NOTE: Apologies for the delay in posting – the recent storm took down my phone line and internet, and then it came back only for my router to crash. I'm uploading this now from a public library as I am waiting for my new router to be delivered – and to hopefully work properly. I should have the next chapter done in a couple of days and hopefully things will be working by then, or it'll be back here again.
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Chapter 12 – The Discussions
Little Aki' eyes were bright, shiny orbs looking up at Halling. The curious and slightly confused expression across the boy's face cut strangely at Halling's heart. He held the bright fluffy toy closer to Aki, assisting the boy's reaching fingers to finally grasp the softly jangling toy and pull it closer to him.
Try as he might, and Halling wished that he would stop trying, he kept studying Aki' features for hints of Iketani in the boy. He had her colouring in his complexion and hair, but Halling saw more of his Father's facial structure, but then that could change as Aki grew older. Aki' biological father, High Councillor Telson, was hardly the most honourable of Fathers, but he was allowed to see Aki on prearranged dates. Telson would never declare Aki as his own due to the legitimacy rules of his people, and admitting the traitor Iketani was the boy's mother would result in Telson losing his High Council position and probably both of his wives as well. So, instead, Massa was now Aki' registered Guardian parent and was a far more superior parent in Halling's opinion.
Aki had not had the most honourable of biological parents, but, in Massa, he now had the most doting of fathers. Growing up with the same education and training as the other children here in the Facility would provide Aki with the best of starts for what he chose for himself in the future. If he showed an aptitude to being the warrior that his mother was, then perhaps he might even become an Elite himself. Yet, looking into the little eyes of the adorable baby boy, Halling realised that he hoped that Aki would not show such skill.
Not for the first time did Halling wonder what his own life might have been like had he not joined the Elite training programme as a boy. Might he have married and had children of his own? Might he have become a carpenter like his father, or perhaps worked for Torren in the government of their people?
Or might he have not lived into adulthood? Perhaps he could have been taken by disease or an accident? Perhaps he would never have made old bones regardless of his life choices.
Or could he have sat up through many nights caring for his own children, and perhaps then his grandchildren?
Halling settled little Aki further down in his arms, the boy's belly full with his late meal and his eyes soft with forthcoming sleep as he grasped the fluffy toy to his chest. Halling rocked slightly from side to side, encouraging the babe to sleep.
Perhaps it was the threat of the deadly fate ahead of him, but holding Aki felt particularly poignant this evening. Aki was just starting his life, full of the potential of a long and vibrant life, while Halling was looking towards the end of his life. Even if he was able to avoid Sitayi' prediction, he was still at the other end of the spectrum of life from Aki. Where Aki was about to start the journey of life, to discover and become the young man he wanted to be, while Halling knew very welll who and what he was, and that truth felt oddly sad and depressing today.
"It's a valid question," Seeal's comment cut through Halling's sad thoughts.
He lifted his eyes from the sleepy Aki to the verbally duelling pair across the table. Two more people set in their ways, older and wiser than Aki, but clearly locked in their own life choices and pains.
He had been a little surprised that Oneakka and Seeal had not bickered through the meal, though there had been the odd comment. However, the meal now done, the two had lapsed into their more familiar bickering from the days on the Sythus. Halling had not been listening to what they were arguing about, instead losing himself in holding Aki and reflecting on youth and life choices.
"You're just trying to make a point about the sparring," Oneakka told Seeal who was sat on his left side, while Madesh remained quiet and respectful on Oneakka's other side.
It occurred to Halling that the rest of the canteen was also very quiet around them. He turned in his seat to look behind him at the large relatively empty room. There were only a few Recruits sat around at the tables and he noticed that each of them were sat alone and were studying.
He turned back round to the table and leant slightly towards Massa sat on his left. "Is there an exam tomorrow?"
Massa pulled his eyes away from Oneakka and Seeal. "It's this rotation's strategy exams and then training standards the day after."
Halling nodded with understanding, unable to stop himself from smiling at his own remembered late nights studying and the quiet panic before exams. "Those days seem so long ago now."
Massa smiled. "They were a long time ago."
Halling nodded and chuckled lightly to himself, as Massa being younger than him only made the point further. He glanced back round towards the closest Recruit sat bent over two tablets, the glow of the screens highlighting the intense frown of revision.
"It is a valid point," Seeal stressed to Oneakka. "It's a thought experiment; surely the Elite think about things."
Halling glanced back towards the argument at Seeal's comment, which had clearly been designed to question Oneakka's, and the Elite's, intelligence.
Oneakka responded by rolling his eyes and letting out a loud sigh of apparent frustration. Halling frowned at the display, which had been overly exaggerated for Oneakka. Oneakka wasn't normally one for dramatic expressions and his usual way of dealing with anything that frustrated him was to threaten it, ignore it, or kill it. Clearly he was doing none of those right now.
"You should never be without a weapon," Oneakka told her with a heavy tone that would make anyone else cower away and not raise the subject again with him. Ever.
Seeal though, in an annoyingly predictable fashion, reacted differently. "That's not the point," she told Oneakka while letting out a loud frustrated sigh and rolling her eyes, mimicking Oneakka's earlier exaggerated reaction.
Halling switched his gaze to Oneakka to see how that would be greeted.
"The point is you're annoyed that you had to train with the broadsword," Oneakka told her simply.
"Because it slows me down and therefore is a weakness in a fight," Seeal argued. "Honoured Elite Halling?"
Halling snapped his eyes to her, surprised at her sudden reference.
"What do you think?" She asked, politely. He was almost more thrown by her politeness than her sudden attention.
"Which question?" He asked, not entirely sure what she and Oneakka were actually bickering about.
"Do you think it is better to have no weapon in a fight or to have one that significantly slows you down?" Seeal asked.
It was actually an interesting question.
