Date : 24 July 2007
Title: Love's Dance With A Stranger
Author: ElaineDex
Chapter: 2 of ?
Rating: M
Pairing: Lt. Col. John Sheppard/Lyssa Hunter
Dr. Ellie Harrison/Major Evan Lorne
Archiving: None
Warnings: Sexual Content/Strong Language
Spoilers: This story follows on from Love's Jealous Way
Feedback: Yes
Disclaimer: Dr. Ellie Harrison, Major James Reece, Lieutenant Franks, Carly, Tariq el Azir, Nazim el Azir and Kalim are mine. Lyssa and Caleb Hunter belong to Kazavid, the rest of Atlantis and the SGC, unfortunately have nothing to do with me.
Summary: A desert adventure has Dr Ellie Harrison dancing with a stranger to save not only her own life but the lives of the people she cares for the most.
"Is the tomb much further?", Rodney wailed and Major Reece shook his head.
"No Doc, just over this next dune", he replied and Rodney nodded, smothering more sun tan lotion over his nose and Ellie couldn't help the giggle that escaped her.
"You can laugh but you'll be sorry that you didn't put some of this on your pale face….and your legs…I can't believe that Lorne lets you come out on these types of missions dressed like that", Rodney blustered, looking at Ellie's usual attire of boots, florally cap-sleeved sundress and the black vest that housed her radio, her gun, spare ammo and various pens and note pads.
"She's not military McKay, I can't tell her what to do", Lorne said as he passed them and Ellie stuck her tongue out at him.
"You wouldn't dare to even try", she said and Lorne grinned at her.
"Yes well, you'll be sorry anyway when you're sunburnt and sore and I'm nicely tanned", Rodney said smugly.
"With the amount you've put on you'd be lucky to catch any rays if you stood a foot from the sun", Sheppard said just as they reached the top of the dune and the half-buried tomb sat before them.
"Hey this is like something out of that movie The Mummy", Sheppard said and Lieutenant Franks laughed.
"Yeah. Could you imagine if we accidentally raised the sleeping mummy of Imhotep…..what a riot".
"You think that's funny?", Rodney said and Reece laughed along with Franks.
"Yeah, kinda", he said and Rodney looked ready to self-implode as he rounded on them.
"I'll have you know that there is no reason why the events depicted in that film could not come true so if I were you I'd watch….", he was cut off from his ranting as Sheppard said,
"Cut it out Rodney and wind your neck in…..jeez we're only foolin' around".
Lorne smiled at Sheppard as Rodney still blustered but more under his breath.
"Swap you for Ellie?", Sheppard said hopefully but Lorne shook his head.
"No way".
"Who was Imhotep?", Teyla asked and they all groaned loudly as Rodney began to explain to her in detail but Lyssa moved closer, eager to know about the creature that Sheppard seemed able to joke with the others about but not with her.
She had noticed how he had pointedly left her out of any conversations he'd had and she was getting a little tired of it.
She was about to approach him when Ronon said,
"Sheppard!", and he pointed out into the desert where they all turned to see a fast approaching cloud of sand.
"What is it?", Sheppard asked, squinting into the sun to try and make out what it was and cursing the fact he hadn't thought to bring along his sunglasses, he'd left them behind in the jumper.
"I believe it is a man on a horse", Rodney said sarcastically as the figure on horseback became clearer and they all turned to look at him. He looked like he was on some kind of beach vacation with a strange hat and yellow tinted shades covering his eyes.
Sheppard pulled a face at McKay before saying,
"Okay, Ellie and you, Beach Boy, get in there and do your stuff, we'll keep him busy".
"You mean we'll keep 'them' busy", Ronon said indicating to the rider's right.
Sheppard turned to see around twenty more riders curving across the sands to form a line behind the first rider who suddenly veered off and disappeared behind some dunes.
"Ah crap, you two, get busy", Sheppard commanded and Ellie and Rodney darted inside the tomb's entrance and down the stone steps.
Rodney shrugged his back pack off as Ellie produced a torch from hers and illuminated the chamber they were now inside.
"This place is way too creepy for my liking", Rodney said as he pulled out the amulet and Ellie glanced around them at the walls that were inscribed with markings and ancient writings.
"Hey….I can't see…..aim that thing over here", Rodney hissed and Ellie moved the torch and shone it in his face.
