"John. Your attitude is only making them more agitated," Elizabeth said quietly as she huddled with his team in a quiet pocket of the otherwise bustling market.
His deepening scowl was his only response. He wasn't going to apologize for being unfriendly, not while all of his instincts were screaming that bringing her here had been a colossal mistake.
Their hosts, a motley looking bunch, had reluctantly stepped away to let them discuss the trade agreement. They looked like the kind of guys who might have gotten kicked out of a biker gang for being too hard core, if such a thing were even possible. They all wore leather chest shields and their bare muscled arms were spattered with poorly rendered tattoos, something not often seen in the Pegasus Galaxy.
He tightened his grip on his P90 as his eyes swept through the expansive space that was a cross between a dungeon, speakeasy, and public market. It was dark, damp, and smelled more than slightly of mildew. There were a few natural skylights, but the only remaining lighting came from the clusters of lanterns scattered throughout.
The market had an area designated for trade with large tables laden with crops and other wares. There was a small food hall area in the back with stalls filled with prepared food and, of course, a bar tucked in the furthest, darkest corner. The people who were working the tables and food stalls seemed less like biker gang rejects and more like the kind of villagers they found on most planets, but even they seemed watchful and wary.
The market was nestled within a deep cavern and completely concealed from the outside with thick foliage, obscuring it to the naked eye. Only trusted people and worlds were given the location and granted access to the market. If any one person from a village betrayed this trust, the entire community would be forever barred from trade relations.
The market had moved after their expedition had arrived in Pegasus and the people who ran it had demanded the new location be concealed from the Athosians until Atlantis's new inhabitants were deemed trustworthy. Based on the scathing looks he'd been receiving since their arrival, John was pretty certain they were still having serious doubts on the matter.
"We're the only people here besides them. Where are all their other customers?" John asked.
"Customers?" Teyla's forehead crinkled.
"Patrons, traders, seekers of goods." John rambled off the list of alternatives. He supposed customers was an odd word choice in a galaxy that had never heard of Walmart. "We saw other people here yesterday."
"Their market typically only stays open until the afternoon meal. They have to tend to their crops and their animals in the remainder of the day," Teyla said. "They kept it open late today so Dr. Weir could visit without the distraction of a crowd."
Elizabeth tugged on his elbow, bringing his eyes circling back to hers. "Can you at least pretend to relax a little? I'm not sure who looks more trigger happy, you or the Scalinos."
Relax. Right. Elizabeth's presence alone upped the odds this would go sideways soon rather than later. His team was better armed, but they were seriously outnumbered. The planet's security force's weapons were rudimentary, but the toothy bruisers looked ruthless.
Seeing she was still waiting for a response, he resorted to diversion. "Scalinos. Is it just me, or does it sound like a mafia name?"
"They're running one of the best rackets in the galaxy," she responded wryly. "The initial report sounded too good to be true, now I suspect it is. We can't establish trade relations with them."
"What!" Rodney paused from shoveling food in his mouth. "Have you seen the food?"
She arched a brow towards him. "Yes. I have. I still can't believe you bartered your nice watch for that."
He snorted through his bite. "It was a fake. I'm hungry, not stupid."
"That's debatable at times." John spoke quietly, directing his words towards Elizabeth's ear.
The corners of her lips quirked as she glanced up at him.
"You don't even know what you're eating, Rodney." John continued. "Did you see the animals they had penned up back at the village? They looked like mutant cows or hippos." They weren't the strangest animal they'd encountered in the Pegasus Galaxy. They had a normal number of eyes and legs, they were just oddly formed and seemed…lumpy for lack of better word.
"They are called baqa," Teyla said. "They are not native to this galaxy. The Wraith began seeding worlds with them early in my father's lifetime. Most of the locals slaughtered them whenever the Wraith dropped them off. They have not bothered in years. The Scalinos are the only people I know who breed them."
"Why would the locals slaughter them? In sacrifice? Or to eat, like, for a feast?" McKay's voice was muffled through his bite.
"My people would have never eaten them, no matter how much their stomachs rumbled." Teyla visibly bristled. "They let them roam freely on Athos, but with their small numbers, they died off before I was born."
"The Wraith were feeding their herd, Rodney. I'm sure you can understand why the locals didn't appreciate the gesture." John's gut was starting to churn and it wasn't just because of the conversation. Tingling sensations of warning were starting to snake down his spine. "Guess that's telling in and of itself that the Scalinos have no issue propagating a food source initially provided through the Wraith."
"I am also concerned for the people in the village," Teyla said. "Their circumstances seem more grave since the last time I traded at one of their markets. I have tried to speak with them, but they say little. They seem afraid."
"They don't seem like they are acting on free will. I'm not sure they have a choice," Elizabeth said.
"You think they are slaves?" McKay asked. "In Pegasus?"
"Throughout history civilizations have taken advantage of the weak," Elizabeth said.
