"Colonel, remember, no engagement. While the Ori have been defeated, we don't want an incident involving the remnants of their army," Landry ordered over the PA.
"Got it, General. No engagement," John called over his shoulder, moments before he stepped through the gate.
The sucking, swirling and squeezing sensations subsided the moment he stepped through the other gate. It was a nice sunny day, and the trees in the distance rustled in the slight breeze. He heard three slurping sounds, and turned to face the rest of his team.
"Remember, no engagement," John quipped, and they grinned at him. They casually walked away from the gate, and it disengaged.
Nothing greeted them. Apart from the rustling of the trees, it was eerily quiet. Sheppard closed his fist and raised it. As one, all four men came to a stand still. Motioning with his hands, he ordered his team to spread out, and search for trouble.
A blast from an Ori weapon forced Sheppard to ground. He scrambled over to the cover of a large oak, and tried to find the source of the weapons fire. His team were down, and the weapons fire concentrated on him.
Peering around the trunk, he fired off a couple of shots, before turning back behind the tree. Alternating between covering and firing, he managed to pick off two or three, before he was surprised by an Ori soldier behind him. He fought valiantly, but he knocked out by a a particularly vicious blow to the head.
After what was probably hours later, Sheppard awoke with a pounding headache. He blinked and a face swam into view. It might have had a warm smile on it, but Sheppard could see the maliciousness in the eyes.
"Crap," he groaned.