Unified Field Theory by Melannen

[melannen.livejournal.com]

Title: Unified Field Theory
Author: melannen
Gen, ~900 words.
Summary: John Sheppard leads a team.
Notes: Um, Hi! Written in 38 min + a quick spellcheck,
so you'll forgive me for the scientific errors, right?
I'm sure Dr. McKay will. Eventually.

Ford settled his P90 over his knees, and looked at McKay, who'd leaned his head back against the stone wall and was staring up at the stars. "Does it make you feel small?"

McKay blinked. "Huh?"

"Seeing the stars like that. Even in Colorado there were never so many, and they're all different patterns, and it's so black, you know?" He gestured at the sky. "Stargazing like that, doesn't it make you think about how big the universe is, and how small we are, and how far away we've travelled?"

McKay sent him a withering look. "I'm an *astrophysicist*, Lieutenant. I know *precisely* how far we've travelled and what the relative sizes are. If I hadn't figured out how to handle scale, I wouldn't be getting much work done, would I?" He patted his pockets nervously. "Besides I wasn't stargazing, I was trying to check the stellar navigation system Zelenka and Miko are working on so that if we get lost through the stargate, we might have *some* chance of figuring out where in this--" he waved a hand about, lost for words-- "this *galaxy* we are."

"Oh," Ford said. He gazed up at the sky again. It was late spring in this village, and the stars twinkled a little in the warm breeze, in time with the sighing of the grain. "It makes me feel small. Sometimes I think it might be nice if it wasn't all so much bigger than we are."

McKay closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "There are very good physical reasons why living things are the size they are, Lieutenant, without invoking some sort of cosmic inferiority complex, but given your grasp of mathematics, maybe we should just be quiet and let me think about actual useful things, okay?"

"Falling," somebody said behind them. Ford and McKay looked up as Major Sheppard vaulted over the wall and slid down on the grass beside Ford.

"What?" McKay asked loudly.

"Teyla's off doing some diplomatic trading thing," Sheppard said, shrugging. "She told me usually only women are allowed in the government hut, but if I wanted to go through the special emasculation ceremony I could sit in and watch, so I told her I'd hang out with you guys until she was done."

"I don't *care* about your emasculation, what do you mean, *falling*?"

"Well," Sheppard said, picking a strand of grass and then dropping it, "You know, gravity."

McKay looked at Ford. "I think it's perfectly acceptable behavior to want an explanation if your one and only pilot suddenly interrupts your conversation saying things like 'falling' and 'gravity' right? I mean it wouldn't be unreasonable for me to find that slightly worrying?"

"Oh, were we having a conversation?" Ford said, grinning. "I didn't realize."

"No, I meant, scale," Sheppard said. "That's why I don't mind looking at the stars and feeling small. Because if you're the size of a star, the only force that can really affect you anymore is gravity. Right, McKay?"

"Well, yes," McKay said. "That is if you're going to try to simplify it down to the level of Popular Mechanics--"

"Right," Sheppard said. He stretched his legs out. "See, when you're our size, gravity's important, yeah, but there's other forces, like electricity and magnetism and, oh, Van der Waals forces-- that's what makes sticky things stick-- and surface forces and things like that. And if you get even smaller, like atoms and things, there's weak force and strong force. But if the scale gets big enough, gravity's about it, really, so there'd be nothing left to do but fall. I like to fly, but I think just falling would get old after a while."

"Oh," Ford said. He thought for a moment. "You know, that actually makes sense, kind of. What's weak force and strong force mean?"

"Yes, if you don't mind the fact that it's almost *completely* *inaccurate*," McKay said testily.

"Weak force and strong force?" Sheppard leaned his head back, considering. "Well, you know about positive and negative charges? How with electricity and magnetism, opposites attract, but things that are the same push each other away?"

"Yeah, I guess," Ford said.

