Wake of Destruction (3/ )
The Stargate de-activates behind Lorne and his team and he sends out a silent prayer that this mission goes smoothly. And if he prays a little harder than he usually does well that may have been contributed by the… warning left in the clearing. On each side of the clearing were three dead Wraith hanging from tree limbs in different degrees of mutilation and Lorne has to hope that the people who did this aren’t unfriendly towards unannounced guests.
If his team has to be rescued again that would put him sixty-one to Sheppard’s sixty. Even though he thinks that the planet with the carnivorous rabbits shouldn’t count.
They would have left when the sun went down.
“Well… this isn’t disturbing,” Parrish mutters and Lorne is kind of proud of his scientist. A few months back the botanist would have ran screaming back through the Stargate.
Lorne takes point with Cadman and Parrish behind him and Stevens taking up the rear. So far so good. No Wraith attacks or homicidal Amish militants jumping out to ambush them. All he has to worry about was making sure his scientist doesn’t wonder off and get kidnapped by a sentient plant. Again.
He likes to think that he didn’t have to worry about things like that before General O’Neill transferred him out to Pegasus. Unfortunately, he did have some… weird things happen to him in the Milky Way.
Sadly, his capture rate had increased drastically since coming here.
They follow the path and make their way to the village. From the Intel Ronon had giving at the briefing, the people of Olaf were known though the galaxy for their weapons trade. It would be useful to have a few guns more like Ronon’s around.
“Major! This plant reminds me of the Feijoa sellowiana of the Myrtaceae family. Do you know what this means?” Parrish nearly kills himself trying to get to the plant.
Lorne doesn’t. He never does but if he doesn’t get them to the village first, they were going to spend the next two days listening to Parrish gush about his new find. You don’t spend two years working with someone and not know their habits.
“Later Doc, let’s make contact with the locals and then you can commune with nature for as long as you want,” the biologist nods absentmindedly and Cadman ends up dragging him away.
They make good time to the village and the first contact goes well. He didn’t realize how tense he was until he was sure that they wouldn’t be making a mad dash towards the gate.
He can tell just from looking around that these people hadn’t been Culled in a long time. The building structures were permanent and they didn’t have that tell tale anxiousness that most people of Pegasus have.
They were taken into what he assumes is the meeting hall and greeted by the representatives of Olaf. Two men and two women. Two of them are old while the others are around Lorne’s age.
“Greetings friends. I am Elder Channah,” the older woman says, “These are Elder Alvah, Councilor Cronin, and Councilor Jescha. We welcome you to Olaf.”
“We are honored to visit your beautiful planet. I am Major Lorne. This is Lieutenant Cadman,” he motions towards his demolition expert, “Doctor Parrish and Corporal Stevens. We come from the City of the Ancestors in hope of trade.”
“We have heard of your people; The Atlantians. You have had many victories against the Wraith,” Councilor Cronin says.
“And many losses,” Lorne replies smoothly, “but our fight continues.”
Elder Alvah gives him a knowing look. “And not just with the Wraith. If it is weapons against the Wraith you look for, I am afraid that we do not have the resources or the people to equip an army… nor would we want to.”
“I won’t deny that we would like to trade for weapons but we have also come for crops and in hope that you’ll allow Doctor Parrish to take samples of your fruit and vegetable trees,” Lorne explains with ease, the soldier understood where the man was coming from.
Councilor Jescha leans forward, “While we trade with many worlds, it is a custom of ours to get to know those we trade with. Perhaps you would like a tour around our village as we get to know each other. We celebrate the End of Crop Season tonight and we invite you to stay and celebrate with us.”
--
The celebration is lively and everyone was having a good time. The team tries the food and beverages and Cadman insists that the wine has to be included in the negotiations. Lorne reminds her that he’s an Air Force officer and that he and the Colonel weren’t trained to handle drunken Marines. The stills, which he wasn’t supposed to know about, that the scientist made, were enough.