"Like this?", she asked sweetly and Rodney knocked it down slightly out of his eyes.
"Perfect, now all I can see is a huge white light in front of each eye ball", he moaned and Ellie snatched the amulet from his hand and replaced it with the torch.
"For god's sake…..I'll put it back", she said just as the sound of thunderous hoof beats above them sounded and grains of sand drifted down from the ceiling.
"Hurry up", Rodney said as Ellie crouched by the statue that Major Reece had said they'd found the amulet in the base of.
I can't get the compartment open. Go and see what's going on…buy me some time if anyone wants to come down here", Ellie said and Rodney sighed and turned to head back out of the tomb.
"Rodney….you could have at least left me the torch", Ellie whispered into the darkness.
Cursing him silently when he didn't reply she felt around the edges of the statue's base and finally found the opening for a secret compartment that obviously wasn't very secret if Major Reece's team and now she had managed to find it.
She had just slipped the amulet into the space when a hand clamped around her mouth and she was dragged up and backwards into a passageway behind the statue. She felt something sharp dig into her side although it didn't pierce her skin and she tried to squirm away from it as a deep voice said in her ear,
"Keep quiet or you'll get us both killed".
OOoOO
Rodney made it to the top of the tombs steps before he was seized by two robe-clad warriors, their faces covered.
"Hey!", he objected but Sheppard called out.
"Rodney keep quiet".
Rodney looked around to see Sheppard and the others all surrounded by a great quantity of desert men, all holding their scimitars out toward them. Everyone's weapons were piled up on the sand.
"Oh great. You just surrendered?", he said and Ronon growled at him.
"Is there anyone else inside that tomb?", the warrior who appeared to be in charge asked and Lyssa felt Lorne tense at her side.
"No….just me", Rodney replied and the warrior regarded him for a moment before turning to one of his men and indicating he go and check inside anyway.
They waited for Ellie to be dragged out into the sunlight but when the warrior returned alone, Lorne risked a glance at Sheppard who shrugged.
"She must have found a secret passageway or something", Rodney whispered and Lorne breathed a sigh of relief.
At least, when it was safe, Ellie would be able to contact Atlantis and get help…..his thoughts trailed off though as the warrior in charge said to three of his men.
"Go back to the great circle and destroy their transportation and the technology that is linked with the circle. His Highness wants no more strange people visiting his lands".
The men bowed and scuttled off across the sands, back towards where the jumper was sat and Sheppard groaned inwardly.
"Maybe we should tell them that Ellie is here", Teyla whispered urgently. "If we do not and they destroy the jumper and the DHD she will be stranded out here".
But before any of them had a chance to discuss it further they all had their hands bound together and were then tied together in a long line.
As they were lead away, Lorne kept glancing back toward the tomb, looking ready to try and escape and Sheppard, who was behind him whispered,
"Calm down Major….we'll get out of this and Ellie will figure something out in the meantime".
Lorne nodded and resisted the urge to look back again.
OOoOO
Tariq held the woman against him to keep her still and quiet until he was certain that the Zuran guard had left and then he dragged her down the passageway to a back entrance where sunlight filtered through, enabling him to see her and she him.
"What do you want with the Ancient Queens' amulet?", he asked coldly, his startlingly deep blue eyes glinting dangerously above his howli.
Ellie stared at the man before her.
He certainly looked like something out of The Mummy dressed as he was in black robes that were belted at his hips and she tried not to notice the extremely sharp looking scimitar that dangled off his belt.
"Answer me!", he said, making her jump and she replied,
"I don't want it. I was returning it".
Tariq laughed but he did not sound amused.
"You expect me to believe that?"
Ellie shrugged. "Believe what you will", she replied taking a few steps back but the passageway had been closed off somehow and her back hit the stone wall of the tomb instead.
Tariq raised an eyebrow as he commented dryly,
"There is nowhere for you to go".
"If you're going to kill me just get on with it, otherwise let me go", Ellie said impatiently, knowing that she needed to find out what had happened to the others.
Tariq looked at the woman before him, glad that his howli was hiding the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth.
He liked strength in a woman and the way she was glaring at him right now made his blood rush through his veins.
"You wish me to let you leave with the amulet?", he asked, stepping closer before continuing, "You strangers visit my sacred lands and think you can just take what you want….", he stopped as Ellie interjected.
