Shades of Grey

by SGAFan

Holding a member of Kolya's strike force prisoner was always going to be... complicated. When John Sheppard tries to win Sora's trust in order to gain valuable intelligence that will help in the search for a ZPM, he has to decide whether he can return tha

1. Chapter 1

Tout comprendre, c'est tout pardoner

(To understand all is to forgive all)

Princess Mary – War and Peace Book I; Chapter XXVIII

Prologue:

John watched as the last group of expedition members and Athosians, returning from Manaria, appeared through the Stargate. He glanced at Elizabeth, noting her nod at the hesitation she saw in his eyes.

"You still don't agree," she stated plainly.

John sighed. "Not really, no. Secure quarters were fine for overnight, but indefinitely?" He shook his head. "Sora's fully capable of taking care of herself, Elizabeth, and she's dangerous." He followed behind as Elizabeth headed towards her office.

Elizabeth sighed. "It's not like we have that many alternatives, Major. It's either secure quarters or the brig."

John arched his brows but said nothing… and his silence drew an immediate response. Elizabeth turned to him, her face a mask of determination.

"The brig is bare with no privacy. The Geneva Convention may not directly apply to the Pegasus Galaxy, but ethically I can't… I won't do that to her."

John stared back for a moment before he sighed and nodded. "I know and I agree I just…," he sighed. "I don't like it. I don't trust her to behave."

Elizabeth's slight smile was grim. "Neither do I. But until she does something to warrant further distrust, this is how it has to be."

John nodded silently as he followed her into the office. Sitting down in the chair opposite her desk, he rested his elbows on the armrests, his fingers idly tapping on his thighs. His expression was dubious as he watched her take a seat behind her desk. "You don't really think trading her back to the Genii is going to do any good?"

Elizabeth sighed. "I don't know, John. For now, we'll wait and see. She might be useful down the road."

John mulled over her words for a moment. "Yeah. Maybe."

---

The light from John Sheppard's P-90 caught on something small and shiny as he entered the large storage room. He stopped, motioning at the team behind him. "Spread out. Check for structural damage." He walked forward, squinting as the reflection slowly became distinguishable as the blade of a curved knife stuck tip first into the floor. He looked over his shoulder. "Teyla?" He pointed at the blade as she walked around a large crate and joined him. "Know anything about this?"

Teyla stared at the knife for a moment before sighing quietly. "Yes. It is Sora's."

John knelt and pulled it from the floor. He held it up, inspecting it closely as the dim light from the room caught its surface. "Quite a piece of work," he commented, approval coloring his voice.

"Yes," Teyla agreed. "It was Sora's father's, and her grandfather's before that."

John nodded absently as he turned the knife over in his hand. The balance was perfect and the grip solid. Beyond the use of a knife in hand-to-hand combat, he didn't know anything about them, but something told him this knife was special; painstakingly hand crafted to perfection. He slowly stood. "Think this is too nice to leave stuck in the floor."

"Will you carry it, Major?" Teyla asked quietly.

He shook his head. "No. We'll put it in the armory for now." He smiled slightly as Teyla's neutral expression turned approving. Without another word, she turned and walked away.

John held the knife loosely at his side as Stackhouse walked up to him. "Sergeant?"

"All clear, sir," Stackhouse rested his hand on the top of his P-90 hanging from his vest. "No sign of structural damage."

John looked around. "Good. Take the team on to the next room. I'll catch up with you."

"Yes, sir." Stackhouse turned and motioned to his team, including Teyla, and they filed out the door.

John took one last look around before lifting the knife and staring at it. A slight smile turned up one side of his mouth. After a moment, he headed for the armory.

---

The room was comfortable… at least it was intended to be. But, alone, isolated from her people, she was edgy. She felt more like a caged animal than a guest, and the spacious quarters did nothing to change that.

Sora stood in the center of the room and looked around. Aside from a bed, a chair and a small desk with a lamp, it was empty. Frustrated, she paced, much the same way as she had countless times in the last two days.

As the only member of her strike team to be left behind on Atlantis, she had expected worse treatment than this.

Her pacing led her to the small window that provided her with a view of one of the city's piers, and the vast ocean beyond it. She sighed.

In fact, she had expected a lot more. But they had not thrown her into a prison cell, had not grilled her for information, or tortured her to get it… had not outright executed her. Their behavior towards her, while cautious, had been civil.

She swallowed, hanging onto her training and her control. Perhaps this was a way to lull her into lowering her guard? Her ingrained instincts shouted 'ruse' to her, and she listened. She was a warrior of the Genii, a skilled fighter… and trained in what to do if she was caught. Commander Kolya had taught her well.

Her thoughts lingered on her commander. He was tough, even for a Genii warrior, but he knew how to get every speck of ability out of any person he commanded. As the only woman in his strike team, Sora felt pride at having proven her worth. He had treated her like every man on his team, save once, when he had pulled her aside….

"Commander?" Sora watched as the other trainees left, leaving only her and Commander Kolya in the gym.

Kolya twirled his staff expertly as his cunning eyes passed over her. He said nothing, but his stance and handling of the staff said everything.

Sora grabbed her staff from where it leaned on the wall and slowly circled opposite him.

"You are the only woman in my ranks, Sora." Kolya's voice was low and dangerous.

She did not know where he was going with his statement, but her response was reflexive. "Yes, Commander."

"How do you feel about that?" He continued circling her.

"Honored, Commander." Sora twirled her staff and waited for the attack she knew was coming. A flurry of blows came at her. She repelled each easily, before again squaring off with her leader.

"Many missions you may go on will be dangerous, Sora. Capture by the enemy is always a real possibility." Kolya twirled his staff, passing it expertly behind his back, before bringing it in front of him again and resuming his pacing.

"You have instructed all of us well on that possibility, Commander," Sora's voice was confident. She mimicked his actions. "If the time comes, I will resist."

Kolya's brows quirked an instant before he lashed out at her, his attack furious. Moving quickly, Sora struggled to stay ahead of him, but she was outmatched by his skill and experience. Thrown backwards, Sora's breath rushed from her lungs as she impacted the wall.

She pulled in strangled breaths around the staff pressed against her throat. She stared back at the cold, stern, dark eyes of her commander.

"You are a woman, Sora. For you, it will be different."

Sora gasped, her body tensing, as she felt his rough grasp on her breast. She looked back into his eyes, unable to keep the touch of fear from hers. She winced as he groped her again before he backed away.

Lowering his staff, he stared dispassionately back at her. "Do not fear me for that, Sora. I was only making a point." Crossing the gym, he placed his staff with the rest of the training weapons. He walked to the door and paused, before looking once more at her. "If you can't fearlessly bear that touch from me, then you will not stand against the kind of torture from the enemy that would surely follow it." He exited, leaving her alone….

Sora pulled in a deep breath, strengthening herself as she had countless times since then. She had learned much that day. When next Kolya tested her, the fear she felt as a woman was buried deep inside her. She had fought back, and that seemed to have satisfied Kolya, for he never brought it up again. What he had done was for her good. He had guided her in the ways of a warrior, even more so than her father…

Her thoughts turned to her father and, reflexively, towards her captors: the ones responsible for his death in the first place. Teyla had told her there had been no way to save Tyrus, but Sora could not believe her… could not trust her. They had all survived, all the Lanteans, yet her father had not. Sora's fists clenched unconsciously in anger. Her father had died, and those responsible now held her prisoner. They would want information. What would they do to get what they wanted from her?

She felt threatened, and the warrior within her took control. Her gaze narrowed dangerously as she turned and stared at the door. Sucking in a deep breath, she quickly crossed the room and banged loudly on it. "I wish to speak with Dr. Weir!" Silence met her until she pounded again. "I want to talk to Dr. Weir! Now!" Stepping back, she bounced on the balls of her feet, her body tense. The door opened.

"What…?"

The first soldier never finished his sentence as Sora launched herself at him. Her attack caught him completely off guard, allowing her to seize his right hand, pull it away from his weapon and twist. She felt satisfaction as he cried out his pain in the instant before her elbow to his face silenced him.

"Security breach! We have a security breach!" the other guard yelled into his radio as he pulled his side arm.

Sora grabbed the knife from the first soldier's belt sheath as she let him fall to the ground. She spun, flipped the knife in her hand, and threw it, catching the second guard in the shoulder.

He staggered, screaming in agony.

She wasted no time. Racing to him, she delivered two hard blows to his midsection, before backhanding him into unconsciousness. Grabbing the first guard's sub-machine gun, she rifled through his vest and found what she assumed was extra ammo for it. She tucked the second guard's sidearm into her belt and looked around. Eventually she needed to find a way through the gate, but right now she needed time to collect her thoughts and come up with a plan. Breaking into a fast run, she left the control tower behind her as her long strides carried her down the dark corridor.

---

Damn it! I hate being right! John dashed down the long corridor towards Sora's quarters. He'd been browsing security reports when the SO's call had come in. It had been cryptic, but John knew his people and had recognized the voice of Tyler, one of the guards assigned to the security detail on Sora's quarters. His suspicion had been confirmed when he'd tried to contact Tyler and been met with silence.

Approaching the final corner before Sora's quarters. John slowed his pace. Pulling his sidearm, he glanced back at the two soldiers following behind him and nodded slightly. Taking a deep breath, he stepped around the corner.

"Damn it," This time John whispered the curse aloud as he stared at the unmoving bodies of the two guards assigned to Sora, sprawled on the floor in front of the open door to her quarters. Lifting his gun, he slowly approached them. Deep inside, he was almost certain she was long gone but, judging by the condition of the two guards, he had no doubt she was perfectly able to defend herself, and the last thing he wanted was to be ambushed. His back to the wall, he paused a moment before stepping into the open doorway, his gun ready. He looked around before nodding to himself. He glanced back at the two guards. "Search the room. I doubt she's there, but make sure."

"Yes, sir." Both soldiers cautiously entered the room.

Holstering his gun, John knelt next to the first guard. He pressed his fingers into the unconscious man's throat. "Collins?" His gaze settled on Collins' twisted and rapidly swelling right hand, while he reached up and tapped his headset. "This is Sheppard. I need a medical team. Level 5, section A-9." Satisfied Collins was stable for the moment, John stood and turned his attention to Tyler.

"We're on our way, Major," Carson's voice was quiet and even. "Care to tell me what's happened?"

John knelt next to Tyler, who began to stir back to consciousness. "Sora escaped. I've got two men down outside her quarters. Now move it, Doc!"

"Aye," Carson's tone was calming as he took John's snappy reply in stride. "We'll be right there."

"Tyler?" John's eyes surveyed the damage as the downed soldier's eyes slowly opened. He shrugged out of his coat and pressed it into Tyler's bleeding shoulder wound, careful not to disturb the knife. He winced as Tyler bit back a pained groan. "Hang in there, Tyler. Doc's comin'."

"Yes, sir," Tyler gasped. "Sorry, sir. She was so fast…."

John stifled his irritation and just nodded. "It's okay. We'll get her." He looked up as the two soldiers he'd brought with him came back out into the hallway.

The first one confirmed John's suspicions. "It's clear, sir."

Unsurprised, John waved with his free hand at the soldier who had just spoken. "Jackson, you stay with Tyler and Collins until Beckett gets here, then escort them to the infirmary." He let Tyler hold the jacket to his shoulder himself with his free hand and stood as Jackson knelt next to the still unconscious Collins.

