disclaimer: This is fan fiction. I don't own any of the characters. :(
ratings and warnings: rated M; very adult themes but NO SLASH!
Pairings: John/Teyla, others
A/N: Takes place right after the episode Travelers, where Rodney wishes, just once, he was taken prisoner by the sexy alien. The others may regret he ever said this.
Beginning part in italics is directly from that episode. Not my words.
What You Wish For
by Karasel
"There's something you're not telling us. She was hot, wasn't she?" Rodney whined at Sheppard as they sat in the mess following John's abduction.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Sheppard answered back as he took another ravenous bite of his meal.
"Oh, I knew it. That is so typical," McKay insisted.
"She had me beat, Rodney," John growled. "She threatened to kill me several times. It wasn't like we were hanging out in the spa together."
"Whatever. All I know is that every time I get taken captive, it's the Wraith. Just once I would like to be taken prisoner by the sexy alien."
"Well you may still get a chance," Sheppard told him.
"Yeah, what do you mean?" Ronon asked curiously.
"She's still out there," Sheppard replied with a wry smile.
Let Rodney chew on that one for a while, John thought. Leave it up to McKay to think that being kidnapped, even by someone as hot as Larrin could be enjoyable for any reason. Although the kiss she had given him had definitely stirred his blood, it also reinforced that he really couldn't trust anyone, no matter how good looking they were or how many times you saved their life.
Unless of course it was one of your closest friends and teammates. Family. Like the people sitting here at the table with him. Although he couldn't put Rodney and Ronon in the same category as Larrin. But Teyla. Maybe he could fit her into that sexy, hot group. He'd never actually say that to her of course. She'd kick his ass into next Tuesday. Well, she kicked his ass whenever they sparred anyway, no matter what day it was. And he had to admit he didn't always mind. He'd never been one to be attracted to quiet, demure women.
Okay, maybe he'd spent a bit of time with Chaya but she was an Ancient so maybe it was his gene that had reacted to her. And then Teer, well, she was the boldest of all the meditation loving troglodytes. And he had been there for six months thinking no one was coming to get him. And then Mara, well, she couldn't exactly be called demure. But hello, beautiful, naked lady jumps on you when you haven't had sex in a few years. Yeah, no brainer there.
And truthfully, he hadn't really cared that much emotionally for any of them. But Teyla he cared for deeply. He tried to deny it and he did everything in his power to hide it, but yeah, she hit him in a place that no one ever really had before; not even his ex-wife Nancy.
John looked around the table at his team, his glance lingering for a fraction of a second longer on Teyla. Yeah, he'd never do anything to threaten his relationship with Teyla. She was too important to him. He'd keep his feelings tightly in control and his desire in his pants where it belonged.
*sgasgasgasga*
"What the hell is wrong with this thing, McKay?" Sheppard asked as the puddle jumper bucked again and the controls went sluggish. He was having a hard time controlling the craft and that wasn't good. They were still over an hour away from the space gate that had brought them here and three hours away from the planet they had visited and he didn't relish the idea of floating around in space in a broken jumper.
"I don't know," McKay admitted. "I'm working on it. It would be a lot easier if you weren't banging this thing all over the place."
"Would it be easier if the jumper were on land, Rodney?" Teyla asked of the scientist.
"Of course it would," he replied caustically. "But I don't see a whole lot of land around here, do you?"
"Perhaps there is something nearby. It does not need to be habitable, just a solid surface to minimize turbulence. The jumper provides all the life support we need, does it not?"
"On it!" Sheppard said as he called up the HUD and scoured the area for something to firmly sit on.
"Right here," Sheppard called out. "It's twenty minutes out of the way, but it's better than trying to navigate through a space gate with sluggish controls. We've done the whole 'stuck in the event horizon' thing and I have no desire to repeat the experience."
"Fine, fine," Rodney muttered. "Just get us down in one piece, okay."
Sheppard glared at him. "I'll try my best, McKay." And he banked the ship in another direction.
*sgasgasga*
"Okay, that wasn't exactly my best landing but not bad when you consider I had almost no control over the thrusters," John analyzed.
"Not bad!" McKay howled. "I think I've got whiplash! And I definitely bruised my tailbone."
"Quit complaining," Ronon grunted. "You're alive, aren't you?"
