Ok, I still have a hard time figuring out how to write Ronon, so he's taking a little vacation. BUT, you get to see scary angry John:-)


One week. It had been one week since they'd started searching planets again. One week, and still they had found nothing. Which meant Elizabeth had been missing for much longer than she should have been.

Twelve days, four hours, and twenty-three minutes, John thought angrily to himself. This is the longest I've ever taken for a rescue mission…and it's Elizabeth! I should have had her home twelve seconds later, not days!

He sighed deeply, trying to clear the frustration from his thoughts so he could focus on his surroundings. His team had just stepped through the gate to yet another planet on the list of possibles Rodney had come up with.

He glanced around at his team. It was only the three of them today since Ronon had come down with some alien bacterial thing on the last planet. Sheppard grinned when he thought of all the questionable things Ronon had ingested since they had met him…and it had been four tiny berries from a wild bush that had finally brought the big man down.

"Ok folks, let's get a move on. Rodney, any idea which way to go?"

McKay glanced at the Ancient device in his hand and pointed toward the hills. He grimaced as he said, "That way."

Sheppard frowned, "McKay?"

Heaving a pitiful sigh, Rodney whined, "It's a two day walk to the nearest village, and those hills don't exactly look like a stroll through the park."

"I believe Dr.McKay may be making mountains out of molehills."

John immediately stopped and turned around to face the speaker, mouth hanging open.

Teyla grinned at John's astonished expression, then tried to put on a serious face as she asked, "Is that not the correct saying?"

"No! I mean, no…that's right…I just…didn't know you knew that one…" John stuttered.

Teyla's barely concealed grin was suddenly tinted with sadness as she quietly told him, "Aiden taught it to me shortly before he…left."

A pained expression fleetingly crossed the Colonel's face, and he nodded in understanding. He missed Ford, with his bad jokes and horrible attempts at naming new pieces of technology. He missed the guy…and he'd be damned if he'd lose another member of the expedition, especially not Elizabeth. He'd lost enough close friends this year.

With that determined thought in his mind, he gave Teyla a reassuring smile and turned to follow Rodney toward the distant village.


Two irritating days later, John and his team finally arrived at the edge of the town. McKay was complaining loudly as usual, John was trying rather unsuccessfully to ignore him, and Teyla was beginning to get frustrated with them both. John swore this was the last time he went anywhere without a Jumper.

"I don't think it could get any hotter on this planet! The only thing worse is at night when it's colder than Russia…which of course is normal for an environment like this. But oh my GOD, it is HOT! You know, I think the heat is accelerating my hypoglycemia. This village better have somewhere we can get some decent food…I just hope they aren't famous for lemons or anything…"

"McKay! Zip it!" Sheppard ordered. They were reaching the center of the village now, and he didn't want their presence proclaimed to the entire population.

As they passed, a short balding man stuck his head out the window of a small shop. He apparently decided they weren't dangerous, because he immediately ran to the door.

"Hello, strangers! Welcome to Incala! I assume you are here to trade? Wonderful! I am Panal, owner of the finest shop in the village." He gave a small bow and continued to speak rapidly so that no one else could get a word in. Despite a momentary flash of frustration at the delay, John couldn't help but chuckle a little at the absurd antics of the little man. Deciding that the man was talkative enough to perhaps offer some valuable information, John allowed himself to be ushered into the shop. "Please, come in! Take a look around and let me know if there is anything you wish to trade for. Perhaps I can offer a suggestion? I'm sure the lady would be interested in…"

John finally managed to stop the torrential sales pitch by walking straight up to Panal and placing his right index finger over the very surprised man's lips.

"Actually," John began as soon as he was sure Panal was quiet (for the moment), "we're looking for a friend of ours. And we might be willing to trade for any information a certain person could offer…"

Finally getting over his shock at the Colonel's unorthodox interruption, Panal grinned and rubbed his hands together eagerly. "I would be pleased to offer any information I can. Ask away!"

John and Teyla both smiled, while Rodney still seemed to be reeling over discovering someone else who could babble nonsense as quickly as he could.

"Great!" John replied. "We were hoping you'd say that. Ok, so, our friend's name is Elizabeth. She was kidnapped twelve days ago and we think she was brought here. She has kinda curly brown hair, greenish eyes, and was wearing…" Sheppard stopped as something in a back corner of the shop suddenly caught his eye.

Panal looked confused as the Colonel's hopeful face dissolved into a hard anger. Without a word, he stalked over to a bundle of cloth Panal had thrown in the corner to sort through later. Then, before the merchant knew what was happening, Sheppard had wheeled around, grabbed him by the front of his shirt, and slammed him against the counter.

Panal tried to catch his breath while Colonel Sheppard thrust a gray and red piece of cloth into his face. "She would have been wearing this!" he hissed. Teyla, who had been just as confused as Panal, suddenly realized that John was holding Elizabeth's expedition team jacket. "Where is she?" Sheppard growled.

Desperately wishing he had left this particular sales opportunity alone, Panal struggled to form coherent words. "Please! Don't hurt me! I bought it…from a slave trader…I'll tell you everything I know! Just…please…let me go!"

When John showed no signs of easing up on the merchant, Teyla stepped forward and put a restraining hand on the Colonel's arm. He glanced at her, then slowly backed off and released the terrified little man. After drawing two very shaky breaths and straightening his tunic, Panal rushed into the story.

"Elos brought it in over a week ago. Said he got it from his newest sale, a pretty woman from another planet. Hey, don't look at me like that! I'm not the one who said it! Anyway, he looked kinda upset…he's fairly new to the business, hasn't quite lost all his values yet…so I asked him about it. He said she was different from the others…I think he said noble. Anyway, he said he sold her to the slave merchant on the outskirts of town, and she'd be sold off again pretty soon. I told him to try to forget about her…hey, I was just trying to make him feel better! He was heading back out, but he asked me to stop by the auction and see who she went to; he was worried about her."

Breathing heavily, John fought to contain his fury. A slave trader! If I ever get my hands on that Elos…. Attempting to bring his thoughts under control, he bit out, "Did you go?"

Nodding hastily, Panal continued. "Yes, I went and I saw your friend. She was exactly as Elos had described. I felt sorry for her, what with her being a slave and all that. Anyway, she ended up sold to a farmer named Phaestus, which is actually really lucky for her."

At Sheppard's incredulous glare, Panal held up his hands placatingly. "Seriously! Damien was the other bidder, and I promise you wouldn't want her to go to him!"

Unable to stay still any longer, John began to pace the small shop, and Panal's eyes followed him nervously. Finally, John stopped and turned abruptly toward the shopkeeper, making him jump a little at the unexpected movement.

"Where is the farm?" the Colonel's voice was calm, but his eyes held a deadly gleam.

Swallowing hard, Panal scrambled behind him for paper and a writing tool. "Here…why don't I give you a map? Free…free of charge." He attempted a smile, but the expression on the Colonel's face quickly killed it. Clearing his throat, he turned and began furiously scratching out a rough drawing, wondering what he had done to deserve such a horrible day.