Last Part of December: Chapter 8
The scene inside the jumper bay could be politely described as organized chaos. Various military personnel rushed in, loading weapons into two of the jumpers as medical figures scrambled around them, obviously prepared for a worst-case scenario. Colonel Sheppard stood off to the side, trying to take a quick inventory. A long sleeve T-shirt and his jacket hid his bandaged arm – there was no way he wasn't going on this mission. He kept expecting to see Teyla dashing in, forgetting that she had decided to visit the mainland today. At first, he wished he'd also asked for the day off when he heard Elizabeth's plans, but now he wished she were here.
"Hello, did you have empty out half the armory? Were you planning on throwing in a kitchen sink as well?"
"Glad to see you made it, Rodney. No, I don't think there's room for a sink, but we have no idea what we could be going up against. However, like they said in the boy scouts, 'be prepared.'"
"Colonel, somehow I doubt you were ever a boy scout," Rodney snorted.
"Rodney, the things you don't know about me, would amaze even you," Sheppard started, when he noticed Dr. Weirs and Zelenka enter the room. Both looked extremely concerned, and not by the action swirling around them. "I take it we have a go?"
"Yes," they both responded, and Dr. Zelenka looked at Dr. Weir a little sheepishly.
"Sorry," the Czech apologized, pushing up his glasses. Dr. Weir and Colonel Sheppard could see the unease in his eyes: the weight of leadership, ordering people into a potentially dangerous situation, was never easy and the physicist had just gotten his first taste of it. "Here," he added after a moment's pause, handing a laptop to Rodney, "I suggest, if the planet is as Ronon suspects, we disable Gate, no more rabbit snares for Wraith to check," he finished, retreating to a safer topic.
"Thanks, wouldn't be a bad idea," said the Colonel looking over Rodney's shoulder. "I'm assuming this involves more than pulling a few crystals?"
"C4."
"Ah, your kind of solution, Colonel," sniped Rodney.
The Colonel grinned for a moment. "Ok, let's head 'em up and move'em out."
"Heaven help us if he starts singing 'Rawhide,'" Rodney sighed.
"What's Rawhide," asked Ronon. McKay sighed again.
X
Carson awoke with a start, momentarily forgetting where he was and amazed he'd managed a few hours sleep. Dr. Randall and Dr. Brown were asleep on either side of him, briefly reminding him of his grandmum and her cats. He smiled at the sight; the next time Rodney made sheep jokes, he could simply point out he'd spent a night with his girlfriend off world. He tried to extricate himself, but the women stirred as he struggled to get up. Dr. Katie Brown was many things, but she was definitely not graceful getting up. Carson winced and bit back a curse as her foot contacted his twisted ankle. Ronon would have been proud, had this been one of his classes.
Oh, are you ok" she blushed, immediately realizing what had happened.
"Don't worry lass, I don't think you did any more damage," he fibbed, trying to reassure her. There was nothing anyone could do here, anyhow. He slowly eased himself up the cave wall.
"Are you sure," echoed Dr. Randall, concern in her voice. "Shouldn't you be sitting down? I can take a look…"
No, love, I'll be fine. Check and see if Laura needs anything, maybe you could see if there's a water source? I need to make sure Lt. Bond and Major Lorne's wounds are clean." She nodded, stretched on tiptoes, and gave him a quick kiss, before walking over to Lt. Cadman who had been silently watching the entire time. Kyte felt slightly guilty, realizing the lieutenant had been keeping watch alone the last few hours. Katie followed.
"Obviously, we won't go far, just to scout out the area, maybe bring back some more firewood, and some of those plants," Dr. Brown started. Kyte nodded and thumbed her 9mil loose from its holster, although she doubted any large animal could survive in this terrain.
"Should we wake them," Katie's head bobbed in the direction of the rest of their party, all asleep. Carson was slowly heading over to Lt. Bond and Major Lorne, his face a mixture of concern and relief at the still forms.
"Men," Laura muttered softly. "Whoever said women were the weaker sex."
"They never dealt with a day after Christmas sale," added Dr. Brown. "Talk about hunting and gathering…"
"Present awake company excepted, apologized Dr. Randall, seeing Carson looking at them. He shook his head.
Drs. Brown and Randall were back a short time later with a few more plants and some additional firewood. The search for water had been unsuccessful and had sparked a discussion about how drought resistant the local flora was and if there was a way to gauge the rainfall. Their find though, was a bowl-like rock, now perched in a corner of the fire. A canteen of water had been sacrificed and was now boiling for Dr. Beckett's use to clean Lt. Bond and Major Lorne's wounds. He was extremely worried in the Major's case, the bone needed to repositioned and set, and there was a rapidly increasing risk of infection the longer they were on the planet. The women resorted to small talk to cover their own growing nervousness.
"So Katie, just how many power bars did Rodney get yesterday?" asked Laura. There had been, of course, presents from family back on Earth, but there had also been an exchange of small gifts among the residents of Atlantis.
"II wish I'd grabbed a few. I think he got at least one from everyone. I'm not sure if everyone's simply concerned, or," Katie seemed unable to finish her thought that Rodney was usually quieter when eating. "Well, we know who to borrow hair product from, right?"
"You'd think Colonel Sheppard would simply 'fess up to what he uses. He's got more than a few secrets. Still, the look on his face, when he realized he was better supplied than most salons was priceless," finished Dr. Randall.
"Are you girls just going to gossip, or have you started breakfast?" interrupted Dr. Hudson. Dr. Parrish grinned behind him. The three women rolled their eyes.
