The Jordanian Ritual

Author: Lorrie Ellis

Email: lorrieannhotmail

Summary : The team gates to a previously unexplored world and may regret what they find.

Disclaimer: The following story is based on the characters of the TV Series "Stargate: Atlantis". The characters belong to MGM, The Sci-Fi channel, etc. but the story is mine. ALL DISCLAIMERS APPLY. (No copyright infringement is intended.)

"I am certain that you will like the people of Jordonia. My people have been trading with them for years and while our visits are few and far between, they are very easy to deal with and will trade eagerly." Teyla explained to the team as they were all seated in the briefing area.

"Can you give us an idea of what they have to trade?" Dr. Weir asked.

"Food first and foremost, but they may also be able to provided us with information from others."

Dr. Weir's brow furrowed. "Please explain."

"The Jordonians trade often and come in contact with many others throughout the galaxy." Teyla explained.

"So, they may have access to knowledge from others that they may be willing to share?" John asked.

"Precisely." Teyla agreed. "I have heard that they now possess information concerning the Wraith, but I do not know exactly what the information is." She paused and then continued. "Another group of traders met with my people not long ago and told them that the Jordonians had found a way to completely rid themselves of the Wraith.

But even if they are not willing to share that particular knowledge with us, they may have technology or weapons that were part of a trade. They would have taken them even if they didn't plan to use them themselves just to have to trade later."

Lt. Ford nodded. "Make sense. That way they always have something on hand for whoever may want to trade for it."

Dr. Weir nodded in the direction of Major Shepherd. "OK, your team has a go. Try to procure the secret to ridding oneself of the Writh. You can leave in an hour."

"Yes ma'am." John replied.

"And Major, trade well this time." She raised her eyebrows and slightly tilted her head. "We desperately need food, not more mouths to feed."

John smiled sheepishly. "I'll do my best."

"I'm sure you will." She said with a smile as the team left the briefing room.

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The team stood at the base of the Stargate as the coordinates were dialed in. The even horizon whooshed outward and then retreated, leaving the familiar serene blue in the center of the gate. "Let's do it." Shepherd announced and the team of four moved forward, through the gate.

When they exited the gate on Jordonia, Teyla's eyes revealed that the place was not as she expected. "What's wrong?" John asked, looking at the young woman.

She slightly shook her head. "This is not as it should be." She continued to look around. "Jordonia has always been a very peaceful place, full of vegetation, not barren as we see before us."

Major Shepherd and Lt. Ford pulled their weapons. "Maybe we should check out the village." The Major suggested.

Teyla nodded. "Yes. It is this way." She started north of their location.

As they approached the village, they encountered several of the villagers along the way. "Hi." John greeted. "We're traders and . . ."

The villagers took off in a full run towards the village. Teyla stood, dumbfounded. "They are frightened of us."

"Why?" McKay asked.

"I do not know. They are a timid people, but they have never ran from traders that I know of." She replied.

"Wonder what has them spooked?" Lt. Ford asked.

Rodney McKay's eyes widened in terror as he saw a small band of approaching Wraith. "Maybe them."

Major Shepherd jumped into action. "Take cover!" He shouted to his team, all the while taking aiming at the hideous creatures with his weapon.

Lt. Ford also began to fire, taking several of the Wraith down. "They just keep coming, sir." He shouted towards John.

"Then keep firing!" John replied.

Suddenly, the Wraith began to retreat and soon, there were none in sight. John stood, his weapon still poised and ready to fire, if need be. He turned, checking their position from all angles. "What just happened here?"

"They left." McKay said sarcastically.

"That much I know, but why?" John asked.

"I don't really care why, as long as they're gone." McKay replied . "Now that we know that the Wraith are here, why don't we just dial up Atlantis and leave?"

John turned to speak, but Teyla replied instead. "The Wraith will follow."

"What she said." John retorted.

Dr. McKay shrugged his shoulders. "I knew that." He mumbled.

"We must check on the village." Teyla insisted.

"Let's go." John replied, gathering his gear.

The team resumed their trek towards the village, not knowing that they were being watched from the shadows.

------------

"Strangers approach." A shout went up from the village.

The men grabbed their spears, bows and arrows and whatever else they could get their hands on to defend themselves and the village.

"Calm yourselves." Teyla announced. "It is I, Teyla Emmegan of the Athosians."

