Day One Hundred Forty-Four

The broad, desert valley between Ayse and N'vellesem is completely transformed by the rainfall. The barren sand is covered in grass that is growing so fast you can almost see it; the air is thick and sweet with the scent of the masses of blooms that carpet the ground. All around them are the pesky flies, and flocks of small, brown birds swoop in to catch them. The desert animals that had been so scarce and shy before ignore them as the various rodents and reptiles run rampant across the fields, eating and mating; too busy to pay attention to the raptors soaring overhead, taking in their share of the ephemeral bounty. The mesla are more stubborn than ever, they want to stop and graze, and it requires constant attention to keep them moving.

It's incredibly beautiful, but John's too tired and focused on getting to the ship to pay too much attention. Cadman has the digital camera out, and John briefly wonders how many batteries and flash cards she'd managed to bring with her.

No one says a word as they reach the crest of the last dune, and pause to catch their first glance of the Daedalus. The force of the flood has turned it around, now lying east to west, tilted at a crazy angle and half-submerged in the middle of a purple lake.

John already knows the exact condition of both ship and crew. He's had regular updates from Caldwell as they force marched across the mountains and desert, but seeing it is a visceral punch in the gut.

There are tents and tarp-covered 302s planted in neat rows along the water's shore, and he can see a few people scurrying around, looking uncannily like the mice and hares in the verdant fields. The funeral pyre on the far shore for those bodies that have been recovered is still smoking, rising up and away in the brisk wind.

He knows his presence here wouldn't have made a bit of difference, and yet he still feels a small knot of guilt for having taken off on the viat. Seeing the Daedalus further wrecked, and knowing that maybe there is a way out of this, is a torturous hope of the very worst kind.

John can't allow himself to think about that idea, not yet. "C'mon," he says, but the mesla are completely intractable, and no amount of slapping, tugging or pushing will get them to stop eating and move again.

Anbur advises John, "Leave them. They will follow at their own pace."

"Good enough for me." John takes off down the hill at a fast clip, stumbling a little as his foot catches on an unseen vine. He's been walking across sand and rock since they crashed; abundant verdure now seems strange and alien. Fortunately, either no one noticed, or they're being unaccountably polite. Right, they didn't see it.

John thinks it's mildly ironic that they've left one tent city for another. The camp is crazy, with people gathering around them as they approach. The Daedalus hid people well, and the only time he's seen most of them at once had been at Elizabeth's town hall meetings. Cadman, Timmons and Lu disappear with the Marines, Evan drifts off in the company of the 302 pilots, Caldwell and Elizabeth head towards whatever tent is the makeshift HQ, and Rodney and Shaaziya are enjoying a rather bracing reunion, his hand resting on her belly.

John stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Laith and Anbur at the center of the hubbub for a moment, and then half-turns towards Laith with his best impassive face, "Let me show you around, while I figure it out." He starts towards the Daedalus and the lake. He asks Anbur, "Does this happen every time?"

"Yes, but never so deep."

"You can see where the ship plowed through when we crashed," he says, pointing to the south. In the intervening months the deep trench had filled in with blowing sand, but the water had found it again. The far shore is teeming with speckled, brown birds hunting in the shallow water, and, looking down, John can see the surface of the water rippling with thousands of squirming insect larvae and tadpole-like things darting around underneath. Laith kneels down in the shallows and captures one, poking at it curiously.

It's definitely the cool season; the temperature's mild compared to the intense burning heat he's almost become accustomed to. "How long will it stay?"

Anbur shrugs. "It is usually a matter of days, but this is too much, I do not know."

"Huh." John locates an unused tent stake and drives it down into the wet sand at the shoreline.

The light is changing; dusk is close at hand. The evening breeze plays with the water, bringing up tiny waves that lap gently at the shore. It's a remarkable sight, so much open water, the blooming hills and the comparatively vast amounts of wildlife where just weeks ago there was only a scorched, dry desert.

John turns his attention to the Daedalus. The bow is a few yards from shore and Evan's ladder is lashed on to it. He wades into the hip-deep water, manfully ignoring the fact that that there have been rotting corpses floating in it and climbs to the top, walking along the length of the ship to take in the view.

It's still too surreal to comprehend just how much this is going to change the lives of the shipwrecked crew; they'd clung to the ship, trying to maintain some semblance of familiarity in the face of catastrophe, but to no avail. John knew that eventually they were going to have to assimilate into the indigenous population—a slow, orderly infiltration, but he'd imagined that time was years into the future.

In the distance, John can see their abandoned mesla slowly grazing their way towards the ship. Caldwell and Elizabeth are at the shore, talking to Anbur and Laith, but they're too far away for him to hear their conversation. Rodney and Shaaziya are conspicuously absent among the new arrivals that are wandering towards the lake. The rest of the Daedalus' crew are meandering about the tent town with lazy intent, or sitting and watching the coming sunset. It's a population at loose ends, scientists and engineers without tools or equipment, just waiting for the future to drag them into a semi-primitive state where their skills will be essentially irrelevant.

