Ties That Bind Chapter Four
Title: Questions
Summary: The arrival of an ancient sets into motion a chain of events and a forgotten past. Sequel to ‘Tomorrow’ (Can be found on Fanfiction.net as well)
Ties That Bind
Chapter Four: Questions
“Apollyon?”
“He is not here,” said the elder.
“Where is he?”
“He is not your concern.”
“You trained me to fight the Wraith. I will not fight until I find out where he is!”
“It is not your concern.”
Elizabeth’s eyes snapped open and sat up straight, groaning at her neck pain. She saw white in front of her and realised that it was a piece of paper stuck to her face from the sweat that now trickled down the side of her face. She snatched the paper off her face and checked the time on her watch. 6 AM in the morning. She had fallen asleep in her office again after working late…again.
She knew that the arrival of Astarea and the dreams in the same time frame wasn’t just a mere coincidence. She wanted to tell John but she hadn’t seen much of him since Astarea woke up a month ago.
---
“Jumper two, move out.” Elizabeth stood on the balcony with a radio in her hand.
“Roger that ma’am,” said the marine inside the Jumper.
“Well Carson, looks like you’re not getting out of this!” a smug Rodney commented as he slapped Carson on the back. Hard.
Carson coughed. “Why, why do I have to go to pick up our supply of food this week?”
“I don’t know what’s so scary, you just go through a Stargate, for god’s sake! You’ve been through before!”
“And that first time was unnerving. I may not know much about the Stargate system and all-”
“Heaven’s forbid.” Carson merely ignored the statement.
“But one of the things that I do know is that you get demolecurised and sent through a wormhole through space! I don’t know about you but that thought alone is quite unnerving.”
“Get over it Carson! I’ve personally been through that Stargate thousands of times, knowing the ins and outs of what happens, and I’m totally fine with it, and still around to shine my amazing brilliance in your faces!”
“What brilliance?” came a mutter from Carson. “Besides, that’s different!”
“Define to me how that can be different?”
“Hey you two! Stop bickering back there!” one of the marines called back as they went through the event horizon.
“I bloody hate that,” Carson mumbled as he fidgeted.
“Oh please.” Rodney rolled his eyes.
They landed near the gate on Eirene and all stepped out.
“Okay doctors, we’ll get the supplies while you do what you do best. Meet back here in two hours,” said the marine just as Carson was about to protest.
“Hey wait, aren’t we meant to-”
“Come along Carson.” Carson didn’t get to finish his sentence when he was being dragged off elsewhere.
---
“Dr. Weir! What a pleasant surprise.” Dr. Kate Heightmeyer looked at Elizabeth on her doorstep. Elizabeth was one of the strongest women that Kate had known and she knew that Elizabeth would never visit her despite her persuasions, yet here she was.
“Kate, do you think you could spare a few minutes?”
“Of course. By all means, please, take a seat.”
Elizabeth stepped in the room and sat down on the nearest sofa. She surveyed it and noticed that it was a lot better than hers. For one, she had fresh air and it had an amazing view.
“So, what’s been bothering you?” Kate got her notepad out.
“How do you know that something’s been bothering me?”
“Why else would you be here?”
“Point taken.”
They sat in silence for a while; the only noise was of the curtains swishing around from the wind that Kate put up near her windows. The weather outside was warm with a cool breeze that made it very refreshing if anyone was to go outside to look at the vast scenery stretch across the horizon.
A place of relax, a place of calm and peace.
Things that Elizabeth just wasn’t feeling inside.
“I’ve been having dreams.” Elizabeth now sat up with her arm around one of her knees, brought up to her chest.
“What of?”
“Astarea. She’s sad and is calling out or finding someone by the name of Apollyon.”
“When did this start?” Elizabeth sighed.
“About a month ago.”
“So, about the time where we met her?”
“Yes.”
Kate didn’t look up from her notepad. “What are your personal thoughts of Astarea?”
“She’s nice, I suppose, but I feel that something just isn’t right with her.”
“Is it due to her interaction with Major Sheppard perhaps?” Elizabeth looked up.
Confusion was stamped on Elizabeth’s face and was just about to answer when she was paged to one of the scientists’ lab.
“Excuse me.” said Elizabeth as she got up and left the room, leaving Kate in her own thoughts.
---
About half an hour later, they arrived at the village and Rodney had explained to Carson what exactly was going on.
“Elizabeth would like to know more about the ceremony that was performed and wants to see if the Eirenes are who they seem to be. The nice, friendly ‘we can be allies’ people.”
