The first Marine dashed back through the Gate, followed quickly by two more, then a stretcher party carrying a City security forces, then the rest of the fire team.

Last through was Macara.

"Major?" Sam asked as soon as the gate shut down.

"More of those freaks, ma'am. Took out a half dozen before they even knew back-up had come. The rest dropped your team and legged it," the major replied.

"Very good, major. Casualties?"

"Only one, your Security trooper who was injured. The rest are fine."

"Very well, go and debrief, major."

Macara nodded, and led his fire team to the UKGTF sector of the city.

Sheppard walked up to Sam as Macara and his men disappeared, going to the nearest transporter.

"Another attack?"

"Yes, these freaks Michael has created."

"Typical. Macara still leaving?" Sheppard asked, actually concerned about the Major.

"Yes. Not only has he resigned from his position in the UKGTF, he has applied for a transfer straight to the front in Helmand province." Sam said sadly.

"What the hell for?" Sheppard asked quietly.

Sam wasn't inclined to spurt Nathan's personal opinions around in public, but Sheppard needed to know.

"He is so sickened by the politics, as you know, that he wanted to get out. But he wants to be with the British soldiers dying in Afghanistan because they need the help more than the SGC, apparently." Sam replied.

"So it's not some heroic bullshit then, no suicidal urges either?" John asked.

"No, he just wants to be with his men, away from all the little petty arguments of the SGC."

"Damn. What a stubborn fool. More importantly, any news on Teyla yet?" Sheppard asked. He had been out seven times in the last five days, trying to garner news of where she had been taken.

Sam just shook her head. Sheppard hit the railing.

"Damn it! Someone has to know something!" he shouted, causing a few of the SG ops people to look over.

"We'll find her, John. Michael can't stay hidden forever, and we'll get her back." Sam tried to comfort him.

"But will we get her on time?" Sheppard bit back, a little too harshly. He shrugged apologetically.

"Unscheduled activation," chuck threw in from behind them. Security teams stood to, and the gate opened.

"We have major Lorne's IDC," chuck called out again. Sam just nodded, and Chuck let the shield open.

Lorne's team came through. They all seemed buoyed by something, their spirits lifted. The major ran up to the two colonels.

"What?" Sheppard asked expectantly.

"We have a Genii contact, says he knows where Teyla is," Lorne said happily.

"So we have to meet him there?" Sheppard asked.

"Sounds like a trap to me," Valenski said.

"Sounds too good to be true," Macara muttered.

"We have to try it." Sheppard replied.

Carter sighed and stood from the briefing table. "I agree. Colonel, take major Lorne and his team to M4S-587 please. Wait for this contact to arrive. Stay in contact with Atlantis."

"Yes, ma'am." Sheppard replied, he and Lorne standing and leaving the room to prep a team.

"Major Valenski, you can take your team out now, you don't need to hang around here,"

"With pleasure, colonel," the polish major replied, standing and also leaving.

Sam looked at Macara. "I want you to form a team, major. Go with Sheppard and set up a perimeter, just in case this is a Genii trick. I don't want more personnel captured."

Macara nodded. It was a sound idea.

"Fireteam or section?"

"Preferably the latter. Take some snipers with you."

"Yes, ma'am" Macara said standing.

"Dismissed."

The major left, taking his beret from his belt and fixing it in place.

"Okay, move yourselves!" Macara shouted. He had picked his five most experienced Marines, men who had been part of the SFSG before joining the GTF. They all had their L85A5's, L104's and Minimi's slung across their backs, but each also carried a G-36 CM, the commando version. This new version, designed for the UK SF, had a silence, shorter body length, retraceable butt rather than foldable, and was matt black.

"Why are we taking these, sir?" one man hefted his G-36CM.

"Just in case we need some quiet, corporal Davis. That okay with you?"

Davis nodded shamefaced. "Yes, sir."

The other two men in the section had different weapons. One carried the G37-DMR, a marksman's weapon based on the G36 family, and the other was Marine Beckett with his L115A3 sniper rifle.

"Good, we're ready. Bush hats with your DPM, gentlemen. Beret's in your webbing." Macara said. The marines complied, removing their vaunted berets and replacing with the DPM bush hat, designed to break up the shape of a human head.

"Let's go," Macara said, leading his men to the gate room.

Sam watched the eight marines file in, armed to the teeth.

"Expecting a War, major?"

"No, ma'am. Just wanted to test out the new toys in the field. Thought silence might be a good aid."

