A Conversation Between Superior Intellectuals - Farscape/SGA

[tommygirl]

Title: A Conversation Between Superior Intellectuals
Author: Tommygirl/storydivagirl
Rating: PG-13
Fandoms: Stargate Atlantis & Farscape
Written For: Multiverse 2006 for Shaye
Summary: During Terra Firma on Farscape, Rodney McKay is one of the scientists called in to meet with the various crew of Moya and he meets his match in Sikozu Shanu.
A/N: Much love to ladybug218 and iamtheenemy for listening to me fret and being awesome betas. Feedback always appreciated.



If Rodney McKay looked anything less than irritated to the people he was with, he was doing something wrong. He wanted them to know exactly how angry he was that the government randomly decided his current project was less important than this gathering of fools. He had been pulled away from an especially ambitious project for the Stargate Program, told absolutely nothing about his destination or reason for the trip, and stuck in a room with a bunch of scientists that could barely think their way out of a box. So far none of them had been told anything, though some of the most absurd guesses going around the place involved whisperings of aliens with tentacles.

If there was a God, Rodney demanded he be brought up on charges for this travesty. His labwork had been left in the hands of Samantha Carter, who promised to get him some "help", and god only knew what sort of mess he would return to. And for what? Some field trip with idiots to write the next reveal-all for Star Magazine on the alien with tentacles?

Rodney stood up and was about to demand some answers, when someone cleared her throat from the other end of the room. The voice belonged to a tiny, older woman in a white coat. She waved a binder in front of her face and said, "Good afternoon. If I could have everyone's attention..."

The room quieted down and the woman continued to wave the binder until all eyes were on her. "Each of you has been hand-chosen to take part in these proceedings based on your expertise in various fields. All questions will be handled later. In the meantime, if you'll put down all your belongings, we're ready to take you into the room."

This had better be something magnificent, Rodney thought, or else he was going to find whoever was in charge and point out every single flaw to this ridiculous system. Rodney noticed the excited looks on the others' faces, simpletons who knew nothing of what was really out there, and tried to brace himself for something less than stellar. In his experience with the American government, the things they considered big deals were usually anything but.

As he followed the small group of scientists (an overestimation of their abilities, if someone asked Rodney) into a large airplane hanger, he immediately noticed what appeared to be a spaceship of some sort. It wasn't unusual for him to come in contact with technology beyond the human race's comprehension, but the way the others were "oohing" and "aahing" he expected something a little more interesting.

"Each of you will have fifteen minutes to spend with one of the visitors and then there will be a briefing afterward. I must remind you that everything you are about to see is completely classified for the time being," the woman stated. She motioned to various stations and guided each member of the group to a different station. When Rodney reached the front of the line, the woman pointed to the furthest section of the hanger, and said, "You'll be meeting with Sikozu Shanu. She speaks English so we won't need to inject you with a translator microbe."

On one hand, Rodney was about to point out that no one would be injecting him with anything that he did not oversee himself. On the other hand, he also didn't like the idea that others from the group of the allegedly intelligent would receive something that he didn't. He decided to bite his lip for the time being. He'd wait and see if this injection caused any of the others' heads to explode before he demanded to have one put in his body.

Rodney made his way to the back of the hanger (they couldn't make it easier for him, could they?), unsure of what to expect. When he reached his designated section, he saw a young…creature...with wild red hair and brilliant eyes. She peered at him in a manner that he was only used to offering others and let out a low sigh.

Rodney got the distinct impression that this Sikozu thought she was better than him. He rolled his eyes and sat down in the chair in front of her. He eyed her over carefully – for someone presenting such an attitude, she didn't look like much – and said, "I'm Rodney McKay, a scientist who is way too busy for the whims of this government, and…what are you exactly?"

"Are you beyond simple courtesies on this planet?"

Rodney rolled his eyes again and said, "I've got fifteen minutes and no idea what's going on—"

"—that appears to be the case for all humans," she interrupted. She leaned back in her chair and said, "As I've explained to Crichton and all his father's little friends, your species is significantly inferior to mine. I doubt that you would understand anything I attempted to tell you."

Rodney glared at her. "You're quite correct about most of our species. We're overrun with idiots. But you happen to be in the presence of a genius, Miss Shanu. I'm sure I'll be able to follow whatever you try to tell me."

She nodded, but her voice was ripe with condescension as she replied, "Very well. Should I begin with my physical make up, such as my ability to re-bond portions of my body, or do you prefer to learn of my expertise on Leviathans..."

"On what?"

"Leviathans...ships..." Sikozu studied Rodney's face and he hated the superior look she shot him. He wasn't used to feeling quite so...stupid...in anyone's presence. It made him irritiable to the point that he was ready to throw his hands up and demand a better creature to work with. Sikozu leaned forward and motioned to a large board filled with photographs of a huge ship behind Rodney. She smiled and said, "Leviathans are living ships. Didn't they tell you anything before you came in here or am I supposed to explain everything to you?"

Rodney glared his answer back at her. On any other occasion, he might have enjoyed spending time with such a smart creature, sharing jokes at the expense of everyone else. He didn't, however, enjoy being the one that was treated like an utter imbecile. He outgrew that stage when he was two.

Sikozu stood up, brushing her hands over her clothes to remove any wrinkles. She nodded for him to follow her and they walked over to the board with the photographs. She placed her hand on the largest of the photos and said, "These are photographs of Moya, the leviathan that we arrived on. She's hardly the best prototype to work from as her crew barely knows how to feed themselves let alone properly maintain upkeep on the ship, but she's still a remarkable piece of technology."

