not have the Ancient gene.
Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard - Radiation Control. Somehow the Colonel is controlling or absorbing radiation. I haven’t been able to figure out exactly what or even how. He has been exposed to a life threatening quantity of radiation since arrival in galaxy. (Overloaded naquadah reactor, Genii bunker, Genii atomic bomb, and up close and personal visit to a sun.) Not only has he shown no measurable radiation in tissue after exposure, he is suffering no ill effects. Individual in close proximity during exposure to sun (me) showed no ill effects either. The worst we got was sunburn. Where did the radiation go? He must have neutralized it. Has the Ancient gene.
Dr. Rodney McKay - Probability Manipulation. Somehow I seem able to alter probability, causing unlikely things to happen or likely things to not happen. My ability appears inconsistent except in instances involving the near certain death of one particular Air Force lieutenant colonel with no sense of preservation. (And what this implies I don’t even want to know!) There was the whole situation with the Genii on Atlantis and the threat from the storm, Sheppard and I surviving the 10,000 year old super Wraith, Sheppard’s miraculous return from the dead after playing Dr. Strangelove with the Genii bomb, and again after Ford’s Wraith hive ships exploded and there seemed no way Sheppard’s Dart could have survived. The list goes on and on. Some of our miraculous escapes are directly attributable to my genius, but some have no other explanation than sheer willpower. (Seriously, he’s we’ve got no business still living - it’s gone way past luck.) I have the Ancient gene (artificial version).
Rodney is still uncomfortable about putting his name on the list, but he can’t overlook the evidence. Teyla had been on the list, but he took her off once her Wraith DNA was discovered; that might be what gives her such amazing reflexes. He’s comfortable the list will continue to grow. He’s almost ready to add Radek for Technopathy (not only is Rodney convinced Ancient technology occasionally responds to Radek even without the gene, but he thinks Radek’s beginning to control Earth technology without touching it), Ronon for Enhanced Senses (although that might be a Satedan thing), and Lorne for the power of suggestion.
He’s eager to see who’s next. Only one thing is certain - if Cadman gets X-Ray Vision or Telepathy, he’s out of here.
Author: skeddy_kat
Rating: G
Word Count: about 900
Summary: Rodney has a theory about some of the expedition members.
A/N: Thanks to Fledge for wonderful beta work. Superpowers are from Wikipedia.
Rodney has a theory. One he isn’t telling anyone, ever. He can’t prove it and he’s not prepared for the ridicule he’d face if anyone found out. Quietly, he continues to collect data, keeping it hidden under three levels of encryption on his laptop.
His theory is this: since the expedition arrived in Atlantis, certain people are developing superpowers. Not everyone, of course, just some of them. Frustratingly, there doesn’t seem to be a pattern he can determine. Some have the gene, some don’t. Some spend time on away missions, some rarely leave Atlantis. Some are from Earth, some are Pegasus natives. Even stranger, no one seems to notice these powers - not even the ones who have them. Except for Rodney.
Rodney considers himself an expert on superpowers. He’s been studying them since childhood. When he was nine, he was sure it was a question of mind over matter. He spent two months trying to fly; stretching out his arms, getting a running start and flinging his body into the air. He achieved some spectacular bruises, questions from one teacher about abuse, and finally a cast from his ankle to his hip (he’d decided maybe some altitude would help so he tried take off from the top of the garage), but he never flew. That was one chapter from his past he’d never admit to Sheppard.
Even his failure to acquire one didn’t dim his fascination. He’s read comic books voraciously since childhood. He even has a database of powers, and the heroes (or villains) who possessed them, in the files on his laptop. That is probably why he started noticing when odd things began happening in Atlantis.
He’s making a list. So far there are only five people on it. He’s very careful not to add anyone until there’s enough evidence that he’s sure. The list looks like this:
Dr. Miko Kusanagi - Invisibility. At first she just seemed timid and forgettable, the type you don’t notice in a room. Later observations raised the possibility of invisibility. On frequent occasions she seemed to disappear from the lab, only to reappear back at her workstation. Superpower was confirmed when she disappeared while I was looking at her after she caused a lab mishap. (Ok, she’s incredibly brilliant, but really, spineless and clumsy?) Has the Ancient gene.
Gunnery Sergeant Darnall Pace - Danger Sense. Pace is a member of Lorne’s off world team. He has become a legend among the Atlantis Marine contingent for his ability to tell when something is about to go wrong on a mission. Documented are four instances of preventing team walking into an ambush, and six or more where he warned Lorne right before trouble happened. Does not have the Ancient gene.
Dr. Katie Brown - Chlorokinesis. Since Dr. Brown took over maintenance of the greenhouses, plant growth rate has more than doubled. She talks and sings to the plants. (Not that this could be a factor!!!) The previous overseer of greenhouses (Dr. Parrish) has verified plants are receiving the same amount of water, light, and nutrients. He is unable to provide a logical explanation for her success. Does not have the Ancient gene.
Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard - Radiation Control. Somehow the Colonel is controlling or absorbing radiation. I haven’t been able to figure out exactly what or even how. He has been exposed to a life threatening quantity of radiation since arrival in galaxy. (Overloaded naquadah reactor, Genii bunker, Genii atomic bomb, and up close and personal visit to a sun.) Not only has he shown no measurable radiation in tissue after exposure, he is suffering no ill effects. Individual in close proximity during exposure to sun (me) showed no ill effects either. The worst we got was sunburn. Where did the radiation go? He must have neutralized it. Has the Ancient gene.
Dr. Rodney McKay - Probability Manipulation. Somehow I seem able to alter probability, causing unlikely things to happen or likely things to not happen. My ability appears inconsistent except in instances involving the near certain death of one particular Air Force lieutenant colonel with no sense of preservation. (And what this implies I don’t even want to know!) There was the whole situation with the Genii on Atlantis and the threat from the storm, Sheppard and I surviving the 10,000 year old super Wraith, Sheppard’s miraculous return from the dead after playing Dr. Strangelove with the Genii bomb, and again after Ford’s Wraith hive ships exploded and there seemed no way Sheppard’s Dart could have survived. The list goes on and on. Some of our miraculous escapes are directly attributable to my genius, but some have no other explanation than sheer willpower. (Seriously, he’s we’ve got no business still living - it’s gone way past luck.) I have the Ancient gene (artificial version).
Rodney is still uncomfortable about putting his name on the list, but he can’t overlook the evidence. Teyla had been on the list, but he took her off once her Wraith DNA was discovered; that might be what gives her such amazing reflexes. He’s comfortable the list will continue to grow. He’s almost ready to add Radek for Technopathy (not only is Rodney convinced Ancient technology occasionally responds to Radek even without the gene, but he thinks Radek’s beginning to control Earth technology without touching it), Ronon for Enhanced Senses (although that might be a Satedan thing), and Lorne for the power of suggestion.
He’s eager to see who’s next. Only one thing is certain - if Cadman gets X-Ray Vision or Telepathy, he’s out of here.