• Akaeda opened the door to her hut cautiously, her green eyes wide. The four newcomers had paused right in front while talking to the others of the village. They aren’t Him, she told herself, though fear remained a knot inside her chest. These are fully human. A breeze ruffled her short red hair. Surely Kalgen wouldn’t mind me talking to them at least a little bit.

    Jaeus, leader of the village must have seen her for he waved for her to come out. “Akaeda, come and meet our new friends from the city of the Ancestors!”

    Slowly, Akaeda made herself step into the sunshine. She couldn’t, however, make herself say anything as she stood next to Jaeus. Glancing shyly at them from beneath her lashes, Akaeda studied the four’s faces: one was a scientist, two were warriors, and the woman gave off the impression of a mother. Akaeda instantly liked her and raised her head, trying to smile.

    “Major Sheppard, this is Akaeda. Akaeda, this is Major John Sheppard, Dr. Rodney McKay, Teyla Emmagan, and Ronon Dex,” Jaeus introduced. “Akaeda is the adopted child of our people. She is…the Unwanted One.”

    “‘Unwanted’?” Teyla repeated with a frown.

    “Yes. Many years ago, a Wraith bird came through the Stargate. We were sure it was going to cull us as it has done so in the past, but instead a beam of light brought Akaeda to us.” Jaeus rested a hand gently on her shoulder.

    Fear rose sharply inside her and Akaeda jerked away, her heard hammering. She didn’t trust anyone enough yet for the villagers to touch her.

    “Wait a minute,” McKay stumbled. “The Wraith brought you back? How come?”

    Akaeda glanced down at her toes and bit her lip. He was a scientist just like…

    “Akaeda hasn’t said a word since she was brought here besides her name,” Jaeus was saying. “And even that was long in coming.”

    The woman’s hand reached out to her. “Do not worry, there is nothing—”

    All the fear Akaeda had been fighting burst at the sight of that hand. In her mind, it wasn’t Teyla’s hand she saw, but one full of horror and pain.

    “NO!” She cried and shoved the hand away. Taking off, she ran; ran away from the thoughts, all the while crying and trembling in uncontrollable fear. I’ll never escape him! He’ll never leave me alone! Her mind’s eye kept flashing with images that she never wanted to see again. Over and over they appeared, until she froze and clutched her head with her eyes shut…and screamed…and screamed…and screamed.

    Hands abruptly clasped her shoulders, their sudden appearance piercing Akaeda’s nightmare long enough for her to quickly glance up. Kalgen’s concerned face filled her with such relief that she began crying all over again despite the repeating horrors in her mind.

    Kalgen gently drew her closer in a secure embrace as Akaeda sagged against him. Akaeda’s mind filled slowly with quiet, reassuring murmurs. “Relax. You are safe, Akaeda. No one will harm you.” Those phrases repeated themselves in her mind, slowly gaining strength over those memories.

    Eventually, Akaeda could think normally again, though her cheeks were wet and eyes wide. She clung to familiar black leather out of habit; she couldn’t quite make herself let go just yet. “They didn’t go away, Kalgen,” she moaned in a shaky voice. “They keep coming back.”

    A long hand stroked her head, a motion that helped to even further calm her. “Do not worry, ‘Kaeda. We will find a way to get rid of them,” Kalgen reassured, his soft voice bringing with it a sense of security. Gently, but firmly, the black-clad Wraith made Akaeda look up at him. “Do you want to tell me what you saw?”

    Akaeda knew what he was doing—he had explained that he could help her even more if she told him what had happened—and still she couldn’t bring herself to speak. That was a dark and horrible place in her mind where she dared not go again.

    Kalgen sighed at Akaeda’s silence; as if he knew he shouldn’t have expected an answer. His face tensed for a moment in frustration before softening again. “You do not have to tell me if you do not want to, Akaeda. How did it start this time?”

    Now that she could tell him and Akaeda immediately launched into describing the four strangers and the woman. “Jaeus said they were from the city of the Ancestors,” she added, though she knew Kalgen’s kind had been at war with the Ancestors thousands of years ago.

    Kalgen snarled, a sound he rarely made, as he scowled. “Be careful what you say to them,” he began, but the sounds of approaching people cut him off. “If you get scared sleeping in the village with them nearby, come to the ship.” He finished quickly. Stroking Akaeda’s hair one more time, he darted away, blending into the trees as if he had never been there.

    “Akaeda?” That was Teyla’s voice. It was wary, but warm; as if she expected some kind of danger.

    The moment Teyla saw her, Akaeda ran past her, headed for the safety of the village and her hut. How was she supposed to act towards these people? They weren’t like Kalgen. In fact, she was sure they would kill him on sight. She burst into her hut and threw herself on the pile of rugs that was her bed. Her life was going to be misery until they left.