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sga_flashficTitle: Ancient Visions
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
kyrdwyn
Pairing: John Sheppard/Radek Zelenka
Rating: NC-17 (language and sexual content)
Spoilers: SG-1 Ep "Prophecy", SGA "Hot Zone"
Beta: None
Warnings: Work In Progress - Not finished!
Summary: After trying gene therapy yet again, Radek Zelenka starts experiencing visions
At first, it was like the last two times he'd tried the gene therapy - nothing happened. He was unable to activate Ancient Technology. He shrugged off Dr. Beckett's apologies and went on his way. He hadn't expected anything different, although he had really hoped to be able to fly the jumpers at some point.
Then, two days later, while working in his lab, he stopped and bent over his work desk as his sight was mometarily replaced with the jumper bay, and Rodney replacing a crystal before being violently blown across the bay, his hand charred from the fire in the console.
When he could see normally again, Radek ignored the concerned questions of the others in the lab and ran for the jumper bay.
"Not that one."
Rodney jumped three feet in the air, his hand going to his chest. "Jesus, Radek, are you trying to kill me?"
Radek shook his head. "No, trying to save you." He gestured to the panel. "That circuit is still active."
Rodney peered at where Radek was gesturing. "Huh, you're right. Must be on some form of auxiliary power grid we haven't found yet." He looked at Radek. "Thanks," he said simply.
"You're welcome," Radek replied. "We should find that auxiliary power grid," he said. "Before someone does get killed."
After he'd had two more visions showing him colleagues injuring themselves, and finding them just before the injury occurred, thereby preventing it, Radek began to get worried.
"Carson, do you have a moment?"
The doctor looked up from what he was working on. "Of course." He looked at Radek expectantly, and Radek shook his head.
"In private?" he asked hopefully.
Carson frowned but led Radek to an isolated exam room. "What seems to be the problem, Dr. Zelenka?"
Radek sighed and tried to determine the best way to say what had been happening. "I believe," he said slowly, "there may be side effects from the last round of gene therapy that we didn't anticipate."
Carson immediately looked concerned. "What sort of side effects?"
"I've been having . . .visions. Of future events, just before they happen, but then I go find the person in the vision and prevent the accident." He looked up at Carson, who was frowning. "They started two days after the last gene therapy trial."
Carson frowned even more. "I'm going to need to run tests, including an MRI. I'm afraid you're off duty for a while, Radek."
Radek nodded, hoping Carson would be able to figure out what was wrong.
"I did not just hear you say that Zelenka is psychic. Psychotic at times, maybe, but not psychic."
Rodney was in fine form, John mused, over this latest development. John was more worried about Radek, though. Radek didn't react at all to Rodney's words, instead staring down at where his hands were folded on the table.
"Aye, it appears that way," Carson was saying. "It's too coincidental, his visions and what he then finds - which included saving your skin, Rodney," Carson added pointedly. "But we cannot find a definite cause for it."
"Wasn't there an similar case at the SGC?" Elizabeth asked. "Jonas Quinn was having visions."
Carson nodded. "Yes, but the belief there was they were brought on through a brain tumor resulting from genetic manipulation by the Goa'uld Nirrti, which was on a much larger scale that the ATA gene therapy." He looked at Radek. "The scans were negative for any sort of tumors or another biological anomalies. Other than his nearsightedness, Dr. Zelenka is in perfect health."
"He's having visions, Carson, how is that healthy?" Rodney demanded. "How is it healthy for him to be seeing people injured or killed, especially if something prevents him from getting to that person in time to stop it?"
John privately acknowledged that Rodney had a point. Radek closed his eyes tightly, as if in pain.
"I don't know how to stop them, I'm afraid," Carson admitted. "Without knowing what has caused them, any treatment would be a wild guess, and I'm not going to play with Dr. Zelenka's health like that."
"Has anyone else from this round of gene therapy experienced any visions?" Elizabeth asked.
Carson shook his head. "I've questioned all of them. None have had visions, and none of them have eaten anything other than supplies from the Daedalus, and none have been off world, same as Dr. Zelenka, so there's nothing in his activities that could explain why him."
John looked at Radek, who was still staring at his hands.
Elizabeth sighed. "Keep working on it, Carson. Dr. Zelenka, I'd like you to stick to the main areas of the city for now, and no lab work until we figure this out, all right?"
Radek nodded. John kept watching him.
Radek opened the door to his quarters to see Colonel Sheppard standing on the other side. He stepped back to let him in.
"You didn't tell Beckett," Sheppard said without preamble.
Radek sighed. "What do I tell him? The only thing I think I did the others did not is have sex with the strongest ATA gene carrier in Atlantis, and we're not sure why we had sex."
Sheppard didn't say anything flippant in response, much to Radek's relief. "Which is why we should tell Dr. Beckett," Sheppard did say. "If whatever we were feeling when we had sex was something other than natural hormones, it might explain the visions. For all we know, it caused the visions."
Radek looked at him. "You believe we could have had sex simply because we were, as you say, horny?"
Sheppard shrugged. "You're a good looking guy, Radek, and I'm not adverse to passing time in bed with guys." When Radek looked at him, John grinned sheepishly. "Okay, I have to be discreet, but still, I managed while on Earth."
