Mitchell didn't have much trouble assembling her team. There were several Marines and Air Force personnel on duty just then and all of them had been trained for offworld teams. If they hadn't, then they wouldn't be on Atlantis in the first place. She hadn't worked with all of them, of course, but she'd seen enough of them in action that didn't have any trouble finding two to join her and Rodney.
Sergeant Pascal Sanders and Lieutenant Aaron Boyett were geared up and waiting when she arrived in Stargate operations. She'd stopped at her room just long enough to make sure the coffee pot had been turned off so the coffee that was in it wouldn't burn out while she was gone. Carrying a staff weapon instead of a P90, she got a few odd looks from the two Marines waiting, and from Elizabeth Weir and Rodney McKay.
"Are you expecting trouble, Colonel?" Weir asked, concerned.
A staff weapon was a fairly powerful weapon, after all, and one that wasn't used by the Atlanteans. Only Mitchell used them with any frequency – although there were several in the armory that the personnel who showed an interest in them were able to practice with – and use if they had reason.
Melony shook her head.
"Not really," she said. "It was just laying around, so I thought I'd bring it."
Of course, she also had a holster with a Beretta in it hanging from her hip and tied to her thigh with a thong. This was her primary weapon of choice.
And if something does come up, the staff weapon can be used in close quarters…Yep.
As far as she knew, the R'hurians were peaceful. She'd discussed them with Teyla, who had been to their planet several times. A man with a pitchfork probably wasn't much of a threat, but if you were carrying a staff weapon and he attacked you, you could easily disarm him with it. If you had a machine gun, you'd either have to drop the gun to defend yourself, or shoot him. Neither was preferable. So… just in case.
"Where's-"
The door swooshed open even as she'd started speaking, and Rodney McKay walked in, tugging at his holster and trying to get it settled on his hip. He was carrying a P90, and also a small device that was primarily used as a life sign detector. It also made a very handy tracking device, if you programmed it with who to look for.
"Sorry I'm late."
"You're not," Melony said, walking down the stairs to join Duck and Lieutenant Boyett. "I just got here."
"Good." Rodney walked down the stairs as well, frowning when he saw the staff weapon. "Expecting trouble?"
"Not really."
When she didn't elaborate, Rodney shrugged, moving over to show her the device in his hand.
"I programmed this for Colonel Sheppard, Lieutenant Ford and Teyla. If for some reason they're not in the villages, then we shouldn't have too much trouble locating them."
"If you don't locate them in the village, let us know," Weir requested. That way she'd know if there was something wrong, and would be able to have backup ready in case they were needed.
Mitchell nodded.
"They probably just lost track of time."
"Maybe they found another group of those farmers with all that hard alcohol," Boyett said, grinning. He'd heard all about the drunken state of Sheppard's team when they'd first visited the Light Ones' world and had run across the farmers who made a seemingly innocent drink that could knock you flat with only a couple of snorts.
Rodney's expression turned pained; he still remembered the hangover from that mission – and it hadn't been pretty.
Weir smiled, hoping that was all it was.
"Try not to break anything if you trip over them when you emerge from the gate."
Talon snorted, but Melony ignored him, and she nodded again, and then gestured for her team to get in position. Elizabeth looked over at the technician manning the dialing computer, and nodded.
An instant later the gate started to activate.
"We'll check in as soon as we know something," Mitchell said, looking over her shoulder as Boyett and Sanders headed through the gate with their guns half-raised.
"We'll leave the light on."
OOOOOOOO
Planet A-121 was a fairly nice place. It was lush and green without having so much rainfall that it was damp and muggy. A number of fair-sized rivers meandered through a large valley that held a heavy forest area on one end, and a couple of large villages on the other. Between the two villages was a slightly raised mound of earth and rocks that had been cleverly paved with an odd clay substance that hardened almost to a concrete-like finish. Sitting on top of that was the Stargate.
When Mitchell's team emerged from the Stargate, they didn't trip over Sheppard or any of his team. For that matter, they didn't trip over anyone. They did, however, find a group of people waiting for them. Seven men, all large and mostly naked (nothing new to any of the Atlanteans, since the Light Ones were frequent visitors to the city) and carrying weapons. Weapons that consisted of spears and several bows. All of which were pointing at them when they materialized.
"Colonel…"
Duck's P90 was already in position – as was Boyett's – but the thought of mowing down civilians wasn't at all appealing to either of them and they wouldn't do anything without a good reason.
"Easy, guys."
Even as she was speaking, the largest of the seven was lowering his bow, although there wasn't a hint of a smile on his face.
"You are from the city of the ancestors?"
Melony looked at Rodney, who nodded.
"Yes. Atlantis."
He looked at Mitchell. "Several of the civilizations that we've come across are aware of the existence of a great city – although many of those seem to refer to it as a legend, or as a city of the ancestors. Probably bec-"
"Yes," Melony said, interrupting Rodney, and looking at the seven men. "That's where we're from."
Now the others lowered their weapons as well, although a couple of them still looked suspicious.
Rodney frowned, and turned to Mitchell.
"This isn't normal behavior for these folks," he said softly. "From what Teyla said, they're usually very open and friendly…"
Which was exactly what Melony had been told, too. She didn't feel any friendliness at all from these folks. In fact, all she could see in their expressions was distrust.
And fearTalon was watching them, too, and he was better at reading people than his host was.
"We're looking for our friends," Mitchell said. "Teyla, and those who were with her."
Now the expressions were more fear than distrust, and the first man spoke again.
"They're dead. You should leave now, before you die as well."