The Weapons Test

[donutsweeper]

Title: The Weapons Test
Pairing/Rating/Warning: none, rated G
Word Count: 100
Summary: Jack surprises Elizabeth Weir
Author's Note: Written superfast for the "Time Stamp Meme" as requested by _medley_ who wanted more of Jack in Atlantis.  Un-beta'ed.

“Captain?”  Elizabeth called out from doorway of the balcony.  “May I speak to you for a moment?”

“Be my guest.”  Jack motioned her for her to join him.  

“I just got Colonel Sheppard’s report on your weapons proficiency testing.”

He looked at her, slightly confused.  “My scores were unsatisfactory?”

“No... They were perfect.   Literally perfect.  No one’s ever managed that before, not even Colonel Sheppard.”

He shrugged.  “In a lot of ways weapons are like women, treat them right and they’ll perform however you want.”

She blinked in response.  “You are a very interesting man Captain Harkness.  Unusual.  But interesting.”

Comments

[eumenidis.livejournal.com]

It took me a few minutes, but I finally recalled what this reminds me of: Roxanne Longstreet Conrad's description of Jayne Cobb--"Has an up-close-and-personal relationship with his gun in a way that the previous occupant of the weapons officer chair can't even imagine. Or would want to."

I *hope* Jack's not naming & talking to his weapons too. Jayne is...well, Jayne, but if Jack did it, it'd just be...strange.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

I never thought of compairing Jack to Jayne, but I see what you're saying. I was trying to put to words the way Jack touched the guns when he was teaching Gwen how to shoot.

[eumenidis.livejournal.com]

Not just the guns. Jack is--I can only say "tender"--with just about everybody. & underneath the flirting & banter he has the protective instincts of a border collie. I wonder if immortality, remaining young & strong & rising unscathed from injury & death while friends & lovers age & die or are killed has made him particularly sensitive to the fragile & ephemeral nature of life.

[donutsweeper.livejournal.com]

That's an idea I've tried to write about a lot. Have you read How Death Comes (http://donutsweeper.livejournal.com/18757.html)?

[eumenidis.livejournal.com]

I think every writer (poet, dramatist, etc.) worth a lick tackles that theme sooner or later. I think I read somewhere--probably several somewheres--that mortality & humans' response to the awareness of mortality is one of the factors central to our sense of ourselves.

Ummm, yes, I have read "How Death Comes". Sorry, it just doesn't satisfy me. But please don't stop trying--it's a huge & difficult subject.