I was just loading my bag into the jumper; the one bag was all I was taking. I used to go camping before with my neighbour so knew how to pack light and only the essentials. In the meantime the dumbfounded Colonel decided to pop over the bridge to Lizzie's office.
"Hey," he said knocking on the glass wall.
"Hey," She replied lifted her head from the Laptop, "heard the second lesson in firearm's didn't go so well," she had to bring that up, so apparently I did some damage,
"Yea Espenson will be fine,"
"How did he shoot the security officer in the foot!" Ya'know I'm wondering that myself, I did as I was taught, point forward towards the paper target, aim and shoot, dunno how the bullet ended up in the S.O's foot.
"Beats me cos he was standing behind him, but I think I found something else for him,"
"Sticks?" Why not I've been practising, have become quite skilled with beating people over the head with a piece of wood...there's a gay joke in there somewhere I know it!
"He'll do more damage with those! No," he then went on to explain a little something the Daedalus dropped off on its last visit, this cool little metallic blue snake like gun, some dudes called the Jaffa (as in the cakes, don't ask me why) use them, one buttons extends and arms the devise, the second is used to fire a blot of blue lightning. One shot stun, two shots kill, and three shots kaboom!
"So as long as he only shoots once, everyone's fine," Elizabeth enquires
"In theory,"
"Feather on dinosaur or relativity?" Awkward silence, "so, you ready to head out?"
"Yea, they're just loading the last few things, you know how McKay likes to be ready for every little thing," Elizabeth just smiled, one of those I know what you're on about and I agree but I wont say. "There was one more thing, about Alex," what did I do now...oh wait this was about earlier, "I went over by his place,"
"And?"
"He had some company..." he paused trying to find the right words to use,
"Rian!" Well so much for keeping that secret.
"You knew?"
"Everyone knew," not like I was obviously flamboyantly...ah I was drunk the first time we all got together, who am I kiddin', that night was a dead giveaway!
"Well my memo must have got lost in the post,"
"You're ok with this right?" she asked, seeing how he seem uncomfortable in his own skin,
"How come I was the last to know?"
"Not like everyone in the cities knows," liar. "He mentioned something to Laura Cadmen, Cadmen brought it up in the women's poker night, Teyla told Ronan, Katie Brown told Rodney, Laura mentioned it to Carson, Heightmeyer was there and I sent out a few memos, it just happens."
---
The trip through the Stargate was pretty much like walking through a door, although you're walking into an event horizon of an artificial quantum singularity which looks like the deep end of the toilet, well one minute you're in Atlantis, next minute you're flying through the sky on some far off planet. Cruising across the horizon we passed the cliff edge and bridge that isolated the gate and headed straight for the mountain range in distance, reminds me of the countryside near my parents house, fields with grass knee high, mangled branch of decrepid tree reaching in every direction.
Landing the Jumper I took the first step out, a strong breeze pushed through the trees with a faint chill and evening sky a dark blue with a yellow hue as the sun set over the hills. This was something sinister about this place, I dunno what it is but something's off.
"Many planets look the same," Teyla said easing the dumb-founded look of awe on my face, my second alien planet, go me.
"We should make a move to the temple," suggested McKay pulling his tablet from the velcro strap on his back. The Temple could be seen from the landing site, a dark slate stone giant hut resting on the slope of the mountain side, dead and empty of all life. A long narrow stream of worn out steps lead up to the main door, Sheppard and Ronan took point, McKay not that far behind and Teyla sticking with me. The life sign detector showed...well no signs of life, it at been abandoned for sometime, the villagers daring not to venture towards the ominous building. Freaked out I hear you ask? Oh yea!
Pushing the door open the interior looked like main building of my sixth form college, a grand entrance with a wide stair case either side of the wall, joined by U-shaped railings, moonlight entered through the square void in the walls that were the windows. Tunnels ran deep into the mountain side, the wall etched with Ancient text, metal wreckage and salvaged computer components were put together to supply whatever basic necessity they could to it previous occupants.
"McKay?" asked Sheppard, his P90 aimed down the dark lengthy corridors.
"There minimal power to these systems...some of environmental settings...others are data storage,"
"We may need a Naq-Gen plugged in if we're gonna use them," I suggested giving my limited input but couldn't help but feel that they're staring at me oddly...ahh the 'Naq-Gen' nickname... "Naquadah Generator" penny drops.
"We packed one right?" Ronan asked,
"Of course we packed one!" ya know Rodney's starting to get annoying, guy needs to chill or I'll stick a freaking valium drip up his ass! "I'll go and get it," the Generator not the valium.
