SGA-12
EPISODE 2: SGA-12 PART 2: Unrealized Mission
Tony jerked awake and looked around him, he saw trees around him and the marsh of the forest floor underneath him. He couldn't remember what had happened that got him where he was now but he does remember that he was on a training mission. Something must have went terribly wrong. He pushed himself up and onto his knees, shaking his head he thought he could clear it, bad idea a major migraine came on. Squeezing his eyes shut he rubbed his temples then opened his eyes again and looked around his surroundings. He caught a glimpse of something and wasn't for sure but he thought he saw it move. Getting up he clutched the weapon he had closer to him, he knew that there wasn't live rounds in it, but it made him feel better.
Walking around the tree he spotted his team leader on the ground, rushing over he did a quick assessment of the Colonel. He couldn't see any visual injury's doesn't mean there couldn't be internal ones. Quickly and with minimal movement as possible he maneuvered the Colonel onto his back and straitened him out making sure to be very careful with his head and neck to keep spinal stabilization in tack he needed everything aligned. Once he was done he assessed this side of the Colonel for any injury just seeing a few cuts and bruises he summarized that either the Colonel was not hurt and just unconscious or he had internal injury's.
A second later Tony heard a grunt and looked down, he saw his team leader start to come to.
"Easy Colonel, I'm not sure what type of injury's you have sustained is there anywhere in particular that is hurting?"
"Just my head, feels like a bomb squad is blowing things up in there." Tony laughed a little his headache not gone yet.
"I know the feeling." Tony looked around at the forest making a sweep of the area as he looked. "You remember what happened?" Tony asked helping the Colonel sit up against a tree.
"No, the last thing I remember is going through the gate on our first training mission together as a team." Colonel Gibbs said while rubbing his head.
"Yeah same." Getting up Tony did another search of the area around them looking for the rest of there team, or their CO.
"Where's Colonel Sheppard, or Dex?" Gibbs asked grunting as he tried to get up as well.
"Not sure, that's what I'm trying to find out." Tony said still looking, Gibbs nodded and they both started off in a search of the area they had awakened from, searching for any sign on the rest of the team or their CO and his team member. But they found nothing.
"I wonder what happened, this not knowing thing is making me nervous, like were missing something." Tony said Gibbs nodded in agreement as they continued to search.
Xxx
Tim looked around and saw Ziva already starting to go into survivor mode, they had woken awhile ago in the middle of a forest with no one from there team any where near them. After searching unsuccessfully for an hour Officer David said they needed to try and head back to the gate, at which point Tim pointed out that they had no idea where it was due to the fact neither of them remember what happened to begin with.
"Do you think the others are hurt?" Tim asked.
"Don't know." David said walking in front of him still determined to find the gate.
"Do you think there looking for us?" Tim asked dodging a branch that David had let go of almost whacking McGee in the face.
"Don't know."
"Maybe there headed to the gate as well and we might run into them?" McGee asked hopefully.
"Dr. McGee! I know as much as you do, so please refrain from asking questions that you yourself do not know, chances are I wont know either!" David said angrily looking directly at Tim then continuing on. Tim gapped as a fish for a bit then followed behind her quietly this time.
Xxx
John looked at Ronon and then nodded, Ronon aimed and fired his gun hitting his target dead on. John jumped his hiding place and headed over to the fallen creature.
"Nice shot, now let's cook the bunny slash cat thing, I'm starving." John said rubbing his stomach. It had been a few hours since John had awoken to realize that the new team he was training was gone but Ronon was there and they where in the middle of a forest not sure how they got there or which way the gate, or for that matter the jumper was. So instead of panicking he did a quick sweep of the area searched as best as he could for the others, then he thought it'd be best if they head off in one direction hoping to find either the gate, the base they had on this planet, the jumper or a clearing at least to get a better view to where they were at. It was now really late and almost dark out so they decided to stop eat, sleep and continue in the morning. It wouldn't have been so bad if there radios were working but those and the hand held scanners seemed to not be working very well at all.
Xxx
"What did I say Jarek, what did I say! I said I wanted one of them brought back for questioning!" The High Chancellor yelled angrily.
"I I I'm sssory sssir, they ran into the forbidden forest, there was nothing the men could do, one step in there and they would have been lost forever." Jarek stuttered out. The chancellor sat back in his chair and thought for a bit.
"This changes things but that is ok at least there out of the way now and won't be a problem to our existence, now what about there ship?" The High Chancellor asked looking at Jarek, Jarek squirmed a bit then answered.
"It doesn't seem to work for us sir, there's some kind of code or something blocking out all of us from using it."
