Chapter 2: Ghosts
The settlement was nothing more than a collection of around ten roughly built wooden huts situated in a large field. Clouds of gray smoke billowed up from the numerous fires that were scattered between the dwellings, giving the whole village a hazy appearance. At first John thought the place was empty. If it hadn’t been for the fires he would have assumed it had been deserted for a while.
It was only after the team had passed the first hut that the community’s inhabitants began to make themselves known. They trickled out of their homes slowly: the men first, followed cautiously by the women and even a few children. They were simply dressed in obviously homemade clothing and all showed signs of people who had to work hard for their living. The villagers eyed the newcomers warily. Several of the men carried weapons of a fashion, and out of the corner of his eye John saw Ronon arrange himself so his gun would be within easy reach. Sincerely hoping that wouldn’t be necessary, John cautiously lifted his left hand and held it up. “Hi folks.” There was no response. “We’re explorers. We came through the stargate.” He pointed back the way they had come. “...the Ring of the Ancestors?” Still silence. “Okay then...” Not a word came out of their audience’s mouths, and John was just about to order his team to back off when one of the villagers called out.
“It is alright. They are not of the lomya.”
At that announcement quiet chatter broke out. John looked at his team. They exchanged surprised glances at the settlers sudden change in attitude. Ronon still looked suspicious. The man who had spoken walked up to them. He was redheaded and tall, though still shorter than Ronon, and sported a close trimmed auburn beard. “Welcome,” he said with a bow.
John awkwardly returned the gesture, “Um... thanks.”
Rodney suddenly piped up. “Not meaning to be rude or anything, but what exactly are the lomya?”
“All in good time.” The man held out his arm towards one of the fires. “Please, come and sit,” He sat down on a roughly crafted seat and after a moments hesitation, John and the others followed. They were offered refreshment, which they politely refused. Thankfully not offended, the man simply took a drink for himself and took a sip before he spoke. “I am sorry for the harsh welcome. We do not receive visitors from other worlds very often.” He inclined his head towards them. “My name is Derlin, the leader of this settlement.”
“Nice to meet you, Derlin. I’m Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard; this is Dr. Rodney McKay and Ronon Dex.”
Derlin acknowledged each introduction with a nod. “What brings you here? We have little to trade.”
“We’re explorers,” said Rodney. “We search for knowledge...and one of the things we’d like to know is what are these lomya?”
A female voice joined in the conversation. “They are ghosts.” A dark haired woman walked up to their fire and sat down beside Derlin.
“This is my wife, Shanna,” he said. The team nodded hello.
“What exactly do you mean when you say ghosts?” asked Rodney, a slight note of unease in his voice.
“They are not really spirits of the dead,” said Derlin, “but we call them that because they are not...” He seemed to be searching for a word, “... natural.” Seeing his guests wanted more of an explanation, he continued. “The lomya are... cold. They look like normal humans, but it is as if there is something missing. Their faces are like stone - hard and without feeling.”
“It is like they are not alive,” said Shanna, “yet they walk and speak like the rest of us.” A shiver ran through her at the thought and her husband put his arm around her shoulders.
John looked at Rodney. “Sound familiar?” McKay nodded unhappily.
“What are they doing here?” wondered Ronon.
“I don’t know, but we need to find out,” said John. He turned to Derlin, who was staring at them in shock.
“Wait, you know of the lomya?” he stammered.
“Unfortunately yes,” answered Rodney. “We call them Replicators.”
“And you’re right,” said John, “they’re not human. Can you tell us anything else? What have they been doing?, where are they at?, that sort of thing.”
Shanna shook her head. “We do not know why the lomya are here. They have only come through the village a few times. They last appeared around three weeks ago, and they have not returned since.”
“Any idea where they’re at?”
“Yes,” said Derlin, “ They have built a dwelling several miles from here, in the forest. I can take you there myself, should you wish it.”
“Whether they wish it or not, you are not going to take them,” declared Shanna. “I will.”
“No. Absolutely not. I do not want you going near that place."
John’s eyes went back and forth between the couple. Both looked equally determined that the other should stay put. “Um,” he put in carefully, “ I’m sure we could find our own way there if you just give us some directions.”
Derlin shook his head. “The way to the lomya is twisted and easily confusing to someone who does not know what they are looking for. You would need a guide.”
John glanced over at Ronon, who nodded silently, confirming that he would be able to find the trail. “I think we can manage.”
