Misguided

Every great mistake has a halfway moment, a split second when it can be recalled and perhaps remedied.

- Pearl S. Buck

"John…."

"Elizabeth, I'm not sure how I can make 'no' any clearer." John met Elizabeth's strong gaze with an equally challenging look of his own. "Out of the question," he added for good measure and then held onto his confidence for dear life, as Elizabeth's right eyebrow slowly crawled up her forehead. Shit…

She crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes never leaving his. "The last time I checked, Major, I was in charge of this expedition."

John cocked his head slightly, refusing to blink first. "You are… except where the safety of this base and its personnel, including you, are concerned." He crossed his arms in a mirror of her stance. "Then it's my call. And I say… no."

She stared at him a moment longer before taking a deep breath and letting it out noisily. Uncrossing her arms, she walked around her desk, sat down and folded her hands on its surface. "Fine," she admitted quietly and nodded her head at the chair opposite her. "Please."

John slowly sat down, his emotions a mix of satisfaction and guilt. He hated going head to head with her; he'd come to respect her leadership too much, but it was that respect that drove his conviction. She was too valuable to the expedition, too vital to be put in harm's way unnecessarily. His arms settled on the armrests of the chair, his hands dangling off the end and his fingers absently brushing against his thighs as he waited for her next move.

"Doctor Beckett just reported two more people are showing signs of the infection," she said quietly, her voice betraying a note of frustration. "He doesn't believe it's airborne but hasn't been able to isolate where the victims contracted it."

John's brow crinkled. "That brings the count up to eight, in three days."

Elizabeth nodded. "Yes."

"Still no luck with any of our antibiotics?"

Her frown deepened. "No. Beckett's likened this infection to MRSA, and while there are some drugs that he thinks would offer some efficacy against it, those kinds of specialized medicines were not on the expedition manifest. Limited resources meant only broad spectrum and widely used antibiotics and medications were brought along, and those have proven ineffective."

John sat forward and leaned his elbows on his knees. "All the more reason for Teyla and I to visit M4R-121."

She sat back in her chair. "Even though we don't even know who those people are." She shook her head. "I don't like it."

John shrugged and also sat back in his chair. "I don't like it either." He flashed a darkly amused look her direction. "Which is why you're not going, in spite of this being a trade negotiation." His amusement faded. "But, like I said, Teyla's heard of them, she's just never traded directly with them before." He looked away, remembering….

Teyla sighed. "I have not dealt directly with the Teldarians, Major, but know of them. They are said to be suspicious of strangers, but honest traders, if you earn their trust."

"It's the suspicion part I don't like," John frowned.

"Yes," Teyla agreed, "but the suspicion is merited. The medicine they refine for this infection is tedious and difficult to extract and purify, and they guard the secret of their technique well."

John nodded. "Yeah, Beckett said as much. Even though we can get our hands on the plant, he doesn't think we have the time to figure out how to refine it before we possibly lose people or the infection gets out of control." He stared for a long moment at one of the many flickering candles that dimly lit her quarters. "Do you think we can trust them?" he asked quietly.

Teyla stood up from her bed and walked over to him, her expression direct and honest. "I do not know. This medicine is very valuable and there are many in the galaxy who would prefer to just take it rather than trade for it," she sighed. "I know of trading partners who have a limited relationship with the Teldarians, but it is impossible to know how they will react to newcomers, even with the honest reputation of Athosian traders to back our sincerity."

John nodded slightly. "Don't suppose any of those partners would be willing to make introductions for us?"

Teyla's smile was rueful. "They do not know your people the way I do, Major. Even though they know my people, I believe they would be… unwilling to risk their trade relationship with the Teldarians."

John's slight smile matched hers. "Not enough benefit to them to take the risk?"

Teyla shook her head. "No."

"Just you and Teyla?" Elizabeth's voice jarred him back to the present.

"I'd take Ford but…" his voice trailed off.

"Victim number three," she finished for him.

"Yeah." John cleared his throat. "And somehow I don't think McKay would be useful in trade negotiations with unpredictable and suspicious natives, though I can't imagine why." He flashed her a darkly amused smile.

The corners of Elizabeth's mouth turned up slightly in a wry manner. "No. Not exactly the best fit for his skill set." Her smile faded. "What about another team?"

John shook his head. "Best not. If these guys are so skittish, then we'd probably be more successful if we kept it just to us two and not descend on them with half a dozen armed men."

Elizabeth nodded and looked down at her desk. "Good point." A deep sigh escaped her. "Okay," she agreed. "I don't like this at all but don't see where we have much choice." She looked up, meeting gazes with him. "You have a go, Major. Please, be careful."

John stood and, in spite of the situation, the barest touch of humor glinted in his eyes. "Aren't I always?"

For the second time in their conversation, Elizabeth's right brow arched, but this time in wry humor. "Do you really want me to answer that?"

John pursed his lips. "Probably not." He turned away. "On it," he tossed back at her as he exited her office.

John was always alert when he exited the Stargate on another world. Pegasus had thrown him too many curveballs not to be, but this time his vigilance was heightened even more. He cautiously brought his gun up as he descended down a small hill and away from the Stargate, but the only thing that greeted his gaze were giant trees that ringed the small clearing he found himself in. "Clear," he said quietly, lowering his gun. He looked sideways as Teyla walked up next to him and did a double take at her intense expression. "You okay?"

She inhaled deeply and nodded. "Yes, Major. Though I wish that I knew more about these people before leading you here."

John nodded as well. "You and me both but you don't, and you told us that from the get-go." He looked directly at her. "If the situation wasn't so serious and time sensitive, I'd damn sure insist on more intel before setting one foot on this planet, but we don't have that luxury. Besides," he shrugged, smiling just a little, "we're probably making a mountain out of a molehill here. Chances are, with a little charm, we'll be fine."

"Whose charm would that be?" Teyla asked, her tone lighter as she started walking towards what looked like a narrow foot path. "Yours or mine?"

John grinned. "Yours. I just shoot the bad guys." As quickly as his smile appeared, it fell away as Teyla abruptly stopped, her back stiffening. "What?" He raised his gun.

Teyla was silent as she looked around, her gaze calculating as she seemed to listen to the sounds of the woods around them.

John strained to hear anything unusual, but a light wind rustling the tree branches and a few birds chirping in response were the only things he could distinguish. He waited a few seconds more before prompting her again. "Teyla?"

"We are not alone," she answered quietly.

John's grip reflexively tightened on his gun and he fought the distraction of surprise within him. Teyla had been on his team for close to six months now, but her intuition, bordering on the supernatural, still surprised him, even though he'd learned from day one that she was rarely wrong. Somewhere along the way, he'd chalked her instincts up to descending from a long line of hunters, but it still amazed him. "Where?"

She turned her head slightly left and focused on the quiet woods. "There." She lowered her gun. "I know that you are there," she raised her voice enough to project, without sounding threatening. "Come out. We will not harm you. We are peaceful traders."

In response to her words, John lowered his gun, if only slightly. He scanned the quiet trees, looking for any sign of movement. "Mar-co…" he muttered.

"What?" Teyla glanced at him.

"Mar-co, Po-lo… you try to find someone by listening..." John shook his head, "never mind."

"Please come out," Teyla insisted. "We only wish to talk to you."

John resisted his reflex to raise his gun as two young men suddenly materialized from the trees and cautiously walked towards them. "Hi," he ventured, forcing a relaxed smile, before cocking his head towards Teyla. "No weapons," he whispered and she nodded.

"Not that we can see," she answered nodding. "And they do not seem hostile."

As they walked closer John got his first good look at them. Outwardly, they seemed much like most of the natives he'd met in Pegasus. Their clothing was homespun and they had the look of simple farmers. Both had brown hair and looked to be somewhere in their early twenties.

"Who are you?" One of the men, who was slightly taller than the other, narrowed his gaze in suspicion. "Your clothing is different from any traders I have seen. I do not recognize it. Where are you from?"

"One question at a time, Junior," John raised his hand.

Teyla glanced at him, before smiling at both men. "As I said, we are peaceful traders. I am Teyla Emmagan, daughter of Tagon of Athos. Perhaps you have heard of the Athosians?"