"Well quit standing around and figure it out! We also still have that building they built to worry about as well." The High Chancellor complained getting angry again then headed off into his chambers. Jarek let out a breath and left the room heading to the ship, positively sure he wouldn't be any closer to figuring anything out from the ship, the technology was just to advance for them.
Xxx
Tony laid down on the forest floor and closed his eyes, his watch was over it was the Colonel's turn. He didn't attend to go fully into sleep just closing his eyes in a state of sleep that would allow him to jump up ready and alert if needed. He thought about the events that led him to where he was now and couldn't believe it, he was in another galaxy on another planet. It was all just so surreal for him. He was about to drift off when he heard a twig snap, his eyes snapped open and he looked over at the Colonel. The Colonel gave him a nod and he quietly came to his feet taking his knife out of it's sheath on the side of his hip, the only weapon that ether of them had that would do some damage.
Just then a person came out of the tree's dressed as them, both Tony and the Colonel held their knives up at the man.
"Oh hey ok, oh you must be from Atlantis, wow am I glad to run into you guys!" The man said. "My names Dr. Jonathan Welsh, you can just call me Welsh everyone does." The man said and held out his hand. Tony looked at him with a critical eye, he had the same uniform that they had on, except his patches were a little different instead of a Pegasus with Atlantis underneath it, there was a Pegasus with the name Farron underneath. Also instead of having the black strip across the shoulder like Tony and the Colonel had he had a yellow strip which indicates he's a medical doctor. Tony was glad they had classes before coming to Pegasus so he knew all these color coding before hand.
"Doctor what are you doing here?" Tony asked cautiously.
"Oh um I got lost in the forest, I was just out looking at the plant life seeing if I could use any of them for some medical medications." The doctor said while looking in-between the Colonel and the Major.
"Do you know which way you came from maybe we can backtrack." Jethro asked.
"Um yeah back that way." The doctor said pointing behind him.
"Ok we'll head that way for a bit see if we can see the base, that is were you came from right." Tony asked.
"Yeah the base should be around here somewhere I haven't been lost that long."
"Well lead the way doc." Jethro said nodding, he then looked at Tony giving him the watch him signal, his gut was turning and he didn't completely trust the doctor.
Xxx
Tim tripped on yet another branch that was half covered by foliage, he grunted then rolled onto his back as Ziva reached down and helped him back up. "Thank you." Tim said dusting off his pants. "No problem." Ziva responded then immediately raised her hand silencing him, Tim opened his mouth to ask her what was going on but she shook her head. Suddenly he heard it another twig snapped, he quickly looked to Officer David, she signaled him to get down and he followed. Suddenly a man appeared with a P-90 pointed at them.
"Wait are you from Atlantis?" The man asked before Ziva could attack with the knife she had. "Yes." David said. "Me too, see." The man then turned to the side and showed his shoulder, on it was a patch. It was a Pegasus patch, but instead of Atlantis it said Farron. Also Tim's strip on his uniform is blue and Ziva's is black this man's was the same as hers black. Which McGee remembers means military. Ziva slowly put her knife down but kept her guard up. "I'm Officer Ziva David, this is Dr. Timothy McGee." David said professionally. "Lt. Jase Connelly." He said without holding out his hand like you would normally do when first meeting someone. "What are you doing out here?" David asked.
"I don't remember, one second I'm walking patrol around the base the next I wake up in the middle of the forest not sure how I got there." The Lt. said looking around.
"Same as us." McGee said, the Lt. looked at him.
"What are you doing here?" Connelly asked looking at them both holding his weapon a bit closer.
"We came here for a training mission and somehow ended up in the middle of this forest completely lost and not sure how we got here."
"There's a lot of that going around." Connelly stated.
"Yeah." David nodded.
"Well I've been walking in that direction for a while now and I know the base is not that way, and if we avoid the path you took then we can get a lot more ground covered." Connelly said.
"How do we know we can trust you, you could be leading us the other way and the way you came might lead us to the base?" David said crossing her arms and looking at him.
"Well how do I know I can trust you? I don't but I'm going to because to get out of this forest I'm going to need your help and your going to need mine, because I'm pretty sure when we get to the base because I don't know you they won't either."
"He has a point Ziva." Tim said as he leaned in to whisper in her ear. Ziva narrowed her eyes at him then nodded subtly.
Xxx
John signaled Ronon to stop, then lowered to a crouch. They waited then they saw someone come out from behind a huge tree and down from a small hill. John nodded at Ronon and they both emerged with there 'weapons' that doesn't actually have real bullets in it, but the person at the other end of the weapon doesn't know that.