---
"Elizabeth sending Lorne in Jumper 6 to drop off some supplies and S.O.'s before the storm hits the gate," we were going to be cut off for the next day or so, since flying conditions were shitter then a shit thing in shit-land, "Found anything?"
My fingers ran over the engraved text, the dust and grains of mineral brushing off, "They're letters,"
"Letters?"
"This one is from Myrol, its to her parents, her friends, saying goodbye," I moved down the wall to the next paragraph, each with their own author, "This ones from Thal, he says he is going to miss seeing his sons grow up, and the light of the Atlantis late at night,"
"What happened to all of these people?"
"I don't know,"
---
I miss you so much, I wish I could come home, see you all but this is how it has to be, none of us asked for this but we must make the best of a worst situation.
We came as a fast as we could but they were already attacking them, swarms by the hundreds, we fought as long as hard as we could, trying to keep them safe but we failed.
We spent weeks looking for the gate, we had no idea where to find it, this planet is so big, and the horizon stretch as far as the eye can see with no means to leave. Its still here, its stalks the shadows. Mother I wish I was home, I want to go home.
Ascension is our only salvation, we know this now, killing it harming it is not the path to enlightenment, but we can keep it away from the others, keep it safe from hurting us.
I miss you, come for me, I'm all alone, the others left me here, left me alone with it.
---
"I thought you'd be glad to see me," he asked, Rian's been quiet since he surprised me, he came over on Jumper 6 with Lorne, the Major took a trip to the mainland first to pick up some food to drop off.
"I am really, I just didn't imagine you'd be here," he made me some Tuttleroot soup, well actually his mum made it, he just brought it over. The evening became colder but we had to eat outside, away from all the gossip and the staring eyes, I brought a blanket with me, (my mum's contribution to dinner) wrapped it around us both as we watched the night go pass over the forest that stood between us and the gate. "Good soup," had to say something to break the silence. God why did I freak out when I saw him, he probably hates me, hate maybe the wrong word it's a bit strong, nah you know what he really hates me, royally.
"Why are you ashamed to be around me?"
"Don't go all Doctor Phil on me,"
"Which one is Doctor Phil?" bad example, well this isn't going so well. Maybe we took things too fast, I mean a relationship from nothing in three days, either seeing lines between dots which don't exist or maybe we're just that good together. First date first kiss first fuck and fight, all in three days, must be a record, god I'm must sound desperate. But I dunno its like, the second I was with him, I was comfortable, normally people see this mask, the Alex that I want people to see but Rian know me through and through, I could be my insane self around him without being worried that I might scare him off. It's not like that though, he likes me and we clicked. Other than now.
"I am ashamed of myself,"
"Why?"
"Me, I mean us, it's not something everyone is used to, they don't expect it, some people condemn it, and..."
"They all know"
"I know,"
"Who are you hiding it from, them or yourself," he Doctor Phil'd me! "Stop hiding," I knew there was a reason I loved him, we shuffled in closer both grinning cheek to cheek, resting my head on his shoulder as the Puddle Jumper flew off...wait a fucking minute!
---
"I thought the Jumper wasn't meant to be leaving for another hour?" I called to Sheppard as we made our way back into the temple, Rian not so far behind confused as to why his ride home left early.
"Blame McKay and his big mouth," I turned to look at the scientist who'd rather be working on the Ancient control console than listen to that fact his inability to socialise forced an insulted pilot to leave early. The Colonel tilted his head slightly to see the Athosian standing behind me, "What are you still doing here?" And the penny drops! "Sheppard to Lorne, come in,"
"Jumper 6 here sir,"
"Major how many Athosian were you transporting?"
"3"
"And how many do you have in the Jumper?"
"Erm 1, 2...ah sh..."
"You can't turn around now the storm will hit the gate before you make it back,"
"Look like you're staying," Couldn't help but smile as I turned to tell him.
---
It was a little cramped in the sleeping bag, but kinda cozy, had his body keeping me warm all night; close up and snug. We couldn't get up to anything, no matter how much we both wanted to with everyone else sleeping in the main chamber with us. The night was dead silent, and although I was half asleep the whole time I partially noticed the animals at night howling under the rustling wind over the forest. From the windows high on the wall, the sky was a perfect dark blue velvet, each and every star bright and clear among the thinning storm clouds. The morning was pretty generic, after getting up and having some breakfast we moved on to explore the lower levels of the temple. Earlier yesterday we found this bridge, joining two sections divided by a 60 foot drop, shat myself with every step, all I could do was look down even though they told me not too, I'm one of those people who you tell me not to do something, I have to go ahead and go it. So we made our way across, Sheppard was taking point (as they called it) Teyla and Ronan took Rodney down one of the corridors which lead to the far east areas of tunnels and rooms, I went long with the Colonel, no one seem worried about walking down the long dark tunnels with fuck knows what hiding in the corner. I swear I could hear something in pitch black darkness I followed closely behind Sheppard, pointing my torch in what ever direction made a freaky sound. I had that zat-gun thing on me, so decided now was a good a time as any to get that out,
"What the hell are you doing!" asked the Colonel jumping out of his skin as I armed the weapon with that electric frizzle sounds it makes,
"What does it look like?"
