Warning: Character death (trust me) and OC deaths. Mature themes.

A/N: I'm giving Sheppard and Teyla lives before Atlantis. One day TPTB will let us in on them so this will be AU so fast my kids' heads will spin.

Chapter 2

Warily, all five stood still in the square room. Mayor stood slightly in front of the four guests who were only suppose to help and not anger the Dormi as they had apparently done. In all his years, he never thought that it would be his government that actually awakened them. They never had any intention of waking them. Mayor looked at the figure before him. Long black hair, skin that was a translucent pink, and features that elongated as he stretched to regain movement in limbs that had been immobile for centuries. The Dormi had yet to stand and remained seated on the side of the bed.

As he continued to maneuver his long limbs, the Macaw blurted out, "What do you mean mongrels?"

The being ignored him as the Lt. Colonel directed a shushing sound at the Macaw.

"But he just insulted us," the Macaw said through his teeth. "I don't think Pepto Bismol man's one to talk."

With another hard glare at the Macaw, the Lt. Colonel stepped forward while making sure his weapon and the weapons of the others were pointing down at the floor. "We didn't mean to disturb you. Apparently one of your instruments turned on as I brushed against it."

The Dormi tilted his head and let those black eyes bore into the Lt. Colonel. After a long interval, he decided, "You will do." He turned his face to the woman and recognition spread across it, "You will too."

"Now wait a minute…" began the Lt. Colonel, "I think we need to get a few things straight. Such as, who are you?"

Completely ignoring the question, the Dormi looked at the Macaw and spoke to him next, "I may need you later."

The Macaw's eyes opened wide and his mouth went to protest, instead he slid down the wall and landed in a seated position. It was the quietest he had been since their meeting.

"McKay!" The Lt. Colonel shouted as guns were trained on the being while he and the woman moved to protect the Macaw.

The huge man stepped forward and put himself between the Dormi and Mayor. "Fix him," he ordered in a low and very dangerous tone.

Once again, the words were ignored as the Dormi just peered through them as if he and the big man were of no consequence. The blood drained from the mayor's face as he realized that his people's lives were about to be changed. His people were about to be evicted, because the owner of the Great Ship was reclaiming what was his. They would be at the mercy of the Wraith for the first time since they found this planet. Their Great Ship was to be taken away. He had made the greatest mistake of his career in letting these people see this sanctum. All he had wanted was a greater understanding.

"You two are insignificant," stated the Dormi evenly.

He had failed his people.

Mayor knew he was not leaving this room alive before he felt his neck shift and break.

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First Lieutenant of the Mayor of the Thack'eeryn turned quickly around as the door disappeared. He panicked and ran up to it. It did not open for him. He ran his hand along the warm wall and begged the ship to open the way to his mayor. It did not listen to him. What had happened that the door would not open and let him enter as it had always done?

He ran. He ran through passageways back to the outside in record time. Should he inform the visitors or the rest of the Advisory Body that something unprecedented was happening? His government first, then the Lt. Cadman. He looked up at the ship hovering above the city. Could they have angered the Dormi or the Great Ship with bringing these people here and letting them do who knows what? He definitely would report to the Advisory Body first. They would know what to do.

He ran even faster.

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Rodney sat there with numb legs and butt. He couldn't talk; he couldn't move; he couldn't help. Sheppard and Teyla moved to block the alien from further…well, whatever the hell he did. Then he watched as Ronon and the Lilliputian were dropped by…whatever the hell happened to them.

His brain was well underway in panic and hysteria mode. The being stood up and instantaneously grabbed Sheppard and Teyla by the front of their vests; Rodney did not even see him move. Next, their P90's were dropped with a loud clatter.

Why did you do that? You're gonna need those! He screamed in his head as they were pushed towards him and the being himself walked right at him. It was like that nun from the Blues Brothers who seemed to float. All that was missing was the over the top church organ music.

