Chapter 4

Fruit and Fire

'No! Really, I can't, I'm not, I'm injured! So, dancing isn't going to be –' Try as he might, Sheppard could not stop the two girls pulling him into dancing around the fire. Ronan laughed at his awkward movements.

The Festivities had begun at dusk, a large fire had been lit in a space behind the meeting hall, and all of the villagers had congregated there. Drums, pipes and horns were played whilst a healthy amount of the women were dancing, some around the fire itself. Ronan leant on a long table absolutely covered in food. Fresh fruit and shredded Pig recently cooked on a spit. To his left at the end of the table were two large pottery vessels, one of mead, and the other an even stronger and more lethal substance the Sussearans called "Gridnak."

Ronan chuckled as Sheppard stumbled, casting the girls a sheepish grin. They laughed and pulled him on. As Sheppard came round, the girls skipping merrily to the beat of the music, he glared at Ronan, mouthing to him to "get me out." Ronan raised his eyebrows and smiled. John scowled at him as the ring went round again.

Ronan surveyed the happy scene as the darkness became absolute, the roaring glow of the fire the only source of light apart from the stars. He munched a fruit much like an apple, glancing round at the buildings. If they wanted to, they could easily get back to the Gate without anyone noticing, he had suggested as much to Sheppard. But John had seemed absolutely sure that there was a reason to stay, a reason he hadn't shared although it clearly troubled him. Ronan knew half of it was because they were surrounded by scantily clad women, but the other half was something more. When he was ready, he would share. Until that time, Ronan was content in letting him suffer in the endless skipping around the fire.

Ronan felt a presence at his side and turned to see Rodney tearing into the fruit on the table. He grabbed a handful of fruit and shoved it in his mouth. Carson gaped.

'I think I lost my appetite.' He turned from the food, while Mckay giving a Homer noise of approval, narrowed his eyes at him.

'Cloze to tweney four ourz wivvout food, Carzon, I'm luckee vat I haven' passed ou' wiv manlee 'unger.' He said defensively, shoving his nose in the air and continuing his hunt down the long table for sustenance. 'Ooh! Is that pork?' He was away.

'Lovely.' Carson muttered, the image of half eaten food rolling around the mans molars still fresh in his mind. Carson rubbed his eyes and reached for a banana-like fruit, stripping the skin to reveal a blue centre. He raised his eyebrows. Ronan grinned. Carson took a timid bite, slowing for a second, and then nodding and chewing more vigorously. 'Tastes like strawberries and cream.' He smiled. Ronan frowned.

'Cream?'

Carson paused. 'Aye. You can't have been on Atlantis this long and not tried strawberries with cream?'

Ronan shrugged, turning his attention back to the dance.

Rodney returned looking sickly, gripping his stomach and covering his mouth. Carson watched him carefully, his medical senses tingling.

'What's the matter with you?' He asked, stepping forward.

Rodney paused, taking a breath before focusing his gaze on the Doctors face. 'Not pork.' He retched. 'Snake.'

Carson peered over his shoulder. 'That's a bloody big snake – it's the size of a tree!'

'One of the women said they store pieces down by the river-' Ronan informed, Rodney clutched his stomach again. 'Apparently it lasts for months, they take their young warriors to hunt for them as training – apparently gutting the snake is an art in itself.' Rodney closed his eyes breathing deeply. Ronan grinned. 'Tastes like chicken.'

Rodney's eyes snapped open. 'What, you tasted it? As in put it inside your mouth? That is disgusting.' Rodney scowled at him.

'It's slightly chewy, they have a separate bowl for the stomach lining – apparently they can make a kind of meaty sausage with it.' Ronan said to Carson. Rodney made a noise of disgust and turned away.

'I think I just became a vegetarian.' He whined. Carson smiled at Ronan.

'Just put your head between your legs, Rodney, you'll be fine.' Rodney did so, slumping to the ground. Carson turned to watch the dance. 'They're a lively bunch, I'll give them that.' Carson paused, standing straight, moving slightly to get a better view. 'That's not…no, it can't be-'

'Yup.' Ronan nodded with a wide grin. 'Sheppard dancing.'