Halling considered the woman across the cluttered table between them. The tablets and pads, empty food trays and cups all told of the last two hours spent around the table, and yet this was perhaps the first time today that he'd spoken directly with Seeal.
The last time he'd seen her had been at the Nest System battle and the many weeks since then had clearly had a dramatic effect on her. She looked far more at ease than she'd been on the Sythus, which was understandable, and the Facility was now her home and workplace. On the Sythus she had had a sense of wild danger to her that had told of her life living in treacherous places and in making bad choices, but now she appeared to have relaxed into a calmer state. There was still a raw sharpness to her gaze that some might find uncomfortable in its brutal assessment, but her dark eyes now held surprising patience as she waited for his answer.
Her time here in the Facility had also clearly improved her health, for her face had lost its wild animal edges and had softened to a healthier glow. There was also a new stronger line to her shoulders and arms which spoke of improved muscle mass, which was no doubt due to Oneakka's influence in her training. Oneakka was of the opinion that everyone needed more muscle.
"I would say," Halling replied, "that it would wiser to go without a weapon in that specific case."
The former Security Lead of Dreamstation grinned victoriously round at Oneakka. "See," she declared.
"But," Halling put in quickly, "our own bodies are weapons and therefore we are never truly without a weapon."
"Further agreeing with my point," Seeal nodded in agreement.
Oneakka rolled his eyes again and looked away.
"That sound you hear," Seeal added, learning towards Oneakka to pull his attention back to her, "is me winning this argument."
Halling switched his attention quickly to Oneakka, waiting to see how his friend was going to react to that provocation.
Oneakka glared at her, but there were no obvious signs of an impending explosion of anger.
Seeal smiled smugly and reached for her glass of water.
"You're still training with the broadsword," Oneakka told her. "To build strength."
She pulled a face at that suggestion, but she had taken a mouthful of water and couldn't immediately answer.
"That sound you hear," Oneakka told her quickly, "is me finishing the argument."
Halling was a little surprised at that comeback and at Oneakka's clear smug pleasure in delivering it. Halling felt Massa's elbow faintly touch against his. Halling looked round to see Massa smiling and, with a tilt of his head, indicating the two across the table.
If that was Massa's evidence of some fictional romance, then Halling was not convinced. Clearly Oneakka enjoyed some element of the bickering and he appeared relaxed sat with Seeal, but enjoying arguing with someone was hardly a sign of something romantic.
Oneakka had never had to struggle to draw a female eye, even after his facial scars. But, when Oneakka was occasionally interested in a female's attention, he usually pursued that interest quickly and decisively, and then it was over. Like any hunter, Oneakka focused on what he wanted, when he wanted it, and then moved on to the next focus of his attention. In Halling's opinion, if Oneakka was interested in being in Seeal's bed, he would have been there already and have returned to his Elite work quickly afterwards. That was simply Oneakka's way.
Massa's fabled idea that Oneakka might be 'smitten' over Seeal had no bearing in reality for Halling. Clearly the two had developed an unexpected mutual respect and enjoyed arguing with each other, but this was Oneakka.
Halling shook his head at Massa's eager smile, but Massa simply shook his head dismissively in return. As Halling looked away, he noticed that Madesh had seen the silent exchange between him and Massa, and Madesh smiled and glanced down to his drink clasped between his hands.
Unlike Seeal, Madesh was always respectful, quiet, and polite. Though he too had spent much of his life making wrong choices and dealing with the bad consequences, he had found a place here. In serving the Elite to help defeat the Wraith, Madesh was forging himself into a vital and useful man, even outside his unusual natural gift.
Aki shifted in Halling's arms, starting to fuss. Halling returned his full attention to the boy, bouncing him slightly in his arms, which usually worked. Except, he could see that Aki was actively resisting the urge to sleep now, fighting against forces out of his power; Halling felt considerable empathy for the boy.
Massa leant in, peering down at his son. "He gets like this every night now," he sighed. "Usually only walking round the Facility helps."
Halling began rocking and bouncing the boy some more, simulating the motions of walking as best he could. Aki stilled, succumbing a little.
Massa looked impressed. "You want to stay here permanently?" He asked with an eager smile.
Halling smiled but suspected the motions would not last on Aki, but, for now, he was happy to hold the babe for as long as possible. He could not soothe his own struggles all that effectively, but he could help Aki a little.
The arguing across the table had soothed as well though. Halling glanced across to the conversation Oneakka and Seeal were now having with apparent civility.
"What is it?" Oneakka was asking her.
"It's like kind of like a triple-headed axe with big jagged edges jutting out from the top and bottom edges of all the axe heads," Seeal answered while waving her hands through the air to demonstrate the weapon she was describing. "Apparently they used to tip the jagged edges with poison, but there was some story of a King who, while leading his people to a battle against his enemies, accidently poisoned himself on his own axe before the battle started."
"Where was this?" Oneakka asked.
"It's a moon, I think; I've never been there myself. They keep changing the name depending on who is the ruling King, or sometimes Queen," Seeal answered.
"You had one of the axes?" Oneakka asked her.
"I had to confiscate a load of them off some male warriors on Dream. The Stratfens, as they're commonly known, carry them around as a show of power. They didn't take kindly to me denuding them of their big manly axes," she grinned.
"What were they made out of?" Oneakka asked her next, clearly interested in the subject – hunting information with his usual single focus.
"Some sort of heat-treated iron-heavy element," she answered, the two appearing to be having an actual calm conversation.
"You never tried sparring with one?"
"Only once," Seeal replied. "I almost pulled my shoulder out of its socket. The Stratfens mostly just carry the things around, they rarely actually fight with them."
"Then the story of the King poisoning himself is wrong if they never actually use them," Oneakka pointed out the hole in her story.
"Maybe they just carried them to the battle to show off their strength," Seeal countered.