"Hold up, hold up don't shoot." They woman said looking between both men. John looked and saw she was wearing an Atlantis uniform except it was the updated one for the alpha sight so instead of Atlantis underneath the Pegasus it said the planet's name Farron. She had a red strip though instead of black like him and the rest of his men, which meant she was a doctor more than likely a geologist for there was a lot of those that were sent to the alpha sight. There wasn't a lot of archeologist or anthropologists that came because there was no civilization when they first did a scout of the planet so there was no need for them to be on the planet. There was a lot of mountains and terrain though which attracted the geologist right away.
"Who are you?" John asked still pointing the end of the P-90 he had on him at her.
"My name is Dr. Josie Casey." Dr. Casey said. "I've been lost kind of for awhile actually. I came out here to check out the terrain you know, and well I think I got turned around. I was retracing my steps when I walked into you two." Dr. Casey indicated with her head to the left side of Ronon and John were she was headed. Ronon looked at John and John gave him a critical look then nodded.
"Ok well lead the way were a bit lost as well." John said his gut telling him that this woman wasn't telling a complete truth.
"Ok well um sure." She said and moved in front of them to go the way she was going."
Xxx
"So what training mission were you on, I didn't here anything about it and I've only been lost in this forest for about a day." Connelly said.
"It was sort of last minute, you might say." David said as she stepped over a log.
"Wolsey send you?" Connelly asked as he held back a branch for her.
"Yeah, we came here to work together, see if we could build a connection as a team." Ziva said with quotation fingers.
"Oh so there's more of your team out here with you?" Connelly asked.
"Yeah." Ziva has no idea why she was giving away all this information to this person she just met, but for some reason she trusted him. "The other two of our team, and then the CO of Atlantis and member of his team." Ziva finished.
"Colonel Sheppard is here?" Connelly asked.
"Yeah and some guy named Ronon who's on his team." McGee said finally joining the conversation. "So is the other part of our team, Colonel Gibbs and Major DiNozzo." McGee finished.
"DiNozzo as in Anthony DiNozzo?" Connelly asked.
"Yeah you know him?" Tim asked looking over at Connelly.
"Do I know him, are you kidding me we were on the same base together for several years until he got transferred a few years back. One of the best dame pilots I've ever known." Connelly said excitedly, Connelly looked over at Ziva and saw that her jaw was tightened up and she was facing of pointedly not looking in his and McGee's direction. Connelly thought it was weird for a second then shook his head and looked back at McGee to talk. "I'd have him watch my back any day." Connelly said truthfully.
Xxx
Tony watched as Dr. Welsh about tripped on a log, Tony helped stabilize him then looked behind him to see the Colonel watching around making sure everything is in the right. Tony was about to ask him if he saw something when suddenly Tony felt the world underneath him disappear, he was falling. When he hit he could feel his whole body hurt, doing a complete check of his body, his head hurt and he is sure he hit it on something. He felt that his leg was in an awkward position, and once he realized that he soon felt the pain. He reached down and felt the leg, it didn't feel broken it was probably sprained. After checking everything ells over he looked up and saw the hole he fell through. He was definitely lucky to get away with a few scrapes and bruises. He looked over and saw the Colonel laying on the ground a few feet away, looking the other way he saw Dr. Welsh already standing and holding his head that seemed to be bleeding from the side.
"Colonel you alright?" Tony crawled over to him just as the Colonel came to.
"Yeah I think I'm fine." The Colonel said feeling around his own body for injury. "Think I just hit my head."
"Yeah me too." Tony said wiping the blood away from dropping into his eye.
"I think we fell." Dr. Welsh said.
"Thank you Doctor I think we got that." Tony grunted as he stood up while putting most of his weight on his good leg. Tony looked around him and saw that they seemed to have fallen into an old cave. He looked up then to the left, there seemed to be only one way to go.
"Alright so that was unexpected." Dr. Welsh said looking up out of the hole. "How do we get back up there?" He asked, Tony looked at the Colonel who looked back at him.
"We don't we follow this." Jethro said indicating the cave that seemed to lead somewhere but it was dark and you couldn't hardly see down it, even with the light coming in from the whole at the top. Tony turned the light on top of his P-90, the weapon even though has no actual bullets is good for one thing, and pointed it down the cave, looked as normal as a regular cave.
"Are you serious, what if there's something down there. An animal that likes meet and is hungry!" Dr. Welsh said his voice raising at the end.
"Don't worry if there is, we'll just have to outrun you." Tony said and hobbled forward following Colonel Gibbs down the cave. Dr. Welsh looked between the two then sighed and followed.
Xxx
"Major Lorne, good you're here. We might have a problem." Woolsey said indicating for Lorne to sit down at the conference table. Lone chose to stand instead, Woolsey nodded his decision then shut the door.
"What's the problem?" Lorne asked.
"It's been three hours over due since Colonel Sheppard and Colonel Gibbs was supposed to check in." Lorne's brow furrowed.
"Weren't they just heading to the alpha sight for training?" Lorne asked.
