A/N: Sorry for not posting in a while. School has started and it makes me busy :( Anyway, hope you like the new chapter! ^_^
Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Stargate Atlantis, I do however own Katerina and the events surounding her life
"Hello, Katerina. Please have a seat." Said Weir, gesturing to the chair on the other side of her desk. It was a day after Katerina had arrived on Atlantis, and she was impressed with the structure. The ocean had impressed her the most, never having seen anything like it before.
Katerina gave a small smile and sat down, "So, what are you going to do with me now?" She asked rather shyly.
"Well, that depends on what you want. You're more than welcome to stay, if you want. Or we could dial any planet you wanted to go to."
Katerina frowned a little. "You're not kicking me out? That's how I thought this would go down, not going to lie. I mean, after all, I'm a stranger, another mouth to feed."
Weir nodded. "That's true, but we have more than enough room, and we could use your help. Tell us about your people." Katerina pulled her legs up onto the chair she was sitting in, and hugged them to her chest, feeling like a kid being called to the principal's office at school to explain why she'd put syrup in someone's hair or something.
"I would like to stay, if I could. And when Doctor Beckett gets his lab results back, if I could help out with… What did Ronon call them? Off-world missions? I would quite like to help with those, if they hurt the Wraith in any way." A flame had kindled in her voice as she spoke of the Wraith, and angry flame. She was ready to help in the fight against the Wraith, after all the time she had spent hiding.
"About that. Could you tell me about what happened on your home world?" Asked Weir, watching the other woman for signs of a break down.
"Sure. It was an ordinary night, quiet even." Katerina's eyes got a glazed look to them, as she remembered the fateful night her planet met its doom.
"We're sitting ducks out there! The cats can't take much more!" Shouted her older brother; he NEVER got mad, but now, with his shoulder length blonde hair singed, and deep, oozing wounds on his arm, he was pissed. Red was the most level-headed person in Kat's family, tall, broad shouldered, overly muscled; he seemed to be the prime candidate for anger issues. But no, that was Katerina, the willowy, dark haired girl most people said looked like a princess who had troubles with her temper.
"We don't have any other options!" Her father, the leader of the village yelled back, just as wounded and burned looking as his son, black hair smoking slightly. There were explosions all around.
When the sun rose that morning, no one thought that they would be fighting for their lives as the sun set. It had been Katerina's wedding day, or, as she had called it, the day she got the death penalty.
Her and her maids of honour had been in Katerina's messy bedroom, helping her apply eye shadow, and squeeze into the white, sleeveless gown that represented the extermination of Katerina's freedom.
Her father was walking her up to the altar, trying to comfort her as she fought back tears of despair, telling her that even though he was forcing her to marry the horrible man and the end of the line, he still loved her. Then the Wraith attacked.
"Let me help! Heck let all the women help! We can fight back too you know!" Said Katerina, desperate to help her village before it was completely decimated by the fire raining down from the hive ships in orbit. She had ripped her wedding gown so it was knee length instead of brushing the floor, dust and dirt from struggling with a few Wraith footmen outside caking the garment. Her carefully applied makeup smeared around in racoon eyes that made her look like a vengeful demon. "This culling is different! Their taking more of us than normal. There are not going to stop unless and until we destroy them!"
Her father gave her the honour of considering her words, before giving her brother the order that would change everything for Katerina.
"Take Kat. Get her to the Ring, and make sure she gets somewhere safe, then come back here."
Katerina's eyes widened in shock. "No! I won't leave you! I won't leave my people…" She lost her train of thought, and right before she passed out, she noticed the dart in her shoulder, and the blowgun in her brother's hand.
She had never seen Red look so sad.
Her father caught her before she hit the floor, and the last thing she heard from his worn-out throat was a choked "I love you" before it went dark.
Katerina regained consciousness in one of the most disconcerting ways possible: in a small room, with her left leg chained to the frame of a huge bed, in a room that was painted bright pink with lime green trim. She groaned and closed her eyes, the bright, cheery colours hurting her head. As she peered out from under her eyelids, she noted that she was lying on top of the thick fluffy bedspread that was the same bright pink as the walls, with dancing red hearts. Someone had no idea how to decorate.
Kat's head was still covered in a fuzz of confusion when someone knocked tentatively, the door to her right opening a crack.
