Aberrant: StarGate Atlantis - [RP] The Delightful Time

[Dawn OOC]

[This is the social that you see at the end of the Atlantis episode Rising. Feel free to RP in here - or not, though I'd like everyone to have at least one post where they talk to the others. Mingle. Get to know the other PCs. The new chapter will be up soon.]

The main deck was not decorated, but someone had set up tables and put out a bit of real food. That was going fast, because everyone knew that they'd be subsisting in MREs soon, and this was the last taste of real food for a while.

The champagne, on the other hand, was being rationed. There wasn't a lot, especially for every single person here, so it was spread thin. Still, it wasn't diminishing the party atmosphere much. Most people were happy to be alive, and their new Pegasus Galaxy friends were falling into the sedate kind of partying that seemed part of exploration and diplomacy. It was missing the rough edge that would make it a real party, sadly. There were whispers for something later, though that was tempered by the lack of more potent booze. Something, it was whispered, would have to be done about that lack.

The senior staff were making their own little knot on the upper level, schmoozing with the new residents. The others were gathered around, mostly on the level below, where the food was. Rank might have its privileges, but being part of the file had its own benefits.

[Sgt. Yseult Moreau]

Working her way through the festive crowd towards the railing overlooking the Atlantean Ocean, Yseult scowled down at the Athosian kids who ran pass her, having to quickly raise her mug of champagne to prevent a spill. Fucking kids, all they are, are problems. Took one all of a bloody day release some sort of shadow monster to run around the city. That was fun.

She made it to the railing and leaned back against it, looking over the crowd while munching on the pseudo-chicken wing on a stick. With her uniform jacket off and dressed in a short-sleeved black shirt that showed off her taut arms and clung tight to her broad shoulders and full chest, Yseult smirked at the admiring glances turned her way. More than a few came from the Athosian men - they seemed to appreciate a woman with some muscle. Or more than just some.

Draining her meager mug of champagne in a single pull - wine wasn't her idea of worthy booze - Yseult studied the men back with frank interest. Say what you want about the Athosians, primitive life certainly wasn't soft. All of them were in good shape or better. No epidemic of revolting obesity here. Wonder if that one over there would fancy a tumble? He moves well, I think he might be one of their hunters. She gave him a smile, not concerned in the least about the difficulty communicating. Hell, it's a bonus. Hope they aren't a clingy sort.

That thought made her sigh as she briefly glanced at Ford, standing with Sheppard and Weir further down the railing. Inoae seemed to think they were a couple or something, kept referring to him as 'her male', if she wasn't misunderstanding the abused blonde. Yseult snorted, Ford seemed to beginning to think the same thing, inviting himself to her table whenever they shared a meal break and such. Just because they fucked a few times didn't mean she was looking for anything more. Damned puppies, male and female alike.

Yseult frowned at Dr. Heightmeyer, where she was chatting with Beckett and Kondo. Weir had made her speak with the shrink about Inoae and her... problems. That Inoae appeared to have identified her as her new babysitter, compared her to her abusers, nearly made her vomit. Yseult would have cheerfully eviscerated any of these Wraith, but dealing with someone who believed that they deserved to be a victim was a trial and a strain. Even when it got too much and she snapped at the girl, Inoae took it with a wilting grace, as if it was her fault. Yseult shook her head and wondered what the Athosians drank to get a buzz.

She gave Kondo a nod - he'd been good at explaining the characteristics of the wraith, but McKay, standing next to Beckett and both of them looking at Sheppard talking with the Athosian woman, Teyla, received a warning glare. The guy was a complete prick and a whiny bitch to boot. Her noticed Dylan near the group and her glare took him in as well as a matter of course. Dylan was still being... Dylan.

The amazonian soldier finished her stick of whatever-the-hell-type-of-meat-it-was, smothered in a tasty, tangy sauce, then turned to looked over water, dark beneath the star spangled sky. With a quick flare of orange flame, she lit a cigarette and took a long drag, blowing a stream of grey-blue smoke up into the air.

[Teagan Shae Ammer]

Inoae had threaded her way through the party several paces away from her Keeper, walking softly to keep out of her way. She'd been invited to the gathering, but so far her Keeper had seemed displeased with her. It was confusing, and in the quiet parts of her mind she briefly entertained the thought that her Keeper was simply confusing, but the wiser parts of her, the parts that knew how to survive and what was right and what was necessary knew that Inoae was simply a bit stupid and would take more time than she should in learning how to best please her new Keeper.

She considered this while she ghosted around the room, keeping her Keeper in sight but far enough away to avoid drawing her attention unless the Keeper looked for her. Aydan Ford, who insisted that he just call him Aydan which didn't make much sense since his name was Aydan Ford and most everyone else called him Ford or Lu Tenant Ford, but then everyone here seemed to have so many names....he was standing with the queen whose name was usually Weir but sometimes Elizabeth and sometimes Dokter Weir, which she'd thought might have been their word for queen, but then there were males that were called Dokter too, so it must mean something else. Aydan was speaking with the queen and the queen's primary male, Shepard, who was also Jon and sometimes Mayjer Shepard. They were talking and laughing, which was such a human thing to do. Her Keeper was more reserved, watching the newcomers to the hive, the Athosians, and evaluating them for service. Inoae kept track of the ones that her Keeper watched the longest, so she could help her Keeper's males hunt them later.

Someone pressed a glass of something yellow-colored and bubbling into her hand and made motions to drink it. Inoae obediently downed the foul-tasting liquid and wondered what it was meant to do; most of the people at the gathering were drinking small amounts of the liquid, including the queen and her Keeper. She smiled softly as she noticed that she and her Keeper seemed to have the same opinion on the liquid; her benefactor grinned at the pretty blond and laughed. Inoae was grateful when he finally took the glass back from her and left, after chatting at her for a few moments and then the awkward silence when she just stared back at him. She'd caught that he'd asked her a question, but she didn't know what it was and he obviously wasn't the type of male that her Keeper preferred, so she had nothing in common with him.