"All this couldn't have come just from here." Ronon frowned as he looked back across the market.
"Like I said. Mafia." John looked towards the door, Lorne was almost late to check in with him. "They probably strong arm other planets to get the rest of their goods."
"Like our medicine? That won't be happening." Elizabeth's eyes narrowed as she studied Declan, the Scalino leader.
"Just like our food, I guess that won't be happening either." Rodney sighed. "Good thing I like MRE's."
"We're hardly starving, Rodney." Elizabeth gave him a pointed look. "The Daedalus just dropped supplies off last week, but they're not just a cargo ship dedicated for supply runs. If they incur damage or are detained by other orders, it would be nice to have some choices besides MRE's on hand."
"Hey." Rodney's head snapped to the side. "Did you feel anything?"
"Like what?" John asked. "Maybe it's the mutant cow you're eating."
"Like the ground shaking." McKay looked around the small group, his eyes stretching wide when no one responded. "Really? You didn't feel anything?" He tossed his plate on a nearby table before settling his hands nervously over his stomach. "Maybe passing on their food isn't a bad idea."
Elizabeth ignored him and flicked her eyes back to John. "They seem like they're used to getting their way," she murmured.
She didn't have to otherwise verbalize her concern. He already knew what she was thinking and what she wanted him to do about the Scalinos. What she didn't want him to do rather.
He held her gaze for a long moment before giving her a short, almost imperceptible nod. McKay notwithstanding, the rest of the small force he had in place would be ready to react the second one of the meaty guards so much as twitched.
Elizabeth didn't want that, though. She wanted to tactfully decline and retreat through negotiation. He had serious doubts these guys would roll with a woman telling them no, but she'd proven him wrong before.
He scrubbed his hand down the back of his neck and did another quick visual inventory of Declan's security layout. There were still clusters of Scalino guards posted throughout the market with the largest group huddled around the only exit to the village.
This would be an ideal time for Elizabeth to prove him wrong again.
"Sheppard!" Lorne called as he trotted in the door.
John exchanged a quick look with Elizabeth before they headed to meet Lorne.
"There is something…weird going on around here," Lorne said.
"We're in another galaxy, one that has life sucking creatures and mutant cows," John said. "You're just now picking up on the weird?"
"More weird than normal," Lorne revised. "The mutant cows rammed their enclosures and escaped. They're stampeding through the village and heading inland."
"Inland? All of them?" Rodney asked. "What else is going on?"
"All the people are shouting, but we can't understand what they're saying," Lorne said. "At first, we thought they were freaking out about the cows, but something else is going on. The men gathered up all the women, I don't know where they took them."
"There are still women all over in here -" Shouting from the outside cut off John's words.
"Shams quanmar!" A group of men burst into the room. "Shams quanmar!"
"Teyla, what are they saying?" John asked as he stepped closer to Elizabeth.
"I do not know. Some of these people often speak in a native tongue that is otherwise unknown in this galaxy."
"It sounds similar to Arabic." Elizabeth's forehead furrowed. "Teyla said baqa earlier, that's almost identical to the Arabic word for cow. Shams is Arabic for sun. I can't quite make out what else they are saying."
All the new arrivals were shouting at once and their words jumbled together unintelligibly.
There was a deafening boom as Declan slammed a battle hammer down on the table beside him, shattering the wood into fragments. "Silence," he bellowed. One of the wooden splinters punctured his arm. He swatted it away like a bug, ignoring the blood trickling down over his tattooed arm. "You," he said extended his hammer to the new arrival closest to him. "Speak."
"Shams quanmar!" The man's eyes darted nervously around the room. "It has already begun. We must prepare."
"Moon," Elizabeth whispered. "Sun, moon; that's what they are shouting."
"That sounds harmless enough," Rodney said. "Why exactly are they freaking out?"
"Anything that spooks the mafia guys can't be good." John took Elizabeth's elbow, propelling her into motion. "I'm calling it. Mission over. We're getting out of here."
Declan intercepted them as they reached the door. "The darkness is descending. You should come with me." He reached towards Elizabeth. "You as well, Teyla."
"I don't think so." John stepped in front of Elizabeth. "They're not going anywhere with you. We're leaving," he said, pulling his P90 higher.
Declan looked to the side. The market had broken into bedlam as the vendors scattered in all directions. "It's for their protection. The darkness, as you can see" he extended his arm, indicating the chaos around them, "it makes it unsafe for the women."
"It's not even mid-afternoon." John's eyes narrowed. "Tell me about this darkness."
Declan looked past John to Elizabeth. "Dr. Weir, let us take you someplace safe."
She took a half step out from behind him. "There is nowhere safer I could be than with my team."
"Declan," John hissed. "I asked you a question. Tell me about this darkness."
"A darkness descends when the sun and moon battle for the sky. Go if you must, Sheppard, but you'll want to keep a close eye on them."