"Barely," McKay pouted.
"We are all fine, John," Teyla complimented. "Thank you for getting us down safely."
"You're welcome. McKay, once your bruised butt recovers, do you think you could possibly fix this thing so we can get home?"
"Of course I can fix it," McKay snorted indignantly. "The real question is, do I have the right tools and equipment to do the job?"
"Well, do you?" John asked sarcastically.
Rodney glared daggers at him. "If I knew what the problem was, then I could tell you if I had the right tools."
John smirked again. "Thanks for clearing that up."
Teyla rolled her eyes and suggested, "John, do you think it would be best if we provided Rodney with some time and space to assess the situation? Perhaps we could scout the area."
"That's a great idea, Teyla," John commended. He looked at the HUD and announced, "The atmosphere is breathable and the temperature comfortable."
"Really?" Rodney snapped. "And you couldn't figure that out by the few villages that we passed as we hobbled through the air looking for the ideal place to crash?"
"Not everyone breathes the same concentration of oxygen that we do and we didn't crash. But I did spend a few more minutes looking for some place suitable so we weren't too close to the locals. There's no Stargate nearby so it's very possible they've never seen people from another planet before. Sometimes the thought of aliens from space gets people in a bit of an uproar and I don't think we need that right now when we have a busted jumper."
John stood up and grabbed his P-90. He opened the back hatch and said, "Teyla, why don't you come with me. We'll do a patrol of the perimeter and see what's out there. Rodney, I shut down all non-essential systems but the cloak is still on so you should be fine but I'll leave Ronon here just in case."
John leaned down and whispered to Ronon, "I'll owe you, Buddy."
Ronon just glared at him while McKay started fussing in the back compartments.
"Hey, while you're out, maybe you could find some food to eat. All we have in here are a few MRE's," McKay suggested.
"Sure," John snapped back in jest. "We'll just pop in to the local Chinese Restaurant and pick up some Mandarin chicken. Is that good enough for you, McKay?"
"What are you crazy? That stuff has lemon in it. Are you trying to kill me?"
John just stared at him until Rodney got it and said, "Oh, yeah, right. There's not really a Chinese Restaurant nearby. Sorry. Guess I'm just kind of hungry."
"When are you not hungry, McKay?" Ronon growled.
"Come on, Teyla. Let's get out of here before I shoot him." John ordered.
John and Teyla left the jumper and turned around and looked at where they were and marked some of their surroundings. Now that they were outside, the jumper was cloaked and they couldn't see it. John noticed he had left a few landing marks on the ground as he had slid the jumper down. And they were almost under a crop of trees that were shaped in a big V. Those seemed like enough landmarks to remember where they were.
"Let's head this way," John suggested to Teyla and pointed to the southwest. "I think one of the towns was in this direction. I don't want to get too close but we could check it out and get some intel."
"That is an excellent idea, John," Teyla admitted.
The two spent over an hour moving in one direction and finally came upon an orchard of trees unlike anything John had ever seen before. The fruit on it was about the size of an apple but it was light pink and perfectly round.
"Do you think it's okay to eat? They look like they're actually grown for harvest." John picked one off the tree and sniffed it.
"I believe so," Teyla answered and pointed to a basket underneath another tree nearby. The basket was filled with the pastel colored fruit.
"Okay," John chirped and polished the fruit on his pant leg then took a bite. The fruit was extremely sweet and juicy and had the texture of a melon. The taste was quite different from anything he'd ever had before, though.
"It's good," he nodded and picked another one and threw it to Teyla.
She examined it for a few moments then took a large bite as well. Juice dripped from her lips and John had the distinct urge to wipe it off her mouth with his tongue.
Whoa! Where did those thoughts come from? John shook his head and knew he needed to get a hold of those feelings. Not appropriate, especially when they were on an unknown planet with inhabitants they had no knowledge of. He continued to eat the fruit until he had reached the pit in the middle. He chucked the pit aside and reached for a few more.
"I'll just take some for later," he explained to Teyla. "We haven't really had much to eat except nutrient bars since we left Atlantis and that was almost ten hours ago. We can pick up a few more on our way back for Rodney and Ronon."
