SGA (no crossover) possible spoilers up to "Quarantine" in Seas. 4.

Disclaimer – I don't own any of this except original characters and plot.

Define Interesting

Chapter 1

"You're late."

"Oh, yes, didn't Radek tell you I was down fixing the array that he and his goons broke?" Rodney's face was red and he was huffing air like a locomotive. "Had to pull an all-nighter. Again."

John Sheppard eyed the mussy hair and red-rimmed, manic eyes and decided to forgo a snarky comment. "Have a seat. Teyla's got something for us." He indicated the chair to his left as he turned back to face the room. They were all in Sam Carter's office - Ronon slouched against the wall behind him, Teyla had one hip propped on the front of Colonel Carter's desk, and Sam sitting calmly behind it. "Go ahead," he told the pregnant Athosian. "You were saying?"

As Teyla stood straight the mound of her belly became more obvious. She took a deep breath and smoothed down her shirt over the bulge. "I believe I might have a lead in the mystery of my people's disappearance."

"That's good news, Teyla." John leaned forward, searching her eyes with his own. Her normally clear, dark brown eyes were shadowed with the agony of the unknown fate of the Athosians. He knew the last couple of months had been a trial for her – having to come to terms with being pregnant with a child who may never know his father. She didn't lose hope, though. Hope was the one ray of light she clung to. "What's the lead?'

"Last night, Major Lorne brought back a message from Methos from a friend of my father's. His name is Saul Logan, and he is a traveling…ah, performer." She took another deep breath. A hand was protectively curved around the fullest part of her belly. "He has had word that a man on a planet called Jakurand knows where my people have been taken." She held John's eyes for a moment, the hope blazing in the dark orbs an entreaty he could not resist. She suddenly turned to Sam. "I would like to go and find this man who knows about my people. I believe that this time…" She could not go on due to the tears threatening her composure.

Sam met John's eyes. He gave a barely perceptible nod. "Do you have a name and place?" Sam leaned forward, bracing herself on her desk.

Teyla nodded. "Yes, his name is Madesh. He is a tavern owner in large seaport. The sign of the Taimarian Bull."

"Very well, but I want your team to go with you. Have we been there before?" This time, Sam looked at Rodney.

When no immediate answer was forthcoming, John glanced over at the scientist seated next to him. Rodney's head was lolling forward and his mouth was slack. A tiny bit of drool had just started a downward course to his chin. John bit back a laugh as he nudged the snoozing scientist. "Hey, Sleeping Beauty!"

"Hunh, hey, what!" Rodney came awake with a start, sitting up and glancing at the data pad in his lap. Except it had slid to the floor. He retrieved it and when he straightened, he looked around, waiting for some clue as to what was going on.

"You mind joining us, McKay?" Sam asked with a sweet, razor-edged smile.

"Like I said earlier – just coming off an all-nighter."

"As Teyla was telling us," John started, his voice calm but with an edge to it that McKay wouldn't mistake. "She has a lead on her people, a barkeeper on a planet called…" He looked to Teyla, needing a little assistance.

"Jakurand. I have never been there myself, although I have heard that they are fair traders and may even have some items you might wish to barter for."

"Yeah, Jakurand. Thank you. Carter asked if we'd been there before."

Teyla held out a slip of paper to McKay. "Here is the gate address."

"Hey, you ever been there?" John turned to Ronon as Rodney studied the address.

The large Satedan shook his head, his long dreds resettling over broad shoulders. "I don't think so. With a name like that, I think I'd remember."

John lifted his chin in acknowledgment and turned back. "Anything else we should know about these people? Is there any chance of danger?" He held her eyes meaningfully as he stressed the word "any."

Teyla's brow furrowed in thought for a moment. "From what I have been told, they are peaceful – I believe all they have in the towns is a small constabulary. I do not even think they have the need for organized armed forces." John grunted cynically at that. She went on, not hearing his interruption. "I do not foresee any issues. They are a sea-faring race. As most of their planet is water, they have great ships that ply the ocean between population centers located on islands."