Declan strode off and John wasn't willing to waste any more time. "Move it," he barked, before glancing back quickly at Elizabeth. "You stay close."
She gave him a weak smile. "What do you think I'm going to do? Slip away to do some shopping?"
"Funny." At least she still had a sense of humor, his own had been tapped the moment he heard about stampeding mutant cows.
The mob-like crowd converged towards the back of the cavern, making it easy for their small group to reach the exit. The Scalino guards had left their post and joined the fleeing fray.
His team's pace slowed once they exited the cavern and entered the thick cluster of foliage that hid the market entrance. They wove their way through the thick groves of trees and shrubbery. A cacophony of bird screeches sent a riot of goosebumps racing down his spine.
"Lorne. Tell your team to pull back."
"Sir, they're waiting for us. We might need their help to get her back to the Jumpers."
They heard men yelling as they moved closer to the village.
"What the…," John stepped out from the tree line and the Marines that had accompanied Lorne immediately jumped in front of them, putting a barrier in-between them and the chaos beyond. "What the hell, Lorne. You didn't tell me the city was rioting."
"They're not rioting, they're panicking. They don't even seem to realize we're here." Lorne pointed towards the west. "It'll still be safer to cut through the woods."
"And you didn't mention anything about the chickens, either," John said as he swiped away a cluster of feathers floating towards his face.
Men, boys, and chickens zigzagged erratically, drudging up dust and feathers from the earthen village paths.
"Do I even want to know what they did with all the women?" John asked.
"They hid them from the darkness." Teyla's footsteps had stalled and she stood staring up at the sky, shielding her eyes from the sun.
McKay paused beside her and squinted up before quickly turning his head. "It's an eclipse. Don't look directly at the sun," he scolded. "You'll get permanent eye damage."
"You think we don't already know to not look at the sun?" Ronon said.
"It's hard to resist, it's pretty cool." McKay's eyes glimmered with excitement. "I have some special sunglasses back at the jumper we can use to watch it."
"Teyla, do you know what's going on?" John asked. "Why exactly are they hiding the women?"
"There are cultures who believe demons come down in the darkness, demons who will take their women. I was not aware the Scalinos harbored those beliefs until today," Teyla said. "We need to move quickly. Declan may have allowed us to walk away, but they can be very fervent in their beliefs. The next men we encounter may not listen to reason."
Great. Mutant cows and zealous women snatchers. This planet just kept getting better and better, he thought as he stepped even closer to Elizabeth.
She stood frozen, watching the animals as they streamed into the woods. The way she watched them…it was eerily familiar, like watching a soldier's eyes glaze over when in the midst of a PTSD flashback.
"Ronon. Stay on Elizabeth's other side," John said. "And Teyla, don't get any ideas. You need to stay in the middle of this group, too."
"But-"
"I know you can take care of yourself, but we'll make better time if we can avoid the hassle of dealing with them. You and Elizabeth are in uniform, you're not dressed like the women here. You won't stand out as much if you stick to the middle of our group."
"We need to move." Ronon's gruff voice seemed to break Elizabeth's haze.
She seemed startled by the noise from the village and blinked rapidly, doing a fast double take when she noticed John right at her side.
"We're following the animals?" She asked.
"By coincidence, not intent," John said. "But yes."
She seemed strangely satisfied with that and followed Ronon into movement.
As they skirted the edge of the village, he kept a careful eye on the Scalinos, but they seemed too caught up in blinding panic to focus on their group.
There were no trails once they moved into the woods and they had to carefully pick their way through the foliage and over the rocky forest floor. Their efforts were further hindered as cows, chickens, birds, and small raccoon like creatures flowed in a continual stream away from the village, often moving alongside or interspersing themselves within their group.
Beyond the fact that it was slowing it them down, it was bugging the hell out of him that the animals seemed to harbor none of the wariness for humans most wildlife did. It was also bugging the hell out of him that Elizabeth kept watching them like she was seeing a ghost.
"I feel like we've stumbled into Jurassic Park," Rodney griped as he almost tripped over a raccoon.
At least they hadn't come across anything resembling a skunk, John thought. "Rodney, I thought animals only freaked out during eclipses when it went completely dark in daytime. It's still partially light out, what's going on with them?"
"I'm not a zoologist, how should I know?"
The ground shook and a crack like thunder filled the air. The animals bolted to the east, increasing their pace, and abandoning their human counterparts.
"That can't be good. Hold up." John held up an arm, halting the groups movement. A second later, he realized the noise hadn't been thunder. He spotted movement from above and hastily reversed his footsteps, pulling Elizabeth along with him.
"Out of the way," he yelled as he dragged Elizabeth to the ground, shielding her as best as he could with his body. The ground shook again as the tree smashed down before them, sending a spray of wood shrapnel into the area around them.
"What was that?" Rodney yelped as he swept a branch away from his body and crawled back to his feet.