Teyla followed suit and tucked a few in her Tac vest as well. She finished off hers as they continued to walk. A few minutes later they came to a hilltop that overlooked the small village they had flown over earlier. It was widespread with crops and livestock and many more orchards and they could see people working in the fields. The small houses were scattered around the fields along the outside and in the middle of the whole thing was a large, tall building with very few windows.
John stopped beside Teyla and bit into his second piece of fruit as he studied the layout. The area was extremely beautiful with trees, fields and a few mountains in the far-off distance. He looked down at Teyla to make a comment but stopped when he saw she was looking up at him, a wide smile on her face.
Teyla observed the village and felt a peace wash over her. She didn't know why she was feeling so serene all of a sudden but any worries or concerns seemed to have simply washed away. She wondered if John was having the same feeling of harmony that she was and turned her head to gaze at him. He was looking down over the valley and she suddenly had the thought that he was such an incredibly handsome man.
Why had those thoughts just suddenly come to her? She had always thought of John as handsome, even though his hair was rather untamed and his clothes always looked like he had just stepped out of bed with them on. But he had a straight, strong nose and eyes that spoke volumes and his lips... those lips were absolutely beautiful. They were full and wide and had a little line running through the middle of the bottom to make them an interesting shape. She had always thought it would be amazing to nibble on them. But she should not be having these thoughts right now. Or ever. He was her commanding officer and it was not appropriate for her to think such things.
She had hoped, early on in their relationship, that maybe things could be closer between them. But she had found John to be an extremely dedicated man and his job was very important to him and dictated that he be respectful and professional in all matters. She had soon realized that nothing would come of her wanting to be romantic with him. She knew he would never allow himself that distraction. She looked at him now and wished it could be different. He looked down at her and she could see herself reflected in his sunglasses and she wondered where the huge smile had come from. She hadn't realized she was doing that.
John smiled back at Teyla and openly admired her beauty. Man, why hadn't he ever just grabbed her and kissed her before? Oh, wait, he had but he'd been infected by the retrovirus at the time. But he remembered now how much he had enjoyed the feel of her lips under his. As a bird flew overhead and chirped, John shook his head and tried to reign in his feelings. If they continued on in the direction they were heading, his pants would start getting a little tight.
"Doesn't seem like the type of place we have to worry much about. They look like farmers mostly. Although I am kind of wondering what's in the big building," John thought.
"Perhaps it stores their harvest," Teyla suggested.
"That's part of what it does," a voice rang out behind them. John whipped around raising his P-90 in a defensive hold. How in the world had this person snuck up on him? Then he realized he'd been looking at Teyla's lips and wondering how they'd taste. This is precisely why he'd never given in to that emotion before. It could get you into all sorts of trouble. But looking at this guy in front of him, maybe they weren't really in trouble. The man was probably a similar age to him, tall with short, light brown hair, medium build and wearing casual pants and a loose tunic.
John lowered his weapon slightly and acknowledged the man. "Sorry, I didn't hear you come up. You startled us."
"No problem," he returned. "It's the view. It's really beautiful and most people get a little mesmerized by it."
"Yes, it is indeed lovely. What do you call this village?" Teyla asked.
"This is Nigava. You folks obviously aren't from around here or you'd know. I figure you aren't from Sipennia either. I don't know everyone from there but they certainly know who we are. And most of them would never dare make their way over here."
"You folks at war, or something?" John wondered out loud. He needed to know if they were stepping into the middle of something. Because if they were, he wanted to step right back out.
"War?" the man scoffed. "Life's too short to waste time at war. Nah, we just don't really associate with them too much, especially since they don't share their kotus fruit with us. But we've managed to get our crops thriving again so it doesn't really matter."
"Kotus fruit?" Teyla questioned then remembered the fruit she'd tucked into her vest and pulled out a piece. "Is this kotus fruit?"
The man got a weird look on his face and said, "You've never had kotus fruit before. Where are you two from?"
"Quite a ways away, up over the hills." John looked in the direction they had come form. "It took us a while to get here. We're mostly just curious as to what else is on this planet. We took a few pieces of that fruit since we'd been walking for a while. Sorry. I hope you don't mind. We can work something out for payment if it's a problem." John didn't want to get thrown in some sort of jail just because they'd eaten some forbidden apple ... er ... kotus.
"Not a problem at all. Like I said, we got ourselves a thriving crop this season. For the last few seasons actually. My name's Cobit."
