Amelia smoothed her black tunic over the top of her thick leggings, and adjusted her backpack. Beside her, Kelly, one of the medical team nurses, sighed with impatience.

"Three days we'll be out there," she grumbled. "I wish Jennifer would just hurry the hell up so we can go already, and get this over with. Three days in the sticks, without even a hot tub is not my idea of fun."

"It's not too bad," Amelia shrugged. "The people are nice, the food is incredible, and the hiking trails are amazing. Where is Keller, anyway?"

"Probably conducting a last-ditch effort to corral that Wraith into agreeing to her experiments." Kelly shuddered. "That thing freaks me out. But I'm not too keen on using anyone as a bloody guinea pig. Ooh, there's Ronon! Look at those biceps. Aren't you a lucky girl?"

Amelia gritted her teeth as Kelly waved enthusiastically at Ronon, who was watching the gate from the balcony. He waved lazily back at her, avoiding Amelia's eyes. She turned back toward the gate. Damn it, Keller. Let's get out of here.

As if summoned by Amelia's silent plea, Keller appeared at her side, a large pack dwarfing her small frame.

"Do you need any help with that?" Amelia asked. "We can trade packs if you'd like."

"No, that's okay," Keller laughed. "It's not as heavy as it looks. I've learned how to pack for off world trips since my first visit to Athos."

"That bad?"

"You'll have to ask Teyla sometime. I thought I was going to collapse half a mile in!"

"Dr. Keller, are you ready to go?" Woolsey called from the command center.

"All set," she replied. Her blue eyes narrowed as she caught sight of Todd beside Woolsey. "Damn Wraith," she grumbled under her breath.

"Beginning dialing sequence," said Chuck.

"It was nice meeting you, Amelia," Todd called down, with a slight bow. Amelia grinned up at him.

"Enjoy the chocolate," she replied with a wink. She saw him throw a sly glance toward Ronon, who was staring daggers at him. Oh hell, this is not what I need. She looked over to find Keller watching her speculatively. The gate in front of them flashed blue, and Amelia, Kelly, and Keller made their way forward, leaving the politics and intrigues of the base behind.

oooOOOooo

The three women stepped onto a wide, sunny field, and looked around, as the gate shut down behind them.

"Alright then," Kelly said, settling her pack more comfortably into place. "Where do we go from here?"

"Teyla said her people moved the camp to the north shore of the lake," Keller replied. "So, east to the lake, and north to the camp."

"How far?"

"Maybe two miles to the lake, and another to the camp," Amelia said. "It's a little challenging once we hit the treeline, but it's not too bad. We should make it there in under two hours."

"Bloody hell."

As they approached the treeline, Amelia paused. Something didn't feel right. She looked around carefully, but saw no sign of any threat. Still, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end, and she shivered.

"Amelia?" Keller touched her arm. "What's wrong?"

"I just can't shake this feeling that there's something wrong," Amelia said. She tugged nervously at the end of her ponytail. "I don't know. I'm sure it's nothing."

Keller opened her mouth, but a shout stopped her. A large group of armed men surged out of the woods toward them. Camouflage nets were thrown off, exposing gray and red uniforms.

"Genii," Amelia breathed. "They're Genii."

"That could be a good or a bad thing," Keller said dryly. "Do we run or fight?"

"Neither," Amelia said. "Three lightly armed non-soldiers against a dozen very heavily armed fighters. No way we make the gate before they catch us. We wait to see what it is they want."

The Genii soldiers surrounded them, guns pointed at them at all times. Amelia watched them carefully, and her heart began to sink. The weapons in their hands wore a faint patina of rust, and the uniforms were slightly faded and worn. The men themselves were hard-eyed and gaunt.

"I don't think these are Ladon Radim's men," she whispered.

"What does that mean?" Kelly asked.

"It means we're totally screwed."

"Who are you?" one of the men barked at them. Amelia mentally christened him Stubby. He was short, and barrel chested, and had a voice like a drill sergeant.

"Who are you?" he demanded again. "Answer me, or I shoot you one at a time."

"We're Athosian," Keller said. "We've just returned from trading in Belkan."

"Athosian are you?" he smirked. "I doubt it. From Atlantis, more like. Pretty girl, blond hair, blue eyes. Bet you have medical supplies in that pack, don't you?"

"So what if I do?"

Stubby laughed. "You'll be the new doctor, then. And if you're heading to the Athosian settlement, one of the ladies with you must be the one we want." He prodded Kelly with the barrel of his gun. "Not you, beautiful. Not with that yellow hair. No, has to be this one." He looked Amelia up and down, and nodded. "Brown hair, dark skin, fighter's build. This'll be her. Our commander will be very happy to see you."

"What do you want?" Amelia asked. Cold sweat beaded her brow, and she felt dizzy.

"You, sweetheart," Stubby grinned. "And I'm thinking these other two will make a nice bonus. I have no doubt Atlantis will pay to get their doctor back. Not sure what the other will fetch, but I'm sure she'll be worth a haggle." He prodded her with his gun hard enough to bruise. "Back to the gate, girl."

"Ladon Radim would not want you to do this," Amelia said. Stubby smacked her with his gun, and Amelia fell to the ground, her cheek throbbing badly.

"Ladon Radim is a traitor to the Genii. We don't answer to him. Now get moving."

Keller and Kelly pulled Amelia to her feet, and they stumbled toward the gate.

"Now what?" Kelly asked.

"John will find us," Keller said quietly. "He won't stop looking until he does. We just need to stay alive."

Shoved through the gate, they found themselves on another forested planet. Military tents dotted the small clearing, and several dozen more Genii milled around, stopping to watch the incoming group.

"Where the hell are we?" Kelly snapped.

"Shut up," Stubby growled, prodding her forward. Kelly planted her heels and glared up at him.

"Listen, you ass, I demand to know where we are, and when you are going to let us go," she snarled. "We will have people looking for us, and when they find us, they will kill every one of you for this!"

Amelia flinched as a gun went off nearby, and a small, black hole appeared in the center of Kelly's forehead. A thin stream of blood and brain fluid ran from the hole, as Kelly fell into Amelia's arms. Amelia dropped to her knees, cradling the tall nurse.

"Oh my god!" Keller cried. She knelt down beside Kelly and felt for a pulse.

"She's gone," Keller said dully.

"Good. Now she'll finally shut up."

A small woman stalked out of the woods. Amelia thought she would have been lovely, if not for the hate twisting her features. Bright red curls fell over liquid dark eyes and creamy white skin, now flushed with excitement.

"Sora," Stubby said, his voice respectful.

"Where is she?" Sora asked eagerly. "Where is Teyla Emmagen?"

Stubby blinked, and grabbed Amelia's hair. "She's right here."

"That's not Teyla!" Sora screamed. "I told you to bring back Teyla, not random women you happen to find!"

"But these three came through the ring, heading for the Athosian settlement," Stubby argued. "And the little blond one is the new Atlantean doctor we've heard about. The other one has to be this Teyla you're wanting."

"Well, it isn't." Sora looked down at Amelia and Keller, jaw clenched with anger. "Take these two to the cages and tie them. They may work just as well for our plans." She nudged Kelly's body with the toe of her boot. "And dump this in front of the Athosian ring."

Stubby dragged Kelly's body away from Amelia, and Sora knelt beside the two remaining women.

"You will cooperate," she said, very softly, caressing Amelia's bruised cheek with her gun. "I need only one of you alive."