Teta Prime
Written By: The Ascended Ancient
Chapter V: "Struggle"

As it rises rapidly through the atmosphere of Teta Prime, the Puddle Jumper is struck by a shot from one of the three Wraith Darts pursuing them.

"What part of evasive don't you understand?" Ronan growls.

"Well, I'm sorry," Rodney snaps. "I'm not a pilot, so I have no idea what the hell I'm doing!"

"Just concentrate on flying, Rodney," Teyla says soothingly.

The Jumper leaves the atmosphere and approaches the edge of the cloaking field. Rodney sighs in frustration.

"It's a three day trip back to the Stargate!" he says. "How are we going to survive that?"

"Try using the weapons again," Ronan suggests.

"I already told you that they don't work!" Doctor McKay shouts. "The weapons, the cloak, none of it's working! They probably got damaged when we were first shot at!"

"Rodney!" Teyla points at a sensor image of the pursuing Darts on the viewport. The image shows the Darts breaking pursuit.

"They're breaking off," Ronan observes.

"Why?" Rodney asks, astonishment thick in his voice.

"Does it really matter?" Teyla asks him as the ship clears the cloaking field.

"No, I uh, I guess it doesn't," Rodney admits.

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Back on the planet's surface, a dirt-covered Colonel Sheppard is walking towards the tree line when he hears the engine whine of a Wraith Dart. Turning around, he sees the Darts that were pursuing the Jumper. They're now coming straight towards him. An 'Oh, crap!' expression on his face, John Sheppard races for the trees.

In the air above him, the lead Dart spots Sheppard and alters course to intercept him.

On the ground, Sheppard is about thirty seconds from reaching the tree line. He looks behind him, and realizes that the Dart will be right on top of him in about five seconds. As it gets close, the Dart deploys its transporter net. Just moments before it would've scooped him up, Sheppard dives out of the way, and the Dart just flies past him. Before the Dart can double back, Sheppard gets up and runs to the trees.

The forests of Teta Prime are a stark contrast to the fields. The fields are brightly colored, with a cool breeze blowing through them. The forests are claustrophobic and humid, with plants of various shades of brown covering almost every square inch. The foliage is so dense that very little sunlight penetrates the canopy, creating the illusion of nighttime.

It is in this hellish nightmare that Colonel Sheppard has been forced to flee. In here his progress is hampered by the dense foliage, but he keeps on running.

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"Lower the shield!" Doctor Elizabeth Weir orders the sergeant in charge of Stargate Operations. The sergeant complies, and the iris shield of the Atlantis Stargate lowers. As soon as it does, a Puddle Jumper flies through. As it floats up into the Jumper Bay, the personnel gathered nearby look on in shock at the pockmarked hull.

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In the Jumper Bay, Doctor Weir walks up to the hatch of the Jumper as it finishes opening.

"Colonel Sheppard!" she says. "What the hell happened?" Out of the Jumper steps Teyla, Ronan, and Doctor McKay. Doctor Weir looks at them in confusion. "Where's Colonel Sheppard?" The looks of sadness on the team's faces answer her question for her. In a matter of moments the hard, military-like sternness that she had been working so hard to keep up gives way to the grief she now feels. It is clear that it is taking all her strength to keep from breaking out into tears.

"We'll, uh," Weir tries to say. "We'll meet in the conference room in, uh, three hours for a, uh, debriefing." She sniffles. "Dismissed."

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Back on Teta Prime, Colonel Sheppard leans against a tree, eating a military ration bar. A noise in the distance causes Sheppard to become instantly alert. He pockets the ration, picks up his P-90, and crouches behind a large root. The colonel watches as two Wraith walk through the forest nearby. As they get close, Sheppard tosses a stone a good distance away from him in one direction. Then he tosses a second stone a different way. The two Wraith say something to each other in their native tongue before splitting up. Sheppard puts his years of military training to use, moving silently in pursuit of one of the Wraith.

End of Chapter V

Author's Note: And so the hunter becomes the hunted. At least, that's what it looks like. So, will Sheppard's attempt to fight back against the Wraith succeed, or will it fail? And why did the Wraith abandon their pursuit of the Puddle Jumper? Find out in "Struggle", Chapter VI of Teta Prime.