John nodded slowly. He would still take every precaution, although he knew he could not forbid her going. This was about her people.

"Wonder what kind of fish they have?" Ronon wondered.

"Mmmm, sushi!" John wiggled his eyebrows in enthusiasm, grinning as the serious mood in the office dissipated.

"It's not like we don't have sea creatures here," Rodney added waspishly.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Teyla straightened up from where she had leaned against the desk again. "I have been told that the stargate is on an island a good distance from the town where we need to go. We should take a jumper."

"No problem." John rose from his seat smoothly and looked to Carter for confirmation.

She paused however before nodding. Her eyes flicked between him and Rodney, then to Teyla. "Are you sure about this?" she asked the petite Athosian. "I mean, we've been looking for your people for a while now and follow up on any lead. I just don't want you to get your hopes up." The "again" was unspoken.

Too late, John thought to himself. He'd seen the look in his teammate's eyes as she'd come into the office.

Teyla faced the other woman. "Colonel Carter," she began in a hard voice. "Would you not do everything in your power to find your people, your family, if they were missing?" She pronounced each syllable correctly and precisely. John knew she was upset. The tilt of her chin and set of her lips told volumes. He only hoped Sam would recognize the signs and concede the point.

They held each other's eye for a moment longer before Sam nodded. "I understand, Teyla." Her voice was soft. Teyla nodded in reply, and Sam looked to the rest of the team. "You have a go. Just be careful."

"You say that as if we're never careful." John's voice sounded petulant.

Sam merely smiled back. "Also keep an eye out for trade ops. We're low on fresh meat again."

"Will do." He followed Rodney and Teyla out, Ronon right behind him. "We leave in two hours, Rodney," he called. A wave of a hand acknowledged. He saw Ronon come up beside him. "Hey, did you see the drool on McKay's chin?"

"Yup. Wish I had a camera."

OOOooooOOO

"Oh, did someone forget to mention that this place was oh so tropical?" Rodney's voice could cut steel. He was already sweating, his face red. "And humid!"

"Gee, McKay, I thought that the islands we saw would have clued you in." Sheppard surreptitiously eased his tactical vest away from his chest. Cooling air seeped in, providing a moments relief. "Not to mention the foliage."

"Ha, ha, very funny Colonel I Don't Sweat." Rodney attempted to fan his face with a hand. "I didn't even bring sunscreen."

"Deal with it, McKay." Ronon rolled his eyes at John as he brushed past.

John noted that the bigger man wasn't even sweating. Yet. Although, he and Teyla were probably more appropriately dressed – Ronon in his lightweight sleeveless shirt, and Teyla in a loose cotton blouse. The Kevlar tac vests did not allow good air flow to back or front. After less than a minute his black tee shirt already clung uncomfortably to his back in the high humidity.

After exiting the event horizon and getting a good look at the large tropical island the gate was on, they cruised high over cerulean waters. The large island rose from sandy white beaches lines with trees similar to a palm tree, to a tall volcano cone, very similar to the Hawaiian islands on Earth. The stargate and DHD was perched on an outcrop overlooking a natural bay. Lava had flowed down around the outcrop, surprisingly not touching the gate. A wide, heavily used trail led up to the gate from a large pier extending out into the deeper water of the bay. No ships or activity were visible. An archipelago curved south from the main island, evidence of recent volcanic activity sluggishly moving on several, sending up columns of white steam when it hit the water.

As they flew west, several other island chains flashed by beneath them, a couple of the larger isles supporting small villages. Large ships were also spotted, white, red, or black sails billowing in the wind. A larger land mass hove into view, still an island, but more on the scale of New Zealand.

"That must be it," Teyla said as she pointed out the front window. "Logan said it was about fifty klicks straight west of the gate."

A large town perched on the slopes of a short mountain range, flowing down to the large, nearly perfect half-circle harbor in leveled terraces. Squared-off fields were visible on the other side of the ridge above the town. Many ships, large and small, crowded the harbor, some even standing out farther beyond the protective arms of land encircling the area. Smaller skiffs and cutters darted around the bay, putting in to unload or load cargo, or ferrying crew back and forth to shore.

