SGA - Tainted Water - Ch 1

“Are you sure about this?  Both of you?” A mixed voice of warning and worry asked while walking down a long marble hallway covered with azure drapes on the side.

“John, we’re fine.  It’s only a traditional ceremony they throw when they make new allies.  The least we can do is respect that.”  Dr. Elizabeth Weir told her 2IC while giving him a side glance.

“It’s not like we’re in any danger . . . are we Colonel?”

“Of course not Beckett!”  A loud voice came from the team.  “But on that note – Why didn’t you ask us if we were sure about this Sheppard?  Are Carson, and Elizabeth more valuable than Teyla, Ronon and, most importantly, myself?”

John shot a look towards Elizabeth who gave him a sympathetic gaze in return.  “Aside from Ronon and Teyla are you sure you want me to answer that Rodney?”

“Oh ha ha, very funny.” Rodney replied sarcastically as they continued to walk down to the dinning area.

“The Colonel knows we have more off world training that’s all Dr. McKay.”  A voice a reason sounded through, trying to keep the peace so John and Rodney wouldn’t have a fight of sarcastic remarks.

“You won’t need your off world training, we’ve been through negotiations – we’re allies.  We trust them.”  Elizabeth spoke in serious tone ending all future comments on the trustworthiness of their newfound friends.

“What’s so great about these allies anyways . . .” John muttered to himself.

The comment twitched in Elizabeth’s ear before she turned her head around, “John, we need allies and these people are perfect.” She replied in a low warning voice.

“Not in a military sense!”  John injected in a voice louder than he intended.

Elizabeth shot him a warning glare but continued walking hoping that their guide a few steps in front of them didn’t hear.  

“Well actually let’s think about it for a moment . . .   After the Genii do we really want a strong military ally?”  Rodney commented from behind, in a hushed voice as he could go.

“What else are allies good for if they can’t help us defeat the Wraith?”  Ronon remarked, obviously not too happy with their soon to be new allies, a small group of people called the Dalilans.

Teyla let out a half sigh, “In some ways I have to agree with Ronon.  How are these new people going to help us with the Wraith?  There’s barely enough of them to keep their society running.”  

“Aie.  But their medical and scientific advances is what sold Elizabeth.  And I believe that any medical breakthroughs can help in our fight with the Wraith.”  The last member of the group chimed in.

John sighed.  They really shouldn’t have came to this world, but it was in the ancient database as a friendly group of farmers so they had to at least check it out.  Of course, millions of years would change a society and that friendly group of farmers turned into a small group of water scientist.  Okay, so they weren’t really “water scientist” but John liked to think of them as such.  All they saw today was different plant experiments based on this “special” water, how to better their crops with it, how to adapt it to certain illnesses, how to keep it constantly running throughout their small gated community.  It was annoying, not to mention disturbing – the experiment they performed on what looked like an apple was . . . interesting.  One minute it was a rotten fruit weeks past its glory days then a few minutes soaking in this water and ta-da magically it became a ripe apple ready to eat – which Ronon did as a test.

Rodney was so amazed he dialed Elizabeth right away calling this water “the modern day fountain of youth” which only peaked Beckett’s curiosity and before you know it, much to John’s dismay, they were on a walk to some sort of celebration for their newly formed alliance.

So really, when thinking back on it, this whole thing was “Rodney’s fault.”  John muttered while glaring daggers at Rodney.  

“Excuse me?”

“You brought Elizabeth down here and now we’re going to make an alliance with people who frankly I don’t trust!”  John fell back in order to hush yell with Rodney.

“Trust?!  Didn’t you hear Elizabeth on that subject about let’s see . . .  one minute ago?!  What gives you a reason not to trust them?!  ”

“Hmm . . .   I don’t know for some reason I have a problem with people who can turn back time with some magic water!”

“Come now Colonel, you know there’s no such thing as magic.  They’re going to give us a small sample of this water and we’ll study it in our lab.  Hmm.  With me working on it I’m sure the “magic” will be solved in no time.  Think of it, preserving food would never be the same – even your precious turkey would last forever.”  Rodney finished with a smile, a noble prize in his starry eyes.

“That’s great Rodney but have you ever thought that they might use this water on . . . Geeze I don’t know . . .  people!?”