Both men looked at each other before the tall one spoke again. "Yes. No Athosians have come here before, but others have spoken of your people." Some of the suspicion faded from his expression. "You are said to be honest and honorable traders."

Teyla held her smile. "Yes. We believe in fair trade and practice it with all of our partners." She gestured at John. "This is Major John Sheppard. We have allied ourselves with his people and we would not have done so if they were not also honorable and fair."

The taller one pointed at himself. "I am Keffa. This is Stonar."

"Nice to meet ya," John smiled.

"Yes," Teyla chimed in, "it is a pleasure." She took a step towards them. "We would like to discuss a possible trade agreement. It is said your people refine a potent medicine for the Rushba disease. Some of the Major's people are afflicted with this ailment. We are prepared to trade fairly for this medicine."

"We are only scouts, watching the Ancestral Ring," Keffa shrugged. "We cannot speak to such things."

Teyla nodded. "Of course. Can you take us to someone who can?"

Keffa shook his head. "No. The village is far and would take too long on foot." He nodded once at Stonar who trotted off into the trees. "Stonar will ride back to the village and tell of your arrival. More will come with chuma to ride. It will be faster."

"Chuma?" John questioned.

"I have heard of them," Teyla confirmed, "though I have never ridden one."

"Ridden?" John looked around in confusion. "What…" his voice trailed off as Stonar emerged from the trees, astride an animal loosely resembling a horse, but with cloven feet and a zebra like tail. Dark brown stripes crisscrossed its body, reminding John of a tiger's stripes, and the beast was tall and stout. The saddle on its back resembled saddles John was familiar with, about as much as the chuma resembled a horse, but the equipment seemed functional. Stonar controlled the beast with a bridle and rough metal bit. "Looks like someone put a Clydesdale, a zebra, a tiger and a goat in a bag and shook it up," he chuckled.

"Chuma are very reliable beasts, from what I have heard," Teyla answered. "Docile, strong and willing."

Stonar put his heels to the chuma's side and the animal broke into a trot swiftly disappearing into the trees.

John let his P-90 hang from his vest and rested his hands on top of it. "Just how far is the village?"

Keffa crossed his feet and sat down in the grass. "On foot it would take a quarter day to walk there. The chuma are much faster and will get there in half the time."

John did the rough math in his head. "So, a couple hours before they return? Why don't we just start walking and meet them part way?"

Keffa made no move to stand but shook his head emphatically. "No. I may not take you to the village without the blessing of the elders. We will wait."

John looked at Teyla and sighed, before easing himself to the ground. He leaned back, bracing himself on his hands, stretched his legs out and crossed them. "Great." He didn't try to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

Teyla gracefully sat down next to him. "Keffa, do you do this every time traders arrive through the Ring?"

Keffa shook his head. "No. Our trading partners are taken directly to the village. But you are strangers. We have never met you before. Until we know you better, this will be the way trade is done."

John tipped his head back, letting the sun warm his face as he tried to quell his impatience. On Atlantis, they had more people getting sick by the hour. They needed this medicine sooner rather than later, but Keffa seemed adamant, so John didn't see any way to speed things up. Pulling in a deep breath, he forced himself to relax and wait.

John completed another walking lap around the Stargate. It was one lap in the many he'd completed as time dragged by while they waited for the villagers to arrive. He looked around the small clearing and up and down the tall trees he decided were a lot like maples back on Earth. Bet its pretty here in fall…. He shook off the errant thought and walked back towards Teyla and Keffa. He'd nearly reached them when a rustling in the trees caught his attention. He looked up, watching as Stonar, still mounted on a chuma, emerged from the trees, three more Teldarians, all mounted on their own chumas, right behind him. One man led another rider-less but saddled chuma behind him.

Both Keffa and Teyla stood, and while Teyla waited for John, Keffa walked towards the group and waved. "Well met, Stonar," he smiled.

"About time," John said quietly to Teyla as he walked up next to her.

"Yes," Teyla nodded. "Hopefully we can come to a quick and fair agreement." She smiled as Keffa led another man over to her and John.

"Teyla Emmagan of Athos, Major John Sheppard," Keffa gestured at the other man. "This is Leta, one of our traders."

"We have heard of the Athosians," Leta glanced at John before looking directly at Teyla. "Because of your peoples' reputation, we will talk." He waved at another Teldarian who walked up and pulled two long strips of cloth from his belt pouch. "You must be blindfolded as not to see the way to our village."

John reflexively stepped back. "Whoa. No one said anything about blindfolds." He cocked his head slightly. "That doesn't exactly work for me."

Leta's expression was unfazed. "This is how it will be. If you are not willing to submit, you may leave."

Teyla looked at him. "Major." Her voice was slightly placating and her expression matched.

John pursed his lips, his gaze narrowing as he stared back at Leta. While she didn't vocalize it, he knew she was thinking the same thing. What choice did they have? These were the only people she knew of who could refine the medicine, and from the looks of things on Atlantis, they didn't exactly have time to dally around looking for another source. He sighed deeply. "Fine." He patted his P-90. "We keep our weapons, and our hands stay free."

Leta blinked hard. "Of course," he sounded slightly offended. "You are not prisoners."

"Of course not," Teyla interjected smoothly. "We did not mean to imply such a thing." She shot a brief, slightly warning glance at John.

John's returning smile to Leta was slightly cynical and he knew it, but he wasn't about to act like any of this was okay in his book. "Of course not." He bit back the rest of his comments about the entire situation, forcing himself down the diplomatic path.

"Leta?" Teyla asked. "Cannot travelers through the gate just follow your trails back to the village?"

"It is not that simple," Leta answered with a small smile. "We maintain false trails in the woods. Unless you know the way, it would be very difficult to find us."

"False trails." John arched his brows. "That's a lot of work."

Leta's smile faded. "Our experiences have taught us to be cautious and vigilant." He gestured towards the waiting chuma. "Please, mount."

John walked up to the chuma Stonar had ridden and held out his hand in front of the beast's nose. The chuma stretched out his neck, his nostrils flaring slightly and blew a warm breath across John's hand. In spite of the situation that he was less than pleased with, John smiled at the friendly animal's reaction. "Hey, buddy." Walking up alongside the chuma, he put his foot in what looked like a stirrup and easily swung onto the beast.

"You have ridden chuma before?" The Teldarian holding the beast asked.

John shook his head. "No, but I've ridden similar animals." He looked over at Teyla who swung gracefully onto her beast, but as she seated herself in the saddle, she looked stiff and a bit uncertain. "You okay, Teyla?"

She glanced at him, her smile thin. "I will be fine. I am not accustomed to this."

John smiled slightly and nodded. For a moment he felt a bit fortunate that he'd spent a lot of time in the saddle as a youth on his grandparents' ranch in Nevada. His grandpa always said riding was reflexive, something you never forgot. As he settled into the saddle and felt his muscles adjust, he knew his grandpa had been right.

Keffa held the reins of John's chuma as the other Teldarian mounted his own beast and rode up next to John.

He held out a strip of cloth. "I will blindfold you now. Do not remove it until you are told to do so. I will lead your chuma for you."

John sighed deeply and nodded as hesitation flowed through him. Almost reluctantly, he leaned over, allowing the Teldarian to blindfold him. Once the blindfold was secure, he straightened in the saddle and listened, trying to adapt to his blindness. He could hear Leta instructing Keffa and Stonar to remain at the gate, and he had to reflexively grab the saddle as his chuma started walking. He could hear the footsteps of his chuma and the one in front, leading him. He cocked his head slightly. "Teyla?"

"I am here," she answered, her voice seemingly right behind him.

John nodded. "Good." He kept his hands on the saddle and tried to relax into the beast's stride as the Teldarians led them into the forest.

The first thing that alerted John to the village was random voices that started popping up sporadically around him. As they continued on their path, the voices became more regular. Sometimes he could make out phrases, sometimes it was just the hum of a bustling community, voices intermixed with the sounds of people walking, doors closing, and daily life in all its vibrancies. He braced his hands on the saddle as his chuma suddenly stopped.