She gathered a small portion of the food that had been placed out, tasting it hesitantly; eating was still something that she was getting used to and while it often tasted strange or repugnant, she knew that the weakness and ache from her center when she did not eat would become intolerable after only a day or two. There was no one here to give her the Gift, to make her whole. Not even her new Keeper.

The thought stole the little bit of forced appetite she had away, though she mechanically continued to chew on the plants she'd chosen from a tray. She tried not to be terrified of what would happen without the Gift, what would happen if she hurt herself or when her Keeper or one of her Keeper's males decided that she deserved to be punished; failing that, she tried not to let it show to the others gathered around her. Retreating, she tucked herself away in a corner not too far from her Keeper where she could watch the rest of the gathering with wary eyes.

[Goro Kondo]

Parties. The epitome of human social interaction. Without any purpose other than to interact and enjoy oneself, a party became the focal point for the dynamics of any social group, and the resultant social subgroups. Goro smirked at himself as he looked around the room, divided as it was into typical subgroups that consisted of typical social patterns. The military were gathered largely together, many drinking hard, their conversation boisterous and no doubt at least somewhat off color. The medical and science teams were intermingled, non-related disciplines interweaving to discuss overlapping interests, often with interesting results that would influence the participants work and world view. Senior staff and ranking military, coolly aloof and apart they seemed to be less participatory and more observatory at times; at others one could see that facade slip and a gamut of emotion leak through. The new civilians were likewise generally grouped off though many had navigated through the rough waters of the cultural gap to insert themselves into various groups.

Goro sighed and tried to shut off his mind for the evening. The alcohol helped, as it usually did, but they hardly had an unlimited supply. Thankfully the Athosian's had provided a brew that tasted remarkably like whiskey, even while it burned like white lightening. Goro slipped away from the cluster of scientists, in part to avoid listening to McKay prattle on further and in part because Goro was a social person and, unlike many of his peers, was interested in mingling with the other groups.

Goro wove his way through the room. He stopped by the senior staff to make appropriate greetings and congratulate Shepard on his mostly successful mission. He swung through the military types and the Athosian natives catching people in his wake, people he knew to have musical experience and to have instruments. The military men and women disappeared to retrieve their implements while the Athosians helped him to locate others who had brought small woodwinds and even a few drums and stringed instruments. The process took perhaps twenty or thirty minutes before at one end of the room some twenty people, scientists, technicians, soldiers, and Athosians, had formed a motley band and the first notes began to play. They had no sheet music, nor any pre-agreed upon musical direction. No commonality in style or form was guaranteed and yet the first notes came and were joined by others, a back beat began to be drummed out and soon a second layer of drums was layered over the first as the brass and woodwinds joined. The music was free form and Goro's fingers danced like electricity over his electric piano as he worked to meld the disparate into a unified whole.

As the music began to roll out the musicians became more comfortable with themselves and their peers. Goro soon slid away to enact his next social modification of the party. Goro stalked through the party watching as the music took hold and a few people began to move with it. He found a canidate standing on one of the open balconies looking out at the alien ocean, the waves glowing with phosphorescence under the light of a galaxy of stars, all new to their eyes. "Excuse me?" he said as he stepped out into the cool evening air. The woman turned and Goro offered his most charming smile, "Would you care to dance? Perhaps we can encourage a little more frivolity and a little less," he considered the right phrase for a moment, "a little less reservation."

[BlueNinja]

LCDR Tara McGillicuddy turned around to look at the man who had approached her. His apparel proclaimed him as a doctor, much as hers proclaimed her as part of the multinational military group. "Thank you," she said, smiling back. "That sounds like a wonderful idea." She slipped a hand through his arm as they walked in from the balcony. "Lieutenant Commander Tara McGillicuddy, Australian Royal Navy, JAG. But since that's more than a mouthful," she winked at him, a tiny smile playing at the corners of her mouth, "just call me Tara."

The impromptu musical gathering was playing something best described as jazz swing, and she joined the small number of dancers with cheerful abandon. "I must confess," she said to him as they danced, "I think I'd be a little more impressive if I were at least wearing a skirt!" An amethyst pendant quickly shook itself free from underneath her military jumpsuit, sparkling in the light as it bounced to her movement. "What's your name, anyway?"

[Goro Kondo]

"Dr. Kondo Goro. In the Japanese style, so feel free to call me Goro." Goro was not a skilled dancer but above average grace at least allowed him some ability to move with rythm. He looked around and was gratified to see there were others moving out into the empty space before the impromptu band and starting to dance as well.

"JAG, that's legal right?" She nodded by way of reply, and Goro was practically forced to laugh good naturedly. "We come over three million light years to another galaxy to a city built before human civilization. I'd have thought that this was our best chance to get away from lawyers." He affected a put upon sigh, "And here I had hoped to avoid malpractice suits and ambulance chasers." He grinned widely at her, his mirth was infectious and Tara couldn't help but laugh. "Seriously though I assume you are here as part of the diplomatic delegation?"

[BlueNinja]

Smiling, Tara 'allows' Goro to give her a twirl. "Sort of. Most of my experience is in public relations, but there's also the small legal niceties that the staff here will need. Wills, recordings of the death notices for when we resume contact," she makes a wry grimace, "the occasional punishment for people who have screwed up, that sort of thing." The music pauses for a few moments, as the musicians stop to talk before changing styles, and she gives a playful curtsy. "Shall we get a drink?" Arm in arm, she walks with him towards the tables, picking up a cup (of water) and a plate with some small snacks. "I was actually picked because I have a high level of the genes used to activate the Ancient technology." She raises an eyebrow at Goro. "I'm guessing you weren't picked for an accident of genetics, Goro?"

[Dawn OOC]

"You." The word stabbed at Inoae like Pain's voice, just as harsh and unfriendly. However, the small blonde heard the iron control that this one possessed in direct opposition to her former tormenter.

Turning, she saw the dark man who led Security and talked about her like she was dangerous to them. He was scowling down at her, his back to just about everyone else in the room. "What are you staring at?" he demanded harshly.

