Arlington, VA, Fall 2008
They were playing the funding game again. Jack moved some numbers around on his spreadsheet, trying to make the end result somehow add up to more than he'd started with. If the US paid its full dues to the UN this year, then the IOA would have some extra money to send back to the Stargate program, and they'd be able to build another three X-302s...
The phone ringing was almost a relief, especially since the caller ID showed the call as having been patched through from a subspace communication. And THAT meant something interesting. Probably. Assuming the voice on the other end was one he wanted to hear.
"General O'Neill! Jack! ...Can I call you Jack? I'd like to think that through the years we've been, if not friends per se, then at least colleagues with a mutual bond of respect and understanding..."
Jack sighed. "What do you want, Rodney?" There were some serious downsides to having Atlantis on Earth.
"It's Rush," McKay began, taking a deep breath. Evidently, he'd planned out this little speech ahead of time. "He's arrogant, he's obnoxious, he's rude, he doesn't care about anyone's projects but his own, he thinks he's smarter than God..."
"Well, gee, Rodney..." Jack interrupted. He didn't get to finish the thought, though, because McKay interrupted him right back.
"No, please DON'T start with the 'Gee, I thought you'd be best friends because you're so similar' jokes -- I've gotten that three times already today alone! You've got to do something about him. I can't work like this!"
Jack sighed again, and headdesked. "Look, Dr. Rush is working on some really important stuff," he pointed out. "This whole 'ninth chevron' business. He needs to search through Atlantis's database for any information. If you want him off the city sooner, the only way that's going to happen is if you help him."
"But--"
"No buts."
"But..."
"What did I just say?"
Now it was Rodney's turn to sigh. "Understood. McKay out."
Before the connection dropped, though, Jack could hear McKay talking to someone else in the distance. "Hey, Radek! General O'Neill's got a job for you..."
[NFI, NFB]