"You may remove your blindfolds," Leta's voice came from behind him. John reached up, pulling the blindfold down around his neck, and squinted as his eyes adjusted to the sunlight. He turned in the saddle and looked back, reassured by the sight of Teyla right behind him. He faced forward again as Leta rode up next to him and smiled.

"Thank you, Major, for complying."

John nodded and smiled, determined to stay diplomatic. "You're welcome. Hopefully, we can build a trust between our peoples and not have to do this again." He reached behind his neck and untied the blindfold knot. "We have a lot to offer…" he fixed Leta with a direct look, "for our allies."

Leta's smile turned understanding and he nodded slowly. "A line of conversation worth pursuing."

John's brows quirked. "Yes, it is." He followed Leta's cue and dismounted at almost the same time the Teldarian did. Shifting his feet, he winced as his muscles protested.

"Are you alright, Major?" Leta asked.

John nodded. "Yeah. Just not used to riding," he smiled slightly.

Leta smiled back. "I understand."

John looked to his left as Teyla walked up next to him. If she felt the same soreness he did, she didn't show it or talk about it.

Leta held his arm out in a welcoming gesture. "Come, I will take you to Alti. He is our village leader and the one to speak to for this possible trade agreement."

John and Teyla joined Leta as they walked through the village. John looked around, impressed by the stout, wood structures the Teldarians had built. While they didn't appear to have any measurable level of technology – the Wraith would never allow it – they seemed more advanced than many of the villages he'd visited. The Teldarian buildings were wood board, and had glass windows, a far cry from the rough huts and nomadic tents that seemed to dominate most of the worlds in the galaxy.

"Leta," Teyla asked. "I thought you were one of your village's traders?"

Leta nodded. "I am, but you are new. We have never traded before. Alti must approve our trading partnership and forge the first deal. So is the way of our people." He turned and walked directly towards a specific two-story house and opened the door, walking right in without hesitation.

Sitting at a table in the large, main area of the home were four Teldarians. Leta stopped and nodded at them in respect before gesturing at a gray-haired man sitting at the head of the table. "Major Sheppard and Teyla Emmagan of Athos, this is Alti, our village leader." He swept his arm past the other three natives, "and the rest of our village council."

John stepped forward and smiled politely. "Nice to meet you." His gaze narrowed slightly as Alti didn't even acknowledge him but rather stared intently at Teyla. His smile faded and alarm rose in him at the dark expression on the Teldarian's face.

"Teyla Emmagan," Alti said quietly. "Is that the name you use now?" He nodded at one of the men at the table who abruptly stood and quickly left.

John's brows furrowed in confusion and he glanced at Teyla's equally confused look. "What?"

"Alti," Teyla cocked her head, "I… do not understand. That is my name, as it always has been."

Slowly, Alti stood. "I think not." He lifted his hand in the barest of gestures.

John's hands tightened on his P-90, but not before he heard the creak of the wooden loft floor above them. He looked up… and directly into the sights of 5 bowmen, all with drawn arrows pointed at him and Teyla. "Convenient," his voice was cynical. "You already had bowman ready?"

"We cannot be too careful with newcomers," Alti answered. "And it seems we were right in our caution."

John resisted rolling his eyes at the level of caution, bordering on paranoia, that the Teldarians embraced. "Alti," he said quietly, holding tight to his gun but not raising it. "I think you're confused."

"Yes," Teyla added, "I do not know who you think I am, but I can assure you that you are mistaken. I am Teyla Emmagan of Athos, not some other person you seek."

"You lie," Alti spat back. "You came to this village years ago, under the guise of trading. It was when we opened our village to you that your people came and took from us what you wanted!" He leaned forward, his palms flat on the table. "Three Teldarians were killed in that incident. I would see you pay for it."

"It was not me or any other Athosian!" Teyla insisted. "I have not been to your world before today!"

"Alti," John interjected. "You said it was years ago. How many?" He lowered his head and fixed the Teldarian leader with an intense gaze. "Don't you think it's possible you could be mistaken?"

Alti's returned gaze was equally as intense. "No." He straightened. "Surrender your weapons."

John held tight to his P-90 and slowly shook his head. "No way."

Alti gestured at the bowman poised to fire from the loft. "We do not want this to turn violent. We have no grievance with you, Major. Once you surrender your weapons, you will be taken back to the Ring and allowed to leave but she," he pointed at Teyla, "must be made to answer for her crimes."

John shook his head again. "Not gonna happen. Teyla's innocent. I'm not leaving her here for your misplaced vengeance. I don't want to hurt anyone, but we will defend ourselves if we have to." He lifted his P-90 just a little. "Trust me, you don't want to face one of these."

"Major," Teyla's voice was quiet, "there are five arrows aimed at us. They have the high ground. We are at a disadvantage."

"Teyla," John's gaze never left Alti. "I am not leaving you here for some fake trial. In fact, I am not leaving you behind period, so we're not gonna have this discussion. That's final."

"Do not make us harm you, Major." Alti's voice was firm but held a note of sincerity in it.

"Funny," John quipped darkly, "I was about to say the same thing." He tore his gaze from Alti, as one of the men seated at the table moved slightly, looking past him. John tensed and turned but he was a second too late as four men burst into the room from an adjacent door. John had no time to raise his P-90 before the first man was on him, fighting him for the gun. Two more grabbed Teyla, wrestling her to the ground. John held tightly to his P-90 with both hands and twisted his grip, trying to wrench it free. Suddenly, pain exploded across the back of his head and before he could even think, darkness veiled his vision. In a fleeting second before he lost consciousness, he knew he was falling, but he never felt himself hit the floor.

The first sense to greet John as consciousness dawned on him, was the jostling and shaking he felt from head to toe, and as he became more aware, he keenly felt each bump in his pounding head. He stifled a groan, shifted and immediately felt constrained. His shoulders protested, but he knew he couldn't move his arms to alleviate the pain because a burning tightness in his wrists assured him his hands were tightly bound behind his back. He opened his eyes but the blackness in his sight only faded slightly. It took him a moment to realize that he was blindfolded as well. Only then, did he put two and two together, linking the jostling of his body, to the creak of wagon wheels and the jingle of harnesses. Great. Bound, blindfolded and thrown in the back of a wagon. "Hello?" he croaked before clearing his throat.

"You are awake."

Even though his thoughts were a little foggy, John still recognized the voice. "Leta? What's going on?"

"I am sorry that we had to subdue you so harshly, Major," Leta answered. "We are taking you to the Ring. You will be set free once we arrive and allowed to leave."

John inhaled deeply and tuned out the pounding in his concussed head. "What about Teyla?"

"The woman will answer for her crimes. Once trial is satisfied, she will atone for them immediately."

Behind the blindfold, John's eyes narrowed at the finality he heard in Leta's voice and a sense of foreboding swept over him. "Atone? How?"

"For the deaths of three Teldarians, the woman will pay with her life," Leta answered simply. "That is our way."

"The woman's name is Teyla," John insisted, "and she's committed no crime against you people. You're going to murder an innocent person."

"You keep insisting that, Major," Leta sighed loudly, "and yet Alti says otherwise. It is your word against his."

"And Teyla's," John added. He could practically hear Leta shake his head.

"No," Leta's voice was firm in his contradiction. "Her word cannot be trusted. A killer would say anything to escape justice."

"You said her sentence will get carried out immediately?" Behind his back, John carefully and subtly worked his wrists back and forth, hoping Leta wouldn't notice. He hid his satisfaction as the ropes felt like they were loosening, if only slightly. He twisted his wrists again, ignoring the abrasive burns.

"Yes," Leta answered. "We believe in swift justice. Her trial was to begin as soon as she was recovered from her capture. Once that is complete, sentence will be carried out."

"I see," John answered neutrally, his mind racing. If they were going to execute her as soon as the trial was over, then there wasn't much time. He had no idea how long he'd been out, but it couldn't have been more than an hour at the most since they were still on their way to the gate, and from the sounds of things, still in the woods. By his best guess it'd taken about an hour and a half or two hours to get to the village when they'd first arrived. He stifled a sigh. He'd love nothing more than to go back to Atlantis, get reinforcements and come back in a jumper to give them the advantage, but if Leta was true to his word, John didn't think he had the time before they executed Teyla. Resigning himself to the situation, John continued working on getting his hands free. He had to escape and get Teyla out on his own.

