Dacey stepped onto the ally's planet, followed by her team consisting of Wen, Zola, Shaun, Lin, and another two Travelers. Lin pursed her lips and eyed Dacey, "Was it really necessary to get your team? Time is of the essence, as our dad would say."

The group spread out in the small clearing they found themselves in. Jungle trees surrounded them and far in the distance a bird sang sweetly. The duel suns seemed to be setting and light was disappearing. Lin strode forward and thrust her foot onto a patch of grass. Instantly, a bell rang nearby. Puzzled, all of the Atlantis team's eyebrows knit together. After a few minutes, a slight woman broke through the foliage behind them. Turning, Dacey instinctively wanted to raise a weapon but, as to appear friendly, the entire team was unarmed. The woman had chocolate skin. Her hair, which was tied back in a long braid, nails, and eyebrows were white. White dots in lines and patterns danced over her skin. The eyes immediately caught the group's attention. They were neon green and seemed to nearly glow. Hides, the color of her skin, made up her simple tunic and leggings; she wore no shoes or jewelry of any kind. In her hand was a bow and its matching sheath was strapped around her waist. Seeing Lin, she smiled and slid the bow around her chest so that the wood touched her back and stuck over her shoulder. The alien raised her right arm and Lin moved to her and clasped it, in a warrior-like greeting. The woman stood straight as Lin approached. Dacey noticed she had to be at least six foot tall.

The alien spoke with much dictation, "It has been nearly one of our months since you were here. Tell me, why have you come? Is it to trade, or are you here to see my people and share our table?"

Lin bowed gave a half-smile and released her arm. "I'm sorry Allanni but, I came to ask for your help. My sister's city is under attack and can't win the battle."

The alien seemed disappointed while she lowered her head. "It is a shame. Who have you brought me?"

With the last word, she cocked her head and peered around Lin's shoulder to the rest. Dacey waved and stepped forward, "Hey, I'm from Atlantis. We bit off more than we can chew and I was hoping you could fly to the rescue. Do you even have ships? Because, you don't look like a person who is used to a highly advanced life, if you get what I mean."

This seemed to crack the alien, Allanni up. She threw back his head and released a hardy laugh. Her hand shot to her stomach as the sound emanated. Lowering her head and swiping away a tear she said, "No, we do not appear as advanced as we truly are. My people have chosen to live a simple life with a few science objects than to be ruled by our technology. However, we do posses ships capable of traveling through a galaxy in a small time. Come with me and I shall show you. Will you not introduce me to your group first?"

Dacey's eyes widened as she remembered they were behind her. Turning, she saw them all shuffle on their feet uncomfortably. "Yeah! This is my team, Zola, Wen, and Shaun," She said as she held up her hand to indicate each person. Allanni smiled passively. She did not ask who the Travelers were, for she probably already knew. Giving a quick nod, she turned and pushed through the odd, jungle looking plants. Lin carefully followed with her Travelers. Like a silent agreement, Zola went first, then Wen, followed by Shaun, who Dacey followed. The procession walked in a single file for, after checking her watch, Dacey knew was about three hours before Shaun fell back to speak.

"How much longer? And do you think they can really help? And why do they have the white spots?"

Dacey sighed and swiped a few beads of sweat from her eyes, "I don't know how long, I don't know if they can really help, and you are the scientist, so you should really find out about the spots yourself."

Shaun grimaced and moved ahead again. As he did, the group emerged from the dense jungle to find they were in a valley, surrounded on all sides by trees. Small grass huts were huddled together in a large cluster in the middle. Even tinier ones lay scattered in the area near the trees. In the very center of the cluster, a large hut with pillars of wood at the entrance stood. Allanni made a beeline for this particular building.

Stepping over a clump of dirt at the entrance, Allanni entered the building through the large wooden door. The entire group entered to find a spacious room with walls that were entirely cover with braided and weaved vines. It the center, a little hatch led into an underground dirt room. Lights glowed strongly from the ceiling. Tables littered the dirt floor and on them, computers sat. They contrasted everything the group had seen. The computers were slim and gray metal, with keyboards full of foreign text. One keyboard had keys with the gate symbols upon them. Tablets, not unlike those on Atlantis, were randomly placed on tables.

