Lucy (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
luciazephyr) wrote2004-08-18 10:02 pm
luciazephyr) wrote2004-08-18 10:02 pm
YO! Lancey! Keep your promise, boy!
Yep, it's finally done. ^.^ Blame High School on it's tardiness.
Title: Turbulent Winds
Author: Dr. Zephyr Tanaka
Rating: PG
Pairing: None. Sorry, shippers and OTPers!
Summary: When the team arrives on a desert world, the people of the oasis village invite them to stay. But should Atlantis ally with the people who perform what they call the Gecenadi Ritual? Say hello to tons of problems like a new ally, a huge new responsibilty, a misunderstood enemy, and more. (CHAPTER TWO --- "Flight of the Zephyr".)
Standing Outside a Fire
Book One: Turbulent Winds
***Chapter Two: Flight of the Zephyr***
~~~****~~~
*~~A Lost Key~~*
He really felt like shooting him. Seriously, so what if he was hypoglemic? This had to be the third one in fifteen minutes.
Crackle, crackle. Silence. More crackling of foil.
Where the hell was his gun? If McKay didn't keep quiet, he'd really shoot him in the leg this time.
Crackle, crackl-
"Would you STOP that!?"
Rodney jumped a good two feet in the air at Sheppard's yell, dropping the foil that he'd had pulled off his energy bar. He looked at the Major with a 'deer-in-the-headlights' shocked face on. "What’d I do?"
"How many of those damn things have you had?" Sheppard snapped at the scientist irritably.
"Excuse me, do you want me to pass out here for you to drag back to Beckett, John?" Rodney retorted in a sarcastically sweet voice before popping what was left of the bar into his mouth.
"No offense, but I think I'd leave you here."
"And then what? Lose me, and you guys would never get home to earth."
He hated when McKay was right. He really did. Which wasn't good, because the man had a tendency to be correct all the time. Did he respect the doctor? Oh hell yeah, the man was one of the smartest people on earth. Sheppard had even heard rumors before they left the SGC of how Colonel Carter and he had spent over an hour in physics debate (something supposedly done whenever he visited her) and McKay won on three subjects out of five. Granted, he was surprised McKay wasn't bragging over it constantly, but it was still impressive.
Deciding that arguing would now be for nothing (if it started out for something in the first place), he got up and started walking around the room. The other man's eyes followed him for a moment, slightly worried, before shrugging and laying down again. If Sheppard was going to smack him one, there wasn't a whole lot he could do about it.
"Hey McKay. Check this out."
Rodney opened his eyes and hesitantly sat up, still not sure whether or not he was gonna get hit for annoying Sheppard. The pilot motioned him over, standing near the wall. McKay joined him over there.
"What's going on-"
"Listen."
Overhead, very faintly, could be an conversation on the surface. It seemed to be between many people, and very urgent. The room was so close to the surface loud sounds could reach though the walls Sheppard tapped McKay on the shoulder, pointing to the door. McKay nodded, following him outside.
---~*~---
"You fools! I told you to watch her carefully! She must not be damaged!"
"Sorry, Elder."
"Sorry won't get her back! She must be here for the ritual!"
Emerging from the burrow, they could see Akito and three of his temple priests were standing in the dying light. Rather than the image of calm majesty, he looked slightly panicked over something. The priests were also visibly uneasy where they knelt before their Elder respectfully.
"What should we do, Elder?"
"Find her! Find her before she leaves the area!" the older man, no longer frail looking as he stormed around pacing, scolded. "I told you each day to keep her under constant watch, you knew how flighty she was." Akito's voice lowered dangerously. "I suggest you hurry and start looking while there is enough light."
"Hey, what's going on?" Sheppard finally called out, walking to the group. Akito stopped his pacing and smiled tautly at the two foreigners. "Seems something's gone wrong with the ritual?"
A vein throbbed soundly in Akito's temple, displaying his worry plainly. "It... it is not for you should worry yourselves with, sirs. My priests simply have misplaced something important."
"So we heard. Who is the person you're looking for?" McKay input, forcing his tone to stay casual in the strange circumstances.
"At the Gecenadi Ritual, someone is chosen to lead in the event. We very specifically choose someone. The girl we had set for it was absolutely perfect." Akito stated with a bit of ego. "But since she's been practicing, she's gotten cold feet. It's what we get for using someone so young, I suppose."
"So young?" Rodney pressed.
"She is only seven, recently orphaned. The temple took her in." Akito replied shortly. "No one else would take her due to her... questionable heritage."
"Well, maybe we can help out." Sheppard grinned his signature reassuring way. "What's her name?"
Akito looked suddenly at a lost, thinking rapidly. "It's ... it's ..."
"Sheedra the Zephyr, Elder." one of the priests helped out, looking nervous.
"Yes! Sheedra. Must of slipped my mind." Akito coughed, twining his hands together. "What did you have in mind, Major?"
"Well, obviously you won't find her now. It's too dark." McKay gestured skyward. "Too many shadows for this Zephyr girl to hide in. You'd need more than four people and a no light."
"Tomorrow, we'll help you guys find her before the Gecenadi Ritual starts. Alright?" Sheppard offered, though it sounded more like a command than anything.
The natives looked at each other questionable before mumbling agreement.
"Good. Take it easy until morning. `Night."
---~*~---
~*Putting the Pieces Together*~
"Sir."
"Hey! Ford, Teyla, how'd it go?" John called out at the two as they returned, looking rather depressed. The Teyla and Ford shared a strange look before announcing to the room at the same time,
"We have to talk."
They sat on their own beds and started relaying events up until the gossiping women. Then their voices died slowly away. After a few words of encouragement from McKay and Sheppard, they forced themselves to continue.
