John glanced back at the rear of the jumper when he heard clumping footsteps and the swishing sound of waterproof fabric rubbing back and forth as Rodney entered the jumper bay the next morning. He turned back to the console and grinned as he heard McKay grumbling as he entered the shuttle, his coat unfastened and a pair of snow goggles dangling from the strap around his neck.
"Maybe we should try our luck on Dagan instead," Rodney said as he half sat, half fell into the co-pilot's chair, the heavy waterproof boots making him clumsy. "Chances are it has to be warmer than Lurra."
"How did you ever survive growing up in Canada?" John asked with a smile as Ford and Teyla joined them.
Rodney scowled at him as he tried to get comfortable in the chair. "I told you once before I endured winter. Besides," he added as he pulled off his gloves and punched the 'gate address for Lurra into the console between them, "Toronto temperatures rarely dropped lower than five below."
Ford snorted as he settled in the seat behind John. "That sounds pretty cold to me, Doc."
John laughed as the jumper lifted off and the automatic systems dropped them down into the gateroom. "He's using Celsius, Lieutenant. That would be about twenty-three degrees Fahrenheit."
"Oh," Ford replied.
John saw Elizabeth standing on the balcony in front of the control room, her hands on the railing. "John, good luck," she said over the radio.
John gave her a wave out the windscreen as the jumper pivoted and entered the event horizon.
Snow billowed up around them, obscuring their view, as they came through the 'gate on Lurra. John heard Rodney grumble something as he pulled back on the control sticks and hovered above the 'gate. Stark was the first word that came to mind as John banked the jumper into a slow turn and they had their first look at the planet.
The few trees in the distance were leafless with black trunks, their spindly branches were a contrast to the brilliant white snow on the ground. He didn't see any evidence anyone had recently visited the stargate, the snow was unmarred by footprints. Without trying to walk through it, it was hard to tell how deep the snow was, but John didn't see any evidence of grasses or low plants and suspected the snow had to be at least a foot deep.
The sky was grey and overcast with thin watery sunlight peeking through the clouds. As the jumper slowly rotated, John saw a line of darker clouds building on the horizon.
"Oh, very nice," Rodney groused as he looked out the windscreen. "Can't understand why everyone doesn't move here."
"You are not seeing the planet at its best," Teyla replied. "At the height of summer, everything is green, the weather is warm, the trees full of fruit. The people in the village have learnt to mine metals from the mountain and are skilled artisans and craftsmen as well as hunters and farmers."
John looked out at the bleak landscape and had to admit he agreed with Rodney. "Anything from the scanner?" he asked as he pointed the nose of the jumper toward the sky and they flew above the trees, heading toward the mountains in the near distance.
Rodney fumbled at his vest pockets and pulled out the Ancient scanner. He powered it on and tapped at the screen. "I've got life signs," he reported. "A large group near the mountains straight ahead -"
"That would be the main village," Teyla said.
"Another smaller group about ten kilometers to the east." He glanced behind him at Teyla.
"That is likely one of the hunter's camps," she replied. "There are several animals the Lurrans hunt for meat. The skins are used to build temporary shelters and make clothes. Even if we cannot find the ZPM, it might be worth talking to Yev about a trade for food."
"Yev?" Ford asked.
"She is the leader of the village."
John nodded. "Not a bad idea."
Rodney tapped the screen again. "The rest of the readings are scattered, probably animals."
"You said you could configure the scanner to find the ZPM," John said with a glance over at Rodney.
"Yes, but the Zed-PM is small, the elements are going to be trace amounts. I've refined the scanner as much as I can, but we still need to be close to it before the scanner will pick anything up."
"Great," John grumbled as he piloted the jumper toward one of the clusters of life readings. "You kind of left that part out. Teyla, you said you knew these people?"
"Yes, Major, I have traded with them many times."
"Never had any problems?"
He caught a glimpse of Teyla shaking her head. "No. They are good people."
"All right, I'll drop you and Ford off at the village ahead. Rodney and I will go on the to hunter's camp. See what information you can find about where the ZPM might be hidden." He glanced over at her. "And if the opportunity comes up, ask about trading for food, too."
"How are we supposed to find out anything on something hidden thousands of years ago?" Ford asked as he zipped up his coat and buckled the tabs.
"Ask about stories," Rodney suggested. "Chances are anything these people know will be wrapped up in myths."
"We'll meet you back here in a couple of hours to compare notes," John added as he landed the jumper in a clearing. Snow billowed up around them as the jumper settled and John waited a few moments for the tiny particles to drift down again before he opened the rear hatch.
A blast of frigid air shot through the shuttle and Rodney grabbed for his gloves as Teyla and Ford adjusted their snow goggles over their eyes, pulled up the hoods of their coats, and headed out the rear door.
John closed the hatch once they were clear and watched as they trudged through calf-high snow to the treeline where he could see a thin trail of smoke climbing into the air. He watched as one of the red-clad bodies turned back and waved before disappearing into the trees.
