Halcyon

The ruler of Halcyon accepted a scattering of applause from his courtiers and embraced his daughter. Teyla expected him to take the throne, but he did not, walking down the steps of the dais toward the Atlantis team. Vekken moved with him, a constant and watchful shadow, and behind them came Erony and two other men.

"When she was a child, my dear daughter would often bring small animals to me for my attention," Daus smiled, "and to this day she continues to bring me new and fascinating faces." The Magnate made a kind of ritual salute at Sheppard. "Welcome to our world, my friends."

"Thank you kindly," said John. "I, ah, apologize if we're a little underdressed for the occasion. These are just our working clothes, and we wouldn't want to give you the wrong impression." He glanced at Mason and the other SAS troopers, the fragmented camouflage of their uniforms wildly out of place in the huge ballroom.

"Ah," Daus accepted this with a nod. "It is of no consequence. The wargear of a gallant soldier is as dignified as any finery in my eyes." He studied the group before him. "You are the Lieutenant Colonel, yes? Leader of this hunt splinter? Erony has given me your names and told me of your fight with the Wraith on the ice moon."

"Just another day at the office," said Sheppard.

The Magnate gestured to his associates. "You have already had the pleasure of meeting my child and my strong right arm Vekken. These others are my advisors, First Minister Muruw and Master Scientist Kelfer."

Teyla watched two very different expressions on the faces of the two men. The balding and burly Muruw seemed disappointed with the new arrivals, while the dark-skinned Keifer showed a flash of clinical interest.

"Master Scientist?" echoed McKay. "We should talk."

"One thing at a time, Rodney," said the colonel. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves."

McKay continued, spotting an opportunity. "Lady Erony mentioned a… a dolmen? I'd very much like to see it."

Kelfer frowned. "The dolmen is a site of historical interest and access is strictly controlled to prevent annexing. But perhaps something could be arranged."

"There is common ground already between us." Daus gave each of them a penetrating look. "It is fascinating to make new acquaintances. I confess, your garb and your wargear are unknown to us. Tell me, where do you hail from?"

Sheppard ignored the I-told-you-so expression on McKay's face. "We're originally from a planet called Earth, Teyla and Ronon here are from Athos and Sateda."

"Earth," the Magnate considered the name. "Is that a Genii colony?"

"Hardly," snorted Rodney, without thinking.

"The Genii aren't exactly top of our buddy list," Sheppard admitted. "We've had some disagreements with them."

Daus smiled again. "That pleases me to know, Lieutenant Colonel. Halcyon and Genii have crossed swords in the past, and if you were in their service, I'm afraid your welcome would quickly expire."

"They are a low-born people," added Muruw. "They trade in deceit and secrecy."

"You'll get no argument from me about that," agreed Sheppard.

"You said you were `originally' from this Earth," Vekken broke in. "Where do you reside now? On the ice moon?"

This is it, John told himself. "No. Up until recently, we were living in Atlantis."

There were gasps. "Atlantis? The lost city?" said Kelfer. "That's just a fiction. A Precursor story for children."

Teyla spoke up. "Not so. The city of the Ancestors, the Ancients, is no fallacy."

Daus tapped his chin. "You are the New Atlanteans… I admit, I have heard second-hand of such rumors from outworlders who trade with our hunters, but I gave them little credence." He shook his head. "Incredible. Today truly is a day for surprises."

Vekken stepped down and closed the distance with Sheppard. "But if this is so, if you are genuinely the ones who reawakened the City of the Precursors, then tell us. What of the dark tales we have heard of late being spread by the Wraith?" John tensed as the man gave him a threatening glare. "Is it true? Have the Wraith destroyed Atlantis?"

Sheppard swallowed hard. "They came in a dozen hive ships," he began, skirting the lie. "If they had taken the city, then they would have had access to all the knowledge of the people who built it."

Genuine shock showed on the faces of all but the Magnate. "You allowed the city to be obliterated?" spat Muruw. "A legend, sacrificed for your own lives?"

"Is it true?" pressed Vekken, never breaking eye contact with Sheppard.

"Enough!" snapped Daus, turning a harsh glare on his minister. "We will not scorn these people, we were not there on that day, and we cannot know what trials they faced. A dozen Wraith hive vessels… I have never heard of them grouping in such numbers." The Magnate stepped down to the floor with Sheppard for the first time, and the mood in the room shifted; clearly the symbolic gesture of coming down to their level carried great weight. Daus placed a firm hand on John's shoulder. "A tragedy." He spoke up so the whole chamber could hear him. "But we speak of the Wraith, the most ancient foe, the dread enemy of life! I would put my own beloved daughter's neck to the blade of my sword and burn this palace about me, if I were pressed to deny them!"

Sheppard flicked a glance at Erony, but her father's bold and gory statement didn't seem to trouble her.

"You are welcome to take respite here, Lieutenant Colonel," said Daus, moving away. "Perhaps this day will mark the start of a strong comradeship between your people of Earth and mine?"

"Sounds good to me, Your Highness," John forced a weak smile, glad to be away from the business of lying to the faces of complete strangers. These people seemed a little supercilious for his liking, but he didn't enjoy misleading them all the same. If there was anything that life had taught him, it was that lies and half-truths had a way of coming back to bite you in the ass when you least expected it.

"You fight the Wraith," began Ronon, "but this planet… It doesn't look like it's ever been culled." Sheppard knew what Dex was getting at; worlds where Wraiths regularly trawled for victims had distinct similarities, with broadly spread settlements or concealed cities to hide them from the alien predators. By contrast, Halcyon would be an open-air buffet for a fleet of Dart ships and cruisers.

Daus nodded. "There has not been a culling on this planet since before the Age of Unification. Such a thing has been unknown here in centuries."

"How have you stayed free of them?" asked Sheppard. "Erony's Wraith-hunting gang, that's not something they'd let go unanswered."

"My daughter's hunt splinter is but one of hundreds," the Magnate replied. "Each of the barony you see here has splinters of their own, to a greater or lesser extent. We stalk the Wraith on many worlds across our segment of the galaxy."

"You hunt them." Ronon said flatly, skepticism in his tone. "With gas-powered muskets and sabers."

"And steely hearts and unbreakable will," added Erony. "We do indeed."

Muruw gave a harsh chuckle. "My Lord Magnate, I fear our new friends do not understand the Halcyon way. They are too familiar with the terror and cowardice rife on other worlds, where men flee from the mere mention of the Wraith." He sneered at Ronon. "Runner, we of the Dynasts have been fighting the Wraith for hundreds of years and winning. We beat them at every turn. You ask why it is that Halcyon has not been culled? The answer is simple. Because they are afraid of us. They know that if they come to this world they will die."