"Sheppard," John nodded at the man and continued, "This is Teyla."
"If you two are really interested I can bring you down to the village. We don't get many visitors here and everyone is always interested in interacting with new faces and people. Our nightly banquet starts shortly and you're more than welcome. You can be my guest."
John and Teyla looked at each other cautiously but they were both feeling rather mellow for some odd reason and nodded to each other in consent.
Cobit beamed happily and looked at their guns. "You will not need your weapons. I do not think anyone will try to harm you, although you may certainly have people vying for your attention and interaction."
John patted his P-90 but lowered it all the way down. "Just kind of attached, you know."
Cobit smiled and said, "Follow me."
They walked for about ten minutes and passed the people in the fields, tending to vegetables, harvesting or near the orchards picking what John could see was the kotus fruit. This kotus fruit was good, John admitted but since they were pissed with their neighboring village because of it, he figured it must be a pretty important staple in their diet. The people in the fields he noticed were all healthy enough and certainly didn't seem like they were suppressed or being forced to work. That was always a sure sign that something was wrong. But these folks were laughing and talking while they worked and took very little notice of them walking by.
He glanced at Teyla and saw her relax as she noticed, too. But one thing he also noticed was that most of the workers were definitely older than him or much younger. It seemed the 20 - 40 age bracket was missing. Although on closer examination he did see a few women in that age range but they were all obviously pregnant. He hoped it wasn't that all the men were inside the big building getting ready to go to war. Even though Cobit had scoffed at that, he had just met the man and certainly didn't trust him, yet.
They came up to the large building and Cobit announced, "This is our banquet and entertainment center. I hope you will enjoy yourselves." He opened the doors and they walked in to see a large entryway that branched into several hallways in different directions. As they were standing there admiring the artwork on the walls, a beautiful, slender woman, roughly 50 years of age, came gliding over to them. Her clothing was elegant and lightweight and flowed loosely around her body.
"Cobit," she exclaimed. "You have brought us guests. How lovely. Where did you find them?"
"Hafalia, this is Sheppard and Teyla. They have come from far over the hills in exploration of our planet. I have invited them to join us in our nightly banquet. I hoped you would be pleased."
"It is lovely to meet you." The woman greeted them. "I am Hafalia. I am the organizer of this facility." She looked both John and Teyla over carefully and said, "You will both be welcomed here by all, I am sure."
She turned to Cobit and asked, "Will you escort our guests to a room where they can refresh themselves and then bring them to the dining hall for the banquet?"
The man nodded and she added to him, "Please come see me later as we will need to discuss some terms."
Cobit nodded and held out his hand for John and Teyla to follow him down the left branch of the hallway. John wondered about these terms they needed to discuss but couldn't really sense anything underhanded. Both of these people had a very relaxed manner and John was feeling pretty relaxed himself. He wondered if there was something in the air.
Cobit showed them to a room where they could see a small couch, a table with some kotus fruit on it, a sink and what appeared to be a cabinet. A small bathroom could be seen through a door along the back wall.
"Please use this room to clean yourself for the meal. There are towels in the left side of the cabinet and I ask that you deposit your weapons in the right side of the cabinet."
John's eyes narrowed. "I'd rather not just leave my weapons lying around, if it's all the same to you."
"We do not wish to take them from you," Cobit said with a small laugh. "However it is considered extremely rude to appear at the banquet or entertainment with any device that could harm another. There are locks that you may use to keep your articles safe where only you have the key. But you will not be allowed in the banquet hall unfortunately with them."
He gave a small bow and said, "I will leave you to refresh yourselves and come fetch you in a short while."
When the door closed, John took a good look around the room checking for listening devices or cameras of some sort. But he actually hadn't seen any technology that indicated they would even be that advanced. The lights in this room were lit with oil and they used mirrors for reflection of that light. Teyla stood looking around as well and then began unzipping her vest, lowering the machine gun to the floor near the cabinet.
"You think they're harmless?" John asked Teyla as she turned on the water and began washing her hands and face. John reached for a towel in the cabinet and handed it to her. Their hands touched at the exchange and John sucked in a deep breath at the tingling that ran up his arm. Teyla seemed to freeze also then moved the towel to her face to dry it.