"Sir, there is much more to this Gecenadi Ritual thing that the Elder let on." Ford started, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "We overheard some local women talking about the proceedings. It revolves around a human sacrifice." A loud clatter was heard as the Major dropped his glass of water on the floor, eyes suddenly unseeing. Rodney closed his eyes at the words and turned away.
"What..... how... who?" Sheppard murmured unintelligently as a few things clicked in place. 'Zephyr...'
"The ritual is to murder an unlucky person to supposively restore the good fortune in the area." Teyla added in a monotone, eyes to the floor and skin a few tones lighter than normal. "They know no better. It's a tradition of the town, as natural as my culture's dawn tea."
"That's just stupid." Rodney spat out, though his words were without his normal confidence and conviction. He felt like someone had his stomach in a vice, squeezing tightly. "Killing their own damn people. First kids with suicidal tendacies, now this..."
"Yeah. They do it to get the victim's blood."
"Why?"
"To clean it somehow. Seal it and leave it by the spring for good luck." Ford replied in a dead tone, head feeling hazy and full of cotton. "Poor girl."
"Wait. Girl?" McKay turned back to Ford quickly, twitching like he had been shocked. "Tell me you just didn't say girl."
"Yeah. Some really young girl." Ford nodded, trying to recollect the exact details.
McKay stood up and began pacing, as was habit. "You have an exact age?"
"Yeah, seven."
"Jesus H. Christ." Sheppard breathed, eyes widening. "McKay, you don't think-"
"You know damn well what I'm thinking, Major. The girl Akito lost track of is the sacrifice." Rodney confirmed sharply, running his hands though his hair.
"I'm sorry, what?" Teyla interrupted the conversation, confused.
"Akito was yelling at his priests earlier. Apparently, they lost a girl needed in the Gecenadi Ritual named Sheedra. She got cold feet and ran off. We volunteered to help out in the morning." the major filled in briefly. "It's gotta be the same girl."
"What can we do, sir? We can't just hand her over knowing she'll be killed." Aiden commented dryly.
"It's obvious we can't. How about we find her before the natives do?" Rodney suggested, pausing in his pacing. "We wake up early and find her first. Then we bring her to the temple-"
"McKay are you nuts?!"
"Let me finish. We bring her to the temple and demand an explanation from Akito. We have her with us there, he'll have to listen to us. Well, whatever we decide to say. Not like last time when we had a Wraith shield to hang over their heads."
All eyes turned to Sheppard. He reviewed the plan once in his mind before taking off his watch and fiddling with the options. "I'm setting this for zero-forty-five hundred hours. Get some sleep, AG1. We have a runaway to catch in the morning."
---~*Reason Behind the Name*~---
Sheppard paced in front of his team, looking at the surrounding for any clue of where to start. 'If I was a seven-year-old girl about to be murdered, where would I hide?' he asked himself mentally. 'Wherever the terrain was harsh.' came his answer. To the north and west was a huge collection of trees and rough ground, the sand twisting and changing elevation every few feet.
"Okay. We should split up. McKay and I'll take the area over there," he pointed past and main road to a large unsettled plain with more forest-like trees than the palms. "You two take the spring area. Should be a while southwest of here."
"Major, which way do you mean by southwest?" Teyla raised an eyebrow. Sheppard blinked cluelessly at her. "I don't recall a map with the Earth direction pointed out."
Sheppard pointed to the left, off the street. "That'll be south. Figure it out from there. Now, keep your radios on and report the second you see her or any clue about where she is. Let's go." he finished stoicly. He turned and began power-walking 'north'.
"I don't understand why you always stick me with you, Major." Rodney said casually from beside the American.
"You tend to get in trouble whenever your left with anyone else. Do you object coming with me?"
"It's not so much that as I get the fleeting impression whenever I'm with you that... well..." Rodney sighed, watching his teammate from the corner of his eye.
"What?"
"Nothing, just that you don't mind hitting me."
"Come on, McKay. I wouldn't hit you unless you really deserved it!" Sheppard smiled, and clapped Rodney on the shoulder in what was supposed to be a reassuring way.
"I don't like the sound of that, considering how you think of me." McKay commented, forcing a smile.
"Yeah, yeah." They had reached their search area and slowed their pace, looking carefully around the trees and larger rocks. "Just keep your eyes open, doctor."
"I don't make habit of walking around with them shut, Major."
"McKay..."
"Right, looking. Hey, do you have any idea what this Zephyr girl looks like?"
"A distraught seven-year-old, I'm guessing." he wryly replied, rolling his eyes heavily and the silly question. "Akito didn't say much else."
"The man didn't know her name, it's doubtful he'd be aware of much else." the physist tilted his head to the side. "Either that or he's going senile early in life."
"Yeah, I don't get that. She lives in the temple for that long and he doesn't catch her name at some point?" Sheppard shook his head in disbelief. "Just doesn't add up."
"Well, since he didn't mind leaving out the ritual's finer elements, he probably has no problem with keeping other things to himself."
"I hope that's not the case. I don't deal well with being lied to."
The two lapsed into silence for a long time, simply searching the area in quiet. About ten minutes later, they got a false call from Ford who had found a Kienta loose in the underbrush. Little else happened, which began wearing on the Major's nerves. After sweeping the area twice, he stopped.
"This can't be right. You don't think the priests beat us to her, do you?" he asked, sounding tired and exasperated.
"No way. It's too soon for them to be looking. The sun barely came up five minutes ago. She's not here, thanks all."
"Think we should regroup and try again?"
"Yeah, this isn't working."
"Alright." Sheppard brought his radio to his mouth and pressed the button. "Teyla, Ford, you two find anything?"