"Yes and we've already dialed in to the alpha sight, they said they didn't even show up at all there."
"Ok so in between here and there something obviously went wrong." Lorne said already gathering the things he would need for a rescue in his head.
"Exactly I want you to take your team and the rest of SGA1 and find them." Woolsey said.
"Yes sir, will do." Lorne then left the room after being dismissed and went to go find his team, the rest of SGA1 and the supplies he will need.
Xxx
"Sheppard you trust her?" Ronon grunted as he walked beside John but behind the woman as they followed her.
"No, of course not but we can at least keep her in our sights till I figure out what she's hiding." Sheppard said his eyes crinkling as he looked at the woman in front of him. "You two coming?" Dr. Casey asked as she looked back at them.
"Yup right behind ya." John said with a nod, then looked at Ronon who also nodded.
Xxx
"Colonel hold up I think I see something!" Dr. Welsh said pointing to a green glow coming further down the cave.
"Yeah I know saw it too, was about to head that way. How you holding up DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked looking back at Tony who was behind the both of them.
"I'm alright, go ahead I'll catch up." Gibbs looked him over to see if he was really alright just by looking at him. After a minute Gibbs sighed but nodded and moved ahead with Welsh. Once they turned a corner in the cave it opened to a big opened space underground that was lit in a green hue coming from a tree that was directly in the middle.
"What…" Gibbs said with a furrowed brow looking at the tree quizzically.
"It's the Morada Tree, it's the queen of the forest." Welsh said, Gibbs looked at him not sure what he meant by that. "Is it dangerous?" Gibbs asked referring to the fact that the tree is glowing green.
"No, not as long as it's not threatened." Welsh said watching Gibbs.
"What does that mean?" Gibbs said with narrowed eyes.
"We are the protectors." Welsh said and Gibbs looked around.
"We?" Gibbs asked wondering what in the world was going on.
"We are the protectors of the forest, we brought your people here in fear that you would do what so many have done in the past and kill off our ken." Welsh said.
"We would never…"
"Yes you would! You have already done so to make that building of yours!" Welsh yelled at Gibbs.
"We didn't know and I'm sorry that we did that but you have to know that if we knew that we would be hurting someone we would have never cut down any trees." Gibbs argued and he really couldn't believe he was having this argument 'only in another galaxy' he thought to himself.
"That is not true, we have infiltrated your base as you call it and seen the history of your people on you computers from the personal pictures of the people on base there are several structures that are in the pictures that are built from trees and we feard that that was what you were going to start here. We feared that you were going to start building after building cutting down ken after ken of our kind." Welsh said.
"Wait a second your not a tree, what are you?" Gibbs said thoroughly confused.
"We are the protectors." Welsh repeated his first phrase. "You keep saying we, who is this we!" Gibbs said angrily getting frustrated with this game.
"Colonel we are all over always protecting the forest. In the leaves, the trees themselves, the wind, and the ground. This form you see now is a way to protect the forest a projection of our will to stop any harm to come." Welsh said indicating himself. "We've taken form like this before in order to get onto your base and investigate for our own protection and that of the forest. All we've had to do is watch for that of your kind to either walk in or by our forest and copy their image, the way they walk talk, and act." Welsh said walking over to the tree in the middle of the room.
"Why are you telling me all this and why bring us here?" Gibbs asked.
"Because in order to protect ourselves we have come to a decision that we do not have the technology to fight you all, but we can try and convince you all to leave. We are however also prepared to fight if you chose not leave." Welsh said squaring his shoulders.
"I'll do what I can but I have to be able to leave and go back to the base." Gibbs said.
"We know this and we are prepared to let you go." Welsh nodded his head.
"Me, what about the rest of my team?" Gibbs asked with suspicion just then looking around and realized that Tony was still not there.
"They will stay until we know for sure that you will keep the end of your deal." Welsh said.
"I can't just leave my team." Gibbs said stubbornly.
"You can and you will or you'll stay in this forest for the rest of eternity with the rest of the people who chose to fight us." As he said this the corners of the room lit up and you could see several people that were intertwined with tree roots and stuck to the walls.
"You kill all them!" Gibbs asked shocked.
"No they are all still alive but slowly being consumed by the roots. The tree's don't need this kind of nourishment to survive but if need be it helps these trees grow faster and stronger." Welsh said.
"So your telling me all these people are slowly dieing!" Gibbs said angrily now.
"You have your choice make a decision and remember if you make the wrong one, this is what could become of the rest of your team."
"Rest?" Gibbs asked suspicious again, Welsh stepped aside and Gibbs saw Tony was another one of the people that was now attached to the wall the difference was Tony was still conscious if just a little out of it.