Inoae paused, parsing the words to make sure she had them right. It was better to be slow than wrong - or it had been with Pain. This one, this Bates became angrier at her pause, but he kept his hands to himself. Of course, the Keeper hadn't given her to him, and he wouldn't dare touch her in rage, without permission. Pain had once; the Keeper had been quite harsh with him. Inoae was sure that Keeper Yseult would be just as harsh.

"Well? What are you staring at?" he demanded again, his hands clenching at his sides. His shoulders tightened as she tried to find the words; he found more before she could speak. "Are you studying us for your masters? Going to turn on a homing device? Maybe you have already."

[Teagan Shae Ammer]

Click to reveal..

Understanding English: 1d10=4, 1d10=4, 1d10=6, 1d10=2, 1d10=1, 1d10=9 1 suxx

"Stare? I..." Her skin was blanched to a deathly white with fear; this was a male that served the queen and he was angry. She wasn't sure why he was always angry with her, but her Keeper had intervened with him before. That thought calmed her, as did a quick glance over to where her Keeper was standing on the balcony, burning a twig. Her world centered again, she gestured to the room full of humans. "I watch. I learn. For Keeper, ones....ones...chosen."

"Chosen," the words ground of the queen's commander in an angry growl. "Chosen for what?"

The words still came slowly, fear and the memories of pain pushing away the little progress she'd made on her new hive's primary language since she'd been taken, but this time the man waited. His anger and the promise of violence loomed over her hesitation until she finally fitted enough words to concepts, "For service. To Keeper. Same service Aydan Ford to Keeper."

A thought struck her that explained the commander's hostility and aggression; she looked up him with apologetic eyes, her entire body shaking with the enormity of the mistake she might have made. "All claimed? For queen?"

[Dawn OOC]

The Bates-male was angered further by her statement. "No one here is claimed, and if you think you're going to give us over to your queen..." His hand reached out and grabbed her by the arm, clinching tightly. She'd bruise later, she knew. "I'll kill you myself, before I let you betray us."

He started to tug on her arm savagely, dragging her toward Weir, then stopped himself. "Weir's not going to listen," he muttered, releasing her as he glared down at her. "She'll just say you don't understand, that its a language barrier. But we understand each other, don't we, Inoae? I'll be watching you, and you know I'll be waiting for you to screw up." He pushed his hands into his pockets as he finished, "We'll talk later. Privately. I want to know what your plans for 'claiming' us are." He smirked at her. "Enjoy the party."

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia didn’t feel much like partying or socializing. She also knew that it was pointless to lock herself away from the rest of the city to sulk. It wouldn’t help her get home – even if she did feel like a traitor for having fun when Dom was stuck at home.

Once again, she wondered where he was, what he was doing and if he was angry at her. There was no way for her to know, and with a hard swallow, she again tried to put the thoughts behind her. Deciding she needed fresh air, she cupped the small plate in her hands and headed for the balcony. It was occupied, and Olivia paused, frowning. It was that Canadian woman, the one who had pissed her off so badly. Olivia thought about going inside, but she wanted to be outside, and she’d be damned if she’d let this woman decide what she was and wasn’t going to do.

Silently, she sat down on a bench on the other side of the balcony, giving them both a modicum of privacy. Trying to shift her knee into a comfortable position without moving her torso an inch, but she still felt the painful twinge in her side. Dr. Kondo had given her some medicine which cut the worst of the pain, and after a moment, she felt the ache fade. It was even good enough to stop the slight pain in her knee.

Staring at the alien ocean, she placed the plate on her knees and began to pick at her food.

[Goro Kondo]

"I'm guessing you weren't picked for an accident of genetics, Goro?" Tara asked as the danced.

"Well, I suppose that depends on exactly what it is you mean." He looked thoughtful for a moment as though trying to decide how best to answer. "I do possess the ATA gene, but that hardly is my sole qualification." He offered a smile, "I can't say this in any way that doesn't sound like bragging but I'm really, really smart."

She laughed, "Oh, and the rest of the brains around here aren't?"

He shook his head, "No, I don't mean to say that. I'm sure you're aware that it's phenomenally hard to quantify raw intellect. I don't know how I compare in that aspect to others. I do know what I can do with what I have, what I've learned and taught myself."

"Like what?" she asked, intrigued.

"Well, I speak seven languages and read two forms of pictographic language. I'm considered one of the top surgeons in the world, well back home anyways, I'm the top surgeon here. I have additional doctorates in chemistry and applied biology and a bachelors in archaeology." He chuckled, "See, impossible to not sound like bragging."

[BlueNinja]

She nods back to him. "Well, that is impressive. Other than a perfect record in smoothing over public relation ... issues ... caused by sailors on shore leave, I'm not quite as impressive." She smiles a little self deprecatingly. "I've picked up the Ancient language, at least enough to get by if we find their writing. And I graduated in the top ten percent of my class in law school, which is no easy task." As the music started back up, she motioned towards the dance floor, now more lively than it was before they started. "Another dance? I confess I'm not quite ready to leave the party just yet."

[Goro Kondo]

"I don't see anybody clamoring for a chance to monopolize my person, therefore you are more than welcome to." They moved back out among the other dancers and joined in an Athosian group dance that reminded Goro of a Greek wedding he'd once been to. After some time he wiped sweat from his brow, "I'm not so young as I used to be I guess."

[BlueNinja]

Grinning, Tara teases him, "Oh, you don't look old. You look distinguished." At the look on his face, she breaks out in giggles. "Besides, don't you know women go for older men?" As the musicians paused again, she took his arm and led him off the dance floor. "However, despite my dashingly good looks, I am not as young as I once was either, and all that dancing has definitely burned off those snacks." Scanning the tables, she points to a pair of empty seats. "So, how about I go capture those two seats, while you be a gentleman and hunt us up something more substantial to eat?" She winks at him, hands still on his elbow. "Unless you know of a decent restaurant that just opened out in the city, of course."

[Sgt. Yseult Moreau]

Hearing the music start up again, Yseult took a final drag of her cigarette then flicked the butt off the balcony, watching fall through the air light an orange-tailed comet to disappear into the sea. She turned around, planning on watching some of the Athosian men dancing. She hadn't danced since she gave up competing in gymnastic tournaments over ten years, though she did mosh, but she didn't mind watching.