"I told you I was returning it".
"You have no idea of the power and destruction these artefacts can cause if they are in the wrong hands", Tariq said.
"You have no idea what I know about", Ellie said glaring at him, "and if you'd excuse me I really have to go", and she reached for her gun only to find it was gone.
Her eyes flew to the man's face and she watched as he produced the gun from the folds of his robes, his eyes smiling at her and she knew his mouth was too, under the howli.
"Damn it", Ellie muttered.
"You're really not very good at the escaping prisoner thing are you? I took this from you in the passageway", Tariq said, amused by her reactions.
"I don't have time to be your prisoner….I need to find out what's happened to my friends", Ellie replied urgently but Tariq shook his head.
"Forget them….they're as good as dead. They're being taken to the Royal Palace where my brother will no doubt kill them".
"What!? No….I have to help them, I have to contact home and get help", Ellie said going to rush by him but he grabbed her arm.
"You're not going anywhere", he said but Ellie fought against his grasp and somehow managed to get free.
She darted toward the exit of the tomb and rushed out into the bright sunshine only to come skittering to a halt as she came face to face with a band of rebel looking desert men.
A scream stuck in her throat as their eyes raked over her and she turned to run back into the tomb but collided with Tariq's chest.
"Please….", Ellie said, her mind dredging up memories of her ordeal with Jones' men and Tariq saw fear in her eyes for the first time.
"My men will not harm you", he said and Ellie looked back over her shoulder before glancing back at him.
"I……good", she said, trying to sound confident even though she was quaking inside.
Tariq nodded once at her then looked to one of his men.
He spoke in his own tongue, thinking Ellie wouldn't understand him but luckily for her she understood every word.
"What has happened to the great circle and this woman's transportation?"
"Destroyed my lord", the warrior replied and Ellie couldn't help the moan of despair that escaped her lips.
Tariq eyed her sharply.
"What is your name?", he asked, still speaking in his own language.
"Ellie Harrison", she replied simply and Tariq's men exchanged glances as she returned Tariq's stare.
"Who are you?", she asked him, also in his language.
"Tariq el Azir, leader of the Zuran rebellion and younger brother to Prince Nazim el Azir, ruler of Zuran", Tariq replied bowing low before her.
"So you're a Prince?", Ellie asked disbelievingly and Tariq folded his arms as he regarded her, seeing that she had regained some of her earlier bravado.
"You know my name, that is enough for now. Come, we shall see what remains of your people's transportation".
He gripped her upper arm and propelled her forward.
He sat atop his huge stallion and looked down at her, holding his hand out to her as he leant down toward her.
"Hurry or you can walk", he said when Ellie just continued to stare at him.
He was about to retract his arm when she grasped it and he swung her up into the saddle behind him.
Ellie let out a gasp of surprise as he suddenly spurred the huge animal on and she had to wrap her arms around his waist to stay seated.
They were back at the gate and the jumper in no time and Ellie saw straight away that the DHD had been vandalised.
She let Tariq help her down from the horse and then ran to the back of the jumper, her hand covering her mouth as she saw that the inside had been trashed. Wires hung everywhere and it was totally dead, no power flowing to anything.
"I can fix it", she said eventually and Tariq regarded her as though she was mad.
"I cannot permit you to stay out here alone", he said and Ellie looked at him.
"I'm not asking for your permission", she said and Tariq laughed.
"Good because you are not getting it".
He grasped her arm again and led her back onto the sand and left her to go and speak with his second in command.
Ellie glanced around at the other rebels who appeared to be talking amongst themselves and then she glanced back at Tariq and the other man who both had their backs to her.
She looked toward Tariq's white stallion which was stood proudly nearby and a plan began to formulate in her mind.
Acting on pure adrenalin she made a dash for the horse and not really knowing how she managed it, mounted the huge beast and then without looking back spurred it on with a cry and the dig of her heels.
Tariq and his second, Kalim, looked at her then glanced at one another as though not believing what they were seeing.
"No-one can ride my horse but me", Tariq said incredulously and Kalim bit back a smile as he reached for the reigns of his own horse.
"Will you go or shall I?", he asked.
Tariq took the reigns from his friend and with a scowl, jumped atop the animal and raced after the woman who was already giving him more problems than he needed.
End of Chapter 2