Beautiful Prison Part One by NatalieJ

Beautiful Prison Part One von NatalieJ

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She stared out of the window. There was nothing to look at except the Atlantean sky, but that wasn't an issue the her - she found it captivating. Occasionally, she saw what she now knew to be called 'puddle jumpers' flying across the small view she had. A few months ago, she'd seen a Wraith dart in the air in a dog fight with a pair of puddle jumpers after having destroyed the third almost immediately. For some reason, the explosion of the Atlantean craft at filled her with a sense of despair, and the self-destruction of the Wraith dart with a sense of forboding. Her fate was tied with these people now.

The sky wasn't particularly interesting in itself; it was no different from the sky of her homeworld, or any of the other skies she had seen in her mere twenty four years. But for some reason, she repeatedly adopted her cross-legged position on the minimalistic bed and just stared.

Sora blamed him.

When he first came to visit her, he'd spent hours in silence just gazing out of her window. As soon as she had been put into this desolate ten by ten cell after the storm, he'd begun dropping in to see her. At least, she liked to think that he was here to see her. Sora noted that with her luck, he probably came because she had a better window than he did. He refused to say a word and so in silence he'd just sit and just stare. She had idly wondered what in the heavens was so interesting about the sky. Maybe her adoption of his habit was a way to find out; to stare the way he used to stare would help gain some insight.

Of course, that was at first. He would stare out of the window, she would stare at him, and then after forever he'd leave without a word. It was like that for what seemed like weeks. Then eventually he began to talk to her. He asked her how she was, whether she liked Atlantis, if she was comfortable, and who else came to see her. She knew that he must know the answer to the last one, but she indulged him anyway - at least he was talking to her now.

I'm fine, she'd said. Atlantis was a pretty city and sophisticated from what she'd seen. Yes, she was comfortable enough, but she missed being able to take a run or read a random book whenever she felt like. Everything had to be approved by the head of base security - a man she'd never met, nor one she knew the name of. And lots of people came to visit her. She had weekly talks with a Doctor Heightmeyer, as well as 'chats' with Doctor Weir and every few days a doctor or nurse came to talk with her.

He'd chuckled at the mention of the head of base security, and she'd asked his name. "Bates. Sergeant Mark Bates."

She shrugged. "I don't know him."

But she knew of him. She knew that he'd refused to let her have any books, any paper or pens to keep a diary. She'd asked around the time when the city was under attack from the Wraith if she could help in any way - she had both a militaristic and scientific background - but he refused on the grounds that although they needed as many people as possible, they needed people that the crew of Atlantis trusted to watch their backs. The people of Atlantis didn't *trust* her. Sergeant Mark Bates didn't trust her. Sergeant Mark Bates didn't want anyone except the base psychologist, the base leader and a random soldier acting as a liason officer to talk to her. Sergeant Mark Bates was a bastard who wanted her to be alone and friendless within the Ancient city of the Ancestors.

Later, he asked about her family, and she found that while she was talking about her father, she didn't really feel the rush of hatred for Teyla Emmagen she usually felt. She couldn't, however, pinpoint whether that was because she was forgiving of the Athosian woman, or whether this man was calming her. He had that effect, she mused. She told him about her mother, Simea - a tall, beautiful woman with blonde curly hair just like hers and green eyes. "My blue eyes are from my paternal grandmother," she'd tossed out, matter-of-factly. Sora told him about how when she was only five years of age, the Wraith had taken her mother's brother, and she'd had been so distraught she'd caught the winter illness. In her weakened emotional state, her mother just couldn't fight the physical weakening and died. Sora fell asleep crying on his shoulder.

The next day, neither of them mentioned it. And they hadn't since.

He asked if she would like anything - books from the library they had brought on Atlantis? some writing materials? She accepted eagerly, asking for a novel and a book on Earth history. "I'll have them for you tomorrow," he'd said. And he did. He'd even joked that she'd better be grateful, as he'd had to ask Dr. McKay for the history book and suffer his 'army grunts' speech. "I haven't heard it," she smiled, though assured him that she did indeed appreciate it.

It was then that she realised: not once had he told her his name.

"Would you like to go for a walk?" He asked one day. She had sat speechless for a few full minutes before managing to nod her head. He offered her his arm and took her on a tour of the sights. No one talked to them, and more than a few people gave her the odd enquiring look. He took her to a balcony on what she guessed must have been the Western side of the city.

The view took her breath away. The sun was setting on the horizon, lighting the sky up in glorious shades of pink, orange and red. The sun bounced off every angle of Atlantis itself turning it into one shining beacon. The haze of the sunset caused a settlement on the far-off mainland to glow in wonderously warm hues and in turn she felt so alive.

"It's so beautiful," she had gasped. Many times, she had cursed her willingness to follow Commander Kolya to Atlantis. She had only come because of Teyla; she had only come to seek vengeance. But vengeance was something she no longer desired, and she had found Atlantis to be a cold yet facinating prison. Now she had seen more of this floating city of dreams she changed her mind - Atlantis wasn't cold. It was so very warm, and while it was still somewhat of a prison, it wasn't just facinating. It was beautiful. "It's all so beautiful."

Her companion had nodded, and they had stood there in silence long after the sea had changed from their sunset-warmed golden-blue to black, night-time waters.

The next day, Doctor Weir visited her out of schedule. Sora remembered being incredibly surprised that the Atlantean leader would use any of her spare time to come and see her. She also remembered being frightened - did *he* have permission to take her out last night? Was Doctor Weir here to tell her that he was reprimanded and she was to relinquish anything he'd given her? Sora had feared for her nameless companion's safety.

"How are you this morning, Sora?"

"Fine, thank you, Doctor Weir. And yourself?" Sora had long perfected the art of politeness and tact. As one of Kolya's 'star pupils' she'd had to attend many meetings, presentations and meet many high, important people she neither know nor had seen ever again.

"Please," Doctor Weir had said, "Call me Elizabeth. I'm very good, thanks." Sora was surprised to say the least at the invitation of familiarity. It wasn't something she was used to from anyone, let alone the people of Atlantis. "Did you enjoy your mini-tour of the city last night?"

She had cringed inwardly. Yet, the question wasn't asked with any overtone of malice or suspicion, and Sora had always been able to read people well. "I did. It's a beautiful city."

"The sunset is impressive," Elizabeth smiled. "And I suppose that Sergeant Bates was a perfect gentleman? I do apologise if he was a little awkward - he's a very suspicious person by nature."

Sora couldn't hide her surprise. The man who'd sat with her every day for what had to have been four months now was the chief of security? The man who'd refused to let her help fight against the Wraith two months ago because he wasn't sure of her allegiances, had been her best, neigh, *only* friend? Mark Bates had officially refused her any books or writing materials, but had privately given her whatever she'd asked for? Had he not told her his name on purpose - or had it slipped his mind in simple companionship? Had he meant to leave her confused like this? ...in love like this?

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Beautiful Prison Part One von NatalieJ

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