But she found herself catching the eye of dark skinned woman who was sharing the balcony with her. Her lips curved slightly - she had thought Olivia to be an effete elitist, but her snarky reply to McKay about her knee made her think there was maybe something more to her. At least a little. Yseult began stepping closer, and if she sensed any of Olivia's irritation with the large woman, Olivia couldn't see any sign of it.

Her mouth open to say something, but her pale, intense eyes suddenly turned toward the party, resting on an annoying figure who was growing disturbingly familiar. Inoae looked up Bates with wide eyes, one hand clutching at her arm, where Bates had just released her. Yseult's lips tightened with a silent snarl and she stalked towards them.

By the time she reached Inoae, Bates was already striding away, giving her a warning glare, which she returned with interest. She didn't tolerate any man roughing up a woman without a damned good reason - her father had learned that lesson - and rampant paranoia wasn't one. Yes, Inoae was fucking nuts and she was getting an odd, unfathomable feeling whenever she caught Inoae looking at the same men she was, but ever since she began clinging to her like a barnacle on her ass, Yseult was finding Inoae less and less of a threat. Well, a threat that was conspiring with the Wraith, any way. The threat posed by her being crazy was something else.

"Care for another game of pool, Bates?" Yseult said bitingly in passing. Bates' face coloured, but he didn't deign to reply save for a narrowed eyed glare before stalking thumping away. Yseult watched him leave, then looked down on Inoae. "Hey! Bates, he might be the head of security, but he had no right to lay hands on you unless he is taking you into custody, okay. Don't let him, and if you can't stop him, don't tolerate it."

Her eyes wondered over Inoae's head to one of the Athosian, the hunter she had been eying earlier, engaged in a vigorous, tribal-like dance, his abs rippling beneath his unlaced jerkin. Very nice. I'll definitely need to talk to him later. Their eyes met for a second and she gave him a slow smile. Not even part of the chain of command. Bonus.

When she looked back down again, she found Inoae close to her side, eying the same hunter like a hawk, though she looked up immediately, almost as if she felt her eyes. Odd. If the putain thinks she gonna poach my meat, I'll sorely disabuse her of the idea. The unfair thought faded as she really looked at Inoae - she was practically quivering, though it seemed to be calming with her presence. Yseult grunted. Probably just nervous around people who don't want to eat her. Barely speaking the dominate language doesn't help.

"Here, why don't you join me on the balcony, Inoae? There's less people and the breeze is quite nice, cool." Yseult noted Olivia still sitting there, a plate balanced on her knee, then looked at the food table. "Let me just get a plate of something to eat, first."

"No, me... I. I do- get for you, Keeper," Inoas said with hesitant firmness (?).

"Uh, you don't... okay?" Yseult folded her arms to stop herself from scratching her head in puzzlement as she watched Inoae cut through the crownd and began filling a plate with the pseudo-chicken wings. "Get one for you, too."

Inoae was soon back with two plates, though hers was filled mostly with green stuff. With a bit of insistence, Yseult claimed her plate - Inoae seemed to want to carry it for her too - then led her unintentionally adopted Ancient to the wide balcony, taking a seat rather close to Olivia. Yseult sighed again as Inoae began to settle at her feet, and instead pulled her up to sit between her and Olivia.

Yseult let the silence stretch, calmly eating a pseudo-wing, then arched a brow when Olivia gave her a pointed look. "You meet our very own Lantean, yet, Olivia?" Yseult asked with a quick flash of teeth and pointing at the girl with the stick her pseudo-wing came on. "This is Inoae, and lucky me, I think she's adopted me."

She didn't think she sounded annoyed. The wryness was quite clear though.

[Goro Kondo]

"As you wish m'lady," Goro replied with a mock half bow. He wound his way through the people and located a pair of plates. Somebody had found the Atlantean equivalent of a mess hall, and thankfully the Ancients apparently used plates, and more or less standard utensils. He eyed the food suspiciously, much of it was Pegasus native which meant all bets were off on taste, texture, and appearance, he speared something that looked like Brussels sprouts and hoped to the ancestors that it tasted like beef. Live the dream, he thought to himself as he continued with a scattergun approach to the meal. A little of everything quickly littered the two plates, try everything once and hope that something was good, that was Goro's rationale as he walked back to where Tara had found a pair of empty chairs near the windows and balconies, the cool ocean air helping to cool them after the more intense heat of the milling throng of people.

"So," he said as he placed the two plates down, "we have ... well, I hope you like to try new things because the only food from Earth is apparently dehydrated, canned, irradiated, or and MRE, which I think counts as all three." He offered and adventurous smile before spearing something that looked like pork and stuffing it into his mouth.

[BlueNinja]

"An MRE," Tara says forcefully, "is not food. It is institutionalized torture in foil packaging." She hands him a cup of water and a half cup of the Athosian brew. Looking at the plate, she picks up some kind of mini-muffin and bites the top off. A moment later, she swallows hurriedly, then drains her entire cup of water. "Wow," she gasps out weakly, tears coming from her eyes. "Whatever goes into that, I suddenly have a desire to export it back home to Indian and Thai restaurants." With a huff of breath, takes a sip of the alcohol. "I'd nominate you as my food taster, but I like you too much to risk burning your jaw off." Trying a small piece of fruit resembling a bright yellow grape, she cautiously takes a bit off the end. "Oooh, try this one though." Slyly, she extends it to Goro, inviting him to nibble it from between her fingers.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

As if being a bitch wasn't bad enough, Olivia tensed as the nasty Canadian woman pitched her cigarette butt over the railing and into the ocean. She wanted to say something, but she'd already gotten into one verbal altercation with this woman, and given the way her ribs hurt, she wasn't wanting another. Instead, she met the other woman's gaze, wondering what the buff soldier wanted from her. Olivia tensed as she started to speak, but was saved when something in the party caught her attention. The woman left, leaving Olivia blissfully alone.

For a long moment, she was given time to consider the vista before her. It was calming and serene, and Olivia wished that Dom were here to see it. Honestly, had her son been here, she wouldn't have minded getting sucked to Atlantis. It was the furthest place she could get from Carl. It was an odd feeling, not having to look over her shoulder for him; she'd done it for years now and the release of pressure was almost dizzying. She still wasn't used to it.

