Once he was sure that Melony was feeling better – he watched for the slightly haunted look in her eyes to fade – Jack suggested that they head over and get some dinner and discuss things while it was all still fresh in their minds. Besides, he was hungry. Smiling, Melony agreed, and the two of them left her quarters and headed for the commissary, not talking, but not needing to, either.

The room was fairly empty – mainly because it was between lunch and dinner on Atlantis time – even though on Talonopolis it was well past dinner. Knowing that O'Neill and Mitchell were going to want to discuss things once they arrived, the group had found seats together, Weir, Kale and McKay just drinking coffee to keep the others company while they ate, although the others were all working their way through a fairly large meal of stew and hot bread. Which Melony and Jack headed over to dish up for themselves as well before coming over to join them.

Melony set her meal down beside Carson, and went for coffee, while Jack sat down on the other side of the table, beside Sam, who gave him a curious look, obviously curious if everything was all right. His smile was answer enough, and she went back to her meal, listening as Daniel was telling Elizabeth Weir about the language of the Wraith – that was so tantalizingly close to Ancient that it was frustrating to not understand it immediately.

Carson looked over at General O'Neill as he sat down across from him, feeling a stab of anxiety when the general caught his eye a few moments later.

"How's the stew, doc?"

"What?" He groaned silently to himself at the response. God! He was an adult. Melony was an adult. Why did he feel like O'Neill was going to break him in two if he found out about him and Melony? "Oh. It's… it's good."

Jack's amused look was positively gloating, but Carson didn't recognize it as such. He wasn't sure what to make of it, and he was grateful when Melony came over, holding a couple of cups of coffee and handing one to O'Neill before sitting down beside Carson. She shot Jack a look, wondering why he was looking so amused and he returned it with a look that was so innocent she wondered what he'd done wrong.

He's probably been intimidating him…

She was pretty sure Talon was right, but she couldn't prove it without asking, and besides, she knew Jack wouldn't really do anything to Carson – especially now that he knew how she felt about him. If anything, Jack would go out of his way to make sure nothing happened to him, just because he wouldn't want Melony to have to go through what she'd already faced once. Feeling that same ache at the memory, Melony looked down at her bowl, and immediately felt Carson's hand come to rest on her leg, distracting her from that loss, and reminding her that she wasn't alone – even if he wasn't aware he was doing it.

Feeling better already, she glanced over at him, and rested her hand over his, while she started eating with the other hand. The conversations at the table never stopped, and Melony was pretty sure that no one but Jack and Carson had even noticed anything.

OOOOOOOOO

Once everyone had eaten, Jack took control of the impromptu meeting, setting his spoon down and draining his coffee cup.

"Okay."

Everyone stopped talking and turned to look at him, and Jack turned to Daniel.

"Do you think you'll be able to translate that language?"

"Yes. With Doctor Weir's help, we shouldn't have too much problem. It's very similar to Ancient."

"Good." Jack turned to Sam. "You and McKay are going to take a look at the Wraith darts, right?"

Sam nodded.

"It'd be easier if we could read the language, but Doctor McKay and I aren't willing to wait that long to start trying to figure it out."

Of course they weren't.

"Then you two will head for the Lava Base first thing in the morning. With a security force led by Lieutenant Ford."

Ford looked up, surprised.

"Me?"

He and the rest of them naturally assumed that O'Neill or Mitchell would be in charge of such a force. And if not one of them, then Major Sheppard.

"What are you going to be doing?" Weir asked, catching on immediately, and being one of the few who was willing to ask.

Jack looked over at Melony, and then back at Weir.

"We're going to go find some more Wraith."

Melony nodded. Perfect.

"You're going to go looking for-"

"Wraith," Jack repeated. "For one thing, I want to see these things for myself. For another; if two darts are good, then four or five will be even better."

"Four or five?" McKay repeated. "Who's going to fly them?"

"I can," Melony said.

"So can I," Sheppard said. Why else had they spent the day learning how to do just that? He was ready to take the fight to the Wraith – even if it wasn't all that much just then.

"As can I," Teal'c added.

Jack nodded.

"Colonel Mitchell's plan worked fairly well and netted her two darts and a lot of their technology – including weapons."

"Three darts," Melony corrected.

Sam smiled at Jack's scowl.

"Three darts," he repeated. "I'd like a lot more of their things – especially if Carter and McKay can figure out how to use it – and that ravine that leads to the lava base is easily big enough to be a parking lot for a small fleet of darts. Maybe even something bigger, if we can find it."

"Like what?" McKay asked.

"Something bigger," Jack said, shrugging. How the hell was he supposed to know what was bigger than a dart until he saw it and captured it?

"The Wraith are dangerous," Kale said, softly. He didn't like the idea of Melony going off looking for even more of them – although he had known she probably would.

"So are we," Jack said. He looked over at Teyla. "However… I'm not above having an edge when I can get it."

Teyla caught his look curiously, wondering what he meant.

"Your people can sense the Wraith?" Jack asked.

Ah.

She nodded.

"Some of us can."

"You can?"

"Yes. But I cannot fly one of the darts." She wasn't a pilot, and until meeting the Atlanteans had only rarely been in a flying machine. It wasn't something her people possessed, after all.

"You don't have to," Jack assured her. "I'd just like to have the early warning system if I can – especially since the Wraith will be attracted to Mitchell and Teal'c because of their symbiotes."

Teyla nodded, understanding what he was asking.

"I will accompany you, then, if you are asking me to."

Jack nodded.

"Thanks. We'll leave in the morning, as well, then."

"Where are you going to go?" Weir asked curiously.

"We'll start where Melony left off – and go from there if we don't find anyone."

"I will accompany you as well," Kale said.

Jack scowled, but Melony nodded immediately. She'd been hoping he would offer, but she never would have asked.

"We could use you as a scout," she said, drawing a dark look from Jack. A look that she met easily. "The Light Ones change forms, Jack. Kale can fly, and that'll give us a huge edge."

Hadn't he just said he'd take every advantage he could get?

"I'd like to see it, first," O'Neill said, unwilling to give up the point until he absolutely had to.

"That's the next order of business then," Melony said, nodding. Besides, she couldn't wait to see Jack's reaction to that particular aspect of the Light Ones. It was amazing, and she knew he'd be impressed despite himself. "As soon as I have some more coffee."