Author's Note: Sorry for the long break here. I whacked myself on the head Wednesday a week ago and gave myself a concussion. It seriously threw a monkey wrench in writing, because I just haven't been able to think clearly enough to write. Still dealing with migraines from the concussion, but getting better now. Hope this makes sense. :-)

Smile,
Bastet

Sheppard swore quietly to himself as he struggled with the weight of the paralyzed marine slung across his shoulders. Stackhouse was being a good sport about being dragged around like a sack of potatoes, but first McKay, then Ford, then himself, then Zelenka and Teyla and now Stackhouse. Good time just didn't quit on this planet. Speaking of, this planet was cracked. Not only did the planet itself seem to have it out for them by eating their scientist and doctors. Now they'd some kind of crazy underground Wraith cult to deal with? What the heck was up with that?

Once he told Teyla how they had found them, it wasn't hard for the woman to follow the marks through the dust back to the control room. Zelenka went to work on the controls again to get the shield back up.

Teyla helped Sheppard put Stackhouse down on a clear part of the floor. He grimaced when he a dark smear on the floor and realized it was blood. McKay's blood. This was the same spot they had found him when Carson had accidentally moved them into here.

"How ya doing?" Sheppard asked, as he and Teyla tried to settle the man in what they hoped was a comfortable position.

"Okay," came the muffled reply. Actually, it was more of "Ooooaa," but knew what the man meant. He smiled a little. "You'll be fine. McKay and I've both been hit by those things. Weird feeling, but it passes pretty quickly."

Stackhouse stared at him with wide eyes and then blinked in acknowledgement, but he couldn't quite hide the fear in his eyes. He clapped the Marine's shoulder as he got back to his feet.

He looked over at Zelenka and the Czech engineer was working on the consol behind them. His laptop out and opened. Several wires connected it to the consol and he was working to pry up more panels, more wires dangling from his mouth as he worked.

Sheppard knew better than to harass the man. Quickest way to slow things down was to start asking questions. Now, if it had been McKay, he would have, just to annoy the man. He sighed. Nothing against Zelenka, but he wished McKay was here. He'd already have this thing running.

A scuffling sound came from the corridor they had just left and he glanced over at Teyla. She met his eyes and he knew she had heard it too.

"I'll be right back," he said, heading over to the doorway.

He crept out into the empty corridor and looked around. He didn't hear anything other than Zelenka working and the shuffle of his own footsteps.

He inched forward, watching intently for any sign of movement. He thought he heard something of in one of the side chambers. He peeked in, shining the light mounted on his P90 as he went.

"Scooby Dooby doo, where are you? Doo do do doo do do..." Sheppard sang softly to himself as he crept around the darkened chamber. Danged spooky place.

"Major?"

He jumped as Teyla snuck up behind him. "Geez! Teyla don't do that!"

She gave him a small smile and then asked. "Who is this Scooby that you are singing about?"

Sheppard blushed. "Um, it's a cartoon."

"Cartoon?"

"Um, on TV. A cartoon is animation--" He frowned at her confused look. "Moving drawings."

She still looked confused.

"Scooby Doo was this big dumb dog with a speech impediment. Hung around with this beatnik guy named Shaggy."

Her face screwed up in further confusion.

"Hey, did I ever tell you about how I like Ferris wheels?"

She sighed and shook her head at him. "Doctor Zelenka had managed to reactivate the shielding device. He sent me to get you."

"Good," Sheppard said in relief. "We can get off this crazy planet now."

She nodded. "It will be good to return to Atlantis." She gave him a worried frown.

"I know," he said. "I'm sure McKay's okay. Beckett's a good doctor. Rodney will be back to annoying the crap out of us in no time."

"I hope so," she said and then gave him a wry smile. "I did not realize how accustom I had become to on mission. I miss him and Lieutenant Ford."

"Me too," Sheppard said, looking around. "I don't know about you, but this place is giving me the creeps and I don't know how many buddies our little Wraith wannabe had with him."

"I did not recognize him. He was not with the Relarn people who assisted us before," Teyla said as they hurried back to the other chamber.

"Major," Zelenka said, looking greatly relieved to see them. "The grid is up and running again and I set up a subroutine so it should recognize the Jumper now and not fire on it."

"Great job, Doc," Sheppard said, heading toward where Stackhouse lay. The Marine was starting to twitch a bit on his own again and gave Sheppard a wan smile as he helped him sit up. "How about we blow this popsicle stand?"

"Good," Stackhouse managed to say without slurring the word too badly.

Teyla and Zelenka shared a confused look. "Popsicle stand?" Zenenka said, but another other question was cut off as a blast whizzed by his head causing him to duck.

"Crap!" Sheppard snarled, grabbing Stackhouse as the other dove for cover.