She wondered if Vinny really were here. The woman had said so, but so far, Olivia hadn't see him. She hoped he wasn't; she really didn't want to deal with that asshole right now.

Olivia was a bit startled when the woman came back to the balcony, a blond waif in tow. She was even more surprised when they took seats near her. Try to get some time away from annoying people, and they find you anyway.

Her annoyance faded as she took another look at the girl. In her shuttered, fragile gaze, Olivia saw something she'd seen before, though not to this extent. Her expression softened and became gentle as she smiled at Inoae. "Hello, Inoae," she said in halting Lantan. She knew she was going to be bad at it; she'd never really had much chance to practice. But she wanted to talk to the girl in her own tongue; maybe that would make her more comfortable. "I called Olivia. Sorrow for my bad speaking."

[Goro Kondo]

Goro actually held up the remains of the spicy muffin as he chewed it enthusiastically. Tara could see little beads of sweat on his forehead but he appeared to quite enjoy it otherwise. He swallowed and took a small sip of water, "That was fantastic, its like a wasabi muffin!" Goro's eyes sparkled as he bit into the proffered fruit and then chewed thoughfully. "Not bad, tastes like a raisin and a strawberry got fused."

The meal continued as such for some time with most of the food being quiet good though not all of it agreed with both of their palates. There was some kind of poultry that had a bitter sour taste that made Goro spit it out and proclaim, "Meat should not taste like that."

Eventually the plates were all but empty, the remains being the few things that both of them did not like. Goro sighed and looked at the devastated meal, "Sadly nothing that tasted like chocolate or peanut butter."

[Teagan Shae Ammer]

Inoae glanced at Yseult, who made annoyed shooing motions to indicate that, yes, Inoae could talk to the dark-skinned woman. "Hello, Olivia. You speak well, better than most in the hive." She was quiet for a long moment, though her brow was creased as she thought something over. Finally she asked, "You have only one name? Most in the hive have so many names...."

She rubbed the spot on her arm that Cap Tan Bates had grabbed, knowing she would have a bruise in a few hours. Outwardly she showed no signs of concern about the pain other than the absent-minded gesture, but inside she quivered with relief that he hadn't broken any bones and terror about what would happen to her once he did. Would they take her to a proper hive, to Wraith, to be healed? The image of Ghost flitted through her mind, quickly set aside in the dark place where she put the things she wanted but couldn't have. Eventually she forgot to want them anymore. Eventually.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia followed closely, her eyes narrowing in concentration. At Inoae's words, she laughed, charmed by her innocence. That humor fled quickly as she caught the undertext of the words. Hive? "I claim few names," she said softly, working out the words. "I like people to call one, so I say one."

The girl looked disappointed. "Why do you have so many names?" Inoae asked.

Olivia's smile was warm as she began to explain, "Some not-names... I know not word. They are honors... word-honors. Doctor," she said in English before going back to Lantan, "mean someone think and apply-think hard in a place called college." Yseult quirked an eyebrow at the English words she was hearing mixed into the Lantan.

Inoae looked like she was still following her, so Olivia pressed on. "There are... individual names," she said, wishing her Lantan were better. The concepts they were discussing would be easier if one of them had a better grasp on the other's language. "Olivia individual name. Yseult her individual name. Inoae individual name, yes. It is... gift from parents. Some have more individual names. Also given from parents, to combine with first name to make longer individual name. Some have many individual names... Also, family name - people of same family have same name, to tie them together."

She tilted her head and asked, "Do you know what I speak?"

[Teagan Shae Ammer]

She was frowning in concentration, trying to follow what Olivia was explaining. Use-names, that she understood. Keeper, queen, commander, these were names that described the function of the Wraith and that was proper. Was she saying that the hive itself had a name?

"The hive ties everyone together. We belong to the queen. Is that what you mean by a family name? The queen gives us all names?" The thought was strange. Why would a queen waste so much time giving everyone different names? And the same name? Perhaps that was simply how this odd hive behaved. Ke- Yseult had given her a new name, but....Inoae did remember that the queen had spoken it first, so perhaps that is how the hive worked. The queen gave them all names. How odd. But that would explain why her Ke- why Ysuelt Moreau wished to be called by the name her qu- Dokter Elizabeth Weir had given her and not by her function. But then how did they know who was to do what? Maybe they were like true Wraith and spoke to one another in ways that Inoae could not.

[Sgt. Yseult Moreau]

After giving Inoae a wave of permission - Mon Dieu, I am hoping she gets over that soon - Yseult turned her eyes back to the party, her gaze lingering on the Athosian she had been watching earlier. She kept her ears were tuned to the conversation going on between Inoae and the squint, however, just so she could get a warning to duck the crazy.

She needn't have bothered. They were speaking Lantanese, which had a similar syntax to French, but she hadn't developed the vocabulary yet. The minuscule amount she did understand just served to make the rest of the babble that much more confusing. Telling her about her no doubt slew of doctorates? Not that Inoae will care much.

Paying half a mind to the girls, Yseult traded glances and subtle grins with the tall, wiry hunter. At least, some things don't need to be spoken to be understood. This should be interesting. Yseult twisted and stood up, leaning over Inoae and Olivia, placing a hand on their shoulders and giving them a jovial grin that didn't match the heated light in her blue eyes.

She may have wanted to know more about the dusky-skinned scientist, but an opportunity was presenting itself, and she'd be damned if she didn't take it.

"I don't mean to interrupt your fun, but you girls seem to be enjoying yourselves. I'll leave you two be, I'm going to get myself some... meat." Yseult felt her charge begin to stand, and applied a bit more pressure to her shoulder, keeping her seated. "No, no, Inoae, it's alright, I'll get it myself. Why don't you stay here and tell... Olivia about yourself, okay? Maybe ask her about herself too, hmm?"

Yseult turned her attention fully on Olivia. The light in her hard eyes wasn't malicious, but Olivia certainly got the feeling Yseult was trying to pull a quick one. "You won't mind keeping Inoae company, I'm sure?" Yseult asked, though her tone said it wasn't a question. "She's a sweet girl."

