Not Alone Anymore

Something awoke her. There were noises outside her hut; noises where there should not be any. They sounded like...voices...but that was not possible. She briefly wondered if she was dreaming, but grabbed her knife anyway. Silently, she slid out from beneath the skins piled on her mattress and tiptoed to the window, pushing aside the thick cloth that covered it. Something moved across the shadows outside, and she stepped back, her heart hammering in her chest. Surely, this was not possible. People were moving through the village, and they seemed to be searching the huts. What they could be searching for -- or how they came to be there -- she had no idea, but it seemed only a matter of time before they found their way to her hut by the forest. Her gut told her that she did not want to be found.

No sooner had she started for the door when the flap swung open and three of them burst in, two men and a woman. She crouched into a protective stance, knife at the ready. The smaller of the two men raised what she took to be a weapon, levelling it at her. They stood between her and the door, effectively cutting off her only means of escape. Snarling, she flung herself at the closest intruder, the larger man, slashing out with her knife. He sidestepped her attack easily, grabbing her wrist and spinning her around. His one hand twisted her arm up behind her, and his other hand clamped swiftly over her mouth. She struggled for a moment, but his strength was too great for her to hope to overcome. Instead, she glared silently at the other two.

The woman stepped forward, her hands raised non-threateningly. "Please," she whispered, "We do not wish to harm you. Our enemies are in this village, and we are trying to escape. If you help us get back to our ship, we will take you with us to safety." Her promise earned her a sharp look from the smaller man, who judging by his demeanor, must have been their leader.

The girl thought for a moment, weighing her options. The sound of footsteps drawing closer brought her to a swift decision. She nodded her head, and the man holding her let go. She stepped quickly away, not turning her back on any of them. She bent to stash her small knife in the bag she kept by the door and hefted it onto her shoulder. "The forest," she whispered, pulling back the flap and glancing outside, "This way." She slipped out into the darkness, hearing the others close on her heels as she skirted her hut and made for the treeline. Once she had led them deep into the cover of the trees, she slowed, turning to the dark-haired leader. "You say you came in a ship?" she asked, "We are far from the river. Do you remember how far upstream you travelled?"

The man chuckled slightly. "This is a flying ship," he replied, "And we parked it in a big field near a pile of rocks with a tree growing out the top of it."

She gave him a look of surprise, but did not stop to ask anything further. "I know the place of which you speak," she whispered, changing direction slightly. "I will take you to your ship, and you may leave. I will go no further."

"I don't think you understand your situation, Miss," the man said, looking at her with concern. "Those people back there, you do not want to run into one of them. They will kill you if they see you. Or worse," He drew a deep breath before continuing, "Listen. We'll take you home with us, and you can decide if you wanna come back once they're gone, or hell, we can send you anywhere else you wanna go. But we will not leave you here for them to get hold of."

The determination in his voice forced down any arguments she was thinking of making, so the girl simply nodded and kept walking. It was difficult and slow going through the forest, but thankfully she heard no sign of anyone following. Their footsteps rustled in the dry leaves, but the wind creaking through the branches overhead made more than enough noise to drown them out. She hugged her arms tightly around herself, wishing she'd had the time to think to grab her cloak.

As they walked, the woman made her way to the girl's side. "I am Teyla Emmagan," she introduced herself, "This is Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard, and Ronon Dex." She indicated the two men. "We thank you for your assistance..." she trailed off, waiting for the girl to introduce herself.

"I am Madiqenari Aswentos, High Priestess and Chief of the Drian people." She bowed her head in a quick greeting. "You may call me Madi, if you wish."

"Thank you, Madi," Teyla smiled, a surprised look on her face. "Forgive me for saying, but you seem rather...young, to hold such high office among your people."

Madi sighed. "I have no choice," she admitted, glancing sadly at the woman beside her, "I am the only one left able to hold it." She quickened her pace, hoping to let the uncomfortable subject drop.

It took them just over an hour to reach the clearing the man called Sheppard had described. Peering out from between the trunks in front of them, she scanned the field for any sign of this so-called 'flying ship' of theirs. The field was empty. "Are you sure this is where you..." Her words faded away in surprise as a small craft seemingly materialized out of thin air directly in front of them. The dark haired man gave her a smirk as he passed her, leading the way up the ramp. She followed tentatively, momentarily second-guessing her decision to accompany these strangers. Resolutely, she pushed that thought aside and took a seat. The small ship blinked to life, and she watched in awe as the ground fell away beneath them. They circled once over the village, where tiny bodies still moved from hut to hut. The ship flew up and up, until the entire forest was nothing but a speck of green, and they were out amongst the stars.