"Everyone all right?" John asked as he helped Elizabeth up. She was pale, but she wasn't looking at the fallen tree. She stared into the distance watching as the last of the animals disappeared.
"I didn't think they had explosives," Ronon said as he and Teyla climbed to their feet.
"Obviously there are a lot of things going on here that we didn't expect." His eyes panned around the area. Lorne's team was back on their feet and except for a nasty scratch on one of the Marine's face, they were otherwise unharmed. "We need to keep moving. Head to Jumper one first," he called to Lorne.
The second Jumper was a hundred yards to its south. Not only was the clearing not large enough for two Jumpers to land, if they got cut off from one, odds were, they could still make it to the other.
"Cut to the left," Lorne shouted minutes later. "Jumper one is just beyond the trees."
"It's getting dark," Ronon said as they emerged from the woods into the clearing where their Jumper was cloaked.
Elizabeth peered up, shielding her eyes from what little remained of the sun.
He uncloaked the Jumper and turned back to find half their team glancing up at the sun. "Don't look at it," John snapped.
"Unless you want permanent retinal damage, of course," Rodney added as he sprinted quickly across the clearing.
Ronon grinned before following behind him. "He doesn't even run that fast for food."
"There's a lesson there. Never stand between a nerd and his eclipse," John said as they crossed the clearing
"I can hear you and, hello, retina scaring. Eyesight is important." Rodney emerged from the back of the jumper holding four sets of goggles. "I made these myself, they are optimized UV eye protection. I put these on the jumper a long time ago, but we've never needed them before." He passed Elizabeth a set. "I have some of my homemade sunscreen too if anyone is interested."
Elizabeth eased up on John's side. "The village is only a few minutes away; don't you think we should leave?"
"And miss the eclipse?" Rodney gasped.
"We should be fine." John flashed what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "We haven't seen any people since we left the village and the Jumper is right here if any more mutant cows stampede." And as much as he hated to admit it, he wanted to see the eclipse almost as much as Rodney.
"Have you never seen the darkness steal the day?" Teyla asked.
Elizabeth held his eyes for a long moment, before sighing in resignation. Her apprehension only made her look more adorably dorky as she tested the goggles over her eyes before pushing them up and propping them atop her head. "Eclipses don't happen very often where we are from," she said, turning back to the others. "Are they more common here?"
"Just depends on where you are. I saw one every few cycles when I was running," Ronon said.
Rodney pulled on a pair of goggles. "Two more pair. We'll have to share. You know, this is amazing. I've never seen a total solar eclipse before."
John stared at Rodney. "How do you know it's going to be a total eclipse?"
"Well, I don't for sure, but based on the –"
"You know what? Forget I asked." John waved off the pair of goggles Rodney extended towards him and strode inside the Jumper. "Don't we still have the welding glasses back here?" He set his P90 on the bench and pulled open a storage compartment, rummaging around until he came up with them. "Got them."
"No, no, no, no," McKay stuttered. "Welding glasses won't protect your eyes from the sun."
"Maybe not normal ones," John said. "These are NASA issue, what they use on the space station."
"How can you possibly know that?"
"We did some welding that time you were sinking in the Jumper. Remember that, Rodney?" Elizabeth shot him the look that meant 'be nice', so he took a breath and aimed for a less condescending tone. "The scientist told me. I thought they might come in handy and stashed them in here just in case."
"Sounds like you don't need us around for this conversation. Since you're secure, we'll head back to the our Jumper, if that's okay, sir," Lorne said. "It's getting darker and it's going to be harder to see the mutant cows in the woods."
"Yeah, yeah. Get out of here. Check in when you arrive. As soon as this eclipse is over, we'll head out together." He stepped out of the Jumper headed towards Elizabeth. She'd moved several yards deeper into the clearing.
"Copy that," Lorne said.
"Rodney." Elizabeth turned her head back. "Do you make note of sea level anywhere in the recon reports? I don't remember seeing one noted for the village."
"What? No. Why are you asking?" Rodney didn't move his eyes from the sky. He kept a tight grip on the side of his goggles as if he was afraid they would fall away.
"Just curious," she said quietly. "Do you know how far it is the next Stargate?"
Rodney finally turned to her and lifted up his goggles, giving her a quizzical look. "There's a space gate about ten hours away. Why?"
"What is it?" John asked as he pulled the welding goggles on and secured the strap behind his head. He couldn't see a damn thing but the sun with them on, so he pushed them back up on his forehead and frowned as he found Elizabeth staring at him, looking like she was trying hard not to laugh. "Go ahead and laugh, but I can assure you that your eyewear is just as goofy looking."
"Whoa! Look at the sky. It's getting close." Rodney sounded like a kid at Christmas. "Teyla, Ronon, put on the glasses so you can watch. We'll be able to take them off once the moon completely covers the sun."
"You are correct. The darkness is close. The temperature has dropped significantly." Teyla looked amused, but she dutifully pulled on the goggles as did Ronon.
