Weir's eyes lit up in surprise as she heard Zelenka call that the stargate was being activated.
"They're back already?" she said to no one in particular, more to herself than to Colonel Teldy, who was in her office with her. She immediately headed downstairs to the stargate, Teldy following closely behind, and soon saw John and Lieutenant Colonel Carter walk through the stargate. John, as usual, looked like a very serious soldier with a mission to accomplish; she couldn't help but admire his sense of honor, even if he was a little overconfident sometimes.
"What's going on?" Weir inquired. "Where are Rodney and Carson?"
"Where is my team?" Teldy pressed, too.
"The Wraith got them," John answered Teldy first. "There was nothing that we could have done, and he was gone before we knew it, but we will get them back, Colonel. I promise you that."
"What?" Weir gasped, incredulous. "Where are Rodney and Carson? Don't tell me that they took them, too."
"We have reason to believe that they're only interested in women," Sam said, her eyes dashing toward John and then back to Weir. "He, uh, tried to take me, too, and he said something about conducting an experiment."
"As for Rodney and Carson," John explained calmly, "Carson refused to leave, and I couldn't leave him alone, not even if for a few minutes. He's not in the best state of mind."
"Did you ever think of issuing an order, Colonel?" Weir asked, furious.
"Even if I had, he wouldn't have listened," John countered through gritted teeth, which he tended to do when annoyed or angry. "The man is scared, and he's angry, and he's not thinking logically. I insisted that he come back, but he wouldn't listen. That's why I left Rodney with him. Besides, he's not my officer; he's a doctor. I can't technically do anything about it."
"Well, you can't just leave them there," Weir replied angrily. "You're going to have to go back!"
"That is the plan, Dr. Weir," Sam said. "The Wraith said to meet him at the same location tomorrow and that he will have all of our missing personnel. We only returned to apprise you and Colonel Teldy of the situation. We are going back and are staying the night on Celestia until we secure the prisoners tomorrow."
"No," Weir protested, "you are not going anywhere, Lieutenant Colonel Carter. If you're right about their being interested in women, then, I can't allow you to put yourself at that kind of risk. For all we know, this is a lure, a trap. The Wraith are nothing if not methodical."
Sam pursed her lips.
"With all due respect, Dr. Weir," she said in a very respectful but slightly irritated tone, "it is my decision to make. You may be the leader of the Atlantis expedition, but I am not a member of the Atlantis expedition. I was sent here by Stargate Command to fulfill my duty, and that's what I plan to do."
Weir frowned.
"I suppose that there's nothing I could say to change your mind?" Weir tried.
"No, Dr. Weir," Sam said flatly, "there's not."
Slowly, Weir sighed and nodded her head.
"In that case," she said, "gather supplies, and be I'll see you off."
Sometimes, she felt like crying when her team was in so much danger. She thought of them as her family, a family which she had sworn to protect.