Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate Atlantis and no profit is being made

Disclaimer: I do not own Stargate Atlantis and no profit is being made.

Description: A search for a ZPM leads to unexpected trouble… as well as a run in with the Genii.

CHAPTER ONE: UNSTABLE GROUND

"McKay!" complained Major Sheppard. "I'm starting to think this is a waste of time.

"What? Are you kidding?" Doctor McKay exclaimed. "You think looking for a ZPM is a waste of time?"

"No, looking for a ZPM we actually have a chance of finding is not a waste of time," Sheppard replied.

"What's that supposed to mean?" McKay grumbled, irritated at Sheppard's reluctance to continue.

"Well, McKay I'd just like to point out that so far we've arrived at a planet, seen a rock carving of a ZPM along with a Gate address to where it might be, gone to that planet, only to find a second carving leading to a third planet. So we went to that planet, nearly got killed by a rioting mob angry at their leader, got away, found yet another Gate address, which lead us to this lousy planet, and may I remind you that this planet is a bloody great desert with a Stargate stuck in the middle of it, and apart from that just sand, not even a rock!"

Teyla turned away to hide her smile from Doctor McKay; Major Sheppard had a point, they had got Doctor Weir's permission to look for the ZMP but Teyla didn't think Weir had thought it would take so long.

McKay glared at Sheppard. "Do you want the ZPM or not?"

Sheppard knew McKay could often be right about theses things. He glanced over at the scientist who was glaring at him and sighed; McKay could also be a pain in the ass.

"Yeah, I want it, I just don't think we're gonna find it."

"Well, we might find it, and if we do, don't you think we need it? Imagine if the wraith arrive at Atlantis and we couldn't put up the city's shield because you couldn't be bothered looking for one small Zero Point Module!" McKay demanded, wondering why the Major couldn't see how important things like ZPMs were to Atlantis.

Lt Ford looked over at Sheppard, wondering what would happen next.

Sheppard was looking at McKay. Yep, Rodney could definitely be a pain in the ass, but he did have a point.

"Alright, if you can find out where the hell we go from here we'll continue looking for the ZPM."

Teyla was just thinking how very plain the planet was when the ground shook violently, throwing all four of them off their feet, and then was still again.

" What the hell was that?!" Sheppard exclaimed, irritatedly picking himself off the floor.

"I don't know yet," snapped McKay. "But I did get a strange energy reading from over there," he added, pointing to the right of where they were standing.

"Do you think it's worth checking out?" Sheppard asked McKay.

Ford raised his eyebrows at the Major, suspecting he already knew the answer, as he'd probably asked pretty much the same question many times before.

"An energy reading that possibly caused an earthquake? Why would it ever be worth checking out?" McKay grumbled sarcastically. "Of course it's worth checking out!"

Ford exchanged a glance with Teyla, that had been a very typical answer from McKay.

Sheppard wasn't at all put off.

"Well let's go check it out then." He started off in the direction McKay had pointed at.

Teyla wasn't so sure.

"Are you sure we should approach something that shook much of this land? Because I am not."

"I'd prefer to take a look at it up close so McKay can determine what it is, if it caused the earthquake and if it's likely to happen again." Sheppard had stopped where McKay had said the energy reading was.

"Yea, and not to mention that the ZPM will probably be there. But now we still have the obvious question of how to get down there because I know I didn't bring a shovel," announced McKay, he was staring to frown at his energy readings.

"What? The energy reading is underground?" asked Ford.

"Yes it's underground you idiot, do you see anything near where the Major is standing?"

Teyla stared at McKay. "We will just have to dig…"

She was interrupted by a shout of surprise from the Major.

McKay, Teyla and Ford all turned to where he was standing… or rather where he had been standing. There was now a huge cloud of dust where Sheppard had been.

"Major?!" yelled McKay running over to the dust cloud and nearly falling down the large hole that became visible as the dust cleared.

Teyla and Ford came up behind him.

"Where is he? What happened?" asked Teyla.

"I think the ground must have collapsed, probably weaken by the earthquake," McKay told her. "I t looks like it's about ten meters down and… then there's water, no telling how deep it is."

"Damn right there's water!" came an angry voice from down the hole.

"Major!" called out Teyla.

" Yeah, I'm here," Sheppard replied, swimming into view.

" Is there any sign of the ZPM?" asked McKay.

"No," complained Sheppard. " I think this was your lousy energy reading!" He held up a small pebble, it was glowing blue.

" No, it's definitely not! What are you? An idiot? I picked up a small, strange energy reading, could well have been you rock, and a larger one-" McKay took another look at his energy reader and frowned further. "-that I now know is some living creature, though not human or wraith."

"WHAT?!" spluttered Sheppard angrily.

"You mean there is something down there with the Major?" asked Teyla.

"Yes, there is. I just picked it up," McKay informed her.

"Could you not have told as sooner?" Teyla wanted to know.

"To hell he could have!" Sheppard was cross, not too pissed yet though.

Opps, thought McKay.

"It's not my fault I was too concerned with the huge gaping hole you fell down," grumbled McKay.

"Well get your god damned life sign reader out and tell me where the hell this creature is now!" Sheppard ordered.

McKay obediently took out his life sign reader.

