StarGate Atlantis Aberrant: StarGate Atlantis - S1: E3: Net Worth

[Dawn OOC]

This episode occurs in conjunction with ‘Underground’.

The problem with being part of a expedition that boldly goes into the unknown without the guarantee of connection to home is the fact that when one isn’t connected to home, home’s resources are no longer available. Atlantis found itself going to rationing as the food supplies were not enough to sustain the two hundred and fifty-one souls indefinitely. Weir assured everyone that the rationing was a temporary measure until a permanent supply was found. The Althosians agreed to supply Atlantis with food once their fields were growing a surplus, but that could take months. For now, the Atlantians had to feed themselves.

Weir decided to send all of her teams but one – one was always left to guard Atlantis – out to gather trade relations. One by one, she called everyone together and assigned them a world to go to, explore and create harmonious relations with the inhabitants. By the time that Bates’ team had been summoned, they already knew what their mission was. What they didn’t know is that they’d have another member.

Olivia sat in a chair, smiling nervously as the others arrived. She got a hard stare from Bates but the man didn’t say anything; he was too busy transferring his laser gaze to Inoae as she arrived. Instead of moving to the head of the room, as he’d done before, Bates was sitting in a chair and Weir took the head.

She began as the last member of the team entered. “Good afternoon,” she said, nodding to the room. “I’m sure that the rumor mill has already done its work, so if anyone didn’t know that you’re going to be sent to secure trade relations with a Pegasus culture, you can be surprised now. Your planet is M57-582 but the inhabitants call it ‘Matalia’. According to Teyla, they are agrarian with a society that is equivalent to Europe’s medieval era. She doesn’t have much more information beyond that the Althosians’ dealings with them in the past have always been peaceful.

“Because of their agrarian focus and tendency toward peaceful dealings with other humans, we’ve deemed them to be an excellent prospect for diplomatic relations,” Weir added. “We’d like you to go and foster a good relationship. Dr. Jenings-Izumi will accompany you to provide anthropological insights. Questions?”

[Dylan Harvey]

Dylan let out a small sigh. The last mission was to get a bug, now he had to go talk to people to convince them to give food. Neither his military training or his scientific training really qualified him for this. He wondered how many people had said as much and decided it wouldn't be a good idea to bring it up.

"Just out of curiosity what do we have to offer for food? About the only two things we brought in excess was weapons and computers. These people, in theory, have no use for the first and no knowledge of how to incorporate the second in to their lifestyle. We aren't really equipped to barter for much here unless we want to start handing out half understood ancient tech."

[Dawn OOC]

"That's why you're going, Dylan," Weir said, nodding to him. "I'm not willing to give away ancient tech, but I might be willing to part with some of our technology. Teyla's people were fairly low-tech due to the deprevations of the Wraith, so we have information to barter with. You'll the one most likely to be able to determine if giving them the information and aid to build a watermill or a steam engine is incentive enough for them to trade with us."

Weir glanced around the room before adding, "Same with the fabrics and other non-tech things we've found here. There's more than we need and all of those are available for trade.

"More questions?"

[Sgt. Yseult Moreau]

Swaggering into the briefing room, Inoae at her heels as always, Yseult felt surprisingly energetic, despite waking up only a short while before, thanks to Bates still fucking with her duty schedule. She worked hard to maintain her Olympian physique, but still, the surging vitality was growing common, similar to the feeling she got while working out, only persistent. Maybe I'm getting used to the fucker messing with my internal. Maybe I should see if he wants to come out and spar sometime...

Yseult gave Olivia a considering smirk. She wasn't all that keen on having another non-combatant around, but Olivia was them in the field, at least she would be exposed to some of the danger instead of hiding behind research and academia. That was a big step up, as far as she was concerned.

The brawny woman folded her arms and gave Weir a sharp nod. "Two. Why's the Doc coming along? And what are our limits and retaliation if the farmers turn out to be hostile, figuring they can takes us out and keep our stuff?"

Sure, people spoke of good, small-town values, but she'd been to insular, butt-fuck little agrarian towns in [classified] and [classified] and the farmers got that look in their eyes - There's only a few of you strangers and lots of us. Don't close your eyes or you won't wake up again, and if anyone comes looking for you, well, we're poor, salt-of-the-earth farming folk, good sirs and ma'ams, we ain't seen a thing. Yseult snorted, bloody mobs! Sometimes, an abject lesson needed to be made, so they could see what the cost was going to be.

