Hello everyone! I'm back! I know it has been FOREVER since I updated. I really struggled with this particular update and deciding where and how I wanted Kai to be involved in Sateda. I hope you enjoy the update.
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Elizabeth sat at her desk, her hands folded in front of her. Sheppard recognized it as the stance she took when she was dealing with tough negotiations. "So you have made up your mind," Elizabeth began, not bothering to wait for Sheppard to say the words. She could see it in John's face. Not that she had been holding out much hope. While she wasn't as familiar with them as a couple as many others, she had seen the determination in John's eyes when he spoke of his feeling for Kai. She supposed she should be grateful that he had chosen to be so honest and open about it. Although the truth was, politically it may have been better for him to have kept it a secret. Part of her wondered if she should advise them to consider that approach.
"Yes," John agreed. "We have."
Elizabeth's eyes cut to Kai where she stood a step behind John. She didn't feel like it was a good representation of their relationship. While Kai was standing back and letting John handle this conversation she was not going to stand back and let him lead in their relationship. Elizabeth knew Kai far too well to think she would do that. Perhaps if there was that kind of discrepancy in power in their relationship she wouldn't be as worried, but Kai was anything but submissive.
Elizabeth sighed and rubbed her forehead with her fingers as a headache began. The IOA was going to have a field day with this. They hadn't wanted Sheppard in his position in the first place but she had insisted. Using her popularity with the president to bolster her position and then she refused to lead unless they gave her John as her military commander. They could use this to replace him, but she didn't know how to make him understand the precariousness of their position, and he was throwing it all away because a pretty face had turned his head. She tightened her hands into fists but didn't say all she was thinking.
"I think it's my job to remind you of the policy-" Elizabeth began
"And I think it's my job to remind you I am not in violation of that policy," John snapped again. He hadn't anticipated Elizabeth letting this go but he really didn't want to rehash all of it in front of Kai. John would be able to move beyond the things Elizabeth had said about Kai, but he wasn't sure that Kai would ever forgive Elizabeth. Kai wasn't the type to forgive and forget. He glanced over his shoulder and met Kai's gaze. Her storm grey eyes were troubled but she stood tall and proud, her hands clasped behind her back in her people's version of being at attention.
"I think it's inappropriate-" Elizabeth started to continue but John was already shaking his head.
"Your personal feelings aren't important here. What matters is that we are not violating any rules that the IOA or the military could throw in my face. And to be perfectly frank, I'm not trying to throw anyone under the bus but McKay and Dr. Brown have been dating on and off for the last year and Beckett and Cadman were seeing each other for several months last year. I don't remember you making as big of a deal of that."
"That's not the same thing," Elizabeth snapped.
Kai's jaw ached from keeping her mouth clamped shut. "Why is that?" Kai challenged from behind John, unable to keep silent any longer.
Elizabeth's eyes flickered to Kai and then back to John. "You know why," she said tightly.
"I would like you to say it," Kai said taking a powerful step up next to John. She and Elizabeth had never been close, but she hadn't ever felt like Elizabeth wished she wasn't there. She had always thought Elizabeth appreciated and respected her for her skills and the things she brought to the expedition. It was painfully clear that only extended so far. Kai hated feeling like a fool, but that was clearly what had happened.
"You are an alien, you are not from Earth, it is going to be seen as a division of focus and loyalties. I'm surprised you are willing to put John in such a precarious position. I would have thought you-"
"Don't," John snarled, interrupting Elizabeth before she could finish what she was saying. He had never thought Elizabeth would play dirty. He wasn't about to stand here and let Elizabeth make Kai feel bad.
Elizabeth pinched her lips together. She had gone too far, and the blazing rage in Sheppard's eyes told her she was going to have to work to regain some of the trust she had just lost with him, but she couldn't live with herself if she hadn't done everything in her power to save him from himself. He wasn't known for always making the best decisions.
"I imagine you are going to do what you desire regardless of what I say," Elizabeth finally relented.
"With all due respect Doctor Weir, do you think that I am so undisciplined that I would allow my emotions to interfere with my job?" Kai asked a little more severely than she should have. Everything the Mortii had put her through had taught her nothing, if not discipline. She had at no point given Doctor Weir any reason not to trust her.
Elizabeth turned to face Kai, a thoughtful expression on her face. "I think that you have a history of only following the rules you find convenient. Like someone else I know," Elizabeth snapped and her eyes went to the Colonel.
John flashed her an infuriating boyish grin that was totally unapologetic, however it did little to hide his simmering anger. "While you don't have to like it, I do expect you to continue to treat Kai with the respect you have done so since she voluntarily joined this expedition."
