Disclaimer: I own the DVD of Stargate Atlantis season 1 but I don't own the characters, I borrow them for my own amusement
A/N: Hey ya'll I'm back with the second chapter, I want to remind you that I have no idea how the leadership on Athos is conducted, whatever I have here is strictly AU. A big thanks to my reviewers If you guys have any ideas for this story let me know.
Chapter 2: Alyne
3 Years Later
Rising with the sun Teyla awoke to the smell of dyiung embers, all that remained of the fire she had started the night before. She quickly checked over her things to ensure nothing had happened during the night, just like she had done every morning for the last three years. Every day was the same it seemed like, get up, check things over, find a new place to go, and pray the Wraith don't find her today.
She rummaged around and found her daggers, the twin blades sparkled in the dim early sun. She praised herself for her wisdom in purchasing them her first month as a Runner. The blades had helped her on more than one occasion when the Wraith had caught up with her. Of course they had not just been used against the Wraith, when a fire Lynx from Grado attacked her, she had been able to slay the beast before if decided to make a meal out of her.
She had quickly learned that Runners did not have just the Wraith to fear, but the creatures of other worlds. Once when she had made camp, she scouted around to make sure no one was near, when she returned her camp was in shambles and there were very large footprints all around. She left that world immediatly, thankful the Ancestors had kept her from harm. And their were other dangers, from stories she had heard as a child, of those who worship the Wraith. If they found a Runner they would give them to the Wraith as a gift, lucky for her she had never come across any.
But the danger was not the worse part, lonliness sank in quickly and it never left. She longed to actually talk to someone, to be able to share her troubles with them and hear their own.
Do the Wraith always catch them father?
Many are able to elude them for many years, but they always die.
By the Wraith?
Most of the time, but some die by their own hand.
Why?
Because they become consumed by their despair.
She remembered what her father had said, she never understood why someone would want to take their own life, but now... She still held the daggers in her hand, she looked down at the sharp deadly weapon, one thought going through her mind. I can end this right now. No more running, no more lonliness, just a long endless sleep after a mere moment of pain. The tantalizing thought took control of her body and her hand began to rised holding the deadly weapon. But a memory stayed her hand.
Is it wrong that they kill themselves, even though their life is terrible?
Life is a gift Teyla, the Ancestors would never give life unless it was worth living. Remember that when you lose hope.
Tears ran down her cheeks and she dropped the dagger letting it clatter to the ground. Her despair was great but she would never fail her father, she wanted to live up to his word.
Teyla made her way towards the great circle, but as she came closer she saw that it was lighting up. Then the wave came forth and the traveler came through. Teyla saw that her luck had run out, the traveler was a Wraith intent on hunting her. The Wraith looked at her and raised it's weapon and Teyla began to run.
The beams from the weapon missed her as she made her way towards the forest area hoping that she might be able to elude him there.
When she reached a clearing she slowed down to catch her breath, she let her mind clear and she sensed that the Wraith was near, and she picked up the pace again. The race for her life was on.
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Unknown to the two that were engaged in a heated chase, the circle lit up yet again and two other travelers came. One was a man running and shooting behind him at the Wraith that was chasing him. He had dialed an address in hopes the Wraith would be far enough behind him that it wouldn't be able to re-dial. He didn't know the consequences of dialing this address, all he thought about was how he was going to kill this Wraith.
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Teyla noticed that the amount of trees around her were growing fewer and fewer, she knew that she was coming across the end of the forest. She ran out of the forest and into the meadow that lay beyond. She ran a short ways into the meadow before turning around. The Wraith was just coming out of the forest too when she threw one of her daggers.
The Wraith let out a little scream in pain when the dagger imbedded itself into his shoulder. His eyes turned to Teyla, hatred reflecting in his yellow eyes. He raised his weapon and Teyla began to run again, but his weapon hit it's mark and she fell.
The Wraith stood over her, he turned her over intent on feeding off of her. She slashed at him with her remaining dagger, the other was still imbedded into his shoulder. The Wraith grabbed her wrist and twisted until she dropped the dagger.
"Now human, I shall feed." And he lowered his hand to her chest intent on feeding off of her life. In this moment, Teyla knew that she was going to die.
The Wraith let out a shriek of pain and stood up, he blocked Teyla's veiw of the person causing the pain. But from what she could see, the Wraith continued to take hits from some form of weapon before finally falling to the ground dead.
Only then did Teyla see the man holding the weapon, and she also saw the Wraith coming from behind him.
"Behind you!" She screamed at her savior and he turned around and was able to shoot at the Wraith coming after him.
When he turned back to her she was standing up and she had recovered her daggers. She held them ready in case he decided to take her life along with the Wraith's. They stood staring at each other, weapons ready.
He was very tall and from what she could see very strong. An unruly beard on his face and longish brown hair which was in a hairstyle strange to her. The weapon he held was small but obviously had a lot of power and he seemed to be rather adept at it.