John twisted his wrists again, and suddenly one of his hands popped loose. He resisted a smile and kept his hands where they were. His freedom was only the first step. He had to wait until the right opportunity, use the element of surprise and hope he could get away. Closing his eyes, he listened, trying to tell when he'd have a chance to surprise his captors and also how many there were. He'd seen the wagons in the village and knew, logically that he was lying in the bed. Leta's voice had sounded close, so there had to be at least one other Teldarian driving the team. Beyond that, John wasn't sure how many more he faced. He struggled to hear anything to help him figure that out, but he couldn't distinguish any other sounds from the noise of the wagon and team as they made their way through the forest.

He could make the argument with himself that there were just two of them; Leta had been silent since their conversation so perhaps there was no one else to talk to, but John knew he could do nothing more than theorize. His lips twitched as he mulled over his situation, while still listening for his chance at escape. If there were only two of them, he was pretty sure he could escape, especially if he surprised them. He couldn't take the time to wait for them to free him, and he couldn't determine how many were in the wagon. Ultimately, he was left with a situation of chance, and he had to take that chance or lose Teyla. Steeled resolve took over. Losing Teyla wasn't an option and if that meant risking his own safety and life on a great, big 'if', then that was how it was going to be.

"Leta." The second voice, coming from closer to the front of the wagon, confirmed John's suspicion of a driver. "One of the Chuma seems to be favoring his foot."

John cocked his head, listening to the shuffle of what he was pretty sure was Leta standing up as the wagon lurched to a halt. A sharp list in the wagon was accompanied by the heavy sound of feet landing in soft dirt and in John's mind, the sounds drew a picture showing him that Leta had jumped over the side. Another lurch, this time smaller, heralded the same thing for the driver. John sat still a moment longer, closed his eyes, and concentrated on his other senses. He listened, but could hear no sounds other than the breeze in the woods and the muffled voices of the driver and Leta apparently examining the chuma. John tuned into his senses and for a moment, he had an inkling of what he'd so often labeled as Teyla's "ESP." He had no solid proof. He couldn't see, he couldn't hear anything definitive, but he just knew he was alone in the wagon and only had two Teldarians to deal with.

Slowly, John brought his hands out from behind his back, wincing at the stiffness in his shoulders and pulled down his blindfold. He blinked hard as he detangled his wrist from the remains of the rope, before carefully shifting into a crouch. Both Leta and the driver were kneeling next to one of the chuma, apparently examining its right front leg. They were distracted, but the real trick, John knew, was to get out of the shifting wagon without alerting them.

He turned, carefully making his way to the back and at the end of the wagon bed, he slowly sat before easing himself over the edge and to the ground without a sound, but his concussed head chose that moment to betray him. As his feet touched down, dizziness overcame him and he staggered, reflexively grabbing the side of the wagon to steady himself. The creaking of springs and the sudden lurch of the wagon alerted the Teldarians.

"Stop!" Leta shouted.

John shook his head, desperately trying to clear his vision. He knew he only had this one chance to get away but if he couldn't fight, he'd lose that chance. He blinked hard and opened his eyes, focusing on Leta and the driver as both men ran towards him. John tensed and let go of the moving wagon as the chuma shifted, agitated by the commotion. He ducked as Leta swung a fist at his head. Almost instinctively, John straightened and leveled a wicked left cross at Leta, knocking him to the ground. Employing a move he'd learned from Teyla, he used his momentum and spun. He backhanded the driver, knocking him out before the man could adjust his defense.

John looked down at Leta who was struggling to shake off the effects of John's first blow as he pushed himself up on his knees. Wasting no time, John lashed out with his right foot, and knocked Leta out cold.

Still tense, John stood there for a moment, his breathing rapid as he watched both of his opponents for any sign of movement, but both men were still. He reached up, touching the tender back of his head and winced. He pulled his hand away and stared at the blood on his fingers. No wonder he'd had a dizzy spell. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes for a moment, fighting a bout of nausea and dizziness that threatened to knock him off his feet.

After a moment, he opened his eyes and carefully took a couple steps as the dizzy spell faded. He pulled in another deep breath and calmly walked towards the wagon. In the fight, the chuma had moved, pulling the wagon about twenty feet down the road. For a moment, John praised their docile, even tempers. With all the commotion, they could've just as easily bolted and taken the wagon a lot further than they had. In spite of the adrenaline still coursing through his system and the sense of urgency to get away as soon as possible, John walked slowly, speaking quietly to the beasts as he approached them. He walked up next to the lame chuma, carefully reaching out and grabbing its side rein. "Whoa." He smiled, allowing himself a slight chuckle. Using the Earth word had been reflexive; the chuma would never know it, but he hoped the soothing tone of his voice conveyed the message anyway.

Both chuma tossed their heads and shuffled in place but seemed settled enough that John was pretty sure they wouldn't bolt. He moved to the wagon and stepped up into the driver's seat. Grabbing the reins, he held them loosely as he scanned the bed of the wagon looking for anything that would help him, primarily any weapons. There was no sign of his weapons, not that he expected to find them. The Teldarians might have been willing to let him go but they damn sure weren't going to let him have a gun once they let him go, only to have him turn on them and insist on Teyla's freedom. It's what he would've done in their place. He patted the front pocket of his TAC vest and nodded as he felt the unmistakable shape of his GDO. At least they hadn't taken that. A quick self assessment proved to him that besides his weapons, he wasn't missing anything else… including the two blocks of C4 he never left home without carrying. He wasn't sure what he'd use those for and frankly hoped he wouldn't have to use them for anything, but he felt a bit better just having them. Still, he'd be hard pressed not to trade them for a good P-90 or even a 9-mil right now.

John sighed and jumped out of the wagon. The hope of finding any weapons had been thin to start with, so while he was disappointed, he wasn't surprised. He walked up next to the healthy chuma and patted it on the neck. Near as he could guess, they'd come quite a ways back to the gate, possibly even halfway. He needed a quick way to get back and the chuma seemed to be his best alternative. The wagon would be too noisy, and with one of the team lame, he wasn't sure they'd be able to make good time anyway.

His eyes passed over the harness and traces. While there were some differences in the Teldarian design, the harness seemed really similar to the ones his grandpa had used back on the ranch. Making the only choice he felt he had, John quickly undid the traces and removed the harness from the healthy chuma, leaving only the bridle. He shook his head. He'd do just about anything for a saddle right now, but he'd have to make do and hope this harness-broke chuma was also broke to ride.

Leading the chuma close to the edge of the wagon, John carefully stepped up on the floorboards and slowly swung onto the animal's back. "Easy now," he muttered, "let's make this work, huh?" He shifted, wincing at his protesting leg muscles. Before today, it'd been years since he'd been on a horse, and now he was bareback. He'd be feeling this one for at least a week… if they managed to get off this planet in one piece.

Holding the reins with one hand, he grabbed his forehead with the other as another wave of dizziness overcame him. For a moment, he wondered about his sanity at attempting to ride a Pegasus beast of burden, bareback, and with concussion vertigo. Swallowing against nausea, he took a deep breath, and then another, riding out the dizziness until it passed. He looked over at his two opponents, reassuring himself that they were still unconscious, though he wasn't sure how long they'd stay that way. He looked around, remembering Leta's words….

"We maintain false trails in the woods. Unless you know the way, it would be very difficult to find us."

John thought for a moment. When he was a teenager, he'd loved to go out riding in the badlands of Nevada, sometimes all day. He'd never gotten lost, but his grandfather's advice still stuck with him.

"If you ever get lost, give the horse his head. He'll always take you home."

