"Colonel Sheppard, Teyla Emmagan." The young aide Suya rose from her chair behind the desk. "I did not expect you to return so soon. Is there a problem?"

"You tell us," Sheppard stated, his hands folded over his weapon, intention clear. The young girl's eyes widened as she took an involuntary step back. Teyla placed a hand on Sheppard's shoulder in a calming gesture.

"Suya," she started, voice soft and composed, "We need to speak with the Magistrate. It is an urgent matter."

"I am sorry Teyla, but he is still out. He did not tell me where he was going, only that he would not be back until the morning. I do not understand, what has happened?"

"A Wraith Dart attacked us."

Suya gasped, her hands going to her mouth. "Wraith! I need to warn the village!"

"No need, it is already gone," Teyla answered, and Suya visually relaxed. "However, it took our friends with it."

"I am sorry," the girl stated with sincerity. "The Wraith come as they please and take as they want. No one is safe."

"How often do the Wraith come?" Sheppard asked.

"There is no pattern, Colonel Sheppard. During the last harvest season the Wraith came for several days. Then they suddenly stopped. We have been blessed with peace for nearly a year now."

"Until today," he stated bitterly. The girl lowered her gaze. It was clear the young aide was not included it whatever the scheme the Velians were planning. However, that only made his suspicions about the Magistrate even stronger.

"Again I am sorry, Colonel. Everyone has lost family to the Wraith, even the Magistrate. If you like, I will ask the priests to perform the Ceremony for the Taken for you."

"No need," he harshly replied, "because I plan to get them back. Let's go Teyla." As he stormed out of the room Teyla offered an apologetic smile to Suya.

"Colonel Sheppard is very upset," she explained. "He does not mean to offend. We are honored at your offer for the ceremony, but we must decline at this time." Suya nodded slowly, not quiet understanding, as Teyla turned and hurried off after the soldier. When she neared she grabbed his arm, causing him to stop and turn around.

"What?" he asked roughly.

"I know you are upset," she hissed, "but that is no excuse to be hostile to those who are trying to help."

"What are you talking about?"

"Suya's offering of the Ceremony for the Taken is not to be taken lightly. The ceremony was designed to help those who have lost loved ones deal with their grief. Offering it to you, an outsider, shows her respect for you and sorrow at your loss."

"I didn't know," Sheppard quietly said. He had never heard of the ceremony, or at least he didn't remember Teyla ever explaining it to him. Of course, now that the Athosians lived safely on the mainland there had been no need for the ceremony.

"There are still many things you do not know about our galaxy," she replied, releasing his arm. "Trust me, John. If the Velians are behind our missing friends, we will confront them. But to allow anger to guide our actions now may jeopardize the entire treaty. And do not forget the scientists that are still within the mines."

In all the confusion and worrying he had forgotten. Zelenka had been excited about what they had discovered so far, obtaining additional personnel to help search the databases. He didn't understand much about rocks, but he did understand the prospect of more knowledge.

"Let us confer with Kreola and Major Lorne," Teyla advised. "Perhaps they have found something. If not, I believe it would be wise to continue on with our original plan. We must not act harshly."

"Innocent until proven guilty," Sheppard muttered as he began walking again. "Guess that holds true even in another galaxy." He knew there really wasn't a choice in the matter. Teyla was right, they had to wait, for now.

oOo oOo oOo

He ached all over from a feeling he knew too well – the aftershock of a Wraith stunner. That meant the Dart had culled him, which in turn meant he was a captive of the Wraith, which meant one thing: he was so screwed.

McKay was tempted to simply lie still and pretend it was all a bad dream. Instead he forced himself to sit up, blinking painfully as his head spun. It took him a moment to realize he wasn't in a Wraith cell. In fact, it wasn't really much of a cell at all, more like a cheap hotel room. There was the uncomfortable bed he was currently sitting on, a chair and writing table like his grandfather used to have, and a dim lamp. There were two doors, one partially open and leading to what he assumed was a washroom, and the other tightly sealed which probably led outside. There were no windows, and all his equipment was missing, so there was no way of knowing how long he had been unconscious, or even where he was. Which all led back to the same thought: he was so screwed.

