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chaletianTitle: Picked Up By Those Behind
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
chaletian
Fandom: SGA
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: None
Summary: A sequel to The Lost Expedition. Five times Essie Malcolm’s daughter finds evidence of the fate of the first Atlantis expedition as she attempts to stop the Genii from taking over the Pegasus galaxy.
~1~
~2~
~3~
“They call them the Brotherhood of the Nine Rings,” said Dr O’Driscoll, one of the social anthropologists on Atlantis, addressing a meeting of the military officers. He tapped on the conference table, and a picture of an arm with a tattoo of nine rings appeared. “They’ve been around for decades – centuries, even. According to the Genii, they’re something of a cult – they sometimes live in society, sometimes in their own enclaves. There are a number of different groups but apparently they use this tattoo to identify themselves to each other.”
“They got a secret handshake too?” asked Major Fisher facetiously. “Sounds like the Pegasus equivalent of the Masons.”
Caroline Mercer, the British diplomat who had been chosen as the leader of the Atlantis mission two years previously, leant back in her chair and crossed her arms. “Allit Tanner met with me earlier today,” she said, referring to one of the Genii senior ministers. “He says this ‘Brotherhood’ has been attacking Genii outposts and threatening the safety of their people. From what he says, it sounds like they’re some kind of local terrorist gr—”
“That’s not true!” broke in Nell. The others looked at her in surprise.
“Captain Malcolm?” asked Mercer, one eyebrow raised.
“Um, I’ve met one. Of the ‘Brotherhood’. I don’t think he’s a terrorist. Or at least – I mean, you know that saying, right?”
Mercer looked at her, bewildered. “Captain?”
Nell shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “About one man’s terrorist being another man’s freedom fighter. Or whatever. What I’m trying to say is, I know that the guy I met wasn’t exactly friendly with the Genii, but he might have sort of a point, you know?”
“Explain.”
“Well, there is that whole trying to colonise the galaxy thing,” said Nell sharply. “Let’s not kid ourselves that the Genii are everyone’s friendly neighbourhood santas. They’re powerful, and they’re ambitious, and if we think that they’re going to stop at five relatively underpopulated planets, I think we’re going to be disappointed.”
“The Genii might not be a picture of sweetness and light, Captain, but they are the status quo in Pegasus and, I might add, our allies.”
“Well, that’s open to debate,” murmured Captain Armstrong, then winced as Mercer glared at him. “Oh, come on, Caroline! You know what the Genii are like! The only reason we’re their allies is because they believe in keeping your enemies closer.”
“He’s right,” put in Dubois. “They keep us on side to make sure we don’t provide an alternative focus to their influence in Pegasus.”
“Influence that is growing unchecked,” said Nell, returning to her initial point. “If they’re left alone, where do you think they’ll stop? At the planets that don’t really have much of an internal government? At the planets which don’t have the technology to stop them? At Atlantis itself?”
“We’re not here to interfere in Pegasus politics,” said Mercer.
Nell stared at her. “Not here to interfere in Pegasus politics? Our very presence interferes in Pegasus politics! Caroline, we’re not here as a science experiment. Atlantis is a colony of Earth. We have families and children who are making their lives here. I have made my life here. If we’re not going to intervene, I think we need to reconsider just exactly what we think we’re doing here. The Genii are threatening Pegasus for everyone, and I don’t know about you, but I think it’s a bit embarrassing that the only people trying to do anything about are the Pegasus Masons. Or whatever they are.”
oOo
“Thank you,” said Toran quietly, as Nell sat beside him on a narrow bench outside one of the Shadow Traders’ homes.
She shrugged. “Hey, no skin off my nose.”
He looked at her wryly. “No, of course. Getting your leader to meet with us. The people branded as terrorists by your allies, the Genii.”
“Yeah, well, turns out no-one was that keen on the Genii, anyway,” said Nell nonchalantly. “And Pegasus is our home too.”
“I can see that,” said Toran. “The Genii are very powerful, but with the support of Atlantis, I think we can find a way to stop them. And my people have one or two tricks up our sleeve,” he added with a lazy grin.
“Speaking of your people,” said Nell, looking around at anything that wasn’t Toran’s smile or eyes or hands or, like, ears, this is the Shadow Trader headquarters?”
Toran laughed. “You could say. We do not… the ‘Shadow Trader’ name is just a label. So others can place us.”
