Chapter One

It was meant to be a routine operation but the team of scientists had called in Sheppard's team with no explanation.

And Sheppard was irritable, "All right Zelenka, what exactly is this all about," Teyla's face was set as she attempted not to roll her eyes.

"Well we were investigating this village's use of the ZPM of course, with the permission that Lorne's team was able to obtain through his extensive negotiations and trade and well…" Doctor Zelenka was agitated to the point of distraction and his words tumbled out so fast that noone could make sense of what he was trying to say- "but they're insisting she has to die and they're completely unreasonable about the killing and the-"

"Killing?" Sheppard interrupted, latching on that important word-

Zelenka continued to ramble "Yes, killing! They say-"

"Zelenka … Zelenka!" Sheppard shouted over top of Radek's ramblings-

Teyla stepped forward and laid her hand on the scientist's arm, "Radek, tell us who is going to be killed?" she asked, her voice had that particular calmness that was undeniably firm, a trademark that was entirely Teyla.

The rambling scientist stopped and look down at her hand in surprise, it did not move. He drew a deep breath, "the girl they've captured, she's about starved to death but they insist she's a danger to them and they're going to kill her tomorrow morning, they're talking about slashing open her chest and having her bleed to death, they want to kill like a wraith would-"

Ronon's eyes were bright "wraith worshippers?"

Teyla glanced at him "no, a wraith worshipper wouldn't need to kill anyone like that, and they wouldn't live in a village like this… Radek did they tell you why she's locked up?"

Ronon started forward again, "anyone who's willing to act like a wraith-"

"Ronon," Teyla warned, no one would admit it, but Teyla was the heart of the team and in many ways she held more power than Sheppard ever could, "Radek, did they say what the prisoner did?"

Radek looked at the other scientists, and shrugged, "They say she's a demon, a wraith – but she's just a girl, a human girl".

Sheppard was no longer irritated, "Alright, Radek you and the rest of the science team head back to the gate, and we'll scout it out. Ronon, we don't know what's going on here so tale a deep breath and calm down – and set your gun to stun."

Ronon looked like he was about to protest but Teyla turned to him, "I don't like the idea anymore than you do, but if Radek is right and she is just a girl than we will not leave her there to die."

Ronan looked hard at Teyla, then at Sheppard as they walked away from him and shook his head, somewhat reluctantly switching his gun onto stun.

Leila shifted subconsciously, a futile attempt to alleviate the pain in her back: the movement only resulted in forcing the bindings to cut deeper into the flesh of her arms, weak from blood loss and lack of food and water Leila couldn't even begin to understand what had awoken her. She felt that this would be one of the last times she awoke, if her captors did not kill her soon there would be no life left in her to take.

There was a light and noises that were incomprehensible, and then it occurred to her that the noises were voices and that she was being moved. If she had the strength to she would have cried out because it was agony to be moved, but creating a sound required more energy than she could muster and so her broken body was carried away without protest.

She did not wonder who carried her, but slept further into herself and sleep.