John glanced up at the sky as he lifted off and headed in the direction of the camp. "We might want to speed this up," he said with another look up at the sky. "The weather looks like it could turn soon."
"Just what this planet needs, a blizzard," Rodney muttered.
John glanced over and shook his head then checked the HUD and pointed the jumper in the direction of the hunter's camp.
~*~*~*~ SGA ~*~*~*~
Teyla followed in Ford's footsteps as he broke a trail through the creaking, crunching snow that came up to her knees. There was an occasional soft thump as snow fell off a branch. Otherwise, there was nothing but silence. She had never been on Lurra during the winter before. Halling or her father made a few trips during the cold months to trade for meat or skins, but she'd never made the winter trip herself. She silently agreed with Rodney that being cold was not something she enjoyed even with the expedition issued winter gear.
She looked around trying to find a landmark she recognised in the snow-covered woods between the stargate and the village. She spotted the mountains slightly off to their right, skipped forward a few steps, and tapped Ford on the arm. When he didn't respond, she tugged harder.
Ford stopped and turned around. She couldn't see his eyes behind the snow goggles but could read the question in his body language.
"The village should be just over there," she told him and pointed slightly to their right.
He nodded and adjusted course.
Ten minutes later, they stopped at the edge of the village made up of several stone buildings. Teyla looked around but there was no one outside who could tell them whether or not Yev was in the village or the camp. She shivered as a gust of wind blew past and concluded anyone in the village would want to be near a warm fire and not out in the blustery weather.
She pointed toward the far end of the village. "That is the pub. It is the most likely place to find someone who could direct us to Yev."
Someone had tried to remove the snow from the main street. Ford helped her step over the deep drifts near the edge of town and they walked side-by-side down the cobbled main road toward the long low building at the far end of the village.
Teyla led the way through the small space dug into the berm of snow outside the low building and stopped outside the door. She stamped the snow off her boots and trousers as best she could then led the way inside. Warmth and the smell of roasting meat wafted out the door as she entered with Ford on her heels.
Several heads turned to look toward the door as Ford pulled it closed behind them. Teyla lowered her hood, opened her coat, and let the goggles hang around her neck as she looked around the room. The men and women seated at the assorted tables wore at least two layers of shirts, one tight against the skin while a second was longer and loose, thick leggings made of some sort of brown leather, and high boots. Several also wore fur-lined leather vests and every chair was draped with a leather coat lined with more fur.
"Teyla! By my eyes and ears! What are you doing here?" a big bear of a man roared from behind the bar. "We heard about Athos and thought the worst."
"Hello, Teg," Teyla said with a smile as she grasped Teg's outstretched hands in hers. "It is good to see you well. This is my friend, Aiden," she added, nodding to Ford standing beside her, his own hood and goggles off. "We have come from Atlantis."
Several of the men and women in the pub stood and offered their hands or gave Teyla hugs. She noticed Ford nervously watching the crowd and reached out to squeeze his hand. "They are good people," she whispered to him before another woman pulled her into a hug.
Once the joyful greetings were out of the way, most of the people in the pub returned to their own conversations and Teyla and Ford turned back to the bar.
Teg pulled two mugs down from a shelf and filled them with a dark beer from a tap. He handed each of them a mug, filled his own, and held it up. "To unexpected meetings," he said with a smile.
Teyla held her mug up for the toast. Ford hesitated a moment before he followed her lead. She smiled at Teg then Ford and took a swallow of the beer. "As good as I remember it," she said and set the mug down.
"I was able to trade for some new malt," Teg told her. "Did Halling …"
Teyla nodded. "Halling is well," she told him. She put a hand on Ford's arm. "We are all well, thanks to Aiden and his people. They have awakened the city of the Ancestors and saved my people from the Wraith."
Teg turned to Ford and held up his mug again. "Good fortune to you and your people, Aiden," Teg said and knocked his mug against Ford's. Teg took a long swallow of beer. "Tell me before you leave, I will put up a keg for you to take back with you."
Teyla swallowed more beer and nodded.
"But you aren't here to drink my beer, are you," he said with a knowing look as he set his mug down.
"No. There is something I need to discuss with Yev. I was not certain if she would be here or at the camp."
Teg nodded and jerked his head to his left. "She's in her office," he told her. "Go on through."
"Thank you, Teg," Teyla said as she finished her beer and turned toward the door on the other side of the pub.
"The village leader conducts business from the local pub?" Ford asked in a whisper as he followed her across the room to a narrow door.
Teyla shrugged. "It is the pulse-point of the village. Everyone comes here and everyone knows Yev can be found in this room."
Teyla knocked, then opened the door and stepped into the room. A desk and chair backed against a frost-covered window opposite the door and a long sofa and two chairs sat on either side of the fireplace in the corner of the room with a long oblong table between them.
A woman with brown hair braided in a crown around her head looked up from the book she was reading when the door opened. She set the book on the desk and stood.