"You have until sundown tomorrow before he's fully integrated into the roots past then and it will be impossible to get him out without him either being dead or brain dead." Welsh said then looked around at all the other people. "The only thing keeping the rest of them alive is the roots." Then Welsh looked at Gibbs. "I suggest you go now and don't waste time, the forest will show you the way out and the way back."
"What about the rest of my team?" Gibbs asked.
"Two of your team are being lead around by another protector in a circle, but any indication that you betray us and they will going to the roots as well. The other two of your team are searching for a way out with no success, we can send a protector to them though if need be." Gibbs got the point no double crossing.
"Ok I get it, I'll be back DiNozzo." Gibbs said then he ran down the cave, and Welsh wasn't kidding as he ran he saw that the cave started opening up and leading him out.
Xxx
Major Lorne lead the Jumper out of the gate and to the base. He looked over and saw Teyla sitting in the passenger seat and Rodney behind her. They landed on the pad for the jumpers and headed into the base, also didn't miss the fact that the Colonels Jumper wasn't there. He lead the way into the base and saw Colonel Ellis who has been running the base since his ship came out to supply it and until they could get someone ells to oversee it.
"Colonel." Lorne came to attention in front of him.
"At ease Major." Ellis waved him off.
"Sir." Lorne said standing in parade rest.
"What have you heard?" Rodney asked becoming impatient.
"Well so far the scientist on base did notice a tiny spike of energy after the gate was activated but then it went away."
"After the gate was activated? So the Jumper did come through?" Rodney asked.
"Yeah but five minutes after it did it disappeared and we searched but couldn't find anything." Colonel Ellis said leading them to the main room were the most of the main operations of the base was. Ellis was about to say something ells when one of the techs interrupted him.
"Sir there's a Colonel Gibbs trying to get into the base." "Let him in." Major Lorne said at the same time as Ellis while they both headed to the door the tech had pointed out to them. Rodney and Teyla looked at each other and followed the Major and Colonel. The Major told the rest of his team to wait in the main op room.
They made it there and saw a disheveled Colonel looking angry that the solder at the door wouldn't let him in until now.
"Colonel!" Lorne said getting his attention.
"We need to leave everyone on this base." Gibbs said.
"Excuse me what?" Ellis demanded.
"If we don't get everyone on this base out of here by sundown tomorrow the people who had me are going to hook the rest of my team up to those root things and they already have one hooked up and by sundown tomorrow it will be too late to save him."
"And they told me you were mute." Ellis said.
"What?" Gibbs said looking at him. "Nothing are you sure, there's nothing ells that can be done because I really rather not have to evacuate a whole base in one day." Ellis said frustrated.
"Don't you think if there were any other options he would have figured it out by now." Ellis stood there for a bit. "No, I'm not going to evacuate this base based on this." Ellis said. "I want to talk to these people."
"Sir with all due respect it wasn't a suggestion it was an order." Gibbs growled eyeing down the other Colonel. After awhile of staring each other down, Ellis backed out.
"Fine but I'll be reporting this." Ellis turned on his heal.
"Do what you want." Gibbs said also turning on his heal and heading back outside.
"Colonel were are you going?" Lorne said following after him.
"Back the way I came they said I had to come back with the verdict." Gibbs grunted.
"We'll come, I'll have the rest of my team stay and help with the evacuation." Gibbs looked at him then nodded. Before they left Gibbs exchanged his training weapon for one with real bullets. They then headed the direction into the forest but before the even hit the tree line Gibbs heard a noise then a whole bunch of people jumped out from somewhere and aimed Ginii type weapons at them.
"Hold you'll come with us." The guy in front said.
"Oh shit, we really don't have time for this." Gibbs said getting really frustrated.
"Ok hold on who are you and how did you get here?"
"I am Jarek, and we are the Calcinians. This was all our land except for the forest before you all came and took it without our permission or talking with us like it was yours to take."
"Yeah there's a lot of that feeling going around." Gibbs said under his breath.
"We searched this land when we first came here there was nobody here, how come you didn't come out to meet us then?" Lorne asked.
"Because we know of the wraith and even though the wraith do not come here we are werry of anything or anyone who steps through the gate. As for your scanners picking us up, the forest blocks out all technology that is why the wraith do not come here."
"That's also the reason we chose this planet as the alpha." Lorne whispered to Gibbs.
"That's enough talk I must take you to Barek." Jarek said indicating for his men to step forward.
"Wait, wait, wait, just hold on!" Rodney said. "You have to let us go if you don't then you'll kill our friend." Rodney said.
"He is already gone if he is in the forbidden forest, anyone who goes in does not come out."
"Not true, the protectors of the forest give you a choice you can either chose to leave and they'll let you leave, or chose to stay in which case you'll be hunted within a forest that changes to the needs of the protectors then once caught, you'll be hooked into the roots of the trees like food." Gibbs said.