John's burning dilemma is thrown into sharper focus by this revelation. Taking Makhuqat's theoretical space-worthiness into account, he possibly has the means to solve their problem, but he's straddling the divide between the needs of a couple of hundred nusquam and the ten-thousand year old beliefs and culture of an entire planet; that he's seen as the reincarnation of a revered leader, given the power to irrevocably shift the hard-won balance on Dominat, doesn't give him any confidence.

He'd made a similar decision before, though without any knowledge of its full impact, and he doesn't know if he can take action with the full, conscious understanding of the consequences; especially now that, in many ways, he's become the embodiment of those ancient beliefs.

As a cadet, the Air Force had drilled into him the standards of duty, service, and honor, and more than once he'd been burned by the reality of the dichotomy in the practical applications of obedience to duty and personal honor. He knows Rodney would laugh his ass off, but sometimes John wishes he could be someone who could just stop thinking and let another make the decisions, but he hasn't been that guy in a long time.

Caldwell's making his way up the ladder, followed by Elizabeth, Anbur and Laith. John's halfway to the hatch, and he waits for them to catch up.

"...It's going be virtually impossible to live aboard even after the water subsides. The engine room is probably a complete loss. The batteries are still dry, but we have no way to recharge them. We'll have to reserve power for emergencies until the naquadah generators can be interfaced in the bypass."

Elizabeth is nodding, and Anbur quietly translating Caldwell's conversation for Laith.

John suddenly realizes there's one person conspicuous by his absence. "Where's Hermiod?"

Caldwell greets John with a nod. "He's still aboard, manning the scanning and communications station. Said the heat and humidity isn't a problem for him, and he doesn't care if it's dark until we get power restored."

"Okay. I don't understand, once we get the generators in, we can run life support."

"I can tell you've never had a house that flooded. The muck that'll be left behind when the water's gone will be impossible to completely clean out. The spores from the mold are possibly toxic, according to the good doctors. It was their suggestion we vacate—there isn't any way to throw open the doors, and the recirculation would just contaminate the upper levels, too."

John doesn't take offense; it's true that he's never had the misfortune of a flood and Atlantis' dark, dank lower levels had never proved an issue. "Not to mention the yaw and lateral pitch, it's got to be listing at least forty degrees to the port stern. We were lucky when it crashed that it wasn't worse."

Evan's climbing topside and joining them now, though the rest of the crew assembled on the shorelines stays put. "Looks pretty bad."

Elizabeth glances at Evan, her eyes are shadowed and her mouth is set in a thin frown. "Yes, yes it is."

Anbur speaks softly in the falling dark. "You must come to N'vellesem."

"Thank you, Anbur. We were afraid to ask before, thinking that so many would be a burden," says Elizabeth.

"No, we are fewer now, there are places, homes of families who have gone to the Ancestors. You have protected us from the Wraith, it is our duty now to comfort you."

John glances at Caldwell; it's difficult to fully see his expression before the full rising of Zieba, the mother moon, but he doesn't imagine the tears that glint in the dim starlight.

Caldwell runs a hand over his face, but his voice is steady. "So be it."

 

Day One Hundred Forty-Five - One Hundred Sixty-Six

It's a logistical nightmare, is what it is.

Though the port hanger is no longer buried, the MALPS intended for Atlantis are still trapped behind the jammed door, and everything in the hangar is flooded. Once the lake subsides, they can blast the doors open and then reevaluate that option, but in the meantime, Rodney and the engineers cobble together a few carts, like the one they'd abandoned in the mountain pass after Ayse, to carry a limited amount of equipment. A couple of the naquadah generators are scheduled to go on the first trip, but the rest of their capacity is filled by committee approval based on the absolute necessity. The fat, overfed mesla are pressed back into duty, and a platoon of Marines are conscripted to carry the packs that are too heavy for the civilians.

The Daedalus, despite her current predicament, still scans the skies and space for Wraith and rescue. They need people to stay aboard to repair and rehabilitate as much of those necessary functions as possible: tie the naquadah generators in to bypass the drowned engines, siphon water out of the fuel tanks for their remaining 302s, and handle the thousands of other issues and tasks.

To that end, crews are set to remain on board for thirty days, and then relief crews will rotate in from N'vellesem. The 302's are inextricably tied to the Daedalus, and the pilots are divvied up into shifts, as are the medical staff and marines. Each rotation will be in charge of returning the carts to the Daedalus and the crews standing down are to pack up the next round of necessities that will turn N'vellesem into home.

John often catches Rodney staring at him thoughtfully. He steadfastly doesn't think about how simple, how easy this would be if they had just one of the 'jumpers from Makhuqat, but even in the wake of this latest disaster, he's not ready to make that momentous decision.

Elizabeth has gone ahead with Anbur and Laith to organize housing. Rodney elects to stay behind with the first crew to oversee the installation of the naquadah generators. Caldwell will stay with the ship and oversee the other repair crews, and Dr. Sodeburg draws the short straw from the medical staff. John is designated the officer in charge in N'vellesem and is tasked with leading the first convoy across to N'vellesem.

Two weeks into the commotion of arranging, packing and organizing, the rest of the viator return from Makhuqat. Zuhair and Tazim unload their belongings and offer the use of their mesla, which are gratefully assigned to some of the slightly-less-necessary, but-would-be-great-to-have paraphernalia.