Allanni spread her arms wide and spoke. "This is only the beginning of our advancements. We have, since we are a scientific kind, made many technologies, including ships." Allanni turned to face Shaun as she lowered her arms. "I believe you wish to know why our spots are so. I allow you, in good faith, to use one of our tablets to find the answer. We, ourselves, never cared to find it." With that, she handed him a tablet from the nearest table.

Shaun hissed as the cold metal stung his hands. He gave a tight smile and thanked her. She dipped her head. Next, she turned to Dacey and Lin, who stood side by side without realizing it. "I will take you to the ships. They are unused but, I know will operate. Our ancestors built ones from the same basic design and managed to reach the stars."

Allanni paced to the far wall and pressed both palms directly in the center and gave a slight push and then stepped back. The dirt slid back and retracted into the section of wall to the left, leaving a door sized opening. Allanni stepped into the dark hallway. Dacey reacted first and followed. As Allanni went deeper, something strange happened. Her hair, the dots, eyes, and nails began to glow, like the special posters and nail polish on Earth. Never wavering, Allanni continued until she reached a light post at the end of the passage while Dacey stopped. It illuminated the metal hall and the door at the end. A single handle and hand scanner were on its surface. Dacey's jaw dropped. She turned to Shaun, who didn't look much better.

"Shaun, tell me why she glows…. Last time I checked, it wasn't a common thing."

Shaun nodded slightly, still shocked. Lin and the Travelers were unfazed though. Lin shouldered her sister aside and made her way to the opposite door. The other Travelers did the same. Shaun pressed a few keys on his tablet. After a few rushed moments, a fruit popped up and he turned it towards Dacey so she could see. "A crystal like molecule in this fruit attaches to pigments in the skin. They then collect sun and radiate light back when it is dark."

Allanni was staring around the Travelers and said, "We are not the only creatures to do shine. All our plants and animals do in one way or another. I will show you when we once again return to the surface. For now, let us present the ships to you."

Dacey nodded and followed everyone else through the far door. On the other side, they stood on a wooden balcony, with no rail, overlooking a ship as big as the Hammond. It was of a green metal and was almost a perfect cylinder in shape, except for a single graceful thruster on each side. Windows lined the front and sides. Landing struts were lowered from the thrusters and front. A ramp was lowered from the right thruster. A few aliens who looked almost identical to Allanni walked around on it and the balcony. Overhead was a green metal hanger bay door. A vine ladder hung off the balcony to the dirt floor.

Lin flung herself over the side of the balcony, only to grab the ladder a few feet down and started climbing down. The other Travelers did the same. Allanni motioned for them to go first. All of the Atlantis personnel carefully scooted over the edge and descended. When all the humans were on the dirt level, they looked up and waited on Allanni, who seemed to be standing still and in no hurry. With a gleeful yell, she jumped over the edge of the upper level. Landing, she did a roll and stood. She didn't wait for them as she began towards the ramp into the ship, padding silently across the dirt. Wen raised a single eyebrow as she followed.

At the ramp, a Arhgohnnian soldier, by the looks of it, strode down and whispered to Allanni. Allanni nodded as she stopped. Turning, she addressed the group. "I'm afraid I have to find my chief of science to solve a problem. However, my Second here, will guide you and fullfil your wishes. She is called Rina and has power to say whether we will help or not." At that, she came a last dazzling smile and hurried up the ramp. Rina stood motionless for a moment, taking in the humans, as they did the same. She had yellow eyes and shorter hair, but otherwise looked similar to Allanni.

