atlantisbasics | Polyphony

thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com posting in

Recipient:

thepouncer
Title: Polyphony
Author:

thegrrrl2002
Rating PG
Category het, with a hint of slash.
Spoilers none
Summary: Radek likes mornings.
Notes:: A great big squishy thank you to

mmmchelle for the encouragement and the betaing.

***

Radek watches Elizabeth pick up a spoonful of scrambled eggs while eyeing the French toast. Putting down the spoon, she reaches for the tongs, then hesitates again turning her attention back to the eggs.

"You are allowed to take both, if you like," he says a low voice. "I think we are not limited to one or the other."

Elizabeth turns, looking startled. "You are absolutely right," she says. As if embarrassed to have been caught in a moment of indecision, she puts two pieces of French toast on her plate, adds a hearty scoopful of eggs then, with a grin, tops it off two slices of bacon.

Radek gives her a nod of approval, amused. He helps himself to the eggs. "And did your run go well?"

"Actually, it was yoga this morning," Elizabeth says. "And yes, it went very well."

"Yoga? Really?" Radek is genuinely curious. He doesn't know much about the art, but thinks that she must do it well.

"Does that surprise you? It's very good exercise. And very soothing, as well." She smiles and Radeks feel as though he's basking in the glow of the newly risen sun. Elizabeth looks fresh and awake, hair slightly damp, lying in soft curls against her neck.

He's acutely aware of his own condition--unshaven, hair uncombed, shirt rumpled.

They reach for the coffee cups at the same time. "Please, allow me." Radek fills a cup with coffee and offers it to her. "Soothing? Maybe we should encourage certain members of the science team to give it a try."

Elizabeth accepts the cup, and waits while Radek fills a second for himself. "And who might you have in mind?" she asks. One side of her mouth quirks downward. "McKay, perhaps?"

Radek starts to grin because he can't imagine Rodney sitting still for anything, and oh, the complaints that would follow.

Elizabeth chuckles and leads him to a table. They sit with the ubiquitous Atlantean sea in full view, reflecting the orange sky. Morning is Radek's favorite time in Atlantis. It's peaceful, the calm before whatever storm that day may bring. He watches Elizabeth pour syrup on her French toast, a small smile playing on her lips. She looks young and fresh, despite the weight of her responsibilities.

She looks up, catching him watching her.

"It is a ridiculous idea, isn't it?" he asks, and she laughs out loud.

It is a wonderful sound.

****

The following day Radek rises earlier than usual, and this time he shaves. He also tries to calm his hair, to make it more presentable, but eventually gives up.

When he arrives at the mess Elizabeth is nowhere to be found.

He helps himself to a donut and heads back out again. There is an interesting device in a room on the east side of the city, and he wants to be the first to investigate it.

***

Another early morning in the mess and this time Radek is rewarded by the sight of Elizabeth sitting at a table, alone, absorbed in reading on her laptop. He grins to himself, and helps himself to coffee.

"No, no, no, no, no."

Radek glances up to see Rodney sweep into the room, Sheppard at his heels.

"Come on, Rodney," John says in a whining tone.

Rodney spins around, arms crossed over his chest, and glares at Sheppard. Wordlessly.

A beat passes.

"Okay, fine, be that way." Sheppard begins to back off but then Rodney relents, arms unwinding, his expression softening the merest fraction.

"Well, what do you expect--" Rodney opens his mouth as if to continue, then looks away, at the tables and the scattered occupants of the room. "Um," he says when he sees Elizabeth. "Hi."

Sheppard's head jerks around. "Oh, yeah, good morning."

"Gentlemen." Elizabeth gives them a nod. "Good morning."

Radek gives a little wave as he walks past, wondering why they must interrupt his morning, because he certainly sees enough of this during his days. All day yesterday, as a matter of fact, with the glaring and harsh, whispered conversations.

They nod at her, looking inexplicably guilty. "We were just getting coffee," John says, pointing to Radek's cup.

"Yes, coffee," Rodney adds.

Elizabeth nods again. When they turn in unison toward the coffee urns, she catches Radek's eye and frowns.

Radek shrugs. He comes and sits beside her. "They're been like that for a while now. All day long, in the lab and out of the lab."

"Really?" Elizabeth raises her brows. She turns and watches them leave, armed with donuts and coffee. John is shaking his head as Rodney talks with an intent expression, gesturing with a donut. "What are they fighting about?"

"Who knows. It is anyone's guess." When Elizabeth still looks worried, he adds, "Of course, they both enjoy it."

"They do, don't they?"

"It is an odd relationship. But for them, it works. And better they drive one another crazy than drive me crazy."

She gives a small laugh. Radek notices that her plate is empty. She's finished breakfast and must be ready to get to work. He wonders if he should leave, and is about to rise from the table when she says, "Anyway, I'm glad I caught you. I was going over personnel for the new off-world teams. How well you know Hershbarger?"