"Well, weak and strong forces are what keep things with the same charge together despite that. So they're what keep the nuclei of atoms from exploding apart, but they only work over really, really tiny distances, so we don't notice them, even though they're what makes matter exist. Actually, if you get really into this stuff, it turns out that weak and strong force and electricity and magnetism are really the same force, they just-- I dunno, they just use it differently. I'd say McKay could explain, except he'd probably just confuse us both. But they're what make things happen-- they're why *matter* exists the way it does. And since the good Doctor over there hasn't worked out a Grand Unified Theory yet, gravity doesn't -- fit in with the others, 'cause all it does is make things fall. The other forces, they're different, because they can make things fall *and* come back up. That's why I have no problem with being so small, relatively speaking. It's a lot more interesting if you have give-and-take both ways."

"I guess nobody would have come out on this trip, really, if they couldn't handle feeling small, huh?" Ford said.

"Oh my god, would you both be quiet, you're giving me a headache," McKay said. "And stop filling his head with inaccurate simplifications, it'll just make it harder to teach him right later."

Comments

Ooh!

[maisierita.livejournal.com]

Ooh! You hit a kink! Smart!Shep!!!! :) And actually, it's even better, because it's Smart!Philosophical!Shep!

"Well, weak and strong forces are what keep things with the same charge together despite that. So they're what keep the nuclei of atoms from exploding apart, but they only work over really, really tiny distances, so we don't notice them, even though they're what makes matter exist. Actually, if you get really into this stuff, it turns out that weak and strong force and electricity and magnetism are really the same force, they just-- I dunno, they just use it differently. I'd say McKay could explain, except he'd probably just confuse us both. But they're what make things happen-- they're why *matter* exists the way it does. And since the good Doctor over there hasn't worked out a Grand Unified Theory yet, gravity doesn't -- fit in with the others, 'cause all it does is make things fall. The other forces, they're different, because they can make things fall *and* come back up. That's why I have no problem with being so small, relatively speaking. It's a lot more interesting if you have give-and-take both ways."

Love this. :) And am now wondering whether you'd thought this all in advance, or just invented it for this fic, in which case I'm doubly impressed. :)

Re: Ooh!

[melannen.livejournal.com]

Well, yeah, much of it matches my own philosophy, slightly tweaked for the characters and place, of course. The *fic* idea came from trying to imagine Rodney stargazing.

I *love* the level of science geekery in this fandom.

[zortified.livejournal.com]

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Poor McKay, the things he has to put up with. Wraith and stargates and lack of ZPMs isn't enough, he has to unlearn Ford of everything Sheppard teaches him.

Wheee! Fun.

[melannen.livejournal.com]

I *know*. I mean, for the last few years he's been able to live among his own kind, and now he has to spend half his time on a *military* team. And it's even worse when they think they know what they're talking about, of course. Poor McKay! Yay fun!

[grey-bard.livejournal.com]

Heh. I love how, from Ford's perspective, it looks like McKay is dismissing him, while the end reveals that McKay's trying to be accurate and just assumes that eventually he'll get around to teaching Ford physics.

Also, Sheppard could be the perfect bridge between the military and scientific parts of the expedition, if he ever figures out that it's needed. Such charming explanations!

[melannen.livejournal.com]

Yes! Thank you! I didn't think of any of that about Sheppard being the bridge and McKay and teaching until *after* the story had been written, of course, at which point I was amazed at how deep I was.

[davechicken.livejournal.com]

I always loved that about science. We teach you this. And now we teach you we lied! Hah!

That said, the arts do the same. Hrrrm.

Cute little smart!Shep. And yey, Ford!

Really nice piece :)

[melannen.livejournal.com]

thank you!

We need more Ford. Particularly with McKay. Because he's such a little geek in his own way, which involves having at least a bachelor's degree, but not having any patience with prime numbers, but still being standout smart enough to qualify for the SGC, and volunteering to go on a no-return mission babysitting a bunch of crazy eggheads.

But when I tried to put them together for too long, it got very scary. They need a Smart!Shep in the middle. (Take that as you will.)