"We would have, but apparently you guys didn't get the message to stop and pick up groceries on the way home," quipped Katie in her best 'mom' tone.
"Yeah, and Starbucks hasn't found this place yet," added Dr. Randall. Everyone laughed. The conversation drifted to next week's New Year's party and then the early plans for the Super Bowl festivities.
"I'll have to see if I can get my friend send his Defcon wings for the party. They should come with a warning and health waiver," started Dr. Hudson.
"I think I know what you mean, my brother makes some he labels as Texas Thermonuclear Hot. A couple of those and there's no way you can catch a cold for a month," one-upped Dr. Parrish.
"I just want to be there when Colonel Sheppard tries to explain buffalo wings to Ronon," added Dr. Randall. Several people looked at her momentarily, before they chorused, "But buffaloes don't have wings," one of the immortal phrases of a certain blonde. Even Major Lorne and Lt. Bond laughed, which seemed a good sign. Kyte looked over at Dr. Beckett trying to tend his patients as best he could, he face creased by concern and sympathy. She wondered about him sometimes, the man wore his heart on his sleeve. Given all that had happened in Atlantis, a weaker man would have given up, a wiser man would have retreated, and a harder man would have become cynical. Yet Carson seemed beyond all of this, and it touched her on some emotional level, usually pride in his abilities, although every once in awhile frustration, at not seeing the 'forest for the trees.' Of course his 'heart on sleeve" look also occasionally made her want to do certain other things, usually preceded by a trail of clothing on the floor. Her reverie was broken by a nudge; off in the distance, the Stargate was activating. Everyone seemed to perk up, like a group of merkats.
"Oh hell" swore Lt. Cadman as the first of half a dozen Wraith darts flew in.
"Do you think their beams can penetrate the rock," asked Dr. Parrish nervously.
"I think they have other plans," swore Lt. Cadman as the Darts appeared to land. "I think they're hunting on foot."
"I didn't plan to play 'most dangerous game,' added Dr. Brown. "Worst case, they find us and kill us."
"No, worse case they find out Atlantis is still intact, before they kill us," rasped Major Lorne, reminding them suddenly of their predicament. Limited weapons, two injured military, and several scared scientists who normally didn't venture off world. "Dr. Randall, take my P90. I've seen you at the range, you're not half bad. You and Lt. Cadman can split the ammo Lt. Bond has," lectured Major Lorne. There was an odd note in his voice, a mixture of resignation and wounded pride. He had failed, both in his military duties and in being a man; he couldn't even pretend to protect those in his care, and that didn't sit easily with him. He had to trust two young women, one a civilian with six other lives. He guessed that Lt. Bond felt the same way.
"Are you sure this is a good idea," questioned Dr. Parrish, indicating Dr. Randall as she double-checked the weapon and stashed the additional clips.
"I used to go hunting regularly," snapped Dr. Randall with a strained note. Carson could see her recollect something for a moment, something painful, before pushing it aside, like something to be crumpled up and thrown in a drawer. He didn't think she was talking about shooting clays.
"We'll try to pick them off, lead them away from our position here," stated Lt. Cadman, hesitating slightly. You still have a couple 9mils, if we don't succeed, she finished grimly, before pausing. "I'm sorry, as they say, 'the best laid plans of mice and men.'"
"Often go astray," finished Carson. He didn't want to add the next line: 'And leave us nothing but grief and pain for promised joy.'
"Hey," added Major Lorne with forced cheerfulness, "They're on foot, we have weapons, we'll manage. "Let's be careful out there." Lt. Cadman started walking towards the cave's entrance. Dr. Randall followed, after giving Carson a quick kiss.
"Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast," Kyte added at the mouth of the cave. The two women scrambled for positions above and away from the cave, hoping the Wraith didn't venture that direction first.
The first shots seemed to catch the Wraith by surprise, and the two women were able to take down two of their number quickly, before the Wraith began separating.
"Hell," Lt. Cadman swore, trying to fire at retreating figures. "Knew it couldn't be easy." At least the Wraith appeared lightly armed, no stunners were in view, but that was small consolation. They were fighting an enemy that didn't need weapons to kill. She shifted position to get a better shot.
Kyte was nearby, lying flat, butt of the P90 tucked into her shoulder to keep the gun steady. Despite time on the range, she still wasn't totally comfortable with the gun or firing multiple rounds at a time. She cursed under her breath as shots either missed or appeared ineffective. She finally downed a second target, wincing at the bruise she'd be sporting for a few days from the recoil, but it was a small price to pay if they survived. She heard a small cheer from above and assumed Lt. Cadman also finished off a target. By now though, both women assumed the remaining Wraith had realized they were facing an enemy with some firepower and were probably changing tactics. Despite the circumstances, though the Wraith were still the predators. Their prey had a limited supply of ammunition. They could afford to be patient and stalk. Both women changed positions, trying to find new perches to control the situation. Both were running low on ammo. Lt. Cadman realized sadly that it all came down to a question of math, how many Wraiths, how many bullets. Even Rodney couldn't fault that equation. Unfortunately, for them, it was not balanced.
TBC
A/N: A quick note on quotes:
"Let's be careful…" Hill Street Blues
"Smoke me a kipper…" Red Dwarf (alternate reality Rimmer)
"The best laid plans…" and "Often go astray…" In honor of Burns night, a little while ago, these are lines from the immortal poem, To A Mouse. Sorry for you purists, I've paraphrased them into modern English.
Oh, and the buffalo wings comment? Do I really need to explain it?