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***
Title: Necessary Evil
Author:
kat_lair
Fandom: Stargate Atlantics
Characters: Carson & Rodney
Tags: Ficlet, Dark, Science Experiments
Rating: T
Word count: 293
Disclaimer: Not mine!
Summary: “What did you do?”
Author notes: Spooktober 2023, Day 20/31. Prompt/theme: science experiments.
Necessary Evil on AO3
“What did you do?”
Carson looks up from the microscope, startled to hear a voice that isn’t a moan of pain, to hear a voice so profoundly human.
“Rodney.” It’s not the first time he’s seen him, but his hallucinations never speak, never look this genuinely confused. “You’re here?”
Slowly, Rodney is walking toward him between rows and rows of beds, each with its occupant tied securely down. For their own good. The look on his face is something between incredulity and horror and… Fear, underneath there somewhere, but rising to the surface.
Carson knows it well. He sees the same expression in the mirror every day.
“Did…” Rodney’s reached his desk now, covered with lab equipment and notes. He swallows, takes in Carson’s own appearance, the blue tint of his skin unmissable this close. “Did you think we wouldn’t come back? That we would just leave you?”
Carson opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. He hadn’t thought that, not for a long time. But then the weeks stretched into months and people were still dying and he was the one who was left to make the hard decisions, the only one who could.
“Carson… What did you do?” Rodney asks again. Except there’s something in his eyes that suggests he already knows the answer. Or thinks he knows the answer at least.
He knows nothing. He wasn’t here.
Carson straightens his shoulders, stepping out from behind his desk. From his peripheral vision he can see other people starting to flood the infirmary, people with guns and choices. They’ll judge him for his, he knows it. They might even kill him. But Carson regrets nothing.
“I did what I had to,” he says, looking Rodney in the eye. “I kept them alive.”
***
Title: Necessary Evil
Author:
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Fandom: Stargate Atlantics
Characters: Carson & Rodney
Tags: Ficlet, Dark, Science Experiments
Rating: T
Word count: 293
Disclaimer: Not mine!
Summary: “What did you do?”
Author notes: Spooktober 2023, Day 20/31. Prompt/theme: science experiments.
Necessary Evil on AO3
“What did you do?”
Carson looks up from the microscope, startled to hear a voice that isn’t a moan of pain, to hear a voice so profoundly human.
“Rodney.” It’s not the first time he’s seen him, but his hallucinations never speak, never look this genuinely confused. “You’re here?”
Slowly, Rodney is walking toward him between rows and rows of beds, each with its occupant tied securely down. For their own good. The look on his face is something between incredulity and horror and… Fear, underneath there somewhere, but rising to the surface.
Carson knows it well. He sees the same expression in the mirror every day.
“Did…” Rodney’s reached his desk now, covered with lab equipment and notes. He swallows, takes in Carson’s own appearance, the blue tint of his skin unmissable this close. “Did you think we wouldn’t come back? That we would just leave you?”
Carson opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. He hadn’t thought that, not for a long time. But then the weeks stretched into months and people were still dying and he was the one who was left to make the hard decisions, the only one who could.
“Carson… What did you do?” Rodney asks again. Except there’s something in his eyes that suggests he already knows the answer. Or thinks he knows the answer at least.
He knows nothing. He wasn’t here.
Carson straightens his shoulders, stepping out from behind his desk. From his peripheral vision he can see other people starting to flood the infirmary, people with guns and choices. They’ll judge him for his, he knows it. They might even kill him. But Carson regrets nothing.
“I did what I had to,” he says, looking Rodney in the eye. “I kept them alive.”
***
no subject
on 2023-10-22 03:21 pm (UTC)no subject
on 2023-10-22 07:24 pm (UTC)