Elizabeth nodded, but said nothing more.
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John stomped out of Elizabeth's office and Kai followed. She could practically feel the tension radiating off of him as they moved through the halls. Kai reached out and grabbed John's arm, he slowed, swinging back around to face her. She looked up and down the halls and when she didn't see anyone she reached up and grabbed the back of his neck, pulling his lips down and smashing hers against his. She could hear his heart pounding in his chest. John growled low in his throat and his hands dropped to her hips, pulling her tightly against his chest. He pulled back and rested his forehead against his and they both fought to catch their breath.
"It's fine," Kai assured him, trying to calm him.
John shook his head. "It's not fine," he said. "She should-"
"Elizabeth is always going to do what she thinks is best for the expedition, and she decided a long time ago that we shouldn't-" Kai gestured vaguely at John and he snorted. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his chest. "I'm not giving this up," he said into her hair.
Kai breathed in the scent of John and let herself lean into him. She didn't know how to trust this. She didn't know how to lean into this and truly believe the universe was going to allow her to have this. John had always seemed too good for her. She had so much blood on her hands, how she had come to deserve someone like John she would never know, but she would stand by him as long as it lasted. She wanted the chance to see where this could lead and what it could become.
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Sateda
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Kai trailed behind AR-1, staring intently at the life signs scanner in her hand. She and McKay had found this planet in the database. Some of the Ancient's notes suggested there might be an advanced civilization present and so McKay pushed for Kai to come along so they could continue their project together. Kai had tried to politely decline. She didn't want to draw any unnecessary attention from Weir after their run in earlier that week. McKay however brushed her off when she tried to decline and had marched into Weir's office insisting Kai be cleared to accompany the team.
Despite announcing their intention to be together, she and Sheppard had seen very little of each other since he was busy off world and she was in the lab working long hours. At most they had managed a couple of dinners and some time in the gym. Kai tried not to be paranoid but there was a part of her that felt like Weir was keeping Sheppard running on purpose. Now she trailed behind his team, studying the life signs scanner in her hand.
None of the readings were showing any signs of advanced technology however. Kai shivered and shrugged deeper into her jacket and the flak vest. It was winter on this planet and a fine dusting of snow crunched beneath her boots. There was a strange, heavy silence in these woods. According to the readings there was a small community of people ahead of them but the woods felt empty.
Ronon paused, his eyes narrowing warily as he looked around them.
"What's wrong?" Kai asked with a frown. She trusted Ronon's instincts as much as she trusted her own. His whole posture had changed. His eyes were narrowed as he stared into the quiet forest.
"I have a bad feeling," Ronon responded cryptically.
"I always feel like that," McKay said stepping around them. "Like something horrible is about to happen."
"How do you live like that?" Teyla asked with a shake of her head.
McKay shrugged. "You get used to it."
Kai however was ignoring their banter and continued to watch Ronon.
John had picked up on both her and Ronon's mood and had slowed to watch them. His eyes flickered to the forest before turning back to Kai and Ronon.
McKay however continued forward as though nothing were wrong. "The thing is, when someone else has that feeling mine gets worse."
Kai fell into step beside Ronon. "Do you recognize this place?" she asked.
"I don't remember," Ronon said through clenched teeth.
"You must have visited many planets when you were running from the Wraith," Teyla said soothingly.
"I didn't count," Ronon said gruffly, clearly not comfortable with the direction the conversation was going.
"I don't know how you would tell them all apart," John said looking around at the deep forest that resembled most other planets in the habitable zone that they had visited.
The group walked together towards the village. It was clear by the primitive huts and fencing surrounding it there was no technology to be found. Kai frowned. The mission had been a waste of her time and led to unnecessarily agitating Doctor Weir. She tucked the scanner into her belt so she wouldn't scare any of the locals and fell into step at the back of the group.
"See," John said encouragingly. "Here we go. Nothing to worry about. Seems like a perfectly nice village to me, just like dozens of others we have visited," he said motioning to the people.
"It appears to be the type of encampment my people trade with all the time," Teyla said soothingly. "I see no evidence of threatening behavior or danger."
Kai continued to walk beside Ronon. Despite Teyla's attempted to reassure him she could practically feel the tension radiating off of Ronon. Teyla's attempts to be reassuring were patronizing at best and Kai wished she just wouldn't try. Her words only seemed to agitate Ronon more.
McKay scoffed in disappointment. "I also see nothing we might be interested in trading for," McKay said in disgust.