"Then why tip the edges with poison?" Oneakka challenged.
"My point is that I never saw them try and use the things, and some of the younger warriors looked like they could barely carry their oversized axes," Seeal responded, the argumentative tone having returned all too quickly.
"Maybe you never saw them fight with the axes because you confiscated them before they could be used," Oneakka suggested, seeming to be provoking another argument.
Seeal sighed heavily as she picked up her water glass again and glared round at Oneakka. "Does this mean that you're now going to go find one of the Stratfen axes just to prove me wrong?"
"No," Oneakka looked away, the lie very obvious. "It's going to be for research and for the Facility's weapons collection," he added.
Seeal snorted what sounded like a laugh at that as she drank down the last of her water and set the glass back onto the table.
"We should probably be leaving, Seeal," Madesh said from the other end of the table.
Aki was shifting in Halling's arms again, still resisting the rocking motions, which were getting a little tiring for Halling already. His arms had taken quite an ordeal with that sparring session earlier.
"Another music festival to ruin?" Oneakka asked Madesh.
Halling frowned at that, but Massa leant slightly in to report that "Yesterday evening, Seeal and a group from the Sythus started a mass brawl on a Satedan moon during a music festival." Massa then leant away again, clearly enjoying the subject.
"The Satedan security force started the brawl," Seeal quickly explained.
"We are not going to another festival this evening," Madesh supplied as he stood up from his seat. "A group of us are going to Myrtle's."
"Myrtle's?!" Oneakka repeated, looking alarmed.
"Wise choice; should be far safer than a Satedan festival," Massa noted to Madesh.
"Indeed, Honoured Elite," Madesh smiled politely to Massa.
"Don't start a brawl in Myrtle's," Oneakka told Seeal sternly as she stood up from her seat.
"I didn't start the brawl!" Seeal insisted to him.
"We are going to be late to meet the others if we do not leave now," Madesh said to Seeal, but Halling suspected the suggestion was also intended to prevent another argument from starting.
"Fine," Seeal muttered, clearly not pleased at the brawl comments, as she collected up her empty tray.
"Enjoy yourselves at Myrtle's," Massa said to the two, clearly finding something funny about it all.
"Thank you, Honoured Elite," Madesh bowed his head. "Honoured Elite Halling. Honoured Elite Oneakka."
"Stay out of trouble," Oneakka told them, but only Madesh nodded and agreed as the two headed away from the table.
Halling felt a subtle relaxation come over him at their departure. He far preferred being in simple Elite company of late. He rather wished that Teyla could be here as well, but that thought brought another rush of guilt for not having told her about Sitayi' prediction. If he survived the prophecy, he would tell Teyla everything, but, until then, everyone needed to be focused on their own lives and work.
He glanced across to Oneakka, his one confidant in it all. Oneakka was looking off towards the canteen exit though. Halling looked round; was Maja here to report the latest on the Amduat situation?
There was no sign of Maja though, only Madesh and Seeal putting their used trays and cups away for cleaning and heading towards the exit. Halling looked back towards Oneakka, only to see his friend glancing towards Seeal's empty seat, where her jacket still hung around the back of the chair.
"She forgot her jacket," Halling found himself noting out loud.
"She'll notice," Oneakka dismissed the issue.
Halling frowned at the jacket though. "Why does she even wear one? I thought she was immune to the cold?" He remembered that fact well considering what had happened on the Glisi homeworld – her homeworld. When all of them had been huddled cold even inside their thick coats, she had looked perfectly comfortable.
"She doesn't feel the cold but she likes to feel warm," Oneakka supplied.
Halling frowned at that strange little fact.
"Myrtle might not even let them in the club," Oneakka added.
"Oh Myrtle will let her in," Massa grinned.
Oneakka frowned across the table.
Aki grizzled in Halling's arms, his arms waving wildly. Halling had stopped moving as much and it had clearly been noticed. Halling quickly started up the rocking and bouncing combination again, but Aki didn't look convinced this time.
"Let me take him," Massa suggested, his dark hands coming into Halling's view of the boy. "Nothing will stop him now."
Halling handed the boy over to his father, the grumpy baby cries building in volume and intensity through the exchange. Massa made soothing noises to Aki and did the same rocking bouncing action, which seemed only to help a little.
Opposite Massa, Oneakka reached across to Seeal's former chair, picked up her jacket and then held it up and out from the table. Seeal abruptly appeared into view and took her forgotten clothing with a small comment that Halling couldn't hear over Aki' cries.
"I think I need to start walking," Massa decided as he started to get up with Aki. "I will see you both tomorrow for first meal?"
"Yes," Halling replied. "Sleep well," he suggested hopefully for both Massa and Aki.
"We shall see," Massa replied over Aki' crying and then headed away, following in Seeal's wake.
Halling watched Massa moving through the mostly empty tables and chairs, only to spot Maja entering the canteen as Seeal exited.
Halling sat up straighter, watching as Maja glanced around the canteen, her gaze pausing on the evening's food selection, but then moved on towards him. Her hunger ignored for now, the joint Security Lead of the Facility started through the tables, passing Massa and Aki on her way.
"Maja's here," Halling informed Oneakka without looking round, instead keeping his gaze on Maja, assessing as best he could as to whether she was bringing good news or otherwise.
"Honoured Elite," Maja greeted them as she reached their table. "Edfu informed me that you asked for any updates on the Amduat situation."
"Anything new?" Oneakka asked.
"Station 1641 has reported that their scout bot's communications have improved, as the yet unexplained radiation has dissipated somewhat, but the bot cannot proceed any further without losing contact."
"A recon mission then?" Oneakka guessed.
Maja nodded. "Station 1641 are programming the scout bot as we speak – it'll run a preset course further out towards Amduat, moving in close enough to scan the region far more effectively, but they will have to wait for its return to communication range to receive the data."
