Rodney tried not to groan as he settled in the co-pilot's seat and surreptitiously stretched his stiff knee. Considering the bed in Marta's cottage was only a thin mattress on a wood frame, he had slept surprisingly well. Unfortunately for him, the night's rest had given his muscles time to stiffen, and Rodney had woken up to a mass of aches and pains. His back and shoulders had loosened up once he was up and moving, but his knee was still swollen and bruised, and for some reason, the walking stick he'd used the day before had disappeared.
John gave him a curious glance as he pressed a tile, and the rear hatch closed. "You doing all right?" John asked
"Just peachy," Rodney grumbled, pulling his leg back and shifting in his chair. "Why didn't you bring Carson back with you?"
"Beckett was busy. Besides, I thought you wanted to study the cloaking systems as soon as possible."
John gave the pilot's board a quick once-over, then powered up the shuttle and lifted off.
"I do," Rodney replied as the jumper circled the village. "But I'd rather not be permanently maimed while I do it."
John smiled. "I think you'll survive."
Rodney crossed his arms over his chest and glared at Sheppard. "What was so important?"
"What?"
"Beckett," Rodney clarified. "You said he was busy. What was so important?"
John glanced at Rodney, then at Teyla sitting behind the co-pilot's seat. "He convinced Elizabeth he needed to keep working on the retrovirus."
Rodney dropped his arms and stared at John. "You're kidding."
"Michael's reaction when he discovered the truth of what happened to him was not a deterrent?" Teyla asked.
John shook his head. "According to Elizabeth, Michael is the reason he wants to continue. I guess Carson has a few ideas on improving the retrovirus so any Wraith we give it to won't revert. Elizabeth presented Beckett's argument to the SGC, and they agreed that the retrovirus research has value. They've given the go-ahead for Beckett to continue and report back with any fresh updates."
Rodney thought back to his awkward meeting with Michael in the mess hall. Even though he was talking to someone who appeared human, Rodney hadn't been able to shake the feeling in the back of his head that Kenmore would attack him at any moment.
"The Wraith will discover the truth one way or another," Teyla said. "Michael proved that. Learning that truth will only create a new feeling of animosity."
What had Ronon said? Rodney asked himself. A Wraith was always a Wraith? He didn't agree with Dex on much, but in the case of Michael, he had to admit Ronon had been right.
An uncomfortable silence descended in the jumper, and Rodney focused on the trees passing below them. He didn't pretend to understand what Beckett was trying to accomplish by manipulating Wraith DNA, but after the disastrous encounter with Elia and then everything with Michael, Rodney couldn't see the point in continuing with a line of research so obviously flawed.
A wide valley opened below, and Rodney stared as the jumper flew over the sprawling collection of buildings below. "That's …" he said with a glance at John.
"Kiroma," John replied. "Told you it was a city."
"But how?" Rodney asked. "We didn't see any pollution or other indications of the massive power generation they would need to support a population of that size." He glanced at John. "You're sure they weren't using the Zed-PMs as a power source?"
"Didn't seem to be," John replied. "The ZPMs I saw were all stacked on racks in the same room as the Ancient consoles, gathering dust and cobwebs. Tiernan said no one he had talked to had any clue what the consoles or ZPMs were for."
Rodney shook his head, pressed a few tiles on his board, and studied the HUD. "No solar panels. No wind turbines," he muttered. He pressed another tile as John brought the shuttle down to land on the outskirts of the city. "No indications of nuclear fusion or fission." He glanced out the window. "Geothermal? Maybe?"
"Come on," John said as he powered down the jumper and lowered the ramp. "We'll go find Tiernan, and you can ask him."
Rodney followed Teyla out of the jumper and grimaced. "You couldn't have parked a little closer?" he asked, staring at the city on the other side of several fields of some sort of grain.
John shook his head, pulled the remote out of his vest pocket and cloaked the jumper.
"There should be a path around here somewhere," John said and wandered along the edge of the fields until he found a cobbled path leading toward the city.
"You do not completely trust Tiernan," Teyla said, glancing back at the now concealed ship.
"I believe Tiernan is sincere in what he wants to do for the villages around here," John replied. "It's the rest of his government I'm not too sure about. Let's make sure they want to be friends before we give away too much."
"A prudent decision," Teyla agreed.
"Glad you think so," John said and led the way up the path toward the city.