And he knew his eyes must have been playing tricks on him, because Sheppard and Teyla and the extremely tall (taller than Ronon) Dormi went past him. Problem was: he was sitting against the wall. He sat there in oppressive silence. Had a doorway formed? If it had, would he not have fallen backwards through it?

A possible explanation hit him. The Tollan. They could walk through walls. Maybe he had technology on him that allowed him to do that. OK, now he was starting to use the magnificence that is his brain. See, anything can be explained through a logical scientific answer. However, he still had the problem of paralysis. His muscles just seem to be in revolt at this time. His brain was still thinking, his muscles just weren't holding up their end of the bargain.

Alright Ronon, time to wake up, Rodney thought. The hulk just remained a lifeless lump on the floor. Not a twitch. Not a snort. Not a grunt. The little guy had not moved either. Whatever had happened needed to un-happen real soon.

Get up Ronon! Come on you oversized…you gargantuan…GET UP! Damn it body move. Somebody's body needs to move! He continued to sit on the floor and watch for any sign of life. It slowly dawned on him; there was none.

Dr. Rodney McKay, Supaaa Genius as Sheppard called him, could not fix this. He had...nothing.

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Being thrown down on the floor along with Teyla, hurt. "What's this all about? What did you do to the others?" He asked rubbing his elbow.

Sheppard was not quite sure what happened. They were in the chamber room and then he might have been shoved through a wall. Now that could not have been right. But hey- stranger things have happened. Here in the Pegasus Galaxy you get to experience something new everyday.

He waited for an answer. None came. Ronon, Mayor and Rodney were attacked by this Dormi guy and they were unable to get back up on their own. However, Ronon and Mayor had just collapsed. Rodney had still been conscious after his little encounter.

Sheppard looked at Teyla and then at their…Host? Jailor? Captor? Alright, he'd keep a positive spin on this, host. The host stood at a large console. A view screen that matched the length of the console showed different pieces of information about the ship. As he watched the Dormi work, he guessed they were on the bridge. He checked his pockets and found them picked. No weapons of any kind or anything else he normally carried on him, not even his sunglasses. When did that happen?

They sat up and he whispered to Teyla, "You alright?"

She nodded and whispered back, "Confused but fine." She was also checking her picked pockets and coming up empty.

"Not the only one." He tried talking to their host one more time. "Um, hello? What's going on?" Sheppard exhaled and continued, "I'm Col. John Sheppard. This is Teyla Emmagan. Would you believe we come in peace?"

Sheppard studied the back of the un-answering being at the front of the room. The pants were wide and full. He wore a long coat buttoned up the back. At least they looked like buttons. The material was plain and simple with a light blue hue to it

He looked back at Teyla and hitched his head in the direction of the being. Teyla nodded and spoke next.

"We mean no harm. The inhabitants of this world simply asked us for assistance. They wanted to know more about you." It was her turn to wait for a reply.

This guy was stubborn if nothing else or just an ass.

"They infest everything. How long have I been asleep?" He was not talking to them but to himself. That was the way it appeared anyways.

Sheppard pushed himself off the floor into a standing position. He held his hand out to help Teyla. Next thing he knew, he was on his knees and then on his seat. He looked for Teyla and she was in a similar predicament.

"My little mongrels stay," commanded the Dormi.

Ass it is then.

"Mongrels? That's the second time you've called us that and it's getting a little hurtful. Your feelings hurt Teyla? I know mine are. Look, all we wanted to do…"

"Make this ship your own. See if any of this could help you fight your enemies," interrupted the Dormi. He turned around and faced them. "I have it right; you're scavenging dogs licking your lips and salivating at the possibilities this technology represents."

"I won't deny that. It's yours and we won't take it away. And from the looks of you, I don't think we could even if that was our way. All we ask for is assistance in fighting the Wraith. And 'no' is a valid answer." As he talked, Sheppard used his arms to push himself against an empty wall perpendicular to the main console. Teyla followed suit.

"I have no interest in helping subspecies. I can't find the others; you'll just have to do. You'll destroy the enemy, the Wraith as you call them." He stopped and pointed to the opposite end of the room from the view screen. "You can use that."

