Propagation

Gray.

The dull color encompassed the entire uniform, down even to the military-style boots. A dark, charcoal shade. Emblazoned only by a few silver buttons that glinted in the falling sunlight. Dappled by the shadows of passing clouds and the looming jungle of trees the color was the perfect camouflage. The stripling effect making the men wearing the uniforms almost invisible.

Almost.

John Sheppard scowled, peering through the binoculars at the orderly cluster of men standing near a Quonset hut. He increased the zoom, not by adjusting the wheel on top but by merely thinking about it. His ATA gene activated the Ancient tech and the picture became closer, sharper. The men appeared to be waiting for something, or someone. "This is not how I wanted to spend my anniversary," he griped. "Tracking Genii soldiers."

Rodney McKay glanced at him, looking from his ordinary pair of binoculars. "What anniversary?"

John met his friend's gaze briefly. Frowned. "My wedding anniversary! What did you think?"

"Oh. You remembered? You actually remembered that? You keep track of that kind of thing?"

John ignored the sarcasm. "I keep track of everything. And yes, I remember. Today Moira and I have been married exactly one year. Exactly," he repeated, as if Rodney was going to try to correct him, or contradict him. "And she is five months along now with John junior. My son."

"Who else's could it possibly be?" Rodney quipped, amused at his friend's serious tone. "Wow. A year already? She'll be pissed you're missing it."

"No. She'll be worried about me." He paused. "Then she'll be pissed." The two men shared a quiet laugh. "Damn Genii."

Rodney commented, "Why don't you go down there and tell them it's your wedding anniversary, John? Being your first and all I'm sure they will understand and let us safely pass to the Stargate. Hey, if you mention Moira's pregnancy they might even throw in a ZPM."

"Ha ha. Damn it," he repeated sourly.

"So...after a year. A whole year. Twelve months. Three hundred sixty-five days. I'm assuming you meant an Earth year, although a year on Atlantis does seem to take about the same length of time. Not exactly, though. In fact the year here in this galaxy, on our planet is actually four point seven minutes longer than–"

"Was there a question in there or you trying to bore to death?" John quipped.

"Ha ha. After a year," Rodney resumed, "is it still nice?"

John smiled. Eyes on the soldiers. "Yeah. Nice. Very nice. Funny, it doesn't seem like a year. Moira would probably agree."

"But it does seem like she's been pregnant forever," Rodney noted.

John laughed. "Yeah, she'd agree to that. Ah. Here we go. Movement at three o'clock, plus they are suddenly at attention." He tapped his radio. "Teyla, copy?"

Teyla Emmagan started, crouching behind a hillock near the Stargate. "John, copy. There's still too many at the 'Gate. A group came through and moved towards your position, I believe. But the 'Gate is still heavily guarded."

"Sheppard, there's only twenty. I can take them," Ronon Dex growled. Ignoring the reprimand in Teyla's eyes.

"Down, Chewie. That's a negative. Sounds like something's going down. Their guarding their egress point so keep a sharp lookout for any Wraith activity. Maintain position. Do not engage the enemy. Rodney and I can see what they're up to. Sheppard out." He tapped the radio. Sighed. "Shit. I had presents too."

"Presents? For the Genii? That's awfully generous of you, John."

"For Moira!" he snapped. "Special ones."

"They'll keep. Look, why don't we just circle round, wait it out and then go? Do we really need to spy on them? I mean, what could they possibly–"

"Son of a bitch," John muttered, peering through the binoculars again.

"What? What?" Rodney peered through his.

"Something's going on in there. They're standing guard but no one's going in. Yet. See how they're standing? Like they're almost afraid to even look at the hut. Probably have orders not to go in. Classified. I bet we can get closer."

"Closer?" Rodney asked, clearly unhappy.

"Yes. I bet there's a back way in."

"How could you possibly know that?"

"There's always a back way in, Rodney. We need to see what's in there."

Great. And how are we going to sneak past all those guards, exactly?"

"Working on it. Son of a bitch!"

"Now what?" Rodney asked. Gulped. "Son of a bitch," he echoed, watching the tall, stern man join the group. The face unmistakable. The grim, hard lines. The hard eyes. He barked a series of orders, arms sharply moving in the air. He headed through the trees, a line of soldiers with him. Absently Rodney touched his arm where he had been cut by a knife.

"Kolya," John said, voice low. The one word conveying his hatred, disdain. "Well, I can also salvage something here and kill that bastard."

"Ha ha. You were joking, weren't you? John? John, you..." Rodney sighed, seeing the firm resolve in his friend's eyes as he lowered the binoculars. "Great. Just great," he sighed.

"Just great," Ronon grumbled, crouching. It was an awkward stance for the large man. Uncomfortable. He hated skulking about in the shadows. "We're just supposed to wait here?"

Teyla inwardly sighed. "Yes. You heard his orders. We cannot take on all of those Genii without sustaining risk. Or injury. Or capture."

Ronon frowned. Peered down at the men milling around the Stargate. "Do you think Sheppard's being too cautious? I mean now that he's married and all. Has a kid on the way."

"I think he is being prudent. And there is nothing wrong with being cautious," Teyla countered.

"The Genii are dangerous adversaries. You have heard how they once overran Atlantis?"

"Yes. And how Sheppard took out several of their men. On his own."

Teyla eyed him. "And you believe that he is weaker now, somehow? Because he has the responsibility of a wife and a child on the way?"

"No, not at all," Ronon rejoined, shaking his head. "I'm just saying he's more..."

Ronon never finished the thought as the Stargate erupted. The KAWOOSH a violent explosion of matter ejected outwards. Then calming to a placid pool which shimmered in the sunlight. Another group of Genii came through the event horizon. But these soldiers were leading a group of prisoners. Tied together, separated by lengths of rope. "What the...what is that?" Ronon asked, staring.