They walked into the city proper fifteen minutes later, and Rodney couldn't believe his eyes. After two years in the Pegasus galaxy, he'd acclimated to the villages and small towns they visited on various planets. Kiroma, however, looked more like Vancouver with its tall, glass buildings that all looked similar to each other and people bustling up and down the cobbled roads than the Satedan village where they had left Ronon.
An open car hurtled down the road toward them. "One side! One side!" the driver yelled and waved his arm in Rodney's direction.
Rodney stared at the vehicle even as he stumbled out of the way of the careless driver. "Unbelievable," he muttered as he watched the car careen around a corner.
"The man in the vehicle did not appear to be in complete control," Teyla agreed.
"That's not it," Rodney countered. He turned in a circle, noting the various vehicles rolling along the streets. "Engineers back on Earth are only starting to figure out how to mass produce fully electric cars. If I can see how these people did it -"
"One thing at a time," John countered. "The cloak is the priority here. Electric cars can wait. The city house is this way."
Rodney kept one eye on the vehicles they passed as he followed John up one street and down another until Sheppard stopped outside a building fronted by glass windows and three massive stone columns. John opened the door for Teyla, and Rodney brought up the rear as John entered the building and led the way over to a woman seated behind a counter.
"Hello again, Cerese," John said with a wide smile, and Rodney shook his head at John's obvious attempt to charm the woman. Sheppard stopped in front of the counter and added, "We're here to see Tiernan."
"Colonel Sheppard," Cerese replied with only a glance at John. "You know how busy the Provost is. I simply cannot allow you to continue interrupting him in this manner."
"I thought you said this Tiernan was expecting us?" Rodney said to John, then turned to the woman and added, "Do you have any idea what I've been through the last few days?"
"Rodney," Sheppard hissed even as a door behind Cerese swung open, and a young man with curly hair hurried over to the counter.
"Colonel Sheppard!" the young man greeted. "You came back. Just as you said you would."
"Tiernan," John replied.
Tiernan glanced at Rodney and Teyla and added, "These must be the advisors you promised to bring to us. Come. Come," he said, waving them around the counter. "We'll talk in my office."
"Provost," Cerese said. "The council meeting starts in twenty minutes."
"Not to worry, dear Cerese," Tiernan said with a grin. "This won't take very long." Tiernan tugged on John's arm. "Colonel, right this way."
Rodney and Teyla exchanged a bewildered glance and followed Tiernan and Sheppard into the office.
Tiernan closed the door, and Rodney watched as his demeanor changed. The eager fawning vanished as Tiernan walked over to a seating area on one side of the room.
"I am pleased to see you, Colonel," Tiernan said. "Please," he added and waved a hand at the leather sofa.
He waited until Rodney and Teyla were seated on the sofa and John in the other chair, then continued, "I wasn't sure you would return. Leaving the safety of the city while the Wraith were still attacking the planet was incredibly dangerous."
Rodney turned and stared at John. "You did what?"
"Ronon wanted to be sure you and Teyla were all right," John replied.
"Ronon wanted to kill Wraith, you mean," Rodney replied and sat back on the sofa.
"That too," John said and turned to Tiernan. "This is Rodney McKay and Teyla Emmagan. Rodney here needs to see that room you showed me before. The one with the consoles and the screen."
"McKay," Tiernan said with a glance from John to Rodney. "You are the friend Colonel Sheppard told me about. The one who understands the Ancestor's technology."
"Assuming you haven't done something else to mess it up, sure," Rodney replied.
"McKay," John hissed.
"What?" Rodney retorted. "You know what these people did to the cloaking emitters. How many people have died on this planet over the years because someone had sticky fingers?"
"Like I said to Ronon," John replied with a glance at Tiernan, "those ZPMs were removed generations ago. Tiernan and the people living here now didn't have anything to do with that."
"Fine. Whatever." Rodney turned to Tiernan. "So, where is this room?"
"What do you plan to do?" Tiernan asked. "I will not allow you to put the people of this city at risk if the Wraith decide to return."
"If I'm right, your people will still be perfectly safe," Rodney retorted with an impatient glare. "The difference is most of the other people on this planet might be safe from the next culling too."
Tiernan glanced from Rodney to Sheppard. "You're saying you can expand this, what did you call it?" he asked John. "A cloak?"
"So you do know what I'm talking about," Rodney said with a scowl. "Figures."
"Not really," Tiernan replied. "Colonel Sheppard mentioned it when he was here before. Before that, I had no idea this cloaking device existed."
"How thick are you people?" Rodney demanded. "Didn't it ever cross your minds to wonder exactly why the Wraith left you alone?"