Sam smiled. "Okay. Colonel Sheppard and his team are already there. Good luck, maj…"

"Incoming wormhole!" Chuck called. "It's major Valenski. We have a transmission."

Sam rushed into the ops room.

"Put it on," she said.

"Do not, I say again, do not lower the Iris. Ve are under attack and are heavily outnumbered. Vent looking for da DHD, as there was none near da Gate. Ve found it two clicks away, in some ruins with Wraith technology around it. As we prepared to pull out, Michael's troops arrived from some unseen quarter and began to attack. Need support, now!" the transmisison blurted quickly. Gunfire could be heard over the comm, too. Someone screamed behind the Major.

"Hold on major, we'll send what we can!" Carter shouted back.

"Hurry….!" Was the last thing said before the gate closed.

Sam dashed to the gate room.

"Change of plan, major! Head to J3X-222 and relieve major Valeski. Chuck, dial it up!" Sam called out.

Macara thought hard. He hadn't brought any grenades, and it was a twenty minute round trip to any of the armouries. The city only had two jumpers in the bay at the moment, one of which was being repaired. His team could easily be running through a defended gate…..

But it was his friend Sussana! He couldn't just leave her under attack!

The gate activated.

"In for a penny, in for a pound," he breathed. "Safeties off, lateral dispersal once we're through. Do NOT head straight on as you go through!" he shouted, leading the way. With eight small sucking sounds, the Marines disappeared, and Sam called for one of the other officers to get a Jumper team back and ready to help out.

Michael's soldiers were everywhere. Valenski's team were pinned down, and the major couldn't do anything about it. She was one man down, possibly dead and out of reach.
Between the three of them, they had two P-90's and a Minimi. It was only the machinegun that was stopping them being overrun.
Valenski had been counting muzzle flashes, and even a conservative approximation, figuring in fire-and-maneuver, they were outnumbered ten to one, even after the casualties they had already caused.
Valenski had ordered no one to fire unless they had a clear shot. They were in a clearing, so there was no way the Hybrids would get to rush them without coming into somebody's arc of fire.
The worst part was the weapons the Hybrids were using; a large mix of Genii, Earth and Wraith weapons, making them more dangerous than fighting a normal Wraith party at long range.
"Major! They're coming out of the trees!" sergeant Merrick called from his position at Valenski's 7 o'clock in the circle of ruins. He fired a quick burst from his P-90, which was followed by a pained grunt.
"Stephenson, hold here!" Valenski shouted, dashing to Merrick's position. She fired two short bursts of her own, dropping two Hybrids with her accuracy. Merrick shot another, making for four corpses on the ground. The rest fell back into the cover of the trees.
Stephenson was firing again, and ricochet's were bouncing around the rubble. One took Valenski in her muscled left thigh. She spat out a string of Polish curses.
There was a noise, then, like a cheer or a roar. The bushes came alive with movement.
"Ma'am, I think they're going to rush us!" Merrick cried.
"They vouldn't...we'd slaughter them…." Valenski said out loud, before realising these were Hybrids, controlled by Michael's mind. They would do whatever he wanted.
"Ve are in trouble…." Valenski stated. *Back to back at the DHD!" she shouted as the weapon fire intensified.

