"You must stay out of the forest," one of the women said.
Mina, Talon supplied.
Mitchell shook her head.
"We have to find out what happened to our people," she said. "No matter what's hiding in your forest."
"Then you'll most likely die," Chanin said. "Four of our best hunters went in looking for a lost child and none returned – including the child."
"When was that?"
"Several days ago."
Mitchell turned to Rodney.
"Have you found them on the locator?"
He looked down at the device in his hand, and shook his head.
"Not yet."
"It couldn't really be a Wraith, could it?" Boyett asked. "They're gone, right?"
The council members looked at them, but it was McKay who answered.
"We haven't seen any trace of Wraith activity on any of the telemetry devices," he confirmed. "If it's a Wraith – or a group of Wraith – then they're not using any of the technology that we can trace them on."
"But it could be Wraith?" Duck asked.
Mitchell shrugged.
"There's always a chance that there were stragglers that escaped our culling." She and Talon had already discussed that.
The council members nodded. They, of course, had heard of the defeat of the Wraith, but they hadn't believed it was possible. And now they were hearing that they were right.
"Then you must stay away from the forest," Chanin repeated.
"If it's a Wraith, it's not going to stay in the forest…" Melony said.
No
"But the hunters and-"
"There's always a chance that it's something else…" she said, reasonably.
"Has anything come through your Stargate lately?" Rodney asked.
The council members looked at each other, and then to the Atlanteans.
"When the ring of the ancestors activates, we do not wait around to see what comes through. We hide the old and young."
Rodney nodded.
"Makes sense, considering that until recently the gate activating meant a possible imminent culling."
"Yes," Chanin agreed. He was glad that these people understood just how dangerous the Wraith were, and hoped they would listen to reason. That hope was dashed a moment later, when the leader of the small group stood.
"Well, Wraith or not, we need to go find our people."
The council – and the rest of Melony's team – stood as well.
"You don't understand Colonel Mitchell… it's dangerous."
"I understand," she assured him. "But we don't have a choice."
"We cannot send anyone with you. It's-"
"We'll be fine."
Hopefully.
The council members didn't look all that convinced – and really, Rodney didn't look all that certain, either.
"That is what the others said when they left as well…" Chanin said.
OOOOOOOOOO
Sheppard looked around.
"Nice place…"
Dex didn't even crack a smile.
"It serves its purpose."
"Which is…?"
He didn't respond. Instead, he stood, and went over to the small lean to that was situated against large tree trunk. It was well camouflaged; the Atlanteans might not have noticed it if they'd walked passed it without the fire and small clearing to give away the fact that this was a camp. He stuck his upper body inside for just a moment, and emerged with a metal pot that looked like it'd seen better days – several years before.
"What are you going to do with us?" Sheppard asked as they watched him fill the pot with water.
"I haven't decided yet."
"You should probably let us go."
Dex looked at them.
"Why would I do that?"
"You can't afford to feed Ford," John told him reasonably.
Again the joke fell flat.
"Who said I was going to feed you?"
"Release us," Teyla said, tired of being tied up. Especially when there was no reason for it.
He shook his head.
"Not until I decide what to do with you."
OOOOOOOO
The gate activated almost on schedule – much to Elizabeth Weir's relief. Grodin turned to her.
"It's Colonel Mitchell. She's sending, only."
Meaning she wasn't returning. Which would have meant that she'd found Sheppard's team. Weir nodded, feeling a stab of worry.
"Colonel Mitchell… Any luck?"
"No, Doctor Weir. Not yet."
The voice on the other side of the transmission wasn't mournful, which told Weir that they hadn't found Sheppard's team in a village of cannibals or something, so that was better than the alternative.
"Any sign at all?" Weir asked.
"The villagers say that Sheppard's team went into their forests when they arrived – after being warned away from it. And that they haven't seen them since."
"And you believe that?" she asked. There was always a chance the villagers had done something to the away team themselves, and were hiding it behind a story.
"Yeah. We're going to go look for them."
"Do you need me to send you more people?"
"Nah. We should be good."
"Be careful."
"We will."
"And check in as soon as you can."
"Yes, ma'am. Mitchell out."
The gate deactivated, and Weir looked at Grodin.
"Dial up A-231, Peter."
"The Jaffa world?"
She nodded. 231 was a deserted world that the Jaffa had decided to take as their own – since the previous inhabitants had been wiped out by the Wraith and Mitchell had decided that they needed a Jaffa base here in the Pegasus galaxy.
"Yes. I want to let Teal'c know what's happening."