"I'm Dr. Carson Beckett," he said with a jovial grin, extending out his hand in the custom of his people's greeting.
"I am Ky'Lae," I responded softly.
The strangers' custom of grasping hands as a greeting was unfamiliar to me. Taking an unsteady breath, I managed to remain coherent enough to shyly offer my hand to him in return. He happily grasped my hand and shook it lightly with a firm, but gentle grip. I was somewhat intimidated by his forwardness, and it seemed to disconcert the guards standing watch behind us. They shifted their feet uncomfortably and made their disapproval clear by shooting him cold looks, provoking a perplexed reaction from Dr. Beckett.
With a cautious step back, Sheppard pulled him aside to whisper something in his ear. I could not hear what words were spoken, but I did notice Beckett's eyes widen with surprise at what he was told. It was becoming clearer to me that men were definitely not treated in the same manner on their world as they were treated here.
"Oh, my apologies," Beckett muttered with a sheepish smile directed toward the guards. "I didn't mean any offense by that."
It would have been proper to simply ignore his sincere apology, but I had the impression it would have seemed rude to them not to acknowledge it. Tact was often well to be observed when negotiating with other worlds.
"No offense taken," I assured him, deflecting a strange look from the guards, then turned back to Teyla. "Why don't I show you to your room at the inn first? Would I be correct in assuming that your people utilize separate living quarters for men and women?"
"Yes, we do," Teyla assured me with a diplomatic smile.
I was glad that my instincts were still accurate. "Very well, then. I will make sure that your… friends… have a separate room. Please, follow me."
The males' apparent discomfort became obvious at that point. What else they could have thought I was insinuating by the statement was a mystery to me, but over time as I got to know them, it did dawn on me that perhaps they did not so casually engage in relations with each other, as men and women did on my world. Here, when a woman wants a man, she will have him, and he should be glad that he is considered so desirable. I was not accustomed to the great importance that you people from Earth place on courting rituals and the decorum that is required in such endeavors.
Upon leading them back into the heart of the city, I escorted them across another side of the square from the hospital and the palace to a large building that housed the tavern and inn. The innkeeper was a woman I had a high respect for, and would also give me a good price for the business I occasionally brought her. She was a strong, tall, and imposing woman though, and she towered over the heads of most. Her usually free-flowing blonde hair was tied behind her with a simple strip of ribbon, and I got the impression that she seemed interested in the brute – Ronon.
"So you've decided to provide me with more clientele, huh Ky'Lae?" she stated casually with a hint of amusement in her voice as she thoroughly examined Ronon head-to-toe with her eyes. "What a fine selection of males you brought with you today! I simply must have this one."
"Lota!" I admonished her in embarrassment. "These are the off-worlders that have come to trade with us. These males belong to Teyla, not to me."
"Well, then," she said as she turned to Teyla, who squirmed under her intense gaze. "You must be Teyla. I am Lota'Ana, keeper of this inn. I don't suppose I could make an offer to purchase him from you, could I?"
"No!" Teyla blurted out protectively, her diplomatic manner temporarily forgotten.
"But you would still have these three other servants to tend you." Lota was hurt by the outright refusal, but did not to let that disappointment assuage her desire. "Perhaps I could rent him then, just for a few nights while you are here to enjoy the many pleasures of our fair city."
"They are not my servants!" Teyla insisted.
Ronon seemed to look upon the interchange with mild bemusement and stole a glace at Sheppard, who also sported a bewildering look. In fact, they all seemed to appear quite confused, as if they did not expect their exotic garb and mannerisms to attract the affections of some of the locals. It made me wonder just what exactly they had expected to see.
Lota was amused, and laughed at the situation. "Alright, if you do not wish to sell him, that's your business. If you change your mind, though, simply let me know."
Grateful that she had discreetly backed down, I quickly changed the subject. "Teyla requires a separate room, my friend. Would you please show them around?"
Nodding amiably, Lota led us through a hallway past the sparsely populated tavern, which smelled of a smoky wood-burning fire, a sweet and hearty stew, and also of some spilt alcohol. Beyond the tavern were the dormitories and rooms of the inn, neatly arranged to either side of the hall. Stopping at the end of the hall, she politely indicated the door to the left side.
"This is your room, my lady," she said as she opened the door. "I hope that it is to your satisfaction."
Teyla hesitantly peered inside and was greeted by the sight of lavishly decorated walls and tapestries, warmly-honed furniture, a roaring fire, and a simple but deceptively comfortable bed lined with down sheets, quilted blankets, and numerous fluffy pillows. I smiled politely; both Lota and I were hoping that she would be pleased. She seemed to be as she looked around, but turned back to us questioningly.
"Where will my friends be staying?" she asked as she slipped off her knapsack and unfastened the clip of her weapon.