“Perhaps you could,” said Shanna, “but it is our responsibility to you as visitors to this world. You must accept our help.”
John realized he was backed into a corner. He didn’t want to risk offending these people. He met Shanna and Derlin’s gaze. They both looked very serious about the whole thing. “It could be dangerous,” he warned. “If something happens...”
“It will not be your fault,” assured Shanna. “And I will be very careful...”
“You are not going!”
“Derlin,” she said with a sigh, “you have responsibilities here that need you to stay. I have nothing to do that would prevent me from guiding these men.” He looked about to protest. She put a hand to the side of his face and locked eyes with him. “It will be fine, I promise. If it will make you feel more comfortable I will not go all the way to the camp with them. I promise it will be fine.”
John saw the exact moment when Derlin gave in to his wife. The tension in the man’s muscles released and he sighed in resignation. “Very well.” She kissed him and turned to the team.
“When do you wish to leave?”
“As soon as possible.” Shanna nodded and went to prepare, leaving Derlin by the fire. A few moments later he stood up. “Sheppard,” he said quietly, “please keep her out of trouble. Please.” He met his eyes and an understanding passed between them.
“I will,” promised John. Derlin nodded and followed his wife to one of the huts.
Ronon spoke up when he was out of earshot. “You know this isn’t necessary right? I can get us to that Replicator camp probably just as fast.”
“Yeah, I know. But we don’t have much of a choice if we wanna stay on good terms with these people.”
“Why stay on good terms? They don’t have anything to trade.”
John turned to him. “We don’t turn down allies,” he said sharply, “If nothing else they can give us a place to stay if we need it.” Ronon still didn’t seem convinced, and John was about to try and reason with him again when Rodney stood up.
“Guys, much as I hate to interrupt a nice argument, I think she’s ready.”
Shanna had exchanged her long skirt for a pair of pants and sturdy boots and was standing a few yards away with Derlin by her side. When they looked at her she nodded her readiness. The team stood up and began to head out of the village. Shanna gave her husband a quick kiss and then hurried to take her place at the head of the group.
Derlin watched them until they disappeared into the trees, unable to shake the sense of foreboding that had been with him since the strangers had admitted their knowledge of the lomya. In spite of his wife’s promise, he just knew something bad was going to happen.
The settlement was nothing more than a collection of around ten roughly built wooden huts situated in a large field. Clouds of gray smoke billowed up from the numerous fires that were scattered between the dwellings, giving the whole village a hazy appearance. At first John thought the place was empty. If it hadn’t been for the fires he would have assumed it had been deserted for a while.
It was only after the team had passed the first hut that the community’s inhabitants began to make themselves known. They trickled out of their homes slowly: the men first, followed cautiously by the women and even a few children. They were simply dressed in obviously homemade clothing and all showed signs of people who had to work hard for their living. The villagers eyed the newcomers warily. Several of the men carried weapons of a fashion, and out of the corner of his eye John saw Ronon arrange himself so his gun would be within easy reach. Sincerely hoping that wouldn’t be necessary, John cautiously lifted his left hand and held it up. “Hi folks.” There was no response. “We’re explorers. We came through the stargate.” He pointed back the way they had come. “...the Ring of the Ancestors?” Still silence. “Okay then...” Not a word came out of their audience’s mouths, and John was just about to order his team to back off when one of the villagers called out.
“It is alright. They are not of the lomya.”
At that announcement quiet chatter broke out. John looked at his team. They exchanged surprised glances at the settlers sudden change in attitude. Ronon still looked suspicious. The man who had spoken walked up to them. He was redheaded and tall, though still shorter than Ronon, and sported a close trimmed auburn beard. “Welcome,” he said with a bow.
John awkwardly returned the gesture, “Um... thanks.”
Rodney suddenly piped up. “Not meaning to be rude or anything, but what exactly are the lomya?”
“All in good time.” The man held out his arm towards one of the fires. “Please, come and sit,” He sat down on a roughly crafted seat and after a moments hesitation, John and the others followed. They were offered refreshment, which they politely refused. Thankfully not offended, the man simply took a drink for himself and took a sip before he spoke. “I am sorry for the harsh welcome. We do not receive visitors from other worlds very often.” He inclined his head towards them. “My name is Derlin, the leader of this settlement.”
“Nice to meet you, Derlin. I’m Lieutenant Colonel John Sheppard; this is Dr. Rodney McKay and Ronon Dex.”
Derlin acknowledged each introduction with a nod. “What brings you here? We have little to trade.”