"I do not know," Teyla answered truthfully. "They seem very friendly, however we have encountered people before who appear that way then show their true colors at a later time."
John took his turn at the sink and decided to get rid of his Tac vest as well. He was still undecided about the weapons.
Teyla sat down on the couch and reached for a piece of fruit.
John chuckled as he teased, "Not too much or you'll ruin your appetite."
Teyla took an obvious bite and returned saucily, "Yes, Father."
After John had finished cleaning up, he also grabbed another piece of fruit and sat down next to her to eat it.
"So what kind of food do you think they'll have at this feast?" John asked. "I'm hoping it's more than just this kotus. I mean they're really good but I think I'd like something with a bit of protein in it."
"I agree. A few pieces of fruit is not quite a satisfactory meal."
John finished his kotus and put the pit in the small receptacle near the table. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes for a few minutes. All of a sudden he popped his head up and look at Teyla.
"We probably should have radioed Rodney and Ronon by now, huh? I can't believe we forgot to do that."
Teyla looked puzzled. "Yes, that is most unlike us."
John touched his comm and tried to reach them. "Rodney, can you hear me?"
He tried several times then figured, "We must be out of range or there's some sort of interference. Which means the walkie talkie probably won't work either. Damn it!"
Teyla finished off her fruit and leaned her head back and closed her eyes now. "I am sure they will be fine. Ronon is there to protect Rodney if he should need it and Rodney will be able to work so much faster if he is not disturbed by our presence. Especially as you often have a difficult time refraining from irritating Rodney with your teasing banter."
"Hey!" John playfully pushed at her shoulder. "I'll have you know that teasing banter gets him to work a whole lot harder most of the time. Especially when it's a life or death situation."
Teyla grabbed at the hand that had touched her and held it firm in her own. "But we are not in a life or death situation at the moment, so there is no need to push Rodney to work faster."
"That's true," John acknowledged. "And this sitting, relaxing thing isn't so bad either. I should try it more often."
He squeezed her hand still in his and added, "Of course the company doesn't completely suck either, which helps."
"Thank you so much for the kind words," Teyla's voice dripped with sarcasm. "It is amazing you do not have women draped all over you with the flowery compliments you provide."
John leaned his head back again and chuckled at her words. He realized her hand was still in his but for some strange reason he had no desire to release it. Or maybe he should say he had a strong desire to keep it there. His thumb started absentmindedly rubbing back and forth along the smooth skin it held. He saw Teyla's head drop back as well and a content smile appear on her face. The longer they sat there the more aware John became of Teyla's perfect body so close to his. When he inhaled, her scent tickled his nostrils and made his awareness of her even stronger. He finally sat up and looked her way, his face only inches from hers. He started to lower his head even closer when the door opened and Cobit entered. John pulled back and lifted his head in greeting.
"The banquet is about to begin if you are ready." Cobit invited.
They both stood up and moved toward the door but Cobit reminded them. "Your weapons are not needed."
"Oh, right," John nodded compliantly and moved to pick up both the P-90's and put them inside the cabinet. He noticed there were several locks for his use and chose one. He was about to close it and lock them inside when Cobit pointed out his sidearm and knife resting on his utility belt. John obediently removed the belt along with the weapons and Teyla, without instruction, removed her hidden knife as well. They placed them inside the cabinet, John locked it, pocketing the key and they followed Cobit from the room.
As they moved down the hall after the man, John felt a strange feeling that he had submitted to their wishes so easily but then reasoned that these people had shown no hostile intent as of yet. Plus, he had seen no sign of weapons on anyone in this facility either. That didn't mean they didn't have any, since they hadn't really seen too many people yet.
At the end of the hallway, Cobit pushed aside a very large, ornate door and they stepped inside. The room was expansive with small benches and love seats scattered about, low coffee tables in front of each one. A long banquet table lined one wall, covered with steaming dishes of food along the entire length. A table for drinks flanked one end and what appeared to be desserts flanked the other. The entire room was lit with oil lamps and candles that were artistically hung from the walls and covered the flat surfaces as well.
"Please help yourself to our banquet," Cobit invited and swept his hand in the direction of the long tables.
Teyla thanked him but cautiously asked, "Are there any customs or etiquette we should be aware of? Anything that is taboo or forbidden? We would not wish to insult your people due to ignorance of your ways."
