It's hard to call our communication friendly, but at least it wasn't hostile. And no small merit in that belonged to our familiar Runner, who had already cautiously told about the circumstances of our acquaintance.
Thanks to him for keeping quiet about the invisible ship and other interesting details.
"We don't seek trade with those we don't know," Teyla said after we sipped the tea. The brew, despite the leaves floating in the mug, turned out to be an order of magnitude better than anything I'd tried on Earth. And I'd tried quite a few types of tea, being not just a lover of this drink but a cool pro in dealing with it. "However, Alvar Jensen vouches for you."
"Seems he's respected among your people," I noted, taking a sip of the warming drink. Not only is it strong and clears the head, it really invigorates body and spirit. Energy drink rests. "Interesting, for what merits?"
"Our peoples traded not long before the attack on my world," the Runner explained. "The first world I went to after what the Wraith did to me was Athos."
"Our healers tried to help him. But unsuccessfully," Emmagan seconded. "However, you succeeded. Though Alvar says you're not a healer."
"Well, a bit of luck and ingenuity," I smiled. "And, no hiding it—I couldn't wait to help a man who could help me find decent tea in this galaxy."
Laughter sounded at the table.
Everyone smiled and chuckled, including Jensen.
Only Chaya was silent, diligently hiding under the table a scanner on whose screen her fingers fluttered. No matter how I nudged her, the girl didn't react. And her occupation clearly attracted attention.
"I like open people who don't wish harm," Teyla confessed. "We prefer to trade with such."
"Lucky to be good," I smiled.
No, unrestrained fun wasn't pouring out of me like from a cornucopia. Suspecting the Athosians of the tea being not just tea would be stupid. Of course, local plants, including tea and that reed whose juice was used as a sweetener, could affect my body non-standardly, but I just liked communicating with these simple people.
After conversations with the Ascended, where it turned out a dagger was hidden behind every smile, talking with the kind and open Athosians literally warmed the soul. And I didn't want to chatter endlessly. Or give away secrets. It didn't make me sleepy... In one word, no side effects.
"Exactly," Teyla agreed. "People are quite ambiguous now. Let the Wraith sleep, but they come periodically... A few months ago their 'Darts' attacked us and took many Athosians," the faces of those present darkened. "Though we tried to fight and flee, the forces were unequal. They surpass us—and all people we know. Recently they repeated their raid—and there are even fewer left."
Two raids in a few months?
Hmm... And there was no such thing in the series.
Oh, dummy!
Of course not! Because after the first raid, on the same day the expedition arrived at Atlantis, the Wraith attacked Athos, the locals fled to the city and didn't appear on their home planet anymore. Logically, other raids weren't covered—they simply weren't known about.
"I think we have a solution to make you a bit more combat-ready," I threw out the bait.
"Really?" Jensen looked at me in surprise. "Didn't you say your people can't give us your weapons because of some gene?"
"What?" Chaya stirred. "What's the gene and blasters got to do with it?"
"Exactly," I put my hand on my companion's shoulder, urging her to be quiet. "But I'm not talking about our weapons. No offense, but they're quite complex to handle. It would take a lot of time to understand the principles of their operation. And repairing them is even more difficult."
"Then what are you talking about?" Teyla asked.
"I remember when we met last time, you had a good rifle," I recalled, looking at Jensen.
"My weapon is still with me," he said. "But the problem is that only cartridges produced on my planet suit it. There are quite a few firearms in the galaxy, but calibers differ. Our weapons used large and special cartridges to increase lethality. And all factories producing them were destroyed by the Wraith. Maybe if I return to my homeland, I can find a couple-three rifles or guns under the rubble, a couple crates of cartridges... But that hardly suffices for a good fight with Wraith ground forces."
"That's why Chaya is with me," I explained, looking at the girl. "What do you think, can we organize firearm production by studying a few samples?"
"You can do that?" Emmagan was amazed. "That would be wonderful. We asked for weapons from the rulers of Jensen's people, but they refused, said our development level won't allow understanding the mechanisms."
"The design of any firearm is thousands of times simpler than a blaster device," Chaya told, tearing away from her occupation. "I think talking about a full factory is out of the question. But a small workshop producing small batches can definitely be organized. The question is energy costs and resources for producing casings, moving parts, and so on."
Teyla and Alvar exchanged glances.
"You're not joking?" the former Runner asked.
