FOUR

The team stepped through the Stargate and looked around. It looked exactly as the probe had indicated. A lightly wooded area surrounded the gate on all sides. As they stepped off the platform the wormhole behind them closed.

"Keep your eyes open," ordered Shepherd. "There's no telling what we're going to find here."

Rodney moved immediately to what appeared to be a stone platform approximately 20 feet from the gate. Inscribed on the side of the platform were strange glyphs that looked like an alien language.

"Hey, look at this," said Rodney, standing on the top step of the platform. "This looks like the transport rings of the Gould."

"Transport rings?" questioned Shepherd. "I didn't think the Gould were in this galaxy."

"They aren't," said Rodney. "I said it looks like one of those rings. It's definitely different, though. And I'm not getting any energy readings from the ring."

"I told you," said Ronon. "It's probably some type of sacrificial altar or something for the Wraith."

"We have no evidence of that," said Teyla. "There's no telling what it's for. But other than this platform I don't see any evidence of any kind of civilization."

"Could it be that there is no civilization here?" Lt. Ford asked.

"I hardly think the Ancients would have put a Stargate here if there were no civilization," said Rodney. "Or at least established some kind of outpost here. Maybe whatever civilization was here is gone now."

"There's usually some signs of a civilization no matter how old it is," said Shepherd. "Teyla is right. Other than the platform there's no indication anyone was ever here. Not counting the Stargate, of course."

"Major," said one of the two security guards that had come through with the group, "I think we're being watched."

"Why do you think that, Johnson?" Shepherd asked.

"I saw movement in the forest," said Johnson. "In our six o'clock position. Whoever or whatever it is is being very careful not to be seen."

"Everyone stay on your toes," said Shepherd. He turned to the other security guard. "Markins, see if you can make your way around to our right without being seen. Ronon, you go with him. Johnson, you and Teyla make your way around to the left. Ford and I will take the center. Maybe with a little luck we can find out who doesn't want to be seen. Rodney, you go on like nothing's up."

The people fanned out as Rodney continued to check the stone platform. Lt. Ford stood guard ready to protect him from any attack that might come. It took only a few minutes before Johnson and Teyla started to open fire.

"There's an animal in there," said Johnson as he and Teyla backed away from the area. "It's big and it sounds mean."

"Johnson is correct," said Teyla. "It appears to be a very large wolf of some kind."

"Everyone regroup," Shepherd ordered. "Stay alert."

"Shouldn't we return to Atlantis?" questioned Rodney, looking around nervously.

"For a wolf?" questioned Ford. "I hardly think so."

"Where is it?" Shepherd asked.

"It was over there," said Teyla. "I think we wounded it."

"Ford, you, Johnson, and Markins make your way around to the side," said Shepherd. "See if you can flush it out. The rest of us will wait here for it. When it comes this way we'll take it out."

"Perhaps we should leave it alone," suggested Teyla. "This is its territory. We are the intruders here."

"I'm not backing down from a wolf," said Ronon.

"We can't explore this area until we deal with the wolf," said Shepherd. "We won't hurt it unless we have to. Shoot to scare it off. Shoot to kill only if you have to."

The three soldiers moved around to one side and started to head into the woods. They hadn't taken more than a few steps when the wolf suddenly sprang from the underbrush, tackling Markins full on. The two rolled several times before they stopped with the wolf squarely on top of Markins, its jaws locked around his throat. Everyone raised their weapons but held their fire for fear of hitting their teammate.

Suddenly the wolf turned on the rest of the group. It moved from Markins who wasn't moving. As it cleared his body and advanced on the rest of the group they all opened fire on it. To their utter amazement the rounds simply bounced off the wolves hide. Even Ronon's energy weapon did little but annoy the wolf. Slowly the wolf advanced on the group growling and snarling.

Without warning a bolt of electricity shot past the group striking the wolf. It singed the wolves' fur along its side and the wolf howled in pain, backing off a step. Involuntarily the group glanced behind them. Standing on the stone platform was a man dressed in dark blue robes with his hand outstretched.

"Back away slowly," shouted the man. "I don't wish to kill it unless it's necessary. But you are infiltrating on its domain."

"Back off," Shepherd ordered.

Cautiously the group backed away from the wolf with their weapons still held at the ready. The wolf advanced another step toward the group and the man on the platform reached out again. A bolt of electricity shot from the stranger's hand striking the wolf in the side again. The wolf snarled and howled in pain, and then turned and ran into the woods. The man on the platform watched as the wolf disappeared into the trees. After a moment he turned and descended the steps, walking over to the group.

