She didn't stay in their dining room long – mainly because the Light Ones tended to do other things besides eating once they were finished with dinner – and she didn't feel like watching. It was uncomfortable, and her cheeks were already starting to flush by the time she excused herself and headed back to her room with Aron and Kale.

"So you are interested in going to the sacred city?" Aron asked as they walked into the room. It was well-lit with glowing lantern type things that didn't smoke or smell like fire and didn't give off any heat – just light. Melony saw that someone had brought in a few blankets as well for her – and that was thoughtful, because it was pretty chilly.

"Definitely," she said, nodding. "I'm surprised your people are allowing it."

"Why is that?" Kale asked, confused.

Mitchell shrugged.

"The word Sacred implies that your folk see it as Holy... I would have thought you'd want to keep simple people such as myself out of there."

Aron smiled.

"While it is true you will be the first human to be in the city in millennium, it's not a Holy city to us – it's sacred because of what it represents, the last time the Light Ones and the Dark Ones were a single race of people – but the gods don't dwell there, and it's not Holy."

"We can leave in the morning, if you wish," Kale said.

"You're going to take me?"

Kale nodded.

"Unless you have a different preference. The Dark Ones are unable to go into the city, so you will not need a large contingent of us to keep you safe as we look through the ruins. I volunteered to take you – and I have no other pressing matters to keep me from accompanying you."

"That's fine with me," Mitchell assured him. "I would like to come up with a harness of some sort, though – a better way to be carried than the vest that I'm wearing."

"A harness?"

"Like a parachute harness, most likely," Melony said.

Like he knows what a parachute is? Talon pointed out.

Good point.

"A parachute is a... thing... that you wear – like a back pack – that opens up if you're falling from a high distance and silk cloth comes out and catches the air, slowing your descent enough that you won't die."

"I would not drop you," Kale said. "You don't need a parachute."

Mitchell grinned.

"I'm not planning on making a parachute, Kale," she said. "I trust you not to drop me. But the parachutes have a harness that makes it comfortable to hang in the air – and I could definitely use that."

"Especially if Kale will be carrying you around on these other planets," Aron said.

"Exactly."

"What do you need to make one of these harness things?" Kale asked.

"Ropes and some metal fasteners... and a couple of buckles, most likely," Melony said.

"We have ropes," Aron told her, but I'm not sure of the metal you require."

"Don't worry about it," she said. "I'll wait until I get back to Atlantis to make the harness. There might even be some parachutes there already – who knows?"

"You are returning to Atlantis?" Aron asked.

"I'll need to check in so they know I'm okay," Melony told them. "And I'll need the gate addresses of those planets my people have explored so we can go check them out." She looked at Kale. "Want to come with me?"

"To your world?" The Light One asked, surprised.

"Why not? You're letting me into your sacred city, after all."

Weir might not like that

She'll get over it. He's an ally – no less so than Teyla is, and Sheppard didn't ask permission before bringing her and the Athosians to Atlantis.

Kale smiled, and nodded.

"I would like that, Colonel Mitchell."

"It'd be good for the others to meet you – and maybe see what you're capable of so they won't worry about me quite so much."

He's going to worry about you, no matter who you're with

Talon knew who Mitchell was thinking of when she was trying to ease concerns – and it wasn't McKay or Sheppard.

"I will be happy to demonstrate my abilities to your people."

"He has been showing off to the Farmers anytime they show an interest," Aron said, shaking her head and looking at Kale fondly. "You're just giving him a new audience."

Melony smiled.

"My people will be fascinated," she assured them. "And if you're there, I can make the harness thing specifically to your talons."

"Clever." Aron said. She shrugged, and stood up. "We should leave you alone so you can get your rest, now. Someone will be by to wake you in the morning, and you and Kale can leave after breakfast, if that's agreeable to you?"

"Sounds perfect."

She walked with them to the entrance to the room, and they bid her goodnight. Then left her alone.

Melony sighed – she wasn't really all that tired, but she had absolutely no desire to join the Light Ones in what was apparently their favorite nighttime pastime. Well... not much of a desire, anyways...

You might as well try to sleep, Talon told her, chuckling into her mind. It's not like there's a whole lot of other things to do around here when the sun goes down – I haven't seen a movie theater or a ballpark

"We'll have to teach them a new sport..." Melony said, heading for the overly large cushion that was going to be her bed while she was with the Light Ones.

They seem fairly pleased with the one they know

True enough.