Work Text:
Radek scowled at his laptop. No matter how many simulations he ran, he could not find a method to increase the efficiency of the power distribution system by more than 1.34 percent.
It did not help that the letters and numbers on the screen were starting to blur together, or that the English and Ancient words in which the various components of the system were labeled were becoming more and more difficult to understand.
It was a remarkable system. Thousands of years old, yet still functional – and compatible, with the use of a simple adapter to a common Terran computer bus interface and, of course, appropriate software written to consolidate the two systems, to Terran computers. It was remarkable, and yet it perhaps should not have been surprising. The basics of computer systems, after all, were similar, regardless of the differences between specific operating systems.
There were differences between Terran and Ancient technology, of course. The most obvious was the capability of some Ancient technology to be operated with the use of some kind of neural interface Radek did not understand completely.
He understood the basics, of course – certain Ancient devices reacted to the thoughts of people who had the ATA gene. He did not know how the devices received or interpreted those thoughts.
He could not sense Ancient devices, and they could not sense him – but many devices – including the spacecraft called ‘Puddle Jumpers’ – sensed other people and their thoughts. They had to; otherwise they would not respond to and obey unvoiced commands – which they did, with varying levels of accuracy.
Or perhaps the differing results were due to different thought processes and the quality of the interface between the operator and the Ancient tech. That would explain why Carson had no difficulty working with Ancient medical technology yet wasn’t much better than Rodney at flying the Jumpers.
Radek sighed. He should not criticize Carson or Rodney for their lack of skill in piloting Jumpers. He himself had no skill at all doing so.
Neither did Rodney, at first.
Not until he got the gene therapy.
Now, he had no difficulties with the activation of Ancient technology, though his proficiency with the various devices varied.
At the time, Radek wished he had the gene – but he did not wish it so badly that he wanted to get the gene therapy to implant the gene. It was an experimental treatment that was not legal on Earth.
Actually, he did not know that. He did not know laws regarding medical experimentation or genetic manipulation in every country – but it was illegal in Česko, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Elsewhere, he did not know.
It was legal in Atlantis.
That did not mean it was safe.
But without the gene, no Ancient technology that required the use of a neural interface would respond to him. That was a significant limitation.
He needed the gene.
It was not mandatory, but it was ‘strongly encouraged’ for everyone on Atlantis – scientists and military personnel – to obtain the therapy.
Rodney got the therapy. For him, it was successful.
Radek had put off getting the therapy. He had work to fill most of his hours, after all. He did not wish to lose time in the event of a negative reaction to the treatment.
Eventually, he got the therapy.
The injection hurt. His arm was sore for three days.
Other than that, the therapy had no effect.
No direct effect. People stopped asking him when he was going to get the therapy and started looking at him with pity.
That was ridiculous. He was not the only person who did not benefit from the gene therapy. Almost half – approximately 47.45 percent – did not acquire the ability to use the ATA gene. It was not replicated into the correct cells, perhaps, or perhaps it remained dormant.
It was even more ridiculous that he was still here in the lab. Almost everyone else had already gone home. He should go home too and get some sleep, even though he hadn’t yet made any significant progress.
“Ráno moudřejší večera,” Radek said. He sighed. That was what his mother used to say when he stayed up too late, trying to finish an assignment or, sometimes, just reading. She wasn’t wrong – but sometimes the work had to be finished as soon as possible. Sometimes he didn’t have the luxury of waiting until morning, after a night’s sleep.
Today, he did. Increasing the efficiency of the power distribution system was important – but it was something that did not need to be completed at any specific time.
Perhaps if he looked over the data in the morning, he would notice something he hadn’t noticed yet – something he could adjust in the next simulation.
Radek disconnected his laptop from the Ancient computer and headed back to his quarters.
The work would be there, awaiting him, when he returned.