I'm fairly obsessed with some of the themes in this chapter so i spent some time playing with them and couldn't edit much out. It's the climactic part of the story, too. [Google translator! Ancient device activated!!]
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CHAPTER 10
Sheppard was amazing... a hero. A legend. He somehow got her an invite on a Ancient tech cataloguing. A perplexing device was found on PX1-186 and Rodney was going to figure it out in five hours. Fifty bucks said so.
Sheppard knocked impatiently on her door an hour before debarking. She fidgeted nervously through the briefing, fearing Woolsey would give some last minute excuse why she shouldn't go.
It was a planet fairly closed off from the community of trade worlds. The village was set back from the gate. They were private people who lived modestly and could support only themselves. Sheppard needlessly assured her that no one would recognize her. She'd be with four other teams of scientists and Marines, besides.
She finally stood in the gateroom, feeling like Christmas and the first day at a new school. Lennah let out a slow breath and stepped forward once they were cleared. Ronon and Sheppard shared an amused smile. Some times it was nice to see someone appreciate the things they did on a daily basis.
The trek to the village was a long one. She kept tripping on the feet of the person in front of her. She blamed it on clumsiness and rough terrain.
The trees thinned and water could be heard nearby. The sea. The warm air smelled of salt and fish. They followed the beach for another mile and watched sailboats flit across the calm harbor toward the docks. Lennah fought the urge to dance.
The village came into view, all at once. The white houses stood as stacked on the hillside. Pillars and arches lent itself to the Greek style while the air of a fishing village made it look like some hidden away corner of the Mediterranean.
Lennah distractedly took pictures as Sheppard tapped Ronon's arm and pointed in her direction. Lennah was aware of the stupid happy look on her face but she didn't care. They made their way into the city through the mezzanine boardwalk that looked out over the dock and the bay.
The water was so pristine, you could see the large tuna the schoolboys dove after. Fishwives hawked wares boat-side and farmers bellowed competitively about cabbages and carrots. Lennah was enraptured by all of this. Even Teyla was amused.
"Do they not have places like this on Earth?" she asked.
"Well, yeah." She shrugged. "But it's expensive to travel there. And it's not like this anymore."
"This is like the place time forgot." Sheppard piped in and Lennah grinned at him as she nodded. He beamed around a bit of straw he was chewing on.
A mother barked chidingly at her son as they passed and Lennah caught a bit of the native tongue.
"Tenere per le strade mentre i intrusi sono qui!!" she said. Stay on the strade when the intruders are here!!
"Scusi, donna. quello che hai detto?" Lennah asked politely with a smile. "E, il perdono, perché chiama 'intrusi', e non visitatori?" Why do you call us 'intruders'?
The woman stared for a second. "Perché non visita. Perché non sus rendere il benvenuto?" Because you don't visit. Why don't you make your welcome?
"Pardone." Lennah turned to Sheppard. "Didn't you guys offer some gift when you started traipsing across their land? Any explanations?"
"Well, someone talked to them, told them what we were doing in their hills. None of the people go out to the ruins."
"That's business. You have to give something of yourself first. Make it personal. Eat a meal together or something. They call us 'intruders'. That's not good for PR."
"You instinctually shared tea with myself upon our first meeting, Colonel Sheppard. The same is required of many cultures in the Pegasus." Teyla put in. She groped around her person until offering a handmade necklace.
Each member of the group offered the woman a piece and she looked on confusedly but grateful. It wasn't their custom to give gifts.
"Grazie, Grazie, malte bella."
"Prego." Lennah offered.
"Mi segua, per favore." The woman asked and Lennah gestured to the others. They followed her into the town center where the village woman caught the attention of a group of old men sitting around a gate. Lennah realized these were the elders.
The exchange was brief and the attention turned to the silent group behind the woman.
"Siete i benvenuti qui." The jolly man sitting in the center of the group said with his arms raised. He extended kisses to all members of the troupe, including a disgusted McKay. "Siedono, siedono, per favore."
Lennah tried to follow the rapid exchange of pseudo-Italian. She tried to explain to McKay that the language was Latin based, as many Earth languages, because of Alterean influences. McKay was excused to the site and Lennah tried to explain what they were doing out in the ruins. The elders were very interested in the value of the knowledge. They tried to finagle some exchange out of Lennah but she sidetracked them.