Radek looked at John steadily, trying to see some deception in his face or eyes. Radek knew that his looks were not bad, but he'd never suspected that the colonel would want him without outside influences. And while Radek himself enjoyed both men and women, he never let himself fixate on anyone unavailable, and an American military man was generally about as unavailable as he could imagine.
"I admit I, too, have enjoyed both genders," he finally said. "And I will not say I did not enjoy our encounter the other day," he added.
John gave him a quirk of his lips. "I can't deny that I enjoyed it," he replied.
Radek sighed. "You are right, we need to tell Carson. If only to find out why I am having these visions." He looked at John. "I do not mind having them, so long as I can prevent the accidents from happening, but I fear I shall have a vision of events I cannot change, and I do not know if I could live with the guilt of a friend's injury or death."
Radek started as John put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a comforting squeeze. "We'll figure it out, Radek," he said. "And if worse comes to worse, well, I've been in that position myself. You'll at least have someone who will understand." John's green eyes were bleak.
Radek nodded. "Let us go see Dr. Beckett," he said, hoping to chase the terrible loss from John's eyes.
"Dr. Beckett, a word in private?"
Carson turned from his contemplation of Radek's MRI results to see Radek standing next to John Sheppard, both looking a little uncomfortable. Carson nodded and gestured to the private exam room where he'd first examined Radek. "Is there something wrong?"
Radek blushed and John looked away from Carson's gaze. "There is something I did not tell you before, because I did not want to get someone else in trouble."
Carson frowned, looking at John. "Tell me about what?"
"About things I may have done that might have caused the visions, or at least, well, might have affected me . . " Radek looked at John, who was looking at the ground, his hands in his pockets.
John looked up at Carson and smiled sheepishly. "We had sex."
Carson's mouth opened, and then closed as he took in the embarrassed expressions on the two men in front of him. "I see," he said, knowing this was definitely a doctor-patient confidence, especially on John's part.
"No, I don't think you do," Radek said. "We are not, how you say, involved. We, I . . ." He sighed, his hands gesturing in the air.
"What I think he means to say is that while neither of us is adverse to homosexual relations, we'd not thought of each other that way until the day after the latest gene therapy trial, when we bumped into each other outside of the mess, and, well," John shrugged, his face bright red. "I don't know exactly how to explain it without resorting to crude terms." It was apparent to the doctor that whatever John felt about it, he didn't want to cause any more embarrassment for Radek.
"It was like bad porn movie, except for the soundtrack," Radek said. "We looked at each other, and I dragged John into the nearest empty room, he locked it and we proceeded to fuck each other. There was . . . penetration, by both of us."
Carson nodded, although this was something he had not been expecting. "Neither of you had ever felt an urge like this before?" he asked.
"Not like this," John said. "Not this strong and it felt, well, inevitable. Like it was going to happen, even if we had managed to fight it that time." Radek was nodding in agreement.
Carson nodded, something niggling at the back of his mind. "Well, I suppose the compulsion could have been related to Radek's visions, but I'll have to do some research into the problem." He looked at the two men. "I trust the two of you will let me know if this compulsion happens again?" Getting two embarrassed nods from both men, he let them go. He'd already examined Radek to an inch of his life, and John had been thoroughly examined after returning his last off world mission - which was three days before their encounter.
John's words had also triggered a memory of something Carson had seen in the Ancients' medical database, and he wanted to look it up. It might explain both the visions and the encounter.
Five hundred years ago, it was discovered that the descendants of the genetic scientist Riyallan carried a recessive gene that, when combined with another recessive gene, would produce a child capable of seeing into the futures of those around him. This child would be able to prevent accidents and death when he or she interpreted the visions correctly.
We have not been able to discover why some of those gifted with the visions see them when they are young, and why some do not see them until they are older. It may be an environmental factor that we cannot duplicate in a simulation.
Two things are universal to these descendants. The first is that they lack the ability to control our technology, possibly as a result of the recessive gene. Even our attempts to artificially introduce the gene into their DNA failed. It simply did not take.
The second is that each one has a 'mate' that is their emotional anchor after a vision. The word 'mate' is not truly accurate, because the relationship appears to go beyond mere physical gratification. While the descendant and the mate find each other through an intension compulsion for sexual activity, their bond is truly developed through tactile contact during and after a vision, along with additional sexual encounters. However, the strongest bonds were created when the descendant and the mate enter a romantic relationship. . .
There was more to the entry on the descendants of Riyallan, but Elizabeth marked that to read later. She looked up at Carson, who had brought this entry to her attention. "You think Dr. Zelenka is one of this Riyallan's descendants?"
Carson looked at her. "I don't think, Dr. Weir, I know he is. Part of the report included the DNA of the descendants the Ancients had studied, with the specified gene pairing highlighted. Dr. Zelenka has the exactly same gene pairing, in the same place. It's not common in the rest of the population, and was remarked on by the Air Force doctors when he was examined before being allowed on the mission. Since it didn't appear to be anything other than a harmless anomaly, he was cleared."