Rodney sighed, casting another tired look into their surroundings. He tuned out Sheppard's prattle to Ford, letting his eyes half-close. As he relaxed, a translucent shape came into view ahead of him near one of the palms, so faint it blended with the shadows. His eyes slowly opened again and he frowned, not sure whether or not he was imagining it.
His gaze narrowed and like a flash the vision solidified, turning, he assumed, into the girl they were looking for. She sat perfectly calm, legs crossed and sitting with her back to the tree in a deep state of concentration.
"Major..." Rodney whispered fiercely, yanking on the younger man's sleeve. "Major, I see her!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, the girl shot up and ran off, snatching Sheppard's attention like a lightning bolt. "Hell." he mumbled before jumping over a fallen tree and taking off after her, dropping his P-90 as he ran. After a few seconds chase, he noticed he wasn't getting any closer. Idea forming, he stripped off his vest and threw it as hard as he could.
The vest hit her dead on in the knees, tangling in her legs and sending her stumbling just long enough for him to gain an advantage. He dived forward in a tackle, taking them both to the ground.
McKay jogged to catch up, carrying Sheppard's discarded equipment under his arm. He watched as Sheppard pinned the girl's arms behind her back, holding them firmly, but not so much to hurt her. The Canadian let out a low whistle. "Nice shot."
"Thanks. I try." the American grinned, hauling himself and the runaway up. "Let's see what we caught." He clicked his radio twice before Ford's voice came in.
"Ford here, go ahead."
"Hey Lieutenant, I got myself a bounty. We're about five minutes walk into the trees." Sheppard relaid the information very casually. "Why don't you and Teyla join us?"
"On our way."
---~*~---
Once Teyla and Ford joined them, they approached the girl. She hadn't made a move, hardly even breathing as she sat perfectly, like a statue, at their feet. Teyla took a few slow steps forward, reaching out her hand. Whether her message of peace got across, she couldn't tell. The girl wore a cloak that's hood covered her face from the eyebrows up that cast a dark shadow on her face down to her lips.
"My name is Teyla. Are you Sheedra?" the Athosian inquired softly, settling down on the ground about five feet in front of the girl.
"I am. Have you come to take me back to my death?" Sheedra answered just as soft, though while Teyla had weakened her voice on purpose, Sheedra's quiet tone seemed more natural. It was haunting how empty it sounded, sending chills down the woman's spine.
"No, we're not. We just want to talk." Sheppard said, also walking toward Sheedra and kneeling in front of her. "Is that okay with you?"
The child seemed to seriously consider it for a moment before slowly nodding, standing up and brushing the dirt off her outfit; a dark green cloak, a tan leather vest, mahogany brown cotton capri-length pants, and black sandals. "Yes. What do you wish to know?"
"How did you... do that?" Rodney interrupted before anyone else could say anything. "One minute you weren't there and then you were."
Sheedra colored pink at the question. "It is a technique passed down by my family. I'm sorry for using it to deceive you." she bowed humbly as she spoke. "I could not risk being seen. Though I do not know how you saw me." she cocked her head to the side to stare at McKay, obviously thinking. "You should not have been able to."
"I guess McKay got lucky and saw through it, huh?" Sheppard said, shrugging nonchalantly. Sheedra bit her lip in thought but said nothing. "Now, Sheedra, what were you planning to do out here? Did you have a hiding place in mind?"
"No." the word came out of her mouth like a breeze, so impossibly soft and, Ford noticed first, laden with mistrust and pain.
"Well, we're here now and we know about the ritual. We won't let someone innocent be killed for no reason." Ford paused. "That said, we need to return to the temple and have a... talk with Akito." the lieutenant failed at keeping the menace out of his words, the thought of Akito blatantly lying to them making his temper shoot up.
Without a second's delay, the cloaked child lifted herself up and looked Major Sheppard straight in the eye, tilting her head back just far enough so the shadow lifted from the orbs, which turned out to be the most startling shade of amber he had ever seen. "I am your captive. Lead way."
Sheppard took a very deep breath in through his nose, fighting the urge to correct her on the 'captive' term, but he knew it was no use. He nodded and they began the trek back to the village.
"A little introverted for a seven-year-old, hm?" the Canadian pointed out in an undertone, jerking his head backwards to indicate Sheedra.
"Very. It's downright creepy to me." Sheppard agreed darkly, "But different stroke for different folks, as they say."
"Not if those strokes come from slavery."
"Let's not jump to conclusions, doctor."
Rodney sent him a bewildered look. "What are you talking about? You were thinking it too." he heaved a sigh, readjusting his shoulder strap for his pack. It was an eerily silent walk to the temple.
~*Deciding Between Wind and Water*~
"Oi! Akito! Where are you!" John hollered into the dimly lit main room of the temple when he didn't see the Elder there. He was surprised Akito wasn't waiting for them, the kind of thing he'd do. But they didn't have long to wait. One of the doors banged open, a very ruffled and untidy Akito glowering there. His beady black eyes rested on Sheedra and his face broke out into a sinister smile. He strode forward and grabbed her by the arm, forcing her forward before AG1 could say a word.
The girl whimpered slightly as she disappeared into the back again. 'They lied.' a small pessimistic part of her brain hissed at her. 'And you let your guard down enough for them to lied to you, you silly, silly girl.' Tears sprung unwanted to her eyes and she let out a strangled sob. How many times was life going to this to her? Realizing her own thought with the force of a hammer, she sealed her doubts and fears into her mind, locking them away...
---
"I believe it is best you leave, Major Sheppard, along with your team." the elder stated as he returned and sat down on the fountain, looking very world-weary. "I have much preparing to do over a short amount of time and you cannot be here during it."