He carefully slid off the bed, waiting a moment for the dizziness to pass. A check on the larger door confirmed it was locked, and a few tugs and hits against it left him with a sore hand and full knowledge he wasn't breaking it down anytime soon. Ronon might've broken through, but not him. No, he was more of a fixer of broken things than a breaker of things. But speaking of Ronon …

McKay looked around the room, confirming that he was indeed alone. No Ronon or Ula, no Sheppard or Teyla. He made a circuit around the room looking for anything that might help him escape, but besides the few pieces of furniture and the small washroom there was nothing. Back at the main door again he scoured around for any sort of access panel or lock, but the only way it was opening was from the other side. Frustrated, annoyed, and more than a little paranoid, he began to pace.

Okay, think, he told himself. What do you know? You're locked inside a small room by yourself … a room that is getting smaller? No, it's your imagination. Same size, eight paces each direction. Was it too much to ask for a window? Concentrate! Okay. Walking through the so-called forest and a Wraith Dart appears out of nowhere, with no warning from Teyla. Why? She did seem a little odd, and he thought he heard Sheppard ask if she was okay. So, maybe she's sick and couldn't sense the Wraith, or … or it wasn't a Wraith in the Dart. The uneasy feeling grew – whoever it was had a high enough technological level to modify and fly Wraith technology. Oh that is so, so not good. Focus! What else do you remember? He paused, his thoughts turning back to the moment.

His heart raced as he clutched his 9mm, wishing he taken the P-90 as well. Since they had already made contact with the locals, he figured the bulky weapon would just be in the way of his equipment while they explored the nearby ruins. Now he felt useless, knowing the weapon would do little against the Wraith ship. A quick glance to his side showed Ula was feeling the same. The little Ulata Sitera was a powerful fighter in close combat, but she was helpless when it came to distance attacks. His gaze returned to the sky as the Dart passed over and began another turn.

"Move it McKay!" Ronon yelled, roughly yanking him to his feet. "We have to get to the other side, now move!" With a hard shove from behind he was running, Ula and Ronon on either side, matching his slower pace automatically. They were only about a third of the way across when the Dart executed a seemingly impossible move, twisting into a tight upwards circle that had it returning back to the clearing almost immediately. "Damn it!" he had heard Sheppard shout before the sounds of their weapons filled the air.

"McKay, run!" Ronon's command rose above the noise. Annoyed at the obviousness of the statement he began to reply when he saw the Dart heading right toward him. Snapping his mouth shut he willed his legs to move faster. He was almost across the field when he felt Ronon grab onto his vest and then … nothing.

McKay began to pace back and forth again. So that meant he, Ronon, and Ula had been culled at the same time. He didn't know about Sheppard or Teyla though. The Dart hadn't seemed that interested in them, but then again, he was concentrating on running more than anything else. So, trying to be optimistic, he told himself they had escaped and were now mounting a rescue mission to get him out of here … wherever here was. And the first step of a rescue was to ensure all the rescuees were together, that no one left behind rule Sheppard loved so much. So, first he had to find Ronon and Ula, and then they could escape. Simple. Yeah, right. Screwed.

With a loud sigh of aggravation he returned to the main door, nearly jumping when it suddenly swung open. Two guards entered and flanked the doorway. Though the weapons were unfamiliar he recognized the uniforms as those worn by the Magistrate's personal guards earlier that day.

"What's going on? Where are the others of my team?"

"Come with us."

"No," he defiantly stated, crossing his arms. "I demand to see my team first."