Elizabeth sat back. "So, this is not the result of your gene therapy. The manifestation of this psychic ability is Dr. Zelenka's genetic inheritance from the Ancients, much like the ability to activate Ancient technology is yours and Colonel Sheppard's."
Carson nodded.
Elizabeth sighed. "What about this mate? It sounds like this person is vital to the continued emotional well being of Dr. Zelenka now that he has begun having his visions. Do we have any idea if he has found this mate? While I hate to pry into the personal lives of my people," Elizabeth said with a frown, "this could affect all of Atlantis if he becomes emotionally unstable."
Carson shifted uneasily in his seat. "I believe he has. They came to me this afternoon and told me about their compulsion, afraid that might have been a cause of Dr. Zelenka's visions. Dr. Zelenka hadn't told me earlier, because he wanted to make sure his mate was okay with telling me. That's what made me think of this entry - I'd seen it before, and they way they described their encounter matched what the entry said."
Elizabeth tilted her head. "Can I assume, from the way you are carefully not using any gender specific pronouns, that Dr. Zelenka's mate may be a male?"
Carson looked her straight in the eye. "I won't break doctor-patient confidentiality, Dr. Weir. Not without their consent."
Elizabeth nodded, knowing she was probably right, but respecting Carson's position. After all, if Dr. Zelenka's mate was male, they could be worried about how their peers would react. Especially if that mate was part of the American military contingent, as they were still subject to the regs against homosexuals, and the don't ask- don't tell rule. If John found out, he would be required to turn in that person -- and if he didn't, Elizabeth was pretty sure that Caldwell would.
"Do they know about this?"
Carson shook his head. "I wanted to show you this entry first, to make sure I was translating it correctly. Now that I know I did translate correctly, I do need to inform them. I'd prefer to do that alone, and privately. I believe they should decide whom they inform of their involvement. I'll encourage them to tell you, but I can't promise anything."
He got up to leave. Elizabeth looked at him. "Carson," she began, "tell them," she sighed, not quite sure of how to phrase it. "Tell Dr. Zelenka and his mate that if they are concerned about repercussions, I will speak to their department heads. Even if that means I have to order Colonel Sheppard not to say a word about it."
An odd look passed across Carson's face, but he nodded. "I'll tell them," he said, then left.
Elizabeth sighed, called up the entry, and began reading again.
John knocked on Radek's door, frowning. He wasn't sure why he was here. He'd been in his office, going over duty rosters, when his gut started telling him that he needed to be somewhere else. Specifically, wherever Radek was.
Radek answered the door, confusion on his face. "Colonel?" he asked.
"Can I come in?"
Radek nodded and stood back to let John pass, the door closing behind him.
John turned to look at Radek. "I know this is going to sound odd, but I, well, felt the urge to be with you."
Radek quirked an eyebrow. "Like before?"
John shook his head. "No, not like before. Something different," he said with a shrug. "I can't explain it." He was about to say more when Radek doubled over as if in pain, his arms coming up to shield his head.
Moving on instinct, John was at Radek's side in a heartbeat, his hands on Radek's shoulders. He found himself talking to Radek soothingly. He wasn't sure of what he was saying, only that Radek needed John's voice to anchor himself.
Radek straightened abruptly, his eyes haunted. "Control room," he said shortly, before turning to the door. He left the room at a run, John on his heels.
They reached the control room in record time, John waving off the marines who snapped to alert status when their C.O. came in at a run. Radek didn't slow until he reached the DHD, yanking away the technician who was tinkering with something inside the console. He started yelling at the man in Czech before getting down and making his own adjustments to the DHD.
By this time the control room staff and Dr. Weir were standing around, staring at Radek silently. Dr. Weir raised an eyebrow at John, who nodded. She nodded in return, and John knew she'd understood that Radek had had another vision and prevented another disaster.
Radek finally emerged from the console, a piece of Earth technology in his hands. He was still raving in Czech, with a few English words thrown in.
It was a fit Rodney would be proud of, John thought as Radek insulted the man's parentage, legitimacy, sexual preferences, and IQ in one English sentence. He didn't even want to know what insults were being hurled in Czech, other than wondering if they were as anatomically impossible as some of the English ones.
Radek finally came to a halt, glaring at the now-cowering man. Radek turned away, shoving the technology into the hands of Rodney, who'd appeared in the control room mid-way through Radek's verbal assault. "Here," he said to Rodney. "The children think they can just use Earth parts when they cannot find the proper Ancient crystals to make repairs. This would have blown up gate when someone dialed, taking entire city with it." He stalked off, muttering, and Rodney turned to eye the technician, who was now a ghastly shade of whitish green.
John nodded at Elizabeth and followed Radek out, making sure he wasn't going to harm himself, or anyone else. Radek merely headed back to his quarters. John followed him inside, locking the door with a thought.
"Idiots, I work with idiots, even Rodney is idiot."
"Don't let him hear you say that," John said idly.
Radek turned and glared at John. "He nearly killed himself because he did not want to shut down jumper systems completely. He is an idiot."
"Yes, but he'll deny it with a long winded argument about his IQ and his doctorates and his general superiority over most of the population of Atlantis. Okay, the entire population."
