The Journey

Chapter 4

They had recalled the rest of the scientists and marines that were with them exploring and securing the area around the temple. The force field cut them off from the rest of the mission members, so they had to make due with the resources they had until a way could be found to disable the force field. While he had been inside before, Dr. McKay had, among many empty rooms, found what seemed like some sort of control centre. He hadn't had a chance to have a closer look yet. None of two marines or the two scientists who had checked out the area around the temple had found anything of interest. They had also found no sign of the tunnel that the Athosians had used to enter the Old City. Since Teyla didn't know more about the exact location, they would not be able to use it as a means of escape. The climate on Athos was warm and they had shelter within the temple, but they didn't have supplies for a long stay. They had only brought water and food for a day, assuming that they would be able to go back to the Jumper that was parked up on the cliff not far from the city.

The moment John crossed the doorstep into the control room, everything lit up. Lights switched on and the massive computer that dominated the center of the round room activated as well. McKay was instantly drawn to the machine.

"Careful McKay, don't touch anything just yet. We know that the Wraith have been here. Who knows what they have left behind." But it was too late. McKay had already touched the console in the middle of the room. As soon as he had made contact with the device, they heard a loud grinding noise from the direction of the corridor they had just come from. Whirling around they saw the stone wall closing up again. They were trapped inside the temple inside a force field now. McKay was the first to comment on their change in situation.

"It doesn't make sense. Why would the Wraith want to lock us in, the force field would hold them off, I assume."

"Maybe, the force field isn't their idea. But it doesn't matter why we are trapped; we have to find a way out of here. Let's split up and check the place out. Dr Beckett, you and McKay stay here. Try to find out what the controls are for. We can hardly make things much worse. " Sheppard finished assigning the remaining scientists and marines and three search teams and also left one armed man behind with the two doctors.

Sheppard had set off with Teyla. The temple was huge but largely empty. The walked through dozens of deserted halls and corridors. Unlike Atlantis, this place seemed to be almost void of technology. Although certainly a monument to architecture, the ground level held nothing of any strategic value. After having explored their sector, John and Teyla took what look like an Atlantis elevator to the next level. Much like the room they had found below, there was another control room. The moment Sheppard had stepped outside the elevator, the instruments came to live. To his great surprise, he suddenly knew exactly how to work them and what each of the screens displayed. Driven by his new knowledge he moved to the nearest terminal and brought up a map of the temple. Teyla was watching curiously over his shoulder.

"What are you looking for?"

"Another exit, we might need it. If McKay can't fix the door we used to get in."

The plan showed four exits in total. John committed them to memory. He was just about to bring up all the life signs in the city to make sure that they were indeed as alone as they believed, when suddenly another console beeped and a computer voice said something in Ancient. Having only a passing knowledge of Ancient at best, John looked to Teyla for a translation.

"It's a warning, that's all I can understand; the words are not familiar to me."

John went over to that console, He didn't need to understand what had been said, the display was very similar that that of a device he already knew. The device they had stolen from the Genii . What he was seeing on the screen now, was something he had hoped he'd never seen, but had known was inevitable. Three ships were coming there way and they were coming fast. He hadn't had a chance to calculate their ETA when the computer answered his thought. At their current speed, the ships would reach the planet in 10 hours and 23 minutes and they would reach Atlantis in 12 hours and 7 minutes. Something must have set them off, it couldn't be a coincidence that after three years without a direct attack by the Wraith, they decided to attack now. Teyla was thinking along similar lines.

"There is a belief among my people, that the return to the old city will bring the return of the Wraith. Maybe there is truth to it after all. Maybe our arrival somehow alerted the Wraith."

"Probably, we should have been more careful. We knew that the Wraith had been here. We have to find a way to let Atlantis know. We do monitor Wraith activity, but still, it could be hours before anyone notices that they are coming. They need every minute they have to get people out of the city.

John switched on his radio to contact McKay.

"McKay, we have a problem,"

a"I agree Major, there is no way I can open this door. There is no mechanism for it anywhere in the controls, it's just not possible. If…"

"We got bigger problems. The Wraith are coming, they are going to be here in 10 hours, and in Atlantis in 12 hours".

"How come we didn't know that. I thought the nearest ship was weeks away"

"I have no idea. Something we did here must have tipped them off." John snapped. He was not in the mood for technicalities. He didn't care about the how..

"We'll all meet you down in the control room. Sheppard out." Then he proceeded to radio the other two teams..

"Teams 2 and 3, please come in."

"This is team 3,l " came Dr. Devon's voice over the radio

"Go back to the control room. We'll meet you there."

"Understood."

"Team 2, please respond! Sergeant Eland?" John tried to raise the team over the radio again, but received no response. The feeling that something was very wrong got a lot stronger, there wasn't just a Wraith attack looming over their heads. Their troubles were far closer to home. He returned back to the console he had been working on before the alarm had distracted him. He saw his instincts confirmed. The Wraith attack was not their only problem. They were not alone in the temple. There were nine red dots blinking at him from the screen. Nine where there should have been only eight of them.

TBC