Timmons makes an offhand remark about 'Daedalus Lake', and the name sticks. The stake John planted is now a few feet from the shore, the green hills are starting to brown in the rising heat, and the flowers are long gone. Winter, it seems, is an extremely short-lived season.

~*~

John's convoy departs at dusk to crawl their way across the nearly dead meadow under the bright, watchful eye of the daughter moon Aila, peering down at them through a curtain of light.

After the viat, this journey from Daedalus to N'vellesem feels easy compared to those early, hot slogs across the desert. It's a matter of hours, not days or weeks, and their pace is fixed by the speed of the electric carts and the mesla.

 

Day One Hundred Sixty-Seven

The eastern horizon is lightening up, turning the sky a pearly, gray-lavender when John catches brief snatches of the qerato, calling everyone to morning prayer on the rising wind. They've made pretty good time, considering the speed of the carts, and they must be closer than he thought. At the top of the next rolling dune, he's surprised at the how far away N'vellesem is; a pretty white town nestled at the foothills of the mountains. John has a strong urge to pick up speed and hurry, but he forces himself to maintain the steady pace.

Elizabeth is waiting for the convoy at the city gates. The section of town that they've been given to use is in the northeast quadrant of N'vellesem, perhaps a twenty-minute walk from the fountain in the square.

Anbur hadn't been exaggerating when he told them there was space available; their new quarters are two streets of abandoned homes that run parallel to the city wall. As N'vellesem's population had declined over the last century, the inhabitants had moved towards the center of town, abandoning entire neighborhoods.

As they walk down the empty street, Elizabeth points out the smallest house near the middle of the block. "I thought that one would be a good headquarters. I think we'll still need a central operations building, and there's room for an infirmary."

John nods. Not that they need a defensible position, but he automatically evaluates the two streets' suitability as a compound; it's part of his duties, but also a necessary habit that has become an ingrained response due to his time in the Pegasus galaxy. It will have to do. "How are we going to handle the housing assignments?"

"I made a tentative list, but everyone is free to migrate as their tastes and roommate compatibility dictate."

He pokes his head into the closest building, "It's a lot cleaner than I expected."

"The townsfolk pitched in to clean, make some repairs, and brought in cast off furnishings, but there's still a long way to go before the homes are more than just inhabitable."

The gesture is appreciated, and it gives them a much better start than John had expected when they were considering their options after crashing into the planet.

It feels comfortable and familiar, working with Elizabeth to set up a community. Everyone is drafted to some chore; clean and paint, or assist the technicians and engineers in setting up the naquadah generator in the headquarters and wire it for electricity. They make plans to eventually strip the Daedalus of all non-essential wiring to provide power to the entire neighborhood, and possibly to other parts of town as repayment for taking them in.

 

Day One Hundred Seventy-Seven

John's taking a break, half napping in the afternoon shade of the courtyard, when he senses someone sit down next to him. He cracks an eye open and is surprised to see Laith settling down beside him. "Hey."

"Greetings of the day, Shepherd."

"And to you. How are you settling in?"

"I miss my home, but it is to be expected."

"I know what you mean."

"I come here today, to speak of that which we did not discuss in Makhuqat."

John straightens up. "Okay. What is it?" It's been incredibly peaceful just doing whatever chore's assigned to him, and he's been busy enough that he hasn't had to think about things.

"I have learned much, though it be rumor only. First, I would like it very if you would tell me of your time in Ayse."

John grimaces and rubs a hand over his gritty neck. He would kill for an honest-to-god shower.

"It is important that I understand completely," Laith reassures him in a gentle tone. "Otherwise I would not cause you this difficulty."

"All right." Laith hasn't given John any reason to mistrust him, and outside of the Daedalus command staff, no one has ever asked him straight out for details. It's kind of a relief to tell Laith the whole sordid story, the ways that he'd changed, and even the sensations that he'd experienced during the viat.

All the while, Laith is nodding with a solemn expression, taking it in without question. John ends the story in Makhuqat, where he'd finally come to some acceptance of whatever this whole Quaralyn thing is, "So Anbur was right; I just have to accept. It is everyone else who believes."

"Perhaps it is best that you are under the protection of the Peragroilla, the Qaroptimat and Kadiani are more fervent in their beliefs, and you would be, perhaps, forced into service as godhead."

"Amen to that." John shudders, he can well imagine how things could've ended if they hadn't escaped from Ayse.

"But I also think the Peragroilla do not urge you to fully explore what you have become. It is this which I must speak of."

"Speak plainly, Laith. I am tired of riddles and puzzles," John snaps.

"Very well. I have laid my hands upon you twice. The first, you were merely an injured man, and I did for you what I could. The second, I discovered that you have great powers, healing of others is only the smallest of these."

John frowns. "What?"

"How do you think that we know who is to be trained as a healer? One so gifted can sense the potential in another, even in one so small as a newborn infant."

"Huh. I hadn't thought about it at all."

"But now you know. You are stronger than my father, Neela, or any other that I have touched. This is a very great gift, but you have a responsibility to learn to control and use it."

"Crap." John is getting sick of finding another pothole to stumble into.

