Ch. 67
(Atlantis, 'Gate Room)
As the Stargate was dialing the planet, Stacey was completing gearing up. She was completely in black, off-world gear. Her long, blonde, hair was tied in a pony tail. She made sure her Sai's were securely in place.
"I want Teyla to come with you," Elizabeth told her.
"I really think I need to do this on my own," Stacey told her. She added to Teyla, "No offence."
"None taken," Teyla told her wearily.
The morning sickness wasn't being kind to Teyla. She was tired and looked about ready to puke at any moment.
"Go get some rest," Stacey said.
She went over to John, who gave her a P-90. She took it. The Stargate connected.
"Wish me luck," Stacey said to the group as she clipped the gun to her combat vest.
"Good luck," Elizabeth said.
John kissed her farewell.
"I'm coming too," General Sheppard came walking in, fully dressed in off-world combat gear.
"Why?" John asked his father defensive and the swiftly added, "Sir."
"I've gone off-world once before," Stacey informed her father-in-law.
"So I've read," Jeff clicked his P-90 as he said, "I still don't want a civilian on their own. Allison is my granddaughter, you know."
"Fine. But, you listen to me. I've dealt with these Amazons. They won't listen to you and will put you in jail just because your male," Stacey clicked her P-90 and walked toward the Stargate.
(PK3-510)
Stacey and Jeff began to walk the long trail to the Amazon Camp. Stacey had expected a band of amazons to stop her. She did hear them in the trees with her feral hearing. But they just appeared to be watching Jeff and her, for now. She could smell the camp fires, as she did before.
Stacey noticed that Jeff was lagging behind.
"I suggest you keep up, General," she said.
"But, no one's here but us," he said.
"No. They're out there. They're up in the tree's watching us," she told him.
Their pace quickened.
"So, how did you react when the Air Force recruited you for the SGC?" Jeff asked.
"I freaked out," she said simply.
A group of Amazons leaped out of the trees and a few bushes and swiftly aimed their spears at the two. Jeff instinctively aimed his P-90, while Stacey let her P-90 fall to her chest and raised her hands. Jeff glanced at her and dropped his weapon too.
An Amazon stepped forward. She had dark red hair and stunning blue eyes. The woman had a commanding presence about her and when she spoke, her voice was fierce.
"You were told about our tolerance for men. Why have you returned, Dr. Grayson?" she asked.
"My daughter's life is in danger and Queen Inara might be able to help," Stacey answered with an equally commanding voice as the Amazon. She shifted her eyes to Jeff and said, "As for the male, he insisted on coming."
"You are the leader of your people, are you not?" the Amazon asked.
"Yes," she answered.
"Then why didn't you simply ordered him to stay on your planet?"
"Because I figured I can always use him as a human shield, in case you and your Queen didn't like me coming here," Stacey told her.
To Stacey's surprise and relief, the stony-faced Amazon gave a sly grin.
"Now I know why my Queen enjoys your company," she told her. "Come. We will escort you to the village."
The Amazon motioned the other women and the group began to move again.
(Amazon Camp)
Inara looked almost pale from where Stacey and Jeff stood. Perhaps that the Queen had not anticipated Stacey's return. They were now in Inara's tent. Inara stood up from her chair, where she had been sitting, and greeted them.
"Welcome back, Stacey,"
"Thank you," Stacey gave a short bow. "Unfortunately, we don't have time for pleasantries,"
Stacey had explained their situation.
"And I can't access Nemesia's memories because the invention of the use of Nanites on the arrows was after she got imprisoned in the capsule," Stacey finished.
Inara paced back and forth in front of her desk. Stacey and Jeff watched her in anticipation.
"What makes you think that I have any knowledge of the Nanites?" Inara asked, finally.
"We found the arrow on the Mainland. It's the same one as yours," Stacey told her, forcefully. "Now, please tell me the correct frequency to turn off the Nanites and stop wasting my time."
Stacey's green eyes flashed to her cat-like ones. She looked around the room to two female warriors standing guard inside the tent. There was orange sprinkles on the tips of the arrows.
Her eyes went back to normal as she asked, "May I?"
Nobody had any objections and Stacey took one of the arrows from one of the woman's pack. Stacey took the arrow found on the Mainland and had Inara compared the two.
"There's also Nanites on these spears too," Stacey told her. "I can see the small heat signature coming from the Nanites power source."
Inara looked over at the two standing guard.
"Leave us," she ordered them.
They obeyed and left.
"I know nothing of this," she told Stacey.
Stacey abruptly took the arrow she had taken from the guard and made a long, deep gash in Inara's right forearm. Inara gasped in pain and took a cloth to stop the bleeding. She attempted to heal it, but nothing happened. Inara looked at Stacey furiously. Despite the commotion, Jeff remained silent and made sure no one would disturb them.
"How 'bout now?" Stacey asked, throwing the blooded arrow down on the rug at their feet.
"Very well," Inara sighed.
She went over to the desk and opened a drawer. There was a hidden compartment in the drawer. Inara opened it at took out a small, round device. She pressed a button and it lit up, giving off a red glow. Inara took the device and scanned her wound.
Stacey's feral eyes saw the sprinkled orange specks fade. Inara's gash healed quickly. She passed the device to Stacey.
"This will deactivate the Nanites in Allison's blood," Inara told her.
To be continued . . .
(A/N: To make up for the lack of updates, I wrote an extra long chapter.)