Author's Note: Sorry about the wait on this, I was actually in pain (was stung by a bee). Right on the finger!

OOOOOOOOO

Despite the fact that she and Talon had a lot to do, Melony insisted that she be on hand when the Jaffa moved over to Talonopolis. Most of them approved of the name – although they didn't actually understand the name. They just approved that it was named after their System Lord. Of course, it was going to be blown to smithereens in a couple of weeks, but they were probably already considering naming someplace else the same thing.

The Jaffa 'village' was going to be in the wooded area right outside the bolthole that Ford and Teyla had found on their initial exploration of the lava tubes. This area was ideal for what they had in mind. For one thing, it was wooded enough that they would have plenty of resources for any fires they might need or anything they might need to build. For another, it was close to the lava tubes so the Jaffa would be able to bolt for the safety of the flows when the Wraith came (if they came0 without needing to worry about a dart following them in. The tunnel wasn't big enough for a dart – only the original tunnel was.

And then there were the coffee bushes.

Melony had developed quite a fondness for the plant, and like the Mok, she and Talon had never found any elsewhere – and Talon had been around a lot longer than his host had. The Jaffa were going to have a lot to do for the first few days, setting up their pretend village, but then they'd have ample free time, and when asked, they'd readily agreed to harvest the plants for her. They'd bundle them up and send them through the gate to Atlantis with some of the techs when they departed.

As for the village itself, it was a stroke of genius. They weren't going to have time to build houses. Not enough houses to make it look like the Jaffa had been living on Talonopolis for any great length of time – which was the illusion they wanted to give. So instead, Ford had suggested they just use tents – covered with some wood or dirt or sticks or brush – anything that would make them look less like temporary housing. Since the Wraith weren't going to know the difference between a tent and a true house – they lived in ships, after all – the tents would work great, and would be easily carried and set up in any position they wanted to put them in. Without a great deal of effort.

She and Talon watched from the entrance to the bolthole that first day, leaning against a tree with Sheppard and Jack standing beside her. They had been the ones that had dropped the Jaffa off, saving them the trouble of walking from the Stargate by simply ferrying them in several trips from Atlantis.

"They sure are disciplined," John said, admiringly as they watched Tao start ordering Jaffa tent builders where to set up each tent so there would be 'streets' and spaces for town courtyards and 'marketplaces'.

Mitchell nodded.

"Tao's going to drill them in evacuation procedures, too. When the Wraith come, we're not going to let them be caught off guard, and we're going to make sure they all know what to do and where to go."

"Good thinking," Jack said, approving.

"Major Sheppard, I need a volunteer to act as liaison between the Jaffa and the scientists – so they know how many can be beamed into the darts at one time."

"I volunteer."

Mitchell smiled.

"I was hoping you would,"

It would save her the trouble of volunteering him.

We have things we need to get started on, Hot Shot

Melony nodded, looking over at Jack.

"Talon and I are going to get started on the escape device. Do you need me for anything before I vanish?"

O'Neill shook his head.

"Nope."

Jack had his own assignment – self-imposed, of course. He was going take one of the darts and practice some close quarter flying, just to prepare for the lava tube. Melony would make sure the escape device was large enough for the dart, but Jack and the other pilots would have to fly it in themselves – and he wanted to make sure it wasn't as impossible as it seemed. Then, when the Jaffa were settled enough that Tao was free, Jack and the other pilots would spend the rest of their free time flying through a maze that was being built. One that would be as close to the lava tube as they could get without actually flying the tube. Which would be too dangerous, of course.

"If you need me, I'll be in the cavern."

He nodded.

"If you need me, I'll be above the cavern."

He reached out – at the last minute decided he wasn't going to ruffle her blonde hair – and slapped her shoulder, instead.

"See you soon."

"Yeah."

She wouldn't, though. She headed back into the lava tube, heading for the cavern where all the equipment she and Talon would need to work on the device had been stacked against a far wall – and the device itself (minus the frame that would actually create the terminus of the wormhole).

They checked the cavern for the most optimal location – one that would give the pilots as much room to sight on the portal device as possible – and finally decided on the spot. With one of the darts literally right behind her, they would have no trouble with the dimensions of the craft, and with Sam Carter and Rodney McKay as backup if they needed it (and they didn't think they'd need any help) there shouldn't be too much trouble, despite how complicated their task was.

OOOOOO

"It really shouldn't be that complicated…"

Beckett frowned and looked over at Rodney.

"I'd still like to be sure we do it correctly."

They were moving the entire population of a previously thought to be extinct animal, after all, and Carson knew how much the Mok meant to Melony and Talon. He'd hate to have to tell them that he and Rodney had botched it.

"It's not that difficult, Carson," McKay told him, annoyed. "We take a dart, scoop up the Mok with the beam thing, and then when we have them in a safe place, we reanimate them, and they live happily ever after…"

"Are you going to fly it?" Beckett asked, dubiously. His own piloting skills weren't that impressive – although he'd seen Rodney flying the Jumpers and knew he wasn't much better.

McKay shook his head.

"We'll have one of the others do that. We're supervising. That means we don't actually do anything. We just tell them what to do and when to do it."