Rodney shoved himself to his feet quickly, jerking his head to the fire. 'Where?'

The scientist caught sight of the Colonel being tugged around the fire by a small blonde wearing a short green skirt. He was smiling on and off when he thought she was looking, but made the effort to keep up. He came round the fire looking for Ronan again and his eyes went wide. Rodney gave a little wave with his mouth slightly open. Sheppard shut his eyes as he went round again. Rodney's face broke out into an awkward smile.

'He's dancing.' He pointed out.

'He's obviously feeling better.' Carson commented, smiling.

'He's dancing.'

'Yes, Rodney, the man is gaily skipping around a large fire, which I would have thought was slightly dangerous-' Carson began.

'No, no, no, no, no! You don't know what this means!' Rodney turned to him with glee in his eyes.

Carson sighed. 'It means you can taunt him to the end of his days.'

'Absolutely.' He chuckled cruelly. 'Give us a twirl, Colonel!' He called delightfully as John came round again. He scowled at the Scientist, and usually Rodney would be put off, but there was a strange happy feeling making him oblivious to the "danger" look.

'I didn't think he'd be so active for a long while, a head injury like his. Their shaman must have worked wonders.' Carson frowned slightly, thinking how he'd like to get a look at their medicine.

'Where were you?' Ronan asked, grabbing another piece of fruit.

Carson faced him with a frown. 'What do you mean?'

'Before coming here, what were you two doing? Haven't seen you since this morning.' He began munching.

Carson's eyes went wide and the grin fell from Rodney's face. Ronan was bombarded with answers not exactly giving him the information he seeked.

'We were nowhere, just around, mostly, in the village…'

'There was some work we had to do after, nothing major…'

They both stopped abruptly catching each others eye.

'Why do you ask?' Rodney gulped.

Ronan shrugged, seeing that he had stepped into something with a little more to it than the question suggested. 'Curious.'

'Well, we know what curiosity did the cat now, don't we Carson?' Rodney blurted, turning to the Doctor.

'Yes, indeed Rodney.' Carson nodded emphatically.

Ronan looked between them. 'Okay.' He said simply, not overly bothered with their strange behaviour.

The two men looked at each other with nervous eyes before turning to the table and shoving something large in their mouths.

Ronan watched Sheppard whisper something in the blonde girl's ear and she smiled, nodding at one of her sisters dancing next to her while looking over to the three men at the table. Ronan frowned as the brunette emerged from the circle, bounding up to them. Carson merely stared while Rodney seemed overly preoccupied with his fruit.

She breathed heavily, smiling at them. 'Which one of you is Ronaldey?' She asked, looking between them.

The three men exchanged glances, Carson and Ronan smiling cheekily. Rodney took a huge bite of his fruit giving him extraordinarily large cheeks.

She cocked her head trying to figure it out when Sheppard came back round and yelled. 'The small one on the left.'

Rodney dropped the fruit to the floor and glared at the Colonel with all the fury his chipmunk cheeks could muster. 'I am not small.' He shrieked, then paused, grinning sheepishly at the girl. She smiled mischievously and grabbed his hands. 'Oh God.' Rodney muttered as he was pulled into the dance.

Ronan and Carson laughed as Mckay was pulled around, nervously skipping next to a dozen women all admiring him for simply being male.

'It is a wonder that you laugh at those having a good time and do not join them.' Adina smiled, walking up to them. 'There are plenty of my sisters to go around.'

'No thanks.' Ronan smiled, as though it were the most ridiculous thing he had ever heard. Carson laughed softly.

'Aye, I'm afraid that dancing just isn't my specialty.' He nodded.

Adina smiled widely and took his hand. 'Then you must practice.' She yanked his arm and forced him into the circle, bumping into three girls who turned and led him around. Carson apologised for his clumsy entrance and turned to see Rodney doing some skipping of his own.

'Rodney.' Carson acknowledged stiffly.

'Carson.' Rodney replied in kind.

