Don't own SGU; don't want to
My Friday evenings are bereft without Dr Rush

Kino Vision Number 8
By EllieV

The kino reviewed its footage, deleting anything without the person it considered the most important on Destiny. No longer on Destiny. It knew that Eli downloaded everything and if it was going to finally have its databank removed, it wanted to Eli to review every bit of footage it had taken of Dr Rush.

The kino slowed as it reached Eli and Lt Scott running down Destiny's corridor calling after Colonel Young.

"Rush lied," Eli sang out.

The kino caught sight of Camille Wray. She looked devastated but it deleted the footage of her sobbing in the shower. She'd clearly been affected by her visit to Earth but the kino didn't really care about Camille Wray. It fast-forwarded.

"Who else knows about this then?" Rush asked.

"Wray overheard, so we can assume everyone knows on the ship," said Young.

As the altercation became more and more ugly, the kino paused on the scientist. Denial and realization, that edgy twitch.

And later, after Franklin sat in the chair, Young bellowing at Rush, "Because you didn't have the guts to do it yourself."

Rush froze and looked down. Personal space, certainly. A horror of confrontation. Not quite, Rush wasn't a coward. Rush did as he had every time Young got in his face: he closed up, folding in on himself protectively. The kino flicked back to the confrontation about the non-existent Icarus planet: denial and realization, that edgy twitch.

And then the next time they went through the gate, Dr Rush didn't come back.

The kino went back further in time.

Rush was working in the control interface room. He flicked through screens and made notes. He looked up to find Lt Scott hovering in the entry.

"Eli's not here," Rush said. He looked back down at the console and continued to work.

"Uh, yeah," Scott said. "I wasn't looking for Eli; Lt Johansen's sent me out on a mission."

"Oh?" Rush said, disinterestedly.

"Morale booster," Scott said.

"Then what are you doing here," Rush said with a slight snap.

"I'm collecting jokes," Scott said.

Rush gave him a blank look.

"What's your favorite joke?" Scott asked.

Rush said nothing but his brow creased in a faintly puzzled frown, as if he didn't know why Scott had come to him. Pushed into coming, knowing Lt Johansen.

"I mean, you do know a …" Scott started to say.

Rush said a little impatiently, "Okay." He held out a hand. "Favorite joke."

"Great," said Scott, pretending enthusiasm.

"Two baby fur seals walk into a club," Rush said, his face completely straight.

He opened his notebook again. Scott stood, waiting.

"Uh, yeah?" Scott asked bewildered.

Rush looked up and blinked at Scott. He didn't say anything else; he went back to work. Scott stood for a moment, puzzled, and then he turned and left, looking back at Rush for a moment. Rush took no notice.

The kino followed Scott. The Lieutenant was obviously turning Rush's joke over in his head. His walk slowed and he leaned up against a bulkhead, folding his arms as he thought about it. He pursed his lips and turned, walking quickly back to the control interface room. Rush looked up again as Scott came in.

"That's sick!" Scott said indignantly.

Rush raised an eyebrow. Scott glared at him and stomped out. Down the hall, he started giggling, holding his sides.

The kino rewound and paused on Rush lowering his head, a smile on his face.

FINIS