[davechicken.livejournal.com]

Ford is woefully underdeveloped by canon, which irritates me, because they could do much more with him than they do.

So it's nice if he actually, you know, gets a PERSONALITY sometimes. *eyeroll*

Heh. Which is why I like yours. *pets him*

[melannen.livejournal.com]

Yes. Him and Teyla both. They're great characters, and they have chemistry with the others, if only they got to do something *interesting* once in a while.

While writing that reply I got a sudden urge to write up Ford's kobayashi maru-- er, I mean, final Stargate training exercise, that is, a la "Proving Ground". Come to think of it, from what we know of Athosian culture, Teyla probably had to go through a similar rite of passage... hmm.

[davechicken.livejournal.com]

Oooh, you could write both together as companion pieces.

Not that, you know, I'd love you for it and pok you with sticks til you wrote it, of course.

*shifty look*

*grin*

[adelynne.livejournal.com]

Odd, I like the way Ford's developed in canon. I wish he had more screentime, but overall, they're very subtle with him, and it makes me absolutely love the character.

I went back recently (prior to my motherboard crashing and thus locking me out of the hardrive that has all my episodes on it, grr...) and watched a great deal of the earlier part of the season, and they do excellent stuff with Ford that I didn't notice the first time around.

Plus there's always that lovely moment in Brotherhood where Kolya's men try to take him down.

[melannen.livejournal.com]

Well, you know, I do agree with you? Because I love a character that doesn't need the angsty backstory. And I like the way they've drawn him as is, and, yes, the subtlety of it. But he's supposed to be a main character, so when he doesn't get any stories that focus on him it makes me twitch and be afraid for him.

And I'm really not qualified for this anyway, because I'm trying to do Atlantis the old-fashioned way and only watch it off the air, so I haven't seen most of the early episodes since the mid-season break, so.

[davechicken.livejournal.com]

I like what he has but he doesn't have near enough. Teyla gets her episode. Even Beckett gets his episode. Ford? Nope.

[burntcopper.livejournal.com]

If you read the 'possible things to happen in Season 2' on Gateworld, it looks very much like we get lotsa Ford next season. :g: And they are interesting things.

[davechicken.livejournal.com]

*nods* I've heard some of it, but I've also heard he

SPOILER SPACE

5

4

3

2

1

...is being downgraded from a main character....

And am not wanting to get too heavily spoiled either :D

[adelynne.livejournal.com]

It all really depends on how you define "lotsa." Definitely with the interesting, though.

I see Ford as the character who needs a bunch of small things to develop him before we see him grow. It's all fine and good that he's great and noble and a stand-up guy. It's wonderful to get peeks at his glee for explosives and just know that he really is like a little kid who likes to blow shit up. But I would like to see them take the character somewhere where he grows from that point.

From what I've read, I might get that... but I'm not sure the cost. I'm very antsy about the spoilers I've read for Atlantis. They've done such a wonderful job this year, I'm worried that it'll go to hell with new characters.

[tigs.livejournal.com]

This was great. Love the sciencey aspects, and the smart!Sheppard with his ideas, and Rodney's reactions--the last line especially.

And huh, now I'm thinking about Rodney stargazing. I think you got just about the right spin on it, because he really wouldn't, would he?

[melannen.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I greatly enjoy Rodney's voice.

I think that it's possible that a person who had his respect and a whole lot of patience could talk him into trying it. Like Sheppard. Or Weir. And it would be very cute. But under standard conditions, no, he wouldn't. He's been convinced that he has no sense of art, right?

[rosewildeirish.livejournal.com]

Hee. Nice to see an ordinary moment, and a scientific one (that I could follow), at that.

[melannen.livejournal.com]

Don't listen to my science! It'll just make it harder for you learn it right later!

Heh. Thanks.

[rosewildeirish.livejournal.com]

Oh, no worries. I'm way too old for school unless I choose it...and I'm unlikely to choose science (or math) at this point.

