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Sanctuary
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Kai was in the gym when she received an alert that AR-1 was on their way back to Atlantis. Their Jumper had sustained some damage in an altercation with the Wraith and would be in need of repair. It had been weeks since anything of interest happened around Atlantis. After the outbreak, Weir had pulled all the science teams back from exploring the city until they could repair the sensors in the damaged areas so they wouldn't by surprised by another pathogen. Zelenka had been hard at work on the problem and there was little Kai could do to help him. She had been spending most of her time working in the Jumper Bay.

Kai changed quickly in the locker room, pulling her mechanic's jumpsuit on over her leggings and customary black shirt. She tied the arms around her waist and looped her scarf around her head so it would keep her hair out of her face as she worked.

Major Sheppard, Teyla, McKay and a strange woman were just exiting towards the gate room as she came in. She was absolutely stunning. Although she moved through their jumper bay without hesitation, she wore the simple, soft shift of a primitive culture. The blue fabric clung to her curves and yet flowed around her as she moved.

The strange woman paused for a moment at the top of the stairs, her gaze meeting Kai's. A frown formed above her chocolate colored eyes as the moment stretched between them. The Major said something to the woman and she turned back to him, flashing a radiant smile.

Kai blinked and shook off the strange moment. Lieutenant Ford hung back when he saw her.

"We took fire from two darts," he told her. "It for sure damaged the weapons systems, not sure what else."

Kai nodded, brushing a strand of hair that had slipped free back from her face with the back of her hand. "Sounds good, I'll take a look," she said with a smile, although a dull, pulsing pain had started in her temples.

"McKay tried to fix it, not sure what he did," Ford said apologetically.

"I'll get to work," Kai said pulling her tablet out from under her arm. "I can contact him if I have any questions."

"Thanks Zian," Ford said.

"Who is the visitor?" She couldn't help asking. It was rare for any of the teams to bring back visitors.

Ford turned and when he saw they weren't in earshot he snorted. "Some
Priestess named Chaya. Their planet is protected from the Wraith but she claims her goddess won't allow us to use it as an evac site," Ford rolled his eyes.

"Her goddess?" Kai clarified.

"Athar," Ford rolled his eyes again.

"Can't say I've heard of her," Kai said stepping up toward the jumper. "Why is she here?"

Ford shrugged trailing behind Zian. "The Major thinks he can talk her into it."

Kai stepped into the jumper and plugged her tablet into the rear command controls. She scowled, there was a fair amount of damage. She forced the weapons pod to open and stepped out of the jumper to inspect it. "Do you?" She asked distractedly when the pod didn't open all the way.

"Well, she claims her goddess is pretty set in her decision but he can be convincing."

"Yes, the Major does seem to think he's rather good a charming women," she agreed, she had seen the major use his charming smile to get his way more than once.

She grunted as she jerked the pod open manually. She wrinkled her nose and laid down on the creeper, sliding beneath it to assess the damage.

Ford snorted. "He's pretty good, and she is hot as hell, but she's also crazy pants. There's no way."

Kai slid back out from under the pod and looked up at the young soldier. "Crazy pants?" She asked, arching a brow.

"Yeah, you know, insane...not right in the head..."

Kai nodded and slid back under the pod.

"Well, I better get to the debriefing, thanks Zian!" He called to her over his shoulder as he trotted to catch up to the others.

Kai stared after them frowning. It was odd they had brought someone back with them. She shrugged it off, she had work to do and a beginnings of a serious headache.

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"Hold still, just a minute more," Beckett said as Chaya lay beneath the scanner. He imputed the information into his laptop. "Well my dear," Beckett said as the machine powered down. "It seems you are as lovely on the inside as you are on the out," he said with a charming smile.

"You can get up now," Beckett told the beautiful brunette as the computer began analyzing all the information it had just gathered. Weir had requested he be as thorough as possible while being non-invasive. He had only drawn a small amount of blood, otherwise he was left with the Atlantian scanner for much of his data.

Chaya sat up, her skirt flowing around her. "How does this device do what you say it does?" she asked in confusion.

"It creates images of the tissues inside your body," Beckett explained. "And they are, picture perfect," he told her with a reassuring smile.

The priestess looked around the infirmary in wonder. There was almost a child-like innocence to her as she stared at all the machines surrounding them.

"Did you bring these machines back from your world?" Chaya asked.

"Some," Beckett said putting his hands in his pockets. "Others are Atlantian technology that we've figured out how to use and a few...well," he confided. "I haven't the vaguest idea what they do," he chuckled. "Hopefully one day I'll have a chance to meet one and I'll ask them myself."

Chaya looked down at her skirt, fidgeting with the flowing blue fabric. "Do you know what happened to them? The Atlantians I mean," she clarified.

"Well, some returned to Earth after the war with the wraith. That much we know. But we also know that some of them Ascended."

"Ascended?" she asked sitting demurely with her hands in her lap.

Beckett nodded. "To a higher plane, where they exist only as energy. Only recently we've discovered that some stayed on in the Pegasus Galaxy to fight the wraith. Warrior Ancients Teyla called them," he said with a laugh as he shook his head.