"Now, see here," Tiernan said. "I will not be insulted -"
"You've watched the Wraith cull this planet how many times," Rodney asked, giving full vent to his anger and impatience. "and never once asked yourselves why they never came here?"
"McKay, that's enough," John ordered.
Rodney glanced at John, saw the rigid set of Sheppard's jaw, and backed down.
"We believe you when you say you did not know of the existence of the cloak," Teyla said after a moment.
Tiernan huffed out a disgruntled breath.
"You are aware of its existence now," Teyla continued. "Doctor McKay believes he can repair the other emitters so more of the planet would be protected the next time the Wraith attempt to cull this world. But he can only do that with your help." She paused and studied Tiernan for a moment. "It is up to you to decide what you will do next. Help the people of this world, or leave them at the mercy of the Wraith."
Tiernan scrubbed a hand over his chin and glanced from Teyla to Sheppard and then at Rodney. "Come with me," he said and led the way over to a door in the corner of the room.
Rodney grimaced when he saw the flights of stairs. "Lovely," he muttered under his breath as he grasped the railing in one hand and limped down the steps behind Tiernan.
He walked into the underground bunker a moment later, and the sconces mounted on the walls glowed to life as he entered the room. He spotted the rack of Zed-PMs on the far side of the room and felt his heart skip a beat.
"This is …" Rodney muttered and glanced at John. "You weren't kidding," he said as he stared at the crystals.
He ignored the consoles as he pulled the Ancient scanner out of a vest pocket and walked across the room. He mentally switched on the device and flicked through the screens until he found the one he needed, then pointed the scanner at the rack of Zed-PMs.
"Yes," he hissed when a graph appeared on the screen.
"Well?" John asked.
"You were right," Rodney replied, glancing at Sheppard standing behind him. "According to the scanner, you are looking at dozens of fully charged Zed-PMs."
He picked up one of Zed-PMs and held it in his hands. "What I could do with you," he muttered as he blew away the dust and ran his hands over the crystal.
"You two need a room?" John asked.
Rodney glowered at him but set the Zed-PM back on the rack. He walked over to the nearest console, pressed his hand on one corner, and nodded when the tiles activated. He pulled a stool over in front of the tiles and unclipped his backpack as he studied the console.
"Amazing," Tiernan whispered, staring at the console. "Can everyone on your world control this technology?"
"No," Rodney replied. He sat on the stool with a sigh and pressed one of the tiles. "Only certain people have the -"
"So, what do you think?" John asked with a hard stare at Rodney. "Can you get the cloaking field working again?"
Rodney pursed his lips and pulled his laptop and a bundle of cables out of the backpack. "Not sure yet," he replied.
He set the computer on the edge of the console and kept the cables in his other hand as he bent over and searched for the access port. He plugged one end of the cables into the access port, sat up, plugged the computer into the cables, and powered up the machine.
"What are you doing?" Tiernan asked as Rodney typed a command string into the computer, then pressed a series of tiles on the console.
"If I'm going to fix the cloaking system, I need to know what I'm dealing with," Rodney replied as a map appeared on the screen against the wall along with dozens of green dots.
"That is a map of the planet?" Tiernan asked and walked over to the screen. He reached out a finger and touched one of the dots.
Rodney grimaced. "A map of this continent, yes," he replied and refrained from making any comments about Tiernan leaving fingerprints on the screen.
"And these dots?" Tiernan asked with a glance at Rodney.
"Those would be the cloaking emitters you -"
John cleared his throat.
Rodney glowered at John for a moment, then said, "Those are the other cloaking emitters the Ancients installed to protect the people living on this planet."
He studied the map for a moment and felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.
"Damn," he muttered under his breath. He hated it when he was right. "We have a problem," he said to John and typed a command string into the computer.
"What is wrong?" Teyla asked.
"There are a lot more than fifty emitters out there," Rodney replied as he studied the map.
"Some of the emitters may have a functioning ZPM," Teyla said. "You mentioned the emitter you discovered still had power."
"Barely," Rodney countered. "For this system to work the way the Ancients intended, the cloaking fields have to overlap. A cloak that protects a few trees isn't going to cut it."
"Meaning?" John asked.
"Meaning this repair job is going to be more complicated than I thought. We aren't going to just be able to plug the Zed-PMs back into the emitters and have the system work. I'm going to have to design a new configuration with the limited number of Zed-PMs we have that will still cover some of the continent but allow for the overlap required to make the system work."
