OOM: The Kindred
Mar. 31st, 2009 03:09 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
callmemajor[ooc: Takes place shortly after this.]
He figures it'll be a quick, pointless trip. As much as he knows Teyla believes she'll find what she's looking for, he doesn't hold out much hope.
So he makes small talk. Tells her about living in San Francisco, visiting the flea markets there. Days like this make it almost easy to forget he's in another galaxy.
And then Teyla finds a merchant selling trinkets she knows once belonged to Athosians, and the mission suddenly becomes interesting, useful even.
He knows the trader will run when he sees Lorne, knows he won't be able to catch him, not on unfamiliar terrain.
He almost feels bad for the guy when he runs into the small log Teyla holds up just at face level.
He's never been good at interrogation. He's not intimidating enough. People aren't scared of him. It doesn't help that Atlantis has that reputation for kindness and mercy.
Teyla though...Lorne has never seen her like this, and though he knows it's just part of the plan to get the man to talk, he almost believes she would turn him over to the villagers as a Wraith-worshiper. It's the first time he really understands how much she's willing to do to find her people.
And when the trader cracks, Lorne knows, somewhere in the back of his mind, that it was too easy. But he's afraid of what Teyla might do if he points that out, so he just tells the Marines to untie the man so he can lead them to the place he found the trinkets he's been trading.
As they walk to the gate, he knows he has to do something, at least try to rein in Teyla's aggression. Sheppard's been worried about her for months now, and he can understand why.
"First thing we do when we get to the gate is radio back to Atlantis," he says, glancing cautiously over at her. "Let them know where we're goin', okay?"
She nods almost imperceptibly, but she doesn't look happy about it.
"Listen, Teyla. I know you're looking for answers about what happened to your people, but I'm thinking maybe it's better if you let us check it out, okay?"
He knows she'll refuse, but he has to suggest it. Has to at least try.
She shakes her head, giving him an incredulous look. "Major."
"Look, just let us scout ahead all right?"
And that's when he hears it. The sound that haunts his dreams, keeps him up some nights. The sound that every Pegasus native takes as the call to flee, run to safety, save your family, look to the skies.
He knows what it is, but as Teyla turns to look over her shoulder, he still asks, "What is it?" hoping he's wrong.
What happens next is too fast for him to even really process. He yells, "Dart!" and dives to his left, trusting the others to leap out of the way of the culling beam. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees the trader grab Teyla, pulling her into the dart's path.
And then they're gone, and the dart is too, and he can't believe something like this has happened on his watch again.
***
They dial back to Atlantis, and Lorne sends his IDC through, waits for confirmation that the shield has been lowered and steps through, knowing what sort of greeting waits on the other side.
Carter comes down the stairs to meet him, along with Sheppard, McKay and Keller.
He knows they'll ask. She's conspicuous in her absence.
He can't quite meet Sam's eyes when she asks, "Major, where's Teyla?"
And he doesn't know how he's supposed to answer that.
[ooc: All dialogue from the Stargate: Atlantis episode "The Kindred".]
He figures it'll be a quick, pointless trip. As much as he knows Teyla believes she'll find what she's looking for, he doesn't hold out much hope.
So he makes small talk. Tells her about living in San Francisco, visiting the flea markets there. Days like this make it almost easy to forget he's in another galaxy.
And then Teyla finds a merchant selling trinkets she knows once belonged to Athosians, and the mission suddenly becomes interesting, useful even.
He knows the trader will run when he sees Lorne, knows he won't be able to catch him, not on unfamiliar terrain.
He almost feels bad for the guy when he runs into the small log Teyla holds up just at face level.
He's never been good at interrogation. He's not intimidating enough. People aren't scared of him. It doesn't help that Atlantis has that reputation for kindness and mercy.
Teyla though...Lorne has never seen her like this, and though he knows it's just part of the plan to get the man to talk, he almost believes she would turn him over to the villagers as a Wraith-worshiper. It's the first time he really understands how much she's willing to do to find her people.
And when the trader cracks, Lorne knows, somewhere in the back of his mind, that it was too easy. But he's afraid of what Teyla might do if he points that out, so he just tells the Marines to untie the man so he can lead them to the place he found the trinkets he's been trading.
As they walk to the gate, he knows he has to do something, at least try to rein in Teyla's aggression. Sheppard's been worried about her for months now, and he can understand why.
"First thing we do when we get to the gate is radio back to Atlantis," he says, glancing cautiously over at her. "Let them know where we're goin', okay?"
She nods almost imperceptibly, but she doesn't look happy about it.
"Listen, Teyla. I know you're looking for answers about what happened to your people, but I'm thinking maybe it's better if you let us check it out, okay?"
He knows she'll refuse, but he has to suggest it. Has to at least try.
She shakes her head, giving him an incredulous look. "Major."
"Look, just let us scout ahead all right?"
And that's when he hears it. The sound that haunts his dreams, keeps him up some nights. The sound that every Pegasus native takes as the call to flee, run to safety, save your family, look to the skies.
He knows what it is, but as Teyla turns to look over her shoulder, he still asks, "What is it?" hoping he's wrong.
What happens next is too fast for him to even really process. He yells, "Dart!" and dives to his left, trusting the others to leap out of the way of the culling beam. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees the trader grab Teyla, pulling her into the dart's path.
And then they're gone, and the dart is too, and he can't believe something like this has happened on his watch again.
***
They dial back to Atlantis, and Lorne sends his IDC through, waits for confirmation that the shield has been lowered and steps through, knowing what sort of greeting waits on the other side.
Carter comes down the stairs to meet him, along with Sheppard, McKay and Keller.
He knows they'll ask. She's conspicuous in her absence.
He can't quite meet Sam's eyes when she asks, "Major, where's Teyla?"
And he doesn't know how he's supposed to answer that.
[ooc: All dialogue from the Stargate: Atlantis episode "The Kindred".]