"The whole planet is like this?" Rodney had been surprisingly quiet the entire trip and now leaned forward to see better. "How do they even have profitable trade with other planets? The stargate is so remote."

John looked back at him briefly, wondering why his data pad sat untouched on his lap. The scientist still looked beat, and he was suddenly worried. Yes, Rodney had said he had worked through the night, but that was nothing new. And nothing a gallon of strong coffee wouldn't fix. John would have Keller take a look at his teammate when they got back, kicking and screaming if need be.

"I do not know," Teyla answered. "Like I said earlier, I have never been here myself. I have only heard of it secondhand." She sat back in her seat, sighing heavily.

John shot her a concerned look, his worry for Rodney pushed to the background. "Hey, you okay?"

She gave him small, grateful smile. "I am fine. I am still getting used to carrying a weight in front of me." She rubbed her stomach as she looked out front again. "Dr. Keller says it is a little difficult for some women to get used to a different center of gravity." An amused smile played on her lips. "It is most…interesting when running through exercises with my bantos rods."

"Yeah, I can imagine." John grimaced and turned back to the controls.

They had parked the jumper about a half-mile away from the outskirts of town, cloaking it to avoid any unwanted looky-loos. It was when the rear hatch was opened and they trooped out into the sickly-sweet smelling, humid air that Rodney roused from his solemnance and started whining.

Lush, verdant growth spilled everywhere, muting the bright sunlight. John had managed to land them in a relatively open area, the jumper crushing the tall grass, releasing a sharp scent not unlike catnip. A wall of flourishing emerald started a mere meter away. Ronon pushed past John after the eye rolling and drew a large knife. He proceeded to hack at the vines and small bushes that blocked their path.

"Will you be okay walking in this heat?" John turned to Teyla. He didn't want to come across as overprotective, but all the same he was still worried about her. Although this technically wasn't a "mission," there was still the high potential for it to go wrong.

"I will be fine, John." A tight smile drew her lips in. She walked past him and followed the path Ronon had cut.

The big runner was no longer in sight and Rodney was still muttering under his breath as he followed Teyla. John made sure the remote for the jumper was secure in a vest pocket, took a look around the clearing, hoped no one really looked too closely at the jumper-shaped outline in the smushed grass, adjusted his P-90 to hang more comfortably, and moved out.

He caught up with Rodney a minute later. "Hey buddy, everything all right?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?" Rodney shot him a disgruntled look and kept walking.

John shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, you've been awfully quiet, and acting…different. Not yourself. That's all."

"As mentioned before, I didn't get any sleep last night. Then you drag us on a people hunting mission half-way across the galaxy in excruciating heat and humidity, which, sad to say, and in case you didn't notice, I don't do too well in."

"I know for a fact you've pulled all-nighters before, and went on a mission the next morning with no complaint. What's up?"

"Maybe it's because it's been a couple of weeks since I've had a solid nights sleep, since, oh I don't know, someone decided to reroute the water supply and fried a good number of conduits in the process."

"McKay." John tilted his head and gave the scientist his "knock it off' look.

Rodney kept walking, keeping his eyes firmly focused on trail ahead.

"McKay!" John grabbed him by the back of his vest, stopping and turning him back. They faced each other, John tall and frustrated and Rodney nearly cowering. John's irritation abated a little at the unhappy look on his friends face. "Look," he began gently. "I need to know what's going on with you. Whatever this is, it's affecting your work and concentration, and I can't have that, especially when we're on a mission."

"It's not affecting my work," he replied sullenly, not meeting John's eyes.

"It is," John insisted. He waited for a moment for Rodney to gather something – whether it was his pride or just getting up the nerve.

"I broke it off with Katie."

John's lips formed a silent "Oh," and raised his eyebrows in encouragement to continue.

"But that's not why I'm upset." He paused and sighed, the corner of his mouth drooping even lower.

"Well, I wouldn't say upset…" John quirked his mouth upward in an attempt at humor.