Macara and his unit were running as vast as they could. They had covered the two clicks in about ten minutes, even with kit. The gunfire was getting closer now, through the thick trees.
Macara could see ruins, with figures dashing towards them. They were wearing dark apparel, and carried an array of weapons. There was at least thirty of them that he could make out, maybe more.
Macara held up his hand. "Okay, 36-CMs, take the closest one's first so. They won't know where they're being hit from. As soon as your mags are empty, sling and use your regular longs. Understand?" he hissed to the five 36-Cm armed Marines. He received five nods. "Good. Bennett, Mallard, set up your weapons and pop them off best as you can. Cover us," Macara said to his marksmen. Two more nods.
The major moved off with his five riflemen, moving quickly and quietly. The two marksmen broke off and went to find good positions.
The fireteams made it to the tree line and made ready.
"Are you ready?" Macara radioed Bennett. He received a double click on the radio.
"Okay, pick targets and open up." Macara radioed. No sooner had he spoken, than two Hybrids were down, shot through the back of the head and neck respectively. Macara made a note to chastise the snipers for not going for the centre mass. They were showing off again.
"Move." The major said simply, and his Marines moved slowly out of cover, aiming through their sights the whole time.
Their 36-CMs spat silent death at the running Hybrids. Five were down before any of them noticed something was wrong. Two turned to see what was happening, and were dropped by the unseen marksmen. Those two were racking up the kills, Bennett obviously trying to keep his reputation, Mallard loving the new DMR and trying to show that the marksmen group were just as useful as the Sniper cadre.
The six Commandos moved up, firing steadily. By now, more than a dozen Hybrids had altered their attack to engage the new hostiles. Macara's men were also at the peripheral of the ruined structure, and were able to start taking cover now.
Jones was the first to switch back to his L85. He let his empty 36 swing on its sling, and pulled the A5 round, opening fire. McCluskey was next, drawing his L104 and opening up with long, controlled bursts.
A marine went down on Macara's left. Fulton, he thought, but had no time to stop and check. He pressed on towards the centre of the ruins.
"Form a corridor here! Keep the path back open!" Macara called. His men shouted assent and took station, holding back any enfilading attackers.
The major broke into the area with the Wraith tech and DHD.
Valenski was lying injured, firing her P-90. Merrick, the sergeant, was dead; a lucky shot through his left eye. Stephenson was firing the Minimi at the wave of attackers.
Macara saw the DHD, and realised there was no way he would get the injured and dead team members away and through the gate if they had to open it form here.
"Jones, bring the men into the ring of rubble. Set your positions and we defend until relieved! Bennett, Mallard, fire and maneuver, do not let yourselves be flanked or discovered." The major comm'd quietly.
He moved across the ring and tapped Stephenson. "Hold here, private. I'm on your 9. Don't fire there, I've got the angle,"
The man nodded and continued his fusillade.
The other four Marines dashed in, Wray carrying Fulton over his shoulders. He placed the man down gently, before taking his weapons and ammo, and passing them around.
"Vish I could say it was good to see you," Valenski muttered. Macara just grinned.
"Can you get on the line?"
Valenski crouched, despite the pain in her leg, and limped over, stooped, to the tallest circle of rubble.
"I'll assume that was a yes, then?" the Major grinned again.
The marines checked their ammo, and went to work.
Jones, McCluskey, corporal Wray, sergeant Gander and Macara strengthened the line enough with Valenski and Stephenson that the hybrids fell back, giving them some respite.
The medic, corporal Wray, saw to Valeski's leg.
Fulton was dead, two enemy rounds causing large damage to his left lung and the tangle of arteries around his heart. His loss angered the whole group of Marines. He had been a funny, witty Marine and had always kept his unit's spirits up.
"There is far more of them than I reckoned," Valenski said to Macara. "I made around thirty contacts,"
Macara nodded. "So did I, Susanna. There must have been more around here. Maybe an outpost of some sort? Regardless, these are more forces than Michael has ever committed to battle. Whatever is going on here must be of some great importance,"
"Teyla?" Valenski asked.
"It's the only thing I can think of. But there isn't much we can do right now. We wait for the Jumper to pick us up, then we leave. Quickly."
Valenski just nodded. By now, the adrenaline was wearing off, her wound throbbing terribly.
There was a few sudden bursts of Genii weapons, and Bennett, followed by Mallard, dove into the cover.
"Sorry, sir. They were all round our exit route, and we couldn't hold 'em" the Sniper replied.
"It's okay. Set up your weapons and start taking out the ones in the trees. They think they're safe in there. Let them know otherwise."
"Yes, sir."
"Here they come again!" Gander shouted.
"Stand to! Drive them back!" Macara shouted.

Ronon sat impatiently in the jumper. There was a fight, and he wasn't in it.
The cloaked ship came round in a wide circle, the clearing coming into viewing quickly. There was a ring of old ruins, with a circle of dark-clad figures fighting towards it. There was now over twenty-five dark forms lying inert on the ground, too.
The centre of the ruins was being well defended.
"Come down right above them, and place a couple of drones right into the centre of that," Ronon pointed at a large group of Hybrids.