[Dawn OOC]

"Dr. Jenings-Izumi is there to provide advice and assistance as necessary, Sergeant," Weir replied. She nodded to Olivia, not that the woman looked any less nervous. “I truly don’t expect hostilities, but if you do, I want you to come home. Capt. Bates has been authorized to use force as necessary, up to and including lethal. If the natives do go Deliverance on you, feel free to return the favor.”

Olivia looked even more freaked out by the mention of Deliverance, but Weir was pushing on. “I don’t want anyone to feel like they can’t defend themselves. So by all means – defend yourself as much as you need. What I don’t want is our very own Pegasus My Lai.” She looked pained at the clueless expressions around the room. “The My Lai Massacre in the Vietnam Conflict.”

[Goro Kondo]

"I can only assume I'm to dispense with the free medical advice? Win over the natives and all that then, yes?" Goro seemed resigned to his duty, though not thoroughly pleased with it. The previous engagement was still fresh in his mind and he had a strong growing sense that the roles of surgeon and mission team member should be separate and kept that way. "At least I can try to gather some herbs, healing plants and the like. Our supply of medicinals won't last forever, we're going to have to rely on native pharma at some point."

[Teagan Shae Ammer]

Inoue peeked around Yseult's shoulder just long enough to see everyone in the room; Weir's own return glance was greeted with a quietly frightened squeek as the Lantean ducked back behind her protector. She wasn't quite sure what was going on, but it did sound something like a culling. She'd never been taken on a culling and was confused as to why the queen was involved and why any others than males were being sent along, but it wasn't her place to question. She stayed firmly hidden from the queen behind her Yseult Moreau and waited for the orders to be given.

[Dylan Harvey]

Dylan glanced around the room. They weren't the friendliest looking group ever to walk in to a new place. Yseult and Bates when fully geared up looked ready to burn a town down. Then there was the other thing bugging him.

"Dr. Weir, how...open are we supposed to be here? The ancients seemed to be revered in this galaxy practically as demi-gods. They are pretty much the center of religious beliefs and we have already seen some disagreements with the Ithosians about our right to be here. If they ask where we come from do we tell them Atlantis, another planet, a galaxy far far away? What is going to be protocol here?"

A moment after asking his last question another came to mind. "Also, what is the protocol if the wraith show up? I am not talking about a culling, more a small group of them as we have encountered. I am just as much for fighting them as anyone else, but if four wraith are sent to this planet and don't come back then we are not the ones that are going to take the blame."

Technically that was Bates call as team leader on the mission, but Dylan wanted Elizabeth's opinion before they left. Bates wasn't the kind of man to consider the consequences to the locals if they got in to a shoot out with the wraith and then just left. Not to mention the fact they couldn't bring every small culture whose lives they screwed up back to Atlantis.

[Dawn OOC]

“Good idea, Doctor,” Weir said, giving him one of those smiles that said she had full faith in his abilities. She had a way of doing that – of giving you the feeling that she really believed in your competence. “We’re going to need both friends and medicine. See what you can do to secure both.”

Weir waited until Dylan was done then said, “Let’s not tell people that we’re from Atlantis. I don’t want to put you guys in danger if someone decides that hostages are the way to get into the legendary Atlantis.

“As for the Wraith,” Weir paused and licked her lips before continuing, “I want you to come home safe. Do what you have to do to make it home. If that means engaging the Wraith, do it. If that means hiding from them, do it. Obviously if you mission is to engage them, then that all changes. Since you’re an exploratory team, I doubt you’ll ever have a mission directly fighting them. Help people where you can, but you are the ones I’m going to be worried about.”

It was clear that those words had been hard for her to say. As a diplomat, she wanted to see people living in peace. But even diplomacy sometimes took a back seat to practicality.

[Goro Kondo]

Goro nodded, he'd expected this, and though he grumbled about it he also believed it was the right thing to do. The fact that he was one of only perhaps three doctors who could fill the role of herbalist wasn't lost of the doctor either. "What kind of time table do we have on this one? Open ended?"

[Dawn OOC]

"Yes, as long as it takes," Weir answered. "We're not in dire straights yet, and if it take a couple of trip to secure their aid, then we'll just have to work with that."