"I ask that you learn to control these powers within you, for remaining untrained is always dangerous for the gifted."

"How?"

"Without outlet, this will eat you from the inside, burning ever brighter, until you are consumed."

"Is that a wife's tale, a story to frighten children?" John asks waspishly.

Laith laughs, an infectious sort of laugh that has John smiling. "No, it is well-documented in the Avaxqaral. I am sure that Anbur is merely biding his time, until you are prepared to hear, but I do not think he truly understands your extreme potential."

John thinks back to the first few weeks after the escape from the temple, and feeling like he was about to burst out of his skin, the thrum and hum of something unidentifiable running through him like a wild current. It's not gone, it never went away, he only learned to ignore and sublimate the sensation. He lays his forehead on arms propped across his knees, and breathes deeply. Will this never end? Why him? Why didn't he just die like any other good soldier on the battlefield?

Laith lays a hand on his shoulder, but it's cool and gentle. "When you are ready." The hand is withdrawn, and John hears the swish of robes on the sandy flagstones as Laith retreats.

 

Day One Hundred Seventy-Eight - Two Hundred Twenty-Seven

The first teams rotate in and out in a flurry as the latest residents of N'vellesem familiarize themselves and settle into their new homes.

Some of the residents with the necessary language skills and no business on the Daedalus, find minimal employment in the shops, or apprentice themselves in the local trades, though most work on the plans for improvements to N'vellesem and their neighborhood.

Everyone is occupied for the moment, but once the Quarter is complete, or they get bored with the rote of daily labor, they'll be unhappy and possibly up to trouble. John makes a mental note of the likely suspects and urges Elizabeth to find ways to keep them entertained.

John falls into the daily patterns of the locals. Up well before dawn, work on what ever chore needs to be done until the hottest part of the afternoon and then nap until the evening, which is reserved for conversation and discussion through out the town.

Those that work are invited to the salons of the homes of their employers; the Ludahsediat is open for those that wish to join in, or there are the far more informal gatherings by the cool rush of the fountain and in the teahouse that John favors.

He uses the flow of people coming and going from the Quarter for these evenings out as cover to meet with Laith in secret, to assuage Laith's obvious concern. John spends futile hours attempting to get in touch with his inner healer. John's not a fool; he knows that if anyone figures out what he's trying to do, it will reopen the gap between him and the crew of the Daedalus, senior officer or not. He's not convinced that Laith is right, but he doesn't actually have that much to do in the evenings. Rodney's still at the ship, and John's other usual suspects for hanging out with are all caught up in the evening's affairs.

Not every evening is taken up with lessons, though. Occasionally John talks Laith into giving it a rest, so they can hang out in the teahouse, talking and drinking ekal with the locals. Evan joins them occasionally, when he's in town and not otherwise engaged for the evening.

 

Day Two Hundred Twenty-Eight

Rodney finally rotates in and proclaims that he's staying in town, until after their child is born. Camping out has become too uncomfortable for Shaaziya, and he's not leaving her. The Daedalus' infirmary is better equipped, but N'vellesem is a cleaner, healthier environment. Cole works some deal with Beckett and Sodeburg to remain in town with Shaaziya, as she's reached a critical point in her confinement.

John's glad that Rodney's in town to relieve the monotony of the day's work. The best part is the rare circumstance when he talks Rodney into going to the teahouse one night, along with Laith. John couldn't pay for better entertainment.

Case in point.

After three glasses of ekal in quick succession, Rodney blurts out, "I think I have to ask Shaaziya to marry me. I mean, I want to, despite whatever might happen later, and there's an obvious deadline, but I don't know what I have to do, talk to her father? I don't care, Zuhair still scares the crap out of me."

"I think you're asking the wrong guy." John turns to Laith, "Hey. You're living with some girl, she's going to have a baby—what's the right way to ask if you should get married?"

Rodney yelps, "Sheppard!"

Laith just laughs. "You are already married. No need to ask!"

The look on Rodney's face is priceless. "Did he just say what I thought he said?"

"If you think he said you're already married, then yep." John throws back his glass of ekal and gives him an evil grin.

"How can I be married and not know it?" Rodney looks totally bewildered.

"Life's a bitch, McKay, although it does cut way down on the premarital sex problem. I guess I'm off the hook for the bachelor party, then?"

Rodney just glowers at John as he stands up. "Well, I guess I have to go talk to my wife about informed consent."

John hollers at Rodney's retreating back. "Yeah, though you probably should've had that conversation a few months ago!" He considers ordering another round, but decides against it. The ekal in town seems weaker, less potent than Tazim's, or else he's building up immunity to it. It's late, dawn is coming in a few hours, and tomorrow they're hanging power cables. He bids a good evening to Laith and follows Rodney home.

 

Day Two Hundred Twenty-Nine

Rodney's nowhere to be seen the next day. Normally he would be in the thick of it, but no one's seen or heard from him all day. John works through until the afternoon break, but when he stops by Rodney and Shaaziya's quarters, they're not at home. John catches Ted Collins, one of their physicist flat mates, in the common room. "Hey, have you seen Rodney, or Shaaziya?"