The villagers began to calm down. "Who have you brought among us, Teyla Emmegan? The ones who have awakened the Wraith?" One of the village elders spoke.

Teyla started to answer, but John stepped in front of her. "I'm Major John Shepherd, U.S. Air Force." He pointed towards Lt. Ford and Dr. McKay and introduced them as well. "Teyla was kind enough to bring us here to trade."

The elder shook his head. "I am sorry, Teyla Emmegan, we will not trade with these unknowns."

"I understand your fear, Koneesh, but they mean you no harm." Teyla explained. "They were able to save my people from the Wraith recently and helped us to relocate when our homeland was destroyed."

"We have recently heard stories of these who come from far away. We have heard that they have taken over the city of the Ancients and that they have awakened the Wraith." Koneesh stated.

"Wel-l-l," John started. "We certainly didn't wake the Wraith on purpose and we're doing everything we can to find a way to fight them."

"We do not wish to trade with you." Koneesh said again. "We . . ." His thoughts were interrupted by a loud shout.

"Wraith!!!"

The villagers began to scatter.

"Here we go again." John muttered and then shouted, "Take cover!"

The SG team fired their weapons at the advancing creatures, bringing several of them down. The remaining ones fired their stun rays at the villagers and John's team. Then the Darts appeared.

Teyla, seeing the projection path of one of the Darts ran towards a group of children. John caught a glimpse of her and shouted her name as he ran towards her location. "Teyla!"

The Athosian leader scooped up a child in each arm, promptly diving to her right to avoid the beam from the Dart.

"Teyla!" John shouted.

"We are fine." She replied as she got up and checked over the two small children.

John saw that the Dart was turning for another pass over them. He picked up one of the children himself and pushed Teyla forward with the other child. "Go, go, go, go." He said quickly.

She began to run, with John just at her heel. They narrowly escaped the beam.

"That was close." Teyla said as John helped her up.

"Yeah, too close."

John pointed towards a cave. "Let's hide in there." Teyla nodded, hurrying towards the cave entrance with the child still in her arms.

A noise startled both John and Teyla as they entered the mouth of the cave. "What was that?" Teyla asked.

John promptly sat the little boy he had been carrying down. "I don't know, but I'm going to find out. You stay here with the kids."

Teyla pulled the children close. She could tell that they were terrified. "Shh. It will be OK."

John held his weapon high, his finger on the trigger. "Who's there?" He asked.

"Major?" Lt. Ford's voice echoed through the cave.

"Ford?" John asked.

"It's just me and Dr. McKay." The two team members emerged from behind the rocks. "We were sort of driven in here by the Wraith."

"So were we." John replied as the three of them joined Teyla at the cave's entrance.

"I see that you picked up a couple of new team members." Ford smiled upon seeing the two young children.

"They were separated from their parents." Teyla explained. "This is Yana." She rested her hand on the little girl's head and her brother Melos."

John smiled at the two youngsters. "We'll be safe in here." He said as he noticed the little girl shake visibly.

Yana shook her head. "No, we won't."

"Why not?" John asked.

"This is the bad place." She stated.

John's brow furrowed. "The bad place?"

"Of all places, we take cover in the 'bad' place." Dr. McKay muttered.

John pulled the little girl onto his lap. "Yana, why is a bad place?"

"Come, I'll show you." She jumped off of John's lap and started deeper into the cave.

"Yana, wait." Teyla called softly as Melos clung to her.

John and Lt. Ford hurried to catch up with her. She had stopped at the edge of a ledge that overlooked a deep opening in the cave. There, the team saw a large platform in front of a carved statue of . . . "A Wraith?" John exclaimed in an exaggerated whisper. "They worship the Wraith?!"

"I don't think this is a place of worship." Teyla explained. "I think that this is a place of sacrifice."

Yana nodded. "The very old and the young who have no one to care for them are given first. The elders believe that the Wraith have come to feed because our sacrifices have not been sufficient for them since they have awakened."

"Shouldn't we get out of here?" Rodney asked. "I mean, I certainly don't want to be around when the time comes for another sacrifice."

"Yeah, me either." John agreed and started urging the team away from the ledge. He paused when he noticed a figure moving about on the platform. It appeared to be a Wraith. Rodney stumbled slightly as the rock he was leaning on shifted. The Wraith heard the noise and averted its attention upward, its eyes meeting John's.