Before Olivia could reply, Yseult was already striding towards her quarry. "I'll see you girls later. Maybe. It could be a big piece of... meat," she tossed over a broad shoulder, before walking deeper into the party and joining the Athosian man's circle of dancers.

With gestures and the few words they had between them, Yseult indicated she wanted to learn the tribal dance. It had been years since she did any formal dancing, but this seemed relatively improvised anyway. She was rusty, but learning the steps at his side gave her an excuse to touch him, which she took. Liberally, with great relish. Even better, after his initial astonishment, he replied in kind.

While they were dancing, pressed close, she whispered an invitation in his ear, while giving him a blatant grope, hidden between their bodies. Fucking Christ! A big piece of meat, indeed. Her words may not have been understood, but her tone and touch definitely were.

With a husky chuckle, Yseult began gliding through the press of bodies, crooking a finger for her nameless hunter to follow. In her mind's eye, she was picturing the layout of the city, looking for the nearest Porter. Cozy, discreet, closest thing to an elevator. I'll be back before they even know I'm gone. Or not.

[Teagan Shae Ammer]

Click to reveal..

1d10=4, 1d10=9, 1d10=4, 1d10=4, 1d10=10, 1d10=1 3 suxx on English

Inoae nodded in understanding as Yseult gave her to Olivia for the time being; she followed her Keeper's movements long enough to understand her Keeper's intentions for the night and matched the name of the male her Keeper was claiming to a call she'd seen him respond to earlier in the night. Her duty done, she returned her attention to Olivia, waiting for Olivia to answer her earlier questions before doing as her Keeper had instructed. She wasn't sure why Olivia would want to know about her, but Yseult had said to tell her about herself and the to ask Olivia to do the same, so there must be some reason...

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia caught where Yseult was headed too, and she disapproved, somewhat. Her issue with it had little to do with being promiscuous; Olivia had her share of sexcapades. But she'd also had them while she was young, not as a professional adult. Ducking out of a work function to have sex with strangers was not a hallmark of maturity.

She tried to let it go. It was none of her business in every single way imaginable, and Olivia knew that she had to live with these people. She really didn't need to be stirring up trouble of any kind right now.

The dark-skinned woman turned her attention to the waif next to her. Olivia bit her lip, thinking. The girl was clearly approaching everything from the point of view of her captors. From what Olivia had heard murmured about her, that situation wasn't unexpected.

Moreover, this was an incredible opportunity to learn about the social structure of these 'Wraith'. Olivia wondered why no one had started to pump the girl for information, but then she realized that no one had had the time.

Well, Olivia had lots of time right now. "Well, I can try to explain," she said, thinking back on the lectures from her degree and then reversing them. "Humans, and we think, the Lantans, built social groups around ties of blood or..." She struggled to remember the right words. "Bonds of the heart... liking? Another word for it... love, yes! So humans bond through love or blood, form families from these. Families have same or close name... we call them family names. Here in home... Atlantis, people not bound. So family names all different."

Olivia pointed at Dr. Weir. "Her bonding ties with people name Weir, so her family name Weir." Olivia pointed to the hallway Yseult had disappeared down. "Family name of Yseult is Moreau.

"Those names are given by blood. Mine otherwise. My father family name Izumi. My mother family name Jenings, so they combine into one new name for me, so I have both names. And now of my family. My boy-child family name Jenings-Izumi, like me."

She wasn't sure if she was making sense, so she continued. "Queens no pick family names for us. They belong to us. Part of our past, become our future. Part of identity. I see different from what you know. Tell me of family function in Wraith Hive." She kept her expression open and non-judgmental. It was important to not judge cultures without a full understanding, which was only reached with an open mind.

[BlueNinja]

Tara smiles, leaning back and sipping at her cup of water. "Just think of the possibilities when contact is re-established. We can sell chocolate to the locals for extortionate prices." She looks at the few items left on the plates and grimaces. "While I hate to waste food, I just can't stomach anything that's left." She calmly stacks the plates, finishing off her cup and setting it on top of the plate. "Thank you for a wonderful evening, Goro. I almost hate to knock off early, but I saw Zelenka slip out a few minutes ago, and I know he expects me to help him with those jumper-ships tomorrow morning." Slowly she rises, and stretches enough to give him naughty thoughts. "Would you be so kind as to walk me to my room? I'm only one floor down from medical."

[Goro Kondo]

Goro inclined his head, "As you wish. I should probably make sure that the aspirin got unpacked anyway, tomorrow I suspect a run on it." He laughed and stood, offering his arm. Together they walked out and off into the evening away from the party, the sounds of revelry and music fading behind them.

[BlueNinja]

Tara and Goro leave the party, arm in arm, making small talk as they slowly descend the many stairs. Tara talks about the many cities and countries she's visited in the Australian Navy, with Goro adding little historical facts about them. Finally, they have run out of stairs, and pause in front of the doors to the Legal offices, where Tara's quarters are.

"I've had a wonderful evening, Goro." Grabbing him by the front of his shirt, she delivers a scorchingly hot, long, in depth kiss, before finally releasing him and stepping back, the door opening behind her. "See you around, doctor," she says, and licking her lips, she steps inside, the door swishing closed behind her. His last view is of her green eyes glinting at him.

Inside, Tara takes a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself down, before blowing out a breath in exasperation. "Damn your morals, girl," she mutters to herself, slipping through the empty office and into her room, and more specifically the attached bathroom. "Just think of it as something to look forward to. Repeatedly," she tells her reflection, before she strips down and steps into the shower cubicle.

[Goro Kondo]

"Uhh ..." the doctor said eloquently as the door shut in his face. He stood there blinking for a few moments before turning away to find his room. By the end of the hall he'd found his larynx again, "Wha, what ... woah," he mumbled as he made his way back to his room. He knew that this would make things complicated, potentially uncomfortably so. His break from Jessica was barely weeks old and he wasn't sure that getting romantically entangled with one half percent of the population was a good idea. He pinched his nose and rubs his head finally deciding that maybe Tara hadn't meant to, that she was drunk, that he'd been lucky that things had ended where they had. "Yeah, that's it."