John stepped behind Elizabeth as she pulled down her goggles and peered up at the sun. He pulled the welding glasses down over his own eyes and looked to the sky.
Moments stretched in silence as they watched. What the Athosians called the eclipse was an apt description. It did appear as though the darkness was stealing the day as the moon continued its steady march across the sun. Daylight faded and stars ruptured in the darkening sky.
The chilly air seemed to still and the area around them grew silent save for the sound of their breathing. Time seemed to lose its boundaries. Minutes merged until the moment the moon finally eclipsed the sun.
John pulled off his glasses as the sky morphed into a dark, deep shade of blue. It wasn't pitch black, but without even a sliver of the sun, his eyes struggled to adjust.
Elizabeth stepped backwards in the darkness, colliding into John's chest. Her breath hitched as he grasped her sides and steadied her.
"Careful." He tucked his head down and spoke softly into her ear. "I don't want to lose you in the dark."
Instead of pulling away, she let her head fall back against him as she stared up in the inky darkness of the sky.
"We have totality, people!" Rodney all but cheered. "It's safe to take off the goggles now."
Elizabeth pulled her goggles off and her face lit up as she smiled up towards the sky.
Soft waves of whispery, white light emerged from behind the moon, its ragged edges in constant movement. It seemed like an astral presence, like a sentient energy source looking down on them from above. "It looks like a poltergeist floating behind the moon," John said. "I can see why this would spook the locals."
"It's stunning," Elizabeth whispered as she tilted her head back towards John, the small movement leaving their lips only a breath apart.
"It's filaments of the corona. Careful, this won't last longer than a couple of minutes," Rodney warned. "Be ready to put back on your glasses."
John and Elizabeth ignored him. They both were frozen. It felt like he was locked in the pull of a different force of nature. Her could smell her hair, the scent of her skin, and he could feel the heat of her breath skimming against his lips.
Shit. She was normally the one who could be counted on to keep space between them, to maintain that professional mirage, but her hand reached back, her fingers threading into his hair before grasping lightly and dragging his lips down against hers.
"This is phenomenal," Rodney said. "You know, I couldn't really appreciate the sun when John almost flew the F302 into it, but seeing it's filaments flow out from beneath the moon, it's really beautiful, isn't it?"
"I have never watched like this before. It is quite mesmerizing," Teyla said.
John had almost forgotten they weren't out here alone, but the others had stayed closer to the jumper and several feet of dim lighting stood between them. He reluctantly pulled back, pressing a quick kiss to Elizabeth's forehead before looking back to the others. They were still completely engrossed with the sky.
"Oh, gross," Rodney groaned. "I think I stepped in… Those stupid animals."
He felt a soft shudder roll through Elizabeth's body and he glanced down. "Elizabeth, I need you to tell me what is going on."
She hesitated for a moment before pulling away from his chest and shifting slightly sideways to face him. "I was in Turkey once during a major earthquake. The animals fled just like they did today-"
"Did you say earthquake?" The whites of Rodney's eyes seemed enormous as he turned to face them. "That's what we felt isn't it? A tremor."
"It may have been. It may have been several actually. What you felt in the market, that may have been a faint one as well," Elizabeth said.
"Oh my god, she's right," Rodney gasped. "You know, the odds of a major earthquake after a tremor is...let me think."
Elizabeth flinched and John cursed softly under his breath. She wasn't one who rattled easily and he'd seen a flash of pure terror in her eyes.
"The odds aren't important because we aren't going to be around to find out. Even a tremor could potentially take down the Stargate." Beyond that, whatever Elizabeth had gone through before, it had obviously been bad and he'd be damned if he'd let her experience anything like it again.
"The odds drop to 1 in 100 if there is a tremor," Rodney rambled on. "So, after two tremors….we're looking at a-.
"A very likely chance. We get it, Rodney. We're going." John turned toward Elizabeth who had wandered further away. "What are you doing?"
"My watch." Her eyes seemed unfocused as she swung her head from side to side. "I had it when we first arrived at the clearing. I'm not sure how long it's been gone."
"What watch?" His gut coiled at the stricken expression that crossed her face and he moved back to her side. "Your father's watch? Why did you bring that?"
Her neck snapped back and her eyes widened making him instantly regret his tone, but she'd put him in an impossible situation. It wasn't safe to stay, but she'd never forgive him he asked her to leave it behind.
"It's not safe here, Elizabeth."
"It was safe enough when you wanted to watch the eclipse."
He probably deserved that. "In my defense, that's before we all realized a major earthquake was impending. Hold on, let me help you," he said, pulling out a flashlight. He shouldn't have left his P90 on the Jumper, he could have used that light as well. "But you know we can't wait long."
She gave him a quick, grateful smile. "I don't usually bring his watch. I just didn't have a good feeling about today for some reason."