The Major stood frozen for a split second. "Get out of here!" He hissed. "Go!"

The team headed for the cave entrance, only to be stopped by Koneesh and the other elders.

"What is the meaning of this?" Teyla asked.

"I am sorry, Teyla Emmegan, that you are among those who must be sacrificed."

"These sacrifices won't rid you of the Wraith." John state as two of the villagers relieved he and the others of their weapons.

Koneesh nodded towards the men with him. "We believe otherwise." John, Lt. Ford and McKay were quickly manhandled to their knees and held in place by one man while the other tied each of their wrists together.

"The children are first." Koneesh looked towards Yana and Milos. "Their parents were among the dead in the upper field."

Teyla quickly shielded the two children behind her. "No! I will not let you hand these innocent children over to the Wraith!"

"It is out of your hands Teyla Emmegan. While you are a trusted leader and a warrior among your people, you are but a trader with mine. These are our ways and they have worked for hundreds of years. We will not change things now."

"Hundreds of years?" Lt. Ford questioned. "You've been making these sacrifices for hundreds of years?"

"We have." Koneesh answered. "And tomorrow you will witness, first hand the ritual of the sacrifice."

The six of them were led to what amounted to a holding cell. There, Shepherd, Ford and McKay were placed into one cell, while Teyla and the children were placed in another. Once the cell doors had been locked, the captives were left alone.

"What now?" McKay asked.

John shook his head. "I don't know."

"What do you mean, you don't know. You're supposed to be our fearless leader. We look to you in times like these. You have to have some sort of a plan." McKay began to rant.

John began to think that it may have been a good thing that the Jordonians had left their hands bound, if not, he might have strangled McKay there on the spot.

"Shepherd, we're running out of time here." McKay continued. "I'm sure they'll be back any minute."

Immediately, Yana and Milos began to cry. "Shh." Teyla tried, unsuccessfully to ease their fears. "We will not allow anything to happen to you." She said quietly. "Right Major?"

John looked into Rodney's face and Ford's, seeing the same pleading to save them in each and he was very glad that he couldn't see Teyla, Yana and Milos, it might have pushed him over the edge. "We'll figure out something." He replied and began to canvas the small cell for anything that might be able to cut through the ropes binding his hands.

"What about this?" Ford asked, sensing what the Major was looking for, he pointed to a sharp rock, jutting out from the floor.

"That might do it." Shepherd replied, positioning himself so that his hands were over the sharp edge. He slowly began moving his wrists back and forth over the rock, sometimes feeling it cut into his flesh instead of the ropes. Soon, he felt the ropes give and quickly untied Ford and McKay.

"Now to find a way out of this cell." He thought to himself just as the main door opened.

"It is time, Teyla Emmegan. You will accompany the children."

"No!" John shouted, eliciting a stare from the guard. "I mean, if we're going to be sacrificed next, shouldn't we at least be allowed to see how its done?"

McKay knitted his brows. "I don't think I want to know HOW it's done."

Lt. Ford brought his finger to his lip, hushing the scientist.

The guard nodded. "I will check with Koneesh."

Moments later, the guard returned and unlocked the cell door. As the door opened, John's fist was ready and slammed into the large man's jaw, bringing him quickly to the floor. "Talk about a glass jaw."

"Glass jaw?" McKay questioned.

"Boxing." Ford answered. "I'll explain later."

They left the cell, knowing that there would be more guards outside the main door. Ford and McKay readied themselves and were able to take out two of the guards, leaving the third for the Major.

As John wrapped his forearms around the guard's burly neck, he tightened his grip. He slowly felt the guard sink towards the ground, unconscious. "Go." He whispered, harshly to Ford and McKay.

"Where?" McKay asked.

"We have to find Teyla and the kids."

"Then what?" Rodney continued.

"Then we get the heck outta here." John replied.

------------

The cave was illuminated with torches and the soft glow could be seen for miles. As they approached the entrance, Teyla was held back while two men took a screaming Yana and Melos to face Koneesh.

The village elders had donned make-up for the ritual and now Koneesh stood before them all, his face painted stark white with darts of bright red jutting from his nose, over his high cheekbones and another dart of red straight down the middle of his face, from his forehead to the tip of his chin.