Teyla began to think, only one Wraith had been after him, just like her. And just like that she knew what he was, and she could only think of one thing, she wasn't alone.
She spoke first, "A single Wraith hunting you, you're a Runner."
The weapon he was holding faltered when she said that, as if unsure if she was a threat, "Are you going to turn me in?" He asked.
"Why would a Runner turn in another?" was her reply.
He lowered his weapon and she lowered her's, both unsure what to do now that what they were was know to them both.
"How long?" She asked him.
"Five years," He told her, "You?"
"Three."
He nodded his understanding and then shrugged his shoulders, "Good luck to you," He told her and then turned away.
"Wait a moment," She called out and ran up to him, "Your just going to let this opportunity pass by?"
"What opportunity?"
She couldn't believe that he couldn't see what was right before his eyes, "We are both hunted by the Wraith, we can join together, help each other."
He stopped and looked at her, "Can you get this transmitter out of me?"
She didn't understand how what that had to do with anything, "No of course not."
He shrugged, "Then you can't help me."
He tried to walk away again but she jumped in front of him, "Stop, we can help each other besides getting the transmitters out."
He glared at her, mad that she was standing in his way, "How?"
She was taken aback by his question, "Aren't you lonely? Haven't you wanted to really talk to somebody, have someone to help you?"
He seemed to consider it for a moment before saying, "Lonliness can be adapted with time."
She was surprised, had this man been running so long that he had no feelings left? But she had one more reason, "Haven't you been nearly caught before? Haven't there been times when the only way you have escaped is by mere chance and the will of the Ancestors? If we work together we can eliminate those chances,"
She watched his face to see if she could see what he was going to do, but his face was expressionless. He sighed, "I'm going to regret this," he said shaking his head. He began to walk away and she was certain that all she had said was for nothing until he turned around, "Are you coming?"
She smiled and followed him back to the circle and to a new world.
He brought her to a cave on a world that she had never seen before. They set their possesions down and he left, what he was going to do she had no idea. She was alone to think about what had transpired. That was when she realized she was staking so much on a man and she didn't even know his name? Her father would have scolded her for her foolishness but her need for contact with somebody, anybody, was too great. And she didn't think this man would decieve her, he might be dangerous, but there was something about him, she felt...safe.
And he was pleasing to the eye, why had she just thought of that? But it was the truth, when she had been trying to convince him that they should join together, she had seen that he had green eyes, they seemed to pierce into her so much that she had to avoid his gaze lest he see right through her.
He was strong that much she could tell, such strength frightened and excited her at the same time. How would those arms feel around her? Stop it! she told herself, You don't even know his name, don't think such thoughts. Maybe what frightened her more was the fact that she had never thought such a way with any man before.
He came back with some wood apparantly to start a fire, he began to set it up. He turned to look at her and he saw that she was deep in thought. "Something wrong?" he asked.
"I was wondering, who are you?"
He smiled at her, "Specialist Ronon Dex."
"Specialist?"
"A military rank on Sateda."
"And that is where you are from?" She asked and he nodded, "I've never heard of it." She admitted.
He nodded as if he understood, "What about you?"
She turned to look into his eyes, "My name is Teyla Emmagen, I was the leader of my people."
"And who were they."
"My people are called the Athosians, we are mostly traders, but some of us are farmers as well."
He rummaged through his bag looking for something when she caught sight of his weapon, "You're weapon is amazing, I have never seen something so powerful."
"It was a weapon given to me when I joined the military on Sateda." He explained, she saw that he had a flint and was trying to light a spark.
"Your technology is amazing, your people must be more advanced than mine," She said getting out her fire starter, she pushed the button and a thin red beam hit the wood and immediatly caught fire, "In some aspects."
Ronon blinked in surprise at the burning peices of wood, but recovered quickly. He moved over, and sat next to Teyla.
"May I ask you something?" She asked as she turned to look at him, he didn't say anything just looked at her which she took as a yes, "How were you taken?"
Ronon sighed, his eyes left Teyla's and turned towards the cave wall, Teyla was certain he wasn't going to answer, but she was wrong. "Sateda was being culled, the worst in many generations, I was trying to defend my world when they took me."
"You resisted and they let you live?" Teyla asked confused, she'd heard of resitance before and every time the people on the rebelling planet had been annihilated.
"A Wraith tried to feed on me, for some reason he couldn't"
Teyla was amazed, "You mean the Wraith can not feed off of you?"
Ronon shrugged, "I guess so." He turned to her, "So how did you become a Runner?"
"Like you the Wraith came to my world to feed, I was pushing the son of a dear friend of mine away from the beam when I was taken instead. But the Wraith didn't let me live because they were unable to feed, a female Wraith said that I would be of better use as a Runner." She sighed, "Can you believe that? I'm more 'useful' to them this way."
She didn't expect him to answer, but was surprised when he did, "At least your alive, if you can call this living."
