Stargate Atlantis

Labyrinth

TransformerofEarth

Stargate Atlantis

Labyrinth

TransformerofEarth

Summary: When Sheppard and Teyla disappear on another planet while heading home, Rodney and Ronan both must search high and low for their friends before it's too late.

Chapter One: An Unusual Silence

The quiet of the night and the absence of stars seemed somehow unnatural to Colonel Sheppard. There was usually a glimmer or two of a semi-glowering star around, followed by the faint shadow of the moon hiding behind the clouds. Still…a ruined city with hardly any light to see by, and quietness that beyond understood almost made the Colonel feel somewhat…afraid. There, it was out in the open now. He admitted that he felt afraid about this place, and that he didn't like it one bit. There were too many shadows, too much quiet. This place, you could almost fall asleep but no matter how hard you tried, the quiet would still get into you and you wouldn't be able to even close your eyes for a minute. Or so he thought. Rodney thought differently.

"I can actually hear my own thoughts." He had claimed after an hour or so of trying to decipher some strange things on a 'computer' that he had found in one of the rooms of the city. But then, when even Ronan began to look unsettled, and Teyla was beginning to feel rather fidgety, he sent the two back to the gate to report to Dr. Weir about their findings. And about how they felt. They still hadn't made it back yet, even though it was only a half hour to the gate. Which was beginning to make him even more nervous than was usual.

"You know." Rodney said suddenly, breaking his line of thoughts. "I think that there was some kind of project or something going on here." Sheppard turned towards him. He'd been facing the hallway where Ronan and Teyla had disappeared too, watching for any sign of their returning.

"Yea?" Sheppard asked, curious. He'd been wondering why there wasn't anyone around, and why the city appeared to be dead...even though it wasn't in ruins. Something was going on here, and he didn't like it at all.

"Well, it says here that they were working on something that would help change the city…something that would get them all better shields, and better light, and stuff." Rodney continued. "I think that maybe somehow it went wrong, and they couldn't fix it."

Frowning, Sheppard decided to humor him.

"And if it was the…project? What then?"

"Oh." Rodney paused; obviously he hadn't thought that far ahead. This surprised Sheppard, as his friend and partner usually thought farther ahead than the rest of them and somehow managed to pull off many different things in one day. "Oh…erm, I'll get back to you on that." He muttered. Sheppard gave a forced grin.

"Wouldn't want you holding out on us, McKay." He informed. "You're the brains of the operation, or so you keep telling me."

"True." Rodney was forced to admit. "And yet, you still can't get it through that thick skull of yours that I'm not perfect at everything."

"It's about time you admitted to that." Ronan's deep voice came from behind Sheppard, startling him. He turned quickly, nearly bumping into him.

"Colonel?" Teyla spoke with the usual softness to her voice, as well as a tone of concern. "Are you alright?"

"Fine." He said. "Just don't sneak up on me like that." He added at Ronan, glowering at him. The runner ignored him and turned towards Rodney.

"Dr. Weir says she wants you to wrap it up, take what you can, and get back to the gate. There's something going on back at Atlantis that she needs your help with, Doc, and I think that it's not going to go away quickly." Ronan informed.

"Great." Rodney said. "More work. How did I guess?"

"You didn't." Ronan said, confused.

"I-never mind. Show me back, will you? I don't want to get lost in that bloody darkness."

"Taking after Carson are we?" Sheppard said with a grin.

"Hah." Rodney shot back. "I'll have you know that I'm not the only one who's taking to Carson." Sheppard was confused for a moment, before reality dawned on him.

"No. Weir's not-"

"Oh, for crying out loud!" Rodney said. "You're nearly as bad as Zelenka. I'll explain whenever I get a chance." Muttering, he grabbed his laptop after doing a few key strokes here and there, and then headed towards the door. He paused as the other three stood in the room watching him. "Are you coming?" He asked Ronan. Ronan merely grunted and started off after him as he headed into the dark hallway. Sheppard gave a small grin over at him, and 'asked'

"Keep an eye on him. You don't know what he'll get into along the way back to the gate."

"I heard that!" Rodney's voice floated into the room from the hallway. Teyla gave a small smile. Teyla and Sheppard waited a bit before Sheppard suggested.

"So. Want to explore?" Teyla looked at him with an amused expression.

"Colonel, isn't that what we were supposed to be doing?"

"I was merely improvising a conversation." Sheppard protested.

"I would like to." Teyla said. Sheppard looked at her blankly. She sighed. "I would like to explore with you, Colonel."