"Oh god, this is…this is completely not right. I shouldn't even be telling you this." Rodney attempted to walk off again, but John stepped in his way. "After being in that room…"

"When we were all stuck in a room for hours on end?"

Rodney shot him a sour look. "It was mutual, but I…"

"Yes?" There were those raised eyebrows again.

"I'm upset because I'm not upset."

"What? That doesn't even make sense, McKay."

Rodney sighed in frustration and crossed his arms. "Look, you won't understand anyway, so just leave it."

"No, I'm not going to leave it. Explain what you just said."

"Fine. You want an explanation. Well here it is." He paused, eyes narrowed. "I'm not at all distressed over the fact that we broke up and that unnerves me more than anything." He ran a hand through his short hair, the sweat making it stand straight up. "I mean, I was dating her for two years and was planning on asking her to marry me." His voice went high and incredulous. "What kind of a man am I that I wouldn't feel anything over the prospect of losing her?"

Ah, thought John. There it is. "Rodney, I wouldn't worry about it too much. I think she feels pretty much the same."

"What? How do you know?"

"Look, I'm sure you were probably just having a moment of fear from the possibility of being alone for the rest of your life. Lot's of people get that feeling, I'm sure. I did, and believe me, it didn't turn out too well."

Rodney looked thoughtful for a moment and "Hmmph'd."

"'Sides, you'll never be alone. Not in the Pegasus galaxy. You've got family right here." John buffeted him on the arm and grinned.

"Really?" Rodney's mouth quirked up in a small half-smile.

At that moment Ronon and Teyla came back.

"What's taking you so long?" Sweat slid down Ronon's face as he sheathed his now green stained knife.

John smiled calmly. "Sorry guys, we were just having a heart to heart."

"We got almost to the town. The jungle opens up not too far in." Ronon gestured back the way they came. "Easier to walk."

John followed the gesture with his eyes and noticed Teyla. She was pale and sweaty, and as she reached up to push the damp hair off her brow, he noticed her arm shaking slightly.

"Teyla, why don't you go back to the jumper? We'll handle this." He walked up to her, and took her arm in support.

She smiled gratefully at him, and closed her eyes briefly, breathing deep. A graceful hand curved under her belly, supporting the weight. "Yes, I will wait in the jumper."

John's worry for her increased. He expected argument, not this willing compliance. "Okay, that's it. We're going back, you need to see Dr. Keller."

"No!" She straightened up and glared at him. "I need to see this through. This man knows where my people are." She grasped his arm, trying to impart her fervor. "I will wait in the jumper. That is as far as I am going." She set her lips mulishly.

John raised his chin and glanced away, first meeting Ronon's look of "you're on your own," then seeing Rodney's "I don't care one way or the other" shrug. John set his own lips as he met her eyes again. It was suddenly a clash of wills, and he decided to back down. This time. What could happen in the hour, max, that they would be gone?

"Fine, but if I find you were out tramping about…"

She smiled gently. "I will stay in the jumper and won't move an inch."

"Not an inch – I got your word on that?"

She refused to answer that, and started walking back to the transport. The three men followed her silently. Once back, John walked up the ramp with her.

"So what was the guy's name we're looking for?"

"His name is Madesh and he works at the tavern with the sign of the Taimarian Bull."

"The what?"

"Taimarian bulls look something like a cross between a pig and a horse, with horns." She settled herself onto one of the bench seats, legs straight out, and leaned back, closing her eyes briefly.

She opened them when a long moment later she hadn't heard him leave. He was still standing in the hatchway, looking at her with that look of resignation mixed with anger. "John, I will be fine. The heat is taking more out of me than I expected, that is all." She nodded to reassure him, holding his eyes.

He nodded slowly back, pursing his lips. "Keep your radio on, and we'll be back as soon as we can." He left the jumper, and jerking his head at Rodney and Ronon to follow, set off at a fast clip.

