The Way It Should Be

by Yogo

John is a little less than impressed when he is forced into an offworld fishing trip with Rodney, Ronan and Carson...only to find this trip leads them to becoming hostages of a village full of warrior women on the brink of war...complete, please R and R!

7. Choices

Chapter 7 –

Choices.

Ronan woke in pain, just as he had done before. Except before, he had been tied to a pole. Now he could feel himself moving. His eyes flickered open, the light of the day hurting, burning him. He tried to raise a hand to shield his eyes, but found that it was bound to something. He pried his eyes open. He needed to know where he was – and how to escape.

The first thing he saw confused him. Blue, just a light blue, like water, but with no ripples. Then he saw a white shape and knew he was on his back looking up at the sky. It was early afternoon, at least he knew that.

He tried to lift his legs, but found they were bound together as well. This was certainly a fun situation, and the headache was making it a laugh riot.

Ronan craned his neck up to see where he was, his head pounding ferociously. There were two men behind him wearing the uniform that Gredak had worn. Metal armour and black shawl. They did not look at him. He tried to look behind him, but found that they had strapped him onto a two wheel cart meant for transporting prisoners. He could not see who pulled the cart or who he needed to hurt the most. Gredak was undoubtedly leading them.

Ronan struggled against his bonds, anger firing in the pit of his stomach, pumping through his veins. He had been prisoner long enough today.

'I wouldn't do that.' One of the men said.

Ronan ignored him and kept on. The man smiled.

They travelled for maybe another four hours, and Ronan tried on and off to get through the ropes, but they were tied too tightly. He could see from his own chaffed wrists that the ropes hadn't moved under his strength.

From his view, all he saw was heads and the tops of stone buildings. It struck him odd that the Sussearans were using wood resources and the Dryads that of stone and metal, but then he got the impression that the Dryads had once enslaved their women before they broke free to live their own lives. He smiled bitterly, only to live it with impossible laws that a human being would know was not freedom.

The cart came to an abrupt halt and was upended, forcing the blood to rush to his head. The pressure was agonising. He could barely see the ankles moving in front of his eyes. He did however feel the binds of his legs and hands being undone. Someone hoisted him up with the belief that he was too weak to stand. These people obviously didn't know Ronan.

Ronan pushed him away forcefully while he got to his feet. His head may hurt and his stomach from previous injuries – but his legs were just fine. He could see that he was in a square compound surrounded by stone wall and a large wooden gate in the front, the village just beyond. Everyone in this part wore a uniform, and several of them advanced on Ronan. He grinned. God he needed to hurt something right now.

He dodged the first man's attack and brought his fists up to place two powerful blows, kicking his chest and pushing off to flip back and kick another man in the face. Ronan danced on the balls of his feet before grinning at his opponents. He was faster than them, better trained, years of running and fighting the Wraith had made him an animal, a force to be reckoned with. The men advanced once more and Ronan jumped into a roundhouse kick landing in a crouch with his leg extended to trip one man and grab the ankle of another, pulling mercilessly. The man fell hard and Ronan shot up with a masterful backhand to break the nose of his victim, swinging his fist round again to collide with another head. His hand drew back and opened as quick as lightening and clamped the man's hair, yanking it down to his knee with a sickening crack. A man from behind had grabbed a training staff from the wall and knocked Ronan in the back with it, sending him to his knees. The man he had put to the ground tried to kick him in the face, but Ronan grabbed his ankle and twisted, he flew face first to the ground. Ronan brought his arm round to catch the staff aiming for him again and pulled it, the man stumbled forward and Ronan shoved the staff back, clonking the man in the nose. He planted the staff in the ground and pushed off, his legs in the air and kicking back two of the men surrounding him; he brought the staff round as he landed, ready for more.

'That's enough!' Gredak stepped forward. The men stumbled back, bloodied and broken. Gredak grinned. 'Very good.'

Ronan raised an eyebrow.

John turned to Teyla. 'Let's go.' He began to move before Teyla yanked him down. 'What are you doing?'

'We cannot save Ronan!' Teyla whispered urgently. 'Not yet.'

John frowned. 'We can't let those bastards have him either.'

