Fighting Passions - Ronon Dex - Stargate Atlantis

Common Ground PT. 2

"You've just crossed a line, Kolya." 

"We've found that a minimum of three hours between feeding sessions is crucial to ensure the body has sufficient time to recover from the trauma. That's the time you have to decide. Three hours." The screen goes black. 

We all sit in the conference room, except Ronon who just stands behind Ladon.

"Of course, you would see him only as the monster who tried to take your city from you."

"He didn't just try to take the city, Ladon." I start. "He also killed our people without remorse." 

"He would have killed Doctor Weir as well," Teyla adds. 

"I won't make excuses for his actions or mine during the failed Atlantis mission. We were soldiers under Cowan's orders. But that failure shattered Kolya's stature among the Genii. It forced him from Cowan's inner circle."

Elizabeth speaks out this time. "You managed to stay." 

"Cowan had no choice but to keep me. I was his chief scientist." 

"And you just left Kolya out in the cold," McKay observes, knowing he would never do that to Sheppard. 

"That was his choice, not mine. I will admit, in what little contact we had before Kolya went underground, he spoke of overthrowing Cowan's corrupt regime, and I was admittedly torn."

I raise an eyebrow. "Why? Was it your loyalty to Cowan?" 

"It was the belief that neither man had what it took to lead the Genii into the future." 

"So, instead you-" Rodney begins, clearly skeptical. "having what it took overthrew Cowan yourself." 

"Kolya believes that I have taken his rightful place as leader of our people." 

"No wonder he's pissed." Ronon comments. 

"Well, obviously he has men loyal to him in your inner circle. Hence the codes." 

"Well, those traitors will be found." 

Ronon, still not happy with Ladon, like the rest of us, states his observations. "Sounds like you're the traitor to me." 

"Must he be here?"

"Yes. He does, whether you like it or not, Ronon belongs here. And, the more you talk, the happier I am he's joined us." 

Clearly, my tongue-lashing got to Ladon because when he speaks next his voice sounds nervous and uncomfortable. 

"I could have told you anything. I chose to tell you the truth. If you trade my life for Sheppard's, you will not only be yielding to blackmail, but you will be planting the seeds of civil war." 

"So what?" The Sateaden asks. "I say we turn him over and let 'en fight it out." 

"We can't do that." Rodney objects.

"Oh, why not?"

"Because..." McKay stops and thinks. "Well.. can we?" 

"Colonel Sheppard has already ordered us not to," Teyla answers. 

Weir nods. "At this point, it's not his decision. There's still time for us to find him and launch a rescue operation. Has there been any progress?" 

"We have a list of planets where recent Genii activity's been documented, but we'd have a much higher margin of success if Ladon would be willing to point out firm locations of Genii safe houses and shelters, maybe even if hidden Wraith-infested torture chambers."