Chapter Six

"Actually," Beckett said, finding the route down the mountainside much easier than it had to go up. "It's not so bad coming down than it is going up." His foot slipped slightly but he managed to recover and prevent himself from plunging a long way down, Teyla moved swiftly to one side as a few rocks came loose and careened past her before regaining her position and looking up to Beckett.

"This is most common when trying to conquer an obstacle of some kind."

"I didn't know you were an expert in rock climbing."

"I am used to having to navigate rough terrain."

"They don't come as rough as this," Beckett agreed before making a face and finding another place to put his foot. Once it was stable, he lowered himself gently. More silence followed as both of them focused on the task in hand.

--

"I spy with my little eye something beginning with…" a long thoughtful pause. "With 'R'." Both McKay and Ford stared at Sheppard who had taken a fairly relaxed stance under the tree and they'd already got to the point where they were so bored. They resorted to a game of "eye spy" which was, not surprisingly, brought up by Sheppard. Quickly, they started looking around their immediate surroundings.

"Radio," Ford said.

"Nope."

"Rocks," McKay said in a tone that indicated he felt completely childish playing this game, but participated willingly because he felt he had to. Or so logic dictated.

"Nope," Sheppard answered shortly.

"Rounds, as in you know ammo rounds."

"Well, now you're reaching Ford."

"R?" McKay asked again, just to clarify matters and checked out the surrounding area.

"Rain forest?" Ford replied.

"Does this look like a rain forest to you?" McKay muttered. "It's probably something completely ridiculous like when the Major said 'S' and it turned out it wasn't the stargate." He pointed a finger at the offending object. "And it wasn't the sky." Cue, McKay pointing at the sky. "Or anything obvious, it was 'scientist'." He shot an accusing look at Sheppard.

"Well, I was looking at a scientist."

"Can I look at myself?" McKay asked, wincing as he held his arm up as if to say 'well can I?'

"Hey Major," Ford asked glancing to him while completely ignoring everything McKay had just said. "That thing you spy with your little eye, wouldn't happen to be 'Rodney' would it?"

"Why yes," Sheppard said with great joy and giving McKay a smug grin. "Yes it would." McKay let out an exasperated sigh, threw up his hands despite the pain in his arm and sat down next to the DHD muttering something about being surrounded by idiots and not being appreciated.

--

Teyla expectantly was the first to touch down on the forest floor and looked up to Beckett who was still a good ten metres behind her. The climb was refreshing to say the least and it reminded her of her own home, of the world she had grown up in. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked round, loosening her muscles after the long climb. Beckett paused a moment to get his bearings and looked over his shoulder to see where Teyla was. She was waiting obediently at the bottle for him and he carried on facing the rock face as it steeped at an angle, giving it his undivided attention. He would accomplish this yet.

It was one small step for man and one giant leap for Carson Beckett as he finally jumped the metre from the rock to the floor and managed to land without falling over. Looking mighty proud of himself he looked back up to Teyla. "Well I must say Teyla, I even surprised myself."

"That was impressive doctor," Teyla answered with a bright smile and Beckett enjoyed the compliment, for it wasn't everyday that someone said that about him. And certainly not a female. "We must be going now."

"Of course." Beckett said motioning for her to take the lead.

Following their current trail did not prove as hard a task as he would have imagined they drew near familiar ground and there they would find the stargate and their companions. Teyla looked back once more to check on Beckett before moving forward, the only sounds that could be heard were the rustling of the leaves on the trees and of those that the breeze blew around on the ground. It was comforting and another reminder of home, except for another sound. It made Teyla freeze and her stomach tighten, a sick sensation washing throughout it.

"What is it?" Beckett asked quietly, coming to a slow halt beside her and looking round. Teyla held up her hand indicating for him to be quiet while she looked round, checking the area until movement occurred in the trees to their right. There was certainly someone coming through them and at great speed, Teyla got her Keibo sticks out at the ready while Beckett inexpertly picked up the P90. He hated weapons and hated trying to shoot them even more.

It was a blur of movement and something knocked Teyla off her feet, the sticks falling from her grasp and she was on the floor before Beckett had a chance to even blink. He raised the weapon, intending to fire but he didn't want to risk hitting Teyla. He was no marksman. A high pitched scream emanated from the two and for the first time, Beckett could see the assailant clearly. It was a girl, around Teyla's age, possibly younger who looked at him while grabbing Teyla's ankle to prevent her from reclaiming her weapons.

Teyla grunted as she attempted to kick off the woman. "Doctor," she said, as the woman got out the decorative knife stained red with what Beckett could only presume was blood and brought it down to Teyla's abdomen. Beckett had a duty, he wanted to help Teyla but he didn't want to injure this girl, she was frightened, that much was obvious. The first shallow cut was made and Teyla hissed while still fighting. "Doctor," she pleaded.

Beckett aimed the gun at the two of them. And fired.