"Now, doctor." One of the guards raised his weapon, his threat clear. With a slight gulp and a decision that maybe defiance wasn't the best idea at the moment, McKay followed the man out. The hallway reminded him of Stargate Command, cold and metallic, lacking the sense of beauty that Atlantis had. They passed several other closed doors before the hallway opened up, literally. McKay couldn't help but pause as his eyes gazed upwards at the domed room. It was several stories high and looked as if each corridor and doorway on every level led to this area, like a general meeting area.

A nudge from behind got McKay moving again, through the domed room and down a larger and better-lit section, finally stopping outside of a large archway. Glass-like doors blocked their way, until one of the guards pressed a series of buttons on the right side. The glass dissolved and they entered into the main audience chamber. The ceiling opened up to what looked like the sky, though artificially created. A circular table sat in the middle of the room, around which were several chairs. Seated at one of the chairs was none other than Magistrate Kizel.

"Ah Doctor McKay. I am sorry for the rough treatment." He waved off the two guards, who backed away out of the room, most likely staying just outside the doorway. No going that way.

"I'm sure you are," he replied angrily. "What is going on here?"

"Please, have a seat," the Magistrate indicated one of the chairs. "Do you require food or drink? I can have one of my aides bring some. I understand the culling beams make one quite thirsty."

"What? Where am I? And where are my teammates?"
"So many questions! Sit, sit." When McKay failed to move the Magistrate's eyes narrowed slightly, his tone taking a less jovial one. "I must insist, Doctor, that you sit. I would rather not have to call my guards back in so soon." Reluctantly McKay moved forward and sat, trying to put as much distance between him and the man as possible. "Ah, much better," Kizel smiled again.

"Fine, I'm sitting, happy? Now what the hell is going on?"

"To the point, I see. Very well." Kizel leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table. "You are an expert in both the Ancestors' technology and their language. We need you to translate the Ancestral text for us as well as identity the items we currently have in our possession."

"Wait, you mean you went through all this simply so I could take an inventory of your Ancient devices?"

"If you want to put it that way, then yes."

"You're out of your mind. What do I look like, a secretary? Get your own scientists to do it."

"If it were that simple, Doctor McKay. You see, even among all our trading partners, finding one who knows as much as you do about the Ancestors is a rarity. You are, shall we say, unique to our needs."

"So you kidnap me using a Dart in order to what, make the others think the Wraith culled me? They're not going to fall for it. And just how did you manage to get a hold of a working Dart, let alone learn how to fly it?"

Kizel simply smiled deeper before leaning back and calling out, "Deidre!" Part of a nearby wall shimmered before disappearing. A woman entered through the opening, her stride proud as her long legs carried her directly to the Magistrate's side. McKay's mouth dropped for a moment – she could be Sheppard's sister. Her darker hair wasn't as short as his but carried the same crazy spiked-up look, her hazel eyes looking on with neutrality. She wore what looked like battle fatigues, a utility belt around her waist and a small weapon strapped on her upper right leg.

"Deidre is the pilot of the modified Dart," Kizel stated. "Deidre, our guest here would like to know how we acquired such a ship." McKay recovered from his composure, crossing his arms in front of him.

"You're telling me she flew the Dart?"

"For your information," Deidre started with a hint of annoyance, "I can fly anything." Yeah, definitely Sheppard's long-lost sister. "As for how we came about it, we bought it from a dark-skinned man several weeks ago. He claimed he stole it from a Wraith Hive Ship, as if that was possible. Personally I believe he came about it by chance. Yet either way, it does not matter, it belongs to us now."

McKay tried to hide his shock. If what she said was true, that meant Ford had managed to escape from the Hive Ship, and there was still a chance they could bring him home. Sheppard would be glad to hear it. His thoughts then quickly turned back to the situation at hand. The Velians had a working Dart in their possession, and knew enough on how to use the culling beam effectively. How much else did they know? If he could get a close look at the ship, he might be able to disable the culling beam and weapons.