Teyla shook her head, eyes widening. "I have never encountered such a sight."

The prisoners were Wraith. Young Wraith, immature. Appearing weak from hunger. Walking with shuffling steps. They were clad in simple clothing. Clothing that could be seen in villages all over the galaxy. Some appeared frightened. Others merely curious. All sullen. Tamed, but not quite. Oddly appearing more human than Wraith.

"What do they want with young Wraith? Slaves?" Ronon asked, gripping his gun tightly as a wave of revulsion swept over him. Watching the creatures being herded away from the Stargate like cattle.

"No." Teyla laid a hand on the Satedan's arm. "First we contact Sheppard. We cannot intervene now. It is too risky. This is not our fight." She felt a chill, remembering Elia. Another young Wraith who had been trying to fit into a human society, and failing miserably.

"I have no qualms about the Genii taking Wraith as slaves. It just seems...odd. What should we do?" Ronon asked quietly.

"Nothing. We report, observe. And secure the 'Gate once the numbers of Genii decrease," Teyla decided.

"Oh. Okay, that I can do." Ronon smiled. "But leave me at least ten or so. Otherwise it won't be a fair fight. For them."

"Crap," Teyla sighed, seeing his grin of anticipation.

"John? John, have you really thought this through?" Rodney asked, ducking under a heavy branch. He was creeping behind John as they wove a surreptitious way closer to the hut. The trees were thick here, covered with crawling vines and enormous ferns that threatened to cause a sneezing fit. The air was moist, humid. The jungle cloying at times.

"Of course. We need intel, Rodney. Now be quiet." John ducked under a heavy bough. Crouched and held up his hand. They had circled round to the back. Were concealed by the heavy foliage, inches from the hut now. No noises issued from it. The quiet voices of the Genii soldiers carried on the air from the front of the building.

"John...John, if anything happens to us, to you, Moira will be pissed. Doubly pissed. She's pregnant, you know. Expecting a baby. Your baby! I'm just saying," Rodney prompted.

John glanced at him. "I know. Odd they don't have guards back here. So no one of value is inside."

"That's a comfort," Rodney mumbled, following as John moved cautiously closer.

"Back door," John mouthed, pointing. Gave his friend a quick smile. Gestured.

Rodney sighed. Followed his friend to the door. He crouched in the ferns as John did the same, quietly testing the door. It opened silently. Not locked. There was no alarm. No sounds. John rose, gestured. Entered the hut, Rodney on his heels.

It was full. Crowded. Rows of tables lining the floor, creating narrow aisles. Cage after cage after cage. Small tanks full of water, one after the other after the other. The walls lined with vials and equipment. Liquids and electrical wires. Crystals of Ancient design. The two men exchanged a glance, separated, began to move along different aisles.

John peered into the cages, moving quietly. Glancing round, alert for any sound, any intrusion. The cages were full of mice. Ordinary field mice. Brown fur, twitching whiskers. Beady black eyes. But as he moved along they were no longer ordinary rodents. Some sported odd contusions. Others were hairless. More deformed. Growths on their backs. Scales. Mutations that were increasing in size compared to the mouse inflicted with them. John felt queasy looking at them. Was glad that Moira wasn't here to see this. Knew she would be outraged, sickened. He paused. Staring. Leaning closer. "Rodney," he said quietly.

Rodney was peering into the tanks, lined up like aquariums. Things were swimming in the dark waters and he really didn't want to see. Nevertheless he tried to make out the forms. Recognized fish. Squids. Other forms he could only guess at and didn't really want to know. He moved along, hand on the gun holstered at his side. The water splashed and he nearly jumped. Stared at a swimming bug. Another. He reached the last tank. It was only half full of water. But he recognized the contents all too well. "John," he called.

The two men eyed each other across the aisles.

"You've got to see this," they said at the same time. Smiles quirked, were gone.

"What do you have?" John asked.

"Apart from things swimming in the aquarium of the odd? Iratus bug eggs. A lot of them."

John briefly touched his neck. "I hate those things," he muttered.

"You?"

"Mice. With mutations and deformities. This one," he indicated the cage in front of him, "has a Wraith sucker growing out of its back."

"Eww! That's just gross."

"It's right out of Lovecraft. This one almost has a, a human face," John remarked, wincing as he glanced down at the pitiful creature.

"Cthulhu lives," Rodney agreed, glancing down at a creature sprouting several tentacles as it swam in a tank. The almost human eyes blinking at him. "Hey! You've read Lovecraft?" he asked, astonished for a moment.

"What kind of experimentation is going on here?" John wondered, ignoring the question. He moved to another cage. Gulped. This mouse had babies. Tiny, squirming, pale naked things. Except they had strange sacs on their sides. Like a second set of lungs, breathing in and out. In and out. "They're breeding them..." he muttered. Strangely fascinated. Repulsed.

Rodney had moved to a computer console. Stared at the data scrolling there. "John...John, you won't believe this! This...this is quantum mechanics! This...these equations...they are for...for anomalies. A ninth chevron."

"Ninth? Anomalies, you say?" John asked, looking over as Rodney was leaning to examine the screen, seemingly engrossed by what he saw. "To the one we shut?"

"No...these are different. Different equations, different anomalies...a whole universe full of...whoa. This is...this is quantum physics! This is..."

"What? The Genii aren't that advanced," John retorted, frowning. He glanced round the hut. At the cages, the tanks, the vials and equipment. "What could they possibly hope to accomplish with all of this?"

The two men looked at each other, each at a loss. Each disgusted by what they were seeing. Each perplexed at the rationale behind it. The seemingly needless cruelty.

"A simple one, really. To bring back what was taken from me."