"Simms," John gestured at the second soldier. "You're with me." He pointed at the stunner Tyler had been carrying. "Take that. I'd rather stun her than shoot her, but if it comes to that, don't hesitate to defend yourself. Got it?"

"Yes, sir," Corporal Simms nodded once. He grabbed the Wraith stunner before following behind John.

Drawing his nine-mil again, John slowly walked down the corridor. He reached up and activated his headset. "Control this is Sheppard. Any idea where she is?"

"Not that we can tell from here, Major," Elizabeth answered. "There aren't any life signs outside of the general population."

John sighed in irritation. "If she's still within the general population, then tell me how she hasn't been spotted yet?"

"There are several rooms with only one or two people in them," Zelenka replied. "She could be any of those life signs."

Frustrated, John shook his head as he trained his gun around a corner, before cautiously proceeding. "All right. Let's order people to stay where they are, and do a room-to-room sweep."

"Sounds like a plan, Major," Elizabeth agreed.

John nodded to himself. "Ford? Are you reading all of this?"

"Yes, sir." Ford's response was immediate.

"Good." John looked around and continued walking. "Ford. You, Teyla and Bates organize teams and do a room-to-room search of all the rooms with life signs in them. Take stunners. I want her stunned and captured if at all possible. But she's got a 9mil and a P-90, so be careful."

"Sir," Sergeant Bates broke into the conversation, "she's armed and definitely dangerous. We need to take her out."

John stopped in his tracks. "Bates, I don't want her shot unless there's no other choice." He could almost hear Bates disapproval. "Am I making myself absolutely clear, Sergeant?"

"Yes, sir." Bates' voice was terse.

John nodded to himself. Bates' tone was decidedly annoyed, and John knew the Sergeant didn't agree with his orders, but he also knew he would follow them. John continued down the corridor away from the central tower.

"We'll start the sweep right away." Ford affirmed.

"Copy that," John answered. "Sheppard out."

"Sir," Simms whispered, "with all due respect, this is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Where are we going anyway?"

John smiled and cocked an eyebrow at Simms. "We're headed back to the central tower. We're just going the long way."

"Sir?" Simms's tone was confused.

At an intersection of hallways, John turned down the left one. "Ford, Bates and their teams will be doing a room-by-room search from the west. We're going to approach the central tower from the east." John stopped and faced the corporal. "Ever go pheasant hunting?"

"No sir. I grew up on the south side of Chicago." Simm's tone was wry.

John chuckled. "When you hunt pheasant, your dog not only retrieves the birds you shoot, but also moves through the grass and flushes them out so you can get a clean shot."

Simms's face lit up as he apparently jumped to the conclusion John was driving at. "You think Bates' teams will flush her out and she'll run right into us?"

John smiled. "That's the plan. Just like pheasant hunting." He turned and started down the corridor again.

"Just don't let Bates hear you compare him to a dog," Simms muttered. "Sir."

John shook his head and chuckled quietly. His light mood faded as their path took them closer to the control tower. He stopped in his tracks as Elizabeth's voice came over the radio.

"Major, we have an unidentified life sign moving your direction."

"Copy that." John glanced at Simms and gestured across the hall, while he backed behind a column. He held his gun close to his side and waited.

Before long, a figure appeared around the corner. John stepped out from behind cover and trained his gun on it. "Hold it!"

Startled, Rodney McKay dropped his data pad and jumped back against the wall. "Ahh!"

John cocked his head and lowered his gun. "McKay? What the hell are you doing out here?"

"Going to my lab! What the hell are you doing waving a gun in my face?" Rodney retorted.

John quirked his brow. "Who's waving it?"

"Funny." Rodney snapped. He bent down and grabbed his data pad. He stared at the cracked and dark display for a moment before sighing loudly. "That's just great! Do you realize how long I've been working on that power consumption equation?"

"Rodney," John cut him off mid-rant. "We're under lock down. That includes you."

Rodney blinked, his expression turning confused. "Lock down? What happened?"

John rolled his eyes. "Sora escaped. We're trying to track her down now. Elizabeth announced it over the internal com system. Weren't you paying attention?"

Rodney's expression turned sheepish. "Well, no. I was listening to opera…." He glared at John's distasteful expression. "Oh, just… stop! It helps me think! I must not have heard…."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." John waved his hand impatiently. He looked around and spotted a nearby door. "Just… go there and wait until we find her."

"There?" Rodney protested. "That's the botany lab. What am I going to do in the botany lab?"

John pushed him insistently towards the door. "I don't care." He gestured at the fractured equipment in Rodney's hands. "Fix your data pad."

"Oh you're hysterical," Rodney snapped. "Major…."

"McKay!" John cut Rodney off, his tone one that brooked no argument.

Rodney waved his hand over the door crystal and entered the room. He turned back towards John. "This is…." Rodney's eyes widened. "What the…?"

John spun, catching a glimpse of a running figure disappearing down a nearby hallway. "Damn it! There she goes!" He sprinted after her, Simms right on his heels. John activated his radio. "This is Sheppard. She just passed our position and is running east. Can you get a lock on her?"

"Stand by, Major," Elizabeth's voice was distracted.

"We flushed her out all right," Simms observed. "But we missed the shot."

"I always sucked at pheasant hunting," John groused. "At least now we can get a lock on her life sign." Right on cue, Zelenka's voice came over the radio.

"Major, we have her. She turned north at next intersection."

"Copy that." Confident and never breaking stride, John rounded the corner without slowing.

"Major! She's halted!"

Zelenka's warning stopped John and Simms in their tracks.

John silently gestured Simms towards the other side of the hallway, while he slowly walked forward. He turned the corner and his eyes widened as he saw Sora standing in a transporter, furiously tapping the screen, trying to find an active location. Her back stiffened as she caught sight of him.

"Sora!" John lifted his gun, and was rewarded by several shots hitting the ground in front of him. He ducked back behind the corner. "Crap!" He looked over at Simms, who was dodging bullets now aimed his direction. After a moment, the shooting stopped. John nodded curtly at Simms and they both stepped out from behind cover.

John directed his aim at Sora's leg, determined to only wound her if he was forced to shoot, while, Simms wasted no time in firing a stun shot… only to have it impact the closing doors of the transporter as Sora found a live transport link.

John raced to the transporter. He slammed his fist against the wall as the doors opened onto an empty compartment "Damn it!" He smacked his headset again. "Zelenka? Where the hell is she?"

"She just showed up on the West Pier, Major."

John stepped into the transporter, Simms only a half step behind him. "Copy that. "We're on our way. Have Ford and his team get to the nearest transporters and join us there."

"Right away, Major," Zelenka answered.

John sighed and tapped the location of the West Pier on the map.

The faint tingling sensation faded, and John lifted his gun as the transporter doors opened. The corridor was deserted. "Where now?" he asked over his radio.

"Turn south, Major," Zelenka answered. "She isn't far off and, for the moment, not moving."

"Copy that." John slowly walked down the corridor, his pace careful and measured. As he turned a gentle corner to the right, he caught sight of Sora, leaning heavily against a nearby wall, and stopped dead. He targeted her right shoulder and glanced at Simms, who took aim with his stunner. John looked back at Sora, meeting her gaze as she glared at him. His eyes narrowed. She seemed lethargic and struggling to stay on her feet. She must've taken a piece of the stun blast as the transporter doors closed.

He drew in a deep breath. "Sora? Easy now. Just drop the gun. We're not going to hurt you."

A light, cynical chuckle escaped her mouth. "Why should I believe you?"

John quirked an eyebrow. "Because you're standing there feeling the effects of a stun blast, not a bullet wound." Slowly, he lowered his gun, confident that Simms had him covered. He raised a placating hand and took another step closer. "More men are coming, Sora. You can't get away."

Sora weakly lifted her gun, and that was apparently all the incentive Simms needed. She slumped back against the wall as the corporal's stun blast hit her square in the chest.

John again lifted his gun and cautiously approached her. He kicked both the nine mil and P-90 out of her reach, before kneeling and checking her pulse. Holstering his gun, he took the binding strap Simms offered him and quickly secured her hands. He looked up at Simms. "Let's get her to Beckett. Then she goes to the brig."

---

John casually rested his hand on his sidearm as Elizabeth walked up next to him. He glanced at her briefly, before fixing his gaze on a still unconscious Sora. Carson was hunched over her, his stethoscope pressed into her chest, but his expression seemed unconcerned. Not far away, Bates and Ford stood ready, stunners aimed at the bed.

"How is she?" Elizabeth asked quietly.

John shrugged. "Stunned. Beckett doesn't seem worried though." Again he glanced at her, catching her slight nod.

"She sure led us on quite a chase." Elizabeth stated matter-of-factly.

John couldn't keep the touch of respect from his expression. "Yes, she did. Kolya may be a dangerous SOB, but he sure knows how to train his people. She's good… very good." He watched Carson slide his stethoscope into his coat pocket and turn his attention to one of the monitors next to Sora's bed, as the silence between John and Elizabeth lingered. She finally broke it.

"I suppose you want her in the brig now?"

John looked closely at her. "And you don't?"

Elizabeth sighed. "No, I don't…."

"Elizabeth…." John's voice trailed off at her raised hand.

"But, I don't see where we have a choice any more," Elizabeth admitted quietly.

Slightly surprised, John nodded.

Elizabeth shrugged. "She's dangerous. She could've killed both you and Simms, not to mention Collins and Tyler."

John pursed his lips, his eyes narrowing as he stared at her. "But, she didn't." His pensive expression must not have gone unnoticed by Elizabeth.

"John?"

"I'm just thinkin' about something Cowen said." He cracked a half smile at her questioning look. "Before we went on that recon mission. Cowen pointed out that Sora was a skilled fighter and expert marksman."

"And? John? What are you driving at?" Elizabeth questioned.

John grimaced lightly and shrugged. "If she'd wanted to kill Tyler, the knife wouldn't have hit him in the shoulder… and if she'd wanted to shoot Simms and me, I wouldn't be standing here talking to you." He sighed. "Granted, Collins' hand is pretty badly broken, and Beckett isn't sure if he'll regain full use of it again, but, even unarmed, I don't doubt Sora could've killed him, if she'd wanted to."

He crossed his arms and leaned back against a column, but his gaze was fixed on Sora, and his expression was thoughtful. "She argued with Kolya. The whole time the Genii held Atlantis, she argued with him." John sensed Elizabeth's confusion and he wasn't surprised. He wasn't even sure what he was trying to say. He wryly glanced sideways at Elizabeth. "Sometimes reasonably, I might add." His gaze narrowed as it once again fixed on Sora. "She's different." There was silence between him and Elizabeth for a long minute, and John knew she was mulling over his words.

"Are you changing your mind about putting her in the brig?" Elizabeth's voice was neutral.

"Hell no," John immediately responded. "She's dangerous. I'm not going to have her maiming every man under my command. She goes to the brig."

"I want some amenities, John." Elizabeth straightened slightly, her bearing showing no room for argument. "No bare cell. A bunk and a chair at least."

John stared at her a moment, before nodding slightly. "I think we can do that."

"Your guards need to stand post outside the brig too," Elizabeth added.

The thought of anything less than constant surveillance on Sora made John uneasy. Look what happened last time we left her alone…. "Elizabeth…," John faced her.

"No, John. I mean it." She met his gaze, her expression determined. "Use the force field, but give her some privacy."