John turned to Tiernan. "Well?" he asked. "Does Rodney get to work, or do we leave? Like Teyla said, you didn't know the extent of the cloaking field before. You do now. What are you going to do?"
Tiernan refused to look at any of them for several seconds. "There is a council meeting starting in a few minutes," he finally said and glanced at the screen and then at Sheppard. "I will explain everything you have told me about the cloaking field and this city's role in the loss of so many lives over the generations."
"We will attend the meeting with you if you like," Teyla said with a gentle smile.
"Thank you," Tiernan said and bowed his head. "However, this is a challenge I must meet alone. It's time the council delegates realised I am the elected Provost of Kiroma and that I will not allow this city to stand idly by while others suffer under the thumb of the Wraith."
Tiernan nodded to Sheppard, then turned on his heel and left the room.
Rodney waited until Tiernan was gone, then went back to his examination of the control console. "All right," he said several minutes later, "I think I've found something like a diagnostics program." He studied the data on the computer screen, then glanced at the map.
"What's the verdict?" John asked.
"It's not good," Rodney replied and pointed at the map.
He pressed a few of the tiles, and the dots on the map changed. The dots in the center of the map remained a solid green. However, most of the dots blinked out entirely, while a few changed from green to red.
"The green dots represent emitters that are still functioning, and the Zed-PM is still at least half charged." He gave John a pointed look and added, "And yes, those are also the emitters surrounding Kiroma. The red dots are emitters that have a nearly depleted Zed-PM."
"And the dots that disappeared?" John asked.
"The sensors can't get any data," Rodney replied. "Either because they don't have a Zed-PM," he nodded at the rack, "or they were damaged, if not destroyed, over the years." Rodney crossed an arm over his chest and pinched his lip as he studied the map. "We have almost fifty Zed-PMs here that are still fully charged. I think I can come up with a new configuration that will maximise the coverage area of the field."
"How big of an area will this new configuration protect?" John asked.
Rodney glanced at the map. "Using Kiroma as the focal point and radiating out from here …" He ran through the math in his head and pursed his lips. "I might be able to stretch the field to cover a third of the continent. Of course, that assumes most of the emitters just need a power source. If too many are damaged, this plan won't work."
He turned to John and added, "Your friend Tiernan will need to convince this council to give up their stockpile. And it should go without saying, but I'll say it anyway, if this works, there won't be a Zed-PM left to take back to Atlantis."
"But we will create a true haven for the people here," Teyla countered. "It is something for which we can be proud."
"Assuming the Wraith don't hear about it," Rodney told her. "Remember, this is a cloak, not a shield. People can't go blabbing about it all over the galaxy."
"How long to get the smaller field up and running?" John asked.
"I can maybe have something ready in a few weeks, maybe a month," Rodney replied, "if I pull all of Zelenka's engineers off other projects. Oh, and we're going to need all those shiny new jumpers you got from the Lord Protector, not to mention people to pilot them."
"Start figuring out which emitters we need to make your plan work," John said.
Rodney nodded and set to work.
"And if Tiernan cannot convince his council to release the ZPMs?" Teyla asked.
"Let's hope he does," John replied. He paused and glanced at the map. "Otherwise, we can always go to the council ourselves with Rodney's plan. We'll remind the delegates that we are on good terms with the Satedans, who probably won't ask as nicely as we are."
~*~*~*~ SGA ~*~*~*~
Ronon dumped another shovel full of broken stone into the back of the cart and glanced at the sun low on the horizon. While he, Willem, Kelg and a few others worked to clear the last of the smaller debris from the corner where the pub had sat, another human chain had formed across the square, and the pile of salvageable stone near the fields had grown. Several women and children worked in the fields, clearing the burnt stalks and prepping the ground for a second planting.
Ronon wiped the sweat from his brow and tried to ignore his rumbling stomach as the smells from Tanis' open kitchen wafted across the square. The familiar smell of the spice-rubbed meat roasting over a fire, along with various tubers and peppers, intermingled with the sweet scent of the traveller's bread baking in an oven fashioned from some of the salvaged stone, making Ronon's stomach twist with more than just hunger.
"We've made good progress," Willem said, passing Ronon a canteen. "At this rate, we'll be able to start rebuilding within a few weeks."
Ronon nodded, took a drink, and looked up when he heard a low whine over the hills. A few moments later, the jumper appeared and passed over the village.
"Ahh, to pilot a ship like that," Willem said as the jumper landed near the lake. "Must be exhilarating."
"You were a pilot?" Ronon asked.