"We'd like to get it on the first try and I don't think that's too much to expect," Bates said, as if this was the same as hitting a home run or shooting a target. It also wasn't hard to guess that he really didn't want to be on this duty at all so wanted it done fast.

[BlueNinja]

Tara stays quiet as everyone asks their questions. This mission is more up her alley, her position in the Australian Navy was negotiation for shore visits and resupply, after all. "When it comes to medical aid and education, how much are we allowed to barter to the locals for food? I'm sure you don't want us putting out a permanent post on the planet, but I doubt that a single visit will solve our food requirements, and more than one visit - especially on good terms - will help prove our trustworthiness. Not just to the Matalians, but to everyone else they talk to and trade with."

[Dawn OOC]

Weir nodded. "We are looking to establish long-term allies. As long as we're talking beneficial or humanitarian aid, I don't mind sharing medicine and technology. I'm not interested in arming the galaxy, however.

"Letting them know how much we have is a bad idea," Weir added. "Let's answer their problems rather than throw information at them."

The question and answer was done and Weir gave them a couple of hours to pack. They were due back at the gate at 1500, a time that Teyla said should correspond to mid-morning for the Matalians.

There was the usual jostle of pre-mission repacking at the gate. Bates watched it all with a mostly stoic - but a touch annoyed - expression. He had been there first; it seemed like he'd been prepacked and had only gone to the room to get his stuff. He looked very military as he watched his team get ready.

[Goro Kondo]

Goro shuffled into the gateroom a few minutes before 1500. As usual he was burdened with enough medical equipment to set up a hospital. His pack was stuffed to the near bursting point and he had a Pelican case in his left hand that seemed to want to topple him in that direction. His right held the beat up leather doctor's bag that had by now become well known among those in the expedition.

The bag had the look of something old, but well cared for. The leather glistened with shine and wax and had long since abandoned all stiffness that it may have once had after being tanned. Instead it had taken on the weathered and worn look that its owner sometimes appeared to have; well aged and spry despite appearances.

Goro set the Pelican case down as he stood next to Bates. The other bag hung from his right hand like it was a piece of him; in a way, it was. "How's the leg?" he asked, giving Bates an appraising look. Goro wasn't terribly fond of Bates' command style, nor his apparently endless sour attitude, but he was a doctor and Bates a patient, that alone was enough to garner Goro's interest in the man's well being.

[Sgt. Yseult Moreau]

Sgt. Yseult Moreau swaggered into the Gateroom, ice-blue eyes hidden behind a pair of wraparound mirrorshades and a black cap on her head, her dark pony-tail sticking out the back and pouring over a broad shoulder. Her precisely organized pack was strapped tightly to her back and her P90 was hanging comfortably and naturally at her side.

She had already been packed for their assignment of course and was just expecting a cursory once over before returning to the Gateroom. However Inoae had scampered ahead and when Yseult had stepped into her (their) room, she found the slender blond strapping the heavy pack on her pack.

"As much as I appreciate the offer, Inoae, I need to have my gear close at hand," Yseult had said wryly, before yanking the pack out of her reluctant grasp and settling it on her own back. "Here, shoulda done this last night, we'll pack up a bag for you too."

And they had, which was how Yseult found Inoae scurrying along her wake. She had a more modest pack than the muscular soldier's on her back, a cap covering her pale blond tresses and wearing her own pair of sunglasses that Yseult had traded a precious pack of smokes for.

Goro got a politely professional nod, having a real doc on the team was always a bonus, then the brawny and beautiful sergeant gave Bates a quick salute before she took a position near the Gate. As point-guard, she would be one of the first one through, to make sure there weren't any nasty surprises.

[Teagan Shae Ammer]

Dressed in an Atlantis Expedition standard jumpsuit with a backpack over her shoulders, her hair pulled up into a pony-tail and tucked up into her hat, and sunglass that covered the the odd, sometimes vacant stare of their found Lantean, Inoae looked as if she might have been direct from a California beach and currently starring in some B-rated paramilitary movie. She didn't move like a soldier, but she almost looked like one.

She kept close to Yseult, peeking a look at the doctor and hiding behind Yseult when she saluted Bates. When the sergeant took her place near the gate, Inoae was directly on her heals, patient for directions but tense with anticipation.

