CHAPTER FIVE

Rodney pointed at Radek. "Start the experiment." He jerked his head at Miko. "Check that out, I'm landing."

John frowned as the Jumper suddenly turned and landed outside the village. "...what the..."

Inside the Jumper, Rodney stood up and turned toward the back of the Jumper – and froze. "Okay, what in the he-" He broke off, swallowed hard, and tried again. "What are you doing here?"

Arm still held by Miko, from where she had been pulled from underneath the seat, Madison blinked up at him, eyes wide and innocent. "I was bored," she said, her lower lip jutting out. "I needed something to do and you looked like you were having fun!"

"Maddy, Uncle Rodney is working. How can you not under..." He groaned and keyed the back, pulling off his winter jacket and wrapping it around her. "I don't have time right now for this." He took her hand and hauled her off the Jumper, passing her off to a startled John. "She's bored," he informed John, putting all the considerable contempt he could muster into that word. "So she thought it would be cute to stow away. I have to fly over the ocean, so I can't focus on her. Thanks." Without waiting for an answer, he ran back to the Jumper, which took off seconds later.

"Well," John said, looking at the little girl in his arms. "I guess you can help me, then."

Her face lit. "I can? How?"

He walked back to the settlement. "You can help us get these people all packed up."

"Packed up?" she asked as he set her down inside. "Why?"

Koba stepped forward. "We can no longer live here, child." She looked at John. "You would bring your children to a world this harsh?"

"He didn't bring me," Madison snapped. "He didn't know. I brought me. I was -" She broke off, looking past Koba.

A little girl, close to Madison's age, turned her head toward the high voice and looked sleepily at her. This child's eyes were dull and her cheekbones had begun to stand out from the rest of her face.

Madison's hand crept into John's, suddenly shy. "...Uncle John," she whispered, eyes huge. "...what's the matter with her?"

Teyla lifted her and cradled her close. "This world is dying, Madison," she said softly. "And its people with it. That is what we are doing here. We are trying to save the people. And your being here makes it hard for us to focus on that."

"I..." she began, but Teyla interrupted in that same quiet but firm voice.

"You are here because you craved something to do." She nodded toward the little girl. "Is your boredom more important than her life?" With that, she set Madison on her feet and stroked her hair once, before going to help Polan mediate the few disputes that always seemed to break out at times like this.

Madison drifted over and sat beside the little girl. "Hi," she whispered. "I'm Madison."

The child smiled. "I am Lorya."

"Are... Are you excited about the move?"

The smile faded. "I am frightened. This is the only home I know."

"I understand," Madison said. "We left mine a few months ago to move to Atlantis. I can't ever go back, either."

Lorya took her hand. "Do you want to?"

"Sometimes," she said. "You'll sometimes want to come back here, too. But as long as your family's with you, it'll all be okay."

Lorya turned her tired eyes toward the people who were busily organising their settlement. "I will remember this."

Madison squeezed her hand. "Hey, do you like stories?" Lorya smiled and nodded, and Madison began to tell her about Rapunzel.

John smiled and touched his radio. "Sheppard to McKay. Maddy is under control. How are things on your end?"

"Promising," came the reply. "Preliminary tests are positive. Small-scale experiment underway now. If those results pan out, we need to head back to Atlantis with an ice core, melt it in the ocean and see what happens."

"Sounds like a plan. When you're ready to head back, we'll get Maddy ready to go back with you, so you don't have to face Jeannie's wrath."

"Thanks, John. Seriously – thank you. I'd rather not face that. Will contact when we're ready. Out." And he cut the link.

John smiled and turned to Koba, who was still standing beside him. "What is it?"

"Doubts," she admitted. "If our creatures can not survive in your oceans – will you abandon us to share the fate of our world?"