"A father may have two sons, but the knowledge of the father belongs to both, equally."
A few fists rapped on the cobblestones in praise of the reply. The negotiator asked when such knowledge would be shared between the brothers.
Lennah scoffed and shrugged, at a loss for what to say. "When the basket weaver can show the potter's son how to ply sails and master the sea."
There were laughs this time and Lennah translated to the sound of pounding knuckles. The negotiator wasn't pleased.
"Take this one away. Call your wife, Ephisus, send her to the kitchens."
"Oh, surely, elder, I should enjoy introducing her to our sons." Came the reply to bawdy laughter.
"Oh, spare me!" More laughter.
There was some discomfort expressed when Lennah translated that. She was glad when Teyla accompanied her.
The kitchen was a noisy, hot place full of large women.
Dinner was in various stages of completion and there were ingredients still sitting out and herbs hanging from various hooks around the room. Lennah made herself at home and got right to preparing a variation on an Alfredo sauce. The only recipe in her retinue aside from boxed mac and cheese. Some women watched on as she mixed stuff together. She tasted everything as she tried to find ingredients similar enough and watched closely as it bubbled over the fire pit.
Lennah offered a plate of fat noodles to the oldest woman present and poured a bit of hot sauce over the noodles. In such cultures, it is widely accepted that skinny women don't spend a lot of time cooking. The matron braced herself for the worst. Surprise registered over the woman's face and she nodded a begrudging approval.
Lennah made up plates for a few others.
"You know, for someone who fears being attached, you certainly are eager to prove your value as a daughter-in-law." Teyla said quietly.
"Habit." Lennah replied. "This was how you showed respect to the women in my family."
"And one's skill as a wife." Teyla frowned as a plate of greasy noodles was passed under her nose.
Lennah was put to chopping onions, the least desirable task. She looked haggard by the time Sheppard and Ronon poked their heads in. They were hissed out of the kitchen by the hens.
Lennah saw them again as she brought out plates for host, sons, and guests. She paused to mop her face and Ronon grabbed her arm and she sprawled onto a cushion between him and Sheppard.
"Finally, the intelligent one returns. What have you been doing in there?" The jovial elder asked. The oldest, he had the honor of having the guests over for dinner. He poured a generous helping of food onto the guys' plates and ignored Lennah's.
"Many things, elder." She answered. Lennah realized the question had been rhetorical.
Sheppard handed her a soup bowl and Ronon plopped noodles drenched in tomato paste in it.
Sheppard smiled. "A woman's work is never done."
Lennah smiled. "Did McKay get his work done?"
Sheppard nodded. "Most of it anyway, he can delegate the rest." The host cleared his throat loudly, offended by the woman talking at the table.
"Good." She sighed. "Because I wouldn't want to stay the night in this house." The host was now picking at his feet between bites.
"10-4, good buddy."
But things weren't that simple. Rodney flipped some alarm that he had to figure out before they could leave. Due to someone's haste, the device was now leaking radioactive particles at a level that would soon become toxic to the village's food source. The group made their way up the mountain. They made camp a safe distance away. They'd sleep while McKay and his unfortunates corrected the error.
Lennah could hardly stay awake in the warmth of the fire as the tent was erected. She could faintly hear Teyla and Sheppard talking in the background.
"Rodney's pretty sure he knows what it is: a simulator of some kind. He warned me he may have to turn it all the way on to get it working properly." Sheppard said lowly.
"Let us hope he is correct." Teyla replied.
Hands led her to a sleeping bag on the ground and she submitted to the guidance, hugging the pillow offered. "Thanks." She drawled as she curled into a ball.
"Welcome." A gruff voice replied.
It was before dawn when she awoke. She laid there daydreaming for a while.
A twig snapped a few yards away. She froze and opened her eyes.
McKay and his group? She wondered. She tried to determine the answer. Nope. Wrong direction. From the village maybe.
Colare looked around her. The others were sleeping quite solidly. No reason to wake them.