John looked down at the chuma. There was no way to know if these beasts had the same homing instinct, but it seemed reasonable that they would. He pointed the beast the direction the wagon had come and squeezed his legs into the animal's sides. As soon as the chuma started walking, he loosened the reins, giving the chuma his head and the ability to choose his own direction. John sighed, hoping the animal wouldn't just wander aimlessly in the woods, but his only alternative was to wander aimlessly himself. If the Teldarians maintained false trails as well as Leta had implied, his chance of finding his way back to the village in time to save Teyla were slim. John figured he had an equal or better chance to let the chuma find its way and hoped that way was back to the village.

John fought the sense of urgency in his gut as the chuma ambled along through the forest. His grandfather's advice had been sound, John knew that without a doubt, but as he thought, he remembered it came with a caveat and now he was experiencing that exception in all its glory.

"The horse will find its way home, son, but you'll have to be patient. They don't always take the most direct route."

John's hands again tightened on the reins as he resisted the urge to guide the chuma, even though he had no clue where to go.

"But they will return home eventually."

"Eventually," John muttered. He looked down at the long neck and twitching ears of the chuma. "You better be heading home, buddy." One of the chuma's ears rotated back, catching his voice and the animal snorted, almost in response without breaking stride.

John shook his head just slightly and was forced to grab on to the short, stiff mane of the chuma as another bout of dizziness nearly overwhelmed him. Still holding the reins, he gripped his forehead with his other hand, fighting to stay upright on the animal. He groaned and swallowed hard, riding the wave of dizziness until it faded away. Opening his eyes, he took a deep breath. Finding the village was only the first hurdle. How the hell was he going to get Teyla free by himself, weaponless and concussed to boot? He had to steady himself, grabbing the chuma's neck, as the animal abruptly stopped, lifted its head and pricked its ears. Alerted by the animal's behavior, John looked forward, past the animal's head and listened. Slowly, he smiled as he recognized voices. While he couldn't hear the words in the conversation, he could tell by the tone it was normal, and they were not alerted to his presence yet. Instinctively, he knew he was close to the village.

Quietly, he slid off the chuma, took one rein and looped it around a nearby tree branch, tying the animal securely. He could only hope the animal wasn't discovered, which would not only arouse suspicion but also take away his means for escape. Once he had Teyla free, they'd have to get to the gate quickly, and the chuma represented the best way to achieve that. He wasn't exactly sure how close he was to the village, but he couldn't ride any further. On his own, with no weapons, stealth was his biggest ally. Once he freed Teyla, he was pretty sure he could find his way back to the wagon. From there, they'd have to do their best to find the gate. It wasn't an ideal solution, but this was a far from ideal situation and he saw no alternative.

Giving the animal an absent pat on the neck, John quietly crept though the bushes, close enough to follow the path but far enough off it not to be seen by anyone who happened to be on it. It wasn't long before he could see brightness just beyond the foliage ahead of him. He silently stopped and peeked through the bushes, his eyes scanning over the busy village square. He'd cleared hurtle number 1; he'd found the village. Next step was to find Teyla. His eyes slowly moved from one building to another, looking for any indication of where his teammate might be. Shaking his head, he pulled back into the bushes. From that vantage point, none of the buildings he could see looked likely. Moving to his left, he decided to circle around to another spot and look again. Maybe he could spot her location from there. The village wasn't that big, so he was hopeful he'd be able to identify the right building. He wasn't sure what he'd do if he couldn't, but figured he'd cross that bridge when or if he got to it.

Confident he'd moved far enough for a new vantage point, John again crept forward and peeked through the bushes. He scanned the buildings and smiled slightly as his gaze settled on one small house with two Teldarians standing guard outside it. They both had bows over their shoulders along with full quivers of arrows and long knives hanging from plain sheaths at their sides. Someone must've been in his corner because the building couldn't have been better placed. It was far enough from the center of the village that he was pretty sure he could sneak up and incapacitate the guards without alerting the whole damned settlement in the process. He watched for a while, marking the guards' paths as they patrolled. Ideally, he would've taken more time to be confident of their pattern, but he knew time was not on his side. Leta and the other Teldarian had to have woken up by now and were on their way back to the village on a more direct route than he'd taken, which probably ate up any extra time he might have had by riding as opposed to walking. It wasn't like the chuma had moved very fast on its indirect route.

Easing forward, he silently left the cover of the woods and, in a low crouch, trotted directly to a wagon, taking up position behind it. He watched, looking for any indication that he'd been spotted, but everything appeared normal. He moved from cover again, this time making a beeline for the back of his targeted building. Staying low, he inched along the wall to a window and carefully peeked inside. Facing him, Teyla was tied to a chair and alone. In a quick second, Teyla's eye met his and they widened in surprise. Holding her gaze, John nodded slowly and gave her the most reassuring look that he could, and she silently nodded back.

Moving away from the window, John moved to the edge of the building and waited, confident one of the guards would be along soon. He tensed as he heard footsteps coming his direction and without hesitation, reached out and grabbed the guard as he came around the corner. Before the Teldarian could raise a call of alarm, John silenced him with a vicious left cross and silently lowered him to the ground behind the building and out of sight.

Taking a deep breath, John squeezed his eyes shut against the pounding in his head, forcing himself to stay sharp and battle ready. He lowered himself into a crouch, crept under the window and over to the other side of the building, waiting for the second guard to appear. As soon as the guard reached the edge of the building, John took him down, much in the same manner. He relieved both unconscious men of their knives and crept along the side of the building. Carefully looking around the corner towards the doorway, he reassured himself there was no one there before silently making his way to the door and into the structure. He quickly closed the door behind him. "Teyla?" he said quietly.

"Major," Teyla's voice was calm, but he could hear the relief in it.

John walked up behind her chair and quickly cut the ropes securing her hands behind it. "Miss me?" He quipped and smiled as Teyla's shoulders shook with a quick chuckle.

"Yes, very much." Her hands freed, she reached down and freed her feet as well. She stood and faced him. "Thank you."

John shook his head slightly and handed her one of the knives. "Don't thank me yet. We're not exactly out of the woods here." His eyes scanned over her but he didn't see any outward sign of injury. "You okay?"

She nodded. "Yes," her gaze narrowed as she scrutinized him. "Are you?"

John shrugged. "Yeah, fine."

Undaunted she still stared at him. "You were hit in the head very hard, Major. I saw it, and you are very pale. Are you sure?"

John sighed quietly. "Do I have a choice?" He admitted. Teyla was way too intuitive to fool. Past experience had taught him that, but he also knew she had a firm grasp on their situation as well.

She pursed her lips in a rueful smile. "No," she admitted. "Let us leave this place."

John turned, leading her towards the door. "No argument here." In the back of his mind, the sick people on Atlantis worried him, but as much as he hated to admit it, that wasn't their immediate problem. Right now, he had to focus on getting himself and his teammate off this planet alive.

He carefully cracked the door and looked around, reassuring himself that the way was clear. Silently, he opened the door all the way and quickly made his way to the corner of the building, Teyla right behind him. He didn't stop until they were back behind the building.

Teyla looked down at the unconscious guards. "They will be all right?"

John nodded. "Yeah. Sporting headaches when they wake up, but fine."

"It is good that you did not kill them," Teyla answered.

John crouched and quickly trotted back to the wagon, taking cover. He looked at Teyla as she knelt next to him. "The thought crossed my mind," he grumbled.

Teyla flashed him a tolerant smile. "The Teldarians believe they are carrying out justice for the murder of three of their kin and are doing so within the confines of an established set of laws. They are not bad people, Major, only misinformed."

John tightened his lips before nodding once. "I know," he admitted. "That's why they're all still alive." His gaze hardened. "But our number one priority is to stay alive and get off this planet, and I will do whatever it takes to ensure that happens. I don't want to kill anyone, but we might not have a choice."

Teyla looked away for a moment, before nodding in agreement. "I know." She looked back at him, "and I agree. It is a last resort but not out of the question."

John stared at her a moment longer before raising himself slightly. "C'mon. Hopefully the chuma I grabbed is where I left it." Staying low, he sprinted for the woods, Teyla right behind him. Halfway to cover, the pounding in his head redoubled and he felt like someone was splitting his skull with an axe. He stumbled, his free hand reflexively coming up to grip his forehead. Immediately, he felt Teyla's strong hand on his arm, supporting him and pulling him along. As soon as they crossed into the woods, his legs buckled and he fell to his knees, barely catching himself on his hands, the only thing keeping him from landing face first on the forest floor.