"You're just now telling me that?" He would have created any number of mechanical delays had he realized they both had a bad feeling about the day. He glanced over to her, but her eyes were intent on the forest floor. "You know what they say, you're supposed to listen to your gut."
"If we listened to your gut, you'd never let me off Atlantis." Elizabeth reached down and rustled through a clump of leaves. "You can't use my own against me, too."
"Yes, I can and for good reason. How many times has it gone well when you've been offworld with us?"
"And how many times does it go well when I'm not?" She stood up and glanced back at him, flashing a small smile.
They continued scanning the ground with the light, working meticulously through the next couple yards. Just when he was about to call it, he caught a glimmer of a metallic sheen.
"Over there." They stepped closer and dropped to their knees. The ground shook and an explosive crackling ripped through the air, followed by the now familiar groan of another giant tree giving way.
"Get down." A hair raising metallic screeching pierced the air as the tree struck the Jumper.
He landed face down, his upper body covering Elizabeth. He pushed off the ground, bracing his upper body on his elbows.
"The tremors are getting stronger," she murmured. "That one lasted a few seconds longer."
Her arm was stretched behind her rubbing the back of her head and her eyes were tight with pain.
"You okay?" He cradled her head in his hands, using his thumbs to brush away some light debris that had settled on her face.
She nodded unconvincingly. "Found the watch," she said, managing a faint smile as she pulled her hand out from behind her head, the watch gripped tightly within her fingers.
"That's good news. Can you stand?"
"It's just a bump, I'll be fine," she said as he climbed to his feet, pulling her up along with him. She wobbled a little as she took the first step.
He frowned and pulled her to a stop. "That's not fine."
"Sheppard." Ronon's gruff voice cut through the darkness.
"We're still standing. Everyone all right back there?" He yelled back at his team.
"We are unharmed," Teyla called. "The tree landed against the jumper, but I can't see any damage from here."
He turned back to survey the clearing. In the murky lighting, it looked like a blast zone with sawdust, foliage, and giant chunks of woods scattered about. If Elizabeth wasn't surefooted, getting her to the Jumper safely was going to be a two-person job.
He steered her to a nearby rock ledge. "You can sit here. Let me check it out first, then Ronon and I will come back and help you back to the Jumper."
"John, did you hear anything else? Just before the tree?"
"Like what?"
She shook her head. "I'm sure it was nothing."
He stared at her for a long moment, hesitant to leave her. "I'll send Teyla back to wait with you."
"There's something else I should tell you. That day in Turkey-"
"Sheppard, you need to see this," Rodney yelled.
"I need to go. Stay here, Elizabeth."
"But-"
"I'll send Teyla, it won't take her long to get to you."
John climbed over some of the smaller chunks of debris and maneuvered around the rest until he reached the others. "Son of a bitch. I thought you said it was fine. That doesn't look fine to me."
"What gave it away?" Rodney huffed. "Maybe the 2,000-pound tree laying on it?"
"It is not laying on it, just beside it," Teyla said. "We just need to climb up the tree to access the rear compartment."
"Good thinking in closing the rear hatch." McKay glanced back at John. "There's no telling what kind of damage the debris could have caused to the controls."
John vaguely remembered thinking about securing the Jumper, but he'd had more pressing worries with Elizabeth at his side. He was surprised he'd managed to actually get the hatch shut.
"Guess we should make sure it's not jammed." He gave a soft sigh of relief when the hatch immediately swung open. There was a two foot clearing at the top, but the rest of the doorway was blocked by the tree. "Teyla, Elizabeth took a hard fall. Can you wait with her until we get this sorted out?"
"Of course," Teyla said, before backing away into the haze.
"You climb any trees growing up, McKay?" John stepped up to inspect the massive fallen tree.
"You're kidding, right?"
"Figured as much." John reached up and found a groove in the wood. He gave a hard shove with his left foot and started propelling his body up. It wasn't a large height to scale, but the diameter of the tree made it an awkward climb.
"How do you know it's 2,000 pounds?" Ronon asked. He strode up to the tree and gave it a shove. It didn't budge.
"Hey, I'm trying to climb this thing," John hissed. "Stop screwing around down there."
"Looks like you made it to me," Ronon said.
He had reached the top and his hands were only a few splinters worse for the wear. "All right, you guys might want to stand back. This tree is going to shift when I move the Jumper."
John laid down on the tree to check inside the Jumper, making sure his path was clear. There were some small wood fragments and foliage on the floor, but nothing large had fallen inside. He lost his grip when he started lowering his legs and instead of climbing down the other side of the enormous tree trunk, he skidded down the bark before landing with a thud in the rear compartment.
"Damn it." At least Elizabeth hadn't been around to see that, he thought as he hauled himself to his feet.
"You okay in there? That sounded like it hurt," McKay chuckled.
"I'm fine," he managed through gritted teeth as he strode towards the cockpit. He gingerly rubbed the side of his face, not surprised when his palm came up a little bloody. The bark had scraped the hell out of his face during the slide.
