Chapter 11 – Meetings

RONON

After everyone had gathered in the conference room and Wolsey joined them, Ronon started to explain how he had met Saro and how she saved his life. He gave a very general and very brief overview of Saro's history: Her family was dead, she'd been forced by 'circumstances' to 'leave' her village and had spent the last nine years in the forest with Alces.

McKay broke the uncomfortable silence and asked the question everyone was thinking, namely, "But why did she runaway and live in the woods?"

Ronon turned to Saro and spoke quietly so only she could hear his words, "I need you to trust me about something, can you do that?"

The Witchwoman almost growled in frustration. She wanted to say, Have I not proven my trust in you already? I am here, am I not? Instead she tried to communicate all of that in a look.

He apparently understood because he rolled his eyes and gave a kind of sardonic half smile that seemed to say, Stupid question.

Ronon glanced up and asked Wolsey if Saro could wait outside the room for a quick demonstration.

Everyone looked at the Runner strangely, the woman in question looked panicked. She stared at Ronon who smiled a little at her. When he spoke, again only she could hear him, "It will just be for a couple minutes and then I'll come and get you. I know I promised but it's important. Please, Saro."

Still appearing unsure and very uncomfortable, the redheaded, wild looking woman stood and moved towards the door. Her companion went to follow her, but Ronon stopped him. "Alces, could you wait here for a moment?"

Again, all heads turned to the Satedan with puzzled expressions on their faces. The Alcessian met Saro's gaze and whatever was said in the silent communication seemed to satisfy the beast because he returned to Ronon's side. After the Witchwoman had closed the door behind her, Ronon began to explain.

"Saro can speak with animals. Understand what they say and have them understand her. The only way I can prove it is for you all to tell Alces what you had for breakfast this morning." The former Runner sat back in his chair and waited.

There was total silence for a few long moments. Teyla cleared her throat. "Well, I had oatmeal with honey."

"Seriously? Are we seriously doing this? This is ridiculous! She can't talk to animals! She's not Dr. Doolittle for heaven's sake!" McKay cried out.

"I had pancakes with maple syrup."

Everyone turned and looked at Wolsey. He wore a slightly chagrined expression, as if he wasn't quite sure how to feel about the current situation but was willing to give Ronon a chance. It was a semi-public display of his faith in Ronon's judgment. Plus, Richard Wolsey didn't think it likely that the young, sad looking girl was cunning or cruel enough to pull the wool over the warrior's eyes with parlor tricks.

"I had waffles. No syrup." Sheppard put in. He trusted Ronon and hadn't they seen some pretty strange stuff over the last few years? Folks who ascended to a higher plane of existence and watch over the universe like it was some kind of cosmic soap opera seemed a helluva lot weirder than a real life version of a character from one of his favorite Disney flicks. Rex Harrison rocked in that movie!

Now everyone was looking at McKay who gaped at them. "Really? Really? Well, I for one will not dignify this, this lunacy by answering that ridiculous question." The scientist crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Fine. Alces, you get all that?" Ronon asked the dog-like beast sitting beside him. Alces sneezed. Ronon took that for a yes.

He retrieved a bewildered and thoroughly frightened looking Saro and took her hand again. Ronon bent slightly at the waist to look his Witchwoman eye to eye, "I'm sorry I left you alone, but it was important. Can you translate for Alces?"

Saro paled a bit and would not look at anyone else. She feared their reactions now her secret was out, but nodded in agreement. "Go ahead, Alces," Ronon prompted.

The Alcessian locked eyes with his pack leader and they were silent for a few minutes. Saro turned to the only other woman in the room and smiled hesitantly. "Teyla, you had oat-meal with honey for breakfast."

The wild looking woman turned to Wolsey, "You had, pan-cakes? With maple sir-rip."

She faced Sheppard next, "Sheppard, you had wah-fulls but no sir-rip."

Then, surprising everyone, Saro looked at Rodney, "And my name is Saro, not Do-Little. Also, Alces says that you smell like oat-meal, pan-cakes, wah-fulls, sir-rip, burnt bread and meat, maybe boar meat. And you drank something tangy and something else that was strong, bitter."

She sat back down next to Ronon and Alces, who Sheppard would swear was baring a canine smirk.

"That's impossible! How, how did you know that? You couldn't have heard us!" McKay gasped.

Saro addressed the table when she answered, "Alces told me. He understood what you three said and could smell your meals on Dr. McKay. That is how he knew the proper names. I hope I pronounced them correctly...The rest of what he could scent he just described to me as best he could. Most animals would be able to follow your conversation and do the same, repeat it back to me I mean. Though of course he is far cleverer than most, aren't you my pup?" Saro practically cooed the last words at the giant, ferocious looking bear-dog. The animal snorted and to Ronon it almost sounded…self satisfied?

"Well Rodney, what did you eat for breakfast?" Sheppard inquired with a sly grin.

"I uh, I had pancakes, some waffles with syrup, toast, a small bowl of oatmeal, some bacon and a glass of orange juice. I just finished a cup of coffee before coming to the Gate," McKay answered quietly, almost distractedly. Ronon could practically see the gears turning in his teammate's head.

He didn't have to wait long before the man let loose a flood of words, "We have to test her! See if she's got the Ancient gene and if this is some kind of power manifesting itself! How long have you been able to do this? Can you talk with all species? Have you tried fish or reptiles? What about birds? Or insects? Could anyone in your family do it as well? Did any cousins or siblings or whatever have weird abilities only they could do? Anyone in your village maybe? How long-"

Ronon growled, interrupting Atlantis' self described top genius' rant, "Back off McKay. She just got here." Everyone at the table was slightly startled by his vehemence.

"OK, OK, relax. I just got a little carried away. We can talk about this later, when, when she's more settled in. But soon!"

Ronon made a rumbling sound deep in his chest. Saro glanced at him and took his hand underneath the table. He stopped rumbling.

"Well, I'm sure you're tired Miss Saro, why don't you show her to a room in the guest wing, Ronon?" Wolsey politely intervened.

"She'll be staying in my room. I'll take the couch."

No one said anything, Saro because she was starting to get very tired from the long walk from her cave to the Ring, her arrival, the introductions and now this meeting and the 'demonstration.' It was a lot to take in. The Atlantians were silent because they weren't quite sure what to say. Ronon made it clear they wouldn't be sharing a bed, but why would he want her to stay with him if they weren't lovers? Richard, John, Teyla and even Rodney were all curious as to the exact relationship between the former Runner and this strange, fragile looking woman.

Saro released Ronon's hand when she felt him rise from his chair, though she was desperate for the comfort and feeling of protection it provided, she felt shy with these people who had known him for so much longer than she had. But as soon as the Witchwoman stood, Ronon grasped her hand again, interlocking their finger sin front everyone present.

"Come on, you can nap a take before dinner if you want," he said gently.

After Ronon, Saro and Alces left the conference room, the remaining people stayed quiet for a few beats wondering what was with their normally silent and stoic Satedan.

"Well. I wonder what's going on between them."

"Rodney!" Teyla chided.

"What? You know you were thinking it too!"

A/N: Please, please review, it really inspires me and I need some help with what comes next