[Dylan Harvey]

Dylan went back to his lab and begin a computer on a new search. His job was not going to be easy this time. It seemed most cultures had some grip of technology already. The trick was taking what they had, mixing it with earth engineering, and still leave it low tech enough to not draw the attention of the wraith. Going over design schematics for things popular during the industrial revolution seemed a good place to start. He might have to get creative with working out some natural forms of power like wind or water but it had potential. When it came time he got suited up and grabbed one of the computer pads they had brought with them.

Walking in to the gate room, he just gave his team mates a nod and then continued brushing up on his basic engineering, he almost felt like he was back in college.

[BlueNinja]

Tara arrives right behind Dylan, her own backpack strapped down tightly, wearing the standard military jumpsuit for Atlantis personnel. She gives Bates a crisp salute, and nods quietly to everyone else.

Taking a deep breath, she stares at the inactive gate. "Let's hope we can make some friends," she whispers to herself.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia limped into the gate room, her pack somewhat small. She had been offered a bigger one, but didn't have that much to put in it. She carried the same portion of water and rations, but had little else to bring. She was even in a borrowed jumpsuit.

I really wished I hadn't volunteered to do whatever needed to be done, she sighed to herself. Staying safe and happy on Atlantis seemed like a better idea than trudging off into the wilderness.

She could feel Bates staring at her and she did her best to ignore him. Olivia set her jaw and thought about anything other than the scowling man who was slowly scaring the hell out of her just by looking at her. Then Inoae moved or did something, and she turned to watch her warily. The anthropologist still hadn't forgotten the disastrous training session.

Suddenly, Olivia realized Bates wasn't staring at her anymore. She stole a covert glance to find his hard eyes on the crazy Lantian. She breathed a sigh of relief, only to choke it back when he swung on her suddenly. "Try not to slow us down," he told her before signaling for Yseult to take point through the gate.

[Dawn OOC]

At Bates' gesture, the gate flared into life, washing light over the team as they faced the structure. When it settled down, Yseult stepped through first, rifle at the ready - just in case.

The warm sun washed over her skin and bounced off her sunglasses as she glanced at the open area around the gate. Grass of some sort grew up to her waist, shining with a yellowish tint that looked natural rather than sickly. Directly across the field from the StarGate was a jumbled mess of rocks; three kids were sitting on the mound, staring. One of them called something out; Yseult was pleased that she understood it as a greeting in Ancient.

[Sgt. Yseult Moreau]

Seeing the kids, Yseult let her rifle hang down at her side, though still close at hand and raised an arm in greeting, forcing a smile on her face. Then she scanned the area for any other signs of danger or hostiles. As disgusting as it was, Yseult had seen the inconspicuousness of kids used as lookouts for terrorists and insurgents before, and they were able to throw a grenade as easily as an adult.

She watched for movement on any ridges, looked for any strands of the long grass moving against then wind and only when totally satisfied, tilted her head towards the radio pinned to her shoulder. "Other side clear. Three non-hostiles in sight, a couple of kids."

[Goro Kondo]

Goro frowns as Bates ignores his question and orders the gate to be dialed. At the sergeant's radio communication that all is clear the rest of the team begins to move through the gate. Goro moves slowly, observing Bates' movement. The man appeared to be fine, no evidence of a limp was present. Nodding to himself Goro moved through the event horizon and out into a field of grass, the warm sunlight making him squint and fumble for his sunglasses.

[Dawn OOC]

As the others started to emerge, one of the kids hopped off the rock and headed away at a run. One of them got more comfortable, while the third hopped off the rock and walked toward them. It was a young boy; Yseult judged that he was about twelve years old. He was dressed in some sort of rough-woven tunic with pants. He looked a little like someone who was striving for true realism in the SCA.

He stopped several feet away and called out a greeting in Lantan.

[z-Olivia Jenings-Izumi]

Olivia paused at the threashold. She'd heard a lot about what it was like to use the StarGate to travel and now that she stood on the brink of using it for the first time, she wondered what it would feel like. She'd been told it wouldn't hurt and it couldn't hurt more than her visit here, she was sure.

"Come on," Bates growled behind her and Olivia gave him a dirty look before stepping through. Cold washed over her and Olivia gasped at the sensation - or tried to. She was paralyzed for a split second; then she was on another planet.