"Absolutely not," I said. "The Wraith cause trouble for almost all people. And in my opinion, people have the right to defend themselves."
"Then why not do something better?" Jensen couldn't hold back. "Your blasters are much more powerful. Even a large-caliber rifle needs several cartridges to take down a Wraith. Your weapon," he pointed to the Lantean blaster resting in the holster on his thigh, "needs much less. You killed Wraith with one hit."
"Want me to remind you how many shots it took for one hit?" I parried. "Not to mention other conditions."
"Quiet, friends," Teyla said conciliatorily. "We're gathered here not to quarrel."
"Well noted," I said. "If Alvar doesn't mind showing the planet, we'll inspect everything there, look for weapon samples and try to produce as much as needed so Athosians feel protected."
"I understand what you're doing," Jensen said. "You don't want to give me and these people your weapons. Instead of us fighting better and more efficiently, you want to complicate everything."
"That's just how it seems to you," I objected.
The guy clearly didn't intend to continue the verbal fencing.
"Alvar, please calm down," Teyla said. "We're just having a conversation. And my people wouldn't mind powerful weapons against the Wraith."
"But this weapon, for which my people paid with their blood," Jensen said. "And I know Misha and Chaya can give us all much more."
"Perhaps we'll talk about it someday," Emmagan noted peaceably. "Now we're just discussing the possibility of helping each other."
She looked at me.
"So I understand the weapons you supply won't be free for my people?" she clarified.
"We would like that," I said, "but it's not that simple. Our resources are limited, so..."
"What do you want in return?" she asked.
"Food," I said. "Not too much, no more than for five hundred people... Every month."
Teyla looked a bit stunned. Jensen—interested, the other Athosians—a bit less friendly than before.
Here Chaya kicked me under the table. And if she did it neatly like me, fine. But no, the armored elements clanged against each other, attracting general attention.
"I don't think we'll need that much," Chaya said quickly.
"No, we will," with my voice I made her understand not to contradict. Damn, I should have discussed it all beforehand. But I leaned toward the girl not interfering in the conversation. "We need to think about everyone."
"Isn't that too much?" Sar made "scary eyes."
"Just right," I cut off, returning to Teyla. "Is that possible?"
"It's..." she hesitated. "It won't be easy. After the Wraith raid a day and a half ago, our people lost many breadwinners and workers... I don't think we can help you. We have many elders whom the Wraith don't seek to take..."
Chaya and I looked at each other.
A day and a half ago?
Sounds too familiar.
"Elders have little life force," Jensen explained. "As I understand, Wraith pilots during collection focus on fast-moving targets."
"Not only," Chaya said. "They have quite advanced scanners that allow determining human body parameters."
"Is that so?" Teyla was interested. "We didn't know."
"We didn't either," Chaya sighed. "Until certain sad moments in our history..."
"Perhaps it's worth sharing such valuable information?" Jensen creaked. "If the Wraith can track people selectively... Means they can hunt for a specific person?"
"In theory it's possible," Chaya nodded. "Moreover, their harvesting beam can be tuned to ignore obstacles or specific object parameters, so..."
"Afraid even without the transmitter they can track you?" I figured out the man's worry reason.
"Not without it," he said. "Teyla, I don't think my presence here will be useful further. There's a chance that during the last raid the Wraith could have noticed me here. Sorry, I thought Mikhail and his people could help you," he looked at me searchingly. "But seems it's not in his power. I can't risk exposing the Athosians with my presence."
"Or they could understand you were here from the weapon you used," Emmagan agreed. "Mikhail, sorry, but seems we can't agree. We'd be glad for the opportunity to protect ourselves more effectively, but... Weapons—that's too little for my people to toil in the fields without sparing themselves. Especially since the threat is growing."
"You know, Alvar, my offer to join is still in force," I said unobtrusively.
"As are my demands," the Runner replied.
"You're recruiting warriors?" Teyla was interested.
"We need people who know the planets of the galaxy well," I explained generally. "And ready, if necessary, to repel Wraith attacks if we have to fight."
"There are many valiant warriors among the Athosians," Teyla said. "We can fight. And we hate the Wraith with all our souls. Like all honest people in the Pegasus galaxy."
"Yes, but how much will your people weaken if we take their warriors for service to us?" I decided to cool the alien woman's ardor. "It may happen that you need help, and your people are far from home. That could create problems."
***
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