Isis ([info]isiscolo) wrote in [info]sga_remix,
@ 2005-09-14 08:38:00
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Semper Fi by Isis
Title: Semper Fi
Author: Isis
Remix of: Fisticuffs by Zeelee ([info]ficbyzee)
Rating: R for language
Pairing: Sheppard/McKay
Summary: Sorenson's a loyal Marine.
Notes: Thanks to my betas [info]amanuensis1 and [info]z_rayne, and especially to [info]fabularasa who gave me the runs. Um. About 1200 words.


First thing you gotta understand is, there were a lot of pissed-off people in our battalion. Because we all respected Colonel Sumner. He was a Marine, one of us, and we don't dick around when it comes to Semper Fi.

So he goes off to Antarctica. Even those of us who didn't get picked for the mission knew what was going on; I mean, we all work for the SGC, right? Yeah, we knew about Atlantis. A whole different planet in a whole different galaxy. We all wanted to go with him, every single one of us.

But only one company from the battalion got to go, and it wasn't mine. Which meant that I wasn't there, none of my squad was there, and maybe if we had been it would have been different. But instead they got this fucking Air Force major, and you know what we Marines say about the Air Force: "I'd rather have a sister in a whorehouse than a brother in the Air Force," which, okay, it ain't really fair, but you gotta understand, that's just the way we look at it. Because if a guy was really tough, he'd have joined the Marines, right?

Anyway, this Major Sheppard, who we find out later was some grunt-work chopper pilot, basically the bus driver at McMurdo, gets to go to Atlantis, when none of us guys in my company got to go. And then about a month ago we get this message through the gate, all these recorded messages, and we find out what's been going on out there all this time. We find out that Colonel Sumner got himself captured by some of the local bad guys, and that Sheppard goes out, says he's gonna rescue him, right? But he doesn't rescue him. He kills him.

So of course we're all pissed off. Pulaski's got a friend in the Air Force - yeah, I know what I said about the Air Force, but this is Cheyenne Mountain, we have to work with them here, okay? Anyway, Pulaski said his friend said that the whole reason Sheppard got hung out to dry at McMurdo was because he fucked up in Afghanistan. And it sounds to us like Sheppard fucked up again. So when he shows up here acting like he's hot shit, going around with all these scientists, Dr. This and Dr. That, and the word is that they're going to make him Lieutenant Colonel, well, me and Pulaski, we don't like it at all.

It's not just us. Everybody's talking about it; you know how these things go. Rumors spread through the mess hall faster than the runs on chili dog day, all it takes is one word and the story just takes off. And okay, maybe there's a bit of, you know, sour grapes, because they're taking more Marines back to Atlantis with them on the Daedalus, and my squad's still not going. But mostly it's because we just really respected Colonel Sumner, and it's an insult to us and to him that they're gonna give this fuck-up who killed him a promotion to Lieutenant Colonel.

We had just left the mess, me and Pulaski and Blake, and we'd been talking about the whole situation so of course we had it on our minds, when I see one of the scientists that Sheppard's been going around with. It's the guy who's always complaining about the food, who's always bitching at everybody. He's been assigned a temporary office near where I'm stationed, so unfortunately I get to listen to his shit a lot. And the funny thing is he acts like he's a big hero, like it was him who singlehandedly saved them all a bazillion times from dying a fiery death out there in the Pegasus galaxy. No, not singlehandedly - him and Sheppard, like Batman and Robin or something, and it just pisses me off.

Not that I have anything against scientists. Some of them are all right, like Colonel Carter - even if she is in the Air Force. Nah, at least she's military, not like these civilians who throw their weight around and act like we're just part of the scenery, you know? Like this asshole, who is talking with some other scientists about how he did this, and Sheppard did that, and the universe was saved again, or some shit like that, and I just saw red.

So I say something, I don't remember what exactly. Something about all of Sheppard's black marks, and about how surprised I was that he'd saved the universe when he was probably just fucking up again, and I wasn't exactly saying it to him, I was saying it to Pulaski, but loud, so the scientist could hear me, and fuck me if he didn't turn and punch me, a wild, lucky shot, right in the face.

Well, I was gonna lay into him, because he's got decent arms but not like he works out or anything, not like I do, but he makes this squeaking noise like he can't believe what he just did - like his fist just shot out without him knowing it - and he ducks behind the scientists he was talking with like he's gonna hide behind mommy's skirts. So I go after him, but Pulaski and Blake grab me and push me over to the wall, and it turns out to be a good thing because General O'Neill comes around one corner and Major-excuse-me-Lieutenant-Colonel Sheppard comes around the other, and all I could think of was damn, I am so fucked.

But the General just tells me to get my nose looked at, which is incidentally bleeding all over the place, and I am happy to get away from there so I don't have to talk to either Sheppard or his goddamn wolf-dog scientist. I go to the doc, get it checked out, it ain't broken or anything, so they let me go.

