CHAPTER 1
Dr Elizabeth Weir tread carefully across the rough, unfamiliar ground beneath her feet. It was not her first time off world and she had been asked by the leader of a small settlement they were recently allied with to attend the 'choosing ceremony' his daughter was to go through. She had momentarily thought of refusing but quickly dismissed the thought and accepted his offer. Now she was heading toward a village in the middle of a forest with Colonel Shepard's team.
As the village neared, the sight took her breath away. Small wooden huts that seemed to be constructed from long, thin twigs and bound by vines of brightly coloured flowers. It was so beautifully blended with the forest that surrounded them. The villagers similarly wore vines of flowers wrapped around wrists and ankles, small wreath-like head dresses made of the vines sat atop their heads. In the centre of the crowd of people stood the leader's daughter almost encompassed in white vines and flowers. One villager offered each of the 'outsiders' a head dress and a tangle of vines to place on their wrists. Most of them graciously placed the ceremonial dress on however Ronon stared at them with distaste.
"Just put them on, we don't want anyone getting upset." John said in his usual wary tone. Obediently, Ronon put on the vines with disgust. "Thank you. Now that wasn't so hard was it?"
Ronon rolled his eyes and grunted at John before they moved closer to the gathered crowd.
Tyran, the leader of the village, rose onto the stone platform in the centre of the ring of huts, waving his arms and hushing the assembled people. "Mayana, please step forward." The smiling man gestured. The girl in white moved forward and joint her father on the platform, embracing him. In that moment, a small octagonal column rose from the stone, letting off a faint blue light from the panel on the slanted top. "Now, place both hands on the device. Let the ancestors guide you through the next step in life's journey.
"What's going to happen?" John asked curiously in a hushed voice.
"The light will encompass her and the man she is destined to be with." A small elderly woman supplied him. "We all go through this ceremony. It is like a marriage, the two people are joined together in body, mind and soul. The white represents the purity of which each of us must be before we can hope to reach enlightenment. The vines of our growth in this existence."
"Oh, thank you."
Suddenly, Mayana was engulfed in a blue light, as was one of the men in the assembled crowd. A pathway was cleared by the villagers to allow the two to stand together on the platform. As he slowly walked toward her, it was evident that they had love filled hearts and teary eyes.
The old woman continued speaking to them. "This device brings together two people who's hearts have been wholly given to each other. And sometimes it takes until the ceremony to realise it. When the device detects when one of the women is ready for the ceremony, our leader is notified through the window of the ancestors. It is made of glass and yet doesn't break, hanging from the ceiling of the great temple."
Slowly, the light that encompassed them faded and the ceremony continued. "The ancestors have seen into your hearts and selected you for each other. You may now seal your union." The two people shared a deep kiss.
"The kiss represents bond between them." The old woman informed them over the cheering of the crowd. "This is what seals the connection."
Mayana, her father and her new husband all turned to face the gathered throng. Cheers filled the air as they walked amongst family and friends who congratulated the two.
Tyran moved swiftly through the crowd to greet the atlantis team. "Thank you for joining in this celebration. My daughter would not stop begging for me to send you the invitation."
"It was an honour to he here, Tyran." Dr Weir thanked.
"Will you join us in our celebratory feast?" He asked, gesturing to the large hall that many people gravitated toward. "I am sure that my daughter would understand if you had to leave so soon after the ceremony."
"Of course we will join the celebration." She stated as if it were obvious to everyone.
"You are no longer required to wear the ceremonial dress." He said, talking the wreaths of flowers from his body.
Ronon instantly ripped the flowers off him and went to hug Tyran. "Thank you."
"You are most welcome." Tyran said, patting Ronon on the shoulder. "Please, come." He spoke to the assembled group and led them to the hall.
"We were wondering if we could study your device. Something like that must be incredibly complex. We're trying to understand everything about the Ancients so that we can better understand the technology we found in the city of the ancestors." Dr Weir asked before she and Tyran entered the hall.
"I will have to consult several of the villagers before I can give you an answer but for everything that you have done for us, I do not see why they will refuse."