Ronan laughed harder, folding his arms. Adina turned to him, walking to his side to witness the merriment of her sisters and the newcomers. Ronan gave her a side glance wondering if she would try it with him as well. He dug his heels into the ground.

'Do not worry Ronan; I believe that there is no possible way to move you into doing something you do not wish to do.' She smiled.

Ronan lifted his head, grunting his agreement with a smile. 'Sometimes, I want to do a lot, but, we can't have fires in the city where I come from.' He turned to her with a wide smile, she nodded extending her arm. Ronan swept her into the dancing circle.

The night drew on and the team were enjoying the company from many women, including some of the younger ones who had never seen a man before. They were mesmerised by Ronan's height, one girl climbing onto the shoulders of another just to reach his nose. Ronan grinned, steadying the human tower before they fell. Other girls were interested by the fact that Carson and Rodney were shamans, and yet they had different areas of expertise.

'I am all about the science, the fire you see and the tiny molecules it's made of , the stars and their ever increasing projection of movement, light and radiation – which is an interesting story actually about the time that myself and Sheppard, me mostly with the use of my calm and collected superior knowledge, Sheppard helped a little, mostly to make sure that I was alive in order to save the crew on one of our ships – yes, we have space ships capable of interstellar travel – and the ship had been invaded with a Wraith virus – mh, yes, I have many, many heroic stories I can regale you with about the Wraith – but, um, well, the situation required the stalwart heroes to be incredibly close to a star which was almost certainly a death sentence because of the amount of radiation it was emitting and I was quite ready to die for the cause, to save my people by sacrificing myself and exposing my body to deadly rays – oh no! Don't worry, obviously I was successful, I'm still here! But I suffered grave injuries in completing the mission - '

'Aye, I was the one that had to treat the sun burn when he got back on board the ship.' Carson added. The girls giggled. Rodney glared. The wind had been taken from his sails.

'It was a little more than sun burn, Carson – '

'Oh, alright, it was severe sun burn, but with the right ointment and painkillers, not to mention one too many days of rest in my opinion, he made a full recovery.' Carson explained, leaning back in his chair.

'Obviously.' Rodney snapped, folding his arms.

John was leaning against a pole supporting a small porch into one of the buildings. The fire was still raging but the music had slowed to a quietly merry tune. Many of the women were still dancing – that part he liked to watch and not experience, ever again. He had felt better the moment he saw that the rest of his team mates had been shoved into the dance as well, but Rodney would never let him forget that he was the first. 'Eager Beaver' was the nickname he was using for him at the moment, and nothing bugged John more when Rodney had a reason to call him something ridiculous.

'You are resting?' A voice said over his shoulder. John turned to see Boe walking toward him. He smiled.

'Yeah. I think I pulled something when I was dancing.' He nodded. Boe laughed softly.

'Your friends certainly seem to be enjoying the attention.' She stated, watching as Ronan hid something from one of the children and their grasping at him to try and find it.

'It's not often we come to a world where the people are so friendly.' John informed her, folding his arms. 'But then most of them aren't based on a huge lie.' He paused. 'Well, that's not exactly true, but your situation is pretty unique.'

Boe bowed her head. 'My people have lived this way for many years, and nothing I say will change it.'

John wasn't so sure. 'Did you try? Have you spoken to Adina? She seems pretty – '

' – Weary of my silent complaining.' Boe interrupted. 'She knows that I am against most of the rituals of our people, and she has also made sure that I am involved in every single one.' Boe began walking away, John joined her. 'She has taken a personal interest in my up bringing because of it.'

'Up bringing? You're almost twenty one, you should be the one making decisions about what your life will be – not some god damn sperm.' He said harshly, lowering his voice.

Boe nodded. 'Almost twenty one…' She echoed, then paused. 'What is sperm?'

John looked up at her with sudden surprise. 'Um, it's, well when the man, it's…it's a complicated biological term.' John said quickly. Boe nodded and said no more. John looked to the floor. 'I've been thinking about the whole thing and you and I both know that I can't order your people to change,' He glanced at her as she was listening intently, 'but I can request to my leader that you be brought back to my world to live with the Athosians, if you're interested.'