He swallowed against the giant lump in his throat once, twice and a third time, trying desperately not to lose whatever might be left in his stomach. He groaned, feeling a sheen of sweat break out on his forehead.

Teyla's grip on his arm never wavered as she knelt next to him. "Major?"

He coughed once. "Gimme a second…." Even though his eyes were still squeezed shut, he felt like the world was spinning around him. "Shit…."

"Deep breaths, Major," Teyla's voice was calm and reassuring. "You will be fine."

John drew in one stuttering breath and then another as the pain in his head subsided and the world around him stilled. Cautiously, he opened his eyes and sat back on his heels. "That was fun," he griped, wincing as he felt Teyla's gentle hand on the back of his head. "Ouch," he groused.

"Sorry," Teyla answered. Her hand left his head. "You are concussed," she stated the obvious, "and need medical attention."

"Tell me something I don't know," he snapped back, before sighing and looking at her. "Sorry."

Her smile was tolerant. "It is all right." She stood and held a hand out to him. "Can you walk?"

He reached up and grabbed her hand. "I have to." Letting her help him, he slowly stood. He looked around, getting his bearings, and started off through the woods. "This way. We don't have a lot of time."

Teyla followed him. "Do you have your GDO?"

John nodded as he crept through the woods. "Yep. They only saw fit to take my guns and knife. One less thing to worry about."

"And the way to the gate?" She also asked, a distinct note of question in her voice.

"Pretty sure," he answered, glancing back at her. "I don't think the chuma I grabbed took the most direct route to the village, but I think I can find the way back to the wagon where I escaped, at least. From there, we'll have to play it by ear." He tried not to sound frustrated. "It's not the best situation, but I don't see where we have much of an alternative." He shook his head and winced at the pain. Gotta stop doing that…. "I'm getting tired of not having choices, but we… well… don't have a choice in that."

"I know," Teyla answered. "And I am sorry."

John stopped, turned and looked at her. "For what? This isn't your fault."

Teyla nodded. "I know, but I am still sorry."

One side of his mouth turned up slightly. "Don't be." Without another word, he resumed their course.

John sighed in relief as he emerged from the woods onto a trail and found the chuma patiently waiting where he'd left it. He looked at Teyla and smiled. "About time something went our way." He quickly untied the beast and led it over to a downed tree nearby. As he stepped up on the log and swung onto the beast, he grabbed the chuma's rough mane to steady himself, fighting a wave of dizziness threatening to knock him to the ground.

"Major?" Teyla looked up at him.

He waved his hand slightly. "I'm okay. Come on." Holding tightly to the reins, he kept the chuma close to the log as Teyla eased onto the beast, right behind him. "Hold onto me," he directed and Teyla wrapped her arms around his waist as he turned the chuma towards the path and squeezed his legs into its sides. "Walking isn't going to cut it," he commented as he squeezed harder and the chuma broke into a rough trot. "This isn't going to be comfortable but we gotta move." He winced as each rough step by the beast jarred his head painfully.

Teyla's arms tightened around his waist. "I understand."

Silently, John kept the beast at a brisk trot. The path they followed was well worn, but twisted and turned, changing directions frequently so he was hesitant to try to push the beast for any more speed. The last thing either he or Teyla needed was to fall off and lose the chuma, or worse yet, get injured. Still, as time went on and he followed the path he remembered, his own internal clock told him it was taking too long. In his gut, he knew the path they were following was not the most direct one.

John pulled back on the chuma's reins as he rounded a corner and spotted the wagon, the lame chuma grazing nearby. He pulled his knife and urged the chuma forward in a slow walk. "Stay sharp," he quietly ordered Teyla. One of her hands left his waist and he knew she'd pulled out her own knife. "If we have to fight, jump off," he added.

"Yes," Teyla simply replied.

John walked the chuma behind the wagon, but Leta and the driver were nowhere to be found, not that it surprised him. He looked around. From here, he wasn't sure which way it was to the gate. Teyla must've sensed his hesitation.

"I do not know for certain, but I believe it is that way."

John looked back at her pointing to the left. The trail behind the wagon led in the general direction she was pointing and frankly he had nothing better to go on so he nodded. "The trail leads that way anyway, so sounds good to me." Squeezing the chuma's sides, he moved the beast on down the trail, hoping they'd find some sort of indicators leading them to the gate… and hoping the Teldarians hadn't beat them to it.

As it turned out, the path from the wagon to the gate wasn't as hard as he'd thought it would be. They'd apparently been close enough that the Teldarians hadn't felt the need to lay false trails, saving those for a large area closer in to the village. The path they'd followed was well worn and led directly towards the gate. The first indication he'd had that they were close were again, voices, though the chuma heard them before he did, the beast tensing and lifting its head as it walked along.

John pulled back on the reins, pulling the animal to a stop.

"What is it?" Teyla asked.

John nodded at the beast's head. "She hears something."

"She?" Teyla questioned.

John shrugged. "She, he, it… I haven't really taken the time to look and find out." Listening intently, he could just make out voices in the distance. He glanced back at Teyla who nodded and quietly slid off the chuma. John followed and looped the reins over a nearby tree branch. He left the path and entered the woods close by, following the route but hiding himself and Teyla. As they followed the path around the corner, he lifted his fist, halting her behind him as he peered through the bushes at the gate. "Damn it," he muttered as watched at least a dozen Teldarians mill around, none venturing too far from the gate or DHD. "They beat us here." He did a double take as Teyla nodded and tensed, her gaze leaving his and fixing on the dark woods behind them. "What?" he whispered.

"We are not alone," she answered in an equally hushed whisper.

John carefully turned around, kneeling next to her. "Just one?"

Teyla nodded. "Yes."

"We need to take them out or risk getting discovered." His gaze narrowed as he thought more about the situation, his tactical mind evaluating their options. "Might be our ticket out of here too."

"Major?" Teyla looked at him.

"Leverage," he answered simply, "but we need to take this guy quietly." He looked at her. "You go right, I'll go left. If you get a clear bead on him, take him down quietly, but we need him alive and mostly uninjured." His gaze intensified. "That said, do what you need to do to stay safe and to evade capture, got it?"

Teyla's gaze hardened to meet the intensity of his and she nodded. "Yes." Without another word, she quietly slipped off into the woods.

John did the same, circling around and reaching out with his senses, trying to find their prey. He froze as he heard the distinct snap of a tree branch close by. He quietly and slowly eased forward, spotting a Teldarian through the thick vegetation. Waiting, John let the man come closer before he burst out of the bushes, bowling into the Teldarian and knocking him to the ground. Straddling the man, John punched him hard and pulled his knife, pressing it to the stunned man's throat. Still sitting on his captive, John glanced up as Teyla burst from the bushes and stopped, nodding once at him.

John returned his attention to his captive as the man regained his senses and looked up at John. "Not a word or I'll kill you," he whispered emphatically, his gaze dark and threatening. The Teldarian apparently took his threat seriously and swallowed hard against the blade before nodding quickly.

John held the man's gaze with a piercing one of his own. "Hands out to your side and away from your knife. Make one move to draw it, and I'll cut your throat ear to ear. Understand?" He could feel the man shaking and heard the quiver in his voice.

"Y…yes."

John nodded slowly. "Good. Do it." He kept his gaze locked with the Teldarian's and the knife hard to his throat as the man did as he was told. "Teyla, take his knife and any other weapons he has." John never looked at his teammate as she quickly disarmed their prisoner. John shifted off the man and to his side, never moving the knife. "Now," he said quietly, "we're both going to stand up. You're going to behave and do as I say. If you think you can get away from me while we both try to stand, remember my friend over here, with her knife. I'd say after all you people have done to her, she probably wouldn't be very forgiving." John was taking a risk and he knew it by moving and maybe giving the man a chance to fight back, but he was banking on the Teldarian being a simple villager and farmer, not a soldier or fighter. His instincts, validated by the man's body language and almost palpable fear, backed his assumption and for not the first time today, nor, he suspected, the last, he knew he had no choice. Slowly, John stood, the Teldarian following his lead. The knife never strayed far from the man's throat and before long they were both standing, facing each other.