Chaya sat forward on the bench with interest. "How do you know this?" she asked intently.

"Well, one of our people, Kai, we sort of took her in after she helped us. It turns out her people, the Mortii, are direct descendants from the 'Warrior Ancients'. She's nearly genetically identical despite thousands of years. It's very exciting."

"Does she-" Chaya started to ask, but the infirmary door hissed open in that moment and John stuck his head in. 

"Are we done?" John asked smiling at Chaya.

Chaya turned back to Beckett. "Are we?"

Becknett turned back to Chaya. "Healthiest patient I've ever had," he said with a warm smile. "Off you go, love."

Chaya touched his arm as she passed him, giving it a warm squeeze. She met John at the door.

"Shall we?" he asked offering her his arm.

She smiled in appreciation and followed John on a tour of Atlantis.

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That evening John ran into Teyla as the two of them were leaving the mess hall. Teyla had two bottles of water in hand and John was carrying a large basket.

"Hungry Major?" Teyla asked, glancing meaningfully towards the large parcel of food.

"Well..." John began uncomfortably. His eyes widened, he felt like a teenager getting caught out after curfew. "Ah-Doctor Weir wanted me to make sure Chaya saw everything," John explained to Teyla.

"Everything?" Teyla asked in surprise.

"Well not everything, everything," John admitted shifting the basket to his other hand. "Chaya mentioned she wanted to see the best view of the city at night which I think is the top of the southwest pier, and since it's such a long walk, I thought I would bring alone a few provisions-" he rambled. He wasn't sure why he felt like he had to justify himself to Teyla, but he did.

Teyla suppressed a smile. "Continuing our efforts to secure a treaty," she finished for him.

"Exactly," John said quickly.

"As our ambassador," she teased.

John nodded too many times, resting his hand on his chest. "I am an ambassador and she is a...diplomat."

Teyla nodded knowingly. "On a late-night...picnic?" she clarified.

John's eyes widened guiltily. "Yes," he said slowly.

Teyla chuckled and then stopped, turning to face him with a serious expression. "I know that as ranking military officer here on Atlantis, that you feel a heavy burden of responsibility..."

John nodded uncomfortably, he wasn't quite sure where Teyla was going with this.

"But you are allowed to have feelings for others," she pointed out, knowing full well the major would be uncomfortable at even the thought of discussing those feelings.

John chuckled nervously. "Oh, no...this is a...ambassadorial, diplomatic... picnic... outing... thing..." he dragged off, shrugging nonchalantly.

"-without having to justify them to any one else." She filled in meaningfully.

John chewed on his lip. Chaya was a beautiful woman who was obviously interested in him. He had spent the day with her, but this felt different.

"If you'd excuse me," Teyla said as she realized how uncomfortable the Major had become. "I'm going to be late to spar with Kai."

"Zian..." John said continuing to nod as his thoughts flickered to the mortii. He scowled as he thought about her. He wasn't sure why he was suddenly so uncomfortable. "Good, good," he dragged off. He cleared his throat and his eyes flickered down the hall towards freedom.

Teyla smiled knowingly. "Good night Major," she called teasingly. "Good luck."

John kept nodding as the other woman walked away. "Right. Good night Teyla..." he said

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John and Chaya were sitting out on the blanket he brought on the southwest pier staring up at the stars as they ate their Ambassadorial diplomatic picnic. He had been around plenty of gorgeous women before, but there was something odd about Chaya, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. It should have been a romantic moment, but John had been tense since he ran into Teyla.

"Mmm," she said appreciatively. "This is delicious."

"Well appreciate it while you can, because it's the last one we got," he said with a smile.

"Then I am honored," she said smiling.

John reclined back on his side, trying to force himself to be comfortable. "When McKay finds out he's going to kill me," he joked.

"Athar will save you," Chaya promised with a flirty smile.

"Oh, good," John said, flashing her his most charming smile. There was something off. He just couldn't quite put his finger on it. Here he was, laying out under the stars with a beautiful woman and he just wasn't focused.

Chaya took another bite. "Such wonderous things, I can't imagine doing anything but wanting to eat all the time with such a variety of foods."

"Well, we manage to pull ourselves away somehow..." he dragged off, rubbing at the center of his chest.

Chaya watched him with interest, her eyes narrowing slightly. When he became distracted she quickly changed the subject. "I've been learning much about earth. Doctor Weir got me on one of your information machines."

John arched his brows. "Elizabeth's got you on a computer already, huh?" he asked.

"I am fascinated by your many religions. So many beliefs. So many philosophies."

"Yeah," John agreed noncommittally, popping food into his mouth so he wouldn't have to talk about religion. He wasn't an atheist, he had seen too much to be able to definitively rule anything out, but he had no time for organized religion. In his experience it just gave people another reason to go to war.

"So many contradictory faiths," Chaya continued, seemingly unaware of his discomfort.

"Yeah, it's a bit of a mess," he agreed sitting up. He picked up the jug of Athosian wine. "More?" he asked.