Boe seemed slightly taken back, she opened her mouth a few times but no sound came.

John rushed to explain.

'The Athosians are another set of people living with us who are at the same level of technology as you are, they're perfectly nice people and I know they'd take you in. The only big difference for you would be the fact that men and women live in the same camp.'

Boe stopped walking, giving him a firm look. She was clearly thinking it over. She sighed. 'It is an enormously generous offer Colonel.'

'But…?' John prodded, seeing the doubt in her eyes.

'I believe that you are of a good people and that your intentions are true, and so your offer stands in high regard, and I have never understood the ways of my people, and even worse, I am shunned for disliking them.' She paused. 'I need time to think on this offer, do I have it?' She asked.

'Sure, it's not like I was telling you to pack your bags right now.' John assured her. 'Just know that the offer is there.'

'Thank you, I –' There was a sudden commotion in the village, the music stopped playing as attention was drawn to a single warrior calling Adina. The leader approached the warrior and John watched as she was handed something. He squinted to see what it was and began to move to her.

'I'll be right back.' John jogged to Adina who looked at him with an angry frown.

'What is this?' She demanded, thrusting something out at him.

Rodney, Carson and Ronan gathered staring at the item in her hand. It crackled.

'It's a radio.' John explained. 'It's my people trying to contact us.'

Adina examined it closely, when it crackled again. 'Colonel Sheppard, this is Weir, please respond.'

'That's my leader. She's checking up on us, to make sure we're okay.' John edged forward.

Adina watched him cautiously whilst handing him the foreign device.

John up righted it and clicked the side button. 'Elizabeth, this is Sheppard, we're here.'

The radio crackled. 'Where have you been? You were supposed to come back through the Gate an hour ago; you can't possibly be having that much of a good time.'

John smiled. 'Well, as a matter of fact, we're having a great time.' He chirped.

'Really?' Elizabeth almost sounded impressed. 'I see Carson has installed some of his love for the outdoors in you, I look forward to many fish steaks.' She joked.

'Well, the whole fishing thing didn't really go as planned…' John began.

'What do you mean?' Elizabeth sounded wary.

'Well, Ronan got shot in the leg with an arrow and Carson's pretty damn sure that I have a concussion, or at least had a concussion, their medicine seems to have some extreme healing abilities.' John informed her, smiling at Adina as she nodded her thanks at his praise.

'…What? Hold on, you were attacked -?' Elizabeth began.

'The locals thought we were the bad guys, but it's all good now, we're having a feast – and earlier – there was dancing. If that's what you call what I was doing.' John looked to his team who gave him the 'yeah, it could pass for it' signs.

'Lorne's initial sweep of the area detected no sign of civilisation.' Elizabeth insisted, as though what he was saying wasn't true.

'Well, apparently, there are two. Lorne wouldn't have found them though; they know the forest too well.' John noticed that a large crowd had gathered, women looking on in interest. He smiled awkwardly at them, wishing it were more of a private conversation.

'And you're alright?' She asked.

'We're fine, it was just a misunderstanding. In fact, you interrupted a pretty good shindig.' John nodded.

'There's a massive feast in our honour!' Carson called.

'And some sort of snake platter with stomach lining on the side.' Rodney added disdainfully.

'They gave us a bath.' Ronan stated, thinking it was useful information.

The team's attention snapped to the Satedan who shrugged. John scowled. The radio crackled.

'What do you mean bath?' Elizabeth spluttered.

'What do you mean "us"?' Rodney asked fearfully.

'Like you would be squeaky clean after a day of working in the fields.' Ronan grinned. 'I can't smell sweat or filth, and I can't see dirt. They gave you baths.' He folded his arms.

Carson gaped, his cheeks shining beetroot in the glow of the fire. Rodney stuttered for a few seconds trying to form a sentence.

'Wait a minute, wait a minute! You can smell people? Why would you do that? Are you always smelling me or is it some weird obsession?' He snapped.

'It's hard not to smell you Mckay.' Ronan narrowed his eyes. Rodney did a double take.

