Mitchell spent most of the next few hours just relaxing. The bed the Light Ones used were just larger versions of the bean bag chair like hay filled canvas bags, and they were comfortable as hell, so once she got herself cleaned of all the accumulated dust from her flight she flopped down on one of them and watched as the sky outside her little room – which was actually a cave, more or less – darkened as night fell.

As the temperature dropped, she started thinking that she should have brought a blanket, or that she'd eventually have to go find one of the Light Ones and mooch one off of them. Before she'd actually decided to go do that, though, Kale came through the entrance, knocking lightly to inform her of his arrival, and smiling when he saw she wasn't sleeping.

"Dinner's soon, are you hungry?"

She wasn't really; she'd had a snack only a few hours before, after all, but she never passed up a good meal when she had one offered to her, so she nodded.

"I could eat."

"Good. The council would like to speak with you while you're eating – if you don't mind?"

"Not at all." Hopefully that meant that they'd come to a decision one way or the other. The sooner she knew if she was going to have help, the sooner she could make plans accordingly, after all.

She fell into step next to him, taking two steps for every one of his, and wishing she had longer legs.

As they walked towards the main cavern that was glowing cheerfully in the darkness of the rest of the mountain, Melony smiled greetings to the others who walked past, either headed in the same direction to eat, or going out on patrols – which they did both day and night.

"How is the trade with the Farmers going, Kale?" She asked him, curiously.

"Very well, Colonel. They are honest folk who give a good value for the things we bring them – as we do the items they gather for us. It's nice to have warm cloth for blankets and clothing – even though we only wear them on special occasions."

"I'm glad to hear it's working for your people."

"It is," he agreed. "Thanks to you and yours."

She shrugged. All they'd really done is get the two species to start talking to each other – that wasn't really all that much. Trading honestly would keep the relationships going strong, and it sounded like they had a good start to that.

"We're just glad to help."

"It was a fortunate day for us when we met."

Jeeze, she was going to start blushing any minute now, if he kept that up.

"Which is what I told the council during their deliberations," he added.

"Oh?"

"Indeed."

"And what did they say?"

He smiled, and shrugged.

"That is for them to tell you, Colonel."

Bah. She'd hoped to get a little hint at least. Ah well.

She walked into the main dining room/meeting room and smiled a greeting to those who waved at her when she made her appearance. It was a little awkward being the only one there that wasn't naked.

So take your clothes off

It was a good thing she wasn't conversing with anyone just then, because she literally choked on her laughter at Talon's comment, and Kale looked at her with concern while her face turned red as she tried to catch her breath.

"Are you all right?"

She nodded, waving off his assistance, and coughing a few more times, wiping her watering eyes.

Smart ass.

She felt his wave of good humor, and was finally able to gather herself enough to join the line of Light Ones gathered to get their meal.

OOOOOOO

Dinner was composed of baked fish in a delicate sauce that was unfamiliar to Melony but tasted delicious. There were a few assorted choices for greenery – none of them familiar, although one looked a little like giant corn kernels – and boiled potatoes that had been traded for from the Farmers only the week before. Mitchell took her plate and went to sit with Kale and Aron, and was joined only moments later by the Council, who were also holding plates.

"Has Kale told you that the Council has made a decision?" Aron asked.

"He told me that you'd been deliberating," Melony said, taking a bite of her meal. "But he wouldn't say what had been decided."

"We've decided that your goal is definitely a worthy one – and definitely worth any risk that might be faced." Aron said, smiling. "Although the Wraith do not come here, we know of their atrocities, and we would be doing a disservice to not help defeat them where we can."

Melony smiled, relieved. While she could – and would – have come up with another plan, having the Light Ones helping her would give her many more options. And she and Talon wanted as many options as they could get.

"I'm relieved to hear you say that," she admitted.

"So was I," Kale said, smiling. "I was planning on helping you whether the Council allowed it or not – and this way it will be much easier."

The rest of the Council threw him looks that varied from annoyed to tolerant, but Melony could see he wasn't too worried.

"The first thing we need to know is what you require from us," One of the Council members said. "We know you want to be flown around these other planets – and Kale has already said he is willing to do that – but what else can we do to help?"

She shook her head.

"Unless you know of other planets that might be worth having a look at, all I can really think of is the flying thing right now."

There were a number of looks exchanged between the Council members, and again Melony thought they must be talking mind to mind with each other. She didn't say anything, though. She just simply munched on her dinner as she waited for them to switch to a vocal conversation. Finally, Aron smiled.

"We might have a few planets for you to consider, Colonel. But you'd need to go into the city to get the Stargate addresses."

"The city?" She asked, confused. The only city she knew of was the one they'd lived in before the Dark Ones had been cursed – or whatever it was it'd been called.

"The city of our ancestors," Kale said, nodding. "None of us have been in it, but we are told that there are writings on the walls there that are the Stargate addresses to many of the worlds of our former allies. One of these worlds might have what you are looking for."

Oh, God, she thought. Some of them might have more than that. Who knew what technology she might find – or what kind of people she might meet?

"You're willing to take me there?" She asked. "Into your city, I mean..."

Kale nodded.

"We have offered our assistance, and if this is what we can do to help, then it is what we will do."