"They will be staying in this dormitory here, just across the hallway," Lota assured her, indicating the door immediately to the right.
As Teyla nodded in approval, Lota next opened the door to the section of the men's dormitory across the hallway. Inside, the walls were plain off-white and unadorned, and five simple cots were arranged in a row, each draped with an equally simple sheet of linen. There was no furniture, and other than the sunlight streaming in through a small window high up on the wall, the only other source of light provided would have come from a single unlighted candle that had been set down on a mantelpiece.
"How quaint," McKay stated, obviously not impressed.
The comment earned him a quick jab in the ribs from Sheppard. But Lota caught the disapproval in his tone and decided to make an issue out of it. She slowly made her approach, intending to intimidate him, and stood over him glaring menacingly.
"You have a problem with the way I keep my dormitories, Little Man?" Lota growled irritably.
"No!" he denied, cringing nervously as he stumbled into the room; I wanted to laugh at the spectacle. "It's fine. It's, uh, it's lovely, in fact... just like home."
Grunting with annoyance, she left them to become acquainted with their new rooms, winking at me and nodding respectfully on her way back to the tavern. There really hadn't been any need for her to soften them up for me, but she was always amusing that way. There were times when men certainly needed to be disciplined for rude behavior, but I was grateful that she had known better than to embarrass Teyla in front of me by going too far. Such an affront could have put the trade negotiations in danger.
Nevertheless, Teyla's friends seemed quite resilient, and if they were offended by Lota's admonishment of McKay, they did not dwell on it. I turned my attention back to Beckett, eager to find out what knowledge of medicine their people possessed that I had not been able to find in my lifetime of tedious research through the palace's archives.
"I will return for the rest of you tomorrow when the queen is ready to receive you," I reminded them politely, then turned to Beckett. "In the meantime, Dr. Beckett, Colonel Sheppard has told me of your expertise as a healer and offered me your services. I hope you won't mind if I intend to put your skills to good use."
"Not at all," he said with a gracious smile, and then followed me through the hallways of the inn back out to the square.
It was still bustling with activity, though not quite as hectic as it was earlier. The guards, who had discreetly hidden themselves during the conversation with Lota, had by now become bored and had decided to watch over the strangers by stationing themselves in the tavern to enjoy a few pints of the local brew. I didn't mind, so long as they were diligent in their duties. The other strangers were to be monitored and must have an escort when they chose to leave the inn. A stiff, chilly breeze kicked up through the streets of the square, blowing autumn leaves swirling around us as we walked the short distance over to the hospital.
Beckett immediately threw himself into his work, moving from patient to patient in a methodical manner, noting each symptom very carefully before assessing a diagnosis. I soaked up as much information as he was willing to share, and had never before learned so much about even the most common ailments such as sprains, broken bones, lacerations, infection, or any other sickness I could think of. He told me of drugs like anesthetics and penicillin, and how easy they were to use to treat the sick and injured. With the help of a small team of doctors from his world, the quality of health care for the general populace of the city could be improved immeasurably.
But that would only be if the queen approved a trade agreement between their people and ours. I knew that the queen's interests would be self-centered, but surely there would be some use in having relations with these people, if not for access to their technology and medicines alone. Thus it came as some surprise to me when a messenger, out of breath with the speed the little girl carried the message with, suddenly brought me a note adorned with the seal of the queen herself. After reading it carefully, I was shocked.
The queen was requesting that I report directly to her immediately for a briefing about the strangers, but did not request their presence at this meeting. Peering outside at the position of the sun, I noted that it was quite close to dusk. To request a meeting this late in the evening, it must have been an important issue that the queen wished to discuss.
Thanking the little girl for her diligence, I slipped her a coin and asked her to summon Drae'Naya, my most trusted friend. She was a member of the city guard and had trained extensively in the military. We had grown up together, both of us fancying ourselves heroes of the city as children, and both of us having gotten the opportunity to make those dreams come true through our service to the queen and the city. I turned to speak to Beckett, who was still helping to clean a wound that had turned infectious for a field-hand that belonged to one of the local farmers.
"I have been called into council by the queen," I explained. "I am leaving you in the care of a good friend of mine; her name is Drae'Naya. If you finish your work before I return, she will escort you back to the inn."
A look of frustration appeared on his face. "I'm sure I can find my way back to the inn by myself, if I'm causing any trouble for you."
"No, you are no trouble for me," I assured him, trying to force a smile through my concern. "But I cannot allow you to stay here by yourself. It is neither safe nor proper for men to wander the streets by themselves without escort."
As Drae made her way up the steps and into the hospital, the armor of her city guard regalia clinking with each step, Beckett sighed heavily and went back to his work. I directed her to watch him carefully, not to let him out of her sight, and to return him to the inn when he was finished. But if I had known that he was about to become lost in my world, I might have desired to think of something more poetic to say to him before I left.