"You are so kind to think of that," Cobit smiled happily. "But no, we are not easily offended. We only wish that you enjoy the food and the company before we begin our entertainment for the evening. I will be nearby if you require anything or have any questions but I encourage you to look around and familiarize yourself with the others who are here."
"Sounds like a plan," John said. "Thanks." He placed his hand along Teyla's back and ushered her to the banquet table. They took plates and cutlery and moved down the line putting small amounts of many different foods on their plates. When they were full, John and Teyla moved to an empty bench and sat down.
"This looks interesting and good," John confessed. "I have to admit I'm pretty hungry."
"Yes, I find myself in need of sustenance as well," Teyla agreed. "It has been a while since we have eaten real food."
"I almost feel a little guilty that we're eating all this and Rodney and Ronon are back at the jumper probably scoffing down the last of the MRE's." John confessed. "I'll just have to tell McKay that it all had citrus in it and he couldn't have it anyway."
"I am not certain about citrus but I do believe that much of this is prepared with kotus fruit. The distinct taste and smell is slightly discernible in most of these foods. And I must admit the things I have tasted so far are extremely delicious."
John finished chewing a bite of some meat and had to agree. He moved on to some sort of pasta type dish and enjoyed that as well. He moved through his plate to taste the other chicken/fowl dishes and vegetables as well as the rolls and spread he'd put on them. He couldn't remember when he'd had a meal this good. Definitely not since he'd been on Atlantis.
He looked at Teyla and she seemed to be savoring the meal as well.
"Good, huh?" he asked as he raised one eyebrow at her. She nodded her head but didn't stop eating.
John's plate was beginning to empty so he looked around the room, checking out the other occupants. He spotted Cobit chatting with a lovely, blond woman and they seemed quite friendly. Many of these people were smiling widely and moving through the crowds to talk to each other. That's when John noticed quite a few eyes on Teyla and him. He supposed he shouldn't be surprised since they were new here. Cobit said they didn't get many visitors. Most people were finishing up their meals and taking a smaller plate with dessert on it. While they were eating, most people had sat upon the couches or benches but now they were moving around mingling a bit more. A few headed in their direction and John braced himself for what he figured was a long list of questions.
"Hello, you are new here, I am Dema," greeted a young, pretty brunette. John noticed that she wore a loose flowing dress like most of the women here. Even the men wore loose tops that buttoned up the front and their pants almost looked like the pajama pants you'd wear on Earth. Apparently these people liked to be comfortable. At least during the banquet, as he remembered the people in the field wearing much sturdier clothes.
"I am Teyla," she greeted back but Dema only smiled briefly at her and moved her gaze back to John waiting for his reply.
"Sheppard," he supplied and wondered what this lady had against Teyla.
"Did you enjoy the meal?" Dema asked, giving all her attention to the man in front of her. "Cobit said you are not from near here and you have never tasted the kotus fruit. It is used in a variety of ways in preparing the food for the banquet."
"It was great!" John praised and looked at Teyla to try and include her in the conversation. "We found it delicious."
"I am pleased. The quality of the food always makes the entertainment more pleasurable." Dema told them.
"What is this entertainment you speak of?" Teyla queried.
Dema seemed uncomfortable at Teyla's question and John didn't know if it was because of the type of entertainment or because the women didn't seem to be interacting with each other, only the opposite sex. Or at least that's what he'd realized as he looked around the room. Dema tilted her head toward the other side of the room and a large man started walking toward them.
"I believe Belkon would be interested in interacting with you," Dema actually spoke to Teyla.
John looked at the dark skinned man who approached. He was actually larger than Ronon, although his head was clean shaven as was his face. John didn't think he'd want to go up against him in any kind of a fight. He approached and directed his gaze at Teyla exclusively. Big surprise there, John thought.
"I am Belkon," He said in a deep, rough tone. "I am sought after by all but I would like greatly to interact with you."
A territorial feeling crawled its way up John's insides and erupted with a gruff, "She's just gonna hang out with me for a while, I think."
The man simply bowed his head and replied, "As newcomers that is your right. I am hoping to get the chance in the future. I look forward to watching you."
Belkon left and Dema also departed with a, "Please enjoy yourself."
