I loved the part in this chapter where John makes the deal with Lyle. It smacks of a deep understanding of the culture you've created and a detail that's clever and useful to the plot. I'm also enjoying how you're developing Ronon's artistic side in such a plausible way. It would be easy for that softer trait to feel cheesy or forced, but you put his art into the perfect context and from his unique point of view, so it works. I can't imagine him painting dandelions ;-), but you make him loving art perfectly sensible!