'We will retrieve him when we go for Coran, if we give away our position now, they will kill Carson and Rodney. Boe will have no hope, Ronan will not be saved, and we will also be captured.' Teyla said firmly.

'Alright, alright. Do you have to list the possibilities of bad things?' He scolded. He took a moment to think. 'Okay, so we need to make a few changes to the plan.'

Teyla nodded. 'I agree.'

'Rodney, Carson, Ronan, this is Weir, please respond.' His radio crackled. He looked to the villagers and deemed them too far to hear it. He was about to respond.

'Woman of the newcomers, I believe you are called Lizbeth.' Adina's voice sounded over the radio. 'I have your people as my prisoners for their crimes. Do not try to rescue them.' She snapped.

'How does she have access to our radio?' Teyla asked concernedly.

'She took our equipment when we arrived, never gave it back. Looks like she figured out how to use the radio.' John sighed.

Elizabeth took a moment, clearly surprised. But that didn't stop her from keeping a cool head. 'Adina, is it? Why have you held my people?'

'They have betrayed our trust and broken our highest laws. They will serve us for the rest of their natural lives.' Adina stated.

'Like hell.' John heard Rodney's voice on the other end. He looked into the square and saw Adina standing beneath Rodney and Carson, the radio to her mouth. Adina smacked his legs with a spear.

'Rodney?' Elizabeth queried. 'Let me speak to him.'

Adina paused a moment, holding the radio up and telling Mckay to say very little.

'Elizabeth!' Rodney called down.

'Rodney? I can barely hear you, are you alright?' She asked.

'Oh yeah, really comfortable, having the time of our lives.' Rodney said sarcastically.

'We both are.' Carson added.

Rodney glanced at Adina. 'Ronan's been taken by the Dryad's!' He yelled. Adina snatched the radio out of the air and scowled at him.

'Why would you do that?' Elizabeth demanded angrily.

'It was an agreement made by myself and Gredak, leader of the Dryads, in return for the execution of his traitor and the merciful second chance of my girl.' Adina informed.

Elizabeth realised that things had changed. 'My people did nothing to upset your laws. I suggest you let them go.'

'No.' Adina said spitefully. 'I want them to feel the pain they have caused us.'

'Perhaps we can negotiate.' Elizabeth suggested. 'There must be some item you want that we have.'

Adina paused. 'Your weapons are of great interest to us. Send Sheppard to negotiate.'

Elizabeth suddenly realised that Sheppard had not yet been discovered. And she wanted to keep it that way. 'I'm afraid Colonel Sheppard is unavailable at the present time, I can however send one of his team mates. Her name is Teyla.' Elizabeth knew that they were listening in. Teyla looked up at John. 'She is a wise and fair friend; she will negotiate the release of our people.'

'She will, will she?' John muttered. 'That changes the plan drastically.'

'Yes.' Teyla nodded, looking to the village and seeing Adina pacing below her friends.

'Very well, I will send for someone to escort her from the ring of the ancestors.' Adina switched off the radio and walked back to her chambers.

John switched the radio on and off in a pattern.

'Understood.' Elizabeth said, and the radio fell silent. John nodded. At least she knew they had heard.

'Okay, so you go and negotiate to free Rodney and Carson while I concentrate on Ronan, Coran and Boe.' John stated. Teyla nodded.

'You will have to devise a new plan.' She prodded, a questioning tone creeping into her voice.

'Boe was telling me a few details about the Kredan, I think I have an idea, but I need to leave for the Dryad village now or I won't make it.' He told her.

She nodded. 'Good luck.'

He smiled. 'Ditto.'

They separated.

'So, how in the hell is that classified as a sport? You just run around beating people up!' Rodney said incredulously.

Carson rolled his eyes. 'It's a very big sport Rodney, and although it's very physical, it's also extremely patriotic.'

'So is football, except we wear helmets and shoulder pads.' Rodney argued.

'Rugby is a real sport where helmets and shoulder pads only get in the way of scoring a try.' Carson paused. 'And let's be fair, it's more of a mans game than your American Football – at least we're not so wussy that we need padding.'

Rodney's eyes narrowed. 'It is not wussy, Carson, it is safety. And I've seen your guy's ears after those barbaric matches!'

'Sacrificing appearance for the love of the game, a true sportsman.' Carson smiled.