"Understood," Halling replied.
"If Amduat's coms systems are able to reach the bot," Maja continued, "they may be able to use the bot as a jump point for communications with Station 1641."
As long as everyone was well on Amduat.
"Have they given a time estimate for the bot's mission?" Oneakka asked.
Maja shifted her gaze to Oneakka. "The bot will have to navigate some difficult stellar terrain in a couple of points, but, all being well, the bot may return by end of tomorrow."
More waiting.
"Edfu or I will report anything else that we hear until that time," Maja stated.
"Thank you," Halling nodded.
She nodded back. "Honoured Elite," she said to them and then moved away.
Halling let out a heavy breath. He felt deeply tired again, more now than before.
The waiting would be continuing then.
"We'll hear soon," Oneakka optimistically predicted from across the table.
Halling simply nodded.
"One way or another," Oneakka added more grimly.
"I think then I'll retire to my quarters and get some sleep," Halling decided and stood up from his chair, his legs slightly stiff from the sparring.
"Okay," Oneakka replied, but there was a tone to his voice that suggested that he was worrying again.
"Wake me if you hear anything," Halling asked, it occurring to him that Oneakka might chose to keep uneventful news to himself to ensure that Halling slept through the night. Like he was little Aki needing care.
"I will," Oneakka agreed but he was looking off towards the empty canteen's exit with a slight frown.
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Teyla could not recall having spoken for so many hours in a day. Since the moment she had arrived in Atlantis she had been making polite conversation, answering questions and asking them. Everyone in Atlantis appeared ready to ask questions of her, which was pleasing in seeing how invested the people of Earth were about engaging with Elite and Alliance now. Perhaps it was also a reaction to the weeks long Conference on Athos and the open flow of conversation and discussion which had allowed the doors to open. Whatever the cause, she had found herself engaged in almost constant conversation since her arrival in the city.
Following her and Ketra's visit to Atlantis' Healing Bay – no, the "Infirmary", that was the proper name here. She needed to remember to start using the correct terms during her stays here. Though, the term 'Mess Hall' seemed somewhat strange to her, and she made a mental note to ask John again as to why his people would describe the place they eat as being related to mess. After her visit to the Infirmary, she had enjoyed a pleasant enough walk along one of the slightly windswept piers of Atlantis. Mr Woolsey and Professor Morgan had accompanied her and John, clearly eager to speak with her alone following the earlier trade meeting.
The two men had asked many questions about the Elite and how her fellow colleagues reached a consensus on important decisions and how they worked with the Alliance Military. In turn, she had asked about the structure of the IOA and its oversight over Atlantis. It had been an interesting and careful conversation on both sides, though John had remained mostly out of the discussion. Instead, he had kindly focused on watching over Ketra as they walked. Ketra had been rather cautious at first, but had started to explore the ledges and rises of the pier's structure with far more interest.
Following the walk, they had joined the others gathering for a banquet style meal held in her and Si' honour. The Leads of all of Atlantis' departments had attended, filling the sides of the long table. Si had selected to sit further down one side of the banquet table, sitting with some of the warriors he had met and sparred with through most of the day, as well as closer to Colonels Caldwell and Ellis. She knew that Si was intently curious about Atlantis and Earth's approach to battle and their long term plans in this galaxy. Assuming that the terms of trade was taken up by Atlantis, it would be important that they were a constructive force in assisting to help defeat the Wraith.
Leaving Si to such discussions, she had instead sat with the IOA representatives, Colonel Carter and General O'Neill; and so the conversations had continued all through the meal. It was worth the work though, for she had felt she was gaining some mutual respect with the mostly male members of Atlantis and the IOA representatives.
She was determined to properly embrace her role as John's Political Wife and Ambassador for the Elite and for Father and their people. In all his visits in Alliance space, John had always been approachable and polite, open to questions and always ready to share knowledge; so she planned to follow his example. She had answered all the questions she could and had asked all the questions she could think of in turn, working to build further understanding and mutual interest with those from Earth. Such soft talkative ways were not skills that she normally deployed in her Elite work, but she found that the approach came somewhat naturally, presumably from having spent so many years around Father and Elkaska. She had even caught herself saying things that she knew Father would say, and she had taken any opportunities to discuss considerations of trade in the Alliance, knowing Elkaska would be pleased.
In all, it had felt like a very satisfying and pleasing day. Though, somewhat tiring. So, it was with some relief for her when Mr Woolsey had stood and made a speech, thanking everyone for attending and extolling the virtues of the new contract. Afterwards, Colonel Carter had made a short speech welcoming Teyla and Si, and then reflected on the possible victorious days ahead of combined work to free the galaxy from the Wraith. Father would have thoroughly enjoyed the banquet and the words shared.
Colonel Carter had then thanked everyone anew and called an end to the banquet. Fortunately then the female City Lead had suggested that she accompany them on their walk back to their quarters, heralding the end of the long talkative day.
It was quite a pleasing walk back to the quarters, moving alongside Colonel Carter, Si and John walking behind them, and Ketra padding along beside John.
Ketra had spent most of the banquet on a thick pile of blankets that had been provided for her on the floor behind Teyla's chair. However, Ketra had mostly sat for the evening, watching everything with slightly anxious interest. It was rare for her to be surrounded by so many people, and especially those she did not know. John had, once again, taken it upon himself to care for Ketra while Teyla had her many conversations.