Maybe an hour later I'm walking back through the lab area and I see Sheppard coming out of one of the offices. And I'm thinking, oh shit, because yeah, he's Air Force and I'm a Marine, but he's an officer and I'm just an NCO, and if he wants to make life tough for me he can, no problem. But he looks at me, and he kind of - grins. His hair is mussed, and his uniform is rumpled - he's still doing up his jacket - and his lips are sort of swollen. Not like someone's been punching him in the face. Like someone's been kissing him.

And that's when I realize whose office he just came out of.

I ain't gonna ask, and I ain't gonna tell. Because all of a sudden I have a little more sympathy for him - hell, I have a lot of sympathy, if he has to put up with that asshole scientist for a boyfriend. You gotta understand, I'm a Marine. Semper Fi. I'm loyal to my country, I'm loyal to my CO, I'm loyal to my squad. But above all I'm loyal to Pulaski, and he's loyal to me, even if we gotta hide it. The scientist, well, I guess he was just being loyal. I can understand that.

So I grin back.



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[info]ficbyzee
2005-09-14 03:04 pm UTC (link)
AWWWWWW. Oh, this was just *adorable*--I love this guys' voice, I love the military point-of-view, and the reveal at the end, and the Batman and Robin refernce. Thank you so much!

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]isiscolo
2005-09-14 03:45 pm UTC (link)
Oh, MAN what a perfect icon to use for your comment! Hee!

I am glad you liked it. It was fun figuring out how to intersect your story at an oblique angle, so to speak, and I thought the original plot idea was pretty cool!

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]3jane
2005-09-14 03:28 pm UTC (link)
Fantastic voice!

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[info]isiscolo
2005-09-14 03:45 pm UTC (link)
Thank you!

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[info]ladyvyola
2005-09-14 03:40 pm UTC (link)
Semper Fi, indeed!

Loved it.

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[info]isiscolo
2005-09-14 03:46 pm UTC (link)
Thanks!

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[info]bagheera_san
2005-09-14 04:20 pm UTC (link)
The end is just - yeah. Cool. I liked the original and this is just the perfect companion.

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[info]isiscolo
2005-09-14 04:51 pm UTC (link)
Thanks very much. That was my goal - to make a story that complemented rather than retold the original, so I'm glad it worked for you!

And I am a big fan of the twist ending. Just call me O. Henry.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

batman and robin :-)
[info]cathexys
2005-09-14 04:42 pm UTC (link)
oh, i'm still giggling! i hadn't read the original before and loved it and yours was the perfect complement!!! the voice was excellent and "hell, I have a lot of sympathy, if he has to put up with that asshole scientist for a boyfriend" just had me laughing out loud...

very neat remix! thanks!!!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: batman and robin :-)
[info]isiscolo
2005-09-14 04:53 pm UTC (link)
Thanks! You know I adore Rodney, but imagining how he comes off to other people - let's just say it was a whole lot of fun putting myself in Sorenson's shoes.

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[info]logovo
2005-09-14 05:44 pm UTC (link)
Oh that was just so - - *grins so much* --- loved it. Happy, happy.

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[info]isiscolo
2005-09-14 06:42 pm UTC (link)
Yay, mission accomplished. (Mission: to put grins on people's faces!)

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[info]workerb
2005-09-14 06:54 pm UTC (link)
I love how you fleshed out Sorenson's character and made him come alive. Really well done.

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[info]isiscolo
2005-09-14 08:48 pm UTC (link)
Thanks!

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[info]amothea
2005-09-14 07:34 pm UTC (link)
I really liked this. :) thanks for sharing.

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[info]isiscolo
2005-09-14 08:49 pm UTC (link)
Thank you very much!

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[info]serialkarma
2005-09-14 07:47 pm UTC (link)
Awww. *heart*

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[info]isiscolo
2005-09-14 08:49 pm UTC (link)
Glad you enjoyed!

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]z_rayne
2005-09-14 08:32 pm UTC (link)
Again, you know I loved it, but I figure it can't hurt to say it more than once. *g*

Also, you should know that Sorenson's voice helped me get inside Stackhouse's head when I was writing Aperture, so thank you for that!

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[info]isiscolo
2005-09-14 08:52 pm UTC (link)
Aw, hee, I was wondering if I had given you the whole 'totally incidental character' idea. I'm glad it helped.

And, I apologize for entirely ignoring your attempt to de-Briticize me, but you can have my em-dash when you pry it from my cold, dead hands. I have decided to never use two -- where one - will do. Too bad my keyboard doesn't have a single-key en-dash.

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(no subject) - [info]z_rayne, 2005-09-14 09:00 pm UTC

[info]panisdead
2005-09-14 08:54 pm UTC (link)
Oh my gosh, I am so full of glee here!

goddamn wolf-dog scientist.

I love it.

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[info]isiscolo
2005-09-15 03:20 am UTC (link)
Oops, my due South fic-addiction is showing. Heh.

Glad you liked it!

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[info]incredulity
2005-09-14 11:05 pm UTC (link)
This was lovely! I love that twist at the end. Snap!

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[info]isiscolo
2005-09-15 03:21 am UTC (link)
Thanks! I love twist endings, and I love doing a remix that adds a hidden meaning to another story.

