Talonopolis

"GO!"

Jack couldn't believe when he saw that she was still there – although he really should have known she wasn't going to blow the planet without knowing he was on the way. They were both in the cavern, now, which is how he was able to communicate, and he'd slammed on the brakes as quickly as she had, both darts hovering. Like her, he couldn't go until he knew she was safe.

"Engaging the destruct device now, Jack!" she yelled into her mic, hitting the button and thumbing the dart's thrusters, aiming for the escape route – knowing that he wasn't going to leave with her in the cavern and not willing to risk them. She knew he'd be right behind her. "Go!"

She hit the event horizon, and sent up a prayer that Jack wasn't far behind, because even as she started to disintegrate, she felt the explosion rocking the cavern and knew it was only seconds from turning into a giant fireball.

He only waited until the rear of her dart was out of the way, and immediately sent his own dart into the event horizon as well, the cavern blowing to hell around him. His sensors were screaming at him about imminent explosions, and he was so distracted by them – and escaping – he didn't see the other dart – the one that had followed him down the tube. Even as he disintegrated, he felt an explosion on his rear as the dart fired at him. Right before the cavern filled with fire, destroying the dart before it could attempt to follow Jack.

The explosion was huge. Incredibly huge. But then the force of it hit perfectly placed crystals that were lining the walls of the cavern, and what had been huge suddenly became an inferno with no comparison. The explosion that rocked the lavaflows erupted upwards in an instant, wiping out the darts that were circling the entire planet in confusion, and then simply shattering the planet, demolishing the hive ships that were in orbit – and beyond – before any of them had a chance to even realize what was happening. An instant after the Wraith as an entire species were destroyed the explosion was intensified once more, until it was well past that of a star exploding. It was a bang that hadn't been felt since the very creation of the planets of the system, and maybe not even then, and it destroyed everything in its path.

OOOOOOOOOO

Atlantis

"Who is it?" Weir asked, looking at the screen and watching the Wraith dart – which seemed to be nothing more than a fireball – as it plummeted to the base of the spire it had crashed into.

Before anyone could say anything – not that any of them could have told her – there were two more flashes in the night sky above them, and she could see in the second flash that another dart was damaged and on fire. This one hadn't crashed into anything, yet, but it was out of control, streaking across the dark sky like a rogue shooting star.

The other dart – the one that had arrived right before it – was tumbling, but before Weir or anyone could even realize what they were seeing, there was a flash of blinding light from the other side of the screen. And then the picture was lost. The explosion had happened, and they had lost their feed to the Ancient's listening post.

Blinded on one side, they all turned their attention to the other view – which was distressing to those watching. The first dart was down, now, and they could see movement in the light of the flames – but it wasn't the pilot. The other dart that had been on fire was no better off. This one had crashed into the ocean, and the wreckage was burning; scattered in pieces that plainly said the shields hadn't done anything to hold it together on crashing.

In the light of these flames, they could see more movements, but again, they weren't completely sure what it was.

"Get them!" Weir ordered, desperate to make sure everyone had survived. What on Earth could have gone so wrong?

"They're on it," Grodin said, getting calls in from the landing darts. "Major Sheppard is reporting in, now. He's fine, and starting to help the Light Ones with rescue operations."

Weir nodded.

"Get the infirmary ready."

"Doctor Beckett already called in the orders."

"Get medics to the landing-"

"They're on the way."

Everything was being done that could be done. They'd have to wait and let everyone do what they needed to do – and not get in the way.

She turned her attention back to the flaming darts, knowing now that the movements she was seeing were Light Ones flying in to help where they could. The flames were down to smoldering on the first crashed dart, so she couldn't see much, and the water had completely doused the other fires, so she couldn't see anything there, either. The rest of the darts had all landed, and Grodin was concentrating on reports, passing information on as he received it.

"Sheppard's okay; he's reported no problems. Corporal Sanchez just powered down as well – he's fine." There was a pause, and he turned to the others – all of whom were watching him. "The two down are Tao and General O'Neill. Tao's dart hit the north tower and crashed – they're pulling him from the wreckage, now. General O'Neill apparently came in on fire and disintegrated on crashing – the Light Ones are searching for him, now."

Sam felt her stomach drop, even as she tried to remind herself that Jack had survived a lot worse than that. She just couldn't think of anything. Daniel was beside her in an instant, a steadying hand unobtrusively supporting her.

"Let's get to the infirmary. That's where they'll take him."

She nodded, and the two of them turned and headed for the door.

OOOOOOOOO

"Who is it?"

Mitchell stumbled to the ground, tripping over the small lip that led into the rear of the dart, but was on her feet in an instant. Even while she'd tried to regain control of her dart, she had seen Jack coming in hot above her, and then had seen him crash. Knowing that he had no shielding, she'd been desperate for him to pull up before he hit the water, and he hadn't done it. The dart had been torn to pieces, and she couldn't land fast enough to find out who was flying the other dart that she'd seen in flames below the city and whether the Light Ones had been able to find O'Neill. Because of that haste, her own landing was far worse than it should have been – more of a controlled crash – but she had shields, and wasn't injured. Until she stumbled onto the concrete landing pad and twisted her ankle.

He has shields

He has one shield.

It's enough

Talon was already starting to work on the ankle, even as Melony rushed over to the open space. Someone caught her from behind, twisting her ankle further – although she ignored the stabbing pain.

"Are you all right?"

It was Carson, and his eyes were wide with worry.

"Fine."

She turned and caught one of the others as they rushed by.

"Who was in the other dart?"

"Tao. The Light Ones are trying to pull him out, now."

Before she could ask his condition, there was a flurry of wings and a screech from above. Everyone moved at the warning, and one of the giant birds landed awkwardly, rolling onto its side, with a figure wrapped carefully in its talons. It was the only way a bird could land without tossing the burden to the concrete so it could use its natural landing gear.

Melony recognized the injured person immediately, of course.

"Jack!"

He was bloody and battered, and soaking wet, and didn't say a word as Kale transformed himself from bird form, but stayed where he was, obviously stunned from the crash landing of his own.

Carson dropped down beside O'Neill – as did Melony – and instantly felt for a pulse. He couldn't find one. Melony didn't even hesitate.

"Talon!"

She leaned over Jack, her mouth seeking his own. A moment later, she felt a jolt, like something inside her ripped apart, and then she was suddenly as alone as she'd ever felt.

OOOOOOO

He hurt. He was hurting worse than he could ever remember hurting, and knew – even though he couldn't seem to focus enough to really consider it – that he was dying. He'd crashed. He didn't even have a chance to try and avoid it, and only the personal shielding device that he'd activated had kept him from tearing apart even as the dart had. But it hadn't saved him, and he knew it. Even when he'd felt something pluck him out of the freezing water, he'd known that he wasn't going to live. He was just going to have to try and hang on long enough to make sure everything had gone right. Everything else, anyways.

He felt a jolt as he and Kale landed, but he didn't open his eyes, and as badly as he hurt, he didn't feel more pain. Then he heard Melony call his name, and he knew she was alive. She was the last one through – besides himself – and if she had managed to land her dart, then the others must have as well.

He tried to say something; wanted her to tell Sam that he was sorry, but he couldn't move, and couldn't even open his eyes. He felt himself drifting away and could feel himself fading. Then someone was hovering over him, and he felt something against his lips – a kiss? An instant later, he felt a sudden shock as his awareness was pushed gently but firmly aside, and a concerned but slightly cheerful voice sounded off in the pain-filled vaults of his mind.

You certainly are a mess

Then he felt nothing.