“What are you called, then?” asked Nell.
“We have no one name.”
“Oh. Right.” There was a moment’s silence. “So, how long have you guys been on this planet? You said you lived on the Genii homeworld with your parents, right?”
He nodded. “Yes. We left many years ago. My mother was a scientist. She worked at one of their universities, but the government controls are very strict, and the Genii have a… difficult relationship with my people.”
“Yeah, I’m getting that. I mean, noticing. I still don’t get it,” said Nell. “I don’t understand why,” she clarified at Toran’s quizzical expression.
“We have many scientists and scholars,” he explained. “Throughout our history, we have had good minds and good wills. We believe in knowledge for its own sake. We believe in exploration. We also believe in freedom. The Genii have found us to be useful over the generations, and many of my people have welcomed belonging to a modern society. Until recently, there have always some of us on Genia. But now…” He trailed off, then nodded towards a young woman who stood talking to an older man, her expression anxious. “That is Lexia. That is her father, Stee. He was the curator at one of the biggest Genii museums until a month ago – their family has lived with the Genii since our first ancestors separated across the stars. But now the Genii do not want our sort, and they were in danger of arrest, so they fled. Their story is not uncommon. The Genii know that those truly of my people will not agree with their actions and will speak out.
“Anyway,” he went on, his voice lighter, “my people have been here for two, maybe three generations. This village was mostly home to those of us we call the Meens, until about a generation ago, when the Genii became less tolerant.”
“So, you do have some names in there!” exclaimed Nell, with a smile. “What’s the deal with the Meens?”
“They are descended from those of the first ancestors who were warriors,” he explained. “As I said before, the first ancestors separated across the stars. But we are all…”
“All brothers. Yeah. I get it.” Nell smiled and bumped his shoulder with her own. She looked around her curiously, and as chance would have it, a breeze blew aside the hanging decorations in the room behind her, so that metallic panels were revealed. Familiar metallic panels. Nell frowned, and went to investigate, peering at the panels.
“Your house is a Gateship!” she announced, amazed.
“A—what?”
Nell waved a hand. “This room – it’s not a building, it’s a Gateship!”
“Oh, you mean a puddlejumper? Yes, we have several. They have not worked for many years, but are used as homes. The stories say the first ancestors travelled in them. You call them something else?”
“Gateships. There was one on Atlantis when we arrived. The Ancients – the Ancestors, I mean, the Pegasus Ancestors, not yours, built them. We’ve found a few more at various Ancient outposts. We might be able to fix them,” she offered.
Toran raised a supercilious eyebrow. “Really? I can assure you, our engineers are some of the finest in the galaxy.”
“Geez, OK. Suit yourself.” Nell rolled her eyes, then took a swipe at Toran’s shoulder. “Hey – look!” From one of the other houses, the ‘Brotherhood’ leader, whom Toran had introduced as Roan, emerged, followed by several of his advisors, Caroline Mercer, Colonel Herrick and Major Fisher. Nell caught the almost imperceptible nod that Fisher sent her way, and turned to Toran, grinning widely.
“Saddle up, Toran of the names-are-for-pussies! Looks like we’re joining this fight!”
to be continued...
Author:
chaletianFandom: SGA
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: None
Summary: A sequel to The Lost Expedition. Five times Essie Malcolm’s daughter finds evidence of the fate of the first Atlantis expedition as she attempts to stop the Genii from taking over the Pegasus galaxy.
~1~
~2~
“They call them the Brotherhood of the Nine Rings,” said Dr O’Driscoll, one of the social anthropologists on Atlantis, addressing a meeting of the military officers. He tapped on the conference table, and a picture of an arm with a tattoo of nine rings appeared. “They’ve been around for decades – centuries, even. According to the Genii, they’re something of a cult – they sometimes live in society, sometimes in their own enclaves. There are a number of different groups but apparently they use this tattoo to identify themselves to each other.”
“They got a secret handshake too?” asked Major Fisher facetiously. “Sounds like the Pegasus equivalent of the Masons.”
Caroline Mercer, the British diplomat who had been chosen as the leader of the Atlantis mission two years previously, leant back in her chair and crossed her arms. “Allit Tanner met with me earlier today,” she said, referring to one of the Genii senior ministers. “He says this ‘Brotherhood’ has been attacking Genii outposts and threatening the safety of their people. From what he says, it sounds like they’re some kind of local terrorist gr—”
“That’s not true!” broke in Nell. The others looked at her in surprise.