Macara swore. He was running out of ammo.
So too, were the rest of his squad. The two minimis and the L104 were still going strong, but the rest of the Marines were low. Jones was injured, his left bicep torn by a P90 round fired from the treeline. It was an extremely lucky shot, to make a hit at that distance.
Bennett fired again, then stopped to scratch a mark in his rifle-butt. Another kill.
A sudden explosion rocked the Hybrids, killing almost a dozen, the rest falling back once more.
Just in front of them, a jumper decloaked and the back opened.
Ronon jumped out and fired a few shots at the running Hybrids.
"Okay, get the dead and wounded inside!" Macara ordered. "We are outta here!"
The marines grabbed Major Valenski, to much vocal protest, and carried her aboard. Fulton and Merrick went next.
"Let's go, Dex!" Macara called. Ronon didn't move.
"Ronon! I think Teyla is here, we need to go and get reinforcements!"
Ronon snarled and Macara followed his point of few.
From the trees about three kilometres distant, a Wraith cruiser rose and headed for the upper atmosphere.
"Michael," Ronon growled.
"Damn! He's bugging out. Dex, we need to get back and tell Sheppard he's wasting his time on that world, Michaels moved again," Macara said, himself stepping into the now crowded Jumper.
Ronon spat, and followed the major.
"Right, we need to get to Atlantis and let Sheppard know. We don't want him being the last man left waiting on M4S-587." Macara said. The pilot nodded, and his Marines sat down. Despite their victory, the realisation that Fulton was gone was hitting them.
Valenski smiled grimly at him.
"Thanks for coming to get me, major."
Macara nodded. "Thank these lads. They did the hard work."
Macara sat with his back against the jumper's hatch.
"Don't worry, Ronon. We'll get her back" he patted the big man's shoulder.
Well, at least, you guys will. Maybe I should tell the other I'm leaving, the major thought to himself as the jumper sped through the gate.

"Still no sign of colonel Sheppard?" Macara asked darkly.

"No," was all Sam could muster.

"It's been eleven days, McKay, and not one clue to where he may have gone?" Macara turned on the scientist.

"I still don't understand this!" McKay said. He noticed the looks on Sam and Macara's faces, before hastily gesturing to the whole science team. "We, don't know what happened. Lorne said that Sheppard dialed Atlantis from M4S-587 and stepped through. If so, where is he?"

Macara just shrugged. "This isn't my department doc, I just shoot people."

"Yeah, don't we all know it too? Always leave it up to the scientists to sort out the soldiers' mess." He huffed, walking away to continue working somewhere that Macara wasn't.

The whole group was down in the McKay's lab; Zelenka, Rodney and the others. Macara was the 2IC at present, as Lorne being temporary senior military officer below Carter. Infighting had dropped precipitously, mainly trough Macara's efforts. That had surprised everybody, especially considering his attitude when he had come back from Earth. He had been full of anger and disrespect for the SGC.

Ronon was getting frustrated. He had spent the last eleven days searching various worlds that had a similar address to Atlantis, but to no avail.

And they still had not found Teyla.

"Colonel, the Cuchulainn arrives tomorrow. I've done everything I can from this end, I'm going to go and pack my stuff." Macara muttered to Carter.

Sam sighed deeply. "Major, would you not consider staying, at least until we find Sheppard? I don't know how morale will cope with the senior officer going MIA, and the senior GTF leaving,"

Ronon's ear pricked at this.

"Was that a compliment colonel?" Macara only semi-joked.

"No, it was an observation. Since you came back from Hong Kong, you were acting like a total ass, pissing off everyone in SGC. But here in Atlantis, you've held the basic troopers together. It's almost as if you changed overnight, after handing in your resignation,"

Macara shrugged. "I love the city, the troopers here are amongst the best in world and the politics back home is not their fault. And your uncle wanted me to hold them together, and no matter what he thinks of me at the moment, I still respect him."

Sam managed a nod, and a small smile, before Ronon butted in.

"You're going?" he growled.

"Yes." Macara said simply.

"When everything's gone to Hell, you're bugging out? Teyla and Sheppard are missing, Michael's attacking humans all over the galaxy and you're going home?" Ronon growled, frowning. "I never took you for a coward."

Macara bridled, and stood up. Ronon straightened up, dwarfing even the major.

"Both of you calm down. The major has already told me of his discomfort working with the internal politics of the Gate Alliance, and is transferring to a combat zone on Earth." Sam interrupted.

"You knew about this?" Ronon bit out.

"I did, but I was hoping the major would stay, at least until we had resolved the situation."

Macara was now on the spot. Even McKay was listening to what his answer was going to be.

Macara realised it was true. His anger and frustration with the US/UK divide had grown less ever since he had returned to Pegasus. It was still evident in some of the orders received from home, the attitudes of some personnel from the nations involved, but here, they managed to avoid most of the petty bickering.

The major had wanted everything here to run well, and had helped achieve that over the last couple of months.

After a moment's pause he answered.

"I'll stay until we get Teyla back, but then I'm gone."

Carter nodded, and Ronon gave his usual grunt of acceptance.

Macara turned and started away. "I still have my Marines to sort out,"

"Very well. Dismiss…" she began to say, but Macara had already left.