"Hi, how you doing?" John greeted as they walked deeper into the village. He flashed a charming smile and while the first couple women they came across smiled back the others did not.
People slowed their daily routines and stared at their group in shock as they came deeper into the village. Kai frowned, she knew there was some technology visible they would not have recognized, but the shock on their faces was a little too much. Something was wrong here.
A man in front of them looked past Sheppard and when his eyes landed on Ronon he dropped his arm load of logs. "Wraith-bringer!" he screamed and he bolted for the center of the village. "Wraith-bringer!"he hollered to everyone.
All around them the people of the village panicked and ran.
John glanced down at Kai. "Well that can't be good," he said shifting so his hand was resting on his gun.
"You don't have to be afraid!" Teyla called after them soothingly. "Where are you going?"
"We need to get out of here now," Ronon said harshly as his hand dropped to the gun on his hip.
"I take it he was talking to you?" McKay snapped impatiently.
Kai's eye widened as she saw a man run out of one of the huts holding a crossbow. "Move!" Kai yelled, but she was too late. The man fired his cross bow and it hit McKay in the butt.
"Ah!" McKay screamed turning and looking down at the arrow in his butt. "That did not just happened!" he wailed.
Kai pulled the hand gun at her side.
"Warning fire only!" John called and she, John, and Teyla opened fire above the heads of the villagers sending them scattering.
"Go!" Sheppard yelled. He grabbed McKay's arm and pulled it around his shoulders as the villagers continued to fire arrows at them. John dragged McKay towards the gate as Ronon, Teyla and Kai laid down cover fire.
"Oh my god I can't feel my leg!" McKay bellowed as they ran through the woods.
"Is it pain or numbness?" John asked pulling McKay towards the gate.
"Both!" he wailed pathetically.
The people continued to chase them. Teyla, Ronon and Kai continued to take turns providing covering fire as they ran. One holding a position as the others went back fifty yards and then alternating.
"What in the hell did you do to these people?" McKay demanded.
"Don't listen to him," Ronon growled impatiently as he continued to fire stun shots towards the villagers.
"How could he not remember the gate address?" McKay demanded.
"Do you know the symbols for every address from every planet we've ever visited?" Sheppard demanded.
"Yes!" McKay exclaimed.
An arrow thunked into a tree next to John's head. He turned as Ronon, Teyla and Kai took up covering positions. The villagers were gaining on them.
"Go!" Teyla yelled. "Get to the gate!"
"Go on!" John yelled to McKay as the gate came into view. "We'll be right behind you!"
John turned around to run back and help the others.
Kai was firing at the villagers when Teyla suddenly jerked beside her and went down. "Ronon!" she called and when he turned to face her a slim dart hit him in the arm and he dropped before he could take a step towards her. Kai moved to help him and a prick of pain hit her neck. She reached up and pulled the dart looking down at it in her hand as her vision began to go black.
John got back to them in time to hear Kai call for Ronon and see her collapse. He ran towards her, reaching down to check her pulse, when a dart like the one in her hand hit him in the arm.
"Ah crap," he muttered and everything went black.
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John blinked awake. He frowned as he looked around them. Teyla was sitting beside him in a rough hewn log jail cell, but McKay must have made it back to Atlantis because he wasn't with them. "Well," he said sardonically. "I guess it could be worse."
Ronon stood with his back to them, leaning his palms against the bars. Kai was standing just off his shoulder, staring out at the villagers, but careful not to get too close to their enraged friend.
"Look, I know you must be thinking this is your fault-" Sheppard started as he climbed to his feet with a groan.
"I have already tried to console him," Teyla assured him.
John pushed himself to his feet and took a step up next to Kai. "We were bound to run across a planet you'd been to sooner or later."
Ronon didn't turn around. "It was night last time-" he muttered so low only Kai could hear him. He looked down at his hands.
A group of villagers approached. One must have been the chief based on the respect everyone seemed to show him. "You think we would not remember you?" the chief taunted. "We offered you food and shelter. Maybe you do not remember our village," he said gesturing to the huts around them. "We were forced to rebuild after the wraith came. They were not merely culling us as they have done in the past. They were looking for you. They burned everything we had to the ground to find you."
Ronon looked away in shame. "I'm sorry," he said.
"Sorry?" the chief challenged. "I doubt that. You will not bring death and destruction to us again."
"Look, I can't say the Wraith won't come back here again, but I can promise you they're not coming back because of him," John said stepping forward to assume control of the situation. Ronon wasn't a great negotiator on the best of days and it was clear his friend blamed himself for what had happened here in the past, and for their current position.
John however, somehow managed to appear supremely confident and in control even from the inside of a cell.