'A true psycho.' Rodney snapped.

'Can we not talk about it anymore?' Carson growled.

'Well what do you want to talk about?' Rodney asked poutily.

'Nothing. I prefer silence, thank you.' Carson replied testily.

Rodney fell silent for a few moments before looking to the ground. 'Look, at least one of us has to talk, and if you're not going to then I am. Anything to keep from feeling the pain in my arms, the gnawing ache of hunger…and the anxiety from being so high up.'

'It's not that high, Rodney.' Carson sighed.

'Well, if we were to fall, I could still sprain my ankle, and then I wouldn't be very good at the running away from flying arrows, would I?' Rodney reasoned.

'You're not good at it anyway.' Carson muttered.

'Excuse me? What was that? A snide comment that Carson Beckett is supposed to be above? Let's hear it!' Rodney prodded, pulling at the binds to lean toward the Doctor.

'Alright you great fairy! You're a slow runner! The other morning I was half dragging Ronan and half dragging you because of the invisible lead weights strapped to your ankles!' Carson bellowed at him. Rodney's eyes were wide with fury.

'Fairy? Seriously?' He sneered. 'I am a very fast runner! Especially when it involves my need to survive. And are we forgetting the tonne of bricks who is supposed to pass as a human that I had to carry – that we had to carry?'

'Ronan barely needed our help-'

'Enough to make us both slow down-'

'I was faster than you, you overgrown sloth.' Carson snarled.

'Alright, as soon as we get back to Atlantis, we are racing! East Pier! No witnesses.' Rodney shouted.

'Afraid that someone'll see me beat you, Mckay?'

'Don't be ridiculous, I just don't want anyone to see you cry when I cross the finish line with a massively triumphant look on my face.'

'You'll never make the finish line if I push you over the edge for a little swim…' Carson growled.

'Then you would be a cheater-'

'I'd be doing the world a favour.' Carson stated.

'What is that supposed to mean? There wouldn't be a world if I hadn't summoned the courage and amazing knowledge in order to save it a couple hundred times-!'

'Excuse me, would you mind knocking this big girl out?' Carson said to a woman passing by. Rodney scowled at him and started complaining again. 'On second thoughts, would you knock me out?' He called after her.

'Don't be so melodramatic, Carson-'

'Be quiet.' Carson warned him.

'I will not be quiet, just because you say I should-'

'Do you want me to give you an enema during your next physical?' Carson threatened.

'You can't do that without my permissi-'

'Shut up Rodney!' Carson insisted.

'I will not shut up-!'

'No! Look!' Carson nodded forward and Rodney followed his gaze.

Teyla was entering the village, walking in front of two Sussearans with spears. She spotted them and immediately made a path.

'Teyla.' Carson smiled. She smiled back.

'Are you alright?' She asked.

'We're tied to stakes.' Rodney stated. 'What do you think the answer is?'

'We're fine. What are you doing here? Where's Colonel Sheppard?' Carson asked quickly.

'I am here to negotiate your release, John is on Atlantis, he has been sent on another mission.' Rodney saw her eyes move in the direction of the guards behind and knew that wasn't exactly true.

'Good.' He nodded. She smiled bravely at them.

'Do not worry; I will do everything I can to set you free.' The guards prodded her in the back and she was taken to the meeting hall.

'Couldn't hurry, could you?' Rodney called, stretching his back against the pain.

Carson shook his head.

'What?' Rodney snapped.

'Nothing.' Carson stated, looking away. He muttered something that Rodney couldn't hear.

'If you're going to say something, say it, don't whisper because I can't hear.' Rodney scolded him.

'Oh, shut up, Rodney.' Carson said tiredly.

Rodney had a comeback, he was ready to fight. But he couldn't find the strength with the Sun glaring down on them.

Ronan had finally been overpowered and beaten to a pulp, being dragged along corridors with an earthy smell. There was no light, that he could see, but then he couldn't see much. He wasn't even sure if he was awake. He remembered hearing the sound of metal screeching and squeaking before he was thrown onto the ground, the metal sounded again. He carefully turned onto his back looking up to a stone ceiling. He preferred the sky.

'Gredak has seen you fight.' A voice said from the corner. 'As have I. You are well trained Ronan, you will make an excellent Dryad warrior.'