Radek's eyes widened, then narrowed, before he gave a huffed laugh. "Yes, he would. And I do not think I need to hear that now." Radek sat down on the bed. "I hate this," he muttered.
John sat down next to him, putting an arm around Radek's shoulders. "It can't be easy," he said.
Radek leaned against him, his head resting on John's shoulder. "It is not," he replied. "I did not ask for this." Radek sounded . . . lost.
Acting on instinct again, John pressed a kiss to the top of Radek's head. It wasn't something he was used to doing with his male lovers, and yet it felt right. So he stayed there, resting his head against the top of Radek's, until he felt Radek start to sag with fatigue.
"Come on," John said quietly. "You need some sleep." He got up and knelt down to unlace and remove Radek's boots. Once they were off, Radek moved to lay back on the bed. He blinked up at John sleepily as John removed Radek's glasses.
"You need sleep, too," Radek said. There was almost a pleading note in Radek's voice, as if he didn't want to be alone. John nodded and sat down on the bed to remove his own boots before laying back and curling up along Radek's side. Radek shifted so that he was facing away from John, and John spooned up against Radek's back, one arm around Radek's waist. He felt Radek fall asleep quickly, and knew he wasn't far behind.
Elizabeth watched as Rodney looked at the circuit board in his hands and then at the technician who'd incurred Radek's ire even as Radek had saved the man and the city from death. She was expecting an outburst from him, but all he merely said was, "And you wonder why Dr. Zelenka and I never let anyone else repair the control room consoles." Then Rodney left the room via the staircase to the jumper bay.
Elizabeth turned and went back to her office as Dr. Kim got everyone else there back to work. Now that she knew why Radek was having these visions, it was even more unsettling than before. To think that it was only the luck of the genetic draw that was keeping Atlantis and her people from being destroyed . . .
Shaking her head, she put that thought aside in favor of another one: John Sheppard. He'd been at Radek's heels when they'd run into the gate room and up the stairs to the control room. He'd known Radek had had a vision, and when Radek had prevented the disaster, he'd followed Radek out instead of remaining to speak with her or Rodney or even add his own cutting comments to the technician. No wonder Carson had looked so odd when she'd mentioned the possibility of ordering John to not tell the Earth military about Radek's mate.
John was Radek's mate.
Elizabeth sighed. There was nothing she could do about that issue. Making sure that John wasn't punished for something that had been taken out of his control more than ten thousand years ago was something she would have to deal with.
Radek awoke to a warm body pressed along his back and a pair of lips resting against the back of his neck. A hand was under his shirt, curled against the skin of his stomach. He felt safe.
Memory slowly returned - the vision of the city being destroyed, removing the circuit board and chewing out the technician in the control room the most vivid in his mind. But then other memories appeared - John coming to see him, John's hands soothing him through the shock of the vision. He recalled the tender kiss when they were alone afterward, and his not-quite-plea to have John stay.
John had stayed all night, spooned against Radek's back. Radek didn't want to move, not willing to face the aftermath of yesterday. He also didn't want to have John leave. He wasn't sure what had brought them together in that intense afternoon, but as he told John, he had enjoyed it.
John shifted behind him, nuzzling Radek's neck. Radek sighed and closed his eyes, reveling in the contact. It had been far too long since he'd simply slept with anyone - no sex, just sleep. He'd missed that closeness, but had never expected to be finding it with John Sheppard.
John stirred again, and this time his voice broke the silence of the room. "Morning," he said, his voice still blurred with sleep.
"Good morning," Radek said, not moving. "City is still here, so Rodney must have made sure the children did not try to repeat their mistakes."
He felt John's chuckle where their bodies were pressed together. "Judging by what you said in English yesterday, I don't think any of them would have tried to get near the DHD for fear you'd carry out some of those threats."
Radek smiled. "They should be more worried about the threats I made in Czech."
"I really don't want to know," John said, nuzzling at Radek's neck again. This time, Radek shivered at the touch. John's hand began lightly stroking Radek's stomach as John kissed Radek's neck.
Radek sighed and shifted so that he was on his back, looking up at John. John's hand was still stroking his stomach as Radek's hand reached up to pull John down into a warm, lazy kiss. John shifted on top of Radek, the hand on Radek's stomach moving to Radek's hip as the other hand stroked Radek's neck. Radek slipped his hands under John's shirt to knead warm skin of John's back.
The lazy kisses went on for a while, interspersed with forays to taste jaws and necks and ears. John's hips were moving slowly as well, causing their erections to nuzzle through layers of cloth. John seemed as reluctant as Radek to stop kissing long enough to remove clothing, whimpering in his throat whenever Radek moved a hand away from John's skin. So they stayed as they were, kissing and touching and moving in rhythm.
Hours or days or nanoseconds later, Radek gasped as the friction became too much and he came, hips arching into John and fingers dragging across John's back. John pushed against Radek's hips with his own, breath catching on a ragged sigh as he came. Radek relaxed back into the bed, and John's body settled bonelessly on top of him. Radek knew he should say something, but his body was fast falling asleep again, and so, it seemed, was John's. So he let himself drift off, surrounded by John's warmth.
TBC.....the most hated words in the universe, I know....bad me.