John stared into her undaunted eyes for a moment. Briefly, he wondered how long she would be able to hang onto her core diplomatic beliefs given what they'd faced in Pegasus so far. He nodded slightly. "All right."

"I know she'll need an armed escort, but routine trips to the facilities too, John."

Annoyance briefly flickered inside John. His expression hardened slightly. "I know, Elizabeth. My guys may not be diplomats, but we know how to take care of a prisoner."

Elizabeth had the good grace to blush slightly. She nodded slightly and looked away. "I'm sorry."

John felt his irritation dissolve at her embarrassment. "It's okay." His attention turned away from Elizabeth as Carson approached both of them. "How is she, Doc?"

Carson smiled, his gaze passing between John and Elizabeth. "Unconscious, but fine. She seems normal for someone who's been stunned. I expect she'll wake up before long."

John glanced at Elizabeth, noting her small, tense smile.

"Thank you, Carson," she said quietly.

"Aye." Carson glanced over at Bates and Ford before looking at John. "She's unconscious, Major, and even when she wakes, she's going to be groggy. Are they really necessary?"

John arched a brow at Carson. "It's either them, or put her in restraints. Sorry, Doc. I'm not chasing her all over half the city again, and I'm not gonna have her hurt anyone else."

Carson sighed deeply. "All right."

"Speaking of which," John continued, his tone softer, "how are Collins and Tyler?"

Carson looked across the room at the two soldiers. "'Tis going to be a long time before Collins will be able to use his hand again. I can't rule out permanent damage, either. To coin a phrase, she turned his hand into a maraca."

John's lips tightened in anger, but he quelled it.

"What about Tyler?" Elizabeth beat John to his next question.

"Dr. Parsons was able to remove the knife without too much more trauma. It doesn't look like any major structures were damaged. He should heal just fine with a little time."

John nodded. "Good to hear." His attention was diverted by Bates' slight wave.

"Major? She's coming around." Bates, tensing, had aimed his stunner at Sora, who was stirring slightly.

John was right behind Carson as they approached Sora's bed. He gently touched Elizabeth's forearm as she came up next to him. He made brief eye contact with her. "Not too close."

Elizabeth nodded silently and took a step back.

Sora moved again. Her eyelids fluttered, before slowly parting.

John's half smile was cynical as Sora's eyes immediately found his. He raised his hand as she stiffened. "Easy. Don't do anything… rash." His gaze flicked to Bates and Ford and he watched intently, his hand unconsciously tightening on his side arm, as Sora took in the two guards… and the stunners they aimed at her. She again met John's gaze, and he nodded slightly as she relaxed. "That's better."

"How do ye feel, lass?" Carson asked gently.

Sora ignored him, never breaking eye contact with John. "What are you going to do with me now?"

John stared evenly at her cold, defensive tone. "What do you think we're going to do?"

Her gaze turned coldly sarcastic. "I know what the Genii would do if our positions were reversed."

John's expression turned slightly cynical. "Well, we're not Genii."

"That is obvious."

Sora's voice held a note of insult, but John let it go. He squinted slightly as he thought for a moment. She was definitely hostile towards them, probably to mask her fear. But through that, Sora had always plainly stated her opinion. They knew where they stood with her; she took no pains to hide it. He decided to return the favor. Maybe it was an attitude she could relate to. "You know I can't put you back in quarters, Sora. I can't trust you not to do this again." He held her gaze, his intense stare unwavering as she glared back at him.

She shifted in her bed, drawing an immediate response from Bates, who raised his stunner slightly. She glared at him for a moment, before looking back to John. "I am a warrior of the Genii. It is my duty to escape. Were you in my place, would you not do the same?"

After a moment's hesitation, a corner of John's mouth turned up slightly. "I suppose I would."

"And you knew this, but still I was able to escape? That is reckless," she snapped.

Annoyance flickered in John. He knew damn well he was being pushed by someone who didn't want to play by the 'rules'. It took one to know one: he'd never been an orthodox officer, having stepped over the line with his commanders more than once. Sora was testing her boundaries, and it was time he showed her where those boundaries lay. He pulled in a deep breath, only to be beaten to a response by Elizabeth.

"That was my call," she said quietly.

"A civilian? Typical." Sora's expression was as full of contempt as her voice.

Anger infused John. He'd let her first insult go, but not this one. "That's enough." His voice was quiet, but held the distinctive tone of command. He returned her measured look with a strong one. "Don't push me, Sora." For a moment, he felt locked in a battle of wills. He refused to back down, but so did she.

Finally, she looked away. She took a deep breath and looked back at him. "What are you going to do with me, Major?"

Her voice was neutral, but John was sure he saw grudging respect in her expression. For the first time, she'd called him by his rank. Well, that's a start…. "You haven't given me many choices, Sora. As soon as Doctor Beckett says your fine, you're going to the brig." He reached up and tapped his headset. "Stackhouse, this is Sheppard. Prep the brig for a prisoner. I want a bunk and one chair." John looked at Carson. "Doc? When can she be released?"

Carson glanced warily at Sora, before sighing and turning his gaze to John. "She's fine now. Probably has a headache, but that'll pass." He again looked at Sora. "Does you head hurt, lass?"

Sora waved a hand dismissively, once again glaring at Bates, who tensed at her movement. "It doesn't matter."

"Doc can give you something to ease the pain, Sora," John offered.His hand shot to his sidearm and he stepped in front of Elizabeth as Sora bolted straight up in bed.

"I'll take no drugs from you!" she exclaimed hotly, her manner instantly turning hostile.

John's grip on his gun loosened as she sat stiff but motionless. He waved off Bates and Ford, who both seemed on the verge of stunning her.

"Drug you?" Elizabeth stepped out from behind John, and shook her head. "We're not going to drug you or do anything to you, Sora, believe me."

"Then why are you keeping me here?" Sora's gaze was distrustful.

Elizabeth pursed her lips and looked away, unable to answer.

"Let me talk to her," John muttered as he shifted his attention to Elizabeth. His gaze turned slightly imploring at the hesitation he saw in her eyes.

Slowly, she nodded. She grabbed Carson's sleeve and they both walked away.

John nodded at Bates and Ford. "You too."

Both men started. "Sir…," Ford began uncertainly.

"Now." John cut them off. "I'm not telling you to leave the infirmary, just… back off." Ford nodded and backed away but Bates held his ground for a moment. John's gaze narrowed, as Bates looked on the verge of further objection.

It seemed he thought better of it. "Yes, sir," He muttered. He followed Ford, his movements still reluctant. A good fiftteen feet from Sora, but still with a clear line of fire, they stopped.

"He challenges your authority, Major." Sora observed. Her gaze lingered on Bates for a moment before she gave John a long, measured look.

Under her stare, John felt scrutinized, as if who he was and his command abilities were being questioned. He pushed the feelings away, irritated at himself for being irritated in the first place. "Occasionally, yes. But he's a good officer, and a damn good soldier."

Sora looked across the infirmary at Bates. "Good officers do not question their commanders. His behavior would not be tolerated by the Genii…," she turned back towards John, "Major."

John's expression was slightly bemused. "Guess that's another way we differ from each other. I like my people to have minds of their own. They can think for themselves, not blindly follow orders. Makes for better officers."

Sora lifted her chin proudly. "Command must be honored. It is earned by those who have it, and does not need to be defended to those that don't."

John smiled slightly. "He followed my orders, didn't he?" He let her sit in silence for a moment before changing the subject. "Sora, I'm going to be honest with you." He sighed. "We don't know what we're going to do with you yet. But there is one thing you need to understand." He removed his hand from his sidearm and stepped closer to her bed. He looked as deeply into her eyes as he could, and poured as much reassurance in to his expression as possible. "We're not going to hurt you, torture you or mistreat you in any way. That just isn't how we do things." Despite his best efforts, Sora still looked at him with suspicion.

"Then why to you keep me here?" she asked coldly.

John's gave a slight chuckle that had a cynical edge to it. "Honestly? I have no idea… yet." He looked across at Bates and Ford, and made a slight gesture for them to return to Sora's bed. "I'm taking you to the brig, Sora, but only because you've given me no choice."

Some of the suspicion fled from her eyes as she nodded silently.

John pulled a binding strap from his pocket. "Hold out your hands." He noticed a slight tension return to her body as she glanced over his shoulder at Bates and Ford. He shook his head. "Don't do it. You won't make it two steps."

She slowly looked back at John, her gaze keen. Without ever breaking eye contact with him, she folded her hands together and lifted her arms towards him.

John held her gaze a moment longer before he turned his attention to quickly wrapping the restraints around her wrists. Holding onto her elbow, he helped her stand. His grip on her upper arm was firm, but not painful as he escorted her from the infirmary, Bates and Ford not far behind.

---

"Knock knock."

Elizabeth looked up, smiling at John as he stood in her doorway. "Come in." She watched while he strolled into her office, his pace measured and slightly tense. He stopped in front of her desk and absently fingered the Athosian vase that sat there. "How's our guest?" She offered small talk, feeling there was more on his mind than a routine discussion.

"Secure in the brig." John picked up the lid of the vase and scrutinized it closely, his gaze never meeting hers.

Elizabeth stared at him for a moment before putting down her data-pad stylus and leaning back in her chair. She examined his expression. Even though he wasn't looking at her, she could sense the hesitation in him. "What's on your mind, Major?"

John's grunt was barely audible before his lips twitched as a moment of slight humor passed over him. "What makes you think something's bugging me?"

Elizabeth arched a brow. "Experience. I'm a trained diplomat, remember?"

John sighed and replaced the lid on the vase. He backed up and sat in the chair opposite her.

Elizabeth noted his slight fidgeting, but said nothing; waiting for him to speak first. She didn't have to wait long.

"Elizabeth…" John's voice trailed off. He shook his head.

"John?" Elizabeth prompted him.

"Sora doesn't respect you," John blurted out. He drummed his fingers on his thighs.

"I know." Elizabeth answered softly. She had a good feeling she knew the direction this conversation was going. She sat motionless as John gave her a slightly surprised look and finally made eye contact with her.

"You do?"

Elizabeth smiled. "Yes. She was raised a soldier in a militaristic society that has little regard for civilians or for science that doesn't directly further their military objectives. I'd imagine, as a diplomat, I'm not a figure of respect." Her gaze narrowed. "Why are you bringing this up, Major?"

John stood and slowly paced in front of her desk. "She didn't respect me until I laid down the law with her. I had to set her boundaries and push back when she pushed me, in order for her to see I was worth her respect. Still," John stopped and gazed at the Stargate, "I don't think she would've given it to me if I wasn't the ranking officer here." He looked back at Elizabeth, his expression thoughtful.

Elizabeth gently rocked in her chair as she considered his words. She folded her hands in her lap. "Just what are you saying, John?"

John ran a hand through his hair, turned and paced across her office again. "We can't tag team this one, Elizabeth. I want you to leave Sora up to me." He stopped and stared intently at her. "You're going to have to trust me, because she damn sure won't respond to you, no matter what you do."

Elizabeth leaned forward and crossed her arms on her desk. She shook her head slightly. She was trained to deal with people regardless of the situation. Garnering trust was in her nature; but she wondered if, here, she'd encountered a situation where, no matter what she did, that trust would never blossom. Her thoughts drifted briefly to a Middle Eastern diplomatic summit she'd been passed over for a few years back. Regardless of her skills, she never would've accomplished anything – because she was a woman. At the time, she'd grudgingly admitted the diplomatic corps had been right to leave her out. Her thoughts turned back to Sora. Was this situation any different? Sometimes, all the diplomatic abilities in the world couldn't get past a mentality ingrained by a society.