Lennah slipped out of her bag and noticed Teyla and Sheppard, on her right, lay facing each other. As if they'd fallen asleep recently, after talking for some time into the night. Ronon was on her left and he snored loudly. Like a pig.
Wasn't he a Runner for years? Shouldn't he be more of a light, silent sleeper? Colare rolled her eyes and crawled out of the tent on muffled feet. Who took off my shoes? She narrowed her eyes at Ronon. Trying to insure I won't run away...
No time for that now, the noise was getting louder. She sidled over to the nearest tree and ascended. Shortly, there was no evidence left of her at the campsite.
The embers left from the fire smoked faintly in their bed of ashes, waiting to be rekindled. The fog moved heavily over the tent and snores could still be heard, fainter now that she was a distance away.
She couldn't climb very high in the fog. She'd loose sight of the ground. Lennah waited until someone stumbled into the clearing.
I thought we took the only course up. Must be coming from the other side of the mountain, then.
This person crouched down and moved closer to see the people inside. He pulled out a machete. Lennah dropped onto him.
"Looking for someone?" she asked as he jumped up. She pounded his kidneys and ducked the blade he slashed at her.
A second grabbed her from behind and clamped a hand over her mouth. "Be quiet or we'll kill your friends."
Go ahead and try, chump. But she could only mumble as they dragged her back into the woods. Who are you guys? She didn't recognize them, she didn't think. If anybody, they were the slavers back for revenge or ransom. But it didn't matter, as soon as they gave her an inch, she'd pound them and raise the alarm.
She was thrown tumbling into another clearing. It was rather fun, really, rolling in a pile of leaves. Lennah moved to her feet where she was knocked sprawling by a blow to her face. She groaned. Now that hurt a bit. Not fun.
There was some chuckles from all around her. She tried to count the voices but was too dizzy to keep track. Colare rolled over and was kicked for her trouble.
What the heck!?! What did I do to you?
"Get up." A voice called. Colare sobbed and struggled. Why? You're just gonna hit me again. "Get up!!"
Colare worked herself into a frenzy and finally stood. She counted five around her. Who they were was still a mystery.
"Come on." The leader called. "Let's go." He taunted her, circling.
"Who are you?" she rasped. No answer. A jab at her face and she ducked. She repeated her question. Same reaction. This time she landed a solid KO.
They were beyond talking. She threw herself into the fight. One lay sprawling and two more joined in. They fought dirty. Striking when her back was turned. A pushed her from behind and she landed on her face. More kicks. Two dragged her to her feet and held her arms out. The leader came in, working her ribs over. Lennah used the brutes at her sides to catch his neck with her legs. She squeezed his windpipe and the pair dropped her. Lennah rolled with it, landing on top. Knocked his wind out. Before she could make her next move, a blow struck her jaw and blacked out.
She woke again, propped up by the two idiots. "What'd I ever do to you?"
"You cross our territory, you pay." He struck her again. Reeling for a second, a red flash cut into him.
Ronon burst onto the scene. Took the final one in his own typical fashion. Lennah thought he could have gone easier on him.
"That's enough." Sheppard cocked a P-90 as he formed a line with Ronon and Teyla. The two left standing froze. Lennah breathed a bit easier.
"It would be best if you leave now." Teyla advised.
"Are we letting them leave?" Ronon growled.
"I don't remember that being part of the plan, Teyla." John snarled, itchy trigger finger.
"Offering a peaceful resolution."
"I'm not good with them leaving yet."
"Yeah, me either." John said. "Doesn't really send the right kind of message."
"Drop her." Teyla barked. The brutes paused. "DROP her!"
They complied and Lennah rolled onto her back.
"Shouldn't there be some maiming involved?" John asked, whining now.
Ronon agreed with a grunt.
"On your knees! Hands on your head! On your HEAD!!"
John fired over their heads, spraying them with bark and twigs.
Lennah moved to safety and took John's hand to stand. Ronon closed ranks in front of her.
"I don't know what I did." She half grunted with the pain. The fight had lasted only seconds but she'd really gotten worked over.
"Doesn't matter. If you heard something you shoulda told us, Colare." Sheppard said. He glanced off the sights to look at her.
