Chapter One

Another planet, another risk, but they desperately needed food and there wasn't time to wait for Franklin's hydroponics to produce anything edible.

Peering over Colonel Young's shoulder at the console, Sgt. Ron Greer saw a mixture of grassland and trees with rocky cliffs rising above a river in the distance. The kino spun dizzyingly and he turned to glare at Eli.

The young man said, "Sorry, sorry," and made rapid adjustments on the remote control. The kino settled down, hovering near the Gate.

"Atmosphere breathable, climate comfortable enough," was Doctor Rush's short assessment of the data he and Sgt. Riley were skimming through, his soft brogue rolling through the words.

"Looks like a go," Young pronounced. "I'll…"

"You shouldn't take the risk, Sir," Greer interrupted. "I'll go," he said. "If you want a more senior officer, send Scott or TJ."

Young opened his mouth to argue, then sighed, and acquiesced. "Take them both. Corporals Peterson and Williams, as well, perhaps the excursion will make them less – claustrophobic."

Greer had to hide a chuckle at that. The two young soldiers had recently been expressing their 'claustrophobia' by playing mean jokes on most of the scientific staff. They had hit the wall, however, quite literally, with Rush, who scared them both off by shoving Peterson up against a bulkhead and threatening to feed him his balls. As a result, the mischievous pair was now scared shitless of the acerbic scientist, which had gone much further than Young's disciplinary attempts towards curtailing their extracurricular activities.

He looked up at the man in question, whose shaggy-haired head was still bent over the console, focused on the illuminated screen. "What about you, Doc?" he asked.

"I'll go," was the succinct reply. Rush lifted his head and rubbed at his stubbly chin. "Franklin should come along, he's a botanist, and maybe Park as well. A geologist might come in handy given the mountainous terrain."

"Eight people's plenty," Young said, forestalling Eli's bid to go as well. The Colonel's glare was enough to make the point. Eli subsided, though not without a huff of disappointment.

"Plenty of time," Riley noted, pointing up to the countdown above their heads. "Almost 48 hours."

Young nodded and pressed the communication button. "Lieutenants Johanson and Scott, Corporals Peterson and Williams, Doctors Franklin and Park, prepare for on-world excursion and report to the Gate room. ASAP."

- - -

They spread out at the foot of the Gate. Greer didn't know what season it was on this particular planet, but the temperature was definitely just right. Warm enough not to need jackets, but with a cooling breeze that felt good on his skin.

Franklin and Park had already gone for the trees, exclaiming happily at the sight of apple-like fruit, some nuts, and a mushroom-like fungus. Greer wasn't too certain about the last one, but beggars couldn't be choosers and anything was better than getting the runs from the mostly liquid protein diet they'd been on.

TJ and Scott were staring up at the mountain peaks and trying to estimate the distance to the river. Extra water was always a desired necessity. Peterson and Williams were wandering around, presently staying out of trouble, but Greer gave them a warning glare anyway. From the way they came to attention in response, Greer was happy to note that they were almost as scared of him as of Rush.

The Doc himself was standing nearby, his intent, observant gaze taking in every aspect of their surroundings.

The Gate whooshed up and the radio in his hand squawked. Young's tinny voice asked, "This is Young, report."

Greer lifted the radio, turning towards the shimmering Gate, and replied. "Everything's fine, Sir. Looks like we've got some fruit, nuts and…"

He didn't get a chance to finish his sentence. The air whooshed out of his lungs as a shout behind him was followed by a body hitting him in the back and knocking him flat to the ground.

There was a roar overhead and the sense of something really big thumping into the ground beside him and he turned his head just in time to see a huge mouthful of razor sharp teeth grinning at him.

A huge paw with inches-long claws swiped out towards him, but the man on top of him dropped his arm in front of Greer's face and it was that which took the brunt of the sudden attack. There was a cry of pain in his ear and then the sound of machine guns split the air.

The beast reared backwards, roared, and then fell over dead in a hail of bullets.

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TBC