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]fairestcat
2005-09-15 12:24 am UTC (link)
I love this, a really clever alternate viewpoint on the story.

I love how much depth you give Sorenson here.

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]isiscolo
2005-09-15 03:22 am UTC (link)
Oh, thank you! It was really fun to do, because I had so much room to invent his motivations and characterization. *snuggles Sorenson*

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]trinityofone
2005-09-15 03:53 am UTC (link)
This is terrific! Great voice; you totally sell the whole story, and the ending is perfect.

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[info]isiscolo
2005-09-15 03:23 pm UTC (link)
Thanks! It was a lot of fun to come up with the character.

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]ilexa
2005-09-15 04:22 am UTC (link)
Aw, that was awesome, Isis!! The guy's voice was great, and I loved his POV. But man, you just killed me with that ending. Hell yeah. Great story.

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]isiscolo
2005-09-15 03:24 pm UTC (link)
Yay, glad you liked it. I am a total fan of the twist ending, especially in remixes where I can subvert the meaning of the original story.

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]korestemenos
2005-09-15 09:28 am UTC (link)
I loved the voice and the end was perfect.

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[info]isiscolo
2005-09-15 03:24 pm UTC (link)
Thank you very much!

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[info]thegrrrl2002
2005-09-15 02:13 pm UTC (link)
Cool! This is just way cool. So cool that I'm talking like I'm in high school again. *g*

I love the character's POV here, and how angry he is about Sumner--and the realization at the end, what a nice surprise! It's really fabulous! A perfect companion to the original fic. Nicely done! And--cool.

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[info]isiscolo
2005-09-15 03:26 pm UTC (link)
Yay, reducing people to high school vocabulary is a *good* thing. :-)

It was really fun to come up with Sorenson's motivation and attitude, and a total hoot to write it. I think in my seekrit life I'm a foul-mouthed Marine. :-)

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[info]saba1789
2005-09-15 02:58 pm UTC (link)
Wow, that was really great - I loved it! Thanks for writing and sharing it :-) .

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[info]isiscolo
2005-09-15 03:27 pm UTC (link)
Glad you liked!

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[info]mmmchelle
2005-09-15 10:12 pm UTC (link)
Oh, this was great. So much fun to see this story from Sorenson's POV.

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]isiscolo
2005-09-16 03:02 am UTC (link)
Thanks. It was a lot of fun to come up with his POV and character.

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[info]guntar
2005-09-16 12:48 am UTC (link)
...

Tell me, what do you want in the shrine that I'm building to you, oh Goddess of creativity and genius? Your brilliance can only be done justice through a life of worship.

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[info]isiscolo
2005-09-16 03:02 am UTC (link)
*hugs*

You make me feel so good!

(And the goddess never says no to chocolate. Just so you know.)

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[info]celli
2005-09-16 05:45 am UTC (link)
ha! That rocks.

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[info]isiscolo
2005-09-16 03:12 pm UTC (link)
Thank you!

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[info]dar_jeeling
2005-09-16 10:46 am UTC (link)
Lovely! The turnaround at the end? You pulled that off so well; it just works. So well it's a bit surprising, actually. *hearts*

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[info]isiscolo
2005-09-16 03:14 pm UTC (link)
Oh, glad it worked for you! I love short stories with surprising endings, and it was fun to have the chance to subvert the original by adding the twist to the remix. Thanks very much.

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[info]kylielee1000
2005-09-16 09:22 pm UTC (link)
Whoa-ho! I love the tone of this, the aspect of the outsider, and the whole "heh, I know what he's been up to" with the extra fillip of, well, *gay.* The idea of sympathy being extended to John on the basis of his asshole scientist boyfriend? Perfect.

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[info]isiscolo
2005-09-16 11:03 pm UTC (link)
Thanks very much. I have a soft spot for stories which are a relationship seen through someone else's eyes, and coming up with Sorenson's characterization and motivation was a great deal of fun. Especially since his view of Our Heroes is considerably different from mine!

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[info]vileseagulls
2005-09-17 03:20 am UTC (link)
AW. *delighted*

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[info]isiscolo
2005-09-17 02:29 pm UTC (link)
Thank you!

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[info]wychwood
2005-09-17 10:23 pm UTC (link)
This was great! I liked the original story, but you took the random bit-character guy, and made him into a real person, someone with a *reason* to bad-mouth Sheppard like that. I really like that you set it up like that, and Rodney's ego being partly responsible for the annoyance, and everything. Because it's easy to forget how annoying he is, when you know about the good stuff he's doing at the same time - but to outsiders, all they see is the annoying. Really cool, anyway.

And the ending? What a kicker :) I never saw that coming!

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[info]isiscolo
2005-09-19 07:29 pm UTC (link)
Thanks so much! Yeah, it was a lot of fun to develop the totally tangential character and come up with his story. Especially since you're absolutely right, we love Rodney because we know him, but to someone who doesn't? What a jerk!

And I have a not-so-seekrit love for twist endings.

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