At sundown, the team regrouped in their initial position, and Lorne reported to Sam what he and Ronon had encountered.

"There's a large rocky slope around two kilometres in that direction that leads down into the site. As we were coming back this way, the workers left the site via the slope - luckily me and Ronon were hidden behind some rocks. It appears to be the only way in and out of the site, save from the top."

Ronon added, "If they know we're coming, they could have already rigged the path and we'd be walking into a trap."

Teyla replied, "But that is only if they know that we are coming. We did not witness anyone approaching the site from the direction of the Stargate to give any warning…"

Sam interrupted, "Hang on a second… their weapons were advanced so it's quite possible that they could have some sort of communications technology. Ronon and I found some kind of devices on the hostiles we stripped."

McKay remarked, "And you didn't think to steal them too!?"

Sam said quietly, "Locator beacon."

"You don't know that."

"Exactly. We haven't come for acquiring technology - we've come to blow this place skywards. To do that, we need to be able to do it uninterrupted, without being tracked by those guys."

Their surroundings darkened dramatically as the sun dipped below the horizon, and Sam whispered as the team huddled closer,

"Right, someone needs to stand at the top of the path to give us warning in case we're in danger of being ambushed again. Volunteers?"

Ronon replied, "I'll do it."

"Ok… everyone have your blocks of C-4, grenades and P-90s ready. We'll use the new weapons only as a last resort. We shoot any strangers on sight - that's shoot to incapacitate not shoot to kill. If it becomes necessary, the order becomes the latter, but that's only if your life's in danger. Ready?"

Everyone murmured in agreement and Lorne led them to the path. On the way, they nearly walked into a group of men on guard detail, but Sam zatted them. McKay remarked,

"You brought a zat?!"

"Call me moral but I refuse to lodge a bullet in someone's ass when an electrical charge will do."

With Ronon scanning his surroundings warily, the team slowly descended the slope, listening for the slightest noise that wasn't from them. McKay slipped, falling a little hard on his backside, and he muttered,

"I didn't sign up for rocks."

Lorne snickered as he and Sam helped the Physicist up, and Sam asked,

"You ok?"

"I suppose."

They reached the bottom of the slope where they wordlessly went about rigging the outside of the hive ship with blocks of C-4. Sam flashed a signal with the light of her P-90 and everyone set the timers before making a break for it up the slope. However they were soon embroiled in a fire fight from hostiles that they couldn't see. Ronon, with the aid of his night vision goggles took out a few of them, and Teyla, Sam and Lorne the rest, eventually, but not before a siren was sounded, alerting more hostiles.

Sam quietly but firmly shouted to her comrades,

"Go! We'll be trapped here."

Teyla dragged a stumbling McKay up the slope, followed by Lorne and then Sam, their P-90s ready. As they reached the top of the slope, energy weapons fire came from the valley below again, and Sam gave the order for everyone to throw their grenades. They then sprinted, Sam and Ronon at the rear, in the direction of the 'gate.

Soon they were chased by a group of hostiles, firing energy weapons, and Sam and Ronon took out as many as they could, the former forgoing her zat for her P-90. However, this was not before she was shot in the arm and Ronon in the shoulder. Despite their injuries, they kept on running and the chase momentarily paused as a huge explosion occurred in the valley behind them, sending up huge flames, chunks of debris and plumes of smoke that lingered far above the valley, the debris raining on the surrounding area, some of it falling very near the team. McKay dialled the 'gate and transmitted a code before they ran through the event horizon.

In the Atlantis gateroom, Sam and Teyla yelled for the shield to be activated and the technician did as he was told. Weir looked at them in concern and asked,

"What happened?"

Sam replied, clutching her arm, "Ronon and I need medical treatment - we were shot by energy weapons. We, uh, blew up the ship by the way."

Weir nodded in acknowledgement just as a team of medics led by Brightman ran in to escort the team to the Infirmary. Sheppard called,

"Good work Carter."