Nearly six months had gone by before the IOA officially declared Doctor Rodney McKay as M.I.A and ordered Elizabeth to call off the search. While she had complied officially, both Sheppard and Lorne's teams were told in an 'off the record' discussion that the McKay's position on Sheppard's team was waiting for him to return and fill it and that even though they had other objectives, if they saw anything related to McKay, they should pursue it.
This was the arrangement when Colonel Sheppard, Teyla and Ronan arrived on M7S-282. It was a world that despite being culled a year ago, was quickly becoming a trade centre due to rumours of an abandoned Ancient Outpost. As the trio walked towards the village Ronan voiced his thoughts.
"This is going to be another waste of time Sheppard."
"Oh, you never know, this time could be different."
"I for one am hoping that we are not ambushed like the previous time we heard of an outpost of the Ancestors."
"I'm with you there Teyla, but we need to check this out. If there is an outpost here, they could have a ZPM which could help us."
"Help you, you mean." Ronan's comment was terse, but Colonel Sheppard understood.
"I don't know Ronan. It's like Atlantis won't let me forget what I did to Ro..." He choked back a lump in his throat. "The least we can do is try."
Arriving in the centre of town, it was clear that rumours or not, this village had indeed benefitted from the increased trade. There were merchants with grain, all manner of produce and even fresh meat. Even if there was no outpost, Atlantis could certainly benefit from this trade centre. Teyla approached one of the locals.
"Excuse me, we have come from far away to trade."
"Pleasure be to see you. What do you wish to trade?"
"Knowledge actually." Sheppard chimed in. "We have heard the stories of the... Ancestors and wished to learn more for ourselves."
The man chuckled at them.
"Many have come here for that, only to be disappointed when they cannot find what was hidden by the Ancestors." He pointed to a small building next to what appeared to be an inn. "That is Laneya's house. She is the keeper of all of the records. She has the knowledge you seek, but be warned, make sure that your trade is fair for we do not forget unkindness easy here."
With a nod he returned to his stall. Sheppard nodded at the others and they headed off to the little house. As they entered the building, they noticed that the walls were filled with manuscripts of all ages. A small, middle aged woman was seated at a low table. She looked up and smiled, gesturing to them to sit down. The trio got as comfortable as they could as she spoke.
"Fair greetings off worlders. I am Laneya, what is needed?"
Teyla smiled at this woman. She seemed to be very learned and probably wise beyond her years.
"My name is Teyla Emmagen. This is Colonel Sheppard and this is Ronan. We have come seeking knowledge of the Ancestors."
Laneya nodded thoughtfully.
"There is much to share about that, but what knowledge do you seek? Are you like the others who seek what was hidden only to fall at the first challenge?"
"We heard that they might have hidden something here." Sheppard spoke up. "We were hoping to find it."
"There is but one person who has visited with the Ancestors and returned. It was he alone who could locate and open the portal." She reached behind her and pulled a small wrapped piece of leather of a shelf and unwrapped it, laying it in front of them. Sheppard's eyes widened. Tattooed on the leather was Ancient lettering. "I see you recognise the language of the Ancestors Colonel Sheppard."
"I uh, recognise it, but I never got the hang of reading it. You mentioned that someone has actually seen this hidden place?"
"Indeed. He carefully copied these words and many more. He is the only person I have ever known to be blessed with the gift of understanding the words of the Ancestors."
"Does he still live in this village?" Laneya nodded. "We'd be very grateful if we could talk to him."
"I do not yet have a reason to grant your request. You might wish harm on him."
"I assure you we do not. We only wish..."
John held up a hand.
"I understand that you don't have much reason to trust us, but I can promise you that I would never endanger a friend." Sheppard was surprised with himself. He didn't quite know what made him say that.
"Are we friends now Colonel Sheppard?"
"We would like to be."
Laneya nodded thoughtfully.
"Very well. You will have to wait until after last light. It will take a long time before Ro returns from visiting with the Ancestors."
"This Ro, he is with them now?"
"That is what he calls it. He will return."
Sheppard sighed and sat back. This could still be a bust, but he couldn't ignore the possibility of finding an Ancient Outpost, possibly containing a ZPM. They just had to wait until this Ro returned.
