Coronel Sheppard and Teyla joined Major Lorne and Ronon in the botany lab. "Have we had any luck making contact?" The military leader asked looking around and touching one of the flowering plants near his elbow.
"No, apparently our new friend isn't too happy being here." Lorne answered when Ronon didn't respond.
"Perhaps it would be best to start by finding out what frightened her back in the control room." Teyla offered. "Ronon?"
Without moving from his spot against the wall, the giant motioned with a sweep of his arm, a type of 'go ahead' gesture. "Alright," Sheppard began but that was as far as he got.
A genuine smile lit up the Athosian woman's face as she watched her friend's features go blank. Clearly he had no idea where to begin. "Aria do you remember me? My name is Teyla. I believe all of us have had a grave misunderstanding. Perhaps if you were to come out we could start over."
There was movement in some of the vines near the back of the room, but no one caught a glimpse of their skittish guest. "I'll give your little friend one thing, she sure knows how to play hide and seek." Major Lorne thought allowed as he watched the plants still with no visual on the tattooed woman. There was a sense of awe lined in his words.
"We do not wish to harm you we only wish to talk with you, to help you." Teyla tried again. Tentatively she walked to the center of the middle aisle with her hands held out in peace. "Please all we seek is friendship."
Everyone was so focused on where the leaves had moved that no one noticed Aria come out of hiding until she punched Ronon in the arm. Her anger was clear in her quick and emphasized hand gestures as those small and slender hands flew. You trouble greater you worth. You think before act? I never want come here. Now I stuck. I want leave. I not understand. Curious, you trust them how? Weird birds without wings, they have them, same Wraith. Wraith guns, they use them. Only Wraith know collar. But curious, I talk you why? You not understand me. You never understand me.
"Wait, wait, wait, back up. What are the wingless birds she's talking about?" Major Lorne asked when the agitated woman's hands finally stopped moving. "And I don't know what this means," he paused to imitate the way she placed a hand over her chest with the fingers splayed, "but our guns are stunners because we don't want to hurt you. As to whatever's on your neck, I guess we just figured out you were aware of it." Everyone turned to look in the Major's direction. "What? My little sister back on earth was deaf."
Aria stopped dead in her tracks, frozen with shock. Every ounce of anger, rage, and fear completely vanished leaving only curiosity in its place. Without warning, Major Lorne found himself uncomfortably close to the quiet woman. From behind her very dark goggles, she studied the strange soldier. You understand me?
Everyone watched Aria's slow deliberate hand gestures. "I can make a guess." Lorne took a half a step back.
Disbelief was written all over the skittish woman's face. You understand me. No one understand me.
"I'm gonna go out on a limb here, and take it not many people use sign language in this galaxy?" The Major stated to the group rather then asked.
Teyla turned to face Cornel Sheppard, "Do you think there is any way for Rodney to run his tests here in the botany lab?" The Athosian woman had wanted to take advantage of the calming effect the change in location had on their skittish guest. Unfortunately the moment the word 'tests' was uttered, Aria started to freak out. Her hands became a flurry of signs and gestures. There was a since of urgency to the motions, almost like begging.
She repeatedly placed her right hand over her chest with splayed fingers along with many other gestures, and suddenly Ronon realized what was going on. "Take the stunners outside." He growled stepping forward filling the frightened woman's vision. The panicked hand movement slowed until they finally stopped altogether. With a raised eyebrow, the giant ex-runner tapped his nose. Aria crossed her arms over her chest. She didn't need to sniff the air. She could see the Wraith guns. Ronon tapped his nose again. "Do you smell Wraith?"
"John I think she has only been exposed to Wraith technology." Teyla slowly lowered her stunner to the floor. Taking a step away from it, "Ronon does she think this place is connected in some way to the Wraith?"
Cornel Sheppard looked from one Atlantian guest to the other. "I'm beginning to see that. Hey why don't we all go back down to the conference room, we can sit down and have a nice conversations about how much we all hate the Wraith and get to know each other a bit."
Cocking her head to the side, the odd looking young woman studied Sheppard. There was something in the way he spoke that made Aria want to consider the request but there was still a question that was burned in her mind. 'Why did humans need Wraith Weapons?' After a moment the goggled gaze shifted to the giant before her. Irritation tugged at the corner of her mouth. A strange breeze ruffled the mud colored headband. After a frustrated sigh, Aria closed her eyes behind her goggles and slowly turned in place.
With every deep breath thousands of oddly mysterious scents tickled her keen noise. Ignoring the few familiar plants and the strong earthy musk of Ronon, there was still hundreds more to sift through. Despite how much this place appeared to resemble the frightening life sucking creatures, she could pick up no distinct sent or trace of the Wraith. In fact, once she stopped relying on her eyes the strange metal forest began to take on its own individual feel. Not quite a Wraith facility, not quite a human settlement or village, but something curiously new.
Teyla watched the new comer to Atlantis, however there was something she wanted to know. "Aria repeated this gesture many times." Looking up at her once captor, Teyla placed her right hand on her chest mimicking the way the young woman with goggles had done.
"It means Wraith." Ronon interrupted before his former captive could ask.
Fine, we talk. Only talk. Aria finally signed.
"Major?" Sheppard asked.
"She said yes to the talking sir."
"Good, that's good." The charismatic military officer motioned for everyone to exit the lab.
End Chapter 8
