This post has the following content warnings:
View Flat HTML
View Metadata
Search Post
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
+ Show First Post
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."
first_chair
Rodney grimaces, "I would still be interested in observing examples if people are going to be using that magic anyways."
of-the-ice-and-snow
"A drawing of blood and preferably also bile, inspection of the eyes, skin, and teeth... Not sure what else, exactly. Nothing dangerous or slow to recover from. And Mr. McKay, I'll keep it in mind, but I will also pray that it isn't, because it's rarely used outside desperate times. No one in Kislev can do the shorter-range version, that's a Wizard trick and an advanced one, but I'll mention it if we are in contact with one who might know it."
greet_the_dawn
"A bile sample? I don't think any doctor or healer I've seen has had occasion to take one."
first_chair
Rodney just frowns and nods. If teleportation isn't on the table he'll need to think about what else might be close.
of-the-ice-and-snow
"You might call it something different? White bile, thin white fluid, I think it's drawn from under the arm, or near other joints? Necromantic corruption can be detected in it under some circumstances where the blood remains pure."
first_chair
"Hmm, joints... Oh, you mean lymph fluid." He turns to Teyla, "It should be about as safe as a blood draw as long as the needles are sterile."
not_so_golden_retriever
"We talked earlier about the parallels between stories on our world and realities here. In some stories blood and similar substances can be used with magic as a weapon against their source. Is that possible here and if so is that part of your intent?"
of-the-ice-and-snow
"I'm sure it's possible, with some ritual or other; I don't know any uncorrupted ritual for targeting someone with parts of their body, but I suspect creating vampires wouldn't work if that wasn't possible, that's the kind of principle that can be reused. I expect keeping such samples would reassure some of our paranoia, and that did occur to me, but if you wanted it kept in one place and then destroyed as soon as we were done with the tests we wanted, that would still be nearly as reassuring to be able to do."
She looks pleased that he called her on it, honestly.
greet_the_dawn
Teyla looks a little stricken at this revelation and nods firmly at Sheppard's statement.
of-the-ice-and-snow
"Then we will do that." And honestly this is a helpful reaction from Teyla, she's either a truly fantastic actor or a terrible one. If she actually lets them do it, it will be sleeper agent or nothing, nearly for sure.
a_new_center
"If we're all asking about things, I'd be interested in a few spars. See how your people fight."
from-the-land
"I think that can be arranged. It's not like I'm not curious how you fight."
of-the-ice-and-snow
"I don't spar with strange men but if you're curious maybe one of the Maidens will."
a_new_center
"I'm happy to spar with whoever, long as we're not trying to kill each other."
from-the-land
"Then that can happen. Is there anything we could do to help you find where you are? Maps and star charts, or whatever passes for them when you can hop galaxies?"
first_chair
"Star charts would only help if we're in a galaxy we have records of and you have spectrum data. I'm also starting to suspect we're not in the same reality."