Author:
kyrdwynPairing: John Sheppard/Radek Zelenka
Rating: NC-17 (language and sexual content)
Spoilers: SG-1 Ep "Prophecy", SGA "Hot Zone"
Beta: None
Warnings: Work In Progress - Not finished!
Summary: After trying gene therapy yet again, Radek Zelenka starts experiencing visions
At first, it was like the last two times he'd tried the gene therapy - nothing happened. He was unable to activate Ancient Technology. He shrugged off Dr. Beckett's apologies and went on his way. He hadn't expected anything different, although he had really hoped to be able to fly the jumpers at some point.
Then, two days later, while working in his lab, he stopped and bent over his work desk as his sight was mometarily replaced with the jumper bay, and Rodney replacing a crystal before being violently blown across the bay, his hand charred from the fire in the console.
When he could see normally again, Radek ignored the concerned questions of the others in the lab and ran for the jumper bay.
"Not that one."
Rodney jumped three feet in the air, his hand going to his chest. "Jesus, Radek, are you trying to kill me?"
Radek shook his head. "No, trying to save you." He gestured to the panel. "That circuit is still active."
Rodney peered at where Radek was gesturing. "Huh, you're right. Must be on some form of auxiliary power grid we haven't found yet." He looked at Radek. "Thanks," he said simply.
"You're welcome," Radek replied. "We should find that auxiliary power grid," he said. "Before someone does get killed."
After he'd had two more visions showing him colleagues injuring themselves, and finding them just before the injury occurred, thereby preventing it, Radek began to get worried.
"Carson, do you have a moment?"
The doctor looked up from what he was working on. "Of course." He looked at Radek expectantly, and Radek shook his head.
"In private?" he asked hopefully.
Carson frowned but led Radek to an isolated exam room. "What seems to be the problem, Dr. Zelenka?"
Radek sighed and tried to determine the best way to say what had been happening. "I believe," he said slowly, "there may be side effects from the last round of gene therapy that we didn't anticipate."
Carson immediately looked concerned. "What sort of side effects?"
"I've been having . . .visions. Of future events, just before they happen, but then I go find the person in the vision and prevent the accident." He looked up at Carson, who was frowning. "They started two days after the last gene therapy trial."
Carson frowned even more. "I'm going to need to run tests, including an MRI. I'm afraid you're off duty for a while, Radek."
Radek nodded, hoping Carson would be able to figure out what was wrong.
"I did not just hear you say that Zelenka is psychic. Psychotic at times, maybe, but not psychic."
Rodney was in fine form, John mused, over this latest development. John was more worried about Radek, though. Radek didn't react at all to Rodney's words, instead staring down at where his hands were folded on the table.
"Aye, it appears that way," Carson was saying. "It's too coincidental, his visions and what he then finds - which included saving your skin, Rodney," Carson added pointedly. "But we cannot find a definite cause for it."
"Wasn't there an similar case at the SGC?" Elizabeth asked. "Jonas Quinn was having visions."
Carson nodded. "Yes, but the belief there was they were brought on through a brain tumor resulting from genetic manipulation by the Goa'uld Nirrti, which was on a much larger scale that the ATA gene therapy." He looked at Radek. "The scans were negative for any sort of tumors or another biological anomalies. Other than his nearsightedness, Dr. Zelenka is in perfect health."
"He's having visions, Carson, how is that healthy?" Rodney demanded. "How is it healthy for him to be seeing people injured or killed, especially if something prevents him from getting to that person in time to stop it?"
John privately acknowledged that Rodney had a point. Radek closed his eyes tightly, as if in pain.
"I don't know how to stop them, I'm afraid," Carson admitted. "Without knowing what has caused them, any treatment would be a wild guess, and I'm not going to play with Dr. Zelenka's health like that."
"Has anyone else from this round of gene therapy experienced any visions?" Elizabeth asked.
Carson shook his head. "I've questioned all of them. None have had visions, and none of them have eaten anything other than supplies from the Daedalus, and none have been off world, same as Dr. Zelenka, so there's nothing in his activities that could explain why him."
John looked at Radek, who was still staring at his hands.
Elizabeth sighed. "Keep working on it, Carson. Dr. Zelenka, I'd like you to stick to the main areas of the city for now, and no lab work until we figure this out, all right?"
Radek nodded. John kept watching him.
Radek opened the door to his quarters to see Colonel Sheppard standing on the other side. He stepped back to let him in.
"You didn't tell Beckett," Sheppard said without preamble.
Radek sighed. "What do I tell him? The only thing I think I did the others did not is have sex with the strongest ATA gene carrier in Atlantis, and we're not sure why we had sex."
Sheppard didn't say anything flippant in response, much to Radek's relief. "Which is why we should tell Dr. Beckett," Sheppard did say. "If whatever we were feeling when we had sex was something other than natural hormones, it might explain the visions. For all we know, it caused the visions."
Radek looked at him. "You believe we could have had sex simply because we were, as you say, horny?"
Sheppard shrugged. "You're a good looking guy, Radek, and I'm not adverse to passing time in bed with guys." When Radek looked at him, John grinned sheepishly. "Okay, I have to be discreet, but still, I managed while on Earth."