“Captain Malcolm?” asked Mercer, one eyebrow raised.
“Um, I’ve met one. Of the ‘Brotherhood’. I don’t think he’s a terrorist. Or at least – I mean, you know that saying, right?”
Mercer looked at her, bewildered. “Captain?”
Nell shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “About one man’s terrorist being another man’s freedom fighter. Or whatever. What I’m trying to say is, I know that the guy I met wasn’t exactly friendly with the Genii, but he might have sort of a point, you know?”
“Explain.”
“Well, there is that whole trying to colonise the galaxy thing,” said Nell sharply. “Let’s not kid ourselves that the Genii are everyone’s friendly neighbourhood santas. They’re powerful, and they’re ambitious, and if we think that they’re going to stop at five relatively underpopulated planets, I think we’re going to be disappointed.”
“The Genii might not be a picture of sweetness and light, Captain, but they are the status quo in Pegasus and, I might add, our allies.”
“Well, that’s open to debate,” murmured Captain Armstrong, then winced as Mercer glared at him. “Oh, come on, Caroline! You know what the Genii are like! The only reason we’re their allies is because they believe in keeping your enemies closer.”
“He’s right,” put in Dubois. “They keep us on side to make sure we don’t provide an alternative focus to their influence in Pegasus.”
“Influence that is growing unchecked,” said Nell, returning to her initial point. “If they’re left alone, where do you think they’ll stop? At the planets that don’t really have much of an internal government? At the planets which don’t have the technology to stop them? At Atlantis itself?”
“We’re not here to interfere in Pegasus politics,” said Mercer.
Nell stared at her. “Not here to interfere in Pegasus politics? Our very presence interferes in Pegasus politics! Caroline, we’re not here as a science experiment. Atlantis is a colony of Earth. We have families and children who are making their lives here. I have made my life here. If we’re not going to intervene, I think we need to reconsider just exactly what we think we’re doing here. The Genii are threatening Pegasus for everyone, and I don’t know about you, but I think it’s a bit embarrassing that the only people trying to do anything about are the Pegasus Masons. Or whatever they are.”
“Thank you,” said Toran quietly, as Nell sat beside him on a narrow bench outside one of the Shadow Traders’ homes.
She shrugged. “Hey, no skin off my nose.”
He looked at her wryly. “No, of course. Getting your leader to meet with us. The people branded as terrorists by your allies, the Genii.”
“Yeah, well, turns out no-one was that keen on the Genii, anyway,” said Nell nonchalantly. “And Pegasus is our home too.”
“I can see that,” said Toran. “The Genii are very powerful, but with the support of Atlantis, I think we can find a way to stop them. And my people have one or two tricks up our sleeve,” he added with a lazy grin.
“Speaking of your people,” said Nell, looking around at anything that wasn’t Toran’s smile or eyes or hands or, like, ears, this is the Shadow Trader headquarters?”
Toran laughed. “You could say. We do not… the ‘Shadow Trader’ name is just a label. So others can place us.”
“What are you called, then?” asked Nell.
“We have no one name.”
“Oh. Right.” There was a moment’s silence. “So, how long have you guys been on this planet? You said you lived on the Genii homeworld with your parents, right?”
He nodded. “Yes. We left many years ago. My mother was a scientist. She worked at one of their universities, but the government controls are very strict, and the Genii have a… difficult relationship with my people.”
“Yeah, I’m getting that. I mean, noticing. I still don’t get it,” said Nell. “I don’t understand why,” she clarified at Toran’s quizzical expression.
“We have many scientists and scholars,” he explained. “Throughout our history, we have had good minds and good wills. We believe in knowledge for its own sake. We believe in exploration. We also believe in freedom. The Genii have found us to be useful over the generations, and many of my people have welcomed belonging to a modern society. Until recently, there have always some of us on Genia. But now…” He trailed off, then nodded towards a young woman who stood talking to an older man, her expression anxious. “That is Lexia. That is her father, Stee. He was the curator at one of the biggest Genii museums until a month ago – their family has lived with the Genii since our first ancestors separated across the stars. But now the Genii do not want our sort, and they were in danger of arrest, so they fled. Their story is not uncommon. The Genii know that those truly of my people will not agree with their actions and will speak out.