"Yes, please," she said with a smile.

He leaned forward and filled her glass. "We ah, traded for grapes. The Athosian's, Teyla's people, they make this on the mainland."

Chaya stared into John's eyes as she sipped her wine. There was something in the way that she looked at him that reminded him of something. He couldn't quite place it however, and whenever he tried to focus on it his thoughts scattered.

"I wasn't completely truthful with you about something," Chaya confessed. "On Proculis, when I told you that I do not feel lonely...coming here, and being with you...it reminded me of what it was like not to be alone..." she dragged off sadly, looking up at the stars.

The lights from the city illuminated her honey skin and chocolate colored eyes, but John caught his mind wandering to another set of eyes. He pushed himself to his feet, banishing the thought immediately, he couldn't even considering the idea. He refocused on the beautiful woman in front of him and how to get himself out of the situation he had managed to get tangled in.

"You know," he said brushing his hands off on his pants. "It's getting late and it's a long walk back to the tower..."

Chaya's mouth flattened and she looked confused for a split second before she rose elegantly to her feet. "Of course," she said with a demure smile. "Lead the way John."

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Kai had finished up in the jumper bay and gone straight back to the gym to meet Teyla. She was exhausted, but all day long the headache had been nagging at her. She had thought sparring would help ease the tension but it had only made it worse. Now she found herself wandering the halls of Atlantis late in the evening. She scrubbed a hand over her eyes. She had hoped a walk would clear her head and allow her to get some sleep, but it didn't seem to be helping. Her favorite spot in the city was the southwest pier, perhaps some fresh air would ease the pain.

"Kai," McKay said in surprise as she stepped around the corner. "What are you doing up so late?" he asked glancing behind her.

"I have a migraine," she said. "Was hoping a walk would clear it up," she said suspiciously. "What are you doing all the way out here?"

"Oh same, same," he stammered. Kai arched a brow and he grunted. "Just...helping keep and eye on our guest and Major Sheppard."

"Major Sheppard?" Kai asked, not understanding why the military commander needed McKay looking out for him.

He nodded distractedly as the door to the pier hissed open behind them.

Kai turned, frowning at the sight of the beautiful stranger accompanying Major Sheppard. Something shifted in her chest and she scowled. The Major held out his hand, ushering her ahead of him in an over the top show of chivalry.

"I know right?" McKay grumbled stepping up next to her.

"I'm sorry, what?" Kai asked, glancing towards the scientist.

"Well, we both know there's clearly more to her than meets the eye. I mean who is falling for her innocent priestess routine anyway?" He grumbled.

"Priestess?" Kai asked. "From what planet?"

"They call it Proculis," McKay informed her.

"Never heard of it," Kai said and her scowl deepened as she stared at the woman. As though she could sense her presence the woman turned to look at her. The woman's eyes narrowed for a millisecond and she turned back to the Major. She leaned into him, resting her finger tips against his chest. She said something in a low tone and he looked towards Kai and McKay.

Kai's headache was getting worse from her clenching her jaw.

"Quick look busy," McKay said pulling out his tablet and holding it between them. Kai looked down at the screen frowning at the virtual cards and the name written across the top.

"So THAT'S solitaire!" She exclaimed, pointing down at it.

McKay groaned.

"Teaching her to play solitaire McKay?" Sheppard teased as he and Chaya approached. "I knew that's what you science geeks did all day."

"Major," McKay greeted, shifting his tablet under his arm. "Chaya," he said nodding curtly in her direction.

"Chaya was curious about Kai, she wanted to meet her," John said by way of explanation.

Chaya stepped forward offering her hand. "It's wonderful to meet someone from another planet. Doctor Beckett tells me your people are descendants from the Atlantians."

"According to legend," Kai said frowning as she looked back and forth between McKay and the Major. She wasn't sure where the tension between them was coming from. She took Chaya's offered hand and stiffened.

Chaya's eyes were intense as they stared into Kai's. Kai wanted to look away, but she was rooted to the ground. She grimaced, but Sheppard was too busy giving McKay a hard time for either of them to notice.

Kai's heart started thundering in her ears. Instead of the hard telepathic nudge she had experienced recently it felt like a drone exploded behind her eyes and ears. She sucked in a breath as pain radiated from her temples. She would have collapsed to her knees if she weren't locked in place by an invisible force.

Chaya stared at her, looking startled. "You-" she started to say, but John turned back to her.

"Ready to get going?" He asked. "It's getting late, and I'm sure McKay and Zian have a lot of work to get done."

Chaya yanked her hand back as though she had been burned. "Yes, lets," Chaya said quickly turning back to John, and the two of them walked off.

When they were about a hundred feet away the pressure released in Kai's mind. She staggered forward and would have fallen had McKay not caught her arm.

"Are you okay?" He asked in confusion.

Kai was panting as she stared after the two of them. "I think you're right McKay," she grimaced and a small trickle of blood came out of her nose.

McKay's eyes widened. "I think we should get you to the infirmary."

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I hope you enjoyed the update!