"Oh really gross." Rodney said wrinkling his nose.
"This can't be true then why did our men never come back?" Jarek said.
"They probably chose to stay thinking they could find there own way out, but without help trust me that's not so easy in this forest." Gibbs said releasing a breath. "Look I could stick around a talk to you about this or I can go and save the rest of my team." Gibbs said holding out his arms in frustration.
"No I must follow orders and take you to Barek." Jarek then ordered his men forward. Gibbs then acted when they got close enough he fought back hoping to escape. Instead the jumped on him. He thought for sure he wouldn't get to help his team as they helped him up though he heard Jarek yelling and looked over to see that two of Jarek's men were standing at the tree line.
"Leave him we got the rest." Jarek said to his men. Gibbs looked around and saw Teyla and Rodney but no Lorne. Gibbs smiled at least he could let the protectors know that the decision has been made.
Xxx
"Alright who are you really." John said giving up on trying to figure it out himself.
"I am Dr. Josie Casey remember we've already been over this." Josie said.
"No, no, no your not because Dr. Josie Casey is back on Atlantis right now I know because I saw her this morning before I left." John said pointing his weapon at her. Ronon also already had his pointed at her.
"Ok wait, fine. I am a protector of the forest. I was sent after you to make sure you weren't going to harm the forest." Josie said.
"Why the whole charade?" Ronon asked.
"It was all part of the plan to get your people to leave, if we needed you I would have lead you back to mother and we would have used you." Josie said.
"Used?"
"Mother?" Ronon and John looked at each other.
"We would have used you with the other one if need be for leverage to get you all to leave this planet." Josie said. "Mother is the queen tree the mother of all trees, scavengers, and protectors of the forest."
"Leverage you mean you would have used us as blackmail to get the rest of the people on base to leave?" John asked.
"Yes your presence is making mother nervous and sad." Josie said.
"How so?" John asked thinking he might know were this was going.
"The building you built it was made from our brothers and sisters." Josie said sadly. John looked compassionately at her.
"Look I'm sorry that happened if we would have known we would never have done that." John said. "We would have moved on to a different planet if we knew you were here." John said truthfully.
"We know but our existence is secret for our own protection but we are willing to give a choice to any and everyone who comes here. If they chose to make the right chose they may leave freely but if not we our forced to protect." Josie said with determination.
"Look we would like to apologize personally, can you take us to this…uh mother?" John asked.
"We'll there would be no point of walk in a circle anymore now you know the truth." Josie said.
"We weren't walking in a circle." John said with a frown.
"Yes the only reason you didn't notice was because the trees change." Josie smiled. "That is way we are called the forbidden forest as we heard we are hard to navigate." Josie said with a mischievous smile.
Xxx
"Why do you trust Major DiNozzo so much." Ziva asked Connelly frustratingly. Connelly raised an eyebrow at her.
"The question should be why don't you?" Connelly fired back, Ziva turned her head and saw McGee a few paces behind them, but not close enough to hear.
"There was this man that I first met when he was stationed at the same base I was. He was an USAF pilot, a really good one, we became close. Then he was transferred, and a month later killed in action. When I read the file it was stated that Major Anthony DiNozzo was supposed to be his backup and when he went down in his helicopter DiNozzo wasn't there." Ziva finished angrily. Connelly nodded for a few seconds.
"I was there." Connelly said under his breath.
"What?" Ziva asked.
"I was there, that was the day I started trusting Major DiNozzo with my life, it was the day he saved mine." Connelly stopped and Ziva stopped turned and looked at him shocked not sure what to say, this wasn't in the file she had read. "That day, we were on the ground and we were supposed to infiltrate this enemy base, the problem was we got bad information and were outnumbered. We called for extraction the two helicopters that came to extract us were Major DiNozzo's and Major Dylan's. DiNozzo landed and because of the heavy fire he was under he took a shot in the should and his helicopter was badly damaged, his co-pilot was shot and killed. But he kept going like nothing, we all loaded on his helicopter knowing that under these conditions the other helicopter couldn't land. Once the Major took off he noticed that there was an RPG looked onto us, the systems were all messed up though I was surprised that he could even still fly it with all the bells and shit going off. Just when we thought we were goners, Major Dylan, Jared pulled a stunt I've only seen hero's do and that's what he was and is. He flew his helicopter in between us and the RPG. It caught the tail end and he went down, trust me when I say DiNozzo would have landed and saved him if he could, but his helicopter was severely damaged and the wounded he had in the back needed help. Any longer then how long we were there and I wouldn't be standing here today." Connelly finished and then walked ahead McGee had already caught up and heard the story as well.