Radek looked at John steadily, trying to see some deception in his face or eyes. Radek knew that his looks were not bad, but he'd never suspected that the colonel would want him without outside influences. And while Radek himself enjoyed both men and women, he never let himself fixate on anyone unavailable, and an American military man was generally about as unavailable as he could imagine.
"I admit I, too, have enjoyed both genders," he finally said. "And I will not say I did not enjoy our encounter the other day," he added.
John gave him a quirk of his lips. "I can't deny that I enjoyed it," he replied.
Radek sighed. "You are right, we need to tell Carson. If only to find out why I am having these visions." He looked at John. "I do not mind having them, so long as I can prevent the accidents from happening, but I fear I shall have a vision of events I cannot change, and I do not know if I could live with the guilt of a friend's injury or death."
Radek started as John put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a comforting squeeze. "We'll figure it out, Radek," he said. "And if worse comes to worse, well, I've been in that position myself. You'll at least have someone who will understand." John's green eyes were bleak.
Radek nodded. "Let us go see Dr. Beckett," he said, hoping to chase the terrible loss from John's eyes.
"Dr. Beckett, a word in private?"
Carson turned from his contemplation of Radek's MRI results to see Radek standing next to John Sheppard, both looking a little uncomfortable. Carson nodded and gestured to the private exam room where he'd first examined Radek. "Is there something wrong?"
Radek blushed and John looked away from Carson's gaze. "There is something I did not tell you before, because I did not want to get someone else in trouble."
Carson frowned, looking at John. "Tell me about what?"
"About things I may have done that might have caused the visions, or at least, well, might have affected me . . " Radek looked at John, who was looking at the ground, his hands in his pockets.
John looked up at Carson and smiled sheepishly. "We had sex."
Carson's mouth opened, and then closed as he took in the embarrassed expressions on the two men in front of him. "I see," he said, knowing this was definitely a doctor-patient confidence, especially on John's part.
"No, I don't think you do," Radek said. "We are not, how you say, involved. We, I . . ." He sighed, his hands gesturing in the air.
"What I think he means to say is that while neither of us is adverse to homosexual relations, we'd not thought of each other that way until the day after the latest gene therapy trial, when we bumped into each other outside of the mess, and, well," John shrugged, his face bright red. "I don't know exactly how to explain it without resorting to crude terms." It was apparent to the doctor that whatever John felt about it, he didn't want to cause any more embarrassment for Radek.
"It was like bad porn movie, except for the soundtrack," Radek said. "We looked at each other, and I dragged John into the nearest empty room, he locked it and we proceeded to fuck each other. There was . . . penetration, by both of us."
Carson nodded, although this was something he had not been expecting. "Neither of you had ever felt an urge like this before?" he asked.
"Not like this," John said. "Not this strong and it felt, well, inevitable. Like it was going to happen, even if we had managed to fight it that time." Radek was nodding in agreement.
Carson nodded, something niggling at the back of his mind. "Well, I suppose the compulsion could have been related to Radek's visions, but I'll have to do some research into the problem." He looked at the two men. "I trust the two of you will let me know if this compulsion happens again?" Getting two embarrassed nods from both men, he let them go. He'd already examined Radek to an inch of his life, and John had been thoroughly examined after returning his last off world mission - which was three days before their encounter.
John's words had also triggered a memory of something Carson had seen in the Ancients' medical database, and he wanted to look it up. It might explain both the visions and the encounter.
Five hundred years ago, it was discovered that the descendants of the genetic scientist Riyallan carried a recessive gene that, when combined with another recessive gene, would produce a child capable of seeing into the futures of those around him. This child would be able to prevent accidents and death when he or she interpreted the visions correctly.
We have not been able to discover why some of those gifted with the visions see them when they are young, and why some do not see them until they are older. It may be an environmental factor that we cannot duplicate in a simulation.
Two things are universal to these descendants. The first is that they lack the ability to control our technology, possibly as a result of the recessive gene. Even our attempts to artificially introduce the gene into their DNA failed. It simply did not take.
The second is that each one has a 'mate' that is their emotional anchor after a vision. The word 'mate' is not truly accurate, because the relationship appears to go beyond mere physical gratification. While the descendant and the mate find each other through an intension compulsion for sexual activity, their bond is truly developed through tactile contact during and after a vision, along with additional sexual encounters. However, the strongest bonds were created when the descendant and the mate enter a romantic relationship. . .
There was more to the entry on the descendants of Riyallan, but Elizabeth marked that to read later. She looked up at Carson, who had brought this entry to her attention. "You think Dr. Zelenka is one of this Riyallan's descendants?"
Carson looked at her. "I don't think, Dr. Weir, I know he is. Part of the report included the DNA of the descendants the Ancients had studied, with the specified gene pairing highlighted. Dr. Zelenka has the exactly same gene pairing, in the same place. It's not common in the rest of the population, and was remarked on by the Air Force doctors when he was examined before being allowed on the mission. Since it didn't appear to be anything other than a harmless anomaly, he was cleared."
Elizabeth sat back. "So, this is not the result of your gene therapy. The manifestation of this psychic ability is Dr. Zelenka's genetic inheritance from the Ancients, much like the ability to activate Ancient technology is yours and Colonel Sheppard's."
