The Iliad of McKay by lady_lirenel
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sga_flashficTitle: The Iliad of McKay
Author: lady_lirenel
Characters: McKay, others in Atlantis
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I do not own Atlantis or the Iliad, however much I want to.
Summary: Sometimes, Rodney McKay feels like his life is reminiscent of the Trojan War.
Author’s Note: I’m still working on another fic for this challenge, but this came to me when I was trying to figure out if I could fit McWeir in the challenge. This ended up somewhat SWAMA, but the pairing at the end is ambiguous enough that it could be anyone. Not betaed.
Sometimes, Rodney McKay feels like his life is reminiscent of the Trojan War, a long, vain struggle against enemies who threaten the walls of Atlantis. Not many people know that McKay has an intense interest in the ancient myths. No one ever asks. Sometimes, though, he idly wonders who he is, who he might be, and if history does, in fact, repeat itself.
When he had worked at the SGC, and even after coming to Atlantis, McKay had often been Antenor. He had complained and protested, and was usually right in his advice. Frequently, he had struggled to make his point against the more popular suggestion, the more popular people. Over time, though, his friends have learned to take his advice. Mostly.
Occasionally, McKay thinks he is like Cassandra and Laocoön, and the residents of Atlantis, if they knew about the comparison, would agree. Yes, he can be doom and gloom, his pessimism biting at those who seek to find a silver lining. Unlike the doomed prophets of old, however, McKay is sometimes wrong in his predictions. It does not bother him like most people think: in the end, neither the beloved of Apollo nor his priest benefited by being right.
The man McKay thinks he most resembles is Helenus, son of King Priam and brother of Hektor. Like Helenus, he is never remembered for his brave deeds or any skill he might show in battle. The people around him only recall his great knowledge. He alone knows the secrets of the city, how to protect Atlantis from her enemies…if, indeed, it is worth protecting. At times, when he watches Dr. Beckett experiment on a sentient being or Elizabeth allowing the use of torture, he wonders if he will end up giving the Greeks the plans for the Trojan Horse. He hopes it never comes to that.
One man McKay knows he will never be is Hektor, Tamer of Horses. Hektor is the warrior, who goes bravely out to battle, leading Heroes and Amazons against the enemy, as Andromache of the white-arms waits for him within the city walls. Andromache, Princess of Troy, whose eyes ever seek her Prince, never a glance to the younger son of Priam, even when his gaze follows her through the streets.
Rodney McKay is not Hektor. The Tamer of Horses, however, is the one who does not live happily ever after, as he foolishly falls to the hand of Achilles, thinking he can single-handedly save Troy from disaster. It is Helenus who survives the fall of the Great City, becomes king of his own land, and marries Andromache, his beloved princess. McKay knows this, can see it happening again before his very eyes.
And as he looks at his friends, at his Andromache with her Hektor, that knowledge is both a comfort and a sorrow to his heart.
Author: lady_lirenel
Characters: McKay, others in Atlantis
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I do not own Atlantis or the Iliad, however much I want to.
Summary: Sometimes, Rodney McKay feels like his life is reminiscent of the Trojan War.
Author’s Note: I’m still working on another fic for this challenge, but this came to me when I was trying to figure out if I could fit McWeir in the challenge. This ended up somewhat SWAMA, but the pairing at the end is ambiguous enough that it could be anyone. Not betaed.
Sometimes, Rodney McKay feels like his life is reminiscent of the Trojan War, a long, vain struggle against enemies who threaten the walls of Atlantis. Not many people know that McKay has an intense interest in the ancient myths. No one ever asks. Sometimes, though, he idly wonders who he is, who he might be, and if history does, in fact, repeat itself.
When he had worked at the SGC, and even after coming to Atlantis, McKay had often been Antenor. He had complained and protested, and was usually right in his advice. Frequently, he had struggled to make his point against the more popular suggestion, the more popular people. Over time, though, his friends have learned to take his advice. Mostly.
Occasionally, McKay thinks he is like Cassandra and Laocoön, and the residents of Atlantis, if they knew about the comparison, would agree. Yes, he can be doom and gloom, his pessimism biting at those who seek to find a silver lining. Unlike the doomed prophets of old, however, McKay is sometimes wrong in his predictions. It does not bother him like most people think: in the end, neither the beloved of Apollo nor his priest benefited by being right.