"Oh, I think he took her to the infirmary late last night; she wasn't feeling well. Might still be there. I haven't seen them."

"Thanks anyway." John's out the door before Collins can say anything else. It was probably counterproductive to be annoyed with the guy. Very few of the Daedalus crew knew about the peculiar instability of pregnancy here on Dominat. John is still annoyed on Rodney's behalf that Collins didn't seem concerned.

Then again, if Rodney hadn't freaked out and caused a scene, maybe it isn't that serious.

The rooms assigned as an infirmary in the headquarters building are on the first floor. The door is open, and John sticks his head inside.

Rodney and his wife lay spooned together, his hand resting protectively across her swelling belly. John makes an immediate retreat, leaning against the wall outside the room, out of sight. It was almost too intimate, too sweet to bear.

It's just his luck that Paige opens the door directly across the hall. "John?"

"Rodney wasn't... I mean I didn't see him this morning, I was, uhm, concerned? I mean, I remember what you said."

"That's very kind of you. I think we're okay for now, Rodney was just being cautious. I wanted to keep an eye on her, and he didn't want to leave her alone."

"That's good. Well, I guess I'd better, uhm, get back to it."

Paige smiles at his verbal flailing. "I'll be sure and tell them you stopped by."

"Please don't. I'll tell him myself, later."

"Sure, John—you do that." She's grinning outright as he bolts for the exit.

 

Day Two Hundred Fifty-Nine

A few days after the third rotation, John stops in to see Anbur.

"Ah, John. Very nice, thank you for visiting. Everything is going well?"

"It's fine, great actually. We're doing okay. Thank you again."

"It is good. We benefit from your presence. I hear many English words now. What can I do for you today?"

John had noticed the trend, too, and thought it's an excellent sign that they are melding together for good or bad. "Nothing, I just wanted to stop in and say hello."

"Good! Very glad, please come anytime. Are your people preparing for tomorrow?"

"What is tomorrow?"

"It is one anam from your Landing Day?"

"Oh, I don't think anyone realizes that." John didn't think anyone, regardless of how well they were integrating, would want to commemorate that particular day. "I'll remind Elizabeth, see what she says."

"Perhaps you would like to join us? You have come to us, and we have much to celebrate, yes?"

John supposes that from their perspective, there should be a party of some kind. "I guess I'd better go give everyone a heads up."

As expected, only a few people feel like joining in the street party that has taken over the fountain square. All of the viator, and a small number of others, go with John, and they stay most of the night, drinking and dancing and conversing with their new neighbors.

 

Day Two Hundred Sixty-One - Three Hundred Fifteen

Though the annual rains in the desert are far lighter this anam than last, the crews rotating between the Daedalus and N'vellesem still grumble about the awful conditions aboard the ship. When they come in from the ship for the first time, they are glad to be in the town for about a week, until they realize how boring it is. One enterprising crewman manages to sneak in a portable television, which Elizabeth promptly commandeers for HQ. After that incident, on any given night, there's always a crowd gathered to watch the same DVDs they've seen over and over again, rather than get out and mingle with the rest of N'vellesem. John doesn't like it, but he lets it go, because everyone deals with being crashed in their own way.

The days seem to fly by more quickly with Rodney around to shake up the dull business of building a power grid for the Quarter. The houses in the compound are powered one by one, as more and more material is stripped from the Daedalus and brought to N'vellesem.

Rodney and Shaaziya are in the infirmary once or twice a week, and John's nearly quit panicking when it happens.

John's pretty sure that Laith is mistaken about the 'powers' that lay dormant inside him; he doesn't feel any different, and he's no closer to tapping into it than he was when they started the venture. The upside is that he's now able to completely ignore the embarrassment he'd experienced in Tobat, when Laith healed him.

 

Day Three Hundred Sixteen

Elizabeth arranges a community dinner when Colonel Caldwell finally comes to the Quarter. His face and arms are darkly tanned, but the top of his head is still pale when he's caught without his ever-present cap. It's a little ridiculous looking, but it doesn't mar his bearing or attitude.

John carefully relinquishes his duties as senior officer, when Caldwell firmly states that he'll go back the Daedalus only as necessary.

 

Day Three Hundred Seventeen

John is on his way into the infirmary to check up Rodney and Shaaziya, who were absent at dinner. Rodney hadn't shown up for work in the morning, either, causing him concern, but the sound of Caldwell shouting in the office brings him up short.

"I can't believe that you're even contemplating this, Elizabeth! What happens when Zuhair finds out? What happens if an assassin doesn't fail this time?"

"Anbur has assured me that won't happen, I'll be under his protection, not just a student, or an interloper."

"And how does he plan to do that? Why didn't he offer you this protection before?"

"Well, it was just a little early in our relationship to ask me to marry him!"

John decides that he really doesn't want to hear the rest of this conversation. Elizabeth has become quite chummy with Anbur since their move to N'vellesem, but he hadn't realized their relationship has reached the point of marriage. He quietly slips past the open door and heads towards the infirmary. Shaking his head to dispel that idea, he knocks lightly on the open door to the infirmary.

Rodney and Shaaziya are awake. She's reclined against a huge mound of pillows that he's fussing with as he looks up at the sound. "Sheppard, come in."