Carson nodded.
Elizabeth sighed. "What about this mate? It sounds like this person is vital to the continued emotional well being of Dr. Zelenka now that he has begun having his visions. Do we have any idea if he has found this mate? While I hate to pry into the personal lives of my people," Elizabeth said with a frown, "this could affect all of Atlantis if he becomes emotionally unstable."
Carson shifted uneasily in his seat. "I believe he has. They came to me this afternoon and told me about their compulsion, afraid that might have been a cause of Dr. Zelenka's visions. Dr. Zelenka hadn't told me earlier, because he wanted to make sure his mate was okay with telling me. That's what made me think of this entry - I'd seen it before, and they way they described their encounter matched what the entry said."
Elizabeth tilted her head. "Can I assume, from the way you are carefully not using any gender specific pronouns, that Dr. Zelenka's mate may be a male?"
Carson looked her straight in the eye. "I won't break doctor-patient confidentiality, Dr. Weir. Not without their consent."
Elizabeth nodded, knowing she was probably right, but respecting Carson's position. After all, if Dr. Zelenka's mate was male, they could be worried about how their peers would react. Especially if that mate was part of the American military contingent, as they were still subject to the regs against homosexuals, and the don't ask- don't tell rule. If John found out, he would be required to turn in that person -- and if he didn't, Elizabeth was pretty sure that Caldwell would.
"Do they know about this?"
Carson shook his head. "I wanted to show you this entry first, to make sure I was translating it correctly. Now that I know I did translate correctly, I do need to inform them. I'd prefer to do that alone, and privately. I believe they should decide whom they inform of their involvement. I'll encourage them to tell you, but I can't promise anything."
He got up to leave. Elizabeth looked at him. "Carson," she began, "tell them," she sighed, not quite sure of how to phrase it. "Tell Dr. Zelenka and his mate that if they are concerned about repercussions, I will speak to their department heads. Even if that means I have to order Colonel Sheppard not to say a word about it."
An odd look passed across Carson's face, but he nodded. "I'll tell them," he said, then left.
Elizabeth sighed, called up the entry, and began reading again.
John knocked on Radek's door, frowning. He wasn't sure why he was here. He'd been in his office, going over duty rosters, when his gut started telling him that he needed to be somewhere else. Specifically, wherever Radek was.
Radek answered the door, confusion on his face. "Colonel?" he asked.
"Can I come in?"
Radek nodded and stood back to let John pass, the door closing behind him.
John turned to look at Radek. "I know this is going to sound odd, but I, well, felt the urge to be with you."
Radek quirked an eyebrow. "Like before?"
John shook his head. "No, not like before. Something different," he said with a shrug. "I can't explain it." He was about to say more when Radek doubled over as if in pain, his arms coming up to shield his head.
Moving on instinct, John was at Radek's side in a heartbeat, his hands on Radek's shoulders. He found himself talking to Radek soothingly. He wasn't sure of what he was saying, only that Radek needed John's voice to anchor himself.
Radek straightened abruptly, his eyes haunted. "Control room," he said shortly, before turning to the door. He left the room at a run, John on his heels.
They reached the control room in record time, John waving off the marines who snapped to alert status when their C.O. came in at a run. Radek didn't slow until he reached the DHD, yanking away the technician who was tinkering with something inside the console. He started yelling at the man in Czech before getting down and making his own adjustments to the DHD.
By this time the control room staff and Dr. Weir were standing around, staring at Radek silently. Dr. Weir raised an eyebrow at John, who nodded. She nodded in return, and John knew she'd understood that Radek had had another vision and prevented another disaster.
Radek finally emerged from the console, a piece of Earth technology in his hands. He was still raving in Czech, with a few English words thrown in.
It was a fit Rodney would be proud of, John thought as Radek insulted the man's parentage, legitimacy, sexual preferences, and IQ in one English sentence. He didn't even want to know what insults were being hurled in Czech, other than wondering if they were as anatomically impossible as some of the English ones.
Radek finally came to a halt, glaring at the now-cowering man. Radek turned away, shoving the technology into the hands of Rodney, who'd appeared in the control room mid-way through Radek's verbal assault. "Here," he said to Rodney. "The children think they can just use Earth parts when they cannot find the proper Ancient crystals to make repairs. This would have blown up gate when someone dialed, taking entire city with it." He stalked off, muttering, and Rodney turned to eye the technician, who was now a ghastly shade of whitish green.
John nodded at Elizabeth and followed Radek out, making sure he wasn't going to harm himself, or anyone else. Radek merely headed back to his quarters. John followed him inside, locking the door with a thought.
"Idiots, I work with idiots, even Rodney is idiot."
"Don't let him hear you say that," John said idly.
Radek turned and glared at John. "He nearly killed himself because he did not want to shut down jumper systems completely. He is an idiot."
"Yes, but he'll deny it with a long winded argument about his IQ and his doctorates and his general superiority over most of the population of Atlantis. Okay, the entire population."
Radek's eyes widened, then narrowed, before he gave a huffed laugh. "Yes, he would. And I do not think I need to hear that now." Radek sat down on the bed. "I hate this," he muttered.