*g*

[amezri.livejournal.com]

Mmmm... Shep talking about science! <3 I love it! I can see Ford sitting between John & Rodney just looking a bit confused ^^

[melannen.livejournal.com]

Yes, I imagine he's feeling kind of trapped at the moment. *g* But, you know, science!

[cathexys.livejournal.com]

shappard was great, but And stop filling his head with inaccurate simplifications, it'll just make it harder to teach him right later was even better.

thanks for a normal, non-angsty moment...

[melannen.livejournal.com]

You're welocme! I love ordinary moments. Especially when you have extraordinary people who have them in extraordinary places.

And I'm glad the last line worked, I'm always nervous about my endings.

[adelynne.livejournal.com]

It's a very cute scene, and I love what it reveals about the characters. I suppose, though, it's sad that my inner scientist geek was screaming right along with Rodney. *sigh* No helping the OCD, I suppose...

[melannen.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I had a moment of shame about my butchery of nuclear physics, but then I figured, John's smart, but there's no reason he'd know more about it than I do, right?

So tell me: What was the bit that gave you the most pain? I'm curious. :) And there's no shame in wanting to correct people's science.

[adelynne.livejournal.com]

True, true. :)

I'm a bio geek by training, so what got me was his explanation of van der Waals. After that I just willed my science to go take a hike and enjoyed the story.

[melannen.livejournal.com]

You mean Van der Waals forces *aren't* what make sticky things sticky? *gasp*. No, wait, that's one of the ones that's just right enough to be *totally wrong* isn't it? Oh well.

[adelynne.livejournal.com]

Heh. Wikipedia does a nice job of defining this one (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_der_Waals_force). :)

[melannen.livejournal.com]

See, when I read science articles, it goes through a permanent "Ooh, cool idea for sci-fi!" filter in my head, so when I read that article it gets filed in my memory under "London forces (Neverwhere?), gecko feet, scotch tape, sonoluminescence --> sticky glowy things yay!"

So I guess I was a bit off on the stickiness. If I'd had time to do research, I would have been more precise, and had Sheppard say "van der Waals forces, they're what let Spider-man walk on the ceiling (http://physics.about.com/b/a/080992.htm)", and then McKay would have *had* to forgive him, because, comic book geekery!

q:

[adelynne.livejournal.com]

*LOL* More often than not, I have to wind up turning my science-filter off when watching Sci-Fi. I was very proud of Carson's explanation about the gene therapy in Hide & Seek, and then they had to go and ruin it about how long it would take to take effect. (about 4 hours? Heh)

And yes, the sheer geekyness would have conquered McKay.

[fenris_wolf0]

That was funny and quite enjoyable though actually I felt a bit like Adelynne and had to squint (squinting helps in such cases). :)

Keep it up!

[melannen.livejournal.com]

Oh! That means you get to tell me what I had most wrong, too, right?

Hey, thanks. Squinting often helps, I've found.

[lifeinwords.livejournal.com]

This was lovely! The interaction feels natural and unforced, and I didn't notice any inaccuracies, but that's probably because I know less about science than Ford. *g*

[melannen.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I'm glad the conversation seemed to work. And I'm stuck in Sheppard's position with the science geekery-- I know just enough to get myself in trouble.

[frostfire-17.livejournal.com]

Yay, Ford! The universe needs more Fordfic. Well-written and cute. Also, She told me usually only women are allowed in the government hut, but if I wanted to go through the special emasculation ceremony I could sit in and watch *snickers*

[melannen.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I get the impression Teyla puts up with a lot from these backward people who haven't quite figured out gender equality yet (which seems to be very much not an issue anywhere in Pegasus, which I'd love to see explored.)

[delurker.livejournal.com]

Science geekery! Yay! I really enjoyed this.

[melannen.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I love science geekery, even if I get worse at it the older I get.

[minnow1212.livejournal.com]

Neat insight into all of them!

[isiscolo.livejournal.com]

Oh, yay. I love geeky ficlets, even with dodgy science. I really liked the characterizations here, for everybody.