"Actually, we were planning on sticking around until you explained yourself." Speaking in a low, dangerous voice, Sheppard took a few steps forward until he was looking nearly straight down at Akito, drumming his fingers on his P90 to the tune of 'Jaws', McKay realized, rolling his eyes and giving the major a sharp tap on the shoulder blade. The American sent him a look that clearing was trying to say 'What? What'd I do?'
"I have no reason to explain my motives and those of my people." the oldest present stuttered, eyeing the aforementioned weapon with great trepidation.
"Oh I disagree there, Akito." Sheppard stage-whispered, leaning forward until he and the aged man were nearly nose to nose. "You’re gonna sit here and tell us what the hell is going on, aren’t you?"
"Fine! Just get away from me!" Akito nearly fell into the fountain behind him, leaning back as far as he could do avoid Sheppard. Looking particularly smug, Sheppard backed away from the flustered High Priest, keeping his hand on the P90, just in case. Taking several deep breaths, Akito held a hand over his heart before complying.
"You wish to know of Sheedra or the Gecenadi Ritual?"
"Both."
"Fine!" Sigh. "The Gecenadi Ritual involves the human sacrifice of the personification of misfortune in the Yunan people. Sheedra the Zephyr was chosen."
"Why? What’s so different about her?" McKay asked incredulously, waving an impatient hand, wanting answers.
"You obviously have not seen it. She is clever, wearing a cloak to conceal the mark." Akito nodded sagely.
"Mark? As in...?"
"Her scar." Akito pointed to his own unblemished brow, over his left eye. "While exploring the spring an afternoon about four months ago, she returned with a deep gash on her forehead. We knew when it didn’t heal and grew in size she it was a sign from the Gods she was the next."
The team shared a few bewildered looks before Rodney spoke up. "Let me get this straight. You’ve condemned a innocent girl to death because she got a cut your temple didn’t care for well enough to stop an infection. That is the single more idiotic idea I’ve heard! Are you insane!?"
"It is own culture! You believe it natural for a simple cut to grow as if with a life of it’s own?!"
"If it’s not taken care of, uh, lemme think- Yes!" the physist snapped back, voice slowly raising higher and higher.
"We could do nothing for her! She is untouchable!"
"Why do you say that?" Teyla cut off the fuming doctor, who glared at her in a way stating that he wasn’t done making his point. She ignored him with her usual coolness, paying him no mind.
"She is the last survivor of the troublesome Wind Clan." Akito murmured harshly, looking disgusted at the very idea. "An old race of people with abnormal powers and customs. A scourge on the land. With her dead will be their death as well as many of our problems."
"She doesn’t need to be killed over a mark or a heritage." Ford reasoned desperately. "Dr. Beckett, he could fix her up. He’s got enough practice from McKay here. We could take her back, fix her up and bring here back in just a few hours if you give us the chance."
"I think not." Akito declined curtly, sitting up straighter and lifting his nose in the air stubbornly.
"Why? Is it because you do not want to lose your influence over your people?" Akito’s jaw dropped at Teyla’s words. "You cannot afford to suddenly admit it is for nothing, but you yourself know it, do you not?"
For once, the elder was completely silent, not daring to breathe. "Of for the love of God..." Sheppard groaned, turning away and rubbing his temples, feeling a migraine coming on. "It’s all about power. You sonovabitch..." he hitched his gun higher on his shoulder, and made to leave.
"Major?"
"I think Weir should hear about this."
~~~***~~~
AN: Okay. This is late, and I humbly apologize. The reason/excuse? Two, actually. One, the first time I wrote several passages of this chapter, it sucked. Majorly. Two (and the more credible of the two), school started, so I'm settling into my freshman year of High School. Does this mean I'm giving up on this? HELLZ NO. If it takes me to doomsday, I'll finish this.
Anyway, I'm still not entirely happy with this chapter. Except me to rewrite this when either this book's done, or after the entire trilogy's done.
Anyway, have patience. I'm beginning to plan out the next book and continue this one, so it'll take about the same amount of time to finish this chapter to finish the next, hopefully less though.
Noticed how I'm consistently (trying) to make humorous passages though the (I hope) drama? Even in the most serious SGA/SG1 episodes, you have little bits of humor. And if I'm constantly writing drama, it'll slowly turn to angst, and you don't want that, ne?
And we meet our new OC, how I think you'll pleased with once you see her relationship with McKay much later. The dynamic between her and Rodney is what inspired me to write this, so I began jotting down ideas of how to introduce this child into the SGA. As I went along, the plot became much bigger than just those two and became what I have now: Two shotty chapters and a rough idea of two out of the three books I want to do. Yep, I'm fuckin' screwed. >.< Hopefully watching SGA on Friday will get me going fast on this again. Until then, have patience in this unworthy authoress! And be kind to me, onegai gozimasu! *bows*
Review and leave me sweet nothings! ^.^ Studies show it make chapters magically appear twice as fast! Amazing!
(Hey, at least I'm not mean and wait until I get 5 reviews to continue. THAT'S mean, methinks.)
~Dr. Zephyr Tanaka
I pity Lancey. He has to edit this stuff on FF.Net `cause that damn site HATES holding bold/italics/scene dividers. I'm so gonna owe him again after this. >.< Why don't I just sell him my soul now and get it over with?
And Lance, remember to only get the story part of this post. Talon had a habit of taking extra stuff because he was too lazy to edit it out of whatever email message I gave him. *rolls eyes*
Ah well. I am in your l33t hands, Waymire.
~Lucia/Dr. Zephyr
Title: Turbulent Winds
Author: Dr. Zephyr Tanaka
Rating: PG
Pairing: None. Sorry, shippers and OTPers!