John sat down next to him, putting an arm around Radek's shoulders. "It can't be easy," he said.
Radek leaned against him, his head resting on John's shoulder. "It is not," he replied. "I did not ask for this." Radek sounded . . . lost.
Acting on instinct again, John pressed a kiss to the top of Radek's head. It wasn't something he was used to doing with his male lovers, and yet it felt right. So he stayed there, resting his head against the top of Radek's, until he felt Radek start to sag with fatigue.
"Come on," John said quietly. "You need some sleep." He got up and knelt down to unlace and remove Radek's boots. Once they were off, Radek moved to lay back on the bed. He blinked up at John sleepily as John removed Radek's glasses.
"You need sleep, too," Radek said. There was almost a pleading note in Radek's voice, as if he didn't want to be alone. John nodded and sat down on the bed to remove his own boots before laying back and curling up along Radek's side. Radek shifted so that he was facing away from John, and John spooned up against Radek's back, one arm around Radek's waist. He felt Radek fall asleep quickly, and knew he wasn't far behind.
Elizabeth watched as Rodney looked at the circuit board in his hands and then at the technician who'd incurred Radek's ire even as Radek had saved the man and the city from death. She was expecting an outburst from him, but all he merely said was, "And you wonder why Dr. Zelenka and I never let anyone else repair the control room consoles." Then Rodney left the room via the staircase to the jumper bay.
Elizabeth turned and went back to her office as Dr. Kim got everyone else there back to work. Now that she knew why Radek was having these visions, it was even more unsettling than before. To think that it was only the luck of the genetic draw that was keeping Atlantis and her people from being destroyed . . .
Shaking her head, she put that thought aside in favor of another one: John Sheppard. He'd been at Radek's heels when they'd run into the gate room and up the stairs to the control room. He'd known Radek had had a vision, and when Radek had prevented the disaster, he'd followed Radek out instead of remaining to speak with her or Rodney or even add his own cutting comments to the technician. No wonder Carson had looked so odd when she'd mentioned the possibility of ordering John to not tell the Earth military about Radek's mate.
John was Radek's mate.
Elizabeth sighed. There was nothing she could do about that issue. Making sure that John wasn't punished for something that had been taken out of his control more than ten thousand years ago was something she would have to deal with.
Radek awoke to a warm body pressed along his back and a pair of lips resting against the back of his neck. A hand was under his shirt, curled against the skin of his stomach. He felt safe.
Memory slowly returned - the vision of the city being destroyed, removing the circuit board and chewing out the technician in the control room the most vivid in his mind. But then other memories appeared - John coming to see him, John's hands soothing him through the shock of the vision. He recalled the tender kiss when they were alone afterward, and his not-quite-plea to have John stay.
John had stayed all night, spooned against Radek's back. Radek didn't want to move, not willing to face the aftermath of yesterday. He also didn't want to have John leave. He wasn't sure what had brought them together in that intense afternoon, but as he told John, he had enjoyed it.
John shifted behind him, nuzzling Radek's neck. Radek sighed and closed his eyes, reveling in the contact. It had been far too long since he'd simply slept with anyone - no sex, just sleep. He'd missed that closeness, but had never expected to be finding it with John Sheppard.
John stirred again, and this time his voice broke the silence of the room. "Morning," he said, his voice still blurred with sleep.
"Good morning," Radek said, not moving. "City is still here, so Rodney must have made sure the children did not try to repeat their mistakes."
He felt John's chuckle where their bodies were pressed together. "Judging by what you said in English yesterday, I don't think any of them would have tried to get near the DHD for fear you'd carry out some of those threats."
Radek smiled. "They should be more worried about the threats I made in Czech."
"I really don't want to know," John said, nuzzling at Radek's neck again. This time, Radek shivered at the touch. John's hand began lightly stroking Radek's stomach as John kissed Radek's neck.
Radek sighed and shifted so that he was on his back, looking up at John. John's hand was still stroking his stomach as Radek's hand reached up to pull John down into a warm, lazy kiss. John shifted on top of Radek, the hand on Radek's stomach moving to Radek's hip as the other hand stroked Radek's neck. Radek slipped his hands under John's shirt to knead warm skin of John's back.
The lazy kisses went on for a while, interspersed with forays to taste jaws and necks and ears. John's hips were moving slowly as well, causing their erections to nuzzle through layers of cloth. John seemed as reluctant as Radek to stop kissing long enough to remove clothing, whimpering in his throat whenever Radek moved a hand away from John's skin. So they stayed as they were, kissing and touching and moving in rhythm.
Hours or days or nanoseconds later, Radek gasped as the friction became too much and he came, hips arching into John and fingers dragging across John's back. John pushed against Radek's hips with his own, breath catching on a ragged sigh as he came. Radek relaxed back into the bed, and John's body settled bonelessly on top of him. Radek knew he should say something, but his body was fast falling asleep again, and so, it seemed, was John's. So he let himself drift off, surrounded by John's warmth.
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Date: 2006-01-20 07:12 am (UTC)This is really really awesome! ^_^ I love it so far, and the pairing John/Radek, I love it even more for that alone. I can't wait for more of this. Great job so far! ^_^