Yana and Milos were quickly bound at their ankles and their arms pulled tightly behind them and bound as well. "We are now ready for the ritual to begin." Koneesh announced.

Major Shepherd, Lt. Ford and Dr. McKay were almost at the cave entrance when they caught sight of a Wraith dart hovering above the cave. "I wonder if they can transport out of those things the same way they transport in?" John asked aloud.

"Well, that would stand to reason." Rodney spoke up. "It works on the same concept as the Tok'ra rings, back in our galaxy, so yes, in a word, they can transport out, just as they transport in."

"It was a rhetorical question McKay." John said with pungent annoyance in his voice.

"They must be transporting the Wraith in for the ritual."

"I wonder how many?" Ford asked.

"Let's find out." John replied and maneuvered his team around to the backside of the cave. There they found another entrance, smaller than the mouth of the cave they had found earlier.

"You want to go in there?" McKay asked.

"Do you have a better way of saving Teyla and those kids?" John asked. When Rodney didn't respond, John answered his own question. "I didn't think so."

------------

Inside the cave, John immediately spotted three Wraith, one leader and two guards approaching the platform they had seen earlier. He could also see little Yana and Milos tied to what appeared to be an alter.

The Jordonians were chanting something in their native tongue. He turned to Rodney and the scientist just shrugged, evidently not recognizing the language.

Koneesh approached what appeared to be the lead Wraith, who was decidedly female. "For you . . ." He waved his arm towards the two children and the Wraith approached.

"You have only two small children for me?" The Wraith hissed. "These are hardly an appetizer. I hunger."

"There are more in the holding cells, three men, from another galaxy."

"Is John Shepherd of Earth among them?" The Wraith asked, her voice seething.

Koneesh nodded. "Yes, I believe that is the name of their leader."

"Untie these children. I wish to feed upon John Shepherd in a most painful way." The Wraith's eyes glowed, causing John to momentarily flinch.

"You OK, Major?" Lt. Ford asked, seeing the flinch.

"Just peachy," he rolled his eyes. "I have a life-sucking alien requesting my presence for dinner and we still have to find Teyla, grab the kids and get out of here."

"Wait!" The Wraith called out. "I feel the presence of John Shepherd among us at this very moment."

"That's not possible. He and the others are in the holding cell." One of the guards quickly approached Koneesh and whispered in his ear. Koneesh humbled himself before the Wraith. "I am sorry, but I have just been informed that the three men have escaped. Perhaps John Shepherd is among us after all."

The Wraith let out an ear-splitting howl and then bellowed John's name. "John Shepherd, descendant of the Ancients, show yourself or suffer the consequences."

John thought about his choices for a moment. "You two find Teyla, get the kids and get back to the gate. If I'm not there in twenty minutes, go through without me."

"What are you going to do, sir?" Lt. Ford asked.

"Never mind that. Just find Teyla." John watched as Lt. Ford hesitated to move. "That's an order Lieutenant."

"Yes sir." Ford replied, briefly saluting the Major. John returned the salute and watched as Ford and McKay disappeared around the edge of the cave.

"John Shepherd, if you do not wish to see all of people on this planet, including your precious team die, then you will step out now." The Wraith seethed.

Making certain that his handgun was strapped tightly to his leg, he grabbed his P-90, poising it in a shooting position, summoned all of his courage and stepped out into the open. "I'm right here."

The Wraith's eyes opened wide and a smile appeared on her face. "So you are."

John fired a shot at the disgusting beast and watched as the bullet ripped through her chest, the wound instantly healing itself. "Your weapons are useless on me." She retorted.

"I doubt that." John replied. "I have killed others of your kind."

"Yes." The Wraith hissed. "The first of my kind that you killed was my sister."

"Oh well, by all means let's make this a family affair." John fired another shot at the being.

-----------

Lt. Ford and Dr. McKay took out the two Jordonian guards at the entrance of the cave and quickly made their way to where Teyla and the children were being held.

They were guarded by four heavily armed men. "What now?" McKay asked.

"Time for a little magic." He said as he pulled a smoke bomb from his flack jacket and pulled the pin.

The smoke rose, confusing the guards, giving Ford and McKay the opportunity to lift the keys, punch out the guards and rescue Teyla and the children. "Where is the Major?" Teyla asked.