For her meal, Ketra had been provided with a sweet stew that the city's cooks had prepared for her. Apparently they had used Athosian flowers and prepared them in a mix with something called honey. Ketra had sniffed at the presented new food with some suspicion at first, but, after a brief tentative lick along the edge of the bright food bowl, she had proceeded to devour the stew in rapid speed. John had found the eagerness funny, up until Ketra had started to obsessively lick the bowl afterwards, squeaking it along the floor. John had confiscated the bowl up onto the table, but Ketra had simply stretched her long neck up and attempted to keep licking at the bowl. So, John had taken the bowl back to the kitchen, only Ketra had followed him, though probably it was the bowl that she had been following. It had taken a little while for John and Ketra to return, so she would have to ask him what had happened. Ketra had seemed more contented since then, having settled down on the blankets for the rest of the meal.
Now walking back to their quarters, Ketra still looked slightly more at ease, but was clearly still cautious about Atlantis. Hopefully it would only take a day or so for Ketra to properly relax here.
Looking up and away from Ketra padding through the Ancestral hallway, Teyla returned her attention to Colonel Carter and their conversation.
"I do hope he will visit," the blonde City Lead smiled.
"Father is very eager to visit this fabled city," Teyla replied as they walked at a gentle pace. "I believe he has chosen to wait until after my first official stay here."
Colonel Carter nodded with a smile. "I see. Should I issue an official invitation?" She asked.
"It is not expected of you, but it may encourage him to take up your offer more quickly," Teyla replied.
"Perhaps he could join you here on your next stay here," the Colonel suggested.
"I will suggest it," Teyla agreed with the plan, though she suspected that Father would be hoping to visit Atlantis far sooner than that. He had dreamed of visiting here all his life, even when Atlantis had once been considered little more than a legend. It was still a little strange for Teyla being here, walking where the Ancestors had actually walked. It made her think back to her childhood days on Athos and all the evening stories about the Ancestors. How many of those stories might actually have been true?
Teyla felt a faint brush against the back of one leg and glanced back and down to see that Ketra had pushed ahead of the men and was once again back behind Teyla's legs. Ketra glanced up with slightly worried eyes, so Teyla smiled down at her friend hoping to reassure her. Ketra glanced forward, around Teyla's legs, perhaps recognising the hallway they were in. The new quarters were just ahead, if Teyla remembered the route accurately.
"...if you do want to change anything in the week's agenda, just let me know," Colonel Carter was saying as Teyla looked back towards her.
"I am sure the agenda will be fine," Teyla assured the Colonel.
"I'm sorry that I can't join you for breakfast tomorrow," Colonel Carter added. "But, we're expecting guests in from off-world."
"You have important duties to attend to," Teyla assured her. "I entirely understand. Honoured Elite Si and I do not expect any preferential treatment during our stay."
"I'm hoping to join you both for your dinner with the IOA representatives tomorrow evening," the Colonel replied, glancing ahead.
They had reached the waiting guards outside Si' quarters and her own further down the corridor. Colonel Carter slowed to a stop and turned towards Teyla.
Teyla paused with her, though felt Ketra slightly bump into one knee as she did so. Teyla was almost certain that she heard John snigger. She glanced round, but found herself meeting Si' eyes. He lifted his chin just slightly. Years of working and fighting together, as well as a friendship built on decades together, meant that she knew immediately what he meant. He wanted to ensure that her quarters were scanned fully before she retired for bed, and no doubt they could share a quick discussion on how the day had gone. She nodded back a fraction and saw that he understood.
Teyla looked away to John, seeing that he had noticed the tiny exchange between her and Si. Teyla retuned her full attention to Colonel Carter.
"If there's anything that you need, please do not hesitate to contact me," the Colonel offered politely and with a very real looking smile.
"Thank you, Colonel Carter, for your hospitality and kindness today," Teyla replied, bowing her head slightly.
"We are really pleased to have you here," the woman replied, her manner becoming slightly more informal. "Honoured Elite," she offered and moved away, leaving John with them. Just behind John, Teyla noticed Major Lorne send her friendly smile before he turned to follow the Colonel away down the corridor.
"He'll be stationed just down the corridor," John supplied some information on the guard duties.
Teyla nodded, shifting her attention back to the corridor head and she led Si and John down towards her own quarters. The two Atlantis warriors on guard in the hallway, both nodded politely to her and Si, and she heard John exchange a few words with them as they passed.
Teyla reached the door to her quarters and waved her hand over the line of crystals. The doors slid open to reveal the room as she remembered it. Ketra pushed ahead, clearly recognising the room. Teyla followed her, aware of a weight sliding off her shoulders now that she was back here with just Si and John. Despite the relative casualness of the day, she could feel herself relax only now. She headed towards her things that she had left in here earlier, and set about removing her jacket and stunner. She had forgotten how warm the air was in Atlantis. She had removed her jacket during the meal, but decided that she would not bother wearing one again during the remaining stay. She would be more than comfortable in a simple top and trousers here.
As she checked her stunner's safety setting and set it down, she was aware of Si moving around the room, sensor pad in his hand. She had no doubt that the room was free from any surveillance equipment, but it was standard Elite procedure to check each time they returned to their quarters when off the Facility or on an Elite ship, and to then maintain a disruption field to prevent surveillance.
Behind her, she heard the doors to her quarters shut and John moving into the room. "That went well," he stated with some satisfaction, though she also heard a slight question in his voice.
She turned round to face him and the room at large; Si was leaning through a narrow door into the attached bathroom, scanning the room, and Ketra was once again snuffling at the edges of the room. Those two preoccupied, Teyla turned her attention to John.
"I think it went very well," she assured him. "You agree?" She checked.
"Yeah," he moved towards her, one shoulder lifting in that casual non-committal way he had. "No one was shouting or throwing anything."
She had to smile at that summary. "Is that how some of the meals in Atlantis can end?" She asked.
He stopped a polite distance from her, noticeably further away than when they were alone together. "You should see how things get on bingo night."
She understood it was a joke, but she was not sure of the meaning.
"It's a game, mostly played by older people," he explained. "They call out numbers and if you've got the number you-" he looked like he was confusing himself with his own explanation. "It's not important."