Ronan opened an eye to the stranger in the corner and shut them in frustration. 'I have no intention of joining them.' He growled.

Coran smiled. 'The alternative is death.'

'I have no intention of dieing either.' He crawled to a wall and sat with his back to it. He looked Coran over; he seemed to be in pretty bad shape too. But Ronan's hands were free, and Coran's were chained, his feet also chained. There was a small window above where he could hear the sounds of battle – training.

'I am sorry for my part in your capture.' The Dryad stated, his head settled on the cold wall behind him. Ronan glared at him, blaming him for every step of it, but knew it was not his fault. He hated being cooped up like this.

'Not your fault.' He paused. 'How did he know?'

Coran looked at him with blue eyes burning with guilt and hatred, and worry for Boe. 'He said he had known of my going to Boe for a long time, and that I had been chosen to partake in the next Kredan. His says that he must kill me now to protect me from joining with another that is not my love. He says he allowed me my freedom to see Boe until it became too dangerous – Gredak knows that a war with the Sussearans would be devastating for both sides.' Coran explained.

Ronan raised an eyebrow. 'Why not live together. Times have changed and your people haven't been fighting with each other.' Ronan asked.

Coran smiled bitterly. 'It is not our place to choose, although many have been open to the idea for generations. Gredak believes it would make us weak, and Adina is still clinging to the old ways.'

Ronan smiled slightly. 'Sounds like you need some new leaders.' He suggested.

Coran grinned and nodded. 'Many have been open to that idea for the last generation as well.'

They sat in silence for a moment, listening to the men outside fighting each other. The floor was hard and the wall was cold – he hurt everywhere and yet mostly what he felt, what he always felt, was anger and impatience. He needed to know more.

'Was it worth it?' He asked simply, his head turning to the Dryad.

Coran stared straight ahead, eyes unblinking. 'Every second.' He whispered.

Ronan nodded and stood – painfully.

Coran frowned. 'What are you doing?'

Ronan headed for the metal bars. 'Getting out of here.'

'There is no way through the bars.' He stated.

'I'm not going to sit there and do nothing.' Ronan said with determination. Coran allowed him to try. 'We need to get out of here.' He turned to Coran.

'I am doomed to die.' He stated. 'I must accept my fate.'

'Well that would be an awful shame considering that I've come all this way to get you out of here.'

Ronan and Coran looked outside the bars and saw John peering in with a grin.

Ronan leaned against them. 'Took you long enough.' He scolded.

'I'm sorry dear, but there was the issue of not knowing what to wear. I only wanted to make you happy.' Sheppard joked, glancing down the corridor. Ronan looked down at his dress and noticed that he was wearing the Dryad uniform with a helmet that obscured half of his face.

'Nice.' Ronan commented. 'Can you get us out?'

Sheppard looked at him. 'I feel so unappreciated.' Ronan glared. 'No. You've got to wait a while.'

'Why?' Ronan sighed.

'Because there's a carefully constructed plan in place to free you guys, Boe, Mckay and Carson and also not to start a war, here.' Sheppard explained.

Coran shuffled forward in his chains, the hope of escape for him and Boe drawing him. 'How?'

'Well, I'll tell you about it some other time.' He pulled something out of his pocket and handed them to Ronan. 'Hide these and make sure you have them on you at all times, okay?'

Ronan took them and frowned. They looked remarkably like pebbles, but were obviously technology of some sort. God he hated that. Why couldn't he just blow open the cell and hand him his gun?

'What are they?' He asked.

'Tickets to freedom. Make sure they're not found and never take them off.' He glanced down the passage, hearing voices. 'I have to go and save Boe now, but I'll see you guys in a few hours.' He smiled and began walking away.

'Sheppard!' Coran called. He paused. 'Thank you.' Sheppard nodded and walked swiftly.

'Sheppard!' Ronan whispered loudly, scowling at the man as he left. He turned to Coran with frustration.

'What are they?' Coran asked, inspecting one of them as Ronan chucked it to him.

'Dunno.' Ronan said jadedly.

Rodney and Carson were flung to the ground, their knees smarting from the impact. The poles had not be taken from their backs and their arms were still wound around them. Teyla frowned at their harsh treatment, casting a livid eyebrow at Adina.