[Teagan Shae Ammer]

Most of that didn't make any sense to Inoae, but then Olivia asked her a question and since her Keeper had told her to answer Olivia's questions, she didn't have a chance to get clarification. Setting the confusion aside, she tried to answer. "The hive doesn't have a family. Everyone belongs to the queen."

She thought hard for a moment. "But...sometimes you also belong to another, like the Keeper. The queen owns everyone, the hive is the queen, but there are smaller groups of....closeness....belonging?....in the hive as well. I belong to the queen, but I also belong to my Keeper and she is with me more than the queen. And I belong to any of the Keeper's males she wishes to give me to."

She nodded, having explained as well as she could. "There are no group names, though. The hive is the hive and all Wraith know who another Wraith is. Names are a human thing, a lesser thing. There is function titles, but names are....human." The last was said with a mix of disgust and sadness.

She glanced back in at the party, then to Olivia, and confided quietly, "This hive is very human, too."

[Sgt. Yseult Moreau]

With a rich chuckle, Yseult pulled her black T-shirt back over her broad shoulder, muscled chest, and full breasts, then refastened her belt. Seeing the Athosian's trouble with her bra had been amusing, but the way he wielded the trunk between his legs had been most satisfying. She had expected the natives to be a little... pedestrian in their sexual aptitude, but that had been nowhere near the case.

She reached down a hand to her Athosian - she thought his name was 'Kanaan', but that might just have been his name for a particular sexual act - and hauled him to his feet. It was all he could do to lean back against the rear of the Porter, breathing deeply with exhaustion. She gave him a fierce, deep-tongued kiss and a bite on the lip, then tossed him his jerkin and turned to head back for the social function.

"That was more than fun, Kanaan," Yseult tossed over a shoulder as the door hissed open. "Come to my quarters tonight, and we'll have round two, yes?" She laughed at the look on his face, then left the Porter.

The modern-day Valkyrie strutted back into the Social, a satiated smirk on her lips. She moved through the party with a languid grace, then sprawled out on the bench on the balcony, next to Inoae, her long legs stretched out before her. She gave a husky sigh, reveling in the sweaty exertion, then lit up another cigarette.

"Putain de merde! That man, he is hung like a horse!" She leaned her head back and blew a long plume of grey-blue smoke into the air, a wide smile on her face, then looked over at Inoae and Olivia. "You two, you are being the best of friends now, eh?"

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia followed, with some difficulty. She had studied Ancient, and was considered 'fluent' in it, which simply meant that she knew it better than most people did. She knew people who knew it better, like Dr. Jackson, who was rumored to dream in the language. He'd probably have no problems talking to Inoae. Olivia only hoped she was understanding as she listened to the girl. However, after Inoae stopped talking, Olivia wished she was wrong about that.

But she couldn't attack the girl's beliefs head on. As an anthropoligist, she'd been trained to understand a culture, even one that was starting to look as awful as the Wraith's. Instead, she tried to come at it sideways.

"Well, this is a human hive," Olivia said gently, her dark eyes sympathetic as she looked at the small girl. "We have our own way of doing things, and we like it. The Wraith's way isn't the only way, or the best way. It is a way." Realizing she'd been speaking in English, she grimaced and tried again. "We human hive, and do human things. Not bad, our way. Wraith way... way is different for Wraith, and not better than human."

She wasn't sure she was getting through, so she tried to explain further. "Wraith value hive as social group. Human value family. But family not cling together, always. Remain close in heart, but not always in proximity. Family belong to each other... I am my son's mother, and he my son. We belong to each other; there is no queen to own all who no one owns in return. It is like... water. Waves of belonging in family go two ways; no two ways in Wraith. Like ice. Frozen."

Moreau chose that moment to return, dropping onto the bench looking way too satisfied. Olivia watched her coolly for a moment, listening to her cocky remarks. "I don't know about friends," she answered truthfully. "I think there's a long way to go before you are to that point, Inoae. But I'd like that, if you're interested." She smiled at her, not even realizing it was a mother's smile more than a friend's smile. She'd always been a sucker for the broken ones.

Click to reveal..

Intelligence + Academics: 3 sux

1d10=2, 1d10=1, 1d10=8, 1d10=9, 1d10=3, 1d10=6, 1d10=2, 1d10=8

[Teagan Shae Ammer]

Click to reveal..

English: 1d10=7, 1d10=9, 1d10=7, 1d10=4, 1d10=5, 1d10=6 3 suxx

Inoae nodded dutifully to her Keeper. She still wasn't really sure what a 'friend' was, but her Keeper had made it clear that she was to be so to Olivia, so she was. But her 'friend' did not understand.

The blond shook her head and spoke softly in English, since that is (mostly) how her Keeper spoke. "Human weak. All weak to Wraith. Wraith strong. Wraith control, Wraith conquer, Wraith feed."

She glanced out over the party, her eyes flicking between the Expidition members. "This hive not weak, strong. Strong to take me from others. From ones that kept me." She didn't state it, but it wasn't hard for Olivia, or even Yseult, to see the leap she was making: if they were stronger than the Wraith, then they couldn't be human.

[Sgt. Yseult Moreau]

Yseult took another drag of her cigarette, then gave Olivia a nod, conceding her the point about not being friends with Inoae yet, but that the potential was there. She ignored her cool-eyed look though. Woman has a kid, probably hasn't been laid since making him. Olivia shifted and Yseult noted the stiffness of her knee again, the hand behind her neck tightening into a fist. Unless the man who broke her knee did something about it.

Inoae's words made Yseult snort, tendrils of smoke flaring from her nostrils. "Humans, you, me, her, all of, we're just people, Inoae. There are weak ones and strong ones, and everything in between." Yseult gave Olivia a quick glance before continuing again, still looking up at the strange stars. "Some of us, they may be strong in different ways." It was as close to an apology as Olivia believed she would get.

"As for the Wraith..." Yseult finished her cigarette then emphatically crushed the butt out on her plate. "Regardless of how tough the pasty-skinned bastards are, they can die, just like everybody else. They're only as strong as you believe them to be."