"Elizabeth?"

John's hesitant question grabbed her attention. She pursed her lips and looked up at him. "You think you can get any information out of her that we can use?"

John shrugged. "Maybe. Who knows? I might be able to convince her we're not as bad as she thinks we are. Then, if we release her back to the Genii…." His voice trailed off.

Elizabeth smiled. "Now who's the optimist?"

John chuckled quietly. "Yeah, it's a stretch." His smile faded as he stared at her. "Is that a yes then?"

Elizabeth sighed and nodded. "Yes."

John stood. "Okay." He headed for the door.

"John?" Elizabeth called, stopping him in the doorway. He turned and faced her. "I do trust you." She smiled.

John's reciprocal smile was full of gratitude and respect. He paused a moment before silently leaving her office.

Elizabeth picked up her data-pad stylus and twirled it in her fingers. Her thoughts were uneasy, but through it, she knew she did trust John, and she'd just have to sit this one out.

---

John walked slowly down the main hallway towards the brig. He was relieved that Elizabeth had seen his point in how to deal with Sora but, at the same time, he was still troubled. He shook his head. Sora was stubborn, suspicious and ingrained with the thought that sooner or later they'd hurt her to get what they wanted. He shook his head. That would never happen, not while he had anything to say about it, or Elizabeth for that matter, but convincing Sora of that was something else; and even if they could convince her, what reason would she have to tell them anything anyway?

John's hand came to rest on his sidearm as his pace slowed slightly. It wasn't as if they were desperate for intel from her…. Okay when it came to the Wraith or Atlantis's survival, they were desperate for any intel, but any information she could give them was a bonus. He knew they'd probably return her to the Genii eventually, whether or not it helped ease tensions between their two peoples. Especially if… when the Wraith finally came after Atlantis, Elizabeth wasn't the kind to take Sora with them to their possible deaths. Rather, she'd let Sora return to the Genii, if only to have a fighting chance to live.

He shook off his negative thoughts. He was the ranking military officer. If anyone had to be optimistic about them surviving the inevitable Wraith attack, it had to be him. Still, with no shield or ZPM….

He sighed and dismissed the chronic underlying problem they all faced with the more immediate one at hand. Maybe, he mused, just maybe I can get through to her. Show her that we all want the same thing, and both of our peoples would do far better if we were allies instead of enemies. A cynical chuckle escaped him. Pretty diplomatic for an Air Force Major….

"Major?"

Teyla's voice calling to him from behind derailed his thoughts. He stopped and turned towards her. "Teyla." John acknowledged her with a smile.

She inclined her head slightly. "How is Sora?"

He resumed walking. "Settled into the brig. I'm on my way to see her right now, in fact."

Teyla nodded. She walked along in silence for a moment before speaking again. "It is good that you are talking with her, and not Dr. Weir."

John stopped and faced her. "Why do you say that?"

Teyla drew in a deep breath. "The Genii are society of soldiers, Major. Sora will respond much better to you than to Dr. Weir."

John smiled in amusement. "Elizabeth and I already had this conversation." His grin deepened as Teyla arched an eyebrow.

"I see."

John started walking down the hallway again. He flashed a mischievous look at her. "Relax, Teyla. You can't always be the first one to come up with these little nuggets of wisdom."

"Major, I do not…."

John waved a hand. "I'm kidding!"

"Ah."

John inwardly winced. Her tone was neutral, but he suspected he'd be sporting a few Bantos Stick bruises tomorrow after their workout.

Teyla stopped at the next intersection. "I will leave you to your task then."

John turned to face her. "I'd like to talk to you about Sora and the Genii later." He shrugged. "Maybe some other insight that could help me?"

After a minute, Teyla nodded back. "I will tell you all I know, Major." She disappeared down the adjacent hallway.

John smiled and continued on to the brig. Just outside the door he stopped and nodded at the first guard. "Simms, how's she been?"

"Sir. She's been quiet," Corporal Simms answered. "She's either accepted her situation, or she's plotting something."

John stared at the door thoughtfully. "Don't know what she could plot. With the shield up, she's pretty helpless."

"Yes, sir."

Simm's unconvinced reply mirrored what John was feeling. He sighed. "Yeah, I don't buy that either." Looking at the other guard, he nodded. "Open it."

---

John stopped in the doorway of the brig, his wary eyes finding the reclusive figure that stood in the corner of the cell and glared coldly back at him. His gaze narrowed for a moment, before he silently walked towards the cell, the brig doors closing behind him. Stopping, he stared evenly back at her, his expression measured as he gauged her mood.

She was tense, even hostile. Her stance was wide, her weight evenly balanced and arms hanging loosely at her sides. Although motionless, John had the distinct feeling she could spring into action on a second's notice. Her eyes were cold, and her face was a carefully guarded mask of control, but, through it, John sensed a glimmer of fear. She was young and although every fiber of her being shouted that she was a soldier, even a warrior, youth and inexperience still showed to his trained eye.

He gave her a cautious, half smile as he walked around the cell towards her, his footsteps and the light hum of the force field the only sounds in the room. "How are you?" he asked neutrally. He stopped perpendicular to her position and watched her.

Slowly, she turned her head and glared at him. "I am in a cage. How do you think I am?"

He arched his brows. "You didn't really expect us to just take you back to your quarters after that little stunt, did you?"

She silently looked away.

He resumed his route around the brig, his path bringing him closer to her. Again he stopped, opposite his original position, but much closer to her. She stared at him, and he was mildly surprised to see the undercurrents of fear in her expression intensify slightly.

"You are here to obtain intelligence from me." Her statement was matter-of-fact.

He considered her words for a moment. "It'd be nice." He watched her closely as she averted her gaze. Her back straightened as renewed tension radiated from her.

"I am not familiar with your methods of torture, Major, but I have had extensive training to resist many different mental and physical techniques. You will not easily obtain intelligence from me." She stared straight forward, the muscles in her jaw clenching as she swallowed hard. But the controlling mask on her face refused to crack.

He sighed and shook his head. Hadn't they been through this already? "I already told you. We don't torture people. I'm not about to start now."

She shot a wary glance his direction. "It would not be the same if our positions were reversed."

I don't doubt it. He cocked his head slightly. "Then I guess we're different than you." He stared evenly back as her gaze narrowed. She seemed to be mulling over his words, but the wariness of her expression never faded.

She stared straight forward again. "I will still tell you nothing."

He shrugged. "That's too bad. It'd go a long way towards patching things up between us." He resisted a smile at the slight confusion that showed through her guard. He leaned forward slightly. "I'd be more inclined to change my opinion about you. You know, you give me something… I give you something."

Her reaction was almost reflexive as open hostility covered her features. "I will tell you nothing!" Confidence almost to the point of arrogance reinforced her words. "You look at me as though I am a child! I am a warrior of the Genii! I have endured torture and survived!"

His eyes widened. He raised his voice, interrupting her. "Torture? From who?"

She waved dismissively. "It does not matter!" She crossed the cell and stood as close to him as the force field would allow. "I told them nothing!" she spat. "Even when they…," she pulled in a deep breath and fortified her defiant expression, "invaded me." She unconsciously backed away from him. "You will get nothing from me!"

He paled, unable to keep the shock from his face as the realization of what she meant sank in. He pulled in a deep breath. "Sora, we're not going to hurt you," he raised his voice slightly, "and I'm damn sure not going to do something as barbaric as that!" He evened out his tone and lowered his voice. "So you can relax, okay?"

He let her stand in silence for a moment as he considered his options. "You know," he broke the quiet, "you're kinda in the same boat we are now. Anything that happens to us happens to you." He walked along next to the cell until he stood midway down the side adjacent to where he'd been before. Although further away from Sora, he was in front of her and in her direct line of sight.

She glared at him. "I would gladly die along with my enemies before betraying my people!"

His gaze narrowed. "We're not your enemy, Sora. We never wanted to be. Cowen made us the enemy. We wanted to be allies."

"Allies do not leave each other behind to face horrible deaths!" Her voice cracked and she looked away from him.

He sighed at the obvious grief in her, despite her best efforts to hide it. He walked back to the other side of the cell where he'd been before and stopped close to her. "I'm sorry about your father, Sora, I really am."

"She abandoned him!" Sora shouted at him. "She left my father to die! That is not the action of an ally! That is what an enemy does!"

John took her rant in his stride and stared back at her, his expression neutral. "Tyrus gave away their position to the Wraith, Sora, not Teyla." He leaned in closer to the cell. "If she could've saved Tyrus, believe me when I tell you, Teyla would have."

"Why should I believe you?" Sora's voice was barely above a whisper. "Why should I believe anything you say to me?"

"Because it's the truth, whether you believe it or not. But," John shook his head, "I know that doesn't hold water with you, so think about this: Teyla could've killed you a few days ago, but she didn't. That doesn't sound like something an enemy would do." He stared at her a moment longer, before turning and walking away.

At the door he stopped and looked back at her downcast expression. "Whenever you want a shower or need to use the facilities, just let the guards know. They'll take you as often and whenever you want to go." He looked around. "It's a little cold in here. I'll make sure we get more heat or get you another blanket for your bunk. The mess will send three meals a day to you, and all you want to drink; water, juice, whatever we have. If you're agreeable, I'll arrange for some walks and fresh air. Anything else you need just let the guards know. We'll try to accommodate it." He waited for a moment for a response from Sora, but when none came, John silently left.

---

John faintly heard the brig doors close behind him as he headed down the long hallway back towards the central tower. He sighed, his mind playing over his conversation with Sora. While her reaction to him wasn't unexpected, he wondered for a moment what he was doing and why he was doing it. The Genii had been a dangerous thorn in his backside ever since he'd met them. They'd tried to kill him more than once, not to mention threatening the lives of Elizabeth and Rodney. They had killed two of his men in cold blood, an act Sora was party to. Yet, here he was, trying to reason with her.

Part of him chafed at the politeness and consideration he'd offered her, and a dark voice deep inside him wanted nothing more than to toss her in a bare cell and throw away the damn key.

He chewed on his lip and grimaced. Was she a bit of a fanatic? Hell yes, but so was every Genii he'd ever encountered. Some, like Kolya were lunatics. They were smart and cunning, but still lunatics. Even if Kolya hadn't tried to kill John and seize the city, John would still never have trusted him.

But then there was Sora. There was something there… something in her that was different. He couldn't place it, nor define it, but that didn't change the fact that it was there. She had a voice of reason that he'd heard from her more than once. She'd butted heads with Kolya, a turn of events that had surprised John greatly. She lacked the depth of fanatical motivation that Kolya had. That, more than anything, made John feel she was worth his time.

He pulled in a deep breath as he knocked quietly on the door to Teyla's quarters. He waited a moment before the door slid open.

"Major," Teyla nodded in greeting, "come in."

He smiled slightly in return and entered her quarters. "Hope I'm not interrupting?"

Teyla shook her head. "No, Major, I was expecting you." She gestured to a chair, before she seated herself on her bed and crossed her legs. "How is Sora?"

He sat down in the designated chair and leaned back slightly. "Grumpy."

Teyla's brows arched in mild amusement. "Did you expect otherwise?"

The corner of his mouth turned up. "No, not really." He sighed loudly. "She's very defensive." His smile faded under the weight of his memories. "I think she's been through a lot. No matter what I tell her, she thinks we're going to hurt her, or torture her or… something."