After a moment's hesitation, she gestured up the ramp with her arm. Lin nodded and paced up into the ship. After the humans, Rina advanced. Inside, clean metal with no panels in site lined the walls and floor. The smooth green metal almost seemed squishy against the boots of the group. The ceiling had intricate panels that looked like a puzzle had exploded. On the walls, simple lines indicated the outline of the doors. Single door panels slid to the side, to the inside of the wall, as Rina passed. She led them through a maze of corridors to a wide door that slid open. The room was medium sized and had touch consoles lining the opposite wall and the left one. The right one was filled entirely by a monitor screen. No seats existed everywhere.

A single alien stood, watching statistics and numbers shuffle by on the monitor. As one came up, her frown deepened. Her blue eyes stared intently on the number. Her head turned as the door slid shut behind them. Rina halfsmiled, revealing perfect teeth. The other female gave a slight bow of the head and shoulders before looking Rina in the eyes. "I was checking to see the statistics were correct. They were. We have officially lost New Fourth Arhgohnn, along with the ten thousand who lived there. Their three ships were also destroyed. The Ori sent six motherships there."

Rina stepped forward and placed her hands on her hips as she turned to watch the screen. "Yes, I had heard. It is a mystery why the Ori stopped there. Why not continue here, or to Third Arhgonn?"

Dacey cleared her throat as she stepped forward. She tapped her heel as she spoke, a habit picked up from her love of music. "I don't know for sure, but can guess the answer. Recently, the Wraith have, uh, refocused their intentions. They now have a hive ship with Ori tech, or the other way around, depending how you want to put it, and are gunning for Atlantis. Our gate is the only link to Earth, which would be a feeding party for them, they don't want to miss." She rocked forward on her feet as her words hit home.

Rina and the other female lifted their chins. The other one said, "I see. I suppose that means we also have a common enemy. In that case, I also suppose you came for our swords and bows, not to trade."

Dacey gave a tight smile and said, "Yeah, you could say that. We need to fight them clear off our doorstep and with a few of these ships, we could." With that Lin stepped forward, her auburn hair hitting Dacey in the face as she cocked her head. Dacey sputtered and swatted at the strands.

Lin began, "The Travelers have already given their assent and are willing to give help. I hope you can lend my sister your ships."

Rina pursed her lips and considered the proposition. The female next to her opened her mouth but, she thought better of her comment and shut it again with a loud snap as her jaws came together. After a few seconds, the two looked back at the screen but, they weren't really seeing anything on it. Rina, turned to the other Arhgohnnian. She said, "Tsunaah, bring me my war pistol. Prepare the warriors for battle. We need to stop these advanced Wraith while we can and before our losses are too great. Take One her pistol as well. Make sure she has plenty of ammunition. I feel this will be no small war."

The other female, apparently Tsunaah, scurried out of the room to do as she was told. Dacey tapped her heel and swayed one leg to a steady beat absentmindedly. Lin smiled, obviously relieved. Rina paced to a console on the far wall. She laid one palm on the screen and began tapping various shapes that appeared on the screen. After a few minutes, an image of the ship popped up. Rina tapped the entire ship and it lit up. A green dot appeared in the corner of the screen. When it did, Rina removed both her hands and spoke, "Crew and scientists, soldiers, and civilians, we are officially at war. Prepare to fly to space and engage the new enemy. Report to battle stations."

Rina tapped the screen. The green dot disappeared before the image of the entire ship dissolved back into a list of power readings. Dacey looked at the alien. Glancing at Lin for a fraction of a second, Lin picked up the question she wanted to ask. Lin began solemnly, "I hope you do not mind but, would you allow us to return to our worlds and gather our troops? We can leave a radio to communicate with and Atlantis's address. We can also make a plan before we leave."

Rina stepped away from the console and approached the group to stop in front of Dacey and Lin. She placed her hands on her hips once again as she drummed her thin fingers on her hip bone. She tipped her hand to the side. "Yes, I grant it. I will provide you with a rendezvous address and I wish to keep a radio." Rina held out her hand and Dacey removed one from a pocket and forked it over. She studied it a moment and then let her arm and hand rest on her thigh.