Summary: When the team arrives on a desert world, the people of the oasis village invite them to stay. But should Atlantis ally with the people who perform what they call the Gecenadi Ritual? Say hello to tons of problems like a new ally, a huge new responsibilty, a misunderstood enemy, and more. (CHAPTER TWO --- "Flight of the Zephyr".)
Standing Outside a Fire
Book One: Turbulent Winds
***Chapter Two: Flight of the Zephyr***
~~~****~~~
*~~A Lost Key~~*
He really felt like shooting him. Seriously, so what if he was hypoglemic? This had to be the third one in fifteen minutes.
Crackle, crackle. Silence. More crackling of foil.
Where the hell was his gun? If McKay didn't keep quiet, he'd really shoot him in the leg this time.
Crackle, crackl-
"Would you STOP that!?"
Rodney jumped a good two feet in the air at Sheppard's yell, dropping the foil that he'd had pulled off his energy bar. He looked at the Major with a 'deer-in-the-headlights' shocked face on. "What’d I do?"
"How many of those damn things have you had?" Sheppard snapped at the scientist irritably.
"Excuse me, do you want me to pass out here for you to drag back to Beckett, John?" Rodney retorted in a sarcastically sweet voice before popping what was left of the bar into his mouth.
"No offense, but I think I'd leave you here."
"And then what? Lose me, and you guys would never get home to earth."
He hated when McKay was right. He really did. Which wasn't good, because the man had a tendency to be correct all the time. Did he respect the doctor? Oh hell yeah, the man was one of the smartest people on earth. Sheppard had even heard rumors before they left the SGC of how Colonel Carter and he had spent over an hour in physics debate (something supposedly done whenever he visited her) and McKay won on three subjects out of five. Granted, he was surprised McKay wasn't bragging over it constantly, but it was still impressive.
Deciding that arguing would now be for nothing (if it started out for something in the first place), he got up and started walking around the room. The other man's eyes followed him for a moment, slightly worried, before shrugging and laying down again. If Sheppard was going to smack him one, there wasn't a whole lot he could do about it.
"Hey McKay. Check this out."
Rodney opened his eyes and hesitantly sat up, still not sure whether or not he was gonna get hit for annoying Sheppard. The pilot motioned him over, standing near the wall. McKay joined him over there.
"What's going on-"
"Listen."
Overhead, very faintly, could be an conversation on the surface. It seemed to be between many people, and very urgent. The room was so close to the surface loud sounds could reach though the walls Sheppard tapped McKay on the shoulder, pointing to the door. McKay nodded, following him outside.
---~*~---
"You fools! I told you to watch her carefully! She must not be damaged!"
"Sorry, Elder."
"Sorry won't get her back! She must be here for the ritual!"
Emerging from the burrow, they could see Akito and three of his temple priests were standing in the dying light. Rather than the image of calm majesty, he looked slightly panicked over something. The priests were also visibly uneasy where they knelt before their Elder respectfully.
"What should we do, Elder?"
"Find her! Find her before she leaves the area!" the older man, no longer frail looking as he stormed around pacing, scolded. "I told you each day to keep her under constant watch, you knew how flighty she was." Akito's voice lowered dangerously. "I suggest you hurry and start looking while there is enough light."
"Hey, what's going on?" Sheppard finally called out, walking to the group. Akito stopped his pacing and smiled tautly at the two foreigners. "Seems something's gone wrong with the ritual?"
A vein throbbed soundly in Akito's temple, displaying his worry plainly. "It... it is not for you should worry yourselves with, sirs. My priests simply have misplaced something important."
"So we heard. Who is the person you're looking for?" McKay input, forcing his tone to stay casual in the strange circumstances.
"At the Gecenadi Ritual, someone is chosen to lead in the event. We very specifically choose someone. The girl we had set for it was absolutely perfect." Akito stated with a bit of ego. "But since she's been practicing, she's gotten cold feet. It's what we get for using someone so young, I suppose."
"So young?" Rodney pressed.
"She is only seven, recently orphaned. The temple took her in." Akito replied shortly. "No one else would take her due to her... questionable heritage."
"Well, maybe we can help out." Sheppard grinned his signature reassuring way. "What's her name?"
Akito looked suddenly at a lost, thinking rapidly. "It's ... it's ..."
"Sheedra the Zephyr, Elder." one of the priests helped out, looking nervous.
"Yes! Sheedra. Must of slipped my mind." Akito coughed, twining his hands together. "What did you have in mind, Major?"
"Well, obviously you won't find her now. It's too dark." McKay gestured skyward. "Too many shadows for this Zephyr girl to hide in. You'd need more than four people and a no light."
"Tomorrow, we'll help you guys find her before the Gecenadi Ritual starts. Alright?" Sheppard offered, though it sounded more like a command than anything.
The natives looked at each other questionable before mumbling agreement.
"Good. Take it easy until morning. `Night."
---~*~---
~*Putting the Pieces Together*~
"Sir."
"Hey! Ford, Teyla, how'd it go?" John called out at the two as they returned, looking rather depressed. The Teyla and Ford shared a strange look before announcing to the room at the same time,
"We have to talk."
They sat on their own beds and started relaying events up until the gossiping women. Then their voices died slowly away. After a few words of encouragement from McKay and Sheppard, they forced themselves to continue.
"Sir, there is much more to this Gecenadi Ritual thing that the Elder let on." Ford started, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "We overheard some local women talking about the proceedings. It revolves around a human sacrifice." A loud clatter was heard as the Major dropped his glass of water on the floor, eyes suddenly unseeing. Rodney closed his eyes at the words and turned away.