"Not as important as playing golf?" She guessed.
He grinned at that. "Exactly," he replied, his eyes bright and shining.
She felt a rush of affection and gratitude towards him, and not just in response to the subtle flirtation in his eyes. He had been a gentle and constant companion at her side today. During the banquet, he had not only watched over Ketra, but he'd assisted in the discussions at the table. He'd been at her side with a whispered explanation of an Earth reference, or just to add some conversation in, helping reduce some of the focus on her. He had nearly always been within earshot and had been every part the Political Husband here as he had been so effectively on Athos.
She had worried that some of the emotional awkwardness between them might become more apparent during her stay, but so far his presence had been nothing but helpful and she felt deeply grateful.
John glanced away from her. "You can scan in there too if you want," he said to Si.
Teyla glanced round to see that Si had reached the open adjoining door into John's quarters. Si nodded and disappeared through the doorway, sensor pad ahead of him.
Teyla glanced towards where Ketra had made her way around half of the room, still snuffling along the wall.
"What happened in the kitchen earlier, while you and Ketra were gone?" She asked John.
"She made more new friends in there," John replied, glancing round at Ketra too. "The two chefs still in there gave her some more of that sticky flower stew. I think she loves them now."
Teyla had to laugh at that. "She might just." She considered John a little more seriously. "I hope that I presented myself and the Elite appropriately today," she noted, hoping to gain his opinion. John would tell her honestly if she needed to alter her behaviour towards his superiors and the IOA.
John simply smiled though, his eyes sparkling again. "You were perfect," he told her, but it felt more like a compliment than a description of her manner during the meeting and banquet.
She smiled back, but she felt slightly unsure about how best to respond. She could feel the edge of awkwardness returning in the air. Why could it return so quickly and easily?
She became acutely aware that they were alone in the room, though Si was in the next room, and that her bed was right behind her knees.
She decided it was best to push on with the conversation about the day. "I was concerned not to appear too stern or aggressive," she shared with him almost abruptly.
"You were perfectly polite," John replied, though she sensed that his mood had also shifted. "You're always polite," he added quickly, appearing to be about to start babbling, as he often referred to it. It was evidence enough for her that he was also feeling somewhat uncomfortable.
He was trying to be nice to her though with his compliment, so she smiled back at him, hoping to keep the mood light and friendly. "Thank you," she told him.
"Well, you're obviously not polite when killing Wraith," he added as an afterthought.
She had to agree with that.
"Or when you're shouting," he babbled only to stop suddenly, realising the context of what he had said.
He winced dramatically, his teeth literally clenching together at his inadvertent reference to their fighting prior to their marriage. They had not spoken about those arguments for some time now, both choosing to stay away from the somewhat shameful behaviour of those heated exchanges.
She could see that he regretted his inadvertent comment, but it was said now.
A sound of boots moving on floor broke through the moment and she looked round to see that Si was stood in the adjoining doorway watching them.
"All good?" John asked Si, clearly latching onto a new conversation.
"All clear in there," Si reported to her and then switched his gaze back to John. "Why do you have a bag of metal sticks in there?" He asked.
Teyla looked to John.
"What?" John frowned at the unexpected question and started towards Si in the doorway.
"Over by the picture of the depressed man on the wall," Si pointed off into John's quarters.
"That's Johnny Cash," John explained with what sounded like exasperation as he reached Si' side and looked through into his own room. "Those are golf clubs," John explained to Si.
"The clubs are for fighting in this golf?" Si asked.
"No, it's a game; a sport really," John answered him. "You use the different clubs to hit a small ball along a pre-defined course that has a series of sand and water hazards to avoid."
"What happens at the end of the course?" Si asked.
"You putt the ball into a little hole," John answered.
"The first to do so wins?"
"Well, sort of," John explained, "there are usually 18 holes and it depends how many times each player hits the ball in order to putt the ball."
Si frowned at the strange and complicated rules.
"We've set up a driving range in the city, I'm gonna show Teyla – Elite Emmagan," John quickly corrected himself, "how to handle a club."
There was a faint pause between the two men.
"To use a club to hit a golf ball," John quickly explained further.
Si just stared back.
Teyla had to smile at Si' behaviour as she set about removing her holster and putting it with her stunner. There were two soft chairs across the room, so she headed towards one of them.
Ketra, having given up on her snuffling, padded towards her. Teyla could see that Ketra was most definitely looking tired now. As Teyla settled down into the soft Atlantis seat, Ketra sat on the floor, blinking sleepily as Teyla stroked her head and closest shoulder.
"Earth has strange sports," Si stated across the room.
"It'll make more sense when I show you how to use the clubs," John insisted.
Si, apparently happy that the sensor pad had shown nothing, was now heading towards Teyla and the empty soft chair. Teyla watched carefully as Si settled his very large muscular body down onto the somewhat small looking piece of furniture, but the chair held firm.
"So, I'll um," John uttered from the adjoining door and Teyla looked back towards him. She considered inviting him to join them, but then she did need to speak with Si alone before he left for his quarters. "I'll leave you two alone to compare notes," John stated, making the decision for her.
"Thank you, John," Teyla smiled towards him, making sure she did so that he would not continue to feel uncomfortable about having mentioned their past arguing.
He smiled back, clearly a little relieved. "I'll just be in here," he gestured towards his quarters behind him, "if you need me."
He frowned and glanced to Si.
"For any questions or help with anything" John added further. "Work related, obviously."
Teyla glanced at Si to see that he was simply looking towards John with his infamous pointed silence.
"I'll go," John decided and stepped back over the threshold into his quarters. "Night," he offered towards Teyla.
"Good night, John," Teyla replied to him before he closed the door. "Thank you for all your help today."
"Sure," John smiled as he reached out to the crystals on the other side of the door, and Teyla saw his eyes shift to Si as the door slid shut.