Following a meal, which Teyla and Laneya had prepared, they gathered around the table again so Laneya could show them something. She climbed up a ladder into another room, then carefully returned with a large wrapped parcel. She placed it on the table and unwrapped it, revealing a dozen books, all quite thick. Sheppard picked one up and opened it. He was surprised by what he saw. The pages of the book were made from very fine leather, which had been painstakingly tattooed with Ancient text. In all there were thousands of pages of text.
"This must have taken a long time." Teyla observed. Laneya simply nodded.
"Ro has been doing this for many moons now. He is such a sweet child. He works from first light in the fields. After he is done there, he goes to the place of the Ancestors to continue his work. He feels it is his duty. He has been so blessed. He is the only person I have ever known to be able to read the words of the Ancestors. But he is blessed in many other ways. His dreams are visions from the Ancestors. He has an amazing ability to repair tools he has never seen before."
"He sounds like an amazing kid." Sheppard couldn't help but be impressed. If what she was saying was true, then this kid might be able to help them.
"He is everything a mother could ask for and more. I am so proud of him. Yet he finds it hard to accept praise. It is like he expects it of himself to be able to do these things."
Before Sheppard could respond, the door opened and a lanky teenager barrelled in.
"Forgive my lateness mother. I lost track of the..." The boys noticed that his mother wasn't alone and his shoulders dropped, his long hair falling in front of his face. "Forgive the intrusion mother. I did not mean to..."
"It is all right my child." Laneya said soothingly. She beckoned for him to come over. He took her hand and held it to his forehead, then to his chest. "Come sit with me." The boy did so and pushed his sandy brown hair away from his face revealing a bright blue pair of eyes. "This is Teyla, Colonel Sheppard and Ronan. They have come to learn of the Ancestors. This is my son, Ro Neemak."
Sheppard smiled at the boy who was clearly not expecting this.
"Nice to meet you Ro. You've been working hard it seems." Ro nodded. "Did you write all of these?" Sheppard gestured to the books on the table. Ro nodded again. He began to speak not really looking up at the Colonel.
"I have working to bring the knowledge of the Ancestors back for others. It is a slow process. Their methods for keeping writing are different than ours. But they chose me to reveal their secrets to. I must help them."
Sheppard sighed slightly. He had guessed that the boy had the ATA gene, but it sounded like he was copying the database in the outpost onto the leather pages, letter by letter. He looked at the boys hands. There were small pinpricks all over his fingers, along with patches of black tattoo ink.
"If you showed us where his place of the Ancestors is, maybe we could help you?"
"It only appears before me. I have told others before and they have hurt me when they cannot find it."
Sheppard could practically hear Ronan seething beside him. To hurt a child was inexcusable, regardless of the circumstances.
"Ro." Ronan said almost in a grunt. The boy looked up. "I will not allow anyone to harm you." Ro smiled slightly. Ronan may not have had a way with words, but people quickly understood he meant what he said, regardless of the planet.
"Ro, we understand that you might not trust us, but maybe we can help?"
Ro looked towards his mother, who just held him gently.
"The choice is yours alone."
He looked down at his hands then back up at Sheppard, with a small smile on his face.
"I will show you tomorrow. But the portal only appears before me, it may not appear for you."
"Don't worry, if we don't see it, then you'll have done all that we've asked you to."
Ro's smile brightened before he froze and his face fell. He blinked a few times, then looked at Ronan.
"Ronan Dex... of Sateda?" Ronan slowly nodded, a little shocked. At no point had anyone mentioned where he was from. Ro turned to Teyla. "Teyla Emmagan, of Athos?" Teyla nodded, unsure of what the boy was feeling. He turned to face Sheppard, trembling slightly. "John Sheppard, of America?" John nodded slowly, but he was trying to think if they had met this boy before, but it looked like he wanted to cry. Ro stood slowly. "Doronda... I have failed." He turned to his mother, his body shaking and tears falling off his face. "Forgive me mother. I must rest."
The boy rushed to the ladder and climbed into the upper room. Sheppard could hear to boy crying freely now, repeating to himself that he had failed. Laneya, while concerned for her son seemed less worried about the outburst.
"How did he know our names?"
"This happens from time to time. His dreams sometimes show him unpleasant things."
Sheppard's heart went out to the boy. No one should have the memory of what happened there, let alone someone so young. If he had seen what happened at Doronda, then he understood how bad he felt. Some things were best left until tomorrow.