"I look forward to watching you?" John repeated. "Okay, that's a little creepy."
"I agree it is unsettling however it may mean something entirely different on this world than what we think it is."
"Regardless, I think you should stick close by me tonight until we get a better handle on what exactly the deal is with these people," John suggested.
"My thoughts are similar to yours," Teyla agreed then turned as she saw Cobit move toward them from the other side of the room.
"I hope you enjoyed the banquet. The food always fills one with such exhileration and anticipation. Are you ready for the entertainment? Alas, you will only be spectators tonight but there will be other times for you to interact."
"Watching's good for tonight," John consented as he and Teyla followed Cobit out of the banquet room and down another long hallway. There were many doors along this hallway and the people who they'd been eating with were all moving in couples. Cobit took them down a set of stairs then another long hall lined with doors.
As they walked down the hall John leaned over and quietly asked Teyla, "How are you feeling right now?"
She looked up in surprise and responded, "I feel fine." Her eyes then looked up thoughtfully and added, "I must admit, however, that I am quite relaxed."
"Almost too relaxed?" John questioned. "I don't know why but I am too. I have to keep shaking myself to look around and pay attention. Do you think they could have put something in the food?"
"We ate the same food as everyone else and they do not seemed alarmed by a change in behavior."
"That's the problem. I'm not alarmed either and I think I should be. Shouldn't I?" John gave her a puzzled look.
Teyla slid her hand through John's arm and leaned in close. "I think we should just enjoy the time together here without Rodney and Ronon."
John grinned and held her arm closer. "That's a pretty good idea."
Cobit finally stopped in front of one of the doors and said, "This will be your view of the entertainment."
They walked inside and John could see that it was like a box in the opera. Only the seats were a cushioned bench and there was really only room for two. He walked to the front where it was open into a large arena that had seating on all sides. They were a few rows up from the stage which was round, good sized and looked like it was divided into three sections. John chuckled to himself thinking maybe it was a three ring circus. He checked out the rest of the arena and saw that just about all the seats were in private boxes like the one they were in. Some accommodated four or six people but many held only two like theirs. And the place was pretty big for a village with no technology. He figured it must hold maybe a hundred and fifty people or more.
A girl probably in her late teens entered the room and bowed in the direction of Cobit. He greeted her and introduced them all.
"Sheppard, Teyla, this is Jelisa. She has been assigned to you throughout your stay with us. She can assist you with anything you need. You have only to ask. There are many treats and wines available for you while you are watching the entertainment."
Cobit bowed his head and started to back out of the room. "Thank you for gracing us with your presence. I hope the participants tonight will be to your liking. I most likely will not see you until the morning."
John thought about objecting. They had never said they would stay overnight. But it was probably dark out and John wasn't sure they'd be able to find their way back in the dark. If these people had comfortable beds they were willing to share, it was way better than the cold, hard ground or even the bench in the jumper. Of course McKay and Ronon would probably be worried but if they brought back some food for McKay he could be soothed easily enough. Especially this food; it was incredible. Rodney would be in heaven.
Cobit left and Jelisa bowed again and asked, "May I get you some wine or treats?"
Teyla looked at John and shook her head. John smiled at the girl and said, "We're still pretty full right now. Maybe later. How long does this show go on?"
Jelisa almost looked embarrassed as she told them, "It depends on how long each pair take to complete their interaction."
Teyla looked confused as she had heard that term used several times this night. "What are these interactions?"
"I will bring you some wine," Jelisa said, ignoring the question and moving to the door. "The show is starting and you will want to watch, I am sure."
She turned the oil lamps all the way down as the lights in the arena started to glow brighter. Teyla and John sat on the bench and looked down at the stage in front of them. Each of the three sections was divided by large glass partitions in an almost Y shape. Lights were draped all around each section, hanging from tall hooks, on small wooden blocks and around the edge of the stage on the floor. Each section had a variety of props in them. Chairs, benches, tables, and other items that John couldn't figure out were scattered around each section.
He looked at Teyla with a puzzled stare. "You got any guesses as to what this 'entertainment' might possibly be?"
"I do not," she answered equally puzzled.
They watched as soft music started playing and people entered the stage area. As the show started, John and Teyla looked wide-eyed but couldn't even look at each other as they realized exactly what the 'entertainment' was.
.