"As you can see they are easily distracted," said the man. "You should not have been out here without a protector."

"How did you do that?" Rodney asked.

"Rodney, please," said Shepherd. "I'm Major Shepherd. Thanks for scaring that thing off. We didn't want to hurt it."

"Then you should not have trespassed on its territory," said the man. "I am called Tashjian. We must see to your companion while there is still time."

They all hurried over and checked Markins. They were too late. His throat had been ripped out and he was all ready dead.

"He was only 23 years old," said Shepherd. "This was his first mission."

"There is still time," said Tashjian. "If you will permit me I believe I can still save him."

Shepherd looked at Rodney.

"Don't look at me," said Rodney. "Carson's the doctor. There's nothing I can do for him."

"If there's anything you can do we'd appreciate it," said Shepherd.

Tashjian placed his hand over Markin's throat. He closed his eyes and concentrated for several seconds. Suddenly a soft yellow glow covered Markin's throat. When the glow subsided and Tashjian pulled his hand back the wound on Markin's throat was gone. There wasn't even a mark. Markin's opened his eyes and sat up.

"How'd you do that?" Ford asked. "He was dead. Stone cold dead."

"Major?" questioned Markins.

"Johnson, fill him in," said Shepherd. "Ford is right. He was dead."

"Not as dead as you might think," said Tashjian. "I assume you are the ones who came through the teleport ring?"

"Teleport ring?" questioned Shepherd.

"I think he means the Stargate," said Rodney. "I suppose the wormhole could be considered a form of teleportation. It does break down objects into their molecular components and then . . . ."

"Yes, Rodney, we know," said Shepherd. "Yes, we did. We discovered this world and came here to investigate."

"You are Athosian," Tashjian said to Teyla. "I recognize your race. And he," he looked at Ronon. "He is Satedanean. But you others I do not know."

"That's correct," said Teyla. "I am Teyla Emmagan of the Athosians."

"And I am Ronon Dex of the Satedanean," said Ronon. "How do you know us?"

"My people have visited your worlds," said Tashjian. "It has been a long time, though. But these others. I don't believe I know of their race."

"We're human," said Shepherd. "We're from a planet called Earth. It's, uh, actually in another galaxy."

"What you call the Milky Way Galaxy," said Tashjian.

"Yes," said Rodney. "How could you know that?"

"It is clear in your mind," said Tashjian. "I don't detect any deception in you. But I do detect the genes of the Ancients in you, Major Shepherd. Are you one of the Ancients?"

"I don't think so," said Shepherd. "I just seem to have some of their genes. What did you mean it was clear in my mind?"

"Your thoughts betray you, Major," said Tashjian. "And to answer your question and that of Dr. McKay, I can do what I do because they are innate abilities of many of my people. It has been many years since anyone used the teleport ring to visit our world. When we detected its use it was decided that I should check on it. It appears it was a good thing I did. The Psi-Wolf would have killed many of you before being sated."

"Psi-Wolf?" questioned Teyla.

"It was the beast that attacked you," said Tashjian. "It's possible that one was simply an advanced scout for the pack. If so it may be back soon."

"You have a house around here somewhere?" Shepherd asked.

"Not exactly," said Tashjian.

He walked over and walked up the steps to the stone platform. Once on the platform he turned to them.

"This will take us where we need to go," he said. "Far away from the teleport ring and the wolves."

"It could be a trap," said Ronon, looking suspiciously at Tashjian.

"I have heard that the Satedaneans are a suspicious people," said Tashjian. "But I am not your enemy. If I had wanted to harm you I would have let the Psi-Wolf take care of you. You have my word, Major. You will not be harmed in any way."

Shepherd looked at the others.

"Markins, go back to Atlantis and let them know what's going on," said Shepherd. "You also need to let Dr. Beckett look you over to make sure you're okay." He turned back to Tashjian. "What do we do?"

"Just step up here with me," said Tashjian.

They all watched as Markins dialed home. Once he was through the Stargate – and safely back at Atlantis – they stepped up on platform next to Tashjian.

"Make sure you are inside the ring," said Tashjian.

When he was satisfied that everyone was in place, he said a word that none of them understood. In the blink of an eye they all vanished from the platform as if they had never been there.