"Major," Teyla's voice was contemplative, "she does not trust you, nor would I expect her to."

He nodded. "I know, Teyla, but her idea of the military, and mine are pretty damn different. I'm having a hard time seeing eye to eye with her."

Teyla's gaze narrowed. "Why would you wish to?"

He was caught off-guard by the unexpected, but fair, words. He shook his head, a wry smile pulling at his mouth. "Good question." He pursed his lips, as Teyla remained quiet. "I never wanted to be enemies with the Genii, Teyla. I thought we could be allies. It's crazy. We both want the same thing, yet they're fighting us like the third monkey on the gangplank to Noah's Ark…." He looked up and chuckled slightly at Teyla's confused expression. "Never mind. The point is, we want the same thing. We can help each other and benefit each other by working together. But we're fighting instead. It doesn't make sense to me."

"You believe Sora could help mend things between our peoples?" Teyla asked quietly.

He shook his head. "And I call Elizabeth the optimist…." He stood, unconsciously surrendering to his ingrained habit of pacing when thinking. "Call me crazy, but I just don't think she's as fanatical as the rest of the bunch. She showed a pretty impressive amount of understanding during the Genii occupation." He paused in his pacing, planted his hands on his hips and stared at Teyla. "Or, I'm just not seeing things clearly…."

She nodded in understanding. "I knew Tyrus most of my life, yet I did not know the Genii were more than they said they were. Tyrus made a mistake on the Wraith ship, and it cost him his life. He was hard but fair. I believe Sora is the same." She smiled slightly. "I do not believe you are wrong about her."

John sighed and paced again. "Which brings me back to my problem of not being able to see eye to eye with her." He arched a brow. "Her idea of military is a tad more fanatical than mine." He paused in his pacing as Teyla's slight smile caught his attention. "What?"

"Major," her expression was patient, "you did not grow up in the shadow of the Wraith. Your society was not built around a life… a history of routine cullings, of your people being virtually wiped out every few generations." She looked away for a moment, before again gazing at him. "Had your world evolved within this galaxy you may not have been much different."

He stopped in his tracks and looked back at her. His racing mind ground to a halt as her perspective changed his. He nodded slightly. "I never thought of it that way." He looked away from her. Maybe she was right. Military… any military could and did have its dark side; things that had to be done in spite of consequences. Unwanted memories flooded him.

Afghanistan… the Taliban sniper hiding in a run-down apartment building in Mazar-i-Sharif…

"Take him out, Major!" the Special Forces Colonel's voice demanded.

"Shep! We have to!" Mitch insisted.

John held tightly to the Apache's stick, his finger poised to fire. He watched civilians running, trying to get away, the sight of the helicopter meaning only one thing. "Come on… come on," he muttered, urging them away. "Damn it." He watched gunfire from a darkened window strike dangerously close to the pinned down Special Forces unit. Were there any civilians left in the building?

Cold realization gripped him. If there were, the sniper was using them for cover…

He fired.

John drew in a deep breath and shook off the memories… memories he really didn't want to revisit. There had been no alternative… no ideal outcome. He never doubted the necessity, but it wasn't one of the more pleasant memories he carried within him.

He glanced at Teyla's patient expression before pacing again. Were the Genii any different? More obsessive, yes, but maybe that was proportional to the threat they faced: a threat that could and would wipe out their entire planet without a second thought. Maybe the Genii did what they did to protect themselves. Sure, it was fanatical and warped to his perspective, but he hadn't walked a mile in their combat boots either.

He sighed again. "I still can't trust them, Teyla. They're fanatics, including her. And that makes them unpredictable."

Teyla cocked her head slightly. "The Genii can be very… extreme in their ways, Major, and I agree that they are not the most trustworthy of people. But I am not so sure Sora is as much of a extremist as you seem to think she is."

John stared disbelievingly at her. "She tried to kill you." His gaze narrowed as Teyla stared soberly back at him.

"She believed she was avenging the wrongful death of her father," Teyla responded quietly. Her expression took on a dangerous air. "Had I been in her place, I may have done the same, yet you trust me."

John shook his head and sighed loudly. "There is a big difference between you and her, Teyla."

"Is there?" Teyla immediately answered.

He drew in a breath, but his reply died on his lips. He looked away.

Teyla smiled in understanding. "Perhaps some insight into Sora's way of life will help you see her perspective." She slowly stood and walked over to him. "Sora is Genii, but she is only one person, not the entire society."

John returned her smile. "Don't judge a book by its cover?"

Teyla's face turned thoughtful for a moment, as she seemed to search for, and find, the meaning of his words. Her smile returned. "Yes, I believe so."

John felt deep respect well in him, and he knew his expression mirrored it. "Thanks."

Teyla slowly nodded once. "You are welcome, Major."

---

John paused, his gun belt wrapped halfway around his waist, as his eyes settled on the large hardback copy of War and Peace sitting on the table next to his bed. His gaze narrowed slightly when he thought back over what he'd read. His conversation with Teyla from a few days ago came back to him.

"But, perhaps some understanding of Sora's way of life will help you see her perspective. Sora is Genii, but she is only one person, not the entire society."

"Needs to understand us too…" John muttered to himself.

Sora saw the world through the eyes of a soldier; a perspective John could appreciate. But he didn't think she saw beyond that one mindset. He liked to think that he did, but some of what Tolstoy had said in War and Peace was a completely different point of view to what he was used to, and thought provoking to say the least. If he'd understood right, Tolstoy believed the outcome of current events was predestined by the history that came before it. John's mind wandered, amazement briefly finding him as he realized that, no matter what galaxy they were in, humans were humans. He didn't know much about Genii society, but he had a feeling they could've been poster children for Tolstoy's theories of being so ingrained in their ways that they were only capable of repeating history and not changing it.

He shook off his philosophical thoughts and finished buckling the gun belt around his waist and thigh before walking over to the table and picking up the novel. He opened it, flipping randomly through the pages. She had to be bored sitting in that cell, not much to do besides going on daily walks. A cynical smile crossed his face as he wondered if she'd read it and, if so, what she'd think of it. The more he thought about her, the more he wondered if, deep down, she really was a fanatic. Her single-minded vengeance against Teyla for the death of Tyrus didn't exactly scream reason to John, but he was willing to chalk that up to grief. He didn't believe that Sora was the most objective person he'd ever met either, but raised in the military caste of Genii society, he wasn't surprised. Yet, through that, she'd managed to find a voice of reason, and John hesitantly admired her for it.

He smiled. Closing the book, he tucked it under his arm and left his quarters.

---

"Good morning." John stopped just inside the brig and smiled guardedly at Sora. He watched, holding the semi-pleasant expression on his face, as she unfolded her legs and pushed herself off the bunk. She walked towards him.

"Major Sheppard." Her voice was cool in tone.

John glanced behind him and waved the SOs into the brig with him. "Jackson, open the door. Simms, you're with me."

Sora's suspicious question pulled John's attention back to her. "What is going on?"

He smiled. "I have something for you." He nodded once at Jackson, and stood shoulder to shoulder with Simms as the force field was lowered and the cell door opened. Simms held his stunner rifle ready as John, his hand resting on his sidearm, walked into the cell and held the book out to her. "Take it."

Sora slowly reached out and took the book from his grasp. "What is it?"

"It's called War and Peace," John shrugged. "It's considered one of the greatest pieces of literature ever written… on my planet anyway."

Sora's expression turned slightly sour as she dropped the book on her bunk. "I do not read much."

A half smile touched his mouth as he looked around the cell briefly. "You might change your mind. I'd expect it gets a little boring in here sometimes." He smiled knowingly before backing away towards the entrance of the cell. He held her gaze as she stared evenly at him.

"What is it about?" she asked quietly.

John stopped and gave her a slightly challenging look. "I'll let you figure that out for yourself." He backed the rest of the way out of the cell, never breaking eye contact with her as the door slowly slid shut and the force field was reactivated. He watched her as she looked down at the book for a moment, before looking back at him.

He smiled. "There's more to life than war, Sora. Even with the constant threat of the Wraith, war and fighting isn't everything." He gestured at the book. "Just try it."

---

Elizabeth folded her hands on the conference room table and looked around at her senior staff. Her gaze settled on Rodney. "Very well. Over the next couple weeks, I want you to lead an engineering team and check the other piers for structural damage."

"Ford," John's voice cut in on the heels of Elizabeth's statement. "Coordinate with McKay and organize a security detail for whenever he takes a team out into the city. I want you to lead it."

Elizabeth turned her attention to Ford and suppressed a smile at his hesitant expression. Probably doesn't want to pull babysitting duty….

"Yes, sir," Ford's distaste at the notion was poorly hidden by his neutral tone.

Elizabeth looked at John and again fought amusement as he smiled knowingly at Ford's reaction. "Rodney?" She turned her attention back to the doctor. "Have any ideas on the members of your team?"

Rodney leaned back in his chair and grunted quietly. "Peterson, Zelenka and Dumais for sure. Besides them, I don't know yet. I'll get a list together."

"Good." Elizabeth nodded. She looked to John. "Any other business, Major?" Her gaze narrowed as his expression sobered.

"As a matter of fact, yes." John leaned forward and crossed his arms on the table. "We need to talk about an Alpha site."

Elizabeth's brows arched. "Alpha site?"

"Yes." John's voice deepened, as it normally did when he was serious. "We found ourselves in a bad spot having to rely on the Manarians when we needed to evacuate Atlantis. We were damn lucky our people got out of there safely. It could've been a lot worse." He sighed. "We need a place where we can fall back to that we know we can rely on without having to scramble and settle for a situation like Manaria again."

Elizabeth leaned back in her chair and rocked absently as she considered his words. It made sense. Even the SGC had an Alpha site in case of emergencies. Unwanted anxiety flowed over her. John was right. They had been lucky with the Manarians. Nearly all of the expedition team could've been in jeopardy had the Manarians not backed down after Kolya had been driven from Atlantis. She looked up at him and nodded. "I assume you have some plan for finding a suitable planet?"

John smiled. "As a matter of fact I…."

"We!" Rodney interrupted.

John's smile disappeared, replaced by a frown. "Okay, we have an idea." John turned a bemused look on his partner in crime, the seriousness of his expression lessening. "Rodney, would you like to tell Elizabeth what we've been up to?"

Rodney grimaced. "Naturally. Lay it on me."

Elizabeth resisted rolling her eyes at the antics of the two apparently grown, men. She stared expectantly at Rodney.

"Well," Rodney started, "we've done some digging in the Ancient database. The Major wanted an uninhabited planet, so we started there."

"Wait, uninhabited?" Elizabeth turned her attention to John. "Major?"

John shrugged. "Well, I for one don't really want to be double crossed again. Besides, if the Ancients knew it was uninhabited, chances are the Wraith think so too. If we have to evacuate, we're less likely to have a Wraith problem, and can probably fly under the radar with them, at least for a little while."

Elizabeth nodded. "Good points." She looked back at Rodney. "Go on."

Rodney typed a few commands on his data pad. "The list was, shall we say, rather large? So I," he glared at John for a moment, daring him to quibble before he snorted under his breath, "narrowed the search parameters to planets that could sustain human life and have a Stargate. That shortened the list considerably." He slid the data pad across the table to Elizabeth. "We came up with this."

Elizabeth looked down at an impressive number of addresses. "This is the short list?"