"There had better be a good reason I'm tied to a bed, or heads will roll." Katerina growled. There was a squeak from behind the door, and it shut, only to be opened moments later by an extremely short bald man who Katerina recognized as Bo, the leader of the Delantonians, one of Selania's closest trading partners.
"What the heck, man?" Kat demanded, shaking the leg with the shackle on it, the chain clanking against the bedpost.
Bo sighed and made his way up to the bed, but stayed out of arms reach.
"I'm sorry, Katerina, but your brother was adamant that we keep you confined, and my little sisters room was the only room available other than the dungeons." Katerina froze at the mention of her brother, the wads of cotton filling her mind disappearing as she remembered what had happened on the day of her wedding.
"You got to let me go! I have to go back home! I have to-"She was in full panic mode when Bo interrupted her while making calming gestures with his hands.
"Katerina, you were brought here over two months ago, we've been keeping you asleep."
Katerina's whole body twitched, then went still.
Katerina faltered in her story telling, and then continued.
"I managed to... convince Bo to let me go, and when I got back to Selania, everything was destroyed."
Weir politely looked away as Katerina wiped something out of her eye.
"That is terrible." She said, turning back to Katerina. The other woman let go of her legs, and sat up straight, dry eyed.
"I resigned myself to it a long time ago. I planet hopped for a while, but I always came back home. Staying in caves. I never tried to rebuild anything."
Weir gave a smile.
"We'll see about that position. We have standard testing every member has to go through. After that, we'll see."
Kat nodded. "When does this testing start? I have nothing better to do with my time."
"If Sheppard is free, then right away."
"Don't be afraid to hit me." Said Sheppard, as him and Katerina circled in the middle of the wrestling room, Kat in a borrowed karate gi, Sheppard in his own. Katerina had pulled her waist length black hair into a sloppy bun, to keep it out of the way. Teyla, Ronon, and several marines were standing on the sidelines. Katerina had sparred with her older brother all the time when her village was whole, and was used to an audience. Not many people found a need for learning hand-to-hand combat when the cats were around, and everyone went around with large daggers strapped to their waists.
"I'm not." Smirked Katerina.
"She's not," Ronon confirmed from the side. "She beat me. Mind you, I was half healed, and I insisted on it. But she's good."
Sheppard shot a look towards the tall Satedan. "Are you sure I'm the one who should be doing this?"
"Ya' got no choice, Sheppard. You're the leading military officer." Said one of the marines, only half hiding his laughter.
"You, Johnson, just want to see me get hurt." Sheppard said, pointing an accusatory finger at the loud mouthed culprit.
"And you will if you don't start paying attention." Sing-songed Katerina, making a show of checking her nails.
"Right." From then on, it was serious business. Serious business lasted about three minutes, then Sheppard was pinned to the floor with Katerina's arm on his throat.
"Okay, okay. I yield." He said, slapping the mat.
"Awww, I haven't even broken a sweat!" Katerina grinned, letting him go.
Sheppard rubbed the arm that Katerina had twisted behind his back earlier on in the fight, and winced.
Johnson and most of the other marines were laughing, never having seen their commanding officer being beaten by a girl other than Teyla.
"Maybe you'd like to give it a go, Johnson?" Said Sheppard, scowling jokingly at him.
"Nope, I think I'm good. Wouldn't want to rearrange a pretty lady's face too much." Johnson laughed.
Katerina raised one eyebrow, smirking at the cocky man.
"I'll have a go," Said Ronon. "See if you can beat me again." He said with a slightly predatory smile.
Katerina rolled her shoulders, tilting her head to look at him quizzically in a way that reminded Ronon of… something, he couldn't remember what, and then she was grinning.
"Sure, why not. At least you don't have broken ribs to worry about this time," She paused and considered. "Or a broken ankle, or arm, or-" Ronon rolled his eyes.
"I know I know. Can we get on with it?" He asked, pulling his dreadlocks back with a leather tie.
They were both good, really good, in fact, but after ten or so minutes of fighting Ronon managed to get Katerina in a headlock that she couldn't break. She laughed, breathless, happy to find someone who could compete with her on a fighting level that wasn't her brother.
"Yup. You're still skilled." Ronon said, out of breath, rubbing the spot on his ribs she had landed a pretty good kick on.
"Same to you," I groaned. "I don't think I'll be able to use my legs again."
Ronon laughed.