Willem nodded. "Not any of the fighters, mind you. But I flew convoy missions. Nothing better than flying. Just you, your ship, and the wide open sky."
"Sheppard says the same thing," Ronon replied.
"Knew there was a reason I liked him," Willem said with a smile. "Go on," he nodded to Sheppard, McKay, and Teyla exiting the ship. "Go see your friends. We've got this."
Ronon handed his shovel to Willem and met Sheppard and the others as they entered the village.
" … will be good news for Orlin and the Satedans," Teyla said
"What good news?" Ronon asked.
"Tiernan convinced his government that re-establishing the cloaking field will benefit them as much as the outlying villages," Sheppard replied.
"It can be fixed?" Ronon asked.
McKay nodded. "It won't be as extensive as the original, but I think I've worked out a pattern using the remaining emitters that will cover a fairly wide area. I'll need to run a few simulations once we're back in Atlantis, but it should work."
"Including," Ronon waved his hand at the rubble-strewn square. "Orlin and the people here will be safe?"
"Safe is a relative term," McKay replied. "The cloak will extend this far, certainly, but like I said before, it's a cloak. It will conceal the village, but it won't stop the Wraith if they just start indiscriminately shooting. Though, if there is a bright side, we're timing this right."
Ronon narrowed his eyes.
"The Wraith didn't leave much," McKay continued. "How many villages did you say were completely wiped out?" He glanced from Sheppard to Teyla. "Two? Three? And those were just the ones you found by chance. Then there's any number that suffered serious damage." McKay waved his hand toward the central square.
Ronon growled low in his throat and took a menacing step toward McKay. "What's your point?"
"My point," McKay said, taking a hurried step back, "is that the Wraith think they won here. They shouldn't be back any time soon, and if they do return, they aren't expecting to find much."
"So?" Ronon growled.
"The remaining villages will be hidden, thanks to the cloaking field," Teyla said. "When they do not find any survivors, the Wraith will assume the planet was abandoned and will simply move on."
"Exactly!" McKay exclaimed with a quick glance at Ronon. "As long as no one spills the beans about what's really going on, the Wraith won't bother coming back."
Several children ran past, heading toward the tables under the trees.
"What's going on?" Sheppard asked.
"Food must be ready, "Ronon replied and felt his stomach growl.
"Food?" McKay said, sniffing the air.
Ronon shook his head and led the way over to the open kitchen.
They joined the line of villagers, and Tanis handed Ronon a plate of roasted meat, vegetables, and warm bread and passed him a mug of beer.
They found seats at one of the long tables, and Ronon dug into his dinner, savoring the blend of spices coating the meat.
Not like the food in the Ancestors' city, he thought to himself.
He quickly finished his plate and went back for more. He was sopping up the juices from the meat with a piece of bread when he heard the thump of Orlin's walking stick a moment before he set a plate on the table and sat down across from Ronon.
"Sheppard," Orlin said and gave Ronon a sideways glance. "How did your negotiation go?"
"Well, I think," Sheppard replied. "Rodney and his science team should be able to start work repairing the emitters in the next few days."
"Good. That's good," Orlin replied. He picked at the vegetables on his plate for a moment, then said, "So you will be returning to Atlantis, I suppose?"
Sheppard nodded. "I hate to eat and run, but we need to inform our boss of the agreement with Tiernan, and McKay needs to put together the team to start working on the emitters."
Orlin pursed his lips and glanced at Ronon. "And you will be going with them?"
Ronon looked up from his plate and found Sheppard watching him. "Yes," Ronon replied and saw Sheppard visibly relax. "The Wraith still need to pay for what they did to Sateda."
Orlin grunted and ate a few bites of meat and vegetables while watching Ronon from the corner of his eye.
Ronon was about to ask him what the problem was when Orlin reached into his trousers pocket. He pulled out a square gold locket on a gold chain, laid it on the table, and pushed it toward Ronon.
Ronon dropped his fork and stared at the locket.
"Ronon?" Teyla asked, "Are you all right?"
Ronon ignored the question as he reached for the locket. He knew what would be inside. He had been with Melena when she had had the locket made as a gift for Orlin's birthday. He picked up the locket and ran a finger over the silver filigree along the edges. His thumb found the tiny clasp, and he flicked the locket open. Melena's smiling face stared out at him, and Ronon felt his breathing hitch.