"Aren't you a part of this crew of idiots?"

"I met Crichton at the Leviathan sacred burial place and I had no other option available to me except to join him and his friends," Sikozu stated. She moved back over to her seat. Rodney studied the pictures for a few more seconds and then retook his seat. Sikozu said, "Moya is a living creature. She experiences pain, she grows, and she dies."

"Are there benefits to something like that?"

"Of course."

"How does she fly?"

"Each Leviathan is provided with a pilot. They bond over time, linked together until they die."

"They share a consciousness?"

"To put it simply."

Rodney gripped his hand into a small fist and resisted the urge to hit the woman. Never before had someone talked to him this way and managed to make him feel like a substandard fool (there was one time, but Rodney had that person sent to Siberia for a "special project"). He took a deep breath, accutely aware that the United States would frown on him hitting one of their guests and the fact that Sikozu would injure him.

"You said you were an expert on Leviathans, right? How exactly did you end up on the retarded side-kick version of one? All the smarter…whatever you are…get the better ships?"

"Excuse me?"

"Wouldn't a vast expert such as yourself have her choice of whatever Leviathan she wanted to work on? Why choose Moya?"

"Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Most of my training came from books."

Rodney smirked. "Oh, I see."

"I assure you that does not make me any less..."

"Right. Because you've been practicing on the little Leviathan that couldn't."

"Moya is quite a remarkable find, far more advanced than anything your planet seems capable of producing."

"I don't doubt that. Moya is definitely worthy of further study and understanding," Rodney replied. He smiled at Sikozu. For the first time since this horrible nightmare of a conversation began, Rodney felt like he had the upperhand. Okay, not quite the upperhand, but he didn't feel like a complete moron either.

Of course, it was then that his stomach growled. He really should've eaten that second Power Bar on the trip. His face flushed, but before he could excuse himself, Sikozu asked, "When was the last time you ate?"

"This morning."

"It seems that your system is quite inefficient."

"It's not inefficient. I'm hungry."

"But you shouldn't be hungry so soon after eating."

"Who are you? My mother?"

"I can last up to a week without nourishment if I have to."

"Aren't you special," Rodney muttered. He glanced at his watch. Surely, fifteen minutes had passed. Surely, this nightmare of a conversation was over.

"I'm simply saying that your species really needs to evolve if you hope to interact with the other galaxies of the universe."

"I am evolved, thank you very much."

"You're not quite as simplistic as many of the humans they have inundated us with, but you're species is still far inferior to most."

"Why do I suddenly feel like I'm back in gym class?"

Sikozu stood up and said, "But you have a great potential for comprehension." She looked Rodney over appraisingly and continued, "If you would like and could obtain permission, I'd be interested in showing you around Moya. I think it would help you to see her up close, to feel the way she moves and reacts to space."

Rodney nodded. He understood that the offer was as close to acceptance of his abilities as Sikozu would get. He knew that because he was the same way. No need to feed anyone else's ego. He said, "That would definitely help me in my…" He paused. He hadn't been told what he was supposed to be doing while he was there. They had thrown each of their "hand-chosen" scientists into this hangar and left them to figure it out. If Canada were running this situation, there wouldn't be these sorts of problems, but it went without saying when dealing with the United States. He frowned and finished, "…with whatever I'm doing here."

"So they have not told you."

"Not yet."

"The people in charge here don't seem to know what they're doing. Is that normal?"

"Unfortunately."

"That's not too different in our galaxy either. Sometimes brawn is more important than brains."

"Until the brains develop a ray gun that turns the brawn into an itty bitty goldfish," Rodney replied. He shook his head and said, "Not that I'm working on such a thing. Way too many other things on my plate. Just because I have the brains of five men, they think I can actually do that amount of work..."

"...Idiots," both he and Sikozu said at the same time.

She smiled. He was about to say something else, when a whistle blew (an actual, obnoxious whistle like he was some factory worker), and the older woman reappeared and said, "Time is up for now. We'll be meeting in the conference room and briefing you there."

Rodney stood up and extended his hand to Sikozu. He said, "It was nice to meet you." Surprisingly enough, he actually meant it. He believed there was a lot that he could learn from her once he got it through her head that he was a genius and didn't like being talked down to.

Sikozu shook his hand and said, "I look forward to showing you around Moya, Rodney."

Rodney turned to walk away, Sikozu placed her hand on his arm. She said, "I am Kalish. We're an advanced species, but it seems that brawn is winning out at the moment. Most of my people are enslaved. I hope to one day rectify that situation."

"I see," Rodney replied. He didn't really comprehend what she was saying, but he wasn't going to let her know that. He nodded politely and said, "I'll do whatever it takes to set up the chance to tour the Leviathan with you."

She smiled and said, "There may be hope for the evolution of your species yet." Rodney wasn't sure if that was necessarily a compliment, but he watched her sit back down, a bored look overtaking her small features.

He forced himself to walk away, though things were just getting intriguing, and headed to the conference room. He couldn't deny Sikozu's take on the human race when he noticed the ecstatic looks the others were wearing as they rambled on about being shot full of microbes by a scooter.

Rodney rolled his eyes. The blight of the genius was to be surrounded by those inferior to him. He could understand how Sikozu must've felt.

{Fin}