Carson pointedly said, “I see. Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
“Well, we didn’t have time and…”
“And?”
“I forgot to tell you ok! So sue me! But now, you know! Problem solved!”
Carson was just about to threaten him with the biggest needle he had for his next medical examination when they almost bumped into a statue. They both looked up to see that it was a statue of two people, one female and one male. Neither of them had any distinguishing features. The female had medium length hair whilst the male had short hair that spiked a bit. The female was fairly tall and her height matched the male’s so they were only a few centimetres apart in height.
One set of hands clutched a staff that came to their noses, while the other set held a sword together and was positioned as if they both drew their hands together simultaneously to destroy the staff. Even though the statue was made of stone and clay, the sword wasn’t. On the contrary, the sword was made of metal, steel most likely, with a single jewel with the darkest blue colour encrusted into the base of the blade.
“The female looks a bit like Astarea, aye?”
Both doctors admired the statue and bent down to read the faint writing at the base of the statue. Euphrosyne called out to them before they were able to decipher what it said, amidst the dirt and dust that covered it.
“Ah! Doctor McKay! I see that you and your friend are fond of the statue of the protectors? Whom have you brought on this day?” Euphrosyne said with a big smile on his face, which irritated Rodney sometimes.
“This is Doctor Beckett,” Rodney introduced as Carson waved.
“Hello.” Carson was thinking how could a person smile that wide when he greeted him. “Sorry to ask this, but is there a story behind this statue?”
“Why of course! These are the two ancestors who made the planet what it is today. Legend says that there was once a horrible enemy that walked on this planet and imprisoned our forefathers. The two ancestors combined their power and banished the enemy, releasing our fore fathers and made the ground fertile, which gave our forefathers hope to build settlements here. They built this statue in their name and ever since then, the enemy has not returned in over five thousand years.”
“Just out of curiosity, do you or any of the villagers venture beyond the Stargate?”
“Never. The cave where the horrible enemy once resided in is beyond the Stargate. Many have feared that venturing there would bring back the enemy and the ancestors have also made it their wish for us not to venture there.”
Rodney piped up. “We were wondering something, Euphrosyne. You know the ceremony that we took the first time we met? Well how exactly does the ceremony work exactly?”
“Well, Doctor, it’s very simple. We pray to the ancestors and they respond through nature. They told us not to call them gods but ancestors though we few still believe them as gods.”
“Do you pray to both of them?” Carson pointed at the statue.
“We mainly pray to the female since she is the one who protects us, the Star Maiden. The male helps with the crops and healing.”
Rodney scoffed. “Healing? How does that work?”
“There is a stream nearby that possesses healing abilities. The male ancestor was kind enough to bless us with the water.”
“Do they have names?”
“Of course they do!” Carson and Rodney looked at Euphrosyne, willing him to go on. “We just don’t know it.”
“Okay then! Um, Euphrosyne, I need to have a word with Dr. Beckett,” said Rodney, leading Carson away.
“What’s the matter with you lad?”
“You remember how there was ancient writing on the side of the stasis pod where they found Astarea. It said, here sleeps the teacher of the new world, the Star Maiden. Something’s not right here. If Astarea really does protect this world, I wonder how can she?”
“I’m not following you.”
“The ancestors reply to the prayers through nature, right?”
“Yes, Rodney, they do. What is your point?”
“Only ascended beings have the power to control nature and Astarea isn’t ascended.”
---
“Come in.”
Elizabeth looked up from her work and saw Teyla at her door.
“Teyla! What a surprise! To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“I wondered perhaps you know the whereabouts of Major Sheppard?”
“He’s with Astarea, Ford and Stackhouse, exploring the city.”
“I see. Thank you Dr. Weir.”
Teyla turned to leave but stopped short when Elizabeth spoke again.
“Teyla, you knew that. Why are you here, really?”
“Now is not the time nor is it the place to say.”
“Well then, let’s go to the commissary, its lunchtime anyway.” Elizabeth saved her documents on her laptop and closed it before walking out with Teyla.
---
“Sorry for the interruption.” Rodney and Carson turned their attention back to Euphrosyne.
“It is alright.”
“So who or what else are you protected from? The Wraith?” Carson asked as Rodney rolled his eyes and was about to make a wise-ass comment when Euphrosyne said something first which shocked the doctors.
“I’m sorry, who?”
tbc...
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Please comment! =)
( Chapter One )
( Chapter Two )
( Chapter Three )
Meh, just when LJ goes all fancy, I finally figure out why my text of my stories are weird *meh*