John wanders into the room and stands at the foot of her bed. "Hey, how are you feeling?"

"I feel very tired. The medicine makes me feel very unwell." Shaaziya does look tired; there are dark rings under her eyes.

This is why John only ever made strafing runs at the infirmary when one of his team, or the marines, or the scientists, for that matter, were bedridden; he just doesn't quite know what to say. He throws out a platitude, "I hope you get to feeling better. If there's anything I can do for you, just let me know."

"Thank you, Quaralyn." Shaaziya glances over at Rodney, who glances at John and then frowns and shrugs a little.

Shaaziya nods, her eyes averted. "There is a thing I need you to do for me, for us."

"Sure, what is it?" He's pleased that she's at least speaking to him normally, even if she won't quite meet his eyes. John's expecting to be asked to do some menial chore, when Shaaziya asks, "Someone must go to Zuhair, and bring him to me. My time is nearly upon us; I do not know how much longer Dr. Cole can keep the child inside me, and Zuhair must be present."

He really wasn't expecting that he'd be asked to go to Ayse, though Shaaziya looks concerned, as if this were really important. He shakes his head in chagrin, but says, "Sure. I can do that."

Rodney apologizes, "I would go, but I just can't leave her here like this, what if something were to happen while I was gone?"

"I get it, Rodney. Yeah, I'll go."

"Soon, it must be soon." Shaaziya looks so pitiful, pale as she sags back onto the pillows, her hand resting protectively on her rounded stomach.

John thinks about it. It's already late afternoon, but really all he has to do is throw a couple of things in a knapsack. "Okay, I'll go tonight. Is there anything in particular that I need to say to him?"

Shaaziya smiles, her relief just as obvious as her concern of a few moments ago. "Say to him that my confinement is nearly at an end. He will understand."

"Okay, I guess I'd better go, and uh, then go."

"Thank you, Shepherd." Shaaziya covers her eyes with her hand, and attempts to bow in the bed, but she's too big and too well propped up to make it a broad gesture.

"I guess I'll see you in a couple of days, then." John turns to leave, and Rodney's out of his chair following John out the door.

"Colonel!"

John stops in the hallway, and Rodney catches up. "I appreciate this, I know it's not the easiest thing in the world to go traipsing across the desert, but it's really important to her, so thank you."

"You're welcome, Rodney. So what's the deal?"

"It's like communion and baptism sort of rolled together, and traditional for the father of the mother to be present, and a couple of other weird religious customs all thrown in there."

John smiles at Rodney's blatant dismissal of conventions as he tries to reinforce their significance. "Okay, that helps."

"Seriously, thank you."

"Really, it's not a problem."

"Okay, I guess I'll see you when you get back."

John waves Rodney off. The argument between Caldwell and Elizabeth is either over or they've moved it to another venue; there's no sign of them as he passes the open door to the office.

John goes to see Laith, to tell him he was going to be gone for a few days. He's still sharing house with Neela, and John forgets and knocks on the door. Sheepishly, he enters immediately to find Neela sipping tea in the kitchen.

"Greetings, Shepherd. What brings you here so early?"

"Good day to you, too. I have to walk to Ayse tonight, and I wanted to tell Laith that I won't meet him for some days."

"Perhaps you would like company on your journey?"

John turns around and Laith is standing at the door. "Hey. You want to come with me?"

"Since Ayse has no healer, I was planning to journey there soon. I can go tonight as easily as another time."

"Okay, that's great. I'd like that."

"Very well." Laith crosses the room to kneel in front of Neela and takes her hands. "Blessed Mother, I will return in the passing of days. Be well." He kisses the palms of both of her hands, not as a lover, but with the gravity and solemnity of a ritual.

Neela closes her eyes and places her right hand on Laith's bowed head, and they hold the pose for a moment. John can feel something passing between them, just for a moment, but it's there, he gets it.

Neela takes her hand away and Laith stands. "I will go prepare for the journey, and return shortly." He brushes past Sheppard with a friendly bump of shoulders and disappears into the back of the house.

"Come child, what are you waiting for?" Neela gives him an expectant look.

John slowly crosses the room and falls to his knees before her, echoing Laith's position. He looks up at Neela, she's smiling as she holds her hands out, palm up. He takes her hands, one in each of his, they're thin, and the skin's dry and wrinkled.

He contemplates her hands as he holds them. There's a power here; he's seen them hold and heal Elizabeth, traveling over her skin and body with such intimacy and compassion, that it was overwhelming. John's so grateful for that, he's swamped with feelings of tenderness and affection for this old woman who wields the power of life and death in her ancient hands. John carefully presses his lips to each palm, and then closes his eyes. Neela places her right hand on the top of John's head, and he can feel her power flow into him.

He looks up; her eyes are wide with surprise. "Forgive me, Quaralyn, I did not know."

John gently touches her cheek. "There is nothing to forgive, blessed mother. I understand now."

Neela gives him a cheeky smile. "And I understand. I thought you and Laith were merely lovers, hiding away from the world. I see that I was mistaken."

