Ten.
Bates came shooting down the ramp of stone, gracefully landing on his feet, weapon aimed back up the hole. "We can't leave."
"Why?" Major Sheppard grated.
"A pack of some kind of creatures, maybe eight or ten. I caught site of them on my way back from the Stargate, just before the ground started to shake. They're headed right for us."
"Crap." John looked around the main room. "Check for any other doors or openings, some other way out," he ordered Teyla and Ford. Turning back to Bates, he asked, "What about the retrieval team?"
Bates shook his head, "I was on my way back to tell you that Weir said no team until tomorrow. She wants us back now."
Sheppard pursed his lips, "Well, that ain't gonna happen. I just hope she doesn't send anybody else through when we don't show up."
"Major, there seems to be a door here but we cannot see a way to open it," Teyla called from the side of the room opposite the collapsed one.
"C-4, sir?" Ford asked from Teyla's side.
"Are ya kiddin? Ya'll bring the whole bloody place down around our ears."
Rodney exchanged glances with John. He shrugged, shaking his head.
A hiss from above brought the three military men around to see a bobcat-on-steroids peering hungrily from the surface. Saliva dripping from its four inch fangs, bared as it continued to hiss and spit at them.
Bates fired his P-90 up the hole at the creature. It darted away before a bullet could come near it. "Let's hope that scares it off for a while. Teyla, is that some of the night life you told us about?" he called over his shoulder, not taking his eyes off the opening into their refuge.
Teyla straightened her shoulders, facing Bates. "That is some of the smaller species, yes. There are some quite large creatures that can kill a man with one swipe of it's paw."
Sheppard looked to her shocked. "Larger species?" He turned to Ford, "Have you gotten that other door open yet?"
"No, sir. It appears to be like welded by years of dirt packing in the cracks, like painting a window shut."
"Give me your weapon, Sergeant. Get over there and help Ford. Even if it only leads into another room, it'd be easier to defend than this one."
Bates nodded, unclipping his P-90 and handing it Major Sheppard. He and Ford picked specifically shaped rocks to use as hammer and chisel and began pounding away at the seams.
Carson stepped over to the major, concern and an admonition in his movements. "Major, the kick from that weapon'll not do yer ribs any bit of good."
John nodded, not talking his eyes off the hole. "I know that, Doc but what choice do we have?"
Carson pursed his lips, nodding agreement. He gaze followed Major Sheppard's, commenting "It's nearly dark."
John nodded solemnly, "I noticed."
"I shouldn't've brought ya."
"I made you bring me, Doc. This is my fault. I have to fix it." He paused thinking for something Carson could do to be useful. "Why don't you set up those nifty floor light Ford and McKay brought?"
Carson nodded, not the least bit fooled by the major's tactics, turning to pull out the battery powered flood lights.
Rodney couldn't take his eyes off the opening to outside. He needed to move, to help, to do something. He wasn't used to being helpless or useless. 'What will my life be like as a useless person? If I don't have my voice, how much help can I honestly be?' his thoughts started to wander. 'Shut up, you're over-exaggerating. Your still a vital member of Atlantis, McKay.' Funny his inner voice sounded a lot like Major Sheppard's scolding one. A blast of gunfire followed by a sharp shout from Major Sheppard brought him outside of himself.
John stood feet wide, firing the P-90 left handed, teeth grit against the pain the weapon was sending through his rib cage. A dead animal rolled down the ramp nearly bowling him over. He shouted over his shoulder, "How much longer?"
Bates turned to him, breathless, "It doesn't look good, sir."
"We can't get it open." Ford added.
Hissing and growling could be heard as a wave of half a dozen oversized bobcats swarmed down the ramp.
I gave up trying to foresee where this is going. I just jotted a few scenes that I want to see in it.
OMG, my mother learned how to post reviews! Parental bragging, how embarrassing...just playin' wicha, Ma.