"Put it away before you hurt someone,"
"Like who?"
"Me!" Down the far end of the corridor in the chamber which was built as deep and as far away as possible came a low lit orange light, and deep sinister hum. We slowly entered the room, checking every dark corner before we moved in, it was a tomb, stone slabs formed to make a coffin shape box, wire and cables run out to the half powered control panel on the right wall. "Why do they need to power a coffin?"
"It's not a coffin it's a 'dormata'...the stasis alcove, there was on in Antarctica,"
"We found one in Atlantis too, looks like they didn't want this one walking up." I worked on the control panel, accessing information from the database and logs, there was too much information to go through but I transferred what I could to my handheld.
"There was a significant power drop,"
"This things been running for thousands of years,"
"No I mean in the past five minutes, power dropped from fourteen to seven percent." I tapped my headset at the ear, "Rodney, what are you guys up to?"
"We found a Z.P.M., gimme a second I should be able to yank it out,"
"Don't!" the power in the whole complex ceased, he had pulled out the battery and whatever energy went into keeping the prisoner asleep was gone, and the low hum of electricity was replaced with a great roar from the tomb only feet's away from me. "Colonel..." I only managed to muster the words when my fear took over,
"Plug it back in!"
"...can we run?"
"McKay!" A loud thump and whatever was inside attempted to punch their way through the solid stone shaking the foundations of the room, "we can run."
---
We pegged it down the narrow tunnels as fast as we could, what the hell did we wake up, the echoes of fists against solid stone caught up with us.
"I put it back in," we heard McKay further up ahead, with Teyla and Ronan ready to blow a hole in someone,
"There's not enough power to reinitialise the alcove," I yelled back,
"You just didn't do it right," he said heading back in the direction of the tomb,
"Are you insane," asked Sheppard
"Its solid rock! I'll be in there, reactive the pod cos Mr. Homo McStupid..." bite me! "...couldn't do it himself, and set it back to sleep before it breaks free" a sudden crash and sound of crumbling rock instantly shut him up and sudden look of fear on his face was shared with everyone present, "maybe its best if go,"
---
Rian and two other S.O.'s came back from surveying the surrounds to find us grabbing our things and running for the front door, "We have to go now" I said quietly trying not to alarm him but his concerned eyes looked into mine and saw the fear.
"What's wrong," he asked, my hand rested on the side of his arms, I just didn't know what to tell cos frankly I didn't know myself, my instincts were telling me to get some distance between me and..
"Wraith," she had to say that word,
"Are you sure,"
"Very much so," Teyla answered, she stood still in the room as her heart sank and her skin felt like she had laid down in snow, "It's...very old and in pain, its mind is so confused and angry, pure unadulterated fury."
"One Wraith we can take it," Ronan said inviting the Colonel to take on the challenge with him,
"Get everyone packed and onboard the Jumper first, McKay if need it be fly it out of here,"
"We still can't use the gate the storm won't be over until another few hours,"
"It's a big planet I'm sure you'll find somewhere to hide."
"What's that supposed to mean,"
"Just keep moving" taking everything we could carry we jumped from step to step down the steep hill, the Jumper was parked by the tree line close up, hidden underneath the shadowy braches, Sheppard had the remote to it, idiot forgot to cloak it, how hard is it to remember to lock up your ride when you park it!
"He's here," Teyla froze in her steps, her eyes wide in fear as she scanned the countryside, "how did it escape so fast?"
"We haven't fully mapped the tunnels," mentioned Ronan, "and we have no idea where they all go," he was instantly cut off with the sound of an explosion, the Puddle Jumper went up in flames with shards of metal and bolts of fire spraying outwards, the sounds covering that sadistic laugh which echoed from the tree lines.
---
We ran it back inside and locked the huge double doors behind us, Sheppard and Ronan aiming their guns at it waiting for the Wraith to punch its way through, the S.O.'s taking the other doorways inside the temple. "It just blew up the Jumper!"