"This is not good," he proclaimed, Sheppard was going to be furious… if the large life sign heading towards him underwater a full speed didn't kill him first.

"What?" Sheppard was glaring at McKay.

McKay frowned, how could he explain??

"Um… Major you might want to move…"

Just then a large furry shape leapt out of the water, Sheppard ducked. It landed on top of him, knocking him underwater.

"Major!" yelled McKay, Teyla and Ford at the same time.

Sheppard came up coughing and spluttering.

"MCKAY!" Okay now he was pissed.

Uh oh, thought McKay.

"I might want to move!" mocked Sheppard. "You better get me out of here before that damned furry crocodile comes back again!"

"Right, yeah I'll try.." McKay muttered and then frowned.

What had Sheppard called it? He opened his mouth to comment but Ford beat him to it.

"A furry crocodile sir?" he asked.

"Well, it looked like a crocodile, but it had fur, so yeah, a furry crocodile," Sheppard told him. "Now get me out of here before it comes back and tries to eat me again!"

"That could be difficult," commented McKay.

Sheppard turned to glare at him, McKay knew he was in for it now.

"Damn it McKay!" I don't care how difficult it is, I don't fancy being lunch!" roared Sheppard.

"Look Major, this entire area is a huge underwater cave by the looks of my readings, which are never wrong, so it might be easier to come back with a Puddle Jumper, rather than risking falling down there ourselves," McKay knew Sheppard wasn't going to like that.

"You're thinking about leaving me here, with that thing?!" Sheppard stopped in his protest to scan the water. "Where is it anyway?"

McKay glanced down at his life sign reader, oh no it was going for another attack.

"It's coming it fast from your right!"

Sheppard threw himself side ways in the water, just as the 'furry crocodile' clamped its jaws where he had been moments before. It then noticed Sheppard, who was swimming away in the other direction, and gave chase.

"DAMN IT!" yelled Sheppard as he noticed it was following him, he swam away faster, the thing also picked up speed.

Teyla was somehow managing to look concerned and frown at the same time.

"Doctor McKay…" she muttered.

"Not now Teyla! I'm trying to see if the Major's frantic splashing is attracting any more of those things," McKay grumbled.

"My frantic splashing?" panted Sheppard. "I'd rather not be eaten!"

McKay watched helplessly as the Major narrowly avoided been bitten in half.

"Doctor McKay!" Teyla said more insistently.

McKay wished she'd shut up. He was just about to tell her to do so when the Major interrupted him.

"Yes! I've found a little island!" Sheppard exclaimed.

"You've what?!" asked McKay, he then noticed that the Major had moved away from the hole and out of sight.

"I've found a little island. It's not very big, but it's better than nothing." Sheppard sounded slightly happier.

"Doctor McKay," persisted Teyla.

McKay ignored her, Ford looked at him.

"Uh… Doctor, maybe we should listen to Teyla," he suggested.

McKay decided to ignore him too.

"Major, crocodiles can go on land," McKay told Sheppard, wondering if he'd even thought of that.

"It's got flippers, not legs," Sheppard informed him.

"We can call it flipper!" Ford joked.

"Ha ha, very funny," Sheppard grumbled.

"DOCTOR MCKAY!" yelled Teyla urgently.

"WHAT?" shouted McKay.

Hadn't she got the message when he'd been ignoring her?

"I sense wraith in the area, coming closer," Teyla told him.

"Oh," said McKay, taken aback.

"Wraith?" asked Ford quietly.

"Yes, no more than one of you miles away."

"What is it?" Sheppard wanted to know, he evidently hadn't caught the word Wraith.

"They can't possibly be coming!" exclaimed McKay, now ignoring Sheppard.

Sheppard wasn't at all patient.

"Who can't possibly be coming," Sheppard asked.

McKay kept ignoring him.

"I didn't even bring my P90!" he complained.

"What the hell is happening up there?"

'We will have to retreat back through the Stargate," Teyla suggested, happy to come back later now she didn't think Sheppard would be eaten.

"What made you come back to that idea? I repeat: what the hell?!" Sheppard's temper was rising again.

"How many are there?" questioned Ford.

"How many of WHAT?!"

Teyla though about Ford question before answering.

"Ten, maybe more behind them."

"Are you all deaf? Ten of WHAT?!"

"Okay, back to the gate," announced McKay, not wanting to be in the path of ten Wraith and not wanting to be the one to explain the Wraith problem to Sheppard either.

"You're leaving me with ten... things on the way and you won't even tell what they are!" Sheppard was furious, and the furry crocodile was still circling his island.

"Too late," yelled Teyla.

"Too late for WHAT?!"

The Wraith came running in to sight from around d the Stargate.

"DOWN!" yelled Ford, producing a grenade. It knocked down two of the Wraith.

McKay was relived to note that Sheppard had the sense to stay silent. He took out his 9mm and shot at the rest of the Wraith The only problem was he only had two rounds. Both Teyla and Ford were firing their P90s at the Wraith repeatedly. McKay stopped to reload his gun, now if only he could remember how to do that… As McKay nervously fiddled with his gun a Wraith stunner hit him in the chest.

I'm so screwed, thought McKay.

Then everything went dark.