"The geologist? Fairly well. She is a good scientist." Which might have been a stupid thing to say, because they are all good scientists. They wouldn't be here if they weren't. "She wishes to travel off-world?"

Elizabeth nods. "She's gone through weapons training, with excellent results."

"Oh yes, she likes guns. Very calm under pressure, she can think on her feet--I would definitely recommend her."

"Good. I'll put her at the top of the list."

Radek is flattered.

"I noticed you haven't put in for it." Elizabeth cocks her head to one side, teasing, perhaps, but Radek is embarrassed.

"No, no, I do not wish to be visiting other planets, not with the city still having so much to show us--unless absolutely necessary--"

She places a hand on his arm. "That wasn't a criticism, Radek." She speaks gently and now Radek doesn't know whether to be flattered again or embarrassed even more.

"Yes, yes, of course--"

She hesitates, lower lip caught between her teeth, then says, "I like knowing you're always here in the city." She gives him arm a squeeze, then removes her hand but even through his shirtsleeve Radek can still feel the warmth of it on his skin.

***

"So," Sheppard says, leaning forward, elbows on the table. "What is it? A weapon? Do you think it's a weapon? Rodney?"

"No, it's hardly a weapon."

"But you don't know what it is, so it could be, right?" Sheppard looks to Radek. "Could it be?"

Radek opens his mouth to speak, but Rodney cuts him off. "Oh, for god's sake, if we knew what it was, we'd tell you. Radek is working on it. Right?"

"Yes, I am."

Rodney glares at him. "Well? Surely you can speculate at this point--"

"Gentlemen?" Elizabeth says quietly. "I believe this is a mission briefing?"

Sheppard is unabashed. "Yes, PX-232, I know, I know, but Elizabeth, if this is a weapon--"

"It's not a weapon, okay? There's not enough energy, and it's not even movable --" Rodney cuts in.

"Ah," Sheppard points a finger at Rodney, "You just said you don't know what it is. Right? Am I right?" He looks to Radek for confirmation.

Radek starts to nod, then shakes his head, because yes, they don't know what it is, but no, not weapon, of that he is certain. He turns to Elizabeth, pleading silently, because if they could just get through this briefing he'd be able to go back to work and actually figure out what it is.

Rodney is talking yet again.

"Yoga," Elizabeth whispers. "Both of them."

Radek nods in agreement, and is utterly delighted by the mischievous look in her eyes.

"What?" Rodney asks, looking from Radek to Elizabeth then back to Radek. "What?"

***

Two days later Radek finds Elizabeth in the mess when he arrives, sitting once again near the windows. She has pancakes on her tray this time, with berries on top, and her laptop is open. He hurriedly fills his tray, and when he walks past her table, (very casually of course), she says, "There you are," and closes her computer.

Radek face grows warm with pleasure as he sits across from her.

"Any progress on our mysterious device?" she asks, sipping her orange juice.

"I think so, yes. I will know for sure later today."

"Really?"

Radek nods.

"Well?" she asks, eagerly.

"Not until I know for certain. But I think you will like it."

"I will?" Her eyes are dancing. "Can you give me a hint?"

He shakes his head, and she slumps down into her chair, looking sulky and Radek thinks maybe it's the most charming thing he's ever seen. "This afternoon," he says.

"Okay. I'm going to hold you to that." She gives him a look. "You're ahead of schedule, aren't you? I thought it would take at least another three days."

"I've had a few days of quiet to work on the energy modulation problem."

"Let me guess--no Rodney?"

"No, no, of course--well, perhaps."

"Please, I understand completely." Elizabeth says. "I will admit there is a certain sense of peace when Colonel Sheppard's team is out on mission."

Radek spreads his napkin on his lap, and butters his toast. "Precisely what I meant. Rodney is all--" he puts his knife down and flutters his hands "and while there is great value in shaking things up, not everyone works the way he does, flitting from problem to problem, mind going in several different directions at once. It is disruptive at times." He pauses, then adds, "and I am speaking as friend, of course."

"Of course."

"And then there is the fact that trouble seems to follow him, and the Colonel, too." Radek scooped up a forkful of eggs. "Yes, definitely more peaceful while they are away from the city."

***

It only takes half the morning to finish the adjustments, and then the device is ready to be powered up. He is pleased with himself. It is going to be wonderful.

Elizabeth will be entranced.

***

"This way," he says, activating the door control and stepping aside to let her in.

She enters the room, and looks around at the white walls, white ceiling, no windows--it's as plain as a room can be, usual for this city. And the oddly shaped device, sitting to one side of the room, covered with elaborate ribbons of metal. It had thrown him, those swirling patterns. He had spent hours trying to determine their function, until he realized they were entirely decorative.

She stares at it. "It's kind of strange-looking."

"Yes, very much so."

"Can you tell me *now* what it is?"

Radek can't resist teasing her one more time, so he pretends to think it over.

She crosses her arms over her chest and tries to look stern. "Radek," The sternness fails completely, and she seems to be enjoying herself very much.