The sudden sunlight was blinding and the lack of sea-scent in the air was disconcerting. She'd gotten so used to being on the sea that it was startling to find herself without its rhythms. She blinked at the young boy before her, smiling at him even as she began to assess him for clues about his lifestyle. She'd told Weir she'd do whatever she could to get them home - and if they needed food, then that's what she'd help them get.

[BlueNinja]

Catching the less-than-thrilled look on the Sergeant's face, Tara steps up next to her, giving the kids a wide, comfortable smile, designed to put them at ease. "Hello, we come to trade," she says in Lantan. "Can you show us to the village?" Or at least, she hopes that's what she said - speaking it is a little harder than reading it.

Click to reveal..

Presence roll: CHA3 + Pres5 = 10,9,7,3,3,3,2,1 = 4 sux

Linguistics roll: INT5 + Ling1 = 10,7,4,3,2,1 = 3 sux

Academics roll: INT5 + Acad3 = 10,10,9,8,4,4,1,1 = 6 sux

[Dylan Harvey]

Dylan looked up long enough to step through and then look around. Once he got a feel for the area he looked back down at his computer. He stepped away from the threshold to make sure no one bumped in to him and just waited until they started moving or someone said something that he could understand. At that moment he was trying to figure out how he could explain things to these people. He doubted anyone from earth had a good enough grasp of Lantean to translate engineering terms. Maybe the Lantean would be lucid enough to do it. That would be nice, though it seemed unlikely.

[Goro Kondo]

Finally managing to set his glasses over his eyes and blink away the afterimage of the bright sun Goro smiled at the kids in what he hoped was a friendly way as he caught up to the others. Looking at the kids he realized they were speaking Lantean. Haven't had time to learn that yet. What did he say? Goro though as he waved at the approaching child.

Click to reveal..

Presence Roll: [2, 4, 7, 1, 5, 1] +0. Total Successes: 1. - Bah, I was never any good with kids

How do we do languages?

[Dawn OOC]

Bates was the last through, his eyes falling on the kids for a second. "Moreau," he murmured, "watch the cubs." He then turned his attention to the area around the StarGate, his demeanor saying he expected to be jumped at any moment.

"We can take you, but not yet," the kid said, grinning at Tara impishly. "We have to wait for the adults to come and question you." He paused, his brown eyes bright with curiosity as he stared at all of them. Suddenly, he asked, "Where are you from?"

"Our home is Earth," Tara said, everyone able to understand the English word in the midst of the alien gibberish or near-gibberish.

"Pretty name for a planet," the young sweet-talker said. "Speaking of names, I'm Gilk. What's you and your friends' names?"

Tara quickly introduced everyone to the boy. Gilk gave each person a nod of his head in greeting. When they were done, he asked, "So why are you all dressed like kids?"

[Sgt. Yseult Moreau]

Moreau gave Bates a covert nod, then lounged with a deceptive casualness, near, but out of immediate reach of the kids, her suspicious regard hidden behind a pair mirror-shades and a faint, hard smile. She flipped open her flameless lighter - better for concealing your position, though that wasn't currently a concern on this mission - and lit a cigarette as she listened to the kid talk to McLawyer.

She only caught one word in three, if that, but she was more concerned with their tone and body language anyway. Though her P90 hung at her side, she kept a hand near and was poised to react to the first hint of aggression despite her apparently relaxed stance. Yse's eyes narrowed slightly, head cocking to the side as she tried to make out the pseudo-gibberish.

Did he just say something about us being dressed like children?

[Goro Kondo]

Goro nodded and smiled; thankfully Lantean was close enough to Latin that he could understand a good portion of what was being said. "Hello, am glad to be knowing you," he attempted, the structure of the sentence and the grammar almost right but not quite. To the children he sounded rather less than brilliant but what set them to laughing was his accent, nearly pitch perfect for 20th Century Earth Latin, but horridly off for Pegasus galaxy Lantean.

"Say you we wear clothing of children?" Goro asked smiling and taking the child's laughter in stride. He hunkered down, putting himself at more eye-on-eye level with the boy, trusting that his friendly demeanor and non-aggressive posture would prompt the lad to open up.