"I've been worse." It was the truth. Ronon looked over his shoulder, unsure.
Suddenly the radio sparked to life. "What's going on?" came Rodney's panicked voice. "We heard gunfire."
Sheppard reached for the radio at his shoulder without taking his aim off the group on the ground. "We're okay. Colare got jumped."
Rondey's voice came back as a squeak. He cleared his throat. "Really?"
"Yeah, she looks pretty bad." He responded. "No offence."
Lennah smiled and winced: busted lip.
Rodney was talking again. "Well, I, uh, looked over the files again and, uh, ... You know how some words can have multiple meanings?"
"Yeah..." Sheppard sensed a snag ahead.
"Well, I thought I had it right but these things can really be really subtle and I don't have the best grammatical grasp of the Ancient language. So I'm not really at fault, here, you gotta understand that. I just turned it on and all this new data popped up and I really didn't notice that all the info was real-time not just a simulation. But, I swear, I turned it off just as soon as I figured out what was happening. And, then... there was the gun fire... and I thought you guys were like killing each other... or something."
"Rodney, what the hell is going on?"
"I'm sorry!" McKay stammered on a bit before raising his voice hysterically. "The device is a behavioral modifier used to regress human groups into pack mentalities for the purpose of discovering whether or not hive minds would be possible on a grand scale of humanity!"
"What?"
"Some Ancient scientist was trying to figure out if humans could be gathered up into one big basket and made to live without conflicts to force a peaceful state..."
"What does that mean, Rodney?" Sheppard was loosing patience but the group on the ground wasn't looking for holes in the defenses. In fact, they were just sitting there, looking rather dazed and confused.
Mountain people. They smelled like goats. Lennah crouched down to look one of them in the face but he shied away. "They don't know, either." She said to herself.
"What?" Ronon asked. "They don't know?"
"Us."
"Huh?" Ronon looked over at her again. Lennah realized they were all touching: Ronon, Teyla, everyone.
"They were trying to attack us." Lennah explained. "Not just me. I just wandered away from the pack."
Sheppard met her gaze as he pieced together what she was saying. No one asked for any further explanation. "McKay, how long was that thing on?"
"Uh, twelve hours?"
"Well, if this thing is anything like that Wraith device we found, most of the really intense stuff has already stopped, right?"
"Well, it is feasible that this device inspired the Wraith—"
"Rodney!"
"Yes. Very similar. Any lingering effects should dissipate over a relative period of time."
Sheppard turned and spoke softly. "Just what kind of lingering effects are we gonna be dealing with?"
"Priorities. Let these men go." Teyla was commanding.
Sheppard grimaced and Ronon shook his head.
"They were just protecting their lands. They didn't know any better."
Ronon snorted and Lennah leaned into his back, pushing him aside. She moved forward cautiously. Ronon moved with her, step for step.
Her assailants cringed, expecting attack. Their posture was submissive and inoffensive. She arced her hand nearer to the closest one and his head ducked lower to the ground.
She looked over her shoulder at Sheppard. See? Lennah turned back to the group and took a solid stance. "Go home." She spoke firmly and jerked toward them. As she watched the loosing pack scatter and flee. Ronon had jumped forward with her.
Turning to watch them, each person's movement wasn't alone. This one turned and that one balanced it with a response. It was standard in military groups that saw combat. Esprit de corps. But they had been a unit for less than 24 hours.
"Anyone else feel like they're growing fur and claws?" Lennah asked and Sheppard half laughed, half choked. A contemplative silence followed. They could all feel the validity of the concept of that statement.
"So we've taken on this animal spirit?" Ronon asked, most comfortable with the idea. Lennah looked up at him. She still saw that same immature youth she'd painted him as. Now it was tempered with an understanding. But something more. An empathy.
Teyla nodded. "Among my people there are legends of people reverting into animals and animals influencing people in this same manner."
"We have similar stories." Sheppard agreed. "There's even some about kids raised by wolves, pack animals."
"And how did that end?" Teyla looked cautiously up at Sheppard, afraid of the answer.
Lennah cleared her throat in the heavy silence that followed. "We should go see how McKay's doing."
"Yeah." "Agreed." Ronon simply grunted.