Title: Alien Devices
Author: SlayersGrl
Summary: The team finds an Ancient outpost on a deserted planet. Strange devices and an unexpected encounter may provide them with exactly what they've been looking for. But are they willing to pay the price?
Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I don't own Stargate Atlantis or any of its characters... I'm simply writing for entertainment and because the plot bunnies won't leave me alone.

Author's note: And the plot bunnies keep attacking... It's 3am and classes start tomorrow, but this chapter demanded to be written. And yet again, I hate the title, but will probably never get around to changing it later...


Chapter 1:

Unsurprisingly, the planet looked exactly like the MALP image: a small clearing around the gate and then a dense rainforest. In fact, there was nothing of interest in visual range. The only reason the small group had ventured here was because the UAV had sent back pictures of what looked to be an outpost nestled in a cliff a few miles away.

Major Sheppard could already feel the sweat begin to run down his back. He was so no looking forward to chopping a path through the thick vegetation. But they really had no other choice. There wasn't a clear area to land a Jumper so they would have to walk.

The major removed the machete from their equipment. He was glad the SGC had decided to send one along on their expedition. Then he began the long arduous task of cutting a walkway through the dense plant life that littered the forest floor.

Each team member took a shift at it. Even McKay lasted a whole twenty minutes until he demanded a break before he had a hypoglycemic reaction. It was three hours later when Teyla finally broke free of the canopy cover and emerged in front of their target.

"We had better find something after all that!" McKay grumbled as he gratefully sucked fresh air into his overtaxed lungs.

"No kidding…" Ford agreed.

Sheppard realized the surge of energy at finding the outpost was quickly wearing off. His team was exhausted. He sighed wearily. "You three wait here. I'll go secure the area. Then we can check the outpost."

They each nodded in acknowledgement and then thankfully sat down to wait. The major did a quick reconnaissance of their surroundings, but he could find nothing to suggest that anyone had been there recently. Satisfied, he quickly returned to his team. He eagerly accepted the canteen Ford offered him and took a long gulp. Then he handed it back before addressing the group. "It doesn't look like anyone's been here for a while."

"Perhaps we should examine the outpost then?" Teyla asked.

"I bet it's cooler in there," Ford added with a smile. That got everyone motivated to stand and pick up their equipment.

They still entered cautiously in case they really weren't alone on the planet. Ford lead the way, P-90 raised. The outpost had obviously been overrun by the local wildlife. There were plants growing along the walls and there was evidence that a few of the rooms may have been used for a nest at one time or another.

"The power source must be completely depleted," McKay said while examining his scanner. He could not pick up any energy readings. He frowned and mumbled, "I was hoping we'd find a charged ZPM."

"Well, it's still worth a look around. They might have left something behind we can use," Sheppard replied. He then sent Ford and Teyla to search the rooms on the left side of the outpost while he and McKay took the right. The first couple of rooms they tried were empty. But they hit the jackpot on the third. There was Ancient tech scattered all about the room.

"Look at all of it…" McKay whispered as he eagerly stepped towards a promising piece lying on the table by the door. He was stopped by Sheppard placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Relax McKay," he said with a chuckle. "We have three days until we have to check in. Just mark it and we'll come back."

Grudgingly, the scientist obeyed. But he couldn't help one last glance back at the room before moving on. They quickly finished their examination of the rest of the rooms in their section but none proved as promising. Both men excitedly returned to the assigned meeting place.

"Any luck?" Sheppard asked.

"Not a thing, sir," Ford replied. Then he gave McKay a weird look and added, "But I'm guessing you found something." The scientist was so excited he could barely restrain himself from abandoning the meeting and rushing back to the room.

"Yeah, you could say that. Come on, we'll show you." The major indicated that his team should follow and lead the way to the third door on the right.

Ford let out a low whistle when he saw all the equipment that was strewn about the room.

"Do you think any of it still works?" Teyla asked. She was surprised as to the amount of devices they had found. "There must be some reason why the Ancients left all of this here?"

"Well, it could just be a place where they repair defective machines. Or maybe it's a lab where they test new devices," McKay replied as he did a slow walk around the room to inventory anything that looked promising. "If we're lucky, maybe we can find something that we can use against the Wraith."

Several hours later, Ford found himself alone with McKay. After testing several different devices, Sheppard had decided he needed a break. So he left Ford to watch over the scientist while he and Teyla went to patrol the area.