Rodney quickly snapped out of it.  “Of course not!  Why would they?”

“I think living forever would be a tempting idea, especially to a small group of people such as these.”  Ronon added in with a sly smirk.

“Aie, it might but these people don’t think so!  I looked in their facilities myself no traces of that.  You see what they all wear, they make sure to take extra precautions not to test such an idea.”  Carson defended.

He had a point; the Dalilans wore the oddest clothes: the basics of it looked like a scuba diving uniform, completely water resistant, with a small skirt attached to the females with a small vest made of the same material.  Males varied from sashes to long vest – also made of the same material.  Sashes were generally for military men with the appropriate rank, ribbons and metals on them.  John looked further ahead their light hair tour guide wore such a uniform, in fact he was the head of the military: Commander Troy Darnell Charles.  

He was friendly, but there’s not too many people in the military to command over so his power must’ve been minimal.  And although he seemed trustworthy John still had to wonder if he was up to something.  It must be difficult to be in charge of a non-existent military.  

“We’re almost there” Troy finally spoke up to the group.

“Finally it seems like we’ve been walking for hours!” Rodney ‘kindly’ replied.

“Rodney!” The group yelled followed by him getting slapped up top the head from John.

“What was that for?!”

John shook his head in embarrassment, “Nothing . . .”

Troy merely laughed and continued to talk to Elizabeth – something that triggered John’s danger radar: why would a military man need to talk to Elizabeth?  Ignoring the fact that he was also a military man John slyly made his way up to them.

“Ah!  Colonel Sheppard!  You made it just in time to see . . .” Troy pulled back a maroon sheet to reveal “the dinning area!  Welcome to the celebration feast.”  Troy added with a sly smile.

“It’s beautiful!”  Elizabeth commented while looking at the wide-open dinning hall.  Above was a giant glass dome, which caught the sun in just the right light to full capture the brilliance of the circular place.  On the outer rims were fountains that spit out water streams through the air connecting each water passage to the giant fountain in the middle.

White marble tables were built on the outskirts of the circular shape in layers - similar manner to how a house of representatives were set up; each row packed with people and food.

“Impressive.”  Ronon said as he looked around.

“Very.  I’ve never seen water shown in such a display.” Teyla added on in amazement.

“Yes.”  Troy commented with pride.  “This is actually our Senate – we voted on your alliance right here!  But on special occasions such as this, we use it as a massive dinning hall.”  He said while continuing to guide them to the center fountain.

“So at what angle and force did you design the fountains to connect it all in such an, heh, elaborate display?”  

“Oh come now Rodney do you have to take away the beauty?” Carson asked while glaring at Rodney.

“What?  I was just curious!”  Rodney replied while crossing his arms and a small ‘humph’.  

“The architecture is impressive.”  Elizabeth commented, still overwhelmed by the beauty.

“Yea . . . .  Not bad for farmers.”  John sneered while looking away, missing the death glare Elizabeth was shooting at him.

“Yes.  It’s quite nice.  Is the water filtered water or the experimental water you were showing us before?”  Carson asked while staring at the fountains.

“It’s the rawest form of our “experimental” water.”  Troy replied with a small smirk  “Ah!  Come!  Minister Kevork says it’s time for you to eat!  Dr. Weir, Dr. Becket, if you’ll come this way.  Colonel Sheppard you’re team should follow Kara now.”  The man said while leading Elizabeth and Carson toward the front center.

John immediately frowned; he didn’t like this one bit.  Why would they separate the group?  Everything about it screamed “evil plot”.

“If you’ll come this way please.”  A young dark woman who wore the usual women attire said as she began to lead the team towards the outer left corner of the dinning area.

“Please excuse us for separating your group but your leader must eat with ours and your medical officer is looked to with high regards to us so naturally he needs to eat with our medical officer.”

“And what am I?  Chopped liver?  Garbage?  Is the Chief Scientist not important?”

Kara turned around, her side pigtails flying back, and looked at McKay with great interest she poked around him for a bit before giggling.  “Your people are quite funny with “jokes” that’s what you call them right?”  

Before McKay could reply John interjected, “Yes, we’re a funny group of people, so can you explain to me this?  Why does the head of the military get to eat up there with Elizabeth?”  