"Oh." He said, feeling stupid that he didn't get it. "Let's go then." He headed towards the door. As he did, Teyla felt a small chill in the air.

"Colonel." She said softly. He stopped and turned.

"What? Wraith?" He asked quickly.

"No." She frowned. "I am not sure…I just felt something…cold."

"Could be wind?" Sheppard suggested feeling uneasy. He gripped his P-90 in his right hand, just in case. She shook her head, concentrating. Continuing to frown, she closed her eyes and Sheppard watched as her brows furrowed with even deeper concentration.

"I think…" She paused. For a few moments, there was nothing but the quietness that Sheppard had listened to earlier. He gripped his P-90 tighter; feeling slightly reassured that he had some protection near at hand. "Never mind. I think you were right. It could have been the wind." She said, forcing a smile. Sheppard remained unconvinced.

"Think we should-"

"I think we should continue to explore." She said firmly. "With all these interruptions, it would be a miracle if we ever even explored another room." Sheppard allowed a reluctant grin.

"And with McKay with us, you know that won't be any time soon."

"Colonel?" McKay's voice came over the radio. Sheppard gave a broader grin.

"Speak and he shall come." He informed Teyla who gave him a genuine smile. "Sheppard here. What's up, McKay?"

"Dr. Weir wants us all back at the gate. Something about the Daedalus arriving earlier than it should, and carrying precious cargo." Rodney stated. "And I think that there was another briefing involved too."

"Could that precious cargo be chocolate?" Sheppard said with a smirk.

"That's very funny."

"Thanks. I thought it was." Sheppard said. He missed seeing Teyla roll her eyes.

"In any case, you guys should get back here soon anyway. It looks like a storm is coming."

"Really?" Sheppard said, eyeing Teyla. She got the message almost at once. That could indicate the 'cold wind' you felt. "You don't say."

"You know something about it don't you?" Rodney sounded resigned. "Why do I get the feeling that you guys aren't telling me something?"

"Perhaps because there's nothing to tell?" Sheppard suggested.

"I'm not an idiot Colonel." He said.

"I can, uh, hear that." Sheppard said.

"Look, Weir says that she wants us back in an hour, unless 'dire situations' arise." Rodney said, imitating Elizabeth's voice. Sheppard couldn't help but smile.

"Her exact words huh?" Sheppard said, commenting.

"Move Colonel." The radio went silent, in which Sheppard turned towards Teyla.

"Well. Seems like it won't be even one room that we get to investigate fully." He said. She didn't say anything. Surprised, he turned to look for her and found that she was gone. Frowning, he said loudly, "Teyla?"

A sudden rush of wind seemed to make him fly backwards into the wall, and a broken down column. He winced as he got up, and brushed some rubble off his shoulders.

"What the hell's going on?" He muttered. The room grew darker. He quickly got out a flashlight, and shinned it around the room. Just as he was about to radio Rodney, his voice came on.

"Colonel, what the hell's taking you so long?"

"I think I've lost Teyla." He responded, keeping his eyes peeled everywhere at once.

"How'd you lose her? Wasn't she right by your side the whole time?" Rodney demanded.

"Behind me actually." Sheppard said sarcastically.

"Well find her." Rodney said, just as-if not more-sarcastically than Sheppard.

"No, really? What do you think I've been trying to-"The room suddenly was changed. Sheppard was no longer in a dark room with only the flashlight helping him to see. He was in a room with marble, and steel...and Teyla.

"Teyla."

"Colonel Sheppard. How did we-"Her voice sounded surprised, and yet she controlled it almost instantly. "Do Ronan and Rodney know where we are?"

"I don't think so." He said, shaking his head. "Rodney was actually ordering me to find you so we could head back to Atlantis." He scowled at the room. "How do you think we ended up here?"

"Perhaps we...triggered something?" She suggested.

"Like what? There wasn't anything in the room except a-" He suddenly looked down to where they were standing. A large silver metal square was there, with a small black circular object in the middle of it. Great.

"Trigger happy." He muttered under his breath. Then, loudly, he said, "Look down." She did.

"Oh." She said, frowning. Then, she brightened. "This would give us more cause to look around."

"What?" Sheppard said, looking at her in astonishment.

"Dr. Weir did say we could stay longer than an hour under 'dire circumstances'. This is dire enough. We don't know where we are, or how to get back to where we were."

Sheppard thought about it.

"You know, you do have a point." Looking around for a door, he found it almost instantly.

"Ladies first." He offered.

End chapter One.