"So, any luck getting any of this junk to work?" Ford asked while lazily handling one of the discarded pieces on the table.

"Hey! Don't move that!" McKay shouted. "I have a system…" He grabbed the device from the lieutenant's hand and carefully placed it back in its original position. "And to answer your question, no, nothing has worked yet. But if Major Sheppard would hurry up… Why didn't he just have you go with Teyla? It's not like anyone is here."

Ford smiled. The man may be a genius but sometimes he just didn't have a clue. "No one likes to be a guinea pig McKay, least of all Major Sheppard. I'm sure he just needed some fresh air. You've had him cooped up in here all day."

"Look, if I could do it without him I would! But I need his gene to get this stuff activated!"

McKay's rant was interrupted by a voice from the doorway. "And here I thought you wanted me for my charming personality."

The scientist winced, realizing his last statement must have sounded rather harsh. But his ego wouldn't allow him to apologize for it, especially since it really was true. He did need the major in order to determine which devices would be worth taking back to Atlantis for further study. "Ah, Major Sheppard, you're just in time," he said as he held up one of the smaller devices.

Sheppard groaned. "Oh come on McKay! I must have tested dozens of this stuff by now! None of it has so much as blinked!"

"I'd be more than happy to just pack it all up to take back to the base. But I for one don't want to have to lug it all back through that jungle only to find out it's a pile of junk."

The major sighed. Rodney did have a valid point. They could only carry a small amount so they needed to find out which devices would be worthwhile. "Fine, point taken. Hand it over," he replied as he extended his hand out to take the device. "So what do I do with it?"

'I think it goes over your ear and loops around to your forehead," Rodney replied, indicating the position with his hand.

Sheppard did as instructed. Then his team watched him intently for a few minutes, waiting to see if anything would happen. Rodney was about to declare the device busted when it suddenly sprang to life. It glowed brightly for an instant before an object appeared on the table.

"Cool," Ford said to break the silence. "Think it's real?" He was amazed that a turkey sandwich had materialized out of thin air.

Teyla was just as confused as the lieutenant. "Major Sheppard?" she asked.

"Well, there's only one way to find out…" He eagerly reached for the sandwich and quickly took a bite. "Oh, it's real all right. And pretty good too."

"Ok…" Mckay replied. "What exactly were you thinking before the sandwich appeared?"

Sheppard had to pause in eating his mystery snack in order to reply. "Um… I was thinking about how stupid this was since it's obviously a pile of broken junk. And that I would so rather be sitting around enjoying a nice turkey sandwich. Then poof, there it was."

"Hey, could you ask for some ice cream?" Aiden interrupted.

The major shrugged his shoulders. He concentrated for a moment before a pint of Moose Tracks appeared on the table exactly where the sandwich had previously sat. Ford eagerly snatched it up. "Thanks sir!"

"So what, it's some sort of food synthesizer?" McKay asked, hoping Sheppard would have some idea as to how the device was operating. He just couldn't believe the Ancients would have built a device solely for the purpose of producing food items. If they had, surely the city would have them.

"Perhaps you should try something other than food?" Teyla suggested.

The major, having now completed his food, thought carefully for a moment. He suddenly had a thought as to what the device might be. He glanced around the room quickly before making his decision. Again, he concentrated for a moment. Only this time, McKay's scanner disappeared for its position next to the scientist only to reappear on the table.

"Hey! Don't mess with my equipment! You could have damaged it!" McKay shouted as he quickly snatched up his scanner. After a quick check he realized that the device was still in perfect working condition. "Alright… so it's a transporter?"

Sheppard shrugged his shoulders again. "Apparently."

"If it's a transportation device, then where did the food come from?" Teyla asked.

Everyone looked over at Ford who had immediately stopped shoving the frozen dessert into his mouth. "Uh, that's kinda creepy…" He turned to look at the major.

"What? Don't look at me! I just make the stuff work. McKay's the one who figures out how it works." He then removed the device and handed it back to the scientist. "Have fun."

Sheppard immediately recognized the expression on the other man's face. The wheels in his head were already turning, formulating multiple different theories to explain what they had just witnessed, and well, eaten…

The major turned to address his other two team mates. "That sandwich made me hungry. What do you say we go heat up some MREs?" Although he had much preferred the taste of his sandwich, he also liked to know where his food came from… Besides, he had a feeling McKay might be working on the answer to that question for a while.

TBC...