She stood before her throne, Adina looking her up and down, as though trying to figure out what she was made of.

'Make your demands.' Teyla stated.

Adina smiled. 'If you would like to get straight to business, we shall-'

'Why else would I be here?' Teyla did her best to control the anger in her heart, but knew that it showed on her face and in her tone.

Adina nodded. She liked this woman. 'Your weapons for your people.'

'No.' Teyla stated.

'No?' Rodney said incredulously. 'Just no? Any reasons why we're worth less than a murderous piece of metal?' Carson elbowed him and Rodney glared.

'Your leader sent you knowing that this is what I would ask for.' Adina stated, the smile gone.

'And I have deemed your people unable to handle them.' Teyla stated sternly. Adina narrowed her eyes. 'Our weapons are far more advanced and would undoubtedly annihilate the Dryads if you were to go to war, and for that reason alone, we cannot permit you to have them.' Teyla paused. 'There is also the fact that they would become useless to you when the ammo is spent as you clearly have not mastered metal to manufacture more.'

'We have mastered stone and wood.' Adina snapped.

'Flint chippings on the end of a staff are not an indicators of higher intelligence.' Teyla shot back.

Adina flew from her chair, grabbing the spear held by her guard and attacked Teyla, swiping at her head. Teyla ducked and stepped back from the next swipe at her midsection. Adina jabbed it at her and Teyla blocked with her wrist, turning her wrist and grabbing the spear and pulling Adina forward to deliver a kick to her stomach and with the same foot, kicked her jaw. Adina stumbled back and Teyla spun the spear into an out ward position, leaving one of her hands free to use if she attacked again. She assumed a fighter's stance and stood ready.

Carson and Rodney watched on, gaping.

'Is this how negotiations work?' Carson gawked.

'Usually.' Rodney said sourly.

'Like you've been in any negotiations, Rodney.' Carson snarled.

'I'm usually the one they are negotiating for.' He snapped.

'That sounds about right.' Carson commented, turning his attention back to the fight. Two leaders on separate sides of the room. Round one to the Athosian.

Adina turned, nursing her jaw. She laughed. 'You were born to be a Sussearan! Just on a different planet.' She sat in her throne and Teyla lowered the spear.

'Don't do that! You had her on the ropes!' Rodney urged.

Teyla gave him a disapproving look. Carson gave him the same.

'What? I want a bath some time today, not to mention a hot meal and some water.' He groaned.

Teyla walked forward, placing the spear on the floor.

'You have impressed me Teyla, but I must ask, are you one of them?' She nodded to the two men.

Teyla shook her head. 'I am Teyla Emmagan, daughter of Tagan, and leader of the Athosian people.'

Adina nodded. 'Yes, I had sensed that you were stronger than they.'

Rodney scowled.

'I have not heard of the Athosian tribe, tell me of them.' She insisted.

'They are a strong and proud people; they live in harmony, man and woman, when the Wraith do not interfere. I joined with these a few years ago to fight the Wraith.' Teyla told her firmly.

Adina paused. 'Man and woman.'

'Yes, just as these live.' She smiled at Mckay and Carson.

'And where does Dex fit into this? He is not one of them, this is very clear.' Adina queried.

Teyla ground her teeth. 'He also joined us when we found him, a Runner from the Wraith after his world had been destroyed.' She was beginning to lose patience with this purposeless questioning.

'The Wraith come here from time to time, but the forest is vast and they find very little. The Dryads are more of a worry to us.' Adina informed her.

'Why do you ask these questions?' Teyla snapped.

'To know more. Is it not wise to know who you are negotiating with?' She asked rhetorically.

'If you truly did then you would let them go. We have no quarrel with you, but travelling to this world was not meant to be a hindrance to our mission.' She paused. 'To defeat the Wraith.'

Adina listened. 'As a leader talking with another leader, I will give you this.' She looked to the two men. 'Choose one to take back to your world, and leave the other. When you are ready to give us those weapons, you may return and we will release the other. But I suggest you hurry. Starvation can be a quick creature.' She leant back in her throne.

Teyla gaped at the two men before her, both not knowing what to do.

Rodney and Carson waited.