Stargate Atlantis: Path of the Storm

Author: Kelly

Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate Atlantis or its characters and I don't claim to, I am simply borrowing them.

Summary: The team get misled while on a diplomatic mission, causing them to meet up with an old friend with dangerous consequences for John Sheppard. Takes place after the events of The Brotherhood.

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Chapter One

It was a beautiful day as Major John Sheppard walked along the long, winding yet sand-covered road with Teyla Emmagan. He glanced to the young Athosian every now and then, she seemed to be pleased with their current mission and at the prospect and meeting up with some of her oldest and dearest friends. "So these people the bee tar…"

"Bre'tar," Teyla answered looking to him with a calm expression.

"Right, the Bre'tar." Sheppard tested it on his tongue for a few more seconds, why did aliens or those people who were considered alien to him and his people have to have such strange and unpronounceable names. "These er..people. Known them long have you?"

"Many years," Teyla said with a smile.

"How many we looking at here?" Sheppard asked with a scrutinising look. "Five, Ten?"

"Four generations."

"Wow," he said quietly then gave a long whistle. "That's a long time."

"Ford would you kindly stop talking." That was most definitely the recognisable voice of one Doctor Rodney McKay , resident astrophysicist and pain in the ass. Although, in times of trouble he did come through in a crisis, of course after he had moaned and cursed.

"Just trying to make conversation," Lieutenant Aiden Ford replied a little defensively. As if he really wanted to talk to the man in the first place, in high school Ford had beaten up guys like him and he gave a goofy smile to which McKay frowned.

"What is that?" McKay asked, his voice going high at the end. "Are you sneering at me?" Another pause. "Was that a sneer?"

"What?" Ford asked looking at him, grip tightening on his weapon slightly as they walked, his boots covered in a fine dust from the dusty path. He looked back ahead to Teyla and Sheppard then to McKay. "No I'm just thinking."

"Oh well I am sorry, it must be an incredibly hard task for you." McKay unleashed his sarcasm on his unwilling victim. "Would you like to sit down?"

Sheppard pulled back so he was within range of McKay and Ford, both he and Teyla had heard their conversation or argument. Whatever the Hell they wanted to call it and he was pretty sure that it would only scare the locals. "Put a sock in it, the both of you."

"Put a sock in it? What is that an American term or something?" McKay snapped back.

"Wanna find out?" Sheppard asked kneeling down as if to undo one of his boots to which McKay promptly stood back and backed off. He considered the man with one of his trademark glares while tilting his chin up slightly.

"That's just childish."

"Says the man who is arguing with someone for no good reason."

"He sneered at me," McKay said defensively.

"Dude," Ford replied. "I was not sneering. I was smiling." He shot the Canadian a look then carried on walking past Sheppard. McKay stared after him a moment and puffed out his cheeks before patting himself down, grabbing a much needed energy bar then pulled it out of his pocket.

"Arguing must really take it out of you," Sheppard said with a nod to the blue wrapper. McKay simply regarded him with another glare while viciously biting into the item in question.

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A bright smile formed as she walked into the village, friendly faces welcoming her and her team. Teyla headed over to a man dressed in a long brown cloak, not unlike her own clothes that she wore off duty. "Teyla," he said with a warm smile as she rested her hands on his shoulders, touching foreheads before pulling back.

"It has been many days Silveas."

"Too many some might say," the man replied, his long hair blowing gently in the wind then he looked to her companions in question. He had known that she was bringing company but he didn't know what to expect. Teyla saw Silveas' look then glanced to Sheppard who took a step forward as she introduced them. "Silveas these are my colleagues, Major Sheppard. Lieutenant Ford and Doctor McKay." He gave them another look then back to Teyla.

"They are descended from the Ancestors?" he asked as if he hadn't truly believed it.

"Some are but not directly."

"And I understand you now reside in the city of the ancestors."

"That is correct," Teyla answered, confused by all the sudden questioning. Sheppard took another step forward. "It's good to meet you, Teyla has told me a lot about your people. I hope that we can help one another."

Silveas regarded the man with extreme suspicion then looked down the out stretched hand and up into his eyes. John got the message, lowered his hand and took a step back. He always forgot that not everyone greeted with a handshake but it was better than, say having a gun pointed at your head. Teyla noticed the tension in Silveas but did not question it. He was not the sort of man that you angered.

"I must apologise, their people have different customs than we share."

"So I can see," Silveas said, taking this moment to walk round Sheppard and inspect the other two people he had brought with them. He could not believe that these people could be related in some way to the Ancestors and his face told Teyla the exact same thing. Teyla put her hands behind her back, trying to avoid his eyes and any awareness of his eyes on her.

Sheppard noticed Teyla becoming increasingly uncomfortable around this man and closed the distance between them. She looked up and gave him an appreciative smile, which at the same time expressed gratitude and told him it was not required. Silveas looked Ford up and down, obviously displeased by what he saw and McKay didn't interest him. He noticed the one called Sheppard seemed very protective of Teyla.

"I must apologise for my own behaviour, Major Sheppard. I don't take kindly to others I do not know entering my village. I am sure you feel the same when the roles are reversed." Silveas offered a polite smile. Sheppard gave a small nod but kept his wits about him. "With this settled, please come for tea and we shall discuss the details for the preparation of a trade."

Sheppard looked to McKay and Ford as they moved to follow the Bre'tar; he spared another glance to Teyla. She quickly looked away from him, bowed her head and followed the others into the large tent.

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