"Gah…"
Duck scrambled off the pile, gave a pained yelp and went back to the ground, holding his leg, and covered with Wraith goo.
Mitchell got up and walked over to him, meeting Boyett there at the same time – although Rodney had taken several steps backward and looked like he was going to throw up at any minute.
"You all right?" Melony asked, concerned.
The sergeant shook his head, looking up at her.
"I think I broke it."
Mitchell looked at Boyett, who was already checking it out, trying very hard to avoid the goo on Duck's pant leg.
"Lieutenant?"
"It's broken, ma'am."
"Shit."
"I'm sorry, Colonel," Duck said, sounding about as miserable as he looked. Whether he was apologizing for getting hurt, or for dumping her into the Wraith goo, Melony wasn't sure.
"Don't be, Sergeant."
She wouldn't hold either against him, of course, but it did change things a bit.
"Lieutenant? Can you get him back to the gate alone? Before dark?"
Since that gave him all day, Boyett nodded.
"Yes, ma'am."
"Get him back to Atlantis, then," Mitchell said. "McKay and I will keep looking for the away team."
Rodney frowned.
"Shouldn't we go with them? To make sure they get back, I mean?"
"We need to find Sheppard," Melony said, looking at the mangled Wraith. "Whatever killed this guy might have found them – or might be looking for them, too – and I'm not going to leave without them. Figure out what it is that's interfering with your locator, and then we'll be able to track them down."
He hesitated, looking at the mangled Wraith once more, but then nodded.
"Okay."
"I'll get a couple of splint sticks."
Boyett nodded, already reaching for his first aid kit.
OOOOOOO
Setting the broken leg wasn't too hard (not that Duck enjoyed it) and splinting it afterward only took a few minutes. Mitchell and Boyett were both well trained in first aid, after all, and Duck was a good patient.
"I found it."
Melony looked over at Rodney, who was holding up a small device that was beeping lightly in his hand.
"Found what?" Boyett asked.
"What's blocking my signal."
"Yeah?" Even Duck was looking. "What is it?"
"Ironically enough, it looks like some kind of tracking device."
"Really?"
Mitchell came over and looked at it.
"Yeah."
"What is it tracking?"
McKay shrugged.
"I'm not certain."
"The away team, maybe?" Boyett asked. "Maybe the Wraith was tracking them?"
"Maybe."
McKay shook his head.
"No. That's the dumbest thing I've heard in a long time. The Wraith don't need tracking devices to find people – they have other ways. And why would they be looking for one team when there is an entire village – two villages to be exact – of people just outside the gate to feed on? Not to mention, the-"
"Okay, McKay," Mitchell interrupted. "We get it. He wasn't tracking the away team."
"So what was he tracking?" Duck asked.
McKay shrugged, looking at the mangled Wraith.
"I'm more concerned about what found him."
"Are you sure you don't want to come back with us, Colonel?" Boyett asked, uncertainly. "We can bring back more people and have some backup…"
Melony shook her head.
"Get the Sergeant back to the gate, Lieutenant. Then get back here with help."
"Yes, Ma'am."
"And bring me a clean uniform when you get back."
Boyett grinned, despite his concerns. Being covered in Wraith goo wasn't really the nicest thing in the world, was it?
"Yes, Ma'am."
Melony turned to Rodney, who had been fiddling with the tracking devices while at the same time listening in on the conversation.
"Can you make that thing stop interfering with our tracking device?"
"I already have," Rodney said. "And I've managed to keep both of them active at the same time simply by switching the frequency of the Wraith device."
"So we can track whatever it was the Wraith was tracking?"
"Yes."
Melony turned to Boyett, who was helping Duck to his feet and draping the Sergeant's arm over his shoulder.
"You got him, Lieutenant?"
"I've got him."
"You can make it back okay?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Good. Get going, then."
She and Rodney stood side by side, watching as the two headed back the way they'd come.
"Are you sure that was a good idea?" Rodney asked. "What if they run into something?"
"They're both armed," Melony pointed out.
"But against a Wraith…?"
"You think there's more Wraith?"
"I don't know," Rodney admitted. "I'll tell you something, though…" he said, looking down at the Wraith device in his hand. "This guy here probably was tracking the away team."
"Why do you say that?"
"Both devices are pointing to the same area. We're tracking the away team – and so was the Wraith. If there are more of them, then chances are they're looking for them as well."
Why wouldn't he have said something before?
And risk being wrong in front of Boyett and Duck?
Good point.
Melony reached down and picked up her staff weapon and pack.
"Then we'd better get there before they do."