She gasped in awe at the beauty of the view, feeling closer to the gods than she had ever felt before. At her reaction, Sheppard shared a small, knowing smile with Teyla, the woman seated beside him. As they soared further and further from the planet, a small object came into view floating amidst the backdrop of stars. It appeared to be a small, circular object, and as they drew closer, it began to glow with a strange blue light. The ship headed straight towards it. "What is that?" she asked, trying as hard as she could to keep the edge of fear from her voice.

"That would be the Gate," Sheppard replied calmly, checking his read-outs. No sign of pursuit, he punched in his IDC, and lined up the Jumper with the Event Horizon.

Madi couldn't help but brace herself as they barreled headlong in what she was sure would be a collision-course with the Gate.

The larger man beside her, Ronon, leaned closer. "Keep your eyes open," he advised with a grin, "Trust me, you don't wanna miss this."

She swallowed hard and forced her gaze straight ahead as the small vessel charged straight through the rippling surface of the Gate. She experienced a momentary feeling of disorientation, followed by a sense of awe as they emerged on the other side. She wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but it certainly hadn't been the large, brightly lit room they entered. It had been the middle of the night when they left her world, but here, the sunlight was streaming through the windows. The ship rose up through the ceiling to another room, which held even more like the small craft.

A womans voice spoke, seeming to come out of the air. "We're picking up four life-signs, Colonel." The voice sounded confused. Madi glanced around to see where the voice was coming from.

"That's affirmative, Elizabeth," Sheppard responded, turning to glance at the girl with a smirk.

"John, don't tell me you've picked up another stray," a man's voice said.

"Okay, I won't," Sheppard chirped, rising from his chair and ushering Madi off the Jumper. McKay and Weir were waiting for them as they exited the Jumper bay. Weir flashed him a look that told him he'd better be ready with a damn good explanation as soon as he returned from his check-in down in the Infirmary. He offered a shrug and a smirk, willing to leave her hanging for the moment. He led his team down the corridors, feeling a small sense of pride at the way Madi was seemingly dumbfounded by all the sights around her.

As they entered the Infirmary, Dr. Beckett looked up from whatever it was he had been doing. "How did it go?" he asked, glancing around at their faces, then noticing someone new. "And hullo, who's this?" He stepped towards the girl, who'd been half hiding behind the bulk of Ronon. He smiled kindly at her, stepping closer. "I'm Carson Beckett, and I'm a doctor here. And you are?"

"You may call me Madi," she smiled shyly back at him, liking him instantly. "I am pleased to meet you, Carson Beckett." She bowed to him in greeting.

"Ach, please, call me Carson," he replied, bowing awkwardly in response. He offered her his hand, escorting her to one of the examination tables. "Nurse, take care of those, will ye?" he called over his shoulder, nodding towards the others.

Sheppard shook his head, grinning at the doctor's brazenness. "Don't keep her too long," he called to the man, "Weir's expecting our briefing." When he didn't get a response, he sighed and followed the nurse, eager to get his check-up over with.

Beckett invited the girl to seat herself on the table, while he gathered some of his equipment. "This is standard practice for everyone who comes in from off-world, ye see," he explained, returning to stand in front of her. "I just need to make sure you're perfectly healthy, and then ye can be on your merry way. I promise, none o'this'll hurt a bit, ye have my word." He stepped closer, holding a light up to peer into her eyes and ears.

"You are a healer among your people?" Madi asked, opening her mouth for him to see inside.

"Uh, yes, actually," he replied, feeling gently at the sides of her neck, "We call ourselves doctors, where I'm from." He motioned for her to lie down, getting the bio-scanners ready.

"You are not from here?" she asked inquisitively, following his directions.

"No, I'm not," he admitted wistfully, "I grew up far from here, in a beautiful place called Scotland." He paused to smile reassuringly down at her. "I need you to lie still for a moment so I can scan your body for any signs of illness, ok?"