It was then that she realized, he was listening to her, he was letting her speak and was helping her, she smiled at him a small smile, "Sometimes I look at my life and wonder what the future holds for me now."
He was looking into her eyes as if to make sure she listened, "You know now that you won't have to face it alone."
"Does this mean that you wish for me to stay?"
"It's possible." Was he said and then promptly turned away. Teyla hid a smile, his pride wasn't going to let him show it, that much she knew, but he was glad he let her stay. She thought back on the conversation, she had actually had a real talk with someone. Someone who understood what she was going through, someone who had listened, it had been so long since someone had let her speak. She stared back at Ronon and she had a feeling that what ever the future held for them, she knew it was going to be good.
Ronon woke up the next morning, the morning sun just starting to peek over the horizen. It wasn't any different from all the mornings that had occured for the last five years, except that when he turned his head there was a woman lying asleep on the otherside of the dying fire.
He could have easily woken her up, but something told him not too. She looked peaceful asleep,curled up in a ball, with one hand lying close to her cheek. At that moment he realized what a beautiful woman she was.
Her long chestnut hair framed her face, flawlessly tanned skin and lips that were soft and pink, it wasn't hard to believe that the Ancestors had wanted to create an image of beauty and this was it.
And she was strong, of that he was certain. He had seen the way she had held her daggers and he knew that there was strength in her spirit as well.
He had a sudden urge to wake her again, not for his need for company but because he wanted to see her eyes. He remembered the way her eyes were the night before, soft, and tender. They had looked at him with curiosity and hope. He longed to see if they were the same deep dark brown in the sunlight like they were in the fire light.
He gently reached over and brushed away some stray strands of hair from her face, his fingers softly brushing her soft skin. He wished she wasn't wearing such loose clothing, the need to see exactly how she was made was growing inside of him. Was she built as perfect as her lovely face?
Needless to say that now he was certain more than ever that he wasn't going to regret having her around.
The two of them had been traveling together for several weeks, they were setting up one of the traps Ronon had taught her to make when she stood up her eyes wide
"The Wraith," she said, "They're here!"
Ronon was unconvinced, "Are you sure?"
She turned to him, "Did I mention that I can sense them?"
He looked surprised, "No you didn't."
"Would it have made a difference?"
He smiled, "It certaintly would have made me think twice." He sighed, "Doesn't matter now, you know what we have to do."
And they both rushed off to complete a plan that they had come up with during the nights that they spent by the fire. What they had to do was lure the Wraith to the traps they had set, seperate and confuse the Wraith so they would be easier to kill.
It did not take long for one of the Wraith to catch up with him. Now it was the dangerous part, having to get the Wraith to fall into the trap without getting hit by the Wraith's weapon first. Rushing through the trees heading towards the one with the trap, Ronon had a feeling that this time his plan would work.
A fact that was confirmed when the Wraith stepped right into the trap. The Wraith had no idea what was happening when he was suddenly swung up feet first into the tree. The Wraith thrashed about trying to get free. Ronon a bit winded from running, walked over a knife ready in his hand.
Even upside down the Wraith refused to back down, "You may kill me human, but another of my kind will hunt you down, and you will die!"
Ronon drove the knife into the Wraith's chest, he sighed relaxing slightly as the carcass swung from the tree. But he didn't have time to stand around, he rushed off to find Teyla and see how she was doing with her Wraith.
He found Teyla in a clearing, obviously the Wraith that was hunting her was not as foolish as his, this one had not fallen for the trap and Teyla was having to fight this one hand to hand. Ronon was about to help her, but with a closer look he saw she had the upper hand.
He watched her use kicks and defensive moves, saw how she held her daggers. He realized what an amazing person she really was, he wondered if perhaps she would best him in a sparring match. She was an equal to him, in more ways than one.
With a low drive kick the Wraith fell to the ground and Teyla was able to stab the Wraith through the chest. She was standing up at the time that he stepped out of the shadows. She wiped the sweat from her brow and brushed away stray hairs that had come loose from her hair tie.
"How long have you been standing there?" She asked him.
"Long enough," Was his reply.
She was rather shocked, "And it did not occur to you to help?"
He smiled at her, "It looked like you had things under control." He turned around and started to walk away, "We better get out things so we can leave Alyne."
Now she was confused, "My name is Teyla," She reminded him when they got back to the camp.
"I know," He said as he threw his things into his bag.
"Then why did you call me Alyne?"
"Because that's what you are." Was his reply.
She silently wondered what Alyne meant but didn't bring it up again until they were at the circle. "What does it mean?" She asked him.
He looked at her when he had finished dialing, an amused look on his face, "It's Satedan."
"I assumed that, what does it mean."
He thought about it for a moment and a teasing smile graced his face, "No, I'm not going to tell you." And he walked towards the circle.
"Ronon! Please you have to tell me what it means!" She begged, and he laughed all the way to the other world.
A/N: Can any of you guess what Alyne means? Please review, this story has over a hundred hits but not nearly as many reviews.