"Compared to before?" Rodney replied, "Yes!"

Elizabeth passed the data pad to Teyla. "Do you recognize any of these addresses, Teyla?"

Teyla scanned the list and nodded thoughtfully. "Yes. There are several here that are, in fact, inhabited."

"Not quite as handy with the Ancient database as you thought you were, McKay?" John blatantly needled Rodney.

"The database is ten thousand years old!" Rodney's voice rose in annoyance. "There are obviously going to be inaccuracies!"

"Rodney," Elizabeth recaptured his attention. "Get together with Teyla and update this. When you have a viable list, we'll start recon on each of them for an Alpha site." She pushed back from the table. "If that's all?" Elizabeth looked around at each of them before nodding. "Good. Let's get to work." She stood and was the first one to exit the conference room.

---

Sora's gaze found the book. After she'd discarded it to the corner of her cell, she had not touched it in the days that followed Major Sheppard gifting her with it. She had looked at it countless times, but left it where it lay.

She leaned her chair back on two legs and put her feet up on her bunk. She drummed her fingers on the armrests, the light tapping breaking the near silence of the brig. Boredom plagued her. She had always led an active life, mostly physically, but also mentally. The Genii leadership supported knowledge and education, believing that their soldiers were better for it. She was accustomed to her days being filled with mental and physical activities; things that stimulated her mind, body and spirit.

The confines of the brig were oppressive. She stared at empty walls for hours on end, bored, frustrated and brooding. At least in secure quarters she'd had a view to look at, but here….

She sighed. Could she blame them? It was her own fault she was in a brig cell now, not theirs…. She slammed her chair down on all four legs and shot to her feet, anger driving her. My only fault was in being caught! Pacing the cell, she pulled in several deep breaths and forced herself to calmness. Again, her gaze found the book.

"What is it about?"

"I'll let you figure that out for yourself."

She sighed. Slowly, she crossed the cell and stood over the book, her gaze fixed on the ornate hard cover. She squatted and ran a hand over the smooth surface. She really was bored; the daily walks were her only reprieve. But she was torn. Was this some way for Sheppard to corrupt her? Brainwash her? Trick her into telling him secrets of the Genii? She stood and backed away, leaving the book where it lay.

Movement caught her eye as the door to the brig slowly opened. A soldier, Sergeant… Bates she recalled, stared at her blandly.

"Time for your daily walk." His gaze narrowed slightly as he raised a stun rifle. "As long as you behave."

Three more soldiers, all armed with stun rifles, walked in behind Bates, but his gaze never left Sora.

She suppressed a cold smile. At least my escape gave them something to think about. Her humor faded as quickly as it came. They will not under estimate me again…. Her next attempt at escape would have to be carefully planned indeed.

The shield dropped and the cell door opened. Bates arched an eyebrow at her. "Coming or not? I don't have all day."

She frowned at him and silently left the cell. Two guards walked ahead of her, and two behind, one of whom was Bates. Intuitively, she could feel the closeness of his stun rifle, a constant reminder that he did not trust her, and that she was expected to behave.

The path was familiar by now. She and her escort had followed it once a day for many days. Their route, which ran around the outskirts of the control tower, was sparsely populated, which seemed to suit Sergeant Bates just fine. When two figures came around the corner towards them, Sora was mildly surprised. The guards in front of her stopped, and so did she, as Major Sheppard and Teyla approached them.

Sora turned cold eyes on Teyla. Instantly, memories of her father flooded her. Hatred welled within her and she glared at the Athosian, whose expression was guarded but not openly hostile.

"Bates. Taking our guest for a walk, I see."

Sora tore her eyes from Teyla and followed the calm voice to Major Sheppard. She continued staring at him, even as Bates answered.

"Yes, sir."

Sora resisted the urge to arch an eyebrow at the note of dissatisfaction in Bates' voice. Clearly, he did not agree with Sheppard's orders. She held her cool, neutral expression in the light of Sheppard's equally cool smile.

"Well," Sheppard's reply seemed aimed as much at Sora as at Bates, "I'm sure she won't give you any problems. Right, Sora?"

Sora again glared briefly at Teyla, before looking back to Sheppard. He was relaxed and confident, and that did nothing to temper her anger. She nodded once, curtly.

Sheppard smiled again. "Good." He looked around. "Think we'll walk with you for a while."

"Yes, sir," Bates answered.

Sora resisted the urge to look back at him. The note of annoyance in his voice rang clearly enough to her she didn't need to. The guards in front of her started walking again, and Sora followed. She pointedly ignored Sheppard, who walked next to her, and resisted the urge to bring anger down upon Teyla, who walked next to Sheppard.

"I hope these walks and fresh air help break your boredom some, Sora," Sheppard commented quietly.

She still refused to look at him, despite his almost friendly tone. "Some." Her reply was curt, but it did nothing to discourage his conversation.

"Good. Started that book I gave you?"

Sora ground her teeth. Sheppard's tone was easygoing and decidedly conversational, which only irritated her more. "No." She pointedly bit off the end of the word, but her hint did nothing to deter him.

"Too bad," he replied. "It's a good book, and it'd help you fight the boredom."

Her frustration at his mild demeanor spiked. She suddenly stopped and whirled to face him. The three guards and Bates all instantly pointed their stunners at her, and from the corner of her eye, she saw Teyla tense, but she ignored all of them. She glared at Sheppard, who hadn't even flinched at her abrupt behavior. "Why do you care?" she hissed. She pulled in deep breaths, fighting to control her anger as he cocked his head and gave her a thoughtful look.

"Why wouldn't I?" He arched a brow. "We're not the bad guys you think we are, Sora." He held her gaze for a moment before looking at the lead guards and nodding slightly.

Sora turned away from him and resumed walking. The group made their way towards a large exterior door. As they passed through, the guards stopped, giving Sora the space to walk across a large balcony on her own. The spot was ideal and completely secure: situated on the edge of the control tower, every side except the entrance was hundreds of feet above either the ocean or the city. Her first time there, she had checked every angle. There was no escape route for her; to jump the railing at any point would be certain death. She grudgingly admitted to herself that they had picked the perfect spot.

As she started away from her guards, she was distracted by Teyla's voice.

"I believe I will walk with her. There are some things we need to discuss." Teyla's voice was quiet but confident.

Sora stopped and glared at Teyla. "I have nothing to say to you."

"Teyla," Sheppard started, "I'm not so sure that's a good idea…."

Sora briefly glared at Sheppard. His voice held a note of hesitation, but when Sora looked back at Teyla, she saw reassurance on the Athosian's face.

"I will be fine, Major."

Sora again looked at Sheppard, who sighed and nodded once at Teyla. "Okay." He hung back with Bates and the guards as Teyla walked towards Sora.

Sora glared at Teyla, before turning and smartly crossing the deck. She pointedly ignored the Athosian woman even as Teyla trotted to catch up with her and matched her stride for stride.

"We must talk, Sora," Teyla stated quietly. "There are things we must resolve."

Sora's anger flowed freely. "We have nothing to resolve," she spat. "You left my father for dead! I have nothing to say to you other than to warn you that, one day, I will avenge him!" From the corner of her eye, she saw Teyla nod thoughtfully.

"Were I in your place, it is possible I would feel the same… as long as my hatred was not misdirected."

Sora stopped and spun to face Teyla. Even from a distance, she saw Sheppard and his men tense, but Teyla waved them off. Sora refocused her attention on Teyla. "Misdirected? Avenging the death of my father is not misdirection!"

"Is it not?" Teyla cocked her head. "Tyrus was a loyal soldier of the Genii. Are you not trained to give your lives for the cause of the Genii? The mission succeeded, and Tyrus gave his life for it. Is that not a worthy death?" Teyla sighed. "Or do I not understand the Genii at all?"

Sora looked away. It had been ingrained in her, from the first day she stepped upon the path of a soldier, that at any time their lives were expendable: for the sake of the mission, and for the good of their people. To further the cause of the Genii, any soldier had to be willing to give up anything, even life. Her father was no different. Her anger screamed her defiance, and hijacked her voice. "He was my father!"

"He was a soldier," Teyla retorted quietly.

Sora fought back tears and the lump in her throat. Her gaze turned defensive. "You do not really believe that, Teyla Emmagan!" Her words were not questioning.

Slowly, Teyla shook her head. "No. But I am not Genii." She sighed. "You must see past your training, Sora. You feel the death of your father and the ingrained need to avenge him, but why? He died for your cause. By the ways of your people, you should be proud of that."

Sora stopped at the far railing, her hands latching onto it. White-knuckled, she gripped the metal and struggled to control her emotions. "I cannot be proud," she admitted quietly. "I would rather have him back."

Teyla stopped next to Sora. "As would I, in your place."

Sora looked sideways at Teyla as the Athosian turned to face her.

"Major Sheppard did not want to leave Tyrus behind. It… goes against his beliefs." Teyla's gaze hardened. "It was Cowen who insisted. The life-long friend of your father was the one who insisted on leaving him behind." Teyla's voice lowered to a dangerous tone. "There are some values, Sora, daughter of Tyrus, that we share. Vengeance for the death of a loved one is one of those values. Were I in your place, I would wish to avenge the death of my father as well. But," Teyla's gaze narrowed, "I would make sure that my vengeance was directed at the right person."

Sora looked away, her breath coming fast. Conflict coursed through her. Who did she believe? Was I so easily fooled by Cowen's words? Or am I now fooled by Teyla's? She nodded her head toward Sheppard and her security detail, who tensely watched the conversation. "Why do you follow them?" Her voice wavered slightly, but she gave Teyla an inquisitive look. "The Lanteans."

"I do not follow them," Teyla's voice was soft but strong, "I work with them. There is a difference."

Sora stared at Teyla's confident expression.

Teyla gave her a direct look. "The Major's people bring hope for all of us, Sora. Not just for themselves, or my people, or even yours, but for all humans. Not since the time of the Ancestors have we had such a chance to finally defeat the Wraith." Teyla shook her head and looked away from Sora. "You must see, Sora, that serving only the needs of the Genii, at the expense of everyone else, helps no one, including yourselves." She looked back, her gaze slightly imploring. "We will never beat the Wraith unless we all work together."

Sora looked away, her conflicting emotions stealing any words she may have had. A part of her heard Teyla's words, and found wisdom in them, but another part screamed defiance against them. The conflict left her speechless, and motionless. She swallowed hard and looked down at the shimmering ocean. She kept her gaze on the water as Teyla finally turned and walked away.

---

John crossed the control room, smiling briefly at Zelenka, before he entered the conference room. It was empty, save for Rodney and Teyla sitting at the far end of the large table. He stood in the doorway for a moment, unnoticed.

"I believe that is all the planets I am familiar with, Dr. McKay." Teyla's voice was slightly edged, the quiet patience it normally held dimmed, presumably, by Rodney's insistent attitude.

"You're sure?" Rodney tapped a couple buttons on the data pad.

Teyla sighed. "Yes. I do not recognize any of the others."

John smiled slightly at her strained expression. "Everything updated?" He held his grin as both of them looked at him.

"Yes, Major." Teyla pushed back from the table and stood. "I have pointed out all the addresses I recognize as inhabited planets to Dr. McKay." She walked away from the table and towards him. She nodded once as she passed him and he silently acknowledged the thanks in her gesture. He looked back to Rodney as Teyla left. Walking around the table, he stopped behind him and looked over his shoulder at the list. "We ready to start scouting these planets?"