John's face flushes, he hadn't even thought of how it might look to others if he had been discovered, disappearing for hours at night with Laith. Neela slaps him gently on the shoulder. "Off the floor, you foolish boy."

He stands and moves away quickly, he can feel his ears still burning. He gives Neela a sheepish grin, and she laughs at his embarrassment. "Sit. There's tea enough for two, and Laith will be done soon enough."

She pours a glass of tea, steaming and fragrant, and John accepts the distraction gratefully. He wonders how many others have the same impression about him and Laith. Obviously he's going to have to work on his skills of deception, because it seems that he's losing his touch.

"You should have told me. Laith is well skilled, but I do not believe he has what you seek."

John is compelled to be honest with her, he owed her nothing less for the insight he's received today. "I was afraid, I didn't want anyone to know if I failed."

"It is that which causes you to fail. All of those with the healing touch know of this from infancy, you must relearn how to be fearless like a child." She pins him with a piercing glare, and John squirms under her appraisal. "You will succeed, Shepherd. Do not fear your success."

"I'll remember that."

To John's great relief, she changes the subject. "Why do you travel to Ayse?"

"Shaaziya has asked for her father, but Rodney cannot go. I go in his place to ask Zuhair to come to N'vellesem."

"Your doctor has done well, I have never seen one so afflicted hold the child within her so long. Zuhair will be pleased."

"I hope so."

"You mustn't fear Zuhair, for it is by his will that you were given this gift."

This shocks John. "You mean he did this to me? How?"

"No, child. Only that by his will you were struck down. It is Qaral that has given you this gift."

He supposes that's one way to look at it, though he wishes Zuhair hadn't done him any favors.

Laith returns to the kitchen, "I am prepared."

Neela wishes them a safe journey as they head back towards the Quarter. After Neela's remark, John reconsiders his intention to take only Laith to Ayse. He'd like to have someone at his back on the return, and a chaperone couldn't hurt. Paige snags Laith for some consultation, and John finds Evan in the dining room, where he's painting a mural of some of their adventures on the viat on the wall. "Whoa, nice. Didn't know you could paint."

"Mmm hmm. Since I was a kid." Evan glances up at him, and then turns back to the wall, adding a detail to the spire of the House of Makhuqat.

John casually leans against the door frame, hands in his pockets. "I was gonna ask if you wanted to get out of here and go to Ayse, but I can see you're busy."

Evan stands up and starts to clean his brushes. "I think there's something about a long journey, great danger and long odds of success, but I don't know if that's exactly right. More like long journey, hot sun, and what are we waiting for? But what the hell, why not? Sure."

John snickers. "Great. Laith's coming too, he's got some patients to see, or something. I figure we'd leave in a few hours?"

"Okay, let me pack it up, and I'll be ready."

"Sure. We'll meet back here."

"Okay, later."

John grabs a radio from the charger in the supply room, and then moseys down Main Street toward his quarters to pack. The street had a long, impossible to pronounce name in Peragro, but someone had slapped together a signpost and renamed it in a fit of linguistic frustration.

Rodney is waiting for him in the shade of the cool porch. "At last. Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you."

"Just gathering up my posse for the quick jaunt over to Ayse," John says sarcastically. "Why?"

"Oh, right. Well, I uh, wanted to give Zuhair this. As a present." Rodney hands him a small, exquisitely wrapped package.

John examines it, gives it a shake, wondering who had donated the Victoria's Secret tissue paper, and why the hell they'd had it. John's nearly writhing with glee over the cultural irony of it all, but he doesn't laugh out loud. "Nice. What is it?"

"It's one of the little ancient toys from Atlantis."

John raises an eyebrow; Rodney must have a case of those things. "I'm sure he'll like it. Oh, hey. I didn't see Elizabeth—make sure you tell her what's going on." More like he didn't want to find her.

Rodney rolls his eyes. "After that row, I can't imagine why not." He steps out into the sun, and then turns back. "Be careful, have a good trip."

 

Day Three Hundred Eighteen

The vegetation from the winter rains is completely gone, not even a stray tuft of grass is left on the shifting sand. They pass the Daedalus in the night, the huge edifice casting dark shadows on the sand in the bright moonlight of both Zieba and Aila. The standing water is gone, but John's so accustomed to the bone-dry air, that he can almost taste the left over humidity, smell the sharp dampness of the sand.

They reach Ayse just before the sun reaches its zenith. The city gates are open, and as before, the drowsy bazaar is nearly empty in the midday sun. The few people that are out and about recognize John, and respectfully greet him.

The low buzz of devotion is back, but now John knows what it is: pure power, clean and almost refreshing, given to him freely. He's not afraid of it any more, it just is.

The temple arch sounds out their entrance to the courtyard, and John's suddenly wary and alert as they cross the broad plaza and climb the wide steps to the temple. Zuhair meets them at the door. "Shepherd, you grace us by your presence."

John might be comfortable with the feelings, but he's definitely not comfortable with the niceties. "Uhm. Nice to see you, too, Zuhair."

"Come, you are tired, and need of refreshment." Zuhair smiles at them, and John can't detect any trace of animosity or subterfuge. He's spent weeks with Zuhair in close proximity, but the temple and the fateful courtyard have John's internal alert system ratcheted up to DEFCON 4.

