SGA: Negotiations

[cat_77]

I was trolling through people's journals over the past few days, both looking for stories and fic requests to spark some ideas.  ileliberterequested team fic with Teyla playing a prominent role.  This is what I came up with:

Title:  Negotiations
Rating:  PG to PG-13
Season/Spoilers:  Season 2 or so
Synopsis:  Teyla makes what she considers a fair trade.
Disclaimer:  I don't own them, people with a lot of money do.

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Teyla nodded politely at the council member’s words, pleased with the agreement that was reached.  It would benefit both parties, which was both equitable and beneficial to the secondary task of gaining allies in this portion of the galaxy.  It had been a hard sell, and some of what was offered in return was very tempting, but she had done her duty and turned down what was not strictly needed and in return saved what Atlantis considered rather valuable assets.

 

“Are you certain you will not change your mind?” Amaris asked once again.  “Our sherin salts are highly sought after and we are willing to contribute an additional two bushels of coraki to sweeten the deal.”

 

Teyla could not help but grin at the woman’s play on words.  The coraki was a versatile plant in which the seeds were often crushed and mixed with other ingredients to make little treats while the sturdy leaves were fermented and steeped into a tea often drunk at special events.  Her father had taught her to brew the concoction herself, while her mother made the most delicious pastries out of the seeds.  She would have to content herself with the three bushels already agreed upon along with the more hardy grains and tubers.  Perhaps, if she were lucky, the cooks would allow her one or two of the pod-like plants to attempt to recreate her childhood memories.

 

“You make a very enticing offer, but I must decline,” she insisted.  “My alari are simply too dear to me to part with,” she added, smiling benevolently down at the three men kneeling at her feet.  One had the audacity to glare at her, and she was certain she was apologetic when she shifted her weight and the edge of her boot unfortunately collided with his fingers.

 

“I can understand why,” Amaris agreed, eying the trio wistfully.  “If you had not stepped forward to advise that they were your own alari, I would have been most tempted to take them for my own.”

 

Teyla knew this well, both from the repeated attempts for trade and from the large contingent of Amaris’ soldiers she had found surrounding her teammates when she had simply stepped aside to examine one of the textiles in the marketplace.  She saw Rodney opening his mouth to respond to the council member and, unfortunately, shifted her foot once again.  “I am greatly pleased that we were able to reach such a fair agreement, even without the additional... incentives,” she said diplomatically.

 

“As am I,” the other woman admitted, granting them with a beautiful smile.  “If you will permit me, I will arrange transportation for the sample goods you are to bring to your people.  I am confident they will be to your satisfaction and look forward to receiving the wondrous information you have agreed to share and the assistance in training our new healer.  Asani is so young, only Heli’s apprentice when she passed on, but is more than willing to learn if you give her the opportunity.”

 

“We are more than happy to teach, as well as learn of your local remedies,” Teyla assured her.  With a respectful bow of her head, she watched the council member leave to get things sorted.

 

As expected, the door had barely closed when she head the first voice.  “You weren’t actually going to trade us, were you?” Rodney asked.  He plopped backwards onto the floor, stretching his legs and rubbing what were most likely bruised knees.  “I know my knowledge is highly prized, but I really doubt I would be useful slave labor.  Unless, of course, it was labor of a, um, pleasurable type?  Some of the women here are drop dead gorgeous.  Of course, why would they go for me when they can have Kirk or He-Man, I don’t know, but...”

 

Thankfully, Sheppard cut him off before he could dig himself too much deeper.  “Just what are these sherin salts and coraki anyways?” he asked as he tried to get the kinks out of his own muscles.

 

Teyla leaned back against the negotiation table, crossing her arms before her.  “The sherin salts are used most often in cleansing rituals, but do have a very therapeutic effect when added to heated water.”

 

“Bath salts?” Rodney sputtered.  “She offered you bath salts for us?”

 

Teyla carefully hid a twitch of her lips at his indignation.  “The coraki seeds are used to make items similar to the breakfast goods Lieutenant Torasen provided for our morning meal last week.  The leaves are brewed into something similar to the ‘Molson’ you let me try at our last gathering,” she explained.

 

“You turned down chocolate croissants and beer for us?” John asked, surprised.  He reached over and wrapped his arms around her, which was a bit awkward considering he was still on the floor and she was still leaning against the table.  Resting his head against the only part of her hip not covered with knives or ammo, he crowed, “You do care about us!”

 

She rested her hand in his hair and tried unsuccessfully not to chuckle.  “Yes, Colonel, she cares about us enough not to trade us into slavery,” Rodney commented, rolling his eyes.  “We, ah, do to,” he finished with a bit less bravado.

 

Sheppard smirked at McKay being sentimental, but added, “We all care about each other; it’s that whole ‘team’ thing, right?”

 

The three of them nodded, then looked expectantly over to where Ronon had been sitting quietly next to them on the floor up until this point.  He met their gaze, barely raising an eyebrow before asking, “Do you think they would settle for one or two of the scientists?”

 

End.
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Please let me know what you think.