Sheppard and Teyla followed his long finger to a Control Chair. How he missed that he did not know. Rather embarrassing really, an Ancient chair set up on a non-Ancient ship, it kind of sticks out. The chair hopefully meant drones and, as he was fond of saying, drones equal boom. However, what was it doing here? Was he expecting the Ancients? I guess I'd be a little disappointed too if their mutant offspring showed up instead. Since the Ancients had left long ago, he was the pick of the litter of chair users. Although, the last time he sat in a chair in an alien room…

"No needles Colonel," their host said nonchalantly.

Could this guy read minds? That was a very frightening thought. He made a quick glance to Teyla who returned it with her own look of concern.

The Dormi swiftly moved in uncomfortably close. "I'll give you a glimpse of why I'm doing this. You agree or you don't, it doesn't matter."

Drowsiness descended upon Sheppard. His eyes shut involuntarily and reopened to a different scene from a different time.

"Hey sleepy head," said a familiar voice of a distant past.

"Louisa?"

Not this day. What was this? A dream? No, it was more like a sad retelling of reality.

"I'm going to take a shower. Wanna join me? It won't be long before it's physically impossible." She gave a teasing smile as she dropped her night shirt on the floor.

He smiled back with bitterness in his heart. What did the Dormi want him to understand from this saddest of days? He watched her disappear into the bathroom.

Louisa Diaz, his fiancée and soon to be mother of his child, was right there. She was four foot ten inches of pure personality and power. She had curly light brown hair and a dark complexion. Her dark eyes made him melt. She had him wrapped around her little finger.

He was hired to fly planes. She was hired to walk under them but, the infinite rationale of the military landed her in the motor pool instead. At this time-1992, she was in officer training classes. They were not in each other's line of command so they had really hit if off. For the first time ever, he was in love.

He laid there in the bed and waited for what was next; the frightened and pained call of his name. He closed his mind's eye as she screamed for him to come quickly. Then, he had sprinted into the bathroom. Now in this retelling, he could see it all in his head as he remained on the bed. After this day, they would grow apart. After this day, he would not be a father. After this day, he would not invest in another serious relationship again.

In the bathroom, his heart and his hope for their future went down the drain with the water as Louisa miscarried.

It was a day he had almost cried.

His eyes opened to his torturer. He deluded himself by thinking of this being as a host. With his optimism derailed, he saw the sorrow and bitterness in the face opposite him.

The Dormi looked from one to the other. He placed his head in between theirs and whispered in their ears, "Like the hollowness that pulled you under and burrowed deep within your soul, it is all I have left. You can't possibly comprehend the grief I feel. The enemy took my beloved and now I will continue to repay them for that crime."

At some point Sheppard's hand had wrapped around Teyla's. He held onto her to remind himself that he was not in that small room anymore and he assumed she had had a similar, gut wrenching vision. She tightened the grip. Obviously, he assumed correctly.

"These predecessors may have fled and abandoned the machine of life they set in motion; I will finish their war. The enemy thrives and all that's left are you- the diluted versions of their race- to carry on the battle." He grabbed Teyla by the shoulders and Sheppard felt her grasp strengthen even more around his hand. "And you, little sister, are an oversight on the enemy's part. You'll give me an added advantage. Both of you are useful tools to finish my objectives one way or another."

They were in big trouble. Sheppard swallowed and in his charmingly flippant voice said, "With such a rousing pep talk, we can't wait to be gears in the machine."

The Dormi smiled in appreciation. "My little mongrels of a race, you'll take your part. You've no choice." He stood up and looked down at them, "My name is Orodi, just so you can curse me properly. Now you'll sleep while I prepare this ship for flight."

Sheppard's eyes involuntarily closed again. He felt Teyla lean against his shoulder and slide down towards his hip as he leaned the opposite way from her. He was in a deep sleep before his side met the floor.

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A/N: Nighty, night.