"What..... how... who?" Sheppard murmured unintelligently as a few things clicked in place. 'Zephyr...'
"The ritual is to murder an unlucky person to supposively restore the good fortune in the area." Teyla added in a monotone, eyes to the floor and skin a few tones lighter than normal. "They know no better. It's a tradition of the town, as natural as my culture's dawn tea."
"That's just stupid." Rodney spat out, though his words were without his normal confidence and conviction. He felt like someone had his stomach in a vice, squeezing tightly. "Killing their own damn people. First kids with suicidal tendacies, now this..."
"Yeah. They do it to get the victim's blood."
"Why?"
"To clean it somehow. Seal it and leave it by the spring for good luck." Ford replied in a dead tone, head feeling hazy and full of cotton. "Poor girl."
"Wait. Girl?" McKay turned back to Ford quickly, twitching like he had been shocked. "Tell me you just didn't say girl."
"Yeah. Some really young girl." Ford nodded, trying to recollect the exact details.
McKay stood up and began pacing, as was habit. "You have an exact age?"
"Yeah, seven."
"Jesus H. Christ." Sheppard breathed, eyes widening. "McKay, you don't think-"
"You know damn well what I'm thinking, Major. The girl Akito lost track of is the sacrifice." Rodney confirmed sharply, running his hands though his hair.
"I'm sorry, what?" Teyla interrupted the conversation, confused.
"Akito was yelling at his priests earlier. Apparently, they lost a girl needed in the Gecenadi Ritual named Sheedra. She got cold feet and ran off. We volunteered to help out in the morning." the major filled in briefly. "It's gotta be the same girl."
"What can we do, sir? We can't just hand her over knowing she'll be killed." Aiden commented dryly.
"It's obvious we can't. How about we find her before the natives do?" Rodney suggested, pausing in his pacing. "We wake up early and find her first. Then we bring her to the temple-"
"McKay are you nuts?!"
"Let me finish. We bring her to the temple and demand an explanation from Akito. We have her with us there, he'll have to listen to us. Well, whatever we decide to say. Not like last time when we had a Wraith shield to hang over their heads."
All eyes turned to Sheppard. He reviewed the plan once in his mind before taking off his watch and fiddling with the options. "I'm setting this for zero-forty-five hundred hours. Get some sleep, AG1. We have a runaway to catch in the morning."
---~*Reason Behind the Name*~---
Sheppard paced in front of his team, looking at the surrounding for any clue of where to start. 'If I was a seven-year-old girl about to be murdered, where would I hide?' he asked himself mentally. 'Wherever the terrain was harsh.' came his answer. To the north and west was a huge collection of trees and rough ground, the sand twisting and changing elevation every few feet.
"Okay. We should split up. McKay and I'll take the area over there," he pointed past and main road to a large unsettled plain with more forest-like trees than the palms. "You two take the spring area. Should be a while southwest of here."
"Major, which way do you mean by southwest?" Teyla raised an eyebrow. Sheppard blinked cluelessly at her. "I don't recall a map with the Earth direction pointed out."
Sheppard pointed to the left, off the street. "That'll be south. Figure it out from there. Now, keep your radios on and report the second you see her or any clue about where she is. Let's go." he finished stoicly. He turned and began power-walking 'north'.
"I don't understand why you always stick me with you, Major." Rodney said casually from beside the American.
"You tend to get in trouble whenever your left with anyone else. Do you object coming with me?"
"It's not so much that as I get the fleeting impression whenever I'm with you that... well..." Rodney sighed, watching his teammate from the corner of his eye.
"What?"
"Nothing, just that you don't mind hitting me."
"Come on, McKay. I wouldn't hit you unless you really deserved it!" Sheppard smiled, and clapped Rodney on the shoulder in what was supposed to be a reassuring way.
"I don't like the sound of that, considering how you think of me." McKay commented, forcing a smile.
"Yeah, yeah." They had reached their search area and slowed their pace, looking carefully around the trees and larger rocks. "Just keep your eyes open, doctor."
"I don't make habit of walking around with them shut, Major."
"McKay..."
"Right, looking. Hey, do you have any idea what this Zephyr girl looks like?"
"A distraught seven-year-old, I'm guessing." he wryly replied, rolling his eyes heavily and the silly question. "Akito didn't say much else."
"The man didn't know her name, it's doubtful he'd be aware of much else." the physist tilted his head to the side. "Either that or he's going senile early in life."
"Yeah, I don't get that. She lives in the temple for that long and he doesn't catch her name at some point?" Sheppard shook his head in disbelief. "Just doesn't add up."
"Well, since he didn't mind leaving out the ritual's finer elements, he probably has no problem with keeping other things to himself."
"I hope that's not the case. I don't deal well with being lied to."
The two lapsed into silence for a long time, simply searching the area in quiet. About ten minutes later, they got a false call from Ford who had found a Kienta loose in the underbrush. Little else happened, which began wearing on the Major's nerves. After sweeping the area twice, he stopped.
"This can't be right. You don't think the priests beat us to her, do you?" he asked, sounding tired and exasperated.
"No way. It's too soon for them to be looking. The sun barely came up five minutes ago. She's not here, thanks all."
"Think we should regroup and try again?"
"Yeah, this isn't working."
"Alright." Sheppard brought his radio to his mouth and pressed the button. "Teyla, Ford, you two find anything?"
Rodney sighed, casting another tired look into their surroundings. He tuned out Sheppard's prattle to Ford, letting his eyes half-close. As he relaxed, a translucent shape came into view ahead of him near one of the palms, so faint it blended with the shadows. His eyes slowly opened again and he frowned, not sure whether or not he was imagining it.