They were passing a table of rowdy teenagers when he overhears a couple of them discussing whether having destruction on the planet was a good thing.
“What are they talking about?” Lorne enquires.
Councilor Jescha looks slightly aggravated but replies, “Shortly after the last Celebration, a party was sent out to trade goods. When they arrived at the Ring, the Wraith came through. They were attacked and one of our people was killed. Then he came.”
Parrish leans closer, “He?”
“Our people call him the Destroyer. He killed the Wraith and has killed every Wraith that has come through the Ring since,” she elaborates and he wonders if she’s noticed how she lowers her voice as she gives the ‘He’ a name.
“Is he a Runner?” Cadman turns away from two wrestling boys and back to the conversation.
“No. A Hive has never come and the Wraith have never come in big parties.”
“Isn’t that a good thing? If he is protecting your village then what’s the harm,” Stevens pipes up.
“Some of our people do believe that he was sent by the Ancestors to protect us. Others believe the Wraith will eventually realize that those sent to our world have not returned and his actions will bring a Culling down upon us,” Councilor Cronin explains. It’s obvious that this isn’t a topic he was too keen about discussing.
“What do you think?”
Cronin pauses and chooses his words carefully, “I believe that the Destroyer has saved many of our people. I do not know if he was indeed sent by the Ancestors but he has defended us from the time of his arrival. I cannot attest to his reasons but he has yet to express malicious desires towards my people.”
“The bodies we saw when we came through the Gate… this Destroyer did that?” Lorne looks wary. It was one thing to think that the people of Olaf fought off the Wraith but one man… of course after meeting Ronon he should know better than to be surprised.
“Yes, I can only assume he means it as a message to the Wraith. Perhaps you would like to try this Major Lorne?” Cronin holds up a plate of fruit that looks suspiciously like guavas. It isn’t very subtle subject change but Lorne understands that the subject was now closed and takes a piece of fruit.
--
They check in with Atlantis the next morning and then Parrish is allowed to take his samples. Lorne thinks that he could really come to like this planet. It wasn’t often that his missions allow him to appreciate the beauty of new planets and he likes to take a few quiet moments when he can.
He leans back against a tree and listens as Parrish babbles on in the background. Cadman and Stevens were in the village making friends and he makes sure to check in with them every two hours. Sometime, team leader was like babysitting. Let them out of your sight for one minute and suddenly you’re being chased through the forest at spear point.
If you’re lucky.
“Major Lorne,” he turns towards the voice and sees Cronin walking up the path towards him.
“Good morning, Councilor,” Lorne greets and Parrish looks up long enough to wave.
The Councilor looks amused, “I have never seen anyone so focused on vegetation before. Have you thought about our terms?”
Lorne nods. It was very reasonable. In fact, he thought that Atlantis was coming out on the better side of the deal. Enough blasters to have one for all members of off-world teams and crops in exchange for medicines, access to Doctors should the need come, and assistance against the Wraith should they every need it.
“I have but I’ll have talk to my leader before we finalize anything. We’ll be heading though the Gate before nightfall.”
He turns towards the Gate and from where he stands he can see the bodies hanging from the trees.
“Do you think you’re Destroyer would be interested in actively fighting against the Wraith?”
The man stiffens and sends Lorne a hard look. They stare at each other for a long moment before Cronin finds what he’s looking for and his gaze softens.
“It would be a mistake to insinuate that he belongs to anyone,” he looks into the trees with a contemplative frown, “ I believe that the Destroyer needs to fight but whether he will fight with you is not a question I can answer for you. Sometimes it is best to go straight to the source.”
Lorne follows his gaze and he has to force himself to stay relaxed and not shift his grip on his P90. He doesn’t see anything but now that Cronin’s brought his attention to it, he’s fully aware that they are being watched.
Cronin turns his attention back to him. “We are in no danger. I am sure that he has watched you and your people since you arrived. He is simply curious.”
Curious or not, Lorne is a bit freaked out that he and Parrish has been there all morning and he had no idea they were being watched.
--