“Anyway,” he went on, his voice lighter, “my people have been here for two, maybe three generations. This village was mostly home to those of us we call the Meens, until about a generation ago, when the Genii became less tolerant.”
“So, you do have some names in there!” exclaimed Nell, with a smile. “What’s the deal with the Meens?”
“They are descended from those of the first ancestors who were warriors,” he explained. “As I said before, the first ancestors separated across the stars. But we are all…”
“All brothers. Yeah. I get it.” Nell smiled and bumped his shoulder with her own. She looked around her curiously, and as chance would have it, a breeze blew aside the hanging decorations in the room behind her, so that metallic panels were revealed. Familiar metallic panels. Nell frowned, and went to investigate, peering at the panels.
“Your house is a Gateship!” she announced, amazed.
“A—what?”
Nell waved a hand. “This room – it’s not a building, it’s a Gateship!”
“Oh, you mean a puddlejumper? Yes, we have several. They have not worked for many years, but are used as homes. The stories say the first ancestors travelled in them. You call them something else?”
“Gateships. There was one on Atlantis when we arrived. The Ancients – the Ancestors, I mean, the Pegasus Ancestors, not yours, built them. We’ve found a few more at various Ancient outposts. We might be able to fix them,” she offered.
Toran raised a supercilious eyebrow. “Really? I can assure you, our engineers are some of the finest in the galaxy.”
“Geez, OK. Suit yourself.” Nell rolled her eyes, then took a swipe at Toran’s shoulder. “Hey – look!” From one of the other houses, the ‘Brotherhood’ leader, whom Toran had introduced as Roan, emerged, followed by several of his advisors, Caroline Mercer, Colonel Herrick and Major Fisher. Nell caught the almost imperceptible nod that Fisher sent her way, and turned to Toran, grinning widely.
“Saddle up, Toran of the names-are-for-pussies! Looks like we’re joining this fight!”
to be continued...
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2009-04-24 12:41 pm (UTC)Nice entry.....
no subject
Date: 2009-04-24 01:22 pm (UTC)I'm really enjoying this! (I just suck at commenting, sorry *g*)
no subject
Date: 2009-04-24 04:38 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-24 07:40 pm (UTC)On SGA, Rodney is my favorite character. So I end up thinking about Atlantis as mostly hard science/action-hero land. This fic invokes the excitement of the 'soft' sciences, which are actually more in my line anyway. It's very cool.
Except, Brotherhood? -- I'm hoping that's a gate-translation thing. I don't think the women of the first expedition would have stood for it.
Also, it's cool that you knew that Pluto was still a planet when the first expedition left Earth. Nell must think of Earth's solar system as being eight planets (unless they change things again).
no subject
Date: 2009-04-24 08:28 pm (UTC)“[The Meens] are descended from those of the first ancestors,” he explained. “According to the stories, they helped the Hardies defeat the Wraith with the Genii.”
“OK, you’re bowling me over with the names,” said Nell. “Who are the Hardies?”
“They favoured the Hards,” Toran said, then flashed her an apologetic grin. “I fear some of the origins have become unknown to us. They were scientists; they mostly stayed with the Genii – Lexia’s family were Hardies.”
“You know this Lexia pretty well, huh?” asked Nell blandly, glancing over at the red-haired woman.
“Yes; our parents were friends on Genia. Did you want to…?” He gestured in Lexia’s direction, and Nell shook her head.
“No! No, it’s fine. I’m sure we’ll meet later. So, you had the Meens and the Hardies – who else?”
“The Soffies. They travelled further, split into many groups. As I said before, the first ancestors separated across the stars. But we are all…”
“All brothers. Yeah. I get it.” Nell smiled and bumped his shoulder with her own.
Um, yeah, I totally remembered about Pluto. It's not like I'd just forgotten it had been downgraded from being a planet... *looks shifty*
As for Brotherhood, hey, that's the Genii name. As we know, they are made of fail...
Glad you're still enjoying it! :-)
no subject
Date: 2009-04-24 10:19 pm (UTC)This is making me more happy and flaily with each installment. I love guessing the names' meanings - Meens=Marines, right?! - and finding the missing pieces, slowly getting the picture together.
Can't wait for the next part!