"Ah, Colonel you're back." Zelenka commented as Cam took a seat. As he said the comment Cam thought he looked nervous, but found it hard to know for sure.
"Once again your powers of observation never cease to amaze me." McKay interjected.
"Play nice." John said, curious about what had brought Zelenka back.
"Colonel how are you feeling?" Woolsey asked.
"I'm fine." Cam answered, too concerned with wanting to know what Zelenka would say to be touched by Woolsey's concern.
"Good." The bureaucrat commented before looking at Zelenka. "Well doctor, perhaps you could explain your return."
"Right, well we went back down to the planet to take some more readings." Zelenka started. "Except this time the caretaker was acting differently."
"Different how?" Woolsey asked. The question appearing to stump Zelenka who struggled to find the right words.
"Was he more or less like McKay?" John asked.
"Less."
"In a good way?" The Lieutenant Colonel pressed ignoring Rodney's scowl.
"He was more helpful and seemed concerned." Zelenka said, trying not to look at McKay.
"Concerned about what?" Vala asked.
"Major Lorne and if he had managed to share the knowledge with us. I explained he had gone back with Major Teldy and I had not seen him since. Then the caretaker disappeared. He came back awhile later and appeared nervous or maybe worried. He said that they knew we had a second Ark and wanted to know why we had not returned it."
"How the hell do they know that?" Cam asked.
"I don't know." Zelenka replied as he shifted his glasses up his nose.
"Well didn't you ask?" Rodney questioned.
"Of course I did, but they gave the same story about the Arks being linked to the planet and being able to communicate with them."
"Did they make any new threats?" John asked.
"Not exactly?"
"Meaning what?" Cam asked.
"They wanted to know why we did not trust them."
"I'm sorry, were they being serious?" Vala asked.
"Yes. They thought that because they shared the knowledge with Major Lorne we would trust them."
"They did?" Vala asked in disbelief.
"They did." Zelenka confirmed.
"What aren't you telling us?" John asked, still trying to come to grips with the surreal conversation. In response Zelenka nervously glanced at Cam and moved further away from him. An action that was picked up by most members of the room.
"The caretaker said he wanted us to trust them and was now willing to exchange more information. He said that he felt he had been generous with the information he had given Major Lorne, but accepted that perhaps the problem was you did not believe Major Lorne."
"Anyone else getting lost here?" Cam asked.
"He said they are willing to share more information with us an-"
"What type of information?" McKay interrupted.
"Regarding the planet and the Arks."
"Well that is good isn't it?" McKay asked getting excited.
"Yes, but they won't until we trust them." Zelenka went on.
"So we have to return the other Ark first?" Cam guessed.
"Yes and no. They said that would not be real trust."
"Don't suppose you pointed out that threatening and reading people's minds is not the way to trust?" Cam asked.
"Not in so many words." Zelenka answered as he pushed his glasses up his nose again.
"So what counts as real trust and how do they expect to achieve it?" Sam asked.
"They want us to want to return the Arks. They think if we believe their story we'll freely return them."
"But why would we believe them?" Ronon asked.
"Um, they think we did not believe Lorne as we don't trust him."
"So they think if they share knowledge with someone who is trusted they can pass on the information and be believed?" Daniel guessed.
"Yes."
"And who do they suggest for this?" Woolsey asked.
"Well, they believe that Colonel Mitchell is the cause of all the distrust." Zelenka said stepping away from Cam again.
"So they want to convince Cam?" Sam asked.
"Yes." Zelenka said after a pause. When he didn't expand on his answer Cam asked.
"So they want me to go back and stick my head in the machine?"
"No. Well, the caretaker believes that you have not returned because you wish to hide your distrust from them and that you do not wish to be combined with the library again."
"Well they're not completely stupid then." Cam commented.
"How exactly do they want to convince Cam then?" Sam asked, causing Zelenka to nervously look at the Colonel, again backing away.
"Well, they want to connect someone he trusts into the library and once they have the knowledge to share it with Cam."
"Did you explain why that wouldn't happen?" John asked.
"I explained why we did not want anyone to connect to the library and he, the caretaker, assured me that the recipient of the knowledge, like Major Lorne, would not be in any danger and would not suffer any adverse effects."
"And we are meant to take their word for this? I mean haven't we just established that they know that we don't trust them and don't believe anything they say?" Vala asked.
"Yes." Zelenka replied, desperately wanting to get out of the spotlight.
"Wait a second." McKay said. "You're hiding something. Don't deny it, I can read you like a book. Oh you didn't. Did you? I mean you wouldn't. You did. I can't believe it."
"Ergh, McKay, feel like filling the rest of us in?" John asked.
"He is so desperate to overcome his inferiority complex he connected himself to the library in a bid to boost he IQ."
"I don't think that's it." Sam said as she observed Zelenka.
"They only wanted to transfer knowledge to someone Colonel Mitchell trusts and having seen the contents of his mind I was not a suitable candidate."
"The fact you know that means you offered." McKay exclaimed.
"So who is an acceptable candidate?" Daniel asked, half hoping he was on the list.
"Based on who the caretaker believed had no reason to distrust them and therefore have nothing to hide and would not object to linking with the library, there was only one name." Zelenka said nervously.
"No way." Cam said, his face darkening as anger flared in his eyes. His reaction alone was enough to help the others fill the gap and realise what Zelenka was saying.
"But Dr Keller does not possess the Ancient gene." Teyla pointed out.
"I tried to explain that." Zelenka said. "But the caretaker said it was inconsequential. I believe that like all other Ancient technology, once activated the user does not need the gene." He went on, looking everywhere except at Cam who held a murderous look in his eyes.
A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing. I'll try to get the next chapter up mid-week.