Madi nodded, and tried to watch out of the corner of her eye as the scanner passed over her body. When Dr. Beckett nodded that the scan was complete, she sat up again. "Did Colonel Sheppard bring you here as well, Carson?" she asked.

He was taken aback by her question at first. "No," he said slowly, "I was part of a team that came here to explore Atlantis. That's where you are now, the city of Atlantis. Colonel Sheppard was a part of that team, and we came here together. Why do ye ask?"

"Oh, I am a stray," she said, using the strange word she had heard upstairs, "I was under the understanding that Colonel Sheppard brought us here often."

Becket tried to hide a smile. "Aye, that was likely Dr. McKay that said that. Pay him no mind, m'dear. A stray would not be as welcome here as ye are," He offered a hand to help her down from the table. She smiled warmly at him. "As far as I can see, you're fit as a fiddle, and ye can be on your way. Do feel free to stop by any time, though," he flashed her a smile, "Should you happen to be feeling a bit under the weather,"

She nodded, not fully understanding him, but agreed that she would visit him again. By now, Sheppard and the others were done with their examinations and were waiting for her. He motioned for her to follow, as they made their way back upstairs. He led her to a bench outside a room with a large table in it.

"I gotta go report to my boss," he explained, indicating that she should wait on the bench by the wall. "I have a feeling she'll want to talk to you, too, so just wait here, ok?" He flashed her a charming grin, and she seated herself where he'd indicated. Teyla and Ronon followed him into the room, and the doors closed behind them.

Madi folded her hands in her lap patiently, not even glancing at the guard standing at the top of the stairs beside her.

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"So that basically sums it up," Sheppard stated, leaning back in his chair.

Weir folded her hands on the table in front of her. 'So this...girl that you brought back, she was alone?"

"Yes," he repeated, "And I wasn't just gonna leave her there for Kolya. Bringing her here seemed the only option."

Weir nodded. "I understand. But John, we're not really in a position to --"

"It's one girl!" he exclaimed, leaning forward in agitation. "I told her I'd get her outta harm's way, then send her back anywhere she wanted. From the looks of it, her village's been wiped out...my guess is Wraith. She wants to go back and find some other village of her people to live with, so be it. I'll take her myself. But I'm not gonna sit by and let anyone be taken out by a squad of renegade Genii!"

Weir sighed. "Okay, John. May I speak with her now?" She motioned for him to go get her. He rose from his seat and went to the doors, calling for Madi to join them.

Madi entered the room to stand in front of the table, feeling all the eyes in the room on her. She drew herself up as proudly as she could. "I am Madiqenari Aswentos, High Priestess and Chief of the Drian People." She bowed to the short-haired woman at the head of the table. "How may I be of service to you?"

Weir rose from her seat to return the bow. "I am Dr. Elizabeth Weir, leader of Atlantis Operations. Why don't you start by telling us a little about yourself?"

"What do you wish to know?" Madi asked, trying her best to remain diplomatic. The woman motioned to a chair at the end of the table, and she sat gracefully.

"Perhaps tell us a little about your people. Are you farmers, traders?" Weir smiled encouragingly.

"My people are dead." she replied flatly, earning her shocked looks from everyone around the room. "I am all that remains. Thus, I must take on the role of speaker on their behalf." She glanced at the faces of the others, and sighed wearily. "Perhaps I should start from the beginning, though I fear it may be a long tale." Weir nodded for her to continue.

"It was ten winters ago, when they came," she began, "I was but a child then, having seen only my twelfth year, and I had had an argument with my mother. I do not even recall what it was about." She smiled sadly down at her hands. "Being a child, I ran off into the woods, to nurse my bitterness at being scolded. I wandered a while, and found a cave I had never seen before. I entered it, seeking a place where I could hide and heal my wounded pride. I felt my way deeper and deeper, until I could no longer see where I was going. Eventually, I found myself hopelessly lost, and I sat down and cried. I searched and searched for the way out, and it was many hours later when I finally found it. I rushed back to the village, only to find it empty. My family was gone, along with everyone else. I searched every hut in the village, and there was no sign of anyone. It was as though the entire village had simply...disappeared. I packed some food from my family's pantry, and I set out for the closest neighboring village. It took me three days to get there on foot, and when I arrived, it was just as deserted. That was when I knew that something was truly and horribly wrong, but I did not know for certain what had happened, until I started finding the bodies."

"Bodies?" McKay interjected.

