"You know about Earth?" John looked down at her in shock. They had met no one who had known about their galaxy, let alone their planet.
"You are not the only descendants of the Lanteans," she answered with a small smile.
"So the Ancients came to your planet after Atlantis fell too?"
"Every Telosian can trace their family line to Atlantis, Sheppard. Many Lanteans did not wish too travel to your galaxy leaving behind the colonies they had nurtured so they came here. Many already lived here and now we are what is left of what many in this galaxy call the Ancestors. My warrior returns with word from the Keetal, return to your people Sheppard."
"Okay then," he turned to go.
"Sheppard," she looked over at him as he stopped. She pulled her knife out and cut the rope binding his hands.
"Thanks," he smiled at her as he flexed his hands to stretch the muscles.
"You are not bound only because Ronan Dex has given me his word of honor that you will not attempt to escape. Should you try to escape his life is forfeit by our laws. Your's would not be but I will kill you anyway for dishonoring Ronan Dex," she turned and began to talk to the warrior who had come up the path. John went back over to his team.
"Lovely personality that one," he muttered.
"Threaten to kill you?" Ronan asked with a small smirk.
"Yeah, you and Nuhtal must be great friends."
"Alexisanna is her name. Nuhtal is her rank. Only two people on Telos can give her orders. Her good opinion will go far with the Keetal."
"She thinks highly of you. Said she kill me if I dishonored you."
"We've fought together before."
"So that girl is high ranking military?" Rodney looked at the Nuhtal in disbelief.
"She's tougher than she looks," Ronan responded. They all looked over as she walked up to them.
"So how about untying the rest of us?" Rodney held up his hands. The petite woman looked at Ronan.
"They won't try anything," Ronan answered her unspoken question.
"You would stake your life on these people?" the Nuhtal looked towards Rodney skeptically. Ronan only nodded in response.
"Very well," she nodded and two warriors stepped forward quickly cutting their bonds. "The Keetal waits for us. Come." She turned and began down the path. They followed behind her surrounded by warriors. They did not seem concerned that they were no longer bound. John fell into step next to Ronan.
"Any ideas on how to get out of this?" John asked.
"There is no way unless they let us leave. The gate is heavily guarded and then there's the soldiers in the city itself," Ronan answered.
"Perhaps they will allow us to leave if we can convince them that we are not a threat to their people," Teyla suggested.
"We're not a threat. They never thought we were."
"She said they were all descended from the Ancients," John mentioned.
"They use the same technology and wait till you see the city," Ronan smirked.
"What about it?"
"You'll see."
"Sheppard." John looked up and saw the Nuhtal looking back at him. "Come I feel I should tell you how things will proceed when we reach the city." John walked up to her.
"So what do I need to know?"
"You will be taken before the Keetal, it will be a private audience so only the Keetal and Nuhkee will be present besides myself. You will be the only one allowed to speak since you are the leader of the group. Only answer questions, do not volunteer information that is not requested. Answer quickly and succintly. Do not forget you are a prisoner and that they lives of your people rest on you."
"Yeah that's something I can't forget. What happens if one of the others talks?"
"They will be made so that they cannot speak."
"How?"
"Sometimes a gag is enough, other times it is necessary to render them unconscious."
John smiled slightly at the thought of Rodney trying not to talk through the whole audience. "What will happen to us?"
"That is not my decision to make."
"I know that, but what do you think will happen?"
"I am unsure, you are strangers but you come with a respected ally. The worst fate you can suffer is to become a servant here. You will not be executed but allowed to live out your days in the peace of our cities but that is for the Keetal to decide."
"Servant?"
"You will each work for someone that specializes in your area of expertise. You are military correct?"
"Yeah."
"You would be servant to a military official. None of our servants have cause for complaint. They are treated well and compensated fairly. Servant merely is a way to define that you once were an outsider and therefore cannot raise above a certain point in the social structure."
"So no beatings or sleeping on the floor?"
"No, our servants are all quite content. They are active members of the society and feel that any loss of status they have suffered is outweighed by the protection they acquire from the Wraith."
"I bet they do."
"The Keetal is wise and honorable, he will judge fairly. We are here," she stopped as the path came out of the trees. John looked down at the city in shock.
They stood at the top of a large hill looking down on a vast plain. Far in the distance mountains rose into the air making the horizon jagged and gray. The city sprawled beneath them surrounding a large lake. The city went right up to the water's edge. Bridges crossed the lake at six points spanning the gap between the city on land and the center of the city which rested in the lake.
"But the center looks just like Atlantis," John murmured.
"Yes, the center of our capital city is identical to the lost city."
"How many cities like Atlantis are there?" John asked.
"That is none of your concern at this time."
"Ronan said that your gate was within sight of the capital city not in the building itself," John looked at the Nuhtal.
"The gate in the spire has been disabled and is never used. The gate Ronan Dex speaks of is there." she pointed to the west and there in the distance they could see the stone columns that surrounded the gate.
"So you have three Stargates?" Rodney asked.
"There are more gates than these. Only one can be dialed from other planets. Anyone coming onto the planet must come to the capital."
"How did you get so many gates?" Rodney demanded.
"We have lived here many years and our people are descended from the Lanteans, who as you know built the gates. Come we have lingered long enough. The Keetal must not be kept waiting," The Nuhtal began down the path and the rest followed.