Author's Note: Talon likes to keep Melony on her toes, that's for sure.
OOOOOOO
"So, you want help finding a good planet for a secret facility?" Aron asked about an hour later.
Mitchell was sitting in one of the hay-filled bags that the Light Ones used for chair, a plate on her lap that had held a fine meal, and a cup sitting beside her that was constantly being refilled by one of her hosts. As she'd eaten, she'd told the Light Ones who were sitting with her – Kale, Aron and the Council mainly – about what she had in mind, and her reasons for looking for an appropriate planet for her and Talon's base.
She nodded.
"I would use one of our Jumpers – they're small ships that can go through the Stargate – but I don't want to risk being seen, and even though the Jumpers can be cloaked, there's no guarantee that the Wraith can't find them with sensors."
"But you think they would not be able to discover you and one of us?" Kale asked. "They will sense you, Colonel, because of your augmented life force."
"If I'm close enough, they will," Melony agreed, chagrined. "Which is why I can't go on foot – or would prefer not to go on foot. If I get close to a Wraith, they're going to know I'm there."
"And from above you would have the advantage..." Lora said.
Melony nodded again.
"If things got hairy, whoever was carrying me could drop me and get the hell out of there – and I'd understand completely. Kale told me the last time I was here that the Wraith can't catch your people – which is why they don't bother coming here."
"That is true," Kale said. "But I wouldn't abandon you to the Wraith, either..."
Melony shrugged.
"I have certain advantages against the Wraith – as long as there's not a lot of them. They can't feed on me, for one thing, and I can keep a few of them from getting close to me."
"How?" Lora asked, interested.
"Certain technologies," Mitchell answered. "I didn't bring any of it – aside from my zat – which Kale had a taste of last time I was here..."
The Light Ones smiled, remembering Kale's yelp when Melony had zapped him to get him to drop her.
"You can hit them with this weapon?" Aron asked.
Melony nodded, explaining to them how a zat worked and telling them about her Wraith hunt when she'd first heard of them, and about how she'd tested the zat against them – and found it worked to drop them momentarily and would disintegrate them like it did anyone else.
There were interested murmurings, and Mitchell handed the zat over to Lora, cautioning her not to shoot it at anyone. She looked at it and passed it on, and Melony turned back to Kale.
"Our people – Major Sheppard's team and a few others – have been to many planets through the Stargate since they've arrived here in this area, and each time they go someplace they make recordings of these places. Some of these places are candidates for the secret facility, because they didn't seem to have any intelligent life on them."
"But you'd like to return to them and take another look – with help?" Kale asked.
"Yes. And maybe find a few others – although I'll have to find more gate addresses to other planets so I have the most options I can get. Of course, that means sending through our probes from Atlantis –"
"What is a probe for?" Aron asked.
"It makes sure that the planet will support life – so we can go there safely," Melony explained. "And it makes sure that there's nothing next to the gate that might eat the team that goes through."
"Ah."
The Light Ones all exchanged a look – and Melony wondered if they were discussing something among themselves in their heads.
We do it
Yeah, I know.
Kale turned his attention to Mitchell.
"We will have to discuss your request, Colonel."
"I understand, Kale," Melony told him, nodding. "I wouldn't want you or your people to do anything without talking it through." This was expected, and part of the reason she'd given herself so much time before the people at Atlantis would be expecting her.
The Light One smiled, "Until we decide, you are more than welcome to stay with us and be our guest. It will be pleasant for us to have company – the Farmers have yet to take any of us up on the offer to carry them here."
Big shock there.
"They probably aren't ready for the idea of flight," she said. "It can be intimidating for some."
"But not for you?"
Melony smiled.
"I love to fly – although it's a bit nerve-wracking to be toted around by something big enough to eat you, you know?"
"Besides," Aron said with a mischievous smile. "You are a goddess, and no god should show fear..."
Mitchell snorted – knowing that the Light Ones had all heard the story (thanks to Rodney McKay's big mouth) about her being called a goddess by the Jaffa. She'd told Kale the story – more or less – the last time she'd been there, and since she hadn't asked him to keep it to himself, it was obvious he'd shared it with the others.
"Well... there is that, I suppose." What could she say? It wasn't like she wallowed in her godliness, after all.
Godliness? Talon's amusement was enjoyable, and Melony smiled.
"It's late, Colonel," Kale said, standing up. "Allow me to show you to the room that will be yours for as long as you are with us. We will be eating our formal meal in a few hours, and someone – probably me – will come and get you."
It was a dismissal, and Melony knew it. Probably they wanted to talk about her request. She stood as well – mainly because sitting while Kale was standing close by just wasn't... comfortable – and she nodded, ignoring Talon's amusement this time. The symbiote was far more smut-minded than Melony – who wasn't a prude by any means.
"I could use a chance to clean up," she told him. Being flown around was dusty business, after all.
Kale offered her his arm and she took it, resting her hand lightly on his forearm. Probably, he was used to holding her up – since that was all that he did the last time she was there. Of course, she'd been injured, then, and was healthy now, so-
Maybe he just wants to be close? Talon suggested, slyly. Hoping you might change you mind about-
I get it... She flipped him a mental birdie, and ignored his snickering.
Annoying snake.