His gaze narrowed and like a flash the vision solidified, turning, he assumed, into the girl they were looking for. She sat perfectly calm, legs crossed and sitting with her back to the tree in a deep state of concentration.
"Major..." Rodney whispered fiercely, yanking on the younger man's sleeve. "Major, I see her!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, the girl shot up and ran off, snatching Sheppard's attention like a lightning bolt. "Hell." he mumbled before jumping over a fallen tree and taking off after her, dropping his P-90 as he ran. After a few seconds chase, he noticed he wasn't getting any closer. Idea forming, he stripped off his vest and threw it as hard as he could.
The vest hit her dead on in the knees, tangling in her legs and sending her stumbling just long enough for him to gain an advantage. He dived forward in a tackle, taking them both to the ground.
McKay jogged to catch up, carrying Sheppard's discarded equipment under his arm. He watched as Sheppard pinned the girl's arms behind her back, holding them firmly, but not so much to hurt her. The Canadian let out a low whistle. "Nice shot."
"Thanks. I try." the American grinned, hauling himself and the runaway up. "Let's see what we caught." He clicked his radio twice before Ford's voice came in.
"Ford here, go ahead."
"Hey Lieutenant, I got myself a bounty. We're about five minutes walk into the trees." Sheppard relaid the information very casually. "Why don't you and Teyla join us?"
"On our way."
---~*~---
Once Teyla and Ford joined them, they approached the girl. She hadn't made a move, hardly even breathing as she sat perfectly, like a statue, at their feet. Teyla took a few slow steps forward, reaching out her hand. Whether her message of peace got across, she couldn't tell. The girl wore a cloak that's hood covered her face from the eyebrows up that cast a dark shadow on her face down to her lips.
"My name is Teyla. Are you Sheedra?" the Athosian inquired softly, settling down on the ground about five feet in front of the girl.
"I am. Have you come to take me back to my death?" Sheedra answered just as soft, though while Teyla had weakened her voice on purpose, Sheedra's quiet tone seemed more natural. It was haunting how empty it sounded, sending chills down the woman's spine.
"No, we're not. We just want to talk." Sheppard said, also walking toward Sheedra and kneeling in front of her. "Is that okay with you?"
The child seemed to seriously consider it for a moment before slowly nodding, standing up and brushing the dirt off her outfit; a dark green cloak, a tan leather vest, mahogany brown cotton capri-length pants, and black sandals. "Yes. What do you wish to know?"
"How did you... do that?" Rodney interrupted before anyone else could say anything. "One minute you weren't there and then you were."
Sheedra colored pink at the question. "It is a technique passed down by my family. I'm sorry for using it to deceive you." she bowed humbly as she spoke. "I could not risk being seen. Though I do not know how you saw me." she cocked her head to the side to stare at McKay, obviously thinking. "You should not have been able to."
"I guess McKay got lucky and saw through it, huh?" Sheppard said, shrugging nonchalantly. Sheedra bit her lip in thought but said nothing. "Now, Sheedra, what were you planning to do out here? Did you have a hiding place in mind?"
"No." the word came out of her mouth like a breeze, so impossibly soft and, Ford noticed first, laden with mistrust and pain.
"Well, we're here now and we know about the ritual. We won't let someone innocent be killed for no reason." Ford paused. "That said, we need to return to the temple and have a... talk with Akito." the lieutenant failed at keeping the menace out of his words, the thought of Akito blatantly lying to them making his temper shoot up.
Without a second's delay, the cloaked child lifted herself up and looked Major Sheppard straight in the eye, tilting her head back just far enough so the shadow lifted from the orbs, which turned out to be the most startling shade of amber he had ever seen. "I am your captive. Lead way."
Sheppard took a very deep breath in through his nose, fighting the urge to correct her on the 'captive' term, but he knew it was no use. He nodded and they began the trek back to the village.
"A little introverted for a seven-year-old, hm?" the Canadian pointed out in an undertone, jerking his head backwards to indicate Sheedra.
"Very. It's downright creepy to me." Sheppard agreed darkly, "But different stroke for different folks, as they say."
"Not if those strokes come from slavery."
"Let's not jump to conclusions, doctor."
Rodney sent him a bewildered look. "What are you talking about? You were thinking it too." he heaved a sigh, readjusting his shoulder strap for his pack. It was an eerily silent walk to the temple.
~*Deciding Between Wind and Water*~
"Oi! Akito! Where are you!" John hollered into the dimly lit main room of the temple when he didn't see the Elder there. He was surprised Akito wasn't waiting for them, the kind of thing he'd do. But they didn't have long to wait. One of the doors banged open, a very ruffled and untidy Akito glowering there. His beady black eyes rested on Sheedra and his face broke out into a sinister smile. He strode forward and grabbed her by the arm, forcing her forward before AG1 could say a word.
The girl whimpered slightly as she disappeared into the back again. 'They lied.' a small pessimistic part of her brain hissed at her. 'And you let your guard down enough for them to lied to you, you silly, silly girl.' Tears sprung unwanted to her eyes and she let out a strangled sob. How many times was life going to this to her? Realizing her own thought with the force of a hammer, she sealed her doubts and fears into her mind, locking them away...
---
"I believe it is best you leave, Major Sheppard, along with your team." the elder stated as he returned and sat down on the fountain, looking very world-weary. "I have much preparing to do over a short amount of time and you cannot be here during it."
"Actually, we were planning on sticking around until you explained yourself." Speaking in a low, dangerous voice, Sheppard took a few steps forward until he was looking nearly straight down at Akito, drumming his fingers on his P90 to the tune of 'Jaws', McKay realized, rolling his eyes and giving the major a sharp tap on the shoulder blade. The American sent him a look that clearing was trying to say 'What? What'd I do?'