[Teagan Shae Ammer]

Inoue swallowed a smile before it had a chance to even register in her mind. Talking like children after being told you looked like children certainly wasn't going to help the culling they were here to do. Culling in this hive seemed very different from the culling in her old hive; her Ysuelt Moreau had made it clear that they were not culling the people, for one.

"We have come for food," she told the young human. At Yseult's shadow of a frown she amended to, "We have come to trade for food." After a moment she added, "We are not dressed like children. We are dressed like Atlantis Expidition regulation jumpsuit clothing."

[Dylan Harvey]

Since he couldn't follow the conversation, time to add working on a half decent translator program to the list, Dylan had just been considering the situation. As much as he hated to admit it something was bugging him. Stepping over to Ysuelt he never looked up from the computer in his hands as he muttered to her.

"Strike you at all as odd that with the Wraith active and feeding again these children seem to have no fear of playing around the Stargate? Maybe I am just being paranoid."

[BlueNinja]

Tara smiles at the kids, hopefully keeping them all at ease. "Have you ever been to another world? Every world, people dress a little differently. On our world, all the grown-ups dress like this." She looks past them, squinting in the direction the other kid ran, hoping the adults will show up soon. She'd like to get down to real business.

[Sgt. Yseult Moreau]

Yseult exhaled a long plume of bluish-grey smoke, her gaze flicking over Dylan before returning to McGillicuddy and the native kids. With his focus all on his computer, Dylan didn't notice where he was stepping until he felt a strong grip on his upper arm pulling him back so he didn't interrupt Yseult's clear view of the kids.

"Don't know enough, yet," Yseult commented finally after a long moment, her voice an equally low grunt. "The Athosians used the StarGates to trade, nothing says the Mentallans don't either." Yseult shrugged a muscular shoulder. "Besides, the Wraith, they haven't been awake that long, they might not have gotten here yet. Up to you and the tongue-waggers to find out if it's anything else."

[Dawn OOC]

An adult came into view, followed by several more. Unlike the kids, they were dressed in flowing robes that ended around the knees. The thin fabric was layered over one another, creating a billowing effect as they moved.

The first man spoke in the Lantan tongue, calling out, "Hail and welcome!"

"Hello," Tara called, waving.

"Do you come in peace, travelers?" the man leading asked. He was of average height and older age, with graying light brown hair and pale blue eyes. Despite his winkles, he appeared to be strong and in good health.

[BlueNinja]

"We come in peace, looking to trade," Tara calls back.

Turning her head to look at Bates, she shrugs. "So far, so good. And their village can't be that far away, either."

[Dawn OOC]

"What do you bring and what do you seek?" the leader asked as he stopped before them. The tall woman next to him bumped him lightly and he grinned sheepishly. "Forgive me, pleasure first. I'm called Prollen, and I am our people's Greeter. This is Merrelle and Brigd." The tall woman nodded to the first name and the younger man smiled at the second. "I will help you find what you need - who to talk to and where you will stay, should you remain with us for a time."

Prollen beamed at them, full of good nature. "What may we call you?"

[BlueNinja]

Originally Posted By: Dawn, OOC

Prollen beamed at them, full of good nature. "What may we call you?"

Tara steps over, careful to not block Yseult's view of the newcomers. "I am called Tara. This is Captain Bates, our leader; Sergeant Yseult, our warrior-guard; Doctor Goro; Dylan, a scientist; and Inoae." She gestures to each one in turn, after giving a short bow with her own name. "We come looking to trade for food, and we offer medical care and," she pauses, looking at Dylan. "How should I explain our offer of education?" she asks him in English.

[Teagan Shae Ammer]

Inoue sidled behind Yseult when Tara was going through introductions, mortified to have been so noticeable to merit her name being mentioned. Speak only if you are told to speak, a deep voice murmured in her head in the dark syllables of the Wraith dialect. Speak only what you are told to speak.

She watched the villagers from around Ysuelt's side, eyes wide and cheeks flushed in fear.

[Goro Kondo]

Goro stepped next to Tara, "I didn't know you were a linguist. I know Latin, but this is just a little different," he whispered. Smiling to the natives he said to her, "Perhaps, if you don't mind, you could teach me some of the finer points of Lantean."

He bowed toward the newcomers, "I am Doctor Kondo. If you be sick, help I can." Goro hoped that his translation would suffice, or that at least it would not make them doubt his abilities.