Ronon pulled the sharp instrument from the alien's abdomen just as an ear-splitting scream erupted, echoing off the walls of the hall and around the building. Anyone within ten kilometers would have heard that.
He growled his displeasure and kicked the creature onto the floor, hoping that where he had stabbed was around some sort of vital organ.
As he cleaned off the odd-colored blood from the knife onto his pant leg, he heard voices down the corridor. Instinctively, he slipped around the corner – probably someone coming to inspect after hearing that dreadful wail.
But as he strained to hear, he learned that it wasn't the alien clicking language that was being spoken. And as he listened closer, he realized that one of the voices was strikingly familiar.
He moved out into the exposed hallway, weapon still resting at his side. The figures were still quite far down the long hallway but he could recognize one of them from where he stood.
"Ronon?" the form called in question. "Is that really you?"
The Satedan had to force his jaw not to drop and the tears in his eyes not to form.
She was alive.
"Teyla?" he called back, the tears causing his voice to crack.
Suddenly, the figure broke out into a sprint towards him and he stepped back slightly. Perhaps this was a trick of some sort – he had to be careful.
But as she got closer, he saw the very friendly face of his friend and the strain of the past few weeks on her face. He'd never been so glad to see anyone in his life.
Without exchanging words, she rushed towards him and wrapped her arms around him.
He remained stiff, still slightly suspicious as to the reality of this dream.
She pulled back and looked into his face. "Are you all right?" she asked, searching his eyes in hopes of finding assurance there. He saw her cast a furtive glance to the carcass of one of the aliens before quickly returning her attention to him.
Ronon nodded stiffly. "What about you? They said you were dead."
Teyla's warm smile as she shook her head sent waves of relief through the Runner and he relaxed slightly. "No, Yorshef helped me to stage my death so that the Xanians would cease their efforts to recapture me. It is a long story but he is on our –
"Who's he?" Dex interrupted, gesturing to the alien that warily crept forward, casting sideways glances as Teyla but mainly kept his focus on Ronon.
Knowing the runner all too well, Teyla pressed a hand on her friend's chest and then extended a hand to the Xanian. "Ronon, this is Yorshef. Our friend." The stress on the last word felt slightly insulting to him but nonetheless necessary.
He flared his nostrils and glared witheringly at the creature. "You trust him? After all they've done to us, to me and every other human on this planet?"
"He is not one of them," she replied harshly but with a sense of calmness in her voice as she stared him down from her short height. "He has been made a near outcast in this world because of trying to help people like us. Now in order to rescue Colonel Sheppard and Dr. McKay, we must work with him, all right?"
"I am deeply sorry for what my people did to you," Yorshef spoke for the first time as he dipped his head in shame. "I can only hope to help pay their debts with my servitude."
Dex spat on the floor in front of him and then grinned darkly. "You're just scared I'll kill you."
"Ronon!" Teyla's voice was sharper now as she stood between him and the alien. She gave him a pleading look that seemed to be mixed with disbelief at his actions. "Please."
The Satedan stared at her for a moment as he weighed his options: Killing another one of the self-righteous pricks or cooperate to rescue his friends. He sighed; he needed to help save Sheppard and McKay, and if working with this guy was the only way, then he'd do it.
"Fine," he relented, flicking his eyes to Yorshef for just one moment before redirecting his attention to Teyla and speaking in a low voice. "But one wrong move…"
"Believe me, I have not fooled myself into thinking he can be completely trusted," she nodded, also whispering. "But he has proven himself thus far."
xXx
Weir wasn't used to missions - that much was obvious to Major Lorne as he zipped up his vest and caught her looking quite uneasy.
"You all right, ma'am?" he asked politely. "You look a little –
"I'm fine, Major, thank you," she said hurriedly. "It's just been awhile since my…services were needed."
He smiled encouragingly. "No need to worry, Dr. Weir. The people are very friendly and there are no sign of Wraith anywhere near the planet - should be quick and breezy."
She nodded and half-smiled back at him as she turned to direct Chuck to dial it up. Ten seconds later, Weir, Sergeant Clayburn, Lieutenant Knott and he had made it through the Stargate.
But not even his comforting pep talk could have prepared for something as horrid as what they met on the planet.
