Undesignated Planet

What do you suppose they're doing here?

In the two days she and Talon had been wandering around this place, Mitchell had pretty much decided that the entire place was one big swamp, and couldn't imagine that anything lived there except the nonstop insects. They'd seen a few snakes, and some birds and other stuff, but nothing bigger than that, and nothing dangerous – and definitely no Wraith.

Until the third day when they were on their way back towards the gate. Only the fact that she'd heard them before they'd come into sight had kept her from walking right into them.

Wraith. A lot of them.

More importantly, do we ambush them?

Which was a very bad idea, really – since there were at least ten of them and only one of her. But they also had three darts with them, and that was a load of chances to check out their technology.

She shook her head. It was one thing to go looking for a Wraith – or two or maybe even three – but ten was too much. She wanted to get home alive with the dart that she stole.

No. We'll find less somewhere else, or we can wait for these guys to separate – if they do.

Talon sent wordless agreement, and Mitchell stayed low, almost hugging the swampy ground to avoid being possibly spotted by the Wraith. What she hadn't counted on – and neither had Talon – was the fact that because of Talon, Melony stood out like a beacon to the aliens, her life force so powerful that even the Athosians had no trouble feeling it. And they didn't eat life force for breakfast.

First one dred-locked head turned her direction and then another. Two more turned to follow the gaze of the first, and Mitchell's left hand tightened on her zat while the right hand – which held a nasty piece of Goa'uld technology – flexed slightly.

Did they hear me?

You didn't make any noise

It didn't matter, though, because there was no mistaken the purposeful way all the Wraith were heading their direction. Something had given them away, and Melony swore under her breath, and stood up, allowing Talon to take over.

Her right hand came up in a 'stop' gesture, and stunned by the sudden appearance of a human, the Wraith actually all hesitated a step or two. It was all it took. A powerful force ripped out from the device on her palm, slamming into the Wraith like a wall and knocking them all backwards to the ground. Several in the front didn't rise again, but four of them had been partially shielded by their companions, and had only been stunned. These four scrambled quickly to their feet, roars of hatred and who knew what else bursting from their throats as they charged her.

The zat burst into life, even as Mitchell's right hand swung around for another go with the Goa'uld device. The Wraith weren't attacking as a group, this time, though. They'd separated just enough that she couldn't get them all with the next blast of energy – although there was no way they could have known that. Two went down in a heap and didn't rise, and the zat hit one three times in quick succession – causing it to vanish. The third Wraith bowled into Mitchell at full speed, and slammed backwards as the personal shielding device – another piece of Goa'uld technology that Mitchell had at her disposal – activated at the touch, keeping the dangerous contact from happening.

"What are you!" The Wraith screamed, shocked by the speed and ferocity of Mitchell's defense.

Pretending she didn't know what he was, Mitchell aimed the zat at him.

"What are you?"

Talon countered in his deep voice. There was always a chance that somehow this was being recorded, and she absolutely couldn't take the risk that the Atlanteans might be blamed for what she was about to do. The Wraith looked stunned for a moment by the deep voice, but he recovered quickly, sneering.

"Wraith. Destroyer of civilizations and countless multitu-"

"Yeah, yeah. What are you, though?" He asked. "What do you do?"

"What are you?" The Wraith countered, this time. Obviously trying to buy time to see if his companions would rise to help him, or to see if there was a weakness he could exploit. Melony and Talon didn't intend to give him any opportunity.

"I am Talon," He told the Wraith, just as arrogantly as any system lord might have – and hey, he was the most powerful of the lot, right? "I am Goa'uld."

The Wraith's eyes narrowed.

"The Goa'uld are a myth. They do not exist."

Doesn't that sound familiar?

She fired the zat, knocking him flat on his back, and walked over to stand over him.

"Did that feel real, Wraith?" Talon asked.

The Wraith roared in anger – getting over the zat stun far quicker than any human or Goa'uld could have – and lunged to his feet. Talon had had enough though. He'd made the mistake once of underestimating the Wraith and it had almost killed Melony. He wouldn't do it again. The zat discharged once more, flattening the Wraith before he could get himself completely upright. And a moment later the third shot disintegrated him.

"Wow…"

Indeed

Shocked by just how quickly things had happened – it was no more than a minute from the first attack to the last shot – Mitchell couldn't waste any time. She felt Talon give her back full control of her body, and promptly started searching the downed Wraith, stripping them of anything that looked technological or like a weapon – and then one by one zatted them; unwilling to risk them regenerating and returning to wreak havoc on her when she least expected it.

When the last one vanished, she took a deep breath and looked around.

"Three darts and a pile of stuff. Not bad for the first planet…"

We were lucky there weren't more

Yeah. Let's check the ships out.

OOOOOOOOOOO

Atlantis

"Kale."

Elizabeth couldn't help but smile – in relief she told herself. She was glad that they weren't an enemy they'd have to fight.

Yeah. Right. No one would have bought that – including her.

The Light On smiled as well, his hand reaching out to touch her cheek.

"Elizabeth. It is a pleasure to see you again."

"Hey, Kale," Sheppard said, looking just a little uncomfortable. Of course, that probably had something to do with the whole naked aliens standing right beside them while one of them obviously was remembering the last time he'd been here, since he was having a definite reaction to Weir's company.

The Light One turned to Sheppard, who kept his eyes up, and smiled a greeting, turning and gesturing for the others to step forward as well.

"We were looking through the Ancient city," Kale said. "And we found these…"

"We thought they might be useful to you – or that you might at least know what they are…" Char added.

McKay stepped forward as a female he didn't recognize – fortunately – extended her hands with a loosely wrapped package in it. He unwrapped the cloth that was covering it, and everyone in the control room gasped.

"Is that a ZPM?" Weir asked, shocked.