Shooting the Wad

By

OXBastetXO

Lieutenant Aiden Ford made his way cautiously through the world the scientist back at the Atlantis base had dubbed P3X-727. He paused a moment to swat at a gnat flying around his face. This world looked just like the three worlds they had 'gated to in the last couple weeks. He was starting to wonder if the Major just wasn't 'gating them back to the same boring world and just flying the puddle jumper off in a different direction. Ford wouldn't put it past the Major considering their luck on the last couple missions and then there was McKay and the curse. He wasn't much for superstition, but his grandma had some stories...

A startled shout whirled him around the way he had come.

"McKay! McKay, answer me," the Major demanded over the radio, followed by a muffled, "Crap!"

Ford reached for the radio just as Sheppard barked his name.

"Yes, sir," he responded already turning to sprint back to where he had left the others at the Ancient's ruins.

"You better get back here. We've lost McKay."

"Sir?"

"Something's happened to McKay. Teyla and I are looking for him. I want you to get back here and get the Puddle Jumper prepped for launch."

"Yes, sir," Ford said, springing forward, running back to where he had left the others.

Panting, he reached the clearing to find the Major and Teyla standing over a pretty good-sized hole. Major Sheppard shown in flashlight down into it, but they couldn't see much in the murky darkness. He looked up as Ford approached.

"Watch where you're walking, this place is riddled with sink holes," the older man warned him.

"Doctor McKay?" he asked, his eyes widening.

"We think he may have fallen into here," Teyla told him, inching closer to the hole. The ground under her feet started to crumble and Sheppard grabbed her pulling her back.

"Back," Sheppard ordered, as they scrambled for better footing. The Major swore in frustration.

They moved back to more stable ground. Ford frowned. "Are you sure he's in there?"

"Well, he didn't get scooped up by a Wraith ship or we would have seen. He was headed in this direction before he disappeared," Sheppard told him.

"If he fell down in there--" Ford shot Sheppard a look.

"I know," he said tightly. "We need the rappelling gear from the Puddle Jumper. There is no way we can get close enough to that hole to get a good look without falling in it ourselves and if McKay's in there, we're liable to crush him if we all go stomping around caving that thing in on him." He paused a moment eyeing a large gnarled tree beside the edge of the hole and a broad limb spreading out over it. "We can hook it up over that," he said pointing, "and drop down without collapsing this whole area in."

Ford nodded, hurrying back to the Puddle Jumper to get the gear. He found the box with the gear in and grabbed it hustling back to find Major Sheppard and Teyla arguing.

"I am lighter. You would be able to lower me in more easily," Teyla was saying.

Sheppard frowned. "I know, but you won't be able to haul yourself and McKay up out of there if something happens up here."

"Major?"

"I do not think it would be wise for Major Sheppard to lower himself into the hole," Teyla informed him.

"I'm not going to argue with you," Sheppard said, taking the gear from him.

"Major," Ford said, locking eyes with him and not letting go of the case. "With all due respect, she's got a point. If something happens, you're the only one who can fly the Puddle Jumper back to the 'gate. You and McKay are the only ones with the Ancient Gene and he's down there," he said, nodding to the hole.

Sheppard growled, but let go of the box with a nod. "Point made."

The younger man nodded and dug the gear out of the box, slipping into the climbing harness as Sheppard and Teyla secured the rope over the branch. Sheppard gave a tug on the branch making sure it would hold his weight before securing the rope on one another tree a short distance away. Teyla took a position behind Sheppard as he slid on a pair of gloves to handle the rope.

"Quick down and up, Lieutenant. Just see if McKay is down there and what condition he's in if he is. We'll get Beckett and a team back here before we move him if he's injured." Concern pinched the corners of Sheppard's eyes. It had to be bad if they hadn't heard anything from McKay yet. The man would squawk like he was dying if he got a hangnail.

"Yes, sir," Ford said, clipping himself to the end of the rope and nodded he was ready.

Sheppard looped the rope around one of the boulders protruding up from the ruins and he and Teyla grabbed the rope, lifting Ford off his feet and swinging him out over the opening. They began to slowly lower him down as Ford played his flashlight down into the darkness.

His head had just slipped from view when he called out. "I see him, Major. He looks pretty banged up. If you just--"

A loud crack and the sound of rending wood drowned out the rest of what he said as the limb the rope was looped over snapped off sending him plunging into the hole.

Sheppard quickly wrapped the rope a couple times around his arm, but the rope sang as it slashed though the fabric of his BDU sleeve and flesh of his arm. He hissed as he and Teyla tried to slow Ford's fall, but suddenly, the rope went loose.

"Oh, this is so not happening," Sheppard said, staring at the blood stained rope.