Ties That Bind
Chapter Five: Liars
Elizabeth and Teyla decided on a table in the corner of the commissary and sat down with their food.
"So, Teyla, what did you want to talk about?" Elizabeth asked, while bitting into her sandwich.
"I would like to talk to you about the ancient that we found." Teyla replied, also taking a bite of her own sandwich.
"Oh? What's wrong?" Elizabeth asked, confusion etched on her face.
"I believe that she is hiding something from us." Teyla responds. "I feel like she's not being entirely truthful with us with everything"
"How so? Is this just your instincts talking or is there more to it? " Elizabeth retorts back.
"Have you not noticed that she has taken an immediate affection for Major Sheppard and him only?" Teyla explained.
"What, you're not jealous are you?" A smirk appears after that statement.
"No, I am not. I am simply concerned for his safety. As each day passes, I feel uneasy to her presence." Teyla counters.
"Like a Wraith?"
"It is...difficult, to explain. It is not the same feeling I get when near a Wraith but it is similar yet different." Teyla explains.
"I see. We'll keep a close eye on her."
"It is best if this remained between the two of us and Lt. Ford."
"Lt. Ford?" Elizabeth raised a brow.
"I told him when I first felt the feeling, which was after everyone left the day she was revived. He instructed me to tell you."
"Thank you. In the meantime while we're figuring this out, observe any suspicious actions."
Teyla nodded just as Elizabeth was called to the control room leaving Teyla with their sandwiches.
"Elizabeth. Something's definitely wrong here!" Rodney reported over the radio on the Eirene.
"What is it, Rodney?" Elizabeth sat down in the chair in front of the control panel.
"It's either they are living in a dream world or living under a rock for the past few millennia or something, but get this, the Eirenes never heard of the Wraith before."
Shocked, Elizabeth looked over at the gate technicians with sees them wearing the same look on their faces.
Elizabeth asked uncertainly, "How is that even possible?"
"I'm not sure wether I want to know how it's possible. But Elizabeth, there's also something else. You remember in the ceremony how they prayed to the ancestors right?"
A frown appears on her face now. "Yes. Very clearly."
"And how they pray to the ascended beings and get replied back by nature's forces right? I mean just think about it! If that's the case then only someone who has ascended can possibly have enough power to go do that. Well they pray to two ancestors, a male and a female. The male fertilizes crops and like 'blesses them' with what, Holy Water or something equally as 'pure', whereas the female basically protects them from enemies and eight-legged evil bunnies or whatever and the like…" By now, Rodney was explaining things at an alarming speed.
"Rodney! Get to the point!" Elizabeth was surprised that she still had some patience.
"Oh, what? Oh yes, yes! Getting to the point. The female ancestor they pray to they call the Star Maiden, yes? And you remember how I told you that on the side of the stasis pod it said here sleeps the teacher of the new world, the Star Maiden. Put 2 and 2 together and Bingo! Astarea is the Star Maiden!"
"Wait a minute. If you say that only ascended beings have the power of nature, then how can Astarea do that if she isn't ascended?"
"Exactly! Someone is pulling wool over our eyes, Elizabeth."
"Okay, I'll send Sheppard, Ford and Teyla to scout out the area beyond the village just to be sure."
"Okay then. We'll call again in about three hours after you send them. Right then! McKay out." The gate shutdown.
She turns to the nearest technician. "Please page Teyla, Sheppard and Ford to the conference room, immediately. Enforce to them that it's urgent." The technician nodded
"Yes ma'am." And did as he was told.
"What has McKay done now?" John asked as he flaunted in with his team walked in.
"Actually he didn't do anything. But he did bring something to my attention though," Elizabeth said as she explained what happened.
"No. There must be some mistake. That can't be right."
"She is hiding something from us, John."
"I trust Astarea."
"We just need more time to get to know her."
"She's been here for a month! How much more time do you need?" Teyla and Ford sent each other with uneasy looks at the tone of John's voice.
"There is just something about her that just doesn't add up!"
"Fine! We'll scout out the area but I guarantee you, that she is not involved!"
"We shall see about that."
"There's also something else. I want her on our team."
Just as she look downward, her head snapped up at that request. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. She's more valuable to us if she's out there instead of here on base." John gestured at the Stargate.
Elizabeth gave him a firm stare. "We'll talk about this when you get back with all of your team. Dismissed."
John bit back a remark and gritted out, "Fine. Atlantis one, gear up. We're moving out." John marched out of the room with Teyla and Ford doing nothing but following from behind.
Elizabeth sighed. As she sat down, she began to feel nauseous and decided to rest in her room after Atlantis one departed.
"Ah! Major Sheppard and his merry men! So nice of you guys to join us!" Rodney said in a sickly sweet voice as the trio stepped out of the gate.
"You sound like a child who was caught for having his hand in the cookie jar," John commented as he walked up to him.
"Wouldn't mind a cookie, now that you mention it." John rolled his eyes.
"Marines! Send the food back to Atlantis."
"Yes sir." One of the marines signalled the pilot to prepare for take-off.
After the Jumper went through the Stargate, John, Ford and Teyla went to explore while Carson and Rodney went back to the village to see if they could learn more.
On the left side of the Stargate, there was a tree line and beyond it, a forest, which seemed to stretch over the horizon. John grimaced, hoping that it wouldn't have to come to exploring there.
tbc...
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