"No, not once we've sacrificed the wraith-bringer to his masters," the chief responded.
"He prefers Ronon," John said. "Probably also prefers not to be sacrificed to the wraith," John added sarcastically.
Teyla shoved forward. "He is a victim of the wraith, like all of us. His planet was destroyed. He was captured and made a runner, but he is not one anymore."
"Victim?" the chief asked with a disbelieving snort. His eyes fell to Kai who was standing a step behind John. The chief lifted one of Kai's Blades from within his robes. "These do not belong to the company of victims." His eyes zeroed in on Kai's face. "You are just as the legends say..." he frowned. "Although shorter than I expected," he added almost to himself.
Kai frowned but didn't respond to the man's baiting. Beside her John made a noise of disbelief in his throat.
"The wraith cannot track Ronon as they once did!" Teyla called, trying desperately to convince the chief to let them all go. "And Kai is our friend!" she added, her eyes flickering over to where Kai still absolutely still in the wake of their attacks.
"The Wraith did not feed on us all last time," the chief said. "They promised us that if he ever came back and if we captured him, we would be forever free from culling in the future."
"They promised?" Teyla asked in disbelief. "They are wraith! I promise you that killing Ronon will not change what happened, and will not protect you in the future."
"I said nothing of killing," the chief said his sharp eyes snapping over to Teyla for a moment.
John stalked to the front of the cage forcing the chief to pay attention to him instead. Things were getting out of hand quickly and he didn't like the way the chief kept talking about being rewarded by the Wraith. He had heard there were people who served the Wraith in this galaxy but he had never met a whole village of them. "Isn't that what 'sacrificed' means?" John challenged.
"I know not what his masters will do to him once we turn him over to them. Although the riches they have promised in exchange for turning over the Mortii will make our village prosperous."
John went very still as the chief's words washed over him. "Wait," he said with a frown his head snapping back to Kai. "You're giving them both to the wraith?" he demanded.
Kai's eyes went from John's to the village chief's uncertain how she had suddenly been brought into this.
The chief smiled smugly. "It is well known the Wraith pay handsomely for Mortii. It is rare to find one outside the protection of it's people," the chief reached into his robes once more and pulled out a communication device. "They left this behind so we could call them when their runner returned. Now we will please them with both sacrifices."
Kai's jaw was tight as she stared at the subspace transmitter in the chief's hand. "He's already activated it," she told John.
"They're going to kill all of us, you included," John snarled. He couldn't believe what was happening.
The village chief stared into John's eyes and it was clear it didn't matter what any of them said. He was resolute in his actions. He stalked away, leaving them in the cage.
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"Unauthorized activation...wait. Doctor McKay's IDC," Chuck called.
Elizabeth frowned, it was too soon for AR-1 to be returning. They had just left. She ran down the steps towards the gate just as Rodney ran through the event horizon still shooting over his shoulder. The guards lifted their weapons and prepared to defend Atlantis if necessary.
Rodney collapsed an arrow sticking out of his butt.
"Rodney!" Elizabeth exclaimed in alarm. She spun back to face the guards. "Medical team to the gate room!" she ordered and she knelt next to him. "Rodney, where are the others?" Elizabeth asked.
"They're right behind me," he said.
The wormhole collapsed just as Beckett and the medical team surrounded them and whisked McKay off to the infirmary.
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"Call him back here," Ronon growled to one of the guards. "The leader of your village."
"Why?" the young guard asked defiantly. He was more afraid of Ronon than he wanted to admit.
"Because I need to talk to him," Ronon said rolling his shoulders aggressively.
"It's too late for you," the young man growled, stomping up to the bars to stare Ronon defiantly in the face. "The wraith will be here soon."
Ronon struck through the bars. He pulled the man against them, stunning him before whipping him around to use him like a human shield and pulled his knife from his belt. He pressed the blade against the young man's neck.
"Shoot me with one of those darts and I promise he will be dead before I go down," Ronon snarled.
"Let him go!" one of the guards yelled, pointing a crossbow at them.
John stepped up next to Ronon. "Hey buddy, you wanna fill me in on this plan?" John asked calmly.
"Let him go!" One of the guards demanded again.
"Get Keturah!" the young man begged as Ronon pressed the blade harder against his skin.
"I'm here," the chief called, stalking through the group. "Unhand him now. I will not free you. These men will kill your friends first," he warned and the crossbows were all turned to face John and Teyla.
"I don't think that will be necessary. Why don't we all put down our weapons and talk about this nicely?" John suggested.