"Okay." He grins at her. "It's music. Ancient music. It's a repository of all of their musical creations. There is a holographical projection system, too."

Her eyes go round. "Oh my god, we've never found anything of their art--I was beginning to wonder if they had any--" Her voice is faint and awestruck as she approaches the device, running one hand along the crest of the swirling design. "and you can make it work?"

Radek feels ten feet tall. "Yes, I can." His laptop is connected to it already, so he types in a command, and the machine begins to glow and hum. "I haven't yet heard any of the selections, but there are thousands of them." He scrolls down and waves her over. "Pick one."

She chooses.

The room goes dark.

"I hope that's supposed to happen," he says.

A bright light in the center of a room, and an ancient woman appears. She is wearing rags, and a mournful expression. The music begins.

A dissonant clash, thundering drums, and then an odd sound, almost like someone sawing on violin strings, but not quite. It's the kind of noise that makes the hair on the back of Radek's neck stand on end. The drums thunder again, with a deep, rolling boom. Another dissonant clash of what might be trumpets, and Radek winces.

It gets worse. The hologram begins to sing. Although it's not exactly singing. It's more of an off-key keening, no words at all, and the sound competes with the drums and the sawing and Radek's head starts to ache. Mortified, he frantically scrambles for the off button.

The room goes blissfully silent. The lights return.

Elizabeth's expression is carefully blank. "Maybe the machine has been damaged?" she finally asks.

"I think we would have detected that, but perhaps the file--yes, I'm sure the file has been corrupted. We shall try another." He scrolls down the list, far, far down and then randomly chooses another.

The room darkens once again. Sparkles of light erupt all around them, like fireworks. A tiny noise begins, like the plucking of a stringed instrument--only the noise is flat with no resonance at all. It crescendos, then grows soft again before rising a half register. The sequence repeats.

It's the most tedious thing he's ever heard.

"Perhaps another." Radek says quickly, stabbing at the keys.

It's a group this time, two men and a woman, dressed in white robes. They begin to chant in a monotone, only they each have a different rhythm. Radek can't make out all the words, but it seems to be a series of nouns, it makes no sense at all. Suddenly the woman screeches, and the music begins.

He can't find the controls fast enough. He manages to hit the pause button instead of shutting it off, and the "singers" are frozen in mid word, the woman's mouth wide open, the men frowning earnestly.

Radek closes his eyes, pushes his glasses up and rubs the bridge of his nose. This was not what he had intended.

A strange, choked noise and he opens his eyes and sees Elizabeth, hand covering her mouth, the other, wrapped around her waist. Her face is growing pink.

"Interesting, yes?" He finally asks when the silence becomes too much.

She bursts out laughing. He's fascinated by the way she laughs, long and hard, a low belly laugh that is not in the least bit feminine and yet it's an incredibly beautiful sound. By the time she recovers, hiccuping randomly as she wipes her eyes, he's smiling himself.

"When it comes to music," Radek says, "It appears that the Ancients are very good scientists."

She looks the trio, frozen in space before them. "I think you might be right." Laughter bubbles up again. "You said there are how many selections?"

He shrugs. "Thousands."

"I wonder if there's dancing," she asks with an impish look.

He shudders at the thought. "Undoubtedly."

"I think this bears further investigation." She turns and regards Radek thoughtfully. "Don't you think?"

At a loss, Radek stares back at her, wondering what she could be thinking.

"Come on. What do you say, maybe tonight?"

He finds his voice. "Of--of course."

"Let's bring along some dinner, and oh, I have a bottle of wine from the last supply run."

Wine? "I think it will be a most enjoyable evening," he says, his heart beating faster.

"I think so, too." She is looking directly at him now, eyes steady, and she's standing close to him, very close. When she tilts her head to one side Radek, who up to this point never thought he possessed an ounce of courage, leans in and kisses her. Just a brush of his lips over hers, and he can hardly believe what he's done but then she pulls him close and hugs him. Her body is warm and slender as it presses against his and then she leans back just a little and this time when they kiss they meet in the middle and it's pitch-perfect.

***

Prompts:

a) Ronon settling into Atlantis, emphasis on team. It'd be nice if someone informed him about Sheppard's military exploits, since Ronon's so dubious at first. Gen.
b) McKay and Sheppard squabbling while exploring the city. Could be slashy.
c) Zelenka and Weir commiserate over the rest of the expedition members. Could be het.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

thepouncer.livejournal.com

Eeeee! Radek has crushed on Elizabeth forever, and he finally makes an approach! Yay! The two of them often strike me as the parents of Atlantis (while Caldwell is the disliked school principal), and this is just perfect. Radek timing his breakfasts to meet her, and the two of them sneakily glad when Team Shep is offworld, and then the horrid Ancient music! I love the horrid Ancient music, and that Elizabeth can see the humor in its awfulness. And then he kisses her. Yay! (I am abusing exclamation points, but this story has made me very, very happy)

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