Less than ten minutes later they stood on a ridge overlooking the town and harbor. Up at the top level of terraces were larger, walled dwellings. Most were built out of a white stone, reflecting the sun. A well-traveled roadway started not to far from their present position. It led down to the harbor in smooth switchbacks, the housing becoming increasingly less affluent the farther down they traveled. There was also a marked increase in the amount of people on the road – men and women carrying loads of goods, boys driving small herds of what looked like goats, merchants hawking wares by the side of the road.

Housing gave way abruptly to businesses on the last terrace before sea-level. The tops of masts were visible above the roofs, a veritable forest of leafless, skinny, rope-draped trees. The noise level increased as they passed through a market place. Stores on either side of the road had opened their fronts so their goods were accessible to passers by. Affluent clients mixed with vendors mixed with the obviously destitute. Interspersed with the shops were eateries, taverns, and butchers. Rodney held his nose and looked sick as they passed the odiferous entrance to the latter.

Ronon looked at him in irritation. "Don't you have butchers on Earth?"

"Yes, but they are far away from the cities. Far, far away." He clutched his tablet computer to his chest tighter. "So far you don't even smell them."

Ronon shot a confused look at John. "Okay."

"What he means is a lot of the industry on our planet is separated by many miles from the housing and entertainment areas. Now, anyway. I'm sure a lot of towns a couple hundred years ago were like this, though." John wrinkled his own nose in thought.

"Sateda was like that, too." Ronon looked at the sky to the west. "It's nearly sunset. We should look for this place and get back before it gets dark."

"I agree." John stood on tiptoes and looked over the heads of the group of men in front of them. "Either of you see a tavern?"

"Uh, there're quite a few, in case you haven't noticed."

"Yeah, thanks, Rodney." He scanned the closer buildings. "Teyla said it was the sign of the Taimarian bull."

"The what?"

"Taimarian bull," Ronon answered, amused. "It looks like a cross between a pig and a…"

A memory hit John suddenly. "You mean that ugly ass creature we encountered while looking for an Beta site last year? The one that stunk to high heaven and kept tracking us?"

"Yup."

"Who in their right mind would use that as a mascot for a bar?" Rodney was frankly amazed.

"All right, I don't see it." John sighed and looked around for a friendly looking merchant. "We're gonna have to ask for directions."

"Do what?" Rodney asked, incredulous.

"Like you've never had to ask for directions before, McKay?"

No, never."

John rolled his eyes and approached a middle-aged, balding man selling an assortment of knives and other weaponry. He put in his best "meet and greet the locals" smile. "Hi there. We're looking for a tavern owned by a man named Madesh. We were told it is the sign of the Taimarian bull."

The merchant took in John's own assortment of weapons, and glanced at McKay and Ronon. His gaze lingered on Ronon, settling on the gun at his hip. John glanced back to see what had captured the weapon vendor's gaze. His teammate was fingering the gun in a way that had John shaking his head slightly in warning to the tall Runner. Ronon raised an eyebrow in question, but let his hand relax away from the weapon.

The merchant looked back to John. "I don't know about this Madesh you are asking about but there is such a tavern." He glanced at Rodney, taking in the pale hands and well-fleshed face. "I would not go there, though. It is not a…reputable establishment."

"We can handle ourselves. The location?"

"Go south along the terrace." He pointed back the way they'd come. "That place is near the end of the fourth alley toward the harbor."

John glanced along the way they'd be going, then back to the merchant. "Thank you for your time." He jerked his head at the other two. "Let's go."

"I would not go there," the merchant warned again. "It has a reputation of being the haunt of bandits and pirates."

John and Ronon were already a few paces along when what the vendor said sank into Rodney's brain. He stopped walking, almost causing a woman with a cart to run into him. "Whoa, whoa, whoa – bandits does not sound good. I mean, were not technically on a mission here, so we're not really prepared for…hey, guys, shouldn't we think this through, or something?"

John walked back and dragged Rodney along behind him for a few steps by his vest. "We can handle it, McKay. Come on."