"Let them go," Ronon demanded. "It's me the wraith want. They had nothing to do with what happened here."
"Ronon!" John snapped. "Don't."
"They won't shoot me, they must know the wraith still want me alive," Ronon was shaking with rage.
"I was a little more concerned with them shooting us," John said sarcastically.
"Please Keturah," the young man under Ronon's knife begged. His eyes wide with fear.
"Let him go, now!" the chief demanded.
"Fine," Ronon shoved the man away and put the blade against his own throat.
"What the hell are you doing?" John demanded taking a step towards Ronon.
"Back off Sheppard!" Ronon snarled.
Kai slid around the side so she and John were flanking Ronon. She wasn't about to let Ronon do what she thought he was doing.
"Drop the knife Ronon," Kai said in a warning voice.
Ronon's eyes flickered to her but he turned back to the village chief. "No," Ronon snarled. "I didn't mean to bring the wraith here, but it was my fault."
"That isn't true," Kai demanded.
Ronon turned to her. "You know it is Kai. I should never have come here. I should never have stayed," he turned back to the village chief. "I'm sorry for what happened to your village, and if you think turning me over to the wraith will keep you safe, then fine, do it. I'll do whatever I have to to make up for what happened, but don't punish them for my mistake. They're good people. You let them go, or I'll be dead before the wraith get here. I promise!" Ronon bellowed. He adjusted the knife, pressing the blade against his skin until blood appeared. "Then see what the wraith do to you," he snarled dangerously.
"We're not leaving without you," John said firmly.
Kai realized in that moment what Ronon was doing. It was the only way to save the others. "John you have to go," she said in a low voice.
He turned to look at Kai like she was crazy. "No," he said without hesitation. "I'm not leaving you here."
"You let them go!" Ronon demanded.
The young guard turned to the chief. "We have no issue with the other two," he pointed out.
"Let them go!" The chief commanded. "Resist and you will be killed," he warned John.
John was dragged out of the cell. "What? No!" he called as he was shoved away from the village.
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With both Major Lourne and Colonel Sheppard off world, the new Major Rutherford was in charge. He hadn't been in the Pegasus more than a month, but if he was nervous about the mission he didn't show it. He met Elizabeth in the infirmary. Rodney was laying face down on the cot as Beckett finished bandaging his butt.
"So many colors," McKay said dreamily. "All the pretty horses."
"What's he talking about?" Elizabeth asked sharply.
"I gave him some morphine for the pain," Beckett said apologetically.
"McKay, I need to know how many villagers," Rutherford said. "How far is the gate from the village?"
"Have you seen a guy around? He's got messy hair. I think I lost him somewhere. And a, a pretty girl and a caveman," and Rodney broke off into a peal of laughter. "WAIT!" he said suddenly slapping Rutherford on the arm. "There are two pretty girls. Two pretty girls," he sang.
"I may have given him a wee bit too much," Beckett said apologetically. "But he was making it impossible for me to treat him."
Rutherford stepped forward and used his sharp military tone. "Snap out of it McKay, this is important. Tell us what kind of weapons they have."
McKay just laughed dreamily.
"I would assume something that shoots arrows," Beckett said helpfully.
McKay looked around and frowned. "Why am I laying here?"
"You have an arrow Rodney," Beckett spoke loudly and clearly. "In your Gluteus Maximus."
"My gluteus...that's my ass!" McKay exclaimed proudly and he laughed again.
"Aye," Beckett agreed.
"Call me if he starts making more sense," Weir said and she nodded to Rutherford who led the way back to the gate room. It looked like they were on their own
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Kai watched as John and Teyla were led away from the cage. She felt nothing but profound relief to know John was safe. Saving them had been the only play Ronon had, she didn't blame him at all for making it so they could escape. As a Mortii she would forever be paying for the sins of her people. She had not expected the people to let her go as well. She had heard of the bounties offered for her people, she just hadn't realized someone would actually believe the Wraith would honor their promise of riches.
Kai was about to turn back to Ronon when she felt the prick of one of those little darts hit her in the neck. Kai blinked as she felt the drugs effects. She dropped to her knees.
"NO!" Ronon bellowed. "You let her go too! You-" He raged. Then he staggered and collapsed into the side of the cell and went down.
"Kai-" he started to say looking towards her but then his eyes rolled back up in his head.
Kai fought the drug as long as she could, but as soon as Ronon was down she couldn't hold back the darkness any longer. The drugs hit her and pulled her under.
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Hi everyone, thank you for reading! I'm so grateful you have stuck with this story for so long! I love John and Kai and hope you continue to enjoy their story.