Teyla looked across to Si, giving him her own pointed look at his playing with John. Si shrugged his shoulders without apology. She was not concerned, for she knew Si respected John and approved of her choice of Political Husband.
Ketra let out a heavy sigh and slumped to the floor, curling herself up against Teyla's boots.
"How did the sparring sessions go?" Teyla asked Si, not having had the chance to ask how they had gone after she and Ketra had left the gym earlier.
"Good," Si reported as he settled back more comfortably on the small chair. She could tell that he was reasonably relaxed here, which told her a lot already. "A large number of their warriors attended, some from the Earth ships' crews."
"I spoke briefly with two of the warriors from the Daedalus," Teyla informed him. "They said that Colonel Caldwell had given permission for anyone to attend the gym in Atlantis while we are here."
Si nodded, clearly approving. "Most of them are skilled, some as much as Sheppard, but their more advanced fighters are called Marines."
Teyla nodded, John had mentioned them before.
"They have slightly more advanced skills," Si reported. "I still stand by my former assessment that they all still put far too much reliance on their projectile weapons."
Teyla nodded again. "Hopefully they will accept our terms of trade and energy weapons will assist them in that regard."
"They still need better training in hand-to-hand combat with Wraith," Si added, but the same was often the case for all outside of the Elite. "Colonel Carter has asked that I run training sessions starting tomorrow."
Teyla was pleased to hear that. "They value our skills," she smiled.
"If they're going to help defeat the Wraith, they need them. Did things go well in their Healing Bay?" Si asked.
"Yes," Teyla smiled. "We were able to run an Ancestor health scanner over Ketra and Atlantis' database had records of her species."
"Really?"
Teyla nodded as she reached down and stroked along Ketra's now silver coloured back. She wasn't asleep, but she was close to it.
"During the banquet this evening," Si reported, "there were a lot of questions about the Military Fleet."
Teyla looked up at him, feeling somewhat tired herself now. "I am not overly surprised," she replied. "I introduced John to many of the Fleet Commanders at the Nest System's victory celebration. Do you believe Atlantis is concerned about the Fleet's strength?"
"Possibly," Si replied, his eyes dropping to Ketra and then back up. "Their ships - the Daedalus and," he paused trying to recall the other Earth ship's name.
"Apollo," Teyla supplied.
Si nodded with recognition of the name.
"Apollo was apparently the name of an ancient god worshipped on Earth," Teyla supplied what John had told her. "Apparently he was an archer, protector, and musician," she added with a smile. John had made jokes about that combination.
Si considered that. "Apollo," Si repeated the name. "We are scheduled to tour one of the ships?" He checked.
"Yes," Teyla replied. "In two days' time, I believe. I will check the agenda Colonel Carter supplied us."
"Good," Si agreed. "I would recommend that we look to provide the same soon; perhaps a tour of the Ballista. It may help allay their fears of the Fleet," he suggested
"John has been aboard the Ballista, and he met Ronon," Teyla replied, liking the idea. "The Satedans will consider it a great honour for the Ballista to be the first Fleet ship officially shown to Atlantis."
Si nodded and looked away, taking in her quarters around them. "Are you comfortable with your quarters?" He asked, his study of the room ending on the closed adjoining door through to John's quarters, before he looked back at her.
She understood the layers to his question, and with others she might have felt a little self-conscious. Si was perhaps the wisest of any Elite she knew, and of most men she had met over the years, and she valued his opinion and his care for her.
"They are fine," she assured him, appreciating his brotherliness for her.
Si nodded, but it was a long drawn out nod as he studied her silently.
She was not overly certain what thoughts were moving behind his dark handsome eyes, but she waited for anything more he might say. If he asked her outright about her disquiet feelings at sharing quarters with John, she was not certain she could clearly express the ambivalence she felt in that regard. She liked that John was close by for her stay, but also felt a little restless as well. The sudden shift in her discussion with John only moments ago had proven that fact simply enough. She wondered how much of that exchange Si had witnessed.
"I will leave you then," Si stated and stood up, reasonably easily from the low soft chair.
Ketra snorted awake from her doze on the floor, sitting up as if an alarm had gone off.
"It is alright, Ketra," Teyla quickly reassured her as she too stood, though Si reached down and slid his large dark hand over Ketra's head. Ketra had always adored Si.
"Watch over her," Si stated, and Teyla wasn't certain whether he was speaking to her or Ketra.
"Our late meal tomorrow is with the Earth representatives," Teyla reminded him.
"The IOA," Si recalled the title.
"Yes," Teyla replied. "Though first meal will just be with John's team and General O'Neill, I believe."
Si nodded, clearly pleased with that. "I shall meet you outside our quarters when they call us tomorrow morning," he added as he moved away across her wide quarters for the door.
"I shall see you then," Teyla agreed.
"Sleep well, Teyla," he offered with a softer smile as he waved his hand over the crystals and the doors opened to the corridor outside. Teyla could see the Marine guard outside straighten and nod politely to Si and then to her as well.
"Good night, Si," she offered, and a moment later the doors shut.
And then she was alone.
Well, Ketra was with her. Teyla looked down to her companion, only to see that Ketra was moving sleepily away, heading towards the waiting large mattress of a bed set on the floor for her. With a sleepy sigh Ketra slumped down on the mattress and curled herself up.
Teyla smiled at her pet's exhaustion. She could understand it, for Teyla felt her own deep tiredness, but she also felt strangely alert as well.
She moved across to her own bed and set about quickly unpacking her things and placing her folded clothes into the drawers in the side unit near her bed. It felt a little strange to be alone in Atlantis now, after a day so full of words and people around her.
She glanced towards John's closed door.
Would he be turning in to sleep now? Or had he other duties he had to attend to before he could sleep?