Even though the crowds had thinned out a little, it was still after sunset when they reached the right alleyway. It was barely wide enough for one person to walk abreast down it, and the smell of rotted garbage mixed with something unnamable wafted up to them. John looked down into the dark, foul smelling hole, and began having second thoughts.

The hairs on the back of his neck suddenly stood on end. He reseated his P-90, surreptitiously clicking the safety off. He took a look behind him on the pretense of checking on Rodney. No one was obviously watching them, and the few people still out and about scurried quickly to get back home.

Ronon casually lifted his gun out of its holster. The fact that he didn't immediately hold it up told John a lot. He moved closer, keeping an eye on Rodney, who was staring at the entrance to the alleyway as if a monster was suddenly going to jump out and get him.

"So, someone's trailing us?" He kept his voice low. No use advertising that they knew.

"Three. One of 'em since we hit the road."

John grunted in acknowledgment. "They'll be as handicapped as we are in there," and he jerked his chin to the dark alley. "I'll take point, Ronon, you take our six." He pulled Rodney into position behind him. "Move out."

They walked slowly into the alley single file, John clicking on the light atop his gun. The beam illuminated piles of refuse, and a stream of open sewage sliding down the middle toward the harbor. He stepped to the side to avoid it.

"Okay, tell me again why we're doing this?" Rodney's voice was high with anxiety, and extremely nasally. John glanced back and saw the scientist holding his nose with the same hand holding his data pad. The other held his P-90 at chest level.

"We're doing this for Teyla," John answered curtly, turning back to face front.

After two slow minutes of creeping along, a light at the end of the alley grew close enough to light the way. It emanated from a lantern set atop a large sign carved with an animal that looked like a cross between a pig and a horse with horns. A wooden door with an ornate knocker was below the sign. Raucous music and loud voices came from within.

"Yep, that beast does look familiar." John turned to Ronon, a question in his eyes.

"No one followed." He paused then added, "Yet."

The smell of food reached them, not quite overpowering the stench outside, but enough to have Rodney reaching for the door handle.

"Wait a minute, McKay, let me go first." John shouldered Rodney aside and threw open the door.

The smell of food and alcohol hit them first, followed by the sheer noise of the place. It took a moment for John's senses to adjust, and as he scanned the room his eyes lit on several men dressed in baggy shirts laced at the neck and tall leather boots folded down at the knee. All of them had long swords hanging from their waists along with a selection of knives. A group huddled near the back wall was gambling in some sort of card game, and blousy, over-endowed women circulated through the crowds offering drink, food, and…other entertainment.

Rodney stumbled into John as two men near the door suddenly exchanged punches leading to a near free-for-all that spilled out into the alley as John jerked his head at the other two to follow him. He made his way to the bar, threading through tables that looked as if they hadn't been cleaned in who knows how long. He was suddenly very glad Teyla stayed at the jumper.

As if his thought of her triggered it, his radio activated. "John, this is Teyla, please come in."

He clicked the button on his ear piece. "Go ahead, Teyla. What's up? Everything okay?"

"Yes, I am merely concerned for you and the others. It is night, and you haven't come back yet. Colonel Carter will be dialing in soon."

"Yeah, I know, Teyla. Sorry about this. Took a little longer to get to the place than I'd hoped. We're here now."

She started to speak, until a sudden hitch in her breath stopped her. John heard a deep breath over the radio, and he drew in his lips in as he realized she was trying not to get emotional. "Any…any word on my people?"

"I haven't been able to get to the bar yet. As you can hear it's pretty busy. Must be a game on," he joked. When she didn't reply right away, he added, "We'll call you as soon as we know anything and are on our way back. Sheppard out."

They reached the bar and addressed the man behind it. He was skinny and short, and looked (and smelled) as if he didn't know what bathwater was. A woman was helping him, just as skinny, shorter, just as dirty. Her age could have been anywhere from twenty-five to fifty.

"We're looking for a man called Madesh. We heard he might have some information for us."

The man looked John up and down, his gaze settling on the gun prominent on John's chest. "There ain't no-one here by that name." He calmly went back to wiping out the short dirty glasses lined up in front of him.