Ziva stood there numb, she had not known all the facts and in her grieving she took it out on the only logical person she could. She now felt bad but also sad all over again thinking about Jared. She had read that Colonel Sheppard almost had a situation similar to Major DiNozzo except were as Sheppard was blamed sent to Antarctica, DiNozzo was honored, and with that information she in her mind at the time without all the facts she had thought it not fair. She had thought he had gotten his rich father to pay someone off. But now she knows the truth, and with that she has a new respect, even for Sheppard for she may not know all the facts there either.
Just then she heard a noise and turned to the side and saw someone running at them. She reacted and had them on the ground in a heartbeat.
"Woe woe, hold on, I'm Major Lorne with Atlantis and you must be Officer David." Lorne grunted.
"Major!" Connelly said helping them both up.
"Connelly where've you been you've been missing since yesterday, never mind I think I might know." Lorne said and Connelly nodded.
"Look I don't have time I have to find this queen tree or something, I don't know I'm having a hard time remembering it's like when you first walk in this forest you lose your memory on how you got here in the first place. I do know I have to save someone, and that it's urgent I get back out of the forest for something." Lorne said.
"Ok well lets go then, you know were your going?" Connelly asked.
"Yes well it seems the forest is showing me see." Lorne indicated behind the others they turned and saw what used to be a whole lot of trees was now a path.
"Uh ok well let's go." Connelly said they all followed the hints the forest put for them.
Xxx
"Wow." John said as he stepped into a room that in the middle was a glowing green tree.
"Marlarious, I thought you understood the plan." A man in the corner said stepping out.
"I did Talon, but they figured it out by themselves sooner then we thought they would." Marlarious (Josie) said, Talon (Jonathan Welsh) looked at here for a while then tipped his head at her she nodded then headed over to the tree in the middle of the room and touched it's trunk and instantly she disappeared.
"Where'd she go?" John asked.
"Home." Talon said.
"Look we wanted to say that were sorry and we'll leave as soon as you let us go." John said.
"We'll let you go as soon as your other gets back with your peoples decision." Talon said.
"Ok who is it you sent." John was curious.
"Colonel Gibbs I do believe his name was. We made sure he was motivated with Major DiNozzo's help." Talon stepped aside and John could now see was Gibbs had seen.
"What have you done to him?" Ronon asked and John had no better question to ask at that point.
"Nothing as of yet but starting tomorrow the roots will start changing his systems around if they haven't started already." Talon said looking at the two new comers. Just then four people came running in.
"Ok hey I'm Major Evan Lorne, I'm with these people I was sent to tell you we'll leave."
"Where is the other one?" Talon asked confused.
"I don't know I don't remember because apparently every time someone enters this forest they lose their memory on how they got here and apparently that is where I lost the Colonel." Lorne said then looked over to John and Ronon. "Sir, Ronon." Lorne tipped his head at both of them.
Just then Talon was in front of him, Lorne felt uncomfortable for a moment and more so when he placed two fingers on his forehead. When suddenly he remembered.
"They were taken by some people that were here before us but we didn't know about." Lorne looked at Talon.
"I see, and you wont leave people behind." Talon said to himself, he then walked over to DiNozzo and released him from the roots. Before he fell Ziva was there to catch him. He came to a little bit.
"I thought you hated me?" He slurred out.
"Don't be stupid, it just takes some time to tolerate you." Ziva said softly smiling at him letting him know she was joking. She moved him over to a corner.
"I will help." Talon said. "Me and a few other protectors. We can change appearance and become invisible we will be an asset, then once you get your people back you leave and we will deal with the Calcinians, we have dealt with them before." Talon said.
"Ok but we need to get him back to the base first for medical treatment." John said indicating Major DiNozzo. Talon nodded and also disappeared into the tree. John looked around then went over to help David with DiNozzo.
Xxx
"We just want to know how to work you technology, that is all." Barek said to a Rodney, Teyla, and Gibbs who were all tied to a chair.
"Well I'm sorry if you tying us to chair is not exactly reassuring." Rodney ranted.
"I'm sorry it is a precaution." Barek said, suddenly the two guards that were standing guard traded shifts with two knew ones. Teyla got a quizzical look on her face, and not a second later after the door was shut the two guards pointed there guns at Barek.
Once they had Barek gagged and tied up one of the guards came over and cut the binds on the three Atlantians.
"Ok were going to have to pretend your still tied up." One guard said and Gibbs nodded knowing were this was going so did Teyla.
"What why." Rodney said in a high pitched voice.
"Because in order to get out of here we have to stay in character.
"Oh right I knew that." Rodney said and with that they all left the room in a line with one guard in front and one in back. They made it all the way out of the cave slash bunker and were almost in the clear when they came upon the guard at the door.