Rodney looked up from the data pad and stared straight forward, refusing to make eye contact with John. "As we'll ever be." His tone was annoyed.

John smiled, letting Rodney's attitude roll off him. "Good." He reached down and took the data pad.

"Hey!" This time Rodney did look at John, his expression decidedly irritated. "What are you doing?"

John kept his smug smile. "I thought I'd show the list to Sora and see if anything rings a bell with her."

"Like she's going to help us at all!" Rodney snorted and tried to snatch the data pad back from John, who deftly pulled it out of his reach. "What are we? Twelve year olds?" He glared. "Give it back!"

"She might," John countered. "I think I might be getting through to her." He looked down at the considerably shorter list of addresses.

"Your optimism is nauseating sometimes," Rodney muttered. "Now, give it back."

John shook his head. "Let me show Sora first."

"Fine!" Rodney snapped. "I'll get you a list of the addresses, but give me the pad back."

John's brows furrowed. "Why can't I just take this one?" He held the pad up, waving it slightly. His brow creased further as Rodney's expression turned slightly panicked. "What's the big deal about this data pad?"

"I have more than those addresses on that pad! Thanks to your gun waving antics when Sora escaped, I had to reformulate all my naquada generator calculations, and the last thing I need is for you to bungle around with that thing and ruin my work! Again!" Rodney waved his hand vigorously at John. "Just… put it down!"

"I don't bungle," John protested indignantly.

"Ha! If you don't know how to do something you just start," Rodney's waving intensified, "pressing keys!"

"Gentlemen? Is there a problem?"

The quiet voice from the doorway stopped John's protest. He looked towards the door and felt his embarrassment rise. "Elizabeth, uh, no." He carefully set the data pad on the conference room table. "Not at all." The red on his neck crept up to his cheeks as she arched an amused and knowing brow at him.

Elizabeth looked at Rodney. "Rodney? See that Major Sheppard gets a list of addresses to show Sora, then join me in my office." She glanced at John her expression turning slightly stern. "That is, if you two are finished here?" She didn't wait for an answer but turned and left.

John waited a moment, and then walked towards the exit. "Why do I feel like I just got lectured by my mother?" he muttered.

"Maybe if you didn't insist on behaving like you were twelve…," Rodney snapped quietly, following him.

"Look who's talking," John retorted.

Rodney swiftly darted around John as they entered the control room. "I didn't start it."

John let the comment go as he watched Rodney grab a spare data pad and transfer the addresses, before shoving the device at John.

"Here, happy?" Rodney's tone was decidedly sarcastic.

John smiled. "Yes." He took the pad and left the control room. As he jogged down the back stairs, his light mood faded. Part of him found truth in Rodney's words. Why would Sora help them? Still, he felt compelled to try. One of these days, she might surprise me.

---

Sora drew in a deep breath and leaned over, exhaling slowly while she allowed her body to bend until she touched the floor. The muscles in her back stretched and worked through the knots in them as she slowly inhaled and straightened. She closed her eyes, finding her center, just as Kolya had taught her, before repeating the process. Keeping her eyes closed, she again straightened and let her arms hang loosely at her sides.

With her left leg, she took a step sideways, widening her stance, and shifted her weight sideways, her left knee bending. Her eyes were still closed, and she held tightly to her center. Kolya's words echoed in her head.

Your center is deep inside you. It is the heart of your spirit, and the strength of every warrior. Find it, hold onto it, and you will always be victorious.…

Still crouched, she stretched her arms over her head, her balance perfect. Slowly, she stood.

A quiet throat clearing interrupted her thoughts. Slowly, she opened her eyes and stared at Major Sheppard, who was standing in the doorway watching her. These days, the main door to the brig was left open during the day: Major Sheppard's apparent attempt to make her feel less isolated. As if he could. She would always be isolated among these people….

"Sorry, am I interrupting?"

As usual, his voice was relaxed and conversational. No amount of hostility she directed at him ever changed that, much to her irritation. She sighed, her mood decidedly less annoyed than usual as the effects of her meditation lingered with her. "No. I was nearly finished anyway."

Sheppard smiled at her. "Good." He walked up to the cell. "Mind looking at something for me?" He lifted a display pad and turned it towards her.

Sora scrutinized the list of addresses displayed on the device. "Addresses. For what?" Her gaze narrowed as his turned slightly guarded. Always easy and open with her, the cautious expression that met her gaze was unfamiliar. The expression was fleeting and quickly hidden under a casual shrug.

"They're addresses from the Ancient database. Was just wondering if you recognized any of them."

Sora stared at him for a moment. Addresses, sure, but there was something more he was not telling her. She returned his shrug. "Maybe." She looked at the list again. Most of the addresses were unfamiliar, but a few…. She turned away, her Genii training calling to her. Not a word! Do not tell them anything!

"Sora? What is it?"

Sheppard's questioning voice was mildly tense. Inwardly, she winced, realizing she had already revealed too much. "Nothing. I am thinking." Fortifying her neutral expression, she turned back and stared at the list. Her eye caught on the first, familiar address. Insects… swarms of them. Her gaze drifted to the next familiar one. Genii off-world base… . Her hesitation lingered, strengthened by the conflicting, torn loyalties she faced. On one side her Genii training screamed at her, but on the other side was a part of her that, oddly enough, wanted to help him; for a brief moment, she listened.

It was all she could do to keep her expression neutral as feelings of betrayal consumed her almost immediately. She saw her father; a proud Genii warrior who had died on a mission… a mission led by the very man who stared back at her. She had loved her father, followed in his footsteps… and he was gone. She, latched onto her Genii training, and squashed the quiet, contrary voice. Hardening her gaze, she looked at him. "I do not know any of these." She held strongly to her expression as his gaze narrowed in suspicion.

"You're sure?"

She lifted her chin, her bearing radiating a confidence she didn't feel. "I am sure." She held her façade as he stared at her for a moment longer, before nodding.

"Okay. Thanks for looking." He walked away, only to stop at the door. He turned back towards her. "I appreciate the help." Without another word he left her alone.

Sora inhaled deeply and let out a long breath before turning away from the entrance. Conflicting emotions churned within her. Her anger sparked. She was Genii! He was the enemy! Helping Sheppard went against everything her training had taught her. Everything that had been ingrained in her since the first day she'd chosen the warrior's path. Kolya would be proud! Her father would be proud! She was Genii and she had followed the Genii way!

But, as she slowly sat down in her chair, Sora couldn't shake the small but persistent worm of guilt that plagued her.

---

"Welcome to M55-481," John commented dryly, "address number four on the list." He stopped as he emerged from the wormhole and felt his feet sink slightly in the wet sand while he looked around. To the right, his gaze traveled up a steep cliff; left, he squinted at the breaking waves of a not-too-distant ocean just visible through the thick, drizzly fog. A light rain dampened his face. He glanced back as the rest of his team emerged. "Not an ideal spot for the gate."

"Huh," Rodney pulled out his Life Signs Detector. He took a moment to look up and glare at the falling rain. "Who ordered this?" He blinked against the persistent drizzle for a moment, before returning his attention to the LSD. "Ten thousand years ago, it probably was a nice spot for the gate. Maybe the ocean levels have changed since then."

John nodded. He looked up at the impressive cliff side, and the vegetation peeking over the edge. "Unless we can find a way up there," he pointed, "this isn't going to be much use as an alpha site." He scanned the flat, sparse beach. "Not much here and all we need is a good storm to have to deal with flooding." He returned his attention to Rodney. "Reading anything, McKay?"

"Everything," Rodney muttered, "but, nothing of interest."

John stared at the ocean again, and then at the gate. Residue clung to the lower half. He switched his gaze to the DHD, which was in similar condition. Could just be from spray and storm tides…. "McKay," John glanced back at the doctor, "is there any way to tell where high tide is and how long we have?"

Rodney stared blankly at him. "Not really. There's no way to tell what the tide durations are, without knowing the patterns of any moons. Then, if there's more than one that could have an influence…." Rodney looked up. "Of course the weather could impact the tide, and then there's the phases of any moon or moons…."

John raised his hand, cutting off Rodney. "Okay, I get the point." He sighed. "We have two hours before we at least need to check in. Lets head down the beach some and see if there's a way up the cliff." He looked back at his team. "I'm on point, Ford you're on the six. McKay, keep a sharp eye out for tidal changes. Teyla, time us. Forty-five minutes, that's all. We need to be back in time to check in. Let's go."

He walked along easily, occasionally glancing towards the sounds of the ocean, but each time not able to see much through the fog. His thoughts turned reflective as his mind wandered slightly. He stood firm in his belief that they needed their own alpha site to fall back on, but inside he found truth to Smeadon's words….

Planets are usually uninhabited for a reason, Major. You know that as well as I do."

John sighed. The Manarian's words seemed to be prophetic. So far they'd found an insanely hot planet, and one crawling with Genii. Then there was the one infested with swarms of what he could only call mosquitoes…. He absently scratched the healing bug bites on his arm, wondering if other Pegasus humans had ever tried to colonize elsewhere and met the same challenges. His thoughts turned to Sora. From all outward appearances, she'd seemed disinterested in the list of addresses he'd shown her. Maybe she really didn't know the planets in question… or maybe she was holding back….

He looked up as the rain intensified, and the wind picked up a little.

"Okay, this is annoying!" Rodney swiped a hand across his face to clear away the dampness that was accumulating there.

John's smile was small, his own irritation at the rain lessening at Rodney's predictable complaint. "It's just a little rain, McKay." He squinted, peering through the fog, trying and failing to gauge where the tide had got to.

"Whatever!" Rodney snapped.

"Major? We have been walking for thirty minutes now, yet there is very little change in the cliff side." Teyla's observation distracted him from Rodney's complaint.

"She's right," Rodney's voice was calmer as he stared at his LSD. "It still looks to be pretty sheer. I don't see any way to get up it on foot."

John stopped and faced the cliff. His eyes scanned up the sheer edge. "We could use Jumpers to ferry people and supplies to the top." He pursed his lips in thought for a moment. "But I'm not recommending this as an alpha site until I've had a chance to scout around up there." He nodded to himself. "Let's head back and get a Jumper." He had taken no more than two steps when Rodney's voice stopped him.

"Uhh, heading back may be a good idea anyway…."

Rodney's voice was concerned and hesitant. John looked back at him. "What is it?"

Rodney pointed at the ocean. "I think the tide is coming in."

"Crap," Ford muttered.

John's eyes widened as his gaze followed Ford's to the ocean. The fog had lifted slightly, revealing a waterline that was significantly closer, and moving towards them at an alarming rate with each surge. "McKay! You were supposed to be watching out for this!" John started jogging back in the direction of the gate, his team right behind him.

"I was! Contrary to popular belief, the LSD isn't a crystal ball! It's only as good as the information given it! And we know nothing about the tidal patterns on this planet!"

"Weren't you watching the water?" Ford interrupted as he jogged along behind Rodney.

"Oh, excuse me for not being able to see clearly through the fog!"

John glanced at the surging waves and shook his head. "Just pipe down and double time it!" he ordered, as he lengthened his stride. He watched his path, continually wishing the gate would come into view. They were thirty minutes away at a walk, at least fifteen at a run, probably more. He was confident he could run the distance in fifteen minutes or less, Ford and Teyla too. But not McKay.

