Chapter One
"Are you reading any more life signs?" Sheppard broke the silence that had started about a mile back when McKay had finally run out of breath.
"Nope, still only one," Rodney said, his loud clomping making his answer hard to hear. "It's just up," he motioned ahead and then looked where his arm was pointing, "Oh, great, of course in would be on the other side of the mountain."
"It's a hill, Rodney," Ronon said and quickened his pace.
Sheppard McKay's grumbling and headed up the hill. He immediately dropped down and motioned to McKay and Ronon. McKay fell silent and was panting by the time he reached the top of the hill.
"You sure there's only one life sign?" Sheppard asked.
"Of course," McKay snapped and then muttered, "That would explain the energy reading."
"Energy reading? You didn't say anything about an energy reading," Sheppard said.
"Well, it was minimal, I didn't think it made a difference to you. It can't be using nearly as much energy as any of the other Wraith outposts we've encountered."
"Are we going to sit here and argue all day?" Ronon broke in. "I say we go in. There's only one of them in there."
"I agree, let's go," Sheppard said and started down the side of the hill, Ronon following and McKay trailing behind.
Ronon and Sheppard approached the entrance. The doorway was open and Sheppard stepped inside, his gun raised.
"Where's the Wraith?" Ronon asked and Rodney stepped forward and held his device up.
"Just ahead, in one of those rooms," he motioned down the right corridor and then promptly dropped behind Ronon.
Sheppard opened the first door and shook his head. Ronon walked past and opened the next one. Slowly, his gun dropped to his side. "Ummm. . . Sheppard?"
Sheppard soon stood in the doorway with Ronon and McKay came up behind them and attempted to look over Ronon's shoulder.
"Huh," McKay said and began walking further down the corridor.
"Hello," Sheppard said.
A young girl looked up at him from a small bed. Her eyes were wide but she did not say a word.
"What are you doing here?" Ronon asked and Sheppard elbowed him.
"I live here," the girl said and swung her legs over the bed. Her eyebrows furrowed and she took a step towards the two men. "What is he doing? Why are you here?"
"He's just looking around. He's a scientist, he won't hurt anything. Do you live here alone?"
But the girl's wary look had turned to shock and before Sheppard had time to react, the girl was out the door. McKay was just about to enter what looked like the room with the energy source when the girl through herself in front of it.
"What do you want?" she scowled up at the three men. Ronon's gun was up again, but Sheppard motioned for him to lower it.
"Maybe we should leave, Rodney," Sheppard said in a low voice.
"But I've never seen some of this stuff before. The control panel is in that room, and we should take a look at it."
"Alright," Sheppard turned his attention on the girl in front of him. He awkwardly knelt down and said, "Why don't we go sit in your bedroom and we can get to know each other."
The girl's face broke into a grin which Sheppard took for a good sign. But the grin rapidly turned into laughter, "Do you think I'm stupid? Mother doesn't want strangers here. You had better leave before she comes and finds you."
"Come on," Sheppard reached for her arm and the girl quickly hit a button and jumped away from the door, straight into Sheppard's chest. The girl collapsed onto the floor, clutching her hand. After a few moments, she struggled to her feet and smiled.
"There, now you can't get in," she said. With that, she walked out of the hall and back into her room.
"Oh, that sneaky. . ." McKay's voice trailed off as he examined the door. A force field surrounded it and the device that McKay needed to reach to let the field down. "I can't get in."
"Rodney," Sheppard said in exasperation, his fingers probing his slightly bruised ribs, "we all know you can, now hop to it."
"No, really, haven't you noticed? That room is completely self-contained. None of the controls outside interact with those inside. It's actually quite a complex way of doing things. But very effective especially with a shield like that."
"So you really can't get in."
"Nope, not unless. . ." McKay did not bother finishing his sentence, but pulled his laptop out.
"Well, then. I think I'll just go have a chat with our little friend, see if I can get anything out of her. Why don't you go see about this mother of hers," he said to Ronon.