"I have no reason to explain my motives and those of my people." the oldest present stuttered, eyeing the aforementioned weapon with great trepidation.
"Oh I disagree there, Akito." Sheppard stage-whispered, leaning forward until he and the aged man were nearly nose to nose. "You’re gonna sit here and tell us what the hell is going on, aren’t you?"
"Fine! Just get away from me!" Akito nearly fell into the fountain behind him, leaning back as far as he could do avoid Sheppard. Looking particularly smug, Sheppard backed away from the flustered High Priest, keeping his hand on the P90, just in case. Taking several deep breaths, Akito held a hand over his heart before complying.
"You wish to know of Sheedra or the Gecenadi Ritual?"
"Both."
"Fine!" Sigh. "The Gecenadi Ritual involves the human sacrifice of the personification of misfortune in the Yunan people. Sheedra the Zephyr was chosen."
"Why? What’s so different about her?" McKay asked incredulously, waving an impatient hand, wanting answers.
"You obviously have not seen it. She is clever, wearing a cloak to conceal the mark." Akito nodded sagely.
"Mark? As in...?"
"Her scar." Akito pointed to his own unblemished brow, over his left eye. "While exploring the spring an afternoon about four months ago, she returned with a deep gash on her forehead. We knew when it didn’t heal and grew in size she it was a sign from the Gods she was the next."
The team shared a few bewildered looks before Rodney spoke up. "Let me get this straight. You’ve condemned a innocent girl to death because she got a cut your temple didn’t care for well enough to stop an infection. That is the single more idiotic idea I’ve heard! Are you insane!?"
"It is own culture! You believe it natural for a simple cut to grow as if with a life of it’s own?!"
"If it’s not taken care of, uh, lemme think- Yes!" the physist snapped back, voice slowly raising higher and higher.
"We could do nothing for her! She is untouchable!"
"Why do you say that?" Teyla cut off the fuming doctor, who glared at her in a way stating that he wasn’t done making his point. She ignored him with her usual coolness, paying him no mind.
"She is the last survivor of the troublesome Wind Clan." Akito murmured harshly, looking disgusted at the very idea. "An old race of people with abnormal powers and customs. A scourge on the land. With her dead will be their death as well as many of our problems."
"She doesn’t need to be killed over a mark or a heritage." Ford reasoned desperately. "Dr. Beckett, he could fix her up. He’s got enough practice from McKay here. We could take her back, fix her up and bring here back in just a few hours if you give us the chance."
"I think not." Akito declined curtly, sitting up straighter and lifting his nose in the air stubbornly.
"Why? Is it because you do not want to lose your influence over your people?" Akito’s jaw dropped at Teyla’s words. "You cannot afford to suddenly admit it is for nothing, but you yourself know it, do you not?"
For once, the elder was completely silent, not daring to breathe. "Of for the love of God..." Sheppard groaned, turning away and rubbing his temples, feeling a migraine coming on. "It’s all about power. You sonovabitch..." he hitched his gun higher on his shoulder, and made to leave.
"Major?"
"I think Weir should hear about this."
~~~***~~~
AN: Okay. This is late, and I humbly apologize. The reason/excuse? Two, actually. One, the first time I wrote several passages of this chapter, it sucked. Majorly. Two (and the more credible of the two), school started, so I'm settling into my freshman year of High School. Does this mean I'm giving up on this? HELLZ NO. If it takes me to doomsday, I'll finish this.
Anyway, I'm still not entirely happy with this chapter. Except me to rewrite this when either this book's done, or after the entire trilogy's done.
Anyway, have patience. I'm beginning to plan out the next book and continue this one, so it'll take about the same amount of time to finish this chapter to finish the next, hopefully less though.
Noticed how I'm consistently (trying) to make humorous passages though the (I hope) drama? Even in the most serious SGA/SG1 episodes, you have little bits of humor. And if I'm constantly writing drama, it'll slowly turn to angst, and you don't want that, ne?
And we meet our new OC, how I think you'll pleased with once you see her relationship with McKay much later. The dynamic between her and Rodney is what inspired me to write this, so I began jotting down ideas of how to introduce this child into the SGA. As I went along, the plot became much bigger than just those two and became what I have now: Two shotty chapters and a rough idea of two out of the three books I want to do. Yep, I'm fuckin' screwed. >.< Hopefully watching SGA on Friday will get me going fast on this again. Until then, have patience in this unworthy authoress! And be kind to me, onegai gozimasu! *bows*
Review and leave me sweet nothings! ^.^ Studies show it make chapters magically appear twice as fast! Amazing!
(Hey, at least I'm not mean and wait until I get 5 reviews to continue. THAT'S mean, methinks.)
~Dr. Zephyr Tanaka
I pity Lancey. He has to edit this stuff on FF.Net `cause that damn site HATES holding bold/italics/scene dividers. I'm so gonna owe him again after this. >.< Why don't I just sell him my soul now and get it over with?
And Lance, remember to only get the story part of this post. Talon had a habit of taking extra stuff because he was too lazy to edit it out of whatever email message I gave him. *rolls eyes*
Ah well. I am in your l33t hands, Waymire.
~Lucia/Dr. Zephyr
no subject
And I came across a problem on the GW thing. Once I filled out the form with all of the info you gave me, it wouldn't upload. Said that I've already uploaded it, or someone with the same Author name. I doubled back many times, and looked over the directions you gave me and everything, but I can't figure it out.
Sorry for the rough start with this story of yours. I wish I could've handled it better >_< But perhaps I haven't been informed enough, or some weird shit is happening.