Sergeant Clayburn immediately puked at the sight and Lorne felt his stomach lurch. Weir had turned completely around and her eyes were shut tight, as if to attempt to shut out the memory of what she had just seen.
"Oh my god," Lieutenant Knott remarked, blowing out a breath as she stared at the scene, almost indifferently. "What the hell happened here?"
"Genocide," Evan coughed, fighting the gag reflex. He peered at the sight again and stepped down to survey the scene.
People were scattered everywhere – each one of them motionless and mangled on the ground.
There was no blood, but the smell of death was obviously enough to put Clayburn over the edge.
Major Lorne knelt down to get a closer look at one of the bodies, covering his nose and mouth with his free hand.
It was a young woman he had met last time he had arrived. Her name was Avia, the daughter of the leader of the people and also the medical advisor to their physicians. He recalled that she had been standing around the same area to wish him and his team farewell just before they exited through the 'gate.
It had to have happened only moments after they left.
Her eyes were open and bloodshot and he carefully closed them with his fingers before inspecting the rest of the evidence.
"She's blue," Knott remarked from behind him. He looked up at her, his brow furrowed.
"What?"
The lieutenant indicated towards the body again. "Look at her. Last time we were here she was kind of a tan color. But now she's…"
"Blue," Lorne repeated and then suddenly snapped up to his feet. "Back up," he ordered, stepping back as well as he headed towards the DHD.
"Why? What happened?" she asked, suddenly alert with her P-90 up and ready.
"Clayburn!" he shouted. "Get out of the way!"
Despite his earlier illness, the sergeant jumped up and hurriedly led Weir from the 'gate.
"Major, what's going on?" the doctor asked.
"Poisoning," he replied, yelling over the sound of the dialing of the gate. "We have to get out of here."
Thankfully the gate whooshed to life and all four hurriedly rushed through as fast as possible – leaving behind the mass of dead bodies.
xXx
"As unintelligent as your idea was to bring the potential illness to us, Major, I think you'll all be all right."
Lorne cleared his throat in embarrassment. He hadn't meant to put the base at danger. His instincts took over and he hadn't even thought about the risk of harming the rest of the expedition – a bad move on his part and court-martial worthy.
But Weir placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You acted swiftly and to the best of your abilities, Major," she commended. "I won't blame you and certainly no one else here will."
Her last sentence ended with a stern look in Dr. Beckett's direction who smiled grimly in apology before turning to wheel the tray of medical instruments away.
"I truly am sorry, ma'am," Evan apologized again, "I don't know what came over me – I just thought we had to get back to Atlantis as soon as possible, I didn't even –
"Enough," Weir held up a hand and gave a slight smile. "I think we need to move on to what we just saw back on that planet…"
"I'll tell you what we just saw," Lieutenant Knott interrupted as she hopped off the bed and towards the two. "We just saw a bunch of dead people, probably killed by the same psychos who took Colonel Sheppard's team."
Elizabeth nodded to the lieutenant awkwardly. "Yes, well, we don't know that for sure yet. But all we do know is that our one source of information about the people that took them is gone. We'll have to act on our best options now. Meeting in ten minutes. Major, bring your team."
xXx
"I've never heard of an Atonash not wanting to be an Atonash," the girl said, smirking – or something to the likes of it in her alien features.
"Well," Sheppard paused, seeking to find the most diplomatic way to present their case, "now you have."
"Look, you're not gonna eat us, right? I mean, I know the feeling of starvation, I can sympathize. I've suffered with hypoglycemia for years but you can't –
"Rodney, shut the hell up!" the colonel growled, about ready to lop his own teammate's head off.
"Eat?" the girl looked to McKay in confusion. "Why would we consume such filthy creatures?"
John watched as the scientist's jaw dropped – obviously at war with himself on whether to be relieved or insulted.
After clearing his throat, Sheppard tried again. "So, as I've been saying, we would really like to get off this planet – in one piece."
"And without collars," Rodney added with a mutter, once again being silenced by the piercing glare of the colonel.
She hesitated a moment before replying. "You must understand your request is of most offense."
John grimaced. "Yeah, sorry about that, but the way you've been treating us is, well, also kind of offensive."
The girl suddenly looked greatly upset. "I must discuss this with the High Saeri. She will know what to do."
With that, she and the other Xanians left the room, leaving the two alone together once again.