He still didn't understand why they gone through all the effort to make it look like he was taken by the Wraith. Why not simply ask for his help? Unless they thought what they were asking for was too much. Too often had they encountered people who were willing to give up their own simply to advance their technology – the Hoffans basically sacrificed half of their entire population to protect themselves from the Wraith. What did the Velians have that was so important that they'd stoop to such drastic means of getting him to work on it?

"Why should I bother helping you? You seem to know enough about technology. Why do you need me?"

"As I have said before, our scientists have spent years working on the technology left behind by the Ancestors with little success. Yet you can do it in just a matter of minutes. We are in desperate need of your abilities. We have the equipment, we just cannot get it to function."

"That's it? Why not just ask instead of demanding?"
"We could not risk losing the equipment to your people."

"We're not thieves."

"We have been told the same by others, only to have them take all we had and leave us at the mercy of the Wraith. Never again will we be so foolish. Doctor McKay, we need your help."

"Well sorry to disappoint you, but the answer is no."

"I feared you might say so. Please, come with me." The Magistrate stood and moved to the secondary exit. McKay didn't budge.

"You better do as he says, Doctor," Deidre stated, fingering her weapon. "I would rather not have to hurt you."

They're all crazy! McKay thought, quickly standing and following after the Magistrate. What is it with people and their desire to cause bodily harm?

Entering through the doorway revealed a small control room, almost like a mini-version of the gateroom back on Atlantis, minus the gate. Where the gate should have been was the damaged Dart, obviously out of commission, with open panels and tools still scattered about. Overlooking the platform were a few consoles and nearly a dozen monitors, each with a different image: the mines, the forest, the meeting room he and Sheppard had used. It was like an elaborate security system. A cold feeling filled McKay – they had been watched from the very beginning. The Velians must have known of their suspicions and. This was not good.

"As you can see, we have been observing you and your friends," Kizel told him. "Up until now, we have done nothing but watch. However, due to your stubbornness, that may have to change." The Magistrate indicated one of images of the mines, which showed two scientists working at a console. "It is your choice, Doctor." With that he pressed a button. McKay watched in horror as the room began to shake as if from a tremor. The scientists looked up in shock only to have several large rocks fall upon them.

"Stop!" McKay cried out, trying to move to the console only to have Deidre grab him, pulling his arms back. "Stop it!" The Magistrate waited several seconds, allowing a few more rocks to fall, before pressing the button again and stopping the tremors. McKay's eyes were glued to the screen as several soldiers entered the room and attempted to dig the two scientists out. The Magistrate gave a soft chuckle, amused at his captive's reaction, before changing the image back to the main entrance, which had several scientists and soldiers walking about.

"Do I need to persuade you anymore, Doctor?" he asked.

"You're insane!"

"Insane or not, choose now, Doctor." McKay knew Kizel could and probably would collapse the entire mine unless he agreed to the terms.

"What choice do I have?"

"Very good, Doctor." Kizel smiled, clasping his hands before him in eagerness and anticipation. "I shall have a proper room made for you immediately. I am sure with your help we can find a way to protect ourselves from the Wraith."

"Fine, I'll do what you want," McKay said in defeat. "But I'll need help, from my assistant."

"Your assistant?" the Magistrate asked in surprise. "Wait, you cannot possibly mean that big brute we acquired with you, do you?"

"Who else would I be referring to?" McKay answered sarcastically. "Santa Claus? Of course him, and my pet as well. We're used to working as a team, and without them it'll take much longer to calibrate all the systems."

"Santey Claws?" Deidre quietly muttered as the Magistrate stated, "Very well, I shall have them brought to your room."

"Good. I also need the packs and equipment I was carrying."

"Right away. Minus your weapons, of course."

"Of course." Even without weapons they'd have a much better chance if they remained together. Hopefully with his tools and equipment McKay would be able to hack into the computer systems and break them out himself. Perhaps if things worked out really well, they'd be home in time for dinner. Until then he'd have to make sure the Velians thought he couldn't work efficiently without Ronon or Ula. He'd just have to have Ronon act like a scientist, how hard could that be?