"Were are you going?"
"We've been ordered to take the prisoners out here." The guard at the front said, before the door guard could do anything though a blue light flew through the air and the guard was on the ground.
"Come on let's go." Colonel Sheppard said and they all ran back the way they came, then all the way back to the base.
"Colonel I shall take my leave now." One of the guards changed shape.
"Are you sure Talon we could use your help against the wraith?" John said hoping.
"Yes we can not leave the forest for long even now I can feel myself becoming weak."
"Alright it was worth a shot." John said. "Ok guys were the last ones here let's head back to Atlantis." John nodded at Talon. "It was nice meeting you." with that they all headed back to the gate.
Xxx
hey don't write yourself off yet
They were all back were they started in the conference room.
"So you sign off on this team then Colonel." Woolsey asked John.
its only in you head you feel left out or looked down on.
"Yup, see no problem with it they seem to work well." John nodded "I'm actually thinking of adding another personal to one of the teams."
"Oh yeah who and what team?" Woolsey asked.
just try your best try everything you can.
"Lt. Jase Connelly, to SGA2." John said nodding over at Major Lorne who was at the end sitting across from Major DiNozzo and beside Lt. Connelly.
"What?" Connelly asked.
and don't you worry what they tell themselves when you're away.
"Well that's if they both agree, I just figured because Lorne has been looking for another member for his team and Lt. Connelly just lost the base he was stationed to?"
"It's fine with me." Lorne said.
its just takes some time little girl you're in the middle of the tide Everything Everything will be just fine Everything Everything will be alright, alright
"Oh um yeah sure we can give it a shot." Lt. Connelly said smiling.
"Ok well other than the fact we have to find a knew alpha sight, I'd say case is closed." Woolsey said standing up. "Now I have another thing to head off to, all of you have the rest of the day off, get some rest." Then he was leaving out the door, right after him John shook hands with Gibbs and left with his team with Lorne trailing behind telling Connelly that team training time for tomorrow.
"DiNozzo, long time no see." Connelly said coming up to him.
"Yeah no kidding, you look much better than I last saw you." Tony said smiling at him.
"Well its good seeing you again want to get together later with some of the guys and watch a game of football?" Connelly asked walking backwards out the door.
"Wouldn't miss it." Tony laughed, Tony then turned around and saw Ziva standing there.
its just takes some time little girl you're in the middle of the tide Everything Everything will be just fine Everything Everything will be alright, alright
"Hey."
"So…the last time we were in this room we didn't exactly see eye to eye." Tony said.
hey, you know they're all the same.
"Yes, well as you might say I jumped the bullet." Ziva said still not looking directly at him.
you know you're doing better on your own(on your own) so don't buy in.
"Well actually, it's gun." Tony said.
"What?" Ziva said finally looking up at him.
"It's jump the gun, you know…" When she continued to stare blankly at him he gave up. "Never mind." He sighed then smiled, she smiled back and reached up and kissed his cheek.
"I'm looking forward to working with you Major Anthony DiNozzo." She smiled at him he nodded.
"And I you." He said back to here, with that they both left the conference room.
Live right now Yeah, just be yourself it doesn't matter if its good enough for someone else.
Xxx
Live right now Yeah, just be yourself it doesn't matter if its good enough for someone else.
Gibbs unpacked the last of his things and placed them were he wanted in his room. Just as he did so the chime on his door let him know someone was there. That's something he's going to have to get used to.
its just takes some time little girl you're in the middle of the tide Everything Everything will be just fine Everything Everything will be alright, alright
"Colonel, thought you might want to come down to the rec room, the guys kind of took it over tonight the watch last weeks football game on earth. earliest one we got yet!" John said excitedly. Gibbs looked back over his room, this was home now were as before was kind of hard to think about, but now not so much. He will always miss his Shannon and his little Kelly, but maybe this will help him. Moving on and keeping focused on the job.
"Sure lead the way." John nodded and did just that.
its just takes some time little girlyou're in the middle of the tide Everything Everything will be just fine Everything Everything will be alright, alright
they just don't write yourselves off
it's only in you head you feel left out Or looked down try your best,
do everything you don't you worry they tell themselves that your on
just takes some time little girl you're in the middle of the tide Everything Everything will be just fine Everything Everything will be alright, alrightits just takes some time little girl you're in the middle of the tide Everything Everything will be just fine Everything Everything will be alright, alright
THE END
That is the end of this two part episode/story I hope you liked. Please leave a review and tell me what you think.
Song at the end is: The Middle - Jimmy Eat World
I used this song because I liked the wording and what it meant for both Tony and Gibbs and how it takes time and don't sell themselves short. I also liked how in the song it says just be yourself and I liked what it meant for Ziva.