John glanced over his shoulder and slowed his pace slightly, allowing McKay to keep up with them. Gotta get him into the damn gym! He turned his attention to the water as it surged closer. Crap!

Twenty minutes went by, and he kept running, angling his path towards the cliff as the water surged closer and closer towards them. "Damn it!" he panted. "Fast tide!"

"Shouldn't we… have more time?" Ford's voice was slightly out of breath.

"Right!" Rodney gasped. "Like we'd… know for… sure! Hourly tidal… changes could be… the norm… for this… planet!"

John staggered as a strong wave washed over his knees, nearly pushing him down. He stumbled, regained his balance, and looked back. He was relieved to see everyone on his team were still on their feet. "Keep going!" He pushed his burning leg muscles and slogged through the knee high water, which surged to thigh high with the next wave. He stumbled hard and winced as the wave threw him against the cliff. "This is not good!" He staggered around a high rocky outcropping and stopped as the gate came into view. "Damn it!" The gate was partially submerged, and the DHD barely showed above the surface of the water. Another wave surged and he stumbled as Rodney was thrown against him. He braced himself and steadied Rodney.

"Is now a good time to point out we can't go through the gate to Atlantis without the water coming with us and flooding the gate room?" Rodney regained his balance and half waded, half floated away from John.

John gritted his teeth, partly from the waist-… scratch that, chest-high cold water, and parly from their situation. "We need to find high ground!" He watched the coming tidal surge. "Please tell me all of you can swim?"

"Yes, sir," Ford immediately replied. Teyla's answer was on the heels of his.

"Yes, Major," she affirmed.

"I can dog-paddle if I have to!" Rodney added.

John watched the round wave of water break as it came towards them. "Trust me, you have to. Watch the cliffs!" He barely got his warning out before cold ocean water surged over his head and his feet lost contact with the ground. He extended his arms and kicked upwards until his head suddenly broke the surface. He pulled in a breath and looked around, relieved to see three faces looking at him. The churning tide had washed McKay about twenty feet to his right, while Teyla was about twenty feet to his left, and Ford another thirty feet or so beyond her. "Everyone okay?" His gaze traveled from one to the next as they each gave him an affirmative response.

He shook his head. The sting of saltwater in his eyes and the sour taste in his mouth were faint nuisances compared to the tiring muscles in his arms and legs. He felt like he had a lead weight tied to his waist. Kicking powerfully, he spared a hand to reach underwater and unclip his P-90, letting it fall away. His hand found his vest zipper, and he pulled it downwards. "Lose the P-90s and vests," he ordered. "They're dragging us down!" He shrugged out of his vest and trod water again, feeling the distinct difference from shedding the extra weight, while he watched his team also rid themselves of their P-90s and vests.

His attention was drawn back to the ocean as another wave came at them. "Heads up!" Helpless against the water, he felt himself lifted and pushed towards the cliffs. An on-again, off-again surfer all his life, he tapped his experience, his instincts telling him how close the cliffs were. He swam parallel to the tide until the last moment, before extending his legs behind him and pushing away from the looming cliff. He glanced at his team during the brief lull before the next surge came at them.

The close proximity of the cliff churned the water and tossed everyone around. McKay, now on John's left, had somehow had found a handhold on at large rocky outcropping and was holding on for all he was worth. Ford rode the waves further out in the ocean than any of them, and Teyla…. John's eyes widened as he watched a wave pick Teyla up and throw her against the rocks not far from Rodney's position. Her broken cry reached his ears as she disappeared under the surface.

"Teyla!" Rodney shouted. He looked on the verge of letting go as he leaned towards where she'd disappeared.

"McKay! Stay put!" John ordered, before he pushed off from the cliff and swam towards Teyla's last position, his strong strokes blunted by the relentless ocean. From the corner of his eye, he saw Ford swimming towards him. As he neared where he'd last seen Teyla, her head broke the surface and she gasped loudly. Her movements were weak as she struggled to stay afloat and her fight was short lived as she disappeared again. Adrenaline surged through John as he pressed his protesting muscles and swam harder. Suddenly, Teyla surfaced, only a few feet away from him. Her coughing was choked and labored as her arms flailed feebly.

John felt a steel-hard cramp in his gut as the cold reality of her distress reached him. Instinctively, he knew if she went down again, she wouldn't come back up. Not on her own. He kicked towards her and lunged, barely snagging the back of her coat. He was dragged under by her sinking weight, but his grip on her coat was vice-like as he refused to let go. Pulling against the churning water, he hauled her towards him and wrapped his arm around her from behind. He kicked hard and surfaced.

Feeling a moment of relief, he sucked in air while he repositioned her in the life-saving hold he'd learned in basic.

Rule number one in an ocean crash: Keep yourself and your crew alive.

Staying behind Teyla, he ran his arm under one of hers and wrapped it around her chest, his hand free to support her chin and keep her face out of the water. For a moment, he found himself wishing he had some sort of flotation device, but she was light; smaller than most the soldiers he'd ever worked with, and he let the water help buoy her. He pulled her firmly against him, her head resting against his cheek and felt the warm stickiness of blood on his neck. He grimaced slightly, knowing cracking her head on the rocks had at least stunned her.

Rule number two: ABC's. Airway clear. Breathing….

He craned his head to stare down at her half-opened eyes, looking and feeling for signs of life. His hand was close to her mouth and nose but, against the surging water and light wind, he couldn't tell if she was breathing or not. "Teyla?" He fought against the unrelenting waves as he stared intently at her. "Teyla!" On the verge of shifting her into a resuscitation hold, he felt her convulse. He held fast to her as she coughed violently and retched, her body protesting the saltwater. Her chest heaved as she drew in a loud, rattling breath, before she tensed in disoriented and instinctive panic.

Above all... stay calm!

John's grip never wavered as he held tightly to her. "Take it easy." His voice was soft, but insistent. "You're okay. Just relax." After a moment, he felt the tension leave her as her confusion faded.

"Major?" she questioned.

Her quiet voice heartened him. He smiled slightly. "Its okay, Teyla, I got you."

"Sir!" About ten feet away, Ford inched towards them. "You okay?"

"Yeah!" John replied, his gaze not leaving Teyla's face. "I'm okay, but Teyla whacked her head pretty good." He held tightly to her as he looked around. The water level had risen to the point where McKay had managed to scramble out of the water and onto the top of the outcropping he'd been hanging onto. He stared at John.

"Major?" Rodney shouted.

"Sit tight, McKay." John answered. "Ford?"

"Sir?" Ford answered instantly.

"Make for the rocks, Lieutenant. Once you're out, you can give me a hand with Teyla. Hopefully the water won't go too much higher, and we can ride out the tide up there."

"Yes, sir." Ford swam towards McKay as John followed behind him, his side-stroke slow against the strong waves.

He reached the rocks and looked up at Ford and McKay only about four feet above him. Ford lay flat and extended his arm down towards them. John grabbed a jagged edge of the rock and glanced down. "Teyla? Can you reach up and take Ford's hand?" Silence greeted his question. He shook her slightly. "Teyla?"

Teyla nodded faintly. "Yes." Sluggishly, her arm broke the surface of the water, but only barely. John's grip on the small outcropping of rock tightened, his body tensing as he shifted Teyla upwards towards Ford. "Take her."

Ford's fingers scraped over the top of Teyla's coat a few times before he latched onto her arm. His grip slid down to grab her forearm, and he lifted her.

John braced his feet against the rock and helped push Teyla upwards, while Rodney grabbed her other arm and helped Ford. Between the two of them, they pulled Teyla up onto the rock. It wasn't long before Ford extended his arm to John.

"Sir."

John reached up and held tight to Ford's forearm, allowing the lieutenant to help him out of the water. On his knees on dry ground, he sat for a minute, hands braced on his thighs and deep fast breaths flowing in and out of him. He looked up, his gaze immediately finding Teyla.

Rodney had her head cushioned in his lap, and was looking down at her half opened eyes, concern etched on his face.

John crawled over to her side and knelt. Water dripped from his hair and tickled his face. He shook his head. "Teyla?" his voice was soft.

Her eyes opened and cleared slightly. "Major?" She lifted her head and started to sit up. "I am all right…." She made it as far as resting on her elbows, before her eyes slid shut and she noticeably paled. A quiet groan escaped her.

"Whoa… easy," John put a gentle but insistently restraining hand on her shoulder. "It's not often McKay shows compassion," he ignored Rodney's exasperated sigh, "so, take advantage of it. Just lie down and try to relax."

Her eyes never opened. "Major…."

"Lie back, Teyla," John interrupted, hardening his tone slightly as he squeezed her shoulder. "That's an order." He smiled slightly as she settled back into McKay's lap.

"Sir, what now?" Ford asked.

John sighed and ran a hand through his wet hair. "Not much we can do but wait and hope it doesn't take too long for the tide to go out." He felt a chill go through him and looked up at the cloudy sky. "At least the rain's stopped. Could use some sunshine though."

As if by command, rays of sunlight began filtering through the clouds. He allowed himself a brief, smug smile as the sunlight warmed his head.

Rodney stared acerbically back at him. "What's next? Part the sea with a wave of your hand?"

John let Rodney's comment roll off him. "Been thinkin' about it." His smile faded as his eyes fell on Teyla. They all shivered slightly from the cold wet clothes they wore, but it was more pronounced in her, probably from her injury. He poured a healthy dose of reassurance in his voice. "How's the head, Teyla?"

"Hurts." Her voice was quiet but strong. A flicker of a smile played at her mouth. "But I will be fine."

John smiled back. "Good."

"Doesn't seem to be bleeding anymore either," Rodney added as he pulled a blood-covered hand away from the back of her head. He blanched. "Blood really…." He swallowed. "Yeah."

John shook his head. "Don't faint, Rodney." He ignored Rodney's annoyed look and looked down at Teyla. "I'd bandage your head, but our vests and supplies…." His voice trailed off.

"Not to mention any food we had," Rodney muttered.

"Hungry already, McKay?" Ford shook his head, his amusement never dampening.

Rodney stared coldly at him. "Fine, sure, you jest now. But, when I fall into hypoglycemic shock, don't say I didn't warn you!" he snapped.

John rolled his eyes. "Relax, McKay. I'm sure the tide will go out long before that point." Leaning back, he sat down next to Teyla and wrapped his arms around his bent knees. He sighed deeply, letting his head fall back slightly and allowing the sun to warm his face. "Besides," he shrugged, "We only have an hour, maybe an hour and a half, before we're overdue and Elizabeth dials in anyway…." His voice trailed off as realization dawned on him. He looked at Rodney, who had apparently come to the same conclusion.

"Radios," they said in unison.

John reached up and tapped the call button on his headset. "Can you hear me, McKay?"

"Besides the fact that I'm sitting next you? No." Rodney sighed.

"Damn it," John muttered. "And the backup radios were in our vests. Can't believe I didn't think to grab one…."

Rodney shrugged. "Not that it would've done any good." He waved dismissively at John's headset. "Seawater and electronics don't get along too well."

"What do we do when Atlantis dials in?" Ford asked hesitantly.

"We could throw rocks," John's quip was dark.

"No good," Rodney immediately answered. "Matter only travels one direction through a wormhole."

"I was kidding, McKay," John sighed.

"Right. Sorry." Rodney muttered.

"What if they send another team?" Teyla's voice was still quiet but slightly stronger.

John winced and looked at the top one-third of the gate, all he could still see sticking out of the water. "I really hope they don't do that."