"We may be able to make a deal."
At the Colonel's words, Teyla spun toward him, startled. This was hardly their usual method.
Apparently having similar thoughts, Rodney leaned in and spoke in a low, falsely polite voice. "Colonel, you know how it drives Elizabeth nuts when we come home as arms dealers."
"I'm just exploring options, Rodney, so chill." John addressed Cestan again. "How big is your army compared to theirs?"
The direction of this conversation unnerved Teyla. Given a choice between waiting to see where it led and taking action, she preferred the latter. Stepping forward, she asked, "Governor, may we take a moment to confer? There are details of your proposal that our group should discuss."
She could feel her team leader's piercing stare, but he said nothing. "Of course," Cestan replied. "Such matters should never be treated with haste."
Giving a slight bow of courtesy, he drifted to the far end of the field, his trio of warriors trailing behind. The team walked in the opposite direction until they were assured of being outside hearing range.
John pivoted toward Teyla, making only a token attempt to mask his irritation. "Since when do we cut in on each other like that?"
"You were preparing to supply arms for a dispute in which we have no part," she reminded him, unmoved.
"I was considering all potential trade avenues for a commodity we could really use. That's a long way from arming everyone." John set his hands on his hips. "How trigger-happy do you think I am?"
"Not `trigger-happy,"' Teyla said quietly. She had no wish to accuse her friend. "Focused on your people's needs."
He looked at her without speaking for a few seconds, acknowledging her point. "We do need it. A weapon that breaks nanite bonds might be the difference that saves our expedition."
"Then we will do all we can to procure some of this ore. But we must remember how little we truly know of these people. We have only their word that this conflict exists as they describe. Our initial impressions of a society have been proven wrong before."
She did not need to elaborate. The memories of Genii betrayal and Daleran upheaval spoke loudly enough.
"I get it. And I wasn't about to give away the store." Rolling his shoulders as if to dispel the noticeable tension there, John sighed. "Okay. We need to know if these guys are for real, and we're generally opposed to starting wars. What if we propose to mediate a new treaty between the Falnori and the Nistra? Cestan's interest, or lack of it, will give us a good idea of how sincere he is. And if they make nice for a while, the adante will no longer be used as leverage, so we'll have a better chance at getting some of it."
Eyebrows climbing, Rodney raised a finger to signal an objection. "I suspect it also drives Elizabeth nuts when you offer her up as a mediator without asking."
John wheeled on him, and the irritation returned. "Would it be so hard for you to cut me a break for ten damn minutes?"
"Just stating an issue. Overall it's a better plan than giving them rocket launchers."
"Thanks for that ringing endorsement." John silently sought his other teammates' approval, which Teyla was now more than willing to grant. Ronon gave a nod as well, and they walked back toward the field's center, where Cestan waited expectantly.
"We have a counter-offer," John began. "The leader of our expedition is an experienced diplomat. We would like to open a dialogue between your people and the Nistra. With a impartial third party to guide the negotiations, maybe some misunderstandings can be cleared up and a new agreement reached."
Teyla watched the governor carefully, alert for any sign of duplicity. When Cestan responded after a pause, his answer seemed considered, not contrived. "I am not confident about the chances for success at such a venture," he admitted. "It has been tried before, though never with an outside mediator." He lifted an unwavering gaze to meet John's. "But what would we be if we did not try?"
The Colonel smiled. "We hoped you'd see it that way. We can provide security for the talks. Somewhere neutral, probably close to the Hall, would be best."
"I agree. Perhaps we can avoid some of the acrimony of past encounters. What would you ask in return for your efforts?"
Rodney plunged ahead before anyone else could speak. "A small amount of adarite and a whip for us to start our research."
Without blinking, Cestan turned to Men' se. "Find Vanil and ask him to bring a fist of adarite from the vault. Then go to the armory and fetch a whip."
The warrior immediately moved to obey, disappearing through the doorway. Rodney wasn't finished, though. "And an opportunity to study the Hall. You can send your people along to baby-sit if you want, and I won't take so much as a pocketknife with me for defense, but I have to get in there."
At first Teyla worried that the scientist's demand might stall the pact. Then Cestan replied, "In the morning, I will send a messenger to the border under a flag of conference. If Galven, the Nistra leader, agrees, you will be granted entrance to the Hall when negotiations begin."
"Sounds fair," said John, glancing at his watch. The sun was already sinking toward the horizon. "We have to check in at home pretty soon. Can we send someone back tomorrow to wait for Galven's response?"
"I will send an escort to the gate to await your return. Until then, please accept the other elements of our accord as a gesture of friendship."
Merise soon reappeared with an additional whip, followed by a shorter man carrying a canteen-sized box. Smiling in what appeared to be genuine goodwill, Cestan placed the whip in John's hands and the box in Rodney's. "I thank you for your willingness to seek peace for our world. It is possible that you may be the ones to finally bring it within our reach."
Having opened the box to peer inside, Rodney answered dismissively while examining his prize. "Believe me, the pleasure is ours."
Chapter five
T'he off-world team trooped in for the debriefing in characteristic fashion. Teyla took her seat with poise, John slouched back in his, and Ronon all but hurled himself into a chair. Rodney brought up the rear, still working through a litany of complaints he'd begun seemingly before emerging from the gate.
"…is it too much to ask that they cushion the benches in their deplorable excuse for public transportation?"
Amused, Elizabeth let him wind down on his own. Tirade notwithstanding, her chief of science looked invigorated. As did her military advisor, come to think of it.
"Should I infer that the research facility showed some promise?" she inquired.
"You could say that." With a flourish, Rodney set a medium-sized box on the table in front of him. "Allow me to introduce you to adarite, an ore mined on P7L-418. It appears to have a few things in common with naquadah, but its energetic properties are pressure-dependent and far simpler to harness. Not to mention stronger. A simple whip infused with this material can release the electrothermal equivalent of a lightning bolt."
Next to him, John helpfully held up an innocuouslooking whip as a visual aid.
"I'll know more once we analyze the sample, but I'm convinced that this could be developed into a weapon to disrupt nanite cohesion." Satisfied, Rodney sat back in his chair, presumably anticipating a congratulatory word.
It was good news, so Elizabeth decided to play along. "That's excellent, Rodney," she said warmly. "So you found raw materials rather than research data?"
"We haven't been inside the actual facility yet," John told her.
"But we will," Rodney jumped in.
"We ran into some locals first." John elaborated on the Falnori and their disagreement with the Nistra. As she often did, Elizabeth found herself fascinated by the apparent evolution of the society. These people had once lived and worked alongside the Ancients, and their offspring had maintained some of the equipment for as long as possible. Without the full knowledge and capabilities of their predecessors, though, and hindered by periodic Wraith cullings, the Falnori had been unable to advance significantly in a technological sense.