The young blond looked at the pair in the center table for a moment before taking her lead position and curiously looking at John.  “And Dr. Beckett too . . . of course.”  John quickly added on while looking away, why was the girl staring at him?

After a few seconds a small smile formed on Kara’s face and she began walking again.  “Oh you needn’t worry Colonel Sheppard.  Commander Charles is charming but he would never steal your ‘other” She giggled.

Rodney laughed at this while Teyla and Ronon looked at each other with knowing looks and small grins.  Kara just looked baffled by the entire response - did she say something wrong?  

“That wasn’t my concern.”  John murmured.  

“Well trust me Colonel, you needn’t worry.”  She led them to the furthest back row to the left.  “Here you go Colonel, you’re team can eat and watch the ceremony from here!  Minister Kevork has a wonderful speech I’m sure . . .” She said while gazing towards an old man in the center with hazy eyes.

John looked at the young girl and forced a smile “Thank you.”  She quickly came back, nodded to the group then skipped down the stairs two at a time.  

“You know she’s actually rather attractive when she’s not talking.  Dark skin, blond hair, blue eyes, just my type.”  McKay stated while watching Tara leave.

“Perhaps she’s a little young for you Dr. McKay, she looks like she’s sixteen!”  Teyla opposed while sitting herself next to Rodney.

Ronon sat down next to Sheppard and Teyla while looking around.  He turned towards Teyla and nodded in agreement.  “Besides McKay everyone here has blond hair.  Really light blond hair.”

Teyla and Rodney then looked around “Ronon is right.  We stand out like, what’s that phase, “a sore thumb”?  Don’t you find it odd?”

“So they have a limited gene-pool.”  Rodney shrugged off, “Nothing too strange.”

“What do you think Colonel?”  Teyla asked while looking across Ronon.  

John didn’t hear the question though, the entire time his focus was on the two dark haired people pleasantly chatting with the minister.  He positioned himself at the edge so if something happens he could just run over there and help.  Of course being on the far left made it so even if he did get over there the time it would take would be too great, which made him even more suspicious.

“Colonel?  Colonel?”  A sound of horns stopped Teyla from trying to snap John out of his spell.  In the center seats the Minister stood up followed by Elizabeth.  

“My fellow Dalilans and honored guest I welcome you all to witness these signs of good faith and trust.”  The tall old man spoke, “We now have a new set of friends for each of to share our wealth with!   Their military support shall help us if the Wraith should ever come again, our medical advances shall be their medical advances and our friendship will fuel the each other.  My friends may we all benefit from our new friends from the home of our former allies The Lost City herself, Atlantis!”  A group a loud cheers filled the room.  Even Ronon had a smirk on his face him all of the excitement.  

The white haired man waved his hands a few times and the crowd settled down.  He then turned to Troy who handed him two silver cups with blue gems in them.  “To Doctor Elizabeth Weir, head of her people, we present to you this ceremonial cup as a symbol of good will, peace, and friendship.”  

Elizabeth took the cup from his hands and nodded her head in thanks.  She then turned to the group and began to speak “I take your cup as a symbol of good will peace and most importantly your friendship and I thank all of Dalilans for it.  I believe that we will be able to make some promising discoveries for both of our people and that, together, we’ll make great strides for the benefit of all.”  

Once again the crowd broke into another fit of applause and cheers.  John smiled with pride, “Not bad for winging it.”  He remarked to his fellow teammates.

Rodney nodded in agreement while both Ronon and Teyla looked rather baffled with the phrase ‘winging it’.

Once the crowd died down the Minister spoke again,  “To friendship”  He said while banging their cups together so the liquids jumped.  Everyone else raised their glasses as well.  “To friendship!” They all cheered in unison as they also began to clank their thick tin cups with each other.

Rodney was the only one in the group affected by the clanking as the Dalilan next to him insisted it be done.  Ronon and Teyla merely looked on with amusement to see the man’s drink spill on Rodney because he didn’t clank back with enough force.

John just watched Elizabeth as she continued her clanking.  She clanked with Carson, the Minister again and a few others before finally taking a sip.  But the detail that relieved John the most was the smile on her face, she even looked like she was chuckling in amusement of their friendly culture.  John smiled to himself; maybe these Dalilans aren’t that bad.  After all, they did make Elizabeth laugh . . .  

End Chapter 1