She turned back to her bags and pulled out the last items, setting her pad down on the small table near the head of her bed. She pushed the empty bags under the bed for now, and found her attention drawn to the colourful blanket laid across her bed. She picked it up and shook it out, admiring the colours and design. It added some nice colour to the mostly empty room around her, and she paid it out across her plain bed.
She glanced at the time displayed on her pad, which showed both the time in Atlantis, on Athos, and Alliance standard time. She felt more than ready to retire to bed, but that edgy feeling remained.
Perhaps washing would help settle her. She picked up her large Athosian towel and bag of toiletries and headed across the room towards the bathroom door. Ketra didn't stir as she passed, so she left the dragon to sleep.
The bathroom was very clean and decorated in greens and blues. Someone had left a small vase of flowers in here as well as in the main room, which was a kind touch. She was familiar with how the Lantean showers worked here, so she shut the bathroom door and stripped off her clothes, drawing her fingers through her braids to free her hair. As she worked, she paused, aware of a scratching sound. It was coming from the door. She realised the obvious answer.
"No, Ketra," she called through the door, but then realised that the interior door was perhaps soundproof. She wrapped her towel around herself and triggered open the door.
Ketra was on the other side, pressed up close, big wide orange eyes full of worry.
"You were asleep moments ago," Teyla pointed out to her pet, stroking her hand over Ketra's head. "I will be out soon, just go back to your bed." She gently pushed Ketra back and the dragon sat down obediently.
Teyla triggered the door closed and moved towards the shower unit. The scratching started again, more aggressively this time.
Teyla sighed as she waved her hand over the crystal for the door and Ketra was once again revealed.
"I am simply taking a shower," Teyla told her. "Which I do all the time and you are perfectly fine alone."
Teyla considered leaving the bathroom door open, but then someone could enter her quarters without her hearing them and she did not want to risk that when she was naked and without a weapon. She doubted such a problem would occur here in Atlantis, but then that assassin had climbed into John's quarters that time before...
Ketra decided for her though, for the dragon pushed into the small bathroom, snuffling at the floor.
"Very well," Teyla conceded and triggered the door closed. "You will have to put up with the humidity."
She pulled off her towel, set her toiletries on the little shelf inside the shower unit and stepped over the raised edge. There was a transparent door that she closed, and she triggered on the water. It was gloriously warm and the pressure was instantly refreshing.
A light bang to her right made her look round sharply to see two lizard feet against the door and a large dragon snout pressed in-between them.
"Ketra, down!" Teyla ordered over the water. "You are not coming in here with me."
Ketra's feet disappeared, but Teyla could still see Ketra's profile through the door, the dragon's head moving as if she was looking from the closed bathroom door to the shower and back.
Teyla washed quickly and, fortunately, was not interrupted again. As she stepped out of the shower, she had to push Ketra out of the way, for the dragon took up most of the space in the tiny room and clearly wanted reassurance. Ketra's eyes were still sleepy, but clearly worried too. Hopefully this separation anxiety was going to pass quickly.
As Teyla picked up her towel off the side railing, she discovered that it had been warmed through already by the railing. The warmth released the smells of Athos as she wrapped the towel around her and started to dry herself.
Mostly dry, and Ketra taking up far too much of the bathroom, Teyla triggered open the bathroom door. She took a moment to peer out first though, just in case someone had chosen to visit her quarters while she was in the shower.
Or that perhaps John had opened the adjoining door to check on her.
The quarters were empty though, and the adjoining door was shut.
Ketra padded through the bathroom door first, heading back towards her mattress with no further worries. Perhaps it was just a closed door that bothered Ketra.
Teyla headed towards her bed, but paused as she passed by the small kettle and mugs that John had organised for her in here. On impulse, she picked up the kettle and headed back into the bathroom. She was quickly able to find the button to release the top of the kettle and she added what had to be enough water into it and headed back to the table. She set the kettle back down into its holder. There was a switch on the side, so Teyla pressed it and a little red light came on. That was presumably good.
She turned back to her bed and, as she finished drying herself and pulled on her bedclothes, he could hear the kettle bringing the water slowly up to a boil. By the time it was pouring out steam and the little red button went off, she had returned to the table with the pot of loose Athosian tea she had brought with her.
She considered pulling the soft chair over, but it would be too high, so she settled down onto the floor by the low table and prepared the tea. She would have to remember to bring a pillow for her next visit, for the floor was cooler than she had expected. As the tea steeped, she rose and headed back to the bed and collected up the bright blanket. She wrapped its soft warmth around her and settled back by the tea table, settling herself.
Silence fell around her, Ketra's soft breaths barely audible across the room.
A strange sense of something stirred in Teyla's middle, something old and not felt for long time.
It took her a few moments to realise what it was, and why it was so old.
It had been a long time since she had felt homesick. Not since her first days in the Elite Training Facility having left her family.
Teyla leant forward and drew in the aromatic steam rising up from her tea, and remembered doing the same back then. Only back then she hadn't known if she would ever see her family ever again.
She was hardly alone here, hardly lost from her family now, but she felt the same old feelings stir in her middle while sat by herself in the alien city silent around her.
Ketra's breaths shifted, and Teyla looked round to see that Ketra was once again pulling her sleepy body up off her mattress. Teyla watched as Ketra padded across the quiet room to her side, and the dragon slumped down next to her.
"You are more comfortable back there," Teyla whispered quietly as she stroked Ketra's warm heavy head as it settled on his leg. Ketra didn't seem to mind though for her eyes slid shut and she let out a long and sleepy breath.
Teyla smiled, feeling oddly emotional again at the kind support of her friend. She wasn't alone, despite the feelings in her heart.
And despite the closed adjoining door across the room.
She glanced towards the door, considering the conflicting thoughts and feelings, but finally looked away back to her lone cup of tea.
00000
TBC