"Thank you Rodney for stating the obvious!" I had to say it, "Couldn't have done it without you!"
"You know you really not helping!"
"Neither are you!"
"Shut the hell up!" yelled John to the both of us, wasn't my fault he started it, prick! Silence, we couldn't here a thing other than our panicking breaths, Rian stood behind me, my hand reach around to hold his, 5 minutes felt like 50 but we couldn't hear anything other my heart pounding in my chest and the heavy breathing. Where did it go?
"It's gone," whispered Teyla, why would it, it has us like trapped animal ready to be picked off, what was it doing,
"Why would it run?" I asked,
"It's not running, it's hunting," thanks Ronan that makes me feel so much BETTER! "Its sport, he's gonna take us out like a game, toy with us," It's already doing that, "We can't stay here,"
"Where are we to go," Teyla lowered her gun and walked towards the door step by step listening out for the Wraith, "the Stargate is several miles away and we will not outrun it,"
"It knows where we are, if we keep moving..."
"...keep running?" Teyla was right, Ronan was a Runner, a proverbial fox for the fox hunters, and he survived for a couple of years he has to know his stuff,
"Pack rounds, weapons, food and water, leave the rest, we travel light and we travel fast," Sheppard made it clear which we were opting for, "We can make it to the gate by the morning that way, lets go,"
---
We've been running for half an hour now, and still no sign of the Wraith, I dunno what its waiting for, it's had so much time to attack and eat us, ok so we were pegging it across the forest and countryside, it had to rugby tackle us to get us on the ground, probably wouldn't even hear it coming till it was too late.
"I can't...run...anymore," I heard Rodney stop behind me, gave me good enough reason to stop myself, we just kept going without a break, without a chance to catch our breath, I fell to the floor, head fell back on the tree as I sucked in the air.
"We should rest, it is not near," reassured Teyla keeping the gun close to her chest, "I would have felt it,"
"Ten minutes then we're off again," Sheppard said giving the order, and every 30 minute was the same, run, stop for ten, break to eat, take in as much water, replace as much air, and heal sore legs. What was the point, ten minutes running for as long as we have doesn't do much good, well I suppose is stops us from dropping dead but still. This time something caught our attention, twig snapping as innocent as it can turn your skin pale, Teyla wasn't sensing anything and Ronan couldn't hear anything which sounded Wraith-like, Sheppard sent a S.O. to check it out and scare off whatever local wildlife decided to come and check us out.
"Are you alright?" Rian looked like he was ready to pass out, "you don't look so good,"
"Thank you," ahh he has grasped the complex concept that is sarcasm, well done young grasshopper, "My body was not made for torture,"
"Torture is putting up with your wondering hands when I'm trying to sleep,"
"Last I recall you didn't disapprove,"
"Damn straight," I love it, we're all gonna die by having our flesh liquidated and sucked from under our skin and we still fit in the time for humourous banter.
"Lets go," oh come on Colonel that was hardly ten minutes, "Where's Childes?" the sergent he sent to check on the that sound, he wasn't back yet, "Childes?" Sheppard said into his headpiece, "Sergent respond," nothing but static on the other end of the radio, "Teyla?" She couldn't speak, just that lethal combination of violence and fear on her face.
"It's been blocking me, I do not how longs it been here," a chilling scream echoed through the leaves, the sound of a mans final breath as a monster in the woods eats him alive. Shadowy ghost rustled in the distance, specters of white mist surrounding me, god I was so scared, it's like this Wraith jump into every direction in a second, first in front of me, then its standing to my right, then I can almost feel it breathing down my neck from behind. Sounds of pain and machine gun fire, cries of agony and echoes of screams in the wind, endless ghosts and a creature in the deep, I just ran, I couldn't stay there and I just ran, I felt myself come over with so much fear as if the Wraith just flicked a switch in my mind and brought on a panic attack, my heart tightened in my chest, a hand squeezing all the blood out of it. I could hardly see anything, just the sounds, Rian calling out for my name, how could I leave him behind why did I leave him behind, Rodney telling me 'not to believe it, it's not really there,' what is he talking about, what's going on, what's this Wraith doing to me, it knows how to push all my buttons, gotten inside my head and messing me, oh god I'm scared, alone, what am I doing, where am I going, I don't even know why I started running anymore. Surrounded by dead grey trees and wilting dry leaves, the few rays of light from the moon shining on the fallen barks and muddy ground but beyong the few feet before me was pitch black darkness. I stopped in the distance, alone, silent, but something was different this time I'm not imagining it, it wasn't an illusion played on my mind, or metaphor of discomfort.
Something was breathing down my neck.