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It was supposed to be a low-risk mission just dipping their toes back in the water. And of course it's not. There's wraith there and they have to run. The manage to dial fine, they even manage to get to the gate but as they're jumping through several wraith shots hit the gate and something goes strange. The normally smooth passage of the wormhole twists alarmingly and it's normal teal green shifts to a much more menacing red. And when they're finally spat out. They certainly aren't back at Atlantis.
SGA-1 finds themselves at the site of a demon summoning
from-the-land
"You know, there's not much else to see and we're just retracing our steps past here." He waves to a building with a large coat of arms with gold gryphons supporting a silver hammer on a red field. "Probably we should just hire a carriage back."
There haven't been many of those on the streets, but a few, and there was an unmarked one sitting idle about a block back.
first_chair
Rodney isn't going to object to less walking even if he's in fairly good shape at this point.
Kislev.
Then a carriage can be hired and they can get back 'home' in much less time. They still avoid the Elven Quarter, just in case.
There are still guards on the place, and they salute Teodor, but don't seem on edge and everyone goes in smoothly. It's mid-afternoon, probably, not quite a full day since they arrived on this planet.
from-the-land
"Unless you want to ask me anything, I think I'm going to take rooftop duty for a while."
not_so_golden_retriever
"I think we exhausted all the topics I could think of. And I expect we'll have more time in the future if I think of more."
first_chair
Rodney retrieves a larger device downloads the output of the scanner and sets himself to analyzing his scans in more depth.
not_so_golden_retriever
The team will pass the time until dinner or any other sort of interruption with quiet conversation.
from-the-land
And an hour or more later, Teodor is very pleased, because he can see the Winds moving around Teisiya, as she rides up to the house.
Alone, rather than with a pair of Frost Maidens flanking her.
"My Lady's on her way, and with good news. I'll go down to meet her and send someone up."
"So, my lady?"
of-the-ice-and-snow
"Her Majesty trusts my judgment with a few lines set that I would have followed anyway. Watch the woman for necromantic corruption, be slow about any release of information into the wild where it might serve the Changer, but treat them as what they appear to be, which is extremely useful potential allies whose arrival may have been the influence of Chaos but whose actions will not be."
"Also, you're explicitly commended for your investigation and for interrupting the summoning in sufficient force and time. You'll have the respect of the Ice Court soon, at this rate."
from-the-land
"Well, won't that be something," he says, and briefly ducks to kiss her hand, "They'll be setting out dinner in a little while, tell them then?"
Kislev.
If they're paying attention, the Atlantis team will notice that the guards mill around to speak quietly and then are significantly more relaxed than they were.
If they're not, then nothing of note will happen before dinner.
not_so_golden_retriever
Sheppard and really everyone except Rodney has been keeping half an eye on the guards so the change is noticed. It seems broadly like a good sign.
of-the-ice-and-snow
Then they will meet a cheerful witch at dinner and will hopefully be less tense.
"Hello again. You're not going to be killed. Just to get the important part out of the way first. Not by us or any other part of Kislev's government, unless you do something that would get any ally killed. That is not a long list of things nor one I'd expect you'd find at all surprising. We apologize for the necessity of treating you with suspicion, but I requested to treat you as what you appear to be and believe yourselves to be, and Tzarina Katarin Bokha has given me an explicit order that I should do so."
of-the-ice-and-snow
"We are still worried about some things. It doesn't entirely help to take you at face value, because what Miss Emmagan believes herself to be is itself concerning." And certainly has mental effects, such as might come from a type of beast which is entirely capable of subverting the wills of those around them, with time and effort. "And we're still unsure if Tzeentch was involved in your arrival and might be using you as an unwitting delivery mechanism for something dangerous, so we'll still be looking at a cordon and if you want to talk to other people we'll limit the number for the next while. But we are much less worried, and can certainly start helping you, if you want it."
greet_the_dawn
"I understand your caution. Though what happened with you was the first time my abilities have had applications not involving the Wraith."
not_so_golden_retriever
"I'm not sure what sort of help we need. I'm also interested in knowing what sorts of help we might be to you."
first_chair
"Well... if you're offering help more examples of magic to study would be good. Especially if there are safe ways to teleport or make portals."
of-the-ice-and-snow
"It would be unprecedented for vampiric manipulation to suddenly cause problems this long after being made, but unfortunately we knew there were strains of vampire out there we've never seen, and if we only knew of four of the common five, the fifth's capabilities would be unprecedented as well. It would help significantly if you assented to a medical exam with a witch watching."
"There are ways to teleport, all of them magical and none of them safe. The most reliable for more than a few yards allows armies to march thousands of miles overnight but typically loses a tenth of their men who wander slightly out of step and disappear, and they are almost never seen again, though sometimes they crop up on a continent that allows them to buy passage home."