They follow Zuhair up to the same study in which Rodney and Shaaziya had camped out. It hasn't changed. John recognizes the Abnep that Zuhair signals to fetch food and drink.

"Please, be seated. Muntasir will return refreshments."

"Thanks." They shoulder off their packs and sit. "Zuhair, you remember Laith? He's the healer from Tobat, now in N'vellesem."

"I did not chance to meet you in Makhuqat, though you are most welcome in Ayse, Healer."

Laith dips his head down and hold it for a moment. "I come in aid of the sick and weary, and I thank you for your hospitality."

Zuhair matches Laith's gesture. "Those in need will come to you."

"I also come with a gift." John rummages around in his pack for the package, and hands it to Zuhair. "Dr. McKay sends you his greetings, and Shaaziya requests that you come to her; the end of her confinement draws near."

"I was curious to see if she would still hold to the old ways, with a nusqua as the father of her child."

"She was most insistent. You can open that now, if you like."

"Of course. This paper is very fine, I have never seen any so thin or beautifully colored."

John sneaks a glance at Evan. He recognizes the paper, and he's nearly apoplectic with the effort of not laughing out loud. John wags an eyebrow at him, and grins.

Evan puts his face in his hands and breathes deeply.

Zuhair figures out the tape—for God's sake, where did Rodney find Scotch tape—and pulls out the tiny music box, which begins immediately to tinkle out its odd, twelve-tone song, pulsing with aqua and amber lights. "Oh," he breathes softly. "It is most beautiful."

They listen to it for a minute or two, until Muntasir arrives with two servers trailing behind him. Hot, moist towels are passed out, and the trays are arranged on the low table, and then the servants back out of the room, eyes averted.

John's just not ever going to get used to that, ever,

"Please, eat. Muntasir, the Quaralyn tells me my daughter is to give birth soon," Zuhair says as he pulls a strip off the flat bread.

Muntasir stops pouring the hot tea into the glasses, and looks at Zuhair, "She has not lost the child?"

John swallows quickly. "No, our rememdium has prevented that, so far."

"That is most amazing." Muntasir is obviously impressed.

A smile is playing at the edges of Zuhair's mouth. "Yes, it is. I have been invited to N'vellesem."

Muntasir raises an eyebrow, as he says dryly, "It must be a very great day, indeed."

Oh, hell. John exchanges an alarmed look with Evan, wondering what horrible faux pas he's just committed. This is why no one should ever send him on a diplomatic mission on his own.

They manage to finish the meal without Sheppard putting his foot in it any further. Muntasir and Zuhair ogle and play with the wrapping paper and the tschotchke equally, while discussing what Laith will require for his practice in Ayse.

Zuhair leaves them in the care of Muntasir, who settles them into rooms for resting, saying he must prepare for the journey.

John flops onto the bed. He's tired but not particularly sleepy. He decides it would be better to warn Elizabeth closer to evening. If he's causing some sort of religious incident, she'll probably want to know in advance.

He punches the pillow into submission and forces himself to relax, eventually falling to a light sleep.

~*~

John bolts up right at the sound, and for a moment he's flashing back to that moment, in that room. The peculiar quality of late afternoon light in Ayse is casting familiar shadows onto the worn carpet through the window grill. The white washed walls and shabby furniture are similar, but John's still dressed in his own clothing.

Evan's standing in the open door, "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you."

John runs a hand across his face and through his hair. "No, it's all right. This place still kind of gives me the creeps."

"I can imagine." Evan plunks himself down in the chair.

"So, what's up?"

"Nothing. I was thinking about going to the market, take a walk. Maybe take a bath."

"Yeah, not much else to do here. Sounds good. I just need to check in with Elizabeth, I didn't think it was that big of a deal. "

"Yeah, I overheard Muntasir, apparently where Zuhair goes, so does his retinue. There's Muntasir and another guy, and a handful of servants."

"Great. We can clear out, let them have our place. Timmons and Lu probably won't mind—much."

"Yeah, good idea."

John gets the radio out and raises the Daedalus, and the comm tech on duty patches him through to Elizabeth in N'vellesem.

"John, what's wrong? Where are you?" Funny how a few months without constant radio contact can change a person's attitudes.

"Well, I sort of walked over to Ayse. I didn't see you when I left, so I told Rodney to tell you." John is going to kill Rodney. They've been safe and living like regular people long enough that the hard lessons are being forgotten.

"Ayse? No, he didn't mention it, but I've been occupied. What are you doing there?"

"Shaaziya said she had to have her father there, when the baby comes. I got the impression from Zuhair that it was a big deal. You might want to check with Anbur, find out how badly I messed up."

"Ah, I see." He can just hear 'Oh, John' in the tone of her voice.

"Yeah, sorry. He's bringing two of his guys, and some servants. They can have our place, so you'll need to have the guys clear out our gear."

"Well, I'm sure that it will be fine, one way or the other."

"Thanks, Elizabeth."

"You're welcome. We'll take care of it. And try not to get into any more trouble, hmm?"

"Right. Sheppard out." He turns the radio off and jams it back into his rucksack. "Let's go find a drink and a bath."

 

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