The picture had been taken the night they had announced their betrothal. Before the Wraith attacked Sateda, Ronon reminded himself. Before he had been captured and turned into a Runner for Wraith sport. He remembered how nervous he had been while Melena had seemed excited. There had been many toasts, and Ronon remembered little of events as the evening wore on, but he remembered Melena's happiness and the way she looked at him, her love for him plain in her eyes and expression.
Somehow the picture in the locket captured all those feelings, and Ronon had to force himself to remain in control. He blinked several times as he touched the edge of the picture with his thumb, then closed the locket with a snap and laid it on the table.
"Fine," he replied to Teyla, his tone gruff.
Ronon pushed the locket toward Orlin, who shook his head.
"Keep it," Orlin said, never looking at Ronon.
Orlin finished eating, picked up his empty plate, and left the table without another word or a backward glance.
Ronon stared at the locket lying in the middle of the table for a few seconds, then slowly picked it up and pulled the chain over his head.
The rest of the villagers finished eating, and Ronon was ready to head back to the jumper when Orlin reappeared and stood at the head of the long rows of tables. Marta stood beside him, holding a loaf of knobby bread in her hands. She caught Ronon's eye and nodded as Orlin began to speak.
"Colonel Sheppard," Orlin said, his tone solemn. "Teyla Emmagan. Doctor Rodney …"
Ronon heard McKay groan at the name, ducked his head, and smiled to himself.
"Ronon Dex."
Ronon jerked his head up in response.
"You arrived in our village as strangers," Orlin continued. "You leave as friends." He leant his walking stick against the table, took the loaf of bread from Marta, and held it out at chest height. "This is traveller's bread. In the days before the fall of Sateda, it was offered when men and women departed on long journeys. To mark their leaving and offer hope for a safe return. Know that you will always be welcome here."
Orlin pulled off a piece of the bread and passed it to Sheppard. Sheppard likewise took a piece of the bread and passed it to Teyla. Two more women appeared with more bread, and soon everyone seated under the trees had a portion of the sweet, fruit-filled bread.
"Is there citrus in this?" McKay asked no one in particular as he sniffed his piece of bread.
"I believe the fruit is dried berries," Teyla replied and took a bite of her piece of bread.
McKay examined the bread in his hand a moment longer, then took a tiny bite. "This is pretty good," he said, taking a larger bite.
The sun had set, and several lanterns were lit when Sheppard stood. "We need to go."
Ronon and Teyla stood as well, but it took McKay a few extra seconds to extricate himself from the bench.
"Sheppard?" Orlin said, stopping in front of Sheppard.
"Orlin," Sheppard replied with a nod. "Thanks for everything," he added with a nod at the table. "We'll be back in a few days."
"May your journey be swift," Orlin replied, holding out his hand. "We will welcome you when you return."
Sheppard grasped Orlin's forearm, then glanced at Ronon and jerked his chin toward the jumper.
"Wait!" Marta called as they left the seating area.
Sheppard glanced at Marta walking toward them with a long stick in her hands and several women following her, and turned to McKay standing behind him.
"Rodney, there's something I probably should have mentioned to you," Sheppard said.
"Doctor Rodney," Marta said, stopping in front of McKay. "There is something we would like you to have. As a memento for saving Liam and the other children."
McKay took a step back, glanced from Marta to the stick in her hands, and then at Sheppard.
"Umm, what is it?" he asked Marta.
Marta held out the walking stick, now sanded smooth. Lines of carved symbols trailed down the length of the stick, and there was a leather thong tied near the top with three dangling leather strings. Rows of polished stones were threaded through two of the strings, and the bones of a long finger were tied to the last string.
"The stick is carved with the initials of each of the children you saved in the forest," Marta explained as she handed McKay the walking stick. "And there are ten stones, one for each child, tied to the leather thongs."
McKay examined the stones and bones tied to the top of the stick, and Ronon thought he looked a bit ill when he realised the bones were from the finger of a Wraith.
"And the, umm, the bones?" McKay asked.
"Wraith," Marta replied with a glance at the bones. "To symbolise your bravery during the attack."
McKay twisted the stick, making the stones and bones rattle as he ran his finger over the carved initials. "You didn't have to do this," he said to Marta.
"It is tradition," Marta said simply. "You will always have a place at my table, Doctor Rodney. If there is ever anything you need, you can come to us," she added, and the other women nodded.
"Umm," he said with a glance at Sheppard.
"Say thank you," Sheppard said.
"Thank you," McKay said to Marta and gave her a tiny smile.
"You are most welcome, Doctor Rodney," Marta replied, squeezing his free hand.