John walked smugly, and stiffly, into the room. Todd stood before him, stoic as ever. John rolled his shoulders, trying to relieve the stiffness from his earlier jumper roll. Then he sauntered up to the bars and poked the shield, causing it to crackle. He smirked before he said, "We took care of the hive ship."

Todd didn't flinch. He had heard the news already. When he saw John Sheppard enter he assumed he was there to gloat. Of course he'd been right. He kept his composure remaining stoically calm. He had to remain calm if he ever wanted to leave. He also knew it infuriated John Sheppard, which was a good enough reason in itself. After another brief stare down, John turned and left.

Ella had never wandered so far before. She looked around, knowing she should get back so the others wouldn't worry about her, but she let curiosity push her onward. She stopped when she heard someone. She wasn't sure if she was supposed to be in this part of the city. Hugging the shadows, she peeked around the corner in time to see John angrily stalking out of a room. Intrigued, she waited for him to round the corner, then slowly approached the room. She saw two marines and Todd. 'So that's where he's been,' she thought. Still hugging the shadows, she noiselessly slipped into the room.

"Radek, if you don't shut up, so help me."

Radek laughed in his unique Czech way at Rodney's voice. It amused him to no end, and that bothered Rodney. A lot.

"Radek, shut up."

Hearing Rodney's voice again did nothing but send Radek into another fit of laughter. The others in the commissary were beginning to stare. John stalked in, grabbed a bowl of Jell-o, and took a seat next to Rodney.

"Sheppard, will you tell Zelenka to stop being so childish?"

"What is he doing?"

Meanwhile Radek was trying unsuccessfully to stifle his laughter. Rodney glared and pointed.

"That."

John looked over at Radek and smiled as he took a bite of his Jell-o.

"Nah, I'm good."

Ronon wobbled into the infirmary, taking everyone by surprise. There wasn't any blood, no banged up marine following behind him. He made his way over to a bed as Keller rushed to his side.

"Ronon, what's wrong?"

"I think I ate something ba-" He was cut off as he reached for a bucket and hurled. Jennifer grimaced and handed him a towel. He gratefully took it and wiped the edge of his mouth.

"Never mind, I feel better now." Ronon stood to leave, but Doctor Keller put a hand firmly on his chest to stop him.

"Oh no, you don't. I need to check you for food poisoning and a few other things." She handed the bucket Ronon had barfed in to one of her nursed and smiled as he laid down.

"Just relax."

Ronon grunted and laid back against the pillow.

Ella reached for her gun, then changed her mind and reached into one of the lower pockets on her pants. She pulled out a small, sunset red nut out of her pocket. Kawi nuts, native to Sateda, had been one of her favorite playthings as a child. A smile slowly crept over her lips as she flicked the nut at the first guard, knocking him out. The second guard turned to look at the first and received a nut to the neck, knocking him out also. Ella reminded herself she had ten minutes, then walked into the dim light around a very stunned Todd's containment cell.

"Hello."

Todd looked suspicious. "Ella Dex. Why are you here?"

"Curiousity, really. I was wandering the halls when I heard noises and decided to come check it out. Why are you here?" Ella smiled mischievously.

Todd couldn't help the smile that slid across his face. This human was witty, and it amused him. "Actually, I come here far too often. I was contemplating asking for a more comfortable chair."

Ella threw her head back and laughed heartily. Then her face straightened. "Wait, are you serious?"

Todd smiled again. "Perhaps."

Ella's smile changed from a sarcastic one to a genuinely happy one and her eyes twinkled in the dim light. She didn't understand it, but this wraith seemed. . . human. She tried to shake the feeling as she turned away. "See you later, Todd."

John walked into the infirmary and smiled at Docter Keller. "How's our patient?"

Jennifer smiled back and glanced over at Ronon. He was ignoring a nurse who was telling him not to play with his knife. "He's okay. He had a pretty bad case of food poisoning, and I'm pretty sure the roll you guys took in the jumper didn't help, but he's recovering quite nicely. Just impatient."

Ella walked in and slipped past Sheppard, who had kind of stopped in the doorway. She headed to Ronon's bed, shooing the nurse away, and sat down beside him. John couldn't hear what they were saying, but the worry on Ronon's face had him worried. He excused himself and headed to the bed, just in time to hear the last of the conversation.

"I don't want you to go back there." Ronon's voice was gruff and as serious as he had ever heard his friend.
"What's going on here?"

Ella looked away from Sheppard, but Ronon's stare made her talk.

"I saw Todd."

Sheppard's questioning look made her continue.

"I was walking in the lower parts of the city, just to get away. I heard you and went to check it out. The security guards will be coming to the infirmary any minute now with slight headaches. I stayed and talked to Todd, but only for a minute." Ella mustered a weak smile, but avoided John and Ronon's gazes.

John sighed.

This was as hard, if not harder, than keeping an eye on Ronon. Luckily, she hadn't hurt anything.

He took his last thought back as two marines came into the infirmary rubbing their heads. Each had a small red welt on their neck. John looked at Ella, who shrugged and smiled back sheepishly.

"Listen Ella. You have free run of the city unless the marines stop you. Please don't knock anymore of my men out."

Ella nodded. With that Sheppard sighed and left.

Rodney typed away angrily at his computer. He wasn't mad at the computer. It was the rest of the city that had thrown him into an irate frenzy. His fingers froze when he heard a noise behind him. He whirled around to see Ella on the stool behind him playing with an Ancient artifact.

"What do you think you're doing?" He was seething now, and was about ready to take out his anger on the newest Satedan.

"I've seen this before."

Rodney forgot his anger as his mouth dropped open in curious surprise. "You have?"

It was a small gauntlet shaped object colored the same bland grayish as every other Ancient object. Ella slipped it on and it gently tightened to fit snugly on her wrist. A smile slid across both of their faces as Doctor Zelenka walked in.

"It works!" Rondey and Ella exclaimed together, leaving Zelenka confused.

"What works?" Zelenka asked with his thick Czech accent.

Rodney was first to reply, sounding overly confident. "It's a-well, a thing. But it works!"

Ella rolled her eyes and slid off her stool. "It's only known use so far is a sort of stimulant. The person wearing it doesn't have to sleep as long, eat as much, or put as much effort into daily tasks."

Radek nodded, then turned towards the door. "Well, Mr. Woolsey wanted me to come and get you guys. Let's go."

And now things get interesting...

A/N: I will not be uploading as promptly as with the last story. It will probably be once a week. Unless I feel generous. :)