"Hands on your head," John ordered. He grabbed the man's shoulder. "I'm moving behind you, but this knife will always be close enough to kill you, understand? Don't move or I will kill you and if I don't, she will." He slowly stepped around behind the Teldarian, all the time keeping the knife within striking distance.

Once behind the guard, John put his free hand on the man's shoulder, and returned the knife to his throat. "Keep your hands on your head and walk," he ordered, marching the guard towards the gate. "Teyla, stay close. Let's see what these good people have to say when they see us," he quipped sarcastically.

They made their way back towards the path and followed it directly to the gate. As they emerged into the small meadow, he pulled in a deep breath. Here we go… Forcing a calmness over himself, and pushing aside the ever present nausea and headache, he marched their prisoner across the meadow towards the gate, just waiting for one of the Teldarians to spot them. "Stay behind me," he ordered Teyla. "Don't let them get a clear bead on you."

"I understand," Teyla answered. "I hope you know what you are doing, Major."

John shrugged slightly. "So do I, but I don't see a lot of other options here."

"P…Please," the Teldarian's voice wavered. "D…do not kill me."

John stared at the back of the man's head and kept the knife at his throat. "Be a good boy and I might not have to."

Predictably, it didn't take long for them to be spotted and abruptly one of the Teldarians patrolling the gate raised the alarm, bringing his companions running in his direction.

John stopped and stood quietly as the Teldarians milled around. "Let him go!" One of them demanded loudly.

"Don't think so," John shouted back. "Now that that's out of the way, stand aside. Let us go through the gate and we'll let your man go unharmed." He turned his head slightly as three Teldarians, who had been standing close to the gate, calmly walked in his direction. John's gaze narrowed as he immediately recognized Alti.

"Major Sheppard," Alti took a step forward, "release your prisoner. We will not let the woman leave this planet unpunished."

John shook his head slightly, immediately regretting the move as the pounding in his forehead redoubled. He clenched his teeth and quelled the pain through sheer willpower. "Not a chance," he replied.

"Major," Alti's voice was tense with anger, "You do not realize the gravity of your situation. For aiding her escape, you are now just as guilty. We will kill both of you without hesitation before you are allowed to escape."

"Wonderful," John's voice was sarcastic. "I was wondering when you'd get around to punishing me too. Wouldn't want to feel left out or anything."

He tightened the blade against the Teldarian's throat. "I haven't killed anyone yet, Alti, and I don't want to. But, I'm not going to let you execute Teyla for a crime she didn't commit, or me for helping her escape your justice."

"How can you be so sure she is innocent?" One of the other Teldarians with Alti asked.

John looked at him, recognizing the man from their original meeting and as one of the members of the Teldarian council. "Because I know Teyla," he answered simply. "She's honest and has traded her entire life with honor. Just ask any of her trading partners." He looked back at Alti. "I'll ask the same question I asked when all of this started, Alti. How many years has it been?"

The Teldarian council member looked at Alti. "It has been many years my friend. We must be sure before passing judgment and punishment on this woman."

"I am not the person you seek," Teyla's voice was pleading. "There must be something I can do to convince you?"

Alti glared at the man and ignored Teyla. "How can you question me? My son was one that was killed! From that day, I swore I would bring justice to this woman, if I ever had the opportunity. Her greed brought her back and she will pay for her crimes!"

John held tight to his prisoner. "The woman who killed your son should be brought to justice," he reasoned, trying to keep his anger in check and his voice calm. "But it's not justice if you execute the wrong person. That's murder."

"I am not wrong!" Alti shouted back.

"Yes, you are," John calmly answered back, before looking at the councilman. "How about you? Are you certain enough to execute her?" He held his breath as the Teldarian seemed to consider his words. Putting up that question was a big risk on John's part. The man could say yes, and it'd be over, but John's instincts told him the councilman was uncertain and also open to reason.

The councilman looked away for a moment before he looked back at John. "No," he answered simply before shrugging. "But I do not see a way to prove what is true, one way or the other."

"How dare you!" Alti shouted back.

"Quiet," the man snapped at Alti before glaring at him. "You lead trade for our people and are an elder of our village, but you are an equal member of the council, as am I and Vorsha," he pointed at the third man, who'd remained silent through the entire exchange. He looked back at Alti. "You may not dictate policy." The man looked back at John. "I am Nesh. As Alti governs trade, so I govern justice and Vorsha, the health and management of our village resources." He took a step closer to John. "We found Leta and Mas, unharmed, for the most part. That goes very far in validating your word and the honor of your people in our eyes."

John relaxed slightly at Nesh's honest expression but still kept up his guard, and his prisoner between them. "I imagine they're probably sporting sore heads and a few bruises but nothing permanent." He quirked a brow. "Kind of didn't have a choice there."

Nesh looked over at Teyla and then back at John. "I believe I understand." He sighed loudly. "Now that we understand each other's viewpoints, how shall we proceed, Major? There is still the issue of proving the woman's claims."

Teyla stepped out from behind John for the first time.

"Teyla," John's voice had a warning tone. He hadn't seen any bowman but that didn't mean they weren't there. He much preferred for her to stay behind their human shield, but Teyla apparently wouldn't be deterred. She looked at him with a calm expression.

"We must find a way to trust one another," she reasoned, "or we will accomplish nothing." She gestured at Nesh. "I believe this man to be true to his word and that he desires to know the truth." She looked directly at Nesh. "So I do not believe he will order my death without finding out that truth." She turned her gaze to Vorsha, "and you as well."

Nesh and Vorsha exchanged looks and nodded. Nesh looked back at Teyla. "You are correct."

"No!" Alti shouted. He turned towards the other Teldarians. "Kill her!"

"Do not!" Nesh immediately countered. "I am the leader of justice, therefore this falls within my duties and command. You will not harm this woman until the truth is determined." He looked at Alti. "And you will be silent or restrained."

"You cannot!" Alti shouted back, but this time it was Vorsha who responded.

"He can, and will," Vorsha answered. "It is within his chartered duties, and as the third councilman, I back his claim. You are not only wrong, Alti, but also out voted. Be silent."

Nesh looked at Teyla and nodded once. "We will settle this. Justice will prevail."

Teyla nodded back. "That is all that I ask for." She drew in a deep breath. "Nesh, there must be someone, a neutral party but still a partner whom we both trust, who could settle this misunderstanding?"

Nesh nodded and seemed to mull over her statement. "Yes. Several of our partners have mentioned the Athosians, all in good words too I might add. Perhaps the Menarians?"

John tensed and exchanged hesitant looks with Teyla. "Uhhh…"

"We have recently had a… misunderstanding with the Menarians," Teyla answered smoothly. "Perhaps someone else?"

"And if I were you," John added, "I'd be really careful dealing with the Menarians in the future. They might not be as trustworthy a partner as you think they are."

Nesh's gaze narrowed and he nodded once. "Very well. What about the Lashans?"

Teyla smiled and nodded. "Yes. My people have traded with them for several generations. Many I have known since childhood. I would trust a representative from them to vouch for me, if you will?"

Nesh nodded. "Yes. We have traded with them for many years. It is acceptable to me." He looked at Vorsha who nodded in agreement. Nesh looked back at Teyla. "We have an agreement?"

Teyla nodded. "Yes."

"Good," Nesh answered before looking at John. "I would ask that you release your prisoner, Major. We have an agreement. Neither one of you will be harmed until or unless the truth of this matter is settled."

John stared at Nesh for a long moment, measuring the man's apparent sincerity before looking over at Teyla, who smiled reassuringly.

"We must find trust between our peoples, Major, or this matter will not be settled." She took a step forward. "We both know we are innocent. This will prove it and forge a trading path between us. With that, we have a chance at obtaining the medicines as well."