"Yes," Madi continued, "Along the road, I found one. He looked very old, and I guessed that perhaps his journey had been too much for him. I stopped to offer him a prayer, then hurried on my way. But when I arrived at the next village..." She stopped, a slight shiver passing through her. Teyla leaned over to squeeze her hand, encouraging her to go on. "When I arrived at the next village, there were more bodies. A few were old and wasted, like the one on the road, but others were burned and broken, and still others...were not even human."

"Wraith," Ronon muttered.

Madi nodded. "Now I knew that my village, and the others nearby had been taken. It had been several generations since a culling, but we had all grown up on the stories. I burned that village to the ground, and all the dead within it, and spent many days in mourning for my family. Then, I began to search for whatever remnants of my people could be found. For ten years, I have roamed the land of my birth, and never since have I met another living soul. The land now belongs to the dead, I fear. And thus, I have taken upon myself the keeping of the temples and the laws of my people, since I am now the last who remembers their ways." She finished her tale and raised her chin proudly, glad that the trembling she felt inside did not make itself heard in her voice.

The others looked on her with a mixture of pity and respect. Weir rose to her feet. "You're sure the Wraith wiped out all of your people?" she asked. The girl nodded. "How many are we talking? Hundreds? Thousands?"

"Over a million, from the village counts I have gathered in my travels." Madi replied evenly.

Weir sunk back into her chair in shock. "And you've never encountered any other survivors?"

"Not one sign."

"Is it not possible that some of your people escaped through the gate when the Wraith came?" Weir asked with a quick glance in Ronon's direction, trying to wrap her head around the scenario.

"The gate was in space," Sheppard replied, "And from what we could tell, their civilization was nowhere near that level of technology." Madi nodded her agreement.

Weir puzzled for a moment. "A space gate? Then how did Kolya...?"

Sheppard shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. I wouldn't be surprised if he's made a few new friends, though, in light of the beating he took from us last time,"

"I have never heard of a culling of this scope," Teyla interjected, glancing around the table. "For the Wraith to knowingly obliterate their food supply is...unheard of."

All eyes turned to Madi for some sort of explanation, but she simply shrugged helplessly. "That is all I know. There has been no sign of the Wraith returning to my world since. There has been no sign of anyone, until tonight."

Weir nodded in resignation. "Thank you for your help, Madi," she said, offering the girl a small smile. "You must be very tired. You are welcome to stay here in Atlantis as long as you like. I'm sure Colonel Sheppard will be able to find you a room, and whatever else you may need. I look forward to meeting with you again."

Everyone rose from the table, their meeting clearly at an end. Madi bowed respectfully to Weir, and followed Sheppard out of the room.

"So I'm assuming that we will be sending in a research team, then?" McKay asked almost hopefully.

"Yes, Rodney," Weir conceded, "As soon as we receive word that the Genii threat is gone, you may go."

"Of course," McKay said cheerfully, "You know I wouldn't go otherwise. I'm a far too valuable..." He trailed off as Elizabeth walked away. "Well," he said to himself, "It's always nice to know people think so highly of your company,"

Sheppard led her down a maze of corridors, eventually stopping at a doorway. "Well, here's your room," he said, smiling as he waved his hand in front of the control panel and the door slid open. The room was large, with a bed and a small couch in it, and an alcove for attending to toilettries. "Make yourself at home!" He placed the small bag she'd brought just inside the door, and left her to settle in.

She stared around the room for a moment, wondering at the richness these people seemed to live in. She flopped down onto the bed, grinning selfishly at how soft the mattress was. After years of sleeping on the hard-packed ground, this place was a heaven to her. She sighed in contentment, before getting up to rummage through her spare belongings. Her hunting knife she unpacked and placed beneath the pillow on her bed. Just because she liked these new people, didn't mean she could quite trust them yet.

In the hall, Sheppard stopped Ronon as he passed on the way to his room. "Hey, uh, keep an eye on her, will ya?" he asked, giving the bigger man a meaningful look.

"I will," he replied, flashing Sheppard a knowing smirk. The Colonel smiled and waved goodnight, knowing that he couldn't have posted a more capable guard for their new guest.


*A/N* This story will be updated as it is written...so please bear with me, as I do have a few projects on the go. The more reviews I get, though, the more I will be forced to devote my time to this story. ^_^