'Oh! I'm sorry! Did the caveman of the Stone Age with the overhanging brow and excrement scent just accuse me, the modern scientist who showers daily, of being smelly? I don't think so! Because that would be ridiculous now, wouldn't it!' Mckay growled. Ronan unfolded his arms and stalked his way to the Scientist with menace. Rodney held his ground, a look of defiance in his eyes. Carson stepped in front of Ronan, knowing that he could quite easily break the scientist in two.

'Easy lads, let's not do anything stupid now.' He said softly, looking between them.

'John?' The radio crackled. 'Are you there? What did Ronan say about baths? Is everything alright?' The radio insisted.

'Oh nothing, just Ronan and Rodney at each others throats again. I swear, these kids just don't play well together – I think we need to separate them.' John cooed into the radio, giving his team mates condescending looks. Ronan gave him a side long glance while Rodney scowled at him. 'Anyway, all's good here, we're establishing relations with the Sussearans and we hope to open trade negotiations for some Gridnak.' John smiled.

'Sussearans?' Elizabeth asked.

'It's the name of their people, a people who are all of the female persuasion…' He added.

'They're all women?'

'Warrior women – like Amazons.' Carson called. John frowned.

'Get your own damn radio.' He whispered.

'That part you forgot to mention.' Elizabeth voice sounded as though it had a smile attached to it. 'Four guys in the middle of a female camp…perhaps I should send Teyla, she might relate better…?'

'No, no, we've got this – we'll check in in the morning, we need to discuss a few things.' He looked to the ground, turning from Adina. Ronan noticed the look on his face, the look when he was hiding something.

The radio paused. 'Alright. In the morning, and Colonel-'

John listened intently.

'- behave yourself. That goes for the rest of you boys too.'

John rolled his eyes while the rest of them exchanged glances of innocence.

John smiled. 'Good night, Elizabeth.'

'Atlantis out.' The radio went silent.

John turned to the crowd. 'Well, everything's alright, how about we start that music up again?' He raised his eyebrows at Adina who nodded for the festivities to continue. The crowd dissipated, most going straight back to dancing. The team gathered.

'I hope you don't mind if we stay here tonight.' John smiled at Adina.

She nodded, a firmness in her eyes. 'I insist.' She gave the group one last look before walking to her hut.

'She seems kinda tense.' Rodney stated.

'Yeah, listen, I need you guys to hear something about these women, something I think is pretty damn wrong.' John began walking to where he last saw Boe. She was no longer there.

'What's that?' Carson asked.

'Well, the way they chose how they live their lives is kinda sucky, and I don't agree with it.' He explained, searching the crowd for the young woman.

'You can't criticise a culture we barely know, Colonel.' Rodney scolded.

'Their lives are determined by a single night of sex, Rodney, and whether or not they fall pregnant – it's a whole deal where their kids got to the Dryads if they're male, and if you don't have kids you're forced to be a warrior. The thing is, Boe turns twenty one in a few days-' John walked along the line of the village, his team in tow.

'Boe?' Ronan asked.

'The girl that…she was the one to help me…you know.' He trailed off.

Rodney frowned. Ronan walked past him and muttered. 'Bath.' Rodney nodded his understanding.

John stopped a moment and frowned. He squinted into the darkness and saw Boe slinking off into the forest, casting the village a nervous glance as she left. Ronan caught sight of her too and frowned. 'Weird.'

John signalled for them to follow. They crept into the forest using the little light from the fire and the stars, John in the lead. He saw Boe's elbow poke out from a tree and circled the area, bringing the rest of them around to see her – not alone. Boe had her arms wrapped around a tall man, kissing him passionately.

'I thought there weren't any men in the camp?' Rodney said to Sheppard.

John gritted his teeth. 'There aren't.'

Ronan finally understood Sheppard's frustration. 'The only men on this planet are the Dryads.'

Carson looked to the floor, almost trying to give the two some privacy. 'Aren't the Sussearans and the Dryads at war?'

John nodded slightly. 'Yes they are.'

The team watched on as Boe and the man continued kissing under the light of the moon.