The Jumper, at least, seemed to have come through the quake unscathed. He took a few minutes to make sure all the systems were working property. Satisfied that everything was in operational order, he finally lifted off before setting it back down a few yards away. He grabbed his P90 as he exited and headed back to the others.
"Rodney, shouldn't it be lighter by now?" John asked.
"This is the larger of their two moon's. Maybe it's just bigger than our moon on Earth."
"Earth's moon is pretty big," John said.
"It could be that it's bigger than their sun or that their sun is just farther away."
"Or the moon is closer to the planet?"
Rodney sighed. "Maybe. All I know is that it will it will take longer for it to completely lighten back up."
"Quiet." Ronon's posture went rigid and he snapped up his gun. "Someone's out there."
"Of course someone's out there," McKay said. "Elizabeth and Teyla are at the edge of the tree line."
"Shut up, McKay," John hissed.
The villagers lacked the skills necessary for stealth, but if they'd come through quickly when he was moving the jumper, the noise of the tree resettling may have masked their movement.
"It's just quiet because none of the women are talking, no offense, Elizabeth." McKay cackled, then paused when she didn't respond. "Elizabeth?"
John spun around, finding only dark shadows around them. "Elizabeth!"
"Teyla," Ronon called. Only the whirling sound of the breeze resonated in response. "Teyla!" He called again, turning around in a slow circle scanning the perimeter.
They were gone.
Each beat of his heart sent a fresh wave of fear and adrenaline coursing through his veins. He pulled out his life signs detector and the screen instantly illuminated with clusters of dots in the woods all around them.
Son of a bitch. He should have checked it when they arrived, but he'd gotten caught up in McKay's excitement over the eclipse.
"Ronon, head east," John said, as he turned on the flashlight on his P90. "I'm going west. McKay-"
"Shouldn't someone stay here and guard the Jumper?" Rodney's voice was shaky.
John bit back his initial response and drew in a deep breath. "Stay here and make contact with Lorne. Let him know what's going on and tell him to double back to assist with the search."
"Sheppard." Teyla's voice carried over the clearing. Her voice was barely audible. "John, can you hear me?"
"Teyla! Where are you?" Ronon yelled.
"Just north of your position, on top of the ridge."
He had to strain to hear her voice. "Stay put, we're heading your way," John yelled. "Is Elizabeth with you?"
There was a long pause. "They took her," Teyla called. "I am sorry, John."
Icy fear ripped through his body, vanishing just as suddenly as it struck leaving him disbelieving and oddly numb.
This. was not. happening.
"John, just go," McKay said. "I'll get Lorne to head directly to your position."
John didn't need any encouragement. Instinct and adrenaline had kicked in propelling him forward. He'd started running before Rodney finished his sentence.
"Where did all the animals go?" Ronon asked as they ran through the woods.
"What?" John turned his head towards Ronon before looking back to the murky woods before him. "They were spooked by the eclipse."
"It's getting light again. If they left because of the eclipse, shouldn't they be coming back?"
He was right, but they had bigger things to worry about. "Do you really want to talk about this now, Ronon?"
Running was knocking some of the fog from his mind, but he was still having trouble accepting that he'd let Elizabeth be taken by Neanderthals on this backwater planet. He'd underestimated them and he'd been careless. This was his fault and Elizabeth was paying for his mistake.
If anything happened to her-
"John, Ronon, up here," Teyla called.
As they closed in, they spotted her leaning against a massive tree, putting her radio back on. "I just found this. Elizabeth's, too." She said, holding it out to John.
His heart constricted painfully as he took it from her hand and tucked it away in his pocket. "What happened? Are you all right?"
She rubbed her temple and nodded. "They put a cloth over our faces, it held an odd medicinal smell," she said, wrinkling her nose. "When I breathed it in, I started feeling weak, but I managed to fight them off. They went that way." She pointed north towards the lowest peak of the nearby mountain.
"Was it Declan?" Ronon's voice was flat.
"They were not men I recognized. I do not believe I have seen them before."
As the fog of shock dissipated, blinding rage soared through his veins. What the hell were they planning to do with her? The thought made his teeth clench and his muscles grow rigid. His free hand curled into a fist while the other tightened its grip on his P90 and squeezed until his knuckles turned white.
It took every ounce of self-control John had to throttle his anger and focus. Getting her back came first. Then he could release this shitstorm of fury.
"Sheppard, are you there?" McKay's voice crackled over the radio. "John? What's going on?"
Controlling his anger was easier said than done. He took in a couple deep drags of air and fought to center himself. Focus.
"Sheppard." Ronon grabbed his tactical vest and jerked hard, forcing his attention back to his team. "They have a head start. We need to move."
John nodded slowly and finally tapped his earbud to respond to McKay. "We're with Teyla, but they took Elizabeth. We're heading towards that mountain to the north." He glanced back down to Teyla. "You okay to run?"
