Title: Out of Control
Author: SlayersGrl
Summary: A routine trading mission goes awry when a member of Atlantis's flagship team is taken hostage by a mysterious entity.

Author's note: I hope the techno babble in this chapter makes some sense. The entity keeps insisting on evolving in new directions, so I'm sorta making things up as I go along…

Chapter 6: Civilized Negotiations

It was confused by their leader's words. Surely they would not follow through with them. Would they sacrifice this man's life, who obviously means very much to them, for the 'greater good'? Perhaps it didn't understand humans as well as it thought. It had been a few thousand years since it had talked to one. And these humans were different than those on that tiny planet. That was why it had chosen this one in particular. It was like the ones who had come before.

"Very well, so you wish to negotiate. What do you desire in this agreement?"

Weir did not hesitate in her response. "We want Major Sheppard returned to us unharmed. And you?"

"I want many things. But for now, I wish to explore the many worlds connected through the Stargate. It has been ages since I have left Argos."

"And you need Major Sheppard to do that?"

It avoided answering that particular question by asking one of its own. "Where are the keepers of this city?"

She was confused by the question. "You mean the Ancients?" At the major's nod, she continued. "They have not inhabited Atlantis for thousands of years. We have yet to encounter one in our travels." She paused, finally realizing the implications of the question. "You knew the Ancients?"

"Yes. I knew several members of their race. My people and theirs had an agreement of sorts. They would provide the occasional host and we would in turn provide them with energy to power their technology."

"You're saying you're some sort of power source?" McKay asked.

Again, it nodded. "Something like that."

"Of course. It makes perfect sense. That would explain why the energy signature in the temple disappeared after Major Sheppard sat in the chair. You were what was powering that temple." He then rushed over to his laptop and punched a few buttons. A screen appeared displaying two energy signatures. McKay pointed to the top one. "This is the energy signature I recorded from the temple." Then he indicated the second one. "And this is the signature I am picking up from Major Sheppard right now. It's very faint, so I didn't know it was there until I realized what to look for." Both signatures matched perfectly.

"But that still does not explain how it is able to control Major Sheppard," Teyla replied.

The entity shook its head in disappointment. "I knew you wouldn't understand."

Ford, who had been silently observing the entity, suddenly smiled and proclaimed. "I get it. You're a ghost."

All heads turned to look at the young man like he had suddenly sprouted wings and a pair of horns.

"What?" he asked. He had no idea why everyone seemed to think he had lost his mind. "Think about it. It obviously has thoughts and feelings and emotions. It got angry when we wouldn't return to the Stargate. It has enough consciousness to be holding a conversation and making demands. And it has no physical form of its own. Makes sense to me."

McKay, still expressing a look of disbelief, decided to debunk the lieutenant's theory. "And what about the energy signature? There's never been any scientific proof of the existence of ghosts, so why would be able to detect the presence of one now?"

"Haven't you ever watched those ghost hunter shows on TV? Sometimes they are able to detect ghosts as a brief flash of electricity or heat. Just because you don't happen to believe in ghosts doesn't mean they don't exist."

"Wow Ford, I didn't know you had such lousy taste in programming."

Before the debate could continue any further, the major's voice interrupted. "He's actually right. At least, that's probably the best explanation for what my people are."

All heads turned back to the man lying on the hospital bed. The major looked just as confused about it as everyone else.

McKay seemed to be having a difficult time grasping this most recent revelation. "So… you're what? A living power source?"

"Not so much a power source, exactly. More like a source that provides power." It paused in its explanation, wondering why it was revealing any of this in the first place. "I believe it is similar to how you charge a battery."

"A battery?" McKay asked, knowing there was some connection he was missing. Then his face lit up in excitement. "The ZPMs! You can charge a ZPM?!"

The major smiled. "Perhaps… what would it be worth to you?"