"Having a conversation with the Wraith from the sound of it." McKay said.

After the second shot cut through the Wraith leader, the two guards began to approach John. "I will handle this." The leader said sternly, causing the two guards to stop in their tracks.

Before John could move from his position, the Wraith brought her claws across his face, leaving four deep gashes on his cheek. John's hand went to his cheek and the Wraith's fingers went to her mouth. "Your blood is divine. I can hardly wait to suck the life from you."

"Well, I think you're gonna have to put your appetite on hold. I just don't like your table manners." John replied, firing another round into the creature and running from the back entrance of the cave.

Back at the entrance of the cave, McKay helped Teyla from the area where she was being held.

"We've got to get a move on. The Major plans to meet us at the gate." Lt. Ford stated and pulled Yana into his arms as Teyla gathered up Melos.

John sprinted harder than he had in a long time, jumping obstacles and ducking under tree branches. He knew he was going to be black and blue by the time he made it to the gate . . . if he made it to the gate.

Ford looked at his watch as they approached the gate. Four minutes to go. If the Major wasn't there . . . but he would be, somehow Ford knew that he would be.

"How much more time?" McKay asked as the Jordonian guards could be heard nearing the gate.

"Three mintues." Ford replied.

"Three minutes until what?" Teyla asked.

"Major Shepherd said that if he wasn't with us in twenty minutes to go through the gate without him." Dr. McKay relayed the message.

Teyla looked at Lt. Ford. "Leave him behind?"

The she-Wraith and the two guards beamed back into the Dart and began their chase. "There he is." She pointed towards John's location. "He must not escape!"

The guard, now doubling as the pilot of the Dart, maneuvered the airship towards John's location. As he heard the Dart, he quickly dove into a nearby ditch, barely avoiding the beam.

"That was too close." He said aloud, quickly pulling himself to his feet and running towards the gate.

"There he is!" Teyla shouted as she saw John exit the forest.

Lt. Ford's eyes grew large as he saw the Wraith Dart right behind him. "Major, look out!" He shouted. John dropped and rolled, again avoiding the beam.

"Dial the gate!" John shouted as he ran.

Teyla began to dial the coordinates of Atlantis.

"Off-world activation." Peter bellowed at the Atlantis base.

"Do we know who?"

Teyla punched in Lt. Ford's IDC code.

"Lt. Ford's code."

"Lower the shield." Dr. Weir commanded

"Dr. Weir, it's Lt. Ford. We're under heavy fire and will be coming in hot!"

"Understood Lieutenant!" Dr. Weir replied and then readied Sgt. Bates and Sgt. Stackhouses teams as back up.

John reached the gate, just as the Dart was turning to make another run at him. "Go!" He shouted, watching as Teyla, Yana, McKay and Milos stepped through. Ford fired several shots from his P-90, and one seemed to strike the Dart, throwing it off of its course.

John and Ford hurried through the gate. As soon as they stepped through, John called out. "Raise the shield!" As the shield came up, they all heard a dull thud. "Well, that's one less Wraith Dart and three less Wraith we have to worry about."

Elizabeth met the team before they were dismissed to the infirmary. "So, what have we accomplished with the Jordonians?" She asked John, glancing at Yana and Milos. "And who are these two?"

"It's a long story Elizabeth."

Dr. Weir gently wiped some of the blood from John's cheek. "I'm sure it is and you can tell me all about it once you've seen Dr. Beckett."

"Yes ma'am." John replied in a defeated voice.

She waited until Yana and Melos were out of earshot and turned to the Major. "And John, I thought I said to bring back food, not more mouths to feed."

"They were going to be sacrificed to the Wraith." John said simply.

Elizabeth raised her eyebrows. "OK, you have me intrigued. What exactly happened?"

John shrugged. "Aw, not much." He reached for his cheek, which was stinging at this point. "Besides, you said I should see Beckett first."

Elizabeth nodded. "So I did." She walked with him part of the way down the hall. "Are you OK?" She finally asked.

"Apart from what will most likely be a heck of a scar on my face, yeah, I think I'm OK."

"Good. I'll expect a briefing when Dr. Beckett releases you."

"I'll be there." John replied and headed towards the infirmary.

"Why does trouble seem to follow you so?" Dr. Weir asked as she watched the Major walk down the hallway.

THE END