“We’re explorers,” said Rodney. “We search for knowledge...and one of the things we’d like to know is what are these lomya?”
A female voice joined in the conversation. “They are ghosts.” A dark haired woman walked up to their fire and sat down beside Derlin.
“This is my wife, Shanna,” he said. The team nodded hello.
“What exactly do you mean when you say ghosts?” asked Rodney, a slight note of unease in his voice.
“They are not really spirits of the dead,” said Derlin, “but we call them that because they are not...” He seemed to be searching for a word, “... natural.” Seeing his guests wanted more of an explanation, he continued. “The lomya are... cold. They look like normal humans, but it is as if there is something missing. Their faces are like stone - hard and without feeling.”
“It is like they are not alive,” said Shanna, “yet they walk and speak like the rest of us.” A shiver ran through her at the thought and her husband put his arm around her shoulders.
John looked at Rodney. “Sound familiar?” McKay nodded unhappily.
“What are they doing here?” wondered Ronon.
“I don’t know, but we need to find out,” said John. He turned to Derlin, who was staring at them in shock.
“Wait, you know of the lomya?” he stammered.
“Unfortunately yes,” answered Rodney. “We call them Replicators.”
“And you’re right,” said John, “they’re not human. Can you tell us anything else? What have they been doing?, where are they at?, that sort of thing.”
Shanna shook her head. “We do not know why the lomya are here. They have only come through the village a few times. They last appeared around three weeks ago, and they have not returned since.”
“Any idea where they’re at?”
“Yes,” said Derlin, “ They have built a dwelling several miles from here, in the forest. I can take you there myself, should you wish it.”
“Whether they wish it or not, you are not going to take them,” declared Shanna. “I will.”
“No. Absolutely not. I do not want you going near that place."
John’s eyes went back and forth between the couple. Both looked equally determined that the other should stay put. “Um,” he put in carefully, “ I’m sure we could find our own way there if you just give us some directions.”
Derlin shook his head. “The way to the lomya is twisted and easily confusing to someone who does not know what they are looking for. You would need a guide.”
John glanced over at Ronon, who nodded silently, confirming that he would be able to find the trail. “I think we can manage.”
“Perhaps you could,” said Shanna, “but it is our responsibility to you as visitors to this world. You must accept our help.”
John realized he was backed into a corner. He didn’t want to risk offending these people. He met Shanna and Derlin’s gaze. They both looked very serious about the whole thing. “It could be dangerous,” he warned. “If something happens...”
“It will not be your fault,” assured Shanna. “And I will be very careful...”
“You are not going!”
“Derlin,” she said with a sigh, “you have responsibilities here that need you to stay. I have nothing to do that would prevent me from guiding these men.” He looked about to protest. She put a hand to the side of his face and locked eyes with him. “It will be fine, I promise. If it will make you feel more comfortable I will not go all the way to the camp with them. I promise it will be fine.”
John saw the exact moment when Derlin gave in to his wife. The tension in the man’s muscles released and he sighed in resignation. “Very well.” She kissed him and turned to the team.
“When do you wish to leave?”
“As soon as possible.” Shanna nodded and went to prepare, leaving Derlin by the fire. A few moments later he stood up. “Sheppard,” he said quietly, “please keep her out of trouble. Please.” He met his eyes and an understanding passed between them.
“I will,” promised John. Derlin nodded and followed his wife to one of the huts.
Ronon spoke up when he was out of earshot. “You know this isn’t necessary right? I can get us to that Replicator camp probably just as fast.”
“Yeah, I know. But we don’t have much of a choice if we wanna stay on good terms with these people.”
“Why stay on good terms? They don’t have anything to trade.”
John turned to him. “We don’t turn down allies,” he said sharply, “If nothing else they can give us a place to stay if we need it.” Ronon still didn’t seem convinced, and John was about to try and reason with him again when Rodney stood up.
“Guys, much as I hate to interrupt a nice argument, I think she’s ready.”
Shanna had exchanged her long skirt for a pair of pants and sturdy boots and was standing a few yards away with Derlin by her side. When they looked at her she nodded her readiness. The team stood up and began to head out of the village. Shanna gave her husband a quick kiss and then hurried to take her place at the head of the group.
Derlin watched them until they disappeared into the trees, unable to shake the sense of foreboding that had been with him since the strangers had admitted their knowledge of the lomya. In spite of his wife’s promise, he just knew something bad was going to happen.