John silently stared back at her. Part of him wanted to trust the Teldarians and he wouldn't deny that returning to Atlantis with the medicines they needed wasn't just as appealing, but it was the leap of faith he was having a hard time with. Once he let their prisoner go, they'd be at the mercy of the Teldarians and powerless if they were double crossed.

"Major," Teyla said quietly. "Trust me."

John inhaled deeply, lowered the knife, and stepped back. If there was one thing in all of this he did trust, it was his teammate. He couldn't tell if he was doing the right thing or not, but he trusted that Teyla did know. His Teldarian prisoner quickly stepped away from him, rubbing his neck as he made his way over to the rest of his people.

John looked at Nesh. "I'm trusting you," he said quietly.

Nesh nodded. "That trust will not be betrayed, Major." He looked over at one of the guards. "Dial the Lashans, go to their world and explain this situation to Makka." He looked at Teyla who nodded in agreement.

"Yes, I know Makka very well," she answered.

"Good." Nesh looked back at his designated man. "Ask Makka to come here, if he is willing."

The Teldarian nodded and trotted over to the DHD.

John watched the man dial and disappear through the gate, but for some reason he couldn't figure out why the world around the gate seemed to darken.

"Major?"

He felt Teyla's hand on his arm and it was only then that he realized he'd staggered. His knees buckled and he fell roughly to the ground, his head spinning and stomach somersaulting. "Damn," he managed.

"What is wrong with him?" Nesh knelt next to Teyla and John looked at both of them though blurry vision.

"His head," Teyla answered. "You hit him very hard when you subdued him earlier today."

"He fought hard," Nesh answered. "I am sorry."

John groaned, fighting against the blackness entering his vision, all the while knowing he was losing that battle. Against his will, his eyelids slid shut and darkness shrouded him.

For the second time that day, John found himself fighting back to consciousness, his senses returning slowly and one at a time. This time though, he wasn't bound, blindfolded and bouncing along in the back of a wagon, but rather lying quietly, his hands at his sides. He slowly opened his eyes, meeting the gaze of Teyla sitting close by on his left. He looked right, surprise springing up on his face as Beckett knelt and smiled down at him. "How ye feeling, Major?"

John cleared his throat. "Little dizzy. Head's killing me." He looked over at Teyla. "What's going on?"

Teyla held onto her smile. "Makka convinced the Teldarians that Alti was mistaken. We are free to go with the apologies of the Teldarians, but I was unsure if you should be moved, so I dialed Atlantis and asked for Doctor Beckett to return and evaluate you. The Teldarians wish us to know that we are welcome to return any time." Her smile faded slightly. "They have removed Alti from the council." As quickly as it faded, her smile returned. "I have managed to start negotiations on a trade for the medicine. In Alti's place, Leta will head the trade with us, with the council's blessing. I believe we will reach an agreement swiftly, and the Teldarians will treat us generously after the grief they have caused both you and I."

John looked over at Beckett. "How are things on Atlantis?"

Beckett's smile faded. "Four more cases. The sooner we have that medicine, the better. We've traced the source to one of the rec rooms on level three. Elizabeth has a decontamination team sweeping that and all the common areas."

John looked back at Teyla, his expression conveying his sense of urgency more than any words could.

Teyla nodded once and stood. "I will see to the trade agreement and complete it as soon as possible."

John shifted his elbows under him and slowly pushed himself up just a little. He winced and groaned as a splitting headache scintillated through his forehead. "Damn, that hurts," he muttered.

"Aye, I bet it does," Beckett's voice was slightly chastising and not nearly as sympathetic as John would've expected from a doctor. "Let that be a lesson, if one can be beat into that hard head of yours. You're going to have to take it easy for a while, lad."

John drew in a deep breath, before exhaling slowly. "What's the verdict?"

"Concussion," Beckett answered, "though that shouldn't surprise you at all. But it could've been worse. No sign of fracture or internal bleeding, though you have a date with the scanner as soon as we get back to Atlantis, just to be sure, and that date is sooner rather than later." Beckett stood and held out a hand. "Think you can stand and walk?"

John glanced up at him, before looking over to where Teyla talked with Leta. His expression must've been hesitant enough to draw a response from Beckett.

"Don't worry about her, Major," Beckett reassured. "The Teldarians apparently feel pretty guilty about this whole bloody mess. You passing out seemed to help that along rather nicely, by the way." John shot a dark look at Beckett, who just smiled back in a teasing way. "Besides," Beckett went on, unfazed, "Elizabeth sent Miller's team as Teyla's escort, just to be safe."

John looked past Beckett and at the gate for the first time, his gaze settling on Miller's team, milling about, looking thoroughly bored at the babysitting duty they'd drawn. He smiled slightly. "Doubt the Teldarians objected."

"No," Beckett answered, "they did not." He shook his hand insistently. "Nice and easy now."

John took his hand and slowly stood, allowing the doctor to steady him as his headache redoubled. He pressed his palm into his forehead. "Damn it," he groused.

"Aye," Beckett's grip was strong. "It's bed rest for you after the scan, Major."

John slowly walked towards the gate, Beckett right beside him. "I don't suppose arguing that point will get me anywhere?"

"No, it won't."

Beckett's voice held a note of finality and John let the topic drop. He waved at Miller, who walked over and dialed the DHD before sending his IDC code through.

Beckett never left John's side as he walked through the gate.

John set War and Peace down next to him on the bed as the chime to his door caught his attention. "Come in," he called, before punching the pillow behind his head. He settled back against the pillows again, frowning at his headache. Beckett said it'd gradually go away and had taken him off active duty for at least a week, maybe more, pending evaluation. John dismissed the thoughts and smiled as Elizabeth walked into his quarters. "Hey." He gestured at his desk chair.

"Hey yourself," she answered and sat down, crossing her legs and folding her hands in her lap. "How are you feeling?"

"Better," he answered, smiling a little. "Still have this damned headache, but Beckett says it'll pass." His smile faded. "How's the treatment going?"

Elizabeth's expression turned to one of relief. "We're getting there. The medicine is very effective and everyone who's infected seems to be responding well. We're nearly done decontaminating all the rec areas." She sighed. "I wish we knew where this infection came from, but at least we know where people contracted it and we now have a medicine to combat it, thanks to you and Teyla." She smiled again.

John shrugged. "Wasn't the easiest trade mission I've ever gone on," he quipped, "but glad it turned out for the best. Even if we had to fight and claw to make that happen, it was still worth it."

"Yes, it was." Her gaze narrowed slightly. "You did good, John. Really good."

John shook his head slightly. "I think we owe more to Teyla than to me on this one, Elizabeth."

She nodded. "You both did well," she amended. "Though your style of diplomacy is very unique, Major."

John chuckled. "I think it's called cowboy diplomacy."

"Well," her smiled turned into a full grin, "this place is a lot like the wild west sometimes, so it's fitting."

John laughed. "It is. Try it sometime, Elizabeth, you might find it pretty effective."

She laughed back. "I'll keep that in mind, Major." She stood up. "Get some rest." She headed for the door, opened it, and paused before leaving to look back at him. "Good job."

John smiled and settled his head in his pillow, giving in to the drowsiness likely brought on by the pain meds Beckett had prescribed. "Thanks," he said quietly.

She nodded once and left, the door quietly closing behind her.

John closed his eyes, sending a mental command to the city to dim the lights in his quarters. His smile lingered as he relaxed, feeling sleep gradually overcome him. Being stranded and alone in Pegasus created an almost daily struggle for all of them to survive, but with the team they'd brought, he was constantly reassured they'd be fine. He didn't know what the future held, or what struggles especially against the Wraith that they'd encounter, but if he was a betting man, his money would be on the expedition team to find a way through it.

Reassured, he let sleep overtake him.

-End-

Recipient's Prompt: Through a case of mistaken identity, someone in the team is kidnapped, there is no stargate within walkable distance, the only way out is to steal/find a spaceship, boat, sled, glider or other mode of transportation

HUGE thanks to coolbreeze1" for her quick and awesome beta read of this story, on such short notice.

It was fun to write again! Been a little AWOL recently, but one of my 2014 resolutions was to get back into fandom a bit more after being absent most of last year.

~SGAFan