Teyla nodded. "I am feeling better each moment that passes. John, Elizabeth was saying something before she became unconscious. Sue Nam…does that name mean anything to you?" Teyla asked. "I don't believe I have met any expedition members named Sue."
Sue? He'd no damn idea. "Maybe it was whatever they drugged her with."
Static crackled through the radio when McKay spoke. "So whatever is going on this planet, it's worse than we thought."
"It's always worse than we thought," John replied. "What is it now?"
"The odds of a major earthquake. I just ran some tests-"
"I don't remember seeing a seismometer on the Jumper, Rodney."
"No, but I ran a scan and I'm picking up spikes in radon levels."
"And that means earthquake?"
"That alone maybe not, but paired with the tremor activity makes it a pretty resounding yes. Not only that, radon is toxic to humans at these levels. We can't stay on the surface unprotected. You need to get back to the Jumper."
A fresh wave of anger tore through him. "I'm not leaving without her." John more growled than spoke, ignoring the look that passed between Teyla and Ronon.
"Then find her. Fast. I don't know how much time you have," Rodney spoke rapidly. "This planet is in drought conditions, that's why the trees are coming down so easily during a tremor. If a major earthquakes hits with you in the forest-"
"We got it, Rodney. Tell Lorne's team to get back to their Jumper and stand-by."
"This way." Ronon started running.
John followed beside him, pulling up the life signs detector. Ronon was right. Most of the dots had converged together and were heading towards the cliff Teyla had pointed out.
After the first mile, Ronon veered off the left. He bent down and studied the earth, giving a short snarl of frustration.
"What is it?" John wiped his brow as he looked down. "Are those hoof prints?"
"They aren't carrying her anymore, they're riding."
"As in a horse?" John watched Ronon's brows furrow together. "You know, those animals they ride in that movie you like."
"Close enough." Ronon squinted into the distance. It was getting lighter each moment, but it would take some time for them to get full visibility back.
"They will reach the mountain before us," Teyla said. "We must hurry."
They needed to intercept that group before they moved into the mountain. Once Elizabeth was within, they'd have to fight their way inside and that wouldn't end well for either side.
"Why are there so damn many animals on this planet, anyway?" John glanced at Ronon as they ran. "Have either of you been here before? Anyone live here before the Scalinos?"
"I've been to lots of planets," Ronon said. "I don't remember this one."
"I do not recall ever visiting," Teyla said. "There are no signs of previous civilizations here, perhaps it has been uninhabited."
"Maybe there was a reason for that. I feel like we're missing something here." John glanced down at the life sign detector. He frowned and tapped the side of it. "I think this thing's malfunctioning. I still see some of them ahead of us, but it looks like we're right on top of a couple of them."
"Sheppard, what's your status?" Rodney's voice grated against his ear.
"We're about two clicks from the mountain."
"Are you sure that's where they took her?"
"I can see smoke part way up, someone's there," John said. "Plus the mob we're tracking is heading that way."
Ronon suddenly stopped running and John and Teyla had to backtrack to rejoin him.
"I've lost their tracks." Ronon pointed at the screen of life signs detector. "Is that broken? There's no one here."
"Then where the hell are they?" John asked. "Rodney, get in the air. We've got life signs, but we've lost their tracks. See if you can spot them from overhead."
Teyla had drifted off towards a nearby cluster of rocks.
John moved towards her side. "What are you thinking?"
"Perhaps they are beneath us accessing the mountain through the cavern. When we were in the market, I noted the cavern had many paths that stretched back farther into the mountain than we could see. Possibly they are all interconnected."
John strode around the rocky formation. "I don't see an opening."
"It could have been any of them." Teyla nodded back towards another cluster of rocks. "We have passed many such formations along the way."
"Ronon just lost the trail, it couldn't be far." John's lips pressed together as he looked around. He tapped on his earbud. "Rodney, do you see anyplace to land near us?"
"Ah, maybe. Yes, got it. A hundred yards to the east."
"I'm sending Ronon and Teyla to meet you there."
"John, we are not leaving you." Teyla's eyes tightened.
"If there's any chance of stopping them before they go in the main part of that mountain, we have to try. I'll keep heading that way on foot and see if I can connect with them, but if not, I need you there to intercept them."
"Teyla's right, John. It's a bad idea to stay down there alone," Rodney said.
Ronon stepped before John, blocking his path. "Sheppard-"
"Chewie. I have to do this."
Ronon stared him down for a moment before stepping out of his way.
~v~v~v
~TBC. Just one more chapter to wrap this up. First draft of chapter two is already written, so it should post within the week.
Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed the story and were able to enjoy the eclipse. The moment of totality was truly amazing.
And if you are following Everlong, know I haven't forgotten or abandoned it; I love it too much to do that. :) The next and last chapter will come out this year, probably around Thanksgiving or Christmas.