The man McKay thinks he most resembles is Helenus, son of King Priam and brother of Hektor. Like Helenus, he is never remembered for his brave deeds or any skill he might show in battle. The people around him only recall his great knowledge. He alone knows the secrets of the city, how to protect Atlantis from her enemies…if, indeed, it is worth protecting. At times, when he watches Dr. Beckett experiment on a sentient being or Elizabeth allowing the use of torture, he wonders if he will end up giving the Greeks the plans for the Trojan Horse. He hopes it never comes to that.
One man McKay knows he will never be is Hektor, Tamer of Horses. Hektor is the warrior, who goes bravely out to battle, leading Heroes and Amazons against the enemy, as Andromache of the white-arms waits for him within the city walls. Andromache, Princess of Troy, whose eyes ever seek her Prince, never a glance to the younger son of Priam, even when his gaze follows her through the streets.
Rodney McKay is not Hektor. The Tamer of Horses, however, is the one who does not live happily ever after, as he foolishly falls to the hand of Achilles, thinking he can single-handedly save Troy from disaster. It is Helenus who survives the fall of the Great City, becomes king of his own land, and marries Andromache, his beloved princess. McKay knows this, can see it happening again before his very eyes.
And as he looks at his friends, at his Andromache with her Hektor, that knowledge is both a comfort and a sorrow to his heart.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-01-29 03:16 am (UTC)I wonder, though, who you've cast as Andromache - Teyla? Elizabeth? I'd like to think it's Atlantis, but then the comparison breaks down. Perhaps my own interpretation of John's sentiments can still work, if one assumes that Hektor values Troy more than any woman born.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-01-29 03:17 am (UTC)It is Helenus who survives the fall of the Great City
(no subject)
Date: 2007-01-29 03:47 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-01-29 04:28 am (UTC)Thanks for the nice review, glad you liked it!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-01-29 03:45 am (UTC)*shivers*
Beautiful writing, with a wonderful analogy.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-01-29 04:29 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-01-29 03:51 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-01-29 04:29 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-01-29 04:31 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-01-30 01:52 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-01-29 11:50 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-01-29 06:40 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-01-31 07:42 am (UTC)What's SWAMA? I'm not familiar with that acronym, if it be one.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-01-31 07:25 pm (UTC)SWAMA is Sheppard/Weir And McKay Angst. Basically it's McKay in love with Weir who is in love with Sheppard.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-01-31 09:05 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-01 12:43 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-01 02:21 am (UTC)And yeah -- if you like A/B, I don't see why you'd want to everlastingly write A pining over B with B/C when you could write A/B and C/whateverDyoulike. (Especially if C is Sheppard, who arguably has chemistry with inanimate objects.)
Oh, and I like that icon of yours, although I wish it had a slightly better shot of his face. ^_^
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-01 02:59 am (UTC)Thanks, I actually made the icon myself. I had a hard time getting a good screen-shot of McKay's face, though, the shadowing was difficult.
(Also, I'm a fan of Sheppard/Atlantis and Carson/Chair, so I hear you on the inanimate objects.)
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-01 03:41 am (UTC)Teyla looks especially pretty in the icon, though! ^_^
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-01 04:23 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-01 03:22 pm (UTC)You see O'Neill and Teal'c, O'Neill and Carter, and a little Daniel and Teal'c, but there is virtually no Carter and Teal'c even though there is the occasional O'Neill and Daniel. Even now you've got Mitchell and Teal'c, Carter and Daniel, and some Mitchell and Daniel, but no Carter and Teal'c. Nor Mitchell and Carter either, for that matter.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-01 09:11 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-01 03:15 pm (UTC)Have you seen Nebulan's video "With Or Without You"? It's unexpectedly captivating and leaves me lamenting that the show deliberately eliminated this dynamic. I don't think you're meant to pay attention to the lyrics, as it's the *sound* that drives the video.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-01 09:12 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-03 06:07 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-03 06:23 pm (UTC)