Teyla smiled as she strolled across the room to the desk. "Yev, how are you?" she asked as she grasped Yev's hands.
"Teyla Emmagan, I am surprised and pleased to see you! We had heard Athos was culled and no one survived."
Teyla let go of Yev's hands and forced down the dart of sorrow. "Many of us survived, thanks to our friends from Atlantis," she said and nodded to Ford. "This is Lieutenant Aiden Ford. He is a member of a group of people who have reclaimed the Ancestor's city."
Yev smiled at Ford and held out her hands. He grasped them awkwardly. "Welcome, Lieutenant Aiden Ford," she said.
"Thank you, ma'am," Ford said with a smile of his own. "Aiden is fine, ma'am."
"In that case, Aiden, you may address me as Yev." She gave Ford's fingers another squeeze.
Yev let go of Ford's hands and gestured to the sofa next to the fire. "Let us sit and you may tell me what brings you to Lurra."
Teyla and Ford sat on the sofa, Yev took one of the chairs on the other side of the fireplace. Teyla heard a soft knock on the door, then Teg entered with a platter of dried meat and fruit as well as plates, napkins, mugs, and more beer. He set the items on the table between them, and with a nod to each of them, left again, closing the door behind him.
"Please," Yev said as she held out the platter. "The meat is smoked hreindyr, the fruit is dried orangello."
Teyla took several pieces of the meat and fruit and made a mental note to warn Rodney about the potential for citrus when he and John returned to the village.
Yev waited until they had taken a few bites then asked, "Are you here for trade, Teyla? I thought Halling usually came in the winter. You made it clear as a child you did not enjoy our cold weather," she added with a smile.
Ford grinned over at her. "Do not tell Doctor McKay," she said, the warning clear in her tone when she saw the mischief dancing in his eyes.
Ford laughed and drank more beer.
"We have recently learned the Ancestors may have hidden something on Lurra that could help defend Atlantis from the Wraith," Teyla said to Yev, ignoring Ford as he tried to stifle his laughter.
Yev frowned. "What sort of object would the Ancestors simply leave behind and why leave it here?"
"It is a powerful crystal," Teyla said. "We believe the Ancestors were trying to protect Atlantis many years ago and hid these crystals until they could return. These people," she pointed to Ford, "are descendants of the Ancestors. If we can find the crystal the Ancestors kept hidden here, it is possible they may be able to defeat the Wraith once and for all."
Yev sat back in her chair. "You are sure such a crystal is hidden on Lurra?"
"Yes," Teyla replied. "The source for this information was certain it would be here. Can you think of anything, any old stories or legends that spoke of the Ancestors and such a crystal?"
Yev steepled her fingers together and rested her chin on her hands. "There is one story, about an old woman who lived in the mountains, long ago. Long before this village existed." She turned to Ford. "At one time my people lived in the mountains, not in the flatlands. The Wraith could not find us then, and the caves were deep.
"The woman lived in a cave in a valley high in the mountains. Hunters would bring her meat and wild fruit. In exchange, she would heal simple wounds. It is also said she could foresee attacks by the Wraith, giving the people enough time to hide in the caves to escape the cullings." She looked from Teyla to Ford. "The stories never say the woman was one of the Ancestors or anything about a crystal such as you describe. It's a story we tell to children before bed."
"McKay did say any clues we might find would be in old stories," Ford murmured in Teyla's ear.
Teyla nodded and said to Yev, "Is there anything else you can tell us about the woman or where she supposedly lived?"
Yev shook her head. "There are several versions of the story. Some say she lived in a cave not far from here. Others claim it was farther away, on the other side of the mountains. Some versions of the story state she lived near the sea and not in the mountains at all."
Ford frowned. "Well, it was worth a shot," he said as he finished his dried meat.
"I regret I cannot be of better help, Teyla," Yev said.
Teyla smiled. "There is no reason to apologise. Hopefully, our friends have had better luck."
"Friends?" Yev asked.
"Yes. Two others from Atlantis have a flying ship. They went up to the hunter's camp to see if anyone there had any suggestions on where we might look for the crystal."
Teyla saw Yev's open expression change to concern before she was finished speaking.
"What's wrong?" Ford asked before Teyla could say anything.
Yev stood and walked to the window. "You say they are in a flying ship?"
Teyla followed her to the window, Ford on her heels. "Yes. Is there some danger?"
Yev pointed out the window. The sky, which had been grey when they'd arrived, was now dark with heavy clouds hanging low against the mountains. "There is a storm coming," Yev explained.
"How serious is this storm?" Ford asked.
Yev looked over at him, her eyes sad. "This time of year the snows can last for days. Teyla, if your friends do not return soon …"
Teyla ducked her head as she looked out the window at the looming clouds.
"Major Sheppard is an expert pilot," Ford said from behind her. "I'm sure they'll be fine."
Teyla wondered if he was trying to convince Yev or himself. She felt a shudder down her spine as she watched a strong gust of wind blow snow across the window and rattle the glass in the window frame.