[Teagan Shae Ammer]

Click to reveal..

English: 1d10=5, 1d10=5, 1d10=10, 1d10=5, 1d10=1, 1d10=6 2 suxx

Inoae shook her head, "I not human. I-" but that's as far as her fractured mind let her go. There was more, she knew, but there was too much screaming and pain and cold around it for her mind to do anything other than skitter in terror away. "I- I yours."

She looked between the two of them, her mind blanking in and out of the past ten minutes or so as it rewrote itself around the conversation. She'd nearly gone somewhere forbidden, somewhere dangerous that she'd be punished for, so now she was simply forgetting. The evolution of survival at its finest and most horrifying.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

People will surprise you, Olivia thought as she heard Yseult's statement. She wasn't sure what it was about, but the meaningful look she'd gotten from her left no question in her mind that it was directed at her. It was something like an apology, and Olivia wondered if she really wanted to go digging to find out exactly what that was for. Not right now, of course; even if Inoae didn't understand what was going on, Olivia was not going to treat her like she couldn't understand. In time, she would - Olivia had faith in the ability of healing.

Olivia fought the urge to hug the woman-child before her. It wasn't what Inoae needed; she needed to come to terms with not being a prisoner and property of the Wraith before other healing could happen. "No," she agreed softly with the girl. "You're not human. But you're not owned by Yseult either." She tipped the girl's face up gently, her touch motherly. "I know you don't understand yet, but I promise you will." Just to be sure she understood, Olivia tried again in faltering Ancient.

Releasing Inoae's chin, she glanced again at Yseult. If Olivia had a failing besides being too soft-hearted, it was curiosity. "How did you come to be here?" she asked Yseult. "I know how you arrived, Inoae, but I haven't heard your story."

[Sgt. Yseult Moreau]

"You belong to yourself, Inoae, not me," Yseult told the slight Lantean with resigned bluntness. Then she faced Olivia.

"Me, I was just trying to get away from my husband," Yseult said airily with a wave of her hand, before folding them behind her head and leaning back. "One drunken night in Vegas and the fucker wouldn't leave it at that. Wouldn't give me the annulment I wanted, either." Yseult caught Olivia's expression out of the corner of her eye and chuckled. "Honestly, that was supposed to be a fringe benefit."

The muscular woman sighed and looked up at the stars - different and not different than ones back on Earth. "I am a member of JTF 2, Canadian Special Forces. We do... many things," she hedged with instinctual military secrecy. "Mainly clean all the shit the politicians get us into - who then bitch and scream at what it takes. It was beginning to chaff." Yseult gave an irritated grunt. "Makes me want to scour their cocks off with a rusty SOS pad."

"Then the IOA began nosing around. You don't hear about it, but in most Elite Units, the last few years anyway, many members had blood tests taken, that we never heard the results of. Other members have been reassigned. They found what they were looking for in me. I have the 'atta' gene-thing, am handy with little support from headquarters, have few close friends, and no family I give two shits about." Yseult laughed. "My Captain was only too willing to give me a good recommendation too. We'd been having an affair and he was afraid his wife would find out."

"When I finally heard about what the Stargate Program was, and the Atlantis Expedition in particular, I knew I couldn't have said no. After a while, one shithole looks much the same as any another shithole, the same with the human cockroaches who infest them. Someplace completely knew, new worlds, aliens, that's a bloody rush. And the politicians and my husband being a crap-ton of light-years away, that was big bonus too. At least any shit we step into will be our shit, this time."

Yseult laughed again, this time bitter and self-pitying. "Just my luck, Harvey is here too. Weir probably has a platoon of senators and ministers waiting on standby to handicap anything we try to do, as well."

[Teagan Shae Ammer]

Click to reveal..

English: 1d10=9, 1d10=7, 1d10=10, 1d10=4, 1d10=9, 1d10=8 6 suxx

Inoae's eyes widened as her Keeper told her she was no longer wanted. What had she done? Had she not 'made friends' well enough with Olivia?

What would happen to her now?

Shock and fear and kept the young Lantean paralyzed as the Yseult continued on, reminiscing over how she'd come to Atlantis and whatever a 'husband' was. Inoae heard it all, filed it away, but the connection between her conscious mind and her body had been neatly severed by terror. She wasn't wanted. She'd failed her Keeper and now she would be....sent away? Killed? Alone?

The stress finally broke through and she collapsed onto the floor, sobbing and speaking incoherently in a mix of Lantean, Wraith, and bits of English and French at Yseult's feet, begging to be forgiven.

[Sgt. Yseult Moreau]

Click to reveal.. ( WTF?)

Whatever the fuck she's saying: 3d10.hits(7) = 2 successes
Calm down already: 3d10.hits(7) = 2 successes

Maudit de câlice de tabarnak! Yseult's palm slapped her forehead with a sharp smack as Inoae completely melted down about... something. She couldn't quite make it out, the girl was using too many languages, and despite that, was making little sense. Something about being killed and thrown away or something. What now?

Yseult bent over and picked Inoae up in her muscular arms, bearing her slender weight with ease, then depositing her back on the bench beside side her, briskly, but not ungently. Yseult twisted around, an ankle sliding under her other knee on the bench, and took Inoae's slight shoulders in her strong hands, restraining her trembling.

"Calm. The fuck. Down," the muscular woman said, her words slow and firm to cut through her blubbering. "And stop crying. You didn't do anything wrong, so stop apologizing for fuck's sake." Yseult took a hand off Inoae's shoulder to hold her chin, tilting her face up. Eyes of icy blue locked with those of glistening hazel. "You did nothing wrong. We're not going to send you away, or beat you, or whatever the fuck else you think we're going to do to you. Okay?"

Inoae looked up at the steady eyes of her Yseult, then collapsed against her chest, arms going around her broad back. Olivia could see an uncomfortable, uneasy expression cross Yseult's face as she looked down at